Regarding Previous Blog Entry.

21 comments on dessert. And still no one understands me. [insert angsty teen comment here followed by three months of black fingerless gloves and goth makeup and yelling at my parents in vague definitive statements always followed by YOU JUST WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND and a door slam]

Intriguing Desserts.

One of my good friends in town makes the most intriguing desserts. I'm actually a HUGE fan of her baking. Not because it tastes good. Because it usually doesn't. Yet at the same it doesn't not taste good. Regardless, I'm always so fascinated by the taste, texture, flavor, etc. I never know what to expect. I actually request that she bake on occasion. Just because the dessert tastes so bad, doesn't mean I can't enjoy it.

For example, no one would ever mistake this friend's chocolate cake for actual chocolate cake. But at the same time, it isn't not chocolate. It something else entirely. It's like a secret recipe that only one person has and no else wants.

Also, this friend's frosting is always gritty. It's not bad. I mean, it's not good. But no matter what recipe she uses, the frosting turns out gritty. She's made this frosting using at least three different methods since I've known her. Gritty... every last one of em. But yet I go back for a second slice.

Also, never in my life have I tasted brownies like her infamous Sahara brownies. This dessert is so named "Sahara brownies" because I have never experienced this level of drought in my mouth. I felt like a gazelle in the African brush foraging for that last puddle of water left after the rainy season disappeared. But I felt myself compelled to have a second brownie.

Above, and for my first picture post, is a photo of her Zebra Cake. In this case, a picture speaks a thousand words. If this friend ran a bakery, her cakes would look like that on the shelf. And you know what? I'd probably be a repeat customer. Any dessert can taste good, but how many desserts leave you confused yet intrigued?

Pie filling.

It always ticks me off when I see pie filling cans in the food drive bins at church. I mean, who the hell is raiding their pantry and dumping their leftover Thanksgiving Day cans of pumpkin pie filling on the poor? "They'll eat anything," I'm sure they say. This is not to suggest the poor do not deserve dessert. I think the poor should have as much dessert as anyone else. But if you are down and out, I'm not sure blueberry pie filling is the number one thing on your grocery list. Pat, from work, had the audacity to defend this practice. Of course, Pat claims she would never put pie filling in a collection basket... yea right! Here is a summary of the exchange.

"There are plenty of things you can do with pie filling," Pat said.
"Are you kidding me? You mean the poor and their insatiable lust for Belgian waffles? Or maybe crepes?" I replied.
"You can mix pie filling with rice."
"Who the hell mixes pie filling with rice?!"
"Well, why not? I'm sure it tastes good."
"It's not about how good it tastes. Pie filling and rice is not a meal."
"Because you say it isn't?"
"Are you nuts? Pie filling is for pie."
"Well, the poor can make pies."
"Well, where's the crust then? If you put pie filling in a collection basket, you should also donate the proper ingredient for pie crust. And maybe disposable pie tins. And where should these pies bake? Leave them out in the sun?"
"Poor people can have ovens."
"Whatever happened to green beans? Have you ever heard of green beans?"
"What, so all poor people should just shut up and eat green beans? What about enjoying life?"
"You are out of control."
"Likewise."

The best part... during this entire conversation, Chris, a physicist friend, was sitting in the background shouting from his computer station, "Let them eat cake."

Timing.

This should be read in the voice that Stewie from Family Guy uses when asking Brian about his unfinished novel.

So the House and Senate Republicans aren't doing too well, huh? Feeling astranged from their base, are they? Afraid the polls might be true, hey? Concerned the Democrats might have some momentum, yea? Searching for some issue to reignite the base? Well, I think you've found one. Click for pandering.

Milton Berle.

"You can lead a man to Congress, but you can't make him think."

Sensibility and Immigration.

I have always admired the British politicians for always sounding sensible. Sundays at 9pm, I used to watch the British House of Commons on CSPAN for kicks. Tony Blair is one of my political heroes. Although I disagree with some of his politics, I always appreciate that he sounds reasonable and speaks with intelligence and eloquence. David Cameron, the leader of the new British conservative movement, sounds equally level-headed. In a Newsweek article, in response to an immigration question, Cameron said, "We must have a proper system of controlled entry. We need moderate, sensible language regarding immigration, combined with firm controls." Refreshing tone.

Now yesterday, I heard... “It is neither wise nor realistic to round up millions of people, many with deep roots in the United States and send them across the border. There is a rational middle ground between granting an automatic path to citizenship for every illegal immigrant and a program of mass deportation.” Did our president actually say this? It sounds reasonable, thoughtful, articulate and sort of indicates a grasp of the nuances of a very complex situation. You can see why I am having a hard time believing ole President "Smoke 'Em Outta Thar Holes" Bush said this.

On PBS on the Lehrer Hour, I heard a commentator suggest that, "Immigration will be the Gay Marriage of the 2006 election." I really hope not. I hate pandering, base pacifying issues. I'd hate to think deploying 6000 National Guardsmen to the border was part of this pandering. However, it seems as if Bush is attempting a shade of gray solution. Importantly, all the southern border states' (CA, AZ, NM, TX) governors are in favor of National Guard assistance. Also, Bush stated, "The United States is not going to militarize the southern border." Unfortunately, this falls short of directly rejecting the border wall or fence idea. This "Rio Grande Wall" along our border with Mexico disgusts me. What a terrible site that would be. However, he outwardly rejected the complete crap idea of deporting 12 million immigrants. Now, that deportation scheme was pandering at its worst. Hey, maybe the House Republicans should offer another $100 rebate?

