The Oquirrh Mountain Man

It's been fun

2010-08-03T16:16:00.002-06:00

I've decided that I am closing my blog, and I will be moving to a new location. I don't like the idea of losing all my previous posts but I think it's for the best. I want to go back to being slightly anonymous and regain the ability to post about anything without worrying about hurting people. I have lived a large portion of my life only worrying about others and I need to do my blog for myself.

Thanks to all of you who have followed my blog, I will miss you.

Weekly Secret

2010-07-27T00:00:00.000-06:00

This was my favorite secret that Post Secret put up about a month ago.

New Journey

2010-07-26T08:42:00.002-06:00

I know it’s been weeks since I’ve made a blog entry, but as you can tell by my last posts I have been pretty busy.

When the little woman moved out about a month ago I wasn’t sure what the future would hold for me, and I was apprehensive to start this new part of my life. I had told myself that I wasn’t going to rush into things, because I know people who had lost themselves in the new found “freedom” of an open gay life. The one thing that I wasn’t looking for at all was a relationship, but as a very smart friend of mine said, “Relationships are wonderful things. The best ones are the ones that find you, not the ones you go looking for.” Which brings me to Bob and Michael…

I met the guys on July 4th, and from the very beginning there was a connection which began to grow quickly. As we continued to spend time together (pretty much everyday) I could tell that something more then friendship was developing between the three of us. A few weeks ago we all attended a potluck for a local bear group, and we attracted a little attention when we walked in together. At one point someone asked us if we were a thropple (three person couple), and out response was, "We're just friends". However, when we returned to Bob and Michael’s apartment the throupple comment sparked a conversation about our relationship, and at this point we decided that we were now indeed a three person couple.

Our situation is different, and I can see that many people just don’t understand, and to be honest it’s hard for us to understand as well. How can someone be in a committed intimate relationship with two people? It’s hard to explain, but things just clicked between us and we are all very happy. As our relationship develops I know that we will all grow closer together, and I’m happy to see what the future holds for us. I want to thank these loving men for making me feel like I belong and for being there for me.

A New Chapter - It's Who I Am

2010-06-22T10:17:00.003-06:00

Up until this point I've never really said my name (Greg) or the little woman's name (Lindsie) on my blog, but I have to put it out there so this will make sense. Yesterday I posted the following note on Facebook for all the read:

You know that voice in your head that won't shut up? Well I do, and no I am not mentally insane. For a long time I have known something about myself that I haven't felt comfortable sharing with many people, but the time had come to give into the rational little voice in my head and just say it. In the words of a brave missionary friend, “While this may not come as a shock to many of you who haven’t already had it confirmed to you, to put it quite bluntly, I am indeed gay. And I don’t mean “happy” as the definition on that one. We’re talking rainbow flag-waving, parade marching, turtle-neck-wearing gay…” Unlike Kade I do wave a flag and happen to be in parades but that has nothing to do with being gay. Yes it's true, I am one of those homosexuals you have seen in the movies, or you have heard about on TV, but there is one difference between me and them, you know me.

Some of you don't know me very well, but I'm sure you have come in contact with me at some point, and I hope your impression of me was favorable. Something to remember as we are going forward is that I am the same person you have always known, but now you will know more about me. My sister has taught me a lot about being yourself, and though these next words aren't an exact quote, they are inspired by something she once wrote. :

I am the man that sat next to you on the bus.
I am the goofball that would do anything to make his friends smile.
I was a boy who always knew he was different then his peers.
I was a boy who was afraid to tell others who he was.

I am a gay man.

(This next part is an exact quote)

“I hope you all understand that I am who I have always been.
I hope you all understand that for the first time in my life I am being honest with everyone around me.
I hope you all understand that I have always known who I am, and that who I am will never change.
I hope you all understand that I love you all, and want all of you in my life.”

There it is, now you all know who I really am, but I'm hoping that won't change your opinion of me, but I'm sure that many of you have questions. So I will try and answer some of those here.

Topic One - Greg and Lindsie:

In the words of a wonderful woman named Lindsie, “I met my best friend. The most amazing person I've ever known in my life. Having known many terrific people, I'm sure you will understand what high praise this is.” From the very start we both knew that we had found an awesome person, and that we would be together forever. Our relationship has gone through many changes recently and it will continue to do so, but through all of this we want to remain best friends. One day when Lindsie finds a wonderful man worthy of her I hope he doesn't mind her protective gay husband.
_______________________________

Topic Two – Church:

Although there are certain things I don't agree with I am thankful for the things I learned as a member of the LDS church. I have made so many friends, and I have learned many lessons about being a better person. For those of you church members who don't think you can be my friend/family anymore I would like you to read the first half of this message over and over again, because I'm hoping it will help you realize I am still the person I've always been.
_______________________________

Topic Three – The Future

Lindsie and I haven't worked out all of the details yet, but I'm sure it will take some time. At this time we think that Lindsie may be heading off to Florida to help out her Grandpa which is great, because he is the cutest little old man you would ever know. I will look for some roommates to help me hold down the fort here as I will be staying in the house for now.
_______________________________

For those of you who I have added to my extended family recently I want to thank you for being such a support to me, you are all great examples of wonderful people. You know who you are and “We are family”.

I'm sure some of you will have other questions but instead of trying to answer them through gossip please contact me. Shoot me an email or call me and I would be happy to chat.

This is probably the most personal thing I have ever shared on my blog. It's bitter sweet because I get to be who I am, but I am losing a wonderful person in my life. I'll pray everyday that Lindsie and I can be friends forever.

Tasty Tuesday - Raw Veggies

2010-06-22T00:00:00.000-06:00

I was strolling down blog memory lane and I found an old post that would fit perfectly with the theme of raw veggies. The little woman and I have a nice fenced garden which we like to fill with squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, and on occasion a watermelon or pumpkin. Normally my favorite thing is to pull out a nice fresh cucumber, slice it, and put on some salt and pepper… Mmmmmmmm. Well here is what I had to say about it back in August of 2007:

Phallic Salad

When I come home in the morning I try to be a quite as I can so I don't wake up the little woman. You know I work nights and she works days.... So I head out to the garden in the back yard. In our yard there is a large garden with nice fencing, a curb around it, and automatic sprinklers. We probably wouldn't have done this but it was nice to move into a house with a nice garden.

We started out with a few things in the garden to test out what we will plant in the future. We have a few varieties of tomatoes, green peppers, a pumpkin (HUGE and TAKING OVER THE WHOLE GARDEN), watermelon, and the Freudian veggie of phallus.... Well lets just say we have a cucumber plant that grows cucumbers so big it would make a porn star blush. I'm not exaggerating but they are

FREAKING HUGE!!!

From the porno garden of mystery,

Mr. O

Reading this made me laugh. Join me next week for Tasty Tuesday theme Family Recipes.

10 Common Grooming Mistakes

2010-06-17T07:38:00.001-06:00

I was clicking through several articles on AskMen.Com and I came across an interesting one called 10 Common Grooming Mistakes, and I found it very interesting. What do I do when I find something interesting? I BLOG ABOUT IT, OF COURSE!!! Below I’ve included the articles points in bold and my comment below.

No.10 - Sporting too much cologne

Too much of a good thing can spell disaster and that couldn’t be more true than with cologne. A few extra spritzes can turn even the subtlest of scents into a cloud of noxious fumes. All you need is two to three sprays in the right places. Targeting pulse points on the wrists and behind the ears should be enough to keep you going all day (and night).

I have allergies so this is something I suffer from on a regular basis, especially in the close confines of the workspace. The company has a policy that people should only wear moderate amounts of cologne or perfume, but people seem to ignore it. Why bathe on a regular basis when you could use a gallon of cologne everyday.

No.9 - Not using moisturizer

Growing a proverbial thick skin is great thing for survival in a crazy world, but going the literal route by forgoing moisturizer could kill your chances for fighting fine lines and wrinkles. Male skin may look tough, but it’s so fickle that a simple shower can leave it dry and cracked like drought-ridden earth. Irritation from shaving just adds fuel to the fire. A lightweight moisturizer with a hint of SPF should be applied daily to the face and neck to replenish water content, soothe skin and provide protection from the elements.

We live in a place that has very hard water and my skin is always dry when I step out of the shower, so I am a frequent moisturizer. I also agree that SPF protection is very important. So many people seem to think that you only need protection when it’s hot, but I can testify to the evil of winter time sunburn.

No.8 - Dirty, uncut nails

While startling, the sight of a well-groomed man with overgrown, cracked nails is not terribly uncommon. Nails should always be clipped short but never so short as to expose the nail bed, which can be an incredibly painful experience. And get over any reservations you may have about manicures and pedicures. Forgoing regular nail care by a professional can lead to uneven nail growth and unsightly fungal infections. It’s essential to treat yourself once every four to six weeks in order to get your nails clipped and filed properly, and most importantly, have your cuticles trimmed down. You can skip the polish.

I don’t really think that guys need to get a regular mani or pedi, but if you look like you’ve clawed your way free after being buried alive, then you need some nail care.

No.7 - Dry shaving

Despite advances in electric razor technology, dry shaving is still rough stuff. Most men neglect to exfoliate and use proper lubrication when going dry, which can result in razor burn, ingrown hairs and a shave that isn’t as close as it should be. Shave during or after a shower when the beard is softest, and apply an exfoliating face wash to clear away dirt and debris. Then, most importantly, use shaving gel and a clean razor to get the maximum shave with minimal irritation.

I cringed when I saw this!!! As a person with sensitive skin I don’t even know how anybody can do this and not cry in pain.

No.6 - Using worn-out razors

Disposable razors are just that: disposable. The problem is that even the most experienced shavers forget that the cartridges have a relatively short lifespan of roughly two weeks. Using a blade past its expiration date can wreak havoc on your face by unevenly ripping hairs out of the follicle and leaving burned, bleeding skin in its wake. A healthy blade should glide along the face and cut with painless precision. Fortunately, today’s best razors have an indicator strip at the top that lets you know when its day of reckoning is near.

I think many guys will ignore changing an old blade because they can cost an arm and a leg, which is why I love my safety razor and the cheap blades (About 100 for $10).

