All The Benefits

I received Jarrow Formula PhosphOmega Fish Oil from the Amazon Vine Program. Even though the soft gels appear to be large, if I tipped my head back while taking them, they were easy to swallow and didn’t get stuck in my throat. The label recommends taking them with food. There was no discernible aftertaste,  and none of the “fish burps” I’ve hear people talk about with other products. My husband occasionally suffers from inflammation in his chest muscles and this relieved it considerably to the point that he didn’t have to take pain medication. We like the product because my husband and I don’t really eat much fish and this is an easy way to get all the benefits. Because the price is so great, I intend to be a regular buyer of these myself!

Dead on Arrival

Unfortunately, my Primula Tempo Coffee Press arrived from the Amazon Vine Program broken. Furthermore, it is my observation that it was intentionally packaged broken in the original box, as the glass carafe was intact, as were the package box and shipping box. My husband called the number on the box to see if it could be exchanged.
They recommended that it be exchanged where it was purchased. When he explained it had been shipped from Amazon, he was shuffled to others until he was told the head of the department would call. (Online buyers beware!) It's been less than a day, so maybe they will. I will revise to let you know if they did.
We were very disappointed since we were so looking forward to sharing this pot of coffee with several people during the holidays for a well rounded review. Shame, too, because we dearly love coffee. But so far, I am sincerely concerned about the PLASTIC LID on this press which was in shards, interestingly, and not the glass. Unless we are able to obtain another, I can't recommend this to anyone.
Is Epoca intentionally shipping broken products? As a point of reference, Amazon cannot reship this Primula French Press, as they are out and we have heard positively from Epoca and await their response to the email explaining our position.
So far, both Amazon and Epoca have been very quick to respond to email. (Buyer, this is good news!) But I should add that while I have been given credit for this review, Amazon has pulled it from their site. Hopefully, Epoca will entertain ideas of a review. Keeping you posted.

Goal Zero 90401 Rockout Speaker Crystal Clarity

My husband and I love camping. I am somewhat addicted to my music as several super close friends will attest, and never go anywhere without it. My desire to share music while traveling has become a bit of a challenge ever since the epic road trip West last summer. It isn’t always feasible to share my tunes, so I’ve tried using some of the smaller portable speakers.
I could live with some of the options out there, but I could live without them just as well. The last thing wanted is a speaker that needs electric after just a few hours. Nor did I want speakers that required electric to run. I found a cheap speaker set that folded into a ball. The trouble was, the music coming out of it sounded a little too tinny.
I ordered GOAL ZERO 90401 Rockout Speaker from the Amazon Vine program and couldn’t wait for it to arrive. Ever since trying out the Goal Zero 19010 Guide 10 Plus Small Adventure Kit, I have fallen totally in love with solar products. The solar panels from earlier this year also charge this unit.
We plugged in our mp3 player and hoped to be surprised. The sound coming out of them was excellent. My husband noted they really didn’t have much bass, but so surprised were we by the clarity of the midrange sound, I stopped everything to write this review. Even with an mp3 player turned up full volume, we experienced absolutely no distortion.
I have become fond of Goal Zero products. They are built for use, rugged and durable. It’s equipped with shock cords to that you can hang the unit, wear it from a belt, loop it on a bike stem all while enjoying amazing sound quality. It zips open to hold your player, and comes with an adapter to recharge from a USB port. Even better, the speakers will last up to 25 hours (some reports say 40 hours) on a single charge and a much closer match to the battery life of my player.
If you love music as much as I do, and like to share it with others, I can’t say enough about this unit. It is worth the price for the quality.

Have You Checked Your Pulse?

Are you FULLY ALIVE? I had to admit I’d stalled a little. I had just survived one of the most brutal years of my life. I had reached the other side of it, happier but exhausted. My low physical activity job left me psychologically tired at the end of each and every day. I had even gained weight.

KEN DAVIS’ book, FULLY ALIVE caught my attention “A Journey that Will Change Your Life.”  I’d heard Ken Davis on Christian radio stations off and on for years. He offered short snippets of encouragement each day. I wanted some of that.

Ken talks about his life and reaching a goal he didn't want: being overweight, often battling depression and out of breath.  His journey involved setting new goals and breaking those goals into hard but obtainable steps forward. He reminded me that anything worth having is worth going for. It was how I had ended up on the other side of such a tough year. I had realized that my life was nose-diving and I needed to make a change. I had changed, but I still wasn't the best version of myself.

Change is exhilarating, disconcerting and sometimes exhausting. What I needed now, was encouragement and new goals. FULLY ALIVE is packed with tales  and vignettes from the life of Ken, his friends and acquaintances that motivated me. He covers something that I have known for a while but his book was the proof I needed. I hit a major milestone in my life a few years ago. On that day, I said I wanted the next same number of decades to be more exciting than the first. So far, it has been. But with this book as a reminder, I not only believe it will continue to be, but I hope to exceed my wildest imagination.

