Jenna On: Tiger Beat- The Bieber? The Swift?

I still remember the day I heard those words for the first time 'Tiger Beat'. It was a Momma Told Me to define my teenage years. See, growing up in an MTV world I relied on shows such as TRL for all my celebrity gossip and gab. And while I was a complete book nerd well into high school, I discovered the addiction of teenage magazines when divulging a superstar crush to Momma. If you'll recall the early 90s (it wasn't that long ago) you'll recall a little family based sitcom with a certain star named Tim Allen. On this show there were 3 siblings, brothers, of varying age, and it just so happened one was (in typical teenage dream fashion) just a few years older than me. Jonathan Taylor Thomas, or JTT, as Tiger Beat and Seventeen knew him, was the chubby cheeked actor who played Mr. Allen's middle child.

Jonathan starred in his fair share of Disney films, from Tom and Huck to the painful Man of The House and Lion King voice acting. He'd put out 1-2 films a year, and show up nightly on my television. I swear I had a crush on that boy from age 5. So you can imagine my excitement when I learned there were magazines with larger than life posters, headshots, and interviews! Momma tried to follow this announcement with a trip down memory lane of her own, discussing how she used to have posters of the Monkees, and how her sister would fight over the Beatles. Within a week I had spent every dime of allowance and savings on subscriptions and editions of all the 'age appropriate' celebrity publications. My walls were officially plastered.

So why do I ramble and reminisce? Well, Momma used to tell me the heartthrobs (there's a word I haven't used in years) of her time were of a higher caliber than those of my generation. Looking back now, I tend to agree- but I was also the generation of Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, and Backstreet Boys. Which leaves me feeling that Justin Bieber falls flat as a tween idol. I mean, a hair flip, hasn't that been done before? And no icon could ever be as iconic as the knee buckling, teen screaming, crowds swooning, Elvis Presley. I look around our resident 10 year old's room and see the Taylor regime (Lautner and Swift) alongside Bieber, listening to grumbles about Selena Gomez and wonder where teen dreams have gone. Certainly these teen dream are now 'tween' dreams, younger and younger each year- but do they really stack up in impact and talent? Will people 15-20 years from now consider the teen talent of today among the greatest of all time? I think not! Do you recall your first celebrity crush? Is it all subjective, or have teen dream standards fallen?

As Required By the FTC: This was in no way a sponsored post. No product or incentive was provided. It is simply a bit of good ol' fashioned blogging. If you wish to laugh at my teen crush, you may discover Jonathan Taylor Thomas here. I still think he didn't turn out too bad. :)

Jenna On: Sleep

I've always had difficulty sleeping. When I was a child it was a post nasal drip that kept me up coughing and choking. Today that same condition has given me horrible acid reflux in addition to a mental condition I inherited from my father's traits and the simple fact that I am female. I am talking about, of course, the list. And, while I call it the list, because that is what modern media refers to it as, it is not necessarily a list. This condition pertains more to an acute need to compartmentalize and monitor everything going on in ones life. From dusk till dawn the modern woman is juggling a dozen given tasks that range from chores and cooking to child rearing and finances, and yes (gasp), even jobs. It's no wonder us women are suffering from increased cases of sleep apnea and shortened sleep cycles!

For me, the process starts with what I call 'unwinding', which is in fact a blatant piece of irony, as that is the farthest from what I am doing. The lights may be off, and I may be in bed, but somewhere between brushing my teeth and checking the locks (for the third time), I begin to plan the next day. I'll organize shopping lists, and errand routes, or time chores based on who's home. Then I'll move onto a conversation I had several days back, where I couldn't recall a name or title, and work on that until it's solved. Next I'll probably try to plan my post schedule for the blog, reflect on review items and contrasts, and whether I want to see the new Hugh Jackman movie (I do). About this time I recall a window or door I forgot to check, and get back up to check locks again, as well as the stove. And, by the time I am back in bed, and asleep, the hubby is snoring loud enough to shake the walls.

