In a special ghost writers edition, the differences between the American and European dining experience is explained. If only they could tell me why water with ice means you only get one ice cube, then this would be true genius.
I wouldn’t say that I’ve traveled abroad extensively, but I think I’ve been outside of the United States more than an average American. To my chagrin, one thing that I’ve noticed about countries in Europe is that they seldom provide a dining experience comparable to what you can find here in the US. Oh sure, indulgence is possible. But let’s think about it for a minute: even casual American eateries are premised on catering to your culinary whims and fancies. The competition for your food dollar is fierce and the battle rages at all times (eat great even late, fourthmeal) and through all seasons (many chain restaurants are open on Thanksgiving and a few even stay open on Christmas). When I go out to Friday’s or Chili’s these days, I expect to really enjoy my meal. And I don’t just mean that the food will taste good. It certainly will taste good; but the waiter will try to make me very happy in most cases; the manager might stop by and ask how everything went in general; the restaurant will make an effort to play some music that at least tangentially connects with my tastes; the décor will be either interesting or thematic in a way that helps divert my mind away from waiting for my food at least momentarily. In short, I’m made to believe that someone is deliberately trying to give me (and my fellow diners) an experience that will be enjoyed, maybe even one that is remembered days later. Good luck finding that in Sweden.
When I dine out in England or Scandinavia, I occasionally enjoy the taste of my food. More often than not, though, it’s bland. No matter how it looks or smells (sometimes the presentation is remarkably impressive) the taste rarely satisfies me. Additionally, I can’t say I ever feel entertained when I sup in European restaurants. I notice other diners around me more, mostly due to a lack of anything interesting going on within the establishment. People-watching has revealed to me a possible cause for this disparity between our dining and the Europeans’: it seems the main attraction for Europeans in restaurants is each other. They are always wrapped up in conversations or romantic gazing at each other and what not. They don’t seem to notice that the place they’re sitting in is snooze-inducing.
Table waiters in Europe are clearly less concerned with individual customers as a matter of economics: the lack of tipping as a societal norm in England and Sweden creates a dynamic where you are no more important to your waiter than his next cigarette break or the attractive brunette two tables away (unless you happen to be an attractive brunette yourself). Ireland is a bit different, as they are trending toward American habits and tipping has become normative, although not to the extent that it is here. But try to imagine table service in Sweden as similar to help you might receive buying groceries at home: available but insincere.
I suppose culture is to blame for these differences in dining between Europe and America. We have become a culture that eats out frequently. In Europe dining out is expensive and the people tend to have less disposable income. Traditionally eating out was considered a treat in America, but now it’s much less exotic. It appears the Europeans may be caught in the old trend that America has moved beyond. Because we eat out so much, we expect to be impressed more lavishly. To a Swede, the dining out is exciting in itself. If I don’t hear Def Leppard or The Eagles while cramming my face with chicken nachos and gulping down free refills of raspberry lemonade and perusing 10-gallon hats and stuffed armadillos, I’m just not living life.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Stalking the Next Frontier in Treasure Hunting.
Is there something wrong with stalking? I think we all do it. Maybe we are not up in trees with binoculars like George McFly from Back to the Future, but you know you do it. Checking someone’s Facebook status or checking to see who there friends are, waiting at places we know they will show up at... I bring this up because a friend of mine sent me a link to a saved by the bell where are they now article 
and I was intrigued by the fact that Anne Tremko a character from saved by the bell the college years had not been heard of since 2003. I wonder what had happened to her, where did she go. So I began to search the internet in vain to find out what had become of her. Not even Wikipedia could help. It just repeated that she had not been heard of since 2003. Had she died, changed her name, turned to scientology? 
I was becoming obsessed. I could imagine myself turning this into a hobby. Was I becoming a stalker or was this a legitimate way to waste time? I felt like a pirate on treasure hunt, maybe some how I could turn this into a game. Set up a website. People could come and challenge there friends to find out where these people are now. Even Amelia Earhart could be found. It could become a monster, treasure hunting for the 21st century. I could even make money off this idea. But no, this can not happen because I am still no closer to finding Anne Tremko...
and I was intrigued by the fact that Anne Tremko a character from saved by the bell the college years had not been heard of since 2003. I wonder what had happened to her, where did she go. So I began to search the internet in vain to find out what had become of her. Not even Wikipedia could help. It just repeated that she had not been heard of since 2003. Had she died, changed her name, turned to scientology? 
