Cool Shows To Check Out!

Hello again lovelies! As always, I'm failing miserably with keeping up with this. In my defense, I'm super busy working on the house and struggling to stay warm(we have no heat unfortunately). It's rather rather difficult to type when your fingers are frozen. :( On the bright side, we actually got a white Christmas! I hope you all are enjoying your holidays.

There is still a major shortage in free events, but on the bright side, there's still new activities that you can check out. I will cover two of them this week, first Gabriel Iglesias and then The Transiberian Orchestra.

Gabriel Iglesias:
He's an awesome comedian! One of the things I like about him is that his humor is pretty clean. He doesn't drop F bombs every 5 seconds, but he's still flippin' hilarious. It's the kind of thing that you want to watch when you have had the crappiest day ever and need something, anything to put a smile on your face. I've including a video of his stuff(courtesy of youtube!) so you can see what I mean:

If you say you didn't laugh, you lie! :D

He has two dvd's out right now, Gabriel Iglesias: Hot & Fluffy, and Gabriel Iglesias: Live From El Paso. They are awesome, my friend Gabe was awesome enough to get me one for Christmas(Yay!)


I have no idea if he's on facebook, but I know you can find him on myspace. It's www.myspace.com/fluffyguy. If you go to his page you can see a link for buy tickets. From there, click on tour dates. He's in Austin right now, but he will be back in Tx and closer from February 13th to February 21st.

Based on where you live, you can find which city will work best for you. They have the times and locations posted, as well as phone numbers. I'd recommend buying your tickets now because you can choose your seats(I thought that was neat). I checked a couple different prices, and they all seem to be about $34, which isn't bad. Plus for those of you who know someone with a Jan./Feb./March birthday, that could be a cool gift! Hope to see y'all there!

I finally have some new blog related ideas, so with any luck, there will be more postings in the next few weeks, instead of barely one a month. Also, I have another job selling cosmetics and skin care products for an amazing company called Aloette. I used them once and now I'm hooked. You will see some of their products in the next few blogs as well. If any of you love makeup or have been having issues with your face, whether it's acne, redness, skin texture, or general aging, please let me know. I can help you find something in our line that can help. You can email me for more information at heatherloos@yahoo.com.

As always I want you guys to enjoy these blogs, so I've added something extra. What you're about to see is a video my cousin Keefer made for a class final. I saw it and thought it was awesome, so I figured I'd share the awesomeness. :) He's also in the video. Enjoy!

Bodies, The Exhibition!

Hello lovelies! I've found something cool for you to check out, and it's only here for a limited time. Y'all have probably seen commercials and billboards all over the place lately. I haven't gone yet, but I plan to, once I get my Christmas shopping out of the way. Anyways the exhibition sounded weird & cool all in one, so I thought I'd share.



In the display, you get to see the human body, inside and out. They are real bodies, from those who, assuming I'm not mistaken, dedicated their bodies to science. The bodies are kept in tact using some sort of polymer preservation process. It's a great thing to check out if you want to know more about your body.

There are over 250 human specimens(bodies/organs) to check out in 9 different exhibits. The exhibit will be here through May 23 of 2010. I didn't realize how popular it was until I checked out the website. Not only have they gotten worldwide recognition, but the exhibition has had almost 15 million visitors! You get to see things that normally only a medical professional could. For those of you with skittish stomachs, don't worry, it's tastefully done! You can also find even more details on the website.

Location: West End Marketplace
603 Munger Ave. at West End

Phone: 1-866-312-3931

The official website is www.bodiestheexhibition.com/bodies.html, but you can purchase tickets at www.bodiestickets.com. I'm not sure whether or not tickets can be purchased at the door, but I figure it's easier online because you can choose what time as well.

Hours: 10a.m.-7p.m. everyday, except Friday and Saturday they are open until 10p.m.

Weekend/Holiday Prices:
Under 2- free!
Kids 3-10- $16
Adult- $24
Senior 60 & up- $20

Special Deals: If you go on weekdays, you get $2 off! Plus, since it's at West End, you can take the Dart train and avoid the hell that is parking in Dallas!



Product recommendation of the week: For those of you who are either broke or just trying to cut back on the sweets, Ben & Jerry's has come up with a nifty new idea: Mini ice cream! You can find them at Walmart for $1 each, and in quite a few flavors. It comes with a spoon, and the containers as small enough to satisfy your sweet tooth without making you feel like you need to visit the gym right afterwards.

I believe the word you're looking for is YUM!

Go To The Zoo For Just A Dollar!

Hello people! I hope you all are having a much less frustrating day than me. I'm freezing and my piece-of-crap Dvd player is refusing to work even though I need to turn my movie in tonight! Grrr! There has been a major lapse in free stuff lately, hence the lack of blogs. So seriously, if y'all know of anything, let me know! (www.myspace.com/thedailykricket)
Anyways....


If y'all recall, I've written a blog on the Dallas Zoo before. Today's blog has the same topic, but with new info. On November 24th, admission to the Dallas Zoo is just $1! Plus if you take the Dart Train, you don't have to pay for parking(the red line goes straight there!) For zoo hours & regular discounts, check out the original blog. Go the the search bar at the top of this page and type in zoo, it will pull it up.


Random tidbits:

Spring & Winter semester registration begins tomorrow! For those of you in college, check out www.ratemyprofessor.com. It's a very useful website, and there's tons of entries. You can look up different teachers and see if they're good ones or not. Seriously, check it out, it can mean the difference between barely passing and getting an A sometimes.

