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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73965357528514506252015-05-24T19:55:01.005-05:00Connected email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-26260404985584618182015-05-17T18:28:00.000-05:002015-05-17T18:28:31.841-05:00The Chipotle Story - How Little Suggestions Can Have a Big Impact

Sometimes giving feedback to a company can really make a big difference. I learned this one time years ago when I replied to a question on a website for one of my favorite restaurants at the time, Chipotle. The question was something like, "Do you know of a location where we should build a new restaurant?" Now at the time, the closest Chipotle to my house was a good 20 minutes away; not super far, but not exactly close either. Also around this time they were building a new shopping center near by and there were a bunch of openings for new stores. I thought, "Hey, wouldn't it be nice if the put a Chipotle in there?" So I went ahead and put in the suggestion for the new location.

I didn't actually expect them to take my advice, but it was worth a few minutes of time just for a chance. I don't remember if I got a reply back; maybe an automatic reply stating something along the lines of, "Thank you for your suggestion. Our team will look into this location..." So months went on and I forgot about it.

But then something amazing happened. I was driving by the new shopping center and guess what sign had just gone up? "Coming Soon - Chipotle Mexican Grill"! I was shocked and excited! They actually must have read my email, looked into the location and decided it was indeed a good place to open a new restaurant. I was going around telling everyone how I had recommended they put a restaurant there and then they actually did! It was so nice to be able to drive only a couple minutes instead of 20 minutes to get to one of my favorite restaurants.

Sometimes it pays to take the time out of your day to give feedback to businesses because they actually do listen and might make big moves based on what you have to say!
email@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2015/05/the-chipotle-story-how-little.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-15447681599897919182015-05-04T10:54:00.000-05:002015-05-04T10:54:09.576-05:00What to do with Old Clothes, Shoes, Electronics and More

Whenever you are cleaning up and trying to get rid of stuff you don't want, the first solution you may think of is to just put it in the garbage. This may seem like the easiest thing to do, but usually there is a better option. Recycling is becoming easier these days and most things can be recycled rather than thrown in the garbage. Here we will go over some of the options for getting rid of things you do not want by ways such as donation and recycling.

Clothes and Shoes - Unwanted clothes and shoes are easy to donate if they are still in good condition. Most local thrift stores will accept them. Examples include Good Will and Salvation Army. Often there are also convenient collection bins set up around town for drop offs of old clothing. For items like these that are in poor condition, you can still donate them to organizations such as USAgain which recycles them and has many drop off locations.

Electronics - In the fast changing tech industry, electronics such as tvs, computers, and cell phones seem to get outdated faster than any other category. If your device is still fairly new, you may be able to sell it on sites such as eBay or trade it in at Best Buy, but if it is older, you may want to donate it to a thrift store, or recycle it at an electronics store such as Best Buy which will accept most electronics for recycling at no charge.

Light Bulbs and Batteries - Many local hardware stores and Public Works departments accept the CFL bulbs and batteries that should not be disposed of in the trash. You can find your nearest drop off center with recycling websites such as Earth911.

Furniture and Large Items - Often these items can be donated but they can be hard to transport. In situations like this, you may want to have someone pick them up by posting about them on a website like Craigslist which has a Free section where you can post about items to give away.

Recycling Events - Keep an eye on village news for local recycling events such as paper shredding days and specific dates to drop off specialized items such as tires or hazardous materials. Events are usually found on the calendars on the local community websites.

They say one person's trash is another person's treasure so before you are going to throw something out, make sure to consider the donation and recycling options above because in most cases there is someone else who would be glad to have it! firstname.lastname@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2015/05/what-to-do-with-old-clothes-shoes.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-60891692587127961912015-04-27T08:51:00.000-05:002015-04-27T08:51:07.511-05:00Pagoda Egg Rolls Review - Vegetable Egg Rolls

I was looking for some new frozen foods to try out when I saw the vegetable egg rolls by Pagoda. I've never been a huge fan of egg rolls, but I decided to give them a try. I went with the vegetable rolls which have cabbage, carrots, celery and bok choy. The ingredients also list water chestnuts and bamboo shoots. They come with 4 individually wrapped egg rolls per box and retail for around $3 - $3.50.

Preparing the egg rolls is pretty easy. You can cook them by oven or microwave, but I always go with the microwave for speed and convenience. They recommend a time of about 1- 1:15 in the microwave. I found this to be pretty accurate at the 1:15 for a good cook all the way through for 1 roll.

So how do they taste? Surprisingly good! The outside shell is very flavorful and the veggies inside taste good also. It does not even seem like you are eating vegetables because it tastes so good! The egg rolls each come with a sauce packet, but I just eat the egg rolls which have enough flavor on their own. The sauce packets are connected to each other and kind of hard to open without a scissors. The sauce has a spicy kick to it but is also pretty good if you are looking for extra flavors to go with it.

Nutrition on these egg rolls is pretty good. Calories are 140 per roll and fat is 6% daily value. Each roll has 3 grams of protein. The only thing that is kind of high is sodium which is at 19% daily value, but overall it is ok as long as you eat them sparingly. I only make 1 roll at a time and combine it with other food for a meal.

Overall I highly recommend the Pagoda vegetable egg rolls, in fact I have already gone back and purchased 2 more boxes! I will probably check out some of the other items from this brand soon.
email@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2015/04/pagoda-egg-rolls-review-vegetable-egg.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-11186655721092493232015-04-20T16:14:00.000-05:002015-04-21T19:59:38.387-05:00What I Learned From 5 Years of Blogging

I starting blogging a little over 5 years ago as an experiment to try out for fun. I didn't have any expectations or clear goal but it was something I wanted to try out. Over the years my writing has improved and I have learned how to make better articles and attract more readers. Here are some of the things I have learned from blogging over the past 5 years.

1. You never know what is going to be popular.

This is one of the most interesting things I learn from blogging and that is, you never really know for sure which articles are going to be popular. There will be times when I write what I think is an good thought provoking article and it will get very little traffic while other times I will write some random articlethat might be not much longer than a paragraph and it will get lots of traffic.

2. Which articles tend to do well with traffic.

With unpredictable traffic being said, I have learned a few tips on the kinds of articles that do tend to get more hits. Usually it is articles that are more specific and niche in nature which many people have not written about yet. The trick is to find a high interest topic that has not been widely covered yet. Localized articles tend to do well because they are more specific and do not have as much national and global competition. Also articles that do not get outdated fast tend to do better in the long run (ex. a how-to article) vs articles that might only draw interest for a week or so (ex. a current event).

3. Optimize your articles with tags, images, and good titles.

I'm no expert in search engine optimization but I have found it is wise to add tags to your articles to help them get found in searches. Also adding images helps make them more visually appealing. For titles, make sure is is something that describes your article well and is something that people would search for.

4. Don't expect to get rich quick.

Making money from blogging is hard. Usually it is done from putting ads on your site, but this only brings in a small amount especially if you do not have a lot of visitors. If your site becomes very popular then you may be able to start making a steady stream of income from ads. Start with a goal to write good content that will attract readers. Once you have an audience, then you can look into ads and ways to monetize your blog.

5. Be careful what you put online.

This is one of the most important lessons I learned and that is to be careful what you put online. This can be anything from text to images to links. For text, obviously be cautious about putting too much personal information online. Also be careful what you write about other people or companies especially if it is negative. If you are adding images, be sure those images are ok to use and do not belong to another person or company who does not want their images used. For links, be sure you are linking to trusted content and that the site you are linking to is ok with you sending traffic to their website.

6. Back up your work.

Not only should you back up files and data on your own computer, you should also back up your blog and or website. Just like a computer can crash and lose everything, so can a website. Most blogs are pretty easy to back up with a download that will at least save all the text and articles. Making a blog can be a lot of work and you don't want to lose it in the rare chance that there is a server crash so make sure you are backing it up frequently.

7. Update old articles.

Over time it is inevitable that articles will become outdated. Links to older websites and videos may not work over time as 3rd party content changes. A lot of times you will find your opinion on what you wrote years before has changed and will require an update. Another things is that old articles tend to not get as much traffic, so updating them with new information can help make them fresh and relevant again without writing a brand new article.

8. Blogging is fun!

Making a blog and writing about topics you are interested is fun! You get to express yourself and share your opinion with the world. Others with the same interests will find your blog and comment on your articles. It is great to get the feedback to reinforce that what you are writing is actually getting read and people are taking the time to respond to it. I recommend everyone try blogging as it is free to get started and can be a great way to get your ideas and thoughts out there in the world!
email@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2015/04/what-i-learned-from-5-years-of-blogging.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-39045098287047135512015-04-16T14:23:00.001-05:002015-04-16T14:23:51.750-05:00The Cross Country Conference Race Story

I had never run competitively in anything more than a quick foot race before I started high school. I was a decent athlete, but I never tried distance running until my mother suggested that I join the cross country team. She wanted me to get involved in extra-curricular activities and she heard good things about this team. Someone I knew was going to join also so I thought I would give it a try.

