Muses of SaberWind

70 Fantastic Jell-o Shot Recipes!

2013-07-09T01:02:00.000-04:00

To speed up Jell-o setting time, put your alcohol in the freezer before use since it won't freeze!

1. *JAGER BOMB*
- Boil 1 cup red bull (in place of water)
- Black cherry or orange jello
- 1 cups jager.

2. *MARGARITA*
- Boil 1 cup water
- Add 3 oz pkg lime jello (substitute watermelon jello for lime for a melon margarita)
- 4 oz tequila
- 4 oz sweet & sour margarita mix
- Sprinkle with salt just before firm

3. *RUM & COKE
- Boil 1 cups coke
- Mix in dark cherry jello
- 1 cups light rum

4. *MIMOSAS*
This one varies from the normal method Since champagne isn't as strong as liquor, cut the water out of this one
- Boil one cup champagne
- Mix orange jello for 2 min
- Add one more cup champagne
- Splash with orange juice

5. *SILK*
- Boil one cup champagne
- Mix in jello for 2 minutes
- Add one cup champagne
- Splash of lychee juice

6. *ORANGE TIC TAC*
- Boil two cups red bull
- Mix jello two minutes
- Add two cups mandarin orange vodka

7. *LEMON DROP*
- Boil 1 cup water
- Add lemon jello
- Citrus vodka
- Top with sugar sprinkles just before its fully set up

8. *GRAPE CRUSH*
- boil 1 cups water
- add grape jello
- 1/2 cup plain vodka
- 1/2 cup chambord

9. *HAWAIIAN*
- boil 1 cup water
- add pineapple or blueberry jello
- 1 cup coconut rum

10. *GIN & TONIC*
- boil 1 cup tonic water
- add lime jello
- 1 cup gin

11. *LEMON LIME*
- boil 2 cups sprite
- add lemon and lime jellos
- 2 cups citrus vodka

12. *BLUEBERRY*
- boil 1 cup water
- add blueberry jello
- 1 cup blueberry vodka

13. *FRUIT PUNCH*
- boil 1 cups water
- add mixed fruit jello
- 1/2 cup blueberry vodka
- 1/2 cup raspberry vodka

14. *WATERMELON*
- boil 1 cup water
- add watermelon jello
- 1 cup watermelon vodka

15. *BEER*
- boil 1 cups water
- add strawberry jello
- add 1 cup any malt liquor

16. *CARIBBEAN*
- boil 1 cup water
- add strawberry-banana jello
- Cruzan banana rum

17. *CHERRY COLA*
- boil 1 cup coke
- add cherry jello
- 1 cup cold cola
- 1/2 cup amaretto
- 1/2 cup spiced rum

18. *DREAMSICLE*
- boil 1 1/3 cup water & 2/3 cup OJ
- add orange jello
- 1 cup vanilla vodka
- 1/2 cup raspberry or berry vodka
- 1/2 cup KeKe Beach Key Lime Cream Liqueur

19. *LIME IN THE COCONUT*
- boil 1 cup water
- add watermelon jello
- 1 cup Malibu Coconut Rum

20. *RED HOTS*
- boil 2 cups water
- add cinnamon or plain jello
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 2 cups Cinnamon Schnapps

21. *SEX ON THE BEACH*
- boil 1 cup cranberry juice
- add 3 oz pkg orange jello
- 3 oz peach schnapps
- 5 oz vodka

22. *SOUR APPLE*
In microwavable container:
- 1 cup Mt. Dew
- 1 small box sour apple jello
- 1 pkg knox gelatin
- 1 tbs sugar
Microwave on high for 1 min
- Add 2 cups vodka
- 3/4 cup Captain Morgan Coconut Rum

23. *SQUIRM*
- boil 2 1/4 cup water
- add 3 small pkgs any flavor jello
- 2 cups vodka
- 3/4 cup ice cold water
- add 1 gummy worm to each shot before firm

24. *CARIBOU LOU*
- 1/2 cup boiling water 1/2 cup pineapple juice boiled
- add pineapple jello
- 1/2 cup Malibu Rum
- 1/2 cup Triplesec

25. *JOLLY RANCHER*
- boil 1 cup water
- add melon jello
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1/2 cup apple pucker

26. *PURPLE PEOPLE EATER*
- boil 1 cup water
- add grape jello
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1/2 cup watermelon pucker

27. *BAHAMA MAMA*
- boil 1 cup water
- add watermelon jello
- 1/2 cup Malibu rum
- 1/2 cup peach schnapps

28. *COSMOPOLITAN*
- boil 1 cup water
- a splash of lime juice
- add cranberry jello
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1/2 cup triple sec

29. *CHERRY BOMB*
- boil 1 cup redbull
- add cherry jello
- 1 cup vodka
- drop in one maraschino cherry before firm

30. *BLUE FIRECRACKER*
- boil 1 cup water
- add berry blue jello
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1/2 cup peach schnapps

31. *WHITE LIGHTNING*
- boil 1 cup water
- add pina colada jello
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1/2 cup triple sec

32. *FUZZY NAVEL*
- boil 1 cup water
- add 3 oz orange jello
- 2 oz vodka
- 6 oz peach schnapps

33. *RED HEADED SLUT*
- boil 1 cup water
- add cranberry jello
- 1/2 cup peach schnapps
- 1/2 cup jager

34. *MOJITO*
- 1 cup boiling water
- 3 oz box lime jello
- 6 oz white rum
- 2 oz cold water
- top with mint leaves chopped and crushed (or substitute mint leaves with a splash of mint extract in the the boiling water)

35. *STRAWBERRY DAIQUIRI*
- boil 1 cup water
- add 3 oz package wild strawberry jello
- 6 oz white rum
- 1 oz sweet & sour or margarita mix

36. *DEVILS KISS*
- 1 cup of boiling water
- Dissolve 1 envelope of Knox Gelatin
- Add 1/4 cup of cold water
- 1/2 cup of Goldschlager
- 1/4 cup of Bacardi-151

37. *ANKLE BREAKER*
- 1 cup of boiling water
- Dissolve 1 envelope of Lime Jello (3 oz size)
- Add 1/2 cup of cold water
- 1/4 cup of 151 Rum
- 1/4 cup of Cherry Brandy

38. *FIRECRACKER 2*
- 3/4 cup of boiling water
- Dissolve 1 box of Orange Jello
- Add 1/4 cup of cold water
- 1/3 cup of Sloe Gin
- 1/3 cup of Spiced Rum
- 1/3 cup of 151 Rum

39. *KOMANIWANALAYA*
- 2 cups of boiling water
- Dissolve 1 box of Pineapple Jello
- 1 box of Cranberry Jello (both 3 oz size)
- Add 1 cup of cold water
- 1/2 cup of Amaretto
- 1/2 cup of 151 Rum

40. *RAIN MAIN*
- 1 cup of boiling water
- Dissolve 1 box of Orange Jello (3 oz size)
- Add 1/4 cup of cold water
- 1/2 cup of Bacardi 151
- 1/4 cup of Melon Liqueur

41. *ADAM AND EVE*
3/4 cup of boiling water. Dissolve 1 box of Lemon Jello (3 oz size) and stir until fully dissolved. Add 1/2 cup of cold water, 1/4 cup of Brandy, and 1/4 cup of Pomogranate Liqueur and 1/4 cup of Gin. Stir well and cool before pouring into jello shot cups.