 If you're someone who needs a jump-start, who feels like there’s more out there to experience, that if there’s one more drop of life to be had don’t want to miss out, I recommend this book.

I am a member of the Amazon Vine program. I received no monetary compensation for my opinions. A copy of the book was provided for me to read, in exchange for my honest opinions of the book.

South Beach to the Rescue!

South Beach Fiber Bar

A lot of mornings I get about midway before I start feeling like a little “noshie” and start hunting for  a snack. South Beach Fiber Bar to the rescue! Amazon Vine sent me a box of Dark Chocolate Chewy Granola Bars.  Each box contains 5 which is the right fit for my work week. Each individually wrapped bar is 120 calories of delicious, chocolatey yumminess. With 9 grams of fiber  per bar, that’s over three times the average slice of bread! Add to that, the chewy granola sits on a dark chocolate bar bed. I love these! I couldn’t eat an entire chocolate bar with no guilt, but these allow me my guilty pleasure at only –did I already say this?--120 calories! For some reason, I didn’t get a headache from these the way I do with other chocolate products, even though they do contain a bit of sugar(6 gm) which I normally shy away from.

They are packable in a coat pocket, a lunch bag, purse, brief case or your desk drawer. They are well balanced and satisfying, in that they don’t leave me craving more. I would recommend these if you tolerate sugar, wheat and nuts well. 

Entangled in Escape

ESCAPE by Perihan Magden would be best described as a psychological thriller, and is easily one of the most disturbing and haunting books I have read in a long time. The format of the book took a little getting used to.
 The story is told from the eyes of the young daughter sometimes  speaking to her mother, and alternately describing their arrivals and the minutia the make up their days. Her keen perspective begins innocently, and evolves as the girl grows older. She knows they are always traveling light and running.

From who? For what? While these questions bubble like winter stew in the back of your mind, Bambi and Mother (not their real names) land in cities and seaside hotels around the world where they collect pebbles and shells and other daily accouterments needed to make the hotel room “theirs.” Inevitably, some dark event presents itself causing them to leave everything behind and run off to the next city, country or continent.

Every few chapters, would be a bit from someone who saw them. After reading the book for three days after work, it was getting under my skin. It became clear what was happening, and I had reached a point that they either needed to stop running or I had to finish the book.

When I finished ESCAPE I had no preconceived notion of how the book would end, or even how it could end. It was very surprising and unsettling. ESCAPE is told in such an unfamiliar way that it could be used as a study in style. To say I enjoyed the book would be a stretch.  I give it four stars for keeping me completely captivated and 5 for the way I will be thinking of this book for many years afterward. I dare you to read it.

I am a member of the Amazon Vine program. I received no monetary compensation for my opinions. A copy of the book was provided for me to read, in exchange for my honest opinions of the book.

Sleep Tight Tonight With Dream Water

My husband and I were on our way home from a wedding when he started experiencing pain under his arm. We stopped at an airport kiosk to get a pain reliever and as the clerk rang us up, she offered me a free 2.5 ounce bottle of Dream Water. I had never heard of this product before. What do I want with this? “All natural and calorie free.” (some of my favorite words) and this particular one enhanced with the flavor of pineapple. (Did I mention it was free? They didn’t even ask me to visit their website, FB page or their dot.com. They didn’t know I was a product reviewer.)

I wondered why I hadn’t heard of this when we were leaving for the red-eye to Detroit when it might have done some good. My husband pointed out that we would test it when we got home at 10:30 a.m. when sleep is unlikely for either of us. (He got a free bottle too, for buying a fridge magnet).

Dream Water is a blend of GABA, Melatonin and L5 hydroxytryptophan and Stevia sweetened Pineapple flavor. The taste was pleasingly light, not too sweet and no aftertaste. Under directions for use, it begins, “Drink a bottle to help with that energy drink you had earlier, a loud neighbor keeping you awake, and general stresses of everyday life.” I like that. How about that no-sleep red-eye flight?

Additionally, the label warns against use if you are under 18, pregnant or nursing and no more than one per 24 hour period.

We got home, dropped our luggage and ate a light meal. My husband--feeling much less pain--and I drank Dream Water. Despite the mid-morning sun streaming through our south-facing window, we lay down attempting sleep.  We awoke 3 ½  hours later feeling very rested. It was a great start to recovering from the flight crossing three time zones.

I will be looking for this product for a number of reasons. It comes in a few more flavors, it’s football season at the high school near our condo, my husband and I both have high-stress jobs and  we are on the brink of the holidays.