I don't know what it is about cold weather, but it makes me want ice cream. You can get a jr. cone with birthday cake ice cream(yum!) for 79 cents. Perfect to hit the spot for those with a sweet tooth. :)

You can see the zoo pictures on the older blog. Enjoy, and stay warm!

Weekly Tidbits 10/28

Hello lovelies! As promised, I've been hunting down the mini special deals to put up in between blogs. And, since I should be writing an essay right now, naturally I'm putting it off to do this first. In the meantime, I'm sitting in the middle of what looks like a snowstorm. Word of advice: If you go to scrape that nasty popcorn texture off of walls, put something over the floors first!!!

Anyways...

Cleaning Product Recommendation: Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. They're not kidding about the magic part. It gets marks off of everything. It's basically a little sponge that you dip in water to clean. It works nicely with a bit of pine sol too.

Movie Recommendation: Whatever Works, starring Larry David and Evan Rachel Wood. This is definitely a bizarre comedy, but I liked it. It's got an interesting message, kind of like do whatever works, even if it isn't conventional. Idk, it was interesting.

Health Recommendation: For those of you who struggle with diabetes, check out www.diabetes.org/myfoodadvisor. It's a website to help those with diabetes, especially in terms of meal plans.

Food Recommendation: I never thought I'd be saying this, but the best tacos I've ever had were from a gas station!! It's a Shell gas station with a little eatery-type thing inside. It's on the corner of Miller and Saturn in Garland, you know, the one with the light that takes forever. They have chicken and beef tacos, perfect with some onions and a bit of lime if you wish to add it. Before you decide I'm crazy, try them, they're delicious!
Exercise Recommendation: Here's a hint: go get some!!! On the days when it's not pouring, the weather has been fantastic for it. Take your family, friends, or maybe that guy/girl you're always smoochin' on and head down to duck creek. There's plenty of space to park. Turn off of Centerville onto Duck Creek Dr. Drive down a ways and there's two places you can turn in on the right. There's awesome little walkways you can take. Walk your dogs, bike, skate, or just go down there and have a picnic and play in the creek. It's a nice change in scenery.


It has been brought to my attention lately that some of you may not be able to see all the features of this site. There should be some links on the right side so that you can see previous blogs. Fiddle with your privacy sections till you can see them, that way you get the full usage of the site.

as always, enjoy! You can contact me with questions or suggestions at www.myspace.com/thedailykricket.com

Haunted Houses & Spooky Discounts

Hello lovelies! I know, it has been RIDICULOUSLY long since my last post, I apologize, I'll try to suck less. :D I came dangerously close to chunking my laptop out the window last night. This site was having issues and deleted the blog then wouldn't let me back in after I spent 3 hours writing it! I'm super glad I saved it elsewhere first. *phew*

Now we all know what season it is, time for Halloween!!! I know many of you like to go visit haunted houses, so I did my research, and found some pretty nice discounts, as well as some haunted houses some of you might not have heard of. There's quite a few of them, so I'll add in each of their websites. That way you guys can check out the details if you're interested.


Dallas Scaregrounds
Description: This haunted house actually has 3 attractions: The Terrortorium, The Necrotorium, & The Hallucinatorium. Your admission ticket gets your into all three! I got in for free last year(yay for working at the Spirit store!), and it's pretty awesome. The Hallucinatorium was the best, it's in 3D. It's spooky fun, just scary enough, but still a blast.
Site: www.dallasscaregrounds.com/home2009.html
Address: 2001 Irving Dallas, Tx 75207
General Admission: $20
Special Deals: Groups of 10 or more get in for $16 each! You have to call 24 hours in advance to let them know. the number is (214)346-2111, then press 1. You can buy your tickets online!

Cutting Edge
Description: I haven't been to this one because I'm a chicken, but I heard it's super scary. They hold the record for the world's longest haunted house. It should scare the crap out of you, so if that's what you go for, check it out!
Site: www.cuttingedgehauntedhouse.com
Address: 1701 E Lancaster Ave. Ft. Worth, Tx 76102
General Admission: $28.50 for adults, $23 for kids. You can also get a speed pass for $10 more so you don't have to wait in line.
Special Deals: You can sign up for a coupon on their site. It's good for $2 off, they'll email it to you. If you go in groups of 15 or more, you get 15% off. For group reservations, call (817)500-6434.


Reindeer Manor
Description: I haven't been to this one, but it sounds pretty cool. They're actually in their 36th season. There are three attractions, Reindeer Manor, 13th St. Morgue, & Dungeon of Doom. It's a very unusual haunted house. It's not just random people popping out to scare you, there's actually a background story to it. It's pretty cool! You can read more about it on the site.
Site: www.reindeermanor.com
Address: 410 Houston School Rd Red Oak, Tx 75154 (I have no idea where red oak is. use www.maps.google.com!!)
If you get lost: (972)218-rats
General Admission: You can get into all three attractions for $35. OR...
Reindeer Manor-$17 adults, $8 for kids under 10
13th Street Morgue- $13 adults, $6 kids
Dungeon of Doom- $11 adults, $4 kids


Lights Out At The Wax Museum
Description: It was a bit confusing to find info on, but it's fun, and the cheapest I've found yet. This one is awesome! I went last year and it was totally worth it! It's trippy, jumpy, and fun all in one. I can't remember if I went through one attraction or all three. Word of advice though: wear tennis shoes, i totally tripped, banged, my knee on a boulder, and down I went. Totally worth it. I'd definitely recommend going to the site to read more, it's more descriptive.
Site: https://tickets.ripleys.com/grandprairie/halloween.aspx
Address: 601 E Palace Parkway Grand Prairie, Tx 75050
General Admission: It's only $10 to get tickets for Loius Tussaud's Haunted House! Plus you can get into all 3 attractions for just $18! Tickets are available online.