42. *ALABAMA SLAMMER*
3/4 cup of boiling water. Dissolve 1 package of Lemon Jello (3 oz) and stir until everything is completely dissolved and then add 1/3 cup of coldwater. Next, add 1/3 cup of Amaretto, 1/4 cup of Southern Comfort, and 1/3 cup of Sloe Gin. Mix throuroughly until everything is well combined and the carefully pour into jello shot cups. Chill for 3 to 4 hours and serve.

43. *ALL NIGHTER*
1 cup of boiling water. Dissolve 1 box of Cherry Jello (3 oz size) and stir until fully dissolved. Add 1/2 cup of cold water and 1/2 cup of Watermelon Vodka. Stir well and cool before pouring into jello shot cups.

44. *APPLE PIE*
- 1 1/2 cups ofboiling water
- 2 boxes of Lemon Jello (3 oz size)
- Add 1 cup of cold water
- 1/2 cup of Light Rum
- 1/2 cup of Sweet Vermouth
- 1/4 cup of Apple Brandy
- 1/4 cup of Grenadine

45. *BANANA BOAT*
- 1 cup of water
- 1 box of Pineapple Jello (3 oz size)
- 1/2 cup of cold water
- 1/4 cup of Coconut Rum
- 1/4 cup of Banana Liqueur

46. *BANANA SPLIT
- 1 cup of boiling water
- 1 box of Strawberry Jello (3 oz size)
- Add 1/4 cup of cold water
- 1/4 cup of Vodka
- 1/4 cup of Banana Liqueur
- 1/4 cup of Creme de Cacao

47. *BAT OUT OF HELL*
- 1 cup of boiling water
- 1 package of Orange Jello (3 oz)
- 1/2 cup of Red Bull
- 1/4 cup of Rumand
- 1/4 Blue Curacao.

48. *BERMUDA TRIANGLE*
- 1 cup of boiling water
- 1 box of Orange Jello (3 oz size)
- 1/2 cup of cold water
- 1/4 cup of Spiced Rum
- 1/4 cup of Peach Schnapps

49. *BLACK CAT*
- 1 cup of boiling water
- 1 package of Raspberry Jello (3 oz)
- 1/4 cup of cold water
- 1/2 cup of Black Vodka
- 1/4 cup of Chambord

50. *BLACK WIDOW*
- 1 cup of boiling water
- 1 package of Grape Jello (3 oz)
- 1/4 cup of cold water
- 3/4 cup of Blackberry Vodka
- 1/8 teaspoon of Ginger Powder (For a schnazzy garnish, drop a single blackberry in each cup before chilling)

51. *COUGH DROP*
- 1 cup of boiling water
- 3 oz package of Strawberry Jello
- 1/2 cup of cold water
- 1/2 cup of Jagermeister

52. *CRYPTINI*
- 1 cup of Hot Coffee
- 1 envelope of Knox Gelatin
- 1/3 cup of Iced Coffee
- 1/3 cup of Vodka
- 1/3 cup of Kahlua.

53. *FRENCH TICKLER*
- 1 cup of boiling water
- 1 package of Orange Jello (3 oz)
- 1/4 cup of cold water
- 1/4 cup of Cinnamon Schnapps
- 1/2 cup of Vodka

54. *HARVEY WALLBANGER*
- 1 cup of boiling water
- 1 package of Orange Jello (3 oz)
- 1/4 cup of cold water
- 1/2 cup of Vodka
- 1/4 cup of Galliano

55. *JUICY FRUIT*
- 3/4 cup of boiling water
- 1 box of Pineapple Jello (3 oz size)
- 1/4 cup of cold water
- 1/3 cup of Vodka
- 1/3 cup of Melon Liqueur
- 1/3 cup of Peach Schnapps

56. *JAGERMASTER*
- 1 cup of boiling water
- 1 box of Orange Jello (3 oz size)
- 1/2 cup of cold water
- 1/4 cup of Jagermeister
- 1/4 cup of Amaretto
- splash of Grenadine

57. *JAGERMONSTER*
- 1 cup of boiling water
- 1 package of Orange Jello
- 1/4 cup of cold water
- 1/2 cup of Jagermeister
- 1/4 cup of Grenadine

58. *LETHAL INJECTION*
- 2 cups of boiling water
- 1 package of Orange Jello (3 oz)
- 1 package of Pineapple Jello (3 oz)
- 1 cup of cold water
- 1/4 cup of Amaretto
- 1/4 cup of Coconut Rum
- 1/4 cup of Dark Rum
- 1/4 cup of Spiced Rum

59. *LONG ISLAND ICED TEA*
- 1 cup of boiling water
- 2 packages of Lemon Jello (3 oz)
- 1/2 cup of Cola
- 1/2 cup of cold water
- 1/2 cup of Gin
- 1/2 cup of Light Rum
- 1/2 cup of Vodka
- 1/2 cup of Tequila

60. *NINJA TURTLE*
- 1 cup of boiling water
- 1 box of Orange Jello
- 1/2 cup of cold water
- 1/4 cup of Gin
- 1/4 cup of Blue Curacao

61. *PAIN KILLER*
- 3/4 cup of boiling water
- 1 box of Pineapple Jello (3 oz size)
- 1/4 cup of cold water
- 1/3 cup of Dark Rum
- 1/3 cup of Coconut Rum
- 1/3 cup of Orange Liqueur

62. *PIXIE STIX*
- 1 cup of boiling water
- 1 box of Lemon Jello (3 oz size)
- 1/2 cup of cold water
- 1/4 cup of Southern Comfort
- 1/4 cup of Blackberry Brandy.

63. *RED SILK PANTIES*
- 1 cup of boiling water
- 1 box of Cranberry Jello (3 oz size)
- 1/2 cup of cold water
- 1/4 cup of Vodka
- 1/4 cup of Peach Schnapps

64. *KINKY MALIBU BARBIE*
- Boil 1 cup water
- add peach jello
- 1/2 cup Kinky Liqueur
- 1/2 cup Malibu Coconut Rum

65. *KILLER KOOL AID*
- 1 1/2 cups of boiling water
- 2 boxes of Cranberry Jello (3 oz size)
- 3/4 cup of cold water
- 1/2 cup of Vodka
- 1/2 cup of Gin
- 1/4 cup of Rum
- 1/4 cup of Chambord
- 1/4 cup of Triple Sec.

66. *BROKEN HEART*
- 1 cup of boiling water
- 1 package of of Orange Jello (3 oz size)
- 1/2 cup of cold water
- 1/4 cup of Vodka
- 1/4 cup of Chambord

67. *SCOOBY SNACKS*
- 1 cup of boiling water
- 1 box of Pineapple Jello (3 oz size)
- 1/2 cup of cold water
- 1/4 cup of Melon Liqueur
- 1/4 cup of Coconut Rum

68. *TIJUANA TAXI*
- 2 cup of boiling water
- 2 packages of Lemon Jello (3 oz size)
- 1 cup of cold water
- 1/2 cup of Tequila
- 1/4 cup of Blue Caracao
- 1/4 cup of Tropical Fruit Schnapps

69. *RUMMY BEARS*
- 1 cup boiling water
- add any random flavor jello
- 1 cup berry vodka
- 1 gummy bear in the center of each shot

70. *WOOWOO*
- 2 cups boiling water
- 3 pkgs grape jello
- 3 pkgs cranberry/raspberry jello
- 3 pkgs strawberry jello
- 3 cups vodka
- 3 cups peach schnapps
- 1 can grape juice concentrate
- 1 can cran-raspberry juice concentrate (both undiluted!)

