Last night’s entertainment included an incomplete game of checkers with teams matched up based on combined weight. Yes, weight. Let’s just say it was Mr. Critical and youngest against Mrs. Wonderful and eldest two. We learned that our matched weights also matched our abilities in what turned out to be a near draw in checkers.

Second on the list for last night’s entertainment was Scrabble. House rules are still in flux but we managed to do well with three letter words and an occasional proper noun. By products of the game? Math and Spelling. Something we all could be better at.

Having no TV has lent itself to me wandering in circles around the house looking for something to do. Then to the fridge for something to eat, and ultimately me finding a neglected book to read then off to bed at an earlier than normal time. Part of that can be blamed on the time change – I’ve been waking up at 4:30 am all week … with nothing to watch on TV.

In the past few weeks I’ve found myself in this mode of looking at me from the outside. It’s somewhat of a personal assessment of looking at patterns in my life and actions which not only seem to define me but have brought me to where I am today. Yikes, this topic is already feeling a bit heavy for a Monday morning.

One thing that stands out today is my ability and tendency to be categorical in my thinking, striving always to eliminate ambiguity – leaving no question about what is right and what is wrong. Raising three boys tends to enable that a bit, too. My boys are exploring and testing what is right and what is wrong. My wife and I are working to develop their understanding of right and wrong. But, that also means we have to live that out and model that, and that’s a tough one in and of itself.

I find it a bit interesting how as I get older the blacks are blacker and the whites are whiter, and there are less and less opportunities for gray. My convictions get stronger, my thinking more rigid and my patience shorter for differences in right and wrong.

Does that mean I’m intolerant? Yes, I confess. I’m intolerant … to things I hold to be right or wrong. I don’t tolerate stealing. I’m no fun. I don’t tolerate disrespectful language. I’m so uncool. I don’t tolerate an hourly employee texting friends and checking in on Facebook during company time. I guess that officially makes me old fashioned.

Does that mean I lack empathy? Yes, when circumstances are such that a viable option is available. I’m going to have a hard time being empathetic to someone who is asking for a hand-out when they are more than capable of getting up and making a living themselves. I’m so cold hearted. I lack empathy for the person talking about how much they need to get done and don’t have time for this or that but are up to date on all the latest sitcoms and celebrity love triangles. I’m so mean. I have no empathy for Ken and Barbie talking about money woes when they live in a mansion-sized house with a pool and have their kids in private schools. Uh, oh … I may have crossed the line on that one.

Oh, but what about you Mr. Critical? What gives you the right to be so harsh and judgmental? Actually, nothing. I’ve got nothing. I’m much worse off. You see, I’m the guy with double standards. I’m the one who is so hard lined that I’ll stop at a stop sign in the middle of nowhere … but, I’m also the one who will go through the drive thru at the bank with five transactions when the sign clearly says “four transaction limit.” I’m the one that will over-tip the waiter if I camp out longer than it takes to eat my meal … but, I’ll ”flow with traffic” at 76 miles per hour in a 70 MPH zone. I’m editing my really bad transgressions to keep me from looking too bad. Seriously, I could spend days on other contrasting scenarios, but I think you get the point.

What’s my justification? What gives me the power to decide what is right and what is wrong? I find myself saying “oh, this won’t matter” or “that’s a dumb rule”. Mr. Critical thinks he knows what is best. We’ll, the fact of the matter is that he does know what’s best … for him. But, to think that he knows what’s best for everyone is outright arrogance. Oooooo-Eeeeee, I stink! (Reminds me a bit of what’s going on in Washington DC, but I don’t really want to go there right now.)

What’s worse is I’m the guy handing out advice for what YOU should be doing to take care of your mess instead of me looking at MY own messes and taking care of them. I’ve got more mess than I know what to do with. But it’s sooo much easier to look at everyone else’s mess and fix it. It’s like a friend told me, I’ve got a knack for “over simplifying someone else’s problems and over complicating my own.”

So, what does Mr. Critical need to do about his alter ego Mr. Hypocritical? That’s a tough one. I’ve actually been fighting him quite a bit lately and what I’m finding is that to win, Mr. Critical is becoming more and more categorical. Yes, more black and white … taking my five transactions into the bank rather than the drive thru and respecting speed limits (thanks to the help of my three boys who often ask “are you driving the speed limit?”), changing my eating habits and using kind words with my wife. The list goes on and on.

Ultimately, my desire is to do the right thing. I want to lead by example. I want my actions to reflect my heart … and my heart constantly needs work. From there I hope my actions will show love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control … not all that Mr. Hypocritical yuckiness.

