Adam Thomas's Blog, page 12

What the truck?

Traverse City is considered a ‘foodie’ destination. Well, on a smaller, yet comparable scale to larger metropolises.  So, it only makes sense that keeping up with the Big City Jones is constantly on task. Especially, when the newest food trends are involved.  In this postal case, it’s not necessarily a trend, but a  truck.  A Food Truck.

The concept of the food truck is kinda cool. This is summer in Traverse City. Countless festivals and events scheduled throughout the season and well into Fall draw both locals and tourists. Correction: tourists.  Locals hate those damn festivals.  And, don’t even get me started on the fucking tourists.  Regardless of my hate, the ability to stroll around the town and sit outside eating from this newest trend would be rather fun.

From push cart to food truck

1691 – New Amsterdam (now known as New York City) begins regulating street vendors selling food from push carts.

1866 – The Chuck wagon is invented by Charles Goodnight to feed cattlemen and wagon trains traversing the old West.

1894 – Sausage vendors sell their wares outside the student dorms at major eastern universities (Yale, Harvard, Princeton, and Cornell), and their carts became known as “dog wagons”.

1936 – Oscar Mayer rolls out the first portable hot dog cart The Weiner Mobile.

1974 – Raul Martinez converted an old ice cream truck into the nation’s first taco truck and parked it outside of an East Los Angeles bar

1980’s – Grease trucks begin parking on Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ selling “Fat Sandwiches” to college students.

July 2006 – Wikipedia adds “food truck” to their list of entries

January 2010 – Southern California Mobile Food Vendors Association (SoCalMFVA) is created, becoming the first organization created to protect the rights of gourmet food truck owners.

August 2010 – The Great Food Truck Race marks the first television program centered on the mobile food industry.

February 2012 – Food Trucks serves NFL Superbowl Fans in Indianapolis.

June 2014 – The National Food Truck Association is formed creating the first national association of food truck associations.

The truck stops here

Here in Traverse there is one main designated area where the trucks can actually stop. Permanently.  I reviewed some of the ordinances and by-laws restricting food truck operations.  The pdf was long – too long for my attention span.  Besides, it was written in that lawyer talk. I can’t understand that shit. I managed to pull off a pretty realistic courtroom ‘drama’ in My …  Fictionalized Memoir, but that proverbial ‘truck’ ran out of gas.

Little Fleet

http://www.thelittlefleet.com/food-trucks/

Honestly, I don’t get out much.  Some weeks I work three closing shifts and the weekend.  Going anywhere is an effort – especially when there are people involved.  So,  It’s best for everyone if I stay home.  But I must say, if I had one of those cushy office jobs downtown AND I didn’t work retail, I would probably be a lunchtime Food Truck regular. Maybe.

What the Truck?

It’s a good thing these twins aren’t vegan, eh?

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the unsolicited share

My store has had a few staffing changes – the pharmacy manager quit.  Retail sucks.  As does the people that made her life miserable.  She found a better opportunity elsewhere.  Good for her.  As the new staff is settling in, introductions are made and  … personal information is shared.  Unfortunately, some of this  ‘personal information’ shared is too personal and should NOT be shared. With anyone.  Even the words, “tell me about yourself” don’t warrant certain Intel.

Unlike most work environments, the pharmacy is confined in not only square footage but personal boundaries. As a result, I am constantly aware and quite protective of my ‘space’.  In other words, “take a step back. Bitch.”  Considering the nature of this post, “shut the fuck up” shortly follows.

how to share my postal point

I wasn’t quite sure how to present what I wanted to convey.  Too many random opportunities to ramble incessantly existed.  To streamline, I decided a question/thought – answer format would be appropriate. So, here goes – hope it works.

