Chocolate Emergency!

Local Chocolate

2012-01-07T21:19:00.001-05:00

Anthony and I recently bought our dream home near Pittsburgh. I was at a local grocery shop a few weeks ago and in the checkout lane they had candy made from a local chocolatier. Never one to pass up a new chocolate, I picked up a chocolate dipped Oreo from Esther's Homemade Candy.

It is America's favorite cookie dipped in a healthy amount of delicious milk chocolate. The chocolate is very smooth and melts in your mouth. This is definitely a chocolate I think could stand on its own in a bar. It doesn't need the oreo to be tasty. Satisfies my chocolate emergency for sure. And I'm proud to live in a community that makes delicious chocolate!

Le Whif Part 2

2012-01-07T20:51:00.003-05:00

In an earlier post (way earlier) I blogged about a company called Le Whif who makes a breathable chocolate. It was still in the works and would be released soon. Well, in her best roommate fashion, a few months ago Brittany announced to me that she had ordered some Le Whif for us and it would be arriving shortly.

Chocolate that you can take with you anywhere, and it won't melt in your pocket! Perfect for a chocolate emergency. Brittany and I got to try Chocolate, Raspberry Chocolate, and Mint Chocolate flavors.

A quick inhalation and a ring of powder lands on your tongue. Perfectly delightful. Rasperry Chocolate wins first place in my heart.

So does it satisfy the chocolate emergency? Yes and no. It does not satisfy the smooth and creamy texture I desire so much about chocolate but it is nice to have the flavor any time and anywhere I want it.

Sweet 'n Salty

2011-09-21T18:44:00.000-04:00

Gotta love this time of year. Fall is a beautiful season in the 'burgh. Also, now is the time that the stores are selling boatloads of Halloween candy. That's right, you knew it was going back to chocolate. I'm even clipping coupons for snack-sized Snickers. Hooray.

Of course I couldn't pass up a half off bag of pretzel M&Ms at the store. No, this isn't the first time I've had them; however they are so delicious that I find them worthy of a blog post.

Mars nailed the cravings for salty and sweet on this one. The only thing I would change? Add more chocolate. Shocking, I know. But I feel like just one more coating would do the trick. I find myself eating just a few more each time to satisfy the chocolate craving. Perhaps that's exactly what M&Ms wanted... Tricky... I would love a dark chocolate version!

Bonus: Don't you just love the new Orange character?!

Stop. Drop. and Enjoy.

2011-09-17T18:11:00.001-04:00

Have you tried the new Hershey's Drops? They are along the same choco vein as M&Ms only without the candy shell and are twice as large!

So far I've tried two varieties. First I tried the York Peppermint Patties drops... only without the peppermint patty. I'd have to say they are a little disappointing. This is probably because my favorite part of the peppermint patty is the white peppermint - which is lacking in the drops. The drops are nothing more than candy coated dark chocolate infused with peppermint. These do not taste like the "sensational" York peppermint patties.

However, the Cookies 'n Creme drops get the Chocolate Emergency big thumbs up! These taste just like the candy bar in a pop-able little morsel. I nearly got in a fight with my fiancee over these because I thought he ate them all!

Yet to try are the mini - mini Reese's cups. Yum! Because they are so mini, I won't have to feel bad after eating 10 20 of them.

Trader Joe's

2011-08-13T16:27:00.005-04:00

This time it's my BPAF (Best Pennsylvania Friend) Brittany to supply me with the goods to enjoy and post about.

I've tasted the Dark Chocolate Bar with caramel and black sea salt. I've seen this combination before. Most deliciously at the Milkshake Factory dahn in the Sahside (South Side - for you non-burghers.) While theirs is a piece of candy, this is a bar.

Made by Trader Joe's, thin 70% cacao squares surround runny caramel. The caramel is a dark milk caramel that tastes very sweet and buttery. The sweet caramel nicely offsets the bitter chocolate. The sea salt is a very nice and welcome spurt of flavor. It's a great complement. The salt comes from the seawater that surrounds the Hawaiian Islands.

The only problem with the bar? After breaking apart the squares, the caramel runs out and coats the packaging and outside of the chocolate. - Not that I'm complaining about licking it off my fingers, but it gets a little messy.

Bonus - I love creative copywriting. The last sentence on the back of the package says, "... pairs well with a lei, Hawaiian shirt and a grass skirt." Good one. This choco treat comes highly recommended from moi.

Cake Tasting!

2011-08-11T10:15:00.002-04:00

Anthony and I have our cake tasting today for the wedding! We I have requested to taste the chocolate batter and chocolate fudge filling. Very exciting. Stay tuned!

Grandma Betty's Eclairs

2011-07-28T19:46:00.005-04:00

Yesterday I had a girls' night with some good friends. On the menu was cookout food, mojitos, and of course dessert. And as you all know my motto: "If it ain't chocolate, it ain't dessert." It was chocolate. Eclairs drizzled with dark chocolate to be exact.

This recipe comes from Yasmina's Grandma Betty. These are not the eclairs you get in the freezer section! These exlairs are the size of muffins. They taste deliciously homemade.

We started off with an egg dough that rises in the oven, then cut the top off after they cool. We filled them with vanilla pudding mixed with heavy cream. (You can use any flavor pudding mix; cheesecake, pistachio, CHOCOLATE.) This pudding was good enough to eat right from the bowl. I would know. I had a spoonful when we were filling them just to make sure it was okay. Don't worry. I double checked. We filled them with as much pudding as would fill in the ~~little~~ big pastries.

Lastly and most importantly we melted dark chocolate in a double boiler and dolloped, dipped, and drizzled the eclairs! So much fun to make and even more fun to eat. Thanks Jazzy and Grandma Betty!

Hazy, Hot, and Handels!

2011-07-20T19:49:00.004-04:00

Ladies and gentlemen we have arrived to the dog days of summer. It is hot. It is humid, and that can only mean one thing - Ice cream season!

Anthony and I needed an ice cream fix today. We were tired of the traditional Bruster's or Dairy Queen (I'm not hating; I love their ice cream; I just wanted a change.) so Anthony found Handel's Homemade Ice Cream in West Mifflin, a measly 2 miles from our new home. This quaint little shop happens to be open year-round for those of us who don't just crave ice cream in the summer.

When Anthony and I arrived it was hard to make a decision due to the fact that they have over 100 different menu options. The flavors themselves were all tempting. We had to inquire about the flavor "spouse in my house." It is a vanilla malt base with caramel swirl and peanut butter filled pretzels. um yum!

Anthony chose a black raspberry waffle cone. I (duh) opted for the chocolate peanut butter brownie. IT WAS DELISH! Although it is hard ice cream it was so soft - and not just because of the heat. It didn't have an icy texture like a lot of hard ice creams; this was very smooth and delicious. I even liked Anthony's and I'm not usually one for fruity ice cream.

Certainly gets the Chocolate Emergency seal of approval!

Christmas in June

2011-06-25T15:03:00.002-04:00

So I was rummaging around the chocolate drawer (yes, I have one entire drawer in my kitchen devoted to chocolate. don't judge me.) when I found something surprising. I found a Ghirardelli peppermint bark square hiding from December. Now some might say, "Oh that chocolate is six months old!" I say, "Sweet!" And we can't let a good piece of chocolate go to waste.

It is quite the piece of eye candy. Pretty pink peppermint bits glitter the top of the white chocolate. The chocolate itself is half milk chocolate and half white chocolate. This is not what I expected. This may be good for those who aren't a big fan of white chocolate. But to me that isn't traditional peppermint bark. I want all sweet, white chocolate. I would have also liked if the peppermint bits were bigger. They weren't bits of candy canes. However, in the chocolate's defense, it's called "peppermint bark" not "candy cane bark." But I like the crunch and burst of mint from the candy.

Overall a good piece of chocolate and a lucky find!

Wedding Cake

2011-06-24T19:35:00.002-04:00

This is an exciting time for me. My wedding is a year away. I am deep in the midst of planning. While for some brides, their inner bridezilla comes out; they turn green; smoke emits from their ears; and their voices get higher and louder with each expletive shouted, this is not the case for me. (At least I hope not... Ask my bridesmaids for the truth.) I love doing all the wedding planning.

The part I'm most excited for you ask? Well duh! Tasting the cake! In a few weeks, Anthony and I, and probably my mother, will get to go design and taste our wedding cake. Now here's the dilemma. Traditional wedding cakes are white. I'm having a traditional wedding. Therefore, I should have a white wedding cake... But where's the chocolate?

Do I sneak it in the between the white layers with a layer or dark chocolate fudge? Do I do a chocolate buttercream frosting? Oh the possibilities!

An upgrade?

2011-06-24T19:07:00.002-04:00

Have you tried Reese's Select Peanut Butter Cremes? They seem to be the Lexus to the normal PB cup's Toyota. They look like a piece of chocolate you would pull out of a box of chocolates. The peanut butter is very creamy and delicious. It still has that distinct Reese's taste so traditional Reese's lovers will not be disappointed. It's hard to tell if the chocolate has been upgraded but it is certainly less waxy than the normal cup. This gets the chocolate emergency thumbs up. Solved my emergency :)

Cadbury

2010-09-28T18:17:00.002-04:00

Well, it's happening again. My friends are supplying me with chocolate to blog about. Good friends! This time it is a coworker. She is a fellow chocoholic and we frequently discuss our latest chocolate emergencies. My friend Linda gave me a bar of chocolate the other day that came with less than impressive reviews. It was a Cadbury Royal Dark Chocolate Bar. Linda loves dark chocolate - the darker the better. So she had high hopes for this English chocolate (now made by Hershey).

This dark chocolate however, doesn't pack the punch she expected. Usually companies will put the percentage of cacao on the package. The lack of representation on this package makes me think the cocoa percentage is only 50%. (Fun Fact: In order to truly be considered dark chocolate, at least 50% cacao must be used.) Linda thought it had a more milk chocolate taste than dark.

She asked my opinion. After coercing me to try it (yeah right) I had to agree. Don't get me wrong, it is very good chocolate. But if you're looking for that powerful dark chocolate taste, you won't find it here. If you don't like your chocolate extremely bitter but still want that antioxidant goodness of dark, I recommend you try this.

