M - Mint

Mint - 1: thing, food/flavor. 2: expression

"Mint", meant 'aweseome' circa the late 80s, early 90s. Probably like mint-condition, but maybe like the hot, yet cool, flavor of mint. Whatever the case I made up some imaginary comic book characters named "Dudical Dude" and "Mint Man".

I like the flavor of Spearmint more than Peppermint. Some variety of mint grows in my back yard. Mint goes good in adult beverages, as well as in salads and with rice or couscous dishes, though I'm not a fan of mint jelly.

SEE ALSO: sweet, coins,

Y - Yogurt

Yogurt: thing, food

I had never seen or heard of yogurt until I was 5 or 6 years old and a babysitter brought some over for herself as a snack. I remember asking "What is that new food?"

I like plain yogurt the best. It is an important ingredient in all smoothies. In college I'd sometimes have oatmeal with pink yogurt for breakfast when I lived in Evans (and the Evans dining hall still existed).

SEE ALSO: Evans, pudding,

G - Guacamole

Guacamole: thing, food

Guacamole rarely needs more than 3 things: Avocado, Lemon Juice, a pinch of salt. I say rarely, rather than never, because diced tomato is good every once and awhile, or maybe Lime and cilantro.

I had never had guacamole, that I can remember, until I worked at the Hacienda del Sol. Occasionally it would be my job to make the Guac (which is how I got the super secret recipe you see above), but I was often chastised for not putting in enough Salt (same criticism of my chip frying skills). If it was night time I'd often go out and throw the pits at the wall in the empty lot next-door.

SEE ALSO: Hacienda, Angry Singing Cannibal Monkeys,

M - Milk

Milk: thing, beverage

When at all possible I drink Skim Milk. I like to drink it after a work-out, or with oreo cookies, or cereal. I rarely drink it on its own. I don't dislike the other types (people who are picky about milk type, like non-crust-eaters, are a big pet-peeve of mine (though occasionally I am that guy)), but I choose Skim 95% of the time. Whole milk is a special treat.

I also like Soy Milk and Almond Milk and sometimes buy those.

I miss referring to Milk by the color of the cap. I disliked drinking milk out of a carton because of the wet flaky paper, which was especially bad if you didn't get a good clean opening on the first try. I preferred the bag-milk because you got a straw and you could inflate them into 'footballs' afterward (though they were far more dangerous for pranks and hooliganism).

I got in trouble in Kindergarten for being vocally proud of myself for finishing my entire Milk carton for the second consecutive day. Lesson: never be proud of yourself for drinking milk.

I remember using empty Milk Jugs as swimming aids when I was very young.

At the-camp-I-used-to-be-affiliated-with, I remember going on a crusade to get some friends to drink Milk at meals instead of Mountain Dew. I even made a Milk(tm) poster of myself (with Hans' help). I'll post it if I find it.

Milk provides Calcium, which makes strong bones, including spine bones. Bones are white and milk is white, and the color white is the color of the pure-driven snow (and the color of purity, but NOT for racial reasons). Therefore it was an official beverage of the Fat Boy Society and THEOOTBSC.

SEE ALSO: secret societies, Cheerleaders

C - Cabbage

Cabbage: thing

Cabbage is one of those vegetables that, despite being awesome, gets a bad rap. I never gave cabbage much thought until I discovered how good Coleslaw can be, and until I developed a taste for Sauerkraut. Now I can't imagine life with out those things. Cabbage is also pretty great for Cabbage Rolls too. It also is a great thing to throw in to soup to give it some substance. I prefer green cabbage.

SEE ALSO: Pickles, Onion, toys, dolls

P - Peanuts

Peanuts: thing

I like unsalted peanuts better than salted or flavored ones. Though flavored dry-roasted ones are an official food of my Grandpa's cupboard, so I do have some some positive associations with them. I also really like peanut soups of several varieties.

George Washington Carver is a true American Hero.

SEE ALSO: Purpose, comics, incompatibility

T - Tea

Tea: thing, beverage

I used to make hot cocoa with a Mint tea bag in it. I was also really excited to learn, while I was in Wales, that it's okay to put milk and sugar in tea.

Now I mostly drink Green Tea with lemon and honey, but only when I'm really tired in the morning.

SEE ALSO: Wales, Morning,

R - Reuben

Reuben: thing

I didn't think that I liked rye bread, or sauerkraut or Russian dressing until one time I was really hungry in college and the best choice left was a Reuben. Now they're one of my favorite sandwiches (if not my favorite outright).

When I was an intern at the National Museum of American History, one of the Archivists was named Reuben.

SEE ALSO: sandwich, birthday, smithsonian