Every now and then...

It may seem a little silly, but every now and then I will do something to remind myself why a particular action/ activity is not routine.

• Smoking cigars.  Fortunately, I have never been a smoker, although I did try cigarettes as a teenager.  That is until my eldest sister smelled it on my breath one evening, grabbed me by the ear, hauled me out onto the back porch and gave me the what-for's.
• Traveling I270 and the C(r)apital Beltway for my commute.  Fortunately, there are other routes to be taken.  I will venture that route only during off-peak hours and always regret it.  During prime hours, I think a day doesn't go by that there isn't at least one traffic incident that happens.
• Driving PA route 30 east of Breezewood.  Not an issue anymore since that is really out of my way now, when traveling to visit family, but it used to be an option to avoid the PA Turnpike, which has it's own well deserved reputation.  It is two lanes that have some pretty steep grades that wind up and across the mountain ridge.  There is a reason trucks are prohibited from traveling that section.  It might be fun if one were in a small go-fast car, but I always seem to have older vehicles that can't get out of their own way.  So even if I did have a small go-fast car, I would likely end up stuck behind someone like me.
• And finally, the event that made me think of this whole thing, ordering food from one of the fast food chains near work.

          I needed to work today to make some progress on machining some parts for a project.  Finished off the last of my lunch supplies yesterday, so no big deal, I'll go through the drive-thru at Burger King.  Place my order and make my way to the window.  I think the only English words the girl at the window knew were "yes" and "thank you" because she would just give a dumbfounded look whenever I would ask a question to verify the order.  Needless to say, what I ordered I did not get.  But I was in a bit of a rush so I did not want to take the time to go into the store and straighten it out.  Besides, I was already back out on the road.  So I had chicken strips instead of a burger.  They even messed up the drink, according to the receipt.  It was supposed to be a Coke.  I got Sprite.  Yep, raising the minimum wage is going to correct all of those problems.