tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53142263284774783172024-02-19T15:48:50.771-08:00She Just Reviews ItHey, it's not gonna review itself.kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00879301751663532121noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5314226328477478317.post-83571170399043362122011-12-07T08:52:00.001-08:002011-12-08T11:27:15.765-08:00this is a test postpay no attention to what's happening here.<br />
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here is text in the form of a blog post. TA-DA!kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00879301751663532121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5314226328477478317.post-91057963506141726452010-05-06T14:44:00.000-07:002010-05-06T14:44:42.528-07:00Updates!Hi All,<br />
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If you're looking for updates about my Medifast-sponsored weight-loss (the good, the bad, and the WHY CAN I STILL NOT FIT INTO THOSE MOTHERFLIPPING JEANS!?!?!), please see my regular blog: <a href="http://shewalks.blogspot.com/">She Just Walks Around With It</a>.<br />
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My reviews are now part of my regular updates.<br />
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Thanks!kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00879301751663532121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5314226328477478317.post-37846494728203376242010-03-31T11:42:00.000-07:002010-03-31T16:12:59.973-07:00Medifast: The First Four Weeks! (Plus Reader Discount!)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">After four weeks, I am almost 15 pounds down. I'd hoped it would be more, but I am happy with such a big change. The best part, though, is that <i>I am psyched to keep going</i>. And let me tell you something: Those are big words, coming from me.</span></span><br />
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</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">To recap: </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">I began Medifast on Tuesday, March 2. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">I agreed to try the plan for exactly one month. I was highly, HIGHLY skeptical because it is my belief that you have to make small changes in order to make them sustainable, lifelong changes. And Medifast? Is not a small change.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">But at the same time I realized that small changes would be helpful to my diet and health and weight-loss goals, I also realized that the kind of weight loss I need to achieve is not, in any way, small.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">So I said I'd try, in earnest.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">And I did. I did go "Off Plan" on a few select dates, which were scheduled before I agreed to the program and which I've described on my blog.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">But I've seen great results, I saw them immediately, and most importantly: <b>I am hooked. Here's why:</b></span></span><br />
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<ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><b>It is easy.</b> I mean, Ohmygod it is NOT easy(!!!), but it is easy. It is easy to let the program do the work. It is easy to say: <i>Forget it. I give up trying it my own way. My own way is not working. Someone else: please take over! Figure this crap out for me.</i> <br />
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Because they have. There is basically no wiggle room. Weight Watchers is great in some ways for some people, but not for me. Too many options, too much room for error, too much prepping and planning and figuring if you're trying to be hardcore about weight-loss. Uh, said another way: it's too easy to cheat!<br />
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You can't cheat on Medifast. You eat five of the meals they give you and that's that. Sure, there's wiggle room with the "lean & green" meal of the day, but if you follow the recipes, there is still no mystery, no counting, no planning, no adjusting. You just do it.<br />
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><b>I like routine</b>. If you want and need a lot of variety in your life when it comes to your schedule and your eating habits, I feel you. <br />
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I <i>feel</i> you, but I <i>am not</i> you. I love having things like this "automated." I love the cut-and-dry nature of being on a program that supplies 5/6 of my meals every day. Given that I'm now juggling a baby and a working-from-home schedule and three websites and days that turn on a dime, I LOVE that I don't have to spend time and energy trying to figure out when to eat, what to eat, and how to eat. In fact, THAT part of my day is the only part that isn't totally wacky.<br />
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><b>If I do it, it will work.</b> This is kind of a dumb thing to say, but it's kind of not. Since there's no wiggle room and it's impossible to cheat...<br />
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[Okay: it's never <i>impossible</i> to cheat, but it's impossible to cheat and convince yourself you're still on-plan. You KNOW when you're cheating. And THAT is the problem I had with WW -- I could fudge the amounts and make "guesses" at points, and feel like I was still "basically" following the plan when I clearly wasn't.]<br />
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...it's a very simple proposition. If you follow the program, you will lose as much weight as you want.<br />
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Do you know what this means? The reality of that statement is starting to set in. It means that if I do this program -- this thing I don't really have to think about -- I could, if I wanted to, go so far as to <i>get skinny</i>. That has NEVER been a goal of mine (at least, not in the last 5+ years), because it just seemed stupid and pointless and unattainable. But now I realize that it doesn't have to be. <br />
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There is really a path, and I'm already on it; I just have to choose to stay on it and I can get to any size I want to be. HOW AMAZING IS THAT?</span></span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">So, hey. My goal here is not to try to convince you to do Medifast. I am simply telling you what I think. Yes, Medifast is supporting me in my endeavors -- they are providing me with my meals in exchange for my blogging about my experience -- but I in no way obligated to be anything other than 100% honest.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">It just so happens that my experience has been overwhelmingly good. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">And if you WANT to give Medifast a try, I'd love to hear about it. I can also offer you a discount: Use code SHEWALKS to get $50 off an order of $275. (It can only be used once and will expire on May 31.) </span></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">I know that $275 can seem awfully expensive, but I think it's totally reasonable given that this is almost an entire month's worth of groceries!</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">If you do decide to try it, I can give you my personal favorites food-wise, too. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Finally, I want to give you a run-down of what my weight loss progression has looked like, because it's exciting and spikey and funny and crazy and weird and frustrating and inspiring, all at the same time:</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Tuesday: Starting Weight (0 lbs lost total)</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Saturday: - 5.6 </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Tuesday: - 6.2 </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Saturday: - 10.4</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Tuesday: - 7.2</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Saturday: - 11.2</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Tuesday: - 12.8</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Saturday: -14.2</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Tuesday: - 14.6</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>UPDATE: </b> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">I know this might sound strange, but the Medifast (MF) <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Medifast/51992406393?ref=ts">page on Facebook</a> is a great place to go to see how people on the program are doing, what recipes they're posting, and how they answer each other's questions. If you're already ON Facebook, it's a really easy and convenient place to check out.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=51992406393&share_id=109514945742975&comments=1#s109514945742975">This discussion</a> is all about what foods people like and don't like, in response to Ms. Narf's comment (b/c this blog post was linked there)!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