– My name is Kyle Dreier, and I am Mr. Critical.

ps. Somehow I find time to enjoy a sitcom now and then.

What shocked me today was what I was seeing come out of the school lunch line. Apparently the children had a few choices left to their own judgement. Big mistake.

One boy who was sitting across from my son sat down with a slice of pizza, an apple, a generous helping of chocolate pudding, chocolate milk and a large ice cream sandwich. Let me see if I can understand what was the protein, the vegetable and the fruit. Someone will need to help me with this because apparently I’m not as smart as the Williamson County Schools here in Tennessee.

Maybe all isn’t lost. I also observed another student with was looked to be fried fish sticks (which were left uneaten), strawberry milk, mixed vegetables, frozen fruit-pop dessert and again a large portion of chocolate pudding. I even saw one boy, who apparently is mature beyond his years with a respectable salad. But that was by far the exception.

Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Mike Looney … if you’re listening (or happen to Google yourself) please get your board (D’Wayne Greer, Janice Mills, Janine Moore, Tim McLaughlin, Gary Anderson, Terry Leve, Susan Graham, Pat Anderson, Barry Watkins, Eric Welch, Mark Gregory, Vicki Vogt) to take a serious look at what the school cafeterias are offering to these children. Take a look at the obesity rates in Tennessee. Not good. Look at the stats on diabetes in children. Even worse.

I’m proud to have a great school for my children to attend. The schools here have so many great things going for them. But, parents are entrusting the health and safety of their children to you and what I saw concerns me.

I would venture to bet that teachers would be in favor of cutting back greatly the amount of carbs and sugar the children are being fed during lunch period. I can only imagine the hyped up kids just after lunch and the carb crash they get a couple hours later. This is a bit much to expect our teachers to handle.

How about taking a stand for the health of all these children!

Months ago we had a great dining experience at Basil so we were up for a repeat. One of our favorite ways of dining out is to let the waiter/waitress order for us. To date this approach has provided good experiences while also expanding our palettes, and this time was no exception. Even though I wouldn’t rate this the top of our “order for us” experiences, it certainly wasn’t a disappointment.

When we presented our young waitress with this opportunity she showed a little hesitation but seemed up for the task. She timidly returned to our table a couple times to make sure we’d be “OK” with certain decisions she wanted to make on our behalf. We kept encouraging her that “It’s all fine. Go for it.”

To start, she brought us lettuce wraps. Sure they were good, but I think she could have been a bit more bold in her selection. Apparently lettuce wraps are popular and that was part of what factored into her decision. To me, lettuce wraps are too pedestrian for a special night out when you want to experience new uncharted flavors, particularly when you have a restaurant like Basil where their unique offerings make this dining spot a favorite.

Next up was a duo of sushi … Red Dragon Roll and Sunset Roll. We love sushi rolls and these did not disappoint. The Red Dragon Roll was incredible. The eel was tender and the flavors within where just perfect plus a little punch of what appeared to be a red chili sauce made this a candidate for a repeat at a later date. The Sunset Roll was very good as well – crunchy shrimp with generous portions of tender crab strips on the outside served with a tangy sauce. While we ate every bit of what we were served I wish our waitress would have varied her selections a little more rather than bringing us two sushi dishes.

Completely satisfied (or as my mother would say “I have dined sufficiently”) we were presented with the question of whether we wanted dessert. My only question for our waitress was “do you have anything chocolate” to which she replied “Yes” and before she could explain what the chocolate dessert would be I quickly interrupted with “Bring that!” (If you know me, I have a heart-broken girl’s appetite for chocolate.)

What showed up was beautifully presented Flowerless Chocolate Torte served with raspberry sauce. One bite would prove that this was the climax of our evening as Basil. Oh my goodness, the chocolate was incredibly smooth. It was beyond smooth. Let’s just say it was “be-smooth” and perfectly sweet, rich and tart at the same time. I just have no words to adequately describe it other than “perfect.”

So what’s next? We will return to Basil and we will ask our waiter to order for us … with permission to go for it.

I am Mr. Critical.

Basil Asian Bistro is a locally owned and operated independent restaurant located in Franklin, TN. www.basilasianbistro.com

I voted today. It took me a total of 30 minutes from the time I left my desk to the time I sat down to do this blog entry. Granted, I choose a time when crowds would be small … I was one of three voters in the facility. (Apparently 2:00 on a Thursday is a good time to go for early voting.)

So, now what? We’ll, even though today was “just” a primary it is a start to my desire to get some good change in our system we call government. I’m so tired of the government thinking they have to be everyone’s savior.

