Kaiser Rolls are not Hambuirger Buns

We just got back from the lunch out for Frank's birthday—we shut the office down, bundled up and trooped a coupe of blocks over to the Red Rock brewing Company (RRBC). I have never been impressed with the RRBC, the place is over priced, under menued and just plain elitist—Bonnie from the office pointed out the place was too white for her taste. I understand. Today though, I was really disappointed in the place. In the past I had ordered major sandwiches like hot corned beef on rye( forgot the for this entry) which was OK, expensive but too much for lunch and I hate dragging sandwiches back to the office. So, I ordered the hamburger—I figured how bad can that be, the least expensive thing on the menu and a hamburger—really, make a paddy and cook till the meat was safely cooked and served with the appropriate accoutrements.

I was shocked when our order arrived—everyone's sandwich really was not a sandwich but something wrapped in that weird wrap from the Middle East pita! Seriously, Pita? Nothing but pita, but I was so dismayed when the downloaded my hamburger(?) two piece of ground beef wrapped in the pita stuff. I did not see anything like pita in the menu. I definitively would not have ordered this item even if I had remotely thought they would serve hamburger wrapped in pita. I sent it back and asked for any bread product the kitchen ha that resembled HAMBURGER BUN.! My order returned a few minutes later in a kaiser roll—which was weird but acceptable. The hamburger offering was too much meat for the humble kaiser roll—it was then I realized mustard did not come with my order. A small vessel of catchup came which I supposed was for the french fries –and there was enough to use for my burger so that was cool but no mustard and our server was no where to be seen, rather then wait I powered my chair up to the kitchen and finally snagged someone who delivered the mustard. I can forgive a burger if the burger has the right coverings you can hide a lot with onions, lettuce, cheese etc...well there was no etc with my order and this etc was pickles. No pickles and at this point I did not want to fight for my pickles. I would jut tough it out and eat my cold meat and get the heck out of there. No pickle?

So I proceed to eat what ever it is I am eating and the meat in the paddy is not done, the meat is raw in paces I almost gag but I pile the mustard on (when it finally gets to my table) and try to enjoy my sandwich—and the sandwich is OK. I rally wish I had taken a picture of this hamburger. I worked my way through the first half of the offering and started the second and then things began to taste funny. I swear a bloom of rotted meat exploded in my mouth, will maybe not exploded maybe the sprouted like the beginning of a toothache—when you're not sure and really don't want to know the realness of what is happening to you—but that was enough for me. I swallowed the bit but stopped there and covered the rest of the plate with my napkin hoping I would not get sick from the lunch.

Hopefully this is the last time we go to Red Rock for anything—I would sooner go to the food court over t the Mall then return to RRBC.

Pizza Please

Saturday night and i am writing and getting ready to settle down with the new Stephen King and do some serious reading. Dianne and I made pizzas tonight and the pizza pies turned out great--a lot of fun for the oldsters. One more day and then back to work for the Christmas swing--I think I am going to do all my gifting this year on Amazon, books and gift cards and that is going to be it. hey, I am still loving the Season--Ho,ho,ho.

Ho Ho Ho Here We Go

Looking down the barrel of another Federal holiday---this going to be a short week and I am feeling the pressure. Tomorrow I am out q half a day due to rehabilitation and then Wednesday one of my co-workers is having a birthday celebration which is more time away from the office and the phones. Plus I am trying to satisfy one of my funders who wants data broke down to their minute parts. So, what I was hoping would be a laid back week will be filled with stress as I head for the weeks finish line. Actually I am working the day following Thanksgiving which I have not done in the longest time, one reason so I will not have to use up vacation or sick leave and more importantly, Dianne will bee babysitting Asher and be gone and sitting home alone does not sound all that fun. So, I might as well be at work taking whatever calls may come.

Thanksgiving is going to be at Dianne's and my house and sounds like Mark and Jasmine will be attending along with BG&A2 who, last I heard are preparing the lions share of the meal—there was some misunderstanding at first as to where the meals was to take place but I guess all has been settled an the meal will be at the Utahna House. A large part of the decision was made because of the wheelchair and the inaccessibility of other homes being considered. We had talked earlier and I thought the decision of having the meal at out place was a done deal then all of the sudden I hear it the location has changed for the kids place which is not accessible all, also meaning I would have to go in my manual chair and I just don't do will with being in my manual chair away from my house and the access my house affords me. So,I stick to my guns people cave an I m left looking like the family jerk, which in fact I probably am. At this, once again, I am left with just the feeling of wanting to get through the event with the least amount of stress possible.

So ho ho ho and here we go for a nother holiday season, already the calls are long, many and dismal, gas shut offs, evictions and general homelessness but you know what I am going to be up this year throughout the season, keep focused

Submissions

I just sent off a page of poetry submissions to VSA Utah, Art Access VSA-AA. The submissions are for their literary magazine, Desert Wanderings. VSA-AA publishes a volume almost every year and I have had submissions in many of these volumes. VSA-AA is a fairly high brow operation aimed at getting people with disabilities into the arts I initially got involved when a friend, Lori, e into an acting company twenty some years ago. Art Access was cool, a lot of exposed warehouse bricks gleaming hardwood floors and a chance to play grown up writer, actor, artist a couple times a year. Art Access was housed in art colony, a row of warehouse conversions into art lofts—once a month the whole community opens all their galleries where food and public mingle and wine flows and and everyone speaks local art. I have co-written and produced a small play at Art Access and as I said have had a number of time published via their Desert Wanderings. I have thoroughly enjoyed each and every opportunity Art Access has extended me, over the years—but, what I have enjoyed most was the chance to act the grown ups a couple o times a year, wear my plaid jacket with elbow covers and a dark or white turtleneck and stand round in small groups answering questions about something I had written in the years current literary offering.

I have not submitted anything to the journal the past coupe of years—I should have I either forgot or I had nothing to submit well, I am starting write again, I blame on my Thrive, my hand held. I am writing hai ku on the train—I want to write hundreds, I want to write enough hai ku to fill a book. I am trying to focus on the poetry of public Transportation. I might even try to take some images to go along with the poetry—which would be very cool...but for now I have sent away my submissions and lets see if any are used. Keep your fingers crossed and wish me luck.

Used and Abused...Again

I think I have been played a again-I mean people with disabilities are such are such a used commodity. I do not think I would not be as pissed off about the whole used think if we ass a class or me as an individual got something out of the usury.

The whole stated a couple weeks ago when I got called by someone named Mike who identified himself as someone who worked with a private non-profit, some sort of advocacy group with the name of Utah Advocates. It seems the Utah Advocate were putting together an award presentation for a Utah congressman and wanted to ask m to attend nd possibly get some face time with the congressman. The presentation would be at a place to be announced and I would receive more information as the date drew closer. I told him I would think about attending the event and pretty much letting the idea drop until I heard more on the topic or I felt like leaving the office for an adventure. Figuring the event would be held at the congressman's office in South Salt Lake or down town or up at the State capitol which should be fairly easy to get to and not too time consuming.

The event was yesterday and Tuesday afternoon, I got a call from Mike letting me know the event was going to be at the Sandy Senior Center,, all the way at the other end of the Valley. I really did not nt to be spending my whole day in transit. I let mike know, this was pretty last minute and what were they thinking Sandy!! But I got to thinking about the event and I watched the weather actually called for beautiful , crisp, dry yet cool, transit weather. I checked with UTA and I could”bullet” down on the train and hope a “Fast” bus with would take me with in a block and a half of the senior center( I found out later when I boarded the bus that tfor just one dollar the driver would drop me off at the front door center, which I gladly payed) and the trip was very comparable with the same trip time wise if I had driven my van. I went

I think It took me between 45 and fifty minutes to get to the sr center. I had time to kill when I di get there. The congressional delegation was just getting there, there was a little chaos. It just so happened on of my best friend's wives works at the center so we chatted and she grabbed the “Puzzle lady” into giving me my own guided tour of the place and I must admit I was impressed but what this center had to offer everything from computers to languages to pottery music to food. It was weird everywhere we stopped I was surrounded and welcomed into the fold—like I was one of “them”. It was just as easy to nod my head yes then try to explain I as still among the living and I was there on business.

