Pork Roast Dinner

This recipe is not the "Recipe of the Month" for January. That one is coming in just over a week on January 3rd, 2010.

This is sort of a special "Bonus Recipe" I'm posting because I wanted to try something different. If you read to the bottom, you'll see I've also added a video element that shows me actually preparing the dish in question.

This is a new feature, and if it gets a good response, I plan on including a video element for all future recipes and past recipes that are specially requested.

Pork Roast Dinner

• 1 pound red potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 pound small fresh mushrooms, stems removed
• 1 1/2 cups fresh baby carrots
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 1 medium parsnip, chopped
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 1 pork roast (about 3 lbs)
• 1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. Place vegetables in a 5 quart crock pot. Remember to use a crock pot liner (no unsafe cooking).
   
2. Place the pork roast on top of the vegetables and the mushrooms around the roast.
3. Sprinkle the seasonings on top of the pork roast.
   
4. Pour the chicken broth over the pork roast.
5. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours (or until meat is tender).
   

One last thing, please ignore my comment about a "Part One". I have no cameraman, had to do the filming and cooking at the same time, and didn't really know what I was saying. Still, I think you'll enjoy it.

I Just Love It when I'm Right!

I was right again about two other stock IPOs I discussed earlier this month (see "Still No New Investments"), and how I thought they would not be a good idea for anyone seeking a small speculative investment strategy.

Team Health Holdings (TMH) which listed at $14.00/share is currently trading at $12.81/share, and Cobalt International Energy (CIE) which opened at $15.00/share is now at $13.50/share. That is an average decline of 9.25%.

I'm not ready to say these stocks would never be good investments at some future date, just not right now. I'm withholding any judgement on these stocks till they have an earnings per share (EPS) figure, and currently, they have not yet posted one.

When (or should I say "if") the day comes and this changes, don't worry, I'll keep you informed.

Update on KAR

I was right about the IPO for Kar Auction Services, Inc (KAR). In it's debut Friday, 12/11/09, it opened at $12.00/share (was supposed to open between $15-$17/share) and closed that same day up only $.03.

Today, it fell to as low as $11.73 before closing back up to $12.00. This article I read in the Associate Press explains one of the reasons why (and I said it first!);

"Analysts said investors are likely wary of KAR's debt. According to recent regulatory filings, it owes creditors $2.5 billion".

It also probably doesn't help that out of sales of $1.31 Billion, it only made a profit last year of $17.9 Million. That's a profit margin of just barely 1.36%, and sorry, but I could do 4 times better than that by investing in any stock in the Dow Jones Industrial Average that yields over 4% (Currently AT&T, DuPont, Kraft Foods, Merk, and Verizon).

Still No New Investments

I check the listing of IPOs (Initial Public Offerings) listed by Charles Schwab (where I do my investing) just about every day, looking for the next Intrepid Potash that earned me a 50% return in one month. So far, my luck has been non-existent.

In my last post, I told any of you that were thinking of investing in Kar Auction Services, Inc., to not invest in that stock, and I have the same advice for any thinking of investing it the two most recent IPOs listed by Charles Schwab. Team Health Holdings, Inc. (proposed symbol THM), and Cobalt International Energy, Inc. (proposed symbol CIE).

Why am I not recommending either of these stocks? Quite simply because both companies are carrying a shitload of debt, and neither has the track record or promise of future earnings to justify the risk.

If THM sells all 20 million proposed shares at the maximum price of $16, the roughly $320 million raised in this offering will mostly go to paying of certain indebtedness, including an interest bearing note of 11.25%. I'm sorry, but when a company sells stock to expand it's business, that's a good thing. When they sell stock to pay off debt, that's a bad thing.

The other company, CIE will be using the money raised (roughly $1 billion) to expand oil exploration and exploitation of deep water, off-shore sites, but, in the company's own words (found in the preliminary prospectus);

"We have no proved reserves and areas that we decide to drill may not yield oil in commercial quantities or quality, or at all."

So, my answer to both companies is, "I will not be buying your stock in this initial public offering. There are just to many uncertainties and you are both to risky for my blood."

For now, I'm sticking with my short-term treasury bills, my dividend paying stocks, and my two mutual funds. They may not be exciting, in fact they're downright dull, but I can sleep at night.

To Risky for My Blood

Just a short post tonight to discourage any of you that might be thinking of investing in Kar Auction Service, Inc. (KAR).

DON'T DO IT!

Sure, on the surface, it might sound like a good idea, and maybe in the short term it would be, but there are just to many negatives and things that could go wrong with this new initial public offering.

For one thing, the economy is still basically a shambles, and credit markets are just to unstable to justify the risk. If people cannot get a loan, they won't be able to buy a car, even at auction, and most cars at auctions are bought by used car dealers anyway, and if their sources of credit dry up (and they have been), how will the average person be able to get the kind of money needed?

I'm sure some of you might be saying "Well, they can still pay cash to get the car at auction". True, but how many people have that kind of cash lying around? Enough to sustain a business model?

In the research I've done into the company, and that includes reading the prospectus (and I thought "Moby Dick" was a boring read) and everything I could find out on the internet, the income stream is to unstable. During this year's third quarter, KAR had a profit of $8.6 million, and while that does sound like a lot, last year they had a net loss of $169.9 million, and most of the profits they made were from cost and expense cutting, because sales were down 3.3%.

Another reason I won't be investing in this stock (let alone speculating) is that the bulk of money they plan to raise from the stock offering won't be going to expand the business but to pay down the company's debt.

Sorry, but this is just to risky for me. I would rather lose out on 99 fantastic investments rather than make one lousy investment.

If I come across one I think would be good for you, my readers (yeah, right) I'll keep you informed.

Arroz con Queso

When I fist started this blog, and long before when I sent out monthly e-mails with my "Recipe of the Month", I originally would just use my grandmother's vast collection of cook-books, new paper clippings, and old family recipes she had committed to 3" by 5" cards as my source material. And if any of you decided to cook the dishes I recommended, you know just how yummy they were.

Now, however, I bring you a dish that I sorta came up with on my own. Why do I say "Sorta"? Well, the truth is I "ala Wesley'd" a dish I found online, and I hope you'll like it as much as I and a good friend of mine enjoyed it.

Arroz con Queso

(Rice with Cheese)

• 2 14.5 oz cans petite diced tomatoes with chilies and garlic (undrained)
• 1 14.5 oz can Mexican style beans (undrained)
• 1 1/2 cups long grain converted rice, uncooked
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 4 ounces green chili peppers, canned (undrained)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 4 oz can sliced black olive with red peppers (drained)
• 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, grated, divided

1. Mix all ingredients except for 1 cup of grated cheese in the slow cooker.
2. Cover; cook on Low 6-9 hours.
3. Sprinkle with remaining cheese before serving.

For some, this might be a bit to spicy, but if you enjoy a good southwestern, Tex-Mex dish, you'll really enjoy this.

Not only is it delicious, but it's just so easy to make.

As always, eat and enjoy.

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time for celebration, but this year it is a more sombre occasion for many. Some of those things which could once have been taken for granted suddenly seem less certain and, naturally, give rise to feelings of insecurity.

People are touched by events which have their roots far across the world. Whether it is the global economy or violence in a distant land, the effects can be keenly felt at home. Once again, many of our service men and women are serving on operations in common cause to bring peace and security to troubled places. For their loved ones, the worry will never cease until they are safely home.

In such times as these we can all learn some lessons from the past. We might begin to see things in a new perspective. And certainly, we begin to ask ourselves where it is that we can find lasting happiness.

Over the years, those who have seemed to me to be the most happy, contented and fulfilled have always been the people who have lived the most outgoing and unselfish lives; the kind of people who are generous with their talents or their time. There are those who use their prosperity or good fortune for the benefit of others whether they number among the great philanthropists or are people who, with whatever they have, simply have a desire to help those less fortunate than themselves.

What they offer comes in the form of what can easily be recognised as service to the nation or service to the wider community. As often as not however, their unselfishness is a simply-taken-for-granted part of the life of their family or neighbourhood.