No.5 - Using too much hair gel

The only thing worse than using no product at all is piling on enough to turn your head into a helmet -- the sound of crunchy hair is one that’s better left in the late '80s. Gloppy gels are child’s play and don’t leave much room for movement, so go for lighter pastes and putties that create shape and definition while still maintaining a natural appearance.

This is probably the only thing on this list that I am in violation of, but when you’ve got curly hair it can be hard to skip the extra product to hold my locks in place.

No.4 - Ignoring thinning hair

Only a few lucky men will never have to face the facts of life with thinning hair. Male pattern baldness can start in your 20s and progress at a steady rate of 4% a year until you're left with patchy growth or nothing at all. The right haircut can minimize the appearance of bald spots, but it’s not going to stop the path of destruction. Surprisingly, over-the-counter serums and foams with the chemical Minoxidil are proven to slow down the process and even regrow hair in many cases. If that’s not enough to cut your losses, talk to a dermatologist about prescription treatments. And when all else fails, shave it clean.

I’ve got a higher hairline in the front, but I am so lucky that I don’t have thinning hair.

No.3 - Ignoring nose and ear hair

Almost everything you do in life, from careers to dating, requires you to sell your face. And the most distracting (and nauseating) thing to look at is overgrown nose and ear hair. These hairs are important for filtering debris and ultimately keeping the body healthy, but they cease to have any purpose when they make an unwanted outdoor cameo. Use a small grooming scissor to keep the crowd at bay.

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww… If your ear’s look like an enchanted forest you need some help.

No.2 - Unkempt facial hair

Treating your beard like a summer camp arts and crafts project is the quickest way to looking like an artist rendering on America’s Most Wanted. If you have a thing for perpetual scruff, you can keep your mane tame without looking like a criminal. Shave just up to the jaw line to create a look that is neat yet effortless. A few extra days' worth of growth is fine, but don’t let your beard achieve mountain-man proportions. And if it takes too much of your time to maintain a five o’clock shadow, a beard probably isn’t for you.

Ok I guess I am in violation of this rule from time to time… I’M SORRY I CAN’T HELP IT! Since my skin is so sensitive I don’t like to shave, but maybe one day I can get some laser hair removal on my neck to stop the burn.

No.1 - Letting body hair run wild

Hair on the body is an undeniable outward expression of masculinity. But there comes a point when a jungle of hair needs to be pruned back. Invest in a trimmer with adjustable settings and clip hair especially on the chest and stomach to an appropriate but natural-looking length. You can avoid getting stark lines of demarcation by making use of the variable settings. It takes a little practice to get it right, but trimming body hair ultimately makes the difference between being a beauty or a beast when you wear an open collar.

Some guys are into waxing or shaving, which isn’t my cup o’ tea, but whatever floats your boat. Remember guys if you look like an ape then you are probably limiting yourself to dating Jane Goodall or a zookeeper.

Well I guess that’s all I have to say about grooming. Carry on…

Tasty Tuesday - Seafood

2010-06-15T00:00:00.000-06:00

This week’s theme is seafood, which normally isn’t my food of choice, but I think it has to do with my geography. Since I live a ways away from an ocean I can’t really get fresh seafood with ease and this is my only qualification for good seafood. When I lived in North Carolina I was always close top some good seafood, and this was especially true when I lived in New Bern. This colonial American city was frequented by road side seafood vendors, with seafood that was in the ocean earlier that morning. THAT IS SEAFOOD!!!! I would frequently enjoy shrimp which is one of my favorite seafood items, and if I was there now I would love to try this recipe from allrecipes.com:

Peppered Shrimp Alfredo

Prep Time: 30 Min
Cook Time: 20 Min
Ready In: 50 Min
Ingredients
12 ounces penne pasta
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 pound Portobello mushrooms, diced
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (15 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup cream
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Meanwhile, melt butter together with the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion, and cook until softened and translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic, red pepper, and mushroom; cook over medium-high heat until soft, about 2 minutes more.
Stir in the shrimp, and cook until firm and pink, then pour in Alfredo sauce, Romano cheese, and cream; bring to a simmer stirring constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir drained pasta into the sauce, and serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Join us next week for the theme Raw Veggies!

From a "Solid Christian"

2010-06-13T07:12:00.000-06:00

The church of the flying spaghetti monster posts amusing hate mail on their website, and this one gave me a good laugh:

"The Flying Spaghetti Monster is the most fucking pathetic excuse for a religion. Bullshit, a bowl of fucking food created you? It doesn’t even have a fucking brain! Ha ha. I can’t believe how much you are offending me, and many others. Especially your FSM "Bible". Why did you have to make fun of my religion, and others? You called the Christian bible The New Testicle. Seriously, stop making fun of other religions. Also, you called the Hindu’s book, "Ten Little Indians". Okay, you are the most twisted, racist fucking bastard on the planet. I can’t believe you are a racist bastard. Why, do you have to make fun of other religions? Probably because you want to just kick back and laugh at other people, and bash them. That’s why. Also, in your queer FSM "Bible", you obiously had to make fun of the Jews. I’m very offended, because the Jews had probably had the roughest life, and you go ahead and make fun of the REAL Bible, not your bullshit bible!!! Your version of heaven sucks huge fucking dicks. I don’t want strippers, and beer is nasty as fuck. You aren’t even trying, and your version of Hell is the most retarded thing I’ve ever heard of. When you’re already DEAD it doesn’t FUCKING MATTER IF YOU GET AN STD OR NOT!!!!! Fuck you sir, don’t be suprised when you die if you burn in Hell, because I am a solid Christian and I am praying for you, and I really hate that you have to MOCK other religions. You are very racist, and I hope that you burn in Hell and realize your FSM is just your imagination, and you’re full of bullshit. Also, I feel like sueing the publishers of your FSM Bible, since you have gone that far and turned racist.

Don’t be suprised if you get sued for being a RACIST FUCKING DOUCHEBAG! AND YOU CALL YOUR RELIGION "PEACEFUL"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fuck you,
Mike"

Dear Solid Christian,

I would like to thank you for your hate mail that points out how awful this religion is for pointing out how awful it thinks yours is. Well come to think about it I don't think it's really mocking with as much class as you have. I propose that the FSM reach down his noodlie appendage and throw a fuck or two into his holy writings.

I am also impressed that you have the ability to see what doesn't have a brain, which i assume is helpful each time you look in the mirror.

Now I'm not a bible scholar but I don't think Jesus' philosophy of "love one another" included calling someone a douche bag. When I ask myself WWJD I don't think he would send hate mail like that.

Mike if you ever venture out of your mom's basement make sure to wear sunscreen because I don't think you get out into the sun very often.

Love,

Mr. O

Tasty Tuesday - Doughnuts/Pastry

2010-06-08T00:00:00.000-06:00

I've always been a fan of a good doughnut, and when I crave one I'm normally on my way to a Krispy Kreme.
"You might say these sweet treats are wholly delicious. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts operates a leading chain of doughnut outlets with about 580 locations throughout the US and in about 20 other countries. The shops are popular for their glazed doughnuts that are served fresh and hot out of the fryer. In addition to its original glazed variety, Krispy Kreme serves cake and filled doughnuts, crullers, and fritters, as well as hot coffee and other beverages. The chain includes about 270 doughnut shops and some 315 kiosks and satellite locations. The company owns and operates 80 locations and franchises the rest. Krispy Kreme also markets its doughnuts through grocery stores and supermarkets." (Source)

It's hard to say what my favorite variety is but if I can't decide I'm always happy to have a good old fashion glazed. Mmmmmmmmmmm doughnuts *drools* Join me next week for the Tasty Tuesday theme Seafood.

Visiting the Victim of the Beast

2010-06-04T00:44:00.003-06:00

The little woman and I were on an adventure with the sister in law and we decided to take her to visit an old friend of ours, Lilly E. Gray the victim of the beast. This is a post my wife made a few years ago, "During a weekend drive in Spring of 2007, my husband and I passed the Salt Lake Cemetery. I off-handedly mentioned that back in high school I had heard about a place called "Emo's Grave" located somewhere in the graveyard. He joked that we should stop and look for it and before I knew it, we impulsively pulled over and were walking among the gravestones. I had no clue what I was looking for and though we never found Emo that day, we did see some amazing stones and monuments pertaining to Utah History. When we got home that night I did a search for Emo on the computer. The information on it was easy to find and in no time I knew the name on the stone and what it looked like. More interestingly, I found reference to a grave in the same cemetery for Lilly E. Gray. Nothing special about the name, but the inscription on her stone was rumored to be "Victim of the Beast 666". Fascinated, I began to look for information on the location of her stone. Directions were sketchy and a second visit to the cemetery yielded little results (though we did get to say hi to Emo's Grave.) I delved a little deeper into the whereabouts and we tried a third time to find Lilly. Success!!"

It was nice to see Lilly's grave covered with trinkets and flowers.

Tasty Tuesday - Dairy

2010-06-01T00:00:00.000-06:00

When I think of dairy, cheese is the first thing that comes to my mind. I LOVE CHEESE!!! "There are hundreds of different types of cheese that can be differentiated both by the type of milk - raw, skimmed or pasteurized, and by the animal - cow, goat, sheep, buffalo, horse or camel." (Cheese.Com)

There are so many types of cheeses and there is no better cheese resource than Cheese.Com. This website is a wealth of info about pretty much any cheese. You can search cheeses by name, country of origin, texture, milk, and it's even got some great cheese recipes like this:

Parmesan Chicken

Serves : 4

Ingredients :

4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
25 g plain flour
olie oil for frying
225 g / 8 oz Mozzarella cheese, sliced
60 ml / 4 tbsp Parmesan, freshly grated
30 ml / 2 tbsp fresh white breadcrumbs
salt and black pepper
TOMATO SAUCE
15 ml olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stick
1 red pepper
1 garlic clove
400 g chopped tomatoes with basil
150 ml chicken stock
15 ml tomato puree
10 ml / 2 tbsp caster sugar

Steps :
1. First make the sauce. Take a frying pan and heat the oil, adding celery onion, pepper. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. 2. Wash the meat properly and cut it into two small pieces. Put the flour in a shallow bowl and coat the chicken lightly. Then preheat the oven. 3. Heat the olive oil. Cook the chicken escalopes for 3 - 4 minutes. Spread half the tomato sauce in a large baking dish. Add the escalopes, the rest of the sauce and Mozzarella cheese. 4. After mix the Parmesan with breadcrumbs and sprinkle over Mozzarella. Put it into the oven for 20 - 30 minutes.

