Pure Protein Crunch Review

I was surprised by how much I loved the Pure Protein Crunch free sample. I'm not really a fan of protein bars, so I wasn't sure I'd like these. They do leave a little bit of an aftertaste, but water helped a lot... and you should be drinking water anyway! The taste is great. The chocolate is more of a dark chocolate flavor, so it's not super sweet like candy. The peanut butter tastes pretty genuinely like peanut butter. I like the PB flavor a little better, but they are awesome mixed if you like that combination. The texture is perfect. They are small and crunchy and easy to pop in your mouth for a quick snack. I was also shocked at how filling they are. The other day I was really hungry, but dinner wasn't for another few hours. I ate a few handfuls of Pure Protein Crunch and felt much better. I think I'll be buying these to keep in my desk at work. It's definitely healthier than the candy I keep there now!

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Sleep Number Bed trial

Today I went to the store to try out a Sleep Number bed.  My in-laws have one and love it, so I've always been curious.  I have a lot of sleep issues.  I'm a lifelong insomniac, and in the past few years I've also had issues with joint pain and numbness when I sleep on my side (which I naturally do, unfortunately).  It's hard to say if a bed will work for you after a 20 minute trial, but the employee told me you get 30 days to try it out, so that's awesome.  I will say that the trial was really nice, and I got to see where the bed created pressure points and supported my body.  I could feel the difference between the numbers, and I don't think it would be hard to find my right number to sleep.  I also think this bed would have made a huge difference when I was pregnant because it would have changed to accommodate my extra weight.

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Smiley360 Link

Check out this link to learn more about Smiley360 and reviewing great products for free!

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Product Review - Centrum MultiGummies

I just got my free sample of Centrum® MultiGummies Multivitamins.  I took my first two today.  The taste is a little off... they actually remind me of a British candy called wine gums.  They're not bad at all, it's just not what I was expecting taste-wise.  The texture is perfect.  Some gummy vitamins are a little too soft, but these are nice and firm.  I'll check back in at the end of the 35-day trial to review how my body feels after actually taking vitamins for once in my life.

http://h5.sml360.com/-/1ldqo

Product Review - Okeeffes Working Hands

I had heard that this was one of the best lotions, so I was excited to get a free sample to try out.  My mom has the worst skin (cracked and bleeding knuckles), and it works for her!  My problem is that I have sensory issues, and the drier my skin gets, the harder it is for me to touch anything!  I am constantly reapplying lotion as the weather gets colder, but I can never seem to stay comfortable.  So far, I have been using Working Hands for a few hours, and it certainly lasts longer than regular lotion.  It does have a slightly greasier feel than other lotions, and I worry about it staining delicate fabrics, but so far I haven't noticed any marks.  I don't love the greasiness that hangs around, but it is far better than having dry hands that hurt!

I'm on a Librarian radio... whoa-oh

Sorry, I didn't mean to leave for so long, but not much has been happening.  I think, when I last posted, I had just called a large law firm about my application.  They did call me back, and were very pleasant, but I never actually heard back about the job.  C'est la vie.  Following that, I applied to work for a small, start-up web company.  They contacted me before I could even call them, and I went for an interview.  I had a lot of concerns about taking the position (killer commute, no group insurance, possibility of company failing), so I wasn't too heartbroken when they went with someone who had more project management experience.  Other than that, I haven't really seen too many new jobs on the job boards; except at universities, and I think we all know how I fare calling them.  I applied, but the lack of phone calls gave me nothing to blog.  The reason I'm posting today is to let everyone know that I've done something to try and further my cause.  A while back, I applied to work for a new radio station for librarians.  Try as I might, I could not find a phone number with which to contact the media outlet running the station.  I did, however, come across an email address for a gentleman associated with it.  I contacted him to see what he would be willing to do for me.  After all, one of my favorite high school teachers taught me a long time ago that you don't get anything if you're too scared to ask.  He wrote back and told me that he would love to feature my story on one of his shows.  After a few edits and one major format change, I recorded a 5 minute commentary on the challenges of finding a job.  FYI, it took me almost 2 hours to get it recorded due to some very loud neighbors and a dog-friendly neighborhood.  Every time I'd get the words out smoothly, my camera would pick up a dog barking or my upstairs neighbor falling.  I am proud of my final effort, but next time I'll go to a recording studio!  Now, everyone go and listen to my podcast!  http://kiesermanmedia.podbean.com/
I'd also like to send a special thank you to Bob Kieserman for encouraging my efforts and being willing to put my piece on his network for the whole country to hear!

Four Years of Professional Experience... Was there a point???

So, if you recall, I was headed to a major university on Friday to meet with my friend's uncle.  He is the Head of Archiving and a very pleasant and helpful gentleman.  He took me on a tour of the department, showed me the equipment they use, and took me to meet the Head of Records Management (who is the sole RM employee for a school with approx. 50,000 students plus staff, memorabilia, etc.!).  This is an incredible department with serious opportunity.  So, what's my problem?  This lovely gentleman spent the morning letting me know that the only opportunities available are unpaid internships.  I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but I did not invest $37,000 dollars for a degree and four years of my life busting my hump in relevant work experience to regress to an unpaid internship.  Those are for people who are still in school and either have parents or spouses who can support them or who have nothing and can get government support.  Like the average middle class student, I fell somewhere in the middle.  My parents let me live with them, fed me, and took me to the movies on occasion, but we agreed that graduate school was my responsibility.  So, like so many others in this situation, I took a full-time job that would enable me to keep my car and buy the most necessary books.  About a week after I graduated, I got a call for a job interview in the field of records management.  I blew them away at the interview, excelled in my position, and stuck around for three years until I found a new opportunity in a different field.  I guess I got the idea that this experience canceled out the need for any internship... paid or otherwise.  To add insult to injury, the only unpaid internship this school wanted to offer me was in records management.  I'd possibly be willing to do it if it was in a new field... something I've never done before.  I also think it would be unfair to take this internship from a student or recent graduate with no experience who needs it more.  I'm going to take my chances and continue searching for a paid position.  Last night I applied for a great position at a large law firm.  I called them today, but I haven't heard back yet.  I also applied for a records management position at a technology firm, and I'm going to call them in a bit.  Until I hear from one of them, keep the baby-sitting jobs coming!

Finally, what are your opinions?  Should I be more willing to take an unpaid internship?  Would an internship even help me if I've already had professional experience in that field?