My song of the day (Jan 13, 2011): My past Song of The Day's If you love me (Really Love Me) by Edith Piaf. I didn't watch the movie 'La vie en rose'. But, I guess this story was told in the movie. The song was written for her lover. She sang this song for the first time in 1949 in New York. Next month, her lover took a plane ride from France to New York to be with her and got killed in the crash. She released this song several months later. I like this song a lot.
Songs like this remind me I need to hurry up and find true love :(
Kay Starr's version (English). Starr is 89 years old, still alive.
Esther Phillips' version
Brenda Lee's version - Brenda is still alive, only 67 years old. She was super young when she was popular. When she tourd UK in the 1960's an unknown band, The Beatles, was her opening act. A legend right here.
This is my Twitter feed.
ILoveCostco.com is a place for Costco Shoppers or anyone who enjoys shopping. You don't have to be a Costco member to join this website.
Costco is for everyone - Even if you live alone like me, Costco will help you elevate your life-style so you can enjoy more while spending same amount of money.
The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission has issued a safety recall notice for insulated lunch boxes with freezer gel packs from California Innovations Inc., of Toronto, Canada. The gel packs contain diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol which can leak out of damaged freezer gel packs, posing a poisoning hazard if ingested by children or adults.
Consumers may also return the lunch box set to Costco for a full refund or may receive a $5 cash refund for the gel pack only by contacting California Innovations (toll-free: 800-722-2545 e-mail: ci-recall 'at' ca-innovations.com).
Same old story, but always fun to read Click for a complete Costco Story
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If you've brought home 24 rolls of paper towels, 18 Thomas English muffins and a twin-pack of Cheerios, chances are you've just shopped at a warehouse store.
Did you give in to a splurge item too, perhaps an Izod shirt, a just-released book or a $99 Memory Foam chair?
That's part of the temptation and the treasure hunt-like feel of shopping in the warehouse clubs, known for no-frills bulk bargains.
REOPENING - TAMASAKAI, JAPAN - FEBRUARY 24, 2012 KOBE SEISHIN, JAPAN - FEBRUARY 25, 2012 RELOCATION - ANCASTER, ON, CANADA - MARCH 8, 2012 HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA, USA - MAY 3, 2012 CHICAGO (SOUTH LOOP), IL, USA - JUNE 2012 CORALVILLE, IA, USA - JUNE 2012 PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP, MI, USA - JULY 2012
Someone I met from an online dating site 3 years ago contacted me the other day. he wanted to know if I remembered him; still single; and if I wanted to go on a date this Saturday.
Hmmm.... I was hesitant: 1) It's been 3 years; 2) I can't remember if we ended it on good or bad terms; 3) he's asking me over texts; 4) what's the rush?? 5) I don't know if I'm ready to date again.
Through the support of my friends and some logic I said yes. There wasn't anything better to do on Saturday night and might as well have some fun. I was also curious why he wanted to see me again.
Three years ago he told me that I was too wild for him. He still wanted to meet and we went to a movie. He kept in touch over the phone and e-mails but I discontinued after I met someone. I just couldn't remember if I just stop responding or if I told him off.
Nevertheless, I was nervous. It has been years since I went on a date. The most nervewrecking thing is he wanted to have dinner before the show. My mind blanked out on conversational topics. I thought of past first dates and couldn't remember a time when I was this nervous. And, at this age... I have to really make an effort to look good. I mean coloring the hair, tons of foundation and a tad baggy clothes. Ugh... I have nothing "date-worthy" to wear! We spent hours conversing and emailing but I vaguely remember the man. YIKES!
I arrived at the restaurant first because he got lost. So, now i have to wait to find out what he looks like. Every car that passed by I jumped. Finally, he called me to tell me he was at the opposite end of the restaurant. I've been jumping for nothing.
So, there he was... looked completely different from what I remembered. He is much thinner and now he sports a beard. The first thing he did that surprised me was that he pulled me a chair. Boy, I only remember of waiters doing that for me! Then he told me to splurge on dinner. And, he never failed opening a door for me. When we went to the show, he made sure I was comfortable and that I was able to see the stage.
He was as funny as I remembered him. He was very smart with his comments and observations and weren't afraid to state his vulnerabilities, such as not getting the jokes from the play or that the play wasn't to his liking. He made moves to show me that he's attracted to me and he followed me out of the parking lot after he dropped me off to my car. Then, he texted me to make sure I arrived home okay. The whole night I felt very special and dream-state like. Did I just score a jackpot tonight or what??? As many dates as I've gone... he's the only one who has made it through every mark. I know I'm being trivial with all of these acts of chilvary and I've learned to ease up but I must give credit where credit is due. I dont know if he had a lot of practice or his parents taught him well but I like it! He...he..he..
