#534 Catching food in your mouth

Neil Pasricha

Toss it mean and catch it clean.

Drop that jaw, tilt that head, and let’s get down to business:

• Level 1: Pop Practice. It’s important to start small with popcorn. There are no penalties for misses here, since the corn is light and doesn’t collect much dust if it hits the ground. This is a baby step and it will take time to master, but it’s an important rite of passage before hitting the next levels. (Note: In some circles, this level also covers marshmallows, Cheerios, and Corn Pops.) 5 points.

• Level 2: The Grape Beyond. Yup, next step is big ol’ grapes. Usually someone on the other end of the movie couch is munching on the vine in their own little bowl. If you’re feeling a bit hungry, simply drop your mouth and tap the couch cushion while saying ‘Uhn! Uhnnnnn!’ to get their attention. Soon a cold, hard grape should be flying fast at you. If the toss is good you should catch it perfectly. Other fruits like raspberries and strawberries fit here as well. 10 points.

• Level 3: Dog On A Bone. This extremely advanced move involves catching something larger than your actual mouth. An apple, peeled orange, or corn on a cob are good targets. You need to time the molar chomp perfectly and be prepared for embarrassing T-shirt stains and a black eye. 25 points.

Yes, when you catch food in your mouth you’re suddenly sitting high on top of the snack-eating universe. You’ve just combined equal parts laziness and athletic ability in a daring couch potato feat the likes of which this family room has never seen before. So when you nail it smoothly you know what to do.

Chomp it loud.

Chew it proud.

AWESOME!

Photos from: here, here, and here

1,494 thoughts to “#534 Catching food in your mouth”

  1. Hi everybody,

    This is a strange comment string.

    From April 5 – 9th, 2010 it was home to Week 4 of 4 of The Book of Awesome Contest. Of over 1400 entries received, one comment was selected randomly and one was selected to be expanded into the final #534 for the list. Both winners received autographed copies of the book.

    Pasted below is the original contest post, all the original comments, and all comments received after April 9th. It sure is big and chunky but it makes for some fun reading.

    Neil

    –
    Original Post:

    #534 Your idea here.

    And it all comes down to this!

    Yes, the comments section of this post is your last chance to win an autographed copy of The Book of Awesome! This is Week 4 of the 4-week contest and it’s for all the marbles.

    Last week’s contest was another one for the ages — with over 1300 sincere, heartfelt, and laugh-out-loud entries from everyone. Congratulations to Bekah M. who was picked randomly for her comment about texting and Jess B. who’s suggestion has been expanded into #539 When you open a book to the exact page you were looking for.

    So, this is it! This is your last chance to win! It’s time to give it all you got! There are no wrong entries or bad entries, either. Just be yourself and let your awesome hang out there.

    Good luck to everyone and here’s the same Q&A’s as before:

    • How do I enter? Super easy. Just tell us in the Comments about something you find awesome what makes it awesome to you.

    • How do I win? There are two ways to win: One winning comment will be written and expanded into entry #534 on the blog and one winning comment will be chosen randomly! For the mathy folks, that’s two winners each week.

    • When’s the contest end? Can I enter more than once? How will you contact winners? Will you mail books anywhere? Do all comments have to be suggestions? Whoa, whoa, whoa, okay, let’s see here: 1) Each of the four weekly contests will end Friday at 5pm EST. 2) Sure, you can enter as many times as you want. 3) We’ll use the email addresses entered when you submit your comment to contact the winners. So make sure it’s not your spam account. 4) Yup, I’ll mail the books anywhere. Mexico, Monaco, Malaysia, Madagascar – if you’ve got an address I’ll get you the book. 5) We’re using a random comment picker for one winner which will include all comments — including thoughts or opinions on other comments. So keep chatting because it helps your chances. (We’ll just delete spam or hateful stuff.)

    • Any legal stuff? Yeah, all contest entries and comments become property of 1000 Awesome Things.

    • What if I have other questions? Just ask them in the Comments. Plus, that doubles as an extra ballot entry for you, too. We’ll ask some kind folks to help out answering questions throughout the week.

    So! Are you excited as I am? Are you ready to play? Are you ready to make the list? Are you ready for some free books? If so, it’s time to come on down, comment on up, and get ready to win your very own autographed little piece of

    AWESOME!

    2. The Perfect Bite

      Be it a burrito or a salad, getting that perfect bite with just the right amount of each ingredient makes the whole meal worth it.

      AWESOME!

      1. When you’re sitting in traffic and a car pulls up beside you at the perfect spot to keep the sun from shining in your face. Awesome!

      2. It is a well-known fact among my friends that I am on a constant, lifelong search for the perfect bite. Every meal. Every time. Awesome, indeed.

    4. waking up really early, taking a shower, and then going back to bed – just because you decide school/work isn’t worth all that effort for one day: AWESOME.

    5. When you lose your balance, stumble, trip, careen forward and at the last possible second…you recover that balance and keep movin’ on like nothing happened.

      AWESOME!

    6. Finding an Easter Egg in your house when its nowhere near Easter anymore

      Because there is no feeling like finding some extra candy behind the bookshelf in September in that bright, plastic egg. You saved that candy, you found that candy, and you deserve that candy.

      AWESOME!

    7. Seeing kids carry on the silly traditions you did as a kid.
      Example: Today I saw a little boy jump in between the tiles on a floor so he wouldn’t step on the cracks and “break his mother’s back”! Awesome!

    8. Checking out at Target and finding out the item you decided to splurge on is acutally on sale!

      AWESOME!

    9. The snack that one parent brings after every soccer game when you were younger.

      example: juice boxes and the little bags of chips.

    10. driving around Hershey, PA with your windows open!! Smelling chocolate everywhere!! totally awesome.

    11. Riding with your windows down on a summer night.

      Your favorite song is playing, a few friends in your car, you cruise the streets feeling the sweet breeze of summer in your face.

      AWESOME!

      1. even better for me, are those nights when its cool enough to put your windows down but keep a little “heat on the feet” as i like to call it. of course you must be wearing flip flops for full enjoyment! AWESOME!

