Bulova 96B104 Strap Silver Watch

I was looking for a leather strap watch with a basic, classy look. This watch fits that description 100%. It goes great with anything from formal to business casual dress. It is very compact and light, which can be a pro or con depending on the person.

If you have large hands or wrists, the case or strap width may be too small for you, I highly suggest going out to try the watch on to see if it is. The watch is VERY light, which I am not sure if I consider a pro or con. While I do like the fact that it almost feels like I'm not wearing a watch, the case does not naturally fall to the center of my wrist like heavier watches do, nor can I wiggle my hand to make it, I have to manually adjust it with my other hand. The watch tends to fall somewhat in-between my wrist bone (I think it's called the ulna?) and my hand, which gets a little annoying. On the other hand (no pun intended), this may not be a case weight issue but a strap issue, because I have a small wrist and am using either the third or second to the last hole on the strap, which causes the clasp to be off-centered with my wrist when the case is centered. Maybe I can try a shorter strap to see if that fixes my issues.

This watch has a minimalistic dial and a polished all stainless steel case which shines over the light incidence. In spite of this classic style, this watch is good to wear with sport shirt or even dressy. It looks like an 1970's Omega Genève Dynamic automatic 1010 or 1020 caliber movement watch on the same model, but this 96B104 with japanese quartz becomes very reliability watch and accurately time. Good to wear in raining days, because I don't need to worry about the small splash of raindrops of water. Very lightweight for daily wear, 37 mm outer diameter and 7 mm thickness is enough to fit on my 170 mm wrist length. This Bulova is my best buy that I ever made. 

This Bulova 96B104 Strap Silver Watch is beautiful, solidly built, lightweight, thin and right-sized. Only actual photographs on the Internet show its beauty. One needs to see it in person to to appreciate its true beauty. It's comparable to Baumw & Mercier's MOA08686 Classica Date & the IWC356504, two of the world's most beautiful (and most expensive) watches. It weights only 4.5 grams and it's thin & comfortable. I've been looking at this watch with interst on the Internet for several years but all pictures always seemed to suggest it's rather fragile. NO Way; It's SOLID! I saw it in a jewelry store and I was blown away with its beauty! I'm a watch collector hobbiest and have purchased MANY wrist watches over the years. My other watches are in their display cases because I'm wearing this beauty. I highly recommend this Bulova beauty. Its only fault is its band does not come close to the watch's quality, which is no problem because I'm alergic to leather bands and have to replace each leather band with an expansion band.

Fossil CH2565 Chronograph Leather Watch

I would be giving this a 5 star review if it was not for one flaw. It is a little bit of a struggle to put this watch on with the band being so small. I do not consider myself to have a large wrist but the band is on the second to last hole when I put it on. It does not illuminate but the hour and minute hand does glow. And best of all, it does not snag the hare on my wrist while I am wearing it. This is a very nice looking watch and it is very comfortable to wear. Just make the band half an inch longer and you have yourself a winner.

I would highly recommend this watch. It has a great casual look and I've gotten alot of compliments on it. I love the wood grain accents, which contrast nicely with the silver watch face. I was also impressed by the luminescence on the dials themselves. They are very bright which makes it super easy to see the time in the dark. There is a very high quality feel to this watch and the leather seems like it is thick enough to hold up well. Looks and feels like it cost a lot more. Again I would definitely recommend this watch. I personally couldn't be happier. 

Overall this Fossil CH2565 Chronograph Leather Watch was a great purchase. The fit is just fine - I have normal sized wrists and I have plenty of space left on the band. I've gotten several compliments on this watch, and a friend of mine bought it because he liked it so much. One downside is that it is a litte clunky - definitely a "full-sized" watch, so unless you buy custom dress shirts, you might have a problem wearing long sleeve cuffs with this watch on. However, its not truly a dress watch, so one could argue it's not meant to be worn in formal occasions - I've found that it blends right in for both casual and formal environments. Great buy- five stars.

Armitron 408188GMG Chronograph Black Digital

I LOVE this Armitron 408188GMG Chronograph Black Digital watch. I tend to prefer analog watches, but I love this digital watch. I love the orange accents on the gunmetal-ish face. I love the features it has (dual time, alarm clock, backlight, stopwatch, countdown timer). I love the size and weight of it. I love that it's cheap enough that I don't have to be paranoid about scratching it. My $400 kinetic Seiko is watching me with judgmental eye, gathering dust as I type this.

What I DON'T love is how this watch comes with no instructions. It's not super complicated to figure out, but some of the basic things:
-MODE switches between clock, stopwatch, alarm, countdown timer, clock #2 (completely separate time)
-ADJ button shows month/date (when in clock mode), starts/stops stopwatch (stopwatch mode), turns alarm sound on/off (alarm mode), stars/stops countdown timer (countdown timer), and nothing in clock #2.
-SET, when held down, resets the stopwatch (stopwatch mode), or enters you into set mode.

SET MODE
When you're either trying to set your clock time, countdown timer, or alarm, you first need to hold down SET until part of the display starts to flash. Once it flashes, press the ADJ button until you have correctly set it, then hit the MODE button to move to the next adjustment. Once you have set everything, hit SET.

For example, if you want to set the countdown timer for 1 hour and 20 minutes: Hold down SET until it flashes. Hit ADJ once to set 1 hour. Hit MODE to switch to minutes. Hit ADJ 20 times to set it to 20 minutes. Then hit SET to finalize and exit out of set mode. Then once you want to start the timer, hit ADJ.

Hopefully this helps. If not, then sorry to waste your time. I love this watch though. I have never owned Armitron watches before, but they will be my first search when this watch eventually dies.

Casio G100 1BV G Shock Classic Ana Digi

I bought this Casio G100 1BV G Shock Classic Ana Digi to wear as a little "beater" for when Im working in the yard and doing things outdoors. I am a bit of a watch buff and have an extensive collection of Citizen and Seiko time peices. After looking at G-Shock watches, I chose this Casio; it is a nice watch and it serves its purpose.

The watch is not too large but not small either, the band is comfortable, the bezel does move in either direction, and the day/date are easy to set. I consider the watch to be light-weight, I do not notice it on my wrist, but I have also been wearing heavy watches for more than a decade so I may be biased.

Contrary to other reviews, the hour and minute hands are luminous, and so are the hour indicators (12,1,2, etc.) The tip of the second hand is also luminous. I had to shine a light on the watch face to get the luminous elements to "charge" up right out of the box, but the elements I indicated do read well in the dark without ancillary light.

For the price, this is a nice little watch that tells the time, should tolerate reasonable abuse without problems, and is produced by a reliable manufacturer. Buy it!

This is an awesome watch! for the price and capability I don't know why you wouldn't buy it as an extra casual watch to wear around the house and with friends. It is not to big or too small on your wrist. Has a cool legible font for the numbers and you can set day of the week/day of the month which comes in handy a lot. It is comfortable to wear and holds up to almost everything.

Now to the cons. This is what caused me to rate it at only 4 stars instead of the 5 it deserved. It scratches easily.... the glass covering the clock part of my watch is full of scratches. Thankfully tough, you can not see it when you directly look at it, but in the right light it shows up easily. I don't think anyone else notices the scratches but it is a flaw that could have been so easily fixed in the building process by putting in some better glass.

Some personal complaints that probably won't apply to many others is that because my wrists aren't the largest, I keep the lock part of the wrist band on the third hole. This causes the excess wrist band to come up almost to the watch. I'm thinking about cutting off the extra.

That being said, it is still a great watch. It keeps time well and that's the most you can ask from a watch. Being cool and stylish is just a bonus.

Stuhrling Original 395 33U16 Aquadiver Professional

I bought this Stuhrling Men Watches a month ago and when it arrived I was quite impressed. It has good weight to it, meaning the metal quality is good. I've had other watches that were very light and broke within weeks. It's also constructed well. There is very little movement in the band that is not intended. The links move as they are supposed to. I am a Dish Machine Operator (dishwasher) right now, so I bought this watch for its water resistance. For one month it has been sprayed with hot water off and on for 8 hours a day, five days a week. There is no condensation whatsoever on the interior of the glass. I also like the fact that it comes with a year warranty. It looks very nice, and the dial around the face of the watch is good for timing things in the oven! hehe! The only thing that I don't like is the little magnifying glass over the date. It makes the face of the watch only slightly more difficult to clean than other watches. A very minor inconvenience.

I currently own the 8926 Automatic and was so impressed with it's appearance that I purchased six of these for the groomsmen in my wedding. I went with the quartz version because the guys like the look, but would probably not like having to set the watch after not wearing it for a couple days. Also, the price is a great deal. The only major difference between the 8932 and 8926, other than one being an automatic, is the size. I did notice quite a difference in size when they're next to each other, but alone, the size is fine.

