July Fourth has come and gone...

... Welcome Halloween and the start of Christmas (kind of... because you'll blink and Santa will be out slaying in his sleigh)!

Out and about this week because it's "that time of year" when back to school shopping equals "tax free items for the whole family" and we want in on it. 

I may have grown out of the need for educational supplies, but we certainly take advantage of the random one offs - clothing (underwear, and socks the other day for example), file folders for recent doctor visits (to keep everything in order and by issue), different small things you don't realize you're dwindling down on. 

While in Home Goods, there were a couple light up spooky benches that greet you at the front door. 

This store, like others, are pushing the scare before August first. 

Although cute, I don't have a yard to put them in, so they were not purchased. Plus, I don't have the scratch to get them (and they probably wouldn't have fit in my car unless I put the seats down). That, and being in a condo, I'm limited as far as what I can do outside. For example, I can't do any of my own planting or gardening (for as much as I want to), I can't have (certain) flags hanging (and it depends on size too), I just can't decorate year round the way my friends and family do back north. The community documents ([by] laws) say otherwise and there are a lot of "hall monitors" (aka people who enjoy griping and tattling on others) around to make life not so fun some days. 

I was amazed though, by these benches. It's too bad they're not more widely available online. I mean, sure, Amazon has random Halloween decorations, but these seats are so hyper specific, they're being sold at certain retail stores (Home Depot has similar ones for instance). 

More surprising, the ghosts are part of the Martha Stewart collection. The skulls, however, are "Magnesia", which seem to be a small enough brand name, it's hard to find them online, as gym equipment keep turning up instead. 

Regarding pricing: I wish I got a picture of the ghosts price tag, but the skulls are listed as $169.99 (if you zoom in). It seems like this is the round about pricing for both, as online researching says the range is $169.99 to over $300 depending on where you're looking to buy them. 

I know Lowe's already has their big blow up yard stuff ready to be sold, because we were there the beginning of the month for some home renovation items. As soon as you walk in, there are a few giant skeletons, pumpkins and other creatures wanting to say hello and point you to the fright fest area. 

I do have to say, my favorite is still last year's DJ Skeleton; the 5 foot 7 inch motion activated Bluetooth animatronic that pumps out the bass and has you disco dancing in a cemetery all night long. 

It's a "Haunted Living" brand, and I think only available at Lowe's, even though a keyword search on Amazon brings up other creepy animatronics. 

Somewhere there's a post on my blog about that music maker, including a video. Just got to search for it and you'll find the reference. 

I can't believe how fast the year is going, that every major holiday popping up these days, reminds us how we're getting closer to December. School starts in Lee County in another 3 weeks (August 11 for those trying to look at their calendars). Traffic will start getting busier due to busses and then snowbirds will be here (coincidentally around Halloween), which means more cars on the road around town. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, counting the moments for snowbirds to leave at Easter... then back to the slow of spring and summer. It's a vicious cycle. 

Until someone breaks it, stay hydrated, stay dry, stay safe. Plenty of rain / flooding and heat all around the world right now, so travelers be mindful of where you're going and don't go into harm's way unless you're a storm chaser. 

Cheers; 

See also (aka keywords on Amazon to find the benches and other items written about above.. certain things don't exist on the A to Z site, but there are similar things to look at)

• halloween bench outside decor
  
• halloween bench
  
• skull bench outside decor
  
• skull bench
  
• ghost bench
  
• ghost bench outside decor
  
• haunted living animatronics
  
• animatronics dj skeleton
  

Subscription based podcasts

It's been long enough in listening to the  "Into The Fray" podcast by Shannon LeGro, that the advertisements in the podcast bombarded me in the first episode I got back in to.

All I can say is, "Wow". 

Within the first 5 minutes, the conversation got interrupted and there was about 90 seconds worth of random commercials. There's already been a few more advertisements in this episode and I'm only 45 minutes into the hour and 50 minute airing. 

The last episode I listened to, was long enough ago, that I've got to listen to over 200 installments. I went from listening every week to being squirreled by other people's audio; so three years later, I've got a lot to catch up on. 

Which actually means half of what is in the list, I can automatically marked as played, because they're for "subscribers only". 

There are people who pay to listen to the show with no advertisements, no interruptions, receive extra features, better information, and so forth. The Patreon fee is $3 a month for the basic level and goes up to $50 a month for true inclusivity - this is a small club; only 5 people belong, according to the Patreon page. All levels have option to "pay annually" and "save 10%". 

Conversely, via Apple, the "premium" subscription is $4.99 a month or $59.99 a year. I think the difference is between the two services, outside of the "Listen Ad-free / Get Bonus Episodes / Listen First" option, is just that - you only get bonus episodes and no ads in Apple. Patreon adds merch, the ability to enter the closed off Facebook page, Youtube videos, exclusives no one else can get. Spotify on the other hand, based on just looking at the page, doesn't have an option to support? I could be wrong.

I like the show, but I can't afford the membership fee right now. On any platform. Therefore, in the Apple Podcast player, I'm sending the locked episodes to the vault. 

This "significantly" cut down the episodes I need to listen to. Sure, I'm missing bonus content and 5-10 minutes more of the show, but some of the subscription episodes are aired with commercials, so it's not a big problem... except when a sentence is cut in half and some ad for another app chimes in. It's jarringly weird because then you forget what the person was talking about and hope you didn't miss anything else from what they were saying.

Happened to me with this episode I'm listening to; Shannon asked a question and the guest started answering. He was mid word and all of a sudden I got blasted with some advertisement. It was loud because it was just spliced in but whatever AI Apple uses. When the show came back on, it sounded like I missed something. I can't tell because I'm not a paying member. 

I guess my point is, since I've noticed this is becoming common practice with other podcasts, "buyer beware" that you might get service interruptions in your audio when you least expect it. 

