Tila is coming…

I know I’m late, and if you’re looking for the Tila post, it;s coming, probably tomorrow.  I’ve done an insane amount of working out Monday and today, and my arms, joints and even fingers ache.  I just don’t have the energy to do it.

I know, how dare I deprive you of whores.  I’m so sorry.

Posted by JimK at 07:31 PM on October 17, 2007
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Categories: Personal

My arms are vibrating

I’ve swam (swum?) 1.73295 miles this week, in addition to the whole rest of the workout regimen.

I RULE.

Posted by JimK at 08:34 PM on October 12, 2007
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Categories: Personal

I feel old

Oww.  Everything hurts today.  I went to the gym/pool yesterday.  I did the usual 45 minutes of stretching and lifting and riding that whore of a stationary bike that hates me and the feeling is mutual, that piece of whore thing.  Then I went to the pool.

And swam for three thousand feet.  Over a half-mile.  Me!  Mr. Winded From Peeing Too Hard.  I swam .568 of a mile.

Now I feel like my arms are made of a new, super-heavy alloy designed to change the mass of the earth, and my back is made of slow-roasted old man flesh.  It’s all the good kind of sore-as-hell though, no injury-type pain.  Just feel like a big fat guy that swam a half-mile.

The reason this is worth it?  I’m one decent workout from having lost a total of 30 pounds.  And I ate like a pig this past weekend!  Corned beef & cabbage.  Had to be done.  You can’t eat small portions of that, you just can’t.  I think it might be genetically coded in my DNA.

Now if I could just get a decent night’s sleep....

Posted by JimK at 01:54 PM on October 09, 2007
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Categories: Personal

Coffee pod of the day - Fratello Yemen Moka Sanani Single Estate

That’s a hell of a name...Fratello’s Yemen Moka Sanani Single Estate may not roll off the tongue when spoken, but it certainly wakes up the tongue when consumed.  I’ve been drinking it for three days now, so it’s time to review it.

First, the construction.  I’ve been through maybe 30 brands of pods in the last couple of years, and it’s not easy to find a brand that works well.  Some have dense filter paper that resists water, some are paced so densely that they give the brewer fits, some are so loose that they collapse inside the pod holder (even the smaller, shallower holders) and all the water rushes past the pod, unaffected by coffee grounds in any way.  Gourmet Cafe has a well-made pod with all factors perfect for my simplehuman A40.  Now I think I’ve found another; Fratello.

These are standard 60mm pods for most pod brewers.  9 grams each...and I randomly picked three out of the box, they all weighed 9 grams on the nose.  Well constructed, with enough of a lip to stay firmly in place and packed in the right balance to give optimum extraction.  With a bit of pre-wetting, they brew a perfect 4-7 oz cup of coffee, depending on how strong you like it.

Taste: Very good.  It’s a light-ish roast, probably smack in between “light” and “medium.” The aroma is exactly what you would expect coffee to smell like if it were lightly roasted, with a sweetness mixed with that earthiness that a roasted bean gives off.  The first burst of flavor has a roasted coffee body, but the light sweetness dominates, especially after cream & sugar are added.  It’s vaguely fruity without being identifiable as any one fruit flavor, but definitely berry-like.  They call it blueberry at Coffeewhiz (where I bought it) but I wouldn’t be that precise.  It also has that subtle kick of earthy, almost chocolate taste.  It gives off all this flavor and body without feeling heavy and dark in your mouth, which is great for people who don’t like a dark, bitter coffee. It’s a great early morning coffee.  It would be perfectly at home next to a danish or a bowl of fresh fruit.  Might even be good as a dessert coffee.

Fratello gives you 18 pods in a box, and Coffeewhiz sells them for $8.99.  It might be bit costly to drink every day if your coffee budget is small, but it’s really worth it for a change of pace, once-in-a-while box.  If the price sounds perfect for you, this could easily be an everyday drinker.  Highly recommended!

