Monthly Archives: February 2012

Colin Stuart Shoes

Posted by rada72 on February 25, 2012 None comments

I love shoes and order them online occasionally. The company Victoria’s Secret expanded from strictly selling sexy lingerie to selling regular clothing including some famous footwear on their website like Steve Madden, Colin Stuart, Ugg Austalia, BCBGeneration, Lucky Brand and more.

However, I could never understand why some brands like Colin Stuart have missing shoe sizes. I normally wear US size 5 or 5.5, but this particular brand runs really small, so obviously I need size 5.5 because the next full size up 6 would be too large for me. I know because I tried and had to return them back. This is especially true for boots and pumps. Due to the confined nature of those styles, feet in boots and pumps feel extra cramped and uncomfortable.

At the same time, the next full size fits too loosely and might end up looking like “pencils in the cup”. In my opinion, that look is okay for cowboy boots only.

The same goes for Colin Stuart shoes in US sizes 9, 10 and 11. No half sizes. In order to maximize sales, it’s important for any footwear company to provide the half size as well.

I am very disappointed in that brand and will never order it again.

Reality Shows That Suck

Posted by rada72 on February 25, 2012 2 comments

I have a feeling that the world is going crazy and TV is like a litmus paper of that. There must be some kind of a deficit of good new ideas in media industry. More and more movies are poor remakes of the old ones. More and more TV shows are reality shows that just drive me crazy. Why I am watching them?

Sometimes I have no choice because my husband loves to watch them and we are in the same living room. One of his favorite brain-draining shows is Operation Repo. If he starts watching it in my presence, I beg him for mercy and ask to change the channel. I am probably allergic to all members on that show, especially to that blond woman with tattooed eyebrows and pierced lip. What a “looker”. But it’s more than that. She is nasty, even to her coworkers and her own family members. Although we are pretty sure that the show is fake or re-creations, it really just makes her behavior worse, doesn’t it?

The other two shows that he watches are Jersey Shore and Bad Girls Club. Before I only suspected that those kinds of people exist and now I know they do. It’s a scary reality. I feel that I am devolving just watching them drinking, fighting, cursing and all that “fun”. 

It almost seems like the dumber you are and the less civilized you act, the more likely you are to appear on your own reality TV show. It’d be very hard find to reality show that features people who are even somewhat normal or well behaved. Society is actually creating a disincentive to be productive.

How does this affect kids? They probably think it’s cool to act like that if it’s on TV. Is it ok to be nasty to each other verbally and physically? Why TV breeds the very kind of teen behavior that is frowned upon by society? Ratings are important and no one wants to watch boring stuff, that’s why.

Another show that he loves to watch is a Fear Factor. Contestants are eating and drinking bugs and do some other gross things for the sake of money. Poor insects and animals, what did they do to deserve that? They don’t get any rewards for that. It seems that the True TV show The World’s Dumbest Daredevils encourages some people to do crazy things and film it just to be on that show. The “award winning” show is Jackass. What a wonderful example to youth with the “classy” guys acting like, you know, Jackasses. And the list continues as TV adds more and more of so called True TV and Reality Shows.

When I ask my husband is there anything else on TV? The answer is “No, there is nothing else”, because the rest is boring. It feels like we pay for so many channels and there is still nothing to watch. As an alternative, he would switch the channel and watch something like Star Wars or something else that we saw only thousand times. How sad.

No McDonald’s Breakfast Until 3am ?

Posted by rada72 on February 19, 2012 None comments

My husband tends to get a sweet tooth around midnight, and his poison of choice is a McGriddle from McDonald’s. So, we tend to go get one around once a week. Usually, they start serving them at around 12:15 am and everyone was happy. A McGriddle for him, and peace and quiet for me.

Everything changed this past weekend, when we were told that our local McDonald’s wouldn’t serve breakfast until 3 am. Imagine his disgust at this thought. It’s like denying crack to an addict and expecting them to be happy about it. Needless to say, he was very unhappy about this situation. So we went home with a simple Big Mac instead.

