Gain

Does anyone actually use powdered laundry detergent any more?  Mark brought a couple of sample boxes home a couple years ago, and I just threw them in the closet, never expecting to use them.  Fast forward a bit, and we bought some Vibrams.*  Imagine my shock when I found out that you are supposed to wash them with powdered detergent.  After going through the samples we had, I had to buy an actual box of the stuff.

I went to Wal-Mart, and I spent a great deal of time staring at all the choices.  After spending some time on Google, I made a decision.  I picked up a box of Gain.  According to the internet, where everything they say is true, Gain was a solid choice.

Now, I've washed our Vibrams a few times with Gain, but I can only compare this powerered detergent with the one we had in the sample boxes.  I think they were a generic brand.  They did the job just fine, but they were nothing special.

Gain seems to have a really nice scent; it's not as good as the Tide original scent.  I forgive them that, as cleaning our Vibrams is not an easy job.**  They came clean, which is the most important thing.

I can't imagine using powdered detergent to wash my clothes.  I don't know why, but it just seems weird.  I know it doesn't always disperse correctly.  Gain is solid though.  If I'm out of Tide, I'll use it.

*On a side note, we love them.

**They can get stinky.

Crepe Creation Cafe

Here and there, I will mention the struggle Mark and I have with eating out.  Namely, we shouldn't, but we do anyway.  It's really difficult to be good when there are so many amazing restaurants in the surrounding area.  One of my co-workers was kind enough to clue me in to a place I hadn't been before.  I'm not one for trying new things, but when I heard it was a crepe place, I knew Mark would like it.  In defiance of our attempts to  not eat out, I felt it was my duty to introduce Mark to the Crepe Creation Cafe.

Please, do not be alarmed.  That is not the

actual Eiffel tower.

Located in the Market Common, the Crepe Creation Cafe is exactly what it sounds like.  It's a place that makes crepes.  The entire menu is served all day long.  This allows you to enjoy the breakfast crepes, savory crepes, or dessert crepes whenever the urge strikes.  For those wondering, the savory crepes are more like regular meals.

The cafe isn't overly large, and when we were there, the girl said we were her first customer since three that afternoon.  I can only imagine that is because more people don't know about this place.  While it may not be large, it is welcoming.  The young lady working was extremely friendly and allowed me to take as many pictures as I wanted.

After much agonizing over the menu, Mark and I decided on two different crepes from the savory category.  I opted for the gyro one, as I knew Mark really wanted it.  He decided to order the chicken salad crepe.  We knew we wanted dessert as well, so the young lady was kind enough to not close out our bill.

Now, comes the fun part.  These are fresh made crepes.  They make them when you order them.  Have a special order?  That's not a problem.  You can actually design your own crepes as well.

That is the size I expected the crepe to be.

I learned something...crepes are actually 

supposed to be quite large.

It appears to be an art form.  I couldn't do this.  I would have burnt my hand, burnt the crepe, and then thrown the crepe on the floor.

Just gorgeous.

They make one crepe at a time.  Once the actual crepe is finished, they spin around and add the necessary filling.  Different ones may be served up differently, but the two savory ones we ordered were folded up like burritos.

I believe this is the gryo.

You can pick them up with your hands; the crepes are actually pretty sturdy.  Stuffed with lamb, cucumbers, lettuce, and tzatziki sauce, the gryo was pretty good.  I don't care for lamb, so it was a silly order on my part.*  Mark's chicken salad one had chicken salad and lettuce.  The chicken salad had grapes in it too; I had never had grapes in my chicken salad before.  I was pleasantly surprised.

Mmmmm.

We devoured both of our savory crepe creations.  Luckily, we still had room for dessert.  Since there are quite a few choices, we started the arduous process of narrowing it down to only two.  We finally settled on the bananas foster and the blueberry farm choices.**

There is blueberry compote and sweet 

cheese hiding in there.

Now, there are probably a great many people that would have loved the blueberry farms crepe.  I, however, was not one of them.  The sweet cheese contains ricotta, which I do not care for.  I knew that ahead of time, but I've been trying to broaden my horizons.  It's a very filling dessert though, which I'm sure most people would love.  Just avoid it if you do not like ricotta cheese.***

It kind of looks like a weird pizza thing

stuffed with bananas and drizzled

with caramel.  Yum.

Far and away our favorite dessert of the night, every bit of the bananas foster crepe was consumed.  It was very sweet, but it wasn't too much.  They actually sprinkle brown sugar inside it too.  Mark paired it with a serving of coffee that was delicious.****

In the future, we will definitely be returning to Crepe Creation Cafe.  It was a unique experience, and the food was great.  We can't wait to go back and try different crepes.  Heck, I want friends and family to visit just so I can take them there.

*I knew Mark wanted it.  I was being nice.

**It was blueberry something.  I could be off on the name.  Don't judge me...I'm too lazy to go find my menu and double-check.

***Yes, I realize that would be common sense, but where is your sense of adventure??

****Usually, Mark has a dash of coffee with his cream and sugar, but he took it black at Crepe Creation Cafe.  He said it was that good.

ThinkGeek

We are fast approaching the Christmas holiday.  For me, that means I am doing a lot of shopping online.  Don't get me wrong; I love to visit the stores near Christmas.  It's one of those things I do even when I'm pretty much done shopping.  I guess you could say it's tradition.  Either way, a lot of my shopping is done online.  I shop for some rather geeky people, and Mark does too.  He turned me on to a new website called Thinkgeek.

Littered with all manner of neat products, Thinkgeek is a great website.  It is nicely organized, making it easy to navigate.  You can shop by property or category.  I can look at kitchen gadgets, or I can specifically check out Doctor Who merchandise.*  My uncle would be ecstatic, as they have a great deal of Star Trek gifts.  For the Star Wars fan out there, you're covered too; they sell a Wampa dismembered hand ice scraper.

The only possible downside to the site is the price.  These relatively unique gifts are not cheap.  They don't seem to be any more expensive than sites like Amazon, which is nice.  They do have certain items on sale, making them a bit more affordable.  They also run specials, such as free shipping on orders over $25.

Their customer service is also quite good.  Mark had ordered an item from them, which ended up being out of stock.  They substituted an item that was three times as expensive and still issued him a full refund, so he could order an alternate gift.  That's pretty awesome.

If you have someone in your life that falls into the nerd category, you really should check out Thinkgeek.**  Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go lose at least half an hour browsing the site.

*Yes, they have Doctor Who stuff.  Jackpot.

**I am in no way disparaging geeks/nerds/etc.  My husband shops on there for me, and I am going to shop for my loved ones on there.

Abuelo's Apps & 'Zerts!

For the life of me, I couldn't remember if I had ever reviewed Abeuelo's.  I decided that even if I had, there were dishes I hadn't talked about, so when Mark and I walked in, I expected to take pictures of everything and go from there.  Of course, when our actual meals arrived, I completely forgot about taking pictures.  As such, you get to hear about the appetizers and dessert.

One of the great things about Abuelo's is that shortly after you're seated, they bring you chips and salsa.  Now, they don't bring you just one type.  You actually get four.

