This is a message to anyone who is upset about Donald Trump's victory, but did not actually vote in the general election itself.
Why are you upset? If you are so apathetic that you cannot be bothered to cast a ballot, then you should be just fine with how it all turned out. After all, not voting is the same thing as casting a ballot for the victor.
It's not like you didn't have the time to register to vote, nor is it like you didn't have the time to educate yourself about the candidates. This election season has been the media circus of a lifetime. You had plenty of time to prepare for this.
We all had time to prepare for this. It was like watching an impending train wreck in slow-motion and being unable to stop anything at all.
That's entertainment, folks!
Now, if you tell me that you didn't vote on principle, but still complain about the results of the election, then you sound little better than a whiny child.
Telling me that you didn't vote on principle is the same thing as telling me that you're too good to vote.
Give me a break.
At best, principle used in this context is an eqivocating excuse. At best. Actually, it's just stupid, childish, and sad.
Either vote, or don't, but if you don't, then always remember that by your inaction, you voted for Donald Trump.
Congratulations. You succeeded - by default - and I hope that you're satisfied.
I've heard it said that if you don't vote, then you have no right to complain about the results.
I disagree.
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees all United States citizens the right and freedom of speech, and that even includes the right to complain about election results even if you didn't vote.
You do not have the right to complain about it to me, however. If you don't like how the election turned out, tell someone else. It's as bad as listening to someone who wants a job, but doesn't consider any available job to be worth the effort.
Get over yourselves.
That's all for now.
Peace be unto you.
Saturday, December 24, 2016
Friday, December 23, 2016
Ask Yourself If It Was Worth It
In the book of Genesis, there is the tale of Jacob getting his brother Esau's birthright. Esau was a renowned hunter, but he was also famous for his brash attitude, and had a habit of speaking - and acting - without a second thought.
One time, Esau came in from the hunt hungry and Jacob had made some pottage. Esau demanded to be fed. In return Jacob demanded Esau's birthright as a price. Esau gave it up - without another thought - and was fed.
That was the most expensive lentil stew ever sold.
I bring that up, because a lot of Christians voted for and helped to elect Donald Trump as our next president. They did this despite the overwhelming evidence of Trump's unfitness to even approach the office, let alone hold it.
To be bluntly honest, because of your hatred of Hillary Rodham Clinton, you sold your birthright for a bowl of pottage.
I shall be asking you Trump Christians over the next few years just how that pottage tastes.
How does it taste so far? I'm believing that the taste won't be as good as time goes on forward.
You people did this to not just yourselves, but to the rest of us as well. Sometimes, I wonder just how many of you are really sociopaths, despite what you claim to be - or believe. I really do wonder.
That's all for now.
Peace be unto you.
One time, Esau came in from the hunt hungry and Jacob had made some pottage. Esau demanded to be fed. In return Jacob demanded Esau's birthright as a price. Esau gave it up - without another thought - and was fed.
That was the most expensive lentil stew ever sold.
I bring that up, because a lot of Christians voted for and helped to elect Donald Trump as our next president. They did this despite the overwhelming evidence of Trump's unfitness to even approach the office, let alone hold it.
To be bluntly honest, because of your hatred of Hillary Rodham Clinton, you sold your birthright for a bowl of pottage.
I shall be asking you Trump Christians over the next few years just how that pottage tastes.
How does it taste so far? I'm believing that the taste won't be as good as time goes on forward.
You people did this to not just yourselves, but to the rest of us as well. Sometimes, I wonder just how many of you are really sociopaths, despite what you claim to be - or believe. I really do wonder.
That's all for now.
Peace be unto you.
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Second Fiction Post
And now for another brief fiction story...
The smoke finally cleared and John Fleming looked down at Scarlett Hawkins's body as it laid face down on the garage floor. "No!" he said and then looked at the pistol in his right hand. Everything went wrong. It wasn't supposed to go like this. The incident replayed in his mind. His hand touching her buttocks, her struggle with him, his attempt to kiss her, and then her threat to not only tell her parents, but to tell his wife, Lisa, what he had done.
"Two years I've waited for this chance," he said. "What have I done? What am I going to do now?"
The man turned and laid the pistol on a workbench. His hand shook as he did so.
"Do you realize just how freaking irritating that is?"
The 48-year-old man froze in place as he heard the redheaded teenager's question. Finally, he turned around and looked in shock at her as she stood there in front of him. The bullet hole in her chest slowly closed up, though the blood she had lost still decorated her black shirt around the hole.
"How dare you!" she said. "I HATE BEING KILLED, YOU PERVERTED JERK!"
The teen advanced on him and he grabbed the pistol, cocked it and fired it into her chest once more.
Scarlett fell onto the floor again and and he looked at her still body.
Several seconds later, John turned around, stumbled to a trashcan and fell to his knees. He sobbed for nearly a minute, then vomited.
As he got sick, the girl's left hand twitched and she sat up and looked at a hatchet on the workbench. As she stood up once more, blood poured from the bullet hole onto the floor.
She gripped the wooden handle as she hefted the hatchet and moved towards the sick man.
-------
Not all of my stories will be nice, either.
Peace be unto you.
The smoke finally cleared and John Fleming looked down at Scarlett Hawkins's body as it laid face down on the garage floor. "No!" he said and then looked at the pistol in his right hand. Everything went wrong. It wasn't supposed to go like this. The incident replayed in his mind. His hand touching her buttocks, her struggle with him, his attempt to kiss her, and then her threat to not only tell her parents, but to tell his wife, Lisa, what he had done.
"Two years I've waited for this chance," he said. "What have I done? What am I going to do now?"
The man turned and laid the pistol on a workbench. His hand shook as he did so.
"Do you realize just how freaking irritating that is?"
The 48-year-old man froze in place as he heard the redheaded teenager's question. Finally, he turned around and looked in shock at her as she stood there in front of him. The bullet hole in her chest slowly closed up, though the blood she had lost still decorated her black shirt around the hole.
"How dare you!" she said. "I HATE BEING KILLED, YOU PERVERTED JERK!"
The teen advanced on him and he grabbed the pistol, cocked it and fired it into her chest once more.
Scarlett fell onto the floor again and and he looked at her still body.
Several seconds later, John turned around, stumbled to a trashcan and fell to his knees. He sobbed for nearly a minute, then vomited.
As he got sick, the girl's left hand twitched and she sat up and looked at a hatchet on the workbench. As she stood up once more, blood poured from the bullet hole onto the floor.
She gripped the wooden handle as she hefted the hatchet and moved towards the sick man.
-------
Not all of my stories will be nice, either.
Peace be unto you.
Monday, November 21, 2016
Random Post 2
Just had a frozen thin crust pizza - California Pizza Kitchen' s BBQ recipe Chicken pizza. It was delicious. Sometime in the future, I'll have to go west and try the pizzas in the actual restaurant.
Thanks go to my son for buying it.
--------
Cleaning up my items and came across something I should always remember: Don't worry about people stealing your ideas. If they are any good, you'll have to ram them down their throats!
--------
People who are disturbed by the results of the election, just remember: No matter who's in office, we still have to go forward and live our lives.
For those of you who are dancing and cheering about Hillary Clinton losing, be careful what you wish for. You just might get it. After all, God sometimes gives us what we ask for, and that is when reality can hit like a brick. May the reality not be as bad as it can be.
Show empathy for those who you oppose politically. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, I shouldn't have to write this. The sad thing is that I have to write this. Too many so-called believers hate their political opponents. Don't get on that boat. Don't embrace the hatred.
-------
Never tell anyone that you hope their dreams come true. After all, nightmares are dreams, too.
That's all for now.
Peace be unto you.
Thanks go to my son for buying it.
--------
Cleaning up my items and came across something I should always remember: Don't worry about people stealing your ideas. If they are any good, you'll have to ram them down their throats!
--------
People who are disturbed by the results of the election, just remember: No matter who's in office, we still have to go forward and live our lives.
For those of you who are dancing and cheering about Hillary Clinton losing, be careful what you wish for. You just might get it. After all, God sometimes gives us what we ask for, and that is when reality can hit like a brick. May the reality not be as bad as it can be.
Show empathy for those who you oppose politically. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, I shouldn't have to write this. The sad thing is that I have to write this. Too many so-called believers hate their political opponents. Don't get on that boat. Don't embrace the hatred.
-------
Never tell anyone that you hope their dreams come true. After all, nightmares are dreams, too.
That's all for now.
Peace be unto you.
Sunday, November 13, 2016
A Small Piece of Fiction
Bought a new car today called the Odysseus. It gets great mileage, but I wandered around for what felt like ten years before I got back home.
I don't really want to get into what happened after I got home. Let's just say it was a very bloody mess and leave it at that.
I guess that's what happens when you go to a dealership called Circe Motors.
Now, I've got to go to the go to the grocery store and replace a lot of beef and pork. Man, I can't believe how much got ate up while I was gone.