I was becoming obsessed. I could imagine myself turning this into a hobby. Was I becoming a stalker or was this a legitimate way to waste time? I felt like a pirate on treasure hunt, maybe some how I could turn this into a game. Set up a website. People could come and challenge there friends to find out where these people are now. Even Amelia Earhart could be found. It could become a monster, treasure hunting for the 21st century. I could even make money off this idea. But no, this can not happen because I am still no closer to finding Anne Tremko...
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Tra La La (aka golf movie)
Back home in the Redneck Rivera for some rest and relaxation and more importantly some home made Indian food. You are probably asking yourself what do Native Americans eat, well it is not those kind of Indians. There are Indians in the panhandle? Well I guess, though I do not know any. Indian food is what white kids make when they try and relive the experiences they have in foreign places. But I digress. During my trip I got to return to scene of the crime and by crime I refer to inspiration for the worst seven minutes of video ever created, golf movie. The Fort Walton Beach municipal golf course, containing two 18 hole courses. This weekends outing was mostly uneventful expect for being paired up with some guy who talked and talked about how much he played only to be followed by why he was not playing good. I think his name was Ed and can visit him at his place of employment the Black Angus restaurant. As exciting as it may seem to hang with Ed, he pales in comparison to the last time we played this Oaks course. So there we are driving up to our balls on the 10th hole of the Oaks course when all of a sudden golf balls are being hit into us. We look back to see some old guy waiving a driver at us. Unsure what we had done we decided it would be best to just let them play through. We tee off on the 11th hole and wait for them to pass us. A few minutes pass and then we hear a caravan of golf carts flying down the cart path towards us, with the old man leading the way. When he gets to 11th tee he does not stop he just keeps coming up to us. Finally he slows down next us and just looks at us and says “You guys are messing up the tra la la!” and speeds off followed by his cohorts. I sure hope I am surely as that guy when I am 70.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
I used to be beautiful, but now I am not.
So I was at the dollar store looking for candy, sour dinosaurs to be exact and I notice two girls in front of me, maybe 23. It struck me strange the wardrobe they wore and how I imagined that they were probably quite attractive when their clothes still fit them. Not to say they are not attractive now, just that it seemed that some how they had missed something. If some how they had not realized that they had grown up. Hmmm, I just wonder if somewhere they are writing something like this in diary or blog.
I used to be beautiful, but now I am not. I am not sure how this came about, but it did. In high school I never thought of myself as pretty, though I did notice as boys would look down my shirt on those days I would wear a top too lose. College came and things changed. My sorority sisters showed me what was good about me and how to fix the rest. Soon every guy wanted me. I would go out with the girls to the clubs and with just one look I could make any guy mine. I could take anyone of them home, with just one look, just to wish them gone the next minute. I loved every minute of it. How did it go so wrong? There I was today at Starbucks and the barista would not even respond to my flirty comments. I looked over at my friend with a look of puzzlement not so much as to why barista was not responding to me, but what had compelled her to wear pants two sizes too small. Only then did I realize that it was merely my reflection. Oh, where did that tattoo come from?
Who am I kidding; this is terrible…then again a friend a of friend does a food blog of south Miami and he just recently did write up on the infamous Hungry Bear Subs. I personally have never been there but I have heard the legend. I was once told of this placed that was nicknames “ghetto subs” I am not sure if this the same place, but it should be. If you ever needed to grow into those pants that are two sizes too big this is the place to start.
I used to be beautiful, but now I am not. I am not sure how this came about, but it did. In high school I never thought of myself as pretty, though I did notice as boys would look down my shirt on those days I would wear a top too lose. College came and things changed. My sorority sisters showed me what was good about me and how to fix the rest. Soon every guy wanted me. I would go out with the girls to the clubs and with just one look I could make any guy mine. I could take anyone of them home, with just one look, just to wish them gone the next minute. I loved every minute of it. How did it go so wrong? There I was today at Starbucks and the barista would not even respond to my flirty comments. I looked over at my friend with a look of puzzlement not so much as to why barista was not responding to me, but what had compelled her to wear pants two sizes too small. Only then did I realize that it was merely my reflection. Oh, where did that tattoo come from?
