Wednesday, December 23, 2009

bart tip

need to get from cal state east bay's oakland camps to tully's on broadway?  go downstairs and walk the underground BART passage.  you avoid all the traffic lights!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

visa mastercard gift card tip

so we received a wells fargo giftcard for $60.  some was spent at food maxx and some was spent at pac n save.  i knew i had some money left on the card.  this weekend i went to the mall and tried to use the remainder of the money at hot dog on a stick.  huh.  declined.  ok.  a few minutes later i try using the card at auntie annie's and grain d'or.  declined and declined again.  wtf?  i KNOW there's money on the card!  i call the number on the back of the card and they tell me there's $1.25 remaining.  if you swipe the card for a purchase for more than the amount on the card ($1.25 in my case), it just declines the card.  later we went to trader joe's and i told them to charge $1.25 to the card and we would pay the rest on a different credit card. 
 
so the tip is:  know how much is on your gift card because it might just say "declined" and you might just throw the card away thinking you ran out of money, but in fact, you still have some amount on the card. 

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

spinach tip

learned this one from a new cookbook:  when you cook spinach, you can put in one handful at a time, let it wilt a little, then add another handful.  once all the spinach is in the pot, cook it for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.  before, i'd put all the spinach in at once and it was too poofy.  and two bunches of spinach shrinks down to NOTHING!

carrot peeling tip

first grasp the small end of the carrot and put your peeler half way on the carrot.  peel downwards towards the large end.  when you're done peeling the large half of the carrot, grab the large end and peel the smaller half of the carrot. 
 
an unpeeled carrot is a little "grippy" so it's easier hold the small end when it still has the skin on. 

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

warm tip

this is kind of a "duh" tip but here it is anyway:  when it's super cold outside, put on your earflap hat, scarf and mittens while you're still inside.

Friday, December 4, 2009

heat tip

will someone please invent the cellphone that can also be used as a handwarmer?

spell tip

it's spelt genealogy, NOT geneology. 

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

seriousness tip

nostril flaring at the altar will crack up your spouse to be.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

talking tip?

had lunch with an old friend this week.  she's got a 1 year old kid who doesn't talk very much.  they think it's because the parents and caregivers anticipate his every need so he never has to express himself with words.  she also said that boys are typically slower to speak than girls.  what do you think?  do you think that if the parents weren't so attentive that the kid would talk more?  it sounds like a reasonable theory to me.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

drain tip

guess who got a bunch of hairstoppers recently?!  they're great and so much better than the daiso copper sieves i was previously using.  the copper would freaking oxidize and the holes would clog up.  now the shower has a plastic hairstopper.  oh, i'm so excited about washing my hair today.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

craft show tip

the harvest festival is this weekend in san mateo.  i might go tomorrow, or i might just do my laundry. 

Thursday, November 5, 2009

warmth tip

sometimes wearing the sweater is too warm and not wearing it is too cold.  in those instances, just pull your arms out of the sweater and have your head through the neck hole.  you can tie the arms around your neck for a weird looking scarf.  ah, the perfect temperature.  hurrah!

Friday, October 30, 2009

lotion tip

oooo, jergens feels pretty nice.  it's smelly though.  the paper towels here suck the moisture right out of your hands!

Thursday, October 29, 2009

blender tip

have you heard of the immersion blender?  i'd seen them before but never used them.  yesterday their awesomeness factor was pointed out to me.  with the traditional blender, you put stuff in the blender and pour it into a pot and cook it.  then you have to wash the blender which is a total pain in the ass.  with the immersion blender you just stick the thing in the pot and blend from there!  that immersion blender looks a ton easier to wash than the traditional blender. 

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

flu shot tip

you can get a seasonal flu shot at . . . pak n save/safeway.  it costs $30.  does anyone else think it's really weird they're offering SHOTS at a supermarket?

Thursday, October 22, 2009

textbooks tip

rarely can you find textbooks at a public library.  typically they're just too specialized for the general public.  try going to an academic library.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

tv tip

looking for a GREAT show to watch?  try mad men.  it's super interesting and funny.  my favorite scene so far is when the mom calls her kids over and her daughter is wearing a plastic laundry bag over her head.  of course the viewer expects the mom to pull the bag over the child's head for fear of suffocation.  but instead, you get, "if i find my dresses on the floor, you're going to be in big trouble missy!"  the main dude is an ad exec on madison avenue in the 60's and . . . everyone smokes.

Friday, October 9, 2009

surfing bart tip

i've been surfing bart--that's when you're standing but not holding onto anthing.  the last two days i've avoid touching any of the handholds on the train.  the trick is to have your legs slightly spread apart and at angles.  also, bend your knees so you don't just topple over. 