The situation reminded me of the video above, where this woman went mental because McDonald’s did not have her Chicken McNuggets. Before this, her reaction was totally unreasonable. After my husband’s reaction to this news from Mcdonald’s, I feel like I understand her frustration just a little bit more.

Stop Your Cat From Hunting, The CatBib

Posted by rada72 on February 19, 2012 None comments

I adopted Casey almost 12 years ago.  When I came to pick him up from someone’s house, I noticed that his family had settled in the garage. So, those kittens were semi-wild animals. The black kitten I approached attacked my hand with all his weapons: the sharpest set of knives – I mean teeth – and long sharp claws at the same time. I screamed so loud from the pain. But he seemed so “attached” to me already, that I decided to take him home with me. I already had another cat at home and they fought quite a bit, but they became family. Casey, as I called him, was and is a hunter at heart.

As years passed by, we bought a house with a fenced yard. For convenience, we installed a doggy-door, so that our cats and dogs can go outside whenever they need to. Casey discovered the freedom and used it for more than just going potty. Our cat decided to become a serial murderer. His first victims were countless lizards and some frogs. Sadly, that did not stop. He mastered his hunting techniques and started to bring dead birds, mice, rats, snakes, big moths and even couple of baby bunnies. One morning, we heard a loud scream from our dining room and weren’t sure what it was. To our surprise, he had brought home a baby bunny for a meal. Who knew a bunny could even make such a noise? It was alive, so we hurried it down to a clinic that accepts wild animals. I’d like to think the bunny survived its ordeal and is happily bouncing around someplace safe.

Our disciplining did not work on Casey. He just brought more and more little bodies. We tried to use collars with bells. We also tried to make him an inside cat, but failed. He would get outside along with dogs. We did not know what to do anymore. This nightmare stopped when we discovered a Cat Bib online. Casey resisted that Bib but we did not take it off for couple of days. Eventually he realized that he has no choice and just got used to wearing it. Yes, he might look silly in it and birds are probably “laughing” at him now, but we know that it’s the necessary compromise for everyone involved.  We are so grateful to inventors of CatBibs. Each one lasts for about 2 years or so. We re-order the new one online whenever we need one from the manufacturer.

So, if you want to stop your cat from hunting, stop him/her from killing your backyard birds and others critters, try this product.

Do You Have a Black Thumb?

Posted by rada72 on February 11, 2012 None comments

Are you a wannabe gardener who almost always kills plants? If so, you probably have heard that there is a term for this condition, “Black Thumb”.

Not to worry. That’s not the end of the world.  Good news for you: there are plants that are Godsend to this World to make your life easier and happier. I am talking about low-maintenance and hardy plants that are hard to kill.

First, consider plants that are a little invasive (therefore can withstand the negligence). This includes: vibrant Mexican Petunias (tall and short), fragrant  and multicolor Four O’Clocks, beautiful rose Clerodendrum Bungei (Glory Bower), bushy Fire Bush, amazing Passion Vines, Liriope and many others. If you have a very large territory to fill, take a chance with a running bamboo. Just keep in mind that it sends runners fast and can “eat” your yard fast. As an alternative plant the clumping type of bamboo.

Secondly, self-reseeding annuals like Vinca (Periwinkles), Butterfly Weed, Porter Weed will add some desired green presence to your yard and on top of that will welcome butterflies, moths and bees.

Also, try out plants that grow from bulbs (like Amaryllises). All you have to do is plug the bulb into the ground and water it until established and watch it grow. Flowers are breath-taking and long-lasting.

For shady areas, especially under the trees where normally nothing grows, I suggest very forgiving Golden Pothos (Devils Ivy Scindapsus) and Wandering Jew Plant. The first one, Golden Pothos looks amazing when it “climbs” the tree. For some reason, it increases in size tremendously when allowed to grow on trees. The second one looks great as a ground cover. Some types of ferns grow nicely in shaded areas as well. No special care needed as long as your sprinklers work once in a while.

Finally, there are succulents that can live like in desert with minimal water usage. There are many varieties of Cactuses. They come in different shapes and sizes. My favorite is blue Agave, which looks the best in the large open area and Mother-in-Law Tongue, also known as a Snake Plant. It looks great in both containers and as a landscaping feature. By the way, it has a dwarf version too.  Another one that deserves attention is called Peruvian Apple Cactus (Night-Blooming Cereus) with the most amazing large flowers that bloom after dark.

