I learned a few lessons after last week’s post on gun control. Namely, hot-button issues garner a lot of attention, regardless of your stance. And the more passionate people are about a topic, the more discourse you’re going to receive. I rarely stray from the humorous slice-of-daily-life stuff, but maybe I should do so more often. It felt good to take a stand and ruffle a few feathers along the way. And it was a nice change of pace from writing about hot buttered rum and curried chicken.
But too much politics can grow weary, so it’s back to the regular grind today.
Only, it’s not the regular grind, because as I am writing this post Tara is enjoying a one-hour massage, while I’m stuck at work toiling away. It’s tough when your significant other has a holiday and you don’t. She was quick to point out that I had a couple of days off around Christmas when she had to work, and that is true, but there’s a big difference: I was the one relaxing at home then. This time the opposite is occurring, and I gotta say, it’s not nearly as much fun when the shoe is on the other foot. Then again, I’ve never had Martin Luther King Jr. Day off, so it’s hardly surprising. (Look for more whining next month, when I’m working on President’s Day and she is off). The massage was a Christmas gift, and I’m glad she’s getting to enjoy it, but I’d be happier if she were engaging in an activity slightly less pleasurable, like scooping the litter box or cleaning the bathroom.
Wait. She likes cleaning. Strike that.
It’s also not the regular grind because yesterday, we broke down and bought a Keurig coffeemaker. (Ha-ha, get it, “grind”? Gotta love coffee puns). This was huge. Not only was it our first big-ticket joint purchase, but the Keurig is amazeballs! Years ago, my employer brought one in, and those little K-cups were the hit of the office. They’re convenient, tasty, brew quickly, and eliminate wasted coffee. The one thing holding me back was the fact that the coffee itself is expensive, but Tara’s mom bought one last year that included a permanent filter you can use with your own regular coffee, and that was enough to convince me we should take the plunge. OK, it’s not like buying a couch together, or a house, but I was still pretty excited as we wheeled that baby out of Costco. Partly because it was new and shiny, and partly because it is OURS. And my Green Mountain roast this morning took all of ten seconds to brew. We may end up seriously hopped up on caffeine now. Only time will tell.
It turned out to be a pretty fun weekend. Earlier in the day we were in Powell’s Books, and I actually bought a book on existentialism that examines the works of philosophers like Nietzsche, Sartre and Kierkegaard. I have no idea if I’ll ever actually read the thing, but I wanted to look smart while walking out of there. Plus, the Calvin & Hobbes collection I really wanted was sold out.
The evening before, we took the kids out to dinner at Boppin’ Bo’s Malt Shoppe, and then went to see The Hobbit in 3D. Not only was it Tara’s first 3D movie ever, but also her first experience with anything Middle Earth. I’m a huge Tolkien fan, so I was nervous throughout, hoping she would like it and not find the references to “Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thor” too tedious, or laugh over Bilbo’s gigantic hairy feet. As soon as the end credits rolled I asked her what she thought, and she was pretty much blown away. In fact, the first thing she said was, “Now I want to see Lord of the Rings.”
Be still my heart, sweet music to my ears! Honey, that can be arranged. I’m already proposing a marathon of the trilogy, maybe next weekend. I did it once before on my own, and that was a mammoth undertaking that took twelve hours. Afterwards I swore I would never attempt the feat again, but I would do it for my girlfriend. Anything to encourage her appreciation of LOTR. After all, there are two more Hobbit films coming out, and it would be nice if she knew about the events that took place 60 years down the road.
Enough for now. Work beckons. For some of us, anyway.
Grumble.
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Mark My Words 
Ruffling a few feathers is much more fun than not. The thing is Mark, I really enjoyed that post. It’s not like you jumped on the band wagon and joined everybody else’s rant but it was very infomative and most importantly, it was accurate.
Now….congrats on the new Keurig. I can’t imagine my life without it. I enjoy it that much. I think what I love most about it, is the fact that at 6:00 at night, if I want to have a single cup of delicious coffee, I can and I won’t waste a single drop! And if you ever wondered why it is so good…it’s because of the lack of oxygen when it’s brewed. Or so that’s what David said.
Don’t fret too much about not having a day off. Be happy that she is enjoying her day. Lord knows she’s earned it. And who knows? She may even make you some lemonade or bring you a delicious cup of fresh-brewed coffee while you are lounging in bed…just so you can feel better by the end of the night.
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Thank you, Tracy. I try really hard to be fair and balanced, though naturally I have my own biases. You can’t please all of the people all of the time, that’s for sure. My post was picked up by an organization called Positive Pahrump, and generated some interesting debate between gun owners and those in favor of stricter laws. Tara and I both stepped into the foray ourselves.
Two days in, and we love our Keurig already! If David says the coffee tastes better because of a lack of oxygen, then I believe him. He tends to know a lot about that stuff!
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Yeah…but did you get coffee in bed or at least lemons to make lemonade? lol
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Oh you made my day…I’ve wanted that coffee maker for years but I felt too guilty throwing away those little cups all the time, I’m so happy there’s a better solution! My daughter has a Keurig & it’s sooo nice making just one cup whenever you want!
The thing I’ve always liked about you is the fact that you state your opinion without being obnoxious; you’re open minded & able to have a discussion with someone who disagrees with you. I’m probably the most un-political person on earth (that drives people crazy) but I love talking with people who have different views than I do….I feel it’s the only way we can grow. Nothing (to me) is black or white!
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Well, thank you, Michele! I certainly have strong opinions of my own, but like I told Tracy, I try to keep those in check and rarely delve into such issues on my blog. I may make more of an effort in 2013, though. It’s liberating to challenge people (and be challenged back).
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“yesterday, we broke down and bought a Keurig coffeemaker.”
Woot! Woot! Congratulations, Mark!!!
We have one of those at work and it’s AWESOME! The thing I like about it is that you can brew each cup separately, and everyone gets to chose their own flavor!
Love it!
I’ve only seen ONE 3-D movie in my life and really enjoyed it. At first, I kept taking the glasses off and then putting them back on throughout the movie, just to see what the movie screen looked like without them – HA!
Sounds like you and Tara had a AWESOME weekend!
Have a faaaaaaaaabulous week, buddy!
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Ron, you’re keeping me in suspense here. Which 3D movie did you see?? Inquiring minds are dying to know.
I like the fact that not only do you have a custom, individualized cup of coffee at your beck and call, but it takes all of 60 seconds to brew and serve.
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Great title, Mark! I’ve often wondered about those darn coffee makers. I suspected they were expensive but had no idea you could still brew the regular stuff, as well.
Hugs,
Kathy
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When you break down the actual cost per cup, taking into account wasted coffee poured down the drain – plus the high prices we’ve been paying for our 100% Columbian – it’s really economically feasible, even without brewing the regular stuff.
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Funny: Rick and I just got a Keurig too. He fell in love with the one at his new job and started to understand why I’ve been wanting one for so long. The deciding factor for us was finding the brew-your-own-coffee filter you mentioned. Now I don’t feel at all guilty.
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Yep, that was the factor that pushed us over the edge, too!
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Hubby uses the re-usable filter all the time – I only like flavored coffee, so I’m still getting the K-cups. We may get some flavored grounds later, but for now I like the K-cups. I knew you would love the Keurig! Sorry I’m late, I’m getting caught up on posts!
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