Author: cdwan

So, I just got myself tossed around a gym by a 7th degree black belt. Good times.

Let me back up a bit.

(more…)

Brewing again.

My notes indicate that the last batch I brewed was back in September, a Dark Cherry Stout intended to get me back into brewing by making a simple, accessible, highly drinkable beer. Apparently that worked out really well. So today we’re doing the Bourbon Barrel Porter. Take a fairly beefy porter (Guinness, but with more coffee overtones) and dump 16oz of Makers Mark into it. That’ll show it.

The descriptive text for the recipe made me laugh: “Cryptic tasting notes seem to indicate that this is the best beer EVER.”

In other news, I’m back in MD next week. Yay.

I am getting my first tattoo at noon on the 14th.

I experienced Chi today. You’ve heard of the one inch punch? I did that. It was sweet.

Tomorrow, I drive around Boston, moving machinery from place to place.

I walked into the gym for the 6pm class today, and Dan pressed two tickets to tonight’s Evanescence show (which started at 7:30) into my hand. “You want these. Get out of here.” Apparently one of the other students has a spouse who works with the local rock and roll radio station. These tickets had been set aside for someone or other, but had gone unclaimed. Because I’ll occasionally get all excited when an Evanescence song comes on the radio, she spoke up and claimed them for me. Row ‘B’ at about 9:00 in the arena. Fabulous seats.

So I called redmed, who was entering hour 48 (or so) at work, and told her that she had a date tonight.

The opening acts were loud. “Finger 11” was kinda fun, and Amy Lee even joined them on stage and sang harmony for their big radio hit. “Chevelle” were a three man group, even louder, and they seemed kinda pissed off about having to, like, play music for money and stuff.

Evanescence put on a great show. Amy Lee is energetic, charismatic, and was clearly having a great time. Her voice was totally shot (end of an arena tour), so even with my limited pitch memory I could tell that they were taking stuff a step or two lower than it is on the albums.

At one point she emptied her water bottle and cocked it at the crowd: “Is this gonna cause a riot if I throw it out there?” Hearing no clear response, she tossed the bottle and watched people struggle for it. “You know, it’s just water. It’s not really all that cool,” she added.

One thing struck me about the attitudes of the three groups toward their “hit” songs. The openers were clearly a little irritated to have to play “that” song again. Evanescence, on the other hand, seemed happy to play the songs that people know and like. Seems that they were more into making sure that people had a good time, than the purity of their art. Or, like, something.

The crowd was fun. We weren’t the oldest people there by a long shot. There were a lot of goth-ed up teenagers and 20-somethings … some frat and sorority types … stoners, freaks, yuppies, hippies, and us. It was a good time. That Guy was even there. You know, the guy who wears the t-shirt of the band to the show? He stands through the whole concert, totally rocking out in his own little world? Yeah, he was in front of us.

Unexpected good fortune and adventure.

It is going to frost tonight.

I have planted my garden, I have put various delicate and gentle flowers into various beds, and I have moved all the heavy pots to the porch. I did this last weekend.

And it is going to frost tonight.

My roses have their *second* set of shoots on them, the first set having been frozen off last month.

And it is going to freakin’ FROST tonight.

Is it not April? Am I not yet permitted to see the END of this godforsaken, crappy winter?

Grumble, mason jars, whine, mulch, simper, cold frame, grouse.

I am just now remembering why I really, really disliked the one “computer networks” class that I ever took.

In other news, modern network devices can do truly insane and complex things … if you understand what you’re trying to do.

More coffee is needed before I configure the second VPN of the day.

_earthshine_ inspired me to share this thought – here you go:

Sometimes, when I go to yoga, things seem clear. I hit a point of physical exertion and mental focus that allows me to isolate and clarify some thing that’s been on my mind. redmed and I went to the two hour sunday morning yoga this past weekend.

First off, I found that I’ve got some emotional stuff (grieving) going on that is slowly trickling through my mind. My usual meditative state was closed to me, at least in public.

Even without going really deep, I suddenly realized that the Masons and the Yoga folks (at least this branch thereof) have identical attitudes towards religion.

Seriously.

There is a team of 6 men removing trees from my neighbor’s yard right now. They have a bobcat, and a wood chipper … plus several chainsaws. The crane has already left.

I am happy, because this is the incredibly dumpy house, which has not seen maintenance in many a year. The trees were mostly dead anyway, and hung dead limbs menacingly over porch and power lines. On the other hand, I am sad to have to watch them kill trees all morning.