definition –

to share –

to talk about one’s thoughts, feelings, or experiences with others
 to grant or give a share in 
 to tell (thoughts, feelings, experiences, etc.) to others —both often used with with

usually sharing is consensual

unsolicited –

not asked for or requested

evolution of the unsolicited share

Close proximity with co-workers allows barriers to be broken faster. In the pharmacy, I think it happens even faster than most settings.  Then casual, yet caustic zingers about customers are often mistaken as permission to continue conversing, opening the unsolicited information flood gates.

the hypocrisy of My Life

At work, I AM a closed book.  I talk very little about my personal life.  I save that for my fictional alter ego. Besides, it’s none of anyone’s damn business.

idle conversation or awkward silence?
No silence is ever awkward – only welcome.  Besides, I can kill the engine on any conversation with one steely glare. Whether that conversation is idle or in overdrive.  My male version of the ole RBF serves me well.  Bring it!

offenders and their recipients in MY interpreted order, of course –
women to women –  a no brainer – women share way to much – it’s usually unsolicited and unwanted.
men to women –  men still disclose more random information to women.  Unsure why.  Flirtation technique?
women to men – as women continue to castrate men both physically, verbally, and whatever other way possible,                                     this will probs be #2 sooner than later
men to men – men just don’t talk that much with other men. And, unsolicited sharing … . Ah, no. Thankfully!
worse thing ever shared with me

I was once asked my thoughts on women taking Viagra.  Oh, this is the same female technician that asked if I shaved. Regularly.

worse thing I’ve ever shared
Nothing.  I don’t share.
worse thing I’ve heard a co-worker share with another co-worker

three frightening words: Prince Albert piercing

Best way to end a conversation (and this post)

Disclosing something like that would definitely be sufficient.  As far as this post is concerned, I’ll take my own advice and shut the fuck up!

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fizz is the new flat

Around the New Year, I posted about Champagne.  Well, that and Sparkling Wine.  Traverse City is a long way from Champagne, France.  Be geography as it is, I decided to stay with the fizz for one more entry and talk sparkling soda.  It is summer – finally. What better time to enjoy a refreshing beverage?

During my college days, I had my stint of the branded soda/pop varieties.  However, as I aged I opted for water. And, still do.  Though recently, I discovered these new aged soda shit things and they are totally fun.

Fortunately, Traverse City has their own soft drink brewery –  Northwoods Soda and Syrup Company. To provide a balanced post, I chose to highlight two other companies that brew more of the sparkling/carbonated fruit drink variety.  Even though they aren’t local, they are equally deserving of recognition.

Izze

Two best friends Todd Woloson and Greg Stroh were hanging out in blue-sky Boulder, Colorado, having a drink and talking about life and stuff. They wanted to make a drink that didn’t just taste good, but did good for the world. They both loved the sophisticated, all-natural sodas common in Europe and decided it was time to bring that sparkling drink to America. They named their special new drink after a very special person, Todd’s daughter.

Izze was my first.  (pause)  Venture into ‘sparkling soda’, that is.
Blackberry and Grapefruit are my favorites.  Pomegranate has a slightly bitter aftertaste. Definitely down for trying Apple, though no desire for Clementine anything.
70% juice  which is quite nice
Very bright, colorful packaging
owned by Pepsi, but I won’t hold THAT against them.

Bundaberg 

This website is way fun to peruse.

Jake the bald butcher at my favorite meat market here in Traverse started carrying Bundaberg Brews recently.  It was an impulse buy on my part.  One I am totally thankful I indulged.  Yes, this product has less fruit content and way more sugar.  But, it is surprisingly balanced.  The packaging is also cool.  Did I mention the website is fun?

it’s Australian – very Down for that Under
their specialty is Ginger Beer – apparently the sub-tropical soils of Queensland on Australia’s east-coast are perfect for growing ginger and sugarcane.  Who knew? 
even though it’s called beer it is non-alcoholic.  Be open-minded, okay?
they have a building shaped like a half-barrel complete with a tasting room and gift shop.
that website I referenced is called Brewniverse – an Infinite Cosmos of Brewed Content    indexing Mixology/Brewed Food/Upcycling  with everything from recipes that use the brews (Blood Orange Sweet and Sour Pork and Ginger Beer cake) to creative ideas that reuse both the rip caps and signature glass bottles.

