Deen and Hernandez in Court

There sure is a lot in the news today that could lead to days and days of blogging topics. For now, I’m just going to offer a brief comment to two of the top stories of the day. I may or may not elaborate on either of the stories, depending on what else is revealed in the news in the days to come.

1. Paula Deen – Apparently, Food Network and at least two other corporations associated with Paula Deen are severing their ties with her after she admitted in a deposition to using the N-word over 30 years ago. Yes, there is an ongoing lawsuit against Deen that claims she acted in a racist manner, but apparently the only reason these corporations let Deen go was this admission, at least based on the various stories I’ve read about the non-renewal of her contract. First, in regard to the lawsuit, who knows? Not us. The only ones who know whether the allegations in the lawsuit are true are the parties involved, and from what I’ve read so far, Deen has not acknowledged or admitted that any of those allegations are true. That will play out through the civil court circuit, and eventually there will be a ruling. I’m not going to speculate about the truth of the plaintiff’s claims. I wasn’t there, so I don’t know. Second, yes, in Deen’s admission, she says that she used the word one time and it was 30 years ago. She apologized for it. Is she sincere? Again, I don’t know her personally, so I can’t say. However, with Food Network and these other corporations severing their ties with her, the message is clear. You cannot be forgiven for what has occurred in your past. If that’s the sole reason for distancing themselves from Deen, all I can say for everybody else out there is that you’d sure better watch what you say, and don’t get angry and say anything in the heat of the moment that you may have to admit to 30 years down the road. The circumstances of your offense obviously will not matter, and your apologies will be fruitless. In this particular instance, these corporations are overreacting. At this point, there’s not really a justifiable reason to sever ties with Deen. Now, if she loses the lawsuit against her and it is proven that she not only has but continues to behave in a racist manner toward her employees, then that would be the time to determine Deen’s future within the companies involved.

2. Aaron Hernandez – The NFL player has been a focal point of a murder investigation for the past nine days. This morning, he was arrested, and at his arraignment this afternoon, the DA revealed that the charge against Hernandez is murder. Within a couple hours of his arrest, the New England Patriots released Hernandez from their organization. It may seem contradictory to my thoughts about Deen, but in this instance the Patriots were right to release Hernandez from the team. First, there is a major difference in the charges against these folks. Hernandez has been charged with murder. He’s accused of taking a life, not of making derogatory comments. Second, since Hernandez will face a trial, he obviously won’t be able to fully function in the team’s activities as they prepare for the upcoming season. The Patriots are an organization that historically has shown they don’t tolerate distractions, and a murder charge is a major distraction. Third, since Hernandez was released so quickly after his arrest, it stands to reason that there is something in his contract that allows such a dismissal. Hernandez should know what is in his contract, and if he has nothing to do with this murder, you would think he would have spent the last few days trying to prove his lack of involvement, not only to save himself from a murder charge but also to save his job.

While it may seem that I’m employing a double standard here, I’m not. For one thing, we’re dealing with a civil suit and a criminal charge, which immediately separates the seriousness of the charges. In one instance, the dismissal is related to an incident that occurred over 30 years ago and did not involve a crime of any sort, at least based on what has been revealed so far. Contrary to what many may think, it is not a crime to call someone a name, regardless of how offensive that name might be. I’m not saying Deen was right to call anybody such a name, just that so far, that’s the only proven allegation against her. In addition to not being related to a crime Deen committed, it shows that saying one atrocious thing can come back to haunt you and affect your life many years into the future. Based on what I’ve read, Deen has been cooperative in the lawsuit against her. Hernandez’s dismissal, on the other hand, is directly related to a recent incident that involves another individual losing his life. Reports indicate that Hernandez hasn’t been completely cooperative and may have even tampered with evidence. The bottom line, though, is that Deen could have continued cooking and doing television shows while her case makes its way through the system, and Hernandez would not have been able to continue contributing to his NFL team while his case makes its way through the system.

The thing is for both Deen and Hernandez this is a major blow to their careers. I’m not going to label Deen a racist or Hernandez a murderer based on what I’ve read so far. In Deen’s case, we all need to keep in mind that at any time, if we make someone mad enough, they can falsely accuse us of a variety of behaviors and create all sorts of havoc for us, regardless of the amount of truth in the allegations. Once a charge has been leveled, regardless of the concept of “innocent until proven guilty,” we actually have to become pro-active and had better be ready to prove our innocence. And once a charge has been leveled, there are those who will not look at the evidence, will not consider what we have to say, and will simply believe the charge. Given that, in the minds of many, Deen is a racist and Hernandez is a murderer. In Hernandez’s case, the evidence shared so far does look incriminating. However, in both these cases, we need to be cautious about applying labels and passing judgment. We can follow developments through the news, and as evidence is presented, then we can draw our own conclusions.

