Book Review: Qualifying Times

qualifyingtimesQualifying Times talks about the evolution in Women’s Sports and what certain things were considered a point of change.  Things that don’t seem to be significant now – such as a ponytail and what women wore to play tennis in. (Which now are a bit more provocative than the outfits that originally were considered a “big deal”)  It focuses on items such as a sports bra and the tampon – which were also big deals in the beginning but now just kind of come with the territory.   Certainly an interesting read and it is amazing what things were considered big issues at the time and are now just normal and everyday way of life things.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

This perceptive, lively study explores U.S. women’s sport through historical “points of change”: particular products or trends that dramatically influenced both women’s participation in sport and cultural responses to women athletes.

Beginning with the seemingly innocent ponytail, the subject of the Introduction, scholar Jaime Schultz challenges the reader to look at the historical and sociological significance of now-common items such as sports bras and tampons and ideas such as sex testing and competitive cheerleading. Tennis wear, tampons, and sports bras all facilitated women’s participation in physical culture, while physical educators, the aesthetic fitness movement, and Title IX encouraged women to challenge (or confront) policy, financial, and cultural obstacles.

While some of these points of change increased women’s physical freedom and sporting participation, they also posed challenges. Tampons encouraged menstrual shame, sex testing (a tool never used with male athletes) perpetuated narrowly-defined cultural norms of femininity, and the late-twentieth-century aesthetic fitness movement fed into an unrealistic beauty ideal.

Ultimately, Schultz finds that U.S. women’s sport has progressed significantly but ambivalently. Although participation in sports is no longer uncommon for girls and women, Schultz argues that these “points of change” have contributed to a complex matrix of gender differentiation that marks the female athletic body as different than–as less than–the male body, despite the advantages it may confer.

Jaime Schultz is an assistant professor of kinesiology and women’s studies at Penn State University.

Book Review: Naughties From The Net #1

naughtiesNaughties From The Net is a compilation of one liners and other funny stories. It is broken up in to categories – Kids, Older People, Call Center, Wives, Religion, Holidays, Golf, Marriage, Southern Folk, Blondes, Politics, Law Enforcement, Not Right, Occupations and finally Miscellaneous.

This is a really quick (and funny!) read, coming in at only 45 pages.  A few of the stories I had seen before on the ‘net but many were new to me and the book sure did give me a good laugh.

 

About the Book

Tickle your funny bone, wet your pants, chuckle, snort, giggle, guffaw, crack up, whatever. Don’t stop. Naughties from the Net™ #1 pokes fun at us all.
Here are a few examples:

A wife comes home late and quietly opens her bedroom door.

She sees four legs under the blanket instead of two; so she
grabs a baseball bat and starts hitting the bed as hard as she can.

Once she’s done, she goes to the kitchen to have a drink.
As she enters, she sees her husband there reading a magazine.

“Hi Darling,” he says, “Your parents have come to visit us,
so l let them stay in our bedroom. Did you say ‘hello’?”

and…

A panicked old woman called 911 saying,
“My car stereo, steering wheel, brake pedal and the accelerator are gone!”

The dispatcher said, “Stay calm. An officer is on the way.”

A few minutes later, the officer radios in.
“Disregard.” He says, “She got in the back-seat by mistake.”

Product Review: Easter Fools Costume Accesories

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

I had big plans for playing around with these costume accessories but then Mother Nature had even bigger plans so all the parties I had intended on going to to try and get some awesome photos during ended up canceled or postponed multiple times (and still no new date in the works!) So unfortunately you will have to settle for some selfies and nothing near what I had planned out in my head for this post. (darn!)
I received 4 products from PrivateIslandParty.com  Two headbands (angel and devil), a funny nose and glasses (this is a CLASSIC!) and of course, everyone’s favorite, a whoopee cushion.  I don’t care how old you are – whoopee cushions are funny. (And even more funny, I have found, if you have a young child just learning about one while you are at a party.
LED Angel Wing Headband 1877

Emphasize your angelical size with a cute angel wing headband. Its soft, shiny wings are decorated with white feathers and tiny silver strings. They light up with LEDs! One size fits most.
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This is probably my favorite of the 4 items! It has a battery pack and once you pull the tab out you can flip it “on” and it blinks with LED lights. Really cool!  I also have a giant head and this headband fit me with no problem and was super comfortable to wear for an extended period of time – I forgot I even had it on at one point.
Light Up Devil Horns 1682
Bwahahaha! Get yer devil on with these good-to-go Glowing LED Lightup Red Devil Horns. This light up devil horns headpiece is a great accessory for any adult or child’s costume, or as a fun prize for party games. Easy to turn on and off. Batteries included. Unisex. One size fits most.
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The Devil Horns are another fun one.  These are a bit tight on my head though which made me not want to keep them on for very long.  This headband also has a battery pack and if you pull the tab and flip the switch to “on” they flash.
Funny Nose and Glasses 1631
One of the classic gag gifts. Funny Nose and Glasses – Very funny plastic disguise classic. Great for any party where you will look exactly like Groucho Marx!

