Croc

Time-consuming isn't the same as "taking time" for me...especially with the pumpkin puree. You have to put the pumpkin in the oven for a specified amount of time; you certainly don't have to do a lot of things with it OVER time, like continuously mixing something while waiting for it to boil--THAT'S "time-consuming" to me because it needs constant attention. Exactly. If you can use a knife, turn on an oven, and hit "puree" on your blender or food processor, you can make pumpkn puree. And it tastes a hell of a lot better than that rancid Libby's $h!.

Oh yea, it happens every so often. I've had waiters be a little too attentive for my liking, and by that I mean attentive to ME and not to the other members of my party. It's kinda awkward, so I try to ignore it and keep my replies terse and to the point. Back in HS, an alumnus of my HS was working at the Starbucks that just opened across the street. Flamboyant as hell, but he seemed cool so I would engage in small talk just like I did with the other employees and manager there--I've always noticed that the friendly "regulars" get comped drinks all the time, and I'm fairly friendly and polite with people I see often, so I've always figured win-win, right? But I started noticing that while I would occasionally get a comped drink from any of the employees or the manager, this guy would ALWAYS comp me whenever I came in. Free is free, so I didn't say anything, but also made sure I wasn't being []too[/i] friendly because I didn't want to misrepresent myself. Eventually he got the idea, I think, because then he started being rude and hostile whenever I came in, to the point that the other employees would be like "MAX?!? What was THAT?!" Really don't like it when things degenerate into pettiness like that, but whatever. I enjoyed the freebies while they lasted. This past summer at a different Starbucks back in IN, another barista I suspected might be gay started being a little overly inquiring about my well-being--like not just "Hey, how's it going?" but more like "So how's your day been? ...Really? Just 'Good'? Is something wrong?" And I'm sorry, but that creeps me out, and kinda violates employee/customer boundaries IMO, so I just reply with a "No...I'm...fine?" and look kinda confused, and then do not engage in any small talk. AWKWARD. Finally, at yet another Starbucks (I know, right?), some dude there was obviously checking me out/hitting on me because repeatedly he'd get this creepy (to me) smile when he'd ask me what I'm ordering...and then I'd have to repeat my order EVERY TIME because "Sorry, what was that again?" And any polite small talk would get replies from him of "Ohhh...you DO?" or "Ohhh...REALLY?" said with kind of a suggestive tone. Seriously...kinda awkward. As was the look on his face when I showed up there once with another one of my very straight friends--kinda like a "Oh uh huh I know" wink wink, nudge nudge kind of look. No. He doesn't know, but I know his gaydar is seriously in need of the latest software patch. But like FOG, I just take it as a compliment...how else could I possibly take it? Do I sometimes go out of my way to a different Starbucks if I'm in a bad mood and don't feel like dealing with that? Honestly, yeah. But most of the time it doesn't really faze me. It is what it is. Especially since I've been in CA for 5 years, I know that my style and speech is more reflective of California than Indiana now, and when I'm back in Indy, I don't get as many "Wow, that's a really cool ___," but more of the "Well, that's a very interesting ___...sure is different to say the least." And then my accent. But again, whatever--it is what it is, and I take it as a compliment, and know that some of it is probably because I stand out a little bit more in Indy than I used to.

Me either, but I've gotten into the coffee. They have a real nice variety, and above all else, they're consistent--both in drinks and in customer service.

Roasting and pureeing pumpkin actually is fairly easy to do...it just takes time.

Fresh meat products. I pretty much avoid anything canned, excepting tuna and smoked salmon...and the occasional soup, though I like making mine from scratch. The baked mac-n-cheese recipe I use already has cayenne in it, but I'm not sure I'd put canned tuna in it. Maybe sometime soon I'll get a fillet or steak and see what I can do with it.

Agreed. If this is a sign of what's to come with the next Vette, I think GM has f@#ked it up.

Well, they use "Venti" because that's Italian for "20," and a Venti drink is 20oz.

I don't eat canned meat products, only fish--and sparingly.

But were they dirty because their latte kept falling out of the cupholders?

Yup. My FWD 2001 3.5 Aurora is so much fun to drive I don't give a $h! that the drive wheels are up front.

Oh it wouldn't surprise me at all, honestly. They lost sight of their core business model about two years ago, and their recent disasterous diversions into energy shots, protein smoothies, and pinkberry/citrus "Sorbetto" concoctions have done nothing for them except waste crucial money in outfitting all their stores with ovens for the short-lived breakfast sandwiches, circulating machines (think Slurpee machines) for their California test-stores for the "Sorbetto" concoctions that lasted, what, 3 months and were a bitch and a half to clean and keep clean... Of course, the company wants to appeal to non-coffee people...BUT THEY HAVE ALL THOSE DAMN TAZO TEA BLENDS THEY DO NOTHING CREATIVE WITH AND RARELY PROMOTE!! Where are the "FrappuTeano" blended tea beverages? At least they have their Vanilla Rooibos, London Fog, and Apple Chai offerings now that they're promoting...but it isn't like this is terribly complicated. No one wanting a smoothie or protein shake is going to think "Gotta get that at Starbucks!" with Jamba, Robeck's, Smoothie King, and a whole host of others out there who have made THAT their sole mission. But being a coffee shop...and tea room isn't much of a stretch.

No disrespect intended, but that's a frou-frou drink. You start adding the milk, powders, syrups, extra shots, etc. and of course the price goes up. I'm talking about "coffee"--hot or iced. Never anywhere near $5.

Ah yes, "shelved"-gate.

Ixnay on the broccoli. I use the 1946 Joy of Cooking recipe for baked macaroni...but I add shredded turkey (smoked or not) to it. Cheese-wise, it's American and Velveeta (which I was shocked to see doesn't contain trans fats, so I can eat it woohoo!).

$5 a cup at Starbucks? Sucks to be Canadian I guess...I don't know what the prices are for hot coffee, but an iced venti is $2.65 in LA, $2.68 in Indy.

I say leave the premium ones out in the open for all to see. But this commercial...weak sauce.

Oh please. Those are great cars. Really good design, too. I say fix it and keep riding it til it gives out.

I LOVE B-Dubs!! Whenever I'm in Indy for winter break, I watch the USC bowl game at one. Every year. Such a great place, and decent pricing!

This is a funky little thing! Hope it sells well, because it should!

OMG I LOVE IT!!

I love properly-done Italian seafood, but overall Italian is my least favorite cuisine due to the number of mediocre chaintastic restaurants in the US that pretend to serve "Italian." Really, Mama D's in Manhattan Beach is the only one I like. They also have one in Hermosa, but I've never dined there. My favorite has to be authentic Chinese food and dim sum. I get that as often as I can. I love good semi-authentic or authentic Mexican, though I do have a soft spot for Qdoba Tex-Mex. Thai is incredible. So is Japanese, whether we are talking Hibachi or Sushi, though I'm not sold on Shabu-Shabu. I love Korean. I love USC's proximity to K-Town even more. I love Southern food. Really, the question is what DON'T I like? I can be pretty down with good Creole. I LOVE well-done French food. I LOVE traditional American food, like casseroles and meat dishes (meatloaf, burgers, BBQ, Mac & Cheese--from scratch, of course, etc.)

I love this car!

That's actually kinda cool-looking.

I think 1791 is the best option for the sig. While passable, your suggestions still sound like someone who is ignorant and pulling something out of their asses to cover it up. C'mon 68. 1791. It's your friend, and would make you seem smarter.

Huh? What I was getting at is that to get to her level in office she had to have something to overcome the glass ceiling--which is a very real thing, especially in politics.