Can the Worst Cooks in America Really Be That Bad?

The new season of Worst Cooks in America has started on Food Network. Tonight was the second episode of the new season. I haven’t chosen a favorite yet, but I do have some questions.

1. Can these people really be that bad? They are adults, and we aren’t talking about teenagers who have just turned 18. These are folks who have been adults for a while, some of them a lot longer than I have. If they are that horrible as a cook, how have they survived? I suppose it could be a combination of using a microwave, eating out, or having someone cook for them. These cooks, though, can’t even boil water. In the preview for next week’s episode, one of the cooks is grilling cheese, literally. It showed him trying to flip a big ole clump of melted cheese. No bread. Really? I find it hard to believe that someone that old would have no clue that a grilled cheese requires bread.

2. What do you have to do to get on this show? Tonight, the “winners” of the challenge each received $1,000 Kohl’s gift cards. I can pretend not to know how to cook if I could get on the show, win a challenge, and get a $1,000 Kohl’s gift card. That’s a pretty nifty prize.

3. How is it these folks never learned how to cook? I’ve been on my own for over 25 years. Over the years, I’ve learned a wide variety of ways to cook. I’ve always been able to follow a recipe. I was never afraid to call Mom and ask for help. I’ve made sure my kids, even the boys, can cook. It may not be a complete restaurant menu, but they can cook the things they like and will not starve or have to eat burned food. They can follow recipes. They aren’t afraid to call and ask questions. It’s really not that difficult.

The show makes for interesting television, but I have to wonder how much of it is staged. I just find it hard to believe that adults who are as old as these “recruits” are could be that bad, but maybe they are. If nothing else, the show should be motivation for all parents out there to make sure their kids can cook before they send them out in the world.

To Watch or Not to Watch?

There are several television shows that are worthy of watching, and there are many others which are not. Here’s my take on what to watch and what not to watch.

First, the what-not-to-watch list. Keep in mind this is in no way an official list and it is based entirely on my subjective opinion based on the few shows I’ve seen, and I’ve only seen them usually because one or more of the children are watching them and I just happen to be in the room. And, to be fair and honest, some shows make the list based simply on what I’ve heard or inferred about them and I haven’t watched them at all. But it’s my list, so I can do that. The list is also in no particular order, just as the shows happen to come to me while I type.

Many of the reality series out there qualify as bad television and should be avoided. These include shows like Toddlers & Tiaras, Honey Boo Boo (I know that’s not the exact title, but I know you know what and who I am talking about), Teen Mom, and Dance Moms. This list could go on and on, and any shows that are similar to these would make the list. It seems to me that these shows not only exploit folks but also encourage others to follow in their footsteps based on the popularity of the shows. Yes, a show like Teen Mom has the potential to show how rough it is to be a teenage mother, but in its own way, it also glorifies it.

Other shows on the list of what not to watch include Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars, Switched at Birth, and the new Beauty and the Beast. I can’t stand the character of Elena on Vampire Diaries. Pretty Little Liars is just about a bunch of sneaky and manipulative teenage girls. Switched at Birth had potential to be a good show, but after a few episodes, it just didn’t work for me. And the new Beauty and the Beast decision if based entirely on the fact that Kristin Kreuk plays Catherine. I couldn’t stand her as Lana Lang on Smallville and that has carried over to Beauty and the Beast.

So, what would I suggest for your viewing pleasure? In the realm of reality shows, Pawn Stars and Duck Dynasty will both make the list. When Rick and the guys call in their experts on Pawn Stars, I learn a lot of interesting trivia. When it comes to Duck Dynasty, the guys on there remind me of my brothers. I also like that they express some good, core family values. Many folks include Survivor in the reality series, but I think of it more as a game show, since there is a winner. Not every season of Survivor has been spectacular, but for the most part, they are fairly interesting.

