Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Taking a Cruise But Didn't Care To Ask, Part 2

 With no coffee in my body yet, I somehow feel inspired to talk about the next part of our 20 years together cruise.

To recap, with so much going on the day we embarked on the Carnival Firenze, Vickie and I just came back to our stateroom and slept after dinner, with me probably sleeping a bit more since I'd been up most of the previous day in excited anticipation of this adventure we'd been waiting for.

And then I awakened, feeling quite refreshed and ready for what our adventure had to offer. I got up, looked outside and got this sight!

Indeed, we were getting ready to dock at Santa Catalina Island! Now, I must confess, this is what I was most excited about in terms of excursions. I had heard of the island but never set sight on it other than photos. I got Vickie up, and we got dressed and went to the dining room for breakfast. 

Then we began our day's adventure with...ANOTHER LONG LINE!! Yes, as I said previously, The Love Boat's 9 seasons never delved into the hell of lines...just like game shows never talk about the taxes on cash and prizes. Luckily, this line moved fast. The ship does not actually dock at the island, but rather sits offshore and uses a local ferry company to take the ship's passengers to and from the island.

Also, anyone who knows me knows that I get just a little disoriented in a new place, particularly when I am not sure where north is. I was also slightly mistaken about where the island was. I had assumed that it lay just south of Santa Barbara when it actually lies about 30 miles south of Long Beach where we had embarked from, so we had not traveled far. 

The area we ferried to was called Avalon, on the northeastern part of Catalina, and wow, is it ever set up for cruise folk! All sorts of souvenir and clothing shops with fairly elevated prices awaited us. Of course, we had one huge advantage: we did not have much to spend for anything. Just paying for this cruise alone took a lot. However, we were not that poor and had enough for a gift for Natalie plus a nice fried seafood lunch along the pier. A sea pigeon absconded with one of my tartar sauce cups quite aggressively, just to keep the sense of adventure alive!

Afterward, we hit one or two more shops and then headed back to the Firenze. A little rest was needed before we got dressed up and attended the photo shoot we were scheduled to have. Now, I kind of knew where this was headed: a pricy sales pitch. We've been through them before when we used to do either family or just Natalie shoots at a Henderson studio for years. I will say the photographer was quite friendly and knew the poses she wanted us to do both inside and outside. 

Soon after, we headed to the dining room for a "formal dress" dinner. Not everyone was dressed in swank, but most were. Vickie opted for a glass of wine. Unlike the rum punches that were foisted on us the first day, this was decided upon by her so I had no objections. My dinner choice was salmon with a delicious asparagus cream sauce. We were even treated to a beautiful sunset over Catalina Island!

Afterward, it was back to the room for rest, it had been quite an exciting day...and I must say this was the best day of the whole trip. 

Of course, with any great day there sometimes follows the antithesis to that greatness, and in this case it was a day docked in Ensenada. Perhaps it was foreshadowed by the less than stellar sight outside our room that morning:

Yeah, shipping docks are not exactly a sight to behold, that is unless you ship things regularly and are excited to see a port.

Unlike the Catalina excursion, the Firenze docked right at the island, so we were able to just get off.

Oh, one thing I forgot to mention is the Sail and Ship cards we were given when our rooms were ready. These cards were our survival to access our rooms, purchase items on board, and get on and off the ship.

Okay...Ensenada, Mexico. If you have any knowledge of Mexico itself when it comes to American tourists, you know that there are NUMEROUS shops and citizens on the streets trying to peddle what they have to offer. I do remember in early 1997 when my dad was getting remarried, my the-borther in law and my dad's 2 brothers and I went to Tijuana and had a bachelor party without the bachelor in attendance. Back then, too, there were a lot of people selling candy on the streeets, Chiclets in particular. 

Helpful tip #5: Saying No or No, gracias is appropriate. Saying No, motherfucker! might get the point across stronger but could also get the hell beaten out of you.

Another thing is that Ensenada, like other Mexican tourist spots, has American businesses there. We saw Carl's Jr, McDonald's, and Starbucks. We stopped in Starbucks for a restroom visit and a chance to tap into some free wifi for a few.

Plus, Mexico is known to be cheaper for a lot of things that are expensive in America, particularly meds, no prescription needed. I've also heard dental work is cheaper.

I think we bought one magnet for my classroom, but that was it. We grabbed the bus back to our ship and got right on. Days later, I do wonder if any people who ate and drank in Ensenada had any issues.

