Dos Locos Hosts Walk to End Alzheimer's Awards Luncheon

Yes, it took a while but finally the recognition the Locos-guys deserve. (Click image to embiggen.)The entire event is "On the House" and usually brings out between 40 and 60 of the most impressive volunteers I have ever come across outside of the HIV-AIDS community. It takes up the entire main dining room and all staff bust their butts to make sure everything runs smoothly and all goes well with the service.

 From the local weekly:

The Rehoboth Walk to End Alzheimer’s Awards Luncheon for 2012 was hosted and donated by Dos Locos Restaurant on the Avenue in Rehoboth on Jan. 5. The walk was held at Grove Park in Rehoboth on Oct. 13 and raised more than $77,000.
Darryl Ciarlante, left, and Joe Zuber, owners of Dos Locos, are shown with Jaclyn Adkins, Walk to End Alzheimer’s coordinator for the Alzheimer’s Association Delaware Region. They are accepting an award in appreciation for five years of providing the luncheon, donating 20 cases of water for the walkers, selling forget-me-nots to raise money and including Peg’s Margarita on their menu - the Alzheimer’s Association receives $1 for every one sold.
Tawnya Dennis was recognized for six years of accepting the responsibility of  chair or co-chair of the walk. Robert Ware was recognized for serving four years as co-chair.
Gail Garner and John St. Jean of the band Imagine were recognized for nine years of donating their services and equipment to be used at the walk.
Paula Costanzo was recognized for her volunteerism and organization of the volunteers at the walk, making everything run so smoothly.
Kathy Skiles Jacobs was the top individual fundraiser, raising $3,577. Joan McMenamin came in second, raising $2,066, and Lou Betton came in third, raising $2,045.
Lofland Park Center at Genesis was the top team, turning in $6,508, with Brandywine Senior Living at Fenwick Island second with $5,562 and the Forget-Me-Nots third with $5,042.
Everyone enjoyed a wonderful luncheon and many shared their unique ideas for fundraising for next year. 

 In the end over $77,000 was raised.

NOTE: Peg's Margarita is in honour of Darryl's mom who died of the disease.  It is quite popular in the restaurant once folks know the story and history.

Makes me proud to work with such people.

And so it goes.
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Days Off and a Big "Woo-Hoo"!

With the rain and sleet on Monday being at work was like watching grass grow, or listening to paint dry. I believe we served 25 customers at lunch. Numbness set in by 2 PM and by 4 I slapped myself awake and was more than ready for a festive pick-me-up.

Called in a few prescriptions for refills; enjoyed a light supper, took a shower and watched a few BBC videos before turning in. Come morning with girded loins,  I prepared to face this behemoth with a plan to retreat quickly.

I hate this big-box store, but that's where these scrips are - for now - so since there were a few other things I needed, I thought I'd get it all in one place and scoot back home quickly. Which I did...as quickly as possible.

Apparently this big-box store randomly prints a web address at the bottom of the customer receipt where the random customer can complete a survey sharing their recent shopping experience.  While my visit was successful, in that I found everything I needed, the experience was not a pleasant one. I decided to complete the survey.

The questions were the usual tripe - were the aisles clear, were the shelves stocked, were the sale items readily available and visible - you know.  But I noticed there were no questions related to customer assistance, or service.  Very strange, as this was precisely my issue.

So at the end of the survey, when asked for my opinion on anything not covered in the survey related to my "shopping experience" I weighed in with a 2 paragraph diatribe describing my interactions with the clan of the cave bear, as it were. Clicked "Done" and, feeling somewhat relieved, promptly forgot about the whole episode.

You can imagine my surprise when I received an email directing me to the company website to claim a $150. gift certificate to be used on any item priced at that amount or  higher. I thought it was a joke.  I went to the site, downloaded and printed the certificate and called the 800 number to find out if it is legit.  It is!  It seems when you complete such surveys you are entered into a pool of others with a chance to win up to a $1,000. Who knew?

Now, I really hate this store and I don't trust that the products sold are necessarily the 'real deal', if you get my drift. Still, $150. is a nice chunk of change, so I will peruse their website to see what they offer that I may trust to be the authentic product from a reputable company.  The certificate expires in 90 days.  Wish me luck.

Surprises. Sounds too good to be true.  I know.

