This video contains many of the reasons that I wake up each morning: It's magical, mystical, passionate and powerful.
Watch the little girl at 1:26 - 1:30, as she moves in on the conductor's job, to the extent that she even reaches around him to direct the music. I have cried more than a few times - every time, actually - watching her entire body release the passion as she is standing on top of that grand piano, directing music from 2:19 - 2:26. Go Girl!
Whowouldathunkit? (Me! Me! Me!) A progressive rock band from New York City (not Siberia!) that combines the voices of an orchestra with a metal rock band? Both Billboard Magazine and Pollstar have ranked them as one of the top ten ticket-selling bands in the first decade of the new millennium.
Throughout the years, many musicians have had the opportunity to play with the Trans Siberian Orchestra. For more information on this New York City-based band:
I went to my closest Guitar Center yesterday to check to see if there was a deal that I didn't know that I couldn't live without, until I laid eyes on it! They were busy with Black Friday shoppers. I went into the keyboard room, and played Roland's Fantom-G8. At first, I started playing Carol of the Bells (the main theme in "Christmas Eve in Sarajevo") using a light music box sound. As I began playing more rounds of the song, I changed the music box sound into a bigger-than-life 16 ft grand piano sound, and eventually added a screaming electric guitar and a violin with an attitude. After a few rounds, I added the beat.
The Guitar Centers:
(they carry much more than guitars: Keyboards, drums, amps, etc)
Their website: http://www.guitarcenter.com/?source=4WWRWXMT
While I was playing this Fantom-G8, out of the corner of my eye, I could see several people peeking in the door of the music room. I know my arms were stretched straight out in front of me, I never hit a note that wasn't either a full-block chord, or an octave, and my head was going 100 MPH. As Mary J Blige says, "My soul temporarily left the building."
There were several rad-looking salesman lined up watching me. When I wound the phantasmagoria down to a whimper, I picked myself up, dusted myself off, and as I left the keyboard room, I whispered to the line of salesmen, as I passed: "Thank you! I needed that!" At that moment, they all turned into my own personal applause box! I think we were all 'rode hard, and put away wet', but every one of us would admit that a damned good time was had by all! :)
First and foremost, I will admit that I love Macy's. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a must-watch for me on Thanksgiving morning. That is one tradition that I have faithfully upheld since I escaped the house that I was raised in, and moved out on my own. (That is a long story, which is another blog for another day!) You will have to trust me when I tell you that my parents were ass-backwards, and I did not have a television in my home until I was 18 years old, which was when I moved out of the house, and I bought my own television. **EVERYTHING** that I now know about pre-1986 television AND secular music, I have had to learn after the fact, and I had to learn on my own.
Anywho.... back to "Black Friday".
Macy's is opening their doors at 12:00 PM Midnight, Friday morning. They aren't the only store to do such foolishness. I heard that Kohl's was committing the same act.
If you're opening your doors to shoppers at 12:00 AM, why the Hell even close at all?
When we combine greed with our #1 need (acceptance), the outcome is a toxic brew, indeed.
Yes, I am going out on Friday. I am going to St. Louis' old Crestwood Mall ("The Art Mall"), and I am stopping by the adjacent Guitar Center to see if there are any bargains that I can't pass up. Today, I am rearranging my music studio, and I might need some more cables to complete the connections.
HOWEVER.....
Right here and right now, I will swear to you that I have *NEVER*, and I mean *NEVER* bought anything from a "Black Friday" sale. And I never intend to do so in the future. Why not, you ask? The answer is simple:
First:
I am secure enough in myself that I do not need the 'latest, greatest' gadget to feel accepted by my peers, or to feel complete. I can make myself feel everything I need to feel, and without outside efforts. Additionally, the things that I now have in my possession work nicely, thank you..
Second:
I have worked diligently to make sure that I do not feed into current 'trends', especially those that assist in feeding the ravenous pigs: Retailers.
