Sunday, January 10th, 2010
For the longest time, we have been trying to throw a little holiday party. The idea usually finds its way into the house around the beginning of December and then disappears towards the end. It’s a shame really because we are semi-fun people to be around. I think we would be fabulous hosts.
Ever since this year’s party fizzled, I have been thinking. I figured out that we place too much emphasis on a one time event. The last time we did this, we were supposed to have a nice birthday evening out at Dave and Busters. Well, it snowed and we were forced to cancel. That was bad because we had some good old friends willing to meet us out. I was excited to see them. It wasn’t the most terrible thing, because we did have a nice Dave and Busters night the year before with some other good friends.
Anyway, my idea was to stop placing emphasis one one hit wonders. Why not have a get-together-like Sunday dinner every week? You know, good food, wine, beer, cigars… Like I explained a few days ago, I’ll put the invitation out there to a few people here and there. If everyone comes, then we eat, drink and have a good time. If no one comes, we have leftovers. I love leftovers.
We had a dry run tonight. We picked out a nice recipe for dinner from one of our cookbooks and another recipe for a dessert from the internet. Then, I ran up to Whole Foods to gather all the ingredients. I usually go to Whole Foods because I am fairly certain they will have everything I need. I don’t have that confidence in our local IGA. I know, I know…I am still a little mad at Whole Foods. Sure, they are expensive but they seem to be working on the personality thing. Also, they do have the stuff I need. I don’t see myself going to any of the other grocery stores besides Wal-Mart and I ain’t running over there on a nice quiet Sunday. Plus, I’m not even sure they would have what I need. You know those odd ingredients these cookbooks call for.
Tonight, I made Vegetable Crumble and peas. Talk about a meat and potatoes meal, without the meat. It was very filling. We made (which I have yet to eat) some sort of a pumpkin yogurt dessert. I tasted it and it seemed pretty good. We’ll see how it goes. The dessert we were supposed to make was Avocado Ice Cream. I think I told you that I now have an ice cream maker and am an ice cream making fool. I also have an ice cream recipe book. It’s pretty serious. I am going to have to wait a day or two to make this ice cream because the avocados need to ripen just a bit more. After that, I think I’ll be eating some pretty interesting ice cream.
I told my mother about the avocado ice cream recipe and she didn’t seem too enthusiastic about it. I then proceeded to tell her that salmon flavored ice cream was next. I admit that I was looking for a reaction on that one.
Okay, so the moral of the story is that Sunday dinners are on. These are highly exclusive events and very formal. Just kidding, but we do eat in the dining room at a table. That’s a big shift from our usual routine. I am growing up so fast.
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Wednesday, January 6th, 2010
Okay, I’m not sure what the difference between a compression shirt and a rash guard is. From what I have been able to gather, they are pretty much the same thing. Please correct me if I am wrong. I have a very open mind.
Here’s the deal. When I head up to do my Jiu Jitsu workouts with the guys, I wear a gi. I don’t wear a shirt under the gi top. I used to wear a t-shirt, but I was getting seriously overheated. That may have been because I was really out of shape, because I was just starting out and not using my energy efficiently or just because it was hot outside. Who knows. I do know that I have been wearing a t-shirt under my gi top for the last two classes and it’s been working out okay. Still, I don’t trust the t-shirt thing.
When wearing a t-shirt under a gi, I tend to sweat much more than I normally would. When the t-shirt gets sweaty, it bunches up and I lose a little bit of mobility. You know, in this sport, I need my mobility. I had to figure out an alternative to the t-shirt.
Wait…why do I need to wear anything under the gi? I guess I didn’t explain that part. Okay, it’s a good idea (from what I have discovered) to wear some sort of protection under the gi to avoid having the gi smear into the skin all the time. A gi is pretty rough. When guys are trying to gain top control and side control on me, they aren’t caring too much about how sensitive my tender epidermis is. They just want to get their position. When they twist and turn, sometimes I get roughed up.
That’s where compression shirts, or otherwise know as rash guards come into play. You can see what a short sleeve compression shirt looks like here and a long sleeve rash guard here. Rash guards are slippery shirts. They are very much like spandex and when you put one on, it feels like you are stretching a big rubber band over your body.
The other day, I ordered a short sleeve Cliff Keen compression shirt through Amazon. It just arrived today. I think I paid about $27 for it with approximately $10 for shipping. That’s about $37 bucks. Yesterday, I found short sleeve rash guards in Wal Mart for $10. No shipping. These compressions shirts are made by Starter. Since I now have both makes of rash guard in hand, I can make a quick comparison.
