Tuesday Tally: Movie Must NOT Sees

I haven't shared a Tuesday Tally in a while. So why not share something odd:

Here's a short list of Movie Must NOT Sees.  These movies either showing or have opening dates coming soon.

Texas Chainsaw 3D —  January is often horror film month. TC-3D is, according to one report I read, the 47th variation on the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise. I missed at least 45 of the previous versions, so I don't think I would understand the plot.

A Haunted House — While this sounds like another horror film, it's actually looks like a horrible film. It's not officially part of the Scary Movie series, but it has that feel. Unfortunately, the Scary Movie movies haven’t been good since The Wayan brothers left. I think you'll see the best of the worst by watching the trailer here.

The Last Stand — The Last Stand is an attempt to revive the career of a Hollywood relic, former California Gubbanator Arnold Schwarzennegar. Personally, with all the swirl around Arnie, I'm not all that jazzed about the return of Schwarzennegar. This very well could be The Last Stand for Arnold.

Parker — Another one of Jason Statham’s biannual movies, Parker will probably be remembered as the Statham Movie in which he wears a cowboy hat and Jennifer Lopez walks around in her underwear. That's probably a sellling point for some movie-goers, but if you want a movie with any substance, make another pick.

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters — What's with taking fairy tales or real life people (Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter) and turning them into hunters of the unreal.  Fantasy meet fiction? H&G: Witch Hunders will either be the worst movie of the year or sweep the Oscars (because awful movies sometimes do that!).

BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

Tuesday Tally: Holiday Movies

Here's my Tuesday Tally of upcoming holiday movies I'd like to see. The number one top choice should be obvious to anyone who really knows me.

1. Les Miserables.  My favorite stage musical has been made into a movie. Opening on Christmas Day, I hope to see it on an IMAX screen.
2. Hyde Park on Hudson. Based on facts, this is the story of the love affair between FDR and his distant cousin Margaret Stuckley, centered around the weekend in 1939 when the King and Queen of the England visited upstate New York. 
3. Life of Pi. A young man who survives a disaster at sea is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While cast away, he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor ... a fearsome Bengal tiger.
4. Jack Reacher. A homicide investigator digs deeper into a case involving a trained military sniper who shot five random victims.
5. Anna Karenina. Set in late-19th-century Russia high-society, the aristocrat Anna Karenina enters into a life-changing affair with the affluent Count Vronsky.
6. 16 Acres. A documentary about the rebuilding of the World Trade Center is the most architecturally, politically, and emotionally complex urban renewal project in American history.

Looks like I'll be busy during the holidays!

BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

Tuesday Tally: Dinner Time!

I've been hungry for a few meal items that I haven't taken the time to make.  Many of them are comfort food, but some of them are just plain yummy (my opinion).

Here's my short list:

Meatloaf. I use a recipe given to me by a nurse at Scheurer Hospital. One pound each of ground beef and ground pork, one cup bread crumbs, one egg, one bottle of chili sauce and one cup of milk.  The milk through me at first, but this is yummy meatloaf.

Scalloped Potatoes. Didn't we used to spell this "Escalloped?"  Anyway, some nice Yukon Gold potatoes sliced thin, layered with a little flour and ground black pepper and a little pat of butter here and there. Repeat until your casserole dish is nearly full.  I use half and half to cover the potatoes.  Bake at 375F for at least an hour.

Custard Corn. Pretty simple and some people would call it scalloped corn.  I use two cans of yellow corn and one can of white corn.  Mix in one-half cup of bread crumbs, a can of cream of mushroom soup, 1 slightly beaten egg and top with half and half (yeah, I like the extra fat!).  Bake at 375F for an hour.

That silly string bean casserole. If you don't know how to make it, Google it.  LOL

Pumpkin Dessert. This one is work.  Baked graham cracker crust. Then a cream cheese layer, baked! Then cooking the pumpkin mix and adding another layer.  Finally, after it all cools, whipping some cream (don't use Cool Whip), to top it all off.  YUMMY!

So, there's my menu.  Let's eat!

BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

Tuesday Tally: Customer Service Expectations

Over the course of the past few months, I have encountered far too many service personnel who are providing not poor service but nearly unacceptable service.  Is this really what American businesses this will keep customers coming back?

