Here's a recap of what I've done in the past week, and sad to say there were too many days filled with crappy events. I won't even state what all of those things were as I don't want to be morose and a major Debbie Downer. There were several days in a row that were meh at best. Last Monday the 21st, I ended up in Orlando. The one place of note I went to was Total Wine & More as it had been too long since my last visit. I got a wide variety of different single cans and bottles. One of them was IRON MAIDEN TROOPER BEER; I had that on Saturday night and it was fine.
One of my parents had a friend down here for a week. They arrived here on the 21st and will be leaving early tomorrow. It is a yearly event. They decided to go to Carrabba's and as I hadn't been to one in years I decided to tag along. Their food was tasty; I had the spaghetti. Wednesday, we went to the local restaurant Lilly's on the Lake. I had talked about it a few times before last year, and that place isn't as good overall as it used to be. It's not really the food but it's other factors that make me say this. Thursday, we ended up at McAlister's Deli; I had been to one before, back in late '14 in the middle of Arkansas while on the journey to Kansas. The food tasted fine, although I wasn't too happy that my sandwich had mayo on it when I made it pretty clear that I only wanted a few things on it and that was not one of them. It was that kind of week for me last week.
Friday, I was off on my own and I had my pick of what to do, although it was limited by it being rainy weather. I decided to go to the Mall at Millenia as I hadn't been there in awhile. I took the back way there that involved going through the ritzy town of Windemere. While on a busy 2 lane road on a double yellow, a lunatic behind me passed me! I don't know if he was just a reckless piece of crap, if he was impaired, mentally ill, or what but I actually called the cops on him (or maybe it was a her; the windows were too dark for me to see in), although I have no idea if they nabbed that Georgia driver or not. What a “Good” Friday indeed. I walked around Ikea for a bit-I did not get anything-then at the Mall I did more walking around and this time got some miscellaneous items. Needless to say it was busy there but it wasn't outrageously bad. I had dinner there and thankfully the drive back home was a lot less eventful, although it did not mean the traffic was peachy.
Saturday and Sunday I was happy to stay home. Besides it being rainy weather, not dealing with the crowds is a fine idea with me. Easter Sunday, a parent made ham for dinner (as has been done for years now) and it was a fine, fine meal. When I return a week from today, not too much is planned as of now but I'll stumble upon some adventures, I am sure.
Monday, March 28, 2016
Monday, March 21, 2016
Western Society, Pop Culture And The Cacophony Of Social Media
No, I did not come up with that title myself; I ripped off the title of a messageboard thread, as I had nothing better to use here and it sounds like something I'd come up with on my own. Here's a recap of what I've done since last Monday; on the 14th, I was able to go to Walt Disney World, Epcot in particular. The annual Spring event known as the International Flower and Garden Festival was going on so I walked around, looked at the scenery and ate food there, including a tasty lemon scone. As always, during that and the Food and Wine Festival, alcohol can easily be purchased so there are always clownshoes ridiculous tools who can't hold their liquor and act like A-holes. I had to be in a store with some D-bags who were having a CON-BRO-SATION about how one of them just broke up with their girlfriend... I got out of there as soon as I made my purchase.
Tuesday, that was different. I ended up at a Macaroni Grill-a restaurant I have not been to in years-and it was with both a parent and a sister. That sister was down here from out of state for a few days due to work-related reasons. They were usually busy but they had a few hours free so that's how everyone ended up there. I had a simple cheese pizza, yet that was really good so I am a fool for not going there much more often. At least I can fix that mistake now so I don't do it again. It was also nice to see that sister. Wednesday and Thursday, nothing happened either day so let me skip ahead to Friday, which turned out to be a not so good day.
I was thinking of what to do on Friday as I had free time; I decided to return to the World of Beer, as I hadn't been to one in awhile, so I went to the location right in Clermont. I had a pair of hard root beers I hadn't had before, one from Abita and another from Wild Ginger-out of Tennessee-and both were good in their own ways. Then again I haven't had any bad hard root beer, and that started to become a trend last year. Unfortunately, the service there was bad (both with me and the customers in general; getting food from the kitchen was a very low priority) and said food I thought tasted alright, but it did a number on my digestive system... I won't be to any WOB anytime soon and who knows when I'll feel like going to that particular location.
Saturday, the only thing I did was go to Walmart (some of the people there really fit the stereotype). Sunday was looking to be another quiet day, then the evening happened... the most important thing is that someone I know suffered a significant injury. I won't go into details except to say that it's nothing life-threatening at all. It's just an injury that will take some time to heal. I am not even talking about the local independent pro wrestler who was involved in a bad car wreck yesterday with a friend and they are both doing well considering the circumstances.
Much less epochal but still frustrating is how another person I know asked me for help in adding an album's worth of songs from CD, ripped on iTunes then synced up to their iPod Touch. I've done that plenty of times before using an older computer. That older computer is going to be replaced soon and the disc drive doesn't even work anymore so I had to use another computer and I thought it'd be simple to simply download iTunes on there, have everything authorized, rip the CD then it'll automatically sync up... I was wrong! I should have known better, considering the issues I have had with Apple before. Way back when I had to purchase third party software to rip the songs from an older iPod to that then-new iPod Touch; yes, same person and all. After much trial and error I had to pay for another piece of third party software to rip the songs from that iPod Touch to iTunes (because why would iTunes automatically do it and for free? That'd be treating their customers nicely and Apple doesn't do that), delete the songs on the Touch and have all 560 old songs and the 20 new ones sync up from iTunes to the Touch. What a nightmare situation for something that should be easy and done for free as everyone who has music on portable Apple devices has to deal with such issues eventually. That is why I don't have music on any Apple devices I own (i.e. my own iPod Touch) and I still rip music onto discs to use in the car. It was a situation I did not need on this night of all nights, so yeah Sunday sucked.
