Granny's Gadgets #17... and a giveaway!

This one is probably the most useful gadget to date...

and so easy to use :)

aaaannnnnndddddd.....   drumroll, please...  


It's up for grabs!

The way I found out what this weird thing happens to be is pretty funny. This past Christmas, my stepdad gave us a hot pink one, demonstrated it and went on and on and on about it and how much he LOVED it. After one time using it on our own, we were totally sold. We were so excited to have this little, pliable, rubbery gadget!

Imagine my surprise when going through my Granny's Gadgets stash this week! In the bin was this same gadget... only older and brown... not stylishly hot pink ;-)  At that moment I remembered seeing it in there several years before, back when I received the Gadget stash. And I remembered wondering, "what the....? hmmmmm...." and tossing it back in and never trying to figure it out.

What that means is.... I have TWO!  And one can be YOURS!  It really is an amazing helper. If you use a lot of garlic... or any garlic... you will be so pleased and amazed at how easy and fast this thing works.

To enter this giveaway:

• Be an official Taking It On follower and let me know in a comment that you are one  (this is mandatory this time) 
• Tell me how you currently peel garlic... in another comment  for an extra entry
• Let me know what you think of a Gadget Challenge in which readers post a gadget video of their own and we link them up on Mondays, or people send me their own gadget video and I post it along with mine... or something like that... in yet another comment  for an extra entry
• blog or Facebook link to this giveaway... and let me know in another comment  for an extra entry

That means a separate comment for each attempt at winning. And I will throw in a $15 Target gift card on the side for the winner :)

You may enter up until 12:01 a.m. on Friday, May 6, 2011. I will hold the drawing on Friday in honor of .... my birthday!  Woooo hooooo!  I find giving to be lots of fun :)

Best of luck to all who play!

I won!!!!

Some of you helped me win this... and you will be entered in the "reward pool" if you are a "liker" on my Facebook page.  You can still "like" my page even though the contest is over ;-)

But...

Woo hoo!!!!!

It is so satisfying to have beaten out Charo, David Duchovny, The Berenstain Bears, and Darth Vader. I didn't really consider Conan O'Brien a contender ;-)

I think it was my swank scotty dog headband.

Or was it the camel-toe?

Fidel?

Vecchio Venerdì... with a guessing game!

We're going on a trip.

To a place we've been before.

Everyone in the family has been there except for Miss C.

Where are we going?

Let's play Blue's Clues...

Our first pawprint is...

My first time... 1996

And that's our first clue!

(put it in our notebook :)

'cuz it's whose clues? Blue's Clues!

We got to find another pawprint...

It's in yesterday's post...

about halfway down the page.

And that's our second clue! (put it in that notebook ... whose clues? Blue's Clues!)

Now we find that last pawprint...

And that's our third clue!

Put it in the notebook... whose clues? Blue's Clues!  

You know what to do!

Sit down in our Thinking Chair and think... think... 

theee-uh-eee-uh-eee-uh-eee-uh-ink...

'Cuz when we use our mind and take a step at a time, we can do 

ANYTHING

that we wanna do!

Did you figure it out?

Yay! Put it in a comment and I will send you a postcard from there if you like :)

If you didn't understand this post, you don't have little kids :P

********************

And remember to VOTE!!!  see the picture of me and Fidel up in the sidebar?

Click on it and VOTE! And if you go to my Facebook page (see sidebar for that, too) and 'like' it, you will be eligible for sharing in the photo contest prize!

Granny's Gadgets – Quarterly Review and Giveaway!

Don't be alarmed!

I am not out of gadgets! There are still many more to come :)

This little change-up is to give us all a bit of a breather, have a chance to see what we've learned, digest the information and talk about which are winners and which are ... not. I know you can go to my tabbed page "Granny's Gadgets" and check out what we've seen so far, but how many people do that? So I am putting it all together into this one post, so we can easily compare.

And there is a lil' giveaway attached to this whole shebang!

The Meat Pounder started the gadget game... it was a mystery. And in its post, how I came to be in possession of Granny's Gadgets is explained. Mandatory reading for any GG lover :)

Over the past 12 weeks, we've seen 4 gadgets that are egg-related.  There was the super cool egg topper, the nostalgic egg slicer, the bizarre contraceptive-device-esque egg peeler, and the nearly-unanimously-agreed-as-unnecessary egg separator.

There were three items that relate directly to baking... the very handy pie-slice-lifter-outter thing, the well-loved and oft-used apple corer, and the super birthday gadget... the cake tester!

We pondered seemingly-broken utensils... our grapefruit tools :P

And rounded things out with our Valentine's Day-appropriate spurtle (who doesn't love saying that?) and attempted to take fancy presentation to famous-restaurant-standards with the butter stamp mold thingamajig.

This brings us to the giveaway part...

To help you start (or continue) your own gadget collection, you can win a...

$20 gift card 

to
Williams-Sonoma!

