The Whole Truth, Nothing But the Truth...

I have been tagged by Aimee to reveal 7 truths about myself. Normally I would not participate in such tom foolery but since she is my sister I will oblige.

1. I work in the computer industry but I cannot stand technology, any of it; Cell phones, myspace pages, bluetooth, you name it, I hate it. I even hate blogs and have had second thoughts about having one. I have been close to hitting the delete button several times because I feel like a sell-out.

2. If I don't make some drastic changes I will probably hit a deuce by the end of the Holidays.

3. 99.9% of the world's population (including myself) annoys the crap out of me.

4. A lot of people believe my quietness indicates I am formulating profound thoughts and observations in my head. In reality, like Aimee, I usually can't think of anything good to say. Most of the time my head is pretty much empty except for a few cobwebs and mouse droppings.

5. I am currently working on a novel. On a good night I can turn out one or two sentences.

6. I have to wash my hands before I go to bed (no matter what I was doing before bed; even if it was just watching t.v.

7. Our family was booed for Halloween (somebody leaves a treat on the doorstep with a picture of a ghost and instructions to boo 2 or 3 other houses). I convinced Cally that we could just bag the booing and nobody would know we hadn't completed our assignment. It was very empowering!

As far as who I am tagging...see number 7.

What Happens in Moscow, Stays in Moscow

Seems to me that the family friendly era we enjoyed in the early 90's has officially come to an end. Back then the U.S.S.R was dissolved, making way for democracy; and Vegas was offering a more sterile approach to entertainment, one that was more akin to DisneyLand than it was to the "take home some v.d., there's plenty to go around" approach of today. Yes, those were the days. Communism is making a comeback in Mother Russia now and Venezuela is making strides towards that same end (because it's worked so well in the past?). I wonder if Russia's move to the left again is similar to what an ex-con feels when set free after years in the pen? i.e. the former inmate is not sure what to do with the new found freedoms and longs to be back in prison where he feels safe. Whatever the reasons, the world is returning to its old dangerous self again. Buckle up.

It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This

I couldn't let the nice weather from this weekend pass without barbecueing a brisket. This one smoked for about 18 hours using a blend of pecan, hickory, and apple wood. Along with the Apple Beer, it made for the perfect meal.

Dookie

Have you seen this iPhone ad on t.v.?
I did some research and the play he mentions is an actual off-Broadway (read trashy) play. I am pretty sure in this day and age I could promote my own poop as art, as long as I ate organic. Enough is enough!

Change of Plans

Alright, so the Iams® diet didn't go over well with the rest of the clan...go figure. Here is the first in what I hope to be a series of posts regarding what is really in the feed bag at our place. Afterall, this is Q d'etat, and for those who might have missed that reference -- it is a play on the phrase coup d'etat (that's pronounced cooh and not coup, as in chicken coup, no matter what Michael Scott says). I thought Q d'etat would be a good barbecue team name (if I had a barbecue team -- anybody want to be on my barbecue team?) because it evokes images of "taking the barbecue world by force!" Anyway, I would have posted pictures of the slow smoked brisket from last week but I was fighting to keep the temperatures up on my cheap barbecue pit and was in no mood to take pictures at the end. However, the brisket was fantastic! Someday I'll have a fancy tow behind custom pit but that is a post for another time.

Tonight we had grilled pizza; hand tossed (o.k. maybe not "tossed" but close enough) dough, seared on the grill, flipped over, then topped with whatever fixins you like. Not too shaby! It has a rustic feel to it that brings back memories of eating pizza at a corner trattoria in Palermo (if those memories are there to begin with, which in my case they aren't). Molto Bene!

I am thinking of starting the family on a new diet. The kibble chunks promise "less backyard clean up" which is a nice feature. Two cups per individual, per day and we are set.

Wishing I Was There

Aimee, I hope you aren't squandering your opportunity to enjoy one of the Big Apples signature dishes...the frankfurter! The moment you bite into the natural casing and hear that distinctive "snap!", you'll know you have arrived in hot dog heaven. Wash it all down with some papaya juice and rest assured you have just partaken of one of the worlds highest forms of cuisine (behind barbecue that is.) Bon appetite!

It Must Be Monday

Luckily the Pepsi® drip is starting to take effect and soon I will be feeling no pain. Should I worry about all the carbonation coursing through my veins?

Is Anyone Here a Urologist?

The thought occurred to me recently; will the medical field soon be suffering from a shortage of Doctors willing to specialize in the field of human plumbing? As the general population ages, thanks in large part to baby boomers entering their golden years, there is sure to be a lack of qualified MDs willing to spend their days staring down the business end of the graying hippie crowd. Seems to me the trend in medicine these days is to specialize in the relatively clean fields of orthopedics, sports medicine, plastic surgery, etc. Can't say that I blame anyone for that decision, but, the fact is we still need doctors who are willing to keep the pipes from freezing up, if you know what I mean. So to all future doctors I say, don't overlook the necessary, and uh...I am sure rewarding in some way, field of urology. Large handed individuals need not apply.

The Latest from the People's Republic of San Francisco

It would appear that the city-state will now be handling their own defenses: "Marines Barred From Filming Commercial on Streets of San Francisco"

SEMPER FI!

Important News Flash...

A spokesperson for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus has reported that one of their clowns is now missing. He was last seen immediately following the Circus' final performance in Caracas. They fear he may have missed the train as it left the city and that he may now be wandering aimlessly around Venezuela's capitol. They ask that anyone who may know the whereabouts of this clown to relay the information to local authorities. The Circus is extremely concerned for this bozos safety and are worried that he may be delusional.

A Little Bit of Everything

Let me start by saying; I hate the word blog! You'll find that I hate most things that are new, popular, trendy, and chic. (That last word is pronounced sheek and not chick, thanks Cally) The term web log, while maybe a bit boring, describes the phenomenon efficiently enough and I see no reason to contract it into something that sounds like what I coughed up into the hopper after eating bad clams at Uncle Guido's Crab shack.

It is because of this unfortunate name that I have hesitated to jump on the band wagon (and because I really frown upon jumping on bandwagons) and start writing down some of my thoughts about life, politics, or whatever else grabs me. I can see the value in something like this. The cathartic nature of venting frustrations and making observations while hanging on tightly to this merry-go-round gone awry. (That's pronounced uh-rye and not aw-ree, thanks Mom)

You'll find a little bit of everything here as I rarely stick with an interest very long; maybe out of boredom but more than likely plain old laziness. I lack stick-to-it-ness (I am thinking of the trombone, the guitar lessons, the one day in wrestling practice, the few weeks spent as a tackling dummy for the freshman football team, etcetera, etcetera.) Oh well, it keeps it interesting.