Restaurant Frenzy

You want me to drive where, and go to dinner where? 

My answer is, “No.”

“No?” you question me.

“No. No way.”  I am adamant. 

My sister thinks I want to drive to the next county down to have dinner beside the river.  Why would any sane person want to spend a couple of hours on the road to go and have dinner?  Why would I want deer jumping in front of my vehichle as I traveled to and fro? 

It’s basically a burger type of place.  Heck!  I can find a good burger in town, or even in my kitchen.  It’s not that the particular restaurant she wants to dine in is all that special despite her claiming, “But it’s really good.”  No, it’s not.  It’s average … and quite a drive. I'm tired after I eat.

I won’t be sitting beside the river there. We have restaurants in this town beside the river. Besides, if I want to sit by the river and dine on a patio outdoors, as well as drink wine, I can go the opposite direction to a winery and restaurant in a different county.

“Let’s all go to a certain Amish restaurant in Amish country.” 

“No.”  Do I have “stupid” stamped on my head?  It’s a long drive, to and fro.  If I’m already there, I will stop, but I am not driving there just to eat.  I can find plenty of equally good, if not better, food, right here in town. 

What?  It’s Mrs. Miller’s Kitchen?  I don’t care. 

“But the buffet is really good.” 

What’s on the buffet that makes it so special?  Chicken?  Beef?  “No.” I can find chicken and beef right here in town at a good restaurant.

Is going to a restaurant in another town or county a status symbol of some sort?  “No, I don’t need to go so I can tell everyone, “Oh, hey.  I went to Smith’s Restaurant in Timbucktoo with friends.”  I don’t need to try and make others feel I’m special and I can only eat at out-of-town “special” restaurants.  Heck!  Who am I kidding?  I love simple, peanut butter sandwiches. Besides, I’m already special enough.

Does this out-of-town place have something unique about it that I can’t find the same right here?  If so, what’s so special about your special place?  Ah, there isn’t anything.  Exactly. 

Yes, I do like trying new things, and yes, I like being with friends and family, but my answer is still, “No.”  This small town offers steak, seafood, Italian, Chinese, upscale, and down-home cooking. Do I need anything else?  “No.”

I don’t have to constantly being searching for happiness.  I don’t need to drive miles and miles to find somewhere good to eat, or to find happiness. (I can actually invite my son and daughter-in-law to cook special meals for me occasionally here at my own house, or drive to theirs. They are awesome chefs.)  I’m an already happy person. Why would I want to drive to some out-of-the-way restaurant?  I don’t need to get out of town.  I ‘m not on the run.  Do I have the time for special trips to drive and eat?  No, not really.   :)

Ink Pen Mayhem

Do I need to wear shirts with pockets?  No. Do I need a pocket protector for my ink pen. No. Will an ink pen suddenly turn into an ink ninja, blasting ink in a 360 degree circle?  No.  Should I place the cap back on an ink pen or click its button up?  No.

Do you cap and click pens beside a sign-in sheet or in a multiple-user work place because you're trying to impress me?  You're not.  Do you think you're saving the environment by keeping the ink of the world from drying out?  You're not -- the pen will run out of ink first.  Do you recap the pen in the bank drive-thru's tube because you think the ink will get on something?  No, it lays sideways in the tube.  Instead, you're hurting the arthritic person who has trouble removing the cap.

I write with my pen. That's what most folks do with their pens.  Please don't add unnecessary actions to my day.  Please don't force me to uncap or click a pen when there's no need to do so.  Please don't force me to shake some sense into you. 

Use your brain.  Save someone's sanity. Leave the pen ready to use. Stop capping and clicking.

Help Needed

Stressed and frantic from all the commotion in my life this week, my brain stopped working. I couldn't figure out the new diabetic meter..Yes, it was a mechanical problem again. I couldn't even turn on the meter to get started. Logically, I knew that meant I should check and see if there were even batteries inside.

To open the battery compartment door was not a piece of cake. Even though I pushed the little latch thing over and over again, the door did not open, so I found a baby screwdriver to help me. I pried and pried to no avail, and finally used brute force to open the compartment door.

I discovered danged plastic strips around the batteries which evidently needed removed.  I pulled to no avail.  They didn't peel off.  What was I to do?  I didn't want to break the new meter and have to pay for another one, so I called the pharmacy and decided to go in for help.

As I whipped the bag with the meter, all the supplies, the baby screwdriver, and directions up on the counter, I noticed the writing on the bag at the same time Karen from the pharmacy did, and we both started laughing.  Obviously, I needed help.  Who else but me would throw all of her diabetic supplies into a sack marked “Coblentz Chocolate Factory”and head for help?

Bear Watch

I love bears.  I always have. Bears are fascinating creatures. I even like Nabisco'sTeddy Grahams.  I won't, however, be heading to the movies this month to see Paddington Bear 2.

I know the masses (old and young alike) ooh and aah over what they consider to be a wonderful Paddington bear and movie.  For me, though, Paddington Bear is about the most annoying, clump of a bear I've met. I don't know what it is about him that sets me on edge, but I'm simply not fond of Paddington Bear.  I think there are other more captivating and endearing bears.

