Just took a peek at fellow blogger Homer's site and saw his entry on one of my favorite foods ... potatoes. Reminded me to give you the run-down on tonight's creation in the kitchen:
1. Thick-cut pork chops (nearly a vegetarian, but I eat pork chops....explain that one)....stuff with mixture of fat-free cream cheese, roasted red peppers, carmelized onions, can of chopped green chilis, one tablespoon salsa. Coat in breadcrumbs, place in greased baking dish. 350 for 45 minutes and then down to 225 or so for another hour....longer the better....nice and tender.
2. Baked potatoes.....large pieces....in a very yummy mixture of spicy chili oil, essence of Emeril seasoning, season salt, and lemon pepper. 400 degrees for an hour......
3. Fresh brussel sprouts cut in half, thin strips of sweet onion, and leftover roasted red peppers from the pork chops above. All go in the skillet with a little balsamic vinegar, sugar, hot chili oil, salt and pepper, and a little juice (I used apple....any kind will do). I like to use juice instead of water anytime I need to steam something. In spite of the amazing fact that my brother-in-law T screwed up his face and made terrible facial contortions over the brussel sprouts, they were delicious.....in fact, he moved ONE of the TWO that he had to my plate!
Monday, October 30, 2006
Sunday, October 29, 2006
People Who Live In Mud Huts Should Not Throw Mud
As a top-notch author, Garrison Keillor continues to keep us in touch with the heart and soul of our people. As he notes in this article, we are starving for creativeness in our country. Something that will add depth and strong foundations. Things seem so shallow and half-assed right now.
When War Comes Home With a Flag
I ran across this article a while back by Billy Shore, founder of Share Our Strength, an antihunger organization. With tears in my eyes, I tore it out and keep it out where I can see it frequently, easily. How much more of this needless mess can we endure? The infrastructure of this nation relies so heavily on our 18-30 year-olds now. Does this sound right to anybody?
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Welcome
Today I'm trying the launch of my new blog, The Sprit of Saint Lewis. Don't ask about the "Saint" part......I don't have a very good reason, and it's not true, that's for sure (as any of you who know me will attest). I just thought it sounded kind of slick. I've followed a number of people's blogs for several years now beginning with my good friend B (can I use your real name?) at Musings Northwest and then just followed his links from there. It's been a ton of fun and easy to keep up with him and others. It's not done yet, till being created, and I'll keep on adding features and fine tuning it. So, on this beautiful foggy fall morning when the trees are nearly at their peak in awesome color, I welcome you here. It's my favorite time of year. Come back, sit a spell often, and relax. I'm way up for hearing from you. Don't be shy and please pass along the link. My goal is to create a global network of good friends...to share commoness and difference, to experience to great and the tough times, to live life on a wonderfully different level.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Top 100
As I ccontinue to create my blog for all six billion world inhabitants to see, I thought I'd start my Top 100 list.....100 things about me....so that you will have a better idea about the total crazy whack case you're dealing with. You can also check out my full profile in the left sidebar of the blog. I'll keep adding to this list as I come up with more things to keep you entertained (and, please, don't hold anything against me!):
1. Born 1962, February....the day after John Glenn orbited the earth
2. One brother, one sister, both younger (both wonderful!)
3. Dad died 1994, Lou Gehrig's Disease (you'll be reading more about this)
4. Mom remarried a great guy the same time the BF and I got together.
5. Tried marriage (yup, to a chick!) for seven years....needless to say, it didn't
work out.....duh)
6. The BF and me have been together for just about nine years
7. Own a 1928 English style home....corner lot....very comfortable
8. Tried the townhome thing. If it weren't for the neighbors, it would have been
fine.
