Love is an Electrified Wire

Love is an electrified wire.

It shocks you and energizes you.

It lights homes, but also brings you pain.

To love someone is to strip naked,

Be at the mercy of heat or cold.

Your nerves will feel bare and excited,

Yet find supreme comfort in her arms.

Love is an intriguing desire.

It wholly alters your point of view.

It’s holy, yet messes with your brain.

You can never put back on the lid.

You wouldn’t trade it for all the gold.

Paradise is to feel united.

And will this set off any alarms?

We trade the tears for each precious kiss.

Love is an electrified wire.

And we’re all just dying to plug in.

B Street Subs Review

B Street Subs Review

Today I decided to grab a sub dinner at a local sub shop and pizzeria on Baltimore Street, named aptly, “B Street Subs.” Parking was a bit cramped and limiting, being confined to a strip rear to the building in an alley. I quickly got the impression that many people enjoy B Street by delivery and sometimes pickup. Regardless, I had time to kill in the area and decided to eat on location.

When I arrived, a man in the kitchen came to greet me. He was friendly and patient as I checked out the menu and slowly made my choices. I couldn’t pass up their main claim-to-fame, the Cheesesteak hoagie (along with a 20oz bottle of Dr. Pepper). The menu breaks down your choices into 5 or so steps so you can customize your hero. I placed my order around 4:20pm.

I asked the man if they had a public restroom I could use. He said yes and then verbally directed me there. The bathroom was well-kept. It’s a single room with a lock. There was plenty of hand soap and even the obligatory sign explaining to employees how thoroughly they must wash their hands.

After taking care of that business, I picked one of the many empty tables to sit. This place was not crowded. Nobody, besides staff and the occasional customer for pick-up, was there at all. B-Street Subs is an excellent candidate for a place to hang out or meet. I will note, however, that there is no free wifi.

The interior looked interesting and inspired. Stylized skateboards adorned the walls as punk music (like Nirvana), on 105.7 the X, played over the speakers. I could tell that the business wanted to appeal to a younger, more angsty crowd. The lighting was great and the architecture seemed rustic with a modern finish. There were plenty of ceiling fans to cool down customers and staff alike during the summer.

While I waited for my food, the same man that greeted me and took my order asked me if I wanted a cup of ice for the bottle of soda I purchased. I gladly accepted and he promptly brought it out to me. The ice chunks were uncommonly large and novel. I also thought it was excellent customer service to offer without prompting.

About 12 minutes from ordering, my cheesesteak sub was delivered to my table from the same man, who asked, “Does it look good?” I answered, “Looks great!” and I wasn’t lying or just being polite. Take a look at the picture below.

My cheesesteak from B Street Subs

Even better than the appearance, the lettuce tasted fresh, the banana peppers were tart, the bread not too thick yet not too soggy, the mayonnaise and cheese levels appropriate, and—most importantly—the beef was thinly sliced and well-seasoned. It was a fine cheesesteak sub. Being 8 inches, it was a little more food than I needed.

When I got up to leave, the same man told me not to worry about throwing out the remainders of my dinner and implored me to have a great day. The customer service was beyond expectations. The food was tasty and reasonably priced. I left the establishment feeling like I had a worth-while dining experience from a local food venue. 5 out of 5 stars.

Mere Roar: First Album

These songs were created by four amateur/aspiring musicians who are all friends. Some of the song lyrics were written by me (Daniel J. Neumann) and other words were completely improvised. It was all recorded in one jam session. Mere Roar is a #TrashFolk improv studio jam group. Members are Daniel J. Neumann, Christine E. Neumann, Rachel G., and Ben Solus (aka J.C.). For more information, click the playlist below and enjoy.


https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7J-nhiK35XmSAs3e_nwewQtPCjiHkuTD


Review of Oakhurst Beverage

Review of Oakhurst Beverage

It occurred to me today that I’ve been going to Oakhurst Beverage for years now and I never considered writing a review. That changes today. The staff at Oakhurst Beverage are probably the nicest and most helpful people that I regularly do business with. They remember who you are, what you’ve chosen before, and you get the impression that they legitimately want to help you select beer. And speaking of selections, they consistently have something you won’t find at the Giant or other beer distributors—whether that be an obscure craft brew or an import from Germany. They’re passionate about what they sell and have a knowledge-base rivaling the forums you could sort through on Google trying to find what you need.

There’s been times I’d come into the Oakhurst Beverage and one of the staff would stop me and ask me how my day was going. This never felt like an automatic greeting, but a real question. I’d tell them a short answer and they’d ask if they could help me find anything. Somedays I wanted to try something different. I would tell them I was looking for a stout, or this level of ABV, or this measure of drinkability, give them a general feel for the beer I was going for based on other beers I’ve tried and didn’t want this time. It almost seemed unfair to ask the vague and/or convoluted questions I asked, yet their answers were always beyond my expectations. Because of Oakhurst Beverage, I’ve expanded what I’ve been able to try in the beer world.

Beyond the great customer support and selection, the store is never too crowded. The beers are placed in a layout that makes sense and easily navigable. The create your own six-pack aisle is always novel. And perhaps most importantly to anyone reading this: Their prices are great.

I’m giving Oakhurst Beverage a five out of five stars. I always leave with a smile on my face.