List #776: 5 Reasons I'm Proud to be American

5 Reasons I'm Proud to be American

1. The First Amendment (which allows me to write this list, and, someday, it's counterpoint)
2. The path to our Nation's Capitol building is lined with institutions of learning and repositories of knowledge
3. The ability to vote
4. We invented jazz
5. It is theoretically possible for anyone to find success

List #756: 5 Things I Like About Tofu

List #756: 5 Things I Like About Tofu

1. The texture (if it's firm)

2. How it absorbs flavors

3. How it tastes if you fry it with Nutritional Yeast

4. That it's good added into stir-fry

5. When it doesn't try to pretend to be other things.

List #755: 5 Thoughts on peacocks

List #755: 5 Thoughts on peacocks

1. I liked going to the zoo because they would roam around freely

2. "The Flaming Green Peacocks" was the recommended name of a Middle School IM soccer team I was on. It got censored to "The Flaming Green Machine" by our illustrious principal.

3. The same name was used on a classic mixtape of 9th grade

4. NBC has the best shows on thursday nights

5. I like that shade of blue

List #752: 5 Thoughts on The Hunger Games

List #752: 5 Thoughts on The Hunger Games

1. The first book was pretty good, and I liked the action scenes

2. The second book started out too slowly (long boring train ride). I started it last year around this time, I will finish it eventually.

3. I haven't seen the movie trailer. I will maybe see the movie.

4. It gets people reading, so that's good

5. I have a different book named "Catching Fire" that's about food.

List #739: 5 Foods I Want to Make This Year

List #739: 5 Foods I Want to Make This Year

1. Matar Paneer (from scratch)

2. Some really good Muffins

3. Re-invent "Breakfast Soup"

4. Duck

5. Barbecue Sauce

List #738: 5 Thoughts on Wine

List #738: 5 Thoughts on Wine

1. It's nice with dinner

2. I like the "50th anniversary gala" wineglasses from my school

3. There are 3 kinds of wines: Red Wine, Sweet WhiteWine from Germany, Wine that doesn't taste great

4. There's also Ice Wine (which I once inadvertently, but afterwards quite happily, paid $27 for a tiny glass of)

5. I choose wines based on whether the bottle is cool or not (I'll drink it even when it supposedly tastes like vinegar)

List #731: 5 Thoughts about Beer

List #731: 5 Thoughts about Beer

1. It makes me sleepy

2. I can't wait for this trend of "OMG MORE HOPS PLEASE" to be over

3. I like cloudy wheat beers and ones with fruit

4. Craft/Microbrews are like designer jeans... it's all about name and label

5. Pale Ale sounds like it should be light and refreshing... but it isn't. Hefeweizen sounds like it should be heavy and angry... but it isn't

List #730: 5 Foods that are just as good as cold leftovers

List #730: 5 Foods that are just as good as cold leftovers

1. Pizza

2. Lasagna

3. Macaroni and Cheese

4. Turkey

5. Beef and Broccoli

List #723: 5 Thoughts on Phones

List #723: 5 Thoughts on Phones

1. Phones are devices you use to speak with someone who is far away. This defines their 'phone-ness'.

2. Comfort-in-hand, and on-ear, are key features of a phone, along with quality sound

3. Remember rotary dial phones? I do.

4. I used to have a good memory for phone numbers, but cell-phones killed that

5. I think that the i"phone" should be called the iPad Mini. (also, if you don't have one, you don't have one)

List #722: 5 Thoughts on Pizza

List #722: 5 Thoughts on Pizza

1. Deep Dish, Cornmeal and Butter Crust = yes

2. Sammy's makes a great thin crust pizza

3. I prefer wedges to squares, but squares are better if you want to eat a lot and can eat fast, since you can get more of the pizza

4. I'm pretty traditional as far as toppings and styles go, the only oddity is that I like good coleslaw on top of an already made cheese pizza

5. There is no such thing as bad pizza; pizza starts at good and goes to amazing

List #716: 5 Thoughts about Pretzels

List #716: 5 Thoughts about Pretzels

1. They Rhyme

2. I'd like to learn how to make them

3. They're good with Hummus

4. The ones that come pre-flavored Buffalo style are really good

5. I haven't had a soft pretzel in several years.

List #713: 5 Thoughts on Holiday Decoration

List #713: 5 Thoughts on Holiday Decoration

1. I like it to be well planned

2. No moving parts

3. No synchronized music/lights

4.While I love the smell of a real tree, I'm fine with the ease of a fake one

5. I still like icicle lights

List #698: 5 Thoughts about Muppets

List #698: 5 Thoughts about Muppets

1. The new movie was fun

2. The Muppet Babies cartoon show was one of my favorites

3. Sam the blue eagle scares me. So does Miss Piggy

4. Gonzo was my favorite, but now I like Fozzie

5. Animal Drum!

List #695: 5 Thoughts on Ping Pong

List #695: 5 Thoughts on Ping Pong

1. It was all the rage during my very first year at a summer camp that I once went to

2. It was all the rage at thanksgivings in Kansas City

3. Obadiah has a head like a Ping Pong Ball

4. There was once a boy whose only wish was 19 pink ping pong balls

5. I'm not good at it because the tables are too small.

List #692: 5 Thoughts on Spinach

List #692: 5 Thoughts on Spinach

1. It can get stinky

2. I like it best when it's steamed or in soup

3. If used correctly, it can go into some smoothies

4. I really liked Pop-Eye when I was younger

5. I've heard many conflicting things about its nutritional value

List #691: 5 Things I like about Ice Hockey

List #691: 5 Things I like about Ice Hockey

1. It's played in cold conditions

2. Shooting top shelf

3. Pond hockey

4. Drop passes

5. Cycling the puck in the offensive zone

List #689: 5 Thoughts on Toast

List #689: 5 Thoughts on Toast

1. Good toast needs nothing else

2. Sometimes toast scratches my mouth

3. Peanut Butter and Banana are my favorite toppings

4. I like French Toast, but I never ever make it

5. A good toaster is wide enough for a bagel

List #685: 5 Thoughts on Magazines

List #685: 5 Thoughts on Magazines

1. I prefer paper ones.

2. I like that there's no pressure to read cover to cover

3. It bothers me when there's layout or feature changes

4. My job lets me look at a lot of them

5. reading "Wired" once per month is a highlight

List #670: 5 Thoughts on Fall or Autumn

List #670: 5 Thoughts on Fall or Autumn

1. Fall isn't a very good first name.

2. I like the way it smells when it starts to get cold

3. There is potential for Snow

4. Pumpkins are delicious, and fall soups are great

5. The Fall Colors in northern Minnesota are great

List #668: 5 Things I know about Wine

List #668: 5 Things I know about Wine

1. Some of the White ones taste like liquid candy (Well played, Germany)

2. I can't really tell the difference between 'good' and 'bad'

3. Wines are good with foods

4. They make me sleepy, but not full (which I can't say about beer)

5. Space Wine is the best reward