Goodbye Luu Reviewers

It has been a great few years that I've been blogging.  I've done so much and had fun talking about everything rolling around in my head.  It's been a long while since I posted something here.  The past couple of months I've gotten a new job and just moved this weekend.  After being unemployed for soo long, I'm starting a new chapter of my life and it just doesn't have room for blogging.  I'm gonna miss it but it is time for me to move. Thanks to everyone who posted comments and followed my blog.  You guys are awesome and kept me going. Goodbye everyone and Happy Friendship Day!

Luu

This Week in Wii - We Ski

This Week's Wii game review is:  We Ski!

This game is sooo much fun.  I feel like I'm at a real ski resort.  There are so many different slopes, ski lifts to ride, guides to talk to, photographers and even a ski shop with tons of choices to dress your Mii in.  Each ski slope has a different skill level.  When you start the game, you begin in the ski school.  This is where you learn how to handle the wii remote, stop, do cool air tricks, etc.  Once you are done there, then the fun begins.  The makers of this game have a good sense of humor.  They play silly music over the loudspeaker and even have announcements about a car with their lights on or for a person to report to the main office.  As you ski along, if you run into a person hard enough you can knock them down (not that it's something you want to spend the entire game doing).

As I mentioned before, each ski slope has a different skill level.  After making your way down each one, you will receive a score.  When you get tired of skiing aimlessly, there's other things to do.  Each person with a yellow bubble above their head either has a challenge for you or some information.  One of my favorite activities is the Orienteering and food delivery race.  The Orienteering is like a scavenger hunt.  You get a clue and have to find the next person hiding in that clue location.  I had to use a cheat for the clue about "a tree passed its prime near a path frozen in time".  If you don't keep your eyes open, it's extremely hard to find.

There is also a photo album area in the game where you can take pictures in various locations and choose from about 50 random poses.  I haven't tried skiing with other people, but it would be fun to do.  If you want to ski without the fear of falling or hate the cold, then this game is definitely for you.

This Week in Wii - Wii Play

This weeks Wii game review is:  Wii Play.

This must have been the first game they created for the Wii.  The graphics are pretty low-end, but it's still fun to play. There are nine games in total.  The first is Find Mii which is about finding particular Miis in a crowd.  Sometimes you are asked to find twin Miis, triplets, the sleepy Mii, the fastest Mii, etc.  The faster you find them, the more time is added to your clock for the next round.  I find this fun to play with a another person.  If you play by yourself, then it doesn't end.  You just keep going to the next round til you get tired of the game or can't find the Miis in time.  It's like Where's Waldo with a timer.

My favorite game would have to be the Shooting Range.  You point the Wii remote at the screen and shoot down the targets.  Pretty simple, right?  There are bullseye targets, balloons, flying disks, cans and even aliens that try to abduct your Miis. This game really tests your focus, concentration and aim.  Other games include Table Tennis, Laser Hockey and Billiards.

The Pose Mii game is a little confusing at first.  There are three positions.  You have to choose the right one to match the silhouette in the bubble, before the bubble hits the ground.  It's fun to play once you understand how it works.  The Fishing game is pretty self-explanatory.  You move your hook around near the mouth of the fish you want to catch.  When you feel the nibble, yank the remote back to pull the fish in.  You score more points for larger or hard to follow fish.  Charge! is simple as well.  You are riding a cow from one of a track to another.  As you steer your steer, you have to knock down scarecrows and jump over hurdles.  The last game is Tanks!.  You tank is in a small area and you have to take out the enemy tanks.  There are a few things to find behind, the shells bounce off of walls and you can drop mines along the way. 

When I bought a second remote and nunchuk, I paid a little extra to get this game in a bundle.  Since it didn't cost too much, I think it was worth it.  I may not play it as often as other games, but I like having the option of plowing down scarecrows or protecting my Mii from alien invaders.

Discount Anime DVDs

When I was younger and had the extra funds to spend, a good portion of it went to buying anime dvds and manga.  My favorite site was always Discount Anime Dvds.com.  They sold all sorts of domestic and import dvds, books, apparel, toys, and even pocky and gummi candies.  Sadly, this site went away.  So, now what's an otaku to do?  Well, here are a few reasonable substitutes for those suffering anime withdrawl.

Barnes and Noble

Pros:  There's the site and the store.  You can either make your purchase online and have it shipped, reserve it to pick up or go straight to the store.  If it's not available online, you can do a search to see if a store near you has it in stock.  B&N has a decent selection and offers discounts to members. It's also another place to accept gift cards.  Shipping is free for orders over $25.  If you're a true fan then that number seems pretty low.

