Sunday, January 30, 2005
A Slurpee for the People
Imagine a hot and sweltering day, with no relief in sight. The A/C in your car broke down and the furnace blast of hot air through the open windows only adds to your misery. You have 350 miles to go and it's only 8am. You'd kill for one of those beaded seat covers (aka, "cab driver's special"), only to air out your sweaty ass.
How much longer will this torture continue? All you see around you is open plains, the occasional farm or shabby antique store.
Suddenly, you spy the sign.
You pull into the 7-11, go straight for the Slurpee(tm) machine and fill up a Super-Slurpee with the Coca~Cola flavor (there is no other).
Even before you clamp on the ingenious bubble lid, you pull a spoonful of the icy cold goodness with the even more ingenious spoon/straw. As you bring it to your lips with giddy excitement, the grin on your face is unmistakable. You are having the first taste of only something better to come. Damn that feels good!
The people of Iraq have had their first spoon/straw-ful of freedom, and for now, it is a huge, tasty relief from a long, painful, and ardous journey.
Despite the best efforts of Ted Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi, almost the entire Democratic party, CNN, The New York Times,and let me see, anybody else? Oh yeah, those vile, subhuman terrorists (more politely referred to as "insurgents) sliming around Iraq, the people came to the polls and voted in huge numbers anyway. The look on their faces as they defied the threats of Zarqawi's henchmen was unmistakable. These people are thirsty, and they want a taste.
That's what so great about our country. I can only relate to their achievement with getting a Slurpee on a hot day. We have the luxury of debating something so insignificant and inconsequential as to whether Sigfried and Roy can get married. Iraqis are seeking the basic freedoms and rights we take for granted every day.
There's still a long, hot, difficult drive ahead.
Will that Slurpee melt before arrival?
How much longer will this torture continue? All you see around you is open plains, the occasional farm or shabby antique store.
Suddenly, you spy the sign.
You pull into the 7-11, go straight for the Slurpee(tm) machine and fill up a Super-Slurpee with the Coca~Cola flavor (there is no other).
Even before you clamp on the ingenious bubble lid, you pull a spoonful of the icy cold goodness with the even more ingenious spoon/straw. As you bring it to your lips with giddy excitement, the grin on your face is unmistakable. You are having the first taste of only something better to come. Damn that feels good!
The people of Iraq have had their first spoon/straw-ful of freedom, and for now, it is a huge, tasty relief from a long, painful, and ardous journey.
Despite the best efforts of Ted Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi, almost the entire Democratic party, CNN, The New York Times,and let me see, anybody else? Oh yeah, those vile, subhuman terrorists (more politely referred to as "insurgents) sliming around Iraq, the people came to the polls and voted in huge numbers anyway. The look on their faces as they defied the threats of Zarqawi's henchmen was unmistakable. These people are thirsty, and they want a taste.
That's what so great about our country. I can only relate to their achievement with getting a Slurpee on a hot day. We have the luxury of debating something so insignificant and inconsequential as to whether Sigfried and Roy can get married. Iraqis are seeking the basic freedoms and rights we take for granted every day.
There's still a long, hot, difficult drive ahead.
Will that Slurpee melt before arrival?
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
Wino
Over the past few years, I've built up the most retarded collection of wine bottle corks for absolutely no reason. Ok, I'll admit it there's a reason. You know the Sky Mall catalogs you peruse in planes because you have nothing to read? I usually bring a collection of magazines, books, newspapers, but always come back to Sky Mall catalog...for this!
Don't you love the Sky Mall catalog too? Two-person shower heads, Countertop wine cellars, and crap beyond the imagination.
Now as a man of mostly impeccable taste, I can't bring myself to buy this lame-ass "build-it-yourself" trivet or corkboard. My wife hates the thing too.
What is a man with an oversized cork collection to do?
On another note, BECK's next album isn't coming out until late March, not February as I previously reported. I apologize for all those that got their panties in a bunch like I did. I mean, he's only the best artist to come around in the past ten years.
Don't you love the Sky Mall catalog too? Two-person shower heads, Countertop wine cellars, and crap beyond the imagination.
Now as a man of mostly impeccable taste, I can't bring myself to buy this lame-ass "build-it-yourself" trivet or corkboard. My wife hates the thing too.
What is a man with an oversized cork collection to do?
On another note, BECK's next album isn't coming out until late March, not February as I previously reported. I apologize for all those that got their panties in a bunch like I did. I mean, he's only the best artist to come around in the past ten years.
Thursday, January 13, 2005
One of my favorite pleasures is purchasing a new album from a favorite artist, just knowing that a remarkable audio experience awaits me. I just got word that BECK's new album is due next month.
