I've seen these videos several times now and every time I do it takes me to the Bronx. These are my people. To this day they're like this. And so many of the words used are exclusive to that area, I don't hear them in other parts of the country. Yes, it's a comedy sketch, but it feels so much like home.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: A Beautiful Time Capsule
2013: I'm Giving Up Trucking And Going Into Clothing Design
2012: Wynning Diamonds
2011: Donuts From Heaven
2010: Captain Of The Most Expensive Fried Seafood This Side Of Arthur Treacher’s
2009: Eddie Acts Like A Monkey Friday
2008: I Might Like It If There Were Some Balling Involved
2007: Very Large Cheek Pouches Come In Handy When Traveling
2006: The French Are So Romance Savvy
2005: Wyoming Clean Air Act
Friday, July 31, 2015
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Check Out These Links Before The Big One Hits
Photo: Peden + Munk |
Handy information about oil. The cooking kind, not the Exxon kind.
Ever wonder how Sbarro got its name? Now you can know. See the history behind the Sbarro name (and others) here.
I learned sewing, macrame, crafting, and other forms of old-fashioned Home Ec 101 skills early in life and they've come in handy ever since.
As I've traveled and read more about where I'd like to travel, I often come across places that are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This article tells you which countries have the greatest number of them.
I've never actually seen a Pirelli Calendar, apparently I don't have the right friends or connections to get my hands on one. But now there's the Pirelli book, easy enough for us lesser mortals to get our hands on.
We were in Southern Italy in 2010 - Sorrento, Pompeii, Amalfi - but we didn't go to Naples. As much as I'd like to visit, maybe we're not missing much. Except the pizza.
I've seen 20 of these movies and they do inspire you to want to see other places in the world.
SO many great cities!
Ed's favorite dessert is banana pudding. This recipe takes it to a whole new level.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: In Six Months, They'll Know Right Where To Put It
2013: Musical Parking Spots
2012: Me And The Thunder2011: Her Cup Overfloweth With Idiocy
2010: Dear Arizona,
2009: Come Sit In Our Cab For A Spel And Let Us Take You On The Road!
2008: How Well Do You Know Your Stringed Instruments?
2007: Meat. The Old Fashioned Way.
2006: Kicking The Hell Out Of Texas
2005: Look, Mary!
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Kitchen Troubadour
I'm really enjoying digging through old photo albums this week. Especially when I come across photos like this one.
I wrote about my Grandfather yesterday, and a few years ago when we went to the Guitar Heroes show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He was a guitar guy. Him with a guitar in his hand is probably the earliest memory I have of any of my grandparents.
It's a good one.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: The Earth Is 75% Water. Grab A Fork.
2013: Reflection On The Island
2012: Sprinkled
2011: Prized Good Luck Piece
2010: Summer In The City
2009: I Should Get A Job Working The Pole At A Boy Scout Camp
2008: The Flavor Of Life
2007: I’ve Been Everywhere Sunday
2006: Again??? But You Just Got Off The Phone With Her!
2005: A Cow’s Opinion
I wrote about my Grandfather yesterday, and a few years ago when we went to the Guitar Heroes show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He was a guitar guy. Him with a guitar in his hand is probably the earliest memory I have of any of my grandparents.
It's a good one.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: The Earth Is 75% Water. Grab A Fork.
2013: Reflection On The Island
2012: Sprinkled
2011: Prized Good Luck Piece
2010: Summer In The City
2009: I Should Get A Job Working The Pole At A Boy Scout Camp
2008: The Flavor Of Life
2007: I’ve Been Everywhere Sunday
2006: Again??? But You Just Got Off The Phone With Her!
2005: A Cow’s Opinion
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Selfie In 53
My grandfather was a welder by trade but his hobbies included carpentry, model trains, auto repair, and photography.
This is a mirror selfie - like so many people do today - taken in 1953 with one of his Rolleicord cameras.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: Storm Warning
2013: Another Home Run By Big Ed
2012: A Window On New Mexico
2011: My Man Makes A Mad Meal
2010: Less Is Not More In All Cases
2009: Grain Gone By
2008: The Absolute Beauty Of It
2007: Not Only Did He Pray, He Posed
2006: Camera Phone Coolness
2005: Life Is A Salt Shaker
Monday, July 27, 2015
Summer At Ninth And Gansevoort
Allium blooms at Ninth Avenue and Gansevoort Street in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City.
2012: Ladder 11 To The Rescue
2011: It’s Got Lipstick Written All Over It
2010: Liquid Crack
2009: For All The World To See
2008: Studio Blue
2007: Eddie Tests His Spine Friday
2006: Almost Twenty
2005: Thinking
2012: Ladder 11 To The Rescue
2011: It’s Got Lipstick Written All Over It
2010: Liquid Crack
2009: For All The World To See
2008: Studio Blue
2007: Eddie Tests His Spine Friday
2006: Almost Twenty
2005: Thinking
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Best Shopping Trip Ever
Ed and I finally dragged my mother to the La-Z-Boy store and got her to buy a new recliner. We'd been to the store ourselves to find her a chair, but she really needed to sit in it herself and see which one she liked. My mother is 5'4" tall, I'm 5'8" and Ed is 6'1". We all have different needs in a chair and although we had favorites, the ones we liked might not suit her.
I've gotta tell you, recliner shopping is the best kind of shopping there is. You sit in the most comfortable chairs on earth, one after the other after the other, to decide which you like best. And while you're comparing features and discussing fabrics with the salesperson, you're still sitting in a La-Z-Boy. It's the most relaxing retail outing I've ever had.
There are only a few shopping experiences that top this. Shopping online at home, in your underwear. Or, cake tasting for a wedding. I've never done the latter but I think it's probably pretty damn good, eating cake samples all afternoon.
So, my mother walked away with a brand new chair to be delivered in a few days, and I didn't have to traipse around the mall removing and replacing my clothes while bitching about how hot it is. I like chair shopping so much better.
