Thursday, December 20, 2012
Presidential Portrait
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Hotels
It is a bit daunting to think that I have spent 4 of the last 8.5 years living out of a hotel. I did some math/calculations today once I received some Year End updates from Marriott and Hilton on my stays this year. I am down to a record low since 2005, 107 nights in a hotel in 2012. I still find this to be incredibly high for my job position and pinged a few coworkers in the same position as me to find out the second highest traveling Project Manager hit a measly 68 days in a hotel this year.
My goal for 2013 is less than 60 nights in a hotel. I can't hate on it too much, I haven't paid for a hotel for the multiple weddings I've been in over the last few years (also hooked up some family members with rooms) or anytime I hit up Vegas, Toronto or Florida. But for some reason lately, I'm realizing the dirtiness and weirdness of staying in a place that thousands of other people stay and my high number of nights in a hotel is completely freaky and abnormal. Some people go years without even staying in a hotel or max out at like 3 nights per year.
Plus now I'm getting old and out of shape, with a tendency to enjoy TV/movies and sleeping more than taking advantage of a hotel and traveling. Needless to say this 30 going on 31 in 2.5 months (Real Age calculation of 38 turning 39) doesn't have this stuff happen anymore. R.I.P Rugged.
My goal for 2013 is less than 60 nights in a hotel. I can't hate on it too much, I haven't paid for a hotel for the multiple weddings I've been in over the last few years (also hooked up some family members with rooms) or anytime I hit up Vegas, Toronto or Florida. But for some reason lately, I'm realizing the dirtiness and weirdness of staying in a place that thousands of other people stay and my high number of nights in a hotel is completely freaky and abnormal. Some people go years without even staying in a hotel or max out at like 3 nights per year.
Plus now I'm getting old and out of shape, with a tendency to enjoy TV/movies and sleeping more than taking advantage of a hotel and traveling. Needless to say this 30 going on 31 in 2.5 months (Real Age calculation of 38 turning 39) doesn't have this stuff happen anymore. R.I.P Rugged.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Gossip Girl Out
"She's a keeper, Nate." Ed Westwick's delivery is priceless.
There are two things I shall miss about this show. The first is Chuck Bass:
And the second is Blair Waldorf's usually stunning wardrobe, which has its own Facebook page. Here are ten of my favorites:
Friday, December 14, 2012
Best TV Series, Comedy or Musical
The nominees for Golden Globes were announced yesterday. Here are their selections for Best TV Series, Comedy or Musical:
The Big Bang Theory
Episodes
Girls
Modern Family
Smash
I have never seen Episodes or Smash, so I can't comment on their quality, but I do watch a lot of comedies. Although I can crank through each episode in about 22 minutes, I am still surprised by the number of comedies that I have series recordings for on my DVR. (Make that "HAD series recordings for on my DVR" as Comcast erased my DVR on 12/12/12. The Dude was also hosed by Comcast on the 12th.)
There are the new comedies that I am still auditioning: Ben and Kate and The Mindy Project. I had no expectations for Ben and Kate and have been pleasantly surprised by that program. On the other hand, I had high expectations for The Mindy Project because I think Mindy Kaling is hilarious and brilliant. That show is still finding its footing, but I have confidence in Kaling sorting it out. The Office and Parks and Recreation both had rough starts and ended up being the funniest shows on TV by their second seasons.
There are the shows that are wrapping up this year: 30 Rock and The Office. 30 Rock is still capable of making me laugh like crazy. I thought Liz Lemon's wedding a couple of weeks ago was hysterical. (It doesn't hurt that Tina Fey's television husband is played by James Marsden. I had a ginormous crush on him in my teens. I taped two photos of him ripped from teen magazines inside a linen closet in my childhood bedroom. Photos inside a closet seemed a bit more discreet than the large Kathy Ireland poster The Dude had on his bedroom wall.) Anyhow, any episode where Tina Fey declares, "Liz Lemon is getting married in a sweatshirt, no bra!" has my seal of approval. And the return of Dennis "Dummy" Duffy always slays me. The Office is pretty awful, but I am sticking with this former favorite until it ends this spring. (Also pretty awful: Up All Night. I want so badly to love Will Arnett/Gob Bluth's latest show, but it just isn't working.)
