On Immersing Myself Into the World of Literature

In which blogging re-commences and book reading is discussed at length.

So apparently I fell into the black hole of not writing that many bloggers find themselves in. After the move I was without internet, and without any type of idea or motivation to write. But fear not, I have returned, hopefully on a more consistent basis. And what, you may be asking, leads me to believe that I can write more consistently now than I had been? Well my job plays into that factor quite a bit. When last we met, which is to say when I last wrote anything, I was looking for a job. Well, I eventually found one. I am the in-school suspension room monitor for Jackson Creek Middle School here in Bloomington. What does that mean? That means that I hang out with kids who have gotten in trouble and are in in-school suspension or lunch detention. It also means that I have a lot of free time because the students just hang out and work on their homework that they have. Is this a job I am excited about? No. Is this a job that I am looking forward to having long term? No. Is this a job befitting of someone with a Masters degree? Well, maybe a philosophy major or something. However, it is a job that gets me in the school system working with students and administrator, and it pays the bills. It also means that I have time to write this blog more consistently (see I'm bringing it back around). But more than anything else I spend most of my time reading. Like a stupid amount of time reading.

As I was sitting here today I started thinking about blogging again, and figured that I could talk about some of the books that I have been reading. So far I have had this job for six weeks. During that time I have read: Timeline (Michael Crichton), Angels and Demons (Dan Brown), The Chamber of Secrets (J.K. Rowling), The Prisoner of Azkaban (J.K. Rowling), The Goblet of Fire (J.K. Rowling), The Order of the Phoenix (J.K. Rowling), The Half-Blood Prince (J.K. Rowling), The Deathly Hollows (J.K. Rowling), The Relic (Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child), Genesis (Bernard Beckett), Out of Sight (Elmore Leonard), The Blessing Way (Tony Hillerman), Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (Jane Austin & Seth Grahame-Smith). So that's thirteen books, although I am still working on the last two on the list. It has been neat to have the freedom to read so much. I figured that I would spend a little bit of time talking about some of these books.

Angels and Demons is a book that I wouldn't have read if it wasn't on my roomate's bookshelf. I got The Da Vinci Code for Christmas a few years ago and thought that it was terrible. It was extremely cheesy writing that was very predictable and disappointing that it was on the best sellers list for so long when so many good books go unread. I thought that, even though it was all fiction, Dan Brown made a lot of leap with his theories about Jesus that it became absurd. So it is safe to say that my expectations were remarkably low for Angels and Demons, and when all is said and done it was an enjoyable read. It was a generally compelling mystery and I had a fun time reading it. It certainly wasn't great literature, but then I don't think that is the type of book he was going for and I'm all right with that. He did a much better job of giving an even handed view of the church than in The Da Vinci Code, which I appreciated. Although the book still telegraphed it's plot twists pretty clearly. I would give this book a B if I was grading it. So if you are looking for something quick and easy to read check it out.

I also read six of the seven Harry Potter books. There is not much to say that hasn't been written about these books already. But here are some thoughts anyway. I enjoyed them a lot more than I thought that I would. I have seen all the movies but never had read the books. I enjoyed the books more as they went along, and appreciated that The Half-Blood Prince was more than just relationship nonsense like the movie was. Here are the top five things I learned from reading these books:

5) I enjoyed the last book the most, probably because it was the only one that I didn't know what was going to happen.
4) When I would g-chat with people in the midst of reading I would have to make a conscious effort not to use words like "prat."
3) Harry Potter is a huge prat.
2) Most of the supporting characters were more interesting and likable than Harry, Ron and Hermione.
1) Ginny Weasley is a certified bad-ass and was woefully underused in the seventh book.

Last thing. I am currently reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. It is interesting how the author incorporates new text in with the old. However, there is still a whole lot of Jane Austin so I am thinking about giving it up. Otherwise I am likely to fall asleep at work, and that probably wouldn't be good.

Any book suggestions for me?

On the Sad Realizations of Life

Wherein a life is boxed, changes are made, and a question is asked.

For the last two and a half years I lived with my good friend Tim Street. In fact, since graduating from high school I have lived with Tim more than anyone else, for five years actually. Thinking back Tim was an awesome roommate, lots of fun and lots of stories. Wall pie, the naked blanket, Anne Frank memorials, and the title of the blog you are now reading...all courtesy of living with Tim.

