H20 Mop x5 - As Seen On TV

It is my usual form to lampoon the heck out of "As Seen On TV" infomercial stuff.

It comes down to the fact that most stuff on infomercials doesn't really work like it does on TV.

For some background and context, feel free to revisit Snuggies and Mr T and the Flavor Wave Alien Incubator.

But here's something wacky, I bought something featured on a TV infomercial (ok, I didn't see the infomercial before I bought it)....

....and I LIKED IT.

Whoah.

Let's get one thing out in the open: I clean when needed, I try not to do it excessively.

I don't particularly like to clean but I enjoy mess less than I enjoy cleaning, if that makes sense.  (huh?)

So, basically I like things that are easy to use and quick to set up.

When I read the instructions and managed to work out which bits went where, it was pretty easy.   

Fill up with water (from the water filter jug in the fridge), plug in, wait for the light to go green and PRESS BUTTON...

Claim #1:  The H20 mop is supposed to steam clean carpets.

Reality:  What the hey?  This crazy crap actually works!
You have to vacuum first of course.  But afterwards it looks pretty much like it did when it was steam cleaned professionally.  The only thing you have to make sure about is spot cleaning first (I use orange oil).
It makes everything much easier.

The attachment used for carpets is the triangular-shaped cloth thingy.  It has velcro on it so it just sticks on and stays there.  You have to try really hard to get it wrong.

Claim #2:  The H20 mop steams sinks and shower heads and stuff
Yep, sure does.  It gets rid of creepy germy gunk in the plug ring.  I don't normally think about stuff like this, but when this stuff came out of the plug and tried to make my acquaintance, I took notice.  Ewwwww!!

Shiny!  Sparkly!  Happy!  Lucky!

Claim #3:  The H20 mop steam cleans bathroom and kitchen floors.

Reality:  Wowee!!  It cleaned the bathroom floor in no time.  This is something that used to take me absolutely ages (at least an hour), mopping, cleaning, drying, going over bits.  The H20 mop cleaned faster than that crazed, speed-addled lady on "There's something about Mary".

Yes.  I do mean Magda.  

Other things I have steamed:

Couch
Curtains
Bath
Shower tiles
Shower head

That was enough for me, everything is all clean and sparkly new!  Yay!


Another wacky fact, it costs over $100 if you get it directly from the infomercial but I got it for under $70. Hahahaaaaa!!!

BUT WAIT... THERE'S MORE!!!!

You get a free set of soup knives,
an automatic muffin grater
and an electronic llama clipper!!

Actually, you don't.  You just get the mop.  But it's pretty good, amazingly.

technorati tags: H20 steam mop, h20 mop, microfiber mop, microfibre mop, steam mop, steam cleaning, carpet steam cleaner

Matrix Total Results Shampoo and Conditioner

I must admit I do absolutely stuff-all with my hair.  I sometimes wash it, I sometimes dye it, but most of the time I pretty much let it take care of itself.

I do like the "grunge look" in hair - which mainly consists of not washing it very often and letting it get a bit of character buildup.  At least, I think that's what you call it.

So I went off for a quick trim at the hairdressers last week and the hairdresser washed my hair.  Big deal, I thought, shampoo and conditioner don't really do much.  However a strange transformation occurred within the space of about 5-10 minutes.

I went from this:

(Minus the zombie eyeshadow!)


To this:

To be honest, it was a little disconcerting, looking like a L'Oreal ad all of a sudden.  I liked it though, and I'll probably get some more of this stuff to use when I can be bothered washing my hair.

My hair has gone grunge again, by the way, in case you were wondering.

I believe you may have to use it more than once!

technorati tags: matrix total results, hair care, shampoo, conditioner, salon, grunge hair, shiny hair

Sign To Bring In Gun Control

I don't live in the US but if I did, and even though I don't, I want humans to be safe from guns.

And that means stopping other humans from having guns. Sorry but it does.

You can't legislate against people snapping or being secretly off tap. The US Government needs to stop the madness and get guns under control. THEN maybe we can start working on the humans. Not the other way around.


The "Right to bear arms" (2nd amendment) was passed in December 15, 1791.

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."