    15. ya know what’s awesome? Generous Fellow-Customers. Iwork at a Starbucks, and some dude couldn’t get the coffee he ordered because his debit card didn’t work. a lady noticed this while she was doctoring her cuppa at the condiment bar and came up to buy his coffee for him. i also appreciate the little generosities of that stranger behind you in line at the groccery store who will lend you the 5 cents you’re missing. or how about this: One day at a Starbucks drive-thru, someone decided to buy a drink for the person behind him in line. when that person drove up and found out his coffee was paid for, he decided to return the favor for the person behind him. this continued for 11 cars! true story. big or small, whether it’s for me, or even if i’m just a witness, those donations always make me smile and renew my faith in humanity.
      Awesome! :)

      2. Oh my gosh. No way! That’s truly amazing. Generosity is such a fantastic and seemingly rare quality. I absolutely love hearing stories like that! It makes me happy to know that people that nice do, in fact, exist.

        It doesn’t even have to be a monetary contribution, like the coffee thing. Any type of generosity or general kindness towards another is exceptional, like the way our handicapped neighbor (at my parent’s house) will sometimes walk across the street — something that is very much a struggle for him — to pick up our trash can from the street and bring it up to our porch.

        A small gesture can go a long way in making someone else’s day truly … awesome.

        1. I’d like to amend my statement. I KNOW that people like that exist, and that they’re everywhere … they just don’t get any credit because they’re being overshadowed by all the garbage and pessimism surrounding us all. So I love hearing stuff like that, because I think it’s great that people are spreading the word.

    16. That Unexpected Perfect Winning Shot…
      The first time I ever golfed was in a best ball tournament. We were on hole 18 and I was the last one to putt…everyone had missed their first putt and we needed my ball to make it in…I never thought I’d make it. We all got very very quiet and I lined myself up…and hit the ball…straight in the hole. Four women all screamed like school girls, embraced in a giant hug and spun around the hole on the green. It was, truly, amazing and five year later we STILL talk about that putt!

      It isn’t just in golf either…that perfect, unexpected winning shot has been seen and felt in darts (bulls eye!!), beer pong, 2 strikes in the 10th frame of bowling…and that amazing feeling when you scream and get to high five your friends and game partner for making that unexpected perfect winning shot! AWESOME!

    17. The sound of brushing your teeth, followed by a rinse and bright grin into the mirror.

      :) awesome!

    20. Always awesome:
      Walking into any Barnes & Noble and being greeted by the combined smell of new books and Starbucks coffee. Heaven!

  2. Hoodies.

    There are many features that make a hoodie the perfect garment:

    A hoodie is essentially a sweatshirt, and what’s not to love about that? (Especially that first time you wear it, before it’s been washed *wink*).

    A kangaroo-pouch in which to store car keys, cell phones, wallets, chewing gum, movie tickets, and chilly hands. Sure, it may look like you’re experiencing some kind of rare, misshapen pregnancy, but you have the good fortune of having all your goodies at your fingertips. This is better than a purse in that you have full use of your hands and arms without having to bother with keeping tabs on a pesky falling purse strap or – heaven forbid – a ridiculously useless clutch bag.

    A hood, hence the name. Rain, snow, wind, and extreme cold are no match against your sweatshirt hood. Pull the drawstrings tight like your mother used to do for you as a child, and off you go in a helmet of warmth.

    Optional features include: full or half zipper, perhaps an inside pocket.

    http://product.images.fansedge.com/41-47/41-47871-F.jpg

    1. I love my hoodies!!! I have so many of them. They are comfy, warm and I couldn’t live without that pocket. Everything goes in that pocket. Taht pocket really is kinda like my purse when I wear my hoodies.

        1. Me too. :-) Even when it’s technically too hot for a hoodie.

          … wearing your favorite sweatshirt/hoodie when it’s too warm out, just so you can feel cozy and snuggly…AWESOME

    2. too bad that alot of schools are banning hoodies because people can text in the pocket without needing to look at the keyboard

      1. hee hee…that’s me right there! Good thing I’m not in school anymore. I would be soooo mad if they banned my hoodie.

    3. A hoodies. It’s like wearing a hug. Only more useful.

      *smiles*

      I have one on right now, let’s consult the pocket shall we?

      Keys, iPod, headphones, student card. :)

    4. A hoodie can also include a built-in pillow, if you slide the hood on over to one shoulder.

      1. @Natalie: That’s exactly why I wear one on trips. I’m not paying for that dumb airplane pillow, nor am I sacrificing precious carry-on space for one.

        2. Yessss the built-in hoodie travel pillow is always a plus … but I’m tellin’ ya, if you’re not bringing your pillow on a trip with you, you’re missing out.

          That or I’m waaaaay more attached to my pillow than I should be (probably the case). If it came down to a pillow OR a bag to be carried on, I’d probably choose my pillow. :D

  3. A fresh pair of contacts.

    You’ve been going strong for a month, sometimes longer: same pair, in and out, day after day. Finally … the time comes. The night you can just remove those babies and toss ‘em in the trash, leave ‘em on the bathroom counter or nightstand to harden into tiny shriveled up bowls, or – if you’re one to plan ahead – keep them as a backup pair incase things go wrong. Yes, this is the night before the day when you will put in a new pair of contact lenses. What a relief, that next day, to crack open two new, fresh sterilized lenses. Ahhh, moist and comfortable relief from the irritating pair of yestermonth. Awesome City, population: you!

    1. Ha, I do this. I don’t really follow a schedule with them I just wait until I that one lazy night comes around. You know what I mean, the night when you forgot to take out your contacts and you’re lying in bed already. You’re comfy and warm, and the thought of stumbling back to the bathroom makes you shiver. But there’s a trash can right there..

      That’s when I make the decision. Looks like its going to be a new pair of contacts in the morning.

    2. Ha ha “Irritating pair of yestermonth”. Good one!

      I used to relate to this post, but then I got laser surgery, so now this belongs to irritating months of yesterdecade for me!

