What starts as a solo turns into a chorus in the mouth

I’d love to see college football coaches wear coat and ties. Many of these guys are making bank and shouldn’t look like they just rolled out of bed. Bo looks terrible. Tressel is ok but I’m thinking along the lines of Bear Bryant.

I had a run in with a lady on the Tennessee Valley Trail whose sister I know I met on Whidbey Island. I’m still having a hard time shaking the venomous vitriol the women was spewing. She must be a terribly unhappy person, hasn’t been boned in 20 years and probably is paying too much on car insurance.

I love watching Matty talk cars. I bet his kids will have go carts. He and the lady will be the pit crew complete with outfits and those special kicks that look like wrestling shoes.

This guy might be certified but I like his honest, no nonsense reviews (he’s a fan of Drive-by-Truckers) and the read on his history of rock music is fascinating.

For a push present, I think Mitch should get Kat a Vanagon.

Zin Alley is putting out the most interesting and delicious Zinfandel in Paso Robles for sure and possibly California. I just had the 06 Zin again and it was delicious. It is all the things that you would expect in a Zin – spicey, peppery, with a hint of berry flavors but what separates 06 Zin from the rest is the supple tannins and super long finish. If you are in Paso and have the means, I highly suggest it. It is soo choice.

I know I’m late to the party but “The Wire” is a great series. I just got through first season and cannot wait to get thru the remaining four. It is gritty, real and has a ton of character development. It’s hard not to think of the series “Barney Miller” when the team is in the basement. McNulty feels like a train about ready to come off the rails but he has enough talent, huevos and luck to keep him on track and moving forward. Damn, its good!

I know I’m getting old as I have a Ch-ch-ch-chia of the Nose and Eyebrows going on. Pdiddle does too.

I typically read two things on the throne…Huskerpedia and this site, Arts & Letters Daily. I get my sports and intellectual fix while dropping off the kids. I walk out feeling enlightened from top to bottom.

Mader Fakerrr!!!

Any player should get the Heisman regardless of the side of the ball he plays. That said, the Heisman is the NFL kiss of death and I’d like to see Suh make the transition to Sundays. Tebow or Spiller can have it.

Eff you E-l-e-c-t-r-o-n-i-c Software Delivery.

I don’t need to necessarily hear about my single friends escapades. What blows my hair back is connecting the dots or creating an environment where it happens.

I’m loving this brew-ha-ha between Bourdain and Waters. SF vs. NYC. East Coast vs. West Coast. Biggie vs. Tupac. If you want a really inventive, cutting edge meal that you won’t soon forget, go to Chicago.

Modern Family is a great show…..surprise!!!!

If SF doesn’t work out, my buddy Gene should set up camp in Chicago and blog about gastronomical hi-jinks.

If you would have told me 5 years ago that in October 2009 I was going to be married and watching primetime TV in the evenings I would have kicked you in the shin.

The wineries in the Calaveras County at the base of the Sierra Foothills are impressive – Hatcher, Twisted Oak, Tanner and Lavender Ridge immediately come to mind. Think Paso Robles 10 years ago with all the history of the gold rush.

I can now say that getting off the road and making the move out West in 2006 is paying off. The house, wife, job are great and I’m truly blessed but I’ve been able to fish and hunt like I’m a kid again. Oh hells yeah!! Eff you Premier Exec and Hilton Diamond VIP.

My Russian network colleague that sits on the other side of the pubical should get a room. He loves putting his crackberry on speaker for the entire southwest corner to hear. I now know all the ins and outs of my companies network. Like Kasparov on the chess board, I envision him manipulating the network with all its routers, switches and servers. Ipconfig here, ping there!!! I can tell the difference between a Sev 1 or Sev 2 issue by his disfluency. When this shit is hitting the fan, he is at a loss for English words and his accent gets stronger and that’s when I start to giggle. Think John Malkovich in Rounders.

I don't believe my buddy JP ever took his dip out during the entire wedding, even during the meal.

