I hate driving in this city. Not only are there not many side roads, but the main roads are also very few. This is a weird city. It's huge, but it feels like there are not many roads. Or at least not many main thoroughfares. There are tons of streets, but they don't really go anywhere. You have a few main ones that you can take to go places and that's it.
On top of the slim choice of roads, you have very bad and inconsiderate drivers. Since I live in Memphis this is what I know. I know other cities have bad drivers, but it seems that Memphis is the capital of idiot drivers. While driving today I was almost hit three times and witnessed at least five instances of distracted drivers. People don't seem to understand the rules of the road in this city. Earlier this week the power was down in my neighborhood. Many people stopped at the nearby traffic signal (which was dead) and properly treated it as a four way stops. However, I saw probably fifteen cars heading west not stop. They just kept going through the dead light as if it were permanently green. This really pisses me off. It is common knowledge (or at least it used to be) that you treat a dead traffic light as a four way stop.
But I digress.
Manners are almost non-existent in this city. People cut people off all the time. People zip around almost causing accidents with no regard to anyone else. I often wish I was a cop just so I could dish out tickets. Memphis would get a lot of money if I were a traffic cop.
Another complaint I have with Memphis drivers is the lack of yielding. Yield signs are almost always ignored here.
I have never been somewhere that ignores so many rules of the road. I'm definitely curious about driving through the Western part of the country. I'm sure I'll update on my findings of drivers of other areas.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Walgreens Take Care Clinic
Doctor visits can be a hassle. Gotta make an appointment go there and you almost always have to wait longer than your appointment time. I avoid doctor visits as much as possible, but sometimes I have to go. Something I've discovered in the last couple years is the Take Care Clinic. These little walk-in clinics are located at a couple Walgreens throughout Memphis (they are all over the US as well) are quick and convenient. They are manned by nurse practitioners and sometimes doctors. It's not the best care in the world, but it has worked for me several times and I will continue to use them for minor things. The one I go to is located at Poplar and Perkins. The doc is usually gone from 1-2 though. Do be careful as sometimes they don't listen to you and you may have to reiterate some things. It's mostly annoying. I shrug it off usually.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Abra Auto Body & Glass
A couple weeks ago my car was backed into. Not a whole lot of damage, but the quarter panel was dented and one of my lights was busted. The insurance took care of everything and within three days of the accident my car was in the shop being fixed.
The insurance company referred me to Abra Auto Body & Glass. I had seen this company around town and had always been curious about them. The staff was very friendly and did their best to provide me with the best possible service. They even called for my rental car. Everything went smoothly.
I have no real complaints about them. The only thing is that it took them a bit longer than they originally estimated, but that was because the paint on my car is weird and it took them a long time to match it. They kept me appraised of the situation and were very patient with my daily calls for updates.
Overall, they were a great company. Very thorough and helpful. It was a bit slow, but that was just them trying to provide the best possible quality. They did a great job on my car and it looks great. Since my case was handled by the insurance company I have no idea about their pricing, but I think they would be a great choice for your auto body repairs.
The insurance company referred me to Abra Auto Body & Glass. I had seen this company around town and had always been curious about them. The staff was very friendly and did their best to provide me with the best possible service. They even called for my rental car. Everything went smoothly.
I have no real complaints about them. The only thing is that it took them a bit longer than they originally estimated, but that was because the paint on my car is weird and it took them a long time to match it. They kept me appraised of the situation and were very patient with my daily calls for updates.
Overall, they were a great company. Very thorough and helpful. It was a bit slow, but that was just them trying to provide the best possible quality. They did a great job on my car and it looks great. Since my case was handled by the insurance company I have no idea about their pricing, but I think they would be a great choice for your auto body repairs.
Dormitory life in my 30s
I currently live in a "historical building" in Midtown Memphis. From the pictures I saw online last year when I was apartment hunting, it looked great. It had great looking atmosphere and I really dug that it was built in the 1920s. I moved in and things seemed okay. My apartment was a loft (one room) and didn't have much in the way of amenities, but the price was right and I needed a place to hang my hat asap.