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</span></span></div>kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00879301751663532121noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5314226328477478317.post-65839002736744622352010-03-08T07:34:00.000-08:002010-03-08T08:03:22.867-08:00Lesson: Learned<div>The "fun," if you will, of being on Medifast is that you know if you stick to the program you are going to lose weight, and you're going to lose weight quickly. Especially in the beginning.</div><div><br /></div><div>For now, I'm weighing myself every day because I want to monitor how this program works compared to all the self-created, self-guided, not-so-specific programs I've put myself on.</div><div><br /></div>I weighed myself last Monday. I started Medifast on Tuesday. By Friday, I was 6.5 lbs down. <div><br /></div><div>Yeah, I know. Then on Saturday, I had gained a pound of that back.<div><br /></div><div>(Let me reiterate: I know perfectly well that water alone can count for as much as <i>five</i> pounds of fluctuation day-to-day, and so once-weekly weigh-ins are the only ones you should count.)</div><div><br /></div><div>* * * * * * * </div><div>Saturday night we went out with friends. It was the first time we had a babysitter stay with Eve while Mom and Dad did grown-up things, and that was cause for celebration in and of itself. </div><div><br />We met for drinks before dinner, and I decided to have a cocktail. By the end of the cocktail, I felt good but not even a little tipsy, and decided to have a second cocktail. (Which, right there, is the reason the first cocktail is a bad idea.)</div><div><br /></div><div>By the time we got to dinner, I was super hungry. I had been hungry all day anyway, and the gin wasn't helping matters at all. </div><div><br /></div><div>As for dinner: I didn't come close to staying on plan. BUT I did eat far, far better than I would have under any of my old, own "plans." I basically tasted Ish's soup, tasted the bread, had 1/4 of the grilled lamb I ordered, approximately two small red roasted potatoes, and a few bites of a shared ice cream dessert.<br /><br /></div><div>Plus wine. Not a lot. But not a sip, either.</div><div><br /></div><div>All in all, for my first outing, I think I did okay. But that wasn't the hard part AT ALL.</div><div><br />Sunday morning I woke up and weighed myself and was relieved to discover I weighed EXACTLY the same as I did Saturday morning.</div><div><br />But then.</div><div><br /></div><div>Two cocktails and some wine on hardly any calories? That does NOT FEEL GOOD the next day. Not at all. And I woke up ravenously hungry. </div><div><br /></div><div>And <i>that</i> was the real test. Being hungover is unfortunate under any circumstances. But having to stay on-plan while hungover is sheer torture. I felt gross and hungry and, whether effective or not, practically everyone on the planet solves hangovers by eating a ton of crap.</div><div><br /></div><div>So I was looking at a full day of hunger, hangover, PLUS we needed to go shopping for the week, PLUS the Oscars, which is basically my Superbowl. I always drink champagne during the Oscars.</div><div><br /></div><div>But I didn't. </div><div><br /></div><div>I didn't go off plan even a little. I refused to make one night of questionable decisions become one night and then a full day off-plan. Oh, <i>I thought about it</i> as we drove past Wendy's on our way home from the grocery store (talk about torture!), as I clung to my bottle of sparkling water for dear life.</div><div><br /></div><div>I chose to look at it as my punishment. Or penance. Or whatever. I made some bad choices, and I voluntarily paid for them. And I'm not planning to make those mistakes again.</div><div><br /></div><div>This morning I weighed myself, and while I've only been on Medifast for six days, I have held steady for the last three days at being 5.5 lbs down.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'll take it.</div></div>kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00879301751663532121noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5314226328477478317.post-65522794059877928732010-03-06T09:03:00.000-08:002010-03-06T10:34:39.718-08:00The Blow-By-Blow<b>The day before I begin (aka, "The Day I Receive The Shipments"):</b><div>I open the boxes of boxes of foods. I read the overview. Everything looks good and then I have a slight panic attack. <i>I really signed up for this? </i></div><div><br /></div><div>After a few hours, my panic and worry shift from overall dread to pinpointing my frustration on the whole, "have to make one meal a day yourself" thing. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have a long talk with Ish, the best husband in the universe, and he offers to be in charge of making dinner for a while. He's a good cook, and he wants to support me in any and every way possible. And he gets the added bonus of eating super healthily for dinner, too. (Even if he does get to finish his dinner off with pudding and whipped cream.)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Day One</b></div><div>I sign up for the "MyMedifast" thing on their website. I can track my meals and tick things off all day long, which I love. It gives me a feeling of accomplishment. (It honestly also helps me remember what I've eaten. Harder than it sounds.)</div><div><br /></div><div>My 5 items, for example: a ready-to-drink shake; chicken-noodle soup; lemon meringue crunch bar; ready-to-drink shake; and then I have another chicken (with wild rice) soup to eat with dinner, which is plain chicken breast with steamed broccoli (with a tiny bit of olive oil a little garlic). </div><div><br /></div><div>I feel fine. Hungry, but not starving. Not sluggish. Dinner felt especially satisfying after a day of eating so little.</div><div><br /></div><div>As for my thoughts on the ready-made food? The obvious downside is that ready-made food is never going to taste like the real thing. I get this and know it and whatever. Fine.</div><div><br />The upside is: I've had a LOT of these kinds of foods in my life, and I am very surprised at how comparatively good these taste. The chicken noodle soup was especially surprising. Where your standard boxed soup tastes mostly like salt, this actually tasted like chicken. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Day Two</b></div><div>Proceeds much like day one. By dinner time, Ish is asking me all kinds of questions about what I can eat for dinner, and I realize I don't actually know and have to go digging around on the Medifast site. </div><div><br />If you don't mind me babbling a little about the site itself, I will summarize my experiences. The "MyMedifast" part of the site is fantastic. The UI is great and intuitive and very easy to use and friendly to look at.</div><div><br /></div><div>The www.medifast1.com site is another story. It's not bad, it's just not especially easy to use. And I personally HATE having to download PDFs. I understand their overall utility, but I don't want to have to download stuff to my computer -- I would rather do everything online. I find having to reference PDFs clunky and cumbersome.</div><div><br /></div><div>I especially don't like that most of the PDFs say, "for more information, go to www.medifast1.com." So you end up in this cycle of hunting around the site, downloading documents that aren't searchable (so you have to guess if they're what you want), and then needing to go back to the site to get more information.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lastly -- and then I'll stop harping on this -- I found it very surprising and frustrating that there are almost no actual "recipes" for your make-it-yourself meals. Given that this is, for me, the hardest part of the whole deal, I feel like it's a giant oversight on Medifast's part. </div><div><br /></div><div>There ARE recipes within the community discussion boards and on the Facebook fan page, which is fantastic, but that's totally not the same thing as Medifast itself saying: here, make this. The user-submitted recipes should be supplemental. </div><div><br /></div><div>Note: the good folks at Medifast have told me that there is a recipe book coming out. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Day Three</b></div><div>Starts out the same as the first two, but by dinner I am sluggish, cranky and <i>really hungry</i>. I know this is all part of the plan and part of my body's adjustments, which helps. We start watching something on the Food Network (habit) and then have to turn it off.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Day Four</b></div><div>The hardest day yet. I wake up hungry and feel hungry all day long. I have to make a concerted effort not to eat my small meals like a vacuum cleaner. By the end of the day, as I'm going to bed, I realize I actually feel sad. </div><div><br /></div><div>Not sad about anything in particular, though. Sad about sort of nothing and sort of everything all at once. Which is a dead giveaway that my sadness is hormonal/chemical and will go away.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Day Five</b></div><div>That's today. I woke up in a fine mood, and though I'm still hungry, it's not as pronounced as yesterday.</div><div><br /></div><div>The big hurdle will be tonight. I'm going out to dinner.</div><div><br /></div><div>As I said before, I am not going to go the "abstain from ordering anything on the menu and drink a Medifast shake" route, because that's crazy. I'm also not going to go the "I'll have a plate of wilted greens" route, either, because frankly? I'd rather the shake.</div><div><br /></div><div>Tonight's challenge for me is simply going to be about going out to eat and not using it as an excuse to eat anything and everything I want, simply because I'm "out." Instead, I'm trying to think of "splurging" on a relative scale.</div><div><br /></div><div>Splurging before meant ordering anything I wanted and eating it all, from pre-dinner cocktails to fries with that, to wine wine wine, to dessert with a night cap.