Experienceialism 2.0

Look at this guy!

2012-02-11T20:14:00.001-06:00

My lack of activity here and here over the past few months has been a combination of work related activities and the preparation/arrival of this guy. Meet Oliver!

He is happy and chubby just like he should be. This has lead to a happy and chubby father as seen below:

(been working on some new tattoos too)

I will take the extra weight for the time being if it means I get to hang with my number one 'bro'.

I have been working an inordinate amount of hours at the store since november. It seems we have become on of the premier catering providers for Mizzou and some other places around town. Its good for business but makes it really difficult for me to spend a lot of time away from the store. I originally took the chef job at Hy-Vee to stop working crazy hours, but now that I am catering manager I find myself right back in the hamster wheel.

I am grateful for the opportunity to have a job, dont get me wrong, but am wondering if I am really maximizing my potential as of late. I have such a creative itch that is not being 'scratched' that I find myself taking some adult ed classes to freshen up my knowledge of graphic design programs I havent used for the last couple years. Its funny how the simple act of sitting down and editing photos or messing around and making a Mr. Potato Head in photoshop have rekindled the fire that lead me to art school.

I wonder if there is something out there where I could better utilize my skills (and degree). I have been looking and putting feelers in different places, but no luck yet. I am going to keep up with it though and soon enough I will find someplace that needs an artist/chef who used to dabble in carpentry to fill the space they have.

At any rate I could not be more enthused about the arrival of my boy! He and mom are doing well and my days are truly brightened by their presence.

2011-11-14T21:17:00.001-06:00

everyday lately at work....

(if you are wondering, i am the little guy doing the backflip)

2011-09-14T08:34:00.002-05:00

So..... Yeah, this gives me an artistic-gasm.

roots and blues 10k this weekend!

2011-09-08T22:56:00.000-05:00

I will be running my second event of the summer on Saturday. The first was the Jay Dix run back in April/May (cant remember off the top of my head). After a long summer I am ready to go out and run this 10k for the Roots'n'Blues BBQ fest here in town. I have been putting in some miles each week (16-20) and am in shape for the distance. That being said I am nowhere near as fast as I used to be, but that is not as big a deal right now. I plan to go out, run my race and have a good time. Sam is going to walk the course and if she gets too tired, she plans to call me and I will pick her (and Oliver) up along the course. Whatever way the event goes it will be fun and a nice Saturday spent with fellow runners and my family - which I dont get to do very often right now.

(these will carry me this weekend, surprisingly good running shoe I have found)

I have been taking a lot of sunrise shots as of late. It is kind of the silver lining in my workday.

I do still make some tasty things (like these dark chocolate truffles) even though my other blog is sadly past due. I plan to change that as this week I have been off and making chili, omelets, and portabello mushroom strudel. Look for the updates to come... eventually.

Good luck to anyone else out there running the race this weekend, or any other race for that matter. I would be happy to accept any tips for training for a 1/2 marathon too. It is my next challenge.

on the current state of life

2011-09-08T22:45:00.000-05:00

This is intended to be one of those posts that no one really care about reading. I really need to get all this out on some form of 'journal' and considering this is where i post most everything else that happens in my little ol world... why not.

I warn you though, after reading you may find yourself ready to track me down and punt me in the chest or you may feel nothing at all. Either way, I dont imagine it will greatly affect you that much. This is my warning to you, after you click the little 'read more' below there is no going back.

really there isnt, dont blame me if you think I am too whiny.

Personally things lately are gur-reat! Sam is progressing nicely along in the production of our spawn (a.k.a. her pregnancy is going well). She really does have that whole 'pregnant glow' thing people are always (very sappy-ily I might add) going on about and I just love every minute of it. Her belly is really starting to take shape and I impatiently await the day when her belly button does the whole turkey timer deal and pops out. I have and odd fascination with that part of her anatomy - especially now that it is fully visible due to the growing Oliver in said belly.
Dont tell her but I really do like taking care of her. She has these great little idiosyncrasies when she needs something that she really wants done. That on top of getting to cook for 'two' really makes this time wonderful. She really really is into pickles right now, just in case you were looking for an awesomely quirky shower gift/gag gift.

So that is all the good going on, aside from my running form coming around a little more as I am beginning the training for a 1/2 marathon. Cycling is still there just on the back burner for now - I go through phases where all I want to do is run and then all I want to do is ride. Currently I am very immersed in an running phase.

Professionally things are in the dump. I warn you this little bit is where I am about to vomit my thoughts onto the screen so turn back if you dont want to witness it.

Ok, catering managing (as the V calls it) is not all its cracked up to be. I wasnt, of course, expecting a cake walk, but there is a point where challenge and insanity go two separate ways. I seem to have gone down the latter road and things are awful. At first I was swimming in orders, finding delivery drivers, and the general organization/day to day operations of a department. I was making it fairly well but losing a bit of ground when we had more than 4 orders to go out the door at the same time.

Basically it came to the point where adding an assistant was the option that sounded best to keep our catering business going and going well. I did not want to have to turn anyone down because we were just to busy to meet their needs. I was starting to understand how stressed out the previous manager had become and why she had reached that point.

Adding the help just made the situation worse. It has, since day one, been a downward spiral. This assistant wants to run the department and is very insistent that she has the answer. I have expressed my opinion on many things but it all ends up being half assed, as she feels her ideas are better. Dont get me wrong I take all the input I can and make a decision based on that info, but in the end my name is on the product and I make the final call. This has been something very hard to understand for her, as she wanted my position but was denied.

'Why dont you just put her in her place?' you might ask. I could if I would, but the unfortunate part about my fun little position is that it seems I have the power to punish, but I really dont. Needless to say it wouldnt matter anyway, because said assistant doesnt believe I know what I'm doing anyway. I have explained to her that I have catering/fine dining experience but since she has been with the V longer she feels she is Queen.

I am now at the point where I am looking for other jobs. I have never been so unhappy. Aside from the internal turmoil with the assistant, my kitchen staff (not really my staff at all actually) has a real issue with always getting things to me on time. I have been riding them really hard lately and with the introduction of on very hard working employee things are getting better, but when I am not in the store or after I have gone home for the day..... things go downhill. I really have to recourse in those situations other than expressing my anger to the kitchen manager, who in all reality has too come around a bit lately.

The point is, we are unfortunately having some serious delivery problems these days. I just cant seem to get things to destinations on time. Each day I work I strive to have the order there before the scheduled time, but when we have 3 orders at the same time I obviously cant be each place. My support doesnt care enough, or doesnt have enough priority to get out the door when needed. You might also be asking "Well why dont you have a meeting/talk with all in the process about this?" Oh I have and for a few days things look up but as soon as I am gone for a day, or even an evening BAM back to old habits.

I am supposed to run this position as my 'own' business but I am here to tell you, most the staff I rely on would be replaced by actual competent folks who care about the people ordering the food. Part-timers just dont worry enough about it, because even if catering goes to hell the store (and their job) will be there tomorrow when they come in.

Anyway, day after day I try to relax, step back, and examine my situation. By the end of the day I have a list in my head of what was good and bad, from which I then try to build plan to move forward. I go home each day and try to figure out how to make things work, I have come to the conclusion that for this particular position in this particular V I simply am not cut out. I thought about this a few months ago, but put my head down and continued on. Recently things have spun out of control and driven me to my wits end. I am fairly certain that I am developing some sort of stomach thing because of the stress and have resorted to strongly looking elsewhere for employment. I have some particular, personal priorities that have been put into questions lately as well. My Sundays off are challenged now since no one else wants to help out that day and it has become the straw to break this camels back. (this is where I sound like a real baby, but if I dont stand up about this then I will be walked all over - in fact I have already bent here and there and will be working this Sunday, I also worked last Sunday)

In conclusion, my professional life is in the gutter but my personal life is better than ever. I love my wife so much and she makes all the above manageable, but I feel it is starting to stress her out as well. So if anyone out there is still reading and doesnt want to punt me in the chest, let me know if you have any tips. Let me know if you have any career switch suggestions that a white boy from Centralia with a knowledge of food, art, design and a load of great customer service background could capitalize on.

I'm still here

2011-08-27T20:34:00.000-05:00

I just havent had a lot to say. To be honest I still dont. The catering managing gig has really taken over every aspect of my time. I dont teach any of my fun cooking classes anymore - although I am about to change that in the third week of September. I do get to mess about in the kitchen at home but am lax on the documentation of it right now. Due to this fact my other little project is suffering severely, again I soon plan to remedy this.

We are in the process of selling our wonderful home... It is quite a bittersweet time around here. Everyone put so much love and effort into this little slice of heaven, but with family coming and priorities changing we need to relocate. It has lead me to spruce up the basement floor a bit though...

I have been running a lot more lately, due to my tendency to pinch flat every other ride. I went out on 8 rides and flatted 4 times - all due to (I think) my rim strip being slightly off center on a couple of the spoke holes. I just need to take the time to re work the strip, but being the lazy guy I keep opting for a run instead. I miss the roads/trails though and in a week or so I have some time off planned and believe I will find myself out there again...

Until then I will just have to settle for shuffling around on the local trail while taking in the scenery at a much lower speed....

Oh, I almost forgot the little topic of my growing spawn. Everything is right on track and we find out for sure next week if Oliver is actually going to be Oliver and not Zooey. I get excited either way because we get to see pictures of the little guy/girl moving around. Sam has been feeling movement but not for long enough for me to get in on the action. I will update as next week comes and goes.

See you out there, somewhere...

a poem, if you will

2011-08-14T19:34:00.000-05:00

beautiful day

pregnant wife

tasty food

its a wonderful life..

FIN

2011-08-03T07:58:00.002-05:00

this gets really good about halfway through - plus the drink looks interesting

Im lookin' like madonna but flossin' like Ivanna...... Trump

2011-07-30T18:25:00.001-05:00

Im going to post this

2011-07-05T23:12:00.002-05:00

And it's all I'm saying about a certain news story today. I ran across this persons reaction and it seems to be on par with my thoughts. If you don't want to/care about what I think then move on-I'll be back to regular posts tomorrow.
.

"It’s easy for people to watch twenty minutes of Nancy Grace and walk away wanting Casey Anthony’s head on a stick. And frankly, that’s your prerogative. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, however simplistic or ill-formed it is.
.

I don’t know if she killed her kid. I do know that the prosecution failed to prove it’s case. That simple. That is the justice system that we have. You are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The prosecution didn’t do that here. It would have been a massive failure of the justice system if she would have been sent to death row on the flimsy-ass evidence that the state presented.
.

I’m pretty surprised, actually, that the jury returned the verdict that they did. People typically lose their shit when a dead kid is involved. Rationality and reason is thrown out the window. Perhaps the prosecution figured that they could trick the jury into convicting by relying on the dead kid effect. The fact that the jury didn’t buy it proves that justice was served. Don’t like it? Move to the middle east. They like to shoot first and ask questions never over there. Or just get on a jury and vote the person guilty based on your gut and not the evidence."
.

source:

EDIT-- the media coverage around this verdict and how they are handling random people from the public and their outrage is deplorable. If she were obviously not guilty (if the evidence didnt make her look like such a bad person) and handed down the 'wrong' sentence no one would be so outraged. The decision has been made, based on the facts presented - you might not like it but its time to act like an actual grown up. Its just a shameful to act so silly in covering the story.

elvis costello

2011-07-04T22:09:00.000-05:00

Sam and I went to the Pageant in STL this weekend with her dad and step mom. The mission: to see Elvis Costello! I have never seen him before and didnt know if would get the chance again. Since I got out of school I have been listening to him more and more and I am now quite a fan. At any rate we got quite a deal - got to stay in a sweet hotel, attend the show and have a day in the city all for a low low price.

The show was great! Mr. Costello had go-go dancers and a ‘spinning songbook’ - a gaint wheel that had a bunch of his songs on it. He would have members of the audience spin the wheel and wherever it landed he would play the song. The wheel was probably the best part of the night, not to mention it had all the songs I really like.

We had a great time and I am starting to get spoiled having two saturdays in a row to spend with my lovely wife. We ate at Blueberry hill for lunch saturday, which I have never done before and the atmosphere alone was worth it. There were various mounted animals hanging from the walls and a whole slew of jukeboxes just hanging out.

Yesterday was spent pretty chill, as we cleaned the house and I made some gnocchi. I also got a run in between rain storms and was able to catch a bit of the tour on tv - too bad I dont have Versus and now wont get to see anymore. Do you know any good sources for web casts that dont cost an arm and a leg (or are maybe free)?

float on down

2011-06-28T18:29:00.000-05:00

So as you can plainly tell we have returned from the Meramec and are taking on the new week. This weekend was pretty much exactly what I and we needed - time together doing fun things on an actual weekend. Most of the time I am breaking up our weekend with work of some sort and we really dont just get to hang.
This was good for another reason. If you stop by here very often you will know already, but if not I am here to make the announcement that Sam and I are ‘cooking up’ a little project of our own...

Yep, those silly rumors are true. In just a few short months there will be a little mini me of some version entering our world. I am truly excited, I imagine the feeling will only grow as time goes on but right now I am just riding the wave of euphoria.

But back to this weekend, we headed to the river with some good friends to have some good times. Saturday morning I got up and made some breakfast....

The meal was heavy but quite good, and it padded the bellies for the 4 hours we would be spending on the river.

Toward the end of the float the skies got dark and thunder and lightening started making their presence known. I began to paddle a bit, just to move us along and by the time we pulled up to our take out point the rain set in.
We took a little ride on a very old van back to our lodge and whipped up some fajitas for everyone to enjoy. After a nap and some drinks we put our feet up and watched the storms off in the distance. Im sure some of you here in como were getting the brunt of what we were watching pass by.
Sunday we got up, packed our bags and headed home to gather our pup and spend even more time together. It was by far the best weekend ‘getaway’ I have had in a very long time. Family and friends generally make for good company and this was no exception.

