Intentionally Left Blank

Oviedo Again

2011-03-18T04:17:00.000-07:00

Four times is once too much for luck

and that's how many times the clock struck

when I wandered home saying your name.

Now that's how you write some lyrics.

St. Patty

2011-03-17T03:40:00.000-07:00

Happy Saint Patrick's Day...

May your life be filled with luck, and

May your Black & Tans never mix.

Three Sixteen

2011-03-16T15:05:00.000-07:00

3:16 for 3/16

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."

John

Boulevard + Orval

2011-03-16T04:50:00.000-07:00

The nightmare is almost over...the wait is almost over. I can finally "almost" put you on ice (but not too much ice) and drink you.

Bartlett Again

2011-03-07T02:37:00.000-08:00

I just keep finding these...

Shadows

2011-03-06T03:11:00.000-08:00

How can something so small cast such an immense shadow...How can something so ornery cause so much joy...How can two eyes convey such adoration...

Spend one hour with my little girl and you too will know.

So...Partigyle

2011-03-05T01:47:00.000-08:00

As mentioned before, I would like to try my hand at a partigyle brew. To adequately explain partigyle, a few brewing basics must be mentioned. Say you want to end up with 2 gallons of beer in a normal batch. When you add water to mash your grain, you don't just mix in 2 gallons of water with the grain and call that good (well, technically you could but you would have to use a lot more grain). What you do is mash with, let's just make it simple, 1 gallon of water then drain off what we call the "first runnings". Once that is done you add the second gallon of water, stir, and then drain off the "second runnings". The first runnings will contain the bulk of the needed sugar for fermentation, the second is "rinsing" all the rest out. These two runnings then combine to make your wort.

Now then, what a partigyle brew is is making two separate beers from the same mash. When you pull off the first runnings, that gets put right into the brew pot and boiling right away. The second runnings is put into a separate pot for a second boil. Since the first contains a bulk of the sugar, it will be a more alcoholic beer, called the "big beer", the second with less alcohol, the "small beer". When you are done, you will have two beers that have the same basic flavor profile, but that are completely different.

Partigyle #1

Big Beer: Upelkuchen

Small Beer: Pishsalver

Partigyle #2

Big Beer: Reboil

Small Beer: Reflux

Dancing

2011-03-04T04:13:00.000-08:00

I had given up all hope...my brother sent me a text yesterday announcing the publish date for George RR Martin's (my favorite author) newest 'A Song of Ice & Fire' novel. My doubt was not without justification. We (GRRM fans) had been down this road before, phantom "publish dates" released as far back as 2007. So forgive my disbelief that four years later I had to see it for myself.

I have been waiting 9 years for the next of this series. I was a senior in high school when I read A Storm of Swords. Some will say, "But what about 'A Feast for Crows'?" I say that that is only half a book. This is the other half and I will read them together. When he was writing the next book after ASoS, it became so long and so large that it was not feasible to do one book, so he split it. Not a traditional split into first half, second half. He only told half the perspective of the whole story in A Feast for Crows. A Dance with Dragons is the other half of the perspective.

I've waited patiently. Please don't let me down George.

Steel Magnolia

2011-03-03T04:36:00.000-08:00

Same place, different view.

Thirtieth

2011-02-25T04:38:00.000-08:00

I recently had Sierra Nevada's Thirtieth Anniversary beer shown here and am sad to say that I was pretty disappointed. A blend of their Bigfoot Barleywine, Celebration Ale, and Pale Ale, it had promise. However, it fell short of expectation.

On the other hand, I did have the 2011 Bigfoot last night by itself, and that...did not disappoint. Wonderful beer. I bought a six pack to archive. Hopefully in five years I will be able to do a vertical tasting of all six years, can't wait.

Untitled

2011-02-24T02:20:00.000-08:00

A worn pair of boots that seem to have walked the world because he's in them met their demise in a fire of attention-seeking flames. After many years had gone by, he kind of wished he would have kept those boots...

This is Why

2011-02-24T02:10:00.000-08:00

Composed quite a long write-up on this, but decided to forego the rant and just sum it up into a couple of statements:

Having superior physicality and/or ability allowing one to prevail by a vast margin does not constitute poor sportsmanship. Doing so in a deceitful, demeaning, or disrespectful manner does. Worry less about leveling playing fields for the sake of feelings, and more about teaching individuals how to and the importance of working harder to overcome adversity and earning what you receive rather than blaming those that already have.

Bartlett

2011-02-23T02:41:00.000-08:00

Some days I wish I could live here...

Magritte, Mac, and Me

2011-02-22T04:09:00.000-08:00

Normally I'm against this type kitsch, but... I do love this. Got my first Mac 10 months ago and could not have made a better decision. I've been able to do 10 times more in 10 months with this computer than I did in 2 years with the PC. Promised myself I wouldn't throw out any cliches, so I won't. I just love this computer.

Life in Macro

2011-02-17T02:36:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting this for awhile now. 60mm would probably do, but if you're going to wish, wish big I guess. Now all I need is to find someone with either too much money or too many lenses. Neither one of those scenarios seems likely though.

