Bless you Chef Kerr

In my teens I was obsessed with Chef Graham Kerr's eponymous TV show. Now, once upon a time, Chef Kerr had been known as the Galloping Gourmet.

Photo credit: the Everett Collection, via Watching What We Eat

The GG was an advocate of local, fresh, and seasonal ingredients. However, his recipes all called for mountains of butter, cream, and fat, and virtual rivers of wine. I looked him up on Wikipedia and found this marvelous tidbit:

He was once called the "Most Dangerous Man in America" from the Heart and Stroke Foundation due to his high fat, high calorie recipes featured on his influential cooking programme.

Flash forward to the 90's. Graham is getting to middle age, and his wife has survived a heart attack. He develops a new show in which he re-imagines old GG recipes with a healthier bent. To this day, I credit the Graham Kerr show with my love of garlic and cilantro, and my general aversion to heavy salt.

This is all just background to set up my latest experiment.

Let me start by saying, I love ranch dressing. LOVE it. Pizza, chips, veggies, gimme some. I am also a total ranch snob. I pick restaurants based on the quality of their ranch. I do not like low-fat ranch. It's usually watery, and that fake fat they use can cause, er, let's say digestive complications.

I gave up the bottled stuff in favor of packets last summer. It's tastier and way cheaper, but get this. It calls for a cup of mayonnaise. You heard right, a CUP! Do you know how gross a cup of mayonnaise looks in a bowl? I do.

Thinking on this, I remembered a trick Chef Kerr used to use all the time: substitute strained yogurt. He used it in place of cream cheese, sour cream, mayo -- just about any rich, fat-laden dairy-type product. So I gave it a try. Why not, right?

What you need:

• Plain yogurt (important: NOT vanilla)
• Cheese cloth (available from any fabric store; I used 2 yards)
• Large mixing bowl
• Large strainer (I used my flour sifter)

Ok, all you need to do is, fold up the cheese cloth and use it to line your strainer.

 Here's where I thought, maybe the sifter wasn't the best choice.

Put the strainer over your mixing bowl, and dump in the yogurt.

 

Here's where I was sure. Gotta get a proper strainer.

Wrap the whole thing in plastic, put it in the fridge, and forget about it for several hours, or even better, overnight.

 Glass bowl is important so the plastic wrap will stick.

While you're off doing all the other shit you gotta do, the whey will be draining through the cheese cloth and into the bowl. Note: the yogurt will lose about half its volume through this process, so adjust your measurements accordingly.

I'm usually vehemently anti-waste, but I couldn't think of a thing I could do with yogurt-whey. I just discarded it.

 Any ideas for using this?

What's left behind in the strainer is the solid part of the yogurt. I was amazed. It was fluffy and thick, almost like whipped cream cheese.

See where this is going? I substituted the yogurt solids for mayo in my ranch. With deep trepidation, I gave it a taste...

 Don't judge. My hands were clean!

Are you kidding me?! YUM!! I think I like this better than mayo! Who knew? Well, I guess Graham Kerr knew, like 20 years ago. I busted out some celery sticks and ate some right out of the bowl. Couldn't resist.

 Momma's got a brand new ranch, y'all!

Some numbers, in case you're curious.

• One cup of plain yogurt has 150 calories, 8g fat.
• One cup of mayo? A ridiculous 1440 calories, 160g fat.
• This way, the entire bowl of dressing had 360 calories, 13g fat.
• A 2-tablespoon serving has roughly 22 calories and less than 1g fat.
• By way of comparison, with mayo a serving has 103 calories, 10g fat.

If I may belabor the obvious, there's room for trimming these numbers even more. Using 1% or skim milk would help, as would a nonfat yogurt. I might actually try nonfat next time. I'm feeling brave now.

One last tip from my inspiration, the erstwhile Galloping Gourmet. Try to avoid yogurt with gelatin added; it apparently interferes with the straining process.

I'll be experimenting with this trick some more. If any of y'all do, please comment and let us know how it goes!

Simple and priceless

I made an effort on my birthday to do as little as possible. I played around on the internet, watched an SVU marathon (I know, but we all got our demons), and basically just sat around. Didn't even bother to battle the bed-head. So it took me a minute to pull myself together for the unexpected knock at my door.

It was the FedEx guy, bringing me this:

Pop quiz: How many of these items have I had since college?

Aww yeah! I wasn't expecting delivery until next week. Somehow, even though this house is considerably bigger than our tiny place in Kentucky, I've had hell putting away and organizing all our stuff. Apart from some decorate-y things, my kitchen is finally DONE.

Doug was a little late getting home from work, which, not gonna lie, made me nervous. What with the continuing lousy weather, and last week's unpleasantness, every minute past 5:15 fed my angst. I shouldn't have worried. He had a quick stop to make.

Question #2: Can you spot what's wrong with this picture?

Then, even though he had been at work all day, he plopped right down and put the baker's rack together. I'm so spoiled. The total chaos on my kitchen counters called to me, so I broke my vow of laziness and got to organizing.

I'm a little obsessed with spices.

The space! The glorious workspace! Also, curious about that black cord hanging down under the cabinets? It leads here:

Yep, that's a clip-on snake lamp!

I am a master of improvised lighting. Ugly? Yes. But I can live with ugly. I couldn't live with my stovetop being so dark. Just worried that one of these days Doug's gonna want his desk lamp back.

Feel free to leave quiz guesses in the comments. I'll spill the beans later this week.

Show you my WHAT?

Oh... Tweets...

I found the Super Bowl an irresistible opportunity to experiment with the whole Twitter thing, which is a brand-new side of my online identity. I know, get with the times, Grandma. But don't hate. I'm trying.

My project? See how fast I could type smartass comments about the commercials. I re-read the stream this morning (narcissist), and give the attempt a C- (generous narcissist).

Here are my favorites:

The winner is, kgb. "Bring it on, fat man" may be my next email signature.

Dear US government: I could so have used a piece of that $3 mil you spent on a census ad. Sincerely, the infrastructure.

Emerald Nuts: Disconcertingly accurate metaphor. Obey boss. Humiliate self. Get to eat.

It's a tough way to write, especially attempted comedy. There's no time for revision on a schedule like that. It's a little like amateur improv, only way less pressure cuz the audience is virtual. I also learned, the Twitter-to-Facebook publisher is really slow and somewhat unreliable. Of course, that may be because about 2 zillion people were tweeting the game.