https://www.bundaberg.com/

Northwoods Soda

In 1988, some dude moved to Grand Traverse County, wanting to start his own soft drink company. So, he did.  By the end of the first year, he acquired 2 distributors a restaurant chain, and a few loyal customers.  To this day it remains the only local soft drink company.

pretty simple story – pretty simple, yet successful product
the signature flavors are ginger and root beer – both are actually too sweet for me
my favorite is the Lake Effect Pomegranate Lemonade – very smooth and refreshing

Well, that’s it for now.  There’s more, of course, but my fizz is running out.  I wouldn’t want my post to go … flat.

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hopes and dreams of chickens everywhere

First, let me apologize. I never intended to have two posts about crossing roadways back to back. Bill 6 went into law July 2017.  But, I didn’t hear about it until early December -too late to post about walking.  Besides, I had to wait for summer.  I blame them Brady bitches – couldn’t get that damn song out of my head.  This post is more recent, of course.  And, the the most Random of Nonsense. What’s a blogger to do?

I dream of a world where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned.

My favorite bakery here in Traverse calls their dining area ‘the Roost’.  Consequently, it is decorated accordingly.  A plaque with the picture of a chicken and the above verse caught my attention.  I laughed. Hard. It’s really funny – especially if said with a hint of dramatic flare.

Recently, my Mom was having a bad day.  In an attempt to lighten our conversation and, more importantly her mood, I shared my newfound chicken chatter.  We laughed. Hard.  Those ‘motivational’ words served their purpose well.  So well in fact, I decided to blog it forward.

Don’t worry.  I am not going to provide countless examples pertaining to said chicken and its intentions. Hell, I think those jokes are really kinda stupid. Moreover, I tackled the actual ‘crossing’ issue in the last post.

date of the first attempt –

1847 – Monthly New York magazine Knickerbocker is the first to publish the classic, “why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.”

That’s all I’s got.  I wanted to include more, but even the ever trusted Wikipedia (sarcastic tone implied) had little information.  Here’s what probably happened. Farmers eventually heard the joke. After that, no chicken or its motives were safe from comedic ridicule.

theories attempting to explain what happened – 

Marie Curie: Good question. And one that is much less hazardous to one’s health.

Albert Einstein: The chicken did not cross the road. The road passed beneath the chicken.

Stephen Hawking: Chicken fluctuations will inevitably create a scenario where a chicken ends up on the other side of the yellow line, in which case there is a nonzero probability that it will escape to the other side.

Isaac Newton: Chickens at rest tend to stay at rest. Chickens in motion tend to cross roads.

Carl Sagan: There are billions and billions of such chickens, crossing roads just like this one, all across the universe.

What the peck?

Personally, I think all chickens should be … Free Range.  Moreover, if they want to cross the damn road – go for it.  Motives are often highly over-rated.
Chickens are simple, yet seemingly responsible creatures. I’m certain they would never get distracted from the task at … claw.
Sir Isaac Newton died in 1727.  Chickens weren’t ‘outed’ until 1847.  Hmm… .
Lastly, my chicken posting stops here. I may included a recipe down the line.  But that’s it.  Please know I would never attempt to address that age old chicken-egg controversy.  Though reading Einstein’s thoughts may be interesting.

Speaking of eggs, my breakfast is ready.  So, I will close this post in a similar fashion as the epilogue to My Life.

Order up!

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a ‘fine’ day for a walk

Police in Honolulu … will begin writing tickets for people who get distracted by their cellphones while walking in a crosswalk. Honolulu is the first major city in the country to pass such a law, citing a high rate of pedestrians being hit in crosswalks.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell signed Bill 6, also known as the Distracted Walking Law, in July 2017. At the time, he said that Honolulu held “the unfortunate distinction of being a major city with more pedestrians being hit in crosswalks, particularly our seniors, than almost any other city in the county.”

