Product Review PUERSI Cookbook Stand (Wooden Cookbook Holder)

 

This is a pretty simple, but very nice-looking, cookbook stand. It is easy to put together and does not require any tools to assemble. You just slide the two notches together and set it down.

The stand is smaller than the picture makes it seem, but it will hold a reasonably-sized book (a book with 8.5" x 11" size pages with around 400 pages, give or take). It is too small, however, to hold an oversized book or a book that has a lot of pages such as the "America's Test Kitchen" cookbook, which has large pages and is well over 1000 pages long. 

The stand can easily fit in the corner of your counter without taking up too much space. It is perfect if you have a part of the counter that is kind of a "dead zone" that is too small for prep space or to put something like a blender. The stand could be a bit larger to accommodate larger books. But, for the books that it can hold, it does a great job, it looks nice on the counter, and does not feel flimsy.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 75

 Day 75 was lower back in XB and Total Body Tempo in 645.

The 645 workout was a repeat of the week 9 exercises. Some of them were a bit easier, even with using heavier weights, and some were just as difficult as they were in week 9. I can definitely tell that my right shoulder is getting stronger and does not feel as impinged as it did when I was doing Lift-4 and Job-1. It does not have the full range of motion back yet, but it is getting there.

Product Review: Lasko 5435 Max-Endurance Oscillating Ceramic Heater

 

I use this as a space heater at work because my office can get a bit cold in the winter, even with the building heater running. It works very well to keep a relatively small space warm. It is a bit loud, so if you do have to be on the phone quite a bit, you may have to turn it off to hear the phone call. Other than that, however, it is a good option if you need extra heat in a single room.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 74

For Day 74 I did the lower body flexibility workout in XB and Upper Body Strength workout.

In the XB routine, I got deeper into the stretches on each side. The 645 workout did the same exercises as in Week 9's version of the workout, but decreased the amount of reps and increased the weight (which I was able to do on most of the exercises). Overall, the workout was tough but doable.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 73

Day 73 was flexibility day again. I did lower back in XB and the Week 11 mobility and stability workout in 645.

The 645 routine actually had a lot of lower back work in it, so I actually got a very nice lower back "workout" today. All of the moves in the 645 routine are those we have done before or slight variations of what we have done before, so there are no surprises. There are a few pretty hilarious moments between the cast members in the workout that make holding the positions a bit difficult because of laughing.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 72

Day 72 was lower body flexibility in XB and total body power in 645.

The XB routine went well. I could again feel that I could get a little bit deeper into the stretches on each side. I am still a long way from doing a split, however. 

The 645 workout was another sweat-fest (despite being a resistance workout). It was fast-paced and the last block, when I was already pretty tired, had two pogos jumping into two squats. Needless to say, I was dead tired by the end of the workout.

Book Review: The Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and T***p

 

The Threat is a book written by former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe after he was fired in 2018. The book is partly a memoir of his time in the FBI, focusing on the significant cases that he investigated such as the Boston Marathon bombing, and partly a reflection on the lead-up to the 2016 election and his time working in the 2017 to 2021 administration, up to the point he was fired.

The hardcover version of the book, which was published in 2019, is just under 300 pages. It can be a bit dry in parts, which makes it a bit of a slower read than say a 300-page fiction novel. But, McCabe provides a lot of insight into the various investigations that he was involved in, as well as giving an assessment of the shit-show that was the t***p administration. He calls out the lies that the orange genital wart was spewing after he fired James Comey, specifically, that the FBI rank-and-file were not, in fact celebrating that Comey was fired. McCabe also gives a pretty brutal assessment of t***p himself, basically calling him nothing more than a bullshit artist and that McCabe did not trust much of anything he said. 

While it is not the most exciting book ever written and the amount of detail that McCabe could go into about the 2016 election and the Russia investigation was limited, as the Mueller investigation was ongoing at the time the book was written and published, it is still very much worth reading. And, since Agent Orange made sure he got fired 26 hours before he would receive his pension, I don't mind supporting him.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 71

 Day 71 was lower back in XB and lower body strength in 645.

This was the intensification week in 645, so we increase the weight, decrease the number of reps (to 10), and for the time-based exercises (there were not any in this workout) the amount of time you do the moves goes up to 1 full minute.  The workout was tough, but I can tell that I have gotten stronger over the course of the 10 weeks, as I am better able to do moves like front-load lunges without falling all over the place and getting deeper into the lunges so the exercises are getting a little bit easier. 

