Zaggora came out with new colors of their Hot Top and I purchased a grey one as a Groupon Goods item.

After wearing it to work out I broke out in a weird rash that was later diagnosed as Pityriasis Rosea, a harmless rash that has a distinctive pattern. I took the medication and after it went away I wore the other tops from the same company (but from their original batch of products) and was fine. I then wore the same top again, freshly washed, and broke out in the same rash again.

I could only conclude that the Hot Top was the cause of my rash. It is a bit strange, though, because Pityriasis Rosea is generally thought to have no known cause, but some physicians believe there are triggers.

I contacted both Zaggora and Groupon, who refuse to offer a refund, exchange, or replacement in any form. I even offered to send it back to the manufacturer for analysis, but they had no interest.

In a month long email conversation with Zaggora they originally offered an exchange if I obtained a doctor’s note saying he believed it caused my rash. I obtained the note, they they said they could not locate my order. I advised again, as I stated in all emails, that I got it via Groupon Goods. The reneged on their exchange offer and  ultimately argued that it is neoprene based and that some people’s skin reacts to it.

Even though I have mentioned it in nearly every email they fail to comprehend  that I have 6 other of their neoprene items and have had no breakout whatsoever. I also scuba dive and have worn a variety of rental wetsuits while traveling, also with no breakouts.

Groupon is unable to offer a refund because it is well over their 14 day return policy by now.

Has anyone, anywhere broken out in a rash after wearing a Zaggora Hot Top? If so, please comment and let me know what color where you ordered it from

Handler J Warfield and kittens. Photo from CuddlyCatz.org

In January I came across a program called Cuddly Catz. I am truthfully unsure of where I read about it, but it is a program that pairs cats with behavioral or other issues with non-violent inmates who care for them and prepare them for their forever home.

I was quite moved by the information I found on their website and by the stories of how this program has changed both the cats and their handlers.

January came and went and I forgot to send a gift card donation but this weekend my husband and I went and made that happen. It will go into the mailbox tomorrow.

With that, I invite you all you consider sending a gift card in any amount to this program so it may help them with their mission.

Here is an email I received from one of the volunteers when I asked about how to donate:

Hi Angela,

Thank you for your comment on our website. The handlers are doing a great
job and in the last year have worked an animal cruelty case that brought
in three adults, six kittens needing bottle feeding, as well as an
overweight kitty, an aggressive kitty, and one who had inproper urination
issues. To date, their adoption rate is amazing and out of twelve cats,
nine have adopted, and one returned to the owner.

To answer your question about donating to the program. You can do one of
two things. Cuddly Catz has closed their bank accounts as we transition
the program to now help local shelters, but you can donate to West
Columbia Gorge Humane Society who has just placed five cats in the
program. Their website is wcghumanesociety.org and there is a donation
link. You should be able to notate LCAP Program (Larch Cat Adoption
Program).

Or, if you want to support the handlers directly, you can purchase a gift
card of any amount at PetSmart or Petco and mail to Larch Corrections
Center, 15314 Northeast Dole Valley Road, Yacolt, WA 98675. Please send to
Att: Monique Camacho – LCAP Program, and the gift card will be utilized
for whatever supplies they need for the cats in care.

Thank you again for your kind words and interest in the LCAP program. We
will continue to post updates on the website during the transition period
and then you should be able to continue to follow the program via West
Columbia Gorge Humane Society’s website.

Kelly Clarke
LCAP Volunteer

Check out this news coverage about their work: Prison Inmates Get Rescue Cats Ready For Adoption

The only 2 ingredients are 1 1/2 TSB milk and 1 TSB unflavored gelatin. Mix, heat for 10 seconds and start applying.

Here are some important things I wish the blogger had mentioned:

1. It smells pretty terrible. It’s heated milk with gelatin for crying out loud. I had no idea it was going to be so strong

2. There is no way you need to wait 15 minutes. My husband did it and waited 4 minutes before he started peeling. I tried to follow directions and waited the full 15 minutes.  He said some of the peeling hurt at only 4 minutes so I thought maybe I could handle it because I have a decent pain tolerance.