This upcoming week should hopefully go well from beginning to end.
Tuesday, that was different. I ended up at a Macaroni Grill-a restaurant I have not been to in years-and it was with both a parent and a sister. That sister was down here from out of state for a few days due to work-related reasons. They were usually busy but they had a few hours free so that's how everyone ended up there. I had a simple cheese pizza, yet that was really good so I am a fool for not going there much more often. At least I can fix that mistake now so I don't do it again. It was also nice to see that sister. Wednesday and Thursday, nothing happened either day so let me skip ahead to Friday, which turned out to be a not so good day.
I was thinking of what to do on Friday as I had free time; I decided to return to the World of Beer, as I hadn't been to one in awhile, so I went to the location right in Clermont. I had a pair of hard root beers I hadn't had before, one from Abita and another from Wild Ginger-out of Tennessee-and both were good in their own ways. Then again I haven't had any bad hard root beer, and that started to become a trend last year. Unfortunately, the service there was bad (both with me and the customers in general; getting food from the kitchen was a very low priority) and said food I thought tasted alright, but it did a number on my digestive system... I won't be to any WOB anytime soon and who knows when I'll feel like going to that particular location.
Saturday, the only thing I did was go to Walmart (some of the people there really fit the stereotype). Sunday was looking to be another quiet day, then the evening happened... the most important thing is that someone I know suffered a significant injury. I won't go into details except to say that it's nothing life-threatening at all. It's just an injury that will take some time to heal. I am not even talking about the local independent pro wrestler who was involved in a bad car wreck yesterday with a friend and they are both doing well considering the circumstances.
Much less epochal but still frustrating is how another person I know asked me for help in adding an album's worth of songs from CD, ripped on iTunes then synced up to their iPod Touch. I've done that plenty of times before using an older computer. That older computer is going to be replaced soon and the disc drive doesn't even work anymore so I had to use another computer and I thought it'd be simple to simply download iTunes on there, have everything authorized, rip the CD then it'll automatically sync up... I was wrong! I should have known better, considering the issues I have had with Apple before. Way back when I had to purchase third party software to rip the songs from an older iPod to that then-new iPod Touch; yes, same person and all. After much trial and error I had to pay for another piece of third party software to rip the songs from that iPod Touch to iTunes (because why would iTunes automatically do it and for free? That'd be treating their customers nicely and Apple doesn't do that), delete the songs on the Touch and have all 560 old songs and the 20 new ones sync up from iTunes to the Touch. What a nightmare situation for something that should be easy and done for free as everyone who has music on portable Apple devices has to deal with such issues eventually. That is why I don't have music on any Apple devices I own (i.e. my own iPod Touch) and I still rip music onto discs to use in the car. It was a situation I did not need on this night of all nights, so yeah Sunday sucked.
This upcoming week should hopefully go well from beginning to end.
Monday, March 14, 2016
College Basketball, Bad Hair, Triple 9 & Ford's Garage
Here's a recap of what I've done since last Monday; thankfully this past week was more interesting than the one I had before. Let me mention right away that I'll be kinder and gentler so I won't rail against all the atrocious traffic I dealt with in the preceding 7 days; just note that it was even worse than usual. Some people I know had health scares in recent times (don't worry, everyone is fine now) and it makes me realize that doing my usual complaining about that just doesn't seem right.
On Monday the 7th, I got a much-needed haircut. That was a typical experience, except for a moment that was hilarious to me. As I was getting rid of all the hair I had, a young boy was doing the same; his mom was around and from her talking I know (but sadly did not see) that the son got a haircut with a LIGHTNING BOLT design on the side. I can't speak for any of my family but I am quite confident in saying that if I asked for such a thing when I was a youngster way back when, my mom would have shot that down in 0.2 seconds! Really, a lot of hairstyles these days puzzle me, but I don't want to sound like an old man on his porch so let me move on.
Tuesday, I had free time so I went to the Tampa area, a place I hadn't been to in months. I felt like doing something different. I ended up in Brandon. First I went to the nice mall there. I walked around and it was largely the same as usual; I did not purchase anything there but it was still nice to walk around. I then went to a restaurant that I heard someone I know mention online once. It has a few locations across Florida, but I was at Ford's Garage. There's a backstory as to its name; I won't get into it but they are authorized to use the Ford name, as it was named after Henry Ford. They are known for their burgers... this suited me rather well so I had my “almost always” of a burger & fries. The former was with Kobe beef, aged sharp cheddar and a pretzel bun. It was pretty tasty. After that I went to a Muvico (the Muvico Starlight 20 on the northeast side of Tampa, to be exact) to see a movie, as I hadn't been to a Muvico since like '08. That particular place was nice. At a screening where I was the only person in attendance, I saw Triple 9. That was fine, although with the people involved it should have been better.
