Mission Mary

After Spring Break I decided that the ballers (and Julie) should set out on the most noble endeavor of rating all of the mexican establishments in Tuscaloosa on their margarita quality. Selfless, I know, this project will provide knowledge and assistance for generations to come. We drew a map, found out happy hour times and established a four pepper ranking scale. One pepper- sick nasty stick with water. Two peppers- didn't hate it, didn't love it. Three peppers- bring me another. Four peppers- El Rincon gloriousness. We have trudged through an embarrassing amount of chips and salsa, suffered through dry chicken, requested the peppers and onions that were sadly missing, and consumed an ungodly amount of glorious tequila calories. I'll give you a rundown of where we have visited thus far:

1. Pepitos on the strip- home of the "free squeezed lime margaritas." This claim I can vouch for because as I waited for the sketchy bathroom I saw like Pepe juicing limes like there was no tomorrow. The three dollar price is pretty standard but the size is smaller than El Rincon's. Although tasty and delicious there wasn't that initial punch we were expecting. Notice I said initial. Because we felt like we were cheating on mr rincon we only purchased one and headed down the road to the our old faithful mexican joint. As we were walking the initial punch that was missing definitely made itself know. Score: 1 initially, 2 with aftershock.

2. Don Rafa's- interestingly enough we learned about this hidden gem in our baptist church. With a much smaller selection, margs can be purchased in a small size for $3 or a large for $6. The best thing about this place is the food but make sure Don knows exactly what you want to order or you could be stuck with an odd smelling tortilla boat when you are expecting a delicious pile of peppers and onions. Score: 3 peppers; delicious taste, smaller size.

3. Margarita's Grille- that sketchy yellow building off McFarland. If you looking for a rocking atmosphere keep on driving. We went on a Tuesday because that is when they decide to half off their beverages (I'm not going broke for this mission) and walked into what seemed to be family night. Not to be deterred we ordered us a round. Margarita's Grille offers the widest variety- raspberry, strawberry, pina colada, vanilla? The price is the same but the punch is not. The chicken was also found to be dry. Margarita's Grille its time for a name change. Score: 2.5; props for the selection.

4. El Rincon- the gold standard, the holy grail of margarita's and our personal favorite thus far. What bad thing can be said about our ever faithful Mr Rincon? They have the most happy hours and the coveted blue margarita- the strongest of the bunch as admitted by our waiter. Might I recommend a frozen strawberry/mango or a blue/mango aka a bango for those in the know. Mr Rincon has been there during rush misery and for HESI celebrations. Score: 4 peppers, they never let you down.

We're halfway down with the margarita marathon with Lupe's, Los Tarascos, Los Calientes and Jalapenos remaining. Our amazing map can be found outside of the squirrel palace for reference. You don't have to thank us... its our selfless senior gift.

6 weeks. 6 weeks left. It is unbelievable that most of our friends, including myself will be graduating in 6 short weeks. I could blog about all of the things I am going to miss, but I think these things are obvious, and that blog would be depressing. Instead, I am going to tell you some of the things I am looking forward to.

I do love the tree house and what it has to offer (maid service, bed making service once a week, convenience to class, and well...that's about it), but I am more than looking forward to my own apartment, my own space, and well a few other "luxuries"

1. My own parking space: I am going to enjoy the "luxury" of parking in a spot, in front of my home, running as many errands as I want, and then returning to that same parking spot, no matter what season or time of day.
2. A closet that can house my entire wardrobe
3. My own shower, free of others' filth and well...other feminine things.
4. My own kitchen, for cooking my own meals, and one that random people won't wander around in for hours, loitering in front of my cups.
5. speaking of loitering, there will be no loiterers or unwanted guests in my space.
6. my own television, on which I will watch a show anytime I like.
7. a washer and dryer that I will have access to 24/7 , and if I want to leave my clothes in the dryer for 10 extra minutes, that's okay.
8. silence. that is all.
9. a thermostat that actually works.
10. a sleeping environment that doesn't involve a giant whole in the wall that lets in bugs, wind, outside temperature, and "dirty air"
11. A QUEEN SIZE BED.
12. a cabinet full of cleaning supplies, which i will use to clean my own space, and I can also use these to maintain a level of cleanliness which I find appropriate.
13. finally, INTERNET THAT WORKS 365 DAYS A YEAR!

I'm sure there are many more "luxuries" that I have taken for granted through the years, but I will definitely appreciate them more now. I will miss the tree house; not for what it has to offer, but instead for the people who live in it. Love you ladies of the 2nd floor!