After some lunch on the Lido deck, we just chilled for a while before heading to the top and getting in a round of miniature golf. It was only 9 holes, but still pretty fun. No scorecards. Above us was a ropes course, below was a basketball court, plus an arcade and set of waterslides. Fun for everybody, really!

Later on, we were subjected to the photo session's sales pitch. Most packages were over a thousand, but we decided on one photo of us for about $80. I felt bad for spending so little for all that hard work, but then again, I did not create the prices.

Overall, I think Ensenada day was not the best in terms of experience. Taking photos from the ship made it look much prettier by comparison, and for sure there are a lot of gorgeous parts of Mexico, lots of mountains and beaches near the coast. If you're in Sonora just south of Arizona, well, desert is desert. I know people often associate Mexico with drug cartels and human trafficking...and to just make a small political note that has no business being in this article...no more or less crime than in this country, I am sure.

Up next, part 3: day at sea and debarkation.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Taking a Cruise But Didn't Care To Ask, Part 1

 So, you want to take a cruise on the sea for a few days?

No? Ok, sorry, I'll stop here.

Yeah right! As if any of you will get me to shut up about anything just short of chloroform...though I am sure that method has crossed a mind or two.

Indeed, my wife and I took a long-awaited cruise this past week. It was actually 8 years overdue. We were all set up in spring of 2018 to do this but we forgot some vital documents such as birth certificates. Needless to say, we were crushed. This time, however, we were prepared, especially since this year is our 20th year together and just going to get a 20 piece McNuggets meal was not going to cut it, not even with tossing in an extra hot mustard sauce!

The anticipation was growing in the final weeks, even when I was sick froma virus in the alst 2 weeks of school. Granted, part of that was from not going 8 years ago,mthe mystery of it all. Now, no more mystery and I am quite happy to say if we can pull off a bank robbery or two, I'd love to do it again, though with the sense of a seasoned veteran I did not have this time around.

So, along with my tale, I will include some tips on cruising right and frugally.

We began our true journey at the cruise port in Long Beach, California. It is a giant dome that makes you think you're at Epcot in Florida. As we had driven to San Diego late the night before to drop our daughter at my dad's place, then took a bus to Long Beach and an Uber to the port, we were quite tired.

Now, here is what those episodes of The Love Boat did not depict. There is a helluva long line of people like us waiting to get checked in. The smart and seasoned ones have passports, others like us have government IDs and birth certificates and hope there is no problem.My stuff was ok but Vickie's docs got a couple of raised eyebrows due to the lack of a raised state seal. Luckilly she also brought her social security card so all was good. Next, you go through a TSA like scanner and strip search (wait, that last part was in a nightmare, sorry). After that, it is a climb up a few ramps in that dome, constantly showing all who request it your boarding pass. Photographers are also there to seize the opportunity to make money before you're even on the ship!

Before we knew it, we were finally on the gangway to the Carnival Firenze! It was quite impressive, 14 total decks, though the top 2 were definitely smaller. Once on, we had to orient ourselves quite fast. The first order of business was to find deck 5, section C, which was our muster station.

What is mustering? Apparently whenever you're on a cruiise ship, there is a safety location in case of disaster, and you are to muster (or gather) in a certain place to hear further instructions (often involing loud and desperate prayer).

Once we "self-mustered" ("Bryan Timothy Moore, are you self mustering in there? You'll go blind!") at our assigned location, it was off to deck 10, known as the Lido deck on that particular ship. The Lido deck was where most of the informal dining options were, including a couple of buffets. 

Helpful hint 1: If you desire access to soda or beer, there is a fee for the whole voyage for it. Otherwise, it is water, juice, coffee, or hot cocoa. We opted not to do this.

Helpful hint 2: If you decide you want Internet access, there is a hefty fee for that as well. We just chose the ship wi fi for access to activity choices and meal check in. I can surf at home.

As we sat for our refreshment, a jolly man with a Caribbean accent strongly suggested we try his rum punch. 

Helpful hint 3: Nothing offered except bread is complimentary and this rule applies most definitely to alcoholic beverages.

The moment we grabbed the drinks, we were asked to sign our names...and before we knew it, $35 was charged to our account.

And then, finally around 1:30, we were told that we could go to our rooms. We were on deck 2, which is most definitely on the low part of the ship. That said, Vickie had upgraded us there, otherwise we would not have had a balcony to get good sea air and hear the sounds of the sea. Sadly, our luggage was not yet there. No matter. After checking out the balcony, both of us took a nap.

