Last Night I had the Strangest Dream

This one was really weird. In my dream I'm in the parking lot of a shopping mall, and all of a sudden, water is everywhere. I look over to my right and I see this wall of water, like a tidal wave, about 7 or 8 feet high, coming towards me. Now, I cannot swim, so I start looking for something that will put me as high up as I can get. I look around and notice a huge, black hummer or pick-up truck nearby, and I climb up on top of it, just as the wall of water reaches my location.

Inside the vehicle is it's owner, Thom Bierdz II, a Facebook friend of mine, who invites me to sit inside the vehicle with him and his partner. I wonder out loud what could have happened to cause this phenomenon and Thom tells me that something crashed into a nearby lake. I speculate that it was a meteorite or something, but he tells me it was an airplane.

Anyway, the water starts rising some more, so Thom, his partner, and I start driving out o the parking lot towards higher ground which we can see nearby. I'm worried that the water will sweep us all away, but they both assure me that we're safe in their Hummer or whatever it is (seriously, in the dream it was like this HUGE monster truck), which apparently has a watertight engine compartment, because it didn't get flooded and we all made it to safety.

Please believe me, that as much as I would like to meet Thom in person (he played one of my grandmother's favorite characters on her favorite daytime drama), this is one dream I definitely hope DOESN'T come true.

Friendly Brownies

I have been away from my Tao for a long time, but I'm back, and hope you like this new recipe. I thought about posting it for some time now, and it's for all my friends who are Type I or Type II diabetics. I cannot claim credit for creating it of course, but I did do the research all by myself and found it, and shouldn't that count for something? :)

 

 

NO-GUILT BROWNIES

 

 

• 3 egg whites
• 3/4 cup 1% cottage cheese
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled
• 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar

1. Place the egg whites, cottage cheese and vanilla in a blender, cover and process until smooth.
2. Combine the sugar, flour, baking powder and salt; add to cottage cheese mixture. Cover and process for 30 seconds.
3. Add the chocolate; cover and process just until blended (about 15 seconds).
4. Spread into an 8" square baking pan coated with cooking spray.
5. Bake at 350*F for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. (Do not over bake)
6. Cool on a wire rack.
7. Dust with confectiners' sugar.
8. Cut into bars.

And as always, eat and enjoy.

 



 

Tea Party Cowards

First, let me just say how sorry I am for not posting more frequently. I guess that since I started with Facebook, my blog just fell by the wayside, but I'm hoping to change all that. I was just thinking, after reading a Facebook post by my friend Michael Tattersall, and a comment from one Luis H, that the so called republican 'Tea Party' are basically celebrating men who were not so much heroes as cowards. Now, before some start getting all hater on me, please hear me out.

While the Boston Tea Party was an act of resistance and defiance against the Tea Act of 1773, I see it as somewhat of a cowardly act for the men who dumped all that tea into Boston harbor donning costumes and wearing make-up to look like Mohawk Indians. True, they were committing an illegal act and they didn't want they or their families to be arrested and/or executed for the crime, but why not just wear masks? Why try to offer up a scapegoat in the Native Americans.

Some will say that it was a symbolic choice and showed the participants rejecting traditional European symbolism, but I see it as something more sinister. I see it as a way for them to kill two birds with one stone; 'We get to defy the British, and the British will punish the Indians'.

Crockpot Spinach Casserole

I've come to the realization that ever since I joined Facebook, I just don't post here in my blog all that much anymore, and I don't know if that makes me sad, glad, or indifferent.

However it makes me feel, I'll still come here as often as I can to post a new recipe, or whenever whatever I have to say is just too much for a Facebook post.

Such is the case today.

I came across this recipe recently while thumbing through an old 'Taste of Home' magazine my grandmother once had and thought I would give it a try. Since so much of my time these days is taken up with work, the gym, or the theatre, I found it to be a real time saver, and quite tasty as well. I hope you enjoy it at much as I did, and please, feel free to add your own 'ala (insert your name here)' touches and let me know how it came out.

CROCKPOT SPINACH CASSEROLE

• 2 boxes frozen spinache, thawed and drained


• 2 1/2 cups cottage cheese


• 1/3 cup margarine


• 3 eggs, beaten


• 1/4 cup flour


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 1/4 tsp pepper

1. Lightly grease your crockpot slowcooker (I used an olive oil non-stick spray from Western Family)


2. Mix together all ingredients and spoon into your crockpot


3. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours

It's just that simple, and as always, eat and enjoy.