Other shows on the list of what to watch include Justified, Dr. Who, Dallas, NCIS, Law & Order: SVU, Monk, How I Met Your Mother, Big Bang Theory, and most of what is on Food Network (as long as it’s not Sandra Lee, Michael Chiarello, or Ina Garten). The Food Network competitions The Next Food Network Star, The Next Iron Chef, Worse Cooks in America, The Great Food Truck Race, Chopped, Iron Chef America, and Celebrity Cook-off are usually always fun and entertaining. Restaurant: Impossible, Mystery Diners, and Restaurant Stakeout are also interesting. In fact, on Food Network, it’s hard to go wrong. I catch a lot of Dr. Who, NCIS, Law & Order, How I Met Your Mother, and Big Bang Theory in reruns. I’m looking forward to the returns of Justified and Dallas, though Dallas will not be quite the same after they have to address the death of Larry Hagman.

If you want to go really old-school to find something to watch, then I suggest these oldies but goodies: The Brady Bunch, Gilligan’s Island, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Andy Griffith Show, The Facts of Life, The Cosby Show, Family Ties, Growing Pains, Full House, Family Matters, Boy Meets World, Little House on the Prairie, and The Waltons. I know I’ve probably left some out, but those are what came to mind off the top of my head.

I don’t really spend a lot of time watching television. Usually I just have it on in the background while I’m doing something else, or the kids have it on something and I just happen to be in the room. If, however, I’m in the mood to watch something, this list is where I would start when I’m flipping through the guide to see what is on.

Bruce Was Great, but Mady Is The Boss

I spent all last week looking forward to the weekend, and I must say I wasn’t disappointed. From babysitting and spending time with Mady to spending time with my kids to watching an awesome Bruce Springsteen show in Louisville to grocery shopping, I had a great weekend.

I’ve already written about babysitting Mady Friday night, so I won’t rewrite that. We spent the day with Trav, Ashley, and Mady on Saturday until time to head to Louisville for the Springsteen show. We had a great day. When we got to the KFC Yum! Center, we bought a snack of homemade potato chips covered with BBQ pulled pork, green onions, bacon bits, cheese sauce, sour cream, jalapenos, and tomatoes. It may not sound that great, but it’s amazing, and I told Jimmy that we would have to learn to fix those homemade chips so we can make this at home. I can’t wait until a trip to the Yum! Center to get them because those are few and far between.

As for the show itself, Springsteen outdid himself. Jimmy and I have seen him five times together. Jimmy already had numerous Springsteen concerts under his belt before we even met. For me, this was probably the best show, even though we were not by the stage like we were in Nashville. This one seemed to have more energy. He played nonstop for three hours and fifteen minutes, a total of 26 songs. From the moment he took the stage, it was music, music, and more music. He’d go straight from one song into another. He moved all over the stage, as well as through the crowd. Bruce and the E-Street Band are awesome musicians. I wish I could play an instrument half as well as any of them do. This was our first show without The Big Man, Clarence Clemons. In Nashville, we were right in front of Clarence. The moment of silence and the video montage almost made me cry. Clarence’s nephew Jake now plays the saxophone for the band, and he did an excellent job. The thing about this show is that Bruce could have played another hour or longer and the crowd would have been content to keep on rocking.

We finally made it back to Trav’s just as the time was changing, thanks to Daylight Savings Time coming to an end. I was very glad to go to bed. Today after we left Trav’s, we went to pick Nic up so we could spend some time with her. We went to eat at Chili’s, one of her favorite places, and then we just made the rounds doing some grocery shopping at Gordon’s Food Service, Sam’s Club, and Super Wal-Mart. Groceries are so expensive here in Jackson, that we have to do most of our shopping while we are out of town so we can get the best deals. After filling the Explorer with groceries, we took Nic back to her apartment and headed home. It took a while to get all the groceries put away, but now we’re relaxing and watching The Next Iron Chef on Food Network (I’ll be pulling for Alex Guarnashelli in this one).

All in all, it was a good weekend. I’m disappointed that I only got to see Cody for about three minutes for the whole weekend, but next weekend, I should get a lot more time with him. And I get to see Byron every day, but I do prefer the weekends when they are all home and all at my house at the same time. I’m happy that I don’t have to get up and go to work for the next two days. It’d be nice if Jimmy had a day off, too, but I guess we can’t win them all.

As you’re counting your blessings through the month of November, I hope you remember things like family, love, food, and music. Be sure to thank the Provider for all these things.

