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Praetorium Honoris

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

I Am ...¹

(Source
As you might have gathered, I'm giving the Muse a well-deserved break. She's been going full bore for quite some time now, so I sent her off to some tropic paradise to drink umbrella drinks and make sailors blush with her vast vocabulary.

Seriously though, between editing the first book (which is taking forever, due primarily to a bad case of summa desidia, which I have "suffered" from my entire life) and trying to find time to read, I'm surprised I get anything done at all. Something has to give. So, it's the fiction.

Of course, I've said this before and then offered up a bit of fiction in the form of a vignette or three. The last one, in Korea, will probably be expanded into a full novel at some point. Those characters I created in Almost a Lifetime are near and dear to me, so I want to continue their stories.

But for now I think I'll try just being a regular blogger, offering various stories, opinions, anecdotes, recipes ...

No, I won't be offering any recipes, my cooking skills are indifferent at best. At one time I had thoughts of pursuing a culinary career occasionally preparing a meal for the family. I like to eat, therefore, I felt, cooking would be a useful skill to have. (Especially if all of the restaurants in the world suddenly went out of business.) Then the Great Mashed Potato Fiasco happened. Scarred me for life it did.

Today I would like to talk about shopping. (Enough, enough, you two in the back, sit down or I swear I'll ...)

I'm talking about "guy shopping" which I define as: decide what I need to buy, go to the place which purveys such things, and buy it. A simple three step process. Not the other kind of shopping which my wife and daughters like to do (the daughters far more so than The Missus Herself). That is: decide to go shopping because something is needed, that something may actually be something specific or it could be a "something like this, maybe" sort of thing, then decide what massive shopping area to go to (this usually entails deciding on which place is the most crowded and has the worst parking facilities), then going into the venue and deciding to "I just want to look at the clothes in here," eventually you might, might I say, wind up at the place where "something like this" might be sold, might be I say, then (and only then) you might buy what was actually the original purpose of the mission. After comparing each and every model in the store and asking a sales person a billion questions. It's all very logical and purposeful (I'm told) and "if you don't like it you can go sit in the car and decide what you want to eat tonight because I, by God, am not going to cook."

No, not that kind of shopping.

I like "brick and mortar" stores. Especially those which sell books, actual paper books. I like to go there and browse. I suppose it's the one place where my shopping techniques mimic those of my better half. I feel like I need to buy a book, no specific book, I just want to see what they've got. I will usually walk out with no less than four, sometimes more, books.

These days I seem to rely on recommendations from friends and acquaintances for my books, then just go to Amazon and buy them there. Of course, one does have to wait a few days to get them. It's not as satisfying as going to a book store and realizing, "I could read this today," as soon as I get home, no worrying about a package sitting out in the rain if I'm not home, no worry of porch pirates, which to my great relief we have yet to see in my neighborhood. A brick and mortar store does provide instant gratification, but only if they have what you want.

I have, on more than one occasion, walked away without buying anything. Hey, I do have some self-control (damned little, but there it is).

Well, enough about shopping. I need to go read my Antietam book. Started it the other day, it's damned good so far.

Be seeing you.





¹ Complete the sentence ...
² For those keen to know where the picture of Your Humble Scribe was taken, I'll tell you. 'Twas aboard USS Midway, I was standing next to the F-4 Phantom.

34 comments:

  1. Sarge,
    I’m with you on Books and bookstores. Unfortunately, there aren’t any dedicated bookstores in my vicinity, so Amazon is my go to. I’m also quite a fan of Kindle. Yeah, I know it’s not got the tactile feel of “real” books, but…I carry my iPad with me almost constantly and use it if I’m in wait status for more than a couple of minutes. It remembers were I left off and if I don’t feel in the mood for that particular book, well, I do have several ((hundreds?) to chhose from.
    So…I got that going for me.
    Granddaughter woke up crying a few minutes ago, so doing that Grandparent thing. Life is good!
    juvat

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    1. I used to have a Nook, was a nice to have sort of thing. Absolutely the pits though with history books that have decent maps. It was a long ago, (11 years?). Battery on that is long dead. I'll stick with paper, for now.

