Leningrad Dixieland, Angry Orchard Fiery Apple & Ain't That A Shame

Regarding the first part, I recently went down a rabbit hole on YouTube and stumbled upon a video of Soviet jazz, of all things. I went to Google Translate to look up the name of a track (as I don't know Cyrillic) and that was its name. The tune was as strange as you'd imagine. I'll explain the rest in a bit.

Monday, I had to go out and about to talk to someone about something. That's as detailed as I'll get in talking about what I had to do. As I was in Orlando, I also was at a few different spots. I got some items from the Trader Joe's in Winter Park and then I was at the Altamonte Mall, where I walked around then had food from Chick fil A. I'll still eat there once in a blue moon even if I strongly disagree with their views on homosexuality.

Tuesday and Wednesday I didn't do a thing so let me skip ahead to Thursday. I decided to go to Buffalo Wild Wings. I looked at their website to see what limited edition flavor they had now for wings and it was Angry Orchard Fiery Apple, which combined Angry Orchard with the popular “among the youth” Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, which is something I am glad was not around during my college days at Illinois State University. It was good.

Friday and Saturday I didn't do a thing either (aside from go to Culver's to try out the flavor of the day they had then, which was Chocolate Dream... an appropriate name) so let me skip ahead to Sunday. What I did there was return to Winter Garden Village and I not only spent time in a Best Buy but I also got a beverage from Planet Smoothie. While in there they did not play the usual modern crap music I never listen to-and needless to say I did not watch the ratchet clownshow that was the MTV awards show on this night for a format they rarely show on their toilet bowl of a channel-and instead it was JUDAS PRIEST then a song I decided to listen to on YouTube a few days prior as I hadn't heard it in ages, the Cheap Trick version of Ain't That A Shame. Both that and the Fats Domino original are pretty great to me. Anyhow, with the wretched traffic I dealt with the times I was out, I was fine with not going out more.

I should mention with there only being a few months left of this year that I really don't know my plans yet when it comes to the small time college football games I'll be seeing (except that I'll attend at least one). Also, in the latter part of December there are several interesting events I could go to but that is up in the air as while not confirmed yet I presume I'll be going up to Kansas again around the time of Christmas to see family. Depending on what days I'll be gone will determine what I'll do at the end of the year. Among the things I could do are the UFC on Fox show in Orlando (only because the card looks nice; I still have a beef with that organization) and out of all the times the Bears game in Tampa Bay could be, it's at the very end of the year. Figures.

When I return a week from today, I am not quite sure what I'll be writing about... for the most part.

Pig Goat Banana Cricket, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. & Being Obstreperous

It was not me who was being obstreperous. I recently heard that word (meaning “noisy and difficult to control”) used elsewhere and as it's me I was amused to see that obscure term on a podcast. I won't go into details but I encountered some people in the past week who fit that bill. I also recently discovered that there's a new Nick TV show called Pig Goat Banana Cricket and apparently it's pretty bad. Just from looking at pictures of the characters, what a literally ugly-looking cartoon. I wish things were like back in the day when I regularly got to see Looney Tunes cartoons on television and such programs like the original Teenage Mutant Turtles or Batman: The Animated Series.

Anyhow, this past Monday all I did was go to a Staples to pick up some random items, Tuesday was dull and Wednesday, things were more interesting. I went and got a much-needed haircut, and in the evening I returned to a place I only went to once before. Back in June I talked (maybe “ranted” is a better term) about going to a new theatre on US Highway 27 (always a highway with awful traffic) known as Cinepolis to see Jurassic World. Besides the film itself being awful, I also had a pretty bad customer experience there, not helped by how that place is much more about aesthetics than customer ease or satisfaction. Still, I decided to give them another chance. It was far less busy, which was nice, and I had no issues. Then again, I just got a soda and popcorn at concessions. As 27 is such an awful drive, who knows how often I'll feel like returning there. As I live near a major city there are many theatres I can go to, including one only a few miles from where I live.

The movie I saw was The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Not even my parents saw the original 60's TV show. I still gave it a chance and well, I can only rate it as about average. I wish that Henry Cavill wouldn't have been constantly hammy to the point of annoyance and creepiness, and a story of some substance. A shame, as the early 60's setting, music, and fashion were all groovy. I also have to admit that both Rebecca Ferguson and Alicia Vikander are attractive Swedish actresses who have broken out this summer in big roles.