As far as the XB routine went, it was fine. Nothing really new to report about that one.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 70

For day 70 I just did the Restore routine in XB and had an off day in 645. There is nothing really new to report about the Restore workout. My flexibility was about the same as the last time that I did it. I might have had a little more mobility in my right leg, but that is about it.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 69

Day 69 was 645 Cardio. This was another intense routine that, as Amoila said the prior week, made significant use of the bands. The bands/loops are used on the first three of the seven exercises (although you can leave them off if you need to). The workout also incorporates more jumping/plyometric moves as well as more lateral bounds and shuffles (which use the bands as targets that you touch or jump over). Definitely a good (and tough) workout.

Product Review: DG Casa Bardy Upholstered Panel Bed Frame

 

I have a king-size bed on an adjustable base that my dog is small enough to get under. I am worried about him getting under there when I don't know it and getting hurt when I use the adjustable base, so I was looking for a frame that I could put around the bed to keep the dog (a 15-pound schoodle) from going under it. This is a bed kit (headboard, side rails, footboard, and crossbars) that will fit around an adjustable base (at least the Purple regular king adjustable base), but it is not a perfect fit (at least if the adjustable base is set up first). If you are putting it around an adjustable base you will use all the pieces except the crossbars.

The box is smaller than you would expect because most of the pieces are zipped into the back of the headboard. When you get it delivered, the box is just under 80lbs and it is helpful to have two people move it. But, once you get the headboard out and unzip the back, one person can move all of the pieces pretty comfortably (albeit not necessarily easily). There is some assembly required. For example, you do have to attach the legs and the sides to the headboard frame, connect the side boards together, and put the feet on the footboard. The instruction page is fairly clear on what all of the parts are, and what parts are to be used in which steps. All of the screws and washers are in a single bag, so it is very helpful to sort them out ahead of time which will make putting everything together much easier. The hardest part, if you are putting it together around an existing adjustable base will be to connect the side boards to the headboard and footboard. Basically, there are 8 screws, two on each side of the headboard and two on each side of the footboard that brackets on the side boards slip over and then you tighten the screws. It is not easy to get at the screws on the second side once you get one side put together. That said, the end product is very good.

I put this together by myself in about an hour and a half (aside from the crossbars which I obviously did not need). I love having a headboard that prevents my pillows from falling between the bed and the wall, and it looks nice. And, it does a good job preventing the dog from getting under the bed which was the main purpose I got this for. I absolutely recommend it.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 68

For day 68 I did lower body flexibility in XB and total body tempo in 645.

I definitely had more mobility in the XB routine, especially in my right leg. I did use my roller to work some of the knots out of my hamstring, hip flexors, and IT band before I did the routine, which helped a bit, but I think I was able to get a bit deeper even without that.

The 645 routine was a bit different this week. Amoila really focused on knee, back, and ankle mobility. He went into a lot of detail about how it is okay to have your knee go over your toes (if you have done P90X you remember that warning in the leg workout), as long as you keep your heel on the ground, and that it actually helps your back and improves your squats. And, it actually takes pressure off your knees. It was very interesting to listen to, so much so that I skipped a couple of reps here and there to look at what he was demonstrating. It was still a good workout, however.

App Review: Bodi

 

Team Beachbody has mostly moved away from putting their workouts out on DVD and shifted to streaming workouts through their Beachbody on Demand (BOD) app, which they now call BODi. The BODi app has the vast majority of the Beachbody workout catalog, including the programs that existed prior to P90X (such as Slim in 6, Turbo Jam, and the original Power 90, etc.) the workout program that really launched the company into the big time. It is not clear if you go on to the Team Beachbody website that the older programs are available on the BODi app, but I can confirm that they are. In fact, the only major programs that are not available on the App are the Les Mills programs (e.g., Les Mills Combat) because the licensing agreement between Beachbody and Less Mills had expired. As a result, Beachbody discontinued selling those programs and did not put them on the App. There may be a few other programs I cannot remember that are not on the App, but the vast majority are. And, some of the newer programs are only being released on the BOD App and are not being put out on DVD at all. This is very likely going to be the norm for the Beachbody programs in the very near future, so if you want any of their new programs, you will have to subscribe to the streaming service.

A couple of things to be aware of before getting this. First, even though the App is free, you need a subscription to be able to access the workouts or the workout materials. Beachbody has monthly, quarterly, or annual subscriptions available (the yearly subscription is $99). Second, Beachbody has added live classes as well, but those do not stream through the app unless you add a subscription to Bodi (which is $200 for the annual subscription), at which point you get access to the live classes as well as the two nutrition programs (Portion Fix and 2B mindset). Third, some of the workouts do have specialized equipment and, if you want those, you will have to purchase them separately. So, there are extra costs beyond the App if you want the equipment needed to do some of the workouts or get, for example, the portion fix containers.

