The Fish Sammie and Cute Coffee Tour of March ’24!

In the Fall of 2023, I wanted to do a Pumpkin Spice tour at some of the coffee shops in Westmoreland County as well as around Pittsburgh. My choices were not only limited to the iconic drink but other fall themed items. It didn’t quite pan out and I only visited two places. I did get to drink a good bit of pumpkin spice, however, and bought some snacks that had a fall twist to them.

Later on that Fall, in November, I embarked on a mini Thanksgiving sandwich tour, with much more success. I began my tour with the Pilgrim at Getgo, before having dinner at Mad Mex and ordering the popular Gobblerito. I wrapped up my tour just a week before Thanksgiving at Primanti’s and tried their turkey sandwich. Out of all my experiences, the Gobblerito came out most successful. It wasn’t my first experience with it, either. I had one a year prior when I ate lunch out with Aunt Sue and Benny. I had a cranberry margarita this time around to complement my Gobblerito and it was good.

This month, enter the Fish Sammie and Cute Coffee Tour of March ’24!

This isn’t the exact drink pictured above, but one of the Easter specials I want to try is a “Chillin’ with my Peeps” latte from Cutie’s Coffee Company. As the title states, the drink has a marshmallow peep to go with it. I also want try the latte that comes with a Cadbury Creme Egg. I plan on trying two St. Patrick’s Day drinks and two Easter drinks between now and the end of the month. The first picture is something I’m definitely getting when I go out to eat and that is Eat’n Park’s world famous Whale of a Cod fish sandwich. If you’ve watched the latest commercial, you can see that it’s been a popular menu item for years at the restaurant. In addition to Eat’n Park, I will also be going to a few local spots to try their fish sandwiches.

Last week saw our last sunset before 6:00 PM until Daylight Savings time ends on November 3 (eight months from tomorrow). While we have not escaped Old Man Winter’s clutches just yet, we are out of the hard part of Winter. First day of Spring is March 21. Our first after 7:00 PM sunset comes when we Spring ahead next week, and our first 8:00 PM sunset comes in the middle of April. June 20 is our longest day of the year with over 15 hours of daylight. We can talk about Falling back when the time is closer.

It’s now officially March and that means it’s time for March Madness. While this mainly applies to basketball and the NCAA tournament, in District 13 it applies to our International Speech and Humorous Speech contests in the Division. The first round begins next Saturday when Division B has their contest. It will be held at Hope Lutheran Church in Cranberry Township (home of Cranberry High Noon Toastmasters) on Saturday afternoon. It will be a hybrid contest meaning it will be in person and online. Fortunately for me, since I work Friday night, I can attend the contest via Zoom (virtual). Division C’s contest will be held in the morning on March 16 in Blairsville at the First United Methodist Church. I plan to attend that one in person. Divisions D and A will be held the following weeks (March 23 and March 30) but, attendance at the contests for me remains up in the air until I see my upcoming schedule.

If I repeated all or any of the above in a previous blog, I am sorry as I have a habit of doing that. I just wanted to note that our District historian really hit the nail on the head when he called the Division Speech contests March Madness. That’s exactly what I thought too.

Maybe I’ll look at my Fish Sammie and Cute Coffee tour of March ’24 the same way too.

The Great Amazon Unboxing!

It’s always fun to order something online versus ordering it in the store sometimes. You have your advantages which are easier to find what you want online vs. in store. You also have your disadvantages which include the shipping cost and basically, you get what you pay for. But the same holds true for shopping in-store.

When your package comes to your house, you can do a fun unboxing video showing everyone what you got and if it’s clothes, how you look in them. I get so much joy when I order new clothes from Old Navy or new gadgets from Amazon, JCPenney, or Kohls.

Today’s blog post is all about that. You feverish wait for whatever it is you bought and then that day comes. Soon after it’s time for the great Amazon unboxing experience. Have I enjoyed my latest purchases online? Absolutely. Are they worth the money? Sometimes it’s been up for debate but I’ve been pleased as of late. Here’s a few of the things I’ve purchased in 2024 alone.

Digital frame—My mom inspired me to buy a digital frame after I fell in love with the one she has in the living room at home. I bought mine on Amazon (mine is a little different) but it operates the same. My pics are a little bit different than hers. I have plenty of selfies and Christmas pics on mine. So far it’s been fun to look at and more pictures are coming.