Yes, my sleep has been fleeting lately, but with it an odd phenomenon (I hadn't experienced since childhood) has emerged. You see, in high school I used to be so focused on academics and social activities that I would frequently dream as though I were going about my day. I'd wake up with vivid recollections of conversations, tests, and lessons. As you can imagine this would throw me off greatly, constantly thinking it was a day later, or that I truly, in fact had to write a paper I'd been assigned in sleep! Well, like a sick personal joke, I have begun to (not only keep myself up with an active mind) waste my precious 'dreams' with daily chores and mundane tasks. That's right, I dream I wake up and cook, and get on Facebook, then blog, and even lay in bed trying to sleep, and checking locks! I'd much rather be flying, or even chased by vampires.....Have you ever dreamt dreams that were filled with day-t-day activities and interactions?

As Required By the FTC: This is not a sponsored post, no products were received, nor no links given. This is simply a piece of good, old fashioned, blogging.

Jenna: On...Bowling and The Wagon Wheel

Over the past Summer I've learned that bowlers are a funny lot. You see, as it turns out, most who bowl in leagues (even on a casual basis) are quite devoted to the game; yet so many can often be heard uttering profanity and exclamations against it. "There's too much oil on this lane," "My ball took too long to return," "The ball slipped..." and, of course, by game 3, "I don't even know why I play this game!" See, there are 3 groups of bowlers, the Professionals (who bowl for money and titles solely), the recreational professionals (who bowl in leagues based on handicaps and sportsmanship), and those who bowl once every so years at a family function. For the majority of my life I was happily part of the latter, smaller, category. I'd bowl with friends socially but, like mini-golf, I wasn't about to sign up to do it weekly on a competitive basis. In fact, it would be quite fair to say I cared quite little about the sport.

I cared so little, that the past 2 years of my father's birthday I sat on the sidelines for 5+ hour marathons, in support (but defiantly not bowling). Knowing this, you can also surmise that my father falls into one of the two previous categories. Like so many on his casual/competitive bowling league, he genuinely loves to bowl. This is a habit my husband has now taken on himself, but I digress. My pop would bowl from open to close if work, money, and, well, life permitted. It's traits I admire, and a genuine love for the game, that had lead to him joining a league last year. As it turns out it is incredibly easy to become a USBC bowler (yearly dues average $20), and for $15-$20 a week, on just about any day and time slot, you can likely find a local chapter looking for people like you and I to bowl a few good-natured competitive games.

It's so easy, in fact, that I (the bowling Ebenezer), signed up for the 3 month summer league this year. That's right, every Wednesday for the past few months I have reluctantly joined forces with complete strangers for the purpose of embarrassing myself. Okay, I was there to be social and experience new things- but there was embarrassment. (Just try throwing a ball backwards in a crowded alley and not turning 5 shades of red!) I used to think I was nothing like my fellow bowlers, who likely looked forward to each week and another chance to bowl. They seemed to take their scores, and averages, seriously; while I was the girl who would literally cheer upon my 5th gutter ball of the night (after all, what else was there to do?) These people, my teammates, would get so wrapped up in their own scores and goals that I instinctively began focusing on my own. Before long I had my own ball, and was tracking my progress (or digression in most cases). And, when time came to form teams for Winter, I was asking around for teammates....but I still prefer to be known as the 'non bowling bowler'.

