It's Time!

Tomorrow is it! The 10 miles I've been preparing for since January. It wasn't an all-star preparation, but good enough. I think.

We'll see tomorrow  : )  

This will be me tomorrow afternoon

Wednesday Randoms

Worked late tonight. So now I'm home, full of energy I always get working a later shift and I have no outlet for it. So get excited- it's time for Wednesday randoms! Free-flowing thoughts from my mind to this page. A burst of randomness. Here we go...

• I've been guilty of driving too close behind others on many occasions. Shocking to think I get ticked when people do this to me. However, I seem to get less ticked if someone is driving my same SUV in the same color, as if it were a family member tailing me other than a complete stranger. Or maybe I feel a sense of camaraderie since we share the same taste in cars. Ridiculous all around.
• Contacts are really bugging my lately. Some days I feel I have a built in barometer sitting on my eyeballs as they get so irritated by dry air and any major changes in weather.
• I had grilled octopus on my salad today and I've realized I need to work octopus into my menu a little more often. It's not the easiest to find, so this may have to be limited to dining out, but it's sooooo good!
• Watched the premiere of 'The Voice' on NBC last night. I'm a fan. The concept of judging someone based on their talent and not looks was headed for extinction, especially in a reality show format. The judges are pretty good too. Adam Levine is a little too cocky for his own good, and while undeniably talented, Christina Aguleira is really just a bleached-out peroxide version of Snookie. Really. Do a side by side and you'll see what I mean.
• Donald Trump is out of control. Does he really think anyone will take him seriously? I will vote for Oprah with Gayle as her running mate before I would ever consider voting for the Donald.
• Broad Street. 3 days!!!!
• Japan. How quickly they've been bumped from the headlines to make way for the Royal Wedding. Don't get me wrong- British pop culture has always been an interest of mine, and I've been up on the Wills and Kate thing since the early 00s (that decade abbreviation just looks so weird!), but come on. Let these two have their wedding, try to achieve some sense of normalcy about the situation and focus on some bigger issues going on. Like....
• Gas prices! Ugh! I bought my 2nd SUV 6 months ago knowing this was a possibility, but it's just getting to the point of sickening. I remember when it was $0.99/gal, right as I started college I think. I used to love to go out for a drive on a nice day and not a thought crossed my mind about the gas I was wasting. Not anymore!
• Glad to hear the duck that took up residence in the local Chik Fil-A parking lot had some little ducklings hatch yesterday. Why this quacker thought building her nest in the middle of a fast food lot (nowhere near a water source) was wise, I'm not sure. A little media attention got her some fencing around the nest, and it seems society left her alone and now she and the little fuzzy ducks can be relocated by wildlife staff somewhere more appropriate. (Duck- get yourself a good real estate agent next time!)
• I sit some days and think time goes sooo slowly, but then it seems every time I turn around I'm doing my month end expense report again.
• If SNL held an open casting call, I would show up.
• Got home after dark and didn't leave any lights on for my birds. My poor feathered children. I'm such a bad mom.
  
   



Random post calls for.... a random picture! Who doesn't want Das Auto emblazoned on their toast?

 

Water for Elephants

Kindle and I spent some time together yesterday. (Which turned out to be such a great gift- thanks Mom!) I wasn't sure what I felt like reading, so I hit up the NYT Best Seller list. Water for Elephants caught my eye. I know the film based on this book is currently playing annnnd Edward Cullen Robert Pattinson happens to have the starring role (Twilight so did it for me with him) so I click, and in 10 fabulous seconds, the book is DLed on my screen. (love it)

Another reason this book really appealed to me is the Depression era setting of the early 30s and the magical, misfit world of the traveling circus. You give me American history and circus freaks in one shot, and I'll give you my undivided attention. I didn't take AP American in HS because somebody forced me. I love this stuff!