Follow directions on the package and let me know what you think. I only recommend this to people who want to sleep and can’t. I will definitely buy this product. Note to self: Great gift to me. Five Stars.

Marware Axis

The MARWARE AXIS that I got from Amazon Vine program is a beautiful leather cover with a swivel to give you different viewing options for your Kindle Fire HD 7”. You can watch it vertically or horizontally and several hands-free positioning tabs make it easy to view while Skypeing, or watching movies without neck strain. It fit only the Kindle Fire HD 7 it’s because the Kindle snaps into their customized frame, as opposed to slipping into a case with a window cut-out.  I like the swivel which also allows the unit to stand vertically, hands-free. The leather is a fine grained, glove soft feel. The dark color is elegant enough for men or women.

It’s a good snug fit but not so much to worry about damaging the unit if you had to remove it. If you’re gift list includes a Kindle Fire HD 7” for someone this Christmas, this would be a great addition. It’s very classy looking and not bulky. It even has a place for the stylus and a few business cards. Marware is becoming synonymous with well-made add-on products.

With proper care, the MARWARE AXIS folio should last you for years, and possibly, outlast the unit itself. 

Smashing Word Press Not for the Faint of Mind

I have often thought myself a glutton for punishment. Anyone who has just begun figuring out Word Press, might agree that it's more than a little daunting. I need help and Smashing Word Press/ Beyond the Blog by Thord Daniel Hedengren was going to be my salvation. For some reason, I just wanted to hop around the chapters of the book, taking what I needed and moving on; but it seemed necessary to start at the beginning.

 The computer language was a bit mind numbing. I restarted the book three times before I could get in to the language. Many ideas for blogs have presented themselves to me, and getting the polished look of Word Press is like finding the Holy Grail. The book at times, seems one step removed from computer programming. The investment in the start-up cost motivates me to learn Word Press, Smashing Word Press is helping me do it.

You may remember that I just reviewed another book: Visually Learn Word Press. Between the two I'm making better headway. (It would be wonderful if they were synched books, but they aren't.) They are both helpful in their own right, but Smashing Word Press literally walks one through the process and the computer codes. They tell you where you can go safely and where you might not want to tread carelessly. A wonderful site can be put up with this book and whether you learn every single thing in it or not, you will have accomplished a very nice finished product. It is my goal to conquer Word Press, and this in-depth book, is the bible I'm reading to reach that goal. The main thing is, you have to be willing to invest the time it's going to take to LEARN Word Press. If you are interested in all the bells and whistles that make a good site a great site, and you love page building, you will probably enjoy this book. I have found it very accurate, user friendly and after a period of time, it really did start to make sense to me. It's a book I will keep on my shelf as a reference. I give it five stars.


 I am a member of the Amazon Vine program. I received no monetary compensation for my opinions. A copy of the book was provided for me to read, in exchange for my honest opinions of the book.

Nectresse is a Sweet Option

Amazon Vine sent me a container of a new product, by the makers of Splenda, called Nectresse. I have been a fan of Splenda since several members of my family were diabetic. Sugar gives me a headache, Splenda didn't. But, I personally found Splenda disappointing to bake with, and the half and half mix really was not a save for me. 

Meanwhile, I gave up any hope of making several items, until something even better came along. Then came Nectresse, made from Monk Fruit. It is said that the Monks in Vietnam began cultivating the fruit some 800 years ago. It is naturally sweet and low calorie and is now in this wonderful new product. My husband and I tried it this morning in our tea. We don’t require tea to be over sweet, but I like to take the biting edge off the brand of green tea that I buy. We both agree that the taste of this is product is full and sweet. I didn’t get a headache. I can’t wait to make biscotti this year. I will update this review when I am able to share that experience.

For now, we find Nectresse an excellent product and look forward to finding many more ways to use it.

Nano Speed Boy Toys

Our Nano Speed - Super Vert Crash Set arrived today from Amazon Vine Program. The box says 6+ but it takes someone older to put it together, approximately 40 minutes. The pieces of track are sturdy enough for the two super-light cars that came with it.
The directions were alright, and the pieces of track are marked on the bottom, but they were a little tough to read for us, even in bright light. The set does not come with the “D” cell batteries required to operate it. The cars took some getting used to, wanting to flip when we let go of them. There is a little trick to letting them go: we used two fingers pressed down on the cars and slowly released the front hood then the middle of the car. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it myself, but those little cars are really fast. And once they start, the power station keeps them moving until they crash.
I think most little boys would be tickled with the Our Nano Speed - Super Vert Crash Set. Interestingly enough, there were no diagrams for where the stickers should go, which I would have liked. The graphics on the box and actual stickers vary quite a lot, but it looked to us like stickers went over the track seams to prevent cars from crashing or flipping out of the track. I’ve not seen a track with as many twists and corkscrew turns as this one and the way it defies gravity really is something. If you have boys, you might want to give this a shot.

