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Finding Mental Escape with Xbox 360 Video Games

September 24, 2010 by IamMoody

Who says that video games are just for kids? Perhaps the Wii game console is more geared to that of a family friendly model. But Xbox 360 games are manly, fun and a great freaking time, too! For example, my younger brother, who lives in LA, and I will frequently pit our skills against one another with a hot Xbox 360 video game called NCAA 2011—the newest batch of the EA brand that offers all 100+ NCAAF football teams for my amusement. The best part is talking smack over our headsets to one another as we try to best our teams and battle it out for EA server gamer points, and the bragging rights until our next match.

But there are some other amazing and fabulous Xbox 360 video games that really have me totally and rather haplessly hooked as of late. One game that is on the top of my TV stand is Red Dead Redemption. This game not only is the Grand Theft Auto free-world Wild West equivalent, but then some. The online play, as I have found, is the best part. You can race around huge boards as a number of select characters, of which you can unlock more as you beat gang hideouts and level up—and it really makes it feel like you are a real gunslinger…way back in the day.

The best part: The smack talking! I have found that after a long day’s work, and when I am truly mentally taxed and done for the day, that by merely logging online and hitting up a few friends, and then clearing out huge online boards by snagging headshots is as relieving as downing a few ice cold beers (which I usually will do at the same time). I guess that means I am finding—and avidly enjoying—two forms of escapism here: Xbox 360 video games, and alcohol. I know you can’t drink and drive…and I don’t. But they sure do combine rather nicely when I am in gaming mode!

Gourmet Dinner Last Minute: The Easy Way Out!

September 24, 2010 by IamMoody

This is nearly like confessionals of a blogger, a trend I aim to continue as time passes. But I know that you have all been there before. That long day where you have a special dinner planned for either a lady friend, your significant other, or a group of friends or what have you. What I am getting at is this. You were supposed to get your grocery shopping done the night beforehand, and make sure that you had everything ready for that gourmet dinner you so wholeheartedly and solemnly committed to, and much like the ‘dog ate my homework’ excuse, you find yourself in quite the dinner pickle.

Not to worry, as my confession will reveal the easy way out. I will even be brash enough to reveal with whom I made this gourmet dinner mistake with, even if some brownie points are detracted from my waning pile. But nonetheless, it can serve as great blogger fodder, and hopefully this can get you out of a meal time bind, should you find yourself in as precarious of a situation as I did myself, a few months back.

So here is the easy way out of that gourmet dinner you promised but failed to deliver. And deliver it you shall. Hint-hint—you will just be cutting a corner, that’s all. I screwed up and forgot that I had promised my sister a fabulous gourmet dinner for her birthday at the start of this year. About an hour until dinner time she calls me up, saying she is coming over soon. WHOOPS! Here was my hurried plan that worked to perfection for a gourmet dinner that she was wowed over. Feel free to use it, no charge or tip required!

I get the call on my way back from a meeting, and realize it’s going to be interesting to see if I can pull this thing off. I flip my car back around and head to Whole Foods, knowing they have the day-saver.
Steaks become cowboy burgers with fillet mignon, as they cook faster and don’t require meat fabrication.
Sides become their already deli-prepped, double-stuffed potatoes with bacon and cheddar, which are delectable and pretty well-priced.
Other sides include an easily tossed (prepackaged) Caesar salad.
Desert included selections from their awesome bakery, of which I chose to go with triple-layer moose cakes.
A case of gourmet beer and a bottle of wine are easily discovered.
I get home, heat up the grill, slap on the burgers, toss the salad, set the table, light some candles, put on some tunes, heat up the tots in the oven, arrange the moose cakes elegantly on a plate, slice up veggies for on the burgers, and have it all ready in about 20 minutes flat. And yes, I claimed it was all homemade. Sorry sis, but those burgers were still damned good! Right?

The Tyra Banks of 4-H

September 15, 2010 by IamMoody

4-H fashion: Blue-ribbon style
SARA GLASSMAN, Star Tribune

It wasn’t until she walked across the stage that Brittney Carlson got nervous.

All day long — through the fitting, the choreography, the judging — she’d been completely comfortable wearing the outfit she made: the red-wool jacket and coordinating dress. But this was it. This was her moment.

To an amped-up version of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” she made her way to the microphone, flashed a smile at the crowd gathered in the 4-H Building and announced: “Brittney Carlson, Polk County,” flashed another smile, then walked back to the line of girls and boys taking part in the 4-H Fashion Revue.

Within a few minutes, she’d know if weeks of work would win her a medal.

