Trouble in Taco Town

So over the past week I have read three separate articles concerning strange crimes committed at three different Taco Bells nationwide. It's quite the coincidence, and also made me think twice before rushing out to satisfy my mystery meat craving.
The first story is about a man who handcuffs himself to coworker in a last ditch attempt to get her to date him. When she (obviously) started freaking out and screaming for help he uncuffed her and drove home, only to be arrested there an hour or so later
The second story is about a drive thru person who forgot to put hot sauce in with one mans order. So what did the customer do? He went back, with a shotgun, and demanded that the employee correct the mistake. He also was arrested.
And the last story is about a guy who called 911 while at Taco Bell. When asked what the emergency was the man explained that the employees wouldn't serve him at the drive thru because he wasn't in a car. When asked why he wasn't in a car the man replied that he was too drunk to drive. He was also arrested and charged with misusing the 911 emergency system.
And there you have it. I tell you, strange things are afoot at Taco Bell...strange things indeed.

Birthday Quilt

Quilt made out of my favorite old T-shirts

So one of my projects a few weeks back was to attempt to make a quilt out of t-shirts for my little brother. I'd been thinking about it since before last Christmas, and had been saving all my favorite t-shirts for the past ten years, and finally I decided I just needed to get it done. It was an experiment, since neither of us has any quilting experience, and a bit of a challenge as well because no two shirts seemed to stretch or sew the same. I wisely enlisted the help of my mom (who has way more patience than I am and doesn't start swearing when we have to undo something sewn backward or upside down.) And we were able to get the whole thing done in one (long) day!

Manny and Eddie Jr. modeling quilt:)

Quilt in it's new home in Coldfoot AK (Photo by Jason Smith)

Not only that, but it survived the long journey north to Coldfoot Alaska, and arrived in time for my little bro's birthday last week!

Week 2: Packers vs. Panthers

I found out yesterday afternoon that the BF would have to work today. So while I was excited for Game Day I was pretty bummed by the idea of having to head out to the bar this morning solo (because they weren't playing the game on network TV here, and we don't have the Sunday Ticket). It's one thing for the two of us to go, but being one half of the Los Gatos Packer Nation, and having to face three hours of drinking alone in a bar, I was less than excited. Then around bedtime last night I had an epiphany. My gym gets Direct TV (and since the Ticket is now free...grrrrrr) I decided to head over there and watch the game. There are 5 flat screen TVs, and when I got there one was available. The kicker is, that there is no sound except for the headphone jacks in the various cardio machines. And the bigger kicker is that the sound doesn't turn on unless you are moving on the machine!

So I traded my awesome Woodson jersey and a few brewskis for my sweats, a bottle of water and THREE HOURS on the eliptical machine....I am exhausted! And I think I scared my fellow gym members at least a couple times when a big play happened, and I forgot that I was in a gym and not in my living room. Surprisingly I only almost fell off the machine twice. And that was because I was trying to watch the game...elipt or whatever it's called so I could hear it, AND text game highlights to my BF as they happened. I dare anyone else to attempt such a feat and stay upright.

Anyway, getting to the game.

Carolina's opening drive was long, and more importantly they scored. I felt like I was moving faster than the Packers secondary was, and the lack of a pass rush was ridiculous, especially since the Panthers have no running game. The D line did well, I thought (which is why there was no run game) but the secondary was slow, and (in my opinion) played too far back, and gave up on hitting Newton too quickly when they blitzed, giving him way too much time to find an open receiver.

That being said, when they came out after halftime, I don't know who said what in the locker room, but the defense finally began acting like the Super Bowl champs they are. Woodson got two interceptions and a fumble recovery, suddenly the secondary was batting down passes, and getting all up in Carolina's face. And when you are dealing with an offense that has no running game, it's a very successful strategy. The injury to Nick Collins was the only bad thing that happened on the Packers defense the whole second half. I sure hope he's OK. It didn't look good, but he waved as they carted him off. 