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The description says you’ll look like Groucho Marks and that is exactly what I said when I put them on and saw myself.  We actually have a groucho statue in the house, I should have grabbed a photo with it for comparison!  These are just a classic party favor. Once your get over the plastic smell basically right up your nose, you’ll be good to go for the whole party. (Or pass them around and laugh at everyone!)
Whoopee Cushion 1646
A favorite prank. Simply inflate and wait for the laughs to begin. Place on a chair and wait for an unsuspecting victim to sit down. When sat upon the whoopee cushion will force air through a narrow opening causing it vibrate and make a sound.
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And finally, the whoopee cushion.  There is just nothing like it, does it really need a review? Easily crack everyone up at every party. Tons of fun and tons of laughs!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

 

 

 

 

Book Review: Brazilian Bracelets

brazilianI’ve always loved making bracelets from strings. I’ve been taught several techniques over the years and have had several kits. (One is MIA or I’d have tried some of the designs in this book as I was reading along!)  Brazilian Bracelets is a short book, only 64 pages, that teaches you several techniques for different kind of bracelets.  It starts off with 2 ways to create the end of the bracelet – either just a simple knot or with something more complex so you can have a hoop to fit the knot on the other end in.  Some of these are new designs I have never seen or tried before (which is why I really, really wanted to find my bracelet floss. Such a bummer!) and others I have tried out or at least seen at camp, etc. before.  (in 5th grade making these were the big thing during recess)

If you have a young, crafty child I would recommend this book. The instructions seem to be easy to follow and there are a lot of photos as well so you can make sure that you are doing things right!  And some of the final products look really amazing!  Some even have directions for adding beads to them and there are also instructions on how to do hair wraps as some of the bracelet designs are very similar.

I received a free e-copy of this book from NetGalley in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

If you love making meaningful gifts for friends or just desire a stylish accessory that doesn’t break the bank, this book is a must-have. Instructions for making Brazilian bracelets of various shapes and sizes are included, decorated with crosses, zigzags, diamonds, dots, and even fish, and adorned with beads and charms. In all, there are more than twenty projects and seventy-five different variations of bracelets, hair braids, and wraps shown, with step-by-step instructions. Intricate drawings, photos, and suggested color combinations guide you through the process. From quick and simple braids to more intensive and elaborate crisscross wraps, you may choose a creative path to follow or just let your imagination take over. Alter the suggested designs in order to make key chains, napkin rings, eyeglass straps, or even belt loops. Children and adults will enjoy creating new, exciting, and sometimes unexpected items. The necessary materials are inexpensive and easy to find.

 

Product Review: Whiplash Eyelash Curler

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

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I’m not one to wear makeup often, but I have found that simply putting on mascara can make a huge difference to my appearance. Once I heard about the Whiplash Eyelash Curler, I was curious to see how much of a difference that would make – with or without mascara.  At first once it arrived I was a bit hesitant because my mom said “be careful with that thing, you can pull out all your eyelashes” which was certainly NOT what I wanted to do.  Once I got over her warning – I tried out the curler and it could not be easier. (And I did not pull out even a single eye lash so there is no cause for concern!)

If you wear fake lashes – consider them a thing of the past. If you’re using them to try and achieve dramatic, fully curled lashes that last all day long – don’t!  The Whiplash Eyelash Curler will make your lashes look fuller and longer without dealing with glue and the mess that comes along with fake lashes.  The CEO and Founder of Crave Naturals was looking for the perfect curler after using so many curlers – and eventually came up with Whiplash.

Here you can see the before and after of using the curler. It is recommended to hold it for 5-10 seconds, I did it more on the 5 second side because I was still a little bit nervous about how it would turn out.  The curling lasted all day, without a problem.

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Some of the features you will adore when using Whiplash include:
100% Pinch Free
No more pinches, flinches and goosebumps from curling your lashes. Curling your eyelashes should never been painful.

Ergonomic Handle
Provides for full control and ease of use.

80%Increase in Curl
Lashes will make your eyes pop and stand out.

Closure Latch
perfect for travelling and storage in your favorite makeup bag.

Advanced Top Bar Design
fit all eye shapes and sizes, so no lashes get left behind.

