One of the great days in the military is finding out you're being promoted. In the Air Force, we'll all find out on the same day...today. Unfortunately, I am not one of the lucky few. I didn't think I'd be promoted this time, my initial thoughts after I took my promotion tests were not high, however you're never sure how the rest of those eligible did either so you always have some small amount of hope in the back of your mind that you did enough to beat out the 20+ thousand who may or may not have prepared harder than you.
Well let thy hope be dashed upon some large and metaphorically painful object. Not only did I not make it, I didn't even come close. I console myself only with the realization that I definitely didn't study as hard as I could have, and am solely to blame. Okay, thats a lie. I'm also consoling myself with a nice glass of scotch. It wasn't all bad news of course. My friend made it finally, and I gotta say I'm proud of him for sticking to it after several attempts.
For anyone reading this, and I doubt that number exceeds single digits, heed this advice.
Do not suck when an opportunity to advance comes along. Self pity only lasts a few days and good scotch is expensive. It's always better to tell your co-workers better luck next year than be on the reciprocating end.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Band of the Week...
Kings of Leon
I got word of this band from a buddy at work after mentioning how stale alot of today's music is. Not alot of originality, mostly just music made for the billboard top 40 and TRL crowd. It's not that I'm some kind of music snob that watches "High Fidelity" everyweek, the music is just not that good to me.
So my buddy plays me some of KOL's music and I am immediately blown away. It was a mixture of southern rock, blues, punk, and something else I can't even label. The lead singer's voice isn't the American Idol crooner's typical voice. It's got an edge to it and he manipulates it to mesh with the music instead of overpowering it.
So if you're looking for something not necessarily new, but definitely not what you'll hear on your local top 40 hits radio station, give it a listen.
Start with:
Slow Night, So Long and Four Kicks off the "Aha Shake Heartbreak" album
or
Knocked Up and Fans off the "Because of the Times" album
happy listening...
I got word of this band from a buddy at work after mentioning how stale alot of today's music is. Not alot of originality, mostly just music made for the billboard top 40 and TRL crowd. It's not that I'm some kind of music snob that watches "High Fidelity" everyweek, the music is just not that good to me.
So my buddy plays me some of KOL's music and I am immediately blown away. It was a mixture of southern rock, blues, punk, and something else I can't even label. The lead singer's voice isn't the American Idol crooner's typical voice. It's got an edge to it and he manipulates it to mesh with the music instead of overpowering it.
So if you're looking for something not necessarily new, but definitely not what you'll hear on your local top 40 hits radio station, give it a listen.
Start with:
Slow Night, So Long and Four Kicks off the "Aha Shake Heartbreak" album
or
Knocked Up and Fans off the "Because of the Times" album
happy listening...
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Recipe of the week
After much contemplation on ways to spread my vast wealth of knowledge on food, I have decided to post a recipe every weekend in order to enlighten the multitudes of readers that may be lacking in the kitchen.
Trust me when I say that these simple recipes will impress even the most discerning palates and leave you looking like whoa.
So here tis...
Grilled Jalapeno with a cream cheese and sausage stuffing
Ingredients:
- 10-20 jalapeno's. get the bigger ones from the market, you'll want to stuff them as much as possible.
- 8oz philadelphia cream cheese
- 16oz sausage roll. I use Jimmy Dean, you can use whichever you prefer.
- salt, pepper, paprika
- 1 bag of shredded cheese. again, use the type of cheese you prefer.
Directions:
- remove sausage from its wrapper and place in a mixing bowl. mash it up, sprinkling the salt, pepper, and paprika in as you go.
- place bowl in microwave and nuke in 2 minute intervals. After each nuking session, remove bowl and mix the sausage around some more to evenly cook it. once cooked thoroughly, set aside.
- take your jalapeno's and cut the tops off. gut the insides out and throw them away. make sure to get all of the seeds out. set aside
- take your cream cheese and mix it into your bowl of sausage. mix it as much as possible.
- using a small spoon, begin to stuff your jalapeno's with the mix. get as much as you can in there.
Grilling:
- I use a wire mesh basket when I grill these. It allows me to prop them up vertically keeping all the stuffing inside. While they are cooking, I sprinkle the shredded cheese all over them. You literally want to coat them.
