Personalized Gift Wrap

You know I’m a sucker for personalization. Offer me any product that I can customize, put a photo on or have embroidered and I’ll buy it.

So, I love the personalized gift wrap that I found on Namemaker.com. They have more than thirty different prints that you can order with three choices for the font. You have up to 37 characters to customize the gift wrap.

I’m trying to decide on the most shocking order (in 37 characters or less) for the order fulfillment person at Namemaker.

Hope the STD clears up-get well soon.
Good luck in prison-enjoy these cigs.

Got any suggestions?

Namemaker

Margarita Chicken Skewers

I’ve got another appetizer recipe that I recently tried. I don’t know much about Sandra Lee, but she has a recipe for margarita chicken skewers. (Yeah, I know. You had me at margarita.)

There’s tequila right there in the recipe (which you should always taste first, just to make sure you’re using the freshest ingredients).

But, much like the twice-baked potato bites, I think it needed one more thing. Be sure to add salt, just like a real margarita.

Give them a try and invite me over for drinks and chicken.

Sandra Lee on Food Network

Twice-Baked Potato Bites

We recently had a small cocktail party at the house. I spent hours preparing party food. (When is someone going to create a store that sells ready to prepare appetizers? I mean if Publix can sell chicken cordon bleu that you just put in the oven, someone should be able to sell good apps that you can claim as your own!)

I tried a couple of new recipes – some from Sandra Lee (semi-homemade – yeah right! Sandy, tell me who likes working with phyllo dough?) and some from Martha Stewart.

The easiest and best tasting appetizers were these twice-baked potato bites from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Cooking. (Although they could have used one more ingredient. You know my motto – everything tastes better with bacon.)

You’ve got to try them.

Martha Stewart

National Ice Cream Day

I’m a little ashamed of myself. I’ve been so caught up in work (yeah, right), that I completely missed one of my most important holidays. Didn’t see it coming at all. Didn’t even get a chance to ask for time off to celebrate.

National Ice Cream Day was last Saturday, July 18th. (I've let you down - I'm so very sorry.)

So, I’m planning to celebrate this weekend. A friend told me that she had a root beer float to celebrate, which sounds just about right for me during this hot summer. (You do know that Steak ’n Shake’s daily happy hour from 2-4 is half priced milk shakes.)

Check out this beautiful luncheonette style glass and holder. It’s the perfect way to help celebrate National Ice Cream Day.

New York First

Car Baked Cookies

Did I mention that my little department was just recently moved to another building? It is now the furthest away from the garage. Where there is shade from the hot Florida sun.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Park in the garage and walk – it’s good exercise. And that is all well and good. Except for when I’m running late (everyday) and need to get into the office as quickly as possible (and walking for another three to five minutes will only alert everyone on the conference call that I’m not there yet). So, I’ll probably end up parking close to the building and scorching myself at the end of the day when I get in the car.

So, I was intrigued by this web site which shows you how to make cookies on the dashboard of your car in the hot sun. (Don't worry, no cookie dough directly on the dashboard. Yes, I know how dirty my dashboard is. The site tells you to use a pan on the dashboard!)

I may as well make some good use of the heat, huh? Who wants to try it with me?

Baking Bites

See Jane Work

The department where I work was taken over by another department from the home office last year. Since then, we’ve been forced to adopt their standards. Each month, we learn of something else that is being taken away, downsized or additional reporting that is required. This weekend, we’re being moved to another building where each of us gets smaller digs – except for the chief from the home office. His office space remains suspiciously the same…

As a precaution, I brought home all of my personal belongings that I was afraid the movers might break. So I decided to play a joke on Charles. I left the box of items on the dining room table. He came home and saw it. Knowing how much I love my job (?!), he immediately assumed I quit my job that day. (And after we just renovated the bathrooms and put a new roof on the house!) I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so pale. See, there’s fun in everything.

See Jane Work is the opposite of Office Depot bland. Some of See Jane Work's stuff is a little too girly, but they do have some gender neutral items.

Now that the tiny box I work in will be smaller, I was thinking of organizing it a little better with the items pictured. They call it their Locker Basket Collection, but it kind of reminds me of prison bars. (Seemed appropriate!)

Now I just have to find a good resuscitation kit for Charles. The poor guy won’t survive many more of my practical jokes.

See Jane Work

Beautiful People

Here’s my last suggestion for surviving the summer of bad television. “Beautiful People” is a comedy originally produced by BBC. It is airing on LOGO here in the U.S.

The series is about a flamboyant thirteen year old in Reading, England and his eccentric family. (While the entire cast is great, the mother’s character steals the show.)

