February 7, 2009

I guess I don't have enough ‘down time' to think of browsing through YouTube for fun videos. When I'm on the computer, I'm either in QuickBooks, Excel, or online banking doing Accounting, checking off my tasks and keeping my calendar up to date in Outlook, working on blog posts, catching up on my Google Reader, or replying to emails.

Recently, I was browsing a new blog that I've been reading, Where's My Damn Answer?, and saw this video in one of their posts. I was happy to have stumbled upon it. It's so creative and well done that I wanted to share it with our readers.

It's just a fun, upbeat video and, I think, worth 3 minutes and 37 seconds of your time to watch it. I've watched it several times.

I love this song so much, that I'm off to iTunes to buy it for my iPod!

~LilSis

February 6, 2009

I'm not a big TV watcher.  It's not because my social calendar is too booked, or because I have very trendy cool moral/social objections to it that make me very righteous.  I just don't have any ding dang time to watch television.  And I do have to admit that I don't like most of what airs, except for the occasional episode of American Idol and Top Chef.

But I do have one TV obsession that I will totally fess up to.  One show that I do not EVER miss NOT EVER NOT EVER, and that is “Lost”!  I've been a fan since episode one, and this show has kept me hanging on through delays and the writer's strike and indefinite season postponements.  I'm addicted to the beautiful Hawaiian scenery, the quirky plot twists and the wonderfully odd characters.  And, one more confession…I have a little bad boy crush on Sawyer.  Admit it…you do too.  ;-D  We know we should like Jack, but we do love us some Sawyer!

Bad Boy Con-Man Sawyer

We've had 3 episodes in this season so far, and we've had some questions answered.  Miracles of all miracles!  Can you believe it?    But I still have more questions, always more questions.

• How are these folks getting back to the island?
• Can Ben go back?  Would he be the leader again?
• How are they going to convince Sun to go back and leave her baby?
• Is Claire's mom *really* as innocent as she seems?
• Was there anything funnier than when cry baby Neal got shot with that flaming arrow?
• Is Daniel Faraday less the benevolent, bumbling scientist, and more of a villain?
• Is John Locke really dead?
• Is there something menacing or weird about baby Aaron?
• Could Sayid's hair possibly be any greasier?  Does he have a secret stash of hair gel that we don't know about?
• Would anyone care if Charlotte, Juliet and Miles all died from this brain displacement malady?
• What would have happened if Sawyer spoke to Kate when he saw her in the past delivering Aaron?
• What would happen if one of the characters ran across themselves in a time travel episode?
• Is Penny going to die at Ben's hand as he promised?
• Why does Charles Widmore feel Ben stole his island from him?  Did he think he was the “heir to the throne” when Ben came along, perhaps?
• Why does Richard wear so much eyeliner?  Does it have something to do with his agelessness?  If he doesn't age, why did he have to wear reading glasses to remove the bullet from Locke's leg?

If you think you know any of these answers, please share them with me!  Only 5 more days til the next episode!  Not that I'm counting.  I do have a life you know.

~BigSis

February 4, 2009

Once upon a time, I did take advantage of time on the cardio machines at the gym to catch up on my magazine reading. Now, I only go to the gym for yoga or weights and do my cardio outside.  It's rare; but if I do go to the gym for cardio because of weather, I can't read on the machines any more. I don't know if it got darker in my gym or if my eyes just got worse, but I refuse to wear reading glasses while working out! (Go ahead, call me vain!)

My problem right now is that I just don't have enough time to kick back and leisurely browse through my magazines. I'd like to be able to read my magazines in a relaxed mode and not in a huge hurry just to move it from the ‘unread' pile to the ‘read' pile.

How nice would this be? (aahhh…heaven)

Flickr photo by Santheo

We talked about this about four months ago. At that time, I was down to these six subscriptions.  I've just decided that I probably won't ever have time to read these each month, so something's gotta give! Here's how they rank now:

Keepers:

• Fit Yoga
• whole living body+soul

Undecided:

• Heart Healthy
• Food Network

Won't renew:

• Sculptural Pursuit
• Coastal Living
• Food & Wine

When it's time to renew my subscriptions, I will probably only keep FitYoga and whole living body+soul.

