Learnin' About Cuba and Writing a Blog

Mine was sans cheese and 'shrooms

This morning I took my parents to my mom's doctor's appointment (my dad is not allowed to drive Meijer to do their grocery shopping. When we were done there they took me to breakfast; technically, I guess I took them since I drove but it was their idea and they insisted on paying. They wanted to go to IHOP (International House Of Portliness Pancakes) and I complied. I figured that I could find something on the menu that would be semi-healthy and not too fattening. I found ONE thing that sort-of fit into my new way of eating. They have an egg white omelette with a side of fruit. Of course, I had the omelette with no cheese because that is where many of the calories in an omelette come from and I also had no mushrooms because I try not to eat fungus voluntarily when possible. Anyway, I had a SIMPLE & FIT egg white omelette with spinach and tomatoes. It was pretty good once I covered it in black pepper. After that we went back to their house and I fed the outside birds and squirrels.
again quite yet after his triple-bypass surgery though he is doing remarkably well - he is truly amazing). After the doctor's appointment we went to

Then, the highlight of my day happened. I got a text from Cha Cha that I could go pick her up from her sales conference. The world is right again now that I got my baby back, baby back, baby back (I bet you didn't just read that without doing the Chili's baby back ribs song did you?

If I'm here and you're here doesn't that make it OUR time?!

Just before I started writing today's blog I checked my emails and I received an email from a fella named Christopher Wienberg from USC (University of Southern California). It seemed legit so I did not mark it as spam and, rather, I opened it. Christopher says he is a PH.D. student and he is "researching the personal experiences people write on the web about their everyday lives and your (meaning me in this case) blog came to my attention. I am interested in how the thoughts and experiences written by people like you on weblogs and other social media can be used to make conclusions about society as a whole. I am contacting you because I am trying to collect reliable data about bloggers' opinions, experiences, and characteristics in order to refine and evaluate my analyses." Of course, I am intrigued and curious. How did my blog "come to (his) attention?" Curiosity killed the Matt. they say. but I was a journalist for a many years (newspapers, magazines, sidewalks...) and I love writing and discovering new things (perhaps because I am just nosy?). Anyway, he wants me to take part in an online survey (he provided the link). He gave me his phone number and his email address and his PH.D. Advisor's (Dr. Andrew Gordon) email address. Of course, I went to USC's website and saw a photo of Dr. Andrew S. Gordon who is a "Research Associate Professor of Computer Science and Director of Interactive Research at the Institute for Creative Technologies." That is a $20 handle if I have ever heard one. Dr. Gordon received his Ph.D. from Northwestern in 1999. Hmmmm... What harm could there be in taking part in a 15-minute survey? I could have been done with the survey by now if I didn't always over-think everything. Maybe it is really a covert survey about people who post things on the internet without proofreading or researching whatever comes off of their fingers? Maybe I am part of the placebo survey? Maybe Christopher is just trying to see how many morons will mention him in their blogs. If that is the case he got at least one - ME! What do you think? I am leaning toward doing it as I am a helpful cuss and I could use some Cali exposure. My brother was just in L.A. yesterday on his way to his home in Hawaii; is that a sign? Is it a clue? I will over-think this on my own time when I am done writing today's blog.

Writing that last paragraphs and posting that Fast Times at Ridgemont High made me think of "learnin' about Cuba and having some food" which made me think about President Obama going to head to Cuba. I think that is awesome! The last sitting U.S. President to go to Cuba was Calvin Coolidge in 1928; that was the only country Coolidge visited while he was President. Jimmy Carter visited Cuba in 2011 on behalf of The Carter Center for those of you keeping score at home. Cuba is only 90 miles from Florida and we have not had a sitting President there in almost nine decades? We have been like the Hatfields and the McCoys for far too long. I remember being at the "southern most point" in Key West several years ago and thinking how sad it was that we couldn't go to Cuba; they have some might really good rum and cigars down there. Man, I enjoyed Key West (there he goes off blogging on a tangent again). Truth be blogged - I had a Cuban cigar while in Europe last year so, I suppose in a small way, you can thank me now for some of the embargoes that will probably be lifted soon.

Okay. I wrote notes about what to write but I guess I wasted my time because I didn't use my notes. I guess I have a head-start on tomorrow's blog then, huh? Thanks a lot for stopping-by today. Let me know what you think about the USC thing. A scam or should I roll the dice and see what's what? You are like my consigliere (is there a surprise that the word "lie" is buried in consigliere)? Also, can you tell that I watched The Godfather Epic over the last few days?  I hope you are enjoying the unseasonably nice weather in the MIDDLEwest if you are stuck in the MIDDLE with me. Have a great rest of your day and TTTT...MITM (out) TA!