Olive Garden or Grape Garden?

An observation...

Look at the Olive Garden logo. I see grapes...not olives. Isn't that strange? But then again, I could be wrong. I don't like olives, and I'm not really sure what they look like outside of a jar.

Gucci Pumps

Gucci shoes ($495 for this particular pair - Malibu Mid Heel Sandal)...they may be on the Christmas list of someone you know. If this is the case, please note the following (this goes for any Gucci shoe...and this is straight from saks.com):

DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND, A CUSTOMER MAY ORDER NO MORE THAN THREE UNITS OF THIS ITEM EVERY THIRTY DAYS.

So...plan accordingly.

Christmas Candy

I love Christmas candy. It's the time of year when mint chocolate makes it's annual appearance. This, however, is not about mint chocolate. I got the most awesome piece of Christmas candy this past week - and I thought I'd share it with you. It doesn't have the generic or boring messages that Christmas candy usually has...you know, like "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays"...instead it says...

"I promise to do better next year."

Awesome. Got it from my Secret Santa. She must know me pretty well...

My Secret Santa Strikes Again!

And again, he/she is trying to kill me. The latest weapon?

Peanut M&Ms in a tube.

Death in a tube.

With big ol' smile on it's face.

Sad Secret Santa Story

My office plays Secret Santa every year, so we're in the middle of it for this year. It's weird this year because there are so many new people in our office. And since there are so many new people, not everyone knows I'm allergic to peanuts.

I'm guessing that the person who got me is new, because I've gotten peanut butter candy from him/her twice already...the second time was this morning. I opened the door to my office and caught a whiff of the chocolate peanut butter bells that were on my desk. Nice thought, sweet gift, but OMG. This happened at 7:55 a.m. and it is now 9:25 a.m. I'm still sneezing, coughing and sniffling.

I felt bad, but I had to bring the candy out and give it to others in the office, then had to leave my office door open so I could air the office out and breathe.

Poor monkey. No laughing this morning. I'll post later with a funnier story.

My Injury...Dancing With The Stars

It's taken me a couple days to get over the shock of who won Dancing With The Stars - Season 5. But I'm still recovering from the injury that I received while watching the results show. Injury, you ask? Yes, I was injured during the results show.

I was happily watching the show on Tuesday - it was a two hour finale - and exercising on my stationary bike to feel a little more productive. Towards the end of the show something distracted me, and I lost my concentration (on the biking part). I banged my knee on the metal magazine holder. Ouch, right? Yeah, I'm clumsy, so I'm kinda used to that. What I didn't know was that I hit my knee so hard that it cut my knee - yep, drew blood. And the injured area was so swollen that it was barely bruised! I'd post a picture, but I thought I'd spare you.

So there you have it. I cut myself on a bike that doesn't even move. I'd warn you to be careful on these bikes, but I think this could only happen to me.

More Christmas Cheer!

This time, it's about the Salvation Army. This is not to make fun of the organization, just the one person that I saw at the supermarket last night. Usually they have a volunteer who stands in front of the store with the donation bucket and rings a bell.

The guy that I saw last night was the lazy version of that. He sat there next to his bucket, with a wind chime next to him. He occasionally pulled at the string to make the wind chimes sound, but most of the time, it was the wind doing the actual work. Way to give your all to the cause! :)

Speaking of Christmas Shoes...

My brother shared with me his perspective on the song (Christmas Shoes). And no, he was not trying to tell me how wonderfully sweet the little boy was. Here's his take...

The song is about a salesman-in-training...someone that my brother would like to hire. He admires the little boy's entrepreneurial spirit - going out to buy something that is initially out of his price range, but using his persuasive techniques to have complete strangers contribute to a cause that they know little about. Not only that, the kid says "Could you hurry sir..." Not only is the kid convincing strangers to give him money, he's tellin them to hurry up!

Who would've thought that this song could relay so many different messages...

Stephen Colbert doesn't support Halloween because he believes that it is panhandling...and that it is training children to be beggars. I wonder if he'd think the same thing about this song.

Jim Brickman

My apologies to the talented Jim Brickman, but everytime I hear the introduction to his arrangement of "Angels We Have Heard on High," I think that it is the introduction to the socially irresponsible song "Christmas Shoes" and I start to get irritated.

But if you ever talk to him, please assure him that I really do enjoy his arrangement...once I get over the thoughts of Christmas Shoes.

Time to Cook!

In all the years that I have played around (and cooked) in the kitchen, I've never owned an apron! This year, that has changed. I bought myself an apron...and not any old apron, a Williams-Sonoma apron! It kinda looks like this...

...but it's a pale green. I bought it a couple months ago, but I haven't used it yet. I'll be using it this week as I cook for Thanksgiving...and pre-Thanksgiving! :) Good luck to everyone in their cooking endeavors this week!

Mmm... Vegetables!

Green Giant has new products that will help you trick your kids (or yourself) into eating vegetables! The first ones are called GiantBites - "nuggets" of broccoli and cheese or corn and butter that are breaded to disguise them!

They also have cartoons (SpongeBob and Dora) on bags of frozen veggies so the kids will see them and beg you to buy them! And they've set up a website for kids so they can play and be tricked even further into eating vegetables!

Our lesson today: Don't forget to eat your veggies! :)

My Drivers License Renewal

2:55 - Enter DMV and jump into line, fill out my renewal form, and wait for my turn at the counter.

After I was called, I handed the lady my forms, she updated my information, then said, "Alright...time to test your vision...do you wear glasses or contacts?"
Me: "Umm...[squinting]...I was trying to do it without them..." - I had actually even tried practicing at an empty counter before they called my number.
DMV lady: [starting to chuckle] "Oh, okay, go ahead...right up there..."[pointing to the chart on the other side of the building!!]
Me: [thinking, 'awwww, crap, it's too far!!'] "I guess I DO need them."

I've never seen a government employee laugh so hard on the job. It was so nice of her to humor me.

3:12 p.m. - Leave DMV with a new driver's license! I love the DMV! :)

Silver Springs, MD - Jr. Food Tour

This past week, I was in Maryland for a conference. I was lucky to have a cousin to take me out on a little food tour. Here's how it went...

