Backyard Beauty

When I looked out the window yesterday, I was struck by how pretty it is outside. I think we take for granted how spectacular everyday things are.


I didn't realize it until I truly looked, but the the flowers in my backyard really are beautiful.




Is there is something outside your window that you've been missing out on? It could be almost anything. Another building? A tree? Your neighbor's car? Raindrops? Fog? Blue sky? A bunny? Kids jumping on a trampoline? Another apartment? Clothes on the line? Grass? A busy road? Whatever you see when you look out the window, there is beauty there. Just look.

Sometimes it's easy to forget, but beauty is all around us---even in that which seems ordinary.

Driving in a Little Yellow Car

Ohhhh, I am in car love.

My dad got a rental car because his went into the shop for repair (which is actually a funny story). His car got damaged by a rocket. And yes, I said rocket. Apparently, a high school physics class lost control of their "experiment" in the parking lot and they managed to send a missile right into my dad's car. He he. Needless to say, he wasn't too happy.

But on the bright side, the rental place gave him a bug to use for the week. A bright yellow VW bug (although maybe it's a beetle?? I don't really know the difference). Anyway, I have always said that yellow cars (except for iconic NYC taxi cabs) are hideous, but I have been proven wrong. A cute little Volks Wagon in yellow is about the most adorable thing ever. I'm not sure what Dad thinks though. He didn't take it to go golfing. He said it was because his clubs wouldn't fit in the trunk, but I think it was more what his golf buddies would say that worried him. Ha ha.

As for myself, I drove it a little bit yesterday, and now all I can think of is how far could I drive this thing away until the police caught wind of it and pulled me over for grand theft auto? I think I could make it least Tennessee, what do you think? Bah ha ha.

Summer Eatin'

Warning: the food discussed hereafter will make you salivate. Read post at your own risk.


At a picnic this week with my family, we had shish kabobs marinated in Hawaiian sauce. I chopped up everything from zucchini to broccoli and speared them onto wooden skewers.

Then for dessert we had grilled pineapple, because I thought it would be a good idea to take something I already love and throw it on the grill. I was right. Mmmmmmmm. The only thing as tasty as fresh pineapple is grilled pineapple.


Here's my recipe:

Honey Citrus Grilled Pineapple:
--Cut a fresh pineapple into flat slices
--Brush with mixture of 3 tablespoons of honey, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of orange juice, and a pinch of pepper
--Grill until golden brown

Oh, man. This is delicious; I guarantee it.

Cheaper Gas on Sundays

I was driving by the Sunoco in downtown Shippensburg when I saw a sign that said: Every Sunday from 7AM to 7AM (over to Monday they mean), Sunoco will give you 4 cents off of every gallon, every grade.

Well, I like the idea of that. I don't know whether this is a nation-wide gig or just a local thing, but I suggest you zoom off to your nearest Sunoco and find out.

Four cents off a gallon. Yeah. I'll take some of that gasolina.

(But for those of you that can't cash in on what I will affectionately term "gas sundays,": here's a handy link to the USA Gas Temperature Map that will compare prices between all of the stations in your area.)

Fried Chicken and Fireworks

I spent my 4th of July with Emily and her family. Thanks Em! It was lovely day. We drove to the middle of no where, namely Bear Valley, for a picnic. We ate ridiculous amounts of food from fried chicken to watermelon. Yum. We took a walk into the woods, found a random bra along the side of the road, played with Wally and Oscar (her dog and her sister's dog), and sat on lawn chairs in the middle of the creek.


Then after we got back to Emily's house we played her Wii until it was time for the fireworks. Her brother-in-law set them off in their back yard, and we were not disappointed. They were poof-poofing and zing-zapping like crazy.

Some of them scared me, I'm not going to lie. Neon fire and trees seem like a disaster waiting to happen...but nothing did. We had a safe and fun 4th of July!

Independence Day

Happy 4th of July!!!!


Hope you have a super day celebrating America's Day of Independence!

(And for all you pyromaniacs out there, take it easy with the fireworks...)

Walmart Plays Dress Up With Its Logo

According to Brand New, Walmart recently changed their logo. While I like the new look better, I would have to say that it doesn't fit their 'brand' quite as well. The old one was bold and dominant that said, "We're Wal-mart. Shop here, or else..."


The new lighter color, softer font, and strange starburst thing seems something more like a logo for a tech company or sleek eco-friendly biz. It doesn't say "Come here and buy my cheap goods because I pushed everyone else out and now you have no choice but to buy my subpar products."

But to be fair, I guess that's the idea---Walmart wants to separate itself from its increasing ugly public profile. My question is: Does changing their logo really send consumers a different message (even if only subconsciously)? Or is changing their image a futile attempt at reclaiming a negative public sentiment that will always equate Walmart with steamrollers and blood-thirsty ogres?

Lost in Translation

Have you ever gone to one of those online text translators like Babelfish or Free Translation to get a translation of something from English into another language? And then a few days later you find out that you inadvertently said something appalling, politically incorrect, embarrassing, dirty, or nonsensical?

Well, yeah, that's the problem systematic translating. So why not exploit this terrible inadequacy? That's what the site, Lost in Translation, by Carl Tashian does. From English into 5 different languages and then back into English, the phrase you type in will become ridiculous. Some examples of stuff I typed in:

Can't stop this.
--This cannot be arrested.

Roses are red. Violets are blue. Sugar is sweet and so are you.
--One rose of the colors is red. The viola is blue. Therefore the sugar is motivatings force and you are you.

Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow.
--Maria had a small lamb, of that trapunte he who was white women like the snow.

Row row your boat gently up the stream.
--Rudders he he chain its easy boat to the expensive outpost of the startings.

The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout.
--Itsy bitsy of the spider assembled entrerrosca of the water.

There is no such thing as a free lunch.
--It has something because the liberations at noon do not eat.


Huh?
Just think---these are the things you are telling your foreign friends (or German teacher) when you use these services. Shudder.