They tend to have some sense that life itself is full of blessings, and is a precious gift for which we should be thankful. When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat; instead, they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future.

I think we have a huge amount to learn from individuals such as these. And what I believe many of us share with them is a source of strength and peace of mind in our families and friends. Indeed, I can reflect on the blessing, comfort and support I have gained from some of my own family of friends in this special year.

At Thanksgiving, we all feel very fortunate to have our family and/or friends around us. But for many of you, this Thanksgiving will mean separation from loved ones and perhaps reflection on the memories of those no longer with us.

I hope that, like me, you will be comforted by the example of those we have all known in our lives who, often in circumstances of great adversity, managed to live an outgoing, unselfish and sacrificial life. I am personally inspired by memories of my beloved grandmother Irene, who taught me that genuine human happiness and satisfaction lie more in giving than receiving; more in serving than in being served.

I am still grateful that, even three years after her passing, I am still able to draw inspiration from her life and lessons, and to find in her memory a source of strength and courage. I hope that on this special day of giving thanks for those things we have and the people in our lives, you will find the strength and encouragement to sustain you too, not just on this day, but in the coming year.

I wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving.

I Hear the Sound of Silence

Yes, I'm in a melancholy funk once again. It's the day before Thanksgiving and I'll be spending it alone at Marie Calander's.

Why am I spending it alone? Well, I'm not exactly close with my father, I have doubts about my step-mother's judgement when it comes to picking husbands, my sister is the personification of evil, and my grand-parents have passed on. So, no family.

As for friends, they've all made plans with their families or they are in the group I refer to as "Special" friends (IE FALSE friends), so, no spending the day with "friends".

Add to all of that the news I received today that I was not cast in the Stockton Civic Theatre's upcoming production of "Are You Being Served?" and maybe you could understand my depression.

I Just Had the Strangest Dream

So many of the details faded from my mind before I could log-on to write about this dream, but here it goes anyway.

In my dream, I'm sitting at an outdoor table at some resteraunt in Los Angeles. My table is over looking a river or canal, some body of water. Anyway, for some reason, they are having an auto race in the city, like they do in parts of Europe, when one of the cars goes out of control and comes straight at me.

I don't get hurt or anything, but it sort of bumps me into the river my table was next to. Now, instead of swimming to shore and getting out of the river, I swim to a large ship that was sailing down stream toward the Pacific ocean. The ship looks like an oil tanker or some sort of cargo ship, but when I climb on board to find the captain so I can ask for his or her help, inside I find a smaller version of the ship stores like I saw on Mariner of the Seas, the ship I sailed on during my last cruise.

Now the strangest part of the dream is when I said to myself (yes, I talk to myself even in my dreams) "What are the odds? You'd think I'd have a better chance of being struck by lightning."

Strange, isn't it?

By the way, if you also talk to yourself, don't let people look at you funny and tease you for it. Just look them straight in the eye and say;

"Hey! It's the only way I can be sure of an intelligent conversation around here."

Maybe This Will Work

An eccentric aunt of mine once told me that if you want something to happen (or not happen), you should write it out 100 times. This would create the good karma necessary to achieve your desired result. So, here it goes.

I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it!

Wish me luck.

The Litany Against Fear

I must not fear.

Fear is the mind-killer.

Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.

I will face my fear.

I will permit it to pass over me and through me.

And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.

Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.

Only I will remain.

Another Haiku About Silence

It has been said that one person's Heaven is another person's Hell. Some time ago, I wrote my first Haiku poem about silence and I felt the need to write another one now.

I hear the silence.

Pressing in all around me,

I seek an escape.

The Heaven/Hell analogy becomes more obvious to me every day recently. The silence is pressing in on me from all sides. I need sound, but not just noise. I need someone to talk to who wants to hear what I have to say, and who has something they have to talk about with me.

Where I once sought escape from the false (and somewhat toxic) "friends" I had in previous times (and I don't care how bad it gets, I'm not going back to that group), now I seek companionship of a different sort.

Please don't think of me as some sort of pathetic loser, though I sometimes think I am. Maybe that's why I come on to strong sometimes. The silence of loneliness is deafening me. Grinding me down and wearing my spirit away like a river carving out a canyon. It makes me afraid, and clingy, and sometimes an easy mark for the unscrupulous to take advantage of.

I Don't Know What to Write About!

But I feel like I need to write about something. I'm not sure if I'm in a mood or not just now, but I'm feeling a little melancholy at the moment.

Maybe it's just the down slope after such a great day yesterday. You see, yesterday, I, my roommate Greg, and his friend Mike all went to one of my favorite places in the world, Monterey, California, and more specifically, the Monterey Bay Aquarium. They had a LOT of new displays and exhibits, including one about seahorses.

After we were done for the day at the aquarium (we stayed till 6:00 PM), we went to pick-up some friends who lived in (I think it was) Pacific Grove and all went out to dinner together at this really cute restaurant. I had the squash ravioli (and it was yummy).

Or, maybe it's the down slope from after meeting a really nice guy at Barnes & Noble for an actual coffee date. He's really smart, and just so sexy/cute/hot. It was all I could do to not kiss his beautiful lips and just content myself with conversation and looking into his warm, friendly, beautiful eyes.

I don't know whats wrong with me. I'm just feeling blue and I thought writing about it would help me cheer up and not be depressed.

Thank You Mr. Pfiefer

I just received a spam e-mail, very badly disguised as something important, and it probably had (as they say on the TV commercials) a computer virus (YIKES!!!).

How did I know? What makes me think it had a virus? Oh, just something my history teacher during my senior year at Berlin American High School taught once a long, long, long (well, maybe not THAT long ago) time ago. You see, the e-mail was not only from someone I don't know, the person's last name was Sanssouci, which is the name of the summer palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, and the topic was vacation bargains in Guatemala.

So, thank you Mr. Pfiefer, wherever you may be, and you were right, you never know when what you learn in history class will come in useful.

Those who do not learn from history, are condemned to get taken in by an Internet scam and risk a computer virus.

Crescent Cookies

Hi, Everybody. The recipe I present this month is a little different.

In honor of the season, not just Halloween but Dia de Los Muertos I dug up (No, I'm not trying to do a bad impression of the Crypt Keeper) this recipe from one of my grandmother's old cookbooks from the 1950s. I hope you enjoy the result as much as I always did.

CRESCENT COOKIES

• 1 cup finely ground almonds
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
• 2 drops almond extract
• 1/2 cup butter (or margarine), softened
• 1 egg yolk (just the yolk).

1. Combine almonds, flour, sugar and extract until thoroughly mixed.
2. With your hands, work in the butter and egg yolk until well blended.
3. Chill the dough in your refrigerator for about 3 hours or so.
4. Preheat your oven to 350*F.
5. Pinch off pieces of dough about the size of a walnut and shape into crescents.
6. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for about 20 minutes.

I like eating these with a nice, chilled white zinfandel wine.

As always, eat and enjoy.

Ooops, I Did it Again!

I tell myself, every time, "I will not come on to strong. I will not make myself look like a stalker.", and I just can't seem to keep that promise to myself. I keep making myself seem kind of clingy, like the symbolism in the Walter Egan song, Magnet and Steel. Hopefully, he won't be scared off, and will still welcome my attention. I just have to wait and let him make the next move (and anyone who know me, knows that while I have incredible patience when necessary, sometimes, I try to open my Christmas presents early).

In other news, some asshole keeps trying to outbid me on EBay for a Canon Power Shot A460 digital camera. This is the same model I already have, but go ruined on my last Atlantis vacation to the Mexican Riviera. It's a great camera, and I really hope I win the bidding wars for this one.

Not much else to talk about at the moment. The chest cold I picked up in during my cruise is getting better, and I got my computer back from the repair shop yesterday.

Now, I just have to be patient, and wait for him to invite me to come and listen to The Hum.

A Poem in Progress

I like to write poetry from time to time. Whenever the spirit moves me, or I find a Muse to enspire me.

I found just such a muse on my last Atlantis Cruise but am having trouble getting past the first stanza, which I present for your enjoyment.