So here's a partial list of my Customer Service Expectations:

Promptness: I do not want to spend my time waiting for service.  Restaurants can be the worst. Servers standing around talking to one another or worse, on their cell phone.  Sometimes they have double duty and they're up to their elbows in dishwater.  I get that. But they still have a responsibility to wait on me.

Courtesy: This should be a no-brainer for service people. A cheerful smile and warm greeting.  I'm not looking for someone to fall all over me, but I do expect to be a pleasantries.

Appropriate Answers: When I ask questions I expect answers. "I don't know," or "I'm not sure" are acceptable answers when they are accompanied with the phrase "but let me find out."

Apologies, not excuses: There are times when poor service is unavoidable.  I get that.  But when I voice my concerns, I don't really care why the service was poor.  Just apologize.  "I'm sorry we didn't meet your expectations," goes a long way in ending customer frustration.

I could go on and on, but you get the point.  So many businesses, both large and small, could take lessons from Disney.  Their attention to detail and total focus on their "guests" makes for an exceptional experience time after time.

BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

Top 10 Bible Verses

Sometimes Google searches turn up some really cool stuff. I found this website that listed the top 10 Bible verses ranked by how many times it is referenced anywhere on the web.

1. John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV)
2. John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (NIV)
3. John 14:6 - Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (NIV)
4. Matthew 28:19 - Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (NIV)
5. Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (NIV)
6. Ephesians 2:8 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – (NIV)
7. Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (NIV)
8. Acts 1:8 - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (NIV)
9. 2 Timothy 3:16 - All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (NIV)
10. Romans 10:9 - If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (NIV)

One of my favorite Bible verses is actually the last half of Romans 8:31 ...If God is for us, who can be against us?

BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

Tuesday Tally: Weight Loss Tricks

I've managed to pack on about 20 lbs. that need to go.  I didn't go through gastric-bypass surgery nine-and-a-half years ago to start adding weight.  Time to nip this one in the bud before 20 turns into 30.

I know one major problem is that I like to eat.  Another is that I order a "daily special" at one of the local restaurants at lunch time and eat every morsel.  That will change!

I will also:

1. Weigh myself daily.  I have a weight-balance scale like a doctor uses.  I slide the weight down as I lose weight.  If I gained weight, I don't slide the weight back up.  It doesn't matter -- I gained weight!

2. Plan my meals. This is a trick. However, I have a good supply of lower calorie, frozen meals in the freezer.  One of those, along with a salad or cottage cheese and I should be good to go.  But I do need to be careful to not under-eat as well.  That leads to nibbling.

3. Keep some healthy snacks on hand.  I love bananas, yogurt and popcorn! I keep them on hand for filler meals.

4. Eat slower, drink more.  One of the things I can't do is drink anything while I'm eating. Of sure, I can have a sip of liquid, but drinking large quantities of liquids is nearly impossible with the way my digestive tract is now routed.  But I can drink more water, during the day. Few people know that when you think you're hungry, you're probably really thirsty!

5. Look down the road.  That cookie today will lead to not losing weight tomorrow. If I aim for just one pound a week, I can be easily be 20 (or more) pounds lighter by Spring.

6. Don't drink calories. I'm glad that I don't really drink much soda, but when I do, it's diet. However,  I do drink coffee with cream and sugar.  Added calories which I need to watch!

7. Exercise for just 5 minutes a day.  I gotta get moving again.  If I try to start out at 30 or 60 minutes, I'll fail.  I have at least 5 minutes a day to walk somewhere.  Then, week by week I can add 5 minutes until I get to that hour a day.

8. Do it a day, or a hour, at a time.  If I can just manage to make all the stuff I've listed part of my day, for several days, they can become habits again.  And that will lead to some weight loss.

Here's to being lighter by Spring!

BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

Tuesday Tally: Honey-Do List

I keep hearing that summer has ended.  It has NOT.  It officially ends September 21 and I plan on nice summer-like weather for several more weeks.

I need that nice weather for several weeks to complete my "Honey-Do List," which includes:

• Pull tomato and pepper plants from garden.  They didn't grow and produced very poorly this summer.
• Remove, replace and paint trim around garage door.
• Scrape and paint around windows.
• Replace the side door into the house.
• Find someone to work on lifting the kitchen floor.  (This 108+ year old house has a two-inch sag from one wall to the other.)
• Clean out the garage.  Two-and-a-half-car capacity, currently at one-car.
• Run a gas line and add a heater to the back entry area.