The story goes like this: 23yr old Jacob is a few exams away from getting his veterinary degree from Cornell (ooh Ivy league) when both his parents are killed in a car crash. His dreams of joining his father in the family vet practice are squashed when he finds out his parents were in debt and Jacob is now broke as well. Completely distraught, he can't take his exams and wanders off one night, jumping in an open car of a passing train. Not just any train though, this was the Benzini Bros Most Spectacular Show On Earth! In other words, a traveling circus. He fumbles his way around as the new guy, getting bumped right to the bottom of the circus pecking order until... they find out he's a Vet! (well, just an exam away from a Vet) These skills get him noticed pretty quickly, by both the maniacal horse trainer August, who is now his boss, and his wife Marlena, a performer and centerpiece of the drama-filled love triangle between Jacob and August. Big Al, the snarky, conniving circus owner also plays a big role, strong arming Jacob through blackmail and threats in attempts to make more money for himself despite their circus being so far in the red. Jacob takes a liking to all the animals in the menagerie, particularly Rosie the elephant.

Interesting thing about this story is its Titanic-esque narration.  It's told by the present day 93yr old Jacob who begrudgingly lives in a nursing home. Every 4th chapter or so, it comes back to Jacob's current life- battling dementia, loneliness, and telling bits and pieces of his life in the circus 60 years prior. As the story goes, after lots of fights aboard a moving train, Jacob and Marlena get together, August and Big Al are eventually killed during a Benzini Bros show gone awry, resulting in a history-making stampede that subsequently sent the circus into bankruptcy. Jacob and Marlena get married, take Rosie and the horses and join another circus for 7yrs until they quit the biz and settle into domesticated life. (He ended up taking the exams and working as a Vet to support the family.)

It's obvious a lot of research was put into this book. The author noted how she toured circus museums, spoke with elephant trainers, and studied the early 30s to get the details just right. Now I obviously didn't live through that decade, but her writing was pretty on point, right down to the deplorable train car smells/conditions as a result of packing animals full and traveling 3 days straight in 90deg heat. (The details were too vivid sometimes...)

While I'm not a fan of the modern day circus and would never support their cause, in this era the circus was something really spectacular; something that would stir up excitement at each town's stop on the line. Basically a group of wayward performers and laborers who dealt with a less-than-glamorous lifestyle as part of this traveling...well...circus act. It's all pomp, costumes, and smiles when the lights are on, but behind the scenes- it's as cutthroat and backstabbing as Wall Street. Rival circus companies kept tabs on the liveliness of their competition, quick to roll up to circus train that couldn't hack it, buying up their performers, animals, and equipment.

This is a really great story that wasn't too sappy, didn't go overboard on crisscrossing story lines, and incorporated some really interesting pieces of history, as well as the battle of good and evil in the life of those in a traveling circus.

Here's the trailer

I definitely want to see the film version. I have the ability to separate and judge each one equally. So if the movie is sub par, I'll still remember and appreciate reading the book and how I interpreted the story, which is never the same for two people. Part of the reason books are so cool  : )

And one last thing- the title! I know when I had to write papers, I always obsessed over the title. I felt it had to be perfect to spark my enthusiasm and create the ultimate tie-in to my entire story. 

The Water for Elephants title came from a comment a fellow nursing home resident made during one of Jacob's present day narrations. Another man was showing off in front of the old ladies at the home, saying he worked for a circus and would carry the water for the elephants. (This comment was relevant because there was a circus in town, setting up right across from the nursing home.) These words stung Jacob, as he knew this man had never worked for a circus, and that you must take the elephants to water, not bring it to them. His nostalgic thoughts brought back all the memories of the best times of his life, and hearing someone casually fib about his circus days pretty much sent him off into grumpy old man fury. Spoiler alert here... the ending is pretty sweet, with Jacob jumping ship from the nursing home, getting front row seats at the circus show, and befriending the circus boss, who is so impressed with his life's story, he offers him a job with the circus- at 93yrs old.

Definitely read this one!

Summer Fashion

Time for a fun topic. I should be cleaning...not blogging... but since I make the rules here, I'm blowing it off! Ha! Feels so great to be defiant!

Hooray for Spring! The Earth has taken its sweet time going around the sun and the best months of the year are finally upon us. Summer is right around the corner, which means off with the coats and bring on some fabulous finds!

