Friday, January 30, 2009

Dunkin' Donuts!!!!!!

Do you think I would include six exclamation points in the title if it weren't justified?

Be still my heart!  Dunkin' Donuts is coming to Minnesota!!!!!!

(I think six exclamation points is my human limit).

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Teen Wolf: a story of a young man coming to terms with his changing body and evolving social identity

Coach Bobby Fenstock is the underrated highlight of Teen Wolf--with Boof, Stiles, Chubs, even Lewis, it's too easy for him to get lost in the shuffle.

This clip from the end of Teen Wolf may not be safe for work.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Frugality and You: Own a Wok

If you're trying to save money, you should to avoid eating out.  Preparing food at home saves you a lot of money: even if the actual food items you purchase cost the same (unlikely, though possible) you save money by avoiding sales tax and tip, and you can't be tempted by expensive unnecessaries like restaurant beverages or desserts.  But you still want good food, right?  You just may have to work a little harder to prepare that good food (and you can spend a little more at the grocery store on quality food, knowing you're avoiding eating out).

If you like Asian food, there's an incredibly easy way to make very tasty food at home.  Get a wok, and make stir fry.  Do you think there's some sort of challenge to stir fry?  Look at the name--the steps are pretty simple.

--Put a wok on the stove.
--Throw a bunch of stuff in it.*
--Stir.
*this may require additional work like cutting vegetables--easy but time-consuming.

That's pretty much it--you don't have to be any sort of chef at all to make stir fry, yet you can make a delicious and affordable meal.  We usually toss in green bell peppers, red bell peppers, broccoli, onions, shredded carrots, and tofu (flavoring it with just a bit of teriyaki or sweet and sour sauce), though it is flexible.  We then put that over brown rice.  Do you think I'm any cooking expert?  I'm not.  But I can cut freakin' vegetables and tofu, and I can use a wooden spoon to stir it.

A wok and you: an affordable way to eat well.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

A quality sitcom

I always laugh out loud at The Big Bang Theory. It is a conventional sitcom, but with one unique feature--the primary characters are extremely intelligent scientists with socialization issues. The result is a smart and funny show. Sheldon in particular is an extremely well-written character.

Friday, January 16, 2009

The Modern World is Alive With Magic

If yesterday somebody had told me that if your house isn't getting water, you just need to run a hair dryer over the pipes, I would have said, "Away with your black magic voodoo!" And yet this morning I, with much relief, know it to be true.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

When I Was Dead Broke, Man, I Couldn't Picture This...

Target is giving a $5 gift card with the purchase of ten 20oz bottles of Sobe Lifewater, which are 10 for $10.  I can deal with that.  

I've never had Lifewater, but I'm looking forward to using the gift card to buy the Notorious Soundtrack.  

Monday, January 05, 2009

Brilliant Dialogue

A witness in a case just said the following on Law & Order (and I don't think it was supposed to be funny):

"I'd put panties on every head in Abu Ghraib prison if I thought it would save one innocent life."

As my wife said, "Why would it?"

If you're a television writer, and you're writing the military officer's "ends justify the means" quote on torture, you're really going with panties on the head? That's how you dramatize the argument? That's your best move? Well played, television writer. Well played.