Today I heard on the news that “unemployed won’t have to wait any longer for their extended benefits.” I’m sorry to sound so harsh but they shouldn’t be “waiting” on anything! They should be out there trying to generate some income. My goodness, there is always a way to make a buck … get out there and do it.

I myself am worn thin. I’m working very diligently to keep my head above water and provide for my family. What’s dragging me down more than anything is the taxes, paperwork, licenses, etc that are required of me as a small business owner. It feels like a boxing match where I get hit on the left then the right then below the belt. No wonder almost half of the US population is on the receiving side of tax dollars rather than on the contributing side, it’s stinkin’ hard to swim with government weights around your ankles.

So, once again I’m finding myself complaining. But at least I earned the right – I voted today. What did you do?

I am Mr. Critical.

Here in Fieldstone Farms we saw quite a bit of water. Our house was an effected but many of our neighbors on adjacent streets were not as lucky. You can see some photos from walking around the block here. See Photos.

Basil is what I’d classify as a low-maintenance establishment. A nice simple atmosphere but not over the top and not trying to be something it’s not. And, thankfully, the price points reflect this.

As is my usual M. O. these days I tend to let the waiter order for me as if I’m a guess at someone’s home … rather than me pouring through the menu and looking for something that catches my eye.

Michael started us with “Angry Tuna” – an eight piece sushi roll setup that was wonderful. It was a mix of textures and the presentation was beautiful.

Next was soup. Let there be soup. I went safe with Miso and Amy had Coconut Chicken. Michael informed us that each cup is made from scratch rather than just a huge vat of simmering soup waiting in the back. Fresh indeed. Mine was just what I needed, being that I’m nursing a cold. I had a taste of Amy’s and it was very flavorful … must have been the cream, curry and cilantro.

For our main course we split Curry Tilapia plus white and brown rice. This was plenty for two to share and it was a very nice blend of flavors. Having had a bad curry experience over 15 years ago I’m still hesitant to face my fears but this was comforting and very well done.

Conclusion? We’ll be back for sure. The nice thing, we won’t have to wait for a hugely special occasion since it doesn’t requiring mortgaging the house to patronize this fine eating establishment.

- Kyle (Mr. Critical, but satisfied.)

ps. Because their presentation was so nice, I’m going to have to approach them about doing some food photography for them. I know I would enjoy it.

This morning I pulled into the drive thru window at one our the local Regions bank branches. I had to decide  which one of the four open lanes I would choose. Third one. Not another car in sight. I took off my sunglasses (because that’s what you’re supposed to do at banks now), I inserted my nicely organized deposits (one check per deposit slip neatly paper-clipped together) and sent it through the magic money tube. Five deposits on their way to be added to one of my accounts there.

The teller processed my deposits and politely asked if there was anything else I needed. “No thank you.” Then she informed me that there is a “three transaction limit” for the drive thru and that next time I could “put all the checks on one deposit slip.”

That’s nice advice, I guess, but I like do my deposits as one check per deposit slip. It makes my bookkeeping easier … because it’s all about me.

Maybe it’s me, when I heard “three transaction limit?” I thought “Really?” Then I thought OK” … I can see how that would be important during lunch hour when cars are stacked up in all four lanes with people needing to do business, get lunch and get back to work. Even at that, we’re talking deposits here. I wasn’t asking for my weekly paycheck to be cashed and counted out in fives and ones.

I’ll admit, it’s much more convenient for me to see things from my point of view than someone else’s. She didn’t enforce the policy, thankfully, but was it necessary to point it out? Maybe she thought she was doing me a favor so next time I wouldn’t have to fill out a separate slip for each deposit.

Forgive me for my poor attitude but I often think it’s unfortunate how sometimes people “doing their job” gets in the way of them “using their brain”.

There. It’s off my chest. I feel better now.

Watch out … grumpy old man (Mr Critical) on the loose.

Last week on an editorial food photography assignment I took a break and actually ate where I was shooting. Rotier’s in Nashville, TN. If you ask anyone who has been in Nashville for more than a year or so they’ll tell you that Rotier’s in the place for an excellent burger. It’s full of history and charm. It’s a Nashville icon.

So, what were the results from my visit to Rotier’s? The food photography turned out very nice. I was pleased, particularly given the lighting conditions I was having to work with. Secondly, the service was great. Everyone there was very friendly … what you’d expect from any Nashville establishment. Thirdly, the hamburger I ordered (not the one we photographed – it was cold and dead by the time we finished shooting) was excellent.