New Slang

2011-02-16T02:35:00.000-08:00

I've got to agree with Natalie Portman on this one.

Snow Day

2011-02-15T03:22:00.001-08:00

St. Valentine

2011-02-14T03:11:00.000-08:00

The history, or some may say, the legend of St. Valentine is quite interesting to me. The emperor of Rome decided that single young men made better soldiers than married ones with families so he outlawed marriage for them. Valentine, who did not think it was right, continued to marry young lovers anyway. After being found out he was sentenced to death and thrown in jail where he fell in love with the jailer's daughter. Before he eventually died, he would send said girl secrets letters and sign them, "Your Valentine."

Of all the crappy love movies to come out lately, why hasn't this been picked up? Secret love, tragedy, Rome, soldiers...it has all the makings. Maybe I'll work on that.

Fifty Seven

2011-02-11T04:41:00.000-08:00

I was paid a visit from myself last night. I was thirty years older than now. I applauded myself for diligently wearing ear and eye protection beyond the recommended amounts, but politely suggested to myself that I should learn to lift with my legs more frequently. Oh, and I also told myself that I was right, soon technology is going to surpass all that our minds can handle and it will violently spin out of control. The fact that I was talking to a fifty seven year old version of myself over the internet is evidence of that.

He also told me to give up on the 'Cats...now or never. So I did.

On Faith

2011-02-10T03:27:00.000-08:00

Of the three central pillars of spirituality, faith, hope, and love, hope and love are likely the most well known. However, faith, being the most difficult of the three, offers great rewards of peace and righteousness to those who seek it. A man who does not struggle with his faith has either been unlikely blessed above all others or is a fool. A fool will have faith for the sole purpose of having a faith. That is inadequate. The act of having faith, in other words being faithful, is the participation in the understanding of that to which you are being faithful. This should be a man's lifelong undertaking, for blind faith is the worst of its kind. A man's quest to being faithful will be filled with obstacles of temptation. However, to seek understanding of faith is to give you focus. The unfaithful man will often succumb to even the smallest of temptations for his apparent lack of the aforementioned. A man's struggle with temptation and understanding is his struggle with being faithful, his struggle with faith. However, strength in faith will come to the man that searches himself for understanding. The final reward for this act of faith will be a peaceful and righteous soul.

Rioja Crianza

2011-02-07T03:57:00.000-08:00

He had bought a half a case of wine a few years back, 2005 he had thought. It was a Spanish Red, a Rioja Crianza with little renown. A bottle was pulled for special occasions over the course of the next four years also, with little renown. Until the time came for the last bottle, Thanksgiving, 2009. Only two glasses were poured that day, and what glasses they were. What happened next, however, is somewhat of a mystery. After four years of mild struggle to find the right time to open the bottles, the day had seemingly come where the last of the Rioja Crianza spoke to them. Was it nostalgia for the previous 5 bottles being felt that day, wishing there were more? Were the serving conditions and pairings finally, as they say, just right? Or perhaps, just maybe, had they opened up the bottle at the very moment in time that the bottle was intended to be opened? I hope for their sake it was the latter, but I'm somewhat of a romantic.

five pilot

2011-02-06T01:24:00.000-08:00

Moving forward. Here is just a quick something I threw together for a visual on the brewing company. So far I have names for 14 beers. I had better get busy with those recipes.

Pocketee Common - Pale Ale

David Polk - Barleywine

Windmill - Wheat

NCR Ale - Oatmeal Stout

Odin's Ol - Imperial Stout

Death by Rondeau - IPA

Black Death by Rondeau - Black IPA

Amber Eye - Amber Rye

Belgian Series (David Eddings fans rejoice!)

- Garath

- Garion

- Din

Pumpkin 3.1415926... - Pumpkin

Upelkuchen - "Big" beer from parti-gyle

Pishsalver - "Little" beer from parti-gyle (more on parti-gyle later)

Wreck This Blog

2011-02-05T04:32:00.000-08:00

Completely against everything I stand for in book care, however, a surprisingly fulfilling exercise in creativity and spontaneity. Can't wait to finish, can't wait to share. Thanks Amanda.

On Rationality

2011-02-04T04:13:00.000-08:00

To be rational is perhaps the most meaningful of human traits, and conversely, irrationality, the most abhorrent. A rational man has intelligence based on their ability to understand. This, however, does not mean that the intelligent man is rational. The intelligent yet irrational man fails to grasp concepts that are tangental to the present, making them react in a myopic and self-absorbed nature. The rational man perceives, analyzes, and responds bearing all facets of the present in mind. He knows his faults and limitations using them as agents of change where the irrational man will only place blame, never admitting a shortcoming. It would be prudent though to not confuse rationality for weakness or lack of ambition. Compassion, compromise, and understanding in the long term are far stronger than the short term gains of selfish and deceitful acts. A man should strive to be rational. If he does not, he shall indeed be doomed to lonely life of self comfort.

