Small Talk: Chili's

[Too Late Kev]

Happy Galentine's Day to all my female Chili's friends! King of Birds, Happy Palentine's Day!

Edited February 14, 2015 by Too Late Kev

[possibilities]

Kalliste, at least you were having fun! But I admit I'm very glad the floor didn't go anywhere and I only had to deal with a furniture collapse.

 

Right now it's rigged with angle irons, clamps, and some cinder blocks as extra supports under the weakest joint, until I get a more permanent solution. I t actually feel pretty solid, for a temporary fix.

 

KOB, you pretty much have to come in during a storm if you want to visit the area these days. I have some out of town friends who drove in on the one day last week when nothing was happening, and are kind of waiting for a clear day to drive home this coming week. Flying, I dunno. Right now, the extreme cold is as daunting as the snow, from my perspective. Someone told me, "I knew it would be cold, but I didn't anticipate feeling like my face was cracking when I stepped out the door."

[Too Late Kev]

"It's like Hoth out there!" Star Wars Weather says for NYC & Boston. ("Cold, ice, freezing desolation. You may have to climb inside a tauntaun for warmth."

 

By the way, it's like Hoth in Indiana, too, but in Pawnee this week on Parks and Rec, it seemed more like LA weather. Curious... Star Wars Weather says of Pawnee, "It's like Alderaan out there," which is what it says for anything unknown. (Alderaan was Princess Leia's home planet which was blown up. "I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened.")

 

I forgot to say "Nerd alert" at the beginning of this post. ;)

Edited February 14, 2015 by Too Late Kev

[frenchtoast]

Luckily my mom was able to take two extra days and fly in yesterday instead of Sunday when we're supposed to get another effing blizzard. Mr. Toast is on the roof trying to get some snow off before the next round. It was going well since we had the house insulated but the two uninsulated areas had quite the pile.

 

But, we've got food, movies and we don't have to go anywhere so it shouldn't be so bad. I hope it's clear enough for the kids to go to school on Monday.

[EllieH]

Here's a Valentine's/ Galentine's/ Palentine's day question for all of you, what's the worst movie you've ever seen on a date?  My friends and I were discussing this at dinner last night.  I came up with Jack Reacher, which maybe isn't so bad as much as meh, but later mentioned the first movie I ever saw on a date was U.S. Marshalls, which the guys I was with seemed surprised I didn't think that was the worst (it could be the worst, I just don't remember it very well).

 

The worst non-date movie I've ever seen is Ghosts of Girlfriend's Past, no question.

[Too Late Kev]

frenchtoast, did they cancel February vacation for your kids because of snow days? And even if not, Monday is President's Day. Do they have to go on President's Day? One of my kid's school is over their allotted snow days, but they haven't determined when/how they're making the extra days up yet. Not by taking February vacation, anyway, luckily, so this next blizzard (and anything coming next Wednesday/Thursday) doesn't matter as much as a usual week for us.

 

As for date movies, when I was in high school, I went with a boy to Fun with Dick and Jane. There was a scene where a couple is chatting in the bathroom and she blithely sits down and uses the toilet. They don't show anything, but it was very embarrassing! It was a first and only date.

[Kalliste]

I haven't had many movie dates. I don't know if dating is really a thing here, yeah we go out for dinner and a movie (well the normal people do. I can't remember the last movie I went to see) but it's not really a date, it's just going out for dinner and a movie :P

 

annnnyway, I watched AI on a first date of sorts. It was a few days after 9/11 and it had the twin towers far into the future so we decided it was unrealistic.

[possibilities]

The local TV news weather forecaster here said this Sunday we'd have more snow, but it wouldn't be very significant: "only six to eight inches." I laughed. Perspective has become such that 6 to 8 inches is an insignificant addition.

 

I can't think of a bad first date movie experience, but it used to be a running joke with me and an ex of mine that whenever she took me to a play (she lived in Manhattan and I would go into the city and visit her) it was always an unmitigated disaster. They always sounded great, from the descriptions, and I was always excited about it when she told me what we were going to see. And then they'd be so bad she would beg me to leave at intermission or sooner, even though I usually wanted to stay because it made me laugh so much-- kind of like cringe humor for me, in those days before The Office provided an outlet for that kind of thing.

