Easy Everyday Living by James Hollis

Public bathrooms are just that.. Public.. not Private..

2011-03-14T16:37:00.000-07:00

It has come to my attention that I must address a situation that most people seem to take for granted. A public bathroom is not yours to use as you please. It is not a private cell phone room for you to carry on conversations and I will flush multiple times until your caller knows where you are. I'm not sure when and where the trend started, but this has to stop. I don't care if you're talking to the Queen of England or the Pope, they can wait for you to finish in the restroom. If your phone begins to ring in the restroom, please don't answer it. Whoever is calling can wait five minutes for you to finish and call them back. I ask that you also not bring food into the bathroom. If you had to use the restroom so badly, why didn't you use the restroom before you left the restaurant or prior to going? I'm not asking for you to make a major life change, I am only asking that you have some common courtesy for spaces that are not yours.

Onward and Upward.

Don't turn to the dark side ...

2011-03-08T12:08:00.001-08:00

I wanted to bring to light a little known tidbit of information that needs to be passed on. It involves a very lovely friend I like to have for dinner that's both good for you and easy to prepare. Who is this friend I speak of? It's none other than our good friend the salmon. As much as I like salmon, sometimes it is a bit too muddy or fishy tasting for me. If you find this to be the case, try this: Carefully remove the skin, if it's not already, and remove the thin layer of dark meat along the belly of the fish. I've found that much of any muddy and fishy flavor that salmon can sometimes have is located in this dark layer. Quick and easy and your taste buds will certainly thank you for it.

Chill out man...

2011-03-07T07:56:00.000-08:00

It amazes me how often people don't have a clue about how to serve a good cocktail. I'm not going to go off on recipes for the perfect cosmo just yet, but what I will share is the most important step I feel is often missed when cocktails are created. Please for the love of all things alcoholic, chill your glasses. It doesn't have to be for long, but if you do have the time the colder the better. You can chill your glasses in the freezer or even fill them with ice and cold water before serving. Regardless of the amount of time or how you do it, your guests will be happier and their cocktails will stay cold longer.

Sin in moderation can be delicious.

Tough stuck on people...

2011-03-05T06:36:00.000-08:00

Sometimes evening's activities can get out of hand and you end up throwing caution - and cleaning - to the wind. The next afternoon when you arise to find various farm animals and dishes beyond the help of my previous tidbit, do yourself a favor. First call animal control and say nothing. Second grab the dishes with the issue and fill them with hot water. Take a tablespoon of dishwasher detergent and let the dishes soak until your head stop's pounding or animal control arrives (you know it's going to be a while). The stuck-on mess will lift off easily and what's left can be cleaned with dear old Bar Keeper's friend. In regards to the previous evening's gala, let's just hope nothing ended up on any social networking site and no pictures were taken.

Sin in moderation can be delicious.

A man and woman's best friend..

2011-03-04T04:20:00.000-08:00

Tibdit #3

If you've never been introduced to Bar Keeper's friend please allow me to do so now. This lovely gem of a pcleaner is a must for the home foodie. I've found this product to take care of any problem i've ever had with tough stuck on food or grime (I love that word). It's also a great multi-purpose cleaner for glass, tile, ceramic and even stainless steel appliances. Now I must say it's not for every problem that you encounter in the kitchen. It won't dispose of an unwanted neighbor or take care of you when your glass runs empty, but it's a must in anyone's kitchen if I do say so myself. I've added the website below for your enjoyment.

http://www.barkeepersfriend.com/

Onward and Upward.

Non-stick napkins..

2011-03-03T06:07:00.000-08:00

Tidbit #2

As the spring to turns to summer here in Texas and other parts of the country, one must deal with the dreaded sticking of napkins to your afternoon (early morning is ok too) cocktail. There is a simple solution to this age old problem. Just grab a dash of good old table salt. Sprinkle a little on your napkin and VOILA, Non-stick napkin.

Onward and Upward.

Revamp

2011-03-03T04:08:00.000-08:00

Since my partner in crime and life decided to redo his blog, I thought that it was time to give it another try. I have found that my taste for Facebooking began to wane about a month ago. I'm not sure if that meant that I was just getting bored with the site or seeing it for what it really was. I grew tired of the random posts and game requests as the main focus shifted from finding every person you had once ever knew to just another website you checked daily like email. So onward and upward I say. I've decided to go ahead and run with an idea that I had yesterday about blogging helpful hints and tibdits I have gathered from various sources throughout my life.

Tidbit Number #1

New shoes..

Got a new pair of shoes that you'd like to break in? well grap the dust rag and vacuum. I don't care what you wear to clean but just make sure you put on those new shoes. This little tidbit will help you break them in faster and not to mention you'll look stylish while taking out the trash. Ladies keep in mind that vacuuming in pumps is also a turn on for your significant other.. Don't ask why.. no one really understands what makes men tick.

Onward and Upward.. :D