Money Back Guarantee
We are so certain you will love your Whiplash, we offer a Money Back Guarantee If Not Satisfied.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Book Review: Unintentional Virgin

virgin

Unintentional Virgin tells the story of Karma Points (Yes, that’s really her name) who is about to turn 20 years old and decides that is about time that she loses her virginity. For whatever reason every time she thought things were going to happen for her in the past, something would happen to cause nothing to happen between her and the guy and she’s had enough!  Her good friend Eva decides that the two of them will go to a club and she can pick up a guy for a one night stand.  She ends up talking to a few guys and ends up going home with the bouncer, Jax.  Jax knows that she is looking for a one night stand, but once he finds out that she is going to lose his virginity to him – essentially a stranger – he can’t follow through with it.  Thinking she is defeated once again, they make a deal. She will spend three weeks dating him and then at the end of the three weeks if she still wants to have sex with him, they’ll do it.

She had told him while drunk that having a one night stand was on her bucket list and that is why she wanted to do it.  When they start dating, Jax asks her to bring her bucket list – except she doesn’t really have one.  Her Dad tells her to make one quickly while her Dad’s partner Matt tells her to just print something off the internet because they are all over the place if you just Google.  So she decides to print something without looking at it – other than to add “HAVE SEX” as #1 on the list.  This leads to a few interesting dates – where Karma ends up terrified because things like “give blood” and “go bungee jumping” end up on the list!

While probably not a typical love story by any means (what guy would actually say no I won’t have sex with you – we need to date 3 weeks first!? Jax is a keeper…) it was a cute story and I enjoyed reading it to see what would end up happening at the end of the three weeks – would it be all that she had thought it would end up being like? Would they stay together after the three weeks even though that wasn’t the deal? (But the two seem to be falling or each other?)

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review.  I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

*Mature teens due to sexual content and language.

Karma Points is cursed. Cursed with a stupid name and the inability to lose her virginity. She’s determined to lose her virginity before she turns twenty if it’s the last thing she does.

One night, her good friend Eva brings her to an underground club where Karma meets a tattooed bouncer. He’s far from the clean-cut type she normally falls for, which makes her think this might finally be the night she crosses the threshold of womanhood.

Excited, she goes home with the bouncer named Jax and as always, her dreams crash down once again. Jax cannot believe she is willing to give away her virginity to a stranger she met at a club. As the only son with five sisters and a widowed mom, he can’t morally go through with it, even though he’s never been more tempted in his life.

Unwilling to let her walk away he strikes a deal. Karma has to spend three weeks dating him and then decide if she wants to have sex or walk away.

Book Review: #1 Hit and Run

hitandrunHit and Run is the first book in the Mike and Riel Mystery Series.  I guess I should have looked at that title and figured out what may end up happening in the book but that thought didn’t cross my mind until I was finished.  When the book first starts we meet 11 year old Mike.  He lives with his mom and every now and then his Uncle that his mother helped raise shows up as well.  That is until Mike’s Mom is hit by a car and killed. Uncle Billy, 10 years older than Mike, becomes his guardian.

Things seem to be going alright, until Mike starts getting in trouble at school because his History teacher sent him home to retrieve a paper and Mike decided to just take the rest of the afternoon off from school. Turns out that Mike’s history teacher used to be a cop and was the one on the case of his Mom’s death.  When Mike starts asking questions, things start happening… Mr Riel realizes that one of Mike’s Mom’s friends wasn’t questioned about seeing her the night of her death.  He tells Mike that he will have a cop look in to things, but Mike talks to her himself and gets a  clue he can’t quite figure out.  When Mike and Mr. Riel show up later, it seems like the woman has had a stroke and she ends up dying.

Thinking they are at a dead end, Mike again talks things through with Mr. Riel and ends up coming home to tell Uncle Billy about his thoughts.  Uncle Billy asks for Mike to stop asking questions and admits that he may have had something to do with the car that hit his mom disappearing after it was stolen.  Mike doesn’t want to tell anyone about this because his Uncle asked him to stop looking for answers – but when Uncle Billy shows up dead of an apparent suicide, he tells the cops all he knows.

Was his Mom’s death an accident or was it a hit and  run?  Who was responsible?  Mike and Mr. Riel try to see if they can figure it out.

I love a good mystery and I have to say that this book did keep me guessing at who really did it.  I had some sinking suspicions that kind of sort of ended up being right but for the most part I was as blindsided as Mike was once he pieced everything together.  As this is a Young Adult book it was a relatively quick read and an easy read – with a lot of other sub plots going on with Mike and his friends at school and his girlfriend as well.

Definitely recommended for a Young Adult who loves Mystery.  I am looking forward to hopefully checking out some more books in this series.

