Month: July 2023

I know last week seemed like a good week for me. And in many ways, it was. I got offered what is essentially a dream job, giving tours of the city I love. I started training Friday and Saturday.

For the first time in a long time, I have hope. Hope of having stability while loving every minute of the work I do.

But hope doesn’t change current conditions.

And current conditions are not good.

It’s July 31 and I haven’t paid my July rent yet. And August is now 6 days away from being past due. I’m surprised they haven’t served me with papers saying they’re starting the eviction process.

My AT&T bill is past due. Part of the new job is answering questions and booking tours. I need a working phone to be able to do that.

My Xfinity bill is past due. I need working Internet to do my job – and to continue publishing these daily posts about what’s going on Downtown.

My MLGW bill is past due. Without power, I can’t charge my phone or operate my MacBook.

I’m down to my last roll of toilet paper. I’m down to my last pen. I have enough laundry detergent for maybe 2 more loads.

My bank balance stayed negative for so long that First Horizon closed the account I had for more than 35 years. That’s why I took the Tip Jar links off my posts – there’s nowhere for the money to go. For the same reason, I can’t take Venmo or Cashapp or PayPal. What little royalties I still earn from Medium now have no place to be sent.

I mentioned there was a financial chasm I had to leap over until paychecks start coming in. What I just described above is the chasm.

If I’ve seemed sleepy when you’ve seen me lately, it’s because I lie awake two-thirds of most nights worrying about money.

Friends are making sure I eat regularly. So at least I have that in my favor. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it. Without that nourishment, I’d never have been able to walk those 16,000 steps Friday.

I was in financial straits this dire once before, back in 2019. At that time I thought the solution was to jump off my 16th-story rooftop. Two feet from the edge, I realized it wasn’t the solution at all.

And I don’t see that as the solution now. I have too many people who love me. And now I have a job I’m excited to go to. I have a ton of reasons to live.

It’s just really scary not knowing what the future holds.

My birthday falls on a Saturday this year. I was gonna request not to be scheduled for work that day. Hopefully I will wake up that morning in the very same bed I woke up in today, get on my MacBook and do a blog post, get on my phone and “Like”/respond to people who left me birthday wishes on Facebook, then walk around the corner to Bardog where I will celebrate with friends… and, of course, continue the celebration at Blind Bear later in the day.

I just have to leap the chasm between here and there.

Thanks for reading. And now, let’s get on to the news…

The Downtown Blue Monkey is once again open on Sundays from noon to 8. One of their Sunday regulars told me that they have a breakfast sandwich all day and that they post their specials to social media.

I did not know until yesterday that there’s a Downtown Memphis meditation community with 792 members on meetup.com.

A grocery tax holiday will be in effect in Tennessee tomorrow through Halloween. However, candy, prepared food, booze, and dietary supplements will still be taxed.

Today is National Avocado Day. I’d recommend celebrating with a Cobb salad at Bardog, which comes with thick slices of avocado.

There was a shooting on B.B. King Blvd. about a block south of Beale last night.

A sinkhole has developed at Second and Madison.

Feels-like temperatures will “only” reach the upper 90s today.

I mentioned that I’ve been reading two books on Memphis by Bill Patton, my tour company’s founder. Several friends of mine have recommended another Memphis book, Beale Street Dynasty by Preston Lauterbach. It’s the story of Robert Church Sr. (1839-1912), the South’s Black millionaire, and of Beale Street of that era.

One of the friends recommending the book told me he was assigned to read it for work – and he works for the Grizzlies.

The U.S. Women’s National Team plays Portugal in the final match of the World Cup group stage at 2 AM tomorrow (Tuesday). A win or a draw advances the USWNT to the knockout stage. If you want to watch the match – the entire match – at a Memphis bar, it’ll have to be on Beale Street. They are the only ones allowed to be open past 3 AM.

The NFL pre-season begins Thursday night as the New York Jets play the Cleveland Browns in the Hall of Fame game.

That’s it for today. Back tomorrow, assuming I have power and Internet access. Again, thanks for reading.

