let the lent begin

Another Lent has begun. I know I’m not catholic, but I figured that Lent was a good idea. It’s a time to show God that you are devoted him. As a short order cook explained it to me, Lent is a time to show your devotion to God by giving up something for forty days. He said the forty days represents the forty days Jesus was in the wilderness and fasted. It’s all represented of what Jesus did while he was on earth. For Lent I decide to give up Soda again. As many people might know I gave up soda about this time last year, not for Lent, just because. So this year I’m giving Soda up for Jesus.

While giving up soda my taste buds have been craving something else. On the plane ride home from Phoenix last week a new craving hit me. I saw an episode of Unwrapped on the Food Network and they explained how Yoo-hoo is made. My taste buds knowing they couldn’t have soda for forty days decide it needed Yoo-hoo. Once back in Idaho I set out to find me a Yoo-hoo. It took me five days to find one and countless gas stations. Yoo-hoo that’s some good stuff. So begins Lent.

the savory quest

As many people know the last two weeks I’ve been in Phoenix for training at my new job. During those two weeks we stayed at a hotel with a free hot breakfast. In my room they had a menu of what they had for breakfast each morning. Well for my first breakfast of this week they listed biscuits and gravy. I’m not one to eat a lot of biscuits and gravy, but when they get in my head, I want some. On Tuesday morning I went down looking forwards to some biscuits and gravy. When I got down there I saw the gravy. I was so ready for my biscuits. I went to get my biscuits and to my surprise they were not there. Instead there were burritos. The kitchen staff was like “We didn’t get our shipment of biscuits in. Why don’t smother your burritos in gravy.” First the burritos looked really bad as if they had been microwaved. I hate food that is microwaved. That morning I ended up with a bowl of cold cereal. Not a great breakfast when you want biscuits and gravy.

On Wednesday night we decide to go to the Waffle House for dinner. It was a nice small diner that sat at max 40 people. Looking over the menu I noticed they had biscuits and gravy. I was like finally, two days later I get my biscuits and gravy. I order my coke and sat back just dreaming of the savory gravy, the flaky goodness of the biscuits mixed together. My tongue new the sausage in the gravy would taste perfect. Oh the wonders that would soon be in my mouth. I could see the short order cook preparing everyone’s meal. I could see my flaky biscuits waiting for the gravy. Soon they would be mine. After waiting a little while the waiter came over to me. He said, “Sir we’ve run out of gravy.” No gravy. No gravy at the Waffle House. My longing for biscuits and gravy would have to go on. First no biscuits and now no gravy. Could life continue down this road of denying me my savory breakfast treat? I felt as if I would never get my biscuits and gravy. It would be a lost cause. Then on Thursday morning I work up to a great surprise. They were serving biscuits and gravy on my last day in Phoenix in the hotel. Justice had come. I had my breakfast. Only three days late.

the first one is always free

Many people know I love comic books. This is no surprise to anyone, but lately Vertigo an imprint of DC Comics has started a new selling system. Vertigo is now selling their first issues of new series for only 99 cents. This might not sound like a cheap price since comic use to be 20 cents, but as long as I’ve read comics they have been 99 cents. Right now a normal comic sells for 2.99 or 3.99. Then special issues sell for about 5 or 6 bucks; 99 cents is cheap in today’s comic world. Well being a junkie for comics I can’t turn down a 99 cent comic. It’s so cheap and sometimes you can even get those even cheaper when they are discounted. Reading comics is like getting a junkie fix and when they give you the first one almost free you want more. Like last week Grant Morrison had a new comic through Vertigo called Joe the Barbarian. Normally I wouldn’t pick it because I don’t read Vertigo comics by the issue, but it was a buck. I also enjoy reading Grant Morrison; he’s one crazy comic writer. I also normally read Vertigo comics by the trade. Vertigo knows how to get me. This isn’t the first time they’ve done it either. The last one was Sweet Tooth. That’s one sweet comic. I read the first three issues before I had to stop. Vertigo has some really good series and they are marketing to the comic book nerds really well. I should know I’m a comic nerd. On top of the cheap first issue they also do a cheap first trade of the comics. The first trades are usually ten bucks instead of 15. They discount those trades to try a get a comic nerd hook a second time. It’s almost like they are selling crack. I see them and I must have it. I need my comic fix. I will be the first to admit, I’m a comic junkie. I’m a junkie all the way. Before I got married if I had to choose between buying food and buying comics; comics always won. Sadly that is no longer the case. I have to live in a very tight comic budget that doesn’t allow for many comics. My love prefers to have food in the fridge compared to comics in my hands. She might be right, but only time will tell.