I feel like I need a month to decompress on all the ‘09 happenings. I’m thinking a tepid (to be on the safe side) sweat lodge with plenty of vihta…

My cousin Ken... Kendall, from Indiana, he got high once, and you know he started eating like really weird foods.

The VT game was a lot of fun to watch. Yeah we lost but the boys played hard. I don’t remember feeling a sting of loosing like that for a few years. Maybe this means the mediocrity of the Callahan Era was worn off.

“There's one sure way to stop us from scoring (a touchdown) — give us the ball near the goal line.'' – SMU coach Matty Bell

I have a whole new respect for what it takes to plan a wedding. Knowing what I know now, I’d have sent my RSVPs in a lot sooner back in the day.

RIP Dalton from the Double Deuce.

The rifle foot junior from Omaha Alex Henery will have a great career in the NFL. I always thought long snappers had it good but being a place kicker and punter would be nice as well.

If I were a Russian billionaire, I too would want to buy a sports franchise to launder all of my money and give me enough of a profile so I wouldn’t be fish food. Brilliant! Especially if I actually enjoyed the sport I was buying into. Double brilliant!!

There was a couple of months it seemed that many of the folks who figured prominently in my childhood died – Michael, Farrah, John Hughes, Patrick, etc. I would have been especially crushed if Ron Popeil took the dirt nap. I’ve caught some lunkers with that Pocket Fisherman.

I’ve probably seen “The Breakfast Club” more times than any other movie. That’s saying much as there was an impressive run with “Caddy Shack” with Garcia. For me, Hughes captured the essence of my high school experience in that movie. It got me thru it actually. That and Weiland repeating every line in class. Great stuff.

I feel like our generation needs a movie like “The Big Chill”.

I love that fact my youngest nephew asks for the “Chewy”. His "Vader" isn’t too bad.

If those don’t work out with the lady, I might ring Cat Deeley. The lady feels the same way about Eric of True Blood.

Don't Horse It!

Things have been a little busy leading up to my big day but wanted to post a few pics from my recent bachelor party on Whidbey Island. Good times... More posts and pics to come.

Where's the damn door Doug?

You occasionally hear of an off-duty cop getting in a fight or scuffle. You never hear of an off-duty meter maid getting in a fight. Shame really. There is a meter maid in San Rafael that could use an ass kicking. Thanks for the tow buddy.

Read a great book over the last weekend – “Heat” by Bill Buford. I’ve been told I need to check out "Among the Thugs" by him as well. In due time now I’m really getting into “The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet”.

SF needs a great kebab stand. There are many things that I miss about living in Europe and this is one of them. Lamb meat or some meat from unknown origin with thin, not too doughy wrap with various fresh and pickled vegetables topped with a white garlicky sauce and spicy chili sauce. The one near Iroquois in Zurich was hands down the best. I’ve given some thought of flying that guy over here to get me started. I’m loving this trend of people cooking and selling food off a cart of truck. The food is usually cheap and most of the time delicious. I might have found my new calling.

Conversely, I missed good Mexican food in Europe. That said, I’ve had some of my best tacos from a taco truck in SF. The truck near Best Buy is delic and gives La Taqueria a run for its money.

The new Wilco disc is excellent. “One Wing” is this summer’s “Weird Fishes”.

# of times LL Cool J licks his lips in a hour interview = # of times my buddy Pine checks his black berry in a hour.

I have seen James Hetfield of Metallica driving up and down Hwy 101 in Marin on my commute. I would expect to see him in a supped up cherry red ’72 Nova with nitrous, wearing a cut off black t-shirt, cigarette hanging from the side of his mouth and windows down rockin out. Instead, he is rolling in a loaded S-Class Benz. My brain doesn’t get any of that. I wonder what the “cliquey” group that hung out on the corner opposite of my junior high and smoked would think about that.

