Kitchen Gadgets

While I qualify as a geek on many levels I most closely associate with the title of gadget geek. I love nifty little gadgets, tools, and toys and will admit shamelessly to buying things in the past just to see how it works.

Unfortunately as this point in time technology seems to be outpacing my ability to make purchases. There are a few gadgets that are absolute musts to have in any respectable kitchen. I'll skip some of the more mundane pieces of technilogical marvels that keep our kitchens in good working order and get to my absolute must have kitchen gadget: an electric cheese grater.

I know that many of you are laughing right now but I have this thing about purchasing pre shredded cheese at the store, it just doesn't taste the same as freshly grated cheese and I am not masochistic enough to try and grate enough cheese for this cheese loving family. We have a genuine love of cheese from taco toppings, to quesadillas fillings, parmesean for our pastas, to toppings for our pizzas and countless other reasons to have shredded cheese in between we find ourselves in need of grated cheese far more often than we should probably care to admit.

So off I went in search of a great electric cheese grater in order to fill my kitchen gadget obsession and save my hands from many painful nights of cheese grating. Geek or not, the Deni Giovanna Italy Cordless Cheese Grater is the perfect model for my gadget geek kitchen needs. Really this nifty little grater has all the things I love in a gadget for my kitchen and none of the things I hate. First of all, it's easy on the hands. Second, it is diswhasher safe, and third (for me at any rate) it will grate not only the hard cheeses that devices of this nature are typically suited to do but also the softer cheeses that tend to bog down lesser graters. You should also find that this cheese grater is by no means limited to cheese. You can also grate nuts, chocolate, and other items as well. Last, but not least, this little gadget stores rather easily too.

If you go through a lot of grated cheese or even if you're just looking for another nifty little gadget for your kitchen collection you really should try out this wonderful little grater.

Weather Ready?

It is getting to be that time of year once again. There is a hint of spring in the air as Old Man Winter holds on with the very last of his energy trying to deny the sun, song, and warmth that springs brings when finally sprung. You can feel that little hint of warmth in the breeze and are probably beginning to notice that there are familiar birds singing. The very birds whose songs have been forgotten in past months.

Unfortunately along with the warmth of spring comes the volatility of rapidly changing weather patterns and not so predictable storms along the way. You guessed it, tornado season is upon those in the midwest to be followed rather quickly by hurricane season in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. In other words, tornado season is rapidly approaching and you need to be prepared. It is getting to be the time of year when you need to take stock of the condition in your storm cellar, check the batteries in the flashlight, prepare your emergency provisions, and check to make sure that you have an adequate weather radio to serve as your warning beacon when Mother Nature isn't behaving as we feel she should.

If you are looking for an excellent weather radio, I highly recommend this one from Amazon: . My personal reason for liking this one is that I simply like the sleek and modern appearance as well as some of the better features of this weather radio. In all honesty whether or not you plan to weather too many storms, tornadic in nature or otherwise it is a wise investment to have a good weather radio on hand as many of them also serve as civil defense warning systems.

Have you ever taken a geek test?

It would seem that a geek test is the supreme display of geekiness though I found that many activities on this particular question were just plain ordinary fun activities. Cough cough, of course there were some that were very far out there. As far as geek tests go I really like the format of this particular test. The questions covered a wide variety of topics and I couldn't help but chuckle along the way. While I tested as a well qualified geek I have no doubt that my dear husband would have scored much higher on the geek scale than the meager score I eeked out.

At any rate, it's Sunday, there isn't a ton of new and fascinating information available for the kingdom of geekdom so taking a quick gander at the geek test can be a great way to pass some serious time (especially if you aren't into the disaster movies on Sci Fi today). The geek test to which I am referring can be found here and you should plan a good 10 to15 minutes of time as there are quite a few determining factors.

In other geek news tonight is the night to watch Sci Fi. Though Sci Fi Fridays are no more you can catch Dresden Files (a show that is growing on me) and Battlestar Galactica tonight. For those of you following the series Baltar's trial begins tonight, I think we're in for a couple of exciting shows as the series' third season winds down.

Gaming Good for Eyesight?

It would seem that this is the case when it comes to certain rather popular video games that are currently dominating the gaming market. Personally, I'll take this over eating my carrots to improve eyesight any day of the week and twice on Sunday. It's really something to think about however when you consider that most of my childhood I heard how video games and constant exposure to visual stimulation was going to ruin my eyesight...wonder what else mom lied about?