I showed up on the first day, nervous, in my new shorts, shirt, and running shoes. Most of the kids looked older, but I found a few kids I knew from jr. high and hung around them. The coach introduced himself and talked a little bit about the sport.

Next thing I know, we are running a mile warm up. A mile for warm up? As far as I was concerned, a mile was a long way to run. I was in good shape, so I was able to do it and finished somewhere in the middle of the pack, but it wasn't easy. After that, we stretched and then did our workout which consisted of running various distances at various speeds. Overall I thought it was ok, but not something I wanted to do on a daily basis.

In the days to follow, my mom really had to push to get me to stick with it. I was sore and didn't want to keep running, but for whatever reason, I stuck with it. After a few weeks it got easier. I started meeting new people and it actually became fun. I kept training with the team each day and got better each week.

By the end of the season, I was one of the top runners on the freshman team. The problem was, I had become injured. I could run, but it was painful, and I really needed time to heal. This was unfortunate because the conference race was upon us and it was the most important race of the season. All the teams would be there.

I told my coach I was injured, but he really wanted me to run because it would help the team. I thought to my self, I could run, but it might make the injury worse. Then I thought, well, it was the last race so even if I was injured more, I would have plenty of time to heal after the season was over.

So, after weighing the options, I decided to run. On race day I prepared myself mentally as best I could. When the gun went off, I sprinted out fast, but at the same time, tried to be relaxed and conserve energy. It was a 2 mile run. Throughout the race I kept advancing and passing people slowly, one by one. Up until this point in the season, I was getting good, but I was not the best on my team, or the conference for that matter.

As we got to the last 400 meters, in the open field, I realized that I was at the front with just 2 other people. I couldn't believe it. Even with the injury, this was my best race yet. Now I was not the best sprinter, so I knew if I was neck and neck at the end, I might get passed. So at that moment, with about 300 meters left, I just took off.

I pulled into first and didn't look back. I went all out and just focused on the finish line. It was a blur, but the next thing I knew I was across the finish line and there was no one in front of me. I heard other runners pile in behind me huffing and puffing.

I was in shock. I had just won the freshman conference race! I was actually a bit frightened because this was the first time anything like this had happened to me and I didn't know what to expect. Then my teammates and the spectators started crowding me and congratulating me. I was exhausted, but relieved and happy at the same time. It was one of my greatest accomplishments growing up.

I still look back in disbelief on how I started out having never done any kind of distance running and ended up the season winning the freshman conference race. It shows if you are focused and work hard you can achieve goals that may seem impossible at first, but are in fact attainable.
email@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2015/04/the-cross-country-conference-race-story.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-57065341734326312502015-04-06T14:46:00.001-05:002015-04-06T14:46:47.405-05:00HealthCare.gov Review and Update on US Health InsuranceLast year I signed up for one of the new health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act. I was hesitant but considering you have to pay a fee anyway if you do not have health insurance and the fact that it is just a good idea to be covered are a couple of reasons I decided to sign up for it. I signed up for a plan with Blue Cross Blue Shield through the healthcare.gov website. You can read the review of the sign up process and selecting a plan here.

About a year into it now, overall I have been pleased with the program. I was able to choose a new doctor close by and set up an appointment. I had actually been putting it off until they encouraged me to set up an appointment that would be covered at no cost just by having the insurance. The new doctor and office turned out to be just fine and I would go back again. I did not even have to pay a co-pay for the appointment which was nice.

During the first year, the cost per month was manageable but a bit higher than I would have preferred. It is reduced depending on your income level. For example if you make under a certain amount, you will qualify for a reduced rate each month. This is tied into tax credits which we will go over next.

I was curious as to how it would effect the taxes this year. When filing the taxes, they now have a section to enter in your payment information from the health insurance. I had not started the insurance until May of last year so I actually did have to pay a fee for the earlier months in the year when I did not have the plan. But for the remaining months when I was covered, I did receive a credit back which lowered the taxes. I was able to recalculate the health insurance for the new year to bring down the monthly cost a bit.

Overall the new health insurance through healthcare.gov has been pretty good and I would recommend it for anyone who is not covered yet. They have a wide range of plans for pretty much any budget and they have many different companies to choose from. Feel free to comment below if you have any questions or comments on the new health care. email@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2015/04/healthcaregov-review-and-update-on-us.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-8564817959209922092015-03-19T19:05:00.000-05:002015-03-19T19:05:48.133-05:00CardCash.com Review - Selling a Gift Card Online

This past holiday season I was given a gift card for $100 at Nordstrom department store. While this is a nice store, it is kind of far away from where I live and it is not a place I usually shop. I looked at their online store and even made my way to the retail store but nothing was really jumping out at me. So I decided to look into options for selling the gift card.

I was hoping to get a decent return on the card and hopefully have it be as simple as possible. By simple, I was looking for a company that would let you enter in the card information and then give you a credit by Pay Pal. I did not expect to get much for the card, but I figured it was worth investigating just in case.

A quick search for "sell gift cards" brings up a lot of results. I was surprised at how many companies are offering this service. I started comparing some of the top sites. Each lets you enter in your amount on your gift card and they let you know how much they will buy it for. The percentages vary by store but overall they were higher than I was expecting. I found most of them were giving about 85% of the value for the card.

I started comparing features. Some of them want you to mail the card in and they often pay a bit more for the physical card, but of course this process takes longer. Also some offer to pay by check which again takes longer. Some require your credit card information for security purposes if you want to be paid electronically.

After comparing a bunch of the different sites I decided to go with CardCash.com because they offered a good return and you can enter your card information online and get a payment through PayPal. Also the processing time looked to be one of the fastest available at 1-2 days. Reviews looked to be pretty good and their BBB rating was ok so I figured I would give it a go.

I started entering my information. They actually asked for the gift card number and pin before even signing up for an account which I was a bit wary about. I decided to make an account first before entering in the information. They ask for basic information such as name, address, and phone number. Nothing too personal like social security or credit card numbers.

To be paid through Pay Pal, you have to verify your account and this is done by sending them 1 cent via Pay Pal. Overall it was pretty quick but a couple things were confusing. For example, at the end when it asks you to review your information, it had the name in the spot of the address field even though I had filled it in correctly. Also after the order had been processed, at the bottom it had information about printing out a form to send with your card in the mail. I had selected to enter the card information digitally so I was confused why they were asking me to mail in the card now. I think it was just in case you had selected the mail option, but it was confusing none the less.

I received an email confirmation that payment should arrive within 1-2 day. Overall I would be getting $80 instead of $85 because I chose the digital method vs mailing in the physical card. You could get the higher amount if you don't mind waiting longer for the physical card to be sent out and processed. Fingers crossed, I hoped everything would turn out ok.

The next day I received the payment via Pay Pal for $80! I was very pleased with the speed of the transaction considering how other sites had a longer processing time. Also I was expecting a Pay Pal fee of 2.9% + $.30 to be deducted but there was no fee charged which was nice!

To sum up the experience, I got 80% of the value of the card within about 1 day. There were a few parts that were a little confusing along the way, but overall I am very pleased and would use this service again if I have any more gift cards to sell in the future.
email@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2015/03/cardcashcom-review-selling-gift-card.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-31509352386071267572015-03-02T06:29:00.001-06:002015-05-04T10:59:52.370-05:00Last Man On Earth Review

When I saw the previews for The Last Man On Earth, I knew I had to check it out. Just the idea alone of being the last person on Earth is incredible thought provoking when you try to imagine what it would be like and what you could do. This is the idea behind the new show staring Will Forte. With so many shows these days recycling the same ideas and themes over an over again, it is nice to see a show stepping outside the box with an ambitious and interesting idea.

Note: Spoilers for first 2 episodes ahead.

The show takes place in the near future in a time when it seems all of mankind has vanished except for one man. He travels around looking for others but finds he is the only one left. In the first episode, it shows how he lives, the problems he deals with, and how he keeps himself entertained. He gets to do a lot of fun activities now that there are no rules and he can do pretty much anything he wants, but it is not all fun an games when he comes to the realization that there are no other people left. He gets to the point where he has just about had enough when he runs into another person!