We had dinner at a lounge named Local 16. It was the first time that I have gotten carded without actually wanting to. I actually didn't even understand the guy when he asked to see my ID. It's Zagat-rated...and it was some good eating. When I tried to pay the bill, I learned that my cousin had the reflexes of a cat. She cleared off half the table when she reached for the bill. She sent the salt and pepper shakers flying off the table into my lap (I guess that's what I get for trying to get the bill), and emptied her wallet onto the floor. It was awesome. The waitress started laughing and stayed to chat a little. We found out that she's from Poland, and is learning Spanish so she could visit Brazil...where they speak Portugese. Go figure.

Then we went for dessert at Cosi. We had make-your-own smores...with graham crackers and giant Oreos. So fun.

End of meal...time to shop for food.

Whenever I'm on the East Coast, there's one thing that I look for to bring back with me - Drake's Coffee Cakes. Yes, I know that you can buy them on the internets (no, not "internet"), but I'm too cheap to pay for shipping. So I shop for these lovely treats whenever I can. This usually means a trip to the grocery store with my friends who live in the areas that I visit. My cousin had never heard of these delicious wonders, THEN she decided to take me on a hunt to find them so I could bring them home. Here's how our trip went:

CVS Pharmacy
- Only had Hostess and TastyKake treats. Next...

Giant Supermarket
- YEAH - Drake's Display. Oh. No cakes...Only other Drake's stuff. Gotta try again...

Rite Aid
- Same as CVS. Hmm...starting to suck for me...

7-11
- Nope. Nothing. Not even Simpson stuff. Onward...

Safeway
- CLOSED. What supermarket closes before 11 p.m.???? Argh...Starting to get discouraged...

GIANT #2 - Our Last Hope
- Location: 5 minutes away from her house

- Yessssss. 8 boxes of cakes!! How many should I buy??
- Supermarket Voice: "Attention Giant customers: The time is now 10:55, and we will be closing in 5 minutes. Please make your selections and proceed to the front counter. Thank you."
- Cousin: All EIGHT...hurry, I'll help you!

So there you have it. I came home with 8 boxes of coffee cakes. Half of them have been claimed by the family. Four more to go. Luckily I'll be back on the East Coast in March. :)

Airplane Seats

Okay, so you've probably heard the debate about whether airlines should charge their larger customers to purchase two seats. I've always sided with the larger customer when it came to these debates...up until yesterday...when the perspective changed a bit...

Wanna know why? Get ready - this story requires audience participation.

I was sitting on my plane, getting ready to fly back to Los Angeles from Houston (my layover from DC) last night. In our row of three seats, there was a larger lady sitting in the window seat, an empty seat, and me sitting in the aisle seat. We were so happy! We were going to have some extra room in our row to relax on the way home! (audience: applause) But then came the standby passengers (audience: BOO! HISS!). Two of them. A skinny guy and a bigger lady. Which do you think chose to sit with us in our row? (audience: choose an answer)

If you guessed NOT the skinny guy, you are CORRECT! Do you know what that meant for me? I spent a whole three hours getting pushed into the aisle (since she hung her arm over the armrest and took some of my seat), which means that I got hit by the drink cart and by the attendants. I was also sporadically poked by this lady's elbow (she was right-handed and doing Sudoku the whole trip back).

So anyway, I've kinda changed my mind about the whole paying for two seats debate. Instead, I think that the airlines should create bigger seats and make everyone happy. I might revert back to my old decision once my body realigns and the sympathy from my heart can once again reach my head.

Fortune Cookies - Beware!

For those of you who enjoy reading nice fortunes at the end of your delicious Chinese meal, beware! Fortune cookie makers (Wonton Food of New York) are starting to add bad fortunes to their fortune database. If you don't believe me, read it for yourself!

Maybe it's a good time to stop believing in those good fortunes (did you really think that you're so fortunate?! :)).

RoseGreen Frozen Yogurt

And in the city of Glendale, it goes by the name of RoseGreen (on Brand Blvd between Lexington and California streets)!

There are others, like Dolci Mango, but my tastebuds prefer the RoseGreen products. If you're a Pinkberry hater, this may be the place for you. The differences? They use Captain Crunch with Crunch Berries (yay), and THERE'S PARKING AVAILABLE! (Pinkberry=no parking, hence the hate from me)

At RoseGreen, you can see what all the fuss is about, and you don't have to give any of your money to the Pinkberry empire. The only difference is....they offer more than just the plain and green tea flavors. Yesterday, my sissy and I tried their raspberry - which was pretty good, but I still prefer the plain.

They're party of the Los Angeles frozen yogurt wars (check the article if you wish!).

Bling H2O

So I'm almost over the Evian superstar water, and I was getting back to my normal cravings for regular bottled and tap water (hmm...but they're the same thing, right?). Along comes my friend Donald to introduce me to the latest thing on my wish list - Bling H2O! Apparently this is Paris Hilton's water of choice, and it was featured at this year's Emmy after parties. Check it out - and laugh at the ridiculousness! :)

Frosted glass bottles...Swarovski crystals...can't wait to taste the water!! Hahah...then fill it with my regular tap water! :)

San Diego Junior Food Tour

So, a few of us were down in San Diego for a few days and decided to make a little food tour out of it. The two establishments worth mentioning are...Sammy's Woodfired Pizza and MaggieMoo's Ice Cream and Treatery.



According to my fellow diners, the Mahi Mahi Tacos were the best they've ever had, and the BBQ chicken pizza was pretty awesome - CPK-esque, but a more smokey barbeque sauce and big chunks of chicken instead of the slices that CPK adds. They're also known for their Messy Sundae...and their Kobe Beef sliders! This is what our plates looked like after the meal...






MaggieMoo's is similar to ColdStone Creamery - without the unnecessary complicated ordering system - and more base flavors to choose from. They also specialize in ice cream cupcakes!



Ice cream cupcakes. What a concept. Gonna have to try to make those...

Beacon (Asian Cafe - Los Angeles)

That's actually the name of the next restaurant that I need to try. Okay, Los Angeles food bloggers...any of you who have been here, let me know what you thought! Unless you think I should go there having heard no opinions.

For you all that are curious about the place, check it here.

The Baboon and The Chicken

Man, these are starting to sound like Aesop's Fables! But they're not. They're real stories about the monkey community.

A baboon in a Lithuanian zoo has taken a chicken under his "wing" (I'm so clever!). The chicken was going to become food for other zoo residents, but he ran away and found safety with Mr. Baboon. Read more here...

Free Popcorn!

October is National Popcorn Month!