Helpful hint 4: The toilet paper provided is school-grade. It might be good to leave a little room in the luggage for a home roll or two.

After a little snooze, our luggage finally arrived. We unpacked a few things and then went exploring a bit. What we soon found out was that aside from the photographs, there are other sales rackets (sorry, OPPORTUNITIES) going on. To sum up a wasted hour, we decided not to pursue their little games. Besides, it was time for dinner.

We headed to the Michelangelo Dining Room, where we learned you're supposed to check in on the app. Luckily it was not crowded yet since the sales pitches were still holding other passengers hostage. 

Now, anyone who knows me gets that I love a good meal and this dining room did not disapppint at any time. The service was great, every guest was treated on a first name basis, and the food was delicious! Of course, there were some menu items was were a little or a lot extra, but we generally stuck to the regular items. On the first night, I had a steak and it was as good as a regular restaurant.  What helped was the general ambience and, if you were lucky (which we were often), a seat with a great view of the sea.

We were planning to see a comedy show that night but we were still tired and just went to bed.

Up Next: part 2: Catalina and Ensenada

A Long, Difficult Journey

 Free! Free at last!

What the hell are you talking about now, Bryan? You always start your posts with something clever only to you.

Well, for one thing, I am free of a sickness that gripped me almost three weeks ago. It really made the last two weeks of school a torture because my voice was so raspy and at times a whisper.

But that's not all. As this really felt like my first true day of summer in terms of feeling good, my daughter and I went on a little errand run together for the first time in a while.

I love our errands, just the two of us. It's the best father-daughter time we have. Of course, we have had many a drive to school together, but since she is not a morning person by personal nature, many of those drives were in 99% silence.

When we do errands, we move fast. We also talk honestly. I feel closer to her now than since she was a little kid falling asleep on Daddy's lap.

I haven't been Daddy for 8 years. The moment she asked me in the fourth grade if she could start calling us Mom and Dad was a heartache, the end of that phase of childhood innocence and starting to feel self-conscious about things. 

It happens. In fact I think the -my and -dy came off of my parental addresses at the same age. I'm not sure if it hurt my parents or not. If it did, they certainly did not show it.

During our errands today, we were talking about the past a bit...a dark past at times. I can practically name the moment that darkness began to disappear.

It was when we were on a trip to Laughlin 2 years ago and we went to see Inside Out 2. It was during that movie when a dam broke inside of me, a dam so full of inner bullshit that had been building for a few years. 

It was a defensive dam to be damned sure (pun intented), defense from stress of finances, job, marriage, parenthood, self respect, all of it.

To give you an image, if you have ever seen the movie Click with Adam Sandler, particularly the scenes where he is an emotional zombie, you get a little idea of what what I was going through, though not quite that unexpressive and dead.

Looking back on it all now, I see a little more clearly what was going on. Actually, two things.

The first was, I was going through my own type of midlife crisis. For sure, we all have our own version, and if you deny it, you might still be in it. That's ok, I was in denial for a long time, too. For me, the midlife crisis was trying to see if I was in the best place, if there was something better for me down the road. Some married men look at other women longingly, seeing if they are still the stud they thought they once were.

Listen to the song, "Middle Aged Crazy" by Jerry Lee Lewis, he says it all on his own perspective.

However, I was also dealing with a then recent observation that I was quite possibly "on the SPECTRUM"...at 49, that bugged me, like there was something ELSE wrong with me on top of other things. 

Yet as time went on, especially after that Laughlin trip and many more relevant therapy sessions (meaning I had a few irrelevant sessions where I wasn't getting to the core yet), I came to see that it made sense over the course of my life, the way I related to a very thin percentage of my peers growing up as well as adulthood.

That brings me back to the "crisis". Being who I was, I wasn't going to seek out an affair with another woman, though the fantasies existed. Hell, we all have fantasies. But I also knew I was not Captain Stud, not even Private First Class Stud...5'5 and hovering around 200...nah. Still, there was an itch somewhere in my head for a while that was not scratchable. 

Also, part of my being on the spectrum means I am a little too open (like now) and obvious in terms of what I say and do. At my previous school, there was a teacher friend with whom I shared a quite taboo love of...STARBUCKS! (had you going?) We had a nice weekly trade-off for a few years of grabbing each other drinks on Fridays. We also chatted pretty frequently and that got a few whispers among the rumor mill, from what I heard (another pun, I am on a roll!).