Perhaps, my favorite aspect of league is the local where we actually bowl. Looking at it today, the 1947 originating Wagon Wheel center is a shambles of what it once was. The city, in fact, tore down the attached Restaurant and Motel years ago, after it sat, vacant and condemned for just as many. And I often joke our bowling alley is so out dated we have to use paper score sheets, and have pins manually reset (though it's not that bad, it's certainly vintage!) Over the past few years the ownership has changed, and renovations have slowly filtered through the alley, which remains quite functional. However, the Wagon Wheel is not what it was when my family moved to the town near 10 years ago, nor nearly as elegant as the neon lights and retro 50's vibe the vacation center was built with. I drive past demolition piles and, overgrown, fenced lots to what remains of the majestic Wagon Wheel and often imagine what it would have been like all those years ago. The sounds of children piling out of a Cadillac to run, screaming, towards the kidney shaped pool, or buses blaring The King as they pulled into the diner for a rest stop. Wagon Wheel is as much a part of classic Americana as Wednesday night bowling, and for that, I salute you. Do you have a social hobby or sport you like to do regularly?

Note: This post was not compensated in any way. It is simply a piece of good, old fashioned, blogging. Enjoy! P.S. I love you dad- this year you'll get your 600 series!

Jenna: On Summer Love And Rhode Island Beaches

I hear summer's coming to an end, but in Southern California, it feels like we're just beginning. Sure, the kids are back in school, and the beaches are a 'little' less packed, but the thermometer often reads triple digits, and it hardly feels like Fall.

Every September I find myself thinking back to that magical summer of '04 (which makes me feel extremely young), spent on the rocky beaches of Rhode Island. For anyone who has never been vacationing, or lived, Back East during the summer- there's a reason all the celebrities own vacation houses in the Connecticut area. The foliage is beautiful, the atmosphere is almost vintage, and the small town vibe plays out onto the far from crowded, clear water beaches. It's a far cry from the foamy, sea-green froth that bubbles onto our sand here in my local bit of 'Southern California' paradise. Yes, that's right, I'll take a Rhode Island beach any day!

Memories of that amazing summer, tinted by the haze of young love, replay like old reels of film; slow and carefree with muted colors and the sense that time was literary standing still. I am not a beach person, but that summer, I drug my helpless boyfriend, kicking and screaming, rain or shine. His father, recklessly single and into construction was liberal with his responsibilities and I'd often find myself snuggling on the old wind washed porch, just 50 feet from the rolling waves. We'd play will the dogs, sea salt sticking to our skin, planning our future, and watching the sun dip beyond the horizon, before falling (exhausted) into bed at night. I was 18 and the world had nothing on me. Time was endless. The ocean was as blue as my lover's eyes, and I was sure life didn't get better.

But, with the change of leaves, and a resistant roll into Fall, my first love came to an end...well, more of an understanding. He and I became 'friends', and I closed the chapter of my magical summer in Rhode Island. Do you have a summer memory, or romance you often reflect on?

Disclaimer: I was not compensated/endorsed to write this post, it is simply a bit of old fashioned blogging....enjoy!

Momma Mondays: Lenovo B-575 Laptop Review

This review is for my new Lenovo – Ideapad Laptop / AMD E-Series Processor / 15.6" Display / 4GB Memory / 320GB Hard Drive – Black, Model: B575-1450A5U. It was purchased for only $299.00 at a major retailer last week. It was such a good bargain that I did something (I normally would never do) I went ahead and purchased the (1 year Extended Warranty). For those of you who know me; this is shocking.

I want to say; the reason I am reviewing this particular Laptop Computer is merely circumstantial. My circumstances required that I stop procrastinating and just go out and buy one. I was in dire need of a computer to enable me to continue researching products, composing my reviews (including doing slight adjustments to uploaded images, i.e. color, cropping, etc.), processing and organizing my incoming/outgoing emails and in general; I just needed a little “workhorse” computer. No frills. No big graphics package for gaming. I just wanted the basics. Sometimes; that is all you need to get the job done.