Wednesday, the only thing I did was return to Winter Garden Village; I got some random items from Target, purchased some PS3 games from Gamestop (they had a 4 games for 20 dollars deal. I got 5 in total, including all 3 Dead Space games, as I hear the first two are incredible), and I likely made my last visit to Planet Smoothie... until they get some new limited edition flavors, that is. The last time I was there I had the Orange Push Up, which was really good. This time, I had the PBJ; yes, it did taste like a peanut butter & jelly sandwich and it was also good. I did not do anything on Thursday so let me talk about Friday. I realized that I hadn't been inside of the giant arena in Orlando (the Amway Center) since the UFC on Fox show in late April of 2014. It's a nice building so I figured it was about time I returned there, and that's what I did on this night to see two American Athletic Conference college basketball tournament games. It's in downtown Orlando but the only thing I did when it came to walking the area was going around before the pair of games started and I looked to see if anything was new. More often than not, it's the place I remembered it being. Going on at the same time was the Orlando City SC game at home against the Chicago Fire. Sometime later this year I'll go to an OCSC contest at the Citrus Bowl. Anyhow, a party was going on and plenty of supporters were around. They have shuttles from there to the stadium but I'd rather just walk the mile there and mile back than worry about any shuttles.
The two games I saw were Tulane vs. Houston and Tulsa vs. Memphis. Tulane and Memphis won in upsets, and I was surprised at how easily Memphis won by. Houston couldn't make a free throw to save their lives and Tulsa fell apart in the second half so that's why those teams lost. Both games, they were sparsely attended (as I expected) so I was happy to pay for a ticket and try to help them out. Them can be the conference or the Amway Center. The ticket I paid for wasn't the lower bowl but I got moved down there; I sat in the corner and I was happy with the seat I got. After the two games (I ate in the building beforehand) it was nearing midnight and I was tired so I just headed straight home. I don't think it'll be long before I go back and see if the downtown Orlando nightlife is the same as it was before...
Saturday and Sunday I was happy to stay in and do nothing. When I return a week from today, I have some ideas when it comes for activities to do.
On Monday the 7th, I got a much-needed haircut. That was a typical experience, except for a moment that was hilarious to me. As I was getting rid of all the hair I had, a young boy was doing the same; his mom was around and from her talking I know (but sadly did not see) that the son got a haircut with a LIGHTNING BOLT design on the side. I can't speak for any of my family but I am quite confident in saying that if I asked for such a thing when I was a youngster way back when, my mom would have shot that down in 0.2 seconds! Really, a lot of hairstyles these days puzzle me, but I don't want to sound like an old man on his porch so let me move on.
Tuesday, I had free time so I went to the Tampa area, a place I hadn't been to in months. I felt like doing something different. I ended up in Brandon. First I went to the nice mall there. I walked around and it was largely the same as usual; I did not purchase anything there but it was still nice to walk around. I then went to a restaurant that I heard someone I know mention online once. It has a few locations across Florida, but I was at Ford's Garage. There's a backstory as to its name; I won't get into it but they are authorized to use the Ford name, as it was named after Henry Ford. They are known for their burgers... this suited me rather well so I had my “almost always” of a burger & fries. The former was with Kobe beef, aged sharp cheddar and a pretzel bun. It was pretty tasty. After that I went to a Muvico (the Muvico Starlight 20 on the northeast side of Tampa, to be exact) to see a movie, as I hadn't been to a Muvico since like '08. That particular place was nice. At a screening where I was the only person in attendance, I saw Triple 9. That was fine, although with the people involved it should have been better.
Wednesday, the only thing I did was return to Winter Garden Village; I got some random items from Target, purchased some PS3 games from Gamestop (they had a 4 games for 20 dollars deal. I got 5 in total, including all 3 Dead Space games, as I hear the first two are incredible), and I likely made my last visit to Planet Smoothie... until they get some new limited edition flavors, that is. The last time I was there I had the Orange Push Up, which was really good. This time, I had the PBJ; yes, it did taste like a peanut butter & jelly sandwich and it was also good. I did not do anything on Thursday so let me talk about Friday. I realized that I hadn't been inside of the giant arena in Orlando (the Amway Center) since the UFC on Fox show in late April of 2014. It's a nice building so I figured it was about time I returned there, and that's what I did on this night to see two American Athletic Conference college basketball tournament games. It's in downtown Orlando but the only thing I did when it came to walking the area was going around before the pair of games started and I looked to see if anything was new. More often than not, it's the place I remembered it being. Going on at the same time was the Orlando City SC game at home against the Chicago Fire. Sometime later this year I'll go to an OCSC contest at the Citrus Bowl. Anyhow, a party was going on and plenty of supporters were around. They have shuttles from there to the stadium but I'd rather just walk the mile there and mile back than worry about any shuttles.
The two games I saw were Tulane vs. Houston and Tulsa vs. Memphis. Tulane and Memphis won in upsets, and I was surprised at how easily Memphis won by. Houston couldn't make a free throw to save their lives and Tulsa fell apart in the second half so that's why those teams lost. Both games, they were sparsely attended (as I expected) so I was happy to pay for a ticket and try to help them out. Them can be the conference or the Amway Center. The ticket I paid for wasn't the lower bowl but I got moved down there; I sat in the corner and I was happy with the seat I got. After the two games (I ate in the building beforehand) it was nearing midnight and I was tired so I just headed straight home. I don't think it'll be long before I go back and see if the downtown Orlando nightlife is the same as it was before...
