Enter to win a kickass ring!

While dropping ECs, I happened across one of my favorite blogs...Steampunk Jewelry...only to find a contest going on!

For every 100 participants, a winner will be chosen to win one of their kickass rings! You choose your stone and metal preferences, show some link love and gain entries to the contest! I've got a link to the Etsy shop here on my blog for easy scoping.

I'm not on Blogger, Etsy (or many other sites for that matter) often anymore, but when I happen across something this great, I try to pass the word along. Their jewelry is unique, handmade and sure to get attention! What's not to love? Check it out and see for yourself!

My first attempt at Middle Eastern food

I've had a hankering to try some of this (or anything eastern european, mediterranean or middle eastern) for a few days and gave it a go last night. I finally found some leg of lamb at the store, and got a couple other things to use with that couscous I bought to try and hadn't messed with. Thanks to my dad, I had the spices on hand (he gave me his stash when he moved in with my grandpa). This turned out so good, my boyfriend called the neighbors over to try it! Measurements with me are usually by ear, so these are approximate...here's the list:

2 lb. lamb, cubed
1 red pepper, 1/2 eggplant, 1/2 cucumber, cut into 3-inch strips
1/4 c. green onion, chopped
3 tbsp. mint flakes
2 tbsp. each rosemary and basil
chile powder, garlic powder and pepper, to taste (or scent)
2 1/2 c. water with 1 t. olive oil
10 oz. box couscous

Get the lamb going under some heat in a large, deep skillet. Yes, this is a one pan dish! Once it's most of the way cooked, add the vegetables and spices. Let cook for a few, stirring a couple times...then turn down heat a bit and simmer as long as you feel necessary.

If you think it's ready for it, add the water/oil mixture, followed by the couscous. You'll wanna stir constantly to keep it from sticking, but it's done once the couscous is.

Again, all measurements are approximate, and we found that once the couscous was added, it took away some of the spice (or toned it down, if you wanna look at it that way). The flavor is good as it is, but if you like a little extra kick like we do, add a bit more spice to it.

This makes about 4-6 good-size helpings, depending on how much you eat...my boyfriend and I made two meals out of it on top of giving about 2 servings to our neighbors. Once we find some more lamb at the store at a reasonable price, we'll try this again. I honestly don't think it would work as well without the lamb and mint, but who knows...I've been wrong before.

Avon New Product Review

I posted this on my Avon MySpace blog, and thought I'd post it here also. I was thinking of doing a periodic review for products I buy and use, or new ones I may get to try. This one's for the new OnDuty 24 Clear formula anti-perspirant...here goes...

I tried it a few days ago and it worked like a charm! I'm not just saying that because I sell Avon...I wear a lot of black and, in the summer, I wear a lot of black tank tops (those of you who know me personally can vouch for this). It dried fairly quick and left absolutely no white marks on my tank at all! Even when I tried it again the next day and didn't let it dry all the way before putting my shirt on.

This is an embarassing thing to admit, but since I had kids and got older, I sweat more too...in fact, I quit using Avon anti-perspirants back when I was a teenager (years before the kids even) because they didn't work well for me. The new formula is amazing in this regard too (I haven't tried any other they've got for years, so I can't vouch for those, but they are coming out with a new SSS Hair-Minimizing anti-perspirant too...maybe I'll test that out too).


This stuff will not only keep your darks dark...it'll keep you dry as a desert! Well worth the 99 cents it costs!

Life just goes and goes and....

Every time I check in to post a blog/read your blogs...it amazes me how long it's been in between. I did finally drop some E last week and will try to pop in with those at least weekly. One day runs into another and the 'to-do' list does too, unfortunately. The pace is more relaxed but there's still so much to do and keep track of.

I took a mini-vaca last weekend to visit my boyfriends grandma and we brought his son back with us for a few days. He would have stayed longer but he had to finish his paperwork to start college this fall and was missing his girlfriend. He and his little brother (my 10 month old) bonded, which was great to see, especially considering the 17-year age difference.

We finally traded in that car of mine for a newer one, so that's been taken care of (did I mention finally?). Also, I postponed my plans for a fall launch in favor of a longer research and testing/development period. I'm aiming for spring, but we'll see how it goes. I wanted the extra time so I didn't have to rush the process...I will not sell an inferior product!

Thanks for those of you who participated in the pre-market survey! It's still on-going for those who haven't and can be found right here!

Gotta get going for now and log some more oDesk hours! Hope the day is going great for all of you!

Final grades are in!

I was looking up my final grades for this session past...an A in Business - awesome! Then I took a look at my Computer Info course grade...a C...let me repeat that...a C!!!

I have been either on the Honor Roll or Dean's List all my life, which I'm very proud of! I don't want to sound like a 'grade snob'...I can handle a C if I had earned a C, but I had actually earned an A and my professor chose to ignore some of my assignments and left them ungraded. Yes, this is the professor I had looked into filing a complaint on because he denied me access to our quizzes. I was finally able to take them, but he didn't include the grades for those and three other assignments, which knocked my grade to a C.

I sent an email to the person I spoke to before about filing a complaint...I'm gonna nip this thing in the bud...pronto! This guy does not need to be a professor and hold another person's future in his (inept) hands!