There are the shows currently on hiatus: Community and Girls. The fans of Community are very passionate about that show. I am often impressed by the crafting of complicated story lines (such as the multiple time line episode) and I enjoy the frequent and somewhat random pop culture references in each episode, but I don't love this show. It seems a little cold to me. Girls is another show that I like but don't love-- and when it started out, I didn't even like it. As the first season progressed, I warmed up a bit to the characters on Girls. I may end up liking it even better during the second season. I think I prefer my comedies to be a little less prickly. With the exception of the Bluth Family from Arrested Development, mean or selfish characters tend to turn me off a comedy. And that is why Happy Endings juuuuust missed my top five comedies. It is very funny and I like it a lot, but the characters are a bit too mean to each other for my taste.
My list only has one show that overlaps with the Golden Globe nominees. Here are my top five TV series, comedy or musical:
The Big Bang Theory
Episodes
Girls
Modern Family
Smash
I have never seen Episodes or Smash, so I can't comment on their quality, but I do watch a lot of comedies. Although I can crank through each episode in about 22 minutes, I am still surprised by the number of comedies that I have series recordings for on my DVR. (Make that "HAD series recordings for on my DVR" as Comcast erased my DVR on 12/12/12. The Dude was also hosed by Comcast on the 12th.)
There are the new comedies that I am still auditioning: Ben and Kate and The Mindy Project. I had no expectations for Ben and Kate and have been pleasantly surprised by that program. On the other hand, I had high expectations for The Mindy Project because I think Mindy Kaling is hilarious and brilliant. That show is still finding its footing, but I have confidence in Kaling sorting it out. The Office and Parks and Recreation both had rough starts and ended up being the funniest shows on TV by their second seasons.
There are the shows that are wrapping up this year: 30 Rock and The Office. 30 Rock is still capable of making me laugh like crazy. I thought Liz Lemon's wedding a couple of weeks ago was hysterical. (It doesn't hurt that Tina Fey's television husband is played by James Marsden. I had a ginormous crush on him in my teens. I taped two photos of him ripped from teen magazines inside a linen closet in my childhood bedroom. Photos inside a closet seemed a bit more discreet than the large Kathy Ireland poster The Dude had on his bedroom wall.) Anyhow, any episode where Tina Fey declares, "Liz Lemon is getting married in a sweatshirt, no bra!" has my seal of approval. And the return of Dennis "Dummy" Duffy always slays me. The Office is pretty awful, but I am sticking with this former favorite until it ends this spring. (Also pretty awful: Up All Night. I want so badly to love Will Arnett/Gob Bluth's latest show, but it just isn't working.)
There are the shows currently on hiatus: Community and Girls. The fans of Community are very passionate about that show. I am often impressed by the crafting of complicated story lines (such as the multiple time line episode) and I enjoy the frequent and somewhat random pop culture references in each episode, but I don't love this show. It seems a little cold to me. Girls is another show that I like but don't love-- and when it started out, I didn't even like it. As the first season progressed, I warmed up a bit to the characters on Girls. I may end up liking it even better during the second season. I think I prefer my comedies to be a little less prickly. With the exception of the Bluth Family from Arrested Development, mean or selfish characters tend to turn me off a comedy. And that is why Happy Endings juuuuust missed my top five comedies. It is very funny and I like it a lot, but the characters are a bit too mean to each other for my taste.
My list only has one show that overlaps with the Golden Globe nominees. Here are my top five TV series, comedy or musical:
The Big Bang Theory
The Middle
Modern Family
New Girl
Parks and Recreation
5. The Big Bang Theory is in my number five slot. It has been uneven this year. The Wolowitz in space story line was a dud and went on for too long, but the scene that I wrote about earlier this year in which Sheldon and Leonard discussed their problems with the aid of a chess timer was classic. Plus this is one of my parents' favorite shows and as the little mice in An American Tail know that they might be wishing on the same bright star, I know that my parents and I might be laughing at the same geek silliness on Thursday nights.