Slaughter House
Description: This one is kind of maze like. It was fun! It goes by fairly fast, and it's so fun you'll do it again. Plus, just when you think it's over, you get a surprise. I liked it. Although it's hell finding parking. Bring like $5 with you, a lot of parking garages downtown charge.
Site: www.weslaughter.com
Address: 2020 N. Lamar in Dallas
General Admission: $16 cash only at the door
Special Deals: You can print a $1 off coupon from your computer off the website.


Boneyard Haunted House
Description: It's over 1/2 a mile long and supposed to be super scary. I've never been but it sounds interesting.
Site: www.theboneyard.org
Address: 2921 E. Division St. Arlington, Tx 76011
General Admission: $25 regular, $35 for a fast pass. You can also get tickets online.
Special Deals: You can also print an online coupon for $2 off.

Screams
Description: I've never been, but a few of my friends went and they all said they had fun.
Site: www.screamspark.com/entert/houses.htm
Address: 2511 FM 66 Waxahachie, Tx 75167
General Admission: $21.99 for general admission, $15 more for the fast pass. Tickets are available online too!
Special Deals: If you go in groups of 12 or more, you can get in for $16.99. (These have to be bought online though & give them notice)


Thrillvania
Description: This place has 8 attractions! And you only need 1 ticket!
Site: www.thrillvania.com
Address: I couldn't find the exact address on the site, but there's a link on there that will take you right to mapquest. Just click on directions.
General Admission: $30 for adults at the door, but only $25 online. Kids under 12 get in for $13!
Special Deals: Enter your email to recieve $2 off regular coupons and $5 off VIP coupons. Or, if you bring in a Jack In The Box receipt(yum!), you get $5 off!


It took me FOREVER to find all this stuff so I hope it helps!!! Since finding free stuff & super discounts has slowed er, a bit, I've decided to start doing mini blogs between the big ones. They will be filled with plenty of awesome stuff that I've discovered. That way, while I'm hunting down the big stuff, you guys still have new stuff to check out. Anyways, it's late, I'm tired, and I want sleep. So, as always, Enjoy! And happy Halloween!

Random Foods To Try

Hello all! I hope you are having a relaxing weekend, I'm up to my eyes in homework! I'm still on the hunt for free stuff but I have some recommendations for you in the meantime. Everyone is always looking for the yummiest foods, and I'm in the mood to procrastinate, so I figured I'd let you in on some of my own favorites.

Jack In The Box has the best smoothies ever! My personal favorite is the tropical smoothie, but they have a few more flavors as well. I actually mentioned them in a previous blog, you can find it by typing smoothie in the search bar at the top of the page. Their jumbo jacks are pretty good too.



Sonic has the yummiest grilled cheese sandwiches on the planet. I know that's not something most people go out and buy, but it's one of my favorite foods. Plus I can't cook it to save my life. Pitiful yes, but I always burn the bread and can never get the right amount of cheese. With Sonic, assuming it's made correctly, the bread is lightly buttered and very fluffy, with the perfect amount of cheese. Plus it's the only place you can get grilled cheese for under $2. :D



Great Value's Chicken, Bacon, & Ranch Sauce Pizza is a good choice. It's found only at Walmart as far as I know. It's their off brand pizza, and holy frick, it's fantastic, even the crust is fluffy and great. It's a good size, and you can get it for less than $5.


All of Dunkin Donuts' sweets are wonderful. The donuts of course, are the best part. For those of you that have a sweet tooth, I'd recommend the chocolate and vanilla kreme, they're sweet and super satisfying.


I've mentioned The Beef House in a previous blog, with good reason. I might've mentioned this particular dish before, but it's worth a double take. Every Saturday, the special is blackberry cobbler. It's very yummy, expecially with ice cream. It's not too sweet or to tart, it's the perfect mix.



Napoli's has some fantabulous stuffed mushrooms. And here's the funny part, I actually hate mushrooms! But stuffed mushrooms are just so good I can't help but love them. Napoli's is a family owned restaurant that serves italian food. You also get free hot bread while you wait for your meal. it's a great place to take your family or a date without breaking the bank.




Farm Rich brand cheese sticks are the best cheese sticks evaaaa! I discovered them while working concessions a few years ago. I'm not sure what exactly goes into them(aside from the obvious) but there's an extra wallop of flavor that I love. Now, don't cook them in the oven, the best way to have 'em if from the fryer. Hoh bebe, they're good.


I know it's been slow going with my blogs lately, sorry guys, life happens. I will keep them coming, it's just not going to be super fast until my homework gets done. If you guys know of any free activities or promotions, seriously, let me know! You can find me at www.myspace.com/thedailykricket

Enjoy!


Here's my weekly recommendations:

Movie: okay, it's technically a comedy routine, but if you're having a crappy day, it is the oh-so-perfect way to cheer yourself up. His name is Gabriel Iglesias, and he is hilarious. I like it because he can make me laugh without dropping f bombs every five seconds. It's called Hot And Fluffy. If you want to see some clips of his stuff, look him up on youtube. You won't be sorry.

