Reviews by Friends of rulistenin

Jo says "Clinique Lines and Defines my Lips" about Clinique Defining Liner for Lips

Jo — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 20:15:38 GMT

To the Point

Clinique Defining Liner for Lips is the second lip liner I have bought in about 10 years. My first experience wasn't great. However, my friend told me that it keeps her lipstick on longer.

On my makeup shopping spree to the Clinque counter I bought Clinique Defining Liner for Lips.

A Closer View

I took the advice of the sales clerk and bought the color pomegranate. Clinique Defining Liner for Lips costs $14.00 which is about the same amount as I would pay for any decent liner.

I didn't know until I went to write this review that the cover has a built in pencil sharpener. That's really cool. I have a pencil sharpener but it's nice to have one anytime I need it.

Clinique Defining Liner for Lips is creamy and goes on very smoothly even when sharp. I agree with the claims that it goes on evenly as well. I line my lips and then was told to color my lips with the liner. Another method is to draw two dots on the upper lip's bow, a dash across the bottom of the lower lip and then...

...

this2shallpass19 says "I love my Energizer Lantern, but I wish it had something!" about Energizer Weather Ready Dual Power Lantern

this2shallpass19 — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:44:19 GMT

My family goes camping pretty frequently and on one of our last trips, our lantern broke. I bought the Energizer Weather Ready Dual Power Lantern for our most recent trip and really like it. It offers two choices for lighting: alkaline batteries, or if you are somewhere you can plug it in, a 12-volt adapter.

Energizer says that this lantern has a lifetime guarantee in workmanship and materials for the life of the lantern. The packaging states that the lantern: "provides room-filling light for up to 29 hours on one set of alkaline batteries".

I chose the Engergizer Weather Ready Dual Power Lantern over all the others for several reasons: it has two power sources , it was reasonably priced ($25), batteries AND adapter are included, and I wanted a bulb that would be easy to change when it burned out. Luckily, for me this lantern turned out to be perfect...except for one thing.

While walking around at night or using it on a table as a main light, this lantern was perfect. ...

...

Katrena says "Smartvalve Toilet Fill Valve Left Me Feeling Pretty Slow & Dumb" about American Standard Smartvalve Toilet Valve Model 3198.000

Katrena — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 05:12:13 GMT

The American Standard Smartvalve toilet fill valve box says "Installs in under 15 minutes." I fell for it, hook, line, and sinker. I figured that even if it took my husband an hour and a half to get home that I would be able to smile and say "I already fixed the toilet!"

I am not a plumber. I do not have a plumber's tools. I don't make the money that plumbers do; therefore, I went to Lowe's and bought this thing that used to have a floating ball in it but newer versions now go straight up and down on a rod. It is supposed to cue the water to stop running after the back of the toilet fills to the appropriate level.

What I Like about SmartValve:

Height adjustment is easy--just twist the yellow part and lift or lower and then twist back to lock.
Opening the top for maintenance is easy, although I wouldn't recommend doing that while the water is running like my husband did. :)
There aren't many parts, but the directions didn't really talk about where to put all of the parts.
I can now flush...

...

this2shallpass19 says "A free, easy way to make a little extra money!" about Partnership-Plus

this2shallpass19 — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:33:01 GMT

Partnership-Plus.com is a free, easy way to earn a little bit of money if you regularly purchase new clothes. It's all done online and really easy. Every time you go shopping for clothes, or receive clothes as a gift, save the tags that come attached to your clothes and the receipts (if you have them).

At the beginning of every month, you will receive an e-mail from Partnership-Plus.com and it will have an online form for you to fill out regarding the clothes you purchased the previous month. So, at the beginning of December, you will fill out a form for the clothes you bought (or received as a gift) in November. To fill out the form, you will need the clothes you purchased last month, the receipts and the tags.

The form will ask you to simple questions like:

The date the clothes were purchased (from receipt)
The material the clothes are made of
The price you paid for the clothes
The type of store you bought them at (store, online)

The survey is very easy, and only takes about...

...

