Halloween Rules of Engagement

I have very fond memories of Halloween. Dressing up, trick or treating, being allowed to stay out a little later than I normally was allowed.

This is a FUN holiday. Traditionally a children's holiday, it has gained a lot of popularity with adults, which is great. Last night during Monday Night Football, the cheerleaders were dressed up. This morning before I went to work, the guys from Mike and Mike in the morning were dressed up.

Everyone dresses up. I embrace this.....So how could such a fun holiday piss me off? Lemme tell ya!!!

Here are some simple rules I would recommend when contemplating your trick or treating strategy:

1. Please do not be the greedy kid that demands more candy, despite the fact that a line is now forming behind you. Take your 3 pieces (yep, I'm givin 3) and move to the side!
   
2. Please do not come back to my house for seconds. Even if you think you have cleverly disgusted yourself with some minor costume adjustment. I would rather have you violate rule #1.
3. I think trick or treating is a neighborhood activity. I have no problem with kids coming in from other neighborhoods, but don't be That Family that spends all night driving around to different neighborhoods. I saw this all too often when I lived in Wisconsin. Remember this is for fun! It is NOT a charity event.
4. Children of all ages should participate in Halloween in some fashion, however, if your child is too young to eat candy - Do NOT be That Parent, who carries them around asking for candy for the baby. We both know the candy is for you. Let's just not go there.
5. Please, I beg of you, do not be My-Baby-is-in-the-Car-This-Sack-is-for-her Lady. You are unacceptable, and should be prepared to present said baby upon request.
6. I am not sure what the age cut-off for trick or treating should be. I am not even sure if there needs to be one. If you put some thought and effort into your costume, I can respect that and you are worthy of a Kit Kat. Just don't be Mr. I-Threw-On-a-Hat and am-a-Baseball-Player Guy. That's Busch League. At least go home, cut some holes in your mom's good sheets, and come as a ghost. At least I can respect the risk you took.

See, not that bad. Just a few common sense rules. Unfortunately, most people do not have common sense.

So, for those of you out there that are having trouble grasping this concept, here are a few visual aids.












While I can respect a Matrix and a Sports reference, this will just not get it done. Please obtain the sheet that we talked about.














While these might not be accepted by the masses in most neighborhoods, they meet my criteria, so jump in line, here comes your Milky Way, Milk Duds, and Jolly Rancher.




How You Doin'? Anytime I can work in a Janelle Pierzina reference, it will be so. We love you Janie! If you come to my house dressed as a Naughty Maid, you will receive 4 pieces of candy.

If Janelle comes to my house, she will receive a special treat.....get your mind out of the gutter, remember, I am NOT a Deviant!


So there you have it. Have a Happy Halloween, and about all else, Have Fun!!!

Baba Ganoush, OUT!

Everything you always wanted to know, but were afraid to ask.....

Well, it is officially Halloween, so HAPPY HALLOWEEN! I've been really busy, so not much time to post. Here is something I saw on someone's blog awhile back. Just some random questions that might give you a clue as to what goes on in my melon. Enjoy.

