Books: Field Guide to Stains

Stains. The bane of the new silk blouse and interview tie. I found this book a while ago that gives hints about how to remove them, Field Guide to Stains. There are other uses for lemon juice and vinegar than cooking. Maybe you know some of these little helpful hints, but I am not so domestic and thus oblivious.

If you read the beginning of the book it focuses on not knowing where the stain comes from. I always see the stain. It is usually some horribly dark color like red kool-aid or grape juice and I'm wearing white. I'm also not so good with memory as I always forget to treat the stain, like all those domestic goddesses, as soon as I step into the house. In the end, I set the stain by putting the unfortunate item in the dryer.

So I stained a white shirt with spaghetti sauce, followed the removal procedure, and no more stain! It worked with a couple of other stains even after the dryer gets them, and with this blog I can now share the joy!

TV: Torchwood

B is a giant Dr. Who fan. I bet you know one, too. So it is no big surprise in our household to find that Torchwood, which has ties to the Doctor, is set on our DVR. Now this is not the best show ever, but it is so fun to watch and I'm a fan of TV sci fi, Star Trek, Babylon 5, and Firefly. If you like sci fi and you have access to BBC America you should tune in. Well, maybe...

I'm not a fan of the controversial. So although I have plenty of my own real life opinions about things, I will try to refrain from putting out big hot topics here. The reason I am posting about Torchwood, besides the TV category, is that I've been having a little issue with B. This will be the closest to controversial that you'll see me get.

One of the male characters is known to like going both ways. For the last few episodes we have seen him "snogging" with other male characters. No, no, not in the timid sense at all. B could be seen doing some major squirming. The preference of the characters makes no real difference to us and that's not what I want to emphasize here (so no hate mail.) This issue is that B has NO problem if two women are going at it. Can we say double standard?

No one said life was fair, but I object! To my delight, he likes the show and therefore has to see the other side of the coin. In the end, I am laughing hysterically seeing him so uncomfortable. Serves him right.

No real "Great show, watch" promotion here. Just laugh along with me as I watch B cringe.

Miscellaneous: PostSecret

If you have been on the net or in a bookstore, you have to have heard of PostSecret, the community project that has spawned a website, youtube clips, and four published books. It is truly amazing what someone will say if it can be said anonymously. Check it out.

Men: Vin Diesel

Vin
Diesel

Name: Vin Diesel (Mark Sinclair Vincent)
Best Known For: Movies The Fast & the Furious, Triple X, and The Chronicles of Riddick series
Year of Birth: 1967
Status: Single
Height: 6’1.5”
Fun Fact: He’s a Dungeons and Dragons player.

Man, oh man. I really mean man. This one is all hunk of male. Sometimes I like the serious brooding look rather than “pretty boy.” Vin does that well, and he has this distinctive voice that sends chills down my spine.

The Bod

Vin does an awesome job playing the muscle bound hero (rather, reluctant hero) in the Riddick movies…You know what? I really don’t have much to say. Let’s all just take a moment to drink in the physique, and I think that will do.

Mmmmm.

*UPDATE* June 5, 2008
Vin had a baby girl in April with his girlfriend, Paloma Jimenez, who is a model (of course!) While I'm happy for him, he was one of the few (technically) single guys...let's have a moment of silence please.

Chocolate: Denali

I know you won't believe it, but I used to hate chocolate ice cream. For someone who claims to be a chocoholic, it seems unreal. At the time I felt that ice cream just didn't have that real chocolate taste and to this day I won't eat plain chocolate ice cream. However, I will indulge in "loaded" ice cream, ice cream filled with extras.

It started with rocky road which contains nuts and marshmallows, two of my favorite chocolate companions. Sticking with tried and true, I went with some "loaded" ice cream with brands like Dreyers, Godiva, and Ben & Jerry's. Much, much later B brought home some Denali's ice cream. B, who always sees the benefit in buying in bulk, filled our freezer with Moose Tracks and Motherlode. Forget all the Godiva that was purchased before, Denali's was beyond awesome.

Besides the rich tasting chocolate part of the ice cream and the fact that these ice creams were "loaded" with things like peanut butter cups and toffee nuggets, the caramel (yes, you read right) was simply lip smacking! I have since gone on to the other flavors like Extreme Moose Tracks, Bear Claw, and Bear Foot Brownie (vanilla with chunks of brownie.)

Just yum! Think I'll indulge right about now.

Books: _ _ _ _ for Women

I know, I know, you're thinking, "What's up with that book title?" I just wanted to give you a chance to turn back if you thought this post might be too risque. Maybe you're at work or something. Maybe you don't want anyone reading the title over your shoulder - as both A and M are quite fond of doing. Whatever the reason, just be sure you are in a safe environment.

This book is one I spied while perusing someone else's blog. I would love to post the link to her blog, I love what she posts, but she is more controversial than I am. I loved the book and seriously want it and its partner book on my Want List pronto. {Okay, you've had sufficient warning...} The book is called P*rn for Women. I KNOW! But really you have to see the book to find out how harmless the book really is. That asterisk was for the search engines. No need to get anyone riled up.

Here's the book description and a picture so you get the idea.

Prepare to enter a fantasy world. A world where clothes get folded just so, delicious dinners await, and flatulence is just not that funny. Give the fairer sex what they really want beautiful PG photos of hunky men cooking, listening, asking for directions, accompanied by steamy captions: "I love a clean house!" or "As long as I have two legs to walk on, you'll never take out the trash." Now this is p*rn that will leave women begging for more!