Who am I kidding; this is terrible…then again a friend a of friend does a food blog of south Miami and he just recently did write up on the infamous Hungry Bear Subs. I personally have never been there but I have heard the legend. I was once told of this placed that was nicknames “ghetto subs” I am not sure if this the same place, but it should be. If you ever needed to grow into those pants that are two sizes too big this is the place to start.
Friday, August 8, 2008
A Day Well Lived...
A Day Well Lived (aka Day, Snowman Movie), was an animated short that I made about a boy who tries to save snowmen by putting them in the freezer. He eventually forgets about the snowmen, eventually they end up being used to make mixed drinks. The resulting event gives the boy a second chance to be reunited with his creations, if only for the limited time. I had originally written the story as light hearted attempt to satirize the insanity of trying to save snowmen by putting them in the freezer. Somewhere while sitting on a tarmac in snowstorm editing the story I realized that story was an allegory for friendship. Like a snowstorm new people come into our lives and friendships are built up, but as with melting snow friends move on. Then just as we realize that they are leaving we try and save these times by taking pictures and going to dinners, locking them in the freezer saying we will stay in contact. Never asking ourselves why we did not celebrate those days before the end. But alas there is new snow and those from the past fade away from memory.
Originally I wanted to write this posts in few weeks when school started up again, the proverbially snowstorm. Instead I am writing it now because today is moving on day for many people, so pictures will be taken, food will be eaten, but in the end it is ok to let the snow melt. There will always be another snowstorm, well as long the global warming does not make it to hot.
Originally I wanted to write this posts in few weeks when school started up again, the proverbially snowstorm. Instead I am writing it now because today is moving on day for many people, so pictures will be taken, food will be eaten, but in the end it is ok to let the snow melt. There will always be another snowstorm, well as long the global warming does not make it to hot.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
I am better than you and ill blog about it
I am looking over some of the posts I have made and started to wonder if anyone actually reads this stuff. Or, does it even matter since the point of this was not to entertain the world, but as way for me to help remember things. Who am I kidding? We all have the secret wish that people are reading these things, our secret tickets to fifteen minutes of fame. That some how we are artists, adventurers, writers, mothers, clichés…Better than everyone else, but no I would say we are more like the grow up versions of the Breakfast Club stereotypes of the ordinary. With that in mind I began hitting the next blog button to see if I could be wrong.
vostfrbyzurg.blogspot.com
The first blog I come to is VOSTFR. It looks like it is probably is French and reviews movies and tv shows, specializing in sci-fi. I really did not know that the French liked sci-fi then again maybe that is why he is forced to write this blog.
sambanabaixada.blogspot.com/
Next came Samba na Baixada a Brazilian blog that seems to have fixation with pictures of people with tambourines and videos, maybe its for a some kind of show or bar, I don’t know I don’t speak Portuguese and if I could I would probably find out that I wished I did not.
godmademespecial.blogspot.com/
Finally an American blog, God made me special. Too bad God did not make her blog special lots of poorly written antidotes dealing with what appears to be her daughter, then again maybe not. Then again who cares?
ohyeahmel.blogspot.com
More foreign blogs, Oh Yeah (I don’t care). An Argentina blog about bands and movies, but more importantly they put up pictures, because well there writing is short and probably pretty terrible.
unexplainable-lili.blogspot.com
Oh look I found Triple L’s corner. I think she is from Malaysia, though I can not read it and it looks Japanese. I am guessing she is writing about and taking pictures of her life or this is all could just be a Malaysian stalker's page.