There are several ways to win this amazing jumpstart toward your own heirloom Granny's Gadgets set. Here's how you can enter:

1. Mandatory!(only this first one is mandatory)  write a comment telling which was your favorite gadget video to date and why (gets you 1 entry), then you can also...
2. leave a comment about which gadget you wish you had (1 more entry) OR
3. post a comment detailing which gadget you felt was a dud and why (2 entries!) OR
4. go to the Taking It On Facebook page and click "like" (another 2 entries) OR
5. link this giveaway on your blog or Facebook (worth 2 entries) OR
6. tell me what kind of gadget do you hope to see in the future! (1 more entry)

You get a brownie point for being a public, official follower of Taking It On... but you needn't follow if you don't like to read my stuff :P And do let me know in the comment that you are a follower. If you add it all up, that's TEN possible ways to win! WOW! I know!


You don't need a google account to leave a comment... anyone can leave a comment :)
And you don't need to leave a separate comment for each entry if you don't want to, just maybe put the corresponding 'ways to enter' number in front of each entry within a single comment... I can add them all up and sort it all out.  


The entries will close Monday April 4, 2011 at 8 a.m. I will announce the winner in that day's Granny's Gadgets post.


Good luck to all who choose to play!  And remember...


you've gotta play to win ;-)


(And don't forget to vote in the photo contest in the sidebar!!!)


Disclaimer:  Williams-Sonoma had nothing to do with this giveaway, other than selling me the gift card ;-)  This giveaway is solely a way of thanking gadget-lovers, followers and "likers" for supporting my blog... and trying to find out if anyone is actually paying attention to this mess :P 

Don't underestimate The Force!

I neeeed your votes!
>  >  >  >  >  >  >

First we were up against the Berenstain Bears... and in a dorkiness contest, those guys are pretty hard to beat.

Then it was Charo.  The girl is looking "tired" and plastic... and the contestant is looking pretty dorky ;-)

I thought the competition couldn't get any stiffer after they threw David Duchovny at us.  Not too much dorkier than having your pic taken with a sex addict celebrity.

But now it's....

Darth Vader!

********

Guys! Help! Fidel and I need your votes to win you the prize!

Remember... I am doing this for all of YOU! click on that to see the deets...

So go click on that pic in the sidebar... it'll take you right to the voting station.  And go click on that Facebook badge a little lower down on my sidebar, then "like" that Taking It On Facebook page for a chance to share in the contest winnings.

Ever had your picture taken with a celebrity?  If yes... go enter the contest!

Marathon relay? Tomorrow? Me?!!

Ummmmm......

Okay!  :)

A friend called me this morning.  One of my pack of running friends... we are a pack, like wolves... a pack of ... I don't know how many 'cuz I think I am the Lone Wolf.

I know some of my friends run, but I don't always know which ones run. We don't talk about running... ever. I know they run because I will occasionally see a Facebook update about how one of them just finished an awesome 8-miler (the same route I had done the day before... alone) or how one of them has been training for a half-marathon and is getting on a plane in the morning to go to the race.

I always leave a comment. Something like, "Hey! I ran that this weekend, too! Want to buddy up next weekend?" or "Awesome! Hope it goes well! Let me know if you ever want to go running together when you get back in town :)" They always reply along the lines of, "Yeeaaaahhhhh..... okay....." And I continue my loopy-doo figure-eightyeights inside The Gate... in the dark... alone.

Until someone drops out of a relay team.

And I get the call.

They all know I am running now because since last October I have been ramming down their throats posting links to my blog on Facebook. I am not sure if they think I am laughable or intimidating :P But maybe my beginning cross-training has signaled a certain je ne sais quoi ... indicating a level of seriousness heretofore unmentioned or alluded to leads to these kinds of calls.

"Hey, XL... what're you doing tomorrow?'
"Hi, Y! I don't have any plans... what's up?"
"Want to run in the Oakland Marathon Relay tomorrow? Our second leg just dropped out on us."
"OOOoooooo (squeal of delight)! Sure! How far?"
"Between 5 and 6 miles... we have everything... the hand-off is at Temescal... you know where that is?"

I know where it is and am remembering checking out this race about 2 weeks ago as a possible "training run" as there is also a 10K and a half as part of this Oakland Running Festival. And I am realizing that the leg they want me to take is ... ummmm... well, killer.  And not in a "ooooo, killer dress, doll!" sort of way.
Check out this hump... That'll be me.
No wonder their second leg dropped out :P


Would you jump into a race like this... even if were against the rules?

A Sex Addict, a Plasticated Lady, and the Berenstain Bears

They are upping the ante daily!

I really hope you guys are voting for me EVERY DAY!  You're allowed to. It is not cheating in this particular contest! Did you know that?

Go!  >  >  >  >  >

Fidel is way too classy to lose to David Duchovny.  Way too natural to lose to Charo.  And way to ... ummm... normal? ... to lose to the freakin' Berenstain Bears!

And remember...