Going back to high school, I can remember liking a certain girl there quite a lot and being quite obvious and open about it and practically the whole school knew as a result. She and I have chatted about this since then and I sincerely apologized for embarrassing her and we are friends decades later.

Three years ago, there was a friend from an old workplace who was going through a major crisis and we had regular talks to make sure she was doing ok...yes, you caught the SHE, but honestly if it were a male, I would have done no different in terms of trying to help. It made me feel useful for a little while, like I had purpose. The itch was being partially scratched.

But not completely.

The result of this itch at home was me being more than a bit irritable at times and lashing out more than necessary at both my wife and daughter. It was like a pressure valve being released here and there to keep from exploding, but it wasn't solving the problem.

And then the marriage crisis of 2023 hit. 

I will spare the gory details, but many things came to light for both of us and on my 51st birthday, I was asked what I wanted to do. I chose to work on our marriage. Things were pretty good for a month or two but then old behaviors began to resurface that put us in conflict. 

That's when the therapy began. As I said, it began with a certain amount of superfluous bullshit, the kind  a good therapist sees right through...and she was and is a good therapist, I still see her to this day.

And then the Laughlin trip of June 2024 came.

I saw Inside Out 2...and something crumbled. I looked at my kid and realized what a shit I had been for a while. Not all the time, but many times, and it caused her a lot of stress. 

When we got home, I watched Inside Out 1 for the first time. A lot of tears came out of me. I apologized to Natalie for everything. She accepted readily and gave me a big hug. After that the therapy was more honest and right down to it and I was finally able to accept things for what they were regarding who and what I was and not too long after, that itch went away (not that it would ever be scratchable because I was never clear what was itching, I was just lost). It took work on my part for sure, but a lot of buillshit went away. I stopped wondering about another world outside myself. I learned to like myself and where I was.

And when that bullshit goes away, there is a reflective period for me and I probably overanalyze myself more than I should, but that is my nature. It's what keeps me awake at night every so often. I sometimes look back at all those things I've said and done in 53 1/2 years.

Definitely an oddball!

A true geek!

And I'm good with that, finally.

One thing I have stopped doing is trying too hard to get people to notice me.

Going back to high school (once again), I can think of a number of dumbass things I said that earned no small amount of ridicule for days or weeks on end (there was no online meme machine in those days to quickly divert attention) just to satisfy some need to be noticed, even in a way that would backfire.

Hell, even when I hit a fire hydrant in early 1991, the first thought of many of my peers was that I was driving by that girl's house when it happened...it was in my own neighborhood ironically, that's how the ace unform squad of the Spring Township police found me within hours, no need for Ice T and Jerry Orbach to scour the county.

It's all so laughable now, especially to me. But not always.

My mom insisted for years even after I was out of COLLEGE that I was bullied when I was growing up.

I don't even think that word occurred to me back then, growing up. I knew some kids gave me a hard time and ridiculed and criticized me. But I was never beat up or given the junior high toilet swirlie. I was just being me and thinking back on it, being me made me a target. 

Kind of a natural selection thing.

My only standout now is wearing loud Hawaiian shirts and being a kind, funny colleague. Suits me fine.

I could go into other things that make me weird/unique/me, but that's a long boring entry in itself.

All I can say is, I feel good to be accepted by who accepts me, and who doesn't, that's their loss, not my problem. Most importantly, my kid accepts me, and quite frankly, in many ways, that will always suffice.

To the Left to the Left to the Left...To the Right to the Right to the Right!

 To tell the truth, I don't know where I am on the political field anymore. I thought I knew.

I still think I am a Republicn at heart, but this needs explaining and by that I mean beliefs.

I believe in a system where I am minimally taxed on my income.

I believe in a small central government.

I believe in a STRONG national defense (strong but not overarching).

I believe in personal responsibility and personal freedom and the freedom to succeed in a profitable enterprise...provided that enterprise doesn't hurt others other than competition.

I believe states should handle healthcare and education.

I believe our Constitution is law and is required to be followed.

Is that pretty simply and easy to understand? Yeah, I don't really ask for too much. 

Yet, I have come to learn many things in my life, one of which is: personal freedom is highly judged by others who do not think you should be free to be or do anything that does not line up with their idea of personal freedom...or often what others have TOLD THEM what personal freedom really is.

This is where many church leaders have corrupted souls. Or radio talk show hosts or Fox News or anyone who deems themselves an "infleuncer".

We see these people more and more in modern times. When I was first driving 35 years ago, the closest thing to influencer was Rush Limbaugh and MTV, and both were considered entertainment only.