Like I wrote on an earlier post, don't expect what I write to always make sense.
Peace be unto you.
I don't really want to get into what happened after I got home. Let's just say it was a very bloody mess and leave it at that.
I guess that's what happens when you go to a dealership called Circe Motors.
Now, I've got to go to the go to the grocery store and replace a lot of beef and pork. Man, I can't believe how much got ate up while I was gone.
Like I wrote on an earlier post, don't expect what I write to always make sense.
Peace be unto you.
Something Interesting I'm Trying
Lately I've heard about an idea about appreciating food more that also has side benefits. That idea is called slow eating.
The concept is rather simple. You take a bite of food, try to chew it thirty times, swallow, then wait thirty seconds before you repeat the process. Those touting its virtues say that it helps you to savor and appreciate your food, eat less, lower your stress levels, and to lose both weight and inches.
I've heard about this concept several times over the last few years as an alternative to our "hurry up and go!" lifestyles that push us to not slow down for anything. Added to that is a religious background common to many U.S. citizens that believes that stretching out a meal is at best self-indulgent, and at worst a sin against God Himself.
I think slow eating has merit, myself, and have launched onto a six-month experiment, using myself as the guinea pig. Other benefits I see coming from this includes spending less money on food, more talking with those I love (an admitted weakness of mine), and possibly a way to remove mental clutter from my mind.
The experiment actually started on October 22 (I've been without a computer lately) and my first meal was a bowl of apple cinnamon cereal. I took a bite, set my spoon down and counted to thirty, after I swallowed. Then I took another bite, and repeated the process until the cereal was gone. However, I drank my coffee at the same normal pace I always do.
My cereal got soggy before I finished it, so either I need to eat two smaller bowls, or make do with one smaller bowl.
In what I've seen so far, the amount of "chews" (which sounds oddly sounds disgusting, btw) can range from seven to forty-five, depending on what you're eating. I may have to widen the range, for I haven't had pork chops in a while, a pork is a lot denser than beef.
The next thing I ate was an apple cinnamon doughnut from an apple orchard near Mount Pleasant, Indiana. I promptly forgot about eating slow and wolfed it down in just a few seconds. You would think that my mistake would've ended the experiment, right on day one.
Not so. One doughnut - especially a small one - does not derail an experiment. My family and I then went on to Cracker Barrel, and that's where I saw the potential - and power - of slow eating.
Whenever we go to Cracker Barrel, I almost always get the same meal: a grilled sirloin steak with three side dishes, along with biscuits. Normally, I'd have very little to take home, if any
I cut my steak into small pieces, and had a small area set up with steak sauce and ketchup for my steak fries.
Then, no matter what I ate, I'd take a bite, set my fork on the plate, chew up and swallow the food, and then counted to thirty, or talked with my family. When you're eating with family, it's easy to space time out between bites.
We spent half an hour at the table, approximately, after we got our food. I ended up taking home half the meal, except for the coleslaw. (An aside: Cracker Barrel food is - to me - delicious and well-made, but their coleslaw is easily beat by what my local grocery store sells in their meat and deli section.)
I noticed a difference on this meal, which is what I wanted to share. By eating slow and pacing myself, I was actually able to notice when I was full.
A very illuminating thing to experience. Added with keeping a food diary, it will be interesting to see how things work out later.
Peace be unto you.
The concept is rather simple. You take a bite of food, try to chew it thirty times, swallow, then wait thirty seconds before you repeat the process. Those touting its virtues say that it helps you to savor and appreciate your food, eat less, lower your stress levels, and to lose both weight and inches.
I've heard about this concept several times over the last few years as an alternative to our "hurry up and go!" lifestyles that push us to not slow down for anything. Added to that is a religious background common to many U.S. citizens that believes that stretching out a meal is at best self-indulgent, and at worst a sin against God Himself.
I think slow eating has merit, myself, and have launched onto a six-month experiment, using myself as the guinea pig. Other benefits I see coming from this includes spending less money on food, more talking with those I love (an admitted weakness of mine), and possibly a way to remove mental clutter from my mind.
The experiment actually started on October 22 (I've been without a computer lately) and my first meal was a bowl of apple cinnamon cereal. I took a bite, set my spoon down and counted to thirty, after I swallowed. Then I took another bite, and repeated the process until the cereal was gone. However, I drank my coffee at the same normal pace I always do.
My cereal got soggy before I finished it, so either I need to eat two smaller bowls, or make do with one smaller bowl.
In what I've seen so far, the amount of "chews" (which sounds oddly sounds disgusting, btw) can range from seven to forty-five, depending on what you're eating. I may have to widen the range, for I haven't had pork chops in a while, a pork is a lot denser than beef.
The next thing I ate was an apple cinnamon doughnut from an apple orchard near Mount Pleasant, Indiana. I promptly forgot about eating slow and wolfed it down in just a few seconds. You would think that my mistake would've ended the experiment, right on day one.
Not so. One doughnut - especially a small one - does not derail an experiment. My family and I then went on to Cracker Barrel, and that's where I saw the potential - and power - of slow eating.
Whenever we go to Cracker Barrel, I almost always get the same meal: a grilled sirloin steak with three side dishes, along with biscuits. Normally, I'd have very little to take home, if any
I cut my steak into small pieces, and had a small area set up with steak sauce and ketchup for my steak fries.
Then, no matter what I ate, I'd take a bite, set my fork on the plate, chew up and swallow the food, and then counted to thirty, or talked with my family. When you're eating with family, it's easy to space time out between bites.
We spent half an hour at the table, approximately, after we got our food. I ended up taking home half the meal, except for the coleslaw. (An aside: Cracker Barrel food is - to me - delicious and well-made, but their coleslaw is easily beat by what my local grocery store sells in their meat and deli section.)
I noticed a difference on this meal, which is what I wanted to share. By eating slow and pacing myself, I was actually able to notice when I was full.
A very illuminating thing to experience. Added with keeping a food diary, it will be interesting to see how things work out later.
Peace be unto you.
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Rest in peace, Robert Vaughn
I just learned yesterday that actor Robert Vaughn died at the age of 83 from leukemia. This saddens me. I remember watching The Man From U.N.C.L.E. as a child (and reading the Gold Key comic book as well.) Lately he was the spokesman for Glaser and Ebbs, a law firm in my part of Indiana.
Then there's the numerous movies and TV shows I've seen him in over the years.
Rest in peace, Mr. Vaughn.
Peace be unto you.
Then there's the numerous movies and TV shows I've seen him in over the years.
Rest in peace, Mr. Vaughn.
Peace be unto you.
Thursday, October 27, 2016
America IS Great...Just Saying
I read an interesting column in my local paper Wednesday. The newspaper's publisher, a well-known Republican, stated that Donald Trump shouldn't be the next president of the United States.
Not only that, he stated that Donald Trump is unworthy both of the president's office, and of the Republican Party itself.
Ouch. A nasty burn, although Trump is such a self-involved narcissist, he'd ignore the opinion of an East Central Indiana newspaper publisher.
On the same day, however, Trump appeared on The 700 Club with televangelist Pat Robertson. Given that Pat Robertson once refused to pray for then-President Bill Clinton when he was asked to do so, it's not hard to figure out who he wants as our next president.
Rev. Robertson is obviously willing to ignore Trump's many faults because of what appears to be an extreme hatred of the Clintons.
It kind of makes me wonder if Robertson is willing to let Trump grab either of his daughters, or any of his granddaughters by their privates. Admittedly, that is unlikely, but if you're throw your support to someone who's a sociopath, you'd better add qualifiers or you'll come off just as much a sociopath as that person is.
In my opinion, Donald Trump makes it easy to decide who to vote for...or against. I do not support him, nor will I vote for him, but I will pray for him.
We are to pray for those we oppose, something my conservative brethren would do well to remember. A church I once attended refused to put President Clinton on the prayer list, but went out of their way to pray for - and praise - President George W. Bush during his two terms.
Of course, it also pays to remember that no matter how we vote for president, our vote is nothing. The Electoral College chooses the president. It's funny how so many people keep forgetting that.
Oh, and before I sign off... America IS Great. Don't let someone's strange fantasy of being oppressed by President Obama convince you otherwise. Even if we are a democratically-elected oligarchy, the United States of America is still a great country.
Peace be unto you.
Not only that, he stated that Donald Trump is unworthy both of the president's office, and of the Republican Party itself.
Ouch. A nasty burn, although Trump is such a self-involved narcissist, he'd ignore the opinion of an East Central Indiana newspaper publisher.
On the same day, however, Trump appeared on The 700 Club with televangelist Pat Robertson. Given that Pat Robertson once refused to pray for then-President Bill Clinton when he was asked to do so, it's not hard to figure out who he wants as our next president.
Rev. Robertson is obviously willing to ignore Trump's many faults because of what appears to be an extreme hatred of the Clintons.
