bryan suddith dot com

I love food. I don’t want to marry it, nor am I addicted to any one special kind of food. I just love food. Not sure I am a foodie or not. Recently attempts have been made at a food review website. Writing and food seem like a good mix. Growing up lower middle class limited my fine dining experience. I remember my first meal at the Blue Chip club in Cincinnati. Nervous about forks, my tie and what to order for the brunch meal.

These days I am happy to say that I am equally comfortable at the Oakwood Club or the Dixie Diner in New Lebanon. For all the food I love, and recently I have been eating more salads and seafood, than burgers and steak, I can not make a decision about food. This is not a problem for most people, but at least 5 times a week I am eating out with someone and a decision has to be made.

This is the one decision I hate to make. I don’t care, Asian Fusion, Classic American, Deli or Diner, Italian or Pizza joint. I don’t care. I have a friend in the same category. When we eat he is quick to eliminate the one place that we understand is sometimes not appropriate. His requirement? A good bacon cheeseburger. I may be having a great pasta dish, or a pizza, or even a good salad with seafood piled high, he wants a good bacon cheeseburger.

To avoid the decision making process I have begun to implement a new strategy. It goes like this:

Me: Hey, we should meet for lunch (brunch, breakfast or drinks) and discuss xyz.

Them: Yes, great, lets match calendars.

Me: No on the 8th, yes on the morning of 9 and 11, no to lunch on the 12th.

Them: Lunch on the 11th or coffee on the 12th.

Me: You pick

Them: Doesn’t matter. Let me know.

Me: 11th it is. Noon.

Them: 11:45, I have a blah blah blah at 1:30.

Me: Got it.  Where you want to go?

Them: Doesn’t matter you pick!

Me: .oO Thinking..not aloud…ARGHH. I DONT CARE

Me: How about Chans Chinese or Bills Burgers

You see, this is where I get out of the decision making process. They have to pick. I used to think that it was on the inviters part, or the guy who is paying, but its not. It is an intricate game of verbal and mental ping pong. I must have this conversation 4 or 5 times a week.  Don’t even get me started on the one check or two conversation.