Overall an excellent product. The only issue is the date and time settings. The instructions created confusion by indicating to set the date you need to pull out the crown to the first position and the clock will stop. I tried pulling out the crown and it would not budge. After some choice words to the watch - I tried to unscrew the crown and it popped out. Tried to find a crown position where the clock stops. Only stops at the second position to set the time. After more choice words directed to the watch - pushed the crown in to the 1st position and turned the crown counter clock wise and the date changes. This process took about 15 - 25 frustrating minutes. I found out about the unscrewing of the crown buried in the section that covers all Invicta products. Bottom line - if the instructions were more specific and correct - the process would have taken 2 minutes and I bet this watch's rating would jump a full star. Hopefully this info eases other purchasers pain in the future.

Invicta Diver Collection Coin Edge Automatic

Purchasing the Invicta Diver Collection Coin Edge Automatic for a family member Christmas present - I've come away very much impressed. The 8932 apparently shares the case, crystal mineral glass watchface, screwdown crown and elegent lightweight stainless steel bracelet with it's more expensive automatic movement 8926 sibling. Matter of factly - it is hard to tell the difference between this watch and Invicta's $300+ 9937 Swiss ETA powered automatic diver without close inspection.

It is my humble opinion that Invicta is the leader of the affordable price dive watch market - including such giants as Seiko and Citizen - OK maybe even Casio. Invicta does not have the brand name awareness of the public and large commercial outlets to display their wonderful dive watches. Once you've purchased an Invicta Pro-Diver series watch - you will be a fan. The fit, finish, overall quality and design make this watch a model you should consider as a price range leader.

Case: The 316L brushed stainless steel case at 40mm (43mm with crown) once considered a large watch - is now an "average" size for dive watches. The stainless steel watchback might be annoying for those with nickel metal skin allergies - the mineral glass display or "exhibition" watch backs of the 8926 and 9937 being preferred by many divers. Mineral glass is not as scratch resistant as sapphire crystal as found in the 9937 - which can only be imprinted by diamond - but is "good enough" for average wear and certainly keeps the watch very affordable. A date "cyclops" or window is found at the 3 o'clock position. The watch is rated and tested to 200m (660 ft) - that which qualifies it as a "Professional Diver".

Bezel: The black bezel is a very scratch resistant, uni-directional (120 clicks to the hour) scalloped edge (like the Omega Seamaster) diving tool. A "coin edge" (like the Rolex Submariner) bezel is preferred by many divers - being less slippery to manipulate when wet.

Bracelet: Invicta's ss bracelet - with polished center links - is an industry standard - best compared to a Rolex Oyster bracelet for the Submariner series. It utilizes a foldover deployment clasp without a wetsuit deployment clasp as found on more expensive dive watch bracelets. Held together by pins - it is important to throughly rinse the bracelet after immersion in salt water.

Movement: The 8932 uses a quartz "asian" sourced movement. These will normally keep time +/- 15 second per week and are actually much more accurate than the more expensive Invicta 8926 Citizen/Miyota 8215 - 21 jewel automatic movements that can be a minute or more off each week. The 9937 uses a Swiss ETA 2824-2 25 jewel automatic movement reflected in it's $300+ price tag...Watch battery life varies as per movement source and battery quality. Most batteries should last 3-5 years according to Invicta users I know.

Conclusion: I am a big fan of Invicta dive watches. For the money, Invicta Pro-Diver series watches are an industry leader. Sourced among many different asian assemblers - the fit, finish and quality may vary somewhat from batch to batch - but the overall reputation among watch collectors of the Invicta Pro-Diver series is very high!

Why not 5 stars? My personal preferences are automatic movement watches - not quartz. The stainless steel back can irritate the skin of allergic individuals. Mineral glass crystal - used to hold the price - is prone to scuffing and minor scratching. Sapphire is too expensive for this category of watch. As a diver - I prefer a "sawtooth" or "coin" edged bezel to the scalloped bezel currently offered by Invicta. The bracelet offers no wetsuit deployment clasp - a feature absent in all Invicta divers thru the 9937 series. Some or none of these should prevent you from considering this watch or it's 8926 fraternal twin as your next dive watch.

Amazon and it's sellers do a good job to deliver the Invicta goods. All models come with a one year warranty - Invicta offering a 5 year warranty extension for a modest fee. I am the owner of 7 Invicta dive and chronometer watches. You can learn more about Invicta and other affordable watches sold by Amazon at InvictaTalk.com.

Mulco Unisex MW5 93503 093 Bluemarine Movement

I've had this Mulco Women Watches for about 3 or so years. For reference, I'm a college student, which means I've been fairly rough on this watch. It stays on my wrist when I'm moving in and moving out. I've also been wearing this watch pretty much every day without fail.

After about 3 years of wear, it has some scratches and small chips in the watch face (rather annoying). I have no problem reading the time, but the scratches are most definitely there. The metal band has gotten really worn in a "I'm not really studying your watch, but can tell your watch has seen some better days" type of way. Point of this part of the review, is that the watch will see wear if you wear it. I haven't done anything to make it shinier or anything like taking it in to a jeweler's, but it's nothing that a simple visit wouldn't fix. Final note, this watch has seen its share of water (tap, pool, ocean), but no water damage whatsoever.

That being said, despite its fairly minor aesthetic flaws, it's been a reliable watch. Hasn't failed me on the time. Don't have to worry about batteries. Never an issue of "making sure my watch gets enough light." It will get light. Unless you live in a bat cave, eternally. I would go with an Eco Drive again. It's extremely effortless, which is why this watch gets 4 stars.

True, it's a little annoying that the calendar day is off on the non 31 day months, and the day sometimes gets off (switches over at noon instead of midnight) if you switch time zones and need to adjust the time. But all in all, these are really really minor details, and just come with having a watch that spells out the day of the week and the day of the month for you. (It's really nice having the day of the week and the day of the month on your wrist if you are as forgetful as I am.)

The image here shows a darker blue-gray face - in reality it's simply gray, but that doesn't detract from it in any aesthetic way. That's actually why I picked this one, for the unique gray face. And if you are wondering about how you would ever replace the uniquely shaped band if it becomes worn looking from much use (like my last Fossil watch) - Citizen watches come with a five year limited warranty and all the Citizen Worldwide Service Centers are listed in the accompanying instruction booklet - emailing them or sending it in for a replacement band would probably be the only way to get the exact same Citizen band if it's possible.
 

XOXO Womens XO5472 Analog Bracelet

My girlfriend wanted an elegant but practical watch that could be worn in formal as well as casual settings. This watch looks great and met that criteria perfectly. She also wanted a no-hassle watch she could rely on. This watch is a high quality Citizen Eco-Drive so it should be dependable and low maintenance.

The band does scratch pretty easily, which is too bad, but I suppose it's something to be expected of just about any watch with a metal band.

The day of the week takes a long time to completely roll over. The date is pretty quick, starts switching around 11:50 p.m. and finishes around 12:30 a.m. But the day of the week doesn't completely finish switching to the new day until about 4:00 a.m.!

Also, plan on having to adjust the date at the end of months that have more or less than 31 days in them. A pre-programmed perpetual calendar would be ideal but would surely cost more and would likely require the watch to be larger. And since I like its size as is and prefer to not pay much more for a watch, I won't complain about that.

My girlfriend really likes this watch and is very happy with it. It's a great every-day wearer that looks sharp worn with about anything (except a lot of gold, of course).

I actually looked at the receipt and I bought XOXO Womens XO5472 Analog Bracelet in May of 2004. I've worn this watch around the clock since then and I'm not careful with it at all. The band has a lot of scratches but they are not really visible at a casual glance, and the glass has some minor scratches. I only had the battery go low once during a particularly cold winter (lots of long sleeves) but half an hour under a lamp quickly took care of that.

The watch has been in a lot of water, including the ocean and it's still water proof and it is accurate as far as I can tell (accurate enough for my purposes, anyway). For my previous watch (Seiko) I had to shell out $25 every time my battery died (every year) as the cheaper battery places couldn't open it. So with this watch, I've saved a lot of money on batteries already and I expect I'll be able to keep it for many more years to come. If it ever dies, I'll definitely get another Eco Drive watch. 

Juicy Couture 1901039 Swarovski Bracelet

I like tortoise shell, Roman numeral dials and mother-of-pearl, so this caught my eye in a local store. It was cheaper on Amazon though, and since I have A-Prime, it seemed a good buy. I don't tend to buy gold-tone jewelry, but this is a striking-looking piece overall.I removed the extra latch link and it fits perfectly. I definitely like the slightly larger crown a lot. I have arthritis and many of my watches can be hard to set. This one is no trouble. So far it seems to keep excellent time.

