Why doesn’t anyone have a bike rack any more? It’s a pain in the ass when I need to park it somewhere. I’m being healthy and ecological and have to climb in the bushes to find a place to lock it up. The only thing around with one is the library. Although I guess since I’m at McDonald’s, healthy isn’t the first thought in my head.

I’ve got these stupid songs from Glee (that link goes to a free HD download of the pilot), running through my head. The two songs in particular are You’re the one that I want from Grease and Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey. Kind of a cute show, most of the adult characters are pretty lame though (the women especially). I just noticed they’ve got the cast doing Don’t Stop Believin’ at iTunes.

I think I need to go see Night at the Museum II and/or Terminator Salvation some time this weekend.

It’s another awesomely sunny day out too!

The roads are awful right now. I’m working my way down to my neck/back doctor’s office and finishing up Christmas shopping as I pass by places. The speed of the traffic determines how many of those errands that I’ll get done. Unfortunately, it probably won’t be anywhere near enough time…

And the weather doesn’t make it look like it’s going to get any better any time soon. That’s Michigan in the center if you can’t tell…

October is Domestic Violence month. They say one in four of us are affected some way by it and it’s why you’re seeing the purple ribbons this month. Every 15 seconds a woman is battered (it’ll probably take you twice that time to read this blog entry). October is kind of an everything month (there are only 12 months to share) and breast cancer seems to get a lot of the attention and sometimes DV gets overlooked. (Related news.)

First Step is a local shelter in Wayne County and they are celebrating their thirtieth anniversay this year. Over 14,000 crisis calls, 7,000 nights of shelter and 20,000 hours of counseling are provided almost every year. I’ve volunteered with First Step, generally I’d be on call a few times a month (8-12 hour shift) and get called to hospitals (police stations, etc.) and talk to people and their families after they’ve been assaulted, I’ve also done things with the kids such as day care, field trips, etc. I originally started doing this at a shelter in Lansing; taking the kids on field trips and watching them while the Mother’s were in meetings/sessions. Field trips were just the older kids (ones who walk on their own), but when were were just watching the kids it was from infants on up.

First Step always having fund raising events so keep your eyes out for those, it’s a way to donate and have fun at the same time (sometimes it’s a movie night with auctions, shopping at department stores [you get a discount and they get a cut]). Shelters are always looking for donations, please don’t just think of them around the holidays, they need donations all year round. They always need volunteers to help. My links here just point to First Step, please search around for services in your area.

I hadn’t been feeling great these past few days and yesterday it got a little worse, I did go in but since I’m worse today I’m thinking that wasn’t the best idea. Actually the last seven days have been pretty busy, so not a shocker that it caught up with me. Today I went in for a long morning meeting that I needed/wanted to be there for, but then I headed home.

I stopped at Bangkok 96 in Dearborn for some great fried rice with chicken, peanuts, shrimp and more in it. It’s delicious but a little spicier than I remembered. That might not have been the best idea…

A nap will really be nice but unfortunately, I had a lot of fun stuff I wanted to do tonight after work

I’m not a big sports fan but I just drove by Tiger Stadium and they’ve started tearing it down already. It made me kinda sad…

So the snow is making the traffic pretty bad around here, it was the longest ride home from work ever! Probably 45-50 minutes, when on a nice day I can sometimes do it in 20 minutes; I think 15 minutes is my record and that’s not catching any lights and probably some speeding involved since I think it’s 14 miles door-to-door.

But I gotta say it looks really pretty on all the trees and bushes.

I know everyone keeps their eyes open for good gas prices and will hit one gas station over another since it’s a few pennies different. I’m sure some people sometimes waste gas by driving a little farther. I know I’m always happy when I can save a few pennies per gallon (I usually fill up on Tuesdays since I’m usually over by some cheap stations). Here’s something to keep in mind, 6 cents more a gallon (if it’s around $3) is only a 2% difference (12 cents more a gallon is only 4%).