愛犬うらら⑦ – yeah that is Japanese so is the site, it has lots of pictures of a dog, boring. Though, the picture of the phallic sand castle is pretty funny. So far the highlight of next blog button, hopefully not the highlight of this post.
http://byxaldoo.blogspot.com
Aldo Rojas is blog from Spain and he likes cars and posts stock pictures of them, no words just pictures. I mean like really? Really?
burenkitchenkraze.blogspot.com
Back in the USA we find Kitchen Kraze the story of kitchen as it gets remodeled. Its about time. I have been clicking the next blog button all morning and I finally found something that might actually be insightful.
santicotarelojoyas.blogspot.com
Joyas Nunca taxi. Santiago Cotarelo which I think translates in Santiago makes art out of balls and carpet. Insert witty pun about balls and carpet here.
bursa-laptop.blogspot.com
TIM, posts pictures of laptops and there specs, OK who made this site do they not realize what Google is for?
chelseafc-newz.blogspot.com
Chelsea football club is this actually a blog with useful information? Oh never mind fell asleep reading about Chelsea’s last match. (Bookmarks page under sleeping aids.)
leolisboa.blogspot.com
Leo Burnett Lisboa likes to post pictures of friends, but more importantly she posts screen shots of company records, Nice.
therealmenofnewyork.blogspot.com
The real men of New York and yes it contains more than its fair share of pictures of men in New York. I am guessing New York stalker dot BlogSpot was already taken.
tyndra.blogspot.com
im Blickfeld its Austrian and could have been good if only they had realized that while German maybe great language it is not going to help you get your blog read in the rest of the world.
mexico2008-internship.blogspot.com
Mexico 2008 internship, I think the name says it all, and dare I say the best blog I have seen. I really like the type setting they used to make it look hand written. It is good to know there is something that isn’t terrible.
flybynightpress.blogspot.com
Fly-by-night press, self described as “Reflections and observations about life and ministry as a Lutheran pastor.” At least ill know were to find Lutheran pastor the next time I am in palm coast or a prank in the making.
pamencocina.blogspot.com
Pamen cocina, some one thinks they can cook and they post their recipes, too. Too bad the page is in Spanish, because it really does look good.
firchowcolor.blogspot.com
Steve Firchhows Colors, yes he does color though I think technically this blog should have been called Steve Firchhows Inks. So if you have been working hard on your comic about a man who can wash cars with power of orange scent, well it’s your lucky day.
curtis50centfans.blogspot.com
50 cent fans a fan site for 50 cent or as Curtis Jackson knows it, the unofficial 50 cent stalker page.
norsktbarn.blogspot.com
Maren Næss, it’s from Norway and Norwegians are not immune to bad taste because they love the bachelor too.
toriheart.blogspot.com
Tori’s Blog tells the adventures of a girl who gets involved in second life then post her adventures in second life back to the first life about her future life in second life…..yeah I am just as confused as you are. Oh and I think she designs clothes for Second life Avatars, which probably means she makes more money than you do.
lexishots.blogspot.com
Picture perfect, and they have pages and pages of them just let you know how perfect they are.
storiesunfinished.blogspot.com
Stories Unfinished, ill just let you read what he has to say about himself “I am a writer, photographer and amateur critic. Please feel free to comment on anything you like, dislike or have any opinions on!” Ironically he did not mention his love of taking self portraits because clearly this about the only thing his is proficient at.
terimatt.blogspot.com
Terri & Matt they are marred and they get to travel around the world, you do not.
kristen-familyfuntimes.blogspot.com
Family Fun Times, they have a family, they have fun, and they feel the need to let us know this.
dodiek-andreas.blogspot.com
My Frient Foto if you can not tell by the name is a photo album of some guys friends. I wonder how his “friend” likes her topless photo being posted.
sanjinezvideos.blogspot.com
Album de fotos is a photo album about boy and the girl he loves, but more importantly photos of himself, which he clearly loves more than her.
lovemysandalsanddaisies.blogspot.com
Sandals and Daisies “a blog celebrating the happy chaos of my little world...a place to share my love of 'junkin' and 'thriftin'...somewhere to put into words how blessed i feel in this life...” or how I like ugly things and let me show them to you. Don’t you feel blessed?
polonaphotos.blogspot.com
Fish Eye is a showcase for a Slovenian who takes pictures, well at least we know that they have cameras in Slovenian, hopefully they also have photographers.