 

The Downtown Mobility Center at Main and Beale has its opening this Thursday at 4 PM. The center will be a multi-modal hub for cars, bikes, and public transit. There will be a ribbon-cutting and remarks at 4:15 followed by self-guided tours.

I went as an observer on my new company’s Discovery Tour yesterday. It was every bit as fabulous as the history tour I went on Friday. Here are a few personal highlights I experienced:

• I got to see the I AM A MAN plaza for the first time. It used to be the parking lot of Clayborn Temple and served as a staging ground for the marches to City Hall during the 1968 sanitation workers’ strike
• I got to walk down Adams Avenue and hear the stories of the Victorian Villiage mansions built in the 1800s
• I learned the origin of the term “hooker” to describe a prostitute (hey, these tours are as Memphis as Memphis gets)
• I learned how Johnny Cash became The Man in Black

The Discovery Tour covers more ground than the history tour I went on Friday and therefore took place in an air-conditioned bus. Yesterday’s tour guide drove the bus himself, but I’m told I will have a driver when I conduct the tour in the future.

I will let you know the dates and times when I start leading my own tours.

I have had people ask where they can buy the two excellent books written by tour company founder Bill Patton. One is a history lover’s guide to Memphis, while the other focuses specifically on Downtown. To purchase, I direct you to the company’s About page. It has Amazon links to both books.

The DM has a look at the Skol-Astic Book Fair that will happen at Soul & Spirits brewery on Saturday, August 12. It’ll be a book fair for adults.

FOX 13 reports that Second between Court and Madison is closed for road work. No timetable has been given for its reopening.

Want to live on Court Square? There’s a 6th-floor condo for sale.

Legally change your name to “Subway” and you could win free sandwiches from the chain for life.

There’s a rumor going around that The Rock will return to WWE for the Summerslam premium live event on Saturday, probably in a speaking role as opposed to a match. His cousin Roman Reigns is the company’s universal champion and is involved in a family-based storyline.

There will be a live podcast with Fred Jones, founder of the Southern Heritage Classic, at the Cossitt Library this Saturday, August 5 from 2:00 to 3:30 PM.

That’ll wrap it up for today. Back tomorrow with more news.

 

Yesterday was a wonderful day. My iPhone tells me I took 16,356 steps and walked 7.2 miles. That’s the most I’ve walked in one day on any day in the past year. BY FAR. Time permitting, I’ll come back and say more about that before the end of this post.

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Yesterday morning I went on the Historic Memphis Walking Tour for my first day at the new job. That’s a tour I am told I will soon be leading myself, and they wanted me to get the feel of it as presented by an experienced tour guide.

Prior to the tour, I thought, “I wonder if I’ll learn anything new?” After all, I’ve lived in Memphis for 36 years, Downtown for 21 of those years, and I’ve written a blog for 19 of those years  I was pretty sure I knew it all, or nearly all.

I was so wrong!

The tour was OUTSTANDING. I’d estimate  60-65% of it was either completely new to me or added depth to topics I already knew about. We walked down Beale, up Main, through Court Square, through Fourth Bluff, down Cotton Row on Front Street, through the Cotton Exchange Building lobby, and over to the Peabody just in time to see the ducks march out of the elevator.

Would I recommend it to someone who lives or works Downtown? Absolutely, absolutely! In fact, you’re missing out if you don’t take this tour.

I will let you know dates and times once I start leading this tour.

Today I get to go on a second tour, the Discovery Tour, a bus tour that includes a sampling at Central BBQ. You bet I’m looking forward to that!

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I went to my first South Main Trolley Night in more than a year last night and I’d like to share a few highlights.

I gravitated toward Feelin’ Memphis at 509 S. Main as soon as I got to the Arts District. Unfortunately I didn’t get to see my friends Tawanda and Cordell, who are in Florida for a wedding. I still had an awesome time browsing though. That is the COOLEST place to go if you’re looking for fun, hip, Memphis-y stuff.

Feelin’ has a wide variety of iconic Memphis images on coasters. Great way to spruce up your living room and they are inexpensive gifts to give.