The offense was pretty good I think. Again I like the no huddle. I wish they would have run it more in the second half, but I realize it becomes a clock issue at some point, and I am not football savvy enough to know when and why you'd opt not to use it (unless you are behind). And I have to say that while it wasn't a huge passing game, I thought that had more to do with the Carolina defense playing well, rather than the Packers offense playing poorly...although Rodgers did have a really bad drive in the third quarter, where his passes were a little off. Anyway, Starks had a good game, one 40+ yard rush, and Grant did OK too. Kuhn dropped a pass in the end zone, but took one in for the TD on the next play. Jennings didn't catch a lot of passes (or Rodgers fault than his) but scored. Donald Driver broke James Lofton's record for franchise passing yards, and Finley had some nice consecutive catches. Over all, a solid performance. The one (?) sack on Rodgers was a missed block by tight end Tom Crabtree, and so while that's not great, it wasn't a O line problem.

And finally, I don't know if special teams improved or if the Panthers special teams really suck but I thought they did way better this week (except for the Cobb fumble). 

The first quarter really threw me for a loop. But other than that the team over all played well I thought. Some might argue that three quarters out of four isn't bad. But in the NFL, I don't think that's the case. I'm not sure why the D had such a slow start, but I think they will have plenty of material to look at before we take on the Bears next week. As for the offense, I think their big task will be to find a way to keep Julius Peppers away from Rodgers.

Scariest Dudes in Football

Here are my top six scariest guys in the NFL.

CLAY MATTHEWS

Talk about a beast! I don't think I could pick up one of his humongous arms with both of mine. And his warrior stance/ battle cry after a sack is so thoroughly terrifying that I have to fight the urge to shout uncle and surrender my troops even though I don't have any. He's like the Barbie version of the Incredible Hulk. Scary, but strangely beautiful too. If there was even the possibility of there being a sequel to the movie 300, he would totally be in it, and unlike Gerard Butler I don't think he'd need the other 299 guys or have to do much acting.

JAMES HARRISON

It's his eyes. He's like Medusa and car headlights all rolled into one. Just a glance and you are too terrified to move. Your blood turns to ice and the little hairs on the back of your neck stand up and your brain starts screaming "Hide!Hide!" but you can't because your feet have turned to stone and you are rooted to the spot. And that's just how he makes me feel when he's on TV.


NDAMUKONG SUH

Here.

Not here.

This guy is tough, possibly the toughest in the NFL, and boy oh boy can he be scary! When hes lined up on the line of scrimmage just the slightest furrow of his brow is threatening enough to make me want to roll over, fall off the couch in my living room, and play possum. I've seen him throw a couple punches too, and I'd rather hit my head against a brick wall than be on the receiving end of his wrath. But then when he smiles it's like looking at a different person, and you have to fight the urge to give him a big ol smacker right on the cheek (as the seal above has demonstrated). He's like Dr. Jekyll Mr. Hyde, and you never know what you will get. One minute he's a prize fighter, the next a giant cuddle bug (don't tell him I said that or he might punch me).


TAKEO SPIKES

Even when he smiles, he scares me. Some guys just ooze toughness, and he is one of them. I bet he's looked mean since the day he was born. He was probably the only baby in history who could make a little blue cap and diaper look badass. And he is such a beast on the field! I wince when I see him line up for a play.


TAKEO SPIKES NECK
Normally I would include a person's neck along with the rest of their body, but in this case I feel compelled to make an exception for several reasons. 1.) It's size. I think it's actually bigger than his head. It probably weighs in somewhere between a decent sized sixth grader and a petite woman, and therefore I believe it should be treated as a separate person.
2.) His neck doesn't need the rest of his body to strike fear into your heart. Just one look at it sitting there doing nothing, and I am terrified into awe.
3.) His neck makes him the singular player that is almost more terrifying from the back. You see him  on the field with a helmet on and you think "Hey why is that guy wearing an inner tuber around his...wait...OH MY GOD THAT'S HIS NECK!!"


BRETT KEISEL

To be honest it's not so much him that I find scary, as it is his last years Super Bowl beard. I could barely tell there was a face under there. He had to bobby pin his mustache to his sideburns just to take a sip of Gatoraide.  For all I know he's a robot covered in hair. It's that hard to tell. The Secret Garden, or Jimmy Hoffa could be lurking in there somewhere, and we'll never know. And when he stuffs his beard into his chin guard that looks like a pair of tighty whities, and the hair sticks out everywhere well....let's just say the mental image is enough to make me turn tail and run. I would rather be humiliated on television in front of the world than be within tickling distance of that beard.