Sadly, those times have come to an end. Tim and I have parted ways and moved on to new places. But first was the pack and clean. When we moved into our place it was super dirty and gross, but we cleaned that place up right and it was looking good. Clean apartment? Check. Packed up all my stuff? Check. Moved it to my new place..............uh, about that. So didn't know where I was headed jobwise when we moved out so I dumped all of my stuff into a storage unit in Elletsville. I would just like to point out how sad it is when your entire life can fit into a 10x10 storage unit. Quite sad. However, it did lead me to a temporary living arrangement at Hotel Felton, with my friends Tim and Carrie. They graciously offered a room while I figured out what I was doing.

Living with the Felton's has been great. They are amazing people but the best thing about the situation is the community that I have become a part of. Tim and Carrie, along with Will, Colleen and Kevin Rose (of Rose Backyard Pizza fame), have been very intentional about surrounding themselves with community. We all get together on Monday evenings and have dinner, after we spend some time talking about how we can make a positive impact on our community and those around us. We also talk about things that have been going on in our lives, our hopes and concerns, then we spend some time praying for one another. It is pretty special.

Now, before you think that everything at the Felton's is some magical fairly land where everything is perfect and wonderful, trust me, it's not. First of all there is only one bathroom, so sometimes there is what I like to call the dance of the toothbrush. Some evenings you can witness us all wandering around brushing our teeth in various rooms in the house while we share the one sink, terrible. Also, Carrie keeps bring home random used furniture. First it was a recliner (which admittedly was pretty nice) then it was a giant picnic table that is all peeling and gross. My guess is that her next find will be a half filled garbage can that reeks of decades of use. But at least she will have gotten a good deal on it. But that is not even the worst part. The worst part is that I have to live with this guy. Yeah, I can't really believe it either.

My tease for this blog promised a question, so here it is. What's next? That's what I have been trying to determine lately. I'm still looking for full-time work and while I'd love to stay in Bloomington and stay surrounded by this community. However, I am coming to the realization that this may not be a possibility. So I'm keeping my eyes open for a job, no matter where it takes me. As soon as I know, you will know. Okay, maybe not that fast, but shortly after I update my family and friends I probably get around to let you know.

Blogging, this stuff just got real.

On Bringing Italy to the Backyard

In which ovens, deliciousness and memories are made.

I'm going to go out on a limb and declare, to the entire interweb, that I enjoy pizza. I know what you are thinking, bold. But it is true, pizza is tasty. When I was a kid every Friday night was pizza night. Quickly grabbing for the nearest corner piece of the Pizza King pizza is indelibly etched into my mind. As I have grown my pizza tastes have matured. Where once I only enjoyed cheese pizza now I prefer a wider array of tastes, though you can keep your onions and black olives away from my slice thank you very much.

Last Sunday my pizza eating experiences took an exciting turn in a new direction.

For a while now my friend Will has wanted to have a pizza potluck where people come over and bring their own pizza toppings so we can make pizzas. The reason behind this desire stems partly from Will's enjoyment of community and food but mainly it stems from this------------>
This is Will's clay oven. He crafted it himself in his own backyard. To use it you build a fire inside of the dome which heats the clay walls and brick base. The heat then radiates with in the oven and you are free to put bread, or in our case pizzas, inside.

It is a pretty incredible thing to witness. The temperature will reach approximately 650 degrees. At this temp you can cook a loaf of bread in about fifteen minutes. Our pizza's were being cooked in an average of seven minutes or so. The greatest difficultly comes in getting the pizzas in and out, there are very few spatulas long and sturdy enough to be used. I think Will should invest in a wooden pizza peel, but that is just me.

As amazing as Will's oven is, without pizzas to bake it is just a mound of clay and straw. Step one was making crusts. We could have used cheap pre-made crust, or something from a tube, but that noise is for busters, and we ain't busters. So the Guff (Will's brother) make some crust for us, we had plain wheat, pesto, and basil parmesan. Hat's off to Guff because all of the crusts were stellar.