  4. Brewery Tours.

    From the local micro-brewery to the Anheuser-Busch mega-plant in St. Louis, who doesn’t love getting to take a peek behind the scenes? Smell the smells, see the sights, learn the history, observe the processes, and – best of all – get a free beer sample? I’m not a huge drinker, but c’mon! Who can’t appreciate the two free 8 oz. samples you’re given at the end? Awesome!

    1. Currently on vacation in Boston and just went on the Sam Adams Brewery tour! Very good timing! My wife doesn’t really drink, but found it interesting for all the “learning”. She’s been bragging that she now knows the 5 ingredients of beer.

      1. Oh… I know… I know….
        1) Hops (who knows what they are or what they look like, but I know they are in beer)
        2) Bubbles
        3) Frothy head
        4) yummy deliciousness
        and
        5) cool refreshingness

        1. KT, I love it!
          “cool refeshingness” is one of my favourite ingredients! Ah, man, if I didn’t still have work to do, I’d go grab a brew right now!

        2. What about the smell of the brewer’s yeast? That’s almost as good as the aroma of leaded gasoline

  5. Digital photography.

    Not that I can’t dig a good, old-fashioned film-usin’ camera … but let me tell you, I’ve saved some serious green since the world of digital cameras entered my life.

    There is something special and amazing about taking pictures and developing your film the old fashioned, dark-room-style way. I know, I’ve done it. But when I think about my childhood picture-taking days, not knowing how my pictures would turn out, spending – after all was said and done – between $10-15 per roll, plus the disappointment of seeing that a whole roll of film produced all crappy shots … I am suddenly grateful for the opportunity to snap a thousand pictures and choose three that look great for the low price of a memory card. Poor photographic attempts, be gone!

    1. Agree!
      Also, anything that has come down hugely in price is awesome: photography, long distance phone rates, air travel, computer-related junk, etc.

  6. Your personal perfect temperature / weather.

    With all the recent gorgeous weather, I must pay homage to perfect temperatures and ideal weather conditions. Everyone’s is different. 70s and sunny? 65 and overcast? 90 degrees, by the pool, and sizzling in blistering sun? Playing in the snow, enjoying some nice slightly-above-freezing air? Breezy, still, rainy, whatever … to each his own! But when it’s YOUR perfect temperature and weather, you know. You want to shout it from the rooftops. You want to skip work, duck out of class, shirk any and all duties, and have fun. Maybe not everyone will agree with your ideal, but today it’s your day to enjoy your perfect weather, so soak it up!

    Note: All temperatures are presented in outdated, primarily-American Fahrenheit … just to make sure all you Celsius-usin’-folk aren’t thinking that I believe everyone enjoys boiling and unrealistically toasty surroundings. ;D

  7. When you get a really confusing text message that you have to decode.

    One of my friends is notorious for relying on her phone’s predictive text (or T9 or what have you) feature. She is not one for proof-reading, either, trusting that the message will get through. “Net of head your way. In so glad to see you! I foot know what time, soon though.” Go-go Gadget Context Clues! Calling all inference skills!

    1. I really wish it were that simple when dealing with some of the texts sent by a less-than-sober friend of mine. A jumble on consonants and misplaced punctuation marks cannot possibly be decoded by Sherlock himself, so it’s one that usually gets tossed into the void of indecipherable texts.

    2. My husband is sooooo bad at doing that. I keep them to show them to him later and we laugh. He says that I know what he was talking about…yeah…I always do but its still hilarious!

    3. My sister does this a lot. How hard is it to check the message before you send? Ha, I can’t count how long I’ve spent staring at my cell phone trying to figure out what she meant.

    4. My dad does this. He’s a large dude so his fingers are 10x bigger than the keys- plus he’s and old dude so he needs glasses to see what he’s typing (which he never has). Those things make for one jumbled mess of a text message. Usually though, for any message longer than “ok,” he’ll just call.

  8. Dessert pizza.

    It’s unexpected. It’s rare. It’s awesome: at a buffet, you spy that sinful looking pizza pie that features cookie dough and chocolate chips in lieu of tomato sauce and mozzarella. That cinnamon Stromboli where once there was a supreme pizza. That apple-streusel creation sneaking in beside the pineapple-n-bacon. Calling all ‘separate compartments for dessert’!

    1. This is why I love the lunch buffet at Pizza Hut. They have a mean apple pie pizza. Mmmmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

  9. Really long straws.

    When you’re at a restaurant or maybe when you’ve gotten a gas station soda and you have a disproportionately long straw, you can sip from afar without so much as having to lift a finger. Useless but awesome!

    1. ugh. gonna have to completely disagree with ya on this one. i want my straw to be as short as possible yet still able to sip through it. Though, since you appreciate this, have you ever gotten a milkshake from Burger King and received a “BK Pipe” to drink it with? That’s seriously what it’s called. Says so right on the wrapper. it’s gotta be the fattest straw i’ve ever seen/used in my LIFE. it was so awkward to use. but kinda awesome at the same time cuz you can laugh at yourself while doing it lol :)

  10. Never having had braces.

    When I was in middle school and all my friends started getting braces, I’m not ashamed to say it: I was a little jealous. Getting to skip school to go to the orthodontist, getting cool baggies of colored rubber bands, choosing the colors they were sporting on their teeth? I longed to experience that. But when it came down to it, I didn’t need braces. I closed the gap between my front teeth when I face-planted in the shower in fourth grade and busted my face. It knocked my front teeth loose, and they somehow righted their own wrong. Anyway, after that first little bit of longing, I finally realized how fortunate I was to NOT have to have braces. It was only after seeing the agony my friends experienced after a nice, torturous braces-tightening; bleeding lips; mouths full of wax; bans on corn on the cob and chewing gum that I realized I was the lucky one. One of the few who escaped this torture. Awesome!

    1. Lucky lucky girl.

      My mouth is a death trap. Four years of braces, three oral surgeries, and gobs of blood later, I finally have a functioning mouth. But I might trade all that horror for a beautifully imperfect set of chompers.

      However, that feeling of getting your braces off is something that can’t be beat. So the metal mouths have a leg up on you “normies.”

