Let’s talk music. One of my true passions in life.  Brings happiness to my heart.  I cannot go without it.  And I have a pretty extensive catalog.  You could say that I collect it.  Not one genre for me, I enjoy just about all music. (Excluding most mainstream country, hip-hop, rap, & techno).  My parents gifted me at an early age with good music in the house.  My father was a real music lover and his styles were all over the place.  He liked classical, new age, rock, modern & folk.  I miss making him copies of albums that I enjoyed.  He would call me and we would talk about the music.  He passed onto me a love for music and I can’t thank him enough for it.  And I can’t ignore the influence my mom had on me.  We would watch MTV & VH1 together.  I absolutely loved music videos growing up.  And while my dad wasn’t into pop music, my mom was.  Some of the music from the 80’s I think isn’t very good.  But I still get nostalgic over some of those silly tunes.  So growing up, we had a lot of music in our house.

                I also write & record my own music.  When I was young my uncle gave my father a guitar.  He taught me some chords to play.  It was a fun “toy” at the time, but as children tend to do I eventually grew bored and moved on to other activities.  I ignored the instrument for years, and then in my mid-twenties I reconnected with it.  I found playing guitar to be very therapeutic.  I started out recording only multi-tracked instrumentals.   When I was taking a poetry class in college it seemed that many of the poems I wrote could also accompany the music I wrote.  It became a relaxing hobby.  And I’ve recorded a good deal of songs.  I still enjoy it to this day, though I don’t play as often as I’d like.  But the songs I have recorded are windows to my past that if ever desired I can revisit.  All thanks to music.

                Sharing music with friends is also such a joy.  To relate with someone over song.   And what about that feeling when one of your favorite artist releases new material.  The anticipation leading up to the release.  The excitement when you are first able to give it a spin.  To soak it in.  The different textures you notice on subsequent listens.  Or when you hear a song that’s evaded you for years.  The memories that surge forward in that moment.  The emotions that it evokes.  Goosebumps!  It’s a powerful thing, music. 

                Let me step back a bit.  Not all music is equal, at least to me.  The so called “music” my dear wife plays in the mornings makes me want to cry.  I’ve never been a morning person.  The morning alarm is my enemy.  Always has been.  The struggle I undergo just to pull myself out of bed.  The tremendous effort it takes for me to make it to the coffee.  And once the caffeine begins to bring a little spark to my mind, the realization that I’m only up so I can go to work and spend 8 or so hours listening to a mad Llama speak nonstop hits me like a brick to the head.  It’s heartbreaking.  I sulk on the couch.  Then I hear the beats coming from down the hallway.  Snoop Dog, Drake, 2Pac, NWA, Ice Cube, Nikki Minaj, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Deadmaus, & lots of techno…  Those are only the ones I recognize.  What is already a rather torturous moment has now just become nearly unbearable.  I wince to myself and proceed with my day all the while loathing the song that will be stuck with me for hours.  What a way to start the day. 

                It’s not fair of me to say that her morning music makes my ears bleed.  Music is subjective.  What sounds like pots & pans banging together to me might sound like Mozart to someone else.  And while she does listen to abominable music to my morning ears, she does share a lot of the same taste as I do.  I might not like her “let’s get amped!” music, but it’s another thing that makes Bekah, Bekah.  And I wouldn’t ask for anything else.  Besides, maybe it’s my ears that are not as refined because I don’t like rap in the morning?  I mean, Kanye West sales millions of records.  Millions of people can’t be wrong, can they?

 When we began dating I would make her mix CDs, some of which have still survived to this day.  Music was something that we bonded over.  We still have music nights at the house where we don’t have the TV on and we just jam out.  Love those nights.  We play the music that we both like.  The music that brings us together.  That’s one of the fantastic things about music.  Music is for everyone.  And different styles are there for your different moods & settings.  Had a long day at work and want to relax while I cook, let’s hear some piano and strings.  Experiencing road rage because some a** just pulled out in front of me, how about some punk music with heavy distortion.  Feel like punishing myself for past indiscretions, let’s put on some hip-hop.  There is never a moment that I can’t find the right music for my mood.  And if all else fails I can always rely on the Sirius reggae station to never let me down.

What would the world be like without music, I ask?  How would you feel without it?  Think of the times in history where music played an important role.  It’s been a rallying call for soldiers on the battlefields for centuries.  It brought people together in times of trouble.  Stories have been passed down generations through song.  Without it the world would be a different place.  A boring place.  So go listen to some music.  Please play a song that makes you happy.  Because that’s what it’s all about, happiness.

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Jalapeño

Grilled chicken with country gravy topped with my favorite pepper.  I know most people would think this meal should feature fried chicken.  I don’t really care for fried foods.  This is a light alternative.  And really, to my taste, the better way to serve this meal.

Tikka Masala.  I don’t know why I don’t make this more often.  It’s so easy to prepare and it taste so good.  One of two of the Indian cuisines that I know how to prepare.  Maybe I should venture out.