As seen on tv life

During a recent night on the town with Lolly conversation began to lag at one point in the night and I found my eyes wandering towards one of the TV's in the bar. Instead of selecting from the numerous sporting events offered I was drawn to the infomercials. These marathon-like advertisements can be found hawking things from wrap around HD glasses to a deli pro knife. I could write a whole blog devoted to the multiple hair products offered- bump its, EZ combs, total hair makeover kit, hairagami and the hair coloring brush. Thats just to work with the hair you have. There is a whole different world of hair removal products- smooth away, wizzit hair remover, nair, nads, hair removal foam, microtweezer, and the tweeze. If you bought all of these products I feel as though you would look something like this...

Hair products barely take a dip in the pool of as seen on tv products. As I find the need to avoid studying for italian, food science or the incredibly difficult swimming I may add to this study of useless, overpriced crap that every hoarder is dying to have. 

Forecast: Deathly Umbrellas

8AM: My alarm goes off. I, like a newborn, struggle to open my eyes and eventually silence the beeping in my ear. Then I hear it. tap. tap. tap tap tap. What is this sound you might ask? rain. lots of rain. All I want to do at this point is turn over and fall back into a deep slumber. But No, I get up, get dressed, and face the rain any way.

WHY? AM I MENTALLY UNBALANCED? IT'S A JUNGLE OUT THERE! Here are my observations about rain, most specifically about umbrellas.

1. Freaks come out in the rain: people seem to be lost when it rains. Everything is now 10 times harder to accomplish. most people react like southerners in an "ice storm", tip-toeing around puddles, trying not to face plant into these dangerous pits of water. My advice: MOVE OUT OF MY WAY! you are not going to fall if you are wearing proper footwear and you know, most of you are wearing leggings so they will dry super fast if and when you fall in that puddle.

2. Umbrellas: I must preface this rant with a confession: I Loathe Umbrellas. Always Have. Always Will. Why do everyone's umbrellas have to be the size of three people. one person one umbrella. the end. I spend the majority of my time in the rain dodging people and their huge umbrellas. I feel as if sunglasses would be useful so my eyes will not be gouged out by the spikes on the ends of the tent you are using to block the rain from your body.

3. Water: Rain is water and water is rain. You will not melt...or die...if you get wet. All that will happen is a little sogginess of the pants and frizzy hair.

Further Advice: Ditch the umbrella and get a jacket for the safety of those around you. Peace.

Freshman

Freshman... we've all been one. As a wise old senior I have come to notice a few things about these curious creatures. It has been interesting to watch them evolve over the year from clueless children wandering around campus like blind little mice to clueless 18 year olds stomping around campus like they own the place. Don't confuse this as a rant against those precious little youngsters for I greatly appreciate them for providing me with endless hours of entertainment. Exhibit A- unnamed freshman in the dining room at alpha gam... as I meandered downstairs to get my customary oatmeal I notice two little freshies loading their plates with bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches. I overhear one say, "I have never been up this early before in my life." I have several questions I wanted to ask said freshman. 1) did you not go to high school or did you live in an alternate reality where hs did not start around 8am? 2) have you ever been at work, the gym, the hospital, city cafe and seen the sunrise? no? then you my friend are not up early. These sweet, innocent and naive babes need to redefine their definition of early. Yes, I realize we are in college and classes before 10 am are considered a crime but don't even think about complaining to me or the scores of nursing and nutrition majors I know about being up early. Exhibit B- the influx of freshman at the rec... as spring rolls around and the blessed week known as Spring Break draws near the rec swells with copious amounts of freshman. Did they just discover this massive building? The wide eyes on all of their faces are slightly terrifying. Do they know how to use the equipment? Are they going to fall while running on the track taking me out with them? Will they clog up my way to the water fountain while waiting on their precious Zumba class for 30 minutes? And finally, will they drive like a toddler on some phonebooks around the parking lot in order to shave .2 seconds off of their walk into the gym. You're going to work out so the extra 10 steps should be an added bonus. I'll have to ponder more freshman observations for a later date but as a safety conscious blogger I feel that I should make all of our 2 readers aware of the imminent danger these little lambs present.

distractions...DON'T YA JUST LOVE EM!

So, It's exam week. I have my 7th and final theory exam tomorrow, so what am I doing you ask? blogging. I would be studying , but certain things are hindering my intake of useless knowledge about theory.

1. GNATS: These stupid little bugs have been circling around my head all week. hundreds of them. what could attract them to my lair of knowledge you ask? well, in addition to the fact that we live in a tree house, many things. Maybe these little creatures enjoy my hairspray, perhaps the smell of jewie's latkes are still wafting off of my clothing, or maybe, just maybe, these little annoyances want my beloved study snacks. All of these excuses are unacceptable. The death toll is up to 3 gnats, and it will rise soon.

