I'm Boring

After viewing a few random blogs and taking a look at some of the blogs involved in "I Really Don't Like the Word Blog"s current competition, I have come to realize I'm boring. I need to do something wild and crazy. Maybe I need to develop some problems or become neurotic or something. My life is too normal.

Hippy Food Store

I just heard that the Whole Foods Market purchase of Wild Oats was finalized. Whole Foods plans to close some stores where there is overlap and they will remodel some stores. I hope they don't remodel the store at 30th & Pearl in Boulder. I think if they change it, it won't be the fun Hippy Food Store to shop at any more. I like their products, but what I go there for more than anything is the shopping experience. And it always is an experience at that store. So I say to you, Whole Foods Market, don't remodel the 30th & Pearl store. For sure, don't move to the Wild Oats store that either was set to open or opened in 29th Street Mall.

What do Caffeine and Incandescent Light Bulbs Have in Common?

Alright, I have good news. Our fine political leaders are really doing something to save us from certain destruction. We will finally know how much caffeine is in our food because labels will require disclosure. We will no longer have to make jokes about how many whatevers it takes to change a light bulb because we will almost never have to change an LED bulb (emitter, emitter/diffuser, device, emitter holder -- or whatever they are called) when incandescents are banned. I was really worried about both these things. Now I feel safe. Oh, the answer to my question about what these two things have in common? They are both political pawns in a legislature that has too big of things to solve so they feel powerless. Legislatures need to have power -- to feel like they are doing things -- like living up to their "lawmaker" label. So they make more laws. Vote Libertarian.

Bicycling Weather

The woodpeckers pecking on my neighbor's house apparently think that spring has arrived and they need to send out mating calls. I know it's not looking for food because they peck on the galvanized metal chimney caps, rain gutters, and window panes -- anything that resonates and sends their lonesome, lustful calls throughout the woodpecker neighborhood.

So, being abruptly notified that spring is here, I felt it necessary to install my road tires on my Mt. Bike so I can get in some miles. (I'd ride the mountain trails, but there is still too much ice, snow, and mud in the shaded areas. There's too much gravel on the road shoulders to safely ride my road bike with its slick, narrow tires.) Tomorrow, I will hit the road for a quick spin and blow off some of the winter blues. Then, I will go donate some blood at the local blood drive. I have a blood type that is always in short(er) supply. I figure it is payback for the blood we used after my son was born.

Parallel Universe

You've heard of the Rosetta Stone -- the ancient tablets that provided translation for some ancient texts. Now, I bring you the Nail Police Stone -- the key to one of our parallel universes. Here's the key: Those named Neuroth in the current universe are named Shaffer in the parallel universe. This should be sufficient info to allow code crackers everywhere insight into the parallel universe.

How did I make this profound discovery? In a recent temp position, the team leader turned out to be what appears to be an identical twin to one of my friends. I inquired of my friend whether he had ever had any intuition that he may have a long-lost twin brother he didn't know about. He didn't have any such intuition, but he said, "maybe in a parallel universe". So, there you have it. My friend has an identical twin brother in the parallel universe. Since we know both of their last names, we can now unlock the secrets of the parallel universe. Let's see -- N=S, E=H, etc. And we thought we would have to do massive astrophysical calculations Steven Hawking-style to unlock the secrets. Wow. You never know.

Peet's Coffee Update (as promised earlier)

We tapped into the Sulawesi Kalosi. Great aroma as whole beans and as freshly brewed. A good all around coffee. Definitely has traits of SE Asian coffees. A hint of earthiness. A bold, deep palate -- I'd describe it as clear and bright. More of a middle of the tongue sensation (as opposed to a full-tongue sensation for the aged Sumatra dark roast). The residual taste only lingers a short time. Some would like this. I prefer a longer "linger". So now, we have tried three coffee varieties from Peet's. (The third was Espresso Forte which we tried at the coffee shop in Boulder -- which was excellent.) They all have very distinctive aromas and palates. All three were excellent quality. This is good. It makes Peet's credible -- they appear to be giving us what they say they are.