Crazy Product of the Week

This is a prom dress. It is made of an unusual material. See if you can guess what it is.

Time’s up. It’s made of condoms. Luckily, I don’t believe it’s for sale. But seriously, who would wear it?

New Old Desk

I bought a desk. I wasn’t looking for a desk, but in playing on Craigslist I found this one for sale for $30 and I wanted it. So after work I went by and picked it up. (Thank you to the nice woman I bought it from and the man working on her house for loading it in my car!)

Once I got home I realized that I had no way to get it out of the car and into my apartment. I wish I had pictures of me trying to get it out of the car, but I was too busy trying not to drop it and failing (I only dropped it once and very lightly) and NO thank you to the woman who arrived in the garage and walked right by me while I was trying to balance the desk and get it out of the car.

I finally got it loaded up onto one of the carts my building keeps for groceries and got it upstairs (thank goodness for elevators!) Then I had to figure out how to stand it back up. About 30 minutes later I had it in it’s new home.

Here are some pictures:

I was debating painting it, but after a quick Google search, I found out it’s called a Spinet Desk typical from late 1800’s to early-mid 1900’s. Apparently after a spinet (kindof like a piano/harpsicord) worn out they were sometimes converted to desks. I believe that’s how the style started. Not exactly something I’d paint.

The top folds back with a piano hinge. It’s missing the piece of the top that folds over the front. The lighter colored wood writing surface pulls out for more space. I think for now I’ll try to fix the pieces that are breaking (drawer bottoms, front piece) and leave the rest alone.

So……. what do you think?

All Over the Place

My taste is all over the place. Here are some things I’m in love with at the moment. In a dream land these would be mine. Or in real life if I happened to have a few extra thousand dollars to spend on expensive furniture.

Slowly Going "Green" - Recycling

My office and home buildings both recycle. It's easy at work - shredding bin on my desk and I walk the soda bottles/cans to the bins in the kitchen (two on each floor). At home, I found out that my building has two recycling bins in the trash room - one for paper/cardboard and one for plastic/glass/metal.

I didn't think I produced much recyclable "trash" until I realized that it takes cardboard. EVERYTHING is wrapped in cardboard. Cereal boxes, frozen food, the cardboard that keeps all 6 yogurt together......

Then it occurred to me how much plastic/metal I go through. Milk jugs, yogurt containers, frozen food meals, cans for food, plastic that berries come in, tinfoil.....

I had two paper shopping bags set up in my kitchen next to my trash can for a few months. When it got full, I emptied it. They weren't pretty though. I was on the lookout for cute bags/bins to put in my kitchen for months, but they were all ugly (or super expensive.) Until one day I was strolling around Target and found two of these cute totes. I couldn’t find them on the Target website, so here’s a pic of one from my kitchen – complete with recycle-ables in it. Oh – and better yet – they fit in my pantry so they are no longer sitting out.

What Happens in Vegas…

gets blogged about.

In this whiny post a while back I mentioned that I had a trip planned to Vegas to visit D. And then in this post I learned that he had relocated and would no longer be in Vegas for my trip.

Whatever happened to my trip? I still went. I had a work training out there and some friends met me afterward for a long weekend. D was supposed to be in Orlando, but ended up in Denver. (Even though he has “relocated” up by me, he travels a LOT for his job and we still rarely see each other :( Ok – enough whining for now.)

The trip was actually the first week in April, but I came back to a mess at work and am just now getting around to blogging about it.

I have to say that Vegas is fun with friends, but really boring when you’re just walking around by yourself. Thank you to the two women from Texas that sat next to me in my training and took pity on me invited me to join them for lunch and dinner!

I never had any desire to visit Las Vegas, but I’m glad I went. It was fun, but the best part was the gorgeous hotel and pool (I spent the vacation part of my trip at the Venetian) which I could have done at any pretty hotel. For my next “real” vacation (trips back home to Florida don’t count) I want a passport stamp!

Crazy Product of the Week

I’m not really sure who wants a scary face on their fridge, but in case you do, this magnet is available. I can just picture attempting to get a midnight snack out of the fridge and instead giving myself a heart attack because I came face to face with this!

Wall Art

I’ve been searching for some cheap wall art and haven’t found anything I like. My living room wall has been blank since I moved in over two years ago. It can’t be something heavy since I can’t put holes in the wall. Anyone have any ideas?

