Customer Service - Going, Going, Gone?

Jeez...I'm not a curmudgeon or anything, but I do like a small back-pat occasionally.

Several weeks ago I was in my favorite(used to be) running store...to remain nameless. I was only browsing and wanting to pick up a minor (read: inexpensive) item and didn't pay much attention to the fact that I was the only one in the store and NO ONE asked to "help me".

Hey, fine with me. I know everything anyway. However, it was unusual, given the friendliness I've become accustom to in this certain store. Let me just add, this isn't a "big box" store, it's a store that caters to runners and triathletes. Somewhat upscale.

And I love'em mostly because they are strong supporters of the DFW running community.

Anyway I found my iBungees, checked out and paid. The staffperson ended the transaction with, "There you go."

So I went.

Funny how "Thanks so much, come back and see us" wasn't included (in some form).

I thought I'd forgotten about it. Heck, it was only a $4.95 purchase. But...

Today I returned for another pair of iBungees. Although 4 staff were present, and only one other customer (checking out...with 2 folks behind the counter), not a greeting, not an acknowledgment.

No problem. Remember, I know everything.

I find my thing-y, wait for the unbusy person to say "can I help you?" or something like that. N-A-D-A.

When I approach the counter, she DOES take my pesos and leaves me with this exchange...

She: you want a sack for that?
Me: no thanks.
She: (hands me my laces and receipt) You're good to go.

Not trying to read to much into these transactions but my subliminal common thread between the interactions is...

"You" and "Go".

And folks want to blame 43 or O44 for the economy woes...maybe they should look in the mirror.

Perhaps Luke's will welcome me back? Developing.

My Favorites - Easy Ceviche

I'm so hooked on this I should probably join a support group or a 12-step program.

1/4 lb peeled, deveined, raw shrimp (use the small cheap ones, or get the expensive large ones and chop them up, whateve...)
1/4 lb scallops (again use the small cheap ones, or ....)
juice of one lime
juice of one lemon
juice of one orange (when I'm feeling fancy I supreme it and add the leftover juice)
3 tbsp of finely minced red onion
1 clove of garlic mashed to a paste
1 small red bell pepper, minced (extra points for using a yellow one)
3 tbsp finely diced cucumber (peeled and seeded)
3-4 slices of pickled jalapenos, minced, add a splash of the jap juice
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Mix all of the above, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, but no more than three, stirring occasionally

Allow mixture to sit at room temperature for an additional 30 minutes, then drain juices (mix juices with shot, or two, of tequila if you wish. Awe! Some!)

Add:
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
1 small avocado, diced (save the skin and pit for another purpose...not sure what)
2 small radishes, sliced paper thin
2 large tbsp of minced cilantro
2 leaves of fresh basil, minced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme, stemmed and minced
add more minced cilantro (I love cilantro)
If you have fresh mint, add a bit; a smig of honey is also acceptable
splash of xvoo
salt and pepper to taste

Serve on a sturdy tortilla chip or wrap with a warm, home-made corn tortilla. Your choice.

Serves two as a light entree.

Hello from Saudi Arabia

Or is it west Texas?


I just gotta quit sleeping while I'm driving.

My Favorites - Greatest Food Memories

I know, bagillions to pull from...and this was a tough list to assemble, but here goes.

10. A perfectly grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup

9. Cooking over a campfire.

8. Warm oatmeal cookies with ice cold milk

7. Eating anything in the field where it was grown

6. Grocery shopping before a predicted inclement weather day

5. My first crème brulee

4. The sizzle of food on a hot grill

3. Popping the cork on a bottle of champagne

2. The smell of fresh ground coffee

And my favorite food memory is...

Cooking for and eating with a loved one.

Tom Watson - One Last Word

Damn, I wished I would've (could've) written this.

My New Man-crush - Tom Watson

My favorite golf week - The Open Championship (or as we yanks call it, The British Open).

And you know how much I love some underdog/old folk's performance (scroll down a bit). This is classic.

Tom Watson, two months shy of his 60th birthday, is leading the pack. Coolly leading the pack...can you say "working smarter, not harder"?

His golden comment about leading going into the 3rd round..."That's pretty cool at [age] 59."

Watson has won this tournament 5 times, including the "Duel in the Sun" 32 years ago. The oldest winner was Old Tom Morris in 1867 and he was 46-years-old. Will Old Tom Watson take his place?

This. Is. Remarkable.

So I humbly nominate as the lead actor, for the movie version of this story,

William H. Macy

to play (separated at birth)Tom Watson

My (un)Favorites - Equal Opportunity Post

To satisfy a few requests for a counter opinion to this post I've taken on a more difficult task.

Disliking things takes so much energy, and I'm such a low effort kinda guy, I try to avoid it. But I do have a few things that irritate me. Not saying I'm unguilty of many of the following, just trying to identify and steer clear. (Is "unguilty" a word? I unknow. I could be unsober and unworried about it.)

So here's my list of the most unfavorite things I can think of.