To celebrate, Dale & Thomas is offering free popcorn - all you need to do is pay for shipping. Unfortunately, all of their stores are on the East Coast, so West Coasters, this is how you can get your gourmet popcorn fix! :)

They'll start shipping on October 1 (the official start of the Popcorn Month), but you can place your order now so you don't miss out.

Just clicky clicky for free popcorn!

The Monkey and the Pigeon

You read that right...it's a monkey story!!! Yes, I know, I haven't posted one in a while, but hey...it's been slow monkey news lately.



This baby monkey (a macaque...I think these monkeys are publicity whores) was abandoned by his mother and was rescued by an animal sanctuary in China. While his physical health improved, he was still depressed...until he found a friend...

Awww...so sweet! Baby Macaque is not so sad anymore! :)

Read more here.

The Dollyrots

Okay, this is kind of old news...but I meant to post it, so I'm gonna.

My sister's friend is in a band (The Dollyrots), and their song (Because I'm Awesome) was picked up by Kohl's to use in their new back-to-school commercial. Her friend, Luis, is the guy with blue hair :)

Enjoy!!



Want to see more Dollyrots? They'll be on GREEK on ABC on September 10 - check your TV Guide for times.

Back to the Future - Goodbye!

On Labor Day this year, we headed out to Universal Studios (Hollywood) to ride Back to the Future: The Ride for the last time before they closed the ride. We were lucky enough to get priority passes, so we waited until the park was almost closed before we jumped into line. As the crew member led us into the waiting room, he gave us the heads-up that it was 9 minutes until the ride closed. When we got into the De Lorean, I realized that I didn't remember ever riding this before...so I guess it was the first and last time for me. When the ride was finished, we walked outside and saw that the line was closed and a news crew was gathered in front of the entrance to take shots of this:

It was NBC, and I think my brother got in their shots, but none of us watched the news that night, so I guess we'll never know... :) So goodbye to Back to the Future: The Ride - now we're just waiting for The Simpsons Ride!

For the girls...

For you girls out there...I've added the Purse Buzz link for make-up and hair tips, deals, and freebies. Enjoy! :)

Air Guitars

A few years ago, I asked some people to start an air band with me. (I think it was inspired by David Spade on Just Shoot Me.) We made plans to start the air band, but never actually practiced. Little did I know that I could've been a great success all on my own...as an air guitar soloist...hahahaha!!!

A Japanese man won the Air Guitar World Championship for the second year in a row. Check it out if you so wish (warning: you may ask for those few seconds back). Oh, but what made me wonder was that this guy won a REAL guitar! What in the world is he going to do with a REAL guitar? He plays AIR guitar!!!!!

The Reason I Am Afraid of Dogs

...they're strange little things...

A dog chased me half way to work today (I walk to work). Lucky for me, it didn't actually chase me the whole time. Every time I looked at the dog, it would stop in its tracks. But everytime I had my back turned to the stupid thing and started walking again, it started running full force to catch up. I'm sure it was quite a show for the people that were driving by me.

Go ahead and laugh. I would too, if it wasn't me. Just don't expect me to start liking dogs any time soon.

Tim Tam Slam

(Just in case you need it, Steamy!)

If you ever get your hands on Tim Tams - the oh-so-wonderful chocolate-covered Australian biscuit - you have got to try eating them the Australian way...using the Tim Tam Slam!

Mmm....so messy, but so good! If you think you're ready for this messy adventure, head on over to your nearest Cost Plus World Market and look for them in the cookie section.

Enjoy!

Thrifty's Ice Cream

I LOVE this stuff! And I can't believe that there are people in this world who eat ice cream and have never heard of Thrifty's. Apparently, there are enough for me to start a list. If you find yourself on this list, that's pretty sad. Just to shield them from complete humiliation, I will only use their first name and last initial.

1. Stephanie L.
2. K.C. L.
3. LuxeAficionada

If you haven't tried Thrifty's Ice Cream, you need to be on this list. Drop me a comment and I'll add you. Who knows...maybe I'll send you a little gift...then I will be able to take you off this list! :) No liars allowed.

Oh, and if you comment and tell me your favorite Thrifty's flavor, you too may receive a nice little gift! Depends on the temperature out here in Loma Linda. If it's hot enough, maybe I'll buy you some ice cream :)

UPDATE: Too bad for the rest of y'all. The Free Ice Cream Bank is now CLOSED.

Message in a Candy Wrapper

I found this message in my candy wrapper - printed on foil in a fine orange print.

"Candy is a treat. Please consume in moderation."

Oh, yes, and this was AFTER I had finished the candy bar...ohwell, better luck next time.

New Snack: The Oreo Cakester

I'm lazy (this is a gross understatement...I'm close to being the epitome of lazy) and my doctor knows that. So recently, she asked me to exercise more...since I had an exercise bike in front of the TV. I've been good and listening to my doctor...I've actually worked out four time a week since then! You all should be so proud...

To counter this change in my lifestyle (you know, to bring balance back into my life), Nabisco has been kind enough to introduce a new product into my life - the Oreo Cakester. My sissy and I bought a box and tried it yesterday. Imagine an Oreo cookie sandwich, but with fluffy Oreo cake instead of the crunchy cookies, and a fluffier filling. It's sweet, but good! Definitely not for kids unless you want to get a workout chasing them.

Now I can't get the Oreo jingle out of my head... You can sing along - I know you want to!

"Oh, oh, oh...ice cold milk and an Oreo cookie..."

BTW, if you don't like the voice of the guy that sings the jingle, sing it yourself and win $10,000! :)

I've Been Simpsonized

Thanks to the Simpsons and Burger King.

Mmmm...Burger King. I think want some onion rings.

Guess I should've made my picture a FAT KID!

You can do it too, if you haven't already...clicky clicky!!

Low Maintenance Pets

Have you ever wanted a pet but were too lazy to take care of it?
Have you ever wanted an exotic pet but were too afraid that you wouldn't know how to take care of it?
Have you ever wanted a JUMBO pet?

If any of these questions resonate with you, I have found the perfect place for you to shop for your pet(s)! It's called This Place Is A Zoo. They specialize in realistic stuffed animals. Jumbo and exotic - I believe that is the specialty they claim.


These animals are too lazy to eat, so they just sit around all day lookin' pretty.

AND...you won't have to clean or feed them! Check them out - you might just find your perfect jumbo, exotic, lazy match!

