:: Life on Planet Dan-E ::

:: Just Thinking out Loud ::

It was dead for the first couple of hours at work this morning. I spent some of that time pondering the irony of the First Family's new Water Retriever puppy being given to them by, of all people, Ted Kennedy.

John Madden, thanks for your unbridled enthusiasm all these years. Your ceaseless passion for football made us enjoy the game just a little bit more. You also made us meathead football fans feel like smarter men.

Working at a restaurant that just opened is akin to the blind leading the stupid. There is crossover.

As much as I like U2, the new album feels more like a continuation of the last album. Not as enamored with it as I initially was. However, "Magnificent" is in fact, so.

I have three different bottles of "good" scotch and one bourbon that I haven't touch in months. It's because I don't feel like I've done anything that warrants a good drink.

Hasn't kept me from enjoying a pour of Jack, however.

Apparently, there's no truth to the rumor that U.S. Naval forces tried to detain pirates for the purpose of getting their $9.50 and 2 1/2 hours of their lives back for "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End."

I've been listening to Beethoven's "Symphony No. 3 in E flat major 'Eroica'" a lot after tasting and enjoying a Washington State Riesling of the same name.

I'm not turning gay.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Good thing Wagner never wrote a piece called "Doppelbock."

(Not even sure what that last line meant.)

I have my health, I have a job, and my guitar still has all six strings. I've always tried to be a "glass is half-full" type, as long as there's beer in it.

I never watch "American Idol" and yet I still know who Susan Boyle is.

Thanks to my hair, there are few guys in Miami that looking anything like me, so when I notice a woman staring, I honestly can't tell if it's because she thinks I'm attractive or if she think I'm some rare, visual curiosity.

Every time someone orders a steak well-done, an Angel's Halo goes dim.

I don't want Mr. Obama to fail. I don't agree with a some of his politics and many of his plans for pulling our country out of this malaise but but Goddammit I hope he doesn't fail. I'm not one of those rhetoric-spewing, fuckmook idealogues who say stupid shit like "I'm moving to Canada if Bush gets reelected." Why? I like it here. If I'm not living in Miami, it'll be some other part of America because this is the greatest country in the world. I want Obama to return us to the greatness of decades past where allies respected us and rivals feared us. Because as long as I and 300 million of my fellow Americans choose to reside in this young, great land of ours, we desperately need it to recover. I want Mr. Obama to make us forget the misguided war, the enervating recession, and the ignominious legacy of the last Administration. I even hope he ends up greater than the Messianic perception that he and the media has manufactured. For the sake of those around me, and for the sake of this country, I want him to succeed.

I'm just not getting that vibe from him, that's all.

Labels: alkie, humor, irony, random thoughts, unintentional comedy

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 8:25 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
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:: Butcher Buddy ::

I haven't been able indulge in my love or red meat much the last couple of months since that time has been spent either briefly unemployed or training for the new job. I haven't been starving or anything but my budget dictated some degree of parsimony in my grocery budget so every trip to Publix involved a concerted effort to avoid the meat case, lest I find myself tempted into an unnecessary purchase.

Now that we've been open for about three weeks and we're starting to make some money, it seemed only proper to reacquaint myself with the steak display and luckily enough, they had bone-in rib eyes on sale for $6.99/lb. As usual, I skip the packaged cuts on the shelf and pick out a well-marbled 36oz cut from the display case. As I turn around one of the butchers waves to me.

"How you been? I haven't seen you in a while."

Despite the fact that I used to stop by at least once a week, it's still a little surprising that he'd both recognize me and take the time to say "hi."

"I've been, umm, busy lately. How've you been?"

"Pretty good. Did you get the rib eye?"

"Yup."

"Bone in?" (If you're curious, butchers and foodies typically favor steaks with the bone still attached since it does two things: It maintains the flavor of the meat and the bone acts as a heat conductor, which results in more even cooking. This is why porterhouse steaks, T-bones, and rib cuts are so flavorful.)

"Of course."

I show him my steak. "Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. The way you cook it, it's gonna be like buttah. It's too bad you weren't here couple of weeks ago. We got a couple of cases of bone-in New York Strip."

"Really? Here?" (This is a less common cut that you only see in very high-end steakhouses, and almost never in a typical grocery store.)

"Hell yeah! I was looking for you too. I know you like those thicker cuts and I was gonna save you some."

I decided at that point that I needed to become this guy's friend.

"Dude, that would have been sweet" (Unfortunately, I really do talk like that sometimes.)

He goes on about other stuff they get on occasion. We talk more and I finally ask him his name... just before I notice his name tag. Just before I leave, he tells me when he works and that he'll definitely let me know when the "good stuff" is in stock.

I always thought it was good to be on a first name basis with the bartender at your favorite bar. Being on a first name basis with your butcher is just as cool.

Labels: cooking, meat, steaks

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 11:51 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
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