4. The Middle snuck up on me. I had no interest in watching this show because I thought Patricia Heaton was a shrew on Everybody Loves Raymond. But then my dad kept telling me that I was Sue Heck from The Middle so I had to check it out. Knowing my dad, I had no doubt that the Sue comparison was not going to be flattering. Sue is a genuine weirdo, though I contend that her hyper enthusiasm is the exact opposite of my Eeyore gloom during high school. Then this year there was an episode in which Sue was afraid to drive. I watched it knowing that my dad's theory was being validated before my eyes. Sue aside, I really enjoy this show. Patricia Heaton doesn't bother me as the mother, the janitor from Scrubs is great as the father, and all three kids are strange yet realistic. This is one of the few shows on TV that addresses financial struggles. The Hecks discuss money, or the lack thereof, frequently, and live in a house that looks like a real working class home. When you compare the sets from The Middle to those from Modern Family, there is a stark contrast. I fought this show for a few years. I refused to watch and then watched intermittently expecting to be annoyed. Now it is a favorite.
3. Modern Family gets a lot of attention from critics and viewers alike. The writing and the acting on this show are great. The entire cast, adults and children, are really talented. (Okay, they seem to have faltered when it came to replacing Lily, but one can only be so critical of a kindergartner.) I never thought I would be a fan of the former Al Bundy, but Ed O'Neill won me over on this show. Ty Burrell's Phil Dunphy is my favorite character and I especially like his relationship with his son Luke. I can't think of many representations of such a joyful parent/child relationship as the one depicted between Phil and Luke.
2. New Girl had me at Zooey Deschanel. I know a lot of people find her to be a bit much, but I like her. So I came for the Zooey but stayed for the roommates. Schmidt is the breakout character but I think Nick is also very funny and when Winston has material to work with, he's great too. When watching this week's episode I laughed the loudest I have at a show in a while when Schmidt jumped in to show Nick how to give a proper lap dance. I appreciate the support between the four roommates on this show and even though I am the least fashionable person ever, I also enjoy checking out Deschanel's/Jess Day's killer wardrobe. I was seriously coveting her aqua coat this week. (Although this show does occasionally mention money issues, I have to wonder how an unemployed school teacher ended up with a $700 Kate Spade coat. Did I mention that the characters on The Middle dress like they are actually on a tight budget?) For reasons I can not comprehend, The Dude refuses to watch this show. Need I mention that I recommended Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared, and Arrested Development to him? Or that I am the one who told him to crank through The Wire and Breaking Bad on DVD? When have I steered this guy wrong? What gives?
1. Parks and Recreation is crazy hilarious. Anyone who reads this blog and doesn't watch Parks and Rec needs to catch up on old episodes ASAP. You'll thank me later. As I mentioned earlier, Parks and Rec had a bumpy first season. Like The Office, its first season was maybe six episodes and they needed to calibrate the lead performance to make the show work. Amy Poehler's Leslie Knope very quickly evolved from a socially tone deaf government employee to an extremely competent, passionate, and sunny citizen of Pawnee, Indiana who loves her job, her town, and her friends. Her friends/coworkers are across the board delightful. Her boss Ron Swanson is one of the most original and entertaining characters on television. The Leslie/Ron friendship is similar to the Liz/Jack friendship on 30 Rock-- a solid and funny relationship void of any will they/won't they business. I also really enjoy Chris Pratt, formerly Bright on Everwood, as the happy simpleton Andy. And while I am singling out cast members, I have to mention that Ben Schwartz's guest appearances as Jean-Ralphio Sapperstein KILL ME. I could go on and on because the show has populated Pawnee with dozens of strange, silly, and most of all funny characters. Since I've come clean about my preference for comedies with a heart, it is no surprise that this show tops my list. Leslie would do absolutely anything for the people she cares about and her over-the-top efforts inspire great loyalty and affection from her friends.
And now I'm thinking that maybe I should swap Happy Endings in for The Big Bang Theory at number five. I'm tempted but that would require more typing and I can't possibly delete my An American Tail reference. Time to hit "Publish" and call it good.
5. The Big Bang Theory is in my number five slot. It has been uneven this year. The Wolowitz in space story line was a dud and went on for too long, but the scene that I wrote about earlier this year in which Sheldon and Leonard discussed their problems with the aid of a chess timer was classic. Plus this is one of my parents' favorite shows and as the little mice in An American Tail know that they might be wishing on the same bright star, I know that my parents and I might be laughing at the same geek silliness on Thursday nights.
