Meh. Alcohol is not for everybody, and that’s fine. Sometimes it comes in handy to know a non-drinker, as they can act as the designated driver. That’s not going to be me (I enjoy cold beers, fine wines, and single-malt Scotches), but I know a few who never imbibe, and who are happy to drive us home after a night out.
I only wish that “live and let live” attitude carried over into much of what has been mentioned in this thread. The way some people go on about it, Costco almost seems to be a cult. As are Uber users, Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings fans, and those who seem to believe that if it cannot be done on a smartphone, then it cannot be done, period. My life works the way I want it to, and not the way you think I should want it to.
I generally wouldn’t classify red wine/beer/whiskey as bitter. They’re not Malort or Fernet Branca, but they’re not what I’d suggest for someone that complains about bitter alcohol. My mom wouldn’t drink any of those but loves irish cream, amaretto sours, ice wine, or sweet sangrias.
I think cruises are the only thing mentioned in this thread I haven’t done. Specific media properties too. I think the only one I haven’t seen that rises to the level of odd would be the Godfather.
Well said. Back when I was at the University of Georgia (Athens) in the late 80s, I did a “Uberesque” service where I picked up people at a specific bus stop, drove them downtown to the 40 Watt or Georgia Theater (two of the busiest bars in town), and picked up people to drop them off at the same bus stop (there were about 5 large apartment complexes surrounding the thing, so it was an easy pick-up/drop off point). $3/each, I would make a killing… until I was hit by a cease-and-desist letter from the taxi cabs, lol.
Anyway, I don’t care if people drink, and it doesn’t matter to me if alcohol tastes good to them. Yay! But, for me, it’s just bitter tasting and to the point of this thread, the alcohol industry has nothing to offer me (other than as a proto-Uber driver back in 1985), just as Costco has nothing to offer other people.
I agree. I’ve been sober >20 years, and recall had to work on getting to like the taste. Then I liked it too much!
I guess I like coffee so white/black russians just tasted like milk shakes or iced coffee to me. And I can’t imagine rum tasting bitter - especially when mixed into some fruity drink.
For reference I will be 50 this year and have lived in the sticks of northern New Hampshire my entire life. And until 5 years ago I have NEVER traveled outside New England.
I have never flown on an airplane. Or helicopter. Or balloon. Or autogyro.
I have never rode in a limo or semi/big rig. Or a horse dran carriage. Or on a horse(or any other animal for that matter.)
I have never been to Costco, IKEA, Sam’s Club, or LL Beans.
I have never eaten at Jack in the Box, Whataburger, Carl Jrs/Hardees, Church’s Chicken, Popeye’s, Red Lobster, Long John Silver’s, Little Caesar, Cinnabon, Quiznos, or Cheesecake Factory.
I never been on a cruise. And count me as someone who has NO desire to go on one.
I never been to a National Park. In fact I don’t think I have been to any National Park Sevice property.
I never been to any Disney park either.
I never have swam in the ocean or even been to a beach on the Ocean. (New England has many freshwater lakes with great beaches.)
I have never used a firearm. or a bow and arrow. Or catapult.
I don’t even remember setting up DoorDash. I’m assuming it was so unmemorable because it was easy. Now all I have to do is look at my phone and it’s paid for. I probably wouldn’t have even thought to use it if the pandemic didn’t happen. It came in very handy then. Of course the attraction is that it provides delivery for a wide variety of restaurants that never provided delivery before. If we only got pizza it wouldn’t make much sense.
On business trips I would sometimes order out via Doordash, Uber Eats or another service. After working remotely all day, I had no interest in wandering around an unfamiliar area. And of course I was expensing the cost so I didn’t care if twenty bucks in fast food cost forty bucks with the delivery fee, tip and other charges.
At home I only rarely use these services since I can get in my own car and get it.
