30 Monday Nov 2015
Posted in Food
Salutations™!!
On The Man Who Ate the Town: a Food Blog, I promised to give a review of the tasting that we did with Chef Travis Myers. Well, that review is up and I’m piggybacking it here (click the link). Enjoy, drool and go get some of Chef Travis’ culinary art!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
—
“When a man’s stomach is full it makes no difference whether he is rich or poor.” – Euripides
29 Sunday Nov 2015
Posted in Life as We Know It, Silent Sunday
Salutations™!!
Well, finally it happened. After taking them out three years, seven months and eleven days ago, I have finally had my earrings put back in. I have missed them. You’ll ask, well, dummy, why did you take them out? I’ll tell you why.
Three years, seven months and twelve days ago today I had my triple bypass heart surgery. I had to remove everything for that. My Scorpio necklace that I never take off, my black rubber bracelets that I never take off and then my earrings. I 
also had to be shaved from my neck down. Everything. Every. Thing. Getting the earrings out was hard as I’d never had them removed since having the three done back around 2008. One I had done when I was 19, at the mall, with one of those guns. Anywhat! I had to leave the earrings out while my body healed to keep risk of infection at a minimum. Time passed and I didn’t try to put them in for a bit. When I tried, I couldn’t get them in. I asked The BCPF to put them in and she wouldn’t, afraid she’d hurt me.
We were doing a little tour of the upper Trade Street area with Ma Frère-in-Law on Friday and stopped to talk to ask Sl8ter at Big Winston Tattoo a question about whether they’re still called Tattoo Parlors (they don’t care either way as long as you don’t call them “tat shops”) or not and we got into a discussion about my earrings. They said if I bring my own in they’d only charge $5. So, yesterday, I took mine in and they put them in. Let me say, that shite hurt!! They had to restretch the holes to get them in and they had to completely stretch the oldest hole to accommodate the larger gauge. Painful, indeed. They’re still quite tender. But, I’m glad to have them back in. Shout out to Nate Potts at Big Winston Tattoo.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
—
“There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humor and hurt.” – Erma Bombeck
28 Saturday Nov 2015
Tags
a/perture Cinema, Chef Travis Myers, Food, River Birch Lodge, The Less Desirables, The Man Who Ate the Town, Willow's Bistro
Salutations™!!
Because there was no The Less Desirables Movie of the Week (that would have been brought to you by the Official Movie Sponsor of The Less Desirables, a/perture cinema), there was no review recap today. Instead, I’m going to pull the piggy back 
trick and present an article that I wrote for The Man Who Ate the Town: a Food Blog about Chef Travis Myers moving to Willow’s Bistro. It’s huge culinary news in the Triad and I think it’s important. For the article, just follow this link. I’m also giving you a peek at the immanent food blog food review of Willow’s Bistro coming this week. Enjoy!!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
—
“Eating is not merely a material pleasure. Eating well gives a spectacular joy to life and contributes immensely to goodwill and happy companionship. It is of great importance to the morale.” – Elsa Schiaparelli
27 Friday Nov 2015
Posted in Food, Life as We Know It
Tags
Salutations™!!
Thanksgiving. There are a lot of modern negative connotations that come with that word. “We’re celebrating the slaughtering of Native Americans,” or “Killing those innocent turkeys for our pleasure,” and so on. Blah, blah, blah. And again, blah, blah, blah. I see it as something different than those who are just looking for something to complain about and/or to just bring others down.
First of all, I know I’ve mentioned ad naseum that my religion is non-prophet (meaning I have none) so for me to give thanks, I do it to what or whomever I’m addressing instead of for because that would be hypocritical of me. I don’t step on others’ religion, I respect peoples beliefs and I think it would be more insulting if I was acting on something that I profess not to believe in. I wanted to get that out of the way for any new readers who I’ve picked up along the way. I’m not flashing it in front of anyone, especially those who know how I am.
