Well, I'm off in the morning on Southwest Airlines for my trip to Ann Arbor Michigan for the Michigan Blogger Party. This is my second stop on the 2006 BTExpress Blogger Tour. You remember, my first stop was NY City to meet Aughra and Foxglove.
This will be a party to remember. Roxi bought a new bikini, SignGurl made 96 jello shots and I charged the battery for my camera to take pictures of the whole event. WOO HOO!
See y'all Monday night if I survive. Pray for us. ;-)
Thursday, March 30, 2006
My HNT Puzzle
Today's Half-Nekkid picture is a *Guess What This Is* collage of something you have seen here many times before. Maybe too many times for some of you, but not enough for some of you too.
So look at the picture and try to figure out what it is. When you think you know, click on the picture and see what it looked like before I chopped it up in little bitty pieces.
So look at the picture and try to figure out what it is. When you think you know, click on the picture and see what it looked like before I chopped it up in little bitty pieces.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Thank you Tish!
If it weren’t for Tish, I would have never of met Lori, so I want to thank Tish for inadvertently providing a way for Lori and I to meet. (Confused Tish?) Now for those of you that know Tish and I, this may seem strange to you. I’ve never actually met Tish in person because she lives in Tennessee and I live in New York. Lori surely doesn’t know Tish because Lori doesn’t even have a blog, only a MySpace web page. Since there is no connection what so ever between us three, you’re probably asking.” Then what in the world does Tish have anything to do with Lori and BTExpress meeting?” Please let me explain.I saw a post on Tish’s blog sometime last year, August I think where she mentioned her MySpace web page. Someone was giving her a hard time and she was considering shutting down her MySpace web page. I wanted to find out what happened, so I went to her MySpace web page. The offending comment was deleted, so I never found out what was said. I did stick around for a while to read some of her other post and wanted to leave a comment and view her pictures, but couldn’t. MySpace only allows members of MySpace to view pictures and leave comments. So then I registered and set up a MySpace web page for myself so I would be able to access to those things.
In early November Lori was searching MySpace for people in her area and stumbled across my web page. She left a message saying hello. This was my first contact with Lori. During the months that followed, Lori and I exchanged messages from time to time and then a few weeks ago, I asked her to go out and she said yes. We have been seeing each other weekly since then.
So you see Tish, if you hadn’t made the post on your blog about your MySpace web page, then I wouldn’t have set up a MySpace web page and Lori would never have contacted me.
PS
For the curious, after seeing Lori twice, I decided I only wanted to date her and stopped seeing Arlene.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Someone New
I'm dating someone new now, her name is Lori.
I started dating Lori a few weeks ago and thought it was time I introduce her to you, my closest friends. It’s a long story about how we met, so let me see if I can figure out a way to make a long story short and I’ll get back to you. In the mean time, I just wanted to let you meet her.
I started dating Lori a few weeks ago and thought it was time I introduce her to you, my closest friends. It’s a long story about how we met, so let me see if I can figure out a way to make a long story short and I’ll get back to you. In the mean time, I just wanted to let you meet her.
Friday, March 24, 2006
Brian's New Toy
My son Brian recently decided he just had to have an All Terain Vehicle, you know, an ATV. I wasn't happy he had decided to get one because I've heard they can be dangerous, but he'll be 24 years old next month and I don't have much to say about things like this anymore. At least he asked me to go down to the store and give him my opinion on which model I think he should buy. We looked at several models and agreed on the 2006 Honda FourTrax Rincon. He got an excetionally good deal, because one of his best friend's uncle owns the shop he bought it at.
Here's a few pictures of what it looks like on the day he took delivery.
Here's a few pictures of what it looks like on the day he took delivery.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Foot Fetish HNT
Today's HNT post is for all the fans of my feet and those of you that have a foot fetish. I know there are people that have foot fetishes, but I'm really just assuming there are fans of my feet. It just seems that whenever I make a post with my feet in it, I get complaints that I am wearing socks. Now I have no idea why some of you want to see my naked feet, but whatever floats your boat.
You know what? Now that I see my feet like this, squint my eyes and think about my feet in a twisted, perverse way, I can see why you guys have wanted to see them naked all this time. They look pretty sexy if you ask me, don't you agree?
PS
I still prefer boobies by a long shot, so I'm not that weird!
For those of you that have no frigging clue why I am doing this, go check out OS's web site, and links to other HNT participants. Some of them might even be showing their boobies or feet. Speaking of boobies, click on this chick's boobies to find my partners in crime.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
GOOD MORNING VIETNAM! Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter 21: My Second Operation
I was in ICU at the 249th General Hospital in Camp Drake, Japan for a few days before the surgery to close my wounds. They couldn’t close them for at least 10 days after I was wopunded because of the risk of infection. If you remember, I was wounded by a homemade claymore mine, so everything in it was dirty and could cause infection if my wounds weren’t tended to properly. The mine was described to me as something that looked like a large tuna fish on its side. It was packed first with some sort of explosive and then layered with anything they could find to cause damage when the pieces struck you like pieces of metal and glass. Then a layer of mud covered that and was packed very tightly and allowed to dry sealing the whole thing. A small hole was poked in one side just big enough for a blasting cap. The blasting cap was attached to a long wire and detonated using an old battery that we more than likely carelessly threw away. It was very likely that everything the mines were made from was from the garbage we threw away. That’s why we were never supposed to just toss our garbage away anywhere we felt like it. You never knew what the Vietcong could come up with to use it against you.
The mines were typically manufactured in underground manufacturing plants in the Cu Chi tunnel system near where I was stationed. This map gives an idea of the extent of the tunnel system at Cu Chi--the orange lines represent major tunnels.
