Strange Visitor
On Monday, we had a strange bird perched atop the recycle bin in the carport. It was there for maybe three hours having a siesta. At first, I thought it might be some kind of owl, like a barred owl or maybe a juvenile great horned owl because of the dark mottled color. I managed to get out the front door without waking it, sneaked up on it and got a picture just before I had to go to the store. When I tried to get closer for another picture, it suddenly woke up and hauled ass when it saw me.
Upon further inspection of the picture, I thought that it was the strangest looking owl that I had ever seen and maybe it wasn't an owl at all. So I've spent nearly two hours searching the internet tonight to determine just who this strange little visitor was. It turns out that it was some kind of Nightjar, like a Whip-poor-will or a Chuck-will's-widow. I had heard of Whip-poor-wills before, but I'd never actually seen one, neither a picture nor a live one.
So here ya go. Have a gander.
Upon further inspection of the picture, I thought that it was the strangest looking owl that I had ever seen and maybe it wasn't an owl at all. So I've spent nearly two hours searching the internet tonight to determine just who this strange little visitor was. It turns out that it was some kind of Nightjar, like a Whip-poor-will or a Chuck-will's-widow. I had heard of Whip-poor-wills before, but I'd never actually seen one, neither a picture nor a live one.
So here ya go. Have a gander.
posted by Xul at 12:29 AM
18 Comments:
Why do you automatically make the jump that Fascism = Obama is Hitler?
I was being somewhat facetious. I've seen people make this statement and found it to be silly.
So here ya go. Have a gander.
A nightjar? Have you tried feeding it a goat? It looks like a bird that spends a lot of time on the ground, going by the color of its feathers. Did you see it fly?
Have you tried feeding it a goat?
From what I've read and putting 2 and 2 together, I think these guys are probably responsible for all the Chupacabra and Mothman stories. LOL
From my view at the little window in the front door and the angle, it really did look like an owl at first.
Did you see it fly?
Yeah, it took off like it was jet-propelled when it woke up and saw me. It flew over my car in the car port and out to the back yard. I guess it kept going as I haven't seen it since.
I always like seeing unusual birds in the yard. Saw a male Painted Bunting several months ago.
I always like seeing unusual birds in the yard.
I had an interest in birds when I was a kid. I can't say I was an expert in identifying birds but I was pretty good at it.
So what will you be doing tomorrow at the gig?
I was pretty good at it.
I'm pretty good at identifying them, too, especially if they're natives that I'm familiar with. :)
So what will you be doing tomorrow at the gig?
Mostly some food prep type stuff--making up trays of food and heating things up. The peeps are ordering all the food from some place. I just have to prep it and get it out on the buffet. Some ladies are supposed to fix that before we get there. I might have to set the tables but that's no biggie.
BTW, yesterday one of the two-faced douches that I used to work for called to say that he bought a country club and wants to get the old crew back. He can go fuck himself. Why would I go back for seconds? They got rid of the "old crew" and replaced us with a bunch of assholes that his daughter liked. Now that he's in a pinch to find experienced people to run the place he thinks that we're all going to come running back? Sorry, I have more self respect than some schlepper.
This guy is really a piece of work. He always tries to come across as Mr. Nice Guy to everyone with his phony happy-face and jolliness, but in reality he's very scheming and ruthless. I worked for him for over 10 years and know how he really is and have seen the mask slip.
It's too bad, really. I *did* enjoy working for him when it was just the old crew(we all got along fairly well)before he expanded the business and let his daughter take over. Everything was okay as long as he didn't show up and throw a wrench into the works.
Anyway, the peeps I'm doing the thing for tomorrow...one of the ladies who is a big muckety-muck there called today for another thing. I'm pretty sure she is the one who recommended us. We did stuff for her in the past. She and her husband are really nice and decent peeps. It would be cool to work for them on a more regular basis.
Sorry, I have more self respect than some schlepper.
Plus, you're building up a client base and a reputation for your own business. Why throw that away?
you're building up a client base
If they are impressed enough with my quality of work it could become a regular thing. :)
BTW, OUAT actor count:
add Josh Dallas(Thor), Giancarlo Esposito(Breaking Bad), and Sarah Bolger(The Moth Diaries). ;P
Josh Dallas(Thor)
WTH that was Charming?? I've seen that movie a couple of times now but never realized it was him.
So did you have a nice work day? :)
WTH that was Charming??
Yup.
So did you have a nice work day? :)
I will let you know when I get back. I have to leave in an hour. :)
Okay, that went fairly well. 120 peeps so I really had to be on my toes. Got everything out on time and the peeps seemed happy. Several of them thanked me after it was over. I got another one next month and one in May. :)
This one had Chinese food and some sushi for dinner. Pickles and hummus, too. Dutch apple thingy for dessert. Strange combo. ;P Of course, I got some to take home. :)
I'm a bit tired as there was a lot of walking around. My quads were hurting by the end of the night. Feels good to be active, though. And making $$$ is always my favorite part. ;P
120 peeps so I really had to be on my toes.
