When does a person get too old to wear novelty items? The previous owner of my home came to the closing wearing big, dangly cherry earrings on her ears - one side had one cherry on a stem, the other had two cherries connected at the stems. I thought that possibly she might have lost a cherry on one side of her ear but no, I think they were supposed to look like that. But they fit her. My Dad was amused by them. She's a little quirky in her own right (the woman goes to a pet psychic for cryin' out loud) so I didn't think much of the cherry earrings - they suited her and her personality.
I was walking into work today and I was following behind this woman toting a license plate purse. If you're unfamiliar, these purposes were quite the novelty item perhaps two to five years ago. These are purses fashioned out of old license plates. The metal is bent into all shapes and sizes and a leather strap is attached to carry around with you. The lady I followed in today had a cylinder purse. I kept looking at it and I just kept thinking, 'Aren't you a little old to be carrying that around?' The last place I saw selling these purses was Claire's...in the mall.....two to five years ago.... This woman had to be in the early to mid-40s. Maybe she took her daughter's cast off and decided to make it her own and try and bring it back? Something tells me, "Not the case." Perhaps she found it in her closet, stashed away (rightly so) and thought it would be fun to bring it out and use it because it was 'vintage.' Uhhh, no.
I'm not sure that there are many novelty items for people to wear out there nowadays - it seems like many people are branching out into other ideas and people, in general, are less likely to follow a trend (except for those darn crocs). This could be a good thing - shows people are thinking and still have imaginations.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Unfinished Business
Like many others, I believe I suffer from a mild form of ADD. I love buying various "organization" office supplies, but the excitement wears off before I ever use them ("Trapper Keeper," anyone?). I love starting new craft projects that I seldom finish. My mom is still saving a cross-stitch project I started in 1991. There is a half-sewn dress next to my sewing machine in my closet. What happens? I don't know. I just lose interest, I guess. And yet, I still seem to carry around the guilt of just letting it sit there, incomplete (I like to carry around a lot of guilt in general - more on that later).
I am the same way with writing. When I am in the bookstore/giftshop/cardshop/whatever, I like to examine the various writers' tools they display. I especially like the blank "journals" with the cute or sophisticated covers, and quite a few of them have found their way home with me, where they are doomed to sit on a shelf and continue their lives of total blankness. They never stood a chance.
What brings this up now? Today, I was searching through the "Work in Progress" folder in my e-mail. And there I saw it - my travel log of the first 3 days of my 14 day honeymoon. Let's face it: there's no way I'm going to finish it. So what the heck. I'm posting it here. Go Athens! (because that's all you get).
******
Day 1: En Route:
If you're running a travel agency, here's a great way to spread the good reputation: book flights on Alitalia from Washington, D.C. to Athens with a SEVEN HOUR layover in Milan. Good times. I made the mistake of packing my glasses in my checked luggage before I thought about the fact that I would be wearing my contact lenses for a good 20 hours with no chance of reprieve since the "no liquids" carry-on rule went into effect. Fortunately for me, Shawn and I managed to smuggle on some rewetting drops from the newsstand and some makeshift lens cases (ear plug containers). Unfortunately for me, the glasses were still checked. So what this meant was that, when I decided I couldn't wear those contacts for another minute, I was hanging out in the Milan airport at 6:00 a.m. almost completely blind. I felt like Elisabeth Shue's friend in Adventures in Babysitting, minus the rat. Thankfully, Shawn is resourceful and managed to get us into a 25 euro/person "lounge." We headed straight for the la-z-boys and caught a 5 ½ hour nap. But that SUCKED!!
Day 2-3: Athens:
We arrived in Athens in the early evening. We did not realize this, but the Athens airport is NOT close to the Akropolis. At all. We passed a number of shady looking hotels and prayed that they were not our accommodations. At this point, we had no idea really what to expect. Finally, the driver pulled up to the hotel, and it was wonderful. The Divinas Akropolis. Shawn and I checked into our room and then went down to the bar for a cocktail and, for me, the first of many many Greek salads. Tasty. They just don't have the same feta here. And they don't feel the need to throw lettuce in the mix either. Just cukes, tomatoes, olives (which I pick around), onions, and a nice square of feta - all in one piece. No comparison to the "famous Greek salad" at Port of Piraeus, a block from my office. One interesting thing to note about the Divinas, however. Their version of a king bed is two twins pushed together (okay, not that uncommon). What IS uncommon is that the two twins have separate sheets. So basically, Shawn and I slept dorm room style. Weird. The hotel had the most fantastic breakfast buffet, and the best of the entire trip by a mile. Among the sausages, pastries, fruits, eggs, etc., they had a little "Greek Corner," and nestled among some olives and tomatoes with feta was some kind of Greek cream pie. FANTASTIC! It was like a giant slab of baklava cut into squares but instead of nut filling had a cream custard. I was in love with this so-called "breakfast" and forfeited all of the other options once I tasted it.