25. Overcooked food
24. Cheating at golf
23. Off-color jokes
22. Anonymous, snarky comments
21. Dropped internet connections
20. Canned Asparagus
19. Poorly written recipes
18. Bicyclist who don't obey the "rules of the road"
17. People who yell into their hands-free device in the parking lot
16. Injuries
15. The F-bomb (unless it is caused by an acute injury)
14. Runners who blow their nose "on the go"
13. Those who think speaking loudly and slowly overcomes all linguistic barriers
12. Being late
11. Litterbugs
10. When Braum's runs out of lime sherbet (whiskey, tango, foxtrot, dude(ette)?)
9. Unanswered emails
8. Non-friends
7. Athletes who over-celebrate after doing their job
6. Hearing conversations in the theater
5. Shopping carts that self-vector
4. Destructive criticism
3. Belligerent behavior
2. Gnats
1. Stepping on chewing gum in a hot parking lot

All in all, most are easy to avoid if you pay attention...except for the unsurrendering gnats.

Reason to not be a celebrity chef - #1

How would you like to have this one for a big sis? Annoying.

Sports Break Moment - Current Event Style

Michael Phelps returns in high style by smoking the world record in the 200m butterfly.

The PGA plows through the John Deere classic (yawn) on the way to the British Open championship.

Romessica (Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson) finally call it quits...on her birthday eve. Lets review, several weeks ago Jess gives Tony a $100K ski boat for his birthday. Tony returns the favor by giving her the boot for her's. Life's not fair is it Jess?

Tour de France - after riding 850+ miles over eight straight days, including two tough days through the mountain what does Lance and his team do on a day off? Hook up with some other competitors and ride 3+hours. Crazy.

The burning question: Why does ESPN think poker is a sport?

And finally...I mostly love a good underdog story and a close second is a story about an aging athlete making good (hi, Dara, Nolan, Brett). The only thing better is a story about an aging underdog making good (I hope to be looking at you soon, Lance).

But this story is about Tim Wakefield. Tim played college baseball at Florida Tech. He set school records and was named a two-time MVP as a 1st baseman and was drafted in the middle rounds of the free agent draft. Being sent to single A ball for the Pittsburgh Pirates he promptly took a professional pounding. Apparently he had the problem of always throwing a knuckle ball around the infield, he also lost his once feared hitting ability. His coach finally told him he'd never make it to double A ball.

That's where it got interesting. He elected to stay in extended spring training one season...a certain career killing move. Usually.

While warming-up before practice the pitching coach notice him throwing a knuckle ball and ask him to toss a few more, then moved him to the mound for a few pitches. Soon after, in a coaches meeting, the manager mentioned he was cutting Wakefield. The pitching coach ask if he'd seen Wakefield's knuckle ball.

One thing led to another and Tim changed from 1st baseman to pitcher saying, "I just wanted to say I tried everything I could to make it."

Tim was promptly traded to St. Louis, then back to the Pirates where he would win the NL Rookie of the Year. He came within few innings of being a shoe-in for NL MVP. Then he developed a few control "issues" and injuries he couldn't shake. Two years later he was cut by the pirates, but promptly picked up by the Boston Red Sox. That was in 1995.

And he now throws a 68 MPH knuckleball almost every pitch. That in the land of 98 MPH fastballs, 92 MPH sliders and 85 MPH change-ups. He also throws a 75 MPH fastball and a 60 MPH curve (sad even for a small town high school pitcher).

But, he currently ranks 3rd in all time wins with the Red Sox, just behind Cy Young and Roger Clements, and only Clements has more wins than Wakefield at Fenway Park...95-91. I'm sure Wakefield will hold that record before the season's end.

And most importantly, Tim Wakefield has been nominated for the Roberto Clemente Award 7 times. The Roberto Clemente Award goes to the player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team."

Tonight Tim plays in his first All Star game...at 42-years-old.

...you are now free to return to your original programming.

My favorites - The Things I Love

I love lots of stuff. Most stuff in general I love. But in trying to narrow down what makes me extra happy, here's my top 25 list:

25. My favorite pair of jeans
24. Power naps
23. Properly cooked French fries
22. Voting
21. New running shoes
20. HDTV
19. A bonsai tree
18. Anticipation
17. Fresh-baked cookies
16. Raw foods
15. Wide-open spaces
14. Having a correct answer
13. Random acts of kindness
12. Fresh made salsa with a warm tortilla
11. Being barefoot
10. Ice cold beer on a hot afternoon
9. Sleeping in a tent during a storm
8. A deep massage
7. Clean sheets and a good book
6. A smile
5. The truth
4. Yoga
3. Finding "the zone"
2. A good friend
1. My momma

Google me this...

Does anyone really use the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button on a Google search? IJS.

Tour de France - Bold Predictions Come True

Kinda.

What a wild card the Italian, Nocentini, is. His fifteen minutes of fame won't last long, but still...hats-off.

As (I) predicted, Astana's lead rider, Contador made up the 19 seconds he trailed Lance and increased (decreased?) it by 2. He's now in a secure 2nd place and six seconds from the yellow jersey. Lance is in third and eight seconds off the lead.