4. The Middle snuck up on me. I had no interest in watching this show because I thought Patricia Heaton was a shrew on Everybody Loves Raymond. But then my dad kept telling me that I was Sue Heck from The Middle so I had to check it out. Knowing my dad, I had no doubt that the Sue comparison was not going to be flattering. Sue is a genuine weirdo, though I contend that her hyper enthusiasm is the exact opposite of my Eeyore gloom during high school. Then this year there was an episode in which Sue was afraid to drive. I watched it knowing that my dad's theory was being validated before my eyes. Sue aside, I really enjoy this show. Patricia Heaton doesn't bother me as the mother, the janitor from Scrubs is great as the father, and all three kids are strange yet realistic. This is one of the few shows on TV that addresses financial struggles. The Hecks discuss money, or the lack thereof, frequently, and live in a house that looks like a real working class home. When you compare the sets from The Middle to those from Modern Family, there is a stark contrast. I fought this show for a few years. I refused to watch and then watched intermittently expecting to be annoyed. Now it is a favorite.
3. Modern Family gets a lot of attention from critics and viewers alike. The writing and the acting on this show are great. The entire cast, adults and children, are really talented. (Okay, they seem to have faltered when it came to replacing Lily, but one can only be so critical of a kindergartner.) I never thought I would be a fan of the former Al Bundy, but Ed O'Neill won me over on this show. Ty Burrell's Phil Dunphy is my favorite character and I especially like his relationship with his son Luke. I can't think of many representations of such a joyful parent/child relationship as the one depicted between Phil and Luke.
2. New Girl had me at Zooey Deschanel. I know a lot of people find her to be a bit much, but I like her. So I came for the Zooey but stayed for the roommates. Schmidt is the breakout character but I think Nick is also very funny and when Winston has material to work with, he's great too. When watching this week's episode I laughed the loudest I have at a show in a while when Schmidt jumped in to show Nick how to give a proper lap dance. I appreciate the support between the four roommates on this show and even though I am the least fashionable person ever, I also enjoy checking out Deschanel's/Jess Day's killer wardrobe. I was seriously coveting her aqua coat this week. (Although this show does occasionally mention money issues, I have to wonder how an unemployed school teacher ended up with a $700 Kate Spade coat. Did I mention that the characters on The Middle dress like they are actually on a tight budget?) For reasons I can not comprehend, The Dude refuses to watch this show. Need I mention that I recommended Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared, and Arrested Development to him? Or that I am the one who told him to crank through The Wire and Breaking Bad on DVD? When have I steered this guy wrong? What gives?
1. Parks and Recreation is crazy hilarious. Anyone who reads this blog and doesn't watch Parks and Rec needs to catch up on old episodes ASAP. You'll thank me later. As I mentioned earlier, Parks and Rec had a bumpy first season. Like The Office, its first season was maybe six episodes and they needed to calibrate the lead performance to make the show work. Amy Poehler's Leslie Knope very quickly evolved from a socially tone deaf government employee to an extremely competent, passionate, and sunny citizen of Pawnee, Indiana who loves her job, her town, and her friends. Her friends/coworkers are across the board delightful. Her boss Ron Swanson is one of the most original and entertaining characters on television. The Leslie/Ron friendship is similar to the Liz/Jack friendship on 30 Rock-- a solid and funny relationship void of any will they/won't they business. I also really enjoy Chris Pratt, formerly Bright on Everwood, as the happy simpleton Andy. And while I am singling out cast members, I have to mention that Ben Schwartz's guest appearances as Jean-Ralphio Sapperstein KILL ME. I could go on and on because the show has populated Pawnee with dozens of strange, silly, and most of all funny characters. Since I've come clean about my preference for comedies with a heart, it is no surprise that this show tops my list. Leslie would do absolutely anything for the people she cares about and her over-the-top efforts inspire great loyalty and affection from her friends.
And now I'm thinking that maybe I should swap Happy Endings in for The Big Bang Theory at number five. I'm tempted but that would require more typing and I can't possibly delete my An American Tail reference. Time to hit "Publish" and call it good.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Cleaning House
Holy smokes, I haven't posted since before Thanksgiving. Thanks to The Dude for keeping things afloat. Here is a quick round up what I've seen since I last checked in with my very brief movie reviews. Right now I'm really looking forward to seeing The Hobbit in theaters next week.
