Things I find delicious: Mid's Pasta Sauce

When I moved to Chicago, my mom gave me a bag full of groceries to get me started (pulled from our pantry and driven from Cleveland). Included was a big jar of Mid's pasta sauce. You don't hear much about that brand, but let me tell you that it is the best I've ever had. Better than I get in restaurants, oftentimes. I kept an eye out for it in Chicago and then gradually forgot about it. Then, as though from the heavens, it landed on the top shelf in the pasta sauce aisle at Jewel (or "Jewel's" if you're from the south side).

By the way, no, they're not paying me to do this. I sometimes just really like things that I think that other people haven't heard of, and I like it so much that I want you to try it.

Anyway, it's very thick - like tomato paste. The ingredients are well blended, so you don't feel like you're chewing on canned mushrooms through your pasta dinner. It doesn't have that watery feel that you get with other brands. It also makes it very full of flavor and you use less! It is more expensive than the other jars in the aisle, but you also get more for your money.

I went on their website and took a look at their history, and they're from Canton, Ohio! So naturally I want to support this local company.

So anyway, if you see it in your store, pick up a jar and check it out. Let me know what you think! I promise you won't be disappointed.


"I'm delicious!"
www.mids.cc

Just Can't Get Enough

Guess where I'm going tomorrow. Guess. Answer: the periodontist/comedian! Let's review:

1st trip: "I'm gonna yell at you." "There, I didn't yell at you too badly, did I?"
2nd trip: "All done" (me): "That's it?" (him): "Why, did you want more?"
3rd trip: ??

I'm thinking a "Looks so good we'll have to pull more teeth" will be in order. hopefully anyway.

Also, I think CTA bus drivers hate me. Twice this week (twice!), I've been at the stop (even knocked on the door) and the bus driver wouldn't let me in. Are you f-ing kidding me? Yet the homeless guy is splayed across a row of seats. sweet. It's getting cold. They'd better start letting me on the damn bus. What worse is that the bus I did end up getting on had a really nice bus driver who was like "Good evening!!" and I was so angry I just looked at him and swiped my card. Then I felt guilty about it.

Finally blog fans, I'm attending a Halloween party next Friday where I need to dress like my favorite country (real or imaginary) and my favorite sport (real or imaginary). I'm taking suggestions here, and if it's super good then I may execute it (and post pics, natch). So, post some ideas. Right now I'm stuck on Sarah Palin/Alaska/Moose Hunting, but who isn't going to be that this Halloween, right?

Blogiatus and Another Maureen

Where have I been? Where?

Family in town for about a week and a half, but I'm back! Ready to blog all about the crazy world we live in. I have about 3 shows on my DVR to review for you. . .even if they're old news to you by now.

I have been productive in my non-blogging time, however. I met one of the heroes of my youth. . .Marcia Brady. . .or rather Maureen McCormick (Marcia Brady is still 17, technically. . .or whatever age she was when the 90's series "The Bradys" aired). Now, just a little bit of background. Every day when I came home from school, I'd watch The Brady Bunch at 4:35pm on TBS. I made my mom do my hair like Cindy in 4th grade (just for a day), and I wrote TBS a letter when they took The Brady Bunch out of their rotation. I've seen every episode more times than I care to count, and I've read probably 3-4 books about the show. I'm a fan. . .and have been for about 20 years.

Anyway, Maureen McCormick was at the Borders on Mich Ave and possibly the most interesting (read: nerdy and way too eager to spill any tv trivia they know) group of people waited in line with me. Anyway, I felt like a huge creepy dork as I approached her. The exchange (mostly me saying weird things to her) went as follows:

Me: My name is Maureen too
Her: All right!
Me: You were the first Maureen I ever saw on tv - I never knew someone with my name
Her: Awww
Me: I finished the book. Uh. . .it was really good!
Her: Already? Wow!
My mom: Yours was the only show we'd let her watch

Ok, that last statement totally wasn't true. I mean, she said it, but it wasn't true. I don't really know why she said that. I didn't even get to ask her if Bobby Brown actually fixed the tub during Outsiders Inn, if she still keeps in touch with Screech, or how she really feels about Adrian Curry. Argh.

Anyway, I did read her book and it is pretty interesting. You should pick it up. Not a lot about the Brady years, but honestly, the time afterwards was the most interesting - and she's going through some family drama right now that sounds just insane.


Me. . .creeping out a Brady.

Knight Rider - New Show Review

Show: Knight Rider
Network: NBC
Day/Time: Wednesday, 7:00pm (CST)
Type: Draaaaammaaaa!
Episode Watched: A Knight in Shining Armor
Setting: Classified.

This show has been on my DVR for about 2 weeks. . .that should tell you how pumped I was to watch it. hmm. As with 90210, I never watched the original. I can't speak to the awesomeness of The Hoff, or how super cool Mr. Feeney was as the voice of Kitt. I can tell you how atrocious the acting is on this show. Painfully bad (but bad enough to watch and laugh at). Although, to their credit, the writers are making them say things like "I have advanced degrees in several types of advanced physics" "Yeah, well I speak 9 languages." (ass flash). Hard to be convincing.

The show opens with lots of running. I needed a Gatorade before the opening credits. Then, they had this really cool car commercial for a sportscar that seems to turn-on-a-dime, and has cool lighting features. . .oh wait. It's the opening credits. My bad. NBC employs the Fringe strategy of telling me know exactly how long the commercial break is. Even with DVR, I'm a fan. Speaking of commerical breaks, I've also noticed that they have a cliffhanger before almost all of them. Apparently the producers don't trust people to stay tuned at all.

So yeah, overall. . .it was ok. Mostly because of the car.

Best scene: When they’re told that they would be boiled alive in their own bodily fluid. Soup’s on!
Oh my gosh! Isn't that: Nobody. . .tear.
You’ll like this if you miss: The original Knight Rider? Maybe?
Underpants shot: Yep! 13 minutes in.
Product placement: Whatever kind of car that is.
Added to schedule?: Nope.

Also, update! We have our first casualty of the Fall season. Do Not Disturb will not be. . .er. . .disturbed. It was cancelled after 3 episodes. And the producers apologized for being "the “proprietors of such bad television." Ouch. They're replacing it with reruns of 'Til Death. Double ouch.


R.I.P.

"Here he is folks, the leader of the plaque!""

Should I be concerned that whenever I go to the dentist, songs from Little Shop of Horrors run through my head?

For longer than I'm willing to admit, I've had this root canal that needs to be redone (root canal = fun! 2 = so much fun!). I went to the endodontist today for my consultation (side note: I like saying "endodontist"). Well, turns out my time with him would be short-lived, and I would learn another fun word: periodontist. He enters the room saying "I'm going to yell at you." Sweet. Bring it on. Better now than when you're poking my open mouth with sharp things. Luckily, his version of yelling and my version are verrrrryyyy different. They can't do the root canal because I waited too long, so now they have to extract the tooth and give me an implant. Explain to me again why he needs to "yell" at me? Maybe he should yell "Yippee!! 4 grand in my pocket! Whooooo!! Thanks for waiting sucka!!"

After hearing in graphic detail what he would need to do and the possibility that I would need to be sedated if I got to squirmy during the procedure (sedated?!), I got to meet with another woman: The Director of Oral Surgery Role Play. She has a ton of plastic models and shows you exactly what they do with metal rods and stuff. . .and the price tag. So not excited about that part.

Then I got shipped off to the reception area where I learned all about how much my insurance would cover (answer: next to none of it).

I also learned that once this is taken care of, I'll have a ton more energy. So, lookout world!


They're standing tall on the wings of their dreams.