Animal Planet Is the Best Medicine For A Vet Clinic Waiting Room

Guest post by Ronny Mccullough

I work at a vet clinic and sometimes it can be really emotional when we have a lot of life threatening conditions with the animals. I have always been a devote animal lover and sometimes when they are sick and injured, it can really tear me up. One of the best stress relievers is to disappear to the back office on my lunch break at watch some satellite TV they got after looking at this directtv comparison.

I work with about fifty patients a day and also have to aid and assist with the distressed owners who can sometimes be frantic when their pets are in need of critical care. The back office TV is set to the same channel as the waiting room for clients, and we have found that leaving the station on Animal Planet is a favorite for everyone. People that love animals are a special breed, and most of the time, they are the best people on earth. We all like to watch the comical dog and cat programs to alleviate some of the stress and I have noticed that even their pets are often gazing at the screen. Music is fine for some vet clinic waiting rooms, but to really care for your client's needs, nothing calms them down better than good old Animal Planet. If you don't have Animal Planet at your local vet office, just let them know you would appreciate it in the waiting room, and if they can do it, they will.

Holy Cow!

First of all, I cannot believe it has been a month since I was here last.  Oh how time flies when you're up to your eyeballs in finals and birthdays and more finals and then a beachy vacation where you simply cannot remove your toes from the sand long enough to consume anything other than a sparkling mimosa. 

I have a couple things in the pipe. Like a delicious salad complete with pictures.  I know!

Currently I am feverishly studying (again) to take the law school admission test (again) and at the same time, prepare for the holidays (again).  Like, didn't I do this in 2008?  Apparently, I don't learn very well.

Now that I'm out of school (again) and before I start school (again), I will be submerging myself in study and reviews. Oh, and recipes.  Because that relaxes me. And I got some good recipies to try out also, like Chocolate Bark, a Chicken Tortilla soup, some yummy cheese balls and the one I'm most excited to try, Lemony Creamy Chicken Rice soup.

I'm going to find a snack now. 

OH!! I forgot to tell you, my mouth has been raw from eating these.  I found them while on vacation in Coronado and bought two pounds.  I LOVE THEM.  It makes my mouth water just thinking about it. 

The Ultimate in Personal Hygiene

The below mentioned products were given to me at no charge for review. I am not being monetarily paid for this review (other than receipt of the free product). I will give my honest opinion and thoughts regarding said products.

I have two daughters, 11 and 13.  When they are not obsessing over who said what about whom or what boy wore what to school today, they are obsessing over whether they are fitting in or standing apart from the crowd.  Currently, smelling good is topping phone time on the importance scale in our house.  I was given the opportunity to review a Unilever product, Dove Ultimate Fresh Pomegranate and Lemon Verbena scented antiperspirant/deodorant and Dove Go Fresh Pomegranate and Lemon Verbena scented body mist. 

Let me state up front: I did not review these products.  My kids did. 

My 13 year old daughter is very much the girly girl. She is all about smelling soaps that are pretty and bath products that match (like pear/cucumber body wash AND lotion). Around the time she was ten, this daughter became quite aware of her body and the fact that she was a girl.  She started asking for bath products, deodorant and permission to shave her legs the summer before 5^th grade.   

My 11 year old daughter has always been the sporty child.  She showered daily but did not care what her soap looked or smelled like. She just wanted to be clean.  Early last year, when she was 9, almost 10, she asked me what she could use for sweating.  She did not have body odor, but was concerned with sweat on her shirt.  This year she started carrying deodorant in her bag so she could reapply after P.E.  She also started caring about how she smelled.  Body spray became an important part of her daily hygiene routine.  She asked for a bath set for her birthday.

I have been lucky apparently because when I asked friends and family, those with boys said they had to approach the child about deodorant and/or antiperspirant and the importance of incorporating it into their daily routines.  I have always believed that personal hygiene is an important factor in fostering good self esteem.  Brushing teeth and clean bodies.  HUGE. 

Their opinion of these products is nothing short of MOM, WILL YOU PLEASE BUY MORE OF THIS PUHLEEESSSS?  

Finally: something my teenagers can agree on!  