It does seem to feel rather light weight and has a bit of cheaper, jewelry "feel" than previous watches of this price that I've purchased. The plastic and metal parts are not heavy-weight. That's not a deal breaker for me by any means - with the style of larger watch dials this year, it can be hard to put on the heavy ones - as I found at the store. Since it is lighter, it feels less obtrusive on my wrist.

This Juicy Couture Women Watches looks attractive and I've gotten several complements in just the few days I've worn it. I'm guessing it will probably will require a bit of extra care to avoid scratching and damage, though.At this point, I would recommend it if you like the looks and the price!

I'm not a person who would normally go gaga over a watch, but this watch is absolutely beautiful. I was really surprised when I opened the case. The photo is nice and I felt comfortable ordering the watch, but this is lovely. I have a very small wrist and this watch has a section that just unclasps to remove it. It fits perfectly. The face is not too large for my wrist and the way the bracelet fits it does not slip to the underside of my wrist. This is an incredible watch for the price. Granted there are no bells and whistles on this watch, but then I don't need them. I was looking for a watch that was easy to read, set, and that looked good. This watch provides all of those things. It arrived beautifully boxed for gift giving and within two days of ordering it. I am very pleased with this purchase.

Anne Klein 109442CHHY Gold Tone Champagne

I love shopping with Amazon! Everything was perfect: fast shipping time, super safe packaging, great communication.Of course I expected this watch to be quite good, otherwise I wouldn't have ordered it. However the result has overcome my best expectations! In real life the clock face isn't so big. On photo it seemed a bit enormous for me. In reality it looks absolutely gorgeous. The combination of colors is very classic and elegant, and the quality is superb.The only problem with me that it doesn't exactly fit my wrist. If I put it through the first hole, it is too tight. And if I put it through the next one, it is hanging a bit. Maybe I have an irregular wrist size, LOL :)In general I am very satisfied with the purchase. Highly recommended.

I bought this watch because I like leather band watches and I liked the Anne Klein design. After it arrived, I did not attempt to wear it bec I had to have a hole punched in the band for a better fit. Afterwards, I set the time on the watch only to realised the second hand was not moving. I took it to a jeweller to change the battery, only to be told it needs more than a battery, the mechanism in the watch is not working and would need to be fixed, which for me is not worth it. Buying this watch was like throwing away money. I give it 1 star for the design of the watch.

I buy Anne Klein 109442CHHY Gold Tone Champagne much everything from amazon but I learn to get sunglasses and watches from a retail store because I have small face and small wrists, 5.5 inches around, and i am forced to try them on before buying, so this little guy called my attention at Macy's, tried on, still a tiny bit big for me, 1 inch, but worked. So why do I want to write a review ?. Well I placed my clothes in the washer machine for almost 2 hours and at the end of it, pulling all the clothes out of the machine, there it was! My 1 month old Ann Klein watch, saying " I am done ", well at least is that what I thought, its done.. I know it is water resistance but was worried for the amount of detergent, chlorine and how hot the water was, anyway IT STILL WORKS GREAT!. So I am happy with it. Hope this help to anyone. Good luck!

Fossil Womens ES1967 Stella Display

Beautiful watch! I have worn it everyday since I received it. It is very lightweight, comfortable and very stylish. Have received compliments on it already. Was a little bigger then I thought it would be, however still looks great. Love it!!

I was really disappointed with this watch. It's a beautiful watch, but the white plastic cracked at the base after wearing it only three times. The seller (MrWatch) would not accept a return of the watch, and this part of the watch is not under warranty, so I had to send it to the Service Center for repair at my expense. I would not recommend purchase of this watch. I bought this to match my all white nursing uniforms for school...I wear it all the time though. I have had sooo many compliments on it since I bought it. The watch is very sturdy too, I've worn it everyday for the past year now and it still looks like it did the day I bought it.

I do not advise anyone who is in the market for a while fossil watch to purchase one from Wristwatch.com off of amazon. Yes, the price of the watch sold by wristwatch is less expensive than most retail stores however, low price doesn't necessarily equal good quality. I purchased the Fossil Women's ES1967 watch a month ago and by week three, two of the crystals surrounding the face fell out. The only way to return this watch to wristwatch is if the item has never been worn and is returned in original packaging. How am I as a customer supposed to assume that by week three, the crystals in my watch are going to fall out? Plus, they charge you a $10.00 re stocking fee if you decide to return the watch for any reason. My advise, spend the extra bucks and shop at a reliable retail store!

I gave this Fossil Womens ES1967 Stella Display five stars because very time I wear this people give me so many compliments. I think people like it because of the bling action and they are very surprised when I tell them its a Fossil watch. I work in a salon and it must pop out with my dark colors that I wear. I must say I like it because it is not heavy and very comfortable to wear all day long, I also have a Michelle Deco with the diamonds and I switch it around when I need a change, but overall Fossil Stella is on my top list. I believe you get your moneys worth. I like this style so much that I just purchased the black Stella style ES 2341. I can't wait to get it!

Bulova Womens 96T14 Crystal Watch

I've been pricing out this Bulova Women Watches from in store to online and as soon as I seen it I loved it. The watch has the same quality that you get at the big jewelry dealers or big name stores. I looked for 3 months and found the best price I found anywhere else was almost double what I paid for this watch I am very excited this is going to be a great christmas.

I have had it for a month now. I received a lot of compliments on it. It really looks very feminine. It is pretty different from the style of watch I used to wear. I used to have a practical ''mommy watch'', water resistant with a timer for time outs, and alarm for pick up times with a sporty look on top of it. I have given baths to the kids with my new Bulova and I have showered with it. A friend of mine who is a jeweler suggested I should be more careful with water once the battery has been changed once. It may not be then as water resistant once opened. I would definitely recommend it.

I ordered this watch as a gift for my mother-in-law. I normally like to see items in person before I buy them, but I wasn't able to for this purchase. I ordered anyway and hoped for the best. When it arrived I was pleasantly surprised. The watch is very pretty and dainty. The crystals are not too flashy, which was one of my concerns. It is on the smaller side, but I wasn't going for the menswear look. I wanted a dressy, feminine watch, which is exactly what I got. My mother-in-law absolutely loved it.

Had searched since July for the perfect everyday, yet classy watch and had just about given up. I had gotten spoiled wearning a Longine watch for 20+ years, but just couldn't spend the money right now. Had seen this in a store shopping for something else and fell in love with it. It's easy to resize for a smaller wrist and perfect for every day use with a more dressy look/feel. Couple that with the lower price on Amazon....absolutely one of the best online purchases I've made. I actually like this watch better than the more expensive ones I was looking at. Great buy.

A New Box of Crayons - A Lesson in Letting Go and Letting God

At the beginning of my kindergarten school year, the teacher handed out boxes of crayons. Old boxes were issued to my morning class while new boxes were given to the afternoon class. Because the supply of old boxes was about five students short, a handful of morning students was given new boxes. I was one such lucky child. After writing our names on the boxes, the crayons were stacked in the cupboards lining one side of the classroom.

One day at drawing time, my box was nowhere to be found. Kneeling on the floor, I continued to dig around in the cupboard long after the other students had returned to their seats to begin the assigned task. My teacher was nice at first, helping me to search for the box with my name on it; nice, that is, until she noticed me looking through the boxes of new crayons.

"No point in looking at those," she said a bit too sharply for the sensitive child that I was. "Your box will be one of the older ones like the rest of the morning class." Authority had always made me nervous. My voice quivered as I explained that I'd been given a new box. I continued to look at the new boxes through watery eyes.

"Stop it! Look for your name on the old boxes." Every face in the room turned toward us. Some faces look worried, some were slightly distorted by attempts to suppress nervous giggling.
Okay, here I was at a crossroads. Do I walk the path of authority and look at the old Box of Crayons for my name knowing it wouldn't be there or do I continue on the path I knew to be true and look at only the new boxes? Hey, I was only six. I would undoubtedly walk the path of authority, which, in this case, was my teacher. Reluctantly, I pretended to look for my name on old boxes of crayons. It all seemed hopeless. Tears rolled down my face.

That's when I heard a wee, small voice. "Let go and let God," it said.
So I did. I sat back and totally relaxed. I waited for God to help me. My tears dried up and my sense of well-being returned.

I have no recollection of this teacher, of her face, her build, her age. But how well I remember her hand with its stubby fingers as it accidentally knocked a new box of crayons on the floor, a box with my name on it. With a slight vocalization that bore no resemblance to an apology, she pushed the box into my hands, stood up, and returned to the front of the room.

