Evolution of cooking

Do you remember what you first cooked for yourself? I do...Kung Fu brand Ramen. I perfected my way of making it. I got to the point that I only wanted to eat it if I made it myself. In fact the last time that I ate it when someone else made it was at my Grandmothers house on Clark Street in Portland. So I would have been around 8 or 9. The second thing I learned to make for myself was Mac and Cheese. I also made it my way (half the milk and butter) and I began my love for cooking. Back in the day, when I had to really start cooking for myself, I used to over-season EVERYTHING! Food was super salty and / or spicy. I remember when I actually started cooking with regard to the flavor of the raw ingredients. It was in the summer, maybe 5 years ago, T.C. and I were discussing how our style of cooking had evolved over the years. Soy sauce was no longer the main ingredient in everything. Food was always something that we liked to talk about with regard to tastes and preparation methods. You know what, it was when I supervised the third shift at a produce warehouse that it all came to me. It is not the spice that makes the dish. It was T.C. that said "Hey man, I started cooking raw vegetables without seasonings. Delicious!" I was like me too! My point of all of this is that it came to me again, the fact that fruits and veggies are delicious by themselves. Tyler loves fruit and veggies. If I cook them, if they are raw, whether they have sauce on them or "deep deep" (deep deep: aka "DIP" aka ketchup, mayo, dressing, or actual dip). And this serves as a reminder to all of us, food is good. Try your favorite veggie dish sans the butter and spices. It will change the way you cook too.

On the subject of things Japanese

If you missed it, "I Survived A Japanese Gameshow" aired this week. I have it on my DVR incase you don't. It is the newest, and most bestest, reality show. All of the contestants thought they were going to be on some "normal" reality show.... but no. They were sent to Japan to compete on a Japanese game show, and only found out when they walked on stage... and were on the gameshow! If you have never seen a Japanese gameshow, one of the "reality" show people summed it up best... "Who thinks this stuff up? I mean they have to be insane, it doesn't even make any sense." Needless to say, I will be watching this for it's entire season.

Ninjas

My middle-eastern friend Josh sent me this:

School locked down after 'ninja' sighted in woods
June 25, 2008
BARNEGAT, N.J.—It's the case of the nonexistent ninja. Public schools in Barnegat were locked down briefly after someone reported seeing a ninja running through the woods behind an elementary school.
Turns out the ninja was actually a camp counselor dressed in black karate garb and carrying a plastic sword.
Police tell the Asbury Park Press the man was late to a costume-themed day at a nearby middle school.
The lockdown began shortly after 9 a.m. Wednesday and lasted until 9:30.


Ok, so first of all someone reported seeing a ninja..... not a person dressed like a ninja, but a ninja. So that came in from a second grader, or an idiot. Second, if it had been a real ninja the authorities would all be dead.... not proper dealing with ninja procedures over there. You should NEVER try to apprehend a ninja if you are not a ninja yourself. Third, how would locking down the school protect anyone from ninja attack? That's right it wouldn't. Everyone knows that to avoid being killed by a ninja one has to become a ninja. So everyone should have taken out their white ninja suits and prepared for battle. Seeing hundreds of white ninjas the lone black ninja would have to retreat and bring his entire clan in for battle. This would have given the school ample time to evacuate the children to a safer, ninja proofed location, AKA at home,under their covers.

You can read more about protecting yourself from ninja attacks in my new book "Protecting Yourself From Ninja Attacks: A Quick Refrence Guide To Ninja Defense At Home Or On The Road". The book is due out this summer, reserve your copies in advance by emailing your request to tuan@ninjabooks.org.

Remembering being young

Yesterday and today have been filled with thoughts of being young. I, for the first time in my life, have said to myself: "What the hell was I thinking!" You know, I have always said that I have no regrets and that I wouldn't change anything and that remains true, but what was I thinking? I would give you examples now if I could get my 31 year old (severely abused) brain to work. Just things like not doing what I wanted to, holding back when the only reason for it was that I didn't realize that I didn't have to. I correct myself, I would change something. I would have taken more shots on goal. Before I became a goalie, I played midfield, and before that fullback. But I would like to have taken more shots on goal, but not just in soccer. I would have tried harder to learn as well. I am not saying that I didn't learn anything in school, I am just saying that I didn't try to learn, I just did. I feel bad for the teachers that were doing their best to teach me, and all I gave in return was the least amount of effort possible. I wouldn't change me, just my behavior. Does that make sense? I think it is possible to change how you act or approach things without changing who you are. I have come to the conclusion that I have always seen the good. It is easy for me to see all of the good things around me. So easy in fact that I am blinded by the beauty that is my life and thus I can't see the bad. I think that is why I took so few shots on goal, I like to see the good and I set myself up to bear witness. I enjoyed seeing Tim put the ball in the net. But the bad there is that I didn't put the ball in the net. I enjoyed being the other guy to not do his geometry homework so that Pat had someone to high five for not doing the homework. It made him smile that he was not alone. And the bad part there is that I had to have several after school meetings with the teacher, being accused of cheating on tests and having my parents notified that I wasn't trying. But in the 13 years since I was in school I have learned something important. You always have to look out for number 1, it will make you a better friend, spouse and parent. If you are happy it is easier for you to brighten the lives of those around you. It would have made me happier to have taken more shots on goal.

