Just another blog with nothing really to say except to express myself to no-one in particular with no particular reason other than other people are doing it. If you are reading this, you may have to tollerate posts with good recipes, great guitar, and video game references all at once. I hope that you are not too put off.
"Let me play the lion too: I will roar that I will do any man's heart good to hear me; I will roar that I will make the duke say 'Let him roar again, let him roar again.'" -Nick Bottom
It has been a weekend of partying. Starting with friday night, it was like having everyone together from right after high school, Mike already being in town, Jackson, Marcia, Kevin, Chris, and Zac all followed suit, all of them making it that night. Jake, and Justin were there, too, and all in all, it was a room full of people who almost never ever see each other anymore. Not gonna lie, Jake is an annoying drunk. Really annoying. All in all, though, it was a really amazing night, and Justin got a good pic of everyone together.
Surprisingly, that was an impromptu gathering, the real party was scheduled for saturday night. The final tally? Chris, Jackson, Marcia, Robert, Cassie, Justin, Zac, Mike, my mom, Justin, Matt Newman, and Kayla. Kevin and Jake were both no shows. Kevin had responsibilities, and Jake just got so drunk he was sick all the next day. He even bailed on picking up the food to have food cooked and ready at a reasonable hour. Mike provided the majority of the food, having been wanting more of that Strawberry Jalapeno BBQ sauce. I also managed to scrape together 3 slabs of babyback ribs, with a honey glaze and spicy dry rub. To round things out, there were 2 whole smoked cilantro lime chile chickens that went well with the sauce, and a ton of roasted corn. All in all, it was a wonderful gathering and an excellent, near perfect, introduction of my new smoker. It could only have been better if Stacey and George had been able to make it there, since they provided the grill. Robert and Cassie brought some mead and even some wonderful chips and dip.
There was rummy, zombie dice, and some other great games. Joe vs the Volcano was running in the living room, and the new episode of Doctor Who was even aired at some point that night. There was some boxing out in the street, there was some frisbee, there was a lot of talking and enjoying everyone's company. Zac and I beat the whole way through Portal 2's co-op campaign. Music was everywhere, people kept playing the guitar.
I really almost forgot how great it was to have parties like this. It's a shame Tim and Alma couldn't make it last night. All the same, it was amazing to finally break in the new smoker, and I am so thankful for it.
This last week has been a whirlwind of wild events and hard work. I started by working 12 hour shifts on monday, tuesday, and wednesday last week to get friday off without using a vacation day. It's the way to go. Wednesday comes along and sure enough, there are 33 railcar samples ready to be taken, and 28 of those are for railcars on hold, waiting for the tests to run before they can be released. It's such an insane number since we can only do 3 tests per hour that it was mind boggling that they would even order that many railcars on hold. I was at work all the way till 7pm working my little tushie off.
I got Portal 2 on tuesday, which was awesome, and while I was at home I got to play some co-op with Justin and I linked my accounts and set it up so that I could start downloading it on my PC. The PC version is the one I really wanted, I may sell the PS3 version soon. Maybe sell it to Jake. I'm pretty pissed at him for flaking out on me this weekend.
Anyway, thursday rolls around, easy day at work, and then I get home, get to a semi late start after doing laundry and unhooking gaming equipment to take with me to the con since at that point it was looking like we'd have to populate the gaming room with all of our own stuff. Finally on the road, and this time with everything we intend to bring with us, tea, tea bags, game systems.. (the games were left behind tragically as I forgot to pack them). We got to Baton Rouge around about midnight and spent a little time chatting with Kevin, who introduced Sean and I to our first room mate, Shrek, who I informed would be playing Portal 2 with me for a few hours, mandatory. He did not seem to mind the required co-op hours before unconsciousness time hit.
Friday was the big day, woke up early, 6 am start, because I misunderstood Kevin. Sean did the waking up, we stood outside Kevin's door and chattered till Kevin greeted us, then work began. Went around having introductions made, getting to know the staff, etc, some faces from last year, some new ones for this year. I had two panels on friday, one of each of my origami panels and tea tasting panels. I think they went over quite well. I have enough teas that I can actually do 2 tea tasting panels and provide enough content to make them worthwhile to attend both and not just one.
They both went very well on friday. Around about lunch time I was off to get food on my own, no one else was free, or they had already eaten without me. I hate being surrounded by a crowd and feeling totally alone, so to fight the depression I went and ate at one of the nicest restaurants in the area, where I had a boneless duck served with an amazing okra and crayfish risotto. I was floored by how awesome the risotto was, and the duck was pretty delicious too, it was really convenient that it was de-boned. Evening time rolled around and I wasn't hungry enough to get dinner, I just hung around the hotel, the second night Evan and a lady friend of Evan and Sean's stayed with us in the hotel room. They all went swimming while I played online for a bit. Then we all just talked and goofed off till it was time to pass out.
