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A Sporting Smorgasbord

Michael Leave a comment

We might have brought up something similar a while ago but if we did it was no where near the events of this past weekend. If good, unusual, unexpected, or cosmic things happen when the planets align, imagine what could happen when all the sports fields,arenas, and courts align? Yep, sports.

if you had the right cable or satellite package or lived in the right city, you had a unique opportunity last Saturday that sports aficionados crave and more normal people fear. All in the same day you could have watched:

a Major League Baseball game,
a National Hockey League Stanley Cup playoff game,
a National Basketball Association playoff game,
the National Football League entry draft,
a USL (United Soccer League) regular season soccer game,
the Kentucky Derby,
a National Women’s Football Association regular season football game,
the PGA World Golf Championships, and
various and sundry boxing associations prize fight Mayeather vs. Pacquiao.

That was a lot of sports.

That’s what I think. How ’bout you?

They’re Making Things Up – Again

Michael Leave a comment

You might remember when couscous was exotic or kale was a salad bar garnish.  I like both of them.  There’s not much better a healthy snack than kale tossed in a tiny bit of olive oil, roasted at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or so, then sprinkled with some parmesan cheese. And couscous makes a nice break from rice or potatoes. Yes, these once obscure food items have made their way to my pantry.

But just because I’ve accepted these is no reason for “those people in charge of things” to make up new food.

Exhibit 1: Quinoa. It’s not real food. It’s not even included in most spell-checkers. And it costs a billion dollars a pound.  We’ve accepted couscous. Isn’t that enough for hard to spell grains?

Exhibit 2: Ghost Peppers. Have you ever seen one of these toxic, glove required, don’t touch your eyes for 3 days peppers. That must be why they are called ghost peppers – no normal human has ever seen one. Habanero peppers are plenty hot enough.

Exhibit 3: Chia Seeds. I really don’t understand these.  I thought they were only good for growing hair on Homer Simpson molds but Daughter of He puts these in her morning smoothies before leaving for work. They are still in the glass on her return. And they cost something like two billion dollars per pound.

Exhibit 4: Coconut Flour. Water, yes. Milk, yes. Sweetened shreds, yes. Flour, really?

So come on important people! We’re just getting used to couscous, kale, and hanger steaks (that’s a post for a different day). You can stop making up new food now. The old stuff is plenty good enough to pack on the pounds.

That’s what I think. How ’bout you?

A Spring and a Miss

Michael Leave a comment

I missed the coldest winter we ever had and the snowiest February we ever had (I think or else it was really, really close). I didn’t mind that at all. But then Spring came and I kept on missing stuff. I sort of minded that.

We started out by missing the Home Show. I hadn’t missed a home show for probably a dozen years.  And I always bought something that you couldn’t find anywhere else. Odd looking but really cool holders for my herb pots on the deck. Lids of all sizes that really work to make my food storage cups useful again.  Of course there were other things we just got a good laugh out of like the $99 iron. Oh well,they’ll be back next year.

I also missed the Maple Festival. We’ve written about that before. It is THE PLACE to get your local syrup and honey.  No log cabins there, just the real stuff.

The local jazz festival changed venues and time this year.  They managed to schedule it right during my unavailable period. The nerve of them! It was at this festival a couple of years ago that She of We found a fellow high schooler now a featured jazz singer. Amazing how small the world really is.

There’s still quite a bit of Spring to go and every week the paper has pages of interesting things to see and do. I’ll just have to make sure to leave a little time available so I don’t miss it all. After all, what good is a Spring if you can’t connect with it?

That’s what I think. How ’bout you?

Alert, Alert, We Need More Lerts

Michael Leave a comment

Even if you’ve been in a cave (or hospital) for the past few months, you must have noticed all of the food recalls lately. Everything from ice cream to baby food tainted with everything from bacteria to broken glass has been pulled from supermarket shelves.  I have to say thank you to the consumer protection people for picking up on these and protecting us from danger and disaster.