      1. I actually found the day my braces came off to bring a pretty sore mouth. But when I look at the molds of how my teeth looked before compared to how they look now.. I’m grateful my parents made me get those railroad tracks installed for 3 years of my life. It wasn’t so bad really.

      2. Yes, lucky except for the busting-my-face thing. We’re talking bloody nose, knocked-loose permanent teeth, and stitches in my bottom lip where said teeth went all the way through.

        Still though, it WAS a pretty lucky deal: My next door neighbor is a dentist, so my parents called him over to see if he thought I should take a trip to the ER or not. He said it looked like I might need stitches, so he called another mutual doctor friend. He (the doctor) took me to his office — this is after hours, mind you — and the dentist went and fetched some good ol’ mouth-number from his office. Together, they sealed the gaping hole, eliminating all wait-time and any expenses that occur from a trip to the ER. So all pain and suffering aside, it was a good deal, saving thousands on braces. ;) I’m a team player.

    2. Yes, the things you can’t have when on braces sucks. But here’s an awesome thing: managing to eat your favorite food even WITH braces. Very satisfying when you can pull it off.

  11. Pumping gas to the exact dollar.

    You’re watching the numbers digitally whiz around, dollar amounts climbing at a disproportionate rate compared to the gallons you’re getting. No matter, when that thing shuts off you have two options (given that you’re willing to disregard the warning against “topping off” at the pump): 1) leave the amount as-is, forcing yourself to pay an uneven amount: $23.47. OR 2) Squeeze that pump, watch those numbers after the decimal, and work your magic until you can click off at an even $24. Yes, that is awesome!

    Note: There is a rare third option which is that your pump randomly and accidentally shut itself off on an amount that just so happened to be an even dollar amount. With this you’re scoring, like, triple awesome points, so be sure to celebrate the rarity of it.

    2. That stupid penny….I almost always go over one penny. And then I try to get another dollar in there, and I still go over a penny!! It is so awesome getting the exact dollar amount

    3. It’s like a little game you can play that makes getting gas slightly more interesting. Or more frustrating if you lose.

  12. My vote: talking to your cousins about your best friends.

    There’s nothing worse than talking about your best friends with your other, not-so-best friends. If you happen to slip and call someone else you’re “best friend”, you have to back track, clarify, say how they were your best friends before, from college maybe, and that now “you don’t really have a best friend”.

    With cousins, it’s the opposite. You can claim them as the awesome friends they are. There’s no pressure about who’s favorite and who’s not, neither of you care whether you’ll be hanging out tomorrow, next week, or the week after. You’ve known each other forever, and you’ll still known each other forever.

    Nothing better than stress-free storytelling. Awesome!

    1. Growing up, I always wished I had cousins near my own age. Both my parents were the youngest of their siblings, and had kids a bit later in life (30 vs. early 20s). I have 18 cousins, the youngest of which is 10 years older than I am. I have a few cousins who are older than 50! So I have old cousins and really young 2nd cousins. Not much opportunity for story-swapping there.

      But awesome for you and all the people in the world with similar-aged cousins! :D

  13. Scar stories…

    Everyone has a visible scar, whether it be a straight scar accompanied by stich marks across your forehead from being smacked in the face by a metal swing as a child, or jagged tear marks on your fingers where a night of too much drinking and a “great idea” was to blame. Just like a fingerprint, these gems are all unique and best of all they are fun to re-tell during a night of drinking allowing your audience to relive your pain, cringing when you recount the teaspoons… no PINTS… of blood that spewed from it, or just as a friendly reminder to your future children that allowing your buddy to push you through a parking lot in a shopping cart, straight towards a cactus may SOUND like a smart idea, but it really isn’t.

    1. Let’s see…. I have one on the under side of my chin, a big one on my forehead and one on my upper lip due to car wrecks. First time I ever got stitches was my first car wreck. I was 18 and it was my first Mother’s Day…I was on my way to work at 3 am, ran off the road and made a mess.
      The big gash on my forehead came from my second wreck when I was T-boned at a stop light (not my fault) but they didn’t stitch me there, they just glued it up.
      One on my left knee…it kinda goes around it…where my older brother threw our cat at me and it scratched me…its about 8 inches long.
      I have a few on my arm I don’t remember getting.
      One on my hand where I hit it up against something at my first job.

      I think that’s all of my visible ones.

      1. Oh my gosh! Jeez, Bekah, glad you’re still with us to tell the tale!!

        P.S. Are you the Bekah who won an AUTOGRAPHED BOOK?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

              1. Yeah, congratulations, Bekah!

                If either you or Laura didn’t win the “random” draw, I was going to have serious doubts about the laws of numeracy. Holy commenting, Batman!

                Also, you guys have both had a lot of great suggestions, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see one of your entries up there next week! Good luck!

                1. Ditto. Congrats Bekah.. Definitely a well deserved win. Laura has come out of the gate strong this week!

                  Unfortunately, I’m on vacay this week, so I won’t be as active in the comment threads. I’ll catch up on everything when I get home. Good luck to all!

                  2. Thanks!!
                    Have fun on your vacation and make sure to have enough fun for the rest of us while we are working. We will be waiting for your return.

                2. I’m trying to lay low this week, but its hard not to comment on everyone else’s good ideas of awesome.

                  2. This is the only site that I go to on a regular basis. I visit here at least once every hour that I’m at work.

      2. Wow Bekah, glad you’re OK!

        I think the strangest scar I have is where someone passed me in a hallway in high school and accidentally scraped my arm with their binder. Doesn’t seem like it should have even broken the skin, and I didn’t notice it until I sat down in class later. Amazingly it was a pretty deep cut, bled for hours, and I still have a scar years later. People always assume its from something more interesting than a notebook but I think that makes it more interesting.

        1. I’m like a cat with 9 lives…LOL…

          Wow…. that bad of a cut from notebook?! What kind of notebook was it?

      3. haha this is so awesome! i actually swapped scar stories with a coworker the other day :) great way to pass the time during a slow day at work.