And so it goes.
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An Epiphany: Pink - Try

I know this will sound strange. I've been listening to this song at the restaurant  for well over a year.  It's played on Sirius XM many times a day, but I've never listened to the lyrics. I've always liked Pink's passionate delivery and vocal range, but for me it was background music on a daily basis.

Then, a friend sent a link to this video and I was promptly blown away. After viewing it a couple of times, with jaw resting on the keyboard, I hunted for the lyrics and BAM! I smacked up against my previous life. The video is powerful enough, but the lyrics really struck a chord  for my life today. This gal is a true talent; she can dance, sing, and perform dramatic choreography - and is damned good at it all. Watch the video.  The lyrics are below. Enjoy!



Lyrics:

"Try"

Ever wonder about what he's doing
How it all turned to lies
Sometimes I think that it's better to never ask why

Where there is desire
There is gonna be a flame
Where there is a flame
Someone's bound to get burned
But just because it burns
Doesn't mean you're gonna die
You've gotta get up and try, and try, and try
Gotta get up and try, and try, and try
You gotta get up and try, and try, and try

Eh, eh, eh

Funny how the heart can be deceived
More than just a couple times
Why do we fall in love so easy?
Even when it's not right

Where there is desire
There is gonna be a flame
Where there is a flame
Someone's bound to get burned
But just because it burns
Doesn't mean you're gonna die
You've gotta get up and try, and try, and try
Gotta get up and try, and try, and try
You gotta get up and try, and try, and try

Ever worry that it might be ruined
And does it make you wanna cry?
When you're out there doing what you're doing
Are you just getting by?
Tell me are you just getting by, by, by

Where there is desire
There is gonna be a flame
Where there is a flame
Someone's bound to get burned
But just because it burns
Doesn't mean you're gonna die
You've gotta get up and try, and try, and try
Gotta get up and try, and try, and try
You gotta get up and try, and try, and try
Gotta get up and try, and try, and try
Gotta get up and try, and try, and try
You gotta get up and try, and try, and try
Gotta get up and try, and try, and try

You gotta get up and try, and try, and try
Gotta get up and try, and try, and try

And so it goes.

*

Snowy Caturday

WTF! Is that my tail?

 What's it doing in the snow???

More later.

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Amazing Video: Dolphin "Asks" Divers for Help.

It appears that my home Internet connection is slowing down (thank you Verizon, you scum.) particularly when streaming or downloading films and YouTube videos, so I asked a friend at work about the problem.  I have a clean system, I am told, by my virus scanning software, so I picked his brain to see if anything else might be the culprit.  Off-hand, he came up with nothing. So, not actually seeing the PC he suggested that I install the YouTube app for Kindle to check for a speed difference.  If there is one, then there is dirty work afoot in the PC's innards.

I came home (the snow was just beginning to fall), figured out how to install the YT app, and came up with the most extraordinary list of newly released videos.  A screen I had never seen before. The first title caught my eye straight away. It was shot 2 weeks ago and I think the title tells it all.This is a long way around the block in introducing this video, but it was a valid reason.  I wouldn't have found this gem otherwise. 

I have always had a love for dolphins and having read a number of books about their intelligence, including Dr. John C. Lilly's work, this little video episode doesn't surprise me. Yes, I cried. So there. Enjoy this bit of wonderful.



My grandfather was saved by a dolphin when his boat capsized in the Gulf of Mexico.  The dolphin relentlessly pushed and nudged the exhausted fisherman toward shore. When he got to a marshy area where he could touch bottom, the dolphin made a sound and returned to the open waters.  True story. This reminded me of his encounter when I was a small child.

And so it goes.
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Dawn Breaks on an Icy Day

From the local Newspaper's website this morning.

Caption: As the sun rises on another cold day, a coating of fresh snow covers part of Silver Lake in Rehoboth Beach. A blast of Arctic air this week sent temperatures plummeting into the teens. More snow is expected  tonight.

And so it goes.
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Winter Weather Bulletin

The temperature dropped to 12' F last night and a light snow fell in the area. It was easily brushed away this morning. The winds were sustained throughout the day at 25 MPH, gusting to 40.  Wind chill felt like  -5' F.

A small dog alert was issued this afternoon, after a few flew past the restaurant windows.

