MattPie

I just realized Monday is a work-from-home day and the trade deadline, but since I don't have cable I can't just throw on NHL Network and monitor everything. :censored:

This is going to sound like snobbery, but what is good is rarely popular and what is popular is rarely good. Try different things than the people around you; sometimes it'll go well, sometimes it won't, but at least you'll get to know what you like. This goes for many more things than alcohol. Rusty nail. Great cocktail. Also, if you're in a decent bar (which may be a non-intersecting set with college bars), ask the bartender for a recommendation. Sometimes you'll get something amazing.

It was either motorcycle, bicycle, or volleyball. I guess I should have said it wasn't wedding tackle related activity. But that's another complaint altogether. :)

Once you get past entry-level PC support, it's a pretty good gig. Depending on your environment, the off-hours work can suck but probably a lot better than the hours for your current job. The only problem I run into are people working in IT that seem to hate doing IT work. Similar to Engineering, you tend to get a lot of people that see it as a lucrative career regardless of whether they're good at it or like doing it (not saying this is you AT ALL, just making a general observation). I wonder if doctors and lawyers experience the same thing? Complaint: tweaked something in the 'wedding tackle' yesterday, and I'm really uncomfortable today. I wasn't doing anything fun, even.

Speaking of which, I read an excerpt of Papillon in HS and finally read the book a couple years ago. Great action/adventure book. In theory it's autobiographical, although some dispute that Charriere borrowed some of the events from other prisoners. http://www.amazon.com/Papillon-P-S-Henri-Charriere/dp/0061120669/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329941112&sr=8-2

Maybe you should try some historical fiction or alternative history. The first is fictional characters placed in fairly well researched historical situations, the second taking a single pivotal event in history and having it go the other way. Or just stick with non-fiction, there's no reason to force yourself to read something you're not really interested in.

Boobies SMASH! http://www.jokeroo.com/videos/cool/woman-smashing-things-with-breasts.html Haunting.

Speaking of police fiction, a friend was recently talking this up. He lent his copy to someone else, so I haven't had a chance to read it yet: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Yiddish_Policemen%27s_Union

Once when I was 12 (late 80s), and once just as the movies were coming out (to refresh my memory). I've been thinking about reading them again, but I have so many other books lying around that there's not enough to repeat stuff.

Dude, it's seitan not tofu. Get it right! :) http://www.primalspiritfoods.com/products_flavor_details.php Teriyaki: SELL Thai Peanut: BUY Others: HOLD The trick is to not think of it as a competitor to beef jerky, but a snack on it's own.

Parts, but it's a bit too dry. I think I have both a physical copy and one on my Nook. I also have George Washington's rules of etiquette on there. A couple more now that I've been thinking about it: Silent Night (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/silent-night-stanley-weintraub/), describing the Christmas truce on the Western Front in 1914. Fascinating read. Paradox of Choice (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/paradox-of-choice-barry-schwartz/), looking at the correlation of happiness and the abundance of choices in Western society. This one is mostly self help for me, I'm really bad at making decisions. There's also a TED talk by the author:

They were pretty bad last night, at least I got to see it in person.

Caption this photo and you have it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Train_wreck_at_Montparnasse_1895.jpg I love this shot, my ex actually bought me a framed copy that's in my house. It was on a poster in the Science and Engineering Library at UB (2nd floor near the elevators, I think) from an "Engineering Failure Analysis" conference years ago. Cracked me up every time I saw it.

Great book, I was thinking about re-reading it the other day. Current: Longitude, about solving the issues with determining your longitude (especially at sea) http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/longitude-dava-sobel/1001953617?ean=9780802715296&itm=2&usri=longitude Started but lapsed: War and Peace. Too many names for too many characters. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2600 Last finished: Three Musketeers (http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1257) . I read Count of Monte Cristo (http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1184) awhile back and liked it enough to try another Dumas novel. I got a Barnes and Noble Nook last year, so I pull free epubs off gutenberg.org to read on it. In the past I would have just bought copies, so eventually I'll save some money. I'll still buy real books for things I really enjoy. And I should really use the library more often.