Not that I care if someone uses food delivery or not but, for sake of accuracy, all three major apps work just fine on a PC. I almost never use my phone to order and do it from my desktop. I get a pretty regular flow of $15 off coupons from UberEats which takes the sting out of the fees. Ironically, I once decided to order from a local place for pick-up. I called them directly (not some fake pass-through number), placed my order, picked it up myself and it cost more than delivery did with the coupon (we place the same order there regularly). I was expecting some significant savings and I would have been better off sitting on my ass.
Then there’s a really seriously improbable imbalance in the cost-benefit equation that could make it economically more beneficial for you to get a take-out order delivered than picking up the order yourself for less. The world of economics just doesn’t normally work that way, and I’m not interested in exploring its profits and its perils in extreme edge cases. I order Chinese, I drive down to pick it up!
I have been to a warehouse club, but I don’t think it was Costco or Sam’s. It was circa 1989 and I was getting a ride from college to home with someone who live along the route. He stopped in the Madison, WI area and got some stuff. I’m pretty sure he had membership due to interning at some company (I forget which).
I’ve never taken a Uber and only been in a taxi once. I’ve been to Ikea once.
My former workplace had Grub Hub as a perk, so I have used that (on my work computer). When it was available most people used it for pick up (a few places were within realistic walking distance) I did that too but occasionally did get delivery*. The $8/day basically covered the delivery and other fees.
Never been to Disneyland nor any water park despite being fairly close to Wisconsin Dells. I have been to Great America (before it got acquired by 6 Flags) and Bay Beach Amusement Park (rides were 10 cents)
Brian
* Now they no longer allow the pickup option due to abuses
I suspect the place just uses the inflated delivery service pricing even when taking an in-house order for carry out rather than their dine-in menu pricing. So a coupon from the delivery service makes it more cost effective than picking it up.
I have two or three times gotten a chicken salad at MacDonalds while on the road, but other than that, and KFC a couple times before 1975, I have never eaten anything either at or from a fast food restaurant. Or even a restaurant chain. No, not true, when I was a child my family ate breakfast at an IHOP while on a road trip. But not in the last fifty years.
I have never been in Walmart. I walked into, and immediately out of, Target. On the other hand I used to shop at Costco regularly. And Ikea.
I discovered SF and Fantasy when I was a teenager and certainly read–and thoroughly enjoyed both HP and LOTR. I have been to Vegas exactly once, changing planes at the airport. Same with LA. I have used both Uber and Door-Dash, but only a couple times. I have never been to Disney; I am boycotting them since they will never hire a bearded man. Never been any near a Chick-fillet (or whatever they call them). Never used Twitter (or X) or Reddit. I would not use Facebook, except my kids post regularly there so I look once a week. I’ve never looked at Fox. I watch two football games a year: The Super Bowl and The Grey Cup.
used any recreational drug, including alcohol and marijuana
been to a religious service except as a spectator, unless you count weddings and funerals
worn a suit
hired Uber, Lyft, or any other rideshare service (though I did once ride in an Uber that someone else hired)
gotten food from McDonald’s, Burger King, In & Out, or any other fast food burger place. I did once have a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder that someone order in to work. I thought it was awful.
been to Disneyland or Disney World
been on a cruise
attended a graduation, including my own (from both high school and college)
I’ve never been a big movie or TV watcher so the vast, vast majority of popular TV shows and movies I have never seen.
I’ve never been to any amusement park, including anything Disney.
I’ve never used GrubHub or DoorDash or Uber Eats.
I’ve never been on, and likely never will go on, a cruise.
I’ve never eaten at Wendy’s or In & Out.
I’ve never, to my knowledge, used any “smart” appliances: no Alexa, no smart thermostat, no lights on timers, nothing. My wife has a smart water timer for her garden that she can control with her phone, I have a hose and an old Ace Hardware bucket. The key fob remote start for my car is as modern as I want to get.
I have Facebook and Snapchat accounts, and really only use Facebook. I have no use for any other social media and cannot for the life of me even begin to understand the appeal of TikTok.
I’m a teetotaler but I have drank a margarita in the long distant past, so that may not count.
