What a time to be in Bakersfield! Here is what happened of note while I was out there:
Country-
As all of you know. Bakersfield is (was) home to Buck Owens...of "Hee-Haw" and country music fame. I drove on Buck Owens Blvd. He has this country music museum, restaurant, and I think a sizeable concert space out there. It's big time.
Well, he died last Friday night. In his sleep after performing. I happened to catch a little special on TV about him. He created this country music museum...had these bronze statues made of country greats like Johnny Cash, Garth Brooks, Merle Haggard (or something like that), and others (including himself). When the statues were unvealed the people who were portrayed in bronze (who were still alive) were there. And Garth Brooks PROPOSED TO TRISHA YEARWOOD RIGHT THEN AND THERE IN FRONT OF EVERYONE!!! (I don't follow country music at all).
I found out from the Manager of the place I was doing my trainings that tomorrow (Saturday) is the funeral and they are supposedly closing the freeway that took me from my hotel to the airport. So I got out of there just in time. Farewell, Buck Owens. It seems just yesterday you were here. Once I finally made it to Bakersfield, plbbbt!, You were gone.
An Actual Country-
California is a state that is right above Mexico (the more you knooooowwwwww). Apparently there is some legislation coming up that has Mexican teens in an uproar. The legislation is supposed to crack down on illegal immigrants. There were two school walk out protests while I was here. All Jr. High-High school students waving Mexico's flag. Lots of news footage of teens talking about how Mexicans come over and do the jobs no one wants to do. The pressure is slowly building and there is another scheduled walk out for 4/10 (JOIN UP!). While I was driving from my last training to the airport I saw a white guy sitting on a wall with an american flag. Two Mexican youths were walking by and yelling at him. One of them spit on him and he just calmly picked up his phone. A couple white people popped up on the other side of the wall and yelled at the mexican teens. One of the teens threw a punch. Then the two teens made their way across the 6 lane road (not a freeway or highway...just a CA road). There were already a lot of Police driving around the area, and it wasn't long before the teens started running and two cop cars were heading there direction.
My take? Unless you're a Native American, you're pretty much an immigrant. Settle down everybody!
F this S-
I flew from Bakersfield to Phoenix, and now I am here in Phoenix. My flight was supposed to leave at 10:30pm and arrive in Chicago at 2:49am. My flight is delayed until 11:20.
I managed to get to California Pizza Kitchen right before they and every other food place closed for the night. I sat next to a table that had a mother and a son. The son was about 11 or 12. They were having a very cordial conversation that went a little something like this:
Mom: (all said in a pleasant voice)You're really just saying those thing to rebel. It really isn't nice to say S or D.
Son: I know. It just comes out sometimes....my teacher says D.
Mom: Really? When?
Son: Like "Oh I forgot to grade you D reports!"
Mom: Laughing Well...D isn't as bad as S or others, unless you are using it with his heavenly father's name...that is VERY bad. You should never do that.
Son: What do you mean?
Mom: GD.
Son: Oh. [some name] says [something I couldn't hear] but it's ok because of her beliefs.
Mom: She believes in God. But you're right. She can say what she wants. (long pause) Ben doesn't say GD does he?
Son: Sometimes.
Mom: (pause) Well he knows better than that.
It was a wonderful conversation filled with letters.
What will happen on my adventures next week? Stay tuned and find out!
Friday, March 31, 2006
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Delicious Goodness
This week I'm in lovely Bakersfield, CA. Nothing too cool of note here as of yet...except for...CARL'S JR.!!!!
Not long before I moved to Chicago I discovered the Carl's Jr. Western Burger. This is a greasy burger with cheese, bacon, BBQ sauce, and onion rings INSIDE the bun! I also put fries in the bun as well.
In Oregon the fries were terrible. I would put them in the burger because that was the only way to tollerate them.
Here...the fries are great! It is delicious and gross at the same time. I can't stop going there.
Not long before I moved to Chicago I discovered the Carl's Jr. Western Burger. This is a greasy burger with cheese, bacon, BBQ sauce, and onion rings INSIDE the bun! I also put fries in the bun as well.
In Oregon the fries were terrible. I would put them in the burger because that was the only way to tollerate them.
Here...the fries are great! It is delicious and gross at the same time. I can't stop going there.
Friday, March 24, 2006
Unexpected Hilarity
So, I'm sitting here in the Wichita, KS airport (ICT) watching season 4 of 24 on my laptop.
I am pretty done seeing everything there is in Wichita so I got to the airport super early. I'm on disc 2 of 6...I watched the first episode on the disc and started the second.