So as Sam and I prepare for ‘sweet baby reeves’ there is sure to be a lot of pictures popping up here that resemble a peanut more than a baby so just bear with me and remember I still post tasty stuff here. Im also sure I will be on the bike in the weeks to come so there will be a lot of blurry photos of the trail/over the shoulder photos of my ugly mug.
Not to leave you without your dose of silly/awesome (not quite sure which one) I present you with this gem - which I think is from ‘adventure time’.

(also kind of my motto)

2011-06-23T22:32:00.001-05:00

the weather has turned nice the past few days and i am enjoying every minute of it.

I got to ride again, and have been steady running at least 3-5 days a week. this means i am finally coming around and my legs/lungs are improving to the state they were a while ago. anyway, it means running is becoming that much more enjoyable and with a lot of other things going on it allows me to really de-stress at the end of the day.

yes its true i have, yet again, bought a new vehicle. my jeep was really giving me a hard time and starting to really get to that 'lemon' stage. plus there is another reason that 'drove' me to getting back in a car but i will hold off for a bit longer before the reveal...

my brother-in-law is in the army and lately he has been doing very impressive things. he has been competing in a series of events which determine the best army man in the U.S. he competed earlier in the year and won the whole thing for his area. recently he has been in florida and up north in wisconsin (i think, might be another state) competing for the national - if you will. he made it through the first couple rounds, but tonight i guess broke his finger in some hand to hand combat and unfortunately lost. he is out of the competition but i am so proud of him. it may sound odd to say that but this guy has really shown what kind of fortitude he possesses lately and my hat is off to him.

i, luckily, have this weekend off and will be taking a little trip. the wife and i are going to join a couple others and do some floating. this is how i will be driving on the way to our destination...

to say i am excited is a bit of an understatement. have a good weekend everyone!

Two times in three days

2011-06-14T20:10:00.000-05:00

The last few weeks have been jam packed with work related stuff. Weddings, parties, graduations and oh yeah more weddings. Toss in a two day trip to Iowa to see Curtis Stone and I have been stressed/worn completely out. I have never really felt like I need a vacation but lately that has been my mindset.

Fast forward to this week and things are slowing down quite a bit. Our store kind of chills out over the summer with students being gone and people in general spending time away and out doors. With my schedule trailing off I have had some more time to do something other than run. I have been on my bike twice in the last three days which has been beyond wonderful....

Both days I headed out to big tree via the MKT. Seeing as I have been off the bike for well around 2 months I figured I would opt out of any hilly terrain and just work on my spinning and fitness. Sunday was going well until my rear end got squishy..... Uh I mean I had that familiar feeling of an air leak in my rear wheel.

I walked my sorry bum home, as I didnt pack a patch kit, tube or any type of air device. I figured being on the trail would mean I was safe, but alas my heft caused a pinch flat.

I went for a run yesterday and rode again today. Needless to say I am feeling much less stressed. The past few days have washed away the nerves/jitters that were swirling around. Funny how a bike can do that huh? That is what I love about it: one day it causes some serious agony, but on others it takes away the agony.

I have also been making some really tasty food...

Iowa and Back

2011-06-10T08:11:00.000-05:00

after a supremely busy couple weeks at work, things are finally calming down. it all came to a head earlier this week with my trip to and back from Iowa. I was one of 15 chefs in the company asked to drive up to corporate headquarters, prep some Curtis Stone recipes and then demo them at the launch of his program in front of 2200 people.
First, however I had to cook fajitas at a wedding out at cedar creek lodge...

I cooked all these before I went out, as the wedding was for over 200 people

The fruit, salsa and quesadilla display

The evening went well and everyone walked away happy. That being said it turned out to be a late night and at 5am the next morning I tore myself out of bed and hit the road.

I played around with the colors on this but, this is a lot of what I saw for 5 1/2 hours

This was our set up for the demo. We did vegetable fritters.

These cheesy things were everywhere (I wish I could get some of myself made and plant them all over columbia)

Shaun Johnson, Curtis Stone and one of our VP's. I got to be a taste tester for the first and last person's attempt at fettuccine bolognese

It was a good trip; I got to meet some other great chefs, shook curtis stone's hand and had a great time away from the store - although it was mainly on the road. things are moving a bit slower now and I welcome it with open arms for the time being - it is nice to relax for a bit.

2011-06-02T21:55:00.000-05:00

I just posted the dinner I made tonight here. It turned out pretty well, check it out if you like.

With the weather heating up I have been trying to run of a morning, but it typically takes a few tries before I can make it out of bed before 5 am to get going. Tomorrow I think I will try to hit the gym and run later in the day. I didnt get any miles in tonight as Sadye was really limping when we got home and after a trip to the vet it was 7 pm and dinner took another hour or so to prep and enjoy. This brings us to ten til ten and if I try to run now I wont get to sleep until at least 2 am. So I will try again tomorrow....

And now for something visually appealing, at least in my mind.

(a simple study I did for an auction later this month)

And something very visually unappealing...

(these little freaks are super odd/weird/quite repulsive, and I just cant get enough of them)

Im off to Iowa in a few days so stay tuned as I will hopefully have some candid snapshots of this dude on my return. Hopefully this time I wont chop the crap out of my finger why Im up there.

stay tuned

2011-05-26T21:49:00.000-05:00

so i got caught in the rainstorm on tuesday...

(the hair straightener helped though - really)

yesterday, before the storm, i crunched my way across my drive with these little buggers everywhere....

they really are everywhere

after the winds passed and i made my way through today, i taught a grilling class in which i produced this little bowl of heaven...

(grilled bananas with vanilla ice cream and homemade butterscotch drizzle)

and even before the dessert i grilled all this wonderful goodness for my vegetarians in the crowd. the meat eaters seemed to enjoy the vegetables as well.

that pretty much sums up my last few days, other than the run here and there my life is relatively boring right now. at least i get to work with lots of cool food everyday... i am such a nerd.

traveling

2011-05-21T07:50:00.000-05:00

so my company has teamed up with a certain aussie heart throb, housewife loved celebrity chef as a new ad campaign spokesman. this means that he has put together a lot of new recipes and created quite a stir for those in my position at the various stores. obviously i am excited, not for the eye candy, but for the opportunity to really mix things up and the possibility of meeting a celeb chef.

i may get my chance as i was chosen (1 of 15) chefs in our great company to go to Iowa in a couple weeks and recreate his recipes for a 'curtis stone kickoff' which all the managers and directors from each store in the company will be attending. i have a wedding the day before that i have to cook at then turn around and spend 5 1/2 hours on the road to Ames to prep then the big day. the kickoff is apparently going to a big party that i get to be a part of in some small part and i am excited for that in itself.

so keep your eyes peeled for his smiling mug on your tv, as the ads have started, and i will update with photos as the event comes and goes.

2011-05-18T21:36:00.000-05:00

i started a food blog here. it will just be me talking about a recipe with some photos to accompany said recipe. check it out if you want, let your friends know or just stop by to tell me your favorite foods. in fact if you have something you want to see let me know, i am open for all suggestions. anyway see you there!

you know what

2011-05-17T20:45:00.000-05:00

since i have been running so much lately i have been able to flush the stress of the longs days away and think about things that make me smile and keep me going on said days. last night as i was making my way around my short loop i started thinking about how people say "so and so is the most special person/best person in the world"
most of the time they are referring to the special someone in their life, but when it comes down to it everyone cant have one person that is the best in the world - otherwise there really is not best. now i know this is a matter of semantics and what the idea behind the words is to mean is closer to "so and so is the best person in my life".
these are the things i think about as i run, and i have got the best person for me waiting at home on those long days. she, for whatever reason, fits so well with me. sometimes we get at each other and other times it may seem like we are completely different but when you really break it down we are just two weirdos that really love one another.....

(she may leave me bruised for sharing this)

i mean otherwise how could the two of us get along on our own. secretly she is just as crazy as i am and that is what makes it all work out. i am crazy all the time and she keeps me in this plane of existence while in those time when comedic relief is needed i am there to make her smile and forget about the person who just spent the better part of the afternoon taking their frustrations out on her over the phone. when i come home, no matter the incompetence i have dealt with in the kitchen, she is there and simply melts the frustration away with a hug and lounging about.

most of the time she is the queen of all things academic, as i tend to be so 'out there' i only get things right 1/4 of the time-granted i do use google to it full potential to make sure she is not the wrong one, because when she is i do a dance that can rival that of the happiest monkey. anyway, today came a moment for that happy dance....

(totally owned by my corn-i-ness)

thats right that is my triple word with 'z' falling on a triple letter allowing me to smash her with 111 points! now i know this is only my 1 in 4 times of besting her and that it will be a while before it happens again but i am basking in the glow of all my points at the bottom of the screen.

moral to this story, samantha is the bomb-diggity. for me she is the best fit: in my world she is numero uno and no one can hold a stick to her title. i only hope i can give her the happiness she has brought me in return.

sunday funday

2011-05-15T17:02:00.000-05:00

its sunday again and of course its raining. thats ok though, because after working quite a lot this last week i am taking time to enjoy the laziness that comes with cool rainy days. MU graduated this weekend, as most everyone knows which means the catering business was very busy. but i am not going into that here.

i recently aquired a garmin forerunner 405CX and am loving it. i have wondered about heart rate monitors/gps devices with regards to training and tracking my progress. recently with my heart palpitations and trying to train for some longer distance running i decided it was time to get in the game. with this device i can get by the minute heart rate readings (which as everyone knows can help me from redlining too soon and make for better runs and overall better training) and most importantly to me - i can track my pace and distance in real time. no more going home and mapping it out then pecking in the numbers from my $5 timex. anyway being able to push one button and then run as far and wherever i want allows me to completely forget about everything and just go.
the software is pretty good, it has the bare essentials (pace, speed, max heart rate, avg heart rate, assumed cals burned) and a couple other things. i dont need a whole lot of numbers just enough so i can work toward a goal and have a bit of guidance. hopefully i will continue to improve on my numbers and by the time september rolls around i can run a 15k in kansas city - something i havent done for about 5 or 6 years (run a 15k).
i can use the forerunner on the bike as a heart rate monitor and gps but will have slightly less numbers to go by, still it is more than i had before.

in my kitchen world this week i taught an ethiopian class. it turned out better than i imagined but sadly i only got a few pics of the ingredients and only one real nice one...

(red lentils)

i made mesir wat - which is a vegetarian dish that is based with red lentils and ends up being really hot. i was worried i wouldnt like the food i was about to make but i was quite mistaken. it was surprisingly good and not overwhelmingly hot - it was the best mix of full flavor and a heat that just slowly built as you moved through the other two dished - a chicken doro wat and a side called iab. the class really enjoyed everything as well. now that i have gotten my feet wet i think i will do a lot more research and have another class where i really try some authentic stuff.

(lavender)

for everyone being so brave, i wanted to reward them. i saw, in our bulk section, some lavender flowers and decided to make lavender creme brulee. since it was on a whim i wasnt sure i could get them done in time, as they tend to be a fairly time consuming dessert and need a couple hours to set before you can dig in. i knocked them out quick though (the smell of lavender was thick in the club room which was a great side effect), and had them cooling in enough time to serve them by the end of the class. when i told my people what they were getting a collective cheer went up and they all devoured the brulees in no time flat.

(kiwano)

finally, Paula V. our dietician was holding a cooking class with some interesting fruits. the only one i had a chance to stop by and snap a pic of was this kiwano. they are amazing little tropical fruits that she tells me have the taste of a kiwi and a cucumber. i always see this fruit in the produce but have never taken the time to play with it at all - i think i would like to make a dessert or a cold soup out of them. have you or anyone you know made and good dishes with kiwano?

and i am back

2011-05-11T17:34:00.000-05:00

we, as of today, have an internet connection again. its quite an exciting time here at the reeves' residence. we were making our way just fine but now sam is getting very busy and i am thinking of going back to graduate school - thus the need for a connection at home. not to mention the fact its nice to be able to watch some stuff other than nbc or abc and we now can use netflix again! its the little things i guess.

at work things are not going as well as i had hoped. the catering business is beginning to make me highly dislike my position. i have come to realize that without the right people under you things get ugly quick. i dont really have any control over the people so i am just hobbling along as best i can.
its come to the point where i am ready to help the store find someone else to replace me. i know this is quick and it pains me to even consider this but i just am not cut out to pick up everyones mess and stress myself to the max while they dont think twice. furthermore i feel, now more than ever, my place/best spot in the store is best as chef. my classes are going quite well and when i told my regular attendees i was moving to every other week they groaned and were disappointed. i miss working in all of the departments and being on the floor demoning and talking with customers - basically i miss what i came to the store to do. as soon as our store director gets back from his vacation i am going to have a heart to heart with him, i only hope it goes smoothly.

on another note i did teach a class on monday. a sushi class.

it turned out to be a great night. a young mom put it together and invited 5 of her best friends for a ladies night out and i was happy to attend to their needs. i had our chinese department manager help me, as he has sushi training, help me and everything went well. the ladies were super excited at the end and were even ready for another class as soon as i get it planned.

other than that i havent done too much lately. i did get a saturday off in order to run the jay dix 10k. i have been doing a bit more running recently and it lead to a top ten finish overall and 2nd in my division.

since i dont have the time i would like to ride, i have been pushed back into running and am loving it currently. i plan to keep on and hopefully by september i can run a 15k in kansas city.

just going to leave this here....