Amazon Laptop bag—I got my laptop last Christmas as a gift from my cousins so I could keep with the blogs. While it occurred to me that I should buy some accessories, I didn’t think about it until recently. Eventually I’m going to want to take my computer on the road and for that I need a bag to keep it in so I don’t drop it. I tried out the Amazon laptop bag and it works perfect.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix—With the exception of book 2, I have ordered every Harry Potter book here on Amazon. I started the series in 2018 and quit just before I started the fourth book in December of that year. I reopened the idea of reading it once again in the summer of 2023 after being inspired by my 11 year old niece as well as a few of my store leaders. Not only have I been reading the books, but also watching the movies.

Book light—As cool as the frame and the laptop bag are, this one has been my favorite buy. I can easily read a chapter of my favorite book in the dark or where lighting is reduced. I’ve wanted one for a while but I never got around to shopping for one. This one changes colors as well.

My online shopping experience began in college when I was introduced to a website called half.com. It was 2003 and I just began my first semester at Slippery Rock University. I was able to get discounts on CDs and DVDs and more importantly, my textbooks for class. I never quite caught on to eBay, and it might have had to do with bidding on products. Eventually eBay swallowed up half.com and I soon made my way off of that platform. Nowadays, I buy things online and I don’t sell as I’m pretty well-off and don’t need money. I’ve sold a few things online back in my day but even as a business major, I didn’t have much business sense.

Nowadays, I have great fashion sense.

As I close off the blog, it’s Leap Day. I will finish the latest season of Season Eight of Queer Eye and be caught up on the series once again. Season Nine will be in Las Vegas but the Fab Five will be minus one of their own as Bobby Berk departs the series. I wish him the best but he will be missed.

March 13 is a historic day here at home and for our nation (as well as our planet). In 1993, it was the East Coast blizzard. In 2020, it was one of the last normal days we’d have before the world went on lockdown due to the COVID 19 pandemic.

That last normal day changed our lives and really put things into perspective. I’ll have a blog post up in March looking back on how my life has changed since the pandemic.

Contests, Coffee, and Madness: A Look Ahead to March

Before I get into this look ahead to the next month, I am pleased to learn that the former Sears will have a new occupant in the future. That should continue to breathe life into a mall that held its own while other malls in the region have struggled.

Dick’s Sporting Goods will be moving into the location that once housed Sears. The old Sears has been vacant since its closure five years ago, with the exception of a small part being used for Spirit Halloween last year. There was much debate over what should go into that location, whether it was Boscov’s, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, or even a hotel for those out of towners visiting the nearby Live! Casino. The Dick’s Sporting Goods will be rebranded into a Dick’s House of Sport.

The House of Sport stores are different than the usual Dick’s Sporting Goods, providing a more interactive experience, with climbing walls, batting cages, and golf simulators. This allows a customer to try the product out while tracking their performance. Another House of Sport plans to open in the Pittsburgh area, in April, at Ross Park Mall. The current Dick’s location behind the mall will become Going, Going, Gone, which is the chain’s outlet store. They have locations in Monroeville and on McKnight Road.

Information has been provided by an admin on the Greengate Mall archive page on Facebook. It’s time now for a look ahead to next month.

The calendar turns ahead to March on Friday and that just means we are drawing closer to the first day of Spring. I’m looking forward to wiping the slate clean and beginning a new Duolingo quest. This month’s quest (Bea’s Jazz Jam) inspired me to rekindle my interest in listening to jazz music. In just a few weeks, I will hit 700 straight days on Duolingo. Here’s what else you can expect next month.

Content is mostly under To Be Determined but I have a few things planned so far. Just like the Thanksgiving food features I came across, I’ll do the same with the fish sandwiches during Lent. Stops along the Fish Sandwich Tour ’24 include GetGo and Eat’n Park (gotta have my Whale of a Cod). Downtown Greensburg stops include Sun Dawg and Badges Bar and Grille. In addition to the fish sandwiches, I’m looking forward to trying the Easter feature lattes that the new coffee shop in town (Cutie’s Coffee) has to offer.

