Very Vera Simple

London Baby!

2006-11-27T14:55:00.000-08:00

In three weeks I am heading over to London to visit my Uncle David. I haven't seen my uncle in about five years, and--since he is buying my plane ticket--I feel like I should bring him and his wife and nice gift. I have two big problems: I am on a tight budget, and the gift needs to be something I can easily fly with.

My uncle and his wife love to drink wine. If I didn't have to take a plane, I would just get them a couple bottles of nice wine and be done. I found a carrier for two win bottles and four wine glasses that would be perfect for them. It's about $50 and I am going to order it online and have it shipped to their house before I get there.

They also have two little children--a 1 1/2 year old and a newborn--that I am going to each get a cute little outfit from the Gap. I can't wait to go!

Backyard Guard

2006-11-13T09:17:00.000-08:00

I currently don't own a backyard, but I remember when I was younger--growing up in Buffalo, NY--our yard had a problem with rodents. Even in the harsh winter months, they would come and get our dog Boomer all revved up. When I stumbled across the Super Sonic Molechaser, I immediately e-mailed my mom.

The Molechaser sends a 300MHz pulse, which should scare away moles and other rodents. My mom initially thought it killed the rodents, and it didn't bother her. She has really had it with rodents taking over our land.

Master Chef

2006-11-08T18:46:00.000-08:00

I would say that I am an okay cook, but my list of recipes is short (I'm talking like six recipes). I decided to find an easy, fast recipe and try it out. I found that the foodnetwork's Web site was well organized and had more recipes than I could cook in a lifetime.

The recipe I finally settled on was one of Rachel Ray's 30-minute meals--the turkey cutlets with mushroom and water chestnut stuffing and pan gravy. It was so easy to make, and it tasted wonderful!

As I was skimming through other recipes I saw quite a few that required a Crock-Pot. If I had one of these, I would make dinner every single night of the week. It's like having a chef right in you home. I can't afford it right now, but I definately plan on getting one in the future.

Liar Liar Pants on Fire...

2006-11-06T09:36:00.000-08:00

My little sister, Nina, came to visit me this weekend for her birthday. She turned 15 years old! Her trip was bittersweet because our family dog, Boomer, just died. I was told that Boomer died at the emergency vet office while they were trying to save his life. When Nina came to visit I could tell she was lying. Boomer was actually put to sleep because of a tumor that was spreading. He was in a lot of pain so my parents thought it was best.

You would think my parents would try and protect my younger sister, but instead they felt they should protect their 21-year-old daughter. When my sister starting talking about Boomer, I knew something was up. I interrogated her like someone on the cast of Law and Order. I am usually incredible gullible, but I think I am--finally--becoming a little suspicious (in a good way).

Here are Forbes magazine's 10 ways to tell if a person is lying. Hope they help you in detecting fibs.

Kitchen Garden

2006-11-03T06:41:00.000-08:00

When bagged spinach became off limits, I was upset. I really enjoyed adding it in my salads, and--yes--pretending I was Popeye the Sailor. There is a new device, created by Aerogrow, that allows you to grow plants--including my beloved lettuce and spinach for my salads--right in your home!

The Aerogarden, which costs about $150 (plus the $20 for the seedpots), doesn't require soil. It uses a process called hydrophonics, which uses light to make the plants grow. The technology behind the Aerogarden suggests that you don't need a green thumb to grow your own greens! This works out well for me. There's something about me that scares plants from growing. Finally, I can call myself a gardner.

Nail Biter

2006-10-26T10:22:00.000-07:00

I have been a nail biter even since I was little. I decided to quit this gross habit yesterday. I was doing a little work at Starbuck's, and I overheard a guy--who happened to be incredibly handsome--make an "eaw" noise. I looked up to see what it was. Alas, it was me and my nail biting! No more.