    2. A friend of mine has a scar left from where an iron hit her. It’s kind of a funny story behind this. ;)

  14. Lick-a-beaters
    Apparently when my husband was young when his mom would make cookies he would ask for the lick-a-beater, so that is now what all spoons, beaters and paddles are referred as. Every one wants the lick-a-beater. My oldest child sneaks into the kitchen when nobody else is looking and asks me really quietly, like she doesn’t want any one to know she still likes it. My youngest child doesn’t even wait until I’m done mixing to ask. I have pictures of my oldest when she was two sitting on her grandpas lap while they both had a lick-a-beater. Last week when I made cookies with the girls at church, a shy little twelve year old girl who doesn’t talk much asked me if she could have the spoon. Don’t tell me the woes of eating raw egg in the cookie dough, The real risk comes when you put that perfectly good lick-a-beater in the sink.

    2. Oh my gosh! Jeez, Bekah, glad you’re still with us to tell the tale!!

      P.S. Are you the Bekah who won an AUTOGRAPHED BOOK?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

    3. Ahhh, this is great. I can’t even tell you how much raw egg I have consumed this way. It was totally worth it. Sometimes I think it would be a good idea to make homemade cookie dough and skip the oven step.

      Then I remember the melting, gooey chocolate chips and come to my senses.

      1. I have a friend who seriously does that: she makes a batch of cake batter with zero intentions of actually baking a cake. She eats cake batter with a spoon, out of a bowl, like some kind of sweet, gooey porridge.

          1. I know! Same here! As much as I love a big ol’ spoonful of cake / cookie / brownie batter, I can’t imagine eating ONLY the batter. Eek!

  15. The first day of warm weather after a long winter.

    The snow is nice, yes, but after seeing it day after day, you start looking at your flip flops with a sense of longing desire. It doesn’t matter what happen that day, whether it’s a good day or a bad day, but something magical happens when you’re able to put on shorts, a sweatshirt, and kick off your shoes for flip flops, only to later kick them off for soles of grass, sand, or sidewalk. A bad day is forgotten; a good day is made better. What better way to celebrate than to fill your lungs with a deep breath of freshly baked air?

    Awesome!

  16. Changing from a wet swimsuit to clean pajamas

    I love that feeling :) When you’ve been swimming for hours and you get out of the pool … and your swimsuit is all stuck to you … then you get out of your swimsuit and pull on some fresh clean pajamas and everything feels so much more relaxed …

    2. Ah yes! Your skin feels so cold and.. just weird. Am I the only one that thinks that?

    3. Ooh this is a good one. It’s especially satisfying if you go from hot tub to cold air to pajamas. That weird gross swimsuit feeling is extra worse when you get out of the super warm hot tub making the pajamas that much more wonderful. :)

  17. When someone brings you a souvenir from vacation.

    Colleague went to Hawaii? Here’s a keychain and a string of kukui nuts. Cousin went to Holland? Please enjoy these wooden shoes. Friend visited the largest ball of string in America? Happily accept this postcard and scaled-down ball o’ string.

    Big or small, expensive or cheap, exotic location or lame — it all comes down to this: someone loves you enough to think about you on their time off and to bring back a memento just for you from their trip. That is the truly awesome part. :)

  18. Crazy Straws

    Then gem of any child’s drinking experience. Every kid wanted one of those firm, plastic wacky drinking straws to make that Kool-Aid taste just that much sweeter. There’s always the standard spiral, and that was great and all, but every once in a while you got a few variations that really push the limits of drinking incredibility.

    The day they came out with the cup with the straw attached was the highlight of my life. I got to watch the juice climb all the way to my lips from the cup ITSELF all along the outside. Pure joy.

    Some straws had no structure, almost like crumpled wire, and that was just fine. But my personal favorite was the straw that DID have a design in mind. You know, the ones that formed glasses or a shape. Those were the awesomest of all.

    2. When I was little, I would use crazy straws when I was sick for drinking my ginger ale or gatorade or whatever. It made being sick a little more bearable. Plus, I didn’t have to move as much to take a drink.

  19. When someone is cooking and they bring you a pre-meal sampling.

    This weekend, I went home to visit my parents for the long, Easter weekend. As I was sitting on the couch this morning, smelling the delicious aroma of pancakes and bacon, my mom swoops into the living room, wielding a plate full of sizzling bacon, and offering me a first-dibs piece. Awesome!

  20. Hidden presents.

    What’s awesome? Getting presents. What else is awesome? Treasure hunts. What is the awesomest of all? Treasure hunting for your present.

    My dad did this thing for a while on holidays where he’d make a single clue to the whereabouts of our big gift, each leading to other clues, of course. It made the receiving of the gift that much better and more fun after a good hunt.

    1. My sister and I always used to make “wild goose chases” (as we called them) for one another when we were little. Sadly, the end reward was not so much a present as it was a congratulatory note with perhaps a Jolly Rancher attached, but it was great fun nonetheless.

      1. Ah, my sister and I always used to do that! The prize never really mattered, it was the thrill of the hunt.

  21. When your pet knows you need a pick-me-up!

    You come home from a rough day at school, or at work. Maybe someone said something mean, or someone cut you off in traffic. It’s usually nothing you could even call up your parents/best friend about, because it’s not a huge deal, but you just feel BAD that day. And your cat or dog or (in my case) bunny rabbit hops up onto the couch next to you. He’s probably just hoping to be pet on the nose, but you’re glad he’s there for you. He understands!!

  22. Silent messages to complete strangers.

    I love people watching. It’s one of my favorite activities. So naturally, I tend to do it on the go as well. As I walk by people on the street I give people a once over, making up a silly story of their life or silently, but not seriously, judging them.

    However every once in a while eye contact is made and the tucked-in-lips smile forms, the official silent “hello.” This is standard, but sometimes the look says so much more.

    Maybe you both caught each other dancing to music in your headphones. Maybe you both saw each other at that party last weekend briefly when both of you were acting ridiculous. Maybe there’s just a mutual love of life. Whatever the case, silent conversations with strangers are some of the finest.

    1. Women do this alot with other women, too!

      Eg. the “been THERE, sister” look of commiseration when someone’s toddler is freaking right out. Even better is the “OMG your kid is the sweetest, cutest thing ever, you must be so proud and happy” look.

