What more can I say when you're in the most drought stricken state in the nation.
Promise...PROMISE, to actually have some meaningful posts soon.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Monday, June 3, 2013
Your iPhone - No Longer Cool
Even if the Samsung Galaxy has been the new rage of the mobile device set, the iPhone has for a long time been the sin quo non of the "I'm a cool, hip, Seri using, totally connected" set. But no longer. You want to be cool? You want to be with it electronically? Then I suggest you get the heck off of that iPhone. Why you ask? Because de-I and Wife are getting them. Wife is already getting up to speed with hers. Once she's figured it out and can show me, I will get mine.
If you search in Wikipedia for the definition of "Uncool", under the electronics subsection it has this as part of the definition.
"...and any device that has been purchased by de-I and his Wife, is also by any rational person's definition Uncool to the max. This couple are the leaders in trailing edge technology acquisition."
On the other hand if you really love that retro look and feel your iPhone is not helping it, we're glad to of been assistance.
If you search in Wikipedia for the definition of "Uncool", under the electronics subsection it has this as part of the definition.
"...and any device that has been purchased by de-I and his Wife, is also by any rational person's definition Uncool to the max. This couple are the leaders in trailing edge technology acquisition."
On the other hand if you really love that retro look and feel your iPhone is not helping it, we're glad to of been assistance.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Cooking Update Post
Wife told me I needed to do another entry related to my continuing post-Dad death reconciliation but I'm not up for heavy writing today. That would include doing an entry on the transition process. So I think we'll punt and do a nice, mindless entry on food - always a favorite subject. Even though I've been refocused on work and putting lots of effort into it (hence the scarcity of entries lately), that doesn't mean that cooking hasn't been taking place.
Last weekend, Memorial Day, I had the close friends Derf, Agent W, Wild Bill and Jill over as I frequently do on the 3 day holidays. I wanted to do some grilling type stuff but not be tied to cooking when the guests were here (a goal of mine). So I did dishes where I grilled food in advance that was then served later. This included:
Hungarian Pulled Turkey - This was my own invention. I created a flavor rub of onions, garlic, Hungarian Paprika (lots!) and caraway seed. It's cooked down and cooled. I rubbed this on two turkey thighs. I let this marinate for two days. Then I pressure cooked the turkey until it was almost cooked. I finished it on the grill for another half-hour. Then you shred it and put in a sauce made from the marinade. In theory. In actuality, these were incredibly tough turkey thighs and I had put them BACK in the pressure cooker for another 45 minutes to get them soft enough.
Persian Eggplant and Walnut Dip - I got this from a favorite cookbook. You put garlic slivers in the eggplant. It is grilled for 20 minutes until charred on the outside and soft. When cooled slightly, you pull the charred skin off. Walnuts are blended into a powder. The eggplant is added with olive oil, lemon juice, and yogurt. Blend until smooth.
Turkish Roasted Fennel - From the same cookbook. Fennel bulbs are sliced. They are marinated in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and chopped shallots for about two hours at room temperature. The fennel slices are grilled until just soft (about 20 minutes) and have a nice dark glaze from the balsamic (I know, I know de-I using balsamic!). You pour the leftover marinade over the fennel when it is done and serve at room temperature.
Sri Lankan Potato Salad - (ditto the cookbook)You saute a bunch of shallots with coriander, cardamon and chile in oil. This is the dressing for the cooked potatoes.
Then this Friday, Wife and I had a luncheon for a number of volunteers who do work for a networking group I operate. We told them this was not from the organization but was our personal thank you. I told everyone to come at 1 PM and to not schedule any work afterwards as much wine would be offered.
I had some pate and vichyssoise from our last party in the freezer. We also made:
Roasted Red Bell Pepper Salad with a lemon, garlic, anchovy vinaigrette. Before you poo-poo the anchovies in this, they are not strong at all but add a depth of flavor and saltiness that really sets off the sweetness of the peppers.
Tortilla (Spanish frittata) of potato and onions
Warm Dal Salad with Lime Juice, Cilantro, and Roasted Fennel
Tomato Salad with Fresh Oregano - This one showed the power of simplicity and great ingredients. There are these tomatoes we get from Costco called Campari that have better flavor than any other kind I can buy. I simply sliced them and sprinkled them with olive oil we had brought back from Spain, a tiny bit of aged sherry vinegar, salt, pepper, and chopped fresh oregano from our garden.
