Day 93

Sorry for the off day yesterday, I am not sure what got into me (or didn’t get into me, if you see it that way). I am back on track today though.

So, today’s awesomosity could (as often) be one of many different things. At first, it was going to be the whole Blues offer for “Name your own price” thing, but after a little playing with it, it doesn’t seem all that great. I tried to get a 10-game pack, but it was going to cost almost as much as face value. Same deal with single game tickets. I think they just set how much they would accept for the few leftover tickets they had and put up the deal. It is a great thing from a marketing perspective though, I am sure there are a lot of people talking about it. And I am always a fan of people talking about the Blues.

So, since that couldn’t be the awesomosity of the day, and chiggers and attics (two main concerns of main as of late) are certainly not awesome in any way, that leaves Instant Viewing on Netflix.

I have talked plenty about being a big fan of Netflix before, but now things are getting very cool. You see, I have been watching Heroes now for a while. Last night I finished up season 2. Too late to watch the 3rd season live, but, alas, there is a solution. Netflix!

I thought maybe I could watch them on Hulu, which I can, but I don’t like those little commercials they have all the time. So, I checked Netflix, and sure enough, I have unlimited instant viewing and they have the new episode posted every Tuesday. Awesome.

Task o’ the Day: (I thought maybe if I put it in Bold maybe you would do it, or at least let me know what you thought of it) Watch some TV instantly on Netflix. If you don’t have Netflix, let me know, I’ll send you an e-mail good for a free month (ok, so I get a free rental out of the deal too, but that’s besides the point). So far, I have watched like 20 movies and 5 whole tv series. I think its a good deal, but I don’t feel like doing the complicated math right now.

So, here is the picture of the day, taken in afforementioned (worth at least $.50) attic.

See you manana!

Oh, and please vote on the new (and related to this post) poll.

Anyone want to go to the Blues preseason game tomorrow night? It’ll be a lot of fun!!! Let me know.

You are Awesome!

Day 92

I truly apologize for being so late today. I really have no excuse for being late writing this. I was busy today, but most of it was laziness. Oh well.

So on the awesomeosity. Lion's choice. Real roasted beef, ready right now (I should totally be getting paid for this). on the way home from an inspection, I just couldn't pass it up. For those of you unfortunate souls that don't live in Saint Louis, Lions Choice is the best roast beef sandwich anywhere. Imagine Arby's but good.

I think the real secret is in the sessoning salt they use. Its way better than Lawry's. And the au jus. Definitely the au jus.

The task o the day is simple. Have some roasted cow. Preferrably at Lion's Choice, but if you're not able, I guess I understand.

Sorry, I think this is an off post, I've kind of had an off day. It'll get better tomorrow, I promise. Now, back to Heroes (season 2 on DVD). Thanks for stopping by!

You are Awesome!

Day 91

Ok, so one other thing that was really awesome yesterday at the land. The whole trip was so great that I am dedicating an entire weekend of blogging to it. So, besides digging up buried treasure, what else was awesome? A giant bonfire. For real, when is a giant bonfire not awesome?

So, here is how it went down. At the land, there is a firepit. Or, at least there used to be. Greg has spent a lot of time and effort finding giant rocks to surround the campfire, and had a very nice little firepit. There was even a sizeable stack of wood, very neatly organized near said firepit. But what happened (the same thing happens at my place all the time) is that as wood was brought to burn, none was burned, and it was all just thrown on the pile, getting less organized as it went (now, at my place, its usually clothes, or mail, or paperwork stuff, that just piles up until it becomes a nuisance).

Then after a while, the grass stopped getting mowed around the firepit because there were a lot of sticks and stuff in the grass. Well, it took three of us a little bit, but we mowed the grass amd cleaned up the pile a bit, but to really get rid of the mess, we needed to burn a lot of the wood. We were then presented with two choices. We could build a nice size fire and continually feed it for a long time, or we could pour gas on a portion of the giant pile and let it burn as a whole for a long time. Any guesses as to what three grown men decided?