I also have to say, ok consumer protection people, let’s stick to the disasters. Among all of the life threatening issues, a local supermarket chain recalled 17 items because they did not include “contains dairy products” on the labels.

What were these products? Two types of rolls made with butter, two cream pies, prepared ham and cheese and turkey and swiss sandwiches, and a variety of cheeses?  Who does not know that butter, cheese, and cream (cream!) are made from milk. Well, except for the cream which is milk.

One would think that if bad things happen to a person when that person has a dairy product that the person would know for sure the list of foods he or she shouldn’t take. And no store should be forced to find room in the deli counter for a sign on each cheese that says “contains dairy” regardless of what a good personal injury lawyer says. We won’t even bring up how to label where cream comes from.

Recalls to protect us from dangers, disasters, and death and good things.  Recalls protecting the stupid from their own stupidity should be recalled.

That’s what I think. How ’bout you?

Welcoming Me Back

Michael Leave a comment

I was finally discharged from all of the hospitals I’ve toured this year.  I’m not quite home but am as close as I’ll get for a little while.  When you’ve been in a hospital for almost 3 months it’s going to take a little more time to function independently. Fortunately some nice siblings are sharing their space with me for a while. I’ll try to think only nice things.

You would think after being released after all that time I’d have nothing but nice things to think and say.  It’s like when two years ago the surgeon came into my room and said they got all the cancer. Every day after that is a gift.

No, wait! Why do we do that? This time around made me realize something. EVERY day is a gift. You don’t have to have cancer for your life to take on meaning. Every day for every person is a gift to be cherished and exploited. Gee, it’s good to be back!

That’s what I think. How ’bout you?

PS: If all goes according to plan, we’ll be back on our regular Monday/Thursday schedule. Spread the word.

Mad Men

Michael Leave a comment

Hello out there. Recovery here is progressing. Not so much that I can get back to regular posts though. But I do want to take a couple of lines and add my voice to March Madness. Go crazy, people!

If you would like to see some older thoughts, type in March or Madness or NCAA into the search box and go crazy!

That’s what I think. How ’bout you?

Figure It Out

Michael Leave a comment

There are two kinds of people I the world. . . planners and those who can type, cut, and paste “two kinds of people.” I could stop here and have a legitimate post.  In fact, I believe I will. You get to figure out which one I am.

That’s what I think. How ’bout you?

Three little words

Michael Leave a comment

Sometime in the fifties “they” came up with three little words. Fries with that? Paper or plastic? Fill ‘er up? The winner is!

What was important were not the words but the meaning.  This might be my shortest post but here goes. By the time you read this I could be in surgery. Come next Thursday. we get back to Real Reality. My secret phrase until then? Three little words…

It’ll be ok

That’s what I think. How ’bout you?

And on and still on…

Michael Leave a comment

It was only a few weeks ago that I began the year with the caveat that these are becoming more “me” than “us.”  Here’s what hsppens in a true unscripted world. There is no “me.”

Would it not be nice if I could have have planned the past four weeks.  I could have talked about new home kichen techniques, Oscar nominations, a new job. Instead I am entereing my fourth week in the hospital.

I’ve been in the hospital before, had major operations. This trip is different. Almost all of the time has been in Critical Care and poking/prodding hits new levels. I’ve also begun dialysis. If you know anyone on dialysis they probably have said how exhausting it is. Yes, it is. Somehow I have managed to keep my Monday and Thursday schedule but only by writing a sentence or two at a time. I’ll take it.

One thing I did not expect is a peak into some of my physicians’ lives. One who has been with me since my first hospitalization was told to me that he saidf I had the soul of Job. Maybe so but only Job’s twin could figure that out. I’ve worked in health care for 35 years and I always wanted to be the stoic health care worker. Not again. The world needs as many souls of Job as it can get.  I’ll do it.

That’s what I think. Hou’ bout you?