Fishing Holes

I came across a list of fishing places when doing research for my upcoming bachelor party thanks to my friend Trav. I'd like to do a few of these before I take the dirt nap:

-The South Fork of the Snake – Idaho, South Fork Lodge
-Montana, Henry’s Fork Lodge - Gallatin, Madison and Yellowstone Rivers
-The Twin Bridges area of Montana, Big Hole River
-British Columbia would be sick, but far away, expensive and rugged
-New Mexico is very cool but a little off the beaten path
-Cast and blast in Louisiana for redfish and birds - party in NO every night and then hit the field every morning

Fish On

Is there anything better than a bite or nibble on the end of the line? I don't care if it’s a bluegill or a tarpon that "tug" blows my hair back. I was in Florida for the Memorial Day weekend to celebrate my recent engagement with family. We hadn’t seen family since I popped the question. We also had the chance to chase one of Florida’s coveted big game fish. The day after we got into Florida, I landed a 125 lbs 70 inch tarpon. Fun!!! She gave me a 45 minute fight with a few jumps. I was spent. This is 45 minutes on heavy tackle – 80lbs test and one of those old, massive Penn saltwater reels! I couldn’t imagine using anything lighter and you wouldn’t accordingly to the Captain who took the lady and I out that afternoon. Having a sturdier outfit, as he called it, allowed you to fight the fish, get out of the gaum that can be tarpon fishing for that part of Florida at that time of the year and not exhaust the fish so he can recover to fight another day. A father son combo, the Captain and Scooter were part of the old Florida contingent - inboard engine, heavy tackle, 4 AM fishing, squirrel fish for bait, relying on depth charts, not following the crowds and very serious. Everything you would want in a guide actually. It was interesting to hear about the good ol’days when “you could walk across the bay on the backs of the tarpon” and “these tournaments, no respect for the fishery, light tackle and two stroke outboards are ruining it for everybody. I hope my grandson will be able to catch a tarpon one day.” I do too! All in all, any fishing is fun especially tarpon and I’m fired up I can say I’ve caught a tarpon; however, I don’t want to deal with all the crowds especially the douche bags with the matching outfits, tricked out boats and enough rods and gear for a Calvary. Based on what I saw, I could see a "Best in Show" type of movie about tournament tarpon fishing. Even the lady said it was a bit of shit show at times and took away from the Zen of fishing. I couldn’t have said it better myself.

She's a big one and she's gonna be a lotta

If you would have told me five years ago that I’d be pig hunting I wouldn’t have believed you. A lot of people hunt in Nebraska but it wasn’t something my folks really pushed. By my late twenties, I had done some bird hunting and thoroughly enjoyed it but no “big” game hunting. My interest in bigger game was piqued in early 2006 on an airplane flight back to San Francisco to start a job with my current company when I read this article in the NYTimes. After reading it, I knew I wanted to hunt pings for all the same reasons Pollan describes and the fact it all went down in Northern California made it possible for me.

Pan to last month, my buddy Dan called and said there was a chance for a pig hunt up near Humboldt State Park and wondered if I was interested. Screaming like a little girl, I shrieked, “oh hells yeah”. It was a fantastic trip for a lot of reasons other than the pig hunting. First things first, we were in God’s country. Imagine a gazillion acre logging ranch that had no developments to speak of save a hunting lodge and a hardly used, dilapidated homesteader house. There was not another human except our crew within a five mile radius. The place was ours...all of the green hills, forests, clear rivers and streams, blue skies, etc. The air was so fresh I slept like a king despite the howling winds and 30 F nights. I don’t remember sleeping that well since I was up the middle of Norway. Other members of the hunting group were four older guys who took Dan and I under their wings and showed us the ropes. Those guys knew the ends and outs of the land and were more than willing to share their knowledge. Their largess made the trip! I got the feeling these guys were deer hunters who like to get a pig every now and then. Not uncommon, I’ve come to understand wild pigs are low on the big game quarry list of CA.

