Christmas 2010

Setting up the Christmas display is a good workout.  I found this out last year when I tried to do it all in one day.  It was not possible.  I have quite a few pieces which need to come down from the attic, be checked out, set up and then placed in the yard.  I make changes each year as well.  I enjoy doing all this and had the time off to get it done.

Added to this year was decorating the tree by myself.  Not really a new thing for me.  What really set me back was the realization of spending the holiday alone.  The set back was only short term because I'm not really alone, just by myself.  And that's not a bad thing.

I was able to share my love of Christmas this year with an English couple from work.  They normally spend the holiday back in the UK but were not going this year.  The wife didn't know what to expect and they had very little decorations.  I happened to have an extra 6 foot spiral tree to lend them.  It had a stand and fit perfectly in their living room.  Yes it might seem cheesy but less so when you have nothing.  They loved it and I was glad to help.  It's what the season is all about.

Due to everyone's schedules this year, we had our family Christmas a few days early.  I was very happy we could all get together and my folks were too.  We had crab cakes, shrimp and lasagna for the main course.  I had been sick and throwing up just two days before.  Food tastes much better when it stays down.

Christmas Eve day was spent at Crabby's house.  She had a lovely meal prepared and spoils me.  Jack of Knives invited me over on Christmas Day for yet another nice meal.  Some Gloria Ferrer and figgy pudding.  Being by myself turned out to be a great gift.

Lunar Eclipse

The night sky always wins with the best light shows.  This year the display was more a lack of light.  Total eclipse of the the moon.

Sorry, that was a partial eclipse of Laura Dore.  She's got a lovely moon.

The winter solstice and a lunar eclipse coincide quite infrequently.  It's been over 300 years since the last.  The show began at 1:33am but I didn't go outside to look until 2:30am.  Lunar eclipses go so slow you can take your time and enjoy it.  Unless you don't like that sort of thing which means you probably didn't see it.  Did you see Laura above?

I didn't bother trying to take a photo so I grabbed one online.  You can see how the surface turns a reddish brown.  It was a beautiful sight hanging over the top of my house.  I could easily see it between the tree branches; I saw my breath just as easily.  The next 30 minutes brought a total eclipse before my tired eyes.  Well worth the price of admission.

Alter Bridge

My final concert of 2010 was a welcome surprise.  I thought Alter Bridge was gone from the music scene.  The singer has been opening for and joined Slash on his current tour.  The rest of the band are members of Creed which reunited together this year.

Imagine my surprise to find they released a new album.  Don't bother imaging - it really happened.  And then I found they had a few tour dates.  One of which landed in Jersey!  The real tour doesn't start until Spring but I wasn't going to miss the chance.

The crappy cell phone camera strikes again.

Yes, I get excited about my music.  The singer has an amazing voice.  The band is tight and really put on a great show.  Dueling guitars solos make me drool so it's good I had an empty cup from my Captain and Coke.  The crowd was great and even recognized the new stuff which was only a week old.

Standing room only so this old beast had an aching back by the show's end.  But a smile was firmly planted on my face.  Tip o' the hat to one of the openers - Taddy Porter.

Flying Through Wormholes

It's a year of 20th anniversaries.  My first Joe Satriani concert was in 1990 at the Tower Theater.  He released a new album titled Black Swans and Wormhole Wizards this year.  The CD didn't leave my player for a week.  There are so many enjoyable songs and I would just let it loop through to the start.

I preordered the album to get the CD, his autograph and a chance to buy presale show tickets.  You may think this is silly but I've had a relationship with his music for the same amount of time as my best friends.  He is also the only person I've ever waited for to get an autograph.  Now I have it.

As I sat in the Tower, I remembered back 20 years ago.  A college student took the L to 69th street.  His seat was on the opposite side from where I sat.  When the concert began, everyone stood and then sat down.  He couldn't contain himself to sit through the show so he moved to stand against the wall.  The music moved him.  No cares of the world were present.  He decided to wait outside afterwords to get an autograph.  Joe was never sighted but his Mom came out and waved as she got on the bus.  She told the small crowd not to do drugs. (She passed away a year ago)

In the present, I was very happy to sit through the show.  No cares of the world interfering.  The music still moves me and I was happy to hear Flying In A Blue Dream just as that kid did so long ago.  I finally had my autograph.  I wondered what I might tell that kid if I saw him at the Tower.  Nothing!  Let him figure out all this crap on his own.  Why should he have it any easier?

Iron (Pyrite) Chef

If you read the Thanksgiving post, you may be wondering how I made it this far in life with little cooking experience.  Maybe your thoughts didn't go that far but I'll illuminate you anyway.

I did help my Mom in the kitchen as a kid.  It wasn't much but at Christmas I would help decorate the cookies.  I learned how to make scrambled eggs and pop popcorn on the stove.  Yes, before there were microwaves we would make popcorn in a pan on the stove.  Beyond that, Mom took care of the rest.

I went off to college.  Two words - meal plan.  There was always food available and I would keep heat and eat type things in my room.  The dorm had a full kitchen but I had no clue what to do with it.  During my last year in the dorms, I paid a guy down the hall to buy groceries and make dinner.  He got to eat for free and I had to clean up afterwards.  It was a great deal.  He treated me to cornish game hens.

My final year, I moved out of the dorms and in with a friend.  He had more cooking ability than I but we still ate prepared meals that required little real cooking.  My grocery shopping didn't include actual ingredients.

I started dating the girl I would eventually marry.  She happened to be a gourmet cook and would bring over her own supplies.  This is when I was first introduced to heavy cream.  I put on 35 pounds from her meals.  Those who knew me at the time would agree I needed the extra weight.  A 31 inch waist on my 6 foot height will give you some idea.  Her cooking was one of the reasons I married her.

When the marriage ended, I was back to eating prepared food.  The small apartment I moved to did not have a full kitchen but I did my best.  I started with chili and meat loaf.  I learned to make bacon and pancakes.  This came in especially handy for those mornings I didn't wake up alone.  I still wasn't really cooking.

She who shall not be named came along and we would eat at restaurants mostly.  Moving in together didn't change much.  She wasn't much of a cook either.  The quality of prepared meals has gotten better but these still aren't very good for you.

Back to me!  Chili is back on the menu now that I'm single but I was told it needs to be made with fresh ingredients.  I was amazed at the taste difference using real vegetables and pieces of beef rather than ground.

So I'm on my way to being a real cook.  I just slow roasted a salmon steak and it turned out great.  Pulled pork is next.  Yes, I'm bragging.

Farewell Mr Peeps

Crabby and Mr Crabby lost their beloved bandersnatch this week.  My heart goes out to them for their loss.

When I first met Mr Peepers I had to laugh at the irony for giving a blind cat such as name.  Of course, he wasn't always blind and he used to have a waist.  But Crabby spoils her pets as much as she spoils me.  They would even leave the radio on if they were both out so he didn't feel alone.  He knew he had it good and was a very happy beast.

Farewell Mr Peeps, you are missed.