1. FIRST NAME.
Jason
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
No, Jason means “healer” – my mom had dreams of me being a doctor.
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY?
On a long drive I recently took by myself. I had 12 hours alone with just my cd collection. Some things I had not listened to in awhile that took me back.
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
No, it’s gotten sloppy over the years. I guess that’s the doctor in me!
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Rare Roast Beef
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
I think so. I am sure I would think I’m a nice guy. Plus, I have a problem spending money, so I’d probably treat myself to a lot of gifts.
7. DO YOU JOURNAL?
No, just this blog, which is not really much of a journal.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yes.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
I am very afraid of heights, so probably no. I had a chance in Vegas when I was in college, but turned it down.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Fruity Pebbles
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Yeah, they usually land close to each other…..I have pretty good aim.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
Yeah. I played football for years, and still have a bit of “jock” in me.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.
14. SHOE SIZE?
Size 14.
15. FAVORITE COLOR?
Red
16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
Nothing, I love me some me! Seriously though, I am not good with money, never have been. Damn good thing my wife is.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
My Grandpa. I grew up not knowing my dad. My mom and I lived with my grandparents until I was 10. He was like…..no, he was a father to me.
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU?
No. If you blog, post it…..I’ll check it out.
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
Silver shorts and no shoes. I wear shorts year round. Even in the middle of winter. I just crank up the heat….there’s that fiscal responsibility.
20. LAST THING YOU ATE?
Whole Wheat Pasta with Ground Turkey in Pesto Sauce.
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
Sportscenter on ESPN…..Monday night football just ended.
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Maroon.
23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Anything freshly baked and the smell of a new car.
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
Evil Spock.
25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU'RE ATTRACTED TO.
Their Lips. I am definitely a lip-guy.
26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
Found it on someone’s blog, and shamelessly “borrowed” it.
27. FAVORITE DRINK?
Water.
28. FAVORITE SPORT?
Definitely Football.
29. EYE COLOR?
Hazel.
30. HAT SIZE?
7.5
31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
No, I had lasik a few years ago.
32. FAVORITE FOOD?
A good ribeye.
33.SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Scary movies.
34. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
Black.
35. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Winter. I hate it when it gets too cold, but I love the snow.
36. HUGS OR KISSES?
Kisses. They are universal. A kiss on the cheek of a friend. A kiss on the forehead of a child. A kiss on the lips for your significant other. A kiss somewhere else for your lover.
37. FAVORITE DESSERT?
Apple pie ala mode.
38. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING?
Books????? Blogs are the only thing I read.
39. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
It’s just a plain black one.
40. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV?
Desperate Housewives.
41. FAVORITE SOUNDS?
When my 2 year old sees me and says, “Daddy’s Here, Daddy’s Here!”
42. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
Beatles. Mostly because of John Lennon.
43. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME.
Mayan Riviera in Mexico.
44. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT?
I seem to get along with most people, and I can generally calm tense situations down.
45. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Wooster, Ohio.
46. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
I already said, I borrowed it from someone.
47. NEWEST THING YOU'VE TRIED?
Organic Eggs.
48. ONE THING YOU'D CHANGE ABOUT YOURSELF.
I would like to be 2 inches taller. Well, not anymore, but it would have come in handy when I was trying out for NFL scouts.
49. WHO DID YOU LAST SEND A CARD OR LETTER TO?
My mom’s birthday was last month, and I sent her a card.
50. WHERE WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO VISIT IF MONEY WERE NO OBJECT?
Italy.

People Never Cease to Amaze Me.....

My plan was to post something tonight, you know, so I could actually be productive at work tomorrow. But alas, I could think of nothing to present to the masses.

I was certain no one wanted to hear of my plans to attend a pumpkin carving party this weekend. Also, most don't care who I have on bye in the land of pretend football.

What to do. My search of the internet came up with nothing. Well there was this one site with midgets, I mean little people, whip cream, and weiner dogs.....but that's certainly nothing blog-worthy.

I even looked at The Buzz Log to see what information the world was seeking out. Here are the Top Leaders:

1) Halloween Costumes - Very interesting and relavant current event, however, I have no real stance on this, nor will I make one up.

2) Shakira - One of the Top 10 most attractive people in the world, as rated by your's truly. Still other than talking about her hips and what she would do to a man in bed (which, by the way, would be amazing), nothing really exciting here.

3) Britney Spears - Yet another member of the Top 10. Although her recent antics (K-Fed, Bad Dye Jobs, Trailer Park behavior, etc) have dropped her to #10. If one more foolish thing comes out of her "husband's" mouth, she will be permanently booted from the list. Again though, nothing here.

4) Beyonce Knowles - I have no problem with nose jobs, fake boobs, lip plumping, etc. However, if you have something fake on you (specifically something that adds a lot to your image) and you can remove it from your person, like, oh YOUR HAIR, you will not be in the Top 10 and I certainly won't have anything to say about you!

5) WWE - I refuse to to watch wrestling until The Rock comes back. Just for the record, the Rock is just barely out of the Top 10. I could probably blog about The Rock, but my sexuality would most likely come into question. Yes, I smell what you are cook'n Rocky!!!

6) Jessica Simpson - I got sucked into watching Newlyweds on MTV. Let's just say I am definetly on Team Lachey. She is a moron! Not wasting time on her.