Spaghetti squash w/ spicy meat sauce.  I was going to originally make meatballs but got lazy.  Had my sister-in-law over for dinner.  She seemed really impressed.  I worried that the massive jalapeños I put in the sauce would have been too hot for her.  Does anyone else put jalapeño in spaghetti sauce? 

Chicken Yakitori, which translates to chicken on a stick.  This is the only meal I use chicken thighs with.  I just don’t care for them.  They are too greasy.  This meal is the only exception.  A very good Japanese dish.  I let the chicken marinate in a soy, hoisin, sriracha, ginger mix for 48 hours.  Delicious!  And I’m kind of stuck on roast broccoli. 

 I made pizza!  Kind of hooked on these toppings at the moment.

Cocktail of the Week:  Jalapeño Margarita Martini

                It’s already May and the students have left for the summer.  It feels like they just got back from the winter break.  I don’t know how this year has already slipped almost halfway by.  I suppose the fact that the weather has remained relatively cool might have something to do with it not yet feeling like summer is almost upon us.  We have had a nice period of cloudy days and thunderstorms.  Winter storms in May?  Top temperature in the 50s?  That’s almost unheard of in Texas this time of year. 

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                Everyone is so excited for the summer months to arrive.  I don’t know what the big deal is.  You like being hot & sweaty?  So you like feeling miserable?  Because that what it is to me.  Miserable.  I have to wonder about people that find that alluring.  Do they also like being punched in the eye?  Do they enjoy being stung by bees?  Falling down a stairwell their idea of a good time?  Baking in the summer heat is the equivalent.  Yay to high electric bills!  Yay to high water bills!  What a time to celebrate!  Mosquito bites & sunburns!!!  Hip hip hooray!!! 

I realize this is basically a long winded complaint about my least favorite season.  I’m sorry for that.  I hate complaints.  I hear too many of them all day long. 

                Yes I’m living in the wrong state if its summer I fear.  As stated previously, I love the cloudy skies.  The rain.  Cold weather.  And I have gotten pretty lucky this spring.  It has been a wet one.  Our lakes look like lakes again.  My memory doesn’t recall seeing so much water in Twin Buttes.  The last time they were at this percentage was July 5^th 1993.  Places that I use to spend a lot of time at are submerged.  If only they had practiced some land management.  So many water hazards out there.  It’s still very nice to see, nevertheless.  Saturday morning we got blasted.  Wind damage all over town.  Old tree’s snapped like tooth picks.  Somehow my house got lucky.  All around us: apocalyptic.  Positive note: 2.9 inches of rain.  Most that I’ve measured all year.  See our lake levels go up again.

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                One good thing about summer is the quiet campus.  After the hustle & bustle of the two proceeding semesters, it’s just so nice to have a little silence.  Honestly, it takes a little getting time to adjust.  I can now drive the golf cart across campus worry free.  Most of the year it’s a game of dodging the deaf & blind hooked to tiny computers.  Zombies completely engaged in the devices they carry that they neither see nor hear what surrounds them.  I wish they would disconnect & enjoy the beautiful world they let pass by.  I had an English professor tell me to take a moment out of each day, sit down, and write a little about what you observe either by sight or sound.  Just a small sentence or more.  Every day you will have a moment to take with you.  Memory is an unreliable camera.  Maybe more people should take that moment?   Oh Well.  That’s a rant for another time.

                To those of you that enjoy this dreadful time of year, cheers!  I Hope your deodorant holds up.   I will be cranking my AC & hiding from the sun whenever possible.  If you see me out in it, know that it’s not by choice.  I am probably miserable & day dreaming of temperate climates far from west Texas.  I’m envisioning glaciers in Alaska.  And if I hear you complain about the heat, I will remind you:  YOU wanted this.

                Jalapeño

                Teriyaki chicken w/ pineapple & jalapeño.  I now know how to make leftovers!  Just make a meal so spicy that Bekah can’t finish it.  Walla!!!  Leftovers!  I only used 2 peppers for goodness sake.  I guess this meal falls into the “only eat when Bekah is gone” section of our menu.  Bekah ended up making Mac & Cheese.  Insult to the cook!

                Coconut chicken curry served over broccoli.  I mean, this is just a good dish. 

                Ground chicken Asian style lettuce wraps.  This is only the second time that I’ve cooked with ground chicken.  I’m now looking forward to finding other delicious ways to incorporate it into my diet.

                Italian seasoned blacked pork tenderloin w/ raspberry chipotle sauce & Brussel sprouts.  NO JALAPENO!!!  I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it doesn’t need the green pepper.  The sauce is warm enough.

                Beef bulgogi.  This is a HelloFresh meal that my friend gave me.  I was a bit hesitant.  Bekah was excited.  I prefer chicken if I’m having bulgogi.  This was my first time to have ground beef.  It turned out pretty good.  Beef was a little too high of fat content for Bekah.  She said she needed to scrape her tongue after eating.  But it was a hit.  I had to spice it up a bit.  One thing that I’ve learned from meal kits is that they are generally bland unless you add some extra flavor.  I get this.  Provide the basics and let customers determine how much “kick” they want to add.  Most people don’t like their tongues to burn.

