So I've decided to learn Spanish. I figured that with all the little kids out there watching Dora the Explorer, I've fallen behind the curve. (How am I ever supposed to win "Are you smarter than a fifth grader?" when all the little kids are bilingual now?) Plus, I've got the time, so why not?
I picked up an "Instant Immersion Spanish" computer program to practice with, and I currently DVR an elementary school Spanish TV show that I watch every day. (The show is geared towards first and second graders, and to tell the truth, I feel a little stupid singing along with a hand puppet named Senor Gallo*, but hey, it works.)
Ideally, I'd like to get Tony fluent in Spanish also so that we can practice together. (He took Spanish in high school while I was wasting time on Latin, so he has a bit of a head start on me, whereas the most I ever got out of Latin was the correct way to wear a toga). So far however, he refuses to do the computer programs or the tv show, but last night while Senor Gallo and I were calling out family relationships in Spanish, I heard Tony mumbling "el hermano" from the kitchen, so all is not lost. I predict that after a few days, he'll be singing along with the stupid chicken puppet too.
So far I've learned some greetings, names of family members, how to pronounce the alphabet, farm animals, and articles of clothing. (I did the laundry today and called out the name of everything as I tossed it into the washer. When I learn numbers, I'll count them). I also put post-it notes with the names of all the rooms of the house all over the place. Each time I walk into a room, I say the name. My post-its may be falling down now, but at least most of the names are sticking.
So we'll see. This may end up being one of those things that I pursue diligently for two weeks and then never touch again, but I hope not. So far, I'm really excited about it. (Of course, I haven't started conjugating verbs yet). I figure that I'm at the toddler stage of pointing and just mumbling names right now, but after a few weeks of hard work, I expect to be able to sit through an episode of Dora and know what the heck she's talking about.
And that will be muy bien.
*Senor Gallo translates to Mr. Chicken, in case you haven't been keeping up with your Dora adventures.
Visitors Map
Subscribe to Quirky
Posts
All Comments
For Moi?
Showing posts with label School. Show all posts
Showing posts with label School. Show all posts
12/12/08
Hooded
I know I don't normally do weekend posts, but I just wanted to pop on and let you know that I was hooded this weekend.
And no, that doesn't mean that I drove into a questionable section of town and got beat up by gang members. (Yet...the weekend is still young after all).
Actually, what it means is that approximately 6 months after I finished my higher ed-u-ma-cation classes, the university deemed it time to bestow upon me my little piece of paper declaring me graduated.
And also a hood, which was mucho awesome.
So I coerced my family into the car and we drove over to the main campus to sit through a three hour ceremony where lots of people gave inspiring speeches, and then they called out roughly a bazillion names, and we all fought to stay awake. AND THEN I walked across a stage where they gave me this:
It is a hood, and it means that I am officially a master of business administration. Woot!
And no, that doesn't mean that I drove into a questionable section of town and got beat up by gang members. (Yet...the weekend is still young after all).
Actually, what it means is that approximately 6 months after I finished my higher ed-u-ma-cation classes, the university deemed it time to bestow upon me my little piece of paper declaring me graduated.
And also a hood, which was mucho awesome.
So I coerced my family into the car and we drove over to the main campus to sit through a three hour ceremony where lots of people gave inspiring speeches, and then they called out roughly a bazillion names, and we all fought to stay awake. AND THEN I walked across a stage where they gave me this:
It is a hood, and it means that I am officially a master of business administration. Woot!
7/1/08
No More Pencils, No More Books, No More Teacher's Dirty Looks
Oh ya'll, I am officially, finally, completely, and forever out of school. I turned in my final paper for my final class yesterday. Over. Done. Finito. Oh how I love typing those words!
Stamp ed-u-ma-cated on my forehead! All that's left is for them to mail me my pretty little diploma. I am MBA all the way baby! Woot!
What's on my calendar from 6-10pm on weeknights? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! I must say, it's REALLY weird not having homework to do. Or chapters to read. Or papers to write. I keep catching myself trying to remember what it is I still have to do. (Answer: nothing! Mwu-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!)
Stamp ed-u-ma-cated on my forehead! All that's left is for them to mail me my pretty little diploma. I am MBA all the way baby! Woot!
What's on my calendar from 6-10pm on weeknights? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! I must say, it's REALLY weird not having homework to do. Or chapters to read. Or papers to write. I keep catching myself trying to remember what it is I still have to do. (Answer: nothing! Mwu-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!)
6/26/08
Yogurt Anyone? Anyone?
So, response has been a little slow on yogurt consumption patterns. As a matter of fact, only AZ Dog Mom has bothered to answer so far, proving that she is my very bestest best friend ever, and the rest of you are not.
What happened? Did everyone just miss it because the picture of the dragonfly was so mesmerizing? Or did you decide that answering questions about yogurt wasn't as much fun as answering questions about restaurants? Help me out here cyberpals...this is the last homework assignment EVER. I'll never ask you todo contribute to my homework again after this.
If you ever eat those little containers of yogurt, head back over to Tuesday's post for the questions. Then I'll be YOUR bestest friend too.
What happened? Did everyone just miss it because the picture of the dragonfly was so mesmerizing? Or did you decide that answering questions about yogurt wasn't as much fun as answering questions about restaurants? Help me out here cyberpals...this is the last homework assignment EVER. I'll never ask you to
If you ever eat those little containers of yogurt, head back over to Tuesday's post for the questions. Then I'll be YOUR bestest friend too.
6/24/08
Survey Time - Part 2
You guys did such an excellent job on my Consumer Behavior homework last time that I've decided to enlist your help once again. (Had I known you were so good at it, I would have done so with Accounting and International Finance too...where have you been the last two years?)
Anyway, if you don't mind, I have some more questions to ask- this time on brand loyalty. Feel free to write as much as you want, and put down anything that comes to mind.
This time, let's talk about yogurt. There's about a million kinds out there, and just as many reasons for people to eat it. If you're a yogurt eater, think of your favorite brand and kind of yogurt (Dannon, Yoplait, Stony Field, Activia, Kroger Brand, plain, low fat, fat free, fruit on the bottom, fruity flavored, dessert flavored, whipped, creamy, chunky, chewy, ect ect). Now, if you please, answer the questions below. Same deal as before...just email them to me at QuirkyCompliment@hotmail.com. I'd be much obliged.
Ready? Here we go:
1. How often do you purchase this product, and in what quantity? (One at a time, 6 pack, 12 pack, by the case... once a day, twice a week, once a month, etc).
2. Why did you first start eating this brand? What "sold" you on it? Did you buy it because you liked the commercial, or because a friend liked it, or because the packaging was pretty? Or was it something else entirely?
3. Besides taste, why do you like this particular yogurt so much? (I know you think it tastes good...is there anything else besides that? Like, you like that they are zero calories so that it doesn't mess up your diet, or because they come in tiny containers so they travel well, or you buy them because they are the cheapest, or because your mother bought this kind when you were growing up, or it's because your mother never bought them when you were growing up and now you buy them just because you can). Maybe there are several reasons. Feel free to expand.
4. Do you always buy this brand, or do you sometimes purchase another kind of yogurt instead? Do you mix things up, or stay with your favorite all the time?
5. What would have to happen for you to buy something else instead? Would you buy another brand if it were cheaper, or if the store you were at was out? Or would you keep driving from store to store until you found your specific brand?
6. How do you feel about the company that makes this yogurt? The stores that sell it? Did the company/store have any bearing in your decision to purchase the drink?
7. Do you consider yourself "brand loyal"? What, in your opinion, do you think that means? Is it a "good" thing, or a "bad" thing, or does it matter one way or the other?
and for a bonus point:
8. Because you are so yogurt savvy, do you think there is there a certain type of person who buys one brand or another? Like, would you expect young people to eat one brand over another, or women instead of men, or "cool" people vs "uncool" people? Are some brands healthier? Or all natural? Who buys this stuff and why?
So that's it. I bow to your expertise, oh mighty yogurt consumer. Tell me all about your favorite yogurt and why it deem it worthy of your praise. You'll have my eternal gratitude. Like last time, I'll share the overall results so you can pat yourself on the back for being such trendsetters in the dairy department. A yogurt guru if you will. Please send it by Friday at the latest.
