When is it "TOO SOON" to Start Playing Christmas Music?

When is it too soon to start playing Christmas music? Good Question!
I love to shop, but there is something that kind of bothers me every fall season. I personally don't want to hear Christmas music the day after Labor Day. I think the perfect time to officially start playing Christmas music and bust out those holiday decorations is the day AFTER Thanksgiving. While many drugstores and other similar retailers have a tendency to start playing Christmas music in October, October is the time for Halloween. It's not a time for FalaLala-ing or Decking the Halls. Halls need to be decked with skeletons, zombies and monsters. Not with Santa Claus, Frosty and Christmas trees. Santa Claus should arrive in the stores the day after Thanksgiving. Or perhaps if you're watching the Macy's day Parade, Santa arrives at the very end. I realize in an attempt to kick start holiday shopping sales, many retailers feel the need to prematurely remind shoppers that it’s time to start their holiday shopping. Many consumers find this annoying. It's actually very annoying because Christmas is already thought of as being over commercialized. It’s just TOO SOON. It seems like each year, retail stores are actually playing Christmas music earlier and earlier. Pretty soon they’re going to have Christmas decorations and holiday entertainment being set up after the Fourth of July. And as for all the Black Friday sales being bumped up each year a day earlier than Black Friday, I think it’s safe to say that by the year 2020, Black Friday will be the day after Halloween. 

Your Zone Gaming Storage Ottoman Review

Desperate for more storage space in my tiny apartment, I made an impulse buy when I was at Walmart a few days ago. The "Zone Gaming" ottoman was my impulse purchase. I don't have a lot of  room in my living room where I keep my entertainment center. I have enough room in the entertainment center to store my Wii games and basic controllers, but I have been struggling for a place to store my DDR dancepad along with the other Wii accessories like the tennis paddle, steering wheel, etc. These were barely fitting in the bag/bundle case that they came with. It have been keeping it on the floor next to my tv. I am also running out of space for some additional controllers for my PC. These are actually X-Box controllers I used to play different games. Then there is also my  Wii Balance Board.

Fortunately my impulse buy was a smart move. All of these items fit neatly into the ottoman and are now stored nicely out of sight. I also like having an extra bench around my apartment so that I can use it to move closer to the television to play games or have it for guests to sit on. I'm guessing most people use it in their den or family room. Being that I have neither, it worked out best for me in my living area. The fabric is soft and it looks like a nice piece of furniture. I'm very happy with my impulse purchase!

5 Reasons Target is Better Than Walmart

First of all I would like to start off by saying that I shamefully shop at Walmart. I know that they are a controversial company on so many levels. I try not to go there but sometimes it comes down to a necessary evil. I've learned the best times and ways to tackle a trip to Walmart but I can honestly say 9 out of 10 times I would prefer going to Target. Here are my top five reasons.

1. Cleanliness

Target is usually much cleaner than Walmart. When you walk into a target store, it's usually pretty well kept. The floors are clean and even the bathrooms are usually in better shape. Sometimes when you go into Walmart, you will notice the floor is dirty and at times there is an odor in the place. The shopping carts are cleaner too. It's also prettier. The design and overall look of the store is more aesthetically pleasing. 

2. Space

The layout and space in Target is much less crammed than Walmart stores. The merchandise sections are usually spread out nicely enough for you to maneuver your shopping cart through different sections of the store without playing bumper cars with other shoppers. The aisles leading up to each section are also much more spacious. 

3. Service

So many times I've waiting in long lines at Walmart for all the wrong reasons. I've actually lost count of the amount of times I've waited in a very long line because there was a shortage of open cashiers on the floor. Seriously. I've been in a Walmart where 2 out of 30 registers were open, and the 2 that were open had ridiculously long lines. This rarely happens at Target. Target usually has plenty of registers open and friendly cashiers focused on getting you through the line. Whenever I get into a long line at Target,  a manager usually notices a line is building up and opens more registers to accommodate the crowds. 

