Candles: Old Virginia Candle Company Apple Vanilla Wax Melts

I enjoy candles. I like the way they look. I like burning them. I like the way they smell. So while I was looking at candles at the store the other day, I decided to try something a little different.

I bought a wax warmer.

It's a little building, or pot, that you put a tea light candle in the bottom of. The candle heats the top part, which is where you put the scented wax melts. It sounds much more complicated when you have to write it out like this, but it's very simple.

So I got a few different, I like to call them "flavors", wax melts to try out in my new set up. There are all different brands but the ones I am trying are Old Virginia Candle Company. I like their products and they are not as expensive as other name brands.

Apple Vanilla sounded absolutely delicious. I smelled the package and was convinced this was one I wanted. So when I got home I popped it in the pot and lit my "burner".

About 10 minutes later, I was less excited. The apple vanilla scent that won me over in the store became more of an earthy, dirt smell. This is not to say that someone may not like it, and it was not unbearable, but it was clearly not the smell of an ice cream cone in an apple orchard.

Pros:

It smelled nice in the package.

Cons:

There was a drastically different smell when it was melted.

Verdict:

Well, this scent for me, was a big miss. Candle and wax melt scents are always a gamble as the scent mixtures may not be the same from batch to batch. I would not recommend this particular scent, but I do recommend getting a wax melt warmer and trying out some scents that sound good to you.

It's been slow.

I know it's been slow around these parts this month. There's been a lack of new things at the stores I've been to recently. With summer just around the corner there will be lots of new and interesting products that need trying and reviewing. So, please be patient and check back here soon.

Got any product suggestions? Leave a comment.

Thank you to all of the returning and first-time visitors!

Much, much more to come.

Candy: Mint Crisp M&M'S®

What happens when you combine an m&m, a rice crispy, a junior mint, and the marketing power behind the new Indiana Jones movie?

Mint Crisp M&M'S®.

Mars has done it again! Yet another flavor of M&M's has graced the checkout lines and this time it's got a friend on the package: Indiana Jones.

There could not be more cheese on this packaging. First off, it says, "DIG NEW" because Indiana Jones is famous for digging things up as a treasure hunter, and trouble maker. The little green m&m girl is saying, "Treasure is a girl's best friend." I honestly can't believe they couldn't think of something better than that. I would love to hear your alternatives; here's mine, "Is that a crystal skull in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?" Okay, maybe it is harder than I thought. Then finally, instead of the usual tag of "Limited Edition" the package simply says, "Get "m" Before They're Lost!" It's clever but I don't condone the shortening of the word "them" to "em", and then furthermore to just "m".

If you remember the Crispy M&M's, they are an M&M with a puffed rice center. These are the same only minty and decorated with Indiana Jones themed graphics around the "m" stamps. These designs are things like Mayan pyramids, crystal skulls, and ancient sun dials.

Pros:
Gives you minty, fresh breath.
Indiana Jones "Arti-FACT" on the back of the package like, "The car driven by Short Round in "Temple of Doom" is a 1936 Auburn Boattail Speedster."

Cons:
They will probably be gone once the movie is in theaters.

Verdict:
- You really need to like things like Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies, York Peppermint Patties, and Junior Mints to like this kind of M&M. The mint lingers in your mouth like a toothpaste or mouthwash.
- If you are feeling adventurous, and you enjoy M&M's, you should give them a try.

Office Supplies: Mead Memo Pad

This may seem like an interesting thing to have here, but I haven't had one of these memo pads since the 3rd grade. When I saw it at the store, I realized how many times I wish I had it to jot down something in a hurry.

Mead memo pads might be the most useful and efficient paper purchase I have made in a long time, which is saying a lot considering I opted for the 3-pack!

A spiral bound notebook is not really something that needs reviewing, but the uses of it are:

-Stop taking an entire piece of printer paper to write down a phone number or something similar, it's a unnecessary waste.
-Put it in your car (along with a pen), should you ever need to leave a note or exchange information in an emergency situation.
-Keep it by the bed. If you are anything like me, as soon as your head hits the pillow you start thinking about everything you have/want to do the next day. Writing them down will put your mind to rest allowing you to sleep better knowing you won't forget.
-Stick one in the kitchen, so you can make a grocery list. Not just before you go shopping but throughout the week when you run out of things.