The temperature is due to drop into the single digits tonight and more snow is on the way for Friday beginning in late afternoon. 3 to 5 inches is expected overnight and into Saturday. Winds expected to remain the same throughout the weekend.

I am not amused.

This concludes this Winter Weather Bulletin.  That is all.

And so it goes.
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Short Conversation on the Inauguration

One of the big screens at the restaurant was tuned to coverage of Obama Part 2, while the others carried, well, sports mostly - pundits handicapping the Super Bowl...I know, who cares, right? The sound on all screens was mute, in any case.

In strolls a diminutive woman with her grown son and she wanted a specific hi-top table in the bar area so she could order from the happy hour menu.  To her disgust, the nearest TV was the one tuned into the inauguration.  She made a face and demanded the channel be changed.  Unfortunately for her, the couple sitting next to her 'special table' was happily watching the proceedings and, in so many words, told her to fuck off. Another table in the room was offered, but she adamantly refused.

In a last ditch effort to garner support, she turned to me with big, wide eyes said, "look, I am a Republican and I cannot watch this trash."  TRASH!?!

Jaws dropped all around as diners stared at this woman. I stepped up to the table and as I set down the menus said, "I thought perhaps, on this one day, we might all be Americans and enjoy the moment." I felt like saying more, but the neighboring couple piped up and said, "we're Republicans, too, but we lost fair-n-square and we need to get behind the president to get the country back on track."  Old fashioned, rational Republicans, no doubt.

As the bitch, er' woman (nose wrinkled as at a bad smell) was taking her seat, her son (who was embarrassed by the whole scene) said, "just shut up Mom, it's not about you."  He ordered a margarita, she ordered coffee.  I made sure to comp their drinks and wouldn't you know, as she was leaving had the nerve to say, "if I had known you were buying, I would have had a margarita, too."  Charming.   Spoken like a true right-wing asshat.  Talk about welfare queens!  I just smiled - at her son. He gave me a knowing look that said, yeah, I know, but she's my mother.

Note:  The difference in price between a coffee and a margarita is $3.

We all have our cross to bear.

And so it goes.
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Dr. King's Birthday & Obama Part 2

This town is hoppin' and the joint is jumpin'!  You know that old saying about not seeing the forest for the trees?  Well, let's just say I've seen a whole mess of trees and didn't get the connection.

Sure, we all knew that the MLK holiday weekend was a big 3-day whoop-di-do here, but the crowds began swelling on Thursday afternoon with bumper-to-bumper traffic all over the area.  Since the weather turned  "gorgeous"  on Friday, we naively thought that was the reason.

Then, as we had a 30 minute waitlist for a lunch table and an hour wait for dinner, it dawned on us exactly what was happening. And it was a bitch-slap of the best kind.

Rehoboth Beach is known as "The Nation's Summer Capital" and as hundreds of thousands from everywhere began descending on DC for the inauguration the residents were seeking refuge from the huddled masses invading the city.  Many DC residents have summer places here and decided to take the weekend off and get out of Dodge, especially since the weather here has turned warm and sunny.

Caught off guard, with servers and kitchen staff on holiday, we did what we could and did it damned well. 246 lunch diners were served yesterday, and 535 were served at dinner last evening. I walked home sore and limping - the day took a toll on my back and hands.

Today began as an exact duplicate.  At 11:30 am, as the doors opened 16 diners streamed into the place.  The lunch crowd was steady, though not overwhelming and everyone was in a jovial mood.  Good weather, food, and margaritas will do that to people. 

By 2 PM, there were 30 reservations for dinner, so the place will be jumpin' again tonight.  I am glad to be out of it,  been held over until 5:30 to help with the overflow. I am not complaining.  This kind of business - in January - is a gift from the Gods.  We'll take it!

I am so happy to be home, out of the work drag and into a dry martini, I cannot begin to tell you.  Mine head is schpinning!!!

Dr. King's birthday is celebrated tomorrow and from the look of things, it's promising to be another busy day.  At least for the lunch crowd who will dine before the long journey back to the Beltway. 

What a ride.

And so it goes.
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Gun Fails (Funny & Not So Much)

Yes my friends, this is the peak of brain power, ass-hattery, douche-baggery, and American male over-compensation (along with a few really stupid females thrown in attempting to balance the incredibly stoopid that ensues) and none of these people should be within 10 miles of a gun of any kind.  Even a water gun because I am sure they would drown themselves within minutes. See for yourself.

