Author: paulryburn

As many of you know, I’ve been fed up with the Blogger blogging engine for quite some time now. I almost switched to WordPress about this time a year ago, but there were problems importing my existing posts due to Google rolling out “Blogger beta/the new Blogger.” Well, WordPress is now able to import from the new Blogger, so that’s no longer an issue.

So, one of the things I plan to do during my four-day weekend is convert this blog from Blogger to WordPress. I should be able to bring all the old posts over into the new format with no loss of data. One thing that will change is the current blue template, which is Blogger-specific. However, I’ve found a new template which I really like and which is a lot more readable – it will be white text on a black background, with a larger font that’s more pleasing to the eyes.

Like the current template, the new one will be 3 columns. I’m going to get rid of the “Paul’s Mall” column on the right (although I may keep the Amazon search box, that’s pretty handy) and instead I’m going to put SOMETHING there which will contain useful information for people who plan to go out Downtown. I haven’t figured out exactly what yet.

Working on the import now… have run into one snag, in that my blog is so large that the file size is beyond the maximum allowed import size. Fortunately I can Google the problem to look for solutions, and my friend Otto is a WordPress expert and I’m sure he knows a way around it. So sometime between now and January 1, you’ll probably see this blog switch over to the new format. In the meantime, you may see some weird stuff as I experiment with the import. I’ll continue to post over the weekend as ideas come to me.

The Tenessee presidential primary is less than six weeks away (it’s on February 5) and I have no idea who I’m going to vote for. Early on I was a huge fan of Barack Obama. I appreciate his fresh ideas and I believe he’s the candidate most likely to use the presidency as a bully pulpit the way Teddy Roosevelt did. A few months ago, though, I swung back to Hillary’s side, believing her experience would be valuable on the world’s stage, and besides, it’s time for America to have a woman president. Now I’m back to undecided. I just don’t know.

As of right now, I think the environment will end up being the issue that determines my vote. I believe that 100 years from now, Bush will be seen as a president who sat by and did nothing during a crisis (the climate crisis) the way Hoover did 75 years ago during a crisis of his own (the Great Depression). I want to see a president aggressively implement the suggestions Al Gore and his group came up with, before it’s too late.

So between now and 2/5 I’ll be researching where Hillary and Obama stand on that issue, and if they make big promises, I’ll consider whether I can really trust them to keep their word. I haven’t looked into John Edwards much. I have nothing against him though. If anyone reading this is a big Edwards supporter and wants to make a case for him, feel free to e-mail me and I’ll read with an open mind.

Since voters don’t have to declare in advance for one political party or the other in Tennessee, I do have one other option if I can’t find a clear favorite among Hillary, Obama, and Edwards by February 5… I could cross over to the Republican primary and vote for Giuliani. Of the Republican candidates, he’s the only one I could be completely happy with as president. If he gets the nomination, I’ll give him serious consideration against the Democrat. In any other case, my vote in the general election will go to the Democrat for sure.

Trouble is, I wonder if a vote for Giuliani in the primary is a wasted vote in a conservative state like Tennessee.

I was very happy with Mike Huckabee’s performance as governor of Arkansas, and if he were running for governor I’d vote for him. As president? No.

I admire Ron Paul’s independence and his willingness to do what’s right as opposed to toe the party line. Several of my blog’s readers have e-mailed requesting that I give him a serious look. But the president appoints Supreme Court justices, and for that reason there’s no way I can support a candidate who is pro-life.Guess I’ll figure it out who I’m going to vote for sometime in the next six weeks. At least I can be encouraged by the realization that no matter who ends up in the White House on January 20, 2009, it’s going to be a huge improvement over the current occupant.

Just had lunch at Blue Plate Cafe. Turkey and dressing with blackeyed peas and boiled cabbage and cornbread. It was excellent. Service was great too – food was out in 5 minutes and the waiter brought me an extra Coke without me even having to ask.

While I was eating I flipped through RSVP Magazine. One of their monthly profiles was about… can you guess it?… Kevin Kane. Said his favorite album was Sgt. Pepper and the first concert he ever attended was a Led Zeppelin show. My respect for Kevin went way up after reading those facts.

As for the rest of the magazine… well, let’s just say I’m considering not buying any more toilet paper and instead putting a stack of RSVP Magazines in my bathroom. Fun game to play if you’re really bored – go through the magazine and try to figure out whose pictures the photographer actually wanted in the magazine, versus who chased the photographer around and begged to have their pics taken.

Um… otherwise… not much new to report. I have a post on the presidential race saved in Drafts, and I’ll put that one up next. That’ll save me from having to tell the disgusting bum story from last night, which is really too nasty even for this blog.