onelifetolive-sharon.blogspot.com
One life to live isn’t that the name of soap opera? Well it looks like this soap opera takes place at the state fair, probably better than the real thing.
the-boys-from-ho.blogspot.com
The boys from Hollywood, honestly I am not sure what this site is about and it's even in English. It has pictures of young boys is am thinking a pedophile may run it.
keepupwiththemcbees.blogspot.com
Keep Up with the McBee's – the Mcbees have babies and lots of pictures of said babies. They also write about them sometimes, but more importantly they have a picture of a moose.
mementofmeeen.blogspot.com
えんの紀念物 – Taiwanese girls just want to have fun, or maybe they are just auditioning for a live action anime movie.
stargazer-photo.blogspot.com
My Photoblog – as compared to the 1000’s of other My Photo Blogs. Oh wait she is Swedish and I think you know what that means.
Ok, I give up. I have been working on this little project for hours now and these are the only sites that I have found even worth talking about. Let’s just say they go down hill from here. At least I can claim I learned how to improve my blog from this whole experience: 1) Post more pictures even if only they are self style pictures of myself. 2) Talk about everyday events like the whole world wants to read about them, wait I already do this. 3) Write the posts as if I live in or am visiting a place that I am not actually in. 4) Get a family and make it seem like we are happiest people on earth. And 5) Hope this whole blog things passes.
vostfrbyzurg.blogspot.com
The first blog I come to is VOSTFR. It looks like it is probably is French and reviews movies and tv shows, specializing in sci-fi. I really did not know that the French liked sci-fi then again maybe that is why he is forced to write this blog.
sambanabaixada.blogspot.com/
Next came Samba na Baixada a Brazilian blog that seems to have fixation with pictures of people with tambourines and videos, maybe its for a some kind of show or bar, I don’t know I don’t speak Portuguese and if I could I would probably find out that I wished I did not.
godmademespecial.blogspot.com/
Finally an American blog, God made me special. Too bad God did not make her blog special lots of poorly written antidotes dealing with what appears to be her daughter, then again maybe not. Then again who cares?
ohyeahmel.blogspot.com
More foreign blogs, Oh Yeah (I don’t care). An Argentina blog about bands and movies, but more importantly they put up pictures, because well there writing is short and probably pretty terrible.
unexplainable-lili.blogspot.com
Oh look I found Triple L’s corner. I think she is from Malaysia, though I can not read it and it looks Japanese. I am guessing she is writing about and taking pictures of her life or this is all could just be a Malaysian stalker's page.
愛犬うらら⑦ – yeah that is Japanese so is the site, it has lots of pictures of a dog, boring. Though, the picture of the phallic sand castle is pretty funny. So far the highlight of next blog button, hopefully not the highlight of this post.
http://byxaldoo.blogspot.com
Aldo Rojas is blog from Spain and he likes cars and posts stock pictures of them, no words just pictures. I mean like really? Really?
burenkitchenkraze.blogspot.com
Back in the USA we find Kitchen Kraze the story of kitchen as it gets remodeled. Its about time. I have been clicking the next blog button all morning and I finally found something that might actually be insightful.
santicotarelojoyas.blogspot.com
Joyas Nunca taxi. Santiago Cotarelo which I think translates in Santiago makes art out of balls and carpet. Insert witty pun about balls and carpet here.
bursa-laptop.blogspot.com
TIM, posts pictures of laptops and there specs, OK who made this site do they not realize what Google is for?
chelseafc-newz.blogspot.com
Chelsea football club is this actually a blog with useful information? Oh never mind fell asleep reading about Chelsea’s last match. (Bookmarks page under sleeping aids.)
leolisboa.blogspot.com
Leo Burnett Lisboa likes to post pictures of friends, but more importantly she posts screen shots of company records, Nice.
therealmenofnewyork.blogspot.com
The real men of New York and yes it contains more than its fair share of pictures of men in New York. I am guessing New York stalker dot BlogSpot was already taken.
tyndra.blogspot.com
im Blickfeld its Austrian and could have been good if only they had realized that while German maybe great language it is not going to help you get your blog read in the rest of the world.