Under the new law, the only legal reason for a pedestrian to use a cellphone while crossing a street or highway would be to call 911 to report an emergency.
 not limited to cellphones – a downward glance at a screen of any kind will cost you — a phone, a tablet, a video game.
Minimum fines for breaking the new law start at $15; for repeat offenders, the penalty ranges from $75 to $99. Higher rates — up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second, and $500 for a third — had been considered earlier this year.
pedestrian deaths have increased by 11%
when pedestrians use a cellphone, “this distraction can cause them to trip, cross roads unsafely or walk into motionless objects such as street signs, doors or walls.”

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/10/25/559980080/honolulus-distracted-walking-law-takes-effect-targeting-phone-users

So much to comment on, so little blog space, eh?

Personally, I think the legislation is a step in the right direction. (pun intended) Everyone has their own agenda today. Unfortunately, nothing on anyone’s agenda has to do with common sense or courtesy whatsoever.

As if Hawaii thought they had issues – here in Northern Michigan we have stupid idiots that ride their bikes and attempt to text.  On the shoulder of a busy four lane street. First of all, these people should not attempt to multi task.  Ever.  Second, there are very good reasons  grown man are riding their bikes. This IS Northern Michigan.

Ugh!

My opening comment about having so much to comment on was wrong.  Well, kinda.  There is.  But, my rambling would be unreadable gibberish with lots of foul language.  So, I’ll just stop.  Maybe I’ll go for a walk outside now.  I won’t be … fined.  Remember, I don’t have a cell phone.  Besides, the summertime is calling my name. 

 

I just hope those Brady bitches look both ways before entering the crosswalk.

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doggie downers

Back in May 2017, I posted about 7 things I hated because of others.  Number 5 on that list was pet prescriptions.  Well, a year later nothing is different. Not that I would’ve thunk otherwise, mind you.  In fact, that damn list just got longer. Oddly enough, my ‘hate’ regarding this particular issue has changed. Sadly, the amount of pet prescriptions has increased dramatically. Yes, some of these pets have documented issues and need to be treated appropriately.  However, this is not always the case.

http://www.drugtopics.com/editors-choice-drtp/prescriptions-pets-are-rise

Fido is so over playing ‘fetch’

Today when I dispense a vet prescription, I actually feel sorry for the dumb dog. Please know – I realize that dogs are not dumb by any means. It’s just a catch phrase – like “Damn kids!” Actually, it’s the situation that’s dumb.  What the hell did Fido ever do to warrant medication? Truthfully, fetch gets boring.  Fast. Catching a Frisbee isn’t easy, either.  Especially with your mouth. And, maybe Trixie, the neighborhood poodle, was wagging her tail that certain way. I’m thinking Fido would much rather ‘style’ it up with that bitch than catch a fucking frisbee.

Rex does’t like parties

Thirty some years ago, I was young and beautifully bronzed from reckless summer days of life guarding.  Without sunscreen. Gasp.  Yeah, baby! Jack, the pool manager, used to have an annual bash for the employees. It was usually themed and quite fun.  Unfortunately, his dog Rex didn’t like to party. To address this issue, Jack contacted his vet for some ‘doggie downers’ as they were so affectionately referenced.

Fast forward to present day. I am now old, wrinkled, and blogging about my concern for said doggie downers.  Back then, I had no idea what Jack slipped Rex.  Today, I know way too much than I care to about what owners are giving their pets.

Prozac, Paxil, Trazodone, Gabapentin have all been used for anxiety and stress related events in every dogs life.  (Note – underlying sarcastic tone) I understand that thunderstorms, fireworks, and summer parties, can elicit  anxious behavior, but, grooming?