Jo says "Chobani Greek Yogurt: give it a try" about Chobani Greek Yogurt

Jo — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:34:22 GMT

I learned about Chobani Greek Yogurt at a 12-week weight loss class I have been taking. The reason it was mentioned is because of the amount of protein the yogurts have.

I just finished Blueberry Non-Fat yogurt. I have tried every flavor (except plain) and find them all really delicious. Make sure you stir them because the fruit is at the bottom. I have one a day!

Chobani Greek Yogurt comes in 6-ounce and 16-ounce cups. That is a bit strange because the larger containers serve 2 although they have 8 ounces. Obviously you'll get more calories in half of the 16 ounce yogurt.

The company donates 10% of their profits to charities. http://www.chobani.com

Chobani Greek Yogurt is delicious. I was a bit apprehensive at first because I am so used to non-Greek yogurt I had no idea what to expect. I thought it would be too thick but it isn't. It is just the right consistency.

My Blueberry yogurt has real blueberries in it; 14 grams of protein; no fat; and no cholesterol. However it has 20 grams of...

...

TunefulGal says "Avon's top-notch shower caps do double duty at my house!" about Avon Advanced Techniques Shower Cap

TunefulGal — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:18:01 GMT

Ruffles and flourishes don't make shower caps work. Avon's Advanced Techniques Shower Cap, unadorned save for some pretty polkadots, cuts to the chase and keeps the dreaded Moisture Monster at bay. This is especially important for someone with skinny, fine hair like mine. Just a moment of moisture takes the curl out of my hair whether outside or in. And there's nothing worse than saggy, soggy hair.

Why did I describe myself as "a dog and cat Mama" in a shower cap review?

Well... when my pooches need to take a potty break in the rain or on a foggy night, they eagerly wait until I agree to go out with them. (Yes, they're spoiled. Before we adopted them, they lived outdoors 24/7 in all kinds of weather.) This excursion works best when I put on my Avon Shower Cap first. Nothing penetrates this cap. Nothing! (If I'm walking in the neighborhood, I wear a hoody over this less-than-attractive cap arrangement.) And all is happiness when we get back inside.

More traditionally,...

...

Bryan-Carey says "Gladys Porter Zoo: Small, but Very Memorable" about Gladys Porter Zoo

Bryan-Carey — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:29:08 GMT

Family time at the zoo is a regular occurrence in my household, thanks to our membership at the Houston Zoo. We visit several times per year, for educational and recreational purposes but even though we have a membership, we still like to check out other zoos while on vacation. And one zoo we visited recently and enjoyed very much is the Gladys Porter Zoo, a small zoo located in Brownsville, Texas.

Zoo Facts:

The Gladys Porter Zoo is located near downtown Brownsville, Texas. This small zoo opened to the public for the fist time on September 3, 1971, the result of a private donation to the City of Brownsville, which now owns and operates the zoo. The zoo is smaller than average, with only about 31 acres of total space.

Gladys Porter Zoo includes exhibits of animals from all of the major continents and the animals are allowed to roam freely. This zoo divides itself into four main sections: Tropical America, Indo- Australia, Africa, and Other. In addition to the animals, the Gladys Porter...

...

Jo says "Amana 30 Inch Freestanding Electric good on a budget Range " about Amana 30 Inch Freestanding Electric Range #AER5830VAD

Jo — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:36:42 GMT

To the Point

We finally decided that having two burners on which to cook just wasn't working. We wanted a ceramic top and it had to be electric. We didn't want to spend a lot of money. The Amana 30 Inch Freestanding Electric Range #AER5830VAD was $400.00 on sale at Home Depot back in August. The regular price is around $550.00. That's still in the low end of range prices.

A Closer View

The first thing we noticed was that this range is smaller than our previous one. It doesn't make a difference to us. We have a small kitchen so it is good. What isn't good, especially for a family, is that the bottom drawer is not nearly as deep as any other range I've owned. My cookie sheets are always falling in the back and onto the floor.

I would not recommend the flat top style range if you have children. I know that kids touch coils as well but the ceramic is hot even when it is not red. There is a hot light indicator but a child would have to know to look for it.