It's not new because we're getting them on our television shows and video streaming services already. But now when you want to cut off the world for a little while and listen to an audio program that isn't on the radio, you're going to have to contend with timed sales pitches.

If you're into the supernatural, go check out "iNTO THE FRAY" because it's pretty interesting, if you ignore the advertisements. Shannon LeGro does a good job on this and it's worth listening to. If you don't want to hear it, you don't have to. I won't judge.

Until something happens in the universe shift, be safe and well.

Cheers;

See Also

• "iNTO THE FRAY RADIO - Encounters with the Paranormal" via Audible on Amazon
  
• "INTO THE FRAY" via Audible on Amazon - this seems like a side show, but not the actual podcast / subscribers version
• "iNTO THE FRAY RADIO - Encounters with the Paranormal" via Apple Podcasts
• "iNTO THE FRAY RADIO - Encounters with the Paranormal" via Spotify
  
• "Into The Fray Radio" official website
  
• "Into The Fray" via Patreon

People take it literally

I've got a "Free Hugs" shirt that I've worn out in public a few times. It's not a generic shirt that just says "FREE HUGS", but it's the Chucky doll with his hands outstretched. 

It actually looks like this:

Amazon link is here in case anyone wants their own.

One of the first times I wore it, outside of Halloween, my mother and I were in Rooms To Go. One of the sales people sees the shirt, points to it, and asks "seriously?". I didn't realize what was going on and I asked what he was talking about. He said that I'm "wearing a 'free hugs' shirt" and am I "giving away free hugs?". He had put me in an awkward position because what do you say to that, especially since you're trying to shop at a store he works at and may end up buying from him? So I weirdly said "yes?" and he asked if he could have a hug. I had to at that point. What choice did I have.

Yes, I could have told him to kick rocks. It's weird; it's gross; it's something you don't expect. But at least maybe we could get better help in the store if I complied? 

We didn't, as we ended up finding nothing we wanted.

Whomp whomp. 

I know I get stares when I wear it, but no one says anything to me. Or, they hadn't until we were in the furniture store, not have they since.

Speed up to this week and I'm wearing it again.

My mother and I are in Publix and I'm standing in the deli line, waiting to order a Pub Sub of The Day. 

When it got to be my turn, I did my ordering. As I stood there, another deli worker saw my shirt. She started questioning me. 

The first thing she asks if I wear the shirt to any of the colleges and their games. I said no, figuring that would be the end of it. 

Keep in mind what this shirt looks like and what the movie was about.

The employee then asked if I'm part of The Ministry, since I'm wearing a "free hugs" shirt. Again, I said no. She went on to explain "how people in The Ministry go to the colleges and college games, looking to give out hugs in the name of Jesus because the kids don't have family near them and are making friends. But a hug can do a lot of positivity for them because it's a personal connection and contact. The Ministry goes all around the country to do this and it's all in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior". 

I'm standing there trying to hold my mouth shut. Like, this woman, who doesn't even look like she should be a Christian, is asking me if I'm doing the Lord's Work at college campuses. Lady, does this shirt really make me look like I go out and hang with the 18-24 year olds? Maybe they have seen the film, but I doubt they want a hug from a random stranger. 

Hell, even when I was in college (over 20 years ago), I crossed the street immediately when I saw the Krishnas on the sidewalk. I knew better than to engage with them. I'm not going to a ball game and risk getting myself in trouble. No thank you. 

I kindly told her that it is something I don't attend to. It's a nice gesture, but I don't do it. If I had kept saying things, I think she might have wanted to try to convert me, seeing how the customer in back of me ended up becoming part of the conversation and agreed with the employee. 

Guess I'm in the wrong store, city and state if I'm getting asked about specific opportunities while trying to get lunch... 

Then again, a cousin ended up getting hit on at the Entenmann's display at another Publix once... 

Don't get me wrong; everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, there's a type of conversation that shouldn't be had in specific places. A deli employee in a grocery store shouldn't be asking about religion type situations when they don't know what the customer does outside of the store. 

Yes, I understand the context. It was as simple question for the good of humanity. Doing something nice for the community; karma points. There's a difference in how the conversation can be made, however. Once I was asked if I go to the colleges and I said no, it's the end of story. Had the employee finished her inquiry by saying "Oh, okay. I was just asking because I know there's a group who goes out because..." and then drops it, I wouldn't have an issue. There was no need to go into immense detail and ask if I was part of that group, as well as including the person behind me in the discussion. 

I know it's my hang up and I need to get over it. But sometimes it's just a weird thing to me because I'm taking as much of it out of context as they are. Maybe it's a sign I should stop leaving the house. Haha. 

I've got to seriously figure this stuff out though. How to better end a conversation without it being awkward as hell and also not get me kicked out of the business.

Until then, if you want to go hug a stranger, do it, but also, make sure you're not stinky and sweaty. It's still hot out there.

Cheers;

Gimme the tee (tea)?

I broke down yesterday and bought a box of Teeccino tea at Sprouts. It was "cheap enough" at $7.29, that I figured I'd buy it. I've been wanting to try the tea, so I grabbed a box of Chaga Ashwagandha Tea - Butterscotch Cream and continued my shopping. 

As Sprouts had it under eight bucks, comparatively speaking, Amazon has the same 10 bag box for $9.99 with a (one time use) dollar off coupon if you subscribe and save. The Teeccino branded website also has the 10 bag box for $9.99, but their subscribe and save offers a "recurring 23% off" the listed price. This would make it just 40 cents more than what I paid at Sprouts. Plus, I have a referral link for first time buyers: Get $10 off your first order (shipping is free when you reach $59 and you get a "free gift" at the 25 dollar price point). 

