thirdconspiracy

Outback Bread

2011-06-12T14:11:00.003-04:00

Basically all bread has four ingredients: water, Yeast, flour, salt, (and typically oil too). What makes them different is the extra things you use (honey, molasses, EVOO, sugar, brown sugar, sun-dried tomatoes, etc). Also using a different flour can change the taste. Typically you use a little warm water to pull yeast out of dormancy. Then sugar is what the yeast eats to produce the gas pockets in the bread for when it rises. You mix it all in, let it rise, punch it down, then let rise one more time. Finally cook. Outback bread isn't that different according to a blog I read. Marcie and I went to Outback last Friday so I wanted to know if we could reproduce their amazing bread. Here is what I found.

2 packages dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup warm water
1/2 cup dark molasses
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups rye flour
2 1/2 -3 cups bread flour
Shortening for greasing the pan
1/2 cup cornmeal
Oats

Mix the first three in a bowl till you start to see a few bubbles. Then mix in the rest (minus the last three). Once that is smooth, mix in the bread flour to make the dough harder and more elastic. Let rise. Grease and sprinkle cornmeal on the pan. Add dough to pan and let double in size. Sprinkle oats and/or cornmeal on top. Bake 30 minutes at 375.

First Harvest: Asparagus

2011-04-06T13:10:00.005-04:00

Our first harvest is in. It takes Asparagus three years before they can be harvested. We bought our plants already two years old so this year we can finally eat them. They shouldn't be picked unless they are as big as your little finger. These were the first to fit that category. Hopefully once it gets warm more will come. Next year I hope they will do even more.

Also we planted from seeds artichokes. They don't produce in their first year either but we're hoping they will next year. Our apple trees are also doing well. Our gala only has one branch with buds but our Pixie Crunch has a lot. I will probably cut off the buds on the pixie because the tree is so small. I'd hate to dwarf it too much. The gala however can go whenever it wants as it's already a good size. You can see pictured to the right my one flowering gala branch. It's taken from my cell phone which won't focus on items close up.

Wake Co ePub checkout

2011-03-09T12:20:00.002-05:00

In case you have an eReader that can read ePub format (sorry Kindle owners), here are six simple steps for checking out a digital book from the Wake Co. Public Library. Oh, and books.google.com has hundreds of free ePub books (the classics mostly) which you can keep forever. Open these in digital editions and follow the last two steps to read DRM free ePub and PDF on your Nook.

1) Install Adobe Digital Editions

ADE is an ebook reader program for your PC. In addition to being able to read ebooks, it is also the tool that you will use for transfering the book to your eReader device. This is a one time install.

2) Go to the library's website and find the book you want to check out.

This is pretty simple. If you have a valid library card and pin number, you can just find the book you want and place a hold on it. Once the title becomes available you will get an email letting you know it is ready to be checked out.

3) Check out the book

Also pretty simple. Log in and go to "My Holds" found in the "My Downloads Account" tab. Just follow the steps for checking out your book. Just in case, select 21 day checkout. You can always return early but it's nice to have that extra time.

4) Download the book

When you select download, the default application should be adobe digital editions. Allow it to open (not save) and adobe will open up the book to the first page.

5) Attach your eReader device

Your device should have come with a cable to attach it to the computer. The PC should auto-detect your device. You'll know you are successful when your device icon is in the bottom left side of Adobe Digital Editions.

6) Drag the book to your eReader

You may have to select library view first but it should work. Just drag the book icon to your eReader icon and YOUR DONE!!!

Now here is an idea I'd like to see. With all the smart phones out there, why isn't there an eInk smart phone that just does ebooks, text, and telephone calls. I don't need internet and all that other stuff. Charge $5 a month for Nook app which includes unlimited book downloads and the e-reader software. That's a smartphone I would buy although angry bird on V's new iPhone does look fun.

Marcie's Blog

2011-03-08T10:26:00.004-05:00

Let me introduce Marcie's blog ".. MB .."

http://mbmarcie.blogspot.com/ will take you there although like mine, it also gets imported to Facebook. The design looks better then mine although the html needs to be tweaked slightly so that all the links work. She already has a few posts on there about the things she's made and some of the plants she's caring for. I'm excited for her since she will be making all kinds of cool things. Her creativity is her best quality and I love that it shows up in everything she does.

2011 ACC Tourney

2011-03-07T08:57:00.001-05:00

Thursday's games
No. 8 Virginia vs. No. 9 Miami, noon
No. 5 Boston College vs. No. 12 Wake Forest, 2:15 p.m.
No. 7 Maryland vs. No. 10 N.C. State, 7 p.m.
No. 6 Virginia Tech vs. No. 11 Georgia Tech, 9:15 p.m.

Friday's games
No. 1 UNC vs. 8-9 winner, noon
No. 4 Clemson vs. 5-12 winner, 2:15 p.m.
No. 2 Duke vs. 7-10 winner, 7 p.m.
No. 3 Florida State vs. 6-11 winner, 9:15 p.m.

Saturday's games
1/8-9 winner vs. 4/5-12 winner, 1 p.m.
2/7-10 winner vs. 3/6-11 winner, 3:15 p.m.

Sunday's game
Semifinal winners, 1 p.m.

Viral Reference

2011-03-07T08:50:00.001-05:00

I love it when a CEO or founder shows knowledge of viral culture. In a recent interview about poaching software developers, Jason Baptiste gives homage to THIS youtube video. It was made famous by THIS video. The quote goes like this:

Hide your designers, hide your developers, because we’re recruiting everybody out there.

Movies 2 for $9

2011-03-03T07:53:00.003-05:00

I just bought tickets for Gnomeo and Juliet. Marcie has been wanting to see it so when I head about a deal online I figured I would take it. Fandango posted a Living Social deal where you buy two tickets for $9. Not bad considering it's $9 for just one ticket usually.

Mustang: a CR Top Pick

2011-02-28T14:28:00.004-05:00

Most people who know me know I'm a fan of the Mustang. Two models in, I've loved being an owner and it seems I'm not alone. Consumer Reports just ranked the Ford Mustang a top pick in their 2011 tests. This is something that rarely happens to American cars but I'm not surprised. Ford has kept the same body since 2005 when they unveiled the retro look kicking off the muscle car revival we're seeing. Since then, they've made improvements every year making it not only a fun car to drive but also a safe and fuel efficient ride. I can personally attest first hand on their improvements. The difference between my 2004 and 2008 mustang is huge. My current car jumps off the line much faster then my old one ever could. Also, the 2004 third gear sounded like it was going to throw a piston even at low RPMs while my current one runs smooth in each one. I'd love to trade in my current car for the 300 hp 31mpg current model but that wouldn't be financially smart. I'll have to stick to dreaming.

The Maze Runner and upcoming books

2011-02-24T08:28:00.003-05:00

I love young adult books. After coming off a phase of only reading the classics (read Alexandre Dumas if you want some great classics), I'm really enjoying the fast paced quick reads.

Hunger Games is perhaps one of the best examples. What a crazy story! Since finishing that series, Marcie and I finished the first and second book in the Maze Runner trilogy and it was just as good as Hunger Games. I didn't know that it was going to be a trilogy so I was very disapointed to find out the last book, "The Death Cure," would not come out till October. I guess that's ok, I've still got about five more Shakespeare plays to read and a few other books I'm looking forward to before that day.

Books:	Year	Month	Day
Troilus and Cressida	2011	3	1
Hamlet	2011	3	15
Macbeth	2011	3	29
King Lear	2011	4	5
The Emperor of Nihon-Ja: Book Ten (Ranger's Apprentice)	2011	4	19
The Tempest	2011	4	19
The Kane Chronicles, The, Book Two: Throne of Fire	2011	5	2
Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel - The Warlock	2011	5	24
Septimus Heap, Book Six: Darke	2011	6	7
The Magician King	2011	6
The Death Cure	2011	10
Empire - Eragon Book 4	2011
Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel - The Enchantress	2012	5
Septimus Heap Book 7	2012	6

Zodiac

2011-02-02T19:05:00.003-05:00

Ever read your fortune in those magazines? Probably not since we all know it's fake but a recent joke by Allstate may have newspaper warning certain signs to watch out for traffic. In honor of the "new zodiac sign," Allstate posted the number of accidents per sign. While the data is real, I don't think it takes into account how many drivers each sign has. Virgo which has 700% more accidents then Scorpio may have 700% more drivers.

So, along with other vague blanket statements like something unexpected will happen today, you might get warnings to watch out for oncoming traffic on the way home.

Crispy Quesadillas with Guacamole

2011-02-02T12:13:00.004-05:00

We loved this recipe and it was pretty easy to make. This is one of those you can edit based on what you have in the house. The trick is to have white cheese with you. Mexican food is never as good with orange cheese.

310 calories
16 g fat (5 g saturated)
730 mg sodium

Next to nachos, quesadillas are the most perilous food to be found on a Mexican restaurant menu. Overstuffed with cheese and teeming with greasy toppings, quesadillas are all but guaranteed to pack quadruple-digit calories. Tussle with Chili's rendition and you'll take in 35 bacon strips' worth of saturated fat. Our quesadilla reverses the cheese-to-filling ratio, going long on the nutrient-dense vegetables and using just enough chorizo and cheese to make it feel like an indulgence.

You'll Need:
1/2 Tbsp canola oil
4 oz chorizo, casing removed
1 small red onion, sliced
4 oz white button mushrooms, stems removed, sliced
1 large poblano pepper, seeded, sliced into thin strips
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
4 medium whole-wheat tortillas
Guacamole (store-bought or use the perfect-guac recipe in Cook This, Not That!)

How to Make It:
* Heat a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and chorizo; cook until browned, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat into smaller pieces. Remove from the pan and drain all but a thin film of the fat. Return to the heat and add the onion, mushrooms, and pepper; saute, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are brown--5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

* Divide the cheese between 2 tortillas and top each with half of the vegetable mixture. Top with the remaining tortillas.

* Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray and cook each quesadilla individually, until the tortillas are brown and crispy and the cheese is fully melted. Cut into 4 or 6 wedges and serve with the guacamole.

Makes 4 servings / Cost per serving: $3.11

Kitchen Tools we Love!

2011-01-28T13:30:00.006-05:00

Marcie and I were thinking about everything we use in the kitchen and what pieces have been worth the money. Here are the items that even though we paid premium, it was worth every penny. (by we paid, I mean our wedding guests gave us ;) Thanks!)

