tuesday
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2009.1103 12:03 - Making this video yellow flagged me!
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I was detained and questioned thereafter.
From my sketch book:
Members of the Secret Service:- An overbearing-turned-affable sergeant who was initially on the path towards confrontation with me, asking, "If there were a fence around your home, would you want people going through it?" This was a silly question as there was no home being fenced in. Also there's a difference between private property and commons areas. And finally, the surest way, anyhow, to ensure someone does something is to tell them to not do it.
He wore a yellow polo shirt wth sergeant strips on his collar. His bearing was, in fact, excellent, except for his habit of spitting out sunflower seed shells every 30 seconds or so.
- A (tall!) white polo-ed fellow — also on bicycle. No visible insignia of rank. We had pleasant conversation about being from the Midwest while his cohort played the bad ass.
All three of us were sporting some prettty cool looking shades, by the way!
Here's a sample of the questions I was asked:- Where from?
- How long?
- What are you doing here?
- SSN?
- Am I military? Rank?
- What's in my backpack?
- Camera? What's on it? Could they examine it? (The display is broken so it wasn't much good to anyone including me. I have to take out the xD card and transfer images/videos to my laptop before I know what I've actually taken!—anyone wanna send me a free, replacement camera, like, for my birthday?)
- Arrest warrants?
- Who do I work for? Title? Is that my primary income?
- Do I have any weapons, specifically knives?
- What are my plans for the rest of the day?
And the BEST QUESTION EVER:
- Would I be recording a negative review of them on page ten of my sketch book?
All in all, I enjoyed the experience thoroughly. It was a cultural highlight!
( Pictures past the cut of the tree )
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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2009.1103 10:43 - Day No. 3 of Birthday Week 2009!
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monday
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2009.1102 21:27 - I was DETAINED and INTERROGATED by the SECRET SERVICE
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wednesday
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2009.1028 15:15 - At Rappahanhook in Arlington
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2009.1028 14:27 - blogTV.com
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sunday
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2009.1025 13:58 - blogTV.com
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saturday
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2009.0606 20:34 - Occoquan 2009
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friday
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2009.0605 17:59
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thursday
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2009.0528 00:19 - What I do with my time
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I've been busy teaching for the Red Cross, doing Standard First Aid, CPR, and Babysitting. These classes are offered through the "Heath and Safety" line.
Lately I've started looking into volunteering in the "Disaster Services" lline. There's an orientation called "Fulfilling Our Mission" which give you an overview of the line. I took that a couple of weeks ago.
This evening, I took "Psychological First Aid", where you help learn to give support to people who've been affected by disasters, both natural and man-made. It wasn't such a difficult course, but it certainly taught me a lot about how to help people better!
If you're interested in becoming better prepared for things, consider checking out RedCross.org!
I've also completed the online portion of "Assessing Disasters"—100% on the test! The in-class portion will be next week. In this class we learn about collecting information in areas that have been hit by a disaster. Mapping dwellings for damange, etc. It's fascinating work!
current mood: accomplished
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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wednesday
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2009.0422 03:50 - What kinda guy am I?
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I watched every single episode of Battlestar Gallactica. Then and now.
I rewatch the final episode(s) again evey now and then. I save rewatching the first "miniseries". It was too indelibily wtit to the "fiiber of my being" that I awake, daily, and perceive its impact still years hence.
In so many ways I started to understand my life and its place among life in ways thhat I'll never evef be able to undo. How connected we are, not only to each other but also to a greater "good". That good. Something terrible tragic but also hopeful and therefore all the more tragic.
Melatonin. And then, sleepy time. And then, a new day.
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(comment on this)
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tuesday
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2009.0421 02:28 - What I've been up to
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Work
I've been squandering a lot of my time.
But I've also been teaching my Red Cross classes pretty regularly—a couple each week. In fact I'm up late tonight because I didn't even get home from my CPR class until 12:30 a.m. We had three participants with rather week, er, weak, English language skills. And then the buses run so infrequently after 10ish.
I'm also applying for a business development (marketing) position with the Alexandria chapter. So, cross your fingers for me.
Languages
I'm slowly refreshing my Spanish so I can teach more classes in that language, too. In the Northern Virginia area there are lots of Spanish speakers. And they, of course, need to know how to save lives as well. Mainly I go to get my haircut by a Latina. And afterwards I stop my this South American place and get a breaded steak sandwhich. I read the local Spanish language newspapers from time to time. And I'm going through my Instructor's Manual in Spanish and learning new vocabulary. It's all pretty fun. Keeps my mind active.