Anyway, if you don't mind, I have some more questions to ask- this time on brand loyalty. Feel free to write as much as you want, and put down anything that comes to mind.
This time, let's talk about yogurt. There's about a million kinds out there, and just as many reasons for people to eat it. If you're a yogurt eater, think of your favorite brand and kind of yogurt (Dannon, Yoplait, Stony Field, Activia, Kroger Brand, plain, low fat, fat free, fruit on the bottom, fruity flavored, dessert flavored, whipped, creamy, chunky, chewy, ect ect). Now, if you please, answer the questions below. Same deal as before...just email them to me at QuirkyCompliment@hotmail.com. I'd be much obliged.
Ready? Here we go:
1. How often do you purchase this product, and in what quantity? (One at a time, 6 pack, 12 pack, by the case... once a day, twice a week, once a month, etc).
2. Why did you first start eating this brand? What "sold" you on it? Did you buy it because you liked the commercial, or because a friend liked it, or because the packaging was pretty? Or was it something else entirely?
3. Besides taste, why do you like this particular yogurt so much? (I know you think it tastes good...is there anything else besides that? Like, you like that they are zero calories so that it doesn't mess up your diet, or because they come in tiny containers so they travel well, or you buy them because they are the cheapest, or because your mother bought this kind when you were growing up, or it's because your mother never bought them when you were growing up and now you buy them just because you can). Maybe there are several reasons. Feel free to expand.
4. Do you always buy this brand, or do you sometimes purchase another kind of yogurt instead? Do you mix things up, or stay with your favorite all the time?
5. What would have to happen for you to buy something else instead? Would you buy another brand if it were cheaper, or if the store you were at was out? Or would you keep driving from store to store until you found your specific brand?
6. How do you feel about the company that makes this yogurt? The stores that sell it? Did the company/store have any bearing in your decision to purchase the drink?
7. Do you consider yourself "brand loyal"? What, in your opinion, do you think that means? Is it a "good" thing, or a "bad" thing, or does it matter one way or the other?
and for a bonus point:
8. Because you are so yogurt savvy, do you think there is there a certain type of person who buys one brand or another? Like, would you expect young people to eat one brand over another, or women instead of men, or "cool" people vs "uncool" people? Are some brands healthier? Or all natural? Who buys this stuff and why?
So that's it. I bow to your expertise, oh mighty yogurt consumer. Tell me all about your favorite yogurt and why it deem it worthy of your praise. You'll have my eternal gratitude. Like last time, I'll share the overall results so you can pat yourself on the back for being such trendsetters in the dairy department. A yogurt guru if you will. Please send it by Friday at the latest.
6/12/08
Survey Says...
All ya'll, you are so nice and wonderful and awesome. I raised a request to know where you guys eat out and why, and you immediately jumped on your mighty stallion of email and responded to the call. My inbox overflowth, and for that, I thank you. I actually had enough responses to get my homework assignment done early. I don't think that has ever happened, ever, in my *pauses to count on fingers* 18 years of formal education. To all of you, my deepest thanks.
A couple of you are actually bored enough to think that this was fun and want to use it as a meme. (Actually, it was a little bit like getting to eat right there with you, so I could see how it would be interesting). I told you guys that I wouldn't reveal your names just in case anyone really did eat at Binky's Biker Bar and Bail Bonds (sadly, not that anyone admitted to), but I guess I could share the results of the survey in a mass generic way.
You ate from O'Charley's to Olive Garden to McDonald's to Chinese places to Ruby Tuesdays to Subway to a little local bbq place that I am incredibly jealous about. You go because you like the prices, the service, how close it is, the healthy choices, the quiet atmosphere, and the Kung Fu Panda happy meal toys. You eat by yourself, with co-workers, girlfriends, husbands, brothers, mothers, and little boys. You told me about Spinach Pizza, grinders, Thai food, Zuppa Toscana, Bacon fried Onion burgers, 4 cheese spinach dip, macadamia nut cookies, eggrolls, salad bars and black eyed peas. You go to celebrate birthdays, collect Panda action figures, find something new, have a change of pace, grab something quick, have a girls night out, and because it's a family member's favorite place.
Luckily, only one of you realized that you'd eaten at a place that had gotten a bad health score. (Ack!) Oh, and if anyone is interested in a single, 41 year old man in NJ that likes Thai food, let me know and I'll pass it along.
So thanks again. You've helped me write a good paper, and made me really hungry in the process. I enjoyed our virtual meal together. If you ever want to share a table in person, let me know. I'll be at Binky's.
A couple of you are actually bored enough to think that this was fun and want to use it as a meme. (Actually, it was a little bit like getting to eat right there with you, so I could see how it would be interesting). I told you guys that I wouldn't reveal your names just in case anyone really did eat at Binky's Biker Bar and Bail Bonds (sadly, not that anyone admitted to), but I guess I could share the results of the survey in a mass generic way.
You ate from O'Charley's to Olive Garden to McDonald's to Chinese places to Ruby Tuesdays to Subway to a little local bbq place that I am incredibly jealous about. You go because you like the prices, the service, how close it is, the healthy choices, the quiet atmosphere, and the Kung Fu Panda happy meal toys. You eat by yourself, with co-workers, girlfriends, husbands, brothers, mothers, and little boys. You told me about Spinach Pizza, grinders, Thai food, Zuppa Toscana, Bacon fried Onion burgers, 4 cheese spinach dip, macadamia nut cookies, eggrolls, salad bars and black eyed peas. You go to celebrate birthdays, collect Panda action figures, find something new, have a change of pace, grab something quick, have a girls night out, and because it's a family member's favorite place.
Luckily, only one of you realized that you'd eaten at a place that had gotten a bad health score. (Ack!) Oh, and if anyone is interested in a single, 41 year old man in NJ that likes Thai food, let me know and I'll pass it along.
So thanks again. You've helped me write a good paper, and made me really hungry in the process. I enjoyed our virtual meal together. If you ever want to share a table in person, let me know. I'll be at Binky's.
6/10/08
Survey Time!
Hey Internets. I need your help. I have a new assignment for my Consumer Behavior Class. This time I need to actually interview people as opposed to just stalking them. And since accosting interviewing strangers as they attempt to just get their shopping done and get home doesn't sound like that much fun, I figured I'd ask you guys instead. So how about it? Are you willing to help a Quirky out here? Pleeeeeeeeease? Don't make me resort to chasing people around the store, going "If I could just ask you a few questions..." I'd be forever grateful. The more people to respond, the better.
Here's the deal. If you would be so kind, please send me an email to QuirkyCompliment@hotmail.com with the answers to these questions below. (Put something like Quirky's restaurant questions in the title so that I don't think you are selling Internet Viagra or fat loss pills by mistake).
Be as detailed as you can, and try to be honest. I'm not going to judge you if you eat Happy Meals 5 days a week, and I don't care if you eat before 4pm to get the early bird special. And I won't reveal your name or email address to anyone, so rest assured about that. Oh, and I kinda need them by this Friday, but the earlier the better.
Okay, here goes. Remember to be honest and lots of detail.
1. Where was the most recent restaurant/fast food place you have eaten? (I'm looking for the name of any place outside of the home where you paid for a meal, be it a fancy restaurant or fast food. For the sake of my paper, let's ignore candy machines and gas station chili dogs. And quit trying to think of a "respectable" place...if you ate at Binky's Biker Bar and Bail Bonds, own it).
2. What kind of place is it? (Tell me as much as you can here...what kind of food do they serve, is it a chain, is it small or big, what kind of atmosphere does it have, is it fancy or laid back, etc. No wrong answers here. And more is better).
3. Were you with anyone else when you went? (Friends, family, coworkers, etc. Give me an idea of who was with you, how many were with you, and basic ages of your party).
4. How often do you eat at this place?
5. What made you decide to eat here? (I'm looking for the why behind the choice...if it's your favorite, why? Does it evoke a special memory, or remind you of your mom's cooking, or did you get engaged while eating here? Do kids eat free on Tuesdays, or you were trying to get to a movie and you knew the service would be fast? Is little Johnny going through a stage where he only eats chicken nuggets? Are you on a budget and this place had a 99 cent value meal? All of the above?) Tell me the story of why you picked this place over the millions of other places.