1) Cutting Boards

You can never have enough cutting boards. They take up almost no space and if you actually cook, you'll constantly be using them. We have three of the epicurean boards as well as several smaller plastic ones. It's nice not having to wash a board after cutting meat so that veggies won't be contaminated. It speeds up time in the kitchen and with our arrangement (Marcie - cook, Brantley - dishes) it works out well having a few extra. Plus they're dishwasher safe so that makes my job easy too.

2) Silicone Mats

We mostly never have to wash our cookie pans because of these. This makes them last much longer and you avoid rust that comes from sitting in the dishwasher overnight. We can cook meat, cookies, etc and they never stick which is another good point. We have three mats and use almost anytime we bake something.

3) 12 in Caphalon Frying Pan

Even when the task is small, we'll turn to this pan. We bought it on sale last December and haven't stopped using it. It's the Slide Nonstick type which means it can be heated up to 550 degrees, can handle heat high enough to sear mean, and is dishwasher safe. It also cooks evenly which keeps food from overcooking in parts. Just yesterday Marcie was thinking about how nice it is to be able to cook all 6 pork chops in one pan and still have room to add if necessary.

4) Full Knife Set

Like cutting boards, you need knives for almost everything in the kitchen and having not only sharp knives but knives made for the task you're doing makes buying them a no brainier. If you don't want to buy the full set, buy a nice chef's knife since you can use that on almost anything and then at least 3 paring knives. A santoku knife is also nice for potatoes where you need a thick blade to allow you to apply pressure even when the knife is halfway down.

5) Silicone or bamboo cooking utensils

We use silicone but bamboo works great also. It doesn't harm non-stick surfaces and is easy to clean. I like thin metal handles and not the Kitchen Aid type since they tend to absorb water in the dishwasher and take up more room in your drawer. They're also much cheaper and that I like. The only problem with silicone is it's flexibility. On spatulas you'll need strength which means you'll also need nylon. For silicone to be tough, it has to surround metal making it thick. Bamboo can be thinner but too thin and it would break. Nylon although will melt on a hot pan works great if you use it right.

6) Nonstick Cooking Pots

We'll likely go with Caphalon at some point (when Williams & Sonoma decides to put them on crazy sale) but right now we have the traditional nonstick kind. Although nice (pampered chef), you have to be a little careful about the dishwasher and super high heat. Almost every meal we'll have 2-3 pots going so having a good set of those is nice. Carolina Pottery Outlet has nice ones and it won't break the bank. If you're a skilled cook, steel and other metals are nice. It took a while but I learned how to boil rice without it sticking to the bottom of the pot. Then I married Marcie and she had her nonstick pans. It's easier and much more forgiving but not necessary.

Actually we use almost everything in our kitchen since Marcie cooks so much. Above are the six most used items but you'll quickly find how nice it is to have a fully stocked kitchen.

Grilled Pork and Peaches

2011-01-28T13:27:00.002-05:00

We've been going through a list of 15 healthy recipes found on this page. This is one of our favorites. It calls for a grill but she made it in a frying pan. Still very delicious!

430 calories
24 g fat (8 g saturated)
530 mg sodium

Restaurant pork chops are usually Flintstonian in size and skirted with enough fat to keep a bear warm in the winter. The result (as witnessed below with the Romano's chop): 196 percent of your day's saturated fat, plus more sodium than you'd find in 36 cups of salted popcorn. Our dish takes its cue from classic pork chops and applesauce, using grilled fruit and blue cheese to punch up the flavor without skyrocketing the calorie count.

You'll Need:
4 thick-cut (1"), bone-in pork chops (8 oz each)
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 firm peaches or nectarines, halved and pitted
2 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

How to Make It:
* Heat a grill to hot. Brush the pork with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes on each side. The outside should be charred (not burned), but the meat should be light pink in the middle.

* While the chops cook, brush the peach halves with oil and add them to the grill, cut side down. Grill for 5 minutes or until soft. Remove, slice, and toss with the pine nuts, onion, blue cheese, and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Top each chop with half of the peach mixture and serve.

Makes 2 servings / Cost per serving: $7.71

Taming of the Shrew

2011-01-26T12:41:00.004-05:00

Most people have never read Shakespeare. I am one of those... until now. I'm taking a college course combing through several of his finest. First on my list of reading was Taming of the Shrew. Here are my thoughts after reading it myself and hearing Professor Shaw's lectures.

Taming of the Shrew: the introduction

Taming of the Shrew is known as a triple action play because of its three main plots. The first plot is the introduction which set up the next two stories of love and courtship. Christopher Sly is a poor drunk man asleep in a bar. A wealthy Lord walks in and decides he wants to play a practical joke on him. Like frat boys as a party drawing obscene things on their brother's forehead, the Lord decides to dress him up as a fellow Lord and try to convene Sly he was previously mad.

This will be a difficult task because it isn't just clothes that make the man. Lords at that time spoke in blank verse, a ten syllable pattern with out any use of slang. In contrast, Sly spoke in a very crass tongue without any such elegance. Their taste in food and wine would become immediately apparent when he is given what he wants.

Part of the joke is that one of the pages has to dress up as a lady and pretend to be Sly's wife. It becomes even more uncomfortable as Sly asks that she come to bed with him. She refuses with the excuse that it is best for his health and the move on to watching a private play which Lords often did.

The story ends there and you never hear the outcome of the joke. Some may say this could have been a printing error but as I'll mention later, I think it might have ended by design there and was indeed wrapped up nicely.

From a directing stand point, this is the introduction to the main play so what do you do with Sly while the play he's watching progresses? Often Sly passes out in the middle and is escorted out of the stage so that he doesn't upstage the other main actors.

Taming of the Shrew: Main Acts

In the main acts of the play, you have two main relationships to focus on. You have Lucentio and Bianca as two young lovers starting out in life with preconceived notions about what the other should be like. Then you have Petruchio and Kate, an older more mature couple although set in their ways.

An important theme throughout this play is the idea of disguises and deception. Two lovers in their attempt to get to know Bianca dress up as a music and language tutor. Petruchio dresses up as a hobo for his wedding day for reasons we can only speculate (and I will later). A father is impersonated while the real one is almost thrown in jail, a tailor is treated as a woman, and the deception continues throughout the play.

Despite the deception, this play is without a doubt a comedy. Obviously we laugh at the witty remarks and crazy slapstick antics but to be considered a comedy, the play with all it's confusion must end in a happy resolve. A comedy by Shakespeare often ended in a wedding and this is no different. This comedy could be further placed in other categories such as a romantic comedy including a battle of the sexes or a farce where nothing should be taken at face value and we should just laugh at the crazy antics.

If this play was a farce, the viewer wouldn't be concerned with the feelings of Kate as she was obviously not a real person. You also wouldn't feel sorry for the servants who were beat because their master was seemly mad. I don't however believe this is the case. I believe there is something deeper to this play and if anything, it will make you think about what true marital bliss looks like.

If we agree this is not a mindless comedy, knowing the thoughts of the times greatly helps us understand what we perceive Shakespeare is trying to get across. Namely, they lived in a patriarchal system largely influenced by the church. I don't know Shakespeare's thoughts on God but in any case, the population as a whole was very conservative. In review, the church believed God created man and then woman for man. When they sinned and were cast out of the garden of Eden, man was cursed to toil the earth (Gen 3:14-15) while woman were cursed to have painful childbirth and always desire to rule over man despite the patriarchal system God laid down (Gen 3:16). This patriarchal system was further cemented with Paul's words that “man is head of his wife as Christ is head of the Church” (Eph 5:23). A woman was expected to submit and to not do so was seen as a curse on the man (Prov 25:24). An interesting note not said in the lecture is in the Asian language, the symbol for happiness is a combination of the symbol of woman drawn under the symbol of roof but I digress. Because of this hierarchy, woman were seen as property or as goods.

Knowing what was seen as good and what was shrewish, what was Kate's motivation for not showing submission? Since egalitarian wasn't an option at that time, I don't think Kate was rebelling at the institution in place. I rather think Kate was a highly intelligent but under appreciated woman. She had been broken by her father's favoritism to his youngest daughter and had since given up on trying to please him. When a suitor would come to marry her, she probably saw him as same problem with a different owner.

Petruchio comes along and things look like they might change though. Their first meeting, I believe they found a kindled spirit. I felt there was a certain amount of “sexual tension” in their witty Stichomythia, a form of back and forth argument with strong play on words. The saw the intelligence of the other and enjoyed trying to best each other. I picture Kate as an attractive twenty five year old woman and Petruchio sees her wit and her beauty and must have her then and there. He wants the father's dowry but he realizes that Kate will be an addition not a drag to his life standard. I say Kate was probably attractive because despite her tongue, she had previous suitors. Also she was older then Bianca who I picture to be college age but I can't imagine by much.

Kate I think is shocked at first. Shaw paints Petruchio as an older man who has seen the world. He's been through combat and the death of a father and would like to gain a little more wealth so he can settle down. If I were Kate, she probably though submitting to this man who is older and probably dumber then her was preposterous. The begin their banter and she is actually frustrated and defeated by his ability to turn anything she says around. She finally admits she isn't going to win the round and asks where he gets it all from. She probably thinks to make fun of him saying he isn't smart but rather just quotes what others have said. That doesn't work out either and despite what she says I think concedes defeat. I believe it is at this point she sees marriage as not a terrible thing but something that might be fun.

Old habits die hard and she tries again and again to assert her dominance but she finds Petruchio is an even bigger shrew then herself. A marriage where two people constantly fight for dominance is not a happy one and she is all too aware of that given her situation with her father. Perhaps at first she becomes resigned to the fact she can't win so she might as well play along but all along I know she is enjoying the game. When she plays by his rules however, she still has fun but also receives the thing women need most, affection. My wife needs me me to show my love towards her daily and Kate is no different. Kate is still witty Kate but now she is lovely witty Kate and no longer shrewd witty Kate and Petruchio takes every opportunity to tell everyone that she has always been this woman.

In the final scene, you see a bet to see who is the most submissive. Kate at this point is in tune with her husband and they win. Her husband allows her the opportunity to rub it in to the sister who always made her feel inferior and backed up her claim by repeating it to the new husbands. Bianca has been found. She wasn't just submissive to her father, she was manipulating him to get what she wanted.

