Big Announcement

Although I am a big fan of the entertainment that is there to be seen all around us all day long in the form of our fellow humans, there are times even for me that do not seem promising in that regard. I'm always ready to be surprised, though. Take the grocery store. There are aspects of it that are more fun than others. There can be attractive female customers to catch my eye, and there can be little moments of drama in the checkout lane, and there's always the parking lot.

Something that's not ordinarily fun is the public address system. What few announcements there are to be heard are not very interesting, mainly consisting as they do of non-descript directions from one employee to another. Even that can be fun though, like if someone keeps calling for more cashiers but none come, or if the PA says something that you never thought you'd hear and which really stirs the imagination.

Fast Pass

I was shopping for groceries last night, and managed to gather together the essential to actually produce a few meals, rather than just something I could eat as a late dinner that very night. The latter is what I had done several times, and I was determined to do more this time out, as the trip over to the store is not one I relish making every single day. Well, I got my food, so I'll be all right for at least a couple days, I think.

I noticed while shopping that I had so successfully gotten out of the habit of buying the old, bad foods that I hadn't even thought about it since I could remember. I really tried to recall the last time I had entertained the idea of buying canned pasta, chili or the like, and I couldn't. I used to buy them almost exclusively, struggling to get through the week with fewer than ten cans. I had begun to regard myself as a connoisseur with a good sense of what brand was what.

Groceries, Mostly

It's rather unsettling to go into a different grocery store from the one you are used to patronizing. I find this to be true anyway. Obviously a store from another chain is going to be different in a variety of ways, but it's easy to adjust to that. You're very ready for the differences, and maybe even value them some. One chain will be strong in the bread area, and another may have overall better prices on things, but you need both.

Of course it's another matter when two locations of the same chain are different. Now, I like the differences I see in clientele. There has to be some advantage to doing your shopping in a more fashionable area of town once in a while, or even in a lesser area. It's just another change of pace in a life that can easily become dull- every once in a while, why not trade the people who live and buy food near you for those who do so elsewhere?

Betrayal!

The other night, I was up much later than I ought to have been. These days, I keep a decent schedule, but weekends commonly disrupt it. In any event, it was late, I had imbibed, and was hungry. My usual action at such time is either to eat something I have on hand, or to run out to the grocery store for something without regard for the time. The local grocery store has always been open twenty-four hours, which is nice.

On this night, I started out for the grocery store and had the distinct feeling that something weird was going on. Sometimes it just feels like there's something behind a whole lot of peculiar goings-on that I'll witness while out and about. Often I suspect it's nothing more than people having a good time, which still looks odd to someone who was once very used to spending all of his time alone and at home. Sometimes it seems like something else, though.

Incident

It was rather late at night and I had just finished watching "Rain Man" (which I'd found to be a disappointment). I was hungry, and I knew I had nothing of consequence to eat. There was rice, cheese, oatmeal and my hash browns. I could have eaten the hash browns, as I've done in the past, but eating those late at night robs me of the urge to do so the following morning, and I prefer to maintain the integrity of my breakfasts. I resolved to go out to the grocery store.

Once there, I saw that they had a container of assorted fried foods and sundries available, as they sometimes do. I could not resist it. After getting my contact lens fluid, I took the two items to the self checkout and intended to be on my way. Of course, it could not be so simple, and the complication was to be found at the bottom of the food container. It's important to note that you aren't always going to be able to tell what you've got until you start eating it.

Shop & Drop Out

I still have social anxiety. I had to do some grocery shopping, as I'd found myself looking at condiments as though they were food in their own right. I went to the store around 5:30 in the evening, and it was rather crowded. I don't know if this would be one of the peak times, because it feels like the big shopping day must be at the beginning of the week. Maybe for those living from paycheck to paycheck, the big day is Friday.