Here is a pretty bad picture of the living room with the blank wall. I assume whenever I move I will no longer have giant windows all along one wall of my apartment, so I need something that will go over the couch.

Hmmm. It looks so bad in this picture. I’m amazed it has taken me this long to fill it!

Slowly Going "Green" - Grass-Fed Beef

So in my attempt to be “green”, I have been looking at buying local. I tried out a local co-op that has grass-fed beef. It’s something I’ve looked at before, but I had never really tried. I don’t typically cook meat at home since I’m not really good in the kitchen (a few exceptions – anything in the crock pot, and a few recipes where all have to do is stick it in the oven with a meat thermometer in it).

So on Saturday I was out and about, hungry and needing to pick up some groceries. I head to the co-op and get some frozen pizzas for Saturday’s dinner, and decide to pick up a piece of beef for Sunday.

I should have mentioned at the beginning of this post that not everyone will want to read it. For example – folks who get queasy easily.

Ok – now that I’ve warned you. It’s really nice that the package has the packaged date and a use-by date. The particular steak I picked up was packaged just two days before. Talk about fresh!

I had read online about different cooking methods to make sure the meat doesn’t get tough (apparently a big complaint from people switching from “regular” meat to grass-fed). What I didn’t prepare myself for was that when I opened the plastic it would drip on me. Not regular meat-juice. Blood. Like when you prick your finger or cut yourself shaving. Real blood. Not meat-juice.

I have always been able to separate in my mind the animal from what I’m eating. So I marinate the meat and cook it (using the meat thermometer to be sure I don’t overcook it). And yet, when I sit down to dinner – I couldn’t separate the meat from the animal. Don’t get me wrong, I ate it (well, the half of it I was planning to eat). But I couldn’t help think that this is why people become vegetarian. And I didn’t enjoy it. The other half will not be eaten.

I don’t think I could go vegetarian – I hate beans! So I guess I’ll go back to not making meat at home. Ew.

Crazy Product of the Week

Is this a child’s toy?

The description talks about his razor blade necklace, prison number around his waist like a badge of honor, and his yellow teeth. I don’t get it.

Slowly Going "Green" - Shopping Bags

I am slowly taking steps (tiny, non-painful steps) to go "green". When I moved to Minnesota a little over two years ago, I did not bring any plastic bags with me. None. About a year ago I noticed that I was running out of room for all the plastic bags I had accumulated at that point (and I use them regularly for trash bags and to clean the litter box.)

It was then that I splurged and purchased reusable shopping bags. These particular bags roll up and five of them fit in a tiny pouch. Since I hardly ever remember to pick them up before heading to the grocery store, I can just carry them around all the time. They've also come in handy for many other tote-bag-related things. And they're cute! Other added benefits are that they hold a lot more than a regular plastic bag and they fit over my shoulder so I can carry all my groceries up to my apartment without killing myself!

Now I only use the store bags when I need more for the kitty litter.

Is it bad that it bothers me that they are cuter patterns out since I bought mine?

Burger King

They need to fire their advertising company. First, it was the creepy Burger “King”. Then, if you ate at Burger King, you would grow a large mustache, now it’s a square butt?!? (If you haven’t seen them, it’s worth clicking on the links. It’s freaky and will make you think twice before going to BK.) Freaky!

Apartments

I hate apartments. Maybe apartments aren't that bad. I hate sharing walls with neighbors. I just want a quiet place to live. Ok – I do have a few more requirements than that….

I started apartment hunting in earnest. My lease is up the end of July. Instead of an apartment I found this house, and this one. I have never really cared for mid-century modern furniture, but I really like these houses. Hmmm, now I just need to figure out how to rig the lottery.

Pretty houses just make apartment hunting that much more depressing. I hate apartments.

Crazy Product of the Week

Just in case your co-workers steal your coffee mug on a regular basis (why you wouldn’t just take it to your desk is beyond me) this mug has a missing piece so no one else can use it. At least not without spilling hot coffee all over themselves in the process.

At least it’s reasonably priced at 9.99 Euros.

Crazy Product of the Week

I’m hoping this is a halloween prop more than something used year-round. I still don’t think I could bring myself to have this in my house. Of course, even though I haven’t seen Psycho, I still sometimes try to shampoo with my eyes open.