Of course a Honey-Do list never really ends.  These items are my highest priority and need to be done before the weather gets cold.

Wish me luck (stop by and help if you like).

BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

Tuesday Tally: Vacation Packing List

I'm making a list of things I need to pack for my upcoming vacation. Some of my must-haves include:

1. Suntan lotion
2. Slippers
3. Camera
4. GPS
5. Snacks
6. Hat with a brim
7. Good shoes
8. Shaving kit with personal items
9. Kindle (or other reading materials)
10. Credit card (to buy things I forgot)

That's just a start, and that's my blog for today.  ( 8-/

More blogginess at BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

Tuesday Tally: Daily Routine (attempts)

Ten things I attempt to do every day (in no particular order):

1. Compliment someone
2. Eat something healthy
3. Read something interesting
4. Learn something new
5. Talk/Chat with friends
6. Relax
7. Do something unexpected
8. Unclutter my life (throw stuff away!)
9. Be creative
10. Pray

BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

Tuesday Tally: Blogger's Bloggery

Some of my friends have asked me how I come up with topic idea for the blog. Obviously they don't read the blog very often because it's mostly a lot of non-sense that is fun to write and, honestly, I don't spend a lot of time doing. When I get paid to blog, I'll take it more seriously.

It is, however, more difficult to come up with fresh ideas to write about.

Thankfully the world is full of current events and Lord knows I'm not afraid to comment on any of them. My writing may not be very compelling, but at least there are frequent updates (um, daily!).

If you plan to blog, here are some suggestions in this Tuesday Tally:

1. Lists: People love lists! David Letterman has made a career with his Top 10. Just start making a list and see where it goes.
2. Reviews: You can give you opinion on just about anything. Movies, Products, Website, Books, Recipes, Restaurants, Friends. Okay, maybe not friends.
3. Pictures.  Just share a recent photo and short caption. A picture is worth a thousand words.  I'm really bad at this, because the camera on my phone isn't working right now. A new phone is on the horizon as soon as the latest model is delivered to my cell provider.
4. What's in the News. As I mentioned, the world is full of current events like the recent Mars explorer landing. Pick up a newspaper and you've got plenty of topics to blog about.
5. Tips and Tricks. Nearly everyone likes to know how someone else would deal with an event, problem or other issue.  Share yours with the world.
6. How To. Much like the Tips and Tricks, you can demonstrate your techniques with photos or even a video.

Before you know it, you have your blog post for the day!

CHEERS ALL!

 See it all at BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

Tuesday Tally: Bill's List of Life's Lessons

 "Experience is a hard teacher:
she gives the test first, and the lesson afterwards."
—Vernon Law, former major league baseball player

As I've grown older, I hope that I have grown wiser.  I try to pass on bits of wisdom I have gained along the journey I call life.

So in keeping with my Tuesday Tally, here are a few of the lessons I try to keep remember everyday.

