So I know that plenty of people out there are scared to grill because they don't know when something is done or they are afraid to burn it. Well first off, if you're the type of person that takes food off the grill and cuts into it to see if it is done, then I would expect an angry barnyard animal to come storming through your house. It's already dead, you don't have to kill it again. You've officially just drained out all the juice and most of the taste. Enjoy your cardboard dinner. I do have an easy way to fix your apprehension though. Just wrap it in bacon. Are your pork chops too thick, wrap em in bacon. Don't know what to do with your chicken breasts, wrap those in bacon too. Steaks, scallops, or even sausages can all be wrapped in bacon. Not only does this add enormous flavor, but it keeps the juices sealed inside the meat.
I would suggest this practice primarily on lean cuts of meat when grilling. Sirloin and Filet Mignon steaks, chicken breasts, boneless pork chops, and seafood all will be greatly helped by bacon wrapping. Are you afraid of the calories? Just take the bacon off before you eat it. The same way you cut off the fat or remove the skin can apply to your bacon consumption. While grilling is a great technique, the weather is starting to change. Utilize your bacon wrapping methods in the oven. I love to roast pork or pork tenderloin with some Custom seasoning from Oswego and bacon. The only thing that makes pork better is more pork. The only other bacon roasting I've done would be across the breast of a whole chicken or similarly across a turkey breast. Don't forget to season all your meats, as the bacon won't do the whole job. Similarly as the seasons are changing, I promise to supply you all with a new recipe next week and hopefully stick to that plan in the weeks to come.
Restaurant Recap
If you're looking for another culinary adventure this weekend or in the coming weeks, get out into the countryside and explore Mona's restaurant in Toluca. http://www.bernardirestaurants.com/ This place has the best old school, down home food that I can find on a map. I first went here returning from a high school football playoff game my senior year. The team was coming back from Washington and the bus stopped off at this great place. They have the best tortellini and fried chicken that I can find. I suggest you go all-in and get the family dinner that includes both of those bad boys. You'll have leftovers and you'll be happy that you did. If any of you remember the Townhouse restaurant from back in the day in Morris, then you'll love this fried chicken. Lots of people love their salad dressing as well, and they sell it by the bottle. I'll even double down and give you a second tip if you're willing to make the trip. Stop off in Oglesby and you'll find an old fashioned root beer stand, where they make their own root beer. Have yourself a great float for dessert.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Shaka Rock
Well I broke down, went old school, and actually just bought the new Jet CD. I didn't download it on iTunes, I didn't pick a few songs, I bought the whole album in an actual store. I have to say that thus far I'm pretty satisfied. I choose the word satisfied because it is just good straight forward rock. There isn't anything earth-shattering about their sound. They bring good energy and good lyrics to all of their songs.
Their third album opens up ready to go. K.I.A. is a great rock and roll tune with good musicianship and killer lyrics. Tracks 3 and 4 continue that vibe with She's a Genius and Black Hearts. She's a Genius is the main radio single and it totally delivers as a top twenty rock track for 2009. Black Hearts rocks just a little harder and probably appeals to a wider audience in the rock genre. I would have to say that my other favorite on this album is Seventeen. No it is not a remake of the Kip Winger track from years gone by. It has a totally different sound and pace, which is much appreciated. If you're like me and you've just collected Jet songs from their past two albums, the time is now to jump on board and get yourself a whole album.
Digital Ditty
If you like the classic rock sound with a modern rock flair, then I've got another band for you to give a spin. Apparently the Australia area is a good place to find hard rock because if you like AC/DC, then you'll enjoy the Aussies known as Airbourne. They are classic rock to the point that you almost think it is a cover band, then you realize you haven't heard these songs before. The big hits are Runnin' Wild and Too Much Too Young Too Fast. Put either of those puppies on and you'll be ready to take a dexatrim, jump on the exercise bike, then do marathon sweating to Richard Simmons, Denise Austin, and even Jane Fonda. Don't worry though, it is not bad fake 80s like The Darkness from a few years ago.
Their third album opens up ready to go. K.I.A. is a great rock and roll tune with good musicianship and killer lyrics. Tracks 3 and 4 continue that vibe with She's a Genius and Black Hearts. She's a Genius is the main radio single and it totally delivers as a top twenty rock track for 2009. Black Hearts rocks just a little harder and probably appeals to a wider audience in the rock genre. I would have to say that my other favorite on this album is Seventeen. No it is not a remake of the Kip Winger track from years gone by. It has a totally different sound and pace, which is much appreciated. If you're like me and you've just collected Jet songs from their past two albums, the time is now to jump on board and get yourself a whole album.
Digital Ditty
If you like the classic rock sound with a modern rock flair, then I've got another band for you to give a spin. Apparently the Australia area is a good place to find hard rock because if you like AC/DC, then you'll enjoy the Aussies known as Airbourne. They are classic rock to the point that you almost think it is a cover band, then you realize you haven't heard these songs before. The big hits are Runnin' Wild and Too Much Too Young Too Fast. Put either of those puppies on and you'll be ready to take a dexatrim, jump on the exercise bike, then do marathon sweating to Richard Simmons, Denise Austin, and even Jane Fonda. Don't worry though, it is not bad fake 80s like The Darkness from a few years ago.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Polar Opposites
The more television I watch, the more I hear about the parity in pro football. While maybe some people feel this way on an every game basis, this season has proved that the NFL has anything but parity. There are clearly the haves and the have nots, but the reason has nothing to do with dollars. It all consists of a string of bad decisions from the top to the bottom for a number of teams. If you think the Super Bowl run is going to be hotly contested this season, take a look at the race for the number one pick. Let's check the early candidates:
The St. Louis Rams actually fought hard in week 2 at Washington, but this team has nothing to build around. Steven Jackson is a solid runner, but he'll be an old man in running back years by the time they can actually compete. I think Spags can make that team believe in the locker room, but Marinelli was a motivator and he just went 0-16. This team has absolutely terrible line play on both sides of the ball despite spending top ten picks the past three years on their front line. Bulger should be retired, and this team is the leader in the clubhouse for being on the clock come January.
The Cleveland Browns get worse and worse every year. They actually fired a failed defensive coordinator from the Patriots regime to hire a failed defensive coordinator from the Patriots regime. My guess is that these unorginial bastards will shitcan Mangina by the end of the year and elevate Rob Ryan to the head job. Why you ask? Look what his bro is doing in NY. I told you these guys are unoriginal. They have no good QBs and that will kill a season.
The Tampa Bay Bucs chose a child to run a franchise. Their head coach is officially one graduating class ahead of me at 32 years old. He can't speak in public, so I can imagine that he doesn't do much better in the locker room. He wants to be friends with all his "boys" and fails to get across a winning message. He dealt away their best QB to go with three brothers in the backfield. Of course, these guys didn't need Derrick Brooks or Warrick Dunn around. This team has the worst defense in the NFL according my eye test over the first three weekends.
The Kansas City Chiefs apparently loved the Larry Fitzgerald performance in the Super Bowl because they were the only team that thought Todd Haley was a good hire. He pisses off everyone that he works with. I'm not a big fan of player's coaches, but you can't head into KC and piss off Dwayne Bowe. He's just about all you've got. Scott Pioli, congrats for making the Belichick legend grow even larger because clearly you weren't in charge of making any good decisions in Boston. How's that Cassel deal working out? He might be the third best QB on the roster with Croyle and Thigpen.
There are plenty of other bad teams, but these four are all winless. The Redskins, Lions, Raiders, and Jaguars aren't too far off the pace as far as I can tell. Let's not dwell on ineptitude for this entire post. There are a host of pretty darn good teams in the NFL right now, so I'll give you my weekly rundown of what I saw this weekend. I'll try to do this every Monday after I get to catch a fair bit of action.
The Ravens look great thanks to their offense. Flacco is throwing it all over, but the run game has been the key. Sure the D looked great against the Brownies, but that was their first solid effort. Congrats to the Lions, and I'm going to take a bit of credit along with my main man Michigan Neush for actually picking them to win this weekend. Anybody who saw the Redskins play the Rams the week prior could have used this pick in the eliminator challenge. Jim Zorn seems like a nice guy, but he has no chance. Daniel Snyder will win as many titles as Mark Cuban in the NBA. Is there anybody else that wants to see the Texans and Saints duel for about 6 hours and see who hits 200 points first? That said, Gary Kubiak is getting fired after the season because the Texans aren't making the playoffs. Note to the Bears: Lovie has looked pretty damn good calling defensive plays and the players respect him. Keep him around as the head man/DC and hire Kubiak to be the offensive head coach. You'll instantly be better and so will your offensive line because he'll cut all your lard asses. At least they can't call those guys gutless.
Don't count me as one of those guys who are going to praise the Patriots. They won a home game against a team with a young QB who certainly isn't going to go unbeaten. The Pats don't win their division, and they'll be lucky to be 10-6 and hope for a playoff spot. Brady doesn't have the protection or the weapons and the defense sucks out loud. In case anyone is looking for an update, no Michael Turner hasn't stopped eating. Either that of his jersey is hooked up to a vat of helium. He's got as much explosion as pop rocks. I will be shocked if the Packers challenge for the division title. They still look like they haven't woken up. Rodgers has no protection and Ryan Grant looks like an undrafted free agent. Oh where oh where has Samkon Gado gone? The Giants are real damn good and it is due to line play on both sides of the ball. Apparently Eli actually plays better when he bleeds money. J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets. I love the Rex Ryan philosophy and these guys are a joy to watch. Sanchez will not let this team lose if it gets a lead. He knows how to make accurate throws and good decisions with a lead, and Rex will not let his defense give that lead up. In two weeks, this defense adds its best pass rusher back from suspension. Just think if Vernon Gholston could actually play? The Titans season isn't over at 0-3. They've had a tough stretch, but have played well. I can't wait to see a half way decent team play the Phily defense. The most overrated 3-0 squad in the league resides near the Liberty Bell. Guess what TV guys, no one gives a shit about a former inmate who ran for 7 yards all damn day. Speaking of guys no one gives a shit about, I watched zero highlight shows due to the incessant Favre love that was certain to come with them. Speaking of highlight shows, pretty impressive that you need a degree to work in television...oh wait, tell that to Shannon Sharpe, Deion Sanders, Michael Irvin, Cris Carter, Keyshawn, etc. Can any of these guys read or write?
I liked the Saints better when Drew was throwing for a million yards a game. If the Bills start Marshawn Lynch after suspension, Jauron should just fire himself. How fun are the 49ers? They just kind of hang around score random points and don't make mistakes. Maybe there will be a Score remote if they make the playoffs and Terry and Dan can eat a truckload of crow for all their Singletary bashing. I'm pretty sure that I could find five mid-level college defensive linemen and two inside linebackers, run a 5-2, and stop the Bears running game 90% of the time. Their O-line can't block anybody, and Matt Forte is Shaun Alexander on his best day. Remember that guy did win an MVP, but when the blocking stopped, so did he. I can hear the Who Dey chants from Riverfront all the way in Chicagoland. Marvin Lewis found himself some linebackers. Carson Palmer has officially said Remember Me? The Steelers fall under the Titans category. They've generally played well and will be just fine. Sorry to all the northshore readers, Rashard Mendenhall has a one way ticket to Canada. I will personally guarantee that 3-0 Denver will not finish this season with a winning record. The Raiders make me sick that they've won an NFL game. That might tell you something about KC's talent level. They piss me off because they're ruining Darren McFadden for the rest of us. San Diego seems content to sleep walk through another regular season. Miami just lost their QB, but they probably just helped themselves start looking toward the future. They're old and bad, but not quite gay. Although on second thought, Landshark Stadium does qualify them as gay. Peyton Manning is awesome, and Kurt Warner is not. Maybe the Panthers need to be thrown into that bad team mix because of Delhomme. Talk about ruining good running back talent. That should just about cover the entire weekend.
Final note: the blog and hopefully all the readers send get well and best wishes to Stafon Johnson, a senior running back at USC. He underwent emergency surgery this afternoon after he lost the grip during a bench press and the bar fell on his throat. Hope for a full and speedy recovery for a terrible accident. I'm sure Pete Carroll has made a lot of money for that school over the past decade, and I hope they invest some of it in some Smith machines for those kids.
Dear Mr. Fantasy
This was certainly a weird week of action throughout the league. Hopefully you took a late round flier on Willis McGahee. All I can say is that I hope you either drafted some good recievers or picked up the scraps over the first few weeks. There is nothing left out there folks. If you want to take a flier on someone else's trash good luck to you. I can't endorse Eddie Royal, Terrell Owens, Donnie Avery, Antonio Bryant, or TJ Housh. There aren't any receivers currently struggling that look poised for a breakout. Wait this position out for another few weeks. Glen Coffee is a must add as he got 20+ carries once Gore left the game. Vernon Davis also showed signs of life and appears to be a real part of their passing attack. Mike Wallace and Tashard Choice are third options at WR and RB that could pay dividends down the road. Take a look at young legs in split shares to see if you can pry away some fantasy gold for the stretch run i.e. McCoy, Washington, Bradshaw, and possibly Felix Jones. If you're looking to deal for any receiver at this point, look at their team's philosophy and make sure they're throwing over 20 passes per game. Also, look for running backs on teams with good offensive lines. This could be the time to buy DWard or Cadillac as the Bucs just looked awful. Their center will return and they are committed to running the ball. Good luck in week four and remember to use the trading block feature.
The St. Louis Rams actually fought hard in week 2 at Washington, but this team has nothing to build around. Steven Jackson is a solid runner, but he'll be an old man in running back years by the time they can actually compete. I think Spags can make that team believe in the locker room, but Marinelli was a motivator and he just went 0-16. This team has absolutely terrible line play on both sides of the ball despite spending top ten picks the past three years on their front line. Bulger should be retired, and this team is the leader in the clubhouse for being on the clock come January.
The Cleveland Browns get worse and worse every year. They actually fired a failed defensive coordinator from the Patriots regime to hire a failed defensive coordinator from the Patriots regime. My guess is that these unorginial bastards will shitcan Mangina by the end of the year and elevate Rob Ryan to the head job. Why you ask? Look what his bro is doing in NY. I told you these guys are unoriginal. They have no good QBs and that will kill a season.
The Tampa Bay Bucs chose a child to run a franchise. Their head coach is officially one graduating class ahead of me at 32 years old. He can't speak in public, so I can imagine that he doesn't do much better in the locker room. He wants to be friends with all his "boys" and fails to get across a winning message. He dealt away their best QB to go with three brothers in the backfield. Of course, these guys didn't need Derrick Brooks or Warrick Dunn around. This team has the worst defense in the NFL according my eye test over the first three weekends.
The Kansas City Chiefs apparently loved the Larry Fitzgerald performance in the Super Bowl because they were the only team that thought Todd Haley was a good hire. He pisses off everyone that he works with. I'm not a big fan of player's coaches, but you can't head into KC and piss off Dwayne Bowe. He's just about all you've got. Scott Pioli, congrats for making the Belichick legend grow even larger because clearly you weren't in charge of making any good decisions in Boston. How's that Cassel deal working out? He might be the third best QB on the roster with Croyle and Thigpen.
