Fair Exchange

A couple of weeks ago I helped a friend of mine with some electrical work. He returned the favor by giving me this. 

He turned it on a potters wheel then cut the grooves with a knife. The quality is outstanding by my simple judgement. 

On the Road Show they are always looking at the artist's trade mark. After we are gone, this mark is likely to be if high value, not for this ash tray, but for his other work. 

Last night I set out to Christen it but I just couldn't do it. Will do it, later. 

This Settles It

Not flying through Atlanta anymore.

When the trains go down, people end up getted mobbed in the tunnel that runs between the concourses.

Probably going to miss my connection. 

Update: I made the connection but if I had been 5 minutes later in arriving to the gate, I might have been waiting for the next flight. 

Traveling is no longer enjoyable. I got up at 6:00AM to give myself plenty of time to navigate the crazy roads in Tampa. I get on the plane for an on-time departure at 9:45. The plane starts taxiing when an electrical problem sends us back to the gate. The part had to be flown in from Atlanta, so 3 1/2 hours later we board the plane. 

When I landed in Atlanta, the trains were out of service. I arrived at the Terminal and had to get to concouse D. The pics above are at the mid way point. 

Here is the annoying part about humanity: people starting running down the moving sidewalks in the wrong direction only to be pushed back by waves of oncoming foot traffic. 

People are too stupid to allow room for the counter flow of traffic. 

As I closed in on my destination, I experienced the same scenario where I had to push trough waves of on-coming traffic. Fortunately, only at a fraction of the volume. 

What are we teaching people in our schools and in our media? Can't people be civil and learn to stay right and to allow room for oncoming traffic. 

Today I was thinking, this is what the first hour of the apocalypse will be like. Total mob hysteria. 

Batch #31 sTevo's Porter #17

Brew date: 8/2/14

I am involved in another corporate sponsored head shrinking seminar designed to foster trust between the ranks in the organization. I need to get feed back in one of those 360 degree anonymous surveys, so I opened the statistical pool by inviting a couple of buddies. It seems all my peers have moved on, and I don't have anyone left to play with. In order to bribe my buddies properly I offered booze or money as a payment, to help foster their participation.

So Randy asked for some #17, and me being true to my word, I brewed a batch of #17. 

Now we just have to wait a month or so and we will drinking some#17.

Brew notes.

Later on, I will post my 360 review and see if two groups emerge in the report, after my head is properly shrunken, again. I am expecting to see a bi-modal distribution.

Sunday August 10th update

Added the remainder of Kent hops then tried something new. Using an air mattress inflater with my siphon hose not shown, and battery charger, I aerated the wort. Let's see if the yeast picks up some steam. Will keep you posted.

Usually the beer is aerated while being transferred to the secondary. I have been in th habit of letting the beer slosh around  by holding the siphon hose at the top of the in-flowing Carboy. 

I didn't want the yeast to get all asthmatic the way I do after a brisk start of some aerobic activity. 

Regarding head shrinking truth or dare customer feedback questionnaires; I let the cat out of the bag about widening the gene pool by adding outside participants, so now my coworkers are demanding payments. I can see this isn't going to end well. 

Update: Devoured most of the batch one evening during Pool Night. Every one enjoyed it and thought it was great. I knew of the structure problems, but none of the others are beer snobs, so they couldn't tell. Or, they are too generous and couldn't bite the hand that feeds them. So, you think my beer sucks... we'll, see if you ever have a taste of it again... There, I'm sure they don't want to go.

 

Cigar Paraphenalia

Regarding lighters:

Someone in China heard my wish to make an inexpensive torch lighter with a large reservoir. 

When I'm at a convenient store, I will grab a low budget torch like this:

Who hasn't picked up a lighter during checkout, flicked it a few times, said cool, and picked one up? The problem with this unit, and others like it, is that they run out of fuel so fast. It's to the point that I have given up on them.  

Then, imagine having a triple burner like this:

I am lucky to get a half a dozen lights out of it. This guy even has a bottle opener and a mini LED flashlight built into the end of it. Just another example of a multifunction tool that doesn't do anything well. I have figured out that you can use the bottom of a Bic to open a bottle quite efficiently, and the phone has a light so I'm good without this guy too. 

We'll today I found the answer to my wish. The low budget jumbo torch:

He stands head and shoulders above all the little toy lighters that I have in my humi-drawer. And, it only cost $4.99 at the local emporium. I could have a four burner Rocky Patel lighter, but then I would have to drop $80. Who knows, I may just do that some day, if ever I have the oportunity to invite one of the executive VP's over for dinner. But for now, I'll be using the jumbo. 

The Superior Roach Clip

We were hanging out at Aficionado's talking about all things to do with enjoying our favorite cigars. After spending an exhausting day at the office, filling out requisitions and typing our fingers to the bone we like to settle down and burn one. Then our moment of satisfaction must come to an end. We have all been there and we have all tested methods for savoring that last half inch of cigar.

Comparing notes, some of us have used toothpicks, stainless steel ringed finishing nails, forceps, needle nose pliers etc. 

Each method has it's pros and cons. The toothpick, for instance will produce generous hints of burning wood and charcoal when you near the end. To be honest, it requires skill to use a toothpick because if you push the envelope, you will end up with a roach in your lap. I confess to doing it. 

The ring nail has the advantage of holding up to the heat but has the disadvantage of not having enough friction to keep longer butts extended out straight. 

The forceps solve both of the above issues but has the disadvantage of size, and the same goes for the pliers. 

While hanging out in NY the other week, I stumbled on the ultimate devise. The corn on the cob holder. 

The double SS prong solves the heat and stability issues and it's light weight and compactness make it the best tool for the job.

Now all I have to do is figure out how to market this new and novel invention to the cigar community. 

Second Harvest

The first harvest was asparagus and it was good.

Today we picked banana peppers. They came from the four lonely plants in the right front bed. These tiny plants produce a surprising number of peppers. 

So I decided today I would pickle them so I can put them on my sammiches. 

I found a recipe on the line , as Vince Vaughn would say, and will find the link later. 

Four plants fill a 24 oz jar. 

This is what we have to look forward to in a couple of weeks after the green beens are ready. 

Dilly Beans. 

Dumb kid wrecking my car

I go to the tire store to have new tires put on wifey's car. I specifically ask the counter guy 'you guys know how to drive VW's, right?' He says yeah sure. 

So I am standing outside because I hate the airconditioning on such beautiful days.  

I see this kid walk up to the car and he is just there staring at it likes he's never seen a German car before. He starts it up and immediately stalls. 

I figure it's time for some intervention or the cars gonna get towed home because this dude was wrecking my clutch and parking brake in one shot.

I walk up to the car and the kid says can I help you? I say do you know how to drive this car? It was a rhetorical question because it was obvious he couldn't. 

I said first you have to release the electronic parking brake. He is saying this is all so new to me. I said Step on the clutch and brake and push the button on the dash. So he did. 

Then I told him how to get reverse. Push down on the shift and move toward first. 

After long moments of hesitation the kid eases off the clutch. He eventually managed to back up the car. 

I figured this would happen and I normally leave a note in the car explaining  German engineering. Good thing I wasn't temped to walk over to the burger joint, or I woulda been walking home.