The Summer Of NetFlix....(I Sure Do Miss Ragnar Lodbrock.)

(Be forewarned… this blog post is a link bomb!)

It’s been over three (3) months since the faithful phone call to end one of my longest relationships. It was painful, brutally abrupt and left me feeling kind of disconnected, for about a minute. There were reasons behind the ending of our union: 1) No real communication, 2) Only one of us paid, all the time, 3) Moments were almost always about reruns, non-relevant issues and other people’s dramas. And other small irreconcilable differences.

I had an urge for some Space 1999. Yes, it’s a thing. And damn if I wasn’t successful in finding the complete series, for free, on #YouTube. (Sorry that sounds like a spam comment insert, but it’s the truth.  INSERT LINK HERE). I binged on the commercial-free marvel of SCI-FI for two weeks. Most of January and February of 2016 were spent in this manner. Time well spent learning, exploring and almost vomiting in my mouth, all thanks to YouTube.

Then came the awakening of an under-used Netflix account. If anybody was being neglected it would have to be my friends at Netflix . Being one of their original Canadian customers since so long ago, I starting browsing their homepage of (kind of) boundless entertainment offered in T.V. shows and movies.

A big Must Watch is Swelter! My love-lust for Jean Claude Van Damme has been reignited and yes, that man is still relevant and certainly, not ‘faking’ it. The cast is well-rounded, and the story holds up, for me anyway. Danielle Favilli is just fantastic as the psycho half-brother.

Then I spent two days with Jai Courtney smokin’ hot, talented, versatile actor from Down-Under. I binge-watched Spartacus prior to GDTDH, and was already tickled by that man’s physical condition. I had previous watched the first season of this series back in the day. Unfortunately, after the death of their previous leading male actor, Andy Whitfield, I was lacking interest and lost track of the show. (That’s another blog that shall be written someday, in the near future.)

(Quick note: EXCLUSIVE Trailer: ‘Be Here Now (The Andy Whitfield Story)’ Goes Inside the ‘Spartacus’ Actor’s Battle With Cancer. Released April 8, 2016)

Continuing with the Action theme, I was able to view recently uploaded Terminator Genisys  and spoiler, he still doesn’t die in this one, either. But the plot twist did catch me by surprise, so I give it a ‘Thumbs Up”. And oh yeah, Jai Courtney is also in this one. Mr. Courtney also stars alongside Bruce Willis in A Good Day to Die Hard 2013. Be your own critic and watch some of these.

Which brings me to the darker side of exploring unseen films. These films are usually independent, scantly censored and either nonsensical, psychologically twisted, or both. And the next mentioned piece cinematic art is all of those and features a mega-superstar Canadian, Ryan Reynolds. The movie that I’m speaking of is – The Voices 2014. The versatility of this extremely gorgeous man is not in question. Ryan Reynolds proves his range of emotion and extreme control, within the role of Jerry. There will be no spoilers for this one. I was creeped out, in awe and almost sorry that the movie ended, really. (Think of it as ‘Taxi Driver’ meets ‘The Truman Show’ with a drop of ‘Hannibal’ for dessert.) Definitively, recommend this at least once. (FYI to anybody inside Netflix, Two Guys, A Girl and A Pizza Place would be a real treat for us, your customers. Trust me on this.) Also note-worthy is that both Ryan Reynolds and Jai Courtney are in the now international blockbuster Deadpool.

Needless to say after experiencing such intensity with The Voices 2014, I was in the mood for short spurts of comedic relief, with a story line if possible. And I’m still pretty much in the midst of an almost perfect summer viewing blitz.

Here’s a short list of some suggested time well-spent and the laughter alone will make your heart, lungs and other organs, get a workout. So don’t say I didn’t warn you.

1.      Grace and Frankie – Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. These ladies are as ‘relevant’ as they were when they enacted “9 to 5”. I was so upset to come to the end of the first season. And it’s at the top of my must-watch list during the summer when season two is uploaded to Netflix. Hurry up! Hurry up! Hurry up!

2.      The Ranch – Sam Elliott (enough said)…. Joking aside the cast is loaded and pretty solid storyline in the first season. This one took me by surprise as I’m not a country girl by any means and I’ve become immune to Ashton Kutcher. Yet, I absolutely love, love, love Same Elliott. And he is in this, so watch it. Really.

3.      Spartacus – Andy Whitfield’s last know contribution to the entertainment world prior to his untimely passing. He is still sadly missed. The series continued on, thanks to Netflix and gave several more seasons of spectacular, historically correct moments in Roman society and some of the bloodiest scenes I’ve ever enjoyed. Oh and did I mentioned the copious amounts of bare-breasted women, the unadulterated orgies and the epic gladiator matches. Obviously, I will never say enough about something I enjoy so much. I yelled “Spartacus!!!” every chance I got for at least three weeks. I order you to watch this show during those rainy days.