And no one I know has ever uttered "Does this chair make me look fat?" when trying a recliner on for size.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: Laying Down The Hot Mix
2013: Yes You Is
2012: Window Shopping In The East Village
2011: Waiting For Someone To Service Me
2010: Rockin’ Rockaholic Haul
2009: Just Don’t Call Me Late For Dinner
2008: In This Case, R & R Means Recumbent And Recuperation
2007: Posthumously Famous In The World Of Cheap Lodging
2006: What Better Reason To Dine Out?
2005: Hudson Valley Summer
I've gotta tell you, recliner shopping is the best kind of shopping there is. You sit in the most comfortable chairs on earth, one after the other after the other, to decide which you like best. And while you're comparing features and discussing fabrics with the salesperson, you're still sitting in a La-Z-Boy. It's the most relaxing retail outing I've ever had.
There are only a few shopping experiences that top this. Shopping online at home, in your underwear. Or, cake tasting for a wedding. I've never done the latter but I think it's probably pretty damn good, eating cake samples all afternoon.
So, my mother walked away with a brand new chair to be delivered in a few days, and I didn't have to traipse around the mall removing and replacing my clothes while bitching about how hot it is. I like chair shopping so much better.
And no one I know has ever uttered "Does this chair make me look fat?" when trying a recliner on for size.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: Laying Down The Hot Mix
2013: Yes You Is
2012: Window Shopping In The East Village
2011: Waiting For Someone To Service Me
2010: Rockin’ Rockaholic Haul
2009: Just Don’t Call Me Late For Dinner
2008: In This Case, R & R Means Recumbent And Recuperation
2007: Posthumously Famous In The World Of Cheap Lodging
2006: What Better Reason To Dine Out?
2005: Hudson Valley Summer
Saturday, July 25, 2015
The Whitewashed Domes Of León
Ed on the roof of the Cathedral of León in León, Nicaragua.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: Tormenta De Polvo
2013: A Bridge To Baytown
2012: Sometimes We Like To Lay Low
2011: Pick ‘Em Slowly And Gently
2010: Listen, Learn, And Laugh
2009: Where Is Robin Hood When You Need Him?
2008: All American Eddie Friday
2007: A Hippie Dippie Woo Woo Town Sporting Lots Of Leg Hair
2006: Flowering Rocks
2005: The Cool Mom
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: Tormenta De Polvo
2013: A Bridge To Baytown
2012: Sometimes We Like To Lay Low
2011: Pick ‘Em Slowly And Gently
2010: Listen, Learn, And Laugh
2009: Where Is Robin Hood When You Need Him?
2008: All American Eddie Friday
2007: A Hippie Dippie Woo Woo Town Sporting Lots Of Leg Hair
2006: Flowering Rocks
2005: The Cool Mom
Friday, July 24, 2015
Te Voglio Bene
Every time I hear it, I'm haunted by it for days. I have been trying to learn the words and I'm coming along. I want to be able to sing it perfectly. No reason really, other than to just be able to sing along to the words and not mumble through the ones I don't know. I listen to a lot of music when I drive and I like to belt 'em out.
In the meantime, I'll let the beautiful Lara Fabian sing it to you. I like her version better than Pavarotti's or even Lucio Dalla's, which you can hear in this video, which was filmed at the Vesuvio Hotel in Naples, where Enrico Caruso died in 1921.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: Dry Like An Oven
2013: I Saw And I Said
2012: Juicy Driving Treat
2011: Reckless In Rome
2010: Back And Forth, Back And Forth, Back And Forth…
2009: Eddie Enters A Copper Mine Friday
2008: Oshkosh B’Gosh!
2007: Queen Of The 21st Century
2006: Sketchbook
2005: A Queen’s Life
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Ed Goes With The Flow
A little Throwback Thursday action - Ed on the lava flow in Kona, Hawaii.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: Big Coin Was A Big Hit
2013: Painting The Serengeti
2012: Why Fig Newtons Will Always Be On My Shopping List
2011: Losing The Wallet At Your Convenience
2010: Bridge Over Troubled Roadway
2009: If Only The Streets Were Truly Paved With Gold
2008: She Reigns Supreme
2007: A Match Made In Heaven
2006: Proof
2005: Caped Crusaders
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: Big Coin Was A Big Hit
2013: Painting The Serengeti
2012: Why Fig Newtons Will Always Be On My Shopping List
2011: Losing The Wallet At Your Convenience
2010: Bridge Over Troubled Roadway
2009: If Only The Streets Were Truly Paved With Gold
2008: She Reigns Supreme
2007: A Match Made In Heaven
2006: Proof
2005: Caped Crusaders
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
These Little Piggies Went To Market
Yesterday Ed and I ventured to Downtown Tucson hit the 5 Points Market & Restaurant for brunch. It's a place I'd been wanting to try for a long time so I'm glad we were in the area.
We chose a table and was greeted with a carafe of ice water, and menus. I loved the wood tables and I liked their version of a sugar bowl - a tiny quarter pint canning jar with just the band on it and a little spoon sticking out.
They had some fresh baked items on the counter, one of which I knew I'd be going home with - a cardamom shortbread cookie with crushed pistachios around the edges. I made a good choice because it was delicious. Cardamom...yum.
I love the exposed brick wall and this rustic wood table that sat ten. All the artwork was for sale.
The menu had some really good choices but we quickly came to a decision. Ed chose the Huevos Rancheros. Of course, he loves spicy. The dish was described as Local Fresh Corn Tortillas, Pinto Beans, Over Medium Eggs, Sharp White Chesddar, House Ranchero Sauce, Pico de Gallo, Avocado, and Cilantro-Serrano Pesto.
It was DEElicious! Believe or not, I've never even tried Huevos Rancheros, for some reason it never appealed to me, maybe it was the pinto beans. But the corn tortillas, the egg, and the spicy sauce was amazing. I'd give this a try.
I had the Breakfast Toast, Toasted Heritage Red Fife Grain Bread with Pesto Chevre, Over Medium Eggs, House Chianti Jelly, Fresh Greens, and Cilantro. I had the waitress explain the construction of the dish - eggs on top? Chevre, where? Jelly not on the toast? And what were the greens - a salad with my breakfast?