I’ve heard from two different sources that Calhoun’s, the sports bar on G.E. Patterson in the old convenience store space, will open for business on the 31st. The info, I’m told, went out in an e-mail newsletter that its neighbor down the street Delphinium sent to its customers.

Liberty Bowl parade on Beale today at 4:00. Better get there early if you want to grab a spot – this one tends to draw a lot more people than the Christmas and St. Pat’s parades on Beale. I’ve been seeing people in UCF attire all week long… guess the Mississippi State folks are waiting ’til the day of to drive up. The game is tomorrow at 3:30.

Tonight is the last Friday of the month, which means it’s South Main Trolley Art Tour. I’ll probably head down there at some point in the evening.

And tomorrow night it’s (2) Memphis vs. (17) Arizona (Edit: not Arizona State as I originally posted) at the FedExForum, 9 PM. With the game going on and the Liberty Bowl crowd coming downtown to party after the game, it’s going to be a wild and crazy night.

Didn’t make it to Sauces’ happy hour last night after receiving a text that my bartender Ugly Steve is no longer there. So instead I went to (can you guess it? can you?) the Flying Saucer. Hung out with the gang there until about 9, then we moved down the street to Hoop’s Bar. I had their “pizza of the week,” a philly cheese steak pizza, and it was very good. Lasted until a little after midnight… wandered through EP’s on the way out, and it was DEAD. I guess people are saving up their partying energy for this weekend.

Speaking of which… starting at 5 PM today, I have a 4-day weekend!!! Maybe a happy hour or two and trolley tour tonight, then tomorrow night I’ll go somewhere to watch the Tigers with the gang, Sunday is of course Sunday Fun Day at the Majestic and the Flying Saucer, Monday is New Year’s Eve at the Majestic followed by the private party I’ve talked about previously, and Tuesday I’ll go somewhere to watch the Hogs kick Missouri’s ass at the Cotton Bowl, then kick some ass at trivia with the Rapscallions.

May have one drink at Circa tonight before moving on to the Saucer and then trolley tour… I’m kinda curious about this “free hors d’ouevres at the bar” thing they do at the bar on Friday and Saturday nights. In the words of pro wrestler Stevie Ray, “suckas gots to know.”

Just checked my MySpace account… the signal-to-noise ratio is getting really bad over there. For every one real message or friend request I get, I get about 20 from webcam girls wanting me to pay to look at their pictures. If this keeps up I may quit MySpace altogether. Facebook is better anyway.

I’ll try to find SOMETHING to post at lunch today, since some of my readers have expressed disappointment in the lack of recent midday posts. Unfortunately the only thing I have on deck right now is a rather obscene story about two of the bums Downtown. If I can’t think of anything better by noon or so, that’ll go up.

Last night I hit Circa’s Wednesday night happy hour where they have $8 wine flights – three 2 oz. servings of any of their by-the-glass wines, normally $12. I did two flights, first a red flight and then one with sweet white wines. Not being a wine expert (that’s part of why I’m doing it, to learn), I let bartender Steven pick the wines. I trust his judgment, as he served me many a beer in my mug at the Tap Room in a former life.

My favorite of the reds was Earth, Zin & Fire red zinfandel. Loaded with flavor. Steven told me the story of the wine… the winery had a big party and got Earth, Wind and Fire to play. They made the wine specially for the party, and it was supposed to be a one-time thing. However, the wine was so good that they kept it around, and they now have a party with Earth, Wind and Fire once a year. How many bands have a wine named after them?

The whites were VERY sweet. I know it’s more sophisticated to be into dry white wines, but come on, I drink PBR cans at some of the other bars Downtown. My favorite of the three was Champalou Vouvray.

I definitely take notes when I’m in there, for future trips to the liquor store to stock up on wine to keep in my apartment. Heh… think I’ll buy a bottle of Mad Dog 20/20 too, for the next time I bring a date back to my apartment and offer her a glass of wine. I’ll let her get freaked out by the MD 20/20 for a minute and then pop a bottle of good wine.

Saw fellow blogger Downtown Amy in there. Circa seems to have quite a few bloggers who are regulars. John Bragg e-mailed me about a month ago asking what he’d have to do to get me in there more often… the happy hours are working. Another suggestion: Hire some Romanian waitresses. Wait, I sit at the bar at Circa. Hire some Romanian bartenders.