Choco indulgence of the week

2010-09-16T20:44:00.002-04:00

Last Wednesday on my way to teach the little ballerinas how to dance, I was having a true chocolate emergency. Luckily for me, there was a Sheetz along the way. What to get, what to get? I could go with an old standby like the Snickers or Milky Way, but something else caught my eye instead.

A shiny blue package full of chocolatey deliciousness. It was a Cocoa Rice Krispy Treat. Why have I not discovered this sooner? Cocoa Rice Krispies with chocolate chunks mixed in. The best part - I left it in my warm car during dance class and came out to an even better surprise. The chocolate coating along the bottom had melted and was soft and tasty. I wasn't expecting much but the chocolate was actually very good. This Treat comes with high recommendations from me!

Hiatus

2010-09-11T11:39:00.002-04:00

Hello fellow chocoholics (If there's any of you still left out there.)

I must apologize for my absence. I'm unsure why I haven't been posting recently. But here's a little bit of what I've been up to.

1. I got engaged! Anthony and I will be tying the knot in June of 2012. I spent my summer surfing the net, looking for inspiration for planning our wedding. We've been to a couple reception halls and a bridal show. No set plans as of yet, but stay tuned and I'll keep updating. One thing that's for sure - we'll incorporate chocolate some way, somehow.
www.theknot.com/ourwedding/anthonydegerolamo&annewatkinson

2. I've started graduate school. I'm currently attending Point Park University in Downtown Pgh. I'm working towards a Masters of Education in Secondary Education. I would love to teach English on the secondary level.

3. The 2010-2011 school year has begun. I've started working with 7th and 8th grade special education student again. I was ready to go back to work after a nice summer vacation. I love what I do and am very fortunate to have such a great job.

4. Chocolate of the month: The vanilla creme truffle from Godiva (of course). This delicacy is a dark chocolate covered truffle with a dual filling inside. One side is rich coffee ganache while the other is a complementary vanilla creme. It taste like the perfect cup of coffee, topped off with some chocolate. Perfect.

Gotta Love Wedding Season

2010-08-25T13:14:00.003-04:00

I've been to about 7 bachelorette parties and 12 weddings this summer. (No not really. I'm exaggerating a bit, but it was a lot.) They were all lovely. I love weddings. The dresses, the flowers, the dancing, the love. The best part was the favors! I was able to snag about 8 Sarris chocolate bars from one wedding. Hey, you snooze you lose, people. I didn't even need to eat any wedding cake.

Chocolate Math

2010-06-13T15:45:00.004-04:00

Your Age by Chocolate Math.

1. First, pick the number of times a week that you would like to have chocolate. (More than once but less than 10)

2. Multiply this number by 2.

3. Add 5.

4. Multiply it by 50.

5. If you have already had your birthday this year, add 1760. If not, add 1759.

6. Now subtract the four digit year that you were born.

You should have a three digit number. The first digit of this was your original number - the amount of times you would like to eat chocolate per week. The next two numbers are YOUR AGE!!!

This is the only year (2010) this will work, so tell your friends!

Something to ponder...

2010-04-06T18:17:00.003-04:00

If I eat equal amounts of dark, milk, and white chocolate, is that a balanced diet?

Just wondering [o=

I love a bargain!

2010-04-06T18:08:00.003-04:00

You know how when you go shopping and you get a killer deal on something, you just have to tell someone about it? Well what could be better than that? Actually, getting a good deal on chocolate is significantly more exciting. Trust me. I went to the drug store down the street today to hunt out some good after-Easter sales. When I saw those bright yellow 50% off signs, I knew I hit the jackpot.

I got a bag of M&Ms, two Sarris Butter Cream Eggs, a Russel Stover Strawberry Marshmallow egg, and a little chocolate bunny. Wanna know how much I paid? $3.90!!!!!!!!!!! Holla!

Tell me something I don't know

2010-03-30T12:34:00.003-04:00

Every now and then the news likes to come out with a story to tell viewers the health benefits of chocolate. And that's news? Duh! I've been saying it all along! This time, though, there are physical benefits, and it doesn't just come from dark chocolate - although experts (like me) say the darker, the better.

This study occurred in Germany with 20,000 people over eight years. What I want to know is how do I get into one of these studies?! I admit, I may be a bit biased, but I would commit 100%.

Read the whole article here.

Just ignore the last sentence in the article. It ain't true! [o=

Have you laughed yet today?

2010-03-22T21:23:00.002-04:00

Here's someone who has! This is probably the best video on YouTube. It never fails to put a smile on my face. If you need a pick-me-up, I promise this will do the trick. Enjoy this little guy!

Hot Chicks!

2010-03-15T19:31:00.004-04:00

With Easter fast approaching, stores are stocking up their shelves with colorful little treats. One treat that goes way back is the Marshmallow Peeps. My Grandma loves these sweet little chicks but do people still eat them? Some people just use them to decorate (My other Grandma). I don't mind eating them, but I like them a little stale. They're a bit tougher, I find.

So what do you guys do? Eat 'em? Decorate with 'em? Blow them up in the microwave?

RIP Frank Sarris

2010-03-02T18:09:00.007-05:00

The world lost a little bit of sugar yesterday. Frank Sarris, candyman and owner of Sarris Candies in good ol Canonsburg, PA died. This man created my favorite chocolate that I have ever eaten. Do you know how monumental that is?

I worked at Sarris Candies for a year or two in high school as an ice cream scooper. Sarris also made his own ice cream. I've been going to Sarris for as long as I can remember and I will continue to go to the old-fashioned ice cream parlour and candy shoppe until the day I die.

Sarris was a local hero. Just stop inside the store and you will find endless pictures of the people he's met: Presidents, celebrities, athletes and everyone in between. Sarris always kept his business local and gave back to his community. The new Canonsburg Library is being built in his name. He's won Pennsylvania Small Business Owner of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, and Philanthropist of the year, just to name a few.

My deepest condolences to the family. May they find comfort in the fact that Frank was a local hero and revered man in his community. He will be missed!

Another Chocolate Covered Holiday

2010-02-27T20:10:00.002-05:00

I could use a little Springtime right about now. I could use some blue skies, green grass and chirping birds. However the City of Champions is looking at another 1-3 inches of snow tonight. Luckily, I've got some chocolate to keep my warm and full.

Now that the Valentine's Day chocolate is gone, retailers have covered the shelves with Easter eggs, Marshmallow Peeps, and chocolate bunnies. The item I just couldn't pass up today was the Russell Stover Pecan Delight Egg. A new twist on the Turtle, this egg is a gracious amount of caramel dusted with chopped pecans and covered with smooth milk chocolate. If you like turtles you MUST try this!

I'd like to find one . . . or seven in my Easter basket!

Balloons and Choco

2010-02-21T18:41:00.001-05:00

Check out this fellow chocolate addict I found on YouTube. She's quite eccentric but if she loves chocolate, she's a friend of mine! Here she shows us how to make adorable little chocolate cups to fill with just about anything your chocolate heart could desire. Very creative.

If I had a million dollars

2010-02-10T14:31:00.003-05:00

We all like to fantasize about what we'd do if we won the lottery. Most people would quit their jobs, buy their dream car, and travel. I would do a chocolate tour. Check out this blog on Bing Travel about the 17 best chocolate destinations.

17 Best Destinations for Chocolate Lovers

It will take you around the globe from Switzerland, the country who eats the most chocolate, to Argentina where they have a spa specializing in chocolate therapy. Um, yes please! I'm off to buy a lottery ticket.

The Holiday for Chocolate

2010-02-10T12:09:00.004-05:00

Well, chocoholics, this is our holiday. Valentine's Day is a commercial holiday celebrating ~~chocolate~~ love. Hey, I'm not complaining. Any excuse to eat chocolate is good enough for me. The only problem I have with it is how much they jack up the price!

Yasmina and I took a trip to my favorite Godiva yesterday to get our fix. They have the typical fabric red heart filled with chocolate. Wanna know how much it costs? For 29 chocolates you will pay $70. Aye there's the rub!

The same goes for flowers. You will pay an arm and a leg, and probably a kidney for a dozen red roses this time of year. Smart marketing, I suppose, because people will pay it.

My advice: go get that fabric heart February 16th. Chances are it will be on sale, and the chocolate doesn't go bad. I will accept chocolate in a red heart any time of year. I don't care if it's before, on, or way after February 14th!

I am loved.

2010-01-23T14:46:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was my 23rd birthday. I don't feel much different. Actually I feel full! My friends and I went to Buca di Beppo for dinner; and if you've ever been there, you know how good the food is and how much they give you.

So I feel full, and I feel loved. I had a very nice birthday. A friend from work made me a triple chocolate cake, and of course Anthony came through with some chocolate for future chocolate emergencies! I also got the most divine chocolate brownie with peanut butter frosting - which I ate for breakfast this morning. - It's my birthday so I'm allowed!

Girls' night with Jas

2010-01-16T20:04:00.005-05:00

As Yasmina and I sit here polishing our fingernails, eating kettle corn, and watching Julie & Julia we are, of course, eating chocolate. We are in total girl mode.

On the menu for this evening is Nirvana Belgian Chocolates. This is no ordinary Hershey bar. The ingredients from this bar have come from all over the world. We are eating dark chocolate from Trinidad, Golgi berries from the Himalayas, Mulberries from Turkey, and Goldenberries from Peru.

The chocolate tastes divine! We can tell it is good, organic chocolate. 72% is the perfect compliment to the tart "Superberries." While I wish there were more superberries I enjoy trying these exotic flavors. The texture somewhat reminds me of tough raisins. The pairing works quite nicely.

Happy New Year

2010-01-03T17:52:00.003-05:00

My New Year's Resolution is to eat more chocolate!

I'd also like to try new kinds of chocolate. I tend to stick to the same brands and the same kinds of chocolate. I'm thinking in 2010 I'll branch out and try some new stuff.

Here's what's in my Chocolate Drawer (yes I have an entire drawer in my kitchen devoted to chocolate) that I'm going to try:
* M&Ms Premiums: Chocolate Trio
* Green & Black's Organic milk chocolate with almonds
* Nirvana Belgian Chocolates with Goji berry, mulberry, and goldenberry
*Curenero dark chocolate with red chili peppers
*Some dark chocolate square that doesn't contain a word of English!
*and Earl Grey Tea Chocolate

Should be a good year.