I am not doing this for me... I am doing it for you :)

I am splitting the winnings between five people who "like" my Facebook page.  The winners will be selected at random. It'll be fun. It'll be real. It'll be real fun.  yes, I am a dork.  That is why I should win this contest!

So....

vote.

and

like.

now!


Or enter a picture of your own!  
– I have a friend who played professional basketball and has a pic of himself with Dr. J in the days of his  huge 'fro... I am trying to talk him into entering his picture. I love the competition!

Stop Charo! ...

Finally... a worthy adversary!

I am in trouble... really.

Have you voted yet?  > >> >> >> >>>

The backstory:  I entered a photo contest. The Me + celebrity photo contest over at LadyBrain.  The prize is a $100 gift card to some as-yet-undetermined business.  I know, kinda sketchy.  But the ladies over at LadyBrain have it goin' on and so I trust that it will be an ultracool business. ;-)

I do not plan on keeping the winnings.

No.

I am going to split that hunnerd smackers (in its little plastic form) into 5 easy pieces shared among 5 lucky likers of my new facebook page!  See? Over there on the sidebar?  Facebook Badge!  Coolio, n'est-ce pas? So if you want to be a part of something bigger than yourself, get on over there and get busy "liking" ;-) You don't have to do the liking thing if you don't want a slice of the pie... but 
please vote!!!


Anyway, here's the latest dealio... someone is endeavoring to trump my Fidel Castro pic... even with my headband and camel-toe!  Can you believe it?  That someone has entered a picture of herself with....


CHARO!  (see above picture with link)


yeah, Charo... and all her "cuchi-cuchi"... sheesh....


I must admit that my match has stepped into the ring. The contest is open until April 6th. There are bound to be others entering... Bring 'em on!  


A victory is empty without worthy opponents :)  


I have never enjoyed a cakewalk.


I'd rather lose to the best than crush the dregs.


Ut oh.


I'm starting to sound cocky.


Go Vote!

Contests...

You might notice some changes going on around here.

The first thing you might notice is the ROCKIN' pic of yours truly and Fidel over on the right >>>>>>>>

When you click on this picture it will link you to a contest... me + celebrity photo contest... "the dorkier the better" is what the creators put in their tag line.  The creators are some pretty hilarious and out-there women... the ladies behind the brain of Lady Brain.  If you want to know about manscaping or 15-minute O's or if women journalists should be placed in dangerous situations, you need to check the ladies out!  Their radio show and website covers EVERYTHING... really.  

The winner of the contest wins....

ONE HUNNNNNNDRED DOLLARS

I want to win this contest.  But I don't want to win it for me... I want to win it for YOU.

And this takes us to the second thing you should notice on the page...
the NEW FACEBOOK BADGE!

If you click on the BADGE with the lovely picture of Baby X silhouetted against the sunset, you will be transported to the NEW FACEBOOK PAGE for Taking It On.  Woooo hooooo!
Low readership on one site isn't enough for me!  I need to experience being ignored on multiple sites ;-)
So what you do is....
click on the BADGE.  Then once you are on the new Taking It On Facebook page, you click the "LIKE" button... the one with the little 'thumbs up'... near the top where it says Taking It On.

Go on... click it.
It won't hurt.
You can do it.
Awesome!  Thanks so much :)

If When I win this photo contest, I am going to share the winnings with my Facebook likers!  My first thought was to split it evenly amongst all of us... we'd each get about two bucks. Then I realized that my popularity might suddenly begin approaching my generosity, and that would significantly diminish what we'd each walk away with monetarily... of course, the good, warm feelings of sharing and friendship and love and being a part of something bigger than oneself are impossible to put a monetary value on, and in that regard we'd all be richer than Bill Gates... or Oprah. Plus, I was reminded that the postage to mail a quarter to 400 people (my husband is the Eternal Optimist in addition to The Penguin) would kind of blow my budget :(

So what I propose to do should I win is to draw 5 names at random from the list of likers on that Facebook page and split the winnings between them. $100 ÷ 5 likers = $20.  I got the math thing down ;-)  Now I want to let you know that it won't be $20 cash... they are doing a gift card to some place as yet unknown, but I am sure I can figure something out so that it works the way I want it to :)

What this means is... 
click on the dang Facebook badge and go "like" my page!
Then...
click on the dang picture and vote for me and Fidel!
And...
don't forget to tell your friends and family to get them in on the action of helping US win!

And get ready....
tomorrow's Vecchio Venerdì is going to be pretty amazing :)

Are you open to change or do you resist it?
– it depends on the change... moving from a nice house to a dump... resist.  The other way around... open :)

What would you do if you won $20?
– if I won $20 million, I would pay of my debts and buy momma a new house. Then I'd go to Costco and buy a 52" widescreen HDTV and a new Escalade with spinning rims. Oh... not million? Okay... then I'd probably go treat myself to a burrito with guacamole and sour cream!  Pullin' out all the stops ;-)