so I have mentioned before that I am a lazy blogger. if you look at the irregularity of my blog posts you can see it in living color. perhaps I should change the blog name to "Susan is a lazy blogger." but, I think I am a bit too lazy to do that! lol!
anyway, I am going to steal a blog post......or more politely, link you to a blog post. this one is about donating blood. why write what someone else has done such a good job of writing already? so.....please go read Leslie's post about her case for giving blood and then come back to read the rest of my blog. (see......SUCH a lazy blogger!)
done?? didn't it make you want to go donate? well....it should! I do have 2 of my own thoughts to contribute at this point:
1. if you have problems having sufficient iron (eat more dark greens, young lady!!), try tomato sauce in a cast iron pan the night or two before. have some tasty spaghetti and the tomato sauce will help your blood absorb oodles of iron from the pan.
2. you don't get to pick your bandage color. sad, isn't it? but now they have premade kits for the blood draws and no color choices. if this is the only thing holding you back, let me know......I'll send you a Hello Kitty or Pokemon bandaid! sheesh!
and that is what I am thinking today. with my last donation, I am at 32 pints. I can't stand needles so if I can do it YOU can do it!
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Winners! Winners! (and link for discount tickets to Sportsmen's Expo)
Congrats to Dolphyngyrl and Ally for winning passes to this weekend's Sportsmen's Expo!!
Remember, if you didn't win, you can still use this link to get yourself $2 off adult tickets! Kids 15 and under are free!
Susan’s Super Sportsmen’s Expo Saver Link
Remember, if you didn't win, you can still use this link to get yourself $2 off adult tickets! Kids 15 and under are free!
Susan’s Super Sportsmen’s Expo Saver Link
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Youth Outdoor Sports Fair - family fun! free for kids!
I am sure you have heard of the International Sportsmen’s Expo. It comes every year for 4 days of outdoorsy fun at Cal Expo. But did you know that they fill up 20,000 SF of it with a Youth Outdoor Sports Fair? I didn’t! Heck, 2 years ago, Ryan spent a morning showing off the Boy Scout Adventure Base 100 (he was even on TV with a very uncoordinated newscaster who tried the obstacle course). Afterwards Ryan walked around and checked out the Expo and even he didn’t know they had a youth section!
What is my point here? Well, KIDS 15 AND UNDER ARE FREE!!
That means that they can learn archery, fishing things (there is even a catch & release activity), turkey calling (VERY important if you live near me! Seriously!), and safe gun handling in the NRA airgun range. Something I like, and very Boy Scout feeling, is “Tread Lightly!” They are a national non-profit group that encourages responsible use of public lands and waterways. The kids’ Sports Fair area will have games for the kids, giveaways and raffles, ATV photo opportunities, falconry displays, “Lucy’s Pond” with a waterfall and river, and a whole lot more. Oh yes, and Radio Disney will be there!
6pm 9pm January 18th -that is Wednesday night! Can you say short notice?!?!? (Sorry! I have been having technical difficulties.) I’ll do a random drawing of all entrants and let you know ASAP.
If you aren’t patient, don’t want to enter, or don’t win you can use this link to save $2 on adult tickets now! Have fun and I'll see you there!
Disclosure: I was given a set of passes to the Expo along with the ability to share the discount ticket link in exchange for posting about the Expo. But, once the boys heard about the kids’ area it didn’t matter, we were going free tickets or not!
What is my point here? Well, KIDS 15 AND UNDER ARE FREE!!
That means that they can learn archery, fishing things (there is even a catch & release activity), turkey calling (VERY important if you live near me! Seriously!), and safe gun handling in the NRA airgun range. Something I like, and very Boy Scout feeling, is “Tread Lightly!” They are a national non-profit group that encourages responsible use of public lands and waterways. The kids’ Sports Fair area will have games for the kids, giveaways and raffles, ATV photo opportunities, falconry displays, “Lucy’s Pond” with a waterfall and river, and a whole lot more. Oh yes, and Radio Disney will be there!
Show times for the Youth Outdoor Sports Fair are
- Friday 3pm to 8pm (the Sportsmen’s Expo opens at 11am, but those kids have to go to school!)