This wasn’t the first time the 17-year-old and her homemade ensemble had been in the spotlight. Carlson, who’s from the tiny town of Winger (population 205), had already won first place at the county level, which earned her a spot at the long-held, little-known state competition.

Since 1902, 4-H has had a prominent place at the Minnesota State Fair, even for city folk. No one’s quite sure when the youth organization started including a fashion show, where students model outfits they made or bought. But for at least 85 years, accessorized ensembles and runway walks have been as much a part of 4-H as showing cows and shearing sheep.

Earlier in the day, Carlson and the other 37 contestants in Wednesday’s event were dressed, pressed and waiting in line. Surrounded by other 4-Hers giving demonstrations about gun safety and Australian animals, they took their turns meeting one-on-one with one of several judges.

Their outfits are evaluated on a specific criteria — from construction to fabric selection to accessories. The contestants themselves are judged on first impression, posture, poise, grooming and the fit of the garment.

Carlson was assigned to Debbie Kennedy, who had been involved with 4-H when she was growing up and has been judging off and on for 20 years. (Kennedy is married to former U.S. Rep. Mark Kennedy.)

Kennedy greeted Carlson and asked a series of questions, all of which Carlson answered politely and with a smile. Kennedy inspected Carlson’s outfit and admired her technical skills, especially the hidden side zipper. She even paid Carlson a compliment.

“The highest compliment that you can get is: ‘Is that store bought?'” said Kennedy.

Carlson strolled away from the small judges’ table and back again, so Kennedy could judge the fit of the garment.

After about 10 minutes, Kennedy was done. But Carlson wouldn’t find out how she had done for several hours.

After the judging, Carlson and the rest of the contestants regrouped onstage. Under the direction of Richard Moody, who calls himself “the Tyra Banks of 4-H,” they practiced moving around the stage, adapting their choreography to the sets created for other 4-H shows.

Moody, who produces several fashion shows around the Twin Cities, has been involved in 4-H for 23 years.

“You watch them transform,” he said of the contestants. “The kids come back year after year.”

And while he knows the fashion shows don’t garner as much interest as the horse shows, for him fashion is an important part of the fair. “As a city kid, it’s not about cattle — it’s fashion. It’s global.”

The 4-H Fashion Revue, the first of four held this year, started at 6:30 p.m. sharp. By then, the rows of green benches and bleachers in front of the stage were mostly full.

The contestants took to the stage, walking through the turns they’d practiced, then stepped up to the microphone one by one to announce their names, their counties.

Four winners were announced. Carlson wasn’t one of them. But seconds later, her name was called. She’d been given a special award for garments made of wool. As she made her way across the stage to collect her plaque, Carlson once again flashed her winning smile.

Sara Glassman • 612-673-7177

Original article can be found at the Star Tribune

Sunglasses for Winter

September 15, 2010 by IamMoody

Sunglasses are mostly associated with summer and the bright sunlight that everyone looks forward to every year. However, there is a lot of merit to using sunglasses in the winter as well. Think about it, the white snow bounces a lot of light, and this makes the days even brighter than the brightest summer day, even if it is all of 10 degrees outside. This bright light can cause a lot of damage to your eyes, your face and your mood. You can develop headaches and wrinkles, not to mention temporary blindness due to the bright snows.

I know it is a little early to be thinking about winter, but it is September, and where I come from, it can be snowing this time of year. Plus, getting sunglasses now is cheaper and easier than finding sunglasses in a couple months. Most stores quit selling sunglasses once the summer season is over and purchasing sunglasses during the winter months can be very expensive. Buying sunglasses in the fall allows you to purchase season ending sunglasses at great discounts while still giving you a wide selection of sunglasses.

Choose a pair of sunglasses that work well with your facial shape. If you have an oval face, you can get away with almost any shape of glasses. If you have a round face, consider the more square shades. If you have a diamond shaped head, look for oval sunglasses. If you have a square face, try wearing cat eye shaped sunglasses. If you have the triangular shaped head, try a pair of sunglasses with a straight top line.
Watch that the sunglasses do not wash you out. If you are very pale in complexion, consider using a pastel or colored rim on your sunglasses as this will limit the sharp contrasts between skin tone and sunglasses. If you have a more tan appearance, then feel free to go with a metallic color rim. If you have very dark skin, amber and metallic colors often look the best, although black may or may not suit you.
Make sure the glasses are UV resistant. This will help to spare your eyes from the excessive damage that UV rays can do to them. Remember, you are not only getting the UV rays from the sun, you are also getting them from the snow and ice as the light bounces off the substances.
Try to get a pair of sunglasses that cover your eyes completely. This will help to further protect your eyes and it will further reduce glare. The reduction in glare will help you to keep your eyes open and reduce the potential for squinting. The sunglasses that completely cover your eyes will also help to protect your eyes from UV radiation as well.
Purchase a sunglass case and wipes. Since you will be using these sunglasses for walking and driving around, it is a good idea to keep the glasses scratch free. A single scratch on the glasses can cause serious headaches as your eyes want to focus on that scratch rather than the road or where you are walking. Simply by placing the glasses in a case when they are not being used and by wiping them down with a sunglass wipe, you can prevent these scratches.