Not pictured: the hot one

Now, I have no idea what they each are.  There is your normal salsa, a really hot one, a green one, and maybe a heartier one?  I must confess that I have tasted each one, but I'm not one for salsa.  We have been to Abuelo's many times, but tonight was the first time that our server suggested mixing the salsas.  She combined the green one and the normal one to make something amazing!*  I actually ate some salsa tonight because of that.

Of course, good salsa is wasted if the chips aren't good.  Luckily, the chips at Abuelo's are great.  They are light and crispy, served warm.  Our first bowl had a lot of broken pieces in it, and the server brought another bowl without even being asked.

Pure chip beauty

Her timing couldn't have been better, as my favorite appetizer arrived at the same time.  If you go to Abuelo's and try only one thing, make sure it is the queso.  Abuelo's was the first place I ever had queso, and I fell in love with it.

Bowl of cheese!**

Fun fact: dipping your cheesy mashed potatoes in this stuff actually makes them even better!

While I was busy making friends with the bowl of cheese, Mark was getting to know his jalapeno cheese fritters.  They come with a ranch like dipping sauce, which is nice because you have to have something to cut the spice of the jalapenos.

My pictures are not doing the

food justice.

Once again, our server went above and beyond.  She introduced us to a new dipping sauce for these beauties.  She brought out something that they actually use in one of the margaritas. It was mango chili puree, and while it sounds weird, it was actually kind of good.  The sweetness complements the spice exceedingly well.  It almost makes this appetizer into a dessert, but either way, you should eat these.

This is where everything gets a little hazy.  We both had meals that were good, but I didn't take pictures.  I didn't snap a shot at all until we were done eating.  Luckily, part of Mark's meal still looked relatively untouched.

Boring.

Mark considers himself somewhat of an expert when it comes to bread pudding.  He has had many, many different kinds.  His favorite is the banana bread pudding at the Kona Cafe in Disney.  Tonight, Abuelo's put up a strong contender though.  Called capirotada, it is bread pudding with pecans and raisins in it.  Of course, there is a caramel sauce, and they finish off the dish with some real whipped cream.

Hello Mark!

I usually do not eat bread pudding.  I don't care for cakes/bread with sauces.  It grosses me out when they get soggy, so I avoid bread pudding.  With my review in mind, I decided to try a little bite of the capirotada. Then, for science, I had another bite.  I had at least a third of it because it was so good.  The pecans were done perfectly, and the sauce was delicious.  When Mark told me there were raisins in it, I was put off, but when I actually tasted the dish, they were perfect.  Each component came together to create a great dessert. I think it's only seasonal, and that makes me sad.

In short, go eat at Abuelo's.  It's worth it just for the appetizers and dessert.  They also have flan, which Mark assures me is amazing.  Treat yo' self!

*Normal + Green = Awesome.

**That's not a very good picture, but the call of the queso meant that I didn't really care.

IT'SUGAR

You know how when you go on vacation you find these random stores that are really neat, but if they were around every day, they just wouldn't be that great?  You would just balk at how expensive they are, and you would never shop there.  IT'SUGAR is kind of like that.

They actually have color mixes for certain sports teams.

Located at Broadway at the Beach, IT'SUGAR is a candy store.  It has pretty much everything.  They have bins, so you can buy your candy in bulk. They have a wall of M&Ms in a vast array of colors.  They have more Pez dispensers than I can count.

These are rainbow sour belts.  They

actually have at least a half

dozen flavors, if I'm not mistaken.

Like sour candy?  They're got tubs of it.  They even have a section of gimmick candy.  You can buy Stay Puft marshmallows, inspired by Ghostbusters; they have caffeine in them.  Additionally, there is a section of Wonka brand candy and merchandise.

Mark really appreciates that they sell

grape Laffy Taffy in the big bars.

For the candy sold by the pound, there are resealable bags in abundance.  You can also choose a container to fill for a set price.  Of course, all of the prices are pretty hefty.  The only reason we ended up there was my craving for gummy worms.  I could have gone to Wal-Mart of BiLo, but I felt like having an adventure.

Perhaps the best thing about IT'SUGAR is the selection and ability to purchase small amounts of different items.  Want to try the seven different types of gummies?  Easily done.  You do have to be careful though.  Some of the candies that maybe don't sell as well can be hard.  Of course, you just poke them with the tongs to decide whether or not to buy.

Fact: gummy peach rings are not a fruit.

The store is rather large, with enough space for browsing.  There is nothing worse than finding a store you want to explore just to find out that you can't because there isn't room to turn around.  With this being the off season, there were maybe five other people in the store.  Even in high summer, you can navigate IT'SUGAR.

Spacious!

The employees are what you would expect for this type of establishment.  They don't seem to really care, but they're nice enough.  They were actually incredibly unprofessional, discussing having problems with the boss, whether at this job or another.  As long as they can ring me out though, I guess it's not a big deal.

I want to buy all the sour candies and send them to Rick.

IT'SUGAR also has some neat ads.  They have attractive young ladies pictured with the various candies available.*  They're not out of this world amazing, but they are kind of neat.

IT'SUGAR is definitely a bit on the pricey side, but it is a fun store to browse in.  Just don't go overboard if you decide to pick up some treats.  Mark and I hit up the bulk candy and quickly blew past $20.  We got a little bit of a lot of things.  The store is fun, but it should be taken in moderation.

Giant lollies!

*The one where the girl has chocolate smeared on her face like a mask is just plain gross.  It is definitely the exception.  As an ad, it is just disgusting looking.

The Life of Pi

I'm a big fan of reading.  It makes me happy.  When I hear about a new movie being made that sounds interesting, I get really excited when I find out that it was a book first.  I'll go buy the book and read it before the movie even comes out.  I heard about the Hunger Games because I was reading about the casting.  When I realized what it was about, I picked it up.  Back when I heard about them making Life of Pi, I didn't realize it was a book.  Frankly, it didn't really speak to me anyway.  After hearing how great it was, we decided to see the movie.  My feelings are mixed.

Life of Pi is an absolutely beautiful film.  There are striking scenes that almost take your breath away.  It's not the most realistic movie, but the composition of the scenes, the colors, and the subjects come together perfectly.  You have to suspend your disbelief a bit, but it can be done.

When the movie started, I thought I knew what to expect.  From the previews, I knew it had to do with a boy surviving a shipwreck with a tiger, the two of them sharing a lifeboat.  I had heard it was an uplifting type of film.  You know the ones...where everything works out in the end.  Insurmountable odds are surmounted. That kind of thing.  I couldn't have been more wrong.

Early in the film, it felt like it had the potential to be a bit preachy.  There was a decent amount of time spent lying out the main characters beliefs regarding religion.  I thought I knew where it was all going.  As the movie progressed, I was proven wrong.  There was no preaching.  It was all just put out there, and you were left to make your own decisions.

