Questions from the actor's studio

I've been meaning to post this for a long time. I have been thinking about it in general, but not about IT. So this week, I took some time to ponder, between my new job and Holiday preperations and the new puppy and I decided I would write it out. It's lame, everyone else did it a long time ago but I feel it is my duty (ha ha, I said duty) to post it. Plus, I got nothin'.
So's----here goes.

1. What is your favorite word?
Concierge- it basically means gopher but has such a ring to it.

2. What is your least favorite word?
Genre- I cannot stand reading it out loud. It makes me cringe and it also offends me as a question about the music I make, listen to or love.

3. What turns you on creativly, spiritually or emotionally?
Well, it has to be the ocean, on all of the above. Especially near Destin, South Walton, Panama City Beach. I have always been drawn to it.

4.What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Someone with no empathy, who cannot balance the other side or at least see that there is another opinion with some validity. And usually they are jackasses.

5. What sound or noise do you love?
My girls playing at the beach in the late afternoon.

6. What sound or noise do you hate?
Dishes clanking-it sends me into a epileptic type fit & I don't even notice it.

7. What is your favorite curse word?
I was working with a guy at a reataurant who I knew was pretty straight laced, I was working on my personal issues at that time and I slammed my finger in a drain and SCREAMED poopy, doo-doo, caca! He almost peed on himself and I had to crack up because I'd usually say something a little bit worse. So, for the record-POOPY, DOO-DOO, CACA. Said as fast as you can.

8. What other profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt?
Pilot-I love to fly. Highly paid session bassist might not be so bad.

9. What profession would you not like to do?
High School principal. At all. Maybe in the 50's when you could beat kids, but not now.

10. If Heaven exists, (and it does), what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
Well mainly " Well done my good and faithful servant"- but any of these will be great
a) You da man!
b) Not yet dude!
c) Elvis has been asking for ya!
d) This way to the all you can eat hot wing, BBQ, pizza & stoganhoff food bar.
e) Hey...You wanna do over?
f) Ehhh...Notre Dame's OK, but I prefer the VOLS.
g) You're right. I do mess with the popular music every ten years just to screw with the parents. Next up-PUNK ROCK POLKA-hide your accordians.
h) So, Sonny, The reason the streets are paved out of gold is not for the beauty, durability or the cleanliness, it is to emphasise the fact that money has no power here just as stones on the road have no value on Earth.(dude, I totally got that from the jump)
& my favorite
i) Who's next to make a platypus?

Now make you own questions to ponder.
See you in the funny papers,
SF

no point here-just ramblin'

I know it has been a while, but I have a new job and I am working my butt off. Litereally. I have lost 6 ponds in 4 days and I have been on my feet for 9 hours out of 11 everyday. I am in training and I get to do all of the jobs in the restaurant from hosting, serving, cooking, managing and dishwashing-which I did today-and I'll do on Tuesday.
Dishwashing is a thankless job but a great diversion. You can just veg out and wash dishes and my favorite part is getting to a goal, a clean area. I am goal oriented. I like to see the finished product that I had a part in. I like to see my ideas flourish and I like a little recognition. I truly dislike constructive criticism. If you do not like what I am doing, tell me and give me a way to fix it. Don't beat around the bush and don't be a jerk about it. But above all, don't coddle me. I am a grown man and I can take it without holding a grudge or negative attitude. I have a really weird brain that forgives and forgets, mostly forgets and I realize that alot of what I do won't mean a hill of beans in 100 years. What will make a difference is if I am a good father to my daughters and set them up for success.
I could have done that in spades had I won that $207 million dollar Mega-millions. The winning ticket was sold about 40 miles from where I live. I didn't win so I guess I will go back to work and hopefully, lose another 10-15 pounds before New year's eve.
Although I do love my new job, I have been sitting on my netherparts for a good 2 years and I have gained 20 pounds NOT being in the restaurant business. That is almost impossible. I just like food and comfort food is my favorite. I likes me a lot of starches and grease and fried whatever. Of course I eat my vegetables and dairy---fried pickles and fried cheese---a lot of fish---fried catfish and tilapia sauteed in butter and the everpresent BBQ categories. I have tried dieting but that is not me. If I die a year or two earlier because of a pulled BBQ pork sandwich I had when I was 40, so be it. At least I won't spend that last pointless year of my life eating bland veggies and baked, dry chicken or bribing my army of caretakers to sneak me a Philly cheesesteak in with my nitro pills. I'd rather die fat & happy than skinny and miserable for the last 20 years of my life.
So in moderation I go. I am not giving up anything, but I will spring for the occasional Steak 'n Shake double steakburger with cheese, cheese fries and an extra large chocolate milkshake & smile.