Posted by JimK at 02:53 PM on October 07, 2007
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Categories: Personal,  Coffee
Tags: coffee single serve coffee coffee pods

Just got kicked off Youtube

Well, that’s that for me then.  Youtube just kicked my account for the year-old Tits Equal Hits video.  I police the comments for that one, deleting all spammers who try to post in it.  It’s easy, you get an email when a new comment is posted, hit the link, delete and you’re done.

Well, they got pissed, apparently, and flagged it as inappropriate all day until I got the boot.  After 13 months, somehow this video was a danger to the Youtube community *today*.

I swear to God, I don’t know what the hell is wrong with people these days.  No one can just let other people be.  Everyone’s gotta get in everyone’s ass until the whole frigging world is at each other’s throats.

Posted by JimK at 08:37 PM on October 06, 2007
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Categories: Personal,  Technobabble (Technology),  The Internet(s)
Tags: youtube

Kübler-Ross in action

I can’t believe this is happening.  I just killed my burr grinder.  If you love your coffee, you know how I feel right now.  If you get a few moments, please think kind thoughts for Grindy as he makes his way to that big appliance graveyard in the sky. 

I just can’t believe he let me down like this.  To hell with him!  He’s off to the North Haven landfill.  That cheap piece of Cuisinart crap don’t deserve a decent burial!

No, that’s not right.  God, if you’re listening, I will be a better person if you just give me back Grindy.  I will give to charity, I will treat my fellow man with love and respect...I’ll stop thinking about putting you-know-what in you-know-who’s you-know-where.  Just give him back!

Life isn’t worth living without him.  I just don’t see the point.

OK, That’s silly.  I can move on.  It’ll be alright.  I can just nip ‘round to Bed, Bath and Beyond and buy an exact copy of Grindy!  I shall call him...Grindy.

Posted by JimK at 04:24 PM on October 03, 2007
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Categories: Humor,  Personal,  Coffee

Pesto Risotto with Cajun Swordfish

This was just fantastic, and I had to share.  My first ever risotto that wasn’t a boil-and-serve packaged mix.  Forgive the crap photo, my old-as-the-hills Canon Powershot S230 makes all food look terrible:

Ingredients:

More

1 cup pesto (you can make it from scratch, but I didn’t)
1/2 cup milk
1 packet Knorr creamy pesto mix (I know, but it’s awesome, so to hell with you purists)
1 medium onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
15-20 large leaves fresh basil, chiffonaded
8-16 large shitake mushroom caps, diced
3 cups chicken stock (again, I used store-bought but you can substitute whatever you like)
2 cups arborio (risotto) rice
1/4 cup olive or canola oil
salt to taste

Add half the oil to the pan.  Sautee the onions and garlic for a few minutes on low to medium heat until translucent.  Add dry rice.  Stir for two minutes.  Add 1 (ONE) cup of the liquid.  Add a pinch or two of salt.  Stir until liquid is absorbed before adding any more.  Add one cup at a time and wait for the liquid to be absorbed before adding more.  Stir constantly.  Add Shitake mushrooms after cup number two of liquid.  Taste it, even though the rice will be crunchy.  This is when you decide if it needs more salt.  Tiny dashes, re-taste!  Always taste it before you end up over-seasoning it!

Note: there is no time on this stage.  You must stir constantly and add small amounts of liquid, allowing the risotto to absorb it before adding more.  Depending on your stove, your pan and your technique this could take forever, or twenty minutes.  Just do it slowly and do it right!  It will pay off.

After the third cup of liquid is absorbed, taste it.  Is it crunchy?  Add 1/2 cups of liquid until the exact moment the rice is no longer crunchy, but is still firm. I needed a total of four cups of liquid.

Add the pesto.  Stir a lot.  Taste.  Add salt if needed.  Taste again.  Taste often!

