Thursday, May 27, 2010

I Think the Mayans Were Right

Every day I read something on CNN.com that makes me think I'm in the middle of a 1950s horror movie or speeding toward those Mayan priests' predicted end of the world...


Livermore, California (CNN) -- Scientists at a government lab here are trying to use the world's largest laser -- it's the size of three football fields -- to set off a nuclear reaction so intense that it will make a star bloom on the surface of the Earth."

Sure.  Why not?  What could possibly go wrong?


"Scientists at the J. Craig Venter Institute have created a synthetic cell that can survive and reproduce itself according to an artificial DNA sequence, promising designer genomes with which researchers can produce sophisticated artificial organisms."

Create new life forms.  That always turns out well.  Ask Dr. Moreau.


Then, there's the whole monster Blob of oil knocking on my southeast Texas back door.  As if The Blob weren't bad enough, the chemicals being used as dispersants to break up the oil don't give me a warm fuzzy feeling either. 

The latest kick in the head concerning The Blob?  Hurricane season starts next week.  CNN has this to say about that:  "Not only is it hard to track how contaminants would be redistributed by a hurricane, but it's also hard to predict how the slick would affect the storm..."  and this, "...other scientists say the storms could be stronger than usual because the black oil would heat the water faster and accelerate formation of hurricanes...."

Add an earthquake every other week, Korea going nuts all over itself, Jesse James, Kate Gosselin and Janet Jackson's weird hairdo last night on American Idol to all of the above and I'd say we've got trouble.  Big trouble.  Ray Harryhausen caliber trouble.

I hope somebody's out there looking for a King Kong to take care of all these Godzillas.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Beaumont Farmers Market Opening Day - Saturday, May 22, 2010

WHO: A group of people that love to garden, love the earth, want to buy local produce and want to eat healthy


WHAT: Beaumont Farmers Market


WHEN: Starting Saturday, May 22 nd, 8-11 AM, every Saturday until Sat. Oct. 30th

WHERE: Downtown Beaumont, College and Main, Beaumont Library, across from City Hall

WHY: Connect or Reconnect people to the earth, seed to table



Click here for the website. 

Click here for vendors (I'm not sure if this is a complete list or not).


Opening Day Special Events:

Mystery Shopper

Tomato Plant Give-a-way to first 50 kids (photographer will be on hand, I think the pictures are $5 each)

St. Mark's Vespers Acoustic Team

Jefferson County Master Gardener Information Table

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Aaagggh...my thumb!

Tonight I had dinner with an old friend at a new restaurant.  This was my second time at Major League Grill and I can officially recommend it.  The food is a bit pricey, but not unreasonably so considering that all of the entrees and appetizers my friends and I have ordered have been truly fantastic.

We had a few drinks (64 beers on tap Saturday, 36 beers on tap tonight...not sure what that was all about...and 100 beers bottled...or something).  I had a margarita and a bananananana colada which were both terrific.

My friend had a beer called a Delirium Tremens which according to some guy who came up to our table is the "Best Beer in the World."  I said, "How do you know that?"  He said, "It was written on the box."  I told him that anybody can write anything on a box and he went away.  Nevertheless, it was one helluva beer (8.5% alcohol content and amazingly tasty), so this discovery required a trip to Spec's.

At Spec's a/k/a The Most Funnest Liquor Store in the World, the Delirium Tremens shelf was of course empty, being the "Best Beer in the World" and all, so my friend special ordered some.  I'm going to be keeping my eye on that shelf. 

I also saw a container of $500 a bottle tequila, tequila in a gun bottle, tequila in a rifle bottle and a bottle of Crystal Head Vodka which I had totally forgotten has something to do with Dan Aykroyd.

What does all this have to do with my thumb?  When I got home, I was very excited to find that my 3D glasses had come in.  Yes.  I actually ordered and paid for 3D glasses.  I'm tired of searching my entire house for the 3D glasses that I know are here somewhere, but I can never find during Super Bowls and MTV Movie awards and things like that, when they suddenly spring 3D events on me and I don't have the appropriate eyewear.

As I was opening the box of my 3D glasses treasures with my box cutter, I cut the sh*t out of my thumb.  Luckily, a margarita, bananananananan colada and part of a Delirum Tremens beer has dulled the pain and I seem to have stopped the bleeding.


Tomorrow is another day, Scarlet.  I'll worry about that thumb tomorrow.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Things You Should Do

You should go to Major League Grill in Beaumont.
(4430 Dowlen Road - near Steinmart, 409-898-7500)

You should go to The Hub on Crockett Street.
(My friend Andrew is now the manager.)

You should see Shawn Pittman if he is playing anywhere near you.

You should have friends like Patty and Doug and Art and Richard and family like mom and Terry and Dan and Bonnie and Katie and Chloe and Steve to hang out with.

You should be very jealous of me.


Terry and Chloe

Terry and Katie

Terry and Dan

Bonnie

Shawn Pittman

Laurie and Richard

Laurie and Art

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

The missing men of Deepwater Horizon oil rig - Times Online

I was curious about the men who are missing and presumed dead from the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon and found this article...

The missing men of Deepwater Horizon oil rig - Times Online

Sunday, May 09, 2010

Happy Mother's Day to me...and to YOU, too!


I always have to justify big purchases whether it's a $40 Miche bag purse shell or a $200 Wii.  That's why I buy myself Christmas presents and birthday presents and Mother's Day presents and 4th of July presents and Memorial Day presents and Arbor Day presents... 

I started drinking coffee about ten years ago when I discovered that it is, basically, a legal drug.  Anything that makes a person feel that good should be banned in all fifty states.

My Mother's Day present to me is the single cup Keurig coffee brewer you see above.  You should justify one for yourself.

Happy Mother's Day, everybody!

Saturday, May 01, 2010

Grand-Fabulous-Daughter Ava Moments

The Dish Ran Away With the Spoon
The Grand-Fabulous Ava spent the night with me last night. Ava is almost 3 years old going on 14.  Between trying to keep her from going upstairs by herself ("I can do it, Grandma!") and helping her get on the potty ("I can do it by myself!"), making breakfast can be a challenge. 

After a couple of bites of my scrambled eggs this morning, I realized I was eating my eggs with a spoon instead of a fork.  I remember pulling a fork out of the drawer to eat my eggs like a normal adult and Ava had her special green Ava spoon, so where did the spoon I was eating with come from?  I suppose I probably don't want to know.

Ava has named the new baby
When Cory and Jamie found out Ava was going to have a baby brother, one of the names that was tossed around was Harry.  Ava has decided that her baby brother's name is going to be "Harry Potter Anderson."  I'm not sure we're going to be able to unring that bell.