Sunday, October 21, 2018

MIND GAMES & SOME OTHER STUFF

Every year I host a Veterans Yard Sale, and even though it's for a worthy cause, there are some crazy things that go on throughout the event that make it rough to keep the frown lines at bay.  Girls just wanna have fun!

So there were 9 tables of merchandise, and a lady stopped at the table with the hygiene items.  I turned my head for a second to answer a question, and when I turned back around  I noticed this lady switching the price tags on the Men's Schick Hydro 5 and the Barbasol 5Pk Twin Disposable Razors. Once finished shopping, she handed me her items, and I politely advised her of the total, and that I had seen her changing the prices.  There was denial of course, as she demanded I give her the cheaper price.  Never mind that almost all of the items were brand new and I was practically giving them away. I calmly stood my ground, and she ended up throwing them  back on the table, purchasing just 2 items.  As she and her husband were leaving, she called me the "b" word.

Fast forward 2 hours later and there were 9 razors left on that table priced at $1 each.  A customer picked them up intending to purchase them all.  The she told me she wanted to pay $1 total for all 9 of them, which I politely declined.  Ugh...(lol)  There's a lot more I could share, (lol), but overall it went pretty well.

WHAT'S IN A NAME
RO is a shortened version of my real name, so I decided to look up what it means.  Ironically, my real name and RO start off by saying I'm unique and a law unto myself which made me giggle with glee.  However, someone with my real name is supposedly tolerant and eager to help humanity, which I thought was kind of cool. But I should also mention that there is a tendency to procrastinate, and yes, that would be definitely be me.(lol)I hated my name as a kid and lived with another nickname that I changed because a close friend told me it was totally ridiculous.(lol)  Once I got older and used my real name, everyone pretty much butchered or mispronounced it, so I just shortened it.  Here are a few others:

Sophia - great wisdom                                  
Philip - lover of horses                
Adam - earth
Felix - happy                                
                 
Phyllis - foliage
Sylvia - inhabiting the woods                      
Ursula - little bear
Vincent - Conqueror                                     
Chandler - maker of candles
Elizabeth - oath of God                                 
Anna - full of grace


SAVE TIME
The best time of the week to head out to grocery shop is Wednesday, but try to go before you head into work.  Going after can increase shopping time by 5-7 minutes.



SAVE MONEY
One of my fave hobbies is deal hunting, and you can find deals, coupons, promo codes and more at department stores, supermarkets, and online, just by visiting www.SundaySaver.com.  

If you prefer paper coupons from the newspaper, check out this site which tells you which coupons are available along with the date.  https://www.sundaycouponinserts.com/coupon-preview/

If you want to score name brand merchandise sometimes as low as just $1, you've got to visit www.hollar.com.  You'll truly be amazed at how inexpensive most items are!


ELEPHANT LOVE
How many times have you seen Dumbo?  Do you collect any elephant figures? Did you know this beloved character has been around since 1941, and was Walt Disney's favorite from all of the films that were made.  Like all of our faves, it seems this classic is being remade and released as a LIVE Action Film in March 2019, starring Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, and Colin Farrell and directed by Tim Burton.




CHAMPIONSHIP
Do you play chess?  I could never figure it out, but 27 year-old Norwegian Magnus Carlsen, who has been the reigning champ since 2013, will defend his title once again from November 9 - 28 in London, England.  His net worth is a little over $8 million.

The 1st official championship began in 1886, but chess was played many years before that.  The most famous American to win was Bobby Fischer when he was 29 and kept the title from 1972 - 1975. 

APPLE-CRANBERRY CRUMB CHEESECAKE BARS

INGREDIENTS
1/2 Cup Butter
1 Package Yellow Cake Mix
2 Eggs Divided
1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
2 Pkgs Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Gala Apples, peeled and chopped
1 Cup Frozen or Fresh Cranberries
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract



DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350 degrees, then line 13x9 inch pan with foil, with the ends of foil extending over the sides.Microwave butter in microwave on high for 1-1/2 minutes or until melted.  Add dry cake mix, 1 egg and cinnamon, beating with mixer until blended. Press 2/3 of the dough onto the bottom of the prepared pan.




Beat cream cheese and sugar with mixer until well blended, then add the the remaining egg, mixing well.  Spread over crust, then top with fruit.  Pinch small pieces of the remaining dough with your fingers, pressing into cream cheese layer.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the center is almost set.  Cool completely, then refrigerate for 1 hour. Lift foil handles from pan, then cut into slices.


If you like pumpkins, Friday, October 26 is your day!


If you've been reading this blog, you may  have seen some posts about "gaslighting" which can be abusive tactic used in domestic violence.

The original movie, Gaslight was released in 1940 with Ingrid Bergman when her husband tried to make her go mad.

