Product Reviews

You Gotta Get One of These: The Snotsucker!

by Sarah Novak on November 19, 2011

Leave it to the Swedish to come up with another innovative, kick-ass design – this time, involving the removal of boogies and other unwanted snot from a baby’s nose.  No lie, this has become one of my favorite products.  It’s so much more fun (and easier to clean) than a bulb aspirator (pictured below).

The Nosefrida Nasal Aspirator is really quite simple.  You, the parent, suck your baby’s boogers up into the tube, where they get caught by a sponge (thank goodness, huh?!)  Super simple to use and actually a fun challenge.  The boogers can be a bit tricky to wrangle – I often feel like I’m in a tug of war with them.  Yes, this is the extent of my stimulation as a new Mom.  And yes, I just wrote a whole post about boogers.  Ahhh, the joys of Motherhood!

I found this lovely demo of the product on YouTube just in case you still didn’t get the concept.  If you have kiddos and don’t own one of these yet, I highly recommend you run out and get one – for their comfort (and your enjoyment)!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=Kxhyts0jJW0

 

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SmallWorld: Our Current Obsession

by Sarah Novak on October 18, 2011

Patience has never been one of my strong suits and honestly, these last 10 days have been downright torturous for me as I await Baby Nia’s arrival.  So much open space on the calendar and nothing to do but stare at my belly and will her to come out…

Sensing my growing distress, Nick came up with a brilliant idea at the end of last week.  He charged me with finding us a new 2 player strategy game to keep us occupied until she arrives.  I immediately took to the idea and started researching.  Since we intended to play it a lot over the next few months, I knew it must have a good combination of strategy, complexity and variability – namely, each game needed to feel new and exciting to keep us interested.  With that in mind, I took to the Board Game Forums.  I came across BoardGameGeek.com, BoardGameReviews.net and State of Play, a blog by the editor of Games Magazine.  From there, I found out that Games Magazine published a Best of Awards each year and perused that list.  I didn’t have to look far, because I clicked on the 2010 link for Game of the Year and was immediately enchanted with SmallWorld.

One of the things I appreciated most about it (and that got major thumbs up from reviewers) is that there are 4 different boards to accommodate 2-5 players.  What that ensures is that the board isn’t too big or too small for the number of people you have playing, keeping the challenge at an appropriate level.  The board above is the 3 player board and the one below is for 5 people.

The game has a bit of a RISK feel to it, as the objective is to build and expand your overall territory, collecting victory coins for holding land as long as possible.  You do this by deploying your fantasy race to acquire territories.  Unlike RISK however, there is no dice rolling for each territory acquisition, which makes it go much quicker.  Typical play for this game is anywhere from 40-80 minutes.

However, that’s where the similarities to RISK end.  Each game changes in variability due to the combination of Race and Special Powers that you select.  Strategy comes into play when selecting each randomly assigned combo.  Take the Race cards for example (on the right side of the picture above).  Each one has both a unique feature AND a number of representative tokens to conquer with (noted in orange).  Depending on what’s going on in the game at that moment, you may be more in need of sheer token numbers OR the special feature of that race (like collecting extra victory coins for certain holdings if you’re behind in coins).

That doesn’t even take into account the additional Special Power (represented by the cards on the left of the picture above).  Each Special Power has a unique capability to help you.  You may get to place markers that make your territory unconquerable or be able to conquer a territory for a reduced number of tokens.  Again, the fun comes in seeing which pairings come together and deciding the appropriate moment in the game to use them.

At this point I should throw out the one other caveat that makes this game exciting.  At any point during play, you can determine if you have over-extended your race and put it into decline.  This allows you to select a new Race/Power combination on your next turn and begin a new offensive move.  Additionally, you get to keep your declined race on the board, although it loses any Special Powers associated with it as well as the ability to attack with that Race.  You do however still collect Victory Coins for the territories those pieces occupy, adding another fun strategy element to the game.

Below is a picture of the various Race tokens that get used in play on the board.  The number you get to deploy is based on the combination of orange numbers on the cards (see above).

I know that may have sounded like an overwhelming description… and yes, we referred to the instructions non-stop for the first game but by Game 3 we had it all figured out and were thoroughly engrossed.  So engrossed in fact that we’ve played 7 times in 3 days and already ordered 2 new expansion packs to increase the variability of the game.  Does that make us obsessed?  YUP.  And we’re A-OK with that because we are desperately in need of good distractions as we wait for Nia’s arrival.

Ready to get your own game?  Head on over to AMAZON to order your own and get playing!  You’ll thank me, I promise.

I’d also love to get some comments on what other favorite strategy games you LOVE, especially if they’re good for 2 people!

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Life Of Pi: The Thorn In Our Marriage

by Sarah Novak on July 24, 2010

Once upon a time a girl named Sarah went out on a second date with a boy named Nicholas (a rare occurrence indeed).  When the boy named Nicholas arrived at Sarah’s door, he delighted her by gifting her a book called Life of Pi.  Sarah was tickled pink – surely this boy could see her for the intellectual being that she was!  This one small exchange would leave an indelible print on Sarah’s heart and ultimately influence her decision to spend eternity with this boy.

