Big Winner

Here's a bit of random trivia for you: Did you know that I hold the title of the Winningest Female in Cable Game Show History? Yep, it's true. At least, I was at one time. It was a few years ago, but I'm not aware that I've been dethroned yet. Click here to see how I earned that particular honor.

Miss Mississippi

A friend from back home sent these lists to me recently. It made me giggle. I don't get home to Mississippi that often, so it was nice to receive this friendly little reminder of what makes my home state so, ummm, "special."

THINGS I HAVE LEARNED LIVING IN MISSISSIPPI:

1. Possums sleep in the middle of the road with their feet in the air
2. There are 5,000 types of snakes and 4,998 live in MISSISSIPPI.
3. There are 10,000 types of spiders. All 10,000 live in MISSISSIPPI plus a couple no one's seen before.
4. If it grows, it sticks; if it crawls, it bites.
5. Onced and twiced are words.
6. It is not a shopping cart; it is a buggy.
7. Fire ants consider your flesh as a picnic.
8. People actually grow and eat okra.
9. "Fixinto" is one word.
10. There is no such thing as "lunch". There is only dinner and then there is supper.
11.Ice tea is appropriate for all meals and you start drinking it when you're two. We do like a little tea with our sugar!
12. Backards and forwards means "I know everything about you."
13. Jeet? is actually a phrase meaning "Did you eat?"
14. You don't have to wear a watch because it doesn't matter what time it is. You work until you' re done or it's too dark to see.
15. You don't PUSH buttons, you MASH them.

YOU KNOW YOU'RE FROM MISSISSIPPI IF:

1. You measure distance in minutes.
2. You've ever had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day.
3. You use "fix" as a verb. Example: "I'm fixing to go to the store."
4. All the festivals across the state are named after a fruit, vegetable, grain, insect or animal.
5. You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked.
6. You know what a "DAWG" is.
7. You carry jumper cables in your car...for your OWN car.
8. You only own four spices: salt, pepper, Tabasco and ketchup.
9. The local papers cover national and international news on one page but require 6 pages for local gossip and sports.
10. You think that the first day of deer season is a national holiday.
11. You find 100 degrees Fahrenheit "a little warm".
12. You know all four seasons: Almost Summer, Summer, still Summer and Christmas.
13. You know whether another MISSISSIPIAN is from HATTIESBURG, north or south as soon as they open their mouth.
14.Going to Wal-mart is a favorite past time known as"goin' Wal-martin"or off to "Wally World"....Mall Mart.
15.You describe the first cool snap (below 70 degrees) as good pinto-bean weather.
16. A carbonated soft drink isn't a soda, cola or pop...it's a Coke, regardless of brand or flavor. Example: "What kinda coke you want?"
17. Fried catfish is the other white meat.
18. We don't need no stinking driver's ed....if our mama says we can drive, we can drive.

Everybody was kung fu fighting!

I have a weakness for hard-bodied, fast-footed, compact little Asian men who can kick your ass. I'm the rare female who loves kung fu movies. I totally get the excitement and beauty-the "violent ballet," if you will-of a good martial arts fight scene. I am a little picky, though, preferring somewhat of a plot and a sense of visual artistry along with all the ass-kicking, and even better if it's plot-driven, visually artistic ass-kicking. Or has Donnie Yen. Donnie Yen forgives a multitude of cinematic sins. I imdb'd him before writing this and read that he's married and has a kid. Ah well! It would have never worked out between us, anyway. We're the same height in flat feet, and I do like my high heels.

Chik-fil-a is OK!

I grew up in the South. It's common knowledge that we Southerners enjoy our fried chicken. I know I do, particularly in the form of the Chick-fil-A Extra Value Meal #1 (that's the sandwich, waffle fries, and for my drink I'll have a sweet tea, thank you very much!). And if I'm feeling really randy, I may add an order of an 8 pack of nuggets with my meal, just to enjoy the chickeny goodness completely unadulterated by pickle and bun (though a little sweet & sour sauce for dippage is nice).

If you've never dined at a Chick-fil-A establishment, you are missing out. It's not just fast food. Oh no. It's a way of life. The Chick-fil-A Way. Those unacquainted with the wonders of this deep fried taste sensation out here on the west coast need only utter the phrase "Eat Mor Chikin" (spelling courtesy of the Chick-fil-A cows; see advertising and promos for details), to a transplanted Southerner, and you will see their eyes glaze over, their face will appear peaceful and serene, with a knowing, far-away look of regret and longing. Longing for the taste of breast and bun from days gone by, and regret that the closest Chick-fil-A location in the LA area is all the way out in freakin' Torrance (for similar response, see also: Krispy Kreme doughnuts red light-"Fresh, Hot, Now").

I won some money on a game show once, and when I learned it only required a $5000 minimum investment to open up a Chik-fil-A, I seriously considered it. I've never been to a Chik-fil-A that wasn't always hopping. But then I realized I'd actually need to know something about the restaurant business. Hopefully one day the City of Angels will truly feel like heaven when some smart entrepeneur gets wise to the goldmine that awaits them if they were to open up a franchise in the Valley.