Christmas comes late

My folks sent a package full of Xmas presents about 4 or 5 days before Xmas. But come the big day, nothing. So, I started thinking that somebody may have stolen our box of goods from the lobby of our building. I mean, what kind of a friggin' Grinch takes someone's package?

So then, I find out my dad sent the box to the wrong address. He had the street name right, but the numbers were off. Then I'm thinking, what kind of jerk takes a box of stuff that's obviously sent to the wrong spot and keeps it?

My faith in humanity has been pretty wobbly for a while and this wasn't helping. My dad even sent a letter to that same wrong address, asking them to put a note on it for the postman to take it back. If that didn't work, I was considering driving by there and asking the folks, 'where's my box?'

It's not that I'm so hyped up about getting more stuff. I really have most of the stuff I want or need. But my parents were crushed at the notion that the presents they sent would not get to us. We've been living apart for going on 19 years now. And we rarely spend Christmastime together anymore. So I know, they're just sweaters and gift certificates and maybe an occasional kitchen gadget, but as the saying goes, 'it's the thought that counts.'

There's a happy ending to the story. The people at the wrong address made sure the box got back to Denver and my folks sent it back this time by registered mail - just to make sure. I picked the box up from the post office yesterday.

So this year - I don't care if it's here or in Denver, I want to see my folks for Xmas.

L-O-S-E-R

Nothing like the feeling you get the day after your football team loses a winable home playoff game. It's 2 below zero. The car reluctantly starts. It's the first full week after the holidays. Which means no day off this week. And as you sit on the frozen seat, waiting for the heater to clear a spot on your frozen windshield, you ponder your feelings. Why in the hell do you care? Why in the hell do you hope next season will be better?

ugh.

Angus throws a wobbly

I met my little godson Angus today. And I'd say we hit it off pretty well. He slept most of the time. He was likely exhausted from all the brain-learning through osmosis which newborns are supposed to be doing. I think his parents, Liz and Bill (pictured) were a bit worn out too. Angus, like most new humans - male or female - slightly resembles actor Burt Young. Well, at least a little bit.

Like I said, me and the boy hit it off well, until he got cranky. And here's what he had to say:

New Year's resolutions for 09

#1 - Keep up with blog

2 - Read a book per month. By the way, I highly recommend "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell. It's non-fiction. Gladwell looks at successful and not so successful people and explores the circumstances around their situations. He makes a compelling case to show there are no 'self-made' people. We're all molded by forces we can't control. For better or worse.

Right now, I'm getting ready to read some fiction. I heard "Midnight's Children" by Salman Rushdie is pretty good.

3. Be with my family at Christmas time. At least. I miss them too much.

4. Ride the bicycle more this year.

5. Take more pictures. I've got a Flickr Pro account and enough flash memory in my camera to hold several hundred pictures. Why not?

6. Make a bunch of raviolis and freeze them.

7. My biceps could be a little bigger...

8. And I should keep up with the blog more...Did I say that already?

What a night

I watched the election returns with a group of black civil rights activists, some of whom had been working in 'the struggle' for longer than I have been alive. I still don't have words to describe the jubilation in the room. I teared up a bit as Matt Little, 87, a man who led the Minnesota delegation of the NAACP to the March on Washington in 1963, grabbed my arms and told me that at this moment he felt like his life's work was nearly complete.

People in the room immediately grabbed their cell phones to call or receive calls from loved ones. Tears rolled down their cheeks. People were hugging and shouting, 'we did it!' I was struck by an image on CNN in the background of a group of Kenyans, in Kenya, celebrating Obama's win. I got the sense that the whole world was on Cloud Nine.

I left the site of the party and headed back downtown to the office to file a story. In the car, I listened to John McCain's concession speech. I got choked up as he so gracefully offered his congratulations to his opponent - but also his condolences to Obama over the loss of his beloved grandmother. I can't imagine the mix of emotions going through the president-elect's head over this. The woman who played such an integral role in his ascendency died just hours before he made history.

I got into the office just in time to see Obama's acceptance speech in Chicago. His address was perfect. It set the right tone and completely captured the moment. Then they turned the cameras on the crowd and focused on Jesse Jackson. He wasn't just teary eyed - he was crying. I got chills and my eyes welled.