Norwegian Stuffed Cabbage Stew

I knew I hadn't posted a 'Recipe of the Month' for a long time, but didn't really realize how long till I was getting ready to post this one. I hope all of my readers can forgive me.

This dish was inspired by my involvment in the Stockton Civic Theatre production of 'I Remember Mama', when the Hansen family of early 20th century San Francisco had to eat a LOT of it to save money. I therefore tried to make it not only economical, but as tasty and nutritious as I could.

You will need a 5 quart crockpot for this dish.

Norwegian Stuffed Cabbage Stew

1 head of cabbage. Quarter your cabbage to remove the tough spine, then roughly chop.

1 large white onion

1 - 2 yellow bell peppers

1 lb lean ground beef

2 cloves minced garlic

1 cup uncooked, intant rice

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp peper

1/4 tsp ground thyme

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 can (6 0z) tomato paste

32 oz low sodium chicken stock

Finely chop the onion and bell pepper and place them in your crockpot.

Brown your ground beef with the two cloves of garlic, then strain through a collander and discard the greasy hamburger fat.

Add the browned ground beef to the onions and bell peppers.

Sprinkle over the mixture in the crockpot the salt, pepper, ground thyme, nutmet and cinnamon.

Add your one cup of uncooked instant rice

Add your roughly chopped cabbage

Combine the tomato paste and chicken stock. Whisk till throroughly blended then pour over the cabbage.

Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours.

You'll find it filling and tasty, and it won't break the bank, not even 'The Little Bank'.

As always, eat and enjoy.

Crock Pot Pineapple Upside Down Cake

I haven't posted a recipe on my blog in long time. Not in fact since I posted my recipe for Polenta Style Corn Casserole back on April 26th, 2011, and for that I'm sorry. Not for the recipe, but for not posting any new ones for such a long time.

Anyway, my good friend Mike Moon was talking about how he made blueberry muffins on his BBQ because he didn't want to heat up his kitchen (In this weather I can sooooo understand that), and that got me to thinking of another baking recipe in my collection that won't heat up your kitchen.

CROCK POT PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

• 1 package of your favorite poundcake mix


• 1/4 cup butter


• 1/2 cup brown sugar (tightly packed)


• 15 oz canned pineapple chunks (reserve the juices)


• 8 maraschino cherries, halved

1. Mix the cake according to the mix directions, using some of the juice as part of the liquid


2. Melt the butter or margarine in a lightly greased (ie Pam) baking tin that is small enough to fit into your crockpot


3. Stir in the brown sugar and spread evenly over the bottom of the baking tin


4. Add the pineapple chunks and cherry halves (and if you want to get creative, try making a happy little face with them)


5. Poor in the cake batter and place the tin in your crockpot. Cover and set on high for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours


6. Before removing, insert a knife in the center of the cake. If the knife comes out clean, the cake is done (that is assuming of course you used a clean knife to begin with)


7. When the cake is done, remove the tin from the crockpot and emediately invert onto a plate


8. "TAH-DAH". You've just made a pineapple upside down cake in something most people think can only make soups and stews.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did. I just wish Nutrisystem had this as a menu option.

Bye-bye for now, and remember as always, 'Eat and Enjoy'.

My Minor Little Coup

I haven't talked about my investments in a long time, and there is a very good reason. Like most of the people who had money in "The Market", the last few years were a disaster, but I think I've rounded that corner, beginning my long, slow climb back up.

A few months ago, when it became clear to me that the politicians were starting to play a serious game of "I've Got Bigger Balls Than You" (aka "Chicken") with the United States' AAA credit rating, I slowly started selling off the bulk of my investments and got into a 100% cash position. Then I began to slowly take small bites out of the investment pie for lack of a better term. In a phrase, I did my research.

I wanted more diversification than I could get at the moment by buying my own stocks, I wanted to keep the expenses down, and I wanted the ability to get into and out of a position quickly if I had to. That meant ETFs, or Exchange Traded Funds.