      Another favourite is the “men are indeed clueless” look when someone’s male companion does something completely clueless. (Sorry, guys, but it happens!)

    2. Interactions with strangers are great. Sometimes in your day you see so many grumpy people, its so nice to meet someone who is nice just for the sake of being nice. A simple smile, a hello, or a how are you, from someone you will never see again. These people make my day so much brighter.

  23. Laura.

    I’ve been reading all her entries. I’m surprised she hasn’t won.

    That is all.

    1. Cary.

      He is awesome for, first and foremost, his own entries. Secondly, for thinking I’m awesome. This is a coming-of-age wisdom exhibited by a lucky few. Thank you, friend.

      :)

      2. I think you’re both awesome :) Thanks for such great contributions and comments. Whether you win or not, you certainly made my day better with your awesome things!

      3. If Laura & Cary fall in love & get married because they met on this site, we will all be invited and that is …….
        AWESOME!

        plus there will be cake!

  24. The fact that everyone agrees that Pluto is still a planet.

    C’mon! Really? That’s like ditching an old friend. Pluto’s been with us for a while and it took some of us long enough to memerize the names of all nine planets. Someone even took the time to make a song to help us remember! We love you Pluto!!!

    2. Pluto is still a planet. It’s more of a planet than that other rock they say is a planet but doesn’t really have a name yet. UB313 what kind of name is that??

    3. This is great :) I think its pretty much agreed that we’re keeping Pluto a planet in our hearts. Its going to be weird in a few generations when kids are taught the planets and don’t know what Pluto is.

  26. Sunroofs.

    Exhibiting the safety features that a convertible lacks, having a sunroof is the best of both worlds. Should you, heaven forbid, crash — you’re far less likely to have a head-meets-asphalt experience. Open the cover for an all-weather-appropriate glance to the sky. Open the roof for some good weather fresh air. Sudden rainstorm with the sunroof open? No worries! Push the button, keep rollin’ down the highway, and in under ten seconds you’re locked and loaded, maintaing your dryness. Can’t do that in a convertible! Awesome.

    1. Sunroofs are brilliant! I’m looking for a car and I just can’t find one I like because I find the roof far too confining. I like the sunshine on my face, the wind in my hair. And the best part about a sun roof is that when it rains you can see the drops fall and land above you. Of course you can’t do it while you’re driving, that would be dangerous.

  27. Care packages.

    It doesn’t matter if you needed it or not, a care package will always brighten your day. A big package from mom with all those snack foods she used to get you when you still lived at home, maybe a little bundle of things from a significant other, maybe something as simple but as touching as a big envelope of letters from various loved ones.

    Care packages are big reminders that someone is thinking of you. Even if you are living a happy life at college or in another city, it’s always nice to know that you’re still thought about at home.

    1. Honestly, there is NOTHING better to get in the mail than a care package. Not even the MacBook you ordered from Apple (ok, well, it’s a close call…). It typically includes a handwritten note (which, as we know, is an awesome thing!), AND all the aforementioned goodies. Talk about opening a box of love!

      1. I dunno. I’ll take a box of girl scout cookies over a new MacBook any day.

        Actually, mid sentence, I had second thoughts…this IS a hard choice…

        1. Care packages are awesome both for the recipient and the sender…..I love sending care packages to other people!!

          1. You’re totally right, sending a care package is equally as satisfying as receiving one! The thought of someone getting as happy as I get one when arrives at my doorstep is enough awesome to last all day.

          2. So true! I love making someone’s day a little brighter. Its makes you feel so great.

    2. I got through a long distance relationship on care packages! :-)

      Usually involving one or more of the following:

      – a hand written note or card
      – chocolate (think Hershey’s hugs and kisses)
      – an inside joke (my favorite part)
      – memories, like pictures of a day you were happy

      Always fun.

  28. That bowl of candy on your grandmother’s coffee table.

    Whether you loved to visit your grandmother or not, you were obligated to take a piece on your way in, three more throughout the visit, and ten or fifteen for the road. I’m pretty sure everybody’s grandma is responsible for keeping Werther’s Original Caramels in business, but I’m not complaining.

    1. My grandma has this really old-school wooden-base gumball machine. I will go ahead and say that the last time gumballs were purchased for said machine was probably AT LEAST five years ago; and yet, the gumballs remain. And we are, as you said, required to take some throughout the duration of our short visit. As much as I love cracking my teeth on a stale gumball, I always think this will be the trip that I’ll say, “No thanks, Grandma, I’m good for now!” But every time, it comes down to the nitty gritty, and I just can’t. So I dutifully take a gumball or two, say a little prayer to the enamel gods, and go for it.

      How I long for a Werther’s at that point!

    2. Mmmm, candies from Grandma’s house. Actually my Grandma keeps some pretty great cookies around the house.

  29. Slow building relationships.

    This one seems odd, but hear me out.

    First you just occasionally see them from time to time, maybe around campus or at work, but you’ve never talked to them. Nevertheless, you still exchange looks and eventually get to the point where you can recognize them and maybe, MAYBE, know their name.

    Weeks later you have your first conversation. It’s short, maybe a “What floor do you live on?” or “Need some help with that?” but still establishes some recognition for the future.

    A few more weeks pass, and eventually you get to the point where you see each other somewhere new, a grocery store or a movie theatre. This is followed by a “Hey aren’t you?” Names are finally exchanged here, and you have officially met.

    It takes a few more months until you spark up an actual, substance filled conversation, lasting max ten minutes.

    Weeks and months pass still and eventually, finally, you become friends. Give another year and you get closer than ever.

    It’s interesting to see a relationship build ever so slowly, but ever so sweetly. Sometimes the closest friends are made this way.

    1. That’s great. I wish that would happen to me more often. I have only met a couple friends that way. Its funny when you don’t notice until you’ve been friends for a while and try to think back to when you met. Then you each remember earlier and earlier times.

      “Oh but before that, I saw you at Sally’s holiday party”

      “Yeah I forgot about that! Oh wait weren’t we on the same team that time the Math department had the dodgeball tournament? The yellow team right?”