There are plenty of other bad teams, but these four are all winless. The Redskins, Lions, Raiders, and Jaguars aren't too far off the pace as far as I can tell. Let's not dwell on ineptitude for this entire post. There are a host of pretty darn good teams in the NFL right now, so I'll give you my weekly rundown of what I saw this weekend. I'll try to do this every Monday after I get to catch a fair bit of action.
The Ravens look great thanks to their offense. Flacco is throwing it all over, but the run game has been the key. Sure the D looked great against the Brownies, but that was their first solid effort. Congrats to the Lions, and I'm going to take a bit of credit along with my main man Michigan Neush for actually picking them to win this weekend. Anybody who saw the Redskins play the Rams the week prior could have used this pick in the eliminator challenge. Jim Zorn seems like a nice guy, but he has no chance. Daniel Snyder will win as many titles as Mark Cuban in the NBA. Is there anybody else that wants to see the Texans and Saints duel for about 6 hours and see who hits 200 points first? That said, Gary Kubiak is getting fired after the season because the Texans aren't making the playoffs. Note to the Bears: Lovie has looked pretty damn good calling defensive plays and the players respect him. Keep him around as the head man/DC and hire Kubiak to be the offensive head coach. You'll instantly be better and so will your offensive line because he'll cut all your lard asses. At least they can't call those guys gutless.
Don't count me as one of those guys who are going to praise the Patriots. They won a home game against a team with a young QB who certainly isn't going to go unbeaten. The Pats don't win their division, and they'll be lucky to be 10-6 and hope for a playoff spot. Brady doesn't have the protection or the weapons and the defense sucks out loud. In case anyone is looking for an update, no Michael Turner hasn't stopped eating. Either that of his jersey is hooked up to a vat of helium. He's got as much explosion as pop rocks. I will be shocked if the Packers challenge for the division title. They still look like they haven't woken up. Rodgers has no protection and Ryan Grant looks like an undrafted free agent. Oh where oh where has Samkon Gado gone? The Giants are real damn good and it is due to line play on both sides of the ball. Apparently Eli actually plays better when he bleeds money. J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets. I love the Rex Ryan philosophy and these guys are a joy to watch. Sanchez will not let this team lose if it gets a lead. He knows how to make accurate throws and good decisions with a lead, and Rex will not let his defense give that lead up. In two weeks, this defense adds its best pass rusher back from suspension. Just think if Vernon Gholston could actually play? The Titans season isn't over at 0-3. They've had a tough stretch, but have played well. I can't wait to see a half way decent team play the Phily defense. The most overrated 3-0 squad in the league resides near the Liberty Bell. Guess what TV guys, no one gives a shit about a former inmate who ran for 7 yards all damn day. Speaking of guys no one gives a shit about, I watched zero highlight shows due to the incessant Favre love that was certain to come with them. Speaking of highlight shows, pretty impressive that you need a degree to work in television...oh wait, tell that to Shannon Sharpe, Deion Sanders, Michael Irvin, Cris Carter, Keyshawn, etc. Can any of these guys read or write?
I liked the Saints better when Drew was throwing for a million yards a game. If the Bills start Marshawn Lynch after suspension, Jauron should just fire himself. How fun are the 49ers? They just kind of hang around score random points and don't make mistakes. Maybe there will be a Score remote if they make the playoffs and Terry and Dan can eat a truckload of crow for all their Singletary bashing. I'm pretty sure that I could find five mid-level college defensive linemen and two inside linebackers, run a 5-2, and stop the Bears running game 90% of the time. Their O-line can't block anybody, and Matt Forte is Shaun Alexander on his best day. Remember that guy did win an MVP, but when the blocking stopped, so did he. I can hear the Who Dey chants from Riverfront all the way in Chicagoland. Marvin Lewis found himself some linebackers. Carson Palmer has officially said Remember Me? The Steelers fall under the Titans category. They've generally played well and will be just fine. Sorry to all the northshore readers, Rashard Mendenhall has a one way ticket to Canada. I will personally guarantee that 3-0 Denver will not finish this season with a winning record. The Raiders make me sick that they've won an NFL game. That might tell you something about KC's talent level. They piss me off because they're ruining Darren McFadden for the rest of us. San Diego seems content to sleep walk through another regular season. Miami just lost their QB, but they probably just helped themselves start looking toward the future. They're old and bad, but not quite gay. Although on second thought, Landshark Stadium does qualify them as gay. Peyton Manning is awesome, and Kurt Warner is not. Maybe the Panthers need to be thrown into that bad team mix because of Delhomme. Talk about ruining good running back talent. That should just about cover the entire weekend.
Final note: the blog and hopefully all the readers send get well and best wishes to Stafon Johnson, a senior running back at USC. He underwent emergency surgery this afternoon after he lost the grip during a bench press and the bar fell on his throat. Hope for a full and speedy recovery for a terrible accident. I'm sure Pete Carroll has made a lot of money for that school over the past decade, and I hope they invest some of it in some Smith machines for those kids.
Dear Mr. Fantasy
This was certainly a weird week of action throughout the league. Hopefully you took a late round flier on Willis McGahee. All I can say is that I hope you either drafted some good recievers or picked up the scraps over the first few weeks. There is nothing left out there folks. If you want to take a flier on someone else's trash good luck to you. I can't endorse Eddie Royal, Terrell Owens, Donnie Avery, Antonio Bryant, or TJ Housh. There aren't any receivers currently struggling that look poised for a breakout. Wait this position out for another few weeks. Glen Coffee is a must add as he got 20+ carries once Gore left the game. Vernon Davis also showed signs of life and appears to be a real part of their passing attack. Mike Wallace and Tashard Choice are third options at WR and RB that could pay dividends down the road. Take a look at young legs in split shares to see if you can pry away some fantasy gold for the stretch run i.e. McCoy, Washington, Bradshaw, and possibly Felix Jones. If you're looking to deal for any receiver at this point, look at their team's philosophy and make sure they're throwing over 20 passes per game. Also, look for running backs on teams with good offensive lines. This could be the time to buy DWard or Cadillac as the Bucs just looked awful. Their center will return and they are committed to running the ball. Good luck in week four and remember to use the trading block feature.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Get Back to the Call Letters
I'm going to combo the advice/random column this week because the advice doesn't really pertain to any of my readers, but I had to get it off my chest. Television needs to take a step back and read their call letters. If the name of your station is Music Television or Video Hits - 1, then every once in awhile in the hours while people are actually awake, it might be nice to actually see a music video. Showing a 30 second clip in between shows of a "new" artist who is now making their 3rd album (only this is their first relevant one) doesn't actually count. Sometimes I feel like the Travel Channel is actually a spinoff of the travel channel known as Places You Would Never Want to Go Channel. I'm glad I get to see it on tv because I don't travel with a camera crew, so I would get cut in most of those places. Don't even get me started on the news channels. First off, you don't need an all news channel because there isn't that much news. Call your local affiliates and tell them to free up half of their broadcast by condensing all the violent crimes in bad neighborhoods to a list for 30 seconds, stop interviewing people that can't read nor write, and pull out the random human interest crap. It isn't interesting. Now you've got plenty of time for the locals to deliver all of the actual news going on around the world.
Those are just a few easy cable examples of useless programming, but that isn't even the main reason why I'm writing this column. The advice that I would like to share pertains to comedy and variety shows currently on national broadcasting channels. If Letterman and Conan want to crack a few political jokes each night, we have come to expect it and is a welcome part of the monologue. We know what we're getting from Stewart and Colbert every night, which is the premise of their shows. Keep the political crapola out of Saturday Night Live for crying out loud. This show is just the easiest example, but there are plenty of similar shows that suffer from the same affliction. Hey, we know it is tough times. Your cast has been bad for a number of years and the writing is horrible. The answer is more stupid humor like the Target lady, digital shorts, and commercial spoofs. Once an episode or so is fine when a politician does something dumb or just is dumb (Sarah Palin anyone?), but I don't need 3 fake republican characters every show being painted as complete buffoons. If you're going to keep doing this, at least pull out Pelosi or Biden or another democratic dumbass to even the score. I'm sick and tired of everyone trying to push their agenda at every turn. Guess what asshole, if you really want universal healthcare that bad, google it, find which country suits you best, then move! No one is stopping you. Health care is just one example, but there are countless things that people tirelessly bitch about day after day. If it is that bad, then leave. You notice all those people immigrating into America because they don't like the lifestyle in their old countries? Why not give it a shot? Put your money where your mouth is.
I'm off on a slight tangent at this point, but basically when I tune in to be entertained that needs to be the focus. You can utilize entertainment in any form, but if it actually gets to the point that I notice how you're trying to sell an agenda: you're not entertaining anymore. It is probably worse with SNL because you know if they weren't reading off those cue cards, they likely wouldn't have a thought. Broadcast TV goes out to everyone's home, so it might not be wise to alienate all those 40-60 year olds that actually have jobs and money just to keep it real for your younger peeps. Completely random final side point: we know that these "kids" in the high school shows on tv are actually in their mid-twenties, but it probably isn't wise to continuously show these "kids" partying and drinking if you're trying to sell the point that they are 16 and in high school.
Weekend Wonderment
There really is only one thing to be doing this weekend: Grundy County Cornfest. Boy I sure have been beating the colon to death in the last two paragraphs. Speaking of beating your colon into submission, the Cornfest will certainly help you with that. Corn dogs and bratwurst at every turn, plenty of other fried delights, sugar waters, and of course alcohol will make the weekend all the more merry. Personal selections would be the fresh roasted corn, the pork poor boy, corn dogs, ribeyes at First Midwest, and porkburgers on Sunday at the Methodist church. There are bars basically lining every street downtown, so you can't miss that action. If you want to know what else there is to do, I've pretty much covered it with the eating and the drinking. There are other things, but not very many pertain to this demographic.
Those are just a few easy cable examples of useless programming, but that isn't even the main reason why I'm writing this column. The advice that I would like to share pertains to comedy and variety shows currently on national broadcasting channels. If Letterman and Conan want to crack a few political jokes each night, we have come to expect it and is a welcome part of the monologue. We know what we're getting from Stewart and Colbert every night, which is the premise of their shows. Keep the political crapola out of Saturday Night Live for crying out loud. This show is just the easiest example, but there are plenty of similar shows that suffer from the same affliction. Hey, we know it is tough times. Your cast has been bad for a number of years and the writing is horrible. The answer is more stupid humor like the Target lady, digital shorts, and commercial spoofs. Once an episode or so is fine when a politician does something dumb or just is dumb (Sarah Palin anyone?), but I don't need 3 fake republican characters every show being painted as complete buffoons. If you're going to keep doing this, at least pull out Pelosi or Biden or another democratic dumbass to even the score. I'm sick and tired of everyone trying to push their agenda at every turn. Guess what asshole, if you really want universal healthcare that bad, google it, find which country suits you best, then move! No one is stopping you. Health care is just one example, but there are countless things that people tirelessly bitch about day after day. If it is that bad, then leave. You notice all those people immigrating into America because they don't like the lifestyle in their old countries? Why not give it a shot? Put your money where your mouth is.
I'm off on a slight tangent at this point, but basically when I tune in to be entertained that needs to be the focus. You can utilize entertainment in any form, but if it actually gets to the point that I notice how you're trying to sell an agenda: you're not entertaining anymore. It is probably worse with SNL because you know if they weren't reading off those cue cards, they likely wouldn't have a thought. Broadcast TV goes out to everyone's home, so it might not be wise to alienate all those 40-60 year olds that actually have jobs and money just to keep it real for your younger peeps. Completely random final side point: we know that these "kids" in the high school shows on tv are actually in their mid-twenties, but it probably isn't wise to continuously show these "kids" partying and drinking if you're trying to sell the point that they are 16 and in high school.
Weekend Wonderment
There really is only one thing to be doing this weekend: Grundy County Cornfest. Boy I sure have been beating the colon to death in the last two paragraphs. Speaking of beating your colon into submission, the Cornfest will certainly help you with that. Corn dogs and bratwurst at every turn, plenty of other fried delights, sugar waters, and of course alcohol will make the weekend all the more merry. Personal selections would be the fresh roasted corn, the pork poor boy, corn dogs, ribeyes at First Midwest, and porkburgers on Sunday at the Methodist church. There are bars basically lining every street downtown, so you can't miss that action. If you want to know what else there is to do, I've pretty much covered it with the eating and the drinking. There are other things, but not very many pertain to this demographic.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
The Gift of Food
Everybody has to eat, and everyone that I know likes to eat well. Not all of them like to cook, and even if they do, might not do it all that often. All of us struggle at times to find that gift for a loved one, but have you ever thought of giving the gift of food? I only recently realized that this idea was right in front of me. I'm lucky enough to have people around me that enjoy my food, and I enjoy cooking for them. I don't always get to do this as much as I or they would like, so why not give them what they're really looking for. A new tie, no. James Taylor's Greatest Hits, definitely not. A swatch watch, now you're not even trying. They want to eat my friends.
Your first inclination is to make baked goods, which are a great treat, but I'm talking about something more substantial. I'm sure you've all heard of dinner by design or you've had a bad tv dinner, so why not replace those with home cooked meals. Break out the dutch oven and make a big batch of whatever you're good at. A pot of chili, pasta sauce, soup, pot roast, or even jambalaya all taste great day after day. They can all be placed in individual containers for the fridge or freezer and will last for a long time for that someone special. On the initial delivery you can even put together a full meal with a beverage of choice, maybe some good bread, and other necessities to fully enjoy the dish. I like to focus on meals that can be reheated on the stove or in the oven, so you can reclaim the taste of food that was actually cooked by a human at some point in lieu of the microwave. You could even pair the food gift with additional gifts like silverware, nice containers, or anything that fits the motif. So next time you're stuck in the gift giving rut, try putting the thought and effort back into the occassion with the gift of food. If you can't cook, snag some Lou Malnati's to go. You can't go wrong there.
Restaurant Recap
In honor of Cornfest week in Grundy County, I need to give some press to the best pizza restaurant in the suburban area, Maria's in Morris. They make homemade pizza that you just can't find in the "true" 'burbs. It is an actual hand tossed crust that isn't paper thin or monsterously thick. The ingredients are actual food not processed meat pellets and frozen vegetables. Surprisingly enough, they are one of the few places that you can get actual bacon on your pizza. Not canadian bacon and not a Baco's knockoff, true strips of the pork belly. If you want a culinary adventure in the extended suburban area, take a quick stop off I-80 at Route 47 and enjoy some truly great pizza. I fully endorse the sausage and bacon version. If you're not feeling pizza, I'd go for the chicken, ribs, or seafood platter complete with frog legs.
