Some local flavor

I'm very sorry to make you jealous, but tomorrow morning I am going to see the oral surgeon to have my two remaining wisdom teeth taken out.  When I did the left side, I only had local anesthesia.  This time, I have wised up and will be requesting an IV full of Valium and a man sized hit of nitrous.  Hopefully the process will go better this time than the last.

I doubt I will be writing an entry tomorrow, as I will be on the mend.  So tonight I thought it would be fun to write about a few odd things I saw in the neighborhood today.  The first comes courtesy of the restroom at a local cafe.  I was feeling down this morning and needed an affirmation.  A little positive reinforcement.  And that is what I saw this sign...


You know what?  I am a respectful human being.  Thank you for noticing, restaurant bathroom.  On the way out of the cafe, I couldn't help but notice this poster...

Actually, these posters have been plastered all over the neighborhood for weeks, advertising stops for this concert tour at various casinos across the country.  For the unfamiliar, my neighborhood is a haven for Euro-persons, i.e. the target demographic for a performance of this type.  A little bit of iPhone Google magic revealed that Tasos Bougas is a Greek singer known as "Planitarhis" (the ruler of the planet).  Apparently he rules a planet on which pictures such as the above are taken completely in earnest.  Multiple gold bracelets?  BluBlocker style shades?  Ashy cigar?  This man is living the good life.

His opening act, Kiss Madiam, is described by the above linked article only as a four piece band which won the second season of Greece Got Talent.  They are attired as Kiss, and I assume there must be an interesting backstory there.  There is a video clip available here.  I suggest you watch it, as words don't begin to do it justice.  From what I can gather (I don't speak Greek), they dress as Kiss and do Greek language covers of various pop songs and old standards, none of which are by Kiss.

Now check out this video of Tasos Bougas.  Again, there is a language barrier, but from what I can tell, this is a skit in which he plays a Bill Clinton sort of figure (in his capacity of ruler of the planet, no doubt) and does a send up of Monica Lewinsky.  Honestly, I would consider going to this concert if given the opportunity.  Imagine the stories.

Later in the day, I was in the drug store and noticed this lovely novelty item...

For those who don't recognize him, it's Frankie the Filet-o-Fish from the unaccountably popular McDonald's commercial which was a fixture of last year's Lenten season.  Frankie is himself a take on the insufferable and unaccountably popular Big Mouth Billy Bass fad of about ten years ago.  For those of discerning taste who wish to purchase either of these items, Frankie will run you about 20 bucks, whereas Billy is a collector's item no longer in production.  So you'll have to shell out 40 to 60 bucks for him.  Or you could give me the money instead and I will sing annoying songs for you on demand.  By the way, I find the Frankie commercial somewhat disturbing.  The notion that the carcass of something I am about to eat is willing to sing for the recovery of his missing pieces does not sit well with me.

I close tonight with one last gem.  I don't think that anyone would accuse me of being "green."  But even though I am not a staunch environmentalist, I can recognize wasteful and unnecessary packaging when I see it...

I present to you a single package of travel facial tissues packaged in a blister pack with a cardboard backing.  And with that, I retire for the night.  Fingers crossed for an easy tooth extraction.