Cons:  They don't carry everything; mostly mainstream items.  The discounts offered aren't much compared to other sites.  Customer reviews are sparse and their trusted sellers might not carry the item if they don't either.

Amazon.com

Pros:  They carry a good amount of whatever you might be looking for.  You can use those Amazon gift cards towards your purchase, some of the books qualify for a 4 for 3 promotion (meaning buy 4 books and the lower priced one is free).   If they don't carry an item, you can check out the marketplace to buy from various sellers.  Another site where $25 purchases equal free shipping.  They sell pocky and other candies but most are listed as bulk purchases.  There are customer reviews and some books have a few pages to preview.

Cons:  Some items are listed as back-ordered or are out of stock.  There's no telling when they might get a new supply.  You can only make your purchase online, so there's no immediate gratification from getting it at a store.  Some of the marketplace prices can be outrageous if the item can't be found anywhere else.

Everything Yaoi

Pros:  If you can't find it anywhere else, they most likely have it.  They offer media mail for shipping, but it can take a while.  If the amount is over $60, then shipping is free for media mail.  The books ship from Nevada, so if you live in a neighboring state, they'll arrive in a few days.  They also offer reward points.  For every $2, you get 1 point.  13 points gets you the customer reward of the month.

Cons:  They only carry yaoi content.  The reward points have to be obtained in a single order; they aren't saved and accumulated for later.  Not much to complain about here.

Anime Nation

Pros:  They are always having a Clearance/Overstock sale. You can find a variety of items on sale for cheap.  They sell books, movies, toys, apparel, CDs, live action DVDs, hentai titles, gift certificates and even Blu-ray discs.  They also carry import items.

Cons:  They don't have a huge stock of items.  You might find volume one of a title but not 2-4.  They also don't offer free shipping incentives but the shipping prices are reasonable.  For a purchase of almost $100 the shipping is about $7.

Anime Convention

I like to peruse around the marketplace area of cons and see where I can get DVDs and books for cheap.  At Otakon, I found a table selling books for only $2.  I grabbed a handful of titles that sounded interesting or caught my eye.  I didn't always enjoy what I bought home, but for only two bucks it was worth it to try.  Anything you don't like, just sell it online to someone else who might want it.

Anyone out there have a site or store that they'd like to add?  Post a comment below.

Happy Mother's Day

Hey all!  For all of you who are lucky enough to have a loving and trusting relationship with your mother, then appreciate at.  You are blessed.  As for the rest of us, make due with what you got.  Happy Mother's Day, All!

Kicking It Old School

I saw the funniest thing today. I managed to wake up early enough for Saturday morning cartoons.  When I changed the channel, I was surprised to see the Mighty Morphing Power Rangers playing.  I'm not talking about a remake or update or even a re-release.  It was the same old Power Rangers I remember from the fourth grade.  I really took me back watching all the characters in their 90s style.  Another thing I saw was Yu-Gi-Oh!.  I had no idea that show was still on.  I always found it weird when Yugi's alter ego, Yumi, wore leather pants, belts and chains.  Am I the only one who notices the semi-S&M style?  I was starting to worry about the fate of Saturday morning cartoons.  The shows kids watch today are nothing like what I used enjoy.  Anyone else out there have this feeling?

This Week in Wii - Wii Fit Plus

The next game up for review is the "Wii Fit Plus".

This game is an updated version of "Wii Fit" that has more games and reminds the player not to jump on the Wii Fit board.  This game is tons of fun.  There is soo much to do, different activities and hidden things to check out.  First you can create a Mii or use one that you already have.  Next, the Wii Fit board measures how well you stand centered and still as well as your weight and BMI.  Then after a few activities that test your concentration, balance and speed you can start playing the games.

There are 5 categories:  Yoga, Strength Training, Aerobics, Balance Games and Training Plus. The My Wii Fit Plus is an added bonus.  The Yoga is fun because you can try different poses and stretch your body.  The Strength Training is more strenuous and a few of the activities hurt my knees afterward.  You might not want to try these everyday.  There's a game for every type of interest.  I actually got interested in the Winter Olympics because of the slalom games.  My favorites are Hula Hoop, Snowball Fight, Rhythm Kung Fu  and Yoga Breathing.  Though, I think I like playing Rhythm Kung Fu for the music.  When you play a game enough times, you unlock the advance and expert level.  Be careful not to jump on the board or the game will start over.