9. Flight attendant for 12 years.
10. Salt and pepper hair (seem to be getting more salt than pepper by the day)
11. Lived in Anchorage, Alaska, for a few months (of course, it was the winter)
12. From Idaho originally. Nine years in Portland.
13. A beautiful niece and very handsome nephew. Another one on the way!
14. Drive 2006 Kia Sorento, white, EX, loaded, leather
15. BF plays piano very well (you'll be hearing some audio clips).
16. I sing, used to be semi-formally
17. Traveled with The Continental Singers (now The Continentals)....a good little
conservative Christian musical group)
18. Been in around 30 countries, about 40 US states
19. Have sang in around 1,000 public concerts
20. Traveled around 100,000 miles in a bus loaded down with 40 people and numerous
tons of equipment, lighting, instruments
21. Smuggled Bibles into Russia (back when you weren't supposed to do that)
22. Have been followed by the KGB
23. Have been parked in an airplane right next (couple hundred feet) to Air Force
One (back when there was an actual "leader" using it)
24. Never been on a full-length cruise (not to be confused with CRUISING)
25. Have considered egging a house nearby that constantly displays hateful signs
that I don't like
26. Sat in the 7th row at an Elton John concert a month ago....amazing and LOUD
27. Love to camp and be in the outdoors (except for the dark nights....scary)
28. Have been naked on an old homemade raft on a lake very high in the mountains
29. My alter-ego would take me back to the 1960-70's: long hair, free spirited,
no deodorant (don't get nervous, now), living in a VW van, traveling around,
sandals or no shoes
30. Bought a formal suit two days ago....the first in more than 10 years...not so
much a suit-and-tie guy
31. Much more a jeans, t-shirts, flip-flops guy
32. Totally love good-smelling candles, sprays, scents
33. Favorite color? Green.
34. Favorite cities? Vancouver, BC; Amsterdam; London; San Francisco
35. Rarely (never?) get bored.
36. Can sit for hours and just stare at the trees, sky, sun, moon
37. Don't really like meat or fish
38. Way into pasta, potatos, rice, all kinds of veggies, fruits (no comments, please)
39. Love spicy foods, pesto, salsa, peppers, onions, garlic
40. Diet Coke, not Diet Pepsi
41. Have (finally) spread my wings a little on wines.....used to only do the sweet
white ones (Rieslings)...then into the Chardonnays....and now Pinot Gris.
42. Some reds (gotta be buttery and yummy, not too dry)
43. Beers have to be lighter (Rolling Rock, Pilsner Urquell)
44. Not a very adventurous eater......the gag reflex is fully active
45. Like eating out (food!)
46. Cannot handle being in the huge mega-plex theaters any more: screaming children,
latecomers, noisy people, previews.....I'm a snob for the small neighborhood
artsy theaters
47. Have definitely revised my sense of Christianity and religion in the world
over the years
48. Would light the fireplace (gas) every night all fall and winter
49. Typically half way through REM by the time most people go to bed.....
50. Up for work around 4:00 am.......maybe that's why I'm more salt than pepper
51. Have rarely suffered from depression
52. Oldest child, pretty much Type A, but learning
53. Can't stand to make the same mistakes over and over.....and try not to
54. Love having house guests, parties, people over to visit
55. Like impromptu as much as I like being prepared and organized
56. Commando
57. Don't like yardwork very well...just the fun and easy parts
58. Cream and sugar in my coffee
59. Cried every single Sunday night at Touched By An Angel
60. Don't like being in the water (lakes, rivers, ocean)...pools are OK
61. Way into walks around the neighborhood...checking out what's going on, looking
at people's yards
62. Like retro clothing
63. Can't do normal haircuts...gotta have some flair and sassiness! (spelling??)
64. Rarely blow smoke up anyone's ____!!
65. Honest to a fault (but trying to learn how to be a diplomat)
66. Live for the day the sheets get washed......there's nothing like crawling in
between fresh sheets)
67. Like having the bedroom windows open in the summer.....so you can year the
crickets in the night
68. Can't even deal with hypocrisy and those who appear to be "morally above
the rest of us"
69. Don't do drama, mental games, emotional blackmail very well
70. Smoked pot only twice, within the same week 20 years ago....didn't do a thing
71. Came out when I was 35....same day I filed for divorce!
72. Remember July 1969 when the first man walked on the moon.....
73. Dark chocolate
74. Way up for cooking, creating, not using any recipes in the kitchen....you
never know what you'll get outta my kitchen
75. Try to eat at least reasonably healthy
76. Have high cholesterol (222 without drugs, 160 with Zocor)....gotta love the drugs
77. Like stirring the pot and poking the tiger
78. Trying to do things outside of my routine and comfort zone
79. Not into sports.......never, no way, no how.....BUT there's nothing like watching
a baseball game.....
80. Double-check (triple?) the locks, lights, heat before leaving/going to bed
81. Can't stand talking about work outside of it
82. Attend a United Church of Christ congregation (yes, it is possible to be gay
and go to church in spite of what many believe)
83. Have been called a fag, queer
84. Dig having a book and an afternoon at the nude beach (oops, there's a little
secret!)
