you can keep the cookie...

another short (well, it started off that way) one...i survived my big meeting, and actually got a lot of good ideas as well. summer issues are still up in the air, but we'll see how things pan out. anyway, that was a big load off my shoulders, but there is still much work to be done. then again, that's not the story i want to tell right now...

it's relatively well-publicized by me (i exercise a decent amount of liberty in telling others what i think about ann arbor restaurants) that Saigon Garden on south forest is probably my favorite chinese restaurant in the city. sure china gate isn't horrible, but i think it's been overkill since my first couple years here. damon and james used to rave about golden chef until i finally convinced them that the majority of all their dishes are composed of peanuts. yes, that annoyed me quite a bit. there are some places up near plymouth road that are good, but that's a little too far away. so yeah, Saigon Garden. everyone should check it out...for dinner. the lunch is good, but not as good as dinner.

anyway, with a decent amount of pre-planning, liza and i were able to play catch-up and head to Saigon today. this also is not the focus of the story, but the fortune cookies we got definitely are. first off, i suggest the schezwan beef (hot) and chicken fried rice. if you want to sample any, i have a TON left over in my fridge since i scheduled my meals wrong (again) today and therefore had to have a pancheros burrito only 2 hours prior to dinner (the previous meal consisted of a slice of banana bread my mom made - definitely very good, and a can of red bull...breakfast of champions). either way that chinese food can't possibly be consumed by me alone before i leave for home on friday...although maybe sarah can help me polish it off.

i digress. so at the end of the meal we get the fortune cookies. liza opened hers and said it must be the worst fortune she has ever gotten...and that it didnt even sound like a fortune. i checked it out, it was something like "don't let your doubts overshadow your ambitions" or something like that. what the heck? that isn't even very positive...its more instructional and not terribly cheerful. it was a very poor excuse for a fortune...but it doesn't end there. i opened mine, and what did it say???

"you can't go far in a rowboat without oars."

yeah, seriously, that was it. this has to be the WORST fortune i have ever received from a cookie (except for maybe the one that was just a phone number for a company where you could buy more fortune cookies, but that's beside the point). rowboat? oars? this was no fortune, this was a stupid excuse for a metaphor or pseudo-philosophical dessert snack. quite frankly i was insulted because i happen to be very good with a variety of boats, from water-skis to jet motors to regular props...i work on a freaking river!!!

anyway, since i'm apparently OCD (i don't even know if that's an excuse here) i often keep a couple fortunes from cookies in my wallet until its time to clean out the receipts. i almost discarded this one, but quickly realized that i should hang on to it since it's the most ridiculous fortune many will ever see. the meal was great, but i was seriously disappointed in the fortune. one couldn't even make the adolescent 'in bed' jokes with this fortune...damon & james would have been disappointed.
i'm also hoping that we reach the year of the horse again...as much as i wish i were a dragon or a snake, the horse gets a good rep, and of course, there are no fishes in the chinese zodiac.

anyway, i don't know how long it will be until their present box of cookies runs out, but if you want an amusingly insulting fortune, head out to Saigon sometime soon. if you want some of the food, just come by The Tank...i'll sell it to friends at a discount. sarah, you pay double after that La Shish incident with the grape leaves.

that's all for now, i'm sure i'll cover some other asinine topics in the near future, although the alternate plot for this entry had to do with the history channel, the darrow vs. bryan/ monkey trial (on evolution) of 1925, the new york times, and a newly discovered fossil fish...yeah, i'll leave that to another time since it's somewhat technical AND i'll probably go off on a rant about it.

good night <:><

music: "Welcome to Paradise" - Green Day, "So What" - Field Mob feat. Ciara

random pic: rowboat? oars? i usually operate our research "mini-boom" shocking boat which contains thousands of dollars of sensitive equipment (yes, they trust me and ladewig -pictured here) to run this high-powered death-trap every summer on the river).

i actually wouldn't mind some fieldwork on the Muskegon River right about now...