But, seriously, President Bush, more talk like this, please. That's all I ask. Even if I disagree, moderate, reasonable and informed dialogue makes me happy. Maybe Dean, Reid and Palosi could take the hint too.

The Beast.

Wow, it has been eight days since my last post. I'm soooooooo sorry for letting everyone down. By everyone, I mean my mom and aunt who are the most avid readers of this blog because they have to be because they are family and because I pay them.

This past weekend Michael, my good friend from Fordham, graduated from Duke University School of Medicine. It's a shame he couldn't get into a prestigious school. I mean, his MCAT score of 480 billion was clearly sub-par for the more reputable schools. Regardless, congratulations!

Amit and I, being the good people that we are, flew into North Carolina for the event. I must say, it was one of the best weekends in recent memory. We went out every night, met a lot of cool new people, hung out with old friends, got a private, backstage tour of Cameron Indoor Stadium (i.e. Duke basketball home court) from Michael's family friend who coaches for Duke, had a great steak dinner, made inappropriate jokes, laughed the whole time, and saw a good friend at the culmination of several years of hard work.

There is also "The Beast." Let me explain.

Amit and I landed on Thursday night at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. (Sidenote: "International" in the same sense that Indianapolis has an 'international" airport. A twice weekly flight to Toronto does not classify your airport as international). Amit secured the hotel arrangments and I took care of the car. Now, anyone that knows Amit knows that he would want a stylin' car. Can you picture us pimping a phatty Escalade with tinted windows, spinners and heavy bass speakers? Hell yea you can! Now, anyone that knows me knows that I rented the Toyota Corolla. Hey, its practical, economical and that bitch gets 32 miles per gallon.

Well, the Hertz rental car dude made us both happy. Apparently, they were fresh out of Toyota Corollas. Must've had an Eastern European conference in town. So for $3 more per day, the Hertz man gave us a 4.0L, V6, bright yellow Ford Mustang! The way she looked. The way she sounded. The way she moved. The way she reacted. If I could've made love to this car, I would have. I sort of tried... she wasn't into me... I'm not sure why not... I'm sort of cool... right... guess I wasn't bringin' my A game... whatever... I'm over it... I hope she calls. Anyways, the whole weekend we rode (haha) "The Beast." It was hot.

So I landed at IND this afternoon and took the shuttle to the parking lot. I took one look at my '98 Toyota Camry and threw up in my mouth. That 4-door piece of emasculation purrs like a hamster and handles like a bowl of soup. No bucket seats. No leather wrapped steering wheel. A hundred less horses under the hood. And best of all, my license plate is freaking DAD3383! No, it's not personalized.

FDR and Dubya.

I read an article in Newsweek comparing FDR and Dubya. (The article is actually about a book about FDR, but the article author, Jonathan Alter, goes further to toss that book into today's pot of socio-political stew, stir it up and describe the taste. HOLY CRAP... what a metaphor).

Anyways, this set my mind a-wanderin'. Their backgrounds are not too different. FDR went to Harvard; Bush went to Yale. Both went to uppity private high schools. Both overcame serious ailments, polio and alcoholism, respectively. But both presidents turned out so different.

The biggest difference, in my opinion, is how each president chose to treat the American people. FDR told us, "There is nothing to fear but fear itself." This is at the time of great depression, and Nazis, fascists, and communists (Oh My!) threatening the power balance of the entire globe with our own country not yet at absolute superpower status. Today, embroiled in war of ideology, we are not told to not fear fear. We are told to make choices based on that fear. That fear of something, be it WMD, China, immigration, health care. Condi Rice said it best, "We don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud." WTF! Fear monger and manipulate much?

Anyways, the article is interesting. Admittedly, it is left-leaning. But I'll try to drum up something right-leaning for my next great political soapbox stand.

New Word.

0.05 [pronounced "point oh five"]: (v) to 0.05; to mildly, yet belligerently, prod or hassle someone while mildly intoxicated. [root: blowing a 0.05 blood alcohol level in a breathalyzer often corresponds to impaired function and mild intoxication. As reference, in Indiana, 0.08 bal is the legally intoxicated level].

Sarah has had a bit to drink and is getting a little hostile. I wish she'd stop 0.05ing me.

Credit to Bertie Burns.

LOST.

HOLY SWEET MOTHER OF ALL THAT IS SACRED IN OUR WORLD AND THE NEXT! THIS SHOW IS AMAZING!

I can feel my heart beating. The whole dynamic has changed. THE WHOLE DYNAMIC. I'll miss Ana Lucia. Libby... don't let the door hit ya in the ass on the way out. What is going on? I have to process. No thoughts right now. Wednesday 9pm ABC. This summer... if you are not with the show yet... watch Season 1 and 2 (which will probably be released before 3 debuts on TV). You will not be disappointed.

As for the opening sentence, no one can blaspheme like an excited or upset Catholic.

Fibromyalgia.

"I hate that disease that old ladies think they have. What is it again? Oh yea, fibromyalgia. I hate the old ladies who stop you in the grocery store and tell you about their fibromyalgia for 30 minutes. Just take an Aleve and move on!"
-- Sarah H. at Yogi's

Honestly, a disease whose diagnosis depends on fatigue, achiness and sensitivity to touch does sort of piss me off. No offense to any of those who actually have fibromyalgia. I'm sure it's terrible. My point (as if I ever have one) is to express annoyance regarding those who consider all minor aches and pains part of their deteriorating fibromyalgic condition. I know a few hypochondriacs who I'm sure are coming down with this as we speak. "Oh my God! I have that!"