- Grill until you think they are ready. The sausage should already be cooked from the microwave so you're fine there. Just make sure the shredded cheese is melted.
bon appetite folks
Trust me when I say that these simple recipes will impress even the most discerning palates and leave you looking like whoa.
So here tis...
Grilled Jalapeno with a cream cheese and sausage stuffing
Ingredients:
- 10-20 jalapeno's. get the bigger ones from the market, you'll want to stuff them as much as possible.
- 8oz philadelphia cream cheese
- 16oz sausage roll. I use Jimmy Dean, you can use whichever you prefer.
- salt, pepper, paprika
- 1 bag of shredded cheese. again, use the type of cheese you prefer.
Directions:
- remove sausage from its wrapper and place in a mixing bowl. mash it up, sprinkling the salt, pepper, and paprika in as you go.
- place bowl in microwave and nuke in 2 minute intervals. After each nuking session, remove bowl and mix the sausage around some more to evenly cook it. once cooked thoroughly, set aside.
- take your jalapeno's and cut the tops off. gut the insides out and throw them away. make sure to get all of the seeds out. set aside
- take your cream cheese and mix it into your bowl of sausage. mix it as much as possible.
- using a small spoon, begin to stuff your jalapeno's with the mix. get as much as you can in there.
Grilling:
- I use a wire mesh basket when I grill these. It allows me to prop them up vertically keeping all the stuffing inside. While they are cooking, I sprinkle the shredded cheese all over them. You literally want to coat them.
- Grill until you think they are ready. The sausage should already be cooked from the microwave so you're fine there. Just make sure the shredded cheese is melted.
bon appetite folks
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Happy Father's Day
Once again we've arrived at the day where we pay homage to our fathers. All around the nation, ez-boys are oiled up, fridge's are stocked with beers and steaks, and grills are prepped for men to practice what is genetically embedded in their very XY chromosomes.
We, the children, will wake our father's up with cards and phone calls, well wishes and maybe even a "thanks for being the most kick-ass dad in the world". I can admit I didn't say this last bit in my younger years, however time, maturity, and experiencing the real world has only proven the lessons my father tried to teach me were accurate.
So here's to my father. A father of 3 young men, faithful and loving husband, United States Marine, and the single most important influence in my life. I didn't always listen to your words of wisdom and sometimes tough love was necessary. You were always there for me after I'd fallen though, and helped me become the man I am today. No doubt I could have done more to be a better son, but you did all you could and more to be the greatest father a man could ask for. One day I will have kids of my own and I hope that I can say that I've raised them as well as you raised me.
Happy Fathers Day dad, thanks for being the most kick-ass dad in the world.
We, the children, will wake our father's up with cards and phone calls, well wishes and maybe even a "thanks for being the most kick-ass dad in the world". I can admit I didn't say this last bit in my younger years, however time, maturity, and experiencing the real world has only proven the lessons my father tried to teach me were accurate.
So here's to my father. A father of 3 young men, faithful and loving husband, United States Marine, and the single most important influence in my life. I didn't always listen to your words of wisdom and sometimes tough love was necessary. You were always there for me after I'd fallen though, and helped me become the man I am today. No doubt I could have done more to be a better son, but you did all you could and more to be the greatest father a man could ask for. One day I will have kids of my own and I hope that I can say that I've raised them as well as you raised me.
Happy Fathers Day dad, thanks for being the most kick-ass dad in the world.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
The art of grilling...
Pretty much every weekend that I am home, I am grilling for dinner. It isn't b/c of any caveman instincts or the desire to piss off my vegan neighbor, which I love doing btw. No, I grill every weekend for the simple reason that I am the frickin MAN at it. If black belts were given for this, I would be Chuck Norris or Bruce Lee. I am Picasso with a ribeye instead of a paintbrush, except I will never go through a blue period or suffer from the candy assedness that most French men do.