85. Allergic to cats (and everything else this year, it seems)
86. Try to never forget birthdays/anniversarys
87. Don't deal with "me" type of people well
88. Took eight years of piano lessons early in life......and two years of violin
89. Used to have a paper route.....and would dump the papers in the river so that
I wouldn't have to deliver them!
90. Have no experience whatsoever in computer programming/HTML, etc....
91. Not so good with mice and rats--but can deal with spiders
92. TONS of alcoholism in my family
93. Never considered suicide....but my uncle did
94. Love small towns and the country......but don't think I could live there
95. Cannot stand the Bible used as a political weapon
96. Nearly arrested once (you'll never guess!)
97. Don't know much about art, but would like to
98. Ultra interested in the holocaust
99. My mom tried to whip me with a 2x4 when I was little (very long story, and you'll
never guess what I was doing)
100.I can't believe I came up with 100.
101.(I'm thinking of more now....after a fitful night's sleep............)
102.I brush my teeth religiously....front, sides, top, bottom, not too hard, not
to soft....try to be just right......I guess I wanna keep 'em!
1. Born 1962, February....the day after John Glenn orbited the earth
2. One brother, one sister, both younger (both wonderful!)
3. Dad died 1994, Lou Gehrig's Disease (you'll be reading more about this)
4. Mom remarried a great guy the same time the BF and I got together.
5. Tried marriage (yup, to a chick!) for seven years....needless to say, it didn't
work out.....duh)
6. The BF and me have been together for just about nine years
7. Own a 1928 English style home....corner lot....very comfortable
8. Tried the townhome thing. If it weren't for the neighbors, it would have been
fine.
9. Flight attendant for 12 years.
10. Salt and pepper hair (seem to be getting more salt than pepper by the day)
11. Lived in Anchorage, Alaska, for a few months (of course, it was the winter)
12. From Idaho originally. Nine years in Portland.
13. A beautiful niece and very handsome nephew. Another one on the way!
14. Drive 2006 Kia Sorento, white, EX, loaded, leather
15. BF plays piano very well (you'll be hearing some audio clips).
16. I sing, used to be semi-formally
17. Traveled with The Continental Singers (now The Continentals)....a good little
conservative Christian musical group)
18. Been in around 30 countries, about 40 US states
19. Have sang in around 1,000 public concerts
20. Traveled around 100,000 miles in a bus loaded down with 40 people and numerous
tons of equipment, lighting, instruments
21. Smuggled Bibles into Russia (back when you weren't supposed to do that)
22. Have been followed by the KGB
23. Have been parked in an airplane right next (couple hundred feet) to Air Force
One (back when there was an actual "leader" using it)
24. Never been on a full-length cruise (not to be confused with CRUISING)
25. Have considered egging a house nearby that constantly displays hateful signs
that I don't like
26. Sat in the 7th row at an Elton John concert a month ago....amazing and LOUD
27. Love to camp and be in the outdoors (except for the dark nights....scary)
28. Have been naked on an old homemade raft on a lake very high in the mountains
29. My alter-ego would take me back to the 1960-70's: long hair, free spirited,
no deodorant (don't get nervous, now), living in a VW van, traveling around,
sandals or no shoes
30. Bought a formal suit two days ago....the first in more than 10 years...not so
much a suit-and-tie guy
31. Much more a jeans, t-shirts, flip-flops guy
32. Totally love good-smelling candles, sprays, scents
33. Favorite color? Green.
34. Favorite cities? Vancouver, BC; Amsterdam; London; San Francisco
35. Rarely (never?) get bored.
36. Can sit for hours and just stare at the trees, sky, sun, moon
37. Don't really like meat or fish
38. Way into pasta, potatos, rice, all kinds of veggies, fruits (no comments, please)
39. Love spicy foods, pesto, salsa, peppers, onions, garlic
40. Diet Coke, not Diet Pepsi
41. Have (finally) spread my wings a little on wines.....used to only do the sweet
white ones (Rieslings)...then into the Chardonnays....and now Pinot Gris.
