Gotta Catch Some Common Sense

Pokémon Go (stylized as Pokémon GO) is a location-based augmented reality mobile game, developed by Niantic, published by The Pokémon Company, and part of the Pokémon franchise. It was initially released in July 2016 for iOS and Android devices, starting with Australasia, the United States, and parts of Europe, with Asian and other European releases to follow The game allows players to capture, battle, and train virtual Pokémon who appear throughout the real world. It makes use of GPS and the camera of compatible devices. Although the game is free-to-play, it supports in-app purchases of additional gameplay items. (Wikipedia)

Y'all know 4:5 times I am not doing the trendy thing. Pokemon Go is one of them. I'm not playing it. I know about Pokemon. I used to watch the cartoon. Pokemon has seen some of my money. Just last Christmas, I bought my nephew, Monkey Toes some trading cards. That's what he's into so, Ho, Ho Ho Merry Christmas.  But like Words with Friends & Candy Crush, I won't be lead to play it.

Now, just because others are Gotta Catch 'Em All doesn't mean I was going to be mean. Then I saw some headlines.

Holocaust Museum, Auschwitz want Pokémon Go hunts out

Arlington National Cemetery is a no-go for Pokemon Go 

Now, I have to hit folks with the side eye. I'll say it the creators & publishers Niantic & The Pokemon Company as well as some(Keyword is...) of the game should all the blame. None of them are using common sense & respect.

Yes, I said the creators. I was under the impression that Pokemons had permission at these places so that they could be caught. I saw a restaurant called Sushi Bayashi at Trinity Groves, that's here in Dallas on Facebook encouraging people to Come Catch 'Em All there. I was shocked when places like the Holocaust Museum & Arlington National Cemetery have people in them catching Pokemon. Trinity Groves is an open air culinary & entertainment destination. People are supposed to have fun there. (I can't imagine the increase is sighting of people sitting around on their phones in public.)The other two places are not socializing places. I just think it is disrespectful for the company let this issue run amuck. Who failed but "passed" the research & development and allowed this to happen?

But the company is only 50% of the blame. The players who decided to enter these revered places are just disrespectful. Heck, common sense should say. "I shouldn't run around this place where people are coming to learn about a dark cultural event in the world". But in a world where the police have to put out tips to keep players safe,

As Pokémon Go Consumes Country, Police Nationwide Issue Safety Tips 

I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

Maybe I need to develop an app to test common sense levels and that would determine what apps you could be allowed to download based on your level. Lord, the number of smart phones shut off because the number of people not even at the level to handle one will blow my mind.

Y'all Be Careful!!! Don't be Dumb. And Respect Everyone While You Catch 'Em All.

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms

A New Series: Food Know-It-All

I might have mentioned it before but I didn't originally go to college to work in nutrition. I was a Nursing major. I wanted to be a School Nurse. I've never told the whole story on why I changed my major. Yes, This is an Exclusive. When I changed it, I was upset & confused with so many people, I decided to shut my mouth and finish my degree. Yes, I said upset. My Great Aunt, L, a retired county nurse is still not truly happy.

One Christmas break, I was at an exhausted crossroad. Nursing School was frying my brain. I was passing but that was just it, Passing. This was my 3rd semester and the exhaustion and grades, I felt, were not equal. So, I decided to casually look at changing my major. First, I looked over my graded nursing papers & tests. My strengths were Education & Nutrition. That was good because all my hard work would not go to waste. I looked at Health Education. That was not going to work for me because that meant I would end up teaching a limited curriculum based on government standards. Then I looked at Nutrition. Then my clinical case study I did my 1st semester of Nursing school started screaming at me. A 5 year old little boy who was admitted to the hospital for gastroenteritis (stomach flu) was my patient. What? In the hospital for stomach flu? Well, the child was anorexic. And when a child doesn't eat, it happens. The little boy didn't eat, not even in the hospital. I remember almost weeping during the clinical because it reminded me of a extremely picky eater in my own family. That person eventually overcame his issues but could that little boy do so? I never found out. Well, my mind wandered about why we feel & think about the things we eat. I thought about all kinds of stereotypes & mindsets. I thought about regulations & rules. I was so overwhelmed with wanting to learn about these thoughts. So, I decided to change my major to Nutrition, right then. But good things did came from Nursing school. All those hours manifested an associate's degree in Health Care Science, the very day I changed degrees. In the world of the many. many faces of Nutrition, that associate's helps employers & clients see my nutritional focus.

Nutrition then opened up a vast world for me. Me being a willing to be constantly educated and a slight Know-It-All, I kinda dove straight in. I've come out why some interesting topics, info, & questions over the years. And that is what this series will be about. How did some food related stereotypes come about? What's the history about some the food industry norms? Is the America responsible for it's own bad food issues? Some of the topics will be:

Kid's Menus

Chicken & Watermelon Stereotypes

Turkey & Thanksgiving

Chinese Food & Animals Stereotypes

Food Deserts

Food Stamp Opinions

So, be prepared to to take more peaks in the food mind of OUTSPOKEN_DIVA. I promise not get you lost in the maze. Hopefully, I will cause some dialogues & teach along the way. And you know you opinions will be welcomed.