When I first heard he would not be the only one left on Earth, I was kind of disappointed, but in actuality, it does enhance the show. In the 2nd episode he find a woman (Kristen Schaal). They are surprised to see each other and relieved to find they are not the only one left, but soon realize they do not really get along very well. He is kind of rough around the edges and has no regard for rules anymore while she is still more civilized and insists on following the rules even if they do not really apply anymore. This makes for a very interesting dynamic as they begrudgingly begin to work together. Even though they do not get along, in the back of their mind, they know the future of mankind may depend on them!

Overall the first 2 episodes were quite entertaining and I look forward to watching it next week to see what happens and how they progress in this world where they are the last man and woman on Earth! The Last Man On Earth airs Sunday nights at 9:30pm/8:30pm central on Fox.

Update: Just finished watching the first season. Overall, the series started strong and had a lot of potential, but as the episodes went along and they continued to add more characters, I felt it kind of went down hill. They focused mostly on interactions between the characters, most of which were about jealousy and negativity. I would have liked if they focused more on the environment and the situation of being the last people on Earth. This is what made the first episodes fun. What are your thoughts on the first season?
firstname.lastname@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2015/03/last-man-on-earth-review.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-88526370905102177002015-02-25T14:17:00.000-06:002015-02-25T14:17:36.023-06:00Tuna in a Pouch Comparison - StarKist vs Bumble Bee vs Chicken of the Sea
I am not a big meat eater and I rarely eat fish, but recently I started trying out tuna in pouches which is becoming available in many stores. These are individual packets that are easy to open by tearing off the top and the tuna is ready to eat. You don't have to drain it or do any kind of preparation so it is very quick and convenient. They also do not need to be refrigerated and have a long shelf life and do not take up a lot of room which are all positive qualities.

These tuna pouches are very affordable at about $1-$2 each for a single serving and are a great source of protein. I have been trying a few different brands from different stores and here we will be reviewing 3 of the top brands: StarKist, Bumble Bee, and Chicken of the Sea.

3. StarKist

StarKist is the most common brands I have been able to find based on experience. They have several varieties of the tuna in the pouches so I tried out many of the different options from water based to oil based, to different flavors. Overall taste was ok, but I was not impressed with the quality in terms of appearance of the tuna. I am picky especially when it comes to meat or fish in that I want it to have a consistent look and texture. In all the StarKist varieties, I found there to be many different colors of pieces found within the tuna. There may not be anything wrong with this, but visually, it is not appetizing in my opinion. I ended up trying to eat around these different colored pieces and overall did not get much out of each packet. Because of this, I would rate StarKist tuna pouches in 3rd place of the 3 brands.

 2. Chicken of the Sea

Chicken of the Sea is also a pretty common brand. In terms of visual quality, this one comes in 2nd place. It had more of a consistency compared to StarKist, but still had a few discolored pieces within. The tuna tended to have a pinkish color to it. I found it to have a pretty strong tuna flavor which is good if you are seeking out the taste, but may be a bit too much if you prefer a more mild flavor. Overall not bad, but good enough for 2nd place.

1. Bumble Bee

I found Bumble Bee to be the least widely available of the major brands, but overall the best quality. The Bumble Bee tuna packets have light colored tuna with a consistent texture with very few discolored pieces. It also has a good taste which is not overpowering with tuna flavor. The high quality combined with good taste bring Bumble Bee tuna in at the number 1 spot.

Overall the nutrition and cost of each of these 3 brands is very comparable. It you can find Bumble Bee tuna packets at your local store, I would highly recommend them. If they do not have Bumblebee, Chicken of the Sea is a good 2nd choice. If they do not have either of those, StarKist is ok if you are not picky about the look or texture of the tuna. You will be able to find the tuna pouches near the canned tuna section in your local supermarket.
email@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2015/02/tuna-in-pouch-comparison-starkist-vs.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-70033262068054478962015-02-25T14:05:00.000-06:002015-02-25T14:05:03.923-06:00Burning Smell from Vacuum - How to Fix

Recently I discovered there was a burning smell whenever I would vacuum the floor. I started trouble shooting the basics such as changing the bag, cleaning the filters and making sure there was nothing caught in the rollers. I even took apart the bottom and gave it a good cleaning making sure to get out all the dust that was inside. Still the vacuum continued to make a burning smell.

Some suggested that it could be the motor overheating but I never run the vacuum for a long period of time and it would begin to make the burning smell and even start to smoke after just 1 minute of use. I did some more research and came to the conclusion that is needed a new belt for the roller on the bottom.

I looked on the vacuum and in the manual to find the item number of the belt and went searching for it online. They were pretty cheap, just a few dollars, and available at hardware stores as well as Amazon and eBay. I found the best price from a reliable seller on eBay so I ordered it to be delivered.

About a week later, the belt arrived. I disassembled the bottom of the vacuum to get to the belt. While it was apart, I made sure everything was cleaned out inside. The old belt looked ok, but I decided to switch in the new belt to see if it would fix the problem. The new belt looked to be a lot smaller, but it was the correct item number and I was able to stretch it to fit the rollers.

Next, I reassembled the bottom of the vacuum and gave it a try. Thankfully it ran perfectly with no more burning smell! Overall it was a pretty easy and inexpensive fix and sure beat buying a whole new vacuum cleaner. So if your vacuum is making a burning smell, chances are it needs a new belt for the roller on the bottom. Make sure to order the right belt and align it evenly so it runs smoothly and does not rub against the sides. Hope this article helps! Good luck!
firstname.lastname@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2015/02/burning-smell-from-vacuum-how-to-fix.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-4456373750756764752015-02-06T12:02:00.000-06:002015-05-19T07:29:48.239-05:00Jewel Monopoly Game Rare Pieces 2015

The Monopoly Game is back for Albertsons grocery stores including Jewel, Acme, Shaws, Star, United, Market Street, Amigos and Super Saver grocery stores. This year, the stores are giving away $80,000,000 in prizes and savings for the Shop, Play, Win Game. You can win by collecting the game pieces earned each time you shop.

There is at least 1 rare game marker for each prize and here we will be keeping track these rare pieces to help figure out which ones are needed to win the prizes. Feel free to use the comments below to post which game pieces you have and which ones you need. For more information such as rules and odds of winning on the 2015 Monopoly Game, check out the official website here.

Rare Game Marker List:

105A*, 107A $1,000,000 Cash
110B*, 113B $500,000 Vacation Home
117C, 122C* $100,000 Cash or 2015 Tesla
125D, 126D* $50,000 Home Makeover
131E* , 134E $35,000 Vehicle of Your Choice
137F*, 138F $20,000 College Tuition
142G, 145G* $10,000 Jet Ski
146H, 147H* $10,000 Family Vacation
153J $5,000 Cash
158K $2,500 BigJoe & Groceries
160L $1,000 Cash
165M $1,000 Romantic Weekend Getaway
167N $550 Redbox Movies for a Year
174O $500 Apple iPad Air
177P $200 Grocery Gift Card
179Q $200 Cash
184R $100 Cash
188S $100 Grocery Gift Card
191U $50 Grocery Gift Card
197V $25 Grocery Gift Card
202W $25 Cash
204X $15 Grocery Gift Card
207Y $10 Grocery Gift Card
213Z $5 Grocery Gift Card

* = Marker thought to be semi-rare based on findings.

Tips:
To help find specific pieces in the comments, you can do a keyword search with CTRL+F on PC and Command+F on Mac.

New comments which are approved show up at the bottom or in sequence if you have replied to another comment. You may have to click "Load more" at the bottom to see all the comments. Try to avoid re-posting the same comments.

Note: This blog is not run by Albertsons. It is an independent list to help determine the rare pieces. Comments are moderated but use them at your own discretion as anyone can post in the comments.

At this point in the game it is about matching up rare and semi-rare pieces from groups A-H. If you claim to have one of the rare pieces, please be able to prove you have it.

Please don't post asking for rare pieces J-Z. If you have found one of these pieces, you pretty much won that prize. Likewise, please don't post asking for both the rare and semi-rare A-H as these are the ones most people need.

Lists of winners are starting to be posted on the official blogs of the participating stores. For example: Albertsons, Jewel, Acme, Shaws.

Stores are distributing tickets through May 19th or while supplies last. Deadline for submitting a winning game board is June 9th 2015.

Related: Tired of grocery shopping? Check out our Review of Peapod Grocery Delivery Service and get $15 off your first order.email@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2015/02/jewel-monopoly-game-rare-pieces-2015.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-8535013261102826792015-01-29T10:41:00.000-06:002015-01-29T10:41:07.329-06:00Ever the Movie Review

I have been a fan of Wendy McColm and her Youtube channel for a while now so when I saw she was staring in a new full length film that would be posted on her channel, I was looking forward to it! The new film is called Ever, and it is written and directed by Josh Beck and stars Wendy McColm and Christina Elizabeth Smith with cinematography by Micah Van Hove.