Moving to Ireland Resources

2012-04-04T17:59:00.002-04:00

Well Before the Move

Irish Citizenship

Consulate General of Ireland - Atlanta Office

Overview of Pet Importation

Citizens Information

Irish Department of Revenue

HCG Weight Loss Plan

2011-09-13T14:01:00.005-04:00

So, in talking to the wife of one of my co-workers, I was told about the HCG Protocol, which is supposed to be a daily injection that greatly helps in weight loss. Considering that I want to lose around 40-50lbs, this caught my attention pretty fast. His wife, both of her sisters, and a few of their friends (both male and female) have all tried it and all have had great success. So, I am posting the links here for the process.

1st is to read the designer of the HCG Protocol's book, Pounds & Inches -
A New Approach To Obesity By: A.T.W. Simeons, M.D. available for free from this website. In summary,

What is hCG?
HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is a hormone-like substance that comes from the human placenta during pregnancy.

How does hCG work?
It is widely known that there are different kinds of fat cells. Normal fat tissue serves as structural material in our bodies and also as reserve storage for fuel. This fuel is converted into energy when the body goes into starvation mode. This is what happens with most diets that simply restrict our calories; our body believes it is starving and begins to burn "good fat" or even deplete muscle as a source for energy. Abnormal fat cells are larger and metabolize glucose less efficiently than the normal cells. These cells are also a potential reserve for fuel, but are not utilized until after the normal fat reserves are exhausted. By the time the abnormal cells begin to be used, a dieter is already week and hungry and most often abandons the diet. The only exception to this is found during pregnancy, when the body uses both cells equally, to provide for the growing fetus.

Dr. Simeons found that the presence of hCG and its stimulation of the hypothalamus gland is what allows this to happen. After 30+ years of research, he found that when hCG in small daily doses (usually through injection), combined with a nutritional deficit (very low calorie diet), abnormal fat is released without depleting the normal tissue. Because of this, the hCG causes the individual to lose fat in the most undesirable areas first, where the abnormal fat is stored. The body will actually use the abnormal fat that is being released, as a form of energy and nourishment, in addition to the 500 calories you are taking in, while on the low calorie diet. He also found that the hCG allowed the individual to stay on the very low calorie diet, with little or no discomfort and also gave them a general overall feeling of well-being.

How much weight will I lose?
Everyone is different and therefore, no one's weight loss is the same. Most people can expect to lose between 20-40 lbs (usually about 12% of your starting total weight) with each 43 day course of hCG.

Length of hCG Course and Course Overview
A single round of hCG is either 26 or 43 days long, depending on how much weight you want to lose. Each round will start with 2 days of "gorging" on high fat and high calorie foods, on your first 2 days of injections. It takes 2 days for the abnormal fat to begin to circulate and become available, and the additional calories will actually re-stock the depleted normal fat reserves that is common in most over weight individuals that have tried many different diets. On the third day of injections, the Very Low Calorie Diet begins. After the 23rd or 40th injection (depending on length of the course) you discontinue hCG injections, but continue on the Low Calorie Diet, as it takes 3 days for the hCG to get out of your system.

After you complete 72 hours on the Low Calorie Diet, with out hCG, you begin your 6 week break. (The break gets longer between each subsequent round.) The first 3 weeks, you avoid all sugar and starch. The second 3 weeks, you can slowly reintroduce these foods back into your diet. This break prevents you from becoming immune to the effects of the hCG, and just as importantly it gives a chance for your hypothalamus gland to work in your behalf and re-set your weight set point.

Other considerations
There are other details and considerations to review before beginning hCG. This includes correcting dietary errors, menstration and other causes for a possible stall, and how hCG affects or improves upon existing health issues.

There are apparently a number of places you can get the supplies and information, but I am using the following ones because they are the proven places of the other people I know who have tried it.

You can get pre-made "Dosing Kits" which include the needles, sterile water, swabs and other things needed to safely give yourself injections.

The actual HCG has to be purchased from a pharmacy, such as this one.

Next, once the HCG gets to you, there is the "protocol" to follow:

First 2 days - eat LOTS of high-fat foods
26 Day Course
Day 1 and 2 - hCG injection in morning, then gorging all day, as much as possible
Day 3 thru 23 - continue hCG injections and eat 500 calorie diet
Day 24 thru 26 - No hCG, but continue 500 calorie diet
43 Day Course
Day 1 and 2 - hCG injection in morning, then gorging all day, as much as possible
Day 3 thru 40 - continue hCG injections and eat 500 calorie diet
Day 41 thru 43 - No hCG, but continue 500 calorie diet
On a 43 day course, you should skip one injection a week, while continuing the 500 calorie diet. This is to help avoid becoming immune to the affects of hCG.
Final 72 hours of 500 Calorie Diet - Without hCG
On the last three days of the low calorie diet, you do not take injections. You do not want to eat normal levels of food, while hCG is still in your system, or you will gain weight very quickly. So, you must continue the low calorie diet for the 72 hours it takes for the hCG to get completely out of your system. This is usually no different than the other days on hCG.

Meals are fairly strict. Here are the dietary guidelines set by Dr. Simeons for the 500 calorie diet:

Breakfast:
- Tea or coffee in any quantity without sugar. Only one tablespoonful of milk allowed in 24 hours. Saccharin or stevia may be used.

Lunch:

Salmon, eel, tuna, herring, dried or pickled fish are not allowed.

Dinner: The same four choices as lunch

There is no objection to breaking up the two meals. For instance having a breadstick and an apple for breakfast or before going to bed, provided they are deducted from the regular meals. The whole daily ration of two breadsticks or two fruits may not be eaten at the same time, nor can any item saved from the previous day be added on the following day.

The Final 72hrs of 500 Calorie Diet - Without hCG
- On the last three days of the low calorie diet, you do not take injections. You do not want to eat normal levels of food, while hCG is still in your system, or you will gain weight very quickly. So, you must continue the low calorie diet for the 72 hours it takes for the hCG to get completely out of your system. This is usually no different than the other days on hCG.

I am heavily considering giving it a try, after a little more research. Seems that there are many folks who use and love it.

While you can order a whole kit, that tends to be more expensive than ordering it piece by piece (even with shipping) if you're going to be ordering a bunch of it.

Bacteriostatic Water:

I sell it to local people for $5 per bottle. You need 1 bottle per 2 rounds.

Insulin Syringes 30 or 31 Gauge 1 cc - 100 ea AND alcohol preps:

http://www.researchsupply.net/EASY_TOUCH_insulin_syringes.html (100 for $12)

http://www.researchsupply.net/Alcohol_Prep_Pads.html ($3.50)

10-30ml Mixing Vials (technically you need a new vial for each batch mixed...but I've been using the same two for a year. Keep them CLEAN) AND 5ml mixing syringes:

http://www.researchsupply.net/sealedvials.html ($1.50 - $1.75)

http://www.researchsupply.net/5_ml_luer_lock_syringe_with_1.5_22g_hypodermic_needle.html (10 for $4.95)

Finally, the HCG. one (1) 5000iu vial per 23 days. Brand doesn't matter so much as long as the vial is a sealed rubber-topped vial rather than the glass-topped vial that you have to break. Ovidac and Hucog are two main brands.

https://www.alldaychemist.com/1296-o.html (3 vials for $39)

https://www.alldaychemist.com/1265-hucog-5000-iu.html (3 vials for $39)

Link Repository of Awesome Things

2011-08-11T09:57:00.050-04:00

So, since I perpetually fill up my FB page (and consequentially other people's walls) with tons of links from my new StumbleUpon addiction, I am dedicating a post to the awesome things.

