Happy Toast

Posted 20 Feb 2008

The Little Things | 6 Comments 

Wouldn’t life be great if every morning we could have happy toast? Jam eyes, peanut butter nose and a honey mouth. This particular toasty smile made my daughter’s breakfast this morning a happy one.

Lip Balm: closing in on success

Posted 18 Feb 2008

The Little Things | 2 Comments 

Am I the only one who aspires to keep possession of a tin of lip balm until I have used up all the precious lip protection?

I seem to have always had this crazy obsession with hanging onto the tin or tub of lip balm. Previously, I was a Carmex guy. Couldn’t get enough of it. Was really, really irked when they switched from porcelain containers to plastic. (Did that bother anyone else?)

So, I am proud to say that after what must be close to two years (just guessing by the wear and tear on my lip balm tin), I am so very close to finally achieving what I have only done once previously: emptying the lip balm container.

For those of you who may be digging the rugged look of my lip balm tin, here’s one more shot for you to savour:

Fusion Junk Food

Posted 16 Feb 2008

Daily Life, People | 2 Comments 

My friend JP is a genius. He may be recorded among the all time greatest chefs, when the time comes for recording such things. He introduced me tonight to a new category of food I call “Fusion Junk Food“. We had as a snack, “Hot Stuff” Jays BBQ potato chips, shark fruit snacks, and carrots. I know. It seems weird, odd, and maybe like one of those not-that-tasty-sounding- but-somehow-ends-up-tasting-ok things, but that seems to be the calling card for all “fusion” food anyway.

Potato chips and fruit snacks might combine to make you feel sick, but add in the carrot, and suddenly you walk away from the snack bar feeling good about yourself for eating so well. Jalepeño twinkies, celery ice-cream and eggplant beer are just some ideas I’ll throw out there to illustrate my point, but I’ll save the real fusion work for the expert – my friend, JP. I’m convinced it could become a new diet fad, which doesn’t actually help you lose weight, but tastes good and makes you feel like it’s healthy, even though it isn’t. I love it.

Why can’t I read it!?

Posted 14 Feb 2008

Daily Life | Leave a Comment 

Have you ever been confronted by one of those web verification code boxes while working online? There is an image of some letters and numbers and you have to read them and then type them into another box before you are allowed to submit a form or comment on a blog or commit some other web-based action. The devices help prevent spamming and avoid automated submissions which can overwhelm the system, so they definitely add value.

But why do they have to be so hard to read?!

I don’t understand why some sites choose to make them so hard to read that I can’t even say for sure what the numbers and letters are supposed to be. It seems contradictory to have a security device which ends up keeping out the people you’re specifically trying to let in. I’ve always been able a fill out the correct code in the end, but I still think I shouldn’t have to guess. I don’t like feeling nervous that my submission won’t go through because I was unable to read the text that what was right on the screen. That just makes me feel dumb. And yes, right before I wrote this I did have to try to figure out one of those images on another site.

Tip and roll conundrum

Posted 13 Feb 2008

Daily Life | 2 Comments 

Dinner is over, it has been a satisfying, though not exceptional meal. I am dining with several work colleagues, and as is our company policy, the most senior employee picks up the bill using his corporate AmEx card. Hardly expecting anything besides putting on my coat, wholeheartedly patting my satisfied belly, and quickly dashing through sub-zero temperatures to the car for the drive home, I am chagrined to be suddenly thrust into what I termed, the “Tip and Roll Conundrum”.

It boils down to this: I notice that the person picking up the tab is preparing to leave such a scanty tip that I honestly feel embarrassed to be sharing a bill with them. This is a work colleague who outranks me, so I am hesitant to make him look cheap by suggesting he leave a larger tip. No, the waiter hasn’t been exceptional, but service was prompt, responsive and overall sufficient. I don’t expect a huge tip, but at least 10% would be reasonable, right?

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