Hellmann's
What are new year's resolutions for if not to break? Each year concludes with my family sitting down around the kitchen table and hashing out individual and family resolutions. This year I was absent from the table, but sent in my predictions via email. They are (in no particular order):
Friday night (Saturday morning for me) I had agreed to call the girlfriend. She recently moved house and it was the first time I'd tried calling her new number. Hopefully the bad connection was just a fluke, but for whatever reason I only caught a word every ten seconds. So she called me. Then, since my net2phone account hadn't been refueled since the new year, we lost that connection after forty minutes or so. I made some tea while waiting for the return call that never came. Viewing people who were online, I asked my cousin to call up my girlfriend and ask what the deal was. So eventually things got straightened out, but I went to bed not so early shall we say.
A few hours later I straggled out of bed, ate, shaved, and dressed in under 20 minutes. Running out the door I dashed around the corner to catch the bus so I could be at church by 9 for the choir rehearsal. Just as I was running up, the bus was pulling out. Panting, I waited another half hour for the next bus. I had never used that particular route, but was pretty sure I knew where it would go. The only problem was that I was on the wrong side of the street. I caught up on my sleep once I realized what I'd done. Leaving home at 8:30, I finally arrived at church about a quarter past eleven. Now I know where to get on that bus.
Saturday was pretty cold. I wore thin black socks. As a result, my toes froze. They mostly thawed out while I grabbed some lunch before freetalk. My laziness really paid off. I didn't want to take my socks off, so I just threw another thicker pair on top. Honestly, I think that is the warmest my feet have ever been. It is truly amazing what difference a thin pair of socks can make.
In the evening I attended yet another concert. This time three babes from the Saint Petersburg Conservatory showed their piano prowess. It was also my first time hearing the Kaliningrad Philharmonic Orchestra. I'm not sure whether it is excessive vibrato, my rusty ears, or if Russian string players are really tone deaf. Whatever the case, the various sections don't exactly blend very well. The intonation department is sorely lacking, but it creates something I can't quite put my finger on. There is a certain bottom to the sound. It is difficult for me to put into words now so I'll attempt again later. What the musicians sacrifice in tunefulness they make up for in depth. The three Petersburgers were quite a sight. Oh yeah, they could also play.
Sunday I got up 'crack early' in the morning. I felt like I was coming down with something, so went to bed medium early Saturday night. IMmed the fourth brother and loafed for a few hours before taking a mid-morning nap. Piercing rays of sun woke me a few hours later. Continuing to take it easy, I read a magazine that had come last week and then checked my email. There is a little Kaliningrad weather alert in my mail reader and Sunday was the first time in recent memory that I saw the sunshine picture. I looked out, and sure enough there weren't even any clouds in the sky. This meant that I should get out and go for a walk.
Grabbing the camera and wrapping up in plenty of layers, I headed out. Boy was it chilly! After a little over two hours snapping shots, I decided to head for my warm flat. The reason being my secondary shutter finger was no longer operational. Just what is a secondary shutter finger, you may ask. That would be the finger you use to press the take-a-picture button on a camera after your usual finger ceases to operate the on/off switch, let alone the shutter. I think it is probably a good idea that I wound up here instead of in a colder place. Otherwise I'd be returning less a few appendages. (Note: my toes were toasty warm thanks to my double layering epiphany of the prior day.)
Opting to skip choir practice and just take it easy, I sat down and began sorting through pictures I'd taken and not posted yet. I was surprised at the quantity. Round about 0:30 Monday morning I abandoned my hopes of uploading them and found comfort in my pillow. Here are a few links to the new albums. The January 23rd album is still incomplete, but I need my beauty rest, don't you know.People who haven't spoken with me in a long time invariably ask how I'm eating. To that question allow me to respond that I've found a new love. She is Argentinean and has a rather pale complexion, but - mmm, mmm, mmm - is she ever tasty. Nearly two weeks ago I made the monthly pilgrimage to the big grocery store that has the cereal and toilet paper I like. I had planned on buying some more Hellmann's mayonnaise. On prior trips, it had been expensive, but came in a big jar. That time it was still expensive, but the big jars were gone. I couldn't justify spending lots of money for two sandwiches worth of mayo, so I investigated the other brands. Enter my gal from Argentina (with a slight lemon flavor). For as much as a teeny weeny jar of Hellmann's, I have about ten times as much Natura (what a good name for pure fat). In retrospect I'm not sure if my discovery of a cheaper, more tasty brand of mayo will turn out to be a good thing. Over the past two weeks I've probably consumed a pound and a half of the addictive cream. It is great with spaghetti, soup, bread, french fries, pancakes, and, gross as it may seem, by itself. There you have the reason why the Troy that returns to America will be twice what he was when he left. For those of you concerned about my latest romance, may I share with you the slogan off a jumbo jar of Hellmann's from my parent's refrigerator: "Zero grams of carbohydrates!" That's right, ladies and gents, Miss Natura is health conscious. Now, if you'll excuse me I have a date with my alluring refrigerated friend.