Cooking Things:

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mousse Tart Recipe
Dark Chocolate Guinness Cake with Bailey’s Buttercream
Peanut Butter- S’Mores Turnovers
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough + Cupcake
Churro Tots
Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cinnamon-Sugar Puff Pastry Wheels
Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites
Cheer Wine Cupcakes
Guacamumus!
How to Make Bacon Whiskey
Cheesy Beer Scones
Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries (that could also probably be translated into chocolate gnache as well...)
Make Flavored Vodka with Jolly Rancher Candies
Delicious Oreo Truffles
Oreo-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Oreo-Stuffed Cupcakes
Make Your Own Pop-Tarts
Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes
Common Ingredient Substitutions
Amazing Jell-O Shots Ideas
Lots of fun recipes, including rainbow cheesecake!
Skittle-infused vodka!
15 Awesome Cheesecake Recipes
Jell-o Shots Galore!
Lambswool, a Traditional Irish Drink
Making Beer Icecream
Hershey's Double Kisses Truffles

Crafting Things:

Upcycled Skirts: Umbrellas Converted into Colorful Clothes
How to Make a Kitana Costume
How To Sew Invisible Zippers
DIY Shift Dress
Resin Pendant Necklaces and Techniques along with the different supplies to use
Double Knitting
10 Free Tote Bag Patterns & Tutorials
Lots of Other Bag Patterns
Pleated Tote Bag Pattern
Nyan Papercraft Machine along with DIY Music Box Kit and Stencils!
How to Start a Butterfly Collection
Make Your Own Shirt Stencils
Little Red Infinity Dress
DIY String Chandeliers
No-Sew Pillow Case
Tiny Terrarium Inside a Lightbulb
Craft Gawker website
Indoor Tabletop Water Garden
Make Your Own Eco-Friendly Sun Jars
Build your own Aperture Science Portal Gun
Lots of Knitting Stitches
365 Days of Sewing
Lots of Anime Eyes
How To Make Jewelry from Old CDs
Make an art-deco lamp from plastic cups
Carving your own Willow bark whistle
Lots of fantastic knit and crochet patterns, including some awesome tops!
Making Subway-style Art
Make This Look Sewing Inspirations
Crochet Pattern Central
How To Sew a Pick-Up Skirt
Some of the Best Sewing Tutorials Ever
How To Make Perler Things and Here As Well
Awesome examples of perler!
Make Your Own Snuggie
Crochet Daisy Bullion Pattern
Amigurumi Crochet Patterns
Crocheted Make-Up Remover Squares
Create Your Own Beer Label
Make Your Own Mini-Pocketbook
Cute Crochet Koala Bear Amigurumi Pattern
Make Your Own Mirror with Transparent Spots
Making Votive Holders from Oranges
How To Make an Upright Herb Planter from a Shoe Rack
How To Make Pin Tucks for Duvets and Other Items
Lots of Cables for Knitting
Crochet Tunic
Woven Circles Granny Squares
How To Alter a Thrift Store Dress
How To Make Melted Crayon Art

Other Random Things:

Meade Recipe
Home Brewers Association
The Master Cleanser
Zelda MTG Cards + Expansion Set
Fun Drinking Games and MORE Drinking Games!
Wine and Food Pairing Guide
Lots of Android stuff: XDA forums, Revolutionary (for S=Off) and ROMs
Assorted spells (unresearched for legitimacy)
Random Facts and How-Tos
100 Anime Works
Guide for making my own Dominion base game set: Kingdom Cards and Basic Cards
Some of the most amazing and beautiful jewelry I have ever seen!
Warning Sign Generator

Average Technical Support Specialist Salaries in Atlanta, GA

In USD as of Aug 22, 2011

35k

70k

105k

technical support specialist

$56,000

Find Jobs & Salaries at SimplyHired

My New Venture - Twisted Glass

2011-07-10T18:50:00.002-04:00

Please help get the word out about my campaign on IndieGoGo!

Honeysuckle Meade

2011-06-29T22:01:00.003-04:00

Sometime here soon, I plan to make this. It will be made with LOTS of honeysuckle flowers and fresh spring water from Boone, NC.

HONEYSUCKLE

Honeysuckles are best gathered shortly after they open and when dry. Pick the flowers only. Stems and flower heads are not desired. The flower petals will pull off easily. Lightly pack the petals when measuring.

HONEYSUCKLE WINE (1)

6 cups honeysuckle flower petals
7-1/2 pts water
2-1/2 lbs finely granulated sugar (substitute honey here)
3 tsp acid blend
1 crushed Campden tablet
1/8 tsp tannin
1 tsp yeast nutrient
Champagne or Montrachet wine yeast

Rinse fresh flowers under cold water to remove dust, insects, etc. Put flowers in 2 quart saucepan with tight-fitting lid. Add 1 quart water and bring to a simmer. Fit lid and turn off heat. Let steep for three hours. Meanwhile, bring remainder of water to boil and stir in sugar (honey) until dissolved. Remove from heat, put lid on pan and allow to cool. Strain flower water into primary. Add all remaining ingredients except yeast, stirring until Campden powder is dissolved. Cover well and set aside for 24 hours. Add activated yeast and recover primary. Stir daily until s.g. drops to 1.015. Rack into secondary and fit airlock. After 30 days, rack into sanitized secondary, top up and refit airlock. Set aside in dark place for 6 months, racking at 3 months and 6 months if deposits require it. Stabilize, sweeten if desired and rack into bottles. Store in dark place six months before tasting. [Adapted from Terry Garey's The Joy of Home Winemaking]

HONEYSUCKLE WINE (2)

6 cups honeysuckle flower petals
7-1/2 pts water
2-1/2 lbs finely granulated sugar (substitute honey here)
2 lemons or 1 lemon and 1 orange
1 crushed Campden tablet
1/8 tsp tannin
1 tsp yeast nutrient
Champagne or Montrachet wine yeast

Thinly peel citrus, retaining peel and juicing fruit. Rinse fresh flowers under cold water to remove dust, insects, etc. Put flowers and citrus peeling in 2 quart saucepan with tight-fitting lid. Add 1 quart water and bring to a simmer. Fit lid and turn off heat. Let steep for three hours. Meanwhile, bring remainder of water to boil and stir in sugar (honey) until dissolved. Remove from heat, put lid on pan and allow to cool. Strain flower water into primary. Add citrus juice and all remaining ingredients except yeast, stirring until Campden powder is dissolved. Cover well and set aside for 24 hours. Add activated yeast and recover primary. Stir daily until s.g. drops to 1.015. Rack into secondary and fit airlock. After 30 days, rack into sanitized secondary, top up and refit airlock. Set aside in dark place for 6 months, racking at 3 months and 6 months if deposits require it. Stabilize, sweeten if desired and rack into bottles. Store in dark place six months before tasting. [Adapted from Terry Garey's The Joy of Home Winemaking]

- Borrowed from Jack Keller's website

The Zombie Apocalypse really IS coming!

2011-05-19T12:56:00.001-04:00

So, my friend just made a startling connection - the zombie apocalypse that the CDC is warning about is the inevitable occurrence after the Rapture on Saturday - all those bodies without souls!