At its peak the Cu Chi tunnel network covered some 250 kilometres - from the Cambodian border in the west to the outskirts of what was then Saigon and includes everything necessary to support an army, from hospitals, kitchens and mess halls, to headquarters facilities.
I remember the day I was prepped for surgery. It was pretty much like the prep for surgery back at Cu Chi. I was given a shot to relax me and moved into an operating room. This operating room was much more modern at the 249th and very much the ones in any large modern hospital you saw in the states at the time. In case you’re wondering, yes, I said the pretty much the same things I said to the doctor just before my first operation at Cu Chi. “Wait an minute! Make sure you don’t start cutting on me until I’m a sleep, okay?” “Don’t worry, we won’t, now start counting backwards from 100.”
I woke up after the surgery in recovery and eventually moved to the ward that I would spend the rest of my stay in this hospital. This ward was a lot more open than ICU. The photo below, is an old picture of one of the wards at the 249th I found on the Internet. There was a walkway just outside the windows in the background. I was in the row just behind the beds these guys are standing in front of, opposite the beds against the windows. My bed was just a few beds away from a door to outside that is out of the picture to the right.
Soon after I was settled in, in the ward, the surgeon came to see me and discuss what he did. The doctor told me the surgery went very well, but due to the extent and quantity of wounds I had, I was in surgery for, if I remember correctly, about four hours.
I remember asking him “How many stitches did it take to close them all?” He smiled and told me “I really don’t know exactly, maybe 500 or 600.
I was shocked at how many stitches it took and said, “That’s a lot of stitches, how many wounds do I have?”
Another smile and he said “I don’t know that either exactly. There were several doctors working on you at once, but I’d say about 30 to 40. A few of the wounds were quite large, like the ones on your back and the one on your left hip, but none of them are serious and you’ll make a full recovery.” he replied. “On the deeper wounds, we had to stitch them closed on both the inside and out. Also, some we couldn’t use regular stitches so we closed them with wire.
“Now what happens?” I asked.
He told me, “Your going to need a lot of physical therapy to help you make a full recovery, but don't get discouraged, you will make a full recovery. Someone from physical therapy will be coming to see you tomorrow or the next day and do an evaluation to see what therapy is needed.”
Now for my most important question, “When will I be going home?”
The doctor told me, “That really depends on if there are any complications like infection.” he said, “But if everything goes as we predict, very soon after the stitches are removed, which will be in about two weeks. Then we’ll make the final decision, but I’m sure it will be well before Christmas.”
The doctor was correct, I did make it home well before Christmas, but not without a few setbacks. I’ll tell you about them in another story.
I was in ICU at the 249th General Hospital in Camp Drake, Japan for a few days before the surgery to close my wounds. They couldn’t close them for at least 10 days after I was wopunded because of the risk of infection. If you remember, I was wounded by a homemade claymore mine, so everything in it was dirty and could cause infection if my wounds weren’t tended to properly. The mine was described to me as something that looked like a large tuna fish on its side. It was packed first with some sort of explosive and then layered with anything they could find to cause damage when the pieces struck you like pieces of metal and glass. Then a layer of mud covered that and was packed very tightly and allowed to dry sealing the whole thing. A small hole was poked in one side just big enough for a blasting cap. The blasting cap was attached to a long wire and detonated using an old battery that we more than likely carelessly threw away. It was very likely that everything the mines were made from was from the garbage we threw away. That’s why we were never supposed to just toss our garbage away anywhere we felt like it. You never knew what the Vietcong could come up with to use it against you.
The mines were typically manufactured in underground manufacturing plants in the Cu Chi tunnel system near where I was stationed. This map gives an idea of the extent of the tunnel system at Cu Chi--the orange lines represent major tunnels.
At its peak the Cu Chi tunnel network covered some 250 kilometres - from the Cambodian border in the west to the outskirts of what was then Saigon and includes everything necessary to support an army, from hospitals, kitchens and mess halls, to headquarters facilities.
I remember the day I was prepped for surgery. It was pretty much like the prep for surgery back at Cu Chi. I was given a shot to relax me and moved into an operating room. This operating room was much more modern at the 249th and very much the ones in any large modern hospital you saw in the states at the time. In case you’re wondering, yes, I said the pretty much the same things I said to the doctor just before my first operation at Cu Chi. “Wait an minute! Make sure you don’t start cutting on me until I’m a sleep, okay?” “Don’t worry, we won’t, now start counting backwards from 100.”
I woke up after the surgery in recovery and eventually moved to the ward that I would spend the rest of my stay in this hospital. This ward was a lot more open than ICU. The photo below, is an old picture of one of the wards at the 249th I found on the Internet. There was a walkway just outside the windows in the background. I was in the row just behind the beds these guys are standing in front of, opposite the beds against the windows. My bed was just a few beds away from a door to outside that is out of the picture to the right.Soon after I was settled in, in the ward, the surgeon came to see me and discuss what he did. The doctor told me the surgery went very well, but due to the extent and quantity of wounds I had, I was in surgery for, if I remember correctly, about four hours.
I remember asking him “How many stitches did it take to close them all?” He smiled and told me “I really don’t know exactly, maybe 500 or 600.
I was shocked at how many stitches it took and said, “That’s a lot of stitches, how many wounds do I have?”
Another smile and he said “I don’t know that either exactly. There were several doctors working on you at once, but I’d say about 30 to 40. A few of the wounds were quite large, like the ones on your back and the one on your left hip, but none of them are serious and you’ll make a full recovery.” he replied. “On the deeper wounds, we had to stitch them closed on both the inside and out. Also, some we couldn’t use regular stitches so we closed them with wire.
