Sledgstone

Sledge you just need to get current on Fruits Basket. 😛

My internet doesn't seem to be affected too much lately thankfully.. but then again my wifi is only showing around 50 mbps right now.. but that might be my router needing a reboot. I used to have 200 mbps connection in this area and at my current house Spectrum offers a 1 gb aka 940+ Mbps connection for $100+ a month, all packages with unlimited bandwith. I'm pretty certain the network around here is good and can handle the extra load of everyone streaming and jumping online. ^_^
I keep forgetting to try Azur Lane or watch the anime. XD

I honestly can't take these notifications seriously because they are all the same statement with the names and a few things here and there changed for the type of eatery it is.

LMAO Your local tire store is clearly nasty AF then. I hope you don't need new tires anytime soon.
Eating out is something I do a lot of. Mostly casual dining. All of them have posted or emailed me about how they've swapped from individual plasticware to packaged plasticware behind the counter. No more bottles of hot sauce, or salt and pepper. All of it has to be requested. Which I feel will show them how often these things aren't used in their resturant and they'll probably keep it that way to save money on salt and pepper. Everyone is doing curbside takeout now.

This is 100% on the media. There are too many dumbasses out there that just read headlines. Honestly the government needs to pass a law banning clickbait entirely. It should be classified as yelling fire or bomb in a crowded building. Like every fucking thing is clickbait now. "This developer adds key feature to game" "A big character died in this series" blah blah. Today an article is going around how a 21 year old soccer player died from Coronavirus. Just reading the headline you'd think you could be athletic and young and die from the coronavirus. If you actually click the link you'd see he had Leukemia and then caught coronavirus. But idiots won't click the link, and just go out word of mouth to people they know and say "a 21 athlete died from coronavirus, it can kill anyone!"

The whole thing is stupid seeing as 12,000 Americans died during the H1N1 outbreak but there was no such panic, and the media kind of just reported on it like it was only affecting Asia. The internet was a different place back then. Coronavirus has like 40 deaths in the US, all old people or people with immune disorders. Basically its only dangerous to those same people that can die from the flu. There are probably people just walking around thinking they have a cold or bad allergies going unreported. Today we had people shopping with latex gloves and masks on. 🙄

Not going to lie the Walmart here was pretty barren in a lot of areas on the grocery side (Produce was pretty much wiped out, milk and juices were pretty much out of stock, frozen was pretty barren (I've never seen a frozen pizza section that wiped out in my life and I worked frozen goods for 11 years when I was still in retail)), water isle was sparse but you could still get it if you needed to, etc). It's extremely sad people are flipping the shit on ebay/amazon but it's no real different then when a new console comes out, fucking greedy ass bastards.
It's sad really as North Dakotans don't really get that worked up over this kind of shit. Granted they can be pretty idiotic but I think our issue is all the out of state people that moved up here to work in the Bakken and the foreigners we have living in the state who get worked up over shit like this. Down right bat shit crazy.
I wouldn't doubt there are more cases then whats been reported (especially with our governments lack luster response to this) but I doubt it's anywhere that high (I could be wrong but it's highly unlikely especially in rural areas and states like ND where we're pretty isolated. Than again we do have one confirmed case in the state so who knows)). I get the feeling we'll get statewide quarantines before we get a nationwide one, especially in states where the number of infected is in the 100's because there's no way Trump and his administration would allow the US to come to a complete standstill for weeks (it'd look bad to his otherwise perfect image (heavy sarcasm implied here)) as it'd show weakness and ineptitude.
Meh, we'll have to play the waiting game. It's just interesting how shit hits the fan when people get this paranoid. Someone should really do a case study on the stupidity of people in situations like this, it'd be an extremely interesting read (and should be used as teaching material for future generations on what not to do).

Considering all stores in my area are 24 hour stores that's impossible. I could always have one of my friends that work at Walmart grab some for me when it comes in but I'm honestly not that worried. It's just stupid how people are acting and fucking over everyone else (plus it's not locals doing this, we have people driving an hour and a half to buy shit in bulk (which is sad considering the city they're coming from is 3 times larger than us with more stores to go to)).
Oh well, I've got two hands if it comes to it

Went shopping today and fucking Walmart was completely out of Toilet Paper (which, like Yong, I'm currently in need of. Not as badly as him but it's going to be interesting come the end of the week) as is pretty much every other store in the area (fuck they were even out of paper towels and wet wipes). Fucking hell people are fucking stupid.
Should also mention Walmart was pretty much out of everything else which is going to make shopping next week interesting (in a fucking state that has one fucking confirmed case of COVID-19, ONE FUCKING CASE). People just need to settle the fuck down.