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    2. Kris, in New EnglandOctober 4, 2023 at 7:33 AM

      Sarge, too funny. I too had a Nook a long time ago. Loved it to take a "book" to work to read during lunch (back when I could actually take one; those days are pretty much long gone) and take 2 on vacation. In the end though - I too missed the heft of a real book, and nothing beats turning those pages.

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    3. When I was traveling for work it was awesome. Finish a book, get another, all in the palm of my hand. But a real book is a thing of beauty.

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  2. Sarge, the only store I will go to freely and without need is used book store (like you, to see what they have on the off chance I might "need" it). Beyond that, my super limited radius are building supply/yard store, grocery store (well, more so earlier than now, when I started working at one), auto parts store, and (very occasionally) used clothes store.

    It has been long years since anyone in my household asked me to "join" them on the sort of shopping expedition you describe. It just seems to work out better for everyone that way.

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    1. I too am no longer invited to outings with the All Girl Shopping Team. Suits me just fine.

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    2. There used to be a little used bookstore that I frequented with an owner that knew me only too well. She would put books aside knowing that I would probably buy them. Her best coup was a 50-volume set of world history (published around 1900) and was only asking $3/volume. A hundred fifty bucks shot before I even looked at the shelves.

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    3. I would have paid that price, gladly!

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  3. I like browsing the supermarket. "Oooo...that looks interesting! What can I make with it?" And the last several months we have been hitting the Food Bank for groceries. Finding ways to be creative with celery, carrots, LOTS of split peas (split peas make a pretty decent falafal) and rice, and chicken. Although two weeks ago we scored a whole frozen pork loin! That was a treat. Also lots of plums and pears. Made up a batch of Plum Sauce that came out rather well, and an apple & plum chutney. A few months ago the food bank gave us a 5 pound bag of oyster mushrooms - another treat. I do wonder how many people faced with that bounty ended up tossing them, or most of them, out because they didn't know what to do with them? About 15 or 20 years ago we bought stuff for a holiday food drive. Got a lot of the basics - flour, sugar, corn meal, baking powder, shortening, etc. on the theory that people could stretch that a lot further than boxed stoff. "Oh, we can't use that! People won't know how to use it!"

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    1. I've seen weird things like that locally. People donating lots of boxes of stuff which need things like a pound of hamburg, or milk, or some other essential. Boxes of dry goods make people feel good about donating, just not real practical for the target audience.

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    2. Food drives like that always ask for non-perishable goods. Other than liquids and eggs, my wife and I had put together bags that could be used to produce baked goods. Heck, even threw in chocolate chips. And the usual rice and beans. But the group putting the food baskets together wanted canned goods, box mixes, boxed cereal, and microwaveable stuff.

      I've taken to on the food drives like that to just giving cash. With the connections food banks have, they can get more for their buck than I can with mine.

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  4. -When visiting the wife's side of the family up in the Texas Panhandle, her, her sister, and eight or nine nieces and grandnieces would take me along on their shopping trip where I (the only male in the group) served as the "pack mule". They shop, hand me the bags to carry, and then they all go shopping for more things for me to carry while chattering and laughing the entire time. I take great pleasure in watching and listening to the ladies of her family interacting with each other in such a loving manner.
    -Barry

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  5. I've had some culinary wrecks, too. I never quit, though. I eat my mistakes. Like everything, you have a back up plan. I've made mashed and had a bag of instant standing by for emer-gen-cees..... I used to take Thanksgiving week off and cook all week with the ex. One year she got sick, and I managed the whole feast alone. Her extended family came without warning, and we had enough for the 10 or so extra. No leftovers though. They ate, then skedaddled. Not even a good bye. Reminded me of that line in Quigley. "....ate all the pies and then left...."

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  6. People bragging on Falsebook. "I saved $200 yesterday at ___________. I didn't go in.

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  7. Mom taught me to cook. I was underfoot, she was making dinner, and I wanted something to eat, now. "Do you like carrots?" she asked. "Yes." "Here." She gave me a carrot. Fresh from the garden, covered with dirt, green leaves on top, little fingers all over it. "Yck!" I proclaimed. She taught me how to wash, peel, and slice a carrot. I was hooked. I've been cooking ever since. Mom did that to all of her five kids, and we've all made part our livings, one way or another, cooking, and we all still cook, at home and for groups. M-Th afternoons I'm usually cooking at Loaves & Fishes, a free-meal service in the Twin Cities. Come home and Spice and I make supper, or one of us does.