The little Fit Piggy Bank keeps track of your workout time and Wii calorie count.  Once you reach 10 hours it turns bronze.  All of the activities played during the Body Test can be found in the My Wii Fit Plus Screen.  You can create a workout routine or use any of the prepared ones listed.  There are a ton of things to do and click on to keep you busy for hours.

Happy 40th Earth Day!

Hey all! Today is Earth Day.  Well actually, most companies and people consider April to be Earth Month because the Earth needs more than one day of service.  Earth Day is the largest non-religious holiday out there.  It all started 40 years ago when Cleveland's main river, the Cuyahoga, was so polluted that it caught fire after a trash and oil slick ignited.  The burning of the river prompted residents to demand a change.  A lot has changed, but that doesn't mean we have nothing to worry about.  We still have a depleted ozone layer, overflowing landfills, and a larger population demanding more natural resources and creating more waste.  Take a moment today or this weekend to give back.

Click here to see what events are in your area to see where you can get involved.  If you don't have time to attend an event or spend a day to give back, there are 10 little things you can do everyday to help our planet.

1. Take the Earth Day Pledge and win a chance to win a trip for two.

2. View this lists of deals and freebies from stores today.

3. Turn off the heated dry cycle of your dishwasher.  Wash clothes when you have a full load and use cold water whenever possible.

4. Replace all your regular light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs. 

5. Paper or plastic?  How about neither when you bring your reusable tote bags.

6. Head to a participating Target to recycle your phone, bottles, mp3 players or ink cartridge.

7. Sign up for paperless billing with your bank or cell phone company. 

8. Take care of those drafty windows in the winter.  In the summer, forgo the A/C and open some windows.  Fresh air will do you some good.

9. Save water by: taking care of that leaky faucet, cut your shower time by 2 minutes, and use water filters instead of bottled water.

10. Last but not least - reduce, reuse and recycle. Reuse those plastic bags and packaging boxes, reduce the amount of paper printed and used, and recycle all the appropriate things on recycling day. Any bottle that has a 1 or a 2 on the bottom can be recycled.

Go out there and make the world a better place to live, at least for another year.

Where have I been?

It's been awhile since I've posted frequently on my blog. I've been busy with a variety of things. I've been interviewing with a few companies, traveled all the way up to Plattsburgh, NY to witness a new chapter of Theta Nu Xi being born, and have been researching a move to PA. I don't want to move to PA but if that's where the jobs are, well then I'll pack my bags and head off again.

I've decided to start "This Week in Wii" where each week I review a Wii game. If you haven't already bought one, do so now! They are awesome and so much fun. There are tons of work out games that keep track of your calories burned, time spent playing and weight lose. Let's not forget the controller. It can be a bit annoying if your sensor bar is placed off center, but it expands the types of games that can be played. Plus, Netflix has finally finished their Instant Watch disc for the Wii. Now you can watch movies on the 3 major game consoles and your computer.

So, this week's review is:

"Wii Sports"

This is the disc that comes with every Wii console. There are 5 sports that are in this game: Tennis, Baseball, Bowling, Golf and Boxing. The tennis is pretty simple. Pretend the remote is a racket and return the ball. The first team to win the match, or 2 out of 3 matches, wins. The hardest thing is the back-handed swing. I tend to miss those. I find that once you reach a score of about 400 to 500 it becomes harder to win the game. It takes more effort and fast balls, though you should have mastered them by now.

The baseball game is fun but can get boring real fast. Being a team of characters that are up to bat is tiring. It's more fun to play with at least four people. The objective of the game is to hit home runs and strike out the other team. The characters automatically run the bases, catch or miss the ball or swing at your throws.

The bowling is simple enough. It's the same in every game. Throw the ball, knock down the pins and win the game.

I've only played mini-golf before the Wii, and have a new found respect for regular golf. You basically get a certain amount of chances to get the ball in the hole at each hole. You want not to go over those amounts and have a score of either zero or somewhere in the negative. There's a map of where the hole is, a swing strength bar and wind speed guide to help you.

The boxing is my second favorite game of the disc. You use box the remote and nunchuk to wail on your opponent. Where you stand is crucial. You want to make sure you are not too close to the sensor bar and not near innocent bystanders. Also, you have to be mindful of from where you're punching. If it's not from the hip or not straight to the front, it won't register. After about one or two rounds I'm left sweating and tending to my sore biceps. But that doesn't deter me from playing again. There's nothing better than Rocky-like victory when your opponent drops to the ground.

