Review This Reviews!

Showing posts sorted by relevance for query fotojet. Sort by date Show all posts

Monday, October 3, 2016

FotoJet Free Photo Editor Review

FotoJet is a free online photo editor. It is extremely easy to use and offers photo editing, collage making, and graphic designs. I was skeptical when I signed up. I was certain it would have nothing new to offer that I don't already have access to with other photograph editing programs. But I was wrong. I love the FotoJet designs for social media posts. In this review, I will show you some of the samples I created using minimal time or energy.

Easy Sign up

So far, I've found no gimmicks with the FotoJet photo editor site. My pet peeve is trying to sign up to use a free program only to find that there is some catch. Perhaps you must enter your credit card number in order to register for the "free" site. Or it is free, but you have to download all sorts of things onto your computer and then their tool bar takes over. Sometimes it is easy to sign in, and really is free, but then you learn that you only get to do one sample of something and your free use has ended. An upgrade (that costs) is required to continue. I found NONE of those gimmicks with FotoJet. Registering was just this easy:

I entered my email address.
I entered the password I wanted to use.
I went to my email account and clicked the link for email confirmation
I returned to the site and began creating

Easy to Use

I clicked the link to confirm and entered the site. Because I'm not tech savvy, I expected to have to spend a day or two trying to figure things out. I looked for FAQs and directions and found none. There are a few hints (such as using the arrow keys...and I wish I had paid attention to that hint!) while the page is loading. Otherwise, I found no instructions.

But within two hours, I have four photo samples edited. And I am very excited about them.

FotoJet Editor for Social Media Posts

Personally, have a really hard time remembering the image size requirements for my social media sites. Sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest have different and ever-changing requirements. My photos files have multiple photos saved in a variety of sizes and labeled with the site they were created for. FotoJet won 't decrease the amount of photo files I have, but it will take away the need to look at my image size cheat sheet each time I am re-sizing.

FotoJet Photo Designs for Instagram

My first attempt was designing an Instagram photo with a personal photo for my personal blog. I chose the design, chose my photo, dragged my photo onto the design and voila, was nearly finished. I clicked on the text boxes to add my wording, dragged it to where it looked best, and resized it easily. I also changed text colors and fonts easily. When finished, I saved it to my computer.

To show the variety of designs, I used a second design with the same photo. I think it gives my photo an entirely different look.

FotoJet Photo Designs for Pinterest

I then did the same for the designs sized for Pinterest. With permission from our photography contributor Mary Beth, I used her amazing beach photos for these designs.

Aren't her photos gorgeous?! Anyway, with the first design, I dragged and dropped two photos, clicked on their existing text boxes, and changed the wording to my own. With the second image, I dragged and dropped the photo, changed the opacity of the existing text box, and left their text as is.

What a happy coincidence to find a design with my name.

FotoJet Social Media Designs in Summary

I had a bit of difficulty finding the trash bin initially. But I am content with clicking around and trying things out. Clearly, the "click and hope" technique worked well for me. Everything else was very easy to navigate. Especially after I started using the directional arrows to move the photos.

I hope that FotoJet adds even more designs for Instagram and Pinterest. And perhaps some for Twitter. Overall, I really like this free photo editor. It seems to be a program free of gimmicks and tricks to purchase upgrades. It is easy. And if your goal is to create attractive images for your social media sites with as little muss and fuss as possible, I think you will be thrilled with FotoJet.

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

How To Trap Those Flies That Drive You Crazy: A Window Fly Trap Review

Flies in Your House Can Drive You Crazy

I'm usually pretty sane, but if I'm preparing a meal or trying to eat, seeing flies buzzing around me drives me nuts. Flies are dirty and carry diseases. I don't want them in my kitchen when I'm preparing, serving, or trying to eat food.

How To Trap Those Flies That Drive You Crazy: A Window Fly Trap Review

Photo Courtesy of Pixabay, edited on FotoJet

Imagine my distress when my husband left the door open two weeks ago while he went outside to get something and about a dozen flies flew in! Once the flies were in, they didn't want to go back out.

For at least ten days I fought them with folded newspapers and a fly swatter to no avail. Those pesky flies knew how to settle just where they would land on a clean dish or plate of food were I to swat them. I did get a couple who lit where I could hit them, but most escaped from my attacks. It seemed for every one I killed, two more would appear in its place. It seemed everywhere I went in the kitchen or family room, at least five flies were circling in the air. My stress level was high.

