Discovery Mode: MALFUNCTION

All dressed up...and everywhere to go.

Since landing in 32.782778, -96.803889, the big benefit to moving north was having activities to do without burnout or boredom or reruns. It happens when you move from a "metropolitan" area that has more Farm to Market roads than zip codes. I don't want to call it overwhelming, but two months of adjustment is necessary. I jumped at the chance to hit up P.F. Chang's before waiting in line in a Corpus mall.

Of course, in abnormal fashion, I have inadvertently knocked my engine from drive to reverse and neutral. As I wanted to do in Corpus but just couldn't get it right, I have successfully pulled off the homebody label. Granted, being a homebody as a dazzling urbanite is a bit different than what I tried to pull off in the 361. But, I need to venture out to practice my spacial, geographical intelligence.

Either I am staying put or visiting the same places over and over again. Going downstairs to the cafe bar, walking three blocks to the City Tavern or picking up a bite at three-dozen-plus area eateries in a half-mile radius has kept me contained. And that is bothersome. Come on! I live in Dallas, now. That's kinda lame.

When I decide to venture out, there seems to be some pseudo-military logistics involved. Sure, there is something to be said for a central location. That's why most police departments are located centrally with satellite precincts...most located in Fair Park and Oak Cliff (I kid, I kid). But, responsibility has kicked in. If I know there is a potential to be bent out of shape with assistance from a few adult beverages, I call our driver (we have a cabbie that we have called over a dozen times so I consider that a driver). Oh, responsibility, what a buzzkill. Stakes are high if I were to do something stupid, but that's crushes some of the adventure with losing a share of freedom with safety (and some cash). Why does cool stuff have to be 4 miles from Main Street? That's kinda lame as well.

It's a paradox. There is tons of stuff to do here. There is a want to keep the car in the overpriced parking garage. That's where the lovely yin and yang of marriage comes in for the assist. The happy median (it's MEDIAN, not medium; why would anyone want a happy...wait, what?) is reached, with some help. Perfect example: since the weekend is the only logical time to venture out, The Lovely has gone on a data dump using Google, Black Book, Texas Monthly, Dallas Observer, neighbors and nervous but willing strangers to collect items for trekking. Last weekend was Louie's. It was absolutely worth it. Too bad I was so exhausted I slipped into a pizza coma. It's no wonder Elton John sang about Saturday Night(...'s Alright For Fighting") as opposed to "Going Out To Dinner On Sunday Night".

I had no idea work was beating me about the head and face so brutally that "The Danimal" has been marginalized to some small kitten until Friday evening...after my run, of course.

Lesson Learned, my three things.
1) Dallas loves the Cowboys and football so much that they are absolutely forgetting about the "charlie-foxtrot" inbound with All-Star Weekend...during Valentine's Day weekend. I had no idea Dallas had enough strip clubs to support this event? Yeah, charlie-foxtrot.
2) It never hurts to have a beer distributor as a buddy.
3) Be wary of business and branches that say they are the "Dallas branch" when in fact, they are located in Irving, Addison or Garland.
BONUS: HA! P.F. Chang's is opening in Kuwait City before they will be opened in Corpus. A former war zone is getting lettuce wraps before Corpus. Hilarious.

Wait a effin' minute? Did I just grow up right then and there? Oh, that's effin' awful. Next thing you know I will want to go to bed before 2300...wait, what? Talk later.