November is for Food

So I am noticing that on facebook everyone seems to be on this whole November being “30 days” of thankfulness and posting something that they are thankful for every day of the month, to see just how hard it is when you get to the end of the month…

I’m not doing that at all.

Google is one update away from skynet

This blog is all about food and not what kind of food you eat or even how much you eat of it, it is about where you eat it.  See I don’t know any other way to say it, so I will just go on out and express myself the only way I know how to on this subject:

EVERY CORPORATE RESTAURANT SUCKS(except the Waffle House, that’s my shit right der!)

It’s true.

What does not suck are the number of local restaurants in your area that you don’t go to cause you would rather have applebees 2 for 20 b.s. It bothers me that it looks like damn Occupy Wallstreet outside of Longhorn steakhouse, Ruby Tuesdays, Applebee’s, O’charlies, and The Olive Garden.

When you have some seriously awesome local action as an option!

No caption Needed

For instance, in the great metropolitan city of Carrollton, GA there is the downtown square and on the square there is a restaurant called Plates.  Most people will hang out and drink at the really awesome bar up top, but the menu is nothing short of amazing.  I am certain that aside from the two and a half Japanese steakhouses, this is the only other place where you can get fried rice made to order.  The menu is this Asian, Polynisan, American, Fusion with a good atmosphere. Seriously, you can come in with shorts and a t-shirt or in a suit and tie and not feel out of place at any point of the day. I can tell you that General Tso, would be pleased at his favorite meals representation at this establishment, and if you never had elk meatloaf, with the homemade ketchup, then your life is without meaning, and you don’t even know it.

That is just sad.

What about the PRICE?

That is not the point, see if you are going to go eat at any of the above corporate chuck wagons, then you have already allocated the money from your budget to eating out. This money is going to be spent and I am just asking the question: “Why spend it there and not local”

Let’s go back to the waiting line issue.

If you wait outside of here it is because you are stupid not
hungry.

Why would you wait in line at a restaurant when there is better dining options at a comparable price in the same town, this makes no sense to me and I know it makes no sense to restaurant owners in the local community. We tell our kids to try new things, we tell our kids to not be a follower be a leader, to take inititive, and what do we do instead? We stick to our routines, listen to commercials, wait for someone else to tell us what something is like, and we fall for the corporate Okey-doke.

What you do is more important than what you say, so I am saying get out there and eat something new this November.

So this month, I am going to write about how awesome a local restaurant is in my community and share it with the world in hopes that my super awesome diverse readership will forgo restaurants with commercials, download Scoutmob on your smartphones, and spend the money that you are going to spend already at a local spot.

Oh and on a side note, for all you parents out there that are/were on this whole I'm glad it rained on Halloween  cause Halloween is the devil and all that non-sense. I got a conversation for you on the 24 of this month and I am going to finish it up in December.

KenNitro vs The Workforce: SMARTEN UP, DUMB IT DOWN

Would you like to know the secret of having a long career in whatever job it is that you find yourself doing so that it can ultimately turn into a career?

The answer is simple really

SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH

Seriously, companies do enjoy the innovation and fresh ideas that come from people in a workforce that are happy with what they are doing and how they are treated. Unfortunately companies do not run themselves, people do, and what do we know about people?

People are stupid

So if you are thinking about some great new thing that is going to make that thing work better or at least be more comfortable for the people that are doing that thing, then the only thing I can say to you is this:

“You doing too much”

I know, I know, you are saying right now, that’s not true, the open door policy at my job is based on the fact that I can go to my supervisor and speak to them about anything and have it either considered or brought up for discussion with other higher ups because at the end of the day, it will only improve the company.

You doing too much

Chances are, if you are doing too much, you have been doing too much, and you will probably continue to do too much, so telling you to stop is an exercise in futility so I might as well give you some weapons to arm yourself for the career long battle you are going to be in(with some real world examples).

First thing, come to terms with the fact that you are smarter than your boss/immediate supervisor/lead/Indian chief or whatever, and they already hate you for it. So if you come up with an idea, just know that the word “NO” is waiting for you as soon as you say, “Hey, you got a few minutes I had this idea…” If you want to actually get what you need done, you are going to have to make these…mouth breathers think that this idea is actually their own.