His last album got me through some dark days of heartbreak back in 2002. I underwent a form a therapy, that involved coming home from work and immediately laying down on my living room floor, eyes shut, blinds closed, and then listen to Sea Change all the way through without stirring. Compared to his earlier works, Sea Change was a downbeat, melancholy affair, and still a masterpiece. What really makes me anticipate a work of greatness is Beck switches gears on every album. Odelay's energetic madness was followed up with the simple, acoustic driven Mutations.
Then we got party fun on Midnite Vultures , which led to "Thanks for breaking up with me after nine years" on Sea Change.
Now, next month, comes "Untitled" and I will be first in line.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
I'm finally recovered from Saturday's night of heavy drinking madness. Had some friends over for some appetizers, then eventually hitting up a psuedo-dive for additional debauchery. Hint, real dives don't charge a cover.
Anyway... I was booted out of a damn bar for the first time since college. Apparently I was stumbling.... of course I was, it was a bar!
The last time I was cut off (Thanksgiving 2003 doesn't count, Jimbo. I don't remember) was 1997, in Ames, Iowa. "Kung Fu Fighting" came on the jukebox and I felt it prudent to bust out my newly learned Tae Kwon Do moves in the joint. I returned the next night and was warmly greeted by entire staff.
Funny thing is, I've been really watching my drinking lately... watching every drop go down.
On another note, I've started a new blog chronicling the antics of famous chefs. Check it out. This is another interest of mine, and so far it's been fun.
Anyway... I was booted out of a damn bar for the first time since college. Apparently I was stumbling.... of course I was, it was a bar!
The last time I was cut off (Thanksgiving 2003 doesn't count, Jimbo. I don't remember) was 1997, in Ames, Iowa. "Kung Fu Fighting" came on the jukebox and I felt it prudent to bust out my newly learned Tae Kwon Do moves in the joint. I returned the next night and was warmly greeted by entire staff.
Funny thing is, I've been really watching my drinking lately... watching every drop go down.
On another note, I've started a new blog chronicling the antics of famous chefs. Check it out. This is another interest of mine, and so far it's been fun.
Friday, January 07, 2005
Wow. I just found out my uncle is in Thailand and happened to go hiking the day of the tsunami. I didn't even know he was there to begin with... It might sound strange that I didn't even know he was there, all my extended family still lives in Sweden, so I don't keep up on the day to day happenings going on.
Being that he is a doctor, I'm sure he's sticking around to help out, but that I don't know for certain.
Being that he is a doctor, I'm sure he's sticking around to help out, but that I don't know for certain.
Monday, January 03, 2005
My supposed weekend of culinary exploration and pushing my skills to the limit was a bit stifled, and not what it could have been. The original plan was on Sunday evening to make "Portugese Fish Stew", and invite some friends over to try it out. Monday morning would be "Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze", served to my wife in bed. That evening was to be "Chicken Ragu with Farfalle".
Now the scones really fired me up, because if anything, my major weakness is baking and where I need to tighten up my skills and confidence.
What excited me about the Chicken Ragu was not that it was difficult. It's an easy recipe, but it had all the elements of a classic dish. Searing whole chicken legs until brown, then finish it by braising in the sauce until the meat falls of the bone. Now that's tasty.
So what happened? Sunday I made Sloppy Joe's. The incessant rain and dreary weather called to me and said "You need comfort food!" Fuckin' eh. I have never made sloppy joe's and maybe had them once or twice in my life. Thanks to Rachael Ray I had one of the best meals in weeks.
Monday morning we slept in till 10am and no scones... also no bluberries or cream in the larder. I made Thai Red Curry Chicken tonight, but that's a dime a dozen recipe that I've done a million times.
Maybe it wasn't just the weather. The million drinks on New Year's eve, followed by a Saturday of lazy-ass eating and drinking can really slow the most modest ambitions.
Nonetheless, what a great weekend and start to 2005.
Now the scones really fired me up, because if anything, my major weakness is baking and where I need to tighten up my skills and confidence.
What excited me about the Chicken Ragu was not that it was difficult. It's an easy recipe, but it had all the elements of a classic dish. Searing whole chicken legs until brown, then finish it by braising in the sauce until the meat falls of the bone. Now that's tasty.
So what happened? Sunday I made Sloppy Joe's. The incessant rain and dreary weather called to me and said "You need comfort food!" Fuckin' eh. I have never made sloppy joe's and maybe had them once or twice in my life. Thanks to Rachael Ray I had one of the best meals in weeks.
Monday morning we slept in till 10am and no scones... also no bluberries or cream in the larder. I made Thai Red Curry Chicken tonight, but that's a dime a dozen recipe that I've done a million times.
Maybe it wasn't just the weather. The million drinks on New Year's eve, followed by a Saturday of lazy-ass eating and drinking can really slow the most modest ambitions.
Nonetheless, what a great weekend and start to 2005.