Shameless (total narcissist) self-promotion break! Find me on Twitter to see the rest.

A week in lunches

You might think from reading this blog that I adore cooking. And I do enjoy it, but here's the catch. I only like to cook for other people. When Doug's not home -- say, at lunchtime -- I have a hard time mustering up the effort.

Instead, I tend to eat embarrassing things like TV dinners and Ramen noodles. But I set about last week trying to do better. So I present, for your entertainment and (dare I hope?) inspiration, a workweek's worth of low- to no-effort lunch dishes involving very few processed ingredients.

Monday: Sliced Braeburn apple with extra sharp cheddar

Add a few squares of chocolate for an extra-decadent treat, but otherwise, no explanation needed, right? Except maybe yeah, those are store-bought party crackers. What can I tell you? If I ever get brave enough to make those from scratch, y'all will be the first to know. Well, right after Doug...

Tuesday: Pork barbecue sandwich with Rome apple and home fries

I made this from a half a pork chop and some home fries left over from Monday night. I shredded the meat and added some homemade barbecue sauce. Warmed the meat in the microwave and put it on toast. I re-heated the fries in the oven so they wouldn't turn soggy and gross (about 10 minutes at 350°). I also lightly sprinkled my apple with cinnamon.

Wednesday: Cottage cheese salad

I started with a "classic" salad of iceberg lettuce, red cabbage, and carrots. I added green onion, sweet yellow onion, half a tomato, and some crumbled bacon, cooked earlier. Topped it all with about 2 tablespoons of ranch dressing, a generous helping of cottage cheese, and a shake of black pepper.

Thursday: Tuna salad

Same classic salad base as Wednesday. I cracked a can of tuna packed in water and let it drain into the sink. Meanwhile I mixed about a tablespoon each of mayo, ranch dressing, and pickle relish. After that I also added chopped green and sweet yellow onion, a small clove of finely minced garlic, parsley, cilantro, black pepper and dried celery seed. (I prefer fresh celery but didn't have any around.) Then I mixed this dressing with my tuna and put about half on my salad greens. Sliced half a tomato and shredded some extra sharp cheddar over the top.

Friday: Grilled cheese and tomato soup

Doug's gonna murder me when I finds out I made this without him. Seems silly to explain a grilled cheese, but I will say this. I don't do margarine. Butter has a superior flavor and, in moderation, isn't any worse for you than the fake shit. To keep the butter from tearing up my bread I set it out about a half-hour early to get soft. The cheese is mild cheddar and the bread is store-brand white. The soup is Campbell's Select Harvest Tomato with Basil. Which, I have to admit, wasn't as yummy as it sounded. Come summer when tomatoes get cheap again, maybe I'll venture to make some from fresh.

Recipe: Simple homemade barbecue sauce

I love this approach because it lets me totally customize the sweetness, sourness, smokiness, and heat. I use tomato ketchup as a base, even though those Carolina barbecue champions swear you should start with mustard. But that's the beauty thing about barbecue sauce -- we can all use what we like!

• Sweetness: I usually use brown sugar, but I've also had success with honey, maple syrup, and sorghum molasses.
• Sourness: Lemon juice adds a bright, fresh flavor, whereas apple cider vinegar tastes more savory.  Note that if you're using the mustard base, you may not need the additional sourness. It all depends on your taste (or in my case, usually, what happens to be around).
• Smokiness: Seriously? Get yourself a bottle of Liquid Smoke. Colgin's is the only brand I've ever used, but am open to recommendations. The flavor is mighty concentrated, so just a few drops will do ya.
• Heat: Here the possibilities are endless. The easiest thing is to sprinkle in some ground pepper (black, white, cayenne, whatever you like). I'm also a big fan of mild green Tabasco. The secret to heat is to add slowly, taste often, and don't be afraid to experiment.

Happy lunching!

Cool and collected, could be calmer

If you check out the post immediately preceding this one, you'll see the shocking pictures of my beloved, busted-up Toyota Solara. Its hood is mangled, front bumper cracked, grill bent, and all the front-end lights wrecked. I'm a little sick to my stomach.

Although I'm happy to report Atlanta has dodged all the snow from the past three weeks, it's been raining. As in, nonstop. As in, I'm freakin Noah over here. Last night on his way home from work Doug skidded on the wet pavement and back-ended a Lincoln.

Note to Doug: I love you babe.

Well, to be precise, he more or less drove up under the Lincoln. Its shiny bumper was barely scratched. The Toyota's hood peeled back like a banana. Ugh.

Mercifully he wasn't hurt. Not even a little. Okay, his pride is pretty black and blue. My sister aptly described his state of mind as "shame spiral." I've tried to take it bravely. Getting worked up doesn't accomplish anything, except getting me worked up. I'd rather stay cool and collected. And be a merciless smartass.

"Geez babe you couldn't have just picked a fight with a Kia? What have I said about them sturdy American cars?"

Just try to appreciate it as a joke. Not my best work, but grin-worthy...

Rejecting his self-flagellation, I insisted we go forward with our weekend plans. It's just a car. Hell, it's just the front end of a car. We've been through way worse drama than this.

First, to the mall!

I heart clearance sales.

No man is too macho for a little retail therapy. That, and my man legitimately needs a whole new wardrobe for the sweet new job. I have great fun taking him out to play life-sized Ken doll. Far more than trying to shop for myself.

Afterward we had an early dinner at Sidelines, our delightfully sketch local sports bar.

Yep, last night's band was called Skynard Nimoy. Genius.

Juicy burgers, crunchy fries, and killer margaritas. Oh yeah, and Kentucky basketball on the big screen. A little slice of heaven.

We're doing okay with the car situation. I'm a little stressed that stupid State Farm will total it. I'm prepared to beg, cajole, threaten, and maybe commit an act of violence to keep my ride. But I won't know anything until Monday at the earliest. Nothing to do but stay brave.

This I could have done without...

 

 

 

Sigh...

Following up on Curt's memorial

I wanted to take a couple of minutes to aggregate some things I've read about our tragic loss of Curt Byars.

First, a wholly inadequate thank you goes to Sarah. I couldn't make the memorial service in Peoria on Wednesday, so her tribute has meant the world to me.

