Branded

I'm kinda particular about a few mundane items.

I prefer Post Raisin Bran to any other.

Charmin Basic is my toilet paper of choice.

Hellman's Mayonnaise. On this one the important issue is mayo vs. Miracle Whip, but I like Hellman's so I'll stick with that.

Locally I prefer Blue Bunny Ice Cream, not over Haagen-Daas but over Kemp's, Breyer's, and others of that ilk.

American Crew Citrus Mint Conditioner. I was introduced to this from a previous hair stylist, and just loved the cooling mint on my head.

Where do your brand loyalties rest (cop-out to avoid the lay-lie solipsism)?

Nix.

I called Rocket Fizz to see if Barritt's came in, and the girl who answered the phone said their shipment comes in on Monday's now. The gentleman who seemed to be placing the order when I asked him for it over a week ago expected that it might be in Wednesday or Thursday, and for sure by Friday, so maybe they do have it, but I'm fine with a break.

In other news, I'm thinking about rebooting my word blog. Should I use Blogger or Wordpress? I know some of you have used each, or is there another option that is better than either of those?

Namploblomoschlomo

Sorry I've left my faithful readers hanging on that Part II of my Vegas trip. Work has been busy, though that hasn't cut into my routine of coming home, eating ice cream, reading through my 113 blog subscriptions, and catching up on my DVRed programming, with bedtime usually coming around or after midnight. So really I've had plenty of time to blog, but I haven't because I procrastinate on things that mean more to me. Case in point, I got some apples at the last farmer's market October 15 and have yet to make an apple pie with them and the grains of paradise that I got online. Don't worry though, the apples are still keeping nicely in my potato cellar of a dining room.

One of the newer blogs I've added is A Beer a Day which is from a British author, Jeff Evans. He talks about a historical event from the day, a beer that matches that event, and closes with notable births, deaths and events. Today was the finale of the TV show Black Adder. Births were Daniel Boone 1734, Marie Antoinette 1755, and KD Lang 1961. Deaths were George Bernard Shaw 1950, Hal Roach (film producer and director) 1992, and I was sad to find out about this one: Eva Cassidy (singer) 1996.

I first discovered her looking for covers of songs when I was in my mp3 downloading phase. I might have checked out a cd or two of hers from the library after that, but she is a wonderful interpreter of popular music. I especially like her version of Woodstock, written by Joni Mitchell recorded by Crosby, Stills and Nash. But her Somewhere Over the Rainbow is just as moving. So if you haven't heard her and you like the Judy Collins, Ann Murray types, you might check her out under positive recommendation from me.

Now to make those cookies I promised for the student workers.

"Owning a Barnyard Animal Isn't as Easy as It Looks"

I woke at 3:45 this morning, which worked out alright because my sister was also insomniacking. Fortunately, these mind-gloaming hours allow one to tap that subconscious, so to speak.

Apparently I spend a lot of time in my web log community because my subconscious was rocking the poetry type stuff (see Angela and Katie's recent posts). Katie's post particularly spoke to me. I was wanting to add a comment to say how much the ocean meant to me, but I've only been to each of America's oceans once, and only single digits in age at that. The other idea that was floating in my mind was my disdain
for a lyric in a praise song, something about God's love being closer than the ocean to the shore.

Here's what some amalgamating got me, one simile:

as close as the tide

The phrase "as close as the tide to the sand" (scroll to bottom of page for pertinence) was used to describe Blaine and Barbie's relationship over three years ago, but I'd like to think I wasn't influence by that in any form.

What I like about the phrase is its Janus-like qualities. It is always there but always changing too. I know I'm not a poet, but I had to fill the last two hours with something besides music video watching, so I blogged about it.

I'm going to have a post soon about a few of my favorite things, so start thinking about your favorite things too: colors, way to prepare eggs, type of meat/analog, car, actors, sports teams/athletes, films, directors, music artists, and other stuff too. I think the post might actually be a lot of my favorite things.

Just sharing that I discovered who was singing a cool song in the recent Puma commercials: Mazarin. I have the song on my Space if you want to check it out.

Now that it is 6:07 and day light, I'm gonna go running.