I think the Cliff Keen compression shirt is a bit thicker and has more heavy duty stitching. The Starter shirt is very good though. I am very surprised at that. Even if the Wal Mart ones fall apart in half the time, they are still much less expensive than other brands out there. The Cliff Keen shirt was actually priced better than many others as well.
I suppose I really have to see how they do once I hit the mat. Perhaps in a month or so, I’ll write a follow up post comparing the Cliff Keen compression shirt with the Starter compression shirt.
I have to say though, I really like the Cliff Keen brand. I have head gear made from them and am thrilled with its performance.
Okay, until next time.
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Cliff Keen compression shirt tag
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Cliff Keen compression shirt logo
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Starter compression shirt logo
Oh yeah, there’s one more thing I wanted to mention. Sizing these shirts can be a pain in the butt. I had no idea what size I was. I guess the rule is that you buy the same size compression shirt or rash guard as you would regular shirt. I am almost 6′3″ and weigh 190lbs. I bought size XL and they fit perfectly. These shirts are meant to be like a second skin, so they are tight to the body.
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Wednesday, January 6th, 2010
I know I complain a lot about Winter. It’s in my nature. I always feel so stupid when I do because it’s not like I am the only one on the planet who has to deal with the cold. No one else seems to complain either. It’s a lonely job complaining about Winter.
This Winter has been a little different. Usually, I make it up to about December 20 and then start my ranting and raving about how much fun I am not having. This year, my spirits are still high. I think it might be because I have been making little adjustments here and there.
You know, Winter doesn’t have to be horrible.
So, what have I done to make Winter more comfortable for me? Here is a list:
- Sweatpants to walk around in instead of my just my boxers (I know, TMI)
- Slippers to wear instead of having just bare feet
- New humidifier to help the air actually feel warm
- All wheel drive vehicles to make driving in the snow something to look forward to
- Pellet stove to warm up my hands
- Snowblower to avoid 99% of shoveling
- Happy light to get some extra sun
- Jiu Jitsu to keep my endorphins on high alert
- An electric blanket to warm up the bed before I hop in
That last one is new.
Sunbeam Fleece Warming Throw - Electric Blanket
Let me tell you a little something. Jumping into a bed with cold sheets is a lot of fun in the summertime. During the Winter, not so much. I hate it. There is nothing quite like getting in bed, throwing the covers over my head and curling up like a ball and then breathing heavy just to get the heat going. I know I’m not alone in this one. If you didn’t grow up in an apartment building where the heat is always on 90 degrees, you know what I’m talking about.
I decided that getting an electric blanket is probably one of my last little Winter comfort items. I bought it yesterday at Wal-Mart for $29.96. There were a few other brands, but they were over $60 and some even over $100. I thought those were too much because all I wanted was something to turn on for 10 minutes before I get in bed. Something to take the edge off so I don’t have to curl up like a ball anymore. I’m too old to be doing that. I couldn’t imagine the guy down the road curling up like a ball, so why do I?
I tried it out last night. Unfortunately, the blanket didn’t get all that warm. I only had it on for about three minutes while I brushed my teeth. I turned it off and got in bed. While the sheets weren’t cold, they weren’t warm either. Not like the electric blankets of yesteryear. I figure the blanket needs a good ten minutes to warm up to give me that awesome warm feeling. Kind of like the feeling of sliding into a really warm hot tub. Now that is a good feeling.
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Sunday, November 22nd, 2009
I haven’t been getting enough sleep and I am afraid that I am getting dumber because of it.
I am sure you know about my fear of Winter darkness. Well, I don’t exactly fear the lack of light, I fear the short days and the being inside way too much for months on end. I fear it so much that my better half got me one of those “Happy Lights” to help me snap out of it. I’ll tell you, I think it may work.
I thought I would try something different this year. Since the sun is up when I roll out of bed, I thought that I would try getting up at the super duper early time of 7AM to get a jump on the day. I figured that if I can get going earlier than I normally do, the day will seem longer. I even have my own alarm clock on my side of the bed to help me. This has been going on now since the change in daylight saving time. Honestly, it’s been working. Getting up at 7AM makes the day seem a heck of a lot longer. We eat dinner earlier and sometimes, when I look at the clock and think it’s around 10PM, it’s really only 6PM. That’s a little treat.
