Shopping and Research

The hardest thing is to take less when you can get more. ~ Kin Hubbard

I had my first foray into grocery shopping at Amazon.com today.

I bought Bacon Bits -- you know: those chunks of artifically flavored textured vegetable protein? Yum.

You see, I don't eat much meat (almost zero - occasional fish, rarely chicken, NO pork or beef -- ever) and am working to bring that to absolute zero, but I love bacon and so had to find a substitute. I have baco, lettuce and tomato sandwiches. I sprinkle them on my salads, in my pasta…. mmm…

Sam's Club used to carry the ginormous sized Tones brand bacon bits, but they don't anymore and the puny little 4 oz bottles you can buy at the store just don't do it for me. But I can buy a case (WOO HOO) of the little buggers at Amazon.com for less money and free shipping (over $25).

And, if I had to buy a few books to bring my order up to $25, well -- I still saved money, didn't I? *G*

====================================

I've been busy plotting out the NaNo book lately, when I realized I didn't have a clue where to set it. I typically try to write what I know (or where I've lived), but I've only lived in a few different states, and I've pretty much covered them with my last several novels.

I need a small-ish town with lots of homey neighborhoods (both affluent and not so much) that also houses a university (and a couple car dealerships… but I didn't figure that would be a problem since those things are everywhere). I was thinking about Pennsylvania, but I've only just driven through there a couple times, maybe stopped to pee, but didn't really take notes (on the state, not my bodily functions).

Anyone out there know anything they could share? Any town out there sound like a good fit? I could use some input.