a hodge-podge (whatever that is)

(our beloved band director, circa 1985, allowing us to torture him, yet again...see #6 below.)

1. this gum is awesome. i took a photo on my blackberry and tried to get the lighting just right. "Do you want a unique and delicious way to freshen your breath? ICE BREAKERS ICE CUBES are a totally new experience in gum. These cube-shaped pieces are packed with flavor crystals and specially frosted to give you an instantly cold mouth freshening experience that lasts on and on! ICE BREAKERS ICE CUBES is Instantly Cold Mouth Freshening Gum that you can enjoy anytime anywhere because it comes in a convenient flip-top package." i totally wrote that and did not cut & paste from some dumb website.

2. sladj said something in comments about chik-fil-a, about how the service is great and there are flowers on the table, and i realized this: i feel like eating fast food should be a dirty little secret. i don't want human contact. just take my cash and pass me the bag of junk. not unlike a drug deal. i think when someone goes into a back alley to score dope, they want to avoid eye contact, ya dig? he he he.....

3. speaking of sladj- our 20 year high school reunion is this november. i've blogged about it before and i am hoping to drag her, rachel, katie and other along for the big event. this has also sparked a hankering for a marching band reunion for some folks. so over on facebook, an old high school chum (and fellow band geek) & i have started a "eastlake north high marching band alumni" group. in less then a week we've got over 20 members and 100's of posts! old friends are getting in touch and we're all reminding each other of the fun/ weird/ crazy stuff we did back then. i was 100% hardcore band geek, and loved every minute of it. i loved band camp, orchestra, pep band, the whole thing!!! wow, that was a rant and a 1/2.

4. another product endorsement: these rosemary & olive oil potato chips. i can't find a good pic of them online and sadly, don't have a bag handy to photograph. but they kick ass!

5. i got to work at 7am today. crazy! chugging lots of coffee, getting all kinds of work done, plus blogging. i think i'm high on life! and we got the red ottoman finally so i'm walkin' on sunshine... (that horrible song has been stuck in my head since the weekend, for some unknown reason.)

6. i just got an email from my old band director! (see #3 above.) mr. rayer was my band director for 6 years. he encouraged me to take up the french horn when other music teachers said i was too young. he selected me to attend summer programs for "gifted musicians" and even talked to me about applying for music scholarships. he also let me hide in his office when i didn't want to go to gym class. i am adding his photo at the top. it's from band camp at lake chataqua, 1985. we put on skits each night and he let us TP him on stage. (if you don't know what TP is, you are not a band geek!) he remembers me as being a great french horn player and a pain in his ass. hahahahahaha, YES!!!!

7. also, another blog has a great post that i've been wanting to do myself, but haven't had time. it's all about madonna and the pics are....disturbing. i won't add any to my blog. they are more frightening then these pics!

8. i found this website through O&A and it's hilarious. it's a guy who actually answers an email from a nigerian spam scam crook (the ones that send form letters begging for money and promising more money in return for a loan.) he emailed with this scam artist for months and it's so damn funny!

9. question: how long are the summer olympics? it seems like it's been on for about 2 months and they are just now finishing. and taking its place in the "boring-est tv" is now the democratic convention. yawn.

10. speaking of boring and lasting too long, i started this dumb blog post yesterday! i need to hit "publish post" and be done.