</div><div><br /></div><div>Splurging now means something like ordering a (reasonably) healthy salad and not getting the dressing on the side. <i>Crazy!</i></div><div><br /></div><div>And yes, I realize that's how "normal" people eat every day, but I'm not like that. I've never been like that. So sure. You could look at my dinner tonight as though I'm already going "off plan" only five days in. </div><div><br /></div><div>But that's not how I see it at all.</div><div><br /></div><div>I see it like this: If after only five days of this new plan I can go to a restaurant and order a salad and a glass of wine and actually feel like <i>that's</i> splurging? Then something is definitely working.</div><div><br /></div>kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00879301751663532121noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5314226328477478317.post-22568718888437770622010-03-05T11:50:00.000-08:002010-03-05T14:57:53.493-08:00Medifast: The Beginning<div>I could already write novels about my THREE whole days' worth of experiences on <a href="http://www.medifast1.com/?campaign=shewalks">Medifast</a>, so it's hard to know where to begin.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, there are plenty of details, and I'll get to those. But I think for my sanity, I need to explain why I'm agreeing to take such a regimented approach to losing weight. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Medifast program works like this: Medifast makes a bunch of prepared and almost-prepared foods. You eat any five of them (they're all interchangeable) throughout the day. You supplement this with one meal you make yourself, following their guidelines. </div><div><br /></div><div>The foods are all low in calories, low in carbs, high in nutrients and high in protein. </div><div><br /></div><div>All-in-all pretty simple. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, from a 30,000-foot view, here are, FOR ME, what I see as the pros and cons of this program, off the bat.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In The PROs Column...</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>At this point, I <i>want</i> to be taken out of the driver's seat. I want to be off the grid. </div><div><br /></div><div>When I have all the food choices in the world and just ("just") have to make <i>good</i> choices, I tend not to. I come close, yes. But I am QUEEN of the slippery slope. If having X means giving up Y later, I'll have X and then find a way to convince myself that Y is fine, too. (And since I'm having Y, I may as well have Z...)</div><div><br /></div><div>A great example of this is the Weight Watchers points system. It's one of the coolest weight-loss ideas in the world, and I SUCKED at it. Too many choices, too much room for error. </div><div><br /></div><div>Again, though, I want to be clear. If I'm trying to lose weight, I don't "err" by eating a bag of potato chips or a box of cookies. I pretty much don't even buy those things. Like, ever.</div><div><br /></div><div>If I "cheat" it's by allowing myself giant portions of something otherwise reasonably healthy. It's by not eating enough during the day and then having a gigantaur dinner plus like, gallons of wine. It's by small indulgences several times a day that I tell myself don't "really" matter but that do, totally, add up. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's by taking liberties with dietary guidelines, little by little, every day, until I'm not even dieting at all.</div><div><br /></div><div>Medifast, with its prepared meals, is taking me out of the game. Hitting the reset button. The slope isn't slippery because there is no slope. </div><div><br /></div><div>You eat only what they give you to eat. You eat only as much as they give you to eat. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's restrictive, yes. It'a also a relief. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Food" as I've come to know and love it, is out of the picture for now. I kind of can't have anything, so there's no way for my sneaky self to get all sabotage-y.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; "><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; ">In The CONs Column...</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>My guess is that most people don't warm to the idea of the Medifast program for a few key reasons: </div><div>- They want to make all their own food</div><div>- They want more variety in their foods</div><div>- They want to eat more "real world" food</div><div><br /></div><div>Which aren't my hesitations at all. I mean, not really.</div><div><br /></div><div>For the reasons I stated above, I don't mind that I'm eating pre-packaged foods. I'm also a creature of habit, and am perfectly happy to have my meals totally routinized within the Medifast spectrum.</div><div><br /></div><div>For these reasons, though, I really HATE that the program starts out with one meal being totally open-ended. And not open-ended like, "do what you want." The meal needs to fit very restrictive criteria, so you're basically eating a controlled amount of calories, protein, greens, and almost no fat.</div><div><br />And that's really hard for me. Much harder than eating packaged foods I don't have to think about.</div><div><br /></div><div>It means I DO have to shop, DO have to cook, DO have to make incredibly difficult decisions about meal planning every day. This, in turn, makes me cranky. I mean, if I'm supposed to know how to prepare this kind of meal, why couldn't I just be eating this way all the time and skip Medifast altogether?</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, the answer is obvious: Because I wouldn't just be eating this way all the time.</div><div><br /></div><div>And yeah: if the theory is to "learn" new, better, long-term eating habits, you can't rely on pre-packaged foods forever. You need to be able to know what the hell you're doing when you re-enter the world of unprogrammed foods. I get it. </div><div><br /></div><div>But man, it's hard to make this transition all at once. On the one hand, you have to gear up mentally to take yourself out of the normal food world for a while, and accept the Medifast meals as your standard. On the other hand, you also have to embrace eating and cooking in entirely new ways. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's kind of like sending me in two totally different directions, and it's hard to embrace them both at the same time. </div><div><br /></div><div>THE OTHER giant, huge, how-on-earth-will-I-do-this hurdle is <b>going out to eat</b>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Frankly, there's no way I would have agreed to this diet a couple years ago, when all my social activities centered around eating and drinking out. And you know? I was very, very social. I did a lot of eating and drinking/socializing, because they were one and the same.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now that my life has shifted gears entirely, "going out" has become more of a rare and special occasion. There's no running out to happy hour with my work friends anymore. No work lunches to manage every single day. No going out to dinner and staying for drinks, even just with my husband, just because we feel like it. </div><div><br /></div><div>But I still LOVE to do it. And I am completely unwilling to even <i>try</i> to convince myself that going to a nice restaurant and ordering a plate of greens and a Diet Coke is just as good and fun and satisfying as anything else I could order. That is just never going to be acceptable.</div><div><br /></div><div>However.</div><div><br /></div><div>I <i>am</i> willing to make two big shifts. </div><div><br /></div><div>1) Eating out way, way less often. </div><div><br /></div><div>2) NOT treating going out as a reason (or excuse) to go crazy. I won't limit myself to steamed broccoli, but I also need to stop thinking "OH, I'M OUT" means I should order the fattiest, fry-iest thing on the whole menu. And then have it with extra cheese. Plus 80 million cocktails. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>* * * * * * * * * </div><div><br /></div><div>So, that's the birds-eye view. More details to follow.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00879301751663532121noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5314226328477478317.post-47570232219488595662009-11-17T10:50:00.000-08:002009-11-17T15:13:10.694-08:00So What's An Aquaphor? Find Out Below & Enter To Win A Gift Basket PLUS $100 Visa Gift Card!<div style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;"><script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="http://ads.blogherads.com/reviews/aquafor/8.js"></script></div><p style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Aquaphor.</p><div style="clear: both;"></div>Yes, <span>this is a compensated review from BlogHer and Aquaphor</span>, BUT! I would have totally written it anyway because I am in love with this product. In fact, I owned so much of it already that when I received the free samples I'm supposed to be reviewing, I gave them to my pregnant friend so that she could learn the joys of a diaper cream that doesn't smell AND that doubles as a heal-all for baby's skin.<br /><br />That should be my review right there, but I'll actually go ahead and say more.<br /><br />Growing up, my mom used the same diaper cream that everyone used. (I can actually conjure up that smell in my mind if I think about it.) When I got pregnant, I just assumed everyone still used smelly creams, and I was resigned to using them myself.<br /><br />Until!