Last, but definitely not least, there’s the go to anti-anxiety favorite for pets and owners alike – Xanax.  Because, you know, even Rover attends … summer weddings.

https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/new-xanax/n37070

Patches is in pain

Pain medication can also be prescribed for acute and chronic inflammatory conditions.  Luckily, diagnostic tools can assess the presence of these symptoms. Unlike the ‘assumption’ that Fido is depressed because of his aversion to having things thrown at him.  Meloxicam and Piroxicam are non-steroidal alternatives to reduce swelling. Tramadol has become the new staple for pain ever since Norco changed narcotic classes in light of that whole opioid crisis. Unfortunately for Fluffy, her owner likes Tramadol a bit too much.  It’s pretty pathetic when a vet calls to establish dispensing parameters. Owner-resistant packaging may be the necessary deterrent to mandate.  Kids can open child-resistant closures easier than most adults.  So, I’m thinkin’ Fido would be quite entertained watching his owner attempt that ‘trick’.

Woof. Woof!

P.S. – I still hate mustaches.

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partly, partly forecast

Believe it or not, I AM an optimist.  (Pause) I wanted that statement to settle in before I continued. Granted, my postal ramblings are often peppered with negative comments.   But, can you blame me?  Look around.  It ain’t pretty out there.  And, I work retail pharmacy.  The only ‘positive’ is a new mandate to encourage dispensing a naltrexone emergency kit to a narcotic abuser.  So when there are signs of respiratory depression from an ‘accidental’ opioid overdose, their ass will be saved. (sarcasm intended)

Oh, and that anger issue I kinda have … . Trust me, my bark is much worse than my bite.  Though sometimes that unapproachable asshole aura I have acquired keeps the riff-raff at bay. It’s … nice. Riff-raff totally sucks.

I rise above it all and, more often than not, view the glass as half full. By the way, I hate that damn glass.  It’s so fucking stupid. One simple catch phrase cannot determine your state of mind. Alas, I move forward beyond the emptiness of my opening rant and present the reason for this tantrum.  Of temper .. ature?

As I have stated before, I’m a The Weather Channel slug.  The Local on the 8’s totally rock for my weather needs. Though I must admit, my slugness stops there. I do the 8’s and … I’m great. (pun intended) A few weeks back, I tuned in a bit early and caught an advertisement clip released from Weather Underground – a weekday scheduled program. A few meteorologists present the weather and related phenomenon in a relaxed atmosphere. Dr. Greg Postel, a frequent guest/regular, is quite the climate dude. Recently, he addressed the ever controversial debate between partly sunny AND partly cloudy.

Spoiler alert: there is NO difference.  Both terms refer to the same ‘measurable’ amount of cloud cover.

Temperature Tantrum: Partly Cloudy vs. Partly Sunny

"Partly cloudy," or "partly sunny" – is there REALLY a difference? Dr. Greg Postel has some not-so-happy thoughts about it in his latest Temperature Tantrum!

Posted by AMHQ on Saturday, May 12, 2018

Indulging in the cliche, Dr. Postel went, well, postal during his ‘Temperature Tantrum‘. He equated the scenario to that fucking glass.  “It’s all about the … outlook,” he finally said, kicking back with a cocktail that was filled appropriately.

The presentation was rather humorous, but I have a problem with the reasoning. Imagine that, eh? Hear me out though.  Semantically, partly sunny seems like the more positive verbiage.  In reality, partly cloudy eludes to more sun than clouds. Yet, it’s the more negatively viewed scenario. Hmm… .

I know, I know.  It’s the weather. And, these are meteorologists. One of the only professions where you can be wrong the majority of the time and no one really cares.  Me, I will remain the unsuspecting optimist in the negative hypocrisy that is my relentless Tropical Storm – retail pharmacy.  My recent horrorscope indicated a career change was in my immediate forecast.  Hopefully my clouds will finally dissipate and I will be … mostly sunny.

NOTE: this video was only available on TWC Facebook page.  You may have to log in to view – I apologize.

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Fatherly advice?