It's titled Gun Fails: A Comprehensive Collection To Commemorate 'Gun Appreciation' Day. In a nutshell, this is the spawn of the NRA.  Words fail.

Fashion Shock Caturday

More later.
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Disinfect and Sanitize - Often!

People around me are dropping like flies, succumbing to the latest of the flu viruses.  A recent piece in the Gray Lady described the "H3N2" strain that's taking a toll in 40+ states.  Massachusetts and Pennsylvania hospitals have resorted to isolating flu patients in tents outside the main buildings. There have been reports of whole sections of hospitals being closed and disinfected due to contamination.
The piece explains symptoms of the H3N2 as the usual ones; high fevers, aches, chills, respiratory issues, and loss of appetite, plus "resulting in explosive diarrhea and projectile vomiting." Charmingly graphic, no? People have been sent home from work all over the country, even here in DE. And that means people are losing pay they cannot afford to lose right now.

Mix that in with our own annual "Sussex County Crud" and you've got a real medical nightmare to deal with.

Needless to say, we're extra vigilant at the restaurant, disinfecting everything and constantly washing hands.  The health department suggests regularly sanitizing phones and touch screens as these two items cause the virus to spread rapidly. There are nine touch-screen stations and 4 phones in the restaurant. This doesn't include personal cell phones, which everyone seems to use all the time. Even when they're not supposed to do so. Anyone reporting even one of the symptoms above is sent home. A few have visited the hospital when things got too intense that they couldn't care for themselves or became severely dehydrated.

The worst is far from over, so they say. I got both flu and pneumonia shots last fall, and seem to be holding my own - so far. Physically and financially I cannot afford to be knocked out of commission by anything right now.

The snow predicted over night didn't amount to anything, really.  A dusting on lawns, but the streets were too warm for anything to stick. It did get very cold however. Today was sunny with the temps hovering in the mid-thirties, though the high winds made it feel much colder.

And so it goes.
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O.M.G. Gareth Thomas On Ice!

The beautiful, Gareth Thomas, out, gay Rugby player shows his excellent coordination and personal drive learning to dance on ice skates.  And performing damned well, I might add. He shows an unexpected grace and sensitivity during the dance. I was amazed by his determination and commitment to the project.



I loved this. Gareth is a hero of mine.

 I think I need to lie down now.  Oh, where is my magnolia?  I fear an attack of the vapors may be coming on.

And so it goes.
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Shopping and Singing in the Rain

It had to be done.  The shopping, that is.  So, off I went with the latest Pet Shop Boys "Elysium"  playing, in rain even heavier than the storms yesterday. And I got wet, big deal.  At least it couldn't ruin my hairdo! If you get my drift.

Blueberries were BOGOF and I couldn't resist. Olives too, were at a low price, so I stocked up.  One can never have too many olives around the house. Now I am loaded for bear.

It was decided by popular vote that the to-do list would remain just that, a list until next week, or whenever I get around to it, or if something becomes an emergency. I didn't pick up the dry cleaning as it would have been a soggy mess by the time I wrestled it indoors.  I can pick it up any morning before work (they open at 7 AM) when the weather finally clears.

Besides, the flu must be getting worse, next to the keypad at every checkout I hit today was a large bottle of Hand Sanitizer. I don't want to deal with the flu.  Not a good way to start the new year.

Purchased a pot roast and will likely spend part of the afternoon working on that.  Makes the place smell like home and it's been a while since I made one. Pot roast, roasted baby red potatoes and a salad sound like good old winter comfort food to me, so that's all there is on the gay agenda today.  By the time it's done it will be cocktail hour.  Yay for me!!!

And so it goes.
*

Day Dark and Drear & Cheerful Blog Posts

A steady rainfall since yesterday and all plans for the days off have washed away, so to say. Not up to doing chores on my to-do list, so I've read a bit, listened to music, cooked up a few artichokes for salad, and settled down to enjoy blogs that I read pretty regularly.  I may not comment on particular posts, but I enjoy the reads nonetheless.

Peter is home from hospital and on the mend following successful surgery. Snoopy Happy Dance!

Mark and his spouse are having issues over electric heaters.  Don't ask. Funny, though.