Your first inclination is to make baked goods, which are a great treat, but I'm talking about something more substantial. I'm sure you've all heard of dinner by design or you've had a bad tv dinner, so why not replace those with home cooked meals. Break out the dutch oven and make a big batch of whatever you're good at. A pot of chili, pasta sauce, soup, pot roast, or even jambalaya all taste great day after day. They can all be placed in individual containers for the fridge or freezer and will last for a long time for that someone special. On the initial delivery you can even put together a full meal with a beverage of choice, maybe some good bread, and other necessities to fully enjoy the dish. I like to focus on meals that can be reheated on the stove or in the oven, so you can reclaim the taste of food that was actually cooked by a human at some point in lieu of the microwave. You could even pair the food gift with additional gifts like silverware, nice containers, or anything that fits the motif. So next time you're stuck in the gift giving rut, try putting the thought and effort back into the occassion with the gift of food. If you can't cook, snag some Lou Malnati's to go. You can't go wrong there.
Restaurant Recap
In honor of Cornfest week in Grundy County, I need to give some press to the best pizza restaurant in the suburban area, Maria's in Morris. They make homemade pizza that you just can't find in the "true" 'burbs. It is an actual hand tossed crust that isn't paper thin or monsterously thick. The ingredients are actual food not processed meat pellets and frozen vegetables. Surprisingly enough, they are one of the few places that you can get actual bacon on your pizza. Not canadian bacon and not a Baco's knockoff, true strips of the pork belly. If you want a culinary adventure in the extended suburban area, take a quick stop off I-80 at Route 47 and enjoy some truly great pizza. I fully endorse the sausage and bacon version. If you're not feeling pizza, I'd go for the chicken, ribs, or seafood platter complete with frog legs.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Backspacer
If you've spent more than ten minutes reading this blog thus far, you had to have good money down on today's topic being the new Pearl Jam CD. The 9th studio album was released on Sunday via iTunes, Target, Ten Club website, and local independent record stores. Yes my friends, you can go ahead and pick yourself up a vinyl edition of the latest masterpiece. I'm certainly going to do my best to objectively capture the highs and lows of these new eleven tracks. I'm hoping to assist the casual fan in their decision whether or not to invest in Backspacer.
The first three tracks are a locomotive out of the gate. A solid punch in the mouth to follow up the inspired self titled album from 2006. Gonna See My Friend is a quick rocker with an easy listening hook. I don't think it is quite as strong as the next two tracks, but it serves as the perfect interlude to get you fully lubed up for some rock n roll. Got Some has certainly come a long way since that infamous debut on opening night of The Tonight Show w/ Conan. I'm personally drawn to this track since I've heard it live twice, but I think even the album version will rock your face off. It is a must listen even if you're just looking to add another single to your workout collection. The debut single of The Fixer is track 3 and it is a solid all around rock song. It appeals to consumers because of the easy hook and classic rock vibe. Johnny Guitar is filler. As a devout PJ fan, I'll listen to it and marginally enjoy it. It is quick, so feel free to give it a fair shake. It just doesn't deliver like the rest of the album. Just Breathe certainly isn't a remake of the Faith Hill classic. Fans who really love the slow PJ ballads like Wishlist, Oceans, or Nothingman will certainly appreciate the writing in this effort.
Halfway home now, have I worked you into a froth yet? Did you take a break from reading to start the iTunes download? I suggest the actual CD as there is some stellar artwork in there as well as the full lyrics. Amongst the Waves brings back the old school rocker. It's a little slower than classics like Alive and Jeremy, but comparable to Black. This will be a top of the rotation tune for years to come. Unthought Known is my personal pick to click. After three spins of the new album last Friday, I woke up Saturday morning with a song pacing through my head. I had to put the album on to figure out which song it was, and this is the one. It's just a solid, catchy rock song. Supersonic is Chet approved. His early leader in the clubhouse is a punk style, in-your-face rocker. It's fast, fun, and a good addition. Speed of Sound qualifies as filler for me as well. This tune was the first track to be introduced to the skip button. It just has no pace or real direction. Force of Nature has a really good open which draws you in. Overall, it is a pretty nondescript track, but we're not going to get another Ten or Vs. so we'll take it. The End is another great slower ballad. It might be short enough that you could actually hold your lighter up the entire tune without it flaming out.
That's your full album review of Backspacer. Certainly give all the songs a listen and form your own opinions. I'd love to hear anything that you have to say about Backspacer if you've given it a few spins. If you're still apprehensive, go to Rhapsody and use 11 of your free monthly plays without logging in to preview the whole album. I've got official bootlegs from each of the two Chicago shows coming in the mail this week, so if you post your review and want a live version of Got some, The Fixer, or Supersonic I'll be happy to email one your way.
Digital Ditty
I won't pass up this opportunity to piggyback the Pearl Jam post with even more suggestions to add to your personal collection of PJ. It would be worthless to suggest one of the new tracks here, so I'll go real deep and hit the Lost Dogs double disc. Most people our age forget about this album as it was released during the college years in the midst of one of the band's down times. I'll give you a pick off each disc for review. If you're looking for another rocker, you need to add the Ten album outtake Alone. For those of you who long for another rock ballad, you can't fail with Hold On. Don't worry, as far as I know PJ won't be in the area for a concert or releasing another album anytime soon, so we'll switch it up in the following weeks. More new CD reviews forthcoming.
The first three tracks are a locomotive out of the gate. A solid punch in the mouth to follow up the inspired self titled album from 2006. Gonna See My Friend is a quick rocker with an easy listening hook. I don't think it is quite as strong as the next two tracks, but it serves as the perfect interlude to get you fully lubed up for some rock n roll. Got Some has certainly come a long way since that infamous debut on opening night of The Tonight Show w/ Conan. I'm personally drawn to this track since I've heard it live twice, but I think even the album version will rock your face off. It is a must listen even if you're just looking to add another single to your workout collection. The debut single of The Fixer is track 3 and it is a solid all around rock song. It appeals to consumers because of the easy hook and classic rock vibe. Johnny Guitar is filler. As a devout PJ fan, I'll listen to it and marginally enjoy it. It is quick, so feel free to give it a fair shake. It just doesn't deliver like the rest of the album. Just Breathe certainly isn't a remake of the Faith Hill classic. Fans who really love the slow PJ ballads like Wishlist, Oceans, or Nothingman will certainly appreciate the writing in this effort.
Halfway home now, have I worked you into a froth yet? Did you take a break from reading to start the iTunes download? I suggest the actual CD as there is some stellar artwork in there as well as the full lyrics. Amongst the Waves brings back the old school rocker. It's a little slower than classics like Alive and Jeremy, but comparable to Black. This will be a top of the rotation tune for years to come. Unthought Known is my personal pick to click. After three spins of the new album last Friday, I woke up Saturday morning with a song pacing through my head. I had to put the album on to figure out which song it was, and this is the one. It's just a solid, catchy rock song. Supersonic is Chet approved. His early leader in the clubhouse is a punk style, in-your-face rocker. It's fast, fun, and a good addition. Speed of Sound qualifies as filler for me as well. This tune was the first track to be introduced to the skip button. It just has no pace or real direction. Force of Nature has a really good open which draws you in. Overall, it is a pretty nondescript track, but we're not going to get another Ten or Vs. so we'll take it. The End is another great slower ballad. It might be short enough that you could actually hold your lighter up the entire tune without it flaming out.
That's your full album review of Backspacer. Certainly give all the songs a listen and form your own opinions. I'd love to hear anything that you have to say about Backspacer if you've given it a few spins. If you're still apprehensive, go to Rhapsody and use 11 of your free monthly plays without logging in to preview the whole album. I've got official bootlegs from each of the two Chicago shows coming in the mail this week, so if you post your review and want a live version of Got some, The Fixer, or Supersonic I'll be happy to email one your way.
Digital Ditty
I won't pass up this opportunity to piggyback the Pearl Jam post with even more suggestions to add to your personal collection of PJ. It would be worthless to suggest one of the new tracks here, so I'll go real deep and hit the Lost Dogs double disc. Most people our age forget about this album as it was released during the college years in the midst of one of the band's down times. I'll give you a pick off each disc for review. If you're looking for another rocker, you need to add the Ten album outtake Alone. For those of you who long for another rock ballad, you can't fail with Hold On. Don't worry, as far as I know PJ won't be in the area for a concert or releasing another album anytime soon, so we'll switch it up in the following weeks. More new CD reviews forthcoming.
Monday, September 21, 2009
The Best Ever?
During a time when this sport is waning in popularity and for lack of a better term punch, are we missing out on seeing the greatest boxer of all-time? Floyd Mayweather extended his unbeaten streak again this weekend over a smaller opponent but one that was widely regarded as a top five pound-for-pound pugilist. He flat out dominated the competition with more than one observer recording the fight twelve rounds to zero. He scored his first knockdown in the second round and seemed to be untested much of the fight. It had been almost two years since his last bout, and if someone can't step up to the plate soon we might go another few years without Pretty Boy knocking snot bubbles out of another foe.
This guy really has flat out dominated multiple weight classes since he burst onto the scene in the Olympics. Will the Pacquio fight ever come to fruition? If not, is there any reason for him to continue fighting? He seems to have plenty left in the tank, but the paydays have been numerous already. I am one of the few people I know that long for the days of quality boxing available nearly once per month on HBO with Jim Lampley and Larry Merchant calling the action and sending it to Harold Lederman's scorecard. Nowadays if two guys who could knockout their sister get in the ring, it ends up on pay-per-view. There are plenty of people to blame for the demise of the sweet science, but all I know for certain is that we should appreciate this once in a lifetime talent much like we laud Tiger Woods and Roger Federer in equally insignificant sports.
Dear Mr. Fantasy
Congrats to anyone who took a chance on someone in the Giants passing game because you probably got them pretty late, and they look like they're here to stay out of the gates. If Steve Smith or Mario Manningham are still available in your leagues, you probably need them on your roster. It looks like Laurent Robinson is emerging as the top receiver in St. Louis. They're a miserable team. Any of you people who continue to draft Steven Jackson at the top of fantasy drafts are getting what you deserve in his production. Cedric Benson has put together a few nice games, but I sell high if someone wants to make a deal. You might contemplate dealing MJD high too because Jacksonville is awful. Guys on bad teams have a propencity to end up hurt at the end of the year or not playing hard. That's fantasy playoff time and that's no gouda. Get whatever Saints players you can find as long as it isn't Lance Moore. One year wonder with limited talent my friends. I'm thinking Julian Edelman is a one week play if Welker doesn't suit up again next week. Play anyone and everyone against the Tampa Bay defense until otherwise notified. They're awful and getting worse with injuries and benching. For a final thought, if you have a player who has struggled through the first two weeks, you can consider throwing out a bench player only if they have performed well. Don't pull someone you drafted high just so you can play a matchup as it will end up costing you dearly. And on a really really final note, there is way too much good tight end depth to spend any of your quality talent to trade for one.
This guy really has flat out dominated multiple weight classes since he burst onto the scene in the Olympics. Will the Pacquio fight ever come to fruition? If not, is there any reason for him to continue fighting? He seems to have plenty left in the tank, but the paydays have been numerous already. I am one of the few people I know that long for the days of quality boxing available nearly once per month on HBO with Jim Lampley and Larry Merchant calling the action and sending it to Harold Lederman's scorecard. Nowadays if two guys who could knockout their sister get in the ring, it ends up on pay-per-view. There are plenty of people to blame for the demise of the sweet science, but all I know for certain is that we should appreciate this once in a lifetime talent much like we laud Tiger Woods and Roger Federer in equally insignificant sports.
Dear Mr. Fantasy
Congrats to anyone who took a chance on someone in the Giants passing game because you probably got them pretty late, and they look like they're here to stay out of the gates. If Steve Smith or Mario Manningham are still available in your leagues, you probably need them on your roster. It looks like Laurent Robinson is emerging as the top receiver in St. Louis. They're a miserable team. Any of you people who continue to draft Steven Jackson at the top of fantasy drafts are getting what you deserve in his production. Cedric Benson has put together a few nice games, but I sell high if someone wants to make a deal. You might contemplate dealing MJD high too because Jacksonville is awful. Guys on bad teams have a propencity to end up hurt at the end of the year or not playing hard. That's fantasy playoff time and that's no gouda. Get whatever Saints players you can find as long as it isn't Lance Moore. One year wonder with limited talent my friends. I'm thinking Julian Edelman is a one week play if Welker doesn't suit up again next week. Play anyone and everyone against the Tampa Bay defense until otherwise notified. They're awful and getting worse with injuries and benching. For a final thought, if you have a player who has struggled through the first two weeks, you can consider throwing out a bench player only if they have performed well. Don't pull someone you drafted high just so you can play a matchup as it will end up costing you dearly. And on a really really final note, there is way too much good tight end depth to spend any of your quality talent to trade for one.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Subscribe
Nothing makes a random day go up in value like getting something worthwhile in the mailbox. It's great at any age. Even if it is something that you purchased for yourself and expected to receive, you just can't beat making that walk to the mailbox worthwhile. There is a way to make this unbridled enjoyment appear more often by subscribing to magazines, organizations, or just the local newspaper. People get so caught up in being able to access any information they want on a daily basis through the internet. What about all the lost information that you used to get? You know what I'm talking about, the stuff you used to learn because it was pasted next to the interesting article.
Magazines are a pretty easy sell to most people because they're fairly cheap and employ pretty solid writing. That would be the key as to why to subscribe to them. Sure their website has some decent stuff posted on a daily basis, but these folks take time every week or month to really sit down and tackle a topic. That deserves our respect, admiration, and five minutes of so that it takes to peruse their work.
Newspapers are a much more difficult sell because people get their news from television, radio, and of course pages like the one you're reading right now. You're missing out on a breadth of information by not getting your local rag. The local paper tells you what is going on and keeps you informed about problems in your town. Regional papers will help keep you out of the bad neighborhoods and fill you in on where the latest wine tasting is. I'm a subscriber of the Chicago Tribune. I've been reading it for nearly two decades at this point. They have good writers, and every single day I catch something that I wasn't looking for. Sure some days the paper is a bit thin, but there is always the sudoku, crossword, and horoscope to bring me home. The sports section gives you a deeper look into your local teams, unless it is really just 500 words massaging the ego of the local hero. David Haugh I'm talking about your Bears coverage my friend. A little objectivity never hurt anyone. He makes me want to create a parody music video from Mother Lover to Cutler Lover. Anyhow, the entertainment section is key to knowing what is happening around Chicagoland. I hear about concerts, festivals, dining experiences, and all other forms of brain rotting that can carry you through a weekend. I understand that some people weren't taught at an early age to appreciate their daily paper, but why not start at 4 issues a week for $1. It is a dollar for crying out loud.
Weekend Wonderment
You want something to do this weekend? Better go buy that newspaper and find out what is happening in your local area. I already gave you the freebie on Wednesday of apple picking. If you still need inspiration, why not make someone's day through the wonder of snail mail and write them a letter. A good old fashioned letter my friends. You can type it, handwrite it, or put it in cursive for all I care, but why not give that a shot. I bet it has been far too long since you've put together one of those.