The Rapscallions took not only first, but second at trivia Tuesday night. With a shortage of teams, the manager told us he might not award all three prizes. So half the team split off and played, with the Rapscallions taking first and Mormons for Gay Polygamy (don’t ask me, I didn’t name them) coming in second. That brings our gift certificate stash to $170. Currently the plan is to throw our money in with a couple of people having plate parties at the end of January to have a mega-party.

Bumper sticker I saw while in Little Rock: “1.20.09: The End of an Error.”

Tonight I’m thinking about doing another happy hour with another former Tap Room bartender – Sauces happy hour with Ugly Steve. I’ll be there until about 7 (I DEFINITELY won’t be sticking around once the beers revert to full price, which at Sauces is a very full price indeed). Next stop will be the Flying Saucer. After that MAYBE Hoop’s Bar/EP’s, depending on how tired I am. Only about a 50% chance I’ll make it that far though.

In news from around the blogosphere… my favorite blogger/MILF is so hot that her car caught on fire.

Sorry there wasn’t a post yesterday. I wasn’t feeling well and slept until 8:30 yesterday morning, got up, brushed my teeth and went to work. Which meant I had to come home at lunch and shower. Which meant there simply wasn’t any time to post. Not that it would have been all that interesting anyway.

Off to another exciting day at work.

Maggie H. Isabel Street, the alley that runs from Monroe to Union on the block between Second and Third, will soon be renamed Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous Alley. This alley, of course, contains the hard-to-find entrance to legendary Downtown Memphis BBQ joint The Rendezvous.

More details on the Memphis Business Journal’s site.

Pulse, the Pink Floyd tribute band, will play Neil’s music room in Midtown (Madison at McLean) Saturday night. Their shows usually start at 9 and run until about 1. I don’t have a confirmed amount for the cover charge but it’s been $7 recent times they have played. If you’re into Floyd this band is absolutely amazing. A former co-worker of mine is the drummer and I’ve been out to Neil’s to hear them – 8 piece band, serious musicians playing top-notch equipment, and they nail Pink Floyd’s songs TO THE NOTE every time. It’s the next best thing to actually being at a Floyd show.

I’m looking for one or two people to proofread my blog. Specifically, I’m looking for people who a) read this blog pretty regularly, at least once a day; and b) work in the service industry. There’s a specific kind of mistake I’m looking to be warned about, one I’ve made a couple of times recently. It isn’t something obvious like spelling or grammar, and 98% of the people who read this blog wouldn’t notice it at all. But the other 2% would. If you’re willing to help shoot me an e-mail at paul@paulryburn.com. Compensation: I’ll buy you a beer or a drink now and then when I see you out.

So last Thursday I did an interview for the “Q&A” section of next month’s Memphis Magazine. We talked about all the stuff I expected – how Downtown has changed since I’ve been down here, the panhandling problem, those kinds of things. At the end, my interview complimented me on being one of her easiest interviews ever. “I’ve got to tell you, though,” she said, “To a large extent you were the person I expected to meet after reading your blog. But in some ways you’re not. It seems like you play a character on your blog to some degree. A persona.”

It’s funny she said that, because it’s a topic I had thought about blogging about for some time anyway. So, in this two-part series, I’m going to explain the difference between the character I play on this blog, and who I am in real life.

If you read this blog, you read things like, “I went out to the Saucer on Pint Nite and drank 10 Dos Equis Special Lagers.” (Side note: When the interviewer sat down and ordered, “Dos Equis, the one on the green tap,” I knew we were going to get along.) You read stuff like, “I stayed out at Hoop’s Bar until 1 in the morning and drank 7 Coronas, and I would’ve been fine if people hadn’t bought me those shots of Jager.” And, “Looking forward to the next Tuesday night at Circa, where they have $2.50 Chimay.” Seems like it’s all about the drinking. Drinking drinking drinking.

I’ll let you in on a secret: It’s NOT about the drinking.

It’s about the PEOPLE. That’s why I go out every night. That’s why I stay out as late as I do.

Tell ya a quick story. Saturday night I was at Hoop’s Bar with a group of people. We were all tired from a week of Christmas parties and none of us intended to make it a late night. Several of the gang left early and by 12:15 it was down to Mikey the Camera Nazi and myself. “So you said you were tabbing out after your finish your beer too,” he asked me.

“Well, I’m thinking about having one more,” I replied. People were starting to wander in and out through the door to EP’s, and I had a feeling the night might get interesting if I stayed just a little bit longer.

“Asshole,” said Mikey, realizing I had just talked him into staying for one more beer too.

