What to do when you're not feeling so hot...

So I'm not feeling well, though assuming I'm not dead, I WILL attend the hockey game tomorrow night (FYI, the KINGS are IN the playoffs!!!), as well as getting together with my HS friends Janel and Sam!


Anywho, since I'm at home ATTEMPTING to relax, I got to thinking about things I can do to accomplish this:


1) Watch some mindless, brainless (reality?) TV show, one that doesn't involve too many brain cells (a la Bad Girls Need Love Too).  Of course, the living room TV is currently without sound for some reason, so I am using the captions...  I actually attempted to look behind to see if a cable was unplugged, but realized I would need a flashlight.  The idea of searching the house for a flashlight involved too many brain cells, so I gave up.


2) Read a book.  Eh.  I usually love to read, but for some reason it just doesn't have any appeal.


3) Sleep!  I have a really tough time sleeping/resting when I feel I could get some important stuff done (like writing a blog perhaps? ;-P)


4) I could watch random videos on YouTube, like:





OR this:





OR:





5) Finally, I could take drugs... maybe even the type that cause me to make a video like this!
*** WARNING: Not "Office-Friendly"! ***







On that note.. what do you do when you're sick and/or need to relax?

And now... an update to the "Joy of Commercials" post...

In response to the "Men's Dodge Viper Commercial" which aired during the "BIG GAME" (and received a nomination for "most annoying commercial ever" - see "Joy of Commercials" post!), I give you...





Yeeeees!!! 'Take that! =)

An update to the gummy bear saga...

(Click here for the original story...)

... so today I tried unsuccessfully to get a copy of the "gummy bear ransom note".  Unfortunately, the guilty party (or who I was almost positive WAS the guilty party) had NO EVIDENCE of such a note... Imagine that?  Lesson #1 learned:  If you're going to do something really bad, cover your tracks. Check. Got it.


I was also reminded that the human victim sent out two notices: 1 an email plea to simply "let her know her gummies were ok and in a safe place for the week", and 2: An official AMBER ALERT, posted on her door, the elevators, etc. Yeeeessss! Bitchin'!


It appears my next job is clear: track down the Amber Alert.  Stat!


And so the saga continues... even after all these years...


P.S.  Based on the email plea I saw, this happened in 2002 not 2003.  Lesson #2: In a criminal investigation, make sure you get your facts straight.  I will need these lessons if I ever apply for a job as a mafia flunkie... or a cop... I'll let you know which...

The joy of commercials... not really

These days, there are quite a few commercials that are irritating the crap out of me. I thought I would spread the fun!

1) "Every kiss begins with 'Kay'...".  Oh. Good. Grief. Make. it. stop!

2) "He Went to Jared's!?": I don't know why this irritates me... I guess it just feels so lame and

forced.

3) FreeCreditReport.com: The singing in this makes me want to gouge my ears out.... or reach through the screen and kick the lead singer of this "band" in the face (and I am a pacifist - really!).  However, I would watch this 50 times before the "Every Kiss" ones.

4) The ones where the babies talk as adults... especially this one:

5) The Dodge Viper Super Bowl Commercial. To the men bitching and whining in this commercial - You poor things, having to do what women tell you to... You are just so oppressed. Grow a pair already!

These are the ones I change the channel to get away from...

Of course, not all of them make me want to tear my hair out. The following two are hilarious and effective respectively:

1) Of course one of them has to be a hockey commercial!

2) If this doesn't get you choked up at least a little, you may be an android of some kind...

What commercials make YOU run screaming from the room?

Ode to frozen cream and sugar...

"Oh sweet ice cream, I love you so..." ~ Hannah, 1976-present!

Ever since I was a kid, I have loved ice cream in all it's lovely, delicious forms (shocking I know!)... sundaes... sandwiches... cake... with fruit... with shortcake...

In honor of one of my all-time favorite food items (next to cheese, wine, bread, pasta, tomatoes, strawberries...), I present to you, my 20 favorite ice cream products. There's no way I can rank 'em though, so in no particular order:

1) Baskin-Robbins ice cream cakes: Ice-cream - yum! Cake - yum! Ice cream and cake combined - priceless!! Favorite combinations include chocolate cake with jamoca almond fudge, and chocolate cake with mint chocolate chip, and chocolate cake with, aw hell, any flavor!

2) Ice cream sandwiches: Either with vanilla or with neopolitan ice cream, though the chocolate ice cream is the best part in that instance. I usually love strawberry ice cream, but I like it better when it has chunks in it (and doesn't taste quite so fake...).

3) Banana Splits or other such sundaes: Best with lots of stuff to 'em. When I was younger, I actually finished off a BR 5-Star Sundae. Yep... FIVE scoops of ice cream, 3 toppings... I'm amazed I'm not seriously huge...

P.S. Since I only received this sundae because my father felt guilty about something totally not his fault, I have been accused of sometimes thereafter attempting to get additional ice cream by crying... I plead the 5th!

4) Bon Boniere Ice Cream: Handmade gourmet ice cream from a company in northern CA. Blackberry cheesecake, green tea...mmmmm...

5) Redwood Yoghury: Haven't been there since I was in college, but have fond memories of their waffle cones. Best combo ever - blackberry and chocolate swirled!!!

6) Dryers Light Rocky Road: The best LIGHT Rocky Road ever. This DOES not discount the REAL Rocky Road flavors, but when I'm trying to be good, this is what I go for.

