Tara Reid: "I make Jessica Simpson look like a rock scientist."

Yes. Yes, you do.

Dear Administration,
Telling me that my room is going to be used for a Very Important Open House this weekend that requires us to Look Our Best at 1:15 on Friday is not helpful. Especially when you told me yesterday that my room was not being used. Especially especially when I have classes straight through the rest of the day and was hoping to duck out of here right at 3.

No love,
Kristin

P.S. How about you paint the wall with the peeling paint and clean the giant stains in my carpet first?

KTHNXBYE.

I just got the word "effulgent" on Free Rice. It was level 43.

I have the same memory of the Cincinnati airport, but I haven't been there in a long time.

Anyone have a special celebratory treat on Friday? or reward yourselves for making it to Friday by having some treat? Something you usually get on Friday but you wouldn't usually get on other days?

I tend to buy myself lunch at Captain D's or another place with fish on payday, spending a bit more than I normally do for sandwiches or soup. Today, alas, I am home sick with the stomach bug that took out a co-worker earlier in the week and must also miss celebrating Dad's birthday with him tonight. (He's under the weather too, so we'll both enjoy a night out much more next week.)

Chanterelle was level 38. I seem to be peaking at level 43 - I am guessing my DH will get to level 50.

I love FreeRice - fun - useful for me and others

One nation divided: U.S. barbeque preferences. [link]

I don't vouch for accuracy, but worth a "heh".

Looks fairly accurate. What I think of as Alabama barbecue sounds closer to their description of the TN variety, but, then, I am from the northern half of the state. They're nicer to Pacific Northwest than I would be--I'd probably use some term like "no-barbecue wasteland." Which is not to say Seattle isn't a perfectly wonderful place to eat. It's just that if there's any barbecue here worthy of the name, I've yet to eat it.

ETA I'm very curious to try SC barbecue. It's considered heretical by just about every other barbecue region, but it sounds interesting.

They're nicer to Pacific Northwest than I would be--I'd probably use some term like "no-barbecue wasteland."

Ditto the Northeast.

The surprising thing is that Chicago, known for its hog-butchering past and fantastic steaks, has really lousy barbeque. There are only a few halfway decent BBQ restaurants (Honey 1, a few of the South Side places, and Carsons and Robinson's chains).

We do have some really good competitions here, though--my dad and his team won the 1988 Inc. Ribfest, which is a very big deal here, and they also did very well at the Naperville Ribfest several years running. They sold the business back in the mid-90s, but Dad still makes occasional batches of his sauce. Sweet and tomato-ey, but with a nice zing when it hits the back of your throat. I have a mason jar full in my cabinet, waiting for some chicken.