So our first real day in Athens, we went on a ½ day tour that included the Olympic Stadium (not ancient - actually it was the first modern Olympic Stadium and was built in 1880), the Temple of Zeus, and the Akropolis. We learned that there are a ton of dogs just hanging around Athens. We saw some puppies at the Temple of Zeus, just chilling next to one of the broken columns. The Akropolis is a bit of a hike, but it is really stunning to see in person. There is detail, especially around the top of the Parthenon, that you can't really see unless you're up close.
I have heard Athens described in a negative way as a "concrete jungle." That does not do it justice at all.
I am the same way with writing. When I am in the bookstore/giftshop/cardshop/whatever, I like to examine the various writers' tools they display. I especially like the blank "journals" with the cute or sophisticated covers, and quite a few of them have found their way home with me, where they are doomed to sit on a shelf and continue their lives of total blankness. They never stood a chance.
What brings this up now? Today, I was searching through the "Work in Progress" folder in my e-mail. And there I saw it - my travel log of the first 3 days of my 14 day honeymoon. Let's face it: there's no way I'm going to finish it. So what the heck. I'm posting it here. Go Athens! (because that's all you get).
******
Day 1: En Route:
If you're running a travel agency, here's a great way to spread the good reputation: book flights on Alitalia from Washington, D.C. to Athens with a SEVEN HOUR layover in Milan. Good times. I made the mistake of packing my glasses in my checked luggage before I thought about the fact that I would be wearing my contact lenses for a good 20 hours with no chance of reprieve since the "no liquids" carry-on rule went into effect. Fortunately for me, Shawn and I managed to smuggle on some rewetting drops from the newsstand and some makeshift lens cases (ear plug containers). Unfortunately for me, the glasses were still checked. So what this meant was that, when I decided I couldn't wear those contacts for another minute, I was hanging out in the Milan airport at 6:00 a.m. almost completely blind. I felt like Elisabeth Shue's friend in Adventures in Babysitting, minus the rat. Thankfully, Shawn is resourceful and managed to get us into a 25 euro/person "lounge." We headed straight for the la-z-boys and caught a 5 ½ hour nap. But that SUCKED!!
Day 2-3: Athens:
We arrived in Athens in the early evening. We did not realize this, but the Athens airport is NOT close to the Akropolis. At all. We passed a number of shady looking hotels and prayed that they were not our accommodations. At this point, we had no idea really what to expect. Finally, the driver pulled up to the hotel, and it was wonderful. The Divinas Akropolis. Shawn and I checked into our room and then went down to the bar for a cocktail and, for me, the first of many many Greek salads. Tasty. They just don't have the same feta here. And they don't feel the need to throw lettuce in the mix either. Just cukes, tomatoes, olives (which I pick around), onions, and a nice square of feta - all in one piece. No comparison to the "famous Greek salad" at Port of Piraeus, a block from my office. One interesting thing to note about the Divinas, however. Their version of a king bed is two twins pushed together (okay, not that uncommon). What IS uncommon is that the two twins have separate sheets. So basically, Shawn and I slept dorm room style. Weird. The hotel had the most fantastic breakfast buffet, and the best of the entire trip by a mile. Among the sausages, pastries, fruits, eggs, etc., they had a little "Greek Corner," and nestled among some olives and tomatoes with feta was some kind of Greek cream pie. FANTASTIC! It was like a giant slab of baklava cut into squares but instead of nut filling had a cream custard. I was in love with this so-called "breakfast" and forfeited all of the other options once I tasted it.
So our first real day in Athens, we went on a ½ day tour that included the Olympic Stadium (not ancient - actually it was the first modern Olympic Stadium and was built in 1880), the Temple of Zeus, and the Akropolis. We learned that there are a ton of dogs just hanging around Athens. We saw some puppies at the Temple of Zeus, just chilling next to one of the broken columns. The Akropolis is a bit of a hike, but it is really stunning to see in person. There is detail, especially around the top of the Parthenon, that you can't really see unless you're up close.
