On...

On Food

The more wonderful things that we eat, the harder it is to go back...

Friday night, I didn't so much feel like cooking, so we ordered pizza (Papa Johns). The only thing that was really good was the breadsticks. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't good. And expensive too. The joy of not leaving the house wasn't quite worth the price of ordering in.

Hopefully the next time I have the desire to order out, I'll remember this. Not that there is anything wrong with pizza, I love pizza. Its just that between the sauce (too...sweet?), the crust, and the toppings (just didn't seem done enough)...I really need a trip to Great Plains Sauce and Dough.

Yesterday, we went grocery shopping and after whittling down our stores, because of the recent strain, we're slowly putting things back to rights. The Freezer is full of meat again, the cupboard is no longer bare. Things are feeling much better.

On Money

It is hard to make a budget when the amount of money that comes in ranges so much. Mine is fairly consistent...the only time it really changes is when the pharmacy takes money out of my paycheck (usually about every 3 months or so), Shannon's varies quite a bit. Lets say that X is Shannon's take home pay. for a particular time period. This last paycheck, she got 1.2X..but there are times where she gets 0.7X. It's hard to budget around...ahh but so it goes. Things look like they are turning back around, for the long road out of where we both have dug ourselves into. Oh well... We do have each other. And it is nice to know, that my parents are there. Their advice and soothing words have been invaluable.

On Home

James came by the house yesterday morning and fixed the small leak in the roof. It was nice to see him again. Apparently the caulk he used, recommended by one of the fine folks at Home Depot, was less then decent, and was breaking apart. New caulk applied, rain this morning, an no leak. this certainly takes off a lot of the pressure that we were feeling.

Work?

So I have been thinking for a while, if what I do is really what I want to do for the rest of my life. I'm ok at it...but nothing revolutionary by any sense of the word. But what, really can I do? Change jobs to go for something more forward looking? I do like what I do, and want to continue...but where does it lead? Am I gonna do this for years? Is 31 to early to go through a mid-life crisis?

Along with working on a web based game with Chris, I've got an idea or two bouncing around in my head...

Being some sort of cook, chef or baker, is probably out, since I don't really have the ability to take a drop in income that would be required...and even if I did, do I really want to spend day in and day out, doing that?

What adds to it as well, is that Shannon is also going through the same thing. She did the forestry thing for a while, went back to school, and has done the Vet Tech thing for a while, but, now...who knows?

I do know, sort of, what she is going through, I guess...but it's tough.

You get the wedding, you have the house, what's next? Kids? I don't know if either of us are ready for that. I don't know...we kind of have to get our ducks lined up...

And then, maybe we can use the fat from the ducks to melt and make french fries.

snippets

iPod passed! after scanning for a long time, I got the passed logo. Woo! Now all it has to do is wait until the new iPods like iPhones come out...

The Simpsons Movie was really good. I laughed a lot...especially at one point where they made fun of Fox. It was a good time. Parking over at Jordan Creek was a mother though...it took us a while to find a spot...ANY spot...it was silly.

After the movie, Chris and Holly lent us their copy of the new Amy Winehouse CD, who's music I've been thinking about since I saw her on some award show...For that award show, I pretty much fast forwarded through the entire thing, but couldn't on her song. Fascinating voice. Certainly a change from the sanitized crap that you generally hear on the radio. I'm about halfway through it, and it'll probably end up being the next CD I buy. It is really to bad it's not available on iTunes + cause I'd buy it there...

OMGWTFBBQ.....whew!

So I connected my iPod to my laptop when I got home today, and I start to wonder why it's not hooking up to the iTunes to update...so I look at it and see this odd, but apparently normal icon on it.

Since I bought this iPod, years ago, I've never seen it do this. I've had pretty good luck with this iPod, considering it's a 2nd gen, and several of my friends have been through a couple while all I've done is changed the battery on this one.

So it's about 10% done with the disk scan...we'll see what happens.

Oh and on a much brighter note...

If you happened to buy the latest Harry Potter book and don't mind lending it to me, after you are done reading it, let me know. I plan to buy it...but in paperback so that it'll match all my other copies of the books.

thanks...

*sigh*

Sometimes it's hard to do things. Especially since you work so hard to do some thing.

But sometimes you make bad assumptions, do some bad math, and then on top of that poop continues to happen.

