You look great, did you lose weight?

Yo! I have been gone a long time! I know you missed me because you all sent me emails making sure I wasn't dead, so that's sweet. Shall we talk about the absence? There was no real reason for the absence. Things at work got very busy, things I had to post to the web and tell the world about seemed very minimal. So much so on either side that I contemplated abandoning the whole thing. For real! I know this is now the second time I've threatened such an exit from the internets, but probably one day I'll have the follow through to give it up for good. It will probably be around the same time I give up reality television, or stop thinking imitations of Britney's wounded puppydog dance on the VMAs are hilarious.

Anyway, I have been up to lots. Mostly competitive things like pub quizzes and video scavenger hunts. Our pub quiz team, Oh Don Piano, is tragically stuck in a tied-for-third ranking, but we're hoping to revitalize our standings tonight (we'll be using a new name for the evening: Two Drunk Frootloops and a Hungry Stripper...I don't see how that doesn't spell W-I-N-N-E-R-S right there, honestly*).

Video scavenger hunts are fun, though we learned strangers will not typically let you A) hold their babies or B) clean their living rooms, even if you are female and unassuming looking and have the video scavenger hunt list and video camera. They will, however, let you challenge them to eating competitions. Since I was wearing my IFOCE shirt at the time, I saw it only fitting that I partake in my first official ("official") eating competition. I lost miserably when my opponent finished his sample bag of granola before I did (that shit is moisture-suckingly dry), though I did better and won the rematch with a sample container of applesauce. I know! Joey better watch it.

Speaking of Joey watching it, I took advantage of some killer airline sales and bought a ticket to go to the Krystal Square Off finals in Chattanooga at the end of next month. I have never been to the south before and I'm a little afraid of what they do to vegetarians down there. I'm mostly excited about a little two hour road trip I get from Nashville to Chattanooga and the fact that Willow and Mike might meet me down there. I know, can you believe the seriousness of the party that will ensue? I sure wish I knew a southern blogger who loved Krystals who could come visit me while I was there...

And the real reason for the return to the internet is: I am participating in the Ultimate Blogger 3 competition. If the irony of me coming back from a month's blogging hiatus to compete in a challenge where my team hopes to be crowned some sort of "best blogger" doesn't slay you, then maybe our outrageous and dynamic entries will. We have to post a response to our first challenge by Wednesday, so I'll put up a link when it's there. There's no voting on your part, unfortunately, but you can read our entries anyway and then get totally indignant on our behalves when we eventually get the boot. Or if we win, we can all glory in the spoils together.

See, I missed you and you knew it all along! Let's go out for some pie and catch up.

*...aaaand we placed 3rd.