  30. When you’re being passed on the highway by a semi-truck moving faster than you are.

    You feel like you’re going backwards, even if you’re hurtling down the road at 70 mph. It’s a weird sensation, but it’s awesome!

    1. It scares me a bit when this happens. I think I’m going backwards…I get this really sinking feeling in my stomach and I start to freak out until I realize what’s really going on.
      :-)

      1. Or when you’re in a parking lot beside a large vehicle, and they start to pull out, but it feels like YOU are pulling out.

        1. Absolutely….!!!!
          I don’t understand how I feel like I’m moving when I’m not. Its crazy how our eyes play tricks on us

          1. I was at an IMAX movie at the Boston Science Museum yesterday, and I was having all sorts of sensations of moving when I wasn’t. The mind can play crazy tricks on you.

            However, thanks to the IMAX, I’ve now felt the thrill of Base Jumping, on won’t need to attempt this myself in real life! Safety first.

            2. Everything I know about base jumping, I learned from the movie “Last Holiday” with Queen Latifah and L.L. Cool J. Hahaha.

    2. I also think this happens when you look out the sunroof of a parked car and see the clouds moving. It freaks you out, because you thought you had put the car in park.

      1. Yeah! Or when your car is parked inside an automatic car wash and the sprayers move toward you … it feels like you’re accelerating even though you’re clearly in park. Eek!

        1. Haha! I loved that one when I was a child. I was always mad at my parents when they were in a car wash without me.

  31. When you hard-core run to catch a Frisbee … and actually get it.

    You see it, sailing at you … neigh, past you … at warp speed. You’re staring it down, sizing up where you think it will land. You’re estimating the speed at which you need to travel, the path-of-movement that should be factored in, and the potentially unpredictable terrain: the last thing you need is to trip up the hill or twist your ankle in a hole! So you take it all into consideration in a millisecond, while running full speed, when, before you know it, it lands perfectly in your happy little hand. All worth it, my friend. Awesome!

    1. It’s like you’ve tapped into the mind of dogs everywhere! But yeah, this is awesome for humans as well.

  32. Resubmission alert!

    Talent shows.

    Nothing entertains me more than a well made film or a good story. I love seeing a compelling dramatic sequence of professionally executed characters dealing with a suspenseful plot all detailed with perfect camera angles and beautiful colors. Nothing beats it.

    Except talent shows.

    Talent shows are REAL people. Some off the street, some out of school, all doing something extraordinary. A nine year old belting Broadway songs. A suit and tie blasting tunes on a trombone. An engineering student doing flips through flaming rings.

    People can really astonish you with what they can do, and talent shows are a real example of people showing their true, talented colors.

    1. Comment resubmission alert!

      Props to people who have the guts to strut their stuff in a talent show. Very commendable. Very awesome.

  33. Laura is really on a roll.

    I’d say unintended puns are awesome. When you are having a conversation with someone and they mention something, like suggesting going to the candy store after dinner, and you say, “Alright, Sweet!” as in “Yes that sounds good.” But little do you know you have just made a stupid little pun that makes both of you crack a smile.

    1. How punny of you! That’s almost always my friends and my response to a similar situation. Love it! :D

    2. Ah, I love a good pun! I’m going to try to get a few well-done puns in today.

    3. OMG! I feel like I kinda got to use one today!

      So I work on the top floor of an older campus building at a university. It’s normally a bit warmer than the rest of the building, just because … well, it’s on the top floor. Anyway, as I was climbing the stairs today, I noticed a SIGNIFICANT difference in temperature between the third and fourth (top) floor. I mean, this air is HOT! So I’m sitting in my office … sweltering, Easter candy melting, tiny desk fan working overtime to blow burning air into my face … when in walks a professor, talking about how hot it is. Her office is up here, too, and the maintenance closet is in her office. She was telling me that not only is the AC not on up here like it is in the rest of the building, but they actually can’t turn the heat off. So I said, “Uh oh, the heat is on!” And then … I burst into song. Thank you, Glenn Fry.

  34. Old bases:

    -Meteor Showers
    -Warm Donuts
    -Correctly Counting # of things
    -Second hidden pepperonis

    New base:

    How Young Children Communicate

    Sure, their voices are a bit on the high-pitched side and you may to be able to grasp what they’re saying only half of the time, but they say things with such emotion and determination that they’re hard to ignore. Also magical is the ability of other young children to understand what another child says, even though adults may perceive it as babble.

    I dunno, something special in this one.

  35. Going to bed when you’re way too tired to function.

    Like right now.

    Goodnight, awesome universe.

  36. Watching movies from my childhood, When im bored at home with nothing to do i love watching movies which have long fled my memory it makes me feel like im in primary school again!

  37. Big purses.

    Not the ones that are large enough to qualify as a check-able bag for a flight, but ones that are bigger than the wallet-on-a-string or the ever-popular but highly useless clutch. Big purses have the potential to carry all that you, your friends, your kids and/or significant others will need.

    On an all day outing? That’s ok, Big Purse is toting a couple bottles of water and granola bars. Need some nail clippers for that sudden-onset hangnail? Sure, I have some! Bought something you don’t wanna carry? Throw it into Big Purse! Contact solution, coupons for bowling, gum, five pens, a tiny notebook, tissues — it’s all there.

    Before you complain about Big Purse, I need to disclaim my statement by saying that I take full responsibility for its loftiness and weight. I will not make you carry Big Purse, I will not make you hold Big Purse while I go to the bathroom, and I will not make you go tradsies when I’m carrying your stuff in Big Purse. BP is here to benefit all.

    1. I have EVERYTHING in my purse except the kitchen sink…which I could probably squeeze in there too. My purse doesn’t look that big, but I can stuff and squish so much in it.

  38. The first jump into the pool.

    It’s a hot smoggy summer afternoon and you just want to cool down. But you’re not sure how to enter. Are you going to tease your body and walk down those stairs/climb down the ladder, or are you going to risk it all by jumping? Everyone jumps into the pool differently. Tin solider, starfish, cannon ball etc. My personal favourite is the run and scream. You’re so excited to finally cool down, but are terrified of the moment of utter coldness when you’re body hits the water. You finally decide to just get it over and done with. Splash! Awesome!

