This Week in Blogs, Volume VIII
Hi Friends. Everything is right in the world again. We have replaced Kate’s blog reading machine. It was a difficult process. Kate had very high standards when making this purchase:
1. Laptop must be small/cute - but not tiny
2. Laptop must be light - who knew that there was such a large difference between a laptop that weighs 4.6 pounds as opposed to 4.7 pounds? Kate did, that’s who.
3. Laptop must have good battery life - there is no shortage of electrical outlets in our house, but Kate is not a big fan of plugging in her power cord - it takes away from valuable blog reading time.
The Geek Squad guy was waxing poetic about some computer - talking about how it would meet all of our HD Video needs. I tried to tell him that the only video work that we’ll be doing on the computer is watching VeggieGirl TV, but I don’t think he knew what I was talking about. So here’s what we went with:
So far Kate’s pretty happy with it. Kate’s only regret is that she doesn’t have a hard copy of her 100 or so food blog bookmarks that she had on blogreading machine 1.0. In fact, she actually had to ask me for the link to my other blog. I was a little upset about her not having that one memorized, but at least she wanted to read it, right? Alright…enough about the computer. Let’s get going with the blog review.
Post-Graduate Meghann is in San Antonio for work. You can read about her adventures in this post. It was a nice post, and she should receive some sort of compensation from the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau. There was one line in the post that I have to take issue with:
“A bowl of fresh fruit starring me in the face is my true weakness.”
What? Fresh fruit? Fresh Fruit cannot be a weakness. Chocolate can be a weakness. Kryptonite can be a weakness. Black Tar Heroin can be a weakness. According to Barry White and MC Hammer, Your (Yo) Sweetness, can also be my weakness. Fresh fruit is just stuff that you’re supposed to eat.
Post-Graduate Meghann also did an extensive post on sports bras. I thought about writing about it, but figured that there’s really no way for a guy to comment on that post without sounding like a giant perv, so I won’t. But if you are in the market for a sports bra, and want to shop by brand, fabric, size, color, or store, then this is probably a helpful post. Doh, I said I wasn’t going to write about this one and now look at me. Okay, I’ll stop now.
Hangry Pants and Mr. Hangy Pants took a break from developing obscure nut butters and went shopping at the Super Caloric Magical Store in this post. I have mentioned in previous posts that Emily from Super Caloric Chalk Dust somehow finds every random ass test product ever developed. This happens so frequently that it has now become a commonly used term in our household. If we find random ass products at the grocery store, we call it super caloric. Unfortunately, we don’t have magical bodegas down here with rare (and potentially not FDA approved) products. Charlotte’s idea of a new product is a commemorative 18 pack of Miller Lite with pictures of NASCAR tracks on the cans. I don’t think that counts. Anyway, the Hangrys found Throwback Mountain Dew, which absolutely qualifies as super caloric (in a couple of ways). I believe I have mentioned that I am a strong supporter of Diet Mountain Dew. I have continued my support, even though Kate now refuses to buy it for me (and calls it Garbage Water), and I’m not even into jumping out of airplanes on a snowboard or base jumping. Based on their commercials, this must be the target market for their product. So yeah, I’m pretty jealous of the Hangrys for this find. Hopefully it’ll make it down to Charlotte in a few more months, although it’ll likely have a NASCAR track on the label or be in the shape of a tire or something like that.
Kelsey at Bites and Bowls made an exciting announcement this week. She selected a new yoga studio in this post. I assume that having a blogger choose and blog about a yoga studio is sort of like having a celebrity endorsement for a political candidate. Kelsey clearly made an informed decision, laying out the pros and cons of each of the candidates. You know…all of the important stuff like cleanliness of the studio, as well as the music that the studio plays. Now I think Kelsey should’ve gone with the studio that was playing Hootie and Britney, but I’m not really a yoga expert. My one formal yoga experience was very similar to my one Zumba experience. I think I’m the first person to ever get yelled at during a yoga session. I do sometimes lay in bed for a few minutes before waking up. I guess I could just come up with names for each of my still-kind-of-asleep positions and then I could call it yoga. Then I wouldn’t feel like such a lazy ass when I wake up at 7:59 and walk downstairs for work. No honey, I wasn’t sleeping, I was perfecting my “Tired man lower case t” pose in the yoga studio (bed) upstairs. I love it. Kelsey also wrote a nice post that involved volume drinking (always a fan favorite) but the font size and color changes got to me before I could finish reading it, and I moved to another blog before the chest pains got too bad.
The latest blog that I’ve been stalking is Homegirl Can Eat. That’s just fun to say/write. Now I’ve been fairly critical of some of the abbreviations that have been showing up in blogland recently (see previous thoughts on sammie, brekkie, and grapie). Homegirl has taken a new approach. Instead of falling into the baby talk trap that has caught so many good bloggers, she has basically developed her own language. I’m actually a fan of this approach. It sort of reads like some kind of twin talk or Jodie Foster’s dialogue in Nell. Fortunately for me and the rest of Homegirl’s readers over the age of 21, she has developed this dictionary to explain what the hell she is talking about. Unfortunately it took me a few visits to this blog before I found the dictionary, which made my first few trips feel like a day of Telemundo watching…very enjoyable for sure, but I clearly felt like an outsider. If only MTV would offer a dictionary, then I could get back to watching The Real World without feeling like such an old man.