Once our crusts were flattened out it was time to make some pizzas. We had a wide range of options, but instead of going into all of them I will just tell you about the best. Mine. Now I want you to know that I'm not calling mine the best completely out of an ego trip. All of the pizzas were very good, but it seemed to be the consensus that mine turned out the best.

I decided to make a barbecue chicken pizza, I figured that would be a little out of the ordinary for everyone. When I was pulling together the ingredients I wasn't sure how it would turn out but it was way better than I would have guessed. A combination of the what was on the pizza along with it being cooked early on while the oven was at its hottest led to a thing of beauty. The crust was crispy, the cheese was just starting to brown slightly, it was phenomenal.

So now that your mouths are collectively watering at the sight of this delectable morsel I'm sure you are all wondering what is in it. Well that's the best part, it was super easy and super cheap. Behold!

Backyard BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe

• 1 can shredded all white meat chicken, drained
  
• 1/2 bottle of BBQ sauce (I would recommend something smoked)
• 1 red pepper (sliced)
  
• 4 slices of bacon
  
• 1 bag shredded Kraft Four Cheese Italian Blend (or suitable generic equivalent)

In a sauce pan or frying pan empty can of chicken and cover liberally with BBQ sauce, heat on low to low/medium stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes until mixture is steaming. This will help to fully coat the chicken and cook in some flavor. Move mixture to a bowl and set aside. Clean pan, coat pan with extra-virgin olive oil (how can something be "extra-virgin" isn't it just virgin or not?) and roast red peppers until they are soft but not soggy. Cook bacon until crispy and crumble.

Spoon 1/2 of your BBQ chicken mixture onto crust and spread around. Cover with cheese. Place bacon and peppers on top of cheese. Add more cheese.

Cook pizza in clay oven for 6 minutes.

Slice and enjoy. Please note, this recipe will make ~2 ten inch pizzas.

Told you that it was easy. If I make it again I will track down banana peppers, which eluded me on this run, I think it will add a great flavor.

Backyard BBQ Chicken pizza, causing friends to take cheesy self portraits since last night.

On My Jams

In which more is learned about the illustrious author, a phrase is appropriated, and a sister is most likely infuriated.

A few weeks ago, while on vacation with my family, my sister and I were talking about something. I don't remember what it was, but during the course of the conversation I remarked that something "was my jam." My sister said, "what, you can't use that phrase like that." To which I responded that I could use it how I wanted, she remained intransigent claiming that it was clearly in reference liking a song, or "jam."

This conversation was echoing in my head as I planned out what I was going write about next (yes I do think about what I'm going to write before I write it, usually) and I decided that I could kill two birds with one stone. I have neglected to talk much about myself in this blog, so I figured I could educate you all, as well as make my mark on the meaning of the phrase "that's my jam." As an added bonus I just might enrage my sister.

So without further ado, here are my jams.

1. I will not deny that the phrase "my jam" was originally meant for songs, so lets start there. My musical taste is...odd, to say the least. I go in waves as far as what I enjoy listening to. Recently I have been listening Mos Def's latest CD The Ecstatic. Most people know Mos Def as an actor however, he is also quite the accomplished musician. This is the first time that I have listen to much of his stuff, over all I enjoyed all of the tracks, some I feel are better than others. However, of the 16 tracks on the album I would have to say that number 6, "Quiet Dog Bite Hard" is my jam.

2. When I'm driving around town I usually listen to music, whether on the radio or on CD's. When I am going a longer distance (3 hours or more) I find music to be more annoying than anything. So as an alternative I like to get books on CD's. They seem to make the time go a little faster, maybe its because with 6 discs in my player I can get six hours continuous hours of listening in. I've listened to fiction, non-fiction, short stories, classics and new favorites. Rarely, have I been disappointed. It is to the point now where I look forward to long drives now, audio books are definitely my jam.

3. On my way to Nashville this last weekend I listened to Elmore Leonard's newest novel Road Dogs. It is a sequel to his book Out of Sight which was made into a movie staring George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez. I love Elmore Leonard's books, he is a master at telling a good crime story. Books like The Hot Kid, Cuba Libre, Out of Sight, and Get Shorty are all fantastic books (the last two were even transitioned in to great movies).
Leonard's characters seem to come alive on the pages, and any action becomes visible in the minds eye. And for those who read multiple stories you will find familiar names popping up throughout his tales as he weaves one giant tapestry. Few people are as gifted at making a thief relatable. The stories of Elmore Leonard, regardless of their medium, are my jam.

