Book Review: Once Upon a Dream

OnceUponOnce Upon a Dream was a book I thought I would enjoy, a new take on Disney’s Sleeping Beauty.  Unfortunately it was very tough for me to get through and I ended up not finishing it after struggling to get about halfway through.  I had previously read the Aladdin version from this book series and that one was also tough to get through, though I did manage to finish.  I was very excited for this book series but now I’m not sure I will consider reading any others since they are not what I was expecting and hoping them to be.

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

About the Book

What if the sleeping beauty never woke up? Once Upon a Dream marks the second book in a new YA line that reimagines classic Disney stories in surprising new ways.
It should be simple–a dragon defeated, a slumbering princess in a castle, a prince poised to wake her. But when the prince falls asleep as his lips touch the fair maiden’s, it is clear that this fairy tale is far from over.
With a desperate fairy’s last curse controlling her mind, Princess Aurora must escape from a different castle of thorns and navigate a dangerously magical landscape–created from her very own dreams. Aurora isn’t alone–a charming prince is eager to join her quest, and old friends offer their help. But as Maleficent’s agents follow her every move, Aurora struggles to discover who her true allies are and, moreover, who she truly is. Time is running out. Will the sleeping beauty be able to wake herself up?

Throwback Thursday: Backstreet Boys 12/13/07

 

Headliner: Backstreet Boys

Recap:

I have this show marked as “canceled” on my listing of shows, but it really wasn’t canceled.  There was a snow storm and by the time my friend and I would have had to leave to get to the show in time, most of the highways in CT were closed down.  But since BSB was able to make it to the venue, the show went on… without us.  And all of us poor suckers who had to work and didn’t take the day off to get to the show in time, couldn’t even get a refund, despite there being no possible way to get there from where we lived due to there being no roads that it was actually legal to be driving on!

Love With Food Box March

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There’s nothing more real than love – for family, friends, or even just for life itself. And what better way to show love in a very real way than with delicious all-natural snacks! This month, show someone you love how special they are and share these goodies. Then again, there’s nothing wrong with showing yourself a little love and keeping them!

Fruit Snacks by Horizon Organic
Yummy Horizon fruit snacks are a hit with everyone. Certified organic and free artificial colors and preservatives, these make a great snack anytime.

Fruit snacks always seem to be my go-to for the first try in these boxes and these did not disappoint.

Rosemary and Sea Salt Port Clouds by Bacon’s Heir
Whoever says pork skins can’t be fancy has never been lucky enough to taste these addictive snacks. So share the wealth… or you know, just keep them.

Couldn’t get past eating one of these. 🙁

Lemon Wafer Bites by Dolcetto
Be prepared – these cookies are just the right balance of crispy layers and lemon-y goodness to make you wonder where they’ve been all your life

I think these were in a box once before and I enjoyed them then and now!

Original Naan Crisps by Stonefire Flatbreads
Authentically made, fire-baked, and addictively crunchy, these crisps are just begging for your favorite dip.

I think these were in a box before too.  I ate them without dip, but just as good!

Almond Roca Buttercrunch Toffee with Almonds by Brown & Haley
Watch out: This is not a candy for the faint of heart. This is pure almond-y, rich. chocolate. indulgence. You were warned.

These were really good! Two thumbs up

Strawberry Fig Bar by Nature’s Bakery
The search for a tasty snack with no trans fat or artificial stuff is over with this fruity bar that’s just seconds away from blowing your mind.

Shared this one with Mom. She approved.

Pitted Greek Olive Mix by Olympos
Everyone could use a little exotic Mediterranean flavor to spice up your day every once in a while, right? These olives are the answer.

Another one Mom tried. Thought they were too salty.

Peppermint Salt Water Taffy by Salty Road
There aren’t many ways to improve upon this magic combination of sweet and salty, but adding a refreshing hint of peppermint is one of them.

Brother tried this – and like it.