I was skeptical but the Red Fife Grain bread intrigued me, and I love Chevre on anything. This was a meal that would totally appeal to my friend Marlaina. I had to have it. Boy, did I make the right choice. It was truly amazing. The toast was spread with the pesto chevre and the egg on top warmed it just enough, and the Chianti jelly on the top was liquidy and sweet, more like a balsamic glaze than a jelly. And since it was later in the morning, so more brunch than breakfast, the salad made total sense and it was fresh and delicious.
We ordered a three-slice bacon side to split - thick and meaty - coffee, and freshly squeezed orange juice. We left extremely satisfied.
We'll definitely be going back, next time for lunch. I'm already having a hard time deciding between the Pork Torta Sandwich or the Ham & Camembert.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: Just Another View From The Road
2013: Polly Needs More Than A Cracker. Polly Needs A Roll Cage.
2012: Hats Off To Tits And Ass
2011: Approaching Chi-Town
2010: Paneful Outlook
2009: Gray County Silhouette
2008: This Little Piggy Went To Market
2007: I’ve Been Everywhere Sunday
2006: The Heat Bog
2005: Five
We had just dropped the truck off at the shop and as expected, Ed was hungry. There was a cute little shop next door to this place but Ed wouldn't let me peek in until he had food. He said I could "shop all I wanted" after he ate. Famous last words.
They had some fresh baked items on the counter, one of which I knew I'd be going home with - a cardamom shortbread cookie with crushed pistachios around the edges. I made a good choice because it was delicious. Cardamom...yum.
This is the rear of store, the market part. They had lots little condiments and jellies, local products, hot sauces, unique canned items. And also fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy, and cold beverages.
I love the exposed brick wall and this rustic wood table that sat ten. All the artwork was for sale.
The menu had some really good choices but we quickly came to a decision. Ed chose the Huevos Rancheros. Of course, he loves spicy. The dish was described as Local Fresh Corn Tortillas, Pinto Beans, Over Medium Eggs, Sharp White Chesddar, House Ranchero Sauce, Pico de Gallo, Avocado, and Cilantro-Serrano Pesto.
It was DEElicious! Believe or not, I've never even tried Huevos Rancheros, for some reason it never appealed to me, maybe it was the pinto beans. But the corn tortillas, the egg, and the spicy sauce was amazing. I'd give this a try.
I had the Breakfast Toast, Toasted Heritage Red Fife Grain Bread with Pesto Chevre, Over Medium Eggs, House Chianti Jelly, Fresh Greens, and Cilantro. I had the waitress explain the construction of the dish - eggs on top? Chevre, where? Jelly not on the toast? And what were the greens - a salad with my breakfast?
I was skeptical but the Red Fife Grain bread intrigued me, and I love Chevre on anything. This was a meal that would totally appeal to my friend Marlaina. I had to have it. Boy, did I make the right choice. It was truly amazing. The toast was spread with the pesto chevre and the egg on top warmed it just enough, and the Chianti jelly on the top was liquidy and sweet, more like a balsamic glaze than a jelly. And since it was later in the morning, so more brunch than breakfast, the salad made total sense and it was fresh and delicious.
We ordered a three-slice bacon side to split - thick and meaty - coffee, and freshly squeezed orange juice. We left extremely satisfied.
We'll definitely be going back, next time for lunch. I'm already having a hard time deciding between the Pork Torta Sandwich or the Ham & Camembert.
We look forward to our next visit.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: Just Another View From The Road
2013: Polly Needs More Than A Cracker. Polly Needs A Roll Cage.
2012: Hats Off To Tits And Ass
2011: Approaching Chi-Town
2010: Paneful Outlook
2009: Gray County Silhouette
2008: This Little Piggy Went To Market
2007: I’ve Been Everywhere Sunday
2006: The Heat Bog
2005: Five
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Heroes And Legends In South Tucson
This small park is located in the Barrio Historico section of Tucson at the point of South Stone Avenue and South Russell Avenue. It's dedicated to Cesar Chavez, an American farm worker, labor leaders, and civil rights activist. He was a native of Yuma, Arizona.
It's more of a patch of decorative rock with a tree, water fountain and a bench, than it is a park, but it's got an interesting focal point - a giant mural that takes up the entire wall of the building on the south end. It was painted by artist Melchor Ramirez who is known for painting the heroes and legends of the Aztec and Maya.
It's more of a patch of decorative rock with a tree, water fountain and a bench, than it is a park, but it's got an interesting focal point - a giant mural that takes up the entire wall of the building on the south end. It was painted by artist Melchor Ramirez who is known for painting the heroes and legends of the Aztec and Maya.
He's included names and dates of well-known human rights activists. From left to right: Leo Tolstoy, Mahatma Gandhi, Cesar Chavez, and the Aztec goddess representing female power, Tonan.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: A Decade Of Love, Travel, And Monkey Business
2013: Thirty-Thousand Square Feet Of Stuff To Spend Money On
2012: Truckin’ With Ed
2011: Way Better Than Seven Years In Tibet
2010: His Charm And Understated Humor Is Totally Contagious
2009: The Creature Comforts Of Home
2008: Checklist
2007: Happy As A Clam
2006: Two Things
2005: Good For Licking
Monday, July 20, 2015
Blue And Yellow Make Green
Heading into a storm in Tucumcari, New Mexico. The sky was black to the left, with lightning strikes coming through the clouds. On the right, an endless field of sunflowers.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: An Instagram Glimpse Of Interstate 64
2013: More Fun Than Mr. Potato Head
2012: Triage
2011: They Claim To Have The Most Sky
2010: No Escape
2009: Help Wanted. Must Have Own Cassock.
2008: It’s All An Illuuuuusion
2007: Tipping Point
2006: Snap Decision To A Healthier Life
2005: Lazy Hazy Crazy Days Of Summer
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: An Instagram Glimpse Of Interstate 64
2013: More Fun Than Mr. Potato Head
2012: Triage
2011: They Claim To Have The Most Sky
2010: No Escape
2009: Help Wanted. Must Have Own Cassock.