<br /><br />The day after we returned from the hospital with our darling daughter, and my visiting mother-in-law asked if I'd heard of Aquaphor.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiss5qUspjmz365rPkBhFcmPKuMyxETV91ipnWtHIRTXNo3ToPbhoe44w3aHoAfkyOHmdE6hhCODBdrH8IxgVrPTVgij0gfLWH3BolDVLLy3QiyIdgoYjSEoMX7exYAmUz6GrNi-499-liY/s1600-h/AQU-Baby-Logo_Web.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiss5qUspjmz365rPkBhFcmPKuMyxETV91ipnWtHIRTXNo3ToPbhoe44w3aHoAfkyOHmdE6hhCODBdrH8IxgVrPTVgij0gfLWH3BolDVLLy3QiyIdgoYjSEoMX7exYAmUz6GrNi-499-liY/s400/AQU-Baby-Logo_Web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400340689220680354" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"NO! WHAT'S AN AQUA FOR?"</span> I replied, thinking I was clever. Because I was covered in spit-up and boob juice and quite possibly my own drool. I don't think my MIL was half as amused as I.<br /><br />She explained that Aquaphor is the only thing her daughter will use because it is awesome AND completely odorless. And then just in case I wanted to try it, she went out and got us some.<br /><br />I do not know if I am capable of writing what it's like as a new mother, freshly back from the hospital in a shocked-and-awed stupor, to use a product that just works.<br /><br />Personally, it's not like anything went <i>wrong</i> when I got home...I just couldn't tell if I was doing anything <i>right</i>, either:<br /><br /><i>Is she eating enough? Am I holding her okay? Is she sleeping too much? Do I need to wake her up to change her? Is she too hot? Too cold? Is it okay that she fell asleep here instead of there? Should she be wearing a hat?</i><br /><br />So the first time I saw the faint red marks around Eve's thighs where her diaper gathers, I knew enough to say, "Okay, this is not good." But I didn't know if that's what I was supposed to use the Aqua-for. (HA! I crack me up!)<br /><br />I opened the jar and was relieved that there was no scent at all. I dabbed my finger into it and was relieved that it wasn't gross or greasy. I put a little bit on Eve's red marks, and then just hoped for the best.<br /><br />Not much later, when she needed to be changed again, I didn't know what to expect. But you can imagine my astonishment when her red marks were totally gone. The truth is, I felt like Florence Nightingale. I was a healer! Something was wrong with my baby and I used the right thing and then the thing that was wrong wasn't wrong anymore! I AM A GREAT MOTHER! TA-DA!!!<br /><br />(Yes, it was really the magic of Aquaphor but I will totally take the credit.)<br /><br />But then? IT GOT BETTER!<br /><br />One day while breastfeeding, I was staring at Eve's face, wondering when the skin on her forehead would heal. (Newborns go from being in fluid to being on dry land, and their skin can get/stay very dry as it "sheds" its in-womb properties. Regular grown-up moisturizers are not good for baby skin, and even gentle lotions aren't so good for babies' faces.) I looked to my side table and noticed the tube of Aquaphor just sitting there. I wondered...<br /><br />The label said it protects and relieves chapped skin, so I figured I'd give it a shot. LO AND BEHOLD. Obviously it didn't clear up her dry skin in one shot, but regular application seemed to make it better. (Of course, her skin was a little shiny for a while, what with the ointment glistening on her forehead, but whatever. I'll take "glisten" over "red and flaky" any day.)<br /><br />But once I realized what a miracle salve Aquaphor was, I started using it for everything. Sometimes Eve will still get pink patches of dry skin on her face, and I'll dab some Aquaphor on them and they clear up right away. (Note: VERY helpful for photos!!!) I smear the Aquaphor all over her legs when they get really dry and baby moisturizer just won't cut it. I also use Aquaphor to protect her skin from further damage/inflammation when she scrapes herself with her fingernails (which happens because I am still not very good at clipping them, whatever). I even use it on <span style="font-style: italic;">my</span> hands when they get chafed (from my obsessive hand washing and sanitizer using -- it is flu season after all!).<br /><br />And again, for the record? ALL of this was true before they ever sent me a single sample. Lucky for you, because now it's your turn to benefit! <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Enter my "What's YOUR AquaPHOR" </span></span>contest below (Get it? What's your Aqua FOR? Does NO ONE find this amusing but me?), and you can win over $200 in cool stuff! Details as follows:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">::::What You Win</span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">::::</span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Winner (chosen at random) will receive a use-as-you-please <span style="font-weight: bold;">$100 Visa Gift Card</span>. Just in time for the holidays!<br /><br />More importantly, Winner will ALSO receive an <span style="font-weight: bold;">Aquaphor Gift Basket</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">worth over $100</span>, stocked with:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVt3pvF3CCQOf5rLKCCEiXnKxn03noTzI0p1z-QcfLBjSweB-CR95Y_XoSoNvsyA-pNeKCMskUgF7MtwH0w0HV4GOWsM4dH0gx36cXzY14pxsVSv3mW8h2a6dVOMNbujbtP-e_wCzJZTH2/s1600-h/AQU-345gr-Gift-Basket-Prize_web.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 386px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVt3pvF3CCQOf5rLKCCEiXnKxn03noTzI0p1z-QcfLBjSweB-CR95Y_XoSoNvsyA-pNeKCMskUgF7MtwH0w0HV4GOWsM4dH0gx36cXzY14pxsVSv3mW8h2a6dVOMNbujbtP-e_wCzJZTH2/s400/AQU-345gr-Gift-Basket-Prize_web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400340395778577602" border="0" /></a><ul><li>2 Aquaphor 14oz Baby Jars (these are the big daddys I have at our changing stations)<br /></li><li>2 Aquaphor 3 oz tubes (the ones I have in the medicine cabinet and next to the facial tissue in the bathroom)<br /></li><li>2 Baby-to-Go Aquaphor .35 oz tubes (for the diaper bags)<br /></li><li>2 Aquaphor 8 oz bottles of Gentle Wash and Shampoo</li><li>2 Eucerin Hand Crème</li><li>Eucerin Original Lotion 8 oz bottle</li><li>Eucerin Original Crème 16 oz jar</li><li>Eucerin Calming Crème 14oz Tube</li><li>...and a Rubber Ducky!</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">::::How To Enter</span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">::::</span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Leave a comment about how you do, would, or could use Aquaphor. </span><br /><br />Rules:<br /><ul><li> The contest will begin on Tuesday, November 17th and will end Tuesday, December 15th (at 5 pm PST). </li><li>No duplicate comments.</li><li>Make sure the email address you include/leave in the comment is correct.<br /></li><li> You may receive ONE additional entry by linking on Twitter and leaving a link in the comments.</li><li> You may receive ONE additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments.</li><li><a href="http://www.blogher.com/review-aquaphor?Reviewer1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">You can enter up to 7 additional contests by checking out the other BlogHer reviewers' posts!</a></li><li> This giveaway is open to US residents, aged 18 and over.</li><li> Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail.</li><li> You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.</li><li> Please see the official rules here: <a href="http://www.blogher.com/aquaphor-sweepstakes-official-rules" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Official rules</a></li></ul>For more information, please visit Aquaphor's official website: <a href="http://www.aquaphorhealing.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">TO SOOTHE, PROTECT AND HELP HEAL: www.AquaphorHealing.com</a><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">::::BONUS</span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">::::</span></span><br /></div><br /><a href="http://oascentral.blogher.org/RealMedia/ads/click_nx.ads/blogher.org/Aquaphor_Review_6/1%5BrandomNo%5D@x11" target="_blank"> <img src="http://oascentral.blogher.org/RealMedia/ads/adstream_nx.ads/blogher.org/Aquaphor_Review_6/1%5BrandomNo%5D@x11" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;">Check out the BlogHer Sweepstakes page! <a href="http://www.blogher.com/special-offer-aquaphor?Reviewer1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Join the conversation and enter to win <span style="font-weight: bold;">$1000 </span>from BlogHer.com and Aquaphor!</a></span>kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00879301751663532121noreply@blogger.com197tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5314226328477478317.post-88771288613017624822009-10-14T16:24:00.000-07:002009-11-15T17:29:24.363-08:00This Dishwasher Will Save My Marriage! And Possibly Score You A $200 Best Buy Gift Card!<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Be sure to visit my everyday blog: <a href="http://shewalks.blogspot.com/">She Just Walks Around With It</a></span>. <span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br />This whole "Part Two" thing will make more sense if you <a href="http://shewalks.blogspot.com/2009/10/its-200-best-buy-gift-card-giveawaybut.html">read Part One first</a>.<br /></span></div><br />This is a compensated review from BlogHer and Samsung Home Appliances.<br /><br />Unlike my first attempt, where I veer off course.<br /><br />I never even once talk about my boobs in this review, for example.<br /><br />So let's see. Where were we? Well okay, first things first.