Just in case you can't read what it says..."As soon as I finish the laundry, I'll go grocery shopping and I'll take the kids with me so you can relax." This is accompanied by a picture of a nice looking hunk. Yummy! There's one for new moms, too! The Amazon links have that word plastered all over them. Just do a quick search and you'll be rewarded with the pics I didn't download.

I'm already in heaps of trouble for this!

TV: Commercials

I hate 'em. I know most of you feel the same way. There's nothing like raising the volume of your favorite show in order to hear what the characters are saying during that heavy dramatic moment, only to be jolted out of your chair by the volume of one of the stupidest commercials after the moment is over.

My favorite thing is saving the show and skipping through the commercials. You should see me when, after watching most of my shows through DVR, I'm watching a show in real time and nearly damage my finger trying to make the remote fast forward. It's like eating a hollow bunny you thought was solid. UGH!

But...you have to admit sometimes a commercial can make you laugh, like the Comcast Digital Voice commercial... "Sorry Roger you tiger." I've even seen some I thought were quite cute, like the thumping Yaris commercials. And Honda's Cog commercial was so cool! Lest you think I'm falling into their trap (seriously thinking about their product and wanting to buy it) I have to tell you I had to look up the product names in order to tell you about them.

I'd rather watch the funny ones online than have horrible ones every five minutes in my tv shows. That Dolby Software mentioned in the article I linked to "the volume" above sounds really good. Until then, (sigh) I will record and skip forward.

Miscellaneous: Darwin Awards

This is a quick entry because I have to reveal the parents and gender of those "crazy" kids from my last Miscellaneous. I thought I'd turn some people [those who don't spend as much time on the net as I do] on to the Darwin Awards. The site with the Darwin winners would do a much better job of explaining the idea behind the awards, but let's just say medals are handed out to those who do the right thing and eliminate themselves from the gene pool. Here is an excerpt from 2007's winner...

"The machine shop owner couldn't imbibe alcohol by mouth due to a painful throat ailment, so he elected to receive his favourite beverage via enema. And tonight, Michael was in for one hell of a party. Two 1.5 litre bottles of sherry, more than 100 fluid ounces, right up the old address!"

Darwin winners have to be dead, so I know you can figure out what happened to Michael. I really want to feel bad for these people...really!

Celebrity Babies!
*Story Elias - Jenna and Bohdi Elfman (boy)
Apple – Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow (girl)
Pilot Inspektor – Jason Lee and Beth Reisgraf (boy)
Banjo - Rachel Griffiths and Andrew Taylor (boy)
Moxie Crimefighter and Zolton – Penn Jillette and Emily (girl and boy)
Maddox and Pax– Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt (boys)
Moon Unit, Dweezil, Ahmet Emuukha Rodan, and Diva Thin Muffin Pigeen – Frank Zappa and Adelaide Sloatman (girl, boy, boy and girl)
Audio Science - Shannyn Sossaman and Dallas Clayton (boy)
Coco – David Arquette and Courteney Cox (girl)
Rumer, Scout Larue, Tallulah Belle – Demi Moore and Bruce Willis (girls)
Bluebell Madonna – Geri Halliwell (girl)
Daisy Boo and Poppy Honey – Jamie Oliver and Juliette Norton (girls)
Reignbeau and Freedom – Ving Rhames and Deborah Reed (girl and boy)
Camera – Arthur Ashe and Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe (girl)
Tu – Rob Morrow and Debbon Ayer (girl)
Denim and Diezel – Toni Braxton and Keri Lewis (boys)
Fifi Trixibelle, Peaches, Pixie, and Heavenly Hirrani Tiger Lily – Paula Yates and Michael Hutchence/Bob Geldof (girls)

*Neglected to include

Men: Jensen Ackles

Jensen
Ackles

Name: Jensen Ackles (Jensen Ross Ackles)
Best Known For: TV shows Supernatural, Smallville and Dark Angel
Year of Birth: 1978
Status: Married, Danneel Harris (Boohoo!)
Height: 6’1”
Fun Fact: He plays guitar and sings.

Niiice! This one couldn’t be any more gorgeous if he tried. Like Heroes, Supernatural is a show I watch with interest. Since Jensen is one of the two main characters I get to watch him a lot, which is unlike Sendhil on Heroes. I know he’s starred in other things, but I didn’t want to list them all.

I’m not so fond of his TV show character wanting to sleep with everything female on two legs, but I’m sure he’s not that way in real life. At least I’m pretty sure. So sad that he got married. My first response when I heard the news? Noooooooooooo!

I’m fairly certain these last few men have great bods under those clothes. Next guy definitely has the body.

Honorable Mention: Jared Padelecki, Jensen’s costar. Cute, but not my type.

Yuck!

Welcome to February and Valentine's Day! I am so looking forward to having a nice, quiet evening with B. It will also be my reward for getting through the cold I've had this week. The cold was the icing on the cake of yucky weather and lack of sun. I'm supposed to feel fortunate because poor A was reliving lunch and dinner (along with a cold) over the weekend, and while I really hate winter, I hate chucking more.

So I am happy to see February despite the busy-ness that is sure to come. February brings the hope of spring around the corner, love, and groundhogs. Begone cold, wet weather! Happy February to you!

Special birthday wishes for T and B2! Love ya!