I went into the film without any expectations figuring it would be an artistic expression type of movie that might be ok. After watching the movie, it surpassed all my expectations! Not only is it a great movie for Youtube, but it is good enough to be in theaters. It really has a high production value from the filming and soundtrack to the writing and acting.

This is the kind of movie you should watch without knowing anything about it ahead of time. I would recommend not even watching the trailer or reading a plot summary. This is because there are some twists and it is best not to be spoiled.

Without giving anything away, just know that it is a drama about a girl who is going through an emotional period in her life and the movie is about what happened and how she deals with it as she meets new people and forms new relationships.

The film was featured at many indie film festivals and the creators have been generous enough to upload it to Youtube and Vimeo to watch for free. I highly recommend this film to anyone who likes movies with emotion, drama, and twists. Wendy and Christina both have excellent performances as the main characters in this movie. You can watch it above and visit the official website for more information.
firstname.lastname@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2015/01/ever-movie-review.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-35269456533803726372015-01-28T18:32:00.000-06:002015-01-28T18:32:41.490-06:00What To Do With Found Money?

The other day I was shopping at Target and as I was checking out, I saw there was a $20 bill on the ground folded in quarters. Immediately I picked it up and showed it to the cashier and said, "Someone dropped some money down here." She took it and looked if the previous shopper was still there but they were gone. It would be hard to know if it was from the previous shopper or if it had been down there for a while.

Since we didn't know whose it was, she said she would turn it in to customer service. The customer service desk was literally 20 feet from where we were standing so she walked it over and handed it in. She came back and said thank you. I paid for my items as I normally would and was on my way.

I was wondering what would happen to the $20? In my mind I had a feeling the person at customer service would just keep the money. It didn't help that the person behind the desk didn't exactly look the most trustworthy, but who knows, hopefully they will hold on to it in case anyone comes in to claim it.

In a case like this though I think the chances are slim that anyone will claim it. Likely the $20 just fell out of someone's wallet when they were paying and they will not notice it for a while and even if they do, not know where it went or figure it is long gone if they dropped it somewhere.

So what will happen to the money if no one claims it? I probably should have turned it in myself and asked about the policy. I did a little searching online and found a couple other cases like this. Apparently if it is not claimed, it just gets added to the store account. It would be nice if they gave it back to the person who found it if it went unclaimed. I kind of know the cashier who turned it in for me because I shop there often so I might ask her about it next time I am in there.

Reflecting back, I turned in the money immediately because I am an honest person and I figured it does not belong to me, but other people may have just picked it up and pocketed it. In the back of my mind I always think I am going to be on one of those hidden camera shows like "What Would You Do" where they make moral dilemma situations like this to see how people react. I wouldn't want to be the person they catch picking up the money and keeping it and then running into John Quinones at the door asking me why I didn't turn in the money. Of course this never happens but it definitely makes you think twice.

So what would you do in a situation like this? firstname.lastname@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2015/01/what-to-do-with-found-money.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-47453864514890296652015-01-21T14:02:00.000-06:002015-01-21T14:02:15.122-06:00Jury Duty Experience

Like many, I was going through my mail one day and got the dreaded jury duty summons. It was for standby jury so you have to call the day before so see if you are needed. I called and the recording said if your last name begins with certain letters, you are required to come in, otherwise you will be called at a later time. My name happened to be in this range so I was required to report for jury duty.

Day 1:

I commuted to the city and arrived at the courthouse building. There are metal detectors when you walk in so you have to put everything through the scanner. It is ok just an inconvenience.

Then you take the elevator to the check in location and waiting room. We were told to arrive at 9:30am. It is a big room with a lot of people waiting. They showed an orientation video and then we waited for our group number to be called.

My group didn't get called until about 12:00pm, so there was a lot of waiting. They did have a tv to watch and you can bring something to read or go on a laptop or phone. After we were called, we went to a court room where they talked briefly about the process. Then we moved to another court room on another floor and heard a little bit about what the case would be about. Our group had about 40 people to start.

Then we had an hour for lunch. They don't have much in terms of a cafeteria or anything, but you can leave the building to go out. I brought my lunch an ate in the hall/lobby area outside the courtrooms.

We were supposed to meet back at about 1:30pm but they were not ready until about an hour after that. Then they went into a process of calling people in, having some sit for questioning while the others waited. I didn't even get called in for questioning until about 4:00pm! To me this does not seem very efficient considering I was told to be there at 9:30am.

The lawyers of both sides ask questions to each person in a group setting based on the form you filled out ahead of time. They want to make sure you will be a fair juror and not have bias to one side or the other. I did not like this process because they are asking you questions in front of a huge group of strangers. It is almost like you are on the witness stand! Because of this format, people are likely to just go with the group, especially when they ask a question to the group as a whole. There are clearly people who try to make their answers seems like they would have bias because they don't want to get picked. Also people are less likely to be 100% honest when they know everyone is listening to their answer, even though you are supposed to be 100% truthful.

They definitely need to improve this process. If they want to know specific answers to questions, they should have the jurors fill out these answers on the card, not answer them in front of a court room full of people. Also they should only have you arrive at the time they are ready to bring you in for questioning.

After all of this, they announced who the 12 jurors would be. I ended up getting picked. Now I'm not an expert on jury selection but I think they try to pick people who they think are easily influenced and will be fair. I feel like I must have given off this impression. We were finally dismissed at about 5:30pm. A long day, especially when you only get paid $17 for the the entire day which pretty much just covers the cost of transportation to get down there.

So far my impression of the jury/judicial system here is not good. The case will be a civil case to decide how much money is to be paid. It seems like something like this should be decided by a judge if there is a dispute. It is not worth inconveniencing so many people for an entire day or more for something like this. From what I understand if you go to court, you have the option of having a judge or a jury for your case. I would definitely pick a judge after this experience so as not to make more people come in for something like this.

Day 2:

I showed up at 9:30am for jury day 2 not looking forward to it. They did provide pastries and juice for breakfast as well as let us pick out something to order for lunch which was nice. The jurors and I signed some papers and chatted a bit while everyone made their way in.

A short while later we were called in to take our seats and they started the case. Both sides took turns explaining their side. A few witnesses were called up for questioning and were examined by both sides. Often there would be a need for a break as the attorneys would ask for a sidebar to talk with the judge. The case itself was pretty simple but they really dragged it out. I guess this is the way it is done, but I really wished they could just get to the point instead of asking 20 vaguely relevant questions before getting to a point.

We got a nice lunch break around 12 noon and resumed the case afterwords. At about 4:00pm they had wrapped up what they wanted to say and it was up to us as jurors to decide the outcome. We deliberated for about an hour. Our group got along pretty well and we just went around saying what we thought the outcome should be and why. After more discussion we reached a decision. It was for deciding a monetary value so we kind of had to get an average based on what everyone thought was fair.

We went back in and handed over the results. They were read to the court and that was it! We went back to the jury room to just wrap things up with the judge and then we got to go home.

Overall it was an ok experience but personally I think this type of case should be done without a jury and the process in general needs to be much more efficient and streamlined. In my opinion a case like this could have been decided in a couple hours by a judge. Instead it took 2 days and a lot of people to come in to listen to it and decide the verdict. It was good to get the experience of being on a jury, but overall I would not look forward to doing it again.
firstname.lastname@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2015/01/jury-duty-experience.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-7801414744250819522015-01-05T14:53:00.000-06:002015-01-05T14:53:32.128-06:00Tic Tac Toe Logic - How to Win at Tic Tac ToeTic Tac Toe is a classic game pretty much everyone is familiar with. You probably played it as a kid and maybe as an adult with a kid for fun. It is a simple game, but most people do not really put much deep thought into it. They just use their common sense to try to get 3 X's or 3 O's in a row while blocking their opponent from doing the same.

I started thinking, with such a simple game, there are not that many combinations available. There had to be some logic behind it to determine what the best moves were. I decided to test it out logically to figure out the results of each type of move on the board. I determined that there were about 8 possible scenarios based on the first move from each player. You will see the examples below.

Numbers 1-9 are used to show the sequence of moves. Odd numbers are the first player or "X". Even numbers are the 2nd player or "O".

One observation to note is how the first player has 5 possible moves while the 2nd player has only 4 possible moves so the first player always has the advantage.

Results if both players play well and do not make mistakes:

First person can win by picking corner if 2nd person then picks corner or side.

2nd person cannot win but can cause a draw by picking center if first person picks corner.