I know I've talked about it before - do your research and see what is the better deal. If you're already an Amazon subscriber, then that may be better than opening an account on another site. However, I've been getting emails from the Teeccino site and they've got some random sales going on currently. With the holiday season starting to ramp up, they are one of the brands who are offering discounts to customers. I am enjoying the blog and newsletter, as the latter has cool information and recipes for the various products they offer. 

With the cold snap a lot of places have been having, it wouldn't hurt to try out the (non alcoholic if you wanted) winter festive drinks. Once the dieting time of year begins, those who want to try keto coffee, there's even a recipe for bulletproof coffee. I'm not a health professional, so please consult a doctor if you decide to go that route. 

Now that I've got the prices out of the way and suggestion of where to look, how has this tea been, you ask? 

Yesterday: "Black" - no sugar, no creamer, just plain old steeped tea. The serving suggestion is 8 ounces of water, and I didn't think, so I made 12 ounces. It really is a matter of that extra because it was a little too watered down (not by much) and once I got to the end, it was cool enough, it tasted slightly bitter but tangy. I could feel a slight butterscotch profile among other notes, so for it being a "Smooth, earthy brew with a hint of warm butterscotch", it really was light in that area. I feel like there was a dark chocolate undertone as well, but it could have been the carob I was tasting. 

The ingredients are listed as: 

"Carob pods*, chicory root*, ramón seed*, dates*, ashwagandha root*(Withania somnifera 600mg), Indian sarsaparilla root*, chaga extract*(wild harvested inonotus obliquus conk and mycelium blend: 300mg), natural flavors*

*Certified organic

Produced on machinery that also processes almonds"

I guess it's how everything intertwines with each other. 

I wasn't really amazed by it without creamer, so today, I added a splash of Planet Oat French Vanilla Oatmilk Creamer (which Amazon doesn't carry that particular flavor, but they carry other "alternative" brands). I also followed the directions and made 8 ounces. 

This time it was was more palatable. I think the French Vanilla toned down the robustness of what would be considered the "earthiness" of the tea. It felt settled and calming instead of weird and almost tasteless like yesterday.  

I don't add extra sugar or any sugar to my coffee / tea because I rely on (flavored) creamer. I used to be one of those Massholes who went to Dunkies and ordered "a medium iced regulah" - medium iced coffee, cream and sugar. When you'd get several heaping teaspoons of raw sugar on the bottom of your coffee, you tend to get turned off, quick. I don't like chewing my liquid java. Thankyouverymuch. Every so often, I'll order a coffee with just half and half, and I'll put in a Stevia or Sweet N Low packet in it. Which I know is probably worse for you, but you trick your brain into thinking it's good. Monk fruit is actually a better option, I feel.

Okay, I've squirreled. 

I've taken pictures (on my iPhone and edited in Photoshop) pictures of what the tea box and bag look like, otherwise this entire post is for naught. 

I thought the information through out the box was interesting - how they suggest you make the tea and how to tag them on socials, so I took pictures of it all. I didn't get any of what the liquid looked like in the cup, but trust me, that spent bag is proof I made it. I'll have to take pictures of the brew next time I make it and I'll upload it in another post. 

After doing a little more poking around, I don't know if I would continue using this exact tea again. Rather, I feel I need to limit my ashwagandha use, in general. 

According to the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements, ashwagandha "appears to be well tolerated for up to about 3 months of use, but its long-term safety is not known. [...] However, there are a few reports of more serious side effects, including adverse effects on liver function". When I went to have my routine wellness exam last year, there were some questions regarding my liver function, due to elevated blood levels. I've since lowered that, but I do want to be careful with some of the things I do and take. Even though this same webpage states "extracts may help reduce anxiety and stress and improve sleep" (which I definitely need), I don't want to risk turning going back to where I was last year. 

I am not going to go into any details of what my doctor has said and what exactly my lab work looked like, but I will say this: it was minimal enough he wanted to question it. I'm a fat kid, so certain tests fluctuate every year, depending on what I'm doing with my life. Last year happened to be the opportunity where my doctor suggested I get things looked at, which I did, and I have bettered myself (to an extent). My numbers are down and the doctor is happy. 

Which is why I am careful in what I do and I'm always saying to research things. Don't take my advice and my advice only. I'm not a medical professional and I don't pretend to be. I write based on experience and if I can offer another view point, I do. It just so happens that ashwagandha is one of those "herbal remedies" that has pros and cons with it, and as much as I would like to sleep better and be less anxious and stressed, I don't want to over do it and risk killing my liver. 

I know that won't happen - killing my liver with one product. "Everything in moderation", but I would hate myself if the herb was the thing to push everything over the edge. I think once I finish this box, I won't buy it again. It's not because the tea was bad, it's because of the ashwagandha and I didn't think this through. I'd love to try the other flavors of Teeccino, but I'm going to read the ingredients before I make the purchase. I knew there were studies about the side effects of ashwagandha, and I've actually been good by not buying the pill form of the herb, solely based on that specific liver issue. There was something that flipped in my mind yesterday because I saw the price and I knew I wanted to try one of the teas. 

Tay would always tell me about chaga. How he makes his step father a vat of tea every couple days. It's got so many good things attached to it, it has helped the step father alleviate some of his pain, even though it's not stopped his ill health. He's still not fully healed, but it slowed down some of the problems. That's partly why I figured I'd try this tea. For as much as Tay said "you have to be careful what chaga you're getting - how it's processed and how you process it, because you can have more challenges than you need", he would go on to tell me what to do and look for. How he purchases his and how he makes it. I thought this would be easy. 

I'm not saying it's hard to do - all you need is boiling water, but the more I think about it, the more I am going to continue to drink this and say "yup. I experienced it. It's better with creamer than it is black, and I can cross this flavor off my list". Much like I can cross off the Almond Amaretto off my list. I made it, I drank it (much to it making me feel a little boozy once I smelled it), and I'd recommend it to people looking for a little punch in the morning. Would I buy it again? Not if I want to keep some of my wits about me. I don't know if I'd serve it to friends who are trying to stay sober, either. As I had a long conversation with another friend about that one day. We both agreed some smells are better left unsniffed. 

