Does this sound good?

Does a sugar-free, raspberry flavored, protein water sound good to you? I don't know about this...I saw it at the gym and I don't know what I think about protein water. I mean, I can understand it in that my whey protein instructions say that I can put it in water of juice, but I haven't because protein powder just seems like it should go into a milk drink like plain milk or a fruit smoothie or a vivanno smoothie or something like that. I would be tempted to try this if it weren't sugar free. I just really think this would be gross, but you never know. Anyone tried it?

Hehehe

This is a hilarious video about 2 cats trying to understand a treadmill.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504784_162-20056182-10391705.html?tag=pop



SO, In the middle of my Essential German Verbs is evidence of machine malfunction. There's a folded piece of paper clearly from the Italian Verbs book (or some other Italian book). =D hehehe. Fortunately, I didn't get this bonus page at the expense of a German page.

Ok, this person's car takes at least 28 gallons of gas, but still. Whenever he/she (I don't know which. When I pulled up to the pump whoever it was was already long gone) has to take a $120 when he/she goes to the gas station. yikes!

Nothing much to report

The title says it all. But I wanted to record this for the future:

I went to Macaroni Grill today and got the make your own pasta, and it was really good. I got the whole-wheat penne pasta w/ the garlic cream sauce and the broccoli, spinach & sundried tomatoes. yummm

Ok. I'm better.

I feel much better today. Sundays have that effect on me =D Anyways, now I'm just going to catch you up on random things in life.


During my various escapes this weekend, I went to La Galette, a creperie that I really like in SC, across form the pier. I tried the caramelized apple crepe and a mocha (I LOVE their mochas. I like having them in a ceramic mug too. That's the one thing I miss at Starbucks). yummmmmm Then I went and stood on the pier (not too far into the pier because a pier is too much like a bridge. It was SO beautiful out, too.

Later I went to Fashion Island (I was totally in the mood for some gelato, and I could also enjoy the weather). I had my gelato sitting outside by a fountain and playing Scrabble on my phone...nice =D Anyways, I bought a water bottle (because I didn't have my reusable or any bottle for that matter). It's pretty cool, see:

Today, I went to a new place I found on yelp.com called Empanada Man. I tried four different types: Shredded beef, Hawaiian pizza style, chicken, and potato & garlic. They were pretty good!

Update on my target! They're putting in the supports for the roof now. Super excited. I'll be right there in October.

I need to move out. ASAP.

Why? Well, I'm sure you know. I've complained about them several times since I've had a blog. My mom told me not to complain about this issue on my blog, but (1) I can't complain to the people here, (2) only like 2 other people ever read this anyways, so whatever and (3) I need to let out my frustrations or I simply direct my frustrations towards the objects of my frustration which makes me dislike them more. AAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHH. I needed that. Thanks =D So I need to move out. Not only can I can my dog then, but the current issue will become a non-issue. I won't have to deal with crying and screeching and overall borderline inescapable unpleasantness. I have no hope of that becoming a reality anytime soon, though. My internship is 6 months before I might get hired on, and it would be a bad idea to move out before I have an official full-time job. I'm trying to have a better attitude. Really, I am. But it's HARD. It seems possible until the crying starts. Or I can't do something that I was planning to do. Or I spend a lot of time cooped up in my room. Today, I found a Bible verse (Philippians 2:3-4) to read when I get super annoyed and frustrated, but it's still super hard. My first thoughts are still very negative and I have a hard time even wanting to change them to positivity. Granted, I cannot seem to find anything positive about my current situation and finding even SOMETHING positive would at least help. That has helped with situations before, but if there's nothing good to think of, I really don't know how to overcome the negativity. Ideas? Thanks for listening. You may or may not hear more about this this week. It depends on how I'm doing with my verse & positivity. Maybe I'll just distract myself by writing about something else this week. I suppose complaining doesn't help (although it IS cathartic, which is helpful to me! ) and it certainly doesn't change anything.

Just drinking my Clover

So, I'm sitting in a Starbucks in Irvine, but not just ANY Starbucks, the ONLY Starbucks in Orange County that serves Clover brewed coffee as well as the only one in the OC that serves the Starbucks Reserve Coffees. In case you don't know, Clover is a sort of reverse French press style of brewing. The only place that I'd ever seen/had it before was in Seattle. I think they might be testing it here to see if it can take hold outside of the coffee center of the US (aka Seattle). The machine is small & cute and it was cool to watch the barista make it. I got the Italian Roast (they gave 5 different coffees that they can make Clover style. They might be able to do others too, I'm not sure though). I'm trying to drink it down a bit so that I can add milk. I guess that I could have poured some out....oh well. I'll be there soon-ish. But I prefer a pretty even milk-coffee ratio in drinks. Before, I thought a Reserve Starbucks just meant one that SOLD the special reserve coffees, but apparently it means one that can BREW the special reserve coffees. I'm semi-tempted to go try the kona coffee one, but I think I would likely get a caffeine headache if I had TWO cups of coffee. Maybe I'll try it another day, although I really don't get this far north that often (ok, fine. It's Irvine. But it's north of the Spectrum on the 5, which I really seriously almost never go past unless I'm going to either the Ghetto Mall (my nickname for the Mainplace mall in Anaheim) or Disneyland. And rarely am I the one to drive to either of those places.The farthest away that I drive any given week is Church, which was 3 or 4 exits before this. Maybe more, who knows).