But for all the young people who may not have seen that one, a modern day version would be The Girl on the Train with Emily Blunt, released in 2016.  The movie didn't go over well with critics, but we have a chance to see how the nightmare really unfolds when this happens to someone.

Another extreme version was shown on an episode on Blue Bloods called Mind Games on 10/12/18.  Even though Danny(Donnie Wahlberg) arrested the culprit for shooting her husband, he has a feeling that something isn't right about their relationship.  


Eventually the detectives find out that the husband has not only been cheating with another woman, but they gaslighted her to make her think she was crazy.  They even went so far as to drug the wife, then framing her for shooting her husband, (the mistress did the actual shooting while the wife was passed out) all with the intent of having her arrested so they could be together and to get her money.  Thank goodness the wife was finally cleared, but the husband and mistress were locked up.

This is not a made up term, and really does exist causing a person to experience a living hell.  It can also rear its head in many subtle ways or stages, eventually making you doubt your own sanity.

Seek help as safely and as promptly as you can if you're in an abusive relationship.  You deserve better.

From Psychology Today:

Gaslighting is a form of persistent manipulation and brainwashing that causes the victim to doubt her or himself, and ultimately lose her or his own sense of perception, identity, and self-worth. ...Gaslighting can occur in personal relationships, at the workplace, or over an entire society.







Monday, October 8, 2018

MORE STUFF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW

Usually my spammy comments on the blog invite me to reach out to spiritual advisors, voodoo doctors to cure my barrenness, guaranteed riches, or to cast a spell on a nonexistent cheating spouse.  When I say usually, it means I'm bombarded with pretty darn lengthy instructions that I have to delete fairly regularly once I've stopped laughing.


Recently things took a slight turn in topic when Cristina Trevor from Italy included me in a plea for boys and girls to join the Porn Industry by sharing a few naked pics at beatenblood2@gmail.com.  If you click on Cristina's name, you'll see what looks to be a fake picture on Google with close to 1200 views, and I was tempted to send an email  with a picture of a cat to see what would actually happen. (lol) Meanwhile,  even if I looked like  Beyonce, Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) or Sofia Vergara, that would be a hard NO THANKS, Cristina.(lol)

HALLOWEEN DECORATING
It's Season 8 of Halloween Wars on The Food Network, and once again I'm shocked and impressed at the amazing ways these artists come up with frightening ways to scare us and the judges.  Can you imagine actually digging around inside of a humongous pumpkin like this one? (lol)
Six teams each consist of a sculptor, sugar artist and cake decorator as they work on winning the grand prize of $50,000.  No calories here, I promise.(lol)  Are you good at carving pumpkins?

SOUTH DAKOTA
Mount Rushmore started being sculpted in 1927, and was finished in 1941. That sure is a long time, right? The cost to build this famous piece was a little over $1 million dollars, and every year is visited by 3 million people.



Walt Disney World opened for the first time on October 1, 1971, and they were slammed with a little over 400,000 visitors!  It's unbelievable, but admission back then for adults was just $3.50, and kids were only charged $1.  These days, if you don't score discounts or package deals, prices can be as high as $105 per adult. YIKES!

BEST KEPT SECRET
If you like to play quick mini games(nothing major or time consuming) AND win name brand prizes, one of a kind merch and cash, you're going to love this app that not many people know about.    With a 4.5 out of 5 rating, almost no one has anything bad to say about this Apple app.  Download Suprize, and win concert tickets, jackets, baby items, beauty products and lots more which "drop" all day, every day.  Be sure to come back to tell us what you won!

LOVING THE LIBRARY
Are you like me, and can't get enough of books?  You can save yourself lots of time, space and money by downloading  https://meet.libbyapp.com/. This app lets you borrow thousands of ebooks or audiobooks without the need for any extra equipment.  It even keeps track of your books, and allows you to sample a book first.   All you need is your library card, a comfy couch and a yummy cheeseburger to set the mood.


FARMERS RULE
Do you have a Farmer's Market where you live?  If so, wait until it rains to head out for a visit and to really save.  A Farmer's market probably doesn't have refrigerators to keep all that produce fresh, and their time is limited to sell it all.  So instead of letting it go to waste while waiting for dry weather, they can still make some income by selling it to customers at a discount.


KUDOS
My friend Elizabeth has once again shown off her artistic talent and creativity by sending me  all this adorable black and white washi tape that I simply adore. Most everyone knows I love Washi Tape, but great designs done in black are hard to find. I'm already working on using a black, white and silver theme for the month of January in my 2019 Planner! Can you see me doing the Happy Dance and thanking Elizabeth?
Hey There Elizabeth and thanks again!

Santa Clara Police Department
KINDNESS IS KEY
Sixteen year old Rhami Zeini of Santa Barbara California was definitely raised properly and understands the importance of doing the right thing.  