It kind of makes me wonder if Robertson is willing to let Trump grab either of his daughters, or any of his granddaughters by their privates. Admittedly, that is unlikely, but if you're throw your support to someone who's a sociopath, you'd better add qualifiers or you'll come off just as much a sociopath as that person is.
In my opinion, Donald Trump makes it easy to decide who to vote for...or against. I do not support him, nor will I vote for him, but I will pray for him.
We are to pray for those we oppose, something my conservative brethren would do well to remember. A church I once attended refused to put President Clinton on the prayer list, but went out of their way to pray for - and praise - President George W. Bush during his two terms.
Of course, it also pays to remember that no matter how we vote for president, our vote is nothing. The Electoral College chooses the president. It's funny how so many people keep forgetting that.
Oh, and before I sign off... America IS Great. Don't let someone's strange fantasy of being oppressed by President Obama convince you otherwise. Even if we are a democratically-elected oligarchy, the United States of America is still a great country.
Peace be unto you.
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Restaurants That I Miss...Part Four
I'm back again, with more restaurants that I once went to, but either no long exist or have so changed that it might as well not exist. I'm still in Richmond, Indiana, because I've actually eaten at a lot of places there.
Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips - This franchise named for the late British actor still exists, I should point out, but not in Richmond, Indiana. The store, which was located on East National Road (U.S. 40) closed more than two decades ago, as did all of their Indiana stores.
When we ate here, I'd always get the Shrimp and Chips, because back then, I didn't eat any other seafood. The shrimp was big, in my opinion (I was young, of course), and oh, so tasty. The chips (French fries to us in the United States) were like none other I'd seen before or eaten since. They were shaped like a curlie or wavy potato chip, but they were more like a quarter-inch thick. In fact, they were closer in size to a broasted potato wedge.
This place was also where I was first exposed to malt vinegar, and I still it use to this day. Of course, while shrimp tastes good with malt vinegar, it tastes even better with cocktail sauce (or with wasabi, as I've recently learned.)
I don't recommend that you use the malt vinegar with the hushpuppies, however. They don't look very good after you douse them, and the vinegar makes the hushpuppy soggy.
If I happen to run across one of their stores in either Ohio or New York, I'll have to visit and try it again.
Howard Johnson's - When I was a child, my parents usually went to restaurants by themselves, because they didn't like eating out with children. I and my wife did not do that for the most part, because we chose to have children, and taking them out to restaurants is part of the deal. Not that I'm criticizing my parents, but I didn't (and still do not) agree with their decision.
When my parents did take me and my sister to a real sit-down restaurant, this is where they took us. I don't remember everything I had here, but we did come here for our birthdays - which meant a free birthday cake.
This restaurant actually catered to children, thanks to the insistence of the restaurant chain's namesake and owner. It's also probably why we were allowed to come here. I won't complain. I liked it - a lot!
This place was one of the few places I would actually eat spaghetti with meat sauce. Most restaurants cannot make a spaghetti dish that is worth eating, let alone mention. But I really liked this one. It was also the first time I had garlic bread with a pasta dish. Usually, I'd eat either saltines (at home) or bread and butter ( at school) when I had spaghetti with meat sauce.
Now, to a lost place in Muncie, Indiana...
Red Sun Buffet - This Chinese buffet restaurant was located near Ball State University, and it was the place that my wife and I introduced our children to Chinese-style restaurants.
It had a wide variety of foods to choose from, including a few sushi items that helped me get to where I liked to eat fish.
Not everyone liked this place. In fact, over the years, I've noticed that some people like to brag about some expensive or critically acclaimed restaurant they went to. At the same time, they like to trash places where working men like to eat. That's O.K., if you want (and desperately need) to impress others, but I eat at a place because I like the food.
I've got more important things to do with my life than to impress others.
As far as Red Sun Buffet went, it was our family's go-to place for a Chinese-buffet-style restaurant.
One fly in the ointment, however, was one sadly common to most Chinese restaurants. Their desserts are usually nothing to brag about. They did have hard ice cream in five-quart containers, however, so I'd at least eat a small cup of mint chocolate chip or Superman ice cream.
More to come later.
Peace be unto you.
Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips - This franchise named for the late British actor still exists, I should point out, but not in Richmond, Indiana. The store, which was located on East National Road (U.S. 40) closed more than two decades ago, as did all of their Indiana stores.
When we ate here, I'd always get the Shrimp and Chips, because back then, I didn't eat any other seafood. The shrimp was big, in my opinion (I was young, of course), and oh, so tasty. The chips (French fries to us in the United States) were like none other I'd seen before or eaten since. They were shaped like a curlie or wavy potato chip, but they were more like a quarter-inch thick. In fact, they were closer in size to a broasted potato wedge.
This place was also where I was first exposed to malt vinegar, and I still it use to this day. Of course, while shrimp tastes good with malt vinegar, it tastes even better with cocktail sauce (or with wasabi, as I've recently learned.)
I don't recommend that you use the malt vinegar with the hushpuppies, however. They don't look very good after you douse them, and the vinegar makes the hushpuppy soggy.
If I happen to run across one of their stores in either Ohio or New York, I'll have to visit and try it again.
Howard Johnson's - When I was a child, my parents usually went to restaurants by themselves, because they didn't like eating out with children. I and my wife did not do that for the most part, because we chose to have children, and taking them out to restaurants is part of the deal. Not that I'm criticizing my parents, but I didn't (and still do not) agree with their decision.
When my parents did take me and my sister to a real sit-down restaurant, this is where they took us. I don't remember everything I had here, but we did come here for our birthdays - which meant a free birthday cake.
This restaurant actually catered to children, thanks to the insistence of the restaurant chain's namesake and owner. It's also probably why we were allowed to come here. I won't complain. I liked it - a lot!
This place was one of the few places I would actually eat spaghetti with meat sauce. Most restaurants cannot make a spaghetti dish that is worth eating, let alone mention. But I really liked this one. It was also the first time I had garlic bread with a pasta dish. Usually, I'd eat either saltines (at home) or bread and butter ( at school) when I had spaghetti with meat sauce.
Now, to a lost place in Muncie, Indiana...
Red Sun Buffet - This Chinese buffet restaurant was located near Ball State University, and it was the place that my wife and I introduced our children to Chinese-style restaurants.
It had a wide variety of foods to choose from, including a few sushi items that helped me get to where I liked to eat fish.
Not everyone liked this place. In fact, over the years, I've noticed that some people like to brag about some expensive or critically acclaimed restaurant they went to. At the same time, they like to trash places where working men like to eat. That's O.K., if you want (and desperately need) to impress others, but I eat at a place because I like the food.
I've got more important things to do with my life than to impress others.
As far as Red Sun Buffet went, it was our family's go-to place for a Chinese-buffet-style restaurant.
One fly in the ointment, however, was one sadly common to most Chinese restaurants. Their desserts are usually nothing to brag about. They did have hard ice cream in five-quart containers, however, so I'd at least eat a small cup of mint chocolate chip or Superman ice cream.
More to come later.
Peace be unto you.
Sunday, August 28, 2016
First Random Post
For today, I have a few random thoughts that have come to mind, and that I think of quite a bit.
A pastor from Southern California wrote a message where he stated that he went through both the Republican and Democratic party platforms in detail, so that he knew what they were and was going to tell us.
Of course, since he's a conservative Christian, it was pretty obvious what he what going to say (Republican - godly, fair and thoughtful, and Democratic - liberal, socialistic and demonic) and he didn't disappoint me. I've learned through hard experience not to take anyone's word for anything - even if he or she is a called a Christian. I've been lied to by way too many so-called Christians.
He even said that a socialist was merely a communist without a gun. Makes me wonder just how thoughtful and politically knowledgeable he really was.
Some people will vote against Hillary Clinton merely because of their own misogyny, and try to cloak it in the quilt of Christianity. Look to the reasons for yourself. Do not rely on someone else's word to guide you on your vote.
*****
I've tested different flavored soft drinks lately, and with the computerized soft drink machines, it's a lot easier now. A friend of mine from the Daria fandom recommended a half orange pop and half Dr Pepper mixture, and I found that delicious, so I'm testing even more.
More to come when I've accumulated more details.
*****
Speaking of Daria fandom, one of my friends who calls himself Aloysius has a series of half nuts stories, and one questions he's asked has stayed in my mind ever since he posted it. So, here goes:
What color is a choking Smurf?
Funny the things that come to your mind when you're tired at night.
*****
It's amazing the amount of details that people are willing to share on Facebook. What is it with people? Does anyone have a sense of privacy anymore? It blows my mind sometimes.
Don't get me started on people talking on cell phones in public. All any of this tells me is that the government needs no special computer programs to spy on our cell phones or e-mails. People are willing to tell everything and all government agents have to do is just stand there and listen.
I don't think the government has the manpower to do all that as it is, but then I think conspiracy theories are for people who have no sense of self-esteem or self-security. I have a life to live, and no time for kind of nonsense.