There you have it. Another entry into the critical archives of Mr. Critical.

Kyle Dreier (I am Mr. Critical)

Last night, the day before Valentine’s Day mind you, Amy and I had the pleasure of a 6:00 seating at Red Pony Restaurant on Main Street in Franklin, Tennessee. I don’t know about you, but for us, when we’ve got someone to watch the kids all night we’re going to go someplace special … and we’ve been pining to go to Red Pony for as long as we’ve know about it.

If you’ve ever had the leisure of walking up and down Main Street Franklin then you know it’s filled with charm, history and a moderate dose of cuteness. Red Pony adds an element of eclecticness to the mix. The feel at Red Pony is progressive, artsy and even a little metro hep urbanism – I’ll leave the interpretation of that to your own imagination.

When our waiter asked if we’d eaten there before you could see from from his expression that we were up for a great experience. Unannounced he brought a little something to the table that we’d likely never know how to order … Gnocchi (“no-key”, I think). These little dumpling-like mini-balls were set in a cream sauce and were just waiting for our approval. They got it. These were really a fun little treat. Normally these are made from potato but these were light – made from a pastry base. What a great little surprise for us.

So, what to order? Earl, our attentive waiter, informed us of a beef spring roll which was not on the menu. I’m always up for something “not on the menu”, especially food with any Asian influence. To me “not on the menu” means the chef (Chef Jason in this case) had a whim and intentionally made this an offering for this special evening. Chef Jason has an impressive pedigree (I know this because I “googled” him) so I’m up for any fare he dreams up. So how was this beef spring roll? It was yummy. Even though I’m not usually a spring roll fan, I enjoyed the freshness, the flavor, the texture and it helped set the stage for what would be the main performance … Flounder.

Well, Flounder for me that is. Amy was much more adventurous and went for the Seafood Paella. More on the Paella in a minute. The Flounder was spectacular. I can’t find a single thing to criticize … and that’s what I do being Mr. Critical and all. It was flaky but not dry. It was light but not bland. It was topped with tender crab meat … who can resist that! There was a creamy sauce of some kind but just a little. Not enough to mask any of the other flavors. This was all on a bed of fresh shavings of squash and zucchini. The last bite was just as splendid as the first. Throughout the entree I would get a little hit of fresh black pepper every now and then. This is definitely up for a repeat performance. Oh, and I didn’t even mention the assumed … the presentation was very nice.

Amy and her Paella … this I have to convey second hand. While I’m a fan of the ingredients in Paella – rice, shrimp, muscles, etc – I didn’t try any of hers – I was too busy enjoying my Flounder. Paella to me looks like a seafood version of “goulash” … basically dump a bunch of good stuff together to make it more good. She said it had a bit of a kick, which is probably expected since it has some Spanish origins. All in all, Amy didn’t show any signs of remorse with her choice. She stopped just shy of licking the bowl clean. If you know my wife you know that would be a funny sight. Did I mention that Amy also had a nice spinach salad? I guess she had been saving up her appetite for the evening. She said the salad was very good as well. Nothing too fancy, just fresh, good and … well, good.

So, with all this fine food now represented by empty plates, what would we be considering for dessert? This is an easy choice for me. Actually, I came predisposed to their creme brulee. You see, on the day of our photo shoot I managed to clean off a spoon that contained some creme brulee and then learned it was worthy of my taste buds. It’s smooth, it doesn’t leave a pasty, sticky film on the roof of your mouth and it even has some fresh vanilla bean seeds in the base. You know, the tiny little black specs. It had the right amount of caramelized sugar to break through. Tap, tap, tap … break. It had the right smoothness. It had the right flavor. However … and this is the only “however” from our evening at Red Pony … Amy and I both concur that creme brulee should be served either warm or at room temperature. We have a very high bar set for creme brulee. In fact, all creme brulees are measured against the Raspberry Creme Brulee we experienced at The Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas, Texas. I believe Chef Dean Fearing was the Executive Chef at the time. The Red Pony creme brulee is just a bit shy of the Holy Grail of Creme Brulees.

You’d think we’d be done by now, but as a nice way to cleanse our palette Earl brought us a couple slices of Asian pear with thin slices of Parmesan cheese. What a neat flavor combination. A couple bites and that topped off our wonderful evening. Thanks to Red Pony, Chef Jason and his entire staff for a very nice evening for me and my hard working wife and mother of three boys.

– Kyle Dreier
Mr. Critical

note: I am a Nashville based Food Photographer. If you want to see some of the food photography from our shoot at Red Pony then go here: www.dreier.com