Stephen Colbert OVERLOAD!

Okay, I don't know if you guys know this, but I'm a huge fan of Stephen Colbert... Therefore, I must share this AWESOME news...

If you have not yet had the pleasure of being entertained by this genius, FEAR NOT! He will be coming to DVD on November 6.

Mmm...just in time for my birthday! :) What wonderful timing, Dr. Stephen Colbert, D.F.A.! Well, okay, my birthday is November 8, but DVDs always come out on Tuesdays, so it would have to come out on the 6th, OKAY?!

Oh, and his book I AM AMERICA (and so can you!) is coming out in October - you can order it on Amazon.com!

You can read more about him at the Comedy Central website or at Colbert Nation! Enjoy!

Chocolate Squirrel

I haven't posted about an animal lately, so I'm going to try to make it up to you.

Once upon a time, there was a squirrel who liked chocolate. Everyday she would sneak into the nearby candymaker's shop to eat a piece of chocolate...but this was no ordinary chocolate...it was special. What made it special, you ask? It was wrapped in beautiful gold foil AND it had a surprise toy in the middle! She would carefully peel the gold foil off of the chocolate, eat the chocolate, and take the toy home! The End.

True story...I promise! If you don't believe me, read it here for yourself!

Idiots at New Line Cinema

Warning: If you work for New Line Cinema, this may be about you... since this is a real-life situation.

I was lucky enough to receive advanced screening passes for Hairspray at the AMC in Rancho Cucamonga at 7:30 p.m. on July 16, 2007. We got there at 6:00 p.m. to go stand in line, but found that there were already two line formed...one for hairstylists who got their advanced screening passes from Sebastian, and those who got them elsewhere (like me).

Long story short, they "invited" 500 people to the showing but only booked a 214-person theater. Sebastian hairstylists had preference, we didn't get in, and the idiots that were running the event didn't have the decency to tell us about the situation until AFTER the movie was supposed to start. People were standing in line for HOURS for this thing!

The moral of this story: Beware of New Line Cinema and their fake advanced screening passes! New Line Cinema sucks.

Newest Bubbly Favorites

Need a change from the spectacular sparkle of Martinelli's Sparkling Apple Cider?

Here are my new favorites!!!

Gavioli Sparkling Peach

(Also available in White Grape, Red Grape, Green Apple, and Summer Fruits)

...and...

Martinelli's Apple-Mango

(I'm still waiting to try the Martinelli's Apple-Peach.)

Both are a little more pricey...but totally worth it! :)

My Peanut Allergy and the Snickers Bar

Some people think that it's unfortunate that I am allergic to peanuts. Apparently I am missing out on some of the best food in the world (Pssh...Reese's Peanut Butter Cups....Peanut Butter Cookies....Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches...dessert pizzas with peanut butter...Snickers bars...peanut sauce...peanut dressing...blahblahblah).

Well...LET ME TELL YOU...there's only one snack on that list that makes me mad...SNICKERS! This is why...

They recently (in the past couple years) introduced a new addition to their candy bar family - Snickers Almond. Those devils, with their advertising trickery, led me to believe that I could finally eat a Snickers bar. I'm not usually super-conscientious when it comes to reading food labels, but I happened to read this one...and it said, "CONTAINS PEANUTS." Should they call it Snickers with peanuts and almonds? Snickers MIXED NUTS?! ARRRRRRGH!!!!! Oh well...another crushed dream.

So if you're ever with me shopping for candy, keep me away from Snickers Almond. Oh, and I'm allergic to hazelnuts too. I guess I'll just have to stick with the good ol' Twix - no, not the AWESOME Twix with Peanut Butter - and Kit Kat bars :)

Krispy Kreme - Multi-healthy Multi-grain

Back in March, Krispy Kreme introduced us to their Whole Wheat glazed doughnuts, which I must admit, were pretty darn good. Some of y'all must have thought the same thing because they're still there on the KK menu! Isn't it nice that they're looking out for our health?!

Well, good news, people! The good ol' folks at Krispy Kreme are at it again - with a new Multigrain cake doughnut! Seven hearty grains in these babies...here's a picture so you know what you're looking for...

So Now You're Married...

What do you do with the dress?

TRASH IT! It's not like you're going to wear it again. Plus, you'd get some AWESOME pictures!

Mark Eric has a site that does just that - and it was featured in the New York Times. Check it here...

Los Angeles Food Tour - July 2007

My mom, sister and cousin decided to take a little drive through Los Angeles this weekend to get ourselves Pinkberry and some cupcakes. As the cupcakes needed to be refrigerated, we went to Pinkberry first. The three others went to Pinkberry while ran into Beard Papa's right across the street - I decided that we needed some cream puffs from there. From there we went to Dainties Cupcakes to get some chocolate cupcakes with fresh whipped cream. Wow...a lot of sugar, huh?

On the way home, we decided to take the scenic route and drive through Beverly Hills...and managed to resist the temptation of Sprinkles (yummm...more cupcakes...the LA version of Magnolia Bakery in NY). But as we drove into Hollywood, my cousin got a craving for Filipino food. First pancit, then halo-halo, then chicken siopao. She said "chicken" just as I got to Sunset, which is a coincidence because Pioneer Chicken AND United Bakery (makers of some of the best siopao in Los Angeles) are both on Sunset. So, of course, we had to get some Pioneer Chicken and siopao. OKAY FAT KIDS - ENOUGH FOOD! Right? Right...

Finally, we start driving home when we all start talking about pandesal...and Betsy's Bakery is right down the street. My mom decides - yes, we should stop there and get some. Sadly, they did not have hot pandesal and we had to settle for some that was freshly baked...an hour before we got there. NOW we could go home.

And yes, we did make it home. We got home and unloaded all of the food from the car and decided to go to the mall....where there is more food. My brother called and said, "Hey, I heard you're in a place where there is some good food." This translated into "there's no food for dinner at home - let's go get Chinese Chicken Salad!" Yay Bread Winner - Glendale Galleria. Yum.

This is where our journey ended...it HAD to! And the only reason is because we now have no more room for food in our kitchen. The End!

Oh, and I went to Pinkberry again that night. :)

Mmm...Donuts...