Reason #836 why I hate the English language

2009-12-19T20:08:00.008-05:00

I can't take credit for writing this; it came to me in an email. So listen up.

The word up, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake up? At a meeting why does a topic come up? Why do we speak up, why are officers up for election, and why is it up to the secretary to write up a report?

We call up our friends, brighten up a room, polish up the silver, warm up the leftovers and clean up the kitchen. We lock up the house and fix up the old car.

People stir up trouble, line up for tickets work up an appetite, and think up excuses. To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed up is special.

A drain must be opened up when it is stopped up. We open up a store in the morning and close it up at night. When the sky becomes gray, we say it's clouding up, but when the sun comes up we say it's clearing up. When it rains it messes things up.

We seem to be pretty mixed up about up. Maybe we should look it up in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, up takes up almost 1/4 of the page and can add up to about 30 definitions. If you are up to it, try building up a list of the uses of up. It will take up a lot of your time. But don't give up.

I could go on but I'll wrap it up. My time is up, so I'll shut up.

Success is sweet - literally

2009-12-16T21:15:00.002-05:00

Call it luck, or really good friends. If you look about 3 post below this one you'll find the post about a contest I recently entered. Godiva hosts a blog called "I'd rather have chocolate." Surfers post their moments in 50 words or less and then people vote on their favorites.

Because I have really good friends (and friends of friends) who took 15 seconds to rate my story the highest, yours truly won! I won 100 pieces of Godiva Chocolate! Wooohooooo! Thanks to everyone who voted.

I don't care what shape it is.

2009-12-12T10:47:00.004-05:00

My friend Katie got me a present yesterday! A chocolate bar from Sarris! (I have the best friends in the world - not only cause they give me chocolate... but it helps.)

One of the things Sarris Candies is famous for is their chocolate covered pretzels. This version, comes in a bar. The bar is traditional milk chocolate with bits of salted pretzels. It tastes every bit as good as Sarris's delicious chocolate covered pretzels.

I recommend you try it!

Ben is famous!

2009-12-03T19:40:00.004-05:00

I recently wrote a letter to a veterinarian in Mississippi who answers questions pet owners ask. My grandma saw that our local newspaper will occasionally publish a column he's written to answer someones question. She suggested I write to him about Ben and his outrageous eating habits.

Here's what Dr. James Randoloph had to say about my boy.

Read the article here.

I'd rather have chocolate

2009-12-02T21:02:00.005-05:00

Ever have that feeling that there are a million things you would rather be doing, except you can't because you're stuck in a meeting, sitting in traffic, or counting down the seconds until quitting time at work? Happens to all of us. Usually eating chocolate is at the top of my "I'd rather be doing" list. - shocking, I know.

Well Godiva Chocolatier is making a contest out of those little moments. Go to their website to read little moments from people's days where they'd rather have some chocolate. Share your own story of a Chocolate Emergency!

Visitors to the site vote on the best moments and the person with the highest rating wins 100 pieces of chocolate to satisfy those little emergencies. Genius!

VOTE FOR MINE! NOW!!!

A Few of My Favorite Things

2009-11-21T13:33:00.004-05:00

Anthony's mother was using her noggin when she got this Valentine's gift for me back in February. It is a pointe shoe made entirely out of chocolate! It's too pretty to eat! But it's Philadelphia Candies. I can't not eat it. Let's be serious. I'm going to eat it. But I'll look at it and display it for a while. Thanks, Amelia!

Reason #45 why I hate the English language

2009-11-19T18:33:00.002-05:00

Prefixes.

Why are you UNcomfortable when you experience DIScomfort?

I dunno.

PB PIE

2009-11-16T20:09:00.002-05:00

My evil plan has worked again. My dad is probably the best man on Earth. Not only was he out last night getting new tires for my car, he came back with a piece of chocolate peanut butter pie from TGI Fridays. So now I am able to drive my car through snow this winter AND enjoy some choco-pb pie!

This 4 layer pie starts with a graham cracker crust, has a layer of chocolate fudge, a layer of creamy peanut butter with peanut pieces, and a layer of cool whip on top. Don't forget about the chocolate and peanut butter drizzles on top too! Quite delicious.

It's a very rich dessert that's probably best shared by two people. Which is why I'll save half for my dad. :-)

Reason #61 why I hate the English language

2009-11-07T15:45:00.002-05:00

Let's consider these four words:

1. search

2. lean

3. create

4. steak

All of these words have ea as their vowels; however, they are all pronounced differently. Once again, we can't seem to make up our minds.

Happy Halloween

2009-10-30T19:28:00.004-04:00

You gotta love a holiday sponsored by chocolate!

One big Halloween supporter is Mars Brand Chocolates. If you're trick-or-treating this year 7 out of every 10 houses you go to will likely supply you with a Mars Brand treat - M&Ms, Snickers (my personal fave), Milky Way (a close second), Twix, 3 Musketeers, and the list goes on.

If you'd like a few more festivities to go along with dressing up in a costume and filling a pillow case with enough candy to last until Christmas, head on over to the Mars website for some fun Halloween-inspired games with all your favorite treats. Not to mention, every day you visit the Haunted Mansion, enter a UPC code and you have a chance to win ONE MILLION DOLLARS!!!

It only makes sense that a chocolate company would get this excited about Halloween.

In and effort to sponsor a goofy smile, I'll leave you with this:

Q: How can you tell if a vampire is sick? :: scroll down::

A: You can hear his coffin!

Reason #762 why I hate the English language

2009-10-30T16:37:00.002-04:00

There are six different ways to create the long e vowel sound.

1. be
2. bee
3. sea
4. swampy
5. piece
6. scene

Let's make up our minds, people*!

#763 - why the word people has a silent o, the world may never know.

Calling all Chocolate Chefs

2009-10-29T17:52:00.004-04:00

Hey, 'Burghers! Got a great recipe that includes chocolate? WQED is holding their next cooking marathon in honor of the greatest food on Earth - ChOcOlAtE!

Recipes will be reviewed and put into the station's newest cookbook C is for Chocolate. Also the best recipes will be demonstrated - along with the chef who sent it in - live on the air Saturday, November 21st.

Be sure to get your entries in by November 10 to be considered for the book. Also indicate if you'd be willing to create your chocolate masterpiece on air on the 21st.

Sounds like a good idea to me!

A Complete 180

2009-10-09T20:29:00.003-04:00

When most people think of Resse's, it's a pretty safe bet that people think of peanut butter cups. There's also Resse's Pieces, small M&M-like candy - minus the chocolate. Although, Reese's is a Hershey's brand, while M&Ms comes from Mars.

Well, Resse's has come out with a new peanut butter treat: Reese'e Select Cremes. These are square treats with smooth, creamy peanut butter inside a chocolate shell. While you may be thinking it's just a peanut butter cup in a different shape, think of it as the peanut butter cup being a Toyota and the Creme as a Lexus - one step up.

In my professional chocolate opinion, these are much better than the peanut butter cups (although, my dad would disagree). The peanut butter is creamier, not as dry and the chocolate isn't so waxy.

These are perfect for a chocolate emergency; although, I'm willing to bet I could easily put away 10 of these in one sitting!

A Healthy and Yummy Snack

2009-10-06T20:29:00.004-04:00

My treat for this evening is Yoplait Delights Chocolate Raspberry yogurt. This yogurt is low fat and only 100 calories. Yes, please!

It could easily be mistaken for pudding with just its appearance. But the taste is still distinctly yogurt. Chocolate on the bottom and a sweet raspberry flavor on top. The chocolate on bottom isn't distinctly milk or dark. Personally, I'd like it to be a little bit darker to offset the sweet raspberry. Also, the chocolate is not a super rich taste. But for low fat, low calorie sweet treat - gets the thumbs up.

Yoplait also offers the Delights in Triple Berry Creme, Creme Caramel, and Lemon Torte. Pretty tempting. Very enjoyable for a guilt-free chocolate treat.

Reason #344 Why I Hate the English Language

2009-09-21T14:09:00.012-04:00

Today at work someone asked the correct spelling of the plural form of the word bus. We all looked at each other and shrugged. One s or two? We all thought one. Mind you, we are a group of teachers.

So we pull out good 'ol Webster's Dictionary for a consultation. Turns out either one is correct. According to Webster's, Buses and busses are both correct plural forms of bus.

AAAARRRG!

*** however, when I run the Blogger spellchecker, it tells me that busses is misspelled. humph.

The Devil Wears Orange

2009-09-21T14:09:00.010-04:00

It's hard to believe, but my little Benjamin Roscoe is almost 6 months old. They grow up so fast. ::tear:: In the 5 months that he's owned me, he has taken over the apartment completely.

He tries to attack/jump on/play with/bite Riley (Brittany's 2 year old cat). And he tries to attack the water in the toilet when you flush. He's fallen in once. He knocked Brittany's computer off the counter causing her to lose everything on her hard drive. Every morning when we wake up, or when we come home from work, it looks like our apartment has been broken into. The movies are knocked off the stand, all the coasters are pushed off the end table, and the trash can is usually on its side.

Benjamin eats trash. Benjamin eats a lot of things. So far the things (that I know of) that he has eaten include: paper towels, sour cream, cereal, potatoes, corn, a half a loaf of bread, french fries, spiders, garlic dipping sauce, shrimp, candle wax, and milk.

It's a good thing he's cute, because he sure is bad.

Bug Bites

2009-09-21T14:09:00.005-04:00

My latest indulgence comes from 3 little squares I found at the grocery store. The brand is called Endangered Species Chocolate. Once again they are all natural and organic. I got one milk chocolate square, one dark chocolate square and the new Chimp Mint dark chocolate square.

Individually wrapped, the Bug Bites (milk and dark) chocolate comes with a little insert about an insect. Interesting to find inside, as I'm biting into my dark chocolate, I'm reading about the Fungus Beetle. The dark chocolate itself is very good. Although it doesn't say on the package, my guess is that it's at least 75% cacao. I can taste the bitter cocoa inside. The milk is a little sweeter and somewhat pleasant. The mint is that same base as the dark chocolate with a curiously strong mint taste. The only 2 ingredients are organic dark chocolate and organic peppermint oil.