<br /><ol><li>If you want to get RIGHT to the part where you can enter the Samsung $200 Best Buy Gift Card contest, scroll down. But know that I think you're a party pooper.<br /><br /></li><li>If you want to buy a cool looking, cool sounding dishwasher that will clean and sanitize your ever-growing baby bottle collection in under an hour, I recommend <a href="http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/appliances/dishwashers/dishwashers/DMR78AHS/XAA/index.idx?pagetype=prd_detail&tab=features">this dishwasher</a>.<br /><br /></li><li>If you don't really care about the bottle thing but just want a dishwasher that can FIT YOUR WINE GLASSES OMG, I also recommend <a href="http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/appliances/dishwashers/dishwashers/DMR78AHS/XAA/index.idx?pagetype=prd_detail&tab=features">this dishwasher</a>.<br /><br /></li><li>If you want to know why bad dishwasher status will ruin your marriage or make it snow in your livingroom, read Part One of this review here.<br /><br /></li><li>If you just read <a href="http://shewalks.blogspot.com/2009/10/its-200-best-buy-gift-card-giveawaybut.html">Part One</a> and are all, TELL ME MORE ABOUT YOUR DISHWASHER LIFE, let's continue.</li></ol><br />...BUT!<br /><br />Despite our house being newly built and having some rather nice amenities, the dishwasher did not bode well for our marriage and eternal happiness. The dishwasher sucked. Suck, suckity, suck-suck sucked.<br /><br />Sucked because:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A: It was tiny. </span><br /><br />Forget fitting plates, whatever. Wine glasses did not fit in the top rack. Yes, there was a stupid thingy made for where the wine stems go, but that only worked with our tiniest wine glasses, of which we have maybe three.<br /><br />Also? Ha, ha. Apparently the part of our kitchen that was "custom built" to house a dishwasher was not made to any sort of "standard" specifications and therefore doesn't naturally conform to any sort of normal dishwasher removal or installation. So while this is a different issue entirely, it took the Best Buy installer dude 3 seconds to say, "Oh yeah, no, sorry. You can't fit a dishwasher there."<br /><br />Note: He said this while pointing at the dishwasher that was already there. Awesome.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">B: It didn't, you know, WASH THE DISHES. </span><br /><br />I don't ask a lot of my appliances. I understand that most appliance failing is my fault. (See: kitchen moat. Or did I ever tell you about the time I made a microwave shoot flames? While at work? No? Hmm.) But after repeated use by me AND my husband, I can say with confidence that it's not my fault. Our dishwasher just didn't clean dishes.<br /><br />So to set the stage for my doomed marriage, let me restate. Yes, I <i>have</i> a dishwasher, but that horrid, plain, white, cheapo appliance would more appropriately be called A Small White Box That Sprays Some Water On The Six Dishes That Fit In Here. And Leaves Them Spotty.<br /><br />Meaning, obviously, that without a better dishwasher, our marriage would sputter and spot and we'd eventually outgrow it.<br /><br />Thus, when presented with an opportunity to get a NEW dishwasher, I leapt at the chance. <i>Please don't suck! Please don't be tiny!</i> And, upon further reflection, <i>Please save me from divorce!</i><br /><br />And here are the results.<br /><br />The dishwasher is the Samsung Built-In Dishwasher (it's <a href="http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/appliances/dishwashers/dishwashers/DMR78AHS/XAA/index.idx?pagetype=prd_detail&tab=features">this model</a>):<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9208635&st=samsung+dishwasher&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1218059106589"><img src="http://www.samsung.com/us/system/consumer/product/2009/05/15/dmr78ahsxaa/DMR78AHS_medium.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">This is like, an Official Product Photo.</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9208635&st=samsung+dishwasher&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1218059106589"><img style="width: 317px; height: 413px;" src="http://images.bestbuy.com/BestBuy_US/images/products/9208/9208635cv1a.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Oooh, even the inside is sparkly metal!</span><br /></div><br /><br />The thing looks awesome. Once we got it in (which took some doing because our "custom" kitchen is not set up to accommodate any sort of normal appliance), it looked beautiful.<br /><br />Our kitchen cabinetry is all white, and our appliances all "match." Except I'm not a huge fan of the coordinated white appliances because, like everyone else in the world, I think stainless steel appliances are so much more elegant-looking and modern.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34xNpofeejEf4dPXHJvCyJ85HuTtiJJeRtiI5pNtl6LRpCyB2co3fF3d0Qlrudp0zwlbAUGW6wGzFY7yxcD3kbs_6F-Ey-QPAPWg2YCKzeyLZqVPieg7UqMal75Jh3Oj3fufH600D-4PX/s1600-h/kitchen.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34xNpofeejEf4dPXHJvCyJ85HuTtiJJeRtiI5pNtl6LRpCyB2co3fF3d0Qlrudp0zwlbAUGW6wGzFY7yxcD3kbs_6F-Ey-QPAPWg2YCKzeyLZqVPieg7UqMal75Jh3Oj3fufH600D-4PX/s320/kitchen.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391508251396934290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Our kitchen. Note the white microwave and oven on the right,<br />the made-to-look-like-a-white-cabinet fridge (to the left of where the counter ends),<br />and the white island, which is where the dishwasher lives.<br /></span></div><br />Plus everything goes with stainless steel.<br /><br />So until we can afford to replace all of our appliances with stainless steel versions, starting with the dishwasher was an excellent first step. It doesn't stand out as mismatched at all.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1a8gDLNu-ONdmwiKz2ZeW1NaLWbGgnfFlyfMvU-sA67TuyL1Xd7VPSm0E3erq8a9XjmCvqjsAaKU3TjTSd_SnuR7UROOuYwEnZmMnzp1mWpFK3Y08NZ9Pqei6hqC-_1Wx3YdDS4jdKEqW/s1600-h/installed.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1a8gDLNu-ONdmwiKz2ZeW1NaLWbGgnfFlyfMvU-sA67TuyL1Xd7VPSm0E3erq8a9XjmCvqjsAaKU3TjTSd_SnuR7UROOuYwEnZmMnzp1mWpFK3Y08NZ9Pqei6hqC-_1Wx3YdDS4jdKEqW/s320/installed.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391507913515794066" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Next -- and I know this is a really random thing to say -- the dishwasher <span style="font-style: italic;">sounds</span> great. It is a pretty quiet machine when running, but that's not even what I mean. I mean that the buttons make little sounds when you touch them, and they sound really cool. Especially the power button.<br /><br />I know. I know you're not going to buy a dishwasher because the buttons sound cool. Probably. But I wouldn't put it past me to make a decision that way, so I'm pointing it out.<br /><br />Isn't this a happy sound?<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="300" width="400"> <param name="flashvars" value="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=84d2076a68&photo_id=4002524327"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377"> <param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=84d2076a68&photo_id=4002524327" height="300" width="400"></embed></object><br /><br />Oh right. <i>Probably</i> the more important thing to point out is that there IS a power button. Meaning the the machine doesn't stay on 24/7, like older models do. Having a power button makes so much sense! I don't know how much of an impact this has on the environment, but hey -- if I can save some power here and there, I'm happy to. No need for the machine to always be on, right?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndFUte3NwUUHlbwnAaXwgEVDdJeiscEBaPim-fu9KDAXdD4qJfgqvOBbfFlW2QvsflIbOMHASrS4ieq4mmVPEaVME0hezKTTfoiY06tY8J2TdxZ6QM0wjTgEDkTTiLJ0XYZrQM3dWHrSV/s1600-h/powerstrip.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndFUte3NwUUHlbwnAaXwgEVDdJeiscEBaPim-fu9KDAXdD4qJfgqvOBbfFlW2QvsflIbOMHASrS4ieq4mmVPEaVME0hezKTTfoiY06tY8J2TdxZ6QM0wjTgEDkTTiLJ0XYZrQM3dWHrSV/s320/powerstrip.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391507956784830402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Ooh! Pretty, fancy buttonry!<br /></span></div><br /><br /><br />But probably you're reading along here and just want to know if the machine works well. Yes, it does.<br /><br />For one thing, it's totally easy to use. Naturally, I ran the first load as soon as the installer guy left without even looking at the manual. (Probably not the preferred method of operation, huh? Sorry, Samsung!) Basically I saw a button that said "Quick," looked at the mounting pile of baby bottles (uh, and maybe empty wine glasses, who's to say?) and was like, YES. I opened the machine, marveled at the amount of roominess and top-rack clearance (is it called "clearance"? I mean, when you think about it, a dishwasher IS kind of like a parking lot, except for dishes...) and jammed it full of bottles and glasses and whatever else I could find. I hit the "Quick" button.<br /><br />And nothing happened.<br /><br />So I hit the button about three million more times.<br /><br />Still nothing happened.<br /><br />Do you know why? Have you figured it out? Well, that's when I realized what the save-the-planet "Power" button is for. The machine isn't ON until you turn it on. So I turned it on, hit "Quick" and the machine told me it had 38 minutes to go.<br /><br />Not bad for a full cycle!