4.      Marco Polo – Not particularly standing out for anything but still holding its own as historically accurate, for the most part and the scenes are breathe-taking.

5.      Flaked – Will Arnett and some other underrated, yet very talented actors who portray eccentric people living in Venice, California, of all places. Will Arnett is dark, yet lovable, endearing, yet untrustworthy and that’s just the first episode. And yes I admit, he can almost be very seductive.

And that just the beginning of my adventures in the world of Netflix (Canadian link). And did I mention the crap-load of savings from not paying for cable. (I sure do miss watching Vikings on History Channel.) I just have to make sure that all this new control over my quality of entertainment is going to lead to a more controlled intake of this said entertainment. NOT!!!

If you don’t have an account yet, get one. Start by going here Netflix.ca, or check with your actual Internet provider.

(One last thing: who’s on board to petition Netflix to give us back the reviews and ratings options? I’ve got some feedback that’s dying to get out. Anybody else feeling the same way, too?)

©Dominique Clark 2016

Ohhhhhhhhhh!!!!! Vidal.....(It's that good.)

I never thought i would leave my faithful haircare line but who of us can see into the future. I won't make this more difficult for the wounded parties so I won't mention my former mangle-candy for my hair. I really thought I would have to do the eternal back-and-forth for life to keep the bounce and shine going.

Did I mention my poodle-frizz? (without trying, it really looks like this.)

So then, I catch an ad announcing the new Vidal Sassoon Pro Series. Do I dare spend my peanuts on a product I may use only twice if not satisfied? (There's a drawer filled with those products).

Well, I did and I LOVE IT !!!!!!!!!!!

I brought home the V.S. Pro Series Volume shampoo and  conditioner.

 And it never saw the drawer. Of course, I ran out of conditioner before the shampoo so I brought home the V.S. Pro Series Moisture conditioner.

And the love is just growing stronger. I have not had to use any other products after my shampoo and conditioning. I do not tell a lie!

It used to be shampoo, condition, leave-in condition, blow-dry, straightener spray, straightener.
Now I shampoo, condition, blow-dry and straighten.  (See how much shorter that is.)

Ladies, just one try and you will fall in love, too. 

Oops...(Did It Again.)

So I was on a roll a few months back, with almost everything coming together except a couple of personal areas. Well, those exceptions turned into main events of my life for a few weeks (OK months) and everything that I was working on just fell to the side of the always-moving asphalt. So rolls Life.

It wasn't vacation time, either. I've been trying new products: some passed, some failed. We are still enjoying new antics and tricks by Oscar & Rocco, (trilling/talking to people, opening rounded doorknobs,...). I surfed the web and found new shopping sites with easy check-outs and Paypal friendly (not everybody has or wants a credit card-very un-techno but a choice none the less).

So let's get back into it with a little review on Purex with Zout.

I'm already a big fan of Purex Complete 3-in-1

so it was an easy choice with such a great price and a promise to clean even my dingy whites. And it was exactly what it promised. Nobody had an allergy reaction ( Gillette 5 in 1 bodywash & teenage son - will review). And when I pulled the fluffy housecoat out the dryer, it was given another 4 weeks grace from the garbage heap. That's how white it looked.

And to help you make up your mind just try this 'free sample offer' for Purex Complete with Zout. And check out the Purex website for their complete line of laundry needs. My laundry is lasting longer for it and so is my paycheque. Try it for yourself, with a free sample offer , Purex  is going to have something you need and love the results you get.

Until the next post, enjoy the moment as it is more unique the last and less unique than the next.

Loving New Spreadsheet Program...(If you like that sort of thing!?)

I just want to share another tested product. I don't usually download free programs as they always come with invasive adware and hidden spyware. Sometimes you even get the dreaded "pre-load virus". So I was hesitant at first when searching for a free database/spreadsheet. And then I came across this Gem.

I'm actually looking forward to data-entry again. This program has everything that Microsoft has. Just like it promises, it's easy to use and interfaces with other programs quite nicely. I've already produced 2 spreadsheets and going to try my hand at connecting data from one document to another. According to Openoffice, this should be a breeze.

Openoffice.org has tons of templates to choice from in several categories including personal, business and hard-to-find templates. I even found a template to keep track of my son's diabetes. It was provided by a another user of Openoffice.org and once I figured out how to stop my date from looking like "Y2K incompatible", the whole thing looked clean and easy to understand. My boy's diabetes team are going to love this new tool.