No matter how you slice it there is a cheese for every occasion! Join me next week for the theme Doughnuts and Pastry.

Playing with Bo Bo

2010-05-30T18:35:00.002-06:00

Playing fetch with Bo in the back yard, but while he is trying to fetch the toy Hunny is trying to fetch him.

Weekly Secret

2010-05-30T10:23:00.000-06:00

My weekly choice from Post Secret.

Tasty Tuesday - Salad

2010-05-25T00:00:00.002-06:00

I'm normally not a super fan of salad, but there is one salad that my wife's family has almost every time we go over for dinner. They make an amazing fruit salad. There isn't an exact recipe but this is normally what I use:

* Can of pineapple chunks
* Can of mandarin orange segments
* Grapes
* Berries in season

Drain the juice from the canned fruit and put everything in a bowl, add some mini marshmallows, some sweetened coconut, and the put in sour cream. Add enough sour cream to coat everything. I normally like to let it sit for a little bit because it will soften the coconut, but it's something you could make right before a family dinner or BBQ and then put it in the fridge for dessert. This stuff is seriously amazing!

Well this has been another edition of Tasty Tuesday and join me next week for the theme Dairy.

Weekly Secret

2010-05-23T15:21:00.002-06:00

This is my weekly choice from Post Secret.

Pirates took my house

2010-05-23T15:09:00.005-06:00

On the way home from the movies the other day the little woman and I decided to drive by our old house and see how it was doing. Months ago we got a call from our old neighbor and found out that the man who bought our trailer had died, but they didn't find him for like a month (sad)... So we wanted to see if someone had bought the trailer or if it had been taken away. Well it was there, and to make it even better it turns out that the person living there is a servant of the FSM, as shown by their bumper sticker:

On the way home we also saw a car with this bumper sticker:

Tasty Tuesday - Beef

2010-05-18T00:00:00.002-06:00

The first thing that came to mind when I went to post about Beef was my favorite Chinese food dish, GINGER BEEF!!! I've never seen it anywhere outside my native land of Alberta Canada, but I absolutely love it. This recipe is courtesy of About.com

GINGER BEEF

The staple dish of Chinese take-out restaurants. Serves 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:

* 1 pound flank steak
* Marinade:
* 2 Tbsp dark soy sauce
* 1 Tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
* 1 tsp granulated sugar
* 2 tablespoons ginger juice (storebought or homemade)
* Sauce:
* 1 Tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
* 1 Tbsp light soy sauce
* 2 Tbsp white or rice vinegar
* 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 2 Tbsp water
* 1 teaspoon hot chili oil or crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
* Other:
* 1 stalk celery
* 1 red bell pepper
* 1 carrot
* 4 to 5 cups oil for deep-frying
* 2 Tbsp oil for stir-frying, or as needed
* 3 red chili peppers, seeds left in
* 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
* 1 tsp sesame oil
* Batter:
* 1/4 cup flour
* 1/4 cup cornstarch
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 1 Tbsp hot chili oil (optional)
* 1/3 cup water, or as needed

Preparation:
Partially freeze the beef to make it easier to cut.

If making homemade ginger juce, grate the ginger and squeeze out the juice until you have 2 tablespoons. Cut the partially frozen beef along the grain into thin strips the approximately length and width of matchsticks. Add the marinade ingredients and marinate the beef for 25 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, vinegar, sugar, water and hot chili oil. Set aside.

While the beef is marinating, prepare the vegetables and sauce. Cut the celery, red bell pepper, and carrot into thin strips.

To prepare the batter, combine the flour and cornstarch. Stir in the vegetable oil, and the hot chili oil if using. Add a much water as is needed to make a smooth batter. It should not be too dry or too runny, but should lightly drop off the back of a wooden spoon.

Heat the oil for deep-frying to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Dip the marinated beef pieces into the batter. When the oil is hot, add the beef and deep-fry until it is golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Increase the heat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Deep-fry the beef a second time, to make it extra cripsy. Remove and drain. Clean out the wok.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the wok. When the oil is hot, add the chilies, minced garlic and ginger. Stir-fry until the chilies begin to blister. Add the carrot. Stir-fry briefly, then add the celery, and then the red pepper.

Push the vegetables up to the sides of the wok. Add the sauce in the middle. Heat to boiling, then add the deep-fried beef back into the pan. Mix all the ingredients together. Remove from the heat. Stir in the sesame oil. Serve hot.

I think I may be too lazy to make this, but I can't wait to go home to visit family and to have my fill at an all you can eat buffet. Mmmmmmmmmm

Next week we will be talking about salad.

Weekly Secret

2010-05-16T23:28:00.002-06:00

This is my weekly choice from Post Secret and I think it's true for most people.

Spring Clean Up

2010-05-16T22:20:00.005-06:00

I took these pictures last week when I started doing some hardcore yardwork. I work all night and then when I came home I mowed, weeded, and trimmed the evil hedge from hell.

I'm also happy to say that the tree we planted a couple of years ago is hearty and happy. It's really got some pretty flowers on it.

Bored at work?

2010-05-16T22:03:00.000-06:00

What do you do while you are bored at work? Well when I’m bored I draw pictures of a giraffe. Awesomeness you say? YES IT IS AWESOME!

Smart Pugglets

2010-05-11T19:04:00.002-06:00

On my blog I collect pictures and sayings from bumper stickers but I wanted to branch out and start including license plate surrounds. What a better way to start then something I would have on my own car. As a proud daddy of two pugglets I am happy to say that my pugs are often smarter then some peoples honor students.

Tasty Tuesday - Egg

2010-05-11T00:00:00.001-06:00

Welcome to this weeks edition of Tasty Tuesday. Since this is National Egg Month I decided to post about eggs. As an avid low carber eggs have always been something I use frequently, and one thing I like to make is Revolution Rolls (aka Rev Rolls). These magical rolls are a fluffy, wonderful replacement for bread and they don't last long in my house. Courtesy of Linda I have a recipe for anybody who would like to try them.

Improved Revolution Rolls

4 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon granular Splenda or equivalent liquid Splenda
Pinch salt
3 ounces cream cheese, softened

Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks, Splenda, salt and cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. Gradually fold the yolk mixture into the egg whites being careful not to deflate the whites. Spray a baking sheet or muffin top pan with cooking spray. Divide the mixture into 6 mounds then flatten them slightly. Bake at 300º 30 minutes or until lightly browned on top but soft and not dry and crisp. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes then cool completely on a rack. Store in an airtight bag in the refrigerator.

Makes 6 rolls

Per Roll: 88 Calories; 7g Fat; 5g Protein; .5g Carbohydrate; 0g Dietary Fiber; .5g Net Carbs
Per 2 Rolls: 175 Calories; 14g Fat; 10g Protein; 1.5g Carbohydrate; 0g Dietary Fiber; 1.5g Net Carbs

My problem with these is I can't make enough of them, because 6 rolls is gone in no time. Mmmmmmmmmmmm Rev Rolls with butter.

Thanks for joining me for another edition of Tasty Tuesday, and feel free to visit next week for the theme of Beef.

Weekly Secret

2010-05-09T10:55:00.000-06:00

This is my weekly choice from Post Secret. Happy Mother's Day Mommy!

Tattoos with meaning

2010-05-07T18:04:00.003-06:00

So often you hear stories about people who get tattoos that they regret later, which is probably because they have no meaning. Or there is the case of a guy the little woman and I chatted with online. He had met a single mother online, and he started to love her and her children very much, even though they hadn't met in person. Which I can understand because I had similar feelings for my wife before we had met in person. To profess his love he got a tattoo of Theodore from The Chipmunks holding a heart, and the heart contained the name of his online love. This was all well and good until this online lady confessed to him that she wasn't the beautiful girl in the pictures she had sent. I know it's common for people to post pictures that make them look their best, even if they are old pictures which may make them look better. However, this woman had sent pictures of her sister to this online beau. Yes it's what's on the inside that counts, but sending pics of your sister?!?! Guess that will teach him a lesson of making rash decisions.

Well some people get tattoos with meaning, like our friend who recently got this:

Organ donation is something that is very important to her, and this is a clever way of displaying it. Bravo on an awesome tattoo.

Prayer can't fix everything

2010-05-06T21:30:00.003-06:00

I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints when I was thirteen, served a mission, got married in the temple, and went inactive shortly there after. Although there are things that the church teaches that I don't believe it I have always supported their right to believe whatever they want. One of the things that has caused me to become disenchanted with the church is their support of Proposition 8. Yes I agree that they have a right to believe that all people shouldn't have the right to get married, but it's hard for me to associate myself with a group that does. I've always thought this, but these feelings have grown stronger since my sister came out as a lesbian. The idea that two straight people who hate each other can get married, but two people of the same sex can't is beyond me.

I know many gay people who grew up in the church and heard that they were told they could be cured by serving a mission, getting married, etc. It's sad to think that people thought they needed to be cured of something that is just who they are. Until the other day I thought that this was the extent of the church's attempts to "cure" people, but I was wrong.

I had always thought that those camps to "pray away the gay" were reserved for churches belonging to the religious fanatics, but I was again wrong. After talking to my friend the other day it came to my attention that there is an organization called Evergreen International. They say, "Evergreen is not affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" but their "Board of Trustees usually includes one or more emeritus General Authorities and we continue to build relationships with Area Presidencies and other Church leaders. Upon request, we provide training to hundreds of stake and ward leaders each year." (Source) So they aren't affiliated with the church but their board of trustees includes general authorities, bishops suggest people go there for help, and they hold their annual conferences at church buildings? Ummmmmm... Yeah.

I've always said someone can believe what they want, but it doesn't work for me when their beliefs include supporting a group like Evergreen International. Camps like this often lead to people developing strong emotional issues, and often suicide. I'm sorry for all the people that have been driven to something like this, by an organization they thought cared about them.