I was about 20 feet away and still very hot

Of course we burned the giant pile. Now, I know what some of you are saying, “Ben, you already had fire as the awesomosity before (Day 8), what gives?” Well, that fire was the reasonable sized fire burned for a long time, constantly fed. This was just one big burn. This is way more awesome, but you can’t do this in Manchester, where the last fire was.

So, the Task O’ The Day (I finally saw the results, and I promise I’ll have a new poll up tomorrow) is to have, or at least attend, or if necessary, plan to attend a bonfire this fall. I don’t blame you if you wait until it is a little cooler for it. If possible, play pass the hot orange coal with Brent Mackey, where you pick up a hot orange coal and bat it around passing it back and forth. Ask me more if you want to know.

Here is the picture, taken as I prepared for my fantasy hockey draft (my team is decent, though I could use a better backup goalie).

Thanks everybody, you make writing this worthwhile. See you tomorrow!

You are Awesome!

Day 90

Today was a great day, as I'm sure you can clearly tell by the pictures. Let me explain (I have to do that a lot on this here blog, don't I?).

I went to "the land" today. for those that know Greg Higgins (his wife's baby blog is on my blogroll), you know all the land and may have even been there. Its about 20 acres (totally a guess) near Montgomery City, just past the Warrenton outlet mall on 70. They have a pond and a half, a barn, a firepit (come back tomorrow to read about that), and a bunch of woods. Being in the middle of farm country, it is great for deer hunting.

Which leads me (finally) to today's awesomosity. Burying stuff. In my personal example, I shot a deer about a year ago (and took the top picture), and buried the head to let worms decompose the flesh and meat off it. Today I dug up the skull and took the lower picture. It worked and was awesome.

So your task for today (I haven't seen the poll results yet and I'll get a new one up soon) is to bury something and dig it up next year. I recommend some kind of time capsule (I've always thought they were awesome). Perhaps something (like a deer head) that will decompose and look different.

Thanks for reading, come back tomorrow, it'll be well worth it.

You are Awesome!

Day 89

Today's awesomeness is absolutely due to my taking a day off to do some much needed cleaning at my place. I made some delicious chicken fettucine alfredo for lunch, then sat down, much as in the picture, to watch some tv while I ate. What was on? The new Bob Ross.

Now, his name is Gary Jenkins, and he does not go by "the new Bob Ross", but that is what he is. You all remember Bob Ross, right? The guy that painted 'happy trees' with a giant afro? Now, he was awesome.

I've gotta say the Gary is almost equally awesome. I don't even know if I can accurately describe just how awesome he is. He did talk about when you are painting that you are actually conducting a giant orchestra. At one point, he said he uses a color wheel. As he describes how he uses it, he flips it over to describe the backside. Then he explains that he doesn't use that side because the other side has pictures, which he does use.

In all honesty though, watching a guy paint roses in under half hour is freakin awesome.

So, set your vcr, or tivo, or whatever else you have (unless of course, you're home during the day) to watch "the beauty of oil painting with Gary Jenkins". It will be well worth your time.

If you don't have plans tonight, come to Llywelyns tonight, I'm bartending! Have a great day, see you tomorrow!

You are Awesome!

Day 88

8s are wild today, were practically giving them away!

As I sit and enjoy my lunch, I ponder what to have as today’s awesomosity. Then I think, my this lunch is delicious, why not make it that? So, I give you today’s awesomosity……Company Hash Browns!

Some of you may know this dish as simply “hash brown casserole” but you would be wrong. Not unawesome, but wrong nonetheless. This dish is a obviously a casserole (and I have told you of my love for casseroles before), but it is filled with cheesy, potatoey (yes, its a word) goodness and covered with corn flakes (could be more cheese, but I’m not complaining).

Here is a place to find a recipe that you can print out and add to your recipe card box. What? You don’t have a recipe card box? Shame on you! You can buy a card box, card, card protectors, and all kinds of other neat stuff here.