I like Heart Healthy and I do occasionally find articles in it that are interesting and maybe a few recipes that I like, so it's under consideration. And, I also, am a little disappointed in Food Network Magazine. I've got several months left on my subscription, so for now, I'll keep reading as time allows and make a decision when my subscription is due for renewal.

The last three are just being eliminated because of lack of time. I like them all but just cannot find any extra time in my day to read them.

It's such a stress factor for me when I see my “to read” pile of magazines stacking up! That's just wrong! Magazines are supposed to be fun; not another source of stress!  So, for now, I'm weeding out my least favorites!

~LilSis

February 3, 2009

I've been trying to intensify my gym time, and have been going 5 times a week instead of 3, plus I'm shaking up my cardio a little. You know how your body will get used to the same old routine after a while, and it stops being as effective? So, lately I've been hopping on the bike 5 times a week for half an hour each session before I run off to the treadmill, and I discovered that's the perfect time to work on my stack of unread magazines. That 30 minutes ends up being a good barometer to determine which magazines are worthwhile and which are a waste of money. If I can breeze through an issue and leave it in the gym, completely done with it after half an hour, then it's not a keeper.

Sorry, Domino Magazine, you've failed my gym test. I can flip through you in only a matter of minutes, just like an issue of People. I adore your cute little sticky tags, but I never find anything to mark any more! I used to love you, but I guess I've moved away from your demographic. I didn't find one article or photo layout of note in the last issue, and didn't see one decorating idea I would ever implement. So, I'm sorry, Domino, I have to end it with you. But it's not you; it's me.

Bon Appetit, I'm breaking up with you too. We've been together for a couple of decades now, but you've been letting me down for months and I'm not putting up with it any more. You used to be so interesting and fun, and now I just can't relate to you at all. What happened to you?

More Magazine, you're making the cut. You last for a couple of gym sessions, and I'm pretty much reading you cover to cover. I can relate to your articles, and I appreciate the positive tone of your issues. I'll renew you when you come calling next year.

Food Network Magazine, you're on probation. Your initial issue was strong, but your performance in the second issue was a bit weaker and a tad boring. I'm a demanding reader, so you've got the rest of this subscription to entertain me and please me. Can you make the grade, or will I have to kick you to the curb with Domino and Bon Appetit?

To the Curb! Flickr photo by JP Shooter.

Martha Stewart Living, I'm back! I cheated on you with Real Simple for a few years, thinking you were too high-maintenance. But Real Simple lost my interest eventually, shallow fickle reader that I am.  I've been having a little newsstand fling with you, and I think I'm ready to make a subscription commitment to you again. While others last only half an hour, you keep me reading for at least a couple of hours, and I usually tear out some of your pages for later reference. I'm back, have you missed me?

LilSis, have you done any magazine weeding lately?  I'm feeling ruthless and demanding more from my subscriptions…how about you?

~BigSis

February 1, 2009

Happy Super Bowl Sunday, you all!

This is a big party day, so please remember to take a cab or get a ride home if you are “overserved”!  Be safe and have a fun day!

~BigSis

November 24, 2008

What the L is Big Sis up to?

• Leaving for Las Vegas, baby!  Adios North Texas, Hola Vegas
• Looking forward to a few days with SisMama and LilSis
• Lunching on Southwest Airlines' honey roasted peanuts
• Loving my new Relastin Eye Silk

~BigSis

November 1, 2008

What the “L” is Lil Sis up to?

• Loving the fact that it's Saturday and I can be away from my computer without feeling guilty.
• Lingering over my favorite McCanns Irish Steel Cut Oatmeal.
• Limbering up to go for a run.
• Loving my new Asics. These are the ones I buy every time. I don't even have to try them on anymore. I put so many miles on my shoes that I have to get a new pair about once every two months.

Pink, of course!

• Listening to my cardio playlist on my iPod.
• Looking forward to spending the rest of the day down at the Harbor cleaning up our boat.

~LilSis

October 24, 2008

Well, I certainly hope you're happy, LilSis!  You just had to dangle that Food Network Magazine carrot in front of me, didn't you?  You know that I have a magazine addiction, and that I've been in recovery for a couple of years now and that I'm still vulnerable.  You'd probably take a platter of brownies to a Weight Watcher's meeting, wouldn't you?  Ok, maybe that's a little harsh.  I'm sorry.  But you DID just MAKE me subscribe to another ding dang magazine!  Drats!  At least I get a trial issue, and if I don't LOVE it more than Kettle Chips and Helluva Good French Onion Dip, I'm canceling the whole thing.  I'm not kidding, I'll do it.  I mean it this time!  I'm serious!