I think my espresso coffee is starting to kick in from 1:00 this afternoon. It's a sign I should get off this blog while I am a head. 

Until the brain zoomies wear off... stay hydrated. 

Cheers;

The math ain't mathin'?

Went to Target the other day to do some general shopping and they had the 40-48oz Starbucks iced coffees on sale. These are the refrigerated bottles of espresso, cold brew, regular coffee, and flavored coffee (pumpkin spice, caramel macchiato, etc). Two for ten dollars, you "save" 99 cents a bottle, as they're typically $5.99 (the ones we got. Prices range for other flavors and types).

As it's a decent enough sale, we ended up getting 4 bottles: two Blonde Roast, Black, Unsweetened for my mother, one Black Unsweetened Espresso and one Oatmilk Brown Sugar Cold Brew for me. I opted for the espresso for morning smoothies and the cold brew for any time. My mom likes the Blonde Roast for whenever.

For sizes, the Blonde Roast bottles are 48 ounces and the Espresso and Cold Brew are 40 ounces. 

I opened the Cold Brew yesterday and started drinking it. It's not bad. It has a very slight nutty / cinnamon flavor to it. It is a little sweet as well. It's weird that I'm picking up a profile not known for what it is supposed to be - oatmilk and brown sugar. It's also a dark drink due to the oatmilk. Creamer / half and half usually lightens up black coffee, but any dairy alternative usually keeps the coffee a more dark brown color. It's not bad, really. I just wouldn't make it a habit to get again.

The interesting part of this is (stay with me): the bottles I chose are 40 ounces and the nutritional facts state that the recommended serving size is 12 ounces. The estimated serving amount per container is "about 3".

I noticed that this morning when I opened the espresso bottle.

Now, if there is 40 ounces in the bottle and a serving size is a 12 ounce glass, 12 x 3 = 36. Where does the other 4 ounces go?  

Yeah, "about 3 servings per container" means you can fudge your cup a little and get more or less than you want, but then why be exact when you have the 48 ounce bottles?

The Blonde Roast is a larger bottle, yes, but also the serving size per container is correct. 12 x 4 = 48.

One comment made by someone I told this to, is "the Espresso is more concentrated, so that's why it's less". My question is "then why the same with the oatmilk one?". The next answer was "I don't know. Maybe it's accounting for ice?", which begs the statement "the Blonde Roast would be iced too". Enter shrug. 

I don't know. I can't math this math and I don't want to attempt it. 

Starbucks bottles don't go "on sale" often, if you're looking for a buy one, get one free deal. Usually they're a "twofer" deal like this Target option, although my mother does run to Publix on the rare chance it's a BOGO. It's so rare, that Publix just does a "twofer", so she usually just gets one bottle. It's not like you're getting an entire savings of a bottle (free), although the grocery store has them for two dollars more on a regular basis. Therefore when it's "2/$10", it's good. 

Especially if you consider Amazon has the bottles marked down currently to $5.54, but you're ordering it with Whole Foods as both the seller and the shopper so they you pay an additional $13.95 and say that's for delivery (on top of other fees). Even as a Prime member, the price goes down to $4.99, but you're still paying the standard delivery fee, which doesn't make this a good deal all around. Realistically, you're better off paying full price at a local box store than trying to buy it online.

On top of that, Amazon is currently sold out of the Blonde Roast and they don't know when they'll get it back in (as of this posting. See here). 

The Medium Roast is in stock, but the they have low quantities (see here). 

I guess overall, this is more of a reason to do research if it's something you want. "A good deal had by all" is not the same as "a good deal across the board", regardless of where you subscribe to and who you pay a premium to. Amazon, regardless of Prime status, isn't economical in this instance, unless you're in an area far away from any type of store. I'm sure that's a factor to some people, but generally speaking, most of the humans who have access to Amazon have access to any type of grocery or other store. Even if it's the boonies and a Dollar General. I've seen some random documentaries about people living so far out in rural areas, that the only option for any type of store is a DG and that's about an hour or more away. Some have no choice but to get their mail at a post office box because the service doesn't go that far out. This too, is a drive for the person. It's sometimes by choice, sometimes by necessity, other times a mix of the two. I can't say which series I've heard this stuff on, as I tend to watch a lot of various videos, both online and with independent media sources, as well as listening to a lot of podcasts explaining cultural and societal differences among populations of the world. "Gotta get the edumacation somehow". 

Oh, speaking of education and podcasts:

I finished Murder Homes the other day.

 Per Amazon synopsis: "The real estate market has never been hotter. Houses sell as soon as they’re listed. Bidding wars lead to all cash deals far above the asking price. But there is one kind of property that often sits on the market for years, no matter how much of a bargain it seems to be. Potential buyers come and go, the price keeps going down, and still the house stands empty. In real estate jargon, it’s called a “stigmatized property” because the home comes with a history. An unfortunate one – a horrible death occurred here. But what few people know is exactly what happened.... or why. Each week, Murder Homes tells the story of a single property. Who lived there? What secrets did they keep, and what did they leave behind? Part history, part murder mystery, this podcast mixes expert interviews, witness accounts, and court records to pull back the curtain on the hidden stories each property has to tell. Would you be able to live somewhere that seems perfect, if it weren’t for the ghosts of its past?"

It's okay. It was slow moving in some episodes and not that scary. I wouldn't say it's a "Zillow gone crazy" type of show, but it does seem a little fictional in places. I don't know what they use as reference material, so I can't say I'd be all into more seasons of this show. Maybe if it was a visual series, it'd be different, but it'd be boring at the same time. Kind of glad I had it as background talk while at the gym. 