Harry Times, All Jacked Up: Borrowed; blue

Also, if you're Facebook friends with Dan Smith, please check out his Notes page. He has graciously shared the text of his eulogy, which I recommend to all.

Obituaries: Peoria Journal Star and Pekin Daily Times

And here are a few older news stories. Some have appeared in the "I share" section of the right-hand column, but for your convenience...

Peoria Journal-Star: Cigarette or lighter suspected in fatal car fire

Pekin Daily Times: Victim of car fire identified

WEEK-TV: Pekin Fire Victim Identified

This photo keeps breaking my heart.

My thoughts continue to go with the countless people all over the country who are hurting from this loss. Our world will never be the same. But it is within our power to keep Curt's laughter and legacy alive, in our memories and our hearts.

How do you define success?

You may notice my profile says "News junkie," and this is seriously no joke. (Seriously no joke? Seriously? Damn girl...)

I have a Google Reader subscription that includes the New York Times, Washington Post, Economist, Christian Science Monitor, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and all the blogs I've listed on the right. How do I have time to read all that? Well obviously I don't. I do a whole lot of reading the preview paragraphs, while skipping most of the full articles.

So... where exactly am I going with this? I wanted to shout out Casey for delivering this (previously skipped) item to my email.

Washington Post: Abstinence-only programs might work, study says

Subject: write about this
Date: February 1, 2010 6:42:28 PM EST

Rather, will you please???

I don't know what to think about this. This basically says that a well designed abstinence only (non-moralistic, wait until you are READY) reduces sexual activity/delays sexual activity. But what about teen pregnancy? not even mentioned. they did not study that. hmmm... So let me get this right....they might delay sex two years then get pregnant at 15??

Make some sense of this (in a blog!!) I promise I will comment :-)

(Photo credit: Audrey Hay)

I'll be holding you to that promise, C!  

And hell yes I'm stalling. Some very smart people read this blog and y'all intimidate me! But here we go.

I think Casey's questions lie a bit outside the scope of the study. A fair amount of research ties delayed sexual activity to reduced pregnancy and STI's. The Post, however, conflates those concepts without adequate support. As is often the case, my gripe is more with the journalism than with the science.

In terms of the study itself, I think it reveals some important things. Here's the gist (author pauses to work out her main points...)

The study released Monday involved 662 African American students from four public middle schools in a city in the Northeastern United States. It was conducted between 2001 and 2004.

Students were randomly assigned to go through one of the following: an eight-hour curriculum that encouraged them to delay having sex; an eight-hour program focused on teaching safe sex; an eight- or 12-hour program that did both; or an eight-hour program focused on teaching them other ways to be healthy, such as eating well and exercising.

[...]

Over the next two years, about 33 percent of the students who went through the abstinence program started having sex, compared with about 52 percent who were taught only safe sex. About 42 percent of the students who went through the comprehensive program started having sex, and about 47 percent of those who learned about other ways to be healthy did.

Two variables seem to separate this study's ab-only approach from what we usually hear about: abstinence-only until marriage, (AOUM).

First, it apparently avoids the scare tactics endemic to AOUM.

The abstinence-only portion involved a series of sessions in which instructors talked to students in small groups about their views about abstinence and their knowledge of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. They also conducted role-playing exercises and brainstorming sessions designed to correct misconceptions about sex and sexually transmitted diseases, encourage abstinence and offer ways to resist pressure to have sex.

Based on this description, it seems like this curriculum lacks the common ab-only obsession with birth-control failure rates. Perhaps this obsession is born of a belief that we can sell kids on the idea that no sex is safe sex, thereby scaring them out of each others' pants. I clearly remember being told, during one of those all-girl assemblies in the gym, that an HIV virus could get through the pores in a latex condom about as easily "as you could roll a BB through those double doors." I only wish I were exaggerating.

Credit: Mike Luckovich, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

AOUM's failure-rate fixation always bothered me, first as its audience and later as a rhetorical scholar. Persuasion researchers observe: when you hammer a scare tactic too hard, you totally undermine its effectiveness. To grossly oversimplify, you hit a point of diminishing return after which the audience thinks, "well I'm screwed either way so I may as well do what I want." It's this effect, I believe, that leads so many kids who go through AOUM to forgo birth control altogether once they do start having sex.

Second, the approach studied here departs from AOUM, in that marriage itself is off the table. Even though:

"For our critics to use marriage as the thing that sets the program in this study apart from federally funded programs is an exaggeration and smacks of an effort to dismiss abstinence education rather than understanding what it is," said Valerie Huber of the National Abstinence Education Association.

Bullshit. Omitting "until marriage" from the ab-only curriculum makes a significant difference. It acknowledges the older age at which most Americans marry. More important, it avoids the sexist and heterosexist moralizing built into AOUM. Granted I haven't seen the curriculum. But without that moralizing, it seems unlikely that it gets bogged down in any fetishizing of the hymen. Most crucial of all, it doesn't alienate GLBT kids whose government refuses to recognize their (someday) committed relationships as marriages.

Credit: Bill Schorr, United Media (via MSNBC)

When I really parse the numbers, though, I find one vital configuration that wasn't studied. What's the result when we combine wait-til-you're-ready with comprehensive discussions about birth- and STD-control options? The design of this study offered no such combination. Any public health scholars out there lookin for a thesis? :)

If I had kids, of course I wouldn't want them getting busy at 13. Given all the emotional and cultural baggage we hang on sex, I can't deny I think waiting is better. I can't imagine a parent who wouldn't prefer for their kids to delay sexual activity. Nothing wrong with schools supporting such a totally mainstream belief.

That said, I also can't understand the parents who object to giving their kids all the information available. Isn't that the point of raising children? To produce adults who are capable of gathering and assessing information, and making decisions based on what they've learned? Censoring condoms -- or worse, making spurious claims about their ineffectiveness -- only retards students' ability to make adult decisions in the future. That's the very definition of unethical persuasion.

Parents want to weigh in? Casey, you're up!

Chops, beans & fries

We eat a fair amount of pork chops around here. They're affordable, easy to fix, and reasonably low in fat. I'm posting one of my favorite meals today, and hooray for that. This is supposed to be a food blog, after all.