Other than the chilvary, I admire him for getting back to me. I may not be the first and only he tried to reconnect with, but i had made that impression. I'm quite flattered because he's super selective. I also liked it that he's very smart without flaunting it. He remembered a lot from our conversations 3 years ago that I had to ask if he had kept notes. He has money but he lives very simply. And, surprisingly (this i didn't find out 3 years ago) is that we had a lot in common.
So, today is the day after. I'm sort-of waiting for him to call. It's silly but I'm intrigued to find out more about him. He can get a 2nd date with me if he wanted to where I intend to find out about his goals about "us" seeing each other and what not.
He called our date "hanging out" without expectations. And, our reconnecting as being "friends". Honestly, at this stage in my life there is no such thing with a man. I want more plus he made innuendos. So, the 3rd date would depend on his answer on this topic. You don't just contact someone out of the blue after 3 years on a full date without some type of a plan in mind. And, I do not want to continue going on dates with man who's still playing the field... no matter how much I liked him or how chilvarious he is. I admit, I will be sad if the second date turns out to be a disappointment because of it. But, then again... there might not be a second date.
I bought a Vitamix blender (5200) and I feel very positive about it. Vitamix is a heavy duty blender that will crush and liquefy the entire fruit (seeds, skin, and all).
I've been checking Costco.com but they only had complete packages for $649.99 each.
Costco now carries cheaper model, 5200c at warehouse (not online). This is Costco only model, they are $379.99 each. Their cookbook is not included in this box. But a $50.00 coupon to buy the cookbook ($50) is included.
Finally, yesterday I went to Costco to pick up a Vitamix blender. And I saw a Vitamix roadshow going on there (son of a gun). The pitchman gave me a good overview of the machine. And a fellow shopper convinced me to drop Costco model (5200c) and buy their regular model at $15.00 more. So, I bought their regular model 5200 for $394.99. A cook book and a CD are included in this unit. This unit sells for $449.99 at Vitamix's official website and elsewhere.
I am happy with my purchase. I saved $55.00 plus $25.00 shipping on Vitamix 5200 standard, thanks to Vitamix roadshow at my Costco warehouse.
I wanted a Vitamix blender for some time. I've been making juice every weekday for last 4-5 years. That's roughly 1200 days of juicing, 2 juices a day, totallying 2400 juices. But, all this time there was something that didn't make sense to me. I throw out a lot of pulp every morning. I thought, if anything, I should be eating the pulp and throw out the juice. My common sense told me that pulp must have more nutritional value than the juice.
With Vinamix, there is no pulp to throw out. Pulp will get crushed & get liquefied. So, from this point, I will buy 60%, maybe 75% less fruits and vegetables then I used to. I will no longer buy 25 Pound bags of carrots. I figured the machine will pay for itself in 1 year or less. So, if you have a family of more than one and juice every day? You must buy Vitamix for sake of saving money.
But, money aside, I believe Vitamix is much healthier than juicing.
PS: Yes, I (briefly) thought about taking my 3 years old juicer back to Costco for a refund. That will make my Vitamix $294.99. But I decided not to do that. :)
Vitamix 5200c Vs 5200 Costco model, 5200c, is the best price you can pay for Vitamix Blender. It has the same powerful motor. It will work just as same as any other Vitamix Blenders. The only difference is that it comes with smaller container. And it has different finish on switches. In fact, it *almost* makes me to think maybe 5200c are older models that they are trying to get rid of.
Have you seen this commercial? It's a dating website for people over 50.
So, what's up with that annoying, new generation, teenybopper love song in the background?? Did they really think old folks would associate themselves with crap like that? I am offended as an old person.
The audio and video don't match. Don't you see?
Check this out. For over 50, you need to play this song. Whoever put that cow bell there was a stroke of genius.
If you don't remember Kathleen Edward, please watch this video. If you want to know more about this story, watch more videos on this page. (click "read more" below)
Aaaahhh... finally I am off the Flu and will resume to normal life! It has been a week plus of whirlwind pain and suffering of unable to get out of the house, eating bland foods, taking medications, and inability to sleep.
I wasn't sure what I had but at one point I had 103F fever that lasted for 2 days. I had such a hard time getting up that my family feared I had gone to fever coma. I had to take so many meds (because nothing worked) that I started to hallucinate. In fact, I started to have a fever on top of a fever. It was sooo crazy! When it finally went away, I woke up without my voice for about 3-4 days. During this time I begin to appreciate the strength of vocal box and the wonderful invention of ipad and texting. I also learnt how others react learning about my disability - from people at the store, at work, close friends/fam.