I do miss speaking German, though. A lot. And I miss Germany, my friends there, very, very much. *sniffle*
State guard
I'm also doing a lot for my work in the Va. Defense Force. I've created a website for our company. http://AlphaCompany.info
We're drilling this Saturday, and I'm giving a presentation on Recruiting. I've also been trying to rally members into participating in the Shenandoah Apple Blosson Festival on 01-02 May. And then there's a whole bunch of other generic training that I'm trying to complete.
If all goes well, I'll be in line for my first promotion next month! From "Private - PVT (E-1)" to "Private - PV2 (E-2)", meaning I'll get to add a gold chevron to my uniform. I'll add photos when that happens.
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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monday
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2009.0223 01:13 - Fuer Angelina
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You act like you know me
As you look right through me
What you see
Is what I've let you see
I wring my hands
I myself reprimand
And you've no thought
Of what I myself have wrought
All you think of
Is the fink of
A man
That I can be
Which I never meant to be
I was your knight
Your everlasting light
And all else between
Your life and your dreams
Somehow my schemes
Took all of what means
From evening to day
Extracting its pay
Till naught else was there
Obviously no care
Just hating
Berating
And crying
Just heaving
Just sighing
And breathing
But not leaving
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(comment on this)
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friday
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2009.0130 07:29 - Save a life
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I dreamt last night that I was caretaker to a polar bear. We become real buddies—while he would snap limbs off others for just looking at him sideways, he would happily frolick about with me.
I was feeding him some fish with this new-fangled polar-bear fish-feeding device when part of it snapped off and he started choking on it. Thanks to my CPR training, I knew what to do. But I woke up before the situation was fully resolved. But in any case, more advanced care was on the way, so I'm pretty sure he survived.
I really loved that bear! Even though it was only a ten minute dream.
current mood: concerned
current music: I am...Sasha Fierce
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(3 comments | comment on this)
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tuesday
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2009.0120 21:56 - First day
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sunday
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2008.1221 14:48 - Christmas dinner
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I have a tradition of celebrating Christmas where I live. As far as I can recall, I've never broken with this tradition, either. So that means while friends and family are traveling about and dealing with holiday stress, I end up just enjoying myself with whatever rag-tag fugitives like me who are left around. It's actually a wonderful, truly meaningful way to commemorate the spirit of Christ's birth and his Gospel message of love and sharing.
I've already made and enjoyed Christmas dinner, actually. Here's what it looked like on the plate:
We had an 18-pound turkey. I made an herbed butter preparation which I generously applied under the skin from the top of the breast to the back. I roasted it uncovered for an hour and a half and then added aluminium foil for the remaining three hours or so.
Sauteed some red onion in butter and added that as I mashed the boiled potatoes. Cooked up some bacon and generously topped the steamed green beans with it. And sort of cheated with the stuffing by using Stove Top—though I did chop up a very spicey habenero-type pepper to give it a little extra kick. And of course the gravy from turkey drippings, thickened with corn starch.
It was, quite simply, yummers!
Oh, and homemade eggnog!
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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thursday
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2008.1218 16:00 - Learning to be a better servant
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For Christmas I asked for these course(s) from the American Red Cross:
Adult/Child/Infant CPR, Basic First Aid, Universal Precautions & AED
I have two weeks to complete the online training and exams, and then I have to go in for a practical skills part. The certifications will be good for one year, and I know I'll feel great knowing I've taken this step to be better prepared to step in, just in case.
UPDATE: Just completed the Universal Precautions part. Here's what my temporary certificate looks like.
The real one should come in about a week or two. In the course I learned how infections occur, what a pathogen is and that viruses and bacteria are the most common forms, the importantce using protective barriers, personal hygeine and proper disposal of contaminated materials. I also reviewed a number of common infectious diseases and learned about the dangers of latex allergies. (And I didn't realize that latex is actually a plant product!)
I think I'll do Basic First Aid tomorrow and maybe the CPR stuff early next week.
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(comment on this)
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2008.1218 10:00 - Addresses needed for Xmas cards
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Hey LJ Friends!
Send me your address (email is ok) and I'll send you a Christmas card!
Love,
Nicholas
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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wednesday
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2008.1217 16:52 - What I've been up to this week
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I successfully completed two courses (IS-100.a and IS-200.a) offered by FEMA's Emergency Management Institute.