“Now what happens?” I asked.
He told me, “Your going to need a lot of physical therapy to help you make a full recovery, but don't get discouraged, you will make a full recovery. Someone from physical therapy will be coming to see you tomorrow or the next day and do an evaluation to see what therapy is needed.”
Now for my most important question, “When will I be going home?”
The doctor told me, “That really depends on if there are any complications like infection.” he said, “But if everything goes as we predict, very soon after the stitches are removed, which will be in about two weeks. Then we’ll make the final decision, but I’m sure it will be well before Christmas.”
The doctor was correct, I did make it home well before Christmas, but not without a few setbacks. I’ll tell you about them in another story.
Monday, March 20, 2006
Blogger Sucks Monkey Dick!!!!!!!
My frigging blog had been down since early Friday and all Blogger could tell me is "we know and we'll fix it as soon as we can".
They were no help, but my good friend Lime was. She sent me a tip in an email that I tired, and it seemed to work just fine. I'll pass it on to you here in case you know of anyone else who's blog is still down.
Log in and try republishing your entire blog. I tried it a few times, but kept getting and error at 90%. So I republished my Index first and then when I republished my blog. It went all the way to 100% completion that time and now it seems fine.
You'd think Blogger might have been able to figure that out and pass along the tip.
THANK YOU LIME FOR THINKING OF ME!
They were no help, but my good friend Lime was. She sent me a tip in an email that I tired, and it seemed to work just fine. I'll pass it on to you here in case you know of anyone else who's blog is still down.
Log in and try republishing your entire blog. I tried it a few times, but kept getting and error at 90%. So I republished my Index first and then when I republished my blog. It went all the way to 100% completion that time and now it seems fine.
You'd think Blogger might have been able to figure that out and pass along the tip.
THANK YOU LIME FOR THINKING OF ME!
Friday, March 17, 2006
HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!
This is the real reason we drink Guinness stout and feast on corned beef, boiled potatoes and cabbage this fine day.
I'm buying the Guinness, who's bring the mustard?
The person who was to become St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born in Wales about AD 385. His given name was Maewyn, and he almost didn't get the job of bishop of Ireland because he lacked the required scholarship. Far from being a saint, until he was 16, he considered himself a pagan. At that age, he was sold into slavery by a group of Irish marauders that raided his village. During his captivity, he became closer to God. He escaped from slavery after six years and went to Gaul where he studied in the monastery under St. Germain, bishop of Auxerre for a period of twelve years. During his training he became aware that his calling was to convert the pagans to Christianity. His wishes were to return to Ireland, to convert the native pagans to Christianity. But his superiors instead appointed St. Palladius. But two years later, Palladius transferred to Scotland. Patrick, having adopted that Christian name earlier, was then appointed as second bishop to Ireland. Patrick was quite successful at winning converts. And this fact upset the Celtic Druids. Patrick was arrested several times, but escaped each time. He traveled throughout Ireland, establishing monasteries across the country. He also set up schools and churches which would aid him in his conversion of the Irish country to Christianity. His mission in Ireland lasted for thirty years. After that time, Patrick retired to County Down. He died on March 17 in AD 461. That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since. Much Irish folklore surrounds St. Patrick's Day. Not much of it is actually substantiated. Some of this lore includes the belief that Patrick raised people from the dead. He also is said to have given a sermon from a hilltop that drove all the snakes from Ireland. Of course, no snakes were ever native to Ireland, and some people think this is a metaphor for the conversion of the pagans. Though originally a Catholic holy day, St. Patrick's Day has evolved into more of a secular holiday. One traditional icon of the day is the shamrock. And this stems from a more bona fide Irish tale that tells how Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity. He used it in his sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast day. The St. Patrick's Day custom came to America in 1737. That was the first year St. Patrick's Day was publicly celebrated in this country, in Boston. Today, people celebrate the day with parades, wearing of the green, and drinking beer. One reason St. Patrick's Day might have become so popular is that it takes place just a few days before the first day of spring. One might say it has become the first green of spring.
Copyright © 1999, 2005 by Jerry Wilson.
I'm buying the Guinness, who's bring the mustard?
The person who was to become St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born in Wales about AD 385. His given name was Maewyn, and he almost didn't get the job of bishop of Ireland because he lacked the required scholarship. Far from being a saint, until he was 16, he considered himself a pagan. At that age, he was sold into slavery by a group of Irish marauders that raided his village. During his captivity, he became closer to God. He escaped from slavery after six years and went to Gaul where he studied in the monastery under St. Germain, bishop of Auxerre for a period of twelve years. During his training he became aware that his calling was to convert the pagans to Christianity. His wishes were to return to Ireland, to convert the native pagans to Christianity. But his superiors instead appointed St. Palladius. But two years later, Palladius transferred to Scotland. Patrick, having adopted that Christian name earlier, was then appointed as second bishop to Ireland. Patrick was quite successful at winning converts. And this fact upset the Celtic Druids. Patrick was arrested several times, but escaped each time. He traveled throughout Ireland, establishing monasteries across the country. He also set up schools and churches which would aid him in his conversion of the Irish country to Christianity. His mission in Ireland lasted for thirty years. After that time, Patrick retired to County Down. He died on March 17 in AD 461. That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since. Much Irish folklore surrounds St. Patrick's Day. Not much of it is actually substantiated. Some of this lore includes the belief that Patrick raised people from the dead. He also is said to have given a sermon from a hilltop that drove all the snakes from Ireland. Of course, no snakes were ever native to Ireland, and some people think this is a metaphor for the conversion of the pagans. Though originally a Catholic holy day, St. Patrick's Day has evolved into more of a secular holiday. One traditional icon of the day is the shamrock. And this stems from a more bona fide Irish tale that tells how Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity. He used it in his sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast day. The St. Patrick's Day custom came to America in 1737. That was the first year St. Patrick's Day was publicly celebrated in this country, in Boston. Today, people celebrate the day with parades, wearing of the green, and drinking beer. One reason St. Patrick's Day might have become so popular is that it takes place just a few days before the first day of spring. One might say it has become the first green of spring.Copyright © 1999, 2005 by Jerry Wilson.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
St Patrick's Day HNT
Happy St. Patrick's Day
Half-Nekkid Thursday!
