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Posts filed under 'baby'
Best Baby Gear: A Few of My Favorite Things
Before my first son was born I read just about every must-have baby checklist out there. I bought the required number of crib sheets and made certain I had swaddling blankets and burp cloths on hand from day one.
Along the way I discovered that a lot of items were completely unnecessary while others seemed vital in those first few months.
Here are a few of my favorite newborn and infant related products. These were the first things I pulled out of storage the second time around.
The co-sleeper. My first son slept in our bedroom until he was six months old. The first few months we attached the co-sleeper to the side of our bed where he was within arms reach next to me, but not actually laying on the mattress beside me. This was the best thing for nighttime feedings. I'd lean over, grab him, pull him into bed with me, swaddle him when he was finished eating and lay him back in the co-sleeper. This is larger than the typical bassinet so your baby can typically sleep in it until he really needs a full sized crib. It has wheels on two sides so you can also roll it out of the way in the morning.
There are a ton of different swaddling blankets on the market, but most simply aren't large enough to provide a tight swaddle. I make tall children and most blankets don't seem to fit their 21 inch bodies. Their feet tend to poke out the bottom or they manage to wiggle their hands free. Aden + Anais blankets are wide, long and lightweight enough to swaddle a baby comfortably. They are more expensive then other brands but worth their weight in gold. My babies prefer a tight swaddle and if the blanket doesn't fit properly I guarantee they'll find a way to slip out of it. In my experience an unswaddled baby is typically an unhappy one.
In the middle of the night when I am utterly exhausted and half asleep I do not want to fumble around in the dark with buttons and zippers. Sleeping gowns are the best trick for quick changes. You simply lift the bottom of the nightgown, pull off the dirty diaper, wipe, place a new diaper on and pull the gown back down. I don't know of any other item on the market that requires less work.
If you plan to breastfeed invest in a few pairs of reusable nursing pads. I prefer Bamboobies, which come in two varieties; a thin version for daytime and an ultra-thick version for nighttime wear. These are so much softer than disposable pads and they can be thrown directly into the washing machine and reused over and over again. I cannot say enough good things about these. They are my number one baby shower gift for breastfeeding moms!
Another breastfeeding favorite of mine are pull-down nursing tops. A lot of tank tops have snaps at the top that can be unsnapped during feeding and snapped back up when finished. I've never found these to be particularly comfortable. I like the soft cotton shirts that can simply be stretched down past the breast and then pulled back up. I bought six pull-down nursing shirts and wear them exclusively. I throw a button down shirt or sweatshirt over top of them and simply pull them down whenever the need to nurse arises. The cotton is incredibly soft and comfortable.
I registered for this high chair before my son was born, but I had no idea how much I would love using it. Unlike most high chairs that can only be used when your baby begins to sit up, this one can be used very early on. You can recline the seat for very young babies who cannot hold their heads up. Your baby can sit at the table at meal time even though he or she isn't actually eating yet. When my son was little we'd put him in the high chair so he could see us and watch us converse at dinner time. It freed our hands to eat dinner, but made us feel like our little guy was already becoming a part of the meal time routine. I like that he sat eye-to-eye with us, rather than putting him in a swing or other contraption, which typically sits low to the floor. Of course, this also grows with your child. My son sat in this chair until he turned eighteen months.
If you plan to run a lot of errands with your child a baby carrier is definitely worth the money. It's easier to strap a baby to your chest and walk through the grocery store then it is to drag that awful car seat wherever you go. Car seats are heavy and awkward, not to mention I could never fit groceries in the cart once I placed the seat in there. With two kids the carrier has become a vital piece of baby gear. I strap the baby onto my chest and my arms are still free to help my three year old.
I don't use baby equipment on an every day basis. I'm not a huge fan of placing babies in swings or other contraptions for long periods of time, but both of my children love the Fisher Price bouncy seat. The seat is soft and although it is reclined the baby is sitting quite upright. From this angle they can look around the room and watch the activity of everyone in the household. This also helps in those early months when rumbling bellies and gas may be an issue. The upright position seems to make digestion easier for our little tikes.
It's funny how many things I thought I needed in the first six months and how few things I actually ended up using. Did you have any go-to products that made your life as a parent easier in those first few months? Is there anything you bought that turned out to be a complete waste of money?
Extending the Love
I was hesitant to have a shower for baby #2, but oh so happy my family decided to host a sprinkle despite my reservations. Other than one former coworker the attendees were all family members and extremely close friends. All the people I love so dearly.
I didn't see the invitation but I was told it stated no gifts. That's good because the goal was not to fill our house with baby stuff, but rather to celebrate the long awaited birth of our second child. I suppose the verbiage didn't matter much because everyone brought a small present anyway.
Since this is our second child I didn't expect to receive any gifts, but I have been inundated by love and good wishes. After the shower we received packages from twelve additional gift givers; including a giant box of baby clothes. It seems a new box arrived on our front steps every afternoon for ten straight days. We also received three meals and two bags full of tasty snacks that I spent the last three weeks munching on.
Every afternoon I sat down to write detailed thank you notes, (I am a stickler for saying thank you quickly and sincerely), and every time I thought I was finished writing notes another gift arrived.
We are truly blessed by the generosity of those we know. Our blessings come from friends, neighbors, distant family members, former coworkers, my husband's current coworkers and friends of the family. My heart is truly warmed by the love that has been extended to the new member of our family.
Radio Silence: Baby #2 Arrives
Baby #2 arrived a bit earlier than expected; three weeks early to be exact. I thought I had one more week to prepare for the arrival, but it simply wasn't meant to be. As I labored in the hospital my husband and I walked the halls and tried to agree on names.
In fact, up until an hour or two before delivery we were still hashing out ideas and going back and forth about our favorites. We settled on a name for a boy relatively quickly, but since we didn't know the gender we continued to discuss girls names until my labor became too intense to think about anything other than giving birth.
It seems all that talk of girl names was irrelevant. Our baby boy arrived in the wee hours of the morning. Despite his early arrival he appears to be robust and strong.
Big brother was convinced this little guy was going to be a sister, but didn't seem terribly disappointed when we told him a little brother had arrived instead. So far everything is going quite smoothly. Well as smoothly as life with a newborn can go.
There may be a bit of radio silence while we adjust to life as a family of four.
A Guide to Saving for Maternity Leave
This post is part of Women's Money Week.
In my opinion as soon you decide to have children, (no matter how far into the future that day may seem), you should start setting money aside for the big day. Think of having a child like any other big financial goal in life. You know you need to save to buy a house, a new car or to travel on an exotic vacation, so why not save to expand your family?
The sooner you decide to save the larger that sum will swell. If you don't earn a lot of money set aside a little bit each paycheck. You'd be surprised how quickly those numbers can add up over time. Set a big goal for yourself. Imagine you don't know where you'll work a few years from this point in time and whether or not maternity pay will be offered. You are married and want a family but you aren't certain when. Start a savings account dedicated to financing your maternity leave.
In general cut back on your spending, clip coupons and stay out of stores. Calculate all of your monthly expenses and see what items you might be able to eliminate. Start making calls to cell phone companies and satellite TV providers to find out how to reduce monthly bills. Think about possible ways to earn extra income by taking on extra hours at work or selling unwanted items on eBay.
Once you conceive keep your ear out for anyone willing to offer hand-me-downs and investigate all the places that sell second-hand baby items. You would be amazed by the number of people who have boxes full of baby related items hiding in their basements. If you live in or near a major city you will probably find second-hand stores and consignment sales that sell items for a fraction of the retail price. Consignment sales are typically held just three or four times a year, so make certain to mark the dates on your calendar. If you are looking for something specific try eBay and Craigslist before buying from an online retailer.
Think carefully about how you register for baby items and avoid letting yourself get into the baby craze. You'll feel driven to wash everything the minute you receive it, but don't. Keep tags on just about everything. It's amazing how quickly children outgrow toys and clothing. Rather than washing everything and folding it neatly into drawers keep the tags on clothes until just before your child will need to wear them. This makes it easier to return or exchange the items for larger sizes. It also makes it easier to sell items if the need arises.
Kids don't need much in that first year of life other than love and attention, so stick to a very small set of toys. You'll be amazed at how enamored your child will become with a simple cardboard box or a plastic bucket.
Think strategically about decorating your nursery. Baby stores have notoriously high prices, so make certain to compare prices at traditional furniture stores before buying. Also, try to envision your child's bedroom five or ten years into the future. You don't want to purchase all new furniture when your son or daughter gets older.
I mentioned this in the post linked to above, but I think it bears repeating here; keep in mind that some baby sized gear is cute, but certainly not necessary. Full sized towels work better than the hooded versions and extra soft wash cloths will work perfectly fine for a baby. They may not have super cute motifs on them, but they will last long beyond the first year or two.
Before getting pregnant or at the very least as soon as you find out you are pregnant talk to your human resources department and ask for detailed benefit information. You want to know how long you will be paid and what percentage of pay you will receive. Some women get paid 100% for weeks on end, some receive partial pay and others get nothing at all.
I've known at least two women who returned to work much earlier than expected because they didn't understand their benefits. A friend of the family planned to stay home for three months, but found out her pay ran out after just eight weeks. She was informed on a Friday and unexpectedly back at work the following Monday. Had she realized this sooner she could have saved more money to stay home for that period of time or at least better prepared herself for a shorter leave. Instead she felt forced to return to work and unhappy about doing so.