Magazines are a pretty easy sell to most people because they're fairly cheap and employ pretty solid writing. That would be the key as to why to subscribe to them. Sure their website has some decent stuff posted on a daily basis, but these folks take time every week or month to really sit down and tackle a topic. That deserves our respect, admiration, and five minutes of so that it takes to peruse their work.
Newspapers are a much more difficult sell because people get their news from television, radio, and of course pages like the one you're reading right now. You're missing out on a breadth of information by not getting your local rag. The local paper tells you what is going on and keeps you informed about problems in your town. Regional papers will help keep you out of the bad neighborhoods and fill you in on where the latest wine tasting is. I'm a subscriber of the Chicago Tribune. I've been reading it for nearly two decades at this point. They have good writers, and every single day I catch something that I wasn't looking for. Sure some days the paper is a bit thin, but there is always the sudoku, crossword, and horoscope to bring me home. The sports section gives you a deeper look into your local teams, unless it is really just 500 words massaging the ego of the local hero. David Haugh I'm talking about your Bears coverage my friend. A little objectivity never hurt anyone. He makes me want to create a parody music video from Mother Lover to Cutler Lover. Anyhow, the entertainment section is key to knowing what is happening around Chicagoland. I hear about concerts, festivals, dining experiences, and all other forms of brain rotting that can carry you through a weekend. I understand that some people weren't taught at an early age to appreciate their daily paper, but why not start at 4 issues a week for $1. It is a dollar for crying out loud.
Weekend Wonderment
You want something to do this weekend? Better go buy that newspaper and find out what is happening in your local area. I already gave you the freebie on Wednesday of apple picking. If you still need inspiration, why not make someone's day through the wonder of snail mail and write them a letter. A good old fashioned letter my friends. You can type it, handwrite it, or put it in cursive for all I care, but why not give that a shot. I bet it has been far too long since you've put together one of those.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Make A Change
We'll pay a brief, belated tribute to MJax today with the title and focus on the Man in the Mirror. The advice column is always an interesting challenge on Thursdays. Any type of writing requires some sort of motivation and point of view. Today we'll look at making a change in our lives. Often I find myself faced with looking myself in the mirror and saying that if you want a change in your life you have to make it happen. Basically, every so often you need to step back, evaluate, and call yourself out.
Some items that have required some personal reflection over the past year or two have been aspects of my life that were cause for unnecessary grief. Once I became an adult with my own money and decision-making power, I made it a point to explore all the sporting venues and events that I could. I travelled around Big Ten arenas, hit more Bears games, caught baseball on both sides of town, and continued supporting my alma mater. After many years of this, I realized that not only was this costly, but usually it made me a less enjoyable person to be around. When you drive 3.5 hours for a game, watch another crushing disappointment, then make the same return trip, you tend to be honery. That doesn't mean that my only sports disdain came from in-person events. My trusty HDTV allowed for just as many angry moments. What I realized is that I could get the same in-person rush from attending concerts without the risk of ruining other people's days. Like I've said before, when you go to a concert, no one ever loses. I also try to surround myself at home with other things to take my mind off those typical defeats (you have to have diversions as a Purdue fan). I take my sports pretty seriously, but there has to be limitations.
Another point of contention for me was unnecessary weight gain. I just was not comfortable in my clothes, sitting at my desk, or doing any sort of physical activity. Again I had to come to terms with the fact that only I could do something about it because I caused the problem in the first place. I had to find a medium for weight loss that didn't end up with eating a bunch of stuff I didn't like during the week only to "reward" myself with garbage on the weekends. I was able to find that plan, put healthy eating habits into motion, and then put myself into motion. Exercise was certainly a big part of accelerating that loss, but other big factors were keeping the house stocked with healthy options and learning to say no. Another big one there sports fans: MODERATE THE DRINKING. That factor alone will eliminate the swollen feeling that you have. Not only is it not healthy, but it is a huge factor in weight gain from the actual product to the reduced sense of healthy eating habits.
Now I have no idea if either of these things afflict any of you, but the morale of the story is that when you find yourself in an unhappy pattern, only you can stop it. These two items are just personal examples. Sometimes we can all benefit from pulling back and self evaluating our own situation. Are you someone that finds yourself in a constant jealous circle? What is it that you actually want? Are you missing someone special in your life? Why not try a new way of finding someone or hang out where you might find good people to meet? Do you wish you had something that other people have? Why not set up a spending plan that allows you to save for that certain item or items? Odds are you can make it happen for yourself, just like they did. Do you want to go out more with your friends or try that fancy restaurant? Then freaking do it. No one controls you except for you. You only get one chance at life, so if you're not satisfied then do something about it. If you're working on breaking distasteful habits, try to not make the reward be an appeasement of that habit. If you are going to try to lose weight and you hit a 5 lb target, don't reward yourself with a gallon of ice cream. Kind of defeats the purpose eh? Hopefully you found something in these paragraphs that you can utilize in your life. If not, thanks for making it to the end. Sorry, there are no additional prizes for that feat.
Ode to Nader
Let's start with a simple suggestion for a reward system that works for almost anyone: television channels. We all have some sort of basic programming package with our cable or satellite provider. We all also have a type of program that we enjoy whether it be music, movies, or sports. If you find yourself bored often or generally unhappy, why not reward yourself with some new channels. These packages typically cost anywhere from $4 to $12 per month depending on how many new channels you get. I personally endorse the sports entertainment plan on Comcast which provides access to the NFL Redzone Channel. That little guy provides 6.5 hours of prime NFL footage every Sunday. It is like having the NFL Sunday Ticket without having to change the channel every 30 seconds. I would also support adding HBO for their original programming such as Curb Your Enthusiasm, Hard Knocks, and whatever other popular shows that get discussed at the water cooler.
Some items that have required some personal reflection over the past year or two have been aspects of my life that were cause for unnecessary grief. Once I became an adult with my own money and decision-making power, I made it a point to explore all the sporting venues and events that I could. I travelled around Big Ten arenas, hit more Bears games, caught baseball on both sides of town, and continued supporting my alma mater. After many years of this, I realized that not only was this costly, but usually it made me a less enjoyable person to be around. When you drive 3.5 hours for a game, watch another crushing disappointment, then make the same return trip, you tend to be honery. That doesn't mean that my only sports disdain came from in-person events. My trusty HDTV allowed for just as many angry moments. What I realized is that I could get the same in-person rush from attending concerts without the risk of ruining other people's days. Like I've said before, when you go to a concert, no one ever loses. I also try to surround myself at home with other things to take my mind off those typical defeats (you have to have diversions as a Purdue fan). I take my sports pretty seriously, but there has to be limitations.
Another point of contention for me was unnecessary weight gain. I just was not comfortable in my clothes, sitting at my desk, or doing any sort of physical activity. Again I had to come to terms with the fact that only I could do something about it because I caused the problem in the first place. I had to find a medium for weight loss that didn't end up with eating a bunch of stuff I didn't like during the week only to "reward" myself with garbage on the weekends. I was able to find that plan, put healthy eating habits into motion, and then put myself into motion. Exercise was certainly a big part of accelerating that loss, but other big factors were keeping the house stocked with healthy options and learning to say no. Another big one there sports fans: MODERATE THE DRINKING. That factor alone will eliminate the swollen feeling that you have. Not only is it not healthy, but it is a huge factor in weight gain from the actual product to the reduced sense of healthy eating habits.
Now I have no idea if either of these things afflict any of you, but the morale of the story is that when you find yourself in an unhappy pattern, only you can stop it. These two items are just personal examples. Sometimes we can all benefit from pulling back and self evaluating our own situation. Are you someone that finds yourself in a constant jealous circle? What is it that you actually want? Are you missing someone special in your life? Why not try a new way of finding someone or hang out where you might find good people to meet? Do you wish you had something that other people have? Why not set up a spending plan that allows you to save for that certain item or items? Odds are you can make it happen for yourself, just like they did. Do you want to go out more with your friends or try that fancy restaurant? Then freaking do it. No one controls you except for you. You only get one chance at life, so if you're not satisfied then do something about it. If you're working on breaking distasteful habits, try to not make the reward be an appeasement of that habit. If you are going to try to lose weight and you hit a 5 lb target, don't reward yourself with a gallon of ice cream. Kind of defeats the purpose eh? Hopefully you found something in these paragraphs that you can utilize in your life. If not, thanks for making it to the end. Sorry, there are no additional prizes for that feat.
Ode to Nader
Let's start with a simple suggestion for a reward system that works for almost anyone: television channels. We all have some sort of basic programming package with our cable or satellite provider. We all also have a type of program that we enjoy whether it be music, movies, or sports. If you find yourself bored often or generally unhappy, why not reward yourself with some new channels. These packages typically cost anywhere from $4 to $12 per month depending on how many new channels you get. I personally endorse the sports entertainment plan on Comcast which provides access to the NFL Redzone Channel. That little guy provides 6.5 hours of prime NFL footage every Sunday. It is like having the NFL Sunday Ticket without having to change the channel every 30 seconds. I would also support adding HBO for their original programming such as Curb Your Enthusiasm, Hard Knocks, and whatever other popular shows that get discussed at the water cooler.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Apples
Pretty simple title and a pretty simple blog today. It is Fall, we're in the Midwest, and that means apple season. Find your local orchard and either take your kids to pick some fresh apples or hit their on-site shops to buy whichever kind your heart desires. There are many wonderful variations and a good orchard will let you taste each and every one. Some quality kinds currently in season include the Ginger Gold, Gala, McIntosh, and Cortland varieties depending on the taste and use you're looking for. One tip that I would like to pass along is to check the firmness and taste that you like and try a new apple variety. If you like Honeycrisp (and most people do), find another firm sweet-tart variety that is locally grown. The reason you can't pick Honeycrisps for yourself is because they're grown in Michigan. Lucky man Neush, lucky man. Sure the ones from the Orchard are better than the grocery store, but they aren't fresh from the site. Why pay almost double when you can find a similar variety grown at the orchard. Also, I know that their pies are probably great, but buy a bag of apples, use half, and make your own. You'll be able to eat it warm out of the oven and save a ton of dough. There is no better time than this weekend to head out to Maple Park, Harvard, Malta, or any other apple orchard in the Chicagoland area. If you want Honeycrisp really bad, take a road trip to Michigan, lord knows they could use the tourist dollars.
Restaurant Recap
No better way to start a weekend than a hearty Saturday morning breakfast, so why not head out to one of the multiple Egg Harbor Cafe locations throughout Chicagoland and southern Wisconsin. While they have a few spots, these are certainly not chain restaurants. They offer superb breakfast and lunch food everyday for a very reasonable cost. Personally, I think the best option is the scrambler combo which gives you a scrambler of your choice with meat, veggies, potatoes, and cheese, banana bread french toast, and a side of fruit. You've got everything you need right there on one plate. If you pair that with the Strawberry-Orange juice carafe, you've found a winner. The seasonal fare is outstanding with pumpkin/pecan pancakes, numerous fruit offerings, and other changing items. For lunch, I'm a fan of the chicken/brie wrap. You've got apples and other goodies tucked inside that wrap as well. They have all the heartwarming favorites you want and a website to boot. Find the closest establishment and get your grub on.
Restaurant Recap
No better way to start a weekend than a hearty Saturday morning breakfast, so why not head out to one of the multiple Egg Harbor Cafe locations throughout Chicagoland and southern Wisconsin. While they have a few spots, these are certainly not chain restaurants. They offer superb breakfast and lunch food everyday for a very reasonable cost. Personally, I think the best option is the scrambler combo which gives you a scrambler of your choice with meat, veggies, potatoes, and cheese, banana bread french toast, and a side of fruit. You've got everything you need right there on one plate. If you pair that with the Strawberry-Orange juice carafe, you've found a winner. The seasonal fare is outstanding with pumpkin/pecan pancakes, numerous fruit offerings, and other changing items. For lunch, I'm a fan of the chicken/brie wrap. You've got apples and other goodies tucked inside that wrap as well. They have all the heartwarming favorites you want and a website to boot. Find the closest establishment and get your grub on.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
U2 Review
Well the 2009 concert series has finally drawn to a close with the four fine Irishmen known as U2. The self-proclaimed best band on the planet proved to the massive 80,000+ audience at Soldier Field that they are indeed the best showmen from Dublin. In order to be the best band, you need to play longer than two hours when the average ticket price for that jam packed crowd was triple figures. They certainly put together a musical extravaganza with a spaceship-like stage that allowed for circular movement to play at each end of the crowd. The light show and video board were both top notch. I can say that I haven't seen a musical show like that before.
The problem is that I didn't go to see a musical show, I went to see a concert. Snow Patrol delivered on that as the opener by playing all of their well known hits. They played to the crowd and displayed some solid musicianship. One of the better openers that I have seen over the years. U2 started on the wrong foot by having us wait approximately 45 minutes before ascending to the stage, even though the only changes were the actual instruments. Instead of delivering corned beef and cabbage, we were served boiled potatoes as our starter. Four straight songs off the poppy-at-best new album, and then finally the crowd responded to Beautiful Day. Overall, eight new tracks were played along with three each from their previous two albums. If you were looking for the glory days of the 80s or even some 90s fare, you were in the wrong place. They could have played just as much new stuff, but delivered a great show by playing another half hour of golden oldies. Pride, Streets have no name, and Still haven't found what I'm looking for were the most inspired of the night. One, With or Without You, and Bad were also worthwhile ventures. In between the two hour festival, we were appropriated two separate video montages of political stature to eat up another fifteen minutes of band time. I certainly enjoyed the 2006 Vertigo Tour in the United Center, but given the price and lack of delivery, you won't find me at another U2 show unless we get a greatest hits tour.
Side note: seriously reconsider going to any concert at Soldier Field. It tooks us over an hour to travel five to six blocks to our vehicle after the show.
Digital Ditty
Despite my less than stellar appraisal of the U2 concert, their music still delivers when wandering around the yard or tackling the weekend chores. I'm not a master of the deepcuts from this band, so I'll suggest their introductory single of I Will Follow as a personal favorite and lean on the resident U2 expert in my circle of friends to deliver Bad as her one-off choice. They are both worthy of consistent rotation on your electronic device of choosing. As for the opener, I will stay generic with Crack the Shutters from Snow Patrol although if you crave something a bit deeper, you can certainly give Shut Your Eyes a shot.
