February the LAST

2-28-2005: The LAST day of Feb. is finally here. And not a minute too soon. Februarys really BLOW!! The weather is usually cold, windy, rainy, & just downright raunchy out there. It's one of those few times of year that I wish I could >> (fast-forward) through. Most of the time, the time itself goes by so fast that I wonder where it's gone.. And it seems to go by even faster as I get older. For all you young people out there, ENJOY this time of your lives to its fullest: yer "good ol' days" are right now.
Today's forecast is more rain, drizzle, turin' even colder throughout the day, and it's s'posed to start snowin' this evening and all through the night & into tomorrow. At least I can kick back & look forward to my ***vacation*** in late March. By then the dawg-woods, croci, hyacinths, Eastern redbuds, & wisteria will be in full-bloom, and I hope to shoot more excellent photos of them.

IN MEMORIAM: Dr. Hunter S. Thompson : 1938-2005

Louisville native Dr. Hunter S. Thompson departed this world from a self-inflicted gun-shot wound last night. He was 67. Known world-wide for his satirical writings and his "New Journalism" (a.k.a. "'gonzo' journalism"), he was the original "Dr. Gonzo". One of my favorite Thompson works is Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: a novel totally crazy beyond words but has me laughing hysterically every time I read it.
Dr. Thompson, WHY the hell did you do it???!!???!? I'm sure millions of your fans are asking this right now this very moment as I write this 'blog posting. You always made me laugh, no matter how twisted (& sometimes very dark) your uniquely-warped humor was... Rest in peace Dr. Gonzo; we will always miss you... you'll never be forgotten........

Steaks on the grill --YUM!

Well, yesterday the weather was finally tolerable for February (Februarys SUCK for the most part; just thought I'd say that!). I got out for a nice long bike-ride yesterday afternoon, after I'd caught up on some yard-work. Then I cooked 2 steaks on the grill. I'd marinaded these since earlier that morning. I make my own Marinade Concoction. Anyone wishing to try my world-famous Concoction, just add the following ingredients together (by the way, I don't measure anythang!): some olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, Balsamic vinegar, Tarragon vinegar (YUM!), some Jim Beam Black or Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 (double-YUM!), and some seasoned NaCl. Thoroughly mix together. Place steaks in a Corning-ware dish w/ cover. Poke holes in steaks w/ fork and pour over Marinade Concoction. Let sit for @ least 6 hrs. (in the 'fridge) --oh yeah: and it's best to turn 'em over every 2-3 hrs. or so. After charcoal is hot, spread out the briquettes and add any soaked seasoning chips such as mesquite (I use Jim Beam barrel bungs; they impart an impeccable flavor!!). Throw the steaks on the grill (I prefer mine well-done). When ready, pour yourself a small measuring-glass of Blanton's or Knob Creek. Take your steak & glass to your favourite easy-chair and ENJOY!! I like to eat mine in my chaise-lounge while I'm still out on my deck enjoying the sunset (when the weather's nice that is). :-)

Evaluating the "New" Sony Clié NX80V

Well, it finally arrived the other day. I found a nice "new" (sort of) Sony Clié NX80V palmtop computer on the usual online junkyard and bid on & won it. It's a remarkable little machine: 55000+ colour high-res. display, built-in 1.3Mpix digital camera, a slew of Palm 5.0 apps., and slots for both Memory Stick & Compact Flash cards. It's also a great *.mp3 player (you'll need a good-sized Memory Stick (128Megs @ least) to store your songs on) complete w/ ear-phones & a remote control. What I like best about it is it's magnesium body. The unit I got was "factory re-furbished".. had a few tiny scratches here & there on the outer hull, but the screen is in perfect condition and the battery & other entrails are all new & restored. This particular Clié is the type that folds & opens like a lap-top: it has a "screen 1/2" & a "keyboard 1/2". The little keys are nice for when it won't recognize yer handwriting but wayyyyy too small fer any heavy-duty typing. The screen can swivel & fold back down (AND digitally rotate) in order to facilitate use in a more compact config. (about the size of the earlier Palm models). One thing I've noticed is that the hinge between the 2 halves is somewhat loose & wiggly, but perhaps this is simply due to it's engineering. It is after all more like a universal joint than a straight hinge. But asside from that 1 issue, it's a nice slick machine.