Protecting My Credit Or Embarrassing Me While Out To Dinner?

Thanks, Target Credit Cards, for embarrassing me while out to dinner with a friend this weekend.
This past Saturday, I went to Verizon Wireless for a long-overdue cell phone upgrade. I put the charges for the new phone and for the insurance on my Target Credit Card.

I, then, went to work for a few hours. When I tried to pay to exit the parking garage, my card wouldn't go through. Weird but okay, I'll use my debit card. Sometimes those parking payment kiosks can be finicky. No big whoop.
On Sunday evening, I went out to dinner with a friend and, like most dinners, we split the check right down the middle by giving the waitress two credit cards. After a few minutes, the waitress, who couldn't have been nicer, by the way, came back to the table to advise that my card was declined.
What in the world? This is my credit card...not my debit card. There's way more money available on my credit card than on anything else I own...including savings bonds.
I gave the server another card and all was okay. It wasn't until later that I wondered what would've happened if I didn't have another card. What if I didn't have any cash? What if my friend refused to help me out? Would the restaurant make me wash dishes in the kitchen to pay back the cost of my meal?
What if I wasn't with a friend at all...what if I was buying dinner for a client or something super important...like purchasing NSYNC reunion concert tickets! UGH...the horror!
The Target Credit Cards customer service line was closed on Monday due to the Memorial Day holiday so I had to call this morning from work to see what the heck they did to my account.
Really long, drawn-out story short...er than it already is. The $6.99 fee for the cell phone insurance policy came from Las Vegas, NV and that's what flagged the Target gurus to put a hold on my card.
I appreciate that they provide this anti-fraud service but can't there be a special code so the merchant you're standing in front of doesn't think you're trying to get a free meal? Instead of just saying "DECLINED" on the credit card machine and receipt paper, can't it say "PLEASE CALL US" or "HEY, YOU'RE NOT IN VEGAS!"

1992

In my travels this weekend, I stepped into a bar. Okay, those of you who know me know that I stepped into more bars this weekend than just the one. That's irrelevant.
In said bar, it was posted that "We ID (something something) May 3, 1992". It floored me that someone born in May of 1992 can drink legally.
In 1992 I was in sixth grade. I had an awful spiral perm and awkwardly spaced front teeth. I could be caught at any moment singing the Aladdin soundtrack...or Color Me Badd's All 4 Love. I was involved in competitive and recreational town sports and the school drama club. I loved romantic comedies, the T.G.I.F. lineup and the first (?) reality television shows on MTV. So, not much has changed since then.
I can't believe that was 21 years ago. I mean, the math works out that way but I don't think it seems like that long ago. I suppose the key to staying young is denial.

O-N-I-O-N-S

I fear for the youth of America. During a recent trip to Subway (Eat Fresh!), I witnessed what can only be described as proof that the education system in Rhode Island needs some serious attention.
The male customer in front of me in line had ordered a few sandwiches so he requested that the sandwich artist make a notation on the wrappers so he knew which sandwich was which.
I frequent Subway and I know some locations have color coded stickers to differentiate sandwich orders. I didn't see any at this location but I didn't think this would become an issue.
Judging by the massive amount of facial hair, the sandwich artist must've been in his late teens or early twenties. He grabbed a pen and began to scribble on the paper. Then, he suddenly stopped what he was doing and said to his fellow sandwich artist, "I don't know how to spell onions".
...
I'm going to let that one sit for a bit longer.
...
Several questions flooded my mind. How does someone over the age of 15 not know how to spell the word "onions"? How does someone over the age of 15 who works in a sandwich shop and works with sliced vegetables all day long not know how to spell the word "onions"...or at least find a sign that has "onions" written on it? Isn't "onions" a word that you learn to spell in elementary school...like, maybe third or fourth grade? Teachers, help me out here!
I'd like to thank the teachers at my elementary school for teaching me what I needed to know...in fact, more than I need to know. You all get a gold star.