I have heard Athens described in a negative way as a "concrete jungle." That does not do it justice at all.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Accountability
I try very hard not to be cynical about the future of our "society." I don't long for the days of yesteryear; I don't whine that I had it rough compared to "kids today." I refuse to believe that "society" is headed down the crapper. But I do have a problem with something I saw on the Today Show this morning: attacking McDonald's for allegedly targeting advertising to children. I'm not knocking the Today Show exactly. It was during the "fluff" 8:00 hour. And the coverage wasn't one sided. Donny Deutsch staunchly defended McDonald's while some frumpy woman in charge of some human interest group gave her sob story about how McDonald's is contributing to the obesity of American children and how it should take responsibility for its role in doing so. I'm sorry, but no. I'm not pinning this one on McDonald's, Lady.
When was the last time little Timmy rode his Big Wheel to McDonald's all by himself and purchased a super-sized value meal with his own money? I'm willing to bet that it was never (and if I'm wrong, we have some bigger problems than childhood obesity at issue here). Advertising or not, there is something comforting about McDonald's food, and I think kids are naturally drawn to it. For me, growing up, it was a treat. And part of the reason it was a treat was because we did not eat McDonald's every day. And you know why we didn't? Because our parents didn't take us there every day. It's no secret that McDonald's is not the picture of health. But I don't think Happy Meals, consumed in moderation, are the devil. Kids enjoy McDonald's because it's tasty. But here's a crazy idea: maybe sometimes parents could just say no.
When was the last time little Timmy rode his Big Wheel to McDonald's all by himself and purchased a super-sized value meal with his own money? I'm willing to bet that it was never (and if I'm wrong, we have some bigger problems than childhood obesity at issue here). Advertising or not, there is something comforting about McDonald's food, and I think kids are naturally drawn to it. For me, growing up, it was a treat. And part of the reason it was a treat was because we did not eat McDonald's every day. And you know why we didn't? Because our parents didn't take us there every day. It's no secret that McDonald's is not the picture of health. But I don't think Happy Meals, consumed in moderation, are the devil. Kids enjoy McDonald's because it's tasty. But here's a crazy idea: maybe sometimes parents could just say no.
Hey Mon
Dreadlocks are not sexy. I don't understand dreadlocks - maybe (just maybe) they look nice the first day you get them but after a couple of days, it becomes nappy, matted and just plain nasty. How does one wash hair properly if they are in dreads - or do you even wash dreadlocked hair?
I recently saw a couple in one of the elevator bays of my building - they were young...MAYBE college age. The girl was cute - tall and slender. The guy was - well, I couldn't really tell behind his nappy-ass dreadlocks. He might have had a cute face but the hair was so distracting. All I kept thinking was, 'Why would anyone do that to their hair?' and 'How can she stand even kissing him and not being able to run her hands through his hair for fear they'll get tangled and lost in there?'
Thinking back to all the people I've seen with dreadlocks - Adam Duritz from Counting Crows, that guy from Rage Against the Machine, the Bauer's son at Purdue, Vanilla Ice in his 'not so great' years, and the crazy guy from the 7-Eleven (in my previous post)....all of them sported dreads....all of them looked not so good.
I just don't find it attractive - in fact, I find it kind of unsanitary. And what happens when they grow sick of the dreads? Does everything just get chopped off or do you have to try and get a de-tangler to get it back into some kind of order? Can you even get your finger to the scalp if you get an itch? How do you know some small creature is not living amongst your dreads?
So many questions about dreadlocks yet I don't really want to know because I think the look is hideous. No one can look good with dreadlocks...NO ONE!
I recently saw a couple in one of the elevator bays of my building - they were young...MAYBE college age. The girl was cute - tall and slender. The guy was - well, I couldn't really tell behind his nappy-ass dreadlocks. He might have had a cute face but the hair was so distracting. All I kept thinking was, 'Why would anyone do that to their hair?' and 'How can she stand even kissing him and not being able to run her hands through his hair for fear they'll get tangled and lost in there?'
Thinking back to all the people I've seen with dreadlocks - Adam Duritz from Counting Crows, that guy from Rage Against the Machine, the Bauer's son at Purdue, Vanilla Ice in his 'not so great' years, and the crazy guy from the 7-Eleven (in my previous post)....all of them sported dreads....all of them looked not so good.
I just don't find it attractive - in fact, I find it kind of unsanitary. And what happens when they grow sick of the dreads? Does everything just get chopped off or do you have to try and get a de-tangler to get it back into some kind of order? Can you even get your finger to the scalp if you get an itch? How do you know some small creature is not living amongst your dreads?