Make certain to ask your employer if you can use sick leave and/or vacation time to pay for your maternity leave and if you can transition back to work with reduced hours or a more flexible work schedule.
Most importantly plan as much as you can before the arrival of your new little bundle of joy. The sooner you plan and the harder you save the easier the transition to parenthood will be.
Maternity Leave – How Much Is Enough?
This post is part of Women's Money Week.
Planning for maternity leave sucks. When I found out I was expecting my first child I sat down with a calendar and mapped out the days and weeks until I would need to return to work.
My son was due in late October and I ran all sorts of calculations to determine the maximum amount of time I could spend at home. Since my vacation hours reset in the new year I wondered if I could take STD, a week or two of vacation, then maternity leave and take another two or three weeks of vacation after that.
No matter how many times I stared at that calendar I could not figure out a way to extend the time beyond ten weeks. I knew I was lucky to get that much paid time off, but the idea of returning to work after less than three months made me feel incredibly sick.
I had every intention of returning to my job after my son was born. My tasks weren't particularly difficult. I earned a six figure salary and worked from home a few days a week. Who wouldn't go back to that?
But as fate would have it I never returned. I suffered the consequences of a large company-wide restructuring effort. One day I walked into work and was told my position was no longer needed. After twelve years with the company that was the end of that.
My lay off was a blessing in disguise. I no longer needed to feel torn about staying home versus returning to work. My company didn't provide maternity leave, but they did pay me in the form of a six month severance check.
I lined up a job that was set to begin when my son turned six months, but as the months came and went I still didn't feel ready to return to my old cubicle life.
As the due date for my second child approaches I think a lot about the circumstances that brought me to where I am today. I completely understand why employers can't retain a new mom's position indefinitely. I also understand the turmoil and inner struggle of women who just want a little more time with their babies.
Over the past three and a half years I've gotten rid of a lot of baby items. I kept quite a few of my son's favorite toys, super cute clothing and big ticket items like bouncy seats and highchairs, but a lot of other things were passed on to others. I thought we might have another child, but I didn't want to keep everything around forever.
I did keep my son's activity mat. You know those little rainbow shaped contraptions that hold toys your infant can attempt to kick and grasp. I can't remember exactly who bought it for us, but I received it as a gift at my baby shower. It was priced around $75 when I received it, so it seemed like something I store for the future. As soon as my son outgrew the need to use it I wrapped it in plastic wrap and stored it in an upstairs closet. It remained in that closet, (safely stored), for years.
When my nesting craze began I dug through the closets and gathered as much of the baby related stuff as I could find. When the remodeling project began I decided to corral everything into one place and settled on a small corner of our sun room. There you can now find my son's old shoes, baby clothes, infant to toddler toys and one or two pieces of baby equipment still wrapped in plastic wrap.
A few weeks ago after work finished on our basement we moved our cat's sleeping quarters into that sun room. He's the type of cat that roams around from room to room so every evening I place him ever so gently into his little bed, shut the door and wish him goodnight.
One morning I noticed some torn plastic resting on the floor in the sun room. I figured the cat may have gotten restless and torn a few pieces off. It was clear he hadn't eaten the plastic so I wasn't worried that he would get sick and it was such a tiny amount that I simply picked it up, threw it away and forgot about it.
This morning I noticed a HUGE pile of plastic resting on the floor. Not only had the cat ripped nearly all of the plastic off of the activity mat he had actually torn the mat itself. White tufts of cotton batting were scattered across the floor. The fabric itself is also filled with large teeth and claw marks.
This is not the end of the world. As far as I can tell the fabric slits will still hold the arcs in place and odds are I can place a blanket on top of the mat so a baby can still lay safely on there. Despite knowing much worse problems could exist in this world it is one of those kick-yourself-in-the-pants type moments. After two to three years of holding on to something my cat attempted to destroy it in a matter of minutes.
I've written many times about the decision to lend or sell versus keep. It took my husband and I awhile to conceive and I think deep down I worried that getting rid of my son's outgrown belongings was a sign that I didn't want any more children. I realize that sounds insane, but in some crazy superstitious way it made perfect sense to me at the time.
Now as I look at the torn and tattered baby equipment scattered across my sun room I wonder if I should have sold these items as soon as my son outgrew them. ugh.
A Shower for Baby #2?
This morning my husband called and said, "is it okay if my mom doesn't throw you a sprinkle?" A sprinkle is apparently a baby shower for a second/third/subsequent child. My mother-in-law offered to host a party for us and asked my husband for a list of details including possible dates and a list of people we'd like to invite.
My husband, (feeling overwhelmed by a million other things going on with his business, job and home renovations), thanked his mother for the offer, but told her it really wasn't a great time for us to plan a party.
I appreciated the gesture and was surprisingly torn about my husband's idea to forgo it. First, let me say I didn't expect anyone to throw a shower for me.
Other than a few miscellaneous items we have everything we need for this child, so I certainly don't need a big bash and a room full of gifts. My guest list would change a lot from the last shower too. It would only include extremely close friends and family members. Last time a few extended family members and coworkers were invited.
To be honest I was initially against the idea of a second shower. A few moms told me second showers are held when the second child is a different gender than the first. In my case we didn't know the gender of my first child before he was born and we don't know the gender of this one either. That means I have a whole lot of yellow and green gear and baby outfits that can be handed down to baby number two. It also means we can't have a party with "it's a boy" or "it's a girl" banners streaming from the windows.
So if I don't need gifts, don't like to be the center of attention, don't know the gender and didn't plan on anyone offering to host a shower why did I feel so torn about not having one? The answer is surprisingly simple: I remembered how warm and fuzzy I felt during the shower that was held for my son.
In my pregnancy journal I wrote:
This Saturday my friends and family threw a baby shower for me, well actually for you, little one. And while you are still weeks away from your expected arrival the outpouring of love for you was absolutely amazing.
The women in my life come from various backgrounds and they all have different goals in life. Each one is amazing in her own way. I can only hope that when you grow up you are blessed and surrounded by such loving relationships in your own life. Of course, you'll be loved and adored by your dad and I and all of our families, (that goes without saying), but I hope you come to find love and companionship from the friends that will become your extended family.
On Saturday the room was filled with a group of women who came out to celebrate you. Some women who couldn't attend sent cards and gifts so they wouldn't miss out on the festivities and when all was said and done I hand wrote twenty-seven thank you cards that corresponded to so many gifts we had to transport them in two separate cars.
It amazes me to think that you aren't even here yet and there is already a pocket of love blooming around you!
I suppose I wanted to feel that kind of love for this baby even though he or she isn't here yet.
Photo Credit
Paying for Storage: Does This Seem Like a Good Idea?
For the past three years I wondered if we'd ever have a second child and if we did how much baby stuff I should keep around between now and that time. We received a lot of gifts at my baby shower and in the beginning we used each and every piece of it. The baby swing, bouncer, bathtub, rock-n-play sleeper, jumperoo, highchair, stroller and infant car seat took up residence at various places in our house and stayed there for six to nine months.
There were boxes of swaddling blankets, socks and baby clothes and I wrestled with whether or not I should keep some of it, all of it or none of it. Storage space was not an issue. We don't have a huge house, but we certainly had enough room to stow anything I wanted to use a few years down the road.
When I first packed everything away I didn't think much about overall costs. I didn't add up the price of this or that, but I knew that I didn't want to shell out cash to buy everything all over again. All of the big ticket items were gifts from loving friends and family so technically I didn't pay for any of it in the first place.
Over the past three years I've loaned out a number of items and given away piles of baby clothes, but with our second child due to arrive in just a couple of months I'm happy to say that we have everything we need back in our possession.
A friend, who lives in a much smaller house with less free space, recently told us of their plans to rent a storage space. They know they eventually want a second child, but simply don't have the room to retain all of the items their child has already outgrown. The storage unit costs $125 a month.
They are not pregnant at this time, which sets the timeline for retaining this storage unit to a minimum of nine months to one year. If they keep the storage unit for one year they'll pay $1500 in rental fees. This didn't sound like a financially savvy plan to me.
As you can see by the list below I own a lot of baby equipment:
⁃ cosleeper
⁃ baby swing
⁃ bouncer
⁃ bathtub
⁃ rock-n-play sleeper
⁃ jumperoo
⁃ highchair
⁃ stroller
⁃ infant car seat
Despite the long list I know that all of these items added together would not cost $1500 for me to buy new. With nine months to wait for a baby you could set Amazon watches on all of the items you wish to buy and wait until the price drops to actually purchase any of them. You can also scour websites during Christmas and other times of year when baby items are deeply discounted.
If you really want to save money you could also look into buying used. There is a ton of used baby equipment available. I personally know a lot of moms these days who are finished having children. If you have access to a network of mothers you can always put out feelers for anyone willing to get rid of their used baby equipment. If you don't have a wide network or the parents aren't finished having children you still find a lot of good prices at swap meets and thrift stores.
In the best case scenario you are looking at retaining a storage unit for $1500, but what if you have trouble conceiving or decide to delay your next child a little bit longer. Every month socks on another $125, which is more than the cost of a new baby swing, bouncer or highchair.
