Something that tends to make me bristle is when people insist on eating gluten-free when they don't actually have celiac disease or a true gluten-intolerance. There's really no reason for this to bug me. I'm not gluten-intolerant, so I'm not personally offended, but I know people who are and I feel offended for them.
Gluten-free is a buzz word. Like "organic" and "non-GMO". While I think it's important to eat food that isn't pumped full of chemicals, I rarely buy organic. It's a habit that's left over from Alaska; organic food there was triple the price, especially the produce. Instead, I try to make things from scratch...not buying frozen meals, boxed dinners, etc. Maybe it's not the "right" way to eat, but whatever.
I once heard someone say that they ate a "ton" of crackers with dip, but it was "okay because they were gluten-free". What. does. that. even. mean!? Did they assume GF meant healthy and calorie-free? Because that's a leap. But are people really thinking that and that's why they become gluten-avoiders? Do they understand that gluten is a protein and is actually GOOD for you? A conversation with a gluten-avoider always leaves me shaking my head.
*Panera
Never have I ever had a good food experience at Panera. Last week, I had the BBQ chicken salad at one in St. Louis and the "Power" Hummus Bowl at a Panera in Pittsburgh. Their chicken always tastes sour to me. And they inconveniently mixed up the hummus bowl with the "Power" Mediterranean Bowl and I somehow ended up with no hummus in my "Power" Hummus Bowl. (What a DUMB name, by the way...). I had the Thai Chicken Salad once and it's quite nasty and sour-tasting. I had the Soba Noodle and Shrimp Salad and it also was...quite nasty and sour-tasting. The only good thing they have is the Cinnamon Crunch Bagels (at 400 calories a piece) and the Broccoli Cheddar Bread Bowl (at approximately 1763 calories a piece...you know, just an estimate).
*People who refuse to live off-base.
The excuse I've heard is "It's safer on base. I just feel better." Uh huh. Okay. Did you grow up living only on military bases? If not, have you survived the terrible ordeal of living in...a town? Where all the other thousands of plebians live? I'm not picking on you if you live on base. Just if you act like you're too special to leave the military base. I've met a few of those kind here.
Is there anything you are nit-picking about lately? I feel like the only person I can tell about my true feelings on things is Scott. And when he's not around, obviously Scout gets to listen.
This is his "tell me more" face. Not really. This is "please don't put me in my pen and leave for 8 hours" face.