We ran out of TP yesterday, we might get some tomorrow. We have a limit of 2 but no one enforces someone buying 2, going to their car and coming back to get 2 more, and repeat the process. People trying to act like its the hottest new console and sell them for triple the price on ebay.

I use to like those squirt drinks, but I have reservations against splenda which is what those are normally sweetened with. Mio and Crystal Light are the big sellers around here. The Kool-Aid ones do pretty well too. Which is basically what it tastes like to me. Kool-Aid. Not that I dislike Kool-Aid but I don't want to drink it all the time. Plus those Mio's have to be disposed of as hazardous waste in store when the are broken, and there is no explanation why. The only other edible/non chemical items that are disposed of like this are aerosol cans like cooking spray, and medicine. wtf... strike 2 and 3 right there.
As for coffee I mostly drink Peet's Major Dickason's blend and Gevalia Majestic Roast. Since Its just me, I use k-cups for the convenience of a single cup at a time rather than tossing out half a pot of coffee. I generally order from amazon since you can get 75-100 packs for $30-40, rather than paying $10-12 for a 12 pack in store. I actually just subbed to Black Rifle Coffee Company yesterday. I got a sampler pack last year for Christmas but i didn't really care for any of them since they were all medium roast at as such tasted super weak. But now they have Freedom Fuel Dark Roast so I'll give it a shot. They're a veteran company and support a good cause by sending out free coffee to our servicemen and servicewomen overseas. After listening more about them over a Joe Rogan ep, I wanted to join their coffee club. They have an extra dark roast called Murdered Out, but they don't do k-cups yet. I'll probably swap to that if it ever happens.

You might as well pour that into hot chocolate when you disgrace the taste of coffee with these vile flavors. coffeemate is just chilled flavored glue. When that strong bold coffee flavor hits me, it wakes me up more than the caffeine probably. Mmmmm boiled dirt.

 
The only time I like sweetened coffee is if its iced or one of those canned coffee drinks for a caffeine boost. STOK made a really good one with protein in it, but they discontinued it I think.

ROTFLMAO. I love coffee. And even worse in your eyes I only drink bold dark roast. Which is the most brutally bitter of all of them. mostly because I enjoy the flavor, but also again with acid reflux, its the least acidic. I pour a little half and half in it and thats it. All that flavored cream and syrup is blasphemy. 
I never could do energy drinks. I did like the flavored red bulls, but they're so bad for you I stopped as fast as I started. Monster and Rockstar are nasty af to me. The after taste of cough syrup is just too much. Bang is pretty good, but it makes me sweat with very little activity. Its just way too much caffeine at once. Its more than half the daily recommended intake.

I can't stand sparkling water so more power to you for being able to stomach it (water should not be carbonated, it's just wrong). Funny thing I stopped drinking pop (or soda as you call it) for like 8 years (also quit drinking alcohol as well since I mostly drank mixed drinks) and now all of a sudden I'm back to drinking it again and I'm really disappointed in myself (though in retrospect I really can't be, even though I gave up pop I was throwing back 2 cans of NOS or Monster a day, can't do that anymore since I was diagnosed with high blood pressure. Drinking an energy drink now makes me sick as fuck and causes some serious chest pain due to the hbp meds I'm on). It's not like I'm drinking half a twelve pack like I did when I was a teen, I drink one Sprite a day (I don't consider it pop considering there's no caffeine in it) and I drink 2 cans of Code Red on Saturdays and Sundays (I'm so wiped out from the week at work I need that caffeine just to get through the weekend) it's still a disappointment that I gave it up for that long only to cave in again.
I tend to stick more towards plain water (due to what I do at work I drink like 4-5 bottles of water a day, more if it's during the summer (working in a shop in 90+ degree weather fucking sucks)), low calorie Gatorade (for the lack of sodium, hbp and all), and tea (not your sweet tea (can't stand it), I stick to my Nestea).
I still don't know how people drink coffee, That shit is disgusting

Digital. I doubt I'll ever buy physical again.

I've had dandruff issues my whole life. I guess because my hair is super thick. Every barber has always made a comment about it my whole life about how thick my hair is. Try T/Sal. I think its new? T/Gel works too but damn it smells like road tar or asphalt. When i was a young kid my mom always made me use T/Gel when my scalp got bad, but T/Sal doesn't smell at all... like seriously zero scent... again unless you stick it up in your nostril. I know a lot of things say no scent and they still have one, but this one smells like nothing.