I really don't care if you are a man who considers yourself to be a woman (or vice versa), I don't care of you're homo or hetero, I don't care if you consider yourself to be a "furry", I don't care if you howl at the moon. NONE OF THOSE THINGS AFFECT ME OR HURT ME!

As for my approval, I keep it to myself. I might stare if you are doing or wearing something that draws my attention, but that goes for the general population. 

With all that said, I am not sure my vision of being Republican connects with other Republicans. I am definitely not MAGA.

Why?

MAGA has no meaning, particularly the AGAIN part.

At which point is the clock being turned back to? When was America last great before it supposedly went to hell?

It could be before Watergate, before George W., before Bill Clinton, before Vietnam, or even before Abraham Lincoln.

But there's a dark truth that nobody is discussing, but I've seen it since Trump part 1.

Here it is...

THIS NATION HAS NOT FORGIVEN ITSELF FOR HAVING A BLACK PRESIDENT FOR 2 CONSECUTIVE TERMS!

There, I said it! 

It's like we defiled ourselves as a nation. We really didn't. However, when you have 220 years of white guys as President, and usually older ones at that, and then you get a 40-something Black man who is quite intelligent and maintains good international relations, it belies a perception held by many.

In media terms, Barack Obama was not George Jefferson or Lamont Sanford or Shaft. He was a well-spoken educated man. And he was likeable.

Query: Would Barack have been more appealing to the public if he had been a Republican with conservative views?

Like the Tootsie pop, the world may never know.

I doubt it, though. The Republicans had a go with Ben Carson 11 years ago but he didn't even get close. Once Trump came in, it was pretty much over.

And that one thing Barack Obama gave us that still gives a bitter taste was the Affordable Care Act. I know it raised my premiums when it was rolled out.  Ever since then, the GOP has tried to get rid of it with no replacement in mind ("concepts of a plan", remember that crap in 2024?)

Right now I see a sad Republican party that is not seeing a viable escape. Sure, some are distancing themselves from the executive time bomb, but too little too late, I fear. It became the party of personality when Trump came in. They let him in because they thought once he was in, they could control him to enact their vision, which up to then was pretty much the Newt Gingrich vision.

There was no controlling Donald Trump, though. He commanded loyalty and chose those who would obey him. The only hitch was, one had to come through time and time again with the bar being raised higher and higher. 

Then came COVID. Until then, I truly believed Trump would automatically have a second term, but he botched it with weird suggestions and constant flip-flopping....and to that I have to defend him a little because we were all swimming blind, especially when those damn masks slid over our eyes, even Trump!

But he lost (YES HE LOST IN 2020!) and the efforts that led up to January 6,2021 trying to reverse those election results ranks right up with the 1972 efforts of CREEP to re-elect Richard Nixon, a ton of dirty tricks and lies and a mob wreaking havoc on our nation's Capitol.

Trump lost, he lied about losing (not to mention having loyalists around him telling him he really won and they had a plan to keep him in), and he Kool-Aided a mob into violently trying to force Congress to reject the electoral ballots.

January 6, 2021 was the day I lost any idea that Donald Trump might have a shred of decency. But that's just me, I'm sure. I'm used to being a sole political opinion.

Maybe not.

It didn't get better, though.

I was not very impressed with the Joe Biden years. Some said, "At least it isn't Trump!" 

It wasn't enough.

I watched the 2019 Democratic debates to see who they would put up against Trump. Out of all of those 20 people who decided to throw their hat in the ring...even the Democrats chose the old white guy.

And they were hoping Trump would be in so much legal trouble that he wouldn't be able to run in 2024. They were hoping the January 6 investigations would be finished and get Trump out of politics for good!

So their old white guy could have an easy shot against whoever ran against him.

Oops! They didn't count on the GOP running so many stall tactics on that 1/6/21 investigation that Trump would come to debate Biden. 

Not only did Trump debate him, he creamed him more than a can of Del Monte creamed corn is creamed.

And they brought in Kamala. Her debate with Trump was much more victorious...but it was empty in the end. She came in too late to establish herself as a real contender, and her party ran it all wrong. She was exposed in too much mainstream media and not enough independent video bloggers who are rising as a major influence with their growing audiences. Farron, David, and Brian are getting a lot bigger now in terms of audience. Granted, all 3 are quite left wing and quite opinionated (but Farron does make me laugh) but they deliver news well that tends to not get reported in mainstream anymore.

I will say that I voted for Kamala just because of that January 6 tragedy upon our nation.