I don't want to get too much into the plot.  I had a better experience with the movie not knowing what I was in for, and I wouldn't want to do you a disservice by telling you too much.  Overall, I think I've had a much different reaction to the film than others.  Mark really liked it; he felt like the message resonated with him.  For me, I just felt empty.  It's a good film to watch, but I don't see myself watching it again. 

The Life of Pi is an excellent film.  That being said, it is incredibly draining.  It's beautiful, and the acting is solid.  At the same time, the story will put you through the paces.  You should see it.  Mark and I have had a lot of discussion since seeing it.  It's definitely a film to make you think, to make you consider what you believe and why.

Jinx Customer Service

I love online shopping.  I spent three hours on Thanksgiving morning shopping in my pajamas.  It was awesome.  Since there were no big ticket items I was after, I got the smaller gifts I wanted without fighting the hordes of shoppers.*  Being able to buy stuff online and have it shipped right to your house is great.  In all of my online shopping, I have only had two problems.  The first was when Sam's Club shipped Mark's Kuerig, which was his nice Christmas gift, to me without having it in a bigger box to hide what it was.  The second problem, and the catalyst for this review, had to do with an order I placed over a month ago at Jinx.

Since I wasn't going to see him on his actual birthday, I celebrated my father's birth when I went to Disney to see him and my mother.  This, of course, meant I did quite a bit of online shopping for him.  Since they had to fly, I figured t-shirts were a good gift, one that could easily go on the plane.  While Jinx, a store for the nerd in all of us, isn't the type of site I would usually shop for my father on, I did find a shirt that was right up his alley.**  It was the second week of October, and I knew it would be close.  Based on the shipping time frame they gave me, there was a good chance I would have his gift before I left to meet them.

I continually checked the mail, but alas...the shirt did not arrive.  Mark didn't follow me to Florida for another three days, so I figured it would at least arrive before  he came.  Once again, no luck.  Upon our return to South Carolina, we checked the mail, expecting to find the package.***  Still, it had not arrived.

Finally, after another week of waiting, I stopped being lazy and found the confirmation email.  It had a tracking number!  Hooray!  According to the tracking information, the package was checked in here  by the USPS well over two weeks ago.  It should have been delivered, but it just kind of disappeared.

Since I had ordered it using Mark's account, I had him start by calling the post office.  Apparently, it was hard to reach anyone of any quality, so he also called Jinx.  We figured since it showed the post office accepting the package, they would be the ones who would have to help us.  When Mark explained to Jinx what had happened, they said they would send us another package.  It was so incredibly helpful, as well as surprising.  It's not often that faceless business' just take responsibility for a situation and right it.  I am mightily impressed with how Jinx handled the situation.

I've had a soft spot for Jinx since they started carrying World of Warcraft merchandise.  They continue to further impress me by taking great care of their customers.  Without any hesitation, they made right what the post office made wrong.  I will continue to shop at Jinx, and you should too.

*Oh my goodness.  I just realized that I could use Black Friday as training for the zombie apocalypse.  I had to go find Mark so I could discuss this.  Now, I am sad I missed out on it.'

**He doesn't read these reviews, but I'm not going to chance it.  As such, I won't be revealing what was on the t-shirt, as that is what makes it neat.

***While not important, there was also a small gift for Mark included.  If I go away without him, I leave him a gift each day.  It makes him happy.

Sam's Club's Artisan Tomato Basil Soup

Growing up, I thought there was one tomato soup...Campbell's.  Once I grew up*, I realized there were a great deal of other tomato soups.  Sam's Club offers up their Artisan tomato basil soup.

Sold in a two pack, their tomato basil soup is probably good.  It's a bit sweeter than your average tomato soup, but it has a great consistency.  As with most prepared soups,  you can reheat it in the oven or on the stove-top.  From packaging to ease, this Artisan soup is great.

Mainly, you have to make sure you know what kind of soup you're getting into when you open up the tomato basil soup.  We served it up with toasted cheese sandwiches, and it was not overly complementary.  If you plan on eating this soup, it would be better served with some fresh baked bread.  I would probably toss some croutons in the soup with a bit of cheese.

I bought it the Artisan soup because I had a $2 off eValue.  If I get one again, I'll probably pick it up again in the future.  Otherwise, I'm going to stick with the basic Campbell's tomato soup.  It was good, but if I'm eating tomato soup, I like it to pair well with toasted cheese sandwiches.

*Yeah, I'm not really grown up yet.  I say that more to let you know that time passed.

Rise of the Guardians

Ever since How to Train Your Dragon, I've had a healthy respect for Dreamworks.  They have been putting out quality films for a while now.  Even when they're not great, they're still good.  Don't stone me for saying this, but their work has become more visually impressive than the work being produced by Pixar.  I don't know if their stories are as great as the ones told by Pixar, but Dreamworks provides quality characters with interesting tales.  Rise of the Guardians is yet another excellent entry into their catalog.

This time around, the story follows some of the stars of childhood as they go about their business.  We aren't shown a lot of the day to day normal operations, as these guardians are preoccupied with besting an old foe that has returned to terrorize the children.  You get a different look at Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and the Sandman.  Of course, you also get to meet Jack Frost.  Since he isn't as established as the others, they're not deviating much from general lore.

While the story often takes some typical turns, that is not a bad thing.  There are cliches in storytelling because they work.  If a studio can inject enough uniqueness into the telling, it is okay to walk the worn path.  Because the guardians are interesting and each infused with character by the talented voice actors, it's okay if a scene here or there hearkens back to something you've seen before.*

Some of the basic tenets of the story are not the only things that feel familiar.  North's elves are just re-designed minions.  I like the minions from Despicable Me, so I don't hate that they're there.  I do, however, wonder if they were just being lazy.  I like to think that it is a merry coincidence, as they fit well in the story.  I thought I was over thinking the elves and their origin until Mark asked me about it after the movie.  

We've established that the characters are interesting and that the story is solid.  Now, let's really acknowledge where Dreamworks excels.  Rise of the Guardians is absolutely beautiful.  There are a myriad of striking images throughout the film.  

The characters themselves are wonderfully designed.  Sandman, for example, is comprised of sand.  They manage to make that believable.  What's even more impressive is his crazy man hair.  It captures that idea of bed head, but it looks like it's made of sand.  It actually reminds me a great deal of cotton candy, aside from the color.  Sandy isn't the only one that makes an impression though.  Jack Frost wears a hooded sweatshirt for the majority of the movie, and it is frosted over in spots, and it looks great.  The frost effects are just as beautiful.

While our cast of heroes are stunning, it's the inclusion of the villain that allows for a great many of those striking images.  Where Sandy wields golden sand, Pitch manipulates a black version of that same substance.  The two, intertwined in battle, make for a gorgeous scene.  When Jack Frost throws his powers up against Pitch, it is equally amazing.  

If I had kids, this is the kind of film I would have no problem with them watching.  Is it perfect?  Not quite.  As I said, some of it is pretty predictable, but they've put enough style and effort into the rest of the film that it doesn't really drag it down.  I like to think it will be one of my new holiday films.  While it isn't about Christmas, it feels like a good time to watch it.

*Seriously, I had a total Star Wars moment.

