Sugar Shock

Most of what I eat in my life goes in cycles. There are the things I have never liked (celery, cucumbers, beets), the stuff I have taught myself to like (tomatoes, coffee, beer), and then those things that I may like or dislike just depending on what mood I'm in.

Take today, for instance. I have a big jar of chocolate candy on my desk (I buy in bulk from Costco--it makes people come visit me all the way back here in the corner). For awhile I was obsessed with the Milk Duds. Then I gradually started favoring Baby Ruths. For some reason today I have had three little packs of peanut m&m's. How does this happen? I never even used to like them!

The poor mini Hershey's bars always come in dead last in my little office candy competition. When everything else is gone, I leave them in the jar for weeks at a time until people feel sorry for them and eat them. I know they secretly feel really depressed.

Vacation brain

I read once that people are incredibly productive the week after vacation but not the week before. Let me be the next case study. We leave for California on Friday, and I can't focus on anything today. How on earth am I supposed to get anything done this week?

A recent BusinessWeek article says that most people don't take all of the vacation time they have. I call those people absolutely crazy. I vow to never pretend to be so important to believe that my workplace cannot survive without me around. (In fact, they probably all welcome it!)

I'm hoping to come back after Labor Day renewed, refreshed and, of course, more productive. Until then, I'm wondering what on earth I'm going to be able to get done this week.

Best billboard ever

Special thanks to my cousin Lindsey for snapping this photo while she was back in Illinois. My favorite part is that the lady's head is clearly photoshopped into the picture. Classic.

Alright, where is it?

I'm pretty sure that Chad pops back every now and then from China to move stuff around the house. How else can I explain why the scissors are not exactly where they are supposed to be or how the lights got left on in the basement? And who the heck left toothpaste drips all around the bathroom sink?

(Bleck)...I'll have a beer

Poor Chad is in China with a terrible case of food poisoning. I talked to him briefly yesterday morning and he was fine (12 hours later there so he was heading to bed). I woke up this morning and he had been sick all night and all day. This is my favorite story:

So Chad was a trouper and went to the business meetings in the morning and then went to lunch. He still felt terrible. What he really needed was a bunch of water and/or Gatorade, but of course, they don't have that in China. His beverage options were coconut milk, coconut juice, or beer. He had both coconut things before and didn't like either so he went with the beer. His reasoning? "Well, I figured it was carbonated..."

Last I heard he was in bed.

All by myself...

I have been home alone all weekend, save for last night when Janice and I went to dinner and this afternoon when I went to Bath & Body Works for some hand soap.

In the span of two days, I have talked to four people. And what's weird is, I don't feel lonely at all! Perhaps it's all the conversations I've been having with myself?

My thoughts exactly...

I have this quote up in my office and it's especially pertinent today:

"I never cease to be amazed with how what I say gets distorted. For years I took on the responsibility and tried to become an excellent communicator. After some time I realized that I already was a good communicator and that most people just don't listen."