• All things are as they should be.  Sometimes we get caught up in thinking that our lives should be different. We think we need more than we have or otherwise feel we're lacking something. We try to predict the actions (or reactions) of others. It all just causes stress on our own life. Sometimes when it seems like everyone is falling apart, they're actually falling into place.
• You can't fix others, only yourself. I'm a nurturer. I take care of others.  My jobs -- customers services and EMS is all about caring for others, making people happy or healthy. But it's not always possible to fix someone else's problem. But you can fix yourself by making changes that make you a better person. We may fall back into the old habits, but that's not a failure.  Failure is not continuing the work on those changes.
• Risking emotional hurt is worth it. There is nothing more painful that the emotional hurt. Regardless of the cause -- a failed relationship, an unexpected reaction from someone, betrayal or public humiliation -- it's still painful. Most emotional hurt comes from our interaction with others, so avoiding the hurt means avoiding others.  Life would be far too mundane withing interpersonal relationship.
• True freedom comes from not caring what others think of you. When you're concerned about what others think of you, you are somehow owned by them. That's not to say you can act like a total butthead. But when you no longer concern yourself with the confines of public opinion, you are free.  March to the beat of your own drum.
• Carpe diem! I hate that phrase, which is Latin for "Seize the day."  Just fricking seize the day already.  No matter the language, it still gets you started in the right direction.  Failure to seize the day (or the opportunity) only leads to one thing: REGRET.
• Choose your battles carefully. A fight for the sake of fighting never has a victory. Sometimes it's just easier to walk away from the battle. Sometimes it's necessary to fight the battle.  Knowing the correct choice is important.
• Being single can be the best thing for you.  I know so many men (and a few women) who have never lived alone.  They go from their parent's home into a home with a roommate/live-in/spouse.  Living alone gives you the opportunity to find the confidence to stand alone and take care of yourself. That's not to say having someone at your side isn't awesome, but so many people are totally lost when they are suddenly alone.
• Asking for (professional) help doesn't mean you're weak. I'm a big supporter of counseling. Talking to someone impartial (which excludes anyone who knows you) can open doors into your mind. I am a prime example. Through counseling, I gained the ability to work through even the most difficult problems I face.  Give it a try.
• Exercise control when life is out of control. When everything seems to be out of control, you can still control how you react to the chaos. Exercise that control empowers you to endure what comes your way.
• Some people will lie to you.  It's said, keep your fiends close and your enemies closer. It's also true that an honest enemy is better than a friend who lies.  Actions speak louder than words so pay less attention to what people say, and more attention to what they do.  Their actions will show you the truth.
• Everything is going to be alright. No matter what is happening, eventually it will be okay. Like Lil' Orphan Annie sings, "The Sun will come out Tomorrow."  So enjoy the thunderstorm knowing things will be brighter another time.

 In the end, it's about living life fully. Seize it!

More wit and wisdom at BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

Tuesday Tally: July 17

It's July 17 and here's the Tuesday Tally:

• 1961
• 1962
• 1963
• 1964
• 1965
• 1966
• 1967
• 1968
• 1969
• 1970
• 1971
• 1972
• 1973
• 1974
• 1975
• 1976
• 1977
• 1978
• 1979
• 1980
• 1981
• 1982
• 1983
• 1984
• 1985
• 1986
• 1987
• 1988
• 1989
• 1990
• 1991
• 1992
• 1993
• 1994
• 1995
• 1996
• 1997
• 1998
• 1999
• 2000
• 2001
• 2002
• 2003
• 2004
• 2005
• 2006
• 2007
• 2008
• 2009
• 2010
• 2011
• 2012

Is that 51 years?

BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

Tuesday Tally: Ways to Start Your Day

I've been told breakfast is the most important meal of the day. While that may be true, we also need to feed our mind soul.  It's important to start the day out right, to nourish yourself.

Here's some suggestion on how to start your day:

1. Pray. It's simple to do.  Just stop in your tracks, close your eyes for a moment and pray.  Give thanks for the day you're about to live (regardless of the demands before you) and ask for God's help should the load become too heavy.
2. Tell yourself that it WILL be a good day. Forget about the looming deadline or coworkers on vacation. Item 1 in this list assures item 2.
3. Smile.  No matter your mood or what's going on around you, smile.  That smile will make the boss wonder what's going on.
4. Compliment someone. On second thought, compliment everyone.  Sometimes being nice(r) gets you through the most difficult day.
5. Drink lots of water.  When you're dehydrated, even slightly, you will feel achy and tired -- especially as you get older.
6. Skip the depressing news and turn on the Travel or Food channel.  You deserve more than violence and mayhem.
7. Pray again.  Sometimes God is the only one who is really listening.

So what are you doing to start your day off the right way?  Let me know.

Catch all the bloggery at BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

Tuesday Tally: Tips for Servers

I'm going to start by saying that waiting tables is NOT an easy job.  I understand that.

Being a good server (the politically correct term for a waitress), takes a little skill.  Being a GREAT server takes a LOT of skill.

A friend and I used to say we wanted to open a waitress school to teach people how we thought the job should be done.

