Industria Pizzeria And Bar

Gill is back with another Hamilton area restaurant suggestion. This one sounds like it’s right in my wheelhouse.

I must tell you about this excellent place downtown I went to last night.  It’s not only a pizzeria, but a bar.  Located at 69 John Street South here in Hamilton, Industria Pizzeria and Bar is definitely a fun version of Sunday dinner at Nona’s. 

What’s On The Menu?

The appetizers are everything from fried Mozzarella sticks to spinach dips.  We had this crusty bread just waiting to be dipped into spicy olive oil.  As for the main meal I, along with one of the others dining with me had vegetarian pizza dressed up with an olive oil and pesto sauce.  I asked for extra goat cheese, and they didn’t disappoint.  Honestly, my mouth’s watering just thinking of it.

What’s It Like?

Like the title suggests, it’s a pizzeria and bar.  You walk up several steps to get into the building, and you are seated at higher bar-like tables.  The food and drink is very reasonably priced, and the atmosphere is somewhere between nona’s kitchen and a neighborhood pub. The service was great and the servers were kind enough to read the menus to us.

Gotta Fire ‘Em All


Sometimes I watch the news and I ask myself damn, what does it take for a cop to get fired? Christ, I’ve seen them straight up murder people who couldn’t have possibly posed a threat to them and get little if anything in the way of professional repercussions in return.

But today, while going through some stories I’ve had lying around for a while, I have seen not one, but two Los Angeles police officers lose their jobs. Not because they murdered anyone ( I believe that’s still ok most of the time), but because they chose to ignore a robbery in progress so that they could catch some Pokémon.

The incident happened in April, 2017, at a Macy’s at Los Angeles’ Crenshaw Mall. According to court records, a patrol supervisor called Mitchell and Lozano to respond to an apparent robbery in progress at the Macy’s; several police officers left the scene of a homicide to respond to the call. Mitchell and Lozano, meanwhile, were in the area but didn’t respond to the call and instead backed down an alley and drove away.

A later investigation of video and audio evidence showed that Mitchell and Lozano discussed responding to the robbery but decided not to. Moments later, Mitchell and Lozano were recorded saying that a “Snorlax … just popped up .. at 46th and Leimert,” and the two strategized how to best catch the rare, gigantic Pokémon.
“For approximately the next 20 minutes, [the in-car monitoring system] captured [Mitchell and Lozano] discussing Pokémon as they drove to different locations where  the virtual creatures apparently appeared on their mobile phones,” the court documents say. “On their way to the Snorlax location, Officer Mitchell alerted Officer Lozano that ‘a Togetic just popped up,’” referring to another Pokémon.

“After Mitchell apparently caught the Snorlax—exclaiming, ‘Got ‘em’—petitioners agreed to ‘go get the Togetic’ and drove off.” Mitchell said that he “buried” the Togetic and used an Ultra Ball on it, and was “still trying to catch it” after quite some time.
“Holy crap, man. This thing is fighting the crap out of me,” Mitchell said, according to court records. “Holy crap. Finally …. the guys are going to be so jealous.” 
Though they were recorded explaining the entirety of this encounter, as is common with police, both Mitchell and Lozano lied about what happened, according to the court records. Both of them claimed they were merely catching “images” of Pokémon, not playing a “game.” They also claimed that Pokémon Go is not a “game” but was more of a “social media event” that was not “advertised as a game,” the court records say. Eventually, both admitted to going after the Snorlax because they wanted to “chase this mythical creature.”

Journey And Solo Steve Perry Narrate Your Day


This one’s kind of hit and miss, but the Smoke Alarms bit made me laugh. The damn thing even fooled me into getting pissed off for a second when I thought it was our actual smoke detector about to go off for no reason when neither of us in the house could deal with it. Carin because she was speaking in an important work meeting, and me because I was watching YouTube videos on the toilet…in service of my posting duties here, of course.

And yes, it doesn’t start out with a Journey song. The music dork in me got a little twitchy about that, don’t worry. But they acknowledge it, so that made me feel better. Hopefully it does the same for the folks in the comments, but I have my doubts because an easy half of the people who comment on YouTube are completely insane.

