Tips on packing!

It's the time of year again. Back to school, whether you're in elementary, middle, high or college/university, the days are coming to end. For me, it's packing, lugging, lifting and tearing time. So, here are some helpful hints for packing up your things.

1. Pack in stages
This is important because if you do it all at once or leave it to the last minute, things are carelessly forgotten or even worse things may get broken. Set aside at least four or five days dedicated to packing and collecting your supplies and belongings.

2. Get enough boxes/totes
Every year this is problem for me. Either I take too many boxes or not enough. Make sure you have a sufficient amount.

3. Plan ahead
This probably should be number one. But these are not in order of importance. Take the time to make a list of items you know you'll need. A helpful tip might be taking an inventory of things you brought home ensuring you pack at the things you came home with. Keeping track of that makes the whole situation a lot easier.

4. Pack efficiently and effectively
Making sure that there is not much in your boxes is as important as if there is not enough. Packing the appropriate amount is important. This ensures that when the lifting, lugging and tear part comes about you're not straining or hurting yourself.

5. Properly pack certain items. 
Make sure that all your items are properly packed. For example, glass and breakable items should have paper or paper towel wrapped around them with plenty of extra cushion around them in case a box may fall in the process. My rule of thumb is double wrap paper towel and securely wrap again with a towel.

6. Take breaks
This is important if you're doing the actual moving in. This year I have a large number of furniture items needing to be moved. If you feel tired, or hot, or hurt, stop and make sure you're rested. Especially in this hot sun.

7. Making packing fun
Though packing is probably one of the things I hate the most. Make it fun, do it with you mom, grab some of your closet friends and make an assembly line. Grab a bottle of wine, and put some things in some boxes. And be ready for the unload. Better get two bottles of wine!

Good luck in your new school year, everyone!

~ N 

True Blood: Season Six Pre-Review

In just 7 days the new season of HBO's True Blood returns for a sixth season. A show where vampires are a part of mainstream society and feed mainly off a synthetic blood made in five factories all over the world. And where William Compton enters the world of Sookie Stackhouse and turns her world upside down.

I am all things True Blood. I even have a mug with the logo on it. As the season wore on things became more complicated. A love triangle between Eric Northman, Bill Compton, and Sookie Stackhouse intensified. As she learns that Bill has lied to her and tricked her into loving him. Sookie quickly falls in love with Eric in the fourth season after he loses his memory to a group of witches in a coven.

Sookie learns she is a fairy, yes, like tinker bell. Her blood draws vampire like metal to a magnet. Her blood in fact allows vampires to day walk. Which is soon discovered by the notorious Russell Edgeington. Who plans to drain Sookie, and the rest of her kind to fill his 3000 year old dream of walking in the sun again. In the fifth season things take a turn for the worst. Religion actually surfaces in the lives of Northman and Compton as they are taken by the AVL (American Vampire League), and are convinced that mainstreaming is against Lilth's wishes (who just happens to be the vampire God) Northman isn't convinced for a second, however Bill is taken over by the influence and convinces himself that Lilth has chosen him to govern everyone and drinks all of Lilth's blood. The seasons ends in the most dramatic of fashion, Eric and Sookie running from was the Truebies call Bilith.

The show can sometimes feel a bit over dramatic and cookie cutter. In the fourth season, Marnie a witch, the main villain of that season summons to be possessed by a witch from the 1600's. And says "I know your power don't come cheap, but I'm willing to pay the price." Is this a HBO show or a all boy pop band? Sookie though the main character sometimes comes off as a bit of a snob - a stupid one. Her lines sometimes don't match up with some of the intense situations that occur to the characters.

Jason Stackhouse, Sookie's brother, I find is there for comedic relief. In the first season he is hornier then a cat in heat. I'm sure he'd fuck a tree if that was politically correct.  But it's not. He is also blamed for the murders come by Rene Linuea a.k.a. Drew Marshall. He is involved in the Fellowship of The Sun, a vampire hate group. Despite his sisters involvement with them. He gets kidnap by meth-dealing were-panthers (yes, you heard me) and is raped. In the fourth season he also becomes a cop - I'm unsure of how the helped his character - the end of the season five shows him telling Jessica (Bill Compton's progeny) he can never love a vampire. Sometimes I'm over critical of his character mostly because he's been so stupid.

I was disappointed in the last season, primary because it didn't follow the plot line of the former seasons. Of course a show must change how things happen to keep their fan base. But, it seems to come completely out of left field. The whole rising against the main stream movement. As it seemed to be working perfectly. I'm also confused by the fact that Bill killed himself in the middle of a crisis. (the details of this whole situation will hopefully be worked out in the sixth season.) I feel like his plot line shouldn't have ended there. Or perhaps it won't!

The sixth season will answer some cliff hanger questions.
Will Pam and Tara get together?
Will Eric and Sookie make it out alive? Or for that matter will the be together now?
Is Bill alive, or dead? What will happen there, period.
Will Jason and Jessica be able to work things out?
How about Alceed (a warewolf attracted to Sookie, I am not a big fan of his), what will his role be?
What will happen to the vampire authority now that all it's members are dead?

As we look ahead into the on coming quick approaching sixth season us Truebies wait anxiously for all the answers. From the lesbian relationships to suicidal vampires, what will happen next?

Are you waiting? Because waiting sucks!

~ N