Friday, January 20, 2006
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Recipe Blegging
That's right, blegging, not blogging. I'm looking for suggestions and help with preparing a specific dish.
As part of a renewed effort to lose weight and be healthier, and in addition to eating smaller portions and less red meat, The Feared Redhead and I are trying to use as many organic foods and organinc or free range meat as possible in our diets. That's easy to accomplish here in Eugene/Springfield, as we have a local chain of grocery stores (Market of Choice) that fall somewhere in the gray area between a regular grocery store and a health food store, and thery have an excellent meat department for such things (wild salmon and steelhead, free range meat, including buffalo, etc.). Yesterday while I was in the store, I noticed a sausage that intrigued me. It's a raw sausage, in natural casing, made from cranberries and free range lamb. The links are fairly long. like kielbasa or linguica. I'd like to try my hand at it, but I'm stumped for a good recipe. I'll try to think of something, but any suggestions would be appreciated.
As part of a renewed effort to lose weight and be healthier, and in addition to eating smaller portions and less red meat, The Feared Redhead and I are trying to use as many organic foods and organinc or free range meat as possible in our diets. That's easy to accomplish here in Eugene/Springfield, as we have a local chain of grocery stores (Market of Choice) that fall somewhere in the gray area between a regular grocery store and a health food store, and thery have an excellent meat department for such things (wild salmon and steelhead, free range meat, including buffalo, etc.). Yesterday while I was in the store, I noticed a sausage that intrigued me. It's a raw sausage, in natural casing, made from cranberries and free range lamb. The links are fairly long. like kielbasa or linguica. I'd like to try my hand at it, but I'm stumped for a good recipe. I'll try to think of something, but any suggestions would be appreciated.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
No Bad Hair-esy Day for Me!
Thanks for the Memory to Samantha at Uncle Sam's Cabin.
| You scored as Chalcedon compliant. You are Chalcedon compliant. Congratulations, you're not a heretic. You believe that Jesus is truly God and truly man and like us in every respect, apart from sin. Officially approved in 451.
Are you a heretic? created with QuizFarm.com |
Friday, January 13, 2006
The Power of Uff Da Compels You
Thanks for the Memory to Ace of Spades HQ.
As if Jesse Ventura wasn't bad enough:
More here.
The Feared Redhead is from Minnesota. I'm just going to file this away so I can show it to her the next time she gives me grief about Oregon weirdness.
As if Jesse Ventura wasn't bad enough:
Satanic vamp for Governor
From: ReutersFrom correspondents in Minneapolis
January 13, 2006MINNEAPOLIS voters, who eight years ago elected a former professional wrestler as their governor, may find a self-proclaimed vampire on the ballot for the office this year.
"Politics is a cut-throat business," said Jonathan "The Impaler" Sharkey, who said he plans to announce his bid for governor on the ticket of the Vampyres, Witches and Pagans Party.
More here.
The Feared Redhead is from Minnesota. I'm just going to file this away so I can show it to her the next time she gives me grief about Oregon weirdness.
A Link About a Link
Thanks for the Memory to Blogfather Rusty at the Jawa Report.
For those that claim there was no Saddam/Terroristm link.
Not that I've ever argued that such a link was the reason, or even the most compelling reason, for the war. Just saying.
For those that claim there was no Saddam/Terroristm link.
Not that I've ever argued that such a link was the reason, or even the most compelling reason, for the war. Just saying.
Though I Dream in Vain
My best friend Brian (aka known as "Lurch") knows full well that while I'm not the physics nut he is, I do take a passing interest in astrophysics (he's a quantum man) and astronomy. So when he comes across articles that he thinks will be of particular interest to me, he sends them my way.
Today when I got to work, an email from him was waiting for me with a link to the following article:
All of which is very cool. And I'm sure that Lurch thought it would be particularly of interest to me because of this:
(bold added by me)
Unfortunately, the person at NASA who wrote that article either isn't familiar with the Oregon climate, or forgot what time of year he's talking about. I'm sure that east of the Cascades it'll be visible, but on this side of the mountains, the only way anyone in that viewing arc will see it is from a plane. For those of us poor schmucks on the ground, the only thing we'll be watching fall from the sky is a lot of little drops of water.
Oh, well, I still hope we collect some cool data.
Today when I got to work, an email from him was waiting for me with a link to the following article:
STARDUST ON FINAL APPROACH FOR LANDING
NASA's Stardust mission return capsule will land Sunday, Jan. 15, at approximately 2:12 a.m. Pacific time (3:12 a.m. Mountain time) on the Utah Test and Training Range. Stardust is completing a 2.88 billion mile round-trip odyssey to capture and return cometary and interstellar dust particles to Earth.