This family didn't ask for my advice, but I would suggest selling the items they are no longer using. They can set that money aside to buy items for the next child whenever he or she arrives. For that matter they can also set aside $125 each month rather than shelling it out to the storage unit company.
The next time around they may realize they need less equipment and if they decide they do need it they can try to buy it much cheaper second hand.
What do you think?
Nesting Progress
As I clean out the house in preparation for our new little bundle of joy I am perpetually amazed by the sheer amount of stuff that exists within the confines of our walls. Every time I revisit the closets, dressers and drawers in my house I find something else that can be dragged off to the donation center.
Although I love reorganizing I absolutely hate seeing how much money I've wasted over the years. After moving things from room to room one too many times I finally decided to get rid of a box full of dishes, platters, plates, vases and candle holders. I hate to admit it, but most of these items were gifts from our wedding ten years ago. If I could go back in time I would definitely register differently.
In my mid-twenties I pictured entertaining quite frequently on all the fine serving pieces I selected. Now in my mid-thirties I cannot remember a single get-together that involved formal dinnerware. Most of our parties occur outside with disposable plates and party supplies. For the time being I kept the fine china, but everything else that hasn't been used more than once in the last ten years was sent out the door. I cannot say for certain, but I believe I just piled hundreds of dollars worth of gifts into my car. For the record I cringed each time I pictured the sticker price of those items.
Some rooms have certainly been easier to organize than others. While the kitchen and dining room were relatively quick and painless; the craft bins have been a whole different story. What's a girl to do with all that paint, gift wrapping supplies, thank you notes, colored pencils and a whole host of other miscellaneous stuff that seems to sit around in drawers just waiting to be used? I didn't have the heart to get rid of any of it. It definitely feels like I will use these items some day and I like having some of these things on hand for last minute gifts bought and received. I got rid of a number of things, but kept quite a bit. I moved them to a new location, sorted and labeled everything.
Although I'm able to recycle my son's artwork, (thank goodness he doesn't get attached to those), I also gathered two plastic containers worth of play-doh, art projects, construction paper, markers and crayons. At least I know these will be used at some point in time. Then there are the bins of brand new toys I purchased for future birthday parties and baby showers. While I like saving the money for each event I hate storing everything for months on end. As our space becomes more limiting I believe the gift closet is officially coming to end. I've made similar statements in the past but this time I'm sticking through with it. Thanks to stores like Marshall's and Ross nearby it's always easy to find toys at bargain prices.
In digging through my son's old baby clothes I was amazed by just how many little outfits I'd gotten rid of over the past three years. I gave two bags full of onesies and sleepers to a friend who delivered fourteen weeks earlier than expected and purged a few more things here and there along the way. The final count in the 0 to 6 month range is rather pathetic; just a handful of sleeping bags, onesies and sleepers. I certainly don't regret giving those things away and since this child will be born in the opposite season, (spring versus fall), I have a feeling most items in the three to nine month range wouldn't work anyway. My first child could wear the same outfit all day, which meant we didn't much in the way of clothes. Let's hope the second baby doesn't get reflux either.
It wasn't all bad news. I decided to return a few maternity items and unrelated office supplies. I found a number of maternity shirts on sale at Old Navy last week and decided to return the more expensive items I purchased at Kohl's. I file the receipts to everything I buy so I just dug through my handy-dandy organizer and returned them to customer service this morning. I also found a bunch of unused pens and shipping labels that have been sitting in the drawer for a month or so. I located the receipt and returned them too; between the two transactions I recouped $75.
I still have a long list of nesting tasks I want to accomplish. There are quite a few closets, cubbies and plastic storage bins to process!
Nesting: The Second Time Around
I love second trimester nesting! I'm currently twenty-one weeks pregnant and suddenly feel a compulsive need to clean the house, remove all the clutter and organize everything. I started in the kitchen, moved to the dining room, tried my best to wrangle the chaos that is our living room and then moved upstairs.
I don't feel as anxious about getting everything ready this time around. Before my son was born I wanted every little detail to be complete. I asked my husband to paint the nursery, I assembled the crib and dresser and applied jungle themed decals to the walls. Long before he arrived everything was washed, dried, folded and hanged. This time around I'm taking a much more relaxed attitude to preparing, especially as it pertains to the nursery.
The truth is my son didn't sleep in his room for a full six months. Since he was exclusively breastfed I kept him in the same room with me. I didn't see the value in keeping him in separate quarters when I could just walk three steps to lift and feed him. For the first month or so he slept in a co-sleeper, but after that his little body grew too long to fit comfortably in there. We disassembled the crib and reassembled in our room. It was a tight fit, but we managed to make it work. I couldn't access my dresser for four months, so I moved everything I needed to a small nightstand.
My post-pregnancy wardrobe included a bunch of pull-down nursing tops. They are the kind that pull down in the front so you don't have to lift your shirt to nurse. I added a couple pairs of pants, bras and underwear and had plenty of room to spare in those drawers. This time around I'm considering adding some of the baby clothes and blankets to that same dresser. That way everything we need will be in one general area. I might even toss the changing pad on to the top of my dresser so I don't have to leave the room to change the baby.
I moved all of my pre-pregnancy clothes to the basement for the time being. I did this for two reasons. First, I don't want to move them out of the way every time I reach for something to wear. Second, I figure it will give me the opportunity to further purge my wardrobe after the baby is born. Things that fit will come back upstairs; everything else will be gathered for donation. Pregnancy has forced me to revisit my wardrobe on more than one occasion. Whether I like it or not various parts of my body changed while I was pregnant and even after I delivered. I got rid of anything that didn't fit well and decided not to hold on to things that might fit again one day.
My son is still sleeping in his crib, (converted to a toddler bed), and I'm not certain when he'll give up the comfort of that cozy spot for a larger bed. I don't need to rush him out of there for quite some time. We still have 19 weeks, (technically I think it'll be closer to 17 or 18), until the baby arrives and then another two months of the new one using the co-sleeper.
We still own most of the baby equipment my son used, so we just need to find, assemble and figure out where on earth we are going to put it. With only one child in the house we seemed to have plenty of room for that giant baby swing, rock-and-play and bouncer. This time around my son's toys can fill the entire living room floor, so I'm not quite sure how we'll squeeze everything in.
Since I haven't touched the nursery yet, the majority of my nesting seems to revolve around all the other stuff contained within the walls of our home. I'm taking a closer look at the items we actually use on a daily basis. When I cleaned out the kitchen cabinets I removed anything we don't use regularly. In the past I would have moved it to some other location, but this time I dropped it off for donation. I was more hesitant than I would have preferred. I kept thinking "we might need that one day" and then decided we would just buy again if and when that time came. I got rid of a few storage containers that cannot be stacked even though they were in perfectly good condition and a couple of vases and pitchers that have barely been used.
Unfortunately, I find myself moving things around much more than actually disposing of them. My days of bargain shopping for office supplies are long over, but I couldn't bear to get rid of all the printer paper in our home. A two foot stack has been moved to the hall closet where it waits to be turned into drawing paper and printable coupons. The same goes for a mound of thank-you notes, ribbons and wrapping supplies.
My hope is to corral all of these miscellaneous items into one place for the time being, then make a second pass through a few days or weeks from now. Everything other than clothing is getting stored away in labeled bins and drawers in one small room. I'd like to reduce the pile by half. I've also decided that anything that cannot fit into this space will be purged.
I feel like I have a long way to go to get everything sorted and organized, but I love that I have the energy and desire to make things better. The first step is to clean out the house, the last step will be to work on the nursery.


text:
A catheter electrode shell (2) has cutouts (3) made in such a way that a closed circular ring (4) is preserved to secure the electrode shell (2) to the catheter tube. The remaining contact surface (5) is arranged on the outside of the catheter curvature in the case of pre-bent or guided catheters.
1. A medical catheter (7) of the type having a catheter hose, comprising: a pair of electrode shells (2), each having cutouts (3) producing a closed circular ring (4) and a contact surface (5) extending from said closed circular ring (4) with a free end (16), said electrode shells (2) being arranged on said catheter hose in intertwined relation to one another with their free ends (16) positioned beneath each others circular ring (4).
2. The medical catheter (7) of
3. A medical catheter (7) of the type having a hose with a distal end, and further comprising:
a cylindrical electrode secured to the exterior of said hose near its distal end including an electrode shell (2) having
a pair of spaced rings (4) at the opposite ends of said shell (2) and
an elliptical cutout (3) in one side of said electrode and between said rings (4).
4. The medical catheter (7) of
5. The medical catheter (7) of
6. The medical catheter (7) of
7. A medical catheter (7) of the type having a catheter hose, comprising:
two cylindrical electrode shells (2), each having a cutout (3), rings (4) at opposite sides of said cutout (3) and an external contact surface (5) extending between said rings (4), said electrode shells (2) being positioned on said catheter hose to place said external contact surface (5) of one of said electrode shells (2) on the diametrically opposite side of said catheter hose from said external contact surface (5) of the other of said electrode shells (2) and placing said rings (3) of one of said shells (2) in juxtaposed relation to the rings (3) of the other of said shells (2) and
electrical insulation elements (14) between said two electrode shells (2), said insulation elements (14) preventing electrical contact of said two electrode shells (2).