Half-Nekkid Thursday!
I tried waiting up for the party to start, but as you can see, I didn't have much luck. I even wore my 38 year old green army socks for the occation.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
IMPORTANT HNT ANNOUNCEMENT!!!
WHEREAS: Friday, March 17th is St. Patrick's Day, and
WHEREAS: on that one day, EVERYONE is a little bit IRISH, and
WHEREAS: tradition holds that everyone should wear green on this day, and
WHEREAS: HNT will occur on the day before, and
WHEREAS: OSBASSO claims some Irish heritage,
IT IS HIGHLY URGED that all HNT participants include some bit of green in their next HNT picture.
FURTHERMORE, it is requested that those who read this make mention of it on their own sites, so that the word spreads to one and all, and
FURTHERMORE, it is recommended that, if available, strategically-placed shamrocks, shillelaghs, pots o'gold or leprechauns be employed in said photos.
That's all.
How's that Boss Os?
WHEREAS: on that one day, EVERYONE is a little bit IRISH, and
WHEREAS: tradition holds that everyone should wear green on this day, and
WHEREAS: HNT will occur on the day before, and
WHEREAS: OSBASSO claims some Irish heritage,
IT IS HIGHLY URGED that all HNT participants include some bit of green in their next HNT picture.
FURTHERMORE, it is requested that those who read this make mention of it on their own sites, so that the word spreads to one and all, and
FURTHERMORE, it is recommended that, if available, strategically-placed shamrocks, shillelaghs, pots o'gold or leprechauns be employed in said photos.
That's all.
How's that Boss Os?
Sunday, March 12, 2006
BTExpress 2006 Blogger Tour – First Stop, New York City
Friday was officially my first stop on my BTExpress Blogger 2006 Tour. I went into New York City to spend the day with Aughra and Foxglove. They are the first bloggers I have met, so I was very excited to see them. It really had nothing to do with the fact that I think they are two of the most gorgeous and sexy woman I’ve ever seen, no, nothing at all. (If you believe that, I can get you a great deal on the Brooklyn Bridge if you’re interested.)
I live about 60 miles east of the City, so instead of driving, I took the train and then the subway to Union Square where I was to meet Aughra, Foxglove and Foxglove’s husband for lunch. It seems that Foxglove’s husband wanted to meet me because he thought I might be an ax murderer or something. Foxglove told him I was probably wasn’t, but I suppose the word “might” didn’t give him the assurances he needed, so he still wanted to meet me.
I arrived early and walked around the Union Square area sightseeing and taking pictures. There was no end of the sights to see in that small area surrounding the park if you look close. I’ve lived on Long Island in New York for about 33 years and just never make it a point to go into the City very often, which is really a shame. New York City is just such an amazing place and you can be sure, now that I’m retired, I will be spend a lot more time in there from now on.
The subway stops in Union Square, well, under Union Square. I walked up the stairs from the subway and wind up across the street from the park.
The first thing I notice is the demonstration to free Tibet from the occupation of China. Most of what the speakers said was in Chinese so about all I got from the speeches and signs, was that Tibet is a sovereign nation that China is occupying and the Tibetan’s want them out.
The speeches and demonstration went on for well over an hour and then it broke up into an organized march off to who knows where. I was at the other end of the park when it broke up but knew it was over when the car and truck horns started beeping. The police were escorting them to where ever they were going and the group blocked traffic whenever they crossed a street.
On one side of the park was a farmers market. Vendors come in from different boroughs of NY City and the surrounding the areas outside NY City to sell fresh foods of all kinds. There were a few vendors selling plants and flowers and some people playing music to try to make a few bucks as well.
Around the corner from these vendors were others selling their art. There were all kinds of very cool things. Aughra bought her son Gus and wire sculpture of a dragon.
During my sightseeing walks, I tokk a few pictures of some thing s that interested me.
I sat down on the benches in the park from time to time when I saw something interesting to watch or just got tired and needed a rest. There were two things that I found the most interesting, the group of students from the NY Film Academy filiming a movie and the very strange looking man dressed as a, it’s hard to explain. Not really a woamn, but not really a man either. I’d have taken his picture to show you, but I he might have thought it was stealing his soul or some other nonsense so I decided against it.
The group of students from the NY Film Academy filiming a movie, did the same scene over and over from a few different views, until they got it right. They moved on to another area in the park and did the same thing. Filiming the two scenes must have taken them two hours. I sat next to a retired stage director for a little while chatting with him and he gave a short lesson on what was going on.
I got a call from Aughra that they were in the park and where to meet them. I saw Foxglove first and gave her a big hug and a kiss. Then Aughra and did the same thing. Foxglove introduced her husband to me. I could see him looking me over I think to see if I carrying an ax or any other weapons. We went across the street and had lunch in a place called Republic. Aughra wanted Chinese noodles.
The place had excellent Chinese food but I almost had to eat it with my fingers, because they only give you chop sticks to use. Since I don’t have any idea how to use them, Aughra managed to get me a fork.