- Saturday 10am to 7pm
- Sunday 10am to 5pm
Anyway, kids are free, grown-ups are $15, and parking is $10.
BUT, I am giving away 2 pairs of tickets! All you need to do it post a comment with what you think your kids will be most excited about at the Youth Outdoor Sports Fair byIf you aren’t patient, don’t want to enter, or don’t win you can use this link to save $2 on adult tickets now! Have fun and I'll see you there!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Buy some books - help an animal!
THIS WEEKEND!!!! is the SPCA Winter Book Sale!!!
January 12th through 15th (oh, wait, I guess that starts TODAY) at the Citrus Town Center at Greenback and Sunrise. (it used to be called Sunrise Festival......and you probably remember it better as the place that used to have a Krispy Kreme on the corner, which is now a Panera Bread....and an Old Navy, which is soon to be a Sprouts Market). ANYWAY, that is where it is.....next door to Marshalls (so either where Linen Outlet used to be or maybe where Filco used to be......maybe I'll drive by and get a more definitive answer for you....and buy a couple books myself!)
okay, so about the books: gently used books of ALL kinds! there are also games and puzzles.
hours are from 10am to 7pm Thursday through Saturday and then 11am to 6pm on Sunday.
if I confused you too much.......check the SPCA website for more info!
January 12th through 15th (oh, wait, I guess that starts TODAY) at the Citrus Town Center at Greenback and Sunrise. (it used to be called Sunrise Festival......and you probably remember it better as the place that used to have a Krispy Kreme on the corner, which is now a Panera Bread....and an Old Navy, which is soon to be a Sprouts Market). ANYWAY, that is where it is.....next door to Marshalls (so either where Linen Outlet used to be or maybe where Filco used to be......maybe I'll drive by and get a more definitive answer for you....and buy a couple books myself!)
okay, so about the books: gently used books of ALL kinds! there are also games and puzzles.
hours are from 10am to 7pm Thursday through Saturday and then 11am to 6pm on Sunday.
if I confused you too much.......check the SPCA website for more info!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - oh finally!! (a movie review.....kinda)
Do you know me? Probably don't need to know me much to know how much I have been obsessing over The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo movie. Yes, I was one of those hold outs who didn't read the books when all the buzz started. Why would I want to read some book about an inked chick?? But I did and the rest is kinda history.
So that you know where I am coming from, I have read the entire series once.....pretty much didn't leave the couch from the beginning of the first book through the end of the third. I have watched the foreign films once. Then a couple weeks ago I read the first book again and rewatched the foreign version of the first movie. I stopped short of piercings and tearing my clothes (I would be tempted if I could find a shirt that said "fuck you, you fucking fuck" like was worn in the movie.......though I would probably be too chicken to wear it in public.......or in front of my kids........maybe under a sweatshirt?!?!? I don't think H&M will be offering it in their Dragon Tattoo collection!)
Last night was the sneak preview. Couldn't believe I hadn't tracked down passes until Sunday morning......thankyouverymuch SandwichJohnFilms!! After talking with the studio rep, I was a bit worried about the amount of violence in the movie: rape, rape, torture, etc. All the heavies. Despite the continual laughing of the dude across the aisle from me, this was not a comedy!
Anyway, the worst part of the movie was the Trent Reznor "video" at the beginning. My friend MsChick said it was to get us in that "weird dark Swedish vibe". You can see the video on his site......sans movie credits. This movie was a long one.......why saddle us with a ridiculous waste of time on top of that? (Otherwise, he and Atticus Ross did an amazing soundtrack!!)
After that, everything was much better! I don't know how to really say it (which is why I won't be quitting my day job to become a movie critic anytime soon), but this version of the movie took a slightly different view of the storyline than the original version and I liked it better. It did a better job of explaining things than the foreign film and will go over better with those few in the audience who haven't devoured the books. The movie was faithful to the story, the good, the bad, and the ugly. It still took liberties with some of the details of the story and I would love to ask the screenwriter, director, producer, whomever "why???? why bother changing something like that?" But I can't.
