burpchick's Profile

I would strongly suggest you get estimates from several of the large carriers (United, Mayflower, etc). They will send a sales rep to your home for a free estimate. Be sure to show them EVERYTHING that you'll be moving. They have programs/algorithms that will determine the approximate weight of your items. You should ask if the estimate is a BINDING, NOT-TO-EXCEED ESTIMATE. This means that they can't charge you more even if your stuff weighs more once it's on the truck. So, if they look at your stuff and estimate it's 2,000 lbs and it ends up being 2,500, then they can't charge you more. However, you have to show them everything -- no sneaking in a grand piano or stuff that's in a storage unit. Most of the companies will also give you a break if your stuff weighs less than the estimate by a certain percentage (10% or 15%). So, if your estimate is 2,000 lbs and you purge a bunch of stuff and only have 1,500 lbs, they will send you a check for the difference a few weeks after the move.

I have moved cross-country 3 times in the last 15 years. The first 2 times, all of the moving companies were reasonably close to each other in terms of weight and cost. The last time, the estimates were widely varied, from 2,500 to almost 5,000 lbs.

A moving company can also break down your estimate into the moving costs themselves, insurance, storage, and any packing that you'd like them to do. You should also ask them which items will be assembled/disassembled by the moving crew.

Also, be wary of any moving company that wants to give you an estimate based on the VOLUME of the move. Volume is affected by how you pack, and by how the mover packs the truck. You can end up with a bait-and-switch where you get a great low-ball estimate, then they end up doing a loose pack on your items and charge you for a extra truck or larger truck or whatever.

Etsy has a lot of great cornhole sets, and folks will customize the boards and bags to your favorite college/pro sports teams, hobbies, etc. If you are interested in a set that is handmade by someone who loves the game as much as you do, I highly recommend checking out Etsy.

I have a Lodge skillet as well as another non-name one that I got for like $10. Both are fantastic pans. I think that the pre-seasoning on the Lodge pan is nice, saves time since you can use it right away, and well worth the extra money. If you want to take the time to season a pre-owned skillet (it's a good skill to have), then great.

You may consider giving that bowl back to your mom. My former step-mom collects owls and about 10 years ago I gave her this very 70s retro-looking pillow with an owl on it. I loved it, but I really think she hated it. I didn't realize she was into more realistic/Americana-looking owls, and it got relegated to a room where no one goes. If she was considering tossing it for whatever reason, I would much rather have it back (and I wouldn't be offended if she offered -- I understand it's not her style).

The first time I saw black chicken was on Top Chef a few seasons ago when Grayson made a dish with black chicken (http://www.bravotv.com/foodies/recipes/black-chicken-with-beets-quail-egg-and-foie-gras). The challenge was to create a dish that could be served to an evil queen, and boy did she deliver. The presentation was dead-on (pun intended) with the chicken and cooked egg symbolizing the baby that had been inside the chicken. Completely creepy, but apparently pretty tasty.

I'm going to add a racy suggestion to the list: masturbate before your massage. (In private, of course!) Personally, I find that it clears my mind and starts to help my body relax. It's similar to the scene in Something About Mary where Ben Stiller's friend suggests that he do this before a big date to help his nerves: "That's like going out there with a loaded gun!"

I'm also a person who needs light in order to wake up. This alarm lamp has helped me a lot: http://amzn.com/B003XN4RIC

Also, hitting snooze is a self-reinforcing behavior. When you hear an alarm, your immediate instinct is to hit snooze, not get out of bed. Some folks are big proponent of "alarm training," where you train yourself (during the day) to get out of bed upon hearing the alarm. Here is a good blog post on it (although some of the other self-help stuff on this site is a bit wacky to me, I thought that this was interesting): http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/04/how-to-get-up-right-away-when-your-alarm-goes-off/

I used to own the Lauderdale sofa from Haverty's (http://www.havertys.com/Product_31126_____98_27_). It's an 86-inch sofa and was a great fit for my 1000-sq ft apartment. Loved it. Was sad to see it go when I moved across country.

Yup, that main pic is totally unrealistic. First, there's barely enough room to get up the stairs, and if you were carrying anything, you'd be screwed. Second, while it looks good, there is no practical value to having those chairs on the landing. No one will ever sit there. A shallow chest of drawers or console table would have a much smaller footprint and would provide some function.

I usually use my regular serrated knife to cut tomatoes and other soft veggies and have never had a problem.