The game also has a Training and Wii Fitness section. Each sport category has additional fun games like hitting a target with a tennis ball, hitting the ball out of the park, boxing bags til they fall of the chain and so on. The Wii Fitness sounds like a good idea, but after you get the Wii Fit Plus (which I will talk about next week) you'll just forget about. So, go out there and get a Wii already.
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Now playing: Hikaru Utada - Hear Me Cry
via FoxyTunes

AT& who and Verizon what?

There's been a whole lot of mudslinging between T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T. Who's got the bigger map? Who has the better 3G service? Who has the cheaper family plan? Well, here are some tips when it comes to phone shopping.

1. Price.

After a name change T-Mobile began in 2002. By now everyone should know that it's the inexpensive phone service of the four major companies. Verizon and AT&T tend to be pricier and Sprint is a bit in between.

2. Cool Phones

By far the coolest phone is the iPhone. But hey, that's just my opinion and that of most Americans. But the coolest phones overall are coming from Verizon. They came out with the Chocolate, the Droid, the Storm and other HTC phones. T-Mobile tries, but some of the phones need to go back to the drawing board.

3. Phone Service

Verizon is known for their great phone service. I mean after all their "Can you hear me now" commercials, they better had. T-Mobile is not so great when traveling around. AT&T calls drop faster than a hot potato.

4. 3G

Apparently, AT&T is the only phone service with a true 3G network. I've definitely been annoyed when I've been on a conference call and wanted to hop on the net on my phone, but couldn't. If I had an iPhone, that would definitely be tons of fun. Though it would be great to go on the net without any problems, unlike my T-Mobile Shadow.

So, if you want a cheap phone and don't care too much about getting a signal everywhere, then T-Mobile is right for you. If you love and have to have the iPhone or want to call and surf the net, then it's AT&T for you. If you want a cool non-iPhone phone, great phone and customer service, then it's Verizon for you. No phone service is going to have everything that everyone wants, but they can get close to it.

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Now playing: Timbaland ft. Katy Perry - If We Ever Meet Again
via FoxyTunes

Earth Hour again...

It's been awhile since I had anything worthwhile to write about. I found out that last night was Earth Hour. You might remember last year, that I blogged about this yearly one hour movement. Basically, on the same day everyone agrees to turn off their lights at 8:30pm (local time) for an hour. It seems like such a small act but, when combined with about 80 million people around the world, it can have a profound effect on the Earth and the people on it. Last year was pretty interesting.

This year, countries around the world turned off the lights of well known monuments and landmarks that require tons of lights. Here's a picture of watch the Great Giza Pyramids and Sphinx look like with the lights turned off. Pretty cool and ominous looking. Here are some more images taken from around the world. The whole idea behind Earth Hour is to show support and awareness for climate change (global warming for the old school folks). It started three years ago and this year about one billion people participated. If you didn't get a chance to join this movement here's a list of everyday things that can be done. We only have one habitable planet, so we better start taking better care of it.

Start doing any of these things:

• Turn off lights when you leave a room for 10 minutes or longer.
• Drink filtered tap water instead of bottled water.
• Put your computer in power-save or sleep mode.
• Turn off video game consoles when not in use.
• Seal air leaks, adjust your water heater, and control your thermostat to lower energy usage and waste.
• Go meatless on Mondays.
• Watch out for energy vampires around the house and unplug the biggies.
• Swap out all your light bulbs for CFLs.
• Stop catalogs and junk mail from piling up in your mailbox.
• Reduce the brightness of your TV set to the "home" mode.
• Use up leftovers and avoid wasting food.
• Find out how walkable your hometown is and try walking to your weekend errands.
• Fix a leaky faucet or toilet.
• Use the low-water and low-heat settings on your dishwasher, and don't pre-rinse dishes.
• Hang your clothes to dry on a clothesline in spring and summer.
• Use the washers when you have a full load.
  
• Take public transit to work or school.
• Install dimmer switches on your lights and plug appliances into smart power switches.

Most of these don't cost much and can actually save you money. Got any other ideas?

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Now playing: The Hex Girls - Earth, Wind, Fire, And Air
via FoxyTunes

Celebrity "Journalists" Annoy Me

Celebrity news reporters annoy the hell out of me. So Brooke Anderson on HLN "Showbiz Tonight" is talking about how she interviewed Corey Haims some time ago. She claimed he was erratic, defensive and fidgety. She talked about how she was worried about him, but was she really? She was soo concerned for him that she decided to do... nothing. She's just a journalist, sort of, and I guess it's not her job. If a purse snatcher was running past her, it wouldn't be her job to stop him. She'd probably run up beside him and try to interview him.