So, while I was finding a recipe for Company Hash Browns, I came across this site, called Mr.Breakfast. Awesome. Seriously. They even have a page called “Hooray for Hashbrowns!“

Here is an excerpt:

According the Merriam-Webster dictionary, “hash browns” are “boiled potatoes that have been diced, mixed with chopped onions and shortening, and fried usually until they form a browned cake.” To the mind of a true breakfast lover, that’s like defining luxury car as “four wheels under a sitting area”.

In the dictionary company’s defense, hash browns have the ability to defy definition. When well prepared, entire books could not describe the happy reaction of our taste receptor cells to these “boiled potatoes”.

For your awesome thing today, might I suggest eating some hash browns. Any way you like.

Here is my picture (again, for the 88th time, I just can’t stand to think you may forget what I look like), which was taken in a mirror. Huh.

You are Awesome!

Day 87

Today’s awesomosity is really awesome. First off though, I would like to wish a happy birthday to my big brother, who turns 34 today. Happy Birthday Tim!

Now, remember when I talked about my awesome HD Radio? Well, one of the most awesomest things about it is that not only do FM stations come in clearer and sometimes have another station that is HD only, but AM stations that broadcast in HD are crystal clear! Why am I telling you this? Because it’s hockey season baby!!!!!

On my way home last night, I was just cruising through the channels, when what to my wandering ears did appear? The Blues on the radio!! In HD no less! KMOX is the only AM station in Saint Louis to be broadcasting in HD, and, awesomely enough, KMOX is the home of the Blues!!

There are way too many things for me to say awesome about the Blues, and I am sure there will be a few more awesomosity’s dedicated to the Blues this year. So, for my first Blue awesomosity, I will start with the new 3rd jersey.

Brad Boyes (stud) modeling the new jersey

For more pictures of the new jersey, which they will wear a minimum of 15 games this year (according to the website) you can always visit www.stlblues.com. You can of course, also purchase tickets there, but you may want to check out Stub Hub first, I just got some tickets crazy cheap there (if you go to stub hub, make sure you google stub hub discounts first, I was able to save $10 pretty easily).

I think it will be pretty obvious how to be more awesome today, but to make sure there are no doubts, GO TO A BLUES GAME! Or, I suppose, if you don’t live in the area, go to the nearest hockey game you can get to. Or at least watch a game on tv (I suggest finding a place that has it on HD, it will be a much better experience). Of course, I would love to do any of these things with you, just let me know. At some point soon, I will be trying to get a group together to go to a game, so I’ll keep you posted.

Referring back to an awesomosity last week, does anyone want to go see Jon Hardy and the Public tomorrow night? They are playing a benefit st the Bluebird and I would like to go, but probably won’t go if no one goes with me (awww. now isn’t that sad?).

Here is my picture, taken with the nearest Blues paraphenalia I had (there is always something close). See you in the morning!

You are Awesome!

Day 86

I am inching ever closer to that elusive 100th post!

Let me catch you up a little on last night’s big playoff game. What? You didn’t know the playoffs started already? Oh yeah. My team finished dead last, so we played the best team in the league. I went 1 for 2 with a run scored (one of our 2 runs). They must have heard of my stellar defense at third, since they didn’t hit it to me there all night (OK, so most of the hits they had were to the outfield, but I think I was an intimidating factor). I did not pitch that great though, but it was all a lost cause at that point.

So, today’s awesomosity. I had a lunch meeting at O’Charley’s today, which allowed me to order my favorite appetizer ever. That’s right, ever. Spicy Jack Cheese Wedges (I was going to put a picture of the sampler platter I ordered in here, but I thought it might be seen as inappropriate at a business meeting to be taking a picture of my food). Either way, they are awesome.

