Flossing For Fun

I have recently taken a fervent interest in flossing. I’ve never really flossed my teeth, despite what I tell my dentist. I have always felt that my teeth are too close together so flossing is literally a real pain. But ever since my last dentist appointment, I have been flossing like a maniac.

During this recent cleaning, the hygienist, who I have never met before, really went at my mouth with the floss. I was pretty sure she was going to slice right into my jaw bone with the string. It was actually quite painful. But when I got home and the pain had started to wear off, I sort of felt, what I am going to call a feeling of “floss-fit.” Like a nicotine fit where you just have to have a smoke, my gums were jonesing for more flossing.

Ever since that day, I have had at least a once daily floss-fit. Suddenly I have become the person who has floss in her purse. I have become the person who flosses at a red light while driving to work. I have always loathed the excessive mouth hygiene people, and now I am halfway to becoming one. At least I only brush my teeth once daily.

Aggressive Friendliness

I just got a spring cold and I am officially on the exciting and nauseating ride that is the cold medicine roller coaster. This afternoon, after my very satisfying Cinco de Mayo dollar tacos at El Azteca, I returned to the office feeling very bad. Chills, fever and overall aches; I was not happy. Then I took my cough medicine and waited for the relief to wash over me. I didn’t even realize that I was feeling better until I found myself walking down the hallway being aggressively friendly to relative strangers.

“Hey, how you doing?” I practically shouted in this guys face. He looked taken aback, but through his quick thinking was able to retort,

“Good, how about you?”

“Great!” I shouted back at him. “Thanks for asking!”

Just an hour ago I would have scowled, or at best ignored the guy. With my medicine I was practically ready to be best friends. Got to love the stuff.

This past summer my brothers and sister and family all got together for a week at the NJ beach. My sister in law Heidi, who I adore, is a born and raised Kentucky farm girl and she is aggressively friendly. As we walked around the little beach town she greeted every person we passed as if he was an old friend, which New Jersey folk don't really like and find suspicious. It was amazing to watch people step back, or stare at her or worst, just ignore her. It actually became a joke and we called her our "special" cousin from Kentucky.

I think it is kind of sad that being so friendly is seen as weird or uncouth. I enjoy the thought of a world full of Heidis, all smiling and asking "how ya doing?"

Where Will Shiitake Kickers Go next?

During the first season of kickball last year Cavin was visiting and came to watch a game. Sometime during that game I convinced the coach to give Cavin the one remaining Shiitake Kickers shirt with the promise that Shiitake Kickers t-shirt pictures would be taken in Vietnam.

Here is the most recent photo! Thanks Cavin and Sunshine!

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Bestway to Beers

There is a crappy little local grocery store about a mile down the road from us called Bestway. I have been shopping there for years on account of its being right across the street from the laundromat where I used to go to wash my clothes. Recently Bestway was bought out by a private investor who has taken great steps to improve and update the place. The very first thing he did, and I think this is brilliant, was remove the wall of produce racks that were, in the past, half empty with substandard fruits and vegetables. In its place, and stretching from one wall of the store to the other, is a beautiful, gleaming new beer and wine case. In this case they have put more different types of beer than I have ever seen in one place every. It boggles the mind.

The last few times I have been in there (and I have been going there with an increased frequency) I have stood slack jawed in front of the case for long minutes just appreciating the view.

The last time I was there I decided that each shopping trip must consist of the purchase of a new beer, never before tried inour household. Here are the first three new beers and some notes regarding their taste, bottle, and overall experience.


Lucky Buddha




Obviously, it was the bottle that forced me to pick this beer first in our quest to try them all. It is from china. It is a very light lager, akin to Heineken, but with less bitterness and body. Not a beer I would drink for the flavor, but I loved holding that fat Buddha bottle. I will have to get it again as I gave the first bottle to Chris and I need to have one of my own.

Hitachino Nest Beer, XH

This beer has an owl on the label, so it had to be drunk. Also, the opportunity to try beer that has been kept in sake casks could not be passed. I didn’t really like it. It was a little too sweet and had a strange aftertaste that I am still struggling to define, like soap, or cleaning chemicals; weird, but worth a taste. Plus, now I have the cutest owl bottle cap for my collection.

Ridgeway Bitter



This beer is a happy surprise. I am not usually a huge fan of bitters, but this beer is wonderful. It is medium bodied, smooth and flavorful, (or should I say flavourful?) It is slightly sweeter than bitters I have had in the past, but it is certainly not too sweet; absolutely delicious.