Even more pleasing to me is what goes on behind the scenes. At http://www.chocolatebar.com/ visitors are not prompted to start shopping for chocolate (although that is an option) they are first prompted to learn more about endangered species and the innovation of the company. According to their website, "ESC confirms that all beans used in its products are purchased from small, family-owned properties where the income benefits the community. The company also donates 10-percent of net profits to help support species, habitat and humanity."

Going green and eating delicious, organic chocolate while helping out wildlife? Gotta be a big 10!

Small-Town Taste

2009-09-18T20:09:00.005-04:00

I'm not sure what the first chocolate was that I have ever eaten. The first chocolate I remember eating is from a small (at the time), locally-owned shop called Sarris's.

Frank Sarris is a big, Greek man with a sweet tooth. He used to make chocolate out of his basement before opening up a shop. He tried and tried until he made the perfect chocolate recipe. Wanna know what he did with all the rejects? He buried them in his back yard. Boy wouldn't I like to take a shovel to that yard!

Now the shop is a block long in Canonsburg. The factory is right in the same building. There's an old-fashioned ice cream parlor as well. Before he made it big, Frank Sarris actually lived in the top floor of the building. Sarris chocolate is by far my favorite chocolate.

I could (and probably will) write a hundred other blog posts about Sarris but this one is dedicated to the Hard Cap Sundae. In the ice cream parlor, they serve over 30 flavors of homemade ice cream. Take that Baskin Robbins! There are close to 20 different toppings as well; but the one thing you must try is the Hard Cap Sundae. The topping is created with Sarris milk chocolate that is melted to the perfect temperature. When it is poured onto cold ice cream, it hardens just enough to create a shell, but still soft enough to melt in your mouth.

My favorite combination is mint chip with milk (or sometimes dark) chocolate hard cap. Top it off with a cookie stick and some homemade whipped cream and you've got the perfect indulgence.

Of course, it earns no less than a 10 out of 10 on the official Chocolate Emergency scale.

Ritter Sport

2009-09-12T18:03:00.004-04:00

Well, chocolate fever is catching on and now my friends have begun supplying me with new and unique chocolate products for me to blog about. They've come through yet again, this time with Ritter Sport.

Ritter Sport is a company founded by Alfred Ritter in 1912 in Germany. It has stayed in the family ever since and has stood out with its unique bars. Just about every company who makes chocolate makes a standard chocolate bar. Ritter Sport bars stand apart because the bars are hollow and filled with one of chocolate's best friends such as nuts, marzipan, or cappuccino.

The bar that I have is milk chocolate with a butter biscuit. When biting into the bar I can see the molded chocolate shell with the biscuit inside. It is then filled with more chocolate. The biscuit reminds me somewhat of a graham cracker and is a delightful crunch inside the smooth chocolate. The chocolate itself is pretty sweet.

While the bar itself is huge, (3.5oz/100g) it's high in calories and saturated fat - Not meant to be eaten in one sitting, but if you know me I probably could.

There are over 25 varieties of bars, with some fillings as unique as cornflakes, raisins and hazelnuts, and yogurt. I'd be interested to try some of the other varieties.

Overall a 7 out of 10 on the Chocolate Emergency! scale.

Choco For Breakfast

2009-09-03T15:45:00.005-04:00

Breakfast is my favorite (and most important) meal of the day (besides dessert). So of course I have to find some way to have chocolate for breakfast.

Thanks to my friends at Kellog's for making chocolate fudge Pop Tarts! The outside is a chocolate graham cracker with sweet chocolate frosting on top. However, the inside is my favorite part. It's a gooey chocolate fudge which tastes an awful lot like brownie batter.

I've never been one for the outsides of Pop Tarts, even on the fruity kinds. They tend to get a little dry. So I pulled the edges off this one and just ate the rest. Pretty satisfying. Very chocolatey.

Try it in the freezer for a cool treat, or put it in the toaster to make the inside even gooeyer (if that's a word). I like 'em hot!

Earns itself an 8 out of 10 on the Official Chocolate Emergency scale.

IKEA

2009-08-29T11:10:00.005-04:00

I'm sitting here on a Saturday morning listening to some King of Pop. Happy Birthday M.J.!

Anyways, Brittany brought me some chocolate from Ikea the other day. If you know me, you know that I LOVE IKEA! I could spend a whole day inside Ikea and not get bored. Funny, I always find something there that I need - even if it's just coasters or dish towels or a picture!

So when I find out that there's a giant bar of chocolate from Ikea waiting for me, I'm pretty stoked. This is Swedish chocolate produced in Germany (oddly enough). The label says "Choklad Ljus".

It's very good. Not too rich, but delightfully creamy. The taste is a little buttery. But for just a dollar a bar (it's a big bar), it's well worth it. I'd say it's pretty true to the well-known Ikea ways - simple. No fancy packaging, no crazy fillings or additions. Just good chocolate.

I'd really like to try the dark chocolate next time. The hazelnut doesn't look so bad either; although, I'm partial to Godiva's hazelnut praline; it will be a tough one to beat. Ikea milk chocolate earns a 10 on the chocolate emergency scale for great chocolate. Yummm

Go NuGO

2009-08-21T12:13:00.006-04:00

Recently I've been trying little things here and there to go green.So I thought to myself, self, why not go organic? My first step is a little one and it obviously involves chocolate. Duh.

I've picked up a NuGo Organic Double Dark Chocolate Bar which is actually vegan as well. It says it's made with real dark chocolate. Usually with chocolate granola or protein bars the chocolate {spoiler alert!} isn't real chocolate. It's chocolate flavored vegetable fat. Now I will eat a lot of things if they are covered in chocolate. But vegetable fat... not so much. So this is actual dark chocolate and it's actually quite tasty.

The bar itself is quite appealing, covered entirely in chocolate - and it smells even better. The soy crisps in the middle are delightfully crunchy but not as crispy as I would have expected. The chocolate is delish.

This one is hard to rate because it's not exactly what you would pick up for a chocolate emergency. It's more of a healthy chocolate snack. So on the Healthy Chocolate Snack scale it earns a 10. Eat this instead of something out of the vending machine next time.

Chocolate's Best Friends

2009-08-19T12:27:00.003-04:00

While you can't go wrong with solid milk, dark, or white chocolate, most of the time if people are eating chocolate, they're eating it with something else. What chocolate is mixed with could make all the difference in taste.

I'll eat anything if it's covered in chocolate. Although, here are my top three favorite chocolate companions:

1. Strawberries - Godiva Chocolatier gets the award for best Chocolate Dipped Strawberries. They fly in ~~huge~~ HUGE berries from California and dip them fresh. But eat 'em quick; these fresh berries only last 24 hours before going bad (if you can wait that long).

2. Almonds - Landies Candies in Buffalo, NY gets this award for their dark chocolate bar with almonds the size of the "return" key on your keyboard. Very good.

3. Caramel - Once again the award goes to Godiva for the Dark Caramel Embrace. Gooey or chewy doesn't matter. I like the dark caramel because it's not too sweet for a normal vanilla caramel. It's chocolate caramel wrapped in dark chocolate. Perfect texture, perfect taste.

Rounding out the top ten would have to be peanut butter, pretzels, toffee, raspberry, rice krispy treats, coffee, and hazelnut.

Did I miss any? Leave a comment with your favorite chocolate companion. Who's hungry?

Reason #16 why I hate the English language

2009-08-18T11:05:00.003-04:00

There are exceptions to every grammar rule.

A dancer is one who dances. A writer is one who writes.

An officer is one who offices???

Gah!

My latest indulgence

2009-08-16T19:57:00.003-04:00

During a rather stressful morning in the office, a friend of mine turned it around by dropping off a little gift on my desk. It was a rocky road brownie from Au Bon Pain.

While I'm not much for Walnuts, there wasn't an overwhelming amount of them in there. The brownie itself was pretty good. I like my brownies pretty fudgey, but this was more cake-like without being dry. My favorite part were the butterscotch chips hidden inside. The edges were nice and crispy, yet still chewy.

Absent were the marshmallows. Perhaps these treats would have scored a perfect 10 had there been some marshmallows but still very tasty. 9 out of 10. Highly recommend it.

Why Chocolate?

2009-08-11T15:40:00.003-04:00

Last night as I was hanging out with Benjamin, my kitten, I was wondering why I crave chocolate as much as I do. There have been hundreds of articles written on chocolate, and I could regurgitate them to you now, but here's what I've narrowed it down to.

It has been proven that chocolate has physiological effects on the body. It is linked to serotonin levels in the brain; aka the chemicals that get off balance in people with depression. Therefore one might assume that eating chocolate can actually make you happier. For me, yes; for most people, probably not.

Dark chocolate has been argued by some to be healthy for you ~~in moderation~~. Yes, that's why I eat dark chocolate; because it's healthy for me. Yeah. Right.

I eat it because it tastes good. Chocolate is my favorite food. Strawberries come in close second. Chocolate covered strawberries - now we're talkin. Chocolate does make me happy, too. It's my comfort food. Yummm

Seattle's Best

2009-08-03T19:55:00.003-04:00

I've had Seattle's Best Coffee before so I thought it apropos to try their chocolate. I figure, pretty good coffee = pretty good chocolate. I got the Milk Chocolate Almond Toffee. I shied away from the coffee beans and cherries because I wanted to get a good idea of what the chocolate tasted like.

Upon first bite, I couldn't help but notice the toffee first. It is a huge piece of toffee wrapped in a thin shell of milk chocolate. The toffee was good. Perhaps I'm not English enough, but I didn't think it was much more spectacular than anything I'd find inside a Heath Bar. I know I may be a little bit biased, but there wasn't enough chocolate for me. The balance just wasn't there. It was about 85% toffee, 10% chocolate. The other 5% was a pleasant little surprise of almond. Not a whole almond, but still a good combination.

Overall a good chocolate. The chocolate itself was not cheap and actually tasted good, without relying on the toffee for flavor. $4.95 for 4oz. I give it an 8 out of 10.

Bucket List

2009-08-01T15:35:00.004-04:00

If you don't already know, I have quite a lengthy Bucket List, or as I like to call it, "my list of things to do before I die." I try to fill it with fun things I've always wanted to do, but also practical things so that I actually have a chance at completing these things.

