Toys!

I love new stuff.
Which is why I enjoy triathlon so much.
There's just so much stuff to get.

Sweet Baboo ordered one of these Ultimate Direction "Diablo" hydration vests the other day. He asked me if I wanted one, too, but I was skeptical, so I waited until he got his. As soon as he did, I tried it on, and immediately said "I want one" Now I'm awaiting its arrival. It's super lightweight--I swear, it weighs nothing--and rests over your shoulders. (I'm am SO tired of carrying stuff around my hips/waist. It makes me feel fat.)

The bladder carries 64 ounces of water, and under that is a compartment for the included 20-ounce bottle. There's 2 pockets for gel flasks, and it comes with one, and several other pockets in it for various things (like chapstick, sunscreen, ipod, and and inhaler, I'm thinking.) The biggest pocket has a bungee on it to hold things securely. And, it has reflective decor on it.
Before he bought it, Sweet Baboo noted that it was lavishly praised all over the place. So, of course, Ultimate Direction is discontininuing it.

Of course.

This is the bane of my existance - I find that if I fall in love with a product, I have to order it immediately and/or stock up, because it will become discontinued as soon as the company finds out that I really like it. It doesn't matter what it is: the food, the perfect foundation for my face, drink, hygene product - whatever.

Case and point: Morning Spark
I hate sodas, and I tolerate coffee only because of the caffein. So, it was with much excitement that I stumbled across this stuff at WalMart. It's a drink mix with caffein and no sugar. Each box has 10 little packages that you throw on 20 ounces of water. It's like Crystal Lite with a kick. Outstanding! It comes in Cranberry, Apple, Ruby Red Grapefruit, and Orange! I love the Cranberry and Apple!

So, immediately, the manufacturer discontinued everything except the orange.

Then WalMart has stopped carrying any of it. Bastards. Luckily, I saw this coming - such is my life - and bought about 15 boxes of it. Most of it is in a cabinet in my classroom. I feel like Elaine in the Sponge episode.
Is this a Morning-Spark-worthy event? Hmmmm.

I also ordered a couple of books on athletic nutrition for freak food eaters like me (aka Vegans). I'm pretty sick of the muscle-bound counter help at GMC admonishing me that "whey" is THE superior protein (it's a by-product of the cheese-making process, something they used to throw away) and that, without it, why, I'll just die. Or be some kind of gurly person.
When, in fact, 7-time winner and course record holder of Western States 100-mile Endurance Run Scott Jurek is completely Vegan.

I'm also seriously considering an ipod Nano. Not because I need one.
Because I want one.
But if you insist, here's the reasons I need one:

1. It's flatter, which means it would be less likely to be bumped and damaged.
2. It's also more aero.
3. And lighter weight.
4. The name, "ipod," have fewer syllables and thus, would be more efficient to say while running than, say, "mp3 player"
5. I would be keeping the free sprit of enterprize alive by supporting Apple, instead of windows-based computers. (the fact that all my computers are windows-based is completely beside the point)
6. It's way cooler looking, and that would give me a psychological edge, just by knowing how cool I am.
7. It comes in pink. This matches my cool cycling socks. See #6 about the psychological edge.

I love new stuff.