I really enjoyed the time we spent together at lunch (PSST.....I got to sit next to Aughra) Talked about a lot of things. (I think to catch me in descrepancies and see if I really may be an ax murderer) or it could have been us all just trying to get to know each. I learned so much about all three of them, and really enjoyed their company and had a very good time.
I suppose they figured out I probably wasn't an ax murderer, Aughra and Foxglove gave Foxglove's husband the high sign that I was OK, so Foxglove’s husband went back to work. I asked him to take a picture of Aughra, Foxglove and I together so I could show you all, one, that I really did meet them, and two, just how absolutly beautiful they both are. As you can see, Aughra is very tall, about 5’10” and Foxglove has the most amazing red hair you have ever seen. They both have incredabile bodies that you cannot really appreciate until you see them. (Yes, I did notice their figures. Remember who this is telling the story and you shouldn't be surprised.)
This story is not over by a long shot so I’ll finish this post later. There is corned beef & cabbage and cold beer waiting for me at Kenny’s and I am starving.
I live about 60 miles east of the City, so instead of driving, I took the train and then the subway to Union Square where I was to meet Aughra, Foxglove and Foxglove’s husband for lunch. It seems that Foxglove’s husband wanted to meet me because he thought I might be an ax murderer or something. Foxglove told him I was probably wasn’t, but I suppose the word “might” didn’t give him the assurances he needed, so he still wanted to meet me.
I arrived early and walked around the Union Square area sightseeing and taking pictures. There was no end of the sights to see in that small area surrounding the park if you look close. I’ve lived on Long Island in New York for about 33 years and just never make it a point to go into the City very often, which is really a shame. New York City is just such an amazing place and you can be sure, now that I’m retired, I will be spend a lot more time in there from now on.
The subway stops in Union Square, well, under Union Square. I walked up the stairs from the subway and wind up across the street from the park.
The first thing I notice is the demonstration to free Tibet from the occupation of China. Most of what the speakers said was in Chinese so about all I got from the speeches and signs, was that Tibet is a sovereign nation that China is occupying and the Tibetan’s want them out.
The speeches and demonstration went on for well over an hour and then it broke up into an organized march off to who knows where. I was at the other end of the park when it broke up but knew it was over when the car and truck horns started beeping. The police were escorting them to where ever they were going and the group blocked traffic whenever they crossed a street.
On one side of the park was a farmers market. Vendors come in from different boroughs of NY City and the surrounding the areas outside NY City to sell fresh foods of all kinds. There were a few vendors selling plants and flowers and some people playing music to try to make a few bucks as well.
Around the corner from these vendors were others selling their art. There were all kinds of very cool things. Aughra bought her son Gus and wire sculpture of a dragon.
During my sightseeing walks, I tokk a few pictures of some thing s that interested me.
I sat down on the benches in the park from time to time when I saw something interesting to watch or just got tired and needed a rest. There were two things that I found the most interesting, the group of students from the NY Film Academy filiming a movie and the very strange looking man dressed as a, it’s hard to explain. Not really a woamn, but not really a man either. I’d have taken his picture to show you, but I he might have thought it was stealing his soul or some other nonsense so I decided against it.
The group of students from the NY Film Academy filiming a movie, did the same scene over and over from a few different views, until they got it right. They moved on to another area in the park and did the same thing. Filiming the two scenes must have taken them two hours. I sat next to a retired stage director for a little while chatting with him and he gave a short lesson on what was going on.
I got a call from Aughra that they were in the park and where to meet them. I saw Foxglove first and gave her a big hug and a kiss. Then Aughra and did the same thing. Foxglove introduced her husband to me. I could see him looking me over I think to see if I carrying an ax or any other weapons. We went across the street and had lunch in a place called Republic. Aughra wanted Chinese noodles.
The place had excellent Chinese food but I almost had to eat it with my fingers, because they only give you chop sticks to use. Since I don’t have any idea how to use them, Aughra managed to get me a fork.
I really enjoyed the time we spent together at lunch (PSST.....I got to sit next to Aughra) Talked about a lot of things. (I think to catch me in descrepancies and see if I really may be an ax murderer) or it could have been us all just trying to get to know each. I learned so much about all three of them, and really enjoyed their company and had a very good time.
I suppose they figured out I probably wasn't an ax murderer, Aughra and Foxglove gave Foxglove's husband the high sign that I was OK, so Foxglove’s husband went back to work. I asked him to take a picture of Aughra, Foxglove and I together so I could show you all, one, that I really did meet them, and two, just how absolutly beautiful they both are. As you can see, Aughra is very tall, about 5’10” and Foxglove has the most amazing red hair you have ever seen. They both have incredabile bodies that you cannot really appreciate until you see them. (Yes, I did notice their figures. Remember who this is telling the story and you shouldn't be surprised.)
This story is not over by a long shot so I’ll finish this post later. There is corned beef & cabbage and cold beer waiting for me at Kenny’s and I am starving.
Friday, March 10, 2006
I am so lucky!!!!!
Thursday, March 9, 2006
HNT Cooking Lesson
Cooking Lesson #1 – Gorgonzola Pizza
Today I am going to teach you how to make my World Famous Gorgonzola Pizza. This post is pretty long because it is not just a recipe, but a full blown cooking lesson with pictures and everything.
I think you will enjoy the lesson, but if you don't cook, don't eat pizza or get bored along the way, skip to the end for my HNT picture this week. Now lets get started.
1. Gather all the ingredients you see in the picture. It saves a lot of time if you get everything in one place and not have to keep looking around for stuff.
2. The first thing you need to do is to make a gin and tonic. If you don’t drink gin, then any other alcoholic beverage will do, but don’t blame me if the pizza doesn’t come out like mine.