Got her goat

2010-05-06T15:10:00.005-06:00

When I set up my blog in 2006 I searched for a picture that went along with my moniker The Oqquirh Mountain Man, and I found this cute sketch of a goat online, which fit very well. After all this time of using this picture I wondered where it came from, because I felt bad for using something without giving credit to its creator. After a Google search I stumbled across a blog called Blackwing Sketchbook by the Animation story artist Jenny Lerew. I emailed Jenny and she confirmed that she had indeed drawn this sketch, which was originally posted on her blog entry "My goat, gotten". She was glad I enjoyed the picture so much and thanked me for making an effort to contact her.

This talented artist has worked on some of my favorite childhood TV cartoons such as Tiny Toon Adventures and Animaniacs. She also worked has worked on movies such as Bee Movie, Flushed Away, Shrek 2, and How to Train Your Dragon, which I saw yesterday and thought it was sooooo awesome!!!!! I found these things listed on Jenny's IMDB profile so I apologize to Jenny if this isn't accurate and I welcome any corrections.

Having said all of this I encourage you to check out this talented artist's blogs at:

http://blackwingsketch.blogspot.com/

http://blackwingdiaries.blogspot.com/

I enjoy seeing new sketches and posts made by Jenny and I am excited to continue following her blog.

Tasty Tuesday - Latin Food

2010-05-04T00:00:00.002-06:00

In honor of Cinco De Mayo I decided to choose the theme of Latin Food, so I hope to see some spicy entries. I'm normally not an adventurous type, but on occasion I like to try new things. One of the things I've always wondered about is Tamales. We have a very large Latin population here and I've seen lots of Tamales around. I hear they are very tasty and I've been tempted to buy when they are offered to me in the Wal-Mart parking lot, but that's a little scary to me. Maybe I will have to make some myself one day, but first I want to know what they are.

According to Wikipedia "A tamale or more correctly, tamal (Spanish tamal, from Classical Nahuatl tamalli) is a traditional Latin American dish made of masa (a starchy dough, often corn-based), which is steamed or boiled in a leaf wrapper. The wrapping is discarded before eating. Tamales can be further filled with meats, cheese, vegetables, chilies or any preparation according to taste, and both the filling and the cooking liquid may be seasoned." Oooooooh ahhhhhh. LOL. I'm totally going to ~~make some~~ buy some!!!

Join me next week for the incredible, edible egg.

Picture Source

How should I spice up my blog?

2010-05-03T00:48:00.001-06:00

I love my blog, but it seems like recently it seems like I’ve been posting the same old things over and over again. “How can I make it more exciting to myself, and to my followers?” I thought to my self, and then I laughed at the idea that people actually read my blog :P Well I’m sure I have a couple people that read! *hopes* ANYWAY… I thought that a way to spice up my blog would be to start video blogging, but there are downsides to that, like:

Who wants to see me talk about something?
Shaving/making myself look pretty before posting
Anonymity

I think the last one is something I would be most concerned about. I could always video blog wearing a mask, using some video effects to change my appearance, or something of that nature, but if I’m going to do that should I just do audio blogging? Hmmmmm… I’m not sure what to do.

Let me know what you think in the comments and check out the poll I have on my sidebar.

Weekly Secret

2010-05-02T10:51:00.001-06:00

This is my weekly choice from Post Secret.

Important Marriage Tool

2010-05-01T08:55:00.002-06:00

Hooters!

2010-04-30T06:22:00.002-06:00

The little woman likes to doodle on occasion, and she made me this nice set of hooters today.

She also drew these cute sheep ~~being naughty~~ playing leap frog

My Atkins Journey

2010-04-28T17:27:00.002-06:00

I’ve always been a larger person, and I’ve always known it. I would get teased at school for being the fat kid, and it did do some damage to me mentally but luckily I stopped caring how people felt about me. I was never much into sports so I couldn’t do that to help myself lose weight, but I would try to eat healthier. I remember that during high school I would try and do Weight Watcher with my mom, but I normally failed at that because I was greatly restricting myself, and I still felt crappy. My mom had also done Atkins on and off over the years and when I was younger I always thought it was weird because all I saw her eat was eggs and meat.

As I was about to move away to University I started reading up on Atkins and I realized that I had many misconceptions about it, which most people do. “Atkins is just meat”, “No Carb Diet”, etc, etc, etc… I’ve heard so many people say those kinds of things, and when I ask where they learned it I normally find out they haven’t read Dr. Atkins book, but they saw someone doing the diet (most likely they were doing it wrong). I moved down to school about a month before it started, and from the get go I was on Atkins, working out, and trying to be very conscious about my health. I felt great!!! Not only did I start losing weight, but my headaches stopped, and I had more energy. In the course of the next year I got within about 30 lbs of my goal weight, which much sound like a lot of weight but it wasn’t that much seeing that I had lost like 75 lbs already. At school I also started developing a relationship with a wonderful woman online, we got engaged, and I was so excited to get married. In preparation for getting married and moving down to the USA I sold my house, and moved back home to live with my mom. I have to say that planning a wedding can be a little stressful, and with us I also had to go throught the stress of immigration.

I tried a few times to get back on Atkins but I never really stuck to it, and I found my self eating extremely large amounts of food. Some days I would eat more then others, but this is what I found myself eating on a weekend when I had nothing to do but eat:

Breakfast
McDonald's Sausage McMuffin x 2
McDonald's Hash Browns x 2
McDonald's Breakfast - Sausage, Egg & Cheese McGriddles™

Lunch
Totinos Hamburger Party Pizza x 2
Lay's Kettle Cooked Potato Chips, Mesquite BBQ - Half a large bag
Ben & Jerry's One Cheesecake Brownie - 1 Pint

Dinner
Subway 12" Meatball Marinara
Subway White Macadamia Nut Cookie x 2
Lay's Kettle Cooked Potato Chips, Mesquite BBQ - Half a large bag

Total
Calories: 6,890
Fat: 363g
Carbs: 717g
Fiber: 33g
Net Carbs: 684g

I ballooned up to 385 lbs, suffered from awful blood sugar related headaches, nausea/heartburn from a hiatal hernia, little to no energy, and I had to start buying fat clothes, which is probably what made me really start thinking about my weight. Finally I decided to get back on the Atkins wagon, and this time it would be easier because my wife decided to join me. We cleansed the house of all the carb laden foods, and I became the Atkins Chef and my wife’s Atkins Obi Wan Kenobi. We both started losing weight, feeling better, and we were eating so much healthier. This is what I was normally eating on a typical Atkins day:

Breakfast
Scrambled Eggs with Cheese

Lunch
Turkey Sandwich on Julian Bakery Low Carb Bread

Dinner
Grilled Chicken Breast
Broccoli and Cheese

Snack
Blue Diamond Wasabi and Soy Almonds
Cheese

Total
Calories: 1,780
Fat: 88g
Carbs: 47g
Fiber: 31g
Net Carbs: 16g

Currently I’ve lost 42lbs and I am continuing to work towards my goal of 220lbs, which means I've only got 123lbs to go. Wish me luck!

Can't cut your own butter?

2010-04-28T09:18:00.002-06:00

For those of you who can't cut their own butter, now you have the butter cutter!

Tasty Tuesday - Sandwhich

2010-04-27T00:00:00.001-06:00

When I remembered that the theme for this week was sandwiches I knew I wouldn't be able to help posting about the new KFC Double Down. "The new KFC Double Down sandwich is real! This one-of-a-kind sandwich features two thick and juicy boneless white meat chicken fillets (Original Recipe® or Grilled), two pieces of bacon, two melted slices of Monterrey Jack and pepper jack cheese and Colonel's Sauce. This product is so meaty, there's no room for a bun!" (KFC)Bread, who needs bread? Mmmmmmmm I love meat. Well now you can have your meat, with more meat inside accompanied by cheese and yummy sauce. It' not the healthiest sandwich, which is show by the nutritional information:

KFC Original Recipe® Double Down
Calories: 540
Fat (g): 32
Sodium (mg): 1380

According to the Mayo Clinic "Most recommend not exceeding the range of 1,500 and 2,400 milligrams (mg) a day for healthy adults." So you probably want to stay away from this if you have a blood pressure issue, but what a way to die, DEATH BY DOUBLE DOWN! I guess it's not that bad compared to some other things you can buy at fast food joints. I found this chart on Geekologie today and it shows how many Double Downs are in your food:

I let myself cheat on my diet a little bit while our friend has been staying with us, but once I'm back on Atkins this will be perfect in the grilled form. So head to your local KFC and check this out.

Next week join me for the theme of Latin Food.

Weekly Secret

2010-04-25T18:22:00.000-06:00

This is my weekly choice from Post Secret.

I've Got The Clap

2010-04-24T10:57:00.001-06:00

Tribute to doing it wrong

2010-04-23T18:38:00.003-06:00

I've always loved how infomercials and commercials always show people having trouble doing the simplest tasks. You know what I'm talking about... It's all black and white, they are making over exaggerated motions trying to do something like put on their shoes. Well this nifty video on You Tube is a tribute to those moment. I LOVE IT!

An FSM Sighting

2010-04-23T12:41:00.005-06:00

Tasty Tuesday - Salty Snacks

2010-04-20T00:00:00.000-06:00

There are sooooo many choices for salty snacks, but I've always love the mix of savory and sweet that comes with Nestle's Chocolate Covered Pretzels. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm! I don't know why, but I love to suck the chocolate of and then eat the pretzel. Ok I have to stop this because I am getting hungry!

Join me next week for the theme sandwiches.

Obama: Give Gay Couples Hospital Visiting Rights

2010-04-16T17:37:00.003-06:00

I am so happy to see that something good has come from this tragic event. I'm hoping it's a sign of good things to come regarding gay rights in the United States.

President Barack Obama has issued an executive order that extends hospital visitation rights to same-sex partners. The President's order was apparently inspired in part by the case of a woman who fell into a coma at Miami's Ryder Trauma Center, while her life partner was made to stay in a waiting room.

The order, quietly issued by the Obama administration while the President was visiting Miami Thursday, directs that hospitals that receive Medicare and Medicaid funds must allow visitation and health care decisions to be left to patients. Mr. Obama points out in his order that it does not exclusively benefit same-sex partners, but that gays and lesbians are "uniquely affected… often barred from the bedsides of the partners with whom they may have spent decades of their lives."

The order, quietly issued by the Obama administration while the President was visiting Miami Thursday, directs that hospitals that receive Medicare and Medicaid funds must allow visitation and health care decisions to be left to patients. Mr. Obama points out in his order that it does not exclusively benefit same-sex partners, but that gays and lesbians are "uniquely affected… often barred from the bedsides of the partners with whom they may have spent decades of their lives."

