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The Perfect Cheap Kitchen Bowls!

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I love to cook. I have learned to enjoy baking since I can't find a lot of fresh gluten free baked goods. I love baking pans, muffin tins, etc. You know...cuz I like neat stuff. LOL! I have all I need or, at least, I thought I did until I rolled up on this FABULOUS Anchor Hocking 2.5 quart glass bowl at HomeGoods for $4.99.  The bowl is true perfection.  I wish I could explain it to you but I can't.  It's just seriously the most perfect bowl.  BUT...it's the size to make 6 muffins or one cake layer.  And well...sometimes you need a dozen.  So I went looking for a larger one just like it and HomeGoods didn't have it so I checked with Mr. Bezos 'nem over at Amazon and BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABY...check out this deal.  You get two 4 quart bowls for $17.99.  

They are on the way!  GO ME!

Bowls.  I know...weird.  

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Bitzonic Wireless Earphones

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I've been in the market for a pair of bluetooth earphones.  I love the wired earphones I use but I understood it would make certain tasks easier if I had a pair of wireless ones like watch television while The Robinator is sleeping and I can't shut off my brain just yet.

I looked high and low on Amazon and got overwhelmed with the process so I stopped.  Then...I remembered that I'd seen Shelly with some recently so I figure I'll just buy whatever she's using cuz she's a music head and wouldn't continue using headphones which didn't work right.

So she sent me the link to hers:  

I was expecting to pay around $70 - $100 for a pair.  Um...they were $15.95.  *BLINK*  Surely that must be wrong.  WITH Amazon Prime they were...um...only $15.95.  I hit 'Add To Cart' so quick I broke a nail.

I'm sitting here using them now and they are awesome.  You can't be too far away from what you're connected to but since I use them with my laptop and my Note 5, I'm good.  When I'm working out I use my Buddy Pouch so having the wire behind my neck will make it easier to listen to music while switching it up.  GO ME!

What earphones do you use?  How much did you pay for them?  Are you happy with them?

Good Skin: At Home Steam Facial For Gorgeous Skin!!!!!!

I do the things my mother used to do to her skin.  She had GREAT skin and it was always so soft and lovely to touch and kiss.  I used to love kissing her cheek and would always smile halfway through the kiss.  

I always tell people I don't really do much to my face because, to me, the things I do are non-things because I've always done them.  It's like brushing your teeth or working out...you just do it because you have to.  But when you are discussing it you realize that you kinda do do extra stuff that a lot of people might not do.

Once a week I hit that Zombie look with a mask.  I normally do it on Sundays.  Once a month, I give myself a full steam facial.  Right here at home.

Step 1:  Wash face.

Step 2:  Use baking soda and water to exfoliate face and neck.  Pat dry.

Step 3:  Put three drops of essential oil into a glass bowl bigger than your face and pour in a tea kettle full of hot water. (Use whatever you want.  I tend to use lemongrass mostly because I don't really use lemongrass oil for anything else and have a lot of it.  My mommy used to use rose.  I remember the smell.  Secret however...YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE ANY OIL!!!!!  Oh...and be careful with the hot water.)

Step 4:  Drape towel over head and bowl once you can breathe comfortably for 10 minutes.  IT WILL GET DRIPPY!  LOL!

Step 5:  Rinse with cool water.  Pat dry.

Step 6:  Use mask to reclose pores.  Follow your mask instructions.  (Mine stays on for 20 minutes.  It's a mud mask Rebecca bought me at some fancy spa and I loved it so much I call and order 6 at a time.)  Rinse.  Pat dry.

Step 7:   Moisturize.  These days I use one capsule of this:  

And voila!  Instant facial awesomeness that doesn't hurt your skin or your pockets!  Get you a regular routine of this going and you'll be happy you did!  DRINK WATER!!!!!

Do you do one too?  What oils do you use?  How often do you do one?  

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I'm Not a Racist. I'm Salty.

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I wasn't very surprised at the Academy Award nominations.  Did I think Kevin Hart was going to get a nod for his role in "Get Hard?"  No.  I didn't.

Who in the world is going to argue that Cate Blanchett and Leonardo DiCaprio don't deserve awards for their performances?  Crazy people ONLY cuz yeah...they brought it as they always do.  Matt Damon in "The Martian?"  Dude did that.  I loved that movie and loved his performance.  Very seldom do I enjoy a movie as much as I enjoyed the book and I did here.

No surprise.

I haven't seen "Room" yet but from what I understand, Brie Larson showed out.  She prepped for 8 months for that role and I'm kinda scared at what that means based on what I know the movie to be about.  I'm sure she was paid enough to not miss a mortgage payment in those 8 months of prep work too. You'd expect that right?  Hell...I hope so.

I'll be honest when I say I didn't really think Jennifer Lawrence was going to get a nod for her performance in "Joy."  Not that I don't like Jennifer Lawrence because I've truly loved all of her previous performances but I just didn't care for the "slowed down" version of her that was in this movie.  I mean I know an actress has to show range in all of their projects...it just didn't do it for me and hell...what do I know and yeah...she's the current golden girl so I wasn't surprised.