They have a variety of BBQ rubs, sauces, and seasonings. I want to mention Robinson Smokehouse’s products in particular because Anwar is a friend.

It was also good to see Pink Pig Apparel back on South Main. Feelin’ Memphis sells that brand now.

Puppy Party in Bar Hustle inside Arrive Hotel today: (click for a larger, more readable image)

It was kinda sad to walk down G.E. Patterson east of Main. Walking Pants Curiosities has packed up and moved to Beale. Cheesecake Corner is gone too. Anyone know if they moved too? The storefronts between Arcade and Max’s are empty. That block has always been so vibrant.

It’s also kinda sad to see that some South Main businesses chose to close at their regularly scheduled time and not stay open late for Trolley Night. The event is a license to print money if marketed right by the SMA and by individual businesses.

I got to check out South Point Grocery for the first time. What a beautiful neighborhood grocery store. The prices were more competitive than I thought they would be.

Got to hang out with friends outside South Main Sounds last night, including Mark who books the bands there. That was a real treat.

It was very neat to walk around and identify myself as “a local blogger AND tour guide.” This new job is part of who I am more than any job since I taught at the university.

I wish I could’ve stopped in Max’s Sports Bar or Longshot for an icy cold beverage, but finances do not permit. I’m working now but have not been paid yet, and even after that it will take me several pay cycles to get caught up on rent and bills. I literally did not have enough cash on me to buy a beer last night. It made me feel like an outsider.

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All right, let’s see if there’s any news to report.

It’s National Chicken Wing Day.

It’s also a day of celebration for University of Memphis fans: International Tiger Day.

Wow, Memphis 901 FC won’t be home again until August 23! They are on the road at Pittsburgh today.

Grizzlies PF/C Jaren Jackson Jr. hosted a youth camp this week.

Musician and sound therapist Matt Petty will host Vibes from the Vines: The Sentient Sound of Plants in Memphis this Monday at 7 PM at The Broom Closet. $20 per person. There will be no late entry to this class.

Want to play a role in distilling some of Memphis’ finest booze? Old Dominick is hiring a Production Assistant.

Alexis Jade + The Gemstones play Slider Inn Downtown tonight at 7.

That’s it. Gotta get to work. Due to tight finances I doubt I’ll be at Bardog today after I get off around noon. Back tomorrow with more news.

 

I start training for the new job this morning. I’m going on a Historic Memphis Walking Tour at 9:30, which I’m told is being led by one of our best and most experienced tour guides. My mission today will not be so much to absorb the tour information – they’ll give me notes for that – but to observe how the tour operates and how the guide interacts with guests.

As part of the tour, I get to observe the 11 AM march of the Peabody ducks. I haven’t seen the ducks do their thing in about 10 years.

I’m training tomorrow as well, when I’ll be boarding a bus for a Memphis Discovery Tour, led by another of the company’s best and most experienced guides. That tour includes a tasting at Downtown Central BBQ. Looking forward to meeting and greeting some Memphis guests and to learning all I can from the tour guides.

I’ll let you know when I get my own tours to lead. Fun facts: You can bring alcohol on tours that run via bus (coolers with permission only though, due to space limitations). You can bring your dog on all the tours. You’re allowed to tip your tour guide if you had a great experience.

There’s a free yoga class, led by Andrea Jay, at the Cossitt Library today from 4:00 to 5:30 PM.

The Sunset Jazz concert with Deborah Swiney, postponed because of rain a couple of weeks ago, has been rescheduled for this Sunday 6-8 PM in Court Square. Lawn chairs and blankets are welcome and food trucks will be present.

It’s South Main Trolley Night with many of the businesses of South Main staying open until 9 or later. Some will offer specials, live music, wine, beer, and/or hors d’oeuvres. It’s a great chance to shop local and mingle with your neighbors.

Kathy Driftwood, Alexis Jade, and Callie Cash will perform at South Main Sounds, 550 S. Main, tonight from 7 to 9 PM.

Raneem and Better in Color play Slider Inn Downtown tonight at 7.