The best way for me to quit something is to scare myself. So, I looked up nail biting on the scary internet. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, if you bite your nails you are exposing skin that should be covered and it can cause serious--and really gross (scroll down after clicking on this link)--infections. Then I found an article about nail biting lowering your IQ! The article, by BBC news, said that lead can form under your nails from being in dusty conditions and then if you put that in your mouth, you are essentially eating lead.

Okay, so if I keep biting my nails I'll have freak hands and be stupid! That's good enough reason for me to stop.

Car Theft

2006-10-16T08:41:00.000-07:00

About two weeks ago someone broke into my car. There wasn't much in there for them to take -- my ipod, some cash, my AAA card, my health insurance card and some sentimental items -- but it still really made me mad. Luckily they didn't steal my entire car.

This past weekend my friend locked her keys in her car. It was 2 a.m., and we didn't feel like waiting for AAA. So I went back to my apartment, which is right around the corner, got a wire clothes' hanger, and I broke into her car. Now, this was the first time I attempted to break into a car, and it was so easy. It made me realize that it was time to take some steps in protecting my car because next time they might take more than my ipod.

First step -- of course -- is a car alarm. Now, this doesn't automatically prevent car theft, but it scares people away. It appears that an alarm is the best option for me right now, but in the future I plan on getting a vehicle with OnStar. I know you've probably heard of it before, but what impresses me most about OnStar is that if your car is stolen, it can track it for you. As long as your car battery is running, your OnStar is running.

The only downside is that you need to purchase a vehicle that already has OnStar installed. You cannot install OnStar in your current vehicle. I'm okay with that. For now, I'll get an alarm, and I'll hope for the best. When I'm grownup, I'll spring for the nicer car with the high protection. I enjoy looking forward to future purchases!

Shh! My favorite TV show is on!

2006-10-09T10:29:00.000-07:00

Caller id is a brillant invention. We all have those people we don't want to talk to - you know who they are - and caller id gives us the freedom to avoid answering those people's phone calls.

Smart Home has taken the next step with caller id. Meet the TV Messenger. When the phone rings, caller id pops up on your TV screen without stopping your show. If you decide not to answer--and there's a message from the missed call--the TV Messenger notifies you through a message on your TV screen. It holds up to 14 call logs.

It costs about $119 dollars, and the remote control is included.

Handy Woman

2006-10-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

I live in an apartment where everything seems to be broken, and my landlord has no intention of fixing any of it. It's all little things (closet doors, curtain rod is loose, etc.), but I -- being a girl -- never have had the tools to fix things around the house. I decided to take charge and get my very first set of tools.

I never knew how expensive tools are! I went to my local hardware store, which happens to be Lowes, and I stared at an aisle of drills, wrenches and hammers. I decided I wanted something cordless so I wouldn't have to deal with extension cords. I decided the best tool for me was a power drill. This was I can fix all the loose ends around my house.

Check out how to pick a power drill right for you.

Save my friends!

2006-09-28T06:56:00.000-07:00

So, a friend of mine, let's call her Susie, just got new phone. Awesome, right? Well, it's kind of awesome except for the fact that she doesn't have any of her old contacts in her new phone. This is undoubtedly annoying, but when Susie's car got towed and she didn't have her friends' numbers memorized, the situation went from annoying to catastrophic.

Don't let this be you. Save your friends!

CellStik is designed to backup, enter, edit and transfer your contacts. When you make the cell phone swap, you just plug the CellStik into your old phone, push a button and do the same on your new phone. There is one out there that is compatible with your phone. Wal-Mart has a pretty good selection for reasonable prices.

Another useful feature is that you don't need a cell phone to view your contacts. If you have lost your phone, you can hook the CellStik up to a computer. It works similar to a USB key. It's compatible with Windows 98SE, 2000, ME and XP.

Airline liquids

2006-09-25T09:29:00.000-07:00

I am flying to New York City this weekend, and I'm so excited the liquid ban -- due to terrorist threats -- will be lifted on September 26. I have lost my checked baggage two times before, and it was not fun.