Here's what one of my certificates looks like:
All this is part of my training as a new member of the Virginia Defense Force, VA's state guard. Note, not national guard. I wouldn't be called up for military service out-of-state. The organization focused on emergency preparedness and response activities. I'm pretty psyched.
I should have more photos in like mid-January along these lines. :)
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(4 comments | comment on this)
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friday
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2008.1205 12:54 - Most of them are goners so they won't miss much
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Up until...well, I'm not really sure when. About my mid-to-late 20's. I had this ability to cry when I felt emotional. Not just sad, but that too. And it was such a powerful outlet. Maybe even a kind of communication, if to no one or nothing else than to the great universe at large.
I don't know why but that changed. Was it a product of time and "maturation"? Or did something in my brain physically get altered? Or maybe I'm afraid. Have too many stumbling blocks tripped me up?
It felt so good after I'd have a good cry. I felt clean. Light. Free.
current mood: pensive
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(3 comments | comment on this)
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friday
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2008.1114 12:39 - Dunwoody becomes first female four-star general
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thursday
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2008.1113 22:20 - Wellness day
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I've been on this earth for thirty-five years and seven days now.
Tomorrow I'm going to treat myself to a wellness day.
Healthy food. Some jogging. Peronal grooming. Weight training.
Should be a lovely day. And one which really shouldn't cost more than, say, five bucks.
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(4 comments | comment on this)
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thursday
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2008.1106 21:16 - The first few days
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![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) walterwz said it would be interesting to get a sense of how "this place" has change. America, I'm guessing he meant. After six years living abroad, in Germany to be specific, it's been interesting to say the least. And it's mostly a good thing. The building where I'm living is along a really great waterway called Four Mile Run, which has these jogging and biking trails running along it, with some hiking, picnic shelters and other amenities along the way.
Here are a few photos from nearby. It's been overcast and a bit drizzly lately but warm-ish, for November:
I was worried I'd experience a kind of reverse culture shock, but that hasn't occured so far. Now, part of the reason for that may be where I'm living. Arlington, Virginia, which is just outside of Washington, DC, is such an amazing mix of American cultures. I happen to live around a lot of ethnic minorities including Asian, African and South and Central American.
I went walking outside this evening after dinner and took a few shots. I love this one, of one of the manz Chinese takeout restaurants along Columbia Pike, a major road I live near:
Here's a picture from outside the Arlington Cinema 'N' Drafthouse. They have an open mike comedy standup on Saturday nights - it's free, too! So, I might check that out...
One thing I think is funny is how many fast food places there are. But this picture is just too much. The treacly sweet smell of "donuts" mixed with the waft of benzine. Yum!
I got the biggest kick out of this, however... I went into a local grocery store. Now, there are tons of little ethnic markets around. But I thought this place would be just some chain store. It looked like it from outside, and from the ad that came in the paper this week. But when I went it, I was hit with the smell of...ethnic market. Which, by the way, I really do love. Now the thing that just cracked me up was seeing this:
     
Now, you say, ok, that's a lot of beans. And it was! Aisle after aisle of beans! At least five of them. Not all beans in each aisle. But in some cases nearly halfway so.
So...if I need beans, I know where to go...should make for some yummy soups this winter.
Oh, and one last thing: I'm really glad to see that all the places I've lived in the U.S. (my home state of Illinois, Indiana of my university days, California of my navy days, Washington, DC, before I moved and now Virginia all are part of that pretty block of blue states that voted to restore democracy here and now. What a great thing, indeed!
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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2008.1106 08:22 - Arrived safely
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I made it in ok! Won't be able to get online a lot here at first, but at least I got to check my email and post an entry here!
Friday is my birthday, so wish me happy birthday! :) It'll mean a lot to me, especially since it'll still take me a while to meet new people and reconnect with old friends here.
Love and stuff,
Nicholas
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(3 comments | comment on this)
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thursday
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2008.1030 00:58 - This entry was automatically posted thanks to Google Docs.
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monday
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2008.1027 20:44 - Moving
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I was spending time with a great friend of mine yesterday and she told me that, even when I've taken a lot of time to contemplate a decision, it often comes as a big surprise when I tell others, who haven't necessarily been part of the contemplation process.
Well, this is such a time. I'm moving! Back to the USA. Just outside of Washington, DC, where I had lived before coming to Germany. Next Monday will be my last day here. I still have a lot of things to tie up, and it's been stressful! But somehow I'm sure I'll land on my feet.
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(12 comments | comment on this)
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friday
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2008.1024 16:32 - If I were a Quincy... (Bleach rocks!)