Normally, when I eat at McDonald’s I get a number 3 meal (Quarter Pounder – no pickle, no mustard which includes a 20 oz soda and medium fry). At the McDonald’s by work (Plymouth/Beech, Redford, MI) it’s $4.77 (tax included); at the McD’s by my house (Michigan/Greenfield in Dearborn) it’s $5.36 (tax included). That’s a 59 cent difference! That’s 12% more at the more expensive McDonald’s. FYI, both the McD’s I’m referring to have been renovated in the last few years and the cheaper one has a playland.

So keep in mind if your $3 gallon of gas was 12% more at a nearby location it would 36 cents more per gallon! Now it’s not cost effective for me to take the time (and gas) to drive home to save 60 cents, but maybe I should check out the other two nearby McDonald’s to see what they charge. Plus Kelly always refers to the Redoford one as an expensive one (that’s the one I say is cheap).

When they talk about fuel price gouging, maybe we should consider all types of fuel…

It’s beautiful and it gets sure me in the holiday spirit! And I live on the third floor so it gives me a nice view! But, I’m going to hate it when I have to go out in it. ..

Lots of people parked in the street last night (the Snow Emergency alarms went off so they shouldn’t have; it’s an expensive ticket $50+, I think), and while I’d like to mock them (but they probably got tickets), it’s now screwed (as parking goes) since the trucks didn’t get to plow in there. And even when the cars get out it won’t be plowed properly for a while since they’ll be some new cars in there.

Hopefully they’ll plow my lot soon, I’m not sure if I can get out. But it’s still coming down, so I don’t think they’ll be back for a while.

I’m definitely going to do something Christmassy tonight. Like look at the lights or something (unfortunately, I think that Greenfield VIllage Holiday Nights are sold out)…

I forgot to mention that it was snowing a little on the way home from the airport. It’s nice and white out there today!!

I made it home, I was up at 4:30 am and I’ve been traveling (car, boat, car, plane, plane, car) since 5:30 am. I’m just getting home at 1:00 am Detroit time (but it’s just Midnight Costa Rica time.

I’ve got a 5th set of Costra Rica photos up, mostly of the area where I drove around the Southern end of the Nicoya Peninsula (a few have labels). That’s assuming all 19 photos upload properly, I’m not staying up to see….

So I just got a bite to eat at the new Dearborn Kerby’s Coney Island at Ford and Mercury (next to the Best Buy). I gotta tell you this is the most boring Chile-Cheese Omelet I’ve every had in my life. The eggs are boring, the chili sauce is boring and the toast seemed boring. I even tried the hash browns, which I generally find boring, to also be boring. Fortunately, the strawberry jam tastes normal so I know it’s not me; and the water actually tastes pretty good!

There is another (non-chain?) restaurant, Parthenon II (Coney Island), where I usually get a Chile-Cheese Omelet, a little farther into this strip mall area that I’ve been to a million times and I’ll be sure to go back there next time. Unfortunately, they’ll probably lose business since Kerby’s does have a much better location.

I’ve also got to try the new Seahorse Grill which just opened at the same mall.

UPDATE – I just drove by the Parthenon II and it looks like they are out of business

Today is Free Comic Book Day so head on up to your local participating store and get some free comics.

Free Comic Book Day is an annual promotional effort by the North American comic book industry to help bring new readers into independent comic book store.
From Wikipedia

My local store is Green Brain in Dearborm (MI) and they’ve always got lots of freebies and this year they have guest Scott McCloud signing autographs.

It’s all sorts of comics, don’t just think Archie and Spiderman, scroll down the Green Brain page to see everything they have going on (and how to get more free comics) so stop by and get a few…

I’m on my way right now…

Can anyone tell me what this new store is going to be? At first I thought it was going to be a Best Buy but now I’m not so sure. (Click it for a larger image). If you’re local this is over by the new outside mall in Allen Park (off Southfield between Oakwwod and Outer Drive) it’ll be next to the Meijer’s.