March Madness gets underway this month but you won’t read about the tournament or the games (unless I start a sports blog). The March Madness I’m talking about are the speech contests that are taking place in our District. The Division contests are just as big as divisional round playoff games in the NFL. These will determine who advances to the District finals which will be held during our Spring conference in May. I will be in attendance for Division C’s contest on March 16 in Blairsville, but Divisions A, B, and D are up in the air. If I do, it’s likely they’ll be online.

Two weeks from today we turn the clocks ahead. While it’s still technically winter and anything can happen, it will be nice to play outside until 6 or 7pm while it’s still light. When the sun starts setting at 8pm, then it’ll be really nice. I’ll have to make time for a walk at Twin Lakes or Mammoth park at some point, and even pack a lunch or dinner. One thing I would like to do in 2024 is take a walk at one of the state parks close by. Keystone is one park that comes to mind. Maybe Kooser or Laurel Hill if I’m feeling lucky. There’s also Penn Township and Indian Lake.

As I get ready to close off the blog, I want to give a shoutout to Cranberry High Noon Toastmasters being recognized as Community Champions at an event hosted by the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber. The club started in 2013 and I got to attend their tenth anniversary celebration last summer. Every year they have achieved President’s Distinguished honors and, for a longtime Toastmaster who visits the club twice a year, the club has become like a second home to me.

I’ll always remember the warm welcome that I got at a December 2019 meeting. What a perfect day that was in my book as I was just starting out this blog!

Season of Renewal and Reinvesting

Today’s blog is brought to you by the Word of the Day, or words. They are reinvest and renew. Recently, my new Harry Potter book came in the mail. This is the fifth in the series and like the last one, is just as big. This will take me at least two months to finish (I’m not one to read more than one chapter at a time unless it’s a few short chapters).

Unlike in 2018, I’m determined to get through the series this time. It’s taken me a while as I needed a break, but I’ve reinvested my time in reading and renewed my love for it. In the past, I’ve also been able to read multiple books at one time and I’ve come back to doing that as I read three other books. I’m also reading books by former president Barack Obama and actor John Stamos, as well as the History of Jazz. I was inspired to read that book with February being Black History month.

I also renewed my love of jazz by listening to some of my favorite albums. If you’ve read my most recent blogs, I listed five of my best album purchases.

Earlier this week, I renewed my Toastmasters dues for both of my clubs. I reinvested in my growth as a communicator and leader, even 10+ years later and five years after getting my Distinguished Toastmaster award. What keeps me coming back? I can still learn even if I have met my goals. Meeting new people and helping them get acquainted with the educational program is another reason.

Contest season is underway and very soon the divisional round will begin. Division C‘s contest is March 16 in Blairsville and it looks like it will be a good one with lots of humorous and international contestants from our four areas including: Johnstown, State College, and my home club, Greensburg.

Every day, I renew my foreign language skills and reinvest my time by learning new words on Duolingo. Three minutes a day extends my streak which is now nearing 700. I started out learning Spanish and I have since expanded my horizons by picking up French, German, and Italian. I still can’t speak the language but, it’s fun to try.

I’ll close off the blog with my review from last night’s dinner at Don Patron Mexican Restaurant in Greensburg. I will say I enjoyed it as much as I do Acapulco in Irwin. I had many options to choose from for food and will have to do lunch sometime so I can order one of the lunch specials. I missed out on happy hour, which runs from 4 to 7PM, but I had a meeting to get to afterwards. I ordered the chipotle honey shrimp that came with Mexican rice and refried beans. Food grade: A

The service was excellent. I arrived just as the place was getting busy. It looks like they do good business here. In the future, I’ll have to try Latrobe’s Don Patron to compare the two. The staff was very professional and cared about the customers. Service grade: A

The atmosphere is what you would expect at a nice Mexican restaurant like this. Music is nice, not too loud and just right for your dining experience. I loved seeing the window decorations. The atmosphere and decor made me feel at home. I’ll definitely make a return trip sometime for lunch. Atmosphere: A

Another Special Trip to Somerset!

Back in December, Mom and I made a special trip up to Somerset to pick up belongings for my Aunt and Benny, who were staying at Children’s Hospital at the time. We thought it was going to be another four month stay like this past Spring. That trip provided inspiration for today’s title, though it was on a much better note this Sunday.