Was there a change in the women? I would have to say yes and no. Kate is still witty Kate and Bianca is still manipulative Bianca. The idea of a patriarchal system still stands although some follow it better then others. The change is actually more of a reveal and the main characters all get what they most want.

I don't think Sly believes he is a lord in the end. I think he sees this as an opportunity to get free clothing and food. The tables are turned and he profits in the end. Likewise with Petruchio and Kate. They are persecuted throughout the play but in the end, Kate earns her father's respect and love while Petruchio's search for wealth ends with him collecting a handsome dowry and a large bet. In an unexpected addition, he has the honor of having the most desirable wife at the party.

The Time Traveler's Wife

2011-01-24T09:43:00.003-05:00

Marcie and I watched the Time Traveler's Wife last night. It's about a guy who has a genetic disorder traveling through time because of it. Each travel only lasts for a few minutes but as he skips through time, he skips through the life of his future wife. That's not how it starts out though. Eric Bana plays Henry the time traveler. He is working in a library. Rachael McAdams playing Clare needs assistance finding a book but instead find the man who traveled to several parts of her life. Starting from when she was a little girl up to when she was Eighteen. Henry doesn't know her yet though. She puts the moves on Henry revealing what she knows about him and they hit it off. They eventually get married and this is where the main story begins as does my disappointment.

I was expecting and it seemed the director was trying to approach this movie from the same perspective of "A Beautiful Mind." Both had the woman see potential in the man and pursue him. Both got married and while his quirk added appeal to their life, it also added hardship, loneliness, and strife. They battle through it and in the end come out seasoned lovers. A Beautiful Mind really hit those thoughts and emotions home; The Time Traveler's Wife didn't but not for lack of trying.

Traveling Henry as a character was perfect. He made the most of his time and put those he loved above himself. Even knowing his death was happening that night, he made sure his wife wouldn't be alone. It was believable too because knowing time is short forces you to choose to be your best or worst. While traveling and at events he just had to be the perfect man for a few hours or days.

Day to day Henry was different. He was still a good guy but you could see that he was flawed. It is these flaws that Clare had to look past. She did and it all ends well for her in the end. The movie is sad but full of hope for a bright future.

I enjoyed the movie because of the strong story and characters. I didn't care for Eric Bana's acting or the directing but it is still a story worth watching.

for sale

2011-01-17T16:16:00.004-05:00

size 36 Aldo shoes, leather

for sale

2011-01-17T16:08:00.006-05:00

Davids Bridal, size 2, comes with shoulder straps

Nativity

2011-01-17T11:17:00.002-05:00

Did I post this already? Perhaps I did but I love it so who cares if I already did. We removed the winter village as you can see to the bottom right of the picture to make room for Jesus. We wanted to add the reason for the season into our decorating so here it is.

Macaroni & Cheese

2011-01-13T09:23:00.002-05:00

Meal 1 of eating healthy. After reading about all the junk in pre-made foods, Marcie and I had a strong motivation to get cooking. This was our first meal. We took this from the "Eat This Not That" website I posted on Facebook a few days ago. We liked the meal but without the smoked flavor of ham and jalapenos, the mac & cheese would be a little bland. My suggestion is to make sure you add some sort of smoked ham flavor and chicken would taste great with it as well as make the meal go farther (it already makes a lot). Then you can eat it for leftovers and know you're much better off then that powder stuff everyone else eats.

480 calories
9 g fat (5 g saturated)
450 mg sodium

Ask Americans what they would eat for their last meal on earth and most would likely tell you mac and cheese. Too bad restaurants and frozen-food purveyors start their macaroni and cheese with a base of cream and butter--a recipe for caloric calamity. This version is based on bechamel--butter, flour, and milk--which helps cut the calories in half. We add jalapenos and prosciutto for some spicy, smoky goodness; feel free to leave them out.

You'll Need:
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 yellow onion, minced
2 Tbsp flour
3 cups milk
2 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 lb elbow macaroni, penne, or shells
1/4 cup chopped Pickled Jalapenos
2 oz prosciutto or ham, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

How to Make It:
* Preheat the oven to 375°F.

* Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent (but not browned), about 3 minutes. Add the flour and stir to incorporate into the butter. Pour in the milk a few tablespoons at a time, using a whisk to incorporate the flour and prevent lumps from forming. When all the milk has been added, allow the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes, until it begins to thicken. Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper.

* Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente, drain, and return to the pot. Add the cheese sauce, jalapenos, and prosciutto and stir to fully incorporate. Divide the mixture among 6 individual crocks or pour into a large baking dish. Top with the bread crumbs and sprinkle with the Parmesan.

* Bake for 10 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil until the bread crumbs are golden brown and crispy, about another 3 minutes.

Makes 6 servings / Cost per serving: $1.03

MEAL MULTIPLIER
The potential to innovate any recipe is bound only by your immagination, but you'll find loads more savory suggestions when you order Cook This, Not That!

Check it out: You can boost the health profile (and the hungers-quashing potential) of your mac and cheese by adding any of the following to the pasta when you toss it with the cheese sauce.
* 1 cup caramelized onions
* 2 cups roughly chopped or cherry tomatoes
* 6 oz grilled chicken and 1 cup sauteed mushrooms
* 2 cups chopped steamed or sauteed broccoli

The Hunger Games

2010-12-21T09:37:00.003-05:00

Certain books just captivate the reader and you can't put it down. The Hunger Games is one of those books. Marcie and I both read it based on the glowing reviews of everyone who read it. Like everyone else, we finished it in mere days and can't wait to read the last two books in the series. The story is about a girl who has to survive against incredible odds including fighting to avoid poverty, fighting to survive in the wilderness, and fighting to avoid being killed by those who would see her fail. The author puts you in her shoes as she quickly sweeps from scene to scene. By the end, you're caught: hook, line, and sinker.

We're leaving just after lunch time Wednesday for MI. Luckily, the last two books we were able to find on mp3 from the library. Per the agreement, we could burn a cd so we can listen on the way down and back up. Both book 2 & book 3 are around 10 hours so that leaves only 5 hours each way of down time... much better then the 15 we're used to.

Cheese Ball Igloo

2010-12-18T22:40:00.003-05:00

How cool is THIS? It's all edible and looks pretty cool... get it?

Toy Story 3 On Ice

2010-12-13T15:44:00.002-05:00

We went to see Toy Story 3 on ice last weekend with my sister's family. As you may be able to see, the costumes were pretty good and we all had a fun time. If you have kids that enjoyed the movie, I would really suggest you take them to see one of the Disney on ice productions. It's worth the money.

Beautiful Egg

2010-12-13T15:39:00.002-05:00

Yet another interesting item at Williams & Sonoma. We bought these daisy shaped egg frying rings there and gave them a try. If you decide to buy them also, make sure you really grease the side of the rings so the egg doesn't stick. Also, a toothpick works good to unstick any parts you missed.

New Calphalon Pan

2010-12-13T15:28:00.005-05:00

This isn't a great picture but we just bought another Calphalon pan. It's the slide nonstick which means you can bake in the oven up to 550 degrees as well as put it on the burners on high to sear meat. On top of that, it's dishwasher safe.

You probably know how much Calphalon pans run if you've read this far. This one 12 inch frying pan with lid would typically run around $150 if I had to guess. Because this is an "introduction" offer, it was only $60 and Williams & Sonoma had an additional 20% off that. It came out to only $51 and some change. We did the same thing last year also. Last year the deal was an 8 & 10 inch pan set for around the same price. Most of our cooking is done on the range so we've really gotten good use out of those. Calphalon makes a great product and we look forward to December because they always have one product on sale. Ten years from now, we will hopefully have the full set. Until then, we're happy with the pampered chef pots we're using.

Raleigh's First Snow

2010-12-08T12:38:00.000-05:00

How to tip teachers

2010-12-07T13:04:00.004-05:00

I was looking at the tipping guide in THIS article and saw what it said about teachers. It made me laugh because I know first hand how excited Marcie gets about gift cards her kids give her.

Aspirin the Wonder Drug

2010-12-07T12:06:00.002-05:00

You've heard about aspirin being good for your heart. THIS article also claims it can lower your risk for cancer. They suggest everyone over 40 should be taking this wonder drug.

Ice Luminary

2010-12-07T12:04:00.002-05:00

Here is an easy way to make this.

Inexpensive Christmas Gifts

2010-12-07T11:45:00.005-05:00

How do you show people you care about them when you're on a budget. Here are a few ideas I've read on the internet on how to give gifts on a budget. I thought I'd pass this along in case someone needs some ideas.

1) Food basket - you can get a wooden basket from the thrift store for no more then a dollar or so. If you're couponing regularly, you should have a surplus. Tie a ribbon around the basket and stock with some of those items.

2) Sprite Gift - This makes a great house warming gift. Some bring fruitcake or a bottle of red, you can wish their Christmas to be merry and sprite.

3) Canned Goods - Thanks to Crate & Barrel, Smith & Hawking, and a variety of other stores like that, canned goods mean more then just the food inside. Cut out a circle of fabric, put that under the cap and tie a ribbon around the top.

4) Mailed Card - Cards through mail are timeless and let others know you're thinking about them. Using cards people sent you last year, cut out the picture and glue them in the corner of a blank piece of colored paper. Voila! You've got a new Christmas card. Cut pieces from last year's cards also make good gift tags for your presents.

5) Mulling Spice - If you know how to sew, wrap cheese cloth over 2-3 times and sew it into a bag. We found a triangle shaped bag looks pretty good. If you attach a cork to the top, it keeps the bag floating in the cider and looks pretty cool too.

DIY Yarn Ornament

2010-12-05T21:27:00.001-05:00

DIY Yarn Ornaments and Hurricane Vase Filler - More DIY How To Projects

Our Nook is Awesome!

2010-11-24T15:21:00.002-05:00

Marcie and I jumped on the eBook bandwagon. We were going to purchase the Kindle since it has a little better resolution and faster page turning. We're so glad we didn't. In addition to the Nook's touch screen and increased speed (recent software update), it has the feature to view ePub books like those at the public library.

Now, we can check out for up to 21 days ebooks and for up to 14 days books on mp3. Marcie and I read quite a few books so being able to pull books from the library whenever we want is a huge advantage. Those books and mp3s can be viewed on our Nook or burnt to a cd to play in my car. Obviously we can also read them on our PC but the lcd refresh isn't that great for your eyes compared to the eInk technology on the Sony, B&N, and Amazon readers.