This was a lesson that repeated itself many times in the decades that followed, sometimes in big ways and sometimes in small ways: Do what you can under the circumstances but then let go and let God. The most seemingly impossible of conditions, no matter how big or small, have a way of righting themselves for the good of the whole when you give it all over to the One who can when you can't.
Now someone out there is bound to say, "Yes, but, when I gave it over to God, my dog still died." The results of letting go and letting God are not always to our liking. That's where trust and looking for the bigger picture come into play.

Bottom line? Live life with God at your back, or not. Your life, your choice.

Kleenex Tissue Pocket 3 ply Tissues

The tissues are like table napkins. They have a rough border of almost an inch and the texture is more like something you'd use to wipe your hands. From the packaging, they seem to be mad either for or in Poland but if you are in the U.S. they are not what you expect. They're a bit too rough for a nose with a cold or allergy.

I thought these simply had different packaging than the Kleenex pocket tissues I find at the grocery store or drugstore. I was wrong. These are stiffer. Makes for a rude awakening in cold season. Better than being without Kleenex altogether, but not by much.

I'm a tissue snob. Only use name brands, most often Kleenex, because I like quality and softness. These are rough, tough and scratchy and almost look like small napkins. Ugh. I'm giving them to my brother because he drives a school bus and at least it's better than a sleeve. Marginally better.

I got a bunch of these for my family, especially since we were all getting stuffy/runny noses and coughs. They are great and so easy to carry since you can throw them into a bag, clutch/purse or your jacket pocket. The tissue is sturdier than some others I've tried and the bright packaging makes it easy to spot in a large bag.

These Kleenex Tissue Pocket 3 ply Tissues are impossible to find in our stores out here. There are cheaper packs in the stores but their wrappers don't hold up like the Kleenex brand does. The Kleenex tissues seem to be slightly thicker than the copies found in the stores, as well. I'm glad I could find them here. They arrived a day early, too. Thank you, Amazon.com!

Art Smocks For Children

An Art Smock is a fantastic way to allow kids more freedom when they are being creative. You certainly don't want to squash their creative instincts by fretting over whether they are going to get a little bit of creativity on their clothing. Whether painting, clay modeling, or using markers, you can help keep their creativity on the art project with an art smock.
In order to ensure a good fit, don't go for the child sized plastic versions that come in paint sets. They usually don't lay flat and they often aren't large enough to cover the area. While an old shirt of yours might seem like the perfect art smock, often this backfires as the sleeves and wildly oversized fabric runs amuck.

Using an art smock that is appropriately sized but reasonably tight can be tricky unless you buy one made for serious coverage for a child. You can use adult smocks on children provided that the material doesn't stray too far from their body and they won't trip on it. Nothing says mess like falling into your creativity.

Make the art smock fun for them. Dress it up or add artistic designs to personalize it just for them. This will not only encourage them to use it, but it will also encourage them to be proud of it and feel just like a real artist.

Children love to paint and create and giving them ample space to do that is healthy for their needs. Adding an art area that has floor coverage can be helpful to containing messes. You don't want the floor covered with creative footprints.

Washable products are a near must and of course, your art smock project will be a big hit when they realize that they can stay neat and clean to adult standards while having lots of great fun.

Reinforced Filler Paper College 17102

I am a grad student in engineering so I take a lot of notes including math and things that don't alway fit in the lines. This paper is great for all uses. The lines aren't too dark and it scans well. I honestly do not care about the reinforcement aspect as much as the fact that it is pretty heavy weight paper, at least for filler paper.

Every note I take (both sided if it matters) I put through a feed scanner at the end of the week and this always hold up well.

Reinforced Filler Paper College 17102 can be a bit expensive, especially compared to plain white paper, but you can find it at good (enough) prices and if you write on both sides, 100 sheets lasts a while.

My only real complaint is that I wish the reinforcement strip didn't say "Five Star" everywhere. It should just be clear! That is why I docked it a star (Ironically, I therefore rate "five Star" paper as only four stars)

I don't know what the deal is with teenage boys, but binders look like war zones with crumpled, half torn and tattered pages. This is the answer!!! The reinforcement is like plastic tape along the edge, through which the holes are punched. Genius!!! And there are 100 sheets, not 75 as the reviewer below mistakenly reports. The wide ruled has 110 sheets. Both qualify as 75 points in the Mead promotion.

Paper quality and reinforcement is great... however, not all of the holes are punched all the way through. Some you can poke and the paper pops out but others you have to re-punch and my hole punch doesn't line up properly. Really slows you down when you're trying to fill binders quickly. If they fix this slight glitch it would be a five star rating... I would have returned the item but at this point I'm in a time crunch.

Avery Nonstick Heavy Duty Reference 79693

In my yellow one, I keep my binder full of under-age chinese sweatshop workers. As more and more of my corporate interests move over there, you have NO idea how handy it makes it for me to get a competitive edge by having this binder at my fingertips.

In my brown one I am able to keep my binder full of illegal immigrants so that when one of my properties needs yard work done - boom! There's my answer.

When it arrived the women immediately scattered. They ran everywhere, it took me hours to catch them all. They beat me so badly I had to go to the hospital. I suspect women do not like being in binders because they were quite adamant to escape. Some of them can really fight. Instead of opening up a can of worms, I totally opened a binder of women, just like Mittens.

This Avery Nonstick Heavy Duty Reference 79693 is used in a small business where it takes lots of abuse. The women employed by our small hedge fund are quite unruly, and I'm used to our binders splitting and cracking, but this one is holding all of these women quite well. I like the non-stick feature, as it keeps the women from grouping together, and allows me to single them out for individual handling. Many of my other binders have been ruined by makeup transferring to the plastic liner, but this binder has been proven effective against the majority of feminine products on the market.

Using a binder of this quality beats having to replace the cheap ones regularly, which allows me to send the binder buying women home in time to make dinner for their husbands. This is easy to open and an all-around good binder full of women.

Sharpie Water Based Medium Markers Colored

I have recently began coloring as a stress reliever and to keep my hands busy. (Nervous nail biting habit otherwise) I found Sharpie Water Based Medium Markers Colored at Michael's for 20, but then of course researched here and found them for less. I have posted a few pictures, hopefully to help interested buyers get an idea of the colors included. There is an excellent variety in this set. The markers so far have proven bold and well inked. Highly recommend cardstock or better. :)

My only complaint would be the packaging, but I am the kind of person who is willing to put in a little effort to customize my 'setup.' The markers come in a little plastic caddy that is somewhat flimsy. I have not had a problem with it falling apart or anything like that; it just sometimes tilts to one side and makes sliding the marker back into the two slots a little difficult. (When shifted, the bottom holes so not align with the top.)

Again, with regards to the packaging, the markers are not labeled by color, but rather by number. The set I purchased, the #s are gold and on a white background. This makes them a bit difficult to see. If you want your colors in a prismatic order, and are willing to invest a little time, You can label the lids by #, as I did, and make a corresponding chart. A little overboard I know, but I try to color symmetrically and so want the colors to 'flow'.

The #s that are listed on the markers correspond to a tiny, barely legible chart on the front of the plastic box it comes in. The colors shown are not at all true to the actual markers; they are shown against a black background and are very dark and dull. I have barely looked at the names, making a color chart made it irrelevant.

Still, aside from the original effort in organizing the markers, and a warning to move the caddy with a little care, I do recommend these markers as a really good deal with a decent variety and quality for the price.

The Evolution of a Young Entrepreneur

Do you know how long you have been an entrepreneur? Do you think of a young girl with a small pink purse as an entrepreneur? I was that little bright-eyed girl with a small pink purse and did not realize I was an entrepreneur. However, I liked to make money. Who does not want to make money? As an entrepreneur, I began at a young age and continued to evolve.

In fourth and fifth grade, I carried a petite pink purse full of an assortment of pencil erasers. Yes. My mom and teacher knew that I was carrying these erasers, and they were not upset. Because I sold my erasers, my mom told me she was no longer going to purchase them. My teacher told me I just could not sell them during lesson time. I had to sell the erasers before school, during morning and afternoon break or after school.

I bought pencil erasers in bulk for around $.05 each. Then, I would resell the pencil erasers for $.10. Because my erasers were cheaper and fancier, students purchased erasers from me before they would buy them from the school cart. When the eraser was the same price at $.10, they bought from me because I had an array of colors and designs. The school sold the small dark pink erasers for $.10 and Large Pink Eraser for $.15. Therefore, students wanted my erasers. I suppose you could say I knew a little about customer satisfaction because I would give a student another eraser if his/her eraser broke. However, none of them ever complained about not liking the eraser. Moreover, my prices never went up. Okay. I know I was not going to get rich, but I ran this business for two years until I entered Middle School.