It's an Orangy Sky *

Today at first service, Tom Nazarenus gave the message, because he is in town to give the Baccalaureate address for the CVA graduation ceremonies. The message was titled 1,2,3,4 . . . because that is sometimes how many times it takes us to answer God's call. He provided examples of different people in the Bible who were called by God: Peter, Saul, Moses, Noah, and Samuel (It was the fourth time that God called Samuel that he responded.). Tom then mentioned that while at the academy kids would tell him that they felt called by God, but that they didn't know to what. Tom made the point that God calls us to follow Him--everything else will work itself out. [For those who know/care about Tom and his wife Lisa, they are moving soon to TN where she will be a licensed practitioner nurse in her father's practice.]

Then Pastor Keith Jacobson got up and said that the rumours of his departure were true. He and his family will be taking the pastorate in the Carmichael church in Sacramento, CA, a position he had rejected twice before. In January, his wife said that if No. Cal. asked again they should take a look because her mother is getting older and it would be good to be closer to her. In February, that third call came. Also in consideration of family, the Jacobson's son Zach said that he would move back home if they went to Sacramento. There you have it.

Last night I went to a concert by the LoCash Cowboys. They were very entertaining and diverse in their efforts. They covered Violent Femmes, Sublime, Prince, Lipps Co., Kool and the Gang, Def Leppard, Michael Jackson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Alabama, Charlie Daniels Band, The Beastie Boys, Snoop Dogg, Steve Miller Band, and others I'm forgetting. Their own songs were also entertaining.

* Lyric from a Cars song, Bye Bye Love, that I could never decipher before. Another nice line is "with your eyes of porcelain and blue."

Like a Shark in a Cousteau Film

I've been tagged by Ceri.

A-Available or Single? Single
B-Best Friend: Outside of a dog, a dictionary (inside it's too dark).
C-Cake or Pie: Pie
D-Drink of Choice: a brew pub's best beer.
E-Essential Item(s): an appetite
F- Favourite Colour(s): Wedgwood Blue
G- Gummy Bears or Worms? Worms
H- Hometown: Doland, SD (Hometown of Heroes)
I- Indulgence: Ice Cream
J- January or February: February, I like how precious each day is in this shortest of months.
K- Kids: Can be better behaved, yet are often a delight (kinda like puppies).
L- Life is incomplete without: Family feasts
M- Marriage Date: not to be confused with the Divorce Fig
N- Number of Siblings: Two, a younger sister and a younger brother.
O- Oranges or Apples? Apples--Fuji, Connell Red
P- Phobias/Fears: legion
Q- Favourite Quote: More matter, less art. -- Queen Gertrude, Hamlet
R- Reasons to smile: private observations of irony.
S- Season: Spring, green cardamom
T- Tag Three: Michael, Buffy, Katie
U- Unknown Fact about Me: still unknown
V – Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animals? Liberator of their sweet, succulent flesh.
W- Worst Habit(s): compromising to myself
X – X-rays or Ultrasounds?: x-rays
Y- Your Favourite Foods: bread pudding, lamb, oatmeal, rhubarb
Z- Zodiac: Aries, Rooster

75th Day

So today is the 75th day since I last shaved my face. I got a clippers today so Tuesday, the 77th day, I have decided to trim the sides leaving a Van Dyke. I had been wondering what would happen if I let my "beard" go, and Mr. Mean's kind words pushed me over the edge.

Mauger Dauterive

25th Hour

It has been over a week since last I posted on this weji (web journal). I really couldn't pass the opportunity to document this symbolic day (06.06.06). [I find the meaning behind 666 to be more of a falling short of the perfect holy number of 7. The sin of incomplete.] As AFI's album Decemberunderground and The Omen release today, I take the opportunity to point out that Julia Stiles, mother in The Omen, and I have the exact same birthday.

I've been grumpy and bitter for over a month. However, the last three weekends (These have all included Thursday night bean bags and rhubarb. Coincidence? I don't think so.), I've been climbing back into the "fair to middling" range. And as I reflect on the last 25 hours, I'm officially past middling. The pork shoulder is in sight.

In the aforementioned time frame, I have: flossed, done a load of dishes and laundry, watched two episodes of Arrested Development and American Dreamz (with a Z), done my budget for the month, woken and gotten out of bed at 7 with no snooze (also with a z), spent time leisurely with my favorite married couple before they leave later today, made my super duper bowl of oatmeal for the morning, and not least of all put in more than eight hours of work with a lunch (as opposed to putting in less than eight with no lunch).

