Not so set in my ways

One myth about aging is that as we get older, we become less adventurous and less willing to try new things. Just because I'm 40 (which probably seems ancient to a 1st grader) and I have a few hard and fast rules about life -- like never buy food at a gas station -- doesn't mean that I'm a stick in the mud. Here are just a few new things I've tried lately:

Verizon HTC Incredible
My friend Cherie, aka the Queen of Free, invited me and several other blogger friends of hers to participate in a vzhAPPy holiday event with Verizon Wireless. We each received a Verizon phone to use (read: play with) for several weeks. Though I'd tried the Droid X last fall and ended with mixed reviews, I was game to give another Verizon phone a try.

I really liked the Incredible. Like the Droid, the screen was crystal clear. But the Incredible is smaller and easier to hold than the X and my own iPhone. The set up to get my e-mail on the phone was so easy I did it by myself in just a few minutes -- I didn't even need Mike to help me!

My favorite feature of the Incredible though was the VCast Video application. I think it's a paid service that you can add on to your cell service and is unique to Verizon. In short VCast Video is AWESOME! With just a click, you can be watching last week's episode of Desperate Housewives or Grey's Anatomy or Glee. It certainly kept me entertained on a 4-hour trip to see the in-laws (no problems with coverage areas on the trip, either).

Unlike the Droid X, the Incredible made me think that I might consider something other than an iPhone the next time I need a new phone. (Of course, there'd be the not so small matter of convincing Mike the Mac lover first.)

Pepsi Max

If you've spent any time at all reading this blog, you know that I am a die-hard Diet Coke fan. Heck, I even had a birthday party themed around the stuff! But my Uncle Bill works for Pepsi and whenever I mention the D.C. word, it's like someone's stuck a pin in a voodoo doll that looks just like him. 

So for Christmas, Uncle Bill gave me a 6-pack of Pepsi Max and said he was going to convert me. Pepsi Max is a zero-calorie, sugar-free, ginseng-infused soft drink. I was a little hesitant to try it and didn't open it until I got home so Bill wouldn't see me make a yucky face and pour it down the sink. As it turns out, when we got home, we were out of Diet Coke, so if I wanted something other than water, Pepsi Max was gonna be it. 

I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. Pepsi Max is definitely better than Diet Pepsi. And it has more caffeine in it than Diet Coke. 46 milligrams/serving compared to 31 milligrams/serving for Diet Coke. So if I REALLY need a pick-me-up or if Diet Coke wasn't available, I would actually buy Pepsi Max and be happy about it. There, Uncle Bill. Happy?!

Fish

I actually like to eat fish and will order it at a restaurant from time to time. But I've never cooked fish...until a few weeks ago. I selected a Crispy Baked Fish recipe from my Relish! menu planning program. Full disclosure, it wasn't exactly gourmet. I used tilapia filets and dunked them in a bread crumb/parmesan mixture. It was easier and more tasty than I expected. And it was one more new thing I tried!

What's up next? I'm not sure, but I might try a spin class. That would be adventurous, right? What I will still not do, however, is buy food at a gas station. Sometimes the old ways are ok.