Saturday and Sunday I was happy to stay in and do nothing. When I return a week from today, I have some ideas when it comes for activities to do.
Monday, March 7, 2016
The One Time I Had An Extremely Dull Week
Here's a recap of what I've done since last Monday. As I predicted the last time I wrote, this past week was a lot less eventful than the one I had the week before. I had various things to do, include cleaning my bedroom. So, this will be pretty short.
Last Monday I didn't do anything, Tuesday I dropped something off at my bank and got some miscellaneous items from Walmart. Wednesday I got food from Chipotle (where I did not get E. coli) and I also got the brand new Rockstar Punched Freeze from Taco Bell (which was pretty tasty, as I think the Rockstar Punched energy drink is pretty good). Thursday, I finished cleaning my room and did other tasks at home and Friday, I had lunch at Wawa (a turkey sandwich, as I always get from there) and dinner at the BurgerFi in Winter Park, where this time I had it with white cheddar and it was tasty. Right before dinner I stopped at the nearby Rocket Fizz to purchase some gourmet soda. Saturday, I had to go out for something; I won't go into details, except that I had to deal with plenty of rude Floridians, both on the road and off. I did not feel like watching any UFC or going anywhere to see that PPV, as not only am I still “meh” on them, the last minute main event only booked to get “the casuals” interested, no thank you. The fact that the main event turned out the way it did and in the long run it'll cost the company at least a decent amount of money, I don't feel bad for them at all. Sunday, I was happy to stay in. So, let me mention one random thing:
When I was at Disney Springs on Friday the 26th of last month, I parked in the parking garage and I happened to park by a BMW I did not recognize. It was a 116i hatchback low to the ground. I still did not recognize it. They used to sell 1 series cars here in the United States, but not anymore. I then looked in the window and saw the steering wheel was on the right side of the car, and realize that the car was imported. Problem is, he shouldn't have been able to do that, as unless you spend a lot of cash to make it comply with federal standards, cars less than 25 years old can't be imported into the United States, and the 116i at its oldest came out 12 years ago. I am a nerd so I've heard (but not seen it myself) stories of this state being like the Wild West-which it is in other ways-and you can bring in whatever the hell, and probably get it insured too. I mean, it had foreign plates but on the back was also a Florida plate, so it's not like it was a tourist from, say, Canada or Mexico, where those rules are more lax.
Really, that's it for the past week. I promise that when I return a week from today, things will be more entertaining and interesting.
Last Monday I didn't do anything, Tuesday I dropped something off at my bank and got some miscellaneous items from Walmart. Wednesday I got food from Chipotle (where I did not get E. coli) and I also got the brand new Rockstar Punched Freeze from Taco Bell (which was pretty tasty, as I think the Rockstar Punched energy drink is pretty good). Thursday, I finished cleaning my room and did other tasks at home and Friday, I had lunch at Wawa (a turkey sandwich, as I always get from there) and dinner at the BurgerFi in Winter Park, where this time I had it with white cheddar and it was tasty. Right before dinner I stopped at the nearby Rocket Fizz to purchase some gourmet soda. Saturday, I had to go out for something; I won't go into details, except that I had to deal with plenty of rude Floridians, both on the road and off. I did not feel like watching any UFC or going anywhere to see that PPV, as not only am I still “meh” on them, the last minute main event only booked to get “the casuals” interested, no thank you. The fact that the main event turned out the way it did and in the long run it'll cost the company at least a decent amount of money, I don't feel bad for them at all. Sunday, I was happy to stay in. So, let me mention one random thing:
When I was at Disney Springs on Friday the 26th of last month, I parked in the parking garage and I happened to park by a BMW I did not recognize. It was a 116i hatchback low to the ground. I still did not recognize it. They used to sell 1 series cars here in the United States, but not anymore. I then looked in the window and saw the steering wheel was on the right side of the car, and realize that the car was imported. Problem is, he shouldn't have been able to do that, as unless you spend a lot of cash to make it comply with federal standards, cars less than 25 years old can't be imported into the United States, and the 116i at its oldest came out 12 years ago. I am a nerd so I've heard (but not seen it myself) stories of this state being like the Wild West-which it is in other ways-and you can bring in whatever the hell, and probably get it insured too. I mean, it had foreign plates but on the back was also a Florida plate, so it's not like it was a tourist from, say, Canada or Mexico, where those rules are more lax.
Really, that's it for the past week. I promise that when I return a week from today, things will be more entertaining and interesting.
Monday, February 29, 2016
Mason Storm, Wahlburgers, The Witch & A Movie Marathon
Here's a recap of what I've done since this past Monday. That Monday the 22nd was my 35th birthday. Me being that age seems impossible. To demonstrate how old I am, the only thing I did of note was have two beers in the evening (one of them being AC/DC beer! It was fine) and I had dinner with someone at a Beef O'Brady's, mainly because a few days beforehand I randomly found a coupon for that establishment. They always make decent meals and that was still the case here. Thankfully me and that other person both enjoyed our food this time. Tuesday I did not do anything but Wednesday, I ended up at a Target; I decided to purchase some Kodiak Cakes products as I had run out and I rate them pretty highly. What I got was only the Kodiak Cakes box that contained the mix and not those microwaveable little cups of Kodiak Cakes; they were all out of those, and I presume it's because people are starting to find out they're great.