I've moved on to something called Strange Air, and it's not what I was expecting. 

It's being distributed by a company called "Fable and Folly Network", which I noticed in their library, Greater Boston was apparently acquired into. I think Greater Boston was in someone else's catalogue when I was listening to it. 

The synopsis for Strange Air per Amazon is:

"Ten years ago, Malcolm Smith was the host of “Strange Air”, a successful radio show about the paranormal. One night, during a live broadcast, Malcolm vanished into thin air. To this day, no one knows what happened. Now his daughter, Chase Smith, is in her last year of film school and she’s making a documentary about her father’s disappearance. (Starring Natalie Lander and Patrick Fabian from Better Call Saul.)"

I'm not impressed. The first couple episodes feel disjointed and overall low budget. It's not horrible, but it's not amazingly good. The synopsis sounds better than it is. I might have to listen to it again when I finish the series because I've got it playing in the gym as background and not totally invested. 

Then again, something as crazy as The Osbournes Podcast had me laughing like a loon some days while on the treadmill. Total bananas, this series, basically because they were honest with each other, even through the oversharing, over talking and generalized cursing. You don't need to see this on their Youtube channel in order to know it's legit. It was good insight to the Osbourne legacy and I'm glad it ended when it did - well before Ozzy passed away. The show was an ADHD nightmare at times, but you learn a lot about the family without needing to know much as it is. 

There are so many more shows on my list and I'm over a year behind in what I was listening to on a regular basis (Into The Fray, Betwixt The Sheets, etc.). I keep hearing ads for other podcasts in between stuff I listen to, so nothing becomes a one off for me. I go down a strange rabbit hole of other networks and find more random things to listen to. Hopefully one of these days I can get back to those series I previously started and let go to gain more episodes. 

Until then, do some homework, listen to new things and drink drink drink your wine, raise your glass high.

Cheers;

See also

* The line "drink drink" comes from the title track of David Bowie's 1976 Station To Station album. 

It just takes one article..

 ... about hurricane season to get to the bottom of the page and read the comments. You start to think about things and end up doomscrolling yourself into a panic attack.

Seriously. All it takes is a few users to throw in some political jabs and how some areas of the south are cruising for one or two major incidents so that state gets wiped off the map completely.

You don't realize how susceptible you are and how "open to opinion" you may be, until you read what the bullies online are saying. Knowing in the back of your mind, they may have a point (to an extent), but you'll never admit to it because you want to be a better person and "rise above" it. See the better in the world.

Now that it's "officially" hurricane season, more articles are coming out about the predictions this season. With this week's random rain (we got a mess of it yesterday for a bit, and it currently looks like it is returning any moment), statements are mixing together and user comments are somewhat frightening. 

There are a ton of reports about preparation - buy this, not that; get your affairs in order; etcetera, etcetera. The weather in general is looking X and the shape of the population feeds into Y, making Z a probability. My head is going at a dizzying rate, trying to figure it all out and ignore the false statements.

However, some of the statements are regarding the suggestions about kits and things to purchase. They are items you can acquire online or in stores. 

Quite honestly, a lot of it can be used throughout the year in normal instances, especially if you're an outdoors type of person (batteries, radios, lamps). I know a few people who like to go camping in the summer and wouldn't think twice about buying hurricane prep items for their tent. The fan, the sprays, whatever. They aren't afraid to admit it's not for storm use, it's for sleeping out under the open sky use. 

After what happened last September and October with Helene and Miltion, more people (in the storm areas) are starting to wise up and triple check things. Considering a lot of places are still having major issues after being close to being destroyed or are actually destroyed. Fort Myers Beach is still cleaning up from Ian, and parts of the area from Charley in 2004. We live on sand and stone, worse than the rest of the country. 

They say "knowing is half the battle", but the other half is not seeing the battle. When the forecast calls for rain, you can see the clouds roll in and hear thunder (when possible). The droplets fall from the sky and soon enough, it's over. Same goes in snow territory. There's a type of overcast that happens and it the air gets cold. Once the ice crystals form and get on the ground, it is a matter of them accumulating more and you've got yourself snowmen and angels once it stops. But you can see it form and touch the ground. 

Hurricanes you can't necessarily "see". Yes, there's wind and rain and projectiles that aren't tied down properly, but the longer you look out an open window and see nothing happening, the more ominously silent it is. Lesson learned during Irma when we were at a friend's house and the friend didn't have shutters up. He had hurricane resistant doors and windows, so we literally sat and watched nature take its course while watching the news when the power was on. Sure, the glass was thick enough that two little doggies had no clue what was going on outside (and why they couldn't go out to do their business at certain points), but in reality, if we didn't know it was a bad storm and were watching the trees blowing hard in the wind (along with the water creeping up to the door),you'd not have known it was a category 4 to parts of Florida and then a 3 in other parts due to a second rotation. It did make landfall as a 5 in Cuba and the Leeward Islands.  

Irma flooded the main road, downed trees and took off roofs. All by huffing and puffing and sending in the rain. Power was lost and found. People had to fix things and figure out the next step. Which is done during every major storm. 

Hurricanes are different beasts than normal rain and what other parts of the country get with snow. I don't have experience with volcanos or earthquakes, so I don't know about the Pacific North West. I can only speak about my life in New England and in Florida. It's really no joke and things to mess with. Blizzards can kill you just as quickly as a hurricane because it's below freezing and pipes can burst due to the cold. Power is off and you've got no heat. Hyperthermia sets in quick if you aren't ready for it. But, how frequently does that happen? Yes, storms here aren't every day like snow can be, but the dangers are nothing to be compared to, in the sense that they are wildly different. I understand that. I just feel that in some cases, summer weather in the south can be more damaging than winter weather in the north. Especially if you're in an area that gets inundated with storm after storm (like the Florida Panhandle and New Orleans, Louisiana for example). More lives, property and money can be lost in one strong hurricane than what an entire season of snow can do for a region. It's devastating.