Product Review: 100 Gel Pens

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Recently I had the chance to review a 100 pack of Gel Pens from Artists’ Choice.  They come in a great case so you can keep them all together and it doesn’t take up a ton of room and also there is not any duplicates.  I had previously gotten a set of 60 to review and while there was quite a selection, there were also a lot of duplicates.  This one doesn’t have that – which I found to be both awesome (so many colors to choose from!) and not so great either since I was coloring in a large segment of a scrapbook page (I went on a kick of making my scrapbook pages be coloring book pages too) and needed to use 3 different pens once the first one ran out halfway through.  Fortunately I expected to run out of ink and was doing every other letter so it would look like it was done on purpose – and it only ran out one letter too soon.  See if you can spot it in the future when the page makes it into a scrapbook saturday post (It isn’t done yet so I’m not sure when it will be… but someday!)

All the colors I tried were very vibrant and some even had sparkles in them which is always a plus!  They worked well and I didn’t have to fight them to get the ink to come out and i am looking forward to coloring some more scrapbook pages, writing out setlists and even doing some coloring book pages with them in the future! Definitely check these out if you are looking for some colorful gel pens.

I received a free product in exchange for this review, I was not otherwise compensated.

Music Monday: Javier Colon Gravity

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Close To You
Clear the Air
Giant
Gravity
My Perspective
Say
The Hard Way
For a Reason
It Don’t Matter To The Sun
Walkin’
Never Know
Walking Blind
Hallelujah

JAVIER COLON HARNESSES THE FORCE OF GRAVITY

Acclaimed singer-songwriter-guitarist and The Voice winner to make April 15, 2016 Concord debut with eagerly-awaited new album.

You might remember Javier Colon as the winner of the first season of The Voice. He is a Connecticut native and has just released his fourth album – Gravity.

“Music is powerful,” says Colon.  “It can make you cry, it can make you laugh, it can make you dance, and it can make you feel like you’re not alone.  It can allow you to confront your life, or it can make you forget about life for awhile.  It’s important to me as an artist to try and move people emotionally.  My songs have always come from the heart, and from a place of wanting to move people or make people feel something inside.

I won tickets to see Javier this week (details on that next week) so I figured it would be appropriate to review his new album that came out on the 15th and prepare myself for what I can expect him to sing when I see him.  He has such a beautiful voice and I love just about all the songs on the album but I think if I had to pick a favorite I would go with For a Reason.  There are a handful that I am hoping he will do live – I have my fingers crossed they make it into the setlist.

Book Review: Experiencing the Rolling Stones

RSExperiencing The Rolling Stones is a listeners companion. The book opens with a timeline of the band and gives a background on the era when the albums were released. It also has the key tuning for the songs as well which I thought was pretty neat. It also talks about the styles of the songs.  Overall a pretty cool read and probably a lot more interesting for those who are a fan of the band.

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

About the Book

Experiencing the Rolling Stones: A Listener’s Companion looks at the Stones’ music from the inside out. Throughout Malvinni places individual songs and entire albums within the transformative era of the ‘60s, focusing on how The Rolling Stones integrated African-American R &B, blues, and rock and roll into a uniquely British style. Vignettes attempt to describe what it was like to hear the Stones’ music at the time of its release thread their way through as Malvinni goes beyond the usual stories around their significant songs. Tracing the distinctive sound that run through their catalogue, from chord progressions and open guitar tunings, to polyrhythmic Afro-Caribbean beats, to their timbral innovations using non-traditional instruments, he shows how the Stones retain their identity through the decades.

David Malvinni, musicologist and classical guitarist, is adjunct professor of music and African American studies at Santa Barbara City College and author of The Gypsy Caravan: From Real Roma to Imaginary Gypsies in Western Music and Film, and Grateful Dead and the Art of Rock Improvisation

Book Review: New Kids On The Block’s Hangin’ Tough

nkotbI’m not exactly sure what I was expecting from this book, I think I was hoping for more of an album break down like I have read for some other bands.  I just couldn’t get into this book despite being a NKTOB fan (though not a die hard.)  I do have to say that I didn’t realize how many of the tracks that are in their current sets were actually from the Hangin Tough album.  I was pretty young when this album was released. I do think it is more than just nostalgia for why the songs are still in these sets, years and years later.