I HIGHLY suggest going RIGHT NOW and buying Max Brook's Zombie Survival Guide, power reading it, and preparing. I know I will be! (It also helps that I'm a home brewer and have a LARGE source of long-term storing sterile drinks!)

Swords don't need reloading and don't make nearly as much noise!

I Yearn

2011-02-25T12:36:00.001-05:00

"I yearn...." she said into the darkness, its eyes, void and deep, watching her. "I yearn for what is not. My heart cries out for the things that my mind has created but cannot obtain. I desire it deep within my soul, yet know that it is not true. But it is out there, somewhere." Ice hung on every syllable, chilling it in the blackness in which she surrounded herself.

She came here at times, to this place full of both desire and despair, yet empty as a blackness that one can only understand by feeling it. It was a place created by her in her darkest hours in which she could run away and hide for when those hours returned. It’s calm chill both soothed her and flamed her pain, yet she found solace in it.

"What is it you yearn for?" the darkness asked back in a voice reminiscent of what death would sound like should he speak.

“I yearn for a light that would kill you, drive you away to nothingness forever. I wish to have what I have always wanted.”

“But my lovely, everything you have, I have given to you. You asked for hope, and I brought it. You asked for love, and I embraced you. You cried for peace, and I dried your tears. What more could you want?” it replied, like a faint breeze caressing her pale cheek.

“Your touch is tainted. You have only given me glimmers of my deepest desires. Fragments of hopes and dreams that I have yearned for. And your embrace is cold. As you wiped my tears, your touch cut me.” She lifted her head upwards, inhaling slowly, dark smoky curls tumbling down her back as she did so.

“But you come to me when you are in need of solace, my love. You cannot deny that,” it whispered.

“No, I cannot....” her voice trailed off as her head lowered once more to rest on her knees as she sat curled against a corner, the jagged rocks of a pillowy world against her back.

Survey Test Run

2011-01-08T18:31:00.001-05:00

Please take just a few minutes of your time to fill out this survey if you, or anyone you know is an individual herp keeper.

THANKS!

HOLY CRAP! JAPAN!

2010-11-29T21:32:00.004-05:00

So...

Holy crap! I'm going to Japan! Eeeeks!

It is a study abroad through KSU that goes from Dec 8th - 23rd. This Calendar will be updated as new info is received.

Wish me luck! I've never been out of the country before (Canada and the Bahamas don't count!) and certainly never this far from home, and I don't have any close friends going on the trip, so I'm kinda on my own-ish.

On the Subject of Brains...

2010-07-08T19:02:00.003-04:00

So, thanks to John May, I now have a fantastic prop to go with my costume - Zombie Bait!

Yes, I know what you're thinking, "But zombies only want brains, right?" and you'd be right - a brain!

So, the plan is to get a sheep's brain, put it in some sort of jar, seal it with aquarium sealant so that it is as safe as possible, and have it on some sort of string. Might carry around a small box with a stick for photos. It's gonna be great... *evil grin*

So, meet my brain...

Dragon*Con 2010, Here I Come!

2010-07-02T18:40:00.002-04:00

Well, with finances being what they have been, I was beginning to think that I would not have any chance of doing something new for Dragon*Con this year - the thought of which made me very sad because costume design on at least one new thing each year has always been a source of great joy and pleasure for me.

But, as I was thinking over all the possibilities, and reviewing old photos from previous years, I remembered one of the panels I went to on Steampunk - and more importantly how cheaply they were able to find everything they needed! And thus, my new project was born:

Steampunk Zombie Hunter!

I went to the thrift stores around and actually found the perfect base elements for my costume:

- Nice brown slacks

- Ivory satin shirt

- Funky vest

- Corset (I already owned)

- Pair of brown leather (Armani!) heels

Total cost: <$10

I also picked up some odds 'n ends to make my accessories from.

I will need:

- Steam-powered shotgun

- Steam "inspired" machete

- Blood splatter shield

But the best part of all of this was that I sent out an email to all of the clock/watch repair shops in the area, saying that I was doing an art project and needed any "junk" they wanted to get rid of.

D. Geller & Sons gave me a small bag of some nifty things, but all small parts.

But the amazing Old Clocks of Georgia was owned by a very nice gentleman who gave me 4-5 FULL clocks, sans faces, for FREE! And also said that, should I need more, to just come on back. So, if you ever need watch/clock repair, please hop over there and give him some love.

So, armed with lots of "junk" and a full imagination, I am ready to get started!

Any and all advice/tips/tricks/suggestions are TOTALLY welcomed and appreciated, since I am new to both Victorian styles and Steampunk as a whole.

Satyr Costume Stilts - The Beginning Thoughts

2010-02-07T03:06:00.015-05:00

So, this year for Dragon*Con, my newest endeavor is going to be a satyr!

Firstly, as with all my costumes, I want it to be very exact, and well crafted. I want the legs to be smooth, graceful, and very natural looking. The biggest issue I have with all other satyr costumes I have seen is they either have that terrible fake fur on them, or are horribly bulky and just plain fake looking. That's not what I want for mine.

Well, this is just a compilation of reference points to use when I make them. I'm afraid that the best source for a lot of this stuff is going to be Furry Art and Costume design, as these people, well, "do" this kind of stuff... Oiy. So please pardon the anthro art.

Part of what spurred this was that when Ryan and I went to Vegas, we saw the Cirque show Zumanity, which by all means, was amazing!

But I saw that one of the characters was a satyr, and I really liked what they did to make the "fur" on his legs. I assume they used fake hair that you'd use for braiding and wove it into fishnet-esque stockings, which gave a very lifelike and smooth look. (See satyr on the right)

Any and all advice would be VERY helpful!

Reference pics of legs/hooves I like:

My main probably with most of the ones on Youtube is that either the legs are too bulky, or they make the wearer so tall, that it just doesn't look right anymore.

Well, more to come later as I figure this stuff out! :-)

Another New Addition to the House!

2010-01-22T20:24:00.001-05:00

Everyone, please welcome the newest addition to my family- a 4-5yr old female albino Nelson's milksnake.

She was purchased today from a local schoolteacher who is on maternity leave and no longer able to care for her. When I came over to see her, she showed no signs of being cage-shy, and I picked her up and she was very alert and curious, crawling all over me, down my shirt, in my sleeves, etc. while the previous owner and I talked shop.

She had been kept and maintained at the school where the lady taught, and was very used to being handled, as the kids in the classroom loved the snake. She was eating 2 small mice about every 2 weeks, and had a shed about 2 weeks ago. The previous owner thawed some mice, so that we could feed her then so I could watch her eat, and she just scarfed them right down.

So, $75 later, I have a beautiful new snake!

As you can see though, she becomes patternless about 2/3 down her body. For any of you very experienced snake folk, care to shed some light on this, as I have never seen it before? Is it some sort of abnormal morph?

And just for good measure, my other two babies...

Where'd she goooooo.......?

2010-01-14T16:16:00.004-05:00

Hey Folks,

Just posting my class schedule for ya'll, so you know what I'm up to this semester and when you're wondering "Where the hell has Christine been??", you'll see it and say "Oh, yeah..." ;-)

5 Classes
- Application Development I
- Web Development I
- System Analysis
- Project Management
- Acct 2200 (WebCT class)

Schedule

Monday: App Dev I (2pm - 3:30pm), Data Mgt (8pm - 10:45pm)
Tuesday: Sys Analysis (3:30pm - 4:45pm), Prj Mgt (8pm - 10:45pm)
Wednesday: App Dev I (2pm - 3:30pm)
Thursday: Sys Analysis (3:30pm - 4:45pm), Web Dev I (8pm - 10:45pm)
Friday: No class

Same House, New Plans!

