End of the semester, finally.....

Well, today was my last day of regular class for this semester. I have one final in Trigonometry tomorrow [yes, Saturday] and another final next Wednesday morning but that's it. I am expecting A's in both classes but will post the final grades here when I get them.

Next semester starts up on January 14th....I am submitting a work schedule revision request to my boss next week to accommodate those classes and will post my new schedule here when I have it. Next semester I am taking :

• Elementary Statistics
• Integrated Physics/Chemistry
• Environmental Systems

No worries.....I am looking forward to it. The two science classes are just overviews of their subject matter - no lab or anything. One of the new friends I made in my Applied Math class this semester, Mandy, is in two of my classes so that will be nice.

More later.

Why I love the NO FRILLS GRILL

Those of you that read my blog on a semi-regular basis often see me mention the No Frills Grill as either a place I recently have been or am planning to go. I have been wanting to post about it for awhile but tonights visit was the trigger. This is a long post but I think it will entertain.

My family has been going to the No Frills Grill since they opened. There are 4 locations .... one in Arlington [the original], one in Ft. Worth [where I go now], one in Mansfield and one in Keller. I have spent time in all but the Mansfield location. It started out as a very simple bar and grill where the menus were hand stamped on brown paper bags and the variety of food was simple and yummy. One draw was the fact that they had NTN trivia and another was that they were right next to a movie theatre. The initial family favorite was shrimp quesadillas but our list of favorites has grown over the years as they have.

Here are some pictures from MY No Frills Grill taken last month :

[The outside of the No Frills Grill]

[Jessica - the favorite waitress]

[The NTN trivia game box]

Being a regular, when I enter the building, I know all of the waiters and waitresses names and they know mine. Without asking, within minutes a diet coke is sitting in front of me. The manager, Dave, may sit down at the table and chat for awhile and when it is a slow night the wait staff may also plop down for a visit.

There are many regulars, even a celebrity or two. Barry Corbin, who is known for his role as Maurice Minnifield in Northern Exposure, as General Jack Beringer in War Games, and more recently as Coach Whitey Durham on One Tree Hill is there almost every night when he is in town, with the 'Brain Trust' as I call them. He is super nice and will take a picture or sign an autograph if you ask. I've also seen local radio personality Kidd Kraddick from 106.1 KISS FM there with his family on occasion.

I enjoy the food, and as I have mentioned, I also play trivia on their NTN trivia game. I have always enjoyed soaking up trivia and quiz type games so I find this an integral part of the fun at the No Frills Grill. And it doesnt hurt when I outscore the 'Brain Trust' some nights.

But, the real reason I love to go to the No Frills Grill is the people. Not just the employees but the customers. I have seen and heard many things at the No Frills Grill. I've overheard loud conversations about sexual habits, I've seen grown men gather in an extremely organized manner to draft their fantasy football team live, I've seen a kid suck the ketchup out of a ketchup bottle while his mom wasn't looking. I've seen drunk people in Halloween costumes, I've counted the number of plastic cups a person has stacked in front of them on dollar beer night and wondered how they were getting home. But tonight was a banner night for observation and experience. Tonight I saw a girl reserve a table for 10-20 of her closest friends to have only 9 show up and that was at least an hour after she shoved 3 tables together. I saw Barry get dragged to the bar by some women holding his hand and shouting choo-choo like a train as she drug him along behind her. I saw a man in the dining room pull a saxophone out of its case and proceed to serenade someone in the bar and in the dining room with Happy Birthday and more importantly, I saw the girl with 9 friends walk around from the dining room to the bar several times with a piece of toilet paper hanging out of the back of her pants like Rapunzel. Here are two "blurry" cell phone pictures for proof, and when I left still no one had told her.

[Sitting at her table]

[One of many treks to the bar]

This is why I love the No Frills Grill.

Carry on.

Elevator Etiquette

I don’t know who raised half [or more] of the population but apparently whoever it was, they did not teach their offspring about elevator etiquette. I am asking you now to learn this lesson and pass it on. When you are waiting on an elevator, make sure you are standing to the side when the door opens allowing EVERYONE on the elevator time to exit before you move forward and step on. DO NOT plow onto the elevator the minute the doors open. This applies to basically ALL forms of public transportation, which an elevator is unless you have one in your home and then you can do whatever the hell you want to. This morning at school as I am trying to get off the elevator three girls plow into me, trying to get in, when there are still more people trying to get off. As I walk by them, they rudely say “Excuse me.” as they knock my backpack from my shoulder in their rush to enter the elevator. Needless to say, we almost had a throw-down.

Be polite. Be considerate. Do unto others.....

Yep, it's the busy season.....

....so December brings in many things, one of which is what I call the busy season. That time of year when I have a million things to do. Sadly, it is the time of year that I usually want to savor and have go by slowly so that the time my parents are here for Christmas seems to last longer and the few days off I have from work seem more restful. But that is never the case. So what is on my calendar this month ?

Well, I did get a couple of things done last week. One, I put a fresh coat of paint on my hair....ha ha ! Yep, those greys were starting to take over. And, yesterday, I finally finished putting up my Christmas tree. I'm still looking for the tree skirt [white sheet] that goes underneath - but here are a couple of pictures for you.

And....this week is crazy.

Monday - Class/Work/Part 2 of Trigonometry test [Part 1 was was easy]
Tuesday - Work/Dinner with the White's
Wednesday - Class/Haircut appointment / group study for Applied Math final
Thursday - Working to have Saturday off
Friday - Class/Work/Review for Trigonometry final
Saturday - Trigonometry final
Sunday - Work

And then one more final on the 13th....and Diabetic training.....I'm learning to be diabetic. LOL ! Actually, on my last Dr.'s visit the results of my blood work showed that I am borderline diabetic - so now I am on yet more meds and I have to go see a nutritionist so she can help me get my blood sugar under control. Another step in my plan for next year to be the year I get my health back on track.

Well, there's an update from me for the next week. Ciao for now !