I've done pretty good so far at completing a few things. I've danced in New York (twice). I've driven a convertible with the top down. I've run up the down escalator; fallen in love; and read countless numbers of books.

A few I still have to complete are ride on the back of a motorcycle; get married; travel to Europe; and the one I keep thinking about: get everyone to dance like in a Michael Jackson video.

I'm a little bit worried that I won't be able to complete this one. It's going to be a feat. I'll just have to get a random group of people to dance to the same song.

I thought of this the other day on the bus ride home from work. I was listening to my ipod when the song "Shut up and drive" by Rihanna came on. I was jammin' on the inside and had a mini daydream of everyone jamming along with me on the bus. We were hopping over the seats and swinging from the poles as we traveled down McKnight Road. All the way singing the lyrics to the bus driver.

About halfway through the song I snapped out of it and started to realize how hard this one will be. I won't take it off the list, but I definitely want to have this one on tape when I complete it.

Reason #14 why I hate the English language

2009-07-29T12:42:00.005-04:00

"I" before "E" except after "C" and in words like "neighbor" and "weigh". (And "weird" and "their", but they don't tell you those ones in the rhyme*.)

Why can't we all just speak Spanish where everything is phonetic. It sounds more appealing, too.

*Don't even get me started on rhyme and rhythm... rhythm doesn't even have a vowel. Ugh. Make rhyme and rhythm number 132 and 133.

Ellen + SYTYCD = Greatest show on TV

2009-07-23T15:38:00.004-04:00

Last night Ellen Degeneres was a guest judge on So You Think You Can Dance. She felt a bit out of her element, because, in her words, she has never had any formal dance training. But that's okay. The woman has a passion for dance, and that's all that matters. Plus she was stinkin hilarious! They needed to lighten things up with some comedy this season, and Ellen seems to be the perfect fit.

Be sure to watch tonight, as SYTYCD airs its 100th episode. They will be recapping the past 5 seasons and Katie Holmes is performing a broadway number. Who knew? Sure to be a good night. :)

1,000

2009-07-17T13:19:00.003-04:00

Wooohooo! We did it Chocolate Emergency, readers! We made it to (and past) 1,000 visitors! Thanks to everyone for visiting!

After a few comments and lots more emails plus lots of math on my part (those of you who know me know how much I love math) I've found out my 1,000th visitor.

Congratulations Sister Rita! Sister Rita is the Head of the English Department at La Roche College, and my mentor. She will win a 19 piece box of Godiva Chocolate, which she informed me in true, altruistic Sister Rita style, she will share with her English Department.

Thanks to everyone who entered and thanks for reading. Come back soon!

SYTYCD - The fourth judge

2009-07-15T19:57:00.005-04:00

One of the reasons I love summer is because my favorite show is on: So You Think You Can Dance. I've watched it every season and it's very rare that I miss an episode. Now that it's down to the top 10 dancers, it's getting good. I think the judges have been right so far with who they've cut. No one at work or any of my friends really talk about SYTYCD like they talk about American Idol. So I'll talk blog about it. I'm going to record everything before the judges give their opinions so they won't influence my thoughts. Here we go!

* Kayla and Evan - Beautiful. Kayla is a fantastic dancer, very well trained. Although Evan is one of my favorite guys, I would have liked him to be a little bit more powerful and more masculine. But overall, nice to watch.

* Jeanette and Ade - So much fun! I absolutely loved it! Tabitha and Napoleon are great choreographers. Ade was superb. Jeanette obviously did not have the same hip hop experience as Ade but she performed the heck outta that dance and looked great. Both performed well.

* Jeanine and Jason - Travis Wall is my hero! That was absolutely stunning. The chemistry almost lit my TV on fire. Jeanine has beautiful extension, lines and technique. Jason is a powerful dancer. He looked masculine without looking cheesy. Great technique as well. One of the best pieces of the night.

* Randi and Kupono - Good. But not my favorite. I thought Kupono was good. I'm surprised by Randi. Usually she is my favorite every week, but this week she was a little off. I guess the "wow factor" was just missing. It was good. Just not great.

* Melissa and Brandon - Groovy. I know they say this all the time but it's true: the choreographer played to their strengths. Melissa's ballet is phenomenal and Brandon has that style down perfectly.

So who gets my vote? Since I can't give it to Travis Wall, I vote for either Melissa - God bless the girl in pointe shoes, or Jeanine - I don't think Phillip brought out the best in her, but now she rocks.

Contest CONTEST Contest

2009-07-09T12:28:00.006-04:00

Hi Chocolate Emergency readers!

I'm feeling generous and in the ~~christmas~~ chocolate spirit, so I thought I'd do something I've never done before: a CHOCOLATE contest!

I've been tracking the hits I get each week and I'm getting close to the 1,000 mark. (Sorry I can't be like PostSecret and average about 500 hits every hour.) I'd really like to hit that mark as quickly as possible.

So, like those cheesy website hoaxes, I'm having a 1,000th visitor contest. Be my 1,000th visitor and you win a free box of chocolate! Just either leave a comment under this post with the date and time of your visit as well as contact info or send me an email to annemwatkinson@gmail.com. With that, I should be able to track who was lucky number 1,000.

The winner can choose the type of chocolate they receive. I'll contact you and write a post with the winner after I figure it out. Enter as many times as you like. Good luck!

My thoughts on Lean Cuisine

2009-07-06T12:52:00.002-04:00

As I sit here at work eating my lunch, I'm thinking about, what else, but lunch. I never really used to eat lunch so regularly until I got a job. Then I thought, "Why yes, I'd love to take an hour out of the work day and eat." What I eat usually isn't so important as the fact that for this whole hour, I'm not working.

On the menu today [and most days]: Lean Cuisine. I usually get the frozen lunches at GE (for you non-Burghers out there, that's Giant Eagle - which is a grocery store) because they're pretty cheap. And though I hate to use cliches this one's true; you get what you pay for.

They make the meals look so good on the box. Big pieces of chicken smothered in a zesty orange glaze atop piles of fried rice with vegetables. Open up the box and what do ya get? 3 chicken nuggets with 18 grains of rice all frozen with a little orange square that might be a carrot, and that red fleck on the chicken just might taste like a red pepper.

Never fails. After lunch I'm left wanting to eat a whole other meal. Although, today was a pleasant surprise. Thank you, Mr. 5 Cheese Zitti! That thing was full of noodles and there was actually some cheese in there! Unlike you Mr. Broccoli and Tortellini Alfredo with one broccoli stem, two leaves, and 5 tortellini.

One day a week I treat myself to Au Bon Pain. [But just one, cause chocoholic is on a budget.] Can't wait for those days. What's for dessert? Dark chocolate kisses of course! Yummm

RIP King of Pop

2009-06-26T12:07:00.004-04:00

1958-2009

I'm so sad to hear that Michael Jackson passed away yesterday. The music industry will never be the same. Never. Okay, towards the end, things may have gotten a bit dramatic for him, but there's no denying the genius behind the music.

I remember listening to his cassette tapes when my brother and I were little. I remember when my cousin Emily got really into him when she was younger. I remember learning all the steps to the "Beat It" dance he does in the video. I even did a solo jazz routine to "Dirty Diana" when I was in high school.

What this man did for music and dance can never be matched. He will be missed.

Want to hear something funny?

2009-06-24T12:25:00.005-04:00

So Anthony, who by the way is the greatest boyfriend who ever lived, thinks that I eat too much chocolate! Me? Eat too much chocolate? When the world makes enough chocolate for me to eat, I'll let you know.

I bought Hershey Kisses the other day to keep in my desk at work for, you know, chocolate emergencies. He made a face and asked me how many Hershey Kisses I would eat in a day. I lied and said 3. [Just move the decimal to the right a few times for the truth.]

He thinks that I should limit the amount of chocolate that I eat... Oh it's laughable, I know. Gosh, he's such a comedian sometimes.

Love you, Anth!

What would your father say?

2009-06-22T20:00:00.004-04:00

As I write this entry literally fighting off my 14 week old kitten from biting my fingers as I type, tangling his paws in the cord, and chasing the red light of the mouse, I'm thinking about my father. Yesterday was Father's Day and I was thinking about how awesome my dad is. I could go on about his endearing qualities and his exemplary golf skills, but that's not what makes my dad unique.

Here are some of my favorite "dad" quotes:

Me - "Dad, did you get a hair cut?"
Dad - "No, I got them all cut."

When we kids would shout, "Hey!"
Dad - "Hay is for horses!"

Me - "Dad, my arm hurts."
Dad - "How bout your face?" [you know the rest]

While I was practicing for job interviews: Me - "Dad, what would you say when the interviewer asks you what your weakness is?"
Dad - "My short game."

When my sister was little and would whine all the time: Laura - "Noooo-ah!"
Dad - "Noah built and ark."

"God only created so many perfect heads; the rest he covered with hair."

The very first time my dad met my boyfriend in college: "Hey, your hat's crooked."

Teaching my brother how to drive: "Just because you pay for half the street doesn't mean you get to take it out of the middle." and me how to parallel park: "That's ok, there's a bus to come and take us to the curb."

My dad leaving me a voicemail: "Hey, Anne it's your dad. You don't have to call me back; my name's not back. Just call me on the phone."

Check back later. As I think of more, I'll update. (-8

My thoughts on checking the mail

2009-06-15T20:40:00.003-04:00

I don't suppose most people have given a whole lot of thought to checking the mail, but yes, my friends, I have. Allow me to share.

The ubiquitous "you've got mail" has made it exciting to receive a new email! They've even made a movie out of it. There are a couple dozen @whatevers you can use, too. @gmail, @yahoo, @hotmail, @comcast, @verizon, @needigoon?

Now I'm not talking about email. No, email is such a big thing nowadays the average person has 2-3 email addresses. I'm talking about good 'ol snail mail. Let's think about snail mail for a second, shall we.

When Brittany and I moved into our apartment a little over a year ago, things were new and exciting. I got excited to check the mail. I had a mailbox. Not at my parents' house, at my apartment. Seems kind of silly to me now. The only things we ever get in the mail are bills and junk mail. Now I don't like checking the mail. It usually means I'm going to have to cut a check to somebody. Great.

