It’s Not Easy Being a Curmudgeon

Being a curmudgeon carries a lot of responsibility. One is expected to be a grouch and a complainer. I do my best, but it seems like an unending job. Restaurants are a perfect example. A curmudgeon is obligated to complain if the service is poor or if the food is not prepared properly. Actually, everyone should complain about bad service or food. I have done work for most of the restaurants in town and I know that the management appreciates your comments—they want to know about problems so they can improve things. By the same token, good service and especially tasty dishes should be complimented. Even curmudgeons do that. I’ve learned, however, that it’s not a good idea to recommend a restaurant to anyone. The best place you have ever eaten will invariably screw up when someone you recommended it to eats there. But remember, if something in a restaurant is particularly good, compliment it, and if something displeases you, complain. We curmudgeons can’t do all the work.

Another Book Signing, This Time at Dunham

Just a quick note to mention that I'll be signing books (The Collected Old Curmudgeon, of course) at Dunham Recreation Center on the Price Hill/Westwood border tomorrow, November 8, from 1 pm to 3 pm. I could write a lot about Dunham--it was once the city's tuberculosis sanitorium, but it's been a local rec center since the 1970s. I was on the committee that steered it from its old life to new use, and some kids I knew started putting plays on there around the same time. Some of them are still at it--if you've ever seen a Sunset Players production, you've been to one of the old hospital buildings. Dunham's various groups have a Christmas craft show every year, and the Price Hill Historical Society is always there with their books and some crafts made by members. We raise a little more money to keep the museum going that way. Stop by to say hello or buy a book.

Some Thoughts on Scary Days

It's been awhile since I've added anything new to the blog, and I'm sorry about that. It's a little late to discuss one of my favorite holidays, Halloween, but I had a good one. I've been out of town visiting my daughter and her son, who dressed as a zombie rapper for Halloween. I'm not even sure what that means, but he seemed happy and impressively undead, so as far as I'm concerned, he got into the spirit of the holiday. The almost-full moon added to the fun on Halloween night, too. But I'd also like to talk about another sometimes scary day, Election Day. I know I get downright curmudgeonly when it comes to dealing with dozens of those robo-calls from candidates and both sides of the issues on the ballot. I thought it wouldn't be so bad this year, since it's only local elections around here, but the calls and junk mail have still been relentless. I'll bet my answering machine is filled with competing calls when I get home from out of town. The only issue I'm really concerned about is one that will pass a levy to support our local library system, the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. As an author, I support my local libraries, because you can get my book there. They even let me have a book signing at the Covedale Library. And, as a reader, I support libraries everywhere. I hope you will too, but in any event, I encourage you to vote tomorrow, even if it is a little scary.