6. How do you feel about this place? (This could range from one of your favorite places on Earth to I hate it and I only ate here because if we don't get chicken nuggets little Johnny will starve)
Okay, that's it. Copy and paste the questions into an email and give me your answers. Pretend it's a meme if that helps. All answers are strictly confidential, and names will be changed to Consumer #1, Consumer #2, Consumer # 3, to protect the innocent. C'mon! Do it right now! My grade depends on you! Pretty pretty Pleeeeeeeeeze?
Here's the deal. If you would be so kind, please send me an email to QuirkyCompliment@hotmail.com with the answers to these questions below. (Put something like Quirky's restaurant questions in the title so that I don't think you are selling Internet Viagra or fat loss pills by mistake).
Be as detailed as you can, and try to be honest. I'm not going to judge you if you eat Happy Meals 5 days a week, and I don't care if you eat before 4pm to get the early bird special. And I won't reveal your name or email address to anyone, so rest assured about that. Oh, and I kinda need them by this Friday, but the earlier the better.
Okay, here goes. Remember to be honest and lots of detail.
1. Where was the most recent restaurant/fast food place you have eaten? (I'm looking for the name of any place outside of the home where you paid for a meal, be it a fancy restaurant or fast food. For the sake of my paper, let's ignore candy machines and gas station chili dogs. And quit trying to think of a "respectable" place...if you ate at Binky's Biker Bar and Bail Bonds, own it).
2. What kind of place is it? (Tell me as much as you can here...what kind of food do they serve, is it a chain, is it small or big, what kind of atmosphere does it have, is it fancy or laid back, etc. No wrong answers here. And more is better).
3. Were you with anyone else when you went? (Friends, family, coworkers, etc. Give me an idea of who was with you, how many were with you, and basic ages of your party).
4. How often do you eat at this place?
5. What made you decide to eat here? (I'm looking for the why behind the choice...if it's your favorite, why? Does it evoke a special memory, or remind you of your mom's cooking, or did you get engaged while eating here? Do kids eat free on Tuesdays, or you were trying to get to a movie and you knew the service would be fast? Is little Johnny going through a stage where he only eats chicken nuggets? Are you on a budget and this place had a 99 cent value meal? All of the above?) Tell me the story of why you picked this place over the millions of other places.
6. How do you feel about this place? (This could range from one of your favorite places on Earth to I hate it and I only ate here because if we don't get chicken nuggets little Johnny will starve)
Okay, that's it. Copy and paste the questions into an email and give me your answers. Pretend it's a meme if that helps. All answers are strictly confidential, and names will be changed to Consumer #1, Consumer #2, Consumer # 3, to protect the innocent. C'mon! Do it right now! My grade depends on you! Pretty pretty Pleeeeeeeeeze?
6/1/08
Every Bond You Break, Every Step You Take, I'll Be Watching You
Everybody have a good weekend? Do anything fun and exciting? I spent my weekend stalking people. And the stalking? Harder than it looks.
So the class that I'm taking right now (the LAST class, I might add) is a marketing class called Consumer Buyer Behavior, which is basically why people buy what they buy. It's really interesting. It also involves a lot of field work...observing shoppers in their natural habitat without them knowing. Which is why I found myself slinking around a Kroger on Saturday afternoon, humming the Mission Impossible song and trying to blend in while furiously scribbling in my spy notebook about the shopping habits of my "mark". I nonchalantly followed them from aisle to aisle, making notes about every product they looked at while pretending to be thoroughly engrossed in the nutritional information on the back of a bag of pretzels whenever they looked in my direction.
Here's what I learned:
One-People are completely oblivious to any crazy women watching them from behind the spray cheese display. People! You don't think it's weird that you've seen me in every single aisle that you've been in, turning around when you turn around, stopping when you stop, shopping for over an hour, yet all I have in my buggy is a prop bag of pretzels?
Two-Lots of shoppers use lists. And coupons. They'd wander the aisles comparing their lists and their coupons. 75 cents off of this. Buy one get one for that. I'm impressed, budget savvy shoppers. The only time I remember to use a coupon is two years after it expired.
Three- Pringles seem to be a major seller. Especially if they are on the display shelf at the end of the aisle. Of the five shoppers I followed, 4 stopped to look at the Pringles, and 3 ended up buying some. Can we say impulse buy anyone?
Four- If you stop your buggy at the end of an aisle to record how many cans of Pringles the latest mark lingered over, people will RUN. YOU. DOWN. Especially little old ladies. They do not care that you are doing a homework assignment. If you impede the flow of shopping cart traffic, you are fair game.
Five- Peeking over the top of the battery display is a perfect way to spy on people in the checkout line. Unless of course the above mentioned little old lady wants some batteries. And then she doesn't even say excuse me. She just RUNS. YOU. DOWN. Shopping cart road rage claims another victim.
Six- Some shoppers followed their list. Some shoppers went up and down every single aisle. One guy had no idea where anything was located and kept doubling back to aisles he'd already been in. Which means that I did too. We looked like two drunken synchronized shopping cart dancers locked in the intricate art of aisle 4 crazy eights.
Seven- There seems to be a magical force that causes people to manhandle the tomatoes. Everybody and their brother wanders over and touches every single tomato. Pick it up, look at it, sniff it (SNIFF IT?!?), put it down, pick it back up again, squeeze it, put it down again. Repeat with all the other tomatoes. Wander off without buying any. Talk about your vegetable brutality! Makes me glad that I grow all my own tomatoes.
Eight- If you want a good view of everyone when they first come in the door, hide behind the display of potted plants next to the flower section.
Nine- If you want the woman who works at the flower counter to come over 50 times and ask if you need any help, hide behind the display of potted plants next to the flower section.
Ten- Following shoppers around a Kroger for three hours makes you hungry. Those Pringles are looking really good right now. The tomatoes? Not so much.
So there you have it. Consumer behavior in its natural environment. The habits, the psychology, the environment, the Pringles, the norms of your average grocery shopper. I feel just like Jane Goodall. Or maybe that British guy on Wild Kingdom who stood in the bushes whispering "Fascinating!" while his sidekick got mauled by a lion.
Because obviously the lion thought the sidekick was a tomato.
So the class that I'm taking right now (the LAST class, I might add) is a marketing class called Consumer Buyer Behavior, which is basically why people buy what they buy. It's really interesting. It also involves a lot of field work...observing shoppers in their natural habitat without them knowing. Which is why I found myself slinking around a Kroger on Saturday afternoon, humming the Mission Impossible song and trying to blend in while furiously scribbling in my spy notebook about the shopping habits of my "mark". I nonchalantly followed them from aisle to aisle, making notes about every product they looked at while pretending to be thoroughly engrossed in the nutritional information on the back of a bag of pretzels whenever they looked in my direction.
Here's what I learned:
One-People are completely oblivious to any crazy women watching them from behind the spray cheese display. People! You don't think it's weird that you've seen me in every single aisle that you've been in, turning around when you turn around, stopping when you stop, shopping for over an hour, yet all I have in my buggy is a prop bag of pretzels?
Two-Lots of shoppers use lists. And coupons. They'd wander the aisles comparing their lists and their coupons. 75 cents off of this. Buy one get one for that. I'm impressed, budget savvy shoppers. The only time I remember to use a coupon is two years after it expired.
Three- Pringles seem to be a major seller. Especially if they are on the display shelf at the end of the aisle. Of the five shoppers I followed, 4 stopped to look at the Pringles, and 3 ended up buying some. Can we say impulse buy anyone?
Four- If you stop your buggy at the end of an aisle to record how many cans of Pringles the latest mark lingered over, people will RUN. YOU. DOWN. Especially little old ladies. They do not care that you are doing a homework assignment. If you impede the flow of shopping cart traffic, you are fair game.
Five- Peeking over the top of the battery display is a perfect way to spy on people in the checkout line. Unless of course the above mentioned little old lady wants some batteries. And then she doesn't even say excuse me. She just RUNS. YOU. DOWN. Shopping cart road rage claims another victim.
Six- Some shoppers followed their list. Some shoppers went up and down every single aisle. One guy had no idea where anything was located and kept doubling back to aisles he'd already been in. Which means that I did too. We looked like two drunken synchronized shopping cart dancers locked in the intricate art of aisle 4 crazy eights.