I spent the duration of this movie wondering if Michelle Williams's character Margot was mentally challenged. To be fair, I have a natural aversion to anyone but my cousin who speaks in a baby voice. (Thankfully my cousin's "baby voice" sounds nothing like a baby.) The presence of Seth Rogen and Sarah Silverman didn't even add much humor to this movie. On the plus side for those who care, there is plenty of full frontal on display in a shower scene featuring Williams and Silverman. It occurs right after Margot takes a whiz in a pool during a geriatric aquatic aerobics class and includes a number of elderly ladies, so yeah, it is pretty sexy. I really didn't like this movie. I gave it a 2 out of 5 because I feel like a 1 should make me sick with hate, like The Silence of the Lambs, which I will never be able to un-see.
This was disturbing. I knew it was about a woman escaping from a cult, but I didn't know that it was a violent, Manson Family-type cult. If I'd had that bit of information, I probably would have skipped this. The Olsen twins' little sister Elizabeth did well in the lead role of the truly disturbed Martha/Marcy May/Marlene. People who enjoy psychological thrillers and aren't horrified by onscreen violence would probably enjoy this more than I did. 3/5.
Contraband was a decent action movie. I generally like Mark Wahlberg and there weren't any glaring plot holes, so 3/5. Oh, and also a weird bayou Giovanni Ribisi. Bonus.
I have a bit of a girl crush on Emily Blunt. She is just so good and natural in every role. This was a quintessential "3"-- it was pleasant to watch but I probably wouldn't stop to watch it again if I saw it on TV in a few years.
I high hopes for Magic Mike, but it didn't quite deliver. For some reason I thought this would be one of Steven Soderbergh's "fun" movies like Out of Sight or Ocean's Eleven, but there wasn't much joy in this movie at all. How a movie featuring choreographed group dance/strip routines could fail to put a smile on my face, I shall never know. Channing Tatum did a fine job as the title character, but "The Kid" was unlikable and The Kid's sister/Tatum's love interest was bland. Matthew McConaughey (will there ever be a day when I don't have to look up the spelling of his last name?) got a lot of attention for the role of Dallas, but I just didn't *get* it. Maybe I wasn't in the right mood for this movie. 3/5
The preview of this movie had me very excited. I am obsessed with Christmas and love Christmas movies. But Arthur Christmas won't end up breaking into my holiday movie must-see list. It was a sweet movie though, and I suspect that if I had seen it as a child, it may be one that I would revisit each year. 3/5
I fell asleep during this Will Ferrell/Zach Galifianakis movie. What the heck. I did go back and finish this one out, but it was disappointing. I think Ferrell and Galifianakis are two of the funniest comedic actors around and Jason Sudeikis is usually great too (GD Greek names-- I had to look them both up), but this one just didn't do it for me. I got a few laughs out of this movie, but it wasn't anything special. 3/5
This was a sweet little independent movie with an unexpected ending. The cast was pulled from "Parks and Recreation", "New Girl", and "The League", so obviously I was going to check this out. Another 3, though I will say a high 3.
I love Wes Anderson movies. Love them. The opening of Moonrise Kingdom, just the first few minutes of shots around the Bishops' home, had me swooning. The detail of the set design in Anderson movies is to die for. Suzy Bishop reminded me of a young Margot Tenenbaum, which was fantastic. The Royal Tenenbaums is my favorite Anderson movie, but I wasn't as wild about it the first time I saw it. I liked it more and more upon repeated viewings and now it is one of my favorite movies. I suspect I may have the same experience with Moonrise Kingdom, because it is only a 4/5 after seeing it once. But at this very moment I would like to re-watch Edward Norton's morning walk through his scouts' camp site or listen to Jason Schwartzman's discussion of marriage with twelve-year-old children. So good.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Monday, December 10, 2012
Christmas lights war
Oh man, that is hilarious to me for some reason:
A Kingston man complained to the Ross County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday after his neighbor on Kingston-Adelphi Road reportedly spelled out an expletive using Christmas lights and put an arrow pointing to his house. A sheriff’s deputy told the neighbor he needed to take the lights down before serving him with an outstanding warrant for disorderly conduct, according to the incident report.
A Kingston man complained to the Ross County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday after his neighbor on Kingston-Adelphi Road reportedly spelled out an expletive using Christmas lights and put an arrow pointing to his house. A sheriff’s deputy told the neighbor he needed to take the lights down before serving him with an outstanding warrant for disorderly conduct, according to the incident report.