All of which is very cool. And I'm sure that Lurch thought it would be particularly of interest to me because of this:
The Stardust capsule will be visible from parts of Nevada, Utah, California, Idaho and Oregon when it returns on Jan 15 at 2:57 AM MST (09:57 UTC).
(bold added by me)
Unfortunately, the person at NASA who wrote that article either isn't familiar with the Oregon climate, or forgot what time of year he's talking about. I'm sure that east of the Cascades it'll be visible, but on this side of the mountains, the only way anyone in that viewing arc will see it is from a plane. For those of us poor schmucks on the ground, the only thing we'll be watching fall from the sky is a lot of little drops of water.
Oh, well, I still hope we collect some cool data.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Combining Today's Themes and Memes
I went looking and found a quiz:
You are Book, the Shepherd. Your mission is to
bring the Good Word out to the heathens and to
act as a spiritual guide. Your faith can
withstand any logical assault and your hair can
scare even the most hardened soldier.
Which Firefly character are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
You are Book, the Shepherd. Your mission is to
bring the Good Word out to the heathens and to
act as a spiritual guide. Your faith can
withstand any logical assault and your hair can
scare even the most hardened soldier.
Which Firefly character are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
One More Reason to Appreciate Marrying a Redhead
I can tell (or link to) the best blond joke ever without fear of domestic disharmony.
Michael, There's a Meme Up Ahead!
Thanks for the Memory to the LlamaButchers (Baywatch, huh? Posers).
Knight Rider Hasselhoff You are Knight Rider Hasselhoff. You kick ass, you're dead sexy, AND you are the proud owner (or perhaps life partner) of a talking black Trans-Am. What else could one ask for? Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com |
Parenthood Cliches
Today's cliche is "They grow up too fast!"
Well, yeah, they do. Two weeks from tomorrow will be The Lad's first birthday. And already there's a part of me that misses how tiny, how new he was, how sweetly he lay in my arms. What I DON'T miss is the lack of sleep, and the constant worry that comes with caring for a preemie. And while he's gone from a cuddly bundle to an active, stubborn, wiggly 1-year-old, he's a fun, bright, loving, sweet 1-year-old. I've started calling him my little M-109, because he's now self-propelled and he's definitely an area effect weapon. He has a vocabulary of 3 words (hi, dada, and baba). He's eating solid foods, and likes the flavor of barbecue (that's my boy!). At Christmas time, we had to buy him his first sippy cup.
When he first becam mobile, we weren't sure how he was doing it, because it went on for some time before we actually witnessed it happen -- we were only able to observe the end result. We'd put him in the middle of the Turkish carpet, turn away, and when we'd look back, he'd be at its edge. I suspected tectonic/seismic activity or some sort of wind or other meterological phenomenon, The Feared Redhead was advocating an aliens/levitation theory. Eventually we realized he was scooting. The scoot has evolved into a sort of semi-scoot/semi-crawl, where he puts one leg in front of himself and one behind, with the one behind being in a typical crawl stance (knee to the floor, sole facing backwards), and then uses that leg and his hands to pull himself along.
But now the fact that he's developing so quickly has caused us some concern (beyond the obvious realization that our living space must be rearranged with logistics, not esthetics, in mind). We've seen him begin to make the first halting moves towards standing -- he is able to push up with his hands and get his knees off the floor. But he hasn't actually started crawling yet. And we've read studies that indicate that babies who skip the crawling stage have developmental issues later on -- crawling is supposed to develop all sorts of motor skills. So I'd like to see him crawling soon.
But aside from that, he is the most beautiful little boy I've ever seen. See?
He's a little shy, but once he warms up, he's a flirt, and he's already differentiating between the sexes and devoting his attention to the ladies. He's also amazingly strong, and has on one occasion (unintentionally) made daddy bleed (apparently babies are excellent head-butters). I'm already trying to teach him more words, words that will serve him (and me) well later on: Free Agency, First Round Pick, Signing Bonus....
Ultimately, as much as I miss the newborn stage, I'm having the time of my life getting to know him, seeing his personality develop, interacting with him as a tiny little human being.
And even when he's no longer my baby boy, he'll always be my son.