Although I had a couple of glitches when I first opened this program, it was nothing a good 'defrag' didn't cure. The download time is also descent considering all the features provided. Anything Works or Excel can do at full cost, Openoffice.org can do at no cost. And again, I stress that this program can interface with other major spreadsheet programs out there.

Just thought I would share this one with those who are "admin. geeks". I'm not ashamed as I explained to my husband that spreadsheet programs are to me what Xbox 1st person-shooter games are to him. Pure bliss. Most should understand that feeling.

Until our next moment in time, enjoy the day, not matter which day it is.

Netflix...(More T.V.!?!)

On his 3rd day of holidays, my teenager was already bored. And he let it be known to anybody within earshot, including the neighbors and passerbys. His extra-loud music, his moaning, animal noises I had only heard on National Geo graphics. He whined about wanting a new computer so bad; he whined about needing a new Xbox 360. This carried on for well over 2 hours. (Not an exaggerations. Teenagers can be consistent for the 'right cause'.)

His last resort of battling boredom was to sit beside me at the half counter as I tried to concentrate on doing some data-entry (known as a job to some). The concept of my attention on anything but my beautiful baby boy is still not a reality, even at his age. So the conversation went like this:

"Mom. If we had Netflix, I won't be so bored."

"HAHAHAHAHA"

"Really. Why don't you check it out right now with me. It's cheap. It's works really well. And we already have everything we need to use it right away."

"HAHAHAHAHA"

"At least my broke-down Xbox can be useful to watch movies, again."

"HAHAHAHAHA"

"If we have Netflix, I'll still be here when Grandma and Grandpa stop by. If we don't get Netflix, I'll need you to take me to my friend's"

"HAHA (click,click,click.....) HAHA (click, click, click....) HAHA..."

"Thanks, Mommy! This is so cool."

And I didn't see him again until suppertime.

That's how quick, easy and joy-inducing Netflix is for my family. My hubby hasn't watched regular T.V. for 4 days now and even stated, "We only need regular T.V. for the news." (I don't think we're there yet.)

Although we are only in the first 30 days of the free trial. I do like most of the features and the different ways I can access my own account. (This is a big attracting feature for myself as you can read in other past product/service reviews.) Their selection is pretty extensive with plenty of room to grow in the Archives Department. (3 of 4 movies that I searched as some of my all-time favorites were not available.)

The picture quality is great on 3 different screens types used in the household. Audio was also great, on the T.V. and my  boy's iPod. I really like the ability to instantly view what my son's been watching. (Part of the requirement of that parental responsibility thing. LOL)

I'm still reserving my finally judgement on just how great Netflix is for when the 30-days free are up and the first bill with the real service cost is put in black and white. As it stands, it should only be towards the $10.00 when it's all tallied with the taxes and such. But I'm no spring chicken, for sure. And I don't take anything at face value. Ever. So check back in 4 weeks. I may not have such a pretty vocabulary.

I'm A Texter Now...(LG Rumour 2 Review)

Isn't it pretty? I think I'm truly in love with my phone. And I've only had it less than 24 hours. Sure my hubby got the exact same one almost 3 months ago. But his is black all over. My beautiful blue beauty is so pleasing to the eye that I've already thought of having a vehicle with the same color scheme and metallic brilliance. Just love the interchangeable back plate. I already switched mine out.

Of course, I used Virgin Mobile Canada to get the service up and running. I reviewed Virgin a few weeks back, with my son and hubby as guinea pigs. And I still stand by the review posted back then. Virgin Mobile has even upgraded their website service, once more. And offer even more options, without contracts. My hubby and son are still big fans of the Unlimited Texting Plan. And it's been very manageable to Top-up each account on time and without breaking-the-bank. (I just heard another $400 cellphone bill from a defeated parent. Research is a very powerful tool. I can't stress that enough.)


The LG Rumour 2 is awesome. Physically, it is a very comfortable phone to use either closed or in 'texting' mode. It's well-balanced and fits well in the hand. This is a Texter's dream phone. My hubby has transferred my son's play-list to his phone and the sound quality is quite impressive for 'just a phone'. It doesn't lack much in applications except maybe no video mode and the need for a memory card to increase storage capacity. Otherwise, this is a great buy without breaking Mom/Dad or the struggling student. The Contacts List can store up to 600 peeps!

Combine this phone with a Virgin Mobile Plan (so many to mix and match - You are in control!) and you have a great Xmas gift that won't turn into a 'money pit' in January.  Just an idea....

Sensible Choice - Vonage.ca (Really!!!)

