Cool Stuff Report #4

When I hit the snooze button this morning, I knew almost instantly we were due for a new, “Cool Stuff” report.

Why?

Item #1 – Flannel Sheets.

How am I forty-six years old and never knew how awesome flannel sheets are?  I never considered myself having lived a sheltered life, but now I’m beginning to re-think that perception.

They’re warm and cozy!  Perfect for making it about seventy times more difficult to pry your ass out of bed at 5am for work!  And what’s even better is that Target sells KING SIZE sets for twenty-six-ish bucks!  Do you know how much king size sheets normally go for?

For me, flannel sheets are now a no-brainer.  If you’ve never tried them and you have a thing for soft and comfy, I highly recommend a trip to Target before they’re all gone.

Item #2 – Aldi

I swore off Walmart about a year ago after one too many experiences with non-stocked shelves and oblivious employees.  I switched to Target where I could get five percent off all my purchases via their red card (not to mention free shipping for on-line orders), which brought things down to darn-near even on price.

What I’d never heard of before is Aldi.

Aldi is a discount supermarket based out of Germany.  I’ve ignored the store for years based on the size of the building alone.  I figured there was no way they could have anything I need that I couldn’t get at Target.  Then I got to talking with ‘ole dad and one of my former sitters (who used to managed the aforementioned, ignored store), and they swore up and down I could save a fortune.

Well, now…I won’t say I saved a fortune, but I did save thirty percent.  I probably could have saved forty percent if I hadn’t taken hubby and the kids with me, but exploration is simply more fun with people along for the ride.

I’ll warn you in advance, it’s not name brand stuff, but so far, I can’t tell a dfference in the food.  And neither can the kids, which is the real deciding factor.  I once bought generic fruit loops at Target and you’d have thought I’d committed a mortal sin.  This time?  Not one complaint.

Also, you have to take your own grocery bags, pay a quarter to use the shopping carts, and bag your own stuff.  BUT, taking your own bags is environmentally friendly, I usually end up “fixing” what the folks at Target bag up anyway, and you get the quarter back when you return the cart.  So, it all works out in the end.  I’d say, give it a shot if you have one nearby.  It’s a weird experience, but everyone needs a little weird now and then.

Item #3 – Fitbit

Some of my gush-factor has worn off since I first got my fitbit about a month ago, but I will say that it’s brought a lot of awareness to my activity levels.  As a writer, it’s pretty damned easy for me to sit my ass in a chair and not move for hours.  So, having a gadget that I can program to buzz my wrist and tell me to get up and move around a bit has a certain appeal to it.

It also can tell you how well you’re sleeping.  Frankly, it freaked me out at first, but now that I’m able to see my sleep patterns, I can do something about it.  And, it interfaces super well with LOTS of iPhone apps for calories, etc.

If you’re into this kind of thing, it’s pretty darned awesome.  Plus, last I heard they’ve got a new one coming out that has a clock display as well.  I’d be willing to bet I cave and upgrade whenever they come out.  Oh, and they come with lots of fun colors too.

What about you?  Any fun, COOL STUFF I need to know about?  What are the latest toys and gadgets you’ve found?  You know I’m always looking for the next good/awesome deal!