3. Get a glass and fill it with ice, but not too full. You need to leave plenty of room for the gin. Note: I know I didn’t put a glass in the picture, but once you saw the gin, I figured you knew you needed a glass.
4. Pour in a little gin (smirk).
5. Then fill the glass the rest of the way with tonic. Note: Notice I’m using the diet tonic. It’s a lot of hard work to keep my body in the condition that it is, so drinking the sugar free helps.
6. Now the lime juice. I usually use Rose’s Sweetened lime juice, but haven’t quite made it to the store yet, but this an acceptable substitute. Note: Yea, I know it’s been a week since I ran out, but shit happens you know. I’m on retirement time now, so who cares? Not me that’s for sure.
7. Now take a drink. Note: This is a very important step and MUST not be missed. One must be in the proper frame of mind to make this pizza.
8. Spray a cookie sheet with the olive oil spray. NOT vegatable spray! I must be olive oil spray. If you don’t have spray, you can brush it on if you want, but it MUST be olive oil. Note: I know I forgot to tell you about the cookie sheet in the beginning, but the gin and tonic was on my mind. Anyway, go get a frigging cookie sheet and shut up, okay?
SHIT!!!! What a mess! I forgot to spray the cookie sheet in the sink. No harm done.
9. Go get the wipes and clean up the olive oil over spray. Note: No, I didn’t forget them too. I didn’t even know I would need them to wipe up my mess. I was supposed to spray the cookie sheet in the sink.
10. Open the package of pizza crust. Note: I just love opening these types of packages. You never know when they will open, so I get startled when they pop open like that.
11. Spread the pizza dough out on the cookie sheet. Make it as thin as possible. Note: You did wash your hands before starting the pizza, right? Urine residue from your unwashed hands ruins the taste you know. You say you always wash your hands after peeing? LOL! Sure, whatever you say. LOL!
12. Now pinch the edges of the pizza crust to make a raised edge of some kind. For you pie makers, it’s sort of what you do to a pie crust around the edge. This helps keep all the crap you put on it, stay on it while it bakes.
It should look something like this now.
13. Now put the crust in the oven and baked for 8 minutes. Note: I know I forgot to take a picture of this step, but if you can’t figure how to do this, quit now before you get hurt. Can I ask you something? Your not going to keep nagging me about forgetting stuff, are you? Because you could really become a pain in the ass if you do.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE OVEN IS COLD! DIDN’T YOU PREHEAT IT TO 400F? I’M SURE I TOLD YOU TO PREHEAT THE OVEN. HAVE ANOTHER DRINK AND WAIT HERE WHILE I GO BACK AND CHECK.
WOW, you won’t believe this. Someone deleted my instructions to preheat the oven. I swear I put that in at the beginning of this post, I know I did. That’s okay. We can work around this
14. Put the pizza crust back down and preheat oven to 400F. Note: See, I told you we could work around that.
15. Finish your drink while you wait for the oven to heat up. You can tell when the oven is up to temperature when that little red light by the oven knob goes out. Note: Repeat steps 3 thru 6 if your glass is empty. I know my glass would be empty by now, so that’s why I’m saying this.
This is what an empty glass looks like in case you didn’t know.
If your glass looks like this, you’re okay for now.
16. Now put the crust in the oven and set the timer to 8 minutes. Note: I didn’t have to tell you to get a kitchen timer too did I? I hope not or you are out of league here and maybe shouldn’t be in a kitchen around hot things. Besides that, you are going to have to slice something later and I sure as hell don’t want to be responsible for you cutting off a finger. Take my advice here, if you don’t have a timer, quit now and get take out pizza instead, okay?
Here’s what my timer looks like. Isn’t it a nice one? It has one of those temperature probes attachments, which is put away somewhere. Don't ask exactly where though. I have a have time remembering where I put my car keys, much less some stupid temperature probe.
17. Repeat steps 3 through 7 for as many rounds of drinks as you can get in, in eight minutes.
18. Now go do something and wait for the timer to go off. Note: I sat down for a few minutes to see what was on television. I flicked through a few channels, and didn’t see anything very interesting until I came across a movie I immeditely recognized. It was one of my all time favorite movie classics, Scary Movie 3. I highly recommend it for all horn dogs like myself, just for this one scene.
19. When the timer beeps, or whatever it is your does, remove the crust from oven. Warning!!!! The cookie sheet is frigging hot, so used a potholder. I didn’t think I would have to tell you about potholders, but since you’ve been bitching about all the other stuff I forgot to tell you about, I figured I better tell you, or you would blame me when you burned yourself.
20. Here is what the crust should look like. Note: If the pizza crust doesn’t look cooked at all, you were probably drinking too much and didn’t preheat the oven like I told you. Stop now and get assistance before continuing or you will surly get hurt.
21. Next pour some olive oil in a small bowl. Note: Not as much as I poured here though. I was pouring the olive oil while I was waiting for the timer on the camera to time out so I poured WAY too much.
22. Brush the pizza crust with a generous amount of olive oil using a pastry brush. Note: I know I didn’t tell you to have a pastry brush handy, but you are cooking in a frigging kitch for gods sake. Damn, you really are getting on my nerves. Now shuit up, and brush the frigging crust.
WARNING!!!! THIS STEP MUST NOT BE SKIPPED OR YOU WILL RUIN THE WHOLE FRIGGING PIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
23. Sprinkle the crust with about ¾ pound (0.34 kg) of Gorgonsola cheese. Note: You can use more or less if you want, but I use a lot because I really like cheese.
24. Spread out the fresh basil in a nice even layer. Note: Washing and drying the basil is optional as far as I’m concerned, but don’t complain I didn’t tell you about it.
