Concerned Children's Advertisers Strike Again

Maybe one of these days I'll stop posting videos of commercials I see on tv. Maybe one of these days, commercials will stop making me laugh hard enough to want to post them. Maybe one of these days, I'll just stop watching tv.

But until then, enjoy...





I love the music - it reminds me of Copland's Rodeo.

Study Break

So, I'm writing this, not because I'm taking a study break, but because it's about something that happened during a study break. I had a calculus final last Friday (and I am SO glad it's over! But that's another post... that I may or may not ever get around to writing), and spent all of Thursday in my room cramming. I started around 10:00 in the morning, and paused for some snacks here and there, but around 4:00, I decided that I needed to get outside for some exercise. This, of course, meant that I had to change out of my pyjamas. But I didn't want to put too much effort in to this, so I pulled on my gym shorts (ah, the Hart) and one of my bigger t-shirts (you know, the kind you wear to lounge around your house instead of out to the movies). Anyway, I set out for a walk/run through the neighbourhood, and it was really nice to get outside. It was a pretty warm day, so I was sweating in no time (not to mention my lack of physical fitness, haha). After a while, I realized that the people I was passing on the street were giving me some funny looks. I kept wogging (walk-jogging), and it kept happening. Finally I pieced it all together. The t-shirt I had happened to throw on is from my favourite bakery in Rexburg: The Cocoa Bean (they make the most amazing cupcakes and I miss them much more than is probably healthy). The t-shirt is red and looks like this:

And I realized that, from their perspective they see a pale, sweaty, out-of-breath girl wogging down the street, wearing an "I heart Cupcakes" shirt.

And I'm pretty sure at least one of them thought: "Well, there's your first problem".


Ba ha ha ha....

Anyway, also related to study breaks.... As much as living at home may not be my ideal situation right now, I have to admit that it's really, really, really nice when you're cramming away far into the evening and your mom knocks on your door and asks if you'd like her to make you a snack, coming back minutes later with a bowl full of fresh fruit on which to munch. Thanks, mom!

So, I'm not trying to turn you all in to couch potatoes - really! I promise! But another funny ad came on today, and since it's Canadian, many of you may have NEVER seen it before. This is a tragedy, and evidently, I need to share it with you. More than one Canadian kid has, at some point or another, wanted a house hippo:



One of the best PSAs ever. :)

Re: video

also, I noticed that when I'm using tabs in Firefox, "YouTube" is shortened to "YouTub", which, considering it's being read by people who are spending wayyy too much time watching stupid videos on the internet, is probably a very appropiate statement.

So cute!

Alright, every time this ad comes on, it makes me so happy. I realize that perhaps it's a little strange to get so much joy out of 30 seconds of video designed to get me to buy gum, but... I can't help it. If you haven't seen this ad yet, you need to check it out. Actually, check it out anyway.



They're just so cute! I love the coffee cup at 0:14 - he's just sitting there, swinging his legs like he's so excited to be going for a car ride. Not to mention the fact that they got all buckled in and everything -safety first! And then they helped each other up the stairs. So, so cute.

Taxes (but no death!)

So, I just finished putting together my tax paperwork for last year. Since I was in the US for pretty much all of the year, I only had US taxes to file. Now, before anyone looks at their calendar, realizes that it is several weeks past April 15th, and has a minor heart attack on my behalf - don't worry! Since I'm no longer in the country, I have an extension. Until June 15th. Which is Monday. But I didn't leave it to the last minute - I have a whole 2 days until then!

Anyway, after finding my W-2 and 1042-S forms (I had put them in a "safe place" when I moved; a place so safe, I couldn't find them even when I wanted to), I got to work. Line 17, Box 2, add, deduct, etc. And I eventually found that I did, indeed, owe taxes on part of my income from last year: 9 dollars in taxes.

9 dollars.

What a stupid number!

On one hand, I'm certainly glad it's not any higher. On the other hand, it seems a little silly to have to pay such a small amount (I checked for any way out of it since the total was so small, but only when your total tax owed equals less than one dollar are you exempt from paying). So, Monday morning, I will head to the post office and file my taxes, along with a cheque for $9. The government certainly seems to want it. But I wonder what they'll do with it? What can the government of the United States of America buy with $9?
Some options:

• nine packages of 10 HB #2 pencils
• one mousepad
  
• one tenth of a office chair
• one fifteenth of a pothole repair
  
• 6 minutes of a defense attorney's time
• half of one person's business lunch
• 5 gallons of jet fuel for Air Force One (yes, I checked the price of jet fuel)

In reality, the nine dollars will probably not be enough to pay the poor soul at the IRS who will process the paperwork. But it's still fun to imagine what to do with $9. Any ideas?