2011-05-02T10:03:00.001-05:00

As it seems somehow appropriate for my tigh pant wearing two wheeled
riding brethren... or something like that

digital art

2011-05-01T11:20:00.002-05:00

usually i dont really care for completely digital art, but these few pieces are pretty cool.

the whole portfolio is here, however these are really the only ones i like. its is too bad, however, that they are not actual paintings - would make them that much cooler.

2011-05-01T10:48:00.001-05:00

Whew wee it has been a few days… A few busy days. As I have taken on the new, more ‘responsible’, position I have also taken on a lot more, well, responsibility. Each day has become unimaginably more full; imagine cruising along then bam all of a sudden you have the schedule of a whole other person to deal with. It is something that I imagine will smooth out as I get the hang of everything.

I know this sounds a lot like a kid with a new bike whining because its not shiny enough, but I assure you I don’t mean it to be. I am very excited to be managing the catering that comes in and out of our store, but as I said before it will just take a bit to get used to the new craziness that is the position.

The days have been jam packed with prepping caterings, and getting all the things each person needs for their event. I get to deliver a few here and there which is nice as I really enjoy that interaction with the public.

Of course I am still teaching classes here and there, in fact I just taught another Thursday night. It started out with a kiwi spring roll, but due to a lack of ripe fruit it became a strawberry spring roll….

Then I moved on to a spinach risotto with sautéed turkey breast…

(not the best pic)

And finally I made a lemon loaf that really hit the lemon lover in me right in the smacker. There is lemon zest and juice in the loaf itself then a glaze on the bottom made of lemon juice and a bit of sugar. Finally I finished it off with a lemon icing, which I tinted green to go along with my ‘green’ theme for the evening…

This week at the store is ‘springtime party’ which is a way for us to do a spring clean all around the store and share our excitement with our customers for the upcoming spring/summer season. We choose a theme and run with it, this year was ‘green’ and so we have frogs and lots of green things all over the store. In coordination with this we also planned a ‘ride’ in the store to raise funds for JDRF (juvenile diabetes research foundation) in which every employee has the chance to ride for 20 mins on a bike to raise money. I volunteered my bike and signed up for three spaces, so of course I had to represent in the store…

Yep I am wearing tennis shoes but happily cheesing it up to bring in the money money moooney!

Finally after a very full day Thursday (riding for an hour in the store and teaching a class shortly after) I made my way home to relax with my beautiful wife and wonderful little pup – this is what met me on my way out the door….

Thursday was a really nice day.

Busy daze

2011-04-20T12:47:00.002-05:00

I officially took over the catering manager position on monday this week and boy has it been a doozey. I had to fight some minor fires from Sunday caterings and got rolling on the week. Then I had a tasting for a wedding and a tasting for a party that coming up this weekend. I was out of the store most of the day yesterday and we had a couple mishaps so I come back today with arms swinging to fix those issues.
Overall though the job is a lot of fun, however I dont have nearly the time to mess around with recipes and whatnot like I did before. Hopefully, though, as I progress and get things running smoothly I will have a bit of time to mess around like I used to. I am still teaching classes but have pushed them back to every other week for the time being, just until I get my training done.
Other than that things are good, I have had a renewed drive to run more than ride and have been out there as often as possible. I did get out for a big tree the other day though which was quite nice. The only worry I have right now is this little fluttering deal I have going on with my chest/heart. So far I am writing it off as stress and anxiety of the new job but if it persists I am going to have to wear a monitor and get some sort of diagnosis.
Really though, everything is pretty good; its finally spring time out and the days are long, warm and full of that ‘new season’ smell - i love it! The longer days mean Sam and I can spend our evenings on the deck talking about our days and walking with sadye around the neighborhood. It also brings little gems like this that I found online today....

Lastly I am always looking for ‘campy’ food ideas that border on the ridiculous - just because - and I also ran across this....

(Bacon Roses)
I know what I am getting Samantha the next time I send flowers.

New position

2011-04-13T10:08:00.001-05:00

So as some of you may know, considering my life revolves around the “face books”, or not I am now the catering manager for our store out on Nifong. My interview must have gone well, even though I know now there are things I need to focus on and make sure I improve upon.

Monday I came in fully expecting to work until Friday before having an answer on this topic and unexpectedly our store manager sat me down and told me the good news. We talked a little about everything and then he informed me I will officially begin this coming Monday. So if you out there ever have a need for some goods dont hesitate to give me a call

***shameless self promotion now over***

My lovely and wonderful wife surprised me on Monday night when I got home with a ‘celebratory’ dinner at the place of my choice. Of course since we both love Sycamore that is where we headed to. Our dinner started with the tasty spinach salad...

Then I had the Legacy Beef rib-eye with truffled steak fries and house made steak sauce. Sam had the smoked trout and pickled red onions, but I didnt have a chance to snap a photo of that...

Finally we ended with some decedent desserts. The first (Sam’s choice) was a Toffee Sticky bread pudding type square of goodness with Sparky’s Ice Cream. I had the Coconut Creme Tart with a sauce that escapes me at the moment. The point is however, that they both went from what is below to simple crumbs in less than 10 minutes.....

We dont go out too much like this by ourselves, seeing as we are pretty well strict to our budget so it is always a treat. Monday night was extra ‘treat-y’ just because of the good news I brought home with me, the fact that spring is upon us in full force and that today we are at a place that I couldnt imagine just a few months ago. (prepare for super gushy sentence) I am just so lucky to have Samantha in my life and I understand now how important she is in/for my life.

On another note the annual Jay Dix run is less than a month away, and I am now registered. I didnt do it last year because I had just begun with my store; this year I plan on running my buns off - maybe I can even come close to my PR although I doubt it seeing as that came in a time where all I did was run and paint - my how the times have changed...

Interview

2011-04-09T20:59:00.003-05:00

This week I had an interview-it has to do with that "big news" I've been alluding to. At the store our catering manager has moved into another position leaving an open space for someone. I thought about it a while and decided to throw my hat in the ring. After a couple weeks of waiting the big day came on Friday.
I sat down with our store director and the manager of perishables for about an hour or so and chatted about everything involved with the position. Obviously we discussed the details there in and the expectations for the next catering manager.
All in all I think it went pretty well, if I get the position I have a big job ahead of me and a lot of time spent at the store, but I plan on streamlining the whole process so I can spend time with my wife and on my own out running or riding.

Speaking of, I made it out to do a big tree loop on Saturday.....

Also had the whole weekend off to spend with the family....

And

Basically I feel pretty good after this weekend.

Thoughts

2011-04-03T00:17:00.001-05:00

“Anxiety is love’s greatest killer. It makes others feel as you might when a drowning man holds on to you. You want to save him, but you know he will strangle you with his panic.”

I ran across this the other day but couldn't find an author for credit. Regardless it is a very real sentiment. I think in the wrong relationship or the wrong mindset this can really be the case. The thing to remember, in my opinion, is not to under estimate the strength of the other person. If you are truly in love all the other wants to do is help make it through the rough times. Those times may be numerous and may cause a lot of "changes in plans" but it's the times of joy that keep up going.
Think about work- there are lots of hard situations you have to push through and adapt to; you don't just jump ship and get another job because there is struggle. In my experience you lower your head and push on, trying to learn and grow.
I have a lot of problems with anxiety which have caused problems and not allowed me to experience some things I really wanted to. It has put some strain on sam and myself but I am trying to learn tricks and ways to not allow my mind to take over and she has been open to me when I do start to get anxious. I don't want to have those problems but she is part of the reason I remain strong and why I want to work through the issue. I'm sure it's hard to think it's not personal toward her but she does a good job separating it.
Anxiety is a pain in the butt and hard to deal with, but with the right people around it can be bearable-even in the hardest of times. All I have to say is that while it sometimes seems like saving a drowning man we still need to be loving because it may be that next 'save' that makes it all worth it or at least send him down the right path. Go ahead and brave the water, if you are strong you can save more people than you think...

To all the ladies out there

2011-03-29T13:56:00.001-05:00

A Nike ad I ran across..

You were born a daughter.

You looked up to your mother.

You looked up to your father.

You looked up at everyone.

You wanted to be a princess.

You thought you were a princess.

You wanted to own a horse.

You wanted to be a horse.

You wanted your brother to be a horse.

You wanted to wear pink.

You never wanted to wear pink.

You wanted to be a Veterinarian.

You wanted to be President.

You wanted to be the President’s Veterinarian.

You were picked last for the team.

You were the best one on the team.

You refused to be on the team.

You wanted to be good in algebra.

You hid during algebra.

You wanted the boys to notice you.

You were afraid the boys would notice you.

You started to get acne.

You started to get breasts.

You started to get acne that was bigger than your breasts.

You wouldn’t wear a bra.

You couldn’t wait to wear a bra.

You couldn’t fit into a bra.

You didn’t like the way you looked.

You didn’t like the way your parents looked.

You didn’t want to grow up.

You had your first best friend.

You had your first date.

You had your second best friend.

You had your second first date.

You spent hours on the telephone.

You got kissed.

You got to kiss back.

You went to the prom.

You didn’t go to the prom.

You went to the prom with the wrong person.

You spent hours on the telephone.

You fell in love.

You fell in love.

You fell in love.

You lost your best friend.

You lost your other best friend.

You really fell in love.

You became a steady girlfriend.

You became a significant other.

YOU BECAME SIGNIFICANT TO YOURSELF.

Sooner or later, you start taking yourself seriously. You know when you need a break. You know when you need a rest. You know what to get worked up about and what to get rid of. And you know when it’s time to take care of yourself, for yourself. To do something that makes you stronger, faster, more complete.

Because you know it’s never too late to have a life. And never too late to change one.

JUST DO IT

Wholy moly

2011-03-27T22:14:00.002-05:00

This painting is blowing my mind...

The color, the size, the composition (in your face-y-ness) and the freaking rendering of the robes!! I had a long successful day and to see this as I'm relaxing makes me feel so bad to not be painting. At the same time though I just get completely lost in the painting-something that doesn't happen too much when I see others stuff. I've talked about it before but painting is the one thing that I can absolutely dissolve into and lose all perception of my surroundings/time and just be. This painting makes me feel the same way, it's really wild.

Also this is what I did today when I talk about feeling successful...

Layed down some prefinished hardwood in our bedroom that we have planned on doing for a while-so glad to have family with tools that allow me to do this instead of hiring some random 'dude'.

Spring fling

2011-03-25T14:22:00.002-05:00

Last night was the ‘Spring Fling’ class. I think it went quite well: there were a total of 6 items up for sampling and demoing. I started with a spring mix salad with roasted shallots, sliced avocado, an avocado vinaigrette and Parmesan crisps...

Then I cook some Parmesan encrusted chicken breasts over a bed of spinach and roasted red pepper orzo. This one is probably one of my all time favorite easy and light recipes - its chicken with a touch of cheese and simple pasta with fresh spinach and the sweetness of roasted red peppers....

For those looking for something other than chicken I made another dish: citrus sauteed swai over mango salsa served in a green pepper ‘boat’. This is a fun recipe as well, since I played on the fish theme with the boat of a pepper and the part that really sets it off is the mango salsa - an idea that comes from my time working at the Wine Cellar downtown.....

I finish off my portion of the evening with a lemon-thyme cheesecake with a gingersnap crust and a Madagascar chocolate ganache. Its a ricotta based cheesecake with a subtle lemon flavor and hint of thyme (as I infused honey with the thyme) baked over a crust of ginger snaps. In all reality though the crust was a little over powering so maybe next time I will substitute half ginger snaps and half graham cracker crumbs. I finished it with a chocolate ganache made with a local chocolate called Patric - its made by a guy here in town and makes for some fantastic ganache....

Then Paula and her intern made a yogurt parfait and a strawberry pineapple daiquiri. I didn't get a chance to sample them but the class said both were very satisfying. Like I said all in all it was a good class and a good time had by all - next week bring my ‘gourmet on a budget class’ so that is one to look forward to.
I am also still waiting on that news I spoke of to come my way and as soon as it does I will clue you in - stay tuned!

The Crossing

2011-03-25T12:56:00.001-05:00

This week saw the conclusion of our ‘discovery’ class at the crossing. It is a class that each potential member has to take in process to becoming a member. Being that we are now on the other side I can say it was definitely a helpful aid in the process. This class taught me a lot about what I was missing the last 14 years and really drove home the ideals and mission of the Crossing.

The class was 6 weeks of learning what exactly it is the Crossing believes in and how that affects each and every members lives. It allowed me to decide whether or not I wanted to be part of the church and by the end I really did.

Tuesday night we had a membership ‘interview’ which was more of a conversation between myself, Sam, one of the pastors (Dave) and a church elder. They got to know us a bit then actually asked some challenging questions. The hardest for me to answer was: ‘If you die today and are standing at the gates of heaven, and God asks you - why should I allow you in?... how do you respond?’ This is extremely difficult for me to answer and especially before the pastor I feel a close connection to - so I did what I could, answered honestly. I told him that this is as new to me as swimming for the first time - I have a faith that I will make it where I am headed but I honestly don't know anything right now and this is the beginning of a long journey for me. I wouldn't know how to respond because I am just getting back into a life/mindset that is open to faith. I only know that each week I come back I feel a little bit closer to those around me and especially my wife. Each week when I leave I feel fulfilled and have a drive to continue to come back and carry on my way. This is something that has never happened before with a church or any other belief system - I never felt this strongly when I was in my ‘non-believer’ daze.

This was the best I could do at the time and I think the two giving the ‘interview’ saw the sincerity and understood what I was trying to convey - which is nice to know that even though I may not be as articulate as I need to be they can still understand my stance.