<br /><br />At the end of the 38 minutes -- which count down very visibly, by the way --<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26pPc3Nhyphenhyphen4sCBul5knLq29b8H4YsBCiF2XAFPWLQDdghg6jinAE9JKuy1Z1JW1-LPjuHbJs1yCtjL_4l8lvn1wHmbiaTOuwQ9otTiJFuepoPpSZlaQxPDr6U7SKtJvBI_jnjV31BrZAOu/s1600-h/coolgraphic.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26pPc3Nhyphenhyphen4sCBul5knLq29b8H4YsBCiF2XAFPWLQDdghg6jinAE9JKuy1Z1JW1-LPjuHbJs1yCtjL_4l8lvn1wHmbiaTOuwQ9otTiJFuepoPpSZlaQxPDr6U7SKtJvBI_jnjV31BrZAOu/s320/coolgraphic.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391508246698011218" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">17 minutes left to go!</span><br /></div><br />I popped open the machine and was mostly delighted. The dishes, glasses, and bottles were SO CLEAN. I maybe did a happy dance.<br /><br />I must point out that I was a little surprised at the amount of moisture still left in the dishwasher, though. It was still very wet. I just figured that the "dry" part part of the "Quick" cycle had maybe been somewhat compromised in order to get the dishes done in under 40 minutes(?). Despite the dishwasher and dishes being a little damp, however, THERE WERE NO SPOTS ON THE WINE GLASSES. So, I'll take damp over spotty any day.<br /><br />The next time I ran the dishwasher, I used the "Normal" cycle with a very full load of dishes that were maybe not very well pre-cleaned. Because, yes, I wanted to challenge my new machine. Again, the dishes were spotless. Every plate and glass was clean and unspotted, and the stuff we didn't wash off the dishes was nowhere to be seen (I guess is due to the thing's "hard food disposer" thingy?). AND the machine was a little bit drier this time.<br /><br />I also noticed that the moisture seemed to be worse on the plastic pieces in the dishwasher (tupperware, for example) than on the glass and ceramic. There is probably some physics law for this, but la la la, clean dishes.<br /><br />Lastly, we tried the "Normal" cycle and added the "Extra Dry & Sanitize" option and that helped with the moisture situation a lot. It took longer to do the whole load, obviously, but that's not really a big deal if you leave the dishwasher to run while you go to bed (especially because when the dishwasher's done, it turns itself off).<br /><br />To recap!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">PROS:</span><br /><ul><li>Looks gorgeous (will make your stupid white appliances jealous)<br /><br /></li><li>Runs quietly<br /><br /></li><li>Makes cool sounds that will make you think you're living in the future<br /><br /></li><li>Incredibly spacious<br /><br /></li><li>Lots of "clearance" on the top rack, like a parking lot!</li></ul><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitF-_8qx-B0_1z2FDNNVnKJcqKX_aBp2pFRJy9E8-TgU6z76ZauSPOIgAZQw5jE-dYjY1Ku8Tf7VOLKgqKsNKPtS4jIXx1E-M2BDxHEDkFerhRC5sV9WbRMrlSCaXBJil2inisE4gC_Ei2/s1600-h/wineglasses1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitF-_8qx-B0_1z2FDNNVnKJcqKX_aBp2pFRJy9E8-TgU6z76ZauSPOIgAZQw5jE-dYjY1Ku8Tf7VOLKgqKsNKPtS4jIXx1E-M2BDxHEDkFerhRC5sV9WbRMrlSCaXBJil2inisE4gC_Ei2/s320/wineglasses1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391508260985715650" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Here are two wineglasses (for scale). On the right, a very small, old-fashioned wine glass.<br />On the left, a gigantic red wine glass intended for reds like Bordeaux that<br />could not in a million years fit on the top rack of my old dishwasher.</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXmUrDfo9n3OliGgF1Qgbjm9OS-d_7tiRGbGdTb2nmSLS1Qy6Ln1oIA1vR9tSfajLyy1nLt2-pPWr2r7mdrKLlYwDv7d0CuR9vVIpZxOZMV4RPopJnovhSth523qL6AIxhKvNztzfBK5Rs/s1600-h/dwopen.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXmUrDfo9n3OliGgF1Qgbjm9OS-d_7tiRGbGdTb2nmSLS1Qy6Ln1oIA1vR9tSfajLyy1nLt2-pPWr2r7mdrKLlYwDv7d0CuR9vVIpZxOZMV4RPopJnovhSth523qL6AIxhKvNztzfBK5Rs/s320/dwopen.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391507930542717042" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Here is the dishwasher, open. Will Gigantaur The Wineglass fit?<br /></span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGa0SwoVi_C3YLg9bVyI5Cx_IF4_-Wo6tjbjDaw5kPCtXb7jPrptM_aGB91cu6gogpGiNs2l_iA6CUh4QNtkx0J1tVfGgl9YkuzDQt7xJ-sap2P04aGO8Aq8bWDDInWzUwi8ojomJ1xpqP/s1600-h/wineglasses2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGa0SwoVi_C3YLg9bVyI5Cx_IF4_-Wo6tjbjDaw5kPCtXb7jPrptM_aGB91cu6gogpGiNs2l_iA6CUh4QNtkx0J1tVfGgl9YkuzDQt7xJ-sap2P04aGO8Aq8bWDDInWzUwi8ojomJ1xpqP/s320/wineglasses2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391508269978552274" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">It does! It's a dishwasher miracle!<br /></span></div><br /><ul><li>Everything fits and the racks are even adjustable (though I haven't had to adjust them for anything yet)<br /><br /></li><li>Awesome "Quick" cycle (very helpful if you have company coming and you forgot to do the dishes!) (Not that this has ever happened to me!). Also awesome if you have a ton of bottles that could really use a power wash in a hurry.<br /><br /></li><li>Automatically shuts off, is not pulling energy 24/7, has a Power button (it's "Energy Star" compliant, but but that's not something I would notice by looking at it or using it, unlike the power button)</li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9208635&st=samsung+dishwasher&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1218059106589"><img style="width: 179px; height: 232px;" src="http://images.bestbuy.com/BestBuy_US/images/products/9208/9208635_eg.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">CONS:</span><br /><ul><li>Leaves dishes a little damp unless you run it with the "Extra Dry & Sanitize" option</li></ul><br />And of course, considering all the empirical evidence, thanks to Samsung, our marriage has been saved. And I can go back to writing about my boobs. Phew.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">**** THE PART WHERE YOU WIN STUFF ****</span></span><br /><br /></div><a href="http://oascentral.blogher.org/RealMedia/ads/click_nx.ads/blogher.org/Samsung_Review_8/1%5BrandomNo%5D@x11" target="_blank"> <img src="http://oascentral.blogher.org/RealMedia/ads/adstream_nx.ads/blogher.org/Samsung_Review_8/1%5BrandomNo%5D@x11" border="0" /> </a> Not only can you win a $200 Best Buy Gift Card from ME, you can go peruse the seven <i>other</i> Samsung appliance reviews (even though they didn't write about their boobs, either) for seven additional chances to win.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.blogher.com/samsung-home-appliance-review-sweepstakes?reviewer8" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">See the review round-up and additional chances to win here!</a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />How to Enter:</span><br />Leave me a comment about which Samsung appliance will change your life forever, rescue your marriage from certain destruction, or, you know, just look spiffy in your home.<br /><br />(You can see from the review round-up above that you're choosing between a dishwasher, fridge, electric range, microwave or washer/dryer. )<br /><br />I mean, feel free to write a whole blog post about which you'd choose and just link to that in your comment, too. You may be surprised at just how much you have to say about a dishwasher. I was!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The contest officially begins at 9:00 am PST on 10/15/09 and end 5:00 pm PST on 11/15/09.</span> Sadly, I cannot accept entries that come in before or after these times.<br /><br />Please be sure to leave a way for me to contact you in your comment (email, blog, whatever) or I can't count your entry as valid.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rules:</span><br /><ul><li> No duplicate comments, BUT</li><li> You may receive ONE additional entry by linking on Twitter and leaving a link in the comments to your Tweet.</li><li> You may receive ONE additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments.</li><li> This giveaway is open to US residents, aged 18 and older.</li><li> Winner will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail.</li><li> Winner will have 48 hours to get back to me once I contact her/him, otherwise a new winner will be selected.</li><li> Please see the official rules here: <a href="http://www.blogher.com/samsung-review-sweepstakes-official-rules-2" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Official Rules</a></li></ul><br />For more information, <a href="http://www.samsung.com/us/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">please visit Samsung's website.</a><br /><br /><br /><br />Thanks for visiting, reading, and entering! Good luck!kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00879301751663532121noreply@blogger.com701tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5314226328477478317.post-57921266927393663332008-07-30T08:54:00.000-07:002008-08-08T08:11:12.415-07:00JCPenney Gives Me Furniture And It's Really Very Nice Except For The Part Where I Have To Lick My Boyfriend's Head<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >View my everyday blog: <a href="http://shewalks.blogspot.com">She Just Walks Around With It</a></span><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >The Preamble</span><br /><br />A few months ago, my boyfriend and I moved ourselves into a fancy urban loft <s>because we are really hip</s> because we needed a place in the city big enough for our four ENORMOUS cats who are <s>the joys of our lives</s> the bane of our existence as renters.<br /><br />I think most people move to lofts to be painters or to sculpt with metal or to practice dance (<span style="font-style: italic;">What a Feelin!)