We got to the hunting lodge around 5 PM on Friday. Before we driving onto the property, we stopped at the gate and had a celebratory beer. I was thinking these guys were alright. To get in the country mood, I selected Drive-by-Truckers for the ride in which took us about 30 minutes on logging roads. Once at the lodge, everybody emptied their trucks and got to the business of drinking beer, practiced shooting at a make shift range and strategized about possible areas to hunt. At roughly a hundred yards, Dan and I both nailed an empty Corona bottle and steel hanging shooting target, respectively. Not bad for two guys relatively new to this sort of hunting and using guns that were new to us. So as not to waste the remaining sun light, we jumped on the ATVs and rode around the hunting lodge. On a ATV, Dan is happier than pig in shit. Who knew a Rochester boy would embrace country livin? It was great to see. JHead, who would be our guide on Saturday, suggested we head up to this ridge. Once there, we walked down the opposite side we came up on and spotted a pig. Unfortunately, we were too busy talking about shed antlers to really get a good shot on it. But, seeing a pig so fast into the trip gave me hope. We headed back to the lodge to a great campfire and food a la Pierce and son. I have to mention the camp fire which was probably the best one I’ve been around. The masonry in this fire pit was such that all of the smoke was drawn up and back so the smoke was never in your face but you got all of heat. Apparently, an old German mason laid the brick a long time ago. Clearly, the work of a master. There wasn’t much talking at the dinner table as we all were pretty hungry. One of the guys asked, “I wonder what the poor people are eating now”. We all just smiled and laughed and kept on eating. We went to bed with our bellies full and a nice pile of empty beer cans.

Saturday I woke early to a cold wind and Dan bitching about how sick he was. A few cups of cowboy coffee and standing near the fire warmed us up and we were ready to go. Dan and I jumped into JHead’s truck and we were off. We got the full tour of the property in search of pigs. I reckon we saw about 10 different microclimates in our pursuit – grasslands, redwood forest, above the tree line rocks and scrub, oak savannas, chaparral, coniferous forests, wetlands, etc. About three hours into the drive as we rounded a bend, JHead slammed on the breaks and said, “Pigs”. Quickly, we all got out of the truck to take a look. 500 yards away where three wild hogs – two rust colored medium ones and a big black one. These pigs were more domestic then Eurasian. I didn’t really know the difference until my second pig hunt. More on that later... Standing there, JHead told us which one we should go after. The smaller of the three would be our target as it would be easier to haul out and taste better. With that and yours truly leading the way, we stalked those pigs for over 300 yards straight down the mountain hiding behind trees, bushes and rock outcroppings as cover. It was the longest and quietest 300 yards of my life. My heart was coming out of my chest. I wanted to bag a pig. I got to 180 yards away and decided we couldn’t get any closer without spooking them. Dan was behind me and he finally caught up with me. We got on our bellies and inched a few yards closer to the lip of a ridge overlooking the pigs. Safeties off. “1….2…wait.” “It is on 3 or just before?” “Ok, let’s practice.” “1, 2, shot.” “Got it?” Got it.” We waited about a minute, which felt like an hour, until the target pig got into position. It never really did though. Plus, to make matters worse, the pigs were getting skittish because cows were slowly encroaching. “Ready?“ “Ready”. “ 1, 2” Bang! We both missed. I saw my bullet hit the mud just below the chest and almost behind. I don’t know how close Dan’s shot was. The pigs scattered and we got to our feet pissed but fired up. JHead was planning on meeting us around the mountain we just walked down. The entire walk back to the truck, Dan and I were kicking ourselves for missing that pig. Lessons learned – when you got shot on any pig, take it. Counting down with your buddy never works.