Second, I want to acknowledge my ‘Rents. I am thankful to both of them for so many things: my life (especially), always being there, always (growing up or grown up) being there for my friends, and the list goes on and on and on. Yesterday was an example of them being there for my friends. Ma Mère (well both of them) grew up with a large family and since we do our Thanksgiving here, now, instead of gathering in her mother’s house with a huge family, I think she really misses that “large family” atmosphere. Not that we’re small but we’re not 30+ people in a 
relatively small house (small for 30+ people, anyway).
So, The BCPF and I have two friends that were going to be alone on Thanksgiving day (their respective families were doing something tomorrow, instead of yesterday). Ma Mère has always given us free range to invite others to our celebrations. She can’t fathom the thought of someone not having people to be with and again, she likes big holiday gatherings. So, we invited them and they both came. We assured them that there would be plenty of food and I think they saw that that was really the case. Ma Mère insisted that they take “to go” boxes of stuff home. Yes, she keeps to go boxes around. I told you, Dear Reader, she loves big celebrations. I was told by both of them that they had a great time and the food was so yummy. I think one of them was about to go into a food coma. So, to my ‘Rents, I thank you for taking great care of my friends.
To my Frère-in-Law and Mère-in-Law, I thank them for sharing their time with us as well. Since the second Thanksgiving that The BCPF and I had, they’ve shared the holiday with us. Not only does that make it convenient and not having to split time, it’s awesome to have all of us together. It’s awesome. I love them.
To Ma Sœur (sister) and my other Frère-in-Law, thanks to for always being supportive in whatever it is that I venture into. I love you both. My three nephews… thanks for always providing a laugh or someone to pick on. You know it’s all in fun. Until it’s not (just kidding). Ma Frère (that’s brother) thanks to you for always having my back and always beating the snot out of the nephews (all of them are your nephews) so I don’t have to. I love you man.
To 3B. You’re growing so fast and physically maturing that it’s like it’s happening right before my eyes. You are the most important thing in my life; my Universe. I hope you know how much I love you. I am thankful to you for not making me “take you out” (wink). I’m hoping that as you grow up your behavioral and mental maturation blossoms to the man that I know you will become. I can’t tell you enough how proud I am to be YOUR Père.
And to The BCPF. My rock. My life. I wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for you. I wouldn’t have survived the two major surgeries I’ve had in the last four years. I wouldn’t be half the man I am had I survived them. You make me everything I am. There’s not enough paragraphs in the world for me to express properly what to put here. Just thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!
And to you, Dear Reader, I am so thankful to you for making this blog worth writing. I love your comments, whether on the comments here, on Facebook, on Twitter, on Linked In, on Google+, on Tumblr, anywhere you read from. Please, continue to correspond with me. Whether you agree wholeheartedly, staunchly disagree or just thought something was stupid or funny. Keep saying hi. It keeps me going. Thank you!
Okay, enough of all that mushy-gooey stuff. Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
—
“Family is not an important thing. It’s everything.” – Michael J. Fox
26 Thursday Nov 2015
Posted in Uncategorized
Salutations™!!
I’m gonna keep it short and simple today. It’s Thanksgiving and I hope all my friends have a wonderful day. I also wish my The Less Desirables Family: Brian, Eugene, Caitlin, Bruce, Jon, Paul a very Happy Turkey Day, as well. The peeps over on The Less Desirables Network: Nikki on Tart & Tangy Triad, TC & Wali on Fan 
Interference and Chad over at Electric Camel Pod and all their families, many, many happies to them, too. Enjoy your turkey or just your day off, according to what you observe. Try to put away the BS and worry for a day and be with those you love!
And I didn’t forget my family, I love you all and to those in WV that I won’t be with, miss you guys!
Okay, enough of all that. Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
—
“I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.” – Henry David Thoreau
25 Wednesday Nov 2015
Posted in Blogging, Food, Life as We Know It, Podcasting
Salutations™!!
There’s a struggle. The struggle to make sure you have everything you need for Thanksgiving. The eggs to devil? The pecans to pie? The Bulleit rye whiskey? The Seagram’s 7? The Red Stag? Yeah, sometimes getting it all together is a struggle, especially the night before. Oh woe is us or hashtag first world problems.