42. Some reds (gotta be buttery and yummy, not too dry)
43. Beers have to be lighter (Rolling Rock, Pilsner Urquell)
44. Not a very adventurous eater......the gag reflex is fully active
45. Like eating out (food!)
46. Cannot handle being in the huge mega-plex theaters any more: screaming children,
latecomers, noisy people, previews.....I'm a snob for the small neighborhood
artsy theaters
47. Have definitely revised my sense of Christianity and religion in the world
over the years
48. Would light the fireplace (gas) every night all fall and winter
49. Typically half way through REM by the time most people go to bed.....
50. Up for work around 4:00 am.......maybe that's why I'm more salt than pepper
51. Have rarely suffered from depression
52. Oldest child, pretty much Type A, but learning
53. Can't stand to make the same mistakes over and over.....and try not to
54. Love having house guests, parties, people over to visit
55. Like impromptu as much as I like being prepared and organized
56. Commando
57. Don't like yardwork very well...just the fun and easy parts
58. Cream and sugar in my coffee
59. Cried every single Sunday night at Touched By An Angel
60. Don't like being in the water (lakes, rivers, ocean)...pools are OK
61. Way into walks around the neighborhood...checking out what's going on, looking
at people's yards
62. Like retro clothing
63. Can't do normal haircuts...gotta have some flair and sassiness! (spelling??)
64. Rarely blow smoke up anyone's ____!!
65. Honest to a fault (but trying to learn how to be a diplomat)
66. Live for the day the sheets get washed......there's nothing like crawling in
between fresh sheets)
67. Like having the bedroom windows open in the summer.....so you can year the
crickets in the night
68. Can't even deal with hypocrisy and those who appear to be "morally above
the rest of us"
69. Don't do drama, mental games, emotional blackmail very well
70. Smoked pot only twice, within the same week 20 years ago....didn't do a thing
71. Came out when I was 35....same day I filed for divorce!
72. Remember July 1969 when the first man walked on the moon.....
73. Dark chocolate
74. Way up for cooking, creating, not using any recipes in the kitchen....you
never know what you'll get outta my kitchen
75. Try to eat at least reasonably healthy
76. Have high cholesterol (222 without drugs, 160 with Zocor)....gotta love the drugs
77. Like stirring the pot and poking the tiger
78. Trying to do things outside of my routine and comfort zone
79. Not into sports.......never, no way, no how.....BUT there's nothing like watching
a baseball game.....
80. Double-check (triple?) the locks, lights, heat before leaving/going to bed
81. Can't stand talking about work outside of it
82. Attend a United Church of Christ congregation (yes, it is possible to be gay
and go to church in spite of what many believe)
83. Have been called a fag, queer
84. Dig having a book and an afternoon at the nude beach (oops, there's a little
secret!)
85. Allergic to cats (and everything else this year, it seems)
86. Try to never forget birthdays/anniversarys
87. Don't deal with "me" type of people well
88. Took eight years of piano lessons early in life......and two years of violin
89. Used to have a paper route.....and would dump the papers in the river so that
I wouldn't have to deliver them!
90. Have no experience whatsoever in computer programming/HTML, etc....
91. Not so good with mice and rats--but can deal with spiders
92. TONS of alcoholism in my family
93. Never considered suicide....but my uncle did
94. Love small towns and the country......but don't think I could live there
95. Cannot stand the Bible used as a political weapon
96. Nearly arrested once (you'll never guess!)
97. Don't know much about art, but would like to
98. Ultra interested in the holocaust
99. My mom tried to whip me with a 2x4 when I was little (very long story, and you'll
never guess what I was doing)
100.I can't believe I came up with 100.
101.(I'm thinking of more now....after a fitful night's sleep............)
102.I brush my teeth religiously....front, sides, top, bottom, not too hard, not
to soft....try to be just right......I guess I wanna keep 'em!
Thursday, October 19, 2006
What I'm Reading.....
An excellent collection of short stories from a variety of authors on all kinds of crazy subjects. They all take place in the beautiful Czech Republic. After our trip there last November, it was of some interest to me....and even more so after reading. The authors have an amazing way of dragging the inquisitive reader right into the middle of all kinds of situations that the average tourist would never experience. It's collections like these that invite readers who just aren't satisfied with superficial visits to a city or country right into the hearts and souls of people and customs. It's my first introduction to the Travelers' Tales series but it won't be the last.
The Clinton book has taken me about a year to weed through and I'm still not completely finished. I'm definitely enjoying it, but it's not a book that travels well....it's almost a thousand pages and in hardback. So it stays at home and only gets read when I have time. Filled with lots of names, dates, places, people's names.......which I really am into. I have especially enjoyed Clinton's freshness, aliveness, and positive spirit and energy.......could totally dig having some of that in today's world. Interesting to see where we're at today (or where we're NOT, as the case may be) compared with just a few years ago. Haven't hit the steamy Lewinsky part yet......
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Under Construction
This blog is under construction and will be up and running within 30 days. You may email me at alewispdx@gmail.com for further information.
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