Monday, December 3, 2012
This is awesome/weird
This breed of dog always has freaked me out a bit. In the video below an English Bulldog puppy is dreaming, but the freaky thing is that the dog actually looks fake or like a robot or something. Plus the way the dog is laying on the couch seems weird/fake.
Homeland
If you don't watch Homeland, I recommend you start. Right now the show is in the second season and you can catch Season 1 and Season 2 on Showtime. If you don't get Showtime, you can pick up Season 1 on Netflix right now. Amazing show.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Celtics/Net "brawl"
Last night in Boston during the end of the 2nd quarter of the Celtics/Nets game, Kris Humphries and Rajon Rondo got into a "brawl". After watching some of the legit fights in the 1980s between the Celtics and Lakers or Celtics and Pistons, or any team against the manly Knicks of the early 90s, this was more of a scrum.
I do enjoy Rondo getting into it with Ex Mr. Kardashian, but since the fight went into the stands/crowd and the NBA is very tight on this type of activity, Rondo will probably get suspended 5 games.
The good old days of fighting where you would barely be ejected, let alone suspended:
I do enjoy Rondo getting into it with Ex Mr. Kardashian, but since the fight went into the stands/crowd and the NBA is very tight on this type of activity, Rondo will probably get suspended 5 games.
The good old days of fighting where you would barely be ejected, let alone suspended:
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
When was the last time you vomited
Up an undigested cow? This is why I become confused when people are shocked when I say there is a 0% chance of me ever going to South America or Africa. No thank you, I've got plenty to enjoy with North America and Western Europe.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Amazing new band
Thanks to my bro, Derek, I am a huge fan of the band, "Steel Panther". This band is a recent 2009 break-out band who rocks out hard like 80s Hair Metal, with dirty lyrics. These songs make me want to head-bang out with some long hair, but also LOL like a 17 year old.
Let's try out a few:
This is about a dude who "loves" his girl, but can't help his D from getting weird with other chicks. Reminds me of one of my buddies. Whoops.
Great song about doing it up with a girl who has a few extra on her. At the age of 30 with my current physique, can't hate on this tune.
My favorite song by the group - totally 80s sound plus amazing lyrics. Awesomeness at its finest.
Let's try out a few:
Thank You For Being a Bro
Because I am only
nineteen months older than The Dude, I don't have a single only-child
memory. Although we don't make the Irish Twins cutoff, we truly grew up together. Of our 24
first cousins, the only two siblings who are closer in age are actual
twins. If the random statistics I pulled from the internet are to be
trusted, the average age difference between siblings is around 2.5 years.
I always believed that
our smaller than usual age gap was a leading factor in The Dude and I having a
close sibling relationship. It probably helped, but I think another important reason that we have (almost) always enjoyed each other's company is the tone
set by our parents. This article provides parents with eight tips to
help their children to get along. Number three strikes a chord:
 | |
| Of Note: We are sitting on The Dude's Winnie the Pooh childhood blankie. Also, I am wearing Strawberry Shortcake sneakers. |
Katie Allison Granju, a mom of five kids and author of Attachment Parenting (Atria, 1999), has found the best way to build a good sibling relationship is simply to have an unspoken, baseline expectation within the family that siblings will indeed be friends.
Our parents nailed it
with tip number three. The Dude was not only my first friend, he is the
friend in all of my favorite childhood memories. Although we had pals
outside the family, we spent more time with each other than with any outside
buddies. I was shocked to realize that some families bring their kids'
friends on vacations or to events/functions with them. My parents definitely had the expectation
that my brother was my friend. Supplemental friends were not required on a day-to-day basis. We developed
a lifetime of shared experiences, a million and one inside jokes, and a genuine
friendship by actually spending time together. In fact, we spent our
early years sharing bunk beds and our 20s sharing an apartment.
 |
| Several years later and I'm still rocking the Strawberry Shortcake sneaks. Talk about brand loyalty. |
I am grateful to my parents for teaching us the importance of our
friendship. And I am very thankful that
The Dude is someone I would want to be friends with even if we weren’t
related. I excel at very few things, but I am confident that I am crushing this whole sibling thing. I challenge brothers and sisters near and far to out-sibling me and The Dude. Before you accept the challenge, ask yourself this: Do you and your sibling have a blog together? Score one for Team Baking Like A Toasted Cheeser.
