oh sweet artificial nectar that is capri sun

for those of us who might not be familiar with capri suns (no, they aren't a type of clothing), a capri sun is a 200mL package of "juice drink blend". the great thing about them is that they have a pouch form factor. unlike hard cans or bottles, these pouches are pliable so they easily fit into awkward spaces (such as a book/messenger bag) and won't poke or press into you. and when you are done, the remaining pouch takes up very little space.

so what's wrong with the pouch? unlike juice boxes, which provide a nice flat surface for you to pierce the straw through, the pouch deforms as you attempt to insert the straw. as a result, i often fail to insert the straw, leaving a hole for all the juice to run out--and run out it will, since the pressure you exert while holding it now squeezes out all of the juice. every time i think to myself "how difficult could this possibly be?? children drink this stuff!" and every time i proceed to squirt juice all over myself, upholstery, carpeting, laptops, and anything else that doesn't appreciate being doused with sugar water.

they say that practice makes perfect, and with time, i may learn the art of pricking the pouch. but until then, there sits a box of capri sun on the countertop. i guess the question is: is the juice worth the squeeze?

please leave the door open

one might assume that a grown man would be more than able to handle sleeping with his bedroom door closed. furthermore, one might suspect that something is definitely wrong with a guy if he's too scared to sleep without leaving the door ajar. i might say the same thing--if said guy were not me. yes, i'm scared to sleep with the door closed and i'm too afraid to not admit it. it's just that when you're in a new place all by yourself, and the security system you don't know how to use is beeping and blinking "trouble", it doesn't take much to spook you. especially when occasionally throughout the night, there are loud knocking sounds coming from your bedroom door. now, i know that it's just the air handler intake creating a momentary difference of pressure between the room and the hall, but the world is a much different place when you're half asleep in the middle of the night.