2. ILLNESS: When I have to lysol my living space 3 times a day, something is wrong. All i ask is that you take meds or at least put your germy little hand to your mouth when you cough. Then walk your nasty body to the bathroom and wash said germy hand with warm water and soap. you learned this is kindergarten. Maybe your brain is filled with more important things now, like which brand of peanut butter is better than the other...but I will tell you, that knowledge will get you nothing more than a sandwich!

3. FACEBOOK: Why is the site so addictive? I find myself stalking people I haven't thought of in years. "Why hello long lost elementary school boyfriend!...300 tagged pictures!!...don't mind if i do!"...this is the best distraction! because a study break can turn into 3 hours of meaningless staring at pictures of your ex boyfriend's sister's cat who looks great in his peter pan costume that came with a matching green hat that stays secured to his head with a small piece of elastic...or just writing dumb comments on your friend's wall because you know that she too, is on facebook...and of course not studying.......GOOD LUCK ON EXAMS!!!

My take on France

I have recently returned from a trip across the pond to lovely France. It should be pointed out now that I do not speak French besides the key phrase "Parlevous ingles?" So, I entered this beautiful country as the ignorant and uniformed American. On the seven and a half hour flight to Paris I thought it would a better idea to watch three movies than to sleep. So, needless to say when we arrived at 11:30 am I was less than chipper. After being told by the customs man that I look like Ke$ha I set off to get some euros from the atm only to discover I did not know how to use a European atm. Once I finally had my fake looking money I headed to the buses- the advised way to get to downtown Paris. The head and shoulder shampoo needing, non english speaking friends I made on the cattle car, I mean public transit, told me I was a good person because I did not get upset when the pumped into me. Is it normal in France for an accidental run in to be met with a knock down drag out fight?  After a nice man helped me find my proper subway I sprinted away to my next train- hey I've seen the movie Taken- I finally found our house for the next two nights. In a continuance of my genius I decided instead of sleeping I would take on Paris by myself. Three hours and twenty seven blisters later I found my way back to the house and proceeded to pass out on the bed- over 24 hours since I had last slept. France being the amazing place it is I had a wonderful time on my trip. the Louvre was awesome and Normandy was inspiring but the main thing I want to discuss is this little European contraption called a bidet. This can only be described as a the product of a toilet, shower and water fountain having a child. It can be found in many bathrooms directly by the toilet. I had to consult wikipedia as to the proper use for this odd looking contraption- basically its a way to get everything all clean. Now they are getting really progressive and combining a toilet and a bidet... woa dream big! I'm sorry France I think I'll do as the Charmin Bears do and leave the high pressure wash downs to you.

a tree house to some. an unstable shack to others. but home to all.

As of lately it seems that our precious squirrel house has been falling apart. In honor of our humble home, I have decided to take you on a tour through our house and to let you in on all of the hidden charm.

First things first. As you enter our home, you will be impressed to see that we have a state of the art security system. If it is past 9 pm, his name is Jerry. If it is during the day, our lives are protected by a 3 digit code that is sure to keep out all thieves and pervs. Oh, you look thirsty, let's go to the kitchen. Watch out and please don't trip over our fancy red cooler. It is a one of a kind ice chest that you won't find in any other house. Just dip your cup in and grab a refreshment. We don't go for that automatic stuff. We appreciate manual labor, so if the cooler gets empty or a little too watery, don't panic. Someone will be out soon to wheel it away and replenish it. Thanks to our high security, our thermostat is protected by a thick plastic encasement. It is kind of like a zoo animal. You may admire it, but don't even think about touching it. And yes, it is 80 degrees down here, so let's continue upstairs.

Welcome to the second floor. As we walk up the stairs you are obviously greeted by a gorgeous piece or artwork that resembles a Chinese inspired partition. Our den has beautiful white sinder block walls. A few of the lamps are functioning and when found, the remote usually has batteries. Each room has two desks and one bed. To dissolve any fights that may occur over which roommate gets the bed, we have sleeping barracks..i mean porches. These porches have antique bunk beds with antique window units. Most rooms are well lit, but some rooms have an added charm of a flickering light or maybe no light at all. Our spacious study rooms have two computers. It is always fun to play the old game of "Guess Which Computer Works Today". That game is fun, but it is not nearly as fun as "Find the Internet". Everyone loves that game. We love it so much that we play it all day. Sometimes you find us crouching in hallways or near windows...just trying to find the internet. Such a tease, that internet. As soon as you get it, it runs off, and there you are left chasing it again. When we tire from such games, we love to clean up in our community bathrooms. Now our bathroom is the real gem. It reminds me of the old children's story: Goldilocks and the Three Bears. One of these showers is too hot. One of these showers has no water pressure. But one of these showers is juuust right! All of these showers have matching curtains and each curtain does its part as it struggles to hang on. This tour has come to an end. Mainly because I am tired.

