Rockstars of the week

If you remember these from AKPsi, awesome. If not, welcome to rockstars of the week. These will not be awarded weekly but pretty much whenever I feel like it.

3. Wendorf - for visiting Mpls for the weekend and not meeting up with us at all. You are highly unreliable.

2. Alicia - for attempting to pull a "switch" with Tyree and Brent (or Brett?) on Sunday night. You're a classy lady.

1. Mike Colletti - for showing up at the bar tour on Sunday night and being fun after no one has seen him in years.

Prize: $1

I will award $1 to anyone who can tell me who I have called at (905)361-6687. I usually don't review my cell bill very closely but now that it's not expensable, I took a closer look when I received my most recent bill. I called this 905 number on 5/4/05 at 9:04am, and again on 5/9/05 at 12:01am. I don't think this is a # of someone I know, because it's a Canadian number (thus the international long distances charges that prompted me to examine these calls). I also don't think it's anyone I'm calling about my job search (the midnight call just doesn't seem professional).

May 4 at 9am I was at Alicia and Heather's house - I'd just slept over after getting back into Mpls the day before. Who would I have called right away that morning, and then at midnight 5 days later? No clue. No guess. No idea.

Your guesses are appreciated - don't forget the $1 prize.

Answers to Alicia's questions: Each call was 2 minutes - it would make sense that that's enough time to leave a VM, but barely enough time to talk to someone I don't know... I wouldn't have known I was dialing Canada - you don't need to dial special +01 etc. - thus I had Canada blocked from my phone so I don't accidently call there in the future.

Winner......... Heidi!!! Yeah, Heidi! The person I was dialing was Daniellette (I swear this was her name), a lady from HR from my former employer who I was calling regarding my exit interview. She is based in Jersey so I'm quite confused as to why she has a Canadian phone number? Anyway, I knew she was on vacation to I called her at midnight to leave a VM about my exit interview. Heidi - I got a dollar with your name on it.

My weekend

My weekend fun started with my friend Crystal's wedding on Saturday in Jackson. We captured a picture of the Class of '98 at the wedding.

Other good times at the wedding - figuring out that the confirmed list of people from our class that aren't married and don't have babies includes: Trudy, Laura, Joy Garber (works at Casey's in Jackson?), Angela Marthaler (she missed the pix but was there - she's a vet student at the U), Ryan Hample (lives in Mpls), and Ryan Dunlavey (dental student at the U). I'm sure there are more but this is the list I remember from the wedding night discussions...

Good times.

Word on the street...

Is that when you move to a new city and don't know anyone, you have a 24 hour "fun pass" that allows you to do anything you want. If you move somewhere you know people, this rule doesn't count.

Is the word on the street correct? Please vote yes or no, there's a score to be settled.

It's funny...

This ESPN interoffice memo is very funny - especially after watching mucho NY and Bos sports over the last few years. I hope Felicia reads my blog and will comment on it... hehe

I know he's an author but...

Has anyone read any books by Dean Koontz? I just saw he had a new book, Velocity, come out, and realized he's written a load of books. I've never read him, nor do I know anyone who has read his books, nor do I have any preconcieved notion about what his books are like. I have a bad feeling he's the male version of Danielle Steel - written a lot of books, all about sort of the same subject matter, sells lots of books I'm not overly interested in ready.

Does anyone have more insight about this author?

Bad news for Starbucks

I offically hate Starbucks. Will I never buy from Starbucks again? Doubt it (see my Best Buy hatred yet my continuation of giving them my dollas). Here's what happened.

Following my own advice, I ordered by coffee this morning and asked my barista to leave the lid off. She told me that's not possible, she must place the lid on my coffee but I'm welcome to remove it after she gives it to me lidded. I politely explained that when I do that, it drips - but if the lid is only placed on the cup once and never replaced, the chance of it dripping is greatly reduced.

Barista: I'm sorry, I can't do that.

Laura: Can I bring the pitcher of milk over here and add it to my coffee prior to you placing the lid on it?

Barista: No.

Laura: Can you add the milk to my coffee prior to placing the lid on it?

Barista: No.