I finally finished my story and got home around 3 a.m. I had to watch some more election coverage before I could sleep. I asked Mecca, 'when was the last time so many Americans felt so much joy about the selection of a president?' I can't remember in my lifetime. People who voted against Obama just don't get it. Obama's transformative appeal is not about some 'cult of personality' or 'celebrity.' He has struck a legitimate nerve in people all over the world.
And yes, I too, have had my faith in this country restored. But Obama's got a lot of work to do now to rally the rest of the troops. There will no doubt be pockets of this country that will push back and you will probably hear some white folks say, 'he's not my president.' I hope this period doesn't last long. We can't afford that.

41 today

This year's celebration is definitely a little more low-key than last year, when I went to Houston and bought a new computer.

41 is - well - ho hum.

I had drinks with my buddy Eric the other day, (he's 45) and he told me, "you can't be 41. You have to be in your 30s." Like it would make him feel younger.

Yesterday, my doc called me and told me these words, "The results from your blood tests are in." I froze.

"They're normal," she said. "Except you have really low levels of Vitamin D."

I'd gone in earlier in the week because of pains in my wrists and arms. I also had some blurry vision in one eye for a short spell last week. I'm not a hypochondriac - but at 41, I'm not taking any chances. I don't want to be the one, after they get diagnosed with eyeball cancer, saying, 'Well, if I had only told the doctor earlier, they could have caught it in time..."

Not me. If I feel pain in a part of my body for more than 12 hours, that I didn't bump into a kitchen counter or fall on, I'm going to the doctor.

Anywho. I'm taking the vitamin D supplement and reading articles about what vitamin D deficiency can do to a person. Apparently, it can lead to all kinds of nasty things, like cancer - but it also can make your joints ache and give you rickets.

But I'm not one of those people who dreads having a birthday. I love birthdays and I plan on having a great time today. I'm going to try and fill the day with stuff I like to do, like napping, power-napping and watching tv. On tap for tonight: a rare steak, some 12-year old scotch and shagging the love of my life.

happy birthday to me.

Crossing the new 35W bridge

Crossed the new bridge at 6:15 a.m. 9/18/08

Football picks

Although I watch football, I'm no expert. So if I were you, I wouldn't bet any cash based on my prognostications. Winners in bold.

Tennesse -- 20 @ Cincinnati - 14

Buffalo -13 @ Jacksonville - 27

Oakland - 3 @ KC -- 17

Chicago - 13 @ Carolina - 10

Green Bay - 13 @ Detroit - 16

NY Giants - 20 @ St. Louis - 6

New Orleans - 17 @ Washington - 23

Atlanta - 30 @ Tampa Bay - 17

San Fran - 14 @ Seattle - 24

New England - 31 @ NY Jets 38

San Diego - 12 @ Denver - 26

Miami - 14 @ Arizona - 17

Pittsburgh - 28 @ Cleveland - 27

Baltimore - 13 @ Houston - 14

Philadelphia - 34 @ Dallas - 37

AND

Indy - 28 @ Minnesota - 13

@#$!$%! I hate football

Woke up with a dark cloud over my head. And the voice in my head has been grumbling this all morning:

"Goddamn Vikings... Hate Packers...what the hell? So mad at Tavaris Jackson...bad throw, bad call @#@@$! Sweet Jesus on a Segway, what were you thinking??!! grumble, grumble, need coffee."

Then I turn on the radio in the car to listen to like-minded fans grumble on the AM sports talk radio.

Says one of the dudes on KFAN: "The Vikings give me a stomach ache, ouch! Where's the Pepto?" Then he launches into a list of reasons why his life would be easier if he were a Packer fan. Word.

It's gonna be a long season...

God, I love football

I'm not a joiner. I'm not a gang-member. I'm not a religious zealot. But I AM a football fan, which I guess slightly contradicts my former assertions.

So that means today is one of my favorite days of the year. It's the first day of the football season for my favorite team and I'm hopeful. Although, as a lifelong Vikes fan, I've learned to temper my optimism with the reality that EVERY friggin' year, this team ultimately disappoints its fans.

Be that as it may, I've predicted that the Vikes will go 9-7 this year and finish behind the Chicago Bears - who looked pretty dominant against the Colts last night. Detroit is still dismal. The Packers are Favre-less. So the Vikings will do what they do best, show flashes of promise with an exciting running back - Adrian Peterson - who make the ESPN highlight reels many times this year. And their defense will keep the score in many games close. But, I have to go with history: 9-7.

Back to the grind

After a week of chilling out, having hot dates with my wife, eating great food and sleeping in until 10 a.m. every morning, here I am, back at the office.

