What strange and suspiciously unnatural drink is this? One of many store things that I do not understand. See also: liver mush.

My sister is visiting! My parents were here last week. I guess June is visiting month. Yay.

More rampant waste of life and materials. All these guys go into the crushing dumpster.

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This is an example of the heinous waste that goes on every day. These plants, which are wilted because they need water, are soon to be thrown into the dumpster to be compacted. That includes the pots. Donation is possible, theoretically, and is rumored to have been done in the past; but I've never seen it.
I should really be more aggressive in encouraging people to change their evil ways. Unfortunately when I suggest (and by suggest I mean walk around whining and bemoning the wanton waste and destruction) they rarely think it's worth talking about. Maybe one day the ball of responsible consumer development will start rolling here.
Viva la revolucion! Viva reduce, reuse, recycle!

Yesterday we went to a concert, and I kept seeing people walk by with deliciously gooey looking nachos. This isn't quite the same as the delicious Nachos Of Sin, but it's pretty awesome.
I got a food processor and finally had some inspiration to use it. Cucumber, red cabbage, and a little knot of ginger. I added cilantro, olive oil and a tiny bit of sweet and sour sauce. Then I put it on top of greek yogurt (which is my favourite thing in the world lately) and mixed it a little before adding some chunks of avocado.
Eaten with corn chips topped with melty shredded cheese.
Super delicious.

Baseless Accusations

In high school, my friends and I were on a continuous search for places to hang out. Generally we stuck to coffeehouses -- but Denny's, being cheap and 24-hr, was also alluring. Or as alluring as a diner can possibly be. Nearby there was another diner that we [un]affectionately called "Iowa". Somehow we got it into our heads that that Iowa was the most boring place in the world, and this stereotype has managed to stay with me so long that I actually forget its origin sometimes. Iowa is a strange place to have a random bias against. It seems so innocuous, like having a deep seated distrust of men in yellow hats. What could they ever do? Withhold corn?
For those of you in Iowa (if any happen to stop by) I'll admit that this is probably not true. However it is really not a contest where any participants come out as winners. There are undoubtedly places that are more boring than Iowa. Like trying to find the stupidest person on the internet; there's always someone worse*. At some point the argument becomes moot as one approaches the boredom equivalent to zero degrees Kelvin. It's not Iowa's fault that people don't associate it with swinging nightlife. Instead they get occasionally hip during election cycles only to fade once again into the beige of the Midwest.
I do love corn though. And ethanol. Good work Iowa! I hope the condition of your farmers improves. After reading Michael Pollan, I am forever traumatized regarding the corn industry. I don't know where I was going with this, except that I think it is funny that I have this deep seated idea that Iowa is dull for almost no reason at all and that it is inexorably linked to a badly decorated second-tier chain diner. I think maybe because there was a lot of cow-rustlin' paraphernalia and as Southern California city kids we had little to no idea where they used cow-related things or even where cows lived except Chino, or Iowa. And everyone knows Chino is a scary, dangerous place where criminals are raised, as we saw in The OC.
I also have a bias against New Jersey, though that is more a result of cultural indoctrination than youthful punk-ness.


*I used a semicolon correctly! I think...Rachel? This is always a victory for me.