Laura: Nevermind, I gotta go there's my bus

I understand that the lady who sued MickeyDs after she spilled coffee on herself has probably prompted legal rules for the baristas. I know - they don't want me to spill on myself and then sue them. I wish someone would sue Starbucks after spilling coffee on themselves as a result of their spitting f-ing lids - maybe that would prompt them to change their cups.

If Brandon could shed any light on this situation from his experience as part of the Starbucks team, that'd be awesome. Thanks.

UPDATE: I just realized a conspiracy theory about Starbucks cups. If you usually ordered coffeee and then took off the lid to add milk, and then your cup consistently dripped on you, how might you react? By ordering a drink that does not need fixins added i.e. their lattes, caps, etc. ALL OF WHICH COST $3 - $5. While a coffee costs less than $2.

Hmmmm.... Maybe this is Starbucks plan to help them rule the world. What do you think?

I heart international travel (and bar tours)

I'm not an expert on international travel, considering I've only been abroad 3 separate trips in my lifetime (I'm not counting Mexico because when you go to American vacation destinations it doesn't count - the depths of the Mexican terrain would count, as would Mexico City in case you're wondering. However, any city which may have been features on E! Wild On or Girls Gone Wild doesn't count).

Anyway, while I may not be an expert, I think I know enough to say that this trip is a damn good deal. The Harpoon Brewery Tour of Ireland slated for November 2005 is a 5 day guided tour highlighting drinking establishments of Ireland. I am not a fan of guided tours (usually overpriced, restrictive, what if everyone on your bus is crazy, etc.) however, I think the type of people that would go on this trip, and the style, would totally agree with me.

AND it's not expensive - $499 land only (hotel, bus, a few meals) or $799 including RT from Boston. Since no one lives in Boston, you'd want to go w/ the land only and I would be AMAZED if I could find airfare from MSP for $300 inc. taxes in November but even still, I think this is a good deal. (FYI - fares are riding around $600 from MSP for these dates but would drop closer to travel dates.)

What do you think?

Ironic coincidence

I'm sorry, but the irony of using Viagra possibly leading to blindness is too funny not to mention. It just makes me giggle thinking that mothers telling their sons mastrubation will make you go blind were actually right. Coincidence?

Word of the day

Sardonic. I feel like I should've know it but didn't realize exactly what it meant. What about you?

Jokes

I have 2 good jokes to share with y'all. Both from late night TV - I truly think these shows make me a little dumber (but not a lot dumber) but am addicted. Oh well.

Chris Rock, on Conan last night
Chris: You know that Runaway Bride woman? The man she was supposed to marry is the luckiest man ever.
Conan: The luckiest man? Why do you say that?
Chris: Most men don't realize they married the craziest bitch in the world until AFTER the wedding. He got to find out before the wedding, lucky guy.

Craig Ferguson in a spoof interview with George W. Bush tonight
Craig: Well hi there, Mr. President, looks like we caught you in the middle of a workout.
Bushie (going on the elliptical machine): Yep, I'm working out on the Olymptical machine right now.

Dear Target corporate,

I had a very disappointing customer experience yesterday in the Apple Valley SuperTarget and wanted to tell you about it. I am a loyal Target shopper - if a case arose where I had to drive past 2 Wal-Marts and a K-Mart and drive 30 miles out of my way in order to shop at Target, I would do it. I even have a Target Visa.

Last night I finished shopping a few minutes before the store closed. I got in line for the register when the announcements were made that the store would be closing in 10 minutes. After unloading my cart full of Target and grocery items onto the belt, the lights turned off. Fine, I understand that turning the lights will push people to leave the store - good job Target. However, the switch that turns off the lights also turns off the belt at the cashier lanes. So, you turn off the lights to rush people to check out and leave the store, but then turn off the belt that allows me to check out and leave the store.

I'm assuming you can see the irony in this? I had this happen probably 5 years ago at a Target, and I'd forgot about the situation until it happened again last night. Can you imagine how frustrating and infuriating this situation is to a shopper? I had to, item by item, move my $150 of groceries and Target items along the belt manually. It was riduculous.