The other thing that comes to mind when I think of checking the mail is my former dog, Shiloh. Shiloh thought about checking the mail, I bet. She loved to go get the mail with my mother. Sometimes she'd happily prance into the house carrying a few envelopes. Sometimes she'd just come along with my mom for the walk, deciding half way to the house that she didn't want to carry in the mail and drop it in the middle of the yard. I think having a dog who retrieves the mail would make checking the mail more exciting.

See, aren't you glad we thought about checking the mail for a while? Me too.

Hey stranger

2009-06-08T20:52:00.002-04:00

I must apologize to my loyal readers (like my dad) for being absent for too long. I could tell you a couple reasons why I haven't written for about two weeks, but you don't care about that. So, here's what you've missed.

- First and foremost, I must introduce you to the new man in my life. Benjamin Roscoe is probably the cutest little orange kitty the world has ever seen - and probably the worst behaved too. We thought Riley was a wild man, but Benjamin is quite the mountain climber (and when I say mountain I mean my leg - ouch!). So now Brittany and I have a mountain lion and a tiger. See pictures of the little guy here.

- The last week in May, Yasmina, Brittany, Katie, Amber, Stephanie and I took a vacation to Cape May, New Jersey. It was such a great time. I have the greatest friends a girl could ask for. I would show you pictures, but you know what they say... "What happens in Cape May..." never mind. I have three words for you "Hot Dog Tommy's" - google it.

- I've left the fast and fun-filled world of advertising (against my will) and got a big girl job. I have broken into the life insurance and financial investments industry. From this new job, I've learned that there's a darn good reason I majored in English in school - because numbers and I do not get along. Thank goodness for blogging, otherwise I'd have no outlet for my writing. (Other than the short stories I'm too self conscious to let anyone else read.) I'd love to get back into advertising and PR.

- I haven't worked at Godiva in a few weeks due to vaca and the new job and such. MUST EAT CHOCOLATE NOW!

- UPDATE: Speaking of chocolate, I got my coupon for free chocolate! EEEeee!

Add one to the trophy case

2009-05-20T10:38:00.004-04:00

Shawn Johnson won this season of Dancing With the Stars. She can add the mirror ball to her collection of gold medals. I guess Shawn is just one of those people who seems to be good at mostly anything she does. Don't ya just hate people like that?

While I think Shawn is a very good dancer, I thought she was a little stiff at times. I think she won because she is, in some ways, America's hero - the little ~~engine~~ gymnast who could. Congrats to Shawn! She was a favorite throughout the whole competition.

I think the trophy should have gone to Gilles Marini.

Throughout most of the season, it was difficult to tell who was the professional and who was the celebrity with these two. He's got an excellent stage presence and great technique to go along with it.

Overall - Good season, Dancing with the stars! Bring on So You Think You Can Dance!

Ban stupid people, not dogs

2009-05-19T09:37:00.009-04:00

Anthony always says to me, "I think you'd have an easier time killing a human than you would killing an animal." He's probably right. Though I've never tried to kill a human being, here's the first man I'd have no problem taking a whack at.

Michael Vick used to be known as a great NFL quarterback. Just about two years ago, however, he was jailed for making money from dog fights. He will be released from prison soon, and the star says he wants to get back into football. - Over my dead body!

This man tortured innocent dogs. For money! This is not somebody aspiring football stars like my 14 year old cousin should be looking up to.

It is true that if you raise a pit bull to be a fighter, he will fight. Like most dogs, pit bulls want to please and protect their owners. If you raise a pit bull to be a friendly, obedient dog, that's what he will be. Simple as that.

Important people in the NFL world are saying that Vick needs to clean up his act and truly show remorse for his actions if he is to get back into the game. Also, doing some community service and toning down the ego wouldn't hurt either.

My solution: Let's put Vick into a fighting ring with a bunch of wild animals and see how he likes it.

When I am Queen, free chocolate for all

2009-05-15T09:42:00.008-04:00

Chocolate stimulus package, I welcome you with open arms. My best friends at Mars Chocolate are giving away a free bar of chocolate every Friday until September. This comes after some chocolate makers are substituting cocoa butter (aka the good stuff) for vegetable oil. Who benefits from this war? Chocoholics like you and me!

Log on to realchocolate.com to request a coupon. I already did. I made sure to get my own before I tell the masses about it and miss out. Hey, I don't mess around when it comes to chocolate.

Mars' claim to fame is that they use 100% real cocoa butter to make all of their chocolate. Without the cocoa butter, it just ain't the same chocolate.

Ever hear that white chocolate isn't real chocolate? It's because it lacks chocolate liquor. It is however, made from the cacao bean, because it is usually 20% cocoa butter.

Is Mars trying to push their brand as better chocolate? Sell more? Eventually raise prices? I think they are appealing to people like me, making sure they aren't pushed aside as just junk food, but actually as a decadent indulgence.

Reason #3 why I hate the English language

2009-05-13T11:42:00.002-04:00

The word tough rhymes with enough.
So why doesn't tough rhyme with through?
Grrr

Hairy Men

2009-05-12T10:11:00.005-04:00

I blogged about the Stillers so it's only fair I blog about the Pens, too.

Pittsburgh has Pens fever and you can tell it on the faces of the men. Most men are growing playoff beards. Thinking that if they, god forbid, shave their facial hair, the Pens will undoubtedly lose.

Along the same vein, my uncle has begun sitting in a different seat since the Pens started winning this series and under no circumstances will he sit anywhere else.

All these superstitions remind me of the movie Celtic Pride. Two fans are so superstitious that they convince their entire section of the crowd to switch seats or shift to the left or right when the team isn't doing well to try to turn things around for the team. Pretty funny movie, but it's so true what some fans will do to try to help out the team.

Go Pens!

Help a sister out

2009-05-11T09:49:00.003-04:00

Hi Chocolate Emergency readers
Thanks a lot for checking me out. I hope you get a kick out of my posts. Anything you'd like to see on my blog just email me.

Also, if you've been here before you may notice some changes on the right hand side of the page. I've chosen to set up ads on my page - all the money goes to the Benjamin Roscoe Watkinson fund, aka, my kitten. If you feel like helping out, after you read my posts please choose an ad and simply give it a little mouse action. I don't care which one you click on. After that, you may simply close the screen (or browse my advertisers as much as your little heart desires). Up to you.
Don't want to? That's ok. Read on. =oD
Thanks for visiting.

Reason #21 why I hate the English language

2009-05-09T23:07:00.003-04:00

The word phlegm...

...nuff said.

Absolute Genius

2009-05-07T11:28:00.006-04:00

So it seems I've turned into somewhat of a homebody. I mark my days by what show is on TV tonight. (Grey's Anatomy... hmmm must be Thursday.) Dancing With the Stars has been improving lately with the Macy's Stars of Dance Performance since the horrid Carmen Electra episode.

This week was a performance choreographed by Dee Caspary and was the best I have ever seen. I was a bit skeptical when I noticed a big scaffolding structure in the shape of a star center stage. We've all seen uncreative pieces where dancers crawl around on a similar structure. I was even more worried when I heard Coldplay's Viva La Vida was going to be the soundtrack. However, it turned out to be the most beautiful movement yet featured on the show.

Watch the video here.

Nick Lazzarini and Travis Wall from So You Think You Can Dance made cameos. I could watch it 100 times and not be bored. The movement wasn't at all cheesy or common. They used the scaffolding star very well, and all the dancers had amazing technique. Way to step up your game Dancing with the Stars!

Reason #54 why I hate the English language

2009-05-04T15:55:00.003-04:00

Commode and Commodity
Same root word, very different meanings
Ugh.

Like to read?

2009-04-29T12:09:00.003-04:00

Okay all you bookworms and English nerds out there, here is a test for you. The test will list the first line of 13 different classic novels, and you have to name the novel and author who wrote it.

I scored a 10/13. Not bad. Take the test here.

I always say that the first line of a book is the most important. It is the very first thing your readers will read. Often, when I'm debating whether or not to buy a book, I will open to the first page and read the opening line. Good line - I buy it. Bad line - I put it back.

See if you can name the book that holds these famous first lines.

Updated: Classic!

2009-04-28T11:24:00.004-04:00

Remember Kyle Krashalot?! He's free to roam the streets on his bar stool again. TMZ is reporting that Wygel (his legal name) was charged with a DUI and forced to pay a fine. However, a judge lifted the ban on his ~~car~~ bar stool and Wygel is permitted to drive it again.

Does one need a special license or permit to drive a bar stool, I wonder? Maybe he should design a seat belt for the vehicle next time. Remember kids, don't drink and drive [a bar stool].
Hilarious

Baby Kitty

2009-04-27T15:26:00.003-04:00

Guess who might be joining my family very soon...

Only me

2009-04-21T15:07:00.008-04:00

The most exciting thing happened this weekend. I was working at Godiva on Saturday morning when a couple came in with their small boy. The first thing I noticed was how skinny the woman was, and the second was how cute the little boy was. When I looked at the man, something in my head clicked.

This guy looks like Christopher Rendall-Jackson, I thought. I looked at the girl. And she looks like Kaori Ogasawara. It's them! I'm thinking. It's got to be!

TIME OUT Christopher Rendall Jackson and Kaori Ogasawara are two dancers at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. I know, only I would recognize them, and get excited about it. TIME IN

Do I say something? No, don't say something, you idiot. They're gonna think you're crazy. So what did I do? I said something. "I'm sorry to do this to you guys but are you dancers with PBT?" They smiled and tried to introduce themselves when I cut in to tell them their own names. "You're Christopher [I pointed]; and you're Kaori!" I'm sure my cheeks were giving me away at this point. I was completely geeking out. "I'm a big fan," I gushed.

They smiled and were happy I knew who they were. They probably don't get recognized as often as The Steelers in Pittsburgh. We talked about ballet for a little, and I asked them if they wanted any chocolate. I sent them home with a chocolate-drizzled banana - half for the little boy, half for them.

Happiest moment of my weekend!

We should've seen this one coming.

2009-04-19T20:58:00.004-04:00

As you probably know by now, Brittany has a mountain lion of a cat named Riley. Riley is the devil. He and I have a very serious love-hate relationship - I love him; he hates me. Why I love him isn't quite clear since Riley has killed a member of my family... That's right, killed.