Saturday was just as big as Friday, but with a little less effort on my part. I was running all over the place, and I was still trying to keep up with all my projects, and I hosted both my panels. The tea tasting panel was a success, but a smaller one because of the time of morning, and the origami panel was so packed full of people that I had to make an emergency paper run to have enough for the whole event to have paper to work with, but it didn't get there till after we'd had to resort to cut up printer paper. Oh well.
For lunch, I was again alone... I went to TJ's Ribs, and it was AMAZING. I mean, the ribs were just okay, I've had pretty similar bbq from the gas stations here in Texas, they were good, just.. nothing to really write home about, but the fried green tomatoes.... they were one of the best appetizers I've had in a long time. They were served in pairs with sauce sandwiched between them, with crab meat on top and drizzled with a balsamic reduction. I was in heaven. Then after that, and after more work back at home base, and more hanging out and music and relaxation, it was time for the VIP dinner. I wish I knew a little bit more about all the talent that was around us, because they all seem to be very cool people who were very enjoyable company. Not as cool as the guys I hung out with at the VIP dinner last year, but still pretty awesome, weirdly, this year, the guy I talked to the most at dinner was the MechaCon guy. Apparently our events head had taken a shine to him and he ended up.. everywhere after that. Hell, saturday night he was apparently recruited to bar tend the green room. It was a crazy night. Loved it all. He made some pretty decent strawberry mojitos despite being hindered by a lack of sugar available.
Sunday was nice and calm. No panels for me to attend. I went swimming, did some shopping, picked up some VERY cool stuff. Some of it I'd been wanting for a very long time, some of it I'd taken a fancy to while I was there, some of it was just pretty cool and I knew about it and saw it at the right price. All in all, it was a really nice day. Closing ceremonies, and then dinner for some of the guests and staff, and then home again, home again. Sean and I split the trip, it was a nice little drive. Thank goodness for Sean's driving. He is much better at going the speed limit than I am, and he stays awake easier after a good meal.
Downright incredible weekend. I am very much looking forward to a much more involved part in next years LA, and to the con as a whole.
It's been a good weekend. Worked at Chefs 2b both days, and found out that Chris was in town, and his brother Steve. Got to hang out with both of them, also got to spend time with my Dad and Marry Ellen. It was really wonderful getting to see them for a bit. Some things don't really need to be said out loud, but can be communicated in beautiful subtext... but in my case, the ingredients include music, strawberries, pizza, and flowers. You really can't go wrong with those ingredients.
Mix thoroughly, apply liberally. Be passionate about the results.
It is simply really beautiful outside today. It is hot, but... bearably so. Work with the door open and feel the breeze weather still. Working my way up to work with the door close and the A/C cranked up to high, and still have sweat on my skin hot that July and August are known for.
Kayla got really sick last night, and going to concerts by myself is no fun so I skipped the Coheed and Cambria concert. It was really a choice between going alone to a concert and listening to music while feeling that familiar sense of being alone in a crowd and listening to pandora at home. The music was less live, but no less fun because it was in the company of a good friend to chat with online. Miss Peabody was around and working on photoshop homework for a class, and we shared music. I got to see some of her work, and the progress and it was really great to see. Made me remember how fun photoshop is to goof around in. She even touched up one of my sunrise photos.
So much has been happening lately, I'm really just going to have to pass on updating about it. I'm looking forward to a good weekend. Today has been a lot of hard work, I had 20 railcars to sample and test, but they let are letting me go at 7pm with whatever I have gotten done, and I think I can finish up the better part of it.
George and Stacey bought me a gas/charcoal grill/smoker as a housewarming present, and I'll be picking it up on friday morning and assembling it! It is incredible, and I can't wait for the next time they make it through town for me to cook for them on it, for now, though, it will probably get used first to make some food for Mike when he is in town. I am planning on making some of my ribs with strawberry bbq sauce that are so delicious.
The days are counting down fast to Louisianime 3, going to be a busy busy week for me next week. Working double shifts to get friday off, studying for the panels I'm going to run... 2 tea panels, 2 origami panels. Hope I can really improve the flow of the tea panels so that I can heat the water myself with tools we have available in order to keep from serving tea that is tainted by coffee like we did last year, and is really damaging to the lighter teas.
Anywho... signing off. May post more later. May share music. May draw something tonight. No telling. Been energetic lately.
