Wii!!!

I finally picked up a Wii. I have to say that I am highly impressed by this system. I was impressed with Nintendo taking a risk by not going the route of ultra realistic as all the other systems have recently. And, still trying to create the market rather than follow the market. I'm so impressed with what Nintendo has done here. They've actually created a system that requires kids(and others) to get out of their seats in order to play the games. Not an original idea, but they really took it to the next level. The controllers to this system are extremely sensitive making it hard to sit and fake movements. And, if you've figured out how to do this, you're a lost cause anyway. The remote senses motions in all directions. Forward, backward, side to side, up and down, tilts, speed, everything. Which allows for great game play. Bravo Nintendo!

urga-what?

So, as a lot of artists, I've been sitting on the cheap drafting stool that comes with the drafting tables. You know, the one that you can feel the bolts through the seat padding. I finally broke down and decided to buy a new chair. Now, what is the right chair? I have a very small work area in my studio apartment, so I couldn't buy one of those huge lazy boy type chairs that you can sink into. Tempting, but it just wouldn't fit. So, I went for a ultra task chair. This is the Capisco Hag chair. It's designed to keep you moving without making you uncomfortable. I have to admit, it took a little time to get used to. It was a bit uncomfortable for the first couple of weeks. But, once I got used to it, it does do what it claims. Keeps you moving. This chair allows for many more sitting positions that a typical chair does not. Not sure about everyone else, but as an artist, its a really nice option to vary up my sitting position comfortably during the hours I spend behind my table. The chair is on the pricey side. Pricey for me... But, I figured I'd be spending a lot of time on it, so I'd definitely be getting my money's worth. Especially, if I'm comfortable hour after hour working on projects. The chair is very adjustable. The back can be adjusted up and down. The saddle can be adjusted forward and backwards. The ease that it tilts back is adjustable. The chair can be locked into position, so it doesn't tilt back. This makes sitting backwards on the chair more comfortable. And, the saddle shape of the base allows for proper circulation in the legs. Did you know that the improper circulation caused by chairs that put too much pressure on the back of the thigh can cause back pain? Anyway, this is my new funky task chair.

Sonicare

The Sonicare is one of my most recent steps in taking better care of my teeth. Believe it or not, I had not been serious about taking care of my teeth before 200.....2, I think. Anyway, not until pretty recent. I had always been afraid and terrified of the dentist. I hated the feel of metal scraping on my teeth. But, my mouth was in trouble. In the beginning, I started to go to the dentist just because I was too embarrassed about my not so fresh breath. I NEEDED to deal with the issue. But, as I went to the dentist I found out that my mouth had more issues than just the breath. My gums were in trouble as well and plaque had built up. So, I decided to bite the bullet and jump in with both feet. Let me tell ya, it wasn't easy. I was out of my mind nervous. But, I couldn't ask for a better situation to go in. The dentist was a family friend that I could trust to be kind and honest. And, I had insurance. So, I had nothing to lose, but my embarrassment. It wasn't pretty that first time I went to the dentist. My mouth was in bad shape. After that first visit I had to go back in just a few weeks because my mouth needed to heal before my dentist could proceed. Yike! But, I was determined. Now, I go to the dentist regularly every 6 months. And, on good advice from my brother, I schedule my next appointments before I leave the dentist's office. If I didn't, I would probably procrastinate and end up not going for years. And, just recently, my dentist told me that my gums were still in trouble. I had not been flossing every night as he had recommended and parts of my gums were still infected and puffy. Nasty, right? But, he told me one thing that made me take my care of my mouth to the next level. He told me that if my gums didn't heal on their own, I would have to get surgery where they would have to cut into my gums to fix them. The idea of my gums getting cut into freaked me out. So, I began to floss properly every night. It was hard in the beginning because there would be a lot of blood. Which is the problem. Your gums should not bleed too easily. If they do, they're not healthy. So, floss even if its uncomfortable. Eventually, there is less blood and then no blood. My gums healed on their own. And, on my next visit, the dentist told me that there was a night and day difference on the condition they were in. So, with the recommendations from my dentist and girlfriend, I've taken the next step and purchased the Sonicare tooth brush. I'm still feeling my way on using it properly, but it seems to be making a difference. My teeth do feel cleaner after a brushing. Not "dentist clean" like the commercial hints, but cleaner than a regular toothbrush. If anything can help my visits to the dentist be more pleasant, I'll take it. I still fight my laziness to go through the process at night. But, whenever I feel too lazy to floss, brush, and mouthwash, I remember what my dentist said. "... surgery on your gums..." Then, the process doesn't seem too much anymore. :)

food prep

Here are two items that my girlfriend bought me for my birthday this year. We both love tasty foods. And, a couple of our favorites are ham and egg on toast and Jamba Juice's orange dream machine. I had been talking about trying to make these at home, so we can have it any time we would like. So, I did some research and narrowed down appliance choices. Eliminating the most expensive and the cheapest. I really wanted to get the same blender that Jamba Juice used, but those blenders went for over $400. That just seemed a little extreme. So, here are the two items that we picked up. The blender is the Oster Fusion. It's a mid range blender that has a good amount of power to pulverize ice. Good for nice icy drinks. My favorite. It's a bit loud, but works pretty well. Not exactly Jamba Juice, but also a fraction of the price. And, the toaster is the Krups FEM2. Its supposed to be a powerful toaster that toasts quickly to make the outside crunchy and inside soft. So far, not so much. But, that could just be because of the bread we're using. It still makes a yummy sandwich. So, yummy food will be made! :)