I'm circling so much here and I probably don't make much sense. Thanks for sticking with me on this and hearing me out. I just got into one of the fear mongering articles and had a moment of "not more of this... please....". There are so many things that come to mind and I hate posting political stuff, so I don't even want to say where I saw the article or how people were commenting. I'll leave it at "they always want to push people's limits and buttons and thing they're right. They believe we're better off losing some things so we can gain other things.. only to benefit the ones who support that cause". I'm being elusive for a reason with this. I don't want to be seen as one sided and not do what's right. It's about staying as neutral as possible and allowing everyone a fair chance, however, there are some things I disagree with on both sides of the coin. No one is better than the other and I know I've got my own problems to deal with. 

Like the fact it's going to start raining any minute and I haven't gone to the gym yet. I'm going to end it here and get ready before I end up swimming to the clubhouse.

Thanks for hearing me out and take care! 

Cheers;

See Also  (aka prep level stuff via Amazon)

* hurricane prep

* hurricane preparedness items

* hurricane preparedness kit

* hurricane preparedness items for home

* hurricane preparedness survival kit

* hurricane essentials

The lists go on and have a lot of similar items on whatever keywords you want.

Another deodorant bites the dust

Rather, another deodorant kills my pits.

Fair do's: 

I'm going to get into some TMI ("Too much information") regarding a deodorant I recently was using and what it was doing to my arm pits. 

If talking about body stuff skeeves you out, leave now. 

Read a past post on this blog, or keep checking in to see if I've got something new. 

If you want to continue, read on.

A few months ago, I picked up two deodorant sticks from a brand called "Nubian Heritage". They were on sale and the product information reads as being "Aluminum Free" as well as having "Certified Organic" and "Fair Trade" ingredients. 

The two sticks I picked up were "Hemp & Vetiver" and "Patchouli & Buriti". 

The first one I opened (and only one I've tried) has been the Hemp & Vetiver. 

The ingredient list on the back of the stick states:

"Propanediol, Glycerin, Water, Sodium Stearate, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Silica, Zinc Ricinoleate, Fragrance, Polyglyceryl-3 Caprate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter *❤, Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil, Vetiveria Zizanoides (Vetiver) Root Oil, Melia Azadirachta (Neem) Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Allantoin Tocopherol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Sucrose Cocoate, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate

* Certified Organic Ingredient.

❤Fair Trade Ingredient 

Natural ingredients may vary in color and consistency"

I typed the entire list from the back of the stick:

The challenge is, Amazon is selling the stick with the following (mistyped - "ffrom") ingredient list:

"With Pure Non GMO Glycols ffrom Corn. Propanediol, Glycerin (Vegetable), Water, Sodium Stearate, Silica, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Zinc Ricinoleate, Fragrance (Proprietary Essential Oil Blend), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Hemp Seed Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment, Polyglyceryl-3 Caprate, Sucrose Cocoate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Allantoin, Neem (Melia Azadirachta) Seed Oil *Certified Organic Ingredient"

It seems like there is some minor differences in the listings. For example, the "glycerin" listed on the website says it is vegetable but the tube does not state where it's derived from. The fragrance on the website is a "proprietary essential oil blend" but only says "Fragrance" on the tube. The "Hemp Seed Oil" on the tube is "Cannabis Sativa [Hemp Seed Oil"] but the Amazon listing just says "Hemp Seed Oil". 

I'm no scientist or chemist, so I don't know the difference in a lot of these items. However, it goes on to not be equal footing on either listing I'm reading. Whatever "Allantoin" is, it's got a second name of "Tocopherol" on the tube. The same goes with the Neem oil - the tube adds "seed" to their description. The "Saccharomyces Ferment" is filtrated on the tube I have, but not in any other iteration? I don't know nor do I pretend to know.

After cross checking both lists, it appears there are things missing as well. On the version I have, they list "Vetiveria Zizanoides (Vetiver) Root Oil", Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil", "Potassium Sorbate" and "Sodium Benzoate". None of those are listed on the website version. The only thing I see that is 'extra' is the "Pure Non GMO Glycols ffrom Corn" listing on the Amazon version. 

Either someone got lazy (whoever added this to the website), or there really is something different about the packaging. Some of the pictures online show the entire product information, like I have it, but the wording is different once it is all typed up on the page. Although, other (big box retailers) websites show similar information to the Amazon description. It's really weird. 

Reviews are saying there's got to be a formula change with this company, because people are breaking out in massive rashes. Pictures are being posted and harsh assessments are being written. Which leads me to the reason why I'm posting my own long winded and long traveled documentation. 

I too, am suffering from some crazy rash looking thing in my pits.

No, I'm not posting pictures. Just trust me on this, as I've stated in the past that I've got issues with certain skin care items. 

I first thought it was because I shaved too close and with all the exercising / sweating I'm doing, on top of it being hot and humid here in Florida, I was having a heat rash type of effect under my arms. But once I started looking around online for answers, I stumbled on a few deodorant fora and found the comments about this specific brand doing a number on people and they're not happy. Don't let the 4 and 5 stars fool you; hidden in the comments are the negatives. Even in the positive ones. 

As an aside, I hate when people give high marks for a product but give low remarks as to why it's bad. You're tricking the algorithm into thinking this is an amazing thing, when it's really not. I mean, there are honestly some awesome products out there, and when you try to be "natural" or add chemical free stuff to your line, you're helping a lot of people. But when people have bad reactions and make comments as such, please don't say it's high star worthy (don't rate it 5 stars and say it's 2 star product). If you're going to be honest and give a lousy review, downgrade your stars to match the content. 