Maybe my skin just doesn't take to scented products very well, I must absorb them or something. Body wash never lasted long on me, even some colognes. I recently upped my game on that since i found the FragranceX website. They sell discount overstock like Tester bottles meant to be used by department stores. Amazon tends to have too many counterfeit colognes going out so I had to find a good discount retailer. I like Tommy Hilfiger Eau de Cologne, but it lasts just a little bit for me. Versace Eros and Polo Green work amazing for me and last all day. In the summer I sweat profusely at my job when it gets really hot so antiperspirant doesn't last all day sometimes.  Its like a last resort second line defense if that happens. I use Degree mostly because its strong. I don't have too much of an issue with stains even on my undershirts unless they're extremely old.

 

I've used TurboTax for years. I did mine the day i got my w2, and got my return last week.

You really gotta try that Popeye's Chicken Sandwich, its magical. The chicken paddy is massive. Its pretty simple though, It's just a big succulent chicken paddy with some zesty sauce and pickles. I love Arby's but its the furthest chain from me so I don't go too often. Their social media is on point though. Raising Cains. ah yes, that's very Similar to Foosackly's but Foo is better (better sauce selection, and bacon queso fries option). There is also another tender chain called PDQ which I really liked, but ours shut down for some reason. I'm surprised they even have a Cains up that far north. Foo is superior because its a local thing and the chicken is super fresh. but Cains is really good. So is Zaxby's but its at the bottom of both Cains and Foo.
Five Guys is so good, but I don't consider them fast food since they cook to order like Whataburger but their prices are pretty high around here. I mean Whataburger is too. You'll pay a good $9-11 for a combo at Whataburger, but its like $15+ at Five Guys for the equivalent. I get the double cheeseburger fully dressed... what can I say? Whataburger is a Texas chain, so everything is big. Their medium drink is the size of a route 44 at Sonic. In-N-Out is really good too, but there aren't any here. I got to go to one in Vegas and it was really tasty.
I fucking hate BK. Fuck them. Their customer service is absolute trash at every single one I've ever been to in several states. Their burgers are hot garbage. The bun is too dense, and they nuke the damn thing before they give it to you. If I only had a choice between McD's and BK. I'd pick McD's instantly for the rest of my life. BK's chicken fries are the only reason I, on very rare occasions, go there. McD's McRib is my weakness. I don't care how many chemicals are in it. Its delicious trash tier BBQ. . But I do crave some McNuggets every now and then. KFC is poor man's Popeyes IMO. The chicken is good, but all their sides are garbage in comparison. Nothing.. and I MEAN ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, beats Popeye's biscuits. Its like they make some Pillsbury Grands and toss them in a pool of salted liquid butter to marinade for a bit. You can feel your soul dehydrate with every bite but its soooooo good.
The biggest travesty in downsize is McD's Big N Tasty.. which I call the Small n Tasteless now. I remember when it came out in the early 90s. I was a young teen. But the paddy was so big it jutted out of each side of the bun. The Monster Burger from Hardee's is a close second. Back when they had super models half naked eating them on TV, they were so good. The monster burger was insanely huge... and then Ruby Tuesdays had the ultimate colossal burger which was even bigger.
Back to Booze like you said. Bookers is so good, but yes it BUUURNS. I prefer Blanton's because its unfiltered like Bookers but the taste is way smoother in a Gentleman's Jack type way..... But way to be a pansy on mouth wash. I use the maximum 7 action burning Listerine. If it doesn't feel like my gums are melting, I feel like its not working. I endure the pain for 40 seconds before spitting it out. The incineration of my gums, tongue, and cheek lining, convinces me that all germs have been eradicated.

Fast Food is definitely different. Unless you're on a tight budget, McD's and BK are utter garbage. Hardee's has gone down hill since their "reimaging". They did more than get rid of their hyper sexualized commercials, they downgraded all their food in the process. Their burgers are smaller and not as juicy, and their "made from scratch" buns are meh. Their breakfast is still top notch though. Thankfully here in the south we have the glory of Whataburger which bar none has the best burgers. Worth the little longer wait since they cook to order rather than letting their paddies sit in a hot tray for hours. Sonic is my 2nd tier because of all the crazy options they have like the current Totchos which are amazing. And Wendy's is solid with its arteries clogging Baconator. Both Sonic's Crispy Chicken Sandwich and Popeye's amazing spicy chicken sandwich beats Chick-Fil-A hands down. Being in the bible belt Chick-Fil-A is king tho. Which is also why I don't like it... its always waaaaaaaaay to f*in crowded. All the ones here remodeled to have double drive thru lanes and they're always packed with a line. They do have amazing customer service and the food is good, but too many damn people at any given time keep me away from there. Especially when there are better chicken sandwiches to be had. Oh and then there is Foosackly's that makes the best chicken tenders you'll ever eat, but its strictly a local chain that's slowly expanding into a regional one. Its funny to see them go from a single location near the college I graduated from back in 2007, to now having several locations throughout Alabama and one in FL.
There are way more good bourbon/whiskey than there are fast food selections. My solid go to's are Jim Beam Devil's Cut, Makers Mark, Wild Turkey, and Jack Single Barrel. Blanton's is my all time favorite, but its hard to find these days. Bookers is another, and they have limited releases now that are even more expensive than original Bookers. I like the stuff Clyde Mays, Jeffersons, and Elijah Criag makes. Angel Envy is also delicious. I don't care for Scotch too much anymore as to me it just tastes like weak bourbon, its still better than the likes of Canadian Mist and Old Grandad though.