You’ll need to pay attention though. The accents are heavy and the talking is fast. But what you miss in the dialogue is made up for in the over-the-top scenes you see.

Watch the series on Logo website.

(By the way - "Project Runway" premieres on August 20th on Lifetime. Four weeks seems like a lifetime from now.)

Logo

Glee

In case you missed the preview a little while ago, you definitely need to watch “Glee”. It’s a new series starting this fall on FOX.

It’s from Ryan Murphy, who created “Nip/Tuck” and “Popular” (an old favorite of mine that was cancelled way too early). Part comedy, part drama. It’s a little like “Ugly Betty”, but in a high school. And there’s a glee club instead of a magazine. And there’s singing and dancing. OK, so it’s not exactly like “Ugly Betty”. But you’ll like it, trust me.

Still need convincing? It has Jane Lynch, the dog trainer from the movie “Best in Show”.

See the first episode on FOX’s website by clicking the Watch Full Episodes link.
Then go immediately to iTunes to download the music. (I mean it!)

Glee

Better Off Ted

Mid summer TV sucks. I can't even begin to watch another reality show about dancing stars or celebrities trapped in a jungle.

Catch up on some primo television you missed the first time around - online of course. "Better Off Ted" is a comedy set in the crazy offices of Veridian Dynamics. If you've ever worked for a large corporation, you'll recognize the insanity immediately.

Episode four is probably the funniest half hour ever. The company's new light sensor system doesn't detect African American employees. Things go wrong - very, very wrong from there.

Still need convincing? Portia de Rossi (Ellen’s girlfriend) is one of stars of the show.

See it on ABC's website by clicking on the Watch Free Episodes link.

Better Off Ted

Sunshine Deckchair

This week, we’ve talked about recharging batteries using the sun. Today’s topic is all about recharging your battery with the help of the sun.

These cool deckchairs feature the words to the song “You Are My Sunshine” on the fabric panel. Very clever, huh?

They’re great for kicking back and enjoying the summer. Just be sure to wear sunscreen. And keep a pitcher of drinks near by. We don’t want you to dehydrate from the heat of the sun. (Although, I'm not sure vodka alone will keep you cool. Better add some ice.)

Rockett St George

Camera Bag

I’m enrolled in a photography class right now at the local university. You know that means? No, my pictures have yet to improve. But it does mean shopping for photography accessories, of course.

On the Gaiam site, I found a solar camera bag for my Canon. The bag has a flexible solar panel on top that sends a 1.5W trickle charge to a 12V outlet to charge equipment.

OK, so I may not be Ansel Adams (yet), but I sure know the importance of natural lighting.

Gaiam

Solar Power

I use my mobile phone a lot. Sure, I use it for calls occasionally. More often, I’m texting like a pre-teen girl or updating Facebook or checking my email. All of which takes up a lot of energy. (Actually, I meant the battery power in my phone, although my thumbs do feel a little tired.)

Once my bank account allows, I’m buying the Solio Hybrid 1000 charger. (I wonder if there were nine hundred and ninety nine chargers before this one…)

It’s a battery that powers up from the sun or from the USB port on your computer (if you work in a cave devoid of light like I do). When your cell phone battery starts to wear out, plug it into this gadget to recharge. It works the same as if you had plugged it into a wall. The great thing about the Solio is you can clip it to a bag, suitcase, etc. and let it charge throughout the day.

After a little time with the Solio, you’ll be back to talking on your phone. Me...I’ll be back to my texting.

TerraPass

Vitalwares

My birthday is today. At 8:05 PM, I will call my mom as I do every year. You see, she made me wait every year while growing up until it was 8:05 before we could celebrate my birthday and open my gifts. That was the exact time of day that I was born.

The reason she always tortured me until 8:05 was because I made her wait when she was pregnant with me. The doctor predicted my birth would be at the beginning of June. One month later, during a particularly hot summer, I finally arrived and weighed almost eleven pounds. (Hope this doesn't scare anyone who is pregnant!!!)

So let’s raise a glass to toast my mom tonight. (Like you needed a reason to drink on Friday night?) Oh and by the way, upgrade your cocktail shaker. You’re practically a professional drinker now, so use the proper tools.

Have a great 4th of July!

Vitalwares

Tap Boards

Do you know somebody that really likes beer? I mean, really, really, really likes beer? Forward this message on to them. Or any college student you know.

Because today’s product is Tap Boards. These tap handles fit on standard kegs and professional bar equipment. Simply write the type of beer on the board with the chalk provided.

You might want to buy a couple of these. No telling what you’re handwriting will look like once your party finishes the first keg. (I mean, it's not all that great when you're sober, now is it?)

Tap Boards