Now, there still are some restrictions: a) the liquid containers are limited to 3-ounce sizes and b) must fit in a clear, 1-quart size plastic bag.

I'm going to bring everything mini, which helps me save space anyway. Since I'm picky about my beauty products -- as most women are -- I went searching for the good stuff in small packages. Sephora, a leading retail beauty chain that started in Europe, has all of the name brand beauty products in small packages, and they are reasonably priced. Even if you're not flying this weekend, it's a good idea to get your favorite products miniaturized now for when you do end up traveling.

Keep all of your mini liquids in a clear, 1-quart size bag, and have it in an easily accessible place. Also, wait until you are past security to get a bottle of water. Don't be one of those people that hold up the security line.

Microwave meltdown

2006-09-20T16:28:00.000-07:00

I put a bowl of pasta sauce in my microwave, and it exploded. The sauce shot all over the inside of my white microwave making it look like a sick, saucy crime scene.

It should have taken me a long time to clean the red mess in my microwave, but I found a trick at HGTV's Web site that made the job go quickly. Place a damp dishtowel in the middle of the microwave and set the time from 30 to 45 seconds. All of the mess will loosen up and only take a second to wipe down.

I hate cleaning, but I also hate things when they are messy. This microwave trick -- as I have affectionately started to call it -- inspired me to find other cleaning tricks.

For instance, coffee pots are annoying to clean, but a little magical cleaner called Dip It Coffee Pot Cleaner makes it easy. That annoying coffee stain that you thought would never go away will be history. Clean and simple!

Take my picture

2006-09-18T20:17:00.000-07:00

Digital cameras were invented to erase the hassle of film. Now, getting a printout copy of your picture is the hassle.

The number one way to eliminate the picture printout hassle is to use a Web site.

Your Web site will a) get your pictures off your digital camera, b) offer a printout option, and c) allow friends and family to view them from wherever they are. My favorite photo hosting site is the Kodak Easyshare Gallery. The site is easy to use, it prints great images, and allows you to do this all from your home. The prints are 15 cents each.

Koday Easyshare software also allows you to crop and alter your picture to make it just the way you like it. Aside from having your own photo department in your home, your pictures really couldn't get any better.

Driving me crazy

2006-09-14T10:32:00.000-07:00

You're out at a bar relaxing after a long day's work. One tequila, two tequila, three tequila...drunk. Okay, no problem. Just drink some water, give yourself a little time and then you'll be good to drive - or so you think.

I've been in that situation where I create a scientific formula combining just the right amount of water, some time on the clock, and gum to cover the trace of alcohol on my breath. Now there is no need to guess if you are able to drive ...you can give yourself the breathalyzer to know for sure - by law - if you are sober enough drive.

Meet the iBreath, a new addition for your ipod that lets you know whether you are okay to get behind the wheel. To use this device you exhale into the blow wand for 5 seconds, wait 5 seconds to see the results, and - if you're not okay to drive - it sets a countdown timer letting you know when to take the test again.

When weighing your options on an unbiased scale - jail time, losing your license, something on your permanent record...verses...breathing into a stick for 5 seconds - I don't think the decision is too difficult to make.

Drink and be merry! (just don't be stupid about it)

Welcome to my simple world!

2006-09-11T08:29:00.000-07:00

This is the start of a blog that seeks to find gizmos, gadgets and tricks that will help simplify your life.

My first simple discovery is specifically geared toward high school and college students, but it can also be useful for anyone trying to juggle a complex schedule. Tesoro Software has come out with a program called "Student Life 3.0.3." Student Life can track your homework, tests, degree status, finances and social life.

This program is compatiable with Windows 98, Me, NT, 2000 and XP. It costs $19.95, which is about the same amount as a monthly planner from Barnes & Noble. If you are skeptical whether or not this would help you organize your busy life, you can try it for free here. The average user rated this download five and half stars out of six. Try it and see for yourself.