It’s Personal (Updates On Gill’s Mom)

Jesus, Gill. When it rains it pours for you, doesn’t it?

As ever, you and the rest of the family are in our thoughts.

And if I can offer one piece of advice, it would be don’t blame yourself for any of this. It’s tempting to let our minds run wild at times like these, but sometimes it isn’t all that helpful. Easier said than done, obviously and you’re probably going to go to some strange places no matter what. But try to remember that sometimes things just happen regardless of what we do. Take care of yourself, and do the best you can to be there for the people who need you.

How does that make you feel?  Six words that hold considerable weight. No matter if on the therapist’s couch or in general conversation, that’s a loaded question.  When I went to visit my family just over a week ago I found out my mom has lymphoma.  So how has that made me feel?

Numb

At first after the news broke I felt nothing, not sad, not angry, but more like I needed to escape in to my own thoughts and pretend this wasn’t happening.

Guilt

This is kind of weird, but I saw on a Canadian show where people were trying to lose weight (X Weighted) where two of the participants blamed their differently able children for their weight problems.  Sunday night I cried, not due to sadness, but because I thought folks would blame me for this because it is tough to raise a differently able child.

Anger

I would not wish this on my worst enemy. Lymphoma can go pound sand for all I care.  I’m still really salty as the same condition in a different form claimed my grandmother almost two decades ago.  I’ve been bottling my emotions to try not to seem bitter.

Hopeful

Like I said in my blog about science versus Christianity, God has placed a team of nurses, techs, doctors and researchers to help this situation.  I am also relying on prayer as well.

Well, here’s an update on my mom. It is stage 4 lymphoma, but unlike even when my beloved grandma went through this two decades ago people with God given talents have helped increase survival and even recovery rates.

When Did I Find Out?

I was looking at my emails yesterday afternoon when an email with the subject FYI dropped in to my in-box.

Sisters

I took roughly half an hour to try to unpack what I’d just read, and then called my sister.  Luckily she happened to have the week off work this week, and was around when I called.  My sister was having my parents drop by for dinner, but was crying at the start of the conversation.  We agreed to chat and check in with one another as we move along through this.

Shock

Unlike when I first heard the word “lymphoma” I wasn’t so much numb, but felt more like someone had brought me to a carnival and put me on either the teacups or tilt-a-whirl.  I had to sit on my bed and collect my heart and jaw from the floor before I went for a walk.

Thoughts

Like I told you in my feeling of anger, any form of cancer can pound sand.  I also understand that we’re in this for the long haul.  If there’s one thing I can ask you my readers and friends, please pray for us.

If you’ve been following this series, you know my mom has lymphoma, stage 4. Well, here’s what’s on its way.

Tomorrow she starts the first of six chemotherapy sessions.  Because it’s the first session It’s going to take a few hours. 

Never Fear Technology’s Here

While going through this first session, my sister was kind enough to fill her iPad up with loads of podcasts.

Feeling It

I kind of wish I could be there in person to help her out. I know that my phone call tonight helped, but I just wish I could be with her.

I first want to thank all of you for your readership and kindness.

It’s Hitting Me

Wednesday my mom started chemotherapy to kill the lymphoma and today (Friday) she sees a radiation oncologist.  What is really hitting me is my mom has gorgeous curly hair.  I described it to a friend of mine as “a white lady Afro.”  And knowing that she has chopped off those luxurious curls and that she might go bald has me rather sad.  Lymphoma can pound sand!

To Blame

Remember when I told you I felt guilty for this situation?  It came creeping over me like a dark hanging cloud.  Logic tells me I’m not at fault, but societal pressure to be the perfect daughter and falling way short has made me think otherwise.

Last week I was talking to my sister, and she told me she bought her some socks that say “f**k cancer!” and a shirt that says “Brave, strong, and bad ass!”  My mom has also gone to the wig shop. My mom, like I’ve said, has luxurious curls, and has had to cut them off because of the hair loss related to chemo, but won’t divulge what her wig looks like.  Here’s hoping for something that’s a cool version of her lovely classy fro.