What if Star Wars: Episode 1 Were Good? - A Youtube Video by Belated Media

As I have previously mentioned, I spend a decent amount of time on Reddit.  It is kind enough to show me some really interesting/neat/heartwarming things on the internet.*  Once again, Reddit has come through, directing me to this video by Belated Media.  Found here, it is twelve minutes of awesome.  He essentially explains the necessary tweaks to make the first prequel into a solid film.

I know I try to make most of my reviews a few paragraphs long, but there isn't much to say about this.  I don't usually watch video links on Reddit**, but I went out on a limb and watched this one.  It was well worth it.  I'm going to check out more of his reviews later because he makes some very good points in this video.

The production values are pretty good.  The video is him in front of clips from the movie, which are chosen to back up what he's saying.  It flows very well.  In addition to the good visual quality, the sound is well done too.

Perhaps the most important thing I should cover is his actual content.  To put it simply, it's brilliant.  I'm a huge fan of Red Letter Media.  This gentleman is like shorter bits of that mixed with his opinion on exactly how the problems could have been fixed.  It actually made sad because it is a shame that such an opportunity was missed.

If you have twelve minutes to spare, give this video a shot.  It's insightful and kind of funny.  The star knows what he's talking about.

*Of course, it also shows me some of the most horrific/stupid/disturbing things on the internet, as well.

**Ain't no one got time for that!

Verizon Wireless - Recent Changes

I have done one other review in the form of an open letter, and it seems as if the time has come to do so again.  Verizon Wireless has made some recent changes to their services, and Verizon needs to know how their customers are taking them.

An Open Letter To Verizon:

Verizon,

I feel we've had some good times together.  Where other carriers could not provide signal, you came through.  My parents live in the middle of nowhere, but you have no problem getting through to them.  I appreciate that.  With the exception of a few buildings that seem to give you trouble, you have amazing coverage.  I appreciate what you're capable of.

Unfotunately, I'm learing what it is that you're really capable of.  You seem to have no problem stabbing your long time customers right in the back.*  I guess that's not accurate.  You're looking us in the eyes when you do it.  I'm pretty sure you're twisting the knife too.

I'm probably being unfair, vilifying you to such a degree, but what do you expect?  I'm pretty sure we've been customers for nine years.  Generally, in situations such as these, you get to keep whatever plan you had.  If you choose to change, that's fine, but in general, if you promised me a bag of M&Ms every month, I get that.  I can't ask for Skittles instead, but I'm grandfathered in for those darn M&Ms.

Recently, you decided that unlimited data was a bad idea.  You had no problem taking my money for it the past four or five years.  I don't even use that much data.**  I understand the idea that there are people out there sucking down the data, but that doesn't make it right to punish those that have been loyal customers.  You made the offer; you should stand by it.***

You know what?  I can accept that.  Business changes, and you have to change with it.  Of course, there are other carriers that say unlimited is still okay.  I know you don't have to care though because you have the best coverage.  It makes you feel invincible.  If you're not careful, that will change.

Since I'm preparing to fall prey to your evil machinations, the research has begun.  We aren't willing to change carriers yet, which really makes us part of the problem.  If we don't stand up for us, who will?  Anyway, we started checking to see how much it's going to cost us.  It will actually be cheaper with your new plans.  We figured up how much data we use now, and the plan with that much data will actually save me money.  I just want to thank you for saving me money with your greed.

Never one to be outdone, this is when you twist the knife.  Why is it that there is an activation fee all of a sudden?  I've upgraded every two to three years with you, and I don't recall ever paying an activation fee on my upgrades.  All of a sudden, I'm being told that it is going to cost me $36 to upgrade my phone, to continue my service with you if I want a new phone.  You do realize that is ridiculous, right?

I had planned on getting my parent new phones with the new upgrades, as gifts, but I won't see them for three weeks.  If I activate the phones when I buy them then deactivate them until I see them, am I going to have to pay that fee three times..once for the new phone, once to reactivate the old phone, and a third time to activate the new phone in three weeks?****

For whatever reason, you've got my business for a while longer.  I'm not sure if it will continue on, as you're walking the fine line between cell phone provider and evil genius.  Can you justify these changes?  I'm sure you can.  That doesn't make them right.  Your coverage is great, but stop being evil.  It's bad for your teeth.

Holly

*With a really sharp knife!  I mean, it really hurts.

**Out of the five people on our plan, I am number four for date consumption.  Reddit and those pictures of cats don't eat much data.  Om nom nom...

***I don't know how long ago it actually was, but Disney began offering refillable mugs when I was still in high school.  At the time, the mugs were offered with free lifetime refills.  To this day, people argue about that.  I remember; I was there.  Somewhere, I still have that bright yellow mug.  Nowadays, Disney only offers free refills for the length of your stay.  That's fine.  You know going into it what you're allowed, but they should still let you fill those old yellow mugs.  Heck, if you've kept it this long, you've earned it.

****In order to buy more presents, I would want to buy their phones via Black Friday sales.  It's called being frugal.  Look it up.

Adopting A Pet - The Preliminaries

My husband never had a real dog growing up.  I find that sad.  When I was growing up, we had a dog, sometimes two.  It never occurred to me that someone might never have a dog.  Since Mark missed out on that, I think that is why he is constantly asking for one.  If we're driving down the road and he spies a dog, he gets really excited.  He loves visiting places like PetCo because he might see a dog.  Our best friends have an amazing dog named Sophie that I'm pretty sure Mark would have loved to dognap.  I guess what I'm trying to say is that I want to get Mark a dog, and I've been researching it.  It's actually a huge pain.

When you rent, like we do, the first thing you have to do is get permission from the landlord.  This wasn't really all that difficult.  We've actually talked to them about it multiple times since we moved in.*  They've approved the addition of a dog to our home, and we have come to an agreement on fees.  This part was actually the easiest part.

Next, you have to decide what kind of dog you want.  With us, this is where the size conversation took place.  Mark doesn't want a huge dog, which works with the landlord's request.  They approved us for a medium sized dog or smaller.  This, of course, means I can't have a great dane.**

There is also the discussion about whether to buy a purebred dog or adopt a dog from a shelter.  I am of two minds on this issue.  I think adopting a shelter dog is great.  Our best dogs growing up, Jenna & Tippy, were mixed breeds, and they were awesome.  Besides, you feel good when you adopt from a shelter.  You could be saving a dog's life.  That's pretty cool.  

Well, it would be pretty cool if they didn't make it so difficult.  I understand the need to make sure the dog is going to a good home, but some of the information they require is not always the easiest to obtain.  We currently have a cat, Mr. Kitty.***  We rescued him when we lived in State College.  He has had all of his shots.  He is fixed.****  When he had a weird scab/wound on the back of his neck, we took him to the vet. He gets the treatment he needs as he needs it.  Unfortunately, I have no clue where his shot records are, and I don't recall which vet we used in State College, as we used two or three different ones.  The shelter will not let us adopt a dog without us providing the shot records for our cat.  I respect their desire to make sure you are an excellent animal caretaker, but that information was stuck somewhere when we moved.  I have no idea where it might be, so that kind of rules out adopting from a shelter.

