Month: June 2025

Starbucks is the new Maxwell House

~ SA Otey
DSC00926.jpg
My Old Setup in 2002

Today, people flock to Starbucks because it’s what they know; they don’t know any better. Growing up, I could not stand the taste of coffee. My parents and grandparents would pour these foul-smelling cups of what looked like oil runoff from the Sears Auto Center.  It’s what they knew because it was the cornerstone of the market. People get used to what they know, and it’s hard to change.

Current setup

When I buy Starbucks coffee, I get the jitters because there is so much caffeine in each cup. It’s like they spray the beans with extra caffeine before they grind them. Get to know a local roaster. It’s the best way to get your coffee; it will cost less and taste much better. Keep it simple with a Press Pot, Hot Water Kettle and a good burr grinder.

Realistic Workout Equipment Expectations

~ SA Otey
photo of black clothes on hangers

It’s frustrating to purchase exercise equipment. Not because it’s expensive, but because there is an unrealistic expectation in the commercials. You always see super-fit people using the equipment. Why not show some regular people who are really out of shape struggling to untangle themselves from the BoFlex cables? Show us how easy it is to use. Don’t show us some elite athlete who is maxing out the equipment. You are setting us up for failure. It’s also important to know how many hangers of clothing the item can eventually hold

Best techniques in furniture restoration

~ SA Otey
IMG_0849
Sofa table I made, because my wife found one like it for $300

One person’s trash is another person’s trash to deal with now. Why do you think they sold it for so cheap, or it was left on the curb to rot? My favorite way to restore furniture is to return it back to its original state. That is dust. Throw the old piece of furniture into the garbage where it belongs. Go buy yourself some fresh new quality furniture. Keep those furniture makers employed, or better yet, make your own!

How to pick a good watermelon

~ SA Otey
close up photography of sliced watermelons

Now that it’s hot and humid outside, what better way to cool down than with a slice of watermelon? If you ever see somebody with a pickup bed full of melons, here’s how to get a deal. For instance, if you can get one for $6 or two for $10. Buy two of them and then ask to return one of them. Since one watermelon is worth $6 dollars you end up paying only $4 for the one watermelon. It’s a great deal. If they don’t accept returns, just smash both of your watermelons all over the pavement so that the onlookers can see. It’s only $10, and how fun is it to smash a watermelon? Just ask Gallagher.

Gallagher – The Smashing Watermelon Collection [DVD]

Why do people hold hands?

~ SA Otey
ground group growth hands
Extreme hand holding

I’ve never understood why people hold hands. I see many couples holding hands in public places. It’s a signal that the person is saying, “Hey, look at me, I’ve got another human as my companion, aren’t you jealous?” I also think these people are insecure, and they need to hold that person’s hand because they are low in self-confidence or just prideful and showing off that someone likes them enough to latch on. However,  my children hold my hand while walking across the interstate. So there’s that.

Softball Dad Starter Kit

~ SA Otey

Making the transition from Rec League to Travel/Club ball is never easy, but we can help you look the part with minimal effort. Just requires a few adjustments to your wardrobe and gear.

Team Hat and Shirt
Contact your team mom to get the link to your swag store. At a minimum, you need a sun hat

Viper Sunglasses – Hide your long stares, glares, and angry eyes.

Long Beard – patchy is best, helps hide the double chin

BP Jacket – help cover up the beer gut

Cargo Shorts – deep pockets for sunflower seeds and extra fluid for your electronic cigarette

Hey Dudes – Easy on easy off, just like a 1-2-3 up 3 down. Might fly off if you fight other parents or umpires.

Beer Gut – pairs nicely with the BP Jacket

Big Mouth for Bleacher Coaching

Rocker Chair that Squeaks – get comfortable near the live stream camera while the pistons squeak enough to drown out the bleacher coaching.

Yeti Tumbler (With Questionable Beverage)

Camera – Hang on the fence to record your child for later analysis and criticism.

Putting faith in your pilot

~ SA Otey
air air travel airbus aircraft

I noticed an airline pilot sitting down to dinner at the airport. He was opening up a bag of McDonald’s food. My initial reaction was concern because it made me think that this person didn’t make good decisions.

However, a salad emerged from the brown sack. I was relieved for a moment because now I thought, maybe he’s not that bad of a decision-maker after all. But then again, who goes to McDonald’s for a salad when there are so many other healthy options?

Then it occurred to me that the pilot is budget savvy. Then I thought, why am I staring at this pilot while he eats his dinner?

Make Your Hashtags Readable: A Simple Guide

~ SA Otey
beach footprint hashtag island
CSharp

There is a time and place for hashtags. They are supposed to be short and readable. #dontdoahashtaglikethis #notproperhashtagusage. Those are hard to read. At a minimum, if you are going to build a long hashtag, use camel casing. #itMakesTheHashTagMoreReadable. If your hashtag is that long, just spell it out as a sentence.

Older folks read the hashtag as the pound symbol. So be careful when starting a hashtag campaign that starts with the pound symbol such as the #MeToo movement. Also, #hashbrowns are delicious.

Why Wearing Slides and Socks Is a Bad Idea

~ SA Otey
socksAndSlides
Lazy foot starter kit

I understand flip-flops. What I don’t understand is the slides and socks configuration. The point of flip-flops is that they’re easy on/off and keep your feet cool. Slides are easy on/off and keep your feet cool, but socks keep your feet warm. Slides and socks may be comfortable but in my opinion, it’s a sign of giving up. You made the effort of putting on socks but didn’t commit to the entire shoe. It’s like when people wear house shoes and smash down the heels. It’s just plain lazy.

I do not wear slides or flip-flops out in public under any circumstances. My argument is simple. They are terrible for your feet, if you think about it, they are not secure on your foot at all, so your subconscious mind has to do the footwork over time to keep them on. This will put stress on your tendons and ligaments. Plus, you can’t run away from pit bulls. If there is shattered glass in your path while the pit bull is chasing you, the bloody footprints will allow the dog to track you if you manage to hide from him.

Finally, if you must expose your feet to the public, please consider something with a heel strap. Also, clean up your feet and toenails. We don’t enjoy seeing or even smelling what looks like an orange golf ball at the end of your big toe..

Note: It’s Ok if you are a baseball or softball player walking from your automobile to the field when you are about to put on your cleats. But I’d prefer you wear sneakers just in case someone brought a pibble to the ball park.

Why Proper Hat Wearing Matters: Tips and Tricks

~ SA Otey
2 Pieces Brimless Hats for Men Adjustable Docker Casual No Brim Hat Visor-Less Flip Sailor Skullcap

Do you wear your cap with the team logo facing forward or with the logo backward so that people behind know your favorite sports team? Do you ever see a baseball player in the field wear his hat backward? Do you also store your sunglasses on your hat and cover your eyes from the glare of the sun? The answer to the previous question should be no. The bill of the cap is supposed to help block the sun.

At what age did you turn your hat around from the improper backward configuration to the proper direction? For me, it was never because I always wore my hat the correct way. Wearing your hat backward doesn’t make you look cool; it just makes it look like you don’t know how to wear a baseball cap properly. The only person who looks cool is Samuel L. Jackson, who is wearing a Kangol backward.