My Electronic Fly Trap

After a few days of watching helplessly as the flies treated my table and walls as their personal airport, I remembered I once had an electronic trap for mosquitoes and other flying insects. I hadn't used it for years and was, in fact, storing it in the kitchen at our other house. I decided to retrieve it. In the past, it had caught a few flying insects. The one I own is obsolete now, but it was similar to this one and worked the same way.

It uses light to attract the insects. Then it sucks them into a lower compartment with a powerful fan and traps them there. Eventually, they dehydrate. These traps work pretty well for mosquitoes, as I remember. Reviewers on eBay seem to agree with me. It may work for you if you have a problem with mosquitoes.

However, it did not work very well on my flies. I had it on the kitchen table and turned it on at night before I went to bed after other house lights were off. At my first morning bladder call, I'd shut the trap before the sun was up. Unfortunately, my husband got up after me and thought he should turn it on again, which opened the trap. I'm not sure it ever caught a fly for long. Their numbers did not seem to decrease.

I brought my vintage Stinger NOsquito Ma06 Indoor Insect Mosquito Bug UV Light Quiet Electronic Trap | eBay decades ago. I don't remember where. I did find one like mine on eBay, which you can see if you follow the link above.

Shopping for a Solution to My Fly Problem

Finally, I couldn't stand it anymore. I had to find a solution! I went to Walmart in search of fly paper, but they didn't have anything but sprays. I don't like poisons, especially spray poisons, anywhere I prepare or eat food. Rather than drive all over town, I checked Amazon. I found a description for Catchmaster Window Fly Traps.

These simple window traps got four to five-star reviews, depending on package size and seller. They were really cheap in comparison to the electronic zappers and light traps, some of which got much lower reviews. I figured I didn't have much to lose by trying the Catchmaster traps. They are very simple to use. They catch the flies that land on them with a very sticky surface that holds them in place. I keep my traps beneath the blinds that cover the windows.

How to Set the Catchmaster Window Fly Trap

Image created on FotoJet, © B. Radisavljevic

Here's how to prepare your traps:

Open the package
Pull out the trap
Tear the narrow release strip off the trap
Stick the trap in the corner of a window
Be careful to put it where you won't need to touch it to open and shut the window
Peel off the large release liner that faces toward you.
Wait patiently for the flies to land

My Results

Victims Trapped in My Kitchen Window. © B. Radisavljevic

I tend to be impatient, and catching flies this way isn't instant. I had put six traps in windows the day I got them. The next day only four flies were stupid enough to land on them. (I hate that flies seem to be smarter than I am.) As I write this, I've had my traps up for about ten days. I have trapped thirteen flies, a few gnats, and a couple of baby spiders that must have just hatched. I still have one very smart fly who continues to stay away from the traps. My east windows seem to catch the most flies.

Two days after I'd placed my first traps, Hubby went to shopping and found some Pic Window Fly Traps and brought them home. He didn't realize I still hadn't used all my Catchmaster traps. I finally decided to try a couple of the Pic traps to see if they would do any better at catching the flies still in the air. I picked one window and a bathroom mirror where I'd not yet caught any flies and put a Pic trap in another position in each of those places. They haven't caught any flies, either. Not yet.

Perhaps I just put the Pic traps in bad places, but a fly had circled that bathroom about every time I'd walked in. The Pic traps got better reviews a couple of years ago, but more recent users say they aren't as sticky as they used to be and aren't catching flies as well anymore.

God Designed the Very Best Fly Trap, © B. Radisavljevic
Of course, there is the messiness factor, and one can't be too squeamish.

My Recommendation

If flies are your primary problem, electronic zappers and light traps with fans probably won't work for you. I've read the reviews for just about all of them. I was leaning toward the light-fan combinations that plug in like night lights, but they got bad reviews. The electronic gadgets seem to work better on smaller flying insects with lighter bodies. They may be effective with gnats and mosquitoes, but the house flies that drive me crazy are much heavier.

The Catchmaster Window Traps I tried worked pretty well. I'd much rather deal with one stubborn fly than fourteen. Getting the gnats and baby spiders, along with anything else that wants to land on my windows, is a bonus.

I believe these traps are a great value for the money. My life has been much calmer since I put them in my windows. There is a bit of a yuck factor in having to look at trapped flies, but you can decide where to place your traps. If you put them in top window corners instead of the lower ones you won't have to look at them so often. You also need to be careful not to touch the sticky part of the traps. My mini blinds hide the traps, including the one next to the table, most of the time.

