The place I bought this summer -- I'm loving it more and more everyday. This morning, I walked out to the remains of my vegetable garden before sun-up and just stared up at the stars.
The downside to my new place has been the landscaping: three large and ugly hybrid poplars, a couple of shaggy Virginia pines, an unpruned and (probably) unproductive apple tree. I've daydreamed about how I'd like to change it all, make it something I'd be proud of.
But another thought crossed my mind this morning, and the Zen of it is this: right now, I don't WORRY about any of those trees. I don't care if the drought kills them or the frost nips them or a hoard of locusts swallows them whole. On the other hand, if I invested money in the pin oaks and raintrees and ginkgos that I really want, I'd get nervous every time a leaf turned brown.
Hmmm. Maybe I won't be in a huge hurry.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Lessons in Beer
I was shocked and awed by a friend's confession recently concerning his beer IQ: although an avid consumer, he knew little about the different types. Because of the research I've done on homebrewing, I was able to enlighten him re: ale versus lager: the former is fermented at room temperature with yeast that stays at the top; the latter is fermented from the bottom at about 35 degrees.
Another thing that strikes me as odd is that, when you walk into a beer store around here and ask if they carry any microbrews, they give you a deer-in-headlights look. I thought they were experts.
I should apply for a professorship in beer. More research is in order.
I found a book that should help me along the way -- or at least I found mention of this book. It's called Brew Ware. Its subject is building and finding homebrew equipment, as that's a hobby that can get expensive quickly. This book is listed in the public library's catalog, but there's a red LOST beside it. (Oddly enough, it seems a good percentage of the public library's homebrew books have gotten lost.)
Another thing that strikes me as odd is that, when you walk into a beer store around here and ask if they carry any microbrews, they give you a deer-in-headlights look. I thought they were experts.
I should apply for a professorship in beer. More research is in order.
I found a book that should help me along the way -- or at least I found mention of this book. It's called Brew Ware. Its subject is building and finding homebrew equipment, as that's a hobby that can get expensive quickly. This book is listed in the public library's catalog, but there's a red LOST beside it. (Oddly enough, it seems a good percentage of the public library's homebrew books have gotten lost.)
Monday, October 1, 2007
My Uncle Rico moment
If I could time-travel back to high school...
...I'd cut my hair, be more clean-cut rather than going with the Southern rock look.
...I'd accept that scholarship at UT Martin, even if they didn't have the exact program I wanted.
...I'd make it a point to start a business as soon as I had driver's license in hand. Lawn care, maybe. If it was progressing nicely at the time of high school graduation, well, college would just have to wait.
...I'd practice guitar and study music religiously. I'd make it my life goal to evolve into a six-string, coffee house prophet.
...I'd begin competing in 5ks, then 10ks. I'd run my first marathon at age 18.
...I'd make it a rule to save 10% of every single paycheck, every birthday-card dollar, every cent. And I'd become anal about it, continuing this habit for the rest of my life, never touching the nest egg until it was necessary.
...I'd major in English.
...I'd enter college with the goal of gaining instruction and experience that would allow me to telecommute and be self-employed for the rest of my work life.
...I'd live in a big city for at least a year.
...After my year in the big city, I'd buy a place and never pay rent again.
...I'd cut my hair, be more clean-cut rather than going with the Southern rock look.
...I'd accept that scholarship at UT Martin, even if they didn't have the exact program I wanted.
...I'd make it a point to start a business as soon as I had driver's license in hand. Lawn care, maybe. If it was progressing nicely at the time of high school graduation, well, college would just have to wait.
...I'd practice guitar and study music religiously. I'd make it my life goal to evolve into a six-string, coffee house prophet.
...I'd begin competing in 5ks, then 10ks. I'd run my first marathon at age 18.
...I'd make it a rule to save 10% of every single paycheck, every birthday-card dollar, every cent. And I'd become anal about it, continuing this habit for the rest of my life, never touching the nest egg until it was necessary.
...I'd major in English.
...I'd enter college with the goal of gaining instruction and experience that would allow me to telecommute and be self-employed for the rest of my work life.
...I'd live in a big city for at least a year.
...After my year in the big city, I'd buy a place and never pay rent again.
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