mcbarfy

We've all seen the commercials 8 million times. McDonald's new campaign to shove their McCafe' coffees down our throats (literally) has been going on for awhile now. Their goal? Steal business away from the ever-popular Starbucks.

Being that my very best friend works at a Starbucks - I have been financially supporting her (that's my excuse, at least) by only buying my coffee from the delicious, delicious coffee chain. A few friends and I used to have Starbucks Fridays. We rotated weeks and each Friday we would switch who bought our delicious, delicious lattes. Have I mentioned they're delicious? It was a bright spot at the end of our work week.

This morning, running late like usual, I didn't have time to wait in line at Starbucks so I opted for the drive-thru at McDonald's - I figured I'd get a sausage biscuit (my favorite) and maybe try one of them there new McCafe' Mocha's. I considered it research. Was it possible for a McDonald's coffee to even compare to my beloved Starbucks?

Complaint #1: I ordered a small Mocha and the darn thing was too wide at the top to fit in a normal-sized cup holder. WHY is the cup so wide at the top? Starbucks 1, McDonald's 0.

Complaint #2: BARF. It wasn't even remotely good. It tasted like cheap creamer mixed with some chocolate syrup with a little bit of regular coffee thrown in the mix. It wasn't hot enough (which, okay I can't really blame McDonald's for. I let it sit for awhile to cool like I usually do with my Sbux latte... b/c IT is actually hot) but even if it had been hot, it wouldn't have detracted from the graininess of the coffee flavor. Starbucks 2, McDonald's 0.

Complaint #3: I thought, "Maybe it's an acquired taste." So, I forced myself to sip on it for awhile. Sure enough, maybe 10 sips later I thought "Okay, so it's not so bad." But really, yes it was. By this point, it wasn't even lukewarm anymore. Which brings me to the conclusion that the cup doesn't hold the heat in very well. Starbucks 3, McDonald's 0.

Pro #1: It's cheaper than Starbucks. A small mocha only put me out about $2.60 while a tall latte from Sbux would've been about a dollar more. But... here I sit with a small mocha from McDonald's that is still half full b/c I can't bring myself to drink the rest. I would've rather spent a dollar more and had a warm, happy tummy. So, Starbucks 4, McDonald's 0.

So, there you have it.

McDonald's should stick to what it does best - sausage biscuits. Because that, my friend, was delicious.

hbp, ftw!

Freak the heck out. Harry Potter came out this week and I still haven't seen it yet. I usually go to the midnight release but because of some changes in plans and the hubby's travel plans for work - I have to wait until Friday night.

I talked to someone about the release today and she mentioned what a HUGE Harry Potter fan she was... and then proceeded to ask if Dumbledore died in Order of the Phoenix.

*silence*

ANYWAY.

It's hard to wait when I keep hearing how this is the best Potter movie yet. I thought Order of the Phoenix was by far the best out of the 5 that were already out. If you've read the books, you'll know how the first few movies just don't quite live up to the awesomeness that is Harry Potter. It doesn't help that I've had to wait even longer than I thought to see HBP in the first place. The darn movie was supposed to be released in November (I think it had the same release date as Twilight, even) and then was pushed back due in part to said Twilight.

While I love me some Edward Cullen, he just does not compare to Harry Potter - and Potter fans everywhere were pissed that HP6 (which has always come out in the Fall) was pushed back due to some stinkin' vampires.

In fact, check this out...

"Howler" w/ Hank Green

Curse you July release date!

on why i'll always buy apple

My first experience with Apple products came when I was a senior in high school. My theater teacher had a powerbook he swore by. When it came time for me to buy my first computer to take to college, Mr. Kimball convinced me a Mac was the way to go.

I saved some money to which my Dad contributed to, and I excitedly ordered my 14 inch iBook G4. When it finally arrived in the mail, I was beside myself. This beautiful piece of stark white technology was mine all mine. Every little feature amazed me. "It talks to me?!"

I carted this computer around through my freshman, sophomore and junior years of college. It went with me everywhere. To class, home to my parents, on any trips I took. I loved it. It wasn't until my senior year of college I began to have problems. Occasionally, the screen would go all wiggley and I'd have to do a manual restart.

