Fast Food Reviews & Other Tidbits

When computers work they way you want them to, they are a man’s marvelous invention and when they don’t they are the woman’s nightmare. I don’t mean to be so biased against one sex but as a female, it is obvious to me that the computer was built by a man. Mine is slowly dying a death that I have labeled spinal column cancer. I’m unsure if it’s the motherboard or the processor chip but either one is pretty much a death sentence to a machine. Right now it still processes basic functions such as word files and basic internet access but even those fail occasionally. I cannot send out pictures and on occasion the word text gets scrambled or has some foreign code thrown in the middle of it. I’m trying to baby the computer along until the beginning of next month when I will purchase a new one.

It is almost impossible for me to function without a computer. I spend an incredible amount of time on it doing work and surfing the web. It’s no wonder that without fail, I must purchase a new machine every three years because of some kind of catastrophic failure. It’s like clockwork. So I have pretty much figured that in the fall/winter of 2011, I will have to purchase another one. Isn’t it interesting that the maximum warranty is only three years that you can buy? Why not three and a half?…because it’s a man thing. They know that within the three years, I will probably not use the warranty once but I would be willing to bet that I will use it three years and one day later for some kind of terminal illness.

Anyways, I have been searching and reading reviews on certain netbooks and have made up my mind what I’d like to purchase. I’m making the transition from desktop to laptop for the portability factor. That way, when I’m at work, I can use my computer, the Activehome automation kit and some X10 appliance module plugins to turn off and on the air conditioner, hot tub and the washer/dryer. Ahhh, yes, electronics at their best…when they work.

The new netbooks are great little tools meant for the business class people who need internet access and basic computer functions. They’re not meant for the gamer or the artist. They can only perform the basic computer functions but they seem to hold their own well. One particular brand has caught my eye because of its price and its durability. I’m hoping that once I get it, some miracle may happen and it will last past the three year mark, but again, I will not be holding my breath. Thankfully, I have a friend who has been a great help to me in picking out what I need as far as hardware perimeters. He’s the one who suggested the netbook versus the full fledged notebook and I’m glad he did. The price difference between the two is nothing to sneeze at either. However, the ultimate test will be come December 2011, is it still working?

I love to shop at Big Lots. I find the neatest junk there. Their prices are right and I can waste time in there and truly enjoy myself just looking at the variety of stuff they have. I have been able to pick up a lot of scrapbooking items from there even though I don’t scrapbook. I make cards with the goodies I find there. Most of their stuff is good quality items at discount prices.

When I enter the store, I have a set pattern that I go thru the store that way I’m sure not to miss anything. The other day I was fortunate enough to find 20% off coupons for Big Lots and I had a hay day. Usually, the items I buy at Big Lots is not necessities, however, toothpaste, deodorant and such items do fall into that category. You just never know what you’ll find there. It’s one of those stores that you have to keep shopping on a regular basis if you’re looking for something specific. You’ll need the patience of a saint sometimes but eventually you’ll find something that you’ve been wanting for a while.

I was in there about a year ago and picked up a computer flash drive for a little bit of nothing. I had been looking for one but wasn’t willing to spend a small fortune for one. Big Lots was selling theirs for $8.00 a piece. It didn’t take me long to convince myself that one of those should be mine. I had looked at one similar to it online at but I determined that they wanted too much money for it.

I’ve also picked up clothing and household furnishings at Big Lots. I love their candle selection. They sell furniture also. If you join their Buzz Club, you get notices of things that are going on sale and also extra discounts. They recently received a whole shipment of drug store items that came out of a drugstore chain that was closing. I found some mint scented shampoo and conditioner that was great for only $3.00 for a one liter bottle.

Back in the summertime, they had a whole lot of Pier One furniture items on sale at about half off Pier One’s price. Beautiful pieces going for much cheaper that the original store’s prices.

My kids love Big Lots for their toys. They run off and shop the toy isles and then they shop the clothing racks. My husband has his own car detailing business and he purchases a lot of supplies and equipment from Big Lots. The vacuum cleaner that he uses is a refurbished one he bought from there. To me, it just makes sense to buy at discount prices when the economy is down in the toilet right now. I’m watching my pennies everywhere and Big Lots is a great place to get things cheap.