Youtube video: Look up "The Mean Kitty Song." It's silly, but randomly really catchy. You'll get a giggle out of it.

T.V. Show: The Nanny. It's old and it's awesome. You can see reruns on nick at night every night. It's a family show, but they weasel in plenty of jokes for adults.

Book: Sophie's World, by Jostein Gaardner. It's a book I had to read for philosophy and it's amazing. You learn a lot and it really makes you think. Also, if any of you go to El Centro, take Intro To Philosophy with Mr. Thames. He's absolutely phenomenal!

See The Pink Panther 2 For Free

Hello lovelies! I don't know about you guys, but I am LOVING this weather! And I know it has taken forever, but I finally found some blog worthy stuff for you guys. Friday, September 25th, Gale Fields Recreational Center is hosting their Lawn Chair Theater Movie in The Park activity.

Their movie choice is Pink Panther 2, perfect for a family to see together, or for a lighthearted date. It's a cute, silly comedy, perfect if you want a few giggles. And here's the fantastic part: it's free! The event will be hosted in front of the recreational center, just bring your own blankets or lawn chair. Now, courtesy of the weather, rain is a possibility, if that happens they will just move the event inside. They'll also have some snacks for sale, in case you want something to eat.

Location & Phone:
Gale Fields Recreational Center
1701 Dairy Road
Garland, Tx 75040
(972)205-3090


That's all for now, I'll have more for you soon. In the mean time, here's my weekly recommendations:
Movie: The proposal. It's still in theaters and it's hilarious. It's a romantic comedy, and a good one at that. I laughed so hard I fell out of my seat at one point.
Restaurant: Waffle house. It's perfect for people on a budget, and they have the best tasting biscuits on the planet!
Website: www.fmylife.com it's a site to spill your woes and vote on who has it worse. If you're having a day, it's a good way to brighten it. Some of them are quite comical too.
Book: All I Need Is You by Johanna Lindsey. It's a romance novel, not the raunchy kind, but the comical kind. It's definitely a good ride.

Enjoy!

Nifty Thrifty Places to Check Out

Hello lovelies! I hope you're all enjoying the weather, maybe we'll get lucky and it will last a while. Anyways, there's all sort of stores and restaurants in our area that rock but aren't very well known. Well, I'm going to fix that, at least a little bit. :D

First things first:








For those of you that don't know, Plato's Closet is awesome! It's a lightly used clothing store that caters to twenty-something years old. It's kind of like a thrift store, except all of the clothes are fashionable. The prices are great, I've found shirts for as low as $4! They have clothes for men and women, as well as some shoes and accessories. Everything is in pretty good shape and they have an awesome variety because the clothes come from all sorts of people. They have dressing rooms of course so you can model your finds.
And here's the extra perk: you can make some money! If you have any clothes, shoes, or accessories that you don't wear anymore, bring them in and they might give you money for them! Just don't bring in your old fifth grade clothes, it's supposed to be stuff that's not super out of style.
Location: 8430 Abrams Dallas, Tx 75243
Phone: (214)342-2204
check it out at www.platoscloset.com


Texas Thrift
Location: 1406 W Walnut St Garland, Tx 75042
Phone: (214)703-0454
Well, you guys know how thrift stores work. As for selection, this one is actually pretty good. They have clothes, books, furniture, and shoes for men, women, and children. Each clothing item is stickered with a different colored tag. Here's the special part: every Monday, they pick a random color tag, and every item with that color is on sale all day for $.99. Yay sales!



That One Snow Cone Place
Okay, forgive me on this one, normally I have better information, but I have no idea of the details of this place. There is a snow cone shop on Kingsley in Garland. The zip code is 75041. It's after you pass Saturn but before you get to Garland Avenue. It's a light neon blue building, you can't miss it! There's plenty of flavors. Ooh and get them with cream, it makes it extra yummy! I can't remember the exact prices(again, sorry, I fail), but they're somewhere around a buck. Go and try it!


The Beef House

Location: 3110 Saturn #103 Garland 75041, off of Saturn & Kingsley. It's across the street from the church, and right by that bright yellow mexican restaurant (What is up with all the neon businesses these days? Reminds me of my socks in 5th grade, bad fashion choice, don't ask)
Phone: (972)278-2833

Okay so this picture must have been taken a LONG time ago because I've lived here for 18 years, and I have never seen it look that bright. Either way, props to the photographer. This is definitely one of those little hole in the wall restaurants that you come to love. They have awesome prices and big plates of food. I recommend the cheese omelet and blackberry cobbler a la mode(Saturdays only). I've also heard that they have the best salads around.

They're open 24 hours a day and you can also call ahead and get something to go. It's a great little restaurant, you can find typos on the menu every so often, and their only non-smoking table is more of a standing joke that sits in the doorway unused.

I love this place, I grew up there. You get to know the waitstaff fast as well as the regulars. It's the one place where I can be loud and crude with my friends(not intentionally, we're just politically incorrect and blast a lot) and not get kicked out. Okay, I don't mean scream across the restaurant, but it's nice to have a place where you can chill with your friends anytime you want. And remember people, tip your waitresses!!!



That's all for now, enjoy!

oh and here's my recommendations for the week:
Movie- p.s. I love you. It's effin fabulous whether you're male or female.
Website- www.textsfromlastnight.com A guaranteed way to get you out of a crappy mood, it's hilarious.
Youtube Channel- shanedawsontv I got plenty of giggles from his video
Book- It's part of a juvenille fiction series by Tamora Pierce. The title is Alanna: The First Adventure.