Thursday, I went out with someone to a nearby restaurant we hadn't been to in a long while: Texas Roadhouse. We both enjoyed our meals. Friday and Saturday I didn't do a thing, which I was fine with. Sunday, I did actually go somewhere: Walmart, mainly for some soda. As I am done taking about the week, let me make the aside that this past week was a rare occasion I saw an 80's Rolls Royce sedan on the highway; they are ether the Silver Shadow or the longer wheelbase Silver Spur. They get only like 8 miles a gallon but I imagine still have a great ride and are comfortable.

I don't have much on the docket for the upcoming week; as always I'll stumble into things to talk about.

Replay Amusement Museum, Baseball, German Restaurants & Guntram Shatterhand

I recently discovered that the Ian Fleming novel You Only Live Twice has a fake name for Blofeld where he calls himself Guntram Shatterhand and I am disappointed that name wasn't used in the movie version of the book... and to me it sounds like the name of a Jaeger in Pacific Rim. This past week I actually did a few interesting activities, for once.

Monday evening, I returned to the Orlando International Premium Outlets, a place I haven't been for I don't know how many months. It's largely the same as it's always been. I walked around, went in various stores, and purchased a pair of shirts. Tuesday I didn't do anything but Wednesday, that was a busy day. I went to a pair of locations in the Tampa area. The first one was a place that opened last November in Tarpon Springs but due in part to its distance from where I live and it not being open on Monday or Tuesday, this was the first time I was able to go to the Replay Amusement Museum. 

It's like the special events I've gone to the past few years where you pay a flat fee and you can pay all sorts of old arcade machines and both old-school classic pinball tables and some newer ones. While the tables weren't always in optimum condition (which is always the case at these things) it was still nice to play some tables that the community says are all-time favorites. I am talking about such things as Medieval Madness, The Twilight Zone, the Collector's Edition of The Addams Family, and Creature from the Black Lagoon. They had a healthy crowd there, which is nice as I was worried it was the sort of thing that may not do good business. However, it also meant that I had to deal with snot-nose punk kids or stupid adults too often. Sigh. I am still glad I got to try it out once, and hopefully they keep on doing decent business.

I then drove down to Tropicana Field to see the Tampa Bay Rays play an interleague game against the Atlanta Braves; both teams are about average or a little below average. I am not surprised the Rays are like that, as among other things they have a new manager. There were plenty of Braves fans around; I was fine with that as it meant the stadium was at least half full. I don't blame the owners of the team if they decide eventually to move elsewhere. I would feel bad for the superfans, such as the two women who sat in front of me in the upper deck seats. They were really into it. They even trolled some of the Atlanta fans there, which made me laugh as I was not expecting it. As for the game, Tampa Bay made some dumb mistakes so they were losing; then, Atlanta made even worse mistakes so the Rays won 9-6. It was a fun game with a lot of action. I won't be back to Tropicana Field until late next spring.

Thursday and Friday I didn't do anything but Saturday I went out and about. I first ate at the PDQ in Sanford; I was happy to get food from there, as always. I then went to the German restaurant up there, which is now become a yearly tradition around this time, where someone I know has a birthday get-together there. I had dessert (this time the delicious Schnappsberry Cheesecake) as I listened to the polka music they played. It was nice seeing my pal there as due to circumstances I rarely get to see them anymore.

Sunday, I relaxed and didn't do a thing. The past week has had some rainy weather and as I always say, Florida drivers are even worse in those conditions. When I return a week from today I don't think I'll have too much to write about. Plans could always change, though.

Hammertoes, Computer Issues, & The Art Of Shaming Blair

No, I do not have Hammertoes myself... thankfully, as it sounds like a painful thing to deal with. I just saw an advertisement for it on a van while driving and I was amused as that was a first for me. The other two things... I'll get to them in a moment.

This was yet another not too exciting week for me. That is OK as I realize now how old and lame I am. Monday, at least I did go to Walt Disney World, Epcot in particular. I had to renew my annual pass, which I did. I walked around there for a bit and I had dinner. Thankfully due to the rainy/overcast weather for much of the week, most of the time it wasn't too hot out, including on this day. It was nice to get some exercise.