Here’s what it should look like when your done putting on the basil.
25. Slice the fresh tomatos into decent size slices. Make sure you have enough to cover the entire pie. Note: Don’t blame me if you don’t have a knife handy. I told you that you’ld be slicing something in step 16.
26. Spread the slices of tomato out in a nice even layer on top of the basil like this.
Here’s what it should look like when you done putting on the tomato slices.
How’s it look? You can stop here if you want, or you can put on some more stuff. At the last minute I decided to put on a little grated cheese. Note: I know there is a glare partially covering the name of the cheese. Use what ever you want and shut the fuck up or I’m stopping right now!
Sprinkle it evenly over the pizza, but not too much though. You don’t want to over power the other ingredients.
About this much should do
27. I decided to check in my spice cabinet and see if there was anything else I wanted to add.
I found some garlic powder so decided to use that. Note: I have fresh garlic, but thought that may be too overpowering, so I used the powder instead. Besides, the garlic powder is also way easier to put on evenly.
Sprinkle a little bit evenly over the top. Note : Again, not too much. You can add more if you want to after you taste it. But you can't take it off once it been put on.
28. Here is what the pizza looks like after all the ingredients are on. Looks good, doesn’t it?
29. Now what do think we should do next? Right, make another drink to celebrate you’ve gotten this far without, hopefully, hurting yourself.
30. Now put the pie in the oven without burning yourself. You have been drinking, so I’m just concerned for your safety.
31. Set the timer for 11 minutes.
32. No go back and watch more of Scary Movie 3 and wait for the timer to ring. If you have TiVo, you can watch this scene again. Note: Repeat steps 3 thru 7 for as many rounds of drinks you can get in, in 11 minutes.
33. When the timer rings, check the pizza to see if it’s cooked enough. If not, put it back in for a couple of minutes and check it again. It’s hard to tell, but in this shot, the tomatos and the basil wasn’t cooked enough.
34. After a couple of minutes, check the pizza again. This is good.
35. Take the pizza out of the oven, stand back and admire your master piece.
36. Now as a reward for a job well down, and living to talk about it, have another drink.
Note: I even took a picture of me holding the finished pizza so I could prove to you I really did make it and wasn't just drinking.
Behold, the Half-Nekkid Chef!
HEY! That’s a great name for a cooking show, don’t you think? I might just propose that to the Food Channel. I’ll bet my ratings would be a lot higher than Emeril’s, especially if I had a woman for a co-host. Any of you ladies want to auditon for the job of co-host?
Today I am going to teach you how to make my World Famous Gorgonzola Pizza. This post is pretty long because it is not just a recipe, but a full blown cooking lesson with pictures and everything.
I think you will enjoy the lesson, but if you don't cook, don't eat pizza or get bored along the way, skip to the end for my HNT picture this week. Now lets get started.
1. Gather all the ingredients you see in the picture. It saves a lot of time if you get everything in one place and not have to keep looking around for stuff.
2. The first thing you need to do is to make a gin and tonic. If you don’t drink gin, then any other alcoholic beverage will do, but don’t blame me if the pizza doesn’t come out like mine.
3. Get a glass and fill it with ice, but not too full. You need to leave plenty of room for the gin. Note: I know I didn’t put a glass in the picture, but once you saw the gin, I figured you knew you needed a glass.
4. Pour in a little gin (smirk).
5. Then fill the glass the rest of the way with tonic. Note: Notice I’m using the diet tonic. It’s a lot of hard work to keep my body in the condition that it is, so drinking the sugar free helps.
6. Now the lime juice. I usually use Rose’s Sweetened lime juice, but haven’t quite made it to the store yet, but this an acceptable substitute. Note: Yea, I know it’s been a week since I ran out, but shit happens you know. I’m on retirement time now, so who cares? Not me that’s for sure.
7. Now take a drink. Note: This is a very important step and MUST not be missed. One must be in the proper frame of mind to make this pizza.
8. Spray a cookie sheet with the olive oil spray. NOT vegatable spray! I must be olive oil spray. If you don’t have spray, you can brush it on if you want, but it MUST be olive oil. Note: I know I forgot to tell you about the cookie sheet in the beginning, but the gin and tonic was on my mind. Anyway, go get a frigging cookie sheet and shut up, okay?
SHIT!!!! What a mess! I forgot to spray the cookie sheet in the sink. No harm done.
9. Go get the wipes and clean up the olive oil over spray. Note: No, I didn’t forget them too. I didn’t even know I would need them to wipe up my mess. I was supposed to spray the cookie sheet in the sink.
10. Open the package of pizza crust. Note: I just love opening these types of packages. You never know when they will open, so I get startled when they pop open like that.
11. Spread the pizza dough out on the cookie sheet. Make it as thin as possible. Note: You did wash your hands before starting the pizza, right? Urine residue from your unwashed hands ruins the taste you know. You say you always wash your hands after peeing? LOL! Sure, whatever you say. LOL!
12. Now pinch the edges of the pizza crust to make a raised edge of some kind. For you pie makers, it’s sort of what you do to a pie crust around the edge. This helps keep all the crap you put on it, stay on it while it bakes.
It should look something like this now.
13. Now put the crust in the oven and baked for 8 minutes. Note: I know I forgot to take a picture of this step, but if you can’t figure how to do this, quit now before you get hurt. Can I ask you something? Your not going to keep nagging me about forgetting stuff, are you? Because you could really become a pain in the ass if you do.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE OVEN IS COLD! DIDN’T YOU PREHEAT IT TO 400F? I’M SURE I TOLD YOU TO PREHEAT THE OVEN. HAVE ANOTHER DRINK AND WAIT HERE WHILE I GO BACK AND CHECK.
