What’s on your mind?

[Scepticalscribe]

Today was the first time I've ever had Red Robin. Gotta be honest, it was actually kind of awful, and now I have a stomach ache (which I assume was caused by eating there).

It could also have been caused by stress, if other stuff is going on your life.

(And I write from personal experience of assuming that stomach stuff was caused by bar food, or pub food, or restaurants, when, in fact, it was nothing of the sort, rather, it was occasioned by the stress of my professional environment was what had given rise to this condition).

 

[Scepticalscribe]

It is a sit down restaurant chain in the United States. Heavily advertised. Aside from hamburgers they have a large menu but much of that variety is the result of a well stocked freezer and liberal use of microwave ovens

I remember seeing them in 1995 when they opened a restaurant across from the hospital where I was working at the time. However, another restaurant, Bertucci's, opened at the same time and I adored their pastrami sandwiches. I've never been to Red Robin or Outback Steakhouse or a number of other eat-too-much-for-your-own-good restaurants.

Thank you, both of you, for your explantions.

Much appreciated.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

It's a restaurant chain operating in the U.S. So based on my experience, if you're ever here, don't go.

Their huge burgers always look terrible to me. If I want that much meat, I'll order two smaller burgers or chopped steak to avoid the bread overload.

Hadn't spotted these replies.

Many thanks for your clarifications.

 

[bousozoku]

Casual dining restaurants (Red Robin, Applebee's, Chili's) require microwave ovens because most of what they serve is shipped to them frozen. Plus, today's 20-40 year olds, in general, don't seem to have any patience.

I remember going to a Red Lobster in 1981 and they burnt my food because it was overly frozen and they didn't have a microwave oven. They told me that they would make another one, which came out fine. They should have just brought me soup and told me that it would take longer.

 

[Apple fanboy]

You’ve been emailed to do work on a Sunday night? I would be swiftly ignoring that sort of thing personally. Nothing worse than pressure passed on because of someone being incompetent further down the line.

I had to have an awkward conversation with my boss a few months back because he was sending me WhatsApp messages in the evening and I told him it was stopping. In fairness it has stopped so he listened lol.

I work every Sunday night. On average I do 3-4 evenings a week.
But the particular email (from the owner) is about some figures I need to be up to speed at for a meeting first thing.
It just wasn’t the work I’d planned to do this evening.

 

[Apple fanboy]

On an evening?

On a Sunday evening?

That is pretty inconsiderate, - and somewhat disrespectful - to put it mildly.

I don't mind that sort of stuff - very, very occasionally, very rarely, and only if it is a genuine emergency, for, after all, unexpected stuff does arise - but, but, but......"a shed load of work" that arrives on Sunday evening (which is still the week-end, and is still well outside of work hours, irrespective of the day of the week), work "needs to be done by (Monday) morning" is - to my mind - inappropriate.

When I worked in the Horn of Africa, I had a boss who had a charming little habit of dumping the proverbial "shedload" of work between 23.30 and midnight on me, to be attended to, and addressed before the senior staff meeting at 08.30, and about which I would have to brief, (and which said boss never attended, never appearing before 10.00); to say it irked me - irked me massively, - would be an understatement.

Nowadays, but I am both older, and a lot less tolerant of indulging the whims of incompetents in charge, I would challenge this to a far greater extent.

To be fair this is for something that is both time sensitive and pretty important. I just had a different work plan for this evening.
Anyway all sorted now. Time to log off and go watch MOTD 2.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

To be fair this is for something that is both time sensitive and pretty important. I just had a different work plan for this evening.
Anyway all sorted now. Time to log off and go watch MOTD 2.

Okay.

Fair enough.

 

[rm5]

It could also have been caused by stress, if other stuff is going on your life.

(And I write from personal experience of assuming that stomach stuff was caused by bar food, or pub food, or restaurants, when, in fact, it was nothing of the sort, rather, it was occasioned by the stress of my professional environment was what had given rise to this condition).

It's the end of the term, so of course there's a lot of stuff going on. Maybe you're right, I'm not sure.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

It's the end of the term, so of course there's a lot of stuff going on. Maybe you're right, I'm not sure.