Stock Up
Mexican Food - I thought it was just a Cinco de Mayo thing, but we’re going on two weeks now
Descriptive Yoga Posts - Yoga is already in the stock up hall of fame, but now I’ve seen quite a few descriptive posts where people talk about different poses and I just sort of lose interest mid sentence. It’s kind of like when people start describing their dreams. If it doesn’t involve me, then I lose interest very quickly.
Grey’s Anatomy - Not the show so much, but posts about the show. If you are looking to fill the McDreamy-sized hole in your TV viewing, I recommend The Real Housewives of New Jersey. The shows have nothing in common, but I want more people to watch the housewives so I can discuss them in this blog.
Questions or Quotes at the end of posts - Now I’m a fan of these, but keep in mind that doing this increases your comment volume, which will make some people (Kate) think your blog is super popular. I guess that’s probably a good thing.
Strikethrough Correction - Often used in context of: what I really want to say more eloquent or politically correct way to say what I really mean to say. This technique is reaching Twilight levels of popularity in blogland.
Stock Down
Red Wine - I’m trying to keep it from disappearing entirely for the summer, but I’m just one man.
Trader Joe’s Sushi - Not because it isn’t on blogs anymore, but because I didn’t realize until I got home that they think Jalapenos belong in a tuna roll. This was very upsetting. I know it isn’t really in the spirit of this blog to talk about my own food experiences, but I consider this one a public service announcement for anyone who doesn’t want to find a jalapeno in their sushi. Which should be everyone in the world.
Sliced Bread - Everything in blogland is now in wrap form. There are also paninis and bagels, but no regular old slices of bread. Do we need to change that expression about it being “the greatest thing” now?
Alright. That’s all I’ve got. We’ll try to do better next time.
I am starting to feel like I am stalking your blog!
again, laughing…not at the Trader Joe’s sushi though. That is just wrong! (Perhaps an abundance in their factory after Cinco de Mayo?)
Great post! I laughed loudly at this classic line: “The Geek Squad guy was waxing poetic about some computer - talking about how it would meet all of our HD Video needs. I tried to tell him that the only video work that we’ll be doing on the computer is watching VeggieGirl TV, but I don’t think he knew what I was talking about.”
Once again, brilliant. And I drink red wine every night.
Um - please tell me Kate knows about Google Reader….
If not - she will be the happiest girl in the world
You did “great Nate”! You probably don’t like that…anyway, I love the half awake yoga poses in your yoga studio aka bed.
I agree, Google Reader rocks!
Hilarious! I am laughing at my desk and the whole office thinks I am nuts.
Where is your post-ending question? I was all ready to answer one! Please share the yoga story–what did you do to get yelled at? And feel free to talk about the Real Housewives. You will make it funny even if we haven’t seen it
I still proudly consume my bread! And I have to agree, there should be no jalapenos in sushi. Fusion cuisine can only go so far, then it’s just wrong.
“Tired man in a lowercase t” pose made me LOL!
And yes, Google Reader is a must have! I’d never be able to read as many blogs if weren’t for Google Reader!
Ellie - Stalk away
Dori - Thanks. And this blog is way funnier post-wine.
AlliJag - I will try (again) to get her on the Google Reader bandwagon
Missy - You work in an office where people don’t read my blog? You need a new job.
Karla - Damn…forgot my question. Yoga story isn’t that great. I’m just not very bendy. When the instructor saw me not doing a given post, she apparently thought I was deaf, as opposed to yielding to the laws of physics.
Haha! I’m so glad you guys have been able to keep reading the food blogs - WHERE would I be without The BlogStalker?! Jerz Housewives are going to keep be glued to my TV. Did you see the NY reunion?! More cat fights than The View.
You can probably reach Jillian Michaels DVD selling numbers with your bed yoga routines. All the boyfriends of the bloggers will do buy that shiznit to impress their healthy ladies.
I still eat sliced bread. But I’m also on Shred Level 1, so I’ve been behind the blog times for a long time now.
Nate, your weekly posts are sooo funny and definitely a highlight I look forward to each week. Do you (Kate) read “The Beholder?” Wiggs is split your gut laughing funny and I can see you commenting right and left on her adventures each day.
I am so totally watching Real Housewives next time. I missed the premiere but you should watch/blog about that scream fest they called the NYC Reunion.
Nate, I am totally down with you discussing Real Housewives on here. Please do!
You are so right! There is no bread in the blogworld anymore! haha it’s all wraps!
Brilliant!
Well Nate, since you watch RHW of NJ I bet you can understand why we have special products here. They figure if we don’t spit it back at the person serving/selling it to us, it will be ok in the rest of the country.
And I love sliced bread, but do feel quite old fashioned eating it.
Glad Kate’s blog reading machine is back up and running. We’ve never done Tired man lower case t pose in any of my yoga classes. I’m going to request it next time.
Have a good weekend Nate!