Holy crap! 120 people to serve and only 2 people to do the serving? You must haven been practically running from table to table.
I got another one next month and one in May. :)
Your catering empire is well on its way I see. :)
Dutch apple thingy for dessert.
Could you give more detail? I'm curious if I might know it.
120 people to serve and only 2 people to do the serving?
They had their custodian guy there, too. It was a buffet so I mainly had to worry about fixing up the trays and bowls of food to be put out on the tables and heat the big pans of food for the buffet. Clearing the plates was the hardest part as there was an extreme amount of walking around but at least everything was on disposables. :)
It was mostly old peeps and they weren't very bitchy which is always a plus.
You must haven been practically running from table to table.
I've had to do much worse. The asshole who called and wanted his old crew back? The last time I worked for him was the straw that broke the camel's back. 180 peeps, on china and I was basically having to set it all myself. I had 2 others supposed to be working with me but one was taking her sweet-ass time setting up a buffet and the other was futzing around setting up a drink bar so he wouldn't have to help me. By the end I was ready to murder them all.
Your catering empire is well on its way I see. :)
Wouldn't *that* be sweet revenge. :D
Could you give more detail?
It was basically a Dutch apple pie that was baked in a massive sheet cake size. I was thankful for that as it's easier to serve 120 peeps with that size(easier to cut portions). I would have been ready to murder someone if they had a bunch of regular pies that I had to cut.
Wouldn't *that* be sweet revenge. :D
Hey, if that's what it takes to motivate you. ;P
I just would like you to have lots of success and moneyz. :)
At least it's weekend now. Time to watch movies and tally OUAT actors. ;)
I just would like you to have lots of success and moneyz. :)
Thanks! :)
I would like that, too. Life is *much* better with lots of moneyz. ;P
Time to watch movies and tally OUAT actors. ;)
LOL
Hey, I got my most recent Dead Pool pick in. I had been going with Christopher Lee when he wasn't poached. I didn't have time to get my pick in before having to leave yesterday, but when I got back, there were only maybe 50 picks in ahead of me. I went and switched to Valerie Harper as she has brain cancer. My previous strategy had been to be ogrish and pick peeps with terminal diseases, but then I figured it would be better to pick peeps who I liked. Of course, I like winning so I've switched back to my first strategy(I also used to wait until it was announced that someone was in the hospital before I'd pick 'em). Anyhoo, it dawned on me after I picked Ms. Harper that I had a previous client who bought her old mansion on Miami Beach. I did lots of entertaining in Val's old house. ;P
And one more ironic thing...she used to like to cook so the kitchen in that house was freakin' huge! If I win with that pick, it will be fitting. ;D
I did lots of entertaining in Val's old house. ;P
I'm not sure I see how that's funny. Did you do strange (but entertaining) things there?
If I win with that pick, it will be fitting. ;D
How so? Because you like to cook as well?
You don't have brain cancer as well, do you?
Oh Arekino, come on now. There's a sorta connection because I used to do what I do at her old house. It's not like it's just some random person. It wasn't meant to be funny.
I *do* have lots of stories from all the different occasions there. Those peeps, like most rich folks, were a trip.
Cher had bought the house next door at one point. I remember seeing her outside one time. Barry Gibb was friends with my client. Also Steven Tyler. We used to have peeps from the local news station over occasionally as my client's good friend worked for that TV station. I got to be on TV one time. :)
It could be a stressful pain in the ass as everything had to be like you were entertaining royalty but it was also fun to be in "that world" and be able to see and eat and experience all those things that those peeps do.
Well, aren't you the little name dropper. :P
be able to see and eat and experience all those things that those peeps do.
Oh, come on, it can't have been *that* special? Is this what you're hoping for in your line of work?
Well, aren't you the little name dropper. :P
Just to name a few. ;P
I generally don't name drop. They are just people like anyone else. The only difference is they have shit-tons of money. Life is better with money. It(life)becomes almost limitless.
it can't have been *that* special?
It's very, very nice. I miss the expensive food the most. One time I ate about $350 worth of beluga caviar all by myself(Rich folks tend to eat like birds, they have it all the time so it's not that special to them. There really *is* a difference in taste with beluga. I couldn't help myself and kept going back until half the tin was gone. ;P).
Is this what you're hoping for in your line of work?
The celebrity part I couldn't care less about. I *do* like the $ and the good food. The food is my favorite part. I've become a shameless foodie in my old age. ;P
(Although I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the swank, too.)
BTW, Ferrari Testarosa's, Bentleys, Porsches and Mercedes are very nice cars. ;P (I know Mercs aren't *that* exclusive as they are more commonly driven. They're still nice. I always liked the classic Merc 560SL myself, but I digress. ;P)
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