Weekends Are Always Too Short

We’ve been watching The Great Food Truck Race and this week it’s down to the final three teams. Next week, a winner will be determined. The two most deserving teams are still in it. My preference for the final two is Seoul Sausage and Nonna’s Kitchenette. They have been the two strongest teams throughout the contest.

I’m not sure why we watch this show, as we aren’t necessarily food truck fans, possibly because there are no food trucks in the area where we live. I think we just watch it because after Next Food Network Star and before the next competition, it’s all that’s on Sunday nights at 9 P.M. Of course, now football season has started, so there are other options, though there are only two teams I watch regularly, the Patriots (Trav’s favorite team) and the Packers (Byron’s favorite team). Tonight, since the Pats are playing the Ravens, I’m having to switch back and forth between Food Network and NBC.

In between switching between the two networks and watching two programs, I also have a book that I started a week or so ago, and since Jimmy’s been the sick one this weekend, I’ve spent most of my time reading. I’m at 75% completion on the book, and it’s finally getting interesting enough that I want to finish it. It’s a Jodi Picoult book, Mercy, and typically I enjoy her books, but this one has been slow going, and there’s a whole subplot going on that I just can’t buy into. I’ll be glad to get this book finished so I can move on to another, which will hopefully be more interesting.

Since the weekend is almost over, I need to return to my tasks to see what can be completed. I’m sure I’ll make it through The Great Food Truck Race and the ball game. I’d love to finish the book, but with a quarter of it left, and with having to go to work in the morning, I don’t think that will happen. My goal for that will probably have to be finish it tomorrow before I start reading about 30 synthesis essays. You know, I really think we should add an extra day to the weekend.F

Which Food Network Star Shines Brightest?

Last night was the big reveal on The Next Food Network Star. If you haven’t yet watched it yet and you plan to, you need to stop reading now and come back later.

Last week, the finalists were supposed to be reduced to three, one from each mentor, and last week, I told you how I didn’t like that format as it would result in someone who deserved it more being sent home in order to keep the teams even. I really do hope that when the next season airs, that problem is resolved. To further back up my case, when it came down to it, Bob Tuschman and Susie Folgeson couldn’t trim the finalists to just three. Team Alton had two finalists who were just so good that both were given the opportunity to make a pilot. After the four pilots were shown, American was given the chance to vote from the time the show went off that night through Tuesday evening at 5:00 P.M. Our choices were Michele Ragussis from Team Bobby, Yvan Lemoine from Team Giada, and Justin Warner and Martie Duncan from Team Alton.

If you read last week, you know my vote was cast for Justin Warner from Team Alton. If I had to rank the finalists in the order of how I would have liked them to finish, it would be Justin, Martie, Yvan, and Michele. Since Jimmy and I started watching The Next Food Network Star regularly with season four, we’ve picked the winner every time: Big Daddy Aaron McCargo Jr., Melissa d’Arabian, Aarti Sequeira, and The Sandwich King Jeff Mauro. After being 4/4, we were really hoping to keep our track record intact.

The first part of the show allowed everyone to gather together again and remember the highlights of the season. After the first commercial break, Bob revealed the first contestant eliminated, the one with the fewest of the 4 1/2 million votes that were cast. That finalist was Martie. I’ll admit I was surprised, though I can’t help but notice that the three teams are evened up again.

The mentors revealed the “winners” of some anonymous polling Food Network did with the contestants. Nikki won the most competitive award, while Malcolm won the cockiest award. These awards were followed by footage of Nikki and Malcolm demonstrating their competitive and cocky streaks. This footage was a reminder why I’m glad Nikki and Malcolm were not among the final contestants. I can’t help but notice that both were from Team Bobby, the team labeled “the jocks.” Interesting. (By the way, Team Giada was labeled “the cheerleaders,” and Team Alton was labeled “the nerds.”)

After announcing Martie’s departure from the finalists, leaving just three, the rest of the show was a highlight reel, saving the announcement of the winner until the end. Seeing the never-before-seen footage was interesting, and in its own way, really just served to reinforce the opinions I already had about the contestants. I kept telling myself that Justin would be the winner, as he was clearly the most interesting of the three who were left.

Right before the big reveal, each mentor was allowed to show why he or she thought his or her candidate should be the winner, by showing footage from the season. After watching this footage, I still felt good about my choice of Justin. Michele still grated on my nerves. Yvan didn’t grate on my nerves, but he didn’t really stand out either. For me, Justin was still the one with the most spunk, creativity, and personality; in short, he’s the one I would definitely watch.

