The room is ready for a fresh paint job, a crib and other baby related things. Painting and decorating should be interesting since someone I live with now tends to have random breakdowns about things like potatoes and blankets. Sunday, March 27, 2011
Oh Baby
As I prepare myself for a sleepless life full of poop and puke on my clothes (or so I’m told), I’ve also been preparing the baby room for future life. Laura’s done most of the work, but yesterday I replaced the room’s two electrical outlets with new ones… and I’m proud of this.
The room is ready for a fresh paint job, a crib and other baby related things. Painting and decorating should be interesting since someone I live with now tends to have random breakdowns about things like potatoes and blankets.
The room is ready for a fresh paint job, a crib and other baby related things. Painting and decorating should be interesting since someone I live with now tends to have random breakdowns about things like potatoes and blankets. 
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Whale of a Chicken Sandwich
Coming from a Steelers Fan Friday at work, I was hungry for some good old “black and gold” cooking. I knew Eat N Park would kill my craving. (NOTE: If you think this is a promotional post for Eat N Park, you are wrong! Read on.)
From the customers to the stuff for sale in the foyer, we arrived to a cluster of black and yellow. I felt good… I felt alive… I felt like devouring their famous Whale of a Cod Fish Sandwich!
So that’s what I ordered. While waiting for my boatload of cod to arrive, I suppressed my seafood appetite with some clam chowder from the salad bar. (Delicious.) When my cod arrived, I lathered it with tartar sauce and gave the bun a gentle squeeze. (So soft.)
I thought, “Oh my cod!” after the third bite, realizing that it wasn’t fish – it was chicken! I smothered a chicken fillet with tartar sauce and was savoring the flavor. (Disgusting.) If I wasn’t feeling so happy in the first place, I may have scalded someone with hot chowder, but it was all good! The waitress was quick to give me the cod I so wanted.
The Whale of a Cod Fish Sandwich from Eat N Park, paired with their delicious Friday Clam Chowder, was the perfect meal for a Pittsburgh Steelers fan.
(Sorry for the promo!)
From the customers to the stuff for sale in the foyer, we arrived to a cluster of black and yellow. I felt good… I felt alive… I felt like devouring their famous Whale of a Cod Fish Sandwich!
So that’s what I ordered. While waiting for my boatload of cod to arrive, I suppressed my seafood appetite with some clam chowder from the salad bar. (Delicious.) When my cod arrived, I lathered it with tartar sauce and gave the bun a gentle squeeze. (So soft.)
I thought, “Oh my cod!” after the third bite, realizing that it wasn’t fish – it was chicken! I smothered a chicken fillet with tartar sauce and was savoring the flavor. (Disgusting.) If I wasn’t feeling so happy in the first place, I may have scalded someone with hot chowder, but it was all good! The waitress was quick to give me the cod I so wanted.
The Whale of a Cod Fish Sandwich from Eat N Park, paired with their delicious Friday Clam Chowder, was the perfect meal for a Pittsburgh Steelers fan.
(Sorry for the promo!)
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Best Bye
I went to Best Buy today intending to use a few gift cards I received for Christmas. In the past, I could walk around BB and find half a dozen things I wouldn’t mind taking home. These days however, all I ever seem to do is walk around the store.
Maybe it’s because I’m getting older, but I just see a lot of their merchandise as garbage in five years. The store is basically centered on the latest technology and technology is usually outdated within a month from purchase, right?
Looking for something to buy was a challenge, but the characters I met were well worth it. I asked one of their “associates” about a sound card that I could plug my keyboard into.
“Well what kind of keyboard are you looking to plug into it?” he asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Like, one for typing or one for music?”
Why in the hell would I want to plug a “typing” keyboard into a SOUND card? The guy was also playing with his 3G, wi-fi, whatever the hell they call it, phone half the time I was talking with him.
So after a long search, I found a video game and a DVD – a combined value of $40. I went to one of the random new checkouts in the middle of the store and the cashier was lost in his own computer world.
“Excuse me?” I asked. No answer, so I tried again.
“Hi, can I check out here?” Still no answer, so I stood there until he was done.
“Hi, can I help you?” he finally asked.
He charged me $9,999.99 for the game and DVD. Long story short, I should have stood in the winding line at the front of the store because by the time he figured it all out and successfully read my gift cards, I would have been out of the store and on my way home.
I hate shopping!
Maybe it’s because I’m getting older, but I just see a lot of their merchandise as garbage in five years. The store is basically centered on the latest technology and technology is usually outdated within a month from purchase, right?
Looking for something to buy was a challenge, but the characters I met were well worth it. I asked one of their “associates” about a sound card that I could plug my keyboard into.
“Well what kind of keyboard are you looking to plug into it?” he asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Like, one for typing or one for music?”
Why in the hell would I want to plug a “typing” keyboard into a SOUND card? The guy was also playing with his 3G, wi-fi, whatever the hell they call it, phone half the time I was talking with him.
