Update XVIII: 15 Miles From Lunch

[Joe Biden 2020]

BushOklahoma, what were some of your Halloween costumes when you were a kid?

I never dressed up after the first grade.  I was never a Halloween kid.  I skipped straight to Christmas.  (And still do).

[Joe Biden 2020]

Dad gave me an interesting project to do in my spare time today on the AutoCAD.  Draw his train tracks.  He gave me two small pieces of track, a curved piece and a straight piece.  He wants me to make a .GIF file out of them and then email them to him so he can print them out.  My laptop won't recognize their printer, so I can't print it out myself.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Dad gave me an interesting project to do in my spare time today on the AutoCAD.  Draw his train tracks.  He gave me two small pieces of track, a curved piece and a straight piece.  He wants me to make a .GIF file out of them and then email them to him so he can print them out.  My laptop won't recognize their printer, so I can't print it out myself.

Will you not be allowed dessert if he doesn't have it by dinner?

This is just a spare time project while I'm watching football.  It doesn't matter when I get it done.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Dad gave me an interesting project to do in my spare time today on the AutoCAD.  Draw his train tracks.  He gave me two small pieces of track, a curved piece and a straight piece.  He wants me to make a .GIF file out of them and then email them to him so he can print them out.  My laptop won't recognize their printer, so I can't print it out myself.

Man, I love how important/symbolic trains are in this story.

Bushie's train has yet to leave the station.

The "all aboard" loud speaker is broken...

[Joe Biden 2020]

Grumps, I only write a check to pay the rent.  I don't feel like spending $5 extra to get a money order or cashier's check.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Update Monopoly sounds intriguing!  I might have to play it.

[Joe Biden 2020]

where does a money order cost $5?

Depending on where you get it in Oklahoma it costs anywhere between $1.50 and $5.00.  Cashier's checks are $8.00 at the bank.

[Joe Biden 2020]

where does a money order cost $5?

Depending on where you get it in Oklahoma it costs anywhere between $1.50 and $5.00.  Cashier's checks are $8.00 at the bank.

I think my credit union will issue up to two a year for free; I don't know how much they charge above and beyond that, but I've also never paid for anything by cashier's check in my life. Never used a money order either and I don't understand why anyone would unless they or the recipient lacked a bank account.

A lot of apartments require your deposit and first month's rent to be either in the form of cashier's check or money order.  Your second month's rent can be paid usually by regular check or cash or any of the aforementioned methods.  If a check bounces, then usually it's money orders or cashier's check the rest of your time at the apartment.

[Joe Biden 2020]

If you guys have ideas on names for the board, I can make it.


I'm not sure the railroads aspect of the game should be a reconquest of Bushie's bedroom by owning all four of dad's lines or a side mission of owning Bushie's 4 favorite restaurants: Braum's, Cracker Barrel, Eskimo Joe's, and On The Border.

What about The Golden Corral?

If anything, Golden Corral should replace Eskimo Joe's as I've only been there once where I've been to GC many times.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Bushie, what's with the chain restaurants?  Seriously.  It's all such corporate garbage.  Don't you ever want food prepared by people with a passion for food?

We like chain restaurants that are tried, tested, and proven.  Although mom and pop's would be great food, they don't trust the quality of their food.  I wish we would give them a shot, but they prefer certain restaurants, all of them chains.  We ate at one mom and pop in New Mexico and really enjoyed it, but as a general rule they prefer chain restaurants.

[Joe Biden 2020]

I want to know what makes a chain establishment "proven."

Well, the "chefs" at chain restaurants cut-and-paste meals together, basically, so you know what you are going to get most of the time.  I just feel like its a case of Papa Bushie liking a certain thing at the Cracker Barrel (for example) so he feels no need to switch it up.  I would hardly call the Clan Bushie creative when it comes to food. 

You are correct, sir.

[Joe Biden 2020]

I want to know what makes a chain establishment "proven."

Well, the "chefs" at chain restaurants cut-and-paste meals together, basically, so you know what you are going to get most of the time.  I just feel like its a case of Papa Bushie liking a certain thing at the Cracker Barrel (for example) so he feels no need to switch it up.  I would hardly call the Clan Bushie creative when it comes to food, but this behavior seems common across the plains. 

