A New Word

We temporarily interrupt the Ten Day Challenge to bring you this new word just created by yours truly.

Pastorized
(verb)
1. To be preached to fervently.


As in:
I went to a Southern Baptist church on Sunday and the preacher shouted hell, fire and brimstone from the pulpit for an hour straight. I got pastorized.

Five Foods

Food... ah, glorious food. Like water, but with more flavor, it's something we can't live without. A trip to the bathroom scales tells me I could probably live with a little less though!

Be that as it may, today's question from the Ten Day Challenge is "Five Foods", so here are some of my favorites and one that is clearly not.

Photo from Simplyrecipes.com

1. Prime Rib. Looking at that picture almost makes me feel sorry for vegetarians... well, almost. One of the great things about prime rib is that it's usually accompanied by mashed potatoes and gravy. That combo could easily make my list too, but for now I'll just leave it here where it belongs, right next to that salt & pepper crusted, fat laiden, aromatic  P R I M E    R I B !!!

Photo by avlxyz on Flicker

2. Sushi seems to be one of those love or hate type of foods. Here's a little tidbit about me: When I was working in the restaurant industry, I spent a small stint working at a sushi bar. I was the only round eye there and as I look back on that experience I can't help but think about how cool that was.

Photo from Yorkblog.com

3. There are a number of desserts that rank up there in the "I like" category, but making the top of the list would be Creme Burlee. The simple ingredients, (egg yolks, heavy cream, sugar and vanilla) work perfectly together. I love the crisp caramelized sugar on top along with the chilled, velvety custard.

Photo from Turbokick.com

4. I've always enjoyed a good Salad Bar. We used to go to the Sizzler from time to time when I was growing up. I remember them having a great salad bar. It can be an entire meal in itself.

Photo from Kaylynskitchen.com

5. It's my opinion that anyone who would willingly eat an artichoke should have his or her head examined. It's a thistle people! It makes me wonder at what point some poor misguided soul went out into the sticker patch, looked at the knobby, green leafed bulb at the end of the stalk and said, "Wow, now that looks tasty! Think I'll take it inside, steam the snot out of it and then scrape the leaves against my teeth to enjoy the paste like substance contained within." One word   Y U C K !!!

Six Places

Today's installment of the Ten Day Challenge asks us about six places. Here's my two cents worth.



1. As a place this one's as big as it gets. I've always been fascinated with space.I took an astronomy class in college and it captured both my rational understanding and my imagination. With every answer we get, there are at least a hundred questions that follow.

Courtesy of NASA.gov

2. I mentioned the Pacific Ocean before in my lists of "Loves". I've enjoyed beaches from Baja to Washington. Running in the early morning hours along Moonlight Beach. The Blow Hole in Ensenada. Crabbing on the Oregon Coast... A lot of fond memories.

3.Washington DC is an amazing place. I went there about twenty-five years ago. I toured the Capitol Mall and was in awe of all the history that surrounded me there. The Lincoln memorial wowed me, but the most humbling experience was standing in the middle of Arlington Cemetery. I didn't know a single person who'd been laid to rest there, but I found myself standing there weeping at all the loss. I've never had a place move me like that before or since.

4. There's a place in eastern Oregon  near Sunriver where there are lava tubes underground that you can walk through. We went during the summer and even though the temps outside were in the 90's, the temp in the caves was only around 40. It stays pretty consistent throughout the year because they are about seventy feet below the surface. Walking through them with the family holding lanterns and flashlights was pretty cool. Literally and figuratively.

5. One of my favorite places is San Francisco. I spent my young adult life living about an hour north of the city. Italian food at North Beach...yum! Giants and 49ers games at Candlestick Park...usually pretty cold, but a bunch of fun. I always got to play tour guide when friends would come to visit. BTW- October is usually a great month to go there. Even though I've lived in the Portland area for more than ten years now, I still consider the bay area home.

Photo By: Rich Niewiroski Jr.

6. Midland Texas is one place I have absolutely no desire to ever go to again...Ever! My oldest brother and his wife lived there for a brief time many years ago. Mom and I went there to visit once and I can remember it being the flattest place I've ever seen. I think the highest hill there was actually a freeway overpass! I also remember experiencing the wildest thunder and lightning storm ever while there. We were in a mobile home and that did not help me feel any more secure.

Seven Wants

After a brief break for some fiction, it's time to get back to the Ten Day Challenge.

For reference I picked this up from a newly found blog called "Carp Dime"

You can also check out CrystalChick who just started it up today.


Today is a list of seven wants:


1. I want to turn on the evening news and hear the following, "Today marks the tenth anniversary of peace between Egypt and Israel."

2. I want to open up my monthly mortgage statement and see, "Balance Due - $0.00"

3. I want to travel more. There are a number of destinations in this country I'd like to visit.

4. I want telemarketers to drop off the face of the earth.

5. I want to drive the I5 & 217 split just one time without some moron darting into the exit lane in the very last possible second.

6. I want to see  my father again. I miss him.

7. I want to learn sign language.