2008: It’s All An Illuuuuusion
2007: Tipping Point
2006: Snap Decision To A Healthier Life
2005: Lazy Hazy Crazy Days Of Summer
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Get Down With Oscar
The video loops the scene over and over because it's a long song, but it's still good. I have absolutely no problem watching Oscar's moves for seven and a half minutes.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: Embrace The Heat Of Miami
2013: Oh, To Be A Kid
2012: Kind Of Like A Virtual Celebrity Bodyguard
2011: Jack & Jill Went Up A Hill To Fetch Some Aircraft Parts
2010: Live Longer. Live Better. And Be Sure To Have A Devil Dog Once In A While.
2009: How Can You Not Be In Love With The Man Who Invented Kisses?
2008: And We Wonder Why We’re The Fattest Nation On Earth
2007: Star Gazing
2006: Only A Southerner
2005: Do You Take Wolfgang Winkelmeyer To Be Your Lawful Wedded Husband?
Saturday, July 18, 2015
Sooners Have Always Been Takers
Over the weekend we ran out of fuel.
While parked in a truck stop.
I know, I know. It sounds ridiculous. Let me explain.
We'd been sitting for three days waiting on a load. I decided I was going to make some lunch and while I was in the middle of cooking it, the generator died. Everything died. The TV went black, the stove shut off, and the air conditioner stopped blowing cold air. This was going to be a problem.
This occasionally happens when we run too many gadgets and appliances off the generator. The circuit gets overloaded and it trips a breaker. It's an easy fix and Ed usually has things up and running in seconds. I didn't expect it to happen since I was only using the stove, so I turned to Ed and said, "What the hell?"
He got up and checked the voltage, pressed a few buttons, nothing. We tried to restart the generator but it just chugged and chugged, didn't start. Nothing. Then he tried the truck. It turned over but didn't start. He tried it a few more times, but nothing was working. The fuel gauge said we had 1/4 tank of fuel. So why were we getting nothing?
We were two truck-lengths (about 160 feet) from the fuel pumps, so I suggested to Ed that he roll back and steer into the fuel island, backwards. But because we had no air pressure, our brakes couldn't be released. And if we couldn't release the brakes, we couldn't move the truck. And because he couldn't start the truck, we couldn't build the air needed to release the brakes. So my master plan of rolling backwards was effectively thwarted. We were parked on a hill, nose up. The generator was running non-stop for three days, which of course uses fuel, but we still should have had plenty.
Ed was able to prime the fuel pump and get the truck started and running long enough to disengage the brakes so the truck would roll backwards, getting us out of the parking spot. But as soon he backed out, the truck died again. So he primed the fuel pump again, which involves all kinds of shit I don't know or care about - lifting the hood, opening the fuel filter, filling it with fuel, putting the cap back on the filter, closing the hood and then priming the pump - if you know what that means, you know what was being done. Bottom line, it's a hassle.
Meanwhile, inside the sleeper, the temperature was rising. The interior of the sleeper was now at 94 degrees. I was dying, but also smart enough to know not to complain because Ed was the one outside in the blistering Oklahoma heat trying to get the goddamned truck moving. When I peeked out I saw sweat pouring down his face, and him blinking the stinging drips from his eyes. He finally got the truck started and began to move toward the fuel island, but it died again, this time blocking five fuel lanes. Wonderful.
Luckily, I spied a small flatbed tow-truck used to tow cars in the fuel lane next to us and suggested Ed ask the guy to pull us forward into the fuel island. We were now literally 30 feet from the pump. We had enough air built up now to keep the brakes disengaged long enough for the truck to roll freely into the fuel lane once the tow truck pulled us forward. So Ed asked the driver, he said yes, and Ed hooked one end of the chain to the front of our truck and the other end to the back of the tow-truck. It worked beautifully. And since we weren't loaded, we were easily pulled into the fuel island.
Once there, Ed primed the fuel pump again, and filled the fuel tanks to a record level of 250 gallons! The tanks were dry as a bone. And we now know that when the fuel gauge reads 1/4 tank, it's time to refuel. Which reminds me of something my grandfather always said, "Never go anywhere with less than a half tank of gas in the car".
The most disappointing part of the whole experience is that the guy in the tow truck took $20 to pull us 30 feet. Ed did cough up the fatal words of "I can pay you", to which the guy responded, "Twenty bucks oughta do it."
Granted, we didn't have to call a tow company, which would have cost us significantly more than 20 dollars, but I think the human thing to do would have been for him to decline Ed's offer of payment and just say, "No problem, I got it."
We were in Oklahoma, for christsake. What happened to good 'ol Okie country boy kindness? The guy didn't even really do anything. Ed did all the chaining. All the guy did was get in his truck and drive forward 30 feet.
I got a flat tire once in Arizona. I was on the way to my friend Kim's house to use the pool at her neighborhood. It was the middle of summer and it was ungodly hot. This little old Mexican man stopped to help me. He opened the truck to get the spare and realized it was also flat. He said he'd take it to the gas station to air it up. I didn't know what my options were, so I said okay and waited with my car for him to return. Worst case scenario, I'd be out a flat spare. He returned about 15 minutes later with the spare tire all aired up and ready to go and put it on my car.
He then proceeded to change my tire. In the blazing midday Arizona sun. When he was done, I offered him money. He refused. I insisted. He adamantly refused again, saying it was no problem, he was happy to help. Then he left.
That is what the Oklahoma guy should have done. It would have been the right, neighborly, and kind thing to do.
I'm very disappointed in you, Oklahoma. You had a chance to shine and you blew it.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: The Original Walking Dead
2013: Hey! It's A Million Degrees Outside. Wanna Help Me Move?
2012: Kind Of Like A Virtual Celebrity Bodyguard
2011: Things Are Going Just Swimmingly
2010: A Real Truck Driver Meets A Real Housewife
2009: Stars Glowing, Wine Flowing, Sax Blowing
2008: Western Ed Friday
2007: Salena Kandinsky
2006: Bam! Traumatized.