On September 16 while driving home from school, he spotted a purse lying in the middle of the road.  He got out of his vehicle, checked the bag for identification, and received the surprise of his life.  There was $10,000 cash inside, which was the largest amount of money he'd ever seen at one time.  He took it home to show his parents, then they all delivered the purse to the local police.  The police did find the rightful owner, who rewarded the 11th grader with $100. 
Rhemi said that if the roles were reversed, he would hope someone would do the same thing.  The owner believed that she had left her purse on the hood before driving off, and was very grateful.

If you need a quick snack with low calories, hold out until Wednesday, October 10, and celebrate National Angel Food Cake Day, all day long.  Of course, if you don't care about calories, add all kinds of chocolate sauce and other treats too! (lol)


Sunday, September 23, 2018

FALL FUN & NEWS


NESTLE TOLL HOUSE COOKIE PIE (Six Sisters Stuff-Copycat Cooking)

INGREDIENTS
1 Unbaked 9-in Pie Crust, homemade or store-bought
2 Large Eggs
1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup Butter, softened
1 Cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts(optional)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, then line the pie plate with the prepared crust and set aside.

Beat eggs in large mixer bowl on high speed until foamy, then beat in flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar.  Add in the butter, then stir in the morsels and nuts.  Spoon it all into the pie shell.

Bake 50-55 minutes or until a knife inserted between the edge and center come out clean.  Cool on a wire rack or serve slightly warm with ice cream or whipped cream.  For those who dare to be more decadent, drizzle some chocolate or caramel syrup on top. Enjoy the yumminess!

Studio 7L - 7 Rue de Lille, 75007 Paris, France
BOOKS, BOOKS AND MORE BOOKS
Karl Lagerfeld is a guru well known for his fashion, furniture and handbags.  But did you know that he's seriously into books? 
In fact, he founded a bookstore in Paris called 7L that boasts about 80,000 books. But his own personal library at home includes about 250,000 books and magazines!  He prefers to read to get information, and rarely uses the Internet.

MAKE CASH FROM CASH
Have you ever paid attention to the serial numbers on your cash?  If not, you may be holding on to a gold mine right in your wallet or purse.  The people at www.coolserialnumbers.com are collectors that look for special or unusual serial numbers, and if they like what you have, you can earn some cash.  They mostly look for dollar bills, but a few include any denomination. Here are a few examples from their website.

79999999 - 7 in a Row
67676767 - Super Repeater
00090000 - 7 of a Kind
11110000 - Double Quads 

PIZZA LOVE AND SOME CASH
Instagram PhotoI promise I'm not pulling your leg, and this is a real job offer.  If you like eating or preparing pizza, you can get paid anywhere from $300 to $1000 a day, depending on your experience by visiting this site: https://ooni.com/blogs/news/ooni-pizza-taste-tester-job.  This is the perfect work from home job no matter where you live in the world.

The roles include some product testing and recipe development, and it's up to you to sell yourself into this pizza perfect job by presenting a video of your skills up to 1 minute, along with your resume, to Ooni no later than October 14, 2018.

But wait - you won't even have to cook the pizza in your own oven.  If you're selected, they'll send you the ingredients AND their specialized compact oven so you can taste existing recipes, or to come up with your own for their company.

PEANUTS AND MORE
Do you like Charlie Brown and the Peanuts, and still watch them on television?  Did you know that you can experience a scenic train ride the on the Great Pumpkin Patch Express in Colorado?  It's a 30 minute train ride there, and once you arrive, there's lots to do.  Visit Lucy's Psychiatric Help Booth, Trick or Treat with the kids, Wine and Beer Taste if you like, win prizes for Halloween costumes, enjoy pumpkin carving and so much more.  Visit www.durango.com, or call 1-888-872-4607.



WHAT'S OLD IS NEW AGAIN
Do you remember Bewitched, the magical comedy program that was on from 1964 to 1972 with Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York? The original pilot of the show was sadly filmed the same day JFK was assassinated, and because Ms. Montgomery and he were friends, made it rough for her to complete. She also wasn't the producer's first choice for the role. Tammy Grimes was. Then it was redone as a movie in 2005 with Will Ferrell and Nicole Kidman. 

Well, it looks like this classic is being redone on ABC and I can't wait.  I can't tell you how many times I used to twitch my nose and pretend something fun was about to happen.(lol)


SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU SMILE
In Long Grove Iowa, Bob Williams is all about chocolate and paying it forward.  First, he gets Hershey chocolate bars from Dollar General, hands 2 to the cashiers in the store, and then whoever is behind him in line gets one.  People that he sees while running around town get a bar too.  Wherever he goes, candy bars will travel.

For the past 10 years, this 94 year old World War II vet has given out almost 6,000 bars of joy, and Hershey's will be spotlighting him and his random acts of kindness in one of their new marketing campaigns.  Well done, Mr. Williams and very cool!