Cocktail of the week:  Scotch on the Rocks

The week leading up to my biannual doctor visits always leave me anxious.  My wife and others have said I should have bumped this appointment to an earlier date, but I am stubborn.  I’ve been going through a little bit of a moment with my condition.  For the last 2 months my blood sugar levels have been consistently lower than I am use to.  Dangerously low, depending on whom you ask.  Checked it one morning and it was at 35.  Lowest it’s ever been.  I was alone in the house that morning.  Bekah was out of town.  That was a bit of a scare.  I don’t want to be part of the percentage of type 1 diabetics that die from Dead in Bed Syndrome.  BTW, what an amazing name right there.  Genius!  Dead in Bed Syndrome.  How original.  Lots of heads came together for that one.  Doctor: “He died in his bed asleep?  Hmmmmm???  I got it!!  Let’s call it Dead in Bed Syndrome!!!”  The medical world really knocked it out the park right there.  Pretty tactless.  I’ve got enough sleep related disorders.  Can I please not pass away while in la-la land?  At least not at the ripe old age of 37.

                Had another scare a couple weeks ago at lunch.  Just left Chick-Fil-A and was planning on enjoying just the chicken part of my sandwich when I suddenly got light headed.  Pulled into the baseball parking lot and checked: 47.  It had been at 109 not even thirty minutes prior!!  Well, it was a good thing I ordered a sandwich instead of my usual nuggets.  I scarfed that thing down in record time all the while worrying I was going to pass out.  I also ate a cookie.  While I sat in my car waiting to feel comfortable enough to drive again I had the weirdest sensation.  My lips went numb and tingly.  It felt like the hair on my arms was standing but it wasn’t.  It was all so unpleasant and worrisome.  When I got back to the office my mind was about as far away from work as it could be.  It happened again while in Fredericksburg.  On the way to the wedding it was 48.  Had to eat a bag of skittles. 

                On a positive note:  I have been able to enjoy carbs again without worrying about sugar levels sky rocketing!  I have not been able to really eat fruits for the last 9 years.  Do you want to know what my favorite thing was before I was diagnosed?  FRUITS!!!  Orange Juice!!  Any type of melon.  God I miss cantaloupe.  They smell sooooo good.  When I was growing up a cantaloupe was often our weekend breakfast.  I torture myself in the produce section at H.E.B.  I can’t help but take in the aromas.  If I can’t eat the fruit I sure as hell will smell them.  What a thing to have taken away from you.  Something that you had enjoyed for 28 years.  No longer an option.   

                Okay, I’m being a little dramatic.  I could have always dosed myself with insulin and waited half an hour and gone to town on some delicious fruits.  But who wants to constantly stick themselves with a needle?  And then you have to really monitor your levels which means I’d be stabbing my fingers all day making sure that I didn’t bottom out.  Really takes the fun out of the day, let me tell you. So I just do what is easiest, I abstain.  Begrudgingly. 

                So what going on with me?  My friend Jamie jokes that it’s Llama boy.  Well he is affecting my life in a negative way, that’s for sure.  Driving me absolutely bat s*** crazy.  Shoot me please!   Stress can change blood sugars levels but not as drastically as mine have been.  I wish I could blame the Llama.  Go to HR and claim my life is in danger because of my coworker’s behavior.  Shame.  Either way, Llama boy needs to go.  Pronto!

                So finally my date with the vampires arrived.  And they were hungry!  Nothing like waking up early, skipping breakfast & coffee, seated in a waiting room with people that don’t want to be there only to have the blood drawn from your arm.  And they are vicious, these vampires!  I think mine was a trainee.  She poked and poked and “oh, there we go.”  As if to make it all better, she wrapped my arm in blue & green dinosaurs, offered me a sucker and said have a nice day.  At least I wasn’t at work until nine.  That’s one less hour with Llama.  And I heard that hour was the worst.

                The doctor’s visit.  A week of anxiety reaches its conclusion.  What is wrong with me?  What is my diagnosis?  Well, it appears I am doing TOO good a job at treating my diabetes.  I need to live a little and enjoy some carbs.  Lab results: I’m in good health.  A1C is great.  I need to take less insulin.  As I’m writing this and eating skittles because I’m shaky.  Although I am happy to hear good results, I still clearly am having lows. Something to continue to worry about.  Maybe it will take a while for my system to level out again?  Who knows?  This is my life.

                With that behind me the weekend was here and it turned out to be a fairly lame one.  Bekah was off to Midland to see her mother so I was alone with the children.  I took my mom out for Mother’s Day and she treated herself to a Bahama Mama.  Bekah came home to a nice surprise from Hazel & Owen.  They are such thoughtful children.  And with that the weekend’s over and it’s Monday.  That’s a wrap.

