Thoughts of the Week (pre-bowl season)

Apparently it's not just pop-tarts:
Last week I shared my discovery that frosted pop-tarts are healthier than unfrosted pop-tarts. This epiphany must have led to a greater curiosity about food because I think I just outdid myself. BALANCE bars (you know, one of the many "nutrition energy bars") are actually pretty tasty compared to their rivals, but good lord they have some weird ingredients.
My favorite? Fish gelatin. Yes, the next time you eat a Balance bar, remember that you are eating fish gelatin. Don't ask me how or why (or even what), because I have no clue.

What makes Chipotle visits great:
When each and every "burrito line" worker is so distracted that they pile enormous amounts of stuff on your tortilla. You get the equivalent of two meals in one. If you're going for this strategy, try the end of the lunch hour.

Can't say it never happened:
Hail in Southern California. Yes, hail. While working in Pasadena last Tuesday, first I saw my breath when walking to lunch, and later I watched hail pelt my office window. Damn, it feels like home.

Early line on the college football bowl slate:
Tired system. Over/under on games the average fan watches: 3.5

Thoughts of the Week - Dec. 9 (futureactive)

I've been maintaining a quasi-miniblog on my Facebook profile for the past year, disguised under the name "Thoughts of the Week." The growing want to archive these "thoughts" was the real impetus for this blog.

Here's guessing that most of my non-sports takes will come in this weekly installment...

What I know now that I didn't know last week:
Frosted Poptarts are healthier than unfrosted Poptarts.

Don't know why I decided to match the nutrition labels side by side, but I was certainly surprised at the outcome. My first reaction was, "Wow." My second reaction was, "What the hell is the point of that, Kellogg's?"

I mean, really, you market the unfrosted to the health-conscious consumers and the product is actually less healthy than its kid-targeted counterpart. If I was money- and ethos-lacking lawyer, I could probably find a way to sue Kellogg's. Luckily, I'm not.

If parody ruled the world:
Pete Carroll led the Washington search committee for a head coach.

What I'm missing:
Golf. My clubs stare at me in my room while I work for work, work for school and fight the never-ending battle against email.

Hell, I live in California - one of the few places where you can play golf in December. During the winter in Minnesota, I used to hit golf balls into a video screen and call it a round. It's funny how the absence of possibility creates the need for innovation.

What I'm loving:
Interesting conversations with interesting people. I think conversation is the first thing that gets lost amid busy schedules and frantic lives, and it's a shame. I try to remind myself how much I enjoy simply talking with people about items not relating to the daily grind, but it's great when someone else does the reminding for me.