You've Got the Power

On Wednesday night, my friend Anna and I went looking for a product that was wacky enough to try out for my blog. We went into Showcase, a store dedicated to crazy products only seen on TV. The guy working, (let's call him Brad), was more than happy to let us test out the Power Balance bracelet. The company is "committed to bringing performance innovation to every athlete in the world from professional to recreational. We want everyone, no matter their level of activity, to maximize their potential and live life to the fullest." The store featured a shrine to the bracelet with a video and pictures of celebrities who endorse the Power Balance, such as Shaquille O'Neal, Justin Bieber, Bill Clinton and P. Diddy.

In order to test out the bracelet, Brad tested us in three areas: Balance, Flexibility and Strength. The first time without the bracelet, the second time with it on.
Balance: We stood on one food and Brad tried to knock us over. I had terrible balance with and without the bracelet. Anna was rock steady both ways. The bracelet didn't do much this round.
Flexibility: We had to stretch around as far as we could. Both of us turned further the second time but I think I had just stretched out from the first time.
Strength: We had to press our thumb and middle finger together while Brad tried to pry them apart. I'm not very strong with or without the bracelet, but Anna was a warrior and Brad couldn't pry her fingers apart while she had then bracelet on.

The Power Balance is a neat concept, but I'm still quite skeptical about the actual merit of this product. It costs $39.99, so you'd better be sure you of it before you buy it. It comes in all colours, and seems quite durable, but it seems like a bit of a gimmick. Maybe it enhances your abilities, but for me, I'm going to drop it.

a few little gems

This week isn't dedicated to any one wacky and tacky product, but to two items that I've found add convenience and ease to my hectic life.


The first little gem I've discovered is disposable toothbrushes. My roommate gave me a pack of Plackers Flash Disposable Toothbrush in my stocking for Christmas. Six come in a package, and they are individually wrapped which makes them portable. Although they aren't the ideal way of brushing one's teeth, they are perfect for times where it's just not possible to break out your toothbrush and toothpaste and brush away that coffee breath. You shouldn't go as far as to only use disposable toothbrushes -- that just wouldn't be hygienic -- but in terms of convenience and getting that those teeth feeling much less fuzzy, these mini toothbrushes do the trick.

The next product I absolutely love is the Swiffer Wet Jet. My mom bought me one for Christmas and I use it almost every day. Instead of using a mop and a dirty bucket of water, this little gem uses a liquid spray and a disposable cleaning pad. I thought the downside would be that it uses batteries, but the batteries I put in at Christmas are still going strong. I recommend the Swiffer Wet Jet if you are looking to clean without much hassel.

Get Crackin'!

EZ CRACKER
Canadian Tire
$12.99

I love eggs. Over easy are my favourite but a good percentage of the time I botch the cracking of the egg and end up eating scrambled. After so many years of this - mostly due to my inability to cook even the easiest foods, I searched for something that would bring my botched egg cracking days to an end.

The solution to my problem came to me through a corny infomercial. There is something about infomercials that captivates me. As odd as that sounds, I enjoy watching these exaggerated dramatizations of the problems people face and the brand new product that will save us all. The commercial below isn't the original one that made me want the EZ Cracker, but when I found this commercial on YouTube, I had to share. It explains the use of this product in an extreme way. Watch and enjoy.

Shop it or Drop it:
The EZ Cracker is the type of product that looks silly and pointless, but this little kitchen gem actually works! My verdict is to Shop it. I am so happy I finally bought the EZ Cracker. I made eggs tonight and they dropped into the pan perfectly! This is a product that isn't necessary to everyday life, but it did allow me to crack my eggs much neater than I do otherwise. It's not an expensive product, but if you're not willing to fork out the $12.99 and have mastered the art of cracking perfect eggs every time, this might not be for you. If you're like me, and want anything to make something as small as egg cracking easier, the EZ Cracker is for you.

BUT WAIT...OF COURSE THERE'S MORE!
If you watched the full video that will make sense. The Egg Scrambler didn't come with my EZ Cracker, so maybe that will be next on my list...