Photo by Free Digital Photos: Vegadsl

Fashion Vamp Up Due to the Recession

September 15, 2010 by IamMoody

While one would think that fashion would be an area to take hit during the recession, this has proven not to be the case. Instead, fashion has become more extreme and more people are purchasing singular pieces that make a bold statement over the classic pieces. This trend is very interesting and has been seen before in times of financial difficulties.

There is a thought that the recession and difficult financial times triggers this need for people to escape their current situations and that they do this by investing in high quality fashionable pieces. They want to feel as though they are able to afford to be unique and beautiful and therefore purchase trendy items and expensive articles of clothing that make a clear and bold statement.

This thought process can do two things. First, it will initially drain one’s wallet. Secondly, it may open up additional doors to the individual. The person may wear such a bold and singular item and have that stick in the recruiter’s memory. This memory may allow the individual to get a job that he or she would not have otherwise gotten. This is especially true if the article of clothing increased their confidence and their outgoing nature.

The clothing is not the only thing that is seeing an increase in the bold tendencies due to the recession. Shoes are also becoming more extreme, especially in the heels. More people are purchasing very high heeled shoes while the flats and the kitty heels are known for being more practical than the high heels. The jewelry is also remaining very bold and large, making a statement that clearly says look at me.

No matter why people might be engaging in this increase in fashion sizes and boldness, it is definitely occurring. The ideology of bright and powerful is coming through in the clothing and accessories like never before. This has lead to a colorful and more fashion aware culture in general, and that only benefits everyone.

Photo provided by Free Digital Photos: Maggie Smith

Lunch With the Girls

September 15, 2010 by IamMoody

The great thing about going to lunch with the girls is that you do not have to pretend to be anyone that you are not. The girls know who you are and how you dress and behave. Does this give you the right to dress like a bum around them though? Nope. Instead, you should dress like you are going out, which is exactly what you are doing. Take off those sweats and put on a nice, clean pair of jeans and a blouse before going out with the girls! After all, these are your friends and your compadres!

All too often people forget that even though a person is their friend that they still want to see you put some effort in getting dressed. Remember, these are people who are there for you through the thick and thin of life’s events. They may have seen you at your worse, but they truly enjoy seeing you at your best. This includes wearing clothing that is clean, not stained and fits you properly. This also includes nice shoes, nice jewelry and having your hair done neatly, rather than simply thrown into a trashy bun or pony tail.

Why would someone put this much effort into getting ready for a lunch with their friends? Well, think of it this way, these are your girls and friends. They mean something special to you and you more than likely love them as such friends. You feel good when they look excited to see you and you like it when they take the time to be with you. You like to see them looking good and you enjoy going out to eat with them. Imagine how much they enjoy seeing the same from you!

If you dress like a bum for what is just as lunch with your friends, you are telling them that the lunch is an inconvenience to you and that you had things that you would rather be doing. This can be insulting to your friends, even if you do not mean it to be so. In addition, your friends may feel uncomfortable around you during the lunch if they are all dressed up and you look like you just rolled out of bed. This can lead them to excluding you from future events, especially those events that are at fancier locations and restaurants.

This does not mean that you have to wear a dress or get overly fancy to go out with the girls for lunch. Simply taking a shower, taking the time to do your hair and putting on a nice, clean outfit can be enough to look dressed up and excited to see your friends. A casual blouse and pair of nice fitting jeans are perfectly acceptable pieces of clothing for a lunch with friends. Your shoes should be flats or other nice shoes, not sneakers and certainly not slippers or the dollar flip flops that are meant to be used in public showers!

Take the time and do your friends a justice when going out to lunch with them. Show them that they are important to you by getting dressed nice to see them. Remember, you are a reflection on them just as they are a reflection on you. Be sure to reflect nicely on them to all those who might see them with you and they will return the favor.