So this morning I was using the elipticle, listening to a podcast, starring at a bookshelf. On one of the shelfs sat our three travel books from our trip to Italy. It brought back to me one of the things that I found most amazing. Sure the the canals in Venice were awesome, the vatican was incredible, and the coliseum was way cool, but it's the little things that I I can find most amazing.
The fact that I could walk up to an ATM a block from st Pauls square and put my card, punch in my pin number and get the currency of the land is AMAZING. That I could walk up to a small cafe on the side streets of Venice and hand them my visa is AMAZING. It was a little thing, but I was so thankful for it. It really brought out to me how small the world has become.
Another moment from the same trip that I found cool was we were in the town square of a small German village and our friend j.d.o. called his German mother in Richmond, va to tell her where he was. WAY COOL!
Maybe you may not be amazed but I was, so poo poo on you.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Happy thanksgiving
Happy thanksgiving world.....wait make that happy thanksgiving America. So today is one of the three days each year that our pharmacy is totally closed. No worries today just sit back and chill. Well not so much I guess. There's thanksgiving service at church at ten, then the first thanksgiving feast with my wife's family at 3, then across town for another feast with my family at 6. I can feel the stuffing pushing back up already. Every year i say I'll pace myself so I can look like I'm eating a lot but still have room for the second house. Don't get me wrong I don't mind doing the two house hop but don't call it a day off.
I made pies for both houses, pumpkin and coconut cream. Rolling out the dough for the pumpkin pie crust made me feel like part of my italian heritage was coming out. My grandmothers sister and her husband lived in Trieste, italy and ran a bakery there, which I visited as a kid. Since I don't like olives, perhaps this can be my cultural connection.
The pies look pretty good, but the test will come when we actually get to dig in to them later.
Bring on the parades and football.
I made pies for both houses, pumpkin and coconut cream. Rolling out the dough for the pumpkin pie crust made me feel like part of my italian heritage was coming out. My grandmothers sister and her husband lived in Trieste, italy and ran a bakery there, which I visited as a kid. Since I don't like olives, perhaps this can be my cultural connection.
The pies look pretty good, but the test will come when we actually get to dig in to them later.
Bring on the parades and football.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
To tell the truth and warn the world
Okay I can't tell a lie. Okay that's a lie, but I'm going to tell the truth and warn the world about a true danger.
I am having fun writing this blog even if no one reads it. I really like to write it on my wife's iPad. It makes it easy to type anywhere including where I do some of my best thinking, on the toilet. That's right I wrote my last blog about the leaves in my yard while going toity. Okay maybe you think that's disgusting and perhaps I will not live to see another day after she finds out where her iPad has gone (she will probably requesting a new iPad as soon as she sees this), but at least I'm honest. And why would I be honest or even bring this subject up, because I must warn all you iPad users out there.
If you use your iPad while doing your business, do not stand up to fast. I guarantee that more time has passed which you have been sitting there than you think and the likelihood of utter and complete foot sleep is assured. Such was my dilemma. After finishing up I went to pull up my drawers and fell against the wall. My right leg was dead from mid-thigh down. I could have died if I hadn't caught with myself with my face. iPads should come with some sort of toilet warning, although I doubt they care as I'm sure they have some sort of bathroom warranty clause.
Just a little warning.
Oh and don't pretend like you don't read or text or do other things while you're sitting there. I know you do. Don't ask me how I know but you and I both know you do now don't we?
I am having fun writing this blog even if no one reads it. I really like to write it on my wife's iPad. It makes it easy to type anywhere including where I do some of my best thinking, on the toilet. That's right I wrote my last blog about the leaves in my yard while going toity. Okay maybe you think that's disgusting and perhaps I will not live to see another day after she finds out where her iPad has gone (she will probably requesting a new iPad as soon as she sees this), but at least I'm honest. And why would I be honest or even bring this subject up, because I must warn all you iPad users out there.
If you use your iPad while doing your business, do not stand up to fast. I guarantee that more time has passed which you have been sitting there than you think and the likelihood of utter and complete foot sleep is assured. Such was my dilemma. After finishing up I went to pull up my drawers and fell against the wall. My right leg was dead from mid-thigh down. I could have died if I hadn't caught with myself with my face. iPads should come with some sort of toilet warning, although I doubt they care as I'm sure they have some sort of bathroom warranty clause.
Just a little warning.
Oh and don't pretend like you don't read or text or do other things while you're sitting there. I know you do. Don't ask me how I know but you and I both know you do now don't we?
Why do I even try?
It's Tuesday morning. My day off for having just worked the weekend. Time to get stuff done. I start with some exercise, 30 minutes on the elliptical. Followed by a quick trip to starbucks for an iced mocha. Back by 8:30, late enough to start yard work without pissing off the neighbors. Today, just 2 days to thanksgiving, I shall get up all the leaves out of my yard and make my yard the envy of my neighbors.
What was I thinking?
I looked at the forecast, sunny high of 72 with possible afternoon showers. Great I'll get it all done in the morning then when it starts to rain in the afternoon I won't feel bad heading in to play wow.
Stupid David. Stupid.
I like to mow up my leaves catching them in the bag and then place them into the woods in back of the house. Raking is just too back breaking for my large yard and while I have a leaf blower I stink at using it. Leaves flying everywhere. It usually takes twice as long. No I'm going to mow them up. I put in my ear buds turn on a podcast and go to town. Round and round in ever smaller circles to catch every leaf.
An hour and a half later success. Now off to the grocery store for pie ingredients for my portion of the thanksgiving meal and then some wow time.