I know that having 1000+ stores in the US makes changing the way things are done is a big issue, but seriously, please fix this. 2 separate switches - one for lights, one for belts. Or have each belt switch attached to the register it is at. There was still electricity coming to my register lane - I'm no engineer I know it's possible for the belt could be wired to have power as well.

I know I'm not the only person who has been disappointed in Target when encountering this type of situation. I wonder how Wal-Marts and K-Marts handle the store-is-closing-do-the-belts-work issue...

Thanks,
Laura

I like pranks

This is a v. old post from some guy's blog, but I still think it's funny. He shows a prank that Yale pulled on Harvard - basically getting Harvardites to hold up signs saying "We suck". Check out the prank and the picture.

I feel like we should try doing with with one of our rivals. Hehe.

Mr. Pawlenty

I concur.

That man is a liar.
- Brian Fellows

Dr. Tom

I'm not trying to go Fugly girls on you, but I have a few things to say about this article about Mr. Tom Cruise. I feel that commenting on him and his Oprah appearance and the whole Katie Holmes thing is necessary almost to the point of requirement of any decent blogger.

1. Dr. Tom, and all the Scientologists, should be relocated to Crazytown. Heal postpartum depression with vitamins? No.
2. Is Tom's new "love" and sudden emergence of extreme public displays of affection for real? Questionable.
3. Is the Tom - Katie thing a reaction to the fact that Tom is a big, big homo and is in collusion with Katie that this will help her career (I don't think First Daughter was exactly a movement into super stardom?) and cover up his homo-ness? Likely.
   

I hate...

• The girl in my class that drinks a can of Diet Coke with a bendy straw. So far 2/2 days. I'll keep you updated.
• The girl in my class that is obviously a History of Jesus major (except that we're taking a 1000 level class so I don't know why she acts like she's taken 82 classes in the subject already) and keeps making statements during the discussion part of our lecture like, "Well, the gospel of Luke was the last of the 4 major gospels written - it was written 80 years after Jesus' death." And she doesn't say it in a "oh, here's some additional info I'd like to add to the discussion". No, she says it as if to challenge our professor as if he doesn't know this information and she is 'learning' him. So f-ing annoying.

However, I do like something about my class I didn't realize yesterday. There is a boy I think is a U wrestler and a boy I think is a U baseball player in my class. Both are wearing head to toe Gopher gear with the respective teams reflected and have the bodies of the typical athlete in their respective sports, plus they're wearing sweatpants. Personally, I'm wearing a Gopher Hockey tee today but not rocking out with my sweatpants out. I think that sweatpants are a clear indicator you are a player, not a poser. Your thoughts? I seem to remember Stuart and Johnny doing the sweatpant thing every once in a while, but don't have Adam in sweatpants memories.

I'm now going to scour GopherSports.com for these boy's pictures on the rosters. It's hard when I have to look at one from the side and the other from the back but I'll do my best and report back. Too bad I didn't pay attention during roll call yesterday and note down possible athletes names so I could more easily stalk them.

Update: The possible wrestler now has moved over to sit next to girl drinking Diet Coke with a straw. Downgrade.

Second, there is also a possible footballer in the room as well. Wearing gym shorts instead of sweatpants but either way it counts as possible baller.

Third, it is nearly impossible to look at mug shots of the entire FB, Baseball, and Wrestling and try to confirm the identity of classmates to the pictures. F me.

I'm not in Kansas anymore

I was watching the Today Show this morning, and their Live for Today ballroom dancing portion of the show on the Plaza was interrupted by showers. At that point, I went online to check the weather and make sure I shouldn't bring my umbrella with me to class. Weather.com said sunny, so I left to get my drippy Starbucks and catch the bus.

Only right now in class while reading Boston.com and an article talked about the recent gloomy weather, did I realize that I don't live in Boston, thus the weather on the Today show is not weather I'll be seeing appx. 4 hours later. The Today Show was fabulous when I lived in Boston - most weather you saw on TV would arrive in Boston later in the day.

However, Today Show weather will not hit Minneapolis later in the day.

Note to self.

