Saturday, August 28, 2010

carbon paper

Seventeen years ago this would have all been written down and had carbon paper to help someone else remember it.  Seventeen years ago I would not have to have waited for this "notebook" to turn on, for the operating system to warm up, for the keys to function.  Hell, fifteen years ago I could have rotated that chair in our basement to the right and still have been able to use that fancy typewriter with the carbon paper instead of the Macintosh SE or whatever it was my parents had at that point, blocked off in the corner of the unfinished basement.  The computer being the driving reason to finish that basement and make it more than a room for the kids to play NINTENDO in.

But in the time it took to have this computer completely turn on and warm up and greet me with the desktop screen that I know will eventually turn on me, killing my only allies I cannot help but wonder.

I no longer recall what I desired to write about.  What was it?  I am starting to recall but to remember proper I require more time.  I will think on the subject.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Tonight's Healthy Summer Dinner Salad

Dressing:
    1/2 cup grapefruit juice (FRESH ONLY)
    1/4 cup veg oil
    1.5 tablespoon mustard
    1 teaspoon chili powder
    7 or 8 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
    Salt & Pepper to taste

Grab some fresh spinach and on top add some sliced cucumbers, thinly sliced red onion, thinly sliced leftover steak (in this care medium rare London Broil that was grilled, not broiled) and sliced strawberries.  Toss with dressing and serve with a nice Malbec or any red wine that's on the sweeter, perfumey side.  You will have some left-over dressing that will probably keep for a week or so.
   
I came up with this when my wife requested a salad with cabbage with the leftover steak in the fridge.  Wouldn't you know it: the local fresh produce market didn't have any cabbage.  They did have incredibly perfectly plump strawberries and loose spinach.  I didn't feel like dropping $15 for a bottle of raspberry vinaigrette dressing so I figured grapefruit plus rice wine vinegar could possibly go well together.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

the best day ever

About a month ago the City of Philadelphia decided to remove the "heads" off all the parking meters on Germantown Avenue in Mt. Airy.  I point out that it is just Germantown Avenue because the two of three meters that are on side streets were left.  I guess it costs more to do two streets at once.  Last week they used jackhammers 7am-3pm and on two nights 10pm-midnight to remove the polls of the parking meters.  The "body" of the parking meters to keep my previous analogy.  Okay.  Now we're getting a little loud.

Yesterday morning I wake up and don't look out the window immediately.  My wife, Kristen, with iced coffee in hand wearing that cute bathrobe with hair still a mess from dreaming, lets out a loud, "Oh duuuude: WHAT THE FUCK?" and starts giggling and yells for me to come to our front windows that overlook Germantown Avenue.  Needless to say we literally held prisoner in our own home.  Wet cement was EVERYWHERE.  My front door is directly to the left of the wet cement in the first picture.

Down the Ave
Up the Ave.

Today I am all sorts of prepared for my gig out in York, PA.  Springettesbury to be exact.  I planned the longish drive days ago.  I even scoped out places to grab a quick, cheap, and locally loved bite to eat.  My plan was to arrive around 5pm so I could eat and still make the 5:45pm load in.  Alright.  Anything else on the to-do list before I head out of town.  I finished the milk with breakfast but Kristen was handling that one. 

The XBOX!  I got the dreaded "Red Ring of Death" two Saturdays ago and have had my UPS call tag in my inbox since.  It was a great time to hit up the UPS store.  They were very helpful and knew how to pack it etc etc...  Before they rang me up they warned that credit cards weren't going through.  I'll try it once.  I only had a few dollars on me that I planned on using for dinner.  I was rung up for $80.10 and not the $8.10 that the register said I owed AND (check this out) aaaand since it was debit and not credit the refund can take up to two weeks to register with my bank account.  Considering there was only $70 and change in that account I am so happy that TDBank offers until 6pm the next business day before charging me the newly re-labeled "Convenience Fee".

Onwards to York.  I should be arriving by 5:15 or so.  Everything good to go.  I've got the new Keith Jarrett / Charlie Haden album spinning and the drive is relaxing.  Until I decide to pass these people in front of me.  Too many people in a small car with two arms and a barefoot leg out a window and I'm betting they just may be reckless.  I get stuck in the left lane when one of those trucks that carries a lot of cars gets on the Turnpike to my right.  As I speed up to make my exit, which followed immediately after, I am thwarted by someone a few cars up suddenly slow down.  I miss my exit.  And then the sign: Next Exit 46 miles.  The GPS beeps with a newly calculated ETA of 6:17pm.  I drive fast and get to the location by 5:58.  It's ten after six by the time I figure out how to get my car to the amphitheatre to unload.

The gig went well.  Mike Vogelman joined the Mighty Rhythm Kings tonight as new official bassist.  He did a great job and I can't wait until we get a chance to do it again.  After the gig I get stuck in the rain.  The drive home sucked as I get lost, again and end up at a Burger King that lost it's power.  After getting home I say goodnight to Kristen and stick one of them Red Baron frozen pizzas in the oven.  It cooks.  It overcooked, technically.  I get it out and cut it and bite into melted cheese and warm raw gooey dough. 

The end of the best day ever.