Expenses Without Receipts

Starting from Wednesday, February 28:

• Forewarning you (and myself) that there won't be too many EWRs this time around.  Judging by the number of receipts that keep falling out of my left hip pocket, I have been able to get receipts for most of the things I bought this cycle.  That I have so few entries for this blog post should be a good thing, but I'm scared that I'm missing something.  OK ... I didn't spend any money on the 28th, so I go back to Tuesday the 27th, where I woke up early to go to IHOP because they celebrating National Pancake Day by giving out three free pancakes.  I was debating as to whether or not I was going to go to this IHOP, which is about five minutes away from work.  I did not want to get there so late that I had to wait for free pancakes before work.  Then again, I really did not want to wake up early and have all this free time after I got done eating them flapjacks.  The variable here is the location of this IHOP.  It's right across from the Mall Of America, surrounded by hotels and other restaurants, and nowhere close to any neighborhood.  Because of that, I woke up only 20 minutes early and took the risk that there wouldn't be a lot of people there.  And you know what?  I was right!  I walked up to the hostess and she sat me immediately.  And once I sat down the waitress came up and took my order of a free short stack and lemonade.  Five minutes after that I got my pancakes -- guess they were making them ahead of time.  I was out of there in about 35 minutes, and I think I was only, oh, five minutes late to work.  I say that's perfect, and that I made the right decision to not wake up too early.  Plus the donation that IHOP was touting Tuesday, the total was just: $5.
• Saw Black Panther that night.  I am not disappointed.  But frankly, the reason many people rave about this movie, that this is a clash of ideas that make up much of the African-American experience, and thus the internal struggle of America itself -- I was underwhelmed at.  The reason I find it underwhelming is that the thought process from Killmonger, of revenge and burn-it-all-down, was something he ranted about a lot but never really put into action.  In that respect, the movie told us and didn't show us.  What would have been better was seeing Killmonger start executing his plan and seeing the reaction from people as he tried to, in essence, "flip the script" and upend global white power.  A lot of people can see his point-of-view, and seeing people side with Killmonger as he sets things right (at least in his own mind) would have made for a better, more resonant movie.  So what Black Panther should not have done was stage the climactic battle before Killmonger set out his Wakandan forces on his worldwide spree of terrorism.  (Yes, that would have made for a longer movie.  Solution: Make two movies.)  This flick was less political and more familial.  B+?  Ticket, popcorn and pop equals: $9.67.
• On Monday, February 26 I went to Hooters after work.  NASCAR driver Chase Elliott has this deal with Hooters.  If he wins, you get ten boneless wings when you buy ten boneless, and if he finishes in the top ten, you get a free order of fried pickles.  Well, he finished tenth in Atlanta the day before, so the next day (and this offer only is good for the following Monday) I went in for the free pickles.  You have to buy a beer, though, and I got the Budweiser, which is on special for the month, I think.  I felt kind of bad paying so little, but hey, free pickles.  (That I went to restaurants one evening and then the following morning and paid only five bucks, less than many meals at fast food restaurants, is not lost on me.)  With tip: $5.
• On Friday the 23rd I went to, possibly, The Greatest House Party I've Been To Ever.  I should wax on this a little more later, but the combination of not too many strippers (too many is a shitshow), all of those strippers being veterans, a clear decision on who to take to the bed, and all-around good vibes made me glad I decided to go to this party.  By the way, one of the girls there brought in Girl Scout Cookies to sell.  I bought Smores and a Lemonades.  So with cover, two lappers and a girl who squeezed my dick on her way out the door (more on that later) I paid: $198.
• I went to Glam Doll afterwards.  That night was their five-year anniversary.  They say that if you make it to five years, you're in business for good, so congratulations to Glam Doll!  They had a party and a DJ and everything, and it looks like I got there just as they finished, so it was back to the old Glam Doll, and I'm glad because I wanted to work on my computer.  I got one free donut while I was there, and I got four free donuts they gave me on my way out.  Score!  This is for the one donut and the pourover and the tip: $9.
• Thursday, February 22 was National Margarita Day, five days before National Pancake Day.  (These national food days are all the rage now, haven't you noticed?)  I saw on the Hard Rock Cafe e-mail that Gold Margaritas at the HRC at MOA was only $2.22, so I had to stop by after work and drink one.  Once again I went to a sit-down restaurant and paid less than I could pay for food from a fast food place.  With tip: $4.25.
• On Wednesday the 21st I went to a party that I thought was hosted by ******e, a hot-to-trot minx who I for sure was going to service me.  But she didn't.  I don't know why.  But I did see her getting eaten out by another customer when I took a girl by the name of Rose to a secluded couch in a dark corner of this house.  Maybe she got all her needs taken care of by then, because even though we got naked, she didn't do nothing except talk.  Well that was a buzzkill.  Should've gone to the VIP with Nicole instead, even though she terrifies me.  There was a fourth girl there, Michelle, and like with Rose and Nicole I got LDs from them.  As for ******e I bargained down to $80 because she wasn't feeling it (figuratively as well as literally) and I had to leave to watch The Women's Hockey Gold Medal Game at Buffalo Wild Wings.  With cover: $150.

Good through February 28.