Virtual Coffee

I haven't linked up with Virtual Coffee at Amy's for awhile. The main reason, and I'm ashamed to admit this, is that the last time I linked up, I was experiencing my one and only bout with a negative commenter. I just felt bad for bringing any negative vibes into something as cute and light as Virtual Coffee. I didn't want people to think I was some kind of petty drama queen. (I mean, I hope I'm not ... ?)

But things have been 100% friendly on Same Old Shannon lately, so I hope I can be invited back for coffee at Amy's. Although I guess in the format of a blog carnival, it's more like you invite yourself. So I hope everyone is okay that I came for coffee today. (That would be fishing for compliments ...)

So ... welcome to coffee at my place!


Oh, and let me stop here and apologize for the quality of my photos today. My camera was kind of on its last legs at Nathan's birthday party, so these photos are all from my phone. So I guess I'm asking you all for recommendations for a new camera. I'm looking for something under $200, with auto-focus (that is, not one of those big-ass lens kind of deals), and that fits in my purse.

Also, sorry my house smells like meat. This morning I browned some ground turkey for turkey chili in the Crock Pot. In the other Crock Pot I'm baking potatoes, for the famous chili potatoes, which are a staple in our house. Later I'll be making some fat-free cornbread from a mix. You know, because of Weight Watchers and all.

Oh, and BTW, I kind of like the new WW plan. I love that you can eat unlimited fruit. Yesterday I purchased 4 pints of strawberries, and I ate one pint all in one sitting. And that's allowed with the new plan, you guys!

In other news, did you notice how my mug matches my vase?


That mug is Mrs. Peacock. See, as I explained last week, I bought three Fiesta latte mugs recently, and the official Fiesta colors are called Plum, Scarlet, and Peacock:


So it occurred to me that all those are Clue characters: Professor Plum, Miss Scarlet, and Mrs. Peacock. Today I'm drinking out of Mrs. Peacock.

Also, do you like my new shoes? I ordered them from Zappos, and I'm not sure how I feel about them. They're really different.

Allegria Paloma in the Black Rose pattern

Although they are a little bit weird, they are super comfortable, largely due to the shape of the soles, I think:

To quote Jeff Winger in Community, "It's like putting on a pair of dreams."

Originally I ordered a different pattern, and then I changed my mind right after I placed the order. So I had to call the Zappos customer service line, where I learned that you can press "5" for the joke of the day. Umm, yeah. Also, at the end of the recording, they tell you to "Have a Zap-tastic day!"

Lesson learned: I could never work at Zappos. It's probably the kind of place where they give you a yoga ball to sit on instead of a desk chair.

So, what else is going on with you? Nothing much with me. We're still sort of recovering from a two-birthday-party-weekend (one of which we hosted) and playing with Nathan's new birthday gifts.

Reading-wise, I'm plugging through Anita Shreve's Rescue, which I am not liking. It's not really the author's fault, per se, I mean she's a good writer, but I just really want to punch all the characters in the book. Actually at the point I'm at in the book, the most unlikable character has left, which is not a spoiler because it's part of the book's synopsis on Amazon. (Another thing: The synopsis should not cover the events of 52% of the book. That's giving too much away.)

And this weekend is the indoor triathlon at the gym, which I think I'm getting nervous about. There are three portions: (1) 10 minutes of lap-swimming in the pool, (2) 15 minutes of running on the treadmill, and (3) 20 minutes of riding a stationary bike. Unlike a traditional triathlon where participants go a set distance and are ranked according to time, in this triathlon participants go a set time and are ranked according to distance. Apparently each participant's total distance is added up to determine the winners. This scoring system puts me at a distinct disadvantage because my strongest event is swimming, and swimming isn't going to be good for too terribly much distance no matter how fast a swimmer you are. And it's not like I'm expecting to win or anything, it's just that I don't want to totally embarrass myself because when the triathlon involves 45 minutes of fairly basic gym exercise, it's not the kind of thing where you can just be happy if you finish. Oh well, regardless I think it's going to be really fun, especially because I have a few friends doing it too.

So, that's all the news with me. Thanks for letting me come back to coffee. I hope you all have a Zap-tastic day!