Girls most definitely have the advantage over guys on this one. Jeans, dresses, skirts, shorts- all kinds of options. Guys have the opportunity to switch their jeans for shorts (but please NOT jean shorts) and hoodies for tshirts. Not a whole lot of fun! Then again, most guys dedicate about 2% of their day to their clothing choices. Goes something like...

"Is it clean?"
"Did I just wear this?"  "Will I be hanging out with the same people again today, since I just wore this yesterday?"

Not picking on the guys, but it's just not their thing. And for those whose thing it IS... well... they can be found hosting shows on E! and the Style Network making over disastrous strangers on the street.

Here's my dilemma: I love clothes, I love the ever-changing styles and trends revealed with each passing season BUT... I have nowhere to wear this stuff! My day job (which doesn't require formal business wear, thank God) has flexibility for a little personal expression, but dealing in the education field, constantly representing your school to new families and students, really doesn't leave a lot of options to let your inner Vogue shine. My night job, while fabulous in its own right, has a set uniform for each event. No luck there either. The rest of the time I'm in jeans and some variation of a black shirt. Oh, and the workout gear. Simple and functional. And usually black. I'm not worried about matching when I'm banging out a long run. Don't worry, I tend to put away the black when the temps start hitting 80. I was wearing a lot of white last summer now that I think about it...

I enjoy paging through Vogue, Allure, and WWD to see the different collections. Let me preface this by saying many of the "trends" are downright ridiculous. Ridiculous as they may be though, some of it is so cutting edge and avant-garde, you have to appreciate the designers behind it. I have no desire to sport runway fashions, but many of these preview shows held the season before influence what we see in stores. I'm looking to pick up a few different items to add to my wadrobe this summer. Remember, this is coming from someone who wears black most of the time and has a little addiction to black boots- worn year round. Here are a few things I like. This realllly makes me want to hit KOP.

Spring means... baby animals!

The link below is must click. A MUST!!  I've watched this pair of eagles and their babies for about 2 weeks now. The little fuzzies are looking a little awkward, but I'm sure they'll turn into beautiful eagles in no time! I watched the third egg hatch a couple weeks ago, and they're so big already.

I know the nest is enormous, but every time I watch the cam (daily!), I get nervous one of the little eagles are going to go over the edge. It's so funny to see the mom eagle shifting around and not seeming annoyed, but slightly irritated these guys keep squirming around the nest.

Cutest Birdcam EVER!

A little weird looking... but still cute!

At my old house I watched a family of robins in May when I was home for break from SJU. They built a nest in the wisteria vine that ran the length of our front porch. Whenever I was done goofing at my part time job working, I'd come home and surf the internet, where I had a perfect view of their nest. I watched the eggs hatch, the babies pop their heads out of the nest, the mom and dad tirelessly hunt and bring back worms, and finally, when they were big enough, fly away.
Love it.

I'm Ready!

I'm confident I'm ready for Broad St in 2 weeks. Funny how I actually run better and faster when I run less! The new shoes a few weeks ago definitely helped, and the past 2 weeks I've slacked eased up on the treadmill nonsense at the gym. (I've grown to hate the treadmill btw, with a passion.) This wasn't intentional, but due to working too many side jobs, other misc appointments, meetings, etc. I just couldn't get there.

I knew I ran better if I had 2 days off in a row, but 7 days off?!? How does this figure? Oh well, I'm going with it! No sense or need to "cram for the exam" now. I've been training since January, I did 8.5 today and could've made it to 10... but I'll save that for May 1. Then I can feel all accomplished while surrounded by tens of thousands of sweaty people feeling the same way. It still surprises me how much of it really is a mental battle. Sure you feel tired, achy, thirsty... but you can keep going, and that's what I've done. Thankfully I haven't had any of the problems a few of my friends have had while training. After this is done I'll still keep running, just not as long of a distance. I've gotta get back on my tennis game! The best part about running though- no partner or equipment needed! It will be a fun morning. I've been wise not to overdo it, so come race day... I gotta BRING IT!