Keeping my eyes and ears open (Thank you CNBC TV and 740 AM radio), I started taking $100 bites out of 4 different stock ETFs and one bond ETF that concentrates on TIPS (Treasury Inflation Protected Securities).

Since I had built up my cash position to 100% of my portfolio, every time the market took a dive, I would set a limit order to buy a small number of shares in the 5 ETFs I chose, and then, after I bought, I set new limit orders to buy into each fund again when the price fell 1% or more below the previous price. This is called "Dollar Cost Averaging". That and keeping calm has served me well so far.

My total gains for the year, 16.4%.

I wonder if anyone would be interested in starting an investment club.

When I Cannot Let it Rest

In my work for the State of California as an accounting technician, every last working day of the month I am required to 'balance the checkbook' for three different divisions in my section. I really enjoy my work, but the last working day of the month can be a very stressful time.

For years now, as a little treat for myself, whenever that day fell on a Friday, I made it a habit to go out to dinner. I used to go to one of two different buffets, but that got to be to fattening (lol), so now it's either a trip to the Olive Garden or Appleby's.

This month, I ended up at Appleby's.

Now, my great-grandmother and many others have often told me that God puts us where we most need to be. Whenever we save a life, help a friend change a tire, help a child who has fallen down, or a winter coat at a 70% off sale, it's because God put us there, and I like to think God had me decide on Appleby's last night to witness the stupidity of man.

Since I was eating alone, I saw no point in waiting for a table or booth, so went right up to sit at the bar. I hadn't been there very long (just long enough to order a glass of water with lemon and the chips and salsa appetizer) when this one guy took a seat not to far from me. What made me notice him was the fact that he was wearing a tank-top.

Please know that I have nothing against tank-tops, I just don't think you should wear anything that exposes your armpits to a restaurant.

Something else that drew my attention to 'Tank-Top Man' was a tattoo I noticed on his upper left arm. The tattoo? It was of a bible passage, not the whole thing of course, just
'Leviticus 18:22'.

Now, I am not a Bible scholar, but I do have a passing familiarity with the Bible, and believe me when I say, it really made me mad that he would display such a tattoo in public. I mean, why not one of the following tattoos instead;

• God hates shrimp - Leviticus 11:9-12


• God hates poly-cotton blends - Leviticus 19:19


• God approves of slavery - Exodus 21:20-21 & Ephesians 6:5-6


• God wants you to pay your taxes without griping about it - Matthew 22:17-21


• God approves of the killing of women and children - Deuteronomy 2:33-34

Oh, and lest I forget;

• God hates tattoos - Leviticus 19:28

I'm sorry, but I'm really getting kind of sick and tired of so called 'Christians' picking and choosing what parts of the Bible they are going to follow.

I also came very close to calling the police on that guy. Why? Well;

1. He had shrimp with his dinner.


2. That tank-top was probably a polly-cotton blend.


3. In a conversation he had with the bartender, he started to complain about 'Those fat cats in DC wanna raise our taxes again'.


4. He had that ugly tattoo.

That's four biblical violations right there.

A Miserable Savings Account

Being single visits a kind of constant, low-intensity misery on a person - at least on a person who doesn't want to be single.

Coming home to an empty house, not having anyone to confide it, facing illnesses on your own - being alone hurts, but people can get use to it.

But being in a long-term relationship doesn't spare you from all that day to day pain. It just banks it. Every day you're not alone, a little misery gets put into a miserable savings account, where interest is compounded hourly.

The day you and your loved one separate, or even worse your loved one dies, all the pain that was avoided when you were coupled gets paid out at once with all the accumulated interest. You will suffer a windfall of misery.

I still wish I could open that miserable savings account though.

A Thing I've Never Done

I honestly don't know how it all got started, but somehow, my e-mail address book was hacked into, and someone or some group with nothing better to do, started bombarding my friends, family (including a 13 year old niece), and co-workers with spam adds for porn and Viagra.

I have said, and will continue to say (and please excuse the yelling) "I HAVE NOT SENT, NOR WOULD EVER SEND ANYONE (well, maybe Ann Coulter, Michele Bachmann, and Maggie Gallagher to annoy them because they annoy me) ANY INAPPROPRIATE E-MAIL TO ANYONE!"