Finally, after the commercial break, the contestants and their mentors stood on the line one last time, to reveal the results of the 4 1/2 million votes, and I was so very excited that once again Jimmy and I had called it. Justin Warner, the culinary rebel with a cause, was proclaimed the winner and will get his own show, produced by Alton Brown, in the fall. I, for one, am looking forward to it. I may never cook anything that Justin demonstrates on his show, but I’m sure I’ll be more entertained than I am by some of the current stars on Food Network.

Justin Case You’re Wondering Who I’m Voting For …

Next week is the season finale of Next Food Network Star. Jimmy and I have watched this season, and as it’s winding down, here are some of my thoughts about going into the finale next week.

I’m not crazy about this new format of having the three mentors with their teams. I like Giada, Alton, and Bobby. The problem is that it seems that keeping the three teams with an equal number of contestants took precedence over everything else. After the first three weeks, when one person from each team had been dismissed, it was clear that Bob and Susie were going to try to keep the teams even throughout the competition. I understand there is probably something to be said for having each of the three mentors with a contestant in the finale, but more important than that is keeping contestants that the fans like and will watch.

Going in to last night’s episode, each team had two members left, and three of the six remaining contestants were going to be sent home. Going in to the episode, I had no doubt that one member from each team would go, leaving one member from each team for the finale. And I was right. Well, almost. From Team Bobby, Nikki was eliminated (thankfully) but Michele moved on to make a pilot (ugh!). From Team Giada, Ippy was eliminated and Yvan moved on to make a pilot. When it came to Team Alton, Bob and Susie admitted this was the toughest decision they had to make. When the big reveal was made, for Team Alton, both Justin and Martie were given the green light for a pilot. They changed the rules and let both of Alton’s contestants stay. If, however, they had not gone to this format of wanting somebody from each mentor, they could have easily eliminated Nikki, Michele, and Ippy, and that would have let them keep just three for the pilot, Yvan, Justin, and Martie.

Ultimately I realize they want to tweak the format of the show to keep it fresh and to keep viewers coming back, but when they’re looking at the format for next year’s program, they need to leave this year’s format behind. If they want to continue having mentors and teams, that’s fine, but work something out so that decisions about elimination are made based on cooking and personality, not on making sure that each team keeps an equal number of contestants.

In the past, Season Two, when Guy Fieri won, was based on viewers voting after the field was narrowed to two contestants. The other seasons that I’ve watched, the judges have made the final decisions. This year saw a return to fan voting. I do like that idea; after all, the fans are the ones who will ultimately be watching, or not watching, the new show Food Network puts on the air. I’ve been keeping up with the fan vote on Food Network Online, so it’ll be interesting to see how that compares to the actual voting that will be taking place to choose this season’s winner. I’ll have to let you know if I still feel the same way about fan voting after a winner is crowned next week.

After it’s all said and done, though, we are left with four choices for the Next Food Network Star, and we get to vote. I can tell you who I am not voting for – Michele. There’s just something about her that sits the wrong way with me. I can’t put my finger on what it is exactly, but I know I won’t watch her show if she wins. I don’t see myself voting for Yvan either. He doesn’t get under my skin the same way Michele does, and of the dishes presented in the pilots, his was probably the only one I’d actually eat. His pilot was OK, but I don’t want to vote for something that’s just OK, which is why Martie’s pilot won’t be getting my vote either. Martie’s grown on me; she wasn’t one of my initial favorites, but she seemed to make the most progress since the beginning. That just leaves Justin. He’s a little weird, but he’s weird in an Alton Brown kind of way, and I really like Alton’s weirdness. Even though I’d never eat the Caesar Salad he prepared in the pilot, I think he would present some very interesting other things on Rebel with a Culinary Cause, and some of them might just be something I’d try. Now, I just have to convince Jimmy to agree with me so that our votes don’t cancel each other out.

Pawn Stars Is Entertaining and Educational

I’ve discovered a new addicting television show. It airs on The History Channel, and it’s called Pawn Stars. It’s been on for a while, and I generally would just keep scrolling when looking for something to watch, but one day Cody was watching it, and I became hooked. I prefer Food Network, but they air a lot of reruns through the week, and I get tired of watching the same show over and over, so now when I’m scrolling through the channels looking for something besides a Food Network rerun to watch, I’ll stop on Pawn Stars if it’s on.

