Detailing my love of NPR and a rebate for buying Reebok shoes that don't work

One thing that you may not know about me (or do cause I wrote about it - I am so too lazy to go check) is that I have a deep love of the National Public Radio. When I had a car the local public radio station was the only station I ever listened to, much to my friend's chagrin. Whenever anyone would ride in my car they would always groan to hear whatever happened to be playing at the time. Despite their looks and accusations of being old and weird, I didn't care. I loved it then and I love it now.

When I first became a full time pedestrian, I stopped listening to NPR almost all together. I had no where to listen to it without a car and my apartment had horrible reception. That Christmas I got a new iPod nano and loved it since it was so small and cute. What I later discovered was that it had an internal radio built in. So, back into my life strolled NPR and all my old friends - Terry Gross, Kai Ryssdal, Peter Sagal, Michele Norris and all the others. If you don't listen to NPR those names don't mean anything, but I listen to them tell me all the latest news and current events everyday and know their voices and personalities.

Well, my listening and readership of NPR has paid off today since I saw an article (actually T pointed me in its direction - he's so great!) about those Reebok toning shoes of which i bought a pair or two. Apparently the FTC had sued them for claiming the shoes did more to tone the butt and legs than they actually do. They must have been right since Reebok just agreed to a $25 million dollar settlement. he's the best part, they have to pay the people who bought any of the toning apparel, shoes and clothes included! Right now the deal is $50 per pair of shoes and smaller amounts for the less expensive but equally bogus items.

If you were gullible like me and bought into the idea that wearing special (dumb looking) shoes to help tone your body and want a refund, just fill out the rebate request form here. It may not work, because law suits have a habit of disappearing, but if it does, that's money back in our pockets for being brain washed by marketing.

Here's to getting some back from the man thanks to the other man...the government!

Is my Yuppy showing? or is that my geeky?

One thing I have started to become very into over the last few months are podcasts. I may be late to the game when it comes to the magic and wonder that are podcasts, but let me just say that THEY ARE AWESOME and have totally changed my life. Okay that's a bit much, but they are awesome. I love listening to a good podcast when I am walking home from work (two and a half miles! Yeah!) or at the gym on the elliptical (usually when I miss the class I usually take). Here are some of my favorites that I listen to all the time:

This American Life – this show is always different but always really interesting and entertaining. It can be funny or sad or thought provoking, but I never regret listening to it. Also, Ira Glass, the host, has one of the best radio voices ever. There is something about it that I just can’t get enough of. I could listen to him for hours, but he’s only the anchor, he doesn’t do most of the stories *sads*. A spin-off from This American Life is the podcast How to Do Everything. It’s usually a lot shorter, only twenty minutes, and covers random topics regarding how to do things like make sausage, run a 5k, or talk to your congressional representative. It’s pretty cool and is very similar in tone to This American Life, but a little lighter and more eclectic.

The Nerdist – being the self identified nerd that I am I love this podcast. It is always nerdy and always funny. I don’t know how Chris Hardwick does it, but he is friends with huge, huge stars and will get them to come on the show. He’s had everyone from the Muppets, to the guys from MST3K to Sir Patrick Stuart. He also almost always has two co-hosts, Jonah Ray and Matt Mira, both really funny people and working comedian/writers. There is a Nerdist TV show airing on BBC America this evening after Dr. Who, and if all goes well it will turn into a regular thing. If I still had cable I would totally watch it, but since I don’t I will promote in anyway I can. I may even tweet it for more publicity for them. That’s how much I like these guys. I may not have a wide audience, but at least I try right?…

Skeptics Guide to the Universe – This one appeals to my geeky science-y side. The podcast is produced and hosted by members of the New England Skeptical Society and talks all about how so many things people believe in are total bunk and some are even dangerous. My favorite parts are when they call out just bad science - anything from popular topics like acupuncture or psychic powers to improperly done research. I always like when they play a game called Fact or Fiction where Steve, the main host, names two real science news topics and one fake one and the other hosts have to try to guess which one is the fiction. It sounds really geeky, but I love it.

There are more, but that’s enough for now. I highly recommend them as they make my commute and downtime so much better and more entertaining. I even learn some stuff sometimes too, which is always a plus right?

I can't believe flexitarian is a thing and I may be one

I have heard the term “flexitarian” thrown around and at first I scoffed and thought that it was one of the most idiotic things ever. I mean, why does there need to be a term for someone who eats meat but occasionally has meals without meat? Well, after thinking about it for a little while, I began to realize that I may have judged the term and stuck the idea with it. I still think that the term (and the need for one) is kinda dumb, but the idea may be a good one. And, the more I gave the idea a chance, the more I thought that it sounded like a good one for me to try.

I have been attempting eat a little more healthily and have been more conscious of the caloric content of my meals. Because of this I have begun seeing if I can make many of meals vegetarian and some even vegan. I still eat meat of all kinds, and I have no ethical objection to consuming pretty much anything as long as I don’t think torture of cruelty was involved (like ortolan and I always research my foie gras to make sure it is humane like from Hudson Valley Farm). I am conscious that it is more sustainable to be a vegan or vegetarian, but I don’t think that is a compelling enough reason for me to give up meat altogether. Especially because I would worry about my protein consumption and my estrogen levels if I was a vegetarian. I don’t really participate in Meatless Mondays either, because I usually need meat after a hard Monday, but Tuesday and/or Wednesday may be meatless for me.

I guess my real point is that I need to stop judging things because of what they are called. Good ideas are just good ideas no matter what name people give them. Something about judging a book yadda yadda yadda… whatevz people are still dumb.

I'm still alive...

 I feel as though in the last few months, maybe even several months, I seem to have lost my voice. I have been consuming a ton of different voices, but I just can’t seem to add my voice to the din. Sure every once in a while I tweet something out into the universe, but that doesn’t really count as writing to me.

I want to be able to sit down and write out my thoughts and feelings. Get things off my mind. Go into detail about stuff I like. Even try to do some tutorials to teach people things. I want to be able to add my contributions to people and be a part of the blogging movement.

But, the question is can I? Can I start writing again? What do I want to write? My life has been going through a lot of changes over the last year, and I think one of the big changes is that planning is a huge part of my day to day activities. Planning has never been part of how I write in general, and that carries over to how I blog. I just write what I feel when I feel it, which is probably why I haven’t been able to write anything for a while. I just haven’t felt it. And when I do, I am too busy with the rest of my life to sit down to write. I need to be better about this. I need to start writing again for me, and understand that it is just as important to my sanity and creativity to do this than anything else.

So, let’s try this again shall we? Welcome back me.

Why do i never want to drink tea again...?

So, i am sure you have heard of Christine O'Donnell and what a useless waste she is and how she is insulting to women politicians and probably women in general?

IF you hadn't or if you had any doubt. Watch this (remember she's running for SENATE):



Now, I was under the impression that all the Senate did was make amendments, like the first one, to the constitution... what does she think she is running for? Miss Tea Party?

If it was a sure thing before that she would lose the election, it sure seems it now. PS. if you haven't seen any of the other debates, check them out. To me, Chris Coons seems like such a reasonable fellow, and I think we need more people like him in the Senate. Maybe that's just me...I like him!

P.S. If you go to her website: ElectChristineODonnell.org you'll see she spelled her own name wrong. Gawker caught it, so it may be gone by the time you read this, but as of right now, it's spelled O'Donnel... scary. just scary.