I decided to take it into the Apple store where they informed me my logic board was bad. She did a little searching and found that the logic boards in some other computers had been recalled, but I was past the recall date by over 2 and a half years.

When I bought the computer, I also purchased the extended warranty. Unfortunately, my warranty was already a year and a half out of date. I drooled over some of the new macbooks in the store while the nice lady told me she was going to try sending my computer in to be fixed. Since the warranty was so over it's mark, she wasn't sure if they'd cover it or not. They were supposed to call me and let me know how much it was going to be. I mentioned to her that if it wasn't going to be fixed for free, I would probably just purchase a new macbook.

It was only 2 days later the Apple store called me. My computer was back in and ready for pick up. They had replaced the logic board, and b/c my case was cracked in the corner, gave me a new bottom shell - all for FREE. Who does that? I had even told them if it wasn't going to be covered I was going to purchase a brand spanking new computer. And still, they fixed everything for free.

I skipped home with my computer who lasted me another 2 years. She still runs today but the call of the new macbooks finally came knocking on my door and I purchased a new 12 inch macbook last October.

Just recently I purchased an ipod touch. I was itching for an iphone but I settled, still having a contract with USCellular for another 2 years. After having my ipod touch for about 2 months, the itch finally was too bad to stand and I sold the ipod touch to a friend at work, paid the contract cancellation fee to USCellular, and finally bought my iphone. I immediately began my search for the perfect iphone case. I had my ipod touch case still, as my FAW didn't want to purchase that along with the touch. I put the ipod case back in it's original packaging and went into the Apple store again, explained to them my situation. I had an ipod case, but now needed an iphone case. "No problem," he said. Because I still had the case in it's original packaging, they let me exchange my ipod case for an iphone case, no charge to me. I was in and out in a matter of minutes.

This is why I will always buy Apple products. I know there is much talk about how Apple takes advantage of people - putting out a first generation product at a high cost only to make a better product later and cut the price in half. Well, of course they're going to put out a better product later. That's just how technology works. There will always be something better, something new, something cheaper. "People just buy it because it's pretty," is another thing I hear a lot. And to that I say, "Duh." If you make your product appealing, people will be more interested. Apples sleek look is not the reason that keeps me coming back. It is their great customer care, their products that have outlasted any PC I have ever owned, their ability to make great and interesting products, that keeps me coming back.

I will always buy Apple products as long as their support remains high. I love my macbook, my iphone, my ibook G4. And I always will.

welcome to my desk

I don't have a lot to do today at work. The big-ups are doing some work on our system so I'm kicked out of any invoicing I would normally be doing until lunch time. So, I took this opportunity to take some pictures of my desk. I have a fun little window seat now. Let me show you around!

here is my little slice of window. i can just barely see outside, sweet!

mimi loves her new plant. she loves to wiggle around. also, note the cute cactus!

and this is the fun stuff i have pinned up. wheee!

Well, that's about it. It's exciting here at the NET. Having an iPhone is so fun I can hardly stand it. Just think all the work I'll avoid sending pictures of the fun things happening in my cube. Hooray for menial office employment!

bitch mode

Why do all the girls in the new Transformers movie look like they have a STD?

B and I went to the midnight showing of Transformers the other night. The theater was packed to the brim mostly with young guys - some toting their girlfriends along. I was excited to see the movie as I really liked the first one. I can remember the holy shit that was awesome feeling I had when the first one ended in the theater. So needless to say, I was pumped.

With all the buzz around Megan Fox, I was prepared for numerous close ups on her boobs. And boy, was I smart to be prepared. There were so many lingering closeups that I even became uncomfortable a few times.

And, it really started bothering me that all the girls looked sweaty ALL the time. I mean, isn't there a/c in the house? Why are you so sweaty? And don't even get me started on the amount of lip gloss that girl wears. WHO WEARS THAT MUCH LIP GLOSS MEGAN?