Fast Food and Fountain Drinks

2010-11-24T13:48:00.003-05:00

Not all Cokes are equal. That is to say, some are flat and others are too sweet or not sweet enough. Others just taste weird. If you don't know what to expect, I always default to Dr Pepper. That typically is pretty decent even if the concoction isn't perfect. Here, however, are general expectations I've developed over the years.

Chic-fil-a: Coke here is terrible as are all of their fountain drinks. I stick with their lemonade which is actually really good.

McDonalds: Coke here is really good. It's tied for the best out there.

Wedys: Coke here is also really good. It's tied for the best out there.

Bojangles: Sodas don't stand out here but it's Bo's. Why would you get anything but sweet tea?

Do you agree or would you add other locations to the list?

2010-11-24T09:58:00.001-05:00

Headed to the mitten today! Safe travels to all, and enjoy friends and family! :)

Garden Stragglers

2010-11-10T11:36:00.001-05:00

We decided to have a salad with our meal last night so I yanked a head for dinner. The green onion, carrot, soy beans, bell peppers, and rosemary were a few of the stragglers we had still left outside. All here's about all we have left.

Around 5 bell peppers
Around 6 lettuce heads
Maybe 3 carrots that will be big enough
2-3 green onions and a few smaller onions
1 piece of broccoli
2 pumpkins 1/2 size (hoping frost won't kill them)
Frost bitten basil (bottom still good)
Small rosemary bush

I can't wait till February. The new garden starts (indoors obviously) and we added a few more spots to plant.

Prezi...

2010-11-05T10:00:00.008-04:00

So I learned about this cool website at a tech training last week and tried it out with a lesson I am doing in class with my third graders. I have yet to edit more, but its a lot of fun to work with! You should try it out!
MY PREZI

Self Portraits! on Prezi

Frost Warning

2010-11-03T09:07:00.002-04:00

If you have any potted plants, make sure you bring them inside before this weekend. Starting Friday, you've got freezing temperatures at night.

Piper - Free eBooks

2010-11-02T11:07:00.002-04:00

Click HERE if you want to download some free eBooks by John Piper and others.

Halloween Candy now on sale

2010-10-28T11:57:00.002-04:00

For the procrastinators and the bargain hunters alike, Halloween candy is finally on sale. WRAL posted a great list of good buys HERE for those still needing to stock up.

Welcome fall, stay a while

2010-10-28T11:38:00.003-04:00

Fall is my absolute favorite time of year. You no longer feel the heat from the 100 degree 100% humidity days and there are so many things to look forward to. You've got the State Fair, chicken pastry and pumpkin carving, Halloween costumes and parties, Thanksgiving, and Christmas right around the corner. The leaves turn a beautiful array of colors and, if there's time, there will also be snowboarding trips and new years celebrations after December. It takes a little longer for Raleigh to see the fall but I love it all the same.

Waiting for Superman

2010-10-28T10:06:00.003-04:00

The author of an inconvenient truth has done it again. This time for the school system. I wonder though how much time the director spent in the classroom teaching. They'd quickly see that the problem isn't in the teaching but in the students. I haven't seen the movie but I bet they're calling for more money and placing blame in the wrong place.

I posted a comic strip a while back showing parents upset with a failing grade their kid got. Thirty years ago, they would yell at their kid. Ten years ago, they yell at their teacher. Now, they don't know about their kids grades or care if they did. I've experienced that first hand in my semester of teaching high school math. This isn't the case for all students or parents but it's becoming really common.

The solution to this problem is simple. Start giving failing grades. If they don't do the work or they're not listening, let their grades show. We're not entitled to a diploma. It should be a result of the effort put into your school work. Kids who don't make the grade get held back (*Gasp*) and are forced to try again.

Some may drop out and that would be unfortunate... sort of. The overcrowded classrooms would have one less disruption harming the education of the rest of the students. The teachers start to feel like they can make a difference in the classroom because they have the power to enforce the rules necessary for real learning. Who knows, those who do drop out might encourage their kids to be quiet in school and work hard after seeing how hard life is without an education.

Some kids have a harder time learning even though their trying. Those kids are easy to spot and help if you had the resources available. That is, if you're not dealing with discipline the whole class period, you can work one on one with that kid and not worry about the rest of the class going out of control.

I would reform some things though. Pay should be higher for teachers in lower income neighborhoods where the kids aren't exposed to the resources that high income earners have. Likewise, those schools should have higher budgets. Schools with an active PTA that brings in all the money they need can deal with a smaller budget. Also, all the classes teachers have to take to stay "highly qualified" should not be considered personal time. It should be considered a teacher work day.

I would also implement "neighborhood schools" and later start time so 5 year olds aren't having to be on the bus at 6:00 am. Since kids that young typically need at least 10 hours of sleep a night and it takes at least an hour (often 2) to get them ready in the morning, they're having to go to bed at 6:30 or 7. Parents barely have time to prepare dinner and get them washed up before it's bed time. Forget about allowing play time, there just isn't time for them to be kids.

Gardening Year One

2010-10-19T17:37:00.004-04:00

We've learned a lot over this year. Mostly we've learned there is a lot more to try and much more to learn. Here are a few things we found useful.

Lettuce (leaf)

Seeds are cheap
Easy to grow
Suggestion: Watch your spacing so the leaves have room to get big

Basil

High yealding
Once established, you can not kill it unless you're trying
Used in almost everything
Suggestion: Start in pot then plant outside once it's 3 inches tall or higher
Suggestion: One bunch is enough.. it gets huge

Garlic

Used in almost everything
Easy to grow
Suggestion: every time you start a new clove, plant two pieces of it

Onion

Used in almost everything
Easy to grow
Suggestion: Remember to space your onions so the bulbs have room to grow (they just stop growing in tight spaces)

Bell Peppers

High yielding
Easy to grow once established
Suggestion: buy 1 red & 1 green bell pepper plant from farmers market ($1 each). That's all you'll need.

Aspagagus

Plant once and grows year round
After 3 years, has good yield
Suggestion: Pick up 2-3 year old plants from walmart or farmer's market so your time till harvest is less

Soy Beans

Fast growers
Good yield
Easy to grow

Planting Tips

Forget row planting, plant in clusters (squares) to prevent weeds
Don't forget to rotate your crops
7 dust is awesome!
You don't have to water every day. You'd probably be better of watering fewer days for longer periods of time.

Plants that didn't work

Carrots: hard to get started. Next year we will try using sand/ash combo in pots then transplant
Celery: Also wouldn't start. We probably waited too long between watering and killed it.
Cilantro: Seeds molded before they germinated
Pumpkins: Easy to grow but we planted 2 months too late. We'll plant in July next year.
Spinach: Didn't work for some reason. We probably killed that when we killed the celery.
Chives: Didn't grow for some reason.

There you have it. Nice and simple what worked for us. Anything that is high yielding is perfect for home growing because the price of the seeds and dirt are quickly recovered by the product produced. If you don't have a lot of time, you'll want something that survives event NC heat. If you stick to the plants above, you'll have a nice first year garden. Use that as a base and add one or two plants a year after that. next year we plan to add melons, squash/zucchini, tomatoes. I hear they're all easy to grow.

That was one nice butt

2010-10-17T21:09:00.004-04:00

A couple of months ago, Harris Teeter had butt roast on sale for cheap. When we got there, they were sold out so we picked up a couple of rain checks. A couple of weeks ago, we finally bought it. Well... we used two quarters of the butt in the crock pot. The first quarter I covered in brown sugar and cinnamon. The second was covered in honey. Both were good but the brown sugar was better imo. It had the typical things on the side (red potatoes from Kroger and bell peppers from our garden).

I've been craving Mexican for a while now so we decided to use the rest for pork tacos. Marcie cut the meat up in small chunks and blended in the food processor. That was cooked and mixed in with fajita spices. Now here is the best part. We are growing leaf lettuce so we just walked outside and pulled up a head. Then we picked the four nicest red bell peppers and a green onion. For a little more flavor, we also mixed in a few basil leaves which grows faster then we can ever use. I wish it was all fresh but there was some store bought stuff. Obviously the sour cream and cheese came from Kroger (on sale). We also used an onion and a can of diced tomatoes. The goal was to use some dried beans we had but that didn't quite work out. Even after soaking for 10 hours and then cooking them for an hour, they were still not Moe's consistency. We left those out. It was delicious and smelled great. I joked with Marcie about being able to smell butt all over the house.

Here is yet another reason Marcie is awesome! She rarely uses a recipe and meals always cost less then $2.00 a person (often under $1.00). That one pork butt (which I'm thinking only cost $7.50) made 6 meals for two. Nothing was processed and a lot came fresh from our garden. In addition, it takes less time to make these meals then it does to make a self rising frozen pizza. Sometimes it's nice to have an elaborate meal but everyday cooking should be fast, easy, and cheap. We've learned a lot this past year and a half about what works in a small garden and how to cook with less.

Kegger

2010-10-14T09:39:00.005-04:00

Marcie and I are looking for a keg. We have this great idea of making ice cream floats from kegged root beer. It's going to be delicious! Now we just need to find a place that sells kegs. Greenshields in downtown closed down a long time ago so we're having to look at party beverage stores. Marcie noticed a place next to her old house called kegs & kans. I'll call them when they open... hopefully they'll be priced well. I wonder if it pays to shop around.

Update: Kegs & Kans didn't have root beer and the other places we checked were not a good value. Looks like we'll have to go with normal 2 liters.

Dirty Jobs

2010-10-13T09:06:00.002-04:00

Marcie and I could have been featured on that tv show about the jobs that are pretty dirty. We found our sewer line had been cracked and a section was missing. It had been like this for years and luckily our ground perks otherwise it would have been a mess. In any case, We decided we should fix the issue rather then leave it.

It was actually quite amazing that all this time, we had an earth made septic tank down there. It was a little cavern where water and other things could wash out to break down into the soil. We had to dig around the pipe and then using a hack saw, cut it off. Once the edges were smooth and no longer chipped, we were able to attach the new pipe. I'm not sure how much money we saved but I wonder if it was worth it. Marcie started feeling sick and couldn't help till the very end and I didn't much like it either. We finished so we can start using water again.

