19. Try every food at least twice.

Top Ten Baby Things We Bought

#10 - The Diaper Genie

This thing really is a genie, a work of genius, a gem.  We originally decided against a diaper pail and would just throw the diapers in any available wastebasket.  After all, what is a diaper pail?  It’s a trash can- why do you need a fancy one with expensive refill bags?

Well, after a month of tossing dirty diapers in the kitchen trash can (gross, when you think about it) and in the bathroom wastebaskets (nasty, no cover!), we started to get flies.  Little tiny ones.  We thought that they came in with some fruit that we bought, or that they were living in one of our house plants.  Then, one day I came home and the house smelled like… you get the idea.  It was rank.  It was the middle of January and we had the windows open in order to air out the house!  After that, we made a quick trip to the store and picked out a Diaper Genie.

The price of this unit is totally worth the cost of the refill bags (about six bucks a piece).  After we made the switch, the flies were gone.  No more stinky smell.  And changing out the bags is pretty easy.  Don’t buy the diaper pail odor eliminator inserts, though; a generous sprinkle of baking soda works just as well.  Rinse the pail out with a squirt of bleach spray every once in a while and it will stay good and fresh.

http://www.diapers.com/p/playtex-diaper-genie-elite-pail-7251?site=CA&utm_source=cse&utm_medium=cpc_D&utm_term=PX-053&utm_campaign=Google&CAWELAID=1338731062&utm_content=pla&cagpspn=pla&ci_kw={keyword}

Five Reasons Why Teaching Abroad Is a Great Idea

Five Reasons Why Teaching Abroad Is a Great Idea

Traveling is always an experience.  Visiting new places always opens your eyes to learn new things, meet new people, and expand your worldview.  Teaching English abroad will heighten the experience of travelling and bring even more wonderful things into your life!  The market for teaching English in Asia (China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and other points east) is strong and opportunities abound for individuals with the right qualifications.  Here is a quick list of some great reasons to teach abroad:

1. Unparalleled experience.  Leaving home and going out on your own is a big decision that will change your life in new and unexpected ways.  Going to live and work in a foreign will surely take you out of your comfort zone, introduce you to a fascinating new culture, and give you the opportunity to visit exciting new places.  There are not a lot of 9-5 jobs out there that would give you this kind of experience.
2. Learn a new language.  What better way to learn a new language than to live it?  Imagine going grocery shopping, to the bank, or to the doctor in a foreign country and being able to practice the language with everyone you see.  Learning a new language will serve you well not only during your time abroad, but also when (or if) you decide to return home, this would be a great resume item.
3. Refine your teaching skills.  Whether you are planning to be an elementary school teacher, college professor, corporate trainer, or whatever, having experience teaching will benefit you in the future.  Being on your own, you will probably have a learning curve while you try to figure out what your teaching style is.
4. Save money.  Many schools will offer free housing for foreign English teachers and this is a huge savings to your overall expenses.  You can use these savings to travel abroad in Asia, make a down payment on a house, buy a car, or whatever you so choose.
5. Meet new people.  Unless you have friends that you are planning to meet abroad, everyone you meet will be new to you.  This will give you the chance to make new friends from your new home as well as with other English teachers.

See also:
Say Kimchi!
Thoughts III - 10 Reasons I Should Teach in Korea

Wine Tasting Notes - Smoking Loon Pinot Noir 2010 (California)

Smoking Loon Pinot Noir (2010)

With a name like Smoking Loon, how can you go wrong?  I picked out a bottle of their Pinot Noir for Labor day and I have a quick review here.

The color is a light semi-clear red that has a little glint of silver in it.  The aroma is light, nothing spectacular of note.  Same goes with the taste- nothing really stands out too much about this wine.  I cand detect a faint taste of strawberries in this pinot noir along with a light herbal taste- maybe sage?

I would definitely classify this one as quaffable- it would go well with sandwiches, seafood, and cold pastas.  Since its taste panel is not overly complex, there is not a whole lot to consider while dirnking this wine.

http://www.donandsons.com/ourwine/smokingloon/pinotnoir.php

18. Have a nickname.

17. Never make a joke at someone else's expense.

What I like about wine

Drinking wine is always an experience. I like inspecting the bottle, checking out the label, wrestling the cork out, pouring it into the glass, taking a whiff, savoring the aroma, taking that first sip, and enjoying the whole experience of it. I always drink wine with my wife or with my friends; it's not a solo experience, meant to be shared with the company of others. I've never been much of a cocktail drinker, except for the occassional gin and tonic or martini. I'm too young for Scotch. I love beer. There is just something special about wine. I tend to like the dry red varieties over the sweeter ones, and wine and my favorite season (autumn) go together well. Here's to a great wine autumn together- happy September!