When I entered seventh grade, I liked bubble gum and bought a variety pack. When a classmate saw the gum in my book bag, I sold the first piece of bubble gum. That day, I began my gum business. My mom bought the first pack, and I bought the rest. My mom and teachers knew I sold gum, but they told me not to chew or sell it during class. Therefore, the gum was never banned.

I bought a four pack of variety gum for around $1.50. Then, I would resell a single piece of gum for $.25. However, I noticed students began to buy the whole pack, so I gave a bargain to these students. Because each pack of gum contained five pieces, I could have sold the whole pack for $1. I gave them a bargain and sold the pack for $1.00. Moreover, I liked to chew gum, earned money from gum sales and reinvested the money on different flavors of bubble gum until I reached high school.

In high school, my intention was not to begin another business adventure. Nonetheless, it happened anyway. One day, I brought extra pencils to class. Then, it happened. I was introduced to "Pencil Wars". If you have seen boys and girls try to break pencils by flipping them with another pencil, you have witnessed "Pencil Wars."

I carried a pack of pencils in my book bag for personal use. One day, a student asked me if he could buy the whole pack. I sold the pack, but I added $.05 to each pencil. I bought another pack, and it sold quickly. The same group of students played "Pencil Wars", but I sold my pencils to any student that needed an extra one.

At a young age, I believe children can be entrepreneurs. I evolved from selling erasers to owning a construction company. Moreover, I will continue to evolve and strive to become a more successful entrepreneur. Nevertheless, I will always remember that little girl with a small pink purse.

Swimming Pool Solar Covers Review

There are many different types of Swimming Pool Covers available on the market. They each have their own purpose. Basically the thicker the material the warmer your pool water is going to be. Solar covers are made up of tiny air pockets which hold the suns heat and are slowly released. These pockets will heat your pool to it's greatest depths, this free heating will reduce pool heating costs by up to 40%. Not only this, by using a pool cover, maintenance costs will be reduced as there will be a reduction of water evaporation by a staggering 97%.
Pool covers will reduce maintenance as it will stop any leaves, debris or dust entering the pool which can get into the skimmer basket and quite often get into the filter which can lead to poor function and even not working altogether and the whole unit needing to be replaced. Therefore, pool covers pay for themselves very quickly through reduction in evaporation, reduction in chemical costs, if paying someone to clean the pool-it will take a lot less time and therefore again saving money.
Swimming pool solar covers come in many great colours and sizes, the colour of the cover is associated with the effect it will have, the thickness of the material will also have a different effect. Also the air pockets on some covers are different shapes as these shapes will also have a different effect. For instance, a cover with diamond shapes will hold more heat as the air pockets are closer together therefore, having more pockets on the cover whereas a cover with circle shapes won't have as many air pockets because they are further apart.
The cover that is needed usually depends on the elements for that area. An area that is very warm during the day may not need a thick cover or one with diamond air pockets as the water will heat up quickly alone with the day temperature. An area that is cooler during the day would need a cover that is thicker and with diamond shaped air pockets so that it heats up the water during the day and holds the warmth. There are many things to consider before buying a swimming pool solar cover(or blanket as it is sometimes referred to), but mostly consider the thickness and air pocket shapes to get the most out of your cover.
Many retailers offer all varieties of swimming pool solar covers and many accessories to accompany them. One particular accessory is a pool cover roller. This can stretch out the life of the pool cover and make covering the pool easy.

Intex 54945EG Metal 15 Feet 48 Inch

I've read all the criticism of the Intex pool covers. Most cite the small holes on the pool cover as a big, big problem. Others cite the inability to pull the cover tautly over the pool. Neither criticism is warranted.
Having a few small holes on the pool cover does permit some water to seep into the pool after a rain -- but the holes are small and leaves still won't get into your pool. Having those handy little holes, however, makes removing the cover easy to do EVEN AFTER A RAIN. Without the holes, a potentially large amount of water would rest on top of the pool cover and you'd have to be Superman to lift the water-filled cover from off the pool. Intex wisely added the holes to their pool cover for a good reason.
As for the rope ties -- who needs them? I live less than two miles away from the ocean and we get a strong ocean breeze even at my house, but the pool cover is large enough to easily fit over the pool and stay put, even without making the rope ties taut. I suppose in a gale storm, the cover might come off -- but in a gale storm, you've got bigger problems to worry over. The pool cover stays on the pool just by draping it over the surface of the pool water.
The pool cover keeps debris out of your pool water and helps liquid chlorine to stay in the water longer. If you're worried about evaporating pool water because of those little holes, don't; any evaporation is undetectable.

This Intex 54945EG Metal 15 Feet 48 Inch is a good swimming pool cover for my 8 foot round swimming pool. It actually stays on the swimming pool. We have had some big Thunder/Wind storms here and it has stayed on the pool. It's easy to install and has a rope string to keep it tight on the pool.

It does have some holes on the top, that's to let the rain water go through so it doesn't stress the cover or pool. Works pretty good and doesn't let much dirt or bugs in the pool when covered. Very pleased with the pool cover.

Side Note: Intex isn't a very good customer service oriented company. I bought the pool at the end of last fall to use this summer, and put it up a week ago for the first time. To my dismay, it came with a hole in the air pocket at the top from the get-go. They said since 90 days had gone by, I'm out of luck. They don't stand behind their products. Why would I have put up the pool last fall just to take it down the same day? Intex gets a failing grade, customer service wise from me, but the pool cover passes. 

Goby Suction Pool Cleaner Hayward

In the past 20 years we have had 2 homes each with an in ground pool. The Goby Suction Pool Cleaner Hayward are about 120 perimeter with a pebble tech surface. Until recently we have used Hayward/Arnison Navigator pool vacs. Living in Arizona our pools and pool cleaners get a lot of year round use. This review compares the MX8 to the Navigator.

* Both the MX8 and Navigator are very good pool cleaners. They both do what they are intended to do well.
* Suction - Both require similar amount of suction to operate.
* Cleaning path and cleaning time - The MX8 cleans a wider path as it travels and may travel slightly faster. However the wider path does negatively effect the wall climbing of the MX8 (see next bullet). The MX8 appears to follow a totally random path, whereas the navigator has a more programmed path going in ever widening circles then moving on to another area. The net out of the two approaches is that both will clean about 80% of the pool in 2 hours. To cover 95% of the pool takes 3 or 4 hours. Due to the randomness, curves in the pool and such after 4 hours there are still a few spots missed, but both cleaners will generally get these areas next time.
* Wall climbing - Both will climb the sides of the pool when there is sufficient suction, but the MX8 will climb with less suction. Our pool is a lagoon form with curved walls. Where the walls curve in the MX8 climbs, where the wall curves away the MX8 will not climb. The Navigator with its narrower path is not effected as much by the curved walls and will climb anywhere. But MX8 will often climb the wall then turn and run along the wall covering a lot of wall area in this one pass. It has even ended up on the steps after running along the wall near the water line. The navigator on the other hand tends to just go straight up the wall to the water surface then fall back down to the bottom of the pool. Bottom line is the MX8 does a much better job of climbing the walls, even with lower suction.
* Getting stuck - The MX8 is more sensitive to small rocks and large vegetation debris. Pebbles larger than 1/4 inch often get stuck where the paddles rotate into the MX8. This stops the MX8 from operating. Large vegetation sometimes gets wound around the paddles stopping the MX8. The navigator can also get stuck on larger pebbles, but will generally suck up the 1/4 inch size. The navigator can also get vegetation caught but not as often as the MX8. On the other hand the MX8 is quick and easy to open with no tools to clear any object, where as the Navigator may require a screwdriver to open it up to get to the problem. Bottom line, the MX8 gets stuck more easily, but it is easier to get going again. I prefer the MX8 because I do not need to take it apart to clear out debris.
* Durability - It is too soon to say how durable the MX8 is since I have only had it for 1 month. Pebble Tec surface is very rough and hard on everything that rubs on it. The navigator feet run so the Navigator waddles, the feet wear down after a few years and need to be replaced, The navigator also has "wings" which wear on the end where they rub and need to be replaced after a few years. Other parts on the Navigator wear, but more slowly. The most annoying piece on the navigator with appears to last 5 or 6 years (maybe longer) is the gear box setup which controls the path the navigator takes. Although it does not show wear eventually the navigator looses its ability to follow a programmed path and tends to go in circles in the same area. Its possible the MX8 will suffer from similar problem in the future only time will tell.
* Cool factor - The MX8 looks cooler and kind of dances around the pool, going forward, backward, spinning ... I think Fiberglass Swimming Pools is having more fun than the navigator.
*Overall both the MX8 and Navigator are excellent pool cleaners, but at this time the MX8 appears to do a slightly better job, with slightly less suction and although it gets stuck more frequently, it is easier to clear from debris.

