Easy Fast Oyster Stew Recipe

1/2 cup milk or Half & Half8 oz whole oysters (do not drain)
Medium yellow onion
2 tbsp margarine or butter
1 tsp black or white pepper

Saute onion in margarine just until a little soft. Add oysters with liquid to onion mixture and saute until the sides begin to curl. Add pepper and slowly stir in milk. Simmer for 10 minutes and stir occasionally. Add salt to taste (optional)

I'd suggest you warm the milk before adding to the other ingredients to avoid scorching the milk.

Approximately 2 servings.

Drug Detecting Nail Polish Deters Would-Be Rapists

Four men have invented the greatest nightlife accessory since the creation of body glitter and the disco ball. The four students from North Carolina State University have developed a nail polish which reacts with a change of color if it comes into contact with a class of drugs commonly used to commit "Date Rape" assaults.

The polish, known as Undercover Colors, could determine if a drink has been tainted with drugs such as GHB or Rohypnol by just dipping a fingertip into a beverage. In other words, guy gives lady drink, she stirs it with her finger, her nail changes color and she throws drink into guy's face. The goal of the four men, according to their Facebook page, "is to invent technologies that empower women to protect themselves from this heinous and quietly pervasive crime."

The inventors of Undercover Colors

The team of men behind this invention, Ankesh Madan, Stephan Gray, Tasso Von Windheim and Tyler Confrey-Maloney secured $100,000 from an investor after their appearance at the K50 Startup Showcase. The product is not yet ready to hit store shelves, the young men are currently looking for additional funding to further develop the current prototype.

Cold Weather:Warm Accessories....BUY MY STUFF!!!

I've been getting a lot of messages through facebook and email suggesting that I donate my knitted items. I actually have my own way of making donations. Pretty much inspired by my own homelessness back in 1992. A few years ago, when I began selling my knitted items online I thought of an idea to set aside another scarf to donate. Same with hats. I don't drop my items of at stores or places like the Goodwill, because I know a lot of people that truly need them will not have the money to buy them...even if they were priced at a buck or two. The people that shop at the Goodwill in Atlanta are certainly not homeless types anyway...most are coupon clipping shoppers looking for a deal on something they want rather than something they need. If I don't drop off at a charity, how do I donate? Very simple. When I lived in NYC, I had a thin coat that didn't keep me very warm...just warm enough to not get hypothermia but I suffered anyway. I had no hat or scarf and when it was super cold, I had a fleece blanket in my backpack that I would wrap around myself under my jacket to keep warm. I often thought, if I knew how to knit or crochet, I would make a hat, scarf and a pair of gloves but at the time, I didn't. So now that I'm NOT homeless and I know how to make hats and scarves, I try to not only create my items to sell, I also create items to give to others. On cold days, I carry a scarf and hat set or two in my bag when I go to work. I pretty much just walk up to someone that I believe to be homeless or in need and hand them a hat and scarf and tell them to keep warm and walk away. It may be strange and sound like a weird move but it's my way.

With all that said, I just wanted to share a link to another item in my online shop...Since the cold weather is ramped up in the Northern Hemisphere...beat the cold with one of my creations. I've many of my handmade, loom knitted, creations are perfect additions to accessorize your winter wardrobe and keep warm as the same time. The hat and scarf pictured below and many others can be found at: http://adriansknitwits.storenvy.com

Memories of my First and Last Impression of Gooding's Million Dollar Midway at the Pensacola Interstate Fair

After my parents moved my sister and I to Pace, I didn't realize at the time that we would no longer be going to the Greater Gulf State Fair in Mobile. When the season for fairs began in the area, the Pensacola Interstate Fair was much closer and to my parents, a carnival was just a carnival, all the same rides, food and blah blah blah...The fairs in Pensacola and Mobile either overlapped or ran at the same time and we thought the company that owned the rides was the same that brought rides to both locations and we somehow thought Mobile would get the bigger, better and flasher rides...to a kid, the grass is always greener everywhere else.

Something with the Gooding's logo. Source Unknown.

I really didn't know at the time that there were hundreds of carnival companies that crisscrossed the country, playing different fairs at the same time. In Mobile, we'd seen Al Kunz's massive Century 21 Shows which held that spot for many years until it was taken over by Conklin with additional rides booked in from Cumberland Valley Shows. When Conklin took over the fair in Mobile, it seemed to be a seamless transition because Century 21 had many of the same rides Conklin had such as the Himalaya, Skywheel, Sky Diver, Trabant, Scrambler and other classics but the only thing you really noticed in terms of different was the addition of newer more massive thrill rides, such as the Enterprise, Wave Swinger and Rainbow.

In Pensacola, we got Gooding's Million Dollar Midways. Gooding's was a MASSIVE carnival in terms of how many spots they played a year. They held contracts to MANY large fairs and supposedly had enough units with enough rides to have the capability to play over 10 large fairs simultaneously. In reality, Gooding's Million Dollar Midways didn't own many rides and rumor has it, the only equipment they actually owned were ticket booths, generators with their logos painted on, an office trailer and maybe a girly show. Their business model based on booking rides in from other carnival companies to fill a midway, which meant that you not only had rides from Gooding's, is they actually existed, you had rides from Link Shows, Royal American Shows, Cumberland Valley Shows, Reithoffer Shows and several others that had a good working relationship with Milt Kaufman, the owner of Gooding's. Essentially their fairs could have been considered to be an "Independent Midway" of sorts.

As we pulled into the parking lot, my eyes transfixed on what makes a fair, a fair for me. The Skywheel. That lot could've had no more than 2 other rides on it and I could've cared less because the Skywheel was the ride I loved the most, something that's not changed over the years. Not only was there one Skywheel, there were two...both at opposite ends of the midway. As we walked the midway, I saw many differences in comparison to what I'd seen in Mobile, many duplicates of rides throughout the midway. 2 Zippers, 3 Scrambler type rides, 2 Paratroopers, 5 Music type rides, 3 Ferris Wheels and so on and so forth. This fair WAS bigger than Mobile but only because they have multiples of the same type of rides. The Wave Swinger was only ride that I remembered from Mobile that Goodings didn't have featured on the midway though it was on the commercial. The swing ride that we got was a Chance Yo-Yo as well as a Watkins Swinger.

Pensacola's rides weren't as flashy, the color schemes didn't really match but the fair was definitely solid. 1991 was the last year Goodings held the contract for the Pensacola Interstate Fair, Reithoffer Shows took over the following year. Goodings went out with a bang that last year, the midway was FILLED to capacity with pieces booked in ranging from classics to modern rides of the time.

For those interested in ride line ups, this is what I remember featured Pensacola the last year Goodings played the fair. Keep in mind, this was 1991 and I had no clue who owned what other than the Giant Wheel owned by Link and the Wave Swinger was either Deggeller or CVS's ride.