2005: Swing Low Sweet Chariot
While parked in a truck stop.
I know, I know. It sounds ridiculous. Let me explain.
We'd been sitting for three days waiting on a load. I decided I was going to make some lunch and while I was in the middle of cooking it, the generator died. Everything died. The TV went black, the stove shut off, and the air conditioner stopped blowing cold air. This was going to be a problem.
This occasionally happens when we run too many gadgets and appliances off the generator. The circuit gets overloaded and it trips a breaker. It's an easy fix and Ed usually has things up and running in seconds. I didn't expect it to happen since I was only using the stove, so I turned to Ed and said, "What the hell?"
He got up and checked the voltage, pressed a few buttons, nothing. We tried to restart the generator but it just chugged and chugged, didn't start. Nothing. Then he tried the truck. It turned over but didn't start. He tried it a few more times, but nothing was working. The fuel gauge said we had 1/4 tank of fuel. So why were we getting nothing?
We were two truck-lengths (about 160 feet) from the fuel pumps, so I suggested to Ed that he roll back and steer into the fuel island, backwards. But because we had no air pressure, our brakes couldn't be released. And if we couldn't release the brakes, we couldn't move the truck. And because he couldn't start the truck, we couldn't build the air needed to release the brakes. So my master plan of rolling backwards was effectively thwarted. We were parked on a hill, nose up. The generator was running non-stop for three days, which of course uses fuel, but we still should have had plenty.
Ed was able to prime the fuel pump and get the truck started and running long enough to disengage the brakes so the truck would roll backwards, getting us out of the parking spot. But as soon he backed out, the truck died again. So he primed the fuel pump again, which involves all kinds of shit I don't know or care about - lifting the hood, opening the fuel filter, filling it with fuel, putting the cap back on the filter, closing the hood and then priming the pump - if you know what that means, you know what was being done. Bottom line, it's a hassle.
Meanwhile, inside the sleeper, the temperature was rising. The interior of the sleeper was now at 94 degrees. I was dying, but also smart enough to know not to complain because Ed was the one outside in the blistering Oklahoma heat trying to get the goddamned truck moving. When I peeked out I saw sweat pouring down his face, and him blinking the stinging drips from his eyes. He finally got the truck started and began to move toward the fuel island, but it died again, this time blocking five fuel lanes. Wonderful.
Luckily, I spied a small flatbed tow-truck used to tow cars in the fuel lane next to us and suggested Ed ask the guy to pull us forward into the fuel island. We were now literally 30 feet from the pump. We had enough air built up now to keep the brakes disengaged long enough for the truck to roll freely into the fuel lane once the tow truck pulled us forward. So Ed asked the driver, he said yes, and Ed hooked one end of the chain to the front of our truck and the other end to the back of the tow-truck. It worked beautifully. And since we weren't loaded, we were easily pulled into the fuel island.
Once there, Ed primed the fuel pump again, and filled the fuel tanks to a record level of 250 gallons! The tanks were dry as a bone. And we now know that when the fuel gauge reads 1/4 tank, it's time to refuel. Which reminds me of something my grandfather always said, "Never go anywhere with less than a half tank of gas in the car".
The most disappointing part of the whole experience is that the guy in the tow truck took $20 to pull us 30 feet. Ed did cough up the fatal words of "I can pay you", to which the guy responded, "Twenty bucks oughta do it."
Granted, we didn't have to call a tow company, which would have cost us significantly more than 20 dollars, but I think the human thing to do would have been for him to decline Ed's offer of payment and just say, "No problem, I got it."
We were in Oklahoma, for christsake. What happened to good 'ol Okie country boy kindness? The guy didn't even really do anything. Ed did all the chaining. All the guy did was get in his truck and drive forward 30 feet.
I got a flat tire once in Arizona. I was on the way to my friend Kim's house to use the pool at her neighborhood. It was the middle of summer and it was ungodly hot. This little old Mexican man stopped to help me. He opened the truck to get the spare and realized it was also flat. He said he'd take it to the gas station to air it up. I didn't know what my options were, so I said okay and waited with my car for him to return. Worst case scenario, I'd be out a flat spare. He returned about 15 minutes later with the spare tire all aired up and ready to go and put it on my car.
He then proceeded to change my tire. In the blazing midday Arizona sun. When he was done, I offered him money. He refused. I insisted. He adamantly refused again, saying it was no problem, he was happy to help. Then he left.
That is what the Oklahoma guy should have done. It would have been the right, neighborly, and kind thing to do.
I'm very disappointed in you, Oklahoma. You had a chance to shine and you blew it.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: The Original Walking Dead
2013: Hey! It's A Million Degrees Outside. Wanna Help Me Move?
2012: Kind Of Like A Virtual Celebrity Bodyguard
2011: Things Are Going Just Swimmingly
2010: A Real Truck Driver Meets A Real Housewife
2009: Stars Glowing, Wine Flowing, Sax Blowing
2008: Western Ed Friday
2007: Salena Kandinsky
2006: Bam! Traumatized.
2005: Swing Low Sweet Chariot
Friday, July 17, 2015
Not Your Average Meme
I love questions like these, ones that make you think. Here's the original link from Oprah.com.
1. What questions should I be asking myself?
At first I thought asking yourself what you should be asking yourself was redundant. It isn't. Without this question, you wouldn't ask any others, so it gets top billing. It creates an alert, thoughtful mind state, ideal for ferreting out the information you most need in every situation. Ask it frequently.
2. Is this what I want to be doing?
This very moment is, always, the only moment in which you can make changes. Knowing which changes are best for you comes, always, from assessing what you feel. Ask yourself many times every day if you like what you're doing. If the answer is no, start noticing what you'd prefer. Thus begins the revolution.
3. Why worry?
These two words, considered sincerely, can radically reconfigure the landscape of your mind. Worry rarely leads to positive action; it's just painful, useless fear about hypothetical events, which scuttles happiness rather than ensuring it. Some psychologists say that by focusing on gratitude, we can shut down the part of the brain that worries. It actually works!