The problem is that I didn't go to see a musical show, I went to see a concert. Snow Patrol delivered on that as the opener by playing all of their well known hits. They played to the crowd and displayed some solid musicianship. One of the better openers that I have seen over the years. U2 started on the wrong foot by having us wait approximately 45 minutes before ascending to the stage, even though the only changes were the actual instruments. Instead of delivering corned beef and cabbage, we were served boiled potatoes as our starter. Four straight songs off the poppy-at-best new album, and then finally the crowd responded to Beautiful Day. Overall, eight new tracks were played along with three each from their previous two albums. If you were looking for the glory days of the 80s or even some 90s fare, you were in the wrong place. They could have played just as much new stuff, but delivered a great show by playing another half hour of golden oldies. Pride, Streets have no name, and Still haven't found what I'm looking for were the most inspired of the night. One, With or Without You, and Bad were also worthwhile ventures. In between the two hour festival, we were appropriated two separate video montages of political stature to eat up another fifteen minutes of band time. I certainly enjoyed the 2006 Vertigo Tour in the United Center, but given the price and lack of delivery, you won't find me at another U2 show unless we get a greatest hits tour.
Side note: seriously reconsider going to any concert at Soldier Field. It tooks us over an hour to travel five to six blocks to our vehicle after the show.
Digital Ditty
Despite my less than stellar appraisal of the U2 concert, their music still delivers when wandering around the yard or tackling the weekend chores. I'm not a master of the deepcuts from this band, so I'll suggest their introductory single of I Will Follow as a personal favorite and lean on the resident U2 expert in my circle of friends to deliver Bad as her one-off choice. They are both worthy of consistent rotation on your electronic device of choosing. As for the opener, I will stay generic with Crack the Shutters from Snow Patrol although if you crave something a bit deeper, you can certainly give Shut Your Eyes a shot.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Football Frenzy
Congratulations for all of you who spent yesterday doing absolutely nothing except pretending that your ass was sewn to the couch and eating whatever was within eyeshot during the first weekend of NFL football. You're a true American, and we appreciate your services. Good news for all Carolina Panther fans: even though Jake Delhomme has thrown 9 interceptions in his last 51 passes, the backup Josh McCown was put on IR today. Good luck and godspeed to you folks. Let me know how it goes. See you at the top of the draft in April.
Speaking of piles of poop, new marketing campaign for Big Ten football: Bad Ten. It actually works because Penn State appears to be decent. Half of the league deserved to lose this Saturday, but found a way to escape due to the favorable home field conditions. Northwestern hit a last second field goal to beat the crew from Ypsilanti who got pasted one week ago by Army. Wisco took OT to beat Fresno (not the chiles, the football team), and MSU was the first crew to fall to the MAC. Not that Indiana wouldn't lose to the MAC, I'm certain they would struggle to finish in the upper half of that conference. A miraculous goal line fumble saved the Loosiers for the second week in a row. Ohio State saved some face but found a way to blow the game to an 18 year old kid. Michigan ran all over the powerful golden dome. I'm sure it wasn't Fat Charlie's fault since he doesn't know defense. He should know better than throwing the ball around when you're trying to close out the game. Translation from Charlie to players: our offensive line is so gutless and nutless that I think golden boy needs to throw it around for us to have any chance of moving the sticks. Real nice coach, real nice. The Juice appears to be spilled down in Chambana, but ISU would lose a scrimmage with themselves. The Boilers put up a grand fight (no pun intended) with the Oregonians but couldn't complete an extra point kick to throw off the scoring. It's going to be another long season in Big Ten season, but any of these 11 squads could find a bowl game once they have to start playing each other.
To all you Bears fans out there, Blackhawks start skating in a few more days so that's good news. The newly revamped and renovated Urlacher is now on the shelf for another year. He should be really refreshed for 2010. Maybe he'll want some more new money. Follow the paper trail my friends, Briggs is the only Bear over the past two years to get new money and play worth a damn. Tommie Harris is the leader in the clubhouse for turd of the year. Back to back would be quite an accomplishment. Only John Thierry and Stan Thomas have been repeat offenders. I'm pretty sure I could complete passes with Nathan Vasher as the defender in one on one as all-time QB. No better way to ignite the fan base like tossing 4 picks to the hated rival. Congrats on that grand entrance Jay. I can only hope that you can back that athletic performance with turning into a complete douchebag all year. I'm sure none of those picks were your fault. Quick advice to the franchise QB: don't the throw the ball at the 350 lb fat guy when trying to run a screen pass.
Things I noticed, learned, or think from Week One: the Bucs secondary is awful without the luxury of the Cover 2, those pesky young Jets are going to give the Pats a run for their money this year considering their defense allowed zero points while missing two starters to suspension, Kyle Orton is smiling with his 1-0 record, the Broncos suck out loud, apparently filming Hard Knocks doesn't actually help your season, Mike Vick will not have a positive impact on the Eagles' season, teams really came prepared to hit yesterday, that doesn't include the Rams, and good for Mike Singletary beating the defending NFC champs.
Dear Mr. Fantasy
I'm not quite sure what type of fantasy help you guys are looking for this football season, so feel free to drop in a comment. I can do start/sit, waiver wire, or guys to buy low/sell high. Whatever my loyal readers need to help their season. I'll start by tackling potential free agents. Keep in mind that I play in a "Man's" league, which is 14 teams deep with only 4 bench spots, so if Cadillac Williams or Mike Bell is available in your league then you should know enough to pick them up. I was impressed by the Colts defense, but I worry that part of their success can be attributed to the rookies starting for the Jags. The Falcons defense looks primed for a good year with some serious playmakers. Keep in mind their bye week is Week 4 before you pounce immediately. The Packers D should be owned or you should own them. I favor receivers and tight ends that get lots of catches and targets. I think Shockey's big day was a product of the Lions running out of guys to use in coverage. When they play a team with a pulse, he won't score two TDs. Devery Henderson is a one trick pony, but either he or Robert Meachem will be worth owning this season. Keep your eye on the Saints. Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon will be asked to pick up their workloads with Gonzo out in Indy. If you replace one guy with two, that means neither is a good play. The Clayton brothers in Baltimore and Tampa actually look like receivers that will get a good deal of targets due to age (Mason) and injury (Bryant) in the other top wides on those rosters. Robert Royal, Vernon Davis, and Todd Heap all received plenty of targets this weekend and are tight ends to take a long look at in upcoming weeks especially with looming bye weeks. Speaking of targets, some deep league wideouts to watch are Laurent Robinson and Antwaan Randle El. Both guys get a boost from dead arm QBs who wet their pants when faced with a good rush.
Speaking of piles of poop, new marketing campaign for Big Ten football: Bad Ten. It actually works because Penn State appears to be decent. Half of the league deserved to lose this Saturday, but found a way to escape due to the favorable home field conditions. Northwestern hit a last second field goal to beat the crew from Ypsilanti who got pasted one week ago by Army. Wisco took OT to beat Fresno (not the chiles, the football team), and MSU was the first crew to fall to the MAC. Not that Indiana wouldn't lose to the MAC, I'm certain they would struggle to finish in the upper half of that conference. A miraculous goal line fumble saved the Loosiers for the second week in a row. Ohio State saved some face but found a way to blow the game to an 18 year old kid. Michigan ran all over the powerful golden dome. I'm sure it wasn't Fat Charlie's fault since he doesn't know defense. He should know better than throwing the ball around when you're trying to close out the game. Translation from Charlie to players: our offensive line is so gutless and nutless that I think golden boy needs to throw it around for us to have any chance of moving the sticks. Real nice coach, real nice. The Juice appears to be spilled down in Chambana, but ISU would lose a scrimmage with themselves. The Boilers put up a grand fight (no pun intended) with the Oregonians but couldn't complete an extra point kick to throw off the scoring. It's going to be another long season in Big Ten season, but any of these 11 squads could find a bowl game once they have to start playing each other.
To all you Bears fans out there, Blackhawks start skating in a few more days so that's good news. The newly revamped and renovated Urlacher is now on the shelf for another year. He should be really refreshed for 2010. Maybe he'll want some more new money. Follow the paper trail my friends, Briggs is the only Bear over the past two years to get new money and play worth a damn. Tommie Harris is the leader in the clubhouse for turd of the year. Back to back would be quite an accomplishment. Only John Thierry and Stan Thomas have been repeat offenders. I'm pretty sure I could complete passes with Nathan Vasher as the defender in one on one as all-time QB. No better way to ignite the fan base like tossing 4 picks to the hated rival. Congrats on that grand entrance Jay. I can only hope that you can back that athletic performance with turning into a complete douchebag all year. I'm sure none of those picks were your fault. Quick advice to the franchise QB: don't the throw the ball at the 350 lb fat guy when trying to run a screen pass.
Things I noticed, learned, or think from Week One: the Bucs secondary is awful without the luxury of the Cover 2, those pesky young Jets are going to give the Pats a run for their money this year considering their defense allowed zero points while missing two starters to suspension, Kyle Orton is smiling with his 1-0 record, the Broncos suck out loud, apparently filming Hard Knocks doesn't actually help your season, Mike Vick will not have a positive impact on the Eagles' season, teams really came prepared to hit yesterday, that doesn't include the Rams, and good for Mike Singletary beating the defending NFC champs.
Dear Mr. Fantasy
I'm not quite sure what type of fantasy help you guys are looking for this football season, so feel free to drop in a comment. I can do start/sit, waiver wire, or guys to buy low/sell high. Whatever my loyal readers need to help their season. I'll start by tackling potential free agents. Keep in mind that I play in a "Man's" league, which is 14 teams deep with only 4 bench spots, so if Cadillac Williams or Mike Bell is available in your league then you should know enough to pick them up. I was impressed by the Colts defense, but I worry that part of their success can be attributed to the rookies starting for the Jags. The Falcons defense looks primed for a good year with some serious playmakers. Keep in mind their bye week is Week 4 before you pounce immediately. The Packers D should be owned or you should own them. I favor receivers and tight ends that get lots of catches and targets. I think Shockey's big day was a product of the Lions running out of guys to use in coverage. When they play a team with a pulse, he won't score two TDs. Devery Henderson is a one trick pony, but either he or Robert Meachem will be worth owning this season. Keep your eye on the Saints. Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon will be asked to pick up their workloads with Gonzo out in Indy. If you replace one guy with two, that means neither is a good play. The Clayton brothers in Baltimore and Tampa actually look like receivers that will get a good deal of targets due to age (Mason) and injury (Bryant) in the other top wides on those rosters. Robert Royal, Vernon Davis, and Todd Heap all received plenty of targets this weekend and are tight ends to take a long look at in upcoming weeks especially with looming bye weeks. Speaking of targets, some deep league wideouts to watch are Laurent Robinson and Antwaan Randle El. Both guys get a boost from dead arm QBs who wet their pants when faced with a good rush.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Simply Put...The Greatest
The childhoods of millions Americans will officially be put into the past tense this evening when Michael Jordan is inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. We can try to hang on with movies like GI Joe or Transformers, you can read those lists about kids from the 80s, and even bust out the old NES. All of those things are only diversions at this point because this moment seals the fact that the era of our youth is now gone. It is a well deserved honor and will certainly be one of those lifetime moments for any kid who grew up in the 1980s or 1990s. Whether you lived in Chicago or not, you loved Michael. He brought basketball to the masses.
From the song "Be Like Mike" to commercials with Mars Blackmon and Johnny Kilroy, he was beyond basketball. He was the most identifiable figure for better than two decades. We grew up trying to make shots without looking at the hoop, finishing off a long day at school with Gatorade, and thinking that it was a good idea to spend over $100 on a pair of shoes. Think about that for a minute...this was the late eighties people. I spend between $40 and $50 on a pair of shoes now as an adult. From a sheer inflation perspective, that means you probably spent between $300 and $400 of today's money on those shoes. That is one powerful salesman. This guy singlehandedly began the SUV market when he started endorsing the Chevy Blazer. "Well there's a 60% chance that this thing will roll over in a curve and you might die. But, it comes with a cardboard standup of MJ." "I'll take it!"
MJeff compelled everyone with everything he did. He made minor league baseball relevant, he turned a fledgling sports card company in Upper Deck into the biggest brand with an exclusive rights package, he invented the exclusive rights package to marketing, and people actually spent money to watch Space Jam. Let that one sink in for a bit. I own that soundtrack. I'm not afraid to admit it. Pretty sure the Quad City DJs are on that bad boy.
Jordan will continue to be a larger than life, almost mythical figure even though he'll be around watching his son play college ball at UCF, running the Bobcats franchise into the ground, and being part of the Jordan brand of clothing. He's not just a human anymore, but an actual brand. Sure he had plenty of transgressions during his career and family life, but thankfully for us the media circus was not around to ruin his reign throughout our young lives. You have to continue to look back and appreciate because that is as good as it will ever be for any of us in this metropolis. It was an absolute privilege to grow up in this area and watch the G.O.A.T. bring joy to my home city. Today will be a great day to see our favorite son put in his rightful place on the top of the basketball world, but it also further illustrates that the greatest era of sport in the City of Chicago is long gone.
From the song "Be Like Mike" to commercials with Mars Blackmon and Johnny Kilroy, he was beyond basketball. He was the most identifiable figure for better than two decades. We grew up trying to make shots without looking at the hoop, finishing off a long day at school with Gatorade, and thinking that it was a good idea to spend over $100 on a pair of shoes. Think about that for a minute...this was the late eighties people. I spend between $40 and $50 on a pair of shoes now as an adult. From a sheer inflation perspective, that means you probably spent between $300 and $400 of today's money on those shoes. That is one powerful salesman. This guy singlehandedly began the SUV market when he started endorsing the Chevy Blazer. "Well there's a 60% chance that this thing will roll over in a curve and you might die. But, it comes with a cardboard standup of MJ." "I'll take it!"
MJeff compelled everyone with everything he did. He made minor league baseball relevant, he turned a fledgling sports card company in Upper Deck into the biggest brand with an exclusive rights package, he invented the exclusive rights package to marketing, and people actually spent money to watch Space Jam. Let that one sink in for a bit. I own that soundtrack. I'm not afraid to admit it. Pretty sure the Quad City DJs are on that bad boy.
Jordan will continue to be a larger than life, almost mythical figure even though he'll be around watching his son play college ball at UCF, running the Bobcats franchise into the ground, and being part of the Jordan brand of clothing. He's not just a human anymore, but an actual brand. Sure he had plenty of transgressions during his career and family life, but thankfully for us the media circus was not around to ruin his reign throughout our young lives. You have to continue to look back and appreciate because that is as good as it will ever be for any of us in this metropolis. It was an absolute privilege to grow up in this area and watch the G.O.A.T. bring joy to my home city. Today will be a great day to see our favorite son put in his rightful place on the top of the basketball world, but it also further illustrates that the greatest era of sport in the City of Chicago is long gone.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Fall TV Season
We'll keep the advice section pretty light this week and tackle the topic of the new fall television season. I don't watch too many shows overall (cuts into football time), but there are a few that are very DVR worthy. I suggest choosing enough shows to DVR that you can just watch the old ones while the new ones record, that way you can avoid all commercials. Unless Terry Tate, office linebacker, makes a return to the small screen, I'm not interested in your product.