Skywheel
Tilt A Whirl
Tilt A Whirl (#2)
Geister-Bahn
Zipper
Zipper (#2)
Fantasy Fun House
Super Sizzler
Scrambler
Sizzler
Spider
Force 10
Paratrooper
Paratrooper (#2)
Crazy Dance...Which I believe was owned by Royal American
Giant Wheel...owned by Link Shows
Wave Swinger
Magical Mirrors
Super Jets
Sunshine Speedway
Hampton Umbrellas (5 of them)
Miny Scooter
Gravitron
Gravitron (#2)
Round Up
Thriller Dark Ride
Lil Scrambler
Reverchon Himalaya (usually with 7-8 seats tied off to keep people from sitting in them)
Flying Carpet Funhouse
Pirates Den Dark Ride
Ghost Hunters Walk Thru
Amor Express The Love Machine
Music Fest
Alpine Haus Funhouse
Musik Express
Boomerang
Roll O Plane
Bumper Cars
Bumper Boats
Flume Ride
Kiddie Bumper Boats
Glasshouse
Loop O Plane
Rainbow
Slide
House of Fun Funhouse
Ghost Train
Raiders
Enterprise
Eli Hy5 Wheel
Sea Dragon
Swinger
Eli Eagle Wheel
Space Raider (Ring of Fire)
Flying Bobs
Sky Diver
Racing Coaster
Kamikaze
Matterhorn
Orbiter
Hurricane
Toboggan
Yo-Yo
Carousel
Carousel (#2)
Twister
Trabant

There was talk on the news that there were over 120 rides and attractions but realistically, I can only remember maybe 85 at the most...unless they were including pony rides, kiddie attractions, games and the side shows. Gooding's seemed to feature an obscene amount of Glass Houses, Fun Houses, Dark Rides and Walk Thrus so a good bulk of my not remembered attractions may have included those. There may have been more out there or I may have some of the lineup from the year before mixed in also but this is what I vividly remember. I really wish I'd had the foresight to have taken photos at carnivals the way I do now. I've never seen a midway packed out like I did this particular year. Back in the day, I never really thought about what was actually owned by the shows that were booked in and what wasn't. Now that I have more knowledge in regards to rides as well as carnivals, I can safely say that if Gooding's Million Dollar Midways owned ANYTHING featured at the fair, it was most certainly NOT the larger and newer rides. The following year, Reithoffer definitely came in with a bang to to top Gooding's last year and did rather well, especially since they brought in most of the Blue and Orange units as well as their Green unit which was dissolved and broke off as a separate show in the late 90's. In addition to the 3 Reithoffer units, they had also booked in much of the entire All American midway as well as a few independently owned rides such as someone's Chance Rok-N-Rol.

Loom Knitting Getting Started

I started loom knitting without really having any idea what I was doing. This was before one could find countless videos on YouTube featuring patterns and information knitting looms.

I've taught many people how to loom knit and many have exceeded my own skills as knitters though my bragging rights will always be that I can loom knit faster than most loom knitters. One of the questions I get on a regular basis is what looms I recommend. That's a complicated question, considering I have about 25 different looms in my home.

As a beginner, I suggest 2 basic sets of looms. One being a set of round looms for hats and "rounded" items and a long loom set for flat items such as scarves and blankets. Both types of looms can be used for round or flat projects but for beginners, I recommend not learning flat panels on rounds and rounded items on long looms because it will most likely lead to beginners frustration and discouragement. While purchasing your first loom set, avoid smaller gauge looms such as sock looms as well as All-In-One and Martha Stewart Knit and Weave Kit, those are targeted to more advanced users. Also, avoid the Boye branded knitting looms like the plague. Boye took over the market when Provo Craft discontinued their Knifty Knitter line of looms, which was considered the industry standard. Boye's looms are mainly found in Wal-Mart as well as Joanns and though they are easily acquired, the Boye looms tend to split yarn and the plastic tends to weaken over time and the pegs can break quite easily.

Knifty Knitter clones are the way to go for a beginner. Both Hobby Lobby's Classic Knit and Yarnology brands as well as Michaels' Loops and Threads looms are clones of the Knifty Knitter. If your in an area no where near a Michaels or Hobby Lobby, don't settle for the Boye loom at Wal-Mart, just head over to amazon, using the following links.

My first round loom set was the Darice set, it's 9 years old and still as good as new, in fact it's my preferred set for hats because of it's bright neon colors. If you don't like the colors of the Darice set, the Frola Round set a great alternative and there are still a few original Provo Craft Knifty Knitters on the market.

My first long loom set was the actual Provo Craft Knifty Knitter Long Loom set but they are now impossible to find at a reasonable price now that they are discontinued. The best alternative if you're looking to purchase a good set online would be at the following links:

Though your new looms will come with instructions, they will have very few patterns. The book I highly recommend for beginner loomers is called Loom Knitting Primer by Isela Phelps. Isela's book features many project patterns as well as many stitches not covered in the instructions included with looms and countless tips, shortcuts and tricks to make your loom knitting experience more enjoyable.

As for yarn, go with what best suits your budget. I can only advise that you avoid baby, sport weight or "fashion" yarns such as fun fur, cotton yarn or super bulky yarns for your first projects. Many people start off with a worsted weight yarn such as Caron One Pound, Bernat Super Value or Red Heart Super Saver as initial project yarns. My first yarn project was made with I Love This Yarn from Hobby Lobby, to this day I can still say that I love THAT yarn.

So there ya go, your first steps to loom knitting. My honest recommendations. If you have any questions regarding my suggestions or loom knitting in general, please drop me a line.

The BEST Cold Weather Chowder (soup) EVER...HIGHLY Recommend this.

Now that winter is in full swing, I thought I'd share my favorite winter comfort food recipe just in time for all those winter storms we may or may not get. No matter what, it's an amazingly easy and good recipe.

I toyed around with the recipe in the old Better Homes and Gardens recipe book and found ways to improve upon their recipe and developed my own chowder...My version is pretty much fool proof...With the BH&G recipe, the milk is one of the first ingredients that goes in and unfortunately 99% of the time I burned or scalded the milk which ruined the entire batch...My version saves that step until it's safe to go into the mix.

Potato Cheese & Corn Chowder

7 Medium Potatoes cut into 1/2 chunks
32 oz. Chicken Broth
1 cup Milk
2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 16 oz. can Whole Kernel Corn
1/3 cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Boil potatoes until tender. Drain.
Reserve 1 cup potatoes and return remaining to sauce pan. Mash reserved potatoes then return to sauce pan.
Stir in broth, garlic, salt and pepper until boiling, reduce heat to simmer for 3 minutes.
In small bowl whisk milk and flour together until smooth, add to saucepan stirring constantly.
Stir until mix thickens and add cheese and corn until and stir until cheese melts.

Bacon and chopped scallions are great additions as garnish.

This is comfort food, not for a calorie counting day for sure.

Super Afghan Loom Knitted Afghan

As a part of my everyday life, I try and put at least a few minutes into my knitting hobby...Adrian's KNIT Wits isn't completely about my wits. Anyway, I decided to start a new project on my Knitting Board Super Afghan Loom while I've been ill. This loom is a little tricky to use but once you get the hang of holding it and moving it around, it's really cool.

I'm using a worsted weight acrylic yarn for this project. My intention is to create a striped blanket using black to contrast with bright colors such as turquoise, pink, orange, green and yellow. Some stripes will be variegated and others will be solid colors...Things may change as this progresses though...I'm not one to stick to a pattern.