If flies in your kitchen drive you as crazy as they do me, I believe these window traps will help you as more or more than the other fly catching gadgets I've tried or looked at. Why not pick up an inexpensive package now so you'll be ready immediately to fight any flies who invade your home. Any mosquitoes, gnats, fruit flies, moths, and spiders you catch will just be a bonus.

Window Fly Traps by Catchmaster - 12 CountCheck Price Pic-Corp Window Fly Traps (12 Pack of 4)Check Price RESCUE! Outdoor Disposable Hanging Fly Trap - 12 TrapsCheck Price

See more product reviews from our contributors.

FOLLOW US ON:

Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Reviews of My Favorite Graphoanalysis Books

Image created on Fotojet.com

What Sold Me on Graphoanalysis

I had my first experience with graphoanalysis in the 1990s. At the time I had an IBM clone computer in the days before Windows and before I had the internet. I don't quite remember how I acquired the floppy disks I got my shareware programs on or how I even found out about them back then. But one of those disks had a program for analyzing people's signatures for their hidden meanings.

My friends and family weren't safe. I immediately used the program to find out all about them. Of course, I shared my results and most people thought the results were correct assessments of their personality traits.

In 1990 the IRS decided to audit us. They asked for a ridiculous amount of paperwork and receipts over the course of several weeks. We'd go to an appointment and then the agent would ask for more. By mail. With her signature. Hubby said, "Why don't you analyze her signature?" So I did. That analysis gave us enough information to plan a strategy that worked and helped us win our case. After that handwriting analysis became a sort of hobby.

Later I Turned to Handwriting Analysis Books

As technology progressed, I had to upgrade my computer. I could no longer use a floppy disk. But I wanted to learn more about graphoanalysis. So I started buying books. My collection now includes six books on the subject. I will review my two favorites here.

My foundational book was Handwriting Analysis: The Science of Determining Personality by Graphoanalysis by Milton Bunker, founder of the International Graphoanalysis Society. He was a shorthand teacher who had learned and taught seventeen different shorthand systems. He began to research handwriting in 1910 and through his observations developed his techniques for analyzing it. He explains how he developed and tested his system. He believes it's as valid a science as psychology is. Not everyone agrees. My own experience leads me to believe there's something to it.

After the first chapter, every chapter teaches you a rule to use when evaluating handwriting. Each of these chapters is followed by an short exam so you can test yourself. All the answers are at the back of the book. There is a "Dictionary of Grapho Analysis" at the very end of the book.

The book itself was first published in 1959. I have the 1975 printing and its cover design shows it. The type style and layout of the book are not as easy to read as more modern styles, but it's still worth what I paid for it and I'd buy it again because it's so interesting. The covers below give you an idea of the style. That back cover will get big enough to read if you click it.

scanned copy of book cover on graphoanalysis

My Scans of Front and Back Covers of Bunker's 1975 Printing, © B. Radisavljevic

See the signatures of the rich, famous, and infamous, as well as their analyses. Learn how the ability of someone to analyze another's handwriting prevented suicides. Between the covers of this book are numerous stories I simply enjoyed reading. People have used graphology to settle court cases, help law enforcement, and protect loved ones from unhappy marriages and even murder.

Milton Bunker introduced me to the way graphoanalysis developed and its basic principles and techniques. He showed me how useful it is to learn it. Andrea McNichol provides a more modern book that makes handwriting analysis easy to learn -- Handwriting Analysis: Putting It to Work for You. Both books are entertaining and held my interest with anecdotes, case histories, and instruction.

Nuggets from Milton Bunker

Bunker calls the ability to analyze handwriting "an insurance policy." He says it can protect your wallet and even your life. He tells several stories where this turned out to be the case. Appearances are often deceiving. Some scoundrels are very good actors and convincing liars. But their handwriting doesn't lie. You can learn a lot about someone from their signature alone. I certainly found that was true as I dealt with the IRS agent during our audit. Graphoanalysis helps one look behind a person's facade.

Here is Bunker's advice for applying what you learn from his books:

Study the rules
Use them to study actual samples
Test and prove your result

He says if you do these things, what you learn will stay in your mind even if lose your books.

Bunker says analyzing your handwriting will help you get to know yourself better. It can also help you help your child. Sometimes it can uncover unrecognized family dynamics so families can deal with unhealthy situations.