BTW...Contador, pedaling up a Cat H, into a headwind, after 220km (roughly 135 miles) was a rocket. He left the peleton like the Roadrunner ta-ta-ing Wily E. Coyote.

Also as (I) predicted, Armstrong played a strong presence as a supporting rider. And he could, arguably, be considered the strongest (and most relaxed) rider in the peleton. Wily as a coyote, he is. Mark my words.

Team Astana is holding #2(Contador +:06), #3(Lance +:08), #4(Levi +:39) and #6 (Kloden +:54) places, for individuals, and 1st overall.

Tomorrow's 110 mile mountainous stage should play toward Astana's favor and they have a good chance of finishing in 4 of the top 5 spots...baring an accident on the wildly long downhills.

Quick side note: Maillot jaune(the yellow jersey wearer), Fabian Cancellara, had a flat...then another, in today's stage (dude, where were your teammates?) which put him well back in the pack. He actually almost had a collision with the peleton's trailing cars on the course...one of the times he was descending at 55+ MPH. Very tough luck.

Eat Local - Otherwise...drive-bys kill

Think mom and pops. Please.

Funniest press release ever.

Tour de France - Bold Prediction

This thing is shaping into a very cool soap opera, if you're following closely...

Tomorrow's stage 7 will take the riders from Barcelona into France with the first of many major climbs. Several cat 4 climbs(next to the most difficult) and finishing with a cat "H" ( Hors-Categorie, the highest difficulty rating).

I predict team Astana's point rider, Alberto Contador, will win the stage and take the yellow jersey. Lance will remain in the top five, accompanied by Levi and Andreas. Team Astana will remain as leaders in the team rankings.

It may seem minor now, but Lance will be (self-)regulated into a support role.

The fat lady isn't even warming her vocal cords yet, so just wait and watch this thing unfold.

Tour de France - it's still early

But Lance is looking in top form. They only have about 2200 miles and 18 or so days to go, but he's certainly making his mark.

Even ESPN's Rick Reilly who penned this touching (and my all time favorite) sports essay has taken notice today with his column, the Life of Reilly.

For those to busy (or lazy) to read the column here's the money graf...

"But hearts are melting toward the old guy, even French ones. One French reporter stood up Tuesday and said, "Lance, in four days, you have brought more excitement back to the Tour de France than we had in four years here." When the French start admiring Armstrong, you know the worm has turned."

Lance, stay strong, Livestrong.

Hey Ya'll! Photoshop? You decide.

I'm no big fan, but this is so unreasonably cartoonish I just had to post a comparison...

Before

After

Ho-Lee Mo-Lee!

Corner of Beltline and Marsh...
Makes me long for #3.

Tour de France - Lance's Time Trial Wheels

Awesome ride it is.
Tomorrow Lance launches at about 10:17am CST. 4:17pm French time.

Tour de France: Intimidation or Harassment?

You decide.

Roselyne Bachelot, get some class.

Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot - Sandwich Edition

What is it with sandwiches? Could it be the summer holiday weekend approaching?

Yesterday it was the Voodoo Doughnut Burger


and today it's a Waffle BLT.
I guess the scary thing is both of these look and sound good to me, so what does tomorrow bring? The Great Carnac predicts...

A Turkey Club on Cranberry Loaf, sub cilantro pesto for the mayo.

My Favorites - Blackberry Cobbler

Yesterday I picked up my second batch of blackberries at the farmer's market. They were so much sweeter than the first batch which leads me to believe the season is close to peaking. The question "what to do?"(other than eating them all before you return home) may enter your mind.

So I offer...

Easiest Blackberry Cobbler in the History of Ever
2-3 cups blackberries (blueberries, raspberries or skinned, chopped peaches work, too)
1 1/4 cups sugar (divided)
1 cup AP flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp table salt)
1 cup 2% milk (actually anything from skimmed to heavy cream will work just fine)
1/2 cup melted, unsalted butter (1 stick), margarine or salted butter also work...this recipe ain't picky

In a small mixing bowl combine berries and 1 cup of sugar, mix well and let set for about 30 minutes at room temp. Stir once or twice during the 30 minutes. Try not to mash the berries, but a syrup base should develop.

Preheat oven to 350. Combine the flour, baking powder, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and salt in a larger mixing bowl. Whisk together. Melt the butter in a 9" loaf pan.

Whisk the milk into the dry ingredients until completely smooth. Pour in the melted butter and mix until combined. The batter should be of a thin consistency. Pour the batter back into the loaf pan. Spoon the berry mixture on the batter, but DON'T mix.

Place the loaf pan in the center of the oven and bake for about an hour, check at 40 minutes. When the immediate area is filled with the beautiful smell of baked blackberries you'll know it's done. Fresh out of the oven it should still be a bit jiggly in the center, but golden brown. Don't be alarmed if it cooks for longer than an hour. Cool in pan on a wire rack for about 30 minutes. Eat.

Bonus points if you top a portion with Blue Bell vanilla ice cream.

While you're waiting on the cobbler to bake...
lick the berry bowl.