The Simpsons Movie is coming out soon, and I'm lucky enough to live near one of the 7-11 stores that has transformed into a Kwik-E-Mart for the occasion. We stood in line for half an hour before the would let us in (had to wait for others to leave the store), and bought myself some good ol' Simpsons food - Buzz cola, Squishees, and, of course, the signature pink sprinkled donuts! The only sad thing was that they ran out of Krusty-Os. (Don't be jealous...all 7-11 stores sell the Simpsons food). If you're near one, you should check it out!

The donut got me thinking...which donut do most people choose as a representative of the quality of the other donuts in a store? I'm thinking it's their regular glazed raised (not cake) donut. But maybe it's the chocolate-glazed raised donut? Hmm...I better go buy some donuts to figure this one out... OR, you could just tell me I'm wrong and point me in the right direction.

Coldstone Creamery Complications

Yesterday, I had to rush over to Coldstone to buy a gift certificate for a co-worker's birthday. As I was standing in line, which was foreeeeeeeeeever, I got to listen in on the conversation at the counter. Apparently, it was the employee's first day, so she didn't know how to ring up coupons, which made the wait longer. Another employee came rushing in to help her, so they made the group's order and got them out the door. The man in front of me had a simple order -

Man: "Raspberry sorbet in a sugar cone"
Coldstone Girl: "Okay, the big one?"
Man: "No, I'd like the small one."
CG: "Oh, okay...that's called our 'like it' size."

The man shrugged it off and I got to thinking...first of all, how irritating that she assumed he wanted a big scoop, and secondly, why in the world would they try to recreate the simple sizing mechanism all normal human beings use? And why did she even bother to correct him? She didn't even use it when she asked if he wanted "the big one." He didn't care what they called it...I didn't care what they called it...It's not like we are going to start using their "sizes" to order. All the poor man wanted was a small scoop!!!

Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, Extra Extra Large... So simple, you know? And isn't it hard enough that we've all had to learn the Starbucks sizes? Well, here is a simple table just in case you need help with the vernacular for their complicated sizing terminology...I have included Starbucks too, just in case anyone needs the help.

Desired Size - Coldstone Crazy Speak - Starbucks

Small - Like It - Tall
Medium - Love It - Grande
Large - Gotta Have It - Venti

Good luck with your ordering adventures! As for me, I'm sticking to the normal way of ordering - SMALL, MEDIUM, LARGE, and EXTRA LARGE :)

Evian Palace Bottle

I'm such a sucker for commercials...and you would think that I would be better at avoiding the temptation since I know the tactics that marketers use. Anyhow, I've been watching a lot of Top Chef lately, and Evian is one of their sponsors. In the little commercial clip at the end, they show Evian in it's newest, most spectacular outfit yet...the Palace Bottle! (Image coming...BRACE YOURSELVES!)

Isn't it so pretty? This complicated beauty has 3 dimensions...

The bottle, a pourer, and its own coaster!!

I want it. Someone please tell me where to find it!

Hairspray

Anyone interested in an advance screening of the new Hairspray movie? I remember watching the original movie - with Ricki Lake - back in the day...

The udpated version is packed with stars...

John Travolta, Christopher Walkin, Zac Efron (yay HSM/2), Amanda Bynes, etc.

Click here for exclusive passes...
and enjoy!

Jamba Juice Deal!

I love Jamba Juice - and apparently they love me too! Until July 4, it's buy one get one free - just use this coupon.

Enjoy!!

More Food!

...but you have to make it yourself this time. Mark introduced me to this amazing food blog - Jaden's Steamy Kitchen - a few weeks ago, and from first sight, she's had me hooked. She's earned my love now by posting a recipe that I've been looking for for YEARS (since 2003, to be exactly, when I stopped working in the Valley) - Persian Sour Cherry Saffron Rice. Check her out...she's awesome :)

If you want some cherry rice, stop by this weekend...you may get to see some before I eat it all! You'll have to fight me for some if you want to try it! :) Unless you know how to make (and will share your) chicken kabobs...in that case, I might be forced to share.

And On Tonight's Menu...

If you haven't made dinner plans for tonight and are craving some free food, hop on over to your nearest Hot Dog on a Stick and/or Muscle Beach (I put the 'and' in there for all of you who like to work the coupons)! Today is their 61st anniversary, and they're giving away a free hot dog to every customer from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.!! Yummmmm!

You can check their website if you don't believe me...

Not Free Sample

Lysol has a new product and they want you to be the first to try it! I'm sorry...did I say TRY? I meant BUY. They wanted to give their frequent customers (HA...yes, blame it on the old OCD) the opportunity to preview their new product, but they were too cheap to send it out for free. Instead, you have to buy it yourself before you can try it! So I'm passing the offer along to you...

Try LYSOL To Go by clicking here...

Don't Play With Your Food...

...unless the food is playing mind tricks on you!

Ooooohhhh...look at the delicious hamburger! Kinda looks like a Play-Doh burger, huh? (Please see other Plah-Doh "food" here.) Well, it's not actually Play-Doh. It's a burger-costumed-Butterfinger-crunch-swirled-on-chocolate-crust cheesecake! Awesome bad-for-you food disguised as a different bad-for-you food! Available online from Saks Fifth Avenue.

The Penguin Scene

Aww...look at the cute little penguin ice cream cone...

If you want one, just drop by your nearest Baskin Robbins!

You can also try their new flavors - Splish Splash and Penguin Swirl :)

Surf's Up, dude...

Or, you can go to Penguin's for frozen yogurt, but no penguin cone. :(

No longer does the word "penguin" look like a real word to me.

Shoe Heaven, 10022

Kinda like Beverly Hills, 90210.

Saks Fifth Avenue is opening a shoe department so big that the U.S. Post Office is giving it it's own zip code! Insane, but awesome! ;) The whole short story is here.

Transformers

As far as I know, I am the only girl in Southern California that is excited about the Transformers movie coming out in July (7.4.07 to be exact). So I was looking for a cool picture to post to get people a little more interested in the Transformers, and I came across this exquisite portrait...




Cool guy! Anyhow, I hope that sparks your interest in the movie. I'll be in line to watch the midnight showing when it opens...all are welcome to join if you're interested! (I'll be the only girl there...practicing my Transformers sounds!) Oh, and here's the real movie website...

Los Angeles - City of...

FATSOS!!!!!!!

Dodger Stadium has their all-you-can-eat pavillion.