I'm not going to go into the bulk of the problems I had at this building (that's for a different post later on, after I move). The focus of this posting is the change of residency in the year and a half I've been living there.
When I first moved in at the end of February 2011, the apartments were filled ranging from people in the late 20s to their 40s and up. I even saw a family with a kid.
A couple weeks after I moved in I noticed a moving truck. Someone was moving out. A couple days later another truck was there moving someone else in. It became a pattern. It almost felt like the apartment building was a giant revolving door, tenants who had lived there for years were moving out and new, younger residents were taking their places.
Most of the people moving out had the same complaint: the new management was severely lacking. The new managers took over the building in January 2011 and shortly thereafter the quality of life in the apartments nose dived.
As a result of the influx of younger people the apartments gained an air of a college dormitory. There started to be a different sort of people hanging around. It was very reminiscent of being in college. You know, you had the stoners, the hipsters, the crazy party animals and so on.
It wasn't until recently that it started to become bothersome. About a month or so ago a couple had a huge argument. In the hallway. In front of my apartment. This is something that children and young adults do. It's okay to bicker and argue, but keep it in your house. Don't put it out for everyone to see. That's just rude.
It wasn't the first or only time either. This couple (and a couple others) have a fight, which is public, at least once every other week or so. I have seen or heard at least 5 five fights in the last month and a half.
Another pet peeve of mine is the disregard in parking. I'm pretty sure residents allow their friends to park in the gated lot behind the apartments. This lot is for residents only. Having non-resident cars in the already small lot makes it to where the actual residents cannot park there. I pay to park there, non-residents don't and have no business parking there. Also, people have ignored the handicapped signs in the parking lot. Last year, someone actually moved the sign so that they wouldn't be parking in a "handicapped" spot. That really pissed me off. The two spots that are reserved are for people in wheel chairs and they need those spots so they can get out of their vans. If their spots are filled they end up taking up two normal spots.
Basically, I just want people to be more conscientious when living in an apartment building. You are not the only one living here. Keep your business private and be respectful of the other residents.
I'm not going to go into the bulk of the problems I had at this building (that's for a different post later on, after I move). The focus of this posting is the change of residency in the year and a half I've been living there.
When I first moved in at the end of February 2011, the apartments were filled ranging from people in the late 20s to their 40s and up. I even saw a family with a kid.
A couple weeks after I moved in I noticed a moving truck. Someone was moving out. A couple days later another truck was there moving someone else in. It became a pattern. It almost felt like the apartment building was a giant revolving door, tenants who had lived there for years were moving out and new, younger residents were taking their places.
Most of the people moving out had the same complaint: the new management was severely lacking. The new managers took over the building in January 2011 and shortly thereafter the quality of life in the apartments nose dived.
As a result of the influx of younger people the apartments gained an air of a college dormitory. There started to be a different sort of people hanging around. It was very reminiscent of being in college. You know, you had the stoners, the hipsters, the crazy party animals and so on.
It wasn't until recently that it started to become bothersome. About a month or so ago a couple had a huge argument. In the hallway. In front of my apartment. This is something that children and young adults do. It's okay to bicker and argue, but keep it in your house. Don't put it out for everyone to see. That's just rude.
It wasn't the first or only time either. This couple (and a couple others) have a fight, which is public, at least once every other week or so. I have seen or heard at least 5 five fights in the last month and a half.
Another pet peeve of mine is the disregard in parking. I'm pretty sure residents allow their friends to park in the gated lot behind the apartments. This lot is for residents only. Having non-resident cars in the already small lot makes it to where the actual residents cannot park there. I pay to park there, non-residents don't and have no business parking there. Also, people have ignored the handicapped signs in the parking lot. Last year, someone actually moved the sign so that they wouldn't be parking in a "handicapped" spot. That really pissed me off. The two spots that are reserved are for people in wheel chairs and they need those spots so they can get out of their vans. If their spots are filled they end up taking up two normal spots.