It. Was. So. Painful. Little stray hairs got stuck in the mask and I only noticed once I started peeling. Luckily it comes off with a good washcloth but take my advice. Wait 2-3 minutes instead. I wish I had!

Now for the results- the fun part.

Both of us have amazingly smooth skin. Now, as far as pore cleaning… I’m underwhelmed. If I had paid for expensive pore strips I would have been pretty bummed out.

I have no zits usually, but after this mask I had 1 with a white head immediately pop up to the surface. At least that suction-like effect worked though I’d rather have skipped the new zit part.

To me, my pores still look dirty. Maybe they’re cleaner, maybe they’re the same but they certainly seem to still have some dirt in them.

Overall- an inexpensive, slightly smelly, and temporarily painful way to spend 15 minutes on a cold, dreary Saturday. There’s a silver lining though- our skin IS super smooth now.

Have you had any Pinterest successes or failures?

Follow me there

Very little gets me down. I roll with the punches, shake it off, and push through it.

But today. Today was one of those days that I imagine many of my co-workers and friends lament about both on Facebook at at the office.

Today I experienced disappointment after disappointment and it was even the first weekend of Spring Break, at that. It wasn’t even a bad day. Nothing terrible happened. It was just very disappointing.

It started out with one of our cats freaking out while I was carrying him and clawing the crap out of my chest, back, and arm.

Last Wednesday I was diagnosed with Pityriasis rosea (a temporary rash with no known cause) so my poor skin just can’t get a break. Now I have scratches to match my weird splotches. That’s hot!

Then my husband and I decided to go see Oz in IMAX. Those know who me IRL know that I avoid carbs the majority of the time but I look forward to a little movie theatre popcorn once in a while. I get a small tub of unbuttered popcorn, and was bummed to discover that after the first layer it was mostly broken up pieces and kernels.

So now I’m thinking “this movie’s going to be awesome so it will make up for it.” Wrong. If you want to see Oz, wait until it comes out on DVD. It was okay. Barely “meh.” Had we seen it in non IMAX and at night when it was more expensive I would have been more sad about it. Predictable, lack-luster. I know it was a PG movie, but come on, Disney. You usually make it entertaining for adults, as well.

Then I lost an auction on some scuba equipment on eBay when I should have just chosen “Buy It Now” 3 days ago. I will be kicking myself for that one for a while.

So now I’m cut up, itchy, unsatisfied with both carbs and the movie, and am without that piece of scuba luggage. First world problems, I know. I’m happy, generally healthy, financially secure, and have an awesome soul mate to get through days like today with. In the end, that’s all that really matters. Only I am both confused and fascinated by how bummed out I got over all this. I can definitely see how back to back let downs can really get someone down in the dumps.

I definitely look forward to seeing what tomorrow brings. Surely it will be more relaxed and more full of promise.

David just suggested we make sushi tomorrow..it’s already looking up!

Have you ever had a day like mine?

I was scrolling through Facebook mid January and saw a post from a local newspaper asking military wives with husband’s returning in early February to submit a brief essay about why they should win the “Give Me Liberte” makeover,

I’m an opportunist, and was an English major who has won a few local awards in my day, so I thought it was worth a shot since David’s return date was within that time frame.

A week later I got the call that I had won. I was pretty excited to be one of the winners. Then I found out I was THE winner.

A bit about me- I am a very low maintenance kind of person. Before the makeover my last haircut was about 8 months ago. I pulled my hair back into a low pony and went to work with whatever I grabbed from my closet that day. I gave very little thought to what I wore to work, though I did actually try when it came to going out with my husband. I never wear makeup,  shop mostly at thrift stores, and I have  lost over 50 pounds in the previous few years and went from a size 16 to a size 4.

My weight loss is credited to a few things. Besides my husband’s support and willpower, I lost the weight with Medifast  and I lost the inches after I reached my goal with Zaggora’s weight loss clothing.

I had no idea what was in store for me. I assumed there would be some outfits, some makeup, some hair stuff, etc. I tried on AMAZING European clothes, got my hair done from a premier local stylist, had my makeup done by someone who has done work on A list actors in LA, had a professional photo shoot, and GOT TO KEEP THE CLOTHES.

