Posts Tagged ‘pictures’

Northwest Federal Credit Union Member Appreciation Day

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses,Tags: , , , , ,
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Each year, Northwest Federal Credit Union holds a fun mini carnival in their headquarter’s parking lot for Member Appreciation Day. It’s a way to celebrate members as well as welcome their families and friends. This year, it was on Saturday from 9-1, rain or shine! And this time it was raining a little, but plenty of people still came out to enjoy the event. Since Panda is a member there, we dropped by before going in to DC so I could volunteer at the NMNH.

When you arrived, you were given flyers that were “passports” to help track which free things you had claimed. Each person was allowed a cotton candy, popcorn, food (pulled pork/beef/chicken sandwiches or hot dogs), side of chips, and drink (cans of soda or lemonade). The kids were also allowed a balloon creation, face painting, and entry to the bounce houses. Everyone had the option of getting a large tote bag or those drawstring backpacks, but since we have plenty of both, we opted not to take one.

northwest federal credit union member appreciation day passport handout

The NWFCU passport for adults.

northwest federal credit union member appreciation day tent with food

Inside the giant tent, we stood in a long line for cotton candy and popcorn, then a much faster line for the food and drink.

northwest federal credit union member appreciation day game tents

There were games for the kids to try out.

northwest federal credit union member appreciation day face painting tent line

At the end was the tent for face painting, which had quite a line.

eating two cotton candies at northwest federal credit union member appreciation day

I got to eat both our cotton candies!

northwest federal credit union member appreciation day cotton candy melting from humidity

Due to the humidity of the air, the cotton candy started to melt pretty quickly and bits would fall off.

northwest federal credit union member appreciation day cotton candy absorbing moisture from air

As it absorbed the moisture, the outside layer of the cotton candy would start to get very sticky. I kept having to rotate them so pieces wouldn’t fall off as quickly.

northwest federal credit union member appreciation day bounce houses

Outside the tent, there were bounce houses for the kids.

It was a good event and next time we’ll definitely plan to spend more time there rather than having to rush off. Panda had wanted to withdraw some money from his account and I was interested in earning the free money for signing up as his referral, but neither of those got done. If a member brings someone who signs up that day, they both get $25 in their accounts. It’s small, but hey you can still do a lot with that!

The digital world hates vertical media

laelene Posted in general blog,Tags: , , , , , ,
2

I’ve recently re-learned what a nightmare it is to try to deal with vertical (portrait-oriented) media, whether pictures or videos. Why is it so hard to get them to work?

I mean, I know that all our screens are wide and so is much of how we view the world, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t times that a vertical orientation isn’t useful (if not better altogether). It’s so frustrating that when I do have portrait images, they don’t always render properly and for vertical videos, it becomes difficult to edit them.

food from rollplay vietnamese restaurantFor example, the past couple of months I’ve dealt with an annoyance using WordPress. When I upload a picture that is vertical, the image doesn’t show up (this might be happening to you with the one first image). This seemed to have happened with the update that had occurred around that time. Suddenly, every vertical photo uploaded would come out blank in my blog posts. It took a lot of research and testing to figure out that if re-uploaded the image, it would then work.

More recently, I came across the added issue that if I uploaded the original file from my phone, it doesn’t have the correct orientation and instead shows horizontally, as seen below. So now I have to open the image in Paint*, save it, then it will recognize it as a vertical image (shown on the left, if you can see it). What a nightmare! Strangely enough, if you are on an iPhone, you’d see the below image the proper way, but on a laptop browser and on an Android device it’s horizontal. Yet even odder, on an iPad, it tries to show vertically, but the image is stretched out to fit horizontal dimensions.

sample of broken vertical image that does not rotate properly

So to ensure images show proper orientation across devices means I need to edit the photo before re-uploading to WP, using an image editing program like Paint or Photoshop*. It doesn’t seem to help if I rotate the image first, I usually still need to do the replace media option. And literally all I’m doing in Paint is saving it so that whatever EXIF metadata WP needs gets translated through properly and allows images to show up vertically, as they should. I guess however Apple encodes that data is incompatible with the way WordPress reads/handles the info. For now it’s working, but if things act up again I’ll look into plugins like the iOS images fixer or the Image Rotation Fixer, both of which look like promising solutions.