*****
I've come to the conclusion that most TV news is next to useless, because it is designed to sell products. The scarier the news, the higher they can charge for their ads.
How do you know that what you're hearing is the truth? Or even all of it? I'll stick to NPR or the BBC for now. When I don't rely on newspapers, that is.
More to come as I think of it.
Peace be unto you.
A pastor from Southern California wrote a message where he stated that he went through both the Republican and Democratic party platforms in detail, so that he knew what they were and was going to tell us.
Of course, since he's a conservative Christian, it was pretty obvious what he what going to say (Republican - godly, fair and thoughtful, and Democratic - liberal, socialistic and demonic) and he didn't disappoint me. I've learned through hard experience not to take anyone's word for anything - even if he or she is a called a Christian. I've been lied to by way too many so-called Christians.
He even said that a socialist was merely a communist without a gun. Makes me wonder just how thoughtful and politically knowledgeable he really was.
Some people will vote against Hillary Clinton merely because of their own misogyny, and try to cloak it in the quilt of Christianity. Look to the reasons for yourself. Do not rely on someone else's word to guide you on your vote.
*****
I've tested different flavored soft drinks lately, and with the computerized soft drink machines, it's a lot easier now. A friend of mine from the Daria fandom recommended a half orange pop and half Dr Pepper mixture, and I found that delicious, so I'm testing even more.
More to come when I've accumulated more details.
*****
Speaking of Daria fandom, one of my friends who calls himself Aloysius has a series of half nuts stories, and one questions he's asked has stayed in my mind ever since he posted it. So, here goes:
What color is a choking Smurf?
Funny the things that come to your mind when you're tired at night.
*****
It's amazing the amount of details that people are willing to share on Facebook. What is it with people? Does anyone have a sense of privacy anymore? It blows my mind sometimes.
Don't get me started on people talking on cell phones in public. All any of this tells me is that the government needs no special computer programs to spy on our cell phones or e-mails. People are willing to tell everything and all government agents have to do is just stand there and listen.
I don't think the government has the manpower to do all that as it is, but then I think conspiracy theories are for people who have no sense of self-esteem or self-security. I have a life to live, and no time for kind of nonsense.
*****
I've come to the conclusion that most TV news is next to useless, because it is designed to sell products. The scarier the news, the higher they can charge for their ads.
How do you know that what you're hearing is the truth? Or even all of it? I'll stick to NPR or the BBC for now. When I don't rely on newspapers, that is.
More to come as I think of it.
Peace be unto you.
Sunday, May 1, 2016
A Warning, Of Sorts...
While I will use this blog to expound on my thoughts and memories from time to time, I will also post bits of fictional prose.
Don't expect War and Peace, and don't expect The DaVinci Code, either. I write fiction for my own pleasure. It's a part of who I am.
Don't expect what I write to always make sense or remain in historical reality, either. I have my own sense of humor, and I merely strive to make myself smile.
More later.
Peace be unto you.
Don't expect War and Peace, and don't expect The DaVinci Code, either. I write fiction for my own pleasure. It's a part of who I am.
Don't expect what I write to always make sense or remain in historical reality, either. I have my own sense of humor, and I merely strive to make myself smile.
More later.
Peace be unto you.
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Restaurants I Miss...Part Three
I'm back, with more of the restaurants that I once frequented, but have sadly gone away and remain only in my memories. Now, however, we're straying out of Winchester, Indiana.
Miller's Cafeteria, Richmond, Ind. -- Similar to MCL Cafeteria, this restaurant also had a store in Connersville, Indiana, and were famous for their distinctive milk stores that were all over Muncie and Richmond.
For the main course, you had a choice of roast beef au jus, fried chicken, or meatloaf. You also had a decent amount of sides and desserts to choose from, and you paid by the item you got.
I'd always get the roast beef au jus, dressing, green beans, and sometimes mashed potatoes and gravy, because sometimes gravy is just a blessing. I'd also get a roll, a slice of cherry or peach pie, and a soft drink.
The seating was comparable to that of the Courtesy Café in Winchester, but sturdier and nowhere near as cramped.
What strikes me about this place was how clean it was. Cleanliness should always be a hallmark of a restaurant, but Miller's took it to heights that other restaurants didn't reach. The workers not only made good food, but they kept the place spotless. It didn't even look worn, and the Courtesy, sad to say, looked worn (the quality of the food overrode that deficiency, easily, though.)
It was one of Dad's favorite restaurants, and thinking about it makes me realize how much I miss him, still.
Dandy's, Richmond, Ind. -- A drive-in restaurant located on what was U.S. 35 when it went through Richmond's west side, this place was a seasonal restaurant that closed through the winter months. They had unbelievable jumbo tenderloin sandwiches, or so it seemed to a thirteen-year-old boy.
Speaking of my Dad, we went to Richmond one day to get our van worked on at the dealership. While they worked on it, one of the workers dropped us off at Miller's, where we had a very good breakfast. Since that was more than forty years ago, I cannot remember what I had, but it almost certainly involved bacon and toast, because back then, I didn't care for breakfast sausage. I know that I also had orange juice, because I believed at the time that eating breakfast out meant that you also drank orange juice.
Then we walked through downtown Richmond and spent a long while in a bookstore, before finally walking back towards the dealership. When we finally reached Dandy's, it was lunchtime.
I had the tenderloin, French fries and a Coke. I could eat them any way, but my usual way was with mustard, pickles and onions. So it was this day. Of course, if there was any ketchup leftover from the fries, the sandwich would be dipped in it as well.
It has been said that hunger is the best seasoning, and it must be true, because that meal was delicious. That long walk from Richmond's downtown had to contribute to that, however.
After lunch, we walked on to the dealership, picked up our van, and went home. Another thing that stands out about all of this is that, as a thirteen-year-old, I never really thought about the money Dad spent that day.
Of course, being in my fifties, I know all about that, but it doesn't diminish my memories.
More to come later.
Peace be unto you.
Miller's Cafeteria, Richmond, Ind. -- Similar to MCL Cafeteria, this restaurant also had a store in Connersville, Indiana, and were famous for their distinctive milk stores that were all over Muncie and Richmond.
For the main course, you had a choice of roast beef au jus, fried chicken, or meatloaf. You also had a decent amount of sides and desserts to choose from, and you paid by the item you got.
I'd always get the roast beef au jus, dressing, green beans, and sometimes mashed potatoes and gravy, because sometimes gravy is just a blessing. I'd also get a roll, a slice of cherry or peach pie, and a soft drink.
The seating was comparable to that of the Courtesy Café in Winchester, but sturdier and nowhere near as cramped.
What strikes me about this place was how clean it was. Cleanliness should always be a hallmark of a restaurant, but Miller's took it to heights that other restaurants didn't reach. The workers not only made good food, but they kept the place spotless. It didn't even look worn, and the Courtesy, sad to say, looked worn (the quality of the food overrode that deficiency, easily, though.)
It was one of Dad's favorite restaurants, and thinking about it makes me realize how much I miss him, still.
Dandy's, Richmond, Ind. -- A drive-in restaurant located on what was U.S. 35 when it went through Richmond's west side, this place was a seasonal restaurant that closed through the winter months. They had unbelievable jumbo tenderloin sandwiches, or so it seemed to a thirteen-year-old boy.
Speaking of my Dad, we went to Richmond one day to get our van worked on at the dealership. While they worked on it, one of the workers dropped us off at Miller's, where we had a very good breakfast. Since that was more than forty years ago, I cannot remember what I had, but it almost certainly involved bacon and toast, because back then, I didn't care for breakfast sausage. I know that I also had orange juice, because I believed at the time that eating breakfast out meant that you also drank orange juice.
Then we walked through downtown Richmond and spent a long while in a bookstore, before finally walking back towards the dealership. When we finally reached Dandy's, it was lunchtime.
I had the tenderloin, French fries and a Coke. I could eat them any way, but my usual way was with mustard, pickles and onions. So it was this day. Of course, if there was any ketchup leftover from the fries, the sandwich would be dipped in it as well.
It has been said that hunger is the best seasoning, and it must be true, because that meal was delicious. That long walk from Richmond's downtown had to contribute to that, however.
After lunch, we walked on to the dealership, picked up our van, and went home. Another thing that stands out about all of this is that, as a thirteen-year-old, I never really thought about the money Dad spent that day.
Of course, being in my fifties, I know all about that, but it doesn't diminish my memories.
More to come later.
Peace be unto you.
Who Owns The Church?
Lately, I've seen some rather disturbing occurrences as far as churches go. In one Dunkirk, Indiana church, the wife of a deceased pastor pretty much ran everything and did everything, as if nobody else knew even what to do. You could really see this in action at any of the church's public activities.
It was like watching a real-life version of The Big Bang Theory, whereas instead of Sheldon Cooper answering every question because he thought that he knew best, this woman tried to do everything. In her view, she knew everything and everyone else had to be told what to do, because they were as useless as children.