So, in the spirit of the time, here are some wacky and fun facts from the 1700s:

• Lynch mobs were commonplace
• It was not particularly frowned upon to kill native Americans.
• You could take part in a duel... and die.
• It was ok to own another human as a "slave". (slaves were considered "property" until the 13th amendment was passed.)
• Public executions were family events
• Many doctors believed bathing was "unhealthy"

It's 2013.  Sign the petition here:

 Gun Control Petition


 Take the Gun Control survey (US readers only)

technorati tags: gun control, 2nd amendment, second amendment, right to bear arms, US policy

Garnier BB Cream - Oil Free

Garnier BB Cream - Oil Free

For me, this is the holy grail of skin products.  It goes on matte but not cakey, turns out dewy and stays looking natural and glowy all day.  

Garnier BB Cream Oil Free has all the benefits of the original Garnier BB Cream but without the slide-off factor.  The coverage is better than the original and the consistency is just right.  

This is my pick of the BB creams, foundations and tinted moisturisers.  It stays on, looks natural, provides great coverage and is good for your skin.  Perfect.

technorati tags: garnier, bb, bb cream, tinted moisturiser, makeup, cosmetics, beauty, mineral makeup, mineral pigment, spf 15

Garnier BB Cream - Original

Garnier BB Cream - Original

BB creams are growing in popularity over foundation.  The craze started in Korea and has finally made its way over here.  The BB creams moisturize, provide coverage with mineral pigments, give SPF 15 sun protection while also providing nutrients for the skin such as vitamin C.

I tend to prefer these over tinted moisturisers simply because the coverage is better.  Also, tinted moisturisers tend to get oily during the day and coverage tends to thin out.

The Garnier BB cream is great, it does get a tad oily though for those with oily/combination skin.  The medium shade is best for those with olive and medium skin tones and looks quite natural.  The shades seem darker than they actually are on the skin.  The colour is not flat, it looks multi-toned and extremely natural, like a "no makeup" look.  You can layer a bit for extra coverage if you need more in certain areas.

In summer, it may not be the best choice, but for the colder months it will hydrate and create a "dewy" look.

A little bit goes a long way so the bottle lasts for ages and ages.  Overall, the coverage is very good and if you tend to have drier skin, this will probably be a great all-in-one skin treatment.

technorati tags: garnier, bb, bb cream, tinted moisturiser, makeup, cosmetics, beauty, mineral makeup, mineral pigment, spf 15

The Problem With Grunge, Punk + Fashion

Grunge is back. My inbox is stuffed with "new" Grunge "fashions", ready made for clueless, unsuspecting consumers. One slight problem. Grunge wasn't (and isn't) even Grunge.

Most people (and we are talking about musicians here) who have been categorised as "Grunge" in the past, don't even agree with the term.

It was a cynical attempt to make a music scene into a mass-produced, saleable commodity. Which, when you think about it, is what happens to anything that's actually good.

So, the powers that be turned an ANTI-FASHION movement into fashion. Impressive, huh?

And now I have to put up with items calling themselves "Grunge" flooding my inbox when Grunge doesn't even exist and the clothes didn't come from a second-hand store so they don't count anyway.

"Grunge" and "Punk" share common difficulties.

When the Sex Pistols broke, they didn't look like the version of punk we know today. So if they played at a punk pub with a strict "fashion" code today, and some dullard didn't recognise them, they wouldn't even be let in the door.

Here's a picture of the Sex Pistols in 1977:

They wore what was around. They held things together with safety pins because their clothes were falling apart, not because they wanted to make a statement.

The idea behind punk, before it was bastardised, was that anyone could be part of it.

If you were an outcast, a working class person, black, white, whatever, a person who didn't fit in anywhere else, you could go somewhere and actually feel like you belonged.

It didn't matter if you were wearing a sheet with two holes in it or a balaclava on your head and a dress, it really was, for a time, "come as you are".


Here is the multi-billion dollar fashion industry's version of punk:

"Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?"

John Lydon (Johnny Rotten)

A lot of people who call themselves punks have strict rules. Is your Mohawk long enough? Is it the right colour?  Do you have one chain or two coming from your jeans?  How many studs on your jacket?  Fail any one of these tests and you might find yourself an outcast.

.....And this, ironically, makes you the punk of the group.

Do you see what I'm getting at?

Like my partner once said, "When you can buy it at Sportsgirl, it's no longer punk".



PUNK:

Pussy Riot

NOT PUNK:

Avril Lavigne

Notice how it's not about the clothing?