Additionally, I ran into issues when I was trying to edit a vertical video. Any program I opened it up in would put those awful black bars on the sides so that it ultimately took up the space of a horizontal video. I wanted a final output that would keep the vertical orientation, making it a skinny little thing. All the searching in the world only seemed to lead me to tutorials on how to change the black bars to some background, but none actually addressed my issue.

In iMovie on my mobile devices, it would crop my video to a square. I’d shrink it down so the whole thing showed, but those black bars would come to haunt me. I tried rotating it so it fit the horizontal perfectly, make my edits, save it, then try rotating it, but again: ugly black bars inserted. So ultimately I gave up on such an endeavor, but these experiences leave me wanting so much more when it comes to media editing and rendering.

You’d think in this day and age of technology that they would have figured this out by now. Why is it still such a troublesome issue?

 

*Thanks to a comment on this thread for helping me figure out that solution.

I’ve found the only way to consistently see images with proper orientation on all devices is to edit the photo before uploading to WP in an image editing program like Photoshop. – Cindy Otty

On My Mind, episode 11: summer plans

laelene Posted in general blog, on my mind,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
0

I don’t do a lot of journal entry type posts here, but there are some things going on that I just wanted to share. Sometimes there is no specific topic; it’s just about life in general.

This weekend, I was very excited to get a shipment notification from Baubax, which I backed on Kickstarter back in September. I had hoped to get it in time for Thanksgiving. So much for that! They originally anticipated being able to get them completed by November, but their campaign exploded way beyond they ever expected. The product is a travel jacket, which they designed 4 of. I chose the red bomber jacket because it seemed like a nice balance between dressy and casual. I hope it fits me well!!

Panda and I have been looking for someone to rent a room in our home. His organization has interns that will be coming next month and they always need a place to stay. There are a few students we’ve considered and I look forward to finalizing details. We’re happy to earn some extra money to help fund my MBA. I’ll be leaving halfway through their stay to get ready for my program. Things are going to be crazy the next couple of months! Maybe in the future we can consider listing a room on Airbnb.

Panda got the Whole Dang Thang, which included fried fish, scallops, gator, calamari, shrimp and more.

Panda got the Whole Dang Thang, which included fried fish, scallops, gator, calamari, shrimp and more.

About a month ago, Panda and I went out to dinner with Calavera for cajun seafood. As I was cracking away at my crab legs, I didn’t realize I was weakening part of my tooth and on the drive home, I noticed that my tooth had chipped. Prior to that, I had noticed a tiny little indentation along the bottom of the tooth, so it must have fractured along that groove. I needed a teeth cleaning anyway, so I scheduled a dental appointment and was told I should get a crown. Since dental procedures are expensive in the US and I plan on going to China this summer, I decided to wait until I go there to get it done. In the mean while, I look silly sometimes with what looks like a gap in my teeth that then shows itself as a missing chunk. At least a gap would look normal!

Now that I know what program I’ll be attending in the fall, it’s all about getting to know what they have to offer. I received a call from an MBA Ambassador today, but I was working and then wasn’t able to reach her later. I’m compiling questions about the program, life in general, and other things to know before I start school. There are four more people I should reach out to (two friends and two ambassadors, one who interviewed me). I think I’ll learn a lot at Admit Weekend next week and I can’t wait to start meeting people, learning, and thinking about what I’ll do. All this looking to the future has me distracted from what I should focus on, but I’m still making good progress at work. Still, I’m itching to train someone up and start handing things off, though it looks like that won’t happen for another month.