If I'm ever able to finish the poem, I will let you know. Till then -

I welcome the song of you,

I rejoice in the sight of you,

Most welcome I find the gift of you,

Oh sweet child of Scorpio.

My Atlantis Vacation - 2009

Or,

The Good, The Bad, & the F'Ugly

I got back last night from my most recent Atlantis Events cruise to the Mexican Riviera, and it was, to say the least a unique and wonderful experience. Parts of it were good, parts of it were bad, and parts of it were (you guessed it) F'UGLY.

Lets start with the good. The ship this year was the Mariner of the Seas, one of the largest ships in the Royal Caribbean International cruise line's entire fleet. This year, the embarkation went like a dream, though I did end up getting to the pier in San Pedro way to early.

Anyway, once I got on the ship, I found out that we couldn't go to our rooms just yet because they were all being cleaned and made ready for us after the previous cruise customers had left that day, so we were invited to go to one of the ships restaurants and/or buffets. Now, some might tell you that the food in the Windjammer Cafe' wasn't that great, but don't listen to them, listen to me. I thought it was very good food. The variety was astounding, was artistically presented and displayed, and the taste (of those things I ate) was such that I wished I could just keep eating forever.

Once we could go to our rooms, I went down to my cabin on deck 2 (one floor above the waterline, ha ha) to freshen up and change into more vacation appropriate clothing. My luggage hadn't arrived yet, but I had a pair of my shorts in my carry-on bag, along with a comfortable and colorful t-shirt. After changing, I went up to the pool deck to get a drink and start mingling with the other passengers that were on board.

Oh, there were so many wonderful people I met that night, both on the main pool deck, and later that night at the singles cocktail mixer at a venue referred to as the Lotus Lounge (very gorgeous, Chinese decor), including the former mayor of Tempe, Arizona, Mr. Neil Giuliano (who is even better looking in person than he is on TV).

The entertainment on the ship was also incredible. The production shows put on by the Royal Caribbean Singers & Dancers (sorry, I couldn't find a link on Wikipedia) were fantastic, and never let any setback stop them from giving us a fantastic show. I mention this because during one performance, one of the male singers fell from a piece of the stage set, but just got right back up and kept on singing and dancing. He later poked fun at his pratfall by pretending to be extra careful coming down some stairs during the same show, grabbing the handrail with both hands and making a funny face toward the audience.

I would also like to say I cannot say anything to wonderful about the comedians that performed on board during the cruise. Louie Anderson, Jim David, and Shawn Pelofsky were my favorites. I was even honored to share lunch with Ms. Pelofsky one afternoon while we were docked in Puerto Vallarta.

I also met many wonderful men on this cruise, one of whom I think is very special. We didn't meet as often as I would have liked, it's a huge ship after all with over 3,500 passengers on board, but I was happy every time I saw him. I was even lucky enough to meet him in the terminal at LAX. We were able to talk for awhile before he had to board his plane, and before he left we gave each other a tight, tight hug. It was a little painful for me because of a mild sunburn I picked up in Cabo San Lucas, but, boys and girls, it was oh so worth it. We exchanged cards and I'm hoping I can see him again one day. Who knows what might happen.

Now the bad. In Puerto Vallarta, I took a hiking tour up the Sierra Madre Mountains through the jungle canopy. At first everything was going great, but then a light drizzle started to fall. To begin, it was no big deal. Like I said, the drizzle was light and we were largely sheltered by the trees and were by and large dry enough, but then the rain started to get heavier, and the tree cover started getting lighter. I had placed my camera in one of my cargo shorts pockets to keep it dry, but I realized I was getting soaked through to the skin, so I gave it to our tour guide to keep in his waterproof bag for safekeeping. I was too late making the transfer though, and my camera was totally ruined, which is also why I have no pictures from my vacation to share with you. I'm going to see if I can find a camera repair shop, but I think I may just have to buy a new camera.

And now, the F'UGLY. I can give it to you in two words, Hurricane Rick (is their a gayer name for a hurricane?). It totally changed our itinerary. Instead of going to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta (in that order), we spent the first two days at sea going around the hurricane and made Puerto Vallart our first port of call. Then, we had to stay an extra day in PV because Mazatlan was closed to ship traffic due to the rough weather. Fortunately, it cleared up by the time we made it to Cabo, and this year my shore excursion didn't get canceled due to lack of participation (though I think it might be because the people who went just wanted off the ship at that point). The weather was so violent, and the seas so rough at one point, I came up with what I thought was a funny joke. "How do you tell who's drunk and who's sober on board? The drunks are the only people who can walk in a straight line."

In spite of Rick though, I still had a great time and have already pre-booked my cruise to the Mexican Riviera for 2010. Some of my friends will undoubtedly say to me (as they have said in the past) "Why do you do the same thing every year? Doesn't it get boring going to the same places all the time?" Well, I came up with the perfect metaphor to answer them:

"My cruise to the Mexican Riviera is like a snow globe. The little house inside is always the same, but every time you shake it up, the little snowflakes fall in a different pattern."

So the answer is no, I don't get bored during my vacation.

PS: I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the new people I met on this cruise who exchanged cards with me. I have added you to my friends category in my e-mail address book.

PPS: Only 356 days till my next cruise!

Relax & Breath Already

The world in not, and I repeat NOT, going to end in 2012.


I could go into great detail as to why it won't, but they say it better in this article I read in Yahoo News.

What I want to talk about is a theory I have as to WHY everyone thinks (or should I say WANTS) the world to end.

I think the biggest reason is that a lot of self-described "righteous" people, want to be able, as they ascend towards Heaven and Eternity with God, to wag their collective fingers back down at those of us left behind and say, in a sarcastic taunting voice "You should have listened to Us and Jesus. Now it's to late and we're going to Heaven while you go to Hell."

Well, boys and girls, people have been predicting the end of the world nearly since the beginning of the world and have been looking for any system, sign, or portent that would point to the date of Armageddon.

For Example;

• The Jupiter Effect - Based on a 1974 bestselling book by John Gribbin, people believed that an alignment of Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto would create monster earthquakes along the San Andreas Fault and elsewhere, and that this catastrophe would occur on March 10th, 1982 and the world would come to an end. They didn't take into consideration that the gravitational force of this event would be no greater than in the year 1128 AD (or CE if you want to be politically correct), and the world didn't end then either.
• 666 - Today, most Biblical scholars believe that this so called "Mark of the Beast" was actually a numerological code for the Emperor Nero. So everyone waiting for a baby to be born with this number under his hair, either go see a different movie, or hop in a time machine and go back to the year 68 AD.
• 1998 - Believed by many to be the year the Anti-Christ was born because 1998 is 666 (see above) times 3, a sort of unholy trinity.
• 2000 - Millennium madness. Everyone thought the world would end, Jesus would return, and the righteous would ascend, or at the very least the world's computers would crash or become self-aware and launch all the nuclear bombs. 9 years later and we're still here. They also thought the same thing in the year 1000 AD, and 1,009 years later . . . .

Well, let me make a prediction. The world will end one day. It will happen in approximately 5 billion years from now as the sun runs out of it's supply of hydrogen and begins to expand. Now, since it is highly unlikely that any one reading this will still be alive in the year 5,000,002,009 AD, give the whole doom and gloom, end of the world death wish scenario a rest.

None of this is to say that I still won't go see the movie 2012, but I'm not going to go and say the world will end that year. Some will, but not me, and the people who do probably wouldn't go in the water in a swimming pool after Jaws came out, or went back to the Catholic Church after they saw The Exorcist, or went to the Devil's Tower after they saw Close Encounters of the Third Kind. These are just movies people. You shouldn't use them to predict the future or control your behavior.

Astrological Compatability

I don't want to jinx anything, "For ye Gods of Fate . . ." and yada, yada, yada, seem to just love to get my hopes up only to crush them under Their collective thumbs, but I sort of met someone, and I'm happy :)

I met this very cute man (I won't be giving names till he says I may) on an introduction sight recommended to me by my friend and co-actor in the SCT musicals of "Annie Get Your Gun" and "The Producers", www.singlesnet.com.