End result: this movie lives up to the hype. They did not ruin a good story as I had feared they would. Other than 2 obvious and annoying product placements (McDonalds and Coke, I am looking at you!), it was not what I call "Hollywoodized." (Apple and Epson got their fair share of screentime too, but somehow that wasn't as annoying.) I can't imagine how many shots it took to get some of the subtle emotions and nuances from the actors. I was uncomfortable where I knew I would be (this is not a kids's movie people......and the 2 people I saw there with their young children: bad! bad bad parents!!!). The movie (with the help of the soundtrack) was fast paced and I didn't notice that I was sitting for so long. They did an excellent job of providing some relief so you didn't leave the theater needing a chiropractor from being stressed up and clenched for almost 3 hours. I will go see it again.
One thing that feels off is that what you remember being the main story ends, but there are still several minutes left to the movie. The viewer (even me) forgets that the story begins with Mikael Blomkvist being convicted of slander. Then we quickly get swept up into the "meat" of the movie. But that part of the story is only there because of the fall-out of the court case and after the mystery is solved, the slander storyline needs to be concluded. Seems a bit anti-climactic. It does in the book too. But it is necessary for the continuation of the Trilogy. Maybe instead of seeing it as the end of this story, see it as a prelude to the next?
Anyone know when The Girl Who Played With Fire will be out?
So that you know where I am coming from, I have read the entire series once.....pretty much didn't leave the couch from the beginning of the first book through the end of the third. I have watched the foreign films once. Then a couple weeks ago I read the first book again and rewatched the foreign version of the first movie. I stopped short of piercings and tearing my clothes (I would be tempted if I could find a shirt that said "fuck you, you fucking fuck" like was worn in the movie.......though I would probably be too chicken to wear it in public.......or in front of my kids........maybe under a sweatshirt?!?!? I don't think H&M will be offering it in their Dragon Tattoo collection!)
Last night was the sneak preview. Couldn't believe I hadn't tracked down passes until Sunday morning......thankyouverymuch SandwichJohnFilms!! After talking with the studio rep, I was a bit worried about the amount of violence in the movie: rape, rape, torture, etc. All the heavies. Despite the continual laughing of the dude across the aisle from me, this was not a comedy!
Anyway, the worst part of the movie was the Trent Reznor "video" at the beginning. My friend MsChick said it was to get us in that "weird dark Swedish vibe". You can see the video on his site......sans movie credits. This movie was a long one.......why saddle us with a ridiculous waste of time on top of that? (Otherwise, he and Atticus Ross did an amazing soundtrack!!)
After that, everything was much better! I don't know how to really say it (which is why I won't be quitting my day job to become a movie critic anytime soon), but this version of the movie took a slightly different view of the storyline than the original version and I liked it better. It did a better job of explaining things than the foreign film and will go over better with those few in the audience who haven't devoured the books. The movie was faithful to the story, the good, the bad, and the ugly. It still took liberties with some of the details of the story and I would love to ask the screenwriter, director, producer, whomever "why???? why bother changing something like that?" But I can't.
End result: this movie lives up to the hype. They did not ruin a good story as I had feared they would. Other than 2 obvious and annoying product placements (McDonalds and Coke, I am looking at you!), it was not what I call "Hollywoodized." (Apple and Epson got their fair share of screentime too, but somehow that wasn't as annoying.) I can't imagine how many shots it took to get some of the subtle emotions and nuances from the actors. I was uncomfortable where I knew I would be (this is not a kids's movie people......and the 2 people I saw there with their young children: bad! bad bad parents!!!). The movie (with the help of the soundtrack) was fast paced and I didn't notice that I was sitting for so long. They did an excellent job of providing some relief so you didn't leave the theater needing a chiropractor from being stressed up and clenched for almost 3 hours. I will go see it again.
One thing that feels off is that what you remember being the main story ends, but there are still several minutes left to the movie. The viewer (even me) forgets that the story begins with Mikael Blomkvist being convicted of slander. Then we quickly get swept up into the "meat" of the movie. But that part of the story is only there because of the fall-out of the court case and after the mystery is solved, the slander storyline needs to be concluded. Seems a bit anti-climactic. It does in the book too. But it is necessary for the continuation of the Trilogy. Maybe instead of seeing it as the end of this story, see it as a prelude to the next?
Anyone know when The Girl Who Played With Fire will be out?