Ron is recovering from the demon disease spreading throughout the country, and having visited his past, is enthralled by the discovery of an actor he knew nothing about. We learn something new every day, right?

Anne Marie is dancing her tits off at her Saturday Night Dance Party. Making me feel very old, too.

John presents various opinions in the "heated debate" over Jodie Foster's GG speech. Yawn.

Urspo is weighing the potential benefits of a bit of booze deprivation before vacation. Made me giggle, too.

Cubby, in true gay fashion, is cooking up some fab appetizers for a work potluck. After all, what is life without bacon?

Jeep Guy continues his weekly TMI questionnaire with "WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER?" Where does he come up with these things???

3rdnlong is pissed about the safety seals on jars and bottles that are more trouble to remove than a plaster cast. I know his pain.

I hope to meet a few of these bloggers in March when Ron hosts a Meet-Up dinner party.  He's really good at organizing these events. His family reunions are legendary, joyful events.

And so, I continue to watch (and listen to) the rain fall, being grateful for cheerful posts, and that it isn't cold enough to turn that rain to snow.

Plan to view a couple of documentaries after supper this evening presented by handsome historian Michael Wood of the BBC. For some reason, I think I met him back in the 70s in NYC at the Hayden Planetarium, but memories play tricks at times, don't they.  He looks awfully familiar to me.

Still holding out hope that I may have the good fortune to join a few customers/friends on a 10-day Caribbean cruise in March.  The cruise line told me that I may be allowed a stateroom alone, if I pay 1.5 of the usual 2-person occupancy rate.  This may be a way to make it happen. The only kink is that this rate may not be available if the cruise is close to being sold out.  It is what it is and if it's going to happen, it will happen.

Update that made my day:  Just received a phone call from a chap at Nielsen's - the TV ratings company.  Right out of the box there was dead silence as I answered the first questions on his survey:  Q. What sort of TV service do you subscribe to?  A.  I don't subscribe to any TV service. (Long pause) Q. Do you use an indoor antenna? A. No. I don't watch Television. (Very long pause) "Um, thank you for your time."  Sometimes answering the land line can be so rewarding.  Just sayin'.

Note: I didn't link to the blogs above, but if you want them, I'll take care of it.  Just let me know in comments.

And so it goes.

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The Restaurant's New Toy.

...Or how to create twice the workload for front-end managers.

The restaurant has signed up for Open Table, the online reservation giant that allows for making reservations at thousands of restaurant all over the planet. (The image at left displays the seating chart of the dining room and lounge along with a column showing any reservations - at right. The private dining room and bar have been omitted.) While reservations may still be taken by phone, the seating chart also appears online where someone can reserve a specific table or booth.  Can you see the potential problem here, class?

In the 20 years of operation, there are perks offered to regulars and longtime friends of the place and that could all go up in smoke with the new system.  Regulars have favourite tables/booths, favourite servers, and many have special needs, like wheel chair access.  Also the Delaware fire safety laws are strict and unforgiving. No strollers allowed, no high chairs at booths, no children in bar or lounge area.  But, the potential customer making a reservation online doesn't know any of this. The complications with the online service could be overwhelming.

There have been 3 'incidents' already and this is in January.  I cannot imagine the possibly explosive situations come summer tourist season. The hands-on system is complicated enough that on a busy evening two people will likely be required to keep everything running smoothly.  God help them!

The system sounds simple enough but in reality, well, that's another story. I may get a call for a reservation for a party of 6 at 6 pm, requesting a specific table, and server.  They also need 1 high-chair.   Once that info is entered into the online system that table is blocked online for that time.  However, if someone is online at the same time with a similar party size and requests the same table - and they hit the enter key before I do - there will be trouble.

There were already 3 no-shows at the busiest dining times frustrating everyone because it puts parties already in the restaurant on a wait-list until the allotted time limit for that reservation expires.

Fortunately for me, long wait periods (up to an hour!) usually occur in July and August for lunch diners and by then, this whole system will have been worked out or thrown out.  I don't particularly care either way.

The locosguys had only a few hands-on days with the program before taking off for their holiday in Mexico. It is likely they will have forgotten what they learned by the time they return in 2 weeks.  Bad timing, indeed.