If you succeed in “greenizing” your thumb with those simple plants, you can then graduate into growing higher maintenance flowers and plants.

However, if you still manage to kill everything that is hard to kill, as an alternative decorate your yard with the stepping stone that says ““I tried but it died”.  At that point, the only plants that can live with you are the fake ones. Just joking.

How to Attract Hummingbirds and Butterflies to Your Back Yard

Posted by rada72 on February 11, 2012 None comments

If you live in warmer climate like in Florida and you want to see lots of hummingbirds, beautiful butterflies, moths, bees and dragonflies in your yard, the main thing you could do is plant flowers that they love.

One plant that attracts both hummers and butterflies like a magnet, in my opinion, is Mexican Fire Bush (aka Scarlet bush or Firecracker shrub). Usually it grows into medium bushes with bunches of small orange flowers covering the entire surface of a bush. This bush is very easy to grow and can even take some neglect as long as you plant it in the sunny location. Even though it dies out every winter, it boosts back strong in the spring. It can become a little invasive but I allow it to grow only where I want it to grow. As a bonus Mexican Fire Bush can serve you as a privacy border too.
If your goal is to mainly attract different kinds of butterflies, bees and moths consider planting Milkweed Plants or what some people call them Butterfly Weeds (Asclepias Tuberose). Not only it’s the most desirable source of nectar for those gorgeous creations, it also serves as a host for Monarch butterflies (they lay their eggs on leaves of this plant). It grows easily from seeds and does not require any attention, it grows like a weed. Also, you don’t need to plant it every year because it’s self-reseeding.
If that’s not enough, add more fun and low-maintenance plants that offer food to your flying friends. I suggest Blue Plumbago, Lantana Camara, Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle), Pentas, Porter Weed, Duranta Erecta (Golden Dew Drops), Firecracker Plant (Coral Plant), Passiflora and much more. Be careful though. Once you start, you can’t stop. It becomes an addiction. Before you know it, your neighbors will grow jealous of your garden. Happy Butterfly Gardening!

Free Cat or Dog to a Good Home?

Posted by rada72 on February 10, 2012 None comments

I love using Craig’s List for variety of reasons: from selling my personal things I no longer need to searching other peoples’ ads for something I am looking to get and everything in between.

Occasionally I stumble upon ads with very sad content. More and more often people are trying to get rid of their pets (usually cats and dogs) for different reasons. Many say that it’s because they are too busy working and don’t have time for their pet. Some are having a new baby and therefore cannot keep the animal.  Others explain that they move to a new location and they can’t take them or they lost job and cannot afford pets any longer. Whatever the reason is, the decision is that: pets have to go…

Yes, of course, there are extremely difficult situations with no real alternatives left and people are truly trying to find a good place for their adorable pets. They are heart-broken, I know. However, I am pretty sure, that most of those ads have nothing to do with those situations. People with few exceptions (e.g., lost job and lost house, etc) are not being completely honest in those ads. I noticed that more often than not their “beloved” cat or dog that they no longer can keep is an older one.

If you really love your cat or dog, wouldn’t you find a pet-friendly apartment when you move to a new place? Wouldn’t you arrange things in such a way that your precious ones will still be part of your lives? Do it just because they love you and depend on you.  Even if you lost job, if you still can afford to buy food for yourself the chances are you can still feed that cat. Aren’t those pets are parts of our families? If so, please, do everything you can in order to keep them. They don’t ask for much. Just imagine that your old cat or dog goes to a new family. How much stress they have to go through in order to adjust to new people and a new place, possibly other animals too? They will feel depressed and sad for a long time. During that time a new family might re-consider keeping your pet because of they will see that something is wrong. They might then take him/her to shelter. Do you want this to happen to your beloved pet? I hope not.

