There was this special time when “going out to eat” was something you did in frequently. It was a time when a family would treat themselves to something out of the routine and give “mom” a night off.
Family outings to restaurants were indeed unique. White table cloths, the waitress with water for all, the crackers in the basket on the table and a list of standard American fare that would come from the swinging doors in the back. You could predict the menu regardless of where you went.
Ah but then there was that special time when you and your parents would venture to a “fast food” emporium. Places that would offer a drive-up area where waiters would arrive at the driver’s window to get your order. A&W Root Beer. Dairy Queens.
But the most special…..when I was a kid was to go to McDonald’s and get a 15 cent hamburger, small fry and a shake. There wasn’t much more on the menu those days, and if you wanted to eat there you would bring the bag back to the car. The window was out doors and they would hand it though the window — with a cardboard tray if there were several drinks. Not pressed board or Styrofoam, but standard cardboard. They had millions sold back then I think- not billions. 🙂
What is your special restaurant when you were young?
My wife and I have our morning rituals these days. After we wake and let the dogs out for their morning constitutional we head for the coffee. It is like the kick-start that begins the day. We also reach for our respective technology and get an update on the news of the day and the weather ahead.
I have tried to ignore coffee over the years. I have worked my way toward tea and assorted other hot drinks. I have skipped it entirely and made sure that the breaking-fast was centered around a healthy menu fit to start a day.
But in the end, it is the coffee that I come back to. Like mine with nothing in it generally, but strong enough to give it a bit of rich taste. Admittedly some days it doesn’t end up that way. Never destined to be a Barista I guess, just as long as I get the caffeine I suppose.
Many of my friend and work mates go for other caffeine in the morning. Colas or Diet Colas, the infamous Mt Dew. That just makes me shudder really. I recall younger days after a long night out – waking up with a thirst. But overall I couldn’t do it.
So what are your rituals in the morning?
What are the things that are at the starting line of the day for you?
It is the middle of SUMMER here in Texas, and like always I reflect on the music that made up my younger years. Summer was special because school was out and the weather was ripe for enjoying time at the beach, or camping or traveling. Just sitting out in the backyard in a lawn chair and when I was older cruising the main-streets ( gas was so much cheaper than, but then the cars only got single digits miles per gallon.
Ahh but the songs! My son and I got thinking about those “songs” that made up the memories of summer ( and those that also reminded us of winter). My list was totally different than his (with a few exceptions). But it was fun. I recall listening to the songs on “transistor radios” on the beach blankets, on the AM radio in the car, and later in various Walkman- like things with headphones. But they were indelible and still conjure up those sweet memories.
What are your summer songs?
Here are 6 of mine.
1) The Beach Boys: Do It Again
Actually it could be very many of their songs, this is just one I love. In America these guys are the definition of summer music for a generation or 2! LOVE the outfits in this old video.
2) The Kinks: Sunny Afternoon
Ray Davies is very underrated as part of the Brit Invasion and all the great songs beyond. Love this one. Was and still am a big fan (Waterloo Sunset is another).
3) The Rolling Stones: Honky-tonk Woman
First time I heard this was out in my backyard out of one of those little radios, I turned it up so loud it broke it. I went out that day and got the 45 PRM version and played it to death.
4) America: Ventura Highway
I was listeing to AM radio on my way to the beach and the windows rolled down. My friends were in the car. We sang the do-do-do’s like we were never going back home (the beach forever dude).
5) Steely Dan: Do It Again
We were in the basement of my best friends house. It was a late Friday afternoon. We had opened a 12 pack of Budwiser, we were playing pool and thinking about the weekend coming up when we would be going to the lake up in the woods and fish and eat and drink (not necessarily in that order). We jacked up the stereo and took it all in. Steely Dan is damn cool.
6) Blink 182: What’s My Age Again
Okay so I spent 7 years in a row going with my kids to Warped Tour. I got immersed in the music of their generation. I gotta say I love the energy and… sure I was a fan of that same type of music when I was a teen. There is always high-energy teen angst music playing somewhere. Thanks to my kids- spent some crazy summers on hot pavement finding a lot of new bands. Of course there was some irony on this Blink 182 song …. yeah sure.
So we live in these times when we can say ” I want my answer now!”. Believing it may be something different.
Just the other day I found myself arguing with a friend over a beer about world affairs and the economy. Unlike days not that long ago, we didn’t have to go on too long expounding about our views and the actuality of what was happening in the world.
The fun of arguing and having a position on something has been severely changed in this Information age.
The answer was in our hands! Both of us grabbed our “smartphones” and Googgled and Binged our way to what we saw was the answer to the debate on the current events of the day. AH-HA said my opponent, listen to this… as he began rattle off some profound insights… I wrangled my way to a URL that had other things to say about the topic too.
So there we were, both spouting off answers about the shape of the world. Knowledge was at our finger tips, the answers were there and we could settle this once and for all and go on enjoying our beers with a bit more repose.
EXCEPT there was one problem: Access to the information didn’t mean we could claim to be knowledgeable at all. In fact who’s to say that what is posted on those Internet sites our search engines returned was factual in any significant way? I mean they can site sources with keen authority, but are those sources really correct? For some cases aren’t they just other Internet sites? Are they at risk of being colored with their own opinions?
So there we were- we had opined that we had gotten to our answers about the world’s economy and agreed to disagree.
BUT THEN we realized it,,,, that the Internet may have all sorts of biased and distorted information depending on its originator.
SO that is when we sparked up our next heated debate after all it is fun isn’t it?) : “Is everything you read on the Internet” the truth… just because it has an official name or URL that appears to have some authority or has a well-organized website – how can you know?..
My friends suggestion of how to solve that debate: “Let’s take a look on the Google and see “ …. okay – so I got my answer I guess…. 🙂
Tracks In The Dust 