Tuesday, November 1, 2011

State of the Freezer Address
The Empty Edition


Man oh man am I tired.... I mean like really, super, duper, "am I still awake?" tired. 36 hours without power means one chilly night of sleeping and then a second night that turned into a sleepover at the in-laws (big thanks to them and everyone else that offered us assistance).

Thankfully the power came back on in the middle of last night, but after 36 hours, I am uncomfortable eating anything left in the upstairs fridge. Ohhhh man, time to fill up the trash can. I should have taken a picture before I started.


Poor spongebob, you took quite the beating, didn't you?

So long unopened pumpkin cheesecake (tested last year) - bought for the Mrs

Oh Blueberry Crumble, it just wasn't meant to be, was it?

This one hurts alot. An untouched Oreo roll. Oh the humanity!

A collection of single serving size friends

Klondike 100 Calorie Sandwiches. A snack so boring I never got around to posting about it
(I think I bought these.... last winter?)

This stuff goes out with some other recently reviewed treats like the key lime gelato squares and half a container of (oh wait, that post isn't up yet). We also lost all our veggies and breakfast treats. Ugg, we even lost two boxes of stuffed chicken thingies. So much food! The only thing I won't miss is the Arctic Zero, that stuff was nasty!

Here is the fridge as of 9AM this morning

In retrospect, I tossed out a few extra things I didn't need to, but as you can see, the fridge has nothing left but cool packs and some unopened beverage containers (yes there is some tupperware in the freezer, but I waited til I got home before throwing it out). Oh well, at least the fridge is clean.

Now I have to decide what to do with the stuff in the basement chest freezer. That stuff has already been through the hurricane power outages, and now another 36 hours without power for this freak October Nor'easter --- you may remember that I've mentioned having a generator in the past. Well, said generator apparently doesn't work anymore. I couldn't get it started during the hurricane and have since had no luck in repairing it myself. In my pitiful defense, I thought I wouldn't need it for at least another 2 months. My neigbhors currently have it, and if they surprise me by getting it working again, then I will owe them bigtime.

The kids are in bed so it's time to check the damage in the chest freezer. It should be fine....


Uh oh, we've got a fatality


Guess I'll never get around to trying this tasty looking Schwan's
Loaded Waffle Cone with Peanut Butter Swirl

Maybe that container was a fluke..

Uh oh, the freezer started defrosting and the ice
on the inside walls fell off. Better look for other victims.

This Blue Bunny Birthday Cake Personal is toast (it had been laying on it's side)
[we lost the last few birthday party mini champs too]

More lost friends

EWWWW! Skinny Cows faux ice cream is no match for a power outage

And to add one final insult to injury: I just bought these.

I know this will sound corny, but this sucks yet is liberating at the same time. For the first time in a very long time, I have but two ice cream choices in my freezer: B&J Froyo or Breyers Cookie Dough. That's it. No treats, no single servings, no 17 companies, just 2 things.

Sometimes I wish I could transport my taste buds and blogging style of today back to 2008 and just start this whole thing over again. So many early posts consist of "mmm, good" with a tiny shot of the packaging. See, half of my traffic is new people landing on any of 500 random reviews from the last 3 years. I can just imagine someone seeing one of my first reviews and going "man, this guy is an idiot, and he can't write for squat". I'm not saying it's not a fair assessment, but the question is how do I fix it.

Should I give up? Work is busy, my kids keep me busy, and there's always plenty of house chores to do. All too often I now find myself writing posts while half asleep. I'm good at numbers, not words. I wouldn't mind picking up a new hobby or getting back to basics. It may sound corny but I kind of miss building model cars like when I was a kid. Maybe I could go back to working in the real world rather then the world built on ones and zeros. There are a few up and coming ice cream blogs, maybe it's time for me to step aside.

