Five Fast Findings

1. My phone cracks me up. It's an amazing little machine, the MyTouch 4G Slide from T-Mobile. But like any smartphone, it does sorta run out the battery. (Well, it doesn't help that I was using Google and Shazam all day because I had a long drive for work, but anyway.) I was trying to squeeze in one final text, but my phone ever so gently stopped me mid-sentence, flashed a pretty white screen with the HTC logo and the slogan "quietly brilliant," then softly faded the screen out to black, as if it was saying, shhh it's okay, I'll be back when you find the cord. It made me laugh. My last phone would just abruptly go black, leaving me frustrated with a now-useless paperweight and a face like the Scream villain. I love my MyTouch. (note that it is my personal opinion that the 4g SLIDE is better than the regular MyTouch 4G. Not that I use the slide-out keyboard much with Swype, but the 4G slide just seems to be higher quality, in case you're planning on purchasing one).

2. So I'm trying to cram in last-minute crafts that I've been planning on doing forever but never got around to doing, since school is starting in less than 3 weeks now. My current project is wrapping bangle bracelets and earrings with embroidery floss/thread (which were only 39 cents per skein at Joann!). It's kinda time-consuming and once you start wrapping, you can't set it down or it will unravel, but it's really easy. Just wrap, then knot at the end, and slather the knot in Tacky Glue (or super glue, really whatever strong glue will bind to fabric), then let dry for a few hours. I used this blog as a guide: Delighted Momma: DIY Colorblock Earrings. (little tip, she has a ton of crafts with much more helpful instruction than what I'll ever offer you, sift through her blog!)

And here's a pic of my first bracelets. They clash all together like this, so don't worry, I won't be wearing them like this in public:

3. As of tomorrow, I'll be halfway through my second month of Nutrisystem, and while it's been a bit tougher because my hours as a fast-food-restaurant secret shopper got increased for these last few weeks before I go to college, I've still managed to lose weight. I need to use the scale at the gym tomorrow (for consistency), but I believe I've lost a total of 10-12 pounds. And I'm definitely in the size 12-14 range, as my AE size 14 jeans are starting to feel a little less-snug. yay!

4. I went to Hobby Lobby for the first time tonight. It's amazing. Just. amazing. Soo much stuff. And lots of it was on sale too. I found a gorgeous lamp that I'm going to use as my nightstand lamp, it's $39.99, plus I have a coupon for 40% off one regular-priced item, so it will be quite reasonable. One nice thing I learned is that if I go to mobile.hobbylobby.com on my phone, I can just show them the 40% off coupon, instead of having to track down a printer. They only have one in the Spokane Valley right now, but rumor has it, they're building one on the North Side!

5. There's a difference between Equal and Splenda. Now that I'm being pretty much sugar-free outside of Nutrisystem foods, my new vice is no-calorie sweeteners. However, I'm learning that there's a reason why people request specific brands instead of just "sweetener" at restaurants. My preference is Splenda. I've found that Equal feels a little chalky and dusty to me, even mixed in herbal tea, but Splenda has more of a sugar-like consistency. The Walmart brand of sweetener (my parents have a massive bag of it) is also not bad. I know I'm just being super picky and I couldn't even blame the lady at the drive-thru window who gave me a blank stare today, but hey, I'm limiting my caloric intake hardcore, this is my last frontier of control!