The store providing the makeover was Liberte of Oklahoma City. I had never even been in a boutique before, much less tried anything that expensive on. The store itself is incredible. If you get a chance check out the gallery on the website. It is very modern and chic.

The outfit they gave me is worth more than everything in my closet combined. I shop primarily at thrift stores because I am so very cheap so when I saw a $100 t-shirt, a $300 scarf, and $2,000 dresses in this store I had to touch them all because I assumed I never would have the opportunity again. While I can afford some of the items there I am not yet physically able to let myself even fathom purchasing an item of clothing that costs that much. Maybe someday I’ll get there…

I chose a fuchsia satin knee-length “Esther” style skirt by Temperley London ($690), a Valentina Shah “Laura” style black sweater with lacy cap sleeves and details ($225), a “Crystal Bow Belt” by Temperly London ($830) and a pair of nine-carat crystal dangle earrings by Crislu ($145).

It changed my life because I never thought I could be photogenic (because I freeze up in front of a camera), had never dyed my hair (and I LOVE IT!), had never really seen my new size 2/4 figure before, and met some amazingly generous people I never would have without this makeover. It was an incredible experience I will remember forever!

You can read the full article by Mood Magazine for The Oklahoman here. It also appeared on the front page of The Oklahoman (above the fold) and was a full cover and feature on the Mood fashion insert. That was a huge surprise- I thought it was just going to be on the website so it was kind of surreal to see myself on the cover of a fashion feature.

Here are some pictures. The article linked above has a pretty cute video they put together.

I think it is pretty fitting for the generation of young people that adults have raised.

Dear “Sorry Generation”,

I am sorry that no one ever said “no” to you. We plied you with video games to keep you quiet.A lot of those games were so violent that you might of been traumatized but we never said no to you becayse we wanted you to “fit in” or maybe we just wanted to be your “friend” instead of your parent. Sorry…that we gave everyone an award at the sports event. You missed a basic lesson in pride and achievement, that even if you weren’t the star player, you could have tried harder, like Michael Jordan did after he was cut from his freshman basketball team. We all have adversity- but you wouldn’t know that, because we indulged in the sense of entitlement that you felt you were “owed”. You’ll never know that sense of accomplishment when you “beat the odds”.

Sorry that we allowed you to participate in “social media”- it left you with no social skills and no real friends. We stopped showing you after school specials with morality lessons- because we didn’t want to “impose” our morals. We mocked guys like Tim Tebow and idolized Charlie Sheen. We bred you on witches, vampires, ghost and zombies and then wonder why you don’t respect human life. Sorry we never made you say the “Pledge of Allegiance”. The lesson was less about “under God” and more about that a pledge was your bond and allegiance was loyalty- both qualities you lack.

We should have taught you to be pro choice. Pro choice, not referring to abortion but that no matter what has been done to you- you have a CHOICE to be moral, decent, ethical person. Sorry we have become a society that blamed everything from conservatives, liberals, immigrants, native peoples, gays, straights, the rich, the poor, wifi, dial up, doctors,police, lawyers, comedians, actors,athletes, and even Emeniem for the problem. We searched for answers that were right in front of us. We failed you and now YOU are the problem.

-Seen on The Missouri Patriot’s Facebook page

1. Zaggora Hot Pants

I saw these weight/inches loss fitness pants on a Groupon once and for $26 plus $7.50 shipping I thought it was worth trying. Zaggora Hot Pants are by far my most favorite fitness purchase ever. I started out with the Hot Pants in black. At the time of this posting I now have 2 pairs of Hot Pants, 2 Hot Tops, and 2 pairs of Flares. Those who know me know I’m cheap and when I start accumulating items you know they’re worth every penny.

10% off code: ASCHNABEL

These products come from the UK and at one time their promotional materials promised to help wearers burn 4 times the calories during a 30 minute workout. Now their website discusses energy expenditure and the like but as a wearer I swear by them.