4. Better Quality Products

You could argue that the prices are slightly higher but you get what you pay for. The merchandise is generally better quality. 

5. Market Pantry

I love Market Pantry products. I like some of the Walmart's Great Value products but the Target brand food pantry items are better. I actually wrote a blog about my favorite Market Pantry items here.

Targus-8 Section 42 Inch Travel Tripod (TG-42TT)

I have two of these tripods now. I have to say these compact tripods are very convenient. When they collapse, they can easily fit into a backpack or even large handbag. The compact factor is what really makes it easy to deal with. I haven't such luck with trying to fit any other tripod into my back pack. The tripod is very lightweight and won't weigh down your bag either. In addition to being lightweight and portable, they are very sturdy and durable. They won't break as easily as other tripods in this price range. I've had so many small cheap tripods fall apart or break very easily. I even had one tripod literally break within a few minutes of taking it out of the box.

Now the negatives. It's kind of a pain in the ass to expand and collapse the legs. In order to do so you must pull out each level and then twist until it locks. If you fail to do this then you won't be able to fully expand your tripod. It can be very frustrating and annoying. I actually prefer placing it on a table top or other another sturdy base so that I don't have to worry about expanding and collapsing the legs. Also, since the tripod is so lightweight, it can easily be knocked over when fully expanded. I actually had an incident where I set it up in the back of the room to record a concert event and some kid came along and knocked it over. That was partly my fault for leaving it unattended. Just as expanding the lets can be a pain in the neck, so can collapsing the legs. You must twist the lets to collapse them and this is time consuming.

Other than the beef I have with expanding and collapsing the legs, I really like this product. It's cheap and effective for quick shoots with either video or still camera. Overall I would recommend this tripod for anyone that wants to have a tripod available without having to lug around a bigger tripod. If you are going for a hike or backpacking around a busy city, then this is a great tripod for you.

Market Pantry Product Reviews

What is Market Pantry? Well, if you don't shop at Target, probably haven't heard of it.  Market Pantry is the in house generic brand that you will find on the shelves at Target next to the more popular name-brand food products. I love it. Market Pantry offers a variety food decent low-priced food products. In my opinion, I find the quality of some of these items are just as good or better than the name brand products.

I will start off with the one item that is only available at Target as I have been unable able to find anything similar or better anywhere else. That item is the Market Pantry Nutrition Bar. I'm addicted to these bars. Specifically the Chocolate Mint bars.  They taste better than any other protein bar I've ever tried. They also contain 14g of protein, along with various amounts of Vitamin A, C & E.  You can find these bars in the vitamin section next to other popular protein bars like Clif Bars, Luna Bars, special K, etc. At about $4 for a box of five, they are about a dollar or so less in price than the other name brand bars. This is by far my favorite Market Pantry item. Other favorite Market Pantry items that I really like are the whole grain pastas, canned nuts, frosted animal crackers, low-fat cheeses and canned seasoned black beans. All are very good products for a considerable lower price than the name brands.

Aeropostale Hoodies - Good For Indoor/Outdoor

I swear, I own about ten Aeropostale hoodies. I've actually lost track of exactly how many I own.  They are just so soft, warm and pretty much go with anything. I even wear them during the summer because when I go inside certain places, I tend to get cold because of the drafty air or low-temp set air-conditioning. They are a must-have during the spring and fall when temperatures can be unpredictable. Dressing in layers is your best bet to keep warm. The zip up hoodies are the ones I get with the logo name across the chest. I actually bought four of them in one purchase when they had a sale after the holidays last year. I got four different colors for the price of 2 for $30.. Then I did it again this year. I also may have bought a few in between. I never make a trip to the movie theatre without one. You never know - some movie theatres get cold. It's very hard to enjoy your movie or sit in a restaurant and enjoy your meal if you have goosebumps from sitting inside a drafty place. It's very uncomfortable. My husband doesn't seem to get affected by cold temperatures, but if I was wearing a short sleeve t shirt while watching a movie, I would not be able to enjoy it because I would most likely have goosebumps from the chill. These zip up hoodies are perfect for that situation. That's why I never leave home with at least one of them. Even if I'm wearing a sweater, if the temperature drops, I know I can put on an extra layer by throwing on one of those soft hoodies.