Stop me before the whole bag is gone!

Hello, My Darling!

I did have a little problem with magazines piling up a while back.  I was taking Natural Health, Allure, InStyle and maybe one other.  Could have been Vegetarian Times or Real Simple. Just like you said, if you get behind on reading and tossing them every month, they accumulate and become a huge source of stress.  You don't want to throw them away if you haven't even looked at them yet… that's wasting money!  So they go into a stack that gets bigger, and bigger and bigger until it's the size of a middle school child.

So, when I moved from the condo in Arlington a couple of years ago, I had 3 weeks notice to move out and there was zero time for packing.  I had to get ruthless, and I did.  I took that Eiffel Tower of magazines to the dumpster and didn't look back.  Now, I'm taking Bon Appetit (not loving it like I used to so this one won't get renewed), Domino ( ditto), and More (loving it).  Since I just moved again and have been super busy the last few months, I must admit I have a little pile of magazines on my end table.  But I refuse to allow my past sins to be repeated, and I promise that this weekend I WILL go through them.  By Monday the little pile will be no more.  Since I'm still recuperating from the Nasty Virus, this will be a great productive project for me!

So by the time my new Food Network Magazine gets here, I won't feel guilty.  Woo hoo!  And anyway, it's the end of October.  It's time to start buying all the holiday baking magazines!  😉

~BigSis

October 24, 2008

Ding Dang Darnit!! I can't believe I just did that! I CANNOT believe that I just subscribed to another magazine! I was on Food Network researching something and just saw this premier issue of Food Network Magazine advertised. Ten issues for only $15.00! How could I resist? BigSis, check it out. You might want to enter one of your recipes into their contest. Winner takes a prize of $500.00.

Food Network Magazine

Here's one of the recipes from this month's premier issue.  This Broccoli Chowder with Cheddar Toasts looks so yummy! Now that it's cooling off here a little bit in the evenings, I'm getting in the mood to make some soup. I'll probably have to triple this recipe to feed the “hungry men” in my house.

Broccoli Chowder with Cheddar Toasts

A couple of years ago, I intentionally stopped subscribing to several magazines that I had subscribed to for years.  I stopped InStyle, Food & Wine, Fit, Domino, Self, and a couple others that I can't even remember.  There's not enough time to read that many magazines and it would actually stress me out if the unread magazines started to stack up.

I had my current magazine subscriptions down to my absolute favorites, whole living body+soul,  FitYoga, Heart Healthy and Sculptural Pursuit. A couple of months ago, I received an offer to subscribe to Food & Wine for only $2.00 for the year, so I've added that one back to my monthly subscriptions. Heart Healthy and Sculptural Pursuit only come out every quarter, so I don't really receive all five magazines every month.

BigSis, you've got some stories to tell about magazines stacking up, right?  Literally, stacking up! Wanna share?

Inquiring minds want to know. Just how many magazines are too many? Six sounds like a lot to me, but maybe it's really not.  I'd love to hear from everyone on this topic. What are your favorite magazines?  How many subscriptions do you have?

~LilSis

October 21, 2008

What the “L” is BigSis up to?

• Lunching on the new Barilla Piccolini; cute little baby bow ties that are a tasty fun way to stay on this darn bland diet.
• Leafing through the new Allure October issue with their editors' Best of Beauty Products feature.
• Lecturing coworkers about the importance of passing Proposition 2 in California.
• Limiting my desire to hoard every last package of Mother's Coconut Cocadas cookies since the company folded after 92 years in business.  Sniff!  You may still be able to find some Cocadas and pink sprinkly Circus Animals cookies on store shelves, but don't dawdle!
• Lazing around watching my favorite Food Network show “Barefoot Contessa“.  This lady really cooks, and her cookbooks are fabulous!
• Loving the Green Chili and Garlic Goat cheese from La Cuesta Farm in Texas.  I bought it over the summer from the Farmer's Market, now I have to go to Central Market for it.

~BigSis