Sure enough, about 1 it got interesting. A friend of mine, who has been a blog reader for several years, came through the EP’s door. I knew she had wanted to live Downtown for quite some time, and the last time I talked to her, in mid-October, she had told me she had finally found an apartment about a block from mine and would move in December 1. So I asked her how the new apartment was and she was just GLOWING. She told me all about it, its cool, funky amenities, decorating ideas she had.

Then she asked Mikey and me a question. “So I’ve been down here three weeks. But I’m not quite sure what to do. I mean, you guys seem to have something fun and interesting to do every night down here. How do I get involved in that kind of stuff? Should I join the Downtown Neighborhood Association? Are there other organizations you’d recommend?”

“No. Don’t join DNA,” I told her. “Nothing against DNA, they’re a great organization. But I joined them when I moved down here in 2002 and it did not exactly lead to a full and exciting social calendar. I only started to really meet people and have fun when one of the Sleep Out Louie’s regulars invited me to Sunday brunch. Then I met his friends, and his friends’ friends, and they told me about other cool places to hang out, and it took off from there.

“Look,” I continued. “I know you read my blog. Not trying to sound like I’m bragging, but I’m gonna be honest… you want to find cool, fun places to hang out where you can meet Downtowners and make friends? Note the places I mention in my blog and GO THERE.” Mikey nodded his head in agreement.

We told her that the Saucer would be opening at 5:00 on Christmas, and we’d be there at 4:55, peering through the glass, waiting for the manager to come unlock the door. “You should join us,” we said. “Also, trivia is at 7. Be on our team.” Within the next few minutes, we also invited her to our regular Sunday brunches. Then I asked what she was doing for New Year’s Eve, and invited her to join the gang for dinner at the Majestic and the private party we’re going to afterward.

She was so excited. Mikey the Camera Nazi took off at 2, and I stayed and talked to her for another hour after that about the fun places to go Downtown, places Downtowners don’t go, tips to stay safe, ideas for her apartment, and so on. The next hour flew by and then it was 3 and the lights came on and security kicked us all out.

That story illustrates why I go out. The PEOPLE. I love getting to know the people Downtown and connecting them to other people Downtown. Yes I was sipping a beer but that wasn’t the main point.

Sunday I had to drive home to Little Rock. Before I left I walked to the Saucer to say Merry Christmas to the brunch crew. “Come on, Paul, at least have one beer before you go,” some of them said. If it was all about the drinking, I probably would have taken them up on that offer, and then had one more and another and so on until I would have been too drunk to make the drive, which would have made my mother VERY upset. But I had no desire to do that. I later found out they stayed at the Saucer until 9 and then moved to the Tap Room after that, and I was a little sad that I was not there with them. But I was sad that I was missing out on time spent hanging out with four of my good friends, not the alcohol.

I keep a full bar in my apartment. Mainly it’s there so I have something to offer friends when they come over. Otherwise I rarely touch it. What’s the point of drinking if you aren’t being social? That’s also why I didn’t feel the need to go buy a 12-pack for the fridge in Little Rock. I’ve been drinking Mountain Dew most of the day, and have now switched over to ice water so the caffeine won’t keep me up.

When I did the Memphis Magazine interview, I went through her standard list of questions, and afterward she asked if there were any questions I thought she should’ve asked but didn’t. “Yeah, one,” I replied. “I’m surprised why you didn’t ask why I choose to live Downtown.” And I made it clear that it’s not the restaurants or the bars or the nightlife, but the people, that make this place my home.

Coming soon: Personas, part 2: This blog and feminism.

(From Little Rock) Since I have to drive back to Memphis tomorrow, we did Christmas a day early. Among the presents I got:

– A spare battery for the digital camera. That’s a GOOD THING because I was down to one battery, which limited photo albums to about 125 pictures per event. This new battery is supposed to be high-capacity, so if I take both batteries to an event I’m looking at potentially 300 pictures. Larger photo albums!

– A stuffed Razorback that plays the Arkansas fight song and says “Woooooooo pig sooieeeeee!” This will come with me to future Arkansas-Tennessee game viewing parties for the purpose of annoying my friends.

– A magnetic Arkansas Razorback drink coozie. The label reads, “Attaches to cars, trucks, campers, lawnmowers!” There’s a joke in there about Arkansas and attaching a drink holder to a lawnmower, but it’s just too easy.

– Several trivia books. The book I really need, in order to figure out the trivia questions we get asked on a weekly basis, is “Inside Pete the Trivia Guy’s Mind.” That would probably be found in the horror section of the bookstore.

Tomorrow’s the last day I can wear my Santa hat for another 11 months. I’ll probably wear the exact outfit on my profile pic, the hat and my Romanian Girls shirt. Back in Memphis by 5.