Afore the aforementioned time frame, I went to Becca Lund and Randy Reinke's wedding. Becca was most kind to invite me, and I enjoyed myself bordering on satiety. It does not diminish my attendance that I got the garter (take that Amy). I must say that while I've caught a few in my day, all the nuptials are still binding (and not like silk boxers): Dustin and Danielle Opitz, Nathan and Andrea Blake, Brad and Susie Kahler, Jason and Sherri Dawn Healy, Kyle and Cassie Martsching (mini-garter received upon request), and now Mr. and Mrs. Randall Reinke.

I know that tradition holds that I'm the next to be married. Well, I'm not. But whenever that might happen (knock on wood), I plan on bequeathing all my garters with my wife's. Hopefully, the lucky bachelor is a Latter-Day Saint. Okay, I'm done now. The 25th Hour is over.

The soundtrack for the writing of this weji: Jackson Browne - The Pretender; Metric - Raw Sugar; Joel Myers - Wishlist, Soda, Battery; Feist - Mushaboom; Imogene Heap - Goodnight and Go; Fiona Apple - Waltz, Oh Sailor, Not About Love; Stephen Stills - Treetop Flyer, Singin; Mason Jennings - Be Here Now; Sufjan Stevens - Great Godbird, To Be Alone With You; Ben Lee - Catch My Disease, No Right Angles; Death Cab for Cutie - I'll Follow You Into the Dark; and Gnarls Barkley - Crazy, also my favorite new video.

The Real Daniel

I'm sorry. I have been misleading my readers (faithful and otherwise). Reading this blog, I'm sure it gives the impression I lead a terribly exciting, eventful life. In reality, I find every excuse I can to sleep in, and once out of bed I spend as much time, reasonable or otherwise, in front of a monitor, tv or otherwise. Forget couch potato. I'm a monitor lizard. Case in point:

Movies I saw this weekend: Ripley's Game, Carried Away, Death and the Maiden, Character, Junebug, and partially National Lampoon's Van Wilder, The Replacements, Jeepers Creepers plus Jeepers Creepers 2, and I've got 51 more in my Netflix queue.

TV shows I currently can't pass up: The Next Food Network Star, Ham on the Street, Good Eats, Grey's Anatomy, Robot Chicken, Minoriteam, Moral Orel, Scrubs, Sons and Daughters, Amazing Race 9, South Park, American Idol Elimination, Top Chef, The Office, My Name Is Earl, The Henry Rollins Show, Dinner for Five, and we can't forget The Daily Show and his little brother all growed up, The Colbert Report, Ed vs. Spencer is another I mentioned before.

My internetting committments include gmail, hotmail, myspace, blogger, espn, netflix, and associate links.

On top of, or I should say "around," the monitoring, I try to add eating, exercising, reading (just finished Stephen King's Apt Pupil from Different Seasons, next up American Psycho and selections from the Koran), annoying Scott, consuming music, and sleeping. Not too exciting, not at all.

PS I did go to Ivanna Cone Saturday night for some more chambord (a quart of it is now in my freezer) and had a wonderful dish of chambord, Bailey's, and cinnamon. Fantastic!

Thiseen, I went to El Comal and got a lengua burrito and a tripitas taco. Yes you Espanophones read that right, tongue and stomach. The tripitas was good. The tongue was tough and dryish. One menu had brains on it but more updated ones didn't, not that I'm really aching for some bovine encephalitis ten years from now.

Verry booring. (Get it, I'm a boor. ha. ha.)

Out.

Is This Anything?!

I got to the post office late today. Fortunately as I fumbled with my packages, Julie Butler let me in. Once I queued up, the elderly gentleman with an "I Vote Pro-Life" button at the end of the line who had his two dollar bills, and maybe some coins too, out and ready to make his purchase, offered me his place in line because "You look busier than me, and I just have to buy some stamps." I said, "You can stay. You won't be taking much of my time."

I ask my most intelligent readers, Is this anything? Is this conceited or arrogant or just polite?

Gerald, Francine, and Lancaster

Friday was a slow, quick day at work. Slow on orders, quick on processing them and leaving. So I couldn't park in front of my apartment like usual, putting me on "H" Street parallel parking. As soon as I got out, I saw my favorite organist Gerald W. Holbrook (scroll about halfway down to see a picture of the immediate past dean) riding his bike. Then as I was walking to my apartment in front of Francine, I saw a squirrel that was literally cornered on the edifice of the building between two very curious cats, one orange in one window and another black and white in another window. It was a very picturesque triangle of tension, with the squirrel clucking like a chicken.