If I were writing a review of this product, I'd be forthright. I'd say something to the effect of: 

"Overall, it's 3 stars for the ingredient list because having an aluminum free deodorant is great for a lot of people. Being fair trade and organic is another perk because there is a lot of deforestation happening out there and pretty soon we're going to be too overloaded as an empty "urban jungle" (because companies leave as quick as they're erected). This will cause a loss in the natural plants that make any type of body product, no matter how much chemicals you want to add to it. Science or not, I know it takes longer to create natural products and it costs more money (and sometimes adds extra fossil fuels to the environment) but the trade off is you're putting something on your skin that won't do any harm (or as much harm). Which is why this deodorant is a 1 or 2 star product. There's something in here that conflicts with the body's own ecosystem. It's wreaking havoc on people, and by personal experience, my own skin can't handle whatever is being put in and not being listed in this deodorant. It only took a few days and I started breaking out in what looks like hives or a heat rash. It then took a few more days to start to clear up, once I stopped using it. I'm a little more mindful now of what I'm doing to let my pits breathe, and I know I won't buy this product again. I have to begrudgingly give it a full 2 stars because I can't give it any more than that".

Truly, it's not a formal review by any means, and I know it probably doesn't make much sense. I'm not trying to be rude or mean or overtly negative, but I wouldn't want to rate this product anything higher than a 2, purely based on the fact I had a problem with it. If I were to say the whole product is worth a 4 or more, it would be a lie and my review pushes whatever website I add my opinion to, to the top of the list. It also adds high marks to the overall number. I'm not doing that because it's not fair for anyone else who might get the same reaction. As it is, I question why people say "4 out of 5 stars" or "5 out of 5" when they give a 2 or 3 start comment. Again, it's not right.

For me, the ordeal wasn't an "omfg I'm gonna die" reaction, but it wasn't comfortable either. I sweat a lot as it is, because I am a fat kid. I will always be a fat kid. I try to stay healthy and stay clean (like everyone else does, because you have to, if you want to continue to be an actively social person). I attempt to put products on my body that I think are good for me, just like I also attempt to eat food that is good for me. However, I can I admit I have down falls. It is something I try to keep up with, especially since I'm self conscious about things (there are times everyone else says I'm fine, though. They tell me I smell nice some days, but it's because I am using a new soap or shampoo). 

I know my limits and what I react badly to. It took a few different products to know I can't handle the essential oil version of lemongrass ("Cymbopogon Flexuosus" / "Cymbopogon Citratus"). I can put other oils on my body (coconut, patchouli), but definitely not lemongrass. Unless, for some strange reason, I can't handle any citrus oil and since the Nubian Heritage Hemp & Haitian Vetiver contains grapefruit seed extract, maybe I need to add "essential citrus oil" to my no fly list. 

But, that's still doesn't excuse the fact other people have had challenges. If people are saying "I broke out after using this" or "I think there's a change in the formula because I smell worse" than there's a problem and it's not just me and my crazy lemongrass theory.

Yes, I too smelled bad after wearing this. It was because my armpits were trying to get rid of whatever the hidden ingredient is (or potentially the grapefruit seed oil). I smelled like I hadn't showered or washed my limbs in over a day, when in fact, I shower every morning and sometimes in the evening if I end up going to the gym that afternoon, for the second time. I really did like the smell of this deodorant and it went on smoothly, albeit, a little loose (wet) one day, which was odd. But I think someone said that too in a review. While I was wearing the deodorant, it kept me dry for a little bit, but at the end of the day, my underarms looked like I went a few rounds with someone's fist. My pits were red and bumpy and didn't smell clean like I usually do, after wearing a "works for 24-48 hours" scent. 

Therefore I'm back to Native today, because I bought "fresh mistletoe" during an after Christmas sale at Target. Yes, it's taken me five months to get to it, as I've been using a few other brands before I could get to this one. 

Oh, and I haven't tried the Nubian Heritage Patchouli & Buriti because now that I've had an incident with the Hemp & Vetiver, I'm concerned about trying the Patchouli one. Even though I know some of the ingredients won't be an issue, it's everything else listed that I'm leery about.

Per the back of the tube I purchased:

"Propanediol, Glycerin, Water, Sodium Stearate, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Silica, Zinc Ricinoleate, Polygyceryl-3 Caprate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter* ❤, Pogostemum Cablin (Patchouli) Leaf Extract, Mauritia Flexuosa (Buriti) Fruit Oil, Rosa Canina (Rosehip) Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Allantoin Tocopherol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Sucrose Cocoate, Saccharomyces  Ferment Filtrate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Fragrance

* Certified Organic Ingredient

❤ Fair Trade Ingredient 

Natural ingredients may vary in color and consistency"

If I have any miss-spellings, my bad. I can't see so great some days. My eyesight is getting worse by the year. 

This too, has a lot of mixed reviews on Amazon, even people saying they have had bad things happen to their body after using it (like it leaves them smelling downright nasty, even though the natural patchouli fragrance shouldn't do that). 

I like the smell of patchouli. I've said that before. It's mellow enough in this particular stick, that there's an underlying fruit aroma with it. Maybe it's the buriti that I'm smelling because there's just enough of a whiff of patchouli, that you're not drowning in it. The more I open the stick and take a sniff, the more I'm smelling a cleanliness to it. It's bright. If I knew this wouldn't give me an issue, I'd test it out. I don't want to take that risk, especially since there are people saying this too is doing damage to them. 

It really has to be the overall brand, and that's a shame. They're trying to do something good and it's coming off as bad. Yes, there are loads of positive conversations about Nubian Heritage and people are liking it. 

I've taken well over 3 hours to write this blog post and I've been searching and searching for information on the company. It seems like a lot of roads lead to reports saying Unilever acquired this brand several years ago and has taken control of it. 

