Tag: Bakersfield

Goodbye IHOP, Hello Big Boy

On By Michel McDonaldIn FoodLeave a comment

A few months ago I noticed that 2 of Bakersfield’s IHOP’s have turned from a blue color to a red color and renamed “Clay’s”.  I can’t go to Clay’s because it makes me think of Clay Aiken and then I just imagine all the waitresses and waiters have Clay Aiken hair and they are singing to their customers trying to get their order.  It sends shivers down my spine.  Hehe just kidding.

But on a positive note, the Bakers Square on Ming Ave. closed down (well, that’s not the positive part) and a Bob’s Big Boy is moving in its place.  I’ve loved that place since I was a kid.  My parent’s always bought me the Big Boy comic books and I had some Big Boy toys.  The burgers were very similar to Big Macs but they didn’t have the same sauce, the Big Boy burger had a better sauce.

The one thing I remember about Bob’s Big Boy was the hairdo’s of all the waitresses.  They were always high up like they had bee hives but with curls all over them.  That is definitely what makes Bob’s Big Boy to me.  The comic books, burgers and hairdo’s.

I Love You Man

On By Michel McDonaldIn Humor, MoviesLeave a comment

Went to see this movie tonight called “I Love You Man”.  I don’t get to go to the movies too often and when I do and the movie is good I like to talk about it.  Well, even if it’s bad I like to talk about how bad it stunk.  This one was good though.

It’s about this guy who is getting married and he realizes that he has no guy friends.  So he starts to go out on “man dates” to try to get a connection with a guy so he doesn’t look like such a pathetic loser to his fiancée.

I can totally relate though because besides all my online friends, I really don’t have any real friends to speak of.  Since we moved to Bakersfield I haven’t really met anyone that I wanted to strike up a real friendship with.  Well, there was our neighbor Dan but he’s moved away and we really don’t hear from him anymore.  But he has his own “guy friends” that he’s been hanging around with since they were in school.

This movie was totally funny though.  Andy Samberg from Saturday Night Live was so good as a gay guy.  He actually made gay people look cool by not flaming all over the movie.  Good for him.

Thomas Lennon on the other hand.  He was gayer and funnier than ever too.  Everyone kinda expects him to be outrageous though since he is gay as Lieutenant Jim Dangle on Reno 911.

I thought this was a very funny movie and I was laughing the entire time, even when other people weren’t laughing at which point I had to sink in my seat lol.

Dumbing Down in Bakersfield

On By Michel McDonaldIn Daily BlogLeave a comment

Ok so I’m at the corner market buying eggs and a loaf of bread. I go to the counter and there are 2 women standing in front of the counter purchasing their groceries, I’m on their right and there is a woman on their left. The woman on the left asks “ok how much is 2 plus 6?” and the woman on the right says “um… 12?”

Excuse me? 12? Is that your final answer? I seem to recall covering this in elementary school and although I don’t remember everything from when I was in school, I definitely remember how to count and the correct response is 8. But my question is, why are you asking how much 2+6 is in the first place? It’s a no brainer. It’s an automatic answer in your own head. Sigh.

Student Bunk Bed

On By Michel McDonaldIn Daily BlogLeave a comment

LOL I have to laugh because I have this fantasy that I have a bunk bed with a desk in my bedroom.  I’m 38 years old going on 12.  I just don’t feel 38 for some reason.  I want to have posters of singers on my walls and I want to have a bunk bed and sleep on the top bunk.  This is the first time I’ve had my own bedroom, and I really mean that.  When I was a kid I either shared a room with my older sister or when we lived in Reseda my bedroom was a walk-in closet and when we were in Sepulveda my bed was in the living room.  I never really had my own bedroom.

When I was living with my sister I had to sleep on the couch in the living room.  I did move back in with my parents when I was 18 and I had my own bedroom but that was short-lived, I’ve had my own room many times but for a short period of time.  I don’t count the times I’ve lived in motels as having my own room cause that’s all it was, a bedroom.  When I’ve been in relationships I don’t consider the room being mine because it was shared with the person I was with who always had the design decision.

I didn’t have a very good childhood and so I’m reclaiming it and I just don’t feel 38.  I feel like a pre-teen with my bike and my video games and stuff.  My bedroom here in Bakersfield is a really small room, I don’t have any room to walk around or do anything.  If I had a Nintendo Wii system I wouldn’t be able to play games very effectively because I have no room to move in here.  My desk is so huge too which isn’t bad, I actually like my desk.  It’s a corner desk and it’s right next to my tv so I can watch tv while typing (as I am doing now).