Third:
By feeding into this silly frenzy, you are encouraging retailers to further abuse their staff. I mean. C'mon. Really! There aren't too many employees that are willing to say, "Sure! I want to go to bed on Thanksgiving day at 3:00 PM, because I have to be at work at Midnight for some stupid sale to make you (the retailer) more money!"
Retailers: You should hope and pray that there is no such thing as an 'afterlife'. If there is an afterlife, I would love to be a 'fly on the wall' when you are being judged for the way you mismanaged innocent employee's time, only to feed your never ending greed.
Fourth:
After *I* die, as an example, I personally do not want to have to rationalize how I spent my only non-renewable resource: Time.
Did you spend that time wisely and efficiently, or did you wait in long lines - in the dark - for an item that will be obsolete in a year an a half/. (And.... you could have spent your time more wisely by shopping during normal shopping hours (avoiding lines), and spending your money more wisely on a better quality item that was NOT a part of the Black Friday sale, but one which has more features, and is of better quality. Sure. You will spend more money on the better item, but you only have to spend it ONCE. If you buy an item that will be obsolete in a year and a half, you will be spending more money then. (Which will make you more of a sucker, while simultaneously thrilling the ravenous retail pigs!) As another example, I have a Harmon / Kardon GPS that I finally had to replace this year. This GPS is 5 years old, and the only reason I had to replace it is that it has a faulty plug. **5 years**, I said. I also have my original MP3 player: 7 years old, and I use it daily. On the other hand, Mark has 4 MP3 players sitting on this very desk that he has spend much more $$ on, and they have a much larger memory capacity than the one I bought 7 years ago. HOWEVER.... they won't hold a batter charge for more than a few minutes. Therefore, all 4 of them are sitting on this desk. They are unused, and are taking up space....and they are annoying me. I will continue to use the 7 year old MP3 player that I continue to use on a daily basis. Incidentally, I only use size AA batteries in this MP3 player that I first 'depleted' in my camera. I wait until the camera will no longer switch on (because the batteries are so low) before I replace them. Then.... I take these batteries and use them in my MP3 player. ONE battery that is supposedly spent will last me 4 - 6 months of daily use in m MP3 player. These 'new' MP3 players that Mark has sitting on my desk can't hold a charge for 10 minutes. What gives? I can't tell you what gives, but I can tell you what takes! Ravenous retail pigs. I guess I really do know what gives. Gullible shoppers who are too lazy to think for themselves, and those that think they have to buy the 'latest, greatest' thing to 'fit in'. You can fit in WITHOUT IT, and you most likely don't need it!
If you will, please allow yourself to think of it this way:
If not one, and I mean *not one* person would walk into any of these silly retailers until normal shopping hours (and if the shoppers would refuse to wait in long lines for hours!), with 100% accuracy, I can guarantee you that these retailers would not do this foolishness one more year. Not once more! They will stop doing the behavior if the shoppers will stop feeding the ravenous pigs!
Congratulations to the local St. Louis (and the St. Louis area) restaurants and food sources that have earned their "15 minutes of fame", and have been featured in national media: Food Network and Oprah's list of Favorite Things in her "O" magazine.
First up:
The Blue Owl Restaurant
The Blue Owl Restaurant and Bakery is located in the quiet, sleepy little river town, Kimswick, MO (located 45 minutes from my home). I ate at this restaurant after their second appearance on the Food Network. If you go to this restaurant, it would be in your best interest to either put your name on the waiting list to get in, or call for reservations. If you do not have reservations, you can shop while you wait. It will be about a 2 hr. wait to get a seat if you don't have previous reservations. They were featured on this channel for their famous Levee High Apple Pie:
Recently, this restaurant - and their pie - has been featured in Oprah's "O" Magazine, as one of her Favorite Things:
Since their appearance in the "O" Magazine, their website has crashed often due to the high volume of hits. I did get on this site this morning.
A few years ago, I was introduced to Jilly's Cupcakes at the annual Best of Missouri Market at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Jilly's started out in a small shop in a strip mall on Delmar Blvd in the St. Louis area. They have since expanded their shop - twice- and now occupies 3 shops in that strip mall. Jilly's was a contestant on Food Network's "Cupcake Wars", and they won that episode. (Was there really any question that they wouldn't win? :) )
Jilly's - because of you, and my generally weak constitution, I now live on an exercise bike!