Dinner: Pork chops with gravy, green beans, and grandpa's home fries

I start with the green beans. Admittedly, proper Southern green beans involve a whole day on the stove and a ham hock, but this is the abbreviated version.

Fresh veggies make me so happy.

In this photo, from left to right:

• 1 lb. green beans, washed and snapped
• 1/4 cup or so of sweet yellow onion, cut in strips
• 3 or 4 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
• 2 green onions with the bulbs removed

Across the top there you can see a couple of potatoes and a tomato. We'll come back to those.

Uh-oh, gotta back up!

I fried about a half a pound of bacon earlier today. That grease plays a vital role in this dinner. If you want to try it without frying up the bacon, just get into your drippings can. Wait. You don't have a drippings can? That rush of wind you just felt was the South's collective gasp.

Just kidding. You can use your favorite vegetable oil, shortening, or store-bought lard for all the fat that follows.

Okay, so I took about a tablespoon of bacon grease and put it into a medium saucepan. Turned the heat on medium and let it get good and hot. I also put medium heat under a shallow skillet with the rest of the grease, and started heating up the cast iron on medium-high heat. That's three burners going -- getting intense now!

Remember those potatoes? While the pans are heating up, start slicing them into thin rounds. A fancy mandoline makes it super-easy. But I'm a cheapskate so I use my trusty chef's knife.

See if the grease is hot enough with a shake of black pepper. If it sizzles, it's ready. Toss the onion and garlic into the saucepan to sweat. Once the onion starts getting caramelized, add the green beans.

Toss gently to coat the beans.

Add about a half a cup of water and a handful of chopped green onions. Cover, and reduce the heat to low. You can pretty much forget the beans after this, except for occasional stirring.

At this point, I add about a tablespoon of sesame oil to the cast iron. I just love the flavor sesame adds to the pork chops and the forthcoming gravy, but just about any oil will do the trick.

Now we return to the taters. Carefully add them to the skillet in a single layer and sprinkle with seasoned salt. Also, turn on the oven to its lowest setting, and get a casserole dish ready.

Give the skillet a gentle shake to coat the taters' tops.

Put any remaining slices in a bowl of water to keep them from getting black. While they're cooking, turn the slices after a few minutes so both sides get brown around the edges. If they start curling up like potato chips, reduce the heat a little.

As the potatoes start getting done, take them out of the skillet, put them in the casserole, and put the casserole in the oven. This way they'll stay crispy and hot until you're ready to serve.

Add more slices as space becomes available. A word of caution, though: if they've been soaking in water, be sure to blot them dry with a paper towel or lint-free cloth. Adding water to hot grease is an awesome way to start a kitchen fire. We prefer to avoid that...

So yeah, the main course, eh? After all this the pork chops are like falling off a log. Tilt the cast iron around a bit to spread the oil evenly. Lightly salt and pepper the raw chops, then gently place them in the skillet. Make sure they're not touching each other or the skillet's sides.

Pork chops turn kind of white as they get done. Look for that white color to get about halfway up the sides. At that point they should be nice and brown on the bottom, and ready to turn.

 

This picture was supposed to show you the nice brown color. Damn.

Give the chops a few minutes to get brown on the other side, then sprinkle the pan and the chops with, oh, maybe 2 tablespoons of flour. Sorry. I'm a dash-of-this pinch-of-that kind of cook. Then add about a quarter cup of water. Go easy on the water -- it's way better to add more if your gravy gets too thick. Trying to add more flour to a too-thin gravy? Lump city.

 

By this time, I have to focus on not drooling right in the pan.

Stir frequently to keep the gravy from sticking and/or forming lumps. I like to add a little soy sauce here, instead of extra salt. It creates a nice brown color and fabulous savory flavor.

Phew! By the time the gravy is good and thick, the chops will be cooked all the way through. Both potatoes should be fried, and the green beans tender-but-firm.

Oh yeah! I forgot that tomato! During some down time I diced about a quarter of it, strictly for this lovely salad:

 

You know, to counteract all that bacon grease...

And here's the finished meal. Know how I judged its success? Doug didn't speak a word during dinner. Which, we totally ate at the table! Uncharacteristically grown up for us.

 

Proper chefs would totally hate on my messy plating.

I hope you can see why I like this meal so much. If anybody out there tries it, I'd love to hear about your results!

Shout-out: Can I be Jamie when I grow up?

I know, silly thing to say, when she's way younger than me! 

Today I want to send my love and gratitude to Ms. Jamie, over at I Love My Life. Why, you ask? Well generally, just for being awesome. But specifically, for making me this sweet hat!

My dome's stayin totally warm.

My girl knits, scraps, cooks, gardens, takes gorgeous pictures, and rescues kitties from evil trolls. Okay I made that last one up, but I bet she would! Jamie helped me figure out the perfect size and style, and then? Hooked. Me. Up.

My ears? Also totally warm.

With all my heart I recommend jamiesierraknits on Etsy.

Delighting in details

Not gonna lie, it's been a rough few days. How do you honor someone's memory, when you're miles away from anyone who even knew him? I sincerely don't know. So, I'm choosing what I hope my friends and fam will do when it's my turn. Looking for joy wherever I can find it, and connecting with people however I can manage it. Thankfully, in this age of blogs/facebook/twitter/cellphone/text, that second part is easier than ever. As for the first one...

So far I've resisted the urge to gripe a lot about the new crib. I can look anywhere and see an upgrade over what I moved out of. But it's a rental, so, you know it's not going to be perfect.

This crap right here?

Notice the paint smeared on the switch plate?

Drives me batty. Sloppy, careless bullshit, afflicting every switch plate in the house. And yes I most certainly sound like my grandpa right now. But I can live with this. A minor, purely aesthetic offense after all.

What I couldn't live with was the shower situation. Now, I like a fast-running, soaking shower as much as the next girl, but not at the expense of having enough hot water to rinse my hair. If I may offer a totally gross admission, I haven't shaved my damn legs since we've been here! Definitely not trying that in cold water.

Now I think we've solved this problem. Today we went over to Lowe's and picked up this little gem:

Cue choirs of angels

Waterpik's "Ecoflow" high-efficiency shower head will drop us down from 5 gallons per minute to 1.5 --  it even has one of those neato pause buttons. With any luck, tomorrow I can have a long, hot, proper shower. And smooth legs. See? Delighting in details.