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

About the Book

Hangin’ Tough, the second album by the New Kids on the Block, has sold more than seventeen million copies worldwide since it was released in 1988. But the album and the band have also been dismissed, derided and deemed uncool by the music establishment.

Almost thirty years later, the New Kids still perform the songs from Hangin’ Tough. Hundreds of thousands of grown women still flock to their concerts to hear—and go bat-shit crazy for—the songs they first heard when they were teenagers. Is this mere nostalgia or can the science of music help explain the enduring success of Hangin’ Tough? What is it about this album that made it so special? Is the music any good or are there other factors at play too?

Journalist and New Kids fan Rebecca Wallwork sets out to analyze the quality of Hangin’ Tough with the help of music cognition experts, critics, producers and music industry pros. This is not a story about crazy fans, boy bands and truckloads of cheesy merchandise; it is an exploration of a watershed album and moment in pop culture history. It is a glimpse into the brain of not just New Kids fans, but into the minds and hearts of anyone who loves music.

Throwback Thursday: Hanson 12/1/07

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Headliner: Hanson
Opener(s): Standard of Living
Venue: Club Infinity Buffalo, NY
Cost: $28

Setlist:

Great Divide
Been There Before
Can’t Stop
Georgia
Crazy Beautiful
Strong Enough To Break
Go
MMMBop
Being Me
Blue Sky
If Only
Where’s The Love
Penny and Me
Running Man
Hey
Watch Over Me
Lost Without Each Other
Run Run Rudolph
Something Going Round
Joy To The World
Change In My Life (acapella)

Recap: Ah, this show… there was supposed to be a snow storm starting the next morning, so we were going to sleep over in a hotel for a little bit and then head out to beat the snow.  Except that when we left the venue, it had already started! So we left right away, stopping to nap here and there once we got ahead of the snow on the highway.  Probably one of the crazier things I have done for Hanson.  It ended up being the only time I have heard them sing “Joy To The World” (The 3 Dog Night song, not the Christmas carol) as of yet!

Product Review: Beets Blu Heart Rate Monitor

If you’ve been following the blog recently you’ll know I’ve been trying to get healthy.  I have been using my Jawbone Up for almost a year now and have recently started trying to do more walking around the neighborhood, starting small but hopefully working my way up to longer distances and without the assistance of my leg brace.20160406_210950

I had heard that the best way to track how many calories you are burning is by measuring your heart rate, as all the other apps just estimates.  Beets Blu has a heartrate monitor that you can use through an app on your phone and bluetooth, as long as your phone is compatible. (iPhone 4S and later, iPad 3 and later and Android 4.3 and later are all compatible)

At first I had some trouble trying to get the app to see my monitor.  Don’t pair the monitor with your phone like you do other devices, just “search” for it in the app and let it connect.  I also found I needed to be wearing it in order for the app to see it. (And if that didn’t work, try wetting the connectors)

The strap of the device is adjustable, like a belt.  I wrapped it just under my bra and it snaps together.  Then I told the app to start monitoring and went on my walk. After the walk, it gave he the details of what I did – my walk was at 1:33pm for 12 minutes and I burned 94 calories. (Runkeeper said I burned 44 calories)  My average heart rate was 132, 137 5 minutes after the start and 127 5 minutes before I finished.  There’s also a graph displayed to show the bpm.  (And I did go a bit faster than usual to try and get my heart rate up)

I did find after my first use I needed to adjust the strap a little bit more as it did get a bit uncomfortable to wear, but once I did that I hardly even noticed that I was wearing it.  It is super easy to use now that the app can see it and I am looking forward to tracking my activity a lot better with it.

I received a free product in exchange for this honest review.

Crafty To Do List: Make a Stamp

One of the items on my crafty to-do list was to make a stamp.  I ended up making a stamp of sun glasses.  I tried it out last week, with embossing powder (the purple in the picture) and silver ink.  Since I didn’t have an acrylic block that would fit it, the stamping didn’t come out as good as I would have liked, but I think once I can remedy that it will work just as good as my other stamps.

This was made using the Silhouette Cameo with the stamping material and stamping mat.

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