The Features

Pros

The Amana 30 Inch...

...

TunefulGal says "Immediate comfort with Ikea's 'Poang' chair and then..." about IKEA Poang Chair

TunefulGal — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:03:26 GMT

My husband "Pal" and I have a complete record with the popular Ikea Poang Chair. We purchased our first at Ikea, another (with the footstool) at Goodwill, and pulled in two off the street. They have circulated from room to room and always said "Welcome" to anyone entering the room. Judged by looks only, the Poang is positively seductive.

The Ikea Poang provides comfort and support from the first sitdown. It is not however the chair for a full evening's sit watching TV nor is it the ideal chair for a long read by the fire in the livingroom. Fact is, it's not truly supportive in a way that favors the lower back. Spend too long in it and, if you're not an athletic young thing, you need a good martial arts ki-yi or a hefty helper to get out of it.

The Poang's slipcover is machine washable -- a good thing if your cat likes to sit in it, too. Lamentably, stuffing the two foam cushions removed for washing back into the slipcover presents a challenge hardly less athletic than a robust...

...

TunefulGal says "Santa Hats: Wear them or DECORATE or COLLECT them!" about Walgreen's, Petco, Team Santa, etc. Santa Claus Hats

TunefulGal — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 06:00:05 GMT

Every Christmas season for the past five years, I've photographed students and friends posed in a variety of Santa Hats. This year, I hung up some of my Walgreen's Santa Hats over the fireplace where our stockings usually go. You can see my starters above. I may rearrange them and add the stockings as well.

In the meantime, it occurs to me that with an additional strong loop, each Walgreen's Santa Hat might contain just the right amount of small items representing the smaller amounts the current recession has demanded of a lot of us.

In any case, my favorite hat is the one on the far left which is labelled "Diva". But there others I don't yet own that could make up a nifty collection. The Duluth Trading Company Santa Cap, even on sale at $14.50 this year, is a little more than I want to pay. But I'm keeping my eye on it, and you can too at DuluthTradingCompany.com

If you want them for or about a team, go to TeamSantaHats.com where you can order customized hats for your bridge...

...

Meri says "So long overdone rolls, so long burnt cookies... " about Pampered Chef Stoneware

Meri — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:10:32 GMT

Pampered Chef Stoneware turned me into an awesome baker. If I had not experienced baking with it I probably would be quite skeptical. So long overdone rolls, so long burnt cookies... truly amazing.

I have never burned baked goods while using the Pampered Chef Stoneware pieces. In fact, my cookies look as if I bought them at a bakery- perfectly baked to a golden brown. The secret to the way it browns is in the way the stoneware is made- each piece of stoneware is formed from a natural stoneware clay that evenly distributes heat and draws moisture away from the stone. As if that isn't enough of a sell, the stone retains heat so it acts like a warming dish after the items are baked. Somehow, it doesn't burn the baked item.

Seasoning the Stone:

It takes a little getting used to baking with any piece of Pampered Chef Stoneware. After receiving one you first need to wash it with hot water. The next step is called "seasoning" the stone. This is done by either baking a couple batches of high...

...

Katrena says "Rudolph is a Favorite Christmas Movie at My House" about Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

Katrena — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:49:07 GMT

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer has the charm of an older movie with a story that never grows old. This movie focuses on how being different really isn't bad at all.

Sam the Snowman sets the stage and narrates the story beautifully. The characters are lovable, even the Abominable. Although Santa is a bit grouchy in places, he begins to cheer near the end. Even the relentless elf boss decides to soften at bit. The technology used to make the characters is quite interesting and really appeals to kids. Even the scary characters don't look all that scary.

The Story:

Rudolph is born looking different from the other reindeer because he has a shiny red nose. His father decides Rudolph should wear a cover over his nose, and Rudolph is showing great promise as the young ones try out for the sleigh team. Unfortunately, his cover pops off and Rudolph is no longer welcome by the other reindeer his age...except Clarice, who has a crush on him and decides he looks better without the silly cover.

Eventually...