The Westin Hotel will have live jazz tonight from 6 to 9.

STIX will have Drag Queen Bingo hosted by Miss Imagene Azengraber tonight from 6 to 8.

Colorado is leaving the Pac-12 to move to the Big 12, a development that will hurt the Memphis Tigers’ chances of getting into the Big 12. From FanNation: Which schools could move next in realignment? Memphis isn’t even mentioned.

From the DM: The Cycle Shop property gets a $35 million investment. It is considered one of the key properties in The Edge, sitting at the corner of Monroe and Lauderdale.

Today is National Hamburger Day. Allow me to offer some suggestions to celebrate:

1. Mr. Good Burger at Roxie’s Grocery – double meat, 4 strips of bacon, pepper jack, hoop cheese, grilled onion, lettuce, pickle, mayo, mustard, and ketchup. Note that Roxie’s is not a restaurant, so be prepared to eat in your car or take your food home.
2. One-Eyed Bacon Cheeseburger at Westy’s – with a fried egg
3. World Famous Memphis Original Sliders at Bardog Tavern – but don’t get them the way they come, with mayo and ketchup. Ketchup is a child’s condiment. I keep the white American cheese, standard on Bardog’s sliders, but I replace the mayo + ketchup with pickle + mustard. Another good option is to top the sliders with BOLT (bacon, onion, lettuce, tomato).
4. Texas Toast Burger at Huey’s – pepper jack cheese, grilled onions, jalapenos on buttered Texas toast
5. West Coast Burger at Huey’s – guacamole, Monterey Jack cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, on a buttered, toasted whole wheat bun
6. Any Huey’s burger with a black bean patty – I am a hard-core meat lover yet I appreciate this vegetarian offering.
7. Yonge Street Burger at Kooky Canuck – American cheese, sauteed mushrooms & onions, bacon, burger sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickle. Me personally, I hold the tomato or pick it off and eat it as a side.
8. Smashed Bear Burger at Blind Bear – double patties, cheese, sauteed onions, lettuce, tomato, burger sauce, brioche bun. Again, I pick the tomato off before eating. Get a side of Nate’s tots and ask for ranch for dipping – unless you’re under 7, in which case it’s OK to dip tots in ketchup.
9. Majestic Burger at Majestic Grille – American or cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, parmesan fries
10. The Telluride at Flying Saucer – green chiles (hatch when available), lettuce, beefsteak tomato, red onion, poblano goat cheese, green chili chutney. Comes with fries, chips, or side salad; get the fries, they are awesome.
11. Sputnik Monroe at Flying Saucer – bacon and onion marmalade, arugula, spinach, white cheddar, ranch mayo. Comes with fries, chips, or side salad; get the fries, they are awesome.
12. Double-Double at Dyer’s – 2 all-beef patties, 2 slices of cheese, mustard, pickle, and onions
13. Rotel Burger at Green Beetle – smothered in housemade smoked Rotel queso. Lettuce, onion, pickle, or tomato upon request.
14. Mushroom & Swiss Sliders at Slider Inn Downtown – get 3 with fries. This is a sister restaurant to previously-mentioned Bardog Tavern.
15. Soul Burger at Earnestine & Hazel’s – mustard, mayo, grilled onions, bag of chips on the side

The Memphis Grizzlies are hiring an operations crew member.

Explore Bike Share is hiring a bike technician.

Clean Memphis is hiring a deputy director.

The Trumpster has been hit with additional felony charges. One charge alleges Trump ordered a Mar-a-Lgo employee to delete security camera footage he knew investigators were looking for.

I think I may head to South Main Trolley Night this evening! I haven’t made it to one this year and I’m in the mood to be social. Back tomorrow with more news.

Memphis Made Brewing Co. has announced plans for its weekly pop-up Saturday in The Ravine and on the patio of its new location at 435 Madison. Pickleball Memphis will be there with four courts. The pop-up will run from noon to 10 PM. Aaron & Renee Brame will supply the live music at 7 PM. Good Groceries and MemPops will be the food trucks onsite.