So far, we've only exchanged e-mails, instant-message contact information, and phone calls, but I am hopeful something may develop. But even if it doesn't, as a wise man once said, "No man is so rich he can turn down making a friend". Well, the actual quote was "No man is so rich he can afford to lose a friend", but hey, it's my blog, and I'll paraphrase if I want to.

Anyway, of all the things we've learned about each other, the only one I feel comfortable sharing (I don't want him to think our entire romance{if any actually develops}) is the fact that I'm a Gemini and he's a Capricorn, and according to one web-site I consulted about astrological compatibility, we would be "Opposites that attract". Of course, without a comparison of both our natal charts (which I'm able to do myself if I can get his date, time, and place of birth), this is nothing more than quasi-encouraging, and what the site actually said was barely a 4 word blurb about a Gemini/Capricorn relationship, so I take it with a grain of salt.

I would also like to calculate our Asian zodiac charts, but aside from knowing I'm year of the Ram, which sounds so much more butch than Year of the Goat (though I'm as horny as both{evil grin}), and he is Year of the Dog, I would need to know his month and date of birth.

I could be getting ahead of myself with all of this. It has happened before. But I will never give up hope.

That Last 25% . . . .

My grandmother, Irene, was a woman of great wisdom, and she said something to me once, when I was a little child, that I have remembered ever since.

I don't remember what had made me so upset, and why she told me what she did, but it stayed with me a lot longer than the problem she helped me through.

Now, I'm going to share some more of Her Wisdom with you;

"The World is broken up into four different types of people.

25% that will like you for the right reasons,

25% that will like you for the wrong reasons,

25% that won't like you for the wrong reasons,

and 25% that won't like you for the right reasons."

She went on to say, and this was the core of her lesson;

"It's only that last 25% that anyone should ever be concerned about."

It's not been easy, but ever since that day, I have tried to live my life by the wisdom of those words.

Dinner For Two (#1)

Let me start out by saying, an oven pre-set to 400*F is your best friend when it comes to preparing this delightful, romantic, dinner for two.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken Breast

with

Roasted Green Beans & Eggplant

• 8 oz green beans, stem ends removed
• 4 teaspoons plus two (or more) cups extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 2 boneless, skinliss chicken breast halves
• 6 thinly sliced strips of prosciutto
• 1 eggplant, pealed and sliced about 1/2" thick
• 2 cups (more or less) of Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• Lemon wedges for serving

1. Heat your oven to 400*F
2. In a large bowl, toss green beans with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper
3. Place the greenbeans on a large cookie sheet, pushed to one side
4. Pour the two cups of olive oil in the bowl
5. In a seperate bowl, place the two cups of Italian seasoned bread crumbs
6. Spear one slice at a time of your sliced eggplant on a fork and dip in the olive oil, then place the slice in the bowl of Italian seasoned bread crumbs turning it over so both sides are coated. Shake off the excess and place on the cookie sheet with the greenbeans.
7. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and wrap each in the three slices of the prosciutto.
8. Place the chicken, seam side down on the cookie sheet with the greenbeans and eggplant and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
9. Cook at 400*F till chicken is opaque throughout (about 15 to 20 minutes)

Serve this delicious meal with lemon wedges.

The proscuitto helps keep the chicken juicy without adding much fat, and the squeez of lemon juice adds a bright twist and is a lot healthier that a heavy sauce.

Counting Down the Days

Only 16 days left till my next cruise vacation!

For the last couple of days, ever since I received my itinerary for the cruise from Atlantis Events & Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, I've been planning what activities I'm going to do, seeing what performers will be on board, and deciding what shore excursions I'm going to take.

I have to admit I was a little disappointed when I found out Alec Mapa & Shann Carr would not be among the featured comedians this year. They are both SOOOOO funny, but it is probably because they are both SOOOOO funny that they are also probably incredibly busy and could not find time this year. Oh well (loud, sad sigh).

I have also just finished booking my shore excursions for this trip. I went through the brochure and picked a primary and two alternates for each city we will be stopping in.

In Cabo San Lucas, I hope to go on a guided walking tour of the city. I tried going on it last year but it had been canceled for lack of participation. In Mazatlan I will be taking a walking tour of "Historic Old Mazatlan". Some of the friends I made on my last cruise took this trip last year and say it's worth it if only for the stop at this old style Mexican bakery. Now in Puerto Vallarta I'm not going on a walking tour, I'm going of a hiking exploration of the Sierra Madres.

I am so looking forward to all of my shore excursions, but just in case, I've got my list of two alternate excursions for each city (as I mentioned earlier) just in case any of my primaries get canceled (which happened at all of the cities we stopped at last year except Mazatlan), and I am to much of a chicken-shit to risk not getting back to the ship in time before it sails. If I miss the boat because of the tour guide, the tour company has to pay for me to get to the next stop. If I miss the boat because I f**ked up, I have to pay to get to my next stop.

Anyway, that's all I have for now. I'm going to a friends home tonight for dinner, and tomorrow I'm off to my annual pilgrimage to the Renaissance Pleasure Faire. I'll have pictures of my Faire experience soon.

Till later, don't worry, I'll keep you informed.

OH! By the way, a special "Romantic Dinner For Two" will be featured on my upcoming instalment of "The Recipe of the Month" this Sunday.

My Last Play?

I think "The Producers", the show I'm performing in at the Stockton Civic Theatre may be the last show I'm ever in.

I don't know why, but I seem to be the whipping boy for most of the cast and crew. The one they can push under their collective thumbs and treat as though I'm lower than the dust under their feet.

Of course, some of it is my fault. Thursday evening, I forgot to bring some of my costume to the theatre (I had brought it home for cleaning), and was running around at the last minute trying to figure out what to do. I'm sure the people who matter will never cast me in anything again after that.

This all makes me very sad, because I was having so much fun, and thought I was making some good friends. I think I may have been wrong.

I guess that the world (or the people I usually end up working with) just needs a designated victim/whipping-boy, and I guess it's me.

Then again, maybe the people who are the most hurtful are, in their own unsuccessful way, just trying to be funny. They are failing.

And if they really are doing it because they get off on destroying my self-esteem and sense of self worth, I just have this to say; "You're to late! My mother, sister, and Junior High School beat you to it"

I have been told I try to hard to please and be accommodating, and that I should tone it down. But when I tone it down, I'm told I don't try hard enough.

I just can't win for losing.

No Good Deed . . . .

Let me start out by saying it's my own fault for not asking the right questions, but I missed work today because I let a friend borrow my car for a trip to Marin County in exchange for the use of his car to get to and from work.

His car works fine for a short trip like I needed to make, but for the long trip to the Bay Area, it wouldn't have been a good idea. No, the problem (and question I forgot to ask) was the alarm was not turned off, and my friend didn't tell me the combination.

I'll leave you all to imagine how surprised I was when I opened the car door to hear that blaring noise and see those few of my neighbors up at that hour looking at me like I was some sort of criminal. "LOL". I'm still amazed the police didn't pay a call during the day to ask why I "tried to steal my friends car".

I called my boss at work to let them know I wouldn't be in, and told them I couldn't get my car to start, and would be taking it into the auto repair shop since I don't know the first thing about cars. I just hope my boss doesn't call the place I mentioned to see if I actually did go there.

If he does, and I get into trouble, I suppose you could call this whole little adventure a case of no good deed going unpunished.

(Sigh)

Southwestern Crockpot Breakfast

In going over my vast collection of recipes, and the list of posted recipes to your right on the screen to make sure I don't post the same one twice, I came to realize that most are lunch & dinner recipes. So today, I present something good for a nice breakfast or brunch.

SOUTHWEST CROCK POT BREAKFAST

• 1 Tbsp butter or margarine
• 1 lb lean hamburger, cooked and drained
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 4oz can chopped green chillies, drained
• 2 1/2 cups grated pepper-jack cheese
• 18 eggs
• 1 Tbsp jalapeno sauce (optional)

1. Grease the inside of your crock pot with the butter or margarine.
2. Starting with the hamburger, layer the meat, onions, peppers, chillies and cheese, repeating the layering until all ingredients are used.
3. In large mixer bowl, beat eggs with wire whisk or eggbeater until combined (mix in the tablespoon of jalapeno sauce if desired), then pour over mixture in the crock pot.
4. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours.