Dear Starbucks corporate,

How have you managed to form a sucessful business plan that can forecast more Starbucks locations in China than in the US by 2020, but you have failed to design a cup that won't drip? My experience is that if the lid is placed on the cup by my barista and I do not remove it, there is a 50% chance it will drip all over me.

However, if I remove the lid to add milk, sugar, etc. and then replace it, there is 100% certainty that the cup will start to spit coffee at me from between the lid and cup. How have you ovelooked this design flaw?

Sure, you can say to me "Laura, just ask your barista to not place the lid on - this reduces your drip risk by half." While this is true, and each time the dripping begins I curse myself for not doing that, I will still stand by my first statement that this would still result in 50% drippage e.g. not acceptable.

Please take a cross country trip from Seattle to Boston, then drive down I-93 to Randolph, MA home of Dunkin Donuts. Their small size cup (for those of you who habla Starbuckian, that's a Tall) is ok, but I give many accolades to their medium cup. It is practically drip-proof, and as an added benefit, spillproof. And had a resealable lid. Basically, best cup ever.

I'll give you 6 months to modify your cup design and allow production to begin. Let's say I'll check in with you on December 1, 2005 if I haven't seen a better cup design being presented by my barista at my local Starbucks (Nicollett and Franklin Ave W, Minneapolis, MN).

Sincerely,
Laura

This is almost as bullshit as no power hour

Happy hour banned in the UK

Business nerd, not God Squad

While I'm taking notes in Word on my computer, we had a little exercise where we handwrote answers to a question posed by our professor. I was writing in cursive and looked back and realized I had spelled "prophet" in error as "profit". I take this as meaning that deep down I was destined to be a business student.

Would you name your twins Mia and Mya?

You all know how much I love baby names. The social security administration released the top baby names of 2004 recently and I'd like to talk about a few things I find funny.

• 2004 was the first year sets of twins were noted separately from the top baby names of the year. 103 sets of twins were names Jacob and Joshua - cheesy if you ask me. But not nearly as confusing as the 13 sets of twins named Mia and Mya. How f-ing confusing would that be? I bet those names are commonly mispronounced which makes the girls essentially have the same name. Weird. Also notable, Jada and Jaden (17 pairs). Funny.
• Here's the list of top names. My only issue is with #5, Ethan. I think this is a crappy name and only know one person who has it - and someone born in '79 when it was not nearly as popular. Aside from Ethan Hawke, are there any other famous people that make people like this name?
• Separate from the SSA stats, here's a list of top baby names for sports fans. Funny.
  

E tu Brute. Now, let's toast with a Coca-Cola brand soda!

I am disappointed that Broadway has taken the low road (as opposed to the high road?) and is including product placement: Jose Cuervo Gran Centenario tequila is featured by name by revising the script in Sweet Charity (starring Christina Applegate). I will say kudos to the agency that got this in the script, but I have to say this is not a classy move on the part of the writer and production company. But, with shows costing more and the money side of Broadway being so tight, maybe this is what it's come to. Your thoughts?

PS I hope you can read the article I've linked to - it's from AdAge.com I don't know if you need a password to read it?

Word of the day

Charlatan. Comment if you knew it.

B2G?

I interviewed for a job on Friday with a company that used to sell B2C, but now sells B2B and B2G. Am I dumb? I had no idea what B2G was... I'd use this as a trivia question, but after learning with my "Where was the first A&W root beer?" trivia question I know that you [Bejota] will just google for the answer anyway so I'll just tell you that B2G = Business to Government. Did you know that?

I'm in class bloggging

While I enjoy being a child of the 70s (by 4 days), there are definately some benefits to being born in the mid-80s. One is that your freshman year of college would include wi-fi on campus so you can access the internet during class while taking notes of your fun laptop. AKA what I'm doing right now while in my class, Jesus in History, which I'm taking now through June 10. Having wi-fi and a laptop in class is honestly the best best best idea ever. I actually already looked up 2 things in class related to the lecture, in addition to a "little" email maintenence during the lags in the lecture.