Have a great night!

Crazy Fun At Speed Zone

Sorry it's taking so long to get a new blog, life's been insane. Today's Topic is Speed Zone in Dallas. One of you (thanks!) mentioned that it's a fun place to take a date, especially if you're both adrenaline junkies. They have all kinds of specials and deals going on, so many that I can't fit them all in one blog. So, to help you guys out, I'm adding in the link to their website so you guys can check out all the extra goodies: www.speedzone.com.

Now, in case you have no clue where there are, let me help: There's only one in Texas! And it's fairly close too, it's in Dallas.

Location:
11130 Malibu Drive
Dallas, TX 75229
Phone: (972) 247-RACE x7126
Fax: (972) 247-1581

Hours:
Sunday: 11a.m.-11p.m.
Mon-Thurs: 10a.m-11p.m.
Fri./Sat.: 10a.m.-2a.m.

Freaking Fabulous Deals:

• Fifteen Dollar Tuesdays! It seems like everyone has Tuesday discounts. Speed Zone is no different. All day Tuesdays, for $15, you get a wristband that lets you play unlimited video games & mini golf that you want. (not including redemption games). For $10 more, you get unlimited racing on Thunder Road. Throw in another $20 and you get unlimited racing on the Slick Track, Turbo Track, AND Fireball Coaster. If you need a fun place to take a date without totally breaking the bank, this is a good choice.
• After Dark Special! From 6-close every Sunday through Thursday, for $34.95, you get UNLIMITED racing! (Excludes Top Eliminator). And here's an extra perk- group pricing is available with advance reservations. So if you want to go with a mob of friends, call ahead of time!
• Special Date: Tuesday(yes again), August 25th, the Radio Disney band Push Play will be performing a very special acoustic show starting at 8p.m.. They will be signing autographs afterward. Get there early to enjoy the park, win prizes, and of course, to hear the great new band!
• For Regular Visitors: Get a season pass! The basic pass is $80 a person. The premium is $100. There's a whole page of details on their website if you want more info.

So as you can see, they have oodles of deals. If you have questions, their phone number is on the top part of this blog. As always, enjoy, and happy racing!

Target Zoofari Week

Okay, let's face it, Texas is a fiery abyss of heat. We spend most of our summers submerged in pools or praying for rain. Not counting this past week, rain isn't very likely, and unless you like looking like a wrinkled prune 24/7, you have to get out of the pool eventually! Sooo, what to do, what to do?

Get your butt to the Dallas Zoo! Now, unless you're in the mood for a heat stroke, I'd recommend going in the morning when it's cooler. Also, you should wear cool clothes, as in short sleeves and thinner materials so you can feel the breeze. I don't care if it's "dorky," wear sunscreen and a freaking hat! Looking like a boiled lobster is not sexy. Plus, they sell those awesome little fans that blast you with water so you don't keel over. Yay!

There's all kinds of attractions, as well as zillions of animals to go see. It's a fun place to take a date(bring extra cash though), or to go hang out with friends. It's summer time, have fun! Bring your cameras, there's all sorts of things to take pictures of, plus if I remember correctly, they have a petting zoo! It's fun! The zoo is also open everyday from 9-5, so you have plenty of time to browse.

Regular Prices:

• Adults(12-64): $10.00
• Children(3-11): $7.00
• Seniors(65+): $7.00
• free for kids under 2 & members of the Dallas Zoological Society

Extra Special Deals this week:

• From now through August 9th, thanks to Target, you can get in for half price! It's $5 for adults and only $3.50 for kids and seniors!
• There's also cheaper snacks in some parts of the zoo, but that part is while supplies last.

Parking:

• Parking is $5, but there's a cheaper way to go. Take the Dart Train! The Zoo is along the red line, but there is a midpoint where the blue and red line meet, so you can get there from just about anywhere.
• Here's the perk: you get an extra dollar off your admission if you show your dart ticket!

Regular deals:

• Every Monday and Tuesday, if you show your Dart pass, you get $3 off admission!

Go While you still can!


(These pictures are actually from my trip to the San Diego zoo but it's close enough)

For All The Women That Need A Clue

Hello readers! I hope you guys are having a great weekend. As promised, I have the second part to my blog: relationship advice for the clueless. Because let's face it, at some point or another, you're going to feel like it's impossible to understand the opposite sex.

I have spent the last few weeks trying to get feedback from you guys: what you like and dislike about your significant other, as well as date stories, good and bad. Thanks to all of you for the feedback!

Anyways, Based on all the feedback, I made some helpful "tips" for women and men. A couple days ago, a posted the list for men, today, you get the list for women. Hope this helps. :)


10 Guidelines women should follow:

1. Men like compliments too! If you like their shirt, tell them! Everyone needs their ego pumped every now and then, not just us. Just don't choose the weird stuff. I am the worst possible compliment giver ever-I once told a guy he looked like a horse. I meant that his teeth were big & awesome, but it sounded horrible. I fail. (sorry Hayden lol)

2. Men have embarrassing moments too. If you end up with a drink in your lap by mistake, don't scream for 20 minutes about your new pants, just attempt to laugh it off...and maybe borrow his jacket to tie around your waist, so you don't look like you had an accident. It's not like he spilled it on purpose!
   