The rest of the afternoon was spent driving back and retelling our stalk and miss. JHead was impressed with our stalk. Dan and I were still riding the high of having the chance at a pig. We caught some shit from the other guys about missing but was consoled by the fact 180 yard shot is no layup. Beginners luck I guess. After a bite and some rest, we decided to make another go of it. From the bottom of the hill of the lodge, Dan and I walked in one direction and Deike and J going in the other. After another hour or so of walking, Dan and I didn’t see another pig or fresh tracks so we headed back to the lodge. After a beer, we got a call from J saying they got a pig. JHead and I got jumped back into his truck to go help J out. J’s was a perfect 150 lbs boar cleanly shot. We helped to dress it and schlepped it back over a mile to the truck. We all got packed up and started to head back to the lodge. I was in the first car back to the lodge and when we got there, we heard three quick shots. Jhead and I immediately turned around to meet the rest of the crew. Deike bagged one. J said he hit one. With light fading fast, everybody helped J find what would have been his second pig. They never found it. I stayed with Dieke. A butterball of a pig - 180 lb cleanly shot sow with plenty of fat. I found out that it was his 69th birthday that day as well. What a present! I helped him gut it and carry it out of the ravine. He had a bad back so I ended up carry it out of the ditch. I was exhausted but floating from all the adrenaline.

Back at the lodge, the group was in a great mood. The beer was flowing as quickly as the retelling of the hunts and shit talking. The fire was roaring. The boys found some already cut madron earlier in the day. I never seen grown men excited about cut wood. I come to find out that is great wood for a fire. It burns super hot and leaves little ash. But it is almost a shame to burn as it makes for beautiful cabinets. I digress. All was right with the world. It was time to skin the hogs. With a separate cleaning shed and hanging hooks, the property is dialed in to handle large game. With two man to a hog, we got it done in no time in about 45 minutes. J asked for some help and I dug right in. It was about 45 F out but I didn’t notice as I was on point to clean this hog. It feels good knowing I can properly clean and dress a hog or deer now. The last thing I remember of the evening is JHead telling me to go to bed. He said I had a beer can in my hand and a smile on my face asleep in the chair near the fire.

On Sunday, I got Dan to the airport without incident. Back at my place as I was getting the smoke and dirt off me, I wasn’t thinking of why I didn’t get a pig. Rather, I was thinking of when I was going to be able to have the chance again and how great it is to get Dan out of Manhattan. It was a bang up experience and the fact that I shared that with my friend Dan and new friends J, Pierce, Deike and JHead made it all that much better. I hope I’ll get to hunt with those guys again.

Father Lee!

I’m giving serious consideration to having my buddy Gene ordained in the State of CA to conduct my nuptials. The stoic face, black robe, white collar, smell of Coors on the breath, rubbing his chest as he reads the vows and instead of saying "I do" he'd have the lady and I purse our lips together and do a quick double nod.

Hard not to think of Gilch when I see Jason Segel.

I have a Plant Earth segment idea - man encroaches on the wild and the wild thrives. My office building invades a nice swath of beautiful wilderness. I see turkeys, deer, hawks, coyotes, kestrels, vultures, etc on a weekly basis. My cube mates and I have been keeping tabs on a particular hawk. A red tail hawk we think. This hawk is a stud and seeing him rebuff two large crows in mid-air and winning is good stuff. My personal favorite is when he perches on the window ledge with the days fresh catch. I'd want Keith David to do the voice over.

Last time I did sake bombs the sushi restaurant burned down that night and has since not reopened. Last time my buddy Drew did a sake bomb he ended up with a spark plug. Not sure what the morale is there.

RIP Wayman Tisdale.

Michael Vick deserves another chance in the NFL. He is no saint but I would be pressed to find any saints in the NFL. Madden, maybe?

Not entirely sure why the Catholic Church has its panties in a bunch over President Obama speaking at Notre Dame. Aren’t there bigger fish to fry? If I was in the Catholic Church, I’d be more worried about the Pope’s comments about condoms and AIDS in Africa. Terrible.

Really Neat Stuff

Why do freshwater boats have carpet and saltwater boats don’t?

Perfect Sunday morning = reading Sunday NYTimes, Major Dickinson’s Blend from Peets is starting to kick in, fire in the fireplace and Versus marathon of fishing shows on the tele.

