Post 30: Coffee or Tea

Since the last post was about two different beverages, I figured I could use that and make this one about them as well. Specifically, tea versus coffee.

I love tea. Especially Chai tea; white chai, spice chai, double spice chai, chai, green tea chai, etc. I also love Orange Pekoe and English breakfast. As far as Starbucks goes, I like their Chai Tea Lattes.

I love coffee, as well. But, it makes my stomach sick if I drink too much. Even a Venti tends lead to grumbling. If I'm at Starbucks and not thinking about tea, I get a Pumpkin Spice Latte ('tis the season, right? Well, almost.)

The thing I dislike about tea is that if it isn't made right, it just taste bland and watered down.

Like, even the best tea can be ruined if the tea bag to water ratio is off. And it doesn't always help to let the tea steep longer. Sometimes, you just end up with cold and bland tea.

But coffee almost always has a huge kick of flavour, not always seen as a pleasant flavour, but flavour nonetheless.

I will be quite sad when Pumpkin season becomes Candy Cane or Egg Nog season. (Whatever the winter will bring.) Because it will mean back to chai lattes. And I like Chai Lattes when they are done right. But since not every place you go does them right, there are times when you end up feeling like you spent $6 on chai flavoured water.

But, I am a bit of a Starbucks Snob (as my friends and classmates have called it) so I can't complain too much about pricing. There are cheaper places out there.

That is all for today. All this coffee and tea talk has made me thirsty!

Post 29: Coke vs. Pepsi

For those who have ever asked for Coke or Diet Coke in a restaurant, you have probably been asked at one time or another if Pepsi was an okay substitute. There are people who get overly annoyed by this, they joke on the internet as being so angry that they want to respond with, "sure, is monopoly money okay?"

Which is silly, I think, because a good percentage of people can't tell the difference anyway. Not to mention, it isn't like they are being asked to pay more for something worse less. Pepsi and Coke would be the same price.

I think there is a flavour difference, though.

Pepsi is sweeter and tends to have a fruitier flavour. While, Coke has a more distinct cola flavour, and I think it has  a stronger chemical taste to begin with, while Pepsi has more of a chemical after-taste. Also, I've discovered, if you let them both sit for a long period of time Pepsi's flavour stays the same or gets stronger, Coke loses flavour as time passes.

Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi both taste like a duller version of the originally, though I find that Diet Pepsi seems less chemically.

I prefer Pepsi based on flavour, I also like the bubbliness. However, on the basis of nostalgia and availability I usually drink Coke.

So, generally, when at a restaurant I prefer when they have Pepsi.

Anyway, this is kind of a shorter post, but which do you prefer?

Can you taste the difference?

Post 28: What People Will Pay For

There are so many ways this title could imply things that would get me in trouble, and I have no intention of going there.

What I want to talk about in this post is art, characters, ideas and stories. There are many people online who are willing to pay money for these things.

Art has always made sense, but it isn't just pre-made pictures people pay for. People will pay for someone to draw there characters. Not just people, me. Not real money, though. I pay with virtual money earned through a gaming website, because I lack the drawing ability necessary to do my characters justice, and I love seeing them brought to life.

Two of my characters that I got art for were supposed to just be minor, fanfiction characters without really having a future as more than that. However, when I saw them they just had so much personality they practically took a life of their own. I have do have a bit of a thing for pirates, but I also have other supernaturals and everyday normal young adults dreaming of conquering the world in their own way. It started off as a fanfiction, Captain Jack Sparrow's daughters. And it became a coming-of-age story about a mother and daughter pirate who sail for different motives, and a daughter who wants to achieve her dreams on her own.

I have been paid to write stories for people. Some people can draw, some can write. Those can draw ask others to write for them.

But there are other things that people struggle with, like coming up with a story idea. I am considering opening a store on the website I use for stories and where I buy art, to sell story plots.

So, what I am thinking is having a survey about general things they want included and genre, and then sending them back some ideas they can use for a story.

I probably won't be paid much for it. Art sells for more than anything else, so I could probably only charge like 500 gold per plot. Which translates to only about a nickel.

But it wouldn't be a bad use of my ability to have story ideas.

Should I do it?

Do you sell art, stories, characters or ideas?

Post 27: Inspiration and Ideas

Writing is something I love to do, and I have started over 40 stories and I have the idea and general back story for another 20. I have had friends who asked where I get my ideas from. So, that is what this post will be about.

Well, it is hard to explain. For the most part, they just come to me - I think of a character, I see a picture, I have a dream, I watch a movie and think things should have been done differently next thing you know I have a totally different plot. 

When I am feeling really inspired it is more like someone is telling me the story and I am typing it, rather than creating it. It is like I'm hearing the story for the first time, the twists and turns can even surprise me. 

These types of stories are mainly possible when I just sit down and start writing, the more I have planned out before I start the less smoothly it flows. 

Though, while it may be more difficult when it isn't planned out when it gets later into the chapters, the biggest challenge with not planning is the potential to go off on tangents that are hard to come back from. 

Inspiration can really be found anymore. One of the story ideas I recently came up with is about a mermaid, who hates humans. She sees them as killers and doesn't want anything to do with them, especially after her little sister was caught in a fisherman's line and killed. Until one day, a child from a ship wreck falls into the water. She happens to come across it, if it was even four feet in a different direction she may not have even noticed. She rescues the baby girl and takes it to the surface of the water. But when she gets there and sees it, the child reminds her of her sister and she cannot bear to hand the child over to the human barbarians. So, she leaves the water and goes on land. In this, my version of mermaids, when the air touches her tail they start to split apart, until she has two legs covered in a scale-like pattern of purple and blue. She covers her legs and raises the child as her little sister on land. All goes well until she meets a pirate, the pirate claims to know the little girl's family and says that he can take her and the little girl to them. 

