"Like/Dislike"

A lighthearted little list of things that I like, and their counterparts that I dislike.

- JACK BLACK IN FILMS LIKE "HIGH FIDELITY" AND "SCHOOL OF ROCK"

Jessica likes this.

-MICHAEL CERA IN "ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT" AND "JUNO"

Jessica likes this.

-JACK BLACK AND MICHAEL CERA IN THE FILM "YEAR ONE"

Jessica dislikes this

I so wanted to like this movie. I couldn't wait to see it! A movie with just one of these actors has a good chance of being funny. While Michael Cera played the same role of Quiet Awkward Guy that he's played in everything he's ever appeared in, it's entertaining and works for him....except in a movie that substitutes humor with a truckload of gross, sexual, awkward situations just for shock value. I invited a group of male and female friends to see it and not one of them liked it. Michael Cera's berry-picking scene in the opening of the film is probably my favorite scene of his; it all goes downhill from there. Jack Black was charismatic as always, but it felt like he was trying too hard and the dialogue was just not funny.

-STRAPPY, FEMININE SANDALS

Jessica likes this.

-CHUNKY GLADIATOR SANDALS THAT LOOK LIKE THEY'RE OFF THE SET OF "300"

Jessica dislikes this

Strappy sandals are one thing, but shoes with this many thick straps make it look like your foot's in a straight jacket--hopefully along with the person who decided this fashion needed to be worn outside of ancient Rome. Save these unflattering clunkers for your Helen of Troy Halloween costume. And, as if Gladiators aren't enough of a ridiculous trend to begin with, someone decided to make a jelly shoe version, so you can combine an ancient trend with a mid-90s one.

-NATURAL, LIQUID CAFFEINE IN THE FORM OF UNSWEETENED TEA OR JUICE WITH NATURAL BOOSTS LIKE B-VITAMINS

Jessica likes this.

-LIQUID CAFFEINE IN THE FORM OF ENERGY DRINKS THAT CLAIM OR IMPLY THEY ARE HEALTHY BUT ARE FILLED WITH SUGAR AND/OR CHEMICALS

Jessica dislikes this

It is amazing how hard it is to find a non-coffee drink that is energizing but without added sugar and chemicals. After my much-loved Energy Naked Juice was discontinued, I scoured the shelves of Whole Foods--a supermarket usually associated with health--for an energy alternative and found drinks like these two above, which look healthy enough but both have sugar, and not just naturally occurring sugar from fruit. The Acai drink has "evaporated cane juice", a very popular ingredient in some products Whole Foods carries, and an ingredient that's code for sugar. The Blue Sky drink has sucrose, another word for "sugar" in the Food Thesaurus. I didn't even bring in Red Bull, Monster or those other cracked-out drinks into this contest, because we already know how diabolical those are.

I was in the Whole Foods cereal aisle a few weeks ago and started looking at other juices and then at the bottled teas. Black tea has always been a good energy alternative for me but I'd like it cold, pre-made and portable if possible so I don't have to constantly brew it. I picked up a large container of Honest Tea's "Just Black" tea; it's pre-brewed, simple, unsweetened, and has the added bonuses of being fair trade and organic. It may not be as sweet as the whipped, mocha, diabetes-inducing drinks Starbucks creates, but I'd rather save that much sugar consumption for a brownie, not my morning caffeine. Since black tea has half the caffeine of coffee I may need to have a little more. But I'm more sensitive to caffeine anyway so hopefully this can keep me going, along with my vitamins, flax seed oil and fish oil--yum!

I'm still on the search for a caffeinated drink that will give me energy without sugar, chemicals, or a crash later.

More likes and dislikes are sure to come. Until then, I'll exercise my thumb by hitting the "I like this" button on facebook.