Wednesday we had a new members dinner and then a private worship service and a very intimate communion. It was a moving evening and as I signed the membership form (a technicality really) I felt a constant rush of emotion and gratitude for the members, pastors and especially my wife for allowing and bringing me to a place that has assisted me in finding a path back to faith. With all the hardship Sam and I went through in the recent past it was nice to know that now we are on track for a stronger relationship with each other and God.

I love my wife very much and can say beyond a doubt she is the best person I’ve ever known and that this whole process has been the most influential of my life so far - I am forever grateful she gave me the chance to share it with her, and that she wants to continue on our way together.

Its a DMB kind of weekend/sunday

2011-03-20T15:09:00.001-05:00

One sweet world

Nine planets surround the sun
Only one does the sun embrace
Upon this watered one
So much we take for granted

So let us sleep outside tonight
Lay down in our mother's arms
For here we can rest safely

If green should turn to grey
Would our hearts still bloody beat
If a mountain tumbled away, river dried
Would it stop the stepping feet

Whoa, let us sleep outside tonight
Lay down in our mother's arms
For here we can rest safely
(Whoa, yes we can)

Take all that we can get
When it's done
Nobody left to bury here
Nobody left to dig the holes
And here we can rest safely
{Oh, yes we can, in blood and water)

One sweet world
Around this star is spinning
One sweet world
And in her breath I'm swimming
And here I will rest in peace

Squirm

2011-03-20T13:41:00.001-05:00

Please find your place when the room grows scarce,
Once we’re all inside the service can begin.
For a moment if you please forget what you believe.
And naked you will see that we are all the same.

The power of your kiss, your words, your lips,
Your flesh, your bones, exactly what you need.
Your flesh, your bones, exactly what you need.

(Drum beats louder)
(Drum beats louder)

Why should I feel intrusion?
Why be afraid of what we do not understand?
To eliminate exclusion.
Cut out the differences, you feel like you belong.
Drum beats louder,
Drum beats louder,
Drum beats louder,
Drum beats louder.

Open up your head,
Open up you primitive.
Open up your mouth, and…

Open up your head,
You’re sweet primitive,
Open up your mouth, it’s comin’ out.

Out there, no food or drink,
How many days do you think you’d last on your diamonds and your pearls?
I’m not a king, no, not a hero, not a fool,
I’m not perfect, I’m flesh and bones,
And I’m exactly what you need.

Drum beats louder.
Drum beats louder.

Open up your head,
Open up you primitive,
Open up your mouth, and…

Open up your head.
You’re sweet primitive,
Open up your mouth, it’s comin’ out.

Open up your head,
Scream, sweet primitive.
Tell me what you said.

But how your kiss, your words, your lips,
Not a gun to your head,
You’re gonna die before you’re dead.

Not sad, when you’re gone,
But when your light’s still out,
Your dreams won’t let you fly,
Don’t be dead before you die.
Hunger, ‘til fed, give love instead.
When it gets inside, watch the dead man squirm.

Above all things, if kindness is your king,
Then heaven will be yours before you meet your end

Open up your head
Open up you primitive
Open up your mouth, and…

Open up your head,
Open up sweet primitive,
Open up your mouth, it’s comin’ out.

Open up your head
Open up you primitive
Open up your mouth, and…

Open up your head,
Open up sweet primitive,
Open up your mouth, it’s comin’ out.

DMB

taste of the irish

2011-03-19T08:49:00.001-05:00

on tuesday i held a little pre patty's day dinner called taste of the irish. it was my chance to give some good ideas on the typical irish fare we see this time of year.
i made roasted potatoes, an open faced smoked corned beef sandwich on marble rye with Russian dressing butter sauteed cabbage and swiss cheese. this was all served alongside some roasted cauliflower with irish cheese sauce.

then i finished the night of with and irish coffee and some Guinness chocolate pudding with a Guinness infused whipped cream.

everything went well and was received - i myself dont really care for corned beef but smoking it made it beyond delicious.

on another note, i am working on this 'news' that is coming my way and once i have a bit more info i will definitely be sharing. until then though, you will remain in the dark.

At it again

2011-03-18T22:48:00.002-05:00

So it's been a little hectic around here lately but I'm back with evidence of my busy nights. I also have an opportunity building up right now but am not going to reveal it until it is more solidly underfoot-so you will just have to wait and wonder. Friday night I stated with some fish options for those who aren't eating meat right now.

(unfortunately it took a while before I snapped this so the spinach was wilting a bit)
(Swai fajitas!)

(scallops with orange saffron beurre blanc and steamed broccoli)
That was Friday night, then on Saturday I cooked for a group from our church and this was the result...
(butter bib lettuce with raspberry vinaigrette and feta spinach stuffed chicken with fig filled wild rice)
(fresh fruit tart)
So there you have it, photos of my recent creations. I have also been riding and running a lot, especially now that the weather has turned and that the time change is allowing me to be out later and actually see what I'm doing.

Illness

2011-03-11T12:31:00.001-06:00

Sam has had some type of a cold for several weeks now and I thought I was in the clear until now. It snuck up on me and finally has taken hold, making me feel a lot like this guy....

I just have to make it through the next few days, with two classes and a show, and I will have time to recover.
Tonight I am clinking for 20 and tomorrow it's shaping up to be right at 40. So once I have the evidence I will post tasty food pictures here. Until then enjoy some smoked baby back ribs and my version of Murry's blue chips cheese bread....

True/False

2011-03-08T09:35:00.001-06:00

This past weekend was jam packed full of sun shtuff. We started off on Friday night with a show at Jesse called RAIN (beetles tribute band).

This was very cool, I never really knew much about the beetles until I met sam. I know I'm sooo lame, but I just was never exposed to them and I guess developed tunnel vision some point along the way. Anyway Samantha, as wells a lot of her family, loves them so I have listened to most of the collection in the last few years - I even got to see a cirque du solei show in Vegas LOVE. As I was sitting there with sam Friday night ( and our buddies the Kershas) and saw her smiling and singing along I realized how good they really were. This seems like an unspoken truth but you know what it hit me how relevant their music still is 40 years later- that is the sign of a truly great group. Obviously many have already realized this but it is something that (as usual) I came to a little later than most and I thought I'd share.

Saturday we saw the movie "the interrupters" (a documentary about the violence in south side Chicago). It was a great documentary - as great as a film on such a difficult topic can be. It was also the first time I've been in the mo theatre since they remodeled.

Sunday we meant to hit up several more movies but each time one was about to play we had something else come up. We bought some new blinds for the living room windows (real exciting stuff I know) and then had some dinner plans with the family-a fair trade off if you ask me.
Yesterday I spent a lot of time getting ready for the two classes I'm hosting at the end of the week 1: fabulous fish on Friday and 2: spring time cooking o Saturday for a church group I belong to. I made a butternut squash tart ( kind of like pumpkin pie) and am trying to give it that spring kick.

We will see how it goes, I'm sure I'll upload some photos after it all. Also last night when I got home sam's orchid had a really great little bloom on it.

Now it's raining and sadye and I are watching movies and putting away clutter so I shall sign off...

Thursday night feast

2011-03-04T07:52:00.002-06:00

Last night I had my "thick Thursday" class and it was full of heavy foods:

Sweet potato coins with a bacon,roasted shallot and goat cheese topping..

Cowboy rubbed ribeye with chocolate stout pan sauce, sauteed asparagus and roasted purple potatoes..

And finished it with a chocolate stout chocolate cake with chocolate ganache frosting..

I think everyone had a lot of fun and the night went very well. Next week I am hosting a fish class and then a private party, should be some more good stuff coming soon!

27

2011-03-03T10:06:00.001-06:00

ok, so yesterday was THE day. i turned 27 and enjoyed the whole day to its fullest. i actually started tuesday around 2 pm by leaving the store and heading out on a little ½ big tree loop since the weather was absolutely amazing. since i have been running (mainly) and very little riding (think those guys who get pudgy during the winter) i knew i wanted to just take it easy and dust off the legs with a pretty smooth route. i rolled out to mcbaine and headed back on the trail.it was wonderful, i had a tail wind on the way back to town which of course made me feel good as it seemed i was just flying right along. once i got back i cleaned up and headed down to tellers for a launch party for Helen Wade - she is running for school board and my wife works with her and is on her committee. i got to enjoy a tasty Chimay, but as it began to get busier in there i snuck out and headed to broadway brewery for a couple double IPAson around 8 sam was done with her duties and the party was closing up shop so we decided to get my birthday dinner in a day early. of course my wonderful wife treated me to SYCAMORE! by far one of my favorite places in como. i had the filet with broccoli and a potato gallette - it was exactly what i wanted/needed.

yesterday, after the effects of my indulgences wore off, my grandma came to town and got me some birthday stuff and we had a little lunch at addisons to prep me for the epic (yeah right) ride with the benji.

benji and i headed out around 1:30 for a true big tree route, because thats about all i can handle right now, and he used a special ‘secret’ training device to add weight and give him that hardend edge we are all looking for...that right, it is a 2.5 lb ankle weight strapped around his seatpost - i like to call it his Howard county saddle cyst. anyway even with the extra weight he out rode my pathetic butt and we eventually parted ways as he wanted to tack an extra hour on and i just couldnt. then on the way back i had the worst bonk i have ever experienced. going up forum at the very end of my ride my legs shut off - it was so severe i had to get off my bike and walk the lactic acid out of them just to keep going.

i made it home though and recovered with a ton of peanut butter and my legs above my head - in a totally non awkward way of course.

all in all it was a great birthday and a day and a half of pure enjoyment. my wife also got me a gift that means more to me than anything and some tickets to the blue note for next week to see ryan bingham (if you dont know him look him up). she is by far the greatest woman i have ever known. i love her more than ever and am glad i got to spend so much of my time with her on this birthday.

2011-02-28T22:03:00.000-06:00

man, last week was crazy busy. on top of working for the ‘man’ i also helped my friend cater a private event in the home of local couple. they decided to host two parties during the week and asked us to prepare food for both. the first event was held on tuesday night and consisted of roast of beef tenderloin, roasted root vegetables, gingered carrots, a cheese plate and a chocolate tart to finish the night off.everything went very well and we geared up for the next one on thursday night, which was to be larger but a little more relaxed.

thursday we made more roasted root veggies, stuffed pork tenderloin, lima bean and pecorino cheese crostinis, blue cheese crackers with fig jelly and a pear tart. this also went very well, and very far into the night - 11 pm before we were ready to head out. upon trekking out to my jeep i realized it snowed a lot more than i thought! needless to say the drive home was pretty fun making tracks in the thick, heavy snow.

unfortunately since each event was in the privacy of a persons house i didnt take the time to snap any photos. however at work i made a mango cheesecake to sample for the tropical theme the produce department has going on right now.

then on saturday i made some bbq beef mini sliders.

all in all it was a good week, ill be it long but really good. my birthday (as mentioned before) is this week and on wednesday i plan on riding, just hope the rain stays away. and then on friday sam and i get to see RAIN a Beatles tribute band!

also i am looking to get rid of the besttop 2 piece hardtop for my wrangler, so if you know any jeep owners out there looking for this product (which they no longer manufacture) send them my way... suprisinggeometry@gmail.com

I promise to post pictures once I get back to using a real computer instead of this phone.

2011-02-23T17:37:00.001-06:00

as February draws to a close and march looms i am focused on one thing.... my birthday! i get a child-like kick out of birthday’s and this year isnt really any different. i plan on taking the day off and maybe even riding, if its not too cold. i might run, may do some drawing, and will definitely stop somewhere in the evening to enjoy food prepared by other people and ingest tasty foamy beverages.

above all this year i am going to reflect on what has happened since last years birthday. i plan on looking at what went right and more readily at what went wrong. i want to sit back and examine where i made mistakes, in order to learn from them and make this (my 27th year) better. i have written at length about my beliefs (religious and personal) and i plan to continue the path i am following.

i am also looking at my cycling life. i think i have made an interesting conclusion, i am only ever going to be a weekend warrior. i will still strive to keep up with the big boys but the days of want/having more than one bike are behind me. with the cross bike i got over christmas i plan to ride road, gravel and commute. my career and family are more important to me and right now they take precedence over riding - plus since i have been running a lot more lately i find i am falling back in love with that as well. this doesnt mean you wont see me out on group rides, or sitting in the cake shop with an exposed belly and german chocolate crumbles in my man-boob-cleavage. it means when i come out it will be for pure enjoyment, aka i may not be able to keep up or might peel off sooner than i would before. racing isnt alluring to me anymore and i am just content to come out and be in the company of guys i look up to in the local peloton. i will race now and then but it will be in foot races and duathlons.

my personal life is a story for another post but for now i will say i continue to work on things everyday and strive to strengthen my relationship with my wife above all.

i hope i can grow and progress this year as much as i have these past few months.

2011-02-19T23:30:00.002-06:00

I'm just going to leave this here:

Ran across this group and fell instantly for the music they are making. I hope you enjoy/check them out.

lately

2011-02-11T22:39:00.000-06:00

the last two days have been fun and busy. yesterday i presented a class (with paula and two other gals) on gluten free cooking. i posted some pictures before, of the cheesecake i made, but here are the other two dishes i whipped up. first, champagne shrimp risotto...

and as a starter, boursin cheese stuffed apricots...

tonight was the main attraction of the week, for me at least. with valentines day coming up monday i thought it would be nice to have a little pre v-day dinner. i sent out the menu and had a lot of response, so tonight with the help of paula, jessica and jodi i presented a roomful of folks with the following.