This is all I have for the story idea so far, but it is entirely inspired by my just playing around with Create-A-Sims with the new Sims 3 Island expansion. That is all it took and the story just started to unfold in my head. 

Now, as time has passed I have discovered that I have a tendency to give my characters darker histories. Perhaps because it makes it easier to explain there strength of character, as well as their faults. But also because darker backgrounds tend to be more interesting. 

Not all my characters have dark pasts though, and they vary in degrees. Another story I am writing the girl has a very light back ground. So light that she is ignorant and naive to the dangers of the world. 

Where do you get your ideas from?

What inspires you?

Post 26: I do, I don't

I Do...I Don't...

No, this isn't about the flower petal-picking activity to determine if someone likes you, or you like someone else. This is about a whole new game that I invented.

There are many games like this, so it may not be new, but it is fun-tastic!

Here is basically how it works....

It works along the same lines as 'I've never...'.

You say,

~~~"I do...like pie."

And anyone who likes pie, puts a finger down on their right hand. Only there right hand. So, if they run out of fingers on their right hand, but then some one says something they also do, they have to put their right hand on their head and keep it their until someone says 'I do...' and the person with the hand on their head does not.

~~~"I don't...watch horror movies."

And anyone who also doesn't watch horror movies, puts a finger down on their left hand. Only their left hand. And if they run out of fingers on their left hand, but some one says they don't so something, and the person doesn't do it either they have to put their left hand on their head.

If they run out of fingers on both hands they are out. And it alternates between I do and I don't.

So, if the person who starts says 'I don't' the next person to goes has to say 'I do'.

If there is an even number of people, when it goes back around to the person who started they switch to the other.

Make sense?

The idea is that, unlike 'I've never...'  it gets closer to what people like and don't like, rather than just what they have done. If you are looking to get to know someone better, what activities a person has or hasn't done isn't the same as knowing what a person likes or doesn't like.

Anyway, that was the idea behind it.

So, would you be willing to give it a try?

Post 25: Things Some Teachers Do That Annoy Me

Let me start off by saying, I have liked almost all my teachers. There was a period where I even wanted to be a teacher (but after seeing some of the crap that students put teachers through, I don't know if I want it enough to do it to the caliber that I think it should be done).

My point is, this isn't a rant against teachers. 

This is a rant against some of the things that SOME, not all, teachers do or have done. 

The first, and primary, thing I want to talk about is when teachers stop the class to make a point. For example, the video I saw that inspired this. A student yawned in class, and it wasn't the quiet and subtle yawn, it was the loud and obnoxious, fake-sounding yawn. It was rude on the students part, and seemed like a clear attempt at getting attention. 

The teacher then stops the class. He demands that who ever it is stands up. He then starts saying he won't continue the class until someone tells him who yawned. 

Then he spends quite an excessive amount of time yelling about how if anyone else in the class has to yawn they better go outside. He ends by telling the students to come forward and anonymously tell him who yawned. 

Someone I know had a teacher who would stop the class if someone fell asleep, and he wouldn't allow anyone to wake them up either. So, they just all sit in class silently and do nothing. 

Which I find annoying, because I'm sure there are some students who are happy to not have to do notes. But, as a student who actually wanted to learn in class- it is annoying. They aren't really punishing the student who did something wrong, they are punishing everyone in the class. 

When the teacher went on a rant about yawning, he blamed the student for creating a distraction and ruining the 'mood'. But it was a 2 second yawn, sure it might distract some people but only briefly. A rant about a yawn, and the stopping of class will do more to take people's mind of the lesson. 

And stopping the class because a student fell asleep? What good comes from that? 

Is an attempt to make the other students annoyed at them for falling asleep? Because, in that situation, I would be more annoyed at the teacher for not doing something about it. 

The only person a sleeping student really hurts is themselves. 

If I was a teacher, or what I think an appropriate response would be, is to tell everyone what a test question will be. Not the answer, just a question. The sleeping student will miss out, the rest of the class will realize the importance of staying awake and attentive and the learning atmosphere isn't totally ruined. 

Lastly, this one annoyed me the most at the time - but I have only seen one teacher do this and I don't think they were a very good teacher so this will be a brief mention - when teachers announce things they shouldn't. The example for this is when a girl in my class came in late. She wasn't the best student she was only in class about half the time, but when she was there she did try. And she came in late one day, only about three minutes, and in front of the whole class the teacher starts yelling at her and then tells her that it is no wonder she is failing, and if she bothered to show up once in a while she might have over a 50% in the class. 

What things have teachers done to annoy you? 

Has a teacher ever stopped your class to make a point?

Post 24: Conversational Monologuers

I'm sure everyone has run into a monologuer at one time or another. Some of the people reading this may even be a monologuer. What is a monologuer you ask?

A conversational monologuer is a term one of my friends and I came up with as a name for people who seem more like they are giving a monologue than having a conversation. They are commonly identified by their inability to stop talking.

There are two subsets in this group: the passive aggressive and the aggressive.

