Saturday's events

First we dropped by Guns Plus in Spring Lake--it was busy, so we decided to go to lunch first.

We then had lunch at Pierros' Pizzeria (on Ramsey Street) in Fayetteville, just down the road from his yimo's house. The food there was pretty good. We both ordered the chicken marsala--the sauce was good, and the chicken breast meat, though rather thick, wasn't dry. (Usually it's sliced thinner because chicken breast meat can get dry rather quickly.) There was only one waitress to cover all of the tables, but I think we had adequate attention.

Then we dropped by another gun store (actually Jim's Pawn Shop in Fayetteville). Employees at both stores were carrying firearms (open carry)--as a deterrent and for protection? That did surprise me, though I don't know why it should. Apparently the guns at both stores are over-priced, but that's normal for the area? Jim's gun shop actually had the HK45c plus a couple of M1As (different models). The shotguns were interesting, too.

After dropping some leftovers at Sarge's apartment, we decided to try Guns Plus again, since I really wanted to try out Sarge's HK USP and do some shooting. It was still busy, but we stuck around this time--the waiting period was about 30 minutes. While we were waiting, we took a look at what they were selling in the store. A video from Suarez International on the use of the AK was being played--I thought that was interesting.

Anyway, there were plenty of guys from the base shooting there with friends (and girlfriends).

I had an ok session--Sarge was giving me directions on using the USP and shooting. A spent casing (I think from the USP and not from the next lane) landed inside my glasses, so there was a minor burn under my eye. Next time I need better eye protection. (But since my pair of glasses broke the night before I need new glasses as well. It's an old pair--I think I've had them for maybe 15 years or so.) I was able to shoot about 40 rounds or so.

Even though it was a 45, the recoil wasn't too bad, though maybe if I shot 100 rounds my hands would feel differently. The grip and the use of the slide were rather awkward for me, and I was feeling somewhat uncomfortable and not focused--I think it wasn't because things were being rushed, but because I was nervous. As a result, I couldn't get into a comfortable stance and I was very slow in pulling the trigger. I did ok with respect to the target, but of course I wished I had done better. "Practice makes perfect" but we'll see if the nervousness goes away next time.

Aftewards, we went to North Hills shopping center in Raleigh for dinner and a movie. We decided to go to Cinelli's Pizzeria (chain); Firebirds looked a bit too upscale for us (though there were plenty of patrons who were dressed casually. The hostess and waitress at Cinelli's were attractive. It's fast-food Italian. I ordered the chicken scarparielli, Sarge the chicken monachina.
The service there was all right (though it was better at Pierro's, despite being understaffed). As for the food--I thought the sauce for my chicken dish was salty and spicy but otherwise without much taste--I think the base was tomato, but it was hard to tell. The sausage was ok, but perhaps sliced too thinly, and I wonder how the chicken was cooked. (Perhaps heated might be a better word.) Sarge's chicken was overcooked...

There were plenty of teenagers at the shopping center. We saw The Bank Job--probably a better movie than The Other Boleyn Girl. The trailers before the movie were groan-worthy...
Amercan movies and the other patrons of the shopping center make one lament the state of culture in the U.S. (and in the South). I sympathize even more with the "grumpy old men" over at Chronicles now.