5th grade all over again

I sat most of the day today feeling kind of like I was in 5th grade again. No, my hair wasn't in a ponytail or braid that nearly fell to my knees anymore (I don't know why I ever wanted my hair that long anyway), and I didn't get to go outside and play tag at recess in the middle of the day, but my capri jeans did have zippers at the bottom of the legs just like a couple of pairs of jeans I had in elementary school that I LOVED (the current ones fail to have the lace-filled heart cutout at the top of the zipper, though, which is probably a good thing for this day and age hehe).

OK, OK … I know that I wrote a blog about a month and a half ago where I bashed the skinny jeans. I know that now I sound a bit like a hypocrite (which I can't stand) because I have indeed sort of fallen back into the '80s trend zone, BUT can I just say that I was able to pick up this pair for only $13, they fit pretty good, and I really ONLY bought them to be able to pair them with boots for the winter. You see, a skinny-legged capri style will be able to fit nicely into my knee-high boots without horridly uncomfortable bunching, making me horribly hot all day, making my calves look like tree stumps, or making my jeans poof out at the knee like a parachute. I mean, you CAN'T tuck flared leg pants into boots … it just doesn't work!

Yes, so I only allowed myself to buy them for boots, but then this morning as I look at the bag with new clothes just waiting to get out, I decided it couldn't hurt just to give them a try while it is still warm enough to wear them as capris, right? And so the story ends … it hasn't been so bad.

Anyway, I'm admitting my indiscretion … which does a little to make up for it I hope. The ultimate problem is that having them is going to make me crazy to go out and drop a few hundred dollars on updated, sexy boots to go with them because I'm already sick of the pairs that I have, and it hasn't even gotten to be time to wear them yet! :)

ADD: Per Chuck's request, a pic documenting my hypocrisy ... enjoy.
9.30.06 - 2:13 a.m.

Applying for "Big Brother 8"

So, I've started filling out the written application, and that's really no big deal. The pain in the ass part is the stupid two-minute video, and of course, that's the part that will actually get you selected haha.

I've been talking with some of my fellow "Big Brother" fans about this for a couple weeks and have a few ideas (thanks Natalie), but the more ideas the better right? Even my Gram has a few suggestions ... the funniest of which being that when we get ready to tape it, it would probably be good to have a beer beforehand. :) I'm thinking more like a beer or four hehe.

No rush ... I have to find someone to let me borrow their video camera, too. Actually, as long as they are still accepting applications at that point, probably the best time to film it would be when I'm back home in November. Who wants to help?? Fun times.

Whenever you come up with something, leave the idea for me, and I'll love you forever for helping me get on the show. I'll even give you a kick-back when I win the $500,000. ;)

Rethinking priorities could be necessary

We had a fire drill in the building this afternoon, shortly after lunch. Now, I haven't dealt with a mandatory evacuation/head count since back in K-12 days ... when you didn't take anything with you, you didn't really have anything very important anyway, and you were just happy to be out of class for awhile.

Today, I start filing out with all of my coworkers, and making the trek down the 10 flights of stairs, I see many women walking out clutching their purses. Hmmm ... if this is a real fire, I think that might have been a good thing to grab. Things I would not have anymore had this not been a drill:

- Insulin
- Drivers license/identification
- Money
- ATM card
- Credit cards
- Cell phone (or any phone at my apartment)
- Key to apartment/key fob to even get into building

Oh, but what I did think to grab? My 32 oz. Diet Coke from Chipotle. Yeah, I think there's a problem there.

He's not JUST a great quarterback

Peyton Manning also gets it done with his wonderfully hilarious commercials. Never a disappointment. This year for Sprint:

Love it.

It’s now to the obsession stage ...

... or I just don't have a lot to do ... or both. On Chipotle's Web site, there is a review, "Not all fast food is created equal," from an '05 edition of The Kansas City Star. Well, I think I can do one better than that ... I say, "Not all Chipotle's are created equal," and as RobG suggested this week, I'm going to document it in my Chipotle rating board. It will let you know the nuances between the different locations ... proof that the restaurant is not simply some cookie-cutter, out of the box, every locale is the same, fast food joint ... which I think is a good thing even if some of the locations don't measure up sometimes.

The background:

A couple of weeks ago, while out with some friends, one of the people in the group that I hadn't met before asked the "What's your passion?" question. I HATE that question (or the variation, "What do you like to do with your free time?"). I'm sure it would be a perfectly fine question to get if I felt like I HAD a passion. Yeah, that would help. But as it stands, I don't feel that there's anything that I would just drop everything for ... well, maybe food and TV, but those aren't very healthy things and probably shouldn't be "passions," whatever that means. So, I get the question, I hate it because I feel like a boring, idiot when I say that I don't really think I have one, the conversation ends weirdly ... whatever. Anyway, on this particular evening, I decided to not have the weird outcome and just lay it out on the table by saying, "Ugh, I hate that question. I don't have a passion. Is that bad? Does everyone HAVE to have one?"

Him: "There's not something you really like to do?"

Me: "Honestly, I like to sit on my couch and watch TV. Most people would probably say I watch way too much TV. That's not a very good passion."

Him: "OK, so we need to figure out something that lets you just watch TV a lot, but get something out of it ... how about we'll get you hired at Entertainment Weekly as a columnist, and you can watch TV and get paid. Done!"

Huh ... well, not a half bad idea. At least then I wouldn't have to feel bad telling people I sit and watch TV for most of the day because it would be how I make a living. But, I'm not really a writer, so crap.

Then a few days ago, after my weekly Chipotle lunch, I commented to RobG on IM how delicious my burrito was that day. That led to me telling how I felt my burritos from that particular location were ALWAYS the best, and how I have had some from other Chipotle's that just weren't quite as tasty (but still worth eating). RobG said, "Wow. They should pay you to travel around and rate their locations." Ah ha! That might just top the Entertainment Weekly suggestion I thought ... and it's easier to do as well.

And so it begins. As it stands now, I'll only be updating the board with visits from my daily life since the company is, big surprise, not paying me for this. :)

P.S. If you have a "usual" order when you go to Chipotle, find your burrito soulmate here. As of this date, I have seven.