Yesterday was a nice reprieve from the 90s, but we’re back in the oven today as sunshine returns by midmorning and temps soar. Highs will be in the mid 90s with heat indices near 105, prompting a Heat Advisory that likely lasts multiple days. Wind SW at 10 mph.

— MemphisWeather.net (@memphisweather1) July 27, 2023

Mustard-flavored Skittles are a thing now. They’ll be released on August 5, which is National Mustard Day. It’s too bad our buddy Nate isn’t around to see this. He’d be so happy.

LEO Events is looking to fill multiple contract event staff positions to work AutoZone’s annual national sales meeting September 26-28. The pay is $20 per hour. The sales meeting is held at the Renasant Convention Center.

There will be a Pour & Paint this Friday from 8 to 9:30 PM at South Main Artspace Lofts. The theme will be Fluid Bear and the class emphasizes unpredictability, freedom, and interactions through colors.

I’m noticing that more and more Downtown restaurants are refusing to take over-the-phone orders unless they know the caller. Too many people are phoning in orders and then no-showing for pickup, driving up food costs.

The DM has a look at Sunset Skate, which happens monthly (and tonight is the night) on Riverside Drive.

Today is National Scotch Day. Belle Tavern would be a good place to celebrate. They have an extensive collection.

Tax-free weekend in Tennessee is tomorrow through Sunday. The tax holiday is designed to help parents get their kids ready for the coming school year. However, you do not have to have a child to participate. Buy clothing and school supplies up to $100 and computers up to $1500 without paying sales tax this weekend.

Did your lights flicker and your water get low Tuesday evening? FOX 13 News explains why.

From Broadway World: Congolese artist Doudou Mbemba makes debut in the South Main Arts District. His exhibit is called ELIKIA: Echoes of Ebony Hope and it will be on display at 410 S. Main. He’ll be present for an opening on August 5 from 5:30-8:00. The exhibit will be on display through September 30.

The revitalized Downtown neighborhood of W. Virginia Ave. will have a grand opening party Saturday. Live music, DJ sets, a food truck, FREE(!!!) cocktails and beer, a live art mural installation, and booths by more than 20 local artists and businesses. 4-9 PM.

Sinead O’Connor has died.

I’m tentatively scheduled to go on tours Friday and Saturday morning as part of my training for my new job. SUPER excited!!! Saturday’s tour includes a BBQ tasting at Central!

Time permitting, back tomorrow with more news.

I’ll start off with a couple of Downtown food recommendations that were shared with me yesterday.

The hiring manager who I interviewed with told me she’d been to Supper Club on 2nd recently and had a great experience there. She recommended it highly. I have not had a chance to check it out yet. Sounds like an elegant place.

This second recommendation I’m gonna need some help with: A friend of mine was eating tacos from a new restaurant in the Medical District just east of Downtown. He said it was located at Jefferson and Manassas, and it was a beautiful building, “like something you’d see in L.A.” The restaurant’s specialties, he said, were craft burgers and gourmet tacos, and the food was affordable and delicious.

Unfortunately, he did not have a complete name for the place. “I think it’s like… something bistro,” he told me. Anyone got a name and/or a website link for this place? Email me at paul.ryburn@gmail.com or hit me up on social media.

Women’s World Cup action tonight: USA (1-0-0) vs. Netherlands (1-0-0), FOX, 8 PM. Oddsmakers have Team USA at -150 (a 60% favorite).

Southbound headlines the Peabody rooftop party Thursday night. From the hotel’s promotional email: “Southbound is a dynamic band that expertly blends the catchy beats of pop, the heartfelt melodies of country, and the soulful rhythms of rock & soul. Their captivating vocals create a musical experience that transcends genres, uniting audiences from all walks of life.”

The rooftop parties usually run from 6 to 10 PM, but when there is a heat advisory they tend to get started an hour later, at 7. $15 to get in, $30 for access to the VIP Lounge. If you’re in VIP this week, you get a buffet of BBQ chicken drummies, spicy meatballs, and fried pickles.