And now Universal Studios has an all-you-can-eat pass too!
(brought to my attention by my cousin Joe :))

Mmmmm....fooooood.....just what this fat kid likes!!

Eat up LA - hopefully the rest of the city will catch on and jump on the all-you-can-eat bandwagon.

The Little Mermaid - The Musical!

The MERMUSICAL! HA!

Ariel is FINALLY coming to Broadway...I guess it took her a little longer than Belle, Tarzan, and Mary Poppins because she can't just walk there. C'mon people...remember? She has to switch between legs/feet and her swimming mermaidian tail! Those sequels must be killing her!

Previews begin November 3, so it's just in time for my birthday, folks! :) I GUESS I can wait until it comes to Los Angeles...I just might need some therapy. More information here...

To Not Do List

People amaze me sometimes...and a lot of them are the people that I see at work. Not my coworkers, cuz they're smart for the most part :) But I see dumb smart people all the time and it irritates me to no end.

It makes me laugh when people like this end up on the news. Take for instance this man in the news... He got a parking ticket, so I guess that made him mad. But he was a good citizen and paid it. He should be called the village idiot now because he added dog feces into the envelope with his ticket and payment. C'mon. Why do you make it so easy for them to find you? Anyway, his story got him on my blog, so at least one good thing came out of it.

If any of you guys want me to mention you, you don't need to pull a stunt like this...unless you want to be on national news...all you need to do is ask! :)

Free Ice Cream Alert!

It's time for Haagen Dazs to give away some free ice cream. They want you to try one of their new flavors: Cinnamon Dulce de Leche or Sticky Toffee Pudding.

Date: Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Time: 4-8 p.m.

They're inviting me, and I'm inviting you! If you go, tell me how it is...I have no idea where the nearest Haagen Dazs shop is, so I might as well just buy a pint next time I go grocery shopping. :)

Electrical Shock

I'm moving in about two weeks, so I have been getting ready by collecting boxes and starting to pack up all the little things that I don't use. Yesterday, I had a brilliant idea -

"I should call SoCal Edison to schedule the power to be shut off on May 24 so I don’t have to worry about it later!”

But being the savvy with the “internets,” I wanted to check their webpage to see if I could save myself a phone call and do it online. I logged on to the SCE site and there it is on the left hand side – “Turn Off Service.” Awesome. I clicked on the link and filled out the first part (which asks for your current address and the transfer address or final billing address), then pressed “Submit.” It started to process my request…and it was taking quite a while…then it took me to a weird advertisement page that was giving me my telephone options at my new address…oh shoot, is the request complete? They didn’t even ask for a shut off date yet…AWWW DANGIT…is this only for immediate service?! Am I not going to have power tonight?!?!

So much for saving myself a phone call. I spent the next half hour on the phone with SCE (mostly on hold because they transferred me so much) making sure that my power wouldn’t be shut off. As it turns out, the request didn’t even go through. Argh.

The End

Mmmm...cheesesteak....

Has anyone tried Philly's Best cheesesteaks? I think I might want to try it this weekend.

Here's a coupon in case you want a drink to go with your meal...

Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt Deals

So...reminder that Baskin Robbins has 31 cent scoop night tomorrow from 5-10 p.m.

My cousin told me that TCBY was having "Free Quart Day" yesterday - a free quart of frozen yogurt with any purchase. Being the fat kid that I am, I rushed right over after work! I walked in and the store was empty! Just me and the girl at the front counter. The conversation followed as such:

Girl: Hi, welcome to TCBY! How are you?
Me: I'm fine...how are you?
Girl: Great! Thanks for asking!
Me: Um...do you still have the quarts?
Girl: Uh...what quarts?
Me: (thinking, awww dang, are they not participating? oh...wait...there are posters...)
The free quarts?
Girl: Hahaha! Just kidding. I was hoping that you wouldn't know.

Funny girl, huh? I should write TCBY and give her a compliment for the great service. In fact, I'm off to do that right now!

Brain Exercises

Take the Impossible Quiz! (Link thanks to cousin #49)

Everything

Are you sure that's our baby?

Imagine that you and your spouse were utilizing the services of a fertility clinic. What would you do if you found out that the clinic used someone else's sperm instead of yours (or your husband's)?

It actually happened to a couple in New York - they knew something strange had happened when the baby was darker than they expected.

Mmmm...Ice Cream!

Baskin Robbins is inviting everyone to join them for a 31-cent scoop event!

Date: May 2, 2007
Time: 5-10 p.m.
Location: Your nearest participating Baskin Robbins
Cause: National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

If you need a little convincing, their flavors of the months are...(drumroll please)...
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup and Heath Bar Crunch!

More information here. Don't miss it! :)

Holey Shirt!

Nope, no typos in that title. Just wanted to let y'all know that I came to work today wearing a shirt with a hole on the sleeve! No, it's not the hole that you're supposed to put your arm through. I have no idea where it came from! It's like someone took some scissors and just put a little slice in my shirt.

Anyway, so I tried to see if my hair was long enough to cover it up most of the time - it's not. Then I tried to see if I could roll up my sleeve to hide it. The hole is too high - doesn't work.

I guess I'll just have to wear my jacket for the rest of the day.

Noah and his Animals

So...my nephew Noah was walking out of church holding a little animal contraption that he made in Sabbath School (it was a lion's head on a popsicle stick).

Me: What's that, Noah?
Noah: A lion. I made it Sabbath School.
Me: Ahh...that's really cool. Hey, Noah, what does a lion say?
Noah: (pauses, then gives me an annoyed look) Lions don't talk.
Me: (thinking, 'Wow, what a smart kid! Dang, what a dumb question!')
Oh, you're right. I'm sorry. What does a lion sound like?
Noah: (probably thinking, 'Finally! An intelligent question!') GRRRRRR....

Oh man. I was corrected by a 4 year old. I should really review the capabilities of humans and animals.

Protection from the Clones

It's in the works! California State Senator Carole Midgen is working to make it a requirement to label food that comes from cloned animals!

Read more here...and even if you don't want to read the whole thing, click to see the Senator's picture.

Did you see it? I'll be honest...when I saw it for the first time, I didn't know if it was a real picture. But hey, who am I to judge? She's fighting for the separation of cloned and natural-bred food! She's awesome :)

Oat-of-Date

Haha...sounds very Canadian. And no, that's not a typo.

Yesterday, I bought 7 (seven) boxes of Quaker Toasted Crunch Snack Bars - which are awesome not only because they have no peanuts, but because there is no peanut flour in them.