Some advertisers are actually “blackmailing” readers and say that if no one will take that pet by specific date/time, they will take it to shelter, or even just kick them out on the streets. Wow, that’s really low. Please, keep in mind that shelters are overwhelmed with animals brought from streets already. Older cats and dogs are less adoptable than kittens and puppies. Many of them are being euthanized there. Maybe next time think twice before taking a new puppy or kitten. They deserve to be treated as a true family member, not as a disposable garbage item.

What will it take for humans to be more humane?

Village Inn Review

Posted by rada72 on February 9, 2012 None comments

Before our small family of two (me and my husband) used to live in Pinellas County, Florida. About 8 years ago we bought a nice house in the city of Riverview (South of Brandon) in Hillsborough County. You would think that it’s not a major move, only one hour drive from previous place. But we noticed things a much different here.

First of all, all major shopping locations are concentrated in the heart of Brandon. All the major businesses are there, including restaurants, a shopping mall, hospitals, and gyms, etc. It’s about 20 minutes drive from our home. Well, one day we decided to go out and eat at the local chain restaurant in Village Inn which is located in our small town. My hubby convinced me that we’ll enjoy this all-American food that Village Inn has to offer.

The almost empty parking lot there was the first warning sign to me. Inside was almost empty. When we already placed the order, I noticed few things that bugged me. Our waitress looked sick. She was coughing all the time. The dirty looking guy (not sure who he was) was going back and forth from the kitchen. He looked like he was just idling and bored to death, which is fine, as long as he stays away from my food. Do you blame me? People in the kitchen obviously had a blast. Maybe they celebrated something, I don’t know. But, they were sure very loud in there. We could hear every word coming out of the kitchen, and I wish I did not hear some of their rants. When my husband saw my reaction, he said who cares as long as food is good. Uh, yea, right. Here is what I have to say about food. Home fried potatoes looked pretty sad. They were cold and unseasoned. I mean, give me a break. I am not the best cook, but I know the difference between good food and whatever that was…. Hmmm. That’s not the end of story. After that “wonderful” dining experience we were both sick for few weeks. Thank you, waitress (sorry, don’t remember you name) for giving us a cold. What would we do without you? There is no way that we are ever going back there or any other restaurant in Riverview. In fact, we both want someday, to move back to St. Pete or somewhere, where there is a nice selection of places to go out and eat and where places are actually open late hours (the closest CVS closes at 10pm here). I will visualize that one day we’ll go back to civilization.

Shoe Shopping: Money Saving Tips

Posted by rada72 on February 9, 2012 None comments

If you have to ask yourself “How many shoes is too many?” the chances are, you probably already have too many shoes. Many of us girls are good in finding excuses and somehow justifying those “guilty” purchases. As my husband says all girls are the same. The only thing that matters here, in my opinion, is how expensive you allow these shoe-shopping sessions to be… You don’t have to be like the main character in Sex and the City, Carrie, and spend all your money on shoes to have a nice collection. Matching the budget with the cost/quality of desired shoes is easy.  For example, companies like Nine West sell shoes that would fit almost anyone’s budget. I find most of their products to be of good quality, comfortable and affordable. Of course, there are many similar stores with great footwear products in the market but the idea is to buy them cheaper.

Here are some ideas of frugal shopping. You can visit those stores (online or in the local store location), find the model or name of your next shoe that you just can’t let go and… let go of it. Don’t buy it, not yet at least. Go home and do your home work, online that is. Sometimes you can save tons of money, by buying them on www.Ebay.com or www.Amazon.com. Just make sure that the seller has a good rating and the auction listing is for the new pair of desired shoes. Or, even better, go and register at www.Ebates.com and shop at www.ninewest.com via that site to get some cash back. Ebates deals with the wide range of businesses, big and small. Each online business will give you predetermined percentage of your subtotal amount that you spent with them back to you. Currently www.ninewest.com gives 3.5% back but you have to remember to sign-in to your Ebates account and link though them to your favorite store in order to get that % back.  While shopping through Ebates, don’t forget to use coupon codes for additional savings and also, pay with the credit card that offers most reward points. The cash back is paid quarterly.

So, the answer to the question “How many shoes is too many?” is obvious, “You Can Never Have Too Many Shoes”.  Thanks to money saving shopping habits the question is a rhetorical one.