Ugh, ita. Looking for a job right now must be a nightmare.

ita-- I wish I had a job for you... but even if I did it would be in upstate ny.

My boss had to leave tomeet her daughter, who is uninsured and peeing blood, at the emergency room in Albany. Now I think I am going to have to take my cat to the vets ASAP because she is having trouble peeing. I don't even know who to call in to or who could cover for me.

We have both Red Robin and Fudruckers around Durham, NC. I like the Red Robin better than Fudruckers, and the burgers at a couple of small, Carrboro restaurants better than either.

Boomer's in Bellingham has fantastic burgers. Just sayin.

ita, dammit. I'd give anything for an adequate job for the moment to appear for you. This sucks so hard.

I would have liked to see that first treatment--that seemed the organic way for the storyline to go. I have heard that Weatherly and Alba were being diva-ish about producing and the storyline, and that at one point it had gone so far Weatherly was counting lines in the script to make sure Alec didn't have more than Logan. Couldn't have been a happy set to work on.

Hmm. Well of course chains are not going to match local places (or sometimes small chains that still have local roots.)

Incidentally, everywhere I've ever lived the best onion rings and fries in town were always at some local bar. (That applies here in Olympia took where the best fries in town are at the Iron Rabbit.) I wonder if there is something about bars where the demand for fries is just at the right scale.

Most opiates make me wide awake. Cheerful, but awake. The sum total of drugs that make me sleepy = Ambien.

Winsteads in Kansas is a chain

Calvin Trillin has written at some length about the glories of Winstead's in Kansas City.

Fuddruckers exists here and in NC.

ita, hope something come in soon.

I got my first mortgage invoice. Have to call to set up auto withdrawl. Whee!

Blinds, blinds, blinds, doors, garage, deck.

Mixed bag Monday.

Good news: I didn't get fired today.

Bad news: No annual company bonuses next month.

Good news: I just saw the first hummingbird of the season at my feeder.

Good/bad news: the new construction just up the road is going to be a Chick-fil-a. Come July my waistline and my budget are doooooooomed.

eta: Winstead's is no big whoop.

For those curious about my progress, start here [link] and there are a 5 pics and a couple crappy quality videos.

My house is a mess, but at least there are fewer boxes!!

Re: Kuma's Corner's burgers (the Chicago representative on the Food Network magazine list upthread)--the Burger of the Month for May is the Swine Flu! From a local foodie blog I saw this info at:

It started with fried tortilla strips, topped with chorizo hash, roasted green chile, pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and then there's a touch of like this cream based sauce that was pretty amazing.

And the waiters/waitresses are all wearing masks around their necks or on their foreheads.