Darrin is about to start working (keep your fingers crossed) at Mor furniture for less and they have these bunk beds (in the children’s section lol) and one of them I really like.  It has a desk on the side and it has a top bunk bed then it has a bottom bed that sticks out and it’s really neat because it has shelves inside there and a dresser which I don’t currently have.  I’m using Rubbermaid drawers for my socks and underwear and I have to fold and put my t-shirts in the linen closet.  So this would be perfect for shirts at least.  Here is a picture.  The only problem is it’s $800 lol.

deskbunkBonanza Student Bunk

$799.99

“Your children will have their sights set on the Bonanza Student Bunk Bedroom collection. Functional and fun, this solid pine package features space-saving design with plenty of desk and bookshelf space. This collection includes bunk bed, and desk with hutch. (Chair not included.)”

I’ve never slept on the top bunk before but at the same time my BiPap machine would be perfect on one of those shelves on the bottom bunk.  But I think that at 230lbs, I’d be better off on the bottom bunk don’t you think?

Pez Dispensers

On By Michel McDonaldIn Daily BlogLeave a comment

This Christmas I was given 3 new Pez dispensers to add to my growing collection.

I actually started this collection in 1999 when Star Wars Episode 1 came into theaters and the stores started selling the Star Wars Pez dispensers.  I decided to buy each individual Pez dispenser which were just under $1 I think.  I can’t recall.  But when we got home I didn’t have any place to put them so I placed them side by side on a very large mirror which was on the wall where my desk was so as I sat at the computer I’d be looking at Pez dispensers.

I told a few people about them and next thing you know people are sending them to me in the mail and when I visit people they are giving me these Pez dispensers.  I never asked for them but I won’t refuse it either lol.

All of a sudden I had a huge amount of these little things that I went to the hardware store to buy wood to make a shelf and found these really thin and small pieces of wood so I got a bunch and some little nails and built me a shelf.  When we moved to Bakersfield in 2000 I put the shelf up in the kitchen right next to my desk and at first there were maybe 20 Pez dispensers but now there are 104 Pez dispensers on the shelf in my bedroom.

I have 5 Pez dispensers that are in their original packaging (although the packaging is getting too old and is tearing) because they have no feet which means they are valuable.  And I have the 3 newer ones still in their tin which I will never take them out of because again, it gives them value.  When I think about it I should have never taken any of them out of their package but that’s ok, what’s done is done.

Here is a picture of all the Pez dispensers on the shelf as well as the new ones in their tin.  Click the image below for full size.

pezorange_county_pez

Biking is Easier

On By Michel McDonaldIn Cycling, Diet, Exercise, HealthLeave a comment

Riding the bike is getting a lot easier.  I rode the bike from my house to Oak and Palm before realizing I didn’t stop for water once so naturally I stopped for some water.  I got all the way to the park in 19 1/2 minutes this time which is I think 3 minutes faster.  Probably because I didn’t stop to take a water break so many times.

I also didn’t sit on the picnic table for that long either, on Monday I think I sat there for 20 minutes before heading back home and this time I think it was like 10 or 15 minutes.

When coming home I didn’t turn right on H st. going on 21st st.  Instead I went further down to Chester Ave. because H st. has no bike lane in downtown Bakersfield but Chester Ave. does.  I think it’s easier to ride in a bike lane than cause an accident, don’t you?

So, I went a further distance and it was only 40 minutes this time.  The last time it was 45 minutes and this time I went a further distance which tells me that 1 I’m going faster and 2 my legs are getting more used to riding that I don’t have to stop to take a break for them.

I can remember not too long ago that I could only ride up to California Ave. and back and that was like 12 minutes and when I came home I could barely walk because of the stiffness in my legs.  If I am able to go faster and further than that just means that I will start to lose weight a lot faster.  I can already see it in my face that the fat is starting to come off.

If I can just keep doing this 3 days a week it wont be long before I’m thinner.  Oh and I need to start following the SparkPeople food plan again if I’m going to be successful.  The food they have is low-calorie and very good for us especially for Darrin because he has borderline diabetes now so whatever I make for myself I can make for him too then before you know it he will be losing weight too (but just on food, he doesn’t want to exercise).