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Jalapeño 

I made some green enchilada chicken.  It’s nice to have spicy foods back on the menu.  This one had a nice mellow heat.  The egg really gave a nice silky texture.  I think it’s simplicity that makes it the perfect Monday meal.

Blacked chicken with a sweet soy reduction & roasted sriracha broccoli.  This was a new one.  I use that sauce pretty frequently on tuna and after this meal I think it’s going to end up on many other dishes. Very simple to prepare, which was great because I spent 2 hours working in the yard and almost passed out form a low.

Caribbean jerk pork tenderloin w/ soy snap peas.  One of Bekah’s favorite meals that I make.  The contrast between the pineapple & jalapeño.  Delicious.  Since my levels have been out of whack I might as well treat myself to a little fruit.  A real treat it was.

Fish taco salad.  Before starting my diet in August this was just tacos.  I actually think I now prefer this rendition.  And the sauces.  Red is habanero.  The white sauce.  Some heavenly blend of spices and Greek yogurt. Perfecto! 

Orange chicken stir-fry.  Something about overcast and cool weather made me crave a Chinese dish.  This one doesn’t have any jalapeño in it.  That’s because it’s loaded with Thai red chilies.  Well, mine is.  Bekah will have nothing to do with them.  She says it feels like acid is burning her throat.  I don’t know how many times she has thought a meal I cooked is inedible.  It’s really just a weakness.  This meal is great in every way. 

Stuffed jalapeños.  What else do I need to say?

Teriyaki steak.  I got high praise for this meal.

I must also mention the chocolate.  I almost killed my wife.  In my defense I had no idea it would be so hot.  Heat warnings on candy are usually a joke.  This had a warning for a reason.  Boy was I wrong is dismissing them.  I’ve had ghost peppers and that is what this chocolate felt like.  Biting into a ghost.  When that heat crept up and took over I was in a state of shock.  Never have I had candy this hot.  I could not stay still.  It was intense.  Bekah had a look of betray on her face when the heat sank in.  Then she started crying.  Tears running down her cheeks while she chugged milk straight from the carton.  It would have been comical had I not also be in a state of despair.  Try at your own risk.

Cocktail of the week:  Crown Sidecar

I’m a mass murderer of butterflies.  All they wanted was that sweet nectar and I gave them instantaneous death by way of speeding vehicle.  It was a slaughter.  They never had a chance.  Attracted to the beautiful wildflowers lining the highway they never saw me coming.  I am sickened with remorse as I write this.  My heart heavy with sorrow.  But their sacrifice was worth the trip to Fredericksburg.

               Getting together for a destination wedding (I guess that’s what this was?) sure was a great time.  This was the first wedding I’ve not been a part of in the last 10 or so year and I was very happy for that.  Being on the sidelines was much more carefree.  Able to really enjoy the festivities.  And we did enjoy ourselves plenty. 

                Friday the weather was wonderful.  The skies dropped 3 inches of rain down on us.  It was so dark and gloomy and I was in heaven.  The weather kept us in for the night so we grilled up some burgers under the covered patio.  I blew my diet for the weekend.  The burger was only the beginning.

                The wedding wasn’t till four on Saturday and that still gave us plenty of time to wonder around and have some fun.  The day was beautiful.  The air refreshed from yesterday’s storms.  Couldn’t have picked a nicer day to get married.  We are an indecisive bunch so no one could pick a place to eat all weekend.  Instead of arguing over where to eat, we just went with what was closest.  This led us to trying some new places out with hit or miss results.  You have so many food options in that town.

                The wedding was nice.  The location exceptional.  The party a blast.  I saw some people I have not seen in years.  That’s one of the great things about weddings.  The people that are reunited and the stories that you reminisce on.  A collective memory sharing tales of the good old days.  We laughed.  We drank.  We had a heck of a time.  I might have had one too many Old Fashions.  Unavoidable with an open bar.  Or is that just me? 

                Sunday came too soon.  We had to be out of the house by 11.  Let me just say that not everyone was moving around very quickly yesterday morning.  Needed to refuel.  We found a Mexican restaurant for Cinco de Mayo.  The food was so-so.  Once revitalized we hit the town again.  It was pointed out that we tend to stay on one side of Main so we ventured across the street.  It was a fun day and we were all saddened to have to leave, but I was happy to get back so we could pick up our babies from the Country Club for Dogs.  Back in the car we go.  Sayonara, beautiful butterflies.

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                Now I’m back at work listening to a lunatic talk about things no one should have to hear on a Monday morning.  I am overjoyed to be here.  I feel blessed!  Happy Monday everyone!!!

                Jalapeño!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Due to the torrential downpour we stayed in and made burgers.  My middle brother did the cooking and I can’t complain.  It’s the first burger that I’ve had on a bun in months.  Delicious carbs, oh how I miss thee.