8. A medical catheter (7) of the type having a catheter hose having a distal end, comprising,
an electrode tip (10) having a proximal end and
a distal end closed by a cap (12) which includes a portion forming a ring encompassing the distal end of said hose
at least one oval cutout (3) between said cap (12) and said proximal end leaving a closed ring (13) on said proximal end of said tip (10).
9. The medical catheter of
10. A medical catheter (7) of the type having a catheter hose comprising:
a cylindrical electrode secured to the exterior of said hose including an electrode shell (2) having
axially opposite ends and diametrically opposite sides,
a cutout (3) in each of said ends at one of said diametrically opposite sides of said shell (2) and
a slot (6) in the other of said diametrically opposite sides of shell (2) intermediate said axially opposite ends.
This invention relates to temporary and permanent medical catheters such as are used, for example, in heart pacemaker and defibrillator therapy as well as in electrophysiological research.
Medical catheters are used either as diagnostic catheters with pure detection function or as therapeutic catheters with detection, stimulation and ablation function with high frequency energy, hereinafter referred to as HF energy. It is conceivable that the present invention can be used with both non-guided and guided catheters. The construction of such prior art catheters has, in principle, been the same for decades, and include:
Shell-shaped electrodes made of stainless steel or Pt/Ir are drawn over a plastic hose with cavities which is made of, for example, PVC, nylon, polyurethane or similar material, and connected to wires located in the interior of the catheter for the conveyance of electrical energy.
A typical electrode size is, for example, 6F (1F roughly corresponds to 0.33 mm) with a shell or electrode length of 2 to 10 mm. While diagnostic usually have a certain specified curvature at their distal ends guided catheters in the rest state are initially straight and can be brought to a desired curvature from the distal end by the operator, such curvature sometimes far exceeding a 90� angle with a radius of curvature of 2 to 4 cm.
The objective of this pre-curvature or pre-bending is to achieve a certain wall contact in the heart or in another body part, depending on the application, in order to improve the extracted signal strength or, when the electrode is a stimulation or ablation electrode, to guarantee optimal energy transfer by good wall contact with the tissue. In ablation with HF energy, in particular, the geometrical dimensions of the electrode shells, or of the so-called electrode head, also called electrode tip, takes on special importance. In what follows, the electrode configuration according to the invention is explained for the example of an ablation catheter; however, the invention is suitable for other applications.
In usage, an ablation catheter is pressed against the tissue at a certain location in the body by appropriate manipulation, by stiffness of the catheter itself, by an appropriately selected pre-curvature or, in the case of guided catheters, by a curvature that is operator controlled.
If body tissue is also yielding, only a certain part of the electrode shell or of the electrode tip comes in intimate contact with the tissue, while the other part of the electrode comes to lie more-or-less without wall contact and is then inevitably bathed by tissue fluid—thus by blood, in the case of ablation catheters for cardiological application. Because blood exhibits a lower resistance than tissue, the energy delivered is distributed according to the resistance ratios. This leads to the surrounding blood being undesirably heated instead of the HF energy being directed to the tissue in order to produce the appropriate desired lesions there.
An electrode configuration addressing this problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. 5,643,255 for a Steerable Catheter with Rotatable Tip Electrode and Method of Use issued on Jul. 1, 1997 to Leslie W. Organ. In this prior United States patent, a tip electrode is provided on a catheter which is insulated on one side and rotatably supported so that the electrode position can be adjusted from outside in such a way that the uninsulated surface comes in contact with the tissue to be ablated and thus the desired ablation result is brought about. To insulate parts of an electrode surface, however, requires a relatively expensive manufacturing process.
So-called split electrodes are also known, which have an electrode shell split in two on the longitudinal axis or which have an electrode head split into four parts.
The individual electrode elements in the above-cited cases must be electrically insulated relative to one another. In these prior catheter concepts, the mechanical arrangement of the electrode shells on the plastic hose is difficult to accomplish.
It is an object of the invention to create an electrode configuration that, on the one hand, guarantees favorable electrical properties and, on the other hand, is easy to manufacture and guarantees reliable mechanical functioning.
While, in the previously known electrode shells, the entire surface is in operative connection with the media surrounding it, it is proposed according to the invention that the electrode shell or the electrode tip has cutouts of predetermined size and shape. These cutouts can be in the form of a single hole or multiple holes, slots, perforations, or milled grooves of predetermined curved shape. It is important, however, that an electrode shell whose surface has been reduced in this way can be attached to the plastic hose in the proven manner. According to the invention, this is guaranteed by virtue of the fact that the cutouts are arranged such that at least one electrode shell ring, enclosing the catheter hose in circular fashion is present.
The electrode tip attached to the distal end of the catheter includes an electrode shell with its distal end closed by a cap to form an electrode point.
The cutout according to the invention is arranged such that the electrode tip shell has at least one closed electrode ring required for strength; the electrode ring being arranged, for example, at the proximal end of the tip shell. In order, however, to guarantee that the electrode tip still has a firm grip on the plastic hose at its distal end, the cutout should, according to the invention, be arranged such that the electrode cap extends circumferentially around the end of the catheter hose, so that a further closed distal "ring" is created.
The electrode configurations brought about by the before mentioned cutouts have reduced areas. These remaining residual areas should preferably face toward the tissue being treated. It is therefore proposed that these residual areas be arranged essentially on the outside of the catheter curvature in the case of pre-bent or externally bendable catheters.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, sensors for energy control are placed in the plastic hose and/or beneath the electrode shell at the transitions from the cutouts to the electrode surfaces. These are preferably temperature probes for the control of the catheter temperature in HF energy ablation.
In further development of the invention it is proposed that instead of a circular configuration of the catheter hose, as well as the electrode shell and the electrode tip, it is made elliptical, at least in portions. This variant has the advantage that the overall catheter arrangement has a flexurally soft direction of curvature and a flexurally stiff direction of curvature. As is well known, an elliptical section hose bends easier in one direction than in a direction at right angles to the one direction. For the user, this concept has the advantage that the user can exert greater pressing forces in the flexurally stiff direction. In line with this, it is further proposed that the residual surfaces of the electrode shell left over by a corresponding cutout are arranged on one of the elliptical catheter sides with the tighter radius of curvature.
The electrode shell is easier to manufacture if the cutout is made such that only a closed circular ring and a contact surface with a free end is the resulting configuration. Two or more such electrode shells are then arranged on a catheter hose in such a way that the free end of one such electrode shell comes to lie beneath the closed circular ring of the neighboring electrode shell.
It is proposed that several electrode-shell configurations are also interlocked or chained in such a way that they form, for example, tripolar or quadripolar configurations.
In further development of the invention it is proposed that the entire external or internal surface of the closed circuit ring be provided with an insulating layer. The insulating layer applied to the inside of the ring then serves for electrical insulation relative to the contact surface of a neighboring electrode shell; the externally arranged insulation prevents the surface of the closed circular ring being added to the total contact surface.
Further advantages of the invention can be inferred from the description of the drawing, in which the exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in more detail.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional electrode shell.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an electrode shell with a cutout.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the shell shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a side view of a shell with an elliptical cutout.
FIG. 5 is a side view of a shell with two arc-shaped cutouts.
FIG. 6 is a side view of a catheter part with two electrode shells according to the invention arranged thereon.
FIG. 7 is a side view of a distal catheter end with electrode tip and electrode shell according to the invention.
FIG. 8 is a side view of an electrode tip.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an electrode shell with a large cutout.
FIG. 10 is a side view of the shell shown in to FIG. 9.
FIG. 11 is a side view of two interlocked shells of the type shown in FIG. 9.
FIG. 12 shows the side view of an electrode tip with laterally applied elliptical cutouts.
FIG. 13 is a section of taken on the line A-B in FIG. 12.
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an electrode shell with a contact surface with a free end and a circular ring.
FIG. 15 is a side view of the electrode shell shown in FIG. 14.
FIG. 16 is s side view of two interlocked electrode shells of the type shown in FIG. 14.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional shell 1 of an electrode with closed cylindrical surface. Its mechanical grip on the catheter hose is effected by cementing or by shrinking processes or by swelling processes.
In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, an electrode shell 2 with a rectangular cutout 3 is shown. An electrical contact surface 5 is formed essentially by the residual surface, the remaining circular rings 4 guaranteeing good mechanical fixation on the catheter hose. If such an electrode shell 2 with cutout 3 comes to lie in a curve of a catheter 7, the cutout 3 also has a positive effect in that it enhances the flexibility and bendability of the whole catheter 7 at the curve, because the catheter hose material can "bulge out" in this region of cutout 3 upon curving.
FIG. 3 shows the side view of the electrode shell 2 of FIG. 2, the remaining circular rings 4 guaranteeing mechanical stability. Without these circular rings 4 encircling the catheter hose, the reduced contact surface 5 could be fastened to the catheter hose only by very great effort. FIGS. 4 and 5 show variations of cutouts 3. An elliptical cutout 3, arranged such that closed circular rings 4 are left at both ends of electrode shell 2, is seen in FIG. 4. Reference numeral 6 identifies a notch or a slot, which serves to enhance the flexibility upon curving of the catheter 7. Several such slots in the remaining electrode surface could be provided to enhance flexibility. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 5, cutouts 3 are arranged at both ends of the electrode shell 2 in such a way that the closed circular ring 4, necessary for mechanical strength, is arranged roughly in the middle of electrode shell 2.