I began my understudy training with my father, as most young men do. He taught me the basics and a few tricks of the trade, but it wasn't until 3 years ago when I was in Korea that I achieved my mastery level qualification. Koreans are actually big fans of grilling and bbq-ing, and realizing that a potential international incident was riding on my technique of the tong and spatula, I gave a performance worthy of standing ovations and shots of soju (Korean moonshine).
So here it is, another weekend and I'm typing this with a belly full of chicken quesadillas and grilled stuffed jalapeños. I know you're probably wondering how I prepared the chicken or jalapeños. Did I marinate the chicken overnight or what did I stuff the jalapeños with? If you're not, then you're either a vegetarian and don't care about chicken or somebody who harbors ill will to Mexico and therefore doesn't eat jalapeños as a form of silent protest. Either way, you are not worthy of a recipe that has brokered peace agreements in the Middle East, cured the blind, and could probably get your car 120 mpg if I liquefied it.
Oh, and if you're the vegetarian type, I have an awesome recipe for tofu/peanut butter/caramel pie with an oreo crust. For realz, it's the shit and since you probably use alot of tofu in your diet, you'll really dig it. Except I won't give it to you, b/c you refrain from eating meat. Thats a sin, hippie.
I began my understudy training with my father, as most young men do. He taught me the basics and a few tricks of the trade, but it wasn't until 3 years ago when I was in Korea that I achieved my mastery level qualification. Koreans are actually big fans of grilling and bbq-ing, and realizing that a potential international incident was riding on my technique of the tong and spatula, I gave a performance worthy of standing ovations and shots of soju (Korean moonshine).
So here it is, another weekend and I'm typing this with a belly full of chicken quesadillas and grilled stuffed jalapeños. I know you're probably wondering how I prepared the chicken or jalapeños. Did I marinate the chicken overnight or what did I stuff the jalapeños with? If you're not, then you're either a vegetarian and don't care about chicken or somebody who harbors ill will to Mexico and therefore doesn't eat jalapeños as a form of silent protest. Either way, you are not worthy of a recipe that has brokered peace agreements in the Middle East, cured the blind, and could probably get your car 120 mpg if I liquefied it.
Oh, and if you're the vegetarian type, I have an awesome recipe for tofu/peanut butter/caramel pie with an oreo crust. For realz, it's the shit and since you probably use alot of tofu in your diet, you'll really dig it. Except I won't give it to you, b/c you refrain from eating meat. Thats a sin, hippie.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
My new quest
So I'm not up to date on the rules of blogging so I'm not quite sure if posting another blog mere hours after your very first one is kosher, however I have literally just come across that new and shiny object that has mind completely fixated.
To preface, I love beer. Not your typical American mass produced liquid swill in a can such as Bud Light or Coors Lite. I love the microbrewery type of beer, the kind of beer that isn't made for the city league softball players or high school keg parties. No, the lagers, ales, stout's, porters, pale's, etc etc crafted by the smaller, more quality focused breweries are what I drink. Yes, I realize this makes me a beer snob. I don't care. When you can begin to look past the label and use not only your sense of taste, but sense of smell as well, you will understand. When you begin to care about the type of hops used or if the barley was malted properly, then you have become that beer snob as well. And I gotta tell you, it has made drinking beer that much more enjoyable.
Now onto this quest I am trying to undertake. Living in Europe has exposed me to some of the worlds greatest beers, in particular the Trappist beers of Belgium. The ales are brewed by the monks of these Abbey's and are often regarded as some of the finest in the world. One in particular however, the most exclusive in fact, has me searching for a way to obtain it. To give you an idea of how awesome this beer is, you must call and make a reservation to purchase 1 case. 1 case people, not several, not a truck load. So exclusive is this beer that the monks have decreed that only one case per car may be sold. I have been trying to call and find out how to place my order for 2 hours now. I have been on hold for 2 hours.
The name of the beer by the way is Westvleteren 12. If you're a beer connoisseur like myself, you'll immediately recognize this as the Holy Grail of beers. It was rated the best beer in the world last year. Now do you understand how obtaining 1 case of this is often worthy of monuments built? No matter though, it will be mine. Some of you may be thinking that I am a bit overdramatic about all of this. Shut yur pie holes. Westvleteren 12 people. Not some craptastic keystone or natty light. If the Pope drank beer, he'd be drinking Westvletern 12. If it's good enough for the Pope, it's good enough for all of us.
