Month: August 2010

Yogurt Biscuits

I've been trying out all sorts of recipes since I moved into my new place. I love Allrecipes.com because you can type in what ingredients you have in your pantry, what ingredients you don't have and it will give you a list of recipes that match. 

I had some yogurt and milk and plenty of flour and sugar, and wanted to see if there was anything that could me made with that. 

The recipe that Allrecipes.com that matched my ingredients was yogurt biscuits. 

The biscuits are okay, but somewhat tasteless. They would make a perfect dumpling for chicken and dumplings or for biscuits and gravy. 

Please vote to help @emqff and kids in crisis in Davis

Most of you know that I really don’t like all these contests where friends forward you things to vote on, but I really do feel compelled to write about this one.

My former employer, EMQ FamiliesFirst, is in the running for a contest from Choice Hotels and Rebuilding Together.

The project would help make desperately needed repairs to the townhouses that these kids call home. The kids that live there have typically suffered from neglect and abuse. They have usually been in and out of the foster care system, and things haven’t worked out. Now, they’re in the care of the wonderful staff that work at EMQ FamiliesFirst. The staff does all it can to help these kids deal with the emotional scars, and now you can help make their lives more comfortable.

You can only vote once, so I won’t be pestering you again. And, you don’t have to give any of your personal information before you vote. (You can sign up for a contest to actually come help with the project after you vote.)

It’s just a couple clicks of a button on Project #3 to help these kids.

Thanks!

The power of exercise bands

In the past couple of days, I’ve had several conversations with people about exercise bands. 

For those with joint issues, exercise bands are amazing because the allow you to control the movement with passive resistance and without the risk of a weight being too heavy or getting out of control. 

Exercise bands are also really great for travelling. They don’t take up much space in luggage and you can still get a really powerful workout. 

If you’re interested in buying some exercise bands and trying them out, here are some great options: 

If you have any questions about any of these products or how I use them, leave a comment. 

I stubbed my toe today

While getting out of the shower this morning, I stubbed my toe. 

For most people, this would just be a minor inconvenience. Instead of wearing the 2-inch wedges, you might have to wear ballerina flats. 

But, for someone with hypermobility issues and chronic pain, a stubbed toe can cause all sorts of problems. 

Every step I took today hurt. And, I had to be super careful not to favor the foot any more than normal (I think I was pretty successful at this, but not 100%). 

By the time I left work, my leg ached. I came home and slept for nearly three hours. 

I’m not going to the Giants game

Today, most of my office is going to watch the San Francisco Giants. It’s kind of an end-of-summer / thank you for all your hard work company thing.

I’m not going.

There’s a couple of different reasons … some of them more complicated than others.

a) I haven’t been out in the sun much this summer and knew that sitting outside for a couple of hours was probably not the best idea.
b) Walking long distances has been a bit problematic, especially after my adventures last week in San Francisco, and because the tickets were bought somewhat last minute, it wasn’t possible for me to arrange to get accessible seating.
c) I’ve hit the “Too fat to [insert activity here]” stage. About 50 pounds ago, I definitely crossed the line into “Too Fat” … especially when it comes to seating options. I get filled with anxiety when going to a place I don’t know wondering whether I’m going to be able to sit in a chair. Is the chair wide enough for me to even sit down? And if I can sit down, are the arms of the chair going to leave bruises and cut off circulation to my legs? It’s a depressing place to be.

What am I doing instead?

Since my boss is out of the office, I’ve made an appointment with a new chiropractor and going to go have a consultation with him. I’ll also probably pick up lunch somewhere and get some writing done while the office is quiet, and before everyone shows back up.

I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Hypermobility Type

I have a genetic disorder known as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (most often abbreviated as EDS). There are many types of Ehlers-Danlos, each with its own set of symptoms. I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Hypermobility Type.

In the past, I've been hesitant to blog about about it, but I've recently felt inspired to write about it. I'm not sure how much I'll blog about it or what I'll say about it, but this is the first post.

Chefmate: 51 Piece Kitchen Gadget Set

After moving in to my new apartment, one of my first priorities was to get some new tools for my kitchen. I saw an ad in the Target Circular for a 51-piece set from Chefmate that included knifes and other tools. 

I've used Chefmate tools in the past, especially Chefmate knives and never had a problem. 

However, this set is horrible. All the knives that I've tried to use so far are really dull and almost unusable, and I don't think the blades are high enough quality to actually get sharpened. 

The plastic tools that I've used so far are really weak. I went to go stir some pasta and sauce with one and it almost bent in half. It might have been better if it had broken in two. 

It's too late to take this back to Target, but I'll definitely think twice before buying another Chefmate product in the future.  

NFL Hazing: Harmless Pranks or Sending a Bad Message?

A recent post on Care2 asked whether or not hazing on NFL teams sent a bad message. Two recent hazing incidents made news. The first was when a rookie on the Dallas Cowboys refused to participate in the hazing. The second was when Tim Tebow showed up on national TV with a crazy haircut. 

While some teams consider this old tradition that is nothing more than fun and games, others see it as a potentially dangerous situation. Anti-hazing groups bring up a viable question: does NFL hazing promote the idea of hazing to college and high school students?

The NFL players that participate in these sorts of things say that they are just harmless pranks, and for the most part they are. They are simply silly haircuts or a rookie being asked to carry extra water or gear to the practice field. The problem is that they set an example that hazing is okay at sports highest level. And, while NFL players may have the mental maturity to know what's a harmless prank and what is not, the college and high school players that look up to them may not. 

Even things that may seem harmless can get taken too far and have repercussions that extend beyond needing a new haircut. NFL players need to realize that they don't live in a bubble, and the coaches and owners need to step in and stop these hazings from continuing. 

Disclosure: I work at Care2 as a Communications Manager. These opinions are my own and do not reflect those of Care2.

A Great Set of Bowls (and a new project)

I recently decided to launch a new store with OpenSky. I think they are a great company working with small businesses who are interested in working with bloggers like me to sell their products. As part of my store launch, I was able to get a product for free. Since I was about to move in to my new apartment, I selected this great set of bowls made by CaliBowl. 

    

These bowls are fantastic. I’ve used each one at least once. What I like most about them: 
  1. They are stackable. All five bowls stack neatly, so they don’t take up much space in my limited apartment cupboards. 
  2. They are both microwave and dishwasher friendly. 
  3. The small bowl makes a fantastic little mixing bowl for spice mixes or dressings for salad. 
  4. They come in multiple colors that you can use to match your other kitchen decor. 
Feel free to check them out. They are $30 for 5 bowls. Leave a comment to let me know if you order them.