...

Katrena says "Twenty-six Princesses is a Fun Twist on an Alphabet Book" about Dave Horowitz - Twenty-Six Princesses

Katrena — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:22:11 GMT

Twenty-six Princesses [2008, G.P. Putnam's Sons, ISBN: 978-0-399-24607-4] by Dave Horowitz is a 32-page children's picture book that covers the letters of the alphabet as the story of these princesses develops.

Not all of the princesses are being particularly ladylike, and I think that's why my girls like this one. The book also incorporates rhyming and lots of humor. My girls got a kick out of Princess Nell, who apparently passed gas and they also started laughing about "Princess Ruth, mithing a tooth."

The illustrations are colorful and compliment the story.

My Viewpoint:

Twenty-six Princesses is an alphabet book that shows lots of princesses, many of which are behaving badly. This can be a fun book and my kids liked to look for the letter of the alphabet that was somewhere on each page. The rhyming words made the book fun to read. People who are looking for well behaved princesses in their storybooks would probably do better to try another children's book.

...

PattyTherre says "My two fave inexpensive body butters but which wins my $8.00?" about Tree Hut vs. Avon's Mark Self Sanctuary: Battle of the $8.00 Body Butters. Which is Better?

PattyTherre — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:00:10 GMT

Body butters! I love them. I have very expensive ones, all natural ones, and I have some inexpensive ones. Two of my favorite body butters under $8.00 are Tree Hut's various butters and Avon's Mark Self Sanctuary body butters. But if I had to pick just one, which would it be? Read on to see!

Tree Hut Body Butter vs. Avon's Mark Self Sanctuary Body Butter

Size and Cost

Tree Hut's body butters come in a 7 ounce tub for about $7.50. Self Sanctuary body butters are 6.7 ounces and cost $8.00. Both go on sale frequently though. There is so little diffrence in the two in these areas that I call this one ...

The Winner: A Tie

Scents

Tree Hut has luscious scents like Coconut Lime, Hawaiian Kukui, and Almond Honey. Avon's Mark brand comes in fresh blends like Lemon Sugar, Honey Jasmine, and Lime Lavender. My favorites are Tree Hut's Coconut Lime and Mark's Self Sanctuary Lemon Sugar. I have tried the other Tree Hut scents and all were amazing. I smelled the Lime Lavender Avon brand and thought it...

...

Katrena says "Find Moon Phase Image for Any Date 1800-2199: Cool!" about Moon Phase Images Virtual Reality Web Site

Katrena — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:36:20 GMT

The Moon Phase Images Virtual Reality Web Site offers visitors the opportunity to find out the moon phase for dates between 1800 and 2199. According to the web site, the lunar images were created by R. Schmidt.

How It Works:

The home page shows a virtual image of the moon as it appears at the present time in universal time that is updated every four hours. Users may also choose to see the moon as it appears at another time by choosing:

Century
Year
Month
Day
Hour
Time Zone (Universal, Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific)

What I Like About This Web Site:

Easy navigation--users can go back and reset with another date quickly
Very simple--doesn't have advertisements or other topics
Easy to use--my 8-year-old learned how to use it in just a few minutes
Wide range of dates available
Seems to be accurate but I

What I Don't Like About This Web Site:

The default century is the 1900s
It doesn't list the name of the phase--just shows the picture

My Viewpoint:

My daughter has had an assignment to...

...

Katrena says "104.7 fm Radio "The Fish" Has Great Christian Christmas Music" about 104.7 fm radio "The Fish" Web Site

Katrena — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:11:35 GMT

Radio stations don't like the area in which I live. I'm in a rural area where even cell phones often do not pick up. It's not unusual to see people walking around outside their homes when they try to talk on the phone. Radio? Well, if it's not clear, sometimes it's just not worth the effort...unless I try to pick up a station on the radio.

I love to listen to Christmas music. I came across the web site for 104.7 fm "The Fish" in Atlanta by accident, and I'm glad that I did. This Christian radio web site is very user friendly, and at this time they are playing all Christian Christmas music. I particularly enjoy listening to the Christian Christmas music, both older and newer songs, and this station is playing both. They are playing a few secular songs like Frosty and Sleigh Ride. They advertise that they are kid friendly, and so far I would agree with that.