Well, food poisoning is the first - and obvious - explanation.

However, these days, in the western world, in fairness, most of those engaged in the preparation (and sale) of food, tend to meet (required and explicitly stated) health and safety standards.

In other words, while I don't discount such an explanation completely, neither would I reach for it automatically if in search of an explanation for a stomach upset.

Rather, (and I write as someone with a very robust stomach, who has, in the past, initially sought explanation for stomach upsets from food outlets who were - in fact - blameless) - I would examine my own professional circumstances, and ask whether stress (sustained stress) may feature as a component, an explanation, a feature, in offering an explanation for such conditions.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

@Apple fanboy will get this:

Today, Decent Brother reminded me that our favourite cousin - whose younger daughter is profoundly autistic - is celebrating his birthday today, a significant birthday, one with a zero.

He - my favourite cousin - supports Arsenal (as I do), and, as does his older daughter, a lovely, serious, studious girl, (a Biology graduate), and Decent Brother informed me that they were visiting the Emirates today - or, had planned to visit the Emirates today - by way of celebrating his birthday together.

A treat away for a day or so together, something they have done together a few times, but, all too seldom, very rarely, for their (domestic) circumstances do not usually permit this.

A bit surprised, I responded that Arsenal are playing tomorrow night. Decent Brother accepted my explanation with the observation that - these days - he doesn't follow this stuff very closely.

Anyway, - I texted my cousin to wish him well, and expressed the hope that he would enjoy the game tomorrow in the Emirates.

Cough. Embarrassed cough. Very embarrassed cough.

He replied, thanking me, commenting that neither his autistic daughter nor his wife (also a former student of mine, as, indeed, is my cousin), are well, ("I'm confined to barracks most of the time, but, today, is a pet day"), adding that he had hoped to meet me for coffee - this hasn't happened - but that he had visited the Emirates today (not, note, tomorrow), to watch the ladies team at the invitation of his daughter, who has travelled to support them for every game this season.

How brilliant is that? Father and daughter visiting the Emirates in support of the Arsenal women's soccer team?

And father and daughter stealing away a rare and precious day - in a difficult and demanding life - to celebrate his birthday together while supporting the Arsenal women's team?

 

[Herdfan]

It is a sit down restaurant chain in the United States. Heavily advertised. Aside from hamburgers they have a large menu but much of that variety is the result of a well stocked freezer and liberal use of microwave ovens

Great description.

It has always been hit or miss with them for me. One time it will be great, another you question why you went there.

 

[rm5]

About the M3 MacBook Air... I think it's great, and I'm glad it got an update, but I also really don't care about it. The initial release of Apple Silicon was amazing, and I guess so was M1 Pro/M1 Max, but everything afterward has been meh. I'm still gonna build a PC over the summer to absolutely destroy all Macs in terms of performance—probably about time I do that anyway, I've never built something before.

 

[bousozoku]

Great description.

It has always been hit or miss with them for me. One time it will be great, another you question why you went there.

Don't bother going to Buffalo Wild Wings then. They're almost always rated poorly, but I think it's partly the clientele. It reminds me of an episode of Still Standing where the men are going to a Hooters-style restaurant and spending loads of money and enjoying themselves. The wife buys some of the food and serves it to her husband and he doesn't like the food.

 

[Apple fanboy]

About the M3 MacBook Air... I think it's great, and I'm glad it got an update, but I also really don't care about it. The initial release of Apple Silicon was amazing, and I guess so was M1 Pro/M1 Max, but everything afterward has been meh. I'm still gonna build a PC over the summer to absolutely destroy all Macs in terms of performance—probably about time I do that anyway, I've never built something before.

If it doesn’t run MacOS I think you’ll find the build less than Apple slaying!

I had an enjoyed my MB Air for a while. But my next work Mac will be an another MBP as I use now.

My next personal Mac will be another Mini or Studio. But that’s a while away given other financial obligations.

 

[sgtaylor5]

If it doesn’t run MacOS I think you’ll find the build less than Apple slaying!

I had an enjoyed my MB Air for a while. But my next work Mac will be an another MBP as I use now.