(goat cheese and fig compote crostini with balsamic drizzle)

(beef tenderloin with sauteed asparagus, caramelized onions, port reduction and flash fried Boursin cheese)

i also made a vegetarian option of handmade tomato basil ravioli stuffed with sweet potatoes and blue cheese - but of course i didnt get a pick of that snapped.

(triple chocolat tart with pomegranate reduction and chocolate drizzle)

everything went well and the people seemed to really like everything. i realized tonight that i really enjoy making food for people that puts a smile on their face and allows them to come together and have a great time. the people that came tonight we able to let loose, try some good food, sample a bit of wine and just have a good time.

i have also been snapping picture of the cold world outside the last few days...

Selling my Soma

2011-02-07T19:08:00.000-06:00

I am selling my Soma Smoothie. If you or anyone you know would like to buy it, please let me know. I didnt ride it that much (maybe 600 miles) so everything is still vury nice. Here is a link to a bunch of photos. enjoy

i forgot one

2011-02-06T20:35:00.001-06:00

this one is for sam.

rhett miller

2011-02-06T20:25:00.000-06:00

and for the 1st song i ever heard of his.

and now for the four eyed girl in my life...

top chef

2011-02-05T17:47:00.000-06:00

the rockbridge hy-vee 'top chef/iron chef' competition was held today. it was between myself and our service meat manager, jeff. we each had a bunker to fill with product and then had to present one dish to the public for sampling and voting. the competition also revolved around the merch in our bunkers and how much we sold of it. i think jeff was a shoe in for the second part because he has been with the company for 15 years and has a marketing degree.
he put together his bunker and this is what i offered up.....

if you couldnt tell by the giant piggy, the 'secret' ingredient was pork. I made handmade cannelloni stuffed with italian sausage, stuffed pork chops, bacon wrapped beef tenderloin, artisan flatbread (with bacon) and my own house made bacon. the dish i made 'for the public' was a bone in rib chop with wild mushroom ragout, boursin cheese and roasted cauliflower....

i presented this as my sample plate and gave out mini versions to the many passers by (the store was packed today). we also had a basket where people could taste jeff's offering (bacon wrapped pork tenderloin and pork and bacon burgers (which are the bomb digidy)) and mine then vote on their favorite. we had many samplers but only 12 who actually voted. this was a 'peoples choice' vote kind of situation. in the end i was victorious with 9 total votes, however i think jeff sold more as he had those pork and bacon burgers.

*side note* next time you are in my store stop by and check them out if you can, they are quite delightful.

in the end i may have had the votes but we both won, because each person that tried our offering went away happy. jeff had the down home style and i had the restaurant style. both dishes were amazing in their own way.

this morning, before the cookoff, i woke to an inch of snow on my jeep and some huge flakes falling from the sky. i tried to snap a couple shots but you cant really tell the size....

it was actually quite nice, even though im sure most people are tired of the white stuff. it was a nice beginning to a pretty fun saturday.

have a good weekend all.

renewal

2011-02-04T21:09:00.000-06:00

with all that is going on and our new interest in the church, i have come to the conclusion; i want to renew my vows with my wife. this time i want it to take place in a church with a preacher (or her grandfather, a retired minister) and only the closest family members around (i dont care if they dont always get along). i would like to walk through the doors with my wife and stand in front of the preacher/minister, our family and god and confess my love for the woman i married. i am growing to understand faith and what role it plays in my life. i think this is just another step toward that.

when sam and i were married we both wanted a 'jesus' free ceremony. this caused an amount of stress upon both our families that reached out even to the day of the ceremony.... 'they are doing it outside and not in a church?' to that i simply ask how much closer to god can you get than out in the nature he provided us? but that is a whole other topic. we made our decision based on how we felt at the time, but now things have changed. i want to honor the changes we have come through and sentiment it brings

i dont know if this matters to anyone else but it matters to me, which (of course) is why i share it with you, my faithful audience.

2011-02-04T19:50:00.001-06:00

i just want this to be here...

it is from a photographer that i have followed for a while. she is sometimes quite odd, but there are several times where the photos she takes and the images she reveals are astoundingly in the realm of things i am very drawn to.

the above photo is of a shadow cast on the side of a building. simple i know but the way the siding races off the left side and the shapes created by the shadow cast are oddly appealing to me. then i find myself deeply intrigued by the negative shapes where the sun is not obscured, and (also) the square windows interaction with the organic forms of the tree's shadow.

there is more 'art' in this snapshot (whether it is actually a snapshot i might argue) than there is in some of todays 'modern' gallery collections.

2011-02-03T06:25:00.000-06:00

So after sleeping a while I return with a bit clearer head. I realized it's not that I can't express what I'm thinking, rather I need to talk it out so I can better understand what I'm thinking. A lot of time the stuff in my noggin' is moving so fast it can become jumbled and hard for me to make sense of. That's when I need to talk it out with someone so that I can hear myself and so I can have an outside view of what I'm thinking. I need those fresh ears and different perspective to let me know if what I'm saying/thinking makes sense or if I'm just being dramatic or even if I'm dead wrong. There are those out there that tolerate and respond with me: one in particular and she knows who she is. I tend to be a very reactive kind of guy (and am working on chillin out) which may not be bad but when trying to deal with serious issues takes a lot of work in order to make things right.

i just dont know

2011-02-02T21:45:00.001-06:00

thats pretty much sums it all up. i dont know how to express myself in a cohesive manner; it seems every time i try to let something out i always find a way to skew it from what i am really trying to express. all i end up doing is causing confusion and most times it results in backward movement. i just dont know what to do to make myself clear.
i spend hours writing stuff down, trying to get it to come together but that too ends up like mumbo jumbo. i think it boils down to being too inarticulate, i simply cant find the right combination of words to express my true feelings. somewhere between my thoughts and my lips this little creature comes up grabs the words, shakes them like a game of yahtzee and spews them forward. all the parts are there but now they come out sounding: ungreatful, whiny, self-centered, boastful or just plain dont make sense.
i wonder if it is time to stop talking all together....
of course i cant do that because that would require a quieter mind, which frankly doesnt happen (especially right now). even as i type this i have so many more things going on. but for the sake of self preservation i will end it here.

lenny kravitz

2011-01-30T21:30:00.000-06:00

this is a great song..... too bad the video is so weird.

this is even better, happens to hold a special place in my life.... the song not the video.

2011-01-30T11:07:00.001-06:00

i am amazed. every week i have gone to the crossing i come back feeling really touched, i know that is kind of the point, but it still gets to me. with all the stuff happening in my life right now, sundays are probably one of the best days i have. i get to spend and hour and a half with my wife and in the company of other people and god.
today's message concentrated a lot around waiting. this is so relevant to my life right now its eery. there is a lot of waiting happening, and to sit there and listen to what Keith was telling us all and how it has to do with a life of spirituality and how we can integrate it into our everyday life i realized i am where i need to be (literally and figuratively).
i struggle with this new road to faith and each week i attend a service i feel my strength grow. two weeks ago, my first attendance, was so moving i was physically emotional. today was no different, as i drove away reflecting on the message and what it means in my personal life and spiritual life i found myself deeply moved. the waiting, in personal, is quite hard and i am working on that. the waiting, in spiritual, is equally as difficult and i feel like i made my faith wait as i stood by and slacked; it has begun to come back and if i wait i will find my way back as well.
i cant describe how right it feels to share these days with sam, it seems as though i have been gently guided by something toward this new part of my life. this may be god at work, and if so i want to know that i have embraced it with open arms. even when, during the week, i question i just need to remember and reflect on what it is to be in that church.
i am thankful to my wife for sharing this with me, i am thankful that she allows me to accompany her and that she feels confident enough to include me. i feel closer to her now and i want to grow with her as much as possible.
i dont know if what i type makes any sense, it does to me and in my mind; i hope whomever reads this can understand what i am expressing.

as for the rest of my sunday, turning now, i am going to my parents to meet up with some relatives from iowa to have a little lunch. then coming back to columbia to hit the gym and prepare myself for the pending snow storm. its crazy that we have the possibility for 15 inches in the next couple of days. i know the snow can cause problems, but i am always amazed by how beautiful it makes the world.

2011-01-28T01:47:00.000-06:00

i want to go to here.

the next few days will be insane.

its that time of the week again

2011-01-26T21:02:00.000-06:00

time for me to give you a photo dump and some badly written insight into my life....

there are lots of things happening at work; class and our newest 'thing' -- The 'Chef V Jeff' cook off. seriously here is the evidence...

look at the size of that knife!!

We are 'battling' next saturday (feb. 5th) at 1 pm if anyone is interested. stop by say hi and enjoy the special ingredient - pork.

as always ive been spending a lot of time before/as the sun goes up and down, and a lot of time on the snow trailways around como....

the vegetarian class is friday, i will take pics and update later until then though i present you with the apple gallette i made.

and amy made a set of brown butter chocolate brownies.

thats pretty much all i have right now. there is a LOT of other stuff going on but im not really in the mood to indulge. enjoy the quasi crappy photos and the really crappy writing. instead of looking at this, try coming to a class or coming to the store and sampling our great food.

keep riding or running - whatever strikes your fancy and ill see you out there.

2011-01-23T11:54:00.001-06:00

the beginning of this week found me preparing for a class that, ultimately, was snowed out (scheduled for thursday). but to you, my fine readers, go the pictorial spoils.

i started with an angus chuck roast with mirepoix, mushrooms, beef broth and wine. this was for a demo monday night that went well and from what i hear (i couldnt stay the whole time) was received nicely.

i also tested a gluten free chocolate chip cookie crust cheesecake. this is the first try, its tasted pretty good but was a bit overdone and didnt hold much of the 'cheesecake' taste....

this guy however, my second attempt, turned out much better: better taste, look and general over all cheesecake-ness.

The class didnt happen, and has been rescheduled. this next week i get to teach a vegetarian class. i havent decided on the menu just yet but i am sure you will get to see all the trials as i test and retest some new stuff. also if there are any ideas you have let me know, i would like any feedback on what i should make.

Lately i have been going to work when the sun comes up...

and going home as it goes down...

both events are beautiful and remind me (and makes me believe) we are not alone, as i once believed, rather looked upon.

this is my life right now, mixed in with a bit of happiness here and there and some running, spinning and lifting when i feel the need to release energy, in order to remain sane.

first time in a long time

2011-01-16T22:27:00.000-06:00

today for the first time in 12 years i stepped into a church. over the past few weeks you have read about my shift back toward faith and what it has meant to me. sam invited me today to experience it with her and i was cautious but curious. the last church i attended is in centralia and it never really meant much to me, thus the ease from which i drifted away.

today i went in with an open mind and nervous heart. i havent attended in so long that the concept made me generally nervous. i stepped into the church and took my seat. the feel of the room was inviting and as everything began i felt calmer. the service continued and the message touched a nerve. it was eery how the sermon for this sunday, fit perfectly into the questions/issues on my table right now. it may seem like that can happen each week but for me right now it is just what i needed to hear. i sincerely was touched and moved by my experience today and i was glad to share that with my wife. i plan to return next week and continue to grow my faith and follow the path emerging before me. its a long road back and i am ready for the journey.

cooking it tonight

2011-01-13T22:16:00.000-06:00

tonight was my first class since the break. its a new year so i taught a class about some healthy tasty options. Amy and Paula helped, and if i do say so myself did a fine job. we started out with amy's seeded flat bread, which was ever so crunchy and good (all it needed was a bit of soft cheese to set it off). then we moved on to a salad i put together, from a recipe in the produce department.

(mixed greens with oranges, red onion, slimcado and a cilantro-lime vinaigrette)

then i went on to make the short ribs, the ones from a couple posts ago, which turned out really well as i cooked them about an hour longer than before. after all this great savory food amy jumped back in with her homemade vanilla pudding and fresh citrus fruit salad.

(looks great and tastes better)

a couple guys that come to my classes on a regular basis, all the way from marshall mo, brought one of their latest culinary experiments. these guys grill and smoke just about everything and are always up to the challenge of something new (usually meat stuffed meat wrapped in spicy meat). tonight they brought me a bag choke full of turducken! being in the field i am in, you might not imagine that i have never tried one of these poultry packed gut stuffers, but alas this was my first time. of course these guys know what they are doing, and as always i was impressed. it was one of the best things i have tried that i have not paid for. these guys are serious foodies and just as good at what they do as any chef in a kitchen. i am glad to know them.

reflection

2011-01-12T21:56:00.004-06:00

has been the overall theme of my life the past few weeks. as i spoke before this has included reflection upon how faith affects me and what role it plays in my life. ive been reading this (as i have said just this morning) and am coming to the conclusion that some changes are now afoot.......

last night i was reading the beginning of the book, in which the author is describing the scene from which he is questioning a biblical scholar as to the validity of four gospels of the Bible (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). lee is pushing hard the assumption that those who actually penned the verses may have embellished what was actually happening and that in a society with such an oral tradition, how could we be sure there weren't overwhelming discrepancies from what actually happened. he was talking with craig blomberg, and mr blomberg raised some very poignant responses.

blomberg asserted that while the tradition of the day was oral, it was secure. this meaning that we have to remember there were no computers (obviously) but more importantly book, scrolls and papyrus were scarce. this seems pretty self explanatory but for whatever reason it never really registered with me. i had always questioned the validity of what 'some guy wrote down, from what another guy told him he saw'. it seemed a far cry from our set in stone, hard evidence society we live by now. i think we get so used to having a copy of every single important 'thing' we fail to realize there was a long period where people didn't sit around watching the tube, they shared stories from their elders. everything during this time was oral, so the observation powers and listening abilities of the public was much finer tuned than today. people took pride in telling the story of their savior, and if someone did get a little off the path those around would correct them in order to preserve the story.

the other problem i had before revolved around the fact that people who believe one thing may tend to make their story better in order to entice those listening onto their side. again, blomberg shed some light on the time period and asserted this: why would a group of people, who were being persecuted, embellish on something that would already get them killed for speaking of it. there is really no reason to make the stories more than what they were because speaking of them in the first place can get each person in trouble. this satisfied my need for validation, and was really just semantics compared to what i felt while reading.

reading about Christ and opening my mind to something that has long since been shut down has set off and entire new wave of emotions. i found myself overwhelmed with a new nervous energy, not in a bad way but in an 'excited for what is to come' way. the closest thing i can describe it to is when you work really hard for something, anything, and you finally find yourself holding that 'thing' in your hands. it is sort of a realization has come from diving back into something i had forgotten about.

while there is an energy that came from last night, it was also a peaceful feeling. like i have alluded to, in previous posts, i have been struggling with some issues and i am starting to feel a peace with this new examination of faith. i have opened my mind and heart to Christ and i am starting to understand what people say about how fulfilled the feel when they go to church or surround themselves with faith. knowing/searching for that presence which is out there brings peace to my soul and calms me. i am beginning to feel that through this process, i will be supported more than ever before and that opening up can enrich my life as well as the life i share with my wife. she is the most important thing in my life and if i feel great examining this new aspect of my life alone, i can only imagine including her in my journey as she travels down her path.