I want to know, though... if you are an Oklahomie and you ask a girl out on a date do you take her to Chili's or something?  I would never, ever, ever even think of taking a girl to a chain restaurant until we've dated for weeks and we were in a rush and oh wow whaddya know there's a Don Pablo's sure why not.

If you think back to the early seasons of Update, I took Susan to IHOP of all places.

[Joe Biden 2020]

I want to know what makes a chain establishment "proven."

Well, the "chefs" at chain restaurants cut-and-paste meals together, basically, so you know what you are going to get most of the time.  I just feel like its a case of Papa Bushie liking a certain thing at the Cracker Barrel (for example) so he feels no need to switch it up.  I would hardly call the Clan Bushie creative when it comes to food, but this behavior seems common across the plains. 

I want to know, though... if you are an Oklahomie and you ask a girl out on a date do you take her to Chili's or something?  I would never, ever, ever even think of taking a girl to a chain restaurant until we've dated for weeks and we were in a rush and oh wow whaddya know there's a Don Pablo's sure why not.

If you think back to the early seasons of Update, I took Susan to IHOP of all places.

Yeah, and IIRC, that was only your 3rd or 4th date or so.

I don't remember which one, but it was very early on.

[Joe Biden 2020]

I tell you what, guys, I know we've had a lot of discussion about the length of this job, but at the end of the day, I am very excited and grateful to have another opportunity at such a company as this.  The length talk is all speculation at this point. All that matters right now is getting off to a good start.  I can't worry about how long this will last right now.  The only thing I can worry about right now is Monday, November 3, 2014.  I can't even worry about November 4 at this point.  One day at a time.

[Joe Biden 2020]

The thing about chain restaurants that I think you are all forgetting is that portion sizes there are usually enormous. I suspect that is the real reason the Brown family frequents them exclusively.

That certainly plays into it.

How much does the Clan Bushie tip, I wonder?  In my experience, as a pizza guy in high school and valet in college, the biggest Christians tip horribly.

We tip based on the service we receive, but usually try to give at least 10-15% unless they are absolutely horrible.

[Joe Biden 2020]

enough f'ing tip talk.

bushie how is your autocadd project coming along for pappa bushie?

It's actually coming along pretty nicely.  I've got them drawn, now I'm just trying to touch them up a bit and then see if I can convert them from a Drawing file (.dwg) which is default for AutoCAD drawings to a .GIF file so I can e-mail them to Dad.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Will he accept a PNG?

He probably would.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Work Night 1 has begun!!!

[Joe Biden 2020]

Will you have a prepatory breakfast?

Yes, I will have the same breakfast I had every morning during the Fall 2013 Semester at Metro Tech - cinnamon toast.

[Joe Biden 2020]

That is cool, Joe!  Good job!

[Joe Biden 2020]

I made it to work on this cloudy Monday morning.  I left early to avoid the heart of rush hour traffic and to make sure I'm waiting on them, not the other way around.  I'm ready for Day 1.  I'll post later this evening how the first day went.  Have a good day Update fan bullies!

[Joe Biden 2020]

Good afternoon, guys.  The lunch hour is about over, but wanted to pop in and say the day is going by very well.  I'm currently training on Microsoft Visio which will take me the rest of the day.  I'll get off here 1700 and head to Grandma's for taco salad.

[Joe Biden 2020]

I'm finally home after a great day.  Everything already looks a lot better than my previous employer.  My supervisor is really nice and seems to be willing to train and help.  So far he has hired four more contractors besides me starting at various times through the next couple of weeks.  I am the first one on board.  He projects we should have enough work to last through the first quarter of 2015.  He also reiterated that he plans to do everything he can to bring me onto another contract when this one wraps up. He cannot guarantee it and a lot of it depends on how I perform.  This is only Work Night 2 and I haven't even touched AutoCAD, yet, so it remains to be seen how I'll do, but I'm excited and confident.

[Joe Biden 2020]

If you haven't touched CAD yet, you really can't say how hands on and helpful and nice the supervisor is. Your last employer was the same way until he saw your work.

I still suggest touching your AutoCAD even if your employer isn't making you touch it just yet.

I know I can't know for sure, yet, but I can get a good feeling.  I asked him a question without fearing getting chewed out.  I can be legitimately hopeful and excited, though, and that's what a lot of this is.

[Joe Biden 2020]

No, Memphis, no ranch.