7) Dancing With The Stars - As a former college football player, I cannot promote former NFL greats whoring themselves out for a few bucks. Surely you guys could get on NFL Countdown.....Michael Irvin makes an ass of himself every week.

8) Paris Hilton - Paris is an interesting person.....actually, no she isn't! Enough said!

Alas, Yahoo Buzz Index had let me down. Where to turn???

I had forgotten 1 very important variable.....PEOPLE ARE STUPID, and the news was getting ready to start. So, I present to you:

Woman Falls From Car During Accident

I've changed the names in the story to protect the stupid.

Oct 26, 2006 09:24 AM

Police say a passenger fell out of a car this morning in Clermont County.

According to police, 53-year-old Mary Moron was riding in a 1985 Chevorlet Monte Carlo being driven by 22-year-old David Dumbass of Batavia.

Police say that Dumbass lost control of the car while changing lanes while driving on U.S.-52 and hit another car.

During the collission, the duct tape holding the door closed wasn't strong enough to hold Moron, who wasn't wearing a seat belt, in the car.

Moron fell from the car and onto the road.

After the wreck, Dumbass fled the scene and left Moron there.

Police caught up with Dumbass later and he was arrested.

Moron was transported to University Hospital where she is being treated for serious injuries.

Dumbass has been charged with drunk driving, driving on a suspended license and failure to control.

No one else was hurt in the accident which occurred around eight on Wednesday night.

Seriously, I know I ask this a lot, but.....What in the HELL is wrong with people?

You don't neccessarily need to have a college degree. You don't even need a GED. Just please people, try to live your life with some extent of common sense. If you do not know what this is, please stop everything you are doing, visit the link provided, and educate yourself. If you are unable to grasp the concept of "Common Sense," as presented by our friends at Wikipedia, please find your smartest friend and ask him to help decipher the definition. If none of your friends are smarter than you, then you are destined to go through life a moron.

That's all I have to say about that.....

Baba Ganoush, OUT!

It's HUMP Day.............

Happy Hump Day Everyone.

I was reading some older stuff and realized that I've gotten off track to some degree at times about what I intended this blog to be. For those of you that have not had the proper introduction:

I'm NOT a Deviant, nice to meet you.....

The link is to my very first blog, and is a brief intro as to why I am here.

Also for fun, I present to you, the 2006 Hoagie Weblog Awards.


Heather Anne Hogan has put together some fine gift bag offerings, including money, candy, and some sort of metallic gold turkey (a great re-gift).

She is currently taking submissions for:


Friendliest Blog

Super Best Writing

Cleverest Commenter

Best Blog Written by a Heather

Hilarious-est Blog

Blogger Who Should be President

Visit Heather's site and submit someone or even yourself for a category. Feel free to submit me for Funniest Blog (have you heard the one about Killer Coke.....oh nevermind).

Anyway, should be fun and maybe you can score some cash out of it.

Baba Ganoush, OUT.

Road Rage.....

So, I had to privilege of spending 12 hours driving within a 24 hour period. I must say that by the time I got home I was NOT a happy camper.

Assuming the speed limit is 65 mph on a 3 lane highway......If you are the guy that insists on going 65 (ON THE NOSE) in the far left lane, and WILL NOT MOVE OVER when cars are lined up behind you, please pay attention!

Here are some simple rules to drive by that will potentially save yourself from an incident, if you are ever driving in front of someone that is a little more off the deep end than myself.

1. Despite the fact that you may feel you are going fast enough for the big boy lane, YOU ARE NOT!!! The far left lane is for those drivers going 70 - 90. Anything over 90, and you are just going too fast.
2. The middle lane is for driving 60 - 70. Those driving between 60 - 65 should seriously consider the far right lane. Admission to the left lane should only be sought in an effort to pass someone that should be in the right lane. In this instance, however, passing on the right should be the first option.
   
3. The far right lane is for driving 50 - 60. Honestly though, if you are driving in this lane and going under 55, you should consider an alternate scenic route (one of the 2 lane variety) or immediately get you car looked at because YOUR SHIT IS BROKE!!!
4. When all else fails, and you can only remember 1 thing, please make it rule #4!!! If driving in the left lane, and someone approaches you from behind, who is driving faster than yourself, PLEASE MOVE TO THE RIGHT!!! This is no reflection on your manhood and your cruise control WILL work again.

