Reviews by Amalgamate

Amalgamate says "The storyline becomes the same after a few episodes" about HOUSE M.D.

Amalgamate — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:49:07 GMT

I LOVED House when I first started watching the show. House was the man I loved and hated at the same time. He had so many issues, but was brilliant and straight-foward. He also had great chemistry with the director and his team.

This season, the chemistry is strange with his new team. It's lacking - in definition, in humor, and in imagination. I've grown to like them, but I'm not drawn into the "lives" of the characters. House is a show I could take or leave at this point. I watch it if there's nothing else on, and I need something to entertain me while I fold clothes.

The worst part of the show is the repetitive storyline. Occasionally, the writers mix it up. But usually, House and his team misdiagnose a patient for 45 minutes, and House amazingly figures it out in the last 10 minutes. The original treatment hurts and hinders the patient's health and/or the ability to diagnose. This boring part generally overshadows the intricacies of House's loveable insanity so that I'd rather not...

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Amalgamate says "Amazing contacts, but not for people with horrible vision." about Acuvue Oasis Contact Lenses

Amalgamate — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:21:27 GMT

The Acuvue Oasis contact lenses were AMAZING when I first put them in. My previous pair of contacts (don't know the brand) were rather uncomfortable and scratchy, as if there was always something in my eyes. It was an awesome feeling to put in the Acuvue and not even know they were there! I couldn't feel them in my eyes. On top of that, they were reasonably priced and the doctor had them in stock. Acuvue makes stock lenses - common prescriptions and sizes that can be made in bulk. This is why they are able to keep lower prices.

Which lead to my problem with Acuvue: I wear a -9 in one eye and -18 in the other. Acuvue Oasis is made up to -12, I think. My vision is so blurry out of the -18 eye anyways, I was willing to try -12 just to have a decently priced lens. Unfortunately, I was seeing double out of both eyes because of the contacts. According to the opthamologist, the part of the contact that is suppose to fit over the pupil is extra large in order to fit "average" eyes. It did not...

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Amalgamate says "Teaching my students to type with Type to Learn" about Sunburst Type to Learn¿ 3 Full Version for PC, Mac

Amalgamate — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 19:34:38 GMT

I teach Computer Lab for 3rd-5th grade, and they are currently learning to type with Type to Learn 3. I love the "game" aspect of this with the peppy music, fun colors, and missions to complete. With each mission, more keys are added--usually 2 keys per mission. Learning to type is not exactly a fun thing to do, but this program helps add a little something extra to it.

We have just recently begun using the program, so most of the students are only up to mission 4 or 5 (f, j, g, h, r, u, t, y, d, k,). After awhile, the lessons and games are rather repetitive, and I'm afraid my students are going to be incredibly bored before they complete all missions. However, I know the only way to learn the keys is by repetition, so I just try to mix it up by occassionally letting them on other internet typing games as well.

I was surprised that the lessons did not teach the home row keys first. The missions show the students where to put their hands on the home row keys, but the lessons begin with all...

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Amalgamate says "Amazing relief for menstrual cramps" about ThermaCare Air-Activated Neck to Arm Heatwraps, 3-Count Boxes

Amalgamate — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 19:05:33 GMT

I use the Neck Wraps on my abdomen to relieve menstrual cramps. I have found the ones for the neck and shoulders to be the perfect shape and size for my stomach.

I have a hard time taking medicine and can't swallow pills, so the heatwraps are an amazing solution for cramps! They are self-heating and air activated, so I am not tied down by the cord of a heating pad. The heat lasts for up to 8 hours, which is long enough for me to get work done and go about my day-to-day business without the inteference of pain. They are thin enough to go under my clothes with no one noticing it's there (except not under super tight shirts). The adhesive is strong, so the wraps stay put. It's also more painful than a bandaid when you're ready to take it off.

The heat wraps can be a little expensive and generally have only 2 to 3 per box, but I only use 1 a month. They are perfect for mild cramps, and work best when a wrap is placed on at the first onset of pain. If I wait until the pain is really bad,...

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Amalgamate says "The BEST eye drops for extreme allergies!" about Alocril Allergy Eye Drops

Amalgamate — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:51:01 GMT

My eyes suffer from extreme itching and burning due to seasonal allergies in the Spring and Fall. The BEST relief I have found is with Alocril (Nedocromil) Allergy Eye Drops. These are prescription drops to be used once or twice a day as needed.