Bunker tells the story of a family that was about to "lose" their son. The parents knew he was headed for trouble and they didn't know what they were doing wrong. After an analysis of a sample from the parents and the child, they discovered the boy felt his parents didn't love him. They had both been so active outside the home they didn't give the son the attention he craved. The boy agreed that was the problem and the family was able to make changes and turn the situation around.

Handwriting analysis;: The art and science of reading character by grapho analysisCheck Price

What to Do with Your Discoveries

Milton Bunker cautions us to be ethical in the way we use what we find when we analyze someone's handwriting. He reminds us that we should not use it to judge people or as a basis for gossip. He offers this example. As you analyze someone's signature, you may discover its owner has a tendency to steal. But because a person has that tendency doesn't mean he has ever actually stolen anything or ever will. You should simply recognize that the tendency is there and not let him handle your money. Watch him carefully if he handles money or other things of value. Use the information to protect yourself and those you love.

You may also discover things about yourself you don't like when you analyze your own writing. Bunker and many other graphologists believe you can actually change some traits you don't like by changing your handwriting. I have no personal experience trying to do this, but he does offer some guidance on the subject.

A Fun Way to Learn Handwriting Analysis

My Scan of My Book

Andrea McNichol wrote a workbook designed to help anyone learn to analyze handwriting for personal reasons. Handwriting Analysis: Putting It to Work for You is easy to use and makes learning enjoyable.

Ms. McNichol has sterling qualifications. She did her undergraduate work and got a teaching credential at UC Berkeley and studied graphology in Europe. She also participated in more specialized study and research related to substance abusers, mental patients, and criminals, some under the auspices of the University of California. She designed and taught the first graphoanalysis course at UCLA and went on to teach the course at seven other UC campuses. Her students have given her consistently high ratings in their reviews. As a professional consultant for law enforcement and businesses, she has used her skills in high profile cases such as the contesting of the will of Howard Hughes.

The book cover I scanned above gives you a good preview of the format and style of her book. My affiliate links above or below will take you to the book page where you can look at a few sample pages inside. They will give you a realistic idea of what it's like to use this book. You will see the introductory quiz that demonstrates how much just your common sense can discern.

McNichol defines graphology as the study of all graphic movement. She believes it applies not only to handwriting but also to doodles, sculpture, and painting. She says it gives insight into the writer or artist's physical, mental, and emotional state, but in this book she limits herself to handwriting analysis. She does devote a brief chapter at the end of the book to doodling.

When We Write We Leave "Brain Prints"

Image Created on Fotojet.com

Ms. McNichol points out that people's handwriting is as unique as their fingerprints. Our handwriting is like an x-ray that reveals what's in our minds. Scary? She says "Our brain prints reveal who we are and how we think, feel, and behave. The are an x-ray of our minds....No two people have the same brain prints."

The purpose of McNichol's book is to show us how to read these brain prints so we can understand more about people than their spoken words and their actions may reveal. Her easily readable presentation is full of samples and illustrations that will engage you in actually testing what you learn as you go.

Two Approaches to Handwriting Analysis

McNichol offers two paths to interpreting handwriting.

Look for the individual traits of a person's handwriting and determine what each reveals.
Start with an individual personality trait you want to check for and then see if the person's handwriting has signs of that trait being present.

Suggestions to Increase Accuracy When Analyzing Handwriting

Don't jump to the wrong conclusion when you see one or two traits that point in the same direction. Look for several different traits that mean the same thing. If possible, use several samples of a person's writing that were taken at different times.

Consider the conditions a person wrote under. In the introductory photo at the top of this post is a sample of my writing taken under abnormal conditions. I was writing with the "pen" that came with my Samsung Galaxy Note 9 smartphone. I wanted to use a handwriting sample as part of the image and the easiest way to do that was to use the pen to write on my phone screen and then make a screen shot to edit as part of the total image collage. I then used Fotojet to build the collage of cover scans and the handwriting sample.

Writing on a phone screen is a bit like signing your credit card on one of those terminals that supplies the pen and allows you to scribble something that only faintly resembles your signature. On the phone screen I can at least see what I'm writing, but the surface is much different than paper and one needs to concentrate more. Handwriting samples are best taken when a person is not trying to concentrate on the writing process. The important part of an analysis is what a person is unaware of doing. Something written on paper at a table or desk is a better sample than something written on a computer train or while holding a phone in one hand and the pen in the other. You get the idea.

