random thoughts

1. See below post. I can text my blog and things will show up. COOL! I am apparently easily amused, but what can I say? I have yet to try this feature with a photo through MMS. That would just be spiffy. Yes, folks, I just said spiffy.

2. Yesterday I revised a grad paper, wrote an abstract, posted everything to my online class website, emailed an update to my professor, and commented on someone else's post. In the end, my paper was 19 pages. I remember when that seemed like a lot. I am very VERY thankful for everything I learned about writing in HS.

3. Speaking of writing, "else's" just got the red squiggly underline that things get when they are spelled wrong (see Random Thought #2). Is "else's" not a word? Do I have yet another apostrophe issue?

4. Wegmans now sells WINE! Yes, in PA. They are testing wine sales in one Wegmans and one Giant (I think) for a period of time to see how it goes. We bought a bottle of Chianti just to see how the process worked. The kiosk area only opened a few days ago, so they had an employee there to help. Basically, there are 3 flat screen monitors above the kiosks that display varieties of wine, and then there are shelves of wine behind locked glass doors underneath. You go to a touch screen, choose your wine (there were 50 varieties available today, including sparkling and pretty decent brands), swipe your license, and then blow on this little thing that is kind of like a breathalizer (I have no idea how to spell breathalizer) test. You don't have to put your mouth on anything; you just have to be within 10-12 inches from the little screen. If you "pass," you swipe a credit card and pay for your wine. Then, the particular kiosk with your bottle(s) of wine unlocks and the shelf and column with your chosen wine bottle lights up. You pick up your bottle, bag it, and go. AWESOME. Ben had a group of people watching him do it...it was pretty amusing that we attracted a crowd. Fun stuff, though! I hope they keep it around. So convenient!

5. I am 100% certain that there is no apostrophe in Wegmans. Click over there <---- and scroll down through the FAQs if you don't believe me. :)

6. I am, indeed, capable of running 10 miles a few days after a really tough Zumba workout followed by a 6 mile run in a lot of heat. In addition, I can go to sleep at about 1 am (just couldn't sleep), hear my alarm go off at 4:45, and be out the door for said 10 mile run by 5:30 am. *yawn*

7. Did you know that American Express has a little chip in many of their credit cards that allows you to just wave your credit card over the little payment box in some stores instead of actually swiping your card? This is supposed to be faster, but also help with security. Did you know that even though both numbers refer to the same exact account, there will be a different final 4 digits if you use the chip waving payment instead of the swiping payment? I think this is so that if someone finds a receipt with the last 4 digits of the card used for a sale, and then they also find your credit card, they won't think it's the same card. DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD THIS MAKES IT TO MAKE A RETURN WITH AN EMPLOYEE WHO DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THIS CONCEPT??? (Please excuse the "yelling.") Yes, ma'am, this is indeed the same card I used at your store less than 24 hours ago. No, I'm not confused. No, I'm not hiding some other credit card from you. No, I didn't accidentally have my husband's card. No, I'm not trying to "pull one over" on you. You should remember me. You gave me bad advice to buy this product just last night. Then, I went home, wised up, and want my $ back. o.m.g.
p.s. This included super-level-headed-Ben-who-runs-credit-cards-for-his-customers-all-the-time trying to reason with the woman and 2 additional workers at the store (one of whom condescendingly called him "sir" several times). In the end, Ben decided I should buy a $2.99 pair of hot pink shoelaces (because, you know, why not??) with the "chip waving method" to prove that the numbers did indeed match. He's a genius; it worked. My $ is returned.

8. Back to Wemgans. :) We love eating there! This photo was taken on their patio where sat to eat some very excellent Indian food.

9. I am going to try to make this tomorrow. I told Ben dessert was going to be a pie-type dessert, but it was going to be a surprise. We'll see if he actually reads my blog when he either does or doesn't seem surprised tomorrow. ;) teehee

10. Sports Authority is growing on me. It used to annoy me for some reason, but first they actually had a functional bathing suit in my size last week (women with short torsos unite!), and today they had the Nike sneakers that I wanted for Zumba. I got them in black (with purple accents) because they reminded me of dance shoes; the white ones with pink accents made me feel a bit like a cheerleader. :) I'm excited to try them out! (p.s. This is all related to the return transaction described in #7, but - in case you couldn't tell - I'm still so annoyed about the whole thing that I'm barely able to make sense of it myself yet.) Just trust me, these are the right ones (finally)!

Phew, longer list than I thought it would be. I should sleep since I've been awake since before 5 this morning. I also rehearsed with the trio I'm playing with in the camp faculty recital at the pianist's house today. It was fun! It's been a very long time since I've played in a chamber music setting like that.

Tomorrow, besides much baking and experimenting with a buffalo chicken soup recipe I'm trying to create, Ben and I are going to head to the pool at the gym for the first time. We'll probably hit the indoor pool to avoid potential sunburn; Ben and the sun are not friends. *crosses fingers for anti-drowning luck* haha