Categories
America It Happened to Me

It took TWO YEARS, but my renewed NEXUS card finally arrived!

For people who often travel between the U.S. and Canada, the NEXUS card is so incredibly helpful. It says “this person is a citizen of Canada or the U.S. and has been pre-screened for faster processing.” Not only does it mean quicker U.S./Canada border crossings, but it also includes TSA PreCheck for quicker security clearance for flights within the U.S..

My NEXUS card expired during the pandemic in 2020, when a number of government services on both sides of the border either slowed to a crawl or stopped completely. I applied for a renewal back then, and…waited.

The NEXUS program has been delayed for a number of reasons, not the least of which was the fact that U.S. Customs and Border Patrol wanted American NEXUS officers to be armed while working in Canada, because America’s the land of gun care and health control.

One flight to Canada, two flights to Salt Lake City, one flight to London, and two years later, my NEXUS card arrived a good two years after I applied for renewal, and wow, am I glad to have NEXUS privileges again.

Categories
It Happened to Me Tampa Bay

Scenes from this morning’s bike ride

Seminole Heights’ seal, which depicts a two-headed alligatorI do a 10-kilometre (6.2 miles) bike ride as often as I can — typically 4 or 5 days a week:

At least once a week, I stop by the Seminole Heights branch of Spaddy’s, which is a coffee truck in an open-air courtyard:

The place is decorated with all manner of tchotchkes. Here’s the newest one:

I took a perch on the picnic table at the back of the courtyard, where I took this wide-angle shot…

…and while enjoying my Heights Cold Brew (cold brew with a dash of condensed milk), I worked on a proposal for my next article for the Auth0 developer blog. While writing, I noticed this rather cute grafitto that someone left on the table:

Categories
Filipino Slice of Life

I’m Asian enough to be annoyed that I’m in the #2 category

Thanks (I think) to George Scriban for the find!

I’m not young or single enough to know the context for this video, but I am Asian enough to be annoyed that I’m not in the number one category. My inner Asian dad is demanding a parent-teacher meeting RIGHT NOW.

(Below is a still-frame from earlier in the video, showing the numerical rankings…)

Anyone care to explain the “toxic Asian boys” meme to this non-TikToker?

Categories
The Current Situation

Meanwhile, in Russia…

Categories
It Happened to Me

Yeah, I’m going to be celebrating all month

After all, if you can’t celebrate your entire birth month, why bother celebrating?

Categories
Tampa Bay

Photos from Pickford’s Sundries

I need to stop by Pickford’s Sundries (2606 W Hillsborough Avenue, a half-block east of Habana) more often.

Pickford’s Sundries is a 1950s lunch counter that somehow travelled to the 2020s and somehow found a comfortable home on a typically dull stretch of Hillsborough Avenue, one of Tampa’s major “stroads”. Part “lunch counter” style restaurant, part quirky novelty gift shop, part local attraction, it’s a place I always check out whenever I’m passing through.

Pickford’s opened in 1949 and operated as a general store until the mid-2000s, and under normal circumstances, it would’ve simply vanished.

Instead, the Seminole Heights café Urban Bungalow (which used to be on Florida just south of Sligh), collaborated with Pickford’s original owners to give it an update.

The place kept its 1940s/50s furniture and vibe…

…and a lot of accoutrements from that era…

…but the menu’s been updated.

They still carry classics like the classic “eggs, bacon, fries, and toast” breakfast, the grilled cheese, steak sandwich, Chicago dog, and so on, but I’ve also see things like some interesting fried rices, as well as vegetarian and vegan options.

The “dry goods” are also definitely from this century:

I often check out this place for little gifts.

They have a killer selection of socks…

…and they have an excellent selection of prayer candles:

Want to know more?

Categories
Words to Live By

My personal philosophy, captured in a 4-panel comic

Comic: 1 character writes “Life is pain”, then a chef appends “au chocolat.” Final panel shows both enjoying pain au chocolat.
Tap to view my personal philosophy at full size.