We were at church on Mother’s Day. Yes, the entire family.  Rarely does that happen anymore, considering work schedules and … life.  A young family was seated directly in front of us.  The youngest child – probably about 18 months old – caught my attention.  So damn cute. Of course, I thought of my children and how they were once that young.  It seemed that things were so much easier then.  Still, I would never go back.  Hell, I almost have two of my three out of the house.  Why on earth would I ever go back?

My main goal a a parent was to always be around.  Not in that hell-icopter sort of way.  But in an existence way.  So, if anything was ever needed, I was present. I am a huge home body which made this very easy.  I think just being accessible is the the most important part of parenting.  Well, that and listening.  Even when you are not part of the conversation, you can still hear what’s being said.

Another perk to being around is that I accommodate my children’s needs.  Within reason, of course.  If my 21 year old son asks me to make him a sandwich, I willingly comply.  Can he do it himself? Most definitely. Soon, very soon, he will be out of the house on his own for good. I will never say the words,  “I wish I didn’t make that sandwich.” My wife says I am doing a huge disservice to the children by doating too much.  I disagree.

To this day, I have never logged into their school accounts to check grades or progress reports. I don’t even know how to do it. Furthermore, once the kids were in Middle School, I never attended a Parent-Teacher Conference.  Each child knew I would go if requested.  And, if something was needed, I would be on it.  Immediately.

My second child (the hockey player)  is a Senior in High School.  She has had quite the tumultuous year. A fucking roller coaster is probably a better description. Still, it was all good – planned to perfection by me.  She was in Canada for hockey training, hoping that would facilitate better college opportunities.  The world of collegiate hockey is a beast all its own, let me tell you. Often, she would call for advice, especially when it came time to choosing a college to attend. I offered my opinion, weighing the pro/con factor, still remaining … neutral. I did not want to be cliche either, offering false words of supposed wisdom that are a total disservice to the recipient. Besides, how could I ever make that decision? It’s all her.  And, it should be.  I was there for every loop of that fucking roller coaster, though.  She exited the ride stronger – I think. Me, I drank more.  Just kidding?!

Where is all this going? No fucking clue.  I don’t have all of the answers.  Hell, the answers I do provide are often ill-received.  Fortunately, things … work out.  One thing for certain – there will always be another carnival attraction.  Unfortunately, I may not always be tall enough to ride.

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first pancakes, now peonies

I come from a long ancestry of gardeners. Nothing compares to working outside. (insert: manly grunt) Unfortunately, Northern Michigan is not the ideal location to boast your botanical skills.  Every Spring my perennials struggle to … be perennial.  It’s a painstaking quest to find suitable, hearty hybrids.

My maternal grandmother had an amazing peony garden. A few years back, I incorporated peonies into my landscape in her honor. And, they are still going strong.  So, I’m sowing some more. Hell, I posted her pancake recipe.  May as well cite her as the source for this post.

Peonies have often been called the divas of the Spring garden.  Ironically, my grandmother didn’t have a diva bone in her body.  But, she treated her peonies as such.

Dynasty

In the gardens of China, peonies were known as far back as 1000 BC and were very popular in the imperial gardens. The plant was put under imperial protection during the Tand dynasty. During the Sung dynasty, which began at the end of the tenth century, peonies had spread throughout China. As new dynasties began and emperors moved their courts, peonies were also moved, adding to the widespread cultivation.

At the beginning of the eighth century, peonies reached Japan which is now a major producer. It was not until 1789 that the first tree peony came to Europe. Initially European gardens included only herbaceous species.

As in the eastern world, peonies were originally cultivated in Europe for their medicinal value – used to treat headache, asthma, and childbirth pain. It was not until much later in history that peonies began to be grown in Europe solely for their ornamental qualities.

https://www.gardeners.com/how-to/peony-care/8106.html

Growing up diva

Peonies prefer a sunny location with well-drained soil.
Good air circulation around the plant is also important.
Proper growing conditions help peonies avoid their only serious disease problem: botrytis – a fungal diseases present in most soils.
Kept in optimal conditions, a peony plant can live to be over 100 years old
Ants play an important role in helping peonies bloom. When they climb inside the buds, they help them open.

