Wednesday, October 17, 2012

REVIEW: Glade Expressions Fragrance Mist and Oil Diffuser

I want to tell you about a product I recently tried. They were provided to me, as a BzzAgent, in exchange for checking them out and sharing the information with others as well as sharing discount coupons for the products.

The fragrance I chose was Pineapple Mangosteen because I tend to have sensitivity to other so-called "natural" fragrances or flowery scents. I like the fruited scents because they are more pleasant and less troublesome to my sinuses and eyes.

I love the Fragrance Mist - it is really unique in that you just squeeze it. It has no trigger or button to push. And, it is refillable. You just remove the insert and replace it with the fragrance of your choice. Best of all, the mist is super fine and expands to fill a large area very quickly. We've used it both downstairs where the cats' box is and upstairs in our bathroom. 

I also love the fragrance. It is PERFECT. Light, fruity, very realistic rather than chemical smelling. It isn't overpowering, yet it quickly fills the area with fragrance. I can't imagine going back to the other canned sprays I used previously. They do have nice fragrances, but it takes more of them to cover the same area and you can feel them in your lungs when you inhale too much of them.

As for the Oil Diffuser - I didn't know quite what to expect. I have used very pricey diffusers in the past, but the fragrances were hardly noticeable. But, I took this one to my new job and have it in my cubicle. Someone walking past said, "Do I smell piƱa coladas?" It's such a wonderful smell, although a tad heady in such a closed-in area. I have noticed some eye discomfort if I have it too close to where I'm sitting, so I keep it behind me as you step inside my cubicle. It's so nice to have a grand smelling environment to work in.

I especially like how the oil base is replaceable and the holder is so decorative. It can fit in any decor, but I especially like the artistic design. So much more affordable than those you buy through that home candle party program and much more efficient!

As for the coupons, I gave some to my landlady who just LOVES to have fragrances in her kitchen and the rest I shared with people at work. I am very happy with both items and plan to replace the ones I have when they are empty. 

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Too Little Too Long Without a Post

For my first two weeks of my new job, I had no computer, no phone and virtually no work. Then, I got a computer and all of a day in training (if you can call it that since the person training me was packing to leave the job for good) and all last week I struggled to understand what the heck I was doing even as I was being trained for even more things to do. I was so deep to the bone tired at the end of each day, I didn't care whether or not I got online. I didn't post on Facebook and I barely answered email. I was just beat!!

Apparently, I'm adapting because this week, so far, I've been able to come home and NOT immediately fall into a deep sleep. Yesterday, I stopped at the neighborhood grocer and got bread, rolls and lunch meat for work. I got home in time to smell the roast beef I'd had in the crock pot all day and enjoyed the most wonderful hot roast beef sandwich for supper!

Tonight, I stopped at the bank, came home and watched television, ate my leftover Chinese food lunch, and have been playing online for just over an hour. And, I'm about to go downstairs to get my clothes from the dryer. Maybe this stuff doesn't sound like much of an accomplishment, but if you had been able to know how I felt last week compared to how I feel this week, you'd know that these things really ARE accomplishments! My back has ached all day, but even that's nothing compared to how bad my entire body felt last week. 

But, back to that crock pot beef.....I got myself a crock pot one day last week. I had seen one on Freecycle and when I responded, the person ahead of me had changed their mind, so the pot was mine if I wanted it. I wanted it. It's a Hamilton Beach 6 Qt Crock Watcher with AutoShift and a removable crock. 

The first thing I did was buy a couple of bottom round roasts that were on sale at ShopRite and put one in the freezer Sunday night while looking forward to Monday morning when I would put the other one in the crock. Although I was thinking at the time that we'd do mashed potatoes and gravy, Deb was too tired from working 15 1/2 hours the day before and only getting about 5 hours sleep before going to work again, so I just opted to slice the meat and make a hot roast beef sandwich with one of the Kaiser rolls I'd bought on the way home. 

I so enjoyed that sandwich!! I had added a packet of onion soup mix to the meat and a couple cups of water, so there was a nice broth to have with the meat. The sandwich was sloppy and flavorful and it was wonderful! When Deb came downstairs, she also had one. There are two rolls left and half the meat and broth. I shredded what was left of the meat.

I think I'll make a turkey ham and cheese sandwich for work tomorrow. I bought yogurt that was on sale, too, so I can take yogurt to have with it. I just love La Yogurt - so smooth and fruity. They were on sale for 10 for $3.30. I'm going to get some more this week when I get paid again before the sale is over. That's a good price and they're really good.