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thursday
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2008.1016 21:39 - The best food is (practically) free
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What to do when you have no money and only these four staples around:
- Eggs
- Flour
- Onions
- Tomato paste
Egg noodles with a simple red sauce—made last night.
- Set a big pot of water to boil. A little table oil added.
(Chopped onions, let slowly sautée covered in pan.)
- A little hill of flour on the table, made a little crater like a volcano. Cracked open two raw eggs into this nest and gently mixed into a dough.
- Divided dough into about 4 parts. Rolling pin (or a bottle, in a pinch), made flat sheets of dough. Lots of flour. Cut into noodles—narrow, wide, however you want. (Alternative: cut into long strips and use for lasagne!)
(Added tomato paste, water, seasoning to onions.)
- Let each batch boil for however long it took to roll out and cut the next round. Transfered to bowl of cool water—easy way to keep cooked noodles from over cooking and sticking together. Added next batch to boiling water. Etc.
- At end, drained cooled noodles and added them back to boiling water for a couple of seconds to reheat. Drained all. Served with sauce.
I thought of taking a picture but it was too darn hungry to eat—it was sooooo delicious. Could easy have served two. And crazy simple to make.
If I did have to buy these things, given the quantities used, the meal would not have cost more than 50 cents, if that. I could have fed four people for $1.
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(comment on this)
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2008.1016 03:57 - The debate
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I stayed up here extra late (3 a.m.!) to watch the debate live. And just as I try and log onto cnn.com my Windows OS decides it's time to do a "crtical" update".
I wasn't able to my internet again for another 45 minutes! I'm watching the end of the debate now, though, and I know I'll be rewatch it soon. I just really wanted to watch it live.
N.B. This is certainly the least of my worries, I know.
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(comment on this)
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friday
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2008.1003 17:30 - Writer's Block: Day of German Unity
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I think this is a silly question. Growing up under the constant fear of nuclear attack back in the 70s and 80s, I feel world geopolitics are much more stable today.
Maybe back than just as now my impressions are totally irrational, I don't know. Maybe kids who didn't grow up with the Cold War could look back on it nostalgically. But such good times they weren't.
Sure, there's a lot up in the air nowadays, but given progress with countries such as Libya and Cuba, I think we're on the right track. Let's even take Russia. Sure, Georgia was shocking. But in 2008, unlike 1968, the global community actually has a chance to reign in international aggressors.
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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thursday
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2008.1002 16:59 - facebook test
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I've just added my LJ rss feed to my facebook and I just want to see if it automatically updates.
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(3 comments | comment on this)
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2008.1002 14:50 - FF
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For me, FF stands for fried food. Ok, I don't know why I just said that. That opening sounds like cheesy blog-speak. (Althought to some friends on my list here, I know it has an entirely different meaning...you know who you are!)
But I did just order some food for delivery including onion rings. And, truth be told, they're among the best I've ever had. And they got here quick! Which means they were pippin' hot and still crispy!
I think the key to frying (or sautéeing or whatever) is leaving the stuff in the oil just slightly longer than cooked. See, raw batter just doesn't taste that great (unless you're frying cake batter but who does that outside of a Midwestern state fair?). Instead, creating that true golden brown crisp just lets the oily overtones sing out. Ok, that's too much alliteration and a silly metaphor. But hey, I'm drinking Fanta, so go figure!
UPDATE: Dag nab it! Before I orded this food, I was fantasizing about bbq. And now that I'm done eating it, I see they gave me some bbq sauce!!! First, how did they know?? Second, too bad bbq sauce doesn't quite go with salad.
current mood: saturated
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(3 comments | comment on this)
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tuesday
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2008.0930 00:38 - Not bad for 34 going on 35!
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monday
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2008.0922 01:28 - Sometimes when we touch
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Isn't is nice when you meet someone new and have the chance to show them a lil' Kiki and Herb?
Walking through the park on my way home, sometimes I come across lil' bunnies. This evening I traversed a bunch of duckies. "Quack, quack," and that's a direct quote.
Berlin makes some pretty yummy candies, just like Grandma used to suck on. Again, pretty much a direct quote.
I'm a lil' sweaty. What a good weekend. Edifying, I'd say. In so many varied ways.
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(comment on this)
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friday
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2008.0919 03:23 - Harumph
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Gosh over the past year plus, and again in the past coupla weeks, I'm reading news(ish) stories online about "suffering" Americans who've lost "so much" and have to give up going to the hair salon and are forced to by store-brand goods. Poor f'in' babies.