Overall, I think the app is good, and it is nice to have all the workouts in one spot and not have to mess with DVDs. That said, you will likely need to spend additional money to do some of the workouts (such as those that require pull-up bars) and, if you want the documentation you will have to read it in PDF format or print out a hardcopy. One thing I would love is if Beachbody would convert the nutrition plans for every workout to the portion-fix container system so the people who do decide to get the containers can use them even with the older programs like P90x and Insanity that were created before Portion Fix. Thankfully, most of the newer workouts do key their nutrition portion to the containers. Also, one big drawback is that if you have the app downloaded on multiple devices, the synch is inconsistent, especially when tracking workouts. It seems to synch with their website pretty well, but not every workout I do on a fire device or on a Rouku gets synched with the BOD app on my iPhone. Which is a bit irritating. But, for the most part, I like the app and recommend it to people who have used the Beachbody workout programs.

Product Review: PackageZoom Moving Boxes Medium 16 x 12 x 8 Inches

 

These are very small moving boxes. They are good for things like books (that are not oversized), DVDs, etc. Basically, anything that is somewhat compact if you put too many into a large box will be too heavy to lift. But, if you compare them to the size of the medium boxes at a place like Home Depot, or other medium-sized boxes you can get on Amazon, these are much smaller. They are definitely not good for large and/or odd-shaped items because most of those kinds of things will be hard to fit and an inefficient use of space.

Product Review: Gorilla Ultimate Waterproof Wood Glue

 

I got this mainly to repair a wooden clock that I made back in high school in the early 90s. The glue holds very well after it is dried, and the parts that I had to reinforce do not feel like they had ever come loose. And, I love the new design of the applicator that prevents excess glue from clogging up the nozzle or making it dry out so you only get one or two uses before the entire bottle is shot. It is worth the pickup if you need to make minor wood repairs.

Product Review: TORIS Stainless Steel Woven Wire Mesh Cabinets Air Vent Mesh Security Mesh Window Screen

 

This is a wire meshing that I used to cover the end of the soft vent piping from my mechanical room to the outside that is in the house. Basically, if bees, wasps, or the like get through the outside portion, it is harder for them to get in the house. The edges are a bit sharp, so you definitely have to be careful around those, but it is a relatively small square of mesh. There are two in a pack. It is perfect for a smaller job like covering something you still want air to be able to flow through but is exposed or semi-exposed to the outdoors and do not want insects or other pests coming through.

Product Review: Cisco-Linksys WPC54G Wireless-G Notebook Adapter

 

It is a plug-and-play wireless adapter for older notebooks that don’t have built-in wireless cards. It is not something that people will likely need these days given that all notebooks have wireless network cards or adapters, but if you have an older notebook with a port to plug in a card, this is super easy to install, and works well.

Product Review: HexClad 12 Inch Hybrid Nonstick Wok

 

I purchased the 7-piece Hexclad set that has this, the frying pans, and lids a few months ago. The pans themselves are very sturdy and do not feel lightweight and cheap. The handles stay extremely cool when you are cooking which is great. I know that there are a lot of negative reviews, but I love them so far. 

I would say that I use this piece the most, followed by the 12-inch fry pan. If you follow the instructions and season the pan before the first use, it is very easy to clean after cooking. Some things I have cooked are definitely more non-stick than others (e.g., browning hamburger and then making taco seasoned meat did not stick at all and came clean with just the sprayer from the faucet, while scrambled eggs have always left some residue), but no matter what I have made, everything has been very easy to clean with minimal effort.

 The instructions also say things like eggs will do better if you use cooking spray or butter, which I have definitely found to be the case, but even if I do not use either I can get the egg residue and cheese cleaned off with just a sponge and a minimal amount of scrubbing. So, whether you will be satisfied with this really depends on what your version of non-stick is. If you are expecting everything to slide around on it like a sheet of ice, they will definitely disappoint you. But, if you want a pan that is very easy to clean after you cook and does not have a coating that starts peeling off after a couple of uses (and can be toxic), assuming you follow the directions about seasoning it, cooking on low to medium heat, and waiting for the pan to cool before you wash it, then I think you will be very satisfied.