An unexpected benefit was that wearing Zaggora products has made my skin very smooth.Before I started working out in them I was a size 8. Now I am a size 4 after approximately 3 months of wearing them in my regular work outs which are cardio 2-3 time a week for 15-20 minutes combined with watching my caloric intake. An

Since they come from the UK it is about 2 weeks until your receive your order and they are pricey without a Groupon but very worth it. FYI Zaggora still runs Groupons every few months or so.And this may be TMI, but I have always struggled to sweat during a workout and we all know sweating is good for the skin and helps shed water weight. Thanks to Hot Pants I’ll never have to worry about that again- you get a really great sweat going when you wear these!

2. Mint.com

This is the personal finance tool I have been looking for. Mint.com is a free service provided by Intuit (the company behind Quicken and Quickbooks) and it seriously has everything I’ve ever wanted in a budgeting tool, plus there is a free mobile app. It is very secure and easy to use. If you’re into personal finance you’ll want to use this tool.

You can see account balances in real time, explore graphs and charts, use tools to set goals, get recommendations based on your spending habits, and you can see all your accounts in one place, on one screen. Seriously. This product changed my life and I strongly suggest you check it out.

3. MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal is a free website and mobile app that lets you track your daily caloric intake, weight, and exercise/activity. You can even get fit with a friend and see and comment on their progress. It is a free service, so the website version does have some ads, but the mobile version seems to be ad free.

The website says millions have lost weight using it and I am happy to say I am one of them.

It is very easy to use and has nutrition facts on some 2 million foods, including fast food, restaurants, and even homemade meals. Sometimes you’re unable to find exactly what you ate but you can get really close.

Plus when you’re done with your weight loss you can still use its resources; I have reached my goal weight but I still use it to track my daily calorie intake and exercise. This is a tool I use every single day and I hope it stays around for years to come.

 4. Amazon Prime

Amazon is awesome…but Amazon Prime is even better. Free 2 day shipping on most items, access to their streaming content, and great prices on tons of items? Yes, please! They offer a free trial so you can test the waters but I’m willing to bet if you shop there oftenyou’ll be hooked.

After the trial expires you’re left with the decision to keep it or cancel. The membership is somewhat steep at $79 a year but if you shop at Amazon often enough it pays for itself. We are one of those Amazon families so having Prime has definitely made my life easier this year.  As of this post we have made 117 Amazon purchases. The majority of those purchases were prime eligible so if you do the math you can see how much it saves you.

What were your favorite things from 2012?

• First and foremost you need to know that the shakeweight is not motorized.

While now I KNOW a motorized weight would do nothing to make a person stronger it DOES look like it is motorized on the commercials because the operators are so good at using it.

• So, right out of the box my expectations had to be changed.

Well, to give you a general idea of my body type I’m totally not athletic and am pretty soft around the edges.

• I’ve used it for 6 minutes a day but only about every other day (or even less frequently) and I already notice tone biceps starting to form!

• Just remember to hold the shakeweight correctly (watch the DVD that comes in the box) and move the weight as fast as you can.

All in all- it is worth it if you do it…like most things in life!

Have you used the shakeweight? Share your experiences here!

I got bored one day and put some of our fresh veggies in one of them and left the other vegetables in the fridge bin like usual.

The green bagged vegetables WAY outlasted the non-bagged ones. Granted, I wasn’t intending to do this blog when I did this experiment a year ago so I have no idea the actual amount of days they outlasted but I know it was more than 3 days that the green bagged veggies were good past the non-bagged ones.

Pretty amazing, huh? Especially for about $10 at your local grocery or home store!

However, one of our cats is notorious for tipping cups over and spilling its contents all over the floor so the first time it happened after we had the sham wow (the real As Seen On TV product) my husband and I were absolutely amazed.

It got up every drop of water and all we did was wring out the sham wow ONCE.

IMPORTANT: You have to get the sham wow totally wet first, wring it out so it’s damp, then go over to the spot and either punch down on it or step on it a few times and it draws the liquid right out!

You can get them at Walgreens and lots of other places online for about $30 depending on how many you buy.

• As Seen On TV. Holds 21 times its weight in liquid. Machine washable and bleachable
• Cleans up spills fast
• Lasts for years

What was your experience with the sham-wow? Let me know by leaving a comment!