Intex 54907EG Easy 15 Feet 42 Inch

The size is a bit deceiving. The Intex 54907EG Easy 15 Feet 42 Inch measures just over 14.5 feet, not 15 as advertised. Somewhere it's mentioned that water level is 42" so don't think that your getting 48". I knew about the water level but the diameter was a surprise. I ordered a 15' solar cover and wondered why it was too big. I got took the tape measure to the pool and found out why. These size issues don't really bother my but it should be noted more clearly on box.

Yes the ladder is flimsy but usable. I cut a couple of boards and put them at the top for a platform, it's a good place for the kids to sit and ladder is sturdier. I'm 280 lbs. and have not problem as long as I'm careful.

One thing that did make me frown a bit was the pinhole leak that I discovered after filling the pool. Brand new and a leak? Ohhh well that's Chinese quality I guess. They include a repair kit that has some vinyl but NO Glue! I fixed it by taking a small amount of bathroom caulk and putting on the inside of the pool, this stopped the leak so I could work on the outside. I used JB Weld..lol to attach piece of the supplied vinyl to the outside. It's held up fine. Not the recommended fix, but it's what I had laying around and didn't have to run to the store to purchase glue.

The pump of Above Ground Swimming Pools is working fine, where I see others have had problems with the pumps wearing out. I actually put a valve in and run a separate hose off it for solar heating. I run the pump 6-10 hours a day. I purchased two additional filters but have yet to use them. I have been reusing the same filter that came with pool by spraying it off with the hose. It comes out nice and clean for me.

As far as chemicals, I have spent $9 on bleach and $6 on borax in 2.5 months. I found out how to take care of the water here [...]. I then use this calculator to add bleach and raise my PH [...] It's worked like a charm, I actually keep the chlorine pretty low and the water is crystal clear with no algae. My well water is acidic so borax helps raise PH on that. The rain has lowered the PH too, so more borax helped there as well.

As far as setup, it was pretty easy. I'm satisfied with pool. I paid $249 for the pool at Walmart so the price here is a bit high, I can see where free delivery and the lack of a Walmart could justify the additional price.

Intex 58932E Pool Ground Cloth

It's true that the ground cloth really doesn't protect the pool but what it does protect is all the hard work spent getting the ground level. If you had to use sand to level the ground the cloth will protect the sand from hard rain and water from the pool. The last thing you want after several hours of laser-leveling and tamping sand is for it to erode and wash away. So, yes, while it's a bit too flimsy to protect the pool it at least protects the sand underneath the pool, especially when you've brought the pool inside, from eroding and washing away.

As for the product itself it's pretty flimsy. We've had the ground cover that came with our 16' pool for a couple of years now and it's completely deteriorated. Expect to replace it every two years if you live in the northeast and keep it out all year.

We just purchased our third Intex 58932E Pool Ground Cloth  n eight years and previous years we have used a heavy-duty tarp. This year I spent more money and bought this Intex ground cloth which claims to be "extra padded"... well, that's a joke! Thankfully, I only paid $18 for this disappointing ground cover. This is THE thinnest "tarp" I've ever seen. Next year, I will go back to the discount warehouse where I can buy a 16' heavy duty tarp for $8-$12. I would NOT waste my money on this Intex Swimming Pools.

Intex 58851EP Waterslide

I bought the Intex 58851EP Waterslide  n April. The first day it was fine, and my kids (40 and 65 lbs.) had fun on it. The next time we came outside, the slide had deflated slightly. We continued to use the slide sparingly.

Recently, I decided to find the leak and to patch it. I used Inflatable Pool Slide in a squirt bottle to locate the leak on the upper left hand portion of the slide. The seam had separated with the tear/hole being about 1/4" in length. Being on the seam (and towards the top of the slide), the hole is nearly impossible to patch. I had resigned myself to blowing up the slide whenever the kids wanted to use it.

However, the last time my kids were using the slide, the water stopped coming out of one of the sprinkler fittings at the top. When I moved the slide later, I found that it had a lot of water inside the slide. I tried to air the slide up again, only to have air now leaking out of the water hose connector. The slide is now worthless (about 60 days after purchase and approximately 5 times being used.)

I contacted Intex and was told that there is "zero warranty from Day 1." Wow! What a crock. Intex, you will never get one more red cent out of me or my family. Don't waste your money on this piece of garbage.

Small World Toys 15 Pieces Sand

Our son at 12 months loves to play in the yard and help mom and dad in the garden. We bought him this Small World Toys 15 Pieces Sand to use under supervision. He already uses the shovel and rake appropriately and picks up rocks and small amounts of dirt. The trowel has a sharper point so we will save that until he is a little older. Very nice metal construction with firmly attached wooden handles. Would highly recommend for any child who wants to help work in the garden. These stand up to uses plastic shovels and rakes do not.

I bought these Sandbox Toys for my 2 year old daughter. Although we haven't had them long enough to know the durability, they seem quite sturdy. The size is perfect for my daughter who loves to help and play in the garden. I wish the handle for the rake is slightly longer. In terms of price, today I saw the same set being sold at Target (under the store brand and in different colors) for a cheaper price.

I agree with a lot of the other five star reviews: if you have a little helper, they'll love these. They've held up very well to my very active son's rough handling (these tend to double as outdoor drumsticks). We actually have been taking these to the beach instead of the usual plastic shovels. My toddler used to get frustrated because the plastic shovels don't really dig well into wet sand. He was delighted to use these - 'real' tools to do a real job.

I like these tools and will order them again, as many times as necessary to get it right. The set came clearly marked on the packaging as a rake, trowel and shovel set. However, where there should have been a trowel was instead a second rake. Clearly not a lot a quality control, as other reviewers have said the same thing. But, as I said, pretty well made, for what they are, and a whole lot better than plastic tools.

Sport Brella BRE03 580 04 Beach Chair Aqua

But I think that something is flawed with the rating system. Some products have 5/5 stars overall, yet have several 1 & 2 star ratings, you can't have a perfect score if all the reviews aren't five stars. Anyway, onto the review.

I excitedly received this Sport Brella BRE03 580 04 Beach Chair Aqua  arlier this week and desired a new beach chair, something of quality instead of those hard mesh chairs that we've all come to know. The fabric on this chair is a nice soft material, much like any of the other nicer beach chairs out there. The chair also folds up to about the size of most any other bag chair another huge bonus when you're packing for the annual beach trip. The bag for the chair I received had a hole in it out of the box.

The chair was taken to a softball game that my daughter was playing in, so it would get a solid two hours of test time. At first sit down, I was pleasantly surprised. The arm rests are nicely padded and comfortable, but that ended up being about all that the chair had going for it. As others commented, the frame behind your back makes itself known very quickly. By no means am I a big guy, weighing in at 170#. The chair does have a weight limit of 300#, I can only imagine how uncomfortable that would be for a heavier person.

Since Beach Chair Umbrella was a late evening softball game, I never even took the umbrella out of the bag. I can't comment on that. I will still probably take the chair on the annual beach trip, because it packs so compactly and you're constantly up and down anyway at the beach. Besides I can leave it at the beach house for the next family!

Lasko 2521 Oscillating Stand Fan

I bought this Lasko 2521 Oscillating Stand Fan in July 2009 at Target, on sale for $22.50 and it's GREAT! I live in Brooklyn, so lugging the box up and down subways and stairs makes the plastic lightweight construction a BIG plus! Putting it together was a Breeze! 10 min with NO TOOL! (Big selling point)

The flat-black color is very nice, just don't trip over it at night. It moves a lot of air, is adjustable to 45", has 3 speeds (0=off, 1, 2, and 3) and oscillates which you can of course turn switch off. Some might not care for the fact that there is no separate off switch, it's setting zero on the fan speed control, but I didn't mind that at all.

I must say that although the plug claims to have some sort of "patented" surge protection in the plug (who really cares, right?), the cord itself is VERY short. I didn't measure it but it seems comparatively short and was not long enough to stretch across from one outlet to where I needed it. (So get your extension cord out.. which then diminishes the "patented" surge protection on the plug!)

Overall Oscillating Pedestal Fan  s money well spent, it's not very loud for sleeping, not too heavy, and at $22.50 was a good price. please note, this model does Not have a remote or timer! I would buy it again and would recommend it to a friend.

FIVE STAR FS8088 Purifier Ionizer

We live in an area that has a lot of tree pollen and, when it's windy, a lot of dust. To add to this, we have two pets. No matter how much we vacuum and dust, these factors contribute a lot to allergies. The reason I ordered this is because I was looking for a natural solution to clean up the air in our indoor environment. I'm so happy I made the decision to order this unit because we have seen extraordinary results AFTER ONLY ONE DAY!