The problem

The girl named Sarah liked the concept of the book better than the actual book that was chosen.  She much preferred to keep it prominently displayed in her room and gaze upon it fondly.  The idea of actually reading it though bored her greatly.  It was a symbol of love, not a material item to be consumed and thrown away!

When two become one

In time the girl named Sarah married the boy named Nicholas and the book journeyed with them to their new home in Manila.  Sarah had hoped that over time Nicholas would simply forget about the book (a common tendency she had noticed with him) and allow her to just treasure it for the symbol it was.  Alas, this was not to be the case and Sarah grew increasing annoyed by Nick’s constant inquiries about when she’d read the book.

Sarah knew it was still a sensitive issue when on her birthday (upon thanking him for a gift), he replied, “I’m sure you’ll never actually use it, just like the Life of Pi book I gave you.”  With a heavy sigh Sarah stood up and went to retrieve the book from her shelf.  Looks like she would be spending 316 pages with a boy and a tiger in a boat after all.  The things you do for love…

A pleasant surprise

Well, lo and behold, after begrudgingly starting the book, Sarah was delighted to find that the story was actual decent – in fact, it was down-right superb!  Of course she could not let Nick know this because she already worried about the size of his ego.  And so it was her fate to sneak off into the corner and devour the book in secret.  And devour she did, in less than 2 days.

So folks, the moral of the story is that when your husband-to-be gives you a book on your second date you may as well just save yourself some emotional energy and read the damn thing straight away.  I’ve heard it can be good for the trust level in a relationship…

THE END

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MJ Goes Out on Top!

by Sarah Novak on November 1, 2009

michael jackson

All I can say is WOW.  I am still reeling 5 days after seeing Michael Jackson’s This Is It.  I can’t seem to get it out of my head… I struggle to even write a review of it, as the experience was more visceral than anything for me, making it incredibly hard to put into words.

I’ll begin by placing myself on the continuum of Michael’s fans.  I’m not an MJ obsesser, nor am I a MJ hater.  I like to think of myself as an MJ Appreciator.  Thanks for letting me get that out of the way up front.

I realized after his death that the mere mention of Michael Jackson made me quite uncomfortable.  Opinions were so disparate and I felt like I had to make a case as to whether the value of the contributions of his music outweighed the negative impact of his misunderstood behavior.  To like him was to defend that he was sane.  To not like him was to deny the quality and impact of his work.

For me, the movie provided the resolution I needed to this internal conflict.  It was a stunning compilation of his final project, portrayed in a very raw, intimate way.  It was impossible to deny his innate talent when watching the film – even at age 50, his gift as a musician shone just as brightly as the video footage of when he was 20.  Even the dancers were struggling to keep pace!

When you stripped away the hype of his personal life and just focused on his ability to make music, it was impossible not to be moved.  He knew his songs backwards and forwards and was a step ahead of all the other supporting performers.  Other than the emaciated look of his body (which was hard to ignore), nothing else suggested that he was incapable of executing this tour.  And so it was with immense joy that I just sat in my seat and let his music wash over me.  I lingered over memories that his music brought up and found myself clapping in between songs along with the rest of the theater.  It was incredibly therapeutic to embrace him for all that he was (good and bad) and mourn that I wouldn’t get to enjoy any more of his music.

I had always secretly hoped that Michael would go out on top.  I wanted him to be remembered for his contribution to music, not the tabloids.  And as I walked out of the theater with a wide smile on my face, I was relieved to realize that somehow this movie made it all right.  In the space of that 2 hours, all was right with the world.  So go to the movie, all you lovers and haters, and make your peace with MJ.  It’s time to put this debate to rest.

In closing, I leave you with one of my favorite MJ medleys by Sam Tsui:

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I succumbed to the hype

by Sarah Novak on April 16, 2009

twilight

I’m not sure how it happened, but at some point during the trip to Mexico I picked up a copy of the book Twilight.  Ladies and Gentlemen, it was all over from there.  I had book 1 finished in two days, book 2 of the series done in 2 more and I’d managed to find the third one at the airport for the flight home.  Can someone say obsession?  Honestly, I did not think I’d feel this way about it.  Teeny-bopper books about vampires?  Not my thing.  Yet… the writing is superb, the story-line bizarre but compelling.  I can’t believe I’m advocating for this but if you haven’t read Twilight yet, it’s time.  Don’t rent the movie first, that’s not supposed to be as good.  Start with the book.  I just picked up the 4th and final in the series and plan to annihilate in tomorrow on the plane ride back to MN.  Take the leap on this one, you’ll thank me later…

