Thoughts on Theno's Dairy, Hits to the Face, and Allergy Medicine

My hometown has a lot of great things going for it. It's a major technology mecca, home to two major companies - Nintendo and Microsoft - has a pretty healthy economy, and is the perfect distance from everything.

For those that like wine, there's a town not far from here that has plenty of wineries and breweries to sample the Northwest flavors. Plenty of pups, bars, taverns, etc. for the drinking types. Several playing fields, parks, and venues of the outdoorsy type. There's an outdoor mall, two bookstores, lots of eateries, your typical fast food, and several grocery stores. And, it's not that far off from being able to "get away" into the farms and get some space. But I think what really makes this place feel special... Is Theno's Dairy.

It used to actually sell milk that they bottled on site, along with cream and butter. My mom actually still has several bottles and a carrier in our garage. But now, they sell handmade ice cream and fudge. There's nothing better than snagging a cone after a long, hot day at work.

Besides coffee, vanilla, and rainbow sherbert, they've got plenty of flavors to offer that you can only find at their dairy. July 1st will be the first day that their summer special, Cantaloupe ice cream arrives. Right now they have strawberry rhubarb. During the holidays, they have pumpkin pie and peppermint. They've done a fantastic job at withstanding a tough economy everywhere and serving people a delicious treat that isn't fast food or soft serve.

Best part of my home town.

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Thoughts on Sleep, Sleep, & More Sleep

I'm tired.

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I'm breaking my own rules.

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I'll write something real tomorrow, after work.

Thoughts on Love, Being Overtired, & Bathroom Acoustics

I am currently watching The Matrix for the first time.  I feel like it's constantly on TV, but the Fates always conspired to keep me from watching it - something else more interesting is on, Mom is home and won't change the channel, I turn it on too late to understand anything.  Like I always like to say, I'm also not usually the top to just sit myself in front of the television and turn on a movie.  I always feel like there's something more important I could be doing.

I also think the bellybutton bug freaked me out the first time I tried to watch this.  Because my dad, knowing how soul twin-ish we usually are with all this kickass sci-fi/fantasy action/adventure/sentient computers, was all, "You're gonna love this!"  And then I was all, "I'm eight and WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED."

Anyway, we just saw the part in the movie when Neo (Keanu - whoa! - for those of you who aren't pop culture savvy) goes to see the Oracle, the awesome old black woman who tells him not to feel bad about breaking the vase.  To avoid spoilers and give some focus to this little vignette, I'll just focus on the line that made me go all warm and fuzzy inside: "No one needs to tell you you're in love.  You just know it, through and through."

Thoughts on Job Hunting, Bedtime, & Inter-species Love

I actually applied for jobs today, instead of just saying I did to appease my mom and really spending all day sitting around my house.  And thank God I did.  A large book chain (which shall remain nameless) finally got in touch, after jerking me around for the last two weeks or so, to say I hadn't gotten the position.  No hard feelings, though.  I just hope Babylon Bean comes through now.  That would be fun.

It's not that I don't want to find a job.  I do - I really do.  I need the money.  My summer job doesn't start for another month and a half.  I'm going stir crazy, being cooped in the house.  I'm just terrible at talking to people with some kind of authority.  I have some kind of mental roadblock to asking for a job application in person.  And I hate talking on the phone.  And I feel like an idiot when I just wander into stores and keep spouting about employment opportunities.  That all kind of makes asking, "Are you hiring?" tougher than it should be.  Maybe I just think things through too much.

But, hopefully, something will come of all this.  New coworkers, new friends, new romances (even if only imagined).  I pictured myself canoodling in the stacks at this local booksellers chain.  But I can find love in a coffee shop, too.

I just wish I knew how to make a latte.