Expenses Without Receipts

Starting from Monday, February 21:

• After another shit-ass day at The Fourth Department -- I was lucky I left at 7 because that was 9 1/2 hours, and my boss would definitely have questions if I stayed even till 7:01 -- I totally deserved getting a drink.  I feel really, really cool going to bars with hidden entrances, like the OG place, Volstead's in Uptown.  I wanted to dive in there for a couple hours to myself before the snowstorm hits, but luckily, the snowstorm didn't really hit by the time I got out of there 90-120 later.  (As of press time the blizzard still hasn't hit yet.)  So I indulged in not one but two cocktails, the first of which was a "dealer's choice" of a Sazerac, a cocktail not on Volstead's menu.  I feel special whenever a bartender makes an off-menu drink for me.  Weird, however, having two separate cups of different elixirs with which, according to the bartenders, I was supposed to sip alternately.  My second drink, a gin-based concoction called The Cure, was even better.  And I had an entree, braised pork, and then an appetizer, shrimp cocktail.  I didn't think I was going to spend that much, but again, it was a shitty day at work, so I treated myself.  With tip: $85.
  
• I'm glad Volstead's was open on a Monday, even if it was quiet.  Nevertheless, they still had music, namely a ragtime player named Daniel.  He took requests; he played "Skylark" for me, which he knew how to play because it was on his set list.  Unfortunately, he could not cope with even knowing how to play "'Round Midnight."  That's cool.  Nice to hear some entertainment on a slow Monday night.  So I tipped him: $4.
• On Valentine's Day I was looking for love at the strip club in St. Paul.  First time I was there in a while.  Mostly stayed away because of COVID, but this was the holiday in which to break out.  Unfortunately, I knew none of the strippers there, and the ones that were did not interest me in the slightest.  So all I did there was scroll through my phone and drink two Miller Light cans for the price of one.  I can't imagine going back there again.  With tip I shelled out: $9.
• Leaving there early and feeling kind of burned my night wasn't turning out how I wanted it to, I turned my attention to filling my belly.  I went to Chick-Fil-A because there was a free sandwich that was going to expire in three days' time if I didn't use it.  So it was a perfect time to use it, and that was good to ending this shit-ass Valentine's Day on a good note.  I bought fries too, just to prove to Chick-Fil-A that I wasn't a pure freeloader.  Price of the fries: $2.02.
• Going back to Saturday, February 5 ... went to work for a bit because they needed the help.  Stayed after our shift because we were late.  Has happened a lot this month.  Anyway, I wanted to be alone but out on the town ... well, the happenin' part of my town, which is about ten miles south of me but just north of downtown Minneapolis.  Went to Sociable Cider Works which I thought had a market that was extended across three other craft breweries and distilleries in the area, but now that I think about it, Sociable wasn't one of the four.  I think I went there because I love cider drinks.  It was cold, but the place set up bonfires outside, and I felt like a man picking up pieces of lumber, arranging them in the iron hearths, and warming up my hands as I fed the fires.  Charged my cider drink, but I tipped in cash  Cider tip plus tip: $5.
• I then walked the .7 miles to Able, a brewery I know was a part of the market which I had planned to go to but missed because I chose to work instead.  I actually won a gift certificate to a craft brewery on Twitter, and I chose Able even though I would have preferred, well, Sociable.  I won it in late 2020, I believe, and it was high time I used it (thank God it doesn't expire).  And I hadn't increased my stash of winter hats from breweries in a while, so I used most but not all of my $25 voucher on that and a small beer.  Still have a couple bucks left over.  And I tipped in cash: $2.
• Oh yeah ... earlier that day and before I did my half-shift at work, I went to Wal-Mart because one of my stripper girlfriends, ******e, needed money.  No PayPal, no Venmo -- she wanted me to wire her the money through this thing called Walmart2Walmart.  Seems sketchy as hell, especially after I was surprised to learn I needed to use cash, and especially after the Wal-Mart closest to me was closed the night before and that Saturday morning; there was a note saying the technology malfunctioned or something.  So I drove down to the Wal-Mart closest to work to do this.  Wiring $100 costs eight bucks.  ******e better suck my dick for this.  Total: $108.
• Back to Tuesday the 1st, which was the last day Lisa was shining shoes downtown.  Here's to new beginnings ... and to finding a new person who will polish my Doc's.  Since this was her last time, I gave her double what I usually paid her: $30.
• On Monday, January 31, ****e* finally got to my house and finished cleaning it.  Two days to clean my house?  Well, at least she did it before Chinese New Year.  And she does leave things spic-and-span.  Paid her: $300.
• Sunday the 30th: Was a good day to get my car washed.  Charged the cleaning, but tipped in cash: $4.
• And then, because I did have some time to kill, I went up and ate at El Taco Riendo.  It's a good Mexican place that I patronize from time to time.  Three tacos, a cherry Coke and tip: $8.50

Good through February 21.