If you knew him (or hell even if you didn't, I'm sure he'd still appreciate it), drink a toast to Curt Byars this weekend. If it's a Keystone Light that's even better. Look for something simple and let it give you joy. Connect with someone you haven't seen in a while. And if you love anybody you think might not know it? Tell them.

Rest well, friend

The world has lost a one-of-a-kind.

Curt "Crut" Byars

11/18/83 - 1/27/10

Too soon my man. You'll be missed.

January 29, edited to add: I forgot the photo attribution, to Patrick O'Shaughnessy (my apologies). Also, the date of birth may be wrong. I'm just going by what the paper said, but I seem to remember Curt being an SFI trainee in 2003, which logically would put him being born in 85.

Last, this appeared all over Facebook during the night. Pretty well sums up the character we've lost.

Now it's a home!

I finally went to the neighborhood grocery yesterday. After a week of eating fast food and frozen pizza, I totally snapped. Even though the kitchen is still in chaos, and the thought of cooking in there is giving me angst, I couldn't take it another day. I needed some vegetables, y'all!

And fruit. Gas station raisins couldn't cut it anymore.

Aside: I take crappy pictures. What the hell is white balance? Did I leave enough background? To flash or not to flash?

 

Same photo, with flash. Washed out, no? I don't know...

The thing is, my photo-impairedness has never been an issue before. Doug takes fantastic pictures, so for important events we put the camera in his hand. But even I'm not so pushy and narcissistic that I'd make him do the images for my blog. So I'm muddling through. Practice makes perfect and all that, right? That said, if anyone can recommend a book, you'll have my gratitude.

Also, just in case you thought I was exaggerating about that total chaos thing, here's another area of countertop.

And this is the "tidy" section!

There's an island of garbage right out in the middle of the floor. About four boxes crammed full of crumpled newspapers. I can't bear to make it public. We're searching for a baker's rack to supplement our storage. Once that's in place, maybe I'll relax a little.

It's astonishing, really. Somehow, I made all this crap fit in my last kitchen. Maybe I was unconsciously bending space-time? And if so, how come I've suddenly lost that ability?

Oh, and that veggie photo looks totally staged, because it kind of is. Since I'm gearing up for a proper dinner, I took the time to place and organize all my spice bottles. The fruit and veggies are pretty much right where they landed out of their grocery bags, and they looked so pretty I just had to get them on film -- er, memory card.

Now, they've got to go because I'll be needing that workspace. I think Doug's recliner is unoccupied...

Crazy lady confesses...

I've been promising pictures and stories. So here goes. My confession? I have utter meltdowns over utterly stupid things. Here's an example.

I hate Walmart. It reminds me of that "Who Needs the Quick-E Mart" Simpsons, where they go to a megastore with the tag line "shopping is a baffling ordeal." I avoid it whenever possible. But when you move to a new place, and you're on a budget, you kinda have to suck it up.

We managed to fix up our bathroom for under $100, which is nice.

I love the colors in this shower curtain!

Another bit of background: Cute as our little cottage may be (and it's getting there), it has some, er, issues. Like, there's no light fixture in the living room. Unsurprisingly, Walmart totally failed us there. Unless you need dorm room lamps, just stay away.

Home Depot, however, came through with this:

Yes, that's surround sound hooked up back there. Priorities, people.

So all over the box are warnings: 40-watt light bulbs maximum. No problem. Back we go to Walmart (and this was like, our 4th trip in 2 days, it was ugly). We get the light bulbs and head home, giddy that we can finally sit in our living room at night.

What the lousy box didn't tell us was, the lamp requires 40-watt chandelier bulbs. You know, the narrow ones with the tiny bottom? Yes, a setback, but in the scheme of an interstate move, no bigs.

Nonetheless... Lost. My. Shit.

Tears, swears, the whole nine. I might have thrown some stuff but nothing was handy. Poor Doug, bless him, just kind of stood back and offered to do the 5th [cussword] Walmart trip solo. But I pulled myself together and went along. We got the stupid bulbs, my meltdown safely behind us. Horse's ass...

I'll leave you with a couple more bathroom photos, since that's the only room really fit to photograph. Everything else is still in cardboard hell.

My signature style: decorations that function

 

I know, this mirror needs serious cleaning. 

The round bit is an old sticker and I think the black shit is paint. We'll get to it (cough). It's totally on the list!

.500 rocks in any league

Yesterday I took a crack at a new job. I thought I knew what I was in for: canvassing neighborhoods, collecting donations for a here-unnamed organization. The short, short version of how it went?

THEM: You'll be working with a partner for a few hours, then we'll send you off on your own.

ME: Wait, you mean you ask people to walk the streets, after dark, carrying cash, alone? That's nuts!

THEM: Maybe this job isn't a good fit for you...

No shit.

Granted, this may serve as another example of how I need to learn to keep my big gob shut. Then again, I'm not really about getting mugged. So, unemployed I remain. Sigh...

This guy, however?

(Thanks to a long-ago girlfriend for resurrecting this on Facebook.) 

My husband had an awesome first day: small-but-growing company, relaxed corporate culture, proper hours, decent pay. He even has a work-issued laptop. Hoo-freakin-ray!!!!!

I can't even tell you how proud I am right now. I've spent the last few years watching him bust his ass, work at the mall, go to school, and take care of me. That's at least three full-time jobs if anyone's counting.

He looked so happy last night, it took me all of five minutes to forget my spectacular flame-out. We're one for two on the day, so I can't complain.

Congratulations my love. You have SO earned this!

So here we are

Welcome to Popcorn on a Skillet, Georgia-style!

Just got my internet hooked up yesterday. This morning, I got all settled in for a marathon blogging session when...

Tra-la-la, my phone (pressed into service as alarm clock for the past week) tells me it's time to shower and get ready for my interview this afternoon. Crap.

I had such good intentions for today. Got Doug off to his new job about 6:15 this morning. Thought "I have hours to unpack some more crap, go through my blogroll, and get a good post together for Popcorn." Then I laid down on the couch to ice my back and... Zzzzzz...

Good thing I had to be up at 10 a.m. yesterday too, huh?

Stay tuned! I'll have stories and photos soon, I swear!