Make sure the person who wrote the sample intended for others to read it. We are often careless when we are taking notes just for ourselves, especially if we are trying to hurry. A grocery list may not be the best thing to use.

Other Considerations

McNichol tells us that children's writing is often undeveloped. We need to analyze their writing differently than that of adults. They often display traits in their writing that is normal for their age but would horrify us if we saw it in an adult's writing. This book is intended for analyzing adult handwriting only.

It can also be useful to know which system a person learned to write with. Many people learned to write with the Palmer method and some parts of the book applies mostly to people who learned that way. If you know how a person learned, it's easier to spot deviations from that method of writing.

Why Not Learn to Analyze Handwriting Yourself?

It's not only an enjoyable hobby, but it's a great way to get to know people -- really know them. Most of the friends I asked were happy to give me samples. Of course, they also wanted to see the results. Most were surprised their writing revealed so much they'd never told me.

Write a letter to your younger self and sign it. Or write a letter to anyone you don't intend to send. Don't think about your handwriting -- just what you want to say. Then use one of these books or a computer program to help you analyze your writing. I have used all of the books below and found them helpful. Many others have been written since I bought mine that I'm also tempted to try. Sometimes it's better to learn from more than one teacher.

Handwriting Analysis : Putting It to Work for You Handwriting analysis;: The art and science of reading character by grapho analysis Between the Lines: Understanding Yourself and Others Through Handwriting Analysis (Destiny Books S)

You may surprise yourself with what you learn from your handwriting. And you will also begin to notice the traits you see in the writing of others. Have fun.

FOLLOW US ON:

Saturday, February 15, 2020

Site Review ~ Dinner, then Dessert, a Recipe Website

Source: Pixabay & Fotojet

The other night I decided I wanted to fix Egg Foo Young for my dinner, as I had some leftover ham to put in it. I almost always order Egg Foo Young at a Chinese restaurant, as it is my favorite. Since one doesn't often 'eat out', I sometimes fix restaurant favorites at home.

I have made Egg Foo Young often over the years, but, while good, it just never tasted the same as my favorite at a Chinese restaurant or Chinese Take-out. And I never knew why. So I decided to look online for a new recipe to see if I could duplicate my favorite. Much to my surprise, I discovered that I have been 'cooking' my version incorrectly. I would beat the eggs and add the ingredients (vegetables, and sometimes meat or seafood) and cook it all at once like an omelet. Aha ~ THAT was my mistake. I discovered you cook individual helpings like a pancake!

When I did a Google search for a new Egg Foo Young recipe, I accidentally came across a recipe blog called Dinner, then Dessert, and I am SO glad I did. The author is a trained professional cook who worked as a Private Chef for 10 years, and all the recipes on her site are her own. Not only are her recipes delicious, but her presentation is attractive and easy to follow and her writing is delightful. Her name is Sabrina Snyder.

Meet Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina Snyder, Professional Chef
Author of Dinner, then Dessert

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches, before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook a family's entire week of dinners one day a week, including all grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning up, and leave them with instructions on reheating each meal.

As a private chef, she cooked for private parties in family homes in the evenings.

Sabrina enjoyed this lifestyle for 10 years, until her life and kids became her priority and she stepped away from other people's kitchens to stay in her own kitchen.

In 2015, Dinner, then Dessert became an online recipe website where Sabrina began posting recipes she had shared with clients over the years.

In addition, she still has private chef clients she cooks for. Sabrina treasures her distinction of being a trained professional chef.

Sabrina's Egg Foo Young Recipe

Sabrina Snyder's Egg Foo Young Recipe
Sabrina's Photo from Dinner, then Dessert

Egg Foo Young is a Chinese egg omelet dish made with vegetables with an easy gravy topping. I share her recipe here:

Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Chinese

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

8 eggs
½ onion, chopped
½ cut carrots (chopped and steamed)
¼ cup green peas
½ cut green bell pepper, chopped
¼ cup bean sprouts, cut in half
½ cup mushrooms
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
3 tablespoons sesame oil, divided

Instructions:

Add the eggs, onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, bean sprouts and soy sauce together in a bowl and whisk to combine.
In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon sesame oil at a time for each pancake you cook on medium heat.
Add about 1/3 cup of mixture per pancake and cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side and 1-2 minutes on the second side.