Well, yeah, they do. Two weeks from tomorrow will be The Lad's first birthday. And already there's a part of me that misses how tiny, how new he was, how sweetly he lay in my arms. What I DON'T miss is the lack of sleep, and the constant worry that comes with caring for a preemie. And while he's gone from a cuddly bundle to an active, stubborn, wiggly 1-year-old, he's a fun, bright, loving, sweet 1-year-old. I've started calling him my little M-109, because he's now self-propelled and he's definitely an area effect weapon. He has a vocabulary of 3 words (hi, dada, and baba). He's eating solid foods, and likes the flavor of barbecue (that's my boy!). At Christmas time, we had to buy him his first sippy cup.
When he first becam mobile, we weren't sure how he was doing it, because it went on for some time before we actually witnessed it happen -- we were only able to observe the end result. We'd put him in the middle of the Turkish carpet, turn away, and when we'd look back, he'd be at its edge. I suspected tectonic/seismic activity or some sort of wind or other meterological phenomenon, The Feared Redhead was advocating an aliens/levitation theory. Eventually we realized he was scooting. The scoot has evolved into a sort of semi-scoot/semi-crawl, where he puts one leg in front of himself and one behind, with the one behind being in a typical crawl stance (knee to the floor, sole facing backwards), and then uses that leg and his hands to pull himself along.
But now the fact that he's developing so quickly has caused us some concern (beyond the obvious realization that our living space must be rearranged with logistics, not esthetics, in mind). We've seen him begin to make the first halting moves towards standing -- he is able to push up with his hands and get his knees off the floor. But he hasn't actually started crawling yet. And we've read studies that indicate that babies who skip the crawling stage have developmental issues later on -- crawling is supposed to develop all sorts of motor skills. So I'd like to see him crawling soon.
But aside from that, he is the most beautiful little boy I've ever seen. See?
He's a little shy, but once he warms up, he's a flirt, and he's already differentiating between the sexes and devoting his attention to the ladies. He's also amazingly strong, and has on one occasion (unintentionally) made daddy bleed (apparently babies are excellent head-butters). I'm already trying to teach him more words, words that will serve him (and me) well later on: Free Agency, First Round Pick, Signing Bonus....
Ultimately, as much as I miss the newborn stage, I'm having the time of my life getting to know him, seeing his personality develop, interacting with him as a tiny little human being.
And even when he's no longer my baby boy, he'll always be my son.
Shiny
Guess what arrived in the mail from Amazon yesterday?
I've finally got my DVD's, you can't take the sky from me.
Expect reviews to follow within a few days.
UPDATE:
Thanks for the Memory to The LlamaButchers.
A Serenity sequel? The Shininess just keeps getting... well, shinier.
I've finally got my DVD's, you can't take the sky from me.
Expect reviews to follow within a few days.
UPDATE:
Thanks for the Memory to The LlamaButchers.
A Serenity sequel? The Shininess just keeps getting... well, shinier.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Bumper Sticker Bull S.... Consider the Alliteration
Thanks for the Memory to Russell at Mean Mr. Mustard 2.0.
The bumper sticker I specifically have in mind is the one that says, "Pro Family, Pro Child, Pro Choice."
The next time you see it, remember this quote, directly from the NARAL blog:
Oh, yeah, that's pro-child.
The bumper sticker I specifically have in mind is the one that says, "Pro Family, Pro Child, Pro Choice."
The next time you see it, remember this quote, directly from the NARAL blog:
I could not be more sick and tired of the intolerable misogynist position that women should (a) suffer horrible emotional debilitation over the supposedly traumatic decision to excise a few parasitic cells from our personal organs..(bold text added by Russell)
Oh, yeah, that's pro-child.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Commendations
As I alluded to in my entry regarding weird things about myself, I am an addicted gamer, both of RPG's and wargames (particularly sci fi), and in fact belong to an email discussion group for one set of such games. Today one of our group members sent notice that he must unsubscribe because he is redeploying to Iraq. He is a U.S. Army combat engineer. As one who dallies in observing military history (I am by no means a historian, and hesitate to even call myself a 'student'), I have developed a great deal of respect for those in the military whose jobs require not only that they go in harms way, not only that they actually fight, but that they busy themselves with fulfilling duties other than returning fire while in the enemy's sights. At the top of my list is combat medical personnel, but combat engineers come a close second. I thank John for putting himself in harm's way so that I can be free to do things like post to this blog, and I assure him that he and his brethren are in my prayers, and I will commend his care to Our Heavenly Father.
I would also like to commend to you his livejournal blog. It's well written, and if you want to get a glimpse of the way a modern military man thinks, it's insightful. These are the people that stand in the Thin Red Line, the least we can do is try to understand them (since understanding is a component of appreciation).
Besides, how can you not like someone who reads Victor David Hanson? And the essay at VDH linked to is excellent, even if not written by Victor himself.