I personally am glad these little snot-nosed leechers of Mother Capitalism's teet are finally waking up to see they've sucked the pig dry. It's your own dang fault. Just stop squealing to the rest of us about how hard you lives are. 'Cuz quite frankly? Hard? Your lives are certainly not.
current mood: as is
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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wednesday
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2008.0917 21:28 - Pop goes the Nicholas
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Well I admit, I'm a creature of contemporary culture. So, that said, I've bitten the bullet and started watching the new Beverly Hills 90210. In this week's episode, the blonde chic takes her dad's mobile phone and checks out who he just called (his mistress—um, but don't worry(?)—her mom knows all about it and is "cool" with it.)
Point is, it was a BlackBerry. Just like mine. Current model. How chi-chi am I? ;)
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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friday
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2008.0912 13:37 - Dream
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I woke up from an intense dream this morning because I had to pee really bad. I wish I'd stayed in the dream a little longer though.
I was at an airport, and although it looked nothing like the real one, it was apparently Baltimore-Washington International. Except that it was here in Germany.
I was outside on a little hill near the arrivals hall, lifting some guy on my shoulders. He was impressed with my strength. Anyhow, as I set him down, I noticed something strange. There was this littler plane kind of towing this bigger plane through the sky, down to the landing strip. But they were coming in way too fast and on hitting ground spun out of control and crashed into the building.
My friend grabbed me and we dove to the ground. Then, in the surrounding fields, explosions went off, and it wasn't clear if they were fireworks or some kind of landmines. There was a small group of state militiamen who were all excited and said something like Maryland wasn't going down without a fight. Maryland, Germany, of course. Then another man who looked Caribbean said we should be scared. And we were, but then I didn't want to be scared any more. That's when I awoke.
Earlier in the dream I was on a talk show where Michael Phelps was a guest as well. He was trying to do some magic trick but it failed horribly. I wanted to give him some tips on how to recover from something like that, but the host was really rude. We got in a bit of a pissing match, and I became persona non grata.
I left and tried to find something to eat at this state-fair type of place near the studio, but all I could find were disgusting things like deep fried rabbit. Whole rabbit! I opted for Starbucks which had home-baked peanut-butter/chocholate-chip banana bread. I thought it was 50 cents a loaf, but then the sign mysteriously changed to 50 cents a slice. Still a good deal. But I don't think I actually bought anything. I just sipped on this little box of soy milk that I had.
Figuring it was time to lay down, I looked for my room. I finally found the elevators, well, singular, elevator. There had once been two but the one was totally dilapidated. And to enter the other one you had to climb over this bar (like where you order drinks) and it turns out the hotel rooms were these boxes perched high up in these redwood trees.
It was at this bar that I met the young man I hoisted up on my shoulders. Just outside the bar was this little vineyard, which leads to the hill where I saw the plane accident, and potential invasion.
Believe it or not there were a ton more details in the dream. Maybe one of the coolest is that I could levitate, but I'm pretty much used to being able to do that in my dreams.
current mood: cuckoo
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(comment on this)
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tuesday
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2008.0902 21:22 - New web browser from Google
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2008.0902 20:13 - Google Docs (and a mention of Chrome)
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Ok, I admit, things like software updates exite me. I guess it's like that feeling of putting on a new outfit. You (think you) look really good, and for a few days (weeks) you're walking around with a little more wind in your sails.
Or maybe that's just the worst mix-metaphor analogy thingy ever created. (Doubt it.)
Anyhow, on reading of Google's new Chrome browser (and their little comic book description of its innerly workings), I was prompted to fiddle around with Google Docs some more. I started playing with 'em a while ago, never really liking the clunky interface. But things are (slowly) gettig better. Perhaps the coolest thing is the ability to publish documents and embed them in web pages. So, here's a simple log I started likea year ago (and never maintained) of my jogging habits:
Um... OK, the embedding didn't work. It's in some "iframe" tag. I've never heard of iframe, guess I'm out of it. But anyhow, it's not displaying through Livejournal on FireFox.
Anyhow, the doc can still be views is a link:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pgO4vw2tHC28-UWYBhvMzCQ&output=html
And that's cool too. If you had a gmail account, we could work collaboratively on such documents. And it's easy.
current mood: fine
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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monday
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2008.0804 20:52
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saturday
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2008.0802 00:40 - Personal odor
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Go a day or two without showering, like when you're on vacation, and you develop a certain smell that's unique to you. Personally, I love how I smell. But to be honest, I don't usually care for how others smell. I wonder if other people feel that way.
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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