A few other notes about going back to class:

• Guess what? Even if you get older, college girls stay the same age. I feel old. PS to John if you're reading - college girls = good reason to go back to school :)
  
• Summer classes are easy. Wicked easy. i.e. There are 8 2 page papers during the 3 week course - oh wait - I only have to write 4/8. Love it.
• Half the books are "required" the others are "optional". Love it.
• Campus upgrade = Chic-fil-a in Coffman. Sweet.
• Today, I was the last person to arrive prior to lecture beginning (about 2 minutes after I got seated). AKA perfect timing. You may think this is late, but please note that 2 people arrived after me (and after class began).
  

You'll continue to hear from me during class, believe it.

Black cowboy

I was watching Jay Leno last week and saw Big and Rich f/ Cowboy Troy perform. A country duo featuring a rapper. Um yeah... It was strange, but apparently they're popular because at the break, a Chevy Truck commercial featuring the threesome and their song was aired. Apparently I'm out of the loop on country music - Alicia, step up your music education!

Desparate Housewives - Upgrade

I've been quite happy with Desparate Housewives this year, except the period of reruns in late winter. I say kudos to the show for the finale tonight - I won't give anything away for those of you on the Left Coast who are about to watch the show in 40 min... I thought it did a great job of closing up a several of the holes in the story, but leaving enough ? to make you excited for next fall's season premiere. All together, a fine job NBC.

And, I might add, that Grey's Anatomy closed quite well as well - I enjoyed the syphillis storyline (v. funny) and also am looking forward to this show coming back in the fall. Hopefully they'll keep them both on Sunday nights - unless Sopranos is coming back this fall? - but I like Sunday night TV better than any other night esp. on CST.

Question - has Sunday night been a good TV night for years and years? I can't remember it being a keynote night for shows prior to HBO initiating Sex and the City and Sopranos. What night were the old, big shows on? I think Dallas, Dynasty, Melrose Place, and all the sitcoms were always on weeknights. Examples of popular Sunday night shows from the 80s/90s?

Dear Caribou Coffee Corporate,

Today, I ordered a small coffee Cooler (your version of Frappacino) around 4pm at the Rosedale Mall location. It literally took 12 minutes from the time I placed my order until I had the Cooler in hand. There were probably 6 people standing with me waiting for our orders to come up - I've never experienced such a delay when ordering something at Caribu, or any other coffee shop. I understand that frozen drinks take longer to make than black drip coffee, but seriously? It took all my willpower not to approach those placing orders with the clerk and tell them not to order because of the excessive backlog. I felt bad for the man making all our drinks - he was overwhelmed and needed another person helping him.

All in all, I was disappointed in the service today, and would suggest you staff 3 people rather than 2 at this location.

Thanks,
Laura

Thanks Missy!

I got beautiful tulips from Missy yesterday - they are pretty against my beautiful apartment-issued blinds except that I did a shitty job of arranging them. But they're still nice!

See - Missy listened to me when I said housewarming gifts could be forwarded to my new address :) :) What's funny is that at first I thought I had a secret admirer because I was pretty sure my parents had not sent me flowers. It's better to have a friend like Missy than a secret admirer - unless the secret admirer is someone rich and famous (and hot). Thanks Miss!

One of these girls is drunk - the other three are not...

Heather got us tickets to go to Acme Comedy club tonite. Guess who got drunk before the show? Ding ding ding! Erin.

Free miles = free miles

NWA is again doing the Fly Free Faster promotion this summer - be sure to register today so you're qualified for everything (even if you don't think you'll do it - you'll be pissed if you don't register you lazy ass). A few changes I noticed - you have to fly 2 domestic flights over the summer as qualifying activity - not 1 like last year. Also, for the 5 additional activities only 3 are allowed to be from Rewards Network dining - I don't think this was a rule last summer.

I'm excited because I'll be flying internationally this summer on NWA, so all I have to do is dine 3 times (Chevy's makes it easy) and then shop online twice through the NWA mall. 10,000 miles, get ready to join my account. Yippee.

Ooh - a few new NWA enhancements to their service. I like the $25 change fee - Delta has been doing this for a while and I've paid the $25 bucks to get on an earlier flight rather than hoping to fly stand-by. Worth it. Good work, NWA.

