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This Just In: Pet Stores Are Ripoffs
@cc82: Yes, I do the same -- canvas totes for the supermarket, and a roll of dog poo bags on my dog walks. The doggie bags I get are *much* smaller than the plastic bags from the supermarket. So I figure even though I'm buying the bags, I'm still using / throwing away about half as much plastic than I would if I were using supermarket bags.
Plus, the bag roll is very small, so I can put the whole thing in my pocket when we go on an extra-long walk.
And yeah, supermarket dog food is just gross.
The Poor, Misunderstood Wendy's Frosty
@pecan 3.14159265: Must be a hard-wired taste. I think the combination of salty and sweet, plus hot and cold, works perfectly. Admittedly, I only really get a craving for it once or twice a year, usually on road trips!
The Poor, Misunderstood Wendy's Frosty
It's a dip for your fries.
Mmmm... fries + Frosty.
Grocery Shrink Ray Squeezes Energy Out Of Red Bull
@RandaPanda: I made the dumb mistake of drinking a *Diet* Red Bull (it was all my friend had in her fridge) and I had the same reaction -- heart rate went crazy, and I had a terrible aftertaste in my mouth. It also messed up my stomach.
Possibly non-Diet Red Bull is better, but I'll never know, 'cause I have no intention of getting that stuff near my body again.
Simon Says Newspapers Would Be Killing Themselves Even Without The Help Of The Internet
@VeryFancyBunny: I should add, though, that I LIKE magazines and I still have several paper ones I enjoy reading. I hate hearing about magazine layoffs. I'm just, y'know, glad it's not me.
Simon Says Newspapers Would Be Killing Themselves Even Without The Help Of The Internet
@Megladon: You should hop over to Gawker and read their daily "Media Crack" column, or their posts tagged with "Great Magazine Die-Off." It's pretty depressing.
Six years ago, I was thisclose to switching my major from English to magazine journalism. Sure glad I didn't! I have a good job in applied linguistics / language testing now, and I read about magazine layoffs on my lunch break.
Moms Don't Want Stuff This Mother's Day
@u2acro: My sister-in-law is nuts about her magazines, too. Gossip rags, specifically. I don't see the point in reading about the gossip a week after it's happened, but it's her way to relax at the end of a week of teaching (she collects all her magazines over the course of the week and reads them all on Friday night), so I don't question it.
Husband and I renew two of her subscriptions for Christmas every year, and from the way she reacts to this, you'd think we saved the world!
Never Mind, People Still Aren't Buying Anything
@Blinky987: I'm doing this too. I saved or invested over 50% of last year's take-home salary. And I'm not sure why. I think I was just being a miser. This year, I decided to be a little more spendy, and I don't feel guilty about it. Prices are so low, and I'm generally spending on experiences rather than things.
For instance:
Next week, Hubby and I are going to NYC for our wedding anniversary. We have great seats for 2 Broadway shows, and we're staying at the Carlyle Hotel, where I've always wanted to stay! Got a good deal on Travelocity. I bought a new spring jacket for the occasion. It was marked down $150 at Banana Republic. Couldn't resist.
In August, I'm going to LA for a writing conference I've wanted to attend for years. Round-trip airfare was only $300 from the east coast!
Free Pancakes Today At IHOP
Husband and I dropped into our local IHOP at 8 this morning and there wasn't even a wait for a table. There was only one couple I noticed who just got pancakes and water and didn't spend a dime (except on a tip, I hope). Even the bums sitting near us bought some coffee.
The promotion worked on me -- this particular IHOP is smack between my home and my office, about a mile from each, and I'd never been there. But give me a chance to celebrate National Pancake Day in recessionary style, and I'm there.
Comments from VeryFancyBunny
Pulling The Plug On Central Air May Be Worth The Gain For the Pain
@mmmsoap: I hate A/C too, which is a pretty sacreligious thing for someone in Georgia to say. Before I had a husband and a dog, I lived several summers in Athens, GA without A/C. But even now, the husband and I are able to keep our house here in Atlanta cool with minimal A/C. It was built in the 1940s and has a covered, screened-in porch and excellent airflow. We reserve A/C for those 85+ degree days -- the rest of the time, the place is really quite comfortable with just the windows and the porch door open. I wish more places were built like ours.
I cannot stand the shock of going from a frigid office to the balmy outdoors, either. The giant temperature shift actually gives me a headache. Also, it's July 29 and I'm wrapped up in a fleece here at my office. That's just wrong.