Draws will result if first person picks side or center to start with.

Best Strategies:

First person - Start with corner.

2nd person - Start with center.

By following these tips you will be able to win or at very least not lose in the game of Tic Tac Toe.
firstname.lastname@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2015/01/tic-tac-toe-logic-how-to-win-at-tic-tac.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-38624087353394438312015-01-02T14:53:00.001-06:002015-04-05T15:55:19.171-05:00My Bike - Story about one of my favorite things growing up

(In keeping with the theme from the last post, here is a an essay I wrote in school about one of my favorite things in the world at that time, my bike.)

I remember the first day I got it. It was a weekday after school near the end of 7th grade. My dad took me to the bike shop. I picked out a chrome colored Dyno freestyle bike. I was so excited I could hardly contain myself! As soon as I got home I was riding it and did not stop until it got dark and I had to come in. The next day at school, I couldn't even concentrate on my work because I was so excited to get back home and ride it.

So how did I become so interested in bikes? It started when this guy moved into a house across the street. He was in his early 20s and he and his friend each had freestyle bmx bikes they would ride in the street. They had a ramp they would bring out every now and then and jump it and do tricks. I thought they were so cool so I had to get a bike like them. He was nice enough to hang out with us and let us use the ramp.

Back to the bike. I kept it in perfect condition. There was not one smudge on the whole bike and for a chrome bike, that is pretty tough to maintain. I rode it every day as long as the weather was good. There was no way I would bring it out in the rain.

One night I opened the door leading to the garage and saw the garage door had been left open. I was about to close it but something didn't look right. I glanced to the side where I kept my bike and froze. My bike wasn't there! I stood there for a few moments in disbelief. Frantically I tried to remember if I left it at a friend's house. I hadn't. Did I leave it somewhere? No. I quickly ran outside and looked down the street hoping to see someone riding it. No one was there. I couldn't believe it. My bike, my very favorite thing had been stolen.

I was in shock. We lived in a good neighborhood where kids didn't even hesitate to just leave their bike lying around outside. Who would do such a thing? Was it some kid in the neighborhood or did someone with a van drive by looking for open garages to take things from? What was I going to do now? I had no bike to ride? I couldn't sleep a wink that night as my mind was racing all night.

I started thinking it was time for a new bike anyway. Although my old bike was still in good condition, I had worn it into the ground and would have had to get a new one soon anyway. A few months later I got a new bike. It was great, but it wasn't the same. It was a better bike, but I still wanted my old one back. I didn't have the same love for riding I had before. What used to be a daily activity became a weekly activity, then a monthly activity. Soon I did not ride at all. I guess as I got older my interest switched more to cars as I was getting towards the age of driving.

Although I made quite an effort to find my old bike, I never got it back. There is no happy ending to this story other than the good memories it provided over the years.
firstname.lastname@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2015/01/my-bike-story-about-one-of-my-favorite.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-72816943989280645982014-12-28T18:44:00.000-06:002015-04-05T15:54:34.190-05:00Alone at Night - Suspense Story

Note: I was going though some of my old papers from grade school and found a suspense essay I had written about being home alone for the first time. It is a good story so I thought I would share it here. This is the original essay with minor updates and edits:

"See you later!" I said to my parents and waved to them as they pulled out of the garage. I was feeling great! I didn't really like going out for dinner with them and this was the first time I convinced them to let me stay home alone. I was ten years old and I had the whole house to myself! I started walking around. It felt a little awkward with no one else around. I yelled out because normally I was not supposed to yell in the house. I jumped onto the couch and put my feet up with my shoes still on.

I was relaxing peacefully when I heard a few sounds outside in the back yard. It sounded like someone walking around a couple yards away from the house. I also heard some kind of metal jingling together. It startled me so I sat up and listened carefully. It was completely silent when I tried to listen. I walked over to the window that was covered with drapes and put my ear up next to it. I listened closely but could not make out the sound. I thought about peering out but it was dark outside and light inside so I was afraid whoever was out there would see me looking out.

I sat back down on the couch and started thinking. What if there was someone bad outside? What if they were going to break into my house and try to steal something or even kill me? My heart began to race. I got up and started walking to the kitchen when I heard the sound outside again. Someone was definitely out there.

Feeling unsafe downstairs, I dashed up the stairs to my parents bedroom. I shut the door and leaped onto the bed. I wanted to get in touch with my parents, but they were out to dinner and this was before the days of cell phones. I thought about calling 911 but I was afraid if they came over and saw me home alone, they would take me to the police station.

I decided to try to calm down and went to my room. A few minutes had passed and I was starting to feel better when I heard the sound outside again. I figured I had less of a chance of being seen from the upstairs window so I turned off the light and peeked outside. It was dark but I could see a shadowy figure walking around the side of my house.

I watched it until it was out of sight. My heart was pounding again. I sat back down and looked at the clock. I wasn't sure when my parents would be home. I thought about calling one of my friends. I was about to pick up the phone when the doorbell rang! I ran to the top of the stairs. I looked down and listened fearfully. The outside door opened and someone started knocking on the door! I was so scared and didn't know what to do. I wished my parents would come home. Finally, the outside door closed and it was quiet again.

I was a bit relieved but still very nervous. I went back to my parents room. Still looking at the clock. They had to be coming home soon. Then I heard the garage door opening. I ran to the window and looked out to see my parents car pulling in. I dashed down the stairs and opened the door to meet them. I had never been so happy to see them in my life! My dad walked in and I hugged him. I saw my mom and started to cry. I told them about what had happened and about what I had heard and saw.

We went to the living room and sat down to talk about it. Then I heard the jingling noise outside the window again. "That's it!" I yelled. "They are in the back yard!" My dad walked over to the window, opened the drapes and turned on the back light. We saw our next door neighbor outside walking his dog. My dad opened the patio door and said, "Hi, how are you doing tonight?"

"Not so good." he replied. "When I went out to walk the dog, I accidentally got locked out of my house. I walked around your house a few times to see if anyone was home. I wasn't sure so I rang the bell and knocked on the door but no one answered. Do you still have my spare key?"

"Sure!" My dad said and went to get him the extra key. The neighbor was very thankful and wished us a good night. I was relieved that is was just the neighbor but still a bit shaken up. Staying home alone did not turn out to be as great as I thought it would be. I thought to myself, maybe next time when my parents go out for dinner I will go with them.
email@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2014/12/alone-at-night-suspense-story.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-78388907936451741812014-12-18T16:06:00.000-06:002014-12-18T16:06:30.066-06:00Best Songs of 2014It is time once again for the annual Best Songs of the Year! This year, was different because I did not closely follow music as I have done in previous years, in fact I tried to avoid music for the most part. Despite this, I still managed to find some good songs to share throughout the year. Enjoy!

1. Bad Lip Reading - Carl Poppa
Bad Lip Reading is a Youtube channel known for voice dubbing over popular music videos, tv shows, movies, and sports. They are also incredibly talented at making original music as heard in this video where they make an original song to some clips from the show Walking Dead. BLR knows how to make a catchy hit song that could easily top the pop charts. They have many other great songs as well including this other song released for the Hunger Games movie.

2. Violent Soho - Saramona Said
Here is a band out of Australia that has sort of that 90's alternative rock sound. They had a few big hits this year with the songs Covered in Chrome and this one here Saramona Said. It also has a great video featuring the "one continuous shot" style. If you like bands like Weezer, Nirvana, or Pixies, definitely check this one out!

3. Duck Sauce - NRG
A high energy electronic pop song comes in at number 3 this year with NRG by Duck Sauce. It has kind of a timeless pop likeability similar to Junior Senior's Move Your Feet. The original song is great and there is also a good remix of the song here in collaboration with Skrillex, Kill the Noise, and Milo & Otis. This video features Phil Villeneuve as he dances through the streets listening to the song.

 4. 311 - Five of Everything
311 has been around for a long time and was one of my original favorite bands. This year they came out with a new album "Stereolithic" which has been positively received my many of the the long time fans. This single off the album captures the classic 311 sound many have been missing for so long.

5. Gregory and the Hawk - Heart Attack
Meredith from Gregory and the Hawk is a singer/songwriter/musician who has been making beautiful songs for many years. This year she released and album "A Selection of Demos". They might be demos, but this song "Heart Attack" was good enough to make it onto the best songs of the year list!
A Selection Of Demos by Gregory .........And.. The .........Hawk

6. Meghan Tonjes - Don't Call Me Love
Meghan Tonjes is a Youtuber who is also a great singer/songwriter. Here is an original acoustic song called Don't Call Me Love. She has a lot of other great original songs as well as cover songs here on here Youtube channel.

