I have had adventures in darkness since the last time I wrote. On Monday night I made a delicious dinner, bratwurst and roasted potatoes. To top it off I made popcorn. I spent my life scorning fancy (i.e. expensive) popcorn. I always bought Jolly Time or the store brand. I know popcorn can taste better than that so I tried the Trader Joe’s; I read good reviews of it. It was nothing special. I finally broke down and bought Orville Redenbacher. I always thought of it as a scam, but it was listed as one of the two best in several sources. I not can that long ago bought a microwave popcorn bowl. It’s nothing but a flexible silicone bowl with a silicone lid that you put right into the microwave. You can pop it with, or without oil. Without it comes out the same as air-popped. I am trying to maximize my popcorn pleasure so I make it with olive oil. I put the Orville Redenbacher into the microwave and started to cook it. Just before it should have started popping the light and the microwave went off. I blew a fuse. I went to change it and had trouble seeing which one blew. I finally replaced all of them and none worked. I was worried about the food in my fridge and freezer as it had no electricity. There was nothing I could do then so I went to sleep.
I was going to call out from work to take care of it but realized that I had my meeting with the principal so I went in. When I got there and told the office manager what happened she said I should tell the principal and go home. I told the principal and he told me to go home. I had the worst part of teaching, getting up at 5:30 AM and commuting to school and still needed to take a sick day.
When I got home I bought a new fuse on the theory that perhaps the replacement was no good. That didn’t work either. I called the super and left a message that it was an emergency and I needed this taken care of today. My roommate wrote the management as the Super often doesn’t even respond to emails. I got an email saying that I’d get a call from the electrician. I did, and somebody came around 1:30. They immediately scoped out the issue. The switch plate in the kitchen was loose and shorting out. The new fuse blew immediately. They fixed that, put in yet another fuse, and all was well,
I should have taken advantage of the day at home to do some shopping but I didn’t. I ended up doing prep work for Gord’s Gold and sleeping. I did do one important thing. Remember that I had unpopped popcorn in my microwave. I didn’t know what the effect of starting to cook it the day before would have but I tried it anyway. Success. I used the same volume of kernels as usual but the volume of the popped corn was doubled! Orville Redenbacher isn’t a scam, it really is better. The pieces were not just bigger and fluffier, more importantly they tasted better. Once again I learn to not believe my own expectations. My suspicion of “Big Popcorn” was unjustified. That is an important lesson.
I had an interaction with someone that needs to learn that lesson. A friend asked if she should go to Waffle House. As he’s a touring musician I was shocked that he never did. I love Waffle House and told him to go. I have a prejudice against southern based chains? The reason I have the prejudice is that the presence of a Waffle House correlates positively with the area voting for Trump. What got me to try it was two of my favorite musicians that love it. They told me to try the jukebox. I did, it’s worth it. The entire experience, the food, service, and ambience, is fun. Make sure to listen to their special Waffle House songs on the jukebox.
Another person commented on the same thread and said to avoid Waffle House because they treat their employees terribly. That would be enough to make me avoid it, but I had never heard that and I know not to believe comments on the internet. I checked. Waffle House gets good reviews from their employees. They are not mistreated. I showed him their employee evaluation and his response was to say how terrible chains inherently are, simply by being chains. It’s the exact analogue of my distrust for Big Popcorn. He had no concern whatsoever that his initial statement was false. I told him that he’s just like Trump, willing to make things up with no connection to the truth to disparage those he dislikes. It is exactly what Trump does and it dismays me to no end when people that think they are progressive do the same. They are not progressive, they just have a different set of prejudices. Progressives value the truth. As Krugman loves to quote, “The facts have a well-known liberal bias.”
I just realized that I’m using this entry to praise Georgia based Waffle House and rural Indiana based Orville Redenbacher. I know nothing about either company’s politics. They might be conservative, but if so they aren’t vocal about it, they might be progressive. As long as they aren’t actively discriminating like Chick-fil-A. I wouldn’t hold it against them. I will seek out homemade ice cream and independent chain restaurants because I can get something there that I can’t get at other places.
I’m going to have a weird day today. I’m going to a concert in the City and if I went home in between I’d have to turn around and come back to the City almost immediately. I think I’ll hang out at school and get to City Vineyard early and eat dinner there. I’m seeing The Sea The Sea. Come join me.
Wise Madness 