Thankfully this project will be meant for my own use because within the first inch and a half, I ran out of yarn 3 times and may have mixed in Red Heart and Caron brands and possibly a couple of rows of sportweight. I'm not really worried because the first inch and a half are garter stitches which will keep the knit tight enough that if any differences in yarn will appear intentional. For those of you not familiar with this loom, you have to start and end your knitting using either rib stitching, which is very hard on this loom, or garter stitches to keep your ends from curling.

Now that my garter stitched beginning is complete, I've begun wrapping the pegs using the e-wrap stitch. It's already progressing quickly. I'm not sure how wide this project will be but I'm certain is will definitely be over 60 inches wide as that's the average for this loom. Once it reaches 6 and a half feet in length, it will be done.

Hang Glider Saved By Divine Intervention

An 18 year old woman in Colorado realized she was in trouble when she reached the edge of a cliff and looked up to see the sun through rips in the front edges glider. Heidi Wright could not stop in time and a gust of wind caught hold of the wings and thrust her up and over the rocks.

This has been a hobby of Miss Wright since she was 15 and knew the danger of gliding. Heidi always took care of her equipment and inspected it on a regular basis. "I don't know why I didn't inspect it this time, I guess it was the excitement of not doing since the previous year," exclaims Heidi. She knew upon take off that it would be a matter of time before her spiral down would become a nose dive once she prepared for a landing. Heidi's life flashed before her eyes and then she saw what she said were the wings of an angel covering the holes that she'd noticed a few seconds before.

Rather than a routine downward spiral, Heidi found herself in an upward draft heading for the cliff she'd just flown from. Miss Wright says, "The draft was like stepping onto an escalator, very gentle and smooth." Gliding experts and scientists are baffled because the wind direction runs in a consistent spiraling motion in that area. As far as science is concerned, the ordeal Heidi experienced was not HUMANLY possible.

Heidi contacted the manufacturer of her glider to report possible issues with the unit. She was told the model was discontinued due to a recall the previous year. Heidi was prepared to purchase a new glider the following week but was surprised when the company had a brand new replacement at her front door the very next day.

Re-listening to Signs of the Zodiac Libra by Mort Garson

Just before I started kindergarten, while my parents still ran their home cleaning and landscaping business, they came home with a haul of items left in an abandoned house that they thought my sister and I may have wanted. Several items in particular were record albums, an Olivia Newton John country album, one by Lynn Anderson, another by Boots Randolph and the last was entitled Sounds of the Zodiac: Libra which was just one of a twelve record series. My sister quickly discarded the astrology album within a minute of the needle hitting the vinyl. Same with Boots and Lynn and they all found their way into my collection of records containing awesome selections from the Peter Pan Players and Disneyland Records.

My Disco 80:Live from Emerson record player was a hand-me-down from my sister and was one typical of what children had at the time. The only exception that made it special compared to other record players was that it had a set of flashing disco lights in the front. These lights had no bearing on most of the vinyl that spun on the turntable...until I played Signs of the Zodiac Libra with my bedroom only lit by the lights of my record player.

The album was 90% spoken word featuring 3 voices, 2 men and a woman and the music was pretty much electronic "mood" of the 60's but not what you'd hear on pop albums from the same time. I later found out the music was created by the pioneer of the Moog synthesizer, Mort Garson. The voices, at the time weren't familiar to me in the least and forgotten over time...until I recently got my hands on the entire Signs of the Zodiac series.

Listening to this album and the 11 others in it's series, 34 years later, has made me wonder why I actually listened to this series. The music, while unique, is overpowered by the spoken words and the words spoken aren't exactly fit for the mind of a pre-schooler. It seems most of the "lyrics" are adapted from Zolar's It's All In The Stars book and spoken over the weirdest, trippiest sound effects and music. The three narrators used on this series were up-coming voiceover artists/actors. The very first voice heard on the album sent me back to my childhood, a few years after my first listen of this album...John Erwin, also known as HE-MAN!!! The female narrator is Nancy Priddy, a singer/actress as well as the mother of actress Christina Applegate. The third narrator is Michael Bell, well known for his voicework in the Smurfs, Rugrats, many video games as well as stage work and live action television roles.

I transferred every one of these 30 minute albums to my iPod and listened to each one of the actors put everything they had into reciting the creepy drivel. While I enjoyed the nostalgic value of the Libra album and the unique quality of the music, this series is proof that there are people out there that will buy anything. It's silly and mesmerizing at the same time. Each album in the series contains the same background music but with different view points for each sign of the zodiac. Though I was listening to this album through my earbuds, I made sure the volume was low enough were people around me wouldn't hear any of the contents of the albums I was listening to...I'd rather someone not tap me on the shoulder and question my already questionable musical taste.

I understand that there are many people out there that have been searching for copies of these albums, I guess you could say it has a cult following. Though I'm not really one to share links to acquire ripped copies of albums, this set is LONG out of print, really hard to find and will most likely never see the light of day in the world of re-releases. You will find download links on a page dedicated to similar music at http://thegrowingbin.blogspot.com/2011/11/mort-garson-signs-of-zodiac.html

How I began Loom Knitting

Over the past few years, I've been asked numerous times how I got into loom knitting...So here's the full story.
I have always loved things that are handmade, especially things made from yarn. When I was a kid, I watched my mom crochet for hours and when we visited my grandmother in Texas, I remember watching her knit and wondered why she chose to work with two needles and my mom could make similar items with just one.

Back in 2006, while I was working at Cargo-Master, began to create the concept of a character that I hoped to bring to a series of videos for YouTube. As part of the character's costumes, I wanted him to wear a different "beanie" or knitted hat as well as a knitted scarf for each video, sort of like how Mister Rodgers had a different sweater in each episode of his show. Buying a new hat and scarf for each video wouldn't have been possible so I decided I'd just buy yarn and learn to crochet or knit. At the time, I was under the impression that yarn was cheap and making a hat and scarf each week would be a cheap little venture...Little did I know that buying enough yarn to make a simple hat and scarf is NOT cheap, even if you're buying cheap yarn. While both knitting and crocheting appealed to me, I just couldn't get the tension of either right. A few days after I gave up on both out of frustration, I passed by the yarn section in Hobby Lobby and noticed an end cap with round and long contraptions called Knitting Looms. At first, I thought they were the same concept as weaving and made for kids. I picked up the pack of round looms made by Darice, began to read the directions and realized this was definitely not made for children. Having purchased several skeins of yarn in preparation for my failed attempts at needle knitting and crochet, I thought I might as well try one more thing before I totally give up. I had a 40% off coupon, this was in the days when Hobby Lobby's coupons ran every other week.

Once I got home with my set of 4 looms and the knitting tool, I began to cast on the yarn according to the directions. Within a few minutes of wrapping the pegs on the loom and knitting the bottom loop over the top, I began to see my first hat coming from the bottom of the loom and progress VERY quickly and effortlessly. The particular looms I purchased weren't the only looms on the market at the time. There were actually two brands at the time that made looms that were the exact same design though the colors of each loom varied, the Darice looms are brightly colored neon Pink, Orange, Green and Blue which was what drew me to that particular set. The chief competition for this loom set was Provo Craft's Knifty Knitter looms, which are now discontinued and the market which Provo Craft targeted has now been taken over by the knitting looms made by Boye. I've used Boye looms and I can honestly say that I hate everything about them, from the design of the pegs right down to the plastic used to make the looms. Luckily Darice looms are still in production as well as the Frola brand found on Amazon.com. Hobby Lobby's Classic Knit and Yarnology and Michael's Loops and Threads looms, all of which are pretty much the same quality and gauge if you're looking for great options from actual retail locations.

