Coffee Break – DD Anonymous

I was able to break my addiction to Dunkin’ Donuts! I think I may have blogged about how, just a few weeks ago, I was constantly plagued by the desire to spend $2.50 on a medium coffee with cream. It would kick in as I was leaving the train station and passing by a bustling Dunkin’ Donuts. I was spending almost $10.00 a week, 40 bucks a month on COFFEE! I knew this was a HUGE WASTE but I couldn’t control myself! Instead of buying coffee, I tried making it at home but I was always in a rush and would run out of the house empty-handed and then I’d pass the Dunkin’ Donuts and before I knew it, I was saying, “Medium coffee with cream– no, not large, ME-DE-UM CAH-FEE! No not iced– No Sugar– Just CREAM- no donut!”

A couple weeks ago as I was washing out my sensual, Braun coffee carafe, I noticed the inside Teflon coating was peeling off. I tried to get it off but my gargantuan hand didn’t comfortably fit into the carafe in a way that made it possible to peel off every last bit of Teflon. Plus, why is it coated in Teflon? Maybe it’s not a good idea to put scalding hot liquid into the carafe without the Teflon coating. I searched around online to see if I could by a replacement carafe but I came up empty-handed.

Rather than buying a new coffee maker, I decided to buy a French press. I really don’t know why, I guess I liked the cheap price. I immediately discovered that not only does the French press make it really easy to brew coffee, but THE FRENCH PRESS MAKES THE BEST COFFEE! I boil water. I place a tablespoon or two of coarse ground coffee into the French Press and pour the boiling water in. I let it sit for 4 minutes and then press the little lever down to trap all the grounds at the bottom. DONE. And it’s perfect. I always have 5 minutes to make it in the mornings and I have completely stopped desiring the Dunkin Donuts slop.

Now I need to start figuring how to break my caffeine addiction.

There’s a hole in my bucket

If I was a practical person, I might just pack up and go home. But I am not and here I stay, trying to concentrate and work through this damned headache. I don’t think it’s stress-related. I’m getting a lot of pressure put on me at work but oddly enough I am not minding it one bit. I am refusing to get caught up in it. Right now I would very much like to lay down and fall asleep. That ain’t gonna happen. I can’t even wish for 5:00 because I have an event this evening I must attend and then afterward I am meeting up with Lisa. I took a Tylenol earlier but it hasn’t done a thing. All things pass. All things pass. Ice Cream and Charles Bronson.

Pappy!

Yesterday evening I found myself closer to Market East than my usual train station. I checked the train schedules and saw I had a good half hour to kill so I decided to walk around the attached mall and maybe get something to eat at the food court. As I was entering the mall area, there was a table set up with a sign: FREE STRESS TESTS! Yep, Scientologists. I could tell from all the L. Ron Hubbard books. Two Scientologists came right up to me and implored, “Please come and take a FREE stress test!
“No thank you.”
They ignored me, grabbed me by either arm and tried to forcibly lead me to their E meter!
“No, I do NOT want a stress test” I shook myself free and walked away… QUICKLY! Please Tom Cruise, make a new movie quick! Your church needs you! And your bank account.

I went to the food court and ordered a sandwich and a diet lemonade. The woman serving me went over to a small white plastic Sterilite drawer set– the kind that is sold at Target or Walmart for organizing— she pulled open the drawer and with a ladle — STARTED SCOOPING OUT THE LEMONADE!!! I cannot figure why they kept their lemonade in a drawer. Insane.

I sat down at a booth to eat my dinner. Looking out over the nearly empty room filled with dirty tables, I noticed a public health service poster: PAP SMEAR: Once a Year Over 21! Who’s bright idea was it to put gynecological posters in the food court? I was scared to look around for fear that I might find a poster for Prostate Self-exams: >>insert dirty punchline<<. Enough about yesterday! I spent the evening on a battleship! It's true. I toured a battleship and had to walk up and down steep stairs that honestly looked more like ladders, in high heels and a wrap dress. Had I known I would find myself on an obstacle course, I would NOT have opted for my Wonder Woman printed underwear. No, I didn't just decide to tour a battleship after work. It was an event I figured would be good for networking purposes and it happened to be held on this ship. It was fun. I enjoyed myself. Right now all I want to do is sleep. And think about food. That's what happens when all you eat for dinner is a Lean Pocket. My cabinets are empty. I gotta go to the grocery store tomorrow.

those were the days….

