Archive for September, 2010
Ok…I’m not much into writing reviews, but I feel compelled to chime in on this product. I have been an on-again, off-again runner for several years and have as my goal to run in 1 or 2 half-marathons each year. Getting under a 2 hour 1/2 marathon is always my goal. Up until the time of getting/using the Garmin 305 I have been using a standard running watch, the Timex Ironman. The Ironman has been a great watch in its own regard, but I really wanted to focus on heart-rate zone training to improve my overall conditioning and stamina in the later parts of my long training runs and in the events themselves. Literally within a couple of weeks of using the Garmin 305, I saw my overall level of conditioning improve approximately 10%, which as you know is pretty huge. With max VO interval work, I can now run a full minute faster per mile (from 10:00/mi down to 9:00/mi) quite comfortably and keep my heart rate high zone 3 and low zone 4 now. It actually feels “comfortable” to me in this range. I did a 14 mile training run yesterday and kept my BPM in this range through the 12 mile mark. The last 2 miles were zone 4 to low zone 5, but were do-able and I always felt “informed” about my heart health.
Other than being able to track real-time metrics during a run, probably the absolute coolest feature of this watch is through its software. It comes with Garmin Training Center (PC and Mac) and it allows you to usb-sync each of your runs (or biking or swimming) and view any of a dozen metrics throughout the run. You may also upload your runs to GarminConnect and view your run on satellite and google maps. Waaaayyyy cool!
Aside from the attendant bells and whistles, this GPS watch has performed rock solid in various weather conditions and has helped me bunches to get to the next level in my running regimen. I can’t say enough about this product. At the price point (approx. 1/2 the $’s of the 310) I would highly recommend this watch to everyone who is looking to i
Audio FM Transmitter Internet
Kiss of a Dolphin is a powerful, moving story about the origins of Dreams for Kids, a grassroots charity organization in Chicago that changes children’s lives for the better. The book reminds me of “Tuesdays with Morey” or “The Why Cafe.” The title refers to a story about a young man named JJ O’Connor . . . imagine mixing “Miracle on Ice” with “Million Dollar Baby” . . . only with an inspirational ending.
I highly recommend this book . . . but watch out: you won’t get past page 50 without getting on your knees and asking God to forgive you for how little you’ve done to help your fellow man, and inspire you to act with the humanity, kindness and just plain fun that characterizes Tom Touhy and his organizaton, Dreams for Kids.
Kiss of a Dolphin
This pedometer is the best I’ve ever used. It is so easy to understand and program. If offers many options without getting highly technical. Will proabably buy a few for stocking stuffers.
Renaissance Thinkers Erasmus Bacon
This really takes the hair off the cat. I have other brushes but this is the only one I use now. I go outside and get them in the yard and let the hair blow away.
Music Buddies Video Game
I like this pedometer, it was easy to set up and it’s easy to use. I like how I can just put it in my pocket and not have to clip it on my belt. It helps keep me on track with my exercise.
Alen BF25A MPHEPA Odor
I purchased this steamvac based on research on the internet and reading the reviews on Amazon. This was my first purchase of a carpet cleaner. Actually, I don’t think any one from my family has ever purchased a carpet cleaner.
I’ve always rented carpet cleaners. Like most people I got tired of the costly rental. The return trip to the store after a hard day of work cleaning carpet is not fun either.
My folks hired professionals to clean their carpet last year. They charged $150 for about 800 square feet of cleaning. They didn’t do a great job either. I figured this machine would pay for itself with one use.
I took the machine to my parents house and we took about 3.5 hours to clean the carpet and another hour to clean the floor tile. I was very careful to clean well since the carpet was so dirty. We pre-cleaned heavy traffic areas with Zep Heavy Traffic Carpet Cleaner (spot cleaner) using a hand brush. We also used the Zep Professional Carpet shampoo. Both can be purchased at Home Depot. The spot cleaner cost about $4 for a small can. The shampoo cost $13 for a large 128 oz bottle. You can easily clean a 3000 sq ft house with a single 128 oz shampoo.
The machine, spot cleaner, and HOT BOILING water did their job. The carpet was clean. The hallway between the bedrooms and both took the longest because of the heavy traffic. I used a lot of the spot cleaner and the result was excellent. There is no need to purchase more expensive chemicals.
We used Pinesoil to clean the tile. Use only half of the measuring cup that comes with the steamvac.
The plastic container that holds the cleaning solution and water contains a cap that doubles as a measuring cup for the shampoo. It contains two lines. I used the top (highest) line for carpet cleaning. I used the lower line for floor cleaning.
I also used the inluded attachment to clean my car’s interior. It did a great job. It’s a little messy but the results are good. I parked it in the hot s
GCD Studios 468 Paris
We used the SteamVac to clean the carpet in our son’s nursery after we converted it from a home gym as well as our hallways, master bedroom, and living room area rug. The gym-to-nursery carpet was dirty and smelled like a locker room. After using the SteamVac just once with the solution provided, the carpet looked like new and the smell was gone from the room. It was incredibly easy to put together, use, and clean out. We have used it several times since and my in-laws want to borrow it. There have been no leaking issues at all. We used to get our carpets professionally cleaned by a local service but decided we could do it ourselves and spend less to purchase one than we would for one cleaning. We were right. We searched local stores and other websites, Amazon had the best price overall. We would highly recommend purchasing this SteamVac.
Iomega 250 GB Nas
Wow. I read this book this week, and was stunned. It is a beautiful window into the way things were in the early 60s. No wonder I had to wait for months to get it from the library.
I am sure many others have explained more about the plot so I won’t. Loved it.
Cookwell 8 Piece Copper
The Furminator is awesome! I have a Lab and a Labernese, and have tried so many different kinds of brushes. The Furminator, hands down, is the best one I have ever tried. It takes out so much fur, and the dogs actually like to be brushed now. The Labernese used to run away every time I brought out the brush, but now it’s like he doesn’t even notice that he’s being brushed. I LOVE the Furminator!!
Linux Utilisation v 2
I loved how this story switched between the past and the present. I haven’t read a book like that in awhile, so I was really happy for something different…a little break from the norm. I couldn’t put this book down, and now heard it is being made into a movie. Woo hoo!
Nature s Soothing Serenade