I will say that I need a speeding ticket. I have only had 1 ticket in my life (funny story btw - involved college buddy, my Ford Ranger and 2 girls in a convertible Mustang)......anyway.....1 ticket in my life. I attribute that to a system that I have developed over the years (no radar devices involved). Maybe another post to follow on that. This past weekend I tried to go slower than 80 in a 70, but I just could not do it.

Alright, I think that's all I have to say about that!

Baba Ganoush, OUT!!!

Johnny Cakes

Just a quick follow up to this recipe post. I made these a few weekends ago. They turned out pretty well. Here is a pic. My photo skills and presentation are a little lacking, so please forgive me.

A little story behind my first recipe post. As a big fan of The Sopranos and someone who likes to eat, I was curious as to what Johnny Cakes were. They must be a powerful aphrodisiac to drive a wise guy into the arms of another man.

During last season, they were described simply as pancakes made with corn meal.

I decided to make them for some friends that were in town, and after some Internet discovery, I found there were many different versions of Johnny Cakes, none of which seemed like "pancakes made with corn meal." Descriptions ranged from donut-like to just like corn bread. Preparation ranged from baking to deep frying. Origins ranged from Jamaica to Colonial times.

So, I took parts of a few recipes, added some things of my own, and came up with what I thought would taste like "pancakes made with corn meal." I must say, they turned out pretty well. Here you go.

Johnny Cakes:

• 2 Cups Ground Corn Meal


• 1 teaspoon of Salt


• 4 tablespoons of Unsalted Butter


• 1 C Milk


• 2 tablespoons of Boiling Water


• 1 Egg


• 2 tablespoons of Oil


• Other ingredients - Sugar, Vanilla Extract, and Pancake Mix (that you just add water to)

Directions:

1. Add corn meal, salt, and butter together and cream in large bowl.


2. Combine the milk, water, oil, and egg to corn meal mixture.


3. Add sugar and vanilla to your personal taste.


4. Use the pancake mix to firm mixture up to your preference. You could probably use additional corn meal, but I found the pancake mix helps to add some fluff to the finished product.


5. Cook on a hot non-stick skillet. You will have to cook a little longer than pancakes on the 1st side, before turning.

Finished Johnny Cakes should have a nice browned golden color. Serve with maple syrup or your favorite topping.

Johnny Cakes are more filling than pancakes, so plan accordingly. I'll post a pick this weekend after I make another batch. If you try them, let me know what you think.

Enjoy!!!

Baba Ganoush, OUT.

Please make it stop.....................

Mark Foley

Dennis Hastert

Dubya.....

Someone please make it all stop.

I just wanted to listen to a little sports talk radio. Was listening to the Dan Patrick show on ESPN radio, and they are talking about what Rush Limbaugh said about Alex P. Keaton.

I need a break from it all. Sounds like they are done. Now let's talk about steroids for a few hours - GREAT!

Baba Ganoush, OUT.

Lil' Dude

So, this entry is a big step for this blog. First and foremost, I'm posting pictures of my kids, which is something I wasn't sure I was going to do.

I am stealing shamelessly from Evil Spock. Jones Soda Co. is running a program where ordinary people submit ordinary photos that could get selected to appear on their bottles. If you've never had Jones Soda, do yourself a favor, and go get some. I recommend their Cream Soda!

Vote Here:


I was going to post a picture of myself, but at press time for this post, my agent had not worked out the legals for using my image with the Jones Soda Co.

Here are the pictures that I narrowed it down to.

Like father, like son. We recently started potty training and it didn't take long for him to understand what potty time is all about! I didn't use this one though. I wasn't sure the people at Jones would get the humor.



This has always been one of my favorite pictures of my little guy. It is his 9 mo. picture. I seriously considered using this one (most likely in B/W, as I have that too), but 1 problem. Technically, we do not own the rights to the picture, which is one of the requirements for submission. Oh, well, I still like this one!


I really like this one as well. This is my son's 18 mo. pic and my daughter was 6 mo. He has always been pretty good with her (aside from a few trains to the melon and 1 forehead biting incident). This picture took no prompting, he just planted one and the photographer timed it just right. Hopefully, they will always get along this well. Yeah, right! Again though, this one is not ours.