Seven- There seems to be a magical force that causes people to manhandle the tomatoes. Everybody and their brother wanders over and touches every single tomato. Pick it up, look at it, sniff it (SNIFF IT?!?), put it down, pick it back up again, squeeze it, put it down again. Repeat with all the other tomatoes. Wander off without buying any. Talk about your vegetable brutality! Makes me glad that I grow all my own tomatoes.
Eight- If you want a good view of everyone when they first come in the door, hide behind the display of potted plants next to the flower section.
Nine- If you want the woman who works at the flower counter to come over 50 times and ask if you need any help, hide behind the display of potted plants next to the flower section.
Ten- Following shoppers around a Kroger for three hours makes you hungry. Those Pringles are looking really good right now. The tomatoes? Not so much.
So there you have it. Consumer behavior in its natural environment. The habits, the psychology, the environment, the Pringles, the norms of your average grocery shopper. I feel just like Jane Goodall. Or maybe that British guy on Wild Kingdom who stood in the bushes whispering "Fascinating!" while his sidekick got mauled by a lion.
Because obviously the lion thought the sidekick was a tomato.
4/29/08
10 Again
Is it only Tuesday? Since I've been living in thesis-land, I seem to have lost all sense of time. Since the calendar says it's Tuesday, and I have lots to share, let's do this.
One- Soooo, I'm sure everyone wants to know how the super scary thesis dissertation went, yes? Well...I knocked that sucker out of the park! It was a presentation home run! I didn't even throw up or anything. Once I started talking, I was in the zone! The panel of professors were nodding as I went through it, and that's always a good sign. And no scary questions during the sudden death elimination round! Luckily, everything they asked I had already thought of, so I was ready for them. Woot! Thanks for all of your prayers and well wishes. I am soooo glad it's over!
Two- I was so pyched about the presentation that I stopped in the local pool and spa place and bought myself a hot tub. (Technically, it's my graduation present from Mom and Dad, but they told me to go ahead and buy the one I liked, so I did). It's a nice little 3-4 person number with 15 jets and a lounger and electronic everything controls. I've been looking at ones similar to this one for a couple of months now, and this one was the first one to go on sale, so that's the one I bought. They have to ship mine in from the distribution center before they can deliver it, so we're looking at one to two weeks before I'm soaking, but that's okay. I've got a whole lot going on this week anyway.
Three- What's this week, you ask? Well, one of Tony's sisters is getting married this weekend, and I'm a bridesmaid, so I've got a whole lot of bridesmaidsy stuff going on. Plus, we have some of Tony's family staying with us for the wedding (note to self: must seriously clean house that has been completely ignored during thesis time), and it's crunch time at work. No rest for the weary, right? That's okay. I can take on anything now that the thesis is over.
Four- Speaking of the wedding, and seeing lots of people, and having pictures taken that will last all of eternity, I have apparently developed a big fat post-thesis zit right under my nose. And let me tell you, it's a beaut! The Mount Vesuvius of big red throbbing bumps. I'm medicating like crazy, and so far I've resisted picking at it, but I can tell that this sucker is settling in for the long haul. Nothing like ruining your sister-in-laws wedding photos, huh? I can just hear future generations of children asking, "Why does Great great great aunt Quirky have a second nose in this picture?" Because she's a freak, kids, she's a freak.
Five- Speaking of eyesores that will no doubt impress, we're having a wedding party here at the house on Thursday, and what's littered all over my roof? Raccoon traps. Oh yes. Because nothing says fancy party like critter traps all over your house. "Oh that? Well, we've been infested with giant vermin, and we're trying to catch them with this clever little box with a marshmallow inside". (Side note: Apparently raccoons like marshmallows? Who knew?) Maybe I can pass it off as a modern art sculpture.
Six- There's a little bird that comes to sing outside of my bedroom window every morning. He has a little song that goes "bir-die, bir-die, bir-die birdiebirdiebirdiebirdie! bir-die, bir-die bir-die..." Tony and I have taken to calling him Birdie because of it. I like him. He's a happy sort.
Seven- I took a half of a vacation day in order to get some of the house back into shape before all of our guest come, but so far I've just spent the time blogging. I'm sure my guests will appreciate that when it comes time for them to sleep on dirty sheets.
Eight- Oh my gosh! I can hear the raccoon moving around overhead RIGHT NOW! EAT THE FREAKING MARSHMALLOW YOU STUPID RACCOON!
Nine- You know what? All that talk of marshmallows has put me in the mood for some Rice Krispy Treats. I think I'll whip some up for the ol' bachelorette party on Thursday. If it's good enough for the raccoon, it's good enough for bachelorette party guests, right?
Rice Krispy Goodness
Ingredients
3 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 (10 oz.) package regular marshmallows - or - 4 cups mini marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies®
Directions
1. Melt margarine in large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.
3. Using buttered spatula or waxed paper, press mixture evenly into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cut into 2-inch squares when cool. Best if served the same day.
MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:In a large microwave safe bowl, heat margarine and marshmallows at HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 and 3 above.
One- Soooo, I'm sure everyone wants to know how the super scary thesis dissertation went, yes? Well...I knocked that sucker out of the park! It was a presentation home run! I didn't even throw up or anything. Once I started talking, I was in the zone! The panel of professors were nodding as I went through it, and that's always a good sign. And no scary questions during the sudden death elimination round! Luckily, everything they asked I had already thought of, so I was ready for them. Woot! Thanks for all of your prayers and well wishes. I am soooo glad it's over!
Two- I was so pyched about the presentation that I stopped in the local pool and spa place and bought myself a hot tub. (Technically, it's my graduation present from Mom and Dad, but they told me to go ahead and buy the one I liked, so I did). It's a nice little 3-4 person number with 15 jets and a lounger and electronic everything controls. I've been looking at ones similar to this one for a couple of months now, and this one was the first one to go on sale, so that's the one I bought. They have to ship mine in from the distribution center before they can deliver it, so we're looking at one to two weeks before I'm soaking, but that's okay. I've got a whole lot going on this week anyway.
Three- What's this week, you ask? Well, one of Tony's sisters is getting married this weekend, and I'm a bridesmaid, so I've got a whole lot of bridesmaidsy stuff going on. Plus, we have some of Tony's family staying with us for the wedding (note to self: must seriously clean house that has been completely ignored during thesis time), and it's crunch time at work. No rest for the weary, right? That's okay. I can take on anything now that the thesis is over.
Four- Speaking of the wedding, and seeing lots of people, and having pictures taken that will last all of eternity, I have apparently developed a big fat post-thesis zit right under my nose. And let me tell you, it's a beaut! The Mount Vesuvius of big red throbbing bumps. I'm medicating like crazy, and so far I've resisted picking at it, but I can tell that this sucker is settling in for the long haul. Nothing like ruining your sister-in-laws wedding photos, huh? I can just hear future generations of children asking, "Why does Great great great aunt Quirky have a second nose in this picture?" Because she's a freak, kids, she's a freak.
Five- Speaking of eyesores that will no doubt impress, we're having a wedding party here at the house on Thursday, and what's littered all over my roof? Raccoon traps. Oh yes. Because nothing says fancy party like critter traps all over your house. "Oh that? Well, we've been infested with giant vermin, and we're trying to catch them with this clever little box with a marshmallow inside". (Side note: Apparently raccoons like marshmallows? Who knew?) Maybe I can pass it off as a modern art sculpture.
Six- There's a little bird that comes to sing outside of my bedroom window every morning. He has a little song that goes "bir-die, bir-die, bir-die birdiebirdiebirdiebirdie! bir-die, bir-die bir-die..." Tony and I have taken to calling him Birdie because of it. I like him. He's a happy sort.
Seven- I took a half of a vacation day in order to get some of the house back into shape before all of our guest come, but so far I've just spent the time blogging. I'm sure my guests will appreciate that when it comes time for them to sleep on dirty sheets.
Eight- Oh my gosh! I can hear the raccoon moving around overhead RIGHT NOW! EAT THE FREAKING MARSHMALLOW YOU STUPID RACCOON!