 

I really don't think she was setting it up as a joke, because the shows she picked really did sound good, and sometimes had decent casts who had done well in other things. But she just had this uncanny way of picking unexpected duds. I wish I could remember some of the titles. It happened at least three times before she stopped trying to plan theater expeditions for our visits.

 

ETA: my most embarrassing movie experience was not a date; it was when I went to see "Coming Home" with my grandmother. I was a teenager, and neither of us knew ahead of time that there'd be a graphic oral sex scene. I had thought it would be a movie about Vietnam, and it basically was, but no way would I have asked her to take me to see it (I was too young to get in to see an R-rated movie without an adult at the time) if I had known what else it was about.

Edited February 14, 2015 by possibilities

[Too Late Kev]

Last night's snowstorm brought another 13" of snow. I think we've had enough for a couple of winters!

[frenchtoast]

I don't think Mr. Toast even measured because at this point it doesn't matter. It took him 3 hours to clear the two roofs that were getting ice dams and today 3 hours to clear the driveway and plow pile because both tires on the snow blower are flat and fix a flat isn't work. And replacement tires (as he discovered this morning he should order the even if they would take a while to arrive) are $300 for both. Whaaaa?!! 

 

The kids still have February vacation, but I think they're looking at the April one as a chance to make up some snow days. There is definitely talk. But maybe Governor Baker will be able to get approval for less than 180 days for school? Either way, it's definitely been a memorable winter. Yeesh.

[Too Late Kev]

Plbbbt! To the idea we should get all this snow and more!

 

It's a memorable winter, and already a record February snowfall (halfway through February!), and working its way higher onto the "snowiest winter" list. It's been powdery snow, though, so not as heavy and damaging as it could be. toast, sorry about your ice dams. :(

[EllieH]

Send some of the snow to Dallas, I'd love to have a snow day!

[King of Birds]

why do you shovel snow while it's snowing? Why not just wait till it stops and then shovel?

stewedsquash - Do you think you could shovel SEVEN FEET of snow, at once?

 

(it's very difficult)

[smrou]

If it's snowing, and you are pretty sure it's going to snow for a while, why do you shovel snow while it's snowing? Why not just wait till it stops and then shovel?

There are a few reasons I often do this.

1) The berm left by the plow at the end of the driveway. Even on a regular driveway the snow left by the plow is the toughest part to deal with, but my driveway is right on a 90º turn in my road (and it's on the outside of the turn) so as the plow makes that turn it drops a lot of snow in my driveway. The longer I wait to go out with the snowblower the more times the plow goes through and the more difficult that berm becomes. So if there's going to be a lot of snow I find it a lot easier to do it a couple times over the course of a storm rather than once when it's all finished and it's an enormous pain in the ass.

 

2) Timing. I don't want to shovel/snowblow after dark and if it's snowing all day I would often have to if I waited until it stopped. And if I wait until morning that just gives the snow more time to compact and get heavier and for the plow to run through a few more times, making the berm particularly difficult. This reason depends on the type of snow. With the super light powder we've been getting it's not really a consideration.

 

3) If I don't know that the next day is a snow day (which I never do until after dark at least) then I have to think about how I'm going to get my car out in the morning around 6 AM. I don't want to wake up at 3 to clear the whole storm worth of snow from my driveway before work so if I get rid of as much snow as there is the previous evening then there isn't as much to do in the morning. And chances are I can just shovel the berm and drive out without shoveling the whole driveway in the dark of early morning.

For this last storm, which dropped 15 inches in my town, I was away. So I got to come home to that glorious gift (though I knew it was going to be happening, of course). So I shoveled my way up my walkway then cleared the driveway all in one go. But man, it's gotten so difficult to do the end of the driveway because the snow on either side is so high that the snowblower can't even come close to getting the snow over it except when I have it tipped back pretty far on its back wheels.

Edited February 16, 2015 by smrou

[Too Late Kev]

Timing for shoveling out can also be based on if the temperature is supposed to suddenly drop a lot later. So sometimes, even if you think you're going to get 3 or 4 more inches, it's smart to clear what you can when it's relatively warm. And by relatively, I mean, "It's 15 now but later it's going to drop to 0."