7. Dave and Ethan - Youtube Comment Song
Here is a song from the funny Youtube duo of Dave and Ethan. It is a song they made inspired by the comments they received on their videos. The topic and lyrics are silly but the song is actually very catchy and they are pretty good at singing too!

Hope you enjoyed the best songs of 2014! Feel free to leave a comment below if you found a good song here or if you had another favorite song from 2014.

Also check out the Best Songs of 2013. firstname.lastname@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2014/12/best-songs-of-2014.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-3638417396942862262014-12-12T19:08:00.001-06:002015-05-14T13:05:44.581-05:00Peapod Review - Online Grocery Delivery and Pick Up

Peapod is a service that lets you pick out groceries online and then have them delivered to your door. They also have an option where they do the shopping for you and you just have to pick up your order to save time. Peapod has been around for some time now and is available in many states. I don't mind going to the store but one of my family members recommended them and gave me a promo code to use so I thought I would try it out. Here is a recap of my experience using Peapod:

Website:

You start by going to the website and entering in your location to make sure the service is available in your area. From their you can start shopping right away. You don't even need to log in to try it out. You can search by item, brand, or category which makes finding things very easy. They have most of the name brands and even a Peapod store brand. You can click on an item to see it up close and get more information about it such as the nutrition facts. You can even sort by unit price which is very helpful when comparing prices. When you find an item you want, you can add it to the cart on the right where it keeps track of your order. Overall I found the website very easy to navigate.

Prices:

As you might expect, you will pay a bit more per item vs if you were to buy the same item in the store. The convenience of having someone else take the time to gather all the items and deliver them does come at a price. There are some items on sale each week which tend to bring them down to about store price. Also they do have many store brand items which are a good deal. I like to save money so I went with a lot of the store brand items. You have to have a minimum order of $60 to place the order. Also there is a charge for delivery and a smaller charge if you opt for pick up. They do run promotions so you may be able to get these fees waived if you have a promo code.

Checkout:

In checkout, you can select delivery or pickup. I went with the pickup because it was less and there was a pickup place close by. I was able to schedule pickup for the next morning which was nice so you do not have to give them a lot of advanced warning. One thing I noticed is they do not let you enter in a promo code until the last screen, even after you have entered in all your billing information. It would have been nice to be able to apply the code early on to see those savings at the beginning.

Pick Up:

For pick up, you just have to drive up to one of the Peapod locations and tell them your name. Then they load up your car with the order and give you the receipt. Overall the service was quick and friendly.

Groceries:

The groceries came in many bags. They probably could have been consolidated better. Also I found the frozen items could have been colder. They keep them in coolers with ice and actually use dry ice cubes to keep them cold. When I was unloading the groceries, there was one of the dry ice blocks in one of the bags. I'm not sure if this was supposed to come with but it was kind of strange because it had lots of warning on the bag like "Do Not Touch Without Gloves". Other than that I was pleased with the groceries themselves.

Recommendation:

I would recommend Peapod for someone who is busy or does not like to go grocery shopping. It is good for someone who does not mind paying a bit more for the convenience of having groceries delivered. It is also great for older people who may have a hard time getting around or carrying heavy groceries. Personally I do not mind going to the store and I would prefer to get the cheapest prices for the same items, so I probably would not use the service on a regular basis unless there were some good promo codes that evened out the prices.

If it sounds like a service you would like to try, here is a promotion you can use to save on your first order: $15 Off Your First Order

Update 5-14-15: While most items I ordered were great, I got around to using some store brand Automatic Dishwasher detergent and found it was not cleaning the dishes well at all. In fact, dishes looked cleaner going in compared to after they had been washed using the new detergent. It was a pretty big bottle and I was not going to use it any more because it did not clean the dishes so I decided to give Peapod a call to see if there was anything that could be done. Thankfully they were able to give me a refund for the detergent. Although the detergent was a disappointment, they get points for good customer service!
email@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2014/12/peapod-review-online-grocery-delivery.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-8808302102742162632014-12-07T21:47:00.000-06:002015-04-11T19:11:23.678-05:00Best TV Shows of 2014Here is the annual 10 best TV shows of the year featuring the best major network shows as chosen by Connected Isolation. This year there were many returning favorites, a few new shows, and for the first time, a morning show is featured in the mix along with all the other prime time shows. Here are the best shows of 2014:

1. I Wanna Marry Harry
You might think it is a joke that his show is number 1 this year, but it is in fact the best show this year. Many critics did not like this show and many probably wrote it off as a bad show based on the title or premise alone. This show did not even get to air the whole season on Fox as it was canceled in the middle and the rest of the episodes were shown online, but this really was a good show this year. The casting was excellent and overall it was edited and constructed into an ideal reality show with lots of drama, emotion, and a great ending!

2. The Quest
Another new show debuted this year and comes in at number 2. The Quest was a fantasy/reality competition show putting contestants into a magical medieval setting and having them compete in various tasks and tests of skill in order to be come the one true hero to save the day. This show was great because it was different by combining two different genres into one. The casting was good both in terms of staff as well as the contestants. The setting was realistic and the storyline was a lot of fun to follow. Hope this one comes back for a new season!

3 Live With Kelly and Michael
For the first time a daytime show has been featured here on the best shows of the year. While "Live" has been around for quite some time, and even Kelly and Michael have been hosting for a while, this show is just wonderful and a great way to start off your morning. Kelly an Michael are both a pleasure to watch and it is nice to see the contests and different guests they have on the show each day.

4. Master Chef / Master Chef Jr
A couple of returning shows to the 10 best list again this year are Gordon Ramsey's Master Chef and Jr edition. With many cooking shows out there, this one stands out as having great judges, a good format, exciting competitions, and eclectic home cook contestants. The main show is great to see the high level of cooking and drama while the Junior version is just as entertaining with the kids as they are so animated and you never know what they are going to say.

5. Big Brother
It's no surprise Big Brother is on the list again this year. One of the long running reality competition shows out there, this one is always a summer staple. They tried to mix it up with some new twists this year. Some worked better than others. It was not a perfect season, but still good enough to make it one of the best this year.

6. American Ninja Warrior
It was the year of the woman on ANW this year as more women than ever qualified and got further than ever before on previous seasons. There were also a lot of new contestants that did very well and a lot of surprises with proven veterans getting knocked out of the competition early. Also this year following the main competition was American Ninja Warrior USA vs the World featuring some of the best ninjas from other countries. It featured some of the best runs ever seen and a must watch for any fan of the show.

7. NY Med
NY Med is part of a documentary style series that follows doctors, nurses, and their patients in one of the biggest hospitals in New York. It shows the in's and out's of what it is like to work in an emergency room which you can imagine can be very eventful. You also get to see the personal side of the doctors and nurses as well as the individuals they treat each week.

8. Shark Tank
Another show that seems to make the list each year is Shark Tank. It is kind of a unique show that has new business owners and entrepreneurs pitching their company or product to a panel of investors hoping to get a deal with them to help their company grow to the next level. It is interesting to see the new companies and the interactions between the business owners and the sharks as they go back and forth to try to agree on a deal.

9. Hollywood Game Night
A new variety style show makes its first appearance on the list this year. Hollywood Game Night is a game show hosted by Jane Lynch featuring different celebrities each week. The celebrities each are teamed up with a regular contestant and they try to get points by doing well in a bunch of different games. At the end, the contestant has a chance to win money and the celebrity can earn money for their charity. Overall it is very lively and entertaining!

10. Undercover Boss
Wrapping up this year's best shows is another returning show, Undercover Boss. Like previous seasons it takes the CEO of a company, puts them in disguise and sends them in to work along side several different employees in different positions throughout the company. Sometimes the boss finds an outstanding employee while other times they find someone who is not doing a great job and may even get fired. At the end, they reward the good employees with benefits and promotions which is always nice to see.

Hope you enjoyed the 10 best shows of the year list. If you like these shows, be sure to check out last year's Best TV Shows of 2013. Also feel free to comment below on which shows you liked in 2014.email@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2014/12/best-tv-shows-of-2014.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-62006121895243269092014-11-24T21:03:00.001-06:002014-11-24T21:03:17.438-06:00Nursing Homes and Getting Old
My grandmother's health has been deteriorating lately which has caused her to go into an assisted living facility. I recently went to visit her there and got a glimpse of what life is like for many older people who are not able to care for themselves.

Overall the place was nice, but it was kind of depressing seeing all these old people in a hospital like setting. They are not able to do much and it seems there are not to many visitors for them. It made me realize that this is what life is like when you get very old.