Huge announcement?

I'm sure you've all heard about the new, fourth brand Gap is launching this fall. Remember, the big announcement back on April 22? Yeah, me neither.

My jaw literally dropped when I googled "Fourth and Towne" the name of the chain and it came up with 4 items. 2 were talking about the Gap chain. I've got to wonder about the PR firm of the Gap Corporation - why wouldn't you play up this "big" announcement? I'm confused.

I wish I had an insider friend that worked for the company that could give me news on this fourth brand. But, if I had a friend like this, I'm sure that friend would've contacted me back in April to tell me the name of the new store. But no...

Delivering on my promise

I have not promised that my blog will change you life, or make you smarter, or even explain to you what's going on in my day-to-day life. However, I have promised several times that if you are bored at work, read my blog. It's fun.

Here's a website that aligns solidly with my promise. The What color eyes will my babies have website is fun - if you already know who you'll be mating with, you can figure out eye color based on the dominant/recessive genes I studied for my 3rd grade science fair project. If you don't know who your baby daddy will be, you can scope out the possibilities... It's fun.

People are assholes

This woman's article about the crazy ass people she had to deal with while working in a Back Bay salon appeared in the Boston Globe and I think it's interesting. It makes me question if I want to get a job in the service industry? Yes I do - for the money.

Wolf tacos? Wolf burritos?

Who knew, right in Eagan, MN - there's a Mexican restaurant named after Los Lobos. Shall we check it out?

The Fugly girls have outdone themselves this time...

The Fugly girls had one of the funnier posts about Lindsey Lohan (pix posted above) that they've had in a while. If you haven't taken time to go to their site, go to Fugly, bookmark it, and visit daily. It's good times, and will reassure you if your wardrobe is v. good or v. bad. Not a bad side affect from reading their blog, eh?

Do you want Ken in your house?

I couldn't make up the Ken Jennings board game if I tried. The commercials are ridiculous - Mr. Ken saying "it's a great game, but I can't win. It's always a tie score!" So Mormon-dorky.

Missed connections

I'm not sure if you've ever heard me rant about Missed Connections (in the daily, the Metro, online, etc.) but while I find them amusing to read, I doubt that anyone actually reconnects. I mean, come on, what are the chances? And sometimes the vague descriptions make me think even if it was me that missed a connection, I couldn't be sure htey were describing me.

A fellow blogger agrees with me but then her friend connected with someone the missed connections way. I'm with her - sounds crazy and unlikely.

One more reason... (well 2)

I'll chalk this up as one more reason not to shop at Walmart, as if you need another...

Ooh - and here's another fun article about reasons to avoid Walmart - if you think Walmart doesn't pay workers enough, show your disdain by avoiding shopping there. Good article from a blog I like.

Too busy?

Apparently I've been way too busy with work lately to post pictures from the roadtrip. Here are several - you'll notice there are none of us posed in front of anything (or any of us together at all) just funny things we saw and captured. Is there a special name for this type of random fun photography?

Home for the weekend

Sorry to post this more than 48 hours after arriving in Jackson, but here's the announcement that I'm home for the weekend. It's been a pretty lame weekend in J-town (not surprising) but more because I have a cold than that Jackson is lame (well, that's debatable).

The highlight so far has certainly been my family's trip tonight to the Bergen Bar. Bergen, MN population: 10 (maybe?) The Bergen Bar is famous for good burgers, steaks, etc. but I like it for the fact that you can do set-ups. If you're not familiar, you order a set-up (soda), you bring your own liquor. It's fabulous. We brought our Crown in a paper bag, but saw MANY special leather carrying cases especially for set-up bars. Good times.

Does Wisconsin do this? It's done in bars w/ no liquor license, so I feel like it's not done in WI because everybody has a liquor license - do you even need one in WI? I feel like they're "suggested" but not required because that might prevent someone from selling alcohol and getting drunk at any moment - something Wisconsinites strive to avoid.

Fun in NY's Hudson River Valley with JB and wine coolers. Yummy. 