Got It

2011-01-27T04:27:00.000-08:00

I think I've finally got it. After two and a half years of brewing beer, I think I finally know what I will "call" myself...I say I think. I have "thought" I knew before, only to change my mind a few days later. I've had some really strong contenders, but this new one hits the mark. I decided that I wanted a name that was clever but not pretentious, short but not long, preferably adjective-noun in structure, modern but classic, and lent itself to an achievable logo. I am going to check with my boss with one final pitch, then hopefully be done with it and reveal.

Past considerations:

7 Kingdoms Brewing Co.

Cabin Ales Brewing Co.

Kayak Ales Brewing Co.

Circa Common Brewing Co.

Pocketee Brewing Co.

Black Door Brewing Co.

Alterondeau Brewing Co.

Some really didn't have potential, some did but just didn't stick.

Aperture 3

2011-01-26T03:49:00.000-08:00

I finally broke down and, after many visits to the Aperture site, bought Aperture 3 from Apple. After it hit the App Store at an insane discount, and after my wife presented some irrefutable facts, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to take things up a step. I am now on the learning path, hopefully it will be as good as I hope.

Pocketee Common

2011-01-24T01:35:00.000-08:00

The first beer of 2011 I've named Pocketee Common. It's a Pale Ale, and so far it's probably the best I've made. It is also the first beer I have made with 100% barley, no extracts. It's a harder process, but more fun and allows you more control. Next up is hopefully David Polk, a Barleywine.

In the Way

2011-01-23T04:57:00.000-08:00

No...your hands were not in the way of my picture.

Bird in the Hand

2011-01-21T04:24:00.000-08:00

Best commercial on TV.

Vader Shadow

2011-01-20T03:56:00.000-08:00

I wear a hardhat while at work. It was cold out so I also had the hood of my coat over the hardhat. The hood has flaps that can be tied, though I left them untied letting them stick out. Upon catching a glimpse of the shadow that I imposed, I couldn't help but to notice the striking resemblance I had to that of Darth Vader. I spent the rest of the day humming the Imperial March and standing with my back to sun whenever possible.

Joy

2011-01-19T03:07:00.000-08:00

One may find it difficult to enjoy life if he is not willing to do those things which are necessary to make life enjoyable.

C.A. Sjohman

Mo's

2011-01-18T04:08:00.000-08:00

Mo's Pub...Beaver, KS. Overall winner: IPA

E=MC^2

2011-01-17T03:56:00.000-08:00

Couldn't be any better. Such a classic.

Top Five

2011-01-15T02:42:00.000-08:00

Five Reasons to Love My New Job:

1. A historical penchant for the color blue.
2. Uncovering a myriad of uses for a 10" pipe wrench.
3. No longer having a clock ticking away my life 14" from my face.
4. Pocket Tees...every day.
5. Having not yet once in seven months calculated the number of hours until retirement.

Oviedo

2011-01-14T04:27:00.000-08:00

Life altering.

Either Or

2010-02-12T04:45:00.000-08:00

Marry and you will regret it. Do not marry and you will also regret it. Whether you marry or you do not marry, you will regret it either way.

Laugh at the stupidities of the world and you will regret it. Weep over them and you will also regret it. Whether you laugh at the stupidities of the world or weep over them, you will regret it either way.

Hang yourself and you will regret. Do not hang yourself and you will also regret it. Whether you hang yourself or do not hang yourself, you will regret it either way. This gentlemen is the quintessence of all the wisdom of life.

--A

Who Watches The Watchmen

2009-12-31T01:25:00.000-08:00

Miracles by they're definition are meaningless, only what can happen does happen.

Just got done watching Watchmen again...damn it's good, bloody brilliant...depressing and poignant.

The Christmas Fridge

2009-12-25T13:43:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas

Iron Oxide

2009-12-19T02:46:00.000-08:00

Wakey! Wakey!

2009-12-18T01:43:00.000-08:00

Another new favorite...great stuff.

Quite Cool

2009-12-17T18:58:00.000-08:00

Quite cool...surprisingly accurate. View it larger here.

Addiction

2009-12-17T01:02:00.000-08:00

came across this today, not sure why it resonates, but it does:

addiction...sad lonely pain shame anger can't look in the mirror can't face myself don't want to
give it up so hard longing wonder aggression embarrassment excuses justifications
unfounded weak empty heartless let me speak soulless shallow meager disgusted with myself
can't let it hold me broken don't break me strong willful demeaning hurtful break the
glass look away leave me alone quiet the voices overcome this survive the mind same
path wrong road going down to hell drag me away from this...addiction
--anon.

Poems

2009-12-11T05:37:00.000-08:00

Recently commissioned to write a limerick for Christmas gift tags to accompany bottles of homemade Swedish glögg. Here is the result...

Only sissies will say they like mead,
And wine snobs do follow thy lead,
But glögg is a drink,
For real men who think,
They can drink with the best like a Swede!

...and a completely unrelated Haiku

It is dangerous,
to let the mind go astray,
and know not the path.