She has been rather successful at running off any member or potential member who presented anything resembling a challenge.
It's a real pity that the pastor couldn't stand up to her, because I believe that the church will eventually die because those who want to worship Jesus Christ there will not want to do it her way. And she will push them out if she cannot dominate them.
In another church, located in Farmland, Indiana, one woman takes charge and gives orders and demands right and left, even though she no longer attends the church, nor does she tithe anymore. It is even believed that she paid a locksmith out of her own pocket and changed the locks to control who gets inside the fellowship hall. Though I've also heard that she's a very cheap person, so I don't see her actually paying for it.
This woman has accused others outside the church of using an ancient Windows XP computer and erasing the birthdays and anniversaries of the church congregation. A group I'm a part of uses the church for our meetings (and we pay an annual fee to the church) and she accused us pretty much of using the computer and being very messy, to boot.
She even told us we weren't paying enough to use the church. When she was told the pastor said that our payment was proper and sufficient, she said that the trustees didn't agree.
The only problem was that we talked to one of the trustees, who said, "How would she know? She doesn't attend any of the business meetings, and we haven't complained about what you pay."
When I suggested that maybe one of the church kids was using the computer to play a game, she snapped, "The computer doesn't have any games!"
She also said that the computer was new, and not old. I replaced my Windows XP a few years ago, because Microsoft no longer supported it nor updated it.
It obviously showed that this woman doesn't know computers. No crime in that. I have relatives who don't use computers, so they don't know even the basics of using one. The Windows XP is not only very old, it has pre-installed games. In my opinion, the spider solitaire game was the best one I ever played. And I learned to play Minesweeper on an XP.
When it comes to accusations, she was an epic fail. However, when it came to being a hateful example of a control freak, she was an epic win. For that particular church, it is a glaring weakness, but so far, they seem to be in control instead of her.
But she apparently is a master of passive-aggressive moves to take power when she can, and they have to watch her very carefully.
Another church has two older men who pretty much rule it with iron fists. They're friendly enough, and have been the main workforce to keep the church well-maintained and running. The only problem is that anytime they get a pastor who tries to do things his or her way, they run them off.
It's gotten to the point that the district superintendent has warned them that if they run off one more pastor, he'll close the church. They have a hard time believing that he'll do it, but they are in a conference that owns the church. It wouldn't be the first time a superintendent has closed a church.
When I was a child, I believed that you went to church to worship Jesus Christ, and congregated with fellow believers to strengthen yourself in your beliefs. Apparently, to some, that is secondary to their power trips.
To them, church is Serious Business.
Peace be unto you.
It was like watching a real-life version of The Big Bang Theory, whereas instead of Sheldon Cooper answering every question because he thought that he knew best, this woman tried to do everything. In her view, she knew everything and everyone else had to be told what to do, because they were as useless as children.
She has been rather successful at running off any member or potential member who presented anything resembling a challenge.
It's a real pity that the pastor couldn't stand up to her, because I believe that the church will eventually die because those who want to worship Jesus Christ there will not want to do it her way. And she will push them out if she cannot dominate them.
In another church, located in Farmland, Indiana, one woman takes charge and gives orders and demands right and left, even though she no longer attends the church, nor does she tithe anymore. It is even believed that she paid a locksmith out of her own pocket and changed the locks to control who gets inside the fellowship hall. Though I've also heard that she's a very cheap person, so I don't see her actually paying for it.
This woman has accused others outside the church of using an ancient Windows XP computer and erasing the birthdays and anniversaries of the church congregation. A group I'm a part of uses the church for our meetings (and we pay an annual fee to the church) and she accused us pretty much of using the computer and being very messy, to boot.
She even told us we weren't paying enough to use the church. When she was told the pastor said that our payment was proper and sufficient, she said that the trustees didn't agree.
The only problem was that we talked to one of the trustees, who said, "How would she know? She doesn't attend any of the business meetings, and we haven't complained about what you pay."
When I suggested that maybe one of the church kids was using the computer to play a game, she snapped, "The computer doesn't have any games!"
She also said that the computer was new, and not old. I replaced my Windows XP a few years ago, because Microsoft no longer supported it nor updated it.
It obviously showed that this woman doesn't know computers. No crime in that. I have relatives who don't use computers, so they don't know even the basics of using one. The Windows XP is not only very old, it has pre-installed games. In my opinion, the spider solitaire game was the best one I ever played. And I learned to play Minesweeper on an XP.
When it comes to accusations, she was an epic fail. However, when it came to being a hateful example of a control freak, she was an epic win. For that particular church, it is a glaring weakness, but so far, they seem to be in control instead of her.
But she apparently is a master of passive-aggressive moves to take power when she can, and they have to watch her very carefully.
Another church has two older men who pretty much rule it with iron fists. They're friendly enough, and have been the main workforce to keep the church well-maintained and running. The only problem is that anytime they get a pastor who tries to do things his or her way, they run them off.
It's gotten to the point that the district superintendent has warned them that if they run off one more pastor, he'll close the church. They have a hard time believing that he'll do it, but they are in a conference that owns the church. It wouldn't be the first time a superintendent has closed a church.
When I was a child, I believed that you went to church to worship Jesus Christ, and congregated with fellow believers to strengthen yourself in your beliefs. Apparently, to some, that is secondary to their power trips.
To them, church is Serious Business.
Peace be unto you.
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Restaurants That I Miss...Part Two
I'm back, with some more restaurants that I miss, and I'm still in Winchester, Indiana. It's kind of understandable, since it is my hometown, and one I lived in and my family shopped in for many years. So, without further ado, away we go...
The Chicken Shack - Winchester, Ind. - This was a local landmark in the Winchester area for many years, mainly because of the large fiberglass chicken that stood outside the restaurant. The chicken itself was also quite famous for being stolen every year by seniors from Winchester's local high school.
The last I heard, the chicken was still missing, but since the restaurant itself has long been closed, there isn't a hurry to find it.
Who would want to store a large fiberglass chicken on their property, anyway? And why?
I loved going to this place for the Jumbo Tenderloin sandwiches, topped with pickles, onions and mustard. I also enjoyed the Tote Steak sandwiches, topped with pickles, onions and mayonnaise. Either one of these, served with crinkle-cut French fries, was a satisfying meal to be savored before you got there.
The tenderloin, as many of us in the Midwest know, is basically a pork tenderloin that is beaten flat, almost comic-book thin, breaded and deep-fried. It is, quite honestly, a Midwest delicacy. I can reasonably say that you will never see this sandwich served in the Middle East.
It was also much bigger than the bun it was served on, and that particular bun itself seemed to be bigger than the normal hamburger buns we see here. Of course, it may have been the normal bun, but I cared more about the meat than the bun, anyway.
The food scene in Winchester suffered a very real and major loss when this place closed.
Randolph Central Schools - Winchester, Ind. - The schools and their lunches are still here, I should point out, but what the children there eat now in no way even resembles what I got to enjoy as a student. Many of the dishes I took for granted are no longer served, sad to say. From what I've been told, the students today get to eat a lot of frozen foods, whereas we got to eat a lot of government commodities and generic canned foods.
Foods of the past included Old-Fashioned Hash, which was probably a simple roast beef hash, but it did NOT resemble the weird oily canned mess that is available in grocery stores today. The spaghetti and meat sauce was nothing spectacular, but it was quite good, and its sauce was very unique to our school system.
Then there was peanut butter and lettuce sandwiches, something that was served with chili or vegetable soup. This is something that apparently unique to our own area. People I know who went to school fifteen to twenty miles away never had such a sandwich and thought it was totally weird. I fixed these things up when I was in the Navy, and my shipmates thought it was also totally weird.
I always thought the sandwich was a holdover from the Great Depression, especially since many of our cooks when I was in elementary school were old enough to have lived through it.
A special mention needs to be made about the chocolate cake. It was very delicious, so much so that I can still taste it, even now, more than thirty-five years since I graduated from high school.
One thing I do not miss, however, was the chili. When I was in my early elementary years, the chili was quite good, but the quality diminished over the years. What started out with an equal ratio of meat and beans and plenty of "sauce" turned into a bowl of beans with very tiny pieces of meat here and there and very little sauce. Oh, there was also macaroni, which is not something I ever want to see in chili again.
Can you say "cheap"?
To be continued.
Peace be unto you.
The Chicken Shack - Winchester, Ind. - This was a local landmark in the Winchester area for many years, mainly because of the large fiberglass chicken that stood outside the restaurant. The chicken itself was also quite famous for being stolen every year by seniors from Winchester's local high school.
The last I heard, the chicken was still missing, but since the restaurant itself has long been closed, there isn't a hurry to find it.
Who would want to store a large fiberglass chicken on their property, anyway? And why?
I loved going to this place for the Jumbo Tenderloin sandwiches, topped with pickles, onions and mustard. I also enjoyed the Tote Steak sandwiches, topped with pickles, onions and mayonnaise. Either one of these, served with crinkle-cut French fries, was a satisfying meal to be savored before you got there.
