Snuggie

So, my friend Jenna sent me this great article called "How I Fell in Love with the Snuggie" written by Kurt Soller of Newsweek(http://www.newsweek.com/id/189109). She sent me this article probably because I am a pretty cold person (temperature not attitude) and am always covered in a blanket while around the house- especially because my boyfriend keeps the house at a cool 70 degrees.

And no after reading the article and seeing all the infomercials, I think I am hooked and need to buy one immediately. It is only $19.95 for two plus a free book light so I think it would be worth it. I think a guy writing about it from Newsweek definitely adds some legitimacy to all of the buzz.

I think Kurt sums it up great when he says:

"Even if we're not personally feeling the strain, there's a buzz in the air that tells us to stay home, to relax on the couch, to cook our own dinner—to squirrel up and save for a rainy day. For those who have lost their job, there's depression and the desperation of seeking new work. Since November, when Snuggie took off and President Obama was elected, it's gone downhill. And right now, we just want to be hugged—or Snugged, if you will."

I will definitely keep you posted when I try it out. For now, the Snuggie is one of many things I would like to own.

Gemeinschaft Home

Gemeinschaft Home is a place where ex convicts choose to go to be rehabilitated back into society in Harrisonburg, VA. Two years ago, my friend Alison wrote her honors thesis on the idea that rehabilitation for criminals is better then simply throwing them in jail. Despite being a conservative I feel like this makes a lot more sense especially because many researchers agree. My brother-in-law, Chris, is one of these people. He has worked a lot with juvenile offenders. I wonder if crime rates would decrease if this system was tested out.

Gemeinschaft Home may be receiving additional funding from Governor Kaine. I think this is definitely a step in the right direction.

You can check out the article at: http://www.dnronline.com/news_details.php?AID=36094&CHID=1

Good Cooking

So last night I made the best dinner ever! It was so delicious. It started in the wee hours of the morning (about 10am or so) in the crock pot. It consisted of a beef roast, carrots, potatoes, onions, and Lipton Onion soup mix. It stewed for hours. But in the meantime I made some homemade dinner rolls. I am pretty proud of myself because they are the first bread that I have made with yeast. They turned out perfectly even with my punching skills. I also made my best gravy ever from the broth of the crock pot mixture. It was just the right consistency and flavor. Thank goodness my dad taught me how to make gravy.

Yesterday I also walked for 40 mins (2 miles at 3.0mph at various elevations). Today, I did interval training on the treadmill for 2.5 miles ranging from 3 to 5 mph. Yeah me!

Jason is still working on painting my shelves. Poor guy, they definitely ended up being a bigger project than we both thought.

Tonight I am making shrimp curry with broccoli and cauliflower.

I might be off for a few days since I am heading to PA to visit my older sister Ellen, brother-in-law Chris, and 5 month old nephew Ethan. I will be watching Ethan by myself for about 5 hours. Hopefully it turns out well!