</span>, or to have a chic pied-a-terre, or to launch their internet start-up named after something fun and whimsical like...uh...WackaBean! Dotcom!<br /><br />We are not those people.<br /><br />Oh, sure, sometimes we decide to try to impress our apartment and buy things like $8 gourmet salt, but then we never use it because it's too nice and wouldn't regular salt be just fine?<br /><br />So right. Once we had signed all the papers and realized we were, in fact, going to move into The Loft, I decided to snag photos of it from the realtor's website for two reasons:<br /><ol><li>I knew I would never be able to take pictures as good as those on the realtor's promotional website. Because I do not take good pictures, ever.<br /><br /></li><li>I knew that once we'd moved in all our stuff, the loft would look less "minimal" and more "combined home of two divorced people who were bad negotiators and therefore have a lot of mismatched crap <span style="font-style: italic;">plus</span> two cats each." </li></ol><br /><blockquote><div style="text-align: center;">*****************************************************************************<br /><br /></div>Dear JCPenney,<br /><br />Thank you for giving me the opportunity to purchase and review your lovely Linden Street furniture. I am getting to that point in the story in like, 5 minutes. I swear. I am sorry my photos are no good and likewise apologize in advance about the licking thing.<br /><br />Love,<br />k</blockquote><div style="text-align: center;">*****************************************************************************</div><br />You can see <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/shewalks/sets/72157603683981132/">what the loft is supposed to look like here</a>. Do you notice how it's all artsy and fancy and not covered in cat hair or filled with a Baskin-Robbins-like assortment of "wood" furniture?<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >The Preamble Gets Even Longer</span><br /><br />When I got divorced and moved 3000 miles across the country, I did not take furniture with me. Over time, as though to suggest I'm a grown-up, I bought furniture. Some old, some new. Some just because it was affordable.<br /><br />When Pete got divorced and moved 3000 miles across the country, he did not take furniture with him except a set of three tables he got while he was living in China. Over time, as though to suggest he is a grad student, he bought furniture. From Ikea.<br /><br />When our apartments combined, we discovered just how uncoordinated our furniture was, especially the wood pieces. His tv stand and bookshelves were one kind of wood; my coffee table was another; my round table another; his Chinese tables another. We couldn't afford to replace everything, of course. Instead, we did the only reasonable thing we could think of to do.<br /><br />We went out and bought the two things we really needed -- a set of storage shelves and a dining table -- in A TOTALLY DIFFERENT WOOD. Which goes well with the apartment and not at all with anything else we own. Perfect!<br /><br />Enter JCPenney.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >We Get Close To The Point</span><br /><br />Thanks to <a href="http://www.blogher.com/">BlogHer.com</a> and <a href="http://www.jcpenney.com/">JCPenney.com</a>, because they gave me a $500 gift card to buy furniture from their new collection, <a href="http://www.jcpbrands.com/lindenstreet/">Linden Street</a>.<br /><br />Now, when I first heard I was going to get to be part of this promotion, I was all YAY! and might have run around a little bit in my cube. But then I was like, "Um? Really? Furniture from JC Penney?"<br /><br />To be honest, I was a little concerned that Penney's furniture would be a little too suburban-soccer-mom-potluck-centric and not exactly urban-loft-friendly. But then I did a little reality-checking and was reminded of the fact that <span style="font-style: italic;">anything</span> would go with our current, "Loft Eclectic" look and who was I kidding. Worst case, I figured I could find something to display our too-expensive-to-use salt.<br /><br />And then I was pleasantly surprised.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >The Review! The Furniture! The Point!</span><br /><br />So here's how it went down.<br /><br />First, I went to <a href="http://www.jcpenney.com/">the site</a> and did what I was instructed to do: I searched for "Linden Street."<br /><br />Except actually I'm already lying to you because I did not search for Linden Street. I put the words "Linden Street" into the box where you're supposed to enter catalog item numbers and got very confused. Then I realized I was an idiot and fixed my mistake and got to the right place.<br /><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/screenshot2.jpg" /><br /><br />The pages were easy to navigate, and I was pretty surprised by the selection. Right off the bat, there were a few decorative things I considered purchasing (I like their lamps and clocks). But after perusing and discussing and clicking and weighing, Pete and I decided we should take this opportunity to rid our living space of my light pine coffee table (that goes with nothing) and his clunky old Chinese tables that we were using as side tables (that go with nothing).<br /><br />We opted to replace two side tables with one <a href="http://www3.jcpenney.com/jcp/ProductsHOM.aspx?ItemID=142874e&ItemTyp=G&GrpTyp=PRD&ShowMenu=T&ShopBy=0&SearchString=linden+street&RefPage=SearchDepartment.aspx&CmCatId=SearchResults&Search1Prod=True">Ebony Lane "X" End Table</a>,<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 172px; height: 172px;" src="http://zoom.jcpenney.com//is/image/0900631b815361fcM.tif?wid=250&hei=250&op_usm=1.5,.8,0,0&resmode=sharp" /><br /></div>and replace the coffee table with two of the <a href="http://www3.jcpenney.com/jcp/ProductsHOM.aspx?ItemID=1428754&ItemTyp=G&GrpTyp=PRD&ShowMenu=T&ShopBy=0&SearchString=linden+street&RefPage=SearchDepartment.aspx&CmCatId=SearchResults&Search1Prod=True">Ebony Lane "X" Bunching Cubes</a>:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 183px; height: 183px;" src="http://zoom.jcpenney.com//is/image/0900631b815361f8M.tif?wid=250&hei=250&op_usm=1.5,.8,0,0&resmode=sharp" /><br /></div><span style="font-style: italic;">Note: I have never heard of anything called a "bunching cube" before, and if I had, I certainly wouldn't have thought it was something I'd put in the middle of my living room. Ahem. </span><br /><br />So anyway. I ordered them.<br /><br />The awesome part was that they arrived in less than a week, without even requesting rush shipping.<br /><br />The not-so-awesome part was that they arrived in three separate boxes. Small boxes. As in, the tables were not assembled even a little bit.<br /><br />This came as a bit of a shock to me. For the record, "some assembly required" means I might attempt to put the thing together before whining to my boyfriend to fix it. But "entire piece of furniture in a box"? I just don't even touch. It is better for all of us that way.<br /><br />So when the time came to put together the pieces, I sat down with a glass of wine and my laptop and camera, and Pete got to work.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Here are the results!</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/1-Before.jpg" /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">1. A photo of our apartment "before." JCPenney will be helping us achieve a more uniform, dark-wood look, which is more appropriate for the industrial space we live in. You may note that the cats find the current mix of woods unfazing. I don't know why there's a fire-breather on the television.<br /></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/2-Before.jpg" /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">2. A closer-up photo of the different woods. And the drum set from our Rock Band for Wii. And Monster. And Comfort (she's about to get kicked off).</div></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0015.jpg" /><br /></div>3. Here are the three, small, totally manageable-looking boxes that got stacked neatly next to the piano until such time as I was ready to write about Peter putting them together. (Because blogging about furniture construction takes a lot out of a gal! <span style="font-style: italic;">Whew!)</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0017.jpg" /><br /></div>4. The table in the left of the photo is yet another type of wood. The piano is, too, but at least it falls into the "dark" category. Sherlock thinks the boxes are fine as-is and would be perfectly happy for the contents to remain packaged. This is why we don't let our pets decorate our apartment.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0018.jpg" /><br /></div>5. Sherlock perches. "Why would anyone need to unpack these?" I pretend he wonders. Mostly I think he's thinking, "Will you give me a treat if I sit here? No? How 'bout here?"<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0019.jpg" /><br /></div>6. Now that I'm paying attention to the boxes, they become the most interesting piece of "furniture" in the apartment. Eddie decides he, too, must sit on them.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0020.jpg" /><br /></div>7. Oh hai. We can haz buncheen cubz?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0021.jpg" /><br /></div>8. Pete gets down to business, opening the first box. Eddie helps. (I love that they are in the same stance.)