4. Why do I like {cupcakes} more than I like {people}?
Feel free to switch out the words in brackets: You may like TV more than exercise, or bad boys more than nice guys, or burglary more than reading. Whatever the particulars, every woman has something she likes more than the somethings she's supposed to like. But forcing "virtues"—trying to like people more than cupcakes—drives us to vices that offer false freedom from oppression. Stop trying to like the things you don't like, and many vices will disappear on their own.
5. How do I want the world to be different because I lived in it?
Your existence is already a factor in world history—now, what sort of factor do you want it to be? Maybe you know you're here to create worldwide prosperity, a beautiful family, or one really excellent bagel. If your impressions are more vague, keep asking this question. Eventually you'll glimpse clearer outlines of your destiny. Live by design, not by accident.
1. What questions should I be asking myself?
At first I thought asking yourself what you should be asking yourself was redundant. It isn't. Without this question, you wouldn't ask any others, so it gets top billing. It creates an alert, thoughtful mind state, ideal for ferreting out the information you most need in every situation. Ask it frequently.
2. Is this what I want to be doing?
This very moment is, always, the only moment in which you can make changes. Knowing which changes are best for you comes, always, from assessing what you feel. Ask yourself many times every day if you like what you're doing. If the answer is no, start noticing what you'd prefer. Thus begins the revolution.
3. Why worry?
These two words, considered sincerely, can radically reconfigure the landscape of your mind. Worry rarely leads to positive action; it's just painful, useless fear about hypothetical events, which scuttles happiness rather than ensuring it. Some psychologists say that by focusing on gratitude, we can shut down the part of the brain that worries. It actually works!
4. Why do I like {cupcakes} more than I like {people}?
Feel free to switch out the words in brackets: You may like TV more than exercise, or bad boys more than nice guys, or burglary more than reading. Whatever the particulars, every woman has something she likes more than the somethings she's supposed to like. But forcing "virtues"—trying to like people more than cupcakes—drives us to vices that offer false freedom from oppression. Stop trying to like the things you don't like, and many vices will disappear on their own.
5. How do I want the world to be different because I lived in it?
Your existence is already a factor in world history—now, what sort of factor do you want it to be? Maybe you know you're here to create worldwide prosperity, a beautiful family, or one really excellent bagel. If your impressions are more vague, keep asking this question. Eventually you'll glimpse clearer outlines of your destiny. Live by design, not by accident.
6. How do I want to
be different because I lived in this world?
In small ways or large, your life will change the world—and in small ways or large, the world will change you. What experiences do you want to have during your brief sojourn here? Make a list. Make a vision board. Make a promise. This won't control your future, but it will shape it.
In small ways or large, your life will change the world—and in small ways or large, the world will change you. What experiences do you want to have during your brief sojourn here? Make a list. Make a vision board. Make a promise. This won't control your future, but it will shape it.
7. Are {vegans}
better people?
Again, it doesn't have to be vegans; the brackets are for you to fill in. Substitute the virtue squad that makes you feel worst about yourself, the one you'll never have the discipline to join, whether it's ultra-marathoners or mothers who never raise their voices. Whatever group you're asking about, the answer to this question is no.
Again, it doesn't have to be vegans; the brackets are for you to fill in. Substitute the virtue squad that makes you feel worst about yourself, the one you'll never have the discipline to join, whether it's ultra-marathoners or mothers who never raise their voices. Whatever group you're asking about, the answer to this question is no.
8. What is my body
telling me?
As I often say, my mind is a two-bit whore—by which I mean that my self-justifying brain, like any self-justifying brain, will happily absorb beliefs based on biases, ego gratification, magical thinking or just plain error. The body knows better. It's a wise, capable creature. It recoils from what's bad for us, and leans into what's good. Let it.
9. How much junk could a chic chick chuck if a chic chick could chuck junk?
I believe this question was originally posed by Lao Tzu, who also wrote, "To become learned, each day add something. To become enlightened, each day drop something." Face it: You'd be better off without some of your relationships, many of your possessions, and most of your thoughts. Chuck your chic-chick junk, chic chick. Enlightenment awaits.
10. What’s so funny?
Adults tend to put this question to children in a homicidal-sounding snarl, which is probably why as you grew up, your laughter rate dropped from 400 times a day (for toddlers) to the grown-up daily average of 15. Regain your youth by laughing at every possible situation. Then, please, tell us what's funny—about everyday life, about human nature, even about pain and fear. We'll pay you anything.
11. Where am I wrong?
This might well be the most powerful question on our list—as Socrates believed, we gain our first measure of intelligence when we first admit our own ignorance. Your ego wants you to avoid noticing where you may have bad information or unworkable ideas. But you'll gain far more capability and respect by asking where you're wrong than by insisting you're right.
As I often say, my mind is a two-bit whore—by which I mean that my self-justifying brain, like any self-justifying brain, will happily absorb beliefs based on biases, ego gratification, magical thinking or just plain error. The body knows better. It's a wise, capable creature. It recoils from what's bad for us, and leans into what's good. Let it.
9. How much junk could a chic chick chuck if a chic chick could chuck junk?
I believe this question was originally posed by Lao Tzu, who also wrote, "To become learned, each day add something. To become enlightened, each day drop something." Face it: You'd be better off without some of your relationships, many of your possessions, and most of your thoughts. Chuck your chic-chick junk, chic chick. Enlightenment awaits.
10. What’s so funny?
Adults tend to put this question to children in a homicidal-sounding snarl, which is probably why as you grew up, your laughter rate dropped from 400 times a day (for toddlers) to the grown-up daily average of 15. Regain your youth by laughing at every possible situation. Then, please, tell us what's funny—about everyday life, about human nature, even about pain and fear. We'll pay you anything.
11. Where am I wrong?
This might well be the most powerful question on our list—as Socrates believed, we gain our first measure of intelligence when we first admit our own ignorance. Your ego wants you to avoid noticing where you may have bad information or unworkable ideas. But you'll gain far more capability and respect by asking where you're wrong than by insisting you're right.
12. What potential
memories am I bartering, and is the profit worth the price?