Holy gyoza! part deux

yum.

Holy gyoza! B's big potsticker project

I'm taking advantage of my time off from work this week to do a few things that I've always wanted to do but just haven't had time. For instance, I decided to try to get rid of some of the drops of dried candle wax spread about on the kitchen floor. So, I squatted down with a lighter and a piece of paper towel to melt them away. But that got old quick, so I decided to make a big batch of potstickers.

After a failed attempt at grinding my own chicken (it was ugly), I decided to go to a professional and get some ground pork. Once I got all my ingredients, I started with this:



Rum and pineapple soda -- this actually goes into the cook, not the food.

Now, for the 'solid' ingredients:



Looks almost good enough to eat raw: ground pork, grated ginger, crushed garlic, chopped scallions, shredded napa cabbage, salt, pepper and a little Chinese five spice powder. I salted the cabbage and squeezed out some of the liquid before I mixed it with the rest of the ingredients in the food processor.



I brushed a little water around the edges of the wontons and sealed them as best I could. I made a few mutants before I managed to get some pretty decent looking ones.



I made two cookie sheets worth of these little love dumplings, covered them loosely with plastic and put them in the freezer. About an hour and a half or so later, I placed them in a large ziploc freezer bag.

My favorite way to eat these precious morsels is to brown their bottoms in a pan with a little bit of oil. After a few minutes, pour in a little water, cover the pan and steam them for close to ten minutes (since they are frozen and contain raw meat). I eat them with a dipping sauce made out of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, red pepper flakes and chopped scallions.

mmmmmmmmmmm

B's Staycation part 2

Woke up this morning when my body told me to get out of bed. Stomach told me I was hungry and should seek food. So me and Mrs. took a little trip to Sea Salt. If you try to go to this place on a sunny summer eve - you can expect a wait. The first time we went there last summer, we waited in line for an HOUR. Normally, we would have said, 'forget that shit.' But we had taken our bikes there and by the time we made it, we were too hungry to find a plan B.



Ah, but on a Monday afternoon, the wait was minimal and as you can see the food was a treat. I was craving fish tacos like a traveling hamster and that's what I got. And yeah, I picked the cilantro off. Apparently, I have the 'cilantro tastes like soap' gene.

Time off...

Last year I took a week off from work around my 40th birthday, just so I could hang out and screw around. Well, this year, I can't wait until September, so I'm taking this week. My goal is to do pretty much whatever I feel like.







Today, Sat. I took the bike out for a long ride down the Midtown Greenway. And fired up the grill and burned some chicken.





Per a previous post, I like my job, but sometimes I just get really tired of having a schedule: getting up by a certain time, putting on appropriate clothing and being in a certain place for a specified amount of time. For the next week, I'm staying up until I get tired, getting up in the morning when I'm ready to get up, wearing what I want to wear and not keeping a schedule.

ahhhh.....

Let's face it...

Commuting to and from work day in and day out gets to be a big drag. So I made a short video that attempts to make the drudgery of driving cool. Check it out.

Let There Be Rawk...

This here video was made possible by Fender, an iMac, Garageband, Quicktime Pro, WireTap Studio, iMovie and of course a guitar player who's still got a little too much 'guitar-ego.'

Enjoy.

Gorilla video

I just got one of these kewl tripods for my camera. So every once in a while, I set the camera on the car dash to record some video of my travels. On my way home from work on Friday, I filmed this on 35W.

Your life or your jewels, fool

A little Sesame Street gangsta rap for y'all.

The Office

No windows. No people. Flourescent lights. This is the office. My workplace. If I had a weaker constitution, I would surely flip-out under these conditions. I am, for lack of a better term, a weekday warrior. I get up early, even though my body tells me to sleep. I get up early, even though there is no boss here to keep track of when I come in. When the walls close in on me, I get out and walk around downtown. When my brain begins to wobble after staring at the computer screen for too long, I put my head on my desk and doze to the serenading buzz of flourescent lights. I daydream about having enough money to do other things. I prefer to walk up and down the six flights of stairs rather than stand in an elevator with strangers. I don't care to chit-chat or listen to the big-assed office ladies bitch about Judy in accounting, "who does she think she is? I turned in those forms three weeks ago."

I'm good at working. I actually have two jobs and work nearly everyday of the week. I'm not a whiner. Don't believe in it. It doesn't accomplish anything. And actually, I like what I do. It's better work than digging ditches. But it's still work.