Glowing Kittens

Glowing Kittens! (image from discovermagazine.com)

        Well, it was only a matter of time before scientists "made" kittens that glow as well as puppies. These adorable little guys are being used to study feline HIV (which apparently can also infect monkeys). The virus was inserted into the eggs of the mother to see whether the kittens would be immune to feline HIV afterward. In order to tell if the virus actually made the transfer it was tagged (i.e. inserted into the virus) with a bioluminescent gene from jellyfish that would glow under a black light. The 'glow' was used to confirm that the virus indeed made it into the kittens, which is obviously a necessary control on the experiment. Isn't that ingenious? Oh science, you've done it again!

The Croswell Stockyards

Some of my best memories of living in the Cros-Lex area of Michigan was going to the stockyards on Monday mornings. On any given day you could find anything from live goats for $25 (Which, you becha, I tried to buy.  But my parents shot me down even after I talked the sellers down from $30! Their reason was something about not being allowed to have hoofed animals in the suburbs of Detroit, or some such nonsense.) to mint condition original Star Wars action figures still in the box (these we were allowed to take home.) This past visit back to Mi, we stopped in to check it out. It looked exactly the same, with many of the vendors in the same spots they were when I was fifteen. And so my first time to the stockyards, in probably 5 or six years, did not disappoint. Here are just a few treasures that would have been mine, had I not to fit them in a suitcase and haul them back to Cali:

ALF!!!!

Giant box of saws.

Oakland Raiders fan gear.

Piggies! ($50 each)

Local tomatoes...yummm!

Very worried cow.

Dog sled.

Gifts for my enemies...

Vegan for Dinner

My first vegan dinner!

On my trip back to Michigan I was treated to my first vegan meal ever by my brother. And I learned three very important things:
1.) Being vegan is not contageous.
2.) Contrary to popular thought eating a dinner without meat won't kill you.
3.) Vegan meals can actually taste good!

Mixing the dough

He made something called saitan, which is pronounced "Satan" (and was pretty much who I thought would be the mastermind behind a meal that contained no meat or dairy products of any kind). Saitan is a flour and water mixture which becomes spongy  in consistency that is then boiled and takes on the flavor of whatever is used to season the water. Then you fry it in a pan in bacon grease and...just kidding:) You fry it using some olive oil and soy sauce.We used it to make a stir fry and it took the place of chicken or steak.
It was a simple recipe, and although it didn't taste like meat per se, it had a fried noodle taste to it that I found to be really quite good. And it filled me up. I don't know any vegans beside my brother, but if I did I would totally make this dish again!

Frying it up

While I'm not sure that I'd ever have it in me to give up meat entirely, I have definitely had an epiphany in terms of the possibilities of vegan cuisine, and would be very interested to try it again. It seems to be pretty tough to eat vegan, especially out in restaurants, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to have a good meal, especially at home. And it really makes you think about how much we use other animals, their unfertilized offspring and their milk in our everyday cooking. Considering the sheer number of animals necessary to support such a diet as ours there is definitely a point to be made about the process by which these animals and the products made by them end up on our dinner table. I think that is why most vegans are vegan, because of ethical concerns related to the exploitation and quality of life of the creatures that eventually become our dinner. If anyone has anything they'd like to share concerning this topic, I'd be very happy to post it in the main body of this blog for others to read!

Tornado? Or Not?

Fallen Tree 

While at home in Michigan for the Labor Day weekend, there were three things I wanted to accomplish (besides visit with family) The first was go out on the boat, the second to enjoy a good old fashioned thunder storm, and the third was to visit the biggest Christmas store in the world.
Well, the thunderstorm did happen, although it got a little rougher than I was hoping. We'd been on the boat all afternoon, but decided to call it a day when some dark ominous clouds presented themselves on the horizon to the west. We'd been home for about an hour, and I'd just made a cup of coffee, when the thunder began. My dad and I opened some windows that faced north so we could look out and really take in the storm.

Top of tree on cottage

It happened so quickly it's a little hard to remember exactly what happened. It started pouring rain. Not gently but buckets. Then it the wind picked up and it was raining horizontally, from north to south right through the windows. And then it began to hail. It was then that Dad gathered us all together and we rushed downstairs. As we looked out the windows, the siding on the side of the building began flapping, and all sorts of things were being banged around outside. The boat that we'd just been on, was pushed by the wind on it's trailer about 8 to 10 feet away from the truck where it had been disconnected. The storm was really something to behold. The whole thing was over in about five minutes. It continued to rain and thunder, but not like before. We went outside to take a look around and noticed that some of the shingles on the roof were lifted a little, and that the fence on the side of the dumpster had blown down. Several fire trucks and other emergency response vehicles zoomed by, most of them going down the streets just behind us.

