My one ride on long-distance Amtrak was from Sacramento to south-central Iowa. For some stupid reason the Amtrak station is not in Des Moines, but in a little bump in the road about 45 minutes south of Des Moines. Anyway, I was single and going home for Christmas so it was kind of a fun time. Climbing the Sierras was…

Believe me, I’m a fan - I DM two games on a regular basis and play other campaigns as much as possible. That said, I recently had a job interview and I was asked twice “What’s your hobbies?” “... ... I play board games.” I suppose it’s not really shame, just that I worry that people will get the wrong impression of me…

I don’t think collecting fedoras can count because anyone who does that feels no guilt from it.

I would go so far as saying Avatar was one of the most beautiful movies I’ve ever seen, and made better use of 3D than anything before or since.  The movie itself sucks, but I’m glad I saw it in the theater.

I went to Chicago right after the Bean was unveiled. I walked under it with my eyes up, enjoying the effect. Someone had let their dog shit under the Bean and I almost slipped and fell. Now, I still love that park but I won’t ever forget smelling dogshit on my shoe for the rest of that day.

Is Del Taco good, worth seeking out? Oh dear lord no. Comparable to Taco Bell, but a little better imo. They have crinkle-cut fries included in combos, so they’ve got that going for them.

My teenage years were the era of the Butterfinger BEAST. Not just a King-Sized Bar, they were superior in every way, plus since they were a new item they were always fresh.

It bums me out that conservatives have ruined both thumbs-up and the “OK” hand gestures.  What am I supposed to do, start throwing out peace signs? Oh shit, Nixon.  

I don’t know how I feel about that.

Hawkguy.

I got a tortilla-making kit for a gift recently and it changed my life. There’s a little trial-and-error to get the masa mixed right and to figure out how thick to make them, but after that it’s just like making pancakes.

I was happy to try this out last November.  It was quick and easy enough that I was able to start and complete the process when I was already on SFO’s wifi. I didn’t even need mobile data to download the app. In the end I was roughly 10th in line and slid through with zero issues.

No disagreement, but MoA’s amusement park (always Camp Snoopy to me!) has the one of the best log rides I’ve ever been on.  I’ve somehow never been on the roller coaster though.

I grew up in a town that takes high school wrestling very seriously. One of the tactics that doesn’t get talked about much, but is pretty common: squeezing testicles as hard as you can. I imagine a lot of guys wrestling a woman would wonder how to win without that specific avenue of torture, well beyond just worrying…

As someone who welcomes this new reality, how do we avoid the fate of the Tea Party? My memory of those years is them basically saying, “Not a rightward shift, but ALL THE WAY RIGHT M-F’ERS!”  Are the Dem-Socs and the New Wave going to peter out as well?

You laugh, but I guarantee he’s going to say something like, “We’ve never been that close. Y’know, it’s too bad, he and I could have been so close. So close.  But now, I guess he doesn’t love his father, huh?  Family is important to me. Family. Family...! Family.”

Schlieffen Plan says what?

Casey’s General Store, a convenience store chain in the midwest, has long had breakfast pizza. It’s my ideal gas station breakfast, and one of the many little things I miss about living back home.

I have been 6'2" for several decades, and at times I have been 250 lbs. or probably more.  I have not ever looked as pudgy as that guy.

What was it about the early-mid 90's? I was spending all my after-school job money on Magic cards (collectible!) and comics (foil covers!) during that time period. One flooded basement while I was at college ruined all that.