I recommend serving this with sour cream (Imo if you're watching your cholesterol) or fresh salsa. Set this to cooking the night before, and wake up to a fantabulous breakfast for you, your family, and friends.

A little side note here; Sometimes, this bubbles over with goodness. To prevent a mess from forming all over your counter surface, place a large plate under the crock pot to catch anything that might bubble out.

As always, eat and enjoy.

The Hollywood Stock Exchange

It's been a long time since I posted, I know, but I've just had so many things happening in my life, that I've let some of my obligations, and some of my joys, lapse in order to take care of other joys and obligations.

Everything is going well in the play I'm currently in ("The Producers"). We have our big run through of the play where we also work on the technical side to make sure everything runs smoothly, and mark out the location of where all the different bits of scenery will be going.

I have a collection of bit supporting parts in this show. I play a "first nighter" who comes to the premier of "Springtime for Hitler", I also play the stalker of character Roger Elizabeth DeBris at the "audition scene", a NYPD police officer, and finally (though not necessarily in this order) Winston Churchill.

I have also been very busy at work, trying my best to make sure I don't get declared "redundant" and unnecessary.

To relive my stress (since I am still boyfriendless) I've been getting re-involved in the online game "The Hollywood Stock Exchange". It's a fun game that I highly recommend. It's completely free, and if you play, you don't have to tell anyone (unless you want to) that you heard about it here. You start out with $2million VIRTUAL dollars, and invest it in movie stocks, star bonds, and other entertainment based investment securities.

Like I said, the game is free, you won't make any real money playing (though you can use some of your "profits" toward the purchase of HSX merchandise.

Anyway, I've got to go now. I'll be posting again soon, and my September (and belated August) recipes of the month will be posted next Sunday.

Gee, I just noticed how many links I've inserted in this post.

Updating My Readers (#2)

Sorry it's been so long since my last post, and sorry I haven't posted my August recipe yet, but I've just been so busy with the new play I'm in, that (and I know it's no excuse) I just haven't had time.

I will try to make the time though this Friday (my 3rd Furlough Friday for August), and get my recipes and other blog stuff caught up.

Till later,

Wesley

PS: I've decided to drop the "Royal" from the name of my micronation. It implies that it was granted by a king/queen, duke/duchess or similarly high title, and though I will acknowledge others as my peers and equals, I will not grant anyone higher status than me. So, from now on, any future reference to my proposed micronation will refer to it as "The Sovereign Barony of Nonsuch".

Could You Do Me a Favor?

This is going to sound strange, and I won't be holding my breath, but I would like to ask all of you who read my blog to put some effort into actually doing something for me. "What is it?" you may ask? I would like you to follow this link, and help me to get Turner Classic Movies to make the made for TV movie "The Day the Bubble Burst" available for viewing or even purchase.

This was a movie chronicling various personal stories surrounding the 1929 stock market crash. This adaptation of the best-seller by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan-Witts had a curious TV history. Originally announced in 1978 as a four-hour movie to be called "The Day America Died", with a stellar cast of TV personalities, it ultimately went into production in mid-1980 in a less ambitious three-hour form and was scheduled to premiere on February 1, 1981, but was withdrawn without notice on the eve of its showing. It subsequently aired one year later, and I thought, given the world's current economic mood, it would be a good movie to see again.

I've been looking high and low for it but, so far, no luck. I know it's asking a lot for any of you to take the time to do this for me, but I would be very grateful if you did.

Now, onto other things.

My last survey/poll didn't go over so well. Only 5 people (4 if you don't count me) even bothered to vote. I thought long and hard about it and I think the reason is, it wasn't edgy or controversial enough. So, as you can see, I've come up with a new poll. You can vote in it more than once if you like, and it'll be interesting to see how this one goes.

Till later, don't worry. I'll keep you informed.

The Lost 2 Inches

Just a quick little post to share my good news. I've lost 2" of my waist!!!!!!

For the first time, in I don't know how long, and granted they were a bit snug, but still, I was able to get the button to my size 40" waist pants to close and zip up!

It may not sound like much to brag about for all the Plastic People out there (and you know who you are!), but I'm happy with it. Especially since just a month and a half ago, I couldn't get the button to close.

My dream now is to get to 38" in time for my next cruise vacation. Maybe then I won't be invisible to the rest of the passengers or others.

Hamburger & Biscuit Potpie

I know I just did my semi-famous "Recipe of the Month" just last week (see Asian Pork Stew), but one of the things about The Tao of Wesley is that like it says in chapter 20 of the Tao Te Ching (and I'm paraphrasing here) "My mind is like the restless wind". Sometimes I don't know forwards or backwards, I just am.

Anyway, here is the special bonus recipe. It is an adaptation from the "Taste of Home: Dinner on a Dime" cookbook I got some time back while waiting in the checkout line at my favorite grocery store. I've made a few adjustments (of course) to try and make it even less expensive than it was originally, but still have plenty of taste.

Hamburger & Biscuit Potpie

• 1 pound ground beef hamburger
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 2 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
• 1/2 of a large white onion
• 1 to 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tubes (16 oz. each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits separated into 16 individual biscuits
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook onions and hamburger with 1 to 2 cloves of minced garlic till the hamburger is no longer pink. Drain.
2. While the hamburger and onions are draining, combine flour and milk until smooth. Bring to a boil and stir for about 2 minutes until thickened.
3. Stir in the vegetables, salt, pepper, and the onions and hamburger mixture. Reduce the heat to a bare minimum (just enough to keep it warm).
4. Place 12 of the biscuits 2" apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400* for 5 minutes.
5. Transfer the hamburger mixture you've been keeping warm into a greased 8" square baking dish.
6. Place the biscuits over the mixture.
7. Bake the potpie and remaining biscuits for another 5 to 7 minutes or until the biscuits are a nice golden brown.

As always, eat and enjoy.

Asian Pork Stew

This is a delicious crock-pot dish that will thrill your friends. I made a big batch of it for me and my roommate recently, and now I present it to you. Originally, it was for a beef stew, but beef is just to expensive, so I made a few adjustments to make it less expensive, but just as delicious.

Asian Pork Stew

• 2 Red onions, diced
• 1 1/2 lbs of boneless pork rib meat, cubed (Ask your butcher to do it. It's a free service.)
• 2 ribs of celery, sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 can beef broth
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce*
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 to 2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 pkg wide egg noodles (It'll say "6 servings" on back)
• Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

1. Place onions, pork, celery, carrots and mushrooms in a 5-quart crock-pot. Don't forget to use a crock-pot liner (It makes clean-up a snap).
2. Combine orange juice, broth hoisin sauce, cornstarch and five-spice powder in a small bowl. Pour into the crock-pot.
3. Cover and cook on high for 5 hours.
4. One hour before the stew is done, add the wide egg noodles and stir thoroughly.
5. 20 minutes before the stew is done, add the cup of frozen peas and stir thoroughly.

As always, eat and enjoy.

*This has nothing to do with the recipe, just a funny (to me) side note. At one of my favorite Chinese restaurants, they've been passing of hoisin sauce as their "Special Peking Duck Sauce" for years. Those bastards!

Sorry the Recipe is Late

Let me begin by saying how sorry I am for not posting my "July's Recipe of the Month" yet. I've just been so busy with the play I'm in that I haven't had time. Now, on to the post.

My heart is slowly dying.

No, I don't mean physically, and it will be just my luck to live for another 100 years. I'm talking about my emotional heart.

Why am I still single and so fucking lonely?!?!

Am I to fat? Am I to ugly? Am I to needy? To Clingy?

And please, if I had a dollar for every time someone has ever told me "Just be patient, Wesley. You'll find someone eventually the minute you stop looking", I'd have a million fucking dollars! How patient do I have to be? I can joke all I want to about being 29 for the last 13 years, but the truth is, I'm not. And can anyone tell me why it's always the people who are in happy, committed relationships that are the most often the ones to give this advice? And why does it always seem to be that the guys who do show any interest in me are always just out of a relationship and not looking for a new one, but find the love of their lives and enter a new one AFTER me. Am I cursed or something? Surrounded by love but never loved myself, just used by all and sundry?