I have tried over the counter Visine, Bausch and Lomb Alaway, and Similasan allergy eye drops, but none of these provide relief during my worst cases. My eyes have itched and burned so badly that I could not even open them, but a drop or two of Alocril gave almost immediate relief.

The only bad part is that they leave a somewhat sour metallic taste in the back of my throat shortly after using the drops. I have found that sucking on a peppermint or other hard candy will help get rid of most of the aftertaste. The longer I leave my head tilted back after putting in the drops, the stronger the metallic taste becomes. Because of the taste, I normally only use Alocril during the worst part of allergy season.

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Amalgamate says "Get Rid of the Itch & Burn in your Eyes!" about Similasan Similasan Allergy Eye Drops

Amalgamate — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:37:26 GMT

I suffer from extreme itching and burning in my eyes during the beginning of Spring and Fall due to seasonal allergies. Similasan Allergy Eye Drops have been the best non-prescription allergy eye drop for me. If I put the drops in at the first sign of itching, then I have immediate relief. However, if I wait until I cannot stand the itching or burning anymore, then Similasan is not nearly as effective. It takes the edge off of the extreme discomfort but does not fix it completely. I recommend a drop in each eye when you first wake up in the morning on days when pollen counts or other allergens are high. Add another drop in each eye at the middle of the day if needed.

I have tried Visine and Bausch & Lomb's Alaway allergy eye drops as well. Neither were as effective for me as Similasan. Depending on the store, you may pay a few extra dollars for Similasan, but it is well worth it if you are looking for something without a prescription. You can print out a $1 off coupon at www.similasanusa.com/coupon.cfm....

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Amalgamate says "Is your vision less than perfect?" about Upstate Vision Therapy - - Mauldin, SC

Amalgamate — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:15:03 GMT

I've had double vision all of my life (I see 2 of everything, all the time) and my optometrist said nothing could be done about it. I started researching vision therapy and made an appointment with Upstate Vision Therapy. I've been attending therapy for 5 months now. While I still see double, I can feel that my eyes are at least trying to work together. The doctor said I am an extreme case, so it could take 18 months for results IF my vision can be corrected. But I've seen other patients with incredible results, so I'm confident in the work Upstate Vision Therapy does.

Everyone working there has been extremely nice and helpful. I don't see the doctor very often, but the therapists are quite competent. They are more than willing to work with you even if insurance will not pay anything.

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Amalgamate says "Rough side effects" about TriNessa Norgestimate & ethinyl estradiol tablets

Amalgamate — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:03:14 GMT

Trinessa has been a fairly easy pill to take once I got past a couple of rough patches. It's rather small, but I can't swallow pills. I've crushed it and mixed it with various drinks. Luckily, the pill does not have much of a taste. I missed a day once and took 2 the next day. This caused me to be sick and nauseous for the next couple of days. I've also started my period a couple of weeks early, but this may be from not taking the pill when I felt so nauseous. It's great, though, for those on a tight budget. With insurance, the pills cost me $7 per month....

Amalgamate says "I need these more than once a year!" about Hershey - Cherry Cordial Kisses

Amalgamate — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 20:39:38 GMT

I am addicted to the Cherry Cordial kisses! I love chocolate covered cherries, but the filling is normally too strong for me. The Kisses are super sweet, but not as strong as normal chocolate covered cherries. They're great for that little pick-me-up of chocolate that I need throughout the day. I also love the red and black packaging, so I decoupaged it onto a pencil holder.

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Amalgamate says "I'd buy the cheap craft paints instead of this one." about Van Gogh Acrylic Paint

Amalgamate — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 20:46:15 GMT

I was in desperate need of white acrylic paint for a class project, so I went to the closest arts and craft store--Hobby Lobby. The only option in the artists' paint section was Van Gogh. It was about the same price as other decent paints, so I gave it a try. Big Mistake! It had less pigment than cheap craft paints, so I had to use layer upon layer of paint to cover the white areas of my painting....

Amalgamate says "Gift cards from MyPoints bought my family's Christmas presents!" about MyPoints

Amalgamate — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 20:34:58 GMT

Love this website! Earn points and exchange them for gift cards to a variety of places. Plenty of the points I earn come from reading emails that take very little time. And it's amazing to earn points for items I am going to purchase anyways. They have always shipped my gift cards very quickly.

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