I went to the docs and still not sure what I had other than the flu and laryngitis. I went there asking for a super strong cough medicine that will knock me out with a hint of codeine and super strong expectorant in there. I basically just ask the doc to prescribe me a cocktail of super strong drugs. And super strong drug I got. I was finally able to sleep even though I was in pain.
Other noticeable things while I was sick: how bad the air is. My lungs were so sensitive to the slightest dust and it is pretty dusty out there!
And, that our processed foods are way too salty and sugary. I'm not fond of sugary stuff and will eat certain ones I think are less sugar. Well, big surprised... too sugary! I tried eating some of my other fave foods... waaaay too salty! Ugh that limited my choices to very very bland foods.
Nevertheless after the illness dissipating I immediately ordered a big feast to go from Lucille's. Life is too short to play it safe. Hahahaha!
So, now I am a lot healthier. I'm still coughing, expelling phlegm and have to occassionaly blow my nose. But I can breathe the bad air and swallow the yucky processed foods without problems. And, to me... that's healthly!
I'm ready to begin 2012 (I completely missed the new year). And, I see a Costco trip in the near future.... (today or tomorrow)!
Costco (Nasdaq: COST ) has proven its worth in 2011, that's for sure. Not only has it shamed rivals such as Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT ) with incredible sales increases, its shares have been on the upswing, too, having risen about 16% in the past year. Still, some investors may be wondering whether they should buy, sell, or hold Costco while the going's still good.
I'm Bleufacez... a name that was picked off an ocean fish from a tropical country. Normally, I go by Sandra. I ran into this website by accident because I was looking for information on the Coach's Oats oatmeal. I fell in love reading John's blog and when I look around my house I see that it is covered in Costco's products. So, I decided to contribute as a regular blogger, especially since I'd buy girly-like stuff that I know John wouldn't normally buy. It is also nice to blog here because John has all the categories of all the things I'd write about like Money and Single Living. After a few blogs, I figured I should write something "About Me" to introduce myself.
I'm 30-something single hardworking woman and I purchased my first home last year in the sunny side of California. My house is located in the suburbs complete with farms, cows and flies. At night, I'm being lullibied by cows and in the summer flies are my regular guests. But, the view of the farm is hard to beat. And, other than the occassional cows stuck in the middle of the road... there's hardly any traffic here. That's a luxury thing to say about Southern California.
Living off in a farm, we don't get a lot of access to shops, including grocery stores. I traded my option for disney annual membership for Costco's because it's the "adult" version of Disney. For $50/year that includes free parking... that's pretty hard to beat. I love Costco because it has non necessary products that are not sold in regular stores. They also sell things in bulk for a tad cheaper. This helps when the nearest store is 10 miles away from home.
After the house, I became obsessed with living frugally and so I spend my free time finding ways for DIY projects using items readily available. I love reading DIY, eco friendly and frugal living blogs. And, of course.. Costco blogs.
And, of all the blogs I've read I feel that I, too have much to say. So, I hope that some of the people who come here would enjoy the things I've written.
I've been sick for the past 3 days. I woke up with what feels like a grapefruit of a tonsil in my throat on Thursday at around 3 AM. I tried different remedies to put me back to sleep only to wake up with super bad headaches, even bigger tonsil that made me hold my tongue up as I speak and a fever. I immediately called my friend to cancel her 50th birthday party that I was hosting on Friday. I offered to lend her my house (she lives at a small trailer park) while I holed up across the street at my sister's. She declined and suggested we'll have one in January.
I feel bad but I spent the day in bed with some strong medication, hot water, and my loyal dog, Bori. I was awaken on/off. I managed to be somewhat productive with some home projects (right now I'm obsessed about wine bottles and converting old laptop into a framed art decor) and babysitting my nephew. My parents who live with my youngest sister and her fam accross the street kept coming by to deliver some food and love. And, I felt soo much better I feel like I could host a party.
At about 10:30 PM I received a hysterical phone call from my oldest sister while she was at work whose child has been picked up by the Child Protective Services because her husband took him to work (and I just finished babysitting him a few hours before). I was confused, shock, and not sure what to do. To make a long story short... as it turned out her husband had taken their almost 10-yr old child to work because there was no one to babysit him (I was sick) and he stayed in the car to play some games. They were parked outside the store when around 8:30 PM a customer who was a social worker with high ranking saw my nephew alone in the car. She striked up some convo but failed and decided to call the cops as abandoned and neglected child. All the while my brother in law was clueless... came outside and with some short questionings got arrested. They both got hauled in separate black mariahs: one to jail and the other to the children shelter.