Every episode of 24 starts with "previously on 24" and then there is a recap. Since I just watched the prior episode I clicked on fast forward.
The difference between my laptop and my DVD player at home? The laptop plays sound as it fast forwards. It is...HILARIOUS! If you've ever seen those bunny shorts (I think it's actually bunnyshorts.com), it's like that. People delivering dramatic lines at break neck pace.
If you have a DVD player that plays FFWD with sound...try it out. It's great!
I am pretty done seeing everything there is in Wichita so I got to the airport super early. I'm on disc 2 of 6...I watched the first episode on the disc and started the second.
Every episode of 24 starts with "previously on 24" and then there is a recap. Since I just watched the prior episode I clicked on fast forward.
The difference between my laptop and my DVD player at home? The laptop plays sound as it fast forwards. It is...HILARIOUS! If you've ever seen those bunny shorts (I think it's actually bunnyshorts.com), it's like that. People delivering dramatic lines at break neck pace.
If you have a DVD player that plays FFWD with sound...try it out. It's great!
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Wichita, KS
I've been in Wichita, KS since Monday. I leave tomorrow (Friday). There really isn't a lot to do here.
Luckily I have a rental car, and I caught a cold on the plane. So I mostly hang out in my hotel room or drive around looking for a new place to eat.
There is a freak winter storm (in spring) that is hitting a huge area. It snowed last night and will be cold tonight (for Wichita).
I finally got to eat at a Sonic. Molly is in tons of commercials for Sonic, and they play on cable everywhere. I've seen them in Chicago, I've seen them in Portland. But there are no "Sonic" restaurants in those areas. So, I ate there two nights ago. Pretty good.
Last night I decided to try out a place called Spangles. Fast food with the slogan "It Just Tastes Better." THAT'S A LIE! Their food was crap! DON'T EAT AT SPANGLERS! GROSS!
I've been doing these corporate trainings for a major communications company. They're pretty good. I'm doing two a day this week and 3 a day for three more weeks in other cities. Luckily there are some breaks for fun stuff, but I'm pretty into the product and don't mind upselling it.
I'd rather not be sick though.
Ahhhh, airline travel. Tomorrow I get my chance to pay it forward to some other non-ill passenger.
Luckily I have a rental car, and I caught a cold on the plane. So I mostly hang out in my hotel room or drive around looking for a new place to eat.
There is a freak winter storm (in spring) that is hitting a huge area. It snowed last night and will be cold tonight (for Wichita).
I finally got to eat at a Sonic. Molly is in tons of commercials for Sonic, and they play on cable everywhere. I've seen them in Chicago, I've seen them in Portland. But there are no "Sonic" restaurants in those areas. So, I ate there two nights ago. Pretty good.
Last night I decided to try out a place called Spangles. Fast food with the slogan "It Just Tastes Better." THAT'S A LIE! Their food was crap! DON'T EAT AT SPANGLERS! GROSS!
I've been doing these corporate trainings for a major communications company. They're pretty good. I'm doing two a day this week and 3 a day for three more weeks in other cities. Luckily there are some breaks for fun stuff, but I'm pretty into the product and don't mind upselling it.
I'd rather not be sick though.
Ahhhh, airline travel. Tomorrow I get my chance to pay it forward to some other non-ill passenger.
Wichita, KS
I've been in Wichita, KS since Monday. I leave tomorrow (Friday). There really isn't a lot to do here.
Luckily I have a rental car, and I caught a cold on the plane. So I mostly hang out in my hotel room or drive around looking for a new place to eat.
There is a freak winter storm (in spring) that is hitting a huge area. It snowed last night and will be cold tonight (for Wichita).
I finally got to eat at a Sonic. Molly is in tons of commercials for Sonic, and they play on cable everywhere. I've seen them in Chicago, I've seen them in Portland. But there are no "Sonic" restaurants in those areas. So, I ate there two nights ago. Pretty good.
Last night I decided to try out a place called Spangles. Fast food with the slogan "It Just Tastes Better." THAT'S A LIE! Their food was crap! DON'T EAT AT SPANGLERS! GROSS!
I've been doing these corporate trainings for a major communications company. They're pretty good. I'm doing two a day this week and 3 a day for three more weeks in other cities. Luckily there are some breaks for fun stuff, but I'm pretty into the product and don't mind upselling it.
I'd rather not be sick though.
Ahhhh, airline travel. Tomorrow I get my chance to pay it forward to some other non-ill passenger.