3. DO say if something is bothering you. I DON'T mean nag your boyfriend for an hour about his superman bedsheets. But if you have an actual problem, speak up. Some things need to be said. If you hold back, you might end up resenting him later, or blowing up over something trivial. It took many failed relationships for me to realize that honesty is the best policy. If he dumps you over something like that, chances are you can do better anyway.

4. Be sneaky, but in a good way. Leave little surprises for him every so often. Be creative, little notes, a flower, or something silly that has to do with an inside joke. It's a sweet thing to do, plus most men actually do appreciate those kinds of things.
   

5. Control the crazy! Okay, not all woman are mentally deranged, but let's face it, we do have our moments that will send men running for the hills. Or maybe Mars... So next time you're freaking out, or wanting to chunk a shoe at his head, hang off on that. Stop for a moment to look at things from his point of view. Take ten minutes to calm down. If things still seem funky, then by all means, proceed with the shoe throwing. I'm kidding, don't throw things at your man, it's just not nice. But do think before you act.
   

6. Don't settle for any less than you deserve. It's okay to have standards. Not only is it okay, you should have them! No man is perfect, and you shouldn't expect him to be, but that doesn't mean you should settle for every man that comes your way. Make a list of the qualities that you want. If he comes close, great, if not, maybe think twice before diving in head first. Know what you want BEFORE you get in a relationship!

7. Don't just be a pampered princess. Yes, your man should pay for things such as dates most of the time, but you should chip in every so often too. Don't take for granted all the nice things he does for you. And by all means, do nice things for him too. And for goodness sakes ladies, your man is NOT your own personal bank, please don't treat him like one.

8. Don't bash your body. Yes, we're all guilty of it, myself included. So maybe you have a flat chest, maybe you tower over men, maybe you have hips the size of Texas(yours truly), or maybe you feel like you'll be happy if you can just lose those last five pounds. No one is perfect, and if you can't learn to accept & love yourself the way you are, you can't expect anyone else to. Instead of focusing on what you don't like, think about what you do. Confidence is sexy. You are beautiful, accept it, and work yo'self!

9. Bust up like Martha Stewart. Minus the jail time. What I mean is, cook for your man. Please don't burn the house down. It's just something special you can do that most men will appreciate. If you're not sure how to make a meal, enlist some help, google, your mom, or maybe that friend of yours that always makes the awesome cookies. If you're not big on cooking, fine. But find something special to do for your man that no one else does.
   

10. At some point, a guy is going to stomp your heart to smithereens. It's going to feel like your world has come to a screeching halt, and like nothing will ever be good again. But it WILL. When someone you fell in love with or were falling in love with for the first time decides that things aren't working, it sucks. Believe me, it really does. But I promise you, you are beautiful, and you are definitely worth the effort it takes to make a relationship work. Don't ever let anyone take that from you.

That's all for today. Coming soon, there will be all kinds of date ideas on here, as well as fun things to do with your friends. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!



On A side Note: I know we have had some crazy weather lately. If you have any kitties, try to keep them inside during storms. It's hard for people to see cats in the road during the rain. We lost ours(Muffy) 2 days ago because of it. :( Keep your pets inside if you can.

For All The Men That Need A Clue

Hello my lovely readers! Guess what? My birthday is today! (July 30th) Yay! Although I'm kind of sad that I won't be a teenager anymore, I feel a bit like a grown up. :P

Anyways, for the next couple of weeks, the topic of my blogs with be relationships. For those of you who are single, whether you like or hate it, don't worry. There's stuff for everyone. For today, there's somewhat comedic tips for men. Next, tips for women. Because let's face it, sometimes the opposite sex is freaking confusing.

After that, I will be posting oodles and oodles of date ideas that can double as hang out ideas with friends. I would love to get feedback from you guys; you can contact me on www.myspace.com/thedailykricket. Enjoy!


Things every man should know:

1. Unless you always do, your girlfriend is not going to kill you for canceling on her. Crap happens. But dude, have the decency to let her know BEFORE she wastes an hour shaving her legs and whatnot. And actually let her know if you can't make it, even if it's just a small activity.

2. There's a line with P.D.A.. It also depends on the girl. Just because your last girlfriend liked to make out in public, doesn't mean your current girlfriend wants a tongue bath. But it shouldn't kill you to give her a quick kiss goodbye either. She's your girlfriend, not your sister!

3. Calling and texting her every so often, dude you'd better! We're female, we want to know what's going on in your life. You have to be able to communicate if you want your relationship to last. Calling and texting every ten minutes? Chill out! It's not that crucial. If she's hanging out with her friends ten minutes ago, chances are she's still with them.
   

4. Take turns. She shouldn't always be forced to make the plans, and neither should you. If she came to your house last time, next time go to hers. That way nobody ends up feeling like they're the only one putting in the effort. Plus, it's nice to have a change in plans every so often.

5. Soap is sexy. Smelling your stank from the next room is NOT. I know most guys grow out of that stage by the time they graduate, but in case you haven't, please shower. If you need help, your girlfriend might join you :)

6. If you're going to cheat, have the decency to dump your girlfriend first. Seriously. Yea, getting dumped hurts. But it hurts a lot worse to find out the man you fell in love with is nothing but a lying skeeze. A lot of times in relationships, if there is an issue, people start looking for "greener pastures," instead of solving their problems. Please take the time to talk things out, it's worth it.
   