So many questions about dreadlocks yet I don't really want to know because I think the look is hideous. No one can look good with dreadlocks...NO ONE!
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Sleepy Town
I liked the idea of eight cop cars showing up at 7-Eleven for an unarmed brawl. This to me means that Arlington has no shortage of cops patrolling. Also, if an unarmed brawl is the worst we get in a close-in "suburb" of one of the cities with the highest crime rates in the nation, we are doing pretty well. I could have used some popcorn, though. Or some junior mints.
Flirty Cop was also excited about the action, we could tell. He was the one who gave us our pre-printed statement forms and loaned me his nice pen to write down my story. Then when I returned the pen to "Sweaty Cop With Glasses Who Looks Like a Poor Man's 'Shep' From ER But With a Bigger Spare Tire" (more on him in my comments to Jen's earlier post), Flirty Cop gave him a hard time about it. He even joked around with an imitation swear word about the pen ("not only am I TOUGH, but look at me - I'm funny!!"). Flirty Cop also came up to us after Dreads was taken out in a police car and things were beginning to cool down. When he heard Jen say "hi" to her husband on the phone, he mistakenly thought she was talking to him and offered a cutesy "hi" back. I had to break it to him that she was not flirting with Flirty Cop but was instead just checking in with her significant other. That's right, Flirty Cop. She's TAKEN.
I learned something else from this experience. Save yourself from the false security a 7-Eleven clerk may seem to offer. This guy was completely worthless. A bystander was the one who called the cops. Clerk simply opened the door to the store, shrugged with a half smile, and went back to his station. Useless!
Flirty Cop was also excited about the action, we could tell. He was the one who gave us our pre-printed statement forms and loaned me his nice pen to write down my story. Then when I returned the pen to "Sweaty Cop With Glasses Who Looks Like a Poor Man's 'Shep' From ER But With a Bigger Spare Tire" (more on him in my comments to Jen's earlier post), Flirty Cop gave him a hard time about it. He even joked around with an imitation swear word about the pen ("not only am I TOUGH, but look at me - I'm funny!!"). Flirty Cop also came up to us after Dreads was taken out in a police car and things were beginning to cool down. When he heard Jen say "hi" to her husband on the phone, he mistakenly thought she was talking to him and offered a cutesy "hi" back. I had to break it to him that she was not flirting with Flirty Cop but was instead just checking in with her significant other. That's right, Flirty Cop. She's TAKEN.
I learned something else from this experience. Save yourself from the false security a 7-Eleven clerk may seem to offer. This guy was completely worthless. A bystander was the one who called the cops. Clerk simply opened the door to the store, shrugged with a half smile, and went back to his station. Useless!
Exciting Times at 7-11
Who says nothing exciting happens at the 7-11? Nobody, really, but I can safely say that Amanda and I can now attest that exciting things DO happen at the 7-11...not inside, but out in the parking lot.
Amanda and I headed to the Arlington 7-11 (off Wilson, for those of you in the same 'hood) for our after-dance Slurpees to cool down. We had to hang out inside for a bit because Amanda's Crystal Light flavor was still in the process of frostifying. Once finished, we filled up our Slurpees and started catching up on the previous week's happenings since Amanda was on vacay. We headed out of the 7-11 and stood by my car, which was parked directly in front of the 7-11 entrance and we stood facing the entire parking lot that also includes a dry cleaner. Amanda was parked in front of the dry cleaner.
So there we are, sipping on our Slurpees, just chatting and then we see a car, parked next to Amanda, start backing up. The driver (we'll call him 'Dreads') stops because another car was illegally parked perpendicular to his car. Dreads starts YELLING for someone to move the car blocking his. The driver of the second car (we'll call him 'Dad') was in 7-11...his wife and daughter were sitting in the car. The daughter finally gets out of the car and proceeds to retrieve Dad from 7-11. She looked too young to drive. While she's doing that, Dreads keeps yelling and eventually gets out of his car and opens the driver side door of Dad's car. I thought Dreads was going to get in and move the car himself...but instead, he bends down and starts yelling at the wife to move the car. My guess at this point was that the wife did not know how to drive. (Slurpee sip here.)