Passive aggressive monologuers can have a two-way conversation, but it is not a fun one. They are the people who talk and talk, and when you interject something they give you a weird look, they yawn, or they roll their eyes. Basically, they act like your response was idiotic, unnecessary, or worthless. Sometimes they look at their watch, as if you are wasting their time. It slowly diminishes any desire to continue contributing to the conversation.

Aggressive monologuers are the people who cut-off what you're saying, spin what you're saying back to themselves or don't let you finish your thought.

For example:

Monologuer: So, I went to this new restaurant the other day and it was bad....Undercooked...No flavour....Yeah, the food at that restaurant was pretty bad.

Other: It was. I ate there last Thursday. My chicken was kind of raw and-

Monologuer: Speaking of raw chicken, when I went to this Thai restaurant my chicken was kind of undercooked. But it was still better than the other one I went to....But the best one I went to was...

Yes, it is pretty frustrating. I must admit, through my experience, a lot of people who do these things don't always do them. Sometimes they just want to talk and unload their day on whoever will listen. But there are people who are constantly doing it.

For those who see this as something they do, don't take it personally. I don't think that most people realize how frustrating it is, or how rude it seems to the other person. So, for future conversations, it is a good thing to keep in mind.

If someone is willing to spend twenty minutes letting you vent and just talk, you can at least feign some sort of interest when they want to talk for two minutes.

Post 23: Excitement meets Sorrow

Right now I am in the Temp Pool at the University I am attending. Which is great, because full-time and continuing positions can be difficult to work out when you are in school. Especially University when you have to juggle classes, clubs and homework. 

My first position in the temp pool was a Program Assistant. And it is coming to an end. In fact, this Friday is my last day. 

It isn't that I really love the job or anything, but I do like the people and I like having a job that I feel good at. Plus, there is a nice, reassuring feeling when you have a job that tells you that yes, you can afford to eat and pay for school in the same month. 

Yet, at the same time it means that I am going to be transitioning back to a full-time student, which is exciting! And also means that I don't have to wear suit pants, jackets or business attire for awhile. 

If I want I can wear jeans or sweat pants, leg warmers or socks, baggy t-shirts or neon tube tops. (Not that neon tube tops are something that I would actually wear, leg warmers are a maybe.) 

I also know that Monday morning, I can sleep in. There is no where I need to be, which is both wonderful and terrifying. 

I kind of like having somewhere I need to be. Yet, I like having the freedom not to have to be anywhere as well. (Kind of cat-like, really.)

It is a weird feeling to both want something to end and want it to continue at the same time. 

Have you ever felt that? Happy and sad that something was ending?

What is your view on leg warmers and neon tube tops?

Post 22: 2,000 Characters

While I do have quite a few characters (in general, not main) for all my stories, and it isn't a total stretch of the imagination to imagine 2,000 of them, that isn't actually what this post will be about. This post will be dedicated to the daunting, stress-creating 2,000 character limit, almost as daunting as the 250 word short essay.

Now, there are probably many people who find 2,000 characters an easy thing to stay under. I am not one of them. As someone who not only likes to write and write...and write some more, keeping things under a limit can be quite a challenge for me.

Why has this come up? Three words. LinkedIn Profile Summary. Three more words. Loss for words.

I wrote the most beautiful profile summary ever. It was witty, it was well-written and it was informative. It covered my strengths. It covered my background. It was perfect. Except it was 5,000 characters. It didn't even seem that long, but it was.

So, what did I do? I tried to cut it down. I took out the extra bits, the details and specificities. 4,000 characters. I took out the descriptions, a lot of my background and some general information. 3,000 characters. Then, I took out the jokes and witticisms. 2,000 characters. The perfect length.

Except now it was less interesting than reading the phone book. And that can be interesting when you come across unique names or names of people you know.

It doesn't help that I'm not good at describing myself either.

And they say 'tell a story', how am I supposed to do that with 2,000 characters?

Do you have difficulties with word and character maximums?

Do you use LinkedIn?

Post 21: Monday Mornings and Lyrics

Since it is Monday, though not actually morning any more. (It hasn't been for awhile.) I thought I would dedicate this post to Monday mornings. Something Garfield, office employees, and high school students (generally) hate.

I actually don't have a problem with Monday mornings. You see, I have this inane sense of optimism on Monday that is telling me that the week will be the best week ever. My job will suddenly be amazingly fun, I will not be elbowed getting on or off the train, and I will leave work at the time that I am actually supposed to leave - not an hour later.

Tuesday mornings are the worst for me. Because Tuesday mornings, that optimism is gone. Tuesday morning I already have bruises from elbows, stared at the same spreadsheet for three hours, and left so late I almost missed my train.

Tuesday mornings are the mornings where hope is dead. Wednesdays are okay, though. At that point, you can convince yourself you are already half way through the week and all you need to do is not go crazy.

Also, because it is Monday. I have included a short limerick/lyrics/poem/something I wrote when I was in high school. I must admit it was not based on my own experiences, but on my friends. (Loosely). 

She was a ditcher, and Monday mornings were the days she was least likely to show up on time, if at all. Until she started liking a guy in her class, and she would always joke that he was the only reason she came to class. (It might be of interest to note, she did have some crush-stalking tendencies.)