I’ve always been interested in helping uncover resources and make them more readily available, so I created an unofficial employee handbook using Trello. Tomorrow I get to train a new girl on it for the very first time! I can’t wait to see what she thinks, get feedback, and hone it into a lasting legacy that I will leave here. I’ve got quite a few projects that I hope will continue to live on when I’ve moved on. I know that our use of Slack will certainly be one of those.

There are so many things buzzing around in my head these days. With my obsession with Trello, I’ve put together various boards to help me track everything I should be doing. Now I just need to get better at checking them… 😛

Yogi Surprise April 2016 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
2

Here comes a spring box of goodies! Quite a few snacks and supplements this time around. When I go off to school, I’ll probably cancel this subscription, so I’ve only got a few more coming my way.

Yogi Surprise is just under $36 per box (with code for 20% off your subscription – use my referral links from this post) and comes with yoga gear, skincare, food, and other lifestyle products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program that earns you free boxes.

contents of yogi surprise april 2016 box with info card yogi surprise april 2016 info card with product details

Herban Essentials orange essential oil towelettes – A long time ago, I did a trade where I received some of these in orange and lemon. These are perfect to keep around for a quick wipe, whether of my hands or even my yoga mat. I had no idea they went beyond cleaning off grime and smelling nice, but are actually antibacterial and antiseptic! Apparently these are good for improving mood, focus, and relaxation. Wow, impressive.

The Seaweed Bath Co seaweed powder bath in Eucalyptus & Peppermint – I can’t remember how I first heard of this brand, but it’s been on my list and I got a chance to get some, also part of a trade a long time ago. The flakes darkened my bath and made it a little more effort to clean after draining the bath, so we’ll see how this one goes. I like the idea of using seaweed for skincare – just sounds cool, and it’s supposed to be good for sensitive skin, so I’m sure it’ll be great for me.

rishi hibiscus berry herbal tea – Ah, this will be perfect to take with me to school! I can scoop myself some nice tea to sip while working on projects. I got some rishi green tea from Whole Foods before, which I quite enjoyed, so I know this will be a very good quality.

Bambooee reusable bamboo towel – I first heard of these when I got one in my Conscious box three years ago! It’s so useful in so many different ways. I think it’s a fantastic product to have around and I’ll be using this one a lot in the kitchen, I’m sure. I love things made from bamboo. 🙂

Go Raw choco crunch sprouted cookies – Hmm, these “cookies” are basically bite-sized health bars. I’m not super into raw stuff or seeds/nuts, so I found the taste of this to be unusual. I didn’t get much of the chocolate flavor and instead had a lot more coconut and some unidentifiable taste. If you’re into healthy vegan stuff, you might like this though!

Stoneridge Orchards Montmorency Cherries – Alas, I also don’t like cherries that aren’t fresh ones. I’ll be giving these to someone else to eat, though as a dried fruit, this is something I’d consider trying.

Herbal Zap! Digestive Cool & Calm and Digestive & Immune Support supplements – These sort of remind me of the Pranayums I got in the last box. They make use of herbs to help bring health benefits. In this case, these are for digestion and boosting immunity. They come in these little sugar granules that dissolve in water. I’ll be taking these to work to use during the day! I could always use a little help with my digestive and immune systems.

Rescue Plus Stress Complex lozenge in Orange & Elderflower – Well, I had not known the term “lozenge” before, but I guess they’re basically cough drops. These are amazingly sweet for something that has no sugar! The elderflower adds a unique fragrance that is quite nice. They didn’t exactly provide information on how/when I should use these – when I feel unwell? As a daily boost? I’m not sure, but I think I’ll have one periodically.

Dosha Bar in blueberry balance pitta – Another bar that I will try, but am unsure of. I’ve just never really enjoyed bars, whether granola or quinoa or trail mix. But hey, it’s worth trying and using as a snack when I need that extra bit. Lately I’ve been feeling a plummet in my blood sugar on my drive home, so I think this will be great to munch on during the commute.