My next purchase was the Knifty Knitter long loom set made by Provo Craft. This set was definitely a bit different than the round looms, as the looms were designed for flat panelled items such as scarves and blankets but they can also be used to make hats also, though I'd recommend actual round looms for that.

From the day that I bought my first loom set up to now, I've been obsessed with loom knitting. Though I do now know how to needle knit, I prefer looming just because you barely have to worry about counting and tension as you would with using needles. It's certainly an infectious hobby. Over the past few years, I've taught "looming" to many people that would never have taken the time to learn to crochet or needle knit.

So that's it, my long and boring story of how I began to loom knit. As for that video series, it's never been filmed though the scripts for 52 videos are sitting, handwritten, in my trusty little Trapper Keeper...maybe one day I'll get the inspiration to start working on them

15 Second and 30 Day Rule

Timing is everything when it comes to buying items, especially if they aren't on sale. Come across an item that you don't really need but are tempted to buy just because? I have a house full of these items. I've stopped making these mistakes since I've begun to do This is how 15 Seconds and 21 Days can make a difference.

15 Seconds-You see an item that IS on sale or on clearance. Pick it up and hold the item for 15 seconds and think about two things. 1-Would you REALLY use it? 2-Would the money you spend be better used on something else? If you still feel the need to buy it after 15 seconds and answering these questions honestly, you should. These questions can be especially useful in situations where stores don't have actual sales, like Dollar Tree.

21 Day-If you find yourself in a situation where you find something that's not on sale or it's a big ticketed item that's not actually "essential" purchases. There are three steps to this. 1-Try the 15 second rule. 2-If after you feel the need to purchase it and you're not in a time crunch, like Christmas or a birthday, put it back on the shelf and leave it at the store. If you still remember the item over the course of 21 days, check the store sales paper as well as competitor ads. The impulse of paying full price may have cost you twice. Sales rotate on items every 2 to 3 weeks depending on the store. 1 week it may be on sale but off sale the following 2 weeks. If you waited, you could save if it does go one sale. If you forget about the item completely, you saved the entire amount on something that you could have lived without anyway.

The 15 second rule can safely be executed anywhere. There are a few exceptions where the 21 Day Rule would not be beneficial...Thrift shops, flea markets and clearance items that will most likely be sold out by the time you do return. This is a time when it's best to use your gut instinct and do what you feel is in your best interest.

First On The Block

First on the block to buy the latest technology? That might sound great but on the bigger picture, you're not only spending more money on your item, your purchase will be outdated by the time you get it set up and completely figured out.

When I was a kid, the battle between Beta and VHS was won by the larger but slightly inferior VHS format. Many Betamax machine owners found their format no longer available. The same thing happened but to a lessor extent with the short lived LaserDisc format. Several years after DVD's had hit the market and replaced VHS, the battle of High Definition Players began. HD DVD or Blu-Ray...Who would win? Depending on the retailer, you got answers from both sides and eventually Blu-Ray took the lead and HD DVD was phased out shortly after it's creation.

It seems electronic technology is consistently changing. Keeping up with the Jones', as fun and awesome as it sounds can leave you paying higher prices for format that may be quickly outdated. Betamax, LaserDisc and HD DVD player owners can attest to this. I still own my very first DVD player, which cost me $300. Though it is still an amazing DVD player and plays discs with no issues, it's limitations can be seen on a large HD television as well as it will NOT play DVD-Rs which many of today's $30 DVD players can do.

So today's lesson is to hold off on your trendy purchase until you know it's a solid purchase. Adopting new technology can not only cost you with an outmoded format, costs will also lower when manufacturing companies begin to compete with each other.

One of my handmade creations.

I knitted this super warm and soft Pearl White Cream colored knitted scarf just before Christmas using Loops & Threads Country Loom yarn. Though it's 100% Acrylic, it has an unusually soft feel to it, unlike most acrylics. My inspiration for this wasn't really anything inspiring other than I wanted something to do with my hands and thought I'd make a scarf that a lady could wear with really anything. The color is pretty much neutral and won't really clash with anything.

Measures: Length: approx. 58 inches Width: approx. 5 inches

If you're interested in giving a great handmade gift to someone or yourself, please check out this and other great handmade gifts in my online shop.
Direct Link To White/Pearl/Cream colored Scarf

Adrian's Knit Wits Online Shop

Surgeon Publishes Photos of Naked Patients

A German plastic surgeon decided to take matters into his own hands when patients decided not to pay their bills. The surgeon produced what may be the greatest 'wanted posters" in history, actual pictures of the patient's enhanced breasts. He hoped publicizing the photos of the fake boobs would help police track down the women who left his clinic without paying for services rendered.

Not an actual patient.

One of the patients, registered under the name "Tanya" asked to go out for fresh air after the $13,000 surgery was completed. She disappeared down the street and never came back. Michael Koenig, the surgeon in search of the women, is offering rewards for information leading to the whereabouts of the rogue patients. "The women registered under fake names. After the operations, they ran away," said the doctor from Cologne.

Dollar Tree Hair & Scalp Anti-Dandruff Shampoo Review

Dollar Tree's Hair & Scalp Anti Dandruff Shampoo

All of my life I've suffered from a skin condition known as eczema. The only management for this incurable disorder is through treatment of the symptoms. Symptoms include itchy and flaky skin that looks like a rash and dandruff. It's painful and can be embarrassing at times. A hairdresser mentioned that a product he sold in his salon called Actrol by Matrix Essentials could help my condition. I bought the $13 bottle of Actrol, which was in reality an Anti-Dandruff Shampoo. He told me, instead of soap and regular shampoo, use the Actrol to wash my face, hair and scalp. It worked but a few years later Matrix discontinued the Essentials line and I couldn't find my shampoo anymore so a switch had to be made. I knew, by then, the active ingredient was really nothing special. Pyrithione zinc is the active ingredient in many dandruff shampoos including Head and Shoulders which was my replacement choice.

Over the years I've tried many different brands and store brands, some worked great for me and others not as well. When I saw a bottle of anti-dandruff shampoo in Aldi, I bought it. I thought it wouldn't hurt to try it because of their double money back guarantee. It worked amazingly good and it had a good smell to it. I went back to buy my fourth bottle and was told it was discontinued and no longer available. I switched to try Suave Scalp Solutions Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, which has a nice coconut scent. I loved it.

Around the time that I began to conceive the idea for this blog, I found myself in the Dollar Tree to get a few shipping supplies and remembered I was almost out of shampoo. I knew they had some Suave products, in addition to White Rain (blast from the past) but the only dandruff shampoo on their shelf was a very generically labelled bottle of Hair & Scalp Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, I popped the top to smell it and low and behold it's the exact same scent as the Aldi shampoo or at least close to it. No brainer, I bought it.