But I knew deep inside that Trump was going to win anyway.

Old white guy rule triumphs again. And I suspect old white guy will win for the rest of my life.

All that said, the Democrats are no better. I learned that in 2016, the way Bernie was trampled by Team Hillary into oblivion. In a way, for a short time, I was glad Trump won.

Some have asked me (while calling me ignorant and stupid) why I don't like Donald Trump.

You mean aside from January 6? Well...let's say I've been aware of him as a public figure for over 40 years and aside from the awesomeness of Trump Tower in Manhattan (I was there once), I was never impressed with him as a human being. Watching one episode of The Apprentice really gave it all away that he just likes to be in charge of all he can be in charge of. And he likes getting richer and stamping the Trump name on anything he can find. Which is fine...except he wants everyone to think he is the greatest human being alive.

News flash:

There are richer people than Trump.

There are greater people than Trump.

There are smarter people than Trump.

And there are better people than Trump. Better to me means being kinder to the human race as a whole.

As for Jeffrey Epstein, I don't know how much Trump was involved with him and I don't care anyway, my opinion was already sealed 5 years ago, it can't get worse.

But the left so far is no better, and until they stop winning on recoil effect alone and win on their own merits including better campaigning and messaging, the GOP will be back.

I'm a registered Republican and yes I just said that...because until the Republicans start doing good for Joe Average American and do less for their rich donors, it won't get better.

Eating Out of Business

 We all know this question:

What's for dinner?

What's for lunch?

I'm hungry...what's to eat around here?

Of course, the answer to any of those questions is to see what is in the house that will satisfy my hunger if I put a few minutes of effort in...right? Right?

OF COURSE NOT!! At least not in this house, sad to say. The intended answer is to leave the house to pick something up to eat and either eat it there or bring it back home, thereby spending about 4 times the amount of moeny it would have cost to get something from the store, bring it home, cook, and hopefully enjoy...hopefully meaning it wasn't cooked by me.

Self deprecating, I know, but as a bachelor I got by ok because I had only myself to feed. When I met Vickie, the first woman to suffer my culinary shortfalls, I was finally met with criticism that has lasted 20 years this year along with our relationship.

The next question is what to eat?

If it is my daughter, the answer is easy: a McDouble meal with a Diet Coke (because she's watching those sugars, you know).

If it is just the 2 of us, there are some more options, not necessarily healthy. Hey, let's be honest, the purpose of going out to eat is convenience and hopefully a delicious or at least expected experience, not a feeling of, "Hey, where can we eat that supplies us with protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals?"

To give you an idea of how that last one works, there was an eatery near us called Greens and Proteins for several years, and I hardly saw anyone eating there or ordering out. I was amazed it lasted as long as it did (the staff wasn't all that perky, which likely did not make the place a draw). Replacing it was a Handel's Ice Cream, which is busy every day, even in cooler weather. 

Baskin Robbins is also holding up well, to give you an idea.

However, those are desserts, let's go to fast food.

Here is where I am seeing some realities hit, for better or worse, usually worse.

Question: which fast food places are always crowded and have plenty of staff to keep the operation running?

3 places in Las Vegas come to mind: Chick Fil-A, In N Out, and Raising Canes.

If you look at any of these places (except for Chick Fil A on a Sunday), you will see a well oiled machine, so good that their parking lots are hell to get into or leave. 

But wait, Bryan, having a lot of staff does not mean it is good food.

How true! And yet, Raising Canes has a great main product and they don't vary from it. Same with Chick Fil A and In N Out. I also suspect that the staff of all 3 are paid nicely and that teamwork is promoted.

That to me says one thing: SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS MODEL. I can definitely see where a profitable eatery is rewarded with money pumped back into the business, making it even better. Treat the staff well and be on the lookout for healthy leadership material. Also, KEEP THE PRODUCT CONSISTENT!

Sadly, I see other fast food places I grew up with that are not doing so hot, judging from the lack of consistent business at any given store.

Wendy's may have a couple of decades left, but I have seen the down-trend since the passing of Dave Thomas.

Arby's is also in trouble. I see it at every store I enter.  A few in town have been shuttered. 

Same with Carl's Jr.

Somehow, Burger King has survived, but I'm not sure how. Sure, the food is good (I always like a Whopper here and there). That said, I've seen staff arguments at one near us, and that one is always slow both in the dining room and drive thru. 

Del Taco and Taco Bell seem to breathe on their own all right no matter what.