I plugged the unit in as soon at it arrived. Within about an hour, I could tell there was a tremendous difference in our indoor air quality. The air smelled clean but the major difference was in our breathing which was much better and easier without the irritants in the air.
We left it on overnight and this device is REALLY QUIET.

This Ionic Air Purifier comes with full directions but it is very easy to use; you just plug it in after setting it where you want it. The blue night light in the front can be shut off too. The cleaning instructions are simple enough: the collector rods remove easily and you just wipe them with a damp cloth once a month.

Overall, this FIVE STAR FS8088 Purifier Ionizer is an excellent device for the price. Anyone who has allergies and has irritants and pollutants in their air will benefit.

I bought this to replace an old Sears Tabletop Electronic air purifier, which had lasted 25 years. I intended to use this in my bedroom. It works fine. It is lightweight, and probably wouldn't stand much banging around, as the components are plastic I think. And I would like it more if it had more blower power....but it does change the air in the room pleasantly. Electronic air cleaners help me more than HEPA cleaners for some reason. I am glad I bought it.

Frigidaire FRA052XT7 000 BTU Window Conditioner

I spent quite a bit of time researching A/C before purchasing. We live in Oregon and it doesn't get too hot but there's a month or two in the summer where the heat and humidity get oppressive in the house. I wanted an inexpensive, small, window A/C to increase the comfort. I wanted something small enough that I can store it the other 10 months.

So, after much research I ordered this Frigidaire FRA052XT7 000 BTU Window Conditioner  I was going to get the 6K BTU model with the electronic controls but I figured I would get something super cheap and if it didn't work I could use it as a single room cooler. Shipped free which makes this a pretty good deal. Arrived in about a week.

Installation was easy, following the instructions in the manual. I did have to install and remove the A/C about 3 times to get all the sealing right. In the box there's a lot of different thicknesses of foam and foam tape. There is no specific instructions about what to do with this, except the stuff for the top gap of the upper sash. So, I experimented with various combos to get a good seal. We have recent vinyl windows with screens but no storms so the unit basically dropped right in. However, there are some gaps around the bottom in this configuration. I stuffed these with the thickest foam that came with the unit. This did the trick but didn't look too great. Luckly I ordered extra foam tape as another reviewer recommended, and I used small pieces of that to caulk around it inside and outside, leaving the big foam inside. It actually looks pretty neat and professional. $4 well spent ;)

Anyway, the Frigidaire Air Conditioner  s installed in our main living room. We are in a 1940's box bungalow so this room is about half of the width and length of the house. The bedrooms and kitchen connect to it. With it on HI cool/Max(7) the entire house has been very cold and huge amounts of water have been pulled out. We will see how it performs in the upcoming week of 95+ temps. We keep a few $10 box fans around to circulate air so I can move the cold air around.

One thing is that I have heard mentioned on a few other models is that the fan catches water in the pan and spits it around. This is a feature and not a bug ;). The unit is designed to pitch backward slightly when properly mounted. Moisture removed from the room collects at the bottom. The fan blade is coated in rubber and it's designed to suck water up and spray it on the evaporator coils. This facilitates some precooling of the outside air. It drastically increases efficiency. I would not drill drain holes, as other people have mentioned.

Honeywell Pure Round Purifier 50150 N

I have suffered from allergies all of my life, but especially the last few years, they have gotten progressively worse. Last year, I lived in an apartment over two chain smokers and was constantly congested. I started researching Honeywell Pure Round Purifier 50150 N because my medications weren't helping enough on their own. I ended up deciding on this unit for my living room/dining area, a Hamilton Beach 04163 for my bedroom, and another Hamilton Beach 04163 to go on the other side of my living room as well since the living room/dining area/kitchen was all together and not separated by doors and was too large an area for only one cleaner to handle efficiently. I have been very satisfied with this unit. I got it in December 2004 and it has not given me any problems. I have had to change the pre-filters a few times (you usually have to change them every three months or so) but have not yet had to change the Charcoal Air Purifiers. I like the way this system has what it calls Intellicheck which lets you know when it is time for the filters to be changed, as well as the way that it has the 360 degree technology. The unit looks kind of like a barrel so that the clean air flows out of the top all around it. I don't notice a cleaner air smell like I have heard people talk about, but I can definitely tell a difference in my allergy symptoms when I am running my air cleaners or not. And when I put my Hamilton Beach air cleaner in the living room which has an auto setting that detects the air quality, it had the air rated as being good from the beginning, which I believe is due to the Honeywell 50250 which had been running 24/7 a few days prior to that since the Hamilton Beach air cleaner in my room had the air quality as poor when I turned it on the auto setting. I still have to take my allergy medications that I was prescribed, but there is a definite difference between when I just take the medication and when I take the medication and use the air cleaners.

I hope this review helps. I also like the fact that it has a carrying handle at the top, and I don't find it very noisy. It has a white noise to it, but I have not experienced any problems not hearing the television or not being able to nap in the living room while it is on.

The replacement pre-filters are easy to find for this unit. The HEPA filter seems a little harder to find in retail stores, but it does not have to be replaced as often so it is not too bad.

Surround Air XJ 3800 Intelli Pro Photocatalytic

I was expecting more from this Surround Air XJ 3800 Intelli Pro Photocatalytic. I'm a single father, and I'm not a fan of dusting. So I expected to see a little more in the filters, but not much at all. Others talk about how their unit senses odors and such, and they could see the lights changing as it did things, or as the auto setting would turn up the speed and such. I went so far as to get a fresh stinky doggie mine from my neighbor's yard, and held it right in front of the sensor, and even after several minutes, no change. I even cleaned the sensors as they suggest despite the fact that being brand new, it shouldn't have required it.

Had chicken one night, threw a few pieces my 6 year old didn't eat in the garbage, and the next day took the bag out of the can since every time the lid opened you could smell the old meat. Put THAT in front of the unit, also, no change in status, sensor, etc...

What I will say in the positive though,Electrostatic Air Purifiers is that it really is unobtrusive (other than the size, it is much deeper than I had thought, guess I didn't pay attention to the dimensions, which is why I posted the extra pictures so you can see the actual size), and the fan is relatively quiet except on high, and even then it's not annoying, just noticeable. And it does take care of odors pretty well even if it doesn't seem to be sensing anything. I vacuum frequently (hard not to with a 6 year old around) and other than dusting, keep the house pretty clean, but there's sometimes a damp smell from the laundry room you notice when you first walk into it from the garage. This took care of that, as well as just a general "dog used to live here" smell in the great room. I had no ozoneish smell, nothing to tell that it was doing anything other than filtering, but even if I'm not seeing any signs of particulate matter in the filters, at least it is making the air smell fresher.

Only problem was packaging was not good, unit bounced around and the box was damaged in shipping, and I have some marks on the unit that made me wonder if it was used... Still not sure if I'll keep it or return it and try something else, but it at least does help make rooms smell cleaner.

Snooki Ultra 70XBlack Bronzer Toning

I just received this Snooki Ultra 70XBlack Bronzer Toning yesterday afternoon and used it for the first time last night and I really like it so far! it's really moisturizing and smells really good, in my opinion it smells like chocolate covered strawberries..fruity but with a tiny hint of sweet. I already had a good base tan so it's hard to tell how much darker it made me but I did notice a little difference already. I'm so happy I found this on here for this price considering it's $70 at my tanning salon. I'd recommend trying this

I already had been tanning for almost a month when I started using this lotion. My other lotion gave me a good base but this one made me noticeably dark. It smells really great and it doesn't turn your hands colors. The only thing I don't like is the bottle. Make sure you squeeze the lotion out all over your body before you rub in because the bottle is very hard to squeeze with lotion on your hands. Overall I like it.

Since I've recieved my Snooki Tanning Lotions I've used it twice, and I've gotten shades of darker already. Keep in mind that this is also like a self tanner so of course you will darken. I was worried that i would have that orange look to it like spray tans leave, but so far so good :) I apply it all over and then wipe my hands off real good before getting into the tanning bed because I don't want it to discolor my hands or fingers. I wouldn't shower several hours after you tan so that it soaks into the skin other wise you'll just be rinsing of the bronzer. And I've read other comments where people are saying don't apply to face and/or this will cause a skin reaction. I have eczema on my face so I was skeptical about applying it to my face so I didn't my first time using it, but I did the second time using it and my face wasn't irritated at all. The smell is good I've even had compliments on it, but I don't think it matters how expensive and/or brand you use because you'll always have that just "just got out of the tanning bed" smell. So all in all I have nothing negative to say about this lotion. Hope this helps!