It's wonderful that you can buy trees at 1am, meet Tree, the new royal apricot tree to replace the sad and unhealthy looking tree in my front yard:
Tree came home three nights ago and has been stalking the back porch, sitting right outside the door, peering ominously in at everyone passing through the kitchen through the blinds in the night. This is more people than you might expect over the past few days. Shepard and Cymeron have been staying in the guest room till they get their apartment together, and I guess Caius technically counts as a person. Technically. Sadly everyone was a little too bothered by Tree peering in lustfully at them to take any pictures, the dual voyeurism was just too uncanny, so there is no photographic evidence of this. But, believe me. Tree was there.
After several days of stalking the porch the day came when I was home and my dad hadn't left for work yet, and so I was able to swing by and borrow his shovel, hedge clippers, and hack saw.
Not sure there are any pics of the live oak that previously resided in my front yard, but I can inform you that it was more than twice as tall as it remains, and all that extra top was absolutely dead. The first part of my job involved sawing off the top and clipping it to bits till it fit in the trash bin. Then, digging it up out of the ground, which proved much easier than previously expected, it popped right out with some solid muscle work after loosening the dirt around the edges.
Here Tree stands next to his new hole, where he will no longer be able to spy on people who are thirsty in the night, and his predecessor on the left:
And after careful mixing of dirt and top soil and getting just the right height and building up a mound, and lastly covering it with mulch all the way out to the rim of the hole, Tree(that is Tree's proper name, BTW, so everyone is aware who I am referring to when I say that I am watering Tree, or that I have just been out to have a brief conversation with Tree) sits in its new home:
Tree is a self fertilizing apricot tree, and so you will find that the gender neutral "it" is the proper pronoun to reference Tree's freakish asexual nature.I have promised to be nice to Tree, regardless of its freakish and unnatural sexual tendencies in exchange for delicious fresh fruit.
Oh, and fresh home grown strawberries:
And the carpet of flowers covering my backyard:
The iced tea is less photogenic, plus, I didn't want to stop drinking it to take the picture.
"In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration" - Ansel Adams.
You're now chatting with a random stranger. Say hi! Official messages from Omegle will not be sent with the label 'Stranger:'. Strangers claiming to represent Omegle are lying. You: Helloooooooooo You: Who wants some candy? ;) Stranger: mee You: I've got a lot of candy in my basement Stranger: ook You: There's no lights down there so you're going to have to trust me and just walk aaaaaaaaaall the way inside Your conversational partner has disconnected.
It has been a very long weekend. Saturday was a rough night, Chef Timothy of Chefs 2b lost his puppy after 3 days of serious illness. It was a really good day up until that point, but he was sick and broken up after it. He was even going to try to put together almost 2k to pay for treatment for the puppy even though they did not know what was wrong with him. If there are any blessings in that, it is that Theo Charles Edward passed before the procedures could be done and Timothy is not that deeply in debt. I hope he feels better soon, but he has not gone to work all week.
After helping out at Chefs 2b a little late to make sure everything was okay and that Timothy could be at the vet's office I had dinner with my dad and Marry Ellen, who understood why I was late and it was a pleasant and warm dinner. I really enjoy spending time with them.
I slept pretty much immediately after going home that night.
Sunday was really an excellent day. Shuck came over, he's on spring break and was able to stop by the house for the first time to enjoy some beers and some lunch I made, after that we passed the guitar back and forth and sat out and photosynthesized on the front lawn, the weather was just ridiculously wonderful. Got to hang out for a few hours before he had to take off in the evening. I was shocked that it was already 6pm. Partly due to the time shift this weekend.
I was off work on monday, and spent it working on small projects, mostly staying home. Overall things are good, but sometimes little things can make you feel pretty down for a while. There is a bigger picture, the further back you can look at it from, the smaller everything looks.
For dessert yesterday, a fine Andes mint chocolate mini brownie coated in a Andes mint chocolate candy shell...
For dinner... fresh baby... mmm.. two toothed vampire baby...
Today is going to be a great day. I know it and all I've done so far is listen to music and take a hot shower and play guitar, and the whole rest of the day is ahead of me. How cool is that? How totally amazing is that.. the whole rest of the day. Anything could happen.
The plum tree, in full bloom, seems melancholy to me.
I read two quotes today, and I'm not sure which I find to be the more compelling: "Silence is one of the hardest arguments to refute" - Josh billings "Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure." - George Edward Woodberry
The second one is good, but it's fairly generic when you think about it.
"There are people out there who give their love freely. They open their hearts up knowing that they're going to be ripped at by the world, and they accept it with a straight face. They're like brick walls that just hurt and hurt and hurt and all the time leave themselves out there, giving everyone they meet an opportunity. An opportunity to be better. Fuck those jerks. I'm tired of being given all the opportunities I need to prove that I'm an asshole." - Vacating Voids Dust
Great to see a creative use of stick figures paired with a beautiful song.