When a celebrity dies, people act as if this person was their closest friend and they have to know everything. Well, news flash people, you were that close. Real friends would hold interventions or call Dr. Drew for advice. Something, anything other than ignoring the problem. How about giving their family some damn space to grieve, instead of talking about all their indiscretion, or their on and off again drug problems? I'm still waiting to see which channel will play a marathon of his movies. Farewell, Corey Haim. You will be missed especially by your other half Corey Feldman.

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Now playing: HIM - When Love and Death Embrace
via FoxyTunes

Finally Saw Avatar

I can't believe after four months of procrastinating, that I finally went out and saw the Avatar movie. I think I was turned off a little by the obvious and overdone storyline: boy infiltrates natives, becomes one with natives, falls for native girl teaching him and helps them fight off his own people. It was still a great movie visually. The effects and scenery were amazing. Too bad I couldn't catch it in 3D. Now that would have been amazing! Even though it didn't win "Best Picture" last night, it still made 2.9 billion dollars worldwide. How's that for success!

The next movie I'm itching to see is "The Last Airbender" based on the Nickelodeon cartoon "Avatar: The Last Airbender". It'll basically be like the series but chronicled into 3 movies ('cause we all love trilogies). So, if you haven't seen the show, it's okay. But you should still see it, because it's awesome.



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Now playing: Avatar - Avatar The Last Airbender Theme song
via FoxyTunes

Any anime and manga fans out there?!

I just received the Tokyopop newsletter in my inbox and an awesome opportunity was presented. For anyone that is interested, you can go on tour with them as their Digital Media Production and Marketing Intern. If you are a college student who: LOVES anime and manga, is available to go on tour with them to conventions and bookstores, and are able to receive college credit, then this is for you. Here are some of the other criteria:

Qualifications:

1. Must be comfortable on camera and able to energize a crowd.

2. Must be a skillful user of Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and YouTube.

3. Must be able to plan, shoot, edit, and upload video.
Must be available for most if not all of the Tour: May 22-September 7.

4. Must like to travel.

5. Must have lots and lots of energy!

6. Film or film marketing studies a plus.

7. Japanese speakers a plus.

8. Must receive course credit; this is an unpaid internship (travel expenses will be covered).

9. Must receive verifiable college credit for an internship; this internship is unpaid (travel expenses are covered).

10. Must enter into a TOKYOPOP Tour Internship agreement with TOKYOPOP.

How to Apply

1) Become a member of the TOKYOPOP Tour and join the Intern Applicants Group

2) Upload your resume and a writing sample as a blog post to your TOKYOPOP Tour profile.

3) Upload a video telling us why you're the right person for the internship to your TOKYOPOP Tour profile. Show us your most positive attributes, the ones that you think will make you a great spokesperson for TOKYOPOP on the road.

4) Send and email to Tour@TOKYOPOP.com with the subject line "TOKYOPOP Tour Internship Application" confirming that you have submitted an application.

5) Deadline: March 31, 2010

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Now playing: La Roux - Quicksand
via FoxyTunes

Where's that damn autosave!?!

Last night I was working in Illustrator CS2. I've been redesigning my portfolio site and needed a visual example of how that was going to look and work. I had made a significant amount of changes and then... it crashed. Usually in word, the file opens back up with an auto recovery file that saves all your changes. But apparently, not Illustrator. I searched everywhere for a chance that it might be saved as a temp file, but to no avail. I was pretty pissed off and thought I'd be going to bed furious at my computer.

Somewhere in the background Aqua Teen Hunger Force was playing and it happened to be an episode I'd never seen before: "The Dickesode". Basically, Carl's prize at the bottom of his cup is getting his dick ripped off. I just couldn't stay mad when they were saying dick soo many times. At least I learned, again, to save often and watch Aqua Teen during a mental meltdown. Here's a clip that remakes the commercial from Wong Burger.

"Ding dong, the dick is dead!"




Here's a link to the full episode, but sped up a bit. For some reason, you can't find it anywhere else. Hmm, I wonder why?

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Now playing: Schooly D - Aqua Teen Hunger Force Theme Song
via FoxyTunes

Opera Mobile, Get it Already!

For a while now, I've been pretty frustrated with the browser that my phone came with. Since I have a Windows OS, the default browser is Bing. Sometimes it works fine when I'm doing a quick search. I get links, a few images and even a map if I'm searching for a business or town. However, viewing actual web pages is a headache. The buttons and images pile on top of each other while trying to place themselves in one neat column. Most times I have to scroll down and scroll far right in order to see all the contents. This is one of the main reasons I barely use the internet on my phone in addition to the slow load time.