With that in mind, here are few lessons I would teach:

• Don't call me Hun.  I probably don't know you and if I do, I don't know you well enough for you to use a term of endearment like that.
• Bring the menus with you.  Don't come to my table and ask if I need a menu.  I may not, but your employer would probably appreciate it if you promoted all the items you have to offer.
• Know the menu.  If I ask questions, "I don't know" is not the answer I want to here.  I don't know either. Go ask someone if that what it takes.
• Never assume that the cook won't prepare my meal different than normal. I was once in a nice restaurant and ordered the perch "pan-fried." The waitress told me it was served deep-fried. I asked if she could check with the cook.  She refused.  I ordered a dish of cole slaw.
• Another assumption that shouldn't be made is that two people dining together are a couple. I was out with a friend for dinner when she ordered a bowl of soup.  The waitress turned to me, assuming I was her husband or boyfriend, and said, "She can order more than that, can't she?"  My reply: "Does she look like she needs more than that?"  I'm pretty sure the waitress slipped her the number for a safe house to escape her abusive relationship with me.
• Don't make me ask twice for something I want or need.  I don't care if it's ketchup, more coffee, the side order you forgot... the tip I leave on the table depends on it.
• Don't make me wait for my bill.  When I'm finished, I'm finished.  If you ask if I want anything else and I say no, that's the clue to bring the bill.  If I want to sit there any longer I will.

There's much more.  Maybe one day I will start that school.

Read more at BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

Tuesday Tally: Comics

Nancy & Sluggo, one of my classic favorites.

The Sunday Funnies was a weekly staple as I was growing up.  I'd grab that colored section and read nearly every comic printed there.  Some were classics back then whiles others have become the classics today.

I still enjoy reading "the funnies." Some of my favorites, from then and now included:

• Archie (1947– ) originally by Bob Montana (US)
• Beetle Bailey (1950– ) by Mort Walker (US)
• Blondie (1930– ) by Dean Young; originally by Chic Young (US)
• Bloom County (1980–1989) by Berke Breathed (US)
• Boner's Ark (1968–2000) by Mort Walker and later Frank B. Johnson (US)
• Bugs Bunny (1944–1990) originally by Leon Schlesinger (US)
• Dennis the Menace (1951– ) originally by David Law (UK)
• Dick Tracy (1931– ) originally by Chester Gould (US)
• Dilbert (1989– ) by Scott Adams (US)
• The Family Circus (1960– ), first named The Family Circle, by Bil Keane (US)
• FoxTrot (1988– ) by Bill Amend (US) (NOTE: Sunday-only run since 2007)
• Frank and Ernest (1972– ) by Bob Thaves (US)
• Hägar the Horrible (1973– ) by Chris Browne; originally by Dik Browne (US)
• The Lockhorns (1968– ) by Bunny Hoest and John Reiner; originally by Bill Hoest and William Carroll (US)
• Marmaduke (1954– ) originally by Phil Leeming and Brad Anderson (US)
• Mutt and Jeff (1907–1982), first titled A. Mutt, originally by Bud Fisher (US)
• Nancy (1922– ), first titled Fritzi Ritz, originally by Ernie Bushmiller (US)
• Opus (2003–2008) by Berkeley Breathed (US)
• Peanuts (1950–2000) by Charles M. Schulz (US)
• Sad Sack (1946–1958) by George Baker
• Sally Forth (1968–1974) by Wally Wood (US)

 Check out more blog postings at BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

Tuesday Tally: Not on the Bucket List

People my age start thinking about making a bucket list. You know, a list of the things you want to do before you kick the bucket.

I'm sure there are a million things I could put on my bucket list, most are absurd and unachievable, but it never hurts to dream.

When I look at bucket list examples, it becomes much easier for me to create a list of items I wouldn't put on my bucket list, including:

1. Get my collarbones pierced.  Seriously! Get your collarbones pierced.  I didn't even know that was possible.
2. Dress up like Jesus. As soon as I read that the song, "Just a closer walk with thee," popped into my head.
3. Eat a fried Tarantula. Fried?  Never! Baked, perhaps.
4. Learn to play golf. I tried it in college.  I wanted to wrap the clubs around a tree. I continue to ask, "What is the point?"
5. Travel the world. Okay, there are a few places in the world that I would like to visit. However, I have always said I would like to travel throughout the U.S. first.

Of course there are many other items to include. As I was reading some other bucket lists, I found a lot of things that I have no interest in doing because they're either illegal or immoral.

What was even more interesting as I read these list was finding myself saying, "did that, did that."

Maybe my bucket list would be shorter than I think.

Check out all my blog entries at: BareNakeBill.blogspot.com

Tuesday Tally: Stuff to do by May 31

Here it is day 15 of May.  That leaves me 16 days to get this stuff accomplished.  Wish me luck!