Wish me luck
To preface, I love beer. Not your typical American mass produced liquid swill in a can such as Bud Light or Coors Lite. I love the microbrewery type of beer, the kind of beer that isn't made for the city league softball players or high school keg parties. No, the lagers, ales, stout's, porters, pale's, etc etc crafted by the smaller, more quality focused breweries are what I drink. Yes, I realize this makes me a beer snob. I don't care. When you can begin to look past the label and use not only your sense of taste, but sense of smell as well, you will understand. When you begin to care about the type of hops used or if the barley was malted properly, then you have become that beer snob as well. And I gotta tell you, it has made drinking beer that much more enjoyable.
Now onto this quest I am trying to undertake. Living in Europe has exposed me to some of the worlds greatest beers, in particular the Trappist beers of Belgium. The ales are brewed by the monks of these Abbey's and are often regarded as some of the finest in the world. One in particular however, the most exclusive in fact, has me searching for a way to obtain it. To give you an idea of how awesome this beer is, you must call and make a reservation to purchase 1 case. 1 case people, not several, not a truck load. So exclusive is this beer that the monks have decreed that only one case per car may be sold. I have been trying to call and find out how to place my order for 2 hours now. I have been on hold for 2 hours.
The name of the beer by the way is Westvleteren 12. If you're a beer connoisseur like myself, you'll immediately recognize this as the Holy Grail of beers. It was rated the best beer in the world last year. Now do you understand how obtaining 1 case of this is often worthy of monuments built? No matter though, it will be mine. Some of you may be thinking that I am a bit overdramatic about all of this. Shut yur pie holes. Westvleteren 12 people. Not some craptastic keystone or natty light. If the Pope drank beer, he'd be drinking Westvletern 12. If it's good enough for the Pope, it's good enough for all of us.
Wish me luck
The Big Chin arriveth
After many months of viewing family and friend's blogs, I have decided to strike out on my own. Knowing that I probably don't have much to say that's worth the time spent typing it, I still feel compelled for some reason to get my thoughts and experiences immortalized through the ethers and can only hope to one day log in and see that someone has left the highly sought after "comment".
For the multitudes who have never had the privilege of meeting the Big Chin, I can only describe myself as the wannabe renaissance man, always looking to master the next new and shiny thing, only to discard it as soon as something else shinier comes along. There are the few exceptions of course. What once was a hobby of loving all things related to Texas A&M sports has developed into a maniacal obsession. It is all-consuming and I find it often intrudes into anything else I have going on. I truly believe that the day we win a national championship in football will be followed by the Rapture.
I am lucky in that I have a beautiful and patient wife to share this and many other things with. Shari blessed me with her hand in marriage almost 4 years ago, and despite my many imperfections she has stuck by me. She is perfection though, even with the flaws that we all have whether big or small. Her patience with me, always supportive and giving despite my occupation that offers little in return. I have married well above my station in life.
We'll see how long this new and shiny toy lasts. I definitely don't lack for an opinion on anything and everything, but you never know when something else bigger and better will grab my attention. As the title says, always one for the road.
Cheers folks
For the multitudes who have never had the privilege of meeting the Big Chin, I can only describe myself as the wannabe renaissance man, always looking to master the next new and shiny thing, only to discard it as soon as something else shinier comes along. There are the few exceptions of course. What once was a hobby of loving all things related to Texas A&M sports has developed into a maniacal obsession. It is all-consuming and I find it often intrudes into anything else I have going on. I truly believe that the day we win a national championship in football will be followed by the Rapture.
I am lucky in that I have a beautiful and patient wife to share this and many other things with. Shari blessed me with her hand in marriage almost 4 years ago, and despite my many imperfections she has stuck by me. She is perfection though, even with the flaws that we all have whether big or small. Her patience with me, always supportive and giving despite my occupation that offers little in return. I have married well above my station in life.
We'll see how long this new and shiny toy lasts. I definitely don't lack for an opinion on anything and everything, but you never know when something else bigger and better will grab my attention. As the title says, always one for the road.
Cheers folks
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