And now a lovely quote from Jeffrey Kluger, author of "The New Science of Siblings":
And now a lovely quote from Jeffrey Kluger, author of "The New Science of Siblings":
From the time they are born, our brothers and sisters are our collaborators and co-conspirators, our role models and cautionary tales. They are our scolds, protectors, goads, tormentors, playmates, counselors, sources of envy, objects of pride. They teach us how to resolve conflicts and how not to; how to conduct friendships and when to walk away from them. Sisters teach brothers about the mysteries of girls; brothers teach sisters about the puzzle of boys. Our spouses arrive comparatively late in our lives; our parents eventually leave us. Our siblings may be the only people we'll ever know who truly qualify as partners for life. "Siblings," says family sociologist Katherine Conger of the University of California, Davis, "are with us for the whole journey."
Monday, November 19, 2012
Addictive Foods via Yahoo
Yahoo just released an article on the 10 Most Addictive Foods. I have a big problem with their list - some of the foods I can't imagine how they made the list and the others I don't really agree with. Let's have a look at the list.
10. White Bread
I might be the only person in a group at a restaurant who doesn't get tight in the pants when a basket of bread with some oil or butter is put on the table. No taste to bread and just a waste of room. Save that stomach space for the steak, toolbags.
9. Donuts
BOOM! Love donuts, but only #9? Way too low on the addictive scale. Have they tried Krispy Kremes?
8. Pasta
The article talks about pasta covered in butter, salt and cheese, not actual meat sauce. I dislike about 90% of the pasta items out there and once again put it into the bread/rice/pasta grouping of wasted space.
7. Cake
Never been a sweets guy and don't enjoy cake, even on my bday, unless its white on white and even then I'm "ehh" on it. Last 2 weddings I've been in/to I've skipped/latered the cake. Doesn't do it for me, bring back out the bacon covered scallops, please.
6. Chips
My #1 most favorite snack of all-time. In the last 5 years I've only gone 3 days without chips (yes, I've kept track) and its very sad how enjoyable they are to me. A quick trip to CVS or 711 to score a solid bag of chips can make a death in the family seem like a bump in the road. I'm shocked chips are only #6 on this list.
5. Cookies
See cake - not into sweets. I do enjoy Lemon Cooler cookies, some sugar cookies and some peanut-butter cookies. Overall, 0% ever buy cookies for myself.
4. Chocolate
Shouldn't this be lumped in with cake or cookies? Never understood the whole women and chocolate thing. It always shocked me growing up in movies and TV how women would drop a deuce over a piece of chocolate or a box of chocolate. Come to find out, it is 70% true on how some women react to it. I don't see the appeal of a pure chocolate bar like Hersheys. Snickers, maybe.
3. French Fries
Big time - love these and just started buying frozen fries (steak fries or seasoned fries) recently. Not sure why I never bought fries for myself before, but if I've always enjoyed a good fry.
2. Candy
Very broad, don't agree with the ranking, but I can see it being in the top 10 for sure. I really don't get too down with the candy, but I will still hit up some Sour Patch Kids, Gummy Worms, etc if given the chance. Does gum count as candy? Bubbilicious Watermelon and Strawberry gum should be considered candy.
1. Ice Cream
This one blows my mind - never been an ice cream guy. Used to go to a local ice cream shop where I grew up just to see this girl I was into and got ice cream some of the times. Thank God they had bubble gum ice cream (see candy) cause ice cream does nothing for me, even in the summer.
OK - after the analysis and commentary on the Yahoo ranking, here is my ranking:
10. Kid Snacks/Fruit Snacks
This includes Fruit roll-ups, Gushers and the like - always enjoyable.
9. Steak/Steak Tips
Not necessarily addictive as other foods, but preferred over many options if available.
8. Mashed Potatoes
The older I get the more I appreciate mashed potatoes. Great side dish that can really be paired with any main course. I've always rocked mashed potatoes as a main dish as well.
7. Cheese
This is a broad one, but for me it incorporates nacho cheese, cheddar cheese, cheese dip of all kinds, etc. Those pair well with a lot of my other addictive items on this list.
6. Bacon
Bacon can go on anything and can be eaten for any meal of the day. Always been a big fan, but tough to make on my own, which is why it ranks so low.
