What I was coming to post:

Fortune Magazine: Inside the Secret World of Trader Joe's

{{{{{Drew}}}}}

Sending ~Ma, Drew.

I should probably review with my parents, though.

Good plan. It's gotta be consistent.

It may be that the little guy has learned that he's supposed to wait until the nudge to go in. If he's not behaving in a fearful way, he may just be confused.

Bartleby's best friend thinks 5 "Here Bob!"s are required before he returns to his person. That pattern just got instilled so effectively by the man that the dog is actually doing exactly what he is asked by NOT coming when called.

It's gotta be consistent.

All 4 pets know that when I start setting up the coffeemaker in the evening that T-R-E-A-T-S are imminent, and within 20 seconds of me starting the process, a minimum of 3 furry critters are suddenly in the kitchen.

(The routine started because I would go in the kitchen to make lunch and set up the coffeemaker, and take the opportunity to send the dogs out for one last potty trip. When they came in, I'd give them a treat. And then I felt guilty that the dogs were getting a treat but the cats weren't, so I started giving the cats a treat at the same time.

When it involves food, it's astonishing how quickly they learn a routine. Seriously.)

Much, much health~ma to Drew, and also to Connie's sister. The only thing I experienced in the abdominal area was cured easily by Dicyclomine 3-4 times in my life, but the pain brought tears to my eyes. And I was lucky my dad had the same problem before, so I could take it after the first time (which I had to suck in, sadly). Since then, even though I didn't have this problem in 4 years (oh, stress induced pains. I hate thee), I still have few pills in my wallet, just in case.

"Maybe this time you'll feed me!"

Once again, I read it in Zoidberg's voice.

As for American food: it still confuses me. Mostly the "just add water to the powder!" already-made-food. Not to mention the deep fried ice cream, or all of the flavors of ice cream. As for myself, in a perfect world where I could give up coffee and chocolate, I'd do so. Actually, I'm thinking about giving up coffee for local tea. But chocolate... chocolate is why I'm not vegan, just vegetarian. I can't give up that.

plenty of chocolate is vegan, as long as you stick with the dark, dairy free stuff :)

I know. But unless it's for cooking and baking, I'm a milk-chocolate person, myself.

Right now, on my TV: someone chose for the first round of specialised questions on Mastermind the subject of BtVS! I knew I'll like her, just based on the pantyhose she was wearing.

Drew, lots of ~ma for your doctor's appointment. I hope they can figure out what's wrong and you're feeling better without a lot of stress or pain.

A student just emailed me, on the day that the homework is due, to ask for an extension, because he ordered the textbook online and it didn't arrive yet, and therefore he couldn't do the homework. Oh, hell no. There are around 2000 students on this campus taking this course, another several hundred in other courses that use the same textbook, and the book is on reserve in the library.