I'll try to avoid the generic suggestions such as The Office and other mainstream hits. You need to make yourself familiar with Always Sunny in Philadelphia on FX. You have even more reason to do so now that FX HD is available on Comcast in the Chicagoland area. It is just stupid humor at its finest with some Danny DeVito sprinkled in. It is basically like Cheers on meth.
Curb Your Enthusiasm is back after taking a year off starting on Sept. 20th on HBO. It is worth the two month addition to your cable/sat bill. The creator of Seinfeld is way funnier on pay television especially when you consider yourself an artison of swearing.
You definitely need to be watching Friday Night Lights starting in early winter (unless you have DirecTv and can check it out before NBC gets the rights). I think it is a great watch about small town football and bad high school drama. Speaking of bad high school drama, if you grew up watching 90210 like I did you can catch the new season on the WB-CW-UPN-whatever the hell that channel is. I'm not going to proclaim that good television, but it is pretty funny to think that you used to shape your week around the old 90210. Jennie Garth stuck around and she still looks good (I'm sticking with a no comment on Tori Spelling).
I don't really know of any other hidden gems coming up this year. You can count me in for numerous cable tv efforts like Top Chef: Las Vegas, Diners Drive-ins and Dives, Man vs Food, and a few other nonsense shows. Big Ten and Beyond looks like the only watchable show from the new Big Ten Network football four pack. It's a Friday night breakdown of the upcoming conference games and national implications. Outside of these shows, I try to stick to NFL Network as much as possible. Feel free to post your suggestions for new programming or old shows that we need to be watching.
Ode to Nader
I'm going to give you two must-haves for the fall television season: La-Z-Boy recliner/loveseat/sofa and a stovetop popcorn popper. Not only do the La-Z-Boy products have a thick layer of cushioning, but they have the best reclining mechanisms. They always have sales going and are already very price competitive unless you're shopping at flea markets. You can pair that up with the standard $20 popcorn popper that goes right over the heat. Throw down some oil, Orville, and salt and you've got the perfect fresh snack for a night of nothing. If you honestly think the microwave stuff is better/easier/faster, just buy one of these and you'll have the real deal done in less than five minutes.
I'll try to avoid the generic suggestions such as The Office and other mainstream hits. You need to make yourself familiar with Always Sunny in Philadelphia on FX. You have even more reason to do so now that FX HD is available on Comcast in the Chicagoland area. It is just stupid humor at its finest with some Danny DeVito sprinkled in. It is basically like Cheers on meth.
Curb Your Enthusiasm is back after taking a year off starting on Sept. 20th on HBO. It is worth the two month addition to your cable/sat bill. The creator of Seinfeld is way funnier on pay television especially when you consider yourself an artison of swearing.
You definitely need to be watching Friday Night Lights starting in early winter (unless you have DirecTv and can check it out before NBC gets the rights). I think it is a great watch about small town football and bad high school drama. Speaking of bad high school drama, if you grew up watching 90210 like I did you can catch the new season on the WB-CW-UPN-whatever the hell that channel is. I'm not going to proclaim that good television, but it is pretty funny to think that you used to shape your week around the old 90210. Jennie Garth stuck around and she still looks good (I'm sticking with a no comment on Tori Spelling).
I don't really know of any other hidden gems coming up this year. You can count me in for numerous cable tv efforts like Top Chef: Las Vegas, Diners Drive-ins and Dives, Man vs Food, and a few other nonsense shows. Big Ten and Beyond looks like the only watchable show from the new Big Ten Network football four pack. It's a Friday night breakdown of the upcoming conference games and national implications. Outside of these shows, I try to stick to NFL Network as much as possible. Feel free to post your suggestions for new programming or old shows that we need to be watching.
Ode to Nader
I'm going to give you two must-haves for the fall television season: La-Z-Boy recliner/loveseat/sofa and a stovetop popcorn popper. Not only do the La-Z-Boy products have a thick layer of cushioning, but they have the best reclining mechanisms. They always have sales going and are already very price competitive unless you're shopping at flea markets. You can pair that up with the standard $20 popcorn popper that goes right over the heat. Throw down some oil, Orville, and salt and you've got the perfect fresh snack for a night of nothing. If you honestly think the microwave stuff is better/easier/faster, just buy one of these and you'll have the real deal done in less than five minutes.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Cutting Back
The only thing that people might love more than gorging themselves on their favorite foods is probably fad diets. For about two weeks every year, someone you know or maybe even yourself tries the latest crackpot diet plan that they saw on tv or found on the internet. While most of these things are harmless efforts to motivate yourself, sometimes they can crossover into misplaced concepts of how to live a healthier lifestyle. The only way to truly become healthier and lose weight over time is to cut back and eat better products. I'm not going to give a sermon on Weight Watchers today or genuflect on personal stories. I just want to pass along a few things that you can change immediately in your daily plan without much stress.
We are all busy people these days and at least once a week you're either not home for dinner/lunch or you're too tired to make it happen. I've found that the healthiest option for me in that case (other than the hated Subway) is Chipotle. I know all the horror stories about fat content and blah blah blah. Stepping in the door is only the start, then you need to know what you're getting. Go with either the salad, burrito bowl, or fajita burrito. All these options cut out the beans which are riddled with fat. Choose whatever meat you like, get the pico de gallo because it is fresh vegetables (even if you don't like it, it really doesn't change the taste), load up on lettuce as well, pick your flavorful salsa, then choose either the sour cream or cheese, but not both. Two things you can do to lighten up the burrito is ask for a much smaller portion of rice and tear off unnecessary tortilla parts as you eat. Now the eating out is covered. Sushi is another great option for eating out in a healthy manner, but that is a little more personal.
Now let's tackle grocery shopping. Just stop buying fryer items, fried items, and things from the freezer section. Convenience foods are all bad for you. We all need some snacks so stick to baked chips/tostitos, reduced fat crackers, and fat free pretzels. Check out the granola bar sections for high fiber bars that curb your hunger longer. Another huge cutback can be made in your sandwich choices by getting the 80 to 100 calorie light buns or the sandwich thins. Always stick with low fat cheese options and try to have light string cheese on hand for snacks. If you like the prepackaged salad chicken or other convenience items even like lunchmeat, try buying fresh meat and cooking it yourself on Sunday for the coming week. It will save you money, produce more food, and generally taste better. Pete, how can I live with all this low fat garbage and survive over the long haul? Season your frickin food is how. A well seasoned grilled piece of chicken is better than a fried hunk. Slow roasted, well seasoned meats are way better than prepackaged stuff as well. If you're busy, use your crock pot. Try using ground turkey instead of ground beef in tacos just once and see if you even notice. All of these suggestions may sound like a lot at once, but they really won't change the satisfaction you get from these foods.
My final point about cutting back and getting healthier is probably the toughest. You have to come to terms with the fact that you're probably going to spend more on groceries. Here's the upside: less money on doctor bills, fad diet plans, and insurance rates. Remember the old food diagram from grade school? Well that thing is serious. Besides cutting back on some fats and raising your fiber level, the biggest daily food issue is getting all of your water, five servings of fruit/veg, two dairies, and the necessary amount of protein. Start your day with at least two fruits during breakfast or at the midday snack. Try to get something by way of veg or fruit and a dairy during lunch. Now all you have to do is wrap things up at dinner time. Your second protein should be either breakfast or lunch depending on when you think you need it. Hopefully these ideas will help you create a healthier overall lifestyle and give you food for thought the next time you grab a bite out or get your weekly groceries. If anyone else has a thought or idea that works for them, please add it in the comment section. If you really feel like all of this is too much to tackle alone, then maybe signing on to Weight Watchers will be the right answer for you.
Restaurant Recap
I know full well that this selection will appeal to about 10% of the readership, but I have to put a plug in for Matsuri near the train station in downtown Geneva. This place is literally mom and pop as the husband and wife combo stand behind the sushi bar using the freshest ingredients to create your dishes one by one. The warm appetizers like shumai and gyoza are a great way to start the night, then the wide selection of rolls are all great. Personal favorities include the crazy roll with three types of fish, the baked eel rolls, and the spider roll with soft shell crab. You really can't go wrong with any of your favorites, and I encourage any first timers to give this place a shot. I popped my sushi cherry at this place last year and now I can't get enough. You can trust that they only use the freshest fish and take pride in everything they do. It doesn't hurt that two doors down you can hit a little fresh popcorn stand that cranks out stuff just as good as Garrett's in downtown Chicago.
We are all busy people these days and at least once a week you're either not home for dinner/lunch or you're too tired to make it happen. I've found that the healthiest option for me in that case (other than the hated Subway) is Chipotle. I know all the horror stories about fat content and blah blah blah. Stepping in the door is only the start, then you need to know what you're getting. Go with either the salad, burrito bowl, or fajita burrito. All these options cut out the beans which are riddled with fat. Choose whatever meat you like, get the pico de gallo because it is fresh vegetables (even if you don't like it, it really doesn't change the taste), load up on lettuce as well, pick your flavorful salsa, then choose either the sour cream or cheese, but not both. Two things you can do to lighten up the burrito is ask for a much smaller portion of rice and tear off unnecessary tortilla parts as you eat. Now the eating out is covered. Sushi is another great option for eating out in a healthy manner, but that is a little more personal.
Now let's tackle grocery shopping. Just stop buying fryer items, fried items, and things from the freezer section. Convenience foods are all bad for you. We all need some snacks so stick to baked chips/tostitos, reduced fat crackers, and fat free pretzels. Check out the granola bar sections for high fiber bars that curb your hunger longer. Another huge cutback can be made in your sandwich choices by getting the 80 to 100 calorie light buns or the sandwich thins. Always stick with low fat cheese options and try to have light string cheese on hand for snacks. If you like the prepackaged salad chicken or other convenience items even like lunchmeat, try buying fresh meat and cooking it yourself on Sunday for the coming week. It will save you money, produce more food, and generally taste better. Pete, how can I live with all this low fat garbage and survive over the long haul? Season your frickin food is how. A well seasoned grilled piece of chicken is better than a fried hunk. Slow roasted, well seasoned meats are way better than prepackaged stuff as well. If you're busy, use your crock pot. Try using ground turkey instead of ground beef in tacos just once and see if you even notice. All of these suggestions may sound like a lot at once, but they really won't change the satisfaction you get from these foods.
My final point about cutting back and getting healthier is probably the toughest. You have to come to terms with the fact that you're probably going to spend more on groceries. Here's the upside: less money on doctor bills, fad diet plans, and insurance rates. Remember the old food diagram from grade school? Well that thing is serious. Besides cutting back on some fats and raising your fiber level, the biggest daily food issue is getting all of your water, five servings of fruit/veg, two dairies, and the necessary amount of protein. Start your day with at least two fruits during breakfast or at the midday snack. Try to get something by way of veg or fruit and a dairy during lunch. Now all you have to do is wrap things up at dinner time. Your second protein should be either breakfast or lunch depending on when you think you need it. Hopefully these ideas will help you create a healthier overall lifestyle and give you food for thought the next time you grab a bite out or get your weekly groceries. If anyone else has a thought or idea that works for them, please add it in the comment section. If you really feel like all of this is too much to tackle alone, then maybe signing on to Weight Watchers will be the right answer for you.
Restaurant Recap
I know full well that this selection will appeal to about 10% of the readership, but I have to put a plug in for Matsuri near the train station in downtown Geneva. This place is literally mom and pop as the husband and wife combo stand behind the sushi bar using the freshest ingredients to create your dishes one by one. The warm appetizers like shumai and gyoza are a great way to start the night, then the wide selection of rolls are all great. Personal favorities include the crazy roll with three types of fish, the baked eel rolls, and the spider roll with soft shell crab. You really can't go wrong with any of your favorites, and I encourage any first timers to give this place a shot. I popped my sushi cherry at this place last year and now I can't get enough. You can trust that they only use the freshest fish and take pride in everything they do. It doesn't hurt that two doors down you can hit a little fresh popcorn stand that cranks out stuff just as good as Garrett's in downtown Chicago.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The Fine Line Between Selling and Selling Out
One of the biggest musical debates over the past thirty years or so has to be the old "they sold out" declarations. The hardcore hippies don't like it when their band plays a venue larger than 1,000 or produces an album that makes enough money to pay for anything other than weed and alfalfa sprouts. There is definitely a fine line between becoming a relevant band and being quoted by fourteen year old girls. My opinion is that if you truly appreciate your band's music, you would want others to share in your enjoyment. I like when I see a teenager playing some old Pearl Jam or singing along to Blue Oyster Cult even.
People all too often want to tell you that you "should" be listening to a certain band. It's almost like a hip thing to do. Not necessarily because they like the music, but more like it is the trend. Tell me why it is good music. Do they have a nice tempo? Are the lyrics well written? How is this music worth listening to over what I already have? Fans are one thing, but the bands themselves are another. I like U2, hell I'm going to see them in four days, but Bono needs to go pound sand about how important he is. You're not the male version of Oprah! What happened to the meaningful lyrics of the Joshua Tree or the Unforgettable Fire? Some friends and I had a similar debate this weekend over Radiohead. Personally, I wonder if Radiohead isn't just a production of their own hype at this point. They had such epic tunes in the late nineties, but then Thom Yorke decided that turning into Liam Gallagher was more of a priority. You're not bigger than the music my friend. Ask Richard Ashcroft how that sort of crap works when he decided to blow up The Verve when they were just becoming relevant. I'm kind of off on a tangent at this point, but I think that good music is good music no matter how many records you sell. I think that you can make a more radio friendly record that still has important lyrics and good sound, and I don't think that growing beards and failing to bathe makes you an important band even if you think you're great.
Digital Ditty
With this week's topic in mind, I'll throw a newer band at all of you that I think will be important in the coming years. The Airbourne Toxic Event has a very new sound that is almost like melodic spoken word. The tunes grow throughout each song almost like a small story. I also guarantee that they'll be stuck in your head after a mere few listens. So be sure to jump on the bandwagon now because if you don't like them until their next album, you'll be a poser and they'll be sellouts and this whole thing will collapse like the White House in Independence Day. Jump on iTunes or your favorite downloading agent to snag Wishing Well and Sometime Around Midnight. It's a nice pair to get your introduced to a new sound.
People all too often want to tell you that you "should" be listening to a certain band. It's almost like a hip thing to do. Not necessarily because they like the music, but more like it is the trend. Tell me why it is good music. Do they have a nice tempo? Are the lyrics well written? How is this music worth listening to over what I already have? Fans are one thing, but the bands themselves are another. I like U2, hell I'm going to see them in four days, but Bono needs to go pound sand about how important he is. You're not the male version of Oprah! What happened to the meaningful lyrics of the Joshua Tree or the Unforgettable Fire? Some friends and I had a similar debate this weekend over Radiohead. Personally, I wonder if Radiohead isn't just a production of their own hype at this point. They had such epic tunes in the late nineties, but then Thom Yorke decided that turning into Liam Gallagher was more of a priority. You're not bigger than the music my friend. Ask Richard Ashcroft how that sort of crap works when he decided to blow up The Verve when they were just becoming relevant. I'm kind of off on a tangent at this point, but I think that good music is good music no matter how many records you sell. I think that you can make a more radio friendly record that still has important lyrics and good sound, and I don't think that growing beards and failing to bathe makes you an important band even if you think you're great.