In 2007, Lisa Pond of Seattle had just boarded a cruise ship in Miami with her partner of 18 years, Janice Langbehn, and the couple's adopted children when Pond fell ill. She was rushed to Jackson Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center where Langbehn was not permitted to visit with her. Langbehn claimed that a Jackson Hospital social worker told her that "this is a anti-gay city, an anti-gay state and you're not going to see your partner, period."

Langbehn said that even after she produced a power of attorney given her by Pond, she was denied visitation. Pond lapsed into a coma and died the next day. Langbehn said she was finally allowed to be at her bedside as last rights were administered. Langbehn sued Jackson Hospital. The case was thrown out of court.

Langbehn said she got a call from the White House Thursday. "A staff member came on and asked if I could hold a moment for the President. I said, 'Of course I can hold a moment for the President!'"

"He (President Obama) started out by saying 'I know of your story and I know about Lisa's death, and I'm so sorry for how you were treated,'" Langbehn told KIRO-TV in Seattle.

Jackson has denied any discrimination based on sexual orientation. In a letter to President Obama Friday, hospital officials wrote, "Jackson has always been inclusive of the homosexual, bisexual and transgender community." The hospital said that the nurse in charge of Lisa Pond's care the night she was admitted, and who made all visitation decisions regarding Bond's case, "is herself a lesbian with a life partner."

The hospital said the decision to delay visitation was made solely based on medical considerations. "Our first priority... is always to stabilize the patient and save their life," the hospital's letter said.

The changes in federal rules directed by President Obama would allow patients to designate any individuals as permitted visitors, including them in documents - such as advance directives - that have legal force when a patient is in a coma or otherwise unable to communicate. (SOURCE)

How Fairy Tales Really End

2010-04-13T06:09:00.005-06:00

This is one of the fun emails that I had forwarded to me at work. So funny!

Signs & Bumper Stickers

2010-04-13T05:55:00.013-06:00

It's been a while since I've posted a sign or bumper sticker, but I thought I should clear out the pictures I've collected on my phone. This first one was taking in the Chili's Parking Lot:

The next two were on the same car... I think someone is a swimmer:

Nothing says sexy like lady pirates!

Well I guess it's even because Atheists don't believe in God :)

I'll keep my comments to myself...

Tasty Tuesday - Fruit

2010-04-13T00:00:00.000-06:00

When I was trying to think of an interesting fruit post I remembered a great fruit I got to try on a school trip to Australia. One of the parents of the billeting family I stayed with in New Castle was headed to the store and I got to tag along. In the produce in section I saw Rambutan aka the "hairy fruit" and my host family thought my reaction to the little fruit was amusing so they let me buy it. Not only was it fun to look at but the meat inside the fruit was very tasty. It was fun to be able to try a fruit that wasn't your everyday apple, or orange.

Check back next week for the theme of Salty Snacks.

Weekly Secret

2010-04-12T05:44:00.000-06:00

This is my weekly choice from Post Secret.

Tasty Tuesday - Your Choice (Dog Food)

2010-04-06T00:00:00.001-06:00

This week with Tasty Tuesday you get to choose ANYTHING to post. Yeah you heard me, ANYTHING!!! Since I talk about my animals so often, and they are like my children I decided to post about what I feed my dogs.

There are so many dog foods out there, and most people know nothing about the ingredients of these foods. When the little woman and I got our Boxer puppy Bo we did lots of research on what dog food to feed him, and I found a great site called Dog Food Analysis, which includes good break down of the quality of ingredients, and an explanation why certain things are bad. Looking at a food like Hill's Science Diet Puppy Growth Small Bites you would think that it's a great quality food because that's what many vets sell, but I would disagree. The first ingredient in this food is Ground Whole Grain Corn, which might be good for tortilla chips, but I don't think dogs would be eating corn in the wild. According to Dog Food Analysis, "Corn is a problematic grain that is difficult for dogs to digest and thought to be the cause of a great many allergy and yeast infection problems." The next ingredient is a chicken by-product meal which is "meat", but this explanation given by Dog Food Analysis makes me wonder why we would want to feed this to our animals:

It is impossible to ascertain the quality of by-products and these are usually products that are of such low quality as to be rejected for use in the human food chain, or else are those parts that have so little value that they cannot be used elsewhere in either the human or pet food industries. The AAFCO definition of chicken by-product meal is “a meal consisting of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines, exclusive of feathers, except in such amounts as might occur unavoidable in good processing practice.”

After filtering through all these awful food reviews I found a great brand of food called Blue Buffalo. A Wikipedia article on "The Blue Buffalo Company" gives some great info:

The Blue Buffalo Company is a maker of natural food for dogs....Blue Buffalo also referred to as "Blue" is a family owned company and was created as a result of the owners' Airedale, Blue, contracting cancer. A formula was developed with human grade ingredients such as real chicken, whole grains, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, and a blend of nutrients and antioxidants. Blue Buffalo uses ingredients such as whole ground brown rice, whole ground barley, rye, oatmeal, potato flour, tomato pomace, whole carrots, whole sweet potatoes, ground flaxseed, alfalfa, herring oil, sea salt, menhaden fish meal, and barley grass. The company does not use animal by-products, corn, wheat, or soy as do many other holistic or natural food manufacturers.

The little woman and I settled on Blue Buffalo Fish & Sweet Potato, which our dogs enjoy, and it helps reduce the ~~noxious fumes~~ doggy gas.

Let me know what you've chosen to post about for this weeks edition of Tasty Tuesday, and join us next week with a post about fruit.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-31T00:00:00.002-06:00

Commited Tattoo

2010-03-30T06:56:00.009-06:00

Last Sunday at work I was very bored when we ran out of things to do, so I was browsing the website for The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and I found this fantastic tattoo. Not only is this person ~~insane~~ devoted to the FSM, but they got a tattoo to prove it.

What's better then a tattoo of a Flying Spaghetti Monster you ask? Well it's a tattoo of a Flying Spaghetti Monster high-fiving Jesus riding a pink unicorn!

I have to thank Bobby Henderson for posting this, because it made me laugh.

Tasty Tuesday - Candy

2010-03-30T00:00:00.001-06:00

Welcome to this weeks edition of Tasty Tuesday. Since Easter is fast approaching I thought that Candy would be a great topic for the week.

Long, long ago I was at the store with my friend Malynda and as we looked at the Easter Candy we wondered what that had to do with Jesus. After a short discussion we decided that chocolate must be "JESUS MAGIC", and from then on that's what we called it. The picture I provided is an example of Jesus Magic that I found at Wal-Mart and posted back in March 2009. So if you celebrate Easter or not don't forget to head to the store and buy some of that yummy candy on the seasonal isle. *drools thinking of Cadbury Mini Eggs*

Next weeks theme is Your Choice so join in and post anything food related.

Weekly Secret

2010-03-29T16:41:00.002-06:00

Here is my weekly secret choice from Post Secret. This secret made me laugh because I have heard people at work talk about farting on multiple occasions at work. Since we work in a medical lab and there are the occasional poo specimens people blame their farts on the specimens. Tee hee hee. I WOULD NEVER DO THIS! *looks around all nervous*

Journey to the giant native

2010-03-29T15:18:00.003-06:00

Today the little woman and I decided that we should take the kids for a walk, and by kids I mean our three dogs. Normally we will just walk around the neighbourhood but on occasion we like to go to a big park so they can see people and other dogs. We decided to go to a park that I hadn't been to before, but the little woman said that it was a very nice park, and was about the same driving distance.

We headed to the park and we walked, and walked, and walked. It was fun to look at the neat things the park had to offer, see the kids playing, point out old men who looked like pedophiles, and see the couples picnicking. One such couple we saw was sitting on a bench as we were journeying to see a giant wood carving at the other side of the park. I didn't hear my wife chuckle as we walked up, but we were both thinking the same thing as we approached these flamboyant men. The dogs visited with the ~~people with food~~ nice people and as we walked away I turned to the little woman to say, "They're not brothers," but I was too slow, because she said it first. We think so much alike!

We continued to walk and we reached the end of our journey as approached "Cheif Wasatch":

"This statue is in honor of Utah Native Americans - -
SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN UTE, SOUTHERN SHOSHONE, GOSHUTES, PAIUTE AND NAVAJO." (Source)

The little woman and I bid the Chief a fond adieu and took our tired kids back to the car for a quiet car ride home.

Silly stripper

2010-03-25T15:23:00.000-06:00

I found this while nerding out on Geekologie. Soooooo funny.

Parody Goodness

2010-03-25T08:57:00.003-06:00

Anybody that has followed my blog knows I love things that make fun of things. Even for Lady GaGa the Telephone video was crazy, and this Parody of it was hilarious.

Tasty Tuesday - Frozen

2010-03-23T00:00:00.000-06:00

In honor of Nation Frozen Food month we will be celebrating Tasty Tuesday with Frozen Food. The little woman and I have our regular lunch buddies at work and it's always fun to see what people bring for lunch. One day a while back I watched my friend unpack her lunch and I exclaimed, "ANDREA BROUGHT RED GOO FOR LUNCH!" She explained that it was freezer jam and that she makes it all the time. I thought it was a cool idea and that it would be a fun post for Tasty Tuesday.

I found this recipe at AllRecipes.Com

Strawberry Freezer Jam

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 5 Minutes
Ready In: 25 Minutes

Ingredients

* 2 cups crushed fresh strawberries
* 4 cups sugar
* 1 (1.75 ounce) package dry pectin
* 3/4 cup water

Directions

1. Mix crushed strawberries with sugar, and let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the pectin into the water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 1 minute. Stir the boiling water into the strawberries. Allow to stand for 3 minutes before pouring into jars or other storage containers.
2. Place tops on the containers, and leave for 24 hours. Place into freezer, and store frozen until ready to use.

Now I'm craving jam on a piece of warm toast. Mmmmmmmmmmm. Join us next week for an Easter themed week with an entry about Candy.

Photo from Rosy Little Things

His noddlieness has been spotted...

2010-03-22T19:30:00.004-06:00

His noddlieness has been spotted in Utah!!! I work in a medical lab in the Mormon capital of the world, and it is often slow on the weekend, UNTIL YESTERDAY!