Here is the picture that I ended up using. Not the best of the lot in my opinion, but still pretty cute. This one is from this past summer. He had been outside playing in the pool, and took a break to come inside, kept his shades on and found his nuk.




If you have time, go and vote! Pretty fun. Let me know if you post a picture and I'll go and vote too.

Baba Ganoush, OUT!

What in the hell is the world coming to? Alright, let me take a step back. Mornings at my house can be hectic, with 2 kids and needing to get ready for work. So, to combat this issue, our kids watch TV in our room while we are getting ready.

We generally watch TLC, which has a wholesome offering of educational children's programming. My daughter is too young to really care about anything other than bottles, diaper changes, and throwing up on Dad. However, my son has some very clear favorite things to watch.

He is very militant about his "choo-choo." Do not try to turn his choo-choo when he is watching it, do not try to take off his choo-choo when he is wearing it, and please, under no circumstances, try to take his choo-choo while he is playing with it.

I will say that Thomas The Train will hold my attention while we are watching it, I do not mind him wearing Thomas, and I actually enjoy building tracks with him.


Coming in at a distant 2nd would be Elmo. While I find Elmo a tad bit annoying, I will tolerate him because he is very kid-friendly, and will hopefully teach my little ones something along the way.

Elmo was probably one of the first noticeable words that my son brought home from daycare.


Oh yeah, back to TLC - neither of those 2 shows are on TLC in the mornings. Generally, the way the mornings work are this - my wife showers, while I lay in bed still waking up as I give my daughter a bottle of milk and my son has his juice-water mixture in his sippy cup, as they watch TLC.

A few weeks ago, I was about 10 minutes into this routine, when I hear - "When I say Hip Hop, you say Harry! Hip Hop! Harry! Hip Hop! Harry!" What the hell is going on! I force my still-shut eyes open to see this.


That's right, a rapping, medallion wearing, kicks sporting, hat tilted to the side bear!!! Harry's not really the cool sort of hip hop bear like 2Pac, Flava Flav (not the Flava of Love Flav, but the PE Flav), or Biz Markie would be. He's more like a Vanilla Ice, Markie Mark, 3rd Bass kind of rapping bear.

After the intro song, Harry went into his next set - What's tha name ya need ta know - Roy G Biv!" No, I am not kidding. The show ended with a dance line, where Harry, and some of his homies show off their dance moves.

I guess I should look at the bright side of things. Not only will my kids know how to dance at a very young age, they'll also go to kindergarten with a healthy grasp of Ebonics.

I give up.

Baba Ganoush - OUT!!!

This post is in response to an entry I found on Evil Spock's blog. It references a recent ruling against Coca Cola, in which they were accused of:

Coca-Cola bottlers “contracted with or otherwise directed paramilitary security forces that utilize extreme violence and murdered, tortured, unlawfully detained or otherwise silenced trade union leaders."

Oh, BTW, they were found, not guilty.

Here is my rant on the subject, which I feel very strong about, as posted in ESs comments.

This post is rubbish. I read this poor-excuse for a website, and any charges that were brought against Coca-Cola were dismissed, nuff said. To honestly think that someone in Coca-Cola's Atlanta based headquarters signed off on something like this is ridiculous.

I get tired of reading crap like this. Large companies like Coke, Pepsi, Frito Lay, Proctor and Gamble, GE, General Mills, Anheiser Busch, etc are part of the reason we are what we are as a country.

If you do not like their products, do not purchase and/or consume them. Spending time trying to bash them annoys me. Everyone has a choice. All of these companies offer a low-fat, calorie free, and/or otherwise, healthy alternative to full calorie offerings.

If you want to live in a country without home grown global companies like the ones mentioned, move to Russia.

These are the same people that spend all of their time complaining about our country and our government. Do us all a favor, spend some time bettering yourself and improving your life.

If for some reason someone gets in the white house next term that I do not approve of (not that I approve of the current situation), I am not going to shut my life down for 4-8 years and complain about how bad things are.

I am sick and tired of all this anti-establishment crap.