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
And the winner......
of an all expenses paid trip to......oh wait, wrong blog! lol!!
okay, seriously, according to Random.org, the winner of all those nifty neat-o-keen things in my November 27th post is..........
DONNA HENDON!!!!!
Please make sure I have your address so I can mail you your goodies ASAP!!!!
Thank you everyone for entering!
okay, seriously, according to Random.org, the winner of all those nifty neat-o-keen things in my November 27th post is..........
DONNA HENDON!!!!!
Please make sure I have your address so I can mail you your goodies ASAP!!!!
Thank you everyone for entering!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Meatless Mondays - Comedy or Tragedy?
A couple weeks ago we (ie: me) decided to start doing meatless mondays. Hadn't really thought too much about it or done any research. I know that we eat too much meat. Even enforcing portion control is difficult. I also wanted to expand the family's diet. The boys aren't vegetable fans, so I promised no straight out salads. (That is fine....I don't really like lettuce and we rarely have it in the house. A salad with dinner is usually more a bowl of chopped veggies.....which are then drowned in dressing! Oh well!)
The first Monday was easy. I was donating blood the next day so a simple marinara in a cast iron frying pan was perfect! That went over well and showed that no meat wasn't going to kill them. (And I aced the blood iron test!)
We skipped last week.
Last night we were back on track. Had planned on bean and cheese burritos but it was cold and foggy and was wanting some comfort type food. So I hit the internet for some inspiration. There is a site for Meatless Monday. (Who knew?) Thankfully it has loads of recipes! Found this one for Enchiladas. It looked easy enough and I was pretty sure I had everything at home so I was good to go!
Did you read the recipe? I didn't. I looked at the ingredients and the photo, assumed the veggie chili was filing, and went on my merry way. When I got home to make the dish, I noticed that you are supposed to make 12 enchiladas with 8 oz of cheese (and have leftover cheese to put on top) and the chili is put on top of these itty bitty enchiladas! And after all that, you make enchilada sauce??
Needless to say, I didn't follow the recipe. We ended up with what we jokingly called "Deconstructed Mexican Vegetarian Lasagna." You know, because we are quite the foodies! Layers of chili, cheese, and corn tortillas. Ended up using fewer tortillas and more chili and cheese than in the original recipe. It tasted okay, better than I think the recipe would have ended up.
In the meantime, I am working on my list of meatless meals that I know will past muster. Figure I can start with these and sneak in new ones as I find them. Any tried and true family loved meatless dishes you can add to my list?
The first Monday was easy. I was donating blood the next day so a simple marinara in a cast iron frying pan was perfect! That went over well and showed that no meat wasn't going to kill them. (And I aced the blood iron test!)
We skipped last week.
Last night we were back on track. Had planned on bean and cheese burritos but it was cold and foggy and was wanting some comfort type food. So I hit the internet for some inspiration. There is a site for Meatless Monday. (Who knew?) Thankfully it has loads of recipes! Found this one for Enchiladas. It looked easy enough and I was pretty sure I had everything at home so I was good to go!
Did you read the recipe? I didn't. I looked at the ingredients and the photo, assumed the veggie chili was filing, and went on my merry way. When I got home to make the dish, I noticed that you are supposed to make 12 enchiladas with 8 oz of cheese (and have leftover cheese to put on top) and the chili is put on top of these itty bitty enchiladas! And after all that, you make enchilada sauce??
Needless to say, I didn't follow the recipe. We ended up with what we jokingly called "Deconstructed Mexican Vegetarian Lasagna." You know, because we are quite the foodies! Layers of chili, cheese, and corn tortillas. Ended up using fewer tortillas and more chili and cheese than in the original recipe. It tasted okay, better than I think the recipe would have ended up.
In the meantime, I am working on my list of meatless meals that I know will past muster. Figure I can start with these and sneak in new ones as I find them. Any tried and true family loved meatless dishes you can add to my list?
- Cheese/veggie pizza
- Mac & Cheese (except Ryan will only eat the blue boxed stuff)
- Pasta w/marinara sauce
- Madras lentils & bulgar (an old WW fav)
- Soup & grilled cheese
Also, please remember to enter the Some Stuff You Might Win Giveway!!
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