After my first use, I realized this may have smelled like Aldi's shampoo but it was certainly NOT the same quality. Most shampoo suds up a bit, not that suds are a necessary thing. The Dollar Tree shampoo is extremely thick in consistency. I don't use much shampoo but I've noticed I end up using more because the thickness affects the coverage. I also noticed if any of the shampoo falls into the tub, it doesn't spread out as normal shampoo would when it hits water. This shampoo stays in a clump and falls to the bottom like a lotion. As for it's effectiveness, this shampoo is at the bottom of the barrel. If feels like it's getting my skin clean without residue but really doesn't leave a refreshed feeling. After a time of about four hours, my skin gets flaky and itchy, unlike Suave or most other dandruff shampoos I've used which last at least 12 hours and into the next day. This is the only shampoo I've used that I've found it necessary to use cream for eczema within a few hours of washing my face.

Is Dollar Tree's Hair & Scalp Anti-Dandruff Shampoo a good buy? Not for me and possibly not for someone with my condition. Though it's only $1.00, it's effectiveness does not suit a condition such as eczema or psoriasis. It's thick consistency compels you to use more than you normally would which in turn means you are wasting some of the product. I will never buy this product again. Back to Suave I go.

I give Dollar Tree 1 Star for effort.

Daydreaming Is Beneficial To Logical Thinking

During our childhood, we are taught daydreaming is a waste of time. New studies show during the time that you zone out, your brain is actually working in overdrive. "People assume that when the mind wanders away, it just gets turned off, but we show the opposite," says neuroscientist Kalina Christoff.

Christoff's team of researchers have found that when the brain wanders, it is solving problems or even helping the individual cope with something pressing in their immediate lives. "People who let themselves daydream might not think in the same focused way as when performing a goal oriented task." "However, they do bring in more mental and brain resources," she explains.

Many see daydreaming as slacking off when in reality, you're getting things done. Next time someone scolds you for letting your mind wander, tell them that you are subconsciously thinking.

The Karaoke Machine I Wanted When I Was a Kid

Back when I was a kid, friends of my mom would usually pass their unwanted catalogs to my mom. I LOVED flipping through the pages of Service Merchandise, Sears and JC Penny catalogs. There was usually a little something for everyone in those glossy full color pages coded with letters from the alphabet to correspond the photos with a brief description of the item followed by the price. Our catalogs floated between the kitchen table, living room and bathroom...One cannot understand the satisfaction of shopping from the commode until you've done it. ;-)

This may or may not have been the same catalog I remember...I can't remember what the cover looked like.

So one day, I'm sitting in the bathtub flipping through the latest edition of the big thick JC Penny catalog and I see it...Exactly what I wanted for Christmas...Singalodeon Karaoke Machine with the words "Recording Studio" printed on the front of the unit. It featured a dual cassette deck, which could be used to record one's voice while singing along to a prerecorded tape as well as it had the capability to change the EQ as well as add "echo" to give one's voice a more studio quality sound. What really drew me in was the fact that the microphone that was included with the machine was not the typical Fisher Price looking microphone, it was wireless and looked a bit like the ones used during live performances on the MTV awards at the time. Priced at $129, it seemed like a great price to me but in reality $129 was equal to $265 in today's market. Though it seems that a unit without a CD player may have sounded outdated, this was, to me, state of the art at the time.

Not the same unit, same brand and similar look, except the one I wanted didn't come with wired mics.

I had only ever seen karaoke tapes in the higher end record stores, such as Coconuts, Record Bar and Sound Shop as well as at Panhandle Music, my favorite musical instrument shop in Pensacola. The selection for karaoke music at the time was limited to a few compilations featuring either the hits of the 50's, 60's or 70's. If you wanted something featuring current music, you were pretty much limited to tapes released bi-annually featuring 8 songs of the current year featuring artists that range from Bon Jovi to Whitney Houston to Tiffany and Debbie Gibson. The current karaoke titles were usually something like You Sing the Hits of 1987 and then a followup 6 months later would be entitled You Sing the Hits of 1987 volume 2. At this time, there were maybe 3 or 4 karaoke music labels that marketed and targeted the home user crowd...Unlike today where there are so many versions of one song, choosing a version to sing is as difficult as choosing a song itself. Limited as the selection of karaoke music as it was at the time, I didn't care...I would've made it work and learned each and every song whether it was in my range or not.

I hinted around as to what I wanted for Christmas without being too specific...though my request for a dual cassette deck, wireless microphone system may have been too specific for a shopper that didn't know that I meant all in one and it was only available in the JC Penny catalog. All holiday season, I tried to locate a similar system in every retail establishment I went to. Radio Shack, Wal-Mart, Sears, Circuit City, K-Mart, Montgomery Wards and Zayres/Ames and it seems no one carried a system quite like the one I wanted. No one carried a system with a wireless microphone and most of the systems priced in the range of $129 were single cassette units and I didn't understand why JC Penny didn't carry the machine in their store so I could just point and say "I want THAT" and know that I would have a chance to get it. I knew better than to make mention of the systems in the other stores because to me, brands like Venturer, Singing Machine and Sanyo just couldn't compete with the Singalodeon system I'd never heard.

So Christmas rolled along and guess what I got? NOT the Singalodeon karaoke machine, in fact I didn't get anything karaoke related. This was the year that I got everything related to Cub Scouts/Webelos and Boy Scouts. Yup, I got no electronics at all. I got a sleeping bag, a knife, backpack, tent, canteen, as well as the handbooks for Wolf, Bear, Tiger Cub and Webelos...Oh yeah and clothes...everyone knows how much I enjoy having other people dress me. I spent a LONG time wondering how bad I was throughout the year and what I did to deserve receiving a whole lot of stuff I didn't want. I seriously hated the Cub Scouts and wanted to quit shortly after joining but when I got all that shit for Christmas, I thought it best that I at least make an effort to use it...which I did but still hated the Cub Scouts on up into the time I was a Boy Scout.

So did I ever get a karaoke machine? I bought one for myself, though not the same one as I wanted. It had all the same amenities except for the wireless microphone...I used it once and took that big piece of crap back to the store when I realized those mass marketed machines aren't worth the plastic they are forged in. Several years later, I bought my very first big name stereo system for myself, an Aiwa NSX-5200. My decision for this particular unit was based on the fact that I heard how powerful it sounded in the store as well as it came with 2 microphones and the capability to perform, record (with echo) and sound amazing in my own bedroom.

This baby had some serious power to it, it also had 2 additional speakers for surround sound.

I also eventually got my first wireless mic thanks to Radio Shack...it wasn't bad for an FM frequency mic but it was heavy and large...Eventually I replaced it with an Audio Technica Headset UHF System and a Nady VHF system handheld system and to this day, I still love Nady wireless products though they are a little behind in comparison to Sennheiser and Shure. ;-)

While working on this entry, I decided to do a little research on the Singalodeon brand as well as the karaoke machine I wanted and found very little in regards to the brand and absolutely NOTHING on the particular model I wanted, most likely a testament of how amazing the brand's products actually were.