Normally, I would not just link to someone's post and run with it, but I really felt like someone needed to stick up for the man. As I stated in my very first post, I am very anti-antiestablishment.

That's all I have to say about this!

Baba Ganoush, OUT!

The Good Ole Days

I seem to find myself reminiscing about the "good old days" a lot. Either it's getting together with old friends, looking at some old photos that take me back, or just remembering a time when things were simpler.

Here's where I have the problem. Most of the times I think about are from when I was 18-30ish. 10 years from now, am I going to look at 30-40, and say those were the good old days?

If so.......

Great! I have things a lot more together than I ever had them before, which should make for some mighty fine good old days.

If not......

That sucks. Are the best years of my life truly behind me?

Where I get caught up thinking about things now, is that I am constantly looking for that moment. That moment that 10 years from now, I will look back on and say wow!

This excludes things like marriage, births, etc. I 'm purely being selfish here. I'm talking about events that effect #1 - ME!!!

I don't know? Maybe all "my" moments are gone. Maybe all "my" moments, are now "our" moments. Moments that I will have with my family. If that's the case, I have certainly had some good ones, and I will never feel like I lost out on any experiences. It still makes me feel a little melancholy.

On another note, I am not sure where this blog is headed. I can come on here and post crap about Lost and Survivor, but quite frankly, it is a lot of work. It seems like lately I have been using this as a means to vent, which I know a lot of bloggers do. It's very therapeutic. I really do not have a lot of problems in my life, but the ones I perceive to have, I dwell on them and obsess over them, and they become consuming.

I'll just keep rambling, and we'll see where this journey ends up. Good night to all and to all a good night.

Baba Ganoush, OUT!

Happy Friday the 13th!!! If you've been keeping up with my blogs, you probably know that I am afraid of a few things. Most would probably think that I hate scary movies, but that's not the case.

One of the reasons I love this time of year is for all the scary movies that are on. Not really the modern day crap, but the old stuff. My favorite scary movie of all time, or at least the one I love at this time of year is Halloween. Halloween II is actually very good as well. So, curl up on the couch with your favorite warm beverage and a blanket and enjoy a nice evening courtesy of Michael Meyers.

So, enjoy yourself, and don't do anything I wouldn't do.

Baba Ganoush, OUT.

Here's another poem. Again, I put the disclaimer on these, that I wrote them long ago, and some are not very complex in their content and/or context.

Also, some were written as jokes. Others were written straight from the heart and represent how I was feeling at the time. I'll let you sort all that out.

Baba Ganoush, OUT!

Please Forgive Me

I am so sorry for all that I have done to you. Can you please forgive me?
You were always the lucky one of the group. Everyone always admired you.
So many times, you were in the perfect position. Nothing could go wrong.
But it did, and I was always there holding the blame. Can you please forgive me?
Your hopes, your dreams, your goals, always within reach. All you had to do was take action.
But I was always the one, who would pull you away. Can you please forgive me?
So many people that cared, were always on your side. Everywhere you went, someone knew your name.
But you left it up to me, and now most are gone. Can you please forgive me?
Your future was wide open. Like piece of clay, which could take any shape.
You put that clay in my hands, and I let you down. Can you please forgive me?
I remember, people would tell you that you had beautiful eyes, as they became lost in them.
Now, clouded with tears, all I can see is the tale of the long life you have endured.
Looking into your eyes, I get lost in the pain and disappointment that I have caused.
If I had one dying wish, it could only be, that this reflection of mine would please forgive me!!!

Thank goodness that today is over. All in all, not a great day.

1. Found a grey hair. Just one, but it had been growing for awhile, as it was pretty long. It will surely spread :(
2. Had to cut the grass. I told myself the last time, I would NOT do it anymore due to spiders, snakes, and grasshoppers (yeah, I know, but when there are thousands of them, it's an issue). I made calls to some landscaping companies (yes, I'm going to be that-guy, who pays to have his lawn cut - again, mostly because of the savage beasts that inhabit my backyard), but no one called me back, so I had to do it myself. I did not encounter any snakes this time, but I saw a giant spider and was nearly taken down by an aggressive pack of grasshoppers.