Anyway, I've said this before, but I really do mean it - I'm going to try to post more often because I do like having this blog and I do like talking about food (even more than I like eating it, believe it or not!) But, right now I need to get to bed. Way early day tomorrow because we're taking my daughter's car to the shop for a new front axle. Fun times.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Belated update, but I GOT A JOB!!!!!

It's true! I finally got a job!! And, it's as though providence has shined upon us - you see, my daughter ALSO got a job two weeks before I did! AND, here's the weird thing - BOTH jobs are in the food industry!!! And, we're both doing the same kind of work for two entirely different employers. It's pretty amazing to me how this all came to be. 

First, my daughter got tired of sending out resumes without getting even one response, so she posted her resume on Craigslist. She got one call, interviewed, was hired (without being given a start date) and then called again by the same person and asked to come in for an interview because he hadn't hired anyone yet. o_O?? She knew then she was done with that one. But, she had also scheduled an interview with a fresh produce distributor who had contacted her in the meantime about a part-time job that she thought would be good because she'd learn some new skills that would make her even more marketable in the future. 

She got along really well with the woman and felt really comfortable with her, even though she was told that the job would be pretty much minimum wage. She felt the benefits (full paid!) made it all worth it. So, she did the interview and got along fantastically with everyone she met. She was told that they had one more interview a week later, so she would be called after that if they wanted her. They called her before that interview was out the door! Her coworker said that the woman, her new boss, was so impressed by her that she wanted to hire her on the spot, but couldn't because she'd already scheduled the final interview. 

She's doing accounts receivable, credit approvals and adjustments, logistics (scheduling deliveries and pickups) and a variety of other jobs. She was recently told that they planned to open some more locations across the country and she may be flown to those locations to assist in setting them up. She said to me, "Mom, I actually have a 'big girl' job! I'm being treated like an adult and I love it!"

She also learned that her hourly wage went from minimum wage to $11/hr when she got her first pay check. Not bad getting a raise before you get your first pay!!

Although I joined her in posting my resume on Craigslist, all I got out of it was scams. Meanwhile, I continued to send out my resume anywhere I could whose job description fit what I knew. One of them described the job being a data entry clerk in the next town over. The pay was acceptable and I had all the skills (although I am not quite an "expert" in Excel, I did take a course earlier in the year, so I'm better than I used to be), so I submitted my resume. I was surprised to get a call asking me to call back for a phone interview from a company I'd never heard of. They are an agency, like a temp firm, and they had a contract position nearby who needed someone who could start as soon as possible. I affirmed that I could if they chose me and they then set up my phone interview with the client - a well-known producer of canned soups and other foods under a variety of names!!!

The following week, I received the call from the client and was interviewed by two women who more explained the job to me than asked questions; but, as they described it to me, I was able to relate the duties to jobs I had done previously, which they seemed to like. When the interview was done, I just waited to see what would happen. Within two hours, I was called by the agency and told I had the job!!! I loved it!! I didn't have to do a face to face interview, I didn't have to worry about whether or not my looks or weight would turn them off, I was hired solely on the skills I had and how I had handled the interview. Fantastic!!

So, I  now have a week and a half under my belt and I love the office and the people. I wish I could say I love the job, but I really haven't been able to do it yet. You see, their IT department hasn't furnished my desk with a computer or a phone. Actually, two computers. One SAP and one laptop, both operated by the same mouse and keyboard. Very NCIS!! Can't wait until I actually can be trained on the system and begin to do what I've been hired to do. I'll be working with samples (receiving and placing orders for samples of new products for customers, sales people and trade shows) as well as working with deductions (something I haven't been shown yet, but I suspect it's related to when the customer short pays their invoice and the adjustments have to be approved and entered in the accounting). 

Everyone in the office has sample products sitting on their desks and I've heard people talking about trying this or that product, so I'm thinking we get to add our two cents to the product line. But, I don't know for sure, so there's just that much more to learn about. My contract is initially for a year, but could go longer or could become permanent depending on the needs of the client. AND, it offers medical, dental, sick and vacation. WOW!!!

In the meantime, my daughter gets to bring fresh produce home for us to use and, if I get to try out samples, that will help our grocery budget tremendously. How much better can it be for a family of foodies???