The tenderloin, as many of us in the Midwest know, is basically a pork tenderloin that is beaten flat, almost comic-book thin, breaded and deep-fried. It is, quite honestly, a Midwest delicacy. I can reasonably say that you will never see this sandwich served in the Middle East.
It was also much bigger than the bun it was served on, and that particular bun itself seemed to be bigger than the normal hamburger buns we see here. Of course, it may have been the normal bun, but I cared more about the meat than the bun, anyway.
The food scene in Winchester suffered a very real and major loss when this place closed.
Randolph Central Schools - Winchester, Ind. - The schools and their lunches are still here, I should point out, but what the children there eat now in no way even resembles what I got to enjoy as a student. Many of the dishes I took for granted are no longer served, sad to say. From what I've been told, the students today get to eat a lot of frozen foods, whereas we got to eat a lot of government commodities and generic canned foods.
Foods of the past included Old-Fashioned Hash, which was probably a simple roast beef hash, but it did NOT resemble the weird oily canned mess that is available in grocery stores today. The spaghetti and meat sauce was nothing spectacular, but it was quite good, and its sauce was very unique to our school system.
Then there was peanut butter and lettuce sandwiches, something that was served with chili or vegetable soup. This is something that apparently unique to our own area. People I know who went to school fifteen to twenty miles away never had such a sandwich and thought it was totally weird. I fixed these things up when I was in the Navy, and my shipmates thought it was also totally weird.
I always thought the sandwich was a holdover from the Great Depression, especially since many of our cooks when I was in elementary school were old enough to have lived through it.
A special mention needs to be made about the chocolate cake. It was very delicious, so much so that I can still taste it, even now, more than thirty-five years since I graduated from high school.
One thing I do not miss, however, was the chili. When I was in my early elementary years, the chili was quite good, but the quality diminished over the years. What started out with an equal ratio of meat and beans and plenty of "sauce" turned into a bowl of beans with very tiny pieces of meat here and there and very little sauce. Oh, there was also macaroni, which is not something I ever want to see in chili again.
Can you say "cheap"?
To be continued.
Peace be unto you.
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Restaurants That I Miss...Part One
Today is the day I start my series on the restaurants that I miss. Given that I've got adult children, and I live in East Central Indiana, much of my selection will be limited to my general area, but there you are.
Many of the restaurants I mention in this series are not only closed, but many of them are just plain forgotten, or remembered so vaguely that they might as well be forgotten.
I haven't forgotten them, however, and miss them very much. Without further ado, we start our series in Winchester, Indiana.
--The D&J Drive-In - A stand-alone fast-food style restaurant from my own childhood, which closed, if I remember correctly, in the 1980s. The one item I miss is the sandwich called the Farm Hand. I have tried for years to find out what ingredients were put on, and in what order and amounts, but to no avail.
I even asked the man who ran the restaurant that existed after the D&J closed, but he didn't even remember the sandwich, and he's only two years older than me. Oh, well.
What I do know is that the Farm Hand had two beef patties, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a generous helping of a cole-slaw-style dressing. It was also a sloppy sandwich, since the drive-in bought cheap hamburger buns for this and they tended to fall apart. It didn't matter, though, because the sandwiches were that good.
The only fly in the ointment for this place was their soft drinks. They would take a to-go cup and cram it full of shaved ice, and then add maybe four or five ounces of a soft drink to fill in whatever spaces were left. It was a criminal rip-off, in my opinion, and it always ended up in a watery-flavored flat soft drink. Were I to go back in time to this place, I'd bring my own bottled pop.
If my memory serves me right, this practice was once common in restaurants, but not anymore. After all, all of the fast food places I visit now have good-tasting soft drinks where you can tell that they're carbonated.
--The Courtesy Café - This was a cafeteria-styled restaurant located just off of Winchester's courthouse square. It is the one place that comes to mind when I think of one of my favorite main courses: Swiss steaks. Whenever my family and I ate here, I always ordered the same thing: Swiss steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, stewed tomatoes, and a roll. That was topped off with a ten-ounce bottle of Pepsi-Cola that I had to pour into the glass myself.
Going here was always a special occasion for us. We all loved it, which is funny when you considered that my sister and I grew up with McDonald's and our desire to eat there. But, as a kid, I thought the Courtesy was that good. I still think so.
The only minuses that comes to my mind were the long lines to get served (actually that was also a big plus - that was how good and popular the restaurant was) and the seating.
About the seating, picture, if you will, a steel (or aluminum - I'm not sure) dining room set (steel tables with cushioned steel seats.) Now multiply that many times over for a style that evokes a crowded high school cafeteria.
I should point out, in all fairness, the food more than made up for that deficiency. It was that good.
That's it for part one. More later.
Peace be unto you.
Many of the restaurants I mention in this series are not only closed, but many of them are just plain forgotten, or remembered so vaguely that they might as well be forgotten.
I haven't forgotten them, however, and miss them very much. Without further ado, we start our series in Winchester, Indiana.
--The D&J Drive-In - A stand-alone fast-food style restaurant from my own childhood, which closed, if I remember correctly, in the 1980s. The one item I miss is the sandwich called the Farm Hand. I have tried for years to find out what ingredients were put on, and in what order and amounts, but to no avail.
I even asked the man who ran the restaurant that existed after the D&J closed, but he didn't even remember the sandwich, and he's only two years older than me. Oh, well.
What I do know is that the Farm Hand had two beef patties, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a generous helping of a cole-slaw-style dressing. It was also a sloppy sandwich, since the drive-in bought cheap hamburger buns for this and they tended to fall apart. It didn't matter, though, because the sandwiches were that good.
The only fly in the ointment for this place was their soft drinks. They would take a to-go cup and cram it full of shaved ice, and then add maybe four or five ounces of a soft drink to fill in whatever spaces were left. It was a criminal rip-off, in my opinion, and it always ended up in a watery-flavored flat soft drink. Were I to go back in time to this place, I'd bring my own bottled pop.
If my memory serves me right, this practice was once common in restaurants, but not anymore. After all, all of the fast food places I visit now have good-tasting soft drinks where you can tell that they're carbonated.
--The Courtesy Café - This was a cafeteria-styled restaurant located just off of Winchester's courthouse square. It is the one place that comes to mind when I think of one of my favorite main courses: Swiss steaks. Whenever my family and I ate here, I always ordered the same thing: Swiss steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, stewed tomatoes, and a roll. That was topped off with a ten-ounce bottle of Pepsi-Cola that I had to pour into the glass myself.
Going here was always a special occasion for us. We all loved it, which is funny when you considered that my sister and I grew up with McDonald's and our desire to eat there. But, as a kid, I thought the Courtesy was that good. I still think so.
The only minuses that comes to my mind were the long lines to get served (actually that was also a big plus - that was how good and popular the restaurant was) and the seating.
About the seating, picture, if you will, a steel (or aluminum - I'm not sure) dining room set (steel tables with cushioned steel seats.) Now multiply that many times over for a style that evokes a crowded high school cafeteria.
I should point out, in all fairness, the food more than made up for that deficiency. It was that good.
That's it for part one. More later.
Peace be unto you.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Just a Quick Note on Witnessing
If you ever ask someone how the fires of Hell are going to feel with a look of glee on your face, then you should be aware that you are a horrible witness, and a discredit to the Lord, the church, and your fellow Christians.
Seriously, how do you not feel convicted?
If you can't do it with a loving and kind attitude, you're better off keeping your mouth shut.
Your attitudes and actions speak a lot louder than your words. Just saying.
Peace be unto you.
Seriously, how do you not feel convicted?
If you can't do it with a loving and kind attitude, you're better off keeping your mouth shut.
Your attitudes and actions speak a lot louder than your words. Just saying.
Peace be unto you.
Saturday, February 6, 2016
A Change on Two Shows I Watch...
I do not watch much television, so what I do watch is, to me, special. Since I don't have full cable television, what I do watch is limited to the broadcast channels, and whatever extras that the cable company offers us.
One of those channels I do watch is PBS-Create, which has a lot of shows on home improvement, travel, cooking and other such shows. So, two of my shows have apparently changed, along with a magazine I like to read.
I've read online that Christopher Kimball (of Cook's Illustrated, America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Country fame) has departed from the parent company of those media over a contract dispute.
My first indication of the problem was that the recent issue of Cook's Illustrated had, instead of Mr. Kimball's personal editorial, a generic message from the editors that basically had the appeal of cold oatmeal.
Like him or not, the loss of Mr. Kimball will not help this company, in my humble opinion. He was the heart and soul of the shows and even the magazine.
If they do not replace him - fast - with someone who is as engaging and entertaining to the audience, I only see these three media suffering as a result.