Blueberry Bushes

2010-10-12T13:15:00.002-04:00

I just got an email letting me know my blueberry bushes are being shipped now. Now that the worst of the heat is over, I guess now is the time to plant. We're thinking about hiding our electrical box in the front of the yard with the bushes but that's not set in stone yet. We'll find a place for them soon enough.

Comeback

2010-10-11T12:33:00.003-04:00

Last Thursday we had a soccer game at 9:45. The grass was turf and slick from dew so the ball really moved. We looked awful at first and by the half, we were down 3-0. Second half was a different story. We were able to make some traps despite the slick ball and our passing became better.

The first goal came while I had the ball in the box. I was able to dribble around a couple of people and had just enough time to get off a lefty. There were several people around me so the keeper's vision was obstructed till it was too late.

The second goal was a breakaway. John I believe it was beat the defender around 25 yards out and dribbled the ball in for a 1v1 against the keeper.

The final goal of the game came from a penalty kick. I had just received the ball and beaten a guy. I was dribbling inside the 18 and was about to shoot when a guy came plowing through. I'm not really sure what happened with the ball but he cracked me pretty good. Something, probably his knee, hit my quad and I went down. It was a nice little charlie horse that lasted till Sunday. Matt took the pk and scored.

It was a fun game and I'm really glad I got to play even if yard work Saturday became difficult the next day. On that note, we converted a hill to four plant beds. The wall is up and the ground is level. Now all we have to do is fill in some dirt behind each edge and dig out middle to replace with decent soil. There also may be an issue with our septic line that goes under there that we might have to fix. We may end up working on that tomorrow if there is time.

DIY Huricane Vase

2010-10-03T22:23:00.001-04:00

We saw this online and just had to both try it and share it.

DIY Hurricane Vase - More DIY How To Projects

DIY Wedding- UPDATE!

2010-10-01T18:05:00.005-04:00

We won a first prize spot!!! :) Yay I get a t-shirt!!! and we get a juice mixer thingy- not as exciting, but we won!

__old news___

We made it as a finalist for the DIY wedding contest on Instructables.com!!! On Monday morning (or Sunday at midnight if we aren't patient enough) we will find out if we placed! :)

Check out our instructable here!

We're Dorks

2010-10-01T17:06:00.003-04:00

I was at BSF when they came so Marcie sent me a picture text so I could see what they look like. They look much better on her. Kind of like Uma Thurman in My Super Ex-Girlfriend secret identity look but she is the fairer sex so I'm ok with that.

Katy's playdate cut short

2010-09-27T13:37:00.001-04:00

Sesame Street cuts a clip of Katy Perry from the show because of parent's concern over her attire.

Unemployment rate still rising

2010-09-23T08:56:00.002-04:00

Some people are saying the recession ended June 2009. Check this out and give me your opinion.

Can't see it, go HERE.

Carded

2010-09-20T13:53:00.004-04:00

Marcie and I went to the mall last Friday. With all the home repairs and things starting up (coaching, BSF, gym classes, art club, etc) we haven't been on a date in a while. Triangle Town Center has "music by the pond" on Friday and Saturday nights so we decided to re-implement date night. Using a BOGO coupon, we bought gyros and listened to music. That was pretty cool but the highlight for me was feeding the fish in the pond. If you've been to barefoot landing in Myrtle Beach, you know the fish I'm talking about. Huge fish that swarm anytime you throw french fries into the pond. I tossed my fries bit by bit over the edge then took Marcie's also (she was finished so no harm there).

Anyways, we're ready to move on so we decide to walk around the mall a little longer. We get to the door and are stopped by the security guard asking for our ID. Evidently you have to be eighteen years old to enter the mall by yourself on Friday and Saturday night. Seriously? I'm thirty years old and wearing a wedding band. I agree I'll always look younger then I am... That's a Blanchard trait. I just don't know if I'd go as far as to say I look 17. Then again, Marcie also looks really young and she was with me. I'm going with they were carding her not me.

We got in the mall in case you were wondering. Saw some cool things. Hallmark has a book that you can record page by page what is said. As soon as you turn to lets say page 4, the book plays whatever you have recorded for that page. What a good idea we thought for a kid who loves to have books read to them. Christopher just had a birthday party Saturday so we almost bought it for him. The book was a little too old we thought and we already bought him a book so we didn't buy it. Maybe next time.

Blueberry Bushes and Glasses

2010-09-15T09:12:00.003-04:00

Marcie and I bought three blueberry bushes the other day. We bought them online and used a $20 off a $50 order. The total order was $57 so we ended up playing just under $40 for three bushes. At the farmer's market, they were $15-$20 each so we're better off any way you look at it. We bought three different varieties so that should help with cross pollination providing a better yield. One of them has a peach like taste according to the magazine while another has a very sweet blueberry taste. Our last bush was the red and yellow blueberry which I bought because it looks cool more so then for it's taste. I can't wait to plant them.

I also bought some glasses online. I was shocked at how much glasses were at the store so I settled on paying $16 to make and ship a cheap pair of prescription glasses. If they work as described, I'll probably buy a few more to keep at work, the car, and my nightstand for reading. They are the nerdy glasses Marcie didn't like but I'm not worried about style so much as price. This is a test run. If they're good, I told her she can pick out my next frames.

Car Buying

2010-09-10T17:14:00.004-04:00

I recently read an article in CNN money talking about the way to buy a car. The main lesson was to do your research on the internet first. Pretty much the whole process can be done on the internet minus the signature.

If you're planning to buy a car in the future but not right now, go to TrueCar and find out when is the best time of the year to buy. For my Mustang, sales are slowest in May so the prices are lowest at that point in time. It shows you how much the car costs, how much it costs after the dealer pays all their fees, and how much is considered a good deal (always under MSRP). It gives you a suggestion on where you can expect to end up in the long run.

Edmunds is a great place to find out if prices of your car is going up or down and get info about the dealer you're thinking about buying from.

Once you do decide it's time to buy, DO NOT GO TO THE DEALER. They will try to lock you down for two hours and twist your arm to buy. First go to Zag.com and get several quotes for the car you want. Doing that over the net lets you shop around for a good price with out being a pro haggler. Also, call the dealers. If they won't give you a price over the phone, hang up and call someone else. I wouldn't trust a dealer that won't give you a strait up price.

Finally, decide on a price, get it in writing, and make sure you're pre-financed. Dealers make money buy selling your loan. They do that by selling you a 6% loan even though you qualify for a 5% loan. You're better off going through your bank majority of the time.

Check your contract before signing. The monthly payments shouldn't matter. What matters is the final cost. If the final cost is correct, the monthly payments work themselves out. If they are too much, you can always re-finance.

So there you go. That's how I plan to buy my next car so I don't get scammed like I did at Tom Smith Ford.

eat pray love

2010-09-08T15:45:00.003-04:00

While I was in MI over the past few days I froze, and went to a movie. My mom and I went to see 'Eat Pray Love'. I was disappointed and left feeling empty. There were a few things that really bugged me too. I guess that it was my fault for not getting a rating of the film prior to viewing.

Rating from Plugged In Movie Reviews(focus on the family)

First she gets divorced even though her husband still loves her. I hate when movies give divorce, created by man(yes there are clauses for divorce but 90% of people do not follow them and if they did I bet A LOT of people wouldn't be getting divorced), as the easy answer to your happiness. The institute of marriage, God ordained, shouldn't be tossed to the wind. What does 'till death do us part' mean to you?

She jumps into another relationship on a whim and lives with the guy(and has a fling with another guy later). I don't support living with the one you are pursuing until you take your vows. I suppose I may be old fashion but it keeps you out of sooo much trouble and forces you to get to know and understand the other person really well, which is more important than figuring out if they leave the toilet seat up or squeeze the toothpaste tube wrong, or snore or whatever else people use as excuses. Those are all things you can talk about and know without living together. :) Anyway, I just don't like it.

I also didn't like the various religions she choose to explore at random, weather she truly believed in them or not. I wish more people took time to get to know God.

I did enjoy seeing all the culture and different settings. And I wish I could up and leave and eat my way through place after place 'finding myself'. It would be nice.

These are just my opinions based on my beliefs. I should also mention that I am a hypocrite, I have seen movies that have all these same qualities that I don't complain so much about, and should not tolerate. When I think about the world around me and I watch other people and hear their beliefs I get upset and just want to tune it all out, I see the things I don't like and don't agree with more and more in life and it bothers me that people can be so oblivious or resenting of God and Christianity. I can't imagine they feel happy with life as is. The other day I saw on a morning show that Stephen Hawking has stated that "science makes God unnecessary". I can't wait until judgment day and to see the look on his face when he understands he was wrong. This has made me so glad that Brantley didn't want to pay for cable TV. Why waste my time with all this junk in the world.

We are called to be in the world not of the world.

Home Construction

2010-09-07T13:22:00.007-04:00

Here you can see our house as we went through our phases of construction. Marcie was lucky to be gone for part of it. It's not easy living in one room and having to climb over your couch to get to your fridge.

A barrier was set up to keep mold or anything harmful from spreading to the other side of the house.

We had to move furniture so they would have working space.

Removal has been done and the boards have been treated (that's why they are green).

New carpet and paint has been applied. We're ready to start moving furniture back in.

Because we bough remnant, it was 1/3 of the cost. We were able to get quality carpet at a reasonable cost.

Four Eyes

2010-09-06T14:00:00.005-04:00

My vision has slowly been getting worse. Now that I'm thirty, I guess it's about that time to start buying the glasses, the walker and the prune juice. Kidding aside, even though it's only a -.5 (up from -.25 when I was 28), glasses will probably help a lot while I'm working on a computer all day. If the store's open and I can find a pair that is decent looking, I might bring it home.

There was an interesting pair I found with thick black rims all the way around. I felt it made me look smart and cool in a "hi I'm a mac"(guy from the apple commercial) or an indie rocker kind of way but she disagreed. She said I just looked like a dork so I guess I'll go with the thinner frame... unless they're on sale. Then I might have to pull the guitar from the attic and start a garage band... If only I had a garage.

Good news

2010-09-05T19:23:00.002-04:00

I was for some reason under the impression that Marcie would be gone till Thursday. This is the first time we've been away from each other for this long and I miss her. When you're in the honeymoon phase, you realize how lucky you are to get to spend your life with someone. I assume with time, companionship will become the norm and it will take one person leaving for a few days to remind you how lucky you are. Still being new to the marriage thing, I don't think I needed that reminder so soon.