There’s only one problem. I’m a night owl. I do most of my work at night. I get all of my good ideas at night. I usually roll into bed between 1AM – 2AM. This little habit of mine hasn’t changed. What does this mean? Well, it means that I haven’t been getting enough sleep.
I feel fine. I think things go smoothly throughout the day, but I have noticed strange things happening. For one, I haven’t written here as much as I normally do. I have had so many ideas, but right after I get the idea, I say to myself, “Ah hell, I don’t feel like writing. Let all those other champion bloggers take over for a day or two. They know I’ll be back.” Then, a few days go by and then another few…
I don’t think I have ever forgotten to bring my wallet with me to a store in my life. I just don’t do it. The other day, I had to go to Home Depot and then Wal-Mart for some stuff. I got to Home Depot and had all the items I needed in my hand when I was on my way to the register to check out. All of the sudden, a wave of heat came over me…where was my wallet? It wasn’t on me. I left it at the house. First time in my life. I felt so stupid and I was so mad. While I was in the car, I cursed something awful. My muscles flexed and people feared me. No seriously, I was so upset, not because I didn’t bring my wallet with me, but because I actually let myself forget it. It just wasn’t like me to do something like that.
I have also been forgetting people’s names like crazy. I just did that today twice. It’s getting really annoying and I think all this has to do with a lack of sleep.
We talked about it this evening and decided that we need to be in bed and under the covers by 11PM. Sure, I’ll do my usual reading, but that doesn’t usually last for long before I konk out.
Well folks, that’s what I am going to do. I have two minutes to brush my teeth, wash my hands and comb my hair. Then, off to bed it is. All so I can write more for you. By the way, that little saying is something I got from something my mother crocheted when I was younger. I don’t really comb my hair before bed.
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Wednesday, May 28th, 2008
We took the leap. The leap to Costco (finally) up in Enfield, CT…near the border of MA. We have been meaning to do this for a very long time, but never got around to it.
Back at our old house, we were members of Sam’s Club, which is just an extension of Wal-Mart. We got pretty sick of it and didn’t renew our yearly plan. It seemed like there was some sort of stagnation with its stock. My father kept telling me that Costco is much better. I remember Costco from the Danbury location and it was pretty good. My father and I are a little different when it comes to shopping at Costco though. He likes to look at tools and equipment, while I like to look at the heads of lettuce.
One of the main things I was looking for was high quality food, mainly produce, and a big store. We visited BJs in Willimantic earlier in the week and were disappointed. It seemed like an older store and was much smaller than the others. I like to feel like I am in a stadium.
The Enfield Cosco was built in 2004, which means it has all the latest perks, groceries, tire changes, pharmacy, etc…and for those people who need to have dessert while they go food shopping, there is a fast food place. It’s almost sad.
Anyway, membership is $50 and good for a year, so we did it.
Yes, that is the actual Enfield store.
We filled our cart up last night and made out like bandits. I got a 2 1/2 pound bag of spinach and a huge box of veggie burgers, among other things. The prices were pretty good, but you can never really tell. On some stuff, they are definitely better. On other stuff, it’s a little tricky. The good thing is that we don’t need to keep running out to the grocery store for every little thing, like we used to. Now, we just load up the trunk and that’s that. Of course, we are still going to have to go to the regular grocery store for some stuff, but this place helps out a bunch.
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Friday, December 1st, 2006
For the past few weeks, I have been engaged in a fierce battle with a mouse in our house. An evil vermin, if you will. Recently, our cats have been sitting quietly on the kitchen floor, staring at the lower cabinets. Laura claimed there was a mouse in there, but I hesitated to believe her.
I was wrong to hesitate and I can admit that. The reason I can admit that is because I really do have a wonderful personality. People tell me that all the time. Ok, really now…
Anyway, I decided to purchase those little gray humane mouse traps. I got the ones made by Victor. Well, the first night, there was evidence of a real mouse. He (or she) decided to enter the trap, eat the peanut butter and leave. Ok, fine. I reset the trap.
The second night, the mouse entered the trap, ate the peanut butter and the trap door shut behind him. Well, the mouse decided to kick the door off the hinge and escape.
I knew I was in over my head. This mouse, or whatever it was, was stronger than me. Stronger and smarter. I needed some heavier ammo. I went to the store and purchased the next trap up the chain of traps. I set that sucker and hoped for the best. Morning came and I checked the trap to see if my prize was there…ummm…all I found was a trap with no peanut butter and a bunch of chew marks on it. At this point, I concluded that this was no mouse at all. It was either a raccoon or a bear.
