Reading and Writing

So whenever I find myself taking notes/making an outline of a scientific paper, reference article or book chapter, I always think to myself that life would be so much easier if the author just published his notes directly.  Seriously, the worst part of writing is taking your notes and putting them in paragraph form, and the worst part of reading is taking the paragraphs and boiling them down to the important bullet points.  So we really should just skip that whole middle step of pretty-looking paragraphs and just exchange the bullet-point outlines, from author to reader. 

How do I end up with so many dirty glass cups?

Seriously! I only have 3 meals a day.  The washing machine must take the mismatched socks and magically transform them into dirty glasses!

Family Feud moment

So I stopped at a grocery store that was new to me, a Stop & Shop on Route 206, on my way back to NYC a couple days ago.  I had a big list of things to get, and I had gone around the store and still hadn't found like 5 or 6 things.  So I find this guy who works there and I start asking him where things are. "Where's chopped garlic?"  "Um, try Aisle 5."  "Where is alfredo sauce?"   "Um, I think that's Aisle 5 too."  "What about oyster sauce?" "Yup, that's Aisle 5 too."    And this went on for like 2 or 3 more items, until we both started laughing and I went off to Aisle 5.  That was my Family Feud "turkey" moment.  In case you haven't seen the video, here it is:

Family Feud "Turkey" clip

Life Lesson

Never go to the grocery store on the Sunday night after Thanksgiving.  They're out of EVERYTHING.

High School Reunion!

Just got back from my 5-year high school reunion at a local bar.  I initially wasn't going to go because my two best friends bailed on me, and it's kind of daunting walking into a group of people you know, but really don't know, all alone.  Anyway, I walked in and immediately found people and everyone was just saying hi and hugging each other and asking about what people have been doing.  It was just a lot of fun seeing people after 5 years.  It feels good to make those connections fresh again that have started to slip away.  There weren't too many surprises in terms of people and their life plans; people who wanted to be a doctor are now in med school, etc.  All in all, a very good night and I'm glad I decided to go!

Inventions

My grandmother (born in the 1930s): The two greatest inventions of my lifetime have been the ballpoint pen and the turning signals on cars. 


hehe. I never would have guessed those. 

Fall 2010 Trends

So I got a new purse from Delia's in the mail today.  So I figured it would be a good time to write about the fall 2010 fashion trends I've chosen to embrace:
1)  Cross-body purses.  I started seeing these about a year ago, but they're really in full force right now.  They're definitely more casual, but soo much more comfortable and versatile, since they free up your hands and arms whenever you're walking around and sightseeing or whatever.  This is the one I got from Delia's (right).
2)  Ankle-height boots.  I'm not sure if there's a more technical name for these, but part of the reason I decided to get them is because they're much more casual and easier to slip on than the knee-high boots I have.  Knee-high boots make me seem really formal and preppy, and sometimes that's a little too much if I'm just going to class or something.  These boots I got from Payless, and they're really comfy.  They're kind of "edgy" too, which I liked.  
3) Striped shirts.  This is a really basic trend, but I think the difference is that skinny stripes and off-the-shoulder are distinctly 2010.  So I got this shirt from Delia's (left) and this shirt from Old Navy (right):

 4) Utility/military/cargo jackets.  I'm not sure what the exact name is for it, but I got mine from a GAP outlet in Atlantic City over the summer.  I just wanted a lightweight, fall jacket to throw on that would be comfortable, but also make me look more put-together than a fleece or puffy coat. (picture below).  That picture is not the exact one I have, but it's pretty close. 

Trends that I've ruled out for now:
1) Leather jackets.  I tried one on at a store recently and I almost started laughing at how funny I looked.  Maybe I just have to find the right one, but I'm guessing this is something that will never fit me and my personality.
2) Leggings.  I'll keep wearing actual pants, thank you very much.  Not everyone in NYC needs to know the exact size and shape of my lower half.