Maybe my standards are to high, or maybe, just maybe, I should just resign myself to the idea that I'm going to be single and alone for the rest of my life.

Since it's dying anyway, maybe I should just have done with it, and seal my heart up in a metaphoric glass case.

I won't ask any of you (Yeah! Like someone is actually reading this because they care about me and what I have to say!) for advice or answers or anything. You don't care and wouldn't respond anyway.

By the way, if any of you are wondering (Yeah, again like you care) what brought on this bout of depression and angst, I can give it to you in two words. "Someone blabbed!" Someone has taken great joy in telling me what they, and apparently a great many of you think of me; The Ugly, Four-Eyed, Fat Freak!

I won't mention names. The individual would just deny it, and I have no proof anyway. But I will give you a few clues. Think spiteful, vicious, vindictive old (yes, I'm saying you're old! How much more could you hurt me without revealing who you are?) queen. Sorry, that doesn't narrow the list down very much, does it?

The Truth or a Lie?

It is said that love and truth walk hand in hand.

But if the need is great enough . . .

Can we learn to love a lie?

The Royal Sovereign Barony of Nonsuch

This will be just a short post to announce the formation of my own micronation, The Royal Sovereign Barony of Nonsuch.

This entity, which is still in the preliminary planning stages, has no connection whatsoever to the Imperial Court System, an organization I volunteered with for many years, and is purely for my own personal enjoyment, though I will welcome the opportunity to establish diplomatic relations and/or ties of friendship with any and all well run, kind, considerate, and caring social entities.

As I develop my micronation (a website among other things will be constructed), I will keep you informed.

With respect to you all,

Wesley B. Foreman
1st Baron Nonsuch

If it Comes in Threes . . .

First it was Ed McMahon, then, Farrah Fawcet and Michael Jackson, and if the old wives tale of tragedy and death striking in threes is true, with the death of TV pitchman, Billy Mays, the question becomes; "Who are the next two to die?"

Don't get me wrong, I'm not wishing death on anyone, except maybe the "death of reputation" for certain politicians who's entire cause celebre seems to be the oppression of the LGBT community (I wouldn't sneeze at another Larry Craig type scandal for the republicans) but there is a definite sense of morbid fascination with the whole idea, and there has got to be at least a few of the famous who are biting their nails and asking "Am I next?".

For those of my readers who aren't to scared to post a comment, let me know who you think (or wish) it might be, but please, only the "Death of Reputation" kind.

I Dared to Hope

I was stupid! I offered my heart and dared to hope that this time it would be different, and once again, my hopes were crushed and my heart has been broken.

I feel safe posting this, because I'm getting a pretty clear picture that none of my so called friends (in spite of them saying they do) ever read my blog. I can understand no one posting a comment, because if they read my blog, they might not want anyone else to know they read my blog, and thus not be able to join in on the dissing of it, but so far not one person has bothered to take part in my funny little survey.

Anyway, my broken heart has nothing to do with any of those fair-weather friends, it's about a guy I liked, and who I thought liked me.

I received some pictures recently from a bay area photographer who attended an event hosted by San Francisco Ducal, some sort of "Daddy & Boy" show in The City. A couple of the pictures I received were of the guy I liked with his arms around some skinny bastard.

No, that's not fair. It's not his fault I tried giving my heart to someone who turned out to be an asshole. It's the assholes fault!

I won't give his real name, so lets call him "John" (a nice, generic name).

John, if you didn't like me, if you found me to be fat and unattractive, just say so. It would have hurt a lot less than being led along and toyed with! I could have forgiven all of that, but I have to much pride to ever forgive being made a fool of.

Did you find it fun and entertaining? Did you tell all your friends how you had a fat, four-eyed freak following you around like a dog in heat?

Was it worth it?

I ask because eventually, I will have the last word on this. Things are changing for me, and while you think you'll always be able to do better than me, the day will come when you can't, but I WILL be able to do better than you, and you will see that it doesn't pay to treat me (or anyone really) as poorly as you did.

Apricot Chicken Stew

This is a special recipe I've been working on for some time now. It is a crock-pot adaptation of one of the very first Martha Stewart recipes I ever made for myself and my grandmother. Actually, it's an adaptation of an adaptation, since in deference to some dietary restrictions of my grandmother's delicate digestive system, I had to replace the onions with shallots, and couldn't add the bell-peppers at all.

You'll find it's has a great middle-eastern flair, and I always serve it with jalapeno cheese bread. My roommate enjoys it a great deal, and specifically asked that I make up a batch today in fact.

You'll need a 5 quart crock-pot for this dish, and I recommend you buy the crock-pot liners, to make clean-up a snap.

Apricot Chicken Stew

• 2 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs*, quartered
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 1 red, 1 yellow, and 1 green bell-pepper seeded and chopped
• 1 large clove of garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 lbs small, ripe apricots (about 10 to 12) pitted and quartered
• 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 box (11 oz) whole wheat couscous
• 1 can (14 1/2 oz) chicken stock
• 3/4 cups slivered almonds
• 1/2 lbs sliced mushrooms

1. Place chopped onions and bell-peppers in bottom of crock-pot
2. Add apricots
3. Add salt, pepper, garlic and spices
4. Add couscous and slivered almonds
5. Add chicken
6. Pour chicken broth, olive oil and honey over top
7. Add mushrooms and cover
8. Cook on low for 8 hours, stirring thoroughly after 6 hours, 7 hours, and right again before serving.

This makes about 8 or so servings (unless you're a total glutton).

As always, eat and enjoy.

*Try this little trick: Freeze your chicken and let slightly thaw before quartering. The chicken should still be slightly frozen, but thawed enough that a sharp knife can still slice through it. This makes quartering the chicken a LOT easier and less messy.

Is my Dream Comming True?

My last blog post was about a dream I had in which three big 747s that had been flying in formation looked as if they deliberately flew into the ground and crashed with a huge explosion, while I made my way to shelter and safety. I think my dream has and is coming true, even as I right this.

All three financial indexes, the DOW, the NASDAQ, and the S & P 500, have fallen (IE crashed) by 2.8%, 2.74%, and 2.47% respectively as I write this, and while all my investments are down for the day, overall my portfolio is looking pretty good considering, which is mainly due to an investment I made in Alcoa (AA) back in April, 2009.

During a bit of "market turbulence" on April 8th, I purchased 125 shares of Alcoa for a net price of $998.95. Less than one month later, on May 4th, I sold 100 of those shares for $1,006.05. Now, a profit of $7.10 may not seem like a lot to get excited about, but remember, I sold 100 shares out of 125 shares, keeping 25 shares worth $200.54 that in essence I got for FREE.

This is something I call "Principal Taking", as opposed to "Profit Taking", and so far my free profits are up nearly 40%!

All of the stocks I currently have my money invested in are consumer staples like McDonald's, Heinz, Pepsi, and Unilever or utility stocks like ConEd and Dominion Resources. These are my safety and shelter from the crashing planes.

I Just Had the Strangest Dream (4)

This is one I definitely hope doesn't come true in any way, shape, or form.

In the dream, I'm in a city I don't recognize, but for some reason, I associate it with Berlin, Germany, where I lived in the 1980s and graduated high school from.

I'm walking along, and glance up into the sky, where I see three passenger planes (747s I think) flying in close formation, like the fighter jets of the Blue Angels, when all of a sudden, I see them take a nosedive and intentionally (I thought anyway) right into the ground, with the resulting huge explosion.

Right before I woke up, my next actions in this dream are to try to escape the effects of the blast and find shelter. Which I'm able to find, I'm happy to say.

Like I said at the beginning, I definitely hope this dream doesn't come true, but if it should happen, I hope that like in the dream, I'm able to find shelter and safety.

Making the Most Out of the Audition Process

I'm not sure if I mentioned this before (Yeah, right!), but I've got a bit part is the SCT production of "Annie Get Your Gun", and last Saturday, auditioned for a part in their upcoming production of "The Producers".