Nothing can top our humble home and all of its unique amenities.

greetings, from a former cave dweller

what a great day! After an entire year of fuming with jealousy over this incredible blog, I am officially a contributor. You are probably racking your brain wondering why I have not joined sooner. Well, you see, I didn't live in the house last year. Therefore, my skills were not desired. But no need to dwell in the past..my dream has been fulfilled, and now I get to share my random thoughts with blogger world.

Last year I lived in an apartment or a cave (depends on who you talk to). It was a spacious home with a den, kitchen, private bathroom, private bedroom, and a bed that allowed me to roll over. Obviously, times have changed. Goodbye personal space, hello shoebox! Before you sink into a depression out of pity, let me share with you a few reasons why this shoebox definitely trumps my once beloved cave..

Only in the house can you...

• Find squirrels in your bed and respond with laughter instead of horror
• Experience someone who compulsively fluffs her pillow
• Return home at night to discover half of the Publix bakery in your living room
• Stare out your bedroom window for hours
• Watch Lifetime movies in a dark place that reminds me of the cave..the Vortex
• Hear people singing or yelling at all hours
• Find at least one person to accompany you to the rec
• Gaze at a large poster of boys in red track suits
• Get banned from adjusting the thermostat
• Send out a search party for a friend who likes to drunk creep into rando beds
• Consider it a victory when you make it to your bunk without demolishing a fan
• Live within twenty feet of all your best friends..cheesy but true!

The squirrel

As I am sure everyone knows the squirrel is the revered and loved mascot of Alpha Gamma Delta. The reason being that in 1909 the founders of AGD (probably Whats-her-face Butterworth) thought that the squirrel was a curious creature and thus should represent our beloved sisterhood. Over the last 3 years as an Alpha Gam I have grown to love this little critter. Why you may ask? Because, next to the lemur, it is the cutest animal known to man. Would it be cute to see a turtle sliding down a fireman pole... no! But a squirell how precious! I love being able to walk across the quad and see them nom noming on an accorn or scurring up a tree. Squirrels are nice animals, not ferocious like a lion or pointless like a dolphin. Can any other sorority  see their mascot on a daily basis? I think not. I would rather not see a phi bear or a panda bear on my daily trek to class. I think the most important reason why I so love the squirrels is because of the abundance of types of squirrels. Black squirrels, brown squirrels, red squirrels and flying squirrels. Who doesn't love an animal that can fly? I mean hello! Winner right there!!!!

Songs that define the Fronthall Ballers

"Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z

--Lash. Broadway is in her future.

"Waitin' On A Woman" by Brad Paisley

--Kat. As seen from the eyes of Michael :)

"If I Ever Leave This World Alive" by Flogging Molly

--Sage. Irish song. By Irish band. That sings about Irish things.

"Get Out of This Town" by Carrie Underwood

--Jody. Come May she's going to run. Far, far away...

"Sweet Disposition" by The Temper Trap

--Courtney. Because she has one :)

"Teach Me How to Dougie" by Cali Swag District

--Morgan. Need I say more?

"Bitter Sweet Symphony" by The Verve

--M.A. Mary means bitter. Alice means sweet. Think my mom planned that when she named me?

Think I'll pair movies with my peeps next time. Suggestions from the floor??

Love, M.A.

13 Uses For Your Gameday Shaker

Well, It's Football season again! I, sitting at the football game the other day, was inspired to write this blog, so here it goes!

1. Stirring your drink
2. poking the person in front of you in the back
3. pointing out things on the field or in the stands
4. interesting clothing additions....for some people
5. to block the unwelcome rain from your freshly straightened hair
6. for 8 year olds that want to thread the shaker through their ponytails
7. use as a broom to sweep nasty things off the seats
8. to reach that unreachable itch on your back
9. as a comb to part your hair
10. to get the tangles out of your hair
11. to practice conducting as the band plays
12. to draw to words on your friend's back during the boring parts of the game
13. and finally to cheer on your favorite team! Roll Tide!