To be given away at this week’s rooftop party:

• Four tickets to the Memphis Tigers football opener vs. Bethune-Cookman September 2 at the Liberty Bowl
• Dinner for two at Capriccio Grill

Enter the drawing at the Skyway kiosk. The drawing will happen at approximately 8 PM. You must be present to win.

Pre-game for the party in the Peabody’s Corner Bar. They’ll have drink specials from 4 to 7 PM. They have a new summer cocktail called the Blackberry Bourbon Smash.

From the Memphis Beer Blog: Memphis Made Brewing Co. adds second location. Skee-ball machines!!!

The MBJ reports that Caribbean restaurant Curry N Jerk is moving a block down Monroe to the space formerly occupied by Bon Ton Cafe.

Specials at the Blind Bear this week:

• Tuscan soup – Italian sausage, potatoes, kale, cream – cup 6 / bowl 8
• Shrimp scampi – tomatoes, garlic, white wine butter sauce – 18
• Tiramisu cake – espresso cake, mascarpone filling, cocoa powder – 9

There will be a debate featuring eight Memphis mayoral candidates on WKNO at 7 PM August 15. No, make that seven. King Willie was invited but declined to participate.

The CA’s Jennifer Chandler listed her 5 picks for the best wings in Memphis. Two of those picks are Downtown:

• The GFC wings with Sichuan honey butter from Good Fortune Co.
• The Smokin’ Peach Party Wings from New Wing Order inside the Ghost River taproom on Beale

You can use AI to create a resume… and it’s free. I haven’t tried it yet.

That’s it for the “news” portion of today’s post. The rest will be about me personally. TL;DR – I got offered the job I interviewed/auditioned for yesterday.

Let me give you a little background. From age 24 to 29 I had a job that was both a blessing and a curse. I was a full-time instructor of math and computer literacy at the University of Memphis.

It was a blessing in that I connected with my students. I inspired them. I helped them grasp a subject many of them didn’t ever think they would understand.

It was also a blessing in that it was a job that worked the way I did. There was no dress code and I wore T-shirts and shorts to work. I wasn’t a morning person back then. So I went to the associate department chair and asked, “Is there any way I can not be scheduled for 8:00 classes?” My request was granted.

However, the U of M teaching gig was a curse in that I knew from the get-go that it wouldn’t be a forever job. You see, in that department (and in many major university departments) a faculty member can’t be employed for more than 5 years without being awarded this thing called “tenure.”

In my department, you had to have a Ph.D. to be considered for tenure. I only had a Master’s degree. So I knew that before the end of my twenties, I’d be looking for work. And I’d probably never find anything as fulfilling, anything as good a personality fit, as college teaching.

From 2000 to 2018 I had several corporate IT jobs, the type of job I was “supposed” to have, given my degree.

And I hated them.

They were such a stark contrast to my college teaching job in terms of fun and freedom.

“How do people do this?” I wondered in the early years of my corporate IT life. “People come here in their boring polos and their boring khakis and sit in a cubicle with low walls so everyone is looking at them and they bang away on a keyboard writing code from 8 to 5 five days a week, fifty weeks a year. And that seems to be ENOUGH for most people. They’re SATISFIED with it. HOW?????”

It wasn’t enough for me. I felt like a little piece of my beautiful free spirit died every morning that I took a seat in a cubicle.

From 2020 until 2022 I tried to make a go of it as a professional writer. But my income never reached a sustainable full-time income. By April of this year, I was rapidly running out of money. It was time to hit the job market again.

Some of my friends, while meaning well and wanting only the best for me, offered suggestions I didn’t want to hear.

“You should go back to corporate IT. After all, that’s your bread and butter.”

“Why don’t you take a job you hate for a year or two, then try to move on to something better from there?”

I wished I would go ahead and have a heart attack or stroke and get my life over with. I seriously did.

I went on ZipRecruiter and Indeed and LinkedIn and applied for a bunch of remote corporate IT jobs. But those drew from a national pool. I’d apply and then get a message, “Thank you for applying. See how you compare to the other 237 applicants for this position.” With 5 years since my last IT job – an eon in that world – I didn’t stand a chance.

