Why Standard Time Is Better than Chocolate

Fall and winter are my favorite seasons of the year, and it’s not just because they’re full of sweaters and scarves and leaves that look like fireworks and blankets of snow. They’re full of standard time.

I know there are people in the world who celebrate saving daylight, when we roll the clocks back and an entire hour of my time vanishes into an endlessly sunny abyss of long days. Hurray for those people who can continue to wake up on time and make it to work with chipper smiles. They talk endlessly about how glorious it is that the sun stays up until 9 at night, and they’re probably fueled by rainbows and the sweet essence of puppy kisses.

I am NOT one of those people.

Standard time is the greatest thing ever. Most of the world agrees. Some states even agree that it’s just downright silly to steal an hour…so they don’t do it. (I’m looking at you here, Arizona. You go, state.) It’s pretty much the best thing ever. It magically transforms me into a happy morning person, who exercises before work and goes to bed on time at night.

Dare I say it? Yes. I do. Standard time is better than chocolate.

And even Lenny the Tiny Adorable Alien loves chocolate covered espresso beans.

And even Lenny the Tiny Adorable Alien loves chocolate covered espresso beans.

Standard Time vs. Chocolate: The Pros List

Standard Time Chocolate
– Brings me joy – Brings me joy
– Helps me go to sleep on time – Helps me survive meetings
– Lets me wake up on time – Can be melted into a glorious beverage
– Makes me a morning person (MAGIC) – Brownies.
– Helps me spend less money by going to
bed on time instead of going out to play
all night
– Totally functional love replacement.
– Signals bears to start hibernating, thus reducing bear attacks – Cookies
– Loving Standard Time is a fun way to antagonize people who hate it – Infinitely seasonally appropriate
– Supports the success of ninja attacks  
– Thanksgiving  
– Christmas  
– New Year’s (Eve and Day)  
– Valentine’s Day  
– ‘Tis the season for soup
And soup is a good season.

And soup is a good season.

Standard Time vs. Chocolate: The Cons List

Standard Time Chocolate
– Empowers vampires – Causes morbid obesity
– People powered by puppy kisses are moody – Promotes a false sense of love
– Supports the success of ninja attacks – Sneaks into all the holidays
– Helps you go to bed on time – Melts into your pockets/purse/car
– Cheap chocolate tastes like wax and desperation
– Is gross when combined with gummy things

As you can see, in a head-to-head battle, Standard Time is the clear winner over one of the most ideal foods on the planet, a food that makes even delicious desserts taste better (except gummy bears). So really, I don’t see how people can be so grumpy about it. Standard time owns almost all the best holidays, and means that girls look more girlfriendy.

So throw on a cross, hang up some garlic, and spray some ninja repellent. Hug a puppy and watch a double rainbow to get your sunshine fix. It’s Standard Time season and I, for one, couldn’t be happier about it.

Things I Have Said to People This Week – Oct 25-Nov 1

Other people share what exciting things have happened on the Internet over the course of a week. Instead, I choose to summarize my week for you by simply sharing a few of the things I have said to coworkers, friends, and complete strangers over the past seven days.

“Just…don’t sacrifice anything alive to make the soil fertile. I’ve seen that movie. It goes super badly.”

“I am SNOWELLA, Princess of Greenland! ….I have to go to the store now and change my costume completely. “

“Blodate!

Which is now what I’m calling “blog updates”. You know, for speed and easy comprehension.”

“In ye olden times, they would have made you king.”

“Don’t worry children. The worst influence ever is coming to your rescue.”

“It’s ok.
I wasn’t thinking earlier.
And replaced my name with cake.”

“That mustard is so angry.”

“That’s mean.
You’re a bully.
I like it.”

” ’Men are weird retard lions’ is my favorite statement of the day.”

“I think I’m more of a Plan B for single guys (the backup plan, not the morning after pill. That would be awkward).”

And now, I present to you the one costume I left off my Halloween costume photos. Peggy Bundy. Because no one can get enough of the goddess of the 90s.

It's honestly both  disturbing and reassuring how long it took me to find a turquoise leopard print shirt.

It’s honestly both disturbing and reassuring how long it took me to find a turquoise leopard print shirt.

And here is a picture of a sleeping ocelot.

SERPENTINE BABOU! SERPENTINE!

SERPENTINE BABOU! SERPENTINE!

Happy Friday, everyone.

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year…

Halloween is the holiday I celebrate for a full month. (Ok, admittedly, I also do this with both Thanksgiving and Christmas.) Horror movie marathons start October 1, and carry on until I have to legitimately accept that it’s November and I have to start obsessing about semi-racist Thanksgiving decorations. Candy shopping happens sporadically (Mostly because all those horror movie marathons need snack, and then I remember I have to compensate for trick-or-treaters). I make plans to go to every single party I’m invited to.

This year, I made my own stegosaurus costume.

In my head it looked like this.

This glorious example of costume excellence and artistry is courtesy of my favorite blog, Hyperbole and a Half. Go read it and buy her book.

This glorious example of costume excellence and artistry is courtesy of my favorite blog, Hyperbole and a Half. Go read it and buy her book.

What it really looked like was this:

I was chasing a tiny dog dressed like a dinosaur at this time.

I was chasing a tiny dog dressed like a dinosaur at this time.