Lessons from a slacker senior

Why hello blogdom! Its been a while. I had an amazing summer at camp complete with a massive tire explosion on the way home. Thank you creepy AAA man for your assistance. I would like to share with you some things I have discovered thus far in my senior year.
1. Being 21 is awesome!!!!! Coming from someone who didn't drink prior to that blessed day I can honestly say that the grass is way greener on this side. Goodbye awkward parties.
2. I am horrible at beer pong. This could be because I have a serious lack of depth perception or that my absolute abhorrence of beer has psychologically predisposed me to be bad at anything related to that horrific hop creation.
3. Taking only 12 hours is not as glorious as I thought it would be. I attend class a whopping 5 times during the week and never on Monday or Friday. So what do I do with all of this extra time? So far I have applied to 20 jobs, written 1 essay, watched 2 splendidly cheesy lifetime movies and wasted the other 300+ hours. I have officially become a slacker.
4. Shouting out random Kardashian facts in class is not only socially unacceptable it also tells the other 60 people sitting in the room that I get my news from E! and not a more adult like channel such as CNN.
5. And finally, after some observations on the quad I have decided that grown men should not carry little pink umbrellas, bikers have no souls and my shoes will get wet if I walk across the grass at 8am.

Sorry this entry is not quite as interesting as some of the other ones. It is the best a slacker can do.

Bicycles: The Ninjas of the Road

Hello Blog Readers! I know it has been a while since my last entry. I was inspired today so enjoy:

Today I was walking down University Blvd, an everyday ritual these days, minding my own business, day dreaming, planning my evening...when all of a sudden this biker whizzes past me, OUT OF NO WHERE! The only thing that crossed my mind was "what a bike ninja"! Then I began to ponder: they really are ninjas, and they are everywhere!

1. Quickness of a ninja: the number of people on bikes on this campus has gotten out of control, but bikes do make your trek to class more efficient. so what if you have to plow over a band kid, sorority girl, and that poor German exchange student, punctuality trumps saving lives.

2. Silent like a ninja: all you can hear is the sound of tires hitting on the highway, squirrels scurrying across the pavement, a hippie child throwing the frisbee to a shirtless frat boy on the quad, a terrier yapping, but it all turns to a soft muffling until all of a sudden you hear the wheels of a rapidly moving object, drawing nearer, nearer until it zooms past you, only because you jumped out of the way at the last moment. what was this metal speeding object? A BIKE! I cannot even imagine the feeling if you have earphones in...just say your prayers

3. Travel in packs like ninjas: You never see just ONE biker. There are always PACKS of them, coming from every direction: on the grass, on the sidewalks, in the streets!

4. Tricks like ninjas: If I could have only one wish granted it would be to see some show off biker fall of his bike. jumping over curbs, standing up, "look Ma! No hands!". The weirder you appear on your bike, the more I want you to fall off of it.

5. Different types of bike ninjas:
The asian bike ninja: by far the most popular model and also the most dangerous. These ninjas have no concept of traffic laws or pretty much any rule giving pedestrians any rights, whatsoever!
The frat boy bike ninja: this is the trickster. He bought the bike to get from his early mornings cleaning the frat house to his 10 AM political science class, but he has convinced himself that the tricks he has learned, make this bike even cooler. WRONG!
The hippie bike ninja: These are the most entertaining. Usually have long dresses on, maybe some weird posture choices, and they most always have antique bikes. Golden opportunities for people watchers like me.

Inspired Thoughts from the MIA Blogger

I have decided to call myself a blogger now, since I can no longer call myself a bookend. I am now just one of those guys in the middle, or at least will be VERY SOON! A few things have spurred some thoughts, and of course opinions, and I would like to share them with you, dedicated blog-readers.

1. Friendliness vs. Flirtiness: We have all been faced with this situation. How far is too far? This is mainly focused at waitresses and waiters in restaurants. Specifically The Olive Garden. I only go to this fine establishment maybe once a year, and with the way the staff is, once is enough. Courtney, Julie, Kathy, and I went there for dinner recently and were greeted with a strange situation: The waitress flirting with Julie. Julie, in an attempt for free food, returned the affection. Sick. Our group could not decided whether the waitress' actions were friendly in an attempt to become friends with us, to secure a big tip, or perhaps she had some same sex attraction to Julie or perhaps another member of our party. This made me think: what is normal for a waiter or waitress and what is not?
THINGS THAT ARE OK: friendly smile, attentiveness to a certain degree, bringing the meals in an orderly fashion, asking if we need anything...ONCE AND ONLY ONCE, and that is pretty much all that your job entails.