In any event, it was pretty crowded. I don't have complaints about the exact makeup of shoppers. The one I go to tends to have a fair number of rather attractive ladies in in, and while that is a distraction from the business at hand, it is a welcome one. I'd rather ogle a lady than make the very difficult choice yet again of which bread I ought to go with. Sure, I walk away with something tangible in the case of the bread, but at what cost?

So Close

You see interesting things at the grocery store when you insist on shopping in the middle of the night. I remember how much of a night owl I felt like when I would go the the grocery store at ten o'clock in the evening, but that doesn't compare to the sights one sees just short of two in the morning at a place that goes all night. It's true enough that most of what you see is inventory waiting in the aisles to be stocked on shelves, but there's more.

Take what I saw the other night when I was looking for something to eat in the absence of anything compelling in my own pantry. As I said, it was almost 2. This is last call at the bars, and also the last chance to buy liquor at such retail establishments that offer it. The last allowable hour at which liquor may be sold is academic in most places, but not this one. I had contemplated buying some on this visit, but reasoned that it would likely prove too late.

Shopping For A New Store

The other day I went to the Vons grocery store to do some shopping. This was just because my ride had to pick up some things there. I invariably go to the Ralph's within walking distance, and so I'm used to it in spite of the Vons being part of the chain from back home. There's a kind of exotic quality to going to the Vons, though. Everything feels different, and even though the differences are all trivial, they add spice to life.

The parking lot is smaller. That suits me, as I walk and don't drive. The signage is different, and the building. There are no practical consequences to these things, though. What matters a little more is what they sell and where they put it. The layout is a little different, which is thought-provoking. Regrettably, I can't stand how much thought I have to put into the matter in a grocery store with which I'm intimately familiar.

New Meat

I get into routines easily, or at least that is true of some routines. I don't manage to get up bright and early every day, and generally do no better than getting up when I have to most days. I struggle also to remember my plan to not eat in my room. Still, there are those things that I do well enough. I get a blog post up every day, and I stick to meals pretty well (although it might be argued that this is no virtuous routine).

As I related recently, I went with two slices of turkey rather than just one for my sandwiches. That had been brought about by something of a disruption. Another such change happened recently. Like most people, I shop for my groceries alone. I assume that is the case, anyway. The other night, I found myself at the grocery store with two others because the driver needed something there and refused to take us to a restaurant drive-through.

Convenience

The grocery store is quite a place to meet people or, sometimes, to see people you don't want to meet. The latter sort of humanity is often in closer proximity late at night at grocery stores open twenty-four hours a day. Inexplicably, my local place is open all night and shuts down its automated checkout lanes during that slack period. One would think that is when it would be most valuable, relieving the store of the need for very many cashiers. Of course, they don't use very many at night- just one.

That leads the line to build up considerably if there is very much business whatsoever. People who shop late at night are in my experience not very reserved, and so when in line with them there is much to learn about them by listening and declining to involve oneself verbally. The other night, there I was waiting in line after shopping for some groceries after improv class. There were some somewhat interesting characters about.

Hark! It's A Farmer's Market!

Farming is in my heritage, I guess it's fair to say. I should take more care to support the small farming concerns of this country than I do. For such selfish reasons as personal budget and expedience, I don't do that. It takes effort to do things right with food, and it takes more money. I may be lacking in the latter, but I ought to be able to expend the effort and the time. Making things tough has been the absence of a nearby farmers' market- or is it farmer's, as I tried in the title? You see my ignorance.

A couple of years ago or more, when I lived elsewhere in town, there was a farmer's market very near to my home. I about had to walk through it to get home, so I would peruse it and sometimes buy things. I found the sweet corn to be cheap and tasty. I think I may have bought some other items as well, but fewer than I might have. I didn't take full advantage of it, and then it was lost to me when I moved. That's often the way for me.

Stricken

Did I talk about the grocery store workers' strike that may still be happening here in California? I know that I spoke with positive hope for a work stoppage in the NFL, as well as the NBA. Those are frivolous things, and as much as I like them, life would have continued on. Not so with garbage collection, as  my father explained to me once, nor with grocery store workers. I imagined that my local grocery store would limp along with hastily-trained scabs, but now I understand that may not be so.