Why I'm a PC

When it comes to Laptops I would rather have a PC. I think that the Macbooks have been too hyped up and overrated. Although I'm not very happy about Windows 8, I still prefer the windows OS. Every Mac owner will tell you "once you go Mac you never go back".. well I don't want to go Mac. I just don't fit in with all the other "Apple" people. They seem kind of pretentious. The closest I came to becoming a Mac person was using my husbands a Ipad. It was fun for a few minutes but we actually ended up giving away to a friend. This is ironic because as I mentioned in a previous product review, I  also gave away my android tablet. Yes, it turns out when people need things that we don't, we like to give them away. That and maybe I'm just not into tablets. That might be what the problem is. See, I like laptops. I like having keys that I can type like a typewriter. I like to have something solid with a decent sized screen. These newer gadgets seem so fragile.  We had a keyboard for our Ipad but it still wasn't the same as having a solid windows-platform laptop in front of me. I know that you can currently buy an android tablet for less than $100, but the better ones are running $250+.. almost the price of a new laptop. So why not just get a notebook?

Most importantly, my main reason for being an Andriod/PC Gal: Cash. The Iphone and Ipad are significantly higher in price than the android and pc options. I just have trouble trying to justify spending $200-$500 on a phone. There are other things I want to spend that money on. I would rather put that money into a night out of a really nice dinner, or a new camera, or a few new pairs of shoes, etc. 

I'm not an "Apple Hipster" - I'm not poor, but I'm not rich either. ..and I'm not OK with having a Macbook and Iphone in my apartment but only one pair of sneakers and nothing in my refrigerator. As I mentioned in a former product review, I'm fairly happy with my $30 Android Kyocera Rise. It's not an Iphone but I paid a fraction of the price for it and it gets the job done. 

Sorry, I fear I have babbled off topic. But it appears that it all comes down to money. People say you get what you pay for. In some cases, I believe this to be true. ..but in some cases, I think the people that believe this are just suckers trying to rationalize having paid through the nose for a product that is overpriced.

Remington Smooth & Silky Rechargeable Wet/Dry Shaver (for women)

When it comes to shaving my legs, you might say I'm not particularly talented. I can't use disposable razors with nicking my knee or some other random bone-centric area along the way. I always come out with boo boos. I had been looking for either an electric or battery powered razor in order to avoid having any more embarrassing marks on my legs every time shaved. About six months ago I came across this wonderful little device at Target and grabbed it up right way. I have to honestly say I was very satisfied with it. It's rechargeable and does a great job when it's fully charged. The wet/dry feature makes it ideal to use for when you get out of the shower. Unfortunately about two weeks ago,  I noticed that the nozzle was starting to wear down and flake off. When I tried using it, I got a little bit cut up on my shin. Ouch. So I went back and got a new one to replace it.  It didn't really bother me that I had to replace it because I wasn't really expecting it to last forever. I bought it for less than $20. Besides, it still saved more money in six months than I would have buying disposable razors. I also probably saved myself a few nicks and cuts on my kneecaps. 

Caution - This is for women's LEGS only. Do not allow your husband/boyfriend "borrow" it for his face. It will not end well. Don't ask me how I know. Just don't do it. 