Because Marcie's awesome, she did everything she could to leave me prepared. She cooked large meals each night before she left so that i would have leftovers for every meal and did all sorts of things to make her absence easier. We've been doing some major construction in the house so I've had plenty to keep me busy but I'll be glad when she's back. I just realized today that I was thinking wrong and that she will in fact be back Tuesday. That will be perfect since Monday I'll be busy with carpet and Tuesday I'll be at work then coaching soccer. Once that is over, I can pick her up from the airport. I'm hoping the carpet will be done and she'll come back to a put together house (cause now it's a wreck). I know she'll love the new carpet and wall color. It's going to look great.

For Sale: Fabric

2010-08-26T15:50:00.004-04:00

For Sale: Lots of Fabric with different prints and materials.

If interested, you can find out more HERE.

See other items for sale HERE.

For Sale: Brief Case

2010-08-26T15:40:00.005-04:00

For Sale: Wilson Leather Brief Case

Genuine leather briefcase on sale for $30.

If interested, go HERE.

You can see other items we're selling HERE.

For Sale: Suede Chair

2010-08-26T15:31:00.004-04:00

For Sale: Suede Chair

Comfortable chair in great shape. Tan suede cloth and black metal legs.

See THIS page if you are interested in buying.

Go HERE to see other items we're selling.

Sold: IKEA Billy Bookcase

2010-08-23T16:32:00.007-04:00

Sold: IKEA Billy Bookcase

Description: Featuring an optional wrap around design, this bookcase can fit to almost any space. It has a clean white color that matches most all room colors. Adjusts to go around walls, over couches or televisions. Provides much needed storage with the look of custom built book cases.

Ideal for bedrooms, libraries, living rooms, and entertainment rooms.

You can purchase by visiting our craigslist.org page HERE.

To see other items we are selling, click HERE.

Sold: Computer Speaker + Sub

2010-08-23T16:21:00.007-04:00

Sold: Computer Speaker with Sub

Description: Stereo sound with sub. Cables included for easy pc install.

Click HERE to purchase from our Craigslist.org page.

Click HERE to see other items we are selling.

For Sale: 5 disk DVD Changer

2010-08-23T16:12:00.007-04:00

For Sale: Panasonic DVD-F85 five disk changer.

Description:
Purchased this particular model because consumer reports rated it a best buy. It plays dvd, mp3, cd, pictures, etc. With the five disk changer, you can play multiple cds back sequentially and it is smart enough to skip non music disks. Quality is great and has progressive scan. Load time is fast also.

Includes remote and original packaging.

See the Craigslist.org page HERE to buy.

See other things we are selling HERE.

For Sale: Shepard's hooks

2010-08-23T16:04:00.004-04:00

For Sale: Shepard's hooks

Metal hooks used once for our wedding.

See our craigslist.org page HERE to buy.

See other things we're selling HERE.

Sold: Sofa

2010-08-23T15:32:00.009-04:00

Description: Comfortable couch with reversible pillows. As you can see in the pictures below, this couch is in good condition. There is no smokey smell as we do not smoke.

See other things we are selling HERE.
To purchase, please visit our craigslist.org page HERE.

Sold: Time Machine
It only goes forward in time
and at regular speed.
Also looks a lot like a sofa.

Reversible Pillows

Soccer & Birthday

2010-08-23T12:55:00.004-04:00

I found some pictures just now from a while ago. One of our Jiminy Kickit games was on 7/7 which happened to be my brother's birthday. We brought candles and snacks for after the game and the team gave a short Happy Birthday song for him. Cheesy I know but it was fun. Plus, I think we won that game so it was a pretty good day after all.

ps - We brought oranges also. It wasn't all unhealthy.

Birthday Flowers

2010-08-18T10:30:00.003-04:00

I think Marcie would rather get a bunch of flowers and arrange them herself then me buy some already in a vase. For one, you get more flowers that way but then she can also use her creative side. We had a coupon to get flowers from Harris Teeter for $3.99 but they were out. We picked up a rain check for them and ended up buying them on her birthday week. See to the left her arrangement.

Amazing Pizza

2010-08-17T12:42:00.004-04:00

Marcie and I made the best pizza I've ever had the other night. The crust we made similar to focaccia bread but added a little brown sugar also. Bread is really three things: flour, yeast, and water (and maybe salt). On top of that, you add different things to flavor the bread. Typical things you could add are EVOO, brown sugar, sugar, honey, molasses, herbs, and/or spices.

We bought some really good sausage at Walmart the other day and also got a package of feta for free. We decided to make our pizza a Mediterranean style pizza because of what we had on hand. Instead of sauce, we used EVOO and a lot of basil, oregano, and rosemary. That's a lot thinner then sauce but has a very strong flavor. Then lightly covered that with mozzarella cheese. With the base taken care of, we added cherry tomatoes, olives, that amazing sausage (browned obviously), artichoke (also awesome tasting), and crumbled feta. We baked at 425 for 15-20 minutes till crust turned golden brown. We baked that on our cooking stone which works really well. It cooks very even and never sticks.

That will go down in the record books as a recipe to try again.

Kellogg Sale

2010-08-17T11:31:00.004-04:00

Last week Kellogs had a super sale at Harris Teeter. Everything Kellogg was 50% off and we had lots of coupons. We bought 10 Kellogg products which gave us a $10 off coupon on your next order. We went back the next day and that's when we had some super savings. With 50% off, coupons, and the $10 off Catalina deal, our total ended up being $3 on $48 worth of groceries. I guess you can only get the Catalina coupon once a week or once per running so we didn't get another $10 coupon. Oh well. We still did really well by stocking up on our cereal and buying a few produce items that were on sale.

Also, we will have enough cereal to last several months.

Fall Vegetable Garden

2010-08-15T20:19:00.003-04:00

We planted our fall plants this weekend. I'm so excited to be growing it all. Lord willing, we'll have broccoli, celery, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, carrots, pumpkins, and next week we'll plant soybeans. Needless to say, I did all this without thought to crop rotation. While I'll probably be OK planting some of the same things in the same plot next year, I'll really have to put some thought into where everything will go next time. Bugs and disease build up around plants it like and if you keep the same plant there year round, they can grow out of control. Also, you'll likely deplete certain nutrients that the plant needs from the soil that way. So, being overly excited about the fresh food and money we'll be saving, I planned out our three year rotation. That should be enough for us. As of right now, we only have three places where we can plant. Between the mailboxes, we created a flower garden. We'll still keep the front row flowering for appearance sake but behind that we're going to start planting food. Next, we have a crop circle that we laid out with extra bricks we found. That can hold some of the larger plants such as our peppers, beans, and corn. Finally, we have a small space in front of our cars on the wall. That is raised up so we can't really go too crazy there. It just wouldn't look right. We'll mix in some plants between the flowering ground cover we planted.

Here is our proposed rotation. If you're a farmer or know something about all this stuff, let me know if you think this will work.

Year 1:
Wall - Lettuce
Circle - asparagus, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, tomato, Artichoke (center)
Mailbox - Onion, Garlic, leek, shallot, chive, carrot, celery, melons
potted - bell pepper, strawberry, spinach

Year 2:
Wall - parsley, oregano, cilantro
Circle - asparagus, bell pepper, tomato, Soy plant, corn (center)
Mailbox - artichoke, lettuce, broccoli, Brussels sprouts
potted - strawberry, spinach

Year 3:
Wall - Onion, Garlic, chive, etc.
Circle - asparagus, watermelon, summer squash, cucumber, zucchini, soy (center)
Mailbox - tomato, bell pepper, eggplant, sweet/Irish potato
potted - strawberry, spinach, spices

Also, we have a cherry tree and a peach tree that will hopefully bear next year or the following. We plan to pick up a couple of apple trees as well.

Along the house, we'll likely plant a few bushes as well. We were thinking of doing rosemary, lavender, cranberry, and blueberry bushes. I hear cranberry bushes are hard to find so if you have one and you can get me a cutting, let me know.

Swagbucks - Bonus for signup

2010-08-10T19:52:00.002-04:00

If you’ve been considering signing up for Swagbucks, this is the week to do it because you’ll get 70 bonus Swagbucks when you sign up – as opposed to the usual 30 bonus points. Just sign up and use code BackToSchool to get 70 bonus points added to your account.

This code is valid through August 15, 2010.

Super Doubles Wednesday

2010-08-10T13:01:00.001-04:00

Break out your $1.50 coupons. It's time to save some money.

Black Swallowtail Butterfly

2010-08-09T09:58:00.002-04:00

Evidently it only takes about a week for a caterpillar to turn into a butterfly. Here it has completely emerged from it's chrysalis and is drying it's wings. If a bird hasn't grabbed it, it will probably head strait to our flowers next to the mail box.

Speaking of birds, Marcie and I had butterflies in our wedding. We thought it would make good pictures of them flying around and landing on her. It in fact did make some good pictures but in one of them, you can see some birds in the background. According to my brother, not a single butterfly made it. A bird chomped all of them as soon as they left our area. It's pretty funny to hear my brother and sister describe it.

London Broil

2010-08-04T11:13:00.003-04:00

I made dinner for Marcie last night since it's her birthday week. We did our grocery shopping deal at Harris Teeter and spend our $29 for the week. To the left is the London Broil I picked up for half off.

I found a recipe for the easiest london broil you'll ever make. Basically, all you need is london broil, garlic salt, and tomatoes. It is surprisingly really really good. Well, you know me, kitchen sink and all. I decide to mix it up a little. I added italian spices to the meat and soy sauce. To soak up some of the juices, I put some rice on the side. A while back, we got a pineapple on sale so what we couldn't finish, we froze. I added a few slices of that for a little more flavor. That was a good idea. What was a bad idea was to use canned tomatoes that had chillies in there. Who would have thought they would have been that hot.

Marcie doesn't like hot stuff so my dinner for her although it was pretty good was too hot for her to really enjoy. Oh well, it's the thought that counts right?

Note to self: Make again but with regular diced tomatoes

Morning Smoothies

2010-08-04T11:02:00.003-04:00

Marcie's car has experienced some major problems the last few weeks. First it was the spark plug cracking. We replaced that but the wires were carbon tracked. Those had to be replaced also. Then in the process of changing them, something broke and we had to have that replaced. That would have been a lot of money but luckily we did the spark plugs and wires ourselves saving $300 or more. The part we broke off we probably could have done but we needed to find it which required a vapor smoke machine. We took the car down to Lillington to Strickland repair shop and ended up spending around $90. Had the dealer done it, the part probably wouldn't have broken off but we still are $200 better off by doing it ourselves. We thought it was all done but the traction control light came on. We dropped it off at the dealer to check it out yesterday so we are now minus one car.