Tonight I went to Winterfest Ales and Auction. I saw a few Union students there, and it is always nice to see your own kind to justify your cultural transgressions. Here are my judgements on the beers I tried:

Gottberg Brew Pub in Columbus, NE

Tin Lizzie Hefeweizen and Unice Ivan's Dunkeweizen--Nay
Steinworthy Oktoberfest--Yea

Empyrean Lincoln, NE

Oak aged Imperial Stout--alright kinda bockish
Fallen Angel Sweet Stout--Yea

Upstream Omaha, NE

Unfiltered Wheat--Yea
Ebenezer Ale--Nay

Leinenkugel

Big Butt Doppelbock--okay, not spectacular
Apple Spice--Yea

Samuel Adams

White Ale--Yea, pleasantly surprised a bit fruity
Double Bock--not great, but there's worse

Spilker Cortland, NE Hopluia--Yea, I tried this one a long time ago and it has gotten better, very fruity lager

Widmer Brothers Hefeweizen--Nay, I liked it at the Okto-beer fest though.

Bacardi Silver Watermelon--Yea

Lindeman Framboise--Yea, I accept it for what it is now

Xingu Brazilian Black Beer--alright

St. Peters Golden Ale--Nay

I'm done.

Today's Weather:

Voluptuous. Today's People: Friendly and Accomodating.

It is about 60 today. I went and returned two way overdue books to Love Library, which I don't know where my card to is. Then I thought I would chance a stop by Ivanna Cone. As I was looking at their hours, I thought it said they were open at 11 on Sunday, actually not til 1. However, the long-haired fellow cleaning and preparing for the day said they weren't open, but he could probably get me some ice cream. So I got cinnamon, apple spice, and an oldie but a goodie: Dutch chocolate. I also wanted to get their peanut butter and jelly, but I forgot by the time I was done tasting the apple spice, maybe tonight.

Since he had to mop, I went upstairs and read the menu for Krem le Bistro. They have a roasted turkey sandwich and some stuffed peppers that look really good. They also have a homemade chai cheesecake drizzled with a honey and ginger sauce. They serve Jones Soda and no really good beers.

Now I buckle in for 6-7 hours of football. Go Bears!

Irony in the Apiary

I'm now done with my Christmas shopping. My sister wants to go to El Salvador on a mission trip this Spring, so I thought I would get something from Ten Thousand Villages from there to prime her for the souvenir markets. Central America is terribly underrepresented at that store. South Asia however, over represented. Africa, just right. And to close this thought, there is a lot of really pointless merchandise at the store; it makes me think if there were a corresponding store in some other place in the world they would sell US dollar store items (nevermind, we have that store here, it is called Pier 1).

Of course a trip to the Haymarket requires a visit to everyone's favourite ice cream boutique, Ivanna Cone. They had Ambrosia Nectar on the flavour list again. This time the worker knew what it was made out of: raspberry, peach, and coconut. She said that it tasted better than she expected, but that it wasn't her favorite. I then said something about how her expectations weren't appropriate for something so named. I then said something about how the name might be redundant because ambrosia is the nectar of the gods (I'm really bad at flirting). I purchased a dish of pumpkin pie, egg nog, and peanut butter.

Then as I am wont to do when enjoying ice cream at Ivanna Cone, I looked at their dictionary circa 1954. The first thing I looked up was the actual definition of ambrosia. The third or fourth definition was "beebread." Naturally, I wanted to make sure what beebread was, because because because because, because of the wonderful things it does. That and you can never be too sure, beestings is the first milk, the colostrum if you will, so who knows what beebread is? While looking for beebread, I happened on Basic English. This was invented by Charles K. Ogden and has boiled down English to 850 words found here. I found this an interesting proposition, and even more interesting act. Finally, I got to nectar. Turns out, bees are connected to both ambrosia and nectar. I find it ironic that a creature which lives at most a year is constantly eating provender, victuals, comestibles, grub, pabulum, you know, food that yields immortality. Silly bees.

My evening ended with a stop at Walgreens to get some eggs. As soon as I got in, Dan, the guy who wants to be Napoleon Dynamite but ended up as Napoleon's dorky cousin, told me that they were actually closed. So I asked him if they had eggs, and he directed me to them. As I paid for my eggs, I noticed that his tie knot was easily 1/6th the width of his tie. Not a good look.