When I went away to college oh so many moons ago, I was sad because I would miss my golden retriever, Shiloh. So to fill the void, I adopted a Beta fish. It wasn't exactly the same. My senior year, Brittany and I moved into our apartment. She brought along her ~~mountain lion~~ cat, and I brought my fish, Gregory Hamilton (I thought it sounded like a big important name for a fish.)

Over the years, I sort of grew tired of Gregory. He just kind of floated there. He didn't fetch; he didn't greet me when I came home; I couldn't even pet him. At my old internship, I even blogged on their website that I wanted my new cat to eat my old fish. Little did I know...

Riley always was interested in Gregory. He'd watch him swim around and try to paw at him occasionally. Then one day, we came home to this:

^We'll call this exhibit A.^

Brittany and I had spent the day out watching movies, and when we came through the door, all both of us could say was "ohmygosh." The carpet was soaked, colored rocks were everywhere, and Riley licked his lips.

That's right, Riley had eaten my fish. Brittany and I cautiously peeked around corners and looked under the table hoping to find a dead fish. No such luck. Riley is now a seafood connoisseur. He also loves shrimp... but that's another story.

Cover your eyes!

2009-04-15T09:57:00.005-04:00

While watching Dancing with the Stars, one can expect some of the celebrity dancers to be less than amazing because they haven't trained all their lives to be dancers, and they are not known as dancers. But wouldn't you expect someone who is featured as a guest professional dancer on the show to be pretty good?

I would think so, but last night's Macy's Stars of Dance performance of The Pussycat Dolls featuring Carmen Electra was anything but amazing. The actual Dolls did great, and I could tell they were trained dancers. Miss Electra [Tara Leigh Patrick is her human name] was not. This highly disappoints me. She's known for ~~being naked~~ being an actor and dancer. But it disappoints me that what she's known for, she's not very good at.

Allow me to be the snobby ballet dancer I've been ~~brainwashed~~ trained to be. Sure, she has rhythm and can keep the beat, but she doesn't have the fundamentals. She didn't turn out her legs and feet; she didn't finish her movements; she doesn't have nice lines; she doesn't even have the stage presence of a great dancer - I found myself watching the other Dolls more than "the feature." Take a ballet class, Carmen!

The routine, choreographed by Lindsley Allen, was actually very cute. It was entertaining and fitting of the Vegas-esque nature of the PCDs. I just think that Electra didn't add much flare. It makes me sad that she's known for dance more than most professional dancers. She does not have the talent and natural abilities that it takes to be a professional dancer. I guarantee that if she walked into a professional dance company to audition as Tara Leigh Patrick, she would not make it through the first cut.

Gilles Marini is my pick to win it all! He is fantastic - and yummy too!

Tell me something I don't know.

2009-04-13T10:40:00.003-04:00

A new article by health and nutrition nut Dr. Margaret Furtado claims that eating chocolate ~~in moderation~~ is actually good for you. Duh! I've been eating chocolate since I came out of the womb, thanks to my mother, and I'm as healthy as ever.

The USDA reports, "a mere 2 tablespoons of natural cocoa contain more antioxidants than 4 cups of green tea, 1 cup of blueberries, or 1 and 1/2 glasses of red wine. This is why research indicates that eating chocolate, particularly natural cocoa, could help improve heart health, blood pressure, blood flow, skin health, and even brain function."

- in fewer words: Chocolate is practically a health food.

The darker the chocolate, the better. Although anything over 60% cocoa has the good stuff. And 60% isn't that dark. In my opinion, the bitter taste only comes after about 72% cocoa.

Like I've been saying this whole time: Chocolate is good for you.

My life is now complete.

2009-04-09T10:12:00.002-04:00

So I've never been a smoker, but I'm thinking about starting. My drug of choice will be, what else, chocolate. That's right, I will be inhaling chocolate. Harvard scientists have come up with a guilt-free way for freaks like me to ~~eat~~ inhale chocolate - though I've never felt guilty about eating chocolate before.

Le Whif [which sounds like it could have a few different meanings] comes in 4 flavors: mint chocolate, raspberry chocolate, mango chocolate, and milk chocolate. Yummo!

The launch party will take place in Paris on April 29th. Quite interesting. I wonder if it could really replace the real thing for me though. I want to try it.

May I present to you...

2009-04-08T10:51:00.005-04:00

Miss Natalia Osipova from the Bolshoi Ballet in Russia. This right here is exactly why I love ballet. It is absolutely beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV0jT1Do6NQ
^ Click the link to watch the video. (But please come back to read the rest of my posts.)

I was on the radio!

2009-04-07T13:19:00.007-04:00

I was a bit early getting to the good 'ol ParknRide yesterday so I passed the time by listening to the radio. Buckhead and Bubba were talking about the craze with Facebook and Twitter, and everyone's obsession with status updates. They decided to do their own status updates live over the air. They all did their own and asked listeners to call in with their status updates. So I thought to myself, self, what is my status update? I thought of how cozy I was in my little car, and how much I did not want to get onto the bus with the tiny little seats. That's it! My status update was "Anne is wondering why they have to make the seats so small on the bus."

So, with nothing better to do, I called the station. I was sure that I would get a busy signal. But to my surprise, someone (probably the intern Beaker) picked up. I told him my status update and he asked me to hang on the line. I then held and was able to listen to the broadcast through my cell phone. Pretty cool. Then the DJs came back on the air and picked up my line as I announced my status update to the world.

I've actually had a lot of luck with radio contests and getting on the air. I've probably been on the air at least 6 or 7 times just by calling in. I won a cd prize pack. I even won tickets to see Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera in concert. No lie!

Maybe I missed my calling. If you ever want to win anything over the radio, just let me know. I'll call for you.

I live with a mountain lion

2009-04-05T18:17:00.005-04:00

Let me start off by saying yes, I'm blogging about a cat [a cat that's not even mine (he belongs to Brit)] and I'm not ashamed one bit. Riley is not your average house cat. He weighs about 15 pounds and is the meanest cat I've ever met - I say that with all the love in the world. I'm not lying when I say most of me and Brittany's friends are afraid of him. Riley was even part of the reason 2 of our friends opted not to live in the same apartment as us. When someone new comes to the apartment, they go to pet him and they say "aw hi, kitty. Is he a nice cat?" We say with all the sincerity in the world, "No, he'll probably bite you." Riley bites me at least twice a day when I try to pick him up or pet him; or often for no reason at all when I'm merely walking down the hall, he'll attack my leg.

Riley is also the most vocal cat I've ever met. Riley talks all the time. Mostly, he screams at me in the morning when he wants to be fed. Even when I'm feeding him, I have to watch my back because he will literally knock me over to get to his food dish - which we put on the window sill. Which leads me to my next story. For as big a cat as Riley is, he sure can move. Brittany and I like to point the laser pointer at the light switch. Riley will stare at it for a few seconds and suddenly jump with the greatest of ease to catch the little red light, turning on or off the light in the process. Brittany and I crack up every time.

We like to call him: Bubba, Pants, Batman, Fatman, Wetpaw - he dips his paw into his water before drinking it, and Fatty

Riley does have some cat-like qualities though. He uses a scratch post, and we find cardboard shavings all over our apartment. He loves to have his back and behind his ears scratched. Occasionally he'll purr. After that, he's over-stimulated, and he'll probably bite you. He loves to scratch his cheek on the corners of walls or the lampshade behind the couch. My favorite thing is when he does the kitty roll. "You know the thing, where they show you the belly. And you gotta reward that." :-)

Classic!

2009-04-01T13:17:00.004-04:00

Sometimes I really have to think hard about the topics I choose to blog about; and sometimes they reach out screaming and slap me in the face - like this one. This is a story I happened to catch on KDKA last night while staying up way too late with Brittany and Katie.

On March 4th police responded to a late-night call in Ohio for a drunk driving incident with injuries. However, police saw no signs of a car crash. Drunkard Kyle Wygle was driving his motorized bar stool - allow me to clarify... yes... motorized bar stool - when he crashed it after consuming 15 beers. The stool is powered by a lawn mower engine and even comes equipped with a tiny steering wheel. Perhaps from his power wheels car?

^ You may be laughing, but this puppy can go up to 38 mph!

Kyle Krashalot was hospitalized with minor injuries and has pleaded not guilty to the charge. A trial is to follow. Wow.

Jon & Kate Plus 8 + Cancellation = Sadness

2009-03-25T14:44:00.002-04:00

When I have the time, I like to watch a select few shows on TV. One of those shows is "Jon & Kate plus 8" on TLC. J&K+8 is about the Gosselin family, parents with two sets of multiples, 8-year-old twins and 4-year-old sextuplets. It's nice to see a reality show on TV that isn't a C-list actor narrowing down std-ridden admirers to find his one true lust.

However, spouses Jon and Kate do have their share of disagreements and arguments. Plus, their kids are just so darn cute! This is a good combination for a TV show. TLC has aired 4 very successful seasons of the show. But on the season finale, Jon and Kate revealed to viewers that their marriage was struggling. Rumors are that Kate wants to do a 5th season but Jon does not.The way Kate constantly snaps at Jon, or just having 8 kids would cause any marriage stress. This comes as somewhat of a shock to viewers because the couple just renewed their vows in Hawaii in August of 2008.

About a year ago, Jon quit his job as an IT director to stay home full time. The family has earned enough income from just the show; not to mention food, toys, and clothes for the kids from every brand who wants the Gosselin family to use their product on TV. Further scrutinizers say that the parents are, in a sense, making the kids work, since the show is the family's source of income. The latter may be a little bit of a stretch; if you've seen the show you know the kids are pretty well-cared for.

Well, what I think is [and yes I get a say, because it's my blog] that if doing the show is hurting the family in any way then it is not worth it to continue. Is it more help than harm? We'll have to see if the Gosselins sign on for a 5th season. I'd like the show to continue just to see the little kids say "On this episode of Jon and Kate plus 8." - Naawww

Ketchup Kraze

2009-03-23T09:08:00.000-04:00

I wish I were this artistically talented! Heinz has hired a new team of freelance desingers - kids in grade school. The Heinz Ketchup Creativity Contest is a contest for students in 1st through 12th grade to design a ketchup packet. From 45,000 entries, artist Burton Morris has narrowed it down to 36 finalists. From here it's up to America to decide which designs will be on the next ketchup packets.