So, I think it’ll be obvious how to be more awesome today. Order some of them delicious nuggets from your local O’Charley’s. Are they not your favorite appetizer? Are you allergic to cheese (big bummer)? Have another favorite? Post your best experience with an appetizer where it says “add comment” at the bottom of this blog.

Here is my picture of the day, which I took while my brother searched for a big buck he shot with an arrow in my parent’s backyard yesterday. He didn’t find it.

You are Awesome!

Day 85

I almost wrote this last night when I got home from work at about 1am, since that was today, technically. Especially since the awesomosity has to do with what I did when I got home. But I had just written yesterdays, so I decided against it, I hope that’s ok.

So, I know you are saying to yourself, what could Ben have possibly done at 1am that was so awesome? Read a book, thats what.

Most of the time when I get home from work at Llywelyns I am extremely tired, but usually have some trouble falling asleep, probably from too many Red Bulls. Therefore, sometimes I read for a few minutes before I try to sleep. Last night I was reading this book I just got the other day call “Sex God” by Rob Bell.

In it, (I am only two chapters in so far) Rob explores the connection between sexuality and spirituality. It really is very interesting. This is his second book, a follow up to Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith. VE is a great book and I highly recommend it to anyone.

Besides writing some very easy to read and thought provoking books, Rob is a very busy guy. He is the pastor at a church called Mars Hill in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They have about 11,000 people every Sunday come to the church that meets in a mall. For real. Awesome.

The other very cool thing he is a part of is called NOOMA. It is a series of videos that dicuss some very interesting topics. I saw a very powerful one called “Silence”. It was really good. Here is a preview of one called “You”, which he has played after talks about the book Sex God.

So for making your day more awesome, read a Rob Bell book. You should be able to find them at your local library, or they are probably only $15-$20 at Borders. If you have read them, then I recommend Irresistable Revolution by Shane Claiborn. Phenomenal book about how Christianity is being changed all around us.

Here is the picture, talk to you all soon!

You are Awesome!

Day 84

I know, I know, ya’ll thought I was gonna miss a day. Well, think again. I can’t break a streak like this, it’ll probably never happen again.

Anywho, on to the awesomosity. Tenacious Trivia. What is that you ask? Well, I’ll tell you.

It is a company that goes to local bars and restaraunts and asks trivia questions for prizes. It is a lot of fun. I didn’t actually get to play any trivia tonight, but I was present for it at, yep you guessed it, Llywelyns.

So here’s the deal. I have worked at Llywelyn’s for over a year now. Now my goal is to start bartending here. In order to bartend, I need to know how to serve. So, I trained as a server. That means that I can pick up server shifts. So a Sunday night shift opened up and I took it. Also, we have a new manager here that is female (hi Niki!) and shoudn’t be walking to her car alone after closing. So they offered me a little extra to hang around till close and walk her out. Easy decision there. So now you have no excuse to not come up and play some trivia, eat come great food, enjoy some awesome drink specials and hang out with me most Sundays!

About the trivia. I have been to, and even hosted trivia around before, but these people really have there stuff together. They have like scripts and stuff that say at which point in the night they are supposed to remind people to tip the servers and bartenders and all that. The questions they ask are well thought out and organized. They do this thing where they have an overall theme to the night and all the questions somehow relate to that. Tonight’s was “coffee and cigarettes”. So there were lots of questions about stuff like what coffee is good to the last drop and Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (great movie). It’s a lot of fun. And the winners get gift certificates (which I found out tonight, generally lead to pretty good tips for the servers!).

Your mission, should you choose to be awesome, is to come to Llywelyns next Sunday and hang out and play trivia. What? That doesn’t work for you? Then go to a local dining and drinking establishment for a special event. Maybe its rock star karaoke, or perhaps turtle races. It doesn’t really matter. Someone put a lot of thought and effort into making that event happen, the least you can do is support it, right? And that will help make you a little awesomer.

Here is my picture, in which I didn’t let my camera “settle” enough before taking the pic. Trippy, huh? See you Monday!

You are Awesome!