So I check the mail yesterday and got a plesant surprise- my free samples came!  I always forget about these things until they show up. This one is for Emergen-C, that flavored powder supplement you add to water. I didn't know I was gonna get so hooked up! I think I saw the link on Twitter a few weeks ago, took 30 seconds and went to the website, filled out the form, and voila! Pretty simple. I usually never get junk mail from any of these offers either. They make you put an email, but I have a junk email addy specifically for things like this, where I go in and delete everything every few weeks. This is probably the 4th or 5th sample I've received in the past year. It's a fun surprise to get in the mail, and if I like it, I'll start buying it- a win for them!

I never seek out offers like this, I usually just stumble upon them while reading a magazine or seeing a commercial. It's surprising companies are still offering stuff considering most have tightened the financial reigns on every facet of their business. You gotta do something for marketing though, right? And here I am blogging about it AND posting a pic! Too bad for Emergen-C, there's probably 5 people reading this blog ; )

Here's what I got. I may have to give them a Facebook 'like' or a Twitter follow for this  : )

The Acai Berry flavor looks good...

Easter is this Sunday, and another 3-day weekend for me! Friday off this time. I'll be heading back down to DE, where maaaaaybe there will be a egg hunt for me and my sisters!!  Or maybe not. 
That reminds me of a realllly funny story...
Every Easter we'd each get a basket, filled with candy and goodies and other things. My parents The Easter Bunny would hide these baskets, leave a note (written left-handed by my parents), and we'd wake up and have to search for them. Our old house was a decent size, so any room downstairs was game. This one year Easter fell on a later date, and it was super warm. The basket must have been hidden the night before, where the screen door to the patio was left open. We woke up, started tearing through the house looking for them, and my sister shreiked when she discovered her basket in the sunroom, right next to the patio, had ants all over it!!! Hahaha! She was a good sport, but still upset, and of course we had to do the Jesus-friendly thing of sharing our candy with her. My mom despises that green plastic grass that gets everywhere, so in recent years she converted to a more earth-friendly crinkled paper grass (not the same).

Blog... Month 3

I said back in February I was gonna stick with this... and I have! Although I'm a little disappointed... this has turned into more of an online journal than a blog, in my mind at least. I always thought of blogs as having topics and current themes. This is an abridged version of my rambling thoughts, edited carefully since this is all public. Wouldn't want to make waves with my super extreme opinions now, would I?

What's a new post from me without a complete shift in topic...and go!

Why am I still up writing this? It's not like I worked a 12hr day, went to the bar for some Fri night cocktails...oh wait. I did do that. ALL of that. It's like the "you're so tired, you're actually no longer tired" feeling. I'm not whining. It's Friday, D and I needed to unwind, so we did. He'll be moving to Florida soon, so that will be one less pal around. I can look forward to some future Ft Lauderdale visits, but it's always sad when friends move away.

Maybe I'm next to do the moving? That would be possible, had I not a very secure, very good job that I love. After all those years being miserable and hating what I was doing, I can't let go of a good thing that fast. My job was a brand new position in its own department, something I've molded and defined myself. I've taken ownership and run things exactly how I want, and how it works best. That's not something I can let go of easily. When I step back and think of all the things I dreamed my perfect job would have- this one has it. All those things I wished for-year after year, finnnnnally came true. I never thought they would. I've never been more happy to be proven wrong.

I'm snacking on those M&Ms again, and I swear every few I get a peanut butter M&M, instead of the regular milk choc flavor. Speaking of food, which I do at least 5x in every blog post, I had quite the mediocre hoagie at Wawa today. I thought "little bit of oil" meant just that; not having the bread saturated. The hot peppers were barely hot, and they cram all the tomatoes, pickles, etc right on the top, Subway style, instead of putting them in the right way. I feel okay complaining about this, because I personally feel I would be a pretty great hoagie maker, had I the chance. While we're on the topic....

What was everyone's first job?
[silence]

Oh right, that's the sound of silence coming from my reader-less blog. Whatevs : )

I read an article online today that said McDonald's is in the midst of a huuuge hiring boom. It also said 10% of Americans worked for the golden arches at some point in their lives. Hmmm... and why are we a country with an obesity epidemic??  They get free food every shift they work! My first job was a joke. The pay was also a joke, but I stayed throughout high school because I met some of the greatest friends at that job.