I've said this till I'm blue in the face and my eyes have crossed, and for the most part, I like to think that my friends know me well enough in the first place that those e-mails were never from me, and in the second place would accept my word to be as good, if not better than platinum (gold can be so garish).

One 'friend' however has chosen not to believe me, and that makes me very sad and angry because they know and think so little of me, that they would assume my instant guilt for a thing I've never done.

I'm Sorry, but Not Sorry

Today was a cardio day at the gym, and I had a great workout for the most part. My only problem is that I don't know why some people even bother going to they gym if they insist on maintaining certain unhealthy habits, and then take offense because I took offense.

I was on the treadmill, going strong at 3.9 MPH with a goal of going for a full 60 minutes. I had been on for about 20 minutes and everything was going fine when this one gentleman got on to the treadmill next to mine.

Ordinarily, that would not have been a problem, but I could tell within less than a minute that the guy was a very (and I do mean VERY) heavy smoker. The man reeked of smoke, and I found the odor offensive. I have nothing against people who smoke, as long as they don't do it around me, but this guy stank of it so much, he might as well have been a giant pile of tobacco ash.

If I had just started on the treadmill, I could have gone to another, but I had already been going on the one I was on for about 20 minutes by that point, and I don't like breaking my stride when I've been going for that long. So, I took my little towel and held it over my nose, to block out the smell.

This apparently offended the guy, because he made a big to do about stopping his machine and stomping off to another one further away from me.

Part of me wanted to apologize for giving such offense that he felt the need to throw a temper tantrum, but . . . I wasn't sorry.

Last Night I had the Strangest Dream

In the dream, I learned that a flood was coming and I had no time to escape the path of destruction. I didn't even have time to write a farewell epitaph. All I could do was try to secure myself to a stone table (I have no idea why the table was stone) and pray for the best.

I could see the water getting closer and closer, and hear the roar of it's waves getting louder and louder and time seemed to go into slow motion.

Finally, the rushing water of the flood was right upon me, so I put my head down and held on tight, but then the strange part happened. Nothing happened. For some reason, the water and all it's flotsam and jetsam passed over me and didn't so much as scratch me.

After the water stopped rushing, I thought at first that I would have to dig myself out of the mud and other debris, but with the exception of plodding though the mud which came up to my mid shins, the mud wasn't that deep.

I wish I knew what the dream meant, if it had any meaning at all.

Rude People & the 6:00 a.m. Cutoff

I've noticed lately that when I get to the gym before 6:00 a.m., it's not only less crowded, but the people seem so much nicer.

Today, I got to the gym at about 8:00 a.m., and the people were NOT nice.

I do a circuit training system I've been developing and tinkering with for a while now, based on the book "Spartan Warrior Workout" by Dave Randolf. When I say tinkering, I mean that I've adapted it to my somewhat hurried schedule, so that I get the maximum amount of training in the minimum amount of time.

The only monkey wrench in the gears comes when someone decides to use the same piece of equipment that I need to use.

I honestly don't mind sharing the facilities, for although I think I'm the most important person in my world, I believe in being considerate of others. I just wish certain others felt the same way.

At one of the chest press machines, I asked the person who had just finished using it if I could work in on the same machine. His response; "I've just got one more set". Well, he just sat there for two minutes (Yes, I timed him) doing nothing. If he was taking a break, why couldn't I use the machine in the meantime, because really, it doesn't take me two minutes to pump out 10 reps at the current weight I press.

Then, at the pull-up machine, a different person draped her towel over the handlebar and just walked away. I asked her if I could use the machine while she was gone, but she just said "I'm coming right back". Well folks, I noticed that she did come back after about 5 minutes. Where was she in the meantime? Talking to her husband/boyfriend or whatever he was to her. I wanted to scream "THIS IS NOT A SINGLES BAR, LADY!" but sadly, couldn't bring myself to do it.

Things like this always happen when I get to the gym after 6:00 a.m.

And the World Kept Spinning

The end of the world was predicted for today, and while I'm not 100% sure, I think we are all still here.

People have been predicting the end of the world since they could first conceive of the world having a beginning, and I have a theory why certain Doomsday cults actually want it to happen so badly. These irresponsible people, who spread fear through ignorance, want it to happen so they can wag their collective fingers at the sinners left behind and gloat how they were right all along as they make their triumphant Ascension into Heaven.