THINGS THAT ARE NOT OK: telling people that they are not 21 when they obviously are holding valid IDs (yes, this happened), giving an excessive amount of information about yourself (chances are, the people you are serving are just hungry and do not care what your cat's name is or how long it will take you to pay off your student loans by working at Olive Garden), lingering too long at the table, flirting with any member of the party (you cannot assume that any person at the table is interested in you and never flirt with someone who is obviously on a date, unless you want to get cut...that is get your tip cut...)

2. People Liking Odd things on Facebook:
Everyday my mini feed in filled with the strange things that people "like" on facebook. Kathy contributes to a lot of this liking, which is why I would like to dedicate this portion of my blog to her. First I will compose a list of some CRAZY things that Kathy is a fan of, this will blow your mind.

Kathy likes....Icing on the cookie, Party City, The University of Alabama Action Card Office, TCBY Tuscaloosa, Monograms Plus in Vestavia.....shall I continue....oh Kathy what will be next?

My Dumb friends like.....
Shopping Malls (38 Friends)-which one? just any mall? any place where I can spend money...LIKE
Friendship (58 friends)- Good, because I don't like friends, I prefer a life of solitude
Music- 104 friends yeah...original.
Coldplay- 72 Friends...this just blows my mind...If i could find the numbers for DMB i'm sure they would blow this out of the water
A Realtor who will not be named- 43 friends. I don't know who you are but if all these people use you, then you have some booming business in Tuscaloosa and surrounding counties.
* random things that my friends are fans of: the cool side of the pillow, I learn more from google than I do in school, Things that girls should never say to guys, I used to pretend to be the little mermaid when I was younger*

I cannot even continue because this research has exhausted me. You like people, artists, movies, books, and some places. That's it. not movie quotes, not random inanimate objects. Soon people will become fans of going to the bathroom, and opening my eyes so I can function on a daily basis. People are crazy. Peace blog readers.

Love

hi from the NE

First of all, a shout out to the decorator of this blog. I'm not sure who you are, but you deserve a title. Looks good.

Second, I have somehow seemed to block the blog out of my life for two months now. It literally took the word "blog" staring back at me from my laptop to enlighten me of this.

Third, ladies, speaking so frequently of frozen yogurt, I have now discovered the fro-yo Mecca of the world. DC has a place on every corner...but it is not your typical frozen delight. Now the Kathys of the world certainly hold no appreciation for such locales, I am sure, but to the Jodeses out there, here me out. We think TCBY is healthy?? These places have frozen Stonyfield Farm plain yogurt as their base. It's that whole "tart yogurt" idea of which I am typically not a fan, but I assure you-- this stuff is amazing. The most unhealthy ingredient I can find is mini chocolate chips-- all else is fruit, nuts, granola. 80 cals and 0 fat per 1/2 cup serving. Hello.

Well I really don't have much else to write and hate to bore you with my ramblings, so I am concluding this blog. Have a merry fourth, everyone!

the other dairy wonder...

We have mentioned many ice cream delights in our blog...TCBY got a recent nod.....Dairy Delight was even mentioned, but how about the newest and most unique dairy wonder...Yogurt Mountain. It has been mentioned by the bookends before, but after the soliloquy given by Kathy about what is assumed to be tuscaloosa's best place for a sweet treat, I offer a rebuttal. Yogurt Mountain, or more affectionately referred to as Yo- Mo, is one of the most wonderful experiences that Tuscaloosa has to offer (as well as a location in Birmingham). Imagine, you are sitting at home in the vortex watching Grey's Anatomy and suddenly, as Owen and Christina fight for the fiftieth time this season, a craving hits. You walk downstairs to survey what might possibly be in the kitchen: bagels...No...chips...No way...that soup that has been there since our Freshman year...HECK No. What do you want? Let's see, I'm female, I want Ice cream. So we all pile in one car, never Jody's :) , and we all go to Yogurt Mountain.

1. The Big Cup: When you go in you get the biggest cup I have ever seen. I know what the owners are trying to get you to do is fill it to the brim so you will inevitably pay 11 dollars and gain 16 pounds, but I love this cup because you will never spill anything! It's awesome!

2. The Yogurt: Lining the walls are at least 12 different types of yogurt ranging from the traditional flavors to cookies and cream and coffee.

3. The Toppings: OMG! cereal, cookies, fruit, candy, mud, brownies, nuts, rocks, peppermints, cheesecake, toffee, sauces, syrup, blood, marshmallows, dirt...haha just kidding, but seriously, any topping you could possibly crave!

4. You Mix It All Yourself: Everyone hates when they have a disgruntled server at TCBY who skimps on the yogurt or toppings, or simply just isn't jolly enough for me! Here, you put what you want and how much you want!