Worms In My Ears II

2009-12-10T05:55:00.000-08:00

He hadn't noticed before. He examined them closely, the earphones at his work computer. There was a noticeable, and as evidenced by this post, a notable difference between the two. The left one, the one he exclusively used, was significantly more worn from use. The right seemed brand new. After a moment's contemplation, he optimistically hoped that the insides of his ears did not reflect this same sentiment...maybe he should switch things up for a change.

She Says

2009-12-08T00:59:00.000-08:00

This is [not] the most important thing you will ever read:
Once upon a time...a woman had something to say, a statement. The words started flowing from her fingers, keystrokes of letters, words, phrases; and her mind, standing idly by, watched with a mixture of fascination and confusion. It was as if her soul had been welling up inside of her and was finally spilling over, taking shape, transfiguring before her eyes and she could do nothing, did not want to do anything but to let it go. It was scary and comforting, lost and found, ugly and beautiful, all facets of the same entity. And when she was done, in the final moment, it was brought to life with her last breath. She would be no more, but those words would live, and in that, her spirit would remain perpetually, eternally, forever.

Cowards

2009-12-07T05:38:00.000-08:00

The College Football Bowl Season is upon us as of the selection show yesterday. After seeing the results, I was left with one overwhelming thought, "You cowards!" Boise State vs. TCU in the Fiesta Bowl! While it's likely to be a very entertaining game, and they can hype it up all they want as a rematch of last years thriller, but this guy can see through the bullcrap.

Think about it, how terrible would it be for the BCS if two of the "Big 6" conference champions were to get taken down in a BCS bowl? If two teams from "lesser" conferences were to finish undefeated and in the top 5. If Boise State smoked the ACC champ, and TCU embarrassed Florida and the almighty SEC. There would be anarchy. Instead, they took the safest route they could by making them play each other. That insures that only one will finish undefeated, neither will have a chance to prove themselves after having amazing seasons, and nobody will get to see what they really want...except of course for the BCS committee.

Baseballs

2009-11-19T00:18:00.000-08:00

Someone is obsessed with the new camera...

Self Portrait 2

2009-11-15T11:07:00.001-08:00

Self Portrait

2009-11-15T11:03:00.000-08:00

Irony

2009-11-11T05:42:00.000-08:00

When the soap dispenser at the sink is the filthiest, most infectious looking thing in the room, what's a guy to do?

Haiku

2009-11-10T05:42:00.000-08:00

A haiku...

Kayak

Just floating along,
I contemplate to myself,
Why don't I paddle?

Best of Times, Worst of Times

2009-11-09T01:46:00.000-08:00

Best: The best was for sure watching the 17-10 victory that the Wildcats put on the Jayhawks Saturday. Order seems to have been restored in the Sunflower State.

Bonus Best: The weather on Saturday was a thing of beauty.

Worst: Nancy Pelosi's smile.

Kaydee Ella

2009-11-04T05:44:00.000-08:00

There is nothing more commanding of the entire spectrum of human emotion than to have a child. Except maybe for having two.

Best of Times, Worst of Times

2009-11-02T23:43:00.000-08:00

Best: Without a doubt, bringing our new daughter Kaydee home happy and healthy.

Worst: The impending work week. The amount of catch up and error fixing upon returning from time off makes a guy not want to take time off. It's pretty demoralizing.

Happy Halloween

2009-11-01T05:59:00.000-08:00

I and Love and You

2009-10-28T01:34:00.000-07:00

Best song I've heard in awhile...

Love this song.

Hulu

2009-10-27T12:09:00.000-07:00

Some news that will sadden my brother I'm sure, and me as well.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Hulu May Charge as Early as 2010

Online video site Hulu may begin charging a fee for access to its movies and television shows, according to News Corp (NWS: 14.1, -0.2, -1.4%) President and COO, Chase Carey.
Fees for access to the site could be introduced as soon as 2010, according to remarks made by Carey at a conference on Wednesday. Users of Hulu currently watch both movies and television free of charge, with Hulu employing an advertisement-supported revenue model.
Last month, News Corp Chairman Rupert Murdoch said that no final decision had been made on Hulu, and it is unclear how Comcast’s (CMCSK: 14.09, -0.17, -1.19%) potential purchase of General Electric's (GE: 14.93, -0.05, -0.33%) NBC Universal might affect any changes.
Along with News Corp., Hulu is owned by NBC Universal, Disney (DIS: 28.085, -0.555, -1.94%), and Providence Equity Partners.

News Corp. is the parent company of FOX Business Network.

Darn hulu...

A Little Fall

2009-10-27T01:50:00.000-07:00

The Siren

2009-10-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

Every Monday the siren sounds at 12:00PM. At that exact time, I am usually on my way to the car for lunch. In that moment, there is nothing more impending, nothing quite as imminent as the fear that the sound of that siren makes. As I fumble for my keys, I get this distinct, crippling feeling that one of two things is about to happen: either a commencing nuclear strike or a shambling zombie outbreak. Regardless of the event, both make me walk just a little bit faster.

