adventures in eating out

Lesson #1 on running an eatery with limited space: if you’re going to let your delivery people hang out in the dining area (and I get this is NY, so that really is okay): you really - really - need to teach said delivery people not to be obnoxious and loud. While trying to eat my gyro tonight there were three people who were yelling at each other and horsing around as they waited for orders to need delivering.

Because, you know, sometimes people who pay for their food want to enjoy it in peace. And you’re being paid to be there, indirectly by folks like me. So tone it down.

I’m a bit embarrassed that I was a bit obnoxious in turn, giving them the evil eye and doing everything but walking over and telling them to shut the !@#$ up so I could enjoy the meal I’d just paid for. $8 isn’t high-dining by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s enough to buy a relaxing hour while you eat. And yeah, I’m not proud of myself for giving those kids the evil eye, I could have handled it better, but actually telling me off and saying you have a right to be there too? Not cool. I’m going to go by tomorrow during the daytime hours and speak to the manager about this, because it’s quite probable they’ve lost my business, or at least a good part of it.

Originally published at Faith Seeking Understanding. You can comment here or there.

SED #12: adventures in WordPress-ing

I’ve spent a good part of today playing around on WordPress. A lot of it is still quite a diamond in the rough (assuming there’s a diamond that’s uncovered in the long run!), but I at least have the bare bones of the new site set up (with Aranel’s help):

• Aranel set me up a URL: http://www.fidesquaerens.org/
• I’ve imported all of the old blog posts and comments from the old LJ site (and deleted the non-public posts that got copied over somehow).
• I’ve installed a plugin that automatically copies my post into the old LJ blog. So you can still read and comment there.
• I’ve set up the Akismet spam plugin for the WP blog. This does a good job of cutting down spam comments.
• I’ve set up a commenting system that allows people to use WordPress/Facebook/Twitter accounts when commenting at the new WP blog. You can also type in your name and email to comment here, or can still comment over at LJ.

Over the next few days I’ll be adding more content on the pages other than the blog at WP. At a minimum I’ll be posting links to my fanfic and my character biographies. If there’s anything else you’d like to see me talk about in particular do let me know.

There are worse ways to spend a day than playing around with this stuff. So far it’s remarkably stress-free. Here’s hoping that pattern holds!

Originally published at Faith Seeking Understanding. You can comment here or there.

the third debate

I haven’t seen the debate yet, though I have read several liveblogs + reactions to it. And it’s bearing out a reaction I had when I just heard the debate’s topic: If there was ever a presidential debate that needed third-party candidates, particularly Gary Johnson… this was it.

I actually think that Obama and Romney are substantially different, in a lot of ways. If Obama had a better track record on holding *everyone* (including the military and the very wealthy) accountable under the law I’d probably be much more comfortable voting for him. Or if he had more of a plan to help the poor rather than just the middle class, or a better track record on voting rights and campaign finance reform. But foreign policy is the one area where I think we *do* get Obamney, majorly.

I’m definitely looking forward to the third party debate tomorrow night!

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Originally published at Faith Seeking Understanding. You can comment here or there.