I would also like to commend to you his livejournal blog. It's well written, and if you want to get a glimpse of the way a modern military man thinks, it's insightful. These are the people that stand in the Thin Red Line, the least we can do is try to understand them (since understanding is a component of appreciation).
Besides, how can you not like someone who reads Victor David Hanson? And the essay at VDH linked to is excellent, even if not written by Victor himself.
Monday, January 09, 2006
Some Dreams Come True
A while back I blogged on a dream I had about a revived version of the Camaro. I was checking my visitor stats today, and noticed that the entry was somehow linked to an article on Ford's plans to release a Boss Mustang to compete with the new Dodge Charger and new Chevy Camaro.
What's this, you as? A new Camaro?
I'm glad you asked:
More proof there is a God.
No, Son, it's ok. Those are tears of happiness!
What's this, you as? A new Camaro?
I'm glad you asked:
More proof there is a God.
No, Son, it's ok. Those are tears of happiness!
The Spirit (of the Meme) Moves Me
Thanks for the Memory to Smallholder at Naked Villainy. Since he won't tag anyone, I'll tag myself:
UPDATE:
I hadn't completely replaced Smallholder's TV shows with my own. That has been corrected.
UPDATE II:
Ditto on the movies.
UPDATE:
I hadn't completely replaced Smallholder's TV shows with my own. That has been corrected.
UPDATE II:
Ditto on the movies.
FOUR JOBS YOU'VE HAD IN YOUR LIFE
1. Parking Valet
2. Mail Clerk
3. Dishwasher
4. Technical Support agent
FOUR MOVIES YOU COULD WATCH OVER AND OVER
1. The Princess Bride
2. Cold Comfort Farm
3. A Mighty Wind
4. Serenity
FOUR BOOKS YOU COULD READ AGAIN & AGAIN
1. The Killer Angels
2. Lord of the Rings
3. Armour by John Steakley
4. God in the Dock by C.S. Lewis
FOUR CITIES/PLACES YOU'VE LIVED IN
Going backwards chronologically
1.
2.
3. Filer,
4.
FOUR TV SHOWS YOU LOVE TO WATCH
1. Firefly
2. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
3. Anything on the Military Channel
4. Good Eats
FOUR PLACES YOU'VE BEEN ON VACATION
1.
2.
3.
4.
FOUR WEBSITES YOU VISIT DAILY
1. Naked Villainy
2. Darth Apathy
3. The Llama Butchers
4. Ace of Spades HQ
FOUR OF YOUR FAVORITE FOODS
1. Seafood (almost any)
2. Italian Food
3. Mexican Food
4. Barbecue
FOUR PLACES YOU'D RATHER BE RIGHT NOW
1. In a log cabin in
2. Camping
3.
4.
Friday, January 06, 2006
I'm Rick James, Bi... err... Son!
Last night while caring for The Lad, I was singing out loud to him, as I often do to entertain him. I suddenly realized I was singing "Super Freak". I also realized it was making him smile and giggle.
I'm not sure which realization should be cause for more concern.
I'm not sure which realization should be cause for more concern.
Which Comes First?
knowing I love Single Malt Scotch, two fasmily members purchase the Water of Life for me for Christmas. One SIL/BIL combo gave me a bottle of Orach Dram, a malt with which I was previously unfamiliar, but quite like. The other SIL/BIL combo presented me with a boxed tasting sampler, with 6 small bottles containing a dram each of the following malts:
Cragganmore 12 yr.
Dalwhinnie 15 yr.
Glenkinchie 10 yr.
Oban 14 yr.
Talisker 10 yr.
Lagavulin 16 yr.
Here's my question for any fellow Single Malt afficionados who may read my blog, especially the more well-rounded drinkers: In what order should I sample these six drams? The only one I've ever had before is Oban, which was actually the first Single Malt I ever tried. I expect to enjoy the Lagavulin, because I prefer Islays, and the Talisker intrigues me, being the only malt distilled on Skye (my ancestors include MacAuleys, and one of the two MacAuley clans were descended from Skye royalty). I don't expect to NOT like any of them, but I have no Idea where to start and how to proceed.
Suggestions?
Cragganmore 12 yr.
Dalwhinnie 15 yr.
Glenkinchie 10 yr.
Oban 14 yr.
Talisker 10 yr.
Lagavulin 16 yr.