*this is something that can change our lives for the better and i am prepared to do just that - i can only imagine how much closer it will bind us.*

i have seen the effect it has on her and the peace it has brought to her. i can see what her faith has brought to her life and i can only hope that is something we can continue to share and build. i am ready to attend a service with her and find out what being surrounded by people in a similar mindset can feel like. i am interested in what being in that house of worship with everyone focused on the same thing can do to me. i want to know how i can make my life (and those around me) better by accepting faith back into my life.

i feel that all of this has come at just the right time. the struggles i am facing right now have left me weak and searching for some serious answers. through these new feelings and the acceptance of faith i feel like i can gain the strength to make it through. there will always be struggles and i am confident that with help from others i will pull through. like i said before, i always told myself that if one day that situation arose where i needed to step back and take in what was actually happening i would. i think this is that time and i am not about to let it slip by. i only hope that one day, after i have spent time leaning on others, i will have the tools to return the favor and help another in the same situation.

Prepare

2011-01-12T08:58:00.000-06:00

Yourselves, because when I get off work tonight I have some things floating around in my head concerning spirituality that I have to jot down. I read a big chunk of 'case for Christ' last night and made some headway, which stirs a whole new set of feelings in me. I will continue in a few hours. Happy Wednesday!

photos!

2011-01-11T10:37:00.000-06:00

after that last post i decided i needed some fancy pictures of the other things (outside my brain) i have been doing lately.

(working)

(walking)

(flowers for the Mrs.)

(painting)

(what im teaching thursday - short ribs with coffee and chilies served over bulgur wheat)

new year new you

2011-01-11T10:22:00.002-06:00

this is definitely the mantra this time of year, in fact the class i am teaching thursday is entitled just that. lots of people take this chance to re-examine where they are in many parts of their life. usually i just see it as any other year and maybe think about small changes i need to make, but this year is a whole different bag of wrenches. (that analogy makes no sense, but bear with me)

in the weeks since my last post changes have come in large sweeping blows around my life. lots of things happening and lots of emotions flowing out of me. this has left me sitting down and examining a slew of different topics at the forefront of my life right now. fiscal responsibility is one and my ideas on faith is another. there are some other things but for the time being i will keep those a little closer to my chest.

i used to think dave ramsey was a crock, i was completely unaffected by the ideas his books portrayed. more than anything i didnt feel like i needed a guy, making money, to tell me how to save money. turns out i was wrong. i realized that this man has some good things to say and has this process that can make you change the way you think about your finances. i was getting caught up in the fact he charges people in debt to tell them how to get out of it; but what i didnt consider is he is just like anyone else - he has a service that people pay for. this guy doesnt seem to be a flash in the pan cook, and upon actually reading and opening my mind to his ideas i have come to the realization that he indeed can help with my current issues. i felt lost in my path down the road of spending and stepping into the world of the grown ups. after i began working at the store i felt i was owed something for all the hard work, when in fact i should have just buckled down and rolled through things instead of floating around asking 'what about me?' selfishness has never been an attractive trait, and i always tried to steer clear of it but you know what? for the last half of 2010 that is all i was selfish - in every aspect of life, especially fiscal areas. i felt i needed all this stuff, and i didnt ever sit down and consider a the stuff i already had. did i need the newest coolest thing? no. this is what i am struggling to change at the start of this new year. i am working on changing my outlook on life and the things that i fill it with.

when i was in school i only had a certain amount of stuff and i got along just fine, but once i moved into our house i felt i needed to fill it up. real people with houses have lots of stuff right? no, but this is the idea i had - i needed to have stuff to keep up with what i thought i was (really important). but in the end i was important but not because of the shit i filled my space with, its what i filled my life with - love, caring, my wife, our little dog and the relationship we share. theses are really the only things i need. i have a bike (and this might make some of my two wheeled friends cringe) but dont need 4. i felt the need for a bike for every reason and every season; while cycling is a huge part of my life i am no where close to a racer (for petes sake i am only a cat 4, who only races a handful of times a year). the most i race is on foot or in duathlons, this by no means warrants my $5k bike i had or the new steely i just built up in june. i recently got the TCX1 and i have come to the decision it is all the bike i need. i have a wheelset for days like today and another for the summer roads. i am knowledgable enough to swap out those and the gearing is pretty close to right on.

instead of getting the latest gadget i need to get back to painting and work on all the stuff i have in varying stages of done-ness. i forget how i feel when i paint and how i can drift into the canvas and lose myself in music and the color on the end of my brush. in fact the name of this blog (experienceialism) is a made up word that my college roommate and i came up with to describe what my 'style' is and what my process is. my paintings are not only the image i make on them but a self portrait of what is happening to me at that time. in the course of a single painting i can see where i painted different parts on different days, by just looking at the brush strokes. this is especially true in my trees - depending on what is going on in my life my tree can become the prospering, booming figures or these isolated cold looking representations of my mood. the images i produce are a direct glimpse into my psyche (hows that for deep). when, however, i spend all my time immersed in technology i dont have to think about my feelings or stance on topics and thus my art and life (when i really think of it) struggles. so what i am trying to do right now is flush the useless things from my life and pare down my collection of stuff to just that which is absolutely needed. (if you want to put a bid in on my SOMA let me know).

the other thing i feel ok talking about to all reading this is my belief system. this is something that i really never spoke too much about to anyone but sam, for fear that my outlook would alienate me. i, for a long time now have not believed in god. i grew up in the church, was baptized there and about the time i went to high school started to question my belief and what the church meant to me. i would sit there and not feel anything. this carried on and when i got to college and enrolled in some eastern philosophy i was drawn to buddhism. what i realized then was, while this religion appealed to me, it seemed the same as before so i shut back down. for the next several years and all the way to just a few weeks ago i simply resigned to never examining my feelings or trying to reconsider any ideas. i even got worried when my wife started to re-evaluate her own ideas. instead of taking that chance do the same i shut down and it caused a rift to form. this 'rift' kept me from her and i have come to the conclusion that it is not worth it.

i have decided that with this new year i need to decide what exactly my feelings are on this subject, how do i feel about religion? when i asked myself this question i could not answer very well, but the one thing i could say is that i could no longer deny what i had for so long. in recent weeks i have had a lot of issues at my doorstep and little by little i am coming to understand that this may be the wake up call i have always been searching for. i told myself a long time ago that if a situation presented itself where i needed assistance (in terms of a greater 'thing') i would do what i could to accept that assistance. what i have begun to see is this time in my life might just be that situation. i think this is the time to search out for myself what part religion will play in my life. i need to know if i can enrich my relationship with everything, especially my wife, through faith. i recently bought a book that sam recommended to me by a guy named lee strobel. apparently he used to be an atheist and the book is his story back to faith. i didnt know anything about his story, only that sam told me as much as i just wrote. i have made it through the introduction and a little into the meat of the book, but the part that has spoken most to me so far is that introduction. in it he speaks of why exactly he started on his own journey. he explained when/how he lost faith then how, when his wife began her own search he was fearful of what was to come. this was eerily similar to my story and spoke to me on a gut check level. i know this might sound weird but it seems that this book may have dropped in my lap at just the right time. this is a journey that i need to travel on my own, but at the same time i hope to tread with sam. she has always been the woman who keeps my head out of the clouds and reigns me in when i get too crazy. she has her own struggles that one day i hope to be of help with.

my goal as i begin this new year is to work on these two things, as well as a couple other, and really examine where i am and where i want to be. all this while i maintain a working relationship with the woman i love and hopefully enrich her life as much as she does mine.

2010-12-24T17:54:00.000-06:00

its christmas eve and i havent been on here for quite some time. i have been busy with work and more importantly life. lots of stuff happening right now, and lots of changes coming in the future. but for our purposes this evening my post will be mainly photos and i shall return with writing sometime in the coming week or two.....

crazy week is crazy over

2010-12-18T10:22:00.000-06:00

this past week was that of total mayhem. as i mentioned before i spent last weekend making chocolate truffles in the amount of 500 for a 1200 person catering. thursday came and found me cooking 175 lbs of prime rib, 16 cases of chicken strips, 50 lbs of spinach artichoke dip and 60 lbs of meatballs. before that however i chopped loads of fruit and veggies so there could be a whole table of them upon setting up at the actual event....

(complete with phone to call in your comments)

at any rate it all turned out great except for on thing, the chicken strips. seeing as how we had to cook them all at the store and did not have any better way to keep them warm than industrial style insulated coolers they got soggy. as you can imagine sticking something hot into a container and closing it up tight, to retain the heat, will not allow all that steam to escape - thus producing (once crunchy) strips that are kind of blah and frankly squishy. other than that the spread turned out quite well...

it was exciting to be part of such a huge production, i have done large events before, and even worked my fair share of graduation, mothers day and easter events, but this i believe was the largest. lots of planning by our great staff and coordinated by the catering manager made it even better. hopefully we can do more of these in the future as it is major job security in my world.

last night was nice for a couple reasons: 1) it was a real friday night for me as i have all day today off 2) we got to hang out with the kersha clan and drive around looking at lights. we went to the newly relocated 'magic tree'...

it was a good evening wandering around and just slowing down to take in the aesthetics of the season. on a side note jonathan went to pick up some glasses and i accompanied him as the ladies were doing their own shopping. as he tried on his new specs, the lady at the counter turned to me and asked how i like them in that tone that alluded to our being a couple. needless to say it turned into a very funny story for our wives to hear once we met back up with them.

i had planned on riding the trail at some point this weekend but with my mom and grandma coming down to shop today, i told them i would tag along a few weeks ago, followed by sam's work party i may just get a quick run in. tomorrow, though, i only have to work for a little while and hope that i can get out there for a little bit before a beer tasting in the evening (in preparation for the one taking place at the store on tuesday night, which i am making food for)...

Ill be sure to let you know how it turns out.

baby its cold outside

2010-12-13T19:15:00.000-06:00

with the change in the week came a complete change in the weather - obviously...

but in the meantime i have been busy in the kitchen. i had a catering on saturday for a ladies luncheon for which i made some roasted potatoes and 4 quiche. there was spinach and portobello mushroom, roasted tomatoes and caramelized onion, roasted red pepper and italian sausage and finally mediterranean (olives, artichokes, feta and basil).

i dropped them off and was on my way. hopefully the day went well for her and she will have me cook for her again soon. but enough of that i had mushrooms to make...

they ended up being tasty also. it seems i opened a can of worms when i told our catering manager i would make stuffed mushrooms my way to see if she wanted to use them instead of what comes from the supplier. turns out she is fond of them, as too are the customers. i really like making them so its no biggie.

last night sam and i went to her family's house for some chili but since there was only hamburger chili on the menu i made one for her first....

sam liked it for the most part, except is was a bit too spicy for her. add in a little honey and a bit of water and all is better. of course i made a huge pot of it, so now that it really is 'chilly' weather out we have plenty.

lastly we are putting together a huge catering this week (1200 people) so part of my duties include cutting a lot of fruit and veggies and actually cooking the food on thursday, but i have spent the last two days rolling a little over 500 of these guys...

needless to say i am quite over chocolate balls.

since its pretty slick out and i always seem to spend more time on my butt, when trying to ride on the white stuff, than upright - i decided to run this evening. you would think that i would remember how challenging it is to run in the snow/ice since i do it each year, but that first time is always the hardest/fun-est. tonight was no different, but i would like to get back out on the trail soon on two wheels.

soups on

2010-12-08T20:32:00.000-06:00

is the theme for my class tomorrow so i spent today getting ready. but first things first, it was a chilly night last night...

and on to work. i have a menu of three soups: portobello mushroom bisque, tomato bisque and butternut squash & bacon soup.

they each start out in a similar way; onions, celery, sometimes carrots, 1/2 c butter and 1/2 c flour. from there on things differ a bit.

butternut squash and mirepoix

diced tomatoes and mirepoix (yes canned they are just as good)

portobellos and onion and celery (carrots are not needed in this one)

final butternut product (only i am going to swap the goat cheese and chives for a little piece of bacon tomorrow)

tomato final product (served with chive-d goat cheese)

portobello final product (served with sauteed asparagus)

i spent the day making these wonderful little soups as well as a chocolate truffle loaf, my surprise to class tomorrow. everyone of course gets to sample these as well as some toast points i will accompany them with. since its my last class of the year i am also raffling off a couple free class tickets for 2011. i hope everyone has as much fun as i plan on having.

in the morning, before i go in i think i will hop on the trainer for a while and spin the pain out of my legs. last night i did a jump rope routine i havent even thought about for over a year and spent some time beating on the heavy bag hanging in my basement. needless to say after only 15 minutes jumping my legs were tired and sore, even more so today. the other 30 minutes on the bag left my upper body whining this morning, but it was nice to just completely switch up everything i had been doing for something new. i like throwing new stuff in during the winter as its harder to get motivation, for me, for the same ol schtuff.

