This hasn’t happened in a long while…

bgibson135

Part of my job involves help desk type activities and support.  A user wants to know how to perform a certain function or task.  So, if I have experienced the problem they are having, or know the steps they need to complete the task, I tell them.  But, I just remembered that through the years there appear those “odd” persons who place a higher value on knowing why they need to do something, rather than going ahead and doing it and completing the task more quickly.  When it dawns on me that I am speaking with one of those persons, I have to go into a different mode.  *Another thought.  In times past, I actually came to believe that these people wanted me to spend a certain amount of time helping them solve their problem.  It might not matter what I said to them.  I could read them a nursery rhyme, or some other story, totally unrelated to the sequential steps they needed to complete the desired task.  Once I had spent 20 minutes or more, sometimes repeating the solution more than once, or even twice, and in more than one way, then they were satisfied and could go do what I had suggested in the first 5 minutes of our intercourse.  Perhaps their egos couldn’t handle that someone could solve their problem in a few minutes rather than taking an extended amount of time and effort.

I haven’t encountered one of these types in quite a while, but as I recall, they usually visit when my time is at a premium, where I have other people and tasks to perform.

 

Birthday Celebration at LongHorn Steakhouse

bgibson135

I was born on Mary Ann’s 16th Birthday.  Mary Ann’s middle child, Ray, has a birthday on Jan. 7th.  We all got together on Sunday, January 19th, 2014 to celebrate our birthdays.

Mary Ann and I have been to the LongHorn Steakhouse in Jacksonville, NC once before.  I thought the meal pricey, but they do have to pay for the ambiance (which is pretty much like any other LongHorn Steakhouse).

Jim, agreed to pick up the tab if we all went about 3 pm, because he wanted to avoid the crowds of lunch or dinner.  Okay, I can live with that especially since I took a long nap and really didn’t get hungry before 3pm.  Now, sometimes, I do get hungry because their eating schedule is way off from mine.  If I have breakfast after 8:30 am, I feel it is more like brunch, or even lunch.  I also have lunch about 12:30 pm and after 1:30 pm would seem too late.  But, that is because I want to eat supper/dinner by about 6:30 pm.  If I eat later than that, I don’t give my metabolism enough time to digest the food before going to bed.  Now, I am not saying that I don’t ever eat dinner after 8 pm, but it would be rare, or a special occasion (usually dependent upon someone else’s time scheudle).

So, I drove, and Danny rode with me.  That way, after dinner, I could head on to Fayetteville without having to ride with someone back to Hubert to pick up my car.

The attendees were Jim and Mary Ann, Lawrence & Heather, Jamie and Danny, myself, Si, Ray, Jackson and Jacqueline.  I’m glad that we hit between the crowds, although I’m sure some of the other guests weren’t pleased with “loud” Jackson.  Fortunately with age, comes a loss of hearing, so except for a few toy projectiles thrown in my general direction, Jackson could cry out without disturbing me.  After all, it’s not the cousin that is responsible for maintaining a child’s decorum at the table.

Si started thumping my ear, which elicited a useless verbal warning on my part, that if he “hurt” me, I would indeed hurt him… and would try to make sure that my return hurt would try to encourage him never to hurt me again.  He eventually stopped.  Sometimes, he punches me in the stomach.

Lawrence and Heather arrived a little later than the rest of us, and Lawrence made some comment about why.  Something was said about Heather being mistaken for his wife or girlfriend (I think those were the two possibilities.), and I immediately quipped “or daughter.”  This elicited a few rolled eyes and laughs.  Heather is several years younger than Lawrence.  They seem to work well together and I like her.  She is quiet, but with a good sense of humor.

I ordered French Onion Soup, a steak & shrimp combo, with a baked sweet potato (cinnamon & sugar), and a salad with honey mustard dressing.  I also had unsweet tea (added sweetner) and some of their bread with butter for an appetizer.  It was all good, especially, the soup and the shrimp. Afterwards, I wasn’t filled, so I thought about having dessert also.  LongHorn gave all the birthday celebrants a free dessert.  I had the key lime pie, and Ray and Mary Ann had chocolate desserts.  Ray’s dessert was gigantic.  Two large scoops of vanilla ice cream in the middle, and on either site a 7 inch triangle of moussed chocolate in various shades of brown.