I received a free e-copy in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

Fifteen-year-old Mike McGill has lived with his Uncle Billy since his mother’s death. Only ten years older than Mike, Billy loves to party, and he doesn’t pay much attention when Mike starts getting in trouble. But nothing gets by Mike’s history teacher, an ex-cop named Riel—especially not long-hidden information about Mike’s mother. Her death might not have been an accident after all!

Love with Food – February Box

 

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Another month, another Love with Food box.  Each month I get a box of snacks and for every box sold, a meal is donated to a food bank such as the Feeding America Network and Share Our Strength – No Kid Hungry.
If you’d like to sign up – please consider using my affiliate link – https://lovewithfood.com/?ref=ADW

Snack Olives by Mario Camacho
I am not an olive fan – so I had my Mom try these. She approved, though thought there was a bit too much garlic.
Dark Chocolate Crepe Dentelle by Gavottes
Two thumbs up on anything with chocolate.

Restaurant Style White Bean Chip by Beanitos
These I wanted to try w/ salsa or queso and then when I was finally ready to eat them they were gone! Mom ate them because I took to long to.. and said they were good.
Dark Chocolate Covered Blueberries by Emily’s Chocolate
Mom snagged these as well and enjoyed them.

Honey Graham Sticks by Back to Nature
Dad got these as he is our resident Honey Graham eater (and picky at that) but enjoyed them.

PureNotes Dark “Chocolatey” by TCHO
Chocolate is always good… no complaints here
“Mokaccino” SeriousMilk Chocolate + Blue Bottle Coffee by TCHO
Did not try this
Chocolate Chip Biscotti by Biscotti di Suzy
Two thumbs up on the biscotti as well.

 

Book Review: Knit Your Own Zoo

knitKnit Your Own Zoo includes easy-to-follow patterns for 24 animals – including Armadillos, Wolf, Seals, Koalas, Meerkats, Pandas and a Kangaroo and a Joey.  It also includes some hints and methods as well to help you along.  Each animal has step by step patterns for each of the body parts as well as images of them throughout the process so you can make sure that yours looks how it should!  These are all adorable and I’d love to take up knitting – if only I didn’t have a gigantic craft to do list already (and no time for half of it as it is!)

But if you are a knitter you can easily make some wonderfully exotic animals – your own zoo.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

From the authors of the beloved and best-selling Knit Your Own Dog, Knit Your Own Cat, and Knit Your Own Dog: The Second Litter comes Knit Your Own Zoo! With easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for 24 animals, it’s an irresistible guide to knitting a single exotic pet or an entire stuffed menagerie.

 

What could be better than a cuddly koala or a long-necked giraffe to call your own? Knit Your Own Zoo includes patterns for both, as well as a tiger, crocodile, penguin, meerkat, elephant, giraffe, panda, a kangaroo and her joey, and 14 other delightful creatures. The animals are surprisingly easy to make; with a few evenings of work, you can have a covetable companion for life. Given a week, you could be charging admission to your own nature park!

 

Along with the knitting patterns, Sally and Joanna also include brief descriptions of the various species and offer tips and advice on sewing up and embellishing the animals.

 

And, of course, these knitted animals are much easier to look after than the real things—they don’t eat, won’t make a mess, and are legal to keep in your home.

 

Book Review: Book Lovers

bookloversBook Lovers is a collection of short stories for those who are sick of the cliched love scene. All the stories are just a few pages long – which means that it gets right to the good stuff – but yet is still erotic literature with substance! The stories are all written by other book lovers so they know what they (and others like them) are looking for and they know how to write it. There are all different types of stories in the book and I am sure that you will have no problem finding many that you enjoy. (If not all of them.) I was certainly getting to a point where I was getting bored with a lot of the typical romance and erotic fiction I’ve been reading lately. It’s all the same, it’s long and drawn out.  Book Lovers is a breath of fresh air.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

Forget poorly written prose and clichéd love scenes: Book Lovers answers the call for erotic literature with substance. This collection of toe-curling tales is written by and for word-worshippers, and the well-crafted fiction and creative nonfiction all connect literature to libido. From Hemingwayesque descriptions of a lover’s body to an imaginary ménage à trois with Henry Miller and Anaïs Nin, the book spans all literary fantasies.

Whether they’re conjuring Junot Díaz between the sheets or dreaming of a modern-day enactment of Wuthering Heights—this time refusing Edgar in favor of lusty, bodice-ripping nights with Heathcliff—the contributors of Book Lovers share satisfying erotica (finally!) for readers who like to engage both brain and body.

With contributions from Izabella St. James, Slash Coleman, Trina Calderon, Cara Bruce, Stephanie Auteri, and more.

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