Best of Times, Worst of Times

2009-10-26T05:41:00.000-07:00

Best: After months of struggling with a complex in which I would leave one task undone on each project I started, I'm happy to say that this weekend I finished up about half a dozen of them. It felt good to finally cross them off the list.

Worst: Well, since this isn't a post with new baby pictures, you can see that there was no baby this weekend. Maybe this week...

Homebrew News

2009-10-23T05:48:00.000-07:00

Just an update on the latest homebrew: I opened the first of the Pale Ale that I made in September and did a blind taste test a couple of weeks ago with it and a commercial Pale Ale. I had three judges, myself included, and of the three on the panel, each preferred beer number one which I am excited to say was mine. I haven't tried it since. I've been waiting to have it as "new baby celebration" beer, and since it was only a half-batch, I wanted to save all I could. I'm hoping it continues to get better and hits it's peak in a week or two. That will be perfect timing.

Also, I have an oatmeal stout that I brewed about a month ago. I have since transferred it into the secondary and added some bourbon soaked oak chips. It tasted pretty good before the oak, so here's hoping I didn't ruin anything through experimentation. If it all turns out alright, I'll be opening the first of those at Christmas. That's all for the fall brewing season. We'll have to see how busy I get coming up this winter for any more. Cheers!

Fresh Air

2009-10-22T05:44:00.000-07:00

Allow me to reiterate a former sentiment: there is little worse for enjoying a nice early autumn afternoon than to inhale the cigarette smoke from the car two places in front of you at the stoplight. Note: not only are you destroying your own lungs with a cocktail of toxic smoke and poisonous tar, but you're infringing on my right to breathe fresh air as well. Roll up your window and choke on it...jerk.

Best of Times, Worst of Times

2009-10-19T19:21:00.000-07:00

A great bit for Mondays that I'm stealing from a new favorite podcast, best of times and worst of times from the weekend:

Best: When I made a tunnel out of blocks for Garrett's train set to go under, he made a sound that was an unmistakable, "Coolest dad ever" sound. Even my wife heard it and it was great.

Worst: The crazy wind made any outdoor activity for me unbearable. I can't stand that wind.

New Artist

2009-09-16T06:09:00.000-07:00

Here's some new art from one of my new favorite artists.

Here is the artist at work on the ipod.

Untitled

2009-09-15T17:55:00.001-07:00

No wonder he called him a jackass...

Loose Ends

2009-09-11T06:02:00.001-07:00

As evidence, I couldn't even follow through with the insinuation of a final post, but here it was, a post to tie up loose ends, now with updates...

--Beer Names

Ah the ever changing. To clue you in on the indecisiveness, here is a sample list of all of the names that have been thought of, talked about, or scribbled down on a corner of a notepad. No official name has been chosen as of yet though.

212 Brewing

Magnet Ales Brewing

Kayak Ales Brewing

Cabin Ales Brewing (courtesy of Eric Rondeau)

7 Kingdoms Brewing

Avika Tanke: Vatskebrod (Swedish for Divergent Thought: Fluid Bread)

j.david Brewing

Alter 3go Brewing

Mezzanine Cellars Brewing

--Jack Johnson is the man...especially at work

--Planned Home brews

Planned beers for this fall are a Pale Ale made with Amarillo hops (currently in primary) and an Oatmeal Stout. There will be a few firsts as I am planning on doing my first partial mash with the stout, and a little experiment involving a split batch with oak and bourbon. I'm looking forward to the process, and of course, the results.

--It's A Girl

For those that don't know, my wife and I are expecting a girl in October. This should be interesting/exciting on multiple levels.

--Who watches the Watchmen

I saw Watchmen the week it came out (which was quite awhile ago now). It blew my mind apart. I planned a post, but couldn't come up with words to describe it.

--And finally, after giving it some thought, I've decided to not delete the blog. I'll be leaving it up and posting every now and again, mostly pictures and home brew news probably, but I couldn't push the button. So, if you still check this, wonderful, and keep checking back for periodic updates.

Marquette Rodeo

2009-08-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

A few pictures from the rodeo.

Best Wife

2009-08-03T05:49:00.000-07:00

I love my wife. She's the greatest in many ways...however, one thing she said to me this weekend was the cherry on top.

As I pulled one of my Sierra Nevada Pale Ale's from a cooler filled with ice that had mistakenly been put there by others the night before, my wife said, "Oh honey, do you want me to go put that in the refrigerator instead, I know you don't drink that beer that cold."

One of us, one of us!

Pop Quiz

2009-07-31T05:46:00.000-07:00

It's the most beautiful Kansas July evening in recent memory, where am I?

a). Mowing my lawn
b). Enjoying a beer on the front porch
c). Kayaking down the river
d). Sitting in my office finishing a proposal

Be careful, I may not like your answer.

Glow Ball

2009-07-28T04:25:00.000-07:00

I played glow ball for the first time this weekend in a tournament with my friend Jason. If you like golf and haven't tried it, you should. It's pretty fun, especially on such a great night like we had. Oh yeah, and we won by 2 strokes, despite my best efforts to sabotage our game.