You could still rescue a dog off of Craig's List.  People put dogs on there that may end up in a shelter if no one adopts them.  The only problem is I don't know how well I trust some of the people on there.  There are no guarantees, and I don't know what kind of temperament the dog will have.  Of course, that's a chance you take anywhere, but it's possible this person hasn't been the best owner.  Also, I hate it when they say there is a re-homing fee; let's not mince words.  You're selling your dog.  Don't pretty it up.  If anyone should charge a re-homing fee, it is the person taking the dog off of your hands.  

This brings me to the other option, which is buying from a breeder.*****  Do you know how hard it is to find a breeder?  There doesn't seem to be any good site online that compiles them with up to date information.  I have searched and searched, but I have had no luck.  It is incredibly frustrating.  There is also a stigma attached.  If you buy from a breeder instead of rescuing a dog, some people look down on you, and I don't think that's fair.  In our case, the shelter has made it nigh impossible to adopt from them.  

At this point, Mark and I have just decided to wait it out and see if a dog falls into our laps.  None of the options seem to be working for us, so we have to wait for good old fate to put a dog in our path.  Originally, I was going to get a dog for Mark for Christmas, but after having so much difficulty finding one, I was starting to get frustrated.  Then, the lady from the shelter told me I really shouldn't give my husband of eight years a dog for Christmas.  At that point, I talked it over with Mark.  Now, we're just waiting.

*Yes, this is something we've been discussing since we moved to Myrtle Beach over three years ago.  We also discussed it when we lived in State College.  This is not something we're rushing into.  I swear that I'm going to slap the next person silly who tells me it is a big responsibility.

**It's probably for the best.  I'll get a pony instead!

***His full name is Mr. Bijou Phillips Kitty Esquire.  He hopes to be a judge one day.

****He will die a kitty cat virgin.

*****I'm not even considering buying from one of those pet stores that is frequently called a puppy mill.  If you choose to do that, I bear you no ill will.  Those dogs don't want to be stuck in those little cages.  I worry that they're actually worse off than a shelter dog.

The Ugly Truth

This movie is bad, and all involved should feel bad.  From the inclusion of Katherine Heigel to the over-used plot devices, the Ugly Truth is what's often wrong with American cinema.  Even the inclusion of Gerard Butler, who was in 300 for goodness' sake, can't save the film.  Craig Ferguson even pops up, but there is no help for this movie.  I watched it on TNT or TBS, one of those, and it is time I will never get back.  It is movies like this that make me ashamed to ever watch a romantic comedy.

Do yourself a favor.  Stay away!

Twilight (Missed one - November 9th)

While I think I've said all there is to say about the Twilight movies by now, I didn't want to leave the original out.  What's sad is that pretty much any review I write for one of these movies will apply for all.  They've gotten a bit better as time has gone along, which makes this on the worst of the bunch.

Let's start with the acting.  Somehow, actors that have shown promise in other films fall flat here.  It could be due to the dialogue or just the characters themselves.  Bella isn't exactly the smartest or wittiest character in the books.  She wants only one thing...Edward.  That makes for an uninteresting and lackluster main character.

The special effects are as laughable as ever.  It looks shabby when the "vampires" move quickly, and the sparkle effect is so off the mark that it is just embarrassing.  There were a lot of laughs had, but it wasn't because the film-makers intended for them to occur.

You can have fun watching Twilight, but even a die hard fan should be able to recognize the films failings.  Wooden, pained acting is just part of what makes Twilight so bad.  When you add in the effects and dialogue, this may as well have been a Sci-Fi movie.*

*Yes, I know I should have said Syfy, but I didn't want to.  It's my review, and I can do what I want.

Roast Chicken

My adventures with cooking real food continue!  Once again, the Pioneer Woman has provided me with a new recipe to try.  Once again, it's something I've never cooked before.  I have cooked pieces of chicken, but I've never cooked an whole one!*  Today, let's talk about roasted chicken!

I'm a big fan of easy to understand recipes that I can follow and execute.  I'm happy to say that this one passes the test.  You don't need anything really special or hard to find with this recipe.  Pick up a chicken, some lemons, rosemary, and butter.  That's all you need.  I did have to buy a zester, as I did not own one.**

Mark was not allowed to juggle the lemons.

After patting the chicken dry, it made its home on a cookie sheet covered in tinfoil.  I then set about zesting lemons.  It was weird, really weird.  After undressing the lemons, the zest got thrown into the bowl of softened butter.  Perhaps the most difficult part was chopping up the rosemary.  I'm sure there is an easy way to do it, but I'm not that skilled yet.

Butter?  Check.

Lemon zest?  Check.

Finely chopped rosemary?  Kinda.

Once they were all mixed up, it was time to rub it all over the chicken.  I feel bad that I didn't buy the chicken dinner first, but it had to be done.  I felt a bit dirty afterward.

That is a lot of butter.

Before begining the buttery massage, I realized I needed to check inside the chicken in case they left a gift in there.  What I found in there was scary, and I don't care to relive it.  I didn't even take a picture of it.

This is not one of the prettier prepped meats.

Also, jamming those lemons in there was not easy.

Once the chicken was wearing its butter sunscreen, it went into the oven for about an hour and a half.  I never realized it, but the smell of rosemary is one that I associate with Christmas.  Having cooked with it minimally in the past, I never realized it.  Mark said the cooking bird smelled amazing.

Crispy!

Luckily, it also tasted amazing.  The meat had a good flavor, and it was nice and moist.  I don't really care for eating the skin, but Mark does.  He ate his and mine.  He made me taste a bit of it because he thought it was so great.

Om nom nom.

I expect to make this recipe again.  It was pretty easy, and it was fun.***  The meat tasted great, and I'm sure it will make superior buffalo chicken dip or chicken salad.  Yum.

*Technically, the head isn't there, so does it count as a whole chicken?

**Now, I have one!  Someday, I'll have a grown up kitchen!  I'm getting there one piece of equipment at a time.

***It was also weird at times.  Seriously, who wants to rub a naked bird all over.  *shudder*

Disney Surveys

If you wander out into the world, the chances are that someone will ask you to do a survey.  Bought a shirt at JCP?  Don't worry; there's a survey on the receipt.  Ate at Red Robin?  There's a survey on the receipt.  Surveys can be powerful tools, even though they might not be the most accurate way to read public opinion. I have taken my fair share of surveys, but I enjoy the Disney ones the most.*

If you've ever been to a Disney park, you've probably seen certain cast-members standing around with white clipboard type computers.  I'm not sure what criteria they work from, but they will choose different people to ask if they can send them a survey.  If you agree, they get the basic information from you and send you along.  

After you arrive home, you'll get an email with a link to the survey.  There are different surveys, focusing on different things.  Obviously, they tweak the questions to look for responses to new experiences or maybe under-used attractions.  I think every survey I have taken has included a question or two about La Nouba.**  One time, I was offered a survey from the Disney hotel I stayed at, even though I never opted in for one.  Don't get me wrong; I'm glad they included me.  That particular one had questions about the resort, including the food court.  I imagine those responses help to shape any changes to the dining areas.