Should I start over? This has tempted me for awhile now, and with a clean sweep of both freezers, now might be the right time. In the early days, the posts were short and often pointless. Nowadays, a good ice cream will inspire me, and a so-so one gets a so-so post. The problem is that I'm not reviewing a two hour movie here, I'm reviewing a 5 minute snack. How do you write more than 5 minutes of content. Sure I can throw in anecdotes here and there to stretch things out, but I'm just not that witty. It's not that I doubt my powers of analyzing ice cream, it's doubting my ability to entertain you (ok, I question my analysis skills too).

I guess I question what it's all about. Other sites are more diversified so it's easy to keep new products streaming throughout the year. Me? Almost everything comes out in spring and it's a free for all of trying to get it posted before someone else does. I had fun trying to incorporate new products from fast food joints and stuff, but even then, I still wonder how great an experience I deliver. Is this why adailyscoop.com and twodips.com don't post much?

Maybe it's my own fault. I refuse to be some mindless blogger who goes "oh, free stuff, this tastes awesome, yeah for Company XYZ!!! send me more!" Forget that. I'm here for facts and my true opinion, love it or leave it.... and that's probably why I don't get a million free samples....  Nah, I shouldn't say that since I've found pretty much all the ice cream companies are cool... until they read my review of the free sample they sent! HA! Sorry, getting fiesty at this point. (ice cream companies, you know I love ya!)

Ok, I need to sleep on everything. There's no ice cream in the queue, but there is one final review left in my head (a frozen yogurt to be precise). If anyone has any advice, I'm listening. Either I need to speak clearer to you, or maybe I need to realize there just aren't that many of us who want to talk about it.

Ok, stay warm, rock on, and enjoy your ice cream.

23 comments:

  1. Hope you do decide to keep running the blog it's always a pleasure to see new items reviewed and the ones that are worth checking out for myself and others (I especially enjoy the the Ben & Jerry's reviews). and youdo give an honest opinion on weather or not one product is good or if one is just downright terrible. hope to see some new posts in the near future.

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  2. Dubba listen, I honestly feel where you are coming from but I have to say I AND MANY would be DEVASTATED if you quit doing reviews. You have basically THE ONLY solely ice cream devoted blogs out there and let me say I LOVE IT. I check your blog daily and although it may be childish it's one of the highlights of my day when you have a new review up. I read every post and although I do not comment often (LAZY), I appreciate what you are doing. Regarding the whole losing power and everything, I know it must feel horrible but it's just a bump in the road. It's sort of a way to start fresh, ya know? Anyway I really hope you continue this blog but have fun with it! I can see your passion for ice cream and I love that someone else out there is JUST LIKE ME. I'm sorry if this is too long but I really would hate to see you go. Lastly I know that I am not the only person who feels that way, I'm sure many get a sense of happiness and excitement when they read you raving about something and run to the store to buy it! IT'S ICE CREAM. THE. BEST. THING. EVER. There is ENDLESS flavors and brands so I don't think you have to worry about that. Wooh now I;m just rambling.. CONCLUSION: PLEASE DON'T GO! WE LOVE 'ON SECOND SCOOP'!

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  3. Oh and btw I LOVE the fact you are so real with us, like with this post and EVERY review. You don't just LOVE everything you really get me to understand why it sucks or why I should try it.. OMG I'D DIE IF YOU STOPPED... NOOOO :(

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  4. I have been reading your blog for about 4 months now and enjoy it a lot. I understand where you are coming from on not having a lot of depth to a review. It's ice cream--either you love it or you don't. What I like is seeing what is out there. I don't spend a lot of time at the grocery store, so your blog has been a good way for me to learn about new ice cream flavors.

    I am a huge ice cream fan and have often wondered of how I could make money from something inspired by ice cream (other than working at an ice cream shop), so I am inspired by you. I am kind of surprised that you don't monetize the site, at least as far as I've seen. Maybe a sprucing-up/makeover of the site, some ads, and some marketing would make you more excited about it. I think it has value and a market, so I say keep going! However, I would be an interested buyer if you ever decided to sell the site. Good luck!

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  5. I really like your blog, it would be sad to see you quit.