I’m on a classic costume kick, so I was going to dress as the bride of Dracula for work today…but then I realized I had to go to the mall at lunch for an errand, and didn’t want to deal with long frilly sleeves in the stores.

That’s right. The mall affected my wardrobe decisions for the day.

So, I’m a blood sucking lawyer. Because I am both work appropriate and _hilarious_. (For reference, no one in the office thinks this is even remotely entertaining. Apparently the term “blood sucking lawyer” hasn’t made it to the south yet.)

Halloween Blood Sucking Lawyer

Lawyers _Totally_ make this face. Just go see one and tell them you can’t afford to pay them.

I may be one of the few adults below the Mason-Dixon line who actually enjoys Halloween, but by golly, I’m going to celebrate it enough for everyone. You’re welcome, the South.

(This blog post is very short and unenthusiastic because no one will leave me alone today and I used up all my creativity this month on costumes. It’s a finite resource, y’all.)

Life Lesson: The DMV

Life Lesson 7,246:

The DMV does not actually have any customer service representatives. They actually just have a hold line. It’s a social experiment on patience. 

I have a unique relationship with the DMV. It goes beyond the traditional annoyances most people experience, for one simple reason: I have cartoon eyes.*

Over the course of the last 13 years (since I turned 15 and got my driver’s permit), I have spent more time dealing with the Department of Motor Vehicles than most people do their whole lives. I send them documents from fancy doctors. I visit their offices and charm their employees (Read this as: inflict unrelenting sarcasm on their employees). Oddly enough, I’ve never before had to call them. And that leads us to today’s life lesson.

The DMV sent me a love note. It read:

“Hi ho, little driver.

Just so you know, we’ve arbitrarily decided your driving privileges will expire in a week. Because we never received the paperwork you sent in a month ago.

Kisses!

The DMV”

(I may be paraphrasing.)

So, obviously, I found myself required to call the DMV. For three days, I called and called, and sat on hold and sat on hold. It doesn’t matter what day you call, or what time of the day. No one will answer. You will find yourself having to dig up the local office’s number, call them, and demand to be transfered through eight different people in order to get this matter clarified.

Because there are no customer service representatives at the DMV.

The California DMV is even using robot terminals to avoid letting you talk to a real person.

The California DMV is even using robot terminals to avoid letting you talk to a real person. Tragically, NC doesn’t even give you robots.

If you find yourself in this position ever, I have provided a handy list of ways to entertain yourself and not waste any of your valuable time.

Things You Can Do While on Hold with the DMV

    • Blow dry your hair. Into three different styles.
    • Make a salad, a sandwich, and a tiny pie invention.
    • Doodle over six pages of mini notebook paper.
    • Draft four blog posts.
    • Quadruple overbrew a cup of tea.
    • Rebrew the cup of tea you ruined.
    • Have a philosophical discussion about doodles and lung cancer with a man smoking outside your office building.
My eyes do not sparkle like this.

My eyes do not sparkle like this.

*I’m not kidding. My eyes literally sparkle. Like a cartoon. It’s a condition called “synchronous rotatory nystagmus.” My eyes are constantly refocusing, causing them to shift like someone spinning a combination lock.One would imagine this to be very cool (and of course it is) but it also just so happens to make me entirely unable to take traditional eye tests.  It’s just one of many entertaining quirks that came with my baby-blues. It’s congenital and stable; it just means I’ll never see 20/20.

Today’s Favorite Thing: Shark Stalking

That’s right. Oprah isn’t the only one with favorite things.

This post could have been entitled “Someone hid all the coffee in the break room and so I’m probably going to go to prison,” but I thought that was kind of a mouthful. So, instead, I bring you one of my favorite things.

OMG, y'all! You can follow SPECIFIC SHARKS. And his name is "Rizzilient." It's like I'm stalking a shark rap star you guys!!! http://www.ocearch.org/

OMG, y’all! You can follow SPECIFIC SHARKS. And his name is “Rizzilient.” It’s like I’m stalking a shark rap star you guys!!! http://www.ocearch.org/

Shark stalking. Because sharks deserve more than 1.92% (1/52, in fraction form. That’s right. This is a mathematical reference to Shark Week) of your year.

I’m not even going to tell you how many hours I have sunk into stalking sharks while listening to the theme from Jaws. (Hint: It’s definitely more than thirty.)

So why is shark stalking cool?

(…That’s just a silly question. I know. It’s condescending of me to even pretend you would be asking that. You’re cooler than that. I know. But not everyone reading this is! So I have to explain it to them. Oh, man. You’re so patient. I’m so glad I have readers like you.)

Shark stalking is cool, and worthy of favoritism, because of science. You may think it’s because of how sharks are totally awesome and capable of eating people and have their own theme song, but it’s (mostly) not. Have you ever thought about how amazing it is that we can use technology to find out where one single creature is on the face of the planet? Under the ocean, no less? I mean, c’mon. If I told you to find one specific shark, and you had no access to the Shark Stalker, you’d be doomed.

Science has expanded on the human ability to creepily watch something no matter where it is in the world. That. Is. Amazing.

Today’s favorite thing has been brought to you by my friend Stef, who is quite obviously super brilliant and deserves a cookie. A shark shaped cookie.

Image courtesy of Sweet Dani B. Click for link.

“I AM SO MUCH COOLER THAN A SHARK COOKIE.”