Thursday I did not do anything, but Friday was definitely more interesting. First, earlier in the month the Wahlburgers chain of restaurants opened a location in downtown Orlando. Yes, I haven't been in downtown Orlando in like a few years now, or at least it seems like that is the case. I just haven't felt like doing that scene of going out and witnessing wacky events. Next month, I am thinking that I should make my grand return. I did not have the time to walk around during the daytime, which is when I was there on Friday. I parked in the parking garage I typically parked at “back in the day” and I decided to be in and out in an hour so I did not have to pay a few extra bucks. That Wahlburgers location was right by the grand old lady known as Mako's, which closed down a few years ago and replaced by a new establishment... which I saw was defunct as that place certainly appeared to be vacant. Man, did I ever have some good times there, and I provided plenty of colorful stories. Anyhow, Wahlburgers was actually good. It's not just a gimmick restaurant from Marky Mark and his brothers; I know it's one of those phony reality shows (meaning, all reality shows are phony and scripted) which I haven't seen, so I wasn't sure what to expect from there. Thankfully they make good food.
A little later, I returned to Disney Springs and for the first time ever I tried out the Dine-In Theatres at the AMC Theatres there. It has been opened for a few years now and yet I haven't felt like trying it until this night. I saw the movie The Witch; I heard about it on a forum last year, when it played several festivals. For reasons unknown to me it did not get a wide release until the 19th of this month. It's not a horror film for everyone, as it's more thought-provoking and unsettling throughout than a gory spectacle or something filled with jump scares. No surprise that the general public is mixed on it, although horror fans online are more accepting of it. It's about a family in 1630 New England who are out on their own in the woods and some odd things happen... yes there is a witch and I'll leave it at that. I thought it was great; it was done perfectly and it is extremely creepy and unnerving. As for the Dine-In gimmick, the food selection was modest and what I had tasted fine. I am sure I'll go to it again, although it'll be awhile before I do so.
I returned to Disney Springs Saturday morning; I normally wouldn't be there at such an hour but I did something that I first did 2 years ago but didn't do last year. For awhile now AMC Theatres locations across the country have shown in marathons over two Saturdays the Best Picture Oscar nominees. In '14 I was able to see Nebraska, Captain Phillips, Her, American Hustle, and Gravity (for a second time) in a row in front of a good-sized crowd. That was a LONG day but an entertaining one nonetheless. Saturday, I saw Brooklyn, Spotlight, The Martian and The Revenant in a row. Yep, another long but entertaining day. In '14 it began at noon and for the past 2 years it was at 10 AM. The two times I have been there in my life, the crowds were healthy; My thoughts on the movies:
Brooklyn: For a sappy movie that has some tearjerking moments and does not have the most original romantic plot... I thought it was great. No, I did not swoon over Saoirse Ronan, although I think she is very pretty. She was tremendous in the role and I now am ashamed I have not watched any of her other films; I'll fix that in the future as I am sure I'll enjoy those performances also. Anyhow, the
Spotlight: It won't be my favorite or what I consider the “best” movie of 2015, but I won't complain that this won Best Picture at the Oscars last night, as it was another great film. A matter of fact recap of how the Boston Globe first investigated the horrifying cover-up of all those people in the Catholic clergy in Boston & the surrounding area... that style was perfect for me and considering the revolting nature of what happened, doing it like that was the best and least-offensive way anyhow. It had tremendous performances all around and behind the camera was just as good.
The Martian: It was a little far-fetched but it was still tremendously entertaining; the landscapes and score were pretty awesome.
The Revenant: It is not as polarizing as the director's last film (Birdman), but this is still pretty darn polarizing. It was the same with the audience I saw it with; this did not get as much applause at the end as the first three motion pictures. Me... it was fine. I can't fault the performances, the score, cinematography or the absolutely breath-taking scenery (for that reason I am glad I saw it on the big screen); the story and how it was done, I have issues with. I heard people say that it reveled in misery and I happen to agree. Also, it felt even longer than its 155 minute runtime. But hey, your mileage my vary. I have seen people outright hate the movie, and at least I can note the positives. Leo DiCaprio winning was nice, at least.
Sunday, I did not pay too much attention to the Oscars. Sly not winning for Best Supporting Actor was unfortunate. Plus, I did not see the first two hours anyhow as I had to pick up someone from the Orlando-Sanford Airport. Once I got back I did not pay my full attention to it. Before I left, I joked online that I was like Mason Storm in thinking, “C'mon guys, I'm missing the Oscars!” Yes, I am quoting a Steven Seagal character! The trip there and back was uneventful; I stopped in a Walmart on the way there and got nothing of note.
When I return a week from today, I know it won't be as eventful a week as the one I just had.