The hopes that we could put things off until the picture changes, are now fading fast.

It's hard to rely on other people, but unless they come through...I'm not sure what we're going to do.

If I've been short with you, then I apologize, I've been under a lot of stress lately, and am not handling it very well.

It is a lovely time in Camelot

So after spending a good hunk of the day being lazy, reading my daily comics, watching the daily show and Colbert report, and then a large chunk of Super Paper Mario, we got all dressed up and headed down to Centro for dinner. We met up with Chris & Holly and Patrick &..uh...I should know her name, but it's not coming up (Patrick arrived shortly before we did and Chris and Holly were a little late).

We sat down, and it was a good thing we came around 5, rather then closer to 6 our meal took quite a while, though it was delicious. I had a prosciutto wrapped pork loin (delicious), Shannon had a wonderful Truffle Mac & Cheese (Penne pasta with Niman Ranch Applewood Smoked Ham and a truffle cheddar cheese sauce, topped with toasted bread crumbs). I don't remember what Patrick had, but he did say that it was the best version of it that he's had in Des Moines. We also started off with some fried calamari too. Patrick bought and shared two bottles of wine (Thanks Patrick!). It started off with a white, which I am pretty sure it was a bottle of 2005 Robert Mondavi Winery Fume Blanc Napa Valley (which was on the dry side, but still good) and then moved on to a red, 2005 Zinfandel The Monster (which was spicy and delicious). It was nice to go out with people and have a nice dinner.

Afterwards, we walked down to the Civic Center and saw Monty Phython's Spamalot. This was remarkably silly. There were parodies of other famous broadway shows, along with scenes from their movies and a few extra silly bits added in. I laughed a whole bunch. Shannon enjoyed it as well. Much silliness. We even bought some things as well. Interestingly enough, a seat away from Patrick was Kevin & Mollie Cooney (local TV news reporters).

So after the silliness was done (including a joke about Harry Potter and a comment about the butter cow), we headed outside.

The evening had lost the mild heat of the day and we grouped up outside the building and started to walk back to Centro. Chris and Holly were meeting up with some friends of theirs (since this was their first children free night in a while), and we decided not to join them (they headed to the royal mile). We enjoyed the night! The only detracting thing was that we weren't able to be joined by the Mattas, but it still turned out great.

wounded...

So last night I was at Chris and Holly's talking about Chris's game...I spent a lot of time playing with their new kitty...

So my right arm and right leg are pretty clawed up by tiny claws. Though it was fun to play with the kitten (so much energy).

But no kitten for you (Shannon or me, for that matter)!

Jenny's Birthday

So we went to see the new Harry Potter movie on Friday night (good, not great), and got ready to go to the Matta's. We headed down to Cedar Rapids and went to my parent's. Joseph wanted to to show off his growing grilling skills. So we had grilled pork chops, some watermelon, a nice salad (most of the ingredients from my mother's garden, including basil) and some potatoes with broccoli and cheese. So...The potatoes with broccoli and cheese were good and Joseph said they usually spice it with some cayenne pepper. And he was right, it did add a bit of a zing to it. The pork chops were pretty good...he is getting better and taking much more care of what he is doing while he is cooking. He also payed attention to the cooking time too (knowing that the potatoes need to be cooked for longer), which is a sign of really starting to think about what he is doing. The pork, however, was a over done. To start, I think he needs to get himself a meat thermometer and make sure that he starts paying attention to the doneness of the meat, because it's a thin line where pork (or other meat for that matter) is done and when it gets tough. This is an important thing...but he is much improved, much much improved. Finding a passion is an important part of finding your path in life. My older sister's kids were there (visiting before they move to Texas so their dad can do some post-grad work in physics).

Afterwards, we dropped of our things at the Matta's, put the Eiswien in the fridge, we headed over to Shannon's parents and visited with her mom for a while be fore her dad got home. We setup a relative time or idea of a time to pick up some films that we're going to try to convert to a more usable format. We got a call from Nathan saying he wouldn't make dinner, then we got one from Jenny, so we left Shannon's parents and met Jenny at Panera to pick up a meal for all of us and head back to their house. We all ate dinner...which was...well...one side the toasted bread on my sandwich was perfect, the other was a soggy mess. Maybe I am being to picky...but I feel picky. After dinner we helped the Matta's do the final prep for Jenny's birthday party.