This burrito was fine.  The sauce?  I would rather drink turpentine.  I don’t know what the creators of this sauce were thinking?  If they actually found enjoyment in this sauce they need to find another means of employment.  Imagine pureed jalapeno, jelly beans, licorice, and fish oil.  That’s the best I can come to explaining the taste.  A sadistic thing to do to someone.  I poured a substantial portion on my first bite expecting my taste buds to sing joyously.  I winced.  I wanted to spew.

Pizza!!!  Is there a more divisive food than pineapple on pizza?  The sweet combined with the spicy is to die for.  I think they belong together.  Like pots & pans.  Like birds & bees.  Like bottles & cans.  This was an excellent pie and I’m happy we happened upon the establishment.  Not pictured is a jalapeño popper dip that was almost too hot for most of the table.  I was in heaven.

The wedding dinner was nice.  Prime rib was perfectly cooked.  Nice little vegetable medley with a light salad. 

Chicken enchiladas.  There was no heat to this meal. It was rather bland. I was disappointed to say the least.  But why did I set my expectations high that a Mexican food restaurant in a German town would serve spicy foods. 

Before leaving town Bekah and I stopped by the Fredericksburg Brewing Company.  We had a craving for the Jalapeño bottle caps.  They did not disappoint.  They had the heat and on a high note we departed.

                Cocktail of the week:  Old Fashion and Lonestar

Oh how hard it’s been.  To abstain from my dear jalapeño.  Due to me cooking one too many meals outside of Bekah’s comfort zone, I surrendered the kitchen to her.  It was a mutual agreement.  She was tired of sweating, panting, and crying over a spicy plate.  I was tired of hearing her cry and complain over a hot plate.  I willingly passed the baton to her.  For just one week.

                It’s true that I have developed a taste for what most people can’t handle.  My dad introduced me to hot sauce at a very young age.  I think he found it funny watching me try and cool the burn with ice cubes.  I’m sure it was a humorous sight.  But ever since I almost require a little heat in my food.   What was spicy then is a mere tingle now.  I need more.  And no I am not an addict.  Capsaicin does not have addictive qualities whatsoever. My body is not physically dependent on heat.  It just craves it.  

Bekah says that not everything needs to be spicy.  Why?  What a silly thing to say!  I think everyone that has that mind set is truly missing out.  An otherwise marginal meal can be enhanced so greatly with a little green pepper.  I am able to taste things other people can’t because they are unable to get around the heat.  Why would I deprive myself?   And it’s not an attempt at being macho.  Anyone that knows me knows that I am not a “macho” man.  I could care less.  I just like my food to bite me back. 

So to blog about Bekah’s food.  Oh is she ever nervous that I’m going to paint a negative picture that she is a horrendous cook and a disaster in the kitchen.  Lots of frowning about it.  In truth, she is a really good cook.  I think she just hates it.

Do most people dislike cooking? Am I the odd duck?  Is the Earth flat?  Why do they make scented toilet paper?  Why does minute rice take 15 minutes to cook?  Does Hawaii have interstate highways?  What rhymes with orange?  Who said Humpty Dumpty was an egg?  What do blind people see in their dreams?  What drugs is the Llama on today?  And who listens to George Strait and why?  I don’t know!

I’m going to rate these meals.  1 being bland as hell. 5 being anything but bland.  I’m probably poking the bear with today’s blog and will be in for some trouble when Bekah reads it.  Wish my dumb a** good luck.

No Jalapeño

                Her first choice was baked salmon and steamed broccoli.  Playing it safe.  This one pretty much cooks itself.  My taste buds were yearning for something with heat and this is about as far from spice as you can get.  Not to say it wasn’t delicious.  A very nice light meal with subtle beauty.  Lemony delicious.  But look at that picture.  Boring?  It sure is!  At least it made up for that in flavor.  I give this a 3.

                Coconut lime chicken.  After a rocky first outing I’m treated with some excellence.  It doesn’t call for red pepper flakes.  “Heaven forbid it be bland” she says.  She sure did tell everyone that she works with that I called her food bland.  I never said that.  My words were twisted.  I’m sure the next work function that I attend with her I will be getting dagger eyes from everyone.    I wasn’t even aloud to try the sauce before it was done.  I was told to stay out of the Kitchen.  Anyway, this meal was exciting and I do want to have it again.  I give this a 5.

               Tonight was originally going to be crab cakes.  Well that didn’t really pan out.  Not all bread crumbs are the same, and the recipe called for Old Bay seasoning which somehow H.E.B. ran out of.    Not happening.  What a blunder.  But oh boy did she salvage this disaster.  She made her Bekah Burgers!  Her Nana’s burger recipe but bunless.  And she put habanero in mine with the intent on causing me harm because I gave her a hard time about the difference between Italian and panko bread crumbs.  I had the runny nose that night.  Although the picture is nothing to behold, this meal was a winner.  I give this a 5.

                The main event!!!  The crab cakes!!!  I’m no connoisseur of crab cakes but I’m pretty sure they are supposed to taste like this.  Salad was a nice touch.  Kind of wish she had thrown some of those leftover habanero into my cakes like she did with burgers the night before.  The sauce she made was great.  Don’t know what you would call it.  I give this a 4.