Monday

2009-07-27T01:58:00.000-07:00

It was Monday. He looked right through her. It was a queer sensation. He blinked a few times in confusion. One minute she had been giving an acceptance speech, and the next she was gone. All he heard was muffled sounds, as if he were being submerged under water. He could clearly make out the cabinets and counter directly behind her. Was she disappearing? Then came the applause around him, quickly at first, then slowed down as if someone were restricting the film. It was muffled too, an echo in the hollow void into which he was sinking. The people around him could seemingly still see and hear. They were still a part of the world, of the world's time. He was not.

Soon the others were not moving, or rather, not to the human eye. It was silent. They had slowed to a point that he was able see the individual molecules that made up their being. He walked towards them and with a wave of his hand, as if warding off an annoying insect, was able to brush aside the molecules and phase through the matter. He held one in his hand and observed the complexity of this one tiny block of life, and marveled at it's wonder.

Then a deafening snap filled his ears and he felt as though someone had shoved him violently backwards to his original position. Clapping crescendoed up from an echo and a form began to transfigure in front of the cabinets. "Let's have cake," she said. It took him a real world moment to realize that he was back on earth's time, watching them eat cake.

He wondered what Tuesday would be like.

Firestone

2009-07-16T05:58:00.000-07:00

I guess this means I'm moving to California...

More Than Meets The Eye

2009-06-29T00:09:00.000-07:00

I don't know how this tastes (and probably never will living in "can't get that beer here" Kansas), but it certainly has to be one of the coolest beer names ever.

The Wall

2009-06-28T01:39:00.000-07:00

He didn't see me watching, and I hoped that he wouldn't. Maybe that would be all it would take, him thinking he was alone. For he was standing in front of a brick wall that he had no business being in front of, dressed in clothes he had no business wearing. I desperately wanted him to tap a few bricks, walk through the wall, and not come out the other side, but alas, today he did not. Shame, it would have been neat to have followed him.

Chicago Institute of Art

2009-06-26T23:00:00.000-07:00

I thought is was time to put up some more Magritte, of course he's my favorite. This one I have actually had the pleasure to see in person at the Chicago Institute of Art. However, it was not the most impressive thing I saw that day...

This painting by Seurat was absolutely mind blowing.

Laughter

2009-06-26T05:42:00.000-07:00

If laughter is the best medicine,as they say, then he would be the healthiest of them all. He laughs at everything...

"Hey, how's it going?"

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...good, and you ha ha ha."

"Do you have a minute?"

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...I guess, ha ha ha.

"What are you doing for lunch?"

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...I'm just staying in, ha ha ha.

...for no apparent reason, as if everything were a private joke that only he understood. At first it is fine, but after 6 months, and he can't say anything without laughing, and he sits behind you, and every time you hear him laugh you make mocking faces at your computer screen, and write things about him on your notepad, and he laughs at everyone else too, and then it gets to a point that you are manic, that you can see yourself laughing as you punch him in the face, and all he does is laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh and...ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

Maybe it's you who has the problem.

Bend Your Ear

2009-06-24T19:26:00.000-07:00

If you only knew...you would know why this is noteworthy.

Wedding

2009-06-22T04:39:00.000-07:00

My good friend Brad got married this past weekend. It was a really great time, and I got to see some people that I surely don't get to see enough. One friend's dad took a few pictures that I thought turned out really well.

Pictures

2009-06-21T18:09:00.001-07:00

From My iPod

2009-06-13T16:12:00.001-07:00

I feel like I have officially joined the club.

The Horse In Motion

2009-06-12T20:58:00.000-07:00

To Whom it May Concern:

There you have it. All four of Occident's feet off the ground. Pay up sucka.

Sincerely,
Leland Stanford

Chardin

2009-06-11T04:30:00.000-07:00

I was never really moved by most 18-19th century art styles, but I can always count on Chardin for a great still life.

You Know You Do

2009-06-09T17:08:00.000-07:00

So I'm a hair late, but this is great if you haven't seen it. It's sad to say that I caught every single reference (even the fact that the picture of Kelly is incorrect). But what's even sadder is...I'm sure you'll catch them too.

Here Comes The Bride

2009-06-09T05:06:00.000-07:00

I heard this song was used this past weekend at a wedding as the bride walked down the aisle. A little non-traditional, but I can see it, and totally dig it.

Another Chance

2009-06-08T07:16:00.001-07:00

This weekend, I made a third attempt to see the movie Blade Runner. My wife has made it clear that she has no interest, and I don't blame her, so I've been trying to find a suitable time to watch it. My first attempt was obviously way too late for this post-collegiate-turned-father as I fell asleep halfway through. My second attempt was stifled, literally, as I was couldn't hear what was happening due to noise restriction (didn't want to wake the wife). This past weekend however, I found success. Amanda was gone, Garrett was asleep, and so I put in Blade Runner for the third time. It was worth the wait.

