"But Wait! There's More!"

Hello Friends!

I just finished reading my newest issue of Reader's Digest, and was thrilled to find their annual installment of "But Wait! There's More!" It's always fun to see their review of the latest infomercial products, and how they rate them. Of course, you can't tell whether a product is any good from the actual commercial, so this annual offering by Reader's Digest is a valuable public service.

I'm not going to discuss each item here. You can pick up your own copy of R.D. for that. I'll just give you the rundown on the winners; these are the ones that actually do what they say they do, and they're a good value.

One of the favorite products is the CD Stripper. This is a simple plastic device that removes that stubborn platic wrapper and security sticker from your new CD case. Just slide the CD case in, then out, and a hidden blade peels it right off. The best part is that the blade cannot be found, even by several determined little boys. The listed price is $9.99.

Another winner is the Little Giant Ladder. At $360 it's not cheap, but it does everything the commercial says it does--which is the job of 24 ladders! So really, it's a bargain, and everyone who tried it thought it was great.

These are the only two items that recieved all four stars, but some of the other products were also very good. So there you have it. In the mean time, it's just a short wait now for one of my favorite things: Spring Flowers. Always a four-star winner!

Gift Baskets for All!

Dear Web Wanderer,

Have you ever received a gift basket? I have, and I felt very special. Gift Baskets allow the giver to choose a theme that you can customize to your recipient's liking. You might say this this is one gift that shows you truly care.

Being the creative type, I have attempted to assemble a few gift baskets on my own. This is much more challenging than one might expect. First you need to consider your recipient. What kinds of things does she or he enjoy? (By the way, males like gift baskets too.) What kinds of foods does he or she really, really like? What are his/her hobbies? Gift basket themes are endless. You can go with a holiday theme, such as Mother's Day Gift Baskets (just another couple of months, come to think of it). Or, you can opt for hobbies such as gardening, reading, golf, or candles; favorite foods like TexMex, chocolate, cheesecake, popcorn, or coffee; or even specialty items like spa, love and romance, or pet treats. Once I made a "powder room" gift basket for my sister. Okay, it was really just some cute, color-coordinated soapy smelling stuff for her bathroom, but she seemed to like it very much. (Or at least the thought, right?)

Next, you need to find an appropriate basket or other gift-like receptacle. It can't be too small, but it can't be too large either or it'll look skimpy if you can't fill it up. Then you need to determine your budget, which will in turn determine where you will shop (gourmet food shop vs. dollar store). Once you have everything, then you need to figure out how to place it all in the basket so that nothing is hidden or slips to the bottom, and so that it is appealing to the eye. You might also want to add a bow or some cello or raffi or whatever to make it look more "gifty," and of course a personal note or card.

I got a flier before Christmas from my book club that advertised theme-based ready-made book baskets and that got me to thinking. Wouldn't it be fun to create a custom gift book basket for someone who loves to read? Take a look at my weblog, Off The Toppa My Head (see the link in the side bar on the home page), and check out my post "Great Ideas for Book Lovers (Like Me)" for exactly how to do it. (You'll love this.)

Of course, most parents have been assembling gift baskets for their children for ions; and right around this time of the year too. Say what? Easter Gift Baskets, silly! Maybe this is the year to leave that up to the experts, and forget about the cheap colored baskets, drug store candy, messy cellophane grass, and gross little marshmallow Peeps.

Just a thought.

Here's another: did you know you can make money blogging? There are companies that will pay you to include their links in the content of your blog. It's easy, it's fun, and it's lucrative, especially if you have lots of blogs. By the way, I have written this post as an example of how to do it.

Cheers!

S. Link Lover (and now you know why!)

Sports Gizmos For You!

Dear Web Wanderer,

Its been a long winter, wouldn't you say? My sons work at a golf course in Portland. This is nice pleasant work during most of the year, but during the winter the outdoor employees have to really bundle up. Die-hard golfers don't seem to notice the weather. They come out regardless of temperature, even in the snow. (I guess that's why they invented flourescent-colored golf balls.)

Did you know it is now possible to golf without ever leaving the nice warm confines of home? It's true! 29 awesome courses await you! Okay, it's a video game, but not what you would expect. This is Golden Tee Complete 2006, the ultimate home game system. It is "the most exciting golf game you can have without a club in your hands." This edition is an actual golf arcade game in a cabinet especially designed for the home, which means you don't have to put in money to play! (Well, except for the cost of the game itself.)

Now let's assume that golf is not your game. Do you enjoy fishing? If you are a fisherman at heart, then you probably like to actually go home at the end of the day with fish that you caught while fishing. In other words, fishing isn't really fishing if you don't catch fish. Right? There are lots of tricks to catching fish, but today's fishermen seem to lean towards the use of expensive electronic gizmos like fish finders and all sorts of other electronic devices to help you catch fish. Of course, it may be cheaper to buy Mrs. Gorton's fish sticks at Albertson's, but it's just not the same.

Getting married, or know someone who is? We have found a great place to get cheap wedding favors. Find everything from personalized chocolate bars to boxed rose petals to tatoo cover kits! And all at prices you won't believe!

Our last stop should be a pleasant one. A nice little prelude to spring and warm weather (at last!). What is it? you ask. Why, flowers of course! Send flowers to Mom for Easter. Or for no reason at all.

That's all for now from the Link Letters.

Enjoy the journey!