Our last night in the Green

I post this as we get ready to crash for the last time in our apartment. The overwhelming majority of our worldly goods are here...

I'm excited, sure, but I'm kind of freaking out. I always thought of myself as a country girl. Now here I go to Atlanta. I'm in a sentimental mood.

I'll miss a few things about this place. Dinners at El Mazatlan and my friends in the Women's Studies house come immediately to mind.

I won't miss a lot of other things. My one square foot of kitchen counter space, endlessly partying (without me) college kids, and eating/sleeping/working/chilling all in one room to name a few.

It's been more than 6 years since we last pulled a U-Haul up to the back door. What was life like back then?

• No one outside Chicago and Springfield had ever heard of Barack Obama
• Facebook didn't exist
• We thought Mars had no water
• Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds were heroes
• Same-sex couples couldn't marry anywhere in America
  
• Tom Brokaw and Dan Rather had jobs
• Martha Stewart wasn't an ex-con
• We were "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq -- wait...

Add your own!

It may be a few days before I can post again. Depends how fast they are at hooking up internet in Georgia. But when I return I'll have photos of our new place. Wish us luck everyone.

Monitor misses the point, foodie friends

I used this title even though "foodie" makes me bristle. Yeah, I try to eat as fresh and local as possible. But for me, it's a matter of cost and taste. I reject the political (canvas) baggage.

Christian Science Monitor: No more dinner parties?

Remember the good old days, when you threw a dinner party and all you had to worry about was finding a topic everyone could talk about? Now, you have a much harder task: to find a dish everyone can eat.

Two culprits bear the blame: the rise of food allergies in America, and food writer Michael Pollan.

First, I also hate Michael Pollan. Yes, his content has merit; it's his style I can't stomach. His smug-sanctimonious attitude just sparks rebellion among normal people. When fresh-and-local sounds all douchey and inaccessible, we cut folks off from those cost and taste benefits I enjoy. Environmental and economic factors are just gravy. (Mmmm... Gravy...)

Otherwise, though, I disagree. Differences in how people eat give me pure inspiration!

A kosher-keeping house guest first tested my boundaries in college. If I'd had any idea how tasty that vegetarian pasta sauce was going to turn out, I'd sure as hell have saved the recipe.

A gluten- and lactose-intolerant family member partly drove me to start this blog. Lots of my regular dishes already meet those requirements, or could do so with minor alteration. For example...

• Mashed potatoes: substitute chicken broth for the milk and butter. Hell go hardcore and make it with veggie broth!
• Chili with cornbread: use rice or soy milk in the cornbread batter.
  
• Chicken fajitas: serve corn tortillas. Full stop.

Simple, right?

(Although... it may likewise be smug and sanctimonious to link to one's own blog. Also, to call oneself "one.")

All's I'm sayin' is, when we cook, we have a choice. We can be food-grumps, or we can be daring.

What inspires y'all to try new dishes?

A matter of faith

I have to confess: I've mostly avoided news coverage of the Haitian earthquake. Human suffering on that scale wrenches my guts, especially since there is not one damn thing I can do for those people. I mean, yeah, I did my ten-dollar-text thing, and I hope y'all are doing the same.

Mobile donors can text “Haiti” to 90999 to send a ten dollar donation to the Red Cross.

Nonetheless, that gift feels like a futile gesture. What's $10 when a city is in ruins? Then, last night, from the back of my head...

Pray for them.

Not quite my grandma's voice but it might has well have been. I'm not much of a pray-er myself. (Speaking of futile gestures!) But it drives the point home why, despite my religious skepticism, I don't begrudge the faithful.

Faith offers comfort in the face of insurmountable sorrow. I get it. Sometimes I'm even vaguely jealous. So if you're into that sort of thing, do your thing.

Lots of religions (from all over the world) concur: prayers, spells, or rituals only work if those involved believe. And I keep hearing that the people of Haiti are asking for our prayers. So I say pray, chant, meditate -- like the angel Earl says in Saving Grace: "climb up a tree if it gets you closer to God." If enough people believe those actions have a positive impact, maybe they will.

Shout-out break -- I'm real glad this girl is praying.

But then, this crap:

Evangelical broadcaster Pat Robertson says Haiti has been "cursed" because of what he called a "pact with the devil" in its history. His spokesman said the Wednesday comments were based on Voodoo rituals carried out before a slave rebellion against French colonists in 1791.

I grew up with this joker. In those days it was, "pray that Reagan will get to appoint more conservative justices to the Supreme Court," and, "AIDS is God's curse on the homos and druggies." Then I learned that justices receive lifetime appointments, and suddenly realized he was praying for someone to die! I likewise couldn't believe his lack of compassion for sick people.

Oh, Brother Pat: just one of the extremist voices that drove me out of the flock. Don't even get me started on the subjugation of women, threats of damnation, or the Rapture.

Still, if I don't do faith, but respect those who do, is it too much to ask for the same from the faithful?

Hope I didn't get too deep today...

The accidental 5-alarm

Frantic to waste as little food as possible before we depart, I decided on a big batch of chili!

Preface: For me, chili is one of those dishes I make when I need to use up some ingredients. What follows isn't so much a recipe, as a recap.

I started by dicing:

• One medium sweet yellow onion
• Half a bulb of garlic
• 2 or 3 chili peppers we bought this summer and dried

 Notice I got rid of that sepia. Getting more camera-savvy all the time!

WARNING: This is too much dried chili!! The pile looked about right, based on my usual amount of fresh hot peppers. But, hello! Dried spices have a more concentrated flavor. I should know this. Sometimes I am such a dimwit.

Once the chopping was done, I browned a pound of ground beef with a bit of salt and pepper in my chili pot. Doug helpfully drained off most of the grease (as always -- I'm so spoiled), and then I put the beef aside in a shallow, paper-towel lined dish.

Next, I dumped in the onion and garlic, with a touch of salt and pepper, of course. The small amount of oil left is perfect for sweating. Stir occasionally until the onion starts to turn transparent.

Notice I've apparently NOT mastered holding the camera still. Dammit.

At this point I dumped the ground beef back into the pot. Here's the grease stain it left behind. Eww...

Glad that's not in my chili!

(Note: That gross-looking black shit on the right is where the paint is chipped off my stove. I'm a sanitary cook, I swear.)