Nestle Pure Life Grape Splash

I bought a six pack of this flavored water thinking it was regular water and what to my surprise when I went to take a sip? Grape? Grape flavored water! And it doesn't taste like crap! Like I said, I bought it by accident but it was actually very refreshing! I've been needing to drink more water and I haven't liked a lot of other flavored waters but this stuff tastes good. I have a hard time drinking water because it has no taste. I often have to freeze it and chew on the ice. This tastes even better if it's partially frozen. Like a Popsicle. Try it. You will like it. It tastes ten times better than diet cola.

iConcepts DeeJay XL Headphones

I got a pair of these "superior sound quality" 3.5 mm Stereo plug comfort cushion headphones in my stocking for Christmas. Santa did a very good job. These DJ-style headphones are extremely comfortable on the ears and the sound is incredible.  I can definitely tell the difference in sound quality between these headphones and my ear buds. They are big and thick so I wouldn't recommend using them at the gym or for working out. I think I wore them for a brisk walk outside once and my ears got sweaty really quickly.  I would recommend using them  for when you are on your laptop, gaming or watching movies. I am also happy to say that I've had them since the holidays and they haven't broken or fallen apart yet.  I decided to ask"Santa" where he got them from. This is the best part - Santa picked them up for only $5 at Five Below. I was so happy about Santa's discovery I went back and got two more pairs. You can't beat that price for a good product. Awesome find Santa!

5 Ways to Survive a Trip to Walmart

Top 5 ways to survive a trip to Walmart:

Let's face it. Going to Walmart isn't always fun. Sometimes you buy too much stuff. Other times you are battling it out with long lines and crowded aisles. I occasionally avoid it because I just don't want to deal with the crowds. Here are some tips to making your trip to the big W less painless. 

1 - 24 hour store = win. Go early or go in the middle of the night. Barely anyone is there and you can navigate your cart without hitting children, older folks or people moving slowly because they are preoccupied on their phone.

2 - Park far away. Don't fight for that close parking spot. Do you really need to park so close? Couldn't you benefit from a good brisk walk through the parking lot? It will make life so much easier on you. You won't have to fight for a parking spot and you won't have to worry about some idiots runaway cart hitting or scratching up your car. 

3 - Go alone. If you go with a friend or spouse, chances are you spend more time there and you will ultimately buy more stuff that you don't need. You know what you need. You can get in and get the job done and get out if you are by yourself. 

4 - For 20 items or less, the "Express Lane" isn't always express..so be sure to look at the other aisles before you go to the express lane. Keep in mind that sometimes people go in the express lane with more than 20 items and this can make your wait longer.

5 - If you aren't getting a lot of things, you can go to the other counters and check out. If you are buying a case of coke and hand-soap along with some headphones, you can go to the electronics or jewelry counter. You can also check out at the pharmacy if you are picking up prescriptions. 

Kyocera Rise Smart Phone Review

I bought my Kyocera Rise by Virgin mobile phone on clearance for only $30 at Target over a year ago in January 2013. Clearly this is very affordable for a pre-paid phone. It was a decent phone considering what I paid for it. I will start off with what I like about it and why I have kept it for so long: The slide out keyboard. It slides out and is very easy for typing and texting. It's also a solid phone. I've dropped it so many times without it breaking. I even dropped it on the sidewalk in a bad rain storm and didn't realize it fell out of my pocket. When reached shelter I realized my phone was no longer in my pocket. I figured I must have dropped it somewhere. When the rain let up I retraced my steps and found in on the ground completely soaked. I pulled the battery out and did my best to dry off the phone. Once the phone was dry I put it back together and recharged it. When I turned it back on - it worked. I couldn't believe it. I thought for sure my phone was a goner but it pulled through after being drenched. Unfortunately it stopped working a few months later. But I'm impressed that it lasted as long as it did. I replaced it with the exact same phone. This time I paid $40. Again, the main reason I have kept my phone for this long is because of the slide keyboard.It also has a decent battery life. The battery on my older phone was starting to go though so I think as time goes on the battery life gets worse and worse.