Thursday I did not do anything, but Friday was definitely more interesting. First, earlier in the month the Wahlburgers chain of restaurants opened a location in downtown Orlando. Yes, I haven't been in downtown Orlando in like a few years now, or at least it seems like that is the case. I just haven't felt like doing that scene of going out and witnessing wacky events. Next month, I am thinking that I should make my grand return. I did not have the time to walk around during the daytime, which is when I was there on Friday. I parked in the parking garage I typically parked at “back in the day” and I decided to be in and out in an hour so I did not have to pay a few extra bucks. That Wahlburgers location was right by the grand old lady known as Mako's, which closed down a few years ago and replaced by a new establishment... which I saw was defunct as that place certainly appeared to be vacant. Man, did I ever have some good times there, and I provided plenty of colorful stories. Anyhow, Wahlburgers was actually good. It's not just a gimmick restaurant from Marky Mark and his brothers; I know it's one of those phony reality shows (meaning, all reality shows are phony and scripted) which I haven't seen, so I wasn't sure what to expect from there. Thankfully they make good food.
A little later, I returned to Disney Springs and for the first time ever I tried out the Dine-In Theatres at the AMC Theatres there. It has been opened for a few years now and yet I haven't felt like trying it until this night. I saw the movie The Witch; I heard about it on a forum last year, when it played several festivals. For reasons unknown to me it did not get a wide release until the 19th of this month. It's not a horror film for everyone, as it's more thought-provoking and unsettling throughout than a gory spectacle or something filled with jump scares. No surprise that the general public is mixed on it, although horror fans online are more accepting of it. It's about a family in 1630 New England who are out on their own in the woods and some odd things happen... yes there is a witch and I'll leave it at that. I thought it was great; it was done perfectly and it is extremely creepy and unnerving. As for the Dine-In gimmick, the food selection was modest and what I had tasted fine. I am sure I'll go to it again, although it'll be awhile before I do so.
I returned to Disney Springs Saturday morning; I normally wouldn't be there at such an hour but I did something that I first did 2 years ago but didn't do last year. For awhile now AMC Theatres locations across the country have shown in marathons over two Saturdays the Best Picture Oscar nominees. In '14 I was able to see Nebraska, Captain Phillips, Her, American Hustle, and Gravity (for a second time) in a row in front of a good-sized crowd. That was a LONG day but an entertaining one nonetheless. Saturday, I saw Brooklyn, Spotlight, The Martian and The Revenant in a row. Yep, another long but entertaining day. In '14 it began at noon and for the past 2 years it was at 10 AM. The two times I have been there in my life, the crowds were healthy; My thoughts on the movies:
Brooklyn: For a sappy movie that has some tearjerking moments and does not have the most original romantic plot... I thought it was great. No, I did not swoon over Saoirse Ronan, although I think she is very pretty. She was tremendous in the role and I now am ashamed I have not watched any of her other films; I'll fix that in the future as I am sure I'll enjoy those performances also. Anyhow, the
Spotlight: It won't be my favorite or what I consider the “best” movie of 2015, but I won't complain that this won Best Picture at the Oscars last night, as it was another great film. A matter of fact recap of how the Boston Globe first investigated the horrifying cover-up of all those people in the Catholic clergy in Boston & the surrounding area... that style was perfect for me and considering the revolting nature of what happened, doing it like that was the best and least-offensive way anyhow. It had tremendous performances all around and behind the camera was just as good.
The Martian: It was a little far-fetched but it was still tremendously entertaining; the landscapes and score were pretty awesome.
The Revenant: It is not as polarizing as the director's last film (Birdman), but this is still pretty darn polarizing. It was the same with the audience I saw it with; this did not get as much applause at the end as the first three motion pictures. Me... it was fine. I can't fault the performances, the score, cinematography or the absolutely breath-taking scenery (for that reason I am glad I saw it on the big screen); the story and how it was done, I have issues with. I heard people say that it reveled in misery and I happen to agree. Also, it felt even longer than its 155 minute runtime. But hey, your mileage my vary. I have seen people outright hate the movie, and at least I can note the positives. Leo DiCaprio winning was nice, at least.
Sunday, I did not pay too much attention to the Oscars. Sly not winning for Best Supporting Actor was unfortunate. Plus, I did not see the first two hours anyhow as I had to pick up someone from the Orlando-Sanford Airport. Once I got back I did not pay my full attention to it. Before I left, I joked online that I was like Mason Storm in thinking, “C'mon guys, I'm missing the Oscars!” Yes, I am quoting a Steven Seagal character! The trip there and back was uneventful; I stopped in a Walmart on the way there and got nothing of note.
When I return a week from today, I know it won't be as eventful a week as the one I just had.
Monday, February 22, 2016
The One Time I Realized That Gluten Is Pretty Awesome
Yes, today is my birthday. I am now 35 years old and that seems inconceivable to me. I don't have much else to say about it besides that. Next Monday I'll talk about this day in full, although it won't be much more than talk about which restaurant I go to for dinner.
Last Monday I did not do anything, which was fine by me. Tuesday was more interesting. I figured I should start using my annual Disney Pass more often, so I went to the Animal Kingdom for a few hours. I walked around, ate some food & drink (I am glad that there are more food & drink stands), noted the construction going on, and saw some animals. For the first time I saw the gorillas get fed, which was interesting. It involved the jingling of sleigh bells to get their attention (honest) and being tossed apples. Speaking of food, one of the new food & drink stands is one that offers gluten-free products. I think that a lot of it is poppycock, and I doubt there's as many people with celiac disease as has suddenly popped up in recent years. Well, I had a pair of donuts (along with Redbridge beer, which was alright) and man, it showed me that gluten is pretty awesome, as that would have made those donuts a lot better.