330th post

2010-12-05T21:55:00.000-06:00

since i dont have a better suiting title we will go with this.

on friday i cooked for a book club. its a group of ladies that get together each month and drink wine and talk about the book they were supposed to have read. i did a 3 course meal for them back in august and they wanted me back for their holiday version. this time i prepared a salad...

(spinach, clementines, walnuts, blue cheese & Orange Cranberry Vin.)

the second course, the main one that is, had to be either vegetarian or only contain fish - due to the hostess being a non 'meat' eater.....

(caramelized mahi, red wine risotto & sauteed spinach in a white wine sauce)

finally i made a flourless chocolate cake with pomegranate molasses and sliced strawberries. unfortunately i served and they devoured it so quickly i forgot/didnt get a chance to snap a picture.

after it was all said and done the ladies loved every minute of my cooking for them, they even had me sit down and take a picture with them....

(super high quality iPhone 6 photo with customized black dot eyes to replace eerie red glow)

they were all wearing shirts that read "im in a wine club with a reading habit"

in other news i have been riding to work lately, getting my cold weather wings back and at least getting 10 - 12 miles in since i cant seem to get on the trail right now during the week. the new light is much better than the little bell light from wally world and the bike is performing wonderfully.

on that note i will leave you with this creation jeff made last week....

(smoked bacon wrapped pork tenderloin!)

happy days

2010-11-30T21:24:00.000-06:00

sunday was, as you all know, quite nice. the day was made even better by my ride on the big bear trail and then onto the grindstone/mkt.

*notice the obligatory warning sticker yet to be removed - im on it currently*

55 degrees and sunny was a great way to end the sunday and riding all over town was just the thing to melt away a busy previous week and clean the slate (if you will) for the coming week.

last night was one of my final shifts at the brewery as i am now working more for the big V and have less time than before. but i am very excited, in fact all the little samples you enjoy while browsing will have been put together by yours truly and jeff another of our managers. hopefully we can do some really cool stuff.

i have also started stuffing pork. yep thats right pork loin and tender loin to be exact...

i give you an italian sausage stuffed pork loin.

these are actually very tasty and for only $5.99 a lb you can pick one up for yourself!

tonight i thought since it turned cold and snowed flurries all day i would whip up a braised chuck roast with root veggies and 1554 as the braising liquids.

needless to say once everything came together and got happy for about 2 hours in the oven i enjoyed my roast beast fully. add a little asiago focaccia and as a certain tv personality would say-- yummo!

one last cycling related note: my fancy new light is in, installed and hopefully soon to be used.

oh and i almost forgot

2010-11-25T21:45:00.000-06:00

happy thanksgiving. gobble gobble gobble

got it

2010-11-24T21:26:00.000-06:00

just need a light and some form of gator skin. the light will probably come on friday. that is all

its almost turkey day people

2010-11-23T18:08:00.000-06:00

and that means my job is quite busy. i am making lots of samples for people to try and writing lots of recipes for those all important side dishes. tomorrow i will be sampling stuffing, sweet potatoes, and some other sides that the kitchen offers. these things are pre packed and all you have to do is pop them in the oven and heat them up. now normally i am completely against anything that you, yourself dont make; bagged and prepacked stuff is so full of extenders plus you cant control how it tastes. but for those who just dont have the time or dont feel the same way i will make an exception and at least give them the opportunity to have some tasty food.
today i made something called a chocolate truffle loaf which is a rich indulgent dessert i am making for an in home catering next friday. tomorrow we will see how it turns out.
thursday i will be in centralia hanging with the family and generally enjoying a day off to my best ability. then friday i plan on doing one shopping trip for samantha, then get to work nice and early to mess around for a bit and hopefully be able to grab my christmas present and ride with kersha on the trail for a bit.

whats that you say your christmas present is something you can ride? yep i found out today that i will be the proud owner of .....

a giant TCX 1. i posted a picture and little blurb last week about it and low and behold it will be mine soon. i could have purchased a couple other options and saved some money but considering i am getting help with the purchase and they say i need a new bike that is from a place in town i am not arguing. i dont have a good track record with used bikes from the net so maybe in the end it will work out for the better. i cant complain at all, its a new bike and a better bike than the one i had - frankly im just happy to have a winter bike now, and it doesnt hurt that its pretty slick either.

questionable musical choice

2010-11-18T07:45:00.001-06:00

everyone has that one band they like, that seems really out of left field and even silly right? well for some odd reason i really like paramore. thus i present you with this

birthday present

2010-11-17T07:08:00.000-06:00

i have been working on a painting for my cousin for some time now. unfortunately her birthday was monday and considering its wednesday morning i am a little behind to say the least. but it is completed i only hope her husband (who commissioned it) isnt too mad. maybe once he gives it to her it will erase any doubts.

this is of course just another example of the procrastination powers of yours truly, maybe one day i will tackle them - but really dont most artists have that one flaw circling somewhere?

2010-11-16T18:35:00.000-06:00

i test rode this today

i am sold, now i just need to obtain it!

2010-11-15T14:29:00.000-06:00

this weekend was jam packed full of work, so this morning i took advantage of a bit more sleep, lazy rambling around the house then went out and ran this...

i figure since i dont have a mtn bike this year i shouldnt not enjoy the route. running it just means less chance of me careening down a hill head first after i misjudge a rock. it is also a welcome change from running concrete sidewalks all over town and from the sometimes monotonous pace of the trail. to say running in the woods is harder is right on the dot, my overall pace slowed by a little over two minutes. the decending and climbing is quite a bit more intense than that which i see in town, thus my time slows a bit. im not too worried, the serenity that being on soft ground and in the woods themselves out weighs and nitpicking i might do over anal retentive things like pace and overall time.

tonight i pull another late shift at the brewery, but more importantly tomorrow will see my acquisition of this little time wasting gem...

yes i am a total nerd/geek but this game is the best i think ive ever played (a close second is red dead redemption). i like the C.O.D. games but they just dont interest me quite as much. anyway i will be enjoying some off time tomorrow assassinating fictional Italian characters.

saturday

2010-11-13T20:39:00.000-06:00

has come and almost gone. the last two days have been jam packed with JB'S FATBOY demos. who is this mr fatboy? its a company out of nebraska that makes rubs and sauces for bbq-ing. anyway they sent one of the fatboys to our store to smoke off 300+ racks of ribs and 150+ 1/3 pork loins. yesterday was the first day and saw myself and jeff (my compatriot) packaging up a bunch of ribs and pulling a bunch of loins (i know that sounds quite homo-exciting, but it was not). then of course we fed the masses and slung the meat...
all in all two long days, and tomorrow i start the brunch menu down the brewery. its pretty exciting actually; french toast, eggs, bacon, drop biscuits among many other things will all be there. the menu changes on a weekly basis and should result in a lot of neat breakfast ideas and good times.
my bike is still out of commission and since i am working so much i havent had any time to even think about riding. however, i am running as much as i can and i have even started hitting the weights again after a long long long break. got stay buff to keep the mrs. happy you know.
all these things are nice but right now the only thing i want to be doing is swishing through a scene like this...

wether it be riding or running, i want to go to there.

until next time: eat well and stay classy

heres the new coat-ness

2010-11-06T14:38:00.000-05:00

i like it alot better than the white coat i used to have... much classier

2010-11-05T21:39:00.002-05:00

too bad i cant upgrade to something like this....

it doesnt even have to be this fancy either

holiday goodness on my coat

2010-11-05T21:36:00.000-05:00

that really makes no sense. let me explain how this title came to be.... *cue star wars intro* yesterday was the 'holiday showcase' at my hy-vee and i got new chef coats; thus the combination is what you see smaked up above as a title- tah dah!

anyway back to sanity, i did in fact spend the last few days preparing for the afore mentioned show. i made truffles (upon truffles, upon truffles, etc) and crab cakes and crostinis and stuffed mushrooms. all of these were little appetizers which were every so cooley passed out by our makeshift butlers (aka assistant managers). but the special part was my made to order pasta that i cooked right there in front of anyone who wanted a sample. why what is this glorious dish which you prepared? i thought you might never ask: marinated beef tip and bowtie pasta with a white wine blue cheese cream sauce and sauteed spinach. i know right? why on earth did you my faithful followers miss out on such a momentous occasion? well im not really sure but at any rate the pasta turned out pretty good and was gobbled up by every willing sampler (even the lady i scared by accidentally splashing boiling water her way!)
my station was in our 'lobby' and as patrons made their way up the stairs towards the club room they were greeted with wine from all over the world, a standing rib roast and a fucking harpist accompanied by a flute-ist. this party was hi-gh classsss.
in all seriousness though there was some amazing stuff going on all evening and some great food served. we put this on to show our customers what the catering department can put together for your holiday get togethers and to let people know about my in home catering service. (minus the over the top gayness)

oh and there was this block of parmigiano reggiano....

there are some other pictures floating around of me 'in action' and i will post those at a later date, or once i actually have access to them.

in bike news my trusty cx bike is still jacked, but i have had some assistance offered to fix it. now i am just toying with the idea of getting on that is actually worth riding.... decisions decisions

Cyclocross from the 50's

2010-10-31T20:05:00.002-05:00

Audrey

2010-10-27T08:45:00.000-05:00

new work from one of my favorites...

my favorite of the new ones....

and details

CLiCk for more

beer dinner

2010-10-25T10:23:00.000-05:00

after tuesday's disaster on my bike i was worried about the rest of the week and whether or not my beer dinner, scheduled for thursday, would pop apart like my rear derailleur.
luckily enough thursday went off without a hitch and actually went over quite well. i prepared four courses to go with four Odell Brewing Company beers.
1. Easy Street Wheat: serves with a pumpkin twist bread-

2. Levity Amber Ale: with a prosciutto wrapped asparagus and pesto crostini with a parmesan crisp-

3. 90 Shilling Ale: with a stuffed pork tenderloin (stuffed with wild rice, walnuts, portobello mushrooms and blue cheese) served with roasted herbed potatoes and a butternut squash puree-

4. Cutthroat Porter: with a chocolate torte and an orange creme anglaise-

i was pretty pleased with the results and i think everyone in attendance was as well. next class is tomorrow at 6 and we will be sampling and cooking chili: meat, veggie, white chicken and even chili dawgs!

CX FAIL!!!

2010-10-20T08:02:00.000-05:00

there goes any chance i had at riding cx this season, seeing as i dont have the funds for a new derailleur, chain and repair of my wheel. i guess my ss will be getting some trail workouts this winter

2010-10-19T08:02:00.000-05:00

last night saw my first night working at the local brew haus. i had a good time and things went smoothly - its good that mondays are slow; made it easier for me to get back on the 'cooking on a line' wagon. its been over two years since i was in a formal restaurant kitchen cooking orders and whatnot. once i get used to the set up and the menu i think things will work out just fine.
in my other chef-y job at the local food store (Hy V) i am presenting an Odell Brewing Company beer dinner on thursday. i have a four course dinner planned, that goes with four different selections from OBC. if you are interested call the store (nifong location) and sign up! otherwise i will probably post some photos and a rambling description here at some point.

off topic but not out of my usual range, i came across this video and remembered exactly why i love ESQUIRE and all they do for the world of men....

Daisy Lowe for UK esquire HD from Greg Williams on Vimeo.

now that i am all excited its time to go ride my bike.

2010-10-12T13:27:00.000-05:00

so saturday last week i cooked some ribs and turkey legs with our meat manager jeff. i have photographic evidence...

(strike a pose)

(keepin' the goods warm)

it went well and we sold out of turkey drummies, ribs sold too. the tigers went on to win and sunday i hung out and waited for sams return.

i demoed some suffed pork tenderloin yesterday; stuffed with rice, mushrooms, pecans and some herbs. if you are interested i am trying to work it so all you have to do is stop by and grab a pre stuffed one, bake it off at home and enjoy. i also got to do a little running yesterday, taking in the sights and sounds of a monday morning after visiting the doc and getting stretched and adjusted. it was quite nice.

today is my version of a sunday and with the wonderful temperature and lazy nature of the day i am holding down a couch cushion with my pup watching office space. we did get some activity earlier and hopefully sam and i will get a nice little hike in once she gets home.

today is a good day

2010-10-09T17:09:00.001-05:00

its been a pretty busy week around the 'experienceialism' ranch. sunday i worked then monday took the day off to work - on my grandmas house. tuesday saw me catering to an office party in centralia - the ol' stomping ground...

this was my layout. i demo-ed the pear, blue cheese and walnut crostinis and showed the office how to make their own whipped cream. we also talked about the chocolate crusted lemon tarts...

and the dark chocolate and milk chocolate truffles...

then thursday i taught a class called: 'cook once, eat twice'. we had 3 meat 4 bean chili that i then turned into a pot pie, chicken and cheddar risotto that i made risotto cakes from and finally cranberry flax seed no bake bars which you can spread peanut butter on and sandwhich another layer on top to make some kick ass energy bars....