There are a lot of things I don't like about the phone. The phone can sometimes freeze up and shut down when various apps are running. Sometimes it shuts itself off and then turns itself back on. This doesn't happen a lot, but it surprises me when I suddenly hear my phone turning on ..when I thought it already was turned on. Some apps do not work well. Vine and Instagram are always giving me problems. I actually uninstalled the Vine app because my Vines would always "fail" and never get posted. This also happens with Instagram videos and some Instagram pictures. It's unclear if this is problem is happening because of poor Virgin Mobile service or with the apps. The videocamera on the phone isn't very good. This might be why the Vines are so bad. Another problem I have had is sending photos to Twitter. They just don't transfer. When I try to share a photo to Twitter, the phone says "sending tweet" and then it never completes. It freezes up and I have to restart the phone. This is very frustrating. 

I've already bought another phone but I am reluctant to officially switch over because I really don't want to give up my sliding keyboard. It's really the only thing keeping me to the phone. 

Nextbook 7" Dual Core Tablet with 8GB Review

I had this tablet for about 6 months, but I just gave it away to a friend a few days ago. Why? Well, it didn't really do what I wanted it to do. My main problem with it being the difficulty I had attempting to use the type-pad. I certainly wasn't expecting an "Ipad level" product, but I was hoping the touch screen would be a little bit more responsive. At times, I had trouble answering emails and even updating twitter and facebook statuses. The Nextbook 7" an android tablet and comes with Google Play installed. I was hoping to use it for Netflix but every time I used Netflix on the tablet, it would freeze. It just wouldn't work. I was really disappointed.  I was also disappointed about many apps from the Google Play store that were not available for my tablet. No Instagram...bummer

Now the good - the battery life is decent. It's lasts about 3 hours on average without charging. Obviously certain apps will run up the battery faster. Another good thing about this tablet is my 7-year-old niece thinks it's amazing. She claims the games are better than on her ipod and she likes having a bigger screen than her ipod. She told me she would rather have my tablet than her ipod. Every time she visits with me she wants to play on it. Come to think of it she might not be very happy when she learns that I have given it away. Oops. Anyway, my point is if you are getting this for a kid to play some games then I think it's a decent affordable product. I think my niece's ipod cost about $200 in comparison with my tablet which only cost $80 from Walmart - and she likes it better. I on the other hand needed something a little more than kid-centric games.

SmartyKat Runaway Rascal Remote Controlled Mouse Review

Well. It was fun while it lasted. I was excited when I first charged it up and then let her roll on the floor. You can basically just push forward or backward. If the mouse gets stuck you can back it up. My cat went after it and it captivated her. Only problem is the battery ran out after less than five minutes of playing with it. So I recharged it and then placed it back on the floor. The cat went after again and it seemed to be working.. but then again it ran out of juice right away. So I left it on it's charger for an hour. When I went back to it again, I placed it on the floor and it didn't move at all. It was dead. I charged it again for a few minutes and put it back on the floor again and it only went backwards. The cat kept looking at me wondering why it wouldn't move. She knew I was controlling it and she lost interest. Then I charged it again. Again, it died after a few minutes. Now it doesn't work at all. So it was a good concept but it's a piece of junk. Too bad because the kitty really liked her new toy until it died after five minutes.

Philips SoundBar Speaker (HTL2101A/F7)

Honestly, this really is the most basic level sound bar you can find. If you want to obtain a more advanced and dynamic audio sound, you'll want to invest a few more bucks. That being said, this is an effective simple sound bar for anybody who is unimpressed with their Television audio systems and just need something with a little better quality. I  would also recommend purchasing an digital optical audio cable, if you plan on getting the most from this sound bar. Be sure to check that your TV actually comes with this feature before you purchase the sound bar. Otherwise my other choice is probably digital coaxial. Something else you may want to consider is that there are no additional cables included with this sound bar. So you probably want to look into purchasing the necessary cables required to use it. I already had these cables and simply plugged and played. It does the job.