The party went pretty well. I think Jenny, Nathan and I were the only ones to get really silly and by the end of the night it was Us, the Matta's and Jane and her husband. I had a good time...Happy Birthday!

This morning we headed to get some breakfast and afterwards we spent some time with Shannon's sister and family.

We stopped back at the Matta's said hello to their girls and after we were all fighting the nap monster. We headed back home.

Good weekend, It was very timely.

While I am saddened by the Matta's inability to attend Spamalot this coming weekend (Jenny's best friend's wedding, with short notice), I'm really looking forward to it.

07.07.07

It's always nice to see something that you put a lot of effort into be successful. There were a few drawbacks, but for the most part it was a good day. I was really sad that Ben wasn't able to make it...he didn't exactly sound pleased either.

I spent the morning cutting up the various things and putting them on plates. I think the presentation was nice, obviously meant for people to pick up their own...so they could be selective as to what they wanted to eat...

The table started out in the middle of the room, but had to be adjusted, to prevent possible tripping over the cord, to keep Holly's Fondue warm.

The White Chocolate Brownies with Dark Chocolate Chips and White Chocolate Ganache, followed by (or maybe trumped by) the Matta's Cocoa Rub and Chocolate Based BBQ Sauce were, I think, the hits of the night (wonderful pork and a great saucy BBQ sauce). I also really enjoyed Tiff's Brown Butter Blondies and Holly's Chocolate Orange Fondue. Though the orange taste of the fondue was very understated...perhaps too understated. For my own preference for simplicity (thought I broke 'em too) I would've had an individual nut piece on each blondie...though knowing how I could, I would've excluded them all together, just because Shannon's not a big fan. But I was still quite happy with everything.

This was also the first night, that people took me seriously and almost everyone brought something. I was thrilled. I had lots of leftovers...most of it being cheese! I love cheese...though I do feel like a worm. I should've let Chris take some of Uncle Wendell's Smoked Cheddar...which was fantastic and I mean fantastic. Just touching it leaves your hands smelling like a good wood smoke...delicious.

In fact, Chris, I am sorry, I will bring you a big chunk on movie night.

Ahhh...I'm still so greedy about food. There is something about being young and fighting over a limited quantity of food. Not that we went hungry, mind you, but it wasn't like we could be leisurely about it and at my core I think it is still there, even though I've fought hard to concentrate more on the goodness, not the quantity...but it's still hard. There is just something about that over full feeling that I can't...it's just hard...I think it's something I'll deal with my entire life. I think I do good most times, all of the left over chocolate things were consumed by our co-workers (all but 3 pieces and a chocolate covered cherry were consumed by lunch time at my office).

My favorite of the night though was the Chocolate Chip Apple Cake with White Chocolate Ganache...which is more an Apple Cinnamon, but even so, it was my favorite. Light chocolate taste, lots of apple and some cinnamon and moist...crumbly moist. So delicious...even today, 2.5 days or so after I made it, it was still moist.

Anyways, it was a good birthday. Scott came up for the first time and saw the house and gave us a nice bottle of wine. I met his girlfriend, and she was nice too. It was nice to see everyone, it's been far to long since we got together with the crew...Patrick also came, and I was able to feed him, which makes me happy...he seemed pleased to have made it, which makes me happy.

Lots of Wii playing, a little bit of game playing. Val has a baby bump now, which was nice to see...it makes it real (They also recently announced on their baby blog that it's a boy!). It was kind of funny cause around memorial day nobody could believe that she was pregnant.

It was probably my best birthday ever...and I had about 2 glasses of wine and a beer...so...

As far as the week building up to my birthday, it was great. No alarm, but excited to get up, to cook to create what I wanted. I was so pumped I actually couldn't sleep. I often woke up even before Shannon's alarm went off to face the day. Make something, take a break, make something else, take a break...start prep for something else. I think I decided that I don't really think that I have the attention to become a chef, but I think I may take a cooking vacation from time to time (sometime even to some other place with someone else to teach the class, rather then me just experimenting).

On Sunday, Joseph and Isaac came up and I fed them samples of all the things that were left...it was fun...afterwards, they played some Wii for a bit, then I sent them home.

Thanks everyone!