Here's my question for any fellow Single Malt afficionados who may read my blog, especially the more well-rounded drinkers: In what order should I sample these six drams? The only one I've ever had before is Oban, which was actually the first Single Malt I ever tried. I expect to enjoy the Lagavulin, because I prefer Islays, and the Talisker intrigues me, being the only malt distilled on Skye (my ancestors include MacAuleys, and one of the two MacAuley clans were descended from Skye royalty). I don't expect to NOT like any of them, but I have no Idea where to start and how to proceed.
Suggestions?
You Asked For It
Mr. Priapus has tagged me. In response to a challenge by Nicki, he haws listed what he considers the five weirdest things about himself, then picked five people he'd like to have do the same. And guess what, I'm one of them.
Are you sure you really want to know, Chris? I'm serious, because while I might seem pretty normal, I have some deeply odd stuff just under the surface....
OK, well, since you asked, here goes:
1. I slept with a stuffed animal until well into my 20's (a short time after college). When I was a child, I was given a stuffed Winnie-the-Pooh bear who was my constant companion through countless childhood diseases and four (yes, four) major surgeries by the time I was ten. This was coupled by the fact that I had a frighteningly vivid imagination to make Winnie a copilot, fellow liferaft survivor (on a beanbag afloat the Livingroom Sea), astronaut, Fellow GI in WWII Europe, mountain climber, etc. And I became very attached to him. I did eventually outgrow him, but kept him. Sadly, Winnie (aka Infrabear to my college friends Brian and David) will never play with any child ever again. He is the ultimate Velveteen Rabbit -- so well-loved and worn that his fabric is too weak to hold a stitch, he is no longer a whole bear, just a deteriorated shell and loose stuffing saved in a ziploc bag.
2. One of my hobbies is Role Playing Games (the old rule book/paper/dice kind). that's not the weird part. The weird part is one of my sub-hobbies: I like to imagine and create elaborate fictional background settings for such games -- alternate histories, fictional planets, etc., with complete geographies, histories, cultures, etc., but I almost never get a chance to play any actual games set in these background settings.
3. I have a birthmark shaped like New Jersey just under my left nipple.
4. As a child, I read the encyclopedia for entertainment.
5. I like to eat mustard just for mustard's sake -- especially yellow mustard. One of my favorite childhood snacks was mustard sandwiches.
So there you have it. Nothing spooky weird like making hats out of human hair or anything, but still, a little um.... quirky.
So my turn, huh? OK, I'd like to think big and nominate:
The Maximum Leader
The LlamaButchers (that counts as two)
As well as my buddies:
Vonski
Gullyborg
Are you sure you really want to know, Chris? I'm serious, because while I might seem pretty normal, I have some deeply odd stuff just under the surface....
OK, well, since you asked, here goes:
1. I slept with a stuffed animal until well into my 20's (a short time after college). When I was a child, I was given a stuffed Winnie-the-Pooh bear who was my constant companion through countless childhood diseases and four (yes, four) major surgeries by the time I was ten. This was coupled by the fact that I had a frighteningly vivid imagination to make Winnie a copilot, fellow liferaft survivor (on a beanbag afloat the Livingroom Sea), astronaut, Fellow GI in WWII Europe, mountain climber, etc. And I became very attached to him. I did eventually outgrow him, but kept him. Sadly, Winnie (aka Infrabear to my college friends Brian and David) will never play with any child ever again. He is the ultimate Velveteen Rabbit -- so well-loved and worn that his fabric is too weak to hold a stitch, he is no longer a whole bear, just a deteriorated shell and loose stuffing saved in a ziploc bag.
2. One of my hobbies is Role Playing Games (the old rule book/paper/dice kind). that's not the weird part. The weird part is one of my sub-hobbies: I like to imagine and create elaborate fictional background settings for such games -- alternate histories, fictional planets, etc., with complete geographies, histories, cultures, etc., but I almost never get a chance to play any actual games set in these background settings.
3. I have a birthmark shaped like New Jersey just under my left nipple.
4. As a child, I read the encyclopedia for entertainment.
5. I like to eat mustard just for mustard's sake -- especially yellow mustard. One of my favorite childhood snacks was mustard sandwiches.
So there you have it. Nothing spooky weird like making hats out of human hair or anything, but still, a little um.... quirky.
So my turn, huh? OK, I'd like to think big and nominate:
The Maximum Leader
The LlamaButchers (that counts as two)
As well as my buddies:
Vonski
Gullyborg
Thursday, January 05, 2006
To All My Friends...
...Who Managed to Get Boxed Sets of Firefly on DVD Before EVERY DAMNED STORE ON THE PLANET Was Sold Out:
I sincerely hate you all. Happy New Year.
I sincerely hate you all. Happy New Year.
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