Same with Natalie's favorite, McDonald's.

Having been a DoorDasher for 6 months now, I am starting to see a difference betwen corporate owned/operated and franchises when it comes to McDonald's. Four that I have picked up orders from have their act together. One does not, and that one almost always has either staffing or organization problems. A new one is being built two miles up the road from that operation, hopefully better. 

Or maybe the ownership isn't the difference, but rather just the management.

Besides McDonald's, I also see differences at a few Little Caesar's. OK, I know pizza is not precisely fast food, though the Hot & Ready setup makes it so for Little Caesar's.

One thing I have noticed is that no matter your own opinion on the food or how many times people complain about the wait or food quality, McDonald's and Little Caesar's have a LOT of business. I have read about the "science" of McDonald's and how they draw customers, or rather draw them back. It's a form of food hypnosis for many. I don't know, I worked at one in Sinking Spring, PA for a few months and aside from a free cheeseburger during break time, all I got form it was a uniform that reeked of grease after every shift.

As for Little Caesar's, my upper and lower GI have agreed they do not like their pizza, 'nuff said. However, Little Caesar's is always crowded with delivery drivers like me and people coming to place an order. One night while I was dashing, a Little Caesar's stopped taking orders because they were so backed up. That was a first.

On the chicken front, it is troubling. I was once a Kentucky Fried Chicken adherent. A 2-piece, mashed and slaw was my go-to for years when I desired fried chicken. I came to like Popeye's a bit better over time, but both companies seem to have some form of issue behind the counter, but there are good exceptions I have seen. 

Looking around town, I also see a plethora of Hawaiian eateries. I tried one once, and if you like rice, Spam, and macaroni salad, enjoy!

Also there is a growing chain of Mexican food  in town called Don Tortaco.Cute name, and if they stay local, they can probably make it last.

All that said, where will we eat?

Usually we will choose locality, and Raising Canes and Domino's are our two main go-to's. If we feel like a sit-down experience and we can afford it, we will share either steak or salmon at Outback.

Dessert-wise (our failing), a Hershey's pie from BK or an apple pie from McDonald's will suffice, or maybe an ice cream from that new Handel's.

At any rate (probably my heart rate after a Big Mac), the dine-out industry is changing and it will be fun to watch...and judging form my watch, some place has anearly bird special! Gotta go!

Tunnels of Love...and a Big Boy Santa

 A fun memory:

I don't remember if it was Christmas 1977 or 1978, but I guess it doesn't matter.

Very early in the morning, I am woken up by my dad. I am already excited because I know what is happening: our drive to Michigan for Christmas. He brings me into the living room where our cheerfully lit and decorated tree, albeit an artificial one, stands. He puts our Gene Autry Christmas album on the phonograph for me to listen to and get excited by as he loads the car up with luggage and, as I later found out, all of Santa's presents wrapped in that special red tissue paper. As a civil engineer, my dad knew how to employ every available square centimeter of trunk space!

My dad also turns on the car, which was a yellow-orange 1971 Ford Torino, to get the heat going. Before the first side of the album was completely done, we are getting into the car, me carrying my stuffed Curious George, my faithful bedtime and road trip companion.

I fall asleep for a bit as it is still dark out, though I am miraculously awake as we get our ticket for entering the Pennsylvania Turnpike at the beckoning toll booth at mile marker 286. Back in those days, way before EZPASS was even a transporation authority's wet dream, actual humans distributed tickets and took in the due money.

Soon after, I was asleep again, but as we got close to the first mountain after over 80 miles of forest and farmland, I popped awake again...our my dad woke me...to see an exciting sign: TUNNEL 1 MILE!

There were four tunnels on the Turnpike: Blue Mountain, Kitatinny Mountain, Tuscarora Mountain, and Allegheny Mountin. The first 2 were right next to each other, dubbed the double tunnel. Tuscarora was about 10 miles to the west, and Allegheny was about 60 miles down the road.

At one time, long before I was born, there were 7 tunnels, but Sideling Hill, Ray's Hill, and Laurel Hill were bypassed.

At mile marker 172, we pulled off at the Sideling Hill service plaza for breakfast. My dad had a philosophy of 100 miles before breakfast, and I think we were at 130 at that stop.

After a good breakfast of whatever Howard Johnson had provided (that company ran all of the service plazas in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana), we were back on the road and I was reading all of the mile markers and any of the billboards I was able to decipher at age 5 or 6.