4. Thievery is a large part of the game The Settlers of Catan, a game that I have been known to enjoy from time to time with my friends. To explain the game would take too long, the important thing to know is that during the game you collect resources based on a dice roll, so from game to game some resource will be more available than others. At the start of the game each player chooses a starting position, their decision incorporates varying resources, numbers and strategies. If I'm playing and an 8-9-5, ore-sheep-wheat pops up, you'd better believe that's my jam.

5. When I am in the mood to make myself a nice home cooked breakfast there is usually one direction that I head in. I scramble myself some eggs (from the Corey's farm if I have some), throw some shredded cheese and black bean and corn salsa on top, and pop some wheat bread in the toaster. That's my breakfast jam.

6. When I need to put something on top of that toast?

Strawberry, it's my jam.

On the Denial of Thirst Quenching

In which a request is granted and an apology is offered.

I apologize in advance for this post, it is rather dumb.

"The sun beat down relentlessly. Even though it was six in the evening there was no break in sight from the heat, or the humidity. Everyone agreed that being outside was a miserable experience, all week long walking outside felt like walking through a cloud. A gross, sticky, hot cloud. But it was a cookout, and so we were outside, because that is how cookouts work.

Upon my arrival Matt approached me and asked if I would be willing to man the grill. There is very little else in life that I enjoy as much as grilling. Something about it is relaxing, so I told Matt that I would be happy to do so.

With a whisper of gas and a pop of ignition the grill came to life. The low roar of the flames heated the grilling racks, remnants of past grilling adventures searing off and falling into the flames. As the grill approached it's optimal cooking temperature I tore open the packages of hot dogs and place them upon the grill. Staying near the grill I monitored their progress, watching as they first warmed, then cook. Turning them frequently kept them even and burn-free but it came with a price.

As I stood near the grill the swelter of the summer day along with the heat emanating from the grill caused my body temperature to rise. Perspiration began to form on my forehead, I grew more and more uncomfortable as the minutes past. The quest for dinner was costing me my hydration. Precious water was rolling down my face, no longer was my body 61% water, could I survive this costly endeavor? Would this cookout spell my doom? The end was fast approaching, just as I thought that I would not be able to last much longer I looked down and pronounced, 'Food's ready.'

People came up requesting a hot dog or two and I gladly served them, freeing myself from my fiery prison. When I finished helping the last of my friends I turned from the grill. Salvation was at hand. I walked over to a cooler filled with ice and refreshing looking water. I reached into the depths and pulled out a bottle, glad for the chilling effect the cold plastic had on my hand. Moving to unscrew the cap I noticed that there was water leaking out. Upon squeezing the life giving water shot out of two small holes, plummeting to the ground with a soft splash.

'This is ridiculous,' I remarked to those eating their food. Everyone looked up, some laughing, as the water continued to drain from the bottle.

'Maybe you should blog about it,' Kevin remarked with a smug grin"

Done and done.

On the Fun Frolic

In which adventures are had, and a good friend is remembered.

Every year in Bloomington there is a carnival that comes to town called the Fun Frolic, which is designed to raise money for Big Brothers Big Sisters and IU Child Care Centers. According to the internet it has been offering family-friendly fun since 1957, that's a lot of fun. I would hazard a guess that most people don't know what the Fun Frolic is for. Well, I take that back, people know what it's for, they just don't think it's for those organizations.

What is it for? That's easy, delicious fried food that will probably kill you one day, blood-tingling thrillrides that will probably kill you one day, and creepster, dirtball carnies that will probably kill you one day.

A long time ago I enjoyed going to events like the Fun Frolic for the rides, buying tickets and hopping on rusted out deathtraps was always exciting. My favorites were the Scramber and the Gravatron. These rides no longer hold the excitement that they once did, which is too bad. Because really there is not much of a reason to go if not for the rides.