Now I'm starting to feel tired. Rainy day tomorrow. It's been a week since I've gone for a long run. Ahh! Sunday should be 65 and sunny. I'm going for 8mi, the max I'm doing before May 1.  As long as I'm hydrated, I'm confident I can do it.

P.S.
I've noticed typos in some of my posts. I run spell check and try to look it over, but sometimes I miss... so.... oops!

BUSTED!

Oh Boy.

We know there is HOT NEWS goin round when I come home and find gangs of old people congregated in the parking lots, gossiping up a storm.

Hmmm. This could mean a few things:

1. Another idiot burnt the pan of chocolate chip cookies and set the smoke alarm off.
2. Mildred on the 4th floor passed and plans for Shiva are being discussed.
3. The Pool Committee is steaming because the lounge chairs haven't been powerwashed yet   (Memorial weekend IS 6 weeks away you know!)

OR

Somethin really shady/scandalous/gossip-worthy went down and we all wanna know and spread the details ASAP!

Bingo!

So I pull in, see the crowds, park, and notice a sign on the lobby door:
"Come to the meeting to hear why [Manager] and [Asst Mgr] were terminated"

The news everyone has been thirsting for since the shakedown in January!! Finally- no more hiding under the "counsel has advised us not to speak about it"- the truth shall be told!!! Shout it from the mountain top! Call a meeting! Update your Facebook status!!!!

And this was the one night I had to work til 8.

All it took was a puzzled look on my face and my 80-something neighbor to see it when he says: "You missed a good meeting!"
"Well" I said... "Fill me in!"

In the exact 20 seconds it takes to reach the 8th floor, he told me Manager 1 forged and embezzled various checks and invoices to the tune of $500K!!!!  OMG!!!  Asst Mgr was a little less at $30K, but still.... how can you expect to do this and not to get caught?!?!

Sorry...I'm back... I had my ear to the hallway door listening to my neighbors talk for the past 20min, one of whom was on the Council for 6yrs. (Damn right I'm gonna eavesdrop for some hot gossip) Turns out they did some forensic investigation with the banking and checks, and Manager 1 had his hand in the till for a loooong time, was arrested today, and is now sittin in jail, unable to post bail!!! HAHAHAAHAH! Karma's a bitch!!  For that kind of $$, he has to be looking at a few years jail time. It's like McDonald's: I'm lovin it!

Juicy gossip for sure, but the bottom line is: I need out! This condo living, while convenient, easy, and very affordable, was a short term plan on my punch list of life... and 7yrs is not fitting the definition of short. Using the Law of Attration as discussed inThe Secret, if I focus, concentrate and will what I want, the Universe will pretty much throw it in the form of a line drive right to me.

Let the willing begin.


On an unrelated side note, today must have been my once-every-5-years-I-get-a-nail-in-my-tire day. I left the office, stopped at Wawa and was on my way to HHS when I had the window cracked, and no music on (which I never do) and thought I heard this faint smacking sound.  I listen again and KNOW the tire is either getting flat or has something stuck in it. Oh great. I drive super slow until I get to HHS. I get out (afraid to look), and see a nice big screw/nail right in the tread. Sweet! I have to work from 5pm-8pm and it's now 4:45 and I gotta call Triple A. So I call, and they say someone will be there in 15min. 10min later I get a call from this Mexican guy (not rascist, stating facts) who says he's pulling up. I go outside, he jumps out of the tow truck, flops himself on the ground, says "I know what you need". Oookay. He then pulls out some pliers and other various items you'd find in someone's junk drawer. In no more than 3 minutes, he pulls out the screw, jams what looks like a Twizzler bent in half into the hole, and sprays some kind of tire detailing spray on it, announcing "Is done!"

Riiight. And I'm supposed to feel secure driving 80 on the highway with a licorice jammed in my tread? He doesn't take my name, my card, my registration- nothing. So I guess I'll go to the auto body place that's oh-so-conveniently located next to my office tomorrow and make sure Speedy Gonzales didn't ---- my ---- up.

Tomorrow is.... Friday.
Yessss.

Dinner is... whatever I want!