 

When we know snow is coming, we park at the end of the driveway with our windshield wipers out, although when I looked for a picture, this guy doesn't recommend leaving the wipers out. Anyway, if we've parked at the end, even if there's a problem with the snowplow, all we have to do to get out is clear the car and in front of the car enough to drive it out. And as smrou talked about, that can be difficult in itself!!

 

stewedsquash, good luck with your storm. Although we've gotten a lot of snow in the last month, it's all been powdery, so it could have been so much worse.

[sacrebleu]

Just in case anyone was thinking about going to see "Jupiter Ascending" I'm here to tell you to save your time and money. Yesterday was a friend's birthday, I let her pick the movie. I knew it would be a hot mess, but with the Wachowski's I thought it might be somewhat interesting.

 

Yikes, it was about 6 bad sci-fi movies put in the blender. 

 

Today is a snow day! Hooray! the federal govt closed, so pretty much all of DC follows suit.

[Glory]

I was jealous of your snow storm for about a day, northeast folks. But seeing how much you've gotten I am no longer jealous. I have such spring fever. I'm planing all my outdoor spring projects. Of course, the low tomorrow is -10 so.... that's probably not happening any time soon. 

 

I got hit with a bad cold last week too... On top of Dozer ending up at the e-vet because he couldn't stop throwing up. Last week was not my week. 

 

Also - I'm STILL waiting for a bunch of paperwork for this new job. I know it's the government, but sheesh. 

 

Pixel, did you have fun in Disney? I was jealous of all your vacation pictures! 

Edited February 17, 2015 by Glory

[King of Birds]

Just in case anyone was thinking about going to see "Jupiter Ascending" I'm here to tell you to save your time and money.

How dare you speak of the movie in this way! I'll have to report you to the Queen of the Earth!  But seriously, it had potential. Got a kick out of Terry Gilliam and the "DMV-esque" way to prove ownership of planets.

[sacrebleu]

 

Got a kick out of Terry Gilliam and the "DMV-esque" way to prove ownership of planets.

Heh, KOB that was just about the only part I enjoyed. That and the fact that most of the spaceships looked like fish. But seriously, an albino wolf-boy who lost his wings?!?!? The bees? what was the point of the bees? And what happened to Sean Bean's daughter?

 

Seriously, six bad sci-fi movies in one.

[Pixel]

I actually only spent about an hour at Disney. Glory. We spent most of our time at Universal. The Harry Potter stuff was just absolutely fantastic. I had a great time. Interesting fact-I didn't lose weight, but all the walking resulted in a 5% drop in my body fat! In just 4 days!

The kids weren't really into it. I think that's the last theme park vacation I'll take them on.

[EllieH]

 

Also - I'm STILL waiting for a bunch of paperwork for this new job. I know it's the government, but sheesh.

 

Have you done your drug test yet, Glory?

[Glory]

Nope! I'm dying. 

 

My husband bought me a very expensive bottle of scotch to celebrate with - but I don't want to open it and jinx anything. They told me I'd have papers this week, but it's already Wednesday. Boo. 

[King of Birds]

Dammit, get tested so you can get loaded! Or at least take a swig of that scotchy scotch scotch!  Questioning why you want this job yet?

 

 

The kids weren't really into it. I think that's the last theme park vacation I'll take them on.

I don't recall just going to a theme park for vacation. But then, corporate culture was not so prevalent in our lives when I was a kid. Perhaps the upcoming Peru trip will be a fresh get-away for the kids.

 

I'm pretty much a lapsed Catholic, but am contemplating doing Lent this year. Hm, what to "give up"?

[Too Late Kev]

Give up...cotton candy, binge drinking, parachuting...

[King of Birds]

Jeez, I haven't had cotton candy since ... I was about 12. Binge drinking? LOL. My friends call me 'an affront to an Irishman' for my lack of drinking skills.

 

Anyhow, I haven't come up with a poll in a bit. I'll think on this whilst walking the dog.

[EllieH]

What did you decide to give up, if anything, KoB?

[possibilities]

I notice he didn't rule out parachuting.

 

Also: It's crazy cold outside. Why does it being extra-cold outside make it feel colder inside even when the indoor temperature is the same as always?

Edited February 19, 2015 by possibilities

[King of Birds]

What did you decide to give up, if anything, KoB?