Glamour in SOHO

I was so excited to receive the SOHO Pro Texture Diamond Silver Beauty Case from the Amazon Vine Program. The closed beauty case measures 9.5” x8.25” x 12”The diamond patterned exterior makes an attractive finish. The corners are reinforced and rounded with riveted metal. The double buckles that hold it shut are made of metal and also lock. The case is equipped with two keys. As the lid opens, he accordion shelves, two on each side, reveal space for make-up brushes, eyeliners, lip sticks. The shelves are tall enough to accommodate most nail polishes,  and various squeeze tubed items, and what doesn’t fit easily, could be stored in the larger compartment below.

The interior of the case and shelves are nicely wrapped in black Soho London New York printed fabric and very attractive. The facing edges of the box were nicely contoured to fit together when closed, and not sharp when opened, and appear to be aluminum. The box feels well balanced when being carried. My only complaint is that I prefer sturdier handles. This one is heavy, rigid chromed plastic, but I would have personally preferred a metal handle.

The case seems big enough to hold the make-up collection of one individual. It appears to be metal but is made of very strong man-made material. None the less, it’s a beautiful case. If you have someone who is always decorating every available flat surface of your bathroom with beauty paraphernalia, you might want to give this case some serious consideration. 

Hello, Gorgeous

Barbra doesn’t have anything to worry about, now. After all, she’s BARBRA. She starred in NUTS, and YENTL and sang vibrant songs on vinyl albums my parents played over and over again on the stereo turntable. As one who enjoys interviewing, what I recall (is the hearsay) that Barbra doesn't do interviews. So when I saw the book, HELLO GORGEOUS, Becoming Barbra Streisand, by William J. Mann, I had to have it. Never mind that I have about 15 books that I want to read in varying degrees of desperate; this one had me completely intrigued. I dropped everything to read it.

I could tell you that I met her on a public street in Manhattan, that I gushed over her and she rolled her eyes at me and smiled that mysterious, enigmatic smile in my direction. Neither is true of course. But I had wondered for years why she didn’t give interviews. What really is the real back story behind the actress, and velvet voice and icon we now have known for decades as Barbra Streisand?

MANN captures a time when BARBRA was Barbara. Not as evolved, back when she was singing her heart out with Sleepin' Bee at the Bon Soir, in her early 20’s.

 

Back when she desperately wanted more than anything to be an actress.

There were very few moments, according to William Mann, author of this un-authorized biography, when she didn’t believe in herself.  HELLO GORGEOUS is peppered (at times quite a bit) with maybe’s and probably’s, but still paints a rather cohesive, and colorful portrait of the girl becoming a woman and then transforming into the icon.

I have always been curious about the “Elliot years”, which are covered extensively. I found the story poignantly painful, and beautiful, inspiring and encouraging. There were some big surprises in there but nothing that changes my love for this amazing actress and singer.

If you are even mildly curious about Barbra, this is the book for you. Thank you, William J. Mann. It's always nice to get questions answered. It gives peace to the soul. I give it 5 stars.

Kindle Fire Screen Protector

Marware Anti-Scratch Screen Protector 2-Pack With Cleaning Cloth for Kindle Fire - Lifetime Warranty
(Accessory)
 I love screen protectors! What I'm not fond of is having to cut them out of flimsy films and press out a bunch of bubbles. Marware Anti-Scratch Screen Protector is a heavier clingfilm than I've seen before. It's extremely user friendly with tabs that make removing the front and back film covers really simple. The Protective cover lays on the screen and it's like watching water flow with very few bubbles to work out. I used the enclosed card to squeeze them to the edge while the front film cover was still in place and then, once situated, removed it.
 The microfiber cleaning cloth is exceptional for removing dust, dirt and finger prints from the Kindle screen before protector application. The Marware Anti-Scratch Screen Protector protector in no way hindered the touch screen and the clarity was crystal. I didn't have to cut or trim anything and the lifetime warranty? Really? That's awesome. I will recommend this product to anyone who has a Kindle Fire.
 The application was easy and once it's on you'll forger you have it. Not only that, by the time you remember and need to replace it (if ever), you'll have a back up. My only negative was actually on the packaging which doesn't allow you easy access and is not recloseable. The only way I saw into the package was the bottom seal that did not want to let go with out tearing. I personally didn't want to keep the spare protector out side of cardboard packaging.The cellophane envelope would fit in the Kindle box, however. Regardless, I give this 5 stars.