Then I discovered that Opera had a mobile version, Opera Mini. For those of you who don't know, Opera is the top and favored internet browser. Sadly, only about 2% of people actually use it. I am one of those 98% who can't transition from Firefox. Opera is very similar to Firefox with their tab bar, main menu and skins. But somehow Opera seems more fun and simplified. It's hard to explain if you haven't seen it for yourself.

Opera has this feature called "Speed Dial". When you first open the browser, you'll see 9 of your most used sites. Like the speed dial on your phone, you can change, rearrange and delete them. Well, they also have this feature on their mobile version, which is super helpful. Also, when you view a website on your phone, you'll see the full version zoomed out. There is a floating box that you use to navigate around the site. Once you find a spot you want to see more of, you simply select it with the box and it instantly zooms in. No more scrolling all around trying to find that link or text box. It also uses the tab toolbar which is super awesome.

I'm still trying to figure out how to make Opera my default browser for the internet, but other than that I love it. If you're tired of your phone browser, what are you waiting for? Get Opera Mini already! Too see if it is available for you phone click here.

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Now playing: Kaleido Star - Tattoo Kiss (Opening 3)
via FoxyTunes

Happy Chinese New Year!

For all you single people out there that can't stand V-day, then celebrate Chinese New Year. Today marks the "Year of the Metal Tiger". The tiger is the third animal in the Chinese New Year cycle. If you were born in 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986 and 1998 then you fall under the tiger sign. I, on the other hand, am an Ox or Bull. People born under the Tiger sign are known to be a force to be reckoned with. They can be quite unpredictable, courageous, protective and loving. However, the traits above can lead a tiger to become stubborn (believing they always know what is right) and irresponsible.

To celebrate Chinese New Year, try these traditions.

1. Usually, people clean house before the new years starts to remove their home of evil and bad spirits. Even though the new year is here, it's still a good thing to do.

2. Red is a color of luck. Decorate your house with red items especially the doors and windows.

3. Don't sweep during the first few days. It is believed that you will sweep away the good luck in your home.

4. Pass out oranges and tangerines to children and guests. They symbolize wealth and good luck.

5. Gather together with family and friends. Enjoy time with the people you lean on.




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Now playing: Immortal Flower
via FoxyTunes

It Just Keeps Coming

This past week I just got done shoveling my poor car out of the snow fort that surrounded it, widening up the driveway opening and widening the space so two cars could park side by side. And sure enough it snows again. This time it's considered a blizzard! It just snowed Tuesday night and wouldn't stop until Wednesday around 11:30 pm.

It's quite a mess out. The snow and ice was so bad, it weighed down the tree in our front yard and the branches started to droop and break. Not only that, but there's no where to put the snow. We're just piling it on other piles and creating really high walls.

At least I'm not in Texas where it's still snowing. When was the last time they had to deal with this kind of weather? If only I was 12 years younger, I'd be able to appreciate this a little more and make snow angels, or have a snowball fight with the other neighborhood kids. The only good to come out of this is the exercise I'm getting. But I'm not gonna be too happy when it repeats again on Monday :(

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Now playing: Legend Himiko - Pure Snow
via FoxyTunes

Snow Again... What Happened to Global Warming?

I did it again. Even though I live in the Northeastern United States, I underestimated the amount of snow we would get. I'm so used to weathermen promising snow or rain, and that night it's a no show. At least the amount wasn't as bad as the weekend before Christmas. I wish I had the foresight to park my car in the driveway and not get plowed in my spot on the street.

I hear it's going to snow again on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. I'll be ready this time. Anywho, now I have to dig out my car and get ready for the Superbowl.

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Now playing: Bubblegum Crisis - Mad Machine
via FoxyTunes

Are You Ready for Some... Commercials?

With the SuperBowl coming up, most people get excited for the half time show and the commercials. I am one of those people. Career Builder has a contest going on where you can see three of theirs and vote on the best one. The winning commercial will be aired during the second quarter on the game. Personally, I thought "Casual Fridays" were too casual for my taste. Take a peek and vote. If not, tune in this Sunday to see the winner.


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Now playing: Bach - Cello Suite No. 1
via FoxyTunes

Slap Your Troubles Away!