Pawn Stars is about the family-owned pawn shop in Las Vegas run by Rick, his dad (Old Man), and his son Corey (Big Hoss). Employee Chumlee is also featured frequently. On a typical day, folks bring items in to sell or pawn, they negotiate, and either a deal is or is not made. Usually, it seems there are more folks wanting to sell than pawn, though I’m sure they don’t show every customer who comes into the store. What makes this show interesting, other than watching the negotiations, is the history lessons you can get.

These folks bring in all sorts of items, things you couldn’t even begin to imagine. If one of the guys doesn’t know the value or authenticity of an item, they bring in experts to verify it for them. In the process, you get a really great mini-history lesson. Rick, his dad, and his son know a lot about a lot of random items, and often they can give the mini-history lesson themselves. For a history buff, these little mini-lessons are great. To see these items, hear their history and their value is amazing.

Negotiations are fun to watch as well, especially if one of the guys really wants an item. A lot of the customers are disappointed they don’t get more for an item, especially after an expert reveals the market value of an item, but those customers just aren’t using their common sense. If the market value of an item is $10,000, the pawn shop can’t buy it for $10,000. The pawn shop is in business to make money. They have to buy items at a low enough price to make money when they sell it. If the customer wants market value for an item, then he or she should either find an auction to sell through or find a private buyer and cut out the middleman. Every once in a while, the guys will want an item so bad they’ll go a little higher than they really want to, but most often, they are businessmen and if the customer is being unreasonable, they just pass on the item. I’ll admit I don’t know a lot about the items they buy and I don’t have a business degree, but based on the information the experts provide, it does seem that Rick and the guys try to make fair deals with the people they buy from. Based on the success of their business, it seems safe to say they aren’t in business to rip people off.

If you’re looking for something new and interesting to watch (which means if you’re like me and just haven’t given this show a chance before), then I do suggest that you give Pawn Stars a try. You get to see interesting interactions between the pawn shop guys and the customers as well as the family dynamics of the pawn shop guys, you get to see some very interesting objects, and you pick up a lot of mini-history lessons. I never imagined I’d be content to watch a show about the workings of a pawn shop, but it’s a lot of fun.

It’s Been a Corny Friday

I have a lot to do today, and I should probably already be started on it but I haven’t, so I’ll have to make the blog a short (and maybe sweet) one. Therefore, I’ll just throw out some random thoughts about what I’ve got going on.

My prayer was answered. We will have corn to put away this summer, which is why I have a lot to do today. Since we had none to put away last summer, though, I will not complain. Last night, Dad brought about six sacks of corn. Byron and Cody got it all shucked and it’s now sitting on the kitchen table waiting for me to do something with it. I should have started that already (it’s almost noon as I type, may be a little later before I post since it has to be proofed first), but I every time the clock went off, I hit the snooze. Yesterday, I got up and took Cody to work at 8:00, came back home intending to sleep a couple more hours but couldn’t, so I got up. I stayed up and had no nap and didn’t go to bed until 2:00 this morning. Today after I took Cody to work, I had no problem going back to sleep, the problem was getting back up. But I am up now, I’ve had breakfast, and I’m ready to go work on corn. Some will go in the freezer on the cob, and some will be cut off the cob, which is my favorite. If I put it in on the cob, then fix it for supper, I end up cutting the kernels off before I eat it anyway.

Last night, or should I say early this morning since it was just before I went to bed at 2, I finished rereading On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King. I love this book! It reminds me of all the reasons I write, and it makes me feel a connection with other writers. I also like the fact that since King understands how writers feel, he gives us permission to do what we love without feeling guilty about it because somebody else might think we ought to be doing something else. This book is one of my all-time favorites, and if you’ve never read it, I suggest you do. Yes, he talks about how he thinks you can improve your own writing, but there’s a lot more to it than that. You really get to know Stephen King, and you realize he isn’t really as scary as his picture always makes him look.

I’m still waiting for my granddaughter to make her arrival. This is a very exciting time for us. It’s amazing how much you can love someone you’ve never even met. I had those feelings for my own children, and I have them for her. I’m really looking forward to the adventures she will bring into our lives. The due date is July 25, my birthday, so it could really be any day now. Every time Trav calls now, there’s that anticipation of is he calling just to chat or is he calling because it’s baby time? This little girl will be very spoiled, but that’s alright. She will also be very loved, and she will be taught to respect others. As I’ve said before, you can spoil a child without destroying a child.

