At the Table

Jeff is in town and going to see the Stay Awake at the 49er tonight.

Good deal.

The Real Blog

I totally forgot the reason I was to blog. One of the main reasons I hate cars and having one is the breakdowns and being me with my luck, they always happen. There are a plethora of examples with other vehicles and a good, ridiculous example is when I bought my motorcycle brand new and it died out and had to be towed only to find out that some hose was caught in a place so the fuel or something could't go through.

Then my wife's car she bought from the wife of her doctor who had it for years but never drove it much but it was in good working order, perfect, and even the shop that my in-laws have used all their lives is the same one their doctor's family uses and they said it was all good as well. Of course all these problems happen when we get it and more things on the way, it seems.

So my car's the same way and the most recent thing is the battery light flashing. I was hoping it was something small and not needing a new battery or alternator. Luckily it was just a wire that needed to be saudered (sp) to the alternator, though it still cost me $70. $70 is like $700 to me currently.

I hope we can find an apartment that will rent to us soon. We have until April but I can't wait to be unpacked and living normal again.

Jukebox: Ben Weasel - These Ones Are Bitter

Super good album. I can't believe that the CD that accompanied the LP is an actual CD. Like, not a burned one.

Anyway, I'm excited that Jeff and Margaret are coming to town tomorrow, on top of which our shop won't open until Sunday or Monday. I hope the kitchen is done and that my boss and I can spend an entire day going over stuff and trying stuff out with him.

I was toying with the idea of starting a new blog. Reason being is that in an unintentional way, I've sort of had a new blog for new ventures and this blog was made for the purpose of reporting the trucking adventures.

But I'm also lazy.

In a lame attempt, I made a CD for Jeff. It's hard as my stereo is in pieces and packed and I just have CD's and a lot of stuff available are on MD and haven't tried MP3ing those yet. It's a good CD but I wouldn't want this CD to be, like...like if I died tomorrow, I wouldn't want this CD to be held as a symbol of who I am (even though it's all stuff I currently listen to and love) and like this is the CD I'm making for....basically it's sub par to a CD I would normally make. Or tape, I should say since I can't do the vinyl on to computer thing yet.

Chris Headley has an iPod...and a myspace account.

I've been toying with the idea of opening a myspace account though I loathe it and people in it very much, but all my friends have one and it'd be handy to be kept up on current events, but it's all fucking dumb and until I can find a useful and more beneficial reason to, I will not start one. I can understand bands having one or other types of entertainment types who promote themselves through it or keep people posted, but for personal? I have a friendster account and I don't keep up with that. I have my own friends and I don't need to make cyber friends as I do not cruise the internet in that way. And I don't care how many other people like Danzig, I don't feel better being your "friend" and not hanging out with you.

Chumps

Today my boss and I went down to Lincoln to the distributor's kitchen and distribution center to product taste and get tips and ask questions. I learned, though not surprised, of strategic menu planning as people's eyes are prone to look at certain places on the menu and those key places are usually what they order. Also, the places you put the price should be in areas where their eyes do not go to immediately.

I am happy to say that I am not of that demographic. Not that I'm too clever to not fall for something like that, but maybe because I don't have money and I try to keep my purchase within my budget. Also, I usually order the same thing. Also, when I don't order the same thing, I usually am craving it upon arriving there and know what I'm going to get. Also, I always look at what I think I'm going to get, but I do search the entire menu and then weed out my decisions to accomodate the cash flow.

Anyway, it was great and got some questions answered and everything worked out well. It's great to see how assertive my boss is. He's nice and all, but he doesn't beat around the bush and is quite forward but not aggresive. He, like me, doesn't like to hear how something's going wrong without some solution or suggestion at hand. Not necessarily (yes necessarily) the right one, but at least something. I always hate that and is my least favorite thing about being a manager when people can't figure things out on their own.

Those are the people I like to work for, especially in a restaurant environment; The ones who see something wrong and can figure it out or work around it without disrupting the flow as much as possible.