Seven o'clock in the morning

Just want to crawl back into bed

It's just another miserable Monday

Wish I could call in dead

The only thing keeping me going

On this horrible day

Is the thought that I'll see you smiling

And maybe you'll look my way

Oh, you're my high school crush

The unreachable love, just two feet away

I see the back of your head, the back of your chair

Can barely hear what you say

Yet I'm wishing, praying, hoping

That today will be the day

The day you realize, you have eyes for me

So, please make today the very best Monday

How do you feel about Mondays? 

What about Tuesdays?

Wednesdays? 

Do you really give them that much thought?

Post 20: Horror Movies: Gore vs. Suspense

Just the other day I was talking with one of my friends about going to see a movie. She wanted to see the Conjuring.

We didn't end up going to see it, but it did get me thinking about the different types of horror movies. I don't just mean supernatural versus human villains, but gory versus suspenseful.

Some horror movies have little to no suspense, they're just blood and gore, and violence everywhere (they also usually have  a half-naked woman running around for no apparent reason at some point.) 

Then there are horror movies that are almost all suspense, and no one really dies or there is like no blood or violence. These tend to have the endings that leave you going, 'really?' There is a movie like that I saw in theatres a long while ago. I don't remember what it was called but the basic plot was a mother and her kids move into a house and the mom becomes convinced there are ghosts. She starts to go crazy, then it turns out in the end her and her kids were the ghosts all along. And the people she thought were ghosts, were actually the new owners of the house.

I like ones that are mostly suspense, but still have some action. I mean, suspense is like when you start going up on a roller coaster. At some point it goes too high and it takes either an amazing (and I mean, absolutely amazing) ending or it is just a let down. Like climbing up, higher and higher only to meet a slow decline, or worse, nothing at all. Ones with all blood and gore is just all going down, or just tiny little bumps, it isn't the same.

But, that doesn't mean that I don't like ones that have gore and violence. (As long as they have a good plot. That is a MAJOR factor in whether I like it or not.) For example, I really like Repo! the Genetic Opera and Sweeney Todd (yes, I am aware they are both musicals) but they are also very bloody. But they both have an interesting plot. And strong, well-developed characters.

And Repo! especially brings up some really interesting social conundrums. In the movie, murder is almost acceptable. Drug addiction is wide spread. But no one seems bothered by these things, it reminds me some of Hunger Games. People accept that kids are going to their deaths, the same way people accept that there is a group of assassins that go around killing people and removing their organs for not paying their loans in time legally in Repo!. Everyone in both, or at least the people with enough power to do anything, are too occupied with the spectacle they are being given by the head honcho.

My friend who wanted to watch the Conjuring, watched Repo! the Genetic Opera with me and her eyes were closed almost the whole time. She was so freaked out! It wasn't really even scary to me.

Gore and blood are what scare her in horror movies, while suspense doesn't. Suspense is what scares me in horror movies, gore and blood don't.

What freaks you out more in horror movies? Blood or suspense?

What is your favourite/least favourite horror movie?

Post 19: Sims 3

Briefly looking over what I have talked about so far, it is shocking to me that I haven't talked about Sims 3 yet.

You see, I love Sims 3. Love. It. So. Much. (As all my English teachers cringe at my incomplete sentences there.)

I am practically addicted to it. (At least I was before my computer started to die, so now I can only use it for like an hour a day before it starts to have issues.)

Anyway, I have almost always been a Sims fan. I wrestle with certain changes from time to time. But overall, I'd say I'm a fan.

One of the things that annoyed me about Sims 3 as opposed to Sims 2, was that the exchange was taken down. Sims 2 had a site sponsored by EA, and it had a Body Shop to create outfits for Sims that it didn't come with Sims 3 doesn't have that. Sims 3 has a shop, but everything costs money and getting new things is hard and because it isn't done by Sims directly it is harder to guarantee you don't end up downloading a virus. Plus, people charge for some of the things they have.

Anyway, aside from that, I like that Sims 3 has customizable things. You can change colours and patters, which is nice.

Why is this coming up now?  Because Sims 4 is coming out.

Thankfully, it doesn't look like they are throwing out Sims 3 just yet, as they are still coming out with expansions. Unlike Sims 2, which had its site removed not long after Sims 3 came out.

Anyone else a Sims fan?

Which was better Sims 2 or Sims 3?

Post 18: Fake Nails and Super Glue

If I were to write my autobiography today, this would be the title.

Today was the kind of day that starts off like crap, but you tell yourself that by the end of the day it will all be forgotten. But it won't be.

I'd like to say, before I go any further, that this will be one of the few posts where I directly talk about my day (I promise). I recognize the difference between a blog and a diary, but this blog is for what I'm thinking about and right now what I am thinking about is my day.

It started out like all the really crappy days do, with my alarm not going off. Thankfully, through months and months of waking up early my internal clock has been well programmed, so I still woke up with fifteen minutes to get ready. Not that, that is a massive amount of time but it is better than nothing.

From that moment, I could sense it was going to be one of those days, one of the days that those who believe in Karma would take as a big, fat 'I owe you one'.

Anyway, I got ready and headed to work two of my fake nails, the ones I had spent an hour putting on and painting a very pretty shade of blue, fell off. I'd like to title that moment as the 'beginning of the end' of a potential good day.

When I got on the train, there were NO seats. There are usually some scattered less favourable ones, but not today. But it was fine, it isn't a long train ride.

When the train came to a stop, I was conveniently located right next to the door. But, at that point so were a large number of people. When the doors opened I took a step forward, and that is when it happened. A pointy, hard elbow hit me in the back and I went flying forward. My shoe caught on the step and 'snap!', my left heel was no more.