Mmmmmm...Fried pickles
SF

I am back...for now.

It has been a whirlwind since I last blogged. I have been to Memphis and had no less than three Thanksgiving dinners. My Arizona Cardinals have clinched a spot in the playoffs. We have a new puppy, her name is Lilly and ohh, I quit my job. I also found a new job. I feel alot better about all of this because I thrive in chaos.
We went to memphis for Thanksgiving and stayed with my Mom for a couple of days, went to my cousins house to meet her new Hubby.He seems nice and he is a chef so we got along really well. It didn't hurt that he fixed all of the food and he could have fed about a dozen more of us. Had a great meal at my Mom's house the next night. I cooked ribs and ABT's for Thanksgiving proper. Friday we had pizza from Memphis Pizza Cafe and my stepsister and Brother in law came in with their kid Zach, whom we had never seen. He is a real cut up and ladies man. He's about 18 months old and is the center of attention. They also brought their dogs. Did I mention we have a new puppy. We took her too! In all Friday night there were 6 adults, 7 kids and 5 dogs all of varying sizes running around her house. I know she had to be frazzled. I was a little frazzled and I didn't even stay there that night.
Friday night we stayed with my sister and her kids and her dogs and I saw my Dad. The nephews already have their Christmas presents. A real live drum kit-one of the best I have ever seen and a guitar and amp that I wish I'd had when I was that age, heck I would have loved it when I was thirty. We made a lot of noise and the girls played doing what girls do and the dogs played doing what dogs do. A whole lotta sniffin and barkin. Wait, that sounds like what a lot of girls do. Anyway,we drove home in a wintery mix of snow rain and darkness and listened to Art Bell on the radio, turning the radio only to get football scores. I wish I had more time when I come into town and a list of phone numbers to get together with friends, but my family is super important to me and now that I am starting a new job, I won't get another vacation for about 6 months. And hopefully it will be spent mostly at the beach, with stops in Memphis on the way back.
Oh, the new job, well I am back in the restaurant bidness and I couldn't be happier. The pay is more, the benefits are better and if I work on my day off I actually get paid for it. I am salary + bonus and it is with a major chain. I won't mention it here but if you wanna come see me you'll be eatin good in the neighborhood. I have never been with a solid, major chain. I hope they don't go mixing up all of their rules and decide to fip their menu like everyother chain I have been with. It's not fancy but i can do fancy at home, and now I might be able to afford fancy now and again. So, yes I have mapped out my paydays to get all of the loans I have taken out back to their rightfull owners and I might be able to get that liposuction for my fat head. At least I can keep my gym membership. I have (or had) been running 2-3 miles a day, 5 days a week and working my upper body. I have not seen any results as of yet, but I feel a little better and it keeps me off the streets.
Well, that is all I have for now. Pictures to come after I get them from Mom. Our camera is KAPUT.
SF

Short recap

I went, I saw, I ate until I thought I was gonna burst. I am back from Memphis and am still on vacation. I am still contemplating the new job and I am putting up the old Christmas tree. It's a 6 1/2 foot tall, pre-lit beauty but it is so old some of the lights are out. I'll get back to the real posts and some pictures tomorrow or the next day----HEY, I am still on vacation.