Anyways, the wife gets out of the car (for fear, I'm sure) and heads towards the 7-11. She's halfway there when Dad and daughter come out and start heading for the car. They proceed to their car but Dreads is in their path, looking like a wild man, with his arms swinging in all directions, closed fists. Amanda and I give eachother the, 'Uhhh - he's crazy' look and continue to sip our Slurpees. Dreads continues to yell, Dad starts approaching Dreads, the wife is yelling in Spanish for her husband not to fight and is in complete hysterics. I turn to Amanda and say, 'We are completely helpless. ' (Slurpee sip here.)
Dad is getting pissed that his wife is in the way. Dreads' arms keep flailing and could have easily hit the wife - but she was too worried about her husband getting in a fight. Finally, wife gets out of the way...game on. (Slurpee sip here.) Dreads and Dad circle eachother a few times with some yelling and the first punch goes to Dad - to the chin of Dreads. Dreads then tries to taunt Dad with some 'Karate Kid' hand moves and finally just lands a front kick to Dad's body. Dreads then runs for the side of the dry cleaners - I thought he was fleeing but I didn't hear any sirens. I was later told that he was probably going to look for a weapon....ahhh - wouldn't have guessed that. He returns empty handed, however, and they continue circling eachother until finally Cop 1 arrives. 10 seconds later, Cops 2 and 3 show up. 10 seconds after that, Cop 4 shows up. 15 seconds later, Cops 5 and 6 show up. A few more seconds and we've got Cops 7 and 8 out front. Yes, eight cop cars, total mayhem and Amanda's car is now blocked by cop cars. (Slurpee sip here.) It was like something out of the Blues Brothers - just a bunch of cop cars flying to the 7-11....must've been a "light" crime night in Arlington.
Dreads is handcuffed, Dad is handcuffed - yelling ensues all around...Dreads insists that he was attacked first. Ahhh, Dreads...if only you hadn't provoked Dad. Dreads then attempts to pull out the race card (Dreads is a black man, with nappy-ass dreadlocks) but in discussing it later, Amanda and I were like, 'Yeah, but Dad was Hispanic - doesn't that kind of equal itself out?' (Slurpee sip....what? I'm out of Slurpee....that was supposed to last me my ride home!)
Amanda and I are asked to document what we saw (our statements) and hand it in. I stay with Amanda until her car is no longer blocked by cops and we can both leave 7-11 safely. Not even 5 minutes in the car, on the way home, Amanda calls and we begin to discuss the events that unfolded at the 7-11 - it was so exciting, we agreed. I was hoping to get subpoenaed so I could get a day off work....but I doubt much will come out of it. We shall see.
I will let Amanda convey the story of sweaty cop's misuse of assault vs battery and one of the cops that was flirting with us until he probably figured out we were both married (via me talking to my husband on the phone and Amanda wearing her wedding ring)....
Amanda and I headed to the Arlington 7-11 (off Wilson, for those of you in the same 'hood) for our after-dance Slurpees to cool down. We had to hang out inside for a bit because Amanda's Crystal Light flavor was still in the process of frostifying. Once finished, we filled up our Slurpees and started catching up on the previous week's happenings since Amanda was on vacay. We headed out of the 7-11 and stood by my car, which was parked directly in front of the 7-11 entrance and we stood facing the entire parking lot that also includes a dry cleaner. Amanda was parked in front of the dry cleaner.
So there we are, sipping on our Slurpees, just chatting and then we see a car, parked next to Amanda, start backing up. The driver (we'll call him 'Dreads') stops because another car was illegally parked perpendicular to his car. Dreads starts YELLING for someone to move the car blocking his. The driver of the second car (we'll call him 'Dad') was in 7-11...his wife and daughter were sitting in the car. The daughter finally gets out of the car and proceeds to retrieve Dad from 7-11. She looked too young to drive. While she's doing that, Dreads keeps yelling and eventually gets out of his car and opens the driver side door of Dad's car. I thought Dreads was going to get in and move the car himself...but instead, he bends down and starts yelling at the wife to move the car. My guess at this point was that the wife did not know how to drive. (Slurpee sip here.)
Anyways, the wife gets out of the car (for fear, I'm sure) and heads towards the 7-11. She's halfway there when Dad and daughter come out and start heading for the car. They proceed to their car but Dreads is in their path, looking like a wild man, with his arms swinging in all directions, closed fists. Amanda and I give eachother the, 'Uhhh - he's crazy' look and continue to sip our Slurpees. Dreads continues to yell, Dad starts approaching Dreads, the wife is yelling in Spanish for her husband not to fight and is in complete hysterics. I turn to Amanda and say, 'We are completely helpless. ' (Slurpee sip here.)