So, after a fantastic tasting and interview with Chef Travis Myers at Willow’s Bistro & Bar (you’ll get that story within the week), The BCPF and I went to do the recording of The Less Desirables with just the two of us. I gave Bruce and Caitlin the week off to travel. That’s a joke, really. They said they weren’t going to be there and I said, okay, I’ll handle it. Eugene sent me the TV Update for the week and we proceeded to do a less-than-forty-minute show. Afterwards, we decided that we needed some more booze before “Aunt Betty’s Candy” store gets closed for the holiday. We couldn’t have that.
So we had to make our way down to the Northwest Blvd. store and while the store itself wasn’t really busy, the parking lot was. Cars pulling out three at a time, 
almost running over others almost bumping into other cars and shooting like rockets out of the lot. Getting inside was easy and truthfully shopping was, too. I do wish that instead of putting all the bourbons/darker liquors in alphabetical order that they’d separate the bourbons from the ryes. I understand that the ryes would be few in number but still they’d be easier to find for someone like me: someone that wants to try something new in the ways of rye. I stuck with what I knew and went Bulleit because you can’t go wrong with that. No, not at all. We bought some Red Stag because The BCPF is a fan of that with Coke. I also wanted a taste of my grandfather’s past so I got some Seagram’s 7. We’re caught up now for the holiday.
We then went to the local grocery to purchase the ingredients for what we’ve pledged to bring to The ‘Rents’ Thanksgiving afternoon: my own recipe deviled eggs (which includes bacon drippings, maple syrup and orange juice); The BCPF’s own recipe for mac & cheese; her pecan pie. I also purchased some cute little bottles of Sprite to mix with the Seagrams to have 7 & 7 (yes, I know that’s 7-Up, but these were on sale and the bottles were the perfect amount without it going flat like a 2-litre would). I was actually looking for it to be a circus there and surprisingly, it wasn’t. I was looking for fodder for passage to today’s post and it didn’t come. A relief, to be sure, but disappointing at the same time. We picked up the things we needed, a little bit of cheese and crackers to snack on this evening and we went home. Uneventful, uninspiring. But, we got the stuff and that’s what mattered.
So, all together it was a spectaculicious day. We ate heartily, we spent time with a great chef and food artist, we recorded my “baby” and we got booze. We had the day together. You can’t beat that. No way, man. No way. Now, I have to go drink some. Really, I need to get the eggs ready. And drink.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
—
“I hate last-minute shopping, it’s always unsuccessful.” – Cat Deeley
24 Tuesday Nov 2015
Posted in Life as We Know It, Podcasting, Talking Tuesday
Salutations™!!
Welcome to yet another Talking Tuesday! Enjoy!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
—
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin
23 Monday Nov 2015
Posted in Life as We Know It
Tags
Salutations™!!
I didn’t say anything about this yesterday because it was “Silent Sunday” so I’ll say it today. Yesterday was my brother’s birthday. I’ll spare you the story behind him being my brother (no, not that one, silly), other than to say he’s not my natural brother. You can read the story, if you’re interested, by visiting here.
I just want to say: Happy Solar Circumnavigational Anniversary Day, Bro! I love ya! My sister posted as one of her things to be thankful for was him yesterday, so because I used the picture of just the two of us last year, I’ll post one with all of us, this year!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
—
“The road is long with many a winding turn that leads us to who knows where. Who knows when? But I’m strong, strong enough to carry him. He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.” – “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” (Scott, Russell)
22 Sunday Nov 2015
Posted in Life as We Know It, Silent Sunday
Salutations™!!
So let’s start with the birthday night. The BCPF and I went to Meridian (of course) for dinner and drinks. I got a creme brulèe and port for dessert and the restaurant bought it for me. That’s awesome. I love that place. We then went to see Monty Python and the Holy Grail at a/perture cinema (the Official Movie Sponsor of The Less Desirables) where we were given coconuts to clang about and a sing-a-long book. I don’t know why we were given the book, you couldn’t see what you were supposed to sing along with, plus, you’d miss the film. There were lyrics and a 
karaoke-like bouncing ball on the screen. This was, after all, a “Sing-a-Long” version of the film. There was a few younger folk that knew the film quite well.