I cut a one inch wide slice of my key lime pie and then passed the rest around.  I think Jacqueline eventually ended up with it.

The French Onion Soup was so good.  It was a small bowl, but the cheese and broth and onions were very flavorful.  It was so good that when I got home that night, I bought some onions, and beef broth and made my own soup at home.  This was the first time that I used the Emile Henry Flame cookware, although I’ve probably had it for over a year and a half.  It is a red ceramic pot with a lid.  You can cook on the stove top, in the oven and even put in the freezer.  The soup turned out good although I used some shredded Mozzarella, and sandwich sliced white American cheese to top it.

At the end of the meal, I did say that this was probably the best Birthday that I had ever had.  Perhaps, I would qualify that by the best meal with friends and relatives I’ve had.  The food was good, and the people pleasantly interacting.

Addendum:

By the way, I celebrated my 60th Birthday on January 18, 2014.  Never thought I would make it this far.  Am reasonably healthy and mobile.  Have a comfortable apartment and the little white Honda Civic gets me around.

NOTE [02/19/25]: And now I can say, I’m 71 years old, and still in reasonably good health and mobile. I am still living in my comfortable apartment, which is up for lease renewal soon, and the white 2018 Toyota Camry gets me around. The Honda Civic died a miserable, but quick death in 2018, and after the engine was completely replaced, I decided to get a new car and give the Civic away. And the Civic is still being used successfully by one of Jeff’s kids. A “kid” who is getting married in a few months. [end NOTE]

North Carolina Education Lottery is for a Bunch of Losers!

bgibson135

Even though Harry Brown was not my State representative at the time, I contacted him, via email, to ask that he continue to stand against the State Lottery.  You would think that a grown man, a used car dealer would be more street-wise and when the Legislature did not adjourn immediately after passing the State Budget “that year,” that something was up.  But, apparently not.  Harry managed to take that weekend (how did he know that the budget would be passed by that weekend?) to get married, and be unavailable, or unwilling to vote against the State Lottery.  But, there was another crippled (injured?) Republican representative from elsewhere in the State that didn’t vote against the State Lottery.   Because these two Republican representatives chose not to vote against the State Lottery, it passed.  I am told that they could have voted by proxy (remotely) if they had desired to.

I think that “no good” will ever come from the NC State Lottery.  A bunch of money leaves our citizens, and the State, and only a minimal amount goes toward Education.  And, society teaches our children that gambling is an okay activity, even a worthy act because a dribble of the funds goes toward educating our children.  If educating our children was a worthy activity, the citizens of NC would stop gambling and put more of their tax money toward education.

Addendum:  I’ve probably heard this before, but it does ring true, ‘the State has found a way to tax its poorest citizens.’  Apparently, a large number of the poorer NC citizens spend money on the Lottery.  Pie in the sky.

First-grader prompts Cumberland schools to address gender identity

bgibson135

Article on WRAL.com web site: http://www.wral.com/cumberland-school-district-to-address-student-gender-identity/13295892/

One of the commenters on this article suggested that this was ‘a little deviation from what most might consider “normal”‘.   Many that still think that if you have male genitalia you should be considered a male.   Just because I start wearing dresses and high heels and painting my lips with red lipstick isn’t going to make me female.  If I go through surgery and have my genitalia altered so that I have some remote resemblance to that of a woman, heck, I still have a problem with calling myself a woman.

It was interesting to read this article and realize that nowhere did the reporter (Gilbert Baez) refer to the feminine dressing child as a boy.  What a sell out.  They could have at least alternated the sex each time the child was mentioned… She wears dresses but he uses the Girls bathroom.  Her parents are listening to the psychologist and I am sure they hope this will be the best for him.

So, if I had a son, who embraced his masculinity (at age 6 or 7) and he comes home and tells me he has a girlfriend at school and wants to give her a Valentines Day card.  Would I have a problem, unless I find out later that the little girl has masculine genitalia?  And, would I even know until the girl was much older and started sporting a distinct Adam’s Apple?