29 ‘shades’ of peonies

The American Peony Society recognizes six broad categories.  However, there are up to 29 different hybrid/grafted varieties – usually limited to coral, numerous shades/intensities of pink, and white.

Duchesse de Nemours – the peony ‘standard’ – a 150 years old wedding staple – I do!
Garden Treasure  – the only lemon yellow  bloom – #garden diversity
Sarah Bernhardht – this heirloom variety dates back to 1906
Dr. Alexander Fleming – I got nothin’
Raspberry Sundae and Pink Parfait – no ice cream required

sleeping beauty tips

– In China, the petals are parboiled and sweetened for use as a tea-time delicacy, in summer salads, or as garnish for punches and lemonades.

– To maximize vase life – harvest when bud starts to show color, cut stems forearm length, wrap in newspaper and store flat in the refrigerator (thus the sleeping beauty reference). To rehydrate – trim stem and place in warm water.

– Golf ball-sized buds can yield flowers that are 8 inches across.

– Rinse the flower in soapy water before bringing inside.

peony punch

Apparently, whatever buds remain on a peony after harvesting, the plant transfers its energy accordingly. The resulting flower is quite robust.  If the peony plant can do that after 100 years, I’m going to parboil me some petals, baby.

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Something to TALK About

So, let’s TALK about ‘The Life changing magic of not giving a fuck‘.

Giving a fuck means you care.  Furthermore, things that are cared about require your time, energy, and money.  Definitely not in that order, of course.  For me, everything is about money.  (I won’t go there right now because I want to streamline my synopsis.)  According to the TALKer, these three entities are your fuck budget. Calculated decisions go into how your time, energy, and money are spent.

 the TALKer

senior editor major publishing house
really, really unhappy
quit job – moved to tropical island to work for yourself

Good for her! (slight sarcastic tone implied) Otherwise, I’m just totally jealous.

 the TEDiphany
         removing yourself from what makes you unhappy opens new doors
This all happened because of mental decluttering – which is clearing out the brain of ‘the annoy‘ so there can be room for ‘the joy’ .
the NOT sorry meTED


decide what you don’t give a fuck about
don’t give a fuck
 usually this would make you an asshole


However, if you use honesty and politeness you can be NOT sorry and NOT be an asshole.

my TALK  TEDitorial

 The first time I viewed this link, I was … conflicted. The message is basic and plausible.  Life is all about assessing priorities and figuring out the proverbial ‘fuck budget’. I get it.  Here’s the conflicted part – the majority of what was discussed pertained to work environments – “go to work, but don’t do the social event”.  To be perfectly honest, that’s pretty easy.  It’s when the every day events of your personal life get thrown in the equation that your budget gets … fucked.  If you think about it, Ms. Knight had the perfect situation to liberate herself – newly married and NO KIDS. Granted, she qualified this fact, acknowledging few can do what she did. But, she never addressed how to budget  personal commitments accordingly. By the way, that ‘annoy – joy’ bit is a little too much in my opinion.  Bottom line – when a familial unit is involved, obligation and guilt are present and need to be present.  If not, you ARE a should be sorry asshole.

Of course she wrote a book – three actually. I think.  Moreover, her connections from being a Senior Editor at a major publishing house made those books a reality. Good for her! (Once again – slight sarcastic tone AND lots of jealousy). Note – I have not read any of her books.  This commentary is based solely on the TALK.

Just for the record, I am often NOT sorry and quite honest and polite about that fact. Yet, I AM still an asshole.  I’m fine with it. Asshole kinda works for me.
 the TALK home message
     massive, liberating change that lasts forever

This musical selection has absolutely nothing to do with TED.  But, it truly is  Something to TALK About. 

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