Meanwhile, take the remaining oil, the 1/2 cup of milk and the Knorr creamy pesto mix and mix it separately.  Now, if you are dead set against the mix, just use an extra quarter cup of pesto sauce, the milk, the oil, and a couple teaspoons of corn starch or some other thickener.  That should make a nice creamy pesto.

Add your creamy mix to the risotto.  Stir until mostly absorbed and thick.  Get it off the heat. Taste!  Stir in chiffonaned fresh basil, and serve.  You could top it with a bit of the basil, or some finely minced chives might be nice.  Or nothing, because it’s so good.

Should serve four, maybe five.  Three if everyone’s hungry.

As for the swordfish - buy it fresh, coat it with some version of a cajun rub and fry it, grill it or broil it.  Just don’t overcook it!

Less

Posted by JimK at 07:43 PM on September 29, 2007
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Categories: Personal,  Recipes and Food
Tags: risotto pesto swordfish recipe

It might be National Coffee Day

There’s a little confusion about the date.  Some have two dates in May, some say it’s today, or last month, or some say it’s a myth, like a fiscally responsible Republican or Jessica Alba’s acting talent.  Whatever.  I drank some and enjoyed it .136% more just in case it really is National Coffee Day.  I don’t mess around, man.  If it is National Coffee Day, I want to be prepared.

Posted by JimK at 03:45 PM on September 29, 2007
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Categories: Personal,  Coffee
Tags: National Coffee Day Coffee

Dear comment spammers

Go to hell.  I am fully aware of the new trick you’re using against me; you find old entries and employ a real human to leave an on-topic comment with a spam link in it.  I will delete every link you leave and ban every account you use to leave them, including IPs.  You will not be successful in using my site to generate Googlejuice.

Go. Away.  Die. In. A. Fire.

Posted by JimK at 05:42 PM on September 27, 2007
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Categories: Personal,  This Site,  The Stupidity Of Man
Tags: >

A change

The other day, Steve from HogOnIce wrote this.  Today he wrote this.  Skip the pepper talk, although I find it interesting as I like to grow stuff and cook and whatnot.  The part I want you to see is the part that refers to the conservative blogging stuff.

Now, this is not the first time Steve has written on this subject.  Nor is it the first time I have agreed with him.  Pajamas Media screwed up the whole right side of the blog world.  Right wing bloggers are so busy competing and fighting over petty differences that they cannot form anything resembling the united front of the left part of the blog world.  Forget that, though.  I don’t want to just be part of some side of a battle.  What I would like is to stop being treated like a red-headed stepchild by *both* sides, but more by the one I’m supposed to be on, ya know what I mean?  Originally I picked the URL due to the wordplay of me being right but also being on the right, and I was doing it in part to show solidarity with the right-o-sphere...but to hell with ‘em.  The whole A-list can kiss my ass, and the B-list can get in line behind ‘em.  I only get love from smaller bloggers who aren’t worried about their place in the frigging Technorati or Ecosystem lists anyway.  There is no movement.  Online, at least, the right has failed and is dying faster than Rosie O’Donnell’s movie career.

On top of all that, I wonder how many people stay away from this site just because of the URL and/or name.

And I don’t feel comfortable with it anymore, it just doesn’t seem to fit me.

I’m thinking of going back.  Back to “Starkthoughts.” with a .com at the end.  I’ll take the hit from Google, rebuild my pagerank, all that.  I’ll redirect right-thoughts.us to the new domain.  But I think maybe I’d be better off switching back.  And it’s not the first time I have felt that way.

What do you all think of this idea?  Any opinion will be welcome...let me know if you think it’s a crazy, stupid idea.  I am really, really leaning toward doing this...if anything above should be given more weight it’s that I just do not feel right...no pun intended...with this URL and blog name anymore.  If someone can give me a really good reason not to do change back to Starkthoughts, I will absolutely listen, but it’s gonna have to be an awfully good reason.

Posted by JimK at 01:29 AM on September 22, 2007
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Categories: Personal,  Blegging,  The Blogosphere