I’m not one of those gals that like “all the bells and whistles”. Don’t get me wrong; sometimes they come in handy. My husband (a Professional Photographer who produces high resolution images) obviously, needs everything that he can get out of his computer. We have pulled the whole “Tim Allen – Home Improvement” thing with that system. It has been upgraded and filled to capacity with graphics programs, image files and music. Regarding that; I am telling everyone right now, there is no thing as “too much memory”. No matter how much memory you have and no matter how many gigs the hard drive has, you will get to a point where you’ll max it out. I can’t tell you the number of times that I have heard the words, “this is more memory than we will ever need or use”. The next thing you know; we’re out shopping for another drive to back it all up, and get it off of the main computer.

Going in; I knew exactly what I needed in a computer and I was particularly savvy as to, how much, I should pay for it. I went into the store prepared to duke it out with the “computer specialist”, that was going to tell me what I should be looking for in a computer and advise (up-sell) me, towards a more “state of the art”, “graphics oriented” model. I’d done my homework and knew which brands (from experience) to stay away from. I didn’t even go near those models in the aisle. It doesn’t matter how good-looking the computer is; if it doesn’t have a decent processing system, or a company that will stand behind their product, it’s not worth buying.

In the past I have been (coerced) into buying the biggest and best system that my budget could afford. This was all made too simple by the offering of a “store credit card and 5% off”. Who could resist that? In every case, this has led for the most part, to severe disappointment. After spending 1,000’s of dollars (and I am not embellishing this figure) on super machines, promising to do everything but make the coffee; I have come to the reality that my instincts should prevail, when making the next computer purchase. Don’t get me wrong; I was almost enticed to get the next bigger/better unit. But then; that little voice in the back of my head, said “Snap out of it!”

It didn’t take long for me to hone in on my Lenovo B575-1450A5U. This model comes with an AMD E-Series Processor, a nice 15.6” Display, 4GB Memory and 320GB Hard Drive. That’s exactly what I was looking for. After getting it home and using it for a couple of days; I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised. This computer does, absolutely everything that I need it to do; maybe even more. Actually; my husband tells me that this computer rivals his “super computer” which was purchased, just under (2) years ago, for twice as much as this Lenovo model. I think that he wants one for Christmas. All of a sudden; the old one, isn’t so “pretty” anymore.

I am so happy that I listened to my instincts, in making this purchase. This little computer, is reasonably priced and will do everything that the average student, housewife, small home-based business needs (emailing, shopping, blogging, social networking, word programs, photos, etc.). There is one pet peeve though; the edges are flush all the way around. This makes it difficult to open from the folded position. If you can live with that; it’s a good choice in a, very low end, computer. The initial investment is almost negligible. Heck some of our kids pay more for their cellphones. At least you can compose a complete (non-text) email, resume; or in my case, a review on it.

As Required By The FTC: This product was reviewed by Momma, herself, with no backing from Lenovo. All opinions provided therein are hers, and hers alone.

Excalibur Dehydrator Series: Beef Jerky

Momma Told Me: I'm not buying that, I can make it!

If you're just joining us: In the Summer of 1991, at age 5, I recall hours (which to me seemed like weeks) of sitting in electronic warehouses watching my parents make their next major purchase. Momma, newly in remission, was still getting used to being a stay at home momma. Pop was over compensating the situation by indulging in every high tech kitchen appliance on the market. We'd already picked up 2 rice cookers, a Crock Pot, Steel Chamber Ice Cream Maker, Cutting Edge Microwave, Home Bread Maker- and were presently shopping Dehydrators- with a Meat Slicer surely to follow. Even so young, I remember staring up at the price tags, with so many digits, and gasping at the prices of these 'luxury' items. While today these kitchen electronics have become much more mainstream, in price and function, I still run into people who tilt their head when I mention such things. What do you need that for? And I've come to notice half our readers had never heard of a dehydrator until this series.