Seven boxes x 6 packs/box x 2 bars/pack = 84 bars! I was in granola heaven! However, my time in granola heaven was cut short. While putting the boxes away, I saw that one of them was past the expiration date...and not by just a couple of days...it was back on January 30, 2007. Yes, today is April 10, 2007.

Being the wonderful consumer that I am, I decided to give the Quaker folks a friendly call to explain my situation. The lady listened to my short story, and quickly offered to send me a full value coupon to make up for the inconvenience. The most wonderful part of the story is what she said after I gave her all of my information:

"If you still want to eat them, there's no harm in doing that. They'll still be crispy! We just give you the guaranteed freshness date, but they should still be good now."

Awesome, huh? I wonder if I should still eat them...

Dental Hygiene

A dentist has been found guilty of unhygienic practices, including:

- Not wearing gloves when treating patients
- Urinating in the surgery sink
- Not washing his hands before treating patients
- Using dental tools to clean his fingernails and ears

He's been doing this for over 28 years and just now has been banned from practicing dentistry.
How much do you trust YOUR dentist?

Psycho...

...somatic. That is what I am today. Because I've decided to go back to school, I've had to get those pesky shots again. Yes, it's been 10 years since I've had them done...except for the TB test...which was 3 1/2 years ago...grrr...

So this is what they did to me today:

Left arm: Tetanus shot and TB test
Right arm: Hep B sequence, #1 of 3. (Yep...that's right. I got two more coming to the right arm.)

Right now, my right arm hurts. That crazy needle went so deep into my arm that I think it came out the other side of my arm!!! I think the jaundice is kicking in, but that might just be the color of my skin since I desperately need some sun! In addition to that, the left side of my jaw is kinda tight. I'm guessing that it's the lock jaw kicking in.

Does anyone have a cure for the psychosomatic effects of shots? A placebo of some sort, perhaps?

Star Wars Stamps

Okay...I tried to be clever with my title, but all I could come up with were dumb titles...

A Postage Menace
The Post Office Strikes Back
Star Wars: A New Stamp

Vote for your favorite Star Wars stamp here!

Then you can amaze me with your cleverness - send me titles! (Star Wars related, please. Although, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between Star Wars and Star Trek...or Starburst for that matter!)

How to Eat Fried...Husband?

A woman in Sao Paulo has been charged with killing her husband, then chopping his body up into small pieces and frying them.

Blech...I'm too nauseated to comment. Here's more...

Whats yo flava?

Tell me whats yo flava...

My sister's favorite Krispy Kreme doughnut:

Chocolate Iced Custard Filled

3.14

For you math nerds out there, Happy Belated Pi Day!

I had planned to send this greeting to you on time, but due to a lapse in my memory and the need for me to play Wii, I was forced to delay it until today. Please accept my deepest apologies.

Back to Pi Day - March 14 (get it? 3.14), this was everyone's chance to celebrate one of great mathematics celebrities! MIT celebrated with pi confetti and pies for everyone to eat. Get it? Pi and Pie - they sound the same, but they don't mean the same thing! Ha ha...so clever!

Don't forget to mark your calendars for next year!

Whole WHAT?

Whole WHEAT!

March is National Nutrition Month, so let me introduce you to Krispy Kreme's healthier donut - the 100% Whole Wheat Doughnut!


Apparently it has a "sweet caramel flavor" and is covered in their Original Glaze. Enjoy! (And let me know if it's good.)

The Bee is BACK too!

I was watching the local Spelling Bee this weekend, and had so much fun! Man, you should watch spelling bees with me and my sister. Everyone knows the questions that contestants are allowed to ask:

"Can you repeat the word?"
"May I have the definition, please?"
"Can you use the word in a sentence?"

Anyway, they gave one of the contestants the word singular. Right away, I thought that the correct spelling was Cingular (the cell phone company, just in case you don't know), but I corrected myself right away and spelled it correctly. Then I got to thinking, is cingular an actual word? It SURE IS!!! Thanks to my trusty online dictionary - Dictionary.com - I think either spelling would have been acceptable!

SO...I think that the following question should also be acceptable:

"Can I have an explanation please?"

And my sister added some very important questions:

"Can you use that word in a song?"
"May I have a demonstration please?" (e.g., in the case of narcolepsy)

The End. T-H-E E-N-D. Correct.

I'm BAAAAAAACK!

And so are new Ben & Jerry's flavors!

IKEA's Idea

I love going to IKEA to shop for furniture. I don't buy things every time I go, but I do like to look around. It made me sad when I saw this news article about IKEA's proposal to charge 5 cents for each of the disposable bags they give you to carry out your merchandise. I LOVE those bags! They're the perfect bags to line my wastebaskets! BUT, I also believe in recycling and saving the environment...so, good job IKEA.

News from NewZ

..ealand. HA. Good one, right?

Here's the story -

There is a cat with polydactyly. No, it doesn't mean that it is a cat with a dinosaur. It means that the cat has more toes than normal. Twenty-six toes, to be exact. Instead of having five toes on each paw, it has seven on each of the two front paws, and six on the back two paws.

And that is animal story #2 for today :)

He's Got Legs...

And knows how to use them!

Once upon a time, a four-legged duck was born in London.
He's awesome...using he extra pair of legs as stabilizers.

The End

Need a new toilet?

Or looking for a gift for that guy who has everything? Even if he doesn't have everything, he may enjoy this. Such a fully functional toilet could make trips to his throne even more enjoyable!

This Fat Kid's Dream Come True...

I LOVE ice cream with chocolate-covered waffle cone pieces.

Dreyer's Waffle Coney Island
Haagen Daaz's Caramel Cone

And now, fresh off of yesterday's press (thanks to my bro for sending me the link)...

Oh, how did he know my favorite flavor?

If you happen to come across this wonderful product, please let me know where I can find it!

Lava-licious

For those of you fat kids who are toooooooo lazy to chew...check out the Lava Bar. The Lava Bar is the world's first liquid chocolate bar. It looks like those gels that Power Bar makes, except this is just chocolate.

If you try it, let me know how it tastes. If you were expecting this to be about lava, sorry.

PLEASE EAT!

Spanish runways banned models that were too skinny. Now a restaurant in England is taking it a bit further. They are giving free meals away to size zero models (i.e., models with a BMI of less than 18). All they need to do is show their model card and they get their free meal.

