Trivia is just another form of random shit, so you know I love it.  Useless knowledge can help you impress people, or win shots at a bar.  It’s win-win all around.  So try your hand at these questions… NO GOOGLING!!!  I’ll post the answers in the comments section later today…

1) What name is given to half a Byte (4 bits)?

2) Who the fahck is Casimir Pulaski? (Bonus points if you know AND don’t live in Illinois.  Because I live in Illinois and have NO IDEA why yesterday was a holiday)

3) What was the longest movie to win the Oscar for Best Picture?

4) What was the name of Archie and the Gang’s principal?

5) How many times does the word “girl” appear in the Bible?

Things I Love For:Mac McAnally; pencils

Quote of the Day:  “A friend is one who has the same enemies as you have.” –Abraham Lincoln

I love Jello shots.  I love them because they’re not something you can get everyday so that makes them extra special.  Plus, they are delicious!  So I decided to make a batch this weekend to take to the Buffett concert.  It was my first time making Jello shots so I wanted to keep it basic.  But there are many fancy recipes out there on the information superhighway if you are a skilled Jello shot chef.

The basic recipe to make any vodka/Jello flavor shot you want is this:

• 1 Packet of Jello
• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of vodka

You follow the basic Jello directions– Boil the water, mix the Jello in, dissolve Jello for 2 minutes, then stir in the cup of vodka.  I doubled the recipe– I used a big box of Jello and 2 cups of water/vodka, which made about 30 shots.

I used Watermelon Smirnoff Twist Vodka mixed with Strawberry Jello.  I wanted watermelon Jello but they didn’t have it.  These were yummy nonetheless, and quite strong.

Also, so you don’t have to trek all over the city looking for portion cups because you are not lucky enough to still work in a restaurant, head to Party City or any other party store for the disposable cups.  They literally sell them as “Gelatin Shot Glasses.”  They are not cheap though… $6.99 for 40! 

The website I found listed awesome shot ideas– everything from a Mimosa to a Jagerbomb Jello shot. 

What I did NOT find was a Jello shot using my fave, Goldschlagger.  Probably because cinnamon doesn’t mix with fruity Jello.  I was thinking about it and you could technically make a Schlagger Jello shot using the clear basic gelatin that is used for baking.  It would look cool cuz you could see the flecks of gold… but it would taste like cinnamon gelatin.  Probably not that tasty…  Do they make apple Jello?  That would be good, a cinnamon apple shot!  Apple Jello doesn’t sound familiar though…

I’m gonna make another batch for Phish on Tuesday… maybe I’ll give those Schlagger shots a whirl after all.  Those hippies won’t even know what hit ‘em!

Pet Peeve of the Day: When people don’t thank me for holding the door for them.  That’s ok, I will loudly humiliate you by saying “you’re welcome.”

Quote of the Day: “Some of it’s magic, some of it’s tragic, but I had a good life all the way.”  –Jimmy Buffett

I love flags.  Whenever I travel, I do my best to find the local flag to bring back.  Likewise when family and friends visit places, they know the only souvenir I want is a flag.  Some I have acquired by purchasing here in the States, i.e. my Jordan flag.  I was at a festival and this man had a whole display of various flags for sale.  I wanted a flag from the Middle East and was looking for Iraq.  He did not have it so I settled on Jordan.  (This is likely the only way I will obtain Middle Eastern flags as it is not on my list of desired destinations…)

One of my favorite flags is obviously the flag for the City of Chicago.  A large one hangs a wall in my house.  While I enjoy large flags, they are not as easy to display as the little handheld ones, thus I prefer those.  But for Chicago, you know I would glady make an exception.

Another favorite is my Amsterdam flag.  The reason this is a fave are twofold.  One, I love the colors and design.  Two, obtaining this flag almost did not happen.  I had looked low and high (holla!) while in Amsterdam for this flag.  I saw it flying everywhere, and on t-shirts– but no flags for purchase.  Finally, when Biggie and I finally found our tour bus after frantically trying to locate it (the time we almost missed the bus Part 1) there was a shop right there that had flags galore.  I dashed in, tossed the lady some euros, got on the bus, and happily fell asleep.

I don’t stop at flags from actual places.  For example, I have 2 sets of banner style flags that I proudly fly: Tibetan Prayer flags and Jolly Roger Pirate flags.  Obviously I fly the pirate flags to warn landlubbers what they are in for.  The Tibetan Prayer flags have set meanings which I love: “Traditionally, prayer flags are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. The flags do not carry prayers to ‘gods,’ a common misconception, rather the Tibetans believe the prayers and mantras will be blown by the wind to spread the good will and compassion into all pervading space. Therefore, prayer flags are thought to bring benefit to all.”

The flags I fly to let people know how I roll (i.e. my heritage) are the American flag and the flags of Germany and the U.K.:

I particularly cherish my U.K. flag because it is from my late grandmother who came over to the States from Wales.

Other flags I own that round out my collection are: Turkey (a gift from my parents), Spain, and U.S. Virgin Islands:

I enjoy all the flags I own because of their history (which I won’t go into here since you have access to Wikipedia as well), their design, and what they mean to me, whether it is a time I had visiting that place or another reason I love it (sometimes just the design!) 

