Fascination with Toothpicks

I have no idea why, but I love toothpicks.

I always have one on hand, keep several in my purse and even keep one handy in my wallet.

Whenever I leave a restaurant I search the host stand in search of that little dispenser of wooden bliss and grab several, not knowing when the next time I'll go out to eat again.

I find them at the bottom of all my purses. I find them in the back of jean pockets. There are usually a few in the drink holder in my car. A few can always be found in a cup I keep at my office that has straws, salt and pepper packets, and napkins. My bathroom cabinet has a stack right now along with a few hanging out on the dresser drawers in my room.

Why?

I recently went to Little Rock, Arkansas to visit my mom for a brief stay. When leaving a Mexican restaurant with my mom and step-dad, they both reached for the container at the front entry while leaving as well. The three of us walked out, belly's full of chips, salsa, and beer and our mouths chomping on toothpicks. Is this something I will pass on to my children someday?

Sitting at my desk the other day at work I realized that I had a toothpick in my mouth for roughly two hours after lunch. Two hours?!

Is it an oral fixation or a fixation to keep my teeth free from build-up? I must admit that I don't like to floss. I do, but using a toothpick just has a more relaxed feel to oral hygiene. And using at least one toothpick a day, doesn't that make up for the less than eager approach to flossing?

So if you're ever in a restaurant and you see a blonde, 5' 2" girl with glasses on reach for a toothpick on her way out the door, come say hi. It's definitely me.

Facts about toothpicks:
Maine is the leading manufacturer for toothpicks in the US.
Brazil is the leading overall manufacturer of toothpicks for the world.
Toothpicks are the oldest form of dental cleaning.
Toothpicks made of bronze have been found as burial objects in prehistoric graves in Northern Italy and in the East Alps.
In the 17th century toothpicks were luxury objects similar to jewellery items.
The first toothpick-manufacturing machine was developed in 1869, by Charles Forster.

The Chains that Bind Us

Like this little bunny (photo by Russell Lindsay) I have been an innocent little creature, trapped in a situation that has been pulling me in all directions.

Addiction to caffeine.

Red bulls, Rockstars, Diet Coke (my favorite), the occasional Diet Dr. Pepper (it's sweeter and has an after-taste that's delightful), Starbucks, the better quality and less commercialized Coffee Bean, diner coffee sweetened with honey. Oh, my. This list is getting ridiculous!

So as of yesterday, November 17th at 12:47pm I changed my status update on Facebook to say "Is considering doing what Chris has decided to do and give up Diet Coke... considering." About 10 minutes before I had poured the last of my now room temperature soda down my throat and chunked the can in the recycling bin around the corner from my cubicle.

Had I known that the last gulp of DC was really going to be my last, I would have relished in the moment a little more.

But now that I think of it, cold turkey has always worked best for me in these situations. If I think too long on something or worry about, okay, when is that last XYZ going to take place, then I can figure out a way to procrastinate.

I gave up caffeine all-together when I was a senior in high school. I didn't have but maybe 10 or so caffeine enhanced drinks in approximately 8 years. But then I overheard someone say, "oh, caffeine isn't really that bad for you." Then another person said, "well, I just have one soda a day, that's not going to do any harm." And yet one more devil on my shoulder said, "Caffeine is actually good for you. It makes you aware and stimulates your brain." So I succumbed. I slowly stepped back into that pond of fake sugar and hyperactive liquid.

But before I knew it I was doing the freestyle stroke across the waters of caffeine bliss.

And now no more.

I've been trying to cut out the fake sugars anyway. But it doesn't help to have three or sometimes four sodas a day. So I'm breaking the chains and letting go of the soda. I'm going to cut back the caffeine, instead relying on some satisfying iced tea or hot green tea.

We'll see how this goes. I'm pretty sure I can do it.

I'll keep you updated though...

I want to do this... so bad...

Does that make me crazy?!

This was a lovely advertisement I walked past, stopped, looked back and smiled at when I was aimlessly walking the terminal of the Las Vegas airport on my recent four-hour layover. I just had to take a picture. Seriously!? You can do this? I am tempted to put the number in my phone so that one day when I make the first of many big deals that will bring lots and lots of cash my way (or when I win the lottery) I can have something to do right away that is over the top.

Wouldn't it be awesome if say an old friend called to chat and catch up.

Friend: "Rachel, how are you? Whatcha' do today?"
Me: "I rented a helicoptor, flew to Las Vegas and shot machine guns all day while wearing black army cargo pants, a tight fitting tank top and a smile from ear to ear."
Friend: "Wow, Rach. That's probably the coolest thing I've heard of anyone doing."
Me: "I know. I'm pretty cool."

Seeing this ad made me wonder if the girl in the photo got to shoot the machine gun in order to put that winning smile on her face. And I bet there is another, racier version of this ad somewhere in the back of a nudie magazine with her holding the gun topless while straddling a shot-up target picture of Osama Bin Laden.

I was curious to find out more so I went to their website. Apparently I'm not the only curious one. They've had over 1 million visitors to their site. It also seems that they gear a lot of their store to women. With a ladies day on Tuesday (the $10 range fee is waived) and special ladies packages that include a tank-top (like the one in the ad!), and another special for bachelorette parties.

I think I'm going to have to stop by on my next trip to the Vegas strip!