Air Drying Laundry: Two Fold Savings

With the current cost of energy, the average load of clothes costs about 45 cents per load in a conventional clothes dryer. The convenience of transferring a load of wet clothes from a washer to a dryer and having dry clothes within the hour is nice but the costs can add up.

When I was a kid, my mom set up a nylon line between two large trees and carried our wet clothes outside to dry on the line. When she got her first dryer, I noticed a change in our laundry, the clothes didn't smell as "fresh" and they seemed to wear out quicker adding to the expense of buying new clothes more often.

While air drying can have it's disadvantages...Rain, pollen or kids running through the hanging laundry and pulling it down...The fact remains that you are saving on your power bills with the one time investment of the line and clothespins.

No yard or in an area where line drying is not possible? No problem. A clothes horse, often called a clothes rack or drying rack can be purchased from many retailers. Pricing of a clothes horse is usually based on the material it's made of, usually plastic, wood or metal. It may take a bit longer to dry your clothing, but if you don't mind the wait, you will definitely see the savings.

What does air drying advantages? Your clothing will last longer. Your energy bills will lower. No maintenance cost such as cleaning dryer vents or repairing a broken machine. You may even learn to live without a conventional dryer and make a few bucks by selling your existing dryer.

My O'Charley's Experience-No Holds Barred

Last year, I transitioned from working at Chuy's in Dunwoody, where I was making inconsistent money, to O'Charley's in Fayetteville, Georgia where the money seemed very consistent. Considering the fact that Terry works just two doors down from O'Charley's and makes great money, I assumed the case would be the same for me. BOY was I wrong.

Have you ever worked one of those jobs that you just want to call in every shift or on the way to work you have the urge to pop a xanax or slit your wrist? This would be the case for O'Charley's. The business is booming. The customers, however, are probably the most demanding, ignorant bunch of people I have ever encountered. It seems no one actually reads the menu, which clearly describes EVERYTHING in full detail. After a few weeks, the money I was making seemed to decline, especially after they restaurant closed for a week to get a more modern remodel. Unfortunately, the new look brought in a clientele that would be more at home in McDonalds or KFC rather than a sit down restaurant. I was hoping the decline was just temporary because I was NOT going back to Chuy's. When I started at O'Charley's I was excited about it because my friend Casey was a manager there and I remembered that he was an awesome manager with Rio Bravo. Throughout the time I was at O'Charley's I saw Casey working his ass off in a thankless and unappreciated environment and felt bad for him and the crap he had to deal with from every direction, customers, bad employees and even the other 3 managers in the location weren't piss poor people to deal with. Working as a server at O'Charley's is like chewing on a stalk of celery...There's no enjoyment but at least you can say you ate something. Our GM, constantly threatened everyone's job...I saw him scream at someone for scraping bread plate with their fingernail then take it to a table, which we ALL did because our dishwasher was less than marginal in his work. I was deadset that if I got reprimanded for ANYTHING, I was walking out of a shift in style...Full section needing refills and all of the orders in completely wrong....It never happened but I was tempted on that very last day when I walked with less $13 for the 4th shift in a row. So what is it about this place that sucks...The customers...Many people refer to restaurant customers as guests but I don't. A guest is someone you invite and pretty much take care of their meal...A customer pays you...Many O'Charley's customers have figured out how to walk in the joint, eat and never leave a dime for their food or their service. Coupons seriously drag the clientele down to another level also. Here are some of the situations I have encountered... Being assigned tables in the bar isn't fun in any restaurant, especially if you're not a woman. Most managers don't understand but bad customers usually expect service in cocktail from a Cocktail Waitress and not a guy. Many times, people sit there assuming they will get a special price for something...That only happens during happy hours...They also assume they will get their food faster...NOT SO...That 20 minute ticket time is the same all over the restaurant...The fact that you are ordering a WELL done steak adds more time. Food allergies...I know the difference between being allergic and not liking something. I hate tomatoes but I eat things with ketchup on it, I don't claim I'm allergic, I just explain I don't enjoy the flavor of a raw tomato. Don't tell me you are allergic to tomatoes and then ask for ketchup for your fries. Also, don't come in on a busy Friday night and tell me to cook something in a different fryer because of an allergy...Our cooks are basically pot and crack heads that don't care and will nod their head and do everything the easier way. Everything in the kitchen comes into contact with everything, I'd not be surprised if someone finds a bit of weed in their salad. Also, if you have food allergies, WHY are you grazing and eating off other people's plates? Someone with a seafood allergy actually did this and we had to call 911 and the paramedics took the stupid ass to the hospital. That's on her, not her server or the restaurant. High chairs or chairs at the end of a booth...We have fucking tables people...Booths were not designed to have a baby at the end of it...It's a fire hazard and a danger to your mongoloid when they grab for the hot plates our food runner is delivering to your table...Also, I don't want your slobbering monster's DNA on my arms or hands as they grab for me. Happy Birthday...We don't sing and though I'm a hell of a singer, I'm not singing for you and I don't care that it's your birthday...I don't know you...Also, why are you at a place like O'Charley's for your birthday? The party sections at the more elegant Olive Garden or Red Lobster booked up? Handing me a check presenter and proclaiming that you left my tip in it is like announcing to me that you left the equal to what it cost to do a load of laundry at your apartment complex...We had a tip guide on the receipt and it shows 20%, 18% and 15% and when you leave less than 10% I feel my butt start to bleed. I am an OCD server, I have a script that I follow, I touch every facet of the serving manual and when I hear you say "Thank you so much, you did a wonderful JOP!" I know that was my tip and I will give you no service next time. Drinks for kids are clearly marked on the kids menus...They offer NO juice for kids for free and if you order it, you are charged and then if your kid sucks that juice down and wants another...You get charged for a second, third, forth and so on. It wasn't my policy or rule...so fuck you. Ordering...When you say "I guess I'm ready" then proceed to say things like "Is this Prime Rib Pasta in horseradish sauce spicy?" "Do you have any other sides besides the 12 listed here?" I know you are gonna be difficult and not compensate me. Also, when you order a well done steak, it's gonna be dry. Impossible orders...Knowing what the fuck you are talking about helps when you are ordering. When you tell me "I want my steak medium but I don't want no pink or red in it" that tells me that you are stupid...That's totally impossible...Medium is warm and red on the inside. Being stupid and picky...I had a woman order "Cajun Chicken Pasta" then complain that we put too many peppers and onions in it, claimed she's ok with it and then picked them all out, picked out the chicken and ate it leaving just the pasta and the veggies separated and then claimed she was still hungry and we didn't give her enough food...LADY, you ate all the chicken out of it and left the rest no wonder you're still hungry, you ate a third of the dish. You should've ordered Chicken Tenders if you just wanted chicken you dumb ass....She also complained to the bar that a margarita was too sweet, wouldn't let the bartender take that one away after she made another one, drank both and was pissy about being charged for both. She didn't tip me a dime and shorted the bartender 50 cents. Her friend also ordered a steak WELL but she didn't want it dry so she wanted us to cook it in "BARBARACUE" sauce...We don't cook steak in frying pans, it's grilled and barbecue or as you say BARBARACUE sauce will just burn and make the steak dryer...Enjoy your shoe leather Miss Well Done. Yeast rolls or Bread...NOT biscuits...They are free...we bring 1 per every customer at the table plus one when we bring them to the table...that's the rule we have to follow per our kitchen manager. Your refill is 1 per customer. They are free...Don't fucking complain they are too light, dark or taking too long...They are fucking free...Furthermore, I'm allergic to the yeast in them...I don't touch them, I don't put them into or take them out of the oven...They are free. Sitting in the bar and ordering water, water with lots of lemon for your ghetto lemonade or ordering any non alcoholic beverages among everyone at the table is not acceptable. Also, bringing your kids to sit in the bar is inappropriate. Just saying. To go cups, plastic ware for the germophobic...Guess what...the silverware and glasses go through the same dishwasher as the plates you are eating on. Remember the pothead cook statement? They don't take the time to scrape off the stuck on food from the plates like we do as servers do with the bread plates...You might be enjoying someone else's food on your plate along with yours as you enjoy your beverages from styrofoam cups and eat with plastic ware like you're at a barbecue. Regulars, friends of a manager...I don't care who you are...Just because you feel a sense of entitlement through a personal connection does NOT excuse you from tipping or acting like you have no manners. Within this location, I found an extreme "US against THEM" stance. I witnessed many servers, even the ones of color, referring to customers as ratchet or even use the "N" word as a description. As one of a few white servers, I did find that many of our customers didn't appreciate me or any of the other servers that weren't black. I never really understood the race card, even though I was raised in the deep south, I just never had a white vs. black complex. Many of the black servers understood the struggles I as well as several other servers of different races were dealing with. With that said, there were a few that just couldn't wrap their heads around the concept and put their two cents in, usually claiming that we were completely incompetent as servers and would be better suited in other fields of work. One server that threw this in my face is a full time server that has an associates degree as a dental hygienist, got fired from her job as a dental hygienist because she was sleeping with the married doctor, told me she has herpes and gave me the run down on who she's slept with at work in addition to every place she's gotten fired from in the airport when she blew up on customers at restaurants in the airport. I know exactly how to follow steps of service, I know exactly how to conduct myself in front of customers and believe you me, I do not need a sex crazed crazy person that can't control their own urges giving me career advice. After nine months of the O'Charley's "Passion to Serve" BS, I had to get out of their. I realized why one of their values for employees is "Passion to Serve"...If you had no passion to serve, you'd not last a day after making marginal money. The day that I walked out, I added O'Charley's to my list of places to never go back to EVER and so far, I've kept my promise to myself...If I want cheap steak, I'll go to the grocery store.