Cartoon bears are far more fascinating and funny than Paddington could ever dream to be.  Some of the first bears I encountered and still love today are Yogi Bear and Boo-Boo. Ranger Smith had his hands full every episode with those two hungry bears. Even minor characters like Cindy Bear had personality.  The Hillbilly Bears certainly had character, too. I loved Paw's mumbling as he was forced to deal with the rest of the family, usually from his front porch rocker or traipsing after Maw, Floral, and Shag along the rocky path.  The Berenstain Bears are also adorable Bear County folks, entertaining and teaching important lessons that everyone needs to think about in their lives. Paddington, on the other hand,acts like a lump of down-trodden coal buried in the mud compared to all the other bears. Paddington has no personality.

Acclaimed writer William Faulkner wrote "The Bear," one of his best-known and fascinating works. "The Bear" is considered one of the best stories from the 20th century and deals with the complexity of soical problems and the loss of the wilderness. Interesting true accounts along with shows like "The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams" and "Gentle Ben" have appeared for the pleasure of many. The classic and awesome Winnie the Pooh offers so much delight and insight into Life. Winnie and all of his pals are phenomenal characters. Paddington, however, should just disappear... for good.

Boyd's Bears designed hundreds of bears throughout the years for kids (and adults) to love. Teddy Ruxpin captured the heart of many.  Even Smokey the Bear is way cooler than Paddington.

So,as you may be able to tell, I won't be seeing Paddington Bear 2 at the movies. I'd rather stare at a blade of grass for a couple of hours, instead. Paddington Bear simply needs to go away before anyone's brain is harmed by his boring nothingness..

Ack! My Ears!

I heard this on the local television news broadcast tonight -- "could of went" and "what we have saw." 

Ack!  I need to take deep breaths.  There's no sense in calling or e-mailing ... again.  Calm down, Cindy.  No one cares. Evidently, people graduate in broadcast journalism and no one corrects the students' non-standard grammar nowadays. It must not be important for a professional.  Expecting good communication skills on air is rather silly, I guess.

(Did you know that America is currently ranked 24th in Reading, 38th in Math, and 24th in Science on PISA -- Programme for International Student Assessment?  I wonder why.)

Ack! My Eyes!

*First, let me make this clear: This blog entry is not intended for those who wear leggings responsibly. The comments in this blog are directed, instead, toward a select group of legging wearers who insist on wearing leggings several sizes too small, and who also choose not to wear longer tops with the leggings.

I know I'm starting a firestorm here, and easily offended fashionistas will rant they can wear whatever they want, and that no one has to look at them if others don't like their clothing choices, but, dang it! Sometimes it's extremely difficult not to notice certain sights.

With that being said, do you really think you look good wearing leggings that wrap around and mold each individual butt cheek like Saran wrap? Do you have a need to wear leggings so tight that the seam amazingly disappears up into the unknown darkness of your butt crack, where no sunlight shines?  Those leggings are too small.

What stops you from wearing the tunics, adorable little dresses, or longer tops and sweaters that were designed to go with the leggings? (You do realize these are not pants, Gals; they're leggings. There's a difference.) 

Do you not realize leg, tummy, and butt fat jiggles when you wear skin-tight leggings, drawing everyone's eyes to the shaking motion?  Do you not know the bold, highly unusual, and extremely colorful and bright designs printed on some of these leggings will draw anyone's eyes ... even in dim lighting? 

Not every fashion trend is right for every person, just like not everyone looks good in the same colors. Some people really should not wear leggings, just like some people do not look good in turtle necks or look their best in midi-length skirts. Individualize. When your leggings look like you're naked and you're only sporting tattoos, I can't help but notice. Recently, when an older woman seated next to me at work, whispered, "Look!  That girl has matching tattoos on her legs," I whispered back, "No, those are leggings."  Yeah, anybody with eyes will notice, and their eyes will burn like wildfires afterwards from the sight emblazoned in their memory.
  

Yes, I know people feel they can wear whatever they want, but that is only within reason.  You don't have the right to submit others to your boobs or butt or private parts unless you are at a naked beach or nudist camp.  When your rear seam disappears somewhere up inside your nether regions, however, it can't be comfortable to wear those too small leggings, and I have to wonder if you've looked in the mirror at your backside. It's not the best look.

Save the floozy, painted-on look for home or the bedroom. I don't want to see your camel toe.  Even pajama pants in public would be a better choice.

Please save my eyes, and the rest of the world's; dress appropriately in public. It's said that if you want to attract a man, it's what he can't see, and can only imagine, that drives him crazy.  Extremely tight leggings with short tops leave little to the imagination -- the leggings are just a different color than your skin ... most of the time.

To Facebook Noodleheads:

And, for Pete's Sake, stop telling me to copy and paste. If I want to copy and paste something, I will ... without you telling me to do so!!!

(You know you can just copy or re-type part of the post you like without telling everyone they need to copy and paste, right?!)

I beg you to please stop your annoying, juvenile, anal copy-and-paste behavior before I lose total control, show up wherever you are, and shake you until you come to your senses!!! I don't want to end up locked in the Crazy House. If you can't refrain, then please just delete me -- I can't take anymore.