The whole thing was a big misunderstanding because my nephew is genetically small... as per DMV it is okay to leave a child over 6 yrs old alone in a car. Further he was parked a few feet from the store, he has a cellphone, the doors were unlocked and it was within curvew. It took a lot of heart wrenching efforts but we got our nephew back. The poor thing was so confused and scared to be taken by police in a strange building with strange people, asked deep questions and poked and prodded by a doctor in the most unusual parts of his body. Imagine... the poor boy has a hard time getting a haircut and he had to endure all that. So he cried and begged to come home and after CPS did a home visit evaulation of my sister's house, they finally let him go. Of course, not before we had to bail my bro in law from jail, getting my sister all hysterical at the social services, us not sleeping and all sorts of chaos.
At the end... I told my friend, it was a sign that I was forced to cancel our party the day before as this happens. And, glad that she refused to proceed with the party anyway. With all that drama, I was in no shape or form to host. In fact, halfway through the day I almost passed out.
Today... everything is quiet, except after yesterday's bruhahaha... I'm sicker than a dog. My body is in pain, my throat is on fire, and I dont want to move. I've spent most of today reading other people's blogs, evaluated whether I should continue with home projects that will require me to go outside and shop, or maybe I could catch up on some magazine and comic books reading, or just at least take the dog out while the sun is still out. Whatever I decide to do... it has to be quick, not too energetic and close to home.
I cannot believe that 2012 is almost here. I feel that with the world's economic status, I flew through 2011 with lots of anxiety with no end in sight. I had to make many small changes in order to be financially fit and some are quite radical for me but necessary. Let me share some of the changes I've made:
Negotiate everything! I negotiated my mortgage down to $40/mo increase from $90/mo. I also negotiated my level pay plan for electric and gas to $5/mo less (each).
Carpool. I carpool about 3-4 days per week. With 2.5 gallons per day, this method saves me about $150 to $200 per month at the pump and toll roads.
Use natural/organic stuff. These items do cost more but the differences by using more natural products are worth the costs and consequently, it saves us money because they are more healthy, last longer, and more effective/efficient. For example: oil is naturally more concentrated and dense so I only needed to moisturize my face once vs. 4-5x per day.
Learn DIY projects for home improvement. This was my first house and I was overwhelmed that a new house requires some attention. I was ignorant to home care and because I needed to save money I was forced to learn to do many things DIY-ish. This past year I successfully installed 2 doggie doors, hung curtains, drilled many holes beautifully, unclogged drain, rid of pests, and re-wired electrical panel for internet connection. I amazed my sister who is a home-owner of 15 years because she's advantaged to be able to rely on her husband for many things. I joked that before I date any man I'll put him to the test on whether he can hung a curtain as this project is way more difficult and time consuming and can easily be undermined.
Mix my own cleaning products. I find that cleaning products can easily be broken down by 2 chemical compounds: base and acid. Use one or the other more heavily to offset or a combo of both for super tough jobs. Also, don't forget the significant of rubbing alcohol. It is used to clean wounds which means also great for cleaning other things, including mold. My puppy was soiling the carpet lots and through many cleanings, it started to grow mold. Alcohol was my savior... it's a natural disinfectant and it dries up quick. This was my secret to mold killing.
Invest... invest... invest. The market is volatile right now but do invest in strong companies with reasonable dividends. The advantage is that the stocks are now quite affordable. I have made more money in a year through investing than I had been years in savings. I invest conservatively and I learned from veteran investors... these are the quiet people who are happy to be your secretary or delivery man. They enjoy their drama-free jobs and made money elsewhere with very little energy. If you don't have access to such people, the Motley Fool website is a great resource.
Maintain the car. I overwork my car... there's no excuse for not caring it. I also learn to DIY minor fixes, such as changing light bulbs, windshield wiper, etc.
Conserve energy. Changing to CFL lights, unplugging unused major appliances, and getting rid of unused items.
I also do little things like cooking vs eating out, buying less clothes and shoes. I trained my dog on my own and found ways to be creative at gifting time. I learned to sell a lot of items and finding savings when buying. I am surprised at how much people spend and my friends are surprised that living modestly I am still in need to find more ways to save money.
Times are tough and money is tight. The expenses are overwhelming and costs are rising. I made a lot of radical changes and switching my perspective about money. I admire those who can live quite modestly and happy. Before the house I was able to live more than comfortable and I didn't want anything because everything was within reach. Now, I want more stuff and I have to work hard to get it. This somehow gives me a new sense of purpose, goals and challenges and motivation to do better. In a way... this has made me a better person as I have more appreciation to those who skimp and save.