Down on Mainstreet Redux

bgibson135

I visited “Down on Mainstreet” in Washington, NC again today. This was my second visit. The first time I had a really good spaghetti sauce. This time I tried the “Cajun Dream” pasta. It was a large bowtie pasta (whole wheat, tomato and spinach), with mushrooms in a cream sauce and (chicken). I’m not sure of the seasoning, but the flavor was good. I also had a house salad with honey mustard dressing. A little strong, but with some sweetner, it rounded it out nicely.

Not sure how some salads can seem so good, while others, with apparently the same ingredients are bland or non-descript.

I tried the Texas Roadhouse in Fayetteville yesterday afternoon. I had the rack of ribs. They were good, but a litle dry and there was a slight aftertaste, perhaps in the Roadhouse Sauce. It reminded me of motor oil. Not really, but that is the closest thing I could think of.

As a first time visitor, they brought me a sampler dish of four sides: corn, green beans, baked beans/chili, and a mashed potato sample. I thought this was a nice gesture, but since none of them had a flavor worth ordering, it was counterproductive.

I ordered a side salad with honey mustard dressing. I only used one cup of the dressing. This salad was disappointing. Fake cheddar cheese that was almost flavorless.  The fake cheddar cheese was also on the baked potato.  I didn’t eat much of the potato.

I wouldn’t go back to Texas Roadhouse if I am making the decision of where to go.  Gosh, all that food, and such a disappointment.

Aurelio Zen

bgibson135

I just re-watched the Detective Zen trilogy on Amazon Prime. It is a British production, that has a present day Italian detective as it’s hero. It was filmed in Italy, but with mostly British actors. One very welcome exception was the actress, Caterina Murino.

I see that the 2011 production was not renewed, and I do not see that anything is in the works for further episodes. I like Rufus Sewell, Zen, and the writing is very entertaining.

What’s Missing at Jason’s deli?

bgibson135

More appropriately titled, “Why Don’t I Enjoy Jason’s deli Salad Bar”.

There is something about the ingredients on their salad bar that leaves me wondering, “Why does everything taste so bland.”  This isn’t the first or second time I have thought this, and I come away with questions as to why I just am not satisfied.  Maybe it is their salad dressings that leave me wanting.  But, I like the Ranch and the Thousand Island, and I’ve even used their Balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and I’m still not impressed.  Everything looks good.  Each item is cut with intent, and there is color where it should be and no wiltedness where it shouldn’t.

The items aren’t totally flavorless, but they seem to be mildly flavored.  Something at a level that is below what would jump out at you as, “that’s a good onion, or cucumber, or hard boiled egg, etc.”

The first couple of times that I visited Jason’s deli, in Fayetteville, I think I had a turkey wrap that had hummus and some roasted red peppers.  Honestly, it was not totally flavorless, but it didn’t say, “I’m something.”  In fact, the next several times, I actually brought a small Tupperware container with some roasted red peppers and some curry remoulade (mayo, curry paste, and capers), and I doctored the wrap up, and it was really good.  But then I asked myself, “Why am I having to bring this extra stuff.”  And then you have to come to the conclusion that the item they deliver isn’t that tasty.

I did enjoy the steamed baby veggies (carrots, broccoli) that I had with the wrap.

1972 – MOST STUDIOUS

bgibson135

I just wish I had this picture in color. This was my Senior year at Swansboro High School in 1972. Believe me, I did not want the honor of being “Most Studious”. I was always making jokes, quips or humorous observations, and wanted to be WITTIEST.

I actually wore this outfit many times during my Senior year. What started it was buying the Converse Blue All-Star tennis shoes. The shoes had a nappy blue leather with a white star on the side. So, I had some white “mess” pants (Navy bell-bottoms), to which I added a red shirt, and I bought some red, white and blue suspenders to which I glued a couple of white stars. The socks were red also.

onestar6Well, it’s obvious that my mind doesn’t remember this shoe correctly.  My photo clearly shows the 3 stripe version of the shoe (although I can’t see the outside of either shoe) and not the starred version shown here.  Maybe that’s why I added the white stars to the suspenders?