Shake Shack... What the hell... Ruby's ???

I grew up riding along the coast with my Dad and Mom for a special treat. The Shake Shack, Banana Date Shake. Its famous shake that all locals know about. So its been quite awhile since i have been there. It was closed for awhile but I didn't think too much about it. Well last week I took my boyfriend Juan there who is from the East Coast. Figuring this would be the Shake Shack I remember as a child... UMMMM looks sort of the same, it has been painted a different color... but as I walk up I smell a familiar smell... Ruby's burgers... WHAT THE FUCK? Ruby's ? this is supposed to be a local gem. A local secret... um.. no... Ruby's now owns it... and the sign is now changed so a huge RUBY is in the center... So sad... Corporate America is taking over everything!!! Its really sad. Independent companies can't compete with huge chains. Its such a shame. I would hate to see The Stand in Laguna Beach be changed into a McDonalds...

Pen Pal

I must admit. Nothing is better then a hand written letter... its so personal, and its dying fast. No one really writes hand written letters anymore because e-mail is so convienent ... when my boyfriend was in Iraq I used to write him everyday.(yes everyday and he normally only got mail two times a month... so he had a BAG FULL) I used to write with colorful and beautiful stationary sprayed with my perfume. My favorite were all the silly asian characters where the translation isn't quiet correct so it makes it even more amusing. I don't know if my boyfriend appreciated them as much as i loved writing them but I treasured every letter he wrote me. One because i knew he was alive and two because he didn't write me as much as I did... which it to be expected of a man especially in combat... I love letters. I think I would be the worlds greatest pen pal because i love sharing my huge collection of asian stationary... and since Juan is home and out of the Military.... I have a box full of unused stuff... So late last night I went on a quest to find a pen pal... but where to begin? I googled it and most of them were for e-mail pen pals... please... that is not a pen pal... thats myspace... so then i found what i was looking for PenPalsNow so I'm excited to see what turns up. So far a girl from Ireland wants to be my "snail mail" pen pal... yay!! I really am interested in becoming pen pals with someone from Japan and South America. I think this will be a great experience and I'm looking forward to a letter in the mail!!!