Product Review: CyvenSmart Lightning Cable iPhone Charger Cable 6 Foot

 

I got the 6ft cable to use in my basement living room area. The power outlet is to the side of my couch, and the factory cable was not long enough to do anything except plug the phone charger in and have my phone sit on the arm of the couch. With this one, I can actually use my phone while it is plugged in. And, the cable is very durable, especially around the head of the cable which plugs into the phone, which always tends to get worn out and can break when bent. It is absolutely a good purchase.

Supplement Review: ProMera Sports CON-CRET Creatine HCl Capsules 750 mg

 

This contains creatine monohydrate, which has been a go-to (natural) supplement for anyone doing strength training for years now. You take 1-2 capsules for every 100 pounds of body weight depending on whether it is a training day or an off day (or if you are doing cardio as opposed to intense weight training). Given that regular creatine powder does not mix well with anything unless you add it to a smoothie or protein shake, and combining it with water or juice just leaves a lot of grit, this is a much easier way to take it. And, you do not get a ton of sugar like some supplements that creatines gets mixed with. I definitely recommend it.

Product Review: Lasko 5568 34-Inch Oscillating Ceramic Tower Heater

 

This is a ceramic heater that is perfect if you have a room that needs extra heat in the winter without having to run the furnace constantly. I have used it in my living room and in my finished basement. It does better in the basement because it is a more enclosed space and has lower ceilings, but it did keep the living room warm enough when I used it there. Plus, I have a gas fireplace in the living room, and that keeps the room warmer than this does. Also, in a more open space, you definitely have to be closer to it because it will not heat the entire room as effectively. Overall, I am satisfied with it and still use it from time to time.

Product Review: Xbox 360 HD DVD Player

 

Back around 2005 or so when the next version of the DVD was being developed there was a "war" between Blu-ray and HD-DVD for the high-definition DVD market. For those of us who dipped our toes into the HD DVD pool, this was a good, inexpensive, way to get an HD-DVD player (much less expensive than other stand-alone players), assuming of course you had an X-Box 360 to hook it up to. The player itself worked well and had a pretty decent remote control. It was very loud, however, which was the one drawback for me. Of course, Blu-Ray won out, and HD-DVDs stopped being made. I only had a few HD-DVDs that I got rid of and replaced with Blu-Rays, however, for those who had a substantial collection of HD-DVDs, this is a good way to play them if you can pick one up at a good price.

Product Review: Echo Show 5 (1st Generation)

 

This can perform all the functions of the other echo devices such as playing music, telling you the news headlines or the weather forecast, etc. It can do things like acting as a smart picture frame, by doing a camera roll from any pictures you have in Prime Photos. It can also do things like video calling, displaying video from a smart camera, streaming video from Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and the like. It is like the other devices always listening, but also has the same privacy options (such as deleting the audio recordings) that the other devices have and you can mute the microphone so it only listens when you want it to. So, it all really depends on what your comfort level is with using smart devices that can essentially monitor everything you do.

The screen generally displays the date and time and what the background is depends on how you have it set up. It defaults to scrolling between news headlines, the local weather, tips for using it, or skills that can be enabled, and just a generic screensaver background. As I said above, it can also be customized to display photos almost like a digital picture frame and if you use Amazon Music, it will display what song is currently playing, and if lyrics are available will display the lyrics for the song.

Overall, it is easy to set up (assuming you are comfortable setting up smart devices) and easy to use. The video functionality may be great for some people, a nice bonus for others, and completely useless to others. It really just depends on how you want to use it. I definitely recommend it.

Supplement Review: Legion Recharge Post Workout Supplement

 

I use this after any high-impact cardio workout or after lifting/circuit training. It definitely helps with post-workout soreness. It mixes well (I use a Blendjet 2 to mix it, and there are no lumps left after the 20-second cycle). I have not tried just putting it in a water bottle or shaker cup and shaking it though, but with something like a small blender, it mixes fine. 

The fruit punch flavor tastes pretty good although it is not as good as the original P90X post-workout drink (which I do not think is being made anymore) that they sold when the program first came out, which tasted like a creamsicle. But, this is a bit less expensive than that was, and gets you more servings than that did. And, it is not loaded with sugar like some post-workout powders are. I definitely recommend it.

Supplement Review: Vitafusion Fiber Well Sugar Free Fiber Supplement

 

While this is not a substitute for getting fiber through foods, it is a good way to boost your fiber consumption (you get five grams of fiber from two gummies) in order to help you hit a fiber target (or just get a bit more fiber than you normally would). They are sweetened with sugar alcohol and have ten calories per serving. Basically, they taste like gummy bears without having the sugar and calorie content, and way more fiber than gummy bears will ever get you. And, they are way better than most of those fiber powders that you can mix with water or juice.