Nine- You know what? All that talk of marshmallows has put me in the mood for some Rice Krispy Treats. I think I'll whip some up for the ol' bachelorette party on Thursday. If it's good enough for the raccoon, it's good enough for bachelorette party guests, right?
Rice Krispy Goodness
Ingredients
3 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 (10 oz.) package regular marshmallows - or - 4 cups mini marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies®
Directions
1. Melt margarine in large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.
3. Using buttered spatula or waxed paper, press mixture evenly into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cut into 2-inch squares when cool. Best if served the same day.
MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:In a large microwave safe bowl, heat margarine and marshmallows at HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 and 3 above.
Ten- Okay, so according to the comments below, no one save one dog can lick their own elbow. Tsk tsk. If you're going to run with the Quirky, you gots to develop your quirk skills, yo! Sounds like some more elbow-licking practice is in order. Only then can you reach your full quirky potential (and slobbery elbows).
Okay cyberbuddies, I'm off to clean my dirty neglected house and run to the store for some Krispies. Peace out Interpeeps!
4/28/08
Elbow Licking: A Much More Interesting Thesis Topic
IT'S THESIS DEFENDING DAY!
That said, I need to go over my presentation a few more times, so there will be no Quirky today. You will just have to amuse yourselves. To help you pass the time, I recommend you trying to lick your own elbow.
I saw an email forward once that said it was impossible for people to lick the end of their own elbows (and by the end I mean the bony part with the turtle skin...not the inside of your elbow). Anyway, it must not be impossible because I can do it. I attribute it to the fact that I have very flexible shoulder blades rather than the long reptilian tongue, but feel free to use whatever works for you.
This is also a fun game to keep children entertained for a few precious minutes. Let me know if anyone else can do it, or if the elbow licking quirk ends with me.
In the mean time, I'm going to focus on not throwing up during my presentation.
That said, I need to go over my presentation a few more times, so there will be no Quirky today. You will just have to amuse yourselves. To help you pass the time, I recommend you trying to lick your own elbow.
I saw an email forward once that said it was impossible for people to lick the end of their own elbows (and by the end I mean the bony part with the turtle skin...not the inside of your elbow). Anyway, it must not be impossible because I can do it. I attribute it to the fact that I have very flexible shoulder blades rather than the long reptilian tongue, but feel free to use whatever works for you.
This is also a fun game to keep children entertained for a few precious minutes. Let me know if anyone else can do it, or if the elbow licking quirk ends with me.
In the mean time, I'm going to focus on not throwing up during my presentation.
4/24/08
Good News- Bad News, the Student Edition
It's Good news/Bad News time!
Good news: I just had my last class of the semester! Cue the Endzone Dance! *dancing* Oh yeah! Oh yeah! It's my birthday! No more classes!
Bad news: Except that I've just decided to take miniterm, so the new "semester" starts May 5. Not a lot of time for the endzone dancing after all.
Good news: By taking the miniterm like this, it means that I don't have to double up classes in June. Which means June will only have class 2 nights a week for 4 hours, instead of 4 nights a week for 4 hours, which makes a HUUUUUGE difference in the chances of me keeping some semblance of sanity and not killing someone.
Bad news: The miniterm class is a finance class, which is not my cup of tea. And by "not my cup of tea", I mean BARF! YAK! SPEW! I'm allergic to math.
Good News: When I told the instructor that I was allergic to math, he laughed and told me it wouldn't be that bad. He's a good teacher. And besides, it's only for a month. I can handle anything for a month.
Bad news: it's T minus 4 days until I defend my thesis for my MBA. Mucho nerve-racking. Not so much about the paper, because it's all written and just needs a few final tweaks. And not so much over the presentation because I am not one of those people who dislikes public speaking. I can do a presentation to anyone about anything without batting an eye. The part that makes me nervous is the actual sudden death lightning round at the end, where the professors will fire questions at me to see how well I know my stuff. Like, "why did you pick this variable?" and "How can you confirm the validity of this data?" and "Why didn't you choose to do it this other way?". I'm trying to think of questions in advance so I can practice answering them, but the possibilities are endless, so I'm basically just going to have to wing it. Wish me luck. It's Monday night at 7pm.
Good news: At least the final in my other class is pretty easy. And a take home test too! I'm not as worried about this one because I'm acing the pants off of this class.
Bad News: But it is still one more thing that I'll have to sit down and make time for. (It's due tomorrow, so I guess I better start working on it).
Good News: But it'll all be worth it because as of June 27th, I'll be finished with classes FOREVER! Mwu-hahahahahahahaha! Then I'll have this nice fat MBA degree with my name on it! And that's got me doing the Endzone Dance all over again!
Good news: I just had my last class of the semester! Cue the Endzone Dance! *dancing* Oh yeah! Oh yeah! It's my birthday! No more classes!
Bad news: Except that I've just decided to take miniterm, so the new "semester" starts May 5. Not a lot of time for the endzone dancing after all.
Good news: By taking the miniterm like this, it means that I don't have to double up classes in June. Which means June will only have class 2 nights a week for 4 hours, instead of 4 nights a week for 4 hours, which makes a HUUUUUGE difference in the chances of me keeping some semblance of sanity and not killing someone.
Bad news: The miniterm class is a finance class, which is not my cup of tea. And by "not my cup of tea", I mean BARF! YAK! SPEW! I'm allergic to math.
Good News: When I told the instructor that I was allergic to math, he laughed and told me it wouldn't be that bad. He's a good teacher. And besides, it's only for a month. I can handle anything for a month.
Bad news: it's T minus 4 days until I defend my thesis for my MBA. Mucho nerve-racking. Not so much about the paper, because it's all written and just needs a few final tweaks. And not so much over the presentation because I am not one of those people who dislikes public speaking. I can do a presentation to anyone about anything without batting an eye. The part that makes me nervous is the actual sudden death lightning round at the end, where the professors will fire questions at me to see how well I know my stuff. Like, "why did you pick this variable?" and "How can you confirm the validity of this data?" and "Why didn't you choose to do it this other way?". I'm trying to think of questions in advance so I can practice answering them, but the possibilities are endless, so I'm basically just going to have to wing it. Wish me luck. It's Monday night at 7pm.
Good news: At least the final in my other class is pretty easy. And a take home test too! I'm not as worried about this one because I'm acing the pants off of this class.
Bad News: But it is still one more thing that I'll have to sit down and make time for. (It's due tomorrow, so I guess I better start working on it).
Good News: But it'll all be worth it because as of June 27th, I'll be finished with classes FOREVER! Mwu-hahahahahahahaha! Then I'll have this nice fat MBA degree with my name on it! And that's got me doing the Endzone Dance all over again!
3/18/08
One More Than Nine and The Day Before Wednesday
Welcome to today's 10 on Tuesday! Let's just jump right in, shall we?
One- As I was reading my bloglines of my favorite bloggers today, I noticed that one of them, Adventures of the Reluctant Housewife, mentioned me! How cool is that? It appears that she's stealing the 10 on Tuesday idea, which is fine with me since I totally ripped it off from Pink Paper Peppermints. And so the Interweb cycle of life continues. I'm such a trendsetter!
Two- I like to play a game with myself while my lunch cooking in the microwave each workday. I put my frozen meal in, key in the time, and then stand against the counter. Then I lean my upper body backwards slightly and use my stomach muscles to keep myself in place. I see if I can hold the position until the microwave dings. It's only for a couple of minutes, but I figure that if I work those pesky stomach muscles a little bit each day, then maybe they'll look good by swimsuit weather. No one can really tell that you're doing anything unusual because it just looks like you're leaned up against the counter. Try it.
Three- Well, this is the last week of the Cheerios experiment. I'm not sure that my results will count for anything though, since I have discovered that according to the official Cheerios challenge, you're supposed to eat a cup and a half of Cheerios, twice a day, along with exercise and a diet low in cholesterol, for six weeks. I've only been eating one cup of Cheerios once a day, and only on weekdays. If it works, then good for me, and if it doesn't, then no harm done. Besides, those study participants deserve to have their cholesterol lowered. I'm not sure I could stand eating 126 cups of Cheerios over a six week period. I'm pretty sick of them now as it is.