I once read a story about a world where people sold memories the way we can sell plasma. The protagonist was an addict who'd pawned many memories for drugs but had sworn never to sell his memory of falling in love. His addiction won. Afterward he was unaware of his loss, lacking the memory he'd sold. But for the reader, the trade-off was ghastly to contemplate. Every time you choose social acceptance over your heart's desires, or financial gain over ethics, or your comfort zone over the adventure you were born to experience, you're making a similar deal. Don't.
13. Am I the only one struggling not to {fart} during {yoga}?
I felt profoundly liberated when this issue was raised on Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update." Not everyone does yoga, but SNL reminded me that everyone dreads committing some sort of gaffe. Substitute your greatest shame-fear: crying at work, belching in church, throwing up on the prime minister of Japan. Then know you aren't alone. Everyone worries about such faux pas, and many have committed them (well, maybe not the throwing up on PMs). Accepting this is a bold step toward mental health and a just society.
14. What do I love to practice?
Some psychologists believe that no one is born with any particular talent and that all skill is gained through practice. Studies have shown that masters are simply people who've practiced a skill intensely for 10,000 hours or more. That requires loving—not liking,loving—what you do. If you really want to excel, go where you're passionate enough to practice.
I once read a story about a world where people sold memories the way we can sell plasma. The protagonist was an addict who'd pawned many memories for drugs but had sworn never to sell his memory of falling in love. His addiction won. Afterward he was unaware of his loss, lacking the memory he'd sold. But for the reader, the trade-off was ghastly to contemplate. Every time you choose social acceptance over your heart's desires, or financial gain over ethics, or your comfort zone over the adventure you were born to experience, you're making a similar deal. Don't.
13. Am I the only one struggling not to {fart} during {yoga}?
I felt profoundly liberated when this issue was raised on Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update." Not everyone does yoga, but SNL reminded me that everyone dreads committing some sort of gaffe. Substitute your greatest shame-fear: crying at work, belching in church, throwing up on the prime minister of Japan. Then know you aren't alone. Everyone worries about such faux pas, and many have committed them (well, maybe not the throwing up on PMs). Accepting this is a bold step toward mental health and a just society.
14. What do I love to practice?
Some psychologists believe that no one is born with any particular talent and that all skill is gained through practice. Studies have shown that masters are simply people who've practiced a skill intensely for 10,000 hours or more. That requires loving—not liking,loving—what you do. If you really want to excel, go where you're passionate enough to practice.
15. Where could I
work less and achieve more?
To maximize time spent practicing your passions, minimize everything else. These days you can find machines or human helpers to assist with almost anything. Author Timothy Ferriss "batches" job tasks into his famous "four-hour workweek." My client Cindy has an e-mail ghostwriter. Another client, Angela, hired an assistant in the Philippines who flawlessly tracks her schedule and her investments. Get creative with available resources to find more time in your life and life in your time.
16. How can I keep myself absolutely safe?
Ask this question just to remind yourself of the answer: You can't. Life is inherently uncertain. The way to cope with that reality is not to control and avoid your way into a rigid little demi-life, but to develop courage. Doing what you long to do, despite fear, will accomplish this.
17. Where should I break the rules?
If everyone kept all the rules, we'd still be practicing cherished traditions like child marriage, slavery and public hangings. The way humans become humane is by assessing from the heart, rather than the rule book, where the justice of a situation lies. Sometimes you have to break the rules around you to keep the rules within you.
18. So say I lived in that fabulous house in Tuscany, with untold wealth, a gorgeous, adoring mate, and a full staff of servants…then what?
We can get so obsessed with acquiring fabulous lives that we forget to live. When my clients ask themselves this question, they almost always discover that their "perfect life" pastimes are already available. Sharing joy with loved ones, spending time in nature, finding inner peace, writing your novel, plotting revenge—you can do all these things right now. Begin!
To maximize time spent practicing your passions, minimize everything else. These days you can find machines or human helpers to assist with almost anything. Author Timothy Ferriss "batches" job tasks into his famous "four-hour workweek." My client Cindy has an e-mail ghostwriter. Another client, Angela, hired an assistant in the Philippines who flawlessly tracks her schedule and her investments. Get creative with available resources to find more time in your life and life in your time.
16. How can I keep myself absolutely safe?
Ask this question just to remind yourself of the answer: You can't. Life is inherently uncertain. The way to cope with that reality is not to control and avoid your way into a rigid little demi-life, but to develop courage. Doing what you long to do, despite fear, will accomplish this.
17. Where should I break the rules?
If everyone kept all the rules, we'd still be practicing cherished traditions like child marriage, slavery and public hangings. The way humans become humane is by assessing from the heart, rather than the rule book, where the justice of a situation lies. Sometimes you have to break the rules around you to keep the rules within you.
18. So say I lived in that fabulous house in Tuscany, with untold wealth, a gorgeous, adoring mate, and a full staff of servants…then what?
We can get so obsessed with acquiring fabulous lives that we forget to live. When my clients ask themselves this question, they almost always discover that their "perfect life" pastimes are already available. Sharing joy with loved ones, spending time in nature, finding inner peace, writing your novel, plotting revenge—you can do all these things right now. Begin!
19. Are my thoughts
hurting or healing?
Your situation may endanger your life and limbs, but only your thoughts can endanger your happiness. Telling yourself a miserable mental story about your circumstances creates suffering. Telling yourself a more positive and grateful story, studies show, increases happiness. Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, choose thoughts that knit your heart together, rather than tear it apart.
20. Really truly: Is this what I want to be doing?
It's been several seconds since you asked this. Ask it again. Not to make yourself petulant or frustrated—just to see if it's possible to choose anything, and I mean any little thing, that would make your present experience more delightful. Thus continues the revolution.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: Marine Transport
Your situation may endanger your life and limbs, but only your thoughts can endanger your happiness. Telling yourself a miserable mental story about your circumstances creates suffering. Telling yourself a more positive and grateful story, studies show, increases happiness. Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, choose thoughts that knit your heart together, rather than tear it apart.