We definitely got our fair share of snow Friday night. Fortunately, as I made my way to Somerset, the sun was out and the snow was gradually starting to melt. However, blowing snow made roads tricky in some places but it was few and far between. The weather will begin to turn mild this week and thus the snow we had will be gone. I got to my destination safely and met my aunt for lunch at the Pine Grill. Here’s my review of today’s dining experience.

We walked in around Noon and were greeted nicely by our host. We were seated as soon as a table was open. Lunch on a Sunday is different than dinner on a Wednesday night. It was busy and, the church crowd was on its way in addition to those coming for lunch. This establishment is only open on Sundays for lunch, the rest of the time it’s only open for dinner (4PM to 9PM). Our server suggested the specials and that shows courtesy and good salesmanship on their part.

I loved the decor. There are still a few Christmas decorations up and that makes winter seem less dreadful. I loved the painting of the classic truck hauling maple syrup. You can also buy syrup at the Pine Grill. This place is the perfect setting for a scene in a Hallmark movie. Grade: A

The menu had a lot of great options, from entrees and starters to beer and wine. There was a plentiful list of sandwiches and burgers for lunch and some delicious appetizers. I ordered a beer but almost got a mimosa. They also have local beers on tap. This place is easily comparable to Jean Bonnet in Bedford and The Casselman Inn in Grantsville, MD. Grade: A-

Our food was OK. I ordered a Corned Beef Reuben and it was good. Fries were extra and I get that (most sandwiches I’ve had elsewhere come with chips). Quiche was average and needed reheated. I tried one of the mussels from my aunt’s shrimp scampi and they were good. Grade: B-

Overall: B.

I enjoyed lunch and fellowship with Aunt Sue and Benny and Janet. We talked about other restaurants we were interested in. After lunch, we parted ways and went back to the house. We made the most of a lazy Sunday afternoon and sat on my aunt’s new sunporch, keeping warm in front of her new fireplace. I felt like I was at Shawnee at that cottage we rented in the past. I went home around 4 and had a nice trip down US 30 passing through Jennerstown, Laughlintown, and Ligonier.

Now onto my journeys. I’m on season eight of Queer Eye, watching one episode a week. I’ll finish it up around March 2 and cry a little bit because it’s Bobby’s last season. The most recent episode I watched really hit me in the feels, and it came just as Karamo and the Fab Five’s recent nominee, sat down and talked. I say this because it hit home for me with my fashion journey as well as my life’s journey. I can be myself around most people. Around my parents, it’s hard and they’re not ones to really enjoy drama or anything different.

I’ve taken steps forward and steps back in my fashion journey. Like Denton, my problem was that I wasn’t able to trust myself and, I also put too much pressure on myself. Having that confidence in myself (helping by giving eye contact) and a clear mind makes it much easier to talk to my family without going into hiding. It also helps when speaking in front of my Toastmasters group or when I’m at work. One of these days, I’ll finally break down and find a therapist to talk to about my problems.

Time to close off the blog by taking a look ahead. Wednesday night is Greensburg Toastmasters and we have a fun night planned. I’ll be eating my pre-Toast meal at Don Patron and you’ll read my review of my meal and recap of the meeting. I’m planning another Old Navy outfit/activewear haul and looking for new bedding to usher in Spring. Next week, I’ll have a preview for March and included will be where you can find the best fish sandwich during Lent.

Come along with me for the ride this week and as we get closer to Spring!

A Jazzy Jam 🎶 February

With the Kansas City Chiefs winning the Super Bowl on Sunday, and with all the headlines centering around Taylor Swift, I felt it was appropriate to play Taylor’s playlist while I was at work. In a way I was emulating my 11 year old niece who herself is a “Swiftie”. She has seen the Eras Tour in theatres and has plenty of Taylor merch at her disposal. While I love a little bit of pop and a little bit of country, my favorite music genre is always going to be jazz.

When my love affair began is debatable. It can be traced back to 2000, during my senior year of high school, when I discovered a publicly-funded station in Pittsburgh that played classic jazz hits as well as some local artists. 90.5 WDUQ was owned by Duquesne University at the time and was also a National Public Radio station as well. They had some shows during the day that were national but at night and during the morning and early afternon, they played jazz. On and off during college, I would listen to 90.5 when I was able to get it or when I was home. The university sold the station in the early 2010s and was rebranded but, you can still listen to jazz on one of their HD channel or on AM 1550 WZUM Braddock.