This weekend was busy and the repetition allowed me to get more comfortable, and make fewer mistakes, while juggling the phone, internet, and walk-ins. 

Oh yes, many olives have been consumed this past week. I look forward to the next 2 days off.

And so it goes.
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I Want to Have a Coffee With Paul Shawcross!!!

***Spew Alert!***
No, seriously.  This is an amazing/funny/serious response to a White House Petition:

Official White House Response to Secure resources and funding, and begin construction of a Death Star by 2016.

This Isn't the Petition Response You're Looking For

By Paul Shawcross
The Administration shares your desire for job creation and a strong national defense, but a Death Star isn't on the horizon. Here are a few reasons:

• The construction of the Death Star has been estimated to cost more than $850,000,000,000,000,000. We're working hard to reduce the deficit, not expand it.
• The Administration does not support blowing up planets.
• Why would we spend countless taxpayer dollars on a Death Star with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship?

However, look carefully (here's how) and you'll notice something already floating in the sky -- that's no Moon, it's a Space Station! Yes, we already have a giant, football field-sized International Space Station in orbit around the Earth that's helping us learn how humans can live and thrive in space for long durations. The Space Station has six astronauts -- American, Russian, and Canadian -- living in it right now, conducting research, learning how to live and work in space over long periods of time, routinely welcoming visiting spacecraft and repairing onboard garbage mashers, etc. We've also got two robot science labs -- one wielding a laser -- roving around Mars, looking at whether life ever existed on the Red Planet.

Go read the entire document HERE, especially if you are a fan of the original Star Wars films.

More later.
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Caturday Wisdom

And so it goes.
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Zeitgeist 2012: Year In Review

Words Fail:


And so it goes.
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Observations of a Few Stupid Things

(In my best Andy Rooney voice) "Didja ever notice..."

Automatic DIY check-out lanes at the supermarket.  Wasting time looking up produce code numbers is bad enough, but items with no code, as well as cents-off coupons, require an override by a CASHIER!  And this is progress?

No more quart or half-gallon containers for items like mayonaise (now 30oz), ice cream (48 oz.), but the prices are the same or higher. A 5 pound bag of sugar now weighs 4, and costs more.  Paper products continue to shrink, as well.

Cable & phone companies and banks offer special deals to NEW customers while sticking their current ones with higher fees and lower interest rates on savings. Shouldn't loyal customers be rewarded?  Guess not.


Cell service providers offer a FREE phone with a two-year contract,  meaning that over those 24 months you'll probably have paid for the phone three-times over.  You're locked into a contract, but the carrier isn't.  That new phone without a contract would cost you up front, but save you big bucks in the end.  There ain't no free lunch, folks. 

Robo-calls from companies trying to sell something.  A recorded message that's supposed to give you a boner at the chance to do business with them. Who was the genius behind this one? If your company wants my business, you had better have a living, breathing, knowledgeable person call before I'll take you seriously.

Collection agencies do the same thing and expect you to return their call to prove you are not the person they're looking for.  WTF? Fat chance, that.

Fat-ass southern GOP congress-critters vote against an aid package for victims of hurricane Sandy, after pleading for aid for their red-neck, gambling frenzied states following Katrina. There is a special circle in Hell for creeps like these. 

I wonder.  Do these entities believe we're that dumb and don't notice what they're trying (and, in some cases, succeeding) to pull? Do we have such short memories? Or, is it that we don't care and just follow along like lemmings into the sea?

Oh, and I just bit the tip of my tongue and it won't stop bleeding.  Damn!  Stupid things, really!!!

Rant over.

And so it goes.
*

PSB Live: Slaves to the Rhythm

This fits my mood of this day off - a very productive, satisfying one - and I had to post.  Crank up the speakers and dance like nobody's watching, 'cause they're not!

Here are the Boys LIVE at Wembley giving us a two-fer with backup singers and full orchestra.  During the break between songs Neil mentions producer Trevor Horn, who - if you look very carefully - can be seen singing backup (he's an older man with long hair and glasses who is having the time of his life) and at the end of the set, moving downstage to say a few words, or perhaps introduce another act.

I love both songs for very different reasons.  "It's gonna be alright" reminds me of "Hold on" from their new album, Elysium.  It's incredible that the PSB are still going strong after 30 years.  Their music seems to get better and better and their orchestrations and collaborations are always fresh and new.  Enjoy.