Then about 2 weeks ago, I was cruising Choose901’s Memphis job board and saw two part-time jobs for a local tour company.

One position was a tour guide who’d be giving walking tours of Beale Street and bus tours of Downtown and Midtown.

The other position would be handling sales and customer service responsibilities, freeing up the events manager to focus on other aspects of growing the business.

Are you kidding me? Getting paid to meet new people, walk around, and promote the city I love? Maybe a job DID exist that would be as fulfilling as college teaching! I applied for both positions.

I auditioned for the hiring manager yesterday, giving her part of a tour of Beale Street. She said it was one of the best auditions she’d ever had. I even taught her a piece of Memphis history she didn’t know about – the Hadden Horn.

When we got back to the “office” – the tour registration stand on the patio of Alfred’s – she tried to bring up details of the jobs, especially the customer service role, that might dissuade me.

Every time I responded with, “Yeah, but that’s still way better than sitting in a cubicle from 8 to 5.” Turned out the hiring manager holds cubicles in the same low esteem I do, so that response resonated.

So it looks like I’ll be giving two tours a day, logging 15 or so hours a week at the tour registration desk, and the rest I can do from a location of my choice. “And additional duties as assigned,” I’m sure, since that’s part of nearly every job description.

“What should I wear to work?” I asked the hiring manager.

“Clothes,” she replied. “Whatever you want.”

“T-shirts? Shorts?” I asked.

“Yes to both,” she said.

So I’m gonna have a FUN job in which I get to interact with people, dress as I choose, talk about topics I love, and which has no expectation of being in a corporate office at 8 in the morning.

I’m gonna be happy.

My work life has come full circle.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not happy yet – I am way behind on my bills and to tell the truth, I’m terrified. I don’t have enough money to buy toilet paper, pens, or laundry detergent, all of which I’m close to running out of. But I have to have faith it will all work out. The tour job is a huge step in the right direction.

Thanks for reading. Back tomorrow.

I have a bunch of Wednesday news today as well as some personal news and potentially a long personal essay. So I’m going to need a while to type it all up.

Check back around noon or 1 PM.

Okay, I’ll go ahead and share the personal news… I got offered the job I interviewed for yesterday.

Today is National Wine and Cheese Day. My recommendation to celebrate would be Belle Tavern – order the Butcher’s Platter. It’s an assortment of cheeses, charcuterie, and accouterments. Ask the bartender to recommend a nice glass or bottle of wine that complements the platter.

Where is Belle Tavern, you ask? It’s halfway down Barboro Alley, the alley halfway between Union and Gayoso Avenues. Enter the alley at Main between Sage and Aldo’s Pizza Pies, or at Second between Quench and Margaritas:

Crone Law Firm at 88 Union is looking to hire an intake specialist.

UT Health Sciences is looking to fill 2 financial aid counselor positions.

In a guest column in today’s DM, former Orpheum GM Pat Halloran remembers Tony Bennett.

All tight. Gotta prep for today’s job interview. Back tomorrow.

Today is National Tequila Day. I try to have recommendations for these minor holidays, but tequila is one kind of liquor I refuse to touch, except as an ingredient in a margarita.

I got to hear the music of DJ Tree last night. Damn that guy is talented at what he does. When he was on break, he came over and we talked a bit. Tree got nominated in the Memphis Flyer’s Best of Memphis poll this year and he is super excited to be recognized. Vote in the Best of Memphis poll through August 15.

Blind Bear news: They got shipped a box of party wings by mistake – flats and drummies, as opposed to the whole wings they usually serve. They’re selling the party wings 10 for $5 until they run out. That’s one heck of a good deal.

The Memphis Redbirds return to AutoZone Park for a 6-day homestand vs. the Iowa Cubs this week. Here are the details:

Tuesday, July 25 – First pitch 7:05

Wednesday, July 26 – First pitch 7:05

Thursday, July 27 – The first 1000 fans will receive cards 11-20 of the Redbirds’ 25th anniversary baseball card set. 100 lucky fans will receive an exclusive 1 in 100 card.