My shoe was broken, and of course I am wearing heels today, so I hobble off towards a bench to see if I can fix my shoe. Thankfully, (at least so I thought) I had brought the nail glue with me and I attempted to use the super-glue-like substance to glue the heel on again.

It didn't work. Not only did it not work, I got the glue all over my hands and even my pants. (One pair of pants ruined right there.)

So, I continued hobbling/limping/looking-like-a-crazy-person and walked the three blocks from the train station to the PharmaSave across from my office.

You know those pouches that come with the little foldable shoes? Those would have been perfect! But they were out, and so what did I get instead? The ugliest grey-green flip flops I have ever seen, and they cost $15 (on sale from $25). 

The day proceeded mostly harmless from then. Except when I ran into my boss's boss and  his boss and got a 'are those really professional footwear' look.

But mostly harmless does not even out the bad of a crap day.

What is the worst day you've ever had?

Anyone ever push you getting off the train?

(I would like to add that I DID have a pretty good night. I went to see We Are the Millers with some friends, after I wrote this post, and then we made quesadillas, dumplings and cookies at my house while watching the first half-hour of Despicable Me.)

Post 17: When I Grow Up

Under construction. 

Post 16: Cooking

I love to cook. I think I said that before in my post about Gordon Ramsay, but I really do love to cook. It is so much fun. I also like that you can be creative with it and try different things. Tonight, I made chicken curry with peas and onions. It turned out well. I use jar curry sauce, but I always add additional seasoning, because it always tends to be a bit bland. I used turmeric, cumin, garlic, ginger, curry powder, chilli powder and…..taco seasoning. Yes, taco seasoning.

It sounds weird, but it helps give it a bit of a kick. And, you know, taco seasoning has cumin, paprika and other spices that are actually already in curries. So, it sounds weird but adds a good flavour to it.

Sometimes, I add cashews as well for an added crunch.

I forgot this time, but I did add a lot of peas.

I don’t know why things (sauces) that come in a jar tend to be bland, maybe because it will cater to everyone because it is easy to add spice, but harder to take it away.

Spaghetti sauce from a jar can be just as bland. I always add garlic, sautéed onion and Italian Seasoning. I love Italian Seasoning. I throw it on chicken and pasta, it just adds great flavour.

I don't know if seasoning things that came in a jar really counts as cooking. But, I do like making things from scratch as well. But they take so long and when you don't have much time, it almost seems worth it to cut a few corners to get something that is good (maybe not as good as from scratch) that saves you time, and sometimes money. 

Anyway, I have to post this now.

Do you like cooking? 

Is seasoning pre-made food really cooking?

Do you prefer things from scratch?

Post 15: Roses and Co-workers

One thing that I have learned over my years of working in different offices, is that you don't always get along with your co-workers. There are times where I get so frustrated that it makes me want to tear out my hair. Not lately, and sometimes it is more a miscommunication thing than a difficult co-worker. 

Based on the office gossip at the places I've worked, I have been blessed as far as co-workers go. 

I have heard about co-workers who take credit for things that someone else on the team did, co-workers that steal things, co-workers that blame others for things not going right, and co-workers that push off their work on others. 

What is interesting to me is that sometimes the people I am hearing negative things about, are also my co-workers and I've never had a problem with them. 

Of course, I had the same thing happen back when I was in school as well. Other students and teachers that my friends didn't like or my friends felt were rude, were nice to me. (Might relate to the fact that two of my strengths are Woo and Empathy, according to StrengthsFinder.)

Anyway, the point is that the workplace is not always a friendly environment. 

Where I am now the people I work with are friendly. One of my co-workers, who is very nice and always offering to buy people coffee, bought me and another co-worker roses yesterday. It was so nice. They are very pretty. 

I don't know what they are called, but the inside of the petals are a deep shade of red, and the outside of the peals is an orange-yellow. 

She said it was a thank you gift for help, which was very sweet of her. And it was nice, a gift that made makes you feel appreciated and that smells and looks nice. 

What do you think of your co-workers?

Have any stories about difficult co-workers? 

Post 14: When Ingredient Labels Scare Me

When do ingredient labels scare me? Well, there are three different things that concern me when looking at ingredient labels.

The first is when you look at it, and half the things on it are just chemicals and things that you don't even know what it is they are. You shouldn't have to pull out a dictionary or search engine to know what is in your food.

The second this is when they say 'may contain'. This isn't the biggest one, but it seems like the people making the labels should be more sure of what is going into their food. It 'may' contain peanuts? Well, does it or doesn't it? This contains peanuts, sounds more reassuring. And since people with a peanut allergy will avoid it either way, why not just say with certainty. I don't want to eat something if the people making it aren't even sure of what is in it.

The third and last thing that concerns me is when things are clearly not labelled. For example, I got a wrap today. Which is what inspired this post, and it listed all these different ingredients but not chicken. It was a chicken wrap. I could see, what at least appeared to be, chicken. It was a butter chicken wrap, it listed the curry and spices, why not the chicken as well. Not having things, annoys me more than concerns me.

For example, I got a turkey sandwich and the listed ingredients were turkey, cheese, lettuce, and Mayo. I took a bite into it and it was smothered with dijon mustard. I don't like dijon mustard. I mean, really don't like it. Suddenly, a sandwich I thought would be a good and quick lunch, was practically inedible to me. Disappointing.

Sometimes, it is almost better not to read the ingredient label.

Do you read ingredient labels?

