Anthony bends over, I take photo. The end.

It's Sunday, the dinner and grocery store day for Anthony and I.

Our budget is super tight this pay period, so we ate McDonald's food at home that Anthony went and got us, and then it was a very quick trip through the Walmart Neighborhood Market at 22nd and Craycroft. Because it was so quick, I didn't have much of a chance to get the usual product photos but I did get a picture of Anthony bending over. You can check that out below.

I didn't do much of anything all weekend besides laundry, catch up on sleep, take Lucky out to poop, watch TV, and avoid being near Anthony because he's had a sore throat and on and off headache for three days. I've washed my hands about 100 times in the last few days to try and keep from catching whatever he has. My hands are so chapped you could sand wood on them.

I feel fine... so far, so good.

We're walking through Ridgepointe
on our way to the grocery store
with a spectacular sunset as a backdrop.

Anthony bends over to get
a drink, I take photo.
The end.

Joe's 25th birthday

If you've ever wondered about secrets inside a TV and radio broadcast facility like where I work, I'm about to give up a big one.

The most frequently served food is:  Cake!

I've never worked somewhere that does more celebrations for birthdays, anniversaries, people leaving, probably even a Jewish holiday or two, than at Journal.

Today's cake was for my co-worker Joe, who works in radio promotions and also spends an hour a day working on my show running camera and assisting with the production.  He turns 25 today, although we had the cake yesterday.

Joe has a busy month -- he is also getting married at the end of September in Puerto Penasco, Mexico (known as Rocky Point to the locals in this region).  He's a super nice guy, his girl is very lucky.

I was excited when taking these Kenparazzi photos of the little celebration because I was able to nail a candid photo of him stuffing cake into his cake hole.  I love taking pictures of people eating.

Happy Birthday Joe!

Joe's birthday cake
with a blueberry scented candle

Surprise!

Blow Joe, blow!

Chita cuts the cake

Cake into the cake hole!

Nothing brings my co-workers
together like food.

Goodbye Joan Rivers

Joan Rivers died today. She was 81 years old.

I found her fascinating. I remember seeing her on Johnny Carson's show when I was a kid in the 1970's and 1980's filling in for him when he was on vacation. She was different. Funny, sometimes seemingly awkward, and yet knew exactly what she was doing. She had memorable catch phrases ("Can we talk?" / "Oh, grow up"). No subject was off limits. Her successes and her failures were all in view of the world.

I really grew to admire her over the years. Her life was all out there for people to see. She laughed at herself, her misfortunes, she told it like it was even when it upset people. Most people don't have that ability. There's always something to hide, often the need to be politically correct for a lot of the public. She rarely apologized for anything she said or did, which made her even more awesome to me.

I think what I admired most about her is the work ethic that she had. She was a senior citizen and yet still traveled constantly, doing gigs wherever they would write her a check. Most people just want to retire when they reach their 60's, 70's, 80's. She worked right up to the end. She probably never realized the legacy she created, the legend she was, and the inspiration she is to little people like me who sometimes wonder if life would be easier to just give up. She never did.

Rest in peace, Joan Rivers. There will never be another one like you.

I ran across this little piece someone posted on Twitter that she wrote regarding death. It's very Joan Rivers.

Where is the restroom?

I am asked by guests of the TV show a variety of questions when they visit.  "How long have you  worked here?" or "How did you get into this line of work?" or "Where is the restroom?" That one is the question asked most frequently.  Most people want to pee so they don't have to have that additional pressure before appearing on the show. I politely answer the other questions about myself. I'm not that fascinating to me, but maybe I am to someone else.

Speaking of peeing, here's a photo I took recently of another broken sprinkler at my apartment complex.

Broken lawn sprinkler at Ridgepointe.
Looks like the light post is taking a whiz...
maybe it has a TV appearance.

Shake shake shake and pitbulls at Walmart

It's Monday, which is a day later than the usual weekly dinner and grocery shopping trip that Anthony and I normally make. But, since it's Labor Day weekend, we did it today instead of on Sunday. I had to get some work done last night anyway so it turned out to be better this way.

We went to dinner at Arby's at Speedway and Pantano. The best moment came when Anthony ordered a crème brulee shake. About a quarter of the way into drinking it, his face lit up and he said he was getting a sugar rush. After that, he decided he has a new obsession. You'll see in the photo below the sheer delight on his face.

Grocery shopping was at the Walmart Neighborhood Market at Broadway and Camino Seco. Poor Anthony got a bit freaked out when I spotted a group of four ladies walking two adult pitbull dogs into the store on leashes. Anthony is a bit unnerved by dogs (he likes Lucky though), and having them in the store at the same time we were was a challenge. The sugar high he was on from the crème brulee shake didn't help with keeping his nerves calm. We got through it, though. Unfortunately, the staff there doesn't care about such things so I'm now tempted to bring Lucky to the store.

It's the end of what barely seemed like a holiday weekend. I worked two of the three days, so maybe that's why it didn't seem like a weekend. But the good news is that it'll be the weekend again in only four days. Short weeks are always exciting.

Arby's at Speedway and Pantano.
We ate in a restaurant with people in it today!
Holy crap! That never happens!

Turkey club for Anthony, roast beef sandwich for Ken,
and fries

Whooooo! Whooooo!

Here's my dinner at Arby's.
I tried to make it an attractive arrangement
for the camera.

Arby's Sauce was shed during the eating
of Anthony's fries.
Police are investigating.

Anthony's Crème Brulee shake

Look at the delight on Anthony's face!

We're going in to Walmart Market
at Broadway and Camino Seco...
but first, we're taking a selfie.

Nice banana(s).

Corny.

Twinkies Blue Raspberry Crème
I didn't know it was the summer of Twinkies.
Thanks for telling me box with Twinkies
containing creepy blue filling.

Barefoot Contessa pasta
Looks lovely on the package, not cheap.
Which means it's not for Ken.

Blue Bunny Mini Swirls Birthday Party cones.
These are like crack - blue frosting in the
center of the ice cream and white frosting
on the outside with sprinkles.
These are so good I'd marry them.

Wonka Peel-a-pop
There's something about the picture
on the box that kind of turns me on.

Back To School Oreo cookies
"4 new back to school designs, same great taste".
So, they taste like too much homework
and students that bully other students.

Halloween Oreo cookies are here!
It's September 1st, good thing they
arrive just in the nick of time.

Someone left their sunscreen with
the fudge mint cookies.
Sounds like a date I've had.

Mommy's Kisses Gel Packs
"for ouchies and booboos"
Does a bullet wound qualify
as an ouchie or booboo?

"Hey Anthony, I found
something for you"

"Hey Anthony, if you don't want the
pregnancy test, I have something
else you'll find useful"