So I ordered two new records. The new Ben Weasel one which is limited vinyl that comes with a CD version (which is good since my stereo isn't hoooked up), and a Riverdales 12". I had not heard this one but I got it because I've been wanting to hear it and because the first Riverdales album (which I own on vinyl) is only on CD now and has been re-issued with a different cover, as the original one is out of print.

Got a new "Weasel Radio" to download tonight. Looking forward to it.

Sunday Night

It's 2203 and I'm waiting for Headley to pick me up to hang out. I haven't seen him since I've been back and am looking forward to it.

Hung out with Justin and Kevin Jones last weekend and slept over at Justin's after the female entourage came home highly inebriated and, to me, funny as hell. Larrisa was cussing out me and Justin and calling us assholes while we just stared at her and continued playing the new wrestling game on that game system.

Meanwhile, Justin's wife Nicole was trying to get a game of Halo 3 going and then disappeared. Justin and I ended up playing Halo 3. Well, he was and I just talked shit to the fucking dateless losers on the other end. Except for Robert. Robert came on later and that was fun, except I really sucked and couldn't pull together my finger coordination to make it work and kept getting killed.

Anyway, today was spent putting the rest of the menu together and emailed it to my boss and cooked up some dishes, sauces, dips, and spreads to have my boss sample tomorrow. Upon completion, the sky had cleared and the weather was great, so I stopped what I was doing and went on a quick bike ride that I had been deprived of this week because weather or work and cooking and all that.

Justin is also taking over the Homer's records on Saddle Creek and offered me a part time job there. I'm going to talk to boss to get my hours and see if I can work there some. It'd be cool since it's right down the road from my current job...and could use extra money.

There's been a fly in this kitchen all day. I finally got the fly swatter and it's gone.

One thing that really gets to me about pricey restaurants is their presentation. Some places are great but most of them use the same fucking dumbass things like that stupid drizzling of some sauce that adds $30 to the entree, or like a fucking tiny one inch high, round portion of rice. Or how they "artistically" stack up the items of the plate and tip it over slightly to make it look nice. My own form of silent protest...not really protest, more of a silent fuck you to the time and effort and questionable artistic integrity of the chef of the plate in front of me it to just knock it over or mess it around once it's in front of me. All that time, effort, and emotion wasted on a jaded fuck head like myself.

Latte?

I had this dream the other night where my parents came to visit me in Omaha. I was working at Jane's in the days and some lady ordered a cappuccino. I started making it and my pops was there and I got upset and was saying, "Fucking bitch. Always complaining that there's too much foam. If you don't want that much foam, fucking order a latte!

My dad started laughing.

Later, we were at an event or party and I got offered a beer and my dad took one as well and then glanced at my mother and said, "It's been thirty years."

Maybe?!

Last night's "Weasel Radio" is off to a great start.

After wasting half a tank of gas applying to stupid places, feeling like a chump, I got a job. It's great because it's in Benson and it's closer and I love Benson.

The bad news is that Jim, Jane's husband from Jane's Health Market - of which I used to work, has been giving my current boss/great guy a hard time. I was going to talk to them and ask to work together, like ordering and other stuff, but I'm quite intimidated now.

The only thing I could pull together is that Jane and Jim's daughter now owns and runs Leo's Diner; However, current boss and boss' wife are friends with Jane and get along fine for the past how many years. Secondly, the type of place this is to be is in no way near what Leo's is trying to do. Not to mention, I know he's not trying to be competitive because he mentioned that he has a coffee machine and I asked if it was an espresso, as I have barista experience. He said no, it's just a coffee machine and that he wouldn't get an espresso machine because there's a new coffee shop two doors down and doesn't want to infringe on his business. Not only that, but he wants to put lattes and cappuccinos on the menues and if it gets ordered, he'll call them to make and bring over.

The great thing about this place is he wants a good vegetarian menu and altogehter wants a healthy menu and he wants me to create a menu. Also, because of aforementioned predicament, is having me come in to help get the place fixed up and create the menu.