1. Go through my camping gear in preparation for my first weekend of camping, which may or may not be Memorial Day weekend.
2. Clean the garage so I can get both my car and pickup inside and my trucks won't hate me.
3. Get rid of some more unnecessary items I've been hanging onto.  Where does this crap come from?
4. Wax my new(er) car.
5. Transplant the mums from the garden to another location around the house.
6. Plant garden: Tomatoes, sweet peppers and some herbs.
7. Wash the windows -- I hate doing this and that's why my windows are always dirty.
8. Make reservations for a vacation (or two).

Check out all my blog entries at BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

Tuesday Tally: 10 Facts about Easter

Ten Facts about Easter

Fact 1: Over 90 million chocolate Easter bunnies are produced each year.

Fact 2: 600 million eggs are usually sold in USA during the months of March and April.

Fact 3: After Halloween, Easter is the biggest candy consuming holiday.

Fact 4: The first chocolate eggs were made in Germany in the 19th century

Fact 5: Americans consume more than 16 billion jellybeans at Easter,

Fact 6: The first Easter baskets were made to imitate bird nests

Fact 7: 76 % eat the ears on chocolate bunnies first.

Fact 8: Solving murder mysteries is very popular in Norway during Easter.

Fact 9: The world’s largest jar of jelly beans weighed 2744 kilograms.

Fact 10: The traditional act of painting eggs is called Pysanka.

Read all the BareNakedBill blog posts at: BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

TUESDAY TALLY: Favorite Foods

Here's the Tuesday Tally of Favorite Foods my Mom would make:

1. Cubed steak smothered in mushroom (soup) gravy.
2. Potato soup made like my grandma Esch: mashed potatoes thinned with milk and butter. My brother Chuck remembers the soup served with sizzle steaks in time for Bonanza on Sunday night.
3. Turkey with stuffing (think Thanksgiving!).
4. Fried Chicken... Totally artery clogging! Whole chicken pieces (there was no such thing as boneless chicken) rolled in flour and dropped into a pan of hot oil with butter.
5. Cheeseburgers... fried in a cast iron pan so the outsides were slightly crisp and the insides were juicy. This pan was also used to fry eggs in bacon grease.
6. Spaghetti. Don't ask for the recipe, you'll just scratch your head and say, "are you serious?"
7. Chicken Noodle Soup with chicken gizzards. I used to pick out the gizzards.

So things you would never see on this list are: beef tongue and heart. I just had to mention that for my dad and brothers.

Tuesday Tally: Great Things About Detroit

Some of you are going to tell me I'm crazy, but I love Detroit!  Yeah, there are some areas I won't go and others where I'd drive on a flat tire to get out of rather than stop.

But I still love Detroit.  The city really does have much to offer.

So here's my Tuesday Tally about Detroit.

1. Detroit Sports Fans.  Whether it's the Tigers, Red Wings, Pistons or Lions, Detroit sports fans are loyal and unlike any others.
2. Lafayette Coney Island. If you've never had a coney dog at Lafayette Coney Island you've missed a true experience.  It's even more fun at 3 am.  ;-)
3. Eastern Market. This long-standing farmer's market is a wonderful place to pick up fresh produce and other food items at great price.
4. Greektown. I'm not talking the casino, its presence has actually taken away from the area.
5. Astoria Bakery.  While you're in Greektown, pick up some baklava or other sweet treat that will blow your mind.
6. Detroit Zoo.  Technically not in the City of Detroit, the Detroit Zoo is one of the best zoos in the country.  But then, any zoo is always a lot of fun.
7. Detroit Symphony Orchestra. I'm not sure where to begin to speak about the DSO. Top quality musicians in a city many think lacks culture.  Check them out and judge for yourself.
8. Detroit Institute of Arts. An amazing collection of art that rivals that of much larger cities, the DIA is a fun way to spend a day in Detroit.
9. Fisher Theater, Fox Theater, Masonic Temple and Detroit Opera House. There's plenty of theater events all within a very small area of Detroit, sometimes referred to as the 'Theater District.' These old buildings are classics with their ornate features.
10. Thanksgiving Day Parade. Produced by The Parade Co., this annual event, in my opinion, is much better and more thrilling than the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.

I could add much more to this list if I started adding places and events in Metro Detroit -- that is outside the city boundaries.  But not now. Not with this list.

For now, this is my Tally of just a few of Detroit's Gems.