13 said she liked that the antiperspirant/deodorant kept her dry all day AND it smelled good.  She said the body mist smell was not overpowering and she liked that the smell lasted all day.  She wishes however that the spray came in a bottle the size of hairspray. Apparently, she is all sorts of eager to smell good every.day.for.the.rest.of.her.life!  

11 said she liked the smell of these products, which is huge because the girl is not into perfume or things like that.  She liked that they “kept her from smelling yucky.”  She did say that she sweats too much and had to reapply when she got home.  (However, it should be noted that we do live in the scorching desert where it’s triple digits until Halloween and she does walk home.) 

Overall, this family gives the Dove products a total thumbs up.  As mom, I appreciate that the smell is not so overpowering that it triggers my allergies and the fact that the antiperspirant/deodorant did not make anyone itch. Because we have had that problem in the past and have you ever tired to wash off an antiperspirant/deodorant?  It’s not pretty.  Or easy. 

BrytonPick Dental Floss

The below mentioned product was given to me at no charge for review. I am not being monetarily paid for this review (other than receipt of the free product). I will give my honest opinion and thoughts regarding said product.

For the past three weeks I have been reviewing a new product to floss my teeth. It is called the BrytonPick and I will be honest, I was hesitant to try it out. Not because I don't floss or because I am opposed to anything other than that crappy little string we all use. No, rather, the idea of a reusable flosser kind of grossed me out.

We all know the key to oral hygiene and prevention of periodontal disease is flossing and brushing after each meal.  I have been pounding this into my childrens' heads since they were old enough to brush.  Any product that will make the battle easier I am all over. 

What I like about the BrytonPick is that it has rounded edges so it does not cut your gums or lips (if you are careful and after you practice once or twice) and it is really flexible and movable.  It is also made of stainless steel so it is claimed to be germ-resistant and can be cleaned by wiping or rinsing it off.

The makers of the BrytonPick say it is reusable for up to 30 days depending on the space between your teeth and how often it is used. It is recommended to be replaced every 30 days to “ensure safety and cleanliness.”

To be perfectly honest, the reusable part is what grosses me out.  I use floss and I use those other plastic flossers that fit neatly into my purse (which the BrytonPick also fits nicely and comes with its own carrying case which does keep it clean) and then throw away when I'm done. I am not a horrible germaphobe like some of the folks we see on the televisions shows, but I am a germaphobe. I admit it.

Hello, my name is Usedtobeme. It has been 12 minutes since I last washed my hands.

But, as I always say, don't just take my opinion of this product. Get one yourself and check it out.  I will admit it makes flossing on the go much easier.  It also made the teenager especially happy that she could keep one in her bag and use it at school because she is at that age now where appearance is almost everything.  And she loves it.  So I will buy her more.

Simulated diamonds. What does that mean exactly?

I was approached by the nice people over at DiamondEarrings.org and asked to help get the word out about their website, Diamondearrings.org.  They say the site will eventually be an ecommerce store that sells earrings but for now, they’re simply trying to get the word out.  I was sent these beautiful earrings and asked to give my opinion about them.  

I received my heart shaped box containing the simulated-diamond earrings that are set in sterling silver and they have those clicks on the post so the backs don’t slide off (which always happens to me and why I always keep a pencil eraser in my purse).

The earrings are pretty.  I like the square shape.  I like the sterling silver.  Now, I’m no diamond snob, I own plenty of cubic zirconia, as well as the real thing.  Generally I cannot tell the difference between the two.  These earrings look like glass to me.  Not in a bad way, but I don’t believe they’d ever pass as the real thing. I’m not sure exactly what they are because the website says they are “diamond substitute such as cubic zirconia or similar.”  I don’t know what that means really.

I wore them for a week, slept in them and washed my hair in them and they’re sturdy.  They have not dulled or fallen apart (which I thought they might because they look like the prongs aren’t really holding on tight – but that’s my paranoia.  I have feared the same thing about my wedding ring for nearly 15 years).  They still look nice. 

But don’t take my word for it.  Get a pair yourself.  Right now, if you visit Diamondearrings.org, they have a gig where you pay the shipping and handling and they’ll send you a pair for free.  All they ask is a mention on your website, blog, twitter, facebook, myspace, etc.