Categories
Places

Krispy Kreme

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

I had this most horrible nightmare last night.

I dreamed that I was on a deserted tropical island, and the only thing I had to eat and drink was blueberry bagels slathered in Vegemite, with room temperature, flat Foster’s to wash them down. And it was in color, too. Shudder What does it mean?

I’ve heard enough about Tim Tams to know that I must try them. I live in one of this country’s most sophisticated and urbane cities; only 8% of the population that live here can afford to live here. Surely there must be some shop somewhere that sells a cooky labeled as “sexy mass-market”. That description fits San Francisco so well!

I kept trying to think if there was a particular food item that has similar universal appeal and fondness in this country. One that can also generate the same wistful thoughts, prolonged discussion, and copious drooling from even the most hardened weblogger. Just before I went to bed last night it came to me: Krispy Kreme.

I have seen weblogs devote an entire week to nothing but postings about a new Krispy Kreme that opened in the neighborhood. Cars can line up for blocks waiting to get into a Krispy Kreme outlet. Little old ladies with blue hair will run people over with their shopping carts in a mad scramble to get the one remaining box of Krispy Kreme’s.

Why, in certain parts of this country, if you come between a Man or a Woman and their Krispy Kreme, they’ll shoot you.

And on that bit of cultural exchange, I think I’ll sign off and get to work for the day. Beautiful clouds across the Bay today, as shown in this photo snapped with my handy Nikon 995 digital.

P.S. Just joking about that shooting part. Really. Honest. Cross my heart.

Categories
Places

Australian Food

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

Within comments that arose in the last Blog Party (see previous posting) a little cultural edification:

Tim Tams are a sweet that the Australians seem to universally love, at least from my understanding. I found an excellent write up that says “They’re a sexy mass-market product, available at supermarkets, service stations, convenience stores and corner shops nationwide.”

I’ve not had the privilege of having a Tim Tam — yet — but I have had the next item, Vegemite. What is vegemite? Well, I don’t know. Not sure I want to know, but I do know it’s healthy.

Vegemite is an acquired taste. You can acquire this taste quickly by laying some out on bread with butter, licking your finger, inserting said finger into electrical outlet, and eating the vegemite smeared bread while enjoying the tickling charge of the electrical current. There’s a fun looking site devoted to the stuff.

I jokingly mentioned Foster’s in the comment list, but EVERYONE knows that Australians never drink Foster’s, they leave it for the tourists. I think one of the more colorful descriptions was “piss water”? Is that it? I’ve had Foster’s. I’ve tried muddy water, too, when I was child. The water had more flavor … and more roughage, too. Foster’s web site.

Now, any readers from Oz (Jonathon, Allan, and Garth) you be sure to correct me if I’m mistaken with any of this.

And that leads us to a new song in BurningBird’s repository — the Vegemite song!

Categories
Weblogging

Mind the Blog

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

Only in weblogdom would you have such customer service attitude and “You want it? You got it, babes!”

I asked for Mind the Blog as a mug from Gary at Blogstickers and lookie at what we got:

Mind the Blog coffee mugs!!

Rageboy would be proud of you Gary. You da man.

Update: Okay, to support this cause, whereby proceeds go to help support Blogstickers, first five people in my comments get a Mind the Blog coffee mug, courtesy of Me! BurningBird! Last of the big time spenders. Update Again: Ignore my comments in the mix. And Yes, I’ll pay shipping to Australia. I draw the line at China, though.

Quick! Before my credit card company catches up with me!

Final Update On this Blurb: That was fun! Luckily the store can ship international. I just sent the winners an email to get their addresses. And we’ve helped Gary to support the Blogstickers weblog.

Categories
Weblogging

Day 1 in Exile

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

Hello babees! Today is Day 1 in exile!

Like the new color? Fits “BurningBird” doesn’t it? Orange: edgy, quick tempered, a little manic, and in your face. But with charm, don’t forget that part. Bitter-sweet, yeah, that’s me.

Actually, the color change was a purely impulsive act. One nice thing about having a plain layout — you can change things on a whim. And I am nothing if not whimsical.

Hey Radio 8.0 users, I have a big favor to ask of you. I’m writing a review of Radio 8.0 for O’Reilly Networks, and I’m looking for feedback from the user community about your experiences with the product. If you’re interested in participating, please send me an email with the following info (or attach a comment to this posting if you’re shy):

    • Name, email, URL of Radio weblog site (optional)
  • What features of Radio 8.0 have you used?
  • What features are your favorite?
  • What features are missing or incomplete?
  • Have you used any external interface into or out of the product? If so, what and how?
  • How was your installation experience? And on what OS?
  • Will you continue to use it? If so, why? If not, why not?
  • If you had a weblog before, what software did you use to maintain it?
  • What’s your technical background?

Your answers will be strictly confidential unless you tell me I can blab. When the article comes out, we’ll have a party at my weblog, you bring the booze and I’ll supply the mariachi band.

Categories
Just Shelley Weblogging

I feel orange

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

I just had a comment from Dave (“Not Winer or Whiner” Dave, an anonymous and very lovable and supportive reader who I would link to if he ONLY LEFT HIS WEB ADDRESS) about sticking your hand into water and feeling ‘green’. First — cool comment.

Second: feeling colors. Tasting colors.

I think that purple would “feel” like velvet, and taste rich. None of this “It would taste like grapes, Bird”. We need to stretch out little horizons today, let our little imagines out to play, screw with people’s minds who accidentally wonder into this weblog without any prior warning.

Purple would feel like velvet and taste rich. “I feel like purple today” means I’m feeling seductive today.

Black would feel cold, cold, cold and taste like steel. “I feel like black today” means I’m feeling cold, emotionless, depressed, elegant, or controlled.

Green would feel soft, and taste fresh. “I feel like green today” means I’m feeling soft, new, and open.

Red would feel hot, and taste spicy (well, my imagine didn’t wander far for that one, did it?) “I feel like red today” means…well, it means something I can’t say even on my weblog.

Yellow would feel gooey (a nice gooey) and taste tangy. “I feel yellow today” means I’m springy, light, effervescent, maybe even a little silly.

Blue would feel strong, and taste refreshing. “I feel blue” means I’m calm, intellectual, good humored.

White would feel like diamonds and taste like crystals. “I feel white today” means everything’s crystal clear, ringing true, and the battle is about to begin. “I am BurningBird, white knight!”

Tan or brown would feel like suede and taste like chocolate (only real food item I’m allowing — after all chocalate is chocolate). “I feel chocolate today” means sometimes I feel like a nut, and sometimes I don’t.

Rose would feel delicate, and taste ephemeral. “I feel rose today” means I’m loving, gentle, nuturing, even a tad clingy, but in a nice way. (And everyone’s saying, “I bet it’ll be a cold day in hell before Bird feels rose.”)

and…

Orange would feel rough, and taste bitter-sweet. “I feel orange today” means I’m edgy, quick tempered, a little manic, and in your face. With charm, though.