7. Chicks have bodily functions too. Don't run away screaming. Chances are, she's considerably more mortified than you will ever be. And yes, it's okay to pretend you didn't hear it. :P
   

8. Chivalry is NOT dead. Open doors for women, whether they're your girlfriend or your grandma. Seriously, it's just polite. And you totally score brownie points with your girlfriend when you help little old ladies cross the street. The small things in relationships are the ones that matter. And those things are what your girlfriend is going to remember and appreciate you for.

9. Take your woman on a date at least once a month. The pre-declared kind where you pay and where you pick her up. Take her somewhere nice and make her feel special. You don't have to empty out your wallet, but do put some thought into it. Seriously, women appreciate it when their man makes an effort. I know I did.

10. Enough with the hot and cold! Either you like her or you don't. If you just want to play the field, be upfront with your intentions. Don't play games. If you have a girlfriend, treat her well!!! Trust me, that works so much better in the long run.

11. Don't let yourself be belittled. Every so often, a man ends up with a woman who says demeaning things, either on accident or on purpose. You don't deserve that, no one does. Speak up. You deserve someone who makes you feel just as amazing as you are. Just remember, it goes both ways. You need to treat your girlfriend with respect too.It's not okay to put anyone down.
    

I hope you guys got some insight as well as a few giggles by reading that. There will be more to come!

Small Reminder: August 1st is the last day for firewheel's movies under the stars. for details, type in firewheel in the search bar at the top of the blog.

Insta-Cash Pawn Shop Dvd Sales!

Hello lovely people. I know, I know, I've had lots of posts about Dvd's lately. But this one is again, super awesome. There's only one Insta-Cash Pawn shop that's remotely close to any of us, and it's in Dallas. Don't drive forever to get there, but if you live nearby, I'd recommend checking it out.
You can get 11 Dvd's for only $20!!!
And as far as I know, the deal goes on forever. They have 3 or 4 big bays of Dvd's. I asked a lady who works there how long the deal lasts, and she said until they run out of them. (Yay!) Plus, a lot of the pawn shops I have been to have very crappy looking Dvd's, but most of the disks at Insta-Cash Pawn are in nearly perfect shape. If you have any issues with yours, you just have to bring them back to exchange that same day.

The Address:
1207 South Buckner Dallas, Tx 75217

The Phone Number:
(214)398-4112

Small reminder: Tomorrow, July 25, Firewheel Mall will be playing Iron Man in the park for free. Type in "firewheel" in the search bar at the top of the page, and it will pull up the blog with details.

Coming soon: I will have a series of blogs about what to do or not to do in relationships, plus date ideas that won't break the bank. If you're single, no problem, most of the date ideas can still work as hang out ideas with friends.

Awesome Rental Deals At Hollywood

This March, Hollywood Video launched a new program called Powerplay. It is the only program that covers rental, sell through, and concession items! Whether you rent games, movies, or both, this plan can save you a ton! Go to www.hollywoodvideo.com for a location near you!

You have to get a membership first though. Just Bring a current driver's license or state I.D. And an active bankcard(credit/debit/whatever, it just can't be a prepaid card). It's free, the card is just security that you bring back your rentals within 50 days.

There are four types of plans for all types of renters: Diamond, Platinum, Gold, & silver.

Diamond
-The holy mother of all plans.
-Recommended If:
-You rent daily
-You rent more than 8 movies in a month, or at least 5 games
-If you rent games and movies
-You struggle to bring your rentals back on time
-Cost: $39.99 a month
-How it works:
-No late fees/due dates on movies AND games
-You can have 3 items out at once(2 of which can be games) You can exchange them as often as you want!

The next 3 plans are based on a points system. It's a lot to take in at once, but it's worth it. Basically, whatever you pay in dollar amount, you get in points on your account. So, $1=1 point. As you rent, the point value of whatever you rent gets deducted from the points on your account.

If you run out of points, you must upgrade to get more. Basically you pay the difference between plans, and you get the difference in points. The extra awesome part? As long as you're on automatic renewal, any unused points rollover! So if you go out of town, you don't lose your points! Please click on the flier for a better view, the chart on their makes it much easier to understand.

• Point Values:
  
• -Older Movies=2 points/$2, regularly $3.29
  
• -Newer Movies=3 points/$3, regularly $4.79
  
• -Blue Ray Movies=4 points/$4, regularly $5.79
  
• -Games=5 points/$5, regularly $6.99/$7.99

Platinum
- Big Plan, Big Savings
-Recommended If:
-You rent more than 5 movies or more than 3 games in a month
-You like to keep your movies longer than 5 days
-Cost: $24.99 a month
-How It Works:
-3 items out at once(2 of which can be games)
-No due dates on movies, regular 5 day due dates on games
-You get 25 points per month to use, plus, if you run out of points, you can buy more, they're $1 each.
-This is the only plan you can buy extra points for without having to upgrade!

Gold
-More For Less!
-Recommended If:
-You rent more than 3 or 4 movies in a month
-You rent more than 1 game in a month
-You like to keep your movies longer than 5 days
-Cost: $14.99 a month
-How It Works:
-2 items out at once
-No due dates on movies, 5 day due dates on games
-You get 15 points put on your account per month
-If you run out of points, just pay $10 to upgrade to the platinum plan.

Silver
-Every little bit helps!
-Recommended If:
-You don't rent often, 1-3 movies a month, or just 1 game.
-You buy a lot of previously viewed DVD's.
-You like to keep your movies longer than 5 days.
-Cost: $7.99 a month
-How it works:
-1 item out at a time.
-No due dates on movies, 5 day due dates on games.
-You get 8 points put on your account per month.
-If you run out of points, pay just $7 to upgrade to the gold plan.