What more can people do to make these people eat?!

Handmade Chocolate

While eating a bar of chocolate, a man in Germany found a fingertip (with the fingernail) in his chocolate bar! Apparently, he didn't see it right away because there were nuts in the chocolate.

Gross. I wonder how long he chewed it before he realized that it wasn't a nut.

Interesting...

Don't forget to stop when you see a parked school bus with its lights flashing. A police chief wrote himself a ticket for driving past a stopped school bus to make a point of how important this is. He paid the fine the next day, and also deducted points from his driving record.

Clothing Optional

Fitworld Gym in Amsterdam is introducing "Naked Sunday" beginning March 4.

If you feel like working out without any clothes on, jump on a plane and head on over to the Netherlands...so others can view your...netherlands...

Free Pancakes!

Mark your calendars for free pancakes...cuz February 20 is National Pancake Day!!! To celebrate this wonderful day, IHOP is giving a free short stack of pancakes (limit 1 short stack per guest) to everyone. All they ask is that you consider giving a donation to the Children's Miracle Network.

Food with Holes

Coffee and doughnuts - a classic breakfast combination. If you rely on this type of breakfast (especially the coffee part of it) to get you going, it could soon be cut in half! A scientist in North Carolina has developed a way to put caffeine (the equivalent of two cups of coffee) in doughnuts! He's talking to the big companies (like Krispy Kreme) in hopes that they'll carry his caffeinated doughnuts. Interested? Just keep an eye out at your fave doughnut shop :)

Oh, and he's working on caffeinated bagels too.

Attack of the Cloned

As you may know, the United State Food and Drug Administration announced back in December 2006 that they were giving approval for cloned animal meat and dairy products to be sold for human consumption. And the best part about it is that the manufacturers don't need to label the products as "CLONED." Kinda scary, huh? Especially since the cloned meat would make it cheaper for restaurants to purchase...and we wouldn't even know they were serving it to us!

This made me think... Yes, it's dangerous, I know. If I were to eat a piece of chicken (we'll call it Pollo Primero - "Pop" for short), and later ate another piece of chicken that happened to come from the clone of Pop (Mister Imitation - "Mismo" for short), would my body think that it already digested it? Would I start having digestive deja vu?

Well, my fears were calmed (and yours can be too, if you have the same issues as I do about eating cloned animals) after the WholeFoodsMarket.com Cloning FAQ. Looks like they're waiting for the USDA to define the word "organic" to also mean that the product did not come from a cloned animal. That would make my life a whole lot easier.

I guess I'd just have to stop eating meat at fast food restaurants to avoid the attack of the cloned...

Those Valuable Pennies

Due to a shortage in pennies, they might increase in value - to 5 cents apiece!
Start collecting those pennies!

"Polly want a ride across the border?"

The title pretty much sums this story up...read here.

Where's the Moon?

That's my favorite question to ask my nieces and nephews when they're first learning how to talk. Especially if I know it's a new moon! Then I know I'll be able to have a pretty long conversation with the kid...

Me: Where's the moon?
Kid: (Looks up and starts looking...) Moon?
Me: Can you see the moon?
Kid: (Looking back and forth in the sky) Moon?
Me: Is it over there?
Kid: (Still looking for the frickin' moon that Auntie's talking about!) Mmm??
Me: Do you see the moon?
Kid: (Looks at me for help) Moon?
Me: Where? Do you see it?
Kid: (Spotting the lights of a plane - it never fails!) Dere!!!!!!!!!
Me: That's not the moon - it's too small. That's an airplane...
Kid: Plane?
Me: Yep. Where's the moon?
(AND...we start again from the beginning...) You can read it as many times as you'd like...

Anyway, the subject is the moon...which is in the news today! But it's sad news :( Scientists believe that the moon will eventually disintegrate. If/When it does go away...I hope the kids don't catch on!!! Otherwise I'll have to find another topic of conversation....

Fish Food Spa-tacular

Looking to add some variety to your regular spa routine? Check this out...and try it...maybe.

An old technique for treating disease in Turkey is to have the patient sit in water and have little fish nibble off the dead and/or diseased skin. Singapore has now integrated the same concept into their spas. Men and women have been flocking to spas to feed their feet to the fish!

Pluto In The News...Again!

But this time, it's kind of a good thing! The word "plutoed" has been chosen by the American Dialect Society as the 2006 Word of the Year! What an honor to follow the 2005 Word of the Year, won by Dr. Stephen T. Colbert D.F.A, "truthiness."

Plutoed - to demote or devalue someone or something, as happened to the former planet Pluto when the General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union decided Pluto no longer met its definition of a planet.

So consider yourself warned, people! This word - plutoed - will be added to my vernacular. You can count on it! It would probably be best if you added it to yours too.

Want more info? Or want to read about the almost winners? Here ya go...

Clever as a Donkey

Ever thought about purchasing a donkey? If your answer is yes, GOOD FOR YOU! If your answer is no, maybe you should ask yourself a question - "Why not?" They're pretty calm animals...and very strong! Maybe this video can convince you of what a great pet a donkey could be...



Want a donkey now? Try looking here. The clever webmaster lists some clASSified (haha...get it?) ads for anyone interested. They're so cute!!

The New SAT...Japanese-style

A school in western Japan has added a new test to their admissions process...one that tests the ability of the student to use chopsticks. This 10 minute section requires the applicant to use chopsticks to move marbles, beans, etc. from one plate to another.

So if you intend to apply to this Japanese school, better brush up on your chopsticks skills! :) ...and your "nunchuck skills, bowhunting skills, computer hacking skills... Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills."

Where Have All the Rhinos Gone...

Long time passing...
Where have all the rhinos gone
Long time ago...

Don't know the song? Brush up on your Peter, Paul & Mary!
Wondering where all the rhinos have gone? Me too! So are the conservationists over in Kathmandu.

Could they possibly be in China? Read up!

Table for Three, Please

Sounds like something you'd say at a restaurant, right? You might find yourself saying this phrase more often in a recreational setting...when you want to play ping-pong! An inventor has developed a ping-pong table/game for three, and he's predicting it will be the hottest seller next year! Jump ahead of the bandwagon and read a little more about it here!

New Year, Old News

Starting the year with old news! Just wanted to give you a glimpse of what my family Christmas party was all about...