Egg Foo Young Gravy

1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Add everything to a small sauce pan and whisk well before the liquid heats up. Cook and whisk until thickened.

Recipe Notes from Sabrina about this Egg Foo Young Dish:

Egg Foo Young is sort of the classic leftovers meal made into a restaurant favorite. At our local Chinese restaurant the classic egg version of the dish comes out with a different assortment of ingredients mixed in almost every time we go.

I’ve asked our favorite waiter (who puts up with our circus of a family) why the fillings change and he explained to me that Egg Foo Young is a leftovers recipe and that when they have more or less of certain vegetables they just adjust the filling to what they have.

My Recipe Notes:

A collage of my version of Egg Foo Young from Sabrina's Dinner, then Dessert site

Cooking my version of Egg Foo Young
from Sabrina's Dinner, then Dessert site
Photos by Wednesday Elf, using a Fotojet collage

Following what Sabrina learned about this Egg Foo Young recipe filling being adjusted, I made my recent version using only fresh mushrooms, diced onions and ham diced up from a leftover ham slice. I briefly sauteed the ham, onions and mushrooms in butter prior to adding them to the egg mixture.

I used only 3 eggs and cooked my pancakes one at a time in a small pan, as I was only making enough for myself. I chose NOT to make the gravy, as I like my Egg Foo Young plain.

I then served the Egg Foo Young pancakes on rice. The image below is of my result. YUM!

My Egg Foo Young Dinner

PS: In addition to learning the proper way to COOK this dish as pancakes, I think the other secret to getting homemade Egg Foo Young to taste more like a Chinese restaurant version is using sesame oil to cook it in.

Site Review Summary

Having now discovered this delightful online recipe website by Sabrina Snyder, I will be visiting Dinner, then Dessert frequently to try out several of her other delicious-looking recipes from her Main Dish, Desserts, Appetizers and Slow Cooker lists. Her 'Easy Chicken Parmesan' recipe is already calling my name!

Quick Link:

Dinner, then Dessert Recipe Website

For more Chinese Takeout dishes to fix at home, check out this cookbook:

(c) Dinner, then Dessert Website Review by Wednesday Elf, written on 2/15/2020

FOLLOW US ON:

Monday, December 12, 2016

Tabletop Christmas Tree Reviews

'Tis the season to decorate. The problem is that you may believe that you do not not have sufficient time or space to bother with decorating a full-sized Christmas tree. Perhaps, you are feeling as though you are lacking in Christmas spirit. I am happy to let you know that there is always time and space for a tabletop Christmas tree. In this review, I will share some of my favorite small Christmas tree decorating ideas.

Because I am very busy, live on the third floor, and have an empty nest I have not put up a full-sized tree for years. There have been years that I haven't put a tree up at all. But when I do, as I have this year, I lean toward small trees for convenience. I tend to pay close attention to how others utilize tabletop and small floor stand Christmas trees. The following trees are a few of the best choices for small spaces.

Lighted, Ceramic Christmas Trees

Lighted, green ceramic tree

I remember these lighted, ceramic, tabletop Christmas trees from my childhood. I loved the green ceramic tree with the multi-colored bulbs that my grandmother had on the table most years. She also always had a fresh cut tree, often reaching to the ceiling. But as a child I always thought there was something magical about Grandma's tiny tree.

Over the years, these ceramic trees were sometimes painted with white glaze. Or were painted green with a spray snow added to the branches. Some of the trees have white lights. But my favorite will always be the green trees with multi-colored bulbs. Trees such as this can become a family heirloom.

Charlie Brown's Christmas Tree

14" Charlie Brown tree

One year a friend's parents gave my friend a Christmas tree. It was a Charlie Brown Christmas tree complete with one ornament on a spindly branch and Linus' blanket wrapped around the trunk. I fell in love with that little tree and have always planned to get one for myself. I have not yet done so.

Every time I see a little Charlie Brown tree, warm and fuzzy childhood memories come back - Charlie Brown and friends gathered together around their tree.

Lighted, Fiber Optic Christmas Tree

36" tall fiber optic tree

Fiber optic trees are great for small spaces. They come in many heights and colors. Whether or choose a green tree or a white tree, you will love the ease of set-up. I own a fiber optic tree and have set it up over the past several years. It only takes a few minutes to pull it out of the box, spread the "branches" back out, and set the tree on the base. My particular tree plugs in to an electrical outlet. Other fiber optic trees require batteries. The brightly colored fiber optics change colors and cast a subtle, pretty glow.