mexico2008-internship.blogspot.com
Mexico 2008 internship, I think the name says it all, and dare I say the best blog I have seen. I really like the type setting they used to make it look hand written. It is good to know there is something that isn’t terrible.
flybynightpress.blogspot.com
Fly-by-night press, self described as “Reflections and observations about life and ministry as a Lutheran pastor.” At least ill know were to find Lutheran pastor the next time I am in palm coast or a prank in the making.
pamencocina.blogspot.com
Pamen cocina, some one thinks they can cook and they post their recipes, too. Too bad the page is in Spanish, because it really does look good.
firchowcolor.blogspot.com
Steve Firchhows Colors, yes he does color though I think technically this blog should have been called Steve Firchhows Inks. So if you have been working hard on your comic about a man who can wash cars with power of orange scent, well it’s your lucky day.
curtis50centfans.blogspot.com
50 cent fans a fan site for 50 cent or as Curtis Jackson knows it, the unofficial 50 cent stalker page.
norsktbarn.blogspot.com
Maren Næss, it’s from Norway and Norwegians are not immune to bad taste because they love the bachelor too.
toriheart.blogspot.com
Tori’s Blog tells the adventures of a girl who gets involved in second life then post her adventures in second life back to the first life about her future life in second life…..yeah I am just as confused as you are. Oh and I think she designs clothes for Second life Avatars, which probably means she makes more money than you do.
lexishots.blogspot.com
Picture perfect, and they have pages and pages of them just let you know how perfect they are.
storiesunfinished.blogspot.com
Stories Unfinished, ill just let you read what he has to say about himself “I am a writer, photographer and amateur critic. Please feel free to comment on anything you like, dislike or have any opinions on!” Ironically he did not mention his love of taking self portraits because clearly this about the only thing his is proficient at.
terimatt.blogspot.com
Terri & Matt they are marred and they get to travel around the world, you do not.
kristen-familyfuntimes.blogspot.com
Family Fun Times, they have a family, they have fun, and they feel the need to let us know this.
dodiek-andreas.blogspot.com
My Frient Foto if you can not tell by the name is a photo album of some guys friends. I wonder how his “friend” likes her topless photo being posted.
sanjinezvideos.blogspot.com
Album de fotos is a photo album about boy and the girl he loves, but more importantly photos of himself, which he clearly loves more than her.
lovemysandalsanddaisies.blogspot.com
Sandals and Daisies “a blog celebrating the happy chaos of my little world...a place to share my love of 'junkin' and 'thriftin'...somewhere to put into words how blessed i feel in this life...” or how I like ugly things and let me show them to you. Don’t you feel blessed?
polonaphotos.blogspot.com
Fish Eye is a showcase for a Slovenian who takes pictures, well at least we know that they have cameras in Slovenian, hopefully they also have photographers.
onelifetolive-sharon.blogspot.com
One life to live isn’t that the name of soap opera? Well it looks like this soap opera takes place at the state fair, probably better than the real thing.
the-boys-from-ho.blogspot.com
The boys from Hollywood, honestly I am not sure what this site is about and it's even in English. It has pictures of young boys is am thinking a pedophile may run it.
keepupwiththemcbees.blogspot.com
Keep Up with the McBee's – the Mcbees have babies and lots of pictures of said babies. They also write about them sometimes, but more importantly they have a picture of a moose.
mementofmeeen.blogspot.com
えんの紀念物 – Taiwanese girls just want to have fun, or maybe they are just auditioning for a live action anime movie.
stargazer-photo.blogspot.com
My Photoblog – as compared to the 1000’s of other My Photo Blogs. Oh wait she is Swedish and I think you know what that means.
Ok, I give up. I have been working on this little project for hours now and these are the only sites that I have found even worth talking about. Let’s just say they go down hill from here. At least I can claim I learned how to improve my blog from this whole experience: 1) Post more pictures even if only they are self style pictures of myself. 2) Talk about everyday events like the whole world wants to read about them, wait I already do this. 3) Write the posts as if I live in or am visiting a place that I am not actually in. 4) Get a family and make it seem like we are happiest people on earth. And 5) Hope this whole blog things passes.
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