Fresh Salmon Salad - I call this fresh because we roasted the salmon, let it cool, and then flaked it. I made an aioli (garlic mayonnaise), and added chopped celery, chopped daikon, and chopped oil cured olvies.
Wife made her 18 hour bread (she is getting better and better results with this) and an incredible chocolate filled babka (sort of coffee cake) for dessert that used Nutella for the filling.
Everyone seemed to have a great time.
Last weekend, Memorial Day, I had the close friends Derf, Agent W, Wild Bill and Jill over as I frequently do on the 3 day holidays. I wanted to do some grilling type stuff but not be tied to cooking when the guests were here (a goal of mine). So I did dishes where I grilled food in advance that was then served later. This included:
Hungarian Pulled Turkey - This was my own invention. I created a flavor rub of onions, garlic, Hungarian Paprika (lots!) and caraway seed. It's cooked down and cooled. I rubbed this on two turkey thighs. I let this marinate for two days. Then I pressure cooked the turkey until it was almost cooked. I finished it on the grill for another half-hour. Then you shred it and put in a sauce made from the marinade. In theory. In actuality, these were incredibly tough turkey thighs and I had put them BACK in the pressure cooker for another 45 minutes to get them soft enough.
Persian Eggplant and Walnut Dip - I got this from a favorite cookbook. You put garlic slivers in the eggplant. It is grilled for 20 minutes until charred on the outside and soft. When cooled slightly, you pull the charred skin off. Walnuts are blended into a powder. The eggplant is added with olive oil, lemon juice, and yogurt. Blend until smooth.
Turkish Roasted Fennel - From the same cookbook. Fennel bulbs are sliced. They are marinated in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and chopped shallots for about two hours at room temperature. The fennel slices are grilled until just soft (about 20 minutes) and have a nice dark glaze from the balsamic (I know, I know de-I using balsamic!). You pour the leftover marinade over the fennel when it is done and serve at room temperature.
Sri Lankan Potato Salad - (ditto the cookbook)You saute a bunch of shallots with coriander, cardamon and chile in oil. This is the dressing for the cooked potatoes.
Then this Friday, Wife and I had a luncheon for a number of volunteers who do work for a networking group I operate. We told them this was not from the organization but was our personal thank you. I told everyone to come at 1 PM and to not schedule any work afterwards as much wine would be offered.
I had some pate and vichyssoise from our last party in the freezer. We also made:
Roasted Red Bell Pepper Salad with a lemon, garlic, anchovy vinaigrette. Before you poo-poo the anchovies in this, they are not strong at all but add a depth of flavor and saltiness that really sets off the sweetness of the peppers.
Tortilla (Spanish frittata) of potato and onions
Warm Dal Salad with Lime Juice, Cilantro, and Roasted Fennel
Tomato Salad with Fresh Oregano - This one showed the power of simplicity and great ingredients. There are these tomatoes we get from Costco called Campari that have better flavor than any other kind I can buy. I simply sliced them and sprinkled them with olive oil we had brought back from Spain, a tiny bit of aged sherry vinegar, salt, pepper, and chopped fresh oregano from our garden.
Fresh Salmon Salad - I call this fresh because we roasted the salmon, let it cool, and then flaked it. I made an aioli (garlic mayonnaise), and added chopped celery, chopped daikon, and chopped oil cured olvies.
Wife made her 18 hour bread (she is getting better and better results with this) and an incredible chocolate filled babka (sort of coffee cake) for dessert that used Nutella for the filling.
Everyone seemed to have a great time.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Memorial Day Thoughts
I am a veteran. I served during Viet Nam. I didn't try to avoid the draft. I just went. I was very, very, very lucky. I had orders to go over. They had a one letter error on them (wrong job code). The orders were sent back and never came back. I spent my whole tour in Alabama.
I used to feel guilty that I got saved when so many I knew had to go and either didn't make it back or came back with scars physical and mental to show for it. But any other vet that I've discussed this with always has said that there is no reason to be guilty because the whole think was f'ed up from beginning to the end.