It seems like when you are at the end of your life it should be good, like you made it to the end and you should be rewarded, but upon this visit it looks like the end is not so great. Most of these people have health issues and cannot take care of themselves. They must rely on other people to help them with everyday things such as eating or going to the bathroom. It made me think, we all may end up like this and it is not really something to look forward to.

I always tried to live a safe and healthy lifestyle in order to have a long life. I always looked down upon the "live fast die young" lifestyle. I figured it was better to "live slow and die old" but if living in a nursing home is what you are rewarded with for living a safe and healthy life, is it really worth it? It makes me wonder that maybe those who live the risky lifestyle and participate in activities that may be more fun but more dangerous might be doing it right after all.

It does not make me want to change my lifestyle though. I would still rather live a long life and be able to experience more over a long period of time. With this lifestyle, you can have a good life for a long time but the end is inevitable. It is kind of depressing but it is part of life I guess. So what have I learned from this experience and reflection? I guess it is just a realization of the reality of what it is like for people when they are near the end. Life goes faster than we realize so make the most of it!
firstname.lastname@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2014/11/nursing-homes-and-getting-old.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-59253056820450616542014-11-09T18:50:00.000-06:002015-04-06T15:21:42.309-05:00Job Interview Tips and Perspective - Candidate vs Interviewer

Recently I moved up in position at my job to where I have begun to interview potential new employees who have applied to work for the company. Up until now, I have always been on the other end of this situation as the person going into the interview, but now I have a perspective of the other side as the one doing the interview. It is interesting how different the state of mind is between both sides of a job interview. In this article I will compare these perspectives and share what I have learned from being in both positions.

For most people, going in for a job interview is usually very stressful. You have to prepare a lot for the questions that will be asked and you have to go in knowing as much as possible about the company you are trying to work for. The interview is something that you may have on your mind weeks in advance and something you are entirely focused on. Getting a new job is a big deal and can really change your life depending on if you get it or not so there is a lot at stake.

On the other side of things, the interviewer often has many potential candidates interviewing for the same position. Often they have a lot going on and are just trying to get through the interviews and keep everything organized. For them, each individual interview is not a big deal. Of course they want to find the best person, but they are not stressing over each interview. They are just going though their routine that they do with each potential candidate. This is the biggest difference I found when comparing both sides is that there is so much more pressure and stress on the one being interviewed vs the one doing the interview.

After you have conducted interviews with people trying to get a job, it gives you a perspective of what makes a good impression and will help get you hired vs what qualities are not so great and not likely to get you hired. Here are a few tips I have learned that will help get you the job:

- Show interest. It seems obvious, but those who really show interest in the position are more likely to be hired vs someone who does not really show that they want the job. Make sure you let them know how much you want THIS job, not just any job.

- Ask questions. This is a good way to show that you are in fact interested. I found, I like when they ask questions because then you can tell them more about the job and it shows they are interested in learning more. When they do not have questions, it seems like they don't really care and would rather just end the interview and move on.

- See what they are looking for.Figure out what are the best qualities they are looking for and show that you have these qualities. They need to know you have the ability to do great in whatever skills are needed for this position.

- Get involved. Try to make contact with those you will be interviewing with and anyone else who you may potentially be working with. This can be through emails or even phone calls. The more connected you are ahead of time, the more you will stand out as someone who is already in or at least more in than other candidates who have not bothered to get involved.

- Follow up. Submitting a thank you note is a nice touch after you have gone in for an interview. It shows extra effort and makes you stand out just a little more than those who do not. It is also good to follow up with the interviewers to make sure they do not forget about you. Often there are a lot of people that have been interviewed and it is very easy to get lost in the mix even by mistake. Make sure they know you are still interested if you have not heard anything back.

- Be fun and positive.  Often the people who are interviewing you will also be working with you if you get hired. They want to hire someone who is well qualified but also someone who has a good personality and would be fun to work with. You don't have to go in telling jokes, but try to be up beat and show enthusiasm during the interview to show that you would be someone they would like to work with.

Use these tips to help do well in your next job interview so you can succeed in getting that new job! Feel free to comment below if you have any tips or comments on either side of the job interview perspective.

Related Articles:
Accepting Critisism
Asking About Salary In a Job Interview
firstname.lastname@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2014/11/job-interview-tips-and-perspective.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-1250576966894669302014-10-11T16:19:00.002-05:002015-04-11T19:01:08.185-05:00Best Youtube Channels of 2014Here again is one of our favorite annual posts, the Best Youtube Channels of the year. This year, all Youtube channels were eligible for the list even if they have been featured in previous year's 10 Best list. Most of the channels on this list are funny so you may also consider this list the Funniest Youtube Channels of 2014. Here are Connected Isolation's picks for 10 Best Youtube Channels of 2014:

1. BFvsGF
Jesse and Jeana from BFvsGF may be best known for their prank channel Prank vs Prank, but their BFvsGF channel here is just as good and they post new videos every day. It follows their everyday life and the fun things they do each day. You might think that sounds kind of boring, but these guys are a lot of fun to watch and they do a lot of interesting things like go on trips and play little pranks on each other. In this video they do a challenge that involves duct taping each other to a chair and trying to get out. Needless to say, with these two, things do not go as planned.

2. Mediocre Films
Greg Benson from Mediocre films is one of the pioneers in making funny videos. He does everything from interviewing people at conventions to social experiments to original pranks. In this video, he and fellow prankster Jack Vale come up with one of the silliest but surprisingly funny ideas of stealing dog poop from strangers.

3. Bad Lip Reading
Bad Lip Reading is a channel that does funny voice overs for different things like tv shows, sports clips, and music videos. They also make original songs based on the voice overs. The videos are very funny and the music is as good as anything you will hear on the radio today. In this one they do lip reading for the show The Walking Dead and finish it up with an original song.

4. Melissa Villasenor
Melissa Villasenor is known for her impressions, stand up comedy, singing, and original sketch comedy videos. She puts her skills to good use here in a new series of her own show, the Melissa Villasenor Show. In this episode she talks with "Zooey Deschanel" while "Iggy Izalea" closes the show with a performance.

5. Badge of Shame
Joe from Badge of Shame is best known for interviewing people at various events and countries. The interviews generally involve jokes and making people feel awkward which is very fun to watch. In this one he interviews a girl at a convention as part of his Joe Dates series.

6. Jack Vale
Another veteran Youtube prankster, Jack Vale is still up there with the best of them. He has a lot of original prank series and funny videos on his channel. In this one he walks around a store pretending to be on the phone and makes people paranoid as he mentions things about them as they pass by.

7. Ed Bassmaster
Multi-talented Ed Bassmaster is known for his characters and public pranks. He is another veteran Youtuber with tons of great videos over the years. In this one, he first tries to sell some guys some stolen merchandise and then comes back as an investigator looking for the theif.
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8. Whatever
Whatever is another social experiment channel where they create funny situations and see how people react in public. Usually the videos feature Brian or Andrea, both of whom are great but in this one, they get the help of a kid to see how smokers react when a kid asks them for a cigarette light.

9. Flula
Flula is another multi-talented Youtuber who is known for his song covers, random funny videos, and commentary on English phrases. He is from Germany so his take on everything in the US is always a little different. In this one, he an fellow Youtuber Miranda Sings do a live cover of the song "Good Vibrations".

10. Whitney Rice
Whitney Rice is known for her characters, sketch comedy videos, recaps of pop culture, and even stand up comedy. She is definitely one of the up and coming Youtubers to keep an eye on this year. In this video from her Pajama Talks series she gives us her take on some of the news in pop culture while trying not to expose the camera to anything inappropriate.

If you liked this year's 10 Best videos, check out the 10 Best from 2013. firstname.lastname@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2014/10/best-youtube-channels-of-2014.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-30792217742248137872014-09-12T09:11:00.002-05:002014-09-15T14:58:02.980-05:00Fixing a Whistling ToiletFor a few weeks I noticed my toilet had begun to make a whistling noise while flushing. I figured something was not right so I looked it up online. Based on the information, it looked like it was the fill valve that was making the noise while refilling the tank. These are pretty cheap so they recommend replacing it if it is making a whistling noise.

I had installed this fill valve about 4 years back and I still had the original box. It was a Fluidmaster complete kit and I noticed there was a 5 year warranty on it. Since it was within this time, I figured I would contact them to see if I could get a replacement part. I found the email contact online and explained the issue.

I expected to get a reply about how I would have to mail in the original receipt and the defective part. You know, a difficult process that would make it not even worth the hassle, but to my surprise, almost immediately, I received a response from Fluidmaster saying they would send one out, all they needed was my address. Great! So I provided them with the info and within a few days a new replacement part showed up! That is what I call great service!