Meticulously Thrifty Cheap Frugal Living

Making changes to a lifestyle isn't hard, keeping on the course is the challenge. When you diet, the trick to it's success is taking baby steps and make short term goals. No one's perfect and we all fall off the wagon at one time or another. I was taught from a very young age that nothing in this world is free but I also learned that not everything in this world has to be out of reach either. So many people spend their lives spending money on items that are so well marketed that they don't realize they are overpaying and could be getting exactly what and pay 25% on up to 90% less if they did research on the products they buy. I'm a compulsive shopper, I have been since I was a kid. I recent years, I have tried to substantially curb my money spending habits and reserve my purchases to needs rather than wants. Occasionally I'll grab a wanted item but not until I ponder over the purchase.

I am a fan of store branded or generic items, for the most part. Many of the items do come from the same place. For example, Lou Ana cooking oil and Wal-Mart's Great Value version comes from a refinery in Opelousas, Louisiana as well as Aldi's Ranch Dressing comes from the exact same production line as Hidden Valley Ranch. I picked up these tid bits of info while working for a trucking company many years ago. As thrifty and frugal as I am, I'm not a fan of coupons. I find the act of coupon clipping as enjoyable as clipping a cat's nails. I will use coupons if I have them under two circumstances, I don't like the store or cheaper brand OR the coupon brings the cost below the store branded version. I don't actively seek out coupons though. The art of extreme couponing baffles me, I would love to go to a store and pick up a truck load of items and pay $4.00 but I don't feel the need to stockpile items that will sit and collect dust or never be used...Plus I just can't figure out the formula of how people actually do it.

There are many blogs on the internet that feature DIY and "how to's" on living cheap, I've read them for years. Many blogs are ran by thrifty ladies and targeted towards other ladies with families who live on a budget. Some feature valid household tips while others offer creative advice on feeding families or entertaining children.  I realize that not everyone's standards are the same. I have no family or children, it's just me and my partner. My partner, Terry, loves a good deal also but nothing like me. When we go to a restaurant, I focus mainly on specials whereas his choices are from the main menu. Our trips to Zaxby's are always the same, I get the $5.99 chicken finger sandwich combo, complete with fries and a drink, Terry gets the Zaxby's club with fries and adds on a drink and our total is always $17.00. We both leave full and happy but it sums up our differences.

Alien Found and Eaten in Russia

A fishing crew stunned Russian investigators when the captain revealed the bizarre sea creature they caught, documented and reported to Russian authorities was the tastiest meal he ever had.

Russia's White Sea

After a storm stirred the depths of the frigid waters of the White Sea, the crew hauled up something in their nets with a tapered head complete with eyes, nose as well as gills. The body, composed of stingray-like skin, arms, legs and a long tail. Upon using a cell phone camera to record the 170-pound creature making human like noises and gestures, it was decided the sailors would dispose of the creature. Rather than throwing it back into the sea, they cooked it and ate it. One of the men said "it was greatest meat dish he had ever tasted." Another sailor explained "the flavor was not seafood but close to cobra snake meat in texture."

Russian authorities confiscated the cell phone but not before footage fell into the hands of a few rogue reporters employed by the state run news channels. The original story, as it ran on Russian television, reported a new species of fish was found in the sea.

A Russian alien autopsy. Not the actual specimen.

The crew of the vessel were detained for approximately 120 hours to ensure all fecal matter from their feast could be acquired. DNA analysis of the crew's collected stool samples revealed the sailors to have had not ingested seafood. Further analysis showed the proteins were not of an Earth-borne nature and possibly hundreds of years old. Scientific researchers who have received the classified footage and analysis agree that this ordeal was a waste of a one of a kind opportunity to prove that we are not alone.

"Many legends and fairy tales regarding Mermaids living in the White Sea have never been confirmed through our research," explains Veniamin Uvarov of the Anomalous Phenomena Society. "We cannot, however, disregard the possibility of unknown lifeforms within the White Sea."

Purple and Black Striped Hand Knitted Scarf and Hat

So the cold weather season is in full swing. Atlanta's winter weather can be likened to someone with bi-polar (much like myself) off their meds. One day it's in the 60's and the next, the windchill is next to zero. Last night's temps got down to 14 with a windchill of -4 in my neighborhood and today we hovered just above freezing for a bit of the day with temps dropping again tonight.