                And that concludes the Bekah blog.  She got off easy with a 4 day week.  We are off Fredericksburg.

                Cocktail of the week:  Fruity Party Punch

I love to go to the grocery store.  I never leave without getting more than what is on my list.  I shop with a basket.  This generally leads to me testing the weight capacity and integrity of said basket.  I’ve ended up hauling around 50 pounds of groceries and getting an arm workout in the process.  But a basket is a must if I’m to have an enjoyable shopping experience.  The basket allows me to move more freely throughout the store without obstruction.  A frustration avoided.  I dare imagine maneuvering a cart down the bread/condiment aisle.  What a nightmare.

On a standard visit I am in a Zen-like state browsing the aisles for new and exciting things.  Always awaiting the next product to jump into my basket.  Enjoying the music, the people, and the sights.  Occasionally encountering a friend or someone I haven’t seen in years.  We share short pleasantries and continue on with our shopping.  A truly blissful experience.  One that most people fail to appreciate, my wife included.

But things have changed.  Now I seem destined to run into the people I wish to see the least.  If it were just the once, I would write it off as bad luck.  No.  Repeatedly my high spirits are crushed under foot.  My cheerful disposition fouled immediately.   These joyless souls intent on making everyone else as miserable as they.  What once was a carefree stroll through the aisles is now an anxiety-ridden rush to make it out alive.  How have these people ruined one of the great joys of my life and what am I to do about it? 

Do I choose to do my shopping elsewhere and pray for the best?  Give up my stomping grounds?  Let the negative nellies win?   You bet I’m not!!!!!    No option is defeat!  Next time I run into one of the wretched rubbish I will be so obnoxiously uplifting that they are shaken by my joy.  I will combat unhappiness with happiness.  Perhaps next time they will be the ones avoiding me.  Maybe they will find a new place to shop.  Bring their unwanted misery elsewhere.  I will not stand for it!  I will persevere!!! 

At least I better.  Bekah sure as heck will not be shopping for groceries and I guess we will starve. 

Jalapeño

I was trying to mimic a meal from one of my favorite places to dine.  I screwed up by substituting jalapeño bacon for applewood bacon.  Pepper jack cheese, over green chilies.

Teriyaki filet mignon with some sriracha asparagus.  A real treat.

HEB stuffed salmon w/ broccoli jalapeño cheese.  If you haven’t noticed, I also use a lot of sriracha sauce.

A divisive meal. This was an experiment that I really enjoyed.  Lots of the same ingredients that go into King Ranch Chicken.  Bekah said, and I quote: “This is too hot!  It’s the f***ing jalapeños!  How many did you use?”  Well I used five.  A little dramatic.  I’m apparently trying to kill my wife.  I thought I was showing some restraint.  I told her she can cook all next week and we can have bland food.  At least I liked this meal.

Chicken Spaghetti Squash.  And yes, I threw jalapeños in this against great protest.  The argument being you can’t put jalapeños in Italian food.  Says who?

Jalapeño bacon wrapped BBQ chicken. Much better use of the bacon. 

Korean BBQ ribs & kimchi.

Cocktail of the week:  Blushing Pina Colada

Spring is here.  The days are longer, the weather is warmer.  Not my favorite time of year because it means summer is coming.  Summer is coming!  My least favorite season.  Ninety degrees is too hot for me.  Let’s not talk about the hundreds.  I melt.  But there are things to be said about spring which I do love. 

On a good year we start seeing thunderstorms.  I love the rain.  What am I doing in West Texas!  I would be a happy man in Seattle.  Cloudy skies just elevate my mood.  I get giddy at the thought of sever storms.  It’s not that I want destruction.  Absolutely not.  I just love weather.   To watch it change.  I am a self-admitted weather geek.  It’s amazing I have a wife.  Shocking she didn’t flee when she found out that I could watch The Weather Channel all day.  What a boring guy, she must have thought.  Now she wants to buy me a weather station for my birthday.

Spring also brings the blooms.  The spectacle that is a field of wild flowers.  Taking in the fragrances and watching the butterflies dance from flower to flower.  If ever you needed a reminder that the world is actually a beautiful place, not much else tops that.  The color returning to the world after the dullness of winter.  So much to marvel at.

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Also, people generally seem to be in better moods once spring arrives.  I hear much less complaints.  And boy have I heard a lot this year.  I didn’t even think it was that harsh a winter.  Am I wrong?  Was it so miserable?

And there’s Easter.  Pastel eggs and bunny rabbits.  My immediate family were all in town.  One of our 3 big get-togethers of the year.  It doesn’t feel like so much time has passed since we were all gathered for Christmas.  We always have a great time.  I’ve had my share of carbs this week.  I’m done with them.  Feed me a salad please.  And no more wine please! (Just kidding.)  And my kitchen duties were scaled back this year.  Only job I had was Deviled Eggs.  They were almost completely consumed before they hit the table.  I don’t know how it was that I got delegated making the eggs.  It’s been at least 10 years.  No one else seem to have the patience to peel so many eggs. 

