Besides the yummies, I went to dinner just before I ate here. Chili's. It sucked. Often does. It's my least favorite chain restaurant (and I'm not a fan of chain restaurants). Low paid kids cooking and serving combined with cost cutting corporations make for a poor food experience. But it was a birthday. Tinman's daughter. So I showed up. I ordered the full rack of baby back ribs. When the order finally arrived, there were three ribs on a metal tray with fries and pale green asparagus and onion petals. I ordered the onion petals separately. I sent the dinner back after a brief conversation with the waiter. The conversation went something like this:
Me: Is this a full rack of ribs?
Waiter: Ummmm, that looks like a half rack.
Me: You are seriously telling me this is what Chili's calls a half rack?
Waiter: Ahhh, I guess so. I think a half rack has four ribs.
Me: There are three ribs here and I ordered a full rack.
Waiter: I'll bring you the other half.
Me: No, I won't pay $20 for six ribs, you can take it back.
(pause):
Waiter: Ummmm, ok.
No offer for anything other than "the other half" and no manager coming to ask if they can do anything to satisfy a customer who sent back the dinner. I should have taken a picture, but I didn't want the waiter to walk away as I would have been tempted to eat the food and then feel pissed off for paying for it. I suppose they take it in stride. Corporate American, the impersonal touch. So I ate the onion petals and partied with the birthday girl and waited until I got home to finish cooking the meatloaf and lasagna I started before I left. I left $5 onthe table which was a 40% tip and payment for the onion petals.
Meanwhile, yes, I had started cooking just before I left. Just at the heat up the oven stage, actually. I forgot about the birthday dinner and the phone did not remind me, even though it was on my calendar. I had just gotten home from work, put food in the oven, and Tinman texted me to remind me. I got there ten minutes late, but they were just being seated. Two booths, was at the other booth cuz the birthday booth was filled up. Eventually, a few more people came and sat with me. We bounced around the two booths the rest of the evening.
If we want more proof that my memory is overloaded, I texted Jane just before leaving work to let er know I could make it to the show tonight (she invited me earlier in the week). She texted back that she was tied up grading papers (she's a college professor, in case I have not mentioned that for a while), so we'll go next week and I was a happy camper heading home for much needed rest. Well, you know what happened next.
Anyway, I'm here now after yummy carbs and meat and fat and euphoria is rolling in. Life is good. Would love someone to share something meaningful, sensitive, and genuine, but life is good alone too. So what else is new?
This was pay week, so I checked the phone and the text message telling me the deposit went in also told me I am back to a comfortable level of poverty. The bank account is almost at the point where I can breath again, enough for current rent and food and gas and basics for more than a year at the current rate, and longer, maybe even two years, if I had to find a cheaper place and live more frugally. Easily three years, possibly four at the base frugality. What was at about Europe on $5 a day? Oh wait, that was a few years ago (aherm lol. Alas, he sad truth is that today, it is more like $5 an hour.
Maybe I'll get the elliptical, new computer, new TV, and other new toys in 2020.
Just randomly, I stumbled across what might be the most well intended but unbelievably wrong article on finances I've ever seen, maybe. Another random thought is how so many potentially good ideas failed. Specifically, things like the war n poverty and the war on drugs. We could say that going to war for any reason is stupid, and likely to fail producing any good results, but then, that's a lot of other subjects. My only point in this paragraph was to do a quick assessment of my current financial stability solely based on savings and I probably did that several lines ago. All in all, there is a good comfort zone for a couple of years. A whole lot longer, even. Sill, no permanent retirement forecast in this lifetime.
Meanwhile, considering living more economically reminded me about my younger years travelling around on a few dollars a day. I would probably love a life like this if I could share it, but I doubt I would want to do it for long alone. I suppose I could look for a potential partner. Could meet some curious souls and interesting people too. Upon reflection, especially self-reflection, maybe I've lived too long alone and have become too and set in my ways. More importantly, this body has a few hygiene needs that would be extremely challenging and potentially life-threatening now. Still, it turns me on.
Tomorrow is lunch with Helen and her mom, then dinner at Izzy's (her annual holiday white elephant gifts, games, and food party). That would be a better day with some sleep, since I've been skimping on sleep in recent weeks. The big work project drags on. So anyway, sleep would be good now. It is actually well past midnight and I've started nodding off, so I shall kick back right here in the recliner because my eyes are asking to close asap. Are you satisfied? Happy? Euphoric?
Hopefully you are all three and more smiles.
Make it so.
Narf :)
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