Yogi Surprise Connecting with Nature yoga sequence series card – This time around it’s time to get grounded and connect with nature. This series has some very easy and very challenging poses. Check out the instruction page to download this sequence.

Four Sigmatic Reishi & Chaga Mushroom Elixirs – Well, these are a new approach to drinks. Can’t say I’ve put mushrooms in my water before, though I certainly enjoy dishes cooked with them. They talk about how great mushrooms are, but don’t offer anything about what benefits I’m supposed to get exactly. And I thought the different flavors had different benefits, but it seems they are named after the mushroom they are made from. In general, it seems mushrooms are good for your immune system, blood pressure, and offer antioxidants.

suja organic cold-pressured juice coupon – (Not pictured.) Underneath everything was this little surprise, which offers a free bottle of juice! I’ve been curious about cold-pressed juices and was actually going to go get some at Whole Foods since I heard on the radio that they are offering 10% off this week. I look forward to trying these!

Wow, this time around there were a bunch of smaller items to try, which I rather liked. I feel like I’ve got a ton of health boosts now. What do you think about the products in this box?

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Julep April 2016 Collection review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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So I think they stopped naming their collections as of February, since they aren’t clearly labeling them anymore. This month’s was filled with fun, bright colors in a jelly-like finish. They included a white polish to pair with the colors to use underneath and lighten the color. They look great and I’m tempted to collect the whole set.

Julep ranges from just under $25 to $40 per box based on tier (or as discounted as just under $20 to $35 per box when prepaid three at a time) and comes with combinations of nail polish colors, skincare products, and beauty products (depending on your style profile choice). They offer plenty of upgrade and add-on options too. Boxes are sent monthly unless you choose to skip. You also have the option of gifting your box to a friend. They offer a referral program that earns you $15 store credit per referral.

julep maven april 2016 collection box contents

April 2016’s collection of Brights + Whites box

Green Tea konjac sponge
I don’t know what it is about green tea, but when I see something with it, I gravitate towards it. Between the kaolin clay one that was going to come in my box and the charcoal one I’ve had before, neither could beat out the funky green sponge. I don’t think it makes much of a difference since all those ingredients are great for your skin, but I’m happiest with this one.

Polish colors in Brynn and Brigitte. I waffled between Brynn and Marissa for ages before choosing this more reddish orange hue. Normally I’d go for the purple but this time I wanted something different! I like how Brynn looks both as a gel as well as with the white underneath, which is what I have on now. I got compliments at work today for my bold color that starkly contrasted against the dreary day. (I already have another Brigitte from almost exactly a year ago, but it’s a color that can be used in many ways.)

love your bare face Detoxifying Cleansing Stick
It said to rub this on my hands and then cleanse my face, which was interesting. It was very gentle and smelled nice. I don’t think I put enough on since I didn’t really get a lather. I look forward to combining it with my konjac sponge, which I am waiting to open once I head off to grad school.

julep april 2016 collection card and discount offer card

The April 2016 Collection cards.

julep love your bare face detoxifying cleansing stick and kaolin clay konjac sponge information card

The info card with details on the detoxifying cleansing stick and konjac sponge.

julep april 2016 collection quote card

The April 2016 Collection quote card.

Another great box! I’m very pleased with my newfound flexibility to customize boxes. Now I really get to be picky, though it makes for some hard choices!

Join as a Julep Maven to get polishes and/or beauty products sent to you monthly! Use code FREEBOX or FREEMAVEN to get the first box free (you pay shipping).

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Petit Vour March 2016 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
0

PV time already? Alright! I’m very pleased with the items in this box, which are all fresh and feel like spring.

Petit Vour is $15 per box (or as much as $30 for international subscribers) and comes with vegan beauty, skincare, and other personal care products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards free boxes (email contact@petitvour.com to say I referred you if you sign up!).

contents of petit vour march 2016 box with fresh start theme and info card petit vour march 2016 box info card with item details

Yarok Feed Your Moisture shampoo – I don’t think I’d ever buy shampoo at that price point, but I’m happy to have a sample to use! I can use it in conjunction with other samples from the line that I have yet to try.