If you watch MTV2 on occasion, then you might have seen this commercial. If not, well it's posted here. It's a remix of the "Slap Chop" commercial that the ShamWow! guy (aka Vince Offer) does. All day I couldn't get this remix out of my head. I love that he says "Watch this, you're gonna love my nuts" and then starts saying random things that rhyme like fettuccine, linguine, martini, and bikini. Makes no sense, but it makes me laugh. The part that cracks me up the most is the girl that free dances in various random scenes.

This commercial is too funny and almost seems like a music video if they weren't trying to sell me something. Good job and great marketing, Slap Chop! But on a serious note, don't buy it. The food gets caught in it and it doesn't chop as easy as it shows. But the commercial's still good. Watch it and slap you're troubles away.





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Now playing: Ke$ha - Blah Blah Blah (Feat. 3OH!3)
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immortal Cells

Check out this story about a woman whose tumor cells were saved by scientist. They nicknamed her cells HeLa and sent them to space, helped to develop the polio vaccine and more. All these years, the cells never died. Consider it a taste of Black History Month.


Henrietta Lacks’ ‘Immortal’ Cells Science & Nature Smithsonian Magazine

Smartphone Shuffle

When the T-Mobile G1 (HTC Dream) phone came out back in Oct 2008, I was excited. T-Mobile was finally making a smartphone comparative to the iPhone at a reasonable cost. It runs on the Android OS, has a qwerty keypad and touch screen, syncs with your Google account, has a nice sized screen and does so much more. I counted the months when my contract would end, so that I could upgrade the phone for a cheaper price. I was even shopping around online for phone charms and snazzy HTC Dream faceplate covers.

Well, my contract ended a month ago and I still haven't brought. The main reason is that if I did buy it, the data plan with everything else included would bring my monthly payment to about $100. I'm not even working yet, so paying that much for a phone and the monthly plan is outrageous to me.

The other reason I haven't brought it yet is that it's already a year and three months old. The HTC Dream has already been updated to the G2 phone aka the myTouch and I'm not impressed. I like the idea of having both the qwerty keypad and a touch, and the ability to slide it up. They keep talking about how you can personalize the phone. Really... Can't you do that with any phone? You can change the faceplate cover, the home screen, etc. So really, there's nothing amazing about it.

I'm totally lost and can't seem to decide. I have yet to find a phone that has everything I'm looking for. The HTC Touch Pro 2 seemed like an awesome choice but it doesn't have an expandable SD slot. I'd be stuck with the limited RAM on the phone that definitely isn't enough. Anyone else have this dilemma or have a phone suggestion that would work better?
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Now playing: M.I.A. - Sunshowers
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MLK Day

Happy Martin Luther King Jr.'s Day. Here are some videos of his famous speeches.

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Now playing: Murs and 9th Wonder - Dark Skin White Girls
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The Brighter Side

After all the heartbreaking news that's been talked about all week, I thought I'd share a few lighter thoughts. My mother was finally able to get in contact with some cousins of mine in Haiti. He told her that out extended family there were fine and taking things one day at a time. That was a huge relief for all of us who had been waiting what felt like forever to get some information on our loved ones.

On another note, today is the official date of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. The observed day is this Monday. I think we should all take some time that day and wish our loved ones well.

"Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each." -- Henry David Thoreau
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Now playing: Timbaland - Apologize (Feat. One Republic)
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Haiti Earthquake Update

Apparently there's a rumor on Facebook going around that UPS is offering free shipping for anything under 50 lbs going to Haiti. This is nothing more than just a rumor. They are actually temporarily suspending all Haiti shipments from individuals and working directly with relief organizations until things can be figured out.

There's also another rumor that American Airlines is taking doctors and nurses to Haiti for free and to call a number. I haven't seen any information about this on their website. I tried calling the number (which had a Manhattan area code) and a French speaking audio played. The only news they offer is if you donate to the Red Cross on their site, you can earn bonus miles. Of course, the catch is to donate a minimum of $50 and you must also be an AAdvantage member.

These aren't the weirdest internet rumors that have floated around. It's not as bad as believing that if you don't forward a certain email, you will die. It doesn't take much to debunk them; so no harm, no foul.
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Now playing: Refugee Camp Allstars Feat. Lauryn Hill - The Sweetest Thing
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My Heart Breaks

There's been a major devastion in Haiti. My family's impoverished nation has been hit by a 7.0 earthquake yesterday and is still reeling from the aftermath. Hospitals, hotels and even the presidential palace have been toppled over. Communication is down, so I have no way of getting in touch with family and cousins I know are working or going to school in the capital (the epicenter of the earthquake).