In the summertime, this is where I would add about 6-10 diced tomatoes (depending on size) with their juice. Unfortunately, winter tomatoes are both expensive and flavor-impaired. Instead I added a big can of whole cooked tomatoes, also with their juice, and cut into quarters.

This is where I added the beans too. Sometimes I use beans from a can, but last night I got ambitious and used dry ones. Granted, these had to soak overnight and then cook for like an hour and a half before I even started the chili. But I like their flavor and texture better. Canned or dried, I dump them in liquid and all.

Now begins the seasoning, all to taste.

• Salt and pepper
• Cilantro
• Cumin (be generous with this; it's what makes chili taste like chili)
• Chili powder or finely chopped chili peppers (remember, dried peppers are hotter!)
• Parsley

Most times I also add some green Tabasco, but not tonight. Mercifully I tasted the chili and it nearly lit me on fire. Oops... Good thing we like it spicy 'round here. I put in a spoonful of honey to try and cut down the heat. Which, if I'm honest, didn't really help much.

Add a little water if the chili looks too dry. Then turn the heat way down, stick a lid on the pot, and walk away for at least a half-hour. The longer it simmers the better it tastes. Also important, the longer you plan to simmer the more liquid you need to add. I tend to barely cover the ingredients with water and let the whole mess go for at least two or three hours, stirring occasionally.

This batch is so hot, Satan is sweatin'.

Simmer and stir, simmer and stir, until the liquid is reduced and it's as thick as you like it. Some folks swear by a roux for thickening, but I tend to screw those up something awful. Patience and time will get you the thickness, without the flour (which I swear hurts the taste).

Taste the chili periodically to adjust the seasoning. After about 2 hours I tasted my accidental 5-alarm and found it needed more salt and parsley. Also, I couldn't resist adding the green Tobasco anyway. Since all I had put in were chili peppers, the spiciness was only hitting the back of my throat. Green Tobasco stimulates the tip of the tongue, and I missed that sensation. It really didn't add that much heat, considering.

There's a secret step at the end that I ain't posting on the interwebs. But if you ask me real nice I might share it privately!

For full-on "Misty" style, put some fresh cornbread in a bowl, add a ladle of chili, and top with cheddar cheese and sour cream.

Taking this picture before digging in = impressive restraint

(Also delicious with crackers, tortilla chips, hot dogs, pasta, etc.)

NOTE: Those dairy items actually go a long way toward toning down a too-hot chili. Mine was damn-near con queso, but it was gooooood...

Yeah, I'll say it...

For all the good memories in that craphole house on Bourland Avenue...

For all the theft-worthy jokes...

For Triumph the Insult Comic Dog...

For Pimpbot...

For In the Year Two Thousaaannnd (seems so quaint now, doesn't it?)...

For the "Walker Texas Ranger" machine...

For If They Mated...

For gingers...

For my own bitterness at being screwed by employers...

That I've only cited hopelessly outdated Conan jokes tells me I'm part of the problem. But we had to give up watching late-night talk shows. For a good while there we got in the habit of watching Stewart and Colbert (also part of the problem) right before bed. When I realized we'd turned into my grandparents, I had to make it STOP.

From the New York Times: In NBC Leno vs. O'Brien Drama, Fans Show Allegiance Online

Simon Dumenco, the media columnist for Advertising Age, suggested in a column on Wednesday that people have rallied around Mr. O’Brien not because they adore his “Tonight Show” but “because he’s suddenly become an unlikely (Harvard-educated, multimillionaire) Everyman: the freckled face of American job insecurity, a well-meaning hard worker who spent years paying his dues but has now been declared redundant by the halfwit overlords driving his company into the ground.”

 Consider this post my penance. I shoulda given Conan's Tonight Show a shot.

Breaking News

Our approval on the cottage came through! (Not 2 hours after I made my last, whiny post.) We hit the road early next week, and Bowling Green will at last see the back of me.

I told me it would all work out.

Agita

A couple of weeks ago, when we first began to ponder our big-city adventure, we planned to load up our U-Haul today. In this moment of uncharacteristic positive attitude, I find myself glad I avoided actually reserving a truck. U-Haul insisted we provide a destination ZIP code, and since Atlanta has dozens...

For you see, we still don't have anyplace to move into. Argh.

We've found plenty of prospects, weighed pros and cons, and applied for a few. But damn these people are slow! I understand the need to run credit checks and talk to references. I do. I don't understand why these processes are taking for freaking ever.

Top picks?

1. Cute 2-bedroom cottage in Cobb County. Pros: extra bedroom, actual yard, off-street parking for two. Cons: potentially hellish and expensive commute to work, no nearby public transport.

2. 1950's condo in northern Atlanta. Pros: cool neighborhood, convenient public transport, totally new experience for us. Cons: off-street parking for only one, no extra bedroom, totally new experience for us.

At this point I feel like the decision will be made based upon which landlord approves us (first). We both have to be in town by January 25 -- Doug to start work and me for a second interview. Seriously, we need to get a move on!

I'm so on the verge of a panic attack. Then again, when we signed our lease in Bowling Green it was pretty much here or the Motel 6. I keep telling myself this will all work out.

This will all work out.

Six Word Memoirs: I dare you!

Go here and read this:
The beauty of the six-word memoir / The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com

Some find them ridiculous but I call them beautiful. They are six-word memoirs. Six-word memoirs? Yes – pithy little verbal packages that convey more than you might imagine.

It all started with Ernest Hemingway who proved to a friend that he could write a "novel" in six words: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." 

Here's mine, off the top of my head. Find closed doors; kick them down.

I was gonna get all smooth and invite y'all to create your own using Mr. Linky. But it appears I would have to pay money (which I'm a little short on) to make that work. So... please use the comment section to play. If you're a fellow blogger, feel free to link to your own Six Word Memoir post.

Tag, you're it!

Oh Metropolis (Also, are you kidding me?)

On Tuesday I dragged out all my winter clothes (read: the clothes I usually only get out when I visit Peoria in the winter), loaded up my car, and headed home to Metropolis (Illinois) to see the family. The schedule was jam-packed. Which, when combined with my relatives' general Internet-impairedness, explains my absence from this blog for six days. I don't wish to make a habit of this... Stay tuned...

