Wii would like to play

If you happen to have the extreme good fortune of already owning a video game system (like our Nintendo Wii), getting your game on at home is a recession-friendly way to have some hilarious fun. Plus, you might be able to catch your boyfriend pretending he is Rafael Nadal.

Best thing since sliced bread

I hate wasting stuff. Why, just the other day I used only half of a salt packet and Scotch-taped it shut so I could use the other half later. While this instinct comes with its share of dubious labels (hippie, cheapskate, OCD...), it usually manifests itself positively. For example, though a dedicated lunch packer, I manage to stretch a box of Ziploc baggies for months at a time.

But what if you had kids and packed several lunches a day, 5 days a week? Imagine the waste of baggies and money! So, when last week I told Chris my idea for reusable sandwich bags, I thought we should start brainstorming ways to spend the million dollars I was about to make.

But doggone it, somebody beat me to it. The good news is that rather than waiting months for me to apply for my patent, you can just go buy some now. Behold the SnackTaxi:
Formerly known as happysacks, these babies are fully washable and have a coated lining to deal with moisture. They come in different sizes and designs, too. And wouldn't you know, they were created by a mom who was burning through Ziplocs while packing lunch for her kids.

These aren't airtight, so there is still a need for a Ziploc here and there. But I'm betting you could get some serious mileage out of these. I plan on trying a couple out!

Making lemonade

Let's face it, people: Times are tough. Life is doling out lemons left and right, so the only thing to do is make lemonade. Literally.

Del's Lemonade is a Rhode Island staple. My brother happens to operate one of these stores, so on my jaunt to the Ocean State this past weekend, I found out just how it's done.

You can take the lemonade on the road if you've got a couple of these babies:

Otherwise, you need to keep a tidy little shop:

And in that tidy shop, it helps if you have also just added the only hip coffeeshop in a Del's AND in the entire town:

But we're losing focus. It's truly about the lemonade:

And the ladle is key:

You need to rest it firmly in your palm and balance it evenly:

(that's Jim, the professional)

If held correctly, the ladle acts an extension of your arm...

(that's me, learning)

...allowing you to proudly serve the perfect cup of lemonade.