Even though I just bought some Girl Scout cookies this past weekend - samoas! trefoils! 4 boxes of each!  - I'm giving up all desserts.

 

But here's my POLL! anyways.

[Too Late Kev]

I voted to not refer to breasts inappropriately, because I thought (hoped) it would be easy for you. Although I suppose giving up parachuting into the Boston snow would be even easier, since you have no intention of coming to Boston to do that. Did you see Jimmy Fallon tonight, where he talked about how the mayor of Boston told people to stop jumping off their 2nd stories into the snow? That's almost like parachuting into our snow...and the mayor doesn't want you doing that, Bird King.

 

And the reason I suggested giving up cotton candy, binge drinking, and parachuting was also to make things easy on you. :)

[King of Birds]

Inappropriate boobs? Not that one Kev!

 

Dammit, I'm hungry for a snack, AND there are Girl Scout cookies IN THE OTHER ROOM. I can walk 10 feet and HAVE A SAMOA.

 

I'll never make it til April 5th.

[Too Late Kev]

I originally thought about GS cookies (before you linked the poll and before you said anything about them), and I thought, "No -- too difficult! Too mean!" I mean, you talk about GS cookies every year...which makes me realize we've been talking about a gazillion topics for many years now, first at TWoP (Chili's, then Luke's) and now here (Chili's Redux).

[Kalliste]

There needs to be more jetpack items... I don't know what to choose! Maybe boobs?

[King of Birds]

There needs to be more jetpack items...

Give up jetpacks /talk of jetpacks?  NEVER.   And, how about a little 'How.Dare.You" thrown in for emphasis too, Kalliste.

 

I had this thought: I'm giving up "desserts" but does that mean I can't have a cookie (or two. Or three) for breakfast? I'll need some feedback on this.

[Glory]

I had this thought: I'm giving up "desserts" but does that mean I can't have a cookie (or two. Or three) for breakfast? I'll need some feedback on this.

I'll allow it. /Gavel

[Too Late Kev]

You said "desserts," not "dessert food." Desserts are a sweet thing eaten after a meal. Sweet things eaten as a meal? Whole different thing.

[King of Birds]

I'll allow it. /Gavel

Glory, are you Perd Hapley?

[Too Late Kev]

That's a neat video. I was concerned about how he was going to land until he pulled the parachute. I expect it was silly for me not to realize he had one!

[MichelleAK]

So, is everyone in the doldrums of winter?  It's been weird here, rainy and into the 40s the last couple of days.  It's supposed to cool down, but still in the low 30s.  No Championship Sled Dog races this year; no snow, so no good for the dogs.  As far as I know, the ceremonial start will still be here, but the official start will be in Fairbanks.  

 

Got my flight booked to Amsterdam for my cruise in August.  We were going to try to use miles, but that didn't work out so we went with Condor, which flies up over the pole to Frankfurt, then change planes to Amsterdam.  Pricy, but not as bad as flying Delta or the other airlines available.  Plus no going cross-country, so the trip will be shorter.  Now just have to get back on the weight loss track and start socking money away.

[King of Birds]

Cool on you for planning your vacation so much in advance. February, and making plans for August. You have no idea how foreign a concept that is to me.

 

I have to tell everyone: I was bad. I had early dinner last night, and got the munchies while speed-viewing the Oscars (530pm start here, I finally sat down at 8pm or so and wore down the FF button). Yuppers. Broke down and opened up a box of the trefoils. Does this mean I'll burn in hell?  (Ah, I know I won't)

 

I think we need to petition to change certain posters names. Glory needs to be "Dragon Killer."

So say we all?

[Too Late Kev]

So say we all! (I have no idea, really, why Glory should be "Dragon Killer," but how could I not repeat "So say we all!"? I was late to Battlestar Galactica, so it's my way of making up for that.)

[Kalliste]

All this has happened before (I'm sure Glory was once a Dragon Killer) and all this shall happen again.