lmao!  There is an insane amount of variety now. Its hard to tell if its because everyone and their uncle decided to become a micro brewer or if its just that we have more variety now because of how laws have changed. I remember reading something about many states having shipping laws for alcohols across state lines. I think the laws have changed over the years and now more companies can ship their products all over the US. That might explain some of the large increase of variety. It was in the news here years ago because there is so many wineries in the region, they couldn't ship wines over state lines so they had to hire couriers to go around buying wines at different vineyards to then take to other states to sell. Something like that. Now the wineries can direct ship to customers in limited amounts including other store owners that resell them.
I don't drink much anymore. Like I'll have a shot of fireball or rum occasionally (especially if I have a sore throat) but nothing like I used to because my liver has given me so much crap. Although it does appear to have been ibuprofen that was killing my liver. I had a couple shots not to long ago and I didn't feel any of the negative side effects I experienced before so I'm guessing my liver has finally recovered. I'll do a blood test to confirm at some point after I switch to a different doctor.
Before my liver gave me crap, man I loved the selection. I was never a beer guy. I'd drink one when grilling or after mowing the lawn to cool down, but after 2 or 3 I always felt bloated. Theres a store about 15 mins from my house that is a specialty beer store/gas station. They have over 100 beer varieties sold individually from all over the country and their inventory changes almost monthly with new and old beers entering and exiting within production schedules. They have a rule there that you can only buy 2 of any specific beer at a time so people can't buy out a specific variety. Its really interesting to see the selection available.
As for bourbon my go tos in no particular order were Makers mark (mixed with ginger ale was the best winter drink on a cold night), Angel's Envy, Knob Creek and Evan Williams. Whiskey was my favorite tho, especially Gentleman Jack. I'd drink the hell out of that. Crown Royal was also on my go to list. I liked experimenting by trying something new, but once I found something good I had a tendency of sticking with that instead of throwing more money out there that I didn't have to spend.
Whats really funny is the variety in alcohol available is no different that marijuana shops.  Hundreds of beers, hundreds of bourbons and whiskeys.. meanwhile in states with legal weed, hundreds of strain varieties and edibles. And its the same with nicotine vaping, hundreds of flavors. Why smoke a cigarette anymore when you can suck on flavored chemical mixture that tastes like bubblegum. Same with food. hundreds of fast food and restaurants all serving chicken, beef, pork and veggie meat in different varieties. This is America, the land of excess where too much is never enough.

I'll warn you it's a slog and a half when you do get around to reading it and pretty much every story is unfinished but it's probably one of the best reads out there for Middle-Earth knowledge. It covers the first two ages and goes into great detail about the Undying Lands (where the elves, Gandalf, and the other wizards are from), why the elves came to Middle Earth, Sauron and his master, the creation of the rings of power, the origins of Aragorn's family line and why he so long lived, and many many more things. Just talking about it is making me want to read it again.

Bah, I read the entire appendices and enjoyed every minute of it 😛 Honestly I don't blame you any, it's a freaking slog through all of that but there is a lot of good information in there that actually clears up a lot of questions you might of had while reading the book (though sadly not an entire answer). Plus most of that stuff is actually covered in more detail in The Silmarillion (a book that will try your patience but probably my favorite book Tolkien wrote (well wrote notes and his son compiled them as best he could)).
Yea they kinda skipped the book ending and jumped straight to the Grey Havens. While I do like that ending I really don't think it'd of made for a good movie ending (though seeing an army of Hobbits in action would of been amazing).

It's been a feature for a while 🤣
On a side note, was ripped from Trillian back when we all used instant messaging. Now trillian is a business messaging tool you have to pay for with different tiers of features. I was looking at it not too long ago just out of nostalgic interest.