Gum, School, Bikes and... no there are no unifying themes but there are pictures!

This is what we in the biz call a total wtf non-sequitor, but what better way to start than as such. I just want to say that I appreciate Wriggly's new line of dessert delights, which seems to recognize that many people ultimately put gum in their mouths after eating and as such gum is something at least analogous to dessert. And because we are a terrifically self-indulgent culture, simultaneously with our ever-explanding waist-lines, it really seems like a no-brainer to continue the attempt to repackage common indulgences into foodless forms into the gum world. I'm glad to see some gum companies getitng into the girly-drink category of flavors (mojito is an orbitz flavor I think), but I think it could go a lot further (Sex on the Beach... perhaps?)

So they have, and I'm happy for them. Mostly because I happen to be a novelty hound. My only regret about their new enterprise is that the flavors so far are limited to three: chocolate mint (basically regular peppermint plus a hint of chocolateishness), strawberry shortcake (not novel, considering there are already variations on strawberries in the Wrigley's line, but the shortcake taste is actually surprisingly good) and key lime pie (haven't tasted). I just feel like this could be taken so much further as a concept. As it is fall, there should be at least an apple pie/cider, which would be easy given the flavor palates of gum out there already - would this not be apple gum plus cinnammon gum? I would like to add pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and some kind of "hot cocoa" type flavor. I feel that candy and candle companies excell at pumping our need for novelty with endless rolls of seasonal limited edition flavors to repackage what is essentially the same basic product in slightly modified packaging. I fail to see why the gum companies (who are likely owned by the candy companies anyways) are failing to get on board with this. Beyond this, I also think that banana split would be fairly easy to accomplish. And, please, "mudslide"... how is this not already out there?

I've found a website/blog entirely devoted to cuisine style reviews of different gums out there, which assures me there are bacon flavored gums (oh hipsters), but which do not seem to give me hope for some of the more inventive desserty flavor options that are really due the industry.

All other things continue, as I begin my second week of externship and full on immersion in municipal tax law (oddly fascinating). I've experienced my first externship seminar (required "academic support" for law students in externships) and it is everything a person of my particular personality cannot process. Note to educators: introverts of my style are ill-equipped to respond to requests for "an interesting fact about yourself" or opinions about "your biggest strength as a writer, reader or editor" unless you allow them to withdraw from the room, do a few hours of soul searching and return with a pristinely crafted speech or essay. Asking us these things point-blank is cruel and unusual and will incur nothing but our thinly veiled disdain. The seminar strives to be sort of filler-in-of-blanks (i.e. practical skills, which can be entirely avoided by law students in the course of regular law school) of the assorted variety. Last week, we had an excruciating review of english grammar and spelling (but, but, isn't that what spell check is for???). Next week will be all about clerking for judges, something that will be relevant for the couple of judicial externs and irrelevant for the rest of us who are 3L's already past the clerkship application deadlines. But hey, it's two extra credits towards my J.D., so I only barely begrudge the entire experience. I do wish it weren't so late in the evening though. I have a very fussy bedtime ritual that gets its proverbial panties (and seriously you know there has got to be a line of "Christian" underwear out there with proverbs emblazoned on the rears) in a twist when late classes come into the mix.

This weekend, I went on my longest bike-ride ever - a whole almost hour and a half on the Burke Gilman Trail. It felt pretty good, although sitting is still slightly uncomfortable. This followed quite topically with another of Andrew's cyclocross races, which was less than kind to his bike and at least made him breathe a little heavily after calling our previous day's cycle (which did feel like something more than a stroll to me) something closer to a slow and leisurely messing around.  I was going to post pictures from his flickr, but it is telling me that is an invalid link, so you'll just have to find them yourself. I took these, as my task for racing generally involves running from ticker tape to ticker tape, camera in hand, maniacally attempting to estimate 1. whether the person in the red jersey actually IS my subject or one of the five hundred other people wearing similar colors 2. when to press the shutter so that by the time the fairly antiquated camera clicks down to "take" the shot, I have something other than a blank patch of matted grass. I like to think I've gotten fairly good at it.

And finally, speaking of photography, the quest for office niceness continues (edited with labels for your edification): ANATOMY OF AN EXTERNSHIP OFFICE:

And now I shall return to my lunch, which is tragically all food based and not the slightest bit gum. No salad gum yet, but I'm waiting. Oh I'm waiting.