2009-12-29T17:16:00.009-05:00

So, as time has progressed, I am fairly sure that I am going to call my Hawthorne House my semi-permanent home, at least for the next few years.

This was not the foremost original plan, seeing as though when I first moved here, I was with Wes and (for some insane reason) felt the need to possibly plan for moving in with him at some point, so this was going to be a just-for-now residence. Then, after John and I had been together, and I thought that things were headed in the direction I was hoping for, I reconsidered re-signing my lease because I was very excited and hopeful about the possibility of moving in with him and taking the next step there. However, considering that didn't happen, and I am now single (and fairly comfortable with that status) and don't have anything near a solid plan on what to do next (other than school), I am quite comfortable with staying on here and making it feel more like a "home" instead of a "house", which is manly what it has been.

And that includes the formation of some really exciting plans. Firstly, I want to re-paint most everything. While the "canary yellow" was charming while I considered this a house, it has gotten very unsatisfying very quickly. And, even in apartments, I have always painted AT LEAST my bedroom, so this isn't unheard of in the slightest for me.

I want to make the living room a mix of complimentary blues and cool grays to match my couch and rugs I already own. Install crown molding along the ceiling to accent my slightly vaulted living room ceiling, and also put up a medium-width trim along the middle of the wall, to separate the dark lower-wall paint from a lighter upper-wall paint, similar to this example, but obviously more fun and with different colors. I was thinking of doing something dark and textured on the bottom, and light and flat on the top, but I am not sure yet. The real thing that will determine what I do is how much of a budget the Landlord will give me and how much time and skill I have to actually pull it off. But considering I see myself as a fairly capable and crafty person, I'm pretty hopeful.

The next thing, after paining, is I want to re-do my poor closet that is so horribly organized that it is only utilizing maybe 2/3 of its potential. I'm sure something like that will be pretty easy, either from IKEA or Home Depot, with their modular closet systems, but this house mod definitely is limited by my understanding of building, considering how much weight it will need to support. So, you more construction-crafty types may be getting a phone call from me saying, "Halp!!" when it comes to that portion.

And lastly, the Kitchen. It has sooooo much potential to be AMAZING, but needs some serious TLC. Painting, first, of course. Then, seeing as though it is shaped like a rectangle and my fridge is in another room, storage systems similar to those found in nice garages would make for excellent storage/pantry/brewing supplies/extra counter space. Thinking of also hanging a nice potrack over the bar area, since it never gets used for anything other than space anyways, and good potracks can make a kitchen look simply amazing.

The nice thing is that the Landlord seems to actually be enthusiastic about all of my ideas, because not only is his house getting a very nice make-over for cheap, but also I suppose because it indicates that I plan on being here a while. The poor cats are gonna need to have a few visits with their Aunty Jena and Uncle Andrew here and there, tho! :-)

So, stay posted for many, many before-and-after pics, how-I-did-it pics, questions, polls, and other such fun things, as I am sure I'll continually feed the intarwebz need for new stuff often. And those of you with experience (and the necessary tools!!!!) to do this kind of stuff, your help would be GREATLY appreciated!

Wish me luck!

Holiday Cookie Tiemz!

2009-12-17T16:03:00.013-05:00

So, I got the random urge to make cookies and send them out as Christmas gifts to friends who aren't in town, and I had some really great success with the ones I made!

These is the recipes that were used:

Apple Spice Cookies
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup yogurt-covered apple candies (from WalMart)

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cream butter in mixer until lightly fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract to creamed butter. In separate bowl, whisk together the sugars, then slowly add sugars to mixture, then turn mixer to medium speed. In separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Turn mixer back to low and gradually stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture until they are almost fully mixed in. Add the apple candies and stir until everything is full blended.

Shape dough into golf ball size balls and place 2 inches apart on parchment-covered cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Let them cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet and then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes 24-30 cookies

*~*~*~*~*

Strawberried Peanutbutter M&M Cookies
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 bag of Strawberried Peanutbutter M&Ms

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Shape dough into golf ball size balls and place 2 inches apart on parchment-covered cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Let them cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet and then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes 24-30 cookies

*~*~*~*~*

Dark Chocolate Curry Cookies
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 oz (1 stick) salted butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp dark chocolate powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp curry powder

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cream butter in mixer until lightly fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract to creamed butter. In separate bowl, whisk together the sugars, then slowly add sugars to mixture, turning mixer to medium speed. In separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and curry powder. Turn mixer back to low and gradually stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture until they are almost fully mixed in. Add the chocolate and stir until everything is full blended.

Rose Scottish Shortbread
- 6oz plain flour
- 4oz (1 stick) butter, softened
- 2oz granulated sugar
- 1 oz cornstarch

- Rosewater to taste (be careful, that stuff is STRONG!)

Method:
Preheat oven to 325F.

Mix the butter and sugar together (preferably with a wooden spoon) until it is pale and creamy. Sieve both the flour and the cornflour into the bowl and mix well. Put a small amount of flour on your working surface and place the dough on this. Shake a little flour on top and roll out about quarter inch thick.

Prick with a fork and cut into rounds with a cutter or, if you want one large shortbread round, pinch the edges with thumb and finger all round. Use a palette knife to lift the shortbread onto an oiled baking tray and bake for 25 minutes.

If the biscuits are ready, they will be pale brown and crisp; if not, return to the oven for 5 or 10 minutes. Shake a small amount of caster/granulated sugar on the top of the shortbread immediately after they have been removed from the oven. Use a palette knife to move them to a cooling rack and store in an airtight tin once they are cold.

New Addition to the House!

2009-12-06T00:58:00.003-05:00

Hey all!

I went to the Ga Reptile Expo today, and (even though this was my first reptile show) I thought it was pretty awesome! Smaller than I expected, but lots of beautiful animals there and very friendly people. I'm so excited for the show that is coming in mid-January '10!!!

I must say, there was something just plain awesome about being able to be about a foot away from a diamondback rattlesnake, or see a BEAUTIFUL albino python that was 200+lbs!

I also brought home a new baby! *squee* And it is a snake that I have dreamed of having since I was a little girl, checking out the same snake books from the public library over, and over, and over again.

She is a little Brazilian Rainbow Boa! Yes, that is just a picture I pulled off the internet, and not MY snake, but I promise I will have plenty of pics of my real baby girl as soon as she has chilled out in her new home for a few days, because she's had a long, stressful day. The seller was actually a local (to GA) breeder, and he gave me a guarantee on her that she was healthy and gave me his cell number in case I had any problems. He was very happy to answer all my questions about her, and trust me, I asked a BUNCH!

She has the most amazingly vibrant colors and a wondrous iridescent sheen. Her eyes are nice and bright, she's alert, and has a good muscle tone. I am quite happy with my new little girl. I've got a cypress/Repti-Bark mix substrate, under-tank heater, and a few places on both warm and cool sides for her to hide. The warm side is about 86* and the cool is right above 70*, with a current humidity of 80%. I went and got another thermometer/hydrometer w/probe from WalMart, but found that they had gone from $8.00 to $12.00 (but still a good deal).

And her name will be Ena-Danu Arcus.