Dad is getting pissed that his wife is in the way. Dreads' arms keep flailing and could have easily hit the wife - but she was too worried about her husband getting in a fight. Finally, wife gets out of the way...game on. (Slurpee sip here.) Dreads and Dad circle eachother a few times with some yelling and the first punch goes to Dad - to the chin of Dreads. Dreads then tries to taunt Dad with some 'Karate Kid' hand moves and finally just lands a front kick to Dad's body. Dreads then runs for the side of the dry cleaners - I thought he was fleeing but I didn't hear any sirens. I was later told that he was probably going to look for a weapon....ahhh - wouldn't have guessed that. He returns empty handed, however, and they continue circling eachother until finally Cop 1 arrives. 10 seconds later, Cops 2 and 3 show up. 10 seconds after that, Cop 4 shows up. 15 seconds later, Cops 5 and 6 show up. A few more seconds and we've got Cops 7 and 8 out front. Yes, eight cop cars, total mayhem and Amanda's car is now blocked by cop cars. (Slurpee sip here.) It was like something out of the Blues Brothers - just a bunch of cop cars flying to the 7-11....must've been a "light" crime night in Arlington.
Dreads is handcuffed, Dad is handcuffed - yelling ensues all around...Dreads insists that he was attacked first. Ahhh, Dreads...if only you hadn't provoked Dad. Dreads then attempts to pull out the race card (Dreads is a black man, with nappy-ass dreadlocks) but in discussing it later, Amanda and I were like, 'Yeah, but Dad was Hispanic - doesn't that kind of equal itself out?' (Slurpee sip....what? I'm out of Slurpee....that was supposed to last me my ride home!)
Amanda and I are asked to document what we saw (our statements) and hand it in. I stay with Amanda until her car is no longer blocked by cops and we can both leave 7-11 safely. Not even 5 minutes in the car, on the way home, Amanda calls and we begin to discuss the events that unfolded at the 7-11 - it was so exciting, we agreed. I was hoping to get subpoenaed so I could get a day off work....but I doubt much will come out of it. We shall see.
I will let Amanda convey the story of sweaty cop's misuse of assault vs battery and one of the cops that was flirting with us until he probably figured out we were both married (via me talking to my husband on the phone and Amanda wearing her wedding ring)....
Monday, August 6, 2007
Nicknames
I love a good nickname. I had this gym coach in the fourth grade who gave nicknames to a few of the students. I can't remember any of the good ones, but I do remember that they weren't given to everyone and that if you got one, you should feel special. And I did feel special when, halfway through the year, he dubbed me "Funnel" (for my affinity for playing "Funnel Ball" at recess - this one was not particularly creative, but beggers can't be choosers).
In college, nicknames were big in my sorority. You had the standard last name-based nicknames. Some were simply the last name - others were variations, sometimes just shortened last names or words that rhymed with the name. Some stuck; others didn't. My personal favorite was this girl a year behind me. She seemed a little shy at first and didn't talk very much. One night, early on in the first semester living in the house, she went to Burger King with a few other girls. One of the other girls had mustard on the side of her mouth or something, so the others were kind of kidding her about it. Without missing a beat, the shy girl picked up an open packet of ketchup, smeared it on her own cheek, and said, "That's okay. I have ketchup on my face." She was henceforth known as "Ketch."
There are also the nicknames unbeknownst to the people on whom they are based (see “Henry Winkler” from my post on hip hop, for example). My friend Jen from Austin was also really good with these. For instance, I dated a guy named Chad who was good looking but rarely spoke. The guy barely cracked a smile during a viewing of American Pie. We called him "Silent Chad." Not really that original, but I still giggle a little to myself whenever I think about it. I dated another guy with a very early American sounding name, and we called him, "The Quaker." Jen dated a guy who was kind of a meathead. She started calling him “Face Painter” (think Puddy from Seinfeld – “Go Devils!!”).
She also started nicknaming another girlfriend's dates after food. There was a "biscuit" after a McDonald's breakfast drive thru incident and some other good ones too (which I can't, for the life of me, recall). Then she tried to name the next date "Turkey Leg." No reason. Just that it would be funny. In the interest of making this work, she tried to talk her girlfriend into taking the date to a Renaissance Festival or Medieval Times. Sadly, that did not transpire. But hey - I still love "Turkey Leg." Because I love a good nickname.