Also, for the first time I went into a Starbucks to order something. I don't drink coffee and I never felt like going into one of the approximately two million locations across the country to see what else they offered. But finally I decided I should try it out so I went into the one they have at Animal Kingdom and I “got my white girl on”. I did not wear yoga pants or send out a Snapchat or an Instagram selfie with what I ordered. I got a smoothie (which was fine) and yes, a gluten-free ripoff of a big Rice Krispies square (actually a rectangle), and it actually was tasty. Still, I say that my opinion of gluten hasn't changed.
Wednesday, I was out on the road; it was bad traffic and all. I had to get gas and I got closer to running out of gas than I probably should have but I ended up filling up at a Sunoco station. I went in and saw that not only did did they have cans of Surge (which of course I had to get) but something new to me, which was Jolly Rancher soda. It was known as Tropical Tremor and it was fine. Thursday I didn't do anything but Friday, I ended up in Sanford and I ended up at the Seminole Town Center Mall as I hadn't been there in months. Some things are different but for the most part it's the same old mall. On the way back home I tried taking a different route as I heard there was a new shortcut; well, it was not fully open so as someone who does not have a GPS of any kind, I had to guess where I should go in an unfamiliar area. I was relatively lucky in what I guessed so I did not get hopelessly lost. Still, I wasn't happy about that and wished that there had been more street signs but as it's Florida, no surprise that was not the case. I mean, this is the state where recently on a rural road that's a shortcut for me and many others (I use it when I go down to the Walt Disney World area) they put up a number of speed bumps. There's not too many houses on that stretch of road so honestly, my explanation for that is “they don't want people to use the road anymore, so speed bumps will lead to a decrease in its usage.” I am positive that's the case. I dislike speed bumps as much as the next guy but I'll still use that road as due to sheer convenience.
My weekend was boring; I stayed in and did various things at home. I was OK with that. When I return on Leap Day next Monday, I will have a few things to talk about, including a very long Saturday I plan on experiencing.
Last Monday I did not do anything, which was fine by me. Tuesday was more interesting. I figured I should start using my annual Disney Pass more often, so I went to the Animal Kingdom for a few hours. I walked around, ate some food & drink (I am glad that there are more food & drink stands), noted the construction going on, and saw some animals. For the first time I saw the gorillas get fed, which was interesting. It involved the jingling of sleigh bells to get their attention (honest) and being tossed apples. Speaking of food, one of the new food & drink stands is one that offers gluten-free products. I think that a lot of it is poppycock, and I doubt there's as many people with celiac disease as has suddenly popped up in recent years. Well, I had a pair of donuts (along with Redbridge beer, which was alright) and man, it showed me that gluten is pretty awesome, as that would have made those donuts a lot better.
Also, for the first time I went into a Starbucks to order something. I don't drink coffee and I never felt like going into one of the approximately two million locations across the country to see what else they offered. But finally I decided I should try it out so I went into the one they have at Animal Kingdom and I “got my white girl on”. I did not wear yoga pants or send out a Snapchat or an Instagram selfie with what I ordered. I got a smoothie (which was fine) and yes, a gluten-free ripoff of a big Rice Krispies square (actually a rectangle), and it actually was tasty. Still, I say that my opinion of gluten hasn't changed.
Wednesday, I was out on the road; it was bad traffic and all. I had to get gas and I got closer to running out of gas than I probably should have but I ended up filling up at a Sunoco station. I went in and saw that not only did did they have cans of Surge (which of course I had to get) but something new to me, which was Jolly Rancher soda. It was known as Tropical Tremor and it was fine. Thursday I didn't do anything but Friday, I ended up in Sanford and I ended up at the Seminole Town Center Mall as I hadn't been there in months. Some things are different but for the most part it's the same old mall. On the way back home I tried taking a different route as I heard there was a new shortcut; well, it was not fully open so as someone who does not have a GPS of any kind, I had to guess where I should go in an unfamiliar area. I was relatively lucky in what I guessed so I did not get hopelessly lost. Still, I wasn't happy about that and wished that there had been more street signs but as it's Florida, no surprise that was not the case. I mean, this is the state where recently on a rural road that's a shortcut for me and many others (I use it when I go down to the Walt Disney World area) they put up a number of speed bumps. There's not too many houses on that stretch of road so honestly, my explanation for that is “they don't want people to use the road anymore, so speed bumps will lead to a decrease in its usage.” I am positive that's the case. I dislike speed bumps as much as the next guy but I'll still use that road as due to sheer convenience.
My weekend was boring; I stayed in and did various things at home. I was OK with that. When I return on Leap Day next Monday, I will have a few things to talk about, including a very long Saturday I plan on experiencing.