The surveys are pretty user friendly.  The questions are simple,and they offer a sliding scale for your answers.  Sometimes, they'll ask you to type out a response explaining why you chose the rating you did.  I'm not sure if anyone actually reads them or cares, but it's fun to do.  While you can save and continue later, it's better to just have some time to sit and take it all at once.  They can get long.

Mark has taken one other type of survey at Disney, where they actually had him sit down in the park and complete one that took about twenty minutes.  It was really neat, and you felt special doing it.***  Once again, there is no reward for participating, but we still like doing it.

If you visit Disney and the ask you about taking a survey, do it!  It won't take long, and most of the time, you get it after the fact, via email.  I just like being involved in anything Disney as often as possible.

*It's kind of odd when you consider that they don't even offer you anything.  Many restaurants offer you a free appetizer or a couple dollars off your next meal.  Some stores offer to enter you in a drawing.  Disney doesn't offer anything, but that's because they don't have to.

**It's a Cirque Du Soleil show at Downtown Disney.  I've never seen it, and Mark openly mocks it.

***I'm sure we weren't that special, but she did say that they only let so many people a day do that one.  I think we get picked for these things because Mark is so open and friendly.

Wise Man's Fear

We've talked about the first book in the series; now, let's discuss the second one.  Patrick Rothfuss proves that he is more than a one trick pony with the second entry into his saga about Kvothe.  Like before, we are still hearing him tell his tale.

While this novel is more of the same, it is also different than the Name of the Wind.  It seems to have our main character taking some darker turns when called upon.  This is a brave thing.  We don't always want to see our heroes performing acts that make us cringe.  It's a testament to how much we've gotten to know Kvothe that you still care about him, still root for him, after seeing his dark moment in this novel.

Like the first, this book keeps up the excellent pacing.  The action beats come at the appropriate times, and the book doesn't really drag.  Some novels with this many pages are rife with filler.  This is not so with Wise Man's Fear.  Each conversation, each interaction only enriches the story and our understanding of the characters.

This continued origin story keeps faith with what we've learned so far but moves on to more fantastical feats and creatures.  A lot of my time spent reading these books feels as if they could be real.  Of course, I recognize the lack of actual magic, but since they have a science behind it, it seems almost plausible.  This book includes a few more elements that make it a little less so.

Wise Man's Fear is a fitting sequel for the Name of the Wind.  It makes me want more from Patrick Rothfuss while meeting the bar he set with the first novel.  The characters, even the unimportant side ones, feel real, and with that realism, we care.

Steam

Steam is a wonderful thing, and no, I'm not talking about what happens when you apply heat to water.  Steam is a website that allows you to buy a myriad of games online, through download.  I know you're wondering why that is so great.  Let me count the ways!

1. Steam has sales...constantly.  There are sales that run for a period of time, daily deals, and flash sales, which are really short.  Now, lots of websites have sales, but on Steam, Mark got Saint's Row the Third for only $6.*  Right now, it's $40 at Best Buy's website.  If you pay attention, you'll find great deals.  At the same time, this can be bad.  It sucks your wallet dry, but the price is oh so good.
2. If you're near a computer with internet access, you have access to your games and saves.  There is a fun little Steam cloud that keeps all your stuff together.  This way, you can log into Steam and play on your PC or laptop with little to no fuss.  Traveling?  You can use the computer wherever you're on your way to visit.
3. It's easy to use.  Some places make the download process more difficult than it need to be.  Steam is user friendly.
4. You can give someone a Steam gift card.  Need to buy a gift for that nerdy cousin of yours but don't know what games he has?  Steam to the rescue.  Want to get an inexpensive gift for someone that has the potential to result in some good product?  The Steam card is the perfect gift.  If you just don't want your kids using your checking account, you can load them up with Steam cards.
5. There are so many different games on Steam.  You have access to small, over-looked games that you may not otherwise play.  When they do bundles, you'll get multiple games for a great price.  You may find some tiny little game that you've never heard of, and you may find out that it is great.  This has happened to Mark.
6. They're selling a lot of the same first run games that you would find at Gamestop or Best Buy, and it is usually cheaper.  If you have a good gaming computer, some of those games might even play better on  your PC.  

Aside from it taking all of our money in tiny little bits, Steam is amazing.  Mark gets all the games he wants for a fraction of the price.  He has spent the last two days engrossed in a few games he bought on Steam for under ten dollars.  You really can't kick on that.  Heck, they even let you vote for what should go on sale.  Steam is awesome.

*It was part of a bundle, so he actually got a few more games for that $6.

Levi's Jeans

The items I insist on buying the name brands for are random.  Bottled water?  Give me whatever is cheapest.  Cereal?  I want the name brands.  Jeans?  I don't care.  If it fits, I'll buy it.  With that in mind, I picked up a pair of Levi's jeans that were on clearance back in August.  Here in Myrtle Beach, you don't really need jeans in August.  You barely need them in September or October either.  I didn't even wear them until the end of October.  Let me tell you how that went.

I usually buy jeans that are a bit on the stretchier side, and I don't like belts.  This means my pants are constantly trying to escape.  The Levi's I picked up just so happened to be the kind of jeans that don't really have a lot of give.  Finally, I had a pair of pants that stayed up!  They were a bit baggy in the butt, but I could live with that.  The length was good; the price was right.  I was pretty happy.

Last weekend, I washed my new Levi's for the first time.*  When I went to put them on, they were a bit snug because I put them in the dryer.  There is a pretty good chance that you know how that is, but I got them on just fine.  We were zipped, buttoned, and good to go.  They were sitting a bit weird, so I grabbed the belt loop to adjust them.  This was a mistake, as it ripped right out of the jeans.  Let me make sure I'm clear.  I was not using the loop to pull the jeans on.  They were already on; I was merely using it to move them a bit around my waist.  They had been worn once and washed once.

Needless to say, my anger was immediate.  With the hole, they can no longer be worn.**  I probably shouldn't be that upset, as I got them for around $20.  At the same time, I expect jeans, even cheap ones, to last for more than one outing.

I decided to email Levi's to let them know what had happened.  I don't know if I was blinded by rage or just dumb, but it took me a while to find a place to get in contact with them.  Once I did, it was the usual internet form.  I sent off my comments.  Since it was late, I didn't expect to hear back immediately.

What I expected was an automatically generated email.  I was happy when I got an email in the morning that was specific to my problem.  It was probably a form email, but I'm okay with that.  At least it wasn't one of those ones that tells you they care about your problem and will be in touch.

The email was pretty good customer service.  It was timely, and it apologized for the problem, while offering a possible solution.  While it will cost me shipping and handling, I can send the jeans back to be checked over for flaws.  I'm going to try and do so, but it's hard to get to the post office.***  Sending them doesn't guarantee me anything, but it's probably better than leaving them up in the top of my closet for the next couple of years.