So why am I all of the way out here today. Answer: my car. My car's "Malfunction Indicator Lamp" came on last night and stayed on. Various warning-type lights have illuminated in my car recently, but normally they go back off and it's only really a warning if it stays on or flashes or something like that so I ignore them. Not this time. So I brought it to the dealership today and I currently have a rental car (from Enterprise, not from the dealership. They only take such good care of you at Lexus I think. My mom always gets a loaner car form Lexus). It's so weird to drive different cars and whatever it is that I have I don't really like. It's too big & long and so my lack of parking skills is clear in how I parked the car in the Starbucks lot, but I didn't hit anybody so it's a success. (but I did get suckered into the insurance thing when I rented the car, so I'm covered =D hehehe). So I got a call form VW. It's CRAZY how much fixing things in my car costs. Buying a new car every year actually seems like an almost cost effective idea the more I think about it. Like, seriously.  Or maybe I just need my dad to go in. They're less likely to invent things or fluff up prices for a man than for a twenty-year old girl in a flowery skirt with a VW bug w/ a Disneyland license plate frame. Just a thought.

So yeah, this is a very nice Starbucks. It's big with lots of windows and seems to be a popular place to go to work on your computer or whatever. Enjoying it.

Funny note: I just did work check on this blog post, and apparently it does not think that "barista" is a word. I mean seriously?!?! Get with the times blogger. It's a word.

Super Cute Story from NJ

From my favorite section --- Strange News

NJ governor grants honorary status to boy who cried on video he was too small to be governor

04-06-2011 02:29 PM PDT |By ANGELA DELLI SANTI, Associated Press

TRENTON, N.J. (Associated Press) --

A New Jersey boy who cried on a YouTube clip that he's too small to be governor was all smiles as Gov. Chris Christie made him honorary chief executive.

Christie signed a proclamation Wednesday making 5-year-old Jesse Koczon, of Old Bridge, honorary governor for the day and his fraternal twin brother, Brandon, honorary lieutenant governor.

The boys, dressed in collared shirt, ties and trousers, appeared at a news conference with their parents, Jon and Dawn Koczon, Christie and Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno.

Christie, who has four children in elementary through high school, said he "related as a father," when he saw the video clip of the boy crying.

On the video, Jesse's mother asks him why he's upset. Jesse replies, "Cause everyone tells me I'm too small to be the governor of New Jersey."

Christie responded on Twitter: "Don't worry Jesse, people gave plenty of reasons why I couldn't be governor, though being too small wasn't one of them."

Christie said Jesse may be a natural for the state's top job.

When the governor asked if he remembered what to do about property taxes, Jesse replied: "Don't raise them."

When Christie asked what would happen if he did increase taxes, Jesse answered; "I won't be governor that long."

The children, who fiddled with the microphone and mugged for the cameras throughout the event, seemed to enjoy the job as much as Christie.

Asked by a reporter why he wanted to be governor, Jesse said, "I want a job important like the governor."

Brandon seemed satisfied with his role as second-in-charge.

Asked what he'd do as lieutenant governor, Brandon heeded Guadagno's whispers: "Whatever my brother tells me to do," he said.

http://ww2.cox.com/myconnection/orangecounty/today/news/strange/article.cox?moduleType=apNews&articleId=D9MEDMAG1

Umm...really?!?!

Ok, so I didn't watch this part of the Today Show, but I was randomly on latimes.com when I saw an article called "Trump on the 'Today' show: I'm with the 'tea party'". The article was short, so I figured I'd read it. Most of what Trump said was maybe a wee bit...interesting, but not altogether uncommon. But then I got to this:

Vieira wondered whether, if he were president, he'd keep a military presence in Iraq. "I would absolutely, without question, not leave that section of that country," he said. "I would take the oil. To the victor belong the spoils. You know, in the old days, you'd have a war. And you'd be in there. And you'd win. And you'd take over the country. Whether it’s oil or gold or whatever."


Ummm...seriously?!?! I really might have to move to Canada one day. When this whole idea that Trump might run started, I thought it was a joke. Then I just thought it was weird and not a great solution. I mean, do we really want a president who made billions for himself likely at the expense of others? I don't know. I really don't trust him. And then he says THIS on the most popular morning show! Yikes. If he wins, we are so going to be a target for every terrorist and country on the planet. So maybe I should move on into Canada now...I'm really not political, but the thought that Trump might run makes me very nervous...hopefully he won't...or he'll get beat out by another potential candidate

Just Random Thoughts...

It's a Small World themed clothing at Nordstrom! They had the CUTEST little skirt & outfits for kids.

Apparently they have to make it clear that this feeds tomatoes, as tomato is mentioned in ADDITION to fruits and vegetables. I suppose people do get confused...although why just saying fruits and vegetables wouldn't cover it I don't know...

Bitter Enemies to Strong Allies

I just finished the second book in this historical fiction (ok, historical romance) series by MaryLu Tyndall that takes place during the War of 1812. I'll admit that I don't EVER remember learning ANYTHING about the War of 1812. Not one thing. Seriously. So that's one thing that I really like about these books. I am actually learning about history! Fun AND educational! So anyways, in case you too don't remember anything about this war, it was when England decided that they wanted us back & launched a war on us to do it. As I read about it, it's just so interesting to me when the American characters comment on how "odious" the British accent is to them when in modern days, I'd say the most Americans love a good British accent (I mean, how many movies and TV shows have British actors in them? WITH their accents? We LOVE it. I don't know if I'd trust an American who didn't like a British accent. I mean, something would have to be wrong in their psyche....). Or just how strong the animosity between the two countries was. It just seems weird that England is probably our closest ally now. Funny how things change...in less than 200 years....probably in less than 100 years considering that England was our ally by the World Wars (or at least WWII). I think we must be likable =D