Thursday, October 8, 2009

flu shot tip

don't know how accurate this is but people under 50 are the most susceptible to swine flu.  the over 50 crowd have probably been exposed to enough viruses to withstand the *gasp* epidemic.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

free show tip

Hey, want to see a free show?  There's "Free Night of Theater 2009!"
 
 
Some of the tickets aren't available until later this month but others you can certainly book now.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

mooncake tip

happy mid autumn moon festival!  get the mooncakes with yolks.  they've got single yolk, double yolks and sometimes even quadruple yolks.  best flavor is white lotus seed.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

eyebrows tip

the reason you shouldn't shave your eyebrows is because the skin underneath hasn't been exposed to sun and is ass white.  plus, once your brows start growing in again, it's stubbly like a beard above your eye.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

parental relationship tip

just read a very interesting article about how people who have good relationships with their parents tend to have good relationships with their partners as well.  we're programmed to have a fight or flight response.  when interacting with parents, if we don't get along, we usually fight about it or get pissed and leave the situation.  same thing tends to happen with our partners:  a disagreement occurs and we either yell or avoid the unpleasant issues.  either way, problem doesn't get solved.

mask tip

according to my travel nurse, face masks work for about 10 minutes for keep out germs.  after that, the moisture from you breathing in and out actually acts as a trap for germs/bacteria/viruses.  scary, right?

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

vietnamese food tip

tray of cold vietnamese spring rolls costs $3, but if you go later in the afternoon, it costs $2.50.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

cantaloupe tip

ripe cantaloupe has a softer "belly button" and it smells really good.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

fruit tip

buy fruit on monday and let it ripen to eat on wednesday or thursday.  then buy more fruit on saturday to eat on monday or tuesday.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

don't be picky tip

went to farmer's market today and wanted a cookie.  i saw there were some broken cookies so i said that i'd take one of the broken cookies.  the lady gave me 2 free broken cookies along with my 1 paid one.

Friday, July 3, 2009

sarcasm tip

don't be sarcastic when providing customer service.  it's completely rude and unprofessional. 

Thursday, June 18, 2009

fruit tip

fruit is way cheaper in chinatown than it is in the supermarkets.  maybe it's the unions of supermarkets that drive costs up?

Saturday, June 13, 2009

gelato versus ice cream tip

here's the difference between gelato and ice cream.  learned at naia on shattuck.
 
gelato is milk based, while ice cream is cream based.
 
i think that i like ice cream better.  gasp, i know!

Friday, June 5, 2009

earflap hat tip

i took a regular knit hat and cut out the forehead to create my new earflap hat.  now i don't have to worry about the hat brim hitting my eyes.

Monday, June 1, 2009

boil tip

when you're cooking vegetables, put in enough water so that the water doesn't all evaporate.  i recently cooked brussels sprouts and added only 3/4 inch of water.  after 10 minutes of boiling, all the water had boiled out and the bottom of the pot was completely burned.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

roller coaster tip

on a metal roller coaster, try to ride in the front seats.  your head will jostle around less and your brain won't hurt.  on a wood roller coaster, the back is funner.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

yeast tip

you know when recipes say to put the yeasty mix in a warm place?  well, you can put the yeasty mix on the top rack of an oven with a big bowl of HOT water on the lower rack. 

Thursday, May 14, 2009

whoa--aloe tip

aloe that's a couple days old kind of smells like a dirty sock.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

sun tip

ow ow ow ow ow!  use sunscreen . . .

sun tip

ow ow ow ow ow!  use sunscreen . . .

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

aloe

please note:  raw aloe does not taste good.

sewing machine

if you ever have a chance to learn how to use a sewing machine, TAKE IT!  i so wish i knew how to use a sewing machine . . .

Friday, April 17, 2009

how to stay safe

got this amazing tip today.  when you're walking alone at night, be visibly talking to yourself and loudly.  also, twitch periodically.  no one likes to mess with crazy.  people will leave you alone and not harass you.

Monday, April 6, 2009

blending dates

i tried to use our vitamix to blend dates and walnuts.  it went for a few seconds and then just stopped.  the dates are so thick that they caked up the blades and rendered them immobile.  not good. 

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

good book tip

get to know your librarian.  she can snag the new books and put them on hold for you if she knows what you like.  of course this is dependent on there being no previous holds for the title.

Monday, March 23, 2009

waffle tip

take a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of jam and melt them together in the microwave.  mix up the now liquid and use it as a topping on a waffle.  hella good!