Perks of all four plans: -50% off the marked price of all previously viewed DVD's! -10% off all concessions! -10% off all used games!

Payment Plans:

• Automatic Renewal On A Credit Card- This is what I would recommend the most. It's simple. On the same day each month, the amount for your Powerplay gets taken out, and any unused points rollover. There's no contract for time, so if you can't afford it one month, just let an employee know, and they can cancel it before the renewal date. It's simple!

• Prepay 3-6 Months With Cash- For those of you who aren't fond of credit cards, this is for you. Your unused points will rollover for the duration of the months you pay for. Once your months are up, your plan will expire, which means your rentals have to be back by then. Don't forget, or you will end up with late fees! This also works if you know of an upcoming vacation.

I know it's a mouthful, so if you aren't sure on something or have questions, you can message me on www.myspace.com/thedailykricket. You can also ask an employee. They know all about the plans, and can help you find what works best for you. Enjoy!

On a side note, I am going to start deleting the blogs whose deals have expired for you guys. That way everything is current. Also feel free to use the search bar at the top of the page if you have something on a specific date or activity in mind. If you are looking for a specific blog, there's a blog archive on the right side of the page for you.

Pre Order Your Games Today!!!

Know of a game you must buy when it comes out? Have kids who want a certain game? Get your butt to Hollywood Video on Beltline!!! Now!!! They're in the middle of a contest and Friday is the last day! Help them out by trading in your old games and/or pre ordering new ones!

To get a membership:
Don't worry, it's fast & easy. To get one, you must be at least 18(make a parent get one if you aren't). You need an I.D.(drivers license, state id, or military id only) and a bankcard(credit, debit, whatever, as long as it's not a prepaid gift card you're good). It takes maybe 5 minutes if that to get you set up with a membership. And don't worry, nothing will ever get charged to your card, as long as you don't keep your rentals for more than 50 days. Details on rentals will be in one of the next few blogs.

Pre-orders- The Basics:
You just have to put $5 down out of the total. This not only guarantees your copy in stock, but you will have totally made that employee's day(seriously). The second your copy comes in, they call you so you can come get it. It saves you the trouble of hunting all over town, and you don't have to worry about your copy getting sold to someone else. For upcoming games, the cut-off date is usually about two weeks before the release date(employees can look that up), so don't put it off! Older games are a bit trickier. Because it's already been released, the employees have to call around to see if one is in stock and can be shipped over. Most of the time, they will be able to find a copy for you, but on the off chance that there isn't one in existence, you can get your $5 back or put it towards something else. I can vouch personally for this though: they will work their butts off to get you your game!

Game Systems:
You can pre-order those too!!! The minimum on those is $10 down, and if there's already one in store you can put it on layaway if you don't have the money yet!

The Low-Down on Layaway & Trade-Ins:
If you're not sure about how layaway works, I'll fill you in. You have to pre order it, so $5 down for games, $10 down for game systems. Then you just pay it off in bits and pieces until you're done. Yes, very simple. Bored with your old games? Wanna get something new instead? Trade them in!!! And here's the extra good part, they'll match Game Stop's prices! Trade ins are not for cash, only for store credit. You can trade in your old movies too! And if you want, you can totally use your trade credit towards a pre-order!


If you want a complete list, ask an employee for a master release schedule, but here are some upcoming games you might want:

1. Madden Nfl 2010-the '09 version rents out like crazy. If you liked it, you're gonna like this one too. It releases 8/14/09. Sports-football. And here's a perk, if they get enough pre-orders for this title, there will be a midnight release! Yup, you'll be able to get it as early as possible! It releases on x360, psp, ps2, ps3, and prices range from $39.99-$59.99, depending on the system.
   
2. Assasin's Creed 2- Also a very popular game, it releases 11/17/09. Action-1st person. Releases on ps3, x360, ds, ps3, & psp.
   
3. Final Fantasy XIII- Everybody loves final fantasy, this one releases 12/31/09. RPG-Action. Releases on ps3 & x360 only. I thought it was just ps3, but i might be mistaken on that.
   
4. Bioshock 2- This one doesn't even come out until 11/3/09, but people are still asking about it like crazy! Action- 1st. Releases on pc, ps3, & x360.
   
5. Call of Duty-Modern Warf 2- another type of game that rents out like crazy. Releases 11/10/09. Action-1st person. Releases on ds, ps3, wii, & x360.
   
6. Fifa Soccer 2010- it just keeps getting better. This releases 10/20/09. Sports-soccer. Releases on ds, ps2, ps3, psp, wii, & x360.
   
7. Wii Sports Resort- I'm pre-ordering this one, it's awesome + comes with new technology for the wii remote. The cut off date for this one is the 16th(i think), so get it while you still can. It's due to release 7/26/09. sports-other. Releases on the wii only.
   

There's games for every type of player, just ask!!!!

All of this applies to all Hollywood Videos, at least in the area, but the one that needs your help with the contest is on beltline!!! Go there! The address is on the flier on the blog before this one, as well as the phone number. They need 10 pre-orders and 10 trade-ins before close of business(12a.m.) on Friday. Seriously, help them out! These people work crazy hard and definitely deserve it! And remember, even if your game doesn't come out for months, that just gives you more time to pay towards it!


If you can't do it by Friday, there's still time of course, that's just when the contest ends.