I repaired the trap by using a hose clamp to tighten down the lid. No luck. The mouse entered the trap the next night, laughed and proceeded to eat the peanut butter and leave. How he does this is a mystery to me. After his good meal, I think he may have climbed up to our sink for a quick back stroke and sponge bath.
I contemplated getting a bigger and better trap. The one I wanted costs about $18. But first, I wanted to try the last cheap method. I happened to be in Wal-Mart the other day and saw this very simple box with a hinge-door. It was so simple and cost only $1. I bought it to give it a try.
I set the trap and waited. Two nights ago, I heard some commotion in the kitchen and woke up to see what was going on. I saw the trap just sitting there in a new position. Nothing.
I set the trap again last night. Well, around 5:30 this morning, I heard a very distant scratching noise. My ears were very sensitive by this point. I went out to see if there was an empty trap and LOW AND BEHOLD, A MOUSE!!!!! I caught the beast. I cute little (but very strong and smart) field mouse. We stared in each other’s eyes for a good long time. I saw the defeat in him and he saw the pride in me. Nothing but respect. We both knew the game was over. Check mate.
I drove down the road and let him go in the woods. He quickly bounced away and stopped to give me one last glance. I swear I heard, “Good bye my worthy adversary.” Maybe it was the wind…
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Friday, September 29th, 2006
If you are reading this, you are probably thinking, “Oh man, my thoughts exactly!” We have all had them and have heard plenty about them…bad neighbors.
- Junk all over the place
- Barking dogs
- Screaming kids
- Wal-Mart neighbors
- Inappropriate holiday decorations
- Parties all the time
- Spousal fighting
- Spying on you
- The gossipers
- the list goes on…
The question for this post is what to do about them. I will not hold you in suspense…the answer is nothing. This issue is probably more about your own personality than anything else. Most neighbors, with the exception of a few obvious ones, are decent people with slightly different views on things. A big problem is called festering. Here is a scenario: You move into a new neighborhood and live there for a few years. No one (because of the new world we live in) ever really gets to know each other, or introduces themselves to each other, for that matter. You keep noticing different things that your neighbors do (and trust me, we all notice the things our neighbors do, and vice-versa). After a while, you start complaining to yourself about all the stupid things that everyone in the neighborhood does and these things become REALLY annoying to you. This is where it starts…and very soon, you may snap. Have you ever had this feeling?
Now, think about your childhood. Think back about how much you used to scream or terrorize the neighborhood and how much of a mess you used to make…your bike laying on the front yard for days. Think about how the basketball hoop was on its side in the driveway for months at a time right next to the broken lawnmower. Think about the effect that had on your neighbors.
Now think about today. Think about how much your dog barks and how much your kids scream. Now, think about the neighbors that you do like and actually talk to. What kind of annoying things do they do? If you really pay attention, they probably do most of the things that everyone else does, but you don’t pay attention to it anymore because you like these people. Why do you like them? Most likely because they introduced themselves to you way back when you first moved in and now you have an affinity toward them. I guess it’s common human nature…dislike and distrust of the unknown or unfamiliar.
There are tons of websites about this topic, but here are a few really funny ones:
Stupid Neighbors
Neighbors From Hell
Annoying Neighbors
If you browse through these, you will find a common theme – revenge. The people who write in and share their stories truly want revenge. They want to hurt their neighbors physically, mentally and financially. You know, I bet that if these neighbors just sat down and had a conversation with each other and got over themselves, everything would be ok.
Say you have a neighbor who is a slob. What ever happened to the world where one of us walked over there and asked if we could help out? No, I guess we don’t do that anymore.
The point is this – we all come from different sub-cultures and cultures. We all have different ways of doing things. We have got to learn how to put up with one another or we will just live our lives complaining about one another. Let’s get involved with the sloppy guy and the kids down the road. Let’s get drunk at least once with the Peacock family across the way. Let’s try to understand what makes these people tick and get used to them, because if we don’t, we will just keep running to different towns across the country to one day find a perfectly situation neighborhood full of people just like us. After a few months, we will find something we don’t like about them either.
Think hard before you choose to dismiss your neighbors, because they will most likely be the ones to call the fire department if your house is on fire or stop on the highway when you have a flat tire. At least try to love…or at a minimum like thy neighbor.
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