20. Really truly: Is this what I want to be doing?
It's been several seconds since you asked this. Ask it again. Not to make yourself petulant or frustrated—just to see if it's possible to choose anything, and I mean any little thing, that would make your present experience more delightful. Thus continues the revolution.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: Marine Transport
2013: Italian, French, And Classic Canadian
2012: A Hodgepodge Of Fun
2011: Sleeping Pill In A Swirl
2010: Putting Death On Hold
2009: Eddie Brings A Guest Friday
2008: The Things We Do For Love
2007: A Million Comedians Out Of Work And I’m Lucky Enough To Live With One
2006: Ah, The Primitive Beauty Of The Desert
2005: The Perfect Storm
2012: A Hodgepodge Of Fun
2011: Sleeping Pill In A Swirl
2010: Putting Death On Hold
2009: Eddie Brings A Guest Friday
2008: The Things We Do For Love
2007: A Million Comedians Out Of Work And I’m Lucky Enough To Live With One
2006: Ah, The Primitive Beauty Of The Desert
2005: The Perfect Storm
Thursday, July 16, 2015
If It Won't Fit, Don't Commit!
About every 3 hours, a person or vehicle is hit by a train. Around 500 collisions per year involve trucks or tractor-trailers.
Driving our truck over train tracks always makes me a bit apprehensive, even if I see a clear track for miles. I always think a train is going to appear out of nowhere. I never get too close to the crossing gates and as soon as I see the coast is clear, I get over those tracks as quickly as possible. Let me tell you, getting 80 feet of vehicle over tracks is a little nerve-racking!
I found this information online which encompasses information for commercial motor vehicle operators. It's a little easier to read than the FMCSA regulation format.
The FMCSA's railroad grade crossing rules for commercial motor vehicles are very specific depending on what type of commercial vehicle you're driving or what kind of cargo you're carrying. And the thing I always do, regardless of what I'm carrying, is to make sure not to shift gears while I'm crossing the tracks. I take no chances.
You shouldn't either.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: The Breast Tour He's Ever Been On
2013: Joisey Tomatoes And More
2012: A Very Gradual Climb
2011: Out With The Old, In With The New
2010: Urban Rest Area
2009: Within Striking Distance
2008: An Island Of COWS, Lobsters, And Girls In Imaginary Prairie Dresses
2007: Freakin’ Ewww!
2006: And People Say All The Good Ones Are Taken
2005: Ahhhhh, Bahston
Driving our truck over train tracks always makes me a bit apprehensive, even if I see a clear track for miles. I always think a train is going to appear out of nowhere. I never get too close to the crossing gates and as soon as I see the coast is clear, I get over those tracks as quickly as possible. Let me tell you, getting 80 feet of vehicle over tracks is a little nerve-racking!
I found this information online which encompasses information for commercial motor vehicle operators. It's a little easier to read than the FMCSA regulation format.
The FMCSA's railroad grade crossing rules for commercial motor vehicles are very specific depending on what type of commercial vehicle you're driving or what kind of cargo you're carrying. And the thing I always do, regardless of what I'm carrying, is to make sure not to shift gears while I'm crossing the tracks. I take no chances.
You shouldn't either.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: The Breast Tour He's Ever Been On
2013: Joisey Tomatoes And More
2012: A Very Gradual Climb
2011: Out With The Old, In With The New
2010: Urban Rest Area
2009: Within Striking Distance
2008: An Island Of COWS, Lobsters, And Girls In Imaginary Prairie Dresses
2007: Freakin’ Ewww!
2006: And People Say All The Good Ones Are Taken
2005: Ahhhhh, Bahston
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Chippin' It
A wood-chipping machine adding to the pile of wood chips at the Port of Wilmington. The wood chips are made into wood pellets that will be exported to Europe.
Southern Yellow Pine grown in North Carolina is a desirable material around the globe for the manufacture of medium density fiber board (MDF) and flooring products. The ports in the South exported almost three million tons of wood pellets in 2013.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: Dreaming Of A Craftier Life
2013: A Surprise In The Park
2012: A Little Red Water Never Killed Anyone
2011: Instantly Sexy
2010: Natural Light In Waterloo
2009: So, What Brings You To My Neck Of The Blogospher?
2008: Eternity Is Going To Be SO. MUCH. FUN.
2007: I’ve Been Everywhere Sunday
2006: That Eddie Guy
2005: Pee Bum Head
Southern Yellow Pine grown in North Carolina is a desirable material around the globe for the manufacture of medium density fiber board (MDF) and flooring products. The ports in the South exported almost three million tons of wood pellets in 2013.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: Dreaming Of A Craftier Life
2013: A Surprise In The Park
2012: A Little Red Water Never Killed Anyone
2011: Instantly Sexy
2010: Natural Light In Waterloo
2009: So, What Brings You To My Neck Of The Blogospher?
2008: Eternity Is Going To Be SO. MUCH. FUN.
2007: I’ve Been Everywhere Sunday
2006: That Eddie Guy
2005: Pee Bum Head
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Summer Calls For Cukes!
Photo by Salena Lettera |
Prague is definitely on my list of countries to see.
Humans of New York is great, but Felines of New York is even better. I love #14.
For those of you who really want to know how to speak Italian, these will help you look like a native speaker. Many of these are familiar from my childhood.
The coolest dinosaur cake ever.
Although my mother's cucumber salad recipe is my favorite, Martha Steward put together some delicious choices here for those of you who have an abundance of cukes.
I can't eat cereal unless my milk is ice cold, but I've never considered adding ice to it. I might have to try it.
I love yogurt. I'm glad to see Fage on this list. It's my Greek of choice.
Armenian Sweet Bread. I've never heard of it, but now I MUST have it.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: Nature's Bounty Fills My Fridge
2013: Bags, Boxes, And Bikes
2012: Wrappers Delight
2011: Breaking The Spell
2010: It Never Ends
2009: 275 Square Miles Of Brilliance
2008: Four Standards, One Newbie
2007: Semantics
2006: 36 Hours Of Hell On Earth
2005: 11:11:11
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