Ugh. We're really paying for that glimpse of summer we had on Monday, aren't we? And tomorrow, the one day this week it's supposed to be nice, I gotta work a registration night at one of the high schools until 8pm. Allow me to reach for a few pastel colored M&Ms to pop in my mouth and make me feel better... Annnnd as I sit on the couch writing this blog and reach for those M&Ms, I shouldn't need my fuzzy snowman blanket on me in the middle of April!

Today is one of those days I'm reallllly glad to be an adult. Why, you ask? Because I can come home and eat whatever I want for dinner. I don't do this too often, but today I had a crazy mix of snacks that don't nearly qualify as dinner and would never fly if I still lived at home. Some french toast, some M&Ms, some sea salt crostinis and goat cheese... I might top it off with some Cocoa Pebbles later tonight.

I wonder who else shares my sweet/salt craving?  You'd think they created choc covered pretzels for people like me, but I don't crave those at all, if ever. I'm talkin a little chocolate followed by some Parmesan Goldfish... I only need a little of each, but that sweet/salt thing is just what I crave certain days. And when I'm craving- watch out! I'll tear through the cabinets looking for the perfect combo.

The big presentation went really well today. We've been working on this since January, and it's so nice to be able to close the book on it and get it off my desk... so the next project can quickly jump in its place! Speaking of work, HR sent an email to everyone today saying we need to submit 1/2 of our allotted vacation time by May 30 (basically to make sure everyone isn't off the same week).  This puts the pressure back on the vacation decision. Maybe I should just forget it this year and take 3 day weekends on 15 different weeks. That might be fun... but I realllly like going away somewhere. I LOVE packing up my suitcase, grabbing my passport, my 45 lists and itineraries, and arriving at the airport. Best feeling ever, after your bags are checked and you're sitting in the airport lounge enjoying a drink, soooo excited to get wherever it is you're going. Until I decide if I going adventurous as a solo traveler, or if I can find someone to go with me and have an awesome time... I'll back burner this once again.

Oh yeah and that closet cleaning thing never got done last night.  At least I'm honest.

I have no idea how those font/background colors got screwed up above. Kinda not caring about fixing them now either  : )

Super Weekend

Happy to report my much anticipated 3-day weekend was better than expected. The universe was definitely on my side when I scheduled Monday off a month ago as a little reward for a busy 2 months at work... but sunny and 85 degrees??  Yesterday was perfection, plain and simple. I can't take all the credit though. Sometimes you just wish time had a pause button. It's only April though. Plenty more great days ahead.

Of course a perfect day is followed by a 20deg temp drop and pouring rain all day. Not so great for the outdoor workout. I have been putting off cleaning out my closet for a year a while. (I reallly like using the strikethrough lately... yeah, so??)  I wish I could hire someone to drop by for a few hours and help me do things like this; things that aren't urgent and are just too easy to keep putting off again...and again...

I'd rather clean my closet though than watch another news story about sick people shooting puppies or more bodies found on NY beaches from a serial killer still at large. These people need to be shipped OFF THE PLANET. Jail is a luxury. We need someone with some bucks to charter "one way" flights and rid ourselves of them for good!

I guess that qualified as a rant... at least I'm staying true to the blog's title  : )

Sooo I think a little shopping at www.sephora.com sounds waaaay better than closet cleaning right now... I got a gift card to burn!

Phone and Food

Get ready...

Get excited!!

I finally got... a new phone! Now I can shut up and stop blogging about it :)
Got a Droid Pro and realllly like it.  It was a toss up between another Blackberry and a Droid. This Droid has a touch screen and also an actual keyboard at the bottom of the phone. I was told Blackberry converts would adapt to this model with ease. It wasn't as heavy as the Droid X my friend had, so I went with it. The apps are amazing, the free music DLs are awesome, and besides using a lot of battery, I have no complaints yet. Then again, it's only been 24hrs. 

Droid Pro

Now on to food- a topic which makes frequent appearances on this blog. I'm not talking about food I'm making, but food that some people are obsessed with, and on a mad hunt to find...

Food Trucks!