Four- I'm concerned that the new Horton Hears a Who movie will completely destroy the book. Has anyone seen it? I haven't seen it yet, but the commercials for it seem to take a whole lot of liberties with the plot. I'm a book purist, so movies based on books make me cringe anyway because Hollywood always feels the need to "spice things up". But Horton? C'mon guys, don't ruin Horton! He's a vital piece of my childhood! If you've seen the movie, let me know what you think. Is it good, or is Dr. Seuss rolling over in his grave? You gotta respect The Seuss.
Five- I'm happy to announce that I have finally jumped on the fashion bandwagon and purchased myself a pair of flats. (They've only been popular for what, a year and a half or so?) I read an article that said that you could wear flats instead of tennis shoes for the ultimate in shoe cuteness, and I thought, why not? Just slipping into a pair of flats will be faster than tying shoelaces anyway. (Always practical- that's me). So I hurried over to Target and found a lovely pair of little black ballet-like flats. They have all kinds of prints and patterns available, but I thought I'd start conservatively and see how often I wore them. (Although I really like these and these and these too.) I can always expand into leopard print later.
Six- Speaking of fashion, it just hit me that Easter is this weekend and I don't have an Easter dress. I guess I'm just going to dig through the closet for something that I already have, because I don't have any time to go shopping. Besides, with our crazy Tennessee weather, there's no telling if I will need a sleeveless sundress or a winter parka. So far, the extended forecast says it'll be 60 degrees, but it can turn on you at any moment. Fingers crossed for warm weather.
Seven- BigMama wrote a post a few days ago about her daughter Caroline deciding that it would be a good idea to color her own rear end with a purple permanent marker, resulting in some excess purple ink finding its way onto her nice white toilet seat. BigMama was wondering 1) what would possess someone to want to color their own derriere purple, and 2), how to get purple permanent marker off of a white toilet seat. After I finished laughing until I cried and then laughing some more, I had to admit that I could totally see where Caroline was coming from. While I have personally never considered coloring my rear purple, I must admit that I have in the past enjoyed drawing on myself. (Although I suggest washable markers, not permanent ones). I think it is the same thing that makes people want to get tattoos, or do henna drawings on themselves. Or maybe it's just that stomachs and arms and legs make such fun canvases. Anyway, the great thing about washable markers is that you can color all over yourself and then just step in the shower and have it wash away. I highly suggest it as your next rainy day activity.
Eight- Oh ya'll, I just realized that the due date for my thesis is only four weeks away. That's super scary, because four weeks is not much time at all, especially since I've beenslacking lately waiting for inspiration to hit. I have a lot left to do on it, and I'm not looking forward to it. I used to think my topic was mildly interesting, but now it bores even me to death. I pity the poor professors who will have to read it (and listen to my presentation on it, and grade it). I won't be sad to see the end of it at all.
Nine- So here's a freaky little sibling mind warp thing: Yesterday I posted the Irish toast in honor of Saint Patrick's day, and unbeknownst to me, the Seester ALSO posted the SAME Irish toast to her blog AT THE SAME TIME! What are the chances of that? Out of millions of things to write about on Saint Patrick's day, we both picked Irish toasts. And out of millions of Irish toasts (and there are a lot of them because those Irish, they love to toast), we picked the same one! Spooky huh?
Ten- I'm going to visit an old buddy this weekend! Since I'm off for Good Friday, I'm taking a short road trip over to see Eli and his Mama from Rediscovery. We've known each other since the 6th grade, and she was my college roommate for a semester for my freshman year, and even through we haven't seen each other in forever, she's one of those friends where you can just instantly pick back up with no matter how long it's been. I'm very excited. I also haven't really seen the town that I grew up in since I left for college, (10 years ago!) so it'll be interesting to see what all has changed around there. And okay, I admit that I'm kinda excited about seeing Eli again too, even though his mama tried to totally scare me off with this post about how drooly he is. (Mental note: bring lots of towels).
So that's that. Random? Yes. Helpful? Probably not. Entertaining? I hope so. The point is, it's Tuesday, and there's ten of them, so it counts as a...10 on Tuesday!
One- As I was reading my bloglines of my favorite bloggers today, I noticed that one of them, Adventures of the Reluctant Housewife, mentioned me! How cool is that? It appears that she's stealing the 10 on Tuesday idea, which is fine with me since I totally ripped it off from Pink Paper Peppermints. And so the Interweb cycle of life continues. I'm such a trendsetter!
Two- I like to play a game with myself while my lunch cooking in the microwave each workday. I put my frozen meal in, key in the time, and then stand against the counter. Then I lean my upper body backwards slightly and use my stomach muscles to keep myself in place. I see if I can hold the position until the microwave dings. It's only for a couple of minutes, but I figure that if I work those pesky stomach muscles a little bit each day, then maybe they'll look good by swimsuit weather. No one can really tell that you're doing anything unusual because it just looks like you're leaned up against the counter. Try it.
Three- Well, this is the last week of the Cheerios experiment. I'm not sure that my results will count for anything though, since I have discovered that according to the official Cheerios challenge, you're supposed to eat a cup and a half of Cheerios, twice a day, along with exercise and a diet low in cholesterol, for six weeks. I've only been eating one cup of Cheerios once a day, and only on weekdays. If it works, then good for me, and if it doesn't, then no harm done. Besides, those study participants deserve to have their cholesterol lowered. I'm not sure I could stand eating 126 cups of Cheerios over a six week period. I'm pretty sick of them now as it is.
Four- I'm concerned that the new Horton Hears a Who movie will completely destroy the book. Has anyone seen it? I haven't seen it yet, but the commercials for it seem to take a whole lot of liberties with the plot. I'm a book purist, so movies based on books make me cringe anyway because Hollywood always feels the need to "spice things up". But Horton? C'mon guys, don't ruin Horton! He's a vital piece of my childhood! If you've seen the movie, let me know what you think. Is it good, or is Dr. Seuss rolling over in his grave? You gotta respect The Seuss.
Five- I'm happy to announce that I have finally jumped on the fashion bandwagon and purchased myself a pair of flats. (They've only been popular for what, a year and a half or so?) I read an article that said that you could wear flats instead of tennis shoes for the ultimate in shoe cuteness, and I thought, why not? Just slipping into a pair of flats will be faster than tying shoelaces anyway. (Always practical- that's me). So I hurried over to Target and found a lovely pair of little black ballet-like flats. They have all kinds of prints and patterns available, but I thought I'd start conservatively and see how often I wore them. (Although I really like these and these and these too.) I can always expand into leopard print later.
Six- Speaking of fashion, it just hit me that Easter is this weekend and I don't have an Easter dress. I guess I'm just going to dig through the closet for something that I already have, because I don't have any time to go shopping. Besides, with our crazy Tennessee weather, there's no telling if I will need a sleeveless sundress or a winter parka. So far, the extended forecast says it'll be 60 degrees, but it can turn on you at any moment. Fingers crossed for warm weather.
Seven- BigMama wrote a post a few days ago about her daughter Caroline deciding that it would be a good idea to color her own rear end with a purple permanent marker, resulting in some excess purple ink finding its way onto her nice white toilet seat. BigMama was wondering 1) what would possess someone to want to color their own derriere purple, and 2), how to get purple permanent marker off of a white toilet seat. After I finished laughing until I cried and then laughing some more, I had to admit that I could totally see where Caroline was coming from. While I have personally never considered coloring my rear purple, I must admit that I have in the past enjoyed drawing on myself. (Although I suggest washable markers, not permanent ones). I think it is the same thing that makes people want to get tattoos, or do henna drawings on themselves. Or maybe it's just that stomachs and arms and legs make such fun canvases. Anyway, the great thing about washable markers is that you can color all over yourself and then just step in the shower and have it wash away. I highly suggest it as your next rainy day activity.
Eight- Oh ya'll, I just realized that the due date for my thesis is only four weeks away. That's super scary, because four weeks is not much time at all, especially since I've been
Nine- So here's a freaky little sibling mind warp thing: Yesterday I posted the Irish toast in honor of Saint Patrick's day, and unbeknownst to me, the Seester ALSO posted the SAME Irish toast to her blog AT THE SAME TIME! What are the chances of that? Out of millions of things to write about on Saint Patrick's day, we both picked Irish toasts. And out of millions of Irish toasts (and there are a lot of them because those Irish, they love to toast), we picked the same one! Spooky huh?