Tree on camper

Afterward we went to check on my grandmother and uncle, and saw the downed trees, including one that fell on a cottage, that littered the neighborhood. Thankfully no one was hurt. The storm and the damage was limited to about a quarter mile around where we were. I don't know for sure if it was a tornado, but it was definitely the closest thing to one I have ever experienced.

Week 1: Packers vs Saints

Goal line stand (photo from packers.com)

For all of the NFL fans out there this year's season opener between the Packers and the Saints did not disappoint. For all us Packer fans the game was exciting and at least for myself, a little stressful toward the end. I told my BF if this is any indication of the season, then it's going to be an exciting ride.
The offense started out on fire. They came out of the gate running, and really didn't stop until that three-and-out somewhere at the end of the second quarter I think. The no huddle is new for the Packers offense, and so far I have to say I love it. With the right group of guys it is so effective (just look at Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts) and Rodgers is the right quarterback to lead that kind of offense. I give McCarthy a lot of credit for making that part of the game plan, especially since he is the offensive play caller.
The offensive line did a really nice job. After trading Daryn College to the Arizona Cardinals, there was some adjusting to do, but the O-line really performed well. Clifton had some good blocks, and only two false starts were called on the offense, both on T.J. Lang. Rodgers was sacked twice, but at least the second time it had nothing to do with the offensive line, James Starkes missed a block, which resulted in the sack.
The running game went well, with a combined total between Ryan Grant and Starks at right around a hundred yards. The average was 4.5 yards a carry or something like that, which is slightly better than average. I noticed Starks played more downs than Grant did, and I think that will continue throughout the season. It was my opinion at the end of last season that Starks would give Grant a run for his money (no pun intended) and from what I've seen so far James Starks is the better running back. Starks scored a nice touchdown, and hopefully that too will be an ongoing trend.
Kuhn was a free agent this past year, and I am glad to see the Packers signed him to a deal for at least three more years. He had some nice plays, and scored a TD, but by far the best play was when he physically held Randall Cobb up after colliding with the Saints special teams players during a punt return that resulted in a TD. It was totally amazing! And since special teams was definitely the weak link last night, it is somewhat comforting to know that at least Kuhn is out there making plays.
Jermichael Finely had a couple nice catches, and more than anything it was nice to see him out on the field running and diving and looking like his pre-injury self. Driver had some nice catches, tying, but unfortunately not breaking the Packers all time record for receiving yards. It would have been nice for him to break the record at a home game, but I'm sure he will take the record however it comes. As a side note, I think Donald Driver should win an award for the best smile in the NFL. Every time I see him grin after a catch I swear that the word feels like a happier place. But getting back to football...
Randall Cobb. WOW! What an NFL start! You have to hand it to the coaching staff, for snatching this guy up in the second round of the draft. I found it interesting that both Rodgers and Cobb were the two last players in the green room during their draft years, and both selected by the Green Bay Packers....maybe that's why it's called "green" room? Being selected last, I think you go into the NFL with something to prove, and you feel differently about the team that finally does choose you. I think both of those things has contributed to make Rodgers (and maybe Cobb) the football player that he is. Anyway, Cobb takes a punt return 108 yards for a touchdown tying the NFL record! It is the first time that has happened in ten or eleven years for the Pack. Apparently McCarthy was shouting some not-so-nice things into his headset when Cobb took off running, but started cheering for him when he was hoisted up by Kuhn at the 40 and ran to daylight. And then shortly after Cobb caught a pass by Rodgers (after running the wrong route!) and made a spectacular dive into the end zone. It's probably too early to speculate but holy mackerel, I like where Cobb is heading! Jennings had a couple great catches. Those back shoulder throws and catches are my favorite. And Tom Crabtree had a nice catch and some nice blocks.
The defense had some good moments, but they occurred between some pretty bad ones too. The D-line did great I thought. With B.J. Raji front and center they may as well have put a brick wall up there. It reminded me of the scene from the Princess Bride where Westley was trying to fight with Andre the Giant, and getting nowhere. There were some good oppertunities for Matthews and some of the other guys to get a Brees but seemed to slip on the turf or fall down before they got to him. And toward the end of the game I felt like there was no pressure on Brees at all, giving him all day to find an open target. The defense didn't play badly per-se, but they didn't play as well as they did at the end of the season last year. Maybe they just need to get into a groove, or maybe it's just because they were facing off against a really good Saints offense, but I think they have plenty of things to work on this week. I thought A.J. Hawk had a great game, despite the pass interference call in the last play. Sometimes the penalty is the better option over a touchdown. And the goal line stand was pretty epic. I still don't know what happened to Tramon Williams who left the field with an injured shoulder, but I really hope it's nothing serious. He was such a huge impact on defense last year I don't want to think about him not being there this year. Especially with no Cullen Jenkens, which I am still upset about.