Do you ever find them concerning?

Post 13: Commericals that are Better than the Product

This is something that I think is really pretty common, actually. 

But there are some that I just love, I really like the Oreo and Coca Cola comercials. But I've always been a Pepsi fan. And Oreos are okay, but the the commercial is so cute. 

Of the Coca Cola commercials I have seen, the one that is my favourite is the one that looks like it is filmed from security cameras (maybe it actually is) and it has people doing things like pushing a van out of the way of a train, giving someone chips, and things like that. 

I also find OldSpice commercials pretty friggin' hilarious. 

The new one, where the guy is like 'does your boyfriend look like me? no. but he can smell like me?' It seems so over the top. But in a funny way. 

I don't like how OldSpice smells, though. I mean, there are worse ones. But there are more that are better.  

There are more as well, but I can't remember what they are. 

Do you have a commercial you like, but the product you don't?

Do you have a favourite commercial?

Do you have a product you like, with a commercial you don't?

Post 12: Clean, tidy and organized

Based on the title you might guess, I've been cleaning today. 

And you know what? I don't like cleaning. Or organizing. Or tidying. 

But I like things clean, organized and tidy. 

In fact, every couple weeks I get on my computer and spend two hours just putting things in files and folders so that they are excatly where they should be. I have files within files within files, within folders within folders. The only way things would be easier to find is to make a table of contents of sorts for things. 

My room, however, is different from my computer. First of all, my computer has more space. My room, which is quite small, does not have much space. My closet, which is maybe three feet long and one feet deep, has my dresser in it, as well as my hanging clothes, my shoes, my bags/back packs, a small TV, and about thirty books at any given time. 

Most of my stuff isn't even in my room. It is in a dresser in the hall that wouldn't fit in my room, a book shelf in the hall that wouldn't fit in my room, or storage. 

So, organizing it takes a lot of lets move this here for now, then we move it back here, and then the stuff that was there goes here, and quite a lot of 'where the heck am I going to put this?!'

It can be a frustrating nightmare. But once it is clean, it is so much better!

And my room is now clean! Yay! 

There are some questionable organizational systems in place, but I will deal with those at a later date. 

Do you like cleaning?

Do you like things clean?

How big is your room?

Post 11: Rings and Things

This blog post is dedicated to ideas with no follow through. 

Rings and Things was a concept idea I thought of a couple years ago. The basic idea was that people would take pictures of things they liked, owned or just saw in stores, and submit them to a website where they would include where they found them and how much they cost. 

The idea was that if enough people did it, it would allow people to look through a sort of virtual collection of things that people owned and if they saw something they liked, they could click on it and find out how much it cost and where it could be purchased. 

And if they found something they liked, but cost too much, because they would be categorized it would come up with suggestions of other things that might be in a more reasonable price range. 

Or they could say, 'this is too much for me, but I kind of like this person's taste' and they can look through the other things the person has listed to see if there is anything there they like. 

It seemed like a good idea, and in fact, it was a good idea. You know how I know?

There is now an app called 'Wish' that does just that. It is different, people can add things that aren't actually real yet. There are a lot of people who add the same thing, and others who don't add a price or where to buy.

However, it is quite similar. 

Another idea I had was for a website that would combine social networking sites. 

Let's face it, most people in North America have more than one social networking site and about 50% of active users have at least 4. (Including LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, etc.)

It can be such a hassle going and signing in to each one individually. And what if you forget the password? Or just don't have time to bother?

My idea was for something that would combine them all together. 

And guess what?

HootSuite does just that. 

Although I would do some things differently. 

For example, it seems to add Twitter and Facebook to the same tab, instead of as two separate. 

I would do it as two separate tabs, because I don't 'tweet' much.

Also, my twitter is connected to my LinkedIn profile. My Facebook is not. And while I rarely curse, and do try to be responsible as far as what I put on Facebook, it doesn't mean all my friends are. 

And it doesn't mean that I always am, and always will be. 

Of course, even if I had acted on either of these ideas, it wouldn't have gotten as far. I have limited computer expertise and no funding. And while I do know computer people, it isn't like I would know where to get started setting these up or marketing them to get users.

Have you ever had an idea that came out later as a popular idea? 

Anyone think up anything like Facebook or Myspace before they came out?

Post 10: StrengthsFinder

StrengthsFinder, if you didn't already know, is an assessment test. The test tells you what 5 of the 34 talent themes are your strengths.

Mine are:

1. Strategic
2. Empathy
3. Ideation
4. Positivity
5. Adaptability

It is interesting because I don't really use strategic, and yet it is my number one strength! And interestingly enough, everyone on my mom's side of the family also has it. Maybe, that means it is genetic. Or at least that genetics have some effect, since I don't believe anyone in my family has positivity or empathy in their top five, or woo. Woo used to be in my top five, but probably moved down to my top ten. 

But, anyway, the point of the assessment is to take the strengths and use them to improve the way you study, work, and even build relationships.  

The test is weird, though. 

I mean, personality tests are always kind of weird because there are only so many questions they can ask that won't have you answering for days. 

But, there are many times when you just read through the answers but none of them really fit. Or when you have to answer between two things, and they either sound like you, or neither do. 

Oh, well. 

Anyone else take it?

What are your strengths?

Post 9: Women in Movies and TV shows that Annoy Me

Recently I talked about the To-Do List, and how annoying I found the main character because of how quickly she was willing to give up who she was, lie to her parents, and break the law over a cute guy.