I played Easter Bunny for the first time.  I didn’t know hiding eggs could be so much fun.  My nephew Teddy had such a look of wonder on his face when he found an egg.  The little guy is really talking now.  So much vitality in this little boy. 

                Did I mention that Bekah was out of town?  Off to Colorado with her sister.  I had the house to myself.  I fail to appreciate the fact that while she is here that she is the one the dogs wake up at whatever hour during the night to relieve themselves.  I’m exhausted.  I don’t fall back to sleep easily.  Bless her heart.  Just one more reason added to the list of why I love that woman.

Haiku day was Wednesday.  I don’t know how many of these I had to write for my Advanced Poetry class.  As far as writing poetry goes, I think I enjoyed them the most.  In honor of the day and spring, I wrote one.  A little morbid?  Feel free to interpret that as you wish.

Sunshiny April

A dead, teary goldfish calls

Despite the cookies

So now it’s Monday.  The weekend went quickly.  I’ve returned to work less rested than I was leaving on Friday.  I said I’d cut out the work blogging, but MY GOSH WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS GUY!!!!!!!!!!  Way too much coming out of his mouth.  Way too much information.  He is basically just talking to himself non-stop for nearly 2 hours.  Verbal diarrhea!  Did he take drugs this morning?  I seriously want to know.  I was unaware one person could be this annoying.  I just had no idea.   How naive.  My tolerance level for people has always been pretty high.  Bekah says he must be something because I don’t talk about people like I do the Llama.  I guess it’s a blessing that I’ve made it this far through life having never met someone like this.  F*** me!!!  It’s not yet ten o’clock and I need a drink…  This person is driving me to drink.  I will need a cocktail if this keeps up all day.  I will be going on a double vision quest.  Wish me the best of luck!!!!

Jalapeños!!

                Monday dinner was chicken, jalapeño & onions smothered in warm queso.  Can’t go wrong here.  What a simple delicious meal.

                Hoisin steak with sriracha green beans.  Pretty basic.  If you don’t cook with hoisin sauce, you really should correct that.  It’s even better on chicken.

                Wednesday I was really wanting to grill “again” but Bekah really wanted Taco Salads.  She was going out of town for 4 days so she got her wish.  They did turn out great so it wasn’t a real loss. 

                I got to grill.  BBQ chicken & grilled jalapeño and a spicy slaw.  This was fantastic. 

                Cocktail of the week: Strawberry Margarita

It’s my office week.  Stuck here for 5 long days.  40 hours of aggravation.  I’m beginning to wonder if I didn’t start this blog as some sort of distraction from all the lunacy that is my office.  It’s a miracle of sorts that I have not yet lost my mind.  I find myself looking out the window and wishing I was anywhere but here.  What is it that I am wishing myself away from, you ask?  South Park reenactments, narcissistic gibberish, disgruntled cursing, brainless e-mail request, buzzers buzzing, sunflowers spitting, etc.  A cacophony of sounds that chip away at my sanity.

  I do try and find some humor while I’m here.  I have to look at this as a comedy.  For instance, the word for the week was a profanity.  I’ll do my best to not use foul language while blogging, so let’s just censor: “B***S***”.   I should begin a tally to see how many times that phrase is uttered.  I think even I would be surprised by the final count.  I say it’s the word of the week.  It’s actually every week.  “This is B*** S***” needs to be sewn into this man’s shirts.  Unfortunately, embroidery isn’t one of my skills.  I’ll leave that to someone else.

The lazy Llama had himself a week.  His pride was wounded.  Humiliated by his careless mistake.  Shamed by laugher.  A blunder which he shall carry as long as he works here.  And I couldn’t stop laughing.  I try not to find pleasure from another person’s misfortune, but in this moment it was an impossibility.  How quickly he gained new nicknames.   Aquaman and Water Boy.  I’ve heard both.  But he will always be the Llama.  I can honestly say that at the time my heart went out to the guy.   By the end of the day I wanted to kick him.

And what would a week be without my dear friend.  How could I get by without her?  Just when I think that I’ve made it, there she is!  Never letting me down.  Since April 17^th 2018 she has been consistently bringing joy into my life, never missing a week.  Always brightening my day.  Ever good for a laugh, my dear friend.  I was in a state of melancholy all week unsure what the cause.  Suddenly an e-mail notification!  The sadness washed away.  A warmth returned to my heart.  Oh happy day!  All thanks to my dear, dear friend. 

Major part of my office week involves my dealings with the facility folk.  The stories that I hear.  It’s always something.  They come to chat.  To vent about work.  The hoops that they jump through to keep this place running.  And the lack of appreciation that they feel they receive.  These guys make me laugh.  So many characters over here.  A circus.