Willa Sibert Cather

Phonics Monkey

Updated Wish List:

Scale with body fat calculator, Ice Cream maker, shaving kit: strop, hone, mug, brush; Elf the dvd, wooden hangers, back brush, and time.

Happy twenty-four and two/thirds birthday to me!

31.00. That is the total, including tax that my groceries came to today. Two cans of evaporated milk, ground ginger and cloves, bread, organic bananas, fuji apples, roasted unsalted almonds, and two boxes of Life cereal.

Can You Feel Me?

I had a full body massage this evening; it was great. I recommend it.

My wish list:

A steel straight razor and strop, elegant black/silver cuff links

When the Frost Is on the Windscreen

I have an opportunity to passive-aggressively delay my trip to work with my Ukranian roommate, hopefully discouraging him from coming with me in the morning. As it is, I try not to speak to him in the morning.

Hot Eats, Cool Treats

Today I went thrifting. I got some ties, a juicer, and five books: two on food, two dictionaries, and one Bulfinch's Mythology (oh and one Pictionary). When I went down to the Goodwill on 17th and Washington, I went to Grateful Bread for the first time. They were out of samiches, but they did have curried cauliflower soup, which I would take over any mulligatawny that the Oven or Tandoor have to offer.

Then this evening Scott and I went to Ivanna Cone. They had a wonderful new flavor: Basalmic Strawberry. The Peanut Butter Fudge Brownie was good too.

I've decided I like old dictionaries; the two I got today were from 1965 and 1936. There is another at Olde Glory antique shop from 1901. Soon it will be mine. On a side note, Gurney is a good test word for dictionaries. Many do not have it. I ask you, "What do they call hospital beds on wheels then?"

What We Have Here Is A Failure . . .

to communicate. It is now 8:16 in the post meridian. At 6:56 in the post meridian, I began walking from 48th and Calvert to 11th and "H". The reason I had to walk about 5 miles this evening, after working 9 hours and 48 minutes, is because I didn't receive a call from Gross Amoco to come pick-up my car, nor did I really have the time to pick it up. I guess I could have used the 15 minutes I took for lunch to go get it, but then I wouldn't have eaten anything. Oh the decisions we have to make. And really, I would have picked up my car during lunch if I would have remembered, but I was busy with work. Today AdventSource had 21,846 in sales and sent out 126 packages with UPS. To put that in perspective, we are usually very pleased with a $10,000 day, with anything over 70 packages being a good number for UPS.

On the plus side, I got to get a closer view of many loverly homes along Sheridan Boulevard, and I finally got to see the new gazebo/dome at the Sunken Gardens. I didn't take the time to read and go through the touch screen display they have there, but I will.

It's the Little Things

This evening after work, I got my hair cut by Missy at Hairington's. I've been to her before (she was the first one to cut my hair to remove my "perm"), but all summer, I've been going to Stacey's in the Hay Market. I really like the freedom I have when I talk to Missy. Stacey is nice, and I liked my hair while I went to her, but never right away, she always styled it funny--the eyebrow waxing is a nice touch too. Missy understands my high forehead (cue They Might Be Giants' "We Want A Rock") and the hair style necessities that requires. So that was nice. After that I went to the Racquet Club, then I planned on shopping at Super Saver on 56th, where I normally go, but I took the turn I normally take when leaving the Racquet Club, toward my home. So instead of entering my consuming comfort zone, I had to compromise with (cue scary music) GHETTO RUSS'S. I was wandering up and down the aisles, back and forth--completely disoriented and increasingly frustrated. Discomfited seems to be the right word. I hate any grocery store that is not Edgewood Super Saver.

Movie Review: A History of Violence 4 outta 5 stars
I really liked this movie. Viggo Mortensen does a wonderful job, really all the actors--Maria Bello, Ed Harris, William Hurt, and Ashton Holmes (as the teenaged son)--do a fine job, with William Hurt dazzling during his short time. Apparently the story is taken from a couple of "graphic novels/comic books." It has that feel to it with its very story boarded scenes. It works for me, because each scene brings something valuable to the film for the characters, plot, and the audience emotion. I don't know if it was the audience I was watching it with, or just the film itself, but instead of a dramatic, intense action feeling, it evoked a deep dark comedy, something that could have been as funny as Fargo with the right casting. But don't take my word for it.