I continue to look for ideas and suggestions to save so feel free to share your thoughts and experiences.
May you all continue to live richly and prosperously with loving friends and family in 2012!
I recently found out about the Costco Auto program through the news. Funny that being a Costco members for years, no one in our family is aware of this incentive. And, their fliers are posted all over the customer service areas.
Anyhow, I am in the market for a new car as my 5-yr European car is starting to be more of a burden than an enjoyment and my 80-mi roundtrip to work drive is burning a hole in my pocket at the gas pump. So, I decided to give this auto program a try.
My experience was very disappointing because it doesn't give you options of which nearest participating dealership to associate with. It just automatically sends your info to a dealership who will contact you. The dealer contacted me on the same day. We made some exchanges via emails and once over the phone. I was very specific on the car I wanted including all of the options. I also asked the salesperson about the comparison between 2 of very specific cars. The lady didn't answer some of my questions over the emails. She also didn't provide me with a price. I stopped exchanging contacts. Then she called me. I re-iterated everything I stated over the emails and demanded her to give me a quote. She refused.
First refusal was because she didn't know which cars I wanted. So, I restated all of the specifics. I said Hybrid with Leather and no Nav - quote. And, Civic EX-L with no nav and no other options. - Quote. (Honestly... how many versions of Honda Civic /Hybrid can there be???)
Second refusal was because she needs to verify my Costco membership. I told her I'll be glad to give her all of my Costco details. This shouldn't be a deterrent of giving me a price over the phone. I told her that if the price was attractive enough to begin with... you might just get me off the couch.
Third refusal was because she said prices changes daily like the stock market.
(Uh.. seriously??? How much changes are we talking about? double digits? triple digits? that you can't quote me a price????? If pricing was so unstable how are you doing on the internet sales???)
So then it ended. I terminated all contact. I refused to deal with people who expect you to come in and negotiate on what's supposed to be a "fixed" and "pre-negotiated" price through a partnership auto program. I submitted my negative review to Costco and never looked back.
So, here I am writing this review only because I tried a different auto buying program through AAA. I also started digging around on different experiences with auto buying programs through the web. Many expressed mixed feelings and similar experiences with the Costco program.
However, when I used the AAA - it was very clear cut. It outlined all of the incentives and what I will be paying for an exact car at 3 different dealerships in my surrounding areas PRIOR to me submitting my personal information. Further, AAA allows you to make the initial contact to the dealer vs. AAA chose the dealership for you and made them contact you first. I am very comfortable with this method. As far as pricing is concerned, many of those reviewers stated that the program can be beneficial and the amount is probably off give/take by a few hundred dollars. And, to me that's worth the difference. I refuse to waste 12 hours at a dealership and still feeling like I'm getting ripped off when I leave.
So my car shopping journey continues. I really would love to hear your thoughts if you have or know of someone who have experienced using the auto program whether through Costco, AAA or other companies.
2 people mentioned these items that I had to try them myself.
Kirkland Signature Moisture Shampoo: Bluefacez reviewed Kirkland Moisture Shampoo last month (here). Oh, yes, this shampoo is good. It's high quality and SLS free, so it's a bit pricey. But, it's concentrated. I have long hair, way longer than shoulder length. I don't even use a full pump when I use this shampoo. It's that concentrated. This is officially the shampoo I am going to use for many years to come. Thank you Bluefacez.
Newhall French Roast Coffee: Pennie mentioned Newhall French Coffee (here). She freaked out because her Costco warehouse stopped carrying them. I contacted Newhall Coffee and confirmed that they are only available at selected Costco warehouses. Today, I happen to drive by one of the Costco Warehouses that carry Newhall Coffee. So, I picked up one bag.
Newhall's French Roast Coffee is $11.99 for 2lb bag. It's Much cheaper than Starbucks French Roast. Surprisingly, Newhall French Roast Coffee tasted "slightly" better than Starbucks French Roast. It's somewhat less acidic (less bitter) than Starbucks, but bitter non the less. My regular coffee, Cubita Dark Roast (this one) is simply the best. So, I will keep buying my expensive Cubita Coffee. I will not buy Starbucks Coffee anymore. I am not sure if I will buy Newhall Coffee again. Let's see if I will finish this bag first.
Costco... seriously, you've gotta love it. Costco brings so much joy in life, it's ridiculous.
PS. I've been using Kirkland Signature's Moisture Conditioner for a few years now. This is the only conditioner I use. It smells good, it feels good, and it's also SLS free.
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