5.30.2006

all things essential

Not long ago, a friend mentioned how she did a blog posting on the great creamy v. crunchy peanut butter debate, and received quite a few hits as a result, mostly from people doing searches on the internet. In the spirit of shameless self promotion, I decided to copy her idea and write a little number on an even greater debate, which really can be boiled down to good vs. evil. I'm speaking, of course, of the soda vs. pop controversy. (Keywords: soda vs. pop, soda v. pop, britney spears nude, midgets and jello). When I moved from California to Southern Oregon, I noticed that a number of the people still seemed to be living in the 1950s. One key piece of evidence was the fact that everyone used the word "pop" when they clearly meant "soda". It was like I was living an episode of The Wonder Years. Cute, but a little creepy.

Upon later moving to Idaho, I discovered that they did the same thing. After more moving around, I came to the realization that all of the Northwest is into the whole "pop" bit. I did a bit of research and came across a map that breaks down by a geographical region who says what. You can find it here, along with some other interesting bits of information. The end result? Those states that eventually determine culture and trends for the rest of the nation (a.k.a. the states that "matter") primarily use the word "soda". I speak mostly of New York and California. Strangely enough, the South tends to use the word "coke". Either they don't have a whole lot of options down there, or they still aren't real keen to the whole diversity thing.

Whew. I've tried to offend just about every group out there, in the hopes of getting a few posts. My better judgment tells me to delete the last sentence in the previous paragraph, but my insatiable hunger for attention is simply too overpowering. Enjoy.

5.18.2006

etc.

Survey says...
Well, one of my professors has turned in her grades already, and it happened to have been for the test where I was delirious. My grade was the same as first semester, which is pretty respectable, though I was hoping for a bit higher. Once I remembered that this was the test where I saw pink bunnies hop across the page, however, I figured I'd be willing to settle. Not exactly Michael Jordan in the NBA finals, but certainly better than his attempt at professional baseball.

Whoops, revisited
I visited my parents this past weekend for Mother's Day, and my mom made a point to let me know that I wasn't an accident, I was just...unplanned. And Chris Farley wasn't fat, he was...fluffy. She did say, however, that they had been trying unsuccessfully to have a kid and then just sort of figured it wouldn't happen so stopped trying so "strenuously", which is when I came along. Or something like that.

Next season, celebrity cathaters...
I admit, I was pleased to see that a competitive celebrity cooking show was cancelled not long ago, after only a few episodes. When I first came back from Thailand last year, I heard a snippet about some sort of Dancing with Celebrities show, and my first task was to choke down the bile rising in my throat. How sad is it that people would want to watch washed out celebrities fumble their way through ballroom dancing? I was even more saddened to learn that people I actually know were fans of the show. Have we no self-respect? Add on the show where you watch celebrities try to ice skate, or the show where you watch celebrities try to lose weight, and it was all getting to be too much. I still have a shred of hope for My Country 'Tis of Thee, however, now that I know middle America draws the line when it comes to competitive celebrity cooking.

No Easter Bunny, either
I remember the moment I first became a bit disillusioned with humanity. I was about six years old, and I was riding in the car with my Dad and Grandma in the middle of the night, when we got a flat tire. We then pulled over and my dad proceeded to change the flat. For some reason I figured my dad wouldn't be able to do it on his own (sorry, Dad) and that we would need someone to pull over and help us. I was certain that this person would come shortly, but car after car passed us, and not a single person stopped to ask if we needed help. I bring this up because I had the opportunity to change three of my own flat tires (each a different one) within about two months, the most recent flat occurring this past weekend. Apparently when Les Shwab took my snow tires off and put the normal ones back on, they screwed up the valve stems. To be on the safe side, I had them check my fourth tire as they fixed the third one, and sure enough, it was about to go. I normally like Les Shwab, but how do you screw up all four valve stems in putting the tire back on? And two of the flats happened during road trips. On the up side, I'm able to change tires quite quickly now.

5.11.2006

the end of the beginning has ended

I'm going to my car, then I'm going to Hastings, then I'm going to pick out a movie, then I'm going to watch the movie, then I'm going to spend the rest of the summer taking back my personal life... YEARRGH!!

That's right, folks, Howard Dean himself couldn't be more excited. I've finished my first year of law school, and it feels good. Now I just have to wait for over a month to see how I did on my tests. The one I'm most curious about is my propery test, which I took while enduring a full frontal assault from the cold. I was so spacey during the test, it's entirely possible that I made no sense at all. But it felt good, and that's what counts, right? Truth, shmooth, it's all about what feels right in your heart. And that test felt right. Actually, I figure there are one of two ways it could have gone...

Option A: Not unlike Michael Jordan when he had the flu against the Jazz in the NBA finals. That mofo was sick as a dog, but still shut them down (I should know -- I was rooting for the Jazz). Either my test was Jordan-esque, or it was more along the lines of Option B...

Option B: In no way resembling Michael Jordan and his Jazz stomping. More like when you write poetry really late at night and think it's the most amazing stuff in the world, until you read it the next morning and realize that you shouldn't be allowed to hold a pen.

I'm pulling for Option A.