Go to http://www.ketchupcreativity.com/voting.aspx to vote for your favorite designs. I'm amazed. The artists in first grade would beat anything I could scribble on a page. They're so good. Voting only goes through the 25th, so vote NOW! It only takes a second, and it's fun.

Here are some teasers:

My thoughts on riding the bus...

2009-03-16T15:48:00.001-04:00

As much as I dislike riding the bus, it sure has given me some good blogging material. =o]

1. They do not make the seats big enough. Today I sat next to a big-boned gentleman who took up all of his seat and half of mine. The term "rubbing elbows" has never been so accurate. I believe these seats were designed to fit the physique of a third grader - one without obesity.

2. To the two Indian men sitting in front of me: You smell bad. Wash off the curry, please.

3. Whoever deliberately scratched off choice letters on the sign that used to say "A little farther back please," but now says "A little fart please," - THAT'S HILARIOUS

4. To the woman in a different fur coat every day: 1.) If you're wearing a fur coat every day, do you not have enough money to drive? 2.) If you're trying to help the environment by taking the bus, don't kill little furry animals. 3.) ick, fur

5. Note from Kelly: To the loud group of women: Use your six-inch voices, please.
- She's right. Especially in the morning, no one wants to hear your conversations about your kids, dogs, and dying mothers. While I understand it is a cramped space, [see #1.] the people you're talking to are not that far away from you.

6. My usual driver looks like the creepy, bald guy in Scary Movie. It makes me grin every time.

7. And finally, to the same people on my commute who smile at me every day because we're in the same boat [bus], thanks. You make my trip a little bit easier.

*** disclaimer - my intent is not to vent or complain... just sharing what's in my head. We should make this into a Public Service Announcement! Someone call Isaiah Washington!

I've been bitten!

2009-03-11T10:18:00.000-04:00

It's finally happened. I've been willingly sucked in to the Twilight series (pun intended). I sat back and watched as the entire series consumed Brittany for a few weeks, thinking she was a little obsessed. She'd stay up most of the night reading them, even hauling them to work to read on her lunch break. The whole time I thought "I'm never reading those childish little teen novels." I didn't get caught up in the whole Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings buzz either. It's just not my genre.

Brittany had finally given up on convincing me to read them. But now, yes even I have not been able to put it down. I've been dedicated to it every morning and evening on my commute to and from work - no, I don't read and drive like some mega-multi-taskers; I take the bus - relax.

It's actually very well written. Stephenie Meyer creates compelling characters and relationships and makes it okay that the plot is make-believe. Edward Cullen is so mysteriously sexy, too!

I can't wait to see the movie now. I feel like a teenie bopper again. Most likely it was college that messed with my mind. Being an English major, those with Ph Ds forced me to read Jane Austen, Faulkner, and Hemmingway; boy are they missing out! Twilight is a good, entertaining read that goes pretty quickly despite being close to 500 pages. Bring on New Moon.

Pure Craziness

2009-03-05T15:51:00.000-05:00

So right now there is so much going on in my life I'm getting whiplash. I was thinking I need to update my blog, and I don't really know where to begin. So I think I'll mush it all into one. Hold on tight!

- I get 4,000 texts and phone calls from Brittany. "Someone got killed in our complex!" That's right. Good ol' Hickory Hills Homicide happened right across the parking lot from us. Scary.

- Even though I have a job I love right now, it's not promised. I have to start looking for a full-time gig even though I don't want to leave where I am. I could cry thinking of writing more cover letters and relying on Monster emails every day. Especially now that I'm going to start getting some PR experience.

- Chris Brown is a great singer and a very bad person. Disappointment.

- A happier note: Yesterday was Anthony's birthday and we had a fabulicious dinner at PF Changs. Today is my big brother Chris' birthday.

- Also happy: Tonight is Katie Zeak night at LRC! I can't wait to hear her sing. She is so great.

- I have a fun-filled weekend. Friday: Drinks with YASMINA! :-) Saturday: Work then drinks with Anthony :-) Sunday: Home to do taxes and see my sister Laura

- When do I get to see my favorite roomie? I miss her. I need to talk to her about the strange mountain lion that has taken over our apartment. Kinsa-Winsa

- I'd like to bring orange back. I'd also like to start dancing again - but on my terms...

- Sleeping in is such a foreign thing to me anymore. I'm not sure I remember how to.

Monster? I think not.

2009-02-26T13:55:00.000-05:00

I came across this article online, and it angered me just a smidge. Entitled "One-Armed TV Host Scares Kids, Parents Say" caught my attention. Here's the link if you want to read the intriguing story. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29391313

In fewer words: A pretty blond was hired by a British TV company to host a children's program. The controversy? The woman was born with an incomplete arm leaving the part below her elbow as a stump. Parents say they don't want their kids to watch her program because the kids may be scared by her missing arm.

Let's put this into perspective. The company did not hire a sex offender, serial killer, nudist, criminal, gang member, etc. They hired a perfectly normal host with a slight handicap.

Now does she look like a monster? Someone who would scare children? Is this what kids imagine jumping out from under the bed at night? I think these parents are overreacting. Are they trying to shelter their kids from a TV personality? Kids are going to be exposed to people with handicaps thousands of times throughout life, and they shouldn't be trained to fear them. I think it's the parents with the problem here. Not the kids.

If parents really want to protect their kids, they shouldn't focus on people like this. Keep them away from guns, drugs, and violence. Just because you were lucky enough to be born with all of your extremities in place doesn't mean you should alienate those who weren't.

My thought about trust... and I do have one

2009-02-19T16:23:00.000-05:00

Did you ever think about how much we trust other people? Today at the bank I just handed the teller my $100 bill without hesitation*. I trust the bus driver with my life twice a day to get me to and from work. If something tragic happens such as a fire or your Great Aunt Meryl falls and breaks a hip, we dial 911, tell them our address, and get in the car with absolute strangers. That's just it. They're strangers. We don't know them; yet we feel the need to check our significant other's phone messages and interrogate them if they arrive just 5 minutes past his or her ETA.

They say to trust your instincts. Usually we trust anyone in a hospital with a white coat; yet we always request a second opinion. We trust our friends when we start a convo with "OMG don't tell anyone this but..." Usually that same phrase is uttered 15 mins later by the same person who just heard it. So how do we decide who we do and do not trust?

* Why do I have a $100 bill you ask? Well, because Brittany gave it to me.**
** Why did Brittany have a $100 bill? Well, because she just got back from Vegas.***
***Ya, I don't want to talk about it.

Double take... again

2009-02-15T21:24:00.000-05:00

If you're on facebook I'm sure you've noticed the targeted ads along the right hand side of the screen. It's crazy how personalized they all are. Mine usually shows a picture of Justin Timberlake [right on!] asking me if I want to take the ultimate Justin IQ test. I also get a picture of a 90 pound girl in a bikini asking me if I want to look like her, and telling me they have the secret to losing belly fat. I also get some writing competitions or freelance writers wanted ads. I think one ad even said something about LRC. Talk about target marketing.

However, just recently this photo came up, and I nearly got sick to my stomach. Warning: weird image following!

It said "Impossible IQ Question: How many lips does this girl have?" Well, frankly I can't look at it for too long because my eyes cross, and it makes me nauseous. I know it's just photoshopped, but . . . gah!

What goes up when the rain comes down?

2009-02-10T09:59:00.000-05:00

So this morning was a rainy one in Pittsburgh - SURPRISE! Lucky for me, I'd packed my trusty umbrella. I arrived at work nice and dry. Some other 'burghers, however, weren't so lucky. I heard one woman say as she struggled to open a broken umbrella: "Why does my umbrella always fail when I need it most?"

I wanted to say to her, "Well, ma'am, it's probably because you don't use your umbrella when you don't need it." Think about it. How often do you open your umbrella when it's not raining? Chances are, it's not going to fail you when you are not using it.

I found it funny so I thought I'd share.

Fine!

2009-02-09T16:40:00.000-05:00

Webster defines the word compromise as "a settlement of differences by mutual concessions." This could be a pretty close definition to that of an agreement, I think. I guess the small conflict lies in the "settlement of differences."Often, when two people compromise, they must each give up a little bit of something to come to an agreement on the issue. But if one person gives up more than the other to solve said issue, is that fair?

Let's say John and Mary decide to have dinner together. Mary wants Mexican. John wants seafood. They compromise and go to Applebees where Mary gets a quesadilla and John orders the fish and chips. While each is able to get what he or she wanted, Mary did not get authentic Mexican food, and John settled for some deep-fried, processed slab of fish. Okay, maybe it's a lame analogy, but you get the idea.

My compromise? I take the bus to my job downtown. I'd love to drive my own car, have all my privacy and be free to sing "Since U Been Gone" at the top of my lungs if I so wish. However, since the cheapest parking lot downtown will charge me $10 per day, I take good ol' public transportation. I ride with some weirdos and must walk 8 blocks to get to my stop, but I've got to settle for what I can afford.

That's just it - a settlement. They say you should never settle for anything less than what you want in life. But sometimes a compromise is inevitable. Sure we can learn to be happy with what we've settled for, but is that how it should be?

Funny that the word promise is the root word of compromise. - I'll use my killer English-Major skills here for a moment. - If a promise is a declaration or an expression of assurance, then a compromise must be a "co-promise" between two people. Even if that promise is reached at the end of an argument with both parties sealing the deal with a "FINE!"

Here We Go!

2009-01-27T11:14:00.000-05:00

It's Super Bowl Season. And in case you've been in a coma for the past couple weeks - PITTSBURGH'S GOIN TO THE SUPER BOWL! There are fanatics all over the city and beyond. Ross Park Mall is asking each of its stores to create a window display in black and gold in honor of our grid iron heroes. The store with the best Steelers display will win a prize. The mall is even closing an hour early on Super Bowl Sunday, which is considered a major holiday in Pittsburgh.

Brittany and I just came across this song on You Tube. B94, a local radio station, is having a contest for listeners to create a song about the Steelers. Here's one of them. It's pretty funny. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QRo6AuUp6Q
- sorry it wouldn't let me upload it, but this link should work.

If anybody else has any crazy, funny or outrageous Steeler stories, send 'em my way. Leave a comment or email me.

Good luck on Sunday, boys!