[possibilities]

I want to be a team player, but I can't say "Change approved!" (any Cougar Town viewers here?) re: the Dragon-slaying... does this mean dragons are not welcome at Chili's? Some of my best friends are dragons. Who will speak for the dragons? sob

 

RE MichelleAK's trip: sounds amazeballs! But isn't it funny how the weather moves around? Mass. got all your snow and a lot of your cold, apparently! Why does the weather move around like that? (Don't tell me the science, I'm having an irrational moment)

 

KOB: I don't know how Lent works. Do you have to do some kind of penance to make up for the dessert lapse, like... eat an extra helping of veggies or give dessert to a hungry person?

 

I lose my appetite when I get upset about things, so one way to check the craving could be to have a horrible trauma. But maybe it would be better to just do some inner reflection on the meaning of sugar or something like that. Moderation, not masochism....

 

I took in a foster cat. Her person is traveling for work for a few months. I feel like I might have said this already. Anyway, she's sweet. Today she was running around the apartment and playing soccer with the "crinkle fish" I gave her (a toy). I love how much fun a cat can have with a piece of crumpled up paper or a small bouncy object. She is too skinny and her person said he really wants her to gain weight. I'm an expert on getting fat, so I feel very well-suited for this job. I also love to watch her stretch. I really should never let myself be kitty-less. But after my last one died, I felt "I'll never love again!!"  (she was very old-- 20 years-- so it wasn't like she died in a tragic way, and she was only with me for a few years, but I loved her like a crazy person and took it hard and felt I couldn't go through it again so soon). But this sweetie, though age 16, is only supposed to be here a few months, so I have a good chance she won't die on me. She seems quite healthy. I am trying to enjoy her without bonding too hard and winding up devastated when she leaves.

Edited February 24, 2015 by possibilities

[King of Birds]

There must be some kind of way out of here, said the joker to the thief...

[Kalliste]

If we're talking BSG, can someone explain the last season to me? It makes very little sense to me. I didn't particularly like the ending either, thanks for reminding me KOB :P

[Glory]

I prefer SlayerofDragons. Much more regal.

I've been playing A LOT of video games lately. And posting about it on Facebook. That's where it comes from.

[King of Birds]

Yup, that's the impetus. Glory posts things like "I AM THE ONE, THE RULER OF ALL!!!" type of things, saying she's the bestest dragon slayin' beeyotch in the western hemisphere.  So much for "Glory" huh? I look forward to the new avatar and handle, SlayerODragons..

 

edit: "Explain" the last season of BSG? First, acquire some hallucinogenic medicine...

Edited February 24, 2015 by King of Birds

[Too Late Kev]

I'm sure I can't explain most seasons of BSG. I definitely can't explain the ending, except it seemed mostly stupid. Or maybe it made me feel stupid? I don't even know, so that's a lot of stupid. :(

 

ETA: But I do love a good "So say we all" moment.

Edited February 24, 2015 by Too Late Kev

[King of Birds]

Very odd when I signed in this morning. Being my normal fantastically hilarious self, I posted on the P&R finale thread yesterday, and vamoosed. Well, got a bunch of "likes" that I was unaware about, so when I signed in, I had 12 notifications! I thought "oh shit, what'd I do?" 

 

To the Nor'easterners: It's spring training time ya know. For about 5 weeks. The Red Sox will be playing IN Boston April 13th. So... all that snow better stop, is all I'm saying. I don't want Dustin Pedroia hurting his hand because he's swinging at an inside fastball and if it's too cold, so - damn, hitting a fastball in the cold, that stings.

[Too Late Kev]

I was just saying to a friend the other day that we were sure to have snow on the ground still in April. If we're lucky and get some warm breaks, it might just be in shady spots, but I thought it would be there. So then last night I was watching the news and one of the anchors asked the weatherman if we'd still have snow on the ground in

April. I don't remember his exact words, but the tone/meaning, was, "Pfft. Are you kidding? Absolutely yes."

 

Of course, that's just because there's so much of it that it will take a long time to melt (and maybe he was looking ahead seeing cold temps). I imagine that they'll do what they need to do to make sure Fenway Park is cleared of snow.

 

I've never checked out the P&R forum here. It doesn't surprise me that people would like your posts, though. It's fun to get those likes, isn't it, especially when a post is a show commentary? :)

[King of Birds]

Okay peeps. I missed out on a lot that went on today. Lots of things on the internet tonight about today's wackiness.

 

Here's a poll HERE you can take about THIS WHOLE SITUATION.  Have fun!