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  6. Ben & Jerry's Turtle Soup? I've never seen that one and now I'm intrigued.

    As for the loss of the Pumpkin Cheesecake ice cream, my heart bleeds for you and the Mrs.

    You shouldn't be disappointed about losing the Twix and Milky Way pints though. My findings have been that those Mars branded ice creams are AWFUL.

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  7. Lurker here. I also hope you keep posting because I enjoy your writing and I love ice cream (though I can't eat it anymore).

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  8. I love this blog so please don't quit! I check it each day and always look forward to new posts.

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  9. You're not really thinking of stopping are you?? I love your blog and check it every day! Ice cream is one of the best things about life, and your reviews make it even more fun. Thanks, and please don't stop! :)

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  10. Dubba out of all the food blogs I read I think I enjoy coming on yours the most. It'd be a shame if you stop blogging but it is understandable. Here's hoping all is well and you continue to keep blogging.

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  11. Hey I'm a lazy lurker, first time poster. I've been to all the blogs out there and yours ended up being the only one I still check up on regularly. You're good at what you do, don't question that. I think you're just burned out cause you do so many reviews so frequently. At the same time though you love ice cream and that's not gonna change. Maybe do less frequent reviews like other blogs it's cool. OR maybe do what the guy at freezer burns does. Have a section for full reviews...maybe one a week. And a section for short reviews where you can just say one word if ya wanted. Just some advice :) Do what you wanna do though even if it's move on. We all appreciated it.

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  12. Your blog is the best out there! I'd be so sad if you stopped! No one reviews ice cream like you! Ice Cream makes the world go round and your reviews excite me!

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  13. Dubba you have to ENJOY what you are doing! If you are truly unhappy with this I would hate for you to do it just for us... With that said I would absolutely HATE to see you go but it's your decision at the end.. Love ya Dubba!

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  14. I really enjoy your blog. Ice cream is something I love, but it's always great to see what someone else thinks about the newest flavors. Plus I am on bedrest now for my pregnancy, and I was really looking forward to having some good reading material. I hope you keep going!

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  15. I check your blog every day and really love seeing a new review up, would hate to see you stop blogging! I've actually gone back to read every single post because I enjoyed it so much. :)

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  16. Please don't quit! I read at night when I'm tired and never/rarely post. But, would HATE to see your blog go. Please stay!

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  17. Another first time poster here. I've been reading your blog for a while now and I have to say I really enjoy it. I love, LOVE ice cream but just don't have the budget to try everything that's out there. Your blog is a great way for me to vicariously experience all those delicious (and not so delicious) treats and make good decisions about which ones to purchase for myself. I completely understand the blog burn out phenomenon and other posters have had good suggestions as far as cutting down on posts and maybe doing a bit of a makeover to keep you interested. My two cents would be to have a guest review once a week or so. I'm sure plenty of people would love to contribute, and it would help to cut down on the "work" aspect and take some of the burden of entertaining off of you. In any case, good luck, and I hope that you continue with the site!

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  18. Your blog is the only site I actually follow and over the years of us communicating I feel like you're one of the few people who understand and share the same passion for ice cream that I do. I like to view you as a friend :) I think you need to take a break, post less often, and start to enjoy it again. But definatly don't go anywhere! By the way if you're in NJ I'll buy you a Blizzard

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  19. I only stumbled across your blog recently, and it's well done. Just post when you have free time to avoid getting burned out. (I managed to avoid making a terrible freezer burn pun just then.)

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  20. Don't stop posting please. I love coming home and realizing that you updated. I love reading about types of ice creams that I have never heard of or even sometimes gave a second chance. Plus, your photos serve and fulfill a purpose...to make me want the ice cream. Unless its freezer burned or really gross :)

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  21. Nooo, don't go! I love your reviews! You inspired me to start my own review site, and I haven't really been keeping up with it. Besides, yours is 3945839589 times better.

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  22. i love your blog. please keep going

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  23. You really should keep the blog going, it helps me decide which ice cream products i cant miss and which ones to pass on!

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