Digital Ditty
With this week's topic in mind, I'll throw a newer band at all of you that I think will be important in the coming years. The Airbourne Toxic Event has a very new sound that is almost like melodic spoken word. The tunes grow throughout each song almost like a small story. I also guarantee that they'll be stuck in your head after a mere few listens. So be sure to jump on the bandwagon now because if you don't like them until their next album, you'll be a poser and they'll be sellouts and this whole thing will collapse like the White House in Independence Day. Jump on iTunes or your favorite downloading agent to snag Wishing Well and Sometime Around Midnight. It's a nice pair to get your introduced to a new sound.
Football Returns
How great was this weekend with the return of college football and for many more their fantasy football draft? I'm ready for the professionals to get the action started in a few days, but hope springs eternal for many in the college ranks. USC's ground game was quite impressive, but they are not national championship quality with a frosh at QB. Oklahoma's season ended before it got out of the starting blocks. BYU has a legit chance to crash not only the BCS but the national title game. You'd have to think that an undefeated Mormon crew puts up a better resume than the Fighting Paternos if both go undefeated. The Big Ten sucked out loud this past weekend. Northern Iowa and Syracuse both deserved wins, and OSU faced a big scare. Purdue started better than expected as did the Michigan offense. Indiana is absolutely abysmal and had two opportunities to lose at home against Eastern Kentucky. Another long year for those of us in the Midwest. Notre Dame showed that with their schedule they are a legitimate threat to make a BCS run. Their defense will determine whether they'll make a run at the title because the offense will fulfill their end of the bargain. Am I the only guy that thinks of Jimmy from Seinfeld when people talk about Jimmy Clausen? He seems like he would refer to himself in the third person. Jimmy had a good game, Jimmy's goin out, Don't touch Jimmy's hair, Jimmy's gettin angry! Florida should go largely untested to the national title game, and right now I say their matchup is likely from a group of Texas, Penn St, BYU, and Notre Dame based on talent and schedule.
The NFL boys are getting set to kick the ball off in mere days. Nothing has really happened yet, but I'll throw around random predictions. The Rams, Lions, Bucs, Chiefs, Broncos, Raiders, Browns, Bills, and Redskins will be awful. I say that none of these teams win more than 6 games. The race is on now for the chance to not draft Sam Bradford since he's now injured. I don't disagree with Adam Schefter's prediction tonight that Aaron Rodgers wins the MVP. He absolutely could do just that and put up crazy numbers. He'll get a run from Drew Brees though. I think you'll see the Colts and Patriots struggle a bit this year, but the Pats probably win the East. The two rookie quarterbacks will have success at times, but be primed to be team leaders next season. Speaking of Adam Schefter, I bet someone wishes he was still the big fish in the small pond on NFL Network. They found a new beat writer that wears glasses to do everything that he did for them and now he's just a lost puppy behind Mort and Clayton. I think the AFC ends up being the Pats, Steelers, Chargers, and Texans along with the Ravens and Colts. The NFC will fill out with the Giants, Packers, Cardinals, Falcons, Saints, and Vikings. I say the Chargers beat the Ravens and Saints beat the Packers in the title games with the Chargers winning it all. Basically I'm saying the defense wins championships moniker takes a one year hiatus.
Dear Mr. Fantasy
Well most people are fresh off their respective drafts, and most people love their new players but others need some roster help. Here are some guys that should be owned in your league: James Davis, Michael Bush, Peyton Hillis, Mark Sanchez, Dustin Keller, Matt Stafford, Kenny Britt, Steve Smith (Giants), Cadillac Williams, Kevin Boss, Tony Sheffler, and the Jets Defense with Rex Ryan. Some guys will already be owned, but others are not. Mike Bell will not solve your problems even if you're a Pierre Thomas owner. Stick with guys that are talented, not overachievers. Wes Welker is the anamoly, not the rule. Feel free to hit me up all season with questions about potential trades, roster help, start em/sit em, and waiver wire pickups. One last piece of advice: you should be doing two things every week if you're serious about fantasy football or football in general, read Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback on Sports Illustrated and frequent Rotoworld. I'm not a paid endorser, but those guys know their stuff. Another one...listen to guys that cover the NFL, not so called "fantasy" gurus.
The NFL boys are getting set to kick the ball off in mere days. Nothing has really happened yet, but I'll throw around random predictions. The Rams, Lions, Bucs, Chiefs, Broncos, Raiders, Browns, Bills, and Redskins will be awful. I say that none of these teams win more than 6 games. The race is on now for the chance to not draft Sam Bradford since he's now injured. I don't disagree with Adam Schefter's prediction tonight that Aaron Rodgers wins the MVP. He absolutely could do just that and put up crazy numbers. He'll get a run from Drew Brees though. I think you'll see the Colts and Patriots struggle a bit this year, but the Pats probably win the East. The two rookie quarterbacks will have success at times, but be primed to be team leaders next season. Speaking of Adam Schefter, I bet someone wishes he was still the big fish in the small pond on NFL Network. They found a new beat writer that wears glasses to do everything that he did for them and now he's just a lost puppy behind Mort and Clayton. I think the AFC ends up being the Pats, Steelers, Chargers, and Texans along with the Ravens and Colts. The NFC will fill out with the Giants, Packers, Cardinals, Falcons, Saints, and Vikings. I say the Chargers beat the Ravens and Saints beat the Packers in the title games with the Chargers winning it all. Basically I'm saying the defense wins championships moniker takes a one year hiatus.
Dear Mr. Fantasy
Well most people are fresh off their respective drafts, and most people love their new players but others need some roster help. Here are some guys that should be owned in your league: James Davis, Michael Bush, Peyton Hillis, Mark Sanchez, Dustin Keller, Matt Stafford, Kenny Britt, Steve Smith (Giants), Cadillac Williams, Kevin Boss, Tony Sheffler, and the Jets Defense with Rex Ryan. Some guys will already be owned, but others are not. Mike Bell will not solve your problems even if you're a Pierre Thomas owner. Stick with guys that are talented, not overachievers. Wes Welker is the anamoly, not the rule. Feel free to hit me up all season with questions about potential trades, roster help, start em/sit em, and waiver wire pickups. One last piece of advice: you should be doing two things every week if you're serious about fantasy football or football in general, read Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback on Sports Illustrated and frequent Rotoworld. I'm not a paid endorser, but those guys know their stuff. Another one...listen to guys that cover the NFL, not so called "fantasy" gurus.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Deep Thoughts by Pete Helland
I've decided that the reason men put off getting haircuts until they can't stand it any longer is solely due to the fact that creating 8 minutes of small talk with a formerly pregnant teenager who currently has multiple baby daddies is equal to a root canal.
If everybody was working for the weekend, the weekend would have a pretty large payroll.
I am always confused as to why young celebrities hate that paparazzi so much. They need to appreciate where they came from. I bet River Phoenix wishes that TMZ followed his ass around. Maybe that creepy photog will save your life Mischa.
Why do we need so many flavors of gum?
I'm still waiting to meet the guy or girl who just says point blank that their property and stocks aren't worth crap now during the recession. It would be quite a refreshing counterpoint to the "you know my neighborhood is really stable and my stocks have held their value." I guess I didn't know that they bought their stocks in 1986. I look for slightly better return over a 23 year period than holding its value.
Keyboards on cell phones is yet another way of us giving up on ourselves. Why not push these kids to become pro-typists on the old 9 keys? It's not like there is a job waiting for them.
How many years of digital photo backlog is appropriate before actually printing a new picture?
I wish that posters were appropriate adult home decoration. I think it is the blue sticky tack that makes this taboo.
I'm glad I never put investment money into astroturf.
Who else thinks that owners of Mazda Miatas should be forced to dress in drag when behind the wheel?
Cheers to me for making it almost 28 years on this earth without having to poop while in the middle of the lake on a fishing trip. One of life's little discussed fears. I've always wondered what happens next, but I haven't wondered enough to actually test the theory.
Does anybody else feel like the tooth fairy comes back when you're an adult and takes back her money? I have no other way of explaining how I burn through cash so quickly.
I bet if you gave one of those sticky hands from the vending machines outside of Pizza Hut to an 8 year old in 2009 they would probably just punch you in the nuts. Or they'd ask you how you turn it on. Ahh the bright American future.
Do you think anyone named their kid Carl Bob Danny Frank in honor of George Carlin?
I feel like the odds are slim that someone from my generation will do something worthy of creating a new holiday. That should be a goal. It's been awhile.
Meat sandwiches should be an acceptable snack. Granola bars are so 1980s.
If the people at Jell-O bring back the pudding pops and gelatin pops that Bill Cosby used to sell, I will give them the deed to my house.
Whoever came up with the concept of furniture that you have to take home and build is not welcome at my dinner table.
Don't worry. You're not alone. None of us recycle when we're home by ourselves. It is an unwritten rule.
I feel like people that say something is a great idea, but they don't want to participate in that activity; must have really low standards for the word great.
Sometimes I like to take a moment to appreciate how versatile lunch is. I can have breakfast. I can eat a big meal or maybe just a salad. Thank you lunch for not judging me.
With that, have a fun and safe Labor Day weekend. If you need me to give you weekend suggestions over the holiday, then my advice would be to call some friends and family soon to make sure they know you're still alive.
If everybody was working for the weekend, the weekend would have a pretty large payroll.
I am always confused as to why young celebrities hate that paparazzi so much. They need to appreciate where they came from. I bet River Phoenix wishes that TMZ followed his ass around. Maybe that creepy photog will save your life Mischa.
Why do we need so many flavors of gum?
I'm still waiting to meet the guy or girl who just says point blank that their property and stocks aren't worth crap now during the recession. It would be quite a refreshing counterpoint to the "you know my neighborhood is really stable and my stocks have held their value." I guess I didn't know that they bought their stocks in 1986. I look for slightly better return over a 23 year period than holding its value.
Keyboards on cell phones is yet another way of us giving up on ourselves. Why not push these kids to become pro-typists on the old 9 keys? It's not like there is a job waiting for them.
How many years of digital photo backlog is appropriate before actually printing a new picture?
I wish that posters were appropriate adult home decoration. I think it is the blue sticky tack that makes this taboo.
I'm glad I never put investment money into astroturf.
Who else thinks that owners of Mazda Miatas should be forced to dress in drag when behind the wheel?
Cheers to me for making it almost 28 years on this earth without having to poop while in the middle of the lake on a fishing trip. One of life's little discussed fears. I've always wondered what happens next, but I haven't wondered enough to actually test the theory.
Does anybody else feel like the tooth fairy comes back when you're an adult and takes back her money? I have no other way of explaining how I burn through cash so quickly.
I bet if you gave one of those sticky hands from the vending machines outside of Pizza Hut to an 8 year old in 2009 they would probably just punch you in the nuts. Or they'd ask you how you turn it on. Ahh the bright American future.
Do you think anyone named their kid Carl Bob Danny Frank in honor of George Carlin?
I feel like the odds are slim that someone from my generation will do something worthy of creating a new holiday. That should be a goal. It's been awhile.
Meat sandwiches should be an acceptable snack. Granola bars are so 1980s.
If the people at Jell-O bring back the pudding pops and gelatin pops that Bill Cosby used to sell, I will give them the deed to my house.
Whoever came up with the concept of furniture that you have to take home and build is not welcome at my dinner table.
Don't worry. You're not alone. None of us recycle when we're home by ourselves. It is an unwritten rule.
I feel like people that say something is a great idea, but they don't want to participate in that activity; must have really low standards for the word great.
Sometimes I like to take a moment to appreciate how versatile lunch is. I can have breakfast. I can eat a big meal or maybe just a salad. Thank you lunch for not judging me.
With that, have a fun and safe Labor Day weekend. If you need me to give you weekend suggestions over the holiday, then my advice would be to call some friends and family soon to make sure they know you're still alive.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Pay Less Property Taxes
If we can get serious for a minute here during the current financial crisis, one way to give your budget a shot in the arm is to pay less property tax to the government, charlie, uncle sam, and the like. I'm not trying to use this forum to solicit my services as I feel that any educated person can handle their assessment appeal on their own. The way to pay less property tax is to first make sure that you are paying too much. You probably are by default. If the assessment of your home multiplied by 3 is more than you think your house is worth, then you're paying too high of taxes.
You better make damn well sure that they're too high because if they're low and you're wrong, you'll end up with higher taxes. Don't appeal your assessment if you've made any additions or substantial renovations to your home. If the government doesn't know, don't let them find out. Most of these assessments were done well over ten years ago and since that time they just multiply them upward every season. Usually that works, but if you haven't noticed yet, property values aren't exactly climbing.
All you need to appeal your assessment is fill out the required form and prove why it is too high. You don't need a lawyer, nor do you really need an appraiser. That makes things easier, but it doesn't make sense to pay $350 unless you're going to save more than that. All you need is someone with access to MLS or time to head down to your local county/township assessor and sort through the files. You'll need a few sales over the past year or so that prove your house is worth less. Try to focus on sales with similar parking, bedrooms, bathrooms, and other key ingredients like lot size and home size. You'll want to throw in a few current listings as well because those things are dropping faster than Brett Favre's career passer rating. Now just take this data to the assessor and explain your argument. It is as simple as that. Good luck.
Ode to Nader
With all the money that you've saved from your tax appeal, why not treat your home to a new television. Prices are currently bottoming out at the start of football season. There is inventory to be cleared for the holiday season, so hit up your local discount store and make a deal happen. Samsung HDTVs are the absolute way to go. I've got one, my friends have Samsung, and even my neighbor went with Samsung. Personally, I steer clear of LCD. I am a fan of the plasma. I like the sharper colors and contrast. The best way to buy an HDTV is to see the thing in action, so don't buy online or without a sample on the floor. The new LED televisions look pretty sharp and they are very slim. These features come with a price tag. Try to get the newest version you can within your budget. Technology is constantly changing. I would suggest a 1080P at this point unless you're looking at a second television solely for cable or satellite use, then 720P would suffice.
You better make damn well sure that they're too high because if they're low and you're wrong, you'll end up with higher taxes. Don't appeal your assessment if you've made any additions or substantial renovations to your home. If the government doesn't know, don't let them find out. Most of these assessments were done well over ten years ago and since that time they just multiply them upward every season. Usually that works, but if you haven't noticed yet, property values aren't exactly climbing.
All you need to appeal your assessment is fill out the required form and prove why it is too high. You don't need a lawyer, nor do you really need an appraiser. That makes things easier, but it doesn't make sense to pay $350 unless you're going to save more than that. All you need is someone with access to MLS or time to head down to your local county/township assessor and sort through the files. You'll need a few sales over the past year or so that prove your house is worth less. Try to focus on sales with similar parking, bedrooms, bathrooms, and other key ingredients like lot size and home size. You'll want to throw in a few current listings as well because those things are dropping faster than Brett Favre's career passer rating. Now just take this data to the assessor and explain your argument. It is as simple as that. Good luck.