I can easily find the area to click to listen to the station live, and I can also see the last 15 songs played. The song list has...

...

GigiandAdonai says "Great for dancewear or for layering. " about Intimate Eve Camisole

GigiandAdonai — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:49:22 GMT

The Intimate Eve Cami came from Sears and I can't remember the last time I shopped at Sears. I was with a friend on Saturday and she was in search of the perfect petite-sized housecoat with snaps for her 88-year-old mother. None of the anchor stores at the mall sold them so they kept suggesting we go to Sears; which really was our last department store of choice when we had Belk, Dillards and JC Penneys but we headed to Sears and while on the way to the lingerie department I spotted the camisoles. I wasn't really shopping for anything and honestly, I wasn't in need of more camisoles but they were on sale so I got me two, a pink one and a white one.

I don't wear many of the nylon camisoles that were worn 20+ years ago. I like the sporty camisoles with the built-in shelf bra. Why? Because many of the dancers realized we could wear these as the outer garment during practice because it was like a tank-top but still added some support. Those of us who are flatchested aren't really...

...

Meri says "overwhelmed and under manned..." about Sears Appliance Repair Service

Meri — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:42:21 GMT

We purchased all new kitchen appliances less than five years ago. They were all Kenmore products that we bought through Sears. We have had great luck with Kenmore appliances in the past and so we gave them our loyalty. It was not deserved loyalty however.

Several months ago we had to call the Sears Appliance Repair Service number to make an appointment as our dishwasher was not draining. We were given an appointment nearly three weeks into the future. The day arrived and the service tech man came and repaired the dishwasher at a tune of nearly $400. [if we had not let him repair it we would have had to pay a $65 service call fee] The dishwasher works fine again and all was well until our refrigerator went out.

One night I smelled an electrical fire smell. I went through the house trying to locate the source but couldn't find it. I decided maybe it had come in from outside. I went to bed. I noticed that the fridge was not staying cool and the food in the freezer side was thawing. I called...

...

Meri says "love the concept- service needs improvement" about Primetime on Demand

Meri — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:18:42 GMT

I have Time Warner Cable, telephone and internet [roadrunner] service. One of the features of the cable service is Primetime on Demand. The concept of the free service is to make primetime television shows available for those who have missed episodes for whatever reason. I LOVE the idea. The service can use some improvement though as not all of the primetime shows are archived. This can get quite frustrating so you have to know which shows will be saved on the service and pick and choose which ones you view on live TV.

The Primetime on Demand service as it exists right now covers FX, NBC, CBS, and USA networks. ABC does NOT participate in the service. The number of shows listed vary between the networks. The great part about the service is that the shows are stored up to four weeks so you could even go back and watch four shows in a row if you wanted to.

In addition to Primetime on Demand TWC also has A&E on Demand, BBC on Demand and a few others. There is also a Free Movies on Demand...

...

this2shallpass19 says "Great Mexican cookbook that's very informative and instructional" about Mexican: Healthy ways with a favorite cuisine

this2shallpass19 — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:09:59 GMT

I really have an addiction to cookbooks. I love cooking and eating a huge variety of ethnic cuisines, so the more cookbooks I can reference the better! A cookbook that I have used for several years is Mexican: Healthy Ways with a Favorite Cuisine. I wouldn't necessarily call the recipes in this cookbook healthy, but they are good!

The book starts out with information about Mexico and their different cultures and regions, and the different food that comes out of those cultures and regions. I found that part of the cookbook to be very interesting and informative.

Another great section of this book includes Mexican food staples like: masa harina, rice, tomatillos, salt cod, papayas, black beans, etc.....and how you store, prepare and eat each item. What I really like about this book is that there are tons of pictures. Not only pictures of the finished recipe, but also instructional photos too.

The recipe chapters in Mexican: Healthy Ways with a Favorite Cuisine include:

Salsas...

...