dd, snow day edition

I am so grateful for this snow day. It gave me a chance to catch up on a lot of things that needed to be done, including regaining my sanity which I feel like I somehow lost between Monday and today.

Preparing for Staff Lunch
I'm in charge of the staff treats/lunch which we're doing tomorrow at work; apparently it is a competition to see who can do the best presentation/food. We're going with an "Oscars" theme. Here's what I did today in preparation for that:
*Wrote down trivia cards about past Oscars to have at the table while people eat. They were going to be cutesy but I wasn't at school today to get the construction paper, so plain white cardstock it is.
*Made the following recipes:
-Pasta salad
-Muffins (from a box, but I baked them in some cute muffin liners that my mom gave me!)
-Mint Brownies
-Break the Fast Miracle Bars
*Made Oscar voting sheets and voting ballot box (ok, so I really did that earlier this week)

Work
*Planned next week's lessons.

Mental Sanity
*Slept in.
*Caught up on all my tv shows.
*Watched a chick flick.
*Baked (and was able to freeze some of) the following:
-Rosemary Potatoes
-Basil Chicken Soup
-Broccoli & Cheese-Stuffed Chicken (ok, ok, this was frozen and pre-made so it doesn't count)
*My plan is to make it to the gym later this evening and go to bed early.

Cleaned
*Did a load of laundry
*Did three loads of dishes (in case you didn't notice, I cooked a lot)
*Cleaned my kitchen
*Cleaned my bathroom

I wish I was this productive every day. Productive day = happy me!!!

dd, grocery store edition

I.love.grocery.stores.

Always have, and I hope I always will.

Maybe it's the familiarity, and the way that no matter what grocery store you go to, you'll always find the peanut butter next to the cereals or the jell-o and pudding next to the cake mixes. Or maybe it's because I have a high chance of seeing an old man shuffling along with a cart.

Know what's tricky to find, though? Really random things like white distilled vinegar (in the salad dressing aisle) or sun dried tomatoes in oil (always in a hidden place amongst the veggies).

Grocery stores are more important than you think. Everybody needs groceries, and there are only a select few options to go for said groceries. I feel like grocery stores bring us together. In extremely general terms, grocery stores = global unity.

Buying food and other necessities can also provide some excitement: there are hazards all around! Sometimes those individuals who are in the electric cart aren't the safest of drivers. People have gigantic baskets that they're pushing around come out of nowhere when you're turning a corner. Don't forget all those traffic jams in those barely-wide-enough-for-two-cart-aisles!

I've decided that grocery stores are the absolute best places for people watching. You never know what you're going to see. For example, tonight, as I was getting what I needed in my sweats and sweatshirt (because that's how we do it in America), I amused myself by making up life situations for those around me. Here are some scenarios:

1. Overheard one guy say on his phone, "Are you done because you're wasting my minutes." I think he was talking to his ex-girlfriend.
2. Guy in his upper 20's with an Asian girl (speaking an Asian language to her). I think he went on a mission to an Asian country and was one of those who marries a girl from where he served.
3. Middle-aged woman with grocery list, and not much in her cart. I think that she's an empty-nester and just doesn't know how to adjust to cooking for two again.

I could go on and on...about the unspoken check-out line rules, bagging etiquette, people's fervent feelings towards certain stores, etc. but I won't.

I'll just end with quite possibly the best part: the sound of scanning an item and, of course, cash registers.

dd, favorite liz lemon quotes edition

"Workin' on my night cheese"

"I want to go to there."

"That's a dealbreaker, ladies."

"What's that in your teeth?" "Corn!"

"I even packed underwear that isn't gray."

"Blurgh."

"Whatev's indeed."

"I am telling everyone here that there is no way I can be pregnant, because I have had my period for the last 61 days."

(This)

"I'm wearing it as a joke."

dd, numbers edition

*I only have 1 oven mitt. It's kind of annoying; I should probably get another one.

*I've seen 2 pink Cadillacs in the past couple of days. What's up with that? I think they're ugly.

*Every Friday when I drive home from work, on a certain intersection, there are 3, count 'em, three, people dressed up and waving a sign around to try to get business. Corner one: guy dancing to his ipod dressed up like the statue of liberty trying to get you to go do your taxes somewhere (I think). Corner two (actually still corner one...they share or go on opposite sides): little caesar's pizza guy. I guess he's not dressed up but it still counts - he's waving a sign. Corner three: someone waving a sign for hair cuts at great clips, DRESSED UP LIKE A RABBIT. I don't get it.

*Only accomplished 4 things on my to-do list today, when I should've done more like 10.

*My phone's alarm has a 5-minute snooze on it. That's ridiculous. Everybody knows that the snooze option is 9 minutes.

*I ate somewhere between 6-8 food samples at Costco today. It was my dinner. They're trying to sell superbowl snacks so get on over to Costco for some really good samples! Seriously - I'm not joking. The sample carts were practically set up like a cafeteria line; it was fantastic!