I remember first talking about this with some pals from the bay area when I was in Italy for a wedding. These highly sought after vehicles specialize in anything from Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Falafel, and Soul Food, and will show up at specific locations with minimal notice. They open for an hour or so, serve until everything's gone, and then drive way, always leaving someone wanting more. The trend has caught fire on Twitter and Facebook- creating members who don't actively tweet, but rather sign up only to follow these food trucks as they tweet their secret location. Some are stationary (like the ones around University City in Philly), but a lot practice the roaming method. Many are colorful and artfully designed- easy to spot on the street.

I haven't personally tried the food from any of these restaurants on wheels, and looking into them a bit further, I realized I was straight up prejudice casting judgement too quickly, throwing them into the same category as the other less-than-sanitary pretzel and hot dog vendors in Philly. We've all seen the hidden camera exposes on the news and what these people do, then serve food to customers on the street. Pretty nasty.

A lot of people running these things are former restaurant chefs; people who want to be their own boss and control their own hours, all while adding their own personal flair. Pretty good idea, if you can turn a profit. Way less overhead then a restaurant, that's for sure. If you're at all familiar with the restaurant industry, their hours are never ending and almost always include nights and weekends. There aren't too many reports of unsanitary practices, and judging by the line of people most food trucks command, either the food is that good... or we Philadelphians just don't care! I'm rarely in Center City during the day, but I definitely want to try out one of these things.



Story on Philly Food Trucks

Looks like delicious tacos come from this truck

Another Round of Randoms

It's Wednesday, I just had some pizza and the rest of that bottle of merlot, sooooo it's time for a blog entry. I have no specific topic, so I'm doing a bulleted list of randoms. Thoughts that pop in my head as I write. Here goes...

• I've said it once and I'll say it again. Parmesan Goldfish crackers (green bag) are the best. Try opening a bag and not eating it in one sitting
• Made some more ceviche tonight! I get on these kicks and I have to have the same dish multiple times in one week. It was quinoa last time, now I'm on to the Mexican stuff
• Daffodils in full bloom are quite beautiful
• I'm watching a bald eagle cam! It's live 24/7 and shows a pair of eagles and their 2 little peeps. I JUST saw the 3rd egg hatch!  Someone who knows I would love this type of thing sent me the link. He's the best.
• It's such a toss up between Red Baron and Freschetta in the frozen pizza wars. I love both, and just can't decide which is better.
• The vacation plans STILL aren't finalized  : (
• An old coworker called and asked me to be a reference for her. Love helping out friends in need. I love my job(s), so I'm glad to help someone else find their version of happiness in the workplace. It's not so easy to find.
• I can't wait to watch the royal wedding at the end of this month. I've been following the royals, and British news/pop culture, for years. Can't wait to see all the fanfare.
• Golf and tennis are my 2 favorite sports to watch. I love turning the golf tournament on Sunday afternoons and just having it in the background. So relaxing. Love tennis too, but when Roger's in a tournament and the stakes are high, watch out! I get a little crazzzzy.
• Picked up an amazing new Too Faced set at Ulta this weekend. It's a spring pallette and the bronzer and lipstick are to die for. I'll have to Tweet them and express my delight.
• I've been searching for a new bag and I can't find one I love! It's so hard, and since it's something I will carry everyday, it has to speak to me and I have to be in love with it. The search continues.

Guess that's all for now...

Exploring Brand Loyalty

Time to change the channel on my blog. Enough of my work and cooking stories for now... time to explore some other topics. And since I do have a marketing degree (still sitting in the huge package I received it in almost 10yrs ago ack!) let's talk brand loyalty, a subject I find pretty interesting and everyone can relate to.

When most think of brand loyalty, what comes to mind are tangible products like cars, food, drinks, clothes, etc.  Businessdictionary.com defines it as:

Brand Loyalty: Extent of the faithfulness of consumers to a particular brand, expressed through their repeat purchases, irrespective of the marketing pressure generated by the competing brands.

I know I'm definitely brand loyal. I recently purchased my second Jeep, I've worn nothing but Nike running shoes for the past 15+ years, I'll only watch NBC new stations, I'm on my 4th Burberry handbag, and the list goes on. Why am I so partial to these things, when a competitive product can serve the same purpose?