(pot pie)

(chicken and cheddar risotto)

After thursday comes today, saturday. i spent all day outside selling fully smoked slabs of ribs and turkey legs - which were the bomb by the way. we sold a lot of them and had a great time talking to all the people on their way to the tiger tailgating parties.

in awesome beer news: i picked up a new beer that my wine and spirits manger brought to my attention - Odell Brewing Company's DE CONSTRUCTION GOLDEN ALE

i can easily say this is by far the best beer i have ever had. i love OBC; 90 schilling, easy street wheat, levity ale, 5 barrel pale ale and cutthroat porter. this is, in my humble beer drinking opinion, their best offering. all i can say is head to my store's wine and spirits and lay down the $16, chill a bit and enjoy. oh and by the way, your welcome. but really it is pretty good, even with the steep price i think it is every bit worth the money.

on another note, my back is in good shape, my leg is back in action now that i am really stretching as much as possible and i am riding and running every chance i can get - which hopefully will allow for a good cycling next season and maybe even a few cross races this year (i really have the itch right now).

success

2010-10-02T14:38:00.001-05:00

so as i mentioned earlier this week i was quite upset with the pain in my leg and worried about the status of my race today. yesterday i rode to work, to shakespeares then home again and walked down to the roots and blues to see some bluegrass and tab benoit. i figured (and by advice of dr curt) staying off it a few days and riding a bit might loosen things up inside my leg.
something took affect, because after stretching and everything from yesterday i awoke, this morning, bright eyed and bushy tailed. we made our way down to the course, chatted with some people we ran into then hit the road as the horn sounded. i started further back than i usually do, as i was planning on taking it easy until i found out how my leg was feeling. after the first mile and i heard someone say i was on a 7:20 pace i realized i felt fine and could pick it up a bit. i started picking off the 10k-er's in front of me and catching the end of the 1/2 marathon runners (the 2hr pacers). since there were so many this made for some fun running; i was dodging back in forth of people taking up the whole trail and i got to do a little grass running to get around the large mass who were being paced at the 2hr15min mark. once we hit the mkt, 10ker's went right and the 1/2 people went left. this thinned everything out quite a bit and i could only see a couple guys in front of me so i focused on the closest first, passed him and tried to reel in the other but ran out of real-estate.
all in all i had a good race, finished strong and really felt good after....

as it turns out the offical results have me at 27th overall and still 4th in my division. all i have to say is i am pretty happy considering its the first straight 10k i have done this year and only the 3rd race all season plus the leg situation.

sam ran it too with some friends and ended up finishing her VERY first 10k successfully...

we are headed back out tonight to see derek trucks and susan tedeschi tonight, then back to work for me tomorrow.

oh i made a killer grilled cheese the other day: Whole Wheat Sourdough, Roasted Red Pepper and Aged Cheddar from ireland...

i have another catering coming up on tuesday and will try to document as much as possible.

2010-09-29T07:44:00.002-05:00

my back is finally on the mend and doing well.

now for some reason my right leg is shot - its deeper than muscular i only hope its not some type of stress fracture.

i am supposed to run a 10k this weekend, but last night couldnt even run 1.5 miles

disappointment does not begin to describe how i feel right now.....

last night

2010-09-28T09:55:00.000-05:00

was our anniversary and i made dinner....

pear, walnut and blue cheese crostinis

portobello mushroom strudel

i made a chocolate blackberry cheesecake as well but had this little guy made as a throwback to our wedding cake.

it was a good night and now we have a week of samantha celebration as her birthday is saturday (the roots and blues 10k is also this weekend).

2010-09-27T00:19:00.001-05:00

this has been a pretty good week followed by a great weekend.
thursday saw our 'breakfast for dinner' class. i made gingerbread pancakes with some fresh fruit, some sage turkey sausage, a breakfast 'pie' (with spinach, pancetta, potatoes, onions and cheese) and to top it all of a little caramel apple strata.

think bread pudding with a few more eggs and way too sweet to really be all that good. luckily the folks who showed up loved it. speaking of the people that come to my classes; it seems that i now have a few that really like spending thursday nights with me (which seems odd considering i am terribly boring). there are a couple of ladies that bring a lot of fun to the classes and keep everything very upbeat and funny, although sometimes it takes us off topic but if thats the least that happens i will take it - i just wont let them anywhere near the business side of my kitchen.

flash forward to saturday and i was up bright and early setting up our weekly tailgate out in front of the store. the plan was to have whole racks of ribs for sale but when i showed up nothing had been prepared and with only a short time before everything was planned to start we improvised and did the ol' standby - burgers, brats, dogs and chickn wings! needless to say it went pretty well, we got people to grab a bit of something as they headed to tailgate and enjoy their frosty adult beverages.

then came the cherry on the top of the weekend. the sedalia duathlon is something i have been doing for several years now and this morning (around 5) sam and i headed on over. the race started at 8 and was on the old/fall course. it consisted of a 2 mile run, 8 mile ride, and finished with a 1 mile run (the short course as the long is quite a bit longer and i am not back into 5k running/30k riding shape yet). we lined up and took out - after the first run i hit the transition in 4th, was too slow getting changed and exited in 5th. that being said, after about 200 yards i was well on my way to 2nd but considering the guy in first was a fast and fit little shit i was resigned to racing for 2nd overall. the ride went pretty well; i got a bit wet with a 'scant' shower and got caught in the flats by the tt riding wife of the guy in 1st - weird i know. anyway at the turnaround i passed her and kept her just behind me all the way to the transition then, slow again, lost that lead and found myself in 3rd - which is where i stayed as i couldnt make up the 7 seconds she had on me. i finished 3rd overall (1st in my age) with a time of 43:48 - i should mention the husband and wife that whooped me usually compete in the full length races and i imagine just wanted an assured win today, which raises the question of: if you can compete at a higher level should you? i think so - when i was training for it i raced the long course, but considering my summer i knew i physically couldnt make the long course (i guess i could it would just take all damn day).

anyway sam came out on top as well - the 3rd female finisher and 1st in her age another great showing for her; she is really getting stronger.

i think the best part was the sweatshirts we got with registration that read... "tri-ath-lon : a watered down duathlon"

2010-09-19T23:36:00.000-05:00

now that cross season is upon us you can rest assured i will be practicing my mounting and dismounting skills. not that i am ready to race, no i think i will attend the races and marvel at the ease and grace with which those more skilled than myself do it.

although the 'fun' season has just opened there is still ample good weather for those of us who slacked off/didnt get the opportunity to fully enjoy the summer road season. until the time change i plan to get a good mix of road and trail riding, with a fair amount of running added on top for good measure and the deletion of some linger 'items'.

in other non sporting news, i think i am going to start adding a bit more of my culinary content here. basically pictures, ideas and even recipes that i come up with or use in my day to day dealings at the ol grocery store. i am by no means trying to start a food blog, but considering the fact i have such a great chance to experiment and interact with good food and people i thought it at least deserved an outlet. for example a couple of week ago i lead a class about tailgating and produced this monster....

so there will be more of the above but most likely something more 'gourmet' and with a little more thought thrown into it - other than meat, cheese, veggies and bread.

oh and in case any of you have recently rolled or driven by my haus and wondered what the heck is going on. i made a little video of the destruction in process.

****there was supposed to be a video here but no dice, better luck next time****

i do have to say, however, that now the street is much better - ill go ahead and stop belly aching now.

this is great

2010-09-14T11:02:00.001-05:00

well at least this weekend was fun

2010-09-14T10:07:00.000-05:00

it started on saturday, once we weaved our way out of the bustling city and began a trek to kansas city.

after a couple hours and one nap on my part we were there, then went out to eat at a cool little place called 'pot pie'. the name is very misleading - of course they do have a couple pot pies - but the whole scene was very close. the menu was on a chalkboard and delivered with amazing taste and simplicity. i had a 16 oz ribeye with seasoned fries and started by sharing a brie tart with helen. i have to say that this was one of the best 'new' places i have been to in a very long time.

after dinner we headed to the show..

pavement is a band that sam really loves and i am only faintly aware of, but they put on a great show and played to an absolutely stuffed house. the whole night was a lot of fun.

driving back on sunday was kind of a relaxing experience considering how nice the weather was, then upon arrival at home we napped for a couple hours and generally enjoyed the rest of our weekend together.

then yesterday... im not quite sure what clicked but something finally boiled over and last night led to a decent little argument over things that wont be changing. things are shit right now, but eventually it will work out one way or another. anyway happy tuesday.

I am

2010-09-06T10:12:00.000-05:00

back in the game. with the help of this man and his techniques and tape i am finally able to run more than a mile without pain and have started spending more than once every other week in the saddle. last weekend w-e headed over to rocehport for a little late afternoon grape juice guzzling - but before we were even out of town i endoed due to not following the right line and discovering a little rock filled ditch, which resulted in me fully embarrassing myself and only slightly throwing my bike off. i recovered and went on to have quite a swell evening.
fast forward to this past week and i was able to really push it on the weekly monday night ride - which may not seem like much but considering my summer i feel it was a mini victory in my world. then ran for a couple days with minimal pain and ended the week with a tough gravel ride to big tree and back...

sam visited her brother this weekend in texas which left me home alone with our shadow/reflection chasing dog. we had a good time and enjoyed many a walk, i even gave the little bundle of energy a run for her money....

yesterday after working for a bit, i went out for a little recovery ride seeing as my legs were really sore and i prefer loosening them up as opposed to just getting tighter. i was so nice out: cloudless sky, perfect temperature, slight breeze and lots of people hanging out everywhere. i found a little spot and snapped some shots....

now that its labor day i am sitting around doing absolutely nothing this morning. i have been working a lot ever since i got my fancy new job (no complaints by the way) and its nice to just sit back a tool around on the interwebz for a few hours and zone out with tuneage in the background. i am going to get some stretching in - seeing as its tight upper leg muscles that are contributing to my back issues - and wait patiently for samanthas flight to come in - but she tells me there are issues with the plane they were supposed to be on so she isnt sure exactly how she will be getting home.

in arty news i have a commission to do at least one painting, however the deal is i have to produce two separate paintings and one (if not both) will be chosen. one is going to be a wolf kahn-esque landscape (which i have done, sort of, before) and the other is a neat little abstract that looks a lot like some of my tattoos.

all this plus i am still trying to get my man-o-war done for the boone county art show in october - work work work....

gratuitous for the sake of it.

2010-08-28T22:09:00.000-05:00

Woman from redkedscom on Vimeo.

2010-08-24T10:58:00.000-05:00

hello blogg land! it is yet another week, and this week brings cooler temperatures, calmer days and like flies to honey - college students abound. since i work in a store that is largely shopped by afore mentioned students last week was b-a-n-a-n-a-s! we got shopped hard and put up wet and along with all that i was used by every department to create recipes for our hatch pepper promotion. There were dips, fajitas, salsas and even chocolate cookies with peppers in them. the cheese dip used roasted peppers and roasted red onions....

everything went very well but unfortunately this is the only photo i got of my endeavors.

on thursday i helped our chi-talian manager teach a sushi class that was a great success, again however i only snapped this shot as i left for the evening.

this week is my desserts class and i already have 12 signed up to attend. with three offerings from myself and two from our baker, amy, it should be another great class.

in other news i have swung my leg back over the top tube and began riding a bit more as of late. three whole days last week and one so far this week. with my back hurting it is better to ride than run but i still get out on foot too. my plan is underway to loosen the muscles in my lower back and stretch out my legs so they stop pulling so hard on everything. snap crackle and pop are assisting curt and myself to straighten and strengthen my spine. with a little luck i will be pain free and stronger before too long.

2010-08-18T19:58:00.000-05:00

i ventured out to the wednesday drop ride again tonight, expecting to fully suffer. considering my back has been very twitchy lately it was less a question of if but when i would pop - not to mention how out of shape on the bike i am right now too. everything started well enough then we hit woody proctor and the struggling began... the hills are short and sharp and i just dont have the legs for it plus exertion like that is causing my back to hurt. anyway skip to the end of woody and i headed left and went home while everyone else continued on to ashland.
i am having a very well informed doc work on my back problems while i continue to improve my fit-ness. keep on keepin on - mantra of the rest of 2010.

in other exciting, less whiny news.... i finally am back in a wrangler.

thats right, i went to st. louis on monday and traded off the ol' civic for this machine. granted its only a 4cyl but it is a 5 speed and has new wheels and a sweet hardtop that is split in the front, which means if i want to let the sun in i can do so without struggling with the whole durn top. needless to say i am excited and walking around with a big cheesy grin most of the time. i love driving this vehicle and cannot wait until i get to put some more work into and make it a full out 4x4 machine. this time i will not be selling it shortly after i get it just how i want, like i stupidly did before.

***special 'moment of silence' aside***

*****my trusted bottle cage finally gave up the other day****

rest in peace friend

dining in

2010-08-14T09:24:00.001-05:00

last night i had my first private catering. it was for a ladies book club in one of the members homes. i had bread, an app, main course (of course) and dessert. i was going to take pics of each item but forgot to get one of the main dish at any rate here we go:

Caprese with homegrown Arkansas tomatoes, chiffonade of basil, fresh mozz, olive oil, reduced balsamic vinegar and coarse salt and pepper

unfortunately i did not snap a shot of the main entree: swai fillets marinated in a sweet and spicy citrus marinade with roasted sweet potatoes, sauteed asparagus and dill butter.

then for dessert: honeydew semifreddo served in a chocolate cup with a blackberry coulis and garnished with mint leaves.

the evening went very well and the ladies loved everything. in fact they booked me again for their holiday meeting in december, and told me they would be telling all their buddies about the private catering we now offer. this is exactly the idea we set out for when i was hired, now to just get the word out continue down the current path.