So I go to install the new part. I figured it would be pretty easy based on the instructions. I turned off the water supply and drained the tank. I used a sponge to get all the extra water out and cleaned out the tank in the process.

Next I started to unscrew the old fill valve. At first it was going ok, but then it got stuck. I found out later that you have to unscrew the water supply part first, then unscrew the fill valve from the tank. I did it in the reverse order so they ended up getting stuck together. I could not budge them one way or the other. Luckily there was a handyman in my building who had some specific tools to help get them unstuck. He came by to help remove the old fill valve and install the new one.

So now it is good as new and does not make a whistling noise. So if your toilet is whistling, chances are it is the fill valve. If you are going to install a new one, check the warranty on the old one. Also make sure to unscrew the water supply part first before unscrewing the fill valve from the tank. email@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2014/09/fixing-whistling-toilet.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7396535752851450625.post-7297140796617892482014-09-08T13:56:00.000-05:002014-09-08T13:57:15.844-05:00Utopia on Fox Review

The new reality show Utopia debuted on Fox last night. I'm a fan of reality shows so I decided to check it out. It takes a group of strangers from all different backgrounds and puts them in an environment where they basically have to learn to live off the land and work together to create a new society. It is an ongoing show that is supposed to go for at least a year with the opportunity for new people to join the Utopia throughout the year and of course to option for people to leave or get kicked out of the group decides.

I watched the 2 hour premiere and overall my impression is that it is very much a typical reality show with lots of drama among the participants. They pick very different personalities so this causes conflict easily among the group members. There have already been plenty of fights and arguments and even a make shift trial on whether one of the members should be exiled from the community based on his actions.

The show is similar to Big Brother in the fact that it will be on several times a week and has a live stream to go along with the weekly shows. Utopia is still just getting started so it will take a few more episodes to get a good judgment on this show, but overall I will tune in next episode to see how the series progresses.

Did you watch the premiere of Utopia? What did you think about it?
email@example.com://www.connectedisolation.com/2014/09/utopia-on-fox-review.html


text:
MakeUseOfShared publicly -
Everyone knows that Facebook is a major player in the social media game. We stay in touch with family and friends from across town to around the world. There are several great mobile companion apps available that can help you stay updated, send fun messages, and connect in different ways. Facebook Messenger The official messaging…
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+Yodi Collins The same can be appliedto most if not all other social media networks, including Google/Google+.
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This document will explain you about replication in sql server 2005.
Walk through the steps of a successful migration to SQL Server 2008.
This white paper discusses the steps to configure a server cluster using
Active Directory Backup and Restore in Windows Server 2008
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Community. Engagement. Advocacy. Humor.
Oxidized Copper
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Albums: Impressions
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Latest Multiplex polymerase chain reaction Stories
2015-04-17 23:07:18
LC Sciences will collaborate with beta testers to generate test data sets, establish the limits of the technology by testing on difficult sample types and challenging design projects, and develop
2014-07-23 16:24:15
LONDON, July 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportbuyer.com has added a new market research report:
2013-08-30 23:02:12
The 2013 Virtual Symposium topics include Advancing Molecular Biology, PCR in 2013, Understanding Modern Biochemistry, Modern Cellular Imaging, Gene and Drug Delivery, and Plastic Labware Leaching.
Word of the Day
- To befool; deceive; balk; jilt.
- An illusion; a trick; a cheat.
The word 'begunk' may come from a nasalised variant of Scots begeck ("to deceive, disappoint"), equivalent to be- + geck.


text:
Castro's dream for Cuba's artists
Jigme Sherpa brings hope to Nepal's quake victims
05 Jul 2012 09:45 GMT | US & Canada, Canada
Talks aimed at creating the world's first legally binding treaty on the arms trade are continuing in New York.
The transfer of small arms kill millions of people every year. In Canada, there are almost as many guns per person as in America, but the country has a far lower rate of gun crime.
Nonetheless, when it comes to violent crime, it seems there are two Canadas. One, in which, firearms are generally used responsibly and safely, and another, in which guns and gangs are part of a pattern of poverty, unemployment and a sense of exclusion.
Al Jazeera's Daniel Lak reports from Toronto.
Source: Al Jazeera
Major protest scheduled in Montreal to mark 100th day of rallies, as hacker group Anonymous downs government websites.
Poverty & Development, US & Canada, Canada
Luka Rocco Magnotta, accused of dismembering and eating his Chinese student lover, pleads not guilty at Montreal court.
US & Canada, Canada, Germany
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Italians grow weary of asylum seekers amid the steady flow of migrants and the country's economic woes.
Migrants, Immigration, Italy
Allegations of major security failures surrounding submarines in Scotland put nukes on the radar.
War & Conflict, Science & Technology, Europe
Drug use has soared on the African island and women are the most vulnerable.
Drugs, Addiction, Health
Eight months later, friends and family of the disappeared are in the US to keep the fight to find the Mexicans going.
Human Rights, Latin America, Mexico
Former military ruler formally takes over as elected head of state in Abuja ceremony amid tight security.
Africa, Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, Jacob Zuma, Nigeria Decides
Seventeen nations attend summit in Bangkok on Southeast Asia crisis but talks not being attended at minister level.
Asia Pacific, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand
People & Power investigates how a match-fixer and his syndicate corrupted global football.
Sport, Football, Corruption
Are advances in artificial intelligence, robotics and other technologies leading to fewer jobs and more inequality?
Science & Technology, United States, Silicon Valley
101 East follows one man's mission to restore hope to survivors of Nepal's worst natural disaster in recent history.
Humanitarian crises, Environment, Nepal
The FIFA presidential candidate explains why he is challenging Sepp Blatter and how he plans to reform the organisation.
Sport, Middle East, FIFA


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Bulgarian Miners Urge Caretaker PM to Lift Shale Gas Ban
Bulgarian miners have asked caretaker Prime Minister Georgi Bliznashki to lift the ban on shale gas extraction through hydraulic fracturing.
At an event celebrating the professional holiday of the miner, representatives of the Bulgarian Chamber of Mining and Geology handed Bliznashki a list of demands, vowing to support the preparation of fair early elections on October 5 in exchange.
Bulgarian miners, as cited by money.bg, insisted that shale gas would provide an opportunity for the diversification of gas supplies and for reducing prices of natural gas.
They also insisted that the caretaker government include in its agenda the adoption of the project for the sustainable development of the mining industry in Bulgaria.
Miners said they had prepared a set of legal changes to the Subsurface Resources Act to be passed by the next Parliament.
They were adamant that the politicization of the issue of concession fees for the extraction of subsurface resources was not to be allowed.
Bulgarian miners also called for an urgent preparation of a package of measures aimed at improving the business environment in the country.
The ceremony for the professional holiday of miners was attended by Georgi Bliznashki, who gave a speech, and by caretaker Labor Minister Yordan Hristoskov, and caretaker Economy and Energy Minister Vasil Shtonov.
- » Bulgaria's Fuel Production, Imports Increase Substantially in March
- » Bulgaria's Energy Regulator Proposes 2 % Increase of Electricity Prices from July 1
- » Ex-PM Demands Lukoil Bulgaria's Crude Import Contracts
- » EU Funding is Available for Bulgarian Gas Hub Construction, Minister Petkova says
- » Lukoil Bulgaria Threatens to Sue Risk Management Lab over Damaging Allegations
- » Launch of Power Exchange Will Not Lead to 30-40% Price Spike – Watchdog Chair


text:
She's kicking me so high up I can barely eat because I get naucious bleh.
Kicking so high I can't eat
Posted 11/19/2012
Mommy Stephanie
Christopher Alexander 2.4.11
Comments (2)
Posted 11/19/2012
agree, gives me major acid reflux too, its like when he kicks my stomach I urp up a little acid. So gross, and just when I was starting to get a little appetite her in the third tri
Happy mommy to Konrad - january 22nd 2013
Posted 11/20/2012
Yep I feel your pain. I went from eating like a pig 2nd trimester to not eating almost at all. When I sit to eat his feet are right at my stomach & the min I start to get some food into me he kicks, & then the heartburn begins...I just keep telling myself only 8 more weeks & then I can eat as much & whatever I want!! & I can't wait!!
*Proud LEO Wife & Mommy to DS*
( . ) ( . ) Gold!!
What's on your mind?Create a new post
Your growing child
Your 27-month-old: Read it again
Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree again?! Oh yes. Reading the same book over and over provides a measure of comfort. Read More
Your 28-month-old: Making friends
First friendships are very real to your child. Read More
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Your child can play with small objects easily and stack (not just knock over) towers of blocks. Read More