Thank the lord for our office communication app, Jabber, on these weeks.  If I wasn’t able to silently vent to my friends across campus I would probably end up a shell of a man by Friday.  Bless them!  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy working here.  I have made some good friends.  I have flexibility.  The positives outweigh the negatives.  It’s only this week that I despise.  But I will continue to roll with the wind and laugh when I can.  Next week I’ll try and veer away from work.  But having been inside the office all week…

Jalapeños:

Grilled chicken w/ a white wine sauce accompanied by sweet kale salad and sweet potato.  The sauce is one that I have not been able to find for about a year.  I finally broke down and payed $20 for it to be shipped to me.  I will have to make this last.

Grilled tuna & seaweed salad.  I eat meal this a lot. Bekah can’t stand seaweed. The sauce is a sweet soy reduction.  A little sriracha for good measure. 

Chipotle chicken & salad.  I’ll make this again.  Simple.  McCormick package.  I have a bad habit of turning my nose to season packets and I should probably work on that.  This one really surprised me.  Thanks Jamie!

Enchilada bunless burger?  Sure!  Seems like the perfect opportunity for a fried egg.

Bekah was gone Friday so I wanted extra heat.  I had a hard time trying to figure out what I could make that I normally wouldn’t be able to due to spice limitations.  Then I remembered that I have a bottle of BWW’s mango habanero sauce.  Grilled chicken baste with the sauce.  Made a mango pico.  This one did the trick.  My mouth was on fire. I suppose this is how Bekah feels? Good to know!

Cocktail of the week: Pina Colada

I work with a llama.  My llama doesn’t carry his load.  Not an investment, the lazy llama.  While generally thought to be a productive animal, my llama knows little to nothing about being productive.   Unequivocally the most inactive llama this world has ever seen.  The lethargic llama.  Did you know that llamas actually do spit?  Mine spits all the time.  Loudly slobbering to himself.  My dear llama.  While llamas are generally thought to be pleasant animals, mine is not.  It’s a stretch to say mine has any personality.  The cactus that I purchased over the weekend has more personality.  Everyone needs a llama. 

A few fun facts about llamas.  1) They know their own limits.  You can’t overload a llama.  They will refuse to move if overloaded.  Mine refuses to move without a load.  2) Llamas are smart and easy to train.  I wasted my time training this one.  3) Llamas are social animals.  This has to be a joke, right?  Social??  Wrong!   Nope!  Negative!!!

Anyways… dinner throughout the week.

                Monday was an experiment.  Went with what I had.  The base is a ranchero sauce I conjured up from scratch topped with onion, jalapeño & grass fed beef.  I’ll be the first to admit that the picture looks like something, well… unpleasant.  Thankfully it was delicious.  Bekah was basically in tears trying to finish it.  I’d say I succeeded.

                Tuesday I tried something different.  Went the “extra spicy” route with Bekah out of town.  Chinese jalapeño chicken stir-fry.  The word “epic” comes to mind.  This will become a regular dish.  Only thing missing was the rice.  UPDATE:  Made this again Saturday.  Bekah couldn’t eat it. TOO HOT!!!

                Wednesday.  Went with a dish Bekah often makes.  Due to her exhaustive air travels I took over.  We call it enchilada chicken.  So creative is that name.  Enchilada sauce and chicken.  Really put our minds together for this one.  Anyhow, Bekah seems to think I made it better.  She was disheartened.  All I did differently is let the chicken simmer in a light beer.  Heck, I’ll take the compliment!

                Thursday it was warm enough for a salad.  I decided on chicken teriyaki with a sesame ginger dressing.   Jalapeños because, why not?  A very simple summertime meal.

                Friday bunless burgers!!!  Or is it a hamburger salad?  Semantics!  Really don’t have anything else to say about this meal other than that it was great.  Until next time!

                Cocktail of the week:  Rum Punch!

So what is this blog and why am I doing?  I honestly don’t have an answer.  I have been throwing around the idea of doing a food blog for a while now.  I was going to focus on spicy foods, but I think that is a little limiting.  Don’t get me wrong, there will be many of pictures that feature jalapenos.  I love heat.  I love the endorphins that are released when consuming something warm.  My wife Bekah, thinks I need help.  She might be right.  The pictures that I post on Facebook and Instagram are usually met with similar statements.  “You have a problem.”  “Your pictures make my stomach hurt.”  Etc.  Yet when encountered in person I get high praise.  And that happens frequently.  Is it a morbid fascination?  Living vicariously through my jalapeno pictures?  Who knows!

                This blog will also feature stories about the two goofs in my life, Hazel and Owen.  Our Labrador children.  On a daily basis they make me laugh.  I might also add Bekah as the 3^rd goof.  She is hilarious.  I’m certain she will be featured in this often.  I could probably just blog about her falling asleep on the couch every night with featured photos of the most uncomfortable of positions.  I tell her she is narcoleptic, but she disagrees.

                So yeah.  I suppose this will be about whatever.  Whatever is on fire in my life?  That is about a cheesy as it gets.  I’ll try to incorporate some cheese into each entry.   

                Obligatory food photo:

Mean Green Chicken Tomatillo Soup. Looks can be deceiving.