Well people, and yes, I know none of the 'righteous' are likely to be reading my personal blog, I don't think you'll EVER get into heaven. Why? Because when you are filled with so much hate, you're to heavy for God's angels to lift you Up, so, with no other option, you will be sinking Down.

Mastered By None

"Beware of those who would deny you access to information, for in their hearts they dream themselves your master."

Brenden Shucart

Envy

Envy lurks in every body, and oppression hides in every heart; power reveals it, and weakness conceals it.

Scheherazade

from "The Tale of the Wazir & the Sage Duban"

found in "The Arabian Nights"

My Tribute to My Grandma

TO MY BELOVED GRANDMA GENTRY

Oh, God - our heavenly Father.

Oh, God - and my grandmother

Who is Also in Heaven,

May the light of this flickering candle,

Illuminate the night the way,

Your spirit illuminates my soul.

Grandma, can you hear me?

Grandma, can you see me?

Grandma, can you find me in the night?

Grandma, are you near me?

Grandma, can you hear me?

Grandma, can you help me not be frightened?

Looking at the skies, I seem to see a Million eyes,

Which ones are yours?

Where are you now that yesterday has waved goodbye

And closed it's doors?

The night is so much darker;

The wind is so much colder;

The world is so much bigger,

Now that I'm alone.

Grandma, please forgive me.

Try to understand me;

Grandma, don't you know I had no choice?

Can you hear me praying?

Anything I'm saying;

Even though the night is filled with voices?

I remember everything you taught me,

Every book I've ever read.

Can all the words in all the books

Help me to face what lies ahead?

The trees are so much taller,

And I feel so much smaller;

The moon is twice as lonely,

And the stars are half as bright.

Grandma, how I love you.

Grandma, how I need you.

Grandma, how I miss you kissing me good night.

The Ultimate Choice

The world is an inferno, full of darkness and evil, and there are only two ways of dealing with it.

The first is easy, but wrong; you accept it, and become a part of it.

The second way is hard, but right; you fight it.

Polenta-Style Corn Casserole

It's been a long time since I posted to my personal blog, and an even longer time since I posted a recipe. I know it's no excuse, but with everything going on in my life at work and in the theatre, it is only recently that I've had any time.

Anyway, recently, I had a small dinner party for some of my friends ("Thanks again for comming, Shawn, Dan, and Greg"). I really like having people over for dinner. It gives me a chance to expirement a little in the kitchen, adapting recipies to make them taistier (or healthier). I get to see my friends and loved ones in a relaxing and stress free environment, and I'd be lying if I didn't admit, it gives me a chance to show off my cooking skills.

One of the side dishes I searved that night was a crok-pot casserole I came across in a
cook-book I found at the local Good Will store. I made a few subtle changes, tyring to make it even healthier while at the same time even more filled with deliciousness.

POLENTA-STYLE CORN CASSEROLE

• 1 can (14 1/2 oz) low-sodium chicken broth


• 1/2 cup cornmeal


• 1 can (7 oz) corn, drained


• 1 can (4 oz) green chilies, drained


• 1/4 cup each red, yellow, & green bell pepper diced


• 1/4 cup diced white onion


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 1/4 tsp pepper


• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Pour chicken broth into a 2 to 3 quart Crock-Pot slow cooker.

Whisk in cornmeal.

Add corn, chillies, bell peppers, onion, salt and pepper and stir well.

Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours (best results)

After cooking, stir in cheese and continue cooking for another 15 to 30 minutes or untill the cheese melts.

All of my guests really liked this dish, and said it went well with the BBQ salmon and roasted vegetables. I'm sure you'll all enjoy it as well.

Till next time, remember; "Eat and enjoy".

Correct or A Prude?

While I was at the gym (24 Hour Fitness) earlier today, something happened that is making me ask "Was I right, or am I a prude?"

I had finished my work out and had gone into the locker room to change out of my gym clothes and into my regular clothes like I always do, when another one of the club members brought his young daughter (3 to 4 years old) into the men's locker room.

It just didn't seem right to me somehow, bringing a small girl like that into an area where fully grown men are in various states of undress.

I spoke to the manager about it, but he just looked at me like I was some sort of crazy person and said he would look into it.

Now, I ask you, was I right to say something, or am I just being a prude?