Perhaps it goes back to 1996, when I discovered a smooth jazz station in Pittsburgh that was short-lived known as 104.7 WJJJ. My mom listened to this station way before my interest in jazz became a thing. The format switched to an oldies format in 1999 and became a conservative talk radio outlet in 2004. But I’ll take smooth jazz over an outspoken talking head anyday.

Or, it goes back to the late 1980s, about the time I discovered the Weather Channel. For a long time, their local forecast music was a genre of music I soon discovered was smooth jazz. It was very catchy and the music would always live rent-free in my head. One of the most common artists whose music played during the local forecasts was the Rippingtons, whose music is still played to this day on jazz stations. I discovered who played these songs years later on a site called twcclassics.com one night after work just after I graduated college.

I’ve bought many jazz CDs over the years and books related to the subject. But before I talk about the music, I have a little story to tell. While I was a student at Slippery Rock University, a course on Jazz was offered in the music building. Listening to music was involved and I wish I would have taken the course while I was there (it would have been worth it). One of the books I owned is The History of Jazz by Ted Gioia. Fun fact: I’ve read three editions of the book including the latest one. I also watched a miniseries on Jazz by Ken Burns back in the early 2000’s and bought a few CDs from that collection.

To close off the blog, here are a few of the jazz albums I’ve owned over the years. I’ve since done away with CDs and stream music exclusively on Amazon.

  1. Pure Jazz (2001)– A wonderful compiliation of the greatest icons of jazz. Nice way to end the CD with Louis Armstrong’s What A Wonderful World.
  2. A Charlie Brown Christmas (Vince Guaraldi) (1965)–One of the greatest Christmas cartoons and Peanuts specials of all time. Great message but also a great soundtrack. Vince Guaraldi did all the music for the Peanuts specials.
  3. We All Love Ella: Celebrating the First Lady of Song (2007)–Ella’s best work released in honor of her 90th birthday. One of my favorite Ella Fitzgerald hits would be Summertime which was performed with Louis Armstrong.
  4. Spellbound (Joe Sample) (1989)–I’m a big fan of jazz fusion and there are some great ones on this album. This artist’s music has been played on the Weather Channel for many years either solo or with the Crusaders.
  5. Dave Koz and Friends: Summer Horns (2013)–This is a group of smooth jazz musicians collaborating on some old 1970s hits. Overall, this was done very well. A follow up album was released in 2018.

Contest Season is Here!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year and it’s going on right now! That being, it is contest season in Toastmasters. Our District’s best speakers compete for awards and ultimately, a spot in the World Championship of Public Speaking. Last week, our areas in the division all competed for a chance to hone their speaking skills with the winners moving on to the Division contest in March. I attended my area’s contest which combined with neighboring Area 23. Our speakers, including one of Greensburg’s own, all did well. Those working behind the scenes all deserve a round of applause for their help in the contest as well (judges, timers, ballot counters, chief judge, toastmaster, and zoom master).

For the second year in a row, all of the area contests were held online. In 2022, they were hybrid, meaning they were online and in person. This year, I felt better about attending the contests than I did the first year we did them online. I was totally lost and discouraged back in 2021.

Having a laptop with a working webcam helps too. I didn’t participate in any capacity except that of being a spectator. Areas 23 and 24 will be sending some good speakers to Blairsville on March 16.

In other news, my next Harry Potter book arrives Friday. I finished up Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire last week and will watch the film Saturday night. Order of the Phoenix is the biggest book of the series but I’m more than ready to see myself through reading it. I’ll take some time to get it done to accommodate for Easter, Toastmasters, and working on blogs, I’ll take a break once I’m done. My niece just started the sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I’ll be there in May after I wrap up the Spring Conference.

Last week on my day off, I got some ideas for what to buy with my JCP gift card. I also bought some new magnetic bookmarks which in my opinion are better than regular bookmarks. Just clip them to the page you’re on and start from there when you pick your book up. I even saw some luggage that I might buy for Spring Conference (my first in person Toastmasters conference since April of 2019). When I’m not reading Harry Potter or writing blogs, I’m reading about Barack Obama’s journey to the White House. While at Barnes and Noble last week, I also bought John Stamos’ memoir and plugging into his life.