Slumming around Youtube, searching for Waylon Flowers… I don’t know why, I found this:

I love the Riunite on ice commercial with the mime couple. Was that Shields and Yarnell or Mummenschanz? I don’t know. And the Rock Hudson and Madame clip!!??! Classic! I also love seeing John Ritter fighting a bear, Donna Prescow, Incredible Hulk, Sonny Bono, and superstar TOM JONES!

Rosie the Rosemonster… in the Kitchen!

My fellow alumnaes did NOT let me down! On my Rosie in the Kitchen blog entry from the other day, I lamented over the absence of my beloved mascot, The Rosemonster! Why name it Rosie in the Kitchen! Why not ROSEMONSTER in the Kitchen!!! Shame on me. Rather than complaining, my fellow alumnae took out their pens and pencils and PUT THE ROSEMONSTER ONTO THE COVER OF THE COOKBOOK! Check it out! There are tons of Rosemonsters!!!

I think my favorite is entry #27. I do love entry number 31. I also like entry #22. Entry 12 isn’t bad either!

I feel vindicated!

Gestapo State

What is this world coming to? My father told me about a situation that occurred very close by us on Wednesday. A young woman called her father and threatened suicide. He heard a shot ring out and he called police. The police arrived at her home and found her hiding in a closet. They fired a mace pellet into the closet to get her to come out. Instead of coming out, she stayed in the closet and fired a shot from her gun. The policeman then fired three shots into the closet, killing her.

The father of the woman who called the police is Jim McCaffrey, owner of a local Supermarket chain. I knew him in passing having worked at the bakery in one of his supermarkets back when I was in High School. I can’t imagine what this man is going through. He called the police, trying to protect his daughter and instead he called her executioners. What were the police doing going into the house like a SWAT team? This was a 30-year-old woman! This wasn’t an ex-con or a terrorist! This was a woman who was in pain and in desperate need of help. And they killed her.

I am reminded of what recently happened to Mayor Cheye Calvo. Police raided his home, killed his two dogs, tied up him and his mother-in-law and interrogated them regarding a package that was delivered to their house.

It’s chilling. It’s frightening. This is not my country. Mr. McCaffrey, his family, and especially his daughter, are in my thoughts and prayers.

Office 2007

I want everyone reading to know I am actually crying at this very moment. Tears are rolling down my face. I AM SO FRUSTRATED BY THIS NEW OFFICE 2007 THAT I AM CRYING! All my quick key shortcuts are GONE! I customized the quick keys myself and they were apparently not ported over when the upgrade was performed. I WANT MY QUICK KEY SHORTCUTS BACK! I don’t even know where to find the spot where you create them. I CAN’T FIND ANYTHING!

And let me just say this… I HATE THOSE STUPID MOHAVE EXPERIMENT COMMERCIALS! I HATE THEM! Reminds me of the Folgers’ Crystals commercials from the 70’s. We replaced this man’s coffee with elephant piss…. I’ve tried Vista and it sucks… even worse than instant coffee.

Half Breed

I know I left you guys with a pretty weird picture a couple weeks ago and honestly, I was worried myself. Celine Dion? What’s going on in this world? Well, things are back to normal and in fact a little bit better! Today I was told I look just like Cher. And later, someone asked if I was a Pharmaceutical sales rep! Cher is a normal comparison; I especially like it when people then say, “You know, right before she got her nose and teeth fixed!” Stop! You flatter me! Although I have to say that the Pharmaceutical rep is one of the nicest compliments ever! As much as I find the Pharmaceutical industry repugnant, they do hire some of the sharpest looking people as sales reps. All I can say is I am sooooo glad I bought that Brooks Brothers’ gray, a-line, shift dress! Note to self: Must buy more Brooks Brothers clothes!

And are you wondering how I respond to the Cher comparison? I always say, “Heh, you should see me in my electrical tape bathing suit, that’s when I really look like Cher!”

Just teasing!