Let's sum up.  Levi's jeans are not as high quality as they used to be, but it seems that they're willing to see what they can do.  I don't like that I have to pay shipping to find out their decision, but it's better than nothing   I'll let you know how it goes.

*Hey, like I said, you don't need to wear jeans a whole lot here in Myrtle Beach.  Don't judge me.

**Well, technically, I can still wear them...if I want to look like an idiot.  I don't need any help with that.

***Also, I'm lazy.  I had a package in May to mail to my family, but I'm pretty sure it didn't get mailed until August or September.  It had gifts for Mother's Day, Father's Day, Cristy's birthday, and Casey's birthday.  I was done shopping for all of those events in May.  As you can see, I am a champion procrastinator.

Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork

Oh, Pioneer Woman, you continue to be awesome.  I was making my grocery list the other day and decided that I needed to pick a few recipes to make this week.  I found two that interested me, both from the Pioneer Woman.*  Today, I made the spicy Dr. Pepper shredded pork.

As the recipe requires at least six hours of cook time, I started this much earlier today.  I gathered my ingredients together in preparation of the meal.

That's a pork butt/shoulder, chipoltles in adobo sauce,

an onion, some Dr. Pepper, and my chunky brown sugar.

Preparation for this meal was really easy.  You chop up that onion into wedges then break them down into their single layers.  Next, you salt and pepper the pork and place it on top of the onions in your sexy red dutch oven.  Throw in two cans of Dr. Pepper** and the two tablespoons of brown sugar.

Pork!

You then dump a can of chipoltle peppers in adobo sauce over the whole dish.  She suggests using an 11 ounce can, but Wal-Mart only had 7 ounce cans.  I bought two, but when I noticed that she said the spice averse may only want to use half, I just used one little can.

They look gross.

Once you have that all together, you throw a lid on the pot and put it in the oven for six hours.  I turned mine once every two hours, and it turned out just fine.  She said to put it back in for an hour if the meat wasn't falling apart after six hours, but mine was perfect at six.

This picture doesn't look appetizing either.

It did smell really good though.

The hardest part of the preparation was shredding the meat.  It took forever!  It smelled so good that I didn't want to take the time to shred it, but I did.  If anyone needs any shredded pork, let me know.  I have way too much of it.  We ended up refrigerating two small glass dishes of it with the sauce.  We made sandwiches for tonight then put the remainder in a big baggie.  This piece of meat could seriously feed a ton of people.

Those forks totally messed that pig up!

Taste wise, the pork is really good.  It has almost a dry heat.  The spice doesn't hit you until after the fact.  The current plan is to use some for sandwiches.  We'll also be making soft tacos at some point.  We may even go the nacho route.  If anyone has any suggestions for shredded pork, let me know.  We definitely want to use it because it is tasty.  It's nice and moist, not dried out at all.

Once again, the Pioneer Woman has provided me with a great recipe that was easy to follow.  I'm starting to feel like a real cook!  I can't wait to make the other recipe I pulled for this week!  I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks for reading!  Here, have a bonus

picture of my cat! 

*If you recall, I have spoken of her awesomeness before.  She introduced me to the dutch oven and guided me through my first roast.

**You'll notice that there is a 2 liter of Dr. Pepper sitting there.  I refused to buy a 12 pack of Dr. Pepper, as I have given up soda.  On occasion, I will have a Sprite, but I am largely clean.  I have three cans of Coke that have been in my fridge for over a month that reinforce the idea that I actually have willpower.  I even looked at them today to figure out how much Dr. Pepper needed to go into the pot.

David's Vacation Club Rentals

Visiting Disney is expensive.  There are small choices you can make that will greatly inflate the cost of your stay.  If you choose to stay on property, you'll probably pay more than you would if you stayed at a non-Disney hotel.  Of course, in my family, we won't stay anywhere that isn't Disney property.

When you choose your Disney hotel, there are three different categories: value, moderate, and deluxe.  For the most part, we can't afford to stay in the deluxe hotels.  Mark and I spent one weekend at Animal Kingdom Lodge, and it wasn't really worth the extra money.  It was nice but not that nice.  There are people that feel the price for the moderate hotels are too much.

While researching prices at various Disney hotels for our upcoming weekend trip, my mother mentioned renting points for our trip.  Now, renting points is when you buy points from a Disney Vacation Club member to stay in a vacation club property.  Sometimes, people who have bought into the Disney Vacation Club can't make a trip but don't want the points to go to waste.  They'll sell them to others to use.

Not being well versed in the process, I decided to look into renting points through David's Vacation Club Rentals.  I discovered them through the Disboards, and I had read good things about them.  After navigating their website, I've come to the conclusion that they really make it as simple as they can.

First, let me explain why you might want to rent points instead of booking through Central Reservations at Disney.  For three nights, if I book through Disney directly, a room at the Animal Kingdom Lodge for three adults staying three nights costs $790; the view would be the standard one.  For only $650, I can rent points and stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.  That is $140 less with a huge view upgrade for a room that's pretty similar in size.  The room rented with points does not include maid service, but it does have a kitchenette area.

My favorite feature on the site is the points calculator.  You choose your dates, and it gives you the points you need to rent to stay at every place with every view in one place.  You mouse over the point totals, and it shows you how much those points will cost.  It is incredibly user friendly and simple to use.

The website is nice, with your options listed down the side.  The FAQ has a great deal of information in it that is actually useful, and you can always submit questions to them.  They also have a section where past customers talk about their experiences.  It's always scary to give money to someone that you don't know is trustworthy.  He even links to show you that he is Better Business accredited.

Because I was missing some information, I decided to submit a question.  I needed to know if our group could pay with multiple forms.  My mother and I were going to split the cost, and I had to make sure that was possible.  With-in ten minutes, they had emailed me a response.  Now, this email was sent later in the evening on a Sunday, so I was surprised that they go back to me so quickly.*

After that confirmation, I went ahead and submitted my request.  You do have to give them a $91 down-payment.  If they can't book what you want, they refund the money.  I requested three different options, hoping one of them would be available.  Since it is so close to my dates, I was not expecting to get a reservation.  I wanted to try though.

Even though it was a holiday weekend, they got back to me quite quickly.  Unfortunately, there is no availability at my choices.  Because they want to help, they will tell you if there are any other options open.  For example, they let me know that Saratoga Springs was available for two of my three nights, but that was the only available options.

While I'm sad I couldn't work with David's Vacation Rental for my upcoming trip, I was incredibly pleased with their service.  They were quick with answers, and the website is very user friendly.  Maybe for another of my trips I'll be able to utilize their services.  They've definitely earned my business.

*In case you're wondering, you can split it up.  You just figure how many points you want to pay with each method and break it out.

Skyfall

I know I'm not really qualified to review much of anything.  I hold no expertise in any field, but I have my opinions.  Every once in a while, I decide to review something that I struggle with.  Skyfall is a film that I am pretty sure I shouldn't be reviewing.