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms

I Didn't Forget My Blogiversary

No, I didn't forget July 3rd. This is now my 5th year blogging on the Blogger platform. Got some new plans for some things and the same plans for most things. Stay Tuned!!!

On July 3rd, I was traveling outside of the state of Texas for leisure. It's been a while since I vacationed (Not work travel) outside of my home state. I had opportunities but they were for places I had already been to or out of my budget. I wanted to go somewhere different. Then I.D. got married this time last year. She lives in the Washington DC area. And the idea came to me. Why don't I celebrate the country's birth & my friend's first wedding anniversary in the Nation's Capital? So I told two of the other besties, Shadrack (formerly known as LJ) & T.T. my idea and they were on board. Then a snag came in my plan. My side-hustle had me on their shortlist for training for contest judging in El Paso. I DID NOT want to go to El Paso at the same time. So, I shut up, prayed and kept saving money to go DC. In March, I finally found out that I was not going to El Paso. We told I.D. that we were coming and July 3rd, we landed on the DMV.

Our first stop was a Brunch Buffet!!! Brunch is the preferred hangout meal for my friends & loved ones. It's our Day Party and it is slowly taking over Happy Hour for us. I.D. & her husband, blog name Stick picked us up and took us to this great spot called A-Town Bar & Grill in Virginia. We left Dallas at 6:10 in the AM so, we were Hungry.

The food was delicious!!! There was Breakfast Food, Steak & Chicken Kabobs, Tacos, Sushi Rolls, Chicken & Waffles, Fresh Fruit, Mac & Cheese Balls, Crab Salad, Shrimp Cocktail, and Desserts. We all agreed that the Crème Brule was Wonderful!!! Then we partook in a little hookah smoking. I don't smoke. I grew up in a smoking house. I tried a couple of times and I was not my thing. But when in Rome, you go with the flow. Hookah smoking was cool. I don't detest it. Felt & tastes better than smoking cigarettes & weed. Afterward, we did a little sightseeing on the National Mall. We saw Martin Luther King, Jr & Lincoln Memorials directly & Washington & Jefferson Memorials from afar.

I had no clue those memorials were so far away from each other. Lincoln & MLK, Jr were 15 minutes away from each other. I was so ready for some rest. Stick took us to a pizza place called H & Pizza so we would have something to eat that night for dinner. It was very good to create your own pizza. It was even tasty cold. We got into our room, got some rest and got dressed for a 4th of July Event at the hotel across the rest from us.

The featured group was Dru Hill. We were in VIP and Dru Hill passed right by our table. I straight fanned out. Jazz is my favorite.

Why do I like Jazz the best? Not just because he is a BBHM (Big Bald Handsome Man) *wink* But because when Dru Hill was on Keith Sweat's reality show, Sweat House he was the only one that seems to be genuinely Band Loyal. But they were very enjoyable. I also got a full taste of GoGo music, not just the commercial stuff the radio stations barely play. I think we finally went to bed at around 4 am. Which meant we didn't leave the hotel until noon on Independence Day. Stick had to work so it was just us with ID. She took us to National Harbor.

We got to snap a few pictures before the rain started. We ducked into a spot called Rosa Mexicano. I am now on the hunt for the recipe for those Black Bean. They were so scrumptious that I started dipping my chips into the bowl meant for the table. LoL

We then went to hang out at ID & Stick's new home in Maryland. It was very nice & spacious. They were expecting others but it was raining a lot. So, it was just us. I fixed(with my little help) a meal that included Crab Legs, Burgers, Grilled Pork Chops Pasta Salad, Corn on the Cob & Chicken with Mambo Sauce that we picked up on the way to the house. Mambo Sauce is a beloved condiment in DC. I liked it. Taste like a ketchup & duck sauce or plum sauce mix. The culmination of the night was watching them open & read their 1-year anniversary card we gave them.

The last day, July 5 was ID & Stick's actual anniversary. They spent it at a spa & the Bay. TT, Shadrack & I after a light breakfast took a field trip to the US Navy Memorial & Ben's Chili Bowl.

We took the Metro Way around. Oh, and the subway issues were very real. My grandfather always talks about the memorial during his travels with the Dallas Postal Credit Union Board. So, I had to see it. I know it is just a statue but I teared up. Just the thought that I was seeing what Pau-Pau saw decades ago was emotional. Then we went to Ben's. Foodies always talk about Ben's Chilli Bowl but I don't eat hot dogs in public. Also, I was trying to lighten it up on the cuisine a bit. My stomach was thinking about frowning. So, we kept Ben's like a photo op, too. Later that night I had a bowl of Southwest Tortilla Soup at Chili's near our hotel in Crystal City. Then we were off to packing because our flight was at 7:55 am. Wheels Up and we were home on July 6th.

Oh yes, I will be returning to the Washington DC area aka The DMV. Next time, I will tack on 2 more days and make it a 5-day trip. I didn't get to see another good friend while I was there. Only saw one other wedding party member and that was at the party with Dru Hill. Oh, it was not Ridge. I talked to Ridge while I was there. *sigh* I ended up having a little revelation. I need a Reformed(ing) Playa in my world (Had one but Football Nerd left this world) to translate F-word Boy language & mindsets. And I will leave it there.

Yeah, I'll admit it, I'm still on a high.

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms