Bottle Bombs and Gas Puddles - Story Time

So DJ and I was sitting on the couch last night and she emails me an article about how the internet is making families have less face time together. I emailed her back saying that was ridicules.
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HEY - how about KURTH night Friday - weather should be great and we can meet outside - drink beer and soda and talk trash.
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I have heard that all this week Entertainment Tonight is talking about Public Enemies.
also
HBO starts their FIRST LOOK series Thursday featuring Public Enemies. We ordered HBO for a month just for those 13 minutes! LOL
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I erased most of today's Sarah Palin comment

She continues to prove she is exactly what I think she is. That woman just irritates the hell out of me. WHY is she not back in Alaska where she belongs.
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Meetings to think about
Public Enemies Premier - West James Gallery - Tonight 5:00 - I'll be a little late
Public Enemies July 25 Celebration - Wednesday 5:30 Julies Java - I will not be there - Golf Night.
CDA - Last night - I'll comment on that in a bit - MOST people would think the CDA meeting was the highlight of my night but it's what happened immediately before it that takes center stage.

Story #1

We were at the BP gas station getting $1.50 gas (Roundys discount card) and I'm putzing around trying to get my card to work and I hear splash splash splash. Some guy is emptying his coffee or coke or whatever on the ground.

So I'm answering all the stupid questions like "Do I want Credit or Debit" and my only options are YES/NO which really makes no sense, YES/NO TO WHICH ONE!! Then, do I want a freaking car wash, like it knows my car is dirty and I was waiting for the "Do you want to try our new Taco Grande today" but that splashing was still splashing and being somewhat irritated already when the screen said "PLEASE SEE CASHIER" I said "F U" and looked around at the splashing.

What I see is a big white pickup with the gas hose sticking out of it, obviously FULL because gas is just pouring out of the truck onto the ground. Probably a few gallons are spreading across the pavement. Having a somewhat brilliant mind I quickly deduce that this is the incorrect way to fill your truck and perhaps I can be of help out a bit.

I take matters into my own hands hoping the truck owner would not call the police for interfering and take the nozzle out of the truck and place it in it's cradle.

I decided I should probably tell somebody and since I need to SEE THE CASHIER anyway, I can kill two birds with one stone (not that I like to kill birds with any stones).

I enter the station and say "There is a truck that had gas pouring out of it, maybe two gallons because the auto shut off thingy did not work". The cashiers were all like giggley and really wow like that is really totally bad dude, suck. And we then stare at each other for a few seconds contemplating what we should say next as this is not what I expected and obviously I had thrown the two girls out of their comfort zone momentarily.

OK . . . that finished and there was nothing more I needed to do and they seemed to be somewhat fine with the situation as it was, I walked out and went to move my car out of the spreading puddle of gas.

Then I see a guy with a big bag of ARBY's approaching the truck with a big "?" above his head. AHH HAA! Mr. Brainiac decided to get some ARBY's and let his truck fill itself while he was inside the building not paying attention.

I commented that I thought his truck was full and I took the hose out when gas started to spew but he better put the cap on (I was not going to do EVERYTHING for him). He hd a big shit eating grin and asked if they were going to come out and I looked around and said "guess not".

I move the car - filled up and went in to pay as I got another, PLEASE SEE CASHIER and the the two cashiers were looking around slowly for something to put on the gas puddle. One was wondering if salt would be good because she found a bag of salt but the other one said probably not.

And I drove off into the sunset waiting for explosions, my mission completed.
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Story #2

I participated in a home brew exchange a couple months ago. I ship a 6-pack of my great brew to a stranger and in return another stranger from the Home Brew forum ships a sixer to me.

His 6 sort of SUCKED and I had a few bottles laying around.

Last week I was doing some yard work and open the sliding door to the basement to get a shovel and smell beer. I close the door but have a big "?" above MY head because while I MAKE beer in the basement it does not SMELL like beer in the basement (more like hops).

So I walk back in and yup - smells like beer alright. But WHY.

I walk closer and see this.

One of their bottles that was sent to me still had active yeast (too much active yeast obviously) and blew the bottom inch off the bottle sending glass shards 7 feet in all directions.

This should NEVER happen if you are patient with your beer. They bottled it too soon.

BTW - here is what Grinders Island looks like in case you are looking for a tour.

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Story #3

Speaking of people in the service industry - you tell me what I should do in this situation and I hope Suz chimes in.

DJ and I are at Buffalo Wild Wings in Madison and are sitting outside. A waitress takes our order and a little while later a different server delivers our food.

First of all I have to get up and ask for napkins as we have none, then we have to ask for plasticware because DJ has a Buffalito.

Then we see that the waitress got DJ's order wrong as she did not want ANY sour cream and they thought she meant extra sour cream or something. It's hard to pick sour cream out of a Buffalito. But, it's only a small problem and DJ manages.

Then I've finished my drink because WINGS ARE HOT but there is no waitress. There are OTHER waiters but that are talking to their friends and never look our direction. Long story short - we NEVER EVER saw our waitress again. We wanted to leave but had no bill. I went in to get a bill and the guy said "did you have Angela" and I said I have no idea - we only saw our waitress once!!

SO.

No napkins
No plasticware
order was wrong
no free refills on drinks
no "is everything ok"
no bill
even OTHER wait staff paid zero attention to us.

What did we get?

A "Sorry guys" from the waitress when she was told we wanted our bill.

How much would you tip!
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The Columbus Carriage Classic starts this weekend

Friday, June 19

1:00 - 4:00 pm - Town & Country Obstacle competition
5:00 - Welcome Dinner at the Pavilion - Public welcome

Saturday, June 20

8:30-11:30 – Pleasure Ring and Scurry Obstacle course
11:50 Picnic Class
12:30 Carriage Dog Class
12:30 - 3:30 Pleasure Ring competition
3:30 Dickason Drive starts from the park

Sunday, June 21 8:30-11:30 – Pleasure Ring competition
9:00-12:00- Progressive Cones obstacles
11:30- Concours d’Elegance
12:30- Father’s Day class
2:30- Best of Show
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OH - the CDA meeting. Somethings were over my head but I was the MainStreet representative and did my best to look representativly. Also in attendance was Mr. Mayor who even though I have never actually met him seems nice enough and funny and seems open to what the CDA has to offer.

The big news is that they want to get all the players to make a team to help the downtown. The big question is - do people want to make the downtown a GOTO place??. One idea was to have a survey to see what the people think, what do THEY want.

I'm a little against this. I do not feel the people that live in Columbus know what is best for Columbus. I feel the people that attend the meetings, think about the ramifications of decisions and think more about it are the ones that have the knowledge.

It's like a parent to child thing.

Anyway - they would like to get all the players into one committee. CDA reps, Council reps, Mainstreet and Chamber (who failed to have anyone show up to the meeting) and vested interested business owners. Together we can make things happen.

I'll have more on this as I understand it. I'm pumped though. I feel everything is goign the right direction.

that's it - STARTING to get long! :p

Have a day!!
Rod