When it comes to Bond films, my favorites are the worst of the bunch.  Growing up, we owned four different Bond movies, all from the Roger Moore era.  Apparently, he is thought to be one of the worst Bonds, if not the worst.  I haven't re-watched any of those films lately, but I look back upon them fondly.

I recently re-watched Casino Royale, and it was pretty good.  I remember liking it a lot when I first saw it.  The film holds up just fine.  It's a good movie to re-establish Bond as a grittier, more realistic franchise.  Skyfall keeps that tone.  You get more of that same Bond.  While watching Skyfall, I knew it was a good movie, but it didn't always feel like a Bond movie to me.  Yester-Holly kept yelling in the background about what a Bond movie should be.

Now that we have my own short-comings as a Bond reviewer out of the way, let's talk about what makes Skyfall a great movie.  For people like me, looking for the typical Bond trappings, they're there, but they are subtle nods.  It elevates the quality of the film while still satisfying the desire to see familiar shapes and colors.

The story moves along at a good pace, keeping the viewer interested.  While the action scenes are good, I was a bit bored before Javier Bardem showed up.  I had heard his villain was quite good, and he did not disappoint.  He manages to be a charismatic creature without being over the top.*  It seems that you get to see a bit more into his psyche than a lot of other Bond villains.

Skyfall, like the last two Bond films, continues to do a great job with the action sequences and is beautifully shot.  Explosions are big, and the cars are fast.  One scene, due to the way it is filmed, is a bit hard to follow.  The director favors silhouette shots, using them multiple times throughout the movie.  It's striking but can make a fight scene hard to follow when you're working with bright lights in the background and no discernible features in the foreground actors.  Aside from the fight scenes, there are additional scenes that are amazing.  Skyfall is probably one of the more visually impressive Bond films.

Skyfall is an excellent movie.  Regardless of Yester-Holly's cries, it succeeds in strengthening the Bond franchise.  The story is good, and the acting is great.  Beautifully shot, Skyfall is worth your time and money.

*He looks really weird as a blonde.  This, of course, has no bearing on the quality of the film.

The Walking Dead Adventure Game

Generally, video games based on popular movies and television shows are shoddy and not worth your time.  There are exceptions to ever rule.  I will always look fondly upon GoldenEye.*  Now, another game has come along to prove that games based on movies or television shows aren't always bad.  That Walking Dead adventure game is actually quite good.

As I'm more of a video game voyeur, I can't speak as to the controls.  Mark is playing it on our laptop, using the tv as a monitor.  He's rigged it up to let him use the X-Box 360 controller.  Since we got it working, he hasn't complained about the mechanics.  He did have one buggy issue with the targeting, but it was a single instance.

As opposed to being one big game, The Walking Dead is set up to into five chapters, which are being released over time.  Currently, episodes one through four are available.  We got the season pass on sale for only $15 on Steam, so i can't complain about the price.  Since each chapter takes about two hours, it is money well spent.

For me, a good story makes a good game.  Pretty graphics help, but they don't have to be perfect.  The Walking Dead doesn't have the best graphics, but they've used a style that hearkens back to a graphic novel style.  While there is the occasional disappearing Duck, the graphics are solid.

What really makes The Walking Dead worth your time is the story.  If you're familiar with the show, you know how dark it can be.  The game takes it to another level.  It also lets your choices influence the story and your interactions.  How you act matters.  It's one thing to watch a character die on the show, where you have no say.  It's another matter to have to choose between two characters, to decide which one deserves your help.  Some decisions are easy; others are hard.

Should you have the opportunity to play The Walking Dead, I would suggest that you do.  I also suggest that you have something happy to floss your brain with afterwards.

*I loved the Moonraker laser in multiplayer.

Taylor Farms Organic Baby Spring Mix

I go through phases when it comes to salad.  Sometimes, I eat it a lot. Other times, I'm not interested.  I'll go through periods where I want a Pittsburgh salad and others where I want the salad from Olive Garden.  I've heaped my praises upon the classic blue-cheese wedge salad at Outback Steakhouse.  Until very recently, it was what I deemed to be the pinnacle of salad evolution.  While on vacation at Disney a couple weeks ago, the Outback salad was dethroned.  Now, a salad I had at Port Orleans Riverside on Walt Disney Property is my all time favorite salad.

It may not look like much, but 

it will blow your mind!

When I went grocery shopping on Saturday, I set out to gather the necessary ingredients.  Maybe not the most important component but definitely a building block, I needed the right greens.  My Disney salad was one where you picked what you wanted on it, and they made it for you.  They had a European mix there, so I was looking for something akin to that.  Enter Taylor Farms Organic Baby Spring Mix.*  I wasn't buying it because it was organic; I chose it because it was the only salad mix at Sam's Club that looked like what I had in my Disney salad.

I can neither confirm nor deny the claim

regarding delicious recipes.

Fast forward to today, Wednesday.  We had for lunch yesterday, so I had stead to cut up for the salad.  I prepped cucumbers and carrots too.  I dug out my little bag of craisins and the container of blue cheese crumbles.  I had the dressings, both ranch and strawberry viniagrette, sitting on the counter, next to the mixing bowl I was going to use to toss the salad.**  It was time for the lettuce.

Before I get into the quality of the salad mix, it is important that you realize that Taylor Farms' salad mix is the most gangster.  I'm taking my life into my own hands when I say anything unflattering about it.  It cut me when I hadn't even done wrong by it.  I didn't notice it at first.  It wasn't until I looked down and saw blood all over my hand that I realized what had happened.  In short, be careful with those plastic containers.

Now, let me refresh you as to the time-line.  I've bought salad mixes before, and they are usually good for a week or so.  Sometimes, they only hang on about five days.  For whatever reason, I expected the expensive mix that I bought at Sam's to still be good five days later.  When I pulled out the initial bowl of lettuce, everything was fine.  It was dry and fluffy.****  I made Mark's salad with no problems and sent him off to eat.

When I began pulling my lettuce out, I realized there was a problem.  It was disintegrating on my fingers.  Ew.  As I was already into the salad making process, I refused to give up.  I pulled out some of the leaves that were untouched and used them.  I appear to be fine, so I don't think it's going to kill me.*****  I didn't use any leaves that were in contact with the leaves that had lost their form, so to speak.  Needless to say, I threw out over half a container of spring mix.

I realize this may not be the fault of Taylor Farms.  I don't know how long Sam's Club had that lettuce, so I don't know what the shelf life is supposed to be.  Additionally, it did say on the package that the contents were only guaranteed fresh until the fifth, Monday.  No one wronged me in regards to this product, but I will be a bit more hesitant before buying it in the future.  Sadly, I'll probably opt for the bag salad mixes, as they seem to stay fresh a bit longer.******  If I know I'm having salad that day, maybe I'll give Taylor Farms another go.

*I only eat organic babies.

**Feel free to insert an inappropriate joke here.***

***Yes, I realized I used the word "insert".  Get your mind out of the gutter.

****I know fluffy is a weird adjective to assign to salad, but it works.

*****I'm sure we'll all be eating worse things when the zombie apocalypse comes.

******I use the term "fresh" loosely.