So after a long search, I found a video game and a DVD – a combined value of $40. I went to one of the random new checkouts in the middle of the store and the cashier was lost in his own computer world.
“Excuse me?” I asked. No answer, so I tried again.
“Hi, can I check out here?” Still no answer, so I stood there until he was done.
“Hi, can I help you?” he finally asked.
He charged me $9,999.99 for the game and DVD. Long story short, I should have stood in the winding line at the front of the store because by the time he figured it all out and successfully read my gift cards, I would have been out of the store and on my way home.
I hate shopping!
Monday, December 6, 2010
The Number You Have Dialed...
How many times have you tried leaving a message and get the lengthy “the number you have dialed is not available” greeting? You know the one. In fact, you can probably recite the whole thing word for word and not even know it!
Sometimes this robot message comes after your friend’s personal greeting: “Hi, this is Tammy. I can’t take your call at this time, but if you leave your name and number, I’ll return your call. Thanks!” Then it’s followed by a robot with basically the same message: “The number you have dialed is not available. Please leave your message after the tone. To leave a callback number, press 5 now. When you are finished recording your message, hang up or press 1 for more options.” Really?! Who doesn’t know what to do after the beep at this point in human history?
Of course, one can bypass the message by dialing a secret number. But of course, that number is different with each person you call. Dialing 1 will work if you’re calling a Verizon customer, but is useless if you’re calling someone with T-Mobile. If you try to bypass the message but use the wrong number, you will undoubtedly extend the message with something like “We’re sorry. That is not an option,” followed by more nonsense.
I know it’s unlike me to complain about voicemail greetings. I admit it’s kind of pathetic, but it’s been a while since my last post and just had to share this little diatribe.
But maybe it’s more than that. Maybe I dislike the robot message because it’s so long that callers can often wait well over a minute simply waiting for the stupid tone at the end. Call me paranoid but I think it may also be a strategy for the phone companies to “cut” or “steal” some of customers’ minutes.
How often do you go over your minutes each month? Maybe I should ask how many of you check your statements each month. Does anyone actually call people anymore, or is it all texting now?
Sometimes this robot message comes after your friend’s personal greeting: “Hi, this is Tammy. I can’t take your call at this time, but if you leave your name and number, I’ll return your call. Thanks!” Then it’s followed by a robot with basically the same message: “The number you have dialed is not available. Please leave your message after the tone. To leave a callback number, press 5 now. When you are finished recording your message, hang up or press 1 for more options.” Really?! Who doesn’t know what to do after the beep at this point in human history?
Of course, one can bypass the message by dialing a secret number. But of course, that number is different with each person you call. Dialing 1 will work if you’re calling a Verizon customer, but is useless if you’re calling someone with T-Mobile. If you try to bypass the message but use the wrong number, you will undoubtedly extend the message with something like “We’re sorry. That is not an option,” followed by more nonsense.
I know it’s unlike me to complain about voicemail greetings. I admit it’s kind of pathetic, but it’s been a while since my last post and just had to share this little diatribe.
But maybe it’s more than that. Maybe I dislike the robot message because it’s so long that callers can often wait well over a minute simply waiting for the stupid tone at the end. Call me paranoid but I think it may also be a strategy for the phone companies to “cut” or “steal” some of customers’ minutes.
How often do you go over your minutes each month? Maybe I should ask how many of you check your statements each month. Does anyone actually call people anymore, or is it all texting now?
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Restroom Confessions
One night about five years ago, my friend and I had dinner at the Waterfront. Afterwards, went in a department store to browse around and kill some time. I must have had a lot to drink, because I had to use the restroom right away. (Keep in mind that it wasn’t alcohol I’d been drinking… I think).
I went into the first available stall and, well, did my thing. Relieved, I turned around and strutted out the stall toward the sink only to find… a girl washing her hands! “What is she doing in the men’s room?” I thought. Then that sinking feeling came over me. I was in the women’s room.
By this time I felt much smaller than I already was. I had to get out of there quickly, but I still had to wash my hands. (I may be dumb, but I’m certainly not unsanitary.)
I approached the sink next to the girl washing her hands. I didn’t look at her, but I could feel her looking at me. “Looks like I’m in the wrong restroom,” I said to her, realizing the occupied stalls behind us contained several more women. “This is so embarrassing,” I assured them all as I tore off a wad of paper towels and got the hell out of there.
Looking back, I guess there were a few signs I should have noticed after I missing the obvious one on the door to the restroom. One of which was the lack of urinals. That should have been a dead giveaway.
I’m somewhat embarrassed by this story, but more so for the women in the restroom. I can only imagine what they thought seeing a pair of shoes facing the toilet in the next stall.
I went into the first available stall and, well, did my thing. Relieved, I turned around and strutted out the stall toward the sink only to find… a girl washing her hands! “What is she doing in the men’s room?” I thought. Then that sinking feeling came over me. I was in the women’s room.