The new career direction my buddy Gilch is on sounds promising. I hope it’s a fruitful one.

What’s up with the gladiator revival in women’s shoes? I didn’t particularly like them in junior high and my feelings haven’t changed since.

Below is a super cheap, environmentally safe and effective cleaner for just about anything. This recipe is from Dave Letterman's mom which my madre swears by. Cleans almost all surfaces. The alcohol kills germs and makes if dry fast. You can cut recipe in half to make a small bottle. Otherwise, pour in a large spray bottle.
4 cups distilled water
1/4 c rubbing alcohol
1/4 cup white vinegar
Couple drops Dawn dishwashing detergent

Fun Guys Hunt Funghi

The lady and I had a great weekend in Carmel this past weekend. We went with our friends Jas, Jac, Ben and Lucia to do some mushroom hunting, hiking and wine tasting. Despite the inclimate weather, we managed to do all three . Check out the chanterelle bounty below. We ended up filling almost three of those baskets. Jac's found a bunch of candy cap mushrooms. I've had those in ice cream but our guide described a cookie recipe that sounded good. I digress...I learned chanterelle has a mycorrhiza relationship with oak trees. Honey hole = oak trees, a wood rats nest, bay trees and wet lowland areas. This 'shroom hunting is something I could get into. Apparently, the Spring after a fire is when it goes off. Morels mycorrhiza relationship is with pine trees. I bet in April and May after the snow melts, Northern California will be flush with Morels especially after the fires from last year.

My temporary South Carolina non-resident fishing license just expired so I guess it’s time to renew. I’m still not convinced there are any fish at the dock despite the hoopla and pictures. With the advent of Photoshop and the like it’s hard to trust anything but your own eyes.

I have found a great pizza dough recipe below that is a no brainer. With a good tomato sauce and fresh or shredded mozzarella and a dash of parmesan, this pizza makes a delicious, homemade Neapolitan which is really all I eat. I’ve tried making my own red sauce and that works fine, however, I must admit Boboli original pizza sauce is pretty damn good and quick. Against the ladies wishes, I try to use the least amount of cheese as possible. Once out of the oven, I top it with freshly dressed greens and sliced grilled chicken. My version of CPK’s tri-colore. Or, I top it with just rocket. Or drizzle with it truffle oil. Also, a Neapolitan makes for a good base for leftovers. My favorite concoction was a cut up bone in pork chop, sliced fennel and diced jalapeño.

In a large bowl, combine 1 ¾ cup unsifted, unbleached all-purpose flour, one ¼ ounce package quick-rising yeast, one teaspoon sugar, one teaspoon salt (sea salt is the best, but regular salt will do) and one tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. To that, add ¾ cup very warm water (120 degrees F). Mix it all with fork or hands until soft dough forms. Add flour until the dough no longer sticks to your hand but be careful not to add too much flour. Shape the dough in a ball and place in an oiled bowl, turning so an oiled surface is up. Cover with dish towel and let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 30 mins. Spread it over a pizza sheet with holes. I've used a cookie sheet and the underside never gets crisp so I wouldn't recommend using that but in a pinch you could. Add your sauce and toppings and cook for 15 mins or so at 500 degrees F.

In Carmel Valley, I love Parsonages everyday drinking red Snosrap Cyrano Red. It’s a steal at $20. The Friday we get into Carmel, we usually have it at Café Rustica in the valley. A wine like that goes well with food and without. I wish more of this type of wine was available in California. Everyday drinking wines are a dime a dozen in Europe and it was fun sussing out $15-$20 wines that were absolutely delicious. These wines didn’t come from behemoths like Gallo or Blackstone but from small, family run vineyards who would usually have a good vintage. I’m surprised you are not able to find more of these types of wines in CA. I’m scratching my head at the dearth of wine bars in the city. I would expected there to be more of them seeing how it’s in the middle 15 distinct wine growing regions.