Seriously

I talked to her Monday night over the phone, and she said she hasn’t really noticed much other than the tiredness that comes with chemo and the drugs she gets.

Thank you readers for your prayers, it helps loads.

Round Two

As I write this update my mom is heading in to her 2nd round of chemo treatments.  So my friends, this makes it two down four to go.  Next weekend when I head north to see family I will pass along all your prayers and thoughts.

Don’t Blame Yourself

Last week I finally revealed something that my therapist unknowingly gave me the courage to speak up about.  My mom and I were sitting in the recreation room of my parents house, and I told my mom how guilty I felt about her cancer diagnosis, and that if I had been a “normal” child she wouldn’t have stressed out so much.  She, in her kind and gentle way, told me that it wasn’t my fault, it’s just a nasty toss of the possible genetic dice.  She also told me not to be hard on myself.

Halfway!

Today is the 3rd of my mom’s six sessions of chemotherapy, and so far, other than hair loss, she is doing very well.  Thank you for your continued prayers and thoughts.

A Quote From Mom

Once again the educator in my mom popped out, and something she said made me think.  We were seated at the restaurant after she had her picc line flushed and dressing changed, when she said, “at first it was an adventure, but now I just want it over with.”

Nerd Humor

Last week when I went with my mom to get her picc line flushed and dressing changed she wore her wig.  Here’s a little chat we had-
Mom- “my ears are so pointy with this wig.”
Me- “Your rockin the Mr. Spok from the original Star Trek?”
Mom- “Haha, pretty much.”

Mom News

Hey friends!  My mom got the results from her scan back, and she is doing well.  She jokingly asked if she would have to take the last three chemo sessions, and the doc kind of chuckled telling her that though things look great, they don’t know what’s lurking.

Thank You

Thank you for your continued prayers and thoughts, I love you all God bless.

Can Can, Can You Play In This Orchestra, You 3-Year-Old Music Playing Kid

When I was three years old I couldn’t put on my own pants and shoes. This kid is drumming in an orchestra. He even gets a solo!

His name is Lyonya Shilovsky, and you can read more about him here.

Lyonya was led out by his father and was dressed perfectly for the occasion. He looked smart yet sweet in his bow tie with the most adorable Mohawk in history. When he sat down, the audience could barely see him behind his drums, and the sticks looked huge in his little hands.

Imbecile/Arsehole

I asked a question on Twitter a few minutes ago upon seeing this. How are people so impossibly stupid and why do they insist on running for public office?

God bless the Snopes people. All day every day they get to hear nothing but the dumbest things from everyone’s most out to lunch relatives and Facebook friends, and then they get to research all of it. Whatever they’re paid, it’s not enough.

That link up there, for instance. Some poor sap legitimately had to write an entire fact check just because some dipshit Republican thought it a good idea to score political points by shitting out a tweet claiming that there are no pronouns in the United States Constitution.
https://twitter.com/lavern_spicer/status/1552008907454914561

And there aren’t any in the bible, either.

Take that, transgender people! You’re lucky I’m even calling you people! Get outa here with your she/her shit! Freedom!

Anywho, you’ll be stunned to learn that both of these things are false. The Constitution thing is so false, in fact, that the first word in the whole damn thing is a pronoun.

Many have pointed out that the Constitution is filled with pronouns, however. 
Merriam-Webster defines pronouns as “any of a small set of words (such as I, she, he, you, it, we, or they) in a language that are used as substitutes for nouns or noun phrases and whose referents are named or understood in the context.” 
Indeed, pronouns are a necessary part of the English language, and the Constitution famously begins with the pronoun “We”: 
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that Lavern Spicer has never read the Constitution or the bible. As long as you’re just smart enough to hit the right notes and work up a big enough batch of voting age people even dumber than you are come election time, why put in the effort?

Politics can really bum a guy out sometimes.

Don’t Suffer In Silence

New favourite ad jingle, right here.

I howled, and not because I took his advice and decided not to suffer in silence.

How many takes do you suppose it took to get this just the way they wanted it?

“Can you put some more annunciation on Hemorrhoid Treatment Center and then try to hit them right in the feelings at the end there, Bob?”

