Surprising Things
 

The longer you hang around the planet, the more things surprise you. Well, me anyway. Some people are more jaded, and don't have quite the same sense of child-like wonder that I strive for.

So, anyway, some things aren't surprising to me, like putting a man on the moon. The space program and I were born around the same time, so it was more of an expectation that we would succeed than a surprise to me when it happened.

I'm surprised, sometimes, by more conventional, simpler things.

Like the other day, I was reflecting on the relative impossibility of what I was doing ... brushing my teeth with orange-flavored toothpaste. I mean toothpaste is minty, or if you're really radical, you get the cinnamon stuff ... I still remember when Close-Up first came out with the cinnamon flavor. I thought it was really exciting. Okay, so I was around 10 years old, but at 10, other than minty is really cool. Now, at significantly older than 10, I'm amazed at fruit flavors in adult toothpaste. I know kids have had bubblegum and grape flavors for years, but grown ups, we're supposed to gaq over the minty freshness morning, noon, and night! See, citrus toothpaste really is surprising!

What about you guys?

(in case you misinterpreted the thread title, yes, I do occasionally sneak up on my lamps and yell at them as I turn them on)

Finally and surprisingly someone invented a sheet that goes in the washer and on to the dryer eliminating the need for separate soap and softener.

I know exactly what you mean! My paper towel holder still has not recovered from my Halloween prank! ;)

I distrust that particular labor-saving device. First, it seems the height of laziness. Second, I have used Purex liquid products because they were cheaper and found they did not match the performance of the higher-priced name brands.

we really need those [spoiler] tags....that video title ruins the suprise

You can't find regular flavored bubble gum anymore: everything is some kind of Fruit Blast something or another, or some weird combo. Kiwi-strawberry, Mango Surprise, Beef Tenderloin and Gravy Supergum.

ROFL @ the title -- I love that. We recently read the story "Hills Like White Elephants" and I told my teacher that the Elephants were having a Sally Field moment because the hills liked them, they really did. :)

Yeah, you all ought to know how weird I am by now.

But back on topic, what I think is really surprising is that you actually CAN make an 11 year old boy wash your car. All it takes is to ground him first because he got bad grades on his report card, including his computer time, then bribe him with an hour of playing World of Warcraft.

For two hours, I bet I can get him to vacuum the inside, too.

Maybe a little "weird", buy a smart kid wrangler. ;)

What happened to chewing gum with sugar in it? I went to buy some Juicy Fruit, and luckily I started reading labels before I bought ... I can't/won't buy anything with Aspertame in it, do okay with Splenda, though ... anyway, I went through the entire display at the minimart and every single chewing gum contained some variety of artificial sweetener, primarily Aspertame. IIRC Dentyne and the Wrigley's products used sucralose. What is up with that?

I had to stop buying Juicy Fruit when they stopped using the wrappers with foil on wax paper that were so fun to peel. I had no idea they weren't using sugar anymore.

They're ruining EVERYTHING!

I was bummed when they stopped including the paper wrappers around the foil. There's nothing to make gum wrapper chains out of any more!!

I KNOW! They took all the fun out of packaging, except for packaging for things like scissors and stuff, where you can cut your arm off trying to get the darn things open.

And about the lack of foil? How is the gum to be protected from aliens? Gum isn't safe anymore.

They're trying to take away your gums! You'd better call Charltom Hestom. End gum comtrol!

You can have my gum whem you pry it from my cold dead hambs.

I just thought it was surprising I think Purex sucks would not waste $$ on their products.:D