It was science fiction at it's best, and I'm actually glad I have waited this long to see it. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have liked it in college, and have no doubt that I would have hated it in high school. But now, there was something about it that was very captivating to me as an adult. It really reached me emotionally, and blew my mind intellectually. Love, love, love this movie.

If only you could see what I've seen with your eyes.
--Roy, from Blade Runner

Torture

2009-06-05T05:39:00.000-07:00

Forget waterboarding...
I walked into Gella's Diner in Hays, KS yesterday only to be instantly engulfed in a wonderfully familiar smell. It wasn't the food though, it was something different wafting in from the back. It didn't even take a second for me to identify it, freshly milled malted barley. Somewhere...they were making beer. I asked to be seated in the brewery section to investigate further. Upon being seated, my suspicions were confirmed. Two guys in the back were busily dumping barley and hops into a boil and creating that wonderful wort. The smell was unmistakable and intoxicating. I looked down the beer list that was so familiar to me, noticed the banners hanging on the wall: GABF Silver medal, Bronze medal, Silver medal, Gold medal, etc., and tried to hold back my enthusiasm. I scoured the menu and spotted the obnoxiously decadent Spicy Redneck, and my mouth began to water. This was going to be great.

However, the waitress came around and I was roused from my fantasy. "I'll have a water and the Brewben sandwich," were the words uttered chokingly out of my mouth. My boss sitting beside me said, "I'll have the same." Pure torture.

Damn the electric fence...

Fun at Work 2

2009-06-02T01:57:00.000-07:00

Nothing like a nice lineup of switchgear to make work a little more artistic...just a little.

Not a Rant

2009-06-01T05:36:00.000-07:00

I hate to do this, because I swore I was done with it, but if you'll allow me one small minute to point out an...observation. This is not a rant, but a mere suggestion to any restaurateurs out there. I took my wife out for dinner the other night for our anniversary to what I might consider to be one of the nicer restaurants in Wichita. Upon receiving our menus, I began perusing the drink selections. Two whole pages devoted to wine by the bottle and by the glass were sectioned off into red and white, and further partitioned into nice neat categories of Merlot, Cabernet, Pinot Grigio, etc. Then, in the bottom right hand corner, a space reserved for the apparent "step child" of imbibments, was the beer.

Surprised? No, I wasn't. I expected it. So I was able to move on at that point. What amused me was the two categories of beer listed, Imported and Domestic. Looking down the domestic list, I saw the typical macros, Bud, Coors, Miller. What was laughable were the beers listed as Imported. Fat Tire? Since when have we imported Fat Tire all the way from Colorado? How about Samuel Adams from Boston (a quick aside: that's how they had listed it, "Samuel Adams," as if they didn't have a million beers to choose from), is that "imported"? And Shiner Bock? I'm pretty sure Texas is part of the Union now. Where did they come up with this list?

Apparently I'm hard to please when it come to my beverage of choice. Don't get me wrong, I'm not discounting wine. I do love wine very much. However, once, just once, I would love to open a menu and have two full pages devoted to beer by the bottle and by the (proper) glass that were sectioned off into ales and lagers, and further partitioned into nice neat categories of Pale, Hefeweizen, Porter, etc. Then I would love to hear my waiter say, "India Pale Ale? That will go great with your chicken curry, excellent choice, sir." If anyone knows of such a place, please let me know. Until then, I'll just have to stick to drinking the "imported" stuff. Because everyone knows that if it's not fizzy and yellow, it must not come from here.

The Shoulder

2009-05-31T02:57:00.000-07:00

His should was a subject of ridicule. Each day he would walk through the door at 12:57 PM, fresh off of his lunch break. He would walk down the hall to his desk, ignoring the stares. He knew. He smiled a knowing smile though. The other guys had even started a pool, what would it be today? Pizza? Maybe macaroni and cheese? One cried a triumphant, "Yes!" He must have won, for it was actually pizza. Pizza sauce stains had made there way onto his left shoulder. Some days it was clean, some days peanut butter, often it was strawberries, and many times it was chocolate. They thought him a slob though, thought they could tell what he had for lunch that day by what was wiped and left behind on his shoulder. They couldn't have been more wrong.

For every day at 12:50 PM, the man had two little arms wrapped tightly around his neck, and a little face pressed against his left shoulder. His son had eaten pizza that day, and the sauce was there to prove it. And occasional days before that he'd left something else before saying goodbye. The shirts he could wash, and the jeers could be tolerated. He knew that the hugs would stop one day, and he wasn't letting anyone take them away too soon.

College Imagery 4

2009-05-30T01:10:00.000-07:00

Wiest Hall...still feels like home.

Beer Ranks

2009-05-29T01:50:00.000-07:00

I mentioned that I drank a lot of great beer in San Diego. This is true, and I tried to only drink ones that I knew that I wouldn't be able to get back in Wichita. Below I ranked in order from best to not best (because there was no "worst" if you know what I mean) all the beers I had:

1. Karl Strauss IPA--This was a surprising 1-2 finish for the Karl Strauss brewery. I'll have to admit that I had never heard of their beer before, and was enthusiastically pleased that we went to eat there. Extra points go to them for serving each beer in the proper glass.