In college, nicknames were big in my sorority. You had the standard last name-based nicknames. Some were simply the last name - others were variations, sometimes just shortened last names or words that rhymed with the name. Some stuck; others didn't. My personal favorite was this girl a year behind me. She seemed a little shy at first and didn't talk very much. One night, early on in the first semester living in the house, she went to Burger King with a few other girls. One of the other girls had mustard on the side of her mouth or something, so the others were kind of kidding her about it. Without missing a beat, the shy girl picked up an open packet of ketchup, smeared it on her own cheek, and said, "That's okay. I have ketchup on my face." She was henceforth known as "Ketch."
There are also the nicknames unbeknownst to the people on whom they are based (see “Henry Winkler” from my post on hip hop, for example). My friend Jen from Austin was also really good with these. For instance, I dated a guy named Chad who was good looking but rarely spoke. The guy barely cracked a smile during a viewing of American Pie. We called him "Silent Chad." Not really that original, but I still giggle a little to myself whenever I think about it. I dated another guy with a very early American sounding name, and we called him, "The Quaker." Jen dated a guy who was kind of a meathead. She started calling him “Face Painter” (think Puddy from Seinfeld – “Go Devils!!”).
She also started nicknaming another girlfriend's dates after food. There was a "biscuit" after a McDonald's breakfast drive thru incident and some other good ones too (which I can't, for the life of me, recall). Then she tried to name the next date "Turkey Leg." No reason. Just that it would be funny. In the interest of making this work, she tried to talk her girlfriend into taking the date to a Renaissance Festival or Medieval Times. Sadly, that did not transpire. But hey - I still love "Turkey Leg." Because I love a good nickname.
Organic: It's All Fun and Games Until Someone Eats a Worm
Unless you've been living in a cave for the last five years, you have probably noticed the rapidly expanding trend of "organic" foods. If you decide, for example, that you'd like to pay triple the price for a couple of cucumbers, organic is the way to go. But let me make my case for some good old fashioned pesticides.
Last week, on vacation, the "girls" of my family (mom, sister-in-law, aunt, cousin, cousin's daughter, and I) went for a nice lunch at the Jordan Pond House in Acadia National Park. The Jordan Pond House is best known for its beautiful location and "tea and popovers" on the lawn. From what I understand, it used to be pretty upscale. Now, while still expensive, it caters more to hikers and other random tourists. It says something about a tourist attraction that my Maine native relatives are still willing to go along for the ride. In other words, the Jordan Pond House is always worth a trip. On this particular occasion, we all decided to do lunch dishes with a side of popovers. I opted for a spring mix salad; my sister-in-law got a chicken sandwich with a little side salad, chips, and a pickle. We were probably halfway through our dishes when my sister-in-law got this panicked look on her face and started shaking her head and frantically waving her hands. At first I thought, "perhaps she has encountered a bee (the Jordan Pond House is notorious for attracting them)." Nope. No bee here. Instead, hovering near the pickle on her plate, was a tiny little worm. Understandably grossed out, we called the waiter over to remove the plate. He barely reacted to the incident of the worm - he just laughed a little uncomfortably and cleared her plate as requested. My sister-in-law still had half of her sandwich left and instinctively removed the sandwich from the plate to set it aside, even though her lunch at that point was clearly over. I did not personally experience the worm, but I too was done. I set my fork down in my partially consumed salad and called it a day.
When we got the bill, we were not surprised (given the waiter's reaction) but were a little appalled that the chicken sandwich was still included. Frankly, my salad shouldn't have been on there either, as I was not able to enjoy it once we saw the worm. So we called over a granola-looking guy with a headset to explain our situation. He was fairly friendly, was indeed a manager, and listened to our story about the worm. Instead of saying, "I am SO SORRY," he shrugged and proudly replied, "Yeah, that happens. All of our produce is organic, and we get it from local farmers. So we do encounter those from time-to-time. We'll take it off the bill." Evidently, we should not have been so freaked out by the worm because it is ORGANIC. We then joked that the worm was probably so sick of being forced into an organic lifestyle that he was headed straight for the transfats (aka chips). But in all seriousness: instead of being grossed out in this situation, we're supposed to applaud the Jordan Pond House for using organic products, which we didn't even ask for? Does using organic products mean you don't have to wash your lettuce? I don't think so. "Organic" is not a free pass to serve unacceptable food. Please pass the pesticides.