Recently, my mom straightened up the kitchen upstairs where I frequently work on my laptop. It’s mainly used as a storage area more than an actual kitchen. While mom moved my desk and gave me a much improved workspace, she also put my CD’s in a storage tote. While I was initially in shock, I believe it was for the best. I don’t listen to them anymore and have contemplated what to do with them. It was a way of telling myself to move on. Best Buy has also done away with their physical media, including CDs and DVDs and I’m certain that others will eventually follow suit as well. The way we view media has changed even before the pandemic. Now you can watch everything online or, there’s an app for that.

Remember when kids used to go to Napster and other music swapping sites? Does anyone miss Blockbuster Video or Iggle Video and renting movies on a Friday night? Who’d have thought records 🎶 would be popular again?

I have the upcoming weekend off so I might make the most of my Sunday by taking a road trip. I’m due for a visit with my aunt so I’ll meet her for lunch in Somerset. Coming up this week, Wednesday night is Greensburg Toastmasters but before that I will have my pre-Toast meal at Don Patron and I’ll have my review of the place up as well. I’m spying another outfit/activewear haul possibly next weekend as well.

Today I tried out Cutie’s once again (I went back in January but was in a hurry so I didn’t stay long) and was impressed with the service. I took a seat and enjoyed my stay this time. It was very decorated for Valentine’s Day. I can’t wait to see what they do with the place and look forward to another coffee adventure soon. Maybe I’ll get some friends together and try a flight.

I hope you come along with me on my Stylish journey!

New Activewear from Old Navy!

“Nice outfit! Tell me, where did you get this?” “Oh, this razzle dazzle number? Thanks. It’s Old Navy.”

A few weeks ago, I shopped online at oldnavy.com in the market for some activewear as I plan to up my fitness game in February and March. My busy schedule made it hard for me to unbox my new outfits plus I was a little hesitant for other reasons. Even though I’m a few years into my fashion journey, I still have doubts. I need to stop thinking about what may happen or be said because thinking only gets me into trouble. The only person I need to be successful is me.

Like Maura told me in our chat on Christmas Eve, “Clothes are just clothes. Doesn’t matter who wears them, as long as you are comfortable.” Once I built up my confidence, as I’ve always done, I was ready. Everything from the activewear to tank tops, the latter which will be perfect for layering over clothes, all fit perfectly. I think that I like the hi-rise joggers better than my normal sweats and , except for my SRU sweats and those I just got for Christmas, I will be getting rid of those as they served their purpose. I like pants that go a little bit above my waist and not have to risk having my stomach hanging out. I’m not about that style where pants hang down so low I see someone’s drawers. C’mon man!

With some new tops in mind for my next shopping trip, I’m putting together the perfect gym ensemble. The tank tops can also be worn with jeans and under a long sleeve shirt or sweatshirt.

Any doubts I may have I only need to remind myself, “It’s just fashion.”

3 for Me Deal at Chili’s 🌶️!

This week I went out to dinner before my Greensburg meeting which is usually tradition for me. This week has been different as we’ve seen drier, warmer weather for February. That gave me the opportunity to get outside and walk around at the park on one of those nice days. But, it’s February and, winter will make its triumphant return next week.

Right now Chili’s has a 3 for Me value meal which starts at $10.99 and is perfect for your dining experience and budget. You have the option to choose your beverage, appetizer, and entree, or spice it up by adding a classic margarita, Dip Trio or their famous Cheesecake.

This seems familiar to a meal deal Kings had where you could order an appetizer, entree, and dessert. This is what I did tonight when I ate dinner. Since I’m en route to my Greensburg Toastmasters meeting, I’ll be eating at the Chili’s 🌶️ in Greengate Center.

I got there around quarter to five and was immediately seated. I already knew what I wanted so there was no need to look at the menu. My server arrived at my table and took my order like that 🫰. For my drink, I got the mango iced tea. My entree was the chicken crispers. Also part of the 3 for Me deal was the delicious chicken enchilada soup. All for $14.99!