At any rate, don't take my word for it see what the experts have to say. The article can be found at LiveScience.com though you can take the direct route to the article here. I think you will find that this website is a treasure trove for the truly geeky among us. I know it is quickly becoming a favorite for me. At any rate, I'm still recovering from Pi Day (jk) and need to get back to the business at hand. I hope you enjoy looking around Live Science and have found the perfect excuse for longer gaming sessions.

Pi Day!

No I haven't fallen off my spelling rocker. However, I would not be a proper geek if I failed to mention that today is Pi Day not Pie day (though that would be yummy right about now). It makes perfect sense when you consider what day it is...3-14. Of course it's all relative. Today also happens to be Albert Einstein's birtday.

I'm fairly certain that this wasn't a mere coincidence but when you think about it, how odd is that? It's a good day for all of us geeks around the world to have something to come together and celebrate other than the latest greatest video game being released (not that that isn't a perfectly acceptable reason to get together for an awesome LAN party). The truth of the matter is that you could quite possibly turn your Pi celebration into a giant LAN party just be sure to serve Pi themed food.

If you can't find yourself getting all that excited over Pi don't worry, it isn't an absolute requirement for pure geekiness. I'm sure we'll find plenty to discuss later.

Battlestar Galactica

I know I've touched on this topic before. This happens to have been my absolute favorite television show until a little more than a week ago. Despite my disappointments, it still remains high on my list. I'm not sure if this says more for my loyalty to science fiction or remains a testament to the poor selection of television shows on the air at the moment. I was devestated at the decision to gack Starbuck. I know there is a great deal of specualation over what will happen to Starbuck's character and even whether or not she is really dead after all. Some people believe that is Ron Moore's idea of the ultimate joke to play on fans.

What I do have to say is this. I was a huge skeptic when I heard that they were remaking Battlestar Galactica for the mini series though part of me was very excited. In an absolute display of sheer geekiness, this was one of my favorite childhood shows and I was afraid the mini series would somehow diminish that but felt compelled to watch because it was a childhood favorite.

This being said I sat in front of my television in sheer and utter shock when I realized that Starbuck in this mini series was female. I automatically hated her because she was female. It took a while for her character to grow on me. Seriously, then I began to love her as the kick ass female that all of us geeky girls wish we could be. She said what she thoght, she drank like a fish (one drink and I'm under the table snoring), and she smoked cigars. She could throw punches with the best of 'em and wasn't afraid to take a few punches of her own. For this reason the new Battlestar Galactica--by the end of the mini series had taken up a new place in my heart just as the new Starbuck had.

I was so excited when I heard that this mini series that had captured my attention and imagination had been turned into a television series that would bear the Battlestar Galactica name. Even more amazing was that the characters we knew and loved (and those we loved to hate) from the mini series would be returning to the show. The series itself has been a little darker and much more character driven than the series of old. I loved the human cylon element and the vulnerability of the characters on the show both human and cylon.

So WHY? WHY? WHY? did he go and kill off Starbuck? Yes I know, many of you have probably not made it this far in my post, but this is my most public way to express myself here and amazingly enough, Mr. Moore surfs the web so he might somehow find this little blog post and comment. He is certainly invited to explain should he deem my little corner on the web worthy. I am one enquiring mind that would truly like to know the why on this.

Oh and one more thing Mr. Moore, should you happen to read this, I love the turn that Lee has taken in the last episode. I can't wait to see the next two episodes and sincerely hope that you will be bringing Starbuck back in some form as she added so much to the show that was so beloved from my childhood.

The Geek Way to Tone Muscles

I know that many of you may find this difficult to believe but sitting behind a computer screen day in and out is hard on your thighs, waistline, hips, and derriere. I know many of you out there are saying 'surely she jests' but it is true. The number of hours I spend writing each day is the number of hours that I am no longer out and about. Until the day when they invent a program that can simply type out my thoughts while I wander around the room I'll have to suffer through this or find a different profession.

I have a sneaky suspcision that I am not the only person in the world who has a job that literally chains them to a desk on a daily basis. For those of you out there like myself there is hope. At least I hope there is hope. There is a bit of the skeptic in me as nothing could really be this easy but wow, what if it really were this easy? To save you the suspense, I am talking about a new gadget (we all know how much I love my gadgets) that is supposed to literally work out your muscles for you. While I would be interested in this particular product for the massage feature alone, I must admist the muscle toning implications are intriguing to someone like myself.

Perhaps it's the same curiosity that got the proverbial cat killed, however, I am really considering adding this nifty device to my personal wish list. It is called the HealthCare Ston-O-Max Turbo Body Toner and the implications of this product are simply amazing if it lives up to its promise.