Last week, on vacation, the "girls" of my family (mom, sister-in-law, aunt, cousin, cousin's daughter, and I) went for a nice lunch at the Jordan Pond House in Acadia National Park. The Jordan Pond House is best known for its beautiful location and "tea and popovers" on the lawn. From what I understand, it used to be pretty upscale. Now, while still expensive, it caters more to hikers and other random tourists. It says something about a tourist attraction that my Maine native relatives are still willing to go along for the ride. In other words, the Jordan Pond House is always worth a trip. On this particular occasion, we all decided to do lunch dishes with a side of popovers. I opted for a spring mix salad; my sister-in-law got a chicken sandwich with a little side salad, chips, and a pickle. We were probably halfway through our dishes when my sister-in-law got this panicked look on her face and started shaking her head and frantically waving her hands. At first I thought, "perhaps she has encountered a bee (the Jordan Pond House is notorious for attracting them)." Nope. No bee here. Instead, hovering near the pickle on her plate, was a tiny little worm. Understandably grossed out, we called the waiter over to remove the plate. He barely reacted to the incident of the worm - he just laughed a little uncomfortably and cleared her plate as requested. My sister-in-law still had half of her sandwich left and instinctively removed the sandwich from the plate to set it aside, even though her lunch at that point was clearly over. I did not personally experience the worm, but I too was done. I set my fork down in my partially consumed salad and called it a day.
When we got the bill, we were not surprised (given the waiter's reaction) but were a little appalled that the chicken sandwich was still included. Frankly, my salad shouldn't have been on there either, as I was not able to enjoy it once we saw the worm. So we called over a granola-looking guy with a headset to explain our situation. He was fairly friendly, was indeed a manager, and listened to our story about the worm. Instead of saying, "I am SO SORRY," he shrugged and proudly replied, "Yeah, that happens. All of our produce is organic, and we get it from local farmers. So we do encounter those from time-to-time. We'll take it off the bill." Evidently, we should not have been so freaked out by the worm because it is ORGANIC. We then joked that the worm was probably so sick of being forced into an organic lifestyle that he was headed straight for the transfats (aka chips). But in all seriousness: instead of being grossed out in this situation, we're supposed to applaud the Jordan Pond House for using organic products, which we didn't even ask for? Does using organic products mean you don't have to wash your lettuce? I don't think so. "Organic" is not a free pass to serve unacceptable food. Please pass the pesticides.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
I Recommend
I don't know anyone growing up who didn't get excited about school being out for the summer. I was no exception. But even though "school" was over, one of the things I really looked forward to at the start of summer was the "summer reading list." I couldn't help it, I was just a little bookworm (don't get me wrong - I could still watch the Smurfs for hours and was not one of those scary kids who only played indoors). I couldn't wait to hit the library to pick out my books. In some ways, I have carried on the tradition and find I crave reading material in the summer months.
Most of the time, I am disappointed. As much as I love crap t.v., I expect a little more out of the books I read. And this is a hard expectation to meet, as I am typically tempted by titles falling into the "chick lit" genre. I recently picked up "Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married," for example, and I confess I found it kind of crummy. Same thing for this book called "Bookends." That one couldn't end fast enough. But when I was picking up my 3 for the price of 2 novels at Borders a few weeks ago, I happened upon a book entitled, "Love Walked In," by Marisa de los Santos. The cover kind of resembles the cover to "The Time Traveler's Wife" - it shows a girl from about the waist down, focusing on her skirt, knee socks and her mary janes. One of the raves on the back cover was from Sarah Jessica Parker, and that was enough for me. I started reading and finished the book a few days ago, and I was in love. You know the kind of book that you want to keep around to reread a few of your favorite passages? The kind of book whose characters are still swimming around in your head when you lie down to sleep at night? This is that book. I highly recommend!
Most of the time, I am disappointed. As much as I love crap t.v., I expect a little more out of the books I read. And this is a hard expectation to meet, as I am typically tempted by titles falling into the "chick lit" genre. I recently picked up "Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married," for example, and I confess I found it kind of crummy. Same thing for this book called "Bookends." That one couldn't end fast enough. But when I was picking up my 3 for the price of 2 novels at Borders a few weeks ago, I happened upon a book entitled, "Love Walked In," by Marisa de los Santos. The cover kind of resembles the cover to "The Time Traveler's Wife" - it shows a girl from about the waist down, focusing on her skirt, knee socks and her mary janes. One of the raves on the back cover was from Sarah Jessica Parker, and that was enough for me. I started reading and finished the book a few days ago, and I was in love. You know the kind of book that you want to keep around to reread a few of your favorite passages? The kind of book whose characters are still swimming around in your head when you lie down to sleep at night? This is that book. I highly recommend!
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