ARE YOU JUDGED BY WHAT YOU READ?

Whatever happened to sitting on the couch to show off your photo albums?  As this guy was checking out in Walmart the other day, I noticed he was grinning from ear and doing his best to impress the girl in front of me who was next in line.  She had a 5 year old son, and his daughter was 4. He suggested that her son meet his daughter for a playdate, possibly setting the scene for marriage in the future. 

Then, despite the cashier trying to move things along, he pulled out his phone and scrolled through pictures of his daughter, paying no attention to the growing line of people who were loudly getting pretty fed up while he chatted(lol).  After all that - he left the store without her phone number. Yikes!

DO PEOPLE JUDGE YOU BY  THE BOOKS ON YOUR SHELVES?

Planner with cool stickers from my buddy and artistic blogger Elizabeth

Yep, sometimes this Planner hangs out in my bookcase

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If you would have walked into my home about 35 years ago, you may have been amazed at the massive amount of romance novels on my bookcases, mixed in with a little nonfiction.  Fast forward to 2018, and there's good mix of thrillers, erotic romance, nonfiction, and cookbooks on display. 

In addition, I carry books everywhere I go.  Despite what I read these days, people draw these crazy conclusions about my life.  I'm a hermit who never leaves the house, I'm a geek, I want to be a spy, I'm a sex fiend, I don't have time to watch television, I'm a gourmet chef, I must have studied to be a doctor, and goodness knows what else!(lol) To be honest, I just read stuff that I like and find interesting. Do people make assumptions about you based on what you read?

GRAB THIS NOW
Summer may be almost over, but the temperatures in some places is still pretty brutal, so that's why this hat is a must!

The smaller version of this Palapa Hat is about $350 from Nordstrom, but why not go all out and get the $6,500.00 version from the design team of Olmos & Flores, and stay extra shady?

FUN TRIVIA
Technically, Gilligan's Island aired its final episode in September 1967 without being rescued. They made it off the island in 1978, but were stranded again by the end of the show.  Then in 1979 on The Castaways of Gilligan's Island, made it off the island again, until they decided to return by choice at the end of that movie.  Can you believe that the Coast Guard was regularly contacted to rescue the 7 actors?

Mary Poppins is one those movies I can watch over and over again, but did you know it won 5 Oscars?  They include Best Actress, Best Editing, Best Original Score, Best Visual Effects, and Best Original Song(Chim Chim Cher-ee), and is the only Disney movie to have won this many awards.  By the way, the remake will be released in theaters on December 19, 2018 with Emily Blunt.

Who comes in second with 3 awards?  Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

YUMMY, YUMMY
Did you know that women have more tastebuds than men? According to a Yale study, 35% of women vs 15% men are considered supertasters because they can actually identify sweet, sour or salty flavors better than most other people.

SHOW OFF YOUR COOKING SKILLS
If you have a cool, tasty and unique recipe with Pillsbury biscuits, cookies, pizza dough or crescent rolls and uses 8 ingredients or less, you have until September 12 to enter https://www.pillsbury.com/bake-off-contest/entry  for the chance to win $65,000.  But even if you don't win the grand prize, there's still the chance to win some extra cash!

YELP FOR CASH
Sure, Yelp is still popular for providing restaurant reviews, but did you know that you can actually earn money for eating at literally thousands of food places that participate in the program?  It's easy to sign up by linking your credit or debit card, paying your bill, then getting 10% added right back to your card!  Sign up here - https://www.yelp.com/rewards/signup.

CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE - David Venable













INGREDIENTS

• 1
  package chocolate fudge cake mix
• 3/4
  cup water
• 1/4
  cup vegetable oil
• 3
  egg whites
• 1
  (6-ounce) container strawberry yogurt
• 2
  quarts fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1
  (16-ounces) container whipped cream or fresh whipped cream
• 4
  ounces mini chocolate chips
  
  DIRECTIONS
  Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a rectangular baking pan
  

  

  Beat cake mix, water, oil, egg whites, and yogurt in a large bowl on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into the greased pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched lightly in the center. Cool completely. Turn cake out onto a cutting board. Cut in half horizontally, and place the bottom layer on a trivet. Frost the cake with whipped cream and then scatter sliced strawberries on top. Place second layer of cake on top and repeat layering with whipped cream and sliced strawberries.
  

  

  Garnish with a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips on top of the strawberries. Yum!
  
  If you want to cheat, or don't have the time, purchase a chocolate pound cake and cut it into layers instead.
  
  

Smiling at someone is always FREE, and laughing for 15 minutes per day can actually burn anywhere from 10-40 calories.

lol