Kern Wheelmen Bicycle Club

On By Michel McDonaldIn CyclingLeave a comment

This website might help me for a good bike route.  Bakersfield put in a bike path along the Kern river beginning at the Mouth of Kern Canyon, the Kern River Parkway includes over 6,000 acres of trails, parks and waterways extending over 30 miles westerly to Highway I-5.  There is a bike club that does trips which go out of the bike path which starts at Beach Park, goes for 42.5 miles in a circle and ends right back at Beach Park.  The bike ride to Beach Park from our house is only 2.7 miles.

Of course before I can do this ride I’m going to have to get used to riding my bike again.  Also all the people on the picture in this website are all athletes and they are all in shape so before I even think about joining their club I need to be as fit as they are.  I would lag too far behind these guys.

Well, this is the website address:  www.kernwheelmen.org

I hope some day I will be as skinny and fit as I used to be a long time ago.  I feel that I am wasting my life being fat.

MySpace Friends

On By Michel McDonaldIn MySpaceLeave a comment

I am so happy that I have some pretty good people on there.  Of course I have my friends and family.  But… I also have some entertainers.

First I got Steve Hofstetter.  Actually, HE is the one who sent the invite to me.  I thought that was so awesome that he chose me out of so many people in Bakersfield.  And it was because I am in Bakersfield that he chose me because he is from Bakersfield.

Sid and Marty Krofft which are the creaters of Krofft Super Stars from the 1970’s.  I loved that show especially HR Puff N Stuff.  What does that mean?  Puff N Stuff?  Is that a pot reference?  Witchiepoo was my favorite lol.

There have been some rock bands who have sent me invites and I accepted but I don’t see them any more.  I tried to get Green Day but they never accepted.

Sean P Hayes from Will and Grace.  OMFG when he accepted I was so excited.  If you aren’t sure who that it, that’s Just Jack!  I have a character on EverQuest named Justjack who is a level 25 enchanter lol.  I also have a character named Annistasia but no last name because you have to be level 20 for that and she is level 16.  I wanted her name to be Annistasia Beaverhousen but I was sure that Sony wouldn’t approve that last name so I never tried to get to level 20.

Kathy Griffin.  OH MY GOD!  She is a gay mans wet dream to have as a friend.  It is so awesome that she accepted.

Dan from Big Brother 10.  I waited to start sending invites to the BB10 house guests because I wasn’t sure if their families would be accepting friends or not so I waited.

Although, Brian, Steven and Angie have been at home all this time so I could’ve gotten them way back when.  I waited and did the invites and still waiting for the rest.  I’m still waiting for Memphis, Keesha, Steven, Angie and Brian.  I didn’t see a MySpace page for Renny.  I would’ve loved to have had her on my MySpace friends list.

Ghost Hunters

On By Michel McDonaldIn TVLeave a comment

Wow, tonight’s Ghost Hunter’s episode was really good. They caught 2 EVP’s that were really good. Well 3 actually but one of them wasn’t speaking English, you couldn’t understand what he was saying. The woman who owned the building said it sounds like Polish to her. The other voices which was in the attic sounded like he was saying “We want” but they think it was saying “What do you want?” which makes a lot more sense. I think he was saying what do you really fast so it sounded like we. Then Tango was up in the attic and he was basically cussing the ghost out and you could hear when Tango took a breath a voice that said “Leave me alone”. Awesome.

I’ve always believed in ghosts no matter what people say back to me. When I was a kid I used to see my grandmother Mimi or so I thought it might be her. I don’t know for sure what it was. And ever since we’ve been in Bakersfield I’ve been feeling what seems to be a cat jumping up on either the couch and my bed. I’m not afraid of a cat ghost because I know that cats are innocent creatures and they don’t have any evil inside them. Dogs are different though. Take Cujo for example hehe.

Hose Water

On By Michel McDonaldIn Daily BlogLeave a comment

OMG YUCK! We ran out of the bottled water and I put a few ice cubes in my cup and just got water from the tap because there ain’t no way I’m gonna go fill the bottle at 12:40am.

OMG so sick. It tastes like hose water. I really wish Bakersfield would clean the water up a bit more. In Los Angeles I could fill my glass with tap water and drink it and it didn’t taste any different from bottled water does. Here you fill up a glass with the tap water and it’s white instead of clear for a few seconds then it starts turning clear from the bottom to the top.

This is not PG&E water either, this is from California Water Service Company in San Jose, CA. I’m still not quite sure why San Jose is in charge of our water. But it’s sick. That’s another reason for me to miss LA.