FIG. 6 shows a part of a catheter 7 with curvature, to which two electrode shells 2 of the type shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are affixed. It should be noted that in both cases the cutouts 3 are located on the inside of the radius of curvature and, accordingly, the largest electrically effective surface of electrode shells 2 lies on the radially outer side of the curved catheter 7.
FIG. 7 shows how the catheter 7, with an electrode tip 10 and an electrode shell 2 some distance from the electrode tip 10, is supported with its external surface against a tissue wall 9. The electrode tip 10 and the electrode shell 2 are arranged in such a way that their largest surface region 8 lies on the outside of the catheter curvatures and accordingly they make effective electrical contact with tissue wall 9.
FIG. 8 shows another development of the electrode point or the electrode tip 10. Cutout 3 in this embodiment is arranged so that a circular ring 13, indicated by shading, remains at the proximal end of the electrode tip. Its existence guarantees that the electrode tip 10 has a firm grip on the catheter hose. The distal section line 11 of cutout 3 with electrode cap 12 according to FIG. 8 is chosen such that electrode cap 12 is still large enough to form another closed ring, indicated by shading, which is necessary for mechanical strength. This is always the case when the electrode cap 12 extends past the end of the catheter hose.
If the cutout 3 were enlarged in the direction toward the distal end of catheter 7, the section line 11 would move farther toward central axis 15 of the catheter until, finally, the closed "ring equivalent" is no longer formed. The mechanical fixation of the entire electrode 10 would then become questionable.
FIGS. 9 to 11 show a further variation of the cutout 3. This is an extremely large cutout 3, which on the one hand still leaves two closed circular rings 4 but on the other hand leaves a very narrow contact surface 5. It is proposed that the area removed by cutout 3 is at least 70% of the total external area of the uncut electrode shell 2, so that the remaining contact surface 5 is at most 30% of the original uncut shell. If two of the cut-out electrode shells shown in FIG. 5 are interlocked as shown in FIG. 11 and electrical contact between the two electrode shells is blocked by insulating layers 14, then two electrically separate contact surfaces 5 lie opposite one another, and an orthogonal electrode system is formed, which has well-known advantages in signal extraction. An advantage of this arrangement is that it is relatively easy to manufacture and simultaneously has high mechanical strength. Other electrode-shell configurations according to the invention may also be interlocked in this way.
The exemplary embodiment of FIG. 12 has a further variation of cutout 3. Here two substantially laterally arranged cutouts 3, 3′ are arranged on electrode tip 10. Although only one can be seen in FIG. 12, the other one lies symmetrically with respect to it on the other side. In this illustrated modification, the closed ring 13 shown in FIG. 8, is present on the proximal part. In addition, a closed web 16 remains on the underside of the electrode tip shown in FIG. 12, which web again guarantees the desired mechanical stability. FIG. 13 is a section of the before-cited arrangement along section line A-B.
In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 14, an electrode shell 2 with rectangular cutout 3 is shown. Electrical contact surface 5 is substantially formed by the residual surface. One end of contact surface 5 makes a transition to a circular ring 4, which guarantees good mechanical fixation on the catheter hose. The second end of contact surface 5 terminates in a free end 16.
FIG. 15 shows the side view of the electrode shell of FIG. 14.
If two electrode shells 2 of the type shown in FIG. 14 are interlocked as shown in FIG. 16 and electrical contact between the two electrode shells 2 is blocked by insulating layers 14; then two electrically separate contact surfaces 5 lie opposite one another and an orthogonal electrode system exists, which has well-known advantages in signal extraction. The advantage of this arrangement is that it is easy to manufacture and nevertheless has high mechanical strength.
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Most businesses have a set closing period and will gladly let customers know when it's time to leave. Restaurants often don't, so knowing when to leave can be hard for people who think tabletop finger tapping is acceptable in public. If you ever find yourself to be the last table in a restaurant, be sure to remember three important things.
Seriously, the place is closed. Look around. What kind of blinding lack of self awareness do you possess? Everyone else got the idea, but you're drowning in Pepe Le Pew levels of delusion. There were once other people and food and noise and music, but now all that is gone, now it is just you sitting in a room alone. Your plates have been taken away, your glass hasn't been filled in an hour, and the lighting has switched to "medieval dungeon." These are clues. Do you know what they mean? No one wants you here. It is time to go.
The ability to separate Server from Indentured Servant can be difficult. Don't worry, you aren't alone. Tween children with dead eyes who drown their cats and murder their neighbor's infant also struggle to remember that humans are more than lifeless vessels. Without empathy or the ability to feel, remember this subtle difference between the illegal practice of indentured servitude and the dude that brings you biscuits: one is legally obliged through debt and contract to tend to your every need for years at a time and the other is banging his head against an ice machine in the back waiting for you to leave.
Still having some trouble? Cut out this handy cheat sheet and place it in your pocket to remind you what kind of person you are being:
Indentured Servant: You're an asshole in the 1600s using exploitive employment practices.
Server: You're an asshole in an empty Applebee's with a stomach full of alfredo sauce.
The guy was kind enough to tell you the daily feature even though you strolled in ten minutes after close. Maybe it's time for you to realize that he has a life, too, that he might have better plans for the evening than wait for you to begin the difficult process of left foot/right foot/left foot towards the door.
Imagine, for a moment, your job. Picture yourself finishing up your day, adjusting one last insurance claim or whatever, and now, as you begin packing up, a stranger sits down beside your desk and asks for you to file their claim while they suck on all the Werther's from your candy jar. Fine, whatever, you quickly finish the work and hand it to the stranger. You check your watch, it isn't too late and maybe you could catch the tail end of the evening. But the stranger pops another Werther's in his mouth. He decides to sit and "enjoy the atmosphere" of your cubicle.
Stop being the butterscotch munching jackass. Let the server go home. Waste your life, fine, but do it elsewhere. He's getting paid $3.75 an hour to watch you twiddle your thumbs. Hell, it isn't just him. There's a manager, a cook or two, a valet, and a dish tank dude, too. They all hate you. What they say about you is true.
Whoever you're with wants to go home. It's time to realize you aren't making dreams here. This ain't no eHarmony commercial. Closing the restaurant on a first date is like going to law school--you only do it if there are no better options. If the date was better, you'd be home already. If your date was worse, you'd be home already. You're stalling, hoping something will change, praying your date will randomly take their shirt off. It won't and they won't. You're in Date Purgatory and the poor soul on the other side of the table is only keeping conversation with you because they're unable to think of a good excuse to run away. Do them a favor. Go home. Or jam the stem of your wine glass into your temple. Either or, really.
Did Louis C.K. jerk off in front of two female comics? And why are these ladies squandering an opportunity to learn from a comedy legend?
Elliot said my breakup must have been due to the sweater curse, an unexplained phenomenon where anyone who gives their significant other a hand-knit sweater gets dumped. The only way to break the curse, Elliot said, was to destroy the sweater.
Just in time for Shark Week, a barrelful of fishy cinematic horrors!
Goon-made alternate Confederate and 'Don't Tread on Me' flags: Put THAT on your pole and salute it!
This game is so busted th- *interrupted by smart aleck Joker and Batmobile sequence*
The Something Awful front page news tackles anything both off and on the Internet. Mostly "on" though, as we're all incredible nerds.
Copyright ©2015 Rich "Lowtax" Kyanka & Something Awful LLC.


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You can now invite anyone to meet at your favorite Starbucks.
Limited-time feature
35 year old woman | Las Vegas, NV, USA | Seeking men 29-40 within 50 miles
You have to make a choice to take a chance or your life will never change. Now put that taco in yo pocket and lets go.
I have lived in the Philippines, NY, Houston, and now live in Vegas. I love to travel and take weekend get-aways. I love reading to relax with a hot cup of coffee or tea. I have worked in the Healthcare Industry on a Corporate level for ten years. Im currently finishing up my Bachelors in HR. I speak fluent English and Tagalog. I embrace both my Filipino and American culture and try to practice the best of both worlds. For fun I like to go out to eat, watch the latest movie, work out, and go shopping. I'm looking for someone who is responsible, driven, and family oriented. Someone who compliments my personality not someone who is just like me. Someone who will recognize my best. Everything else depends on chemistry.
Coffee and conversation , Cooking , Dining out , Movies/Videos , Music and concerts , Nightclubs/Dancing , Shopping/Antiques , Travel/Sightseeing , Watching sports
Billiards / Pool, Bowling, Running, Swimming, Tennis / Racquet sports, VolleyBall, Walking / Hiking, Weights / Machines
I exercise 3-4 times per week.
I have Dogs
Out to eat, movies, or shopping. Nothing too crazy. Town Square every now and then.
Love coffee but cutting down to a cup a day. ::) Use to listen to JonJay and Rich in the morning until they went of air, love Japanese, Italian, Chinese, and Vietnamese food. Love Avenger movies, super hero movies, and vampire shows LOL,
Last book I read was 50 Shades of Grey. It was good and I can't wait to see the movie.