When I Go

I just saw a story about a unique funeral home that does things a bit differently. When I go I want them to do it up for me. So you know, I want to be propped up in a lawn chair with a home brew in one hand and my fishing pole in the other. Or not. I think it might be strange to go to a funeral and have the dearly departed more in a display than on display. Just a personal opinion of course, if you want to be propped up all Weekend At Bernie's style then you go ahead, but give me the pine box. Though my fishing pole might come in handy...... cause you never know when you might find a nice fishing hole.

The Aftermath

So the Celtics won the championship...... LET'S WRECK STUFF!!! I saw that after the game a few windows were broken near the Garden. Any one remember when the Sox won the series and some cars were flipped over and set on fire? Remember that girl that was killed by police? Who celebrates as a fan with destruction? I don't get it. I remember one year the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup and riots ensued. You know I bet their mothers are really proud. As a parent I can say most assuredly that I am not saying to myself.... "If Tyler doesn't become a professional athlete I hope he at least causes massive destruction whenever his favorite sports team wins." The best part of professional sports is being a fan of a championship winning team, the worst part of professional sports is the fans of a championship team. As I have said before, people are friggin' idiots.

Little update. On the news, the comment about the smashed windows was "Yeah but I've seen worse." So I guess breaking windows has become acceptable in post win celebrations.

Wow

I can't even believe this. I am heading there next weekend.

Uber Secret Fishing Spot!

I am a reader!!

Today, like most days in the past month, Tyler has taken a break from the usual destruction to read some books. I think it is funny how he drops what he is doing, literally, and goes to the corner with all of his books. I like how he digs through the stacks of books to find a specific book. I enjoy watching him turn the pages and "read" the books. He knows the stories very well. He points at the pictures that he knows the words to and says the word or makes the corresponding sound effect. He sings the parts of the songs that he knows if it is that style of book. But what is most amazing to me, is when he repeats the rhyming patterns, only with a single sound like "da" or "buh". It amazes me that he can think in that way when it feels like just yesterday he couldn't even let me know what he needed. Now I have to ask him what he would like to have for a snack. These days he decides what he will do and what he will eat...... and what book to read or have read to him.

Today:
BBQ chicken quarters
Potatos w/ garlic and onions
Carrots

on the menu

Mostly because I will forget by tomorrow.

Fried wide rice noodles w/ carrots, broccoli, and onions
Sweet chili chicken w/ scallions and garlic (for Tyler and myself)
Lemongrass and Cracked black pepper Shrimp (for the lady of the house)

Hmm... I think that sounds good. I also think this is going to help me to:
1. remember what I was going to cook
2. remember what I cooked yesterday so I don't end up making pizza 3 times a week
3. make new and interesting things for dinner so you, the reader, can be inspired to do the same.

Just So You Know...

I decided just now that I need to keep track of what I make / have for dinner so I can try to not get into a dinner rut. I think I will use the blog, so pay no attention to random menu-like posts. OR!! You can use it to help keep yourselves out of the dinner rut.

Pulled BBQ chicken sandwich
Fries
Green Beans

The Movies

I watched the movie "Bright Future" some time ago, and now that it has been released on DVD region 2, you can too. I agree with the review completely. This movie really gets you thinking after it's over. Well I guess it makes you think during the film as well, but mostly "what the hell is this supposed to be about?" I recommend seeing it if it's rainy and cool outside, and when you are in a very self reflective mood. You will be a better person having watched one of the more artsy films I can claim to have seen. For those of you in the mood for a mind blowing experience check out "Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl", it is a must see for sure. And remember kids..... if it was made in Japan it will last longer and get better gas mileage than its domestic counterpart.

We Aren't The Only Citizens On This Planet

Every single day another company is claiming to be doing their part to "help" the environment. All of the home improvement shows on HGTV are explaining the importance of buying wood products from sustainable forestry practicing companies. Go solar, use wind, water power, tidal power, even nuclear power companies are making claims that their product is a more environmentally friendly form of powering our world. NUCLEAR FRIGGIN' POWER!! I have so many unanswered questions about the "more environmentally friendly" products that are so en vogue. I mean is it really better for the environment for me to use bamboo flooring that was harvested, processed, made into planks, clear coated at a factory in a third world country without emission limitation for their factories, and then shipped to Maine than it is for me to buy oak boards from Schmedbergs' Wood 'N' More thirty miles from here regardless of Mr. Schmedbergs' forestry practices? I mean buy local whenever possible, unless it is what? The biggest question I have is how is the USA's oil and power saving ways really going to have an effect on global climate change when China and India are just now starting to modernize. Just look at the populations:
1 China 1,246,871,951
2 India 1,000,848,550
3 United States 272,639,608
But the fact remains that individual car ownership in China grew 33.5 percent to 11.49 million in 2006. 11.49 million people owned cars in all of China in 06, so that's about 1%. The US claims to have over 450 cars on the road for every 1000 people that live here. If you consider the percentage of the population that is too young to drive, I bet that is around 60% individual car owners. So if everyone in the US gave up driving then we can cut emissions enough for not even 10% of China to drive cars. You see my point. I think we need to ask our neighbors to start adopting some of these "planet saving techniques" because doing it from the start is an easier task than getting people to change their ways once they get in the bad habits that we currently have. The number of car owners in China is increasing like you read about as for the past 5 years, 4 of 5 new car buyers in that country have never owned a car at all. I bet the $4.00+ price of gas today becomes a remember when gas was only 4 bucks a gallon in a few years.
Well there's my info laced rant for the week, if you have any info on environmental impact of products produced overseas, let me know will you?