This is why I can't take her anywhere.

Oh, I remember. We went to brunch and she had the waitress bring out a variety of spices so that she could flavor her food. I thought it was hysterical.

Hey Natterinos, when I change jobs I'm going to be eating cold lunches every day at work (ain't no microwave on the job site). Anyone got creative ideas besides salad and sandwiches?

I forget smonster, do you eat fish? I've found kipper snacks or flavored tuna on crackers to be a good cold lunch. A combo of cheese & crackers, a tomato, and an avocado is also a staple of mine. And if I make one of those Near East packages of couscous for dinner, I usually save half and eat it for lunch the next day at work with a cup of soup or a vegetable of some sort.

Vortex, I pointed out to her that I knew the Buffistas would have remembered that, and she was all "Why?" She didn't see anything notable about her behaviour.

I, on the other hand, spent the whole time trying to work out if the hole in the earth I was wishing for was supposed to swallow her or me.

I love her, but she's a nightmare in restaurants.

That having been said, it's remarkable what she gets her way on. I just wonder how much spittle she's ingested as a result.

My family's all kind of bad, and sometimes I hear stuff coming out of my mouth that I know is straight up Mummy or Daddy, but usually it works out well. Because people do snap to it and do shit for them. But I try to be nice about it and at least throw flirting on top.

Brazilian blowouts use high amounts of formaldehyde. I'm stunned by the high amount of emotion in the comments. I'm pretty used to the good hair/bad hair issue among black women, but to see white women crying over their hair to this extent and saying that they'd rather have regular treatments with exposure to 8% formaldehyde than find another way to handle their curls and/or frizz, or to live with them, I'm taken aback. Uh, buzz cuts for everyone.

Hee. Paul Newman used to do that. But, you know, he could.

I heartily endorse Mr. Bento. I bought one for my mom and she loves it. It's an updated version of what we've been using for generations; she has my grandfather's bento box.

Anyway, yes, bento. And you can make musubi! Which is just a ball of sticky rice with something tasty in the middle, like ume. Wrap it in cellophane and it'll keep well. You can do that with rectangular ones for spam, too, but it requires a small amount more of prep equipment.

Anyone got creative ideas besides salad and sandwiches?

Spanish Tortilla! It's made to be eaten both hot or cold. It's potatoes and eggs and whatever else you like. Cut a wedge out, wrap it in foil. Bring along a little container of salsa, or curried mayo. Life's good.

I just wonder how much spittle she's ingested as a result.

yep. or kitchen floor yuck.

I am loathe to ask for special stuff and/or send stuff back.

I heartily endorse Mr. Bento. I bought one for my mom and she loves it.

I got one for Bob the first xmas we were together and it rules. It's sad , though, now that he's working at home it hardly gets used. I always end up using tupperware.

I'll send a steak back to be cooked more, but I'm polite about it.

The only thing I've sent back in twenty years was a [ita font] poached egg dish where the egg was cooked through. That negates the point of the runny yolk!