And those are just the uses I had written down on my notepad.

It feels nice to pick up a pen and write something for a change. I am constantly on a computer of cell phone, which is great, but it really lacks personal touch. That's why I'm going to insert memo notepads back into my life.

Pros:
Small, compact. Fits just about anywhere and takes up very little space.
Unlimited usefulness for lists, notes, numbers, reminders, etc.
Saves you from using large pieces of paper for small things.
Pulls you out of the digital world, even if only for a moment.

Cons:
Requires a writing implement.
Paper cuts.

Verdict:
-There is no reason why you shouldn't have at least one.

DVD: Firefly: The Complete Series

Firefly is one of the best, if not the best, most interesting and captivating, science-fiction television series of all time. Yet, it only managed to air 11 episodes before being cancelled. This lead to the production of an excellent movie based on the series called, Serenity.

Firefly is, as I said, a science fiction series but it comes with a twist of old westerns. The series seamlessly combines interplanetary space travel with cowboy antics such as, saloon brawls, gunslingers, smuggling and good ole fashion thievery.

On top of the action, the character dialogue even has a wild west twang to it. Now, on the topic of dialogue, I have problems with shows that put people in insane predicaments and situations and have the characters say "Gosh!", or "Holy heck!". It's not the 4-letter words used by actual people, and it reminds you how not real a TV show is. Well, Firefly has somehow figured out the perfect solution. They blurt out phrases in Chinese. I have no idea what they are saying, but it sounds like "Oh sh*t." to me. Besides that, it is blended so well into the conversations that you really believe this is how they talk.

The acting is superb, and the characters are so well developed that you are instantly brought into their world, caring about their relationships, causes, and general well-being. If you care to know more about the characters, I strongly suggest reading the bios in one of the links above.

This DVD set is four discs, featuring 14 episodes, commentary on some, Behind the scenes featurettes, four deleted scenes, gag reel, and a few other little things. Worth every penny.

Pros:
Fresh scifi TV show, that uses subtle special effects to enhance the stories, not make them.
Movie based on the series (Serenity).
Packed DVD. Even includes the 3 unaired episodes.
Yes, that's the guy who played Steve the Pirate, in Dodgeball.

Cons:
Series has been cancelled for years now.
Not only is it cancelled, but there is only one season of it.

Verdict:
- This is very easy, watch the movie, Serenity. If you like it, you will love Firefly. If you are not 100% won by the film, you could still very easily like the series.
- This is for scifi fans, or even people that like the Robin Hood theme of 'taking from the rich and giving to the poor'.
- It's just so unique and innovative that I can't say for sure who might like it. It is definitely worth your time.

Candy: Peanut Butter Whoppers

Whoppers are a classic candy from the classic candy company, Hershey's.

As far back as I can remember, this was my number one choice for snacking on at the movies. The boxes, or sometimes cartons, seem to never end until the moment you realize, you've eaten the whole thing.

So, Hershey's got this wild idea. The thought, "Hey! People like Whoppers, and people like Reese's Peanut Butter candies. So why not combine them?" Then, they did; and I have tried them!

In case you are not familiar with the Whoppers make-up, they are a malted milk ball, covered, in this case, with a smooth peanut butter coating. The original Whopper is covered in chocolate.

I can honestly say that the only thing better than this, would be if they managed to somehow combine the chocolate and peanut butter coatings, either on the Whopper itself, or in a box.

The peanut butter flavor is mild and very true to the established Reese's taste. I am not a huge fan of peanut butter, or such flavored candies, so I have broken up this carton into a few different snacking sessions and casual handfuls when I get the urge. Yummy.

Pros:

New flavor Whoppers!

Not just peanut butter, but Reese's Peanut Butter.

Milk-carton style packaging.

Cons:

Addictive. It's hard to stop yourself from eating them, even when you are choking from peanut butter overload.

Peanut butter can become overwhelming after eating it like this.

You need to mix Chocolate Whoppers in yourself!

Verdict:

- These Whoppers are not far off from the classic, therefore you can enjoy them without feeling like its some totally new candy. If you are familiar with the original, I suggest trying them.

- If you like Reese's Peanut Butter anything, I think you will enjoy these quite a bit.

- If you have peanut allergies, you better stay clear. These could actually kill you.