My next personal Mac will be another Mini or Studio. But that’s a while away given other financial obligations.

Preach it!

macOS is the reason I run a Mac laptop. Gets out of the way and lets me work.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Preach it!

macOS is the reason I run a Mac laptop. Gets out of the way and lets me work.

Indeed. Main reason I switched was I got fed up of the hardware and Software being made by two different companies and both blaming each other when it didn’t play nice.
Plus let’s be honest, who wants to deal with a bunch of components not designing to work together or which haven’t been tested for compatibility. I need to USE a computer, not fix one.

 

[bousozoku]

About the M3 MacBook Air... I think it's great, and I'm glad it got an update, but I also really don't care about it. The initial release of Apple Silicon was amazing, and I guess so was M1 Pro/M1 Max, but everything afterward has been meh. I'm still gonna build a PC over the summer to absolutely destroy all Macs in terms of performance—probably about time I do that anyway, I've never built something before.

Just be careful of the components. You can buy whole machines built for Windows or Linux that they send in pieces, so that you can do the assembly. Find a company that sells it that way, so you have a better chance of everything working together, something like Framework does with laptop computers.

The M3 SoC is very powerful, even if it can't take on every high-end configuration for Windows.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I have a cup (well, a mug) of piping hot tea to hand, my electric blanket has been put on, and my team registered a handsome win tonight.

On the downside, it is still surprisingly cold, while the barometer appears to be falling precipitously, plunging steeply, tumbling down, which is always an ominous sign.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Finished work for the evening. Now my electric blanket is warming me up.
Sadly in the office tomorrow.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I have a cup (well, a mug) of piping hot tea to hand, my electric blanket has been put on, and my team registered a handsome win tonight.

On the downside, it is still surprisingly cold, while the barometer appears to be falling precipitously, plunging steeply, tumbling down, which is always an ominous sign.

I’m bracing myself for another heavy frost in the morning. However there is no need to worry about scraping the car. It will defrost itself ready for me to leave.

 

[bousozoku]

The other night, the owners of the house and one other who rents a room were sitting in the Living room watching TV. I was trying to eat quietly and return upstairs.

I hear from the woman "He's gay." on the advertisement playing. The renter said "What does it matter?"

Then, the new Dune series was playing and the first actor I saw was Timothée Chalamet who made a big splash with a gay love interest in a film. Then, I hear "What's that?" "What are they doing?" "Oh, that's sick." "Why would they do that?"

They probably knew I was there, especially when I stepped to the edge to see what was on TV. They didn't bother asking. I suspect that things have changed since the owner wanted me to help him get into his bank account, and afterwards, I said "You're gonna have to start paying me for tech support." jokingly.

I turned around to the kitchen, washed my dishes and went upstairs.

 

[Chuckeee]

The other night, the owners of the house and one other who rents a room were sitting in the Living room watching TV. I was trying to eat quietly and return upstairs.

I hear from the woman "He's gay." on the advertisement playing. The renter said "What does it matter?"

Then, the new Dune series was playing and the first actor I saw was Timothée Chalamet who made a big splash with a gay love interest in a film. Then, I hear "What's that?" "What are they doing?" "Oh, that's sick." "Why would they do that?"

They probably knew I was there, especially when I stepped to the edge to see what was on TV. They didn't bother asking. I suspect that things have changed since the owner wanted me to help him get into his bank account, and afterwards, I said "You're gonna have to start paying me for tech support." jokingly.

I turned around to the kitchen, washed my dishes and went upstairs.

Oh come on, any movie with giant worms would make men with low self-esteem feel inadequate 😋

 

[bousozoku]

Oh come on, any movie with giant worms would make men with low self-esteem feel inadequate 😋

If she'd looked at those and said "I need one of those!" I'd be happier than hearing what she actually said.

 

[rm5]

Was just playing the Bach prelude in C minor from the Well-Tempered Clavier. Although I can't call myself a classical guy, those are extremely fun to play!

 

[bousozoku]

Was just playing the Bach prelude in C minor from the Well-Tempered Clavier. Although I can't call myself a classical guy, those are extremely fun to play!

Those all have a technicality that are challenging to perform well.