Wednesday Randoms

A very busy Wednesday today... but not so busy I'd forget my WRs!

• Spring time means I've been noticing the beautiful Canada geese scoping out some nesting spots. One pair picked a little ledge in the grassy area near the 476 on-ramp. It's up on a hill, but once those little fuzzies are hatched, mama goose will need to be absolutely diligent when supervising so they don't waddle into traffic. Another pair picked the most perfect spot on the side of a pond I pass on the way to work everyday. Good for them. I look forward seeing the babies in a few weeks
• Speaking of the feathered friends, my birds are singing and so content lately. It' easy to be a proud parent when your children are so happy and well behaved (and also make beautiful music!)
• Got my Cake Pop baking set! Also picked up some chocolate and sprinkles and I can't wait to make a batch. I'll be sure to include some pics when I do. And you know I always follow up and keep my word.
• Well, reminiscent of my WRs from last year, Broad Street 2012 will be soon upon us! Having done this last year, I know what to expect and I'm much less concerned about the training. Less is more, I feel. Over training leads to injuries and wasted time. Got a 5 mile run at VF coming up next Sunday. I'll see how I fare and then make a call on whether I want to give the half marathon a shot at the end of May in Philly. Otherwise, I'll have to wait until fall, which allows several months to slack and fall off the training plan. We'll see.
• Can Pennsylvania pleeeease get its act together and bring back the Pizza Hut lunch buffet?? It would really make my day to pay $5 and show up weekly at a most delish buffet.
• Trader Joe's has this salad with an amazing ginger dressing. It's called the super spinach salad, or something like that. Some quinoa, tomatoes, chickpeas, beans, and lots of baby spinach. Might need to get another one tomorrow.
• When is Rock Center on NBC going to let me guest host? I know I won't have the smooth delivery of BWill, but I'm sure after a few lessons I could figure the whole journalism thing out. Just don't make me laugh.
• Vacation time is coming up. Need an awesome getaway!
• 'Sick of' List:
• The Kardashians. Again! We're sooo sick of you. ALL of you.
• Jennifer Hudson and her singing Weight Watchers commercials. We get it. You were fat, you stopped eating, and lost weight. What a concept! We don't need to hear you singing about it every other commercial.
• Hitting every red light on the way to work. I've analyzed my route and thought I had it figured out. Hmm.
• People who lack common sense. There are way, waaay too many of them.
• The big thank you of the week goes to Zyrtec, Flonase, and the inhaler which have reduced my allergies to a mere nuisance instead of a roadblock in my daily life.

FMK

Thought I'd change it up and act like a real blogger, instead of just giving my weekly WRs (admittedly, they've been pretty weak recently. Oops.)

Looking at the title, I know what you're thinking. Nope, those three letters don't stand for "F*** My (hmmm... what could that K stand for?)"

Nope. Not it.

If you're part of a select group of people who spent 4 years jostling between the borders of Philadelphia and Montgomery County, a group forced to take 9 mandatory credits of Theology and Philosophy, and had these 3 letters represented on several lines of your college transcript, you know what it stands for.

Food Marketing (or FMK to those in the know) at St Joseph's University. A pricey degree that I really didn't enjoy earning, which still proudly sits behind the couch, in the envelope I received it in, the day of graduation a decade ago. That's a whole 'nother blog entry, the thoughts of a college do-over. I now work in an industry doing a job that's completely irrelevant to what I went to school for and it's going swell. No sarcasm there. I found myself a real sweet gig.

That's not to say I don't hold some kind of quasi-expertise in the almighty FMK subject matter. Allow me to share some wisdom. Subject matter: That behemoth of a grocery shopping experience also known as Wegman's, which opens near me in less than a month.

Can we say overwhelming? If you've never been to one, look at their website. YouTube some videos (I love turning nouns into verbs in this tech age). There are so many departments within departments, I couldn't find something as simple as a single chocolate chip cookie without viewing their 'by the pound' cookie bar selection this past weekend while visiting a Wegman's in Jersey.