Dude. I’m waiting for you to stalk new blogs. I already READ all the blogs you keep posting about.
C’mon. Work harder.
Well fruit is a weakness when I got back for FOUR plates of it and then get a tummy aches, yet still continue to eat the big bowl of fruit. lol
If you want next time I can do a post on the Sports Bro for you
You need to get Kate using Delicious for bookmarks…saves the day when a computer dies.
K-Dizzle - I missed the reunion. Hope to catch up this weekend.
Olga - Maybe I could even call it “Buy this Shiznit”
Genesis - Were you on The Real World Boston? If so, you’re one of my favs. If not, stop teasing me with your name.
Hangry - Do you have to pay cash for your special products? Are they made out of Onyx and Marble?
HTSB - That’s just a working title. The move might also be called the Sleepy Crucifix. Still working on the names.
Erin - My bad. I try to add one or two new ones per week. I might do a “blogs I’ve never talked about before” post in the near future. I’ll wait until after all of my TV shows go into re-runs, and then I’ll have time.
Mehegehannnn - Maybe I can do a review of the Stadium Pal - The external catheter for guys who don’t want to get up to use the bathroom at sporting events. Kate has refused to let me purchase one in the past, but if it’s for a blog review, maybe she’ll allow it. Oh, and do I need to add born again vegetarianism in the stock up category next week? Or is that just a Central Florida bloggers thing?
Al - Oh, I’ve tried. I did a full pitch for Delicious back before the days of Google Reader. I’ll try again, but I’m hoping the senseless laptop violence has come to an end. At least at our house.
I’m a Nate/Kate household name?!? This might be my biggest acheivement to date! Thanks for another round of laughs - I’m an avid blog reader but this is even more enjoyable than the blogs themselves (except mine of course, everyone Please keep reading!)
LOL
OMG… Real Housewives of New Jersey is so trashilicious (yes that is a word)… did you notice that Dina was on Platinum Weddings on WEtv…
Ok, now I’m embarrassed that I know that
I’ll be doing my part to keep red wine on the radar this summer!
Speaking of the Stadium Pal, can we get someone to review the female urinal? Would be so handy when the women’s bathroom lines are out the door at concerts and sporting events. Would have been terrific the day I was stuck on the freeway for hours due to an accident. Turns out a coffee cup works okay too.
love this as usual.. its my favorite part of Fridays.. can you believe I went all day at work without checking, made it home and just about panicked when I realized I hadn’t checked to read it!
Cracked the laptop open as soon as I got home.. lol im an addict!!
Nate - not sure if you guys are using Internet Explorer or Firefox but you can actually download a bookmarkers sync add-on (Like Xmarks for firefox). It allows you to save your bookmarks on their server then access them on any computer that also has the xmarks add-on - meaning you could sync you bookmarks and she could get them all on her new PC. You can have different profiles.
This all comes in handy when you are using multiple computers (ie. work vs. home) or in the unfortunate cases when your computer jumps off the counter or your lap and hits the floor.
Hahahah! Love “Garbage water”. Love the Nell reference
Dear Nate,
I need your help. My fiancee is also obsessed with food blogs. This makes me jealous because I do not have any blogs I am interested in except for yours because it makes me laugh. Do you know any other man blogs that can make me laugh that I can lord over my fiancee?
Love,
Ian
P.S. I mean the love that a man has for a delicious beer, not the kind of love that a man has for another man, not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Hey, I put a burger on plain old sliced (and grilled) bread just yesterday
hahaha I had heard of your blog from so many bloggers, and now I finally found the link to read!
hilarious! now I know what they are talking about! (And what I had been missing!)
Nate, I am fighting the good fight right with you, the fight to keep red wine on the radar for the summer. GO RED.
I want you to post more often!
Glad to see the new laptop! There is so much blog reading to be done. I would follow other commenters’ leads and tell Kate to get Google Reader, but seeing as how I currently have 621 unread posts from being MIA for maybe 3 days…yeah, I can’t even finish my thought. My head is spinning.
I will gladly take that TJ’s sushi off your hands. I love spice! And I just pulled a loaf of bread out of the freezer, so you can rest assured that I will soon have some sliced photos for your viewing enjoyment.
Lastly, this is so after the fact but it’s very cool that you played golf in college. I kind of wish I had sometimes, but it’s a lot more fun without the competitive pressure.
hi nate. i hope you get some mountain dew throwback down in NC soon because it is really good. they don’t make diet mountain dew throwback because that would make no sense…there isn’t any sugar/hfcs in diet soda/pop. the pepsi throwback is good as well. it is almost as good as coke. but you’re a diet drinker, i guess, so never mind.
Ian - Thank you for your question and your unconditional love. I’m afraid I don’t have a whole lot of man blogs for you. Most of mine involve women and healthy food. Kate tries to get me to read this one a lot. It’s about a stay at home dad and has some funny moments: http://mikeadamick.com/. I also read http://www.dooce.com/ and think that one is pretty funny, but it’s not a man blog. If you find any, let me know. Oh, and there’s always my other blog: http://yourselfinfiveyears.blogspot.com/.