Ode to Nader
With all the money that you've saved from your tax appeal, why not treat your home to a new television. Prices are currently bottoming out at the start of football season. There is inventory to be cleared for the holiday season, so hit up your local discount store and make a deal happen. Samsung HDTVs are the absolute way to go. I've got one, my friends have Samsung, and even my neighbor went with Samsung. Personally, I steer clear of LCD. I am a fan of the plasma. I like the sharper colors and contrast. The best way to buy an HDTV is to see the thing in action, so don't buy online or without a sample on the floor. The new LED televisions look pretty sharp and they are very slim. These features come with a price tag. Try to get the newest version you can within your budget. Technology is constantly changing. I would suggest a 1080P at this point unless you're looking at a second television solely for cable or satellite use, then 720P would suffice.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Know Your Cuts of Meat
I'm going to steal a Letterman segment for this week's food topic. Nothing can save you more money at the grocery store than knowing your cuts of meat and what to do with them. The key is not just knowing what types of meat to use, but what the purpose of the meat is within the dish that you are preparing. Not all meats are created equal. The old 10 pounds of feathers weighs more than an 8 pound brick doesn't carry over to purchasing proteins. A one pound T-Bone steak is much less meat than a one pound Sirloin. The meat quality is just as good and the lack of fat and bone means that you're actually getting a pound of beef. That doesn't mean that I don't purchase meat on the bone, it just means that you need to be aware of what you're buying.
Let's start with our bovine friends. The new "in" cut of beef is flank steak. I was at the grocery store the other day and this cut cost as much as sirloin steaks and almost as much as NY strip. It is a glorified flat roast. You have to carefully cook this meat and cut it correctly or you might as well eat the hooves. The same principle applies to paying $17/lb for filet mignon. At that point, go all in and get the T-Bone or Porterhouse for $12/lb. Sirloin is a great substitute for steak eaters in each instance, but NY and Ribeye will also work when on sale. If you're going to make hamburgers, just buy the 80/20. It will make a better burger and it is cheaper. No one wants chopped sirloin burgers (aka hockey pucks). Skirt steaks are great for all Mexican cuisine since you don't need as much meat with all the other trimmings. You can get two cuts for less than 1/2 pound, which will easily feed two. When shopping for a roast, always get a chuck roast. Those eye roasts and butt roasts will dry out every time unless your name is Emeril. No one wants to be the one to break out the salt shaker and ketchup when you serve them roast, so don't give them a reason to.
That glorious animal sometimes known as Wilbur has fewer cuts, but many uses. Your cheap and tasty friend is the Boston Butt. You can go with or without bones and this piece of meat will make the best pulled pork or carnitas that you could imagine. Season this thing well. You should have plenty of money left for seasoning as this cut is usually less than $2/lb. If the grocery store is having a sale on those thick boneless chops, get a few then slice them yourself for sandwiches. A center cut pork chop is worth every penny by the way. If you like T-Bones, save some cash and treat yourself to the pale pink T-bone. If you like Italian veal dishes but don't want to drop nearly $20/lb, slice your boneless chops thin, then pound them flat. You won't notice the difference when you use pork.
Chicken is pretty much chicken. All I can say is that you should all try the wonderful world of boneless skinless thighs. They have much more flavor and you can trim off any excess fat. These are especially good when grilled with Mexican spices for tacos or burritos. Other than that, try to purchase whole chickens on the cheap and dispatch them yourself.
On a side note, if you love pot roast and other homestyle dishes when the weather gets cooler, then you need to snag some lamb shanks or veal shanks sometime this fall. They take pot roast to a whole new level. We'll have a recipe sometime this fall for a nice Osso Buco. If you're really adventurous, head down to the butcher shop for pork neckbones to create an old world Italian sauce. Hopefully these hints will help when you find yourself hanging out at the butcher counter this weekend wondering what to cook. Due to the travel, we weren't cooking this weekend so there are no new recipes to share. Something will be ready next week for tailgate season after the Labor Day relaxation.
Restaurant Recap
If you don't feel like cooking for yourself this holiday weekend, then take the time to make the trip to Crest Hill/Joliet on Theodore Street and get into Merichka's. You'll know it when you see it, just off I-55 and Larkin is a wonderous old school restaurant. I'm sure they have some great dishes, and you can see the fresh cut steaks in the cooler as you wait, but all you need to know is how to order a poorboy and onion rings. You haven't had this type of sandwich before. A few of you were lucky enough last football season to have me prepare a similar version for tailgating, but nobody does it better than these guys. You start with a huge cut of tenderized sirloin, put it on garlic bread, then you have your choice of cheese and grilled onions. I just go for the steak on bread because it is already perfect. Personally, I order light butterine because they full monty is just coated in garlic butter. You absolutely need to pair this sandwich with onion rings for the full experience. They are the best onion rings that I can find in the tri-state area. So go down to an old neighborhood and experience real food amongst the older crowd. If you think I'm just messing around, we drove there two Fridays ago after work in a rainstorm. Sometimes these sandwiches just call your name.
Let's start with our bovine friends. The new "in" cut of beef is flank steak. I was at the grocery store the other day and this cut cost as much as sirloin steaks and almost as much as NY strip. It is a glorified flat roast. You have to carefully cook this meat and cut it correctly or you might as well eat the hooves. The same principle applies to paying $17/lb for filet mignon. At that point, go all in and get the T-Bone or Porterhouse for $12/lb. Sirloin is a great substitute for steak eaters in each instance, but NY and Ribeye will also work when on sale. If you're going to make hamburgers, just buy the 80/20. It will make a better burger and it is cheaper. No one wants chopped sirloin burgers (aka hockey pucks). Skirt steaks are great for all Mexican cuisine since you don't need as much meat with all the other trimmings. You can get two cuts for less than 1/2 pound, which will easily feed two. When shopping for a roast, always get a chuck roast. Those eye roasts and butt roasts will dry out every time unless your name is Emeril. No one wants to be the one to break out the salt shaker and ketchup when you serve them roast, so don't give them a reason to.
That glorious animal sometimes known as Wilbur has fewer cuts, but many uses. Your cheap and tasty friend is the Boston Butt. You can go with or without bones and this piece of meat will make the best pulled pork or carnitas that you could imagine. Season this thing well. You should have plenty of money left for seasoning as this cut is usually less than $2/lb. If the grocery store is having a sale on those thick boneless chops, get a few then slice them yourself for sandwiches. A center cut pork chop is worth every penny by the way. If you like T-Bones, save some cash and treat yourself to the pale pink T-bone. If you like Italian veal dishes but don't want to drop nearly $20/lb, slice your boneless chops thin, then pound them flat. You won't notice the difference when you use pork.
Chicken is pretty much chicken. All I can say is that you should all try the wonderful world of boneless skinless thighs. They have much more flavor and you can trim off any excess fat. These are especially good when grilled with Mexican spices for tacos or burritos. Other than that, try to purchase whole chickens on the cheap and dispatch them yourself.
On a side note, if you love pot roast and other homestyle dishes when the weather gets cooler, then you need to snag some lamb shanks or veal shanks sometime this fall. They take pot roast to a whole new level. We'll have a recipe sometime this fall for a nice Osso Buco. If you're really adventurous, head down to the butcher shop for pork neckbones to create an old world Italian sauce. Hopefully these hints will help when you find yourself hanging out at the butcher counter this weekend wondering what to cook. Due to the travel, we weren't cooking this weekend so there are no new recipes to share. Something will be ready next week for tailgate season after the Labor Day relaxation.
Restaurant Recap
If you don't feel like cooking for yourself this holiday weekend, then take the time to make the trip to Crest Hill/Joliet on Theodore Street and get into Merichka's. You'll know it when you see it, just off I-55 and Larkin is a wonderous old school restaurant. I'm sure they have some great dishes, and you can see the fresh cut steaks in the cooler as you wait, but all you need to know is how to order a poorboy and onion rings. You haven't had this type of sandwich before. A few of you were lucky enough last football season to have me prepare a similar version for tailgating, but nobody does it better than these guys. You start with a huge cut of tenderized sirloin, put it on garlic bread, then you have your choice of cheese and grilled onions. I just go for the steak on bread because it is already perfect. Personally, I order light butterine because they full monty is just coated in garlic butter. You absolutely need to pair this sandwich with onion rings for the full experience. They are the best onion rings that I can find in the tri-state area. So go down to an old neighborhood and experience real food amongst the older crowd. If you think I'm just messing around, we drove there two Fridays ago after work in a rainstorm. Sometimes these sandwiches just call your name.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Dreaded/Anticipated Rock Reunions
The older I get, the more bands I see reunite after early career demises. I know that these rock reunions basically began in the late eighties and early nineties with seventies rock groups getting back together for arena shows or supporting greatest hits compilations. You also have the brief hiatuses due to drug rehabs from lead singers like Aerosmith and Stone Temple Pilots. The question has now become what is the limitation of these reunions? We know that all of these touring acts have fanbases, but when does it go from kitschy to played out?
I like to feel that I'm part of something special. When I had the chance to see Alice in Chains get back together (with a new lead singer that is well...alive) at a Chicago club, it was an awesome experience. The sound was great and the singer did a solid job. I got a chance to hear a lot of the songs that I love and never thought possible to hear in person. On the flip side, I didn't leave the show clamoring for a new album. I could see myself catching another show due to the small price tag and good experience, but the catalog for me is closed. I'll try to give the new stuff a shot, but it won't be put together with the rest of the Alice vault (or Music Bank if you will).
For some of these older bands, it is great to see them hit the road for large crowds and share their experience. It was aweinspiring to see The Who live. I wish I would have had the chance to see more than 1/2 of The Who, but that is all that's left. These guys don't wear out their welcome though. They have side projects to record new music, then get together every few years to rock a new collection of fans. Thank goodness I had the chance to see Fleetwood Mac during a greatest hits tour. That was an amazing show, but they're down one singer and Stevie certainly doesn't have enough voice left to make any relevant new material.
Only time will tell if some of these reunited acts make a return to the relevant recording world. I like Don't Stop Believin as much as the next guy, but did you know Journey has put out like 5 albums post-Steve Perry? What's the point? I'll be first in line to check out Led Zeppelin if they ever decide to strap on the Fenders again, but after Robert Plant teamed with some random lady for a spoken word recording, maybe Jimmy Page should suggest they stick to Kashmir if they reunite. With that said, we need to appreciate these bands while we have them in their original packaging. On the flip side, these bands need to appreciate themselves as well. Guess what bald ass Billy, no one gives a shit about the Pumpkins without D'Arcy and Iha. Sorry that Zwan was more like the ugly duckling, but you aren't the band all by yourself. And you Chris Cornell, you're creeping out all us rock fans. Timbaland? Really? You were the man. Temple of the Dog, Soundgarden, Audioslave, why did you throw all that away? I'd pay money to see Kim Thayil and Tom Morello assault your eardrums with tasty licks. Now you're recording with the background vocals guy from Days of the New. I made that up, but you get my point. These reunions are fun and nostalgic, but go pay the $20 it takes to get into a Jet show or Rise Against. These guys rock too, and they're at the top of their game.
Digital Ditty
I like to try and relate this section to whatever the actual post was about, so I'll do my best. I know Alice in Chains are breaking a new album later this month, but until then add Junkhead to your collection. It's dark, loud, and makes for an angry lawnmowing adventure on a weekend morning. If you like The Who's greatest hits, then add The Real Me to your download list. It's a bit edgier and more uptempo. I know Fleetwood Mac isn't for everyone, but Secondhand News is a fun two and a half minutes. If you only have 99 cents left in your account and you don't already own this song, then you should absolute use that final download to get Hunger Strike by Temple of the Dog. A young Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell dueling vocals across a background of what would become Pearl Jam. On a final note, Jet has a new album out. If anybody has some thoughts on it, I'd love to catch a review.
I like to feel that I'm part of something special. When I had the chance to see Alice in Chains get back together (with a new lead singer that is well...alive) at a Chicago club, it was an awesome experience. The sound was great and the singer did a solid job. I got a chance to hear a lot of the songs that I love and never thought possible to hear in person. On the flip side, I didn't leave the show clamoring for a new album. I could see myself catching another show due to the small price tag and good experience, but the catalog for me is closed. I'll try to give the new stuff a shot, but it won't be put together with the rest of the Alice vault (or Music Bank if you will).
For some of these older bands, it is great to see them hit the road for large crowds and share their experience. It was aweinspiring to see The Who live. I wish I would have had the chance to see more than 1/2 of The Who, but that is all that's left. These guys don't wear out their welcome though. They have side projects to record new music, then get together every few years to rock a new collection of fans. Thank goodness I had the chance to see Fleetwood Mac during a greatest hits tour. That was an amazing show, but they're down one singer and Stevie certainly doesn't have enough voice left to make any relevant new material.
Only time will tell if some of these reunited acts make a return to the relevant recording world. I like Don't Stop Believin as much as the next guy, but did you know Journey has put out like 5 albums post-Steve Perry? What's the point? I'll be first in line to check out Led Zeppelin if they ever decide to strap on the Fenders again, but after Robert Plant teamed with some random lady for a spoken word recording, maybe Jimmy Page should suggest they stick to Kashmir if they reunite. With that said, we need to appreciate these bands while we have them in their original packaging. On the flip side, these bands need to appreciate themselves as well. Guess what bald ass Billy, no one gives a shit about the Pumpkins without D'Arcy and Iha. Sorry that Zwan was more like the ugly duckling, but you aren't the band all by yourself. And you Chris Cornell, you're creeping out all us rock fans. Timbaland? Really? You were the man. Temple of the Dog, Soundgarden, Audioslave, why did you throw all that away? I'd pay money to see Kim Thayil and Tom Morello assault your eardrums with tasty licks. Now you're recording with the background vocals guy from Days of the New. I made that up, but you get my point. These reunions are fun and nostalgic, but go pay the $20 it takes to get into a Jet show or Rise Against. These guys rock too, and they're at the top of their game.
Digital Ditty
I like to try and relate this section to whatever the actual post was about, so I'll do my best. I know Alice in Chains are breaking a new album later this month, but until then add Junkhead to your collection. It's dark, loud, and makes for an angry lawnmowing adventure on a weekend morning. If you like The Who's greatest hits, then add The Real Me to your download list. It's a bit edgier and more uptempo. I know Fleetwood Mac isn't for everyone, but Secondhand News is a fun two and a half minutes. If you only have 99 cents left in your account and you don't already own this song, then you should absolute use that final download to get Hunger Strike by Temple of the Dog. A young Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell dueling vocals across a background of what would become Pearl Jam. On a final note, Jet has a new album out. If anybody has some thoughts on it, I'd love to catch a review.
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