Day #30 - 11/14/97 - 8:39PM

Everyone thinks when you get fired, you're gonna wind up eating Macaroni & Cheese. Not a bad fate if you like the stuff. It's not really fair how Macaroni & Cheese has become the "whipping boy" of unemployment. Or is that "whipping food"? Speaking of which, forget being able to afford any foods that have the word "whipped" in their names. Anything "whipped" is more expensive. Just as Marv Albert.

Basically, you want to hit the supermarket early in the morning when they first open up and they put out the "fence" foods. That's what I call them: the foods on the "fence" between being tasty and close to toxic. You know, the stuff that's about to go bad but still looks good enough to sell? Fence foods can make the difference in your diet between the same olds cheese-flavored pasta and something that could pass for a steak....if it wasn't several shades darker than what is generally considered an acceptable color for beef.

But, you shouldn't let your silly pride get in the way of a good, economical discolored meal. Sure, there are chefs, dieticians and nutritionists who will swear that food color is essential to enjoying your meal. Of course, they probably have never eaten with their eyes closed. I say it's time for these people to come down off their high-horses and get with the rest of us who are stumbling through meals blindfolded!

One more tip: To save electricity, try preparing your meals in new and innovative ways. It's worked really well for a recipe I like to call "Chicken ala Boom". Tasty as hell....but a bitch to clean up.