* Ena = Bright and Shining
* Danu = Earth Goddess
* Arcus = Goddess of Rainbows

Cookie Monster!

2009-11-12T00:00:00.005-05:00

So, tonight I tried an experiment. Prompted by an article my roommate found about a layered cookie bar, I decided to try and make my own.

It was, from bottom up:

Base Layer: Ghirardelli Brownie

1st Layer: Chocolate chip cookie dough

2nd Layer: Reese's Peanut butter chips

3rd Layer: Peanut butter cookie dough

4th Layer: White chocolate chips

Top Layer: Sugar cookie dough w/brown sugar

I put the brownie layer in first and baked at 350* for 10 minutes. I then took it out and layered the rest on, cooking for an additional 40 minutes. It was still a little gooey in the middle, but a big hit with everyone! Next time I think I might bake each layer 10 minutes at a time to help it solidify a bit more.

It spilled over the pan whilst cooking, so my friends and I dubbed it a "cookie monster", because it just kept growing. But it was delicious!

Samhain Ritual '09

2009-11-01T12:21:00.002-05:00

As I am sure many of you may know, I am Wiccan in my faith. And last night, Samhain (or secular known as Halloween), is one of the biggest holidays of the year for us. Well, given the message that was given last night, I felt it appropriate to pass it on here, for whomever might benefit from it.

Samhain is a ritual/holiday that recognizes the half of the year as it turns dark. The weather grows cold. The sun doesn't shine quite so bright. Trees shed their leaves. All of nature goes into hibernation to endure the seasons of lean. It is the time when the earth dies. But, just as every fall and winter it dies, it is reborn anew in the spring, and so turns the wheel of time in a never-ending cycle of birth, growth, death, and re-birth.

Wiccans also believe that on this day, the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is at its thinnest. It is this time that we open a window, set a seat at the dinner table, and prepare a plate for our honored ancestors and passed loved ones and invite them to join us once again. It is this time that we remember and honor our loved ones that have passed on since the last Samhain. And it is here that we shed out last tears for them and bid them a fond farewell as they transition on to the next step for their soul.

The ritual that was performed was about love, honoring the beloved dead, and then letting go so that both the living and the dead can move on on their respective paths. Because with intense grief, the spirit of the beloved stays around, out of sympathy for the mourner, and cannot move forwards. So really, it is the living that holds them back and we should celebrate the passing on of people because it is simply a transformation of form, that all things have a beginning and an end. Celebrate that they lived, not cry because they died.

"This Feast I shall leave on my doorstep all night.
In my window one candle shall burn bright,
To help my loved ones find their way
As they travel this eve, and this night, until day.
Bless my offering, both Lady and Lord
Of breads and fruits, greens and gourd."

"Every beginning has an ending,
And every ending is a new beginning.
In Life is Death, and in Death is Life.
Watch over me, my loved ones, and all of my
Brothers and Sisters, here and departed,
Who, tonight are joined together again for
Fellowship and celebration."

I know one of these days, when it is my time to leave this place, I want my wake to not be a depressing gathering of sobs and tears, dressed in black. I want all of those who loved me to come together, drink, eat, dance, and celebrate my life, not mourn my death. I want all of them to wear what they want, colorful, happy, comfortable clothing. Shed a tear if they must, but do not be overcome by grief. Tell me they love me and wish me well as I move on, and then move on and be happy with their own lives. Honor me by living their own lives to the absolute fullest, and if they are to take anything away as remembrance from my death, it is that each and every day is precious and nothing is guaranteed, so live each second as though you will never have another. Love fully, deeply, and without reservation. Laugh joyfully. Learn all you can, every day. And live to make those around you, and yourself, as happy as you possibly can. Those would be my last wishes.

ENG1102 Paper I'm Quite Proud Of...

2009-10-27T19:06:00.002-04:00

Zombies: The Epidemic of Undead

“Braaaiiiiinnnsssss….” The ghoulish figures of the risen dead shambling towards you in a never-ending hunger for human flesh is a monster we all know well. This icon of modern horror has appeared in virtually all forms of entertainment- from books and comics, to movies and television, to video and board games. And the definition of what a zombie is has also evolved- from shambling corpses having been raised by unexplainable unholy powers, to racing violent humans infected by a viral agent. With the remote beginnings in small Voodoo tribes, tipping with the 1968 George Romero movie, Night of the Living Dead, and exploding to the unarguable popularity of zombies in modern-day popular culture, the zombie craze definitely fits Gladwell’s definition of an epidemic.

In his book The Tipping Point, Gladwell defines an epidemic as “A function of the people who transmit infectious agents, the infectious agent itself, and the environment in which the infectious agent is operating” (Gladwell 2002). As he continues his explanation, he also refers to a critical point present in every epidemic, called a “tipping point”. “When an epidemic tips, when it is jolted out of equilibrium, it tips because something has happened, some change has occurred in one (or two or three) of those areas.” (Gladwell 2002). The idea of zombies as it is known today in popular culture is an example of an epidemic of an epidemic. “Zombie-ism” itself is an epidemic, just as a plague would be, because it spreads from person to person exponentially through various methods, like being bitten or coming in contact with infected bodily fluids. Just the same, the popularity of zombie books, movies, and video games depicting this infectious spread has also swept the country.

“Zombie” comes from the Kongo word nzambi, which means “spirit of a dead person” (Wilson 2005). Haitian legends and folklore have countless reports of the “corpses” of recently deceased people coming back to life, controlled by a bokor, or Haitian voodoo sorcerer (Wilson 2005). The bokor would introduce certain substances to the bloodstream of the victim, inducing a death-like state, after which the zombie would be created (McAlister 1995). These zombies would be mindless bodies, slaves of the bokor to do physical work. Zombies, and the creation thereof, are taken very seriously in Haiti, where laws were even put in place in 1839 prohibiting the creation of zombies. Article 246 of the Haitian Penal Code

Classifies the administration of a substance that creates a prolonged period of lethargy without causing death as attempted murder. If the substance causes the appearance of death and results in the burial of the victim, the act is classified as murder. (Wilson 1995)

Extensive studies on the creation of Haitian zombies have been made by numerous people, including Dr. Wade Davis who wrote The Serpent and the Rainbow and The Passage of Darkness, chronicling his findings.

Stories and intrigue of the Haitian nzambi sparked the creative imaginations of western authors and directors, dating back to the turn of the 19^th century, when in 1818, Mary Shelly published the literary classic Frankenstein, which while not exactly about the idea of the zombie we know today, presented the idea of reanimating dead flesh in a scientific way. Another influential book that furthered the intrigue of western society in zombies was The Magic Island, written by W.B. Seabrook in 1929 that told the tale of the narrator who encountered voodoo tribes in Haiti that performed zombie resurrections. According to Time Magazine in 1940, this book was what brought the word “zombi” into U.S. speech (Time 1940). Between the 1920’s and 1930’s, famous horror author H.P. Lovecraft also wrote numerous stories about the undead, the most definitive of which being Herbert West: Re-animator, which "helped define zombies in popular culture" (Underground n/d).

Zombie portrayals in motion pictures date back to 1919, however the real tipping point of zombie popularity in western culture happened with the release of George Romero’s 1968 black and white film Night of the Living Dead. Movie critic Pauline Kael, who wrote for The New Yorker from 1968 to 1991 was quoted saying, "[the film is] one of the most gruesomely terrifying movies ever made- and when you leave the theatre you may wish you could forget the whole horrible experience… The film's grainy, banal seriousness works for it- gives it a crude realism" (Kael 1991). The movie not only created the new “splatter film” sub-genre of horror movies, but became the predecessor to all the zombie movies we have known and loved since.