With the lights built-in to the tree, you don't have to try to untangle cords or work at spacing the bulbs on the tree. You can add ornaments if you wish but don't have to since the changing lights are pretty enough on their own.

I did not originally think I'd like a fiber optic tree, but I really did. The only reason I didn't set it up this year is because I wanted a live tree this year.

Live, Potted Evergreen Trees

photo credit: FotoJet and Pixabay

This year I chose a live, potted evergreen. I chose it thinking that I would plant it on my land in the spring. I brought the tree home then did some research. Oops. Potted evergreen trees (meant for planting outdoors later) do better if they are brought indoors for only a matter of days. The change in temperatures in cold climates from the nursery, to inside your home, and back outdoors is often too shocking. Or, if the plant is kept indoors until spring, it is not easy to keep it from becoming too dry after being exposed to the heat of your living space.

If you want to buy a potted evergreen in order to plant it outside, please do some research. Many people do plant their Christmas trees successfully after the holiday. Better Homes and Gardens has a helpful article that you may want to read so that you are prepared.

Fortunately, my tiny potted tree is in a very cool section of my apartment, so there may be hope even though I plunged in without the helpful information.

There are many reasons to buy a potted Christmas tree. These are a few:

the qualities of a fresh cut tree - including fragrance
possibility of planting after the holidays
an enormous selection of sizes, shapes, and tree varieties
pre-decorated selections - matching almost any decor
a large selection of mini-lights and ornaments so you can decorate your own tree

Mini lights and Ornaments for Potted Christmas Trees

I have been tempted by the many, very pretty pre-decorated trees. But this year I wanted to decorate my own in silver. I purchased a string of 50 white mini lights, a pack of silver jingle bells, and one "full-sized" glittery snowflake ornament. I strung the lights, hung the jingle bells, and used floral wire to attach the snowflake to the top as my "star".

No matter your tree decorating preference (country, sparkling, minimal, loaded) or your color preference, you will easily find small ornaments to meet your needs.

"Old World" mini ornaments

If you have time, space, and Christmas spirit to spare, you probably already decorate with table top trees in addition to a larger tree. And already have your own favorite type of tiny tree. But if you have never tried a table top tree, maybe this is the year to do so.

Related Article:

Our own Review This! contributor, Barbara Tremblay Cipak, reviewed time- and space-saving Pull Up Christmas Trees. These pre-decorated trees store in a flat box or bag and "pull up" to
a standing tree in a matter of moments. If you prefer a slightly larger tree, but need the smallest storage space possible for the remainder of the year, these pull up trees and the fiber optic trees mentioned above are very good choices. Both of these options eliminate the extra storage of lights, ornaments, and accessories.

Introduction photo design courtesy of FotoJet and Pixaby

FOLLOW US ON:

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Review of Before, Afdre, and After: Memoir of a Stroke Survivor

Just Imagine if This Were You

You are 33 years old, healthy, and in the prime of life. You have a great job in an advertising agency as a copywriter. One day at work you have a massive stroke and nothing is ever the same again. That's what happened to Maureen Twomey. It's a miracle she survived her stroke and recovered enough to write Before, Afdre, and After (My Stroke...oh what fun). Maureen's story is one of courage, the support of friends and family, and dedicated doctors and therapists. It's a must-read for anyone who knows someone or is caring for someone who is recovering from a stroke.

Review of Before, Afdre, and After: Memoir of a Stroke Survivor

Image Courtesy of Pixabay, edited on FotoJet.com

Maureen's Miracle Story - Before

The book opens as Maureen shows us her life before the stroke. She was born and grew up in California, graduated from UCLA as I did (but much later) and got some great jobs in advertising. At the time of her stroke, she was working in the Bay Area. She had oodles of friends and an active social life. She was taking a class in improvision, which she loved. She was known for her sense of humor. The stroke could not kill that in her.

Maureen was at work the day she had her stroke, June 6, 2000. The first symptoms manifested while she had taken time away for an appointment with a dermatologist who saw her after 2 PM. She started to feel funny. Her right eye was flashing, but a few seconds later she felt better and walked back to work. It was there her coworker Amy found her crying in the hallway outside her office because she is anxious about her symptoms. The flashing lights in her eye are back and there is some tingling in one side of her body. She has a slight headache. But when she talks to her doctor and tells him she's not in pain, he just said to call back if the symptoms get worse. She starts to work again. It is now 3 PM.