Well... I'm waking up a little earlier in the morning to take her to work. It's kind of nice since I was able to make us smoothies for the road while she watered our plants. And, being her birthday week, she gets to spend more time with me which is of course all she wants. I might get her a card and a present too... maybe. ;)

Black Swallowtail

2010-08-02T14:10:00.003-04:00

As I said before, we had an infestation of Black Swallowtail caterpillars. We counted 31 when it was all said and done. Marcie and I packed most of them up and gave them to one of her friends who has a butterfly garden. You might have seen the Monarchs from our wedding photos. We missed three of them so we packed them somehow so we decided to see if we could view it changing stages.

To the left, you can see the beginning of the caterpillar's conversion to a cocoon. It grabs onto the stick with it's last legs or something down there and then wraps what looks like fishing line around it's back. From there, it hangs out for what seemed like an eternity. We gave it a couple of hours with no change so we finally decided to go to bed. The next morning, we went do expecting to see the cocoon but still no change. We went to work and when we came home, to the right is what we found. I found on YouTube THIS time lapse video of it changing. I wanted to see it first hand but it will have to do.

The next thing is to see it come out. Evidently when it is ready to come out, it shakes around like a cat in a sack. Eventually the chrysalis breaks and it hangs there till the wings dry. If we can catch that, I'll post the picture.

Black Swallowtail Infestation

2010-07-27T15:14:00.004-04:00

Guard your parsley! The black swallowtail butterfly is looking for it. We went outside the other day and found almost all of it eaten. One caterpillar can eat a lot but we found 28. One of Marcie's ex-co-workers has a butterfly house so we gave them to her. We went out again today and found three more that we missed. One we saved on purpose so we could see how big it would get. I'll try to get a picture of that today if it's still there.

Five Cheese Baked Ziti

2010-07-27T14:59:00.004-04:00

Marcie was feeling like pasta last night. The recipe called for 1.5 cups of mozzarella cheese but alas, we only had about a half a cup. We did have about a half a cup of goat cheese left and a quarter block of cheddar so we ended up using that to make our cup and a half. Marcie just got the zucchini and carrots on sale so we cut those up and added them along with our onion and garlic staple. For meat, all we had thawed was peperoni so we cut that up and mixed it in. The Basil was getting a little overgrown outside so we added some of that also. Our sauce we had to open a new jar but since that wasn't enough, we were lucky to find another half used jar in the fridge that needed to be used up. For the top, I added Parmesan cheese and our leftover queso from Moe's (they were giving away cups of free queso the other day). Marcie jokes that anytime I help her cook it becomes a "kitchen sink" meal and laughed that this one was no different. I however liked it a lot and although we could never repeat this exact taste it, the five cheeses and random veggies worked out really well.

We'll be able to eat off of this for a few days and cost wise, it was very humble. I think the pasta was around $1 if not free (triple coupon at HT), the veggies were under $1, and the goat cheese we got for free. The sauce itself was the most expensive part at around $4 for 2.5 jars worth but all in all, I'd estimate the dish at $6-$7. Since it will feed us for at least 3 meals, we're looking at around $1 per a good size serving.

Why I'm not impressed with 3D movies

2010-07-27T09:06:00.005-04:00

I read an article by Fortune magazine and it reminded me of the reasons I have not been impressed with 3D films. I remember as a kid going to Orlando and seeing 3D movies with the paper glasses. I would jump as things were thrown out at you and marveled at the technology that made it all possible. Now, as an adult, perhaps I'm just more of a cynic. You see all these previews of movies that look larger then life. The promise amazing adventure, action, and most of all that they will bring you along as the character develops. In reality, what you get is a movie with lots of explosions, characters that despite being in 3D are very flat, and a predictable story. There are a few exceptions but not many. The things I loved about 3D as a kid do not happen here. You never see things come out of the screen and fly past you but rather "real 3D" just adds a little depth to the picture. That little bit of depth comes at a cost though. Because you have a separate image for each eye, each eye only gets half of the light. That means the screen is dark and often less sharp due to our brains attempt to put the two images together. If I have to choose between a dingy slightly more depth or a clear HD quality picture, I think I'll choose HD quality. Nolan in his recent film inception agrees. He refused to jump on the 3D bandwagon saying the quality of the technology just isn't there yet. With that in mind, a same price ticket for both, I might still choose 2D so what about the $4 surcharge 3D tacks on? For me the choice is clear.

Marcie and I are attempting to be more frugal with our money. My Mustang was recently paid off and we hope to have the Torrent paid off by the end of the year. We also want to build up our savings account so paying $26 dollars for two 3D tickets isn't high on our priority list. Blue Ridge's $1.50 tickets and Red Box are about to get a lot more business from us. Two movies we're waiting to see are Inception and Despicable Me.

New Avatar

2010-07-21T16:32:00.002-04:00

No, I'm not talking about skinny naked blue people. I'm talking about the original Avatar, the last air bender. Nickelodeon created a three season series based on a world where the fire nation is attempting to take over the world. It is up to the Avatar to learn all four bending techniques and stop them. Being from the air nomads temple he already knows air so starts with water and works his way through each of the elements.

I don't think I'll be giving away too much when I say he wins but I won't give away any more spoilers. Now, seventy years later (season 4), a southern water tribe girl is the new avatar and is she is looking to learn the last of the bending techniques. The series picks up with her search for Ang's son, one of the few if only air benders. I'm sure they'll travel together in her attempt to master all the elements. Read more about it HERE.

Chicken Breasts With Peach and Honey

2010-07-20T19:03:00.003-04:00

New recipe tonight. We didn't have drumsticks so we used chicken breasts. Drumsticks tend to be a little more fatty so it's flavor is different then what the author experienced. We're fan of both honey and peaches so this was kind of a goldmine. HERE is the link for the food.

More Flower Garden Pics

2010-07-12T09:39:00.005-04:00

Marcie shows her talent at arranging flowers from our yard.

Summer Food

2010-07-12T09:35:00.002-04:00

Grab the Cup!

2010-07-12T09:31:00.001-04:00

He almost made it!

Screeners

2010-07-12T09:18:00.002-04:00

New movies up on the N&O zone! If you're a subscriber, sign up for passes to Inception and the Expendables. Salt will also be available eventually. There's some other movies on there but nothing else that really looks good.

A Feminist Man?

2010-07-11T19:31:00.005-04:00

I just read THIS article and it made me sad. It was an interpretation of "To Kill a Mocking Bird" and the motivation of the author. It claimed "a willingness to do the right thing, regardless of the consequences" was a radical feminist idea that is not normal for men. While I agree that in today's age most men go with the flow but it was not always that way. Feminist told men that they should not stand up and be leaders. They have for decades been telling us to step back and give leadership to women. We have become a pacifist sex concerned only with entertainment. When the going gets tough, the men turn on their tv, flirt with other women, or cheat to get ahead. The result is the loss of the "Leave it to Beaver" dad and the creation of the "Family Guy." For those not familiar with the Family Guy, you could enter "The Simpsons" or pretty much any modern show. The woman in these shows portrays reason and intelligence and the man is a klutz and just wants to have fun. He's Peter Pan in a grown up body or if you're into the classics, James' dad from "A rebel without a cause."

Let me be clear. Feminism is different then woman's rights. I strongly believe women should have the right to vote, own land, work in the market place, and all the things women in the US enjoy that other nations do not. I am only referring to a woman's struggle for dominance over man and a guys growing apathy towards life. I believe if a guys were taught to be leaders in the home (a radical but old conservative idea), they would be less likely to do the things that give guys a bad name. Then you would be more likely to see a man stand up for what is right. After all, what you practice in private creates character and character defines what you do when times are tough.

Paying Cash for you House

2010-07-09T11:17:00.002-04:00

This would be awesome! I'm very impressed by this family. They strongly believes debt is not a good thing so they saved and saved till they could pay cash for their house. I don't know how old they are and the Husband is a lawyer so I'm sure they make decent money. A previous post says they've been married seven years so they're probably at least thirty and maybe slightly older. Still to be able to save up enough money to buy a house outright is pretty amazing. Read her inspiring story HERE.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

2010-07-09T09:41:00.003-04:00

Andy, Mark, Daniel and I went to see the Sorcerer's Apprentice last night. Its another one of those screener tickets that I'm lucky enough to come across every once in a while. Here's what I thought about the movie. Spoiler alert ahead. Quit reading now if you plan on seeing it later.

The Plot

The story was a rehash but was still entertaining. You've got Merlin who has three apprentices. The two guys both fall in love with the one girl. The girl chooses one of them and the other goes bad and joins forces with Morgana, King Arthur and Merlin's bane. The girl somehow pulls Morgana into her body and then Cage, the good sorcerer imprisons her in a nesting doll. Over the years, Cage puts more evil sorcerers in that doll. There is a legend of a boy who will inherit Merlin's power and defeat all that is evil.

Cut to current day. You've got a ten year old kid who stumbles into Cage's shop. He tries on a ring that signals that he's "the one." Both cage and evil guy get locked up for 10 years. They get out and boy is now 20. He has to learn magic so he can defeat all that is evil. As he learns, he defeats some other bad guys on the Morgana team. At the end, they fight and win. Morgana and the evil sorcerer is defeated. Cage gets back with his girl. The new apprentice gets the girl and realizes his true power.

The Good

I did like the story. Its same old same old but still entertaining. The special effects were also pretty cool. The Fantasia scene was funny and entertaining. The "celebrity magician" was also pretty funny and was one of the highlights of the film for me.

The Bad

Nicholas Cage is a terrible actor. I know he's the Disney goto guy but I never cared for him. The Apprentice was surprising more annoying then Cage in this movie. I don't know if its his voice or just his nerdy frame but he kind of ruined all believability of the romance in the movie. You could also say the movie was generic so I've put that in the good and the bad.

Summary

Overall, I'd put this movie with the majority of movies Hollywood makes. Entertaining but not worth paying nine dollars and some change to see (double if I go with Marcie). A great $1.50 buy and a good rental is where I'd put it.