While impressive and varied, magnificent and flawlessly maintained, I can't help to think the average family is not gonna be down with rollin up to the local madhouse Wegman's on a weekend to tackle the regular weekly shopping. It depends what demographic we're focusing on though; the 30-55yr old business man won't want to pull into the gourmet food circus on a Friday afternoon coming home from work to pick up hot dog buns and iced tea. The retired couple in their 70s will probably fall over looking at the prices in the prepared foods section, assuming they're on some sort of fixed income. The people most likely to really get on board are those like me- people in their 30s and anyone else with some disposable income to throw around and the word 'foodie' on their personal resume.

It has to cost some big bucks to keep the machine running. Food costs alone are insane, and that's coming from personal experience maintaining a weekly ledger when I worked in a bakery for several years. Unless your ordering and prediction of consumer purchases are spot on (and you're a part time psychic) you're writing off a chunk of that to the dreaded column known as 'shrink'. Loss. Waste. You not only waste ingredients, you waste the labor it costs to wash/chop/cook/bake/decorate/ship these products. I remember a boss of mine, a nice but completely scatterbrained woman, botching an order one Christmas and us throwing out about $700 worth of cakes. Not just $5 generic chainstore cakes, these were costly french pastry items that took time and money to create. It was a total mess, and a complete shame.

This isn't a prediction that Wegman's won't do well. Obviously they choose their locations carefully and keep expanding, so something is working for them. From a food marketing standpoint, and considering the economy is still limping from injuries sustained in 2008, what effect will farmer's markets, co-ops, and home gardens have on giants like Wegman's? Gas is nearing $4 a gallon. The middle class have become cost cutting connoisseurs the past few years. Is there some extra scratch in the bank to splurge on 8 varieties of hot wings, pre-cut veggies for grilling, and all the other extras which makes Wegman's stand out from the other not-so-fancy competitors?

Stay tuned... I'm not finished with this topic yet

Wednesday Randoms

• Hooked on River Monsters on Animal Planet. This cable thing isn't turning out to be too bad. Lucky for me, I have self control
• Finnnnnnally got my Cake Pop baking supplies! #YES Now I just have to wait and make them at a time where I won't be forced to eat them all myself
• New office location this week. Pretty happy with my setup, but recognizing the all too familiar atmosphere of the 'corporate office' (useless chitchat, inability to hide/avoid group functions). I knew I had such a gift the past 2 1/4 years off the grid. It was probably the most peaceful 2yrs of work I'll ever experience in my life
• Back on track for Broad Street. Looking to do 7mi this weekend. A new pair of shoes was in order. Still pissed I wasted the $$ on the Saucony pair, which I'll obviously still wear, but not for running.
• Craving some dark chocolate covered coconut eggs. Maybe it has to do with the Easter Bunny commercials I keep seeing every day...
• Waaay late on doing my taxes. That's what happens when you do things yourself. Put them off til the last minute. Just checked and I did them on April 9th last year. Maybe I'll do the same this year. You know, for shits and giggles.
• Time to start thinking/planning for vacation!
• I don't care how good the commercials make it look, I'm not eating seafood from the Old Country Buffet. Yes, you remember my snobby ways with seafood. 
• I love the antics the Today Show and GMA are pulling to outdo each other in the ratings. Today Show always get my vote, hands down.

 

Wednesday Randoms

Good grief. Wednesday already!

• So guess what? The demons, also known as the Condo Association, apparently have voted to make cable a mandatory "amenity" of living here. Hmmm... an amenity that I didn't want or agree to that will now cost me an extra $420/year! UGH! (On a side note, I will admit to watching True stories of the ER, Hillbilly Handfishin, Couples Therapy, South Park, and some 48 Hours Mystery since it was installed at 5pm today. Don't judge. I also spent an hour at LA Fit at Bodyworks class.)
• Sick. Of. Trayvon. Enough already. This better stop or else Sublime with Rome better brush up their skills for a follow up to "April 29, 1992 (Miami)", cause that's what they'll do next.
• There is a really good product called Flatouts. It's a thin, wheat, oblong sort of tortilla flatbread thing. It's light, good for you and pretty versatile. www.flatoutbread.com There's a free plug, Flatout. #yourwelcome
• Moving to a new office location next week at work. Same job, just moving to the central hub, in the midst of the fray. I know exactly how that's going to go.
• Can't wait to set up my garden box this weekend. Then I'll be growing all sorts of delicious herbs.
• The chocolate chip cookies from Whole Foods are sooooo good.
• I like that reporters on the news all have their Twitter handles on display. It came in handy last week when I told the guy on NBC10 to ditch the winter clothes and bust out the spring colors on a 80* degree. He replied, and took my advice.
• I love seeing all the Easter stuff at stores. Target has an especially nice display this year.
• Hmmm... that new no-texting law in PA is doing... not much. I still see people everyday on 76 and 476 texting away.
• Sur la Table has some really amazing things in their spring catalogue. Check out their website. I really want to take one of their cooking classes this spring/summer

