Fair warning: I’m going to use some bad words in this post. Racial epithets, mostly, but I’m going to discuss them as words, not employ them as slurs. Still…you’ve been warned.
Posted in Culture | Tagged Change the Mascot, NFL, racial epithet, Redskins, Washington, Washington Redskins | 4 Comments »
I’m a good tipper. As long as the service is good, I generally tip 20% because after a glass or two of wine, the math on 20% is easier than figuring out 15%. (Yes, I can be that lazy.)
I understand the business model for restaurant wait-staff–low wages are compensated for by customer tips–but I’ve never liked it. It’s unreliable and it’s inherently unfair to the back-of-the-house workers. Also, different shifts receive different pay (lunch crowds tip less than evening diners), and different nights can bring vastly different take-home pay for staff who depend on tips. A couple weeks of low patronage can mean a waiter might not earn enough to make the rent.
In short, it’s a centuries-old scheme that depends on the kindness of strangers. It is flawed from the get-go, and I would be pleased as Punch if we tossed it into the rubbish bin of social history.
Here in Seattle, it seems we’re preparing to do exactly that. Or, at least, we’re preparing to give it a serious makeover. Continue Reading »
Posted in Culture, Food | Tagged minimum wage, no tipping, restaurant workers, Seattle | 4 Comments »
This weekend, we went to the cinema (which we rarely do), and saw a very fine film, but I’m not going to tell you about it.
Instead, I’m going to tell you about Bernie because, as good as that other movie is, the movie you really need to see is Bernie, starring Jack Black.
Now before you get all wrinkle-nosed about Jack Black, hear me out.
If your only exposure to Jack Black has been via Tenacious D and trailers for Nacho Libre, I can understand if you think he’s just a funny-man with a juvenile sense of humor. His personality is definitely super-sized and, for most of us, that’s all we’ve seen: the over-the-top, crazy-eyed, usually inappropriate bravado that is the Jack Black persona.
There’s more to Jack, though, and as proof I give you Bernie. Continue Reading »
Posted in Movies | Tagged Bernie, Bernie Tiede, Bernie Tiede. Bernie, black comedy, Carthage, comedy noir, Director Richard Linklater, East Texas, Jack Black, Marjorie Nugent, Matthew McConaughey, movie reviews, Richard Linklater, Shirley MacLaine | 1 Comment »
Take coffee with cream in a glass mug:
When the dollop of white plunges into the dark liquid depths, I see the beauty of swirling nebulae and brief-candle galaxies, fluid artwork made just for me.
Learn to cook at least one thing really well:
It not only provides my dearest ones with the anticipation and enjoyment of a favorite meal, but it also comes with a big side of love.
Enjoy five-minute vacations:
Be it windswept mountainside, lonely seashore, or busy coffee shop, having a personal oasis where I can relax enough to untie the knots of modern life makes getting through modern life a little bit easier, even if I only have time to imagine myself there for five minutes.
Observe the world’s cycles:
Whether it’s the Apache dance of dandelions across my lawn or the fact that my cat is most finicky during the dark of the moon, an appreciation of the long-phase patterns of life slows down the whizzing whirl of time and gives me time to catch my breath.
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Posted in Culture | Tagged modern life, quiet living | 1 Comment »
The 14th century was a seriously bad time marked by The Black Death and The Hundred Years’ War. After the plague, to combat the wage inflation caused by there being 30-50% fewer folks standing around, the nobility said, “Sure, I’ll pay you twice what I used to pay you,” and then they turned around and devalued the coins they used. Thus, even though you were now paid 6 sous each day, with their value cut in half they’d only buy you 3 sous worth of goods. Complain as you might, you were powerless to change it.
Amazon is like that. No, not like the Black Death. Like medieval nobility. (Though you could make an argument for the Black Death, too.)
Posted in Books, Hi Tech, Writing | Tagged amazon, creative writing, Kindle, kindle owners lending library, kindle select, kindle unlimited, publishing, royalties, self-publishing | 4 Comments »
Gentlefolk, start your DVRs.
Ripper Street is back with Series 3 (that’s “Season” 3, for us here in the States), airing on BBC America beginning April 29.
BBC canceled the show after its second season, citing low viewership in the UK, but when an online petition garnered over 50,000 signatures, the production company was able to reach a deal with (what is now) Amazon Prime Instant Video to fund a third season.
UK residents have already seen this third season, and reports I’ve read state that it’s the strongest, most viscerally charged season to date. The show’s creator, Richard Warlow, was more cautious about future seasons this time, and gave the end of Season 3 a sense of closure while still leaving sufficient loose threads with which to weave a Season 4, should it get picked up again. Here’s hoping on that score! Continue Reading »
Posted in Television | Tagged amazon, Amazon Prime Instant Video, BBC, BBC America, creative writing, Jack the Ripper, jerome flynn, matthew macfadyen, peepers dry plate, reviews, Richard Warlow, Ripper Street, television reviews, Writing | Leave a Comment »
Yesterday, my wife reached the limit of her patience and dragged me out to shop for new clothes.
She thinks I dress like a dumpy old man…which I do because, well, because I am a dumpy old man. Personally, I never look at my ass–ever–so if my pants are baggy in the rear, it’s of little consequence to me. My wife, as it turns out, looks at my ass a lot, and has strong opinions on what I use to cover it and now, tired of me covering my backside with enough cloth to rig a small sailboat, she was determined to change the status quo that I’d so assiduously preserved.
With this as preamble, I got stuffed in the car and trundled off on a clothes-shopping expedition. I had little say in the matter, other than to unequivocally refuse to set foot in Target. My experiences there have been…unpleasant, exceeded only by dim, nightmarish memories of similar expeditions to K-Mart. She could drive up to the door of Target, but I knew she was physically unable to drag me inside.
So she took me to Kohl’s. Continue Reading »
Posted in Culture | Tagged creative writing, men's clothing. Kohl's, shopping for old men, short stories, vignettes | 4 Comments »