Basically, I just want people to be more conscientious when living in an apartment building. You are not the only one living here. Keep your business private and be respectful of the other residents.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
It's getting hot!
I've lived in the South for most of my life. I've grown accustomed to the muggy, hot weather that comes in summer. I'm used to being uncomfortably hot for 3-4 months of the year, but I still dislike the Memphis heat.
When I tell people about Memphis summers their reactions are usually "I wouldn't think that area would be so bad." or "Well it's not hotter than the desert!" or "Well ____ is hotter than Memphis." It's hilarious when those people visit Memphis in the summer. They look at me with wide eyes, slightly red from the constant drip of sweat into them and say "You were right. It is super hot here." That's happened several times for me. People not believing how hot it gets here and then experiencing it themselves.
I'm not saying that there aren't other places that are hotter, but Memphis' heat is different. When you sweat it doesn't really help. You're always going to be slightly damp here, but due to the high humidity you're not going to feel any cooler.
Among Memphians Memphis has the reputation of being a horribly miserable place in the summer. Some people love it. They get energized by the heat. I personally don't like it, but it's home so I deal with it.
Since it's getting hot please be sure to drink plenty of water, wear a hat, and if you're like me and burn at the drop of a hat, wear sunscreen.
Have a great summer everybody!
When I tell people about Memphis summers their reactions are usually "I wouldn't think that area would be so bad." or "Well it's not hotter than the desert!" or "Well ____ is hotter than Memphis." It's hilarious when those people visit Memphis in the summer. They look at me with wide eyes, slightly red from the constant drip of sweat into them and say "You were right. It is super hot here." That's happened several times for me. People not believing how hot it gets here and then experiencing it themselves.
I'm not saying that there aren't other places that are hotter, but Memphis' heat is different. When you sweat it doesn't really help. You're always going to be slightly damp here, but due to the high humidity you're not going to feel any cooler.
Among Memphians Memphis has the reputation of being a horribly miserable place in the summer. Some people love it. They get energized by the heat. I personally don't like it, but it's home so I deal with it.
Since it's getting hot please be sure to drink plenty of water, wear a hat, and if you're like me and burn at the drop of a hat, wear sunscreen.
Have a great summer everybody!
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Greek Fest
Memphis has many traditions, festivals and occurrences throughout the year. BBQ Fest, Cooper-Young Festival, Memphis in May and many others. Every spring the Greek Orthodox Church on N. Highland celebrates their culture through Greek Fest.
Greek Fest exhibits dances, food and other forms of merriment from Greece. It's a pretty cool event and there's tons of great food. You can even get beer.
Admission is about $3 and food costs will vary, but if you have time you should check it out.
Greek Fest exhibits dances, food and other forms of merriment from Greece. It's a pretty cool event and there's tons of great food. You can even get beer.
Admission is about $3 and food costs will vary, but if you have time you should check it out.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
The Best Burger in Memphis
I'm a fan of "How I Met Your Mother". I especially like the character of Marshall Ericson. I see a bit of myself in him, as does my wife. An episode I particularly like is the one where he is trying to find the best burger in New York. That gave me an idea: What's the best burger in Memphis? I have decided that I will begin sampling different burgers in the Memphis area in an attempt to find "the best".
If you have any suggestions feel free to let me know. I already have on my list: Dyers, Huey's, The Shelby Forest General Store, Alex's, Ernestine and Hazel's, and Tops BBQ. Please keep the list to local Memphis establishments (local chains are okay just not National ones). I really want to find Memphis' best burger. I look forward to hearing your recommendations. Feel free to include places in Germantown, South Haven, Olive Branch, Collierville and so on.
If you have any suggestions feel free to let me know. I already have on my list: Dyers, Huey's, The Shelby Forest General Store, Alex's, Ernestine and Hazel's, and Tops BBQ. Please keep the list to local Memphis establishments (local chains are okay just not National ones). I really want to find Memphis' best burger. I look forward to hearing your recommendations. Feel free to include places in Germantown, South Haven, Olive Branch, Collierville and so on.
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