Z{{Cta}} {{#if HasMoreInfo}} ?{{CtaSecondary}} {{/if}}
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|5'3" (160cms)
|5'7" (170cms) to 6'2" (187cms)
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This Album holds it's own with the best music Hall & Oates has ever done. You should never expect artists to do the same thing over and over again and this album is way diffrent... Read morePublished on May 3 2002 by N. C Kratzer
One of my favorite Hall and Oates albums and one of their most underappreciated. Most people will recognize Wait for Me, but won't be familiar with the rest of the album. Read morePublished on April 16 2002 by TC3
With X-STATIC, their 1979 album, Hall and Oates got caught in the middle of a raging battle between disco and rock. Read morePublished on Sept. 30 2001
Dance-rock at it's best (no, it's not a 'disco' album...) with bonus tracks from the Buddah Records version of this CD. Read morePublished on Aug. 13 2001 by TomAzon


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Coffee Time Romance & More
Author's Coffee Corner
JoAnne Kenrick
> Hear my funky welsh accent!
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Hear my funky welsh accent!
JoAnne Kenrick
March 3rd, 2011, 08:22 PM
Have a laugh at my North Wales accent -- see me make a fool out of myself with an accent 'tag' video on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDVqaGeHZRQ)
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13 Cats That Refuse To Dress Up For Halloween
2 of 14
Tags: animals, cat, costume, halloween, halloween costume, lion cut, shaved cat
Plus, Rihanna adopted a puppy she found wandering around a club bathroom!
Context, folks. It's all about context. …
This is the first and only time I genuinely mean it when I say POOR PARIS HILTON.
Wait what?? Yay!
The creators of Cruel Intentions: The Musical in LA, are developing a musical based on Fox's early oughts hit teen drama The O.C. and we are so very happy.
A Twitter account has been created by producer Jordan Ross and director Lindsey Rosin. Here is a tweet of…


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Kinematics of the freely moving head and neck in the alert cat
- E. A. Keshner,
- K. D. Statler,
- S. L. Delp
- … show all 3 hide
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In this study we examined connections between the moment-generating capacity of the neck muscles and their patterns of activation during voluntary head-tracking movements. Three cats lying prone were trained to produce sinusoidal (0.25 Hz) tracking movements of the head in the sagittal plane, and 22.5º and 45º away from the sagittal plane. Radio-opaque markers were placed in the cervical vertebrae, and intramuscular patch electrodes were implanted in five neck muscles, including biventer cervicis, complexus, splenius capitis, occipitoscapularis, and rectus capitis posterior major. Videofluoroscopic images of cervical vertebral motion and muscle electromyographic responses were simultaneously recorded. A three-dimensional biomechanical model was developed to estimate how muscle moment arms and force-generating capacities change during the head-tracking movement. Experimental results demonstrated that the head and vertebrae moved synchronously, but neither the muscle activation patterns nor vertebral movements were constant across trials. Analysis of the biomechanical model revealed that, in some cases, modification of muscle activation patterns was consistent with changes in muscle moment arms or force-generating potential. In other cases, however, changes in muscle activation patterns were observed without changes in muscle moment arms or force-generating potential. This suggests that the moment-generating potential of muscles is just one of the variables that influences which muscles the central nervous system will select to participate in a movement.
- Title
- Kinematics of the freely moving head and neck in the alert cat
- Journal
Experimental Brain Research
Volume 115, Issue 2 , pp 257-266
- Cover Date
- 1997-06-01
- Print ISSN
- 0014-4819
- Online ISSN
- 1432-1106
- Publisher
- Springer-Verlag
- Additional Links
- Keywords
- Key words Neck muscles
- Videofluoroscopy
- Head tracking
- Moment arms
- Biomechanical model
- Cat
- Industry Sectors
- Authors
- E. A. Keshner (A1)
- K. D. Statler (A1)
- S. L. Delp (A1)
- Author Affiliations
- A1. Sensory Motor Performance Program, Room 1406, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, 345 East Superior Street, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; e-mail: email@example.com, US


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Point6 Coolrado High Extra Light 34 Crew Socks - Mens - Road Bike Shop
Road Bike Shop
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|SmartWool PhD Cycle Ultra Light 3/4 Crew Sock - Men's
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Is this 100% down?
I had to fluff the comforter several times before it became alive. Once it fluffed out, it was very warm and comfortable. The fabric is soft and elegant looking. I didn't want to put a duvet cover on it....
Damask Stripe 600 Fill Medium Warmth White Down Comforter
Sleep more soundly with this plush white down comforter. This extra-soft comforter has a 290-thread-count microfiber cover and a fill power of 600 for medium firmness. It can be used on a queen or king-size bed and has a medium warmth rating.
ITEM#: 14189984Sleep in cozy comfort under this luxury white down comforter. This bedding features a 290 thread count microfiber cover and baffle box construction.
- Cover material: Polyester
- Type of down: White duck down
- Construction: Baffle box construction
- Thread count: 290
- Fill power: 600
- Care instructions: Dry clean only
- Warmth rating: Medium warmth
- Outer design: Damask stripe
- Color options: White
- Self-piping
- Twin: 68 inches wide x 88 inches long with 23 ounces of fill
- Full/Queen: 88 inches wide x 88 inches long with 33 ounces of fill
- King: 104 inches wide x 88 inches long with 43 ounces of fill
Down and feather-filled products are packed tightly during shipping. Upon receipt, remove them from their packaging, fluff gently, and allow several hours to recover their full loft. In addition, being sealed in plastic packaging sometimes causes the scent of these natural products to concentrate to a disagreeable level. A few hours of airing usually removes the odor.
We recommend that this comforter is fluffed at least once a week to maintain down distribution.
The digital images we display have the most accurate color possible. However, due to differences in computer monitors, we cannot be responsible for variations in color between the actual product and your screen.
|Contemporary Luxury Bedding Traditional
|Warmth Rating
|Medium Warmth
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|Down White Down
|Fluffy Quality Soft Warm
|See Description
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I loved this comforter for one season. It does not smell. It is nice and fluffy. BUT, the feathers are all on the sides now. No full stitching around the boxes. I am so discussed. What are these people thinking? Just one more inch of sewing on each box and it would be a perfect down comforter.Read More
Beautiful comforter
I had to fluff the comforter several times before it became alive. Once it fluffed out, it was very warm and comfortable. The fabric is soft and elegant looking. I didn't want to put a duvet cover on it.Read More
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Seems a little thinner than the last 'medium weight' weight comforter I had, however the last one didn't have a fill power rating. The comforter cloth material is very nice.Read More
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I was worried that this down comforter would be too thin and not feel high qualify enough given the great price but I was very pleasantly surprised - quality seems excellent, especially for money paid! No feathers flying out or poking through, stays in place in the duvet, not too heavy but not too light. Just right!Read More
This is a fantastic Down Comforter
After 18 years, I decided to replace my current down comforter. The price was right and the quality is exceptional. I've had many wonderfully comfortable nights of sleep since receiving the comforter.Read More
I read a lot of reviews that said these types of blankets are smelly, or feathers poke out, and that they also don't hold a fluff much. When I got it, it was packed really tightly so it wasn't fluffy, but I shook it out, and rumpled it up a lot, and within an hour it was very fluffy, and just smelled like the plastic it came in. I put it in my duvet cover and immediately loved how fluffy it was on my bed. I have slept with it for a month now and don't notice a smell, and since it's mostly down instead of feathers (some other down comforters are 95% duck feathers... yuck!) I don't ever feel anything but soft comfortable blankets. I have AC at my house so it's not too warm of a blanket in the summer. If you don't have AC I don't recommend using it at night unless your night temps are a little low. It's too warm for 80+ degree nights! I fluff it often and it makes my bed look very inviting. I LOVE IT!Read More
Down comforter
Great comforter...fluffy and snugly. Just like goldilocks would like...not too hot and not too cold...Just Right!!! Excellent for any one. The price was especially good. Would recommend!!Read More
***Great Buy!!!***
My husband and I researched for a looong time before finally deciding on this down comforter. Whoever says this comforter isn't warm enough either left a review for the wrong comforter, didn't receive the correct comforter, or they need to get checked for hypothyroidism...this comforter is GREAT! It doesn't smell, it looks high-end, was very affordable, is super puffy (measures 5 inches high off my bed), is incredibly warm, I received it very quickly for my location, and it's not too heavy nor too light. Just something to think about, the duvet that I use slips around a little on this comforter which is due to the materials clashing (duvet is microfiber; comforter shell is polyester). This is a minimal issue though, in which I blame the microfiber duvet :). I barely need the heat on in my room (just enough to keep my face from freezing), even though my windows are frozen shut. Sweet deal!Read More
Down comforters
I read a lot of down comforters review. I give it a try ,but very disappointed. This comforter is very thin! I can't return it.Read More
The cover was supposed to be microfiber... And I LOVE MICROFIBER!!! I recently switched all my sheets and duvet covers to microfiber. However the cover was very thick and super satiny, and shiny! Not what I was looking for; therefore it's going back. That being said it seems to be well constructed and have a good amount of fill.Read More
Questions & Answers
Hello michele098, yes, this is 100% down. Thanks for shopping with us! A.S.
In what country was this product made? (Item #: 14189984)
Hi lucyll, we were able to verify this information with our support team. This item is made in the USA. Thanks for shopping with us.
Does this comforter have loops for duvet ties?
No, it doesn''t have loops.
No it doesnt
is this goose down or duck down or something else?
This is filled with white duck down.