My sister got this brilliant idea that, since I would be in town, we should take advantage of my brother's employee discount and get some pictures made at Sears. Just us kids, like when we were little. Except they didn't have to squeak the ducky to get us to smile. In fact, I'm really excited to see the final product. All we did was crack each other up the whole time. So that -- when you include all the beauty-fying I had to do -- took up most of Wednesday.

The past three days I hung out with various familial factions. But most of all I burned up the Wii at my mom's house. Fat ladies and Wii fit? I'll be working that into a standup set. Not that I do standup, but I write sets all the time. Weirdo...

Best night? Thursday. Cooked chicken fajitas at mom's house, which, even my picky 4-year-old nephew didn't spit out. Success! Here's the breakdown...

Cut the following ingredients into strips:

• One big green pepper
• One big sweet yellow onion
• Two or three Roma tomatoes
• Three butterfly-cut chicken breasts
  

NOTE: This is the extra-meaty recipe. Perfect for Southern folk. :)

Also, I used about a half a bulb of garlic. You can use a garlic press, but I prefer just to mash each clove on the cutting board using the flat side of a chef's knife. I cut these into fairly large pieces and remove any green shoots. Not everybody likes this much garlic, so let your palate be your guide. Also, if you don't want to get spicy bites of garlic, you can chop it really small.

(Here's where I would have put in the picture my mom took while I was cooking. Would have, if I had remembered to get it out of her camera before I skipped town. Dumbass...)

Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive (or your favorite cooking) oil to a hot skillet. I actually used two skillets, totally necessary when cooking for a big family!

Toss in the garlic and onion, and stir. Cook until the onion starts to turn transparent. Try not to scorch them. I say try, because I almost always scorch some of them.

Add the chicken and green pepper. Also add salt and pepper according to your taste. You need to add at least some salt, as this helps the juices come out of the meat and veggies to make the sauce.

Keep stirring occasionally. Once the outside of the chicken strips aren't pink anymore, I add the tomatoes. Put them in too early and they'll totally melt. Which is fine, you just end up with fajitas in tomato sauce. Still yummy.

About now is when you'll want to put your tortillas in the microwave. Wrap them in a damp paper towel to get a steamed effect.

I usually search out the biggest chunks of chicken, and cut them in half with my stirring spoon. Once they're good and done all the way through, serve the fajitas! I like them with just a little sour cream and cheddar cheese. However, if you skip these last two ingredients, this is an extremely low-fat, high-veggie, all around healthy meal!

RE: Are you kidding me?

I got home this afternoon to find a summons for jury duty. For February 2. There's no box you can check that says, "Hey, I'll be living in another state that day!" So I guess I better go down there. Like I didn't have enough to do this week.

Eye roll...

How packing exposes your soul

 Three boxes marked "bar." Six boxes of books. Self-knowledge is a terrifying thing.

Oh yes, the packing has begun in earnest. We've cleared out the bar and the library (obviously). Winter clothes, CD's and DVD's, all our spare linens, and most of the tchotchke from the living room. All told it's probably 1% of everything that needs packing. Yuk.

It's good though, to be forced to touch everything we own, with the knowledge we have to carry it out and then touch it again to unpack. It's helping us streamline, which, after 6 years in one place, we badly needed to do!

We've carried three bags to the Salvation Army so far, with another set to go. I'm also giving some quality items to WKU's Women & Kids Learning Together summer camp. This is an amazing program that helps local women improve their lives. It concludes with a Clothes Bank, in which participants get to pick out professional, job-interview appropriate outfits. Don't know what I'm going to do when my gifts involve more than hiking up the hill. I guess I ought to start searching for similar worthy programs in Atlanta!

Next up: video games, framed photos, and kitchen decor.

End-of-Year Review, 2009

In honor of August over at NoteThis, who has suspended his blogging indefinitely. I miss you, man! So much that I'm stealing your shit.

1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
Cooked some meals involving only farm-fresh ingredients. Best? Chicken gumbo. Worst: eggplant Parmesan.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make resolutions last year. Here is my list for 2010.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope, it was a slow year for the breeders, although 2010 is shaping up to be fertile.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Mercifully, no

5. What countries did you visit?
Does Evanston count? No wait. That's a freaking 'nother planet.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
A Wii -- is that shallow?

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
February 15th: It was a life-changer, but I'd rather forget the why.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I didn't smack someone who really deserved it.

9. What was your biggest failure?
See #8.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Only my ego. Screw you swine flu!

11.What was the best thing you bought?
A Toyota Solara, which I've been wanting for years.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My darling Douglas, who somehow still loves me after all this time.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Probably better not to say. See #8.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Hmm, probably debt repayment.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My darling Douglas got a job offer! Still excited for our impending move to Hot-lanta.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
Marshall Tucker Band's "Searching for a Rainbow"

17. Compared to this time last year, are you
i. happier or sadder?: happier
ii. thinner or fatter?: probably a shade thinner
iii. richer or poorer? poorer (for now, see #15)

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Socializing

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Fretting about the future

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Oops, guess I put this off too long. It was a quiet dinner with my darling Douglas. (Is that getting gross yet?)

22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Every day, with my darling Douglas. (Yeah okay even I'm getting grossed out now.)

24. What was your favorite TV program?
"Being Human"

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Surprisingly, no

26. What was the best book you read?
Complete works of H.P. Lovecraft

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Tim Minchin

28. What did you want and get?
See #11.

29. What did you want and not get?
An assistantship for a doctoral program

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Ink

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
We probably went out to dinner, but I wouldn't swear to it. 33.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A little more life direction. Then again, maybe direction is overrated.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
Substance over style... oh, and stretch (both budgets and waistbands)

34. What kept you sane?
See #22. Also learning to cook those pretentious (but delicious, dammit) farm-fresh meals.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
John Barrowman (swoon) for a third year running!

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Unemployment I guess, but for entirely personal reasons. I've mostly been on political sabbatical.

37. Who did you miss?
My Bradley babies

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Hard to say. My gut says Coby.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
Any species that isn't on the verge of extinction isn't really living.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

maybe faking it will get me in
but faking it has always been a sin

"God" -Tim Minchin

Hope at least some of y'all have been enjoying the Doctor Who marathon that's been running since yesterday. Damn I need a DVR.