• As I sit here, alone in my room, drinking a can of Coca-Cola Vanilla, I faintly recall reading a brief article that Ken sent me about how to break a soda habit. The article, which I have committed to memory (I guess it was more than a faint memory), says to keep refrigerated water available at all times (prepared daily), to drink whenever thirsty. The minute water tastes warm or stale, it could turn you back to soda. Always serve over a full glass of crushed ice, to add texture like the carbonation offered by soda. Also, keep a small bottle of soda in the fridge, because maybe a sip or two is enough to satisfy an intense craving. Maybe once I run out of soda this week I’ll try it. I’m sure the new water habit won’t last longer than a day or two. [story]
• We all know that I’m scared of food. Scared to death of it. Scared to death of it killing me via food poisoning — or worse, filling my stomach with tasty goodness — and scared to death of trying what I have never tried before. Luckily for me, A website called The Star has an article devoted to the Top 10 false health scares, including information about how foods high in nitrates (like sausages or hot dogs), which have been shown to be dangerous if consumed frequently, are actually not so bad for you. Apparently the research that has been done was in high-dose animal experiments not comparable to the small amounts to which humans are exposed. There’s other stuff in the article, too! Maybe your food woes will be cured after reading this. [story]
• Bobby Fischer is dead. He died this week. In other news, this sad story reminded me of the time I went out for drinks with the kid whose life inspired the movie Searching For Bobby Fischer. I later had an awful sexual encounter with the girl who introduced us, and she tried to make up for scaring me away by sending several naked photographs of herself to my cell phone. Now that is an “Adventures In Dating” story that would really, really make your day. [story]
• My friend Brian is in this Cloverfield movie that everyone is talking about. I haven’t seen it yet, but it’s been getting some interesting reviews. If you’ve seen it, let me know what you think. I hate being disappointed, especially if I’m paying my hard earned money with the intention of supporting a friend’s career. [story]
• Funny story. I was at work today and I noticed that the giant 48″x48″ Chuck Mangione autographed poster that sits right across from my cash register had been marked down to $20. I decided to call my father (a Chuck Mangione fan, but also a fan of any piece of memorabilia autographed by anyone who has achieved even the slightest level of fame) and let him know that I would be willing to buy him the poster and ship it to New Jersey if he, in turn, bought me the rare Townes Van Zandt LP that came into the store yesterday. I asked knowing very well that the instant he realized he could own an autographed poster he would agree to my conditions, and within a minute he consented. I purchased the poster for him just before I left the store. Then I asked the manager to ring up another transaction for the LP. Although I could have predicted what happened next, I closed myself off to such negative thoughts and simply reached out for my new LP. Then the inevitable happened. My father’s credit card was declined. His excuse? “The check is in the mail.” He’s a funny guy, that father of mine… always coming up with hilarious excuses for why the bank or the credit card company or the college controller’s office is coming after him for owed money. If I didn’t love him so much I might think he had serious financial/budgeting problems.
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