Shopping for Groceries with Amazon Prime

In yet another attempt to be artfully lazy (a pastime enabled by technology), I am attempting to shop for groceries via Amazon Prime

If you're unfamiliar, Prime is an optional Amazon.com offering that gives you free 2-day shipping on lots of stuff, streaming TV shows and a few other perks for $79 a year. It's pretty awesome, though I am trying to squeeze some extra utility out of it by replacing a few trips to Safeway with a few clicks at my desk.

For my maiden Prime Grocery Voyage, I have selected an 8-pk of V8 Fusion to be delivered at my abode tomorrow. The price was cheaper than at the store and will arrive at my doorstep with zero effort of my own.

If this experiment is successful, I fully intend to list out items that I'd normally lug home from the supermarket and, instead, order them via Prime. Will this change my life and make me more attractive to woodland creatures? Yes. So much yes.

Best Cat Video Ever 

I realized my blog just *had* to have this on it. You're welcome. 

stereo skifcha from xgabberx on Vimeo.

Quoted in a Book About Manners

On page 81 of Henry Alford's new book Would It Kill You to Stop Doing That?, you will find a quote from me about the unintentionally rude questions I sometimes get when I speak to college classes about social media. 

I've never been included in a book before, so it's a thrill. I just received a copy of it, and I look forward to actually reading it because it's about manners. My manners are admittedly slapdash, but I tip nicely when dining out.

#NintendoEnthused Party at the Pug Pad

I hosted a charming little Nintendo Ice Cream Social at my place as part of the #NintendoEnthused program (whereby rad folks get to play rad games and blog/tweet/meow about it). I invited some good peeps over to play Wii Play: Motion, a collection of mini-games for the Wii that were significantly more whimsical than the Wii Sports stuff I expected from the title.

There were sweets, so much sweets!

There were also giggles, so much giggles:

The ice cream game (I think it's called Cone Zone) was especially challenging. I had long prided myself on my Cone Zone skills. Even as a small child, I knew I was destined for Cone Zone greatness. Alas, I was crushed by my peers and will have to seek my fortune elsewhere.

A huge thank you to Nintendo for making my apartment the site of much mirth. Hugely awesome evening, and I got to eat gummi bears.

Happy Birthday to Me - 2011

Fancy Headphones

...are totally worth it.

They shut out the world and let me watch internet cat videos in relative peace. They are my first line of defense against talkative airplane passengers and are the ONLY way to listen to old school jamz.

I rock a pair of Bose QuietComfort 2's. If you're in Boulder and want to test drive them for, like, five minutes - give me a shout.

TEDxBoulder 2011

As usual, I got too busy and neglected to do a write-up of TEDxBoulder (an event I helped found and organize), which returned for its second year a week ago. With close to 1,800 people in attendance, it's easily the largest event I've ever been involved in.

TEDx Boulder-318

From a design standpoint, it was a new peak for our team. Everything looked amazing - from the stage design, to the venue itself. I'd always wanted to be on the stage at Macky Auditorium (I'm a CU alum), and I finally got my chance, if only for a few fleeting seconds when I decided to show the crowd the little bear pin I happened to be sporting that night.

TEDx Boulder

Our theme for the evening was Time & Change. However, the primary tenet I took away from the evening was to never stop making. Make more time. Make more change. Make more things. (Epitomized by Threadless founder Jake Nickell's talk that night, replicated here - and below)

:

If you were there, thanks for spending your evening with us. You have no idea how much I fret about filling all those seats. It's always a huge relief to see them slowly filled with friends and soon-to-be friends. If you weren't able to make it, we'll do it again next year. Maybe we'll have have a bouncy castle outside or something.

TEDx Boulder-55

Special thanks and hugs to Kimya Dawson, who performed that night. The next day at brunch, we discovered our mutual love for "Step Up 3D." (Best movie ever, son.)

TEDx Boulder-173

Blendtec Smoothie Geek-o-matic

I recently bought a high-powered blender that answers to no one. If you encountered this blender in a dark alley, there's a good chance you would get a weird rash. It's a serious blender. It's a Blendtec.

As part of my foray into CrossFit, I'm trying to eat more veggies. This has always been hard for me. I'm a notoriously picky eater. The kind of kid who orders hamburgers that consist of meat + cheese + bun and that's it. So the idea of eating spinach and kale filled me with volcanic fury.

So I bought a blender to [hopefully] get more veggies into my system via delicious smoothies. I'll periodically post my experiments here. Get ready. Get smoothie.

Got recipes or tips? Leave them in the comments! Help me avoid putting myself in the hospital!

CrossFit So Far

Based on the recommendations of trusted friends and rascals, I started doing CrossFit this week. (Is it "doing" CrossFit? Learning? Training? Or just CrossFitting? I'm so confused. Perhaps I should ask someone at CrossFit Roots, the place where I, um, do.) It's this exercise thing. There is a whole lot of sweating.

Part of the regime includes a change in diet that focuses on Paleo principles. No dairy, no sugar, no bread, lots of veggies, meat and fruit as well as some other rules. (I'm sure I missed plenty.) I'm on Day 2 of the regimen, and my arms are sore.

I like the variety. Our workout from Day 1 was completely different from Day 2 - except for squats. There are always squats, it seems. I'm doing okay. I haven't passed out or started crying - both of which I tend to do when playing World of Warcraft - so I've got high hopes.

I also ordered a blender. Because I'm one of those dummies that can't eat vegetables properly. I'm going to make smoothies. I'll write about that more when it arrives. If I get good at it, I'll invite you over for a smoothie brunch on the weekend.

Did I mention my arms are sore?

Ignite Boulder Sweet 16 

I let the dogs out.

Thanks to everyone who attended Ignite Boulder Sweet 16. And a super special HOWDY to Mary Rotman of O'Reilly, who came out to see what all the noise was about.

Ignite Boulder will return in December. The dog costume, however, will not. ;-)

All photos courtesy of Kia Ruiz. Gorgeous!