I love chocolate. Especially dark chocolate. The darker the better.

Until…

While at Whole Foods the other day, I saw nothing worth buying at such extravagant prices. And then I found the chocolate. One package in particular caught my eye, as it was marked 100 percent. Now, usually this would indicate the chocolate’s percentage of cocoa. The higher the percentage, the less room there is for things like sugar or milk. Surely it couldn’t be 100 percent cocoa. But there was another bar marked 90.

Now, the highest cocoa percentage I’ve ever had in a chocolate bar was 88. In fact, it’s my favorite. The 100-percent bar is most likely way too much cocoa for any mere mortal, but this 90-percent bar called out and enticed me with its promise to push the limits of extreme chocolate goodness by a whole 2 percent.

When the time finally came, I broke off a square and let it melt on my tongue. Turns out, 2 percent makes a big difference. That one little square was quite bitter. It wasn’t beyond enjoying, but it’ll definitely have to be an acquired taste.

What’s your favorite chocolate?

(If my friend Amanda is reading, that title was for you.)

As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve just moved to a new place. The process took several days, loading up my car after work and driving to the new place to unload. I’d go back to the old place around 10 or 10:30 at night and go right to sleep. Then once it’s all moved, there’s unpacking and organizing and errands and on and on and on. It wears one down.

Tonight I read an article that points to other factors that cause tiredness and how to avoid falling into their evil snares. None of it’s really surprising; I’ve had at least vague ideas about most of these tips, except the one about keeping mentally alert by consuming foods high in Omega 3 fatty acids (like fish – yuck).

The one that sounds most appealing to me is eating smallish meals and two snacks every three to four hours. It’s probably no secret that I like food. A lot. Not sure how difficult it will be to get into this practice, but if I give it a try, I’ll be sure to share the results.

If you’re interested in combatting sluggishness yourself, here is Your Guide to Never Feeling Tired Again.

I’ve eaten a couple Jazz apples this week with my lunch. Highly recommended, my friends. They have a sweet, slightly tart flavor with a hint of something familiar. I couldn’t identify it the first time I ate one of these apples, but after today, I’m fairly certain it’s the taste of grapes.

You may have heard that the space shuttle Atlantis landed in California today. I remember when I lived in Ventura, California, in ‘82 or ‘83, my family all went out into the front yard to listen for the sonic boom and watch the shuttle come in for a landing. So, I had hopes of a similar experience this afternoon.

Unfortunately, on my way outside, I was asked to send off a quick email and was delayed a few minutes. After I walked out of the building, two of my coworkers met me and said I missed it, but that I didn’t miss much. The sonic boom was barely audible and the shuttle was nowhere in sight. Oh well. Since the last time a shuttle landed in California was 2005, I suppose I will simply have to wait.

This sounds good. Well, as long as it actually has the ingredients it purports to have.

Dear Hello Sputnik,

I have run out of cereal. Can I use Sweet & Salty Honey Nut Chex Mix instead? Please respond as quickly as you can, because it’s time for breakfast and I’m hungry.

- Cereal Killa in Costa Mesa, California

Dear Cereal Killa,

Yes, you can use Chex Mix as actual cereal. Not only does it retain that great sweet and salty taste, but Honey Nut Chex Mix stays crunchy in milk thanks to the pretzels. Though I can’t find anyone else making this recommendation, I assure you that it’s the best thing to happen to breakfast since bacon. Bon appetite!