Hmm... let's think about it. I'm not super hung up on status or flashy names. I consider price, function, and all the other factors when making any purchase. So what made me choose Nike over 10 other brands every time it was time to buy another pair? It's not the celebrity endorsements, that's for sure. I don't care who Nike sponsors and Tiger Woods' extreme foul-ups weren't going to make me choose another brand. As I think of all the wearable, usable items I'm particularly loyal to, it really comes down to function and personal design; finding a product which serves its practical purpose, and also completely connects with me. My Jeep does this. My shoes do this. Once you find a brand who year after year, keeps creating products you like and find yourself buying, that name becomes your go-to every time. You take personal ownership of liking and supporting that brand. You might even rep it for free if given the very impossible far-fetched chance (Feature spot in a Jeep commercial sans paycheck? Call me!)

Keeping consumers loyal to your brand, in the midst of heavy price competition and endless options is the reason companies spend millions on marketing/consumer research. I remember taking the surveys at the mall when I was younger and still living at home. Eager workers with clipboards scouted passing shoppers for someone who fit the demographic. It went something like this:

Person with clipboard: "Hello Miss. Can I ask you a few questions today?"

Me: "OK"

Person with clipboard: "We're conducting a survey on household items. Can we see if you qualify?"

Me: "OK"

Person with clipboard: "Are you over 18? Are you the primary shopper in your household? Do you use a pine-scented cleaning product 2-3x a week?"

Me: "Yes. No. No"

Person with Clipboard: "Hmmm...To qualify we need all answers to be yes. You're over 18... It pays $15 and takes 10 minutes. We can change the other 2 answers to yes, just this once... do you want to participate?"

Me: "OK!"

Shoot, I'm not turning down $15 for lying about using pine cleaner. This is where the research gets a little skewed, but I was still answering honestly to all the questions asked, even if at the end, I wasn't their target market. They would show pictures, asked if the pictured product made me feel a certain way. This is how we base most of our purchases. I just admitted it above. Even product brand I choose serves a function, but I remain brand loyal because of how the product makes me feel.

What brands are you loyal to? Why?

(This would be a legit question if anyone read/interacted/responded to this blog. Alas, it now becomes rhetorical.  Haha...Kinda...Not really...sad face..waaahhh)

The Proof

Leave it to the Catholic college to print the entire 16" x 20" degree in Latin. Sooo, unless I dig out the translation page, I really have no idea what this says. Meh.



Workin Cookin Runnin Sleepin

Oh thank you Jesus my weekend of insanity is over- and I lived to tell!

Super duper tired yesterday. Equal parts dehydration and just too much running around. Just a little reminder than working 5 jobs in 36hrs is a difficult feat for any human, even me! A Gatorade was just what I needed to get my second wind and finish out last night. Fun times, great Guinness events and met and talked to a ton of people, who all had something interesting to say... and I'll leave it at that!

Today was nice enough to warrant an outside run. I took the past 5 days off from any kind of working out (gasp!) due to my super busy week, and sometimes that much of a break is all I need to get back into it fresh. Banged out 5.5mi at Valley Forge in just under 45min. I don't care about the time so much, but I need some point of reference.

My sister inspired me with her Ceviche she made last week, so I made some of my own today.

It looks pretty delicious and I can't wait to eat it tomorrow!  I used tilapia, although next time I want to use shrimp or calamari. I couldn't find any serrano peppers at the store, so I had to use a jalapeno. The key to this dish is fresh fish and fresh squeezed lime juice. I think back to when I was in Italy, and the vineyard where we stayed had about 4 lime trees/bushes filled with limes; really big and impressive limes. The ones we buy around here could be mistaken for key limes anymore. Funny thing about this too is the fact I really don't like onions, on anything. They're so crucial to the taste of this blend, there's no way I could leave them out. I guess with Mexican stuff I can handle the onions, but on hoagies or anything else- forget it!

I need this week to fly by for 2 reasons: I get a new phone on Friday! (still undecided on what I'm getting) and a 3-day weekend! I have nothing planned or any jobs booked, so I'm going to see what I feel like doing, and then enjoy a Monday off for the first time in a while.