Random thoughts

Hey, all. Sorry it's been a while since I posted... I have no excuse. I did give away some of my life force (blood) today. Does that count for anything? (Intersting note: well, first, I meant to type "interesting" but apparently "intersting" is a word: I'd give you the definition, but the Merriam Webster dictionary isn't working, and Dictionary.com says it's not a word - not sure why it's in Google's - or maybe Firefox's - spell checker; anyway, back to the "interesting" part about the blood donation: the finger prick. [Anyone who has issues with blood, you might want to skip ahead to the next paragraph.] Now, given the choice, I'd prefer a human prick than the spring-loaded one, but they don't give me that choice anymore. And I have 'em prick my right hand since I sometimes use my left to fret my guitar and I figure I don't want the wound springing open while I'm doing that or, more likely, the pain from the prick-point while doing that. Anyway, the nurse had to prick my finger twice - apparently the first time wasn't deep enough to get enough blood out for the iron test. She tried and tried, but it just wouldn't bleed. I guess that's why they like it when I donate platelets... I think I must have a bunch. Anyway, it was a weird, two-finger-prick day today.)

Anyway, I was wondering if there are any non-carbonated drinks that feature caramel coloring as an ingredient. I'd like to see if, indeed, my addiction to dark, carbonated beverages has to do with the caramel coloring.

On another beverage note, and I may have already mentioned this in a post but I was thinking about it on the way home (and I tend to forget things), do you ever wonder if your 20 oz. plastic bottle is going to become a deadly weapon in the event of an accident in your airbag equipped car? I mean, if you hit something while you're drinking, and the airbag deploys, isn't it going to shove that bottle through your teeth, through your throat, and out the back of your skull? Not a very pleasant experience, I would imagine. So to be safe, I always turn towards the interior of the vehicle, away from the doors. After all, I also have side airbags in my van, so I figure, if I'm turned to the outside, I'll manage to be in an accident where the side airbag deploys first, knocking my drink back front & center before the front airbag deploys, shoving the bottle through (and out) the back of my throat. Thus, if you see me drinking a (dark, carbonated) beverage in a vehicle with airbags, you'll see me turned towards the inside of the vehicle.

On another vehicular note, take a look at this wikiHow: How to Avoid Annoying Other Drivers. Of course, most bad drivers either don't realize they're bad drivers or don't care (my opinion). In fact, that's probably one of the primary problems in the world today (well, you know, besides that whole "fallen world" thing): inconsideracy (a word I've made up). Or discourtesy, if you prefer. Regardless (irregardless, if you're my friend Dean), it's probably a root of most interpersonal struggles (again, my opinion).

Ok, figured I'd have to make a long post to make up for the lack of posts over the last week and a half. If you're still here, thanks for reading to the end! You get the "I read to the end" prize, which is my sincere appreciation. I know, not worth anything... sorry about that. If you're still here, drop a comment and let me know something you'd like me to write about next. I'll try to take all the ideas and make a single, cohesive post combining all the ideas into ... well, something. Hopefully something entertaining. (Yes, this is the "I'm too lazy to think of ideas for my next blog post" post. Take advantage of it while you can.)

Addiction...

I have come to the conclusion that I'm addicted to caramel coloring.

I drink too many sodas (pops, cokes, soft drinks, whatever you call them in the part of the country - or world - where you are). I think I'm addicted. But to what? Well, the first thought, of course, would be caffeine, but it doesn't matter if it's a caffeinated or a caffeine-free drink. Second guess might be the sugar, but I've transitioned to primarily diet drinks (I will occasionally drink a non-diet drink; my poison of choice these days is usually Splenda - sucralose - and Publix diet colas - I'm drinking one of the caffeine-free variety intermittently as I write this, and they just put them into twelve-pack form, and you can get 3 twelve packs for $7, so it's a pretty good deal; of course, Coke Zero is probably my current absolute favorite soda, but it's aspartame-sweetened, and RC Cola for non-diet drinks). Carbonation, you might guess? Possibly, but it's dark colas that I like; I will drink the occasional Sprite or Ginger Ale or Mountain Dew (which is my favorite cold remedy), but it's the dark sodas that I seem to have me addicted. I generally prefer Coke products (and now Publix products), but Pepsi will do, and I'm a fan of Dr. Pepper products as well. Even the grape sodas and root beers are good.

So, what is it about the dark sodas? What do they all have in common that the others don't? Caramel coloring! That must be the thing to which I'm addicted, the caramel coloring that infuses each and every dark-colored soda on the market. In fact, looking at the ingredients, caramel color shows up second on the list (i.e., it's the second highest percentage ingredient in the beverage). You can see it in the picture over to the right (if you can't make it out, click to enlarge the picture; if you still can't, take my word for it). Only carbonated water is in more abundance in the drink (and we've already established that it's not carbonated water that causes my addiction, since if it were, light- and clear-colored sodas would satisfy; wait, is "clear-colored" an oxymoron?). Anyway, based on my analysis of the ingredients and what it takes to satisfy, I have come to the conclusion (presented in the first sentence of this post): I'm addicted to caramel coloring. That's the one ingredient that dark-colored sodas have in common (among all varieties, including diet and caffeine-free colas) that is not in common with clear- and light-colored sodas.

And I have no intentions of breaking this addiction anytime soon... :)