It's was a wonderful Sunday at work and I was enjoying the fabulousness of it all. I stepped away from my desk for a moment and I came back to find a divine manifestation of his noodlieness and all of his glory! RAMEN my brothers and sisters!

As I pondered about this divine contact I thought that I would show my fellow workers how powerful he really was. Why just use a normal plastic face shield to protect me from splashing bodily fluids? Nothing will protect me from bloodborne pathogens like a Flying Spaghetti Monster!

I hope that Bobby and my other Pastafarians will rejoice seeing that the FSM is always watching.

Dirty Kitty

2010-03-21T08:26:00.002-06:00

This is my weekly choice from Post Secret.

Tasty Tuesday - Green

2010-03-16T00:00:00.000-06:00

In honor of St. Patrick's Day I wanted to do a Green theme for Tasty Tuesday, and since I'm in Utah I picked Jell-O. "In 2001, Green Jell-O was declared the "Official State Snack" of Utah, with Governor Michael O. Leavitt declaring an annual "Jell-O Week." During the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, the souvenir pins included one depicting green Jell-O." (Source) I don't think there is a funner childhood food then Jell-O! YES FUNNER IS A WORD! I looked it up in the dictionary.

Join me next week when we the theme "Frozen" celebrates National Frozen Food Month.

Weekly Secret

2010-03-15T09:54:00.001-06:00

This is my weekly choice from Post Secret. I chose this secret because I am an animal lover and I have seen the power of a loving pet so many times in my life. I remember when I was living on my own at school and I had tonsillitis, but my dog was there to comfort me. They seem to know when we are feeling down and need some love.

No Prom For You

2010-03-15T08:58:00.003-06:00

A lesbian student who wanted to take her girlfriend to her senior prom is asking a federal judge to force her Mississippi school district to reinstate the dance it canceled.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi on Thursday filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Oxford on behalf of 18-year-old Constance McMillen, who said she faced some unhappy classmates after the Itawamba County School District said it wouldn't host the April 2 prom.

"Somebody said, 'Thanks for ruining my senior year,'" McMillen said of her reluctant return Thursday to Itawamba Agricultural High School in Fulton. (Source)

I'm sure many people have heard this story by now, and I'm sure that anybody with some sort of brain is saddened by this. It's not like they would be groping each other and making out on the dance floor for all to see, because that wouldn't even be allowed for the straight students. So many people are attacking this girl for standing up for what she believes in, and they say "Can't they be straight for just one night?" That's like saying to Rosa Parks, "Can't you just sit in the back one more time?" I don't think that makes any sense!

The topic recently came up on my brothers Hockey Forum and I applaud him for his reply:

I am going to preface this with the fact that I am a Christian.

It does smell of attention.

Imagine this hypothetical situation if you will:

Some preachy self righteous religious organization is in an area that has many gay and lesbian people in high ranking positions in society. All these people do every Sunday is try to go to church, occasionally read the bible in their own house and flaunt their heterosexual relationship in front of EVERYONE.

I am not just talking holding hands, but occasionally some of the younger ones go to clubs and you can see them groping each other!!! I think they might even be having sex in the alley behind the bowling alley. Now the gay community wants this all to stop, we can't have people flaunting thier sexuality like this, so they close all the clubs and cause a large public outcry of prejudice and hate every time one of those freaking hetros shows there face at a public function.

Finally someone decides that enough is enough, and they will not sit down and take this oppression like so many people before them have. They take their hetro partner out to the town sanctioned dance, where all there gay friends are and they want to dance like normal people and not segregated like animals.

Those freaking Hetros, all they want is attention!!

Well, that's correct, they just want to live their life the same way everyone else does, which doesn't involve hiding at home and never touching the person they love in a public place. Crazy hetros, can't they just be gay for one night to please everyone else?

Oh wait, that sounds absurd doesn't it?

I see so much stuff in the media and on Facebook saying how awful gay relationships/marriage are... Well if you don't want a gay marriage DON'T GET ONE! We should deny people the basic right of committing to their loved one under the eyes of the law, which would allow them to enjoy benefits as a person's spouse.

Doggy Dinner Time

2010-03-12T15:26:00.002-07:00

Until now the only thing that I've envied about the iPhone 3GS has been it's ability to do video, and I've never understood why the 3G couldn't do it. I normally don't pay anything for iPhone apps, but when I saw a $0.99 app that would do video I couldn't resist. For my first video I will post Doggy Dinner Time!

Tasty Tuesday - Pasta

2010-03-09T22:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to this weeks edition of ~~CARBSTRAVAGANZA~~ Tasty Tuesday! Pasta is one of my all time favorite foods, and being on a low carb diet you would think it a food of the PAST-A... *waits for the rim-shot*... *keeps waiting*... Okay that was an awful joke, but I had to say it. Well it isn't a thing of the past. YAY!

Normally low carb pasta is made of soy and similar things that taste nasty, but I found Dreamfields Pasta.

"Dreamfields is a delicious pasta with about the same high fiber as whole wheat pasta (5 grams; 20% of the daily recommendation), fewer digestible carbs and a lower glycemic index than traditional pasta. Its delectable taste and nutritional benefits make it a healthful option for people with diabetes and a flavorful, nourishing pasta for the entire family." (Source)

I know people would look at this pasta's nutritional information and think how can something with that many carbs be considered low carb? Well Dreamfields has an answer for that too:

"While the total number of carbohydrates is the same as traditional pasta, our patent-pending formula and unique manufacturing process protects all but 5 grams of carbohydrates from being digested. The Dreamfields fiber and protein blend creates a protective barrier to reduce starch digestion in the small intestine. The unabsorbed, or protected carbohydrates then pass to the colon where they are fermented, providing the same health benefits as fiber." (Source)

I know that sounds like a bunch of weird science type stuff, but I regularly eat this stuff and I've never had trouble. I love pasta and this makes me soooooooo happy.

Join us next week for the Tasty Tuesday theme Green.

Sunday Secret

2010-03-07T23:03:00.000-07:00

This is my weekly choice from Post Secret.

Dear Anonymous,

2010-03-07T17:35:00.003-07:00

When someone comments on my posts I set it so that the comments go up immediately because I am to lazy to moderate the ~~millions~~ couple comments I get a week. I do however get an email, and request to moderate comments on very old posts. I very rarely get comments on my older posts but I am so glad that I have set this as a moderated type of comment. Some old post comments are fun, like when Anonymous said "In my opinion. Your opinion is erroneous." Recently however, I have been glad for the email moderation option because I am alerted of any shenanigans that occur in the comment section. Since I started the blog I've had spam comments on my older posts, but in the past few weeks I've had about 10 comments awaiting moderation. These moderated comments have been unrelated to anything in the post, and normally make no sense, but they do have links to odd sites... Which I'm sure are filled with viruses and porn. Another odd thing is that almost all of the recent rejections have been comments made on my "Disturbing Bumper Sticker" post made back in November 2009. I don't know why these ~~people~~ comment bots are posting on that specific post but... Hmmmmmm... I wonder if it's because that post has the word masturbating? ANYHOO!

I can't wait for my next random spam comment. *turns off comments on "Disturbing Bumper Sticker"*

HOORAY FOR DOGS!!!

2010-03-06T08:19:00.002-07:00

Politically Correct Annoyance

2010-03-02T18:24:00.003-07:00

I've always been a person who is politically correct and doesn't want to offend others purposefully, and appreciating peoples desires not to hear offensive words (like the "N-Word") I don't use it. Recently I've started listening to Slacker Radio at work and the songs played are normally not the radio edited versions, which means I hear some of these words often.

I don't understand how someone can say they are offended when someone refers to them using a derogatory term like that, and then they turn around and use the word repeatedly in their music. Or when ~~attention whore~~ celebrity blogger Perez Hilton can be so supportive of LGBT rights and then refer to someone as a *insert F-Word here*... Oh and I'm not talking about the "F-Word" that rhymes with duck. So I guess it's okay to use the derogatory terms if you are part of the group that finds them offensive.

New Bumper Stickers

2010-03-02T10:06:00.005-07:00

It's been a while since I've found found some fun bumper stickers but I've found some cool ones in the last few days.

These ones remind me of a post I made last year titled Twilight Moms.

Tasty Tuesday - Pie

2010-03-02T05:56:00.003-07:00

Welcome to Tasty Tuesday! When working out themes for Tasty Tuesday I looked at many of the National Food Holidays to get some ideas, and today is National Banana Cream Pie Day.

Growing up I never really liked Banana Cream Pie but I would always make it for dad related occasions (Father's Day, Birthday, etc) because it was my Dad's favorite. Since I don't like Banana Cream Pie something else quickly came to mind when I was think about what I should post.

Marie Callender's Turtle Pie is always the first thing that comes to mind when I think of pie, and one of the evils that calls to me when I'm trying to eat healthy. What could be better on a diet then a pie with a chocolate cookie crust, chocolate mouse filling, whipped cream, caramel, and topped with chocolate shavings. It's easy, creamy, sweet, and.... *drools* Mmmmmmmmmm. Now I want some ~~sugary evil~~ turtle pie. *cries*

Next week don't forget to join me for the theme "Pasta". I've also decided to change the posting time for Tasty Tuesday. With my work schedule I haven't always been able to post on time, so I am going to say that my post will be up by Noon (Mountain Time) on Tuesday. Thanks for joining in guys!

Sunday Secret

2010-03-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

This is my weekly choice from Post Secret.

Cyanide and Happiness

2010-02-23T09:28:00.004-07:00

I saw this comment and laughed because being bad at taking a compliment is one of my faults. Don't get me wrong because I know I'm awesome (an humble!) but I have trouble accepting the truth.

Tasty Tuesday - Biscuits and Bread

2010-02-23T09:15:00.002-07:00

Welcome to this weeks edition of Tasty Tuesday. In honor of Nation Dog Biscuit week the theme is Biscuits and Bread. Being on a low carb diet sometimes it's hard to indulge in something that has such a high carb count, but I succeeded!!! Julian Bakery offers a wonderful high fiber, high protein. Now I can partake in wonderful bread that's just like a heavy whole wheat bread and only be worrying about 1 net carb per slice. Mmmmmmmmmmm... SO GOOD! Here is a video from Julian Bakery telling you a little about this delicious bread.