At 4:20 she is still at work and her symptoms get worse and more resemble classic stroke symptoms. She had decided to skip her improvisation class that night and was typing an email to explain her absence. Suddenly the words made no sense to her. Then she fell on the floor. Amy heard her fall and start crying. Symptoms are full-blown. Amy calls the doctor back to get an appointment for Maureen and the doctor told her to call 911.

At the Hospital - Afdre

When the paramedics arrive to interview Maureen it is 4:50. Maureen can express herself with some difficulty. Although the paramedics take her to the emergency room at California Pacific Hospital, they don't think this is an emergency that merits lights and the siren. It takes 20 minutes to get to the emergency room. By this time three hours have elapsed since the onset of symptoms. At 6:20 they do a CAT scan. At 7:30 they do a spinal tap. They release her to spend the night with her father and his wife Judy.

The next morning, June 7, as Maureen tried to eat breakfast, she started feeling strange. Then she couldn't remember anything. Her dad was so alarmed he carried her to the car and drove her straight back to the emergency room. By then Maureen could neither walk nor talk. She finally was diagnosed with a massive stroke, but it was too late to give her the clot-busting drug that can prevent permanent damage. It has to be given in the first hours after onset of symptoms.

Stroke Survivor Memoirs

I plan to soon read some of these stories by and about others who have survived strokes. Some contain helpful information on recognizing early symptoms months before the onset of a stroke, as well as advice for stroke prevention. It amazes me how many of these stories were written by people only 33 -- like Maureen.

Tell Me Everything You Don't Remember: The Stroke That Changed My Life

Before, Afdre, and After (My stroke . . . oh what fun)

My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey

Conquering Stroke: How I Fought My Way Back and How You Can Too

Maureen's Miracle Story: After

The rest of the book was written after Maureen recovered enough to use words again. She had to completely rebuild her life and learn again everything she'd ever learned -- how to talk, the alphabet, words, how to read, how to write. Before she recovered any of these abilities, her father sent our regular updates on her progress to her circle of friends and extended family. These emails are part of the book, as are illustrations of some of Maureen's first attempts to write during her recovery.

Although Maureen's recovery was much longer than she expected, she writes with a humorous and optimistic voice that won't accept defeat. As a result of that spirit and a lot of hard work, she accomplished much more than the doctors expected her to. She now is able to live alone again, drive, and write. You can follow Maureen Twomey on Twitter.

My Review of Before, Afdre, and After

This book is different than most I read because the author is working under an extreme handicap compared to most. Although her stroke happened 15 years before she was able to write and publish her book, she has not completely recovered the all verbal and motor skills she once had. Her typing speed isn't what it used to be. She still can't always retrieve the words she wants to use from her memory bank. (If you are reading this, Maureen, please feel free to comment and correct anything that may have changed in the past two years.)

I read the book to see what a stroke looks like to the one who has experienced it. Maureen is good at explaining what it was like for her, day by day. Although much of the book is in her voice, some of it consists of copies of emails sent by her father, coworkers, and friends. She also includes a copy of her resume and a list of resources.

There are a number of photos and scans of some of the work Maureen did as part of her rehabilitation. She even has scans of some pages she completed from Explode the Code, a popular phonics workbook I used to sell at homeschool conventions. I was thinking how hard it must have been for her to start over learning to read and write with disadvantages healthy children learning the same things don't have. I can't even imagine how difficult that would be.

I'm glad I read the book and I recommend it to others who want a day-by-day look at what life is like for someone recovering from a massive stroke. Maureen tells her story in a matter-a-fact way with a touch of humor. Since her stroke, she has moved back into an apartment, learned to drive again, participated in a walk for the Heart and Stroke group of the American Heart Association, and finished her book. She still can't run as she used to.

The only thing I didn't like was that I had chosen to buy the ebook so I could start reading right away. On my Kindle Paperwhite the illustrations, especially the scans of Maureen's written work, were too small to see clearly. I suggest you get the paper copy of the book if you don't want to miss anything. In this case, the illustrations are an important part of the book. I am finally able to see them on the Kindle App for my iMac.

I hope you will show support for Maureen by buying her book and leaving her a review on Amazon so that her book may start showing on the first page of an Amazon search for stroke survivor memoirs. That way more people may be able to find it. Also, why not follow her on Twitter?