Ths is the real deal. I strongly recommend this product for anybody who is tired of trying to figure out those extra charges; anybody who requires lots of long-distance minutes without the ballooned-price; anybody who has high-speed and a credit card (even one that you prepay yourself -no credit check required).



After much grief from our phone provider, in particular a CSR, who stated that we had no other choices but to us them for a phone. I disconnected all our services at that very moment, which included our landland with longdistance package and 3 cellphones also with packages. And I've never looked back.



Vonage is exactly what they promise. You can set everything up over the phone. If you are needing to purchase their equipment, it is affordable. They offer all the services available from "old school" phone companies and more. You have complete control over your own account 24 hours of the day, 7 days of the week.



You can check to see if your current number is available on their system. The options available are convenient and easy to program. Including Softphone (which I plan to test myself very shortly) and dedicated fax line for under $15.00 a month.



I could go and on about this company because they have been holding up their end since Day One and I find that a rare quality in any sector of commerce these days. Try it for yourself, even just for one month while you still have a land-line or rack up that cellphone bill. You will see a difference in your wallet.



Really!!!

TopsyTurvy Planters

In one of my previous lives, I ran a few greenhouses on a property we occupied. During this time, my former partner brought back some gardening products that had been a show down in the United States. One of those products was the TopsyTurvy.

We were growing quite a few varieties of tomatoes at the time and there were several that would seem perfect for deck-lovers and apartments-dwellers. I was surprised on how well this invention worked from beginning to end. It was a little messy with the first couple of transplants. Like all things, it takes practice. Otherwise, the fruit grow wonderfully and it was an even, abundant growth throughout the season.

This year, as the previous few, this product is widely available in Canada and on the Internet. I just picked on up at Walmart for $9.95 plus tax. I'm putting some Grape Tomatoes. Your family will never get enough of these wonderful tomatoes as they really do taste very much like grapes. They are approximately the same size and deliciously sweet without a single condiment. I plan on try to keep the plant healthy and fruitful throughout the fall and possibly the winter, too.

Sleeping like a Baby...

Check this bed out... It's truly is amazing. I've been sleeping on it for over a year now and it's one the best purchases I've ever made. My husband was sceptical, at first, considering the low cost. And the fact, I hauled it home all by myself in the car (frame and all). This comfortable thing comes with a 10 standard industry mattress warranty. The frame itself is two-piece, fold-able and easily handled by one person. The mattress doesn't shrink back down to return in the box for moving, unless you own a steamroller.

It's 1/4 to a1/3 less cost as a whole then a expensive Specialty mattress worth $1500 and up. That's the just mattress. Sleep Revolution doesn't require a box spring and is the best sleep I've experienced since sleeping on a Swedish wood-slate bed my grandparents bought for my room when I was 15 years old. That's a long time without a good night's sleep. I don't spend more than 15 minutes with my opens when I go to bed most nights these days and I owe it to this bed.

And the setup is, dare I say, kind of 'cool ' to watch.It's a bit long for my taste but you get the basic idea.

I got a new toy! I got a new toy! - "Acer Aspire One D250-1821"...

I was forced to go off-line, again. The family computer had seen better days. After 3 "Blue Screens" in a row, I almost threw it out the window. My darling husband, however, could no longer look at my sad little face and came home on Friday with a wonderful toy. A new "Acer Aspire One D250-1821".

It took me almost 2 hours before I actually turned it on. I wanted to make sure I understood everything this little power house offered. And I crossed my fingers that I would not be disappointed. After more than 5 weeks of search for all required applications and a few extras for the wish list, I was staying grounded as far as expectations go. But the big "D" didn't happen. I've been smiling ever since I pushed the 'on' button.

The display is crystal clear, even for a blind bat like me. The initial start-up & set-up is a breeze for any computer novice who's surfed for a few years or a few months. Still, do read all instructions as for any new electronic/non-electronic device.

I've gone as far as setting up an external hard drive to view old digital pix and documents. The AOAD250-1821 is a sweet piece of equipment. It's compatible with every application I've run on a full size laptop. I've had problems in the past regarding router set-up for our home wireless network. Not with this net-book. I only had to open up the network setup application, put in our password and I was ready to update the provided full anti-virus program by Mcfee (60-day trial) and I was ready to start a month's worth of catching up, in one week. I'm now on Day 4. And I've yet to have any glitch or problem with my new toy.

All basic programs, provided with my net-book, are familiar to me, which aided with the transition to a different model of computer. Again, I state this was a wonderful choice. I do recommend to anybody in the market for a useful yet inexpensive net-book, either for yourself, your special other or the teenager on the move, put this model on the list. Personally, I don't think I'm done raveing about this little mini. Stay tuned...?