In a word, the entire auditioning process is and was nerve wracking. I just wish I had followed this list of rules for making the most out of the audition process that I found online recently, and now present for your edification;

1. Arrive at least 15 minutes early. You don't want to have to rush into your audition. Give yourself time to find the space and warm up.
   
   
2. Pack your bag with a book in case there is waiting and a bottle of water. Not every place has a water fountain.
   
   
3. Be nice to everybody. You never know if the person you are speaking to is important.
   
   
4. There may be several people waiting with you to audition. Remember that they are competing with you for the same job. Don't let them intimidate you.
   
   
5. Wear neat, comfortable clothing. We know you want to look nice, but make sure you can move around the room. And don't wear a costume. Your outfit can suggest the character such as a high-collar blouse for a period piece, but don't get all dressed up.
   
   
6. Careful when using perfume or cologne. You don't want to send anyone out of the room in a sneezing fit.
   
   
7. Try to find some background information about the character you are auditioning for. If you are auditioning for a particular company, be familiar with their work. It can also help you decide which pieces to choose for your audition.
   
   
8. Bring clean and clearly marked sheet music. If you are auditioning for a musical, be sure the music you give the piano player is cut down to 16 bars and is free of stray marks and any stains.
   
   
9. Remember to smile. If you are nervous, take a deep breath and try to relax. Recognize that you are not going to get every job you audition for, but can learn from every experience.
   
   
10. When you are called in for your audition, be confident and smile and unless it is vital, avoid asking too many questions as your audition probably has a tight time slot.
    
    
11. Keep your monologue to about a minute. Most directors can tell in that time if they are interested. Have several pieces prepared and one longer piece in case they ask to see more.
    
    
12. Definitely do not ask if you will be called back. The casting director will let you know, that you can be sure of. If you do get called back, wear the same outfit as during your audition.

As soon as I learn anything regarding my audition for "The Producers", I'll keep you all informed.

Chicken Parisienne

It's been a while, I know since the last time I posted anything on my blog, let alone my "Recipe of the Month", but I've been sooooo busy lately with work, and my life after the imperial court (Did I mention I got a supporting part in the Stockton Community Theatre's production of "Annie Get Your Gun?).

Anyway, here is my latest contribution to the world of epicurean delights;

CHICKEN PARISIENNE

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lbs) cubed*
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom or cream of chicken (or better yet, cream of chicken mushroom with garlic) soup, undiluted
• 2 cans (4 oz each) sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup sour cream (or IMO sour cream substitute)
• 6 cups hot cooked egg noodles

1. Place the chicken in your crock-pot (3 - 5 quart size) and sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika.
2. Add soup, mushrooms and wine to slow cooker; mix well.
3. Cover and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours.
4. Add sour cream or sour cream substitute during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
5. Serve over the noodles that are cooked separately.

As always, eat and enjoy.

*To make it easier to cube your chicken, place it in the freezer till frozen. Then defrost in the microwave for about 1 minute at 50% power. You'll be amazed at how well it slices.

The Good, The Bad, and My Plan for Revenge

I'm a day late posting this, but I was just so dissapointed by the California Supreme Court's recent decision regarding "Proposition Hate" (aka Prop. 8). I have to admit I expected it though.

First the bad news. As much as we may wish it was otherwise, the role of the California Supreme Court is not to make new laws, but to interperet the laws. Prior to that evil, hatefull proposition back in November, 2008 (and I'm still amazed that a state that voted for Obama also passed discrimination into the law), the court only said that as they understood the law, denying gays and lesbians the right to marry their partners was a violation of the law as it stood. So, Prop. 8, which closed the "legal loophole" and made the definition for marriage in California "One man, one woman". That was the bad news. In short, the justices had no legal choice and said (in a 6 to 1 vote) that Prop. 8 would stand.

The good news is that the people who wrote the proposition up did not make it retroactive, which means that all the 18,000 people who were able to get married within the window of opportunity get to stay married. Either they did this out of stupidity (didn't think of making it retroactive) or out of oportunism (the didn't DARE make it retroactive). They may have thought, somewhere in the back of their tiny, spitefull little minds, that the law would prevent all future marriages as well as current marriages might make people less inclined to vote for it. After all, it's one thing to tell people they can't do something, it's quite another to take away something they already have. Possession is 9 tenths of the law after all. I just wish I had been able to find a really desperate ilegal alien who would have been willing to mary me before Prop 8 passed. Sigh.

Now, my plan for revenge.

The judges had now choice in what they did, so I'm not mad at them. But the people who chose to vote for that hateful proposition are another story. They chose to vote for discrimination. So I say we hit them where it'll hurt the most. If the "Eighters" say that two men or two women cannot get married to each other, I say they don't need our money supporting them. Boycot the red businesses (and let them know why), let the yellow business know they're almost worthy of receiving your money, and give hearty thanks and spend your money in the green businesses. Oh, and boycott anything and everything to do with Utah and Mormon owned businesses.

Here is a link to the Human Right's Campaign's "Buyers Guide for 2009".

I suggested this back in November, after the proposition passed (see "Stop Preaching to the Choir"). I thought it would work then, and I think it'll work now.

It will be hard of course, and relys to much on the honor system, but if any of you have a better idea, please tell me! GAYS ON STRIKE!!!!!

The Colors! The Colors!

Colors, and I'm including the so called "non-colors" of white and black, all have special symbolism's and meaning. You can send a message, however subtle, intentional or unintentional, with your choice of colors.

I've done some research, and here is what I've found out, and decided to share with you;

WHITE

White is the color (or lack thereof) that represents purity, neutrality, sterility and youth. White is the presence of all colors and represents peace, innocence, simplicity and security. In western cultures, it is used for weddings, but in may eastern cultures, it is the color for funerals. It is the color of hope. Hope for a new life in marriage, and hope for a new life after this life.

BLACK

Let me begin by saying I'm sorry I couldn't make the title of this section black as well, but considering how the background of my blog is black, I couldn't think of a way how. Black is the absence of all color, which lends itself to the symbolism of death as the absence of life. Black is also the color of the sexy bad guy and the color of intelligence (ex. graduation robes). It is the color of power and sophistication, as well as being the color of wealth. In fashion, black is a slimming color, and the color people always refer to when they say "This color is the new black."

GRAY

Gray (or Grey) is an in between color. It is the dividing line between the goodness of white and the evil of black. It is the color of elegance, stability, and wisdom.

RED

Red is the color of passion. It is the color of lust and appetite (the reason most restaurant's have an overall red interior for their decor is because red makes a person hungrier so they eat more). It is the color of strength, fire, sex and love, and in some eastern cultures it is the color of luck, celebration and wealth. Wear a bright red, and all eyes will turn to you.

ORANGE

Orange is energy and enthusiasm. It symbolizes a "Get-it done" attitude. It is the color of flamboyance and aggression, of playfulness, danger, and desire. It is a less intense or aggressive color than red and is calmed by the cheerfulness of yellow.

YELLOW

Yellow echoes the dual nature of red. While it can evoke feelings of happiness, when confronted with to much yellow people can become annoyed or angry. Yellow is the color of sunlight. Of joy, happiness, and optimism. Yellow is the color of hope (Remember the yellow ribbons?) It is also the color of wealth (gold) and prosperity, while at the same time being the color most often associated with cowardice and avarice. Yellow is a complicated color.

GREEN

Green is the color of nature, wealth, power, and joy, for all wealth has as it's ultimate source the power of nature, and nature always gets the last laugh and has the final word. Green is a soothing color to the eye, and brings to mind images of spring, youth and fertility.

BLUE

The best color to wear for a job interview is blue. Blue is simultaneously non-threatening, confident, and stable. It is the color of confidence and security (ex. police uniforms). Blue is a productive color, and more and more workplaces are going not only green but blue to maximize every moment of the workday. On the negative side, blue is the color of sadness and longing. Who hasn't had a case of the blues, especially when longing for the unobtainable.