Last on thislist: (but the list could continue....)
Sweetie Pie's on the Mangrove
(8 miles from my home!)
Ronnie Montgomery, the founder and chef at Sweetie Pie's started her career as an Ikette. For those of you have been born since then, an "Ikette" was a back-up singer for Ike and Tina Turner, who got their start in East. St. Louis, IL - just across the river from St. Louis. Ike and Tina worked in many clubs St. Louis' Gaslight Square district "back in the day". Ronnie has several photos on the walls of the restaurant of herself, along with the other Ikettes when they are a part of the Ike and Tina Turner Revue.
The food at this restaurant is billed as 'Soul Food', but the only 'Soul' that I can find in this food is that that originates from the core of her own heart. This food is more 'Southern comfort food' than 'Soul Food'. I have read many review that were written about Sweetie Pie's, and many of them state, "Your mother only wishes she could cook like this!"
The food is served 'cafeteria style', and feature several different meats, sides, and a couple desserts each day. I have been to this restaurant many, many times. Even though Ronnie is famous for her Mac & Cheese, I was put here on this Earth to tell you that I have never in my life tasted better Fried Catfish! It does not have a "muddy, river" taste, and will stay crispy several hours after you take it home. Their serving portions are HUGE, and it is almost expected for you to ask for a take-home container at the end of your meal.
The service at the restaurant is almost uncomfortable and uncanny, in the fact that they are definitely on their job! It has been several decades since I have seen such good service in any restaurant. If you go to Sweetie Pie's on a weekend, while you eat, you will often be entertained by live jazz music, provided by a small band, and often played on the grand piano that is painted to match the decor of the restaurant.
Recently, Sweeties has secured a spot on the OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network), and she has her own show - "Welcome To Sweetie Pie's!" The show airs on Saturdays at 8 PM Central.
More info on "Welcome To Sweetie Pie's" on OWN Network:
Robbie's appearance on Food Network's Diner's Drive-Ins and Dives with Guy Fieri:
This clip is a longer interview, and goes into a bit more depth. This Ronnie Montgomery's appearance on Channel 9 (Public TV), making her Famous Mac & Cheese, and a couple other delights:
These are just a few local food finds that have made their way into the national spotlight. There are many more notable food and drink spots in this area that I have not covered that will include (but are not limited to):
1) Crown Candy Kitchen:
Although the candy is featured, there is more to this spot than the candy. In fact, I have never bought candy from them...because I go to eat in the attached diner. If you go to this are, you must be aware of the area that you are in. They know they are in a bad area of town, but as the owners / operators have said, "We have been in this area since 1913. We were here before the area turned bad, and we are staying here." My advice: Go early. The line to get in will literally go out the door at lunch time. Park as close to the door as you can - and always get an old-fashioned Malt! Great diner food. Great nostalgia.
3) Schlafly Brewery (AKA. The St. Louis Brewery).
Located in the Maplewood area of St. Louis, this brewery has it's own bar and restaurant, and you can get a clear view of the process behind the process of beer making.
As I have previously stated: These are just a few of the food and drink spots in the St. Louis area that have had national coverage.
We could cover the Central West End, The Grand South Grand and the Delmar Loop (featuring the stars of the St. Louis walk of fame!) shopping and restaurant areas....
In summary:
I have said on more than one occasion that if we are going to kill ourselves from over-eating, don't be lame in the way that you go about it. After all, isn't killing yourself murder? In my belief system, murders go to a bad place (Hell?) after they pass from this Earth. If you kill yourself, whether it be from a self-inflicted gun shot wound, or overeating, the results are the same: you murdered yourself. I believe that if we do such a thing, we will arrive in that Inferno. Upon our arrival, we will be surrounded by "Hell Royalty", such as Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden, Fidel Castro, Adolph Hitler........ When they ask you, "What brought you here?", are you going to embarrass yourself by answering, "I ate a Twinkie?" or "I had a store-bought, pre-packaged cupcake?" or "I put too much mayonnaise on a plain ham sandwich?" Good God, I hope you don't have to answer in that manner! I want you to be proud of yourself! I want you to be able to answer, "I ate the Cadbury Egg cupbake from Jilly's!" or "I had the Mac & Cheese from Sweetie Pie's!" However you decide to answer, I would hope that you won't have to answer, "I ate a super-sized order from McDonald's!"