Shopping Tips & Inspiration
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Paseo del Borne Loft D
From $111 / night
Description from the manager
Description from the manager
Bedrooms: 0/
Bathrooms: 1/
Sleeps: 4/
Type: Apt. / Condo
Located on a narrow medieval street of the trendiest district of Barcelona, the Paseo del Borne Loft D is chic, modern and so very cosy!
Sweet and stylish, the Paseo del Borne Loft D is a placid home with a contemporary twist. This fantastically located apartment offers a fresh and bright aesthetic with large windows that open up to small balconies. The living area has been decorated in a palette of beiges and greys and furnished with a sofa bed, two arm chairs, a coffee table and for your entertainment there is a flat screen television.
A coquettish dining table for four is next to the open plan and fully equipped kitchen: fridge, stove, ...Read more
About the manager
About the manager
Barcelona Apartments
Barcelona Apartments
- Response rate: 100%
- Response time: A few hours
- Calendar updated: 5 weeks ago
Overall rating:
2.6 / 5.0
Paseo del Borne Loft D Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Additional Location Information
It certainly is a hallucinating adventure to stay in one of the narrow medieval streets of the Borne district. Part of an intricate maze of small alleyways which has barely changed over the centuries, the Paseo del Borne Lofts' extraordinary location grants the captivating allure of the city.
The historic Borne has been revamped in recent years to become the trendiest district of Barcelona: chic fashion boutiques, art galleries, cool cocktail lounges, tapas' bars, café terraces, candlelit restaurants... Yet, the ancient walls can't stop telling stories of a far away past.
Its streets were named by the guilds which found them in the Middle Ages: the Mirallers street, those who worked glass; the Espartería street, those who made baskets; the Sombrerers Street of the hat makers; Pescatería where fish was sold. Calders, where the apartments are located, used to be the street of the boilers; conveniently close to the Plaça d'Olles (Pots Square) where you can eat one of the best tortillas in town.
The imposing Basílica de Santa María del Mar, also known as the Cathedral of the Sea, is the jewel of the area. A few steps away in a magnificent late Gothic palace is the Picasso Museum, which houses the painter's earliest work. And, if for whatever reason you might want to wander away from this fascinating area, there is a metro station 300 metres away: Sant Jaume (Line 4).
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Hotéis em Fullerton
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Crowne Plaza Los Angeles Airport
Our Los Angeles hotel features a complimentary airport shuttle and 24-hour service that will impress the most seasoned of travelers. The Ocean Express Trolley, which stops at the hotel every thirty minutes, can take you to Manhattan Beach and El Segundo Plaza. Easy freeway access makes it a breeze to visit such attractions as Hollywood, Disneyland and Universal Studios!
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BOB KERREY, IRAQ VET, AND 9-11 DAD SPEAK OUT AGAINST BUSH-Andrew Stelzer
Last night the university of Tampa democrats held a round table discussion on national security, featuring a member of the 9/11 commission, a soldier returning from Iraq and the father of a victim of the September 11th attacks. The focus of the discussion was the failure of the war in Iraq and how President bush has redirected the resources, which could have been used to protect Americans, and instead invaded Iraq without a plan.
ACT ââ¬ÅI tried to find reason when we first went in but they never came through..our unit went in after two month with Vietnam era flak jackets and humvees with tarp, we rushed past resistanceââ¬Â¦
Peter Granata was in the army reserve, he served as a military police officer if Iraq; Granata was sent in from the Kuwaiti border on the third day of the war.
ACT that doesnââ¬â¢t make sense..that was probably to make the American people think weââ¬Â¦the Iraqi went home, they couldnââ¬â¢t fight the Tampa police department, I put two and two together..ââ¬?
Granata also spoke about how he was forced to relate with the Iraqi people
ACT ââ¬Åwe ran a prison camp and basically there was a huge round up of Iraqi prisoners, I donââ¬â¢t know what they were showing on the newsââ¬Â¦all of the government collapsedââ¬Â¦and it also caused something thats not talked about..the government was sort of socialist..the people were given their food, they were given homes, the infrastructue and over time as the months went on I was supposed to keep people away from the camp, although it wasnââ¬â¢t my field, me and a few other guysââ¬Â¦many other had to help Halliburton..the people were coming to our office, medical attention, women with babies, they were looking for food water, electricity, now we were just told by commanders just tell them its coming..well thats all we could do we felt powerless, and thatââ¬â¢s what they did..and they are still waiting for it. This is one of the things that led to the insurgency.ââ¬?
Lisa Light is the wife of a soldier who will soon be sent to Iraq.
ACT ââ¬Åone of the things that we havenââ¬â¢t done is equipped them, we donââ¬â¢t have humvees, my best friends husband just reserved..he wasnââ¬â¢t trained as an MPââ¬Â¦Ã¢â¬?
Former Nebraska senator Bob Kerry said all of the members of the 9-11 commission agreed to not use the investigation or the report to influence this yearââ¬â¢s election, but his view is that president Bush has done too much damage to his credibility to ever recover.
ACT-Kerrey ââ¬Åhe said heââ¬â¢s lost credibility with foreign leaders, thatââ¬â¢s not the biggest problem, heââ¬â¢s lost cred with American peopleââ¬Â¦Ã¢â¬?
Tom Johnson lost his son when the twin towers were attacked.
ACT ââ¬Å..given what happened to our family, I bent over backwards to support Bush. I wanted to be supportive, but with every day that has passed it has become clearer and clearer, we went to war based on false premises based on ideology thatââ¬â¢s has nothing to do with my son..and we did it out of stubbornness and ideologyââ¬Â¦ we have the wrong commander in chiefââ¬?
Kerrey said he thinks John Kerry will do a better job than bush, because of his experience in Vietnam, which was another war based on a lie, and because Kerryââ¬â¢s has worked over the past 30 years to mend the wounds between the US and Southeast Asia.
ACT--Kerrey ââ¬Åit was a peace keeping force that ended that war, worked with Bush sr, we felt some responsibility, brought POWs back from Thailand, he doesnââ¬â¢t come with an ideological preferenceââ¬Â¦and most impressively he understands you have to stay the courseââ¬Â¦..ââ¬?
Granata said many members of the military will not be voting for president Bush because of the way he used the image of commander in chief to mislead the public.
ACT ââ¬Ëtelling them to bring it on..playing dress up on the aircraft carrier..but I think john Kerry can do a much better job..Bush thinks things are going wonderful over there.
Light said she gave up her job to tour the county speaking out against Bush.
ACT ââ¬ÅI think its crucial that we speak outââ¬Â¦GWB is my husbands boos and im have to take the risk, so I feel like its my duty as a civilian to tell you that im supporting john Kerry..its also absolutely gut wrenching to think that your husband or loved ones is serving under a commander who doesnââ¬â¢t care..many of us have come to that conclusion..ââ¬?
WMNF asked Peter Granata why if all of the facts point to President Bush not supporting the military, many members of the military still support Bush.
ACT ââ¬Åthere was a lack of media sources, we mainly listened to Rush and fox, but a lot of people started to get the hint thatââ¬â¢s thereââ¬â¢s something wrong there, shortly after he dressed up, we said wait a minute, then we started to see a lack of planning, it seemed like wed never get out of there, you do have the educated people did catch on quicker faster than those ho got out of high school, if you read polls, you cant have dissent, and the army times poll, says military poll, they gave that survey by asking army times subscribersââ¬âcareer military people, thats who youââ¬â¢re getting it from.ââ¬?comments powered by Disqus


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Friday, November 2, 2012 - Friday night for ckinv368's Birthday (Farnatchi, Dallas, Texas): WIML92
Tasted non blind.
Garnet to dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of rose petals, spice, plums and soapstone. Flavors of cherries, berries, raspberries and plums. Medium acidity, medium tannins, full bodied. Drink with some air time or continue to hold.


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Very friendly staff. Most delicious meal we have ever had in Morocco. The roof top seating area was delightful and atmospheric. The harrira soup was delicious as was the chicken and the lamb tagine. You must find this place if you are in Marrakech and you will not be disappointed!!! Excellent all around! We will be going back again!
If you own or manage Cafe chez ZaZa marrakech, register now for free tools to enhance your listing, attract new reviews, and respond to reviewers.


