If it’s filming in Jersey, takes place in Jersey, or is about celebs from Jersey, you will find it here.
Expedia pitchman Michael Ian Black has found the humor in house hunting. The Hillsborough native has live-tweeted twice (most recently Tuesday night) during seemingly random reruns of the HGTV reality show “House Hunters International.” Joining him in exchanging witticisms is fellow funnyman (and “Daily Show with Jon Stewart” contributor) John Hodgman. Among Michael’s observations: “John, I prefer house #1. Second choice is #3. This means they will pick #2” and “Thank you, John. Once again, we have shown people that living overseas is always a tragic mistake.” If you’re interested in reading more of Michael’s “House Hunters International”-related tweets, check him out on Twitter. He is also the author of several books, including the upcoming “You’re Not Doing It Right: Tales of Marriage, Sex, Death, and Other Humiliations.”
It’s Christmas time, and I can’t think of a more perfect gift than this lil’ old blog reaching its 1 millionth hit.
Now, it’s official – that’s exactly what it’s done, a few months shy of its third anniversary. Thank you!
In addition to thanking you, my visitors, there are a few other people I must acknowledge. For without these individuals, my blog would not have reached this milestone for many, many more moons to come.
I’ve never looked forward to September. I love the summer, so it’s always meant the end of warm – OK, frequently hot – days. And for 17 years it also meant the beginning of another long school year, and that was never a good thing.
But in 2001, September took on a whole new meaning.
Words fail me.
To say September 11, 2001, was a defining moment in my life is an understatement. It brought horror, disbelief, and an unrelenting sadness home on a magnitude of nothing else I had experienced until then. (Since, I’ve endured the death of my father, the loss of a longtime job, the death of my eldest cat, and my mother’s cancer diagnosis – grief-filled to the last.)
Its scope was ceaseless, too. If you lived anywhere in the Tri-State area, the signs of 9/11 were unavoidable no matter where you went. It was nigh impossible for me, because at the time I was working for a daily newspaper in Central New Jersey.
I’ve been diligently couponing for the past few months. But let me tell you, not every day is like an “Extreme Couponing” episode.
In fact, most days are definitely not. But I am saving a lot of money when I match coupons up to store sales, and I don’t think I’ll ever go back to shopping blindly again. I pay a lot closer attention to emails I receive from stores and brands now, as well as couponing blogs that take the guesswork out of smart shopping.
The regular prices for the Cheerios and Maybelline mascara alone would've cost me more than I paid for this entire order yesterday./All photos by Ava Gacser
Take my trip to ShopRite yesterday morning. I scored 4 boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios (12.25 oz), 2 Lysol toilet bowl cleaners, 3 Suave deodorants, 2 Maybelline Great Lash mascaras, 1 bag of chips, and 3 newspapers for just $21.13 after coupons! And that’s not counting a $2 Catalina coupon I received upon checkout for a future order!
From there I went to yoga and then to Wegmans, where I was super pleased to run into these fellas:
Now appearing at your local supermarket: The brothers Manzo!
As an out-of-work freelance writer/editor, couponing has become a bit of an obsession for me. And, I must admit, I definitely get a rush watching dollars subtract from my bill.
I’ve only been couponing religiously for a few months, but I think I’ve been doing pretty good. I’m steadily growing a stockpile (which is comprised for the most part of body washes and toothpaste, of which I am sure I will never run out), and I think I can now spot a really good deal when I see it.
Ava Gacser is a freelance writer in Central New Jersey. She is a former television columnist and features writer for several Gannett-owned daily newspapers in New Jersey.
Ava is an avid couch potato with a special affinity for reality TV, and she can't believe how many shows feature New Jersey residents!
She was a member of the Television Critics Association from 2005 to 2010.
Ava Gacser's Blog 