Any thoughts on what this is going to be?

So I have this killer headache (all day) and don’t feel like cooking so I head up to the bar around the corner (it seems like I eat there a lot on Mondays, but without the headache). Actually, I was on my way home, so I didn’t actually go “around” the corner. I popped in to the restroom first thing and when I come out the bartender/waitress has a menu and accessories (napkins, silverware and drink serviette) all set up at my favorite table (one of the 2 spots I pick as a first preference) and I like that. Plus, they had what I wanted for dinner, a philly beef and swiss sandwich (with a LIIT), actually I would have preferred the prime rib dip sandwich but this was a close second (they’re both huge sandwiches).

This is my regular place but I’m not a regular, I’m only semi-regular. This means when Jane left (6pm shift change) I wasn’t one of the people she said “see you tomorrow” to. And I have to say some of these people are here every time I stop in…

Now I’m off to Circuit City to see if they really have 24 minute pickup for my Buffalo WHR-G54S router. Yes I need two, now that I’ve discovered how cool it is, I want to play with another one. Then to the library (a book is in) and a quick trip to the grocery store. Then home to relax with a snack and last night’s Battlestar Galactica!

So I stopped by the Midnight Espresso Cafe in Dearborn. I really like it there but it’s generally pretty smokey (lots of smokers hang out and smoke cigarettes or a hooka) but they didn’t look too busy so I stopped by. WOW! They just renovated and made it much bigger and it seems brighter too!

They’ve got a wide variety on the menu, I’m guessing much of it is Arabic in origin. Whenever I bring people here they generally find something interesting that they like. I generally get the BBQ Chicken Quesadillas and that’s what I’m getting today.

Bonus, I pulled out the laptop hook up my phone as a modem and realized I connected to a network! So they’ve got WiFi now too (or else the business next door does), with their new larger non-smoking section and WiFi I think I’ll be here a bit more often now.

So it’s Memorial Day and Dearborn is having a parade today. Usually I don’t even notice until it’s over and their walking by my place (it ends at the end of my block). So I wandered on by late this morning.

One of the first things I saw was the Redford Township Unicycle club, they were pretty good, I wish I had gotten some better pictures. It was interesting, lots of people, in lots of heat, I wandered around and notice my around the corner bar was open, they’re never open on a holiday, it turns out they were just open for the parade so I got a Coca-Cola, said hello and wandered back outside. Another odd hit was the Downriver Remote Control club, they had cars and they towed a ramp and drove around and jumped the ramp. They seemed to get more daring as they neared the end so there were more jumps and crashes…

I came late so I missed all the military and more memeroial related portions of the parade, it was just all the local groups, I’m not really sure what time it started. Now that’s I’m home I realize how hot it really was outside, 88 degrees with 51% humidity and it’s suppesed to hit 93! I really don’t want to go back out, but I’ve got some errands to run.

So Dearborn isn’t really the kind of town to have a bar and laundromat all-in-one. But my around-the-corner bar is right across the street from a laundromat and the bar just added WiFi so it works for me. It was time to wash the comforter for my bed, I’ve got a pretty big washer but it’s just too big to fit, hence the laundromat. Plus it’s one of the days they’ve got happy hour food, so I’ve got pizza and wings to go with my Long Island and it’s not too smokey. I’ve got all this and laundry cooking across the street, it couldn’t be much better unless they had outside seating

So my local around the corner bar, JB Bamboozles in Dearborn, has just added WiFi and so here I am having a drink, eating, checking my mail and (of course) I’m blogging about it.

The other bonus of being here today is that I’ve been here on Friday’s and having the fish during lent and I miss my hot wings. So I’m having the hot wings that I’d normally get during Friday happy hour (although the perch has been excellent!).

