Saturday update

So, yesterday I posted about how I like to read one of Dr. King’s speeches or essays every MLK Day weekend. I posted a link to an archive.

I was totally gonna pull up that archive on my phone at Bardog yesterday and get my reading in. (Hey, nobody said you can ONLY read Dr. King’s work in a library.)

Then Price Is Right came on and I forgot.

Isn’t that a sad commentary on where we are as a society?

I missed a chance to be inspired by one of the great orators of the past 100 years.

But, hey, I got to see Plinko.

That’s my favorite of all the Price Is Right games.

They had this dumb 18-year-old on there who didn’t win much money. You want to drop your chips in the middle of the Plinko board and drop them slowly. That’s your best chance of hitting the $10,000 slot.

But seriously, anybody got a rec for a Dr. King speech/essay to read? In recent years I’ve read Letter from a Birmingham Jail, some of his 1967/68 stuff, and one of his first speeches (1955 I believe). What gap should I fill in?

Now, on to a different topic.

Pet Peeve: People who sit at the bar at restaurants and have long, loud speakerphone conversations (traditional phone call or Facetime)

It is fucking RUDE to the other guests at the bar to subject them to your phone conversation.

Now, a quick convo with a PURPOSE, I can understand. Examples:

  • “We’re still on for 2:30, right? Where are we meeting? Okay, thanks, bye.”
  • “I left the door unlocked and kenneled the dog, so the maintenance man can come in and service my heater. Thanks. Bye.”
  • “Oh, there was a problem with the auto-run of the daily report? Let me get out my laptop and dig into it. Thanks for letting me know. Bye.”

On the other hand, this is NOT cool:

  • “HEY WHADDUP GIRL” followed by 45 minutes of random, pointless bullshit

If you must have those kinds of conversations, here are some suggestions:

1 – Have those conversations before or after you leave the restaurant

The bar area is not your private living room. You share it with other people. So find a way to have those conversations in a place that is more exclusively yours.

2 – Take your phone outside to have those conversations

Yes, I know it’s cold this time of year. But smokers go outside to partake in their nasty habit all the time. And your conversation is annoying as their smoke.

3 – Sit at a table, not the bar

This isn’t ideal, but at least you’re not shoulder to shoulder with strangers while you have your conversation.

4 – Text instead

Despite the slightly vulgar nickname (which I didn’t create), I think most of you have figured out that Butt Slut #1 and I are pretty fabulous friends. You know how many times she and I have actually TALKED on the phone?

ZERO. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Bupkus. Goose egg.

If I called her up and said, “Hey, girl, I just wanted to shoot the shit witcha for a while,” she’d think I had lost my mind. She’d think she was being set up for a practical joke.

You can text as much as you want without disturbing those around you. Make the text app your friend.

(steps off soapbox)

Everyone get through Friday the 13th okay? Miraculously, I did.

Let’s get on to the news.

Today is Feast of the Ass. I’ll sidestep the obvious joke (since that person has already been mentioned today) and instead say “Cheers” to my friend Krisma who raises donkeys on her farm.

The Grizzlies play a road game vs. the Indiana Pacers tonight at 6. TV is Bally Sports Southeast. Game preview

Penny’s Tigers hit the road to play Temple Sunday at 2. TV is ESPN2. The Tigers are currently projected as Last Four In in ESPN’s Bracketology. This game is more or less a must-win.

More than 30 artists will have their art exhibited in Marshall Arts and Slim & Husky’s for a month.

For those of you who remember Michael Cahaal’s Cafe Roux on Front Street, Jennifer Biggs of the DM has his shrimp and crawfish etouffee recipe.

The annual Race for Reconciliation is Monday at AutoZone Park.

Shen Yun returns to the Cannon Center the last weekend of January.

Magician Mike Super 2.0 comes to the Halloran Centre tonight. Tickets are $37.50.

Predictions for Bardog brunch specials today:

  • Blackened snapper
  • Lobster omelette
  • Strawberry or blueberry pancakes
  • Chicken-N-Waffles
  • Grilled pork chop

TL;DR: SSDD.

That’s it for now. Back tomorrow with more news.