Friday, December 6, 2013

Holiday Gift Guide 2013: Bella One Scoop One Cup Coffee Maker








Bella One Scoop-One Cup Coffee Maker



Product Description:

Scoop, brew and enjoy a fresh cup of coffee with the BELLA Single Brew Coffee Maker. The coffee maker quickly brews coffee, tea and water for your convenience. Its compact design takes up little counter space in your kitchen and includes your very own BELLA ceramic mug for that perfect cup of coffee.
Compact design takes up little counter space
Permanent filter and brewing basket are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning
Adjustable drip tray is able to accommodate a variety of cup sizes for your convenience
Pause and serve function
BELLA mug included



Billy's Review:

Holiday Gift Guide 2013: Balsam Hill's Napa Valley Lavender Wreath




Balsam Hill's Napa Valley Lavender Wreath

Original Price $99
Clearance Price $59.99

Purchase Link:

Balsam Hill 


Product Description:

Dried lavender infuses any indoor space with a fresh fragrance

All-natural sage green caspia, eucalyptus, purple sinuata and larkspur.

Carefully preserved foliage retains its integrity for 12 to 18 months.

Measures 22 inches in diameter.


Billy's Review:

Blu-ray Review - Mary Poppins: 50th Anniversary Edition





Mary Poppins
50th Anniversary Edition
Directed By: Robert Stevenson
Starring: Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson, Glyins Johns
Based on the "Mary Poppins" books by P.L. Tavers
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Release Date: December 10, 2013
ASIN: B00E9ZAT4Y
Running Time: 139 minutes
Rating: G

Retail:
Blu-ray Combo $39.99
DVD $29.99

Purchase Links:





Billy's Review:

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Holiday Gift Guide 2013: Twisted Shotz Review & Swag Giveaway

Holiday Gift Guide 2013: Nerf N-Sports Cyber Hoop Set



Nerf N-Sports Cyber Hoop Set

Retail: $19.99
ASIN: B00ARQW0N2
Product Dimensions: 4.5 x 13.3 x 11 inches  
Manufacturer recommended age: 8 years and up 
Batteries 3 AAA batteries required.

Purchase Links:

Product Description: 

Take on anyone, anywhere in the Cyber Hoop arena! The hoop connects wirelessly to your mobile device (sold separately) so you can challenge your friends through the app! Prove your dominance in quick play, head-to-head play, dunk contests and more. Watch your most amazing plays again with the automatically created highlight reel, which has commentary and slow-motion replay! You can even share your video highlights and stats with others! There are 5 ways to play and room for up to 4 players, so get your virtual dunk on and dominate with the Cyber Hoop!

Challenge your friends to a virtual dunk contest or other ways to play with the Cyber Hoop! Compete with your friends in real time, even when you're not in the same room! Choose from 5 ways to play for up to 4 players! App records your game or dunk and automatically tracks your stats! Creates a highlight reel with slow-motion replay, commentary and the ability to share it with others! Hoop wirelessly connects to your mobile device! App works with iPhone 4/4S/5, iPod touch 4th or 5th generation or iPad 2/3/4. iPhone 4/4S/5, iPod touch 4th or 5th generation or iPad 2/3/4 required (not included).


Billy's Review:

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Holiday Gift Guide 2013: The Simpsons: The Sixteenth Season Blu-Ray

Writing Tips Wednesdays: Dealing With Writer Burn-Out


I've been a writer for a long time. For most of my writing career, I have ghost written for other people. I often get burnout writing other people's ideas. So that is why I decided I was tired of writing for other people and I wanted to write something for myself. Enter NaNoWriMo.

If you are not familiar with the concept, it is National Novel Writing Month. The goal is to write 50,000 words between November 1st and November 30th.

I was able to complete my goal (read how I did it here). I did get to 50,000 words. But what I was not prepared for was how I would feel afterwards.

Writing is draining. I always imagine each word like a tiny smudge of yourself that you leave behind like a snail's slimy trail. The more words you write, the less of yourself there is.

After writing 50,000 extra words in November, I can definitely tell you that I feel like a drained snail. It has been extremely hard to continue working since I reached my goal just before Thanksgiving.

So, what have I done to keep motivated? Basically, three simple things.

3 Simple Ways to Keep Writing after Burn-Out


  1. Set Goals: Goals are how you stay focused on what you want to achieve. If you don't have any solid goals, then there is no way you can make it past burnout. I like to plan daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly goals. 
  2. Do the Bare Minimum: Normally, I try to do a little more than I have to do to get ahead. But when facing burnout, the minimum is enough for a while. Just make sure you start doing extra again after a small rest period to avoid life-long procrastination. 
  3. Plan for Breaks: You will need a lot of off time to recover from burn out. I plan to take off at least a week in late December to make up for my burnout. I have also taken several small breaks each day. My kitchen has never been so clean. 
So, that's it! What do you do to keep going if you are feeling burned out by writing? 


Brenda is a fellow book-lover and coffee-addict. She is a freelance writer, punctuation nerd, and grammar enthusiast. Her favorite book genres are Science Fiction, Fantasy with a Twist, and Dystopian. Brenda blogs about books, writing and more at Daily Mayo. Find her here on CaW for Writing Tips Wednesdays the first Wednesday of every month.

Follow Brenda on Facebook and Twitter or subscribe to updates from Daily Mayo to keep up with all the exciting things in her life; ranging from drinking coffee to get through the day to drinking coffee just for fun.