By this time I felt much smaller than I already was. I had to get out of there quickly, but I still had to wash my hands. (I may be dumb, but I’m certainly not unsanitary.)
I approached the sink next to the girl washing her hands. I didn’t look at her, but I could feel her looking at me. “Looks like I’m in the wrong restroom,” I said to her, realizing the occupied stalls behind us contained several more women. “This is so embarrassing,” I assured them all as I tore off a wad of paper towels and got the hell out of there.
Looking back, I guess there were a few signs I should have noticed after I missing the obvious one on the door to the restroom. One of which was the lack of urinals. That should have been a dead giveaway.
I’m somewhat embarrassed by this story, but more so for the women in the restroom. I can only imagine what they thought seeing a pair of shoes facing the toilet in the next stall.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
The Problem With America
In a nutshell, the problem with America is its citizens. Let me explain…
People are too greedy. They want stuff. They love stuff. They can’t get enough electronics and smart phones with unlimited internet access that cost so much to maintain. However, the cost wouldn’t be a problem if people had the money to pay for the service.
And why don’t they have any money? Because hardly anyone has a job (or career for that matter). And this has to do with the lack of ambition. Hardly anyone is concerned about bettering themselves. This lack of ambition yields lack of motivation, purpose and, most importantly, passion. I mean, what are YOU passionate about? Are you passionate about buying electronics?
I’ve got to hand it to all the marketing departments out there. So many people choose toys over food!
So if people lack passion, motivation, etc, they get stuck with a job they don’t like. They dread going to work every day, and this obviously makes life miserable. And the only way happiness is achieved (or so they think) is to buy more stuff! Isn’t this death cycle obvious?!
And when they’re stuck in a job they hate, they’re usually not very good at it (or at least don’t put their “all” into it) and so they don’t earn as much as they could if they did something they enjoy. And, of course, no money gets you no house.
What it comes down to is priorities. Many of us have the wrong priorities and often go broke trying to live a life we can’t afford. We need more people earning their lifestyle. Many Americans need to set out to do something worthwhile, something they feel is important and let money take the backseat for a while. Because if you’re good at what you do and you’re truly passionate, money will come to you. I honestly believe this.
The secrets:
People are too greedy. They want stuff. They love stuff. They can’t get enough electronics and smart phones with unlimited internet access that cost so much to maintain. However, the cost wouldn’t be a problem if people had the money to pay for the service.
And why don’t they have any money? Because hardly anyone has a job (or career for that matter). And this has to do with the lack of ambition. Hardly anyone is concerned about bettering themselves. This lack of ambition yields lack of motivation, purpose and, most importantly, passion. I mean, what are YOU passionate about? Are you passionate about buying electronics?
I’ve got to hand it to all the marketing departments out there. So many people choose toys over food!
So if people lack passion, motivation, etc, they get stuck with a job they don’t like. They dread going to work every day, and this obviously makes life miserable. And the only way happiness is achieved (or so they think) is to buy more stuff! Isn’t this death cycle obvious?!
And when they’re stuck in a job they hate, they’re usually not very good at it (or at least don’t put their “all” into it) and so they don’t earn as much as they could if they did something they enjoy. And, of course, no money gets you no house.
What it comes down to is priorities. Many of us have the wrong priorities and often go broke trying to live a life we can’t afford. We need more people earning their lifestyle. Many Americans need to set out to do something worthwhile, something they feel is important and let money take the backseat for a while. Because if you’re good at what you do and you’re truly passionate, money will come to you. I honestly believe this.
The secrets:
- Do what you love.
- Spend wisely.
- Save.
- Enjoy life (not stuff).
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
This Just In...
I’ve been lacking something lately. Maybe it’s motivation. Maybe it’s writer’s block. Maybe I’m just stuck in inertia. I’m not sure.
I always have a dozen ideas swimming in my head at any given moment, but I’m also hesitant to act on them. (Not enough time in the day? Is that a good excuse?)
You’ve probably seen my new Gray Collars blog. I’m hoping to use it as a springboard for my book (which I hope to publish while I’m still young and attractive enough to publicize it).
Maybe I should stop writing about writing and actually write. I’m considering returning to fiction (this was the reason I decided to become a writer in the first place). With fiction, you can do anything, go anywhere and be anyone. It’s a good fix for someone in a routine.
I always have a dozen ideas swimming in my head at any given moment, but I’m also hesitant to act on them. (Not enough time in the day? Is that a good excuse?)
You’ve probably seen my new Gray Collars blog. I’m hoping to use it as a springboard for my book (which I hope to publish while I’m still young and attractive enough to publicize it).
Maybe I should stop writing about writing and actually write. I’m considering returning to fiction (this was the reason I decided to become a writer in the first place). With fiction, you can do anything, go anywhere and be anyone. It’s a good fix for someone in a routine.
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