The “types” of zombie have also evolved as their popularity has grown. The original tales of Haitian zombies were broken-spirited bodies enslaved by a bokor. However, western zombies began as depictions of shambling, mindless monsters with an insatiable hunger for living human flesh. They seemed impervious to physical pain, showed no signs of base intelligence or natural instincts (other than to eat), and could only be stopped by severing the head or destroying the brain. They also could spread whatever created them on to living humans through bites or coming in contact with infected bodily fluids. Modern recent movies have taken the theory of zombies and have completely re-written it with productions such as 28 Days Later where zombies are actually living humans, but infected with the “Rage Virus” which makes them behave like rabid animals with the sole intent of killing but not eating other humans, and eventually starve themselves to death. Also, unlike the classic model of zombie, these zombies can run just as fast as a normal person and show basic intelligence, which creates a heightened sense of terror because they are more dangerous and difficult to escape from.

In addition to movies and books, zombies have also been the subject of video games and board games. The most arguably notable video game Resident Evil by Capcom came out in 1996 and has since released four sequels and sold over 40 million copies. Other first-person shooter games like House of the Dead and Left 4 Dead are very popular. There have even been board games created around a zombie theme, such as Last Night on Earth by Flying Frog Productions and Zombies!!! by Twilight Creations, Inc.

Zombies have also become a source for comedy, turning fear into laughter. Books such as The Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z by Max Brooks take the reader through a ludicrous theoretical scenario of a zombie apocalypse and how to be prepared for it. Movies have also satirized zombies in comedies such as Shaun of the Dead, a remake of 1978 and 1994’s Dawn of the Dead and the most recent movie Zombieland.

With the Haitian voodoo folklore beginnings of nzambi, growing with books by H.P. Lovecraft and W.B. Seabrook, and tipping with the 1968 George Romero movie, Night of the Living Dead, the American “zombie craze” has definitely done well for itself and its popularity sees no end in sight in modern-day popular culture. With the small beginnings and exploding popularity after Night of the Living Dead, the zombie craze is an excellent example of Gladwell’s definition of an epidemic.

References

Gladwell, M. (2002). The tipping point: How little things can make a big difference. 18-19. New York:

Back Bay Books.

Gladwell, staff writer of The New Yorker since 1996, writes on his theory of social phenomena as being like epidemics, where an action or idea, much like a virus, starts in a few key people, then from there, multiplies exponentially. After hitting its peak, it then oftentimes reduces to nothing more than a thought of the past. The popularity of zombie and zombie theory has behaved in this exact same way and is still in its rising phase.

Kael, P. (1991) 5001 Nights at the Movies. Henry Holt and Company May 15, 1991.

Movie critic Pauline Kael, writer for The New Yorker from 1968 to 1991, reviews Night of the Living Dead, rating it one of the most important horror movies of all time.

McAlister, E. (1995). "A Sorcerer's Bottle: The Visual Art of Magic in Haiti" Sacred Arts of Haitian Vodou

304-321.

Elizabeth McAlister, associate professor of Religion at Wesleyan University with a Ph.D. from Yale University, has written numerous books on Afro-Caribbean religions. In this book, she tries to help American society better understand the voodoo practices in Haiti and writes about her findings during case studies.

Time Magazine (1940). Books: Mumble Jumble. Time Magazine. Accessed 26 October 2009. Retrieved

from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,764649,00.html

Time Magazine, having run since 1923, writes about author W.B. Seabrook’s books on voodoo, zombies, and witchcraft. It states that Seabrook’s works are responsible for bringing the word “zombie” into U.S. speech.

Underground Online (n/d). Our Favorite Zombies. Accessed 24 October 2009. Retrieved from

http://www.ugo.com/a/zombies-attack/?cur=favorite-zombies&content=reanimator

Quote found on Wikipedia, but originated from Underground Online, an online forum that published an article about zombies and zombie popularity.

Wilson, T. (28 October 2005) "How Zombies Work." HowStuffWorks.com. Accessed 23 October 2009.

Retrieved from http://science.howstuffworks.com/zombie.htm

HowStuffWorks.com, a branch of the Discovery Channel which has aired since June 1985, published an article on the development of zombies and their introduction to American culture. The author explains the origins of Haitian zombies, quotes research made by Dr. Wade Davis, and outlines the progression of zombie pop-culture.

Eatery Review - Solstice Cafe (Grant Park)

2009-10-25T16:11:00.002-04:00

"Solstice Cafe is your everyday cafe located in the heart of historic Grant Park where you can get breakfast, coffee, lunch, drinks, dinner, and some entertainment. Come by our cafe for some coffee to start your day, have some lunch, or swing by at night for some drinks and fun."

This place is a-maz-ing. Seriously. I have not eaten anything here that I did not like, and they have a HUGE menu of both food and drinks. However, what I am going to rave about at the moment is my personal favorite combination:

Solstice Salad (as side, or $6.95 as entree)- Fresh greens, apple, strawberry, toasted walnuts, and Gorgonzola cheese tossed in balsamic vinaigrette

The Patty Melt ($9.95)- Apple and cilantro stuffed black Angus sirloin, topped with applewood smoked bacon, caramelized onions, and blue cheese, pressed in artisan bread (comes with the Solstice salad as a side)

And wash everything down with their house-made sangria ($4.95). With their unforgettable good food, nice atmosphere, and decent pricing, this would be a great place just for lunch, dinner, or even a special occasion without breaking the bank.

Solstice Cafe
Location: 562 Boulevard SE. Atlanta, GA, 30312
Phone: 404-622-1976
Hours: Mon - Thurs: 11:00 am - 12:00 am, Fri: 11:00 am - 1:00 am, Sat: 9:00 am - 1:00 am, Sun: 9:00 am - 12:00 am

Dragon*Con 2009 - Mother Confessor Dress

2009-09-08T21:59:00.001-04:00

Just thought I'd post some pics of the success with my Mother Confessor dress!

Close-up pic (with a shoulder puppet that I wanted sooooooooo bad!)

Front view, full dress

Back view

Action shot!

Thanks everyone for all your support and encouragement! :-D

Kahlan Amnell's Mother Confessor Dress

2009-08-12T16:12:00.003-04:00

So, for a while now, I have been recreating Kahlan Amnell's white Confessor dress from Legend of the Seeker. And I am happy to say that, after much hard work, it is finished!

Shots from the actual character:

Finished dress:

Front

Front Close-up

Front Lacing

Close-up of Lacing

Detailed Stitching along Seams

Sleeves

Side

Back

Side

I'm soooo happy (and proud) of how it turned out! Pics of me wearing to Dragon*Con forthcoming! :-D

First Attempt at Highlighting Hair

2006-05-21T22:21:00.000-04:00

Hello! I just got done playing in my friend Crystal's head doing highlights, which I had never done before. So, we went out to Sally's, she picked her colors and I got my tools, and we went to work.....

Oh, the mayhem! THE MAYHEM!!!

First, we preped. I sectioned her hair into 4 sections and mixed all my colors. I got some foils that are amazing. They are clear in the center, so I can see the hair as it developed.

Then we washed it out. I dropped her reds first so they wouldn't bleed too much into the blonde.

Not bad for my first time, eh?