I had been less than happy about the notion of crossing a picket line for food. I figured that if that were the case, I would shop elsewhere in solidarity for the duration. I have learned now that my resolve may never be put to the test, as a plan has been declared by management to simply close down the stores. Apparently scab-run stores lost piles of money during the last strike. That's all well and good. As I said, I was leaning towards not shopping at the affected stores anyway.

Bag 'Em And Rag 'Em

Yesterday I wrote of grocery stores, and doing so reminded me of something else which raises my ire. It's those grocery bags. Somehow I don't get the option of paper bags, but I honestly don't know if I could use them anyway, as I walk to and from the grocery store and would have difficulty with multiple paper bags. It's all the more unfortunate considering that I strongly dislike plastic grocery bags. They clutter my home terribly, and I bring home more with every shopping trip.

Of course I know many people employ reusable cloth bags for the practical reason of avoiding the clutter as well as the noble, high-minded reason of 'going green'. I have a couple of cloth bags myself, but I never do remember to use them. I think I have once or twice, now that I think about it. Even when I know I'm going shopping before I leave home, I think least of all about grabbing those bags. If there were no bags at the store to use, maybe I'd have better luck remembering mine, but that just isn't the case.

Strike One

My aspirations of an NFL season marred (or by my estimation enlivened) by scab players have been dashed, as you are aware if you have been following the news. I think it would have made for a fun, unique season, but it was not to be. Considerably more likely now is something which I had no interest in seeing happen, but isn't that always the way? This will not be fun or unique. It will just make life harder, and it will reveal again where the real power lies in our society. What I'm referring to is a likely work stoppage among the unionized grocery stores of California.

It has been quietly building for some time. Don't ask me who's starting it or what anybody wants out of it, but what I know is that we are likely to be dealing with scab cashiers, stockers and the like. We may also have to cross picket lines to shop at those chains if the unions aren't too lazy, but we do retain the option of shopping at non-union shops, some of which are more fashionable these days anyway. It's also worth noting that the stores do a poor job of shooing away solicitors from their property, so picket lines will not be a new annoyance.

The Unhelpful Kind

I don't like complainers. I don't know who does like them. I find them repellent. Who wants to hear it? Everybody has problems, and they either deal with them or don't, but privately. Telling the world about it when no one can help or would is like venting radioactive vapor into the air. Who wants to be around such a person whose outlook is so negative that it's all you hear from them? "Not I" said the cow. The reason I say all this is that when I make this complaint that's burning inside me you'll know I appreciate that it's not a pleasant thing to do.

As I believe I've said before, when I feel mistreated by some business or another, I walk away positively fuming. It requires considerable effort to douse the flames of rage, find some perspective and go on with my day in serenity. Just such an incident took place recently. As you are undoubtedly aware, the filing deadline for federal income tax recently came and went. It is the only time I really need stamps, and so I went to the grocery store in search of some in addition to envelopes and some food. Usually such places carry stamps.

Meat Market

I have a hard enough time doing my grocery shopping. I don't enjoy it in the least, and am always desperate to get out of there so that I can do something else. I don't have the easiest time making decisions, so I spend forever in there, and that's when all I'm doing is scrutinizing the merits and prices of food. Now, I'm used to shopping in ordinary grocery stores where all the people are either outrightly unappealing or at best generally non-descript. That's what the stores back home were like, and that's what they were like in both Chicago and each neighborhood I've lived in here so far. Even the place just a couple of miles away was like that.

Here is different. This is genuinely a cool neighborhood. There's no end of neat stuff. The streets are alive and the business enterprises smack of vitality. I've said that this neighborhood is better than Hollywood, because it has the cool people but not the crazy people. That carries over to the grocery store. Evidently no matter how awesome you are, you still have to not just eat but shop for yourself. I always was fascinated by the DMV because I figured everyone has to go eventually, including the rich, famous and cool. Such people would not have to go to the grocery store, right? I guess I was wrong about that.

