Fine Friday VI: Coffee.

First off: one of the best, if not my favorite smells in the world is coffee.  Pretty much any type.  Even if just grounds, coffee is an amazing scent.  Now, about the taste: I can't say I love it.  I'm fine with mocha or hints of coffee flavoring, but the drink itself doesn't really mesh with my taste buds.  I will admit, I have purchased a cup of coffee once just for the reason of smelling it.  What I don't understand though, I have never seen a coffee scented air freshener.  I've seen vanilla, cinnamon, and plenty of other food flavors, but not coffee.  Someone needs to get on that.

Online math tests.

Not the math testing center, but this is at WKU.

My math class uses this online tool for homework and tests.  It's called MyMathLab.  Now, I'm okay with doing math homework on the internet with my computer.  It's no skin off my back.  Usually it's better, because I'm more likely to have a computer with me than a book, pencil, and paper.  The one problem though is tests and quizzes.  Since they are both administered over the same online tool, you have to take them on your own time.  But you can't just take them in your dorm, because then you could use WolframAlpha for every question.  You have to schedule an appointment at the Math Testing Center.  You know where the testing center is?  The top of the hill.  Furthermore, when you arrive, they wipe the entire memory of your calculator.  I lost my Calc-Art from Sophomore year :( .  Then you go sit in front of a computer in a cubicle while they watch you.  Even worse, the air conditioner in the room is loud and squeaks constantly.

Over-Protective packaging.

You know that feeling. Unwrapping a present or getting a new toy and wanting to play with it immediately.  You're just so excited about how much fun the new thing will be!  But one thing stands between you and said toy.  The ridiculous blister packaging.  The sharp, strong, seemingly scissor-proof plastic packaging.  I understand that it's supposed to protect the product until it reaches the consumer, but it also protects the product from the consumer.  I can't count how many times I have stabbed myself under my fingernail with a sharp corner trying to open something like this.  It's also ridiculously loud, but I'm guessing that's to protect against theft inside a store.  Either way, there are so many better ways to pack an item.

Ridiculous shipping prices.

I am an avid purchaser of things online.  I just find that it is so much easier and faster to buy things online and have them shipped to me, or in some cases, pick them up at the store. But what really irks me is when the shipping charge is way more than it actually costs to ship the item.  Take for example shop.puma.com.  They charge $8 shipping for a pair of shoes, and only give free shipping on orders of $85 or more.  Another culprit can be found on amazon, but not amazon themselves.  The amazon stores.  They will undercut amazon's direct pricing by $2, then charge $10 for shipping on a 6 ounce package.  Considering that most things I buy online would fit in a USPS Flat-Rate box that costs $4.95, I should never be charged more than that for shipping.  What is even worse?  Places that choose their shipping rates based on item price.  See the chart in the picture for an example.  Why would it cost more to ship something that is $24 compared to something of the same weight and size that costs $25?

How hard eating healthy in college is.

Except my floor doesn't have a kitchen.

I've been trying to lose weight for the past month, and I've discovered just how difficult that really is when using a meal plan at a school in Kentucky.  Everything, and I mean everything has saturated fats.  I would go out and buy more healthy foods, but I already paid for the meal plan. *excuses*.   I have been forced to eat at Subway every other day and get a sandwich with ham, lettuce, olives, and vinegar.  Not even cheese.  I do however find solace in that since this is a Pepsi school, every soda machine has Diet Mountain Dew (caffeine without sugar).  Luckily, I feel as though I am able to burn off most that I east by walking all the way around campus everyday (2 miles, with a large elevation gain).  Here's the worst part though: both my mother and grandmother have sent care packages to me.  Full of what may you ask?  Food.  Mainly candy and Slim-Jims. Sigh.

Poke Wars.

You know what serves almost no purpose anymore?  The Facebook poke button.  All it does is start unnecessary conflict.  I have 2 major Poke Wars going on right now.  One person (she knows who she is) established rules of 'No using phones to poke", but she does it herself.  She cheats at her own game!  I will be sitting in class on Facebook, and I will literally have a 2 second turn-around time for my pokes.  I actually don't use my phone to poke.  I just have no life and sit on Facebook all day.  That and I carry my Nickelodeon netbook with me if I am leaving my room for more than an hour.  I'm such a nerd.

Mixed Nuts and Trail Mix.

Random fact: Raw Almonds contain cyanide.  They have to be heated/cooked before they are legal to sell in the US.  On that note, I hate packages of mixed nuts.  The only good parts are the peanuts and cashews.  I am most definitely not a fan of almonds, whether or not they are poisonous.  I've never really enjoyed walnuts, and I really don't like pecans.  In trail mix, we all know what's up.  You eat the M&Ms first, then you mingle through and sort the rest to find the good parts.  Though usually bags of either of these are given to me for free, so I dig for the ones I like and discreetly throw away the rest.

Fine Friday V: Twitter.

To start off: I do have a twitter (@sofunnytom), if anyone really wants to follow me, but I have no idea what I will ever use it for.  If I wanted to give 140 character random messages to the world, I would just post it as a Facebook status.  What I find ridiculous is when someone posts over 50 tweets a day.  How are you supposed to sift through the crap that isn't directed at you?  I like the idea of hash tags though.  It's quite a clever idea to find and rate trends around the world.  There is one main thing I don't like about #s though.  I follow @ryanauld (Project Runway Season 9), and I have to wait until the day after the show goes on to watch it because I can't get TV working on my computer.  Everyone tweets the results before I get to watch the show!  But Twitter has made itself relevant to modern society, so that's just how it will be.  One thing people need to understand: Twitter is not a Facebook replacement or even competitor.