My wife Stephanie has the perfect job. For the holiday season, the American Girl store at the Mall of America is paying her to style doll hair. Yes, you heard me correctly. She is being paid (and well more than minimum wage) to play with dolls.
On top of that, she even made the national news. Well, she wasn't the topic of the news story, but they still featured her in a Nightline video last Friday. She appears about 1:16 into the video (marked as -4:49 in the bottom right corner). Check it out by clicking on the image below.
I've seen a lot of stupid bidders on The Price is Right (take for example this one), but Kim really made me laugh. In case you don't watch the show, contestants get a shot to win cool merchandise only after winning one of the many bidding rounds. To win such a round (against several other players), your bid on a piece of merchandise must be the closest to its actual cost without exceeding it.
Thus, if a new stereo system cost around $750, you might guess somewhere around $675-725, leaving yourself some margin in case it was really below $750. The best strategy, especially if you're the last bidder, is to determine if there's a sufficient gap between the other bidders and the item's probable price (e.g., everyone is in the $600-675 range and you're sure the stereo is around $750) and then bid $1 more than the highest bid (e.g., $676). Then, if your estimate ($750) was right, you will automatically be the closest without going over.
Kim, however, got the idea that she would bid less than the last bidder, giving herself only one possible chance for success: guessing the price exactly! Let's see how she did. (Sorry, I could only find this summary video of Kim's adventure.)
My favorite new blog is the FAIL Blog. Dedicated to all of the funny people out there (accidentally or intentionally; it doesn't matter), the FAIL Blog is giving me a lot of laughs on a regular basis and that's a good thing.
For example, they helped bring my favorite fail of all time to YouTube.
My family and I are at Disney World in Orlando, Florida this week and it is absolutely wonderful. If you love to eat (and drink, of course), there are some places I'd like to recommend:
Citricos at the Grand Floridian Chef Phil Ponticelli and servers Bruce or Danny will make sure that your trip is memorable. My picks: gâteau of crab for starters; braised veal shank for the entrée; and warm chocolate banana torte for dessert. Let Bruce pick your wines from their outstanding selection. Your tummy will thank you. Definitely the best Disney dining experience (except maybe V & A). Say, "Hi!" to Bruce from us if you go.
California Grill at the Contemporary Resort The experience here was exciting. The menu was daring, the open kitchen was entertaining, the staff was professional, and the food and drink were top notch. Plus, the rooftop view lets you watch the evening fireworks at Magic Kingdom. If you're not feeling adventurous, just get the oak-fired filet of beef (but ask for Cedric's smashed potatoes instead of mashed). Wow!
Flying Fish Café at Disney's Boardwalk Chef Tim Keating has an approach similar to Chef Ponticelli's at Citricos (not surprising, since they grew up in the same neighborhood): an open kitchen, an excellent menu, and good service. Personally, I think Citricos has the edge, but Chef Tim decided to make a special foie gras french toast for my wife (to mourn its impending demise) with fresh peaches and a matching wine. It was absolutely unique and wonderful (but my citrus cheesecake with a perfectly matched Riesling ice wine was better ;-).
For those of you into pin trading, I thought I would share what I picked up. First, I was able to score four of the five Disney Villain "snowglobe" series. Then, I was able to get a couple more "hidden Mickey" pins, including a Peter Pan Fastpassticket (my family adores this ride) and a coveted monorail. Next time, I'll definitely be on the hunt for more monorails.
A friend of mine, Chris Markle, died this past week. Chris had some struggles in his life, including some health problems, but the world was certainly a better place with him in it. As a teacher, he touched the lives of countless students, inspiring many of them to become better.
My thoughts and my love go to his wife Sophia and his daughter Zoe. Although Chris will be forever missed, we must remember that life goes on.
"Catch Phrase Blooper" -- NSFW -- Sometimes, everyone gets the hidden joke at the same time.
Note: All videos are intended to be reviewed by an adult first. To help sort this all out, I use the following terms when necessary:
NSFW = NOT safe for work (you should probably watch this solo before letting others see it) SFW = Safe for work (you can probably watch this in a mixed adult crowd) No Injuries / Injuries / Death = Warnings about something that might make you squeamish (or not)
BEST of the WEEK: "Staplefahrer Klaus - Das Original" -- NSFW :(Many Fake) Injuries & Death -- It's in German, but pain and satire are international languages.
"Sign Language, Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4" -- (Partially)NSFW -- (Images only) The Telegraph (UK) published an awesome series of poorly translated signs.
"El Camino del Rey" -- SFW -- Built in 1901, this is the approach to Makinodromo, the famous climbing sector of El Chorro.
"Lazy Sunday" -- SFW -- You've probably seen this before, but it's important that you never forget how funny this is.
"Insane Jungle Bike Run" -- SFW -- To all you bikers out there. All of you want this place within a short distance of your home.
"Artillery Accident" -- SFW : Injuries (Death?) -- Never operate a cannon without reading the manual first.
"Colon Blow" -- SFW -- One of the best SNL commercials to date (probably Top 10; certainly Top 20).
Note: All videos are intended to be reviewed by an adult first. To help sort this all out, I use the following terms when necessary:
NSFW = NOT safe for work (you should probably watch this solo before letting others see it) SFW = Safe for work (you can probably watch this in a mixed adult crowd) No Injuries / Injuries / Death = Warnings about something that might make you squeamish (or not)