Case in point, years ago I worked for Airtran Airlines and I was elected to a position called agent council which in theory was a group of crewmembers that would act as a liaison between the rank and file and middle management so that the wants, needs, and desires of workforce could be heard, discussed, and implemented if they were feasible and were mutually beneficial to the company.

Look Healthy people that like their jobs

This is the idea I came up with, a gym membership package for everyone in the call center. The info is out there on how exercise keeps you healthy, which in turn, keeps you working, which pretty much is a win-win for all involved.  Now, this is what happened.

I went out on my own time and did all the leg work, did a comparison of the gyms in carrollton and met with the managers of each one and managed to put together a deal that was PRETTY F’N SWEET.  I brought it all back to the agent council, just for it to be shut down for no real apparent reason, as a constellation I was able to present it to crewmembers, with no support from agent council and to my knowledge there is still no corporate membership in carrollton.

I wish they would have listened to KenNitro

It made no sense to me at the time, and my good friend and mentor Dr. Octagon explained it to me like this, “Kenny Envy, what you need to understand is that if you have an idea, and the ability to implement it but fail to include the attitudes and egos of your peers, they will turn it down based on that reason alone”.

no caption needed

I not so secretly wanted to high-five everyone on that council in the face with a ball-peen hammer, except for one person and they know who they are. If you want to avoid those kinds of feelings what you need to do is get smart and dumb your idea down.  Make these walking oxygen stealers that you have to tolerate on a daily think that this was their idea in the first place, it can’t be that hard…these people are idiots.

Second, you need to have a thick skin.

See haters are going to hate, so what you have to do is never under any circumstances react to anything that you interpret as an act of passive aggressiveness. If you were to react, you will have fallen for the trap and the haters will be one step closer to their goal.

By no means am I saying do not act, just do not act as they do.

proud sponsor of haters worldwide

For instance, one day at the facility, I went and used the bathroom and one of my coworkers decided to leave the island and look for me. As I emerged from the porcelain throne, my coworkers told me of how one of my other coworkers was looking for me and my response was, “For what?” No one knew.

My phone rings and it is a supervisor and the conversation goes like this:

Supervisor: Where you at?

KenNitro: I’m at work

                                                                      Supervisor: I know that, but where are you?

                                                                      KenNitro: On the island

                                                                      Supervisor: CLICK

So at this point, the co worker in question comes back to the island, claiming that they were sent on a wild goose chase by other coworkers to find me for a reason that to this day is still unknown. Perk, just said, “ain’t nobody send you no where”

Shortly after that, one of my supervisors brought it up to me about me that my coworkers are claiming that I am slacking on the paperwork, but I like to do activities.  This to me, was the first act of open aggression and I handled it this way, and you should too if you want to WIN

I sent out an email, telling my coworkers what was told to me by supervision that was apparently told to them by them, and I asked in earnest what I could do to improve my work performance. I sent this email to everyone and included my supervisor so that any and all responses would be sent to him also. There were none, and when the subject was brought up again I referenced that email and the lack of responses.

That being said, understand there are going to be haters and if you want to not be drowned in haterade, you will need to control what the haters can attack, and make sure your work performance is where it is suppose to be.

"seed of the wawa tree"

symbol of hardiness, toughness and perseverance

For instance, right now at my job, folks really dislike my hair, but if the only thing a person can say is that they don’t like my afro at my job, then I suppose I am doing an ok job.  I am sure, if  I wasn’t the haters would let me know.

Haters are thoughtful like that.

Lastly, Stay focused.

Since you clearly are doing too much and you will have all of this passive aggressive negative energy surrounding you on the daily, a person such as yourself will at some point want to confront potential haters, relegate yourself to getting your eight hours in and that’s all, or find another job and start this vicious cycle all over again.

 Don’t let people run you off from a job that you love or just happen to be good at it, because they are not so secretly horrible people.

What Has Two Thumbs and Does Not Want To See Your Underwear?

THIS GUY!!!!

Ok, so a number of counties in Georgia have been passing statutes or discussing statutes involving the serious subject of

I bet these guys listen to "DRAKE"

Sagging Pants.

To be honest, I remember reading about these things a while back and to be honest my passing opinion on the matter was simply, “ I don’t care”, well at least not caring past the whole racial profiling blah blah blah this is only a way for cops to harass young black men that may or may not be doing something wrong.