Octo-Paul picks Spain over Germany

2010-07-06T18:55:00.002-04:00

The German octopus has become quite famous for correctly picking the outcome of the world cup. Paul, as he is called has picked correctly the last 5 of 5 games including the surprise German win over Argentina.

In this next game, he hovers over his home country Germany for a while but ultimately decides Spain will go on to the final game. Paul has spoken so place your bets.

Diet Soda worse then regular

2010-07-06T14:33:00.002-04:00

I've been saying this for a while but you see it written up every few months. If you're one who drinks diet drinks and uses artificial sugar, you may want to read the exert taken from THIS article.

In recent years, food manufacturers have increasingly focused on developing low-calorie foods and drinks to help you maintain a healthy weight and avoid obesity. Unfortunately, the science behind these products is so flawed, most of these products can actually lead to increased weight gain!

For example, researchers have discovered that drinking diet soda increases your risk of metabolic syndrome, and may double your risk of obesity -- the complete opposite of the stated intention behind these "zero calorie" drinks.

The sad truth is that diet foods and drinks ruin your body's ability to count calories, and in fact stimulate your appetite, thus boosting your inclination to overindulge.

Unfortunately, most public health agencies and nutritionists in the United States recommend these toxic artificial sweeteners as an acceptable alternative to sugar, which is at best confusing and at worst harming the health of those who take their misguided advice.

Wake County Fundraiser

2010-07-06T08:59:00.003-04:00

So I'll soon be sending in my contribution to the Wake County fund raiser (also known as a speed trap). Although I believe the cop was padding the number, he said I was going 48 in a 35. Its crazy that they charge $166.30 "Court Costs" just to stamp a page. I read an article about how many tickets NC gives compared to other states. Evidently NC has lower speed limits then other states encouraging speeding so they can get the money a ticket provides. I was just outside my neighborhood and I couldn't help think about the kid who was shot and all the vandals and theft going on in the neighborhood. You'd think they would have better things to do then to radar a road with no houses or anything at all there.

Fire and Fan

2010-07-05T09:54:00.003-04:00

So our fan kept getting slower and our light dimmer. I was getting pretty worried about the thing so I finally decided to take a look at it. As it turns out, there was a nick in the plastic which had burnt through to the other wire. Lets not even talk about the fire hazard that was but the amount of electricity that was wasted I can't even imagine. I ended up removing the remote controlled light/fan switch that I installed in case that was the issue but I have a feeling that wasn't necessary. Maybe later I'll put it back on.

Speaking of working correctly, the light now is so bright! When they were dim, 4 60 watt bulbs didn't do much but now, they'll wake you up in the morning.

Buy used!

2010-07-02T17:45:00.001-04:00

Read a great article HERE about things you should never buy new. I've made the mistake of buying many of them new and paid way too much. Often you don't have to wait long to get the discounted price. Here is the list they gave:

1. DVDs and CDs: Used DVDs and CDs will play like new if they were well taken care of. Even if you wind up with a scratched disc and you don't want to bother with a return, there are ways to remove the scratches and make the DVD or CD playable again.

2. Books: You can buy used books at significant discounts from online sellers and brick-and-mortar used book stores. The condition of the books may vary, but they usually range from good to like-new. And of course, check out your local library for free reading material.

3. Video Games: Kids get tired of video games rather quickly. You can easily find used video games from online sellers at sites like Amazon and eBay a few months after the release date. Most video game store outlets will feature a used game shelf, as well. And if you're not the patient type, you can rent or borrow from a friend first to see if it's worth the purchase.

4. Special Occasion and Holiday Clothing: Sometimes you'll need to buy formal clothing for special occasions, such as weddings or prom. Most people will take good care of formal clothing but will only wear it once or twice. Their closet castouts are your savings: Thrift stores, yard sales, online sellers and even some dress shops offer fantastic buys on used formalwear.

5. Jewelry: Depreciation hits hard when you try to sell used jewelry, but as a buyer you can take advantage of the markdown to save a bundle. This is especially true for diamonds, which has ridiculously low resale value. Check out estate sales and reputable pawn shops to find great deals on unique pieces. Even if you decide to resell the jewelry later, the depreciation won't hurt as much.

6. Ikea Furniture: Why bother assembling your own when you can pick it up for free (or nearly free) on Craigslist and Freecycle? Summer is the best time to hunt for Ikea furniture--that's when college students are changing apartments and tossing out their goodies.

7. Games and Toys: How long do games and toys remain your child's favorite before they're left forgotten under the bed or in the closet? You can find used children's toys in great condition at moving sales or on Craigslist, or you can ask your neighbors, friends, and family to trade used toys. Just make sure to give them a good wash before letting junior play.

8. Maternity and Baby Clothes: Compared to everyday outfits that you can wear any time, maternity clothes don't get much wear outside the few months of pregnancy when they fit. The same goes for baby clothes that are quickly outgrown. You'll save a small fortune by purchasing gently used maternity clothes and baby clothes at yard sales and thrift stores. Like children's games and toys, friends and family may have baby or maternity clothing that they'll be happy to let you take off their hands.

[See 20 Things You Should Never Buy Used.]

9. Musical Instruments: Purchasing new musical instruments for a beginner musician is rarely a good idea. (Are you ready to pay $60 an hour for piano lessons?) For your little dear who wants to learn to play an instrument, you should see how long his or her interest lasts by acquiring a rented or used instrument to practice with first. Unless you're a professional musician or your junior prodigy is seriously committed to music, a brand new instrument may not be the best investment.

10. Pets: If you buy a puppy (or kitty) from a professional breeder or a pet store outlet, it can set you back anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. On top of this, you'll need to anticipate additional fees and vet bills, too. Instead, adopt a pre-owned pet from your local animal shelter and get a new family member, fees, and vaccines at a substantially lower cost.

11. Home Accent: Pieces Home decorating pieces and artwork are rarely handled on a day-to-day basis, so they're generally still in good condition even after being resold multiple times. If you like the worn-out look of some decor pieces, you can be sure you didn't pay extra for something that comes naturally with time. And don't forget, for most of us, discovering a true gem at a garage sale is 90% of the fun!

12. Craft Supplies: If you're into crafting, you probably have a variety of different supplies left over from prior projects. If you require some additional supplies for your upcoming project, then you can join a craft swap where you'll find other crafty people to trade supplies with. If you have leftovers, be sure to donate them to your local schools.

13. Houses: You're typically able to get better and more features for your dollar when you purchase an older home rather than building new. Older houses were often constructed on bigger corner lots, and you also get architectural variety in your neighborhood if the houses were built or remodeled in different eras.

14. Office Furniture: Good office furniture is built to withstand heavy use and handling. Really solid pieces will last a lifetime, long after they're resold the first or second time. A great used desk or file cabinet will work as well as (or better than) a new one, but for a fraction of the cost. With the recession shutting down so many businesses, you can easily find lots of great office furniture deals.

15. Cars: You've probably heard this before: Cars depreciate the second you drive them off of the dealership's lot. In buying a used car, you save money on both the initial cost and the insurance. It also helps to know a trusty mechanic who can check it over first. This way, you'll be aware of any potential problems before you make the purchase.

[See 20 Tips for Cleaning on the Cheap.]

16. Hand Tools: Simple tools with few moving parts, like hammers, hoes and wrenches, will keep for decades so long as they are well-made to begin with and are well-maintained. These are fairly easy to find at neighborhood yard or garage sales. If you don't need to use hand tools very often, an even better deal is to rent a set of tools or borrow them from a friend.

17. Sports Equipment: Most people buy sports equipment planning to use it until it drops, but this rarely happens. So when sports equipment ends up on the resale market, they tend to still be in excellent condition. Look into buying used sporting gear through Craigslist and at yard sales or sports equipment stores.

18. Consumer Electronics: I know most folks like shiny new toys, but refurbished electronic goods are a much sweeter deal. Consumer electronics are returned to the manufacturer for different reasons, but generally, they'll be inspected for damaged parts, fixed, tested, then resold at a lower price. Just make sure you get a good warranty along with your purchase.

19. Gardening Supplies: This is an easy way for you to save money, and all you need to do is be observant. Take a look outdoors and you'll likely find such gardening supplies as mulch, wood, and even stones for free or vastly reduced prices. Used garden equipment and tools are also common goods at yard sales.

20. Timeshares: Buying timeshares isn't for everyone, but if you decide that it suits your lifestyle, purchasing the property as a resale would be a better deal than buying it brand new: on average, you'll save 67 percent on the price for a comparable new timeshare. If you're new to timeshare ownership, give it a test run first by renting short term.

21. Recreational Items: It's fairly easy to find high ticket recreational items like campers, boats, and jet skis being resold. Oftentimes, they're barely used at all. As long as they're in safe, working condition, they'll make for a better value when purchased used than new.

BLT

2010-07-02T09:43:00.003-04:00

mmm... its summer time which means tomatoes from the vine and BLTs. Marcie has been making them for lunch the last few days and they've been delicious. On top of that, we tried something new the other day. We had a little more money to spend to get the $20 off our bill so we added Portobello mushrooms. Marcie mixed up some ingredients to flavor it and broiled it in the oven. We covered the still hot mushroom with the spiced goat cheese that we got for free and made a mushroom cheeseburgers. Have I said before marriage has been good to me?

John Oliver learns about World Cup

2010-06-25T10:20:00.002-04:00

USA scores, John forgets he's at work

2010-06-23T12:12:00.003-04:00

Donovan scores at the end of the match breaking the scoreless match. It was a surprise since a moment earlier I was worried they were going to put one in. John I think was even more surprised since he yelled Goaaaaaa! It was so loud, our HR lady came by to see what was the matter. lol, good times.

So, US and England move on with England facing the "tougher" opponent. Although you never know how a game will go, England was the favored team in our group. Then again, a lot said the US will surprise you and they were right.

Green Peppers

2010-06-22T10:00:00.002-04:00

Our green peppers are about ready! Just a few more days and we'll snag this guy. There is one on the other side that will be ready not too much after this one.

Also, we planted some garlic also. I read that garlic is a natural pesticide so we planted them between each plant. I need to figure out when I can pull those.

What's the story morning glory

2010-06-21T09:23:00.002-04:00

Our morning glory is growing and getting big but just doesn't want to bloom. We like that its growing fast and want it to attach itself to our wall. Who knows what it'll do from here. Its our first year growing anything so its all new.

Respect My Authoritah

2010-06-18T14:03:00.002-04:00