My server checked up on me to make sure I was happy with my food. Service for my visit tonight gets an A+. Of course I get there before the dinner rush. I’ll challenge myself to eating with a busier crowd next time I eat out. I took my time eating my chicken crispers and even mixed my sauces together. I even ate them with a knife and fork like George Constanza on that episode of Seinfeld. ot that there’s anything wrong with that! I’ll be back next time, hopefully this meal deal will still be going on, and I might get a margarita to drink or a slice of cheesecake instead of soup or salad. Food also gets an A.

It was easy to pay my check at the table with use of their card devices which also have games on them. That way you are in and out and don’t have to wait for change. Personally, I like to leave a cash tip but I can also put it on the card. Channeling my inner writer, I even gave a review on the device. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest, I gave them almost all 5’s with one 4. Convenience gets a A-.

I’ll be enjoying my second day off in a row tomorrow and having a little shopping adventure. There will be a place to stop for food along the way, I’m sure. My next review will be in two weeks at Don Patron. While they are up the road from Chili’s, they also have a location in Latrobe. I’m not sure what restaurant I’ll go to, but regardless, you’ll be reading all about my experience there.

Coming Full Circle

This weekend I had a full circle moment that I’d like to share in today’s blog. Before I do that, let’s define what this phrase means.

Full circle is an adverb which can be defined as, “through a series of developments that lead back to the original source, position, or situation or to a complete reversal of the original position”.

Facebook memories can either make you laugh or they can make you cry. You can say or do the most embarrassing things and Facebook will take pride in humiliating you on the anniversary of whatever it was that you said or did. Two of those embarrassing moments came early in 2010. The period from 2006-2010 can be considered my dark period. It was post-academia and I had deep regrets about attending college. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life and felt ashamed of myself. But let’s save that for later.

In February of that year, I went on a rant about all the coverage on Snowmageddon. I later apologized for my profanity-laced tirade. The weather was making everyone crazy at this point. A month later, a bad memory from my past surfaced and it threatened to ruin my good vibe. These two incidents can be summed up to feelings that I brought on myself from regrets that I had from my college days.

In a most recent Facebook memory, I came upon an article that I wrote that summed up the 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers season. As I recall, it was an amazing piece and looking back, it’s like I’ve come full circle. I say that because I’ve been enjoying keeping up with this blog over the last four years. Even 15 years earlier, I enjoyed writing. Just like the Facebook memories I mentioned, there was a motive behind this article I posted. Just like 20 years earlier during my first semester at Slippery Rock, when I sent a card for my friend who was taking her PRAXIS, I did it with ulterior motives in mind.

This pic above is from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ last Super Bowl win in February of 2009 when they defeated the Arizona Cardinals, 27-23. A few days later, I posted my piece on the Steelers’ successful run to the Super Bowl from beginning to end.

I don’t talk about this that often anymore but, for many years, I longed to go back to school. I wanted to do it not for my Masters but, to prove a point and, to make up for what I thought at the time was a bad college experience at Slippery Rock. I wasn’t ready to be done with school and just started to enjoy college when I graduated in December of 2005.

At the time that Pittsburgh won its sixth Super Bowl, I was hinting at going back to school for a post-baccalaureate degree in communications. I didn’t care what it took or how much debt I accumulated, I wanted to prove myself. The James of 2019 and beyond wouldn’t believe what the James of the late 2000’s did. It took me a long time, but I eventually got over my past.

It was a long time coming, but no longer do I live in those good old days. I look back on that article and remember those years of self-doubt and taking in everyone’s frustration with their lives. Now, as I look at myself with over 500 blogs, years of involvement in Toastmasters and, a good job with room for advancement, I’ve done very well for myself. It hasn’t been an easy road since with a few steps back along the way, but I’m not giving up.

Coming up this week, I have Greensburg Toastmasters and we have a great night planned with great speeches and amazing table topics. It’s contest season and I will be attending a few contests this week (both in my division). Before my meeting Wednesday night, I’ll go out to dinner and have a food review up as part of my Food segment. Later this week I’ll have a fashion blog up as I try on some of my new activewear as part of my fashion segment. I’ll be hinting at future purchases as well as up my fitness game for February and March.

I hope you’ll come along with me this week.