When a forecast goes from sunny to showers in a day what does that mean? That's right a front must be moving through to make it happen. And what does a front bring? Wind. And today's brought some very strong gusts. As I returned home I was horrified to see my yard looking as if I hadn't been there at all. All my hard work gone. I instantly blamed my wife and the dog who both denied any part of the mess. No it's was mother nature that old bag. She had blown down all the remaining leaves from the trees as well as depositing most of the ones from my neighbors yard onto mine.
What was I thinking? Procrastination with leaf pick up is the only logical way to go. I'll just let these stay there until spring. To heck with the yard. I'm done!
Mother nature you win again.
What was I thinking?
I looked at the forecast, sunny high of 72 with possible afternoon showers. Great I'll get it all done in the morning then when it starts to rain in the afternoon I won't feel bad heading in to play wow.
Stupid David. Stupid.
I like to mow up my leaves catching them in the bag and then place them into the woods in back of the house. Raking is just too back breaking for my large yard and while I have a leaf blower I stink at using it. Leaves flying everywhere. It usually takes twice as long. No I'm going to mow them up. I put in my ear buds turn on a podcast and go to town. Round and round in ever smaller circles to catch every leaf.
An hour and a half later success. Now off to the grocery store for pie ingredients for my portion of the thanksgiving meal and then some wow time.
When a forecast goes from sunny to showers in a day what does that mean? That's right a front must be moving through to make it happen. And what does a front bring? Wind. And today's brought some very strong gusts. As I returned home I was horrified to see my yard looking as if I hadn't been there at all. All my hard work gone. I instantly blamed my wife and the dog who both denied any part of the mess. No it's was mother nature that old bag. She had blown down all the remaining leaves from the trees as well as depositing most of the ones from my neighbors yard onto mine.
What was I thinking? Procrastination with leaf pick up is the only logical way to go. I'll just let these stay there until spring. To heck with the yard. I'm done!
Mother nature you win again.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
richmond's hula-hoop scene
so i just got back from my morning starbucks run. as i traveled down the road with my radio tuned to the local sports radio channel i learned something new about the city i call my home. i heard an ad from one of our cities strip clubs announcing they would be hosting a playboy playmate as she participated in as they called it "richmond's hottest topless hula-hoop challenge." ummmm really?
apparently i've been missing something here in richmond. there must be some sort of underground hula-hoop league. how else could they be calling this the "hottest?" if i'm not incorrect when you add ..est to the end of a word you imply that the following words are in some way a degree better than others that may be similar. are there really enough topless hula-hoop competitions to be able to call this one the "hottest?" how many could there be? there aren't that many strip clubs in the area as far as i know (and no it is not from experience).
ahh perhaps i have misinterpreted the statement. maybe this is the hottest topless hula-hoop challenge because they keep the competition area at roasty, toasty 95 degrees. i doubt other strip clubs would be so bold as to keep there establishments that hot.
so a warning to the world, be prepared to show proof of your statements, we don't have enough time in our busy lives for some low rate un-hot topless hula-hoop challenges.
apparently i've been missing something here in richmond. there must be some sort of underground hula-hoop league. how else could they be calling this the "hottest?" if i'm not incorrect when you add ..est to the end of a word you imply that the following words are in some way a degree better than others that may be similar. are there really enough topless hula-hoop competitions to be able to call this one the "hottest?" how many could there be? there aren't that many strip clubs in the area as far as i know (and no it is not from experience).
ahh perhaps i have misinterpreted the statement. maybe this is the hottest topless hula-hoop challenge because they keep the competition area at roasty, toasty 95 degrees. i doubt other strip clubs would be so bold as to keep there establishments that hot.
so a warning to the world, be prepared to show proof of your statements, we don't have enough time in our busy lives for some low rate un-hot topless hula-hoop challenges.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
alton brown look away
now before i add a picture to this blog i need to warn my favorite food tv host alton brown to look away.
okay now i can show the rest of you the most useless kitchen unitasker yet created.
for all those families that need to make only cupcakes.
i'm a big fan of good eats and alton brown, but like him i don't get the point of kitchen unitaskers. i understand that there are a very few kitchen tasks that can only be done by very specific unitaskers, but really a self contained cupcake shaped cupcake maker. don't you think the rest of the world laughs at us when they see stupid excess such as this.
okay now i can show the rest of you the most useless kitchen unitasker yet created.
i'm a big fan of good eats and alton brown, but like him i don't get the point of kitchen unitaskers. i understand that there are a very few kitchen tasks that can only be done by very specific unitaskers, but really a self contained cupcake shaped cupcake maker. don't you think the rest of the world laughs at us when they see stupid excess such as this.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
my starbucks annoyance
You know who they are. They get to the front of the line and spout off a list as long as your arm to make one cup of coffee.
" yes I'll take a venti soy two splenda non fat extra hot no foam two shot latte with three pumps of vanilla and one pump Carmel with chocolate drizzle and dash of sea salt on top."
And then what really blows my mind is when they do all that and it's a tall (small) instead of a venti (large).
The biggest question I have is how do they come up with these combinations to know that it will even be drinkable. At what point in your life do you feel it necessary to try every possible combination of sbx ingredients to come up with your signature drink. Is this some year long process during which tedious, copious notes are taken and analyzed on a daily basis. Formulations are run through comprehensive tests on viscosity, acidity, color, aroma, taste and then finally but most importantly uniqueness. Or as I believe is truly the way, they just pull it out of their ass on the fly.
Now I know that sbx gives you this option. You can have your drink any way you want it, but why would you even try. I know there are those out there who have special diet needs and that is why soy or non-fat are options, but that is not who I am talking about here. I am talking about my rage that comes out when one of these people who have a need to feel special in there life and can only get that by how they order thier coffe start talking.
I know it's a stupid thing to find so annoying, but i just don't get it. I really don't. I get freedom of expression and all that but defining yourself through the practice of altering a cup of coffe is just not an idea I can get on board with.
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