Ten- I'm going to visit an old buddy this weekend! Since I'm off for Good Friday, I'm taking a short road trip over to see Eli and his Mama from Rediscovery. We've known each other since the 6th grade, and she was my college roommate for a semester for my freshman year, and even through we haven't seen each other in forever, she's one of those friends where you can just instantly pick back up with no matter how long it's been. I'm very excited. I also haven't really seen the town that I grew up in since I left for college, (10 years ago!) so it'll be interesting to see what all has changed around there. And okay, I admit that I'm kinda excited about seeing Eli again too, even though his mama tried to totally scare me off with this post about how drooly he is. (Mental note: bring lots of towels).
So that's that. Random? Yes. Helpful? Probably not. Entertaining? I hope so. The point is, it's Tuesday, and there's ten of them, so it counts as a...10 on Tuesday!
2/18/08
A Case Study...of Awesomeness!
Ya'll will just have to excuse me, but I have to brag on myself, just a little. We had a case study in my Marketing class two weeks ago, and after grading them, the professor announced that he would post the best paper on blackboard so that the rest of the class could see it and get an idea of what he wanted. Right after he said that, he turned to a guy and was like, "I'll need your paper in electronic form...you only gave me a hard copy", so of course, everyone knew it was that guy's paper. Just out of curiosity, I checked to see if I made the same points that the best paper had, and as I was scanning it, I was like, Yep. Said that. Said that too. Said that...wait a second! This is MY paper!
And then I jumped up and did my funky chicken dance right here in the middle of work, which I gotta say caused more than a few raised eyebrows around the copier.
My paper rocks! My paper rocks! Wooo-hooo! Oh ya'll, this just made my day. So much so that I hung my A paper on the fridge to celebrate. Email me to schedule a time to come over to my house for official viewing. Commemorative copies will be available for purchase in the gift shop. Oh, and I'd like to thank my family for always believing in me, and Microsoft Word spellchecker for making my work the best it could be, and Harvard Business School for providing the Tivo case in the first place. Thank you! Thank you! *sniff* Oh, I promised myself I wouldn't cry!
Whew! Okay, I'm better now. I just wanted to share. We celebrate the good times and the bad here at Quirky. You may now return to your regularly scheduled Monday.
And then I jumped up and did my funky chicken dance right here in the middle of work, which I gotta say caused more than a few raised eyebrows around the copier.
My paper rocks! My paper rocks! Wooo-hooo! Oh ya'll, this just made my day. So much so that I hung my A paper on the fridge to celebrate. Email me to schedule a time to come over to my house for official viewing. Commemorative copies will be available for purchase in the gift shop. Oh, and I'd like to thank my family for always believing in me, and Microsoft Word spellchecker for making my work the best it could be, and Harvard Business School for providing the Tivo case in the first place. Thank you! Thank you! *sniff* Oh, I promised myself I wouldn't cry!
Whew! Okay, I'm better now. I just wanted to share. We celebrate the good times and the bad here at Quirky. You may now return to your regularly scheduled Monday.
1/10/08
School Supplies
It's class time again! This semester is Marketing Strategy (an interesting sounding class but a new, unknown teacher, so who knows?) and Business Research Projects, which is my thesis (major barf, but my advisor is a good guy). Actually, if I'm disciplined and write faithfully throughout the semester, the thesis paper won't be so bad. (And the chances of me actually being that disciplined after the first chapter are about the same as the Pope nominating Brittany Spears for sainthood. Place your bets now people).
Of course, both classes are already attempting to bankrupt me by requiring books that cost a billion-gazillion dollars, but I have managed to get around that by asking if it's okay to get a previous edition (it is). So while the 11th edition retails for $180 smackaroos, the 10th edition can be purchased for $27. (Quick bargain boogie for used-textbooks-that-nobody-wants-anymore-because-they-are-a-whopping-year-old.com! I love you, internet shopping!)
With book buying out of the way, we turn our attention to gathering other necessary supplies such as pencils, post-its, and a file folder (easily liberated from work), a calculator with questionable battery power, and healthy class snack rations (Twix bars, Fudge Shoppe cookies, Cheese-its, chocolate chunk granola bars, half a pack of gum and one almost-overripe banana. See? I told you it was healthy).
Now I'm ready to rock and roll. My book bag is packed, my mechanical pencil is sharpened, and I've already harassed my teachers via email by asking 50 billion questions before the classes have even started.
Class is officially back in session!
Of course, both classes are already attempting to bankrupt me by requiring books that cost a billion-gazillion dollars, but I have managed to get around that by asking if it's okay to get a previous edition (it is). So while the 11th edition retails for $180 smackaroos, the 10th edition can be purchased for $27. (Quick bargain boogie for used-textbooks-that-nobody-wants-anymore-because-they-are-a-whopping-year-old.com! I love you, internet shopping!)
With book buying out of the way, we turn our attention to gathering other necessary supplies such as pencils, post-its, and a file folder (easily liberated from work), a calculator with questionable battery power, and healthy class snack rations (Twix bars, Fudge Shoppe cookies, Cheese-its, chocolate chunk granola bars, half a pack of gum and one almost-overripe banana. See? I told you it was healthy).
Now I'm ready to rock and roll. My book bag is packed, my mechanical pencil is sharpened, and I've already harassed my teachers via email by asking 50 billion questions before the classes have even started.
Class is officially back in session!
9/17/07
Mary Kay Is In The Way
I know, I know, you came looking for something witty and brilliant. Sorry. I have a paper due tomorrow in marketing, so I'm all tied up with the story of Mary Kay Cosmetics and their struggles to get into and become successful in Asia, specifically China. Very fascinating stuff (that's sarcasm by the way), but I'm afraid that its just not quite the level of quirky that you have come to expect.
Please check back tomorrow, or at worst, Wednesday, and I'll see what I can come up with to alleviate your quirky cravings.
Please check back tomorrow, or at worst, Wednesday, and I'll see what I can come up with to alleviate your quirky cravings.
8/30/07
Scratch and Sniff Marketing
My books for school have arrived just in time to go to class! And not only that, but they were the correct books, and the correct editions, and arrived in sufficient plastic wrap and packing peanuts to be in pretty good condition. (Ya'll, I love online shopping, and I'll buy online for anything that I possibly can, but when you're on a deadline and it's the day before class, you start to get a little worried about just what is going to arrive in your mailbox and when). But it turns out that I worried over nothing, because everything arrived just fine, which totally reaffirms my belief in Internet commerce and capitalism in general.
Well, okay, there is just one little thing. Ze Global Marketing book? 'E smells of fish. Really really REALLY strong fish. Yes, the book is brand new and was still wrapped in factory plastic when it arrived, but I'm telling you that the printing press must have been located in the local fish market and then transported by local fishing boat, and then distributed by Red Lobster, because actually opening the book conjures up very real images of seagulls swooping and fish flopping on decks and that Gordon's Fisherman Guy in his yellow overalls peering through a carton of Marketing textbooks. Did I mention that the smell was kind of strong? And it's not easy to Febreze a book either. The pages get soggy and tend to stick together. Actually reading the book involves propping it up on the edge of the desk and standing as far away as possible until it's time to hold your breath and turn the page.
On the other hand, the cats have very suddenly developed an intense interest in Market Segmentation and Product Positioning. Every time I take the book out, they both come running.
Well, okay, there is just one little thing. Ze Global Marketing book? 'E smells of fish. Really really REALLY strong fish. Yes, the book is brand new and was still wrapped in factory plastic when it arrived, but I'm telling you that the printing press must have been located in the local fish market and then transported by local fishing boat, and then distributed by Red Lobster, because actually opening the book conjures up very real images of seagulls swooping and fish flopping on decks and that Gordon's Fisherman Guy in his yellow overalls peering through a carton of Marketing textbooks. Did I mention that the smell was kind of strong? And it's not easy to Febreze a book either. The pages get soggy and tend to stick together. Actually reading the book involves propping it up on the edge of the desk and standing as far away as possible until it's time to hold your breath and turn the page.
On the other hand, the cats have very suddenly developed an intense interest in Market Segmentation and Product Positioning. Every time I take the book out, they both come running.