The other big attraction is the ability to have your money stolen from you in a game of "chance" that is usually so rigged that you will never win anything good, and anything you do win anything it is not worth anywhere near the amount that you spent on the games and as soon as you get home you will stare all the crap you accumulated and think, "What in the world will I do with all this rubbish?"

There is, however, one game that you will almost always win and that can even lead to a new best friend. That game is the ping-pong ball toss. You remember that game, you throw a ping-pong ball at a fish bowl and if it land in you win a goldfish. Hooray!!

A couple of years back my friend Seth Rowe accomplished this very feat. And so Seth and I made a new friend. He was awesome, but then he died. This was 7 years ago. In remembrance of our good friend Dougie I am going to share with you something special. Enjoy.

Dougie, friend and darn good fish

______________________________________

By Your Mom
Independent Reporting
Originally published July 14, 2003
Dougie, a fish in good standing, died Monday of fish related complications, in his bowl in Apartment 16. He was estimated to be a few weeks old.
Dougie was born and raised in the place where the Fun Frolic carnies gets their fish, he grew up swimming a lot with neighborhood fish, nurturing a passion for the sport and turning it into a supplemental profession as his job as chief fish of the apartment.
"Swimming was his life, it was all he had," said Dougie’s Mom, his mother.
Dougie left the place the Fun Frolic carnies gets their fish shortly after being born in an attempt to try his luck at being a professional pet.
A few days later Seth Rowe threw a ping-pong ball into a fish bowl and Dougie’s dream became a reality. That night Dougie joined Seth, and his roommate Josh Milligan, at their apartment, where he worked for a couple of days swimming and eating. He did absolutely nothing else, because he was a fish.
“He seemed energetic when I came home from work,” said Josh Milligan, co-owner, “but half an hour later he was floating face up in the water.”
The time of death is estimated to be between 6 and 7pm, an autopsy could be performed to find the actual time and cause of death. However, given that he is a fish experts claim that cutting into him will do more harm then good. These experts are now having their credentials checked.
Dougie touched the lives of all those who met him, and even some of those who didn’t.
When asked what she thought about Dougie Lauren Zaczek, a friend, said, “He was a soldier.”
While he had no known children of his own Dougie’s memory will live on in the heart and minds of his friends.
Visitations will be held at Apartment 16 until his remains are removed. A memorial service will be held when both Seth and Josh are present in Bloomington at the same time.
In addition to his mother, Dougie is presumed to be survived copious amounts of other fish.
_______________________________________________________________
Dougie Haines, swimming in heaven.

On the Internets

In which homeless people are observed, robots are brought to life, and insanity is contemplated.

So it is a great big internet out there. Lots of things to do and see.

One thing that I have learned over the last 10 or so years that I have been interneting is that the internet is full of garbage. You can put up just about anything that you want, unfortunately most of what people put up is just horrid.

But on that rare occasion there will be a gem of goodness amidst all the crap. On an even rarer occasion I will stumble upon said goodness. So I was thinking about it and decided one of the uses for this blog would be to share with those of you kind enough to read along some of the fun things I find.

A game: What's one thing the internet has lots of? Well, yes, naked ladies; but I was actually talking about flash games, just ask any high school student taking a computer application class. One that I discovered a few days ago is beautifully put together and very short, which is nice. This puzzle game has a fantastic atmosphere, beautiful visuals, and a simple concept, all in all very charming. You can check it out here: http://fastgames.com/littlewheel.html

A blog: I don't know if you have ever played the Sims before. It was a fun game where you get to control a family of people and pretty much act as a god. You could tell them what to do, who to talk to and how, you had complete control. Part of the game included creating a house for the sims to live in. Why am I telling you this, well because the Sims 3 just came out and a woman from the UK is playing it in an interesting way. She has created homeless sims, a father and daughter, and had created a blog following their "lives." You would think that reading about fake people being controlled by a stranger would be stupid, however, following the lives of Kev and Alice (the sims in question) is strangely compelling and poignant. Even if you have never played the Sims you should give it a look: http://aliceandkev.wordpress.com/

A YouTube video: Ah YouTube, home of embarrassing videos of kids doing stupid things. You can also find music videos on there. I watched one just this morning. I had never heard of the song before, but after watching the video I can't help but wonder if that is what going mad is like.



The World Wide Web, allowing you to waste time since 1989.