It is comforting to know that people from all over are helping in Haiti's distress. The U.S., UK and even China are sending troops and supplies as soon as humanly possible. If you would like to donate to the relief, remember to stick to organizations that are mainstream and well known. Many times have people been scammed by others who take advantage of international disasters. If you are trying to find word on missing loved ones call: 1-888-407-4747. Keep in mind things are still hectic and it might take time to find out about the well being of family and friends in Haiti.

Red Cross Donations: The American Red Cross International Response Fund will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need.

UNICEF: The UN Children's Fund provides aid to the children of Haiti. UNICEF and UN partners begin relief efforts for devastated areas.

StillerStrong: Funds donated for the Cévérine school will temporarily be diverted to the emergency relief efforts for earthquake victims in Haiti. Text "Stiller" to 85944 to donate $5. It will appear on your phone bill.

Yéle Haiti Foundation: Wyclef Jean's established organization is collecting donations as well. You can also text "YELE" to 501501 to donate $5. It will appear on your phone bill.
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Now playing: Sweet Mickey - Lanmou Pou Nou
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The 3D home experience

This weekend was pretty crazy. Aside from visiting my insane mother, I got a chance to play MacGyver. The movie my sis and I received from Netflix was "The Final Destination". I love the series (except for the second movie) and was patiently awaiting its arrival. When I popped it in, I realized there was a 3D version on the disk. Feeling like we were missing out of the full effect, we decided to search online for where we could buy the cheapo 3D glasses. I searched Wawa, 7-11, and even Wal-Mart. I was tempted to buy the $10 Hannah Montana movie just for the free glasses. However, our Wal-Mart was already closed.

My sis found an article and video on making your own glasses and it seemed easy enough. So, we ran around the house gathering all the supplies: stiff plastic that is clear, blue and red marker, and scissor. We found a gum package that had just enough plastic for two glasses. I then used my frames to trace the shape. We then used the markers to color in lenses (red on the right, blue on the left). We taped our newly created 3D shades on our regular glasses and started the movie.

My sis got a headache after a few minutes and opted to do without. I continued on and have to say that it was well worth it. It's quite the spooky feeling when things feel like they're coming at you. You find yourself going "ohh" and jumping back out of habit. The view wasn't very clear because I had to smear the colors so they wouldn't be too opaque but I'm glad I did it. The only thing that would have made it better was a surround sound system, but oh well.

If you wanna make your own pair, follow these simple instructions.

1. Find transparency paper, or something as clear and stiff as it. Plastic wrap won't work. If possible, use cellophane paper.

2. Try to use a light blue or cyan-like marker to color the left lens. Try to find a pink or magenta marker for the right lens. Basic red and blue can become too dark.

3. If you wear glasses, cut out the color frame and tape it to the middle of your glasses. That way you only get sticky tape on the bridge of the glasses and not on the lenses. If you don't wear glasses, you can remove the frames from old sunglasses or make a frame out of cardstock.

4. If all else fails, just buy them cheap from Amazon.

So what is your fav 3D movie? Post it in the comments section.
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Now playing: Noa Feat. ShaNa - Lady Soul
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Tunes Tuesday - "KO.A.KU.MA 2"

This the first "Tunes Tuesday" of the year and it's quite a find. While visiting NYC on a day trip, we found a quaint used book store that also sold CDs and DVDs. I was browsing the Japanese imports when I found a CD called "Lucy Love". The artist's name is Noa and I thought it was worth trying for $4. This item actually goes for 2000 yen in Japan, which is about 21.00 US dollars.

When I drove home from the train station I couldn't help but pop it in the cd player. These R&B tracks are pretty soft and sweet. It even comes with a bonus track "Peace of Life" that features another artist rapping. Actually, half the tracks feature other music artists.

My favorite is KO.A.KU.MA 2 which has MAICHI singing with her. I would consider it to be more pop that R&B. Most of the tracks sound like slow love songs, but this track in particular is more upbeat and cheery. I can't help but to bob my head every time it comes on. All the songs sound great even though I can't understand them. I'm still searching for more information on the artist or lyrics that aren't in Japanese. And why it's called "Lucy Love". There must be an interesting story behind it, right? I was able to find a video on Youtube (every thing's on Youtube) of KO.A.KU.MA 2. Some people believe she's the Japanese Mariah Carey; I disagree. The one with the short hair is Noa and the longer hair is NAICHI... enjoy.



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Now playing: Noa / KO.A.KU.MA II
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