In case you were wondering I am the only person here with a laptop. Heck I’m the only here not smoking. The rest of the crew here is regulars (way more regular than me) and people from the Ford plant(?). And of course the bartender, Jane is here too (sigh).

So I’m at the The Little Cafe’ on the Avenue (Dearborn) and in the middle of my table instead of flowers or a candle or something I’ve got goldfish!!! That’s kinda unique…

They have WiFi too! Plus, I didn’t realize that had food too, I thought they just had drinks and desserts, I would have been here way before now…

Went to Wyandotte (Michigan) today and went to some 50’s themed bar/brewpub on Maple and had The Back Yard BBQ Burger. What a great burger! It had Melted cheddar, crisp bacon, and BBQ sauce. The place was called Sports – A 50’s Bar & Grill. Good prices too!

And I just saw on their web site they have WiFi too! Too bad I don’t live closer… Anyone know of any places in Dearborn with Free WiFi?

I was just writing something, it said, “I’ve been back in the Detroit area (Dearborn) for around six years now.” and then I realized it was exactly six years today that I started working back this way (I had been in the Lansing area for eleven years). I can’t believe it’s been that long. A few homes, a few relationships (broken hearts) and a few jobs later I’m still around here.

My (only) complaint(s) – still single and childless. (I thought that was going to turn into a long list of complaints, but I guess that’s all I’m really missing.) That doesn’t sound too bad but I don’t think was much longer than that when I got here six years ago…

It was a blast today, I had everyone over for Easter Dinner. Seven households from one to four people in each, fifteen total, four were kids. They were a blast and they liked all my computerized toys and remotes and such.

After we ate, I took the kids down the street by city hall and they went nutty with me taking pictures. What a bunch of hams. Speaking of… we had a really good ham from the Dearborn Meat Company (or something like that).

No incidents, no broken bones, scrapes, fights, etc. Until they were leaving and one of the kids had a cup (with a lid and straw) of milk and dropped it down the stairs. I had splash marks 6 feet up the walls! My ‘little green machine’ wasn’t enough to have it, I dug out the rug shampoo machine I bought a few months back (but never used) and clean the stairs (and the walls) that probably needed it anyways. Can’t complain too much, last time they were over I accidentally rolled Kendall’s head up in the electric window in the car. I still feel pretty bad about that one.

So I’m getting a snack at BK and some sun, I’ve got a spot I like where the sun shines in the window. And a bunch of little girls who are celebrating a birthday came in. I’m not sure how many of them were the Mom’s that was with them but they were a handful. They sure ate a lot too. Mom kept threatening them with no ice cream if they didn’t shape up! It’s pretty much a disaster where they were although it’s the spot that faces the televisions (closed captioned) so all the kids always want to sit there.

They just redid our BK in Dearborn and now it has WiFi. Isn’t technology great!

I tried the new checken tender sandwich (lettuce, tomato and no mayo), it’s better than the old one but Wendy’s spicy is way better. Oh, and I won free french fries too!

I’m off to see friends (Heather, Nan and the rest of the Allegan crew and whomever is visiting) and I’m on the train from Dearborn to K’zoo and I’m loving it. It’s so easy and you get the landscape (if you can call it that) floating by the window and I can blog/read/computer/etc. It’s pretty full (and left a little late) and I’m sitting next to this really quiet woman (reading Steven King) with my coke, my blog and I’m ready to watch a movie or something…

The ace that the Dearborn train station is a mile from my house and has free parking that’s right next to the police station makes this extra convenient for me!

So I forgot all about fireworks the other day when I was talking about looking into the light!

Why do I bring up fireworks when it isn’t July?!? Because I took a nap today and work up to the sound of fireworks and when I opened the blinds I could see a pretty good display. They sounded pretty close but I think the city of Dearborn must have been putting them on (which would be about a mile away). By the way if I didn’t mention it, I love fireworks! But then who doesn’t! (I believe this was an event at Greenfield Village)

And I got to see Joan of Arcadia today!