7) Tofutti Cuties from Trader Joes (vanilla and chocolate): Yes, I know they're not real ice cream, but tofu's NEVER tasted this good. They are even good enough to fool my brother's seriously food-picky ex-girlfriend. Seriously. Try 'em already.

8) Trader Joe's Super Premium Ultra Chocolate Ice Cream: Oh sweet Jesus! The best chocolate EVER! Dark, rich, slightly bittersweet. This may even be the closest ice cream to sex. Perhaps.

9) Ben and Jerry's Coffee Heath Bar Crunch: Obviously I can't talk ice cream without mentioning this brand! The Heath Bars kind of melt into the ice cream, giving it a little bit of a caramel-flavor...

10) Ben and Jerry's Cool Brittania: RIP my dear strawberry ice cream with fudge-covered shortbread pieces. You will be missed. =(

11) Fosselman's (Alhambra): *sigh* So many delish flavors... I love you fresh peach, and lemon custard, and blueberry, and...

12) Cold Stone Creamery: Not necessarily the best ice cream, but love the fixins' and mixins'!

13) New Zealand Natural: Located in the LA Live complex, this is the perfect treat for celebrating an LA Kings win (or drowning my sorrows). Favorites include the standard cookies n' cream, and Hokey Pokey... =)

14) Ben and Jerry's Dublin Mudslide: Definition - Irish Cream Liqueur Ice Cream with Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies and a Coffee Fudge Swirl. Need. I. Say. More?

15) Ben and Jerry's Mint Chocolate Cookie: Mint ice cream with oreo-style cookies! Yay!

16) Ben and Jerry's Peach Cobbler: Not the same as homemade cobbler, but not exactly terrible either. =)

17) Ben and Jerry's Apple Pie: A flavor that has gone to it's maker, but I have so many fond memories of sitting in the college lounge with friends, and a carton of this, watching random movies...

18) Chocolate Peanut Butter: No comments needed.

19) Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream: A taste of Thanksgiving... anytime!

20) Gelato from the shop next to the Wiltern: When we lived in Koreatown, my dad used to take me there all the time. mmm-mmmm-mmmm. (Unfortunately, I think it's gone now...)

20b) Thrifty Ice Cream: Back then, they were the cheapest cones around (which is what made them so awesome!).  The ice cream wasn't bad either...  These are some of my favorite times with my dad.

**So, between the BR 5-star, the gelato by the Wiltern, and the Thrifty ice cream... let's just say we'll know who to blame if I ever end up on the A&E show "Intervention"!!   ;-p **

** Proof that Hannah's ice cream obsession began at a young age - it's mint chocolate chip, by the way...**

There you have it. The best ice cream tastes and experiences EVER!!!!!!!!!! I'm interested to know what your faves are. Comment away!

Work and fun: An oxymoron?

** Names have been changed to protect the innocent (and the guilty too!) **

I don't usually use the words "work" and "fun" in the same sentence. Lately, I feel like I've complained a little too much about work. The building itself was built in the 50's, and is somewhat depressing (see photographic evidence below)

When I started there (originally in 1999), it had a very wacky, goofy atmosphere. :-P

Case in point... the "Gummy Bear incident" of 2003!!! One of the postdocs, we'll call her, uh, "Mary", is a very funny lady from France (she's Parisian AND Persian). "Mary" enjoys bubble wrap (which I give to her when we get shipments) and gummy bears!!

At some point, the gummies "Mary" had were...

BEAR-NAPPED! *dun-dun-dun*

She received the following image:

along with a ransom demand!

"Mary" ran around like a maniac, interrogating everyone. She even accused "Jane", the sweetest "mom" to everyone there. "Mary" was panicked, and of course we all were trying to keep straight faces, while snickering behind her back. The real culprit shall remain nameless, but needless to say "Mary" didn't suspect this person - as she said in her lovely accent, "no, no, no, it cannot be "Mr./Mrs. X" - he/she is too busy to do this mean thing". ;-P

Of course there were other incidents (a few examples):

** When "Scott M" gave "Jane" a Playgirl magazine wrapped in black tissue paper as a Secret Santa gift...

** When "Marianne" went around whacking people with a large, pink, plastic bat... and no that is NOT a euphemism...

** When "Jane" ranted about everyone laying claim to the colored sharpies used to enter experiments on the schedule - leaving her with the Black sharpie (uh, yes, she is African American). It was shortly after I started working there, and I was afraid she was serious!

I have my memories (and "Mary", "Marianne", "Jane", and "Peggy" are still there). It's not as wacky, but thankfully it is still "nerdy" - Cathryn's beta-cell birthday cake

for one of the guys being the most recent example (if you're interested, this is what a beta-cell is)... I may have to take matters into my own hands to bring back the wackiness. I'm thinking of using some bubble wrap... duct tape... maybe some pipettes (actual prank to be determined). Be warned! ;-P

P.S. Yes, her gummies were returned...
P.P.S.  Since Cathryn was not around during those wacky days, I did not really feel the need to give her a fake name.  However, if she really wants one, she'll get one.  From now on, you may call her, uh, "Cat"!...

Hockey!!

So, even though I am an LA Kings fan (not a Panthers fan) I enjoy listening to this!!!



As for the Kings, they have had a bunch of comebacks over the years, including this!!


And of course, hockey is known for it's physicality!!!


P.S. You will note the utter lack of "..." in this sports post. When talking about hockey, "!!!!!!" will be involved. If you have any problems with this punctuation use, go read about a boring sport, like golf - er, I mean please submit your letter in writing to the management and we will graciously take care of it. Thank you.