Jwoww Tanning Advance Bronzer Release

This Jwoww Tanning Advance Bronzer Release just came out this week and has gotten me excited about JWOWW products again. I can't wear all bronzers, some of them make me itchy which is what the original JWOWW did so I never went back. I just tried a packet of this One and Done this week due to the fact that it's yogurt based and I thought hey, it might work for me. Well, all I can say is WOW! The girl at the front desk even noticed! I was instantly super dark and it never made me break out or got me itchy. I'm a year long tanner, about 2-3 times a week and like to rotate my bronzers with intensifiers on all level of beds. I used this on a Fusion bed (high and low pressure combined). It has a tropical like scent, it's light and not overpowering, and goes on well. Although it claims to have the odor inhibitors I still had a slight immediate after-tan odor which did go away within about 30 minutes. Overall I think this stuff is fantastic and will be purchasing a big bottle. It's hard for me to find such a nice bronzer that doesn't give me the skin sensitivities.

As an experienced tanner, I have tried everything. All of JWOWW's other lotions, all of Snooki's lotions, all of Pauly D's lotions - you get the drift. THIS is - by far - my favorite! The name says it all, one and done. I've lessened my sessions and now only go about once a week (in prep for summer) and this stuff makes me look like I go 7 days a week! Nice deep tan, not orange AT ALL. Would definitely recommend and will order again and again. It also smells nice. I tan on my lunch break so I don't want to go back to work smelling 'burnt' and this is like a nice subtle perfume. Lastly, you can't beat the price. The price for this in the salon I go to is $86.00!! Five stars!

I give this Jwoww Tanning Lotion 4.5 star because the girls at my tanning salon recommend this for a richer tan. I have noticed my legs 2 shades darker after using it twice. Smells good also.only downer is that since it has a bronzer in it can leave stains on your clothes or if you don't wash your hands after applying the lotion. Other then that its amazing i will definitely be using this lotion from know on

Australian Gold Sinfully Bronzing Tanning

The thing I've read most in reviews about Australian Gold Sinfully Bronzing Tanning is how thin they are; making them go on easier. Now I finally understand. Its not thin as in watery, it just smooths out easier than most lotions I've used. I used it the first time today, and the odor going on and after tanning is probably the best I've ever smelled. It had a fruity scent applying, but after getting out of the bed I barely noticed the odor at all. When I got home, I applied some Playboy Vegas cologne to my clothes (not on my skin to avoid thinning out the bronzers in the lotion,) and I can't smell the lotion at all anymore. On top of that, I'm used to feeling at least a little greasy using any lotion (including Designer Skin lotions,) but I don't feel greasy at all after using this. The only drawback to this lotion is that it comes in 8.5oz instead of 13.5oz, but considering the price it doesn't phase me at all. Another tip for those who are serious about tanning and buy a lot of different lotions; I purchased this through Tan 4 Less, and they charge something like 6 or 7 dollars for shipping, but if you add a lotion to your order from them, they only add a dollar per item, so they are like a true wholesaler. I got this, and 2 different bottles of Designer Skin lotions for a total of $54, and that price included shipping. I would have spent around $140 in my salon for the lotions I purchased. Props to Tan 4 Less.

By far the best Tanning lotion I have ever tried. The first 2 times I tanned with it I went 2 days back to back in a turbo bed. This was Feb. 10/11 2010. I havent had time to make it back and I am still super dark and bronze it is Feb 21!! I got so dark so fast. I LOVE THIS PRODUCT!!! Never had a tan last so long in my life! Its almost like my color developed perfectly and got better each day!

I tan pretty easily as I am of Greek and Italian descent. However, my tan usually fades quickly. I tried this Australian gold Tanning Lotions from a packet because I ran out of lotion and didnt want to spend a lot of money on a packet that was going to last just one or two times. I loved it...I got a beautiful brown color after just one session in just a regular tanning bed, no upgrade. Then I had to leave town for five days and not tan. Usually, I would have been faded to about nothing and had wasted that one session. This lotion kept me a beautiful brown color after all that time. I get compliments every day about my color and everyone thinks I have been going daily to the tanning bed. I average once or twice a week in a 20 minute bed and have a beautiful color. So, I bought an full bottle this time and will keep this schedule. I highly recommend the lotion. As usual, keep your skin moisturized with an after bath oil ( I use Pure Romance's Body Dew) and your skin will look amazing!

Millenium Tanning Insanely Bronzer 13 5 Ounce

I just used this Millenium Tanning Insanely Bronzer 13 5 Ounce 3 hours ago! I was pretty tan before I used this. This is the first time I have used a "Tingle" lotion before! WOW. In some places, it started burning right when I put it on...I mean BURN. It was pretty painful but only lasted about one minute. It tingled the whole time I was in the bed but it wasn't too painful. I put it on my face and I know alot of people say don't do that! I think my face is the only part of my body that isn't itchy/burnt feeling right now. It did get a little red right after I finished tanning but not bad at all...I will say that I barely put any on my face and I put it on my face last. After about 1 hour my arms were burning/itching pretty bad and my legs just felt really burnt!! I took a quick cold shower and rubbed some aloe on and about 20 minutes later started feeling better. I look WAY darker and am not orange at all...I always put my lotion on evenly and never OVERLOAD! I looked really burnt at first but right now I look TAN! I can't decide if it was worth the pain! While i was burning/itching I was thinking I will never use this again but now I might use it every once in a while when I want to look a few shades darker in one tan session since I noticed a lot of people said the second time you use a tingle lotion its not as bad!

I just got this Tingle Tanning Lotion today and used it a few hours ago...talk about feeling like your on fire, but it got me SO ridiculously dark. The tingle lotions are very well known for breaking the plateau if you're having trouble getting any darker using regular lotions. This lotion gives you REAL color, not all of the fake bronzers that come off in the shower. I literally got four shades darker just within one use in a regular bed in a fifteen minute session. I would definitely recommend this lotion. It's really intense but it works very well. It gets you brown, not orange, and lotions like that are extremely hard to find.

Honest review here....Informed that the Insanely title of this lotion was due to the tingle being intense. Well..... being honest here.... this lotion... I found wasn't all that tingly. Dont get me wrong, it is somewhat tingly. Here is what I find.... this lotion tans fantasticly. I have gotten a fantastic tan from this product. This is a fact. Awesome tan!!!!! However..... the intense tingle only exists on my face!! I rub this lotion all over my body and all except my face I feel nothing. However, when applying this lotion to my face.... HOLY MOTHER OF.....
I have experienced my entire head melting as if I stuck it in sulfuric acid!!!! That bad!!!! So, after the first two insane applications I completely gave up applying to any part of my head. What I do now is apply this from my neck down, and then I grab my wife's Black Night 60X or my daughter's Paint It Black 50X and apply that to my face. {by the way...those products are smokin good!!}. So... great tan from product but recommend Black Night 60X or Paint It Black 50X. They tan fantasticly without intense facial pain. No Joke!!!!!

Panasonic MC UG383 Lightweight Upright Cleaner

I use it every day - because I have 2 cats and a dog who has paid, not to mention the scattered litter. Then there are several carpet and bathroom - every day. And for a quick run in my living room / dining room carpet. This vacuum not only works well, but maintains a charge sufficient to do all that. I've never timed, but I would say there are at least 20 minutes on it. I had my first vac for over a year and run flawlessy until I dropped too many times. The last time was a bad fall and vacuum, work well, started throwing a sharp sound. That's why I decided to replace it.
This Panasonic MC UG383 Lightweight Upright Cleaner also can fend for I know this is a concern for some. When stopping in the middle of aspiration, no one wants to return the charger stand to withstand vacuum without falling. So if this is a consideration for you, do not stand on its own :)
Cleaning is easy - simply empty each time and shake the two filters. In fact, I like to take a small brush and brush the cat litter filters can create a fine dust that can clog many gaps. The external filter (plastic) can also be rinsed.
The dust collection container is not large, but we must not forget that void is not intended to clean the whole house. The idea of ​​an ACC is having a lightweight stick vacuum for quick small jobs around the house. This is what the Dirt Devil is fine.
Another key feature that I like is that you can keep this plugged in all the time and is not going to be too busy. Never had to leave my empty magazine out completely to leave to have a load. More than a year with the old model and never had any problems charging at all.
For the price, I think it's a great vacuum and if used for its intended purpose, I believe you will be satisfied. But remember, unless sold to pay more for the cheap plastic look red, opt for the best looking, cheaper model BLUE - M083424 Dirt Devil AccuCharge Cordless Stick Vacuum.
If someone is a difference between these two models unlike Dirt Devil has given me, could you please let me know. Thanks and enjoy your Dirt Devil AccuCharge!