The Rama Inn - across from the Superlodge where we stayed. Both real motel names, couldn't make this up. Since I like to write letters to companies, I almost want to go ahead and write to Ramada HQ to tell the after revoking the licence agreement with their Kingston, NY location, this is what happens. Not exactly the direction Ramada is planning for their brand I don't think.

Note the last sentance of the first full paragraph.




The car dispenses "lighted cigarettes"? Seriously? Is this possible? In a 1930ish car? Come on now, quit pulling my leg.

Once again, any insight into what this really means - could it be true? - please comment.

I was pissed Ford is sponsoring the restroom's at FDR's presidential library. And why? Shouldn't it be the FDR'S CHARMIN RESTROOMS instead? Oh wait - actually it's just a bad sign misrepresenting the fact that FDR's Ford car and the men's and women's bathrooms are both located in the basement. There's an easy way to fix the confusion - way to F it up, Park Service. But Julie and I decided that we could pick out friends based on who "got" that the sign was wrong/funny and who didn't. If you don't get it, post and I'll talk you through it. And we won't be friends anymore.

I like NY laws. So v. democratic.

Milk sold in yellow plastic jugs is scary. Do you agree? (Scranton, PA Sheetz convenience store - coolest convenience store EVER).

Sheetz

Sheetz is the best convenience store ever. And I'm not the only one saying so - they have won lots of prizes. Here's the deal - it's a W. PA chain that combined gas station, convenience store, and super customized fast food that you order yourself on touchscreens in store - you don't have to deal with anyone taking your order. I likey.

Laura's prediction: Sheetz expands and prospers.

Left to right: Hottie #1, Hottie #2.

Picture from the Royal Wedding I was having trouble publishing earlier. Worth the wait, eh?

Top Employers - super fun

I found a site that lists the largest employers for each state (plus lots of other fun info on the states) and found this fascinating. It's a fun quiz game - check out your state, perhaps, Minnesota, California, Wisconsin, New York, South Dakota, or Massachusetts. If I missed your state, it's cause you don't comment on my blog so I don't know you read it. One more good reason to comment.

Have an idea?

This website is fun - it collects ideas from common people (non-technology ideas, I might add) and then allows people to comment on them, add to them. There's a prize worked into the site as well but that's less important to me than browsing through all the ideas on the site. Enjoy.

Word of the day

Parley - did you know it? Find a way to weave it into your dialogue today? Comment.

Coincidental?

Minnesotans' hatred for Bush at a record high. Any coincidence this coincided with my return to the state???

Fontifier

Check out this Fontifier website - turns your handwriting into a font. For those of us who don't have Bejota's fancy tablet computer.

Hot spots

Bejota and I are debating the business structure for T-Mobile Hot Spots. Your input?

Do Hot Spot locations (Borders as an example) pay T-Mobile for the hot spot installed in their retail location? Thought being that they draw customers in by having hot spot there.

Does T-Mobile pay retail locations (Borders) for the right to install hot spot there? Thought being that without retail locations, T-Mobile doesn't have a business because aside from their stores they don't have retail outlets to serve as outlets for their business model.

Does anyone know the real answer? Or your guesses are welcome. I'd like to see what Isaac Fox has to say about this. Except his answer might read: "Sweat drip, well, let me think about this, sweat drip." I loved his class.

If you have not read Marc's comments, take a minute to read them. Love Marc.

Crazy?

Did you know Chris Kattan (Corky Romano) dated and lived with Jennifer Coolidge (Stiffler's Mom) for a while in 2001? How strange does this couple seem, and how did I not know about this? Strange.

Google my last name

Sometimes it's fun to google just your last name instead of your full name. OK, maybe more fun for Alicia than for Bejota but if applicable, do it.

My fun findings - apparently I have a relative named Chris from Jackson, MN who came up with lots of articles, mostly about sports. I didn't know.

Fun finding #2 - this article from the SDSU student newspaper about online dating. It quotes Ryan, my certified second cousin, a student at SDSU. What's funny is that if you've seen my HS pix and thought I was a dork, multiply that by 10 and that's how Ryan still is, now, 7 years after we graduated from HS. Funny that he was hte one interviewed.