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0023.jpg" /><br /></div>9. Iz not buncheen cubz! Iz <span style="font-style: italic;">fort</span>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0024.jpg" /><br /></div>10. I think at this point, Pete made some stupid joke about a bowtie. But it was stupid and so I'm not repeating it. Clearly, he needs to be taking his work more seriously.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0025.jpg" /><br /></div>11. For some reason, the tools and screws and stuff come in a bright orange bag thing. This is good on the one hand, because you're certain not to miss it. But on the other hand, it kind of looks like police tape. (Also, Eddie is in the background with glowing eyes.)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0027.jpg" /><br /></div>12. Pete starts constructing the end table. He puts it together in the box so as not to scratch it on the floor.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0028.jpg" /><br /></div>13. Looks like he's really getting into it!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/Helpers.jpg" /><br /></div>14. Blogging is so hard, good thing I have help! I'm practically working up a sweat trying to keep up with photographing the progress and watching tv and drinking wine!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0029.jpg" /><br /></div>15. Ta-Da! The first table is completed. To make it look lived-in, we immediately place a stack of magazines on top of it. Notice how the wood looks to be the same color as the wood on the foot of the sofa! We are one step closer to hip-ness!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0030.jpg" /><br /></div>16. End table from the angle of the (light pine goes with nothing) coffee table.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0031.jpg" /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">17. Pete goes to work on the other boxes. It's amazing how much packing material comes out of such a compact thing, huh?<br /><br /></div><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0034.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0032.jpg" /><br /></div>18. Sherlock decides that a stack of cardboard in the middle of the room in the middle of construction makes an excellent bed.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0040.jpg" /><br /></div>19. Leon (cat #4) decides to notice that there's some sort of furniture-y mayhem going on, and so abruptly decides to shift his position in the chair from <span style="font-style: italic;">here</span> to <span style="font-style: italic;">here-and-a-quarter</span>. I have captured the extent of his movement pretty well. Pete continues to tackle the task at hand with aplomb, deconstructing boxes and constructing tables like a champ.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >The Part About The Head Licking</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">These tables are great but they are really freakin' heavy! </span>Pete says, sweat dripping from his forehead.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Awww! You're doing a great job! </span>I say, trying to encourage him because I do not, at any point, want him to ask for my help.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">But do you see this? I'm like, totally sweating! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">That's because you're working so quickly! </span>See how encouraging I am?<br /><br />Unfortunately, I am also stupid. And I push my luck. As follows:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me:</span> Hey, can I take a picture of your sweaty head?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pete:</span> What, for the BLOG? NO.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me: </span>Oh, come on! It'll show how hard you worked!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pete: </span>No. Absolutely not.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me:</span> But it's...cute.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pete:</span> Don't lie to me.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me:</span> I'm not lying to you! It's cute that you're sweating to make the furniture. I should totally blog about your head sweat.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pete:</span> It's not cute.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me: </span><span style="font-style: italic;">Please</span> can I take a picture of it?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pete: </span>Only if you lick it.<br /><br />I was momentarily shocked. I never had brothers, I was never a college boy, I don't really "get" fart jokes. I was not prepared for this kind of boyish dare. Lick it?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Lick it?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pete:</span> Yeah, like a real, honest-to-goodness lick. Like this.<br /><br />Pete stuck out his tongue, dropped his chin and then scooped his head upward, very dramatically. I didn't want to show fear, so I hastened to reply.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me: </span>Okay!<br /><br />I was kind of lying, but Pete didn't skip a beat and came right up to me and stuck his sweaty head right in my face. And I stared at it and could smell the salty moisture and wrinkled up my nose and...<br /><br />...and I couldn't do it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me: </span>I can't do it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pete:</span> HAHA!<br /><br />He walked back toward the boxes.<br /><br />But then I thought of the greater good.<br /><br />You know? I have a <span style="font-style: italic;">job</span> to do. I have an <span style="font-style: italic;">obligation</span>. JCPenney wants the truth about the furniture buying / assembling / living-with process, and BY GUM, THEY WILL GET IT!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me:</span> NO NO! I'LL DO IT!<br /><br />Pete rushed back over to me.<br /><br />I drew my breath.<br /><br />And I licked his sweaty, sweaty head.<br /><br />So that I could photograph it for you.<br /><br />I believe this makes our furniture acquisition blogging experience complete.<br /><br />Behold.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0037.jpg" /><br /></div><br />It glistens.<br /><br />Oh, blogging.<br /><br />Anyway.<br /><br />After that, it was all downhill.<br /><br />I should point out that one of the two Bunching Cube boxes did not come with any tools (the bright orange bag was missing completely). Luckily, there were enough leftover pieces and screws and things Pete could use from the other two tables, so we were still able to construct them. (Though I will have to refrain from tap dancing on top of them, just in case one is a little less stable than is optimal.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >The Finished Product</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0043.jpg" /><br /></div>20. Here are the two super cute, dark and chic Bunching Cubes, i.e., our new coffee table.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0044.jpg" /><br /></div>21. We moved the side table to go between the sofa and chair, to balance out the set-up. Notice how I've artistically added two books to one of the cubes.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0045.jpg" /><br /></div>22. It all looks so coordinated! (Except for the Rock Band drums, and the random green chairs in the back of the room. Whatever.)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0049.jpg" /><br /></div>23. The lovely side table and cubes from the perspective of the Rock Band drums. In case you're wondering, Pete is checking his email. I decided he could have a short break before getting rid of all the packing materials.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0050.jpg" /><br /></div>24. Here is a close up. And my knee. (See? Wasn't kidding about the photographic skills, was I?)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0051.jpg" /><br /></div>25. Even closer.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0054.jpg" /><br /></div>26. It's like they're already part of the family.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Summary</span></span><br /><br />Shopping for furniture online is something I have done a lot of, but I will admit that before this awesome promotion came along (Thanks again, <a href="http://www.blogher.com/">BlogHer</a>! Thanks again, <a href="http://www.jcpenney.com/">JCPenney</a>!), I never would have thought to check out the Penney collection.<br /><br />I was definitely surprised by their more modern offerings, and impressed with the price and quality of the pieces I bought.<br /><br />I was a little surprised about the furniture assembly, though that's probably an oversight on my part. The tables we got are very, very sturdy, but they are also very, very heavy (so this is a good and bad thing, depending). Obviously, we weren't too happy that the screws/tools were missing from one of the shipments, but we've been able to compensate. I will also call customer support and see if I can get extras sent (I'll update this post when that happens).<br /><br />Bottom line: there are a handful of websites I always go to when I'm looking for a specific piece of furniture, and I am earnest in saying I'll be adding JCPenney.com to that list. And, given the affordability and quality of the pieces we got, JCPenney will be one of my first click-to's from now on.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/kristysf/IMG_0057.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The End.</span></span><br /></div>kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00879301751663532121noreply@blogger.com20