Tomorrow promises to be another beautiful day with highs in the upper 50s, perhaps hitting 60 by afternoon.

And so it goes, on and on and on and on......

*

Grinches Steal Holiday Lights for Second Year

This is Gene Harris smiling at you with wire cutters and clipped wires in his hands. Gene is the Bar Manager at the restaurant and Tony is his other half.  They have been doing a light display for years, but the last 2 have been anything but festive.  From the local newspaper:

Tony Citrano has an idea who may have been behind a Christmas prank that ruined a section of his holiday lights.
After realizing someone cut the wires of a row of Christmas lights that outlines the property and left with a row of plastic peppermints that light up the driveway, all that Citrano and his partner, Gene Harris, found was a path of smashed bulbs, a woman's glove and a new pair of wire cutters running between two homes across the street.
The same thing happened last Christmas, too.
"Last year, they stole a bunch of items, but the items turned up in a shopping cart at Giant," said Citrano.
Citrano and Harris have lived in Stable Farms for four years and said they enjoy putting up a light display every year, especially for the neighborhood children. Citrano said he couldn't believe that someone would damage his display for a second year in a row.
"It's really sad with everything that's going on," he said. "It's disheartening that kids are doing this during Christmas."
Delaware State Police did not have further information on the vandalism. Citrano said vandals targeted one other neighbor in a neighborhood full of decorated homes, leading him to believe the perpetrators are connected to a nearby summer home. Citrano said he and his neighbor have complained about loud parties at the summer home in the past; the damage appears to be retribution for the complaints.
"I even tried leaving the lights on all night thinking that would deter them," Citrano said. "Things were busted up despite that."
Citrano was prepared this time, though. He installed new peppermint lights replacing the ones stolen along the driveway and quickly filled the gap of lights left empty along the roadway.
"I hope these last this time," he said.

And so it goes.
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Catnip Caturday: Sylvester's First Time

Funny.



If you've ever had a kitteh you know this to be true...and oh, so funny.

And so it goes.
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Captured Moment: Obama Learned of Sandy Hook Shootings

The President reacts as John Brennan briefs him on the details of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. The President later said during a TV interview that this was the worst day of his Presidency.  He looks as if he's been punched in the stomach and more is to come.

Compare his body language to that of G. W. Bush as he was briefed about the unfolding events of 9/11. The deer-in-the-headlights expression speaks volumes about his character, or lack thereof.

 

And so it goes.

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The New Year and a Holiday Surprise

Absolutely exhausted! My last 7-day work week of 2012 is over.  I am off today; returning to the restaurant tomorrow to train on a  reservations platform.  More on that after the training happens.

Christmas falling on a Tuesday threw the celebrations of some out of whack, but not ours. The restaurant was busy throughout Christmas-New Year's week.  Big family parties dined at lunch and dinner and even the foul weather on Dec. 26th and 29th didn't keep folks away. We served near record numbers up to New Year's Eve. Snow storms remained north and west of us and most were grateful to be here rather than at home where the snow was causing power outages and highway accidents.

We served a record number of customers on NYE - both lunch and dinner - and almost broke the record for New Year's Day.  Almost, but not quite. Still, it seems that everyone enjoyed a "quiet, peaceful, and happy holiday" and that's as it should be.

Oh, the Surprise...

For some reason, my name (or a good description) appeared in a number of restaurant reviews on such sites as TripAdvisor (sp?), YELP!, and others that I  know nothing about, so I was recipient of a Gift Certificate for dinner-for-two at Outback. (Don't ask!) There is one just outside of town where my (delayed) birthday celebration was held last summer.  One problem though, everyone I know works in the business and usually scheduled on the days I'm off.  Anyway, the gift is good through March 31st. so I am sure to come up with a dining companion before then.  Then again, maybe not.  We'll see.

So another year begins. Let me just mention that should the last of the 4 contradicting, conflicting letters received from the SSA (Social Security Administration) be accurate, I ought to begin receiving monthly payments at the end of January.  Something to look forward to, yes, but I'm not holding my breath.  It's not worth the stress or bother.  No one at the SSA seems to know what they're doing.

It doesn't matter since I'll have to work until I die, anyway.  Glad, for now, I have the energy. Glad I like my job.

And so it goes.
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