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Great knife set. Love the look and also the functionality. They are super sharp i need to be careful not to chop off my fingers lol- Yen in Columbus
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These knives have been great- Harold in Puposky, MN
2 Piece Paring Knife Set
4 stars
It's always kind of surprising when one gets a product that performs much better than expected. These knives were bought for use in a sublet apt. during one of the young adult children's summer study- Dee in Indy
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Good style, very sturdy, cuts well- Tony in Manchester, NJ
International 5 Piece Cheese Set
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Cuts everything from Brie and Camembert and from Asiago to Fiore Sardo. A great way to display your artisinal cheeses. Looks nice, too. Pros: Outstanding value, clean look, utilitarian. Cons: none- thousand places in Seattle
Essenstahl 15 Piece Contempo Cutlery Set
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Couldn't wait for my arrival just what I expected , be careful they are very sharp will order again.- Shirley in Loganville, GA
Insignia Steel 18 Piece Knife Block Set
5 stars
I love these knives. It has everything you need including a built in sharpener and great shears. Knives are a nice weight and VERY sharp. Pros: Excellent quality for the money Cons: None- Karen in New York, NY
HomeBasics 14 Piece Cutlery Set
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Nice- Landus in Philadelphia
15 Piece Knife Block Set in Stainless Steel
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This set looks great and is highly functional! Another great choice! Love Wayfair!- Mikki in Knoxville
Signature 14 Piece Argentum Cutlery Set
4 stars
I love the color, what I call "candy apple". The selection of knives makes sense but I wish the scissors came apart for easy cleaning. Overall, a great set and beautiful addition in my- Helen in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin
8 Piece Steak Knife Set
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these are beautiful knives. the handles are silver and match our silverware perfectly and would look much nicer than our old knives if having a dinner party. while i haven't used the knives to cut- rebecca in boise, idaho
Koden Series 18 Piece Cutlery Set
4 stars
However it could cut better & feel more solid. Bought a different set for my in-laws last year for the same money and they were a much better set.- Jeremy in Greenwood, IN
Twin Four Star 7 Piece Cutlery Block Set
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Great product for even greater price. When you see the product in person, you'll be surprised with the quality of its craftsmanship. Thoroughly enjoying using these gears at my kitchen.- Yumee in Seoul
HomeBasics 14 Piece Cutlery Set
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I am very satisfied with my purchase, thanks warfarin for such speeding deliver.- Faith in Arlington, TX
International Silvercap 14 Piece Cutlery Block Set
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Great set at a great price. Been wanting this brand but is always very expensive. At around $90 I couldn't resist.- rachelle in Abbotsford, BC
Ginsu Essential Series 14 Piece Cutlery Block Set II
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Great quality and value, timely shipment, would definately buy these again!- Mercedes in Burr Ridge, IL
Essentials 15 Piece Cutlery Block Set
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Great set. Knives are sharp and block is sturdy. Love it! Great deal for a great product.- Emily in Poplar Bluff, MO
Kinzie Colors 3 Piece Knife Set
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Good purchase, excellent quality. Nice colors .great addiction for my kitchen.- Gloria in Raleigh, NC
International EverEdge Plus Steak Knife
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These knives are great quality, perfect for steaks and chicken. Sturdy construction, quick shipment.- Anna in Vinton, VA
Classic 2 Piece Carving Knife Set
5 stars
Sharp and substantial. These will last a lifetime. I've been buying this brand for a long time. Pros: Classic style. Ability to keep sharpening Cons: Expensive- Allison in Hampton, NH


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Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pie
One bite, and you might not believe this luscious, savory pie is a low-calorie meal.
Total Time:
Level: Moderate
Serves: 6
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- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
- 1 tbsp. margarine or butter
- 1.50 lb. chicken tenders
- 2 shallots
- 1 lb. assorted mushrooms
- 3 carrots
- 0.33 c. dry white wine
- 0.25 c. all-purpose flour
- 2 c. lower-sodium chicken broth
- 0.75 c. half-and-half
- 1 c. frozen peas
- 2 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Unfold pastry; roll to size of 2-1/2-quart baking dish. Invert dish over pastry; with knife, trim pastry to fit. Place pastry on cookie sheet; refrigerate.
- In 12-inch skillet, melt 1/2 tablespoon margarine on medium-high. Add chicken; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring; transfer to plate.
- With fork, prick pastry all over. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until browned.
- In same skillet, melt 1/2 tablespoon margarine on medium-high. Add shallots; cook, stirring, 2 minutes (If pan is dry, add 2 tablespoons water.) Add mushrooms and carrots. Cook 6 minutes, stirring. Add wine; boil 2 minutes or until dry. Stir in flour, then broth; heat to boiling on high. Stir in chicken and juices. Simmer on medium 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked (165 degrees F). Stir in half-and-half, peas, and tarragon; simmer 1 minute. Pour into dish; top with pastry.
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Wrist Wallet Wristbands Unique Christmas Gifts [E12300]


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The Body Shop Satsuma Body Butter
115 reviews
63% would repurchase
Package Quality: 4.0
Price: $$$
Package Quality: 4.0
Price: $$$
Not tested on animals
The Body Shop is a Cruelty-Free Subsidiary.
on 1/23/2012 9:57:00 AM
Age: 19-24
Skin: Oily, Olive, Not Sure
Hair: Black, Curly, Fine
Eyes: Black
I love The Body Shop's Body Butters. They actually sink into the skin and moisturize instead of just sitting on top of it, they don't feel greasy, and they leave a lovely scent that lingers for hours (I usually skip perfume when wearing one of these butters). I just wish that they weren't so pricey.
Anyhow, Satsuma is probably my favorite scent for these butters. It smells like a batch of fresh Japanese oranges. I don't find it overpowering because I love a citrusy scent, and this is as citrusy as it gets. Love it :) I almost always have one of these on my vanity.
on 10/23/2011 3:21:00 AM
Age: 30-35
Skin: Combination, Other, Not Sure
Hair: Black, Other, Other
Eyes: Black
LOVEEEEEE this...very fresh and the smell lingers all day..it compliments my perfume very well (clinique happy-another citrus smell)..it does seriously wake me up in the morning and moisturise my skin very well! highly recommended! too bad its not available here in australia
on 10/22/2011 11:35:00 PM
Age: 19-24
Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Not Sure
Hair: Blond, Other, Other
Eyes: Brown
The best way I'd describe this is... FRESH! I try to wear this everyday, and the crispy smell always lingers :) I can't take the smell of perfumes any longer, so I use this as a scent.
!!!!!*For those who say that it ends up smelling like beer/skunk/whatever else, I think it has something to do with your body chemistry. I, personally, never have this issue.
on 8/24/2011 3:53:00 PM
Age: 25-29
Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Not Sure
Hair: Brunette, Other, Other
Eyes: Hazel
Love the tub, love the moisturizing ability of this fine cream body butter. Perfect texture - not too thick and not too thin. Smell is out of this world incredible citrus!!!
on 7/25/2011 2:14:00 PM
Age: 25-29
Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Not Sure
Hair: Black, Straight, Medium
Eyes: Brown
what is not to love? I reach for this when I want a citrusy pick me up!
on 7/24/2011 11:20:00 AM
Age: 19-24
Skin: Combination, Fair, Not Sure
Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium
Eyes: Blue
i have mized feelings about this bad boy. while i love citrusy scents (and it does not get more citrus-y than this stuff), im bummed at the lasting power of the fragrance. i was hoping to be able to use this instead of perfume in the hotter months, but alas, this is not the case. it is nice and moisturizing, but nothing you cant get from an $8 bottle of jergens. for the price, i am super disappointed.
on 6/30/2011 12:19:00 AM
Age: 19-24
Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool
Hair: Black, Straight, Medium
Eyes: Brown
This used to be a favorite scent of mine in high school. I was recently at Sephora and I saw Satsuma included in the display of Body Shop butters. I remember the scent being delicious and juicy, whereas the tester smelled weird. "Okay," I thought, "it's probably an old tester so that's why the smell is off." I went ahead and bought the full-size jar of it. When I got home and tried it, it literally smelled like beer (Blue Moon, to be exact)! My body chemistry must be out of whack.
on 6/27/2011 2:04:00 PM
Age: 18 & Under
Skin: Combination, Olive, Not Sure
Hair: Brown, Other, Other
Eyes: Brown
Who doesn't love TBS BB's? I LOVE THEM!
This particular scent of their BB's is wonderful, and the BB itself moisturizes exactly how it's intended to, after all this is for NORMAL SKIN, if you have dry skin or do not like the smell of Satsuma you are dropping the perfect rating of this moisturizer because you won't like it. But I love it, it is summer right now, and I do not have unbearably dry skin, and it moisturizes lovely, like a Souffle - a really light body butter. PERFECT! I love the tubs too. :) 5/5
on 6/24/2011 9:14:00 PM
Age: 19-24
Skin: Combination, Fair, Not Sure
Hair: Black, Other, Other
Eyes: Brown
I cannot rave ENOUGH about the Body Shop's line of body butters. They are incredibly moisturizing, but they are a bit greasy so I don't suggest using it in the morning, but it works fantastic after you shower at night (as I do). I find that when I don't use this, my skin the next morning looks dry and wrinkly (gross).
When I use it, it glides on so smoothly and it feels great when I massage it on my arms, legs, etc.
The smell is also amazing too; at first I was particular about it. It smelled a bit too much like a citrus cleaner...but after using it for about a week or two, I fell in LOVE with it. Would definitely recommend to someone with money, because the body shop tends to be a bit pricey. Try to catch them on buy 2, get 1 free or buy 3, get 2 free sales :)
on 6/10/2011 7:07:00 PM
Age: 25-29
Skin: Dry, Fair, Not Sure
Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine
Eyes: Brown
I rediscovered this recently, I used to love this scent when I was a teenager and just forgot all about it and TBS in general while exploring products into adulthood. I received this body butter tin (i.e. plastic) as a gift and slathered it on one night after bath, thinkin', "hmm, this makes me happy and nostalgic..." when I was suddenly attacked by my SO who sniffed and rigorously questioned me on what the smell was, where'd I get it, what's it called, etc., then he ran to the bathroom to apply it all over himself.
Long story short, he loves it more than I do, so now this and the liquid hand soap is a permanent staple in our bathroom. Which is fine with me because it works well as smells yummy.
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