Little Barn Apothecary Geranium + White Tea beauty mist – Ooo, a special formula just for PV! I love anything with white tea, so this is awesome. I love facial mists/sprays that I can use after cleansing. They’re so lightweight and fun to use.

suki exfoliate foaming cleanser – This citrus smell reminds me of the derma e microdermabrasion scrub that I love so much. It’s delightful to use and has a bit of foaming action along with exfoliation so you feel extra clean.

lauren b beauty nail polish dual base/top coat – Nice! This will go well with the other bottle we received almost a year ago. I found it to be a bit more runny than my other top coats, but that also seemed to product a very shiny finish that’s quite nice.

I’m a fan of all these products!! These items felt very luxurious to me. 🙂 What do you think of this box?

[This post mentions a referral program. Signing up and emailing contact@petitvour.com to say I referred you helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Treatsie March 2016 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
0

Alright, another box after quite a gap from receiving the first box of the month. It’s been awhile since they included this many brands in a box.

Treatsie is $15 per box + $4.95 shipping and comes with artisan candy from 3-4 brands. That means about 6 or 7 different flavors of treats. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral link program to earn store credit. Use my referral link and code FRBUCO01 to get double the treats (a purported $40 value) in your first box!

treatsie march 2016 box contents treatsie march 2016 info card

J&M Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies: I looooved their triple chocolate flavor and this one is good too, but can’t beat that. I really enjoy how these are “dry” cookies yet they are not dry in a bad way. They’re still just crumbly enough that it doesn’t feel like you ate a cracker without water.

Quin Candy Dreams Come Chew: These must be similar to Starburst style candies. I found that they had a tendency to stick to the wrapper and melt quite quickly. Very tasty though!

Bees & Beans Honey Bar: Yuuummmm I knew I’d like this as soon as I saw it. Chocolate with caramel and nougat? Oh yes. I wouldn’t mind a little extra crunchiness inside to add to the textures.

B. T. McElrath Chocolatier chocolate bites in Salted Butter Caramel & Dark Chocolate Caramel: Just like before, I loved the firm texture of these. If you like a chocolate with a nice break to it, definitely try these out. I didn’t quite taste the caramel and I generally like the gooeyness of it, but these were tasty nonetheless.

Clairesquares Shortbread & Caramel dark chocolate square: For some reason I thought this was kind of brownie-like, but it’s like a buttery cookie. The shortbread holds together well and gives the bar a rich flavor.

I’m quite pleased with the variety of products and inclusion of a product that’s brand new to me. What do you think of the treats from this box? To get Treatsie, sign up with my link and code FRBUCO01 to get double the treats in your first box!

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Pie pops for Pi Day

laelene Posted in photo blog,Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
0

Last week I was going through emails and saw these adorable pie pops from Treatsie. My friend “Calavera” and I decided we had to make them, so she came over this weekend to make some belated Pi Day treats.

piece of pie crust stuck in glass cup while cutting out circles in pie crust

We used a small glass to cut out the circles in the pie crust.

circular pie crust pieces with leftover material

Extra pie crust that we rolled out and cut until it was all used.

pie crust strips cut and laid out

The other piece of pie crust was cut into long strips and woven.

thin strips of pie crust woven into lattice pattern

Weaving together the pie crust lattice.

cutting circles in pie crust lattice

Once done, we used the same glass to cut out circles on the lattice.

round pieces of pie crust with little bit left over

After cutting, we had minimal waste of the crust.

putting together pie pops with jam and egg wash

Then we got to work putting together the pops, putting jam inside.

pie pops put together and ready for sugar dusting before baking

Almost ready for baking!

adding sugar to pie pops before baking

The final touch, adding some sugar on top.

pie pops in oven baking

And in they go for baking.

heart pie pop leaking jam while baking

The heart one was pumping and “bleeding” everywhere.

finished pie pops laid out on turtle-shaped cutting board

Ta-da! The finished product. We tried carving our initials and making the sand dollar ones, but the lattice ones came out best.