Luckily I have a rental car, and I caught a cold on the plane. So I mostly hang out in my hotel room or drive around looking for a new place to eat.
There is a freak winter storm (in spring) that is hitting a huge area. It snowed last night and will be cold tonight (for Wichita).
I finally got to eat at a Sonic. Molly is in tons of commercials for Sonic, and they play on cable everywhere. I've seen them in Chicago, I've seen them in Portland. But there are no "Sonic" restaurants in those areas. So, I ate there two nights ago. Pretty good.
Last night I decided to try out a place called Spangles. Fast food with the slogan "It Just Tastes Better." THAT'S A LIE! Their food was crap! DON'T EAT AT SPANGLERS! GROSS!
I've been doing these corporate trainings for a major communications company. They're pretty good. I'm doing two a day this week and 3 a day for three more weeks in other cities. Luckily there are some breaks for fun stuff, but I'm pretty into the product and don't mind upselling it.
I'd rather not be sick though.
Ahhhh, airline travel. Tomorrow I get my chance to pay it forward to some other non-ill passenger.
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Ramping Up Again
Well...I'm sure I'll be posting more stuff soon that is boring to people in Chicago, but interesting to my family and maybe Declan.
I've got another gig coming up where I'll be out of town for 20 days in March and April. 20. Twenty. And only four cities this time...one in Kansas and three in California...I think.
On a different note. If you haven't seen an episode of "24", you should watch that show. I never seem to listen to hype about shows, and then by the time I realize "maybe this IS a good show" I'm so far behind that it makes no sense to start watching. That's where this awesome new trend in TV Shows being released on DVD comes in...mixed with a little "Netflix" goodness.
There are currently 5 seasons of 24. The currently airing season is 5. I'm up to date on that season and I just finished watching season three. This is good stuff. They kill off main characters...MAIN CHARACTERS! It is great. The only thing I haven't liked so far is that (AND THIS WILL BE A MINOR SEASON THREE SPOILER) Jack Bauer (the main character...Keifer Sutherland) is supposedly addicted to heroin because of undercover work. He is feeling the effects of it in the first episode, and it's a part of the first five or so, then that story line just sort of disappears. And the ending was a little predictable at times in three...but still good.
That being said, that is pretty much all that is wrong with it. I love to hate the character Shari Palmer. Great! She makes me so angry! Great actress in my book...I hope the actress isn't like her character in real life.
The only downfall to watching season five while catching up is that sometimes there are people who's lives are in jeopardy, but I know they'll be fine because I've seen them in season five. But not everyone survives. I don't recommend doing what I did for the first episode of season five alone...major stuff.
Go to netflix and start watching...all you need to do is watch 96 hours of the show until you get to watch the current 24 hours of this season. You've got time.
Oh! And we're going back to Maine...I think...in September/October this time.
PS. don't read the comments if you don't want to see Declan's 24 Season 5 spoilers
I've got another gig coming up where I'll be out of town for 20 days in March and April. 20. Twenty. And only four cities this time...one in Kansas and three in California...I think.
On a different note. If you haven't seen an episode of "24", you should watch that show. I never seem to listen to hype about shows, and then by the time I realize "maybe this IS a good show" I'm so far behind that it makes no sense to start watching. That's where this awesome new trend in TV Shows being released on DVD comes in...mixed with a little "Netflix" goodness.
There are currently 5 seasons of 24. The currently airing season is 5. I'm up to date on that season and I just finished watching season three. This is good stuff. They kill off main characters...MAIN CHARACTERS! It is great. The only thing I haven't liked so far is that (AND THIS WILL BE A MINOR SEASON THREE SPOILER) Jack Bauer (the main character...Keifer Sutherland) is supposedly addicted to heroin because of undercover work. He is feeling the effects of it in the first episode, and it's a part of the first five or so, then that story line just sort of disappears. And the ending was a little predictable at times in three...but still good.
That being said, that is pretty much all that is wrong with it. I love to hate the character Shari Palmer. Great! She makes me so angry! Great actress in my book...I hope the actress isn't like her character in real life.
The only downfall to watching season five while catching up is that sometimes there are people who's lives are in jeopardy, but I know they'll be fine because I've seen them in season five. But not everyone survives. I don't recommend doing what I did for the first episode of season five alone...major stuff.
Go to netflix and start watching...all you need to do is watch 96 hours of the show until you get to watch the current 24 hours of this season. You've got time.
Oh! And we're going back to Maine...I think...in September/October this time.
PS. don't read the comments if you don't want to see Declan's 24 Season 5 spoilers
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