Wednesday Randoms

Another WR means we're on the downhill to the weekend! Hooray!

• If this mild winter is really to blame for the suffering I'm now enduring, I'd gladly hit rewind on the magical universe clock and battled a horrible winter. Allergies right now are k-i-l-l-i-n-g me. Seriously, it's not fun anymore. I had none of these problems last fall and once the ball dropped on Jan 1, it seemed everything just starting getting worse. It's interrupting my training for the 10mi run in May and I'm not very happy about it :(
• On to a happier subject- food! Yes. I love my food. I believe I mentioned Cake Pops in an earlier post, and now I'm jonesing to scoot on down to my local Bed Bath&Beyond to get me a cake pop pan and all the goodies that go along with it. I don't want to make them for myself; I'm really looking forward to bringing them to some picnic or party with perfectly themed decorated little cake lollipops. Delish!
• Hot hot topic out of Florida with the shooting of the (black) teenager by a (Hispanic) neighborhood watch volunteer. Yikes. I'd be very worried about this 'Stand Your Ground' law. Someone just threw a drum of gasoline on the race war fire.
• This week marks my 3 year anniversary of #tweeting. I only know this because my 'joined on' date is listed on my profile- I didn't secretly commit my Twitter sign up to memory... although I enjoy it that much it wouldn't be a bad thing to remember... but still weird... okay, next bullet.
• Job2 is picking up a little. I'm still keeping it manageable, but it's nice having the extra $$ roll in. Got me eye on a new spring/summer bag. Longchamp, perhaps? We'll have to see. I've never been a huge Coach fan, but they do have some cute things in the new lineup
• With some quick calculations I figured I've saved about $7,680 since I bought my place by never getting cable. Ching! #gome
• Because of the above statement, I'm now watching American Idol while blogging... Saving money, lacking choices. Oh well. JLo is really annoying. More annoying than Ryan Seacrest.
• www.houzz.com is addicting! I challenge anyone to spend less than 10min surfing the site
• I'm really craving that lobster sandwich I had at the Mermaid Inn in NYC on my birthday weekend with PG. It was so delicious. Food reference again. Not surprising. I hope I dream of a lobster dinner tonight.
• Got a palette of Smashbox shadows for my birthday and I love them! It's the one for hazel eyes and although it's all shimmer and no matte, the color is true and lasts the entire day (with a base application of Too Faced Shadow Insurance, of course).
  
  That's all for now... until next time!

Wednesday Randoms

Hello Wednesday

• 3 straight days of 70deg weather and outdoor workouts for me! Global warming, what-ever. This type of thing in March absolutely delights me!
• I've confirmed by a trip to the allergist I have very a severe allergy to cats, dogs (I knew both of those, sadly) and several types of mold. Hmmm. Considering there are thousands of mold spores in the air everywhere, I'm pretty much screwed this spring. Let's hope some Flonase does the trick.
• The champagne mango I bought at Whole Foods last week was amazzzzzzing! Thank you Mexico for producing such fantastic fruit.
• After seeing some recipes online today, I'm even more excited about cake pops! I saw the cake mold at Bed Bath & Beyond this weekend and they look soo good, in addition to having a million ways to decorate them! I'm secretly hoping there's some kind of party or girly occasion where I can volunteer to make a couple dozen of these.
  Check out the cake pops
• In my opinion, if you have really nice, naturally curly hair, and you're a guy... let it grow! I know a certain someone who has such amazing hair. Love it
• I have a pair of cherry red pants, and I really want a pair or green or yellow ones. Yellow might be tough to pull off (black shirt=bumblebee), but I might give it a try
• All this hype over The Hunger Games movie... I don't get it. I was all into Twilight, but I couldn't get into this book last summer after I started reading it. Maybe I'm just not a fan of the idea of kids competing to the death in some stupid game.
• Did you know if you don't have cable you get about 5 Jesus channels/Christian music stations all the time? There are also some crafty and cooking shows that are pretty cool. Oh, and reruns of All in the Family.