The Ritz-Carlton treatment

laelene Posted in photo blog,Tags: , , , , , ,
0

While Panda was away on travel, he got a chance to stay at a Ritz-Carlton property. When he left, he realized that he could not find his power adapter, so he contacted the hotel and they were unable to locate it. Weeks later, he was supposed to return to the property but plans got changed and he had to stay at a different hotel in the area. When the hotel staff found out, they offered to send the replacement adapter they got him and delivered it to his new hotel! Not only that, but he mentioned he wanted to get something from the gift store – a rubber ducky – and they even brought that all wrapped up at no charge. Now this is the type of service I’ve heard of from this establishment and it’s great to see it in action. They made his trip that much better with their extra effort and kindness. 🙂

ritz-carlton gift box with white wrapping paper and red ribbon

The gift box, all nicely wrapped.

ritz-carlton rubber duckies inside box

Turns out they packed two ducks!

ritz-carlton rubber duckies

Now we have these keepsakes from their hotel.

universal converter/world adapter gift from ritz-carlton

And this wonderful replacement adapter for future travels. 🙂

Yogi Surprise March 2016 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
1

Just when I miss getting boxes, I usually get this one. I like that it’s sent to arrive earlier in the month, since most seem to come mid to late month.

Yogi Surprise is just under $36 per box (with code for 20% off your subscription – use my referral links from this post) and comes with yoga gear, skincare, food, and other lifestyle products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program that earns you free boxes.

contents of yogi surprise march 2016 box with info card yogi surprise march 2016 info card with product details

Gypsy Soul Organics Rosey Yogi yoga mat cleaner – Mmm, this smells nice and sprays a fine mist. I like how it recommends using before and after yoga – I hadn’t thought of spraying my mat beforehand to get a little whiff during my practice. I’ll certainly have to try that next time. For now, I’m trying out barre classes.

The Little Red Book of Yoga Wisdom – There are a ton of quotes, pictures, and a whole chart of yoga poses in this book. It’s a great compilation of thoughts and philosophies surrounding yoga.

Healthforce Superfoods Spirulina Manna – I’ve definitely heard of spirulina but never tried it, so here’s my chance! I’m not great at remembering to take pills, but I will pop one of these when I do. I can’t believe it says to have 15-25 tablets a day! That’s only 2-3 days’ worth in this bottle, wow.

Better Life Stain and Odor Eliminator – This is perfect! I’ve been looking for something to help with stains and odors, so I look forward to spraying this on a variety of things. My workout stuff doesn’t usually get gross, but my regular clothes certainly get stains that could use some treatment.

Simply 7 Lentil Chips – The texture of these is quite starchy and there’s a strong crunch that quickly melts away in your mouth. Quite a unique sensation. The flavor is good, very tasty with a nice saltiness to it. I usually find lentil soup to be too salty for me, so this is a nice way to eat them in a different form.

derma e microdermabrasion scrub – I love this scrub! I’ve received it from Ipsy before and it remains one of my favorite items. The texture of the fine beads just feels so good to rub on my face, and the scent is delightful.

Taylor’s Oil Pulling Herbal Rinse – The first time I came across oil pulling was from the Homegrown Collective project that I got. I was pretty good about doing it while driving in to work for a couple of days, but then I stopped and never got back into the habit. This one reminds me of a peppermint candy, which should be nice. I like that I’d only need to use it once a week or so.

Yogi Surprise Creating Space yoga sequence series card – These are all chest-opening poses and the theme encourages you to create time for yourself. Check out the instruction page to download this sequence.

Indian Table Pranayums spice shots – Whoa! Definitely can smell the spice in these powders. I might mix it in with my lunches or the many cups of hot water I drink throughout the work week to see if it helps keep my energy levels up.

This was a cool box with some very useful items that I look forward to using. Which of these products do you like best?

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

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