I'm also not stupid.  

I know there weren't a lot of movies with Black people in them again so I wasn't expecting more representation during the nominations.  There was "Creed," and "Straight Outta Compton."  Those were pretty much the only two widely released films with significant roles for Black people in them directed by Black people.  Both good movies...to me.  Did I expect "Straight Outta Compton" to get more nods?  Honestly...no.  But "Creed?"  Yeah...I did.

I'm constantly trolling The New York Times' Opinion Facebook page and read comments I expected to read about the "blacklash" regarding the nominations.  And a lot of people didn't seem to get it.  I'm talking White AND Black people.

It's not about the nominations.  I honestly hope they really try and be inclusive.   It's about the filmmakers and casting directors and the people with the clout to greenlight films.  It's about OPPORTUNITY.  

One commenter got a lot of likes for saying something like...it's about talent.  If you're not talented, you don't get nominated, simple.  People were like...YEAH!  SAY THAT!  NO AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN MOVIES!  

And I rolled my eyes because...DUH...it is about talent and, more importantly...the opportunity to showcase that talent.  You can be as talented as Denzel, Cate and Leonardo but if you're not getting the opportunity to show  you're talented...THEN WHO IN THE HELL KNOWS YOU'RE TALENTED EXCEPT FOR YOUR MAMA???????????

So yeah...I was/am salty.  All of that talk that went on last year based on the success of the first season of "Empire" which blew the viewing numbers out of the water was just that...TALK.  While folks were talking and celebrating yet another magazine cover with a Black actor on it, movies were in full post-production about to be rolled out for awards season.  The same names had the same opportunities to show how great they are.  The same names DIDN'T have opportunities.  

Same old, same old.

I was only surprised that so many people were surprised.

Still doesn't mean I wasn't salty though.

What say you?  Were you surprised?  Were you salty?  Do you care?

On Putting It All Out There

The other day a friend posted the link to a Craigslist ad that was making rounds on social media.  I clicked on it, of course, and read one of the most thought out personal ads I've ever seen.  The gentleman put it all out there down to the most minute details of who he was and what he was looking for.  He was thorough and thoughtful.  He clearly knew what he wanted and he didn't come across as someone who couldn't compromise.  He seemed like a really old fashioned guy who was lonely and tired of being alone.

I posted the ad and decided I'd blog about it when I got a chance so I cut and pasted the ad along with a few of his pictures so I could refer back to it.  Turns out...his ad was flagged for removal by some jerk for whatever reason and it was removed so it's a good thing that I cut and pasted it.  Craigslist Ad for Live-In Girlfriend or Wife

I have a few people I love who are single and who have pretty much given up on finding someone.  It's like...they don't even worry about it anymore because past disappointments have created disdain for the process.  Nobody has time to actually get to know people anymore and the rat race of weeding through the serious people seems to take a toll on even the most positive people.  

I was reading an article about the comedian Amy Schumer and how she met her boyfriend on the site,  Bumble.  The article said that it makes online dating less icky for women because men can't send you messages unless you've clicked on their profile giving them permission to do so.  This way, women get less creepy comments from weirdos.  I sent it to a few people because I thought it was interesting.  Only one decided to give it a try.  The others were like..."I'm over it."  And their full and active lives prove that they aren't sitting around waiting for some relationship to happen either.  They are out there enjoying life to the fullest.  And I get that.

So...back to my boy and his Craigslist ad...

When I first posted it, I was surprised that more people didn't see it as I did.  Folks were straight clowning him saying that it reeked of desperation and that he was probably a serial killer.  I don't know much about serial killers but they pretty much seem to keep their profile on the low-low right?  I mean...would they advertise for someone to come live with them and include pictures, etc?  Seems to me that would be counter-productive to being a serial killer.  Seems to me that you'd only get to kill just once cuz they'd know where to find yall.  Eh...maybe I'm overthinking serial killing.  As far as him being desperate?  Probably.  He's probably tired as shit of the dating game.  I can see him now deciding to just go for it after yet another failed "traditional" date.  He was probably sitting across from someone who ordered something to go and was like...you know what?  This is for the birds.  I just want to get this part over with already and he rolled home, booted up his desktop computer and put it all out there.

I can totally, totally see it.

I think about how I'd feel if I didn't have The Robinator and I can't even put into words how lonely I'd feel.  I can't imagine a day going by without talking to him and I certainly can't imagine a life without him.  No more snuggles, hugs and kisses?  No more private jokes?  No more just because moments?  Sheesh...

I feel like it's a good thing to wish that everyone has someone who is good to and for them.  I want this guy to find someone to love who could love him and I want them to live forever in that paid for house and have a GOOD life together.  I want his efforts to put it all out there to not be in vain.  I want there to be two more people in the world who understand unconditional love because they have it.

Why is that a bad thing?

I love love.  I hope you do too.