I am now off to the great land of cheese.....That's right baby, Wisconsin!!! We moved from there about 6 months ago, and I'm looking forward to seeing some of my old friends, one of whom, now owns his own wine store. It might snow, so wish me luck

Baba Ganoush, OUT!

Well, I finally figured out how to extract WordPerfect files into MS Word, which means I now have access to some of the poems I wrote A LONG TIME AGO. Let's just say, I remember them being A LOT better. But, I said I would post them, so here they are.

Reading them now, they seem very juvenile, both in content and context. Just keep in mind that I wrote them when I was just 21 yo. Here are two of them. Here are two basic love sonnets. Very basic, but were meant to be funny.

I'll post my favorite one tomorrow, since these two were so bad. Cute back in the day, but just terrible now. Maybe, I'll at least get a chuckle out of you?

Baba Ganoush - OUT!

Love Sonnet #1

Oh how I love a tender juicy steak.
With corn, peas, and a potato, all on the side.
A thousand miles, I would surely ride
For a well-done steak, that would make you quake.
Where’s my beef, keep that cake.
Grilled, baked, or fried, they’ve all been tried.
As my favorite, grilled and baked are tied.
A hefty weight gain, this will surely make.
I’ll have to go to the SRSC everyday.
I’ll lift, run, and even play basketball.
If I’m still too heavy, I’ll go for a swim.
From this sequence, I’ll never stray.
Eat steak, then exercise, that’s all.
I love to eat steak, it’s just a whim.

Love Sonnet #2

Wow is she beautiful. I think I can
Introduce myself, sooner or later.
I’ll love her forever, never hate her.
She’s perfect with her golden tan.
Tall and slender, she must eat her bran.
It’s that time, we couldn’t be closer,
Kissing and caressing, it can only get better.
Wait, oh my God, my dream girl’s a man.
Up I jumped, I tried to play it off.
I felt weird, a man I had kissed.
I had to leave, I didn’t feel well.
Well, uh, doh, I could only cough.
If this gets out, I’ll be pissed.
I hope she, well he, doesn’t tell.

Happy Monday Everyone!!! Don't know why, but I am in a GREAT mood today! Thought this would be something fun to do on a Monday. If you decided to try it too, shoot me a comment, so I can check yours out. I tried a few different photos. Some of the results were just comical. Don't know where Claudia Schiffer came from, but I can probably use it at some point - as a conversational piece!

Have a great day!

Baba Ganoush, OUT!

Hey guys,

Quick Question: What's the politically correct way to link someone? Do I need to ask? Do I just do it? Do I have to offer a sacrifice? A little help - send me an email or leave me a comment.

Have a great weekend.

Baba Ganoush

Well, I'm still one episode behind with Survivor (I really don't know why I keep watching this show).

Not much to say about this episode. Cecelia (the 29 yo Technology Risk Consultant - What the HELL is that anyway?) was sent home, which is a shame. She was cute, even though she reminded me of those twins from Sister Sister (Tia and Tamera Mowry), who I really don't care for!

Well, they did grow up to be very attractive young ladi------NOPE, still annoying. And that's hard to do in a picture like this. Oh well, where was I.

I also thought it was a BIG mistake for Yul to tell anyone that he found the immunity idol.

As I watched the episode, I was very happy that Parvati got a lot of camera time. She has become the "flirt" of the show, which is fine by me, because she has a beautiful smile.

I don't know if anyone else has noticed this, but for the most part, girls are not like Parvati anymore. Girls are not this bubbly and pleasant. I notice that a lot of women are colder and less willing to smile and let their beauty show.

Heck, even my wife walks around the house with a scowl on her face a lot. It's not like her husband isn't doing all he can to help her out in between work, video games, travel, and a very heavy TV schedule (yeah, I know).

A lot of theories were swirling around in my head, and then it hit me. I only had to look within Survivor.

Now I know this does not apply to everyone, but when a girl cannot even make a kind comment and give a little smile to a someone without him turning into Psycho-Stalker Guy, there is a problem.

There is nothing wrong with a little harmless flirting. So, Mr. Did You See How She Looked at Me Guy, please knock it off, you're screwing it up for the rest of us.

Baba Ganoush, OUT!!!