Girls like that in movies and TV shows and movies really annoy me.

Another example, in a TV Show, is Catherine from Beauty and the Beast. She starts off this head strong, tough female cop. And then she meets a guy, who is technically a serial killer- even if he only kills bad guys, like muggers and killers, he is still a mass murderer- and she changes.

Not completely, and not first. At first, she is distant and unsure of whether she can trust him completely. And he hurt her, and she told him that she can't just forget how much her hurt her. It was refreshing.

Then, he saves her and suddenly, trusting him to save her life and trusting him not to break her heart suddenly become synonymous.

Not long after she is using lines like, 'You are my world'. Even though she has her sister, her father, her step-mother, her best friend, her co-worker/friend/he is totally in love with her and ends up dying to protect her.

And she is willing to run away with him abandoning everything to spend the rest of her life in hiding and on the run. Living in abandoned warehouses and sewers, but its okay because he will be there.

Characters like these two make me want to tear out my hair. Who abandons her friends and family for a guy? A guy that kills people? A guy that went back to his ex-fiance after she told him that she loved him?

I liked her at first, she had such a strong personality. In the first episode her boyfriend was cheating on her and left her a break voice mail, and what did she do? She stayed strong, had him arrested by concert security because he had pot, then walked away.

She didn't grovel, or cry or get depressed. She got mad, she got even and then she moved on.

Whoever thought changing her personality was a good idea shouldn't be allowed to write for television and movies.

Post 8: Health issues and 'The To-Do List'

I hate being sick. I mean, who likes it? But, I really hate it. This comes up today, because I am sick.

So, sick I spent an hour and a half in the ER. Thankfully, my friend, who will be referred to as Harvey from here on out, lives only two doors down and could drive me. So, I didn't have to take the bus. 

It was horrible. But, I got the medication I needed and I feel better already knowing that I have it. 

I felt so much better I decided to go to see a movie with the friend that drove me to the ER. We went to see 'The To-Do List'. 

If you haven't seen the trailer, you might not know what it is about. 

The story is set in 1993, and the main character is basically your stereotypical over-achieving, goody-two shoes. She doesn't drink, she is clueless about guys and school is her main priority. She goes to a party, sees a guy that she thinks is really hot. Suddenly, school no longer matters to her, her 'my father is a judge' line goes out the window and all she cares about is this guy. He kisses her when she is wasted, and while he thinks she is someone else. She decides she is going to lose her virginity to him, and before she is experienced enough to do that she makes of list of thing she has to try, 'a to-do list'. 

It was funny, also awkward. But I didn't really like the fact that all it took was seeing a hot guy for her to betray her best friend, use and manipulate someone who was in love with her, and basically completely give up on who she used to be. 

I mean, really? She said made 10 words to him first, and for the first half of the movie he wasn't even really nice to her. He teased her, pushed her in the pool, mocked her and ignored her. 

Meanwhile, the guy who was in love with her actually tells her he loves her, asks her out, helps find her a job and defends her. But, she totally blows him off and stands him up to go out with someone else. 

I don't know if I would see the movie again, though. 

Has anyone else seen the movie? What did you think?

Ever have to go to the ER?

Post 7: Road Trips and Super Powers

Road trips are pretty unique as far as travel experiences go. Unlike riding in buses, boats, or planes, you can pull over and you can choose your route after you've started out. But much like a plane, there is limited space, and the more you bring the less room you have. Road trips involve seeing different things depending on where you go and what you want to see. When you are in a plane all you see is ground far, far above it. They just look like patches of colours and dots.

Road trips allow you to stop along the way, like if you see a sign that says Snake Farm. And you are like, what is that? You can pull over and go check it out. If you are on a bus, it makes it hard because there are issues with timing and finding the closest stops.

All this talk about road trips, I must say that I don't really enjoy them. I love travelling and seeing new places, but what would be best (in my opinion) would the ability to just teleport to where I want to go.

Teleportation would be a pretty killer super power. You wouldn't have to worry about being late for work, you could travel where-ever, when-ever and for free. This would be pretty cool.

Though, I think that what I would as super power might be telepathy. Because there are so many times when I'm having a conversation with someone and I just really want to know what they are really thinking. (And who wouldn't want to cut out the guess work of wondering whether someone likes them or not?)

Another power that might be cool is precognition. It would certainly be useful from a financial stand point, if you could see the future lottery numbers, future sports team winners and things like that.

But that brings up an interesting question; if you have super powers does that mean you need to use them?

Do you have to use them for yourself or others? For good purposes or evil? 

I think it is interesting. As far as my own opinion, I would probably use them to help my friends, family, and myself but maybe not on a larger scale.

What would you do?

What do you think about road trips? 

Post 6: Hair chalk and Fairs

So, today I went to a fair in Washington. And, oh my god. It was huge!! I have gone to the Steuben County Fair and the Allegheny County fair, but this fair was huge. It was like 8 times bigger than them both. There were so many games and rides. There was an entire warehouse size building FILLED with little store-like kiosks. There was another huge room filled with rock n' roll memorabilia as well. It was really impressive.

At one of the store-like places, I got hair chalk. I've seen pictures and things and it looks really cool, if it actually works. And working in general, and working for my hair are two entirely different things.  

I'm going to end it here today, and make it a short one because it is already pretty late. Today has been a super busy day. I mini-golfed, I went to a driving range and shot golf balls, I went to the fair, I went grocery shopping, I cooked dinner for my grandparents, and I did it all while playing phone Scrabble. 

