6 of My Favorite Things

The Reach Access Daily Flosser- I dunno about you, but every single time I go to the dentist to get my teeth cleaned, the dental hygienist always ask me "have you been flossing?" To which I reply (lying) "yes." Moments later, after flossing my teeth before the actual cleaning begins, she knows I'm lying because the floss and/or my bib looks like a Jackson Pollock painting. Okay, maybe the bleeding isn't that severe, but still, you get the general idea. It's not that I don't want to floss, it's just that I normally find it to be more of a hassle than anything else. The whole process of having to wrap the floss around your fingers and somehow manage to maneuver your hand into those small areas in the back of your mouth. And when I'm done, I don't feel like I've really flossed very well. Well, since I invested in the Reach dental flosser (*shown, being held by Lil' Red Monkey), I actually don't mind flossing at all, and therefore do it more often. It's a helluva lot easier to reach all my teeth now. I'd definitely recommend it.

Okay, okay, I know I mentioned this a few blogs ago, but it's still one of my favorites: The Swiffer Sweeper. I swear by it. I have hardwood floors through the majority of the house and the Swiffer has saved an OCD'er like me from having to sit down in the floor 3X a month, with a rag in one hand and a can of Endust in the other. I also own the original Swiffer Wet Jet and the Swiffer Duster. To be honest, I rarely use the Swiffer Duster, but instead opt for the lamb's wool duster, since I don't have to buy more refills for it.

I've been subscribing to Paper Magazine for nearly 10 years now. I think I let my subscription lapse once, but they kept sending it anyway. They have really good deals when you pay for 2-3 years in advance. It's a magazine that never seems to go out of style. Sure, I don't travel to New York or Milan or actually wear any of the cutting edge fashion they always seem to have, mainly due to the fact that I'm not a 98lb Speed freak. But, I still totally dig ogling them all, in awe of their hipness. But fashion is just a small part of what Paper Magazine has to offer and that's what makes me love it so. They cover ever up and coming, underground and future celebrity, music genre, television, film, club scene, trend and book imaginable. A subscription to Paper Magazine is and always has been really affordable ($9.97 for 12 issues or $17.27 for 24 issues), plus they run specials all the time. A really great way to stay in touch with what's going on in pretty much all facets of fashion, entertainment, etc. Especially for those who live in small or out of the way areas.

Ordering checks by mail. I've been doing it for over 15 years now and I swear by it. I've never had any problems with ordering and/or using them. The main reason I started ordering checks through the mail is because I loved all the cool and unusual designs options available. I've had checks that featured Cathy, Felix The Cat, Betty Boop, Scooby-Doo, the Universal Monsters, Popeye and Marvel comics. I've had checks that looked like ransom notes, polka dotted checks, and even some checks that had roaches on them! My most recent checks feature cereal characters: Tony The Tiger, Snap, Crackle & Pop, Dig 'Em & Toucan Sam. The other plus is that ordering checks through the mail is A LOT cheaper than ordering them through your bank. I like to order what they call "Duplicate" checks, that way I have a built in copy and don't have to keep track of a separate check register. Ordering duplicate checks through your bank is expensive, but ordering them through the mail is considerably cheaper, sometimes even by HALF! And hey, you can't go wrong with the selection, especially if you dig fun stuff. There's something for everyone: Strawberry Shortcake, Spongebob Squarepants, The Care Bears, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Elvis, The Flintstones, Marvel Comics, Muppets, Betty Boop and even Tom & Jerry, just to name a few. Check em' out and compare prices. Two good places to start is: Checks In The Mail and Image Checks.

Cap'n Crunch's Carnival Berries cereal. You gotta hand it to Cap'n Crunch, he's always coming up with new (yet limited edition) versions of his cereal. Who could forgive those short-lived classics: Punch Crunch (with the hippo sailor), Cinnamon Crunch (with the pirate Jean LaFoote) and Vanilly Crunchy (with the white whale)? Well, the Cap'n's latest creation is Carnival Berries. Sure, they probably taste just like the regular Crunch Berries cereal, BUT Carnival Berries change colors in milk! And isn't that what you buy a cereal for anyway? Okay, maybe not, but it still tastes really good. Plus, I think the cereal is on its' way out, since I recently found it at the grocery store for just $2 a box. Get some before it's gone. Be the envy of all your friends!

And last, but certainly not least, if you are a popsicle connoisseur like I am, then you have to check out Walgreen's Chilly Willy Brand juice bars. Yep, it's the same Chilly Willy created by Walter Lantz, best known for his other cartoon creation, Woody Woodpecker. Chilly Willy Brand juice bars, drink mix and Fla•Vor•Ice-like popsicles are ONLY available at Walgreen's and are priced at competitive prices to the bigger "name" brands. Actually, the Chilly Willy juice bars are about the same price as a box of Popsicle brand popsicles and I think the texture (not solid, like ice) and flavor of the Chilly WIlly bars are far superior to the Popsicle brand. Besides, if you are not a big fan of cherry flavor, like myself, then you'll be happy to know Chilly Willy juice bars come in grape and strawberry.

*Don't forget to check out today's BONUS photo blog, located directly beneath this one!