Well, I suppose it’s that time. The corn is waiting. The sooner I start, the sooner I finish. Hopefully I can find something on TV to watch while I’m doing all this corn. It looks like Food Network, my default channel, is having a Chopped marathon, which is a show I like but I think I’ve seen every episode multiple times as it is. I’m sure I’ll find something.

Just a quick update. My wonderful husband just now got around to proofing my blog for me, so I guess he was as busy as I was. But the good news is I’m over halfway done with the corn. It sure would go a lot faster if Nic were here to help. So, I hope you all have had a great day. I’m going to finish up for the night and then take a break before getting back at it in the morning. Good night.

Mystery Diners Have All the Fun

As many of you know, I’m a faithful viewer of programming on Food Network. Mystery Diners is a new show that has captured my attention. We also watched the short-lived Restaurant Stakeout, but I prefer Mystery Diners. The premise behind both shows is that the restaurants are struggling, getting bad reviews, and losing business. The owners want to find the problem, so in both shows, cameras are hidden and the daily life of the restaurant is captured on tape.

On Restaurant Stakeout, Willie Degel watched the videos, provided a report to the owner, and confronted the staff. On Mystery Diners, Charles Stiles sends in mystery diners in various roles such as employee in training, delivery truck driver, or customer, watches the video with the owner, and allows the owner to confront the staff in question. I think that’s why I like Mystery Diners better. When the owner confronts his/her employees, it seems a little less invasive. It’s not an outsider berating the employee; it’s the owner taking charge of his/her business.

It’s kind of sad in a way because even though I’ve never run a restaurant and never worked in a restaurant, the things these employees do wrong that are hurting business are common-sense things. One employee was running his own catering business out of the pizza joint where he worked, basically stealing his employer’s food to use for his on-the-side business. However, instead of seeing that as a common-sense thing not to do to, the guy’s response was, “It’s just food.” After being fired from the pizza joint, he eventually had to close his catering business. Guess it wasn’t so easy to run when he had to purchase rather than steal his food.

On another episode, a young girl drank shot after shot at the bar where she worked. When the Mystery Diners customers paid for drinks, she put it in the tip jar instead of the register. After the bar closed, she invited in 4-5 friends of hers for a party at the bar, and there they were on camera, drinking from the bar with nobody paying for anything. And the amazing thing? She, too, was shocked that what she was doing was not acceptable.

There have been numerous blunders like these that are so obvious, you would think anybody with a little common sense would know not to do those things. One waitress insulted a pregnant lady several times over the course of her meal. I guess it’s a good thing she was one of the mystery diners so she was expecting it. One guy purposely ordered the wrong kind of beer just because it was cheaper and then put one of the boxes in the trunk of his car.

I understand why all these folks became defensive when they were called in, saw the camera, and realized they’d been caught. It is a bit invasive, but the owner has the right to put cameras in his or her restaurant if he or she chooses to do so. The safest thing, obviously, is to not be stupid and do your job. But still, I can understand why they are offended that they were being taped without their knowledge. However, I can also understand why the owner needs to get to the root of the problem. They want to fix it before they end up on Robert Irvine’s show, Restaurant: Impossible. Even though I can understand why the employees are upset to learn they’ve been filmed and caught doing things they shouldn’t be doing, what I don’t understand is why they stand there and deny what they’ve done. It’s on film.

The one guy said he didn’t steal any beer, and they show him the footage where he’s putting it in the car. Afterwards, he did return it. One girl said she only had a little sip of alcohol while on duty, and they show her four or five clips where she’s sipping drinks. One girl said she didn’t eat the food off the plate she was putting in a to-go box, and after seeing the clip where she was, then just claimed that she was hungry, starving actually. I just don’t get why they go from mad and defensive to lying. Needless to say, all these folks lost their jobs, and the restaurants are all seeing profits again. The good news is that when employees do things right, that’s on camera too, and some employees have earned promotions based on their behavior.

What I find interesting, though, is when they talk about all the things that should or should not be done in the restaurant industry. And I know I’ll be driving Jimmy crazy with this, but now when we go to a restaurant, I’m watching the staff, and analyzing them according to the appropriate behaviors Stiles and Degel have described. Jimmy says that I secretly want to be a mystery diner. And maybe I do, but I think I’ll keep my day job.