Checkpoint Charity

December seems like a bad time to need groceries. A lot of charity collections take place during that time, and they are very smart in selecting the grocery store as the place to catch people. I've spoken of my begrudging charitable spirit, so it should be no surprise that I don't welcome with open arms the kettles of the Salvation Army. When I read that they are getting going or see them for the first time, I sigh and my shoulders slump. I know that for the next few weeks, I will have to employ strategy and stealth to enter and exit the grocery stores. It's quite a drain. I think that the thing to do is to shop at the places most heavily patronized by those with little money. The charities probably don't place people there.

As if it weren't enough that donations are being solicited, I find that signatures are as well. I recently went to the grocery store in search of plain white t-shirts. I freely admit that it was not a likely place to find them, but you never really know, and I usually exhaust all possibilities within walking distance before I consider going further. As I approached the store, a man with pen and clipboard inquires whether I am an actor. When I denied this (being unsure of the true answer myself), he wondered if I had friends who were. Now, I can't really say why he was asking because I blew by him as quickly as I could lest my resolve weaken, but my immediate guess was that it was some kind of labor thing. This is one of those times when I wish people weren't so interested in such things. It's yet another reason to avoid the grocery store.

Forget-Me-Not

I've written about losing things before, but a string of events has transpired that makes it seem worth writing about a somewhat related matter. There's losing things and there's forgetting things. Forgetting your keys is if you leave them in the door of the house and then sheepishly retrieve them. Losing them is if they're in your pocket at the beach and fall out in the water. The thing that separates the two things could be in the state of mind that holds sway over the person in question. In all practicality, though, I guess the only real difference is in the outcome. In the former case, it's a lot easier to laugh about it. As I said, I've forgotten a number of things lately under what might be called singular but mundane circumstances.

Perhaps a month and a week ago, I went grocery shopping. The store is on the main boulevard which marks the western boundary of our block. I'd say that it's about half a mile away, and I walk to and from it when I shop. It's fair to say that I'm hot and tired when I come back, usually with several heavy bags which I'm working hard to keep from breaking and spilling my groceries on the sidewalk. On this particular occasion, I brought them to the door, set them down as I grabbed my keys to unlock the door, and went inside. Hours later, my roommate came home incredulous that I had left my groceries out in front of the door for almost half the day. I could scarcely believe it myself. It was dismaying to say the least.

Shopping

I picked up a considerable amount of groceries today. I expect that they'll last me quite a while. I went around 7 this morning, which seems to be a good time to take advantage of clearance discounts on certain inventory. For breakfast, cereal, for lunch, hotdogs, and for dinner, spaghetti. Also purchased were apples, potatoes, spinach, ramen noodles and cup o'noodles. Already on hand were white rice, soy sauce, beer and coffee.

Groceries

After a number of weeks buying just few things here and there in addition to periodic trips to fast food restaurants, I have finally done a full shopping trip to my local Ralphs.

If I could digress for a moment: The main grocery stores here are Ralphs and Von's. I don't believe Ralph's has any locations or sister store back in Arizona, but Von's here is know as Safeway back home. There are also Whole Foods and Trader Joe's as well. Another option around here is Food 4 Less. I prefer not to go to there. And then there are some of the other national options- Costco, Smart & Final, and perhaps others.

Now, back to what I meant to say:

My choices on this trip were more or less in line with my usual preferences. For breakfeast, generic frosted flakes. For some reason, the milk was only 2 dollars. Let's hope it's not for safety reasons.

For lunch, I always go with hot dogs. It's a simple and affordable meal. In the past I've paired it up with chips, but am currently using apples as a side.

Dinner consists of chicken, baked potato and peas. Also purchased were pot pies, ramen noodles, and a frosty fermented beverage imported from El Salvador which happened to be on heavy discount.

I may have more to say later today, but that's all for now.