After a few hours what what I conceived at driving fast (55mph in those days), we were approaching a double set of toll booths. The first was for paying our fee to Pennsylvania, and just a few miles to the west was the ticket dispensing agent at the first Ohio Turnpike toll booth.

I remember being excited to be in a new state, but it wore off as I saw that Ohio was quite a bit flatter than Pennsylvania. I was always excited to see exit signs, though. There were still some hills and a pretty neat arch bridge while we passed through the southern Cleveland area. After Cleveland, it got flat and farmy for a while.

And then something really exciting happened (for me anyway): the sign for Exit 5: 280 to 75, Toledo-Detroit, Stony Ridge!

The ramp off was pretty neat, going a bit to the right and then crossing over the turnpike to the final toll booth, and then on to I 280, which itself was fairly boring until it entered the Toledo area. 280 crossed over the Maumee RIver on a drawbridge, and I don't remember if it was that year, but one of our drives treated us to the drawbridge going up for a passing boat.

Soon after, we got on to I 75 for the final leg of our jouney into the Detroit area.

Normally, we pulled into Royal Oak at one of my grandparents' homes before eating dinner (both sets of grandparents lived less than a quarter mile away from each other) but this time we were so hungry that we stopped at an Elias Brothers Big Boy on Telegraph Road. On that night, Santa Claus was going around talking to kids, handing out candy canes and the promotional Big Boy comic book for kids.

One final moment of excitement came when we were onb Twelve Mile Road in Royal Oak: the Grand Trunk railroad bridge. Now, we had passed under so many highway bridges on this drive, and I was always impressed with the multitude of them on 75 going through Detroit, but this one always looked neat to me from the outside and passing under it.

Wow, thinking back to those times brings a smile and a small tear to my eye since it represents a time of happiness for me. My dad always built those long drives up for me and we often talk about them. In fact I was asking him about what kind fo mileage that Torino got and we talked a bit more and I felt the inspiration to write this.

Ode to a Mall

 

Apparently, a eulogy must be said, for a death I never expected. Not a person, but a place. A place that holds so many memories from my childhood is leaving us. It is a place called The Berkshire Mall.

Situated on what I assume was once a part of Berks County's former lush farmlands (before the housing boom slowly crept in) in West Wyomissing, the Berkshire Mall was a place where families came, along with teens and their friends hanging out after school, Friday evenings, and the weekends.

Truly, I hardly know where to begin!

From my memory, which leads up to the end of 1991/first week of 1992, there were two eras of the upstairs portion as well as food. The upstairs once had a restaurant, or rather a few. The one that comes to mind is Gadgets, which had a Looney Tunes theme. There was also a barber shop, Radio Shack, and Starcade, where the coolest arcade and pinball games awaited handfuls of quarters to pay the rent. In those days that upstairs also had a street lamp decor.

There was a small food "lane" downstairs close to the Sears end of the building. Taco Casa, Arby's, and I believe a Paolo's Pizza. I think there was a cheesesteak place too, but I am not positive. There was also once a small photography studio, like a pop-up-store, in the center of that lane.

Also in that part of the mall was once a 1-screen movie theater and then a Chuck E Cheese was there for a couple of years, it did not last long.

Other food shops were Donuts Galore in the center near the colorful fountains. What comes to my mind was a great place called York Steakhouse, a cafeteria style eatery that had some decent food. York was a regular Friday Night treat before it closed down.

Store-wise, there were all sorts of clothing and shoe stores. As a reader, I loved Walden Books and B. Dalton Bookseller.

And then there was Wall-to-Wall Records, where there was practically anything for anyone's tastes, from vinyl to cassette and later likely CDs, though I was not there for the CD era.

After the creation of the new upstairs food court in the late 1980s, the streetlamp motif was gone in favor of brighter colors. A shame, really, that old theme was fun.

I remember whenever we drove up the Warren Street Bypass on U.S. 422 (now also 222), there was a curve where the Berkshire Mall was revealed in a pretty cool way, with the John Wanamaker anchor was up front with its cursive logo beckoning us forth. Other anchors were Sears along with its separate auto shop. I distinctively remember a good video game area at Sears in the 1980s. They also had a photography studio where we had family pics taken a few times. In the center was Pomeroy's for a long time. I remember the cool blue POMEROY'S lighting up at night. It later became the Bon Ton, with a less cool logo.

Sadly, the era of indoor shopping malls all around is coming to an end as a whole. Online shopping doomed them before they knew it in the late 1990s...thank you, Amazon, and *%$# you at the same time.