- Make schedule and stick with it
- Wise decisions with finances, relationships, religion
- Scan some of my 35mm pictures into the computer upon return to America
- Concerted daily Russian language effort
- Improve knowledge of English grammar
- Web presence
- Blog - average of one post weekly
- Picture - approximately twice a month upload new shots
- Figure out how to practice the trumpet regularly outside of school environment
Friday night (Saturday morning for me) I had agreed to call the girlfriend. She recently moved house and it was the first time I'd tried calling her new number. Hopefully the bad connection was just a fluke, but for whatever reason I only caught a word every ten seconds. So she called me. Then, since my net2phone account hadn't been refueled since the new year, we lost that connection after forty minutes or so. I made some tea while waiting for the return call that never came. Viewing people who were online, I asked my cousin to call up my girlfriend and ask what the deal was. So eventually things got straightened out, but I went to bed not so early shall we say.
A few hours later I straggled out of bed, ate, shaved, and dressed in under 20 minutes. Running out the door I dashed around the corner to catch the bus so I could be at church by 9 for the choir rehearsal. Just as I was running up, the bus was pulling out. Panting, I waited another half hour for the next bus. I had never used that particular route, but was pretty sure I knew where it would go. The only problem was that I was on the wrong side of the street. I caught up on my sleep once I realized what I'd done. Leaving home at 8:30, I finally arrived at church about a quarter past eleven. Now I know where to get on that bus.
Saturday was pretty cold. I wore thin black socks. As a result, my toes froze. They mostly thawed out while I grabbed some lunch before freetalk. My laziness really paid off. I didn't want to take my socks off, so I just threw another thicker pair on top. Honestly, I think that is the warmest my feet have ever been. It is truly amazing what difference a thin pair of socks can make.
In the evening I attended yet another concert. This time three babes from the Saint Petersburg Conservatory showed their piano prowess. It was also my first time hearing the Kaliningrad Philharmonic Orchestra. I'm not sure whether it is excessive vibrato, my rusty ears, or if Russian string players are really tone deaf. Whatever the case, the various sections don't exactly blend very well. The intonation department is sorely lacking, but it creates something I can't quite put my finger on. There is a certain bottom to the sound. It is difficult for me to put into words now so I'll attempt again later. What the musicians sacrifice in tunefulness they make up for in depth. The three Petersburgers were quite a sight. Oh yeah, they could also play.
Sunday I got up 'crack early' in the morning. I felt like I was coming down with something, so went to bed medium early Saturday night. IMmed the fourth brother and loafed for a few hours before taking a mid-morning nap. Piercing rays of sun woke me a few hours later. Continuing to take it easy, I read a magazine that had come last week and then checked my email. There is a little Kaliningrad weather alert in my mail reader and Sunday was the first time in recent memory that I saw the sunshine picture. I looked out, and sure enough there weren't even any clouds in the sky. This meant that I should get out and go for a walk.
Grabbing the camera and wrapping up in plenty of layers, I headed out. Boy was it chilly! After a little over two hours snapping shots, I decided to head for my warm flat. The reason being my secondary shutter finger was no longer operational. Just what is a secondary shutter finger, you may ask. That would be the finger you use to press the take-a-picture button on a camera after your usual finger ceases to operate the on/off switch, let alone the shutter. I think it is probably a good idea that I wound up here instead of in a colder place. Otherwise I'd be returning less a few appendages. (Note: my toes were toasty warm thanks to my double layering epiphany of the prior day.)
Opting to skip choir practice and just take it easy, I sat down and began sorting through pictures I'd taken and not posted yet. I was surprised at the quantity. Round about 0:30 Monday morning I abandoned my hopes of uploading them and found comfort in my pillow. Here are a few links to the new albums. The January 23rd album is still incomplete, but I need my beauty rest, don't you know.People who haven't spoken with me in a long time invariably ask how I'm eating. To that question allow me to respond that I've found a new love. She is Argentinean and has a rather pale complexion, but - mmm, mmm, mmm - is she ever tasty. Nearly two weeks ago I made the monthly pilgrimage to the big grocery store that has the cereal and toilet paper I like. I had planned on buying some more Hellmann's mayonnaise. On prior trips, it had been expensive, but came in a big jar. That time it was still expensive, but the big jars were gone. I couldn't justify spending lots of money for two sandwiches worth of mayo, so I investigated the other brands. Enter my gal from Argentina (with a slight lemon flavor). For as much as a teeny weeny jar of Hellmann's, I have about ten times as much Natura (what a good name for pure fat). In retrospect I'm not sure if my discovery of a cheaper, more tasty brand of mayo will turn out to be a good thing. Over the past two weeks I've probably consumed a pound and a half of the addictive cream. It is great with spaghetti, soup, bread, french fries, pancakes, and, gross as it may seem, by itself. There you have the reason why the Troy that returns to America will be twice what he was when he left. For those of you concerned about my latest romance, may I share with you the slogan off a jumbo jar of Hellmann's from my parent's refrigerator: "Zero grams of carbohydrates!" That's right, ladies and gents, Miss Natura is health conscious. Now, if you'll excuse me I have a date with my alluring refrigerated friend.
posted by Troy on 01:30
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http://www.google.com/search?q=mayonnaise+sandwich
My 12th grade English teacher, 22 at the time, fresh out of school, with a 5 year old son, once spoke of a time when his mother allowed him to eat an entire jar of mayonnaise.
For my money, there is no greater mayonnaise than Hellman's. I will "bring out" nothing less than "the best" for my sandwiches.
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