Next week don't forget to join me for the theme of Pie. Mmmmmmm Pie!

Oh Canada!

2010-02-17T03:59:00.000-07:00

Since I live in the United States I was glad to see the US Men’s Olympic Hockey Team triumph over the Swiss team, but I was even more excited to see Team Canada vs Norway.

The Canada/Norway battle was off to a rough start as the first period ended without a goal scored by either side, but the next two periods would not be a disappointment, for Canada that is. Among the great plays we saw a Hat-Trick by Calgary Flames Captain Jerome Iginla (GO IGGY!!!), and a great goal during Norway’s power play (when we were down by two).

Team Canada ended their first Olympic Prelim game 8 – 0 against Norway. SHUT OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As much as I’m cheering for the US, I am hoping Team Canada’s luck will continue when they play the US on Sunday at 5:40 pm (MT).

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-16T22:00:00.000-07:00

Source

Tasty Tuesday - Seeds and Nuts

2010-02-15T22:00:00.000-07:00

Time for another edition of Tasty Tuesdays, and I'm actually on time. YAY!!! This weeks theme is Seeds and Nuts in honor of National Almond Day.

As part of a low carb diet nuts can be a great snack in moderation. However there is a problem when it comes to me and nuts because I cannot contain my self. You grab a bag of nuts for a little snack, and the next thing you know half the bag is gone.

A few months ago the little woman grabbed a bag of the Blue Diamond Wasabi and Soy Almonds when we made a put stop at the gas station. As always she was willing to share with me,and from that moment I was hooked. I just can't get enough of these tangy, spicy almonds!!! They aren't super spicy, unless you get the occasional one that is loaded up with extra spice and it sure clears out your sinuses. A perfect snack for me is a handful of these nuts and a piece of pepper jack cheese. Mmmmmmmm

Hope to see your Tasty entries regarding this weeks theme, and hope you join us next week for the theme Biscuits/Bread.

Your name is...

2010-02-13T18:06:00.003-07:00

Sometimes I want to say bad things about people but I don't want them to know I'm talking about them. I know I'm a bad person for saying bad things about people, but you'll get over it :P To help with this I will often make up or adopt nick names for people so we can freely speak of them with out worry. This is often the case at work, because we don't want to create enemies in the department. Some of examples are:

The Super Hero - A very annoying opinionated person in our department seems to think its fashionable to wear a cape in the winter. Maybe it is fashionable but I just think it's hilarious, and she has been dubbed "The Super Hero". I do have to say that her cape goes very well with her hairstyle and outfits that seem to be straight from the Yearning For Zion Ranch.

Little Mrs Puffy Eyes - It's sad but lots of the young ladies in the area think that if they aren't married by the time they are 25 then they are failures. There is one such person that we work with and she is often crying because she hasn't found her a man. It could be because she is trying to hook up with the shift supervisor (who is married), or maybe it's because she has already planned her wedding, purchased the dress, and many other crazy things. Come on guys she has many great qualities, such as crying at random times, praying in the lab, and using excessive amounts of baby powder in her gloves.

Clock Tower/Serial Killer Greg - Since there are a few people in the department named Greg they also would associate them with other names like Canadian Greg, Girly Greg, The Other Greg, and the infamous Serial Killer Greg. Not only does he look like a serial killer, but he walks around mumbling to himself, shouts obscenities at people, has to have a specific ice bin at his desk, insists the blinds are up in the entire lab, and her draws creepy sheep on the ice bins. He was always rude and nasty to people that we work with, and I was always worried that he would come in to work and shoot us all after he got fired. Fortunately when he got fired (probably for calling his supervisor a "dirty whore") it was our off week, and I didn't see him back at work.

I have so many other made up names I could share but I would by typing this post for hours. Feel Free to share some of the code names you like to use with people around you.

Support your...

2010-02-13T17:35:00.004-07:00

The little woman's sister is home from school for a long weekend and she came over to hang out. In our conversations she told me about the nifty support ribbons that she has on her car, and since I haven't found a good bumper sticker for my collection lately I thought I would post a pic.

Tasty Tuesday - Chocolate

2010-02-08T22:00:00.000-07:00

Ok I have really dropped the ball here... *bangs head on desk* I've had a super busy week and I totally forgot about Tasty Tuesday. I promise I will be better in the future!

This weeks theme is chocolate and I thought I would share my favorite chocolate treat. I am in love with the Russell Stovers Sugar Free Toffee squares!!! I'm on a low carb diet and these things don't taste diet at all, and they satisfy my naughty chocolate cravings. I don't think I could live without the Russell Stovers line of Sugar Free yummies!

Next week our theme will be Seeds and Nuts. Don't forget to join us. Oh and I promise not to forget either!

Tasty Tuesday - Hot Breakfast

2010-02-02T09:12:00.001-07:00

My world has been upside down this week so I'm not suprised that I'm late posting, but here we go! This weeks theme is Hot Breakfast, and woking graveyard shift the definition of breakfast is a little skewed, but this is one of my faveorite carb filled breakfasts:

Join us next week for the theme of Chocolate.

Tasty Tuesadays - Food Disasters

2010-01-26T09:16:00.002-07:00

Welcome to this weeks edition of Tasty Tuesdays. I know I'm late but better late then never isn't it? Well this weeks theme is Food Disasters and this is the first thing that came to my mind. Although fried turkey is soooooooo tasty it can go very wrong if you fry a frozen turkey. So cool, but a sad end to thanksgiving.

FlashoverTV is powered by FireRescue1.com

Don't forget to join us for next weeks edition and share a post about Hot Breakfast.

Tasty Tuesdays - Fail

2010-01-26T05:19:00.000-07:00

I have been experiencing some technical difficulties so Tasty Tuesday will post when I get home from work in a few hours. Sorry for the delay guys!

Exercise Sadness

2010-01-25T03:37:00.000-07:00

I have found some really cool videos to work out with, like The Biggest Loser Cardio Max and The Biggest Loser Power Sculpt. I enjoy the videos and I get a decent workout in only 30 minutes.

The downside is I don't really have 30 minutes to spare during my on week. I know you probably say, "Who doesn't have 30 minutes?!?!" During my on week I leave from work to go to class, take the bus home from class, sleep for 4 hours, and then I'm off to work again. The only thing that I can cut back on would be sleep, and I have to say I can barely function on the 4 hours I get. :(

I'm sure I'll figure something out. Maybe I can do jumping jacks on the train ride home... Until I get arrested :P

Sunday Secret

2010-01-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

This is my weekly choice from Post Secret.

This bus knows me

2010-01-23T04:35:00.000-07:00

55 - Flash Fiction

2010-01-22T04:20:00.000-07:00

He couldn’t keep his eyes open. Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz…

Brought to you by G-Man

Wordless Wednesday

2010-01-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Brought to you by Wordless Wednesdy.

Getting back on track

2010-01-19T04:24:00.002-07:00

I've been doing well with my weight loss and my new way of eating, but I was starting to lose focus slightly (but haven't cheated thank goodness). So I am going to start a two week induction phase to kick start things and focus a bit more.

In preparation I've made some Beefy Mushroom Soup, Baked Meatballs, and I am about to bake a pack of chicken breasts. Pre Cooking food makes it so much easier to stay on track, especially when we work graveyards.

On a good note my mom started Atkins last week and has already lost 7 lbs. YAY!

Tasty Tuesday - Meat

2010-01-18T22:00:00.002-07:00

Welcome to this weeks edition of Tasty Tuesday, this weeks theme is meat. Remember if you don't eat meat this would be a great time to post an alternative to meet, reasons you don't eat meat, or just anything about food.

I've always loved meatballs and there are many stores that carry them in the freezer section. However this is a problem when I am looking for a low carb or gluten free option because many of these frozen meatballs contain bread, sugar, etc. I've found a recipe that is great and it fits into these types of diets. I found this wonderful recipe at Linda's Low Carb Recipes. Below is the recipe and I've made my additions in bold:

BAKED MEATBALLS
-1 pound ground beef
-1 pound bulk Italian sausage
Instead of the beef and sausage I use two pounds of ground turkey
-2 teaspoons dry minced onion. As usual I am cutting out the onions because of heartburn.
-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
-1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 2 ounces (I used the kind in a can)
-2 eggs
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl using your fingers. Mix until the meat no long feels slimy from the eggs. Shape in golf ball size meatballs and place on a large baking sheet with sides. Bake at 375º for 15-20 minutes until the meatballs are done all the way through. Rinse in a colander to remove any egg and cheese that has leaked out.

Makes about 20-30 meatballs. Can be frozen. Per meatball: 92 Calories; 7g Fat; 6g Protein; trace Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; .5g Net Carbs

The pictures I posted show me making a double batch since more is always better *Drools at the thought of meatballs*

Join us next week for the Tasty Tuesday theme of Food Disaster, which should be super fun! Thanks for joining in guys

Smooth Traveling - Almost

2010-01-18T15:03:00.002-07:00

I was excited for smooth travel to school since I Showered and was out of the house at a decent time. I drive to the closest train station so I could enjoy the free parking and I used my "free" transit pass to head up to school. Not only did I not have to wait for the train, but it only took 22 minutes to get to the university.
As I walked to class I thought how great my trip was, little traffic, practically empty train, and nobody on campus... Wait, where is everybody? Why haven't I seen anybody on campus?

~~FUCK~~ Yay it's Martin Luther King Day!

Los Pantalones

2010-01-17T18:48:00.002-07:00

I've been wearing pants with a size 50 waist since I started my diet in August 2009, but they have gotten so loose I couldn't stand it anymore! Since the smaller pants in my closet don't fit loose enough for my taste I decided that I needed to get something to wear in between. So today I went over to Wal-Mart and check some pants out. For $30 I came home with two pairs of carpenter cut jeans with a size 46 waist. I probably could have done a 44 but I was afraid they might shrink a little bit.

As I get closer and closer to my goal weight I will be excited to fit in the skinny clothes I've been saving.

Off to a good start!

2010-01-17T15:43:00.000-07:00

Well everybody I'm off to a good start but I still have over 100lbs to lose. So far all I have done is I have changed my eating habits but I think starting to work out will kick it up a notch!