Jodi's Coming to Town

by Sarah Novak on March 11, 2009

jodi-picoult

Very exciting news!  Jodi Picoult, one of my very favorite authors, is coming to town.  She’s written some of these titles that you may recognize: My Sister’s Keeper, The Pact, Plain Truth, Nineteen Minutes…  She’ll be at the Rosedale Center Borders on Wednesday, March 18th at Noon signing her newest book: Handle with Care.  Sadly, I will be in DC that day (bad timing!) but I hope someone else has the joy of meeting her!  And if you haven’t read any of her books yet, start with My Sister’s Keeper and move on to Plain Truth.  You’ll want to read them all after you finish those two…

Bonus: Attention ER fans! I used to watch ER in the early days but stopped watching it about 5 years ago.  Well, just an FYI that on Thursday night many of the old “favorites” will be back on the show including: Julianna Marguiles, Eric LaSalle and Noah Wiley.  Definitely worth tuning in again for one night!  At 9 PM CST on NBC.

Warning: You May Become Addicted

by Sarah Novak on January 10, 2009

fuzzle

Those of you who know me well know that I am anything BUT a gamer.  It seems though, that I have developed a bit of an addiction.  It’s called Fuzzle.  In fact, Fuzzle has become such a favorite of mine that I’ve created a verb out of it, often saying to Nick, “I’m going to go FUZZLE now.”  Seriously, how did I fall for this game??

It’s quite beautiful in its simplicity.  You need to line up 5 balls of the same color in a row.  The balls can be moved anywhere, but after 2 plays are made another 3 balls randomly show up on the board.  There are also 2 types of wild balls that can be used in your favor.  The balls can be moved anywhere that you have a direct path on the board, but the random placement and speed of the new balls showing up really adds to the challenge.  Play stops when your board has become filled with balls and you can no longer make a move.

Here’s the best news: This fabulous game can be yours on itunes for a mere $1.99!  It’s well worth it for the hours of fun it can provide in the car or airport!  I play mine on an ipod touch, but it can also be used on iphones.  Let me know if you find it as addicting as I do!

Try not to Covet my Passport Cover!

by Sarah Novak on September 15, 2008

As many of you know, Nick and I are preparing for our 18 day trip to Malaysia in November.  How does that relate to today’s post, you ask?  Well, when I was out on my lunch-time walk I happened to pass a boutique store that I hadn’t been in yet, Paper Patisserie (next to WA Frost on Selby).  Of course I met the owner since it’s my latest favorite hobby and she delighted me by showing me around the store she’s owned for 26 years.  It was then that I stumbled across this purple beauty you see above.  Let me tell you, it’s even prettier in person than photographed.  It’s shiny and purple and velvety inside and it just screams, “I’m a globe-trotter!” 

Up until meeting Nick, I never really understood the value of a passport cover, but he loved his little leather-bound one so much that I started to want one too.  And then somehow my passport got made fun of when we were in Grenada due to all the water stains on it (from study abroad) and my feelings towards passport covers began to change.

I believe it was fate.  I was supposed to own this passport cover.  I feel bad for those of you who may have also wanted it, because as I mentioned in my other post- I GOT THE ONLY ONE!  No more shame now from Nick.  It kind of feels like a beautiful purse to house my passport in.  PS- The beautiful backdrop you see behind it is the hand-made paper I also had to have from this delightful stationary store.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: A must-see foreign film!

by Sarah Novak on September 10, 2008

Nick and I saw this film over the summer and fell in love with it.  This French film has subtitles but I noticed when watching it that I became so entranced with the film that I forgot they were there.  It’s out on video now, so with the weather turning cooler, it’s a prime time to rent it! 

It’s a high-profile story about the editor-in-chief of French Elle, who became trapped inside his body after a stroke during the prime of his life.  This movie tells the story of how he faced the tragedy head on, dictating a memoir of his life titled In the Blink of an Eye  (and here’s the amazing part!) using only his LEFT EYELID.  If you aren’t inspired by this film, then I don’t know what will reach you! 

Here’s the synopsis from the movie’s website:
From one of the most emotionally exhilarating and luminous bestsellers ever written comes the true story of a man who took an adversity beyond all imagining and transformed it into a testament to the irrepressible human urge to love, create and dream.  With his third film, director and artist Julian Schnabel (“Basquiat,” “Before Night Falls”) forges a visually stunning, heart-stirring ode to what drives a man to go on when all truly seems lost. Through a mesmerizing blast of color, beauty and humor, and a rousing spirit of creativity, Schnabel tells the story of Jean-Dominique Bauby (Mathieu Amalric, “Munich”), AKA “Jean-Do,” the high-flying editor of French Elle and father of two, who was renowned for his sense of humor and style, his joie de vivre and amorous energy, when, in an instant, his world was plunged into the depths of catastrophe. 
 
Faced with a harrowing predicament, Jean-Do will use enormous courage and determination but, most of all, his soaring imagination to escape from his trap.  Tapping into the limitlessness of his memories, fantasies, wit and wishes, he finds a way to race through experiences of wonder and grief, sex and love, fatherhood and childhood, faith and questioning, ecstasy and absurdity – and touches the very essence of what it is to be human.