Reviews by oceankitten

oceankitten says "i take this with me everywhere" about MSI windbook

oceankitten — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:23:27 GMT

my husband is the computer geek, so when he decided i needed to update my old laptop, i just told him "it needs to be small, easy to use, portable and pink". this little windbook filled my every need.

i am kind of computer illiterate, so the fact that i have been able to figure out how to use the wifi in starbucks, the built in camera at honolulu international airport and download pictures from my cellphone without using any instructions is a testament to how easy this little laptop is to use.

i take it with me everywhere, even if i don't think i'll use it, just because it is so small and light it fits in my purse. it also came with a pink and white zip up case, so i just zip it and go. the touch screen is responsive so i don't even miss not having a mouse. sometimes i'm sorry that it doesn't have a CD drive, but i have accepted not having one in exchange for the portability.

best of all, because it's pink, my husband wouldn't be caught dead using it, so it's mine! all mine!...

...

oceankitten says "you stick it to your dryer with a sticker? seriously?" about Bounce Dryer Bar

oceankitten — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:40:46 GMT

i have to admit that i have not used this product yet.

it's not that i'm not intrigued, it's not that i don't think it will work. i even think the concept is pretty nifty and convenient.

the big, big, BIG issue that i have with this product is that it sticks to the inside of your dryer with one of those spongy foam double-sided stickers. you know, the kind that tend to get less effective in heat and humidity?

it was difficult to tell through ads and commercials how the dryer bar adhered, but i was expecting magnets, which seemed most logical to me. i was very disappointed to find it was a sticker.

i recently bought a brand new washer and dryer for the first time in my life (no more hand-me-downs!), and the last thing i want to do is stick something in there what might leave some kind of gooey residue. also, if it falls off, couldn't that goo end up on the clothes you're currently drying, as well?

i like this product in theory, as i forget to toss dryer sheets in all the time,...

...

oceankitten says "PureVia is good, but nothing special" about PureVia All Natural Zero Calorie Sweetener

oceankitten — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:59:03 GMT

i have to admit i approached PureVia cautiously, as i have been a fan of the stuff in the pink packets for quite a long time.

PureVia has a decent, sweet flavor, but the consistancy is different enough from sugar that i would not use it as a substitute in baking.

however, it was a perfectly acceptable sweetener in my morning coffee. one negative was that it took twice as many packets of PureVia as the pink stuff to achieve the level of sweetness that i prefer. but in the positive, it didn't have the funky artificial after-taste that can occur in the flavored coffees sometimes.

my husband really liked it though. he is diabetic, so he can't use all the real sugar that he used to like, and he thinks artificial sweeteners are pretty nasty in general, so he appreciated finally being able to use something to sweeten his coffee.

bottom line: i would buy it if it were on sale, but i wouldn't go out of my way to search it out.

...

oceankitten says "when you're in kona, this is where the locals eat" about Big Island Grill - Kailua Kona, HI

oceankitten — Thu, 21 May 2009 00:47:24 GMT

if you like basic, local food at reasonable prices, this is where you need to go when you visit the kona area on the big island.

the food here is always good, but the breakfast is really the best in the area. servings are huge (even my carb-addict daughter can't finish her order of pancakes) and everything always tastes fresh. service is always with a smile, but if you go, do expect to wait for a table--everyone who lives here eats here. plus, if you're into classic cars, a local car club meets for breakfast on satudays, so you can eyeball a few hot rods as well.

...

oceankitten says "i was totally skeptical of this product, but it REALLY works" about Pledge Fabric Sweeper for Pet Hair

oceankitten — Wed, 20 May 2009 21:30:19 GMT

the only reason i bought this for the first time was because i had a coupon for a free one. i mean, really, how ground-breaking could it be?

i have to admit, i was thoroughly impressed. i ran it across the cushion of the "cat's chair" and it picked everything up with minimal effort. the fur, the dander, the bits of everything that cats seem to leave in their favorite resting place was gone. and the fur was pretty thick as i tend to just ignore that chair. and after the first intense cleaning, i would just swipe it over the surface a few times for easy maintenance. so much easier than dragging the vacuum out all the time!

and while i was bummed when i realized you can't empty the fur out of the holder and reuse it, i think the fairly low price is worth my convenience. when this one is full, i definitely plan to buy another.

...

oceankitten says "Who knew food delivery by conveyor belt was fun?" about Genki Sushi - Kailua-Kona, HI

oceankitten — Mon, 04 May 2009 20:51:42 GMT

My husband and I discovered Genki Sushi when we were visiting Oahu a few years ago, so we were thrilled when we found out one was coming to the Big Island, here to Kona!

Honestly, while the food is good it is not fabulous, but the food is kind of secondary at this restaurant. You are seated at a table or barstool dining in front of a conveyor belt that runs around the restaurant. On that conveyor belt is an astounding variety of sushi-themed choices passing right by you at eye level. When you see something you like, just grab it! There's all different kinds of rolls, tempura, salads and dessert, and a convenient menu at each table to identify each item. The beauty of it is that each plate is color coded, so you know how much each item is before you pick it up; they range anywhere from about $2.50 to $5 each.

Kids love the place because the food is immediate, grownups love it because it's filling and fun. The staff is great and the atmosphere is very low-key.

...

oceankitten says "Juniper Bank is Impossible to Work With" about Juniper Bank - Visa

oceankitten — Mon, 04 May 2009 20:09:27 GMT

I did not start out with Juniper Bank; I had a mileage card for an airline that went under last year. So I lost my miles and got switched to a bank I've never heard of before.

While my credit score is not great because of some identity theft I'm trying to take care of, I do make my credit card payments on time...under normal circumstances (I'll get to that). However, one of the first things Juniper did after taking over my account was jack up my interest rate to over 23%.

Then, the strongly encouraged me to sign up for paperless statements, and they would send a reminder each month for the statement and payment due date. I signed up, because it seemed like a small thing I could do for the environment.

This worked well until two months ago, when I didn't get an email for the statement availabilty or the payment reminder. I was paying other bills and realized I didn't remember seeing this statement, so I logged on and discovered my payment was about five days late and I had already...

...

oceankitten says "My color lasts forever now!" about Herbal Essences Color Me Happy Shampoo

oceankitten — Mon, 04 May 2009 19:52:06 GMT

I tried several Herbal Essences shampoos before I found "Color Me Happy" and fell in love! It smells great, is gentle to my poor hyper-colored hair, and totally extends the length of time between color applications. I actually get to color when my roots show, rather than because my color faded. I never realized my shampoo had an impact on my color until I found "Color Me Happy". It's totally a salon quality shampoo on a budget; I even got my mom and sister to try, and now they love it too!

...