    1. At the beginning of swimming season, I believe the Run and Scream is the only feasible way to enter the frigid waters of the freshly filled pool. The Teasing on the Stairs method is surely not for the faint of heart, as most will certainly turn back before the water reaches the knees. R&S all the way! ;D

  39. Buying a book or roll of Forever Stamps before the price of stamps increases.

    (This might just be an American thing; if so, I apologize to all the international readers and commenters!)

    You get wind of a change in price of stamps. You quickly locate all your current-price stamps and use those up first. With those around after the price increase, you risk having to go to the post office to get several $.01 or $.02 stamps to throw on the envelope along with them. Next step is to buy some Forever Stamps, those that are good regardless of price changes. I love to make and send homemade cards, photo CDs, and other assorted snail-mail goodies, so it’s essential that I am equipped with economically sound means of mailing said items. Temporarily locked-in stamp price: awesome!

  41. When you put a piece of paper up to your face that is still warm from the copy machine

    1. When I take a couple of special helpers from my classroom to help me in the copy room. That is the first thing they do.

      1. Don’t worry, Melissa and Eric and mccgood, you are not alone. My favorite is printing a large quantity of papers from one of those big industrial printers, and having all those warm papers to put up to your face.

    3. Just had to do this today! (I swear they turned the air conditioning in our building on already.) There I was, sitting at my desk, shivering and alternating my typing hand so I could sit on the other one, when I suddenly realized I had to print something. I ran to that machine like there was no tomorrow, hugged those warm papers to me and let the chill melt out of my bones!

  42. Seeing a class full of kids wandering around with science-goggle-face.

    Sadly, this happened less frequently on a college campus, but in high school I remember being able to easily identify those poor souls who were just released from chem lab, the tell-tale science-goggle marks all over their faces. Hey, I’m not judging: I’ve been there. I, too, have sported the ever-sexy red outline that affectionately adorns one’s face after an hour-long lab that probably didn’t need safety goggles in the first place. Awesome!

    1. I remember in grade nine we all thought it was embarrassing. By the twelfth grade we wore it like a badge of honor. Actually by the twelfth grade lots of things that should have been embarrassing became fun instead as we enjoyed every minute of the few days of high school we had left.

      1. Yeah, isn’t it great when you finally get to the less-self-conscious, I-don’t-really-care-what-you-think-of-me stage in life, particularly in high school?

  43. Donating blood.

    Purge some of those old blood cells, let your body make some new ones, overcome that fear of needles, and save three lives! Also included: free pizza, cookies, soda, a sticker, and if you’re lucky, a t-shirt. Not a bad gig. Awesome!

    1. Plus, you’re a really, really, really cheap drunk.

      Wait, though. That’s not recommended! Don’t do it!

      1. This made me laugh! It IS true though … maybe not Red Cross sponsored, but true nonetheless.

    2. Both awesome and inspiring. I think this should win this week. It might inspire more people to donate blood, and that would be a great thing.

      1. Agreed! I wish more people would realize that it doesn’t hurt…and you get free cookies! It’s not like I need that extra pint anyway!

        1. I know … to me, the pre-donation finger-prick is worse than getting the needle put in my arm. They always seem to get me right where I hold my pencil, so I end up repeatedly tapping the sore area.

          Small price to pay, though, for saving three lives! Woo!

  44. Hulu.

    The Internet has given you a site where you can watch your favorite or missed TV shows on the web. Might as well make use of it.

    AWESOME!

  45. Realizing your hiccups are finally gone.
    There’s nothing better than proving to everyone that you CAN make hiccups go away, without having the bejeebies scared out of you.

    1. That reminds me a little bit of the post about “finally figuring out who that guy is in that movie you are watching”.

  47. The way your mom always made you face the sun in outdoor photos.

    First day of preschool: my brand new school box, brand new dress, and some pretty awesome pig-tails. Nice day out, great time for a photo-op, right? Of course! Now, Laura, stand over there, in front of the tree, face me and smile! Mommmmyyyyy, it’s so bright! *frown, squint*

    I understand needing the sun to face my face and not my back: I don’t want shadow-face! But we have countless photos of my sister, dad, and me squinting against and shielding ourselves from the blinding sun. Quality pictures, maybe not; amusing to look at now? You betcha! And totally awesome to the max.

  48. I love following you! You sometimes make me smile, and sometimes cry. But, It always gets some kind of reaction from me, and that is wonderful.

    Here is a thing I find amazing:
    You know when you are having a terrible headache. And you try everything, medication, hot shower, cold shower, water, coffee, food, air… everything. And then, after hours of agony you fall asleep in a crazy position in bed (the only one that will let you sleep). And then you wake up, and IT is gone. And you move slowly, kind off not believing it… But, it is really GONE! Oh my, that is a truly amazing feeling!

    Keep going, I love your posts!

  49. Can laura please have a book? she’s throughly earned it.

    I think what’s awesome is going after something you want. even if it’s minor, like a book, or major, like a job or a love. you want it, you know you want it, and you know what to do to get it. so go. many people don’t. those who do, are awesome.

    2. Thank you, sarajpohlman, for that first sentence! Even if might be a “Good grief, would you PLEASE give that chick a book so she will stop commenting already?!” comment, I appreciate it ;)

      In reference to your awesome thing, I have to say that I definitely agree. A lot of times, I’ll sit back and passively let others have something I want because I hate making waves and creating any kind of controversy or bad feelings between people. However, there are those rare times when I’ll go for it, full tilt, without holding back. I guess that’s how I know it’s something I really want. Good one :)

    1. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of playing outside until dark with my sister and next door neighbors while our parents chilled out on the backyard patio. Love those beautiful, perfect summer nights of running around playing tag, hide and seek, and catching lightning bugs.

      1. I love the way its light out until 10 o’clock so you don’t even notice what time it is until the mosquitoes start biting and your parents make you come inside for bed.

        1. We would always catch fireflies on warm summer nights, and then as it got darker play flashlight tag. So great.

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