Saturday, we went to get some donuts from Krispy Kreme to take to our annual Friendsgiving event that we have with our little social group. There was turkey, stuffing, a salad, some creamed green beans, pepperoni rolls (appetizers) and bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers (also an app). Deviled eggs made their way out eventually, and so did some fluff (I have no idea what that is) and a raisin pecan pie for dessert to accompany the donuts we brought. The bonus was a birthday cookie for me. There was a lot of alcohol, as well. A lot. I took the opportunity to take a pic with my birthday gift, a selfie stick that my lovely wife purchased for me. You see it here. It was a great weekend, indeed.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!!
—
“It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
21 Saturday Nov 2015
Posted in Movie Review
Tags
a/perture Cinema, Daniel Radcliffe, David Morse, IMDb, Juno Temple, Max Manghella, Netflix, Rotten Tomatoes, The Less Desirables
Salutations™!!
a/perture cinema, the Official Movie Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents Horns (2013), The Less Desirables Movie of the Week. The film stars Daniel Radcliffe, Juno Temple and Max Manghella.
Per IMDb: “In the aftermath of his girlfriend’s mysterious death, a young man awakens to find strange horns sprouting from his temples.”
First off, the horns sprung more from his forehead than his temples. Okay, so that’s out of the way. Harry Potter, er, Daniel Radcliffe plays Ignatius “Ig” Perrish who becomes the prime suspect when his girlfriend Merrin (Temple) is raped and murdered. Whilst he awaits his trial and despite his declarations of innocence, he is ostracized and snubbed by the community. The only person that believes him is his childhood friend, Lee (Manghell), who also happens to be his lawyer.
He hides out from paparazzi at him parents’ and brother’s house. At a vigil at the treehouse hangout he Merrin frequented, Ig listens to Merrin’s father profess his belief of Ig being guilty. Afterwards, Ig drinks heavily and wakes up with a pair of horns starting to protrude from his forehead. He goes to the doctor to have them removed and, whilst under anesthesia, we’re shown how he and Merrin first met, including how Lee lost two fingers after a cherry bomb accidentally goes off in his hand. Lee had fixed a necklace and Ig traded that necklace for the cherry. Ig and Merrin bond over the necklace and fall in love.
Ig wakes up and the doctor is spouting out weird and bad truths. It turns out that the horns force people around Ig to tell him their darkest secrets and desires. This includes his parents, his brother, basically everyone. Everyone that is except Lee. Lee doesn’t see the horns and doesn’t believe any of the dark secret mumbo jumbo. Eventually, snakes start following Ig and other supernatural things start happening. To find out what happens with the snakes, the evil truths, what really happened to Merrin and even why Lee couldn’t see the horns, you’ll have to watch the film.
Let me say that as convoluted and far-fetched this description has been, I found the film interesting and entertaining. Was it great? Nah. Did it suck? Nah. The script, loosely-based on the novel of the same name by Joe Hill was a little disheveled but still worth a watch. Radcliffe and Temple along with David Morse (best know for his role in the television series House and the film The Green Mile) were the standout actors in the film, which wasn’t surprising. The visuals and cinematography were very intense and right on. I found myself guessing who did what and why and sometimes I was right and sometimes I was wrong. That’s okay. That’s what makes a movie good, I think. The paranormal aspects were, again, far-fetched, but the filmmakers somehow made it plausible.
Rotten Tomatoes has it at only 41% Fresh with an Audience score at a slightly higher 49%. IMDb has it at 6.5 stars out of 10. So, I reiterate, I liked it. If you’re looking for cinematic genius or an eye-opening religious experience in this film, you’re going to be sadly, sadly disappointed. If you go in just to watch something interesting, then this may be for you. It’s touted as a horror-comedy and it delivers enough of that to keep fans of that particular genre at least slightly amused. It was directed by Alexandre Aja. I saw it on Netflix and rate it 3.5 stars.
Have you seen it? Let me know. And, let me know what you want me to review and I’ll get to it!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
—
“People say you should always do the right thing, but sometimes there is no right thing, and then… well then you just have to pick the sin you can live with.” – Ig Perrish
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