Well, to be honest, the only things I ever see that are in the middle of the road are always dead and stinky, so I have decided to take a position on the issue, and that position is one in support of legislation that makes sagging pants below your waist a misdemeanor  punishable by fines and community service.

Yeah, I said it.

Seriously, I don’t want walk around and see people’s underwear.

Wait, before we get into this, let me say this:

USE YOUR COMMON SENSE PEOPLE, IF YOU ARE WALKING AROUND WITH A BELT ON TO KEEP YOUR PANTS SECURE BELOW YOUR  ASS, YOU DESERVE A CITATION FOR IT.

In Prison, this is called "Advertising"

Now, most people that feel some sort a way about the issue will basically try to lump sagging pants into other aspects of culture, Freedom of expression, racial bias, profiling, and anything else that can be used to deflect from the actual reason behind legislation about pants sagging.

“NO ONE WANTS TO SEE YOUR UNDERWEAR”

Now, you may say, “Well I feel the same way about people with full sleeve tattoos “ Why don’t we cite these people and fine them  also. Well that is an easy one(and it covers the aspects of culture). Getting a tattoo is a lifestyle choice. Just like being a vegetarian, a combat athlete, a homosexual*, and one of those people that dive in dumpsters simply for the fact that they don’t want to pay for food, these people do not offend the senses of others in normal aspects of human interaction. As a matter of fact, if a person with a sleeve tattoo had a job where tattoos are not to be visible, for the most part I imagine they would just rock some long sleeves.

What is he really trying to say?

As far as freedom of expression, this is really just that bullshit. What are you exactly expressing through the artistic medium of showing the world your boxers, briefs, and the pair basketball shorts you have on under your 4 times too large jeans?

Seriously, how does the first amendment pertain to sagging pants? A person’s underwear is neither art nor entertainment, so let me ask you this:

What has no thumbs and doesn’t give a shit if you get a ticket for sagging your pants?

The first amendment, that’s who!

I’m just kidding, see there is a place for folks that want to sag their jeans and claim that it is freedom of speech.  It’s called Miller V. California 1973, The short version of this important case that pertains to pants on the ground supporters is that this case gives a clear definition of what is Obscene. 

Matter fact, let me hit you with the important part. 

See there are three requirements that something has to meet before it can be considered Obscene.  The work must first,  appeal to the average person's prurient (shameful, morbid) interest in sex. Second, depict sexual conduct in a "patently offensive way" as defined by community standards,  and lastly, taken as a whole, lack serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

As far as the racial bias and profiling, I can honestly say that if you are cited for pants sagging and you just so happen to have an ounce or more of weed on you, have a bench warrant out for your arrest, failure to pay child support or anything else that could be determined from a police officer running your license after they stop you for having your pants sagging, is your fault. That has nothing to do with race or ethnicity stupidity, like love is also color blind.

Then you know there is the whole, the city of is just looking to get money any way they can and that is why they are doing anyway. I really have one response to that.

So!

I wish they would take the money from the citations from people who want to sag their pants and pump it back into the community by funding afterschool programs, improving the local community, and anything that would be positive to the most people the most often.  For the most part, the first offense from my research ranges from 25-50 dollars, which is really nothing, but the second offenses can possibly run as high as 200 dollars, and possibly community service hours.

Sweet!

How many times do you have to get hit with a 200 fine before pulling up your pants becomes a good idea?

I am interested to find out.

*if you read all of this blog and feel some sort of way about me stating that homosexuality is a lifestyle choice and you want to engage me on the subject, let me ask you this first. What has two thumbs and doesn’t give a shit about what two people do on their own time?

This guy!

KenNitro Vs The Facility: I'm just Saying

So we had our 1^st(?)Facility appreciation bbq the other day, and I really don’t know what to think about it.  The phrase has always been, “Morale” and how it is down, up, gone, etc. So I do think that this was a genuine attempt by the folks that make more money that me to show me that they appreciate what I do on the daily(If you are new to my blog then read up on the facility series).

So the bosses got together and cooked up some flanders burgers and hotdogs.

Yep, hamburgers and hotdogs.

I mean,  it’s not that I(and probably my coworkers) aren’t appreciative, I mean we work every weekend, shorthanded, nights, snowstorms, and deal with the constant change while attempting to be consistent, maintain order, and control the island itself from the utter chaos that can ensue in the brief moment in which the above three tenants mentioned above are not followed. 