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    Replies
    1. My mother did not have that sort of patience.

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    2. htom, I was about to write the exact same (nearly) comment! I was ten, and it was German Chocolate Cake. I have been cooking for various groups ever since. When in Japan, I cooked for some housemates and thereby got free food. Then we hired a local lady and I was able to concentrate on making sure the Asahi and Kirin were properly chilled and there was Myers for Mai-Tais. I cook most of the meals today and I actually love it! Presentation is everything!! D4(Fuzz)

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    3. German ...
      Chocolate ...
      Cake ...

      Oh, but you tempt a fella!

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  8. A child of divorce, I went to the "cook or starve" school, started washing dishes in a fine dining restaurant about the same time. Expanded the repertoire over the years. Worked in restaurants off and on through college; quitting the last one on graduation day. That and turning wrenches taught me a lot but also taught me what I did NOT want to do with my life.
    Bride and I have taken a few classes for date nights; now that I know how much work croissants are, I appreciate when they are made for me and gladly pay the price asked ( unless it's obscene).
    What is that Heinlein quote? "A human being ought to be able to..."
    Boat Guy

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    1. I can cook if the alternative is starving, oh yes, I can. (I'd just rather not.)

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  9. I'll act as muse: Tell us about your library- how many books, do you lend out, give away? How much do you pay your librarian? What's your oldest book? Most treasured book? Faves?

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    1. Good idea for a post.

      Yes, I'm a tease ...

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    2. I’ll bet there are more that a few bibliophiles in this group! Everybody needs to make an orderly readjustment to their library! Let discuss it amongst our selves and let muse and Sarge take a day off! Fuzz d4

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    3. I'm sure that we are legion ...

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  10. Crusty Old TV Tech here. You made me follow the link...never follow the link, says Precious! King Soopers eh, must have been Pete Field or Lowry AFB. You actually burned Smashed Taters dude? Wow, that's an accomplishment, a real "There I Was..." moment (says the fellow who added 2 tablespoons of salt to the bread machine once vice 1/2 teaspoon because reasons... :-) ). Learned to cook at da Griff, mainly due to the unreasonably frigid nature of the outdoor environment 9 months of the year...got good at chili, for one. Keeps you going when it's 0 deg F and snowing up a Lake Effect blizzard (again). Going to miss hearing the rest of the Korea story in the short term, but when Musie comes back from her sojourn, all the better. Assuming she does not come back with other things from her visit to places sailors frequent...

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    1. Yes, I burned the mashed potatoes, to my everlasting shame ...

      We were at Fort Collins, CO at the time, the USAF was attempting to turn me into an officer. First I had to be edumacated ...

      (The education stuck - Colorado State University, Class of '86 - the commission, well, that's a long story. Which begins here.)

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    2. Sarge- You would be totally lost in Ft. Collins today. It is almost unrecognizable from what it was 10 years ago, covering a lot more area, tons of multi-story apartments, the north end of town is all Yuppified with bar and night life and vegan stuff. A bunch of homeless hang around the train depot.
      In 1986 they probably were even more rustic- awaiting indoor plumbing and maybe even electric lights and the like.

      We go thru there every few months on our travels (most recently Monday!), but seldom venture as far south as the University.
      Dorothy O. lives there.
      John Blackshoe

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    3. I know how much it has changed, The Nuke went back a couple of years ago, her pictures sent me to Google Streetview, I barely recognized the place. I knew that Dorothy O. lived there as does drjim, another blogger. Things change, not always for the better.

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    4. Fort Collins was once a western town; as Denver was once a western city. Denver is a socialist hellhole in the vein of Portland OR and Fort Collins has adopted all the worst aspects of Boulder. Neither offer anything unless you're a wealthy marxist.
      BG

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    5. Many of my sources tell me that Colorado has gone way downhill.

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Just be polite... that's all I ask. (For Buck)
Can't be nice, go somewhere else...

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