Go big or go home

First of all, The Hunger Games was everything I had hoped it would be, with fully realized characters and a well-developed story line. I cried at the same place in the movie where I did in the book. Taylor Swift's song during the credits was a lovely counterpoint to such a disturbing plot.

I've always been a fan of post apocalyptic, futuristic literature: The Road; Alas, Babylon; The Handmaid's Tale; The Devil's Advocate; Brave New World; 1984; The Giver. Well, you get the idea. We were sitting waiting for the show to start and talking about how in these futuristic stories they never have unicorns and rainbows and kittens. Instead, we get The Terminator.

After the movie we decided to go to an Omaha landmark restaurant, Petrow's. You'd think that after living here for twenty three years we'd have tried it at least once; now we can say we have.

I knew it was basically a glorified diner, so I planned accordingly and knew there would be little of the healthy variety on the menu. What I knew, but had forgotten, was that they have an old-fashioned soda counter. So guess what I had for an appetizer?

I love chocolate malts and it has been ages since I've had one. It was fabulous! I did scoop (most of) the whipped cream off and plopped it into the silver cup with the remainder of my malt for Dwight. I won't have one again soon, but I sure did savor this one!

And dinner?

Yup, a reuben (nerd fact: invented in Omaha) and steak fries. As my physical therapist told me when she found out that following a bike crash I had torn not one, not two, not three, but all four rotator cuff tendons off the bone, "Go big or go home." I went for it tonight.

I wasn't the only one:

Dwight said it was just like the hot roast beef sandwiches he remembered as a kid. I told him I didn't even know what one was when I was a kid. He said it wasn't like he had one all the time, just when they went out to eat. Restaurants? What were those? I think he was one of those rich kids.

I did leave this; Dwight will have a tasty lunch tomorrow. Me? I'll just dream about that malt.

It's clean sheets night tonight, so I'm going to crawl in early with my book, Clash of Kings, the sequel to Game of Thrones. Time for more escapism.

May the odds be ever in your favor.