Where I work we finish up really early on the weekends and sit around doing nothing for hours, but I thought it would be fun to start a workout group. Last Sunday we tried out The Biggest Loser Cardio Max DVD. It's a great DVD that lets you customize workouts and it cost less then $10!!! I plan on doing that a few times a week and then starting to add some weight training in.

I got a Big Skinny and Cream!

2010-01-17T07:18:00.002-07:00

Last Monday was my 27th birthday but I haven't had a chance to post about my nifty birthday presents yet. *hangs head in shame* My wonderful wife got me a cute little FSM Car Emblem and a new wallet. My wallet has always been an issue because I tend to hoard things in there which makes it HUGE. Well you know what they say about a guy with a huge wallet don't you? HIS LEGS LOOK FUNNY WITH A POCKET BULGE! I definitely don't need help making my thighs look any bigger :P With my old wallet even when I ~~emptied it out~~ put it on a diet it was way to big.

When I opened the envelope with The Big Skinny I didn't realize what it was at first because it was so thin, but I was excited to use it. I transferred all of my stuff into the new wallet and I was amazed at how small it was, especially when the new full wallet was smaller then my old empty wallet. Another big test was when I got dressed for work that night. I slipped the big skinny into my pocket and looked in the mirror (I know I'm that much of a narcissist), and you couldn't even tell I had something in the pocket. YAY!!! The only downside was when I would put my hands down at my side and freak out because I couldn't feel my wallet in my pocket, but I've retrained myself. Below is a video about the Big Skinny and I think it's lots of fun.

I have frequently shaken my money maker while holding my open wallet upside down, and I'm happy to say the contents stayed put. I have yet to try it with my bikini but I plan to when it's two piece weather :P

I also got a surprise gift from my friend Malynda and it's extra fun because it shows she is reading my blog. YAY! The topic for Tasty Tuesdays the week before my birthday was "Toppings", and I expressed my desire to own an isi Cream Whipper. Well what did I receive in the mail from my friend? A CREAM WHIPPER!!! I was excited to try it out but my cream was bad *cries* Before the expiration date even! Every visit to the store since then I have intended to buy some cream but I keep forgetting *bangs head on desk*. Today I plan on going grocery shopping and I won't forget this time because I just added it to the shopping list, which helps, unless I forget the list. LOL.

Punnett Square of Awesomeness

2010-01-17T06:19:00.003-07:00

In this square we see demonstration of the Awesomeness Gene. When looking at the population you can tell that this gene must be recessive and is represented in the square by 'a', which means the dominant non-awesome gene is represented by 'A'.

You can also observe in the population that some people display awesomeness at times but show non-awesomness the remainder of the time. Which leads me to believe that the recessive awesomeness gene will show itself at times in those who have an 'Aa' arrangement, while the 'AA' population will never be awesome at anytime... EVER!

I'm happy to say that I have the 'aa' gene arrangement for awesomeness and you are privileged to know me. Surprisingly those who have the coveted awesomeness gene are often privileged to have the humility gene, which I also have. Wow am I fantastic!

School is back!

2010-01-17T05:59:00.003-07:00

It seems like I've been slacking on the blog front this week! Well I had a good reason. SCHOOL STARTED! YAY! *does an educational scholastic dance* Wow I'm surprised that I can spell scholastic correctly this early in the morning.

This semester I'm taking Genetics and Organic Chemistry I. Genetics is an interesting class so far but the teacher is like an old robot droning on and on, but who knows maybe I will learn something fun. However if I have to draw another Punnett Square you might find me at the top of the clock tower on campus! Wait, there isn't a clock tower. Hmmmmm *thinks* Damn it! Maybe I'll just have to draw them and get over it. Edited to add: Ok I drew a punnett square and it was fine, but this one is more fun! The Punnett Square of Awesomeness.

I'm also taking Organic Chemistry, which makes some people cringe but for me it's not so bad because I LOVE CHEMISTRY! A few years ago I had enrolled in classes and I ended up dropping the classes after a week or so because my hiatal hernia was becoming problematic. Organic chemistry was one of those classes but I remember the professor and how much fun he was in the few lectures I attended, which you can see in my post Super Chemistry Man. Well Super Chemistry man is back and ready to share his organic goodness with us all... Wait, that sounded bad. Ummmm. His Organic Chemistry Goodness! Does that sound better?

While living in Utah I have had the experience of taking Trax (Light Rail Transit) but I haven't used the bus systems yet, but this changed the other day. As a way to save gas money and to avoid the $70/semester parking pass I had this ~~crazy~~ awesome idea to take the bus home from school. Since my wife and I work together near the campus I am having her drop me off at school on the way home from work (we work graveyard shift), and after class I will take the train/bus home. The first test run went ~~boringly~~ smoothly and it only took me about an hour. In the future I will have studying to do during my trip so it shouldn't be as boring, but I think it will work well.

I feel the force on "The Facebook"

2010-01-17T05:28:00.005-07:00

I get lots of email forwards at work and this was one of the ones that I thought was worthy of posting on the good ol' blog. This is from an amusing blog called LOL Facebook Moments.

Sunday Secret - Facebook

2010-01-17T04:56:00.002-07:00

This is my weekly choice from Post Secret.It was kind of an obvious choice since I am addicted to "The Facebook," even though I don't play farmville (or other applications).

Tasty Tuesday - Yellow

2010-01-11T22:00:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays! When deciding on the theme for this week I thought I would pick one of my favorite foods (Curry), because yesterday was my birthday. YAY! Well it also happens that today is National Curry Day so it seems like it was meant to be! I know that there are people who aren’t fans of curry so I chose the theme “Yellow” because it’s a little broader. Remember if you can’t think of something to post you can do a wild card and choose a previous topics. ANYWAY, on to the topic at hand:

"Curry is a generic description used throughout European and American culture to describe a general variety of spiced dishes, best known in South Asian cuisines, especially Indian cuisine. Curry is a generic term and although there is no one specific attribute that marks a dish as "curry", some distinctive spices used in many curry dishes include turmeric, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, and red pepper." Source

When I make curry I lean towards Japaneese style and I use Sun Bird Golden Curry Medium Hot 3.5 Oz, which can be found in the ethnic section of most grocery stores.

Normally I will use chicken but I also love to get some pork or beef stewing meat because it's cheaper. For veggies I use a frozen mix of broccoli and cauliflower, mushrooms (frozen, canned, or fresh), and sometimes I will add carrots.

Below are the directions from the box of the curry block, but I have added my own tips in bold:

Directions:
• Cut 1 to 1-1/2 lbs of lean beef (or chicken, lamb, shrimp, or tofu)
• Dice one large onion.
• In a large skillet, sauté meat and onion in oil until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. If desired, add carrots, potato, celery, or just about any vegetable you like. Discard excess oil.
• Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until meat (and potato) is tender, about 10 minutes. I like my curry thick so I only put enough water to go half way up the veggies and meat. Then I put a lid on the pot.
• Break Golden Curry Sauce Mix (roux) into small pieces and add to pot stirring until (roux) is completed melted.
• Simmer the instant Japanese curry for another 5 minutes or so stirring constantly. (If curry sauce becomes too thick, just add water).
• Pour over freshly cooked rice. Sometimes I would use pasta, but this is now the case all the time because I'm on a lower carb diet. I use an amazing low carb pasta called Dreamfields.

You may increase or decrease the amount of vegetables and meat in your Japanese curry mixes by as much as 50%. However, the amount of water you add should not be decreased. If the consistency of the curry stew is too thick, adjust it by adding water at the end. S&B curry roux comes ready to eat, so you've no need to add salt or pepper. I normally add some garlic because I love it!!!

Well that is one of my fave dishes and I plan on making some on my coming week off. I'M SO EXCITED!!!! Don't forget to join us next week for the theme of "Meat". Remember if you don't eat meat you can post something about why you don't eat meat, or a great meat alternative.

Weekly Secret - Revenge

2010-01-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

This is my weekly choice from Post Secret.

Enjoy Your Spaghetti In Hell

2010-01-08T09:58:00.003-07:00

I love how people overreact about everything! This is some hate mail to The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster:

This is rediculous, just another way for atheists to attempt to make fools out of people who actually have something to believe in.

Enjoy your spaghetti in hell assholes.

CRITICIZE AWAY

-SpaghettiEater

Hahahahahaha.... They said "rediculous"

A fun reply from a Pastafarian (Member of The Church of the FSM):

I love how he/she is like “I’m eating SPAGHETTI!”
This is secretly submitting yourself to His Holy Appendages.

Pesto be with you!

-your fellow Pastafarian.

Boggle Me Thursday

2010-01-08T08:29:00.004-07:00

I was excited to hear from my friend Smarmoofus that Boggle Me Thursday had started up again. YAY! Ok I'm totally late with this but it's better late then never.

These are the words I found:

Wig
Wigs
Quart
Quarts
Sat
Sag
Sane
Save
Neva
Rio
Riot
Riots
Wax
Net
Nets
Got
Tog
Ten

Wordless Wednesday

2010-01-05T22:00:00.000-07:00

This post is brought to you by Wordless Wednesday.

Tasty Tuesday - Topping

2010-01-04T22:00:00.002-07:00

Happy Tasty Tuesday Everybody!!! This weeks theme is toppings which is in honor of National Whipped Cream. Mmmmmmmmmmm whipped cream. Since I'm on a low carb diet I love to put a little whipped cream and put it on some sugar free Jello, but all the sugar in the canned stuff causes a problem. I've always wanted to get a cream whipper (like in the picture) because it would give me a sugar free whipped cream that I can have all the time. *adds cream whipper to wish list for next Christmas*

What kind of toppings are you guys and gals into? Let me know by posing your participating post link in the comments, and don't forget to come back next week for the topic of "Yellow".

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T17:18:00.002-07:00

Wow I can't believe that 2009 is already over. It was a good year and we had a few changes. The little woman now works with me, and it's lots of fun getting to spend more time together. Our dachshund Chloe had a spinal injury and in her best interest we found her a new home with a stay at home mom, and a doggy door so she didn't have to worry about holding her bladder. We also had to say goodbye the our old dog Shelly, who was getting a little too old. We miss her but know it was for the best. We also got a few new family additions with a boxer puppy named Bo, and we recently rescued a pug named Hunny. We sure love our furry critters.

Nothing super excited planned for 2010 but we are excited to move into the new decade.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!