It’ll also be Throwback Thursday. Memphis will take the field in throwback Chicks uniforms. There will be throwback concession prices of $1 hot dogs and $2 PBR. First pitch 7:05.

Friday, July 28 – a specialty ticket gets holders access to an all-you-can-eat taco bar with soft taco shells, seasoned beef, lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, salsa, rice, tortillas, soft drinks, and water. $35 dugout, $32 field box.

Friday is also Wrestling Night. I’m just gonna copy and paste the details.

Cheer on Rockey and The Gunshow as they attempt to defend AutoZone Park from Delicious Van Viciouss and his manager Hollywood Jimmy Blaylock to earn the Redbirds Championship belt. With two pregame matches featuring the stars of Memphis Wrestling: Mackenzie Morgan, King Cobra, The Possy, and more!

Holy crap King Cobra is still around? He’s gotta be 60 at least. First pitch 7:05.

Saturday, July 29 – Memphis Redbirds belt bag giveaway – these exterior bags keep your phone, keys, and wallet safe, and they meet the requirements for bags you can bring into the ballpark. There was no “first ____ fans get them” listed, so I assume every fan gets one.

Stick around after the game for fireworks. First pitch 6:35.

Sunday, July 30 – Kids under 12 get a free Prairie Farms ice cream sandwich. All kids can run the bases after the game. First pitch 2:05.

Beale Street Bears has 3 reasons the Grizzlies must consider signing Rudy Gay.

From the CA: With the Hard Rock Cafe closure, Memphis loses a legend

RIP Twitter bird logo.

That’s all. Back Wednesday unless there is time-sensitive news tomorrow.

The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Vietnam in the Women’s World Cup last night, 3-0, although the score could have been more like 7-0 had the USWNT taken advantage of all of its opportunities. Looks like the team has a rising star in Sophia Smith, who made 2 of the 3 goals.

Mark your calendars for a great deal at South Main noodle joint Good Fortune Co. – every Thursday they have 50% off select beers and 20% off ramen bowls.

In other South Main food news, Birdie’s, the simulated golf bar at 493 S. Main, has added a breakfast item to its menu. The McBirdie is an English muffin sandwich with sausage, egg, and cheese, served with a side of tots.

I got to try this week’s special at Blind Bear, sundried tomato chicken and kale over gnocchi in a garlic cream sauce.

I had to be talked into trying this special. I’d never had gnocchi before in my life and wasn’t sure I would like it. Also, kale is a vegetable that is easy to mess up if not cooked properly. Plus, if I got the special, I’d have to let go of my desire for a Smashed Burger there, easily a top-five burger in a neighborhood that is an embarrassment of burger riches.

However, Maddie who works there came in for a pre-shift meal and sat next to me and ordered the special. Once I saw Maddie’s bowl, I knew I needed to have one. A delicious combination of flavors, and it’s more food than it appears – yesterday was one of the few times in recent Bear history I couldn’t manage to clean my plate.

I will say that this dish will leave you craving something sweet, possibly why there’s also a boozy Oreo cookie ice cream sandwich on this week’s specials as well. I didn’t get it, though – it’s made with coffee ice cream and that’s not my thing. I had a couple of glasses of Pepsi after dinner to restore my sugar equilibrium.

Carol Coletta, CEO of Memphis River Parks Partnership, talked about the future of Tom Lee Park and Memphis in May on this week’s edition of The Sidebar podcast with the DM’s Eric Barnes.

Today is National Ratcatcher’s Day. My recommendation to celebrate would be the Main Street Mall after sundown. That’s when the rodents with the fluffy tails go to bed and the rodents with the long, skinny, hairless tails come out.

The Music Fashion Sports Celebrity Weekend makes its return and there will be a fashion show at 409 S. Main this Sunday evening.

Memphis 901 FC hosts Orange County FC tonight at 7:30 at AutoZone Park.

Miz Stefani and the Variants play The Central BBQ Sessions tonight from 6 to 9 at Downtown Central BBQ.

That’s the news for today. Back tomorrow.