Also in Carmel Valley, I was real impressed with the 2007 Pinot Noir from Boekenoogen. The lady and I picked up a few bottles. From our generous tasting pours, I got a big wine with layers of fruits of the forest, strawberries and damp earth. Another year or two in the cellar and this bottle will be singing. I love Pinot’s from the St. Luica Highlands as they remind me of wines from Burgundy. This is the type of wine that my friend Colleen who is a Zinfandel slut would like. This vineyard is close to another one of my favorites vineyards Gary’s vineyards.

Spare a dime?

I’d love to see Vil Kilmer in another comedy. Movies like Real Genius and Top Secret are classic’s. I hope running for governor of New Mexico doesn't get in the way to the sequel of Real Genius.

Listening to Randy on Idol is like watching football with the J Hesster, aka Weiscamp. He lays it down with vernacular that is from the street yet insightful and relatively articulate. We cook, then we chillllll.

I recently had Folly River select oysters for the first time over the weekend as a part of a bachelor party celebration for my buddy Herr Lee. Those oysters were prolly the best bivalve experience I have ever had. It’s giving a plate full of fin-de-claire N. 12 with bubbly a run for its money. The scene resembled eight lions after a kill when Drew dumped the succulent steamers on the table. Ummm, Aquaman.

I see some Benski in Simon Cowell.

Nobody knows what is going on with the economy. Let’s just all agree to that and get on with it. It starts to concern me when States start mumbling they'll not be able to refund state income tax. It is just a question of time before banks become nationalized.

Yes, I watch Idol. You heard me. That is what a lady and TV have done to me. Mushy, mush. I don’t like the new format this year of bringing in the family though. Equally awkward, they never a pan to the ugly family member.

I’m tired of hearing older folks say this economic malaise is good for our generation. Listen, I’ve been off the tit since 20, working well before that and have good saving habits. Heck, many of my friends have been off the tit since 18. Funny, as the folks that say that belong to the generation that got us into this mess.

I love the fact that my sister is grooving to Beirut.

Eggcellent

No one writes a sad song that gets you thinking about shit like Ryan Adams except maybe Neil Young. Live at Massey Hall DVD sounds great but the weird grainy pans to a reel-to-reel on the chair I can do without. Someone grab me a tissue.

Plastics is so 20th century…vermiculture is the next big thing.

Why is anybody surprised with A-Rod’s admission? He is still a bitch but at least he’s honest. That is saying more than Raf or McGuire. Maybe Madonna talked some sense into him. I’m ready to get on with baseballs dark days. Just outside…..Jones 2-2!

Top Chef would beat the piss out of Hell’s Kitchen.

Like Anthony Bourdan, I’m also an egg slut. They’re a great way to start the day in their many forms. Poached is my favorite however. A hard boiled mid-day stops hunger in its tracks. Pickled eggs are tasty too. I like a sunny side up on my chili. One of the best pizza’s I’ve ever had was in a small town near Montpellier in the Languedoc area of France. It was called “Pizza Thon” – tuna and soft boiled egg on this amazing New York style pizza lathered with fresh tomato sauce. I washed it all down with luscious Bandol Rose. All was right with the world.

How did we manage before wheels found their way onto luggage?

Trav and Elle should spearhead Obama’s initiative around digitizing medical records after what they did in Abu Dhabi for the Sheik.

Where was Israel during the genocides since WWII - Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda, Darfur?

Universal fact…all dudes fart when pissing at the urinal.

Ping Ping Pong

My buddy Tim says Lagunitas (lah-goo-KNEE-tuss) IPA is the mother’s milk. It beats Iron Springs (barely) and Marin Brewing Company. I would have to agree…not to sweet, rich hops, mild bitterness and clean finish. Classic California beer.

When I was living in Zurich, I came across this DJ by accident. GPal. I remember the record store proprietor pawning this off on me. He was going out of business and in broken English said “Life” was the best bargain in the store. I didn’t believe him but I bought it used for something like 12 Swiss Francs. The first five tracks are tight and reminds me of my time in Switzerland and all of the clubs. I worked as hard as I played.

