Learning Something New Every Day

It's been over a month since I've posted, so I've had a lot of time to absorb lots of weird information and observations. As many of you know, one of my favorite mottos is "You learn something new every day in college." Well, most of my friends have graduated, so perhaps you've stopped learning useless information as well. As such, I think it's my duty to fill your brain with a little more important knowledge. Feast your eyes on this buffet of insight:

• The guy who plays Archie on ER = the guy played Will (Bailey's BFF) on Party of Five. If that's not a trip, I don't know what is. Oh Scott Grimes, you are underappreciated to the max.
• Batata. You may recognize this word as "sweet potato" from Israeli menus, but today I discovered that it means "sweet potato" on Indian menus as well. I haven't seen a word origin this puzzling since the great "ananas" Hebrew/Russian mystery of 2005.
• Jerusalem had Latin kings. I realize many of you may have known this, but I, who have always spaced out when discussing the crusades in class, was shocked to learn that there were Kings of Jerusalem in the middle ages when I finally started paying attention in History of the Byzantine Empire.
  
• Life imprisonment vs. capital punishment - discuss.
  
• Mark Wahlberg, who really was great in The Departed was supposed to be on United flight 93. Considering he's rich, he probably would've sat up in first class with the hijackers. That's so weird.
• KACL, the radio station in Frasier, stands for K (the call number for stations west of the Mississipi, or something like that) Angell (a"h) Casey Lee, the creators of the show.
• Veronica Mars is a really good show. Why don't I have more friends who watch it? Also, I (legally) downloaded the theme song, "We Used to Be Friends," by the Dandy Warhols, and I'm not gonna lie, I love it.
  
• Deli Kasbah raised its prices again. Enough is enough - 19 bucks for the measly serving of duck sauce chicken or even a mixed grill is so not worth it. However, Le Marais has a decent steak/salad/fries plate for $17.50. Who wants Moshiach now, punks?
• I love Ed Norton, but The Illusionist is not a good movie. I would appreciate if people would stop saying it is.
  
• Crumbs has opened down by NYU. I have done my best not to go anywhere near it, and so far so good, but man, those cupcakes are YUMMY.
  
• Best craving quencher ever - Hershey's Sweet & Salty bars with pretzels. They're sweet, salty, crunchy, chewy, and chocolatey all at the same time...finally, someone up there is listening to me.
  
• I have not purchased anything from Sephora in at least a month. I haven't worn my red lipstick since New Year's. I can't remember the last time I wore eyeliner that wasn't black. I have not touched my shimmer lotion or tinted moisturizer in I don't know how long, and absolutely cannot recall the last time I wore eyeshadow that wasn't Beautiful Iris (lavender) or Honey Lust (gold) by MAC. WTF is going on??
• Just read: Bel Canto by Ann Patchett.
  
• Next up: Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl.
• Can't wait for: the Gossip Girl pilot.
• But: Although Blake Lively is a great choice for Serena, puzzled as to how anyone but Willa Holland could have been cast as Blair.
• Embarrassed: slightly.
• Just purchased: the Seasons expansion pack for Sims 2.
  
• Sims born over the weekend thanks to my non-stop playing during all the hours I wasn't studying for my Byzantine mid-term: too many to count.
• Please don't tell me: how great the Purim party was - I know, I know. Had I known Lori was going to be a playboy bunny or Carly a Catholic schoolgirl (though I should've been able to guess the latter), I gladly would've opted for history failure in favor of few good photo ops.

Feast on those nuggets while I starve through my Novocaine-induced fasting, a result of having two cavities in one tooth filled this morning. My mouth hates me. Or maybe it's all the lollipops.