If you are going to do it - do it right, and do it with style! :)
I'm willing to bet that the nice, young utility line workers that met 3 of our 4 dogs in the back yard are probably wishing that they would have notified me that they were back there before I let the dogs out to go potty!
My dogs won't hurt anybody, but they sure will bug the Hell out of them!
We live on a fairly heavily wooded acre, and I can't see all the way to the back of the property. These gents were cutting trees away from utility lines in our neighbor's yard, and I thought I had plenty of time to let the dogs out one more time before they came into my back yard. HOWEVER....I couldn't see back there, and...they had already crossed the chain-link fence, rather than go through the gate to the back yard.
By the time I heard the commotion, and I got back to the back fence, I know one of the lads had the pointy top piece of the chain link fence up his butt, because he was sitting, perfectly balanced, on top of the fence! The other lad was as close to the top of his ladder as he could get!
I am not horribly territorial, and neither are my dogs. Once I got back there to the action, I only had to point to the house, and say, "GO!". All 3 went back home, like they were trained.
I turned to the man with the grimace on his face (the one sitting on the pointy fence!), and I said:
"None of us really cares that you are back here. I know you are just doing your job, and I am thankful that you're here. **IF** there is a 'next time', you might want to come through the front door, and meet the dogs so they won't be taken by surprise by a stranger that suddenly appeared in their own back yard. If you cover those bases, you might not have to do such fancy fence hopping the next time!"
I tried to make good by them, by telling them that they could leave the debris that they cut from the trees in the pile that I already had started in the back yard. It is a LONG WAY to carry all that cut wood back the wood chipper on their truck. I offered them a deal: If you leave the wood in fire place-sized pieces, they can leave it where it falls.
I don't know if offer truly made up for an Olde English Bulldogge nipping at his ...testicles..... (and a Black Lab / Shar Pei and a Yellow Lab / Chow helping him!), but it's not like I didn't try! :)
It is a beautiful November day. November 14, 2011.
The time is currently 11:45 AM, and by at least three degrees, the St. Louis area has already exceeded the predicted daily high temperature of 74 degrees. The temperature is now 77 degrees. I have seized this opportunity to go outside and clean up the few garden and planting beds that I have around our home. We had a hard freeze a few days ago that took my Heavenly Blue Morning Glories that was growing thick on our back fence. I started those seeds indoors earlier in the spring, and these vines decided to wait to bloom until early fall. I only had a couple months of seeing them in full bloom, but they were beautiful. That freeze also took Zucchini plants that were still flowering and bearing fruit, and tomato plants, some of which had manage to remain hidden from the squirrels and chipmunks long enough to remain as loaded as possible with flowers and small, green tomatoes. I will allow no waste. That is against every fiber of Hindu belief in my body. I harvested all the small green tomatoes, and I will use them in the vegetables that I eat daily.
I have also harvested some sprigs of Wormwood (Artemisia), and the French Lavender that did amazingly well this year. Dried, the sprigs of Artemisia are thin,soft sprigs and they have an earthy, comforting fragrance, which I will not allow to go to waste. I was surprised to see the beautiful, pastel colors displayed by this plant, as if to give one last "HURRAH!" on it's way out, and in the middle of it's death throws.
(I hate the use of a flash in my photography. The use of a direct flash is, at best, rude, but it is SOMETIMES an evil necessity that should not be used with any regularity.)
I was pleasantly surprised by the colors this plant exhibited at the dying stage in it's life cycle: The pastel pinks, yellows, light greens, and ultimately, silver.