And get stuffed if you disagree with me.  That's punk too.



So, too we see the problem with "fashionising" Grunge. I know what Grunge fashion is, if you must call it that, it's what I'm wearing right now.  Docs with holes in them (because I have owned them for 12 years and I haven't got new ones yet), jeans, a jumper.

Big deal right?

Because it's not about the clothes.

It's about music.

And you can't pass off a whole movement, philosophy, happening, etc, into a McGrunge franchise.

Sorry but you can't.

So here's an interpretation of Grunge fashion from the runway.  It's a symphony of flannel!!

If you really want to make a fashion movement out of it, get it right, at least.

Try this out, I'm sure it will sell really well.

Yeah, didn't think so.  So why even try?



Labels,
Labels,
We are surrounded by labels!....


As Kierkegaard (and Wayne Campbell from Wayne's World) said:

"Once you label me, you negate me".


Fads/Elitism/generationism/ageism, racism, sexism, and fashionism (yes, I just made up a word) adds up to buying into the corporate machine that started the whole mess.  Do you really want to be a part of that?

"Punk", and "Grunge" (maybe they're the same thing) is about expressing yourself.  Showing the world who and what you are no matter what others might think.

So....  Fine.  It's ok to buy "Grunge wear" if you want.  (I cringed even typing that)  But try to remember that these are invented concepts by the fashion industry and essentially mean absolutely nothing.



“Punk is musical freedom. It's saying, doing and playing what you want. In Webster's terms, 'nirvana' means freedom from pain, suffering and the external world, and that's pretty close to my definition of Punk Rock.”

 Kurt Cobain

technorati tags: Grunge, punk, johnny rotten, john lydon, kurt cobain, Nirvana, Pussy Riot, Avril Lavigne, tartan, grunge fashion, punk fashion, doc martens

My Pre-Christmas Shopping Purchases 2012

I'm back! It's not that I haven't had anything to write about, it's that I have had too many things to write about. A quick update of my latest endeavours -


1. Bought everything on ebay in the last 2 months (well, almost!!)
2. Designed some apps
3. Created a couple of websites
4. Prepared to sell a couple of websites
5. Downloaded heaps of apps
6. Wrote Christmas lists
7. Realised I was doing too many things


Sooo, I have a moment to reflect and take stock (literally) of my latest purchases.


There is one clear favourite at this moment - my awesome Zara leather jacket. It's buttery soft, looks amazing and people I don't even know come up and want to touch it. That's kind of weird but it speaks for the quality of the materials.

Here it is, in all its glory:

That's not me by the way, but you get the idea.  My jacket is exactly like the one in the pic.

It retails for around $400, but the sneaky ebay shopping goblins helped me to snatch it up for... wait for it.....  $39.

Ahahaahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!





I pretty much wear it all the time, despite the arm touchers.


My other notable mentions include:

My lovely Nikon Coolpix L310 Camera, a present from my wonderful partner for my birthday:

This was not the sort of thing you would want to buy online.  We got it from a shop with all the proper warranty papers and stuff.


And for the bathroom decorations, these beautiful "Nile Stones" - I think that's a pun.  It's punny!!

Egyptian Stone - "Nile Stones"

You can still get these on ebay - they are hand carved and beautiful.  They are small, delicate, and... ston-ey.
I grabbed a couple of the 'beige' stones.


And.... some awesome ankle boots from shoebox_au (one of my new favourite sellers!)  The pic is a tad grainy because this particular ankle boot is no longer available.

Haha! because I got the last one!!




I really do love ebay.  Now, if I can just do all my Christmas shopping online, I can avoid the stores for another year!!


I can just click - get package - wrap stuff.   - Done!!

As opposed to - drive like a maniac through peak hour - park in a $150 per millisecond parking place, get whacked in the knee repeatedly by trolleys - have kids run into you covered in sticky stuff - wait in checkout line with a close-quarters-mouth-breather standing 1mm behind your neck - wait for even longer after the customer in front wants to put their $4.95 purchase on their Gold card that keeps getting declined so they can get 0.000002 frequent flyer points - get back in car covered in toffee apple, bruises, wrapping paper and cortisol sweat and drive like a slightly more careful lunatic back to civilisation.

technorati tags: christmas, shopping, 2012, online shopping, bargains, ebay, steals, deals, gifts, gift ideas