5. You Pay By The Ounce: After making your creation, you weigh it at the register and depending on much it weighs that is how much you pay. Here is where Yo-Mo gets a bad rep. I realize it cannot compare to the 1.99 special at TCBY, but look at what you are getting at Yo-Mo....EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT! you cannot put a price on happiness.

* On a side note: Gluttony can be found in many forms. If you practice gluttony at Yo-Mo you will have a big belly and an empty wallet. Just a warning.*

But if you don't go wild, you can have a satisfying treat filled with delicious things that you chose for a satisfying price.

Yogurt Mountain is overwhelming but delicious. Be prepared to spend at least 20 minutes picking out your toppings on your first visit, but I can guarantee that you will enjoy every second!

AGD = Alpha Grabba Doughnut

Ok, so it is sad to say that a lot of our posts have been about food. So this post is going to be no different - it's about food. Ice cream. Not just any ice cream, but FROZEN YOGURT from none other than TCBY. Now, whether you call this glorious establishment "The Country's Best Yogurt" or "This Can't Be Yogurt", that is besides the point. This place is it just a little bit of heaven on Earth. Now, at the TCBY on McFarland Boulevard in Tuscaloosa (a.k.a. God's Country), Alabama, the fine owners have established a "$1.99 Daily Special" menu to either A) attract the students at the U of A with these very reasonable prices , or B) make the students gain the "freshman (as well as sophomore, junior, and senior) 15" at a very quick rate. I will now give you a synopsis, as well as my honest opinions, of each of the daily specials.

MONDAY - SMALL SHIVER: This is epically delicious. Basically, you can get any flavor of soft serve yogurt and mix it with up to THREE, yes THREE, toppings of your choosing. I rate this as one of the top three specials in the Daily Specials menu. My personal favorite - white chocolate mousse with Reese's cups, cookie dough pieces, and Butterfinger pieces. The small size is just enough for a delicious treat, but not enough to make you feel like you are consuming 2876039154 calories, although you probably are anyway.

TUESDAY - SUNDAE: Ok, now THIS is something that is definitely worth the $1.99. These sundaes are HUGE!!! There is a variety of sundaes to choose from, such as the Turtle Sundae or Hot Fudge Sundae, but I highly, highly recommend the Peanut Butter Sundae or the Brownie Sundae. Now, the Peanut Butter Sundae has changed in the past, oh, two months. This sundae used to come with a delicious peanut butter sauce and Reese's Pieces. However, TCBY no longer "carries" these two confections, which I feel are necessary to complete the taste of the sundae. Ok, moving on. If you so choose, you may, wait for it, CREATE YOUR OWN SUNDAE! Go for it. Make your wildest sundae dreams come true. Choose one soft serve yogurt flavor and up to three toppings and there you go! Add a little whipped cream and a cherry for the complete sundae experience!

WEDNESDAY - SMALL CAPPUCCINO CHILLER: I have personally never had one of these, but if coffee-flavored items are your cup of tea (or coffee...hehe), then you may have just met your match. I don't even know what comes in these, therefore, I am hesitant to recommend them to our avid blog followers.

THURSDAY - BANANA SPLIT: Ok, now some people may call me crazy, but I have never really been a fan of the good old fashioned banana split. There is just something about fruit and ice cream that does not seem right to me. Here's my deal: ice cream is not healthy, so why add fruit to it to make it seem healthy? I know all you nutrition majors and health nuts may not agree, but if you know me, you know fruit is not my forte. So, spend your $1.99 on a banana split if you wish, but I can assure you that mine will be spent on something MUCH more unhealthy.

FRIDAY - SMALL SHAKE: Boring. You can get a small shake cheaper at Sonic.

SATURDAY - PARFAIT: Blog readers, here me now, THIS. IS. EPIC. Two flavors of ice cream layered between three toppings. It does not get much better than this. I am telling you. Try one and you will fall in love. Possibly the best $1.99 you will EVER spend. Gosh, words just cannot explain.

SUNDAY - SMALL SORBET FIZZ: Gross. The end.

Also, keep another thing in mind when making your weekly (maybe bi-weekly or tri-weekly) trips to TCBY. They take BAMA CASH people!! This is just a place that you cannot go wrong, well, with the exception of Sunday's special. So, head on over to McFarland Boulevard and march right on in to TCBY and try one of these glorious specials. If you follow my advice, you will not be disappointed.

On a different note, the Backhall Bookends are no more. All of us will be moving to the front hall, so we will be taking suggestions of names so that we may more fittingly title our blog. Currently, we have only come up with the Front Hall Fab Four. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thank you.