Meanwhile, Peppers has been viciously guarding against a mysterious cat that appears in every window he looks into. He has tried running from window to window to window and it is ALWAYS there.. gazing back, mocking him with its presence. He trills with frustration and cries to go out and seek the death of this mysterious stranger.
Quite a very long weekend I have just had. Plenty of food and company and company. Pretty wild events that I can't really talk about. Sad stuff. Hope my friends get their act together, though. It can be said without doubt, though, that spending time in the Newman's garage with guitars and beer is never bad time spent.
I'm a little tired right now, so it's all going to tumble out in a bit of a jumble. Sunday was a big housecleaning day, scrubbing everything down, vacuuming, put together my lawnmower for the first time, went out and used it. The clover fields around my house were getting a little high. It was a beautiful day and I went over everything and got it all cleaned up. I still need an edger and a trimmer.
Before all that, Shepard spent the night in the guest room on saturday night after lots of heavy drinking in the Newman's garage. It was a long night, lots of talking, lots of strumming guitar, watching shows, and things like that. Before that.. shopping for Moe, my lawn mower. While I was there I looked at lots of really awesome patio sets, planning for the future. These same sets probably wont be available, but the prices will likely be similar, so I can decide when I have enough spare cash to start shopping in earnest.
I started looking at tree prices for a marmalade tree(orange tree to which I plan to graft lemon and kumquat branches), the jam tree(plum tree for the beautiful spring flowers to which I will graft apricot and peach tree branches), and raspberries and blackberries to plant around the whole house. I think next spring will be the best time to start planting trees and replacing the trees and bushes in my yard.
So much to do... so fun to plan and prepare for. It's going to be a great week, and looking forward to a wonderful weekend making dinner for my parents.
And Chasing Amy is an amazing movie. Watched it at work today. Oh, yeah.
Apparently my lawnmower is a hippie. It wont mow down flowers, it bends them to the ground, cuts down all the grass and clover around them, then lets them pop right back up. Doesn't bother me, but I feel that the mower deserves some hazing for its free love point of view.
My cat follows me to my bedroom and sits on the boundary of the threshold, unwavering, not entering, but not turning back. He stares at me. It is dark and his silhouette and eyes are all I see, but they communicate his meaning. The end is near.
Been a wild weekend. It began, as all good things do, with something new and dangerous. In this case it began with the creation of this beautiful sunset red jam which was ready to begin tasting on friday. I consider the very idea of habanero preserves to have perhaps evolved from the desire to weaponize breakfast. Don't let the name fool you, this is one of the most delicious things my kitchen has ever produced, and it produced 3 and 3/4ths 8oz jars of it.
Isn't it beautiful?
Later that night, Zac arrived far ahead of schedule and we spent time at half priced books and eventually got around to playing Carcassonne and watching The Princess Bride, which is one of the most beautiful movies ever made. Zac practiced his music while I cooked dinner, chicken with potatoes and onions. At Chefs 2b on saturday we taught the children to make fettuccine from scratch, and it is surprisingly easy. I think I am going to buy a pasta machine for home and start doing it myself.
Saturday night was more hanging out, half priced books, and long john silvers for dinner. I shopped for smokers, which made me decide that I am going to make the effort to move my old one to the new house. While at half priced books, though, I did find that delightful book sitting underneath the Habanero preserves. I am very enthralled with the recipes inside it and find them incredibly mouthwatering.
Sunday was mostly lazy, playing games with Zac before he left and lounging around reading books and watching movies. Monday, on the other hand, I was wildly busy. Everything from computer work for Chefs 2b to housework at my mom's house, picking up a new CO2 tank for beer, to dancing lessons downtown.
I learned some West Coast Swing and spent an hour and a half practicing at it at the group lesson. Finally settled for a beer at the Newman's at around 10pm, which turned into only a half a beer since something clogged up the line preventing us from pouring our latest brew till we transfer to a different keg and clean out the line of whatever the blockage is. Hung out there for a couple of hours chatting idly. It was a very good day. Even got this picture of one of the many blossoms on the strawberry plants I have at my mom's house still:
These blossoms are always so beautiful. I am going to finally find a way to move my massive planter on thursday after I serve the strawberry shortcake I made the dough for this afternoon after work to my realtor's office to say thank you so much for all the work she did in getting me into my beautiful home.
As for now, it is still a ridiculously beautiful day, and I am going to spend the rest of it outside in some form or other. Ciao, world.
