The number one draw for my blog is my Pho reviews. Without access to aviation, I have had no opportunities to sample new pho. Indeed, the furthest I’ve ventured is to my local Costco. Last time I was there, I was buying my typical chicken & broccoli when I came across a peculiar sight: instant pho for sale. This was peculiar for two reasons. First, Costco only sells a limited number of items. Instant pho seemed very niche, especially for the Puerto Rican market, one of the few places in the world I have not tried pho. Second, how can a dish that takes hours and hours to prepare be reduced to three minutes in the microwave? Surely it must taste like ramen noodles or something terrible. For $10, I made the sacrilegious choice to buy 9 pre-made bowls. After all, in these ‘unprecedented times’, unprecedented actions are acceptable (see From Your Grade School Principal: Regarding COVID-19).
Instant pho? Say it ain’t so.
So how did it go? Let’s look at the unboxing.
One small bowl.Add in the spices.Put in microwave.Would have been nice to have had beef.Good till the last drop.
Maybe it’s because I haven’t left the house in years, but I was very impressed with instant pho.
I used to do a better job of document what I spent on annual fees (see 2017: What I Spent (And Received) in Annual Fees). I haven’t done that in a few years because the churn game has been severely compromised by banks and their restrictive rules (see We Need Another Recession). With travel halted, I made a point of cancelling all cards that were not essential. Here are the cards that made the cut:
IHG: $49 for a free night? I’ll take it. But when will I use it?
SPG Personal: $95. See above.
In total, I spent $744. That’s not free but that’s not crazy. Notice there are no more $595 annual fees for upscale cards. I can and can’t believe I used to pay that much.
I’ve had a low tolerance for annual fees since 2020 was not the year of travel (see NYC Twice: A Recap of My 2020 Travels). Two cards that I continue to pay for are my personal and business Radisson. The question is always the same, “Is $60 for the business and $75 for the personal worth 80,000 Club Carlson (now Radisson) points cumulatively?” (see Keep Vs. Cancel: The Club Carlson Twins). I haven’t stayed at a Radisson in quite some time so my points balance continues to grow. Despite this, the answer continues to be yes. I don’t bother calling US Bank to cancel as I have never received a retention bonus from them before. I may try it this time but when you don’t read the follow-up, know that their answer was no and that I kept both cards.
Little did I know that my life would change forever when my dad asked me to pick which team I would be rooting for when the Bills played the Giants in Superbowl XXV. Following that loss, the Bills lost three more Super Bowls and I was forever scarred. The turmoil did not end. In 2000, the Bills were on the verge of winning their first playoff game since the Jim Kelly era. My sister’s boyfriend commented that it was finally happening. To which I told him to wait until the final whistle had blown. Here’s how that ended:
The only happy memories from being a Bills fan came from my dominance in Super Tecmo Bowl where I, along with QB Bills, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, and Bruce Smith would dominate anyone who attempted to come up against me. Fortuitously, my other team was the KC Chiefs where Christian Okoye, the Nigerian Nightmare, along with Derrick Thomas would shut down anyone who dared challenge us.
This brings me to the current playoff matches and my predictions. Let’s start with the NFC Wildcard:
Saints vs. Bears: Why and how are the Bears in this? Saints easily cover the 10 point spread as the Bears fail to score any points.
Seahawks vs. Rams: Anyone else sick of the AWS Wilson commercial? Unfortunately, we’ll be seeing them again as the Seahawks beat the Rams and cover the -4.5 spread.
Washington Football Team vs. Buccaneers: This is almost as bad as the Bears game. Brady dominates again in a spread covering blowout.
And now for the more exciting AFC Wildcard.
Browns vs. Steelers: Sure I hate everything about Ohio, but who isn’t rooting for the Browns? Baker squeaks out a win and annoying Roethlisberger retires from the NFL and goes on a much-needed diet.
Bills vs. Colts: The perennial loser Philip Rivers goes down in flames again but the Bills fail to cover the -6.5 spread.
Titans vs. Ravens: Jackson continues to struggle in the playoffs and Derrick Henry avenges last year’s loss by shoving more kids out of his way by beating the favored Ravens.
This brings me to the NFC divisional round.
Buccaneers vs. Packers: Tom’s run ends here.
Seahawks vs. Saints: Saints continue to roll.
And now for the AFC divisional round.
Browns vs. Chiefs: Easy choice, the Chiefs.
Titans vs.Bills: Bills avenge the Music City Miracle.
This sets up the NFC and AFC championship game.
Saints vs. Packers & Chiefs vs. Bills.
I would like to see the Saints but I have to pick the Packers. Like they did all those years before, the Bills beat the Chiefs to get to the Super Bowl. After that, I can only hope that I’m double vaccinated, I can afford tickets, and that Buffalo finally wins it all. But history is not on your side.
2020. Need I say more? Simply The Worst became a necessary post in 2020 due to the circumstances. Hopefully, it goes away by 2022. Here are the best (and worst) posts of 2020.
Each year I’m supposed to update my Where to Party? New Year’s Eve list, which for twenty years in a row featured a new city. This year I will be going nowhere. In fact, this year I will be in the exact same spot as last year.
The shit’s almost over. I’m talking about the year, not the pandemic. Here are the COVID related posts from December that are part of the lonely Lost & Found Year(s) Trip Report. Note the (s). How long will this last? Santa deliver me Moderna or Pfizer, either is fine.
Each year I’m supposed to update my Where to Party? New Year’s Eve list, which for twenty years in a row featured a new city. This year I will be going nowhere. In fact, this year I will be in the exact same spot as last year.
Only this year, I don’t expect there to be any fireworks.
In terms of travel, I accomplished nothing. I went to New York twice in January and did not add a new country, island, or territory to my Country Count (see Is Hawaii a Country?). That is depressing but for the fact that I have accomplished so much this year (see COVID 2020: TPOL’s Most Productive Year). The reason I wrote this post is to remind everyone including myself how much I used to do and to prepare myself for what I am about to do (see Punxsutawney TPOL: Leaving My Basement Trip Report). Staying at home, despite the gains that I made, is no way to live.
There’s no better way to demonstrate how immobile I have been than by reviewing the directory of Trip Reports.
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Travel is rewarding. A wise man once said, “International travel will teach you more about business, politics, and law than all the degrees combined.” That man was Alexander The Author, better known to you as TPOL. After many years of changing the title, I finally went back to the original, perfect title and republished my book this year (see Bored at Home?). Buy Everyone’s Advice Is Wrong . . . Including Mine.
Travel is also a major distraction. Goals are put aside for the easy reward of new explorations. This year I had no choice but to stay home and in the words of the late Herman Cain, “reassess and reevaluate,” what I was doing. The first step was to figure out how I was going to stay and get fit on lockdown. I purchased everything such that I’d never have to go to a gym again (see TPOL’s Travel & Fitness Intro). And it worked (see No Turkey Trot This Year, But Still Thankful for Trolling).
TIP TPOL: Visit AusterFit to replace those tired TRX ropes.
TIP TPOL: Purchase the Meister 50lb bag
Despite my aversion to Zoom, I also continued to fight the good fight against evil corporations (visit Bachuwa Law if you have a consumer dispute).
It’s your attorney calling.
Back to things that matter, my golf game improved dramatically and literally overnight. No one told me that jumbo grip could make a revolutionary difference. These jambo hands as I call them, were previously out there using children’s equipment. Now, I challenge anyone for longest drive.
#jambogrip #jambo
I’ve also taken on a new venture where I strive to bring some Arab flavor to the game of golf. Get in on the ground level and follow IQ Khameleon on IG.