I hope Bob doesn’t think he’s topping this when he enters his serious artist phase. A work of art, this is.

Christianity Or Science

It’s nice to see a faithful person saying rational things like Gill is here. Far too often the religious people with the largest platforms and loudest voices are using them to convince people to reject science and put all their faith in god, which translates to “send us money and everything will be ok.”

As some of you know, I am a devout Christian, and that gets quite a few questions.  One is, “if your so devout, why can’t you just pray stuff like your diabetes or heart condition away?”

Answer

God’s will.  My grandmothers, both devout Christians, said God had made me this way for a purpose, and only he knows what that is.

Why Trust Science?

With out people with God given talents, I would have died from diabetic complications, my sister may not be doing so well with a blood disorder she was diagnosed with as a young teen, and we would not have so many new medicines, vaccines, and people working on cures for other deadly diseases.  Nowadays someone doesn’t have to die of encephalitis, but when my grandmother’s sister had it at 2-years-old in 1929, they didn’t have the knowledge they have now.

Who Do They Expect Us To Molest Going Forward

Oh good. the Pope, whose organization has a sterling record when it comes to other people’s children and whose job requires that he never have any of his own, has thoughts about the importance of parenthood and the selfishness of those who choose not to go that route.

Everyone has the right to worship or not as they choose of course, but I’m sorry. If you listen to anyone from the Catholic church spouting off on a subject that they’re both morally and experientially unqualified to talk about and take a single damn bit of it seriously, there’s something wrong with you.

During a general audience at the Vatican, he said: “Today … we see a form of selfishness. We see that some people do not want to have a child. Sometimes they have one, and that’s it, but they have dogs and cats that take the place of children. This may make people laugh but it is a reality.”
Pet keeping was “a denial of fatherhood and motherhood and diminishes us, takes away our humanity”, he said. The consequence was that “civilisation grows old without humanity because we lose the richness of fatherhood and motherhood, and it is the country that suffers”.
While saying couples unable to have children for biological reasons could consider adoption, he urged potential parents “not to be afraid” of embarking on parenthood. “Having a child is always a risk, but there is more risk in not having a child,” he said.

Update:

This from the Beaverton. “Not having kids is selfish” says man who lives alone in golden palace

“Today we see a form of selfishness. We see that some people do not want to have a child,” he told the audience from inside his own personal city state with holdings valued at anywhere from $10 to $15 billion. His Holiness continued to criticize the childless couples of the world from behind his bejeweled golden pulpit, flanked by armed security guards.
“Sometimes they have one, and that’s it, but they have dogs and cats that take the place of children,” added the elderly man who has no children, but who does control multi-billion dollar investments in banking, insurance, chemicals, steel, construction, and real estate.
“This may make people laugh, but it is a reality,” added God’s chosen representative on Earth who is rarely known for laughing, but is consistently known for appreciating the Vatican’s priceless art collection.

But We Really Wanted To Split It!

I’m not sure I’ve ever eaten a hush puppy, so I don’t feel qualified to speak on whether they are something worth kicking a pregnant lady over should the option ever present itself. But I will say that if one hush puppy sounds good to you then two should probably be better especially with there being more than one of you in the car, so kicking the pregnant lady in this case seems out of left field and more than a tad unnecessary. Or maybe you don’t have $1.95 between the both of you which is apparently what a pair of hush puppies costs at this particular Long John Silver’s, so perhaps that’s what one might consider a mitigating circumstance. Not me, but someone.

The 20-year-old victim was working yesterday afternoon at the Evansville eatery when “a customer came through the drive thru and requested one hush puppy,” cops say.
When the worker told the fritter fan that the seafood chain only sold the deep-fried delicacy in orders of two, the driver became incensed and “yelled a racial slur at the victim while at the drive thru window.”
A second woman in the car “then began calling the restaurant numerous times demanding to speak to the manager.”  The passenger then entered the Long John Silver’s and “began throwing things around” before she “kicked the victim in the stomach and ran from the store.”
“The victim is pregnant but is unsure if the suspect knew this when she kicked her,” the report states.