I got nothin'

I got nothin' going on. Well, I really got a lot going on. We went to Sake' hibatchi table to celebrate my birthday. It's not really my birthday but we needed an excuse to spend that much money. I am still in a euphoric state from the Sake' special. Filet, lobster, shrimp, scallops, fried rice and veggies for two. Yes, I split it with my wife. She got lucky on that one.
I also have a new job offer on the table. It is not a lot of money and it is more hours, but it is back in the Restaurant bidness. I love the push & pull, the give & take of money vs time in my world. I am also contemplating cancelling my gym membership. I love going there. I hate getting up early in the morning to go there.
So, the Memphis trip is definately on and I could not be more excited. I am tempted to just quit my job and leave right now, but I have a chance to make a little money before I quit. IF I quit. The new job will pay a lot less than my last restaurant job and will take up alot of my time in the winter. It is a great time to start because restaurants usually do not begin hiring again until late winter/mid spring.
I am taking some music equipment to Memphis because my nephews have guitars and drums now and are pretty good. I just need a band name for us. I am going to record us either on 4 track tape, or 8 track digital. We are going to my cousins house on weds, Mom's house on Thurs, Shopping on Fri and a cookout on saturday. I hope I can meet up with one of my best friends I've know since kindergarten somewhere in between.
Sorry for the dry post but I am as full as a tick.

I cannot wait to see my Dad.
SF

Humor

I was just watching Letterman & he was interviewing the great Bill Cosby. Dude is sharp as a tack. Some things my parents gave me are my love of food, my love of music and my (twisted) sense of humor. I got my love of food from the cookouts we would have. I got my love of music from the Saturdays cleaning the house with the stereo full blast and I got my sense of humor from the albums my parents had. Flip Wilson, Redd Foxx, The Smothers Brothers and Dr. Bill Cosby.

If you like this check out youtube and see what other gems he has on there.
I'll be busy with my ark.
SF

Travel plans, Thanksgiving, restaurants

Well, we have decided to go to Memphis for Thanksgiving. I know, I know, stop the presses. But you might not understand. For one, I am missing my Father's side of the family's Thanksgiving which is this weekend. I miss that side alot. I have not seen any of them in about 2 years. I miss my other side of my family just as much. They are both different but similar. Both like to cut up and both like to eat but my Fathers side of the family likes to make plans and stick to them. Kinda like a schedule. I'm good with that, you know what you getting and when. My Mom's side is more of a seat of your pants kinda group. You never really know who will show up and when they will leave. I get a nice balance of spontaneity, goofiness, practicality and timeliness from them both. I hope I get to see everyone that is in town that 5 days.
That being said, I will be busier that a one legged waitress at the I-HOP. (sorry) I always get to town with a grand plan of getting to do exactly what I wanna do, when I wanna do it and nothing will stand in my way. Then reality sets in. I realize that the reason I am there is to reconnect with the people I love and the people that love me. No matter what. Sooooo...I decided to make a list of the things I would do after everyone was back to their work week and were sick of me mooching off of them. Deep down, well, you don't have to go too deep, I am a restaurant guy. I love the food and the atmosphere and people watching. I like checking out the customers, the staff and to see how the managers interact with guests. I also like seeing food that is on the cutting edge or eating food I haven't had since grade school. This is if I had no limits/time/money/obligation restrictions.
Here we go!
1)Run in either the Turkey Trot at Shelby farms or the Jingle Bell Run at Audubon park.
2)Go to the Enchanted Forrest with the girlies
3)Go to these restaurants that I have never been to:
a)Lolo's table
b)Gus's fried chicken
c)Sekisui-Midtown
d)Bigfoot Lodge
e)Tsunami--I worked for Chef Ben
f)McEwans on Monroe
g)Pearl's--love me some Oysters
h)Itta Bena
A long list but I have heard great things about these places.
4)Go to places I have been to:
a)The Pier-best I can do
b)Pete & Sam's=old school
c)Rendezvous-John Hiatt said it best
d)Jim's Place East
e)Owen Brennan's-Sunday Brunch
5)Go to these restaurants that I am more familiar with
a)Jarrett's-Rick and Barb are the best
b)Bosco's---MMmmm...Pizza
c)Cafe' Ole'
d)Young Ave. Deli

Of course I will not make it to all of those places. I will probably not make it to any of those places. it's nice to have dreams. Family comes first and that is the reason I go back to Memphis and if I can just spend some good time with my family on my vacation, it will be all worth it, especially since I am going for a good reason('cause I wanna) instead of a bad reason ('cause I have to).
I'll post more of what I would like to take the time to do when I get time and when I am not craving spinach and mushroom quesadillas & bacon wrapped BBQ shrimp from Cafe' Ole'
Don't forget the Pancho's cheese dip,
SF