This just came to me last night…a combination of Gilvar’s Swedish background (inhale….yah!) and jumping capability will more than likely produce this.

One of the best moments of XMAS was my youngest nephew coming up from the basement asking what a penth was and who Lou Holtz was. Seven to nine!

It is amazing to see my oldest nephew grow. Now almost 13, he is becoming strong, smart and sensitive. He has these huge hands that are not unlike suction cups. He catches everything I put up…football, baseball, nerf vortex, canned goods in grocery isle, etc. Props to my sis and brother-in-law and not just for his catching ability.

I wonder how much a song like this would cost nowadays? This was released just before the clamor of old vs. new school and East vs West coast. Purists would say this was probably new school. Anyway, I miss those beats and the fun in the mixing, hooks, loops and samples. The Cool Kids and People Under the Stairs are close to capturing this. I digress, hearing this song throws me back to the summer of 91 – Twin Hype, Bush-Lite in a can, the Honda Civic, waterskiing at Wagon Train, Marilyn, stick and spades with Born and Benski – yeah dope!

Soups On

When do you stop saying “Happy New Year”?

I love the smell of rain. Especially if it hasn’t rained in awhile because you get the infusion of soil/soot/dust with the moist air. What is even better is walking thru the pan handle of the Golden Gate Park and smelling the mixture of rain, eucalyptus, and soil. Divine!

Speaking of smells….does anything smell better than mirepoix and sautéed butter? Or with browning ground beef?

For a significant part of my early years, I was raised by a single mom and a sister. A farm girl with a healthy work ethic, my Mom was in printing sales and was away from home quite a bit. In fact, the road the family farm is on is called Rural Route 1 which is the name of my blog. Anyway, that absence was tempered by her cooking. She always ensured dinner was available for my sister and I. To this day, I can chince on breakfast or lunch but I need a hot meal for dinner. The pièce de résistance is when it’s served up by the little lady.

Whew, I finally digitized my music library in FLAC format. Damn, that took the better part of three months. I’m still adding the album art and correcting the metadata which feels like a full time job in and of itself. I’m using SqueezeCenter to pipe the music from my computer into my stereo. I’m then able to use Squeezebox Duet and manage the music that way. It sounds pretty good and great for parties. To my humble ears, nothing beats the sound from playing a good old fashion CD....Zepplin's, "How the West Was Won", makes my Dynaudio's dance.

Safety’s off

I can boogie to Hercules and Love Affair. Nice house/disco beats matched nicely to that falsetto voice of Antony.

As long a Siduri doesn’t lose the Van der Kamp vineyard, I along with Eddie Veder will be happy. So long Amber Ridge. Sniff, sniff. Drew and Mitch like a good Oregon pinot as much as anybody and should try their Chelalem Mountains on for size.

It has been a good year hunting for me. Pheasants, turkey, duck, goose, and feral pig. What started out as a mere interest (almost every male in Nebraska hunts or is close to it somehow and I did a little of it growing up) has started into a passion. Fishing has always been there for me but I have to say hunting is getting there as well. Thank you Michael Pollan. More on that later…

Ton Kiang on Geary is the best dim sum I’ve ever had. That is not saying much coming from me but this reverse banana thought t’was damn good. Next time, I want to bring my own and pair the meal with a nice Barolo. The almost two hour meal was a good segue into the ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates & Producers) festival at Fort Mason last Sunday. Thanks Matty & Jenna.

I have the same good feeling about Mike Singletary as I do with Bo. I like the fact they put the team first in their approach to recruiting, coaching, staff, etc. Not unlike the Steelers. Diametrically different than the Cowboys.

Wanted

Short, stocky Korean male b/w ages of 30-35. Must drink copious amounts of Coors Light and be into post partying late night sessions of non-gayish dance parties. Benefits include – ton of eating and drinking, groovy music listening, hikes out in the mountains and day trips in wine country - haters need not apply.