Hamburgers and Hotdogs

I mean, granted the people that probably thought about how awesome it would be if we had a cook-out for the people that work the most and arguably the hardest at the facility, had the best intentions at heart, and while I am sure they thought about doing this a while ago,  I just don’t think they thought too much into it after the birth of the idea.  Granted that while living outside of the busy metropolis which is carrollton, ga one can get lost with this question:

“What can I do to show those that I govern over my appreciation for all their hard work, and how can do this?”

Hamburgers and Hotdogs

I’m laughing cause I thought it was a good thought and true attempt at boosting the morale of all of those that hold the word, but low morale is always the result of several factors and is slow to fall and slow to rise. So I do applaud those in charge for their attempt, but I hope that they continue to attempt to continue these true efforts to show appreciation.

Hamburgers and Hotdogs

I guess you got to start somewhere.

If I was in charge I would have done something like go on the square and see which business can hold a group as large as we are, and then ask everyone to RSVP a week or so before because the schedules are out a month in advance, then I would see what kind of deal I could get because well,  can’t never could.  After that,  I would remind everyone to RSVP cause if you don’t sign up there will not be food for you, and you would be essentially seeing who all is actually excited about the event, because everyone can come up with reasons as to why they aren’t coming, but when folks see you making the effort, they tend to match it themselves…if they are in fact about something.

Hamburgers and Hotdogs

Case in point, I remember back when I worked at Airtran Airways, there was a snow storm that pretty much froze over Atlanta.  There were several chats sent out about the snowpacalypse and asked everyone to do what they can.  Matter of fact, airtran if I remember correctly has an attendance policy that is locked down real tight.  I mean , the short version of it, “It is what it is”. On the day after, people showed up late, way late, stayed later, didn’t show up at all, and it was all forgiven. Also, Vince, gave everyone a shot glass a couple of days later and thanked everyone personally for coming in.

A gesture that is so small but the magnitude is so great.

So we had a snow storm recently and while everyone was aware of what was coming that Sunday around 7pm there was a really awesome email sent out to everyone that basically said, “If you don’t come to work we can fire you”, and then it cited some portion of the handbook that said something about not showing up and how they could fire you, even though you could die on the way to work to save your job

This was done in a very passive fashion and while I saw the money to be made from the overtime, for people in leadership roles to even suggest that you could be fired for making a decision about your personal safety is at the very least unprofessional and at the most heartless.

Hamburgers and Hotdogs

Now some of you will say, that I should for one be happy that I have a damn job and the fact that you get a paycheck is appreciative enough, and if I am so un-happy then I should leave and let them hire someone that is ok with

Hamburgers and Hotdogs

And you are absolutely right, my bosses could in fact stand behind that cold hard truth, and there are some jobs where that is the only reality. Fortunately, I have faith that the folks in charge will become more proactive in their approach and less reactive as we move forward, cause at the end of the day

Hamburgers and Hotdogs…

KenNitro Vs The Facility: The Program is Based on Strength

You know normally, I write about the facility AFTER the battles have been fought. I'll will tell you tales of MEN who NEVER BACK DOWN, MEN who FEAR only the fact that they HAVE NO FEAR.

TODAY

THIS VERY DAY

You all, my friends, my loved ones, hell as per google analytics, I may even have some fans out there!!!

You all get to hear about the STRENGTH BASED PROGRAM that the inhabitants of the Island endure on a daily basis.

REAL(CLAP)TALK(CLAP) the strength based program is happening right now at this very moment. You all are at the forefront of some of the most DYNAMIC, NEXT LEVEL THERAPEUTIC TECHNIQUES ever utilized and before you ask the question,

NO, I AM NOT A THERAPIST

I AM ALL THINGS THERAPEUTIC can ya dig it?

Now at this point, you are probably asking yourself, "What is the STRENGTH BASED PROGRAM"?

I can sum it all up for you really. MEGATRON in the 1985 movie transformers pretty much summed up in one line the question we ask any inhabitant that chooses to make the wrong decision

"Why throw away your life so recklessly"

And before any of yall fanboys get up, keep in mind, OPTIMUS PRIME LOST THAT FIGHT.

