Not even the Chinese food is cheap

I was hungry the other day around 12:30 p.m. and in no mood to attempt to cook. And I was sick of eating cereal. And I didn't want to walk anywhere, even across the street to the new cafe-type restaurant that just opened, Route 66, which has awesome breakfasts. I was just feeling lazy. And hungry.

And since Brent was at that pesky thing called work, I decided to do a New York City-type thing and order in food.

If I didn't know any better, I'd think that New York City apartments come standard with piles of take-out menus. I've accumulated a whole basket full of them - mostly from picking them up at restaurants I've liked. But there is also usually one lying on my doorstep every other week.

Since I was feeling not only lazy, but cheap as well, I reached for one of the several Chinese menus in the basket and called to order two egg rolls and the lunch portion of General Tso's chicken for the actually-not-too-bad price of a little more than $8.

Then I saw a line on the menu that shocked me.

It says "Fortune cookies (5).... $0.50."

WHAT?!?!?! I have to PAY for the fortune cookies?!?!?

Come on, man. The fortune cookies are as much a part of the Chinese food as MSG.

Even though I should have boycotted the cookies on principle, I knew I would quickly regret that decision after eating the deliciously spicy chicken and wondering what is in store for me (in bed).

So here it is: "A happy event will take place in your home." Score!

If I didn't get that cookie, I also wouldn't have learned that the Chinese phrase jin tian means "today."

I hope the happy event will take place in my home jin tian!