WOW, you won’t believe this. Someone deleted my instructions to preheat the oven. I swear I put that in at the beginning of this post, I know I did. That’s okay. We can work around this
14. Put the pizza crust back down and preheat oven to 400F. Note: See, I told you we could work around that.
15. Finish your drink while you wait for the oven to heat up. You can tell when the oven is up to temperature when that little red light by the oven knob goes out. Note: Repeat steps 3 thru 6 if your glass is empty. I know my glass would be empty by now, so that’s why I’m saying this.
This is what an empty glass looks like in case you didn’t know.
If your glass looks like this, you’re okay for now.
16. Now put the crust in the oven and set the timer to 8 minutes. Note: I didn’t have to tell you to get a kitchen timer too did I? I hope not or you are out of league here and maybe shouldn’t be in a kitchen around hot things. Besides that, you are going to have to slice something later and I sure as hell don’t want to be responsible for you cutting off a finger. Take my advice here, if you don’t have a timer, quit now and get take out pizza instead, okay?
Here’s what my timer looks like. Isn’t it a nice one? It has one of those temperature probes attachments, which is put away somewhere. Don't ask exactly where though. I have a have time remembering where I put my car keys, much less some stupid temperature probe.
17. Repeat steps 3 through 7 for as many rounds of drinks as you can get in, in eight minutes.
18. Now go do something and wait for the timer to go off. Note: I sat down for a few minutes to see what was on television. I flicked through a few channels, and didn’t see anything very interesting until I came across a movie I immeditely recognized. It was one of my all time favorite movie classics, Scary Movie 3. I highly recommend it for all horn dogs like myself, just for this one scene.
19. When the timer beeps, or whatever it is your does, remove the crust from oven. Warning!!!! The cookie sheet is frigging hot, so used a potholder. I didn’t think I would have to tell you about potholders, but since you’ve been bitching about all the other stuff I forgot to tell you about, I figured I better tell you, or you would blame me when you burned yourself.
20. Here is what the crust should look like. Note: If the pizza crust doesn’t look cooked at all, you were probably drinking too much and didn’t preheat the oven like I told you. Stop now and get assistance before continuing or you will surly get hurt.
21. Next pour some olive oil in a small bowl. Note: Not as much as I poured here though. I was pouring the olive oil while I was waiting for the timer on the camera to time out so I poured WAY too much.
22. Brush the pizza crust with a generous amount of olive oil using a pastry brush. Note: I know I didn’t tell you to have a pastry brush handy, but you are cooking in a frigging kitch for gods sake. Damn, you really are getting on my nerves. Now shuit up, and brush the frigging crust.
WARNING!!!! THIS STEP MUST NOT BE SKIPPED OR YOU WILL RUIN THE WHOLE FRIGGING PIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
23. Sprinkle the crust with about ¾ pound (0.34 kg) of Gorgonsola cheese. Note: You can use more or less if you want, but I use a lot because I really like cheese.
24. Spread out the fresh basil in a nice even layer. Note: Washing and drying the basil is optional as far as I’m concerned, but don’t complain I didn’t tell you about it.
Here’s what it should look like when your done putting on the basil.
25. Slice the fresh tomatos into decent size slices. Make sure you have enough to cover the entire pie. Note: Don’t blame me if you don’t have a knife handy. I told you that you’ld be slicing something in step 16.
26. Spread the slices of tomato out in a nice even layer on top of the basil like this.
Here’s what it should look like when you done putting on the tomato slices.
How’s it look? You can stop here if you want, or you can put on some more stuff. At the last minute I decided to put on a little grated cheese. Note: I know there is a glare partially covering the name of the cheese. Use what ever you want and shut the fuck up or I’m stopping right now!
Sprinkle it evenly over the pizza, but not too much though. You don’t want to over power the other ingredients.
About this much should do
27. I decided to check in my spice cabinet and see if there was anything else I wanted to add.
I found some garlic powder so decided to use that. Note: I have fresh garlic, but thought that may be too overpowering, so I used the powder instead. Besides, the garlic powder is also way easier to put on evenly.
Sprinkle a little bit evenly over the top. Note : Again, not too much. You can add more if you want to after you taste it. But you can't take it off once it been put on.
28. Here is what the pizza looks like after all the ingredients are on. Looks good, doesn’t it?
29. Now what do think we should do next? Right, make another drink to celebrate you’ve gotten this far without, hopefully, hurting yourself.
30. Now put the pie in the oven without burning yourself. You have been drinking, so I’m just concerned for your safety.
31. Set the timer for 11 minutes.
32. No go back and watch more of Scary Movie 3 and wait for the timer to ring. If you have TiVo, you can watch this scene again. Note: Repeat steps 3 thru 7 for as many rounds of drinks you can get in, in 11 minutes.
33. When the timer rings, check the pizza to see if it’s cooked enough. If not, put it back in for a couple of minutes and check it again. It’s hard to tell, but in this shot, the tomatos and the basil wasn’t cooked enough.
34. After a couple of minutes, check the pizza again. This is good.
35. Take the pizza out of the oven, stand back and admire your master piece.
36. Now as a reward for a job well down, and living to talk about it, have another drink.
Note: I even took a picture of me holding the finished pizza so I could prove to you I really did make it and wasn't just drinking.
Behold, the Half-Nekkid Chef!
HEY! That’s a great name for a cooking show, don’t you think? I might just propose that to the Food Channel. I’ll bet my ratings would be a lot higher than Emeril’s, especially if I had a woman for a co-host. Any of you ladies want to auditon for the job of co-host?
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