Flags on my wish-list are: Australia, the State of California, Conch Republic, France and Greece.  Why I don’t have the latter 2 is curious to me, as I as well as friends and family have spent time there.  I guess that is what the internet is for!  (Note: I am not picky about my flags– they do not have to come directly from the place they represent!)  So the next time you’re on a trip (or the internet) and you need a present for me… think flags! 

Do you have a favorite flag????

Pet Peeve of the Day: Wind

Quote of the Day: “There ought to be a law against you comin’ around — you should be made to wear earphones.” –Bob Dylan

(Every Wednesday starting today will be a post about a prized possession of mine until I run out of things that are prized.  Cuz I’m materialistic like that.)

I love hats.  My hair often looks like a shit’s piece and I’m not really and wash and go kind of gal so hats are sometimes necessary for me to get out the door, especially in winter.  Plus, hat parties are my favorite kind of parties.  (You wear awesome hats and take hilarious pictures… hammered drunk).  Especially when hosted by my boy Teej… he’ll even bust out the vintage hats!

My absolute favorite hat is my furry Bears hat.  I got this about 4 or 5 years ago and I wear it every Bears Sunday (except September games cuz it’s usually too hot).  I wear it whether I’m going to the game, watching it at a bar, or watching at home.  People always ask me where I got it and I’m shocked that it hasn’t become more popular (i.e. for sale in every Bears store).  I got it on eBay so that’s where I always tell people to go.  Plus, I got a little slice of styrofoam cheese with my hat!  It was in the Bears mouth when it arrived; so awesome.  (Packers aka “Cheeseheads” are our rivals for the NFL illiterate).

My second favorite hat is one I rarely wear anymore because it’s soooo old and pretty dirty.  It is a camoflague trucker hat with a skull and crossbones.  Pretty much a hat that was made for me.  It’s 7 years old and I’m sure I could replace it but it just wouldn’t be the same.  And my mom yells at me for wearing it… guess it’s not so lady-like or age appropriate these days.  She must think I care what people think…

And rounding out the rest of the collection is a bright orange camo hat I got many moons ago on my 21st birthday from Matty.  He even added some awesome pins to it that say: “If you don’t like my attitude quit talking to me” and “Criticism: Just one more service I offer.”  Legendary.  I also have a camo hunting hat lined with rabbit fur (hi PETA!) that helps me survive Chicago winters. 

The latest addition to my collection is my Captain’s hat.  I have had my eye on this hat for a few months now but I have been hesitant to pull the trigger due to prices I was seeing online.  But I found this one on a trip to a party store with my mom for only six bucks!  Since most of my hats are winter hats, I’m jacked as hell to bust this one out this summer!

Oh, and the chicken hat is Klinker’s.  She has a small hat collection.

Pet Peeve of the Day: People who don’t let others get off the bus/train before getting on

Quote of the Day: “I suppose… the need to focus never arose.” –Jimmy Buffett

For at least the past 7 years, I have enjoyed pirates and piracy in general.  When I say this, I mean it in its most primitive form—i.e. rum drinking, peg-legs, swashbucklers, plank-walking, pillaging and plundering.  I think my interest came from a combination of an awesome trucker hat I owned that was camouflage with a skull & crossbones on it and a newfound obsession with Jimmy Buffett. 

Recently, I was having a discussion about the Somali Pirates that have been so active lately, and it was brought to my attention that these are not true pirates.  Meaning, the actual definition of a pirate is: “One who robs at sea or plunders the land from the sea without commission from a sovereign nation.”  So, because these pirates have an allegiance to Somalia, they are not real pirates, like myself. 

A few years ago I was at a small town movie theater with my mom in Michigan.  The theater was located by a harbor leading out to Lake Michigan.  As we were entering, there was a sign with a Jolly Roger flag saying: Pirates and Piracy not allowed!  I was convinced that I couldn’t go see the movie because I was (am) a pirate, and was outraged at the nerve of their discrimination.  My mom assured me they meant people who record/bootleg the movies…  Oh!  Phew!  I figured since we were by the water where one could easily dock a pirate ship, they had to mean REAL pirates!   

In the last couple years, pirates have become very popular, thanks to me most likely, and movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean.  I was listening to WGN radio a few weeks back and heard about an interesting class being offered at the University of Chicago on Pirates.  It is an anthropology class that studies “traditional Caribbean pirates as well as contemporary software piracy and ‘pirates’ such as Bernard Madoff, who recently pleaded guilty to defrauding thousands of investors.”  http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/content/education/chi-talk-piratesmar18,0,3053082.story.  It’s times like this when I wish was back in college; what an awesome-sounding class!

So if you are interested in pirates and piracy you have a couple options:

1) Roll with me as I teach you a life of lawlessness, rum drinking, and parrot training;

2) Check out the Pirate exhibit at the Field Museum (through Oct. 25, http://www.fieldmuseum.org/pirates/index.html);

3)  Watch all the Pirates of the Caribbean movies (I think there are 3?);

4) Enroll in the University of Chicago’s Freshman incoming class of Fall 2009 (good luck with that);

5) Don a skull and cross bones anything so long as you didn’t purchase it from Hot Topic, Claire’s, Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, etc etc etc…

Pet Peeve of the Day: People who drink 40’s of Miller Lite.  Especially at bars, in brown paper bags.  You’re not hard, you’re just from Schaumburg. 

Quote of the Day: “Mother, Mother Ocean — after all these years I’ve found — my occupational hazard being, my occupation’s just not around” –Jimmy Buffett

P.S. Happy 4/20!