An end of an era

Yes, sadly the reign of the backhall bookends has come to an end. Kathy and I are moving on up in the world. Our room next year is on the front hall and compared to our closet size room we have this year our senior year residence is the Taj Mahal. I will actually be able to turn around without running into a bed or dressers. But, gloating on our mini-mansion is not the point of this blog. No, at the request of Emily, I will be providing a year end wrap up. "What have we learned" if you will. 


For starters, we learned that my original method of climbing into my top bunk on the sleeping porch is hazardous to the health of others. You see, I used to press up on the top bar and fall onto the bed while tucking my legs in to avoid hitting the fan. One night I must have miscalculated the clearance distance and slammed my leg into  the fan. Because the fan was precariously placed on Katherine's "personal stool" it wobbled off and came slamming down to the ground- mere inches from taking out Emily. Death by rotating fan would be most unpleasant. That fan now sits in the chapter room and ticks incessantly when anyone is dumb enough to turn it on- you're welcome. Secondly, we learned that old shrimp in a mini-fridge will stink up the entire second floor. When a putrid seafood smell began wafting through the backhall we set out to discover the source. Naturally, the first place we looked was Morgan's laundry- does she even know how to use a washer machine? Once that source had been ruled out we began to scour everyone else's laundry bags. Finally, someone began opening the fridges and discovered a box of old shrimp. It was promptly thrown away and tossed in the dumpster. What can we learn from this unfortunate circumstance- Morgan isn't always the culprit when something is dirty, unorganized, onion on the floor, missing pants, or unwashed; secondly, it is never ever a good idea to bring home shrimpy leftovers, I don't care what you try to tell yourself seafood is never good for round two-ever! Other lessons we have discovered- being in the bed by the door is the kiss of death- you will get tucked in at two am, people will shine cell phones in your face to make sure you are still there and everyone checks on you when they walk in the door- I appreciate the attention; Jerry is a great deterrent for coming in drunk- he is like our grandfather and I think a little part of his heart breaks when he sees people a little too sloshed; Ms Marcia will offer you her socks if you are cold but don't even think about asking Lolly for her prized sweatpants; having the keys to the kitchen is like having the only tcby left in the world; and finally, dari delight is the best discovery since well since nothing dari delight is the best wanna be dairy queen, slightly sketchy ice cream mecca. There are other great experiences of Jr year that we would all like to reminisce about but those are another subject for another blog entry. 

Hello my name is the Quad

Its spring and we all know what that means- the quad at the University of Alabama becomes a mecca of shirtless hippies, boys with tiny chick magnet dogs and giant balls. Lets start with specimen number one- the hippies. Once the weather reaches 60 degrees the shirts come off and the tight ropes go up. It is because of these tight ropes that we now have yard signs that say "destruction of the trees- including ropes strung between them- is student nonacademic misconduct"Besides trying to turn our lovely quad into a practice arena for the circus these lovely UA residents also enjoy throwing the frisbee. Now the frisbee is a recreational device that I just cannot endorse. No matter how hard I try the frisbee will always go in the opposite direction I intend. Tell me to throw it at you and you better be standing behind me if you really want to catch it. Therefore when I saw a frisbee flying towards my face the other day as I was treking across the quad I immediately quickened my pace and fled the scene. Just because I have chacos on does not mean I want to stop shaving my arm pits and join you in tight roping across the quad while playing frisbee. The second specimen on our tour around the quad is the boy with the tiny chihuahua. You can't fool me for a second in thinking that you went to the pet store and said "I want man's best friend so let me get this tiny mammal that looks like a glorified rat." No, you had ulterior motives. I know that you went to the pet store and said "What dog will get the most girls to stop and say awww... I know! The smallest, is that really even a dog, dog." You think that we stop and swoon every time we see a tiny creature. You are correct, well played frat boy, well played! Finally, a springtime trip across the quad would not be complete without encountering the giant rolling ball of death. Phi Mu and ZBT have this brilliant philanthropy where they roll this multicolored orb around the grass and get people to sign it. Most, especially small children, jump for joy at the chance to put their John Hancock on a glorified beach ball but not I! Whenever I see this ball rolling toward me with the throng of people chasing after it I avoid it at all cost. I'm not above throwing a small child in the ball's path to impede its forward progress in order to give me time to escape. I feel like I am Indiana Jones and the sphere of death is a bolder trying to crush me into a million pieces. In between dodging frisbees, tiny little rats on leashes and big balls a springtime trip across the quad is not for the faint of heart.