Stuff I Like

Here are some random things that I like.  Maybe you'll like them too.

Music:

• The Ascension by Robert W. Smith - I heard this played by a local high school band last week and just loved it.  Minimize your screen and do something else on your computer while you listen.  At least listen at about 3 minutes in when the band sings.  Very haunting.
• Peter White's Walk on By - again, minimize your screen and just listen.  This is one of my favorite artists.  He's an amazing guitarist. 
• October by Eric Whitacre - more classical music.  This was played by both of my daughters at separate times in their band and its a really beautiful piece.  It takes a little time for the song to start because it begins with some faint chimes - trust me - its really pretty. 

Enough music for now.  I have millions of songs that I love but I'll ration them. 

Products:

• Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners.  If you use your crockpot a lot, (or at all) this is a real time saver. Especially if you cook anything gooey or cheesy.  You just line the crockpot with one and when you're done, you throw it away. 

• Nexxus Dualiste - I was having a very hard time finding a decent shampoo this winter.  I know, I know.  With all of the world's problems, shampoo is a minor issue, but I found this at Meijer's and really like it.  Its cool because the shampoo and conditioner both have two-sided chambers and when you depress the top of the bottle, two different colored products come out.  Its a gimmick, I'm sure, but cool none-the-less. Besides, it leaves my hair really easy to handle. 
• My pressure cooker.  I have 3 pressure cookers;  a 4 qt cooker, and a pressure canner, both of which I received from my Mom when she moved.  The little one is really nice but rather small.  The canner is nice for, well, canning but its too big for a meal.  I bought a 10 qt cooker last weekend at my church's auction for $9.  Yes, its used, but its the perfect size for a family meal.  Don't let the stories about exploding pressure cookers scare you.  Its only happened a few times to me, and a fresh coat of paint on the ceiling is always welcomed anyway.  Just kidding! I've never had an issue.  A pressure cooker is the next best thing to a crockpot. The time to cook a roast is reduced to about an hour, and it makes the meat really tender.  You should try one!

TV shows:

• Parenthood - This is on NBC Tuesday nights, after The Biggest Loser. (which is another favorite)  Its a really good show with believable characters and some rather funny moments interspersed with drama.
• Paranormal  State -  I've always loved a good ghost story and this is an hours worth of it.  Although, if there were really ghosts, wouldn't we have seen one in one of these episodes by now? 
• Tool Academy - my guilty pleasure, thanks to my teenagers.  A truly stupid show, but entertaining too.  Some of these guys really are tools.
• The Bonnie Hunt Show - I love this woman!  She's so funny!  Unfortunately, her show has been cancelled, and its no longer available on my local stations as of January.  It was good while it lasted anyway.  By the way,several people have told me I remind them of Bonnie Hunt.  I take that as a compliment! 

That's enough of my favorites.  What are yours?

Progress:
Goal #1:  I ran twice last week.  Hey, its a start. 
Goal #2:  I'm making the last payment towards my first bill this weekend.  Then its on to the next one.

Happy
The weather here in West Michigan has been relatively warm.  48 degrees today!  Its nice to see the grass, even though its brown and ugly, and I'm getting anxious to get out and work in the yard.  The other day I was at Meijer's to buy some #2 pencils for DD #2 to take the ACT test.  I ended up in the seed aisle and bought 4 packets of seeds. (I can add that to the tremendously large stash of seeds I have from last year.) And today, while at Sam's Club, I was looking for a bathroom remodeling magazine and ended up buying 2 gardening magazines.  I nearly bought a magazine about raising chickens in the backyard, but decided thats just a bit radical for my neighborhood.  There's probably an ordinance against it anyway.  I just love the promise of spring and summer in the air!  And while I don't really believe in reincarnation, I'm pondering the possibility that I may have been living on the prairie in a previous life.   You may call me Half-Pint.