The Congressional finally did arrive and all the players were herded to the common room and the Congressman smiled make small talk and pretended to answer questions from some of the more feisty seniors—sensitive questions were deflected a plaque was given and then the congressman was con. I stayed for lunch—just because I could. This whole event was a non event, something just whipped up to have the congressman get some recognition—the event was pure fluff, pure “wag the dog” So, all day I have been trying to get hold of this Mike guy or his “Utah Advocates” The congressman or his people really don't know them, th congressman was just responding to a request to be somewhere , at certain time smile and talk—they did not know Mike, I have been calling to other private nonprofits and they don't know him—Mike is gone pecan. Myself another high profile person in wheelchair “crips of record” we there they just because we were in chairs to look good. We were definitely used new?

Golden Boy!!

Last Thursday was the Temple Grandin lecture, actually I think it was more like a disability law Center team up with other private non-profit orgs which serve people with disabilities, fund raiser awareness project. Temple Grandin is the PhD animal sciences and autistic not Rain Man autistic but definitely part o the spectrum. Dr. Grandin had a HBO movie made of her life, I usually stay away from such events but since Dianne and I caught the movie on a Red Box offering last summer and we impressed. So when the boss offered us tickets to the event we jumped at the deal. Still, I was a little nervous not knowing what to expect. Since there were so many disability organization sponsoring the event each organization would be responsible for a boat load of tickets and as is often the case these tickets go to staff and consumers when the tickets cannot be sold to the public or board members.

Dr. Grandin was being awarded the Kim Peek, Kim Peek is Utah gift to the world right behind the television, KFC and Family home evening. Kim Peek is who the movie Rain Man is loosely based. Dustin Hoffman receive an Academy Award for his efforts and he gave his Oscar to Kim who became a roving ambassador to the world for disability especially savantism The first part of the night was such a Kim Peek show I was kinda beginning to feel sorry for Dr Grandin who seemed to be wilting on the sidelines. Mr. Peek, Kim's dad, was of course present and with Mr Peek was the Oscar, Dustin Hoffman's Oscar—Mr. Peek sort of pulls Oscar out and passe it round at all his speaking gigs. Golden boy seems a bit worn but good to go. It's a little creepy when one thinks of how many hands have touched on the little guy. I am sure Mr Peek sprays it down with some sort of disinfectant on a regular basis. What was weird was I was not expecting to have anything to do with the little totem and some how he ended up in my lap an since I did have him I decided to document the event –who know it seemed right at the time.

I was totally surprised—the evening was a great event for Dianne and I from beginning to end—from our dinner at Squatters Brew Pub, to the lecture. I was early enough to get the best designated parking area in front of the pub and the theater. What I did was perched my self in front of the parking space I wanted until Dianne arrived with the van. I was only almost run over once my by good friend Stan.

I liked my time with Oscar, I liked the weight, the feel the magic of the artifact, and yes there is a weird kind of magic to the statue—even though I had nothing to do with the little guy at all in any way, I truly felt special for the few moments it was in my possession. I know that does not make sense but true—when you're with Oscar you are special...

Over the River...

Snow fell today making the day for me wet and cold—not that it matters but I rode the train in as usual but the van is, once again, in the shop, needing repair to the lift gate and perhaps the door. I spoke with the shop a few minutes ago and a bolt or something has been sheared off making the complete apparatus unusable. It's November and as the great calendar changed months I felt the change to the Majors, of the holidays Thanksgiving and Christmas and new Years cleaning up.

I like November, November has character—the new TV season is well on the way as is the Autumn season. November feels solid to me. The rest f the leaves will finally fall off the trees,like they have been waiting round for some sort of an invitation—no the have it enough below freezing night to drop the sap on any tree and dropping their leave at the same time. The mountain cold drives the hardiest of the herbivores down to killing zones where men dressed in orange and red lay primed for bloodshed in the name of providing meat for the family dinner table.

November provides that brisk calm before the storm of December with its deadly temperatures and and deadly pace of holiday dances,parties and dinners—I think the Thanksgiving dinner a dress rehearsal for the big events of December. November is stoic as the month resides in the shadows of December just happy to be round provide a platform for things political and patriotic and sadly militaristic. Veteran's fading out in veteran's Day parades and Johnny's coming marching home from what ever military we're involved in. We vote in November and if we're really lucky the right person wins. November I m sorry to say. Is all about football and TV specials, chopping wood and having a fire in the fireplace with popcorn and lots of redbox or Netflixx—so enjoy November, bundle yourself up and the kids and head over the river and through the woods to someone's house you go...