In good Hindu fashion, I always thank the plant for it's service, for it's beauty, and for it's sacrifice before I cut it. I do the same thing with every vegetable I harvest, and for every weed I pull out of my gardens while they are growing. You have to admit that the tenacity, fortitude, resilience, and the will to survive while combating every means to extricate it are the qualities that a weed possesses that should be admired. If we could only adopt the same values, character and strengths, we should be much better for it.
These unseasonably warm temperatures brings me to an interesting observation.
Picture it:
You drive by a bus stop, and see (anyone!) standing there on a day like today. Even though the calendar clearly states that It is November 13, and that we definitely have had some freezing overnight temperatures, and actual temperature is 77 degrees. Tonight's low is forecast to be 51 degrees. Chilly - yes. Cold - no.
I know as sure as I am writing this blog that if there are bus stops in your area, you have passed a bus stop on a day like I have just described, and you have seen more than one person standing there: Heavy coat on, wearing gloves, and perhaps a stocking cap, or some other type of heavy head protection. Even upon taking into consideration personal deviations for temperature variances, you will have to admit that wearing HEAVY winter gear on a 77 degree day is over kill. This is not an unusual or rare phenomenon, dear readers. I could get in my truck at this very moment, and take a drive through the streets of St. Louis, and I **guarantee** you that, most likely, every bus stop (or shopping mall....grocery store, etc) will contain hot, sweaty folk who have overdressed for today's temperatures.
Now that you have admitted to yourself that this does, indeed happen, let's examine why they do it. The reason is simple. They rationale is this: The *calendar* says that it is November, so I have to "dress like it is November. Never mind the fact that it is damned near 80 degrees out there!
Last weekend, Mark and I went to one of our favorite Indian restaurants. (Yes, another November day!) The temperature was, once again, in the 70's. I was wearing a tank top, shorts, and sandals. Mark, on the other hand, was wearing a heavy winter coat, long a long sleeved flannel shirt, a pair of heavy jeans, and tennis shoes. Can you just imagine, if you will, the "sight for sore eyes" that we must have been - sitting at that table? I was dressed for comfort, and according to the temperature. He was dressed merely by the calendar. Then, we got in the car - and he turned the heat on! He turned it on HIGH! Why? "It's November, and we need the heat on!" I was in full summer garb, and I had to roll my window all the way down. I thought I was going to suffocate. Mind you, I LOVE WARM, BALMY temperatures! I would love to live as close to the equator as possible. I am very cold-blooded, and would rather life my life being a 'little too warm' rather than 'a little too cold."
Are people really nailed to a calendar so firmly that they can't use the rest of their minds to determine how to live their life as comfortably as possible, and to take full advantage of as many wonderful opportunities (a great, warm day in the middle of November!) as possible?
1) Don't be influenced by others. You are the one that is living your life. When it comes time to "do the dying", other people are NOT going to do it for you. You are going to be "doing the dying" all by yourself. You should be the one "doing the living", too. They're not going to be "doing your dying", and they shouldn't be the ones "Doing your living", either. Don't be afraid to live your own life.
2) A calendar is just a few pieces of paper. How silly it is to be it's slave!
3) "What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson Don't forget to stop and consider the Lilies - AND the dandelions!
4) "I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don’t notice it." - by Alice Walker
from The Color Purple, 1982
From Michael:
"I think it pisses God off when you don't consider other blessings in your world, and when you overdress on a 70+ degree day! You were given a rare day with good temperatures, and you fight it! I think that pisses God off!"
Now, if you will excuse me, I am going back outside to finish my yard work. I am wearing no shirt, no shoes, and a pair of shorts... in November. Thank you, God.... Thank you, Ganesha!
My favorite cookie recipe, the Lime Cornmeal Glazed Cookie: The cookie that bites back!
Incidentally, and for no particular reason, this recipe contains no leavening agents (baking soda / baking powder) and no salt.
If you don't consider the time it takes to zest those limes, this recipe is very simple and fast. The night before I plan to bake these cookies, I take the limes, my favorite zester and a bowl into the living room, and I 'zest the night away' in front of the TV! The only liquid in the glaze is juice from the limes. Pucker up, buttercup!