Since I have pretty much summed up the STRENGTH BASED PROGRAM, that is BASED ON STRENGTH all I can really do for you is play a song for you.

Keep in mind that the inhabitants of the island know that when these beautiful songs are heard, the UNDERSTANDING IS SURE TO FOLLOW

Actually go ahead and hit play on this and then read the above again if you really what to get down with The STRENGTH BASED PROGRAM

This SONG just got added to the rotation and it is truly a song that fortells the future and is a great post crisis song to listen too

BOOM CREW ANTHEM

Now I am not going to lie to you, we didn't create the STRENGTH BASED PROGRAM

he did.

And he got it from him

Seriously, if you have to ask yourself the question, "Is this strength Based?"

THE ANSWER IS NO IT IS NOT.

Rap Music, before these Day Spa Rappin ass coons killed it

So while I am chopping this here writers block down trying to get to the hot gooey center of creativity that I know that what ever gets written will be epic.

but there really is no reason to force it in...unless

you know what, I am just going to leave that as it is.

Anyway, if you listen to rap these days, I really feel bad for you.

Seriously, whenever I hear a grown ass man talking about any rapper with "lil" "Boy"(and all alternative spellings) and anybody rapping with a Mohawk

I am secretly killing you in a very violent way.

Now in the interest of being more Christ like in my thought word and deed, instead of telling all you drake, lil wayne, roscoe dash, soulja boy fans, that you really should be beaten within an inch of your life with a ball peen hammer,

Imma do something different and try to educate yall ignant asses.

So we are going to start off with 1995-96, dungeon family was straight killing it.

I took the liberty of posting the youtube mix of the goodie mob, you're welcome.

http://www.youtube.com/artist?a=GxdCwVVULXeHk_gNq-9_oTJ4PAbTPN5F&feature=bottomfeedr

you really can't mention Goodie Mob without their brothers in arms OUTKAST, so here is some of dat real life dirty south music

http://www.youtube.com/artist?a=GxdCwVVULXeHk_gNq-9_oTJ4PAbTPN5F&feature=bottomfeedr

I have pretty much taken your whole day from you at this point.

But wait there is more.

This song guaranteed a nosebleed.

No intro needed

This song can still turn best friend into mortal enemies if played in the club

REAL(CLAP)TALK(CLAP)

I know people are going to say that when I was younger the older folks said the same thing I am saying now about the day spa rappers, see I really don't you all get the picture.

If you think this is ever going to be considered a classic, then you really need to do some soul searching.

Writers Block: Ki-YA!!!!

So it has been a while since my last blog, the last one was one of my favorites. Read it if you haven't. Anyway, since then my life has been lacking the proper amounts of drama, adventure, intrigue and time and so that really prohibits me from the pseudo self-depreciating, misogynistic, ego-based blogs that everyone loves to read.

Basically, I don't hang out in bars as much as before.

Honestly, my life for the last six months have been filled with work, training, and the search for new hobbies. My job, which has been for the most part a great source of material for my blog, but even that has evened out. See, I work with a really good group of people on the island and through our collective efforts alone, we have boring days at work.

I spent a week in New Orleans doing Capoeira and I am still putting together a blog about that experience. I think it is going to require a two parts. I mean on the one hand I do want to share with all my friends the complete awesomeness of this art, and at the same time we all know how KenNitro gets down.

Also and this is more important than everything else I imagine, the Netflix, Hulu, Youtube triad with my TV has a serious strangle on my immediate free time. So I guess I can share, with you all what I have been watching instead of finding drama to commentate on.

Lets start with something awesome. EPIC MEALTIME

Now I have to say this before you watch this video, these guys are Canadians, and there is nothing wrong with that, these guys know how to get it in. These are some of my favorites.

And this one

Roll one up HOMIE

Then there is Fist of the North Star. To be honest, the only reason I started this was because I was tempted to buy the game, and then I remembered watching the live action movie as a kid, and I downloaded the animated movie, but then I was like, "Do I really want to watch the animated movie when there are 150 episodes that I have not watched?"

Here is the first episode, 'GOD OR DEVIL, the Mightest man appears in HELL

150 episodes of self-righteous violence, SMART!

and then the TV Show Numb3rs.

This is pretty much which has been taking over my social life for now.

Well, that's not 100% true