Tuesday and Wednesday... oh boy. I had to spend a lot of time on more than one computer. I helped out multiple people. Putting Windows 10 on one computer was a task that took some time but at least it went as expected. The other case I had to deal with... I still don't quite know what happened with that person's laptop, except that I am quite confident it was not their fault. It took a lot longer than expected to fix the issue and there was a last-minute thing that creeped up but eventually I fixed it which was good as I was under a time limit to fix it before that person left for a few weeks.

Really, I am glad this past week is over with. Between those computer stresses likely adding a few more grey hairs to people treating me rudely (on the highway or in person; traffic as of late has been even worse than usual) and not only getting yelled at for trying to help someone else but I was also shamed for something... I know I am not a saint but it doesn't mean I enjoy such treatment. At least Thursday I did go out and about. The main thing I'll discuss there is that the last place I ended up was Downtown Disney/Disney Springs again, this time while the sun was still out. That place being busy, still tore up from construction and other issues... who knows when I'll return. I ate at the old familiar known as Splitsville and I was happy to do that as I do like their food, and it was more of the same on this day.

Friday through Sunday weren't too exciting. Friday I stayed at home and relaxed, and Saturday I got dinner for me and someone else, and as they dig the food from Wawa, that's where I went; we both liked our meals. Sunday, I thought I had to go out and about to get something, then I looked around at home and realized I didn't have to; that suited me fine as it meant I did not have to deal with traffic or the super busy stores that are due to it being tax-free time in Florida. I'll take advantage of that but it'll be during a weeknight.

When I return a week from today, I do have some activities planned so hopefully everything will go well.

The Hot Rod, Smokehouses & Mission: Impossible-Rogue Nation

As a pro wrestling fan I of course have to state that I was quite shocked when I heard late Friday afternoon that Rowdy Roddy Piper had passed away. What a character he was. I saw him wrestle on TV countless numbers of times, heard him be a commentator, and otherwise be a wrestling personality. He was around since I started watching wrestling way back when so that news did make me sad.

Anyhow, I did not do anything on Monday and Tuesday the only thing I did was go out with someone to a Florida chain we hadn't been to in a long while: Beef O'Brady's. Their food is fine so we were fine going there. In the evening I returned to the place that eventually will be Disney Springs. I wanted to see what was new (I had a tasty donut while I was there) and also, I went to see a film. In the few days before this I saw again the first three Mission: Impossible movies. The first one is cool, the second and third less so. AMC Theatres again did a charity thing during the summer where they bring back older films and you see them for only 5 bucks. I saw the 4^th M:I movie that way, and I hadn't seen it since I watched it on the big screen back in late 2011. I do still dig it and the long Dubai segment is awesome.

Wednesday was another dull day so onto Thursday. I had yet another airport run to make in the evening. Unfortunately there were even more problems with that low-rent airline. There were airplane problems so that person came in a few hours late and I picked them up about 5 minutes before 1 in the morning. I felt bad for that person as they ended up having a long day but for me, I had the opportunity to see the new Mission: Impossible movie. I saw it on the giant screen they have at the Epic Theatres way up in Deltona; as I went to the Sanford Airport the timing worked out where I could do it. The movie I enjoyed about as much as Ghost Protocol, which is similar and different to Rogue Nation. At least the drive up there and back went fine, at least in terms of Florida traffic.

Friday through Sunday, things weren't as exciting and I am OK with that. Friday I got gas and then went to Winter Garden Village (the outdoor mall I mention often) where I went to Best Buy and purchased some minor items. Saturday, it was a UFC pay per view in Brazil where Ronda Rousey was in the main event. I did not go out to see it although I still saw the main event (nevermind how), where the result was expected. For plenty of reasons I have soured on the UFC and plus, they don't show pay per views on the big screen any longer. So, I didn't feel like finding a sports bar to attend and see what I think is now a pretty awful promotion that is run horribly, and watch a show that overall wasn't too great and oh yeah it was also a 4 hour pay per view that didn't end until like 1:30 in the morning. No thank you.

Sunday, I actually did do something; I went with my parents to a restaurant; it was a small chain with a few locations in this part of the state known as Oakwood Smokehouse. I've talked about that place before and their food is fine so I had no problem going there and both the experience and food were indeed fine. The fact that it did not rain (which it has done often this past week) was nice too. As for when I return next Monday, I have some ideas in mind when it comes to things to do.