I know I'm coming across as just another bitchy female who thinks all pretty women are bimbos, but that's just not the case. I like guy movies and I know with that comes watching half-naked girls in completely ridiculous and unbelievable scenarios ie, Megan Fox draped over a motorcycle, her butt sticking up in the air. (That cannot be a comfortable way to sit.)

The more I've thought about it, the more I realize it goes both ways. Megan Fox draped over a motorcycle is really no different than Rob Pattinson going shirtless and running through a forest. They do whatever it takes to get the fans in the door and happy, eager to pay 20 bucks for the DVD when it's released. And let's be cliche', sex sells.

The problem I have is, well, I guess I don't really have a problem at all. It's a movie. Who cares. She's not an ugly girl. Megan Fox is very pretty. I just think she's way prettier when she's clothed and does not have obscene amounts of lip gloss and sweat dripping off of her.

There. I'm done.

i love you, learning

It's not a secret I like to read. I always had my nose in a book as a child, as an uncomfortable middleschooler, highschooler, college student. Some of my favorite memories are the ones I share with a good story. Even as an adult, I still love to read.

B is not a reader. He doesn't enjoy fiction and doesn't understand really why anyone else does. "Why would I read something that didn't happen?" He thinks of fiction purely as a made-up story. Something false, not real, pointless. He will happily read a book about real-life WWII accounts, military explorations, etc - but when it comes to fictional classics, he turns up his nose.

I've been stumbling over this idea, trying to see his point. Fiction to me is always more than just a made up story. There are many facets. You identify with characters, find morality, ethical situations which stimulate your mind to think of the bigger picture. You don't just read it and throw it to the side. Each story sticks with you somehow. You see the characters as people - the inner workings of each makes them human.

It is not merely the story or a "Once upon a time, here's the middle, now the end, what did you learn from this?" It is so much more than that. It's not only an escape from reality, but a whole other world you're living while staying planted in the physical.

I love reading. I love the critical analysis that comes with it; finding the little nuggets the author has hidden for you to find. When I look back to high school - I don't think I was stimulated enough. I had to learn to find those things on my own in most of my English classes. Because some of my fellow highschooler's weren't at the top of their game my teachers would let me sit outside the classroom and read ahead. Most of the time the teachers had to read aloud to the class just to keep their attention. I am both thankful for this, and sometimes resentful. It is because of this I read as much as I did. But it is also because of this I didn't get to dive in as deep as I would have had I gone to a better school.

I guess this is why I get so enamored with people like John Green who seem to have such a strong understanding of literature. We never had to read Catcher in the Rye in high school, but after stumbling upon John Green's youtube video about it - I am inspired to read it and youtube along with his pseudo English lesson. It takes me back to my comfort zone - the happiness I felt when I was stimulated in English class (heh, heh.)

i'm ready for my close up, mr. demille

As I made my way to the breakroom to garner more coffee from the work coffee Gods the other day, I was startled to see myself walk by on someones computer screen. I did a double take and realized they had a little camera positioned on the top of their monitor. It wasn't until then I realized we have cameras positioned all around the office. One pointed towards the front door and the receptionist desk, one in the break room, one in the main office, etc.

I panicked. How many times have I adjusted my bra, pulled my pants up higher, picked a wedgie?? UGH. And let's just say when I'm at the front desk and no one is around I am so not a lady.

Let's not lie to ourselves. Everyone does it. When no one is watching you lose all shame. I sometimes have reached down my shirt and re-adjusted my boobs in my bra. I'm not even joking. Why would not? There is no one around to see. Or so I thought.

All of this camera stuff has me very paranoid. And for no other reason than complete and utter vanity. There have been no secret love affairs in the break room. I don't have to worry about theft of office supplies. No, the only thing I'm worried about is someone seeing me picking food out of my teeth.

Don't they have to tell you there are cameras? Even worse yet, I'm sure the cameras have been up for a long time. I doubt this is something new. I've just been too oblivious in the past to notice. Now, when I walk into an area I know is monitored I suck in my stomach and walk a little straighter. I don't want to be known as the fat girl with the bad posture, who picks the underwear out of her butt and grabs her own boobs.

Ugh.