Which gets me to my subject, which is the bitterness I feel when I hear all the glorifying of our heroes who have died to protect us. I read a lot of history. A LOT. I've read tomes on just about every war we've ever fought and many that others have fought. The one theme that comes through again and again and again is how the vast majority of wars have nothing to do with noble causes and a whole lot to do with the ego and incompetency of leaders. Any history of war is a never ending litany of leaders whose own lack of skill or overwhelming ego leads to the loss of lives upon countless lives.
So do I honor the sacrifice of those who have fought our wars? Sure I do. And there certainly are times when wars do have justice associated with. But I mourn a helluva a lot more for all the unnecessary lives that have been lost because human leaders just can't get their egos out of the way of their judgement.
I used to feel guilty that I got saved when so many I knew had to go and either didn't make it back or came back with scars physical and mental to show for it. But any other vet that I've discussed this with always has said that there is no reason to be guilty because the whole think was f'ed up from beginning to the end.
Which gets me to my subject, which is the bitterness I feel when I hear all the glorifying of our heroes who have died to protect us. I read a lot of history. A LOT. I've read tomes on just about every war we've ever fought and many that others have fought. The one theme that comes through again and again and again is how the vast majority of wars have nothing to do with noble causes and a whole lot to do with the ego and incompetency of leaders. Any history of war is a never ending litany of leaders whose own lack of skill or overwhelming ego leads to the loss of lives upon countless lives.
So do I honor the sacrifice of those who have fought our wars? Sure I do. And there certainly are times when wars do have justice associated with. But I mourn a helluva a lot more for all the unnecessary lives that have been lost because human leaders just can't get their egos out of the way of their judgement.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Thoughts on Transition
There was a time not too long ago when I would have said I can't imagine life without work. Then the year long dealing with Dad's death brought on a weariness that (when it ended) led me to think, "I wish I could just stop now!" That was followed by deeper reflection on just what the heck I do want to do do with my life. This has actually been the major theme of thought over the last three months but for some reason I didn't feel like blogging about it.
What is all really very humorous about his is this is what I help people with for a living! I'm the one who is the transition specialist. I sell services to business owners about how to best create the outcome they want whether by selling or turning their business over to someone inside. Boy, what a different story it is when it's you instead of someone else. It does give me a whole lot more empathy for my clients and just how hard it is to really do any of this stuff.
The big boogie man of course is fear of change. That is (for many of us) a combination of fear of the end, fear of doing things differently, and fear of loss of identity. But as I've had lots of major changes (both intended and unintended) over my life, I'm reasonably well at handling those. What has been a bigger challenge has been identifying what the heck it is that is important to me, what is it I want to do, what is it that I don't want to do, and how do I reconcile when things I want or don't want conflict with each other.
Hopefully, over the next few weeks I will continue in this spirit of open mindedness and explain more
Or maybe I'll just do another hiking post.
What is all really very humorous about his is this is what I help people with for a living! I'm the one who is the transition specialist. I sell services to business owners about how to best create the outcome they want whether by selling or turning their business over to someone inside. Boy, what a different story it is when it's you instead of someone else. It does give me a whole lot more empathy for my clients and just how hard it is to really do any of this stuff.
The big boogie man of course is fear of change. That is (for many of us) a combination of fear of the end, fear of doing things differently, and fear of loss of identity. But as I've had lots of major changes (both intended and unintended) over my life, I'm reasonably well at handling those. What has been a bigger challenge has been identifying what the heck it is that is important to me, what is it I want to do, what is it that I don't want to do, and how do I reconcile when things I want or don't want conflict with each other.
Hopefully, over the next few weeks I will continue in this spirit of open mindedness and explain more
Or maybe I'll just do another hiking post.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Hiking Report
You may have noted a distinct lack of hiking posts over the last few months. This hasn't been because I've been hiking any less. But rather because I pretty much have been hiking over the same trails that I've been doing since I started the blog. I mean how many posts of the same 10 trails can one make? I still am going out every weekend for 5 to 6 miles up the mountain. Once in while I do one of the longer hikes but I haven't been focused on the more 'epic' hikes namely because I don't have anyone to go with. My main partner for 'epic hiking', Wild Bill, is big into his search and rescue activities which usually on the weekend. But with some schedule changes I have in mind in a month or so, I'm hoping to be treading new ground.
Friday, May 10, 2013
RAIN!
This might not be news to you all who are getting inundated with late spring snow, but for we who live in the state with the worse drought situation in the country the downpour that is currently taking place is an incredible blessing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)