One website says that Unilever is not a cruelty free company, but they're allegedly honoring the original company's wishes by maintaining the mission of staying true to the roots of the creators ("Nubian Heritage aims to bring together traditional healing practices, cultural wisdom, and indigenous ingredients to create natural solutions for skin and hair care" "AI Overview on the brand Here). 

According to an "AI Overview" on Google (keyword search "unilever nubian heritage"):

"Nubian Heritage is a beauty and personal care company known for its natural ingredients and focus on African-inspired formulas. It is a subsidiary of Unilever, which acquired Sundial Brands (the parent company of Nubian Heritage) in 2017. Nubian Heritage’s products include body washes, lotions, deodorants, and hair care items.

Origins:

Nubian Heritage was founded in Harlem, NY, with the mission to create modern natural solutions using traditional African healing practices and ingredients.

Ingredients:

Products offers feature ingredients like shea butter, black seed oil, cocoa butter, and mango butter

Purpose:

Nubian Heritage aims to provide natural, effective solutions for skin and hair care while honoring African heritage."

[I've copied some bits from the screen grab above. Sadly, I didn't copy the link where I pulled it from]

I don't know if this link shows up, but it's where I got the following screen grab. It's the same as where I pulled the mission statement:

"Nubian Heritage is a beauty and personal care brand that is part of Unilever's Sundial Brands subsidiary. Unilever acquired Sundial Brands, which also includes SheaMoisture and Nyakio, in November 2017. Nubian Heritage focuses on natural and traditional African ingredients and practices, offering a range of hair and skin care products. 

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

Sundial Brands:

Sundial Brands, founded in 1991, is a beauty and personal care company that focuses on serving the Black community through strategic investment and community give-back. 

Unilever Acquisition:

In 2017, Unilever, a multinational consumer goods company, acquired Sundial Brands. 

Nubian Heritage:

Nubian Heritage is one of Sundial Brands' key brands, known for its natural and ethically sourced ingredients, especially shea butter. 

Focus on Black Community:

Both Nubian Heritage and the broader Sundial Brands portfolio are committed to addressing the needs of the Black community through their products and business practices. 

Continued Operations:

Sundial Brands continues to operate as a separate unit within Unilever, with Richelieu Dennis, the founder and CEO of Sundial Brands, continuing to lead the business."

The AI Overview on detailed look on unilever nubian heritage says:

"Nubian Heritage is a personal care brand that was founded in 1992 and later acquired by Unilever in 2017. It focuses on producing luxurious products inspired by traditional African recipes. Nubian Heritage offers a variety of products, including body lotions, body washes, deodorants, and hair care products, many of which are infused with ingredients like shea butter, aloe vera, and essential oils. 

Here's a more detailed look:

Origins and Philosophy:

Nubian Heritage was founded by two New York street vendors with the goal of creating high-quality, natural products using traditional African recipes. They aim to provide luxurious products that are both effective and ethical. 

Ingredients:

Nubian Heritage products often contain natural ingredients like shea butter, African black soap, aloe vera, and various essential oils, which are sourced from different parts of the world. 

Product Range:

Body Care: Body lotions, body washes, and hand creams are popular products, often featuring moisturizing and nourishing ingredients like shea butter. 

Hair Care: Nubian Heritage offers deep conditioning masques and other products for hair, designed to strengthen and nourish hair follicles. 

Deodorants: Some Nubian Heritage deodorants, like the Honey & Black Seed version, claim to combat odor naturally and also help control wetness. 

Unilever Acquisition:

In 2017, Unilever acquired Nubian Heritage's parent company, Sundial Brands, which also includes other brands like SheaMoisture. 

Ethical Practices:

Nubian Heritage is cruelty-free and does not test on animals. They also focus on using ethically sourced ingredients. "

I must say, I've got to take the information with a grain of salt. It's just that I'm finding a lot of varying degrees of articles (as proven by the level of AI Overviews for the keywords of "Unilever Nubian Heritage") and I can't seem to find a whole lot of background on the brand since there is a block on my end, where I can't see the Nubian Heritage webpage. I can't link to it as I get a 

"This site can’t provide a secure connection [...] [it] uses an unsupported protocol.

ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH

Unsupported protocol

The client and server don't support a common SSL protocol version or cipher suite."

As such, there's not a lot of information, outside of Sundial Brands originally owned Nubian Heritage and Unilever bought Sundial. Unilever now owns everything Sundial owned. According to the above posted picture, the original concept was that Nubian Heritage was "founded in Harlem, NY, with the mission to create modern natural solutions using traditional African healing practices and ingredients".  There's a little chain link next to the highlighted text and it goes to several websites, including a Facebook page. 

Unfortunately, there are several people on the social network site, looking for answers. Including whether or not Nubian went out of business completely, as well as why on Earth was the formula changed for all the products. Nothing seems to be updated since 2019 and the formula conversation is when they announced the Unilever merger. There's way too much back and forth and it's a tough read because you want to believe the company, but you also want to believe the client. It's sad and it's mad. 

I don't want to keep sounding like a broken record or a negative person. I want to share as much information as I can, because it can happen to anyone. If I am having an issue and am finding others are having an issue, who knows who else hasn't, and won't say anything? This is like my "buyer beware" segment and I want to be able to try something and hope it works. If it doesn't, I want to know why. What's changed, are other people reporting problems, is the company doing something different? Or, it could just be a fluke and only happening to me. You just never know until you go through it and then research it. 

Which is why I say in a lot of my posts, "do your research. Ask questions and seek answers". This is my answer to a problem I had. I am reporting to whoever reads this, to be mindful of a new product I tried, and if they want to try it themselves, just know it could cause a reaction (but you'll love the first smell of the product when you wear it).

I've got to start wrapping this up. It's been going on too long. So stay clean, stay fresh. Stay out of chemical imbalances. 

Cheers;