Monday, March 9, 2009

cake tip

when you make a cake, don't grease the sides.  only grease the bottom.  the reason is if you grease the sides the cake batter doesn't stick to it as it's baking and the middle of the cake ends up being really high.  when you don't grease the sides the cake is able to climb up the sides and you end up with a must more even cake instead of a pitcher's mound.

frosting tip

don't use vegetable oil to make frosting.  i baked a strawberry cake today from a mix.  the box had a pic of a slice of strawberry cake with white frosting and i thought, "mm, that looks mighty tasty!"  i find a recipe for white frosting and it says to use shortening.  ok, what EXACTLY does that mean?  i look it up in the dictionary and it says butter or vegetable oil.  because veggie oil mixes easier than butter, i use it.  i add vanilla extract, almond extract and tons of powdered sugar.  but when i'm mixing, it's not smooth at all.  so then i decide to microwave it for 30 seconds which melts the sugar but for some reason the vegetable oil keeps separating out!  so it looks like icing and a blob of oil sitting on top.  i use some icing on a couple slices of cake.  it tastes good, just like regular icing but i can't manage to get over the fact that the oil is sweating out of the sugar concoction.  eventually i decide to dump it.
 
next time i'll use butter to make frosting.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

scanner tip

not only can you use the library barcode scanner to scan the barcode, but you can also use it to scan an isbn as well.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

the uglies

i think as kids you're very often taught that someone who's ugly can have a heart of gold.  that may very well be true, but keep in mind that someone's who's ugly can also be totally mean!

Sunday, February 22, 2009

pasta tip

1 pound of angel hair pasta goes with 1 regular size jar of vodka sauce (or whateve sauce).

hummus tip

you can microwave hummus too!  it's good warm and served with cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red bell peppers and peeled baby carrots.  go for trader joe's mediterranean hummus.

yogurt tip

microwaved yogurt is good!  being sick, i'm afraid to eat anything cold right now.  nuked up some trader joe's apricot mango yogurt.  the fruit was all warm and gushy.  i did maybe 1/2 a cup for 30 seconds. 

grocery tip

trader joe's is super crowded on a sunday afternoon.  that's apparently when lots of people decide to go shopping.  much better to try to go during a weekday as there are far fewer people. 

Saturday, February 21, 2009

sock tip

cut your toenails, you're going to poke holes in your socks!

sick tip

if you're sick, blow dry your hair after you wash it.

pancake tip

pour some maple syrup onto a plate and microwave it for 20 seconds or so.  then put your pancakes on top and eat.  it's so much better than cold syrup.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

pissy tip

when someone is pissy, don't make him even pissier because if that happens, then both of you are going to feel worse.  the pissed off person doesn't really want any of your crap piled onto his plate.  address any important issues at a later time when said pissy person is not going to rip your face off.

sick tip?

maybe right when you get sick, take a bunch of drugs and get knocked out.  hopefully you heal up while you're sleeping.  it's no fun being sick. 
 
and don't be like me and get all cocky and think you're better when you're honestly, really, not.  that's how you get even sicker.

Saturday, January 31, 2009

waiter tip

be nice to your waiter.  they hold a ton of power.  don't want spit in your food?  well then don't be a jerk.

Friday, January 30, 2009

babies

for some reason babies look even cuter in newspaper boy hats.

max's tip

when you feel like crap, go and get yourself a big bowl of max's matzo ball chicken soup.  that stuff is great!  i've had matzo ball soup at another place in berkeley but it wasn't anywhere near as good as max's.  max's matzo ball soup is simply the best sick people soup ever. 

toilet paper

i hate whoever invented the toilet paper dispenser tube that doesn't freely spin.  you know what i'm talking about?  you can get like two squares of tp before it locks and won't spin any more.  that guy was a jerk.

bart escalator tip

i'm sick and it's hard for me to talk.  when i'm on bart and someone's standing in the middle of the escalator, i stomp hella loud and they move to the right.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

phlegm

spit out your phlegm, it's bad to swallow it.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

bandaid tip

i recently cut my finger.  if you want to use medicine, apply it directly on the bandaid pad.  that way you don't have to infect the medicine tube with your finger AND you don't have to deal with a greasy finger for when you apply the medicine.  i can't believe it took me 4 bandaids to figure this out.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

oil change and tire rotation tip

now here's something of high interest.  according to big O tires, you should get an oil change and tire rotation every 3000-5000 miles.  but when i looked at my car manual, it said to get an oil change and tire rotation every 7500 miles.  that's a big difference.  of course, it works to big O's advantage if you visit them more.  i'm just going to go with what my manual says. 

Sunday, January 4, 2009

feet tip

we need to evolve so that we have super long toes that we can curl up to keep our feet warm.  feet are poorly designed.  mine are always cold during the winter.  it's miserable.  with evolved feet, we'd of course have to redesign footwear as well. 
 

Saturday, January 3, 2009

another taboo game tip

have your fingers poised and ready to flip the next card.  don't be fumbling around after your partner guesses.

beware the scare

some people just don't like to be scared.  my brother and i used to daily scare my dad when he came back from work.  we had great fun and it was always a source of riotous amusement.  however, it was recently brought to my attention that not everyone enjoys a quick scare.  guess you should know your audience.