I have not however gone off the deep end and completely realize that if something sounds too good to be true it probably is. In the meantime a girl can dream about cutting out the workout portion of each day and night by toning her muscles as she goes about the usual tasks of writing away or preparing meals for the family. Even during outside play time I can be getting a workout for my muscles at the price of a one time investment. Yes I know, you all think I've finally gone completely off the deep end. This may be the case but desperate times call for desperate measures. Now, if only they would invent a calorie free, fat free chocolate that actually tasted like chocolate--my world would be complete!

The Geek Way to Tone Muscles

I know that many of you may find this difficult to believe but sitting behind a computer screen day in and out is hard on your thighs, waistline, hips, and derriere. I know many of you out there are saying 'surely she jests' but it is true. The number of hours I spend writing each day is the number of hours that I am no longer out and about. Until the day when they invent a program that can simply type out my thoughts while I wander around the room I'll have to suffer through this or find a different profession.

I have a sneaky suspcision that I am not the only person in the world who has a job that literally chains them to a desk on a daily basis. For those of you out there like myself there is hope. At least I hope there is hope. There is a bit of the skeptic in me as nothing could really be this easy but wow, what if it really were this easy? To save you the suspense, I am talking about a new gadget (we all know how much I love my gadgets) that is supposed to literally work out your muscles for you. While I would be interested in this particular product for the massage feature alone, I must admist the muscle toning implications are intriguing to someone like myself.

Perhaps it's the same curiosity that got the proverbial cat killed, however, I am really considering adding this nifty device to my personal wish list. It is called the HealthCare Ston-O-Max Turbo Body Toner and the implications of this product are simply amazing if it lives up to its promise.

I have not however gone off the deep end and completely realize that if something sounds too good to be true it probably is. In the meantime a girl can dream about cutting out the workout portion of each day and night by toning her muscles as she goes about the usual tasks of writing away or preparing meals for the family. Even during outside play time I can be getting a workout for my muscles at the price of a one time investment. Yes I know, you all think I've finally gone completely off the deep end. This may be the case but desperate times call for desperate measures. Now, if only they would invent a calorie free, fat free chocolate that actually tasted like chocolate--my world would be complete!

Touchless Trash Can

I must admit that I am completely intrigued at the thought. I absolutely hate constantly needing to wash my hands because I've thrown something away while preparing dinner. This neat little device is not for the price concious but for the sanity conscious. I love the idea behind this product and wish I had been the one that was bright enough to create it. He or she is probably laughing all the way to the bank that no one else thought of this first. At any rate, the touchless trash can is next on my list of must have gadgets and gizmos for the kitchen.

We are in the midst of a vast and extensive kitchen overhaul at the moment so the touchless trash can will definitely be my gift to myself when all is said and done and I once again have a fully functional kitchen in which to prepare all my glorious meals. If you haven't seen one of these yet you can check it out below and I would love to hear your thoughts on the touchless trash can. In my book it rates up there with the robotic vacuum cleaner as a nifty gadget for girls.

My Top 5 Favorite Sci Fi Movies

Yes, I am truly a geek when it comes to movies. I love movies of all genres but sci fi still happens to be my favorite. While it is quite difficult to narrow it down to 10 I have these in mind for my favorite and please feel free to reply with a few of yours or even a "Why the heck did you leave this one off?" It could be that I simply haven't seen some of the greats in so long that I've merely forgotten about them. I will admist that I'm no connosieur of movies, nor a snob. Some of them are mearly my favorite because they hold fond memories for me from my childhood.

1) Star Wars. This movie is where my love of science fiction began. This is the movie that had me dreaming of touchging the stars and meeting creatures from other galaxies. Add to that the very awesome special effects and in the eyes and heart of a six year old I was forever hooked.

2) E. T. Yet another flashback to my childhood. This is definitely a sentimental favorite but a favorite it remains. I've been very blessed to find that this movie and Star Wars are movies that I've been able to share with my children and we've loved watching them together.

3) Aliens. Not the first one but the second. I know that most people are loyal to the first and I understand that compltely but this is my top 10 list and it was my favorite of the entire series. I didn't see the first movie in the series until after I watched Aliens and I can say little more than this movie scared the bejesus out of me and I always thought I had a fairly hefty constitution for frightening movies. I still remember dumping my popcorn in my lap the first time one of the aliens popped out.

4) The Lost Boys. What kind of true sci fi geek could get away without mentioning a vampire movie somewhere in the mix. When this movie came out the eye candy was incredible and the storyline was actually pretty good in light of the many campy Dracula films that had hit the market. If you must still ask why it made my top 10 need I say more than Keifer Sutherland??