2. Karl Strauss Barley Wine--Great hoppy barley wine. Smooth and full tasting. Perfect after-meal beer for me.

3. Dogfish Head 90 min. IPA--Desperately wanted it to be better. My expectations might have been a tad high. It was a great beer though, better than the 60. Bring on the 120!

4. Stone Pale Ale--Head and shoulders better than the Stone IPA, very surprising.

5. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale--I know I can get this in Kansas, but at the bar it was the best option, and come on, it's Sierra Nevada...always a great choice.

6. Karl Strauss Hefeweizen--I only had a drink of this, but it was enough to know that it was a fine beer. Great color as well.

7. Lagunitas Old Gnarlywine--I hate that it has to be down this far, because it was really good. But it couldn't stand up to the others. I like my barleywines hoppier than this one as well.

8. Stone IPA--Reminded me a lot of Dogfish Head's 60 min IPA. It was too thin for my taste, lacked color and body. I was disappointed I couldn't get my hands on the Ruination. I'm curious how they differ.

There were just too many beers, not enough time.

Elbow Room

2009-05-28T11:58:00.001-07:00

That's three blown elbows in the past few months. Two was a coincidence, three has become a pattern. Something has got to change or I'm going to run out of dress shirts.

Ice & Fire

2009-05-28T01:59:00.000-07:00

Movies generally ruin books. At least for me and the books I love. The only way I ever thought it would work is if they could hook some wires up to my brain and project the images and sounds from my imagination up onto the screen. Then I would go see that movie. They are working on making a mini series out of my all time favorite series, A Song of Ice and Fire, on HBO. I have made my decision. I will not be watching, I will not be looking at production photos or casting shots. I will not be watching trailers, I will not even be listening with my eyes closed. The moment I do any of those things, it would mean killing the images I have in my head, and that, for me, would be a disaster. Poor Harry Potter has nearly done it in for me, Eragon, even though I didn't see the movie, has still been atrocious, and I can't read "Legolas" without seeing Orlando Bloom's golden locks. Please don't let them take the images of King's Landing, Tyrion, and The Wall as well.

The Pacific

2009-05-27T23:49:00.000-07:00

A few poladroids at the ocean...

San Diego

2009-05-26T19:03:00.000-07:00

I took a trip out to San Diego this past weekend to visit my friend Brandon for a few days. I had a really great time and got to do some things that were probably once in a lifetime kind of things. I got to drink lots of great beer, eat lots of good food, and hang out with my friends. That was the best part of all. Here are just a few pictures I took while there.

Untitled

2009-05-18T07:07:00.001-07:00

I found these words written in the margin of an old notebook of mine. I can't for the life of me remember what they were for or where they came from, so I thought I'd just put them here:

Illusion of conscious will,
Unfiltered function of society,
Can't purge them,
Prisoner of culture.

Car Kit

2009-05-18T07:04:00.001-07:00

A Poem...

Car Kit

Damn those words,
Atop my LG phone.
Car Kit appears,
Communication ceases.
Calls are still made,
No sound returns.
Ruined?
Not for Macgyver.
One bent paperclip,
A short in the system.
Manner Mode returns.

Updates & Notifications

2009-04-29T05:50:00.000-07:00

A few updates and notifications:

--The Wheat Beer and CO2 experiment are both coming along quite nicely. The carboy-to-bucket connection was a success and I have a bucket full of CO2 ready for phase 2.

--The IPA is (allow me to pat myself on the back a little) pretty darn good.

--The trip out to Hays this past weekend was a good time. One highlight from Gella's is pictured below and was every bit as good as it looks/sounds. And yes it probably did terrible things to my insides. The beer was "alright" too.
A juicy foot long all-natural beef hot dog wrapped in bacon, cradled in a large bun and topped with Gella’s Amber Ale Baked Beans and jalapeños.

--The McMahan brewery has once again changed names. The new line will be revealed in time, not that it was ever revealed in the first place. However, I think this time it's a keeper.

Untitled

2009-04-24T09:33:00.001-07:00

Driving across the Flint Hills area has been a more and more

frequent event for me lately. Highway 77 has become quite the

familiar path. I like the scenic openness that is offered in

short-sight. However, lately I find myself looking deeper

across the horizon and can't help but notice the landscape

littered with power poles and transmission towers. Then, I

can't drive through a hill, looking at sheer limestone that has

been blown away on each side, without imagining how that hill

was once complete and flowing unbroken. Upon further

consideration, I came to the stark and devastating realization

that I am in an industry that put those things there...

...damn

Nice Evening

2009-04-24T09:32:00.001-07:00

At that moment in time, with the choices I had at my disposal,

there wasn't anything better than sitting on my front porch,

smelling the fresh cut grass, sipping on a homemade IPA and

listening to the birds as the sun went down. Ahhh...nice

evening.