I was really happy when I broke the 250lb barrier, but I was coming at it from the other direction.

Motorcycles. A smattering of the various niches, I'll ride distance, dirt roads, mini-motocross, track time, and just cruising around. I think it's a combination of two things: I'm a unitasker type, and motorcycles gift you a perfect excuse the put all of your focus on one activity. Plus, from a young age I've loved rollercoasters and flying. A motorcycle on the right road is a combination of both. Speed, hills, turns, and making the bike dance for me. Skiing. I don't get out as often as I used to, but I love doing it. You won't generally find me in the moguls but bombing down the outer trails, preferably those that resemble a winding back road. See roller coasters. There's some crossover between the visceral feel of motorcycles and skiing. It's the same sense of naked speed, the same G-force as you carve a turn. Beer and food. I'm not that big on cataloging and discussing tastes, but I love trying new beers and foods. I don't brew, although I've considered it. I do cook a fair bit at home, but it's tough to get motivated to cook for myself knowing that I'm going to have leftovers for days. I read a fair bit. I've been tending towards the classics lately. I finished the Three Musketeers awhile back. I started War and Peace, but I don't think I'm going to finish that. It's OK, but just so daunting with the number or characters that each seem to have several names. I started reading a book about the efforts to devise a system to measure longitude in the 16-17th century the other night. It's not too long so it may just be a break form W-n-P. Photography. My ex- and possibly future-girlfriend is a photographer, so I started doing more with it for the last two years. I would assist her with assignments. Some of them, like the bellows view camera, I enjoyed more than she did. That thing fascinates me. I don't have anything impressive to shoot with, I use her T1i or once in a great while my Dad's old Minolta 35mm.

I picked up a six the other day (at the Consumer Bev on Union near the 400) to try with pizza and wings (from Pasquale's in East Aurora)[0]. It's OK, but I was disappointed. I was hoping for something with a bit more hops, more like Sly Fox's Pikeland Pils or Victory's Prima Pils. I think I'm just not a fan of traditional pilsner styles. I still have a few in the fridge, I'll have to give it a second taste. [0] We expats get all excited when we can get the real deal. :)

Pulled pork sandwich and whipped sweet potatoes last night with a couple beers (Caldera Pale Ale and Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald). Sounds like a romantic meal to me.

I'm guessing Thornton isn't getting a leaving the bench hearing, eh?

+1 on that, I love the Burrito-Subway class of restaurants. There's a Qdoba that's more convenient to me, but I think I like Moe's better.

Hmm, that's the second mention of Mexican today, and it is Victory Brewing's taco night...

I kinda like it, picked it up when I was living down in Maryland. So I picked up the two kinds they had at my Wegmans, Primal brand's Teriyaki and Thai Peanut. Since I only have a sample set of one package each, results may vary. Tried the Teriyaki first. The texture similar to a thickly sliced piece of deli-ham. A little chew to it, but not like real jerky. The Thai Peanut was far better, spicy, and thicker cut (not sure if that's a variation by package or flavor), and more chew to it. Still not "chew on it for 5 minutes", but better. I'd have it again, but it's not 'the real thing'. Warning to all the "real men" out there: I believe it was stated that "real men" wouldn't be found in the same aisle as this product, so you better avoid the snack and energy bar areas in the hippie section of your local Wegmans and Tops. There's other seitan and tofu products around there too, you better avoid the whole area. Leave all the yummy food for the rest of us. :)

It was a breezy 30 here in Buffalo, with a little snow in the air. Back in your box, we don't want to hear it. Buffalo pizza and wings: F'N Fantastic.

I think originally is was the alcohol companies that pushed to have it banned. Why buy a Bud when you can grow some bud in your yard?

Vegan Jerky acquired, haven't tasted it yet. I'll not it's not made from tofu but seitan (pronounced "Miro" :)). I'll try it over the weekend while in Buffalo. I mentioned at I got it to a vegetarian friend who remarked, "awww, that's so sweet that you were thinking of me." Uh, yeah of course I was. ;) Thanks SabreSpace!