I'm going to hell

Check out the new definition of schiavo. Here are the pictures of people demonstrating the schiavo. Actually, I didn't make this page so somebody else is going to hell, not me. Right?

Free free free

I like the Wendy's promotion I saw advertised this afternoon - Free Frosty at Wendy's this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. No coupon required, no purchase required, just stop in and ask. I think it seems like a not too expensive promotion to get people through the door and to get people over the finger-in-the-chili incident. Kudos to Wendy's. Q: Where is Wendy's based? I'm looking for the specific suburb. Answer quick.

Did you get your free Frosty? I did on Friday - though I will say it is a mini Frosty. Mini mini. But yummy.

Also, props to Bejota for winning the trivia question. Pat on the back to you - don't bitch about the lack of prize - I'm umemployed and you're a fancy MIT fully employed company man. No prize for you.

Yeah... computer

I have a new computer. From Best Buy. I hate Best Buy. Reason being this: After getting amazingly good help from Michael A. in Roseville's store, I dropped off the computer to the Geek Squad and was told it'd be 45 minutes to rev up all the anti-virus and anti-spy stuff my dad wanted to add to it. I came back an hour and a half later to "quick" pickup my computer but no, Mr. Geek Squad guy had to F up my good experience.

Mr. Geek was working with a customer, and informed him he had to "go in the back to try to sort everything out. That sounded like a long process so I approached him, and said, "I'm just picking up my laptop - can you help me with that?" His reply - "Ma'am, I'll be with you in a minute". I could see my laptop sitting behind the counter, all done and ready to go home with me.

Mr. Geek then disappears in the back room. I approach 2 other people who "can't" help me. Mr. Geek comes back from the back and resumes dealing with other customers. I try to ask another customer service person if they can help me and Mr. Geek interrupts me and says "Ma'am, I'll help you soon".

At the end of all this, 20 min later, Mr. Geek helps me - when I explain what I'm doing (picking up a laptop - transaction time total = less than 2 minutes) he says to me "Ooh - that's all you needed?" Like I hadn't said it 4 times before. So damn annoying.

I hate Best Buy.

No computer

I realized I can't live without a computer. I just checked my email for the first time since Tuesday and it makes me very crabby. I can't do anything without it - job search, buy a plane ticket, or find out where Best Buys are. Must get computer asap.

The media sucks

This Washington Post article echos the annoyance I posted a few days ago regarding the media blowing non-News stories out of control. Note to Alicia - you do not get $1, the husband didn't do it. I like the comments in the article about the fact that is non-news story never should've gone beyond local news, and the panels of experts analyzing her are ridiculous. My thoughts exactly.

Back

Julie and I had a super fun roadtrip. Highlights:

• Hyde Park, NY and the entire Hudson Valley - it was awesome. We had great dinner at Terrapin in Rhinebeck and it was fun. We stayed at the Superlodge (real name) where we didn't meet the boys that were there to party but we did have our own wine cooler party.
• We accidently roadtripped through the Poconos. It was pretty. We purposely went to Hershey, PA to check out the Hershey stuff. I'm quite confident Alicia would've went over the edge with the crowds of loud, sugared up children. We did a fake factory tour (better than expected) and shopped at the Hershey store (worse than I expected).
• We accidently stayed in Somerset, PA also known as home of the 9 miners that were trapped and then they were able to rescue. They don't sell beer in town at 11:00pm on Sunday nights, we found out. Not unexpected considering in the state, you can't buy wine and beer in the same store. Not kidding.
• It took FOREVER to get from Somerset to OH. 120 of the longest miles of my life, good lord. Ohio was short, Indiana was long, Gary was ugly.
• We stayed with my friend Amy in Chicago. We had more fun with her cats than expected. Her cat Cubbie eats Panamanian flip-flops - note to self. Amy was a kick ass host (and I learned that Kansas has Jayhawk sheets so I'm looking into Gopher sheets) and we treated her to Flat Top (Amy - I put the $20 you tried to give me under the Entenmann's box in your kitchen - hehe)
• Today's drive was easy - we even had time to grab cheese curds in WI. Yummy.