8/27/07
Because Everyone Remembers the European Cheese Shortage of 1843
I've started class again. I'm officially halfway through my graduate career, although I've just discovered that I may be spending an extra semester in these hallowed halls due to a scheduling snafu. It appears that the last class I need to graduate is not offered again until the summer session, which makes graduating in May a little more difficult. (In undergrad at UT, we referred to this kind of scheduling problem as the "Big Orange Screw". I'm not sure what to call it here. I think that the official school colors are blue and white, but the "Big Blue Screw" seems a little lacking in oomph. It's either a good name for a mixed drink, as in "I'll take a Blue Screw and a Mango Margarita, hold the salt" or an episode of Blue's Clues meets Bob the Builder where Bob and Blue search for the missing Big Blue Screw. What it doesn't convey is the school going, "You'll spend an extra semester writing your thesis because of the bizarre class availability...take that sucka!"). I talked to my advisor though, and if I'm really intent on graduating in May and can double up on the class load in the spring, he can provide a special independent study session that is really the same class that isn't offered until the summer. I'm still deciding if the May graduation date is worth it or not. If it isn't, I'm pushed to August.
Meanwhile, I'm taking Global Marketing and Statistics. I'm supposed to be reading the first two chapters in Marketing and the first three in Stats, but I ordered my books over the Internet, and they have neglected to grace me with their presence yet. I know that they've shipped and that my books are somewhere between here and Pennsylvania, traveling via media mail (which is probably a nice way of saying "carried by a random hitch hiker"), but who knows when they'll actually show. They're supposed to arrive any day now. Or up to 21 days from now. Hard to tell with media mail. I'm not really worried though, because I'll just look on with my neighbor for this class. We won't have homework due until next week.
I'm excited about these classes. I really like the Global Marketing professor, because he tells good stories about real marketing scenarios. Unfortunately, he also expects you to know a lot of world history, which I haven't had since the 9th grade, and apparently oozed out of my brain .000001 seconds after I learned it. (No doubt to make room for more important knowledge, like all the words to the Sir Mix-a-Lot song Baby Got Back). Suffice it to say, I'm at a bit of a disadvantage when explaining that Italy's cultural reaction to potato chips can be traced back to the European Cheese Shortage of 1843, but I can belt out "I like big butts!" with the best of them.
Stats is more of a tossup. I really liked stats in undergrad, but I think that was mostly because I had a good teacher. My current stats professor goes about teaching things a little differently, but I'm hoping that it won't cause me any problems. Right now, I'm optimistically choosing to believe that I'm a natural statistical genius, and that I'll sail right through the class. Whether or not this is a true statement remains to be seen. At least I know that I had a pretty good grasp of it at one time, so I'm hoping that the old "riding a bike" thing applies to statistical analysis and with a little prodding, it'll all come right back to me.
In the mean time, I'll have a Big Blue Screw with a twist of lime.
Meanwhile, I'm taking Global Marketing and Statistics. I'm supposed to be reading the first two chapters in Marketing and the first three in Stats, but I ordered my books over the Internet, and they have neglected to grace me with their presence yet. I know that they've shipped and that my books are somewhere between here and Pennsylvania, traveling via media mail (which is probably a nice way of saying "carried by a random hitch hiker"), but who knows when they'll actually show. They're supposed to arrive any day now. Or up to 21 days from now. Hard to tell with media mail. I'm not really worried though, because I'll just look on with my neighbor for this class. We won't have homework due until next week.
I'm excited about these classes. I really like the Global Marketing professor, because he tells good stories about real marketing scenarios. Unfortunately, he also expects you to know a lot of world history, which I haven't had since the 9th grade, and apparently oozed out of my brain .000001 seconds after I learned it. (No doubt to make room for more important knowledge, like all the words to the Sir Mix-a-Lot song Baby Got Back). Suffice it to say, I'm at a bit of a disadvantage when explaining that Italy's cultural reaction to potato chips can be traced back to the European Cheese Shortage of 1843, but I can belt out "I like big butts!" with the best of them.
Stats is more of a tossup. I really liked stats in undergrad, but I think that was mostly because I had a good teacher. My current stats professor goes about teaching things a little differently, but I'm hoping that it won't cause me any problems. Right now, I'm optimistically choosing to believe that I'm a natural statistical genius, and that I'll sail right through the class. Whether or not this is a true statement remains to be seen. At least I know that I had a pretty good grasp of it at one time, so I'm hoping that the old "riding a bike" thing applies to statistical analysis and with a little prodding, it'll all come right back to me.
In the mean time, I'll have a Big Blue Screw with a twist of lime.
6/5/07
Dr. Honeydew
I've started a new class for summer session. This one is on Management Information Services. The class could be interesting...but its not. There's a whole lot of "The definition of an ethical dilemma is on page 43 of your book" instead of "Discuss the ramifications of data mining vs a right to privacy. Is this an ethical dilemma?". The second would require me to think. The first bores me to tears. Therefore, I spent most of the class having an internal debate on exactly who 
the professor sounds like, because I know I've heard that voice before. Then it hit me! He's Dr. Bunsen Honeydew from the Muppets! Remember the professor that invented crazy stuff in Muppet Labs, usually to the detriment of his assistant, Beaker? That's my professor! Not only does he sound exactly like him, but he looks a lot like him too. The squinty (or in Honeydew's case, nonexistent) eyes, the glasses, the baldness. (My professor isn't green, but the rest is dead-on). I've attached a youtube clip below so that you can reacquaint yourself with the glory that is Dr. Honeydew (and Beaker). Just imagine this guy for 4 hours, twice a week. It's enough to make you want to impale yourself on a sharpened banana.
the professor sounds like, because I know I've heard that voice before. Then it hit me! He's Dr. Bunsen Honeydew from the Muppets! Remember the professor that invented crazy stuff in Muppet Labs, usually to the detriment of his assistant, Beaker? That's my professor! Not only does he sound exactly like him, but he looks a lot like him too. The squinty (or in Honeydew's case, nonexistent) eyes, the glasses, the baldness. (My professor isn't green, but the rest is dead-on). I've attached a youtube clip below so that you can reacquaint yourself with the glory that is Dr. Honeydew (and Beaker). Just imagine this guy for 4 hours, twice a week. It's enough to make you want to impale yourself on a sharpened banana.
5/31/07
Doing My Endzone Dance
Oh. My. Goodness! You will not believe what just happened. I got an A in Financial Institutions! All that Federal Reserveness translated into an A! I seriously have no clue how that happened. After the final, I was sure that I would have a B. A low B. He must have really been generous with the partial credit. Dear sweet Federal Reserve, I take back all the lousy things I said about you!
5/24/07
The Final Finale
Congratulate me. I have officially finished my evil Feddy-Fed final. It took me right at two hours to complete, and I have a permanent hand cramp from having to write it all. With a pen no less! No computers allowed! Must be handwritten! Whoever heard of such nonsense? Hand-written stuff is so 15 years ago.
Anyway, the test was okay if you're wondering, although I completely blanked on the Glass-Stegall Act, and I can't remember why Penn State Bank was significant, and I think my Keynesian Cross graph is actually backwards (does that make it Classical?) but at this point I don't really care anymore. I'm thinking that I've got a pretty solid B for the class, and I guess I'm okay with that. (Although I wouldn't say no to some pain and suffering extra credit points, because my hand may never be the same).
I'm going to spend the rest of the evening watching brainless TV until all the information I've stuffed into my head this semester eases back out and reduces the cranial pressure. Turn in tomorrow when we return to our regularly scheduled, non-economics based blogging.
Anyway, the test was okay if you're wondering, although I completely blanked on the Glass-Stegall Act, and I can't remember why Penn State Bank was significant, and I think my Keynesian Cross graph is actually backwards (does that make it Classical?) but at this point I don't really care anymore. I'm thinking that I've got a pretty solid B for the class, and I guess I'm okay with that. (Although I wouldn't say no to some pain and suffering extra credit points, because my hand may never be the same).
I'm going to spend the rest of the evening watching brainless TV until all the information I've stuffed into my head this semester eases back out and reduces the cranial pressure. Turn in tomorrow when we return to our regularly scheduled, non-economics based blogging.