Good night everybody!

Anyone else go to the fair today? 

Any advice for hair chalk use? Have a favourite chalk colour?

Post 5: Gas Station Mini Marts and Weird Chip Flavours

As far as weird flavours go, you've probably heard of ketchup, dill pickle, and pizza. But today I discovered one that would put the rest to shame: Chicken and Waffle. They would be weird separately, but combined? Award winning weird.

And who would have guessed it would have turned up in a small gas station mini mart?

Yes, a gas station mini mart, just across the border coming into the States from Canada. (On a road trip with SD, Mom and Dog.) Mom was pretty excited about the find, and bought them to give to her parents, (Which is where we are going.) I think they would have appreciated a bottle of wine more. 

Anyway, it was a pretty weird mini mart. But, not as weird as the guy behind the counter. He wasn't weird in like a dorky, fun way. He was weird in a creepy, likely-felon kind of way. 

He just gave off a really weird vibe, you know? It is hard to describe. It isn't like he said anything bad. But, it is the way he said it. 

Like, when we were leaving he said, 'Be safe.' In this totally creepy way. Why would you say be safe anyway? I mean, have a nice day is a typical, stock phrase that people use in customer service. But, do you ever hear your cashiers say 'be safe'? 

I mean, maybe if you told them you were going somewhere potentially dangerous or going on a long driving trip, but just randomly?

It is weird. It also seems to imply that you're not safe. And why wouldn't you be safe? 

Very weird. 

Anyone else have a weird mini mart experience?

Ever tried Chicken and Waffle Lays? Found a weirder chip flavour?  

Post 4: Plants, pets and peaceful settings

I am a University student, if you hadn't guessed. I live in residence. I did last year as well, (I'm in my second year.) Last year, when I first got into the room it looked like a room in a prison, or an examination room. The room was small, and every wall was white. There were two windows. Both small, one that wouldn't open. The walls were scratched and had holes from people putting things up. It was depressing.

If I am going to be spending as much time in my room as I did last year, then it needs to be stimulating, homey and warm. I want their to be colours. I want their to be decorations. I want their to be pictures and things that remind me of home, but also what it is I'm working for.

I like plants. I had two plants last year. One died, though. It fell out my window twice. It wasn't intentional. It was the best place to get light and it was stuffy in my room so I opened the window and the wind blew it out. There was no screen and the window opened up and out. Poor plant.

I have four plants. One from last year, and I got a lavender plant, one potted cactus-like plant, and a cactus-sampler thing with three little cacti.

I'm pretty excited. I'm not sure where I am going to put them in my room at University. But, I do know the room is bigger. So, woo!

I miss having pets. I substitute them with plants.

I really wanted a fish, but I couldn't go home on the holidays because they wouldn't survive. And they might not survive the transit between school and home.

I would have smuggled in cat, if it weren't for the fact my Step-Dad, referred to as SD from here on out, is allergic to cats so I couldn't take it home.

I don't go so far as naming my plants, though. I did name my fake fish. I know that sounds crazy, but they are actually quite life-like. They are like little plastic fish with, and they go on a stand and I think both the fish and the stand have a magnet inside. And when the stand is turned on the magnet moves, so the fish move.

There names, by the way, are Marlin and Dory, because that is the fish they look like. At least, to me.

I think I will cut this post here. I wrote most of what I wanted to write, and I might continue it later or just write another post later.

Post 3: iTunes and Slacker Radio

Sometimes I feel like I am the only one who still buys songs on iTunes. One of my friends, who will be referred to as Joey from here on out, has downloaded over 800 songs. She has downloaded more songs than I own.

I like owning them. At least, that is what I used to tell myself when I was buying them. However, now I don't know. Now that it turns out when you buy songs on iTunes, you don't actually own them. After reading the article about the man who wanted to leave his music and iTunes library to his kids, but iTunes said no. Basically, it sounded like you are renting them for an extended period of time. And they can retract the rental whenever they want, if they want.

That just seems wrong. If I am going to spend two dollars on a song that I can listen to for free, and download for free, I feel like I should own it. 

On a slightly less likely note, I think iTunes should start giving out discounts or credits to people who spend over a certain amount. I have spent well over like $500 on iTunes over the years. With all that money spent on music, movies, TV shows, ringtones and apps I feel like I should get like a VIP membership where I get pre-order movies early or something. SOMETHING. That isn't even including the Apple products I've owned over the years.

It isn't like I'm going to suddenly stop giving them money at this point.

I am always looking for new music to buy and listen to.

Which is part of the reason I like AOL Radio powered by Slacker. I love it because I can just click on the song I like and it makes a radio station with similar music. It is like Genius from iTunes but I can listen to the full song. 

Today for example, I found 'Your Love' by the Outfield, 'Let it Rock' by Kevin Rudolf, and 'Mr. Saxobeat' by Alexandra Stan. Sometimes, it is music I already have. But, that just validates that I am listening to the right station. 

There have been some issues lately, though. It is sad. It has been pretty glitchy and it skips songs or won't play them.

Anyway, does anyone else buy there music on iTunes still?

How much of your music? I sometimes consider downloading music that isn't available in the country I live in. Because, it isn't like I wouldn't buy it if I could, but it just isn't available in every country. 

Anyone else listen to AOL Radio powered by Slacker? Anyone else finding it glitchy this week?