I've noticed that he's already off of the tour section of the America's Test Kitchen website. Boston Commons Press is obviously on the ball about their web presence. From what I've seen about a lot of companies and how long it takes them to update their websites, that isn't common.
It's sad to see his presence on the show end like this, though.
I know, I know, it's a business, and in the end, this was all just a business decision. But reality does not wrap itself around that quite so neatly.
Besides, deep down, "business decisions" does not take away the actuality that whatever happens in a business is also personal. I get the feeling that a lot of Mr. Kimball's fans will take this personally.
It'll take some time to see the end results of this.
Peace be unto you.
One of those channels I do watch is PBS-Create, which has a lot of shows on home improvement, travel, cooking and other such shows. So, two of my shows have apparently changed, along with a magazine I like to read.
I've read online that Christopher Kimball (of Cook's Illustrated, America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Country fame) has departed from the parent company of those media over a contract dispute.
My first indication of the problem was that the recent issue of Cook's Illustrated had, instead of Mr. Kimball's personal editorial, a generic message from the editors that basically had the appeal of cold oatmeal.
Like him or not, the loss of Mr. Kimball will not help this company, in my humble opinion. He was the heart and soul of the shows and even the magazine.
If they do not replace him - fast - with someone who is as engaging and entertaining to the audience, I only see these three media suffering as a result.
I've noticed that he's already off of the tour section of the America's Test Kitchen website. Boston Commons Press is obviously on the ball about their web presence. From what I've seen about a lot of companies and how long it takes them to update their websites, that isn't common.
It's sad to see his presence on the show end like this, though.
I know, I know, it's a business, and in the end, this was all just a business decision. But reality does not wrap itself around that quite so neatly.
Besides, deep down, "business decisions" does not take away the actuality that whatever happens in a business is also personal. I get the feeling that a lot of Mr. Kimball's fans will take this personally.
It'll take some time to see the end results of this.
Peace be unto you.
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Churches, Part One
I miss going to church.
An easy answer to that is, of course, "Well, duh, go to church."
It isn't as easy as that. Not anymore. I've experienced some real stupidity in churches in the last several years, and I find myself more than a little bewildered. I've seen some real questionable attitudes and practices, not to mention some real love and kindness, and the combination of good and evil has put me in a state of "I don't know what to do."
One church my family and I attended had a conservative bent. No problem with that, because the message of salvation is that it's available to anyone, no matter who you vote for.
If it was only that simple to the people preaching that message, and to the ones hearing it.
There is an undercurrent of belief amongst too many people who call themselves followers of Jesus Christ that if you vote Democratic or anything other than Republican, then you are not a Christian.
Tell me, in what book of the Bible is that one written?
We also noticed that the church in question had cliques - very prominent cliques which made it very plain that if you weren't in any of them, you were merely cannon fodder. The pastor even acknowledged it and told all of us if we didn't like it, we needed to build a bridge and get over it.
Way to make a person feel needed and loved and welcome.
The church now has a bridge built over a ditch in the back of their property so that "People can get over it." Might as well flip a middle finger up in the air as to give that message. It pretty much means the same thing.
When I think about it now, it seems really telling that I attended a church that basically went out of its way to tick off people in its congregation. It shows how easy it is to tolerate what should be intolerable.
One other telling item I remember was that the church's financial situation and its accounts and records were considered a "secret", to only be open to a select few members. Although it did become very well known amongst the congregation that the church lost several thousand dollars on bad stock market choices.
Why would a house of God invest money in the stock market or in any other manner? I still do not understand that one.
Another problem with that church was that in the teen's class, one teacher made an extra obnoxious effort to force my son to read aloud in front of the class. This same teacher loved to boast about how he forced his two teen daughters to watch The Passion of the Christ.
I've often wondered if he's being obnoxious because that's the way he's always been, or if he does it in the hopes that he'll get in trouble. That way he can claim that he's being persecuted. I've noticed that some people really do want to be a martyr - without the real pain that some believers actually suffer in other countries.
I'm not really surprised that my son doesn't want to go to church anymore. I wonder how many shy and reserved people have been given that same obnoxious treatment, and now refuse to have anything to do with church?
Despite what you've might've read in those Chick Tracts, becoming saved does not automatically make you speak boldly and defiantly. Public speaking is a nerve-wracking experience, and it takes practice to get better at it.
The final straw at that church, however, was the pastor's statement of what we should do if President Obama were to show up during Sunday services. He told us that we should take off our shoes and throw them at him.
I guess that even a pastor isn't above hating people.
Not only have I grown up with a lot of Sunday school lessons, I've also taken many classes on the lives of people in classical and ancient times. Throughout all of that, I learned that one of biggest sins a person could ever commit was to attack a visitor. Being a host is a sacred obligation, one that is not to be taken lightly. But, to our pastor, throwing shoes at that man was more important than being a good host, not to mention welcoming a visitor to our church.
When I look back over the years (too many) that we spent there, the pastor openly despised liberals and left out relevant details about his political enemies in order to push a point of view he wanted followed.
Another way to put it is that he lied about others for political reasons, and supported national and so-called religious leaders who also lied about the same things.
To put it even simpler, he violated the Ninth Commandment, and supported others who did the same thing, and encouraged us to do the same thing.
Despite what you may have been taught, the ends do not justify the means. What do you have to lose when you lie about your enemies? Nothing more than your own soul.
What really distresses me is that a lot of Christians do not see that they're being played like a violin by political and so-called Christian leaders. They really fear that if they don't vote the way their Christian leaders tell them, they'll go to hell.
Again I ask, in what book of the Bible is that one written?
I will say this, however: If you give up your right to vote to someone who tells you how to cast your vote, then you deserve neither democracy nor freedom. You will have become worse than those apathetic individuals who refuse to vote at all.
Pray about it, yes, very much so, but watch what the candidates say and do. After all, their actions are a louder witness than what they say.
Should I even have to say that you shouldn't hate anyone, especially someone you have no intention of voting into office, or even someone who votes or believes differently than you do? Hatred is not only murdering someone in your own heart (a violation of the Sixth Commandment), but it is a luxury you cannot afford. When you hate someone, they control you and you allow yourself to be (figuratively) enslaved to them. I can assure you that you are not in their thoughts. So why do that to yourself and to your soul? It's not worth it.
I leave you with a verse I always try to keep in mind when I'm troubled.
"He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"
--Micah 6:8 (NKJV)
Peace be unto you.
An easy answer to that is, of course, "Well, duh, go to church."
It isn't as easy as that. Not anymore. I've experienced some real stupidity in churches in the last several years, and I find myself more than a little bewildered. I've seen some real questionable attitudes and practices, not to mention some real love and kindness, and the combination of good and evil has put me in a state of "I don't know what to do."
One church my family and I attended had a conservative bent. No problem with that, because the message of salvation is that it's available to anyone, no matter who you vote for.
If it was only that simple to the people preaching that message, and to the ones hearing it.
There is an undercurrent of belief amongst too many people who call themselves followers of Jesus Christ that if you vote Democratic or anything other than Republican, then you are not a Christian.
Tell me, in what book of the Bible is that one written?
We also noticed that the church in question had cliques - very prominent cliques which made it very plain that if you weren't in any of them, you were merely cannon fodder. The pastor even acknowledged it and told all of us if we didn't like it, we needed to build a bridge and get over it.
Way to make a person feel needed and loved and welcome.
The church now has a bridge built over a ditch in the back of their property so that "People can get over it." Might as well flip a middle finger up in the air as to give that message. It pretty much means the same thing.
When I think about it now, it seems really telling that I attended a church that basically went out of its way to tick off people in its congregation. It shows how easy it is to tolerate what should be intolerable.
One other telling item I remember was that the church's financial situation and its accounts and records were considered a "secret", to only be open to a select few members. Although it did become very well known amongst the congregation that the church lost several thousand dollars on bad stock market choices.
Why would a house of God invest money in the stock market or in any other manner? I still do not understand that one.
Another problem with that church was that in the teen's class, one teacher made an extra obnoxious effort to force my son to read aloud in front of the class. This same teacher loved to boast about how he forced his two teen daughters to watch The Passion of the Christ.
I've often wondered if he's being obnoxious because that's the way he's always been, or if he does it in the hopes that he'll get in trouble. That way he can claim that he's being persecuted. I've noticed that some people really do want to be a martyr - without the real pain that some believers actually suffer in other countries.
I'm not really surprised that my son doesn't want to go to church anymore. I wonder how many shy and reserved people have been given that same obnoxious treatment, and now refuse to have anything to do with church?
Despite what you've might've read in those Chick Tracts, becoming saved does not automatically make you speak boldly and defiantly. Public speaking is a nerve-wracking experience, and it takes practice to get better at it.
The final straw at that church, however, was the pastor's statement of what we should do if President Obama were to show up during Sunday services. He told us that we should take off our shoes and throw them at him.
I guess that even a pastor isn't above hating people.