Episode 1: "A Tale of Two Cities"

Season 3 opens up with a familiar scene, the opening of an eye, and the introduction of a new character - Juliet.

Juliet is listening to the song "Downtown," which I hear is a classic break-up song, while she is preparing to have guests over for a book club.

During the book club, we find out from one of the guests, that a man named Ben would never have selected Stephen King's Carrie.

We later find out that Ben is actually Henry Gale.

I believe that he was either married to or involved with Juliet. However, they are obviously on the outs, as indicated by his comments of - "I guess this means I'm not in the book club anymore," when he sees her after the plane crash. His cause was not helped much when he told Jack to go ahead and kill her and then locked her in the hatched with Jack to die.

We learned last season that The Dharma Initiative is a group of scientists and free thinkers in a communal compound who study meteorology, psychology, parapsychology, zoology, electromagnetism, and utopian social something.

I think that Juliet is a Psychologist, who is being charged with breaking Jack down and gaining his trust. Most of the time she is talking to him she has her head tilted to the side and is talking in a soothing tone - classic Psch 101 tricks to gain trust and seem non-threatening. I don't think she likes doing this, and may eventually be someone who helps Jack escape. Right before the noise that drives them all outside, she sarcastically tells the book club, that it was "silly of her to think that free-will still existed on this" island.

We also see a little bit of Kate. Ben tells her that the next few weeks will be unpleasant. And when she is taken to the cage, her wrists are pretty raw from the cuffs, and Zeke makes the comment - "they roughed you up pretty good." Who are they? And what did they do to Kate?

Not much with Sawyer in this episode. He is in a cage, which were learn was used in the past for the polar bears. The cage he is in tests your ability to solve a puzzle to get food - more experiments.

We also learn that it was Jack who sent his father on his deadly Australian binge.

Where are all the children that were taken? I think they are at a different bunker undergoing different tests.

In the past many people have talked about The Sickness (see the note to the CDC). I think this sickness is real and this has something to do with why Jack, Sawyer, and Kate were taken. This is supported by Jack and Kate having their blood taken. We were not made aware of them taking Sawyer's blood, but this may be nothing other than he had a long sleeve shirt on, or it could explain why he was initially in a very different environment than the other two.

Finally, there is the evidence that The Others have communication with the outside world - they had a file on Jack. They may have access to the outside world, or this could again be a trick. When Juliet is first questioning Jack, she knows the answer to every question she asks him. Also, at the end of the episode when she reveals her "Jack File," she could have known all of that info as well. Keep in mind The Others had Ethan and Goodwin spying when the plane first went down. This info could have been gotten directly or through documents found in the wreckage. This is probably not the case, but let's keep this in mind when assuming The Others have an outside contact(s).

That's it for now. I will watch the episode again, and maybe update this. Let me know if you have any theories or comments. Please also keep in mind that I am often wrong and these are just my opinions :)

Baba Ganoush - OUT!

Okay. Things have gone sideways with watching Survivor. If you are keeping score at home, I am no longer scratching my wife's back on this one. We are currently 1 episode in the hole, with another one on tomorrow. This show is dying a slow death for me.

On the last eipsode that we watched, I was truly disturbed. The Hispanic team decided they were better off with less people, and threw a challenge to vote off Virgilio "Billy" Garcia, the fun-loving jolly heavy metal guitarist from NYC. To be completely honest, I was not only outraged by this, but I also felt very sorry for Billy. Even though he had been a tad lazy at camp, he had done nothing wrong, other than not being as attractive or as cool as the rest of his tribe.

Then, in a turn that I never saw coming, Billy showed me once again, why this show is like a bad wreck that you can't look away from. Before the vote while at tribal council, Billy claimed that it was love at first sight between he and Candice Woodcock.














Now I am all for guys playing a little bit above the rim (Ross Gellar, George Costanza, Evil Spock, etc.), but come on Dawg, get a grip.

This was truly one of the worst displays I have ever seen. If only I could have reached into the TV and given this poor guy a hug.

If you didn't see it, Mr. Garcia (no relation) was 101% serious when he made these outlandish claims. Now that you're on the outside world, and if, for some odd reason, you're reading this - do yourself a favor - don't hold your breath waiting for true love, Playa!!!

Baba Ganoush, OUT!!!