They are definitely a wake-you-up cookie. Take one bite, and your eyes pop wide open!
Unless the limes are HUGE, I find that I need a lot more limes to get the right amount of juice and zest than the recipe calls for. I often use 12 - 14 limes.
I let the glaze that drips off onto the parchment paper dry, and I eat it like candy! Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature.
If you use margarine, I will come to your house and beat you! 1 cup sugar 1 large egg 4 teaspoons freshly grated lime zest, plus 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (about 6 limes total).
If you use lime juice out of one of those plastic squeezy-thingys, I will come to your house and beat you TWICE! 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest (2 medium oranges) 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup yellow cornmeal
Directions
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add egg; beat until just blended. Add citrus zests, lime juice, and almond extract.
With the mixer on low speed, add flour and cornmeal. Continue beating until well blended. Transfer dough to a piece of plastic wrap. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap, and chill until firm, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using your hands or an optional 1 1/4-inch ice-cream scoop form balls from chilled dough. Place balls on prepared sheets, spaced about 3 inches apart. Spray the bottom of a medium drinking glass with non-stick cooking spray. or moisten the bottom of the glass slightly with water, and flatten balls with the bottom of glass until dough is about 1/4 inch thick.
Bake cookies until crisp and light-golden brown around the edges, 14 to 16 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to a wire rack, and let the cookies cool completely. From personal experience, I find this baking time a bit too long. Watch the first batch of cookies closely. They can burn quickly!
Place a wire rack on top of a piece of parchment paper. Pour the lime glaze over the cooled cookies, allowing the excess to drip off the edges. Let glaze set. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Lime Glaze
Sift confectioners' sugar into a medium bowl. Add lime juice; stir until smooth. Stir in lime zest. Your proportions of lime juice to confectioners' sugar will vary, depending on humidity, the size of the limes, and the amount of juice they yield. You might have to use more or less juice or confectioner's sugar, accordingly.
2) My cell phone is *not* my hobby. I have real hobbies, and I'm good at them. It shouldn't be your hobby, either, but you are responsible for how wisely you use your time, and that is your own business. 3) I don't read text messages. I don't sent text messages.
To paraphrase a well known game show, "If you can't afford to buy a vowel, and use complete sentences, proper puncuation and proper grammer, you can't afford my attention." (I also don't respond instant messages who are written in the same duck-speak.
3) If I missed your call, there are several reasons why: a) I will take your call if I am expecting it. b) I hate the damned thing (cell phones)! c) I didn't hear the damned thing ring. It is not now, nor will it ever be, attached to my hip. d) You say you left a message? See #1.
4) I do not take pictures with my phone. That is what a real camera is for. I have a real camera, and I am pretty good at using it. While I am on the subject, like the damned plague, I try to avoid looking at pictures taken with cell phones. They hurt the only eye I have left, and I think it is in my best interest to protect that lone retina. Isn't that "Facebook Button" that is located on some 'smart' phones quite the invention? At the moment, I can think of no other gimmick that encourages fast, ill-thought out photography that is quickly posted by people who are too lazy to crop or to other wise properly prepare a photograph before it is made viewable by the general public. At an alarming rate, the internet is splattered by random acts of "BLAH!"
5) I won't even talk on a cell phone while driving my vehicle. Never. Not even for you. In fact, I usually turn it off before I get in the car, and I don't turn it back on until I exit the vehicle. (And that is if I remember, or I care to turn it back on!)
6) I will not talk on a cell phone while walking through a store, and especially while waiting in the check out lane - or any other public place, as far as that is concerned. That is rude. If I would be waiting on an important call, I will quickly excuse myself and get to a more private area before continuing the concersation. If people taking loudly on cell phones in stores / check out lanes annoy the Hell out of me, why wouldn't I think that the same behavior would annoy the hell out of someone else? It does!
I do answer messages sent to me on Facebook or e-mails faster than any other mode of communication. The reason is that I am probably already on the internet or on my computer, and thus I can kill 2 birds with the same stone. My precious resource - time! - is saved.