Monday, February 15, 2016
PS3, Near Accidents, Heavy Rain & Daniel Bryan
I'll start this right off and talk about pro wrestling. This past Monday, the WWE wrestler known as Daniel Bryan (real name Bryan Danielson) retired from action because of suffering too many concussions. Back in my days of attending local wrestling shows, he wrestled in the promotion known as Full Impact Pro and those shows were a lot of fun. Already by that point he was a huge star on the independent wrestling scene, wrestling all over the world. He was an amazing wrestler. Me and some others hung out at the shows after they ended and I talked to him at various times. He lightly ribbed me, but it's OK. It was along the lines of giving me long awkward hugs! No kidding. I wish he would have been treated better by WWE but the way that he became a huge star for a period of time despite the company not wanting him to be... it's an incredible story and I wish his body wouldn't have broken down at that time. Hopefully he has a great post-wrestling life and he can be happy and raise a family and all that jazz.
Last Monday, all I did was get good food from the restaurant known as Culver's. I am thankful that the only location in the central part of Florida is located a few miles from where I live. Tuesday, all I did was go to TGI Friday's with someone; I hadn't been to one in a long while and I don't think that other person had been to the restaurant in years. They thought their food was only OK, although at least it was filling. My Jack Daniel's Burger was better. Wednesday, that was a day where something real bad ALMOST happened.
Wednesday, I was on state route 50, which is a major highway that typically has a lot of traffic. I was in the far right lane, and there was a vehicle on my left slowly passing me. I came up to the intersection of country route 455. Suddenly, a Porsche Macan SUV that was facing north on 455 turned right... i.e. right in front of me! I stomped on the brakes and blared my horn at the same time then swerved to the left, which I had to do or else there'd be a huge crash. I can't explain how I didn't hit that car to my left as it all happened in a split second, but I avoided catastrophe and did not get in a wreck. Thursday, I did not do anything but Friday, that was an entertaining day. That was despite some more pretty bad traffic, although at least there were no near crashes.
I've had an Xbox 360 for a few years now and I don't always play it often but there are times where I spend a few hours a day with it; other days I don't even spend a half hour playing it. Still, I figured that eventually I should get a PS3; after all I played a PS2 for a long time and it was great. With a PS2 I can download various PS2 games on it and there are some exclusive titles that I wanted to try out. So I ended up at a GameStop as I heard their refurbished systems were finally at an appealing price point for me. I got the 250 gig one for 150 bucks; who knows how often I'll be downloading and who knows how many games will end up installed on it. I got a 20 dollar card to put money on PSN (I know after what happened a few years ago not to directly give them my credit card info; I know someone who did that and his information was used in Australia) and I got one of those exclusive games, Heavy Rain. Despite the mixed reviews, the strong aspect of “player choice” and what you do having a big impact on how the game turns out, that is appealing to me. So far, it's entertaining, if on the goofy side at times. In the future I'll compare the two systems; I'll just say now that the PS3 console itself is pretty noisy.
The weekend, I did not do anything of note, which was fine by me. Setting up the PS3, playing Heavy Rain and downloading an old game or two took up time. Sunday, I did go to the local Publix grocery store to get some miscellaneous items, mainly soda. When I return next Monday... it'll be my birthday. Turning 35 seems unreal to me but it's true. I have an idea or two when it comes to activities for the upcoming week.
Last Monday, all I did was get good food from the restaurant known as Culver's. I am thankful that the only location in the central part of Florida is located a few miles from where I live. Tuesday, all I did was go to TGI Friday's with someone; I hadn't been to one in a long while and I don't think that other person had been to the restaurant in years. They thought their food was only OK, although at least it was filling. My Jack Daniel's Burger was better. Wednesday, that was a day where something real bad ALMOST happened.
Wednesday, I was on state route 50, which is a major highway that typically has a lot of traffic. I was in the far right lane, and there was a vehicle on my left slowly passing me. I came up to the intersection of country route 455. Suddenly, a Porsche Macan SUV that was facing north on 455 turned right... i.e. right in front of me! I stomped on the brakes and blared my horn at the same time then swerved to the left, which I had to do or else there'd be a huge crash. I can't explain how I didn't hit that car to my left as it all happened in a split second, but I avoided catastrophe and did not get in a wreck. Thursday, I did not do anything but Friday, that was an entertaining day. That was despite some more pretty bad traffic, although at least there were no near crashes.
I've had an Xbox 360 for a few years now and I don't always play it often but there are times where I spend a few hours a day with it; other days I don't even spend a half hour playing it. Still, I figured that eventually I should get a PS3; after all I played a PS2 for a long time and it was great. With a PS2 I can download various PS2 games on it and there are some exclusive titles that I wanted to try out. So I ended up at a GameStop as I heard their refurbished systems were finally at an appealing price point for me. I got the 250 gig one for 150 bucks; who knows how often I'll be downloading and who knows how many games will end up installed on it. I got a 20 dollar card to put money on PSN (I know after what happened a few years ago not to directly give them my credit card info; I know someone who did that and his information was used in Australia) and I got one of those exclusive games, Heavy Rain. Despite the mixed reviews, the strong aspect of “player choice” and what you do having a big impact on how the game turns out, that is appealing to me. So far, it's entertaining, if on the goofy side at times. In the future I'll compare the two systems; I'll just say now that the PS3 console itself is pretty noisy.
The weekend, I did not do anything of note, which was fine by me. Setting up the PS3, playing Heavy Rain and downloading an old game or two took up time. Sunday, I did go to the local Publix grocery store to get some miscellaneous items, mainly soda. When I return next Monday... it'll be my birthday. Turning 35 seems unreal to me but it's true. I have an idea or two when it comes to activities for the upcoming week.
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