5) The Empire Strikes Back. Yes I know I've already mentioned another Star Wars movie but this one sticks out in its own right as well. Perhaps it was my broken heart that resulted from seeing my beloved Han Solo frozen in carbonite or the fact that it was the first movie I had ever seen that left off without the good guys prevailing. I was young at the time and rather sheltered. But this movie was brave, brazen, and a darn good movie. There aren't many movies in life that we simply must watch everytime it comes on the television but this is definitely one of those for me.

This by no means indicates that there aren't many excellent sci fi movies out there that aren't on my list. Off the cuff I can name the remaining Star Wars Movies, The Matrix, 2001, The Terminator, The Star Trek movies, Independence Day, and The X Men just to name a few. It is difficult determining favorites among so many and I would love to see the favorites of others as well as the reasons why.

The Sadist in Me

Yes, I do have a bit of a sadistic bent, particularly when it comes to love and love that has been lost along the way. With that in mind, I find the "Ex" Knife holder to be a must have gadget for the kitchen of every girl (geek or not) who has loved and lost. This is particularly true if it didn't end all too well. Take a look for yourself though and tell me I'm wrong.

The problem I have with this product is that there are no incantations to make sure the 'ex' in question feels the pain so to speak. Did I mention that I was a sadist? As far as knife holders go, this is an excellent conversation piece to include in your kitchen. I would refrain however from taking it to the office as it may raise a few questions. In fact, I would think a knife holder--particularly a loaded knife holder might raise more than a few questions. It would be fun however to see the look in some of your coworkers eyes though wouldn't it?

Last Chaos

Have I mentioned that I'm such a geek? Seriously, I don't think they make many girls that qualify on the geek scale quite to the extent that I seem to dominate that scale. This being said it is absolutely no wonder that I am seriously addicted to MMORPGs. That would be massively multiplayer online role playing games for the uninitiated. I love these games in all kinds of genres and settings. The problem is that if you are addicted to more than a couple it can grow to become quite an expensive habit to maintain. Enter Last Chaos. This is a free to download and free to play MMORPG for all who might be interested or those that are simply wondering what the fuss is all about. I hope those of you who check it out find as many hours of enjoyment in the land of online gaming as I have.

300 Debuts and Battlestar Galactica Leaves fans Reeling

For my early morning update I have to say that today is the big day: 300 arrives in theaters and while I can't wait to see it, I will have to. It would seem that there are no baby sitters available this weekend and while it does appear to be an awesomely cool movie this is definitley not one that I would put in the books as kid friendly. I have a sneaky suspicion that all the usual sitters have weekend plans to see 300 themselves. Perhaps in a few weeks I will get the opportunity to see for myself this movie I've been raving about for months.

If you haven't been watching Battlestar Galactica on Sci Fi I'm not sure you have the right to call yourself a bona fide geek. However, it is not too late. You can catch up on all this seasons episodes through ITunes and there still remain a few more great episodes coming up. Trust me girls, there is some can't miss eye candy in these episodes, don't for one second think that the guys are the only ones getting a good view with this series.

I know that many of you out there were dismayed at the new series and are boycotting. However, I feel that you are robbing yourself of an excellent series that is very different from the original. This is both good and bad in many ways. But I find the depth of characters in this movie is something that was somewhat lacking in the version of my childhood. I also love the fact that they made Starbuck a female. I will admit that at first I was stunned to say the least but she grew on me. I will go no further without revealing spoilers but if you missed this week's episode "Maelstrom" you need to go and download it right now. Do not pass go. You should also take this opportunity to check out the feature on SciFi.com to make your own Battlestar Video. It is a great way to kill an hour or four and good for a few laughs.

While I am quite certain that I could go on and on about all the great things happening in geekdom across the country and around the world this seems to be a great stoppping point for the night/morning. TTFN!

Making Changes

It is probably more than slightly obvious to anyone that occasionally drops in to read that this little project of mine has been sadly neglected. I plan to change this in coming months by making this a site that will appeal a little to the geek in all of us. I hope to include gaming updates for both computer games and role playing games, information about our favorite Sci Fi television shows and movies, as well as keep you updated on the latest and greatest and girly gadgetry to hit the market. I would like this be a fun place to visit on your weekly stop as well as a font of information to those who lack the time or the inclination to surf the web for piles of information when they can come to one nifty little nook on the net in order to find it. I will be updating more regularly in the future and hope that some of you who visit will become loyal readers and engage in thoughtful conversation. TTFN!