Over all the game was pretty good. The offense is very close to where it needs to be, especially with a running game in place. But the defense gave away 34 points (well, special teams helped) and I think that could definitely be improved upon. OK, well, that's it for week one.

HAPPY GAME DAY!!!!

It's finally here! The first game of the season! The Pack will take on the New Orleans Saints tonight in the season opener! I can't wait! I'm going to bake some wings, and pull out my crocheting in preparation for the game. This is my first year playing Fantasy Football, and unlike most participants I went with the Packers all the way. I didn't get Rodgers as my QB but I got Driver, Jennings, Nelson, Starks and the Packers D. What kind of fan would I be if I didn't want my favorite team to be my Fantasy team? It is a glorious day to be a football fan!
Well, to all you Packers fans out there (and I guess everyone else too) Happy first Game Day of the season!

Sandy the Pony

Sandy

I was grocery shopping at Meijer while at home in Michigan, and I spotted something that brought me back to my childhood. The one cent pony ride at the checkout of every Meijer store made the otherwise boring task of going grocery shopping worth all the waiting and coupon sorting that had had to come first. it might be hard to believe, but trust me, it makes perfectly sound sense to a 5 year old brain. Even more than twenty years later I still felt a pang of excitement when I saw it. "Sandy" looks exactly the same as he did in 1982. And it made me smile to see that it still only costs a penny to ride. Such joy for so little. Thanks Meijer for the memories!

The Lake and Lexington Harbor

Jumping into Lake Huron!

Growing up in Michigan I never realized how unique and special the Great Lakes are. But each trip home has brought change to my perspective on the matter, until just this past weekend I finally felt in complete awe of the lakes, particularly Lake Huron. Everything about it, the incredible volume of fresh water, the brisk smell (as opposed to salty sea air), the coolness of the water in contrast to the sweltering humidity on land, the million moods of the lake surface in response to the wind, the range of blues and greens, the wildlife both below and above the surface, and a million other tiny details that make it unlike any other place on earth are just...awe inspiring. I am sure the lake has been the same for longer than I've been alive, but if you were to ask me I'd swear that it was more beautiful than it has ever been, and was more refreshing, (like a glass of lemon aid on a hot summer day) to my skin, and to my consciousness as I plunged off the back of the boat. I'd argue that the harbor looked more picturesque than it has in summers past. It might not be true, but that's what I'd say.

The Lexington Harbor

Slalom skiing on Lake Huron!

Swans in Lexington Harbor

Across America From East to West: Part 2

Lake Tahoe, Nevada/California

Crop "Circles" Sierra Foothills, California

The San Joaquin Valley, California

Retention Ponds, Central Valley California

Palm St. San Jose, California

Notes: The last photo is of the street (running east-west) in San Jose where the BF's sister and mom live. You can see his special edition Harley Davidson F150 truck (gray and black) parked on the "upper" side of the street:)

Across America From East to West: Part 1

Green Bay and Lambeau Field, Wisconsin

St. Paul, and the Mississippi River, Minnesota

The Missouri River, Pierre, South Dakota

Dry Lake Beds, central Nevada

Salt Farm, western Nevada

Mt. Rose Ski Resort, Reno, Nevada

Notes: You can see Lambeau Field in the bottom left quadrant of the first picture. It's the oval shaped thing. In the last photo is of the ski resort that I went to in December where I tried to snowboard and failed.