PURPLE

Purple is the color of nobility, wisdom and sacrifice which is why it is used by the United State military award of The Purple Heart, to honor those attributes in people wounded or killed in combat defending U.S.A. from it's foes. It is a color symbolising wealth (since only the very rich could afford purple clothing in the past) and royalty (it was reportedly the favorite color of Egypt's Queen Cleopatra).

PINK

Pink is the "sister" color of red in that they are both the colors of love, but like most siblings, they are more different than similar in terms of their symbolism. Where red is the color of lust, desire and passion, pink is the color of tranquility, romance, and innocence. It is the color of the child-like.

BROWN

Brown is the color of dirt, and is therefore the symbol of the earthy. It symbolizes calm, boldness and depth, stability, steadfastness, and dependability (which is most likely why fascists most often use brown in their clothing and uniforms).

That's all I have for you for now. I know there are many more colors I could talk about, but I think these are enough for now.

I got the idea for this post after watching a movie called "The Handmaid's Tale", and how colors were used to indicate function and define roles. I found the concept fascinating, and did some further research (as I mentioned earlier) and discovered how colors can also be used to influence people.

This led me to thinking (selfish bastard that I am) that maybe I could get better results in dealing with people if I wear certain colors, depending on the situation I'm in and the outcome I desire, by wearing the right colors.

Regardless of the outcome, I'll keep you informed and let you know how it turns out.

Three Minutes of Stupidity

This last Thursday (5/20/09) my friend and roommate, Greg, needed a ride to work. After I dropped him off, I took a shortcut to get to work myself, and at one point along the way, I have to cross over some train tracks. On this particular day, there happened to be a train going along the tracks. A VERY long train.

Well, as you can imagine, the barrier arms were down and all the cars were stopped, waiting for the train to finish crossing, and the arms to go up again. So, I drove up to behind the last car, put it into park, and turned off my engine. I think I was the only one that did (turn off my engine I mean). All the other drivers left their engines running for just over three minutes, which I think was completely stupid.

I mean really! Would you go sit in your car while still in the driveway, turn on your motor and just sit there with it running for three minutes? Would you?

Aside from the fact that you're wasting gas, and I don't care how much it's come down in price recently, it's still way to expensive, it puts all sorts of junk and crap into the atmosphere! Can you say "Global Warming"?

I swear, I just wanted to go from driver to driver and scream at them "Do you want the ice caps to melt so we end up like the movie Waterworld? Turn of your f***ing engine!"

Some of you may be thinking "Maybe they needed to keep the engines running so they could run their air conditioners. Don't be so hard on them Wesley." People, it was 7:45 AM and 70*F outside. If you are so spoiled you need to keep the inside of your car below 70*F and cannot bare to put up with 71*F or more for just 3 minutes, pack up your stuff, quit you job and move to Antarctica where it's nice and cold, for now at least. With all the stupid people running their car engines when they're not going anywhere, it won't be so cold for much longer.

I Fell For it Again

It was over 9 months ago, last year, that I wrote about an asshole who toyed with my emotions and in his own somewhat subtle way let me know I was just his "Rice-A-Roni"* in a post I titled "What They're Really Saying", and I swore that I would never let something like that happen to me again. I guess I should have paid more attention to my own words.

I hoped I was wrong this time. I hoped you were different. I'm not sure now.

*"Rice-A-Roni": The ultimate 1970's television game show prize. The one thing that every contestant, on every show new they would be able to go home with no matter how badly they lost the game.

They're All There

Well, it took longer than I thought to go through all my posts finding the recipes I've posted since starting my blog, but if you'll look to your right (NO! Your right!) you will see the list of all the recipes I've posted on my blog.

I will add to the list as I continue to add recipes.

Remember, eat and enjoy.

Updating My Readers

Hi, everybody. It's been a while since my last post, but I've got a very good reason. Well, two very good reasons.

First, I've been cast in the Stockton Civic Theatre's production of "Annie Get Your Gun", but then I mentioned that in a previous post (Mac, the Prop Man). The reason I haven't been posting is all the time I've had to devote to rehearsals, and it's only the third day.

It's been a long time since I've been in an actual theatrical production and I forgot how much work goes into putting on a live stage show, let alone something as complicated and detailed as AGYG.

The second reason is that with this new demand on my time, I've had to schedule everything I want to get done to practically the last minute. I've got work, I've got the play, and I've got the gym to get my sad, overweight body into better shape (instead of pear shaped).

I've managed to get to the gym every morning for an hour of cardio on the treadmill for three days in a row! But to do that, I'm in bed by 9:30 PM to 10:00 PM, awake at 3:30 AM to get to the gym by 4:00 AM, so I can do my workout with enough time to get back home, and out the door again by 7:30 AM so I make it on time for work at 8:00 AM until quiting time at 4:30 PM, and then rehearsals promptly at 6:00 PM, after which, of course, the whole thing starts over again.

I don't have rehearsals this coming Thursday or Friday since they are still doing their production of "The Children's Hour" (and if you haven't seen it, "GO!", you won't be sorry), and I was told they never have rehearsals on those days when they have a show going on.

I'm not complaining though. I'm going to use that time to do a little baking Friday after work. I'm planning to take a big batch of my "Wesley Tollhouse Cookies" to the Saturday rehearsal, and another batch to church at Valley Ministries Church on Sunday.

Such a busy life! I hope you like reading about it, because I plan on keeping you informed.

New Blog Feature

I've been told by many (who don't want anyone to know they read my blog) that the recipes are what they are most interested in. So, I've added a new feature to my blog. If you look to your right (NO! Your right!) you'll see a list (partial so far) called "Straight To The Recipes".

Eventually, I'll have a list of all the recipes I've published so far, in addition to any and all future recipes (or as many as I can get away with).

I hope this makes it easier for you all to enjoy a good home cooked meal.

Keep reading, and I'll keep you all informed.

Mac, the Prop Man

The last few days have been wild, wacky, and stressful for me. Mainly because I auditioned for a part in the Stockton Civic Theatre production of "Annie Get Your Gun".

There were so many people at the audition, many of whom have been in SCT productions previously, and I was very nervous that I wouldn't do a good job, but hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

For my vocal (ie singing) audition, I sang, or should more accurately say, tried to sing "Different" as sung by Cass Elliot in the movie "H. R. Puffinstuff". A friend of mine had burned the music onto a CD for me, and made a few notes in the sheet music for whoever would be playing the piano at the auditions. I practiced by singing along to the CD for about two weeks prior to the try-out, and had it down cold. To make it even better, the accompanist is a professional from Broadway and told everyone who came that day that he could play anything. Well, leave it to me to pick the one song he couldn't play. It wasn't the song or sheet music per se, it was the notes my "friend" added. They were to lite to read, and so the song wasn't as good as I would have liked it to be.

Nevertheless, I was asked to come back for the dance auditions and reading of the script. During this phase, I learned I'm not a very good dancer (shocked, aren't you?). I read for several different parts, and was cast as a character called "Mac, the prop man". I'm not exactly sure who the character is, but it's experience and I intend to play it for all I'm worth. If I do a really good job, who knows what part they'll consider me for in their next play at SCT.

The next play they're doing by the way will be "The Producers", and SCT will be the first non-professional theatre company in California to produce the show. I'm hoping to get the part Mathew Broderick did on Broadway, the part of Leo Bloom. I'm sure the competition will be tough though.

Whatever happens, I'll keep you informed.

By the way, I have only one complaint about being cast as "Mac, the prop man". They spelled my name wrong in the cast list. It's Wesley not Weslie.

A Haiku Poem About a Base Born Mental Defective

When I was in grade school in Honolulu, Hawaii, I learned to write haiku, and used to write them all the time whenever the spirit moved me. They were a way for me to distill my thoughts and emotions as concisely as possible.

I haven't written many in recent years, and my last one was posted on this blog was way back on June 10th, when I wrote A Haiku Poem About Silence, but last night, my spirit and emotions were moved by a base born mental defective* who thinks the wool has been pulled over the eyes of not only myself, but a good many other people.

So, it is to this person I dedicate my latest haiku;

Time and time again,

Thousands of words will be used.

Nothing will be said.

*(Sounds a lot nicer than saying Bastard Moron, doesn't it)