Not only have I grown up with a lot of Sunday school lessons, I've also taken many classes on the lives of people in classical and ancient times. Throughout all of that, I learned that one of biggest sins a person could ever commit was to attack a visitor. Being a host is a sacred obligation, one that is not to be taken lightly. But, to our pastor, throwing shoes at that man was more important than being a good host, not to mention welcoming a visitor to our church.
When I look back over the years (too many) that we spent there, the pastor openly despised liberals and left out relevant details about his political enemies in order to push a point of view he wanted followed.
Another way to put it is that he lied about others for political reasons, and supported national and so-called religious leaders who also lied about the same things.
To put it even simpler, he violated the Ninth Commandment, and supported others who did the same thing, and encouraged us to do the same thing.
Despite what you may have been taught, the ends do not justify the means. What do you have to lose when you lie about your enemies? Nothing more than your own soul.
What really distresses me is that a lot of Christians do not see that they're being played like a violin by political and so-called Christian leaders. They really fear that if they don't vote the way their Christian leaders tell them, they'll go to hell.
Again I ask, in what book of the Bible is that one written?
I will say this, however: If you give up your right to vote to someone who tells you how to cast your vote, then you deserve neither democracy nor freedom. You will have become worse than those apathetic individuals who refuse to vote at all.
Pray about it, yes, very much so, but watch what the candidates say and do. After all, their actions are a louder witness than what they say.
Should I even have to say that you shouldn't hate anyone, especially someone you have no intention of voting into office, or even someone who votes or believes differently than you do? Hatred is not only murdering someone in your own heart (a violation of the Sixth Commandment), but it is a luxury you cannot afford. When you hate someone, they control you and you allow yourself to be (figuratively) enslaved to them. I can assure you that you are not in their thoughts. So why do that to yourself and to your soul? It's not worth it.
I leave you with a verse I always try to keep in mind when I'm troubled.
"He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"
--Micah 6:8 (NKJV)
Peace be unto you.
A McDonald's Life Hack
Time for a life hack of the simple sort.
I've noticed lately that the McDonald's near my location has some good deals, going along the lines of two items for two dollars. One of which includes buying a McDouble sandwich and an order of small fries for two dollars.
Normally, I buy myself an Extra Value Meal #2, which consists of two cheeseburgers, fries, and a soft drink. In my area, you can buy the medium size meal for $4.69, and the large meal for $5.19. If you don't tell them what size you want, they seem to make it a large. Of course, I'm tall and stout, so they might think that's what I want.
Let's take a look, value wise. If I buy the value meal (large), I'll pay (with state taxes included) approximately $5.35.
Let's say I opt for the McDouble sandwich and fries, with a large soft drink, instead. This time, I'll pay $3.21, a savings of more than two dollars.
I can agree with that, because money saved means more money for something else.
Now, let's take a look at this, nutrition wise. I know, some people would say that if I cared about nutrition and my health, I wouldn't eat at McDonald's. Well, that's your right, but I eat where I want, thank you very much, and you should, too. If you choose your eating establishments based on what others think of you, then you are a sad person, and I cannot help you.
Besides, I've noticed that quite a few people eat at McDonald's, and their website is very generous with the nutritional information for their food. I do believe in using the resources available at hand to make a thoughtful choice, and I believe that you can have a good meal if you pay attention to what you're doing and make good choices based on what you learn.
First, let's take a look at the two cheeseburgers in the Extra Value Meal. You not only get 600 calories, you also get 24 grams of fat, 66 grams of carbohydrates, and 1,360 mg. of sodium. You will also get 35 grams of protein, 540 International Units of Vitamin A, 400 mg. of calcium, 6 mg. of iron and 2 mg. of Vitamin C.
Compare that with the McDouble sandwich. This has 390 calories, 18 grams of fat, 34 grams of carbohydrates, and 850 mg. of sodium. There is also 22 grams of protein, 280 International Units of Vitamin A, 210 mg of calcium, 3.5 mg. of iron and 1 mg. of Vitamin C.
Buying the McDouble sandwich over the two cheeseburgers saves you not only financially, but it saves you more than 200 calories, 6 grams of fat and 32 grams of carbohydrates and more than 500 mg. of sodium.
How about the fries? Well, it should be obvious that the small fries saves you in more ways than one. A small order of fries gives you 230 calories, compared to 510 calories in a large order. The small order has 11 grams of fat, 30 grams of carbohydrates and 130 mg. of sodium.
The large order will not only give you the 510 calories, but it will give you 24 grams of fat, 67 grams of carbohydrates and 290 mg. of sodium.
A small order will do me, thank you.
Now, when I go to McDonald's, I always get the same thing to drink: A large Hi-C Orange Lavaburst. Why? I can get a carbonated soda somewhere else (and usually do), and I happen to like the Hi-C drink. It's a holdover from my youth.
McDonald's charges $1 for any size soft drink, and I prefer the large size. What do I get for that? Well, it's 310 calories, no fat or sodium, but a hefty 84 grams of carbohydrates. I also get 244 mg. of Vitamin C, an impressive 410 percent share of the vitamin's recommended daily allowance. Of course, Hi-C is a vitamin-enriched drink.
So, not only does the McDouble sandwich, small fries and large drink save me more than two dollars, it gives a savings of almost 500 calories, 19 grams of fat, almost 70 grams of carbohydrates and 670 mg. of sodium.
Until McDonald's changes their prices and menu options again, I've found a new meal of choice.
But, I have to tell you, I really, really miss the Cheddar Melt sandwich.
Peace be unto you.
I've noticed lately that the McDonald's near my location has some good deals, going along the lines of two items for two dollars. One of which includes buying a McDouble sandwich and an order of small fries for two dollars.
Normally, I buy myself an Extra Value Meal #2, which consists of two cheeseburgers, fries, and a soft drink. In my area, you can buy the medium size meal for $4.69, and the large meal for $5.19. If you don't tell them what size you want, they seem to make it a large. Of course, I'm tall and stout, so they might think that's what I want.
Let's take a look, value wise. If I buy the value meal (large), I'll pay (with state taxes included) approximately $5.35.
Let's say I opt for the McDouble sandwich and fries, with a large soft drink, instead. This time, I'll pay $3.21, a savings of more than two dollars.
I can agree with that, because money saved means more money for something else.
Now, let's take a look at this, nutrition wise. I know, some people would say that if I cared about nutrition and my health, I wouldn't eat at McDonald's. Well, that's your right, but I eat where I want, thank you very much, and you should, too. If you choose your eating establishments based on what others think of you, then you are a sad person, and I cannot help you.
Besides, I've noticed that quite a few people eat at McDonald's, and their website is very generous with the nutritional information for their food. I do believe in using the resources available at hand to make a thoughtful choice, and I believe that you can have a good meal if you pay attention to what you're doing and make good choices based on what you learn.
First, let's take a look at the two cheeseburgers in the Extra Value Meal. You not only get 600 calories, you also get 24 grams of fat, 66 grams of carbohydrates, and 1,360 mg. of sodium. You will also get 35 grams of protein, 540 International Units of Vitamin A, 400 mg. of calcium, 6 mg. of iron and 2 mg. of Vitamin C.
Compare that with the McDouble sandwich. This has 390 calories, 18 grams of fat, 34 grams of carbohydrates, and 850 mg. of sodium. There is also 22 grams of protein, 280 International Units of Vitamin A, 210 mg of calcium, 3.5 mg. of iron and 1 mg. of Vitamin C.
Buying the McDouble sandwich over the two cheeseburgers saves you not only financially, but it saves you more than 200 calories, 6 grams of fat and 32 grams of carbohydrates and more than 500 mg. of sodium.
How about the fries? Well, it should be obvious that the small fries saves you in more ways than one. A small order of fries gives you 230 calories, compared to 510 calories in a large order. The small order has 11 grams of fat, 30 grams of carbohydrates and 130 mg. of sodium.
The large order will not only give you the 510 calories, but it will give you 24 grams of fat, 67 grams of carbohydrates and 290 mg. of sodium.
A small order will do me, thank you.
Now, when I go to McDonald's, I always get the same thing to drink: A large Hi-C Orange Lavaburst. Why? I can get a carbonated soda somewhere else (and usually do), and I happen to like the Hi-C drink. It's a holdover from my youth.
McDonald's charges $1 for any size soft drink, and I prefer the large size. What do I get for that? Well, it's 310 calories, no fat or sodium, but a hefty 84 grams of carbohydrates. I also get 244 mg. of Vitamin C, an impressive 410 percent share of the vitamin's recommended daily allowance. Of course, Hi-C is a vitamin-enriched drink.
So, not only does the McDouble sandwich, small fries and large drink save me more than two dollars, it gives a savings of almost 500 calories, 19 grams of fat, almost 70 grams of carbohydrates and 670 mg. of sodium.
Until McDonald's changes their prices and menu options again, I've found a new meal of choice.
But, I have to tell you, I really, really miss the Cheddar Melt sandwich.
Peace be unto you.
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