Being that I'm an avid knitter with the attention span of a 5 year old, I mainly work on smaller projects. Scarves, hats, handwarmers, fingerless gloves and small blankets. When the temps drop, the sales go up and the very next day, the sales drop when the temps soar...I guess that's the nature of winter wear. As I've mentioned on previous blog entries, I have a few online shops featuring my knitted items. I'm actually trying storenvy out and possibly phasing away my etsy and ecrater stores, as etsy seems to be a place people are going for ideas rather than purchases and ecrater looks so bland with no way of dressing up the storefront. I have over 70 scarf and hat sets sitting in my house ready for new homes and I thought I'd share links to individual items here on my blog...Just in case you're looking for an amazing handmade gift for yourself or someone else. Today's featured hand knitted scarf and hat set is striped vibrant royal purple and black double knitted. The hat features a double knitted brim stitched in over the ears for extra warmth. Length: approx. 65 inches and 4 and a half inches of fringe with a Width of 6 inches. I used a 100% Acrylic Yarn with a comfortable soft feel made by Red Heart out of Albany, Georgia. If you're interested in purchasing this or other great items for yourself or someone else, please visit my shop at adriansknitwits.storenvy.com

An AMAZING Chicken Salad Recipe

When I went back to Florida to help my sister with my dad's service after he passed away, it seems the entire town of Pace, Florida dropped off something to eat throughout the time I was there. We had so much stuff that we couldn't fit it all into the refrigerator but we didn't want to let it all go to waste either so we thought of inventive ways to take care of some of the space issues. We had a few buckets of KFC as well as a couple of rotisserie chickens from the Wal-Mart deli that we just couldn't put into the refrigerator after we got our fill. My sister's got a bunch of cookbooks, the ones that appeal to me the most are not the big named ones but the ones that usually have real life submissions or old time recipes. My sister handed me a book that she'd used a few times and told me to look at the recipe for chicken salad. Sounded great to me so we decided to make it.

We started with shredding a lot of the chicken off the bones from both the rotisserie and KFC chicken, making sure there was no skin, breading or meat in the meat mix. From there...you just mix the following ingredients...This is my absolute favorite recipe for chicken salad. 1 lb cooked de-boned chicken 2 stalks chopped celery 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped 2 tbsp sweet relish 2 tbsp dill relish 1/2 cup mayo 1/2 cup miracle whip Salt & Pepper To Taste. The amazing flavor in this recipe comes from the balance of the tanginess of the miracle whip, sweetness of the sweet relish, savory saltiness from the dill relish and the mildness of mayo. I've tried this without a few of the items and it just doesn't compare to the full on flavor of the unchanged recipe.

Wife of Jesus Christ Charged With Fraud

A woman entered a Jacksonville, Florida car dealership looking to acquire a new car. Her method of payment caught the salesman's attention. The woman, Emma Harrison, wrote the dealership a $67,768 check with the names Jesus and Emma Christ on it. Emma told poilce that Jesus Christ was coming in the following week to pick up the car. She was arrested and charged with fraud related charges.

Jesus picking out his car.

De-Pilling Sweaters Scarves and other Knitted or Crocheted Items

As an avid knitter, I'm asked by many people how to remove lint and "pills" from items made from yarn. There are several methods that I've been taught over the years but one of my favorites involves a simple pumice stone that most of us use on our feet.

Pumice stones are fairly inexpensive and can be found in the health and beauty section of pretty much any drug or department store. There's not really any trick to removing lint or pills, just rub the affected area of your knitted item gently with the stone and you'll find that your scarf, hat or sweater will be lint free in a pinch.

World's Thinnest Home Comes With a BIG FAT Price

A townhouse so narrow that it's address reads 75 1/2 has gone on sale for a cost of $2.75 million. The tiny townhouse on Bedford Street in New York City's Greenwich Village previous owned by the likes of Pulitzer Prize winning author Edna St. Vincent Millay. Actors Cary Grant and John Barrymore have been reported to have slept there also. The real estate broker handling the property, Alex Nicholas, states "This is a place for someone who wants a bit of history, charm and uniqueness. When you own the narrowest house in all of New York, you'll be newsworthy."

Stephen Balsamo bought the three story, 1500 square foot home for $1.75 million in 2000. Mr. Balsamo completely renovated the home, originally built in 1873. The kitchen now has a custome stove with all four burners in a row rather than a two by two configuration. Mr. Balsamo also added other features to the home, including extended balconies and larger windows that overlook the garden to give the home a larger appearance. On the top floor, there's a huge skylight," say Nicholas. "This is old-world charm that's very bright." Despite the state of the current real estate market, experts expect the home to sell for the asking price.

Merging blogs

Last year, I decided to try my hand at creative writing as well as writing in the style of tabloids. I created some really fun stories that got a lot of positive attention from people that read them. I then switched gears and took on another project entitled Living Cheaper Without Doing Without. It seemed a good idea to create individual blogging accounts for each subject considering this blog, my main blog, was created as an outlet to share elements of my life with others. Recently, I told someone of my writing projects and offered my card featuring the links to all of my projects. It wasn't until that moment that I realized that running 3 different blogs complicated the entire promotion process of my projects and the fact that writing, whether it's a made up story or tips that I found to save a bit of cash, directly fit into my own personal page. Over the next few weeks, I'll be merging my other two blogs into this one.

Store Brands vs. Name Brands

When I was a kid, generic brands were exactly what it sounds like...generic. No frills brands had no clarification of brand, makers or distributors. White label with bold black letters...GRAPE SODA, COLA, POTATO CHIPS...My favorites were the ones that read BEANS because you didn't know if it was green beans, kidney beans, black beans or butter beans. Same went for CORN. Was it cream style or whole kernel? A surprise in every can to be revealed when you opened it. These generic items weren't as bad as they outwardly appeared. They quality was very basic and pretty much for people that didn't expect perfection. Essentially there'd be a couple of darker chips in the potato chips or end pieces and a few stems in the can of green beans. The items were cheap and a bargain. Some stores even sold generic beer.

Eventually the generic labels were replaced with store branded items. Some manufactured by name brand companies and others by companies that specialized in private labelled items. Store branded items can range from more than half off the name brand or a few cents cheaper, depending on the product. Most stores offer guarantees on the store branded items, 100% satisfaction or your money back. Sometimes you can either get a refund or the store will offer you the name brand item at no additional charge. My favorite grocery store, Aldi, has one of the coolest policies called the Double Guarantee. If you don't like their product, return it and they will replace the product AND give you a complete refund.

There's not really a set in stone guide to which store branded items are better than name brands. Depending on contracts and attempts to keep costs down, many stores tend to occasionally switch suppliers. One month they may get canned corn from the midwest and the next, from a west coast company. Condiments, canned goods, baking goods, pantry staples and even lunch meats are almost always equal to the name brands.

Topco is one of the largest private label distributors in the US.

Having worked in restaurants for as long as I have, if we ran out of something like cornmeal, flour or even salad dressing and couldn't do without until the truck arrived, our managers would run to Wal-Mart or one of the grocery stores. While I worked for Macaroni Grill, many a salad went out to tables with Great Value Dressings or the sugar in the tea was Food Club rather than Domino. No one ever complained nor do I think they knew they were getting a lower cost substitute.

Only a few times have I ever purchased a store branded item that I vowed to never buy again. Kroger's Big K Diet Root Beer and Great Value branded canned tune from Wal-Mart comes to mind.

Bottom line, never be afraid to try the store brand. If you don't like it, keep your receipt and use the store's guarantee to your advantage.