Friday, March 26, 2010

Even More Thoughts From the MIA Bookend

Recently I was inspired to write this blog, and I encourage my fellow bloggers to respond with their thoughts as well. I don't consider myself an angry person or someone simply bursting with excessive rage, but I do have a list of things that simply get under my skin...pet peeves. Webester's Dictionary defines a pet peeve as "a frequent subject of complaint". These things might not occur frequently, but when these annoyances do cross my path, they simply will not do. For some of our friends these might be jeans in the summertime, big umbrellas, or even when her drink holder isn't called by its proper name...well, these are mine:

1. Pedestrians directing traffic: Have you ever been backing out of a parking space and one out of line pedestrian finds it necessary to direct you out of your spot? First of all, I have obtained a valid driver's license, therefore I know how to back out of parking spot. Second, I SEE YOU. I am not going to hit you as long as you cease from your traffic directing ways. You are not a police officer nor a flight attendant, so stop waving your arms and get out of my way before I hit you out of pure spite.

2. Leggings as pants: I have never met one person that can pull off this look. leggings and a dress? sure why not. Leggings and a top? NO. Leggings and big oversized Tshirt? HECK NO. Why is this accepted today? I can think of no reasoning that makes this okay. Did you wake up late and you were simply sleeping in leggings, so you grabbed your nearest shoes, which are alwaus your uggs, and ran out the door. I am quite positive that this is never or not frequently the case. Ladies, just put on some pants. your social and dating life will thank you. You look ridiculous.

3. Really far parts (in your hair): When girls part their hair reallllllly far to the side. This causes your hair to puff uncontrollably and cannot possibly be comfortable. It looks crazy and like you have been playing with your hair. Part your hair normally, and take off your leggings, you know who you are.

4. Facebook statuses that tell every aspect of your day: Sally just woke up, Biology at 9, then to the rec, lunch at the house, then homework (yuck!), naptime, dinner with the girls, movie tonight, then off to bed!.....SALLY! NO ONE CARES!.... If i wanted to know where you were at 11:46 pm then i would A. Stalk you or B. hire a private detective, and there is really no one besides Gerard Butler that is interesting enough to take that kind of time or effort. So people, If you want to put your entire schedule on facebook for the world to see, then be prepared for freaks that you graduated with to mysteriously "run into you" at your favorite hotspot or be waiting for you outside of your biology class, hoping to see you. and he will see you too, because he knows your every move. In the words of Sting, "I'll Be Watching You".

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Jodester the Roadster

First off, let me clarify by saying that the "Backhall Bookends" is not a book club nor does it involve books in any way shape form or fashion.
That being explained, I would like to tell you about my epic 4 day 18 hours of driving trek to NC. I left Ttown after an abysmal Physics test and made my way up north. I hit Atlanta right around 3 and I don't know where everyone and their mother was going but there seemed to be a mass exodus and I was right in the middle of it. If Atlanta could just sink into the earth and we could make a road on top of it I would be oh so happy! Along the way I passed a parade of 100 or so police cars- not sure where they were going but they weren't ticketing me- cha ching! I am proud to say I only made two stops on the 6 hour drive to Hendersonville, NC- once in the GA welcome center- nice bathrooms, sketchy soap- and once at a Walmart in nowhereville, SC where I promptly bought a bottle of Diet Cheerwine. For those of you who have never tasted this delicious drink- I am sorry for you- it is a delightful soda of a cherry flavoring. Next to Diet Mt Dew and Crystal Light it is my nectar of choice. They do not, however, make it in Alabama, which explains my second WalMart stop on Friday to grab a case. But I digress, I finally made it to the mtns of NC where I proceeded to drive up and down a windy road in the dark with heavy fog and rain... I'm still alive how? I stayed in Hendersonville for the night and then awoke the next morning to continue to Randleman. As I was leaving the big H my gps refused to acquire a signal- so I set off blindly down another windy, curvy road complete with its own fog and rain. Once gia the garmin finally clued into reality she immediately instructed me to take a left down the sketchiest nonroad in existence. I am now convinced my gps is out to get me and wanted to have me murdered jeepers creepers style. Needless to say, I got back on the right track and reached my destination.... On the way home today I saw a sign that said "incident ahead at mile marker 12" what it should have said was "massive car wreck ahead.... get off now because its backed up for four miles and you will be sitting in your car for all eternity." I interpreted the incident as the latter and got off the interstate... only to be greeted by another wreck- how to I get so lucky. Finally, as I was nearing Athens I saw a University of Alabama van with the logo and all. Not sure what they were doing all of the way out there but they were definitely speeding away- suspicious? I think so. After this epic trip I am now convinced that I should never take a road trip with people seeing as how I managed to nearly get myself killed cutting across six lanes of traffic in Atlanta- I don't want to put anyone else in harm's way AKA my driving!

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Random facts

So, on my iGoogle homepage, I have this thing called Useless Knowledge. And it's just what it says it is: useless knowledge. I would like to share with our audience some of my interesting findings.

1. Close to 20 percent of all adults living in the United States have had a cockroach living in their inner ear canal.The roach enters the ear while you sleep.


2. In ancient Greece, prostitutes wore sandals with nails studded into the soles so that their footprints would leave the message "Follow me."

3. If a pin were heated to the same temperature as the center of the Sun, its fierce heat would set everything within 60 miles ablaze.


4. Basketball got its name from the half-bushel peach baskets used as targets by the originator, James A. Naismith, in 1891.

5. There are 40,000 muscles and tendons in an elephant’s trunk. This makes it very strong and flexible, allowing an elephant to pluck a delicate flower, untie a knot, or tear a tree out of the ground; yet the trunk is sensitive enough to smell water 3 miles away.

6. The average adult loses 540 calories with every liter of sweat.

7. The average human body holds enough sulfur to kill all the fleas on an average dog.

8. The lungs of an average adult, unfolded and flattened out, would cover an area the size of a tennis court.

9. A rat can fall from a 5-story building without injury.

10. In Saudi Arabia there are solar-powered pay phones in the desert.