In either case, Momma taught me the value of a Renaissance housewife- the woman who's at home tasks change with the seasons and bring value to the household through frugality and innovation. Momma could shop a grocery bill down to pennies on the dollar (and in the best of times get paid to shop), complete my social studies model with dental floss and tongue depressors, or turn a broken vacuum into a terrarium. I learned from her never to waste, and that just because something comes in a frilled bag doesn't make it better than it's 'real', homemade, counterpart. And while Momma kept the dehydrator out year round, the summer was when our kitchen truly came to life. That was when I'd learn all her gourmet secrets and, like magic, a boring apple and yogurt blend would turn into a delicious fruit roll, or a piece of tough London Broil, tender and juicy beef jerky.

After introducing my brand new kitchenware baby: the 5 Tray Excalibur Home and Garden Dehydrator I began to discover new uses for this kitchen aid. However none matched up to Momma's tried and true recipe for beef jerky. Excalibur's unique Hyperwave Fluctuation Technology helps to effectively remove moisture from the entire piece of food, resulting in a superior dried meat that's consistent and flavorful. And, because of the stack-able square footprints and pull-out trays I can rotate my batches for quicker processing, or dry multiple items at once. (Of course, jerky and raw meat should always go on the bottom) Unlike many low end models Excalibur units allow for easy monitoring and switching during the baking process. There's no more messy layers to re-stack, and everything cooks evenly!

One of Momma's favorite Dehydrator projects was certainly beef jerky. She'd bribe the butcher with bags of it, have the neighbors attempting to buy it, and turn pop and I to putty with a single slice. If we were playing Family Feud, and the Survey Said: Name The First Thing That Comes To Mind When You Think of Your Momma, Jerky would be my Number 1. There was nothing more exciting for Pop and I than seeing the mounding portions of trimmed beef waiting in the fridge. And the aromas which filled our household during those days were enough to burn calories with anticipation. It's a wonder I didn't catch food poisoning trying to eat undercooked, stolen jerky slices as a child!

Many novice dehydrator users are often most skeptical of working with dried meats. The truth is making homemade jerky in an Excalibur Dehydrator couldn't be simpler (or more affordable)! Believe it or not, I've used over 10 cuts of beef in my jerky adventures, and Momma's favorite, London Broil is still the best for flavor and texture. When this cut is on sale, you can stock up for as low as less than $1/lb! In fact, the marinade is the most expensive part....but I can't share our family secret for that (Momma would kill me). Don't worry, half the fun is playing with flavors, and the trickiest part is in the cut. If you're not blessed enough to have access to a meat slicer, or a kind butcher, you can partially freeze the cut of meat. London Broil will tend to be 1-2" in thickness, and when partially frozen should cut into fine slivers easily. In fact, this cut lends itself well to the classic strips many associate with beef jerky.

A good place to start, for a marinade, is with a high sodium base, such as Soy Sauce. Adding spices and heat, if desired, isn't as integral at the marinade stage and all meat should be marinated at least 10 hours. Longer marinating cycles will result in more flavor, but be careful not to over do it or your jerky will come out too salty! Momma's jerky is a sweet and tangy version with hints of Teriyaki- one of her secrets is to sprinkle a generous layer of her special sugar and spice mixture halfway through the drying process. It's easiest to add flavor outside of the marinating tub/container- and this is where any heat (pepper/paprika/etc) should be sprinkled on. Depending on the cut and size of the pieces, dehydration will take 10-16 hours on average, at 415F or above. Excalibur's timer comes in especially handy for overnight batches. It's wonderful to wake up to fresh jerky! Best of all, clean up is a breeze thanks to the brand's complimenting line of non-stick sheets!


What Daughter Says: Everything tastes better when you make it yourself is only true if you know what you're doing. With Excalibur's comprehensive line of Dehydrators and accessories anyone can master the art of preserved snacks!

****Check back each Tuesday during the Summer to follow our Excalibur series, then be sure to come back on August 7th to enter our giveaway!

~See the Excalibur Introduction post here.

~See the Excalibur Fruits and Veggies post here.

~See the Excalibur Yogurt Rolls post here.

As required by the FTC: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I received a product sample in order to conduct my review. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.