174 - Supermarket trolleys that have one bad wheel

When I was a kid, it was such an honor, such a joy, and such a privilege, when my mother or my grandmother, would allow me to push the shopping carts while they picked out the groceries. These carts made going to the supermarket an event that was highly anticipated, they were so unique in their existence, so designed for serving their particular purpose, an extraordinary, unrivaled contrivance, a metallic nest in which to safely lay your eggs, perhaps literally. In the early years of my life, it served as a fun mode of transportation, charging backwards for about fifteen minutes was like a roller-coaster ride in its own, but when you were finally permitted to take hold of the bar and move it for the first time, it was the first time you ever drove anything, which was amazing. To be given the responsibility of conveying all the goods down a dozen aisles (streets), while dodging the other shoppers (traffic), whilst arranging all the merchandise (customers) appropriately in your cart (Toyota), almost made you felt like an adult human being.

But then you grow to be a bit older, and you start to realize that it's not such a glamorous vehicle after all. So you find ways to make it fun, try stepping on top of it after kicking off the ground, treating it like a scooter... or perhaps employ your younger sibling and give him/her a fun, exciting, backwards thrill-ride.

The worst thing that can come up when you pull out the cart out of the whole line of trolleys nested within each other, is a shopping cart that has a busted wheel that just won't go in a straight line like the others. When you drive it, it cannot even be likened to a flat tire - it's paraplegia of the trolley, the wheel just wobbles, and turns the other way when you steer a specific way.

It's terrible. All your anticipation for a fun ride as a kid can be ruined in that instant your mother pulls out a dysfunctional cart, your need for some scooter practice unmet, your hope of giving a child a stimulating joyride crash-lands on the aisle floor as your trolley is revealed to be nothing but a scrap piece of metal with three wheels, the climax of your grocery-shopping journey ruined, your light at the end of the tunnel suddenly blocked, by a damaged wheel, or a dismembered hinge.

You know, they should really just throw out all the bad carts.

Tell me, don't you hate it too?

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Hi, everyone. It's been a whole summer of disappoint on this blog, as I failed to continue writing on a daily basis. I feel like I'm starting from scratch again, having fewer comments then I used to, and having less blogs to read than I had back in the day, because other people have also dropped out of the habit, or otherwise, because people have stopped visiting my blog, thus giving me no links to theirs.

I would love it if any of you out there, all the regular viewers who come by but don't leave comments, to leave comments! They were extremely encouraging when I first began blogging almost a year ago, and they would certainly show me that I still have that support.

It doesn't have to be long, it doesn't even have to be coherent! (Seriously, just slam the keyboard or something.) I need to get back into this habit, I know I'm proud of it after I'm finished, despite it being difficult to come up with ideas sometimes, and I know that it's also great for practicing my writing.

Please, please, please - follow me, subscribe to me on your feeds, and comment!

129 - Overly healthful kitchen

Ever since my aunt, Ph.D in clinical therapy, moved back to Hong Kong, I have had almost nothing to eat in the kitchen. She specializes in geriatrics (the branch of medical science that deals with diseases and problems specific to old people) and nutrition most of all. Because I live with my grandparents, who have problems with their blood sugar and liver, our household has become very mindful about what we have in our kitchen and what we eat. I totally support a healthy diet for my grandparents. I don't want them to be diagnosed with diabetes. But I would like to go to the kitchen and find something that isn't healthful, and just tastes good.

Everything in my kitchen is either vegetarian, fresh, organic, unsalted, unprocessed, unflavored, low-fat, low sugar, low calorie, low cholesterol, non-alcoholic, decaffeinated, soy, skimmed, steamed, whole wheat, and/or high in protein, glycogen, antioxidants, fiber, vitamin A, B, C, D, E and K, and/or potassium, iron, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, magnesium and/or iodine.

Do you see something wrong with that?

The first thing in that list is what bugs me the most usually. No meat. No chicken wings, burgers, ribs, steaks, hot dogs, pork chops, bacon, minced meat to go with lasagna or spaghetti, luncheon/corned meat (like SPAM), pastrami, salami, or ham. It's meat. I want to come home and eat some meat! But there isn't any, and that's what makes me sad.

Everything is just too nutritious. I know it's for my grandparents...

But please add something to the grocery list for me.