5. Donuts
I got really into donuts working in NYC between 2009 and 2011.
4. Fries
Restaurant fries or frozen fries - game on.
3. Buffalo Wings/Fingers
These are a staple in my freezer and a great appetizer.
2. Pizza
How did pizza not make the Top 10 ranking? Holy crap, it was tough to decide between pizza and chips as the #1, but they are damn close. I can slam down a large pizza with ease.
1. Chips
I can't think of any chip flavor I dislike, although I don't care for pickle. I know more about chips than most folks and have spent time researching brands, flavors and history.
10. White Bread
I might be the only person in a group at a restaurant who doesn't get tight in the pants when a basket of bread with some oil or butter is put on the table. No taste to bread and just a waste of room. Save that stomach space for the steak, toolbags.
9. Donuts
BOOM! Love donuts, but only #9? Way too low on the addictive scale. Have they tried Krispy Kremes?
8. Pasta
The article talks about pasta covered in butter, salt and cheese, not actual meat sauce. I dislike about 90% of the pasta items out there and once again put it into the bread/rice/pasta grouping of wasted space.
7. Cake
Never been a sweets guy and don't enjoy cake, even on my bday, unless its white on white and even then I'm "ehh" on it. Last 2 weddings I've been in/to I've skipped/latered the cake. Doesn't do it for me, bring back out the bacon covered scallops, please.
6. Chips
My #1 most favorite snack of all-time. In the last 5 years I've only gone 3 days without chips (yes, I've kept track) and its very sad how enjoyable they are to me. A quick trip to CVS or 711 to score a solid bag of chips can make a death in the family seem like a bump in the road. I'm shocked chips are only #6 on this list.
5. Cookies
See cake - not into sweets. I do enjoy Lemon Cooler cookies, some sugar cookies and some peanut-butter cookies. Overall, 0% ever buy cookies for myself.
4. Chocolate
Shouldn't this be lumped in with cake or cookies? Never understood the whole women and chocolate thing. It always shocked me growing up in movies and TV how women would drop a deuce over a piece of chocolate or a box of chocolate. Come to find out, it is 70% true on how some women react to it. I don't see the appeal of a pure chocolate bar like Hersheys. Snickers, maybe.
3. French Fries
Big time - love these and just started buying frozen fries (steak fries or seasoned fries) recently. Not sure why I never bought fries for myself before, but if I've always enjoyed a good fry.
2. Candy
Very broad, don't agree with the ranking, but I can see it being in the top 10 for sure. I really don't get too down with the candy, but I will still hit up some Sour Patch Kids, Gummy Worms, etc if given the chance. Does gum count as candy? Bubbilicious Watermelon and Strawberry gum should be considered candy.
1. Ice Cream
This one blows my mind - never been an ice cream guy. Used to go to a local ice cream shop where I grew up just to see this girl I was into and got ice cream some of the times. Thank God they had bubble gum ice cream (see candy) cause ice cream does nothing for me, even in the summer.
OK - after the analysis and commentary on the Yahoo ranking, here is my ranking:
10. Kid Snacks/Fruit Snacks
This includes Fruit roll-ups, Gushers and the like - always enjoyable.
9. Steak/Steak Tips
Not necessarily addictive as other foods, but preferred over many options if available.
8. Mashed Potatoes
The older I get the more I appreciate mashed potatoes. Great side dish that can really be paired with any main course. I've always rocked mashed potatoes as a main dish as well.
7. Cheese
This is a broad one, but for me it incorporates nacho cheese, cheddar cheese, cheese dip of all kinds, etc. Those pair well with a lot of my other addictive items on this list.
6. Bacon
Bacon can go on anything and can be eaten for any meal of the day. Always been a big fan, but tough to make on my own, which is why it ranks so low.
5. Donuts
I got really into donuts working in NYC between 2009 and 2011.
4. Fries
Restaurant fries or frozen fries - game on.
3. Buffalo Wings/Fingers
These are a staple in my freezer and a great appetizer.
2. Pizza
How did pizza not make the Top 10 ranking? Holy crap, it was tough to decide between pizza and chips as the #1, but they are damn close. I can slam down a large pizza with ease.
1. Chips
I can't think of any chip flavor I dislike, although I don't care for pickle. I know more about chips than most folks and have spent time researching brands, flavors and history.
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