I Confess.

Michael Jackson shot to stardom when I was an impressionable pre-teen, and sure, I enjoyed his music back then. Thriller was sort of the soundtrack to junior high for most people my age.

In the last decade or so, MJ became a caricature.  He descended deeply into eccentricity, and there are things he’s been accused of that have definitely tainted my image of him.

I don’t really care that he’s dead.  He’s been dead to me for a long time.

I realize that my opinion doesn’t matter (well, except here, since it’s my blog) but I will be happy when all of the “shock” wears off and we can all talk about something else.

I was making a reservation for a rental car this morning, and I noticed something curious right next to the “reserve now” button on the screen.  Just above it, there was a link to Go Green!  by adding “emissions offset” to your reservation for the low, low price of $1.25 per day.

Sure it’s only $1.25 per day, but really?  Where is that money going?

I’ll reduce, reuse and recycle for the rest of my life, but you’ll be prying carbon/emissions offset money (tax?) from my cold, dead hands.

A storm blew in hard and fast last night just after I got home from work.  It surprised us both with its fury, and its suddenness.

I had taken a couple of big chicken breasts out for dinner, with plans for Irish to barbecue them.  He came in from the lanai after a few minutes and reported that it was windy he couldn’t keep the grill lit.

Plan B.

My mom used to make this ginger chicken recipe when we were kids, and when we were older we made it.  It’s fairly simple, but I haven’t made it in 10 years or more. 

My brothers have all reported making it in the last few weeks, so I queried them on cooking heat and time to make sure I got it right.  The end result was moist, delicious and satisfying. 

And the smell of it cooking took me right back to 7th grade.

Maybe everyone makes this, I don’t know.  It’s ridiculously easy.  Recipe below is for two people.  Just increase measurements as needed for more.

Ginger Chicken (for two)

• 2 large chicken breasts on the bone (skin or no skin, your choice)
• seasonings to taste (I use Nature’s Seasons and a little garlic salt)
• half stick of butter
• 2 t ground ginger

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place the chicken fleshy side up in a pan (I used glass, but I don’t think it matters).  Sprinkle with seasonings (not too much).

Melt the butter in a pan or in the microwave (I used a small glass spouted measuring cup).  Mix ginger into melted butter.

Pour butter mixture over the chicken and cook for 45 minutes, basting every 15 minutes or so.  Chicken is done when the top is slightly dry and lightly browned.

While it’s cooking, try not to worry about that English paper that’s due tomorrow, or whether your bff is still speaking to you or not.  Also?  You do NOT look fat in those parachute pants.

I’m still doing battle with eczema, specifically around my eyes.  It’s been getting worse since the last time I went to the dermatologist.

I went back again today (6 months later) and he decided that since the cream he gave me wasn’t working, he needed to do a biopsy to make sure that he had the correct diagnosis.

A biopsy.  Of the skin. Around my eyes.

Yeah.

As he numbed the area in the outside corner of my right eye with a big needle, he told me a stupid joke.  Then he snipped a chunk of skin from my face and stitched it up.  I’ll have the stitch for about a week, he said, and possibly a black eye.

The numbing stuff wore off really quickly and it was quite painful at first.  Now it’s itchy.

The End.

A few years ago my best friend found herself in a difficult position. Her father had just died, and she was having health problems. She was eventually diagnosed with a debilitating illness and was put on medications that made it difficult, if not impossible for her to work.

Because she was relatively young, she didn’t take advantage of any of the programs offered by her employer, including disability insurance. She found herself unable to work, and with no income.

She applied for SSDI and was turned down time and time again. The process is long and exhausting. If you’re in the same position, go to allsup.com and check out what they have to offer.

Weight is a struggle for most everyone, I think. Between diet books, exercise videos, exercise equipment, diet foods, diet programs and advice from family, friends and your local busybody, dieting can be a very time-consuming and daunting task. And then you have to wonder, what about diet pills?

To find the best diet pills on the market, check out DietPillValueGuide.com. And then PLEASE consult your doctor.

I would not consider myself to be all that green, though in my house we do practice organic gardening, recycling, and reusing.  Part of it is environmental, part of it is money saving.  I’d say we’re “light green”.

A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by EcoStore USA and asked if I would consider trying a couple of their products and writing a review of them.  I was honored to be asked (my first review request!) and I ordered two of their products to try out.  This is the review of the first item.

Plant Based Auto Dishwash Powder.

(product image from EcoStore USA)

EcoStore USA is the US store for New Zealand-based EcoStore that makes household cleaning products, baby and personal care products that are plant-based and contain No Nasty Chemicals(tm).  I chose the Auto Dishwash Powder because I was almost out of dishwasher detergent anyway, and I wondered if this product would be any better than other “ecologically friendly” products I have tried.

