PBDC Day 9/31: 10AM

Daylight Savings Time is just one of those things that a enough guys thought was a good idea. Similar to how being 18 means you're responsible enough to vote. Or the drinking age of 21. Or my favorite seemingly random bonus that gets unlocked at the age of 25--car insurance dropping. Now that one was awesome.

I get it, spring forward, fall back, let's squeeze more productivity out of daylight hours, and all that jazz. The only instance I really remember DST having an affect on my day was in the fall a few years back when I was still in the Navy. We were out at our regular bar and instead of closing at 2AM we set the clocks back an hour just like we're supposed to and the bar roared like it was New Year's Eve. Other than that, I really only hear about it by people complaining about "Oh, I lost an hour of sleep," or if someone's confused about "losing" or "gaining" an hour.

Whether you call it losing an hour of sleep or gaining an hour of sunlight, I got to take a little trip this morning when my wife took us to brunch to a place I'll never get tired of.

If you've lived in a state east of the Rockies there's a good chance you've played this wonderfully frustrating peg game at the table while you're waiting for your order that probably has grits, biscuits and gravy, fried apples, or fried okra, or all of the above.

If you don't know where I'm talking about, it's Cracker Barrel. Yup, that Cracker Barrel with the oversized checkers on the table by the rocking chairs outside and the Old Country Store inside with all the classic toys and treats you don't find in many other places.  The westernmost Cracker Barrel I've been to was in Utah, almost five years ago to the day now that I think about it. I was introduced to the down home goodness in South Carolina, and I was glad to see her again when I moved to Virginia. California isn't privy to these country delicacies, as it is one of eight states that isn't home to the national chain. And to complete the shunning of the west coast, there are none in Oregon or Washington either.

And boy was brunch awesome. I done stuffed myself with so much gravy-covered awesome that I took a nap when I got home.

This is my view at 1PM Eastern Time, and so that would make it 10AM back home in California. If I was back in the bay area right now I'd probably be with a pair of the coolest twins I've ever met, Mando and Mandy.

Alex, myself, Candy, and Mandy circa 2006

Banks, me, Mer, and Mando before the KCACTF closing in '09

Having lived in a few different states, calculating time zone differences has just been something I've learned to work around since I was seventeen in boot camp in Illinois (Central Time). Now living in Indiana (Eastern Time) state but staying in contact with family back in California (Pacific Time), thinking about time zones has happened a lot. I try to be conscientious when I text people because I know not everyone turns off their ringers when they go to sleep. (Note: I do, if you're looking for a captive audience in my voicemail when you're ragin in Vegas. I'll enjoy the hilarity the next morning.)

But anyway, it's Mando and Mandy's birthdays today and if I was in the bay, I'd be partying with them because if there's any crew that knows how to party, it's theirs. 

Happy Birthday, Mandy and Mando. Play some beer pong for me and pour some out for the Familia. Church! (Or as Meredith shared recently: Sooth!)

PBDC Day 2/31: Something Borrowed

New tenants moved into the apartment across the hall from us. Haven't officially met them, and with the group of folks that were helping them move, I couldn't tell who the new tenants were and who was just helping. And with the anticipation of meeting the new neighbors, a peculiarly-phrased question arose in my mind.

"Could I borrow a cup of sugar?"

My answer would have to be, "No."

I was more often faced with a similar request outside bars, or in smoking areas on base or on campus, "Could I borrow a cigarette?"

To which, I would still reply, "No. But you can have one."

American English is my primary language, and I feel that I am an above-average wordsmith in the company that I keep. That being said, there are numerous occasions in which certain uses of common words make me cringe. The aforementioned request for a sweetener leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Most people I know wouldn't bat an eye, but today it's about semantics.

What does "borrow" mean to you? For most people, myself included, it would mean using something that belongs to someone else with the intention of returning it. According to Merriam-Webster online, an auxiliary definition of "borrow" is

"To take and use up (something) with the promise to give back something of equal value"

Meaning, technically, "borrowing" a cup of sugar, or a cigarette, or any other consumable, is not incorrect phrasing.

But really, before you read that secondary definition, did you ever use the word "borrow" with that definition in mind?

I didn't think so. In any case, here's my photo for the day:

Last month's Day 3 post, Metal, shared a little story about my first apartment in Long Beach, and this month's Day 2 post is about my current apartment. Most folks would use the term "renting" in regards to living spaces, but renting is really just borrowing with a monetary exchange included.

Borrowing this place is a great idea for now because we don't have any kids or pets, and we don't know how long we'll be living here. There's a lot to consider when it comes to moving: jobs, weather, schools, timing, family, friends, the list is monstrous. But as of right now (with the exception of winter spanning across five months), we're right where we need to be.

We'll give it back eventually, but for now, it's home.