Wednesday Randoms

I'm back!Looks like this will really need to be a fantastic WR post to compensate for the past 2 or 3 lackluster entries. I was feeling turrrrible last week. From my own expert diagnosis, I figure I had a cold that began sometime in late January, and slowly and quietly morphed into the most WICKED (not Wicked as in the fabulous Broadway show I saw in NYC. I'm talking the nasty, horrible, dreadful meaning of wicked) sinus infection I've had in years. Thankfully some antibiotics have kicked that out of the way and I'm almost back to my energetic self.

Time to get started

• I'm trusting doctors less and less. The few times I go in because of a sinus infection or something else not super urgent, they look at me like I'm nuts and with that look of "Ohhh..you're fine". This time my temperature wasn't even taken! Yeah, I look fine, but that doesn't mean I'm fine. Can't stand them!!
• Ever get the feeling you have to double check everyone's work? Like, you think you should be able to trust the person at the doctor to send your e-script to the correct CVS pharmacy even when you tell them the exact address.
• S.O.S. - Sick of Snooki!!
• If you haven't watched the show Shark Tank on ABC, it's really quite good, and you should tune in! It's not on at the best time (Friday 8pm), but if you're home sick and don't have cable, the options are slim.
• I was really missing Oprah those few days on the couch. I was relieved to see there is still a special place on daytime TV for Jerry Springer. Jerry's final thought is still such a source of inspiring, thought-provoking wisdom. #sarcasm
• Used my sick time to read Tina Fey's book Bossypants, a birthday gift from a friend (Thanks C). Quite funny, raw, honest, and telling way more than anything I'd ever share in a book. It spent a few weeks on the bestseller list, so go Tina.
• Have I ranted about smoking lately? No. I haven't. I've been too sick to rant, remember? My little sinus issue caused my hearing and sense of smell to be uber sensitive, so the stanky, stale smell I typically loathe was even more present when I got a whiff while sick. Raise the price! Ostracize anyone who partakes in this filth! I'm sick of it!!
• I love it when celebs/cool people reply back on Twitter! Example is the lovely British makeup artist and creative genius Lauren Luke- she follows my blog after I tweeted her my blog site. Her looks are amazing and I wish I had a job which required me to try those looks on myself every day. Some day... some day I will work a holiday season at Sephora or Ulta, just so I can play at work every day!!
• I find myself in a mental battle sometimes between what's good for me now, and what's good for me in 25yrs. I'm always one to lean towards the practical, conservative side. I know what I have going now will set me up nice in 25 years. What if I want to do something crazy for 6 months or a year some time between now and then? Ugh... I have better things to worry about
• If you've never seen the movie Death to Smoochy with Robin Williams and Ed Norton, you should. Nice, dry humor.
• There is a suuuper annoying girl on a Friendly's commercial that plays on NBC10 all.the.time. She has a squeaky voice and this slight overbite that can be endearing to some people, and straight up #%@ annoying to the rest of the entire viewing audience.
• Peyton Manning was really graceful and professional and all that other good stuff as he "resigned" from the Colts. I wonder if the crazy Colts fan we ran into in Vegas (who was mentioned in a prior blog post) is in a state of mourning now? Peyton was his boy!
• I'm sick of Christie Brinkley and her mudslinging with now ex-husband Peter Cook. Shut up already! Not sure if she's had work done, but she looks pretty fabulous for her age.
• All I know is I can't wait for flowers, sunshine, picnic food, runs outside, cruises in the car, and everything else that is spring/summer. Yessss!