Sniff test: I opened the bottle and smelled it, and it didn’t smell great.  There is a definite smell of citrus, but it’s bitter like lime, not the smell I’m used to from a dish cleaning item.  It’s not bad, just different.

The directions say to add 1 tablespoon of the powder to a load of dishes.  That’s about half of the main cup in the dishwasher, so I was a little skeptical.

I didn’t make things easy for this product.  We had barbecue chicken the night before, and chili for lunch, and the dishes were still in the sink.  I scraped the dishes, but I didn’t rinse them off.  I loaded the dishwasher full and started it.

I’ve used a major brand of ecologically friendly dishwasher detergent in the past.  It filled my house with the smell of chlorine and left a white film on the dishes.  I was hoping this one only did one or the other.

It actually did neither.  There was no smell from the dishwasher, and when I opened it, the still warm dishes didn’t smell like chlorine.  They were also completely spotless.  Completely.  Even the plastic bowls.  Even the stoneware plates.  Everything sparkled.  Even the flatware!

I used this product every day this week, and it continues to amaze me.  Even the inside of the dishwasher looks cleaner.

I used a plastic bowl with lid that was washed in my old detergent the other day and I was shocked at the strong chemical smell in the plastic.  Bowls washed in the Auto Dishwash Powder just smell clean.

At $12.00 per bottle, this may seem pricier than the store brand, but it’s ultra-concentrated, so you only need 1 tablespoon per load.  This 35.3 oz bottle of product is equivalent to about 70 tablespoons, or about 18 cents per load.  My regular dish tabs cost about $4.99 for 20, or about 25 cents per load.

Bottom line?  I’ll continue using it, and I will buy this product when I run out.

Auto Dishwash Powder from EcoStore USA

Pros:  Sparkling clean dishes.  No chemical odor.

Cons: Not the best delivery method from product container to dishwasher

You can order EcoStore USA products from the website, or at Meijer stores throughout the Midwest.

Free shipping on orders of $25 or more is available from the website all day, every day.

A lovely little card from Australia arrived Tuesday night:

It’s called “a peaceful scene on the Murray River, Albury-Wodonga, Australia.”

The sender, whose name was covered up by the bar code, says it’s lovely in Autumn (which is now, right?) and I can believe it.  I’m putting this on my “to visit someday” list.

Get your own!

So many first are important, but one of the most important in the life of a child is his or her first birthday. I was lucky enough to attend the first birthday of my only nephew, and it was more fun than I could have possibly imagined.

From the decorations, to the birthday cake (even the little one layer cake for the baby that the grocery store threw in) were perfect.

If you’re looking for the perfect 1st birthday party supplies, try 1stbirthdayparty.com.

I used to teach Sunday School for preschoolers (and if you like kids, you should try it sometime, it’s awesome) and we saw a lot of Veggie Tales.  This is one of my favorite songs (my favorite is the Hairbrush Song, but you really have to see the video - posted at the end).

Anyway, we heard this song over the weekend and he wanted to know the lyrics to it, so here they are (under the video):

“The Pirates That Don’t Do Anything”

we are the pirates we don’t do anything
we just stay at home, and lie around
and if you ask us, to do anything
we’ll just tell you, we don’t do anything

well I’ve never been to Greenland
and I’ve never been to Denver
and I’ve never buried treasure in ST Louie or ST Paul
and I’ve never been to Moscow
and I’ve never been to Tampa
and I’ve never been to Boston in the fall

we are the pirates we don’t do anything
we just stay at home, and lie around
and if you ask us, to do anything
we’ll just tell you, we don’t do anything

and I’ve never hoist the main sail
and I’ve never swabbed the poop deck
and I’ve never veered starboard, cause I’ve never sailed at all
and I’ve never walked the gang plank
and I’ve never owned a parrot.
and I’ve never been to Boston in the fall

we are the pirates we don’t do anything
we just stay at home, and lie around
and if you ask us, to do anything
we’ll just tell you, we don’t do anything

I’ve never plucked a rooster
and I am not too good at ping-pong
and I’ve never thrown my mashed potatoes up against the wall
and I’ve never kissed a chipmunk,
and I’ve never gotten head lice
and I have never been to Boston in the fall

and I’ve never licked a spark-plug
and I’ve never sniffed a stink bug
and I’ve never painted Daisies on a big red rubber ball
and I’ve never bathed in yogurt
and I don’t look good in leggings
and I’ve never been to Boston in the fall

we are the pirates who don’t do anything
we just stay at home, and lie around
and if you ask us, to do anything
we’ll just tell you, we don’t do anything

we are the pirates we don’t do anything
we just stay at home, and lie around
and if you ask us, to do anything
we’ll just tell you, we don’t do anything

And my favorite song, the Hairbrush song: