C Ya Hot Doug's

Hot Doug's is, simply stated, a Chicago landmark.  As much of a foodie as I am, I don't say something like that about restaurants too easily. The encased meats emporium, where one can get hot dogs and sausages made of exotic meats, distinctive toppings, and cheeses that nobody in America knew existed. I had been there myself 5 or 6 times before. Sometimes the menu looks appealing and sometimes the special sausages look so over the top that they were just too much for me to make the hour drive for. But when I did, I knew there was no other place like it. Open 10:30-4, six days a week, cash only. The hot sausages named after beautiful women. the option to get a hot dog deep-fried and then grilled! Duck fat fries on Fridays and Saturdays. Several times, I went before a Mets-Cubs day game at Wrigley. I'd be dressed in my Mets garb. Doug, the owner, would always man the counter. He would tell me stories about going to college in New York in the 1980's, when Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry owned New York baseball.

Then in May, Doug confirmed they would be closing in early October. Chicagoans couldn't believe it. This is such a unique place and to lose it is pretty hard to take. Doug has given no reason other than it's time to different things, as in get out of the restaurant business. So I knew I was going to make one last trip to Hot Doug's before they closed. I went on a Saturday in the middle of the afternoon before heading to Ring of Honor wrestling later that night.

I left at 1:30, as it usually takes an hour to get to the Avondale neighborhood. Just before I left, the rain began. It took me 90 minutes. I parked and got on line an hour before closing. I had my Jets slicker on as the rain came down on me and the 150 or so other people on line. One of the workers came outside and told our section of the line that we'd have to wait 90 minutes or so, but we would get served. Long story short, it took 2 hours and 45 minutes. I didn't get to the counter until 5:45, nearly 2 hours after they closed.

Doug asked me if Gerry Philbin was in the house, referring to the Jets old defensive end from the 1960's. He asked me how long it would take until Michael Vick would start over Geno Smith. and I told him I thought Geno would be okay. That remains to be seen, but I do have faith in the kid. With all these kinds of conversations, it's easy to see why the line moves so slowly. Anyway, I ordered 3 sausages. First was the bacon and cheddar smoked elk with Eugene porter mustard, Jarlsberg cheese and crispy fried onions. I really enjoyed the gamey flavor of the elk. There was a little flavor of bacon and cheese, but thankfully not so much where the elk flavor was overwhelmed. And you can't go wrong with crispy onions. I got the smoked Texas pork hot link with Coca-Cola BBQ Sauce, white cheddar cheese curds and pickled green tomatoes. I really enjoyed this one. A good pork flavor with a little touch of spice, though not hot. The curds weren't deep fried, like I expected though. Finally, there was the porcini and parmesan chicken with chèvre aioli, roasted red peppers and mushrooms sautéed in duck fat. This one was disappointing. The aioli just took over the sausage. I ate maybe a third of it and I was done. I basically picked off the mushrooms and roasted peppers and just ate those. The French fries were hot and fresh cut, just great.

I thought that was my last trip. But the guys from my small group decided that they wanted in. So we agreed that the next Saturday, we'd go to Hot Doug's and Firecakes, a donut place in the River North section of Chicago. We decided to meet in Schaumburg at 9 am and drive in together. Well, Matt never showed up, he slept in. It was his idea from the beginning anyway! So it was myself. Jon, Fil, and Fil's friend, Ashley. We got to the corner of Roscoe and California at 10 am, a pretty smooth drive. The line was three times as long as it had been the previous Saturday. On that line, we played hearts and Heads Up. Long story short, it took five hours to get through that line and order our food. Basically 20 percent of our day was waiting in that line! 

I got the mountain man sausage. It's a very tasty combination of antelope, elk, venison and buffalo with red currant mustard and smoked gouda cheese. This was one of the 2 or 3 best sausages I've had there and easily the best I'd had between these two visits. It tasted gamey. The smoked gouda added a little nutty flavor. The currant mustard gave it a bold, sophisticated flavor. It all came together so well. And over that charcoal grill, well, that just put it over the top.

 

I also had the steak au Poivre sausage with four roses bourbon mustard, Irish whiskey cheese and crispy fried onions. This was pretty good, although I can't say I was thinking the sausage tasted like a steak. The mustard tasted really strong too. It was a pretty good sausage; the mountain man was just better. And the duck fat fries were amazing, as always.

It's sad to see something so good and so unique go away. Life will go on, of course. But hey, it was a great place to check out while it lasted. Thank you, Doug Sohn.

NFL Predictions

AFC East

c-New England 13-3

Miami 9-7

NY Jets 7-9

Buffalo 5-11

AFC North

y-Cincinnati 10-6

x-Pittsburgh 10-6

Baltimore 7-9

Cleveland 6-10

AFC South

y-Indianapolis 10-6

Tennessee 5-11

Houston 5-11

Jacksonville 2-14

AFC West

y-Denver 13-3

x-Kansas City 10-6

San Diego 8-8

Oakland 4-12

NFC East

y-NY Giants 10-6

Philadelphia 9-7

Washington 6-10

Dallas 5-11

NFC North

y-Green Bay 12-4

x-Chicago 10-6

Detroit 7-9

Minnesota 3-13

NFC South

y-New Orleans 12-4

Carolina 8-8

Tampa Bay 7-9

Atlanta 6-10

NFC West

c-Seattle 12-4

x-San Francisco 11-5

Arizona 5-11

St. Louis 4-12

AFC Championship

Denver over Indianapolis

NFC Championship

Green Bay over Seattle

Super Bowl

Denver over Green Bay

ROH Predictions for tonight

Ring of Honor presents Death Before Dishonor XII tonight in Chicago Ridge. I would think this is around the 30th ROH event I have attended. I've been going nine years and I've attended about 3-4 shows a year. One of these days, I should count up my tickets and see how many it's been. This isn't the most stacked card I've ever seen. But the 8-man elimination match and the return of Adam Pearce has me excited. Here are my picks.

ROH World Championship

"Unbreakable" Michael Elgin vs Tommaso Ciampa

 Elgin. He just won the title two months ago and is not losing it this fast.

8-Man Team Elimnation Match

The Briscoes, Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian vs The Young Bucks & ROH World Tag Team Champions, reDRagon

Tough call. I can't just pic the winning team, but who will survive. I definitely think it's a 1-on-1 in the finals. I think O'Reilly survives. If it's the other team, I pick Mark Briscoe.

 

"The Phenomenal" AJ Styles vs Cedric Alexander

The veteran AJ wins, but puts the up and coming star over.

Adam Cole vs Hanson

Adam Cole BAY-BAY! 

ROH World TV Champion Jay Lethal w/ Truth Martini vs Caprice Coleman

Non-title match, so i'll pick Caprice and a new feud is under way.

 

Adam Pearce vs. Adam Page

Pearce. Layup.

Veggie redemption

Dinner on Friday night was kind of lackluster. I hate to sound that way, being that people are starving. But the execution just wasn't as good as it could have been. The salmon was a little bit overcooked and the roasted veggies...well they didn't work out so well. We has summer squash, zucchini, carrots, eggplant, red onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, and a few seasonings in two pans that were filled pretty high to the rim and covered with foil. Unfortunately, they were filled so high that they couldn't really roast. And like the salmon, they were cooked so long that they really steamed more than they roasted. And then they were in the oven so long then when I tasted them, they just tasted like mush. I couldn't say anything. Hell hath no fury after all...But I wondered to myself, "How can I make these taste better?" The fact is they were going to be even worse leftover unless something was done.

The next day, Mom told me she had a plan. An old recipe that had worked before. But she had lost it somewhere along the way. I figured why not. So she took the veggies and put them in a casserole dish. She added some brown rice. She added some Mario Batali tomato sauce. She topped that with some mozzarella and cheddar cheeses and baked it the oven. I proceeded to broil it for a few minutes to get that nice crust on top. I took a bite and that was one of the best veggie dishes I'd ever had!

How did this happen? Because someone knew a tried and true recipe that still worked no matter how old it was. All it took was being in the hands of someone who remembered it and knew how to use it. And that reminded me of a spiritual lesson. God is still there if I will seek him and call on him. And it applies in another way. God is like the chef. He sees potential in thigns I don't. He can make great things out of what looks like garbage. He can make what tastes lousy suddenly taste great. And his recipes still work. They aren't going out of style and they will not fail.

Robin

Robin Williams was one of my favorite actors/comedians.entertainers of all time. There was no one else like him. As zany and wild as he could be, he had legitimate talent for acting. I'm planning to watch a few more Robin Williams films over the next week, especially "The Fisher King" and "Insomnia." And I already ahve my DVR set to record "One Hour Photo," a psychologial thriller that looks mesmerizing. I'm not going to rate which of his movies I thought were the best, that can be debated all night long. I'm not going to rate which of his performances was the best, everyone can have a different opinion. Rather, I'm going to list ten of his roles that I will most closely identify him with. Truth is there's a bit of a gap between 3 and 4!

1) Mrs. Doubtfire
2) Good Will Hunting
3) Dead Poets Society
4) Good Morning, Vietnam
5) Jumanji
6) The Birdcage
7) Hook
8) Patch Adams
9) Night at the Museum
10) License to Wed

The first two rank in my top five movies of all time. Mrs. Doubtfire is one of those movies that came out right as my parents got divorced. I remember seeing it in the theater in Edison, NJ on Oak Tree Rd, right near the Chili's and where the Kenny Rogers' Roasters used to be. I can't remember if I teared up, but I walked out feeling like things could be okay. I think I needed that then. The great thing is it is a movie that lasts and has only become more relevant as divorce as skyrocketed in this country. I was amazed to learn that there were talks about a sequel. Twenty years later! I don't know what the record is for the longest amount of time between the original and sequel, but this would have to be right up there. Shame it's never going to happen.

Good Will Hunting is one of only five movies I own on DVD, so that should indicate what kind of impact it had on me. It still reminds me of college. It's funny and I don't know how to explain why, but every time I see the film, I come away feeling stronger and more confident about myself. It was great to see Robin win his only Academy Award for this role. If I ever do return to Boston, I'll have to head to the Common and sit on the bench where he gave that amazing monologue about love, loss, and experiencing life. That may just be my favorite scene in cinema history.

Another summer's promise almost gone

1) It's that time when each day takes forever to pass. Then all of a sudden you look back and wonder where those days went.

2) Some people are just meant to come into our lives for a season. When that's the case, the best thing to do is be at peace with it, appreciate the good times, and let it go.

3) Cuban mojo pork chops, mashed sweet potatoes, roasted asparagus with parmean, ice cream with fruit and caramel sauce. Good menu for cooking with someone.

4) Looking forward to seeing my friend from Manitoba who's in town for the week. We'll be meeting at the Squared Circle and watching Raw. It's always cool to meet someone else who can appreciate pro wrestling and not disrespectfully dismiss it as childish and fake. When it's done right, it's a physical art form. When it's done wrong, it's a messy, awkward science.

5) I actually applied to be the editor of Second City Hockey. I probably don't have a hope in hell of getting this. One of the requirements is that they be an avid Chicago Blackhawk fans. I'm not going to lie about my allegiance, but I still think I can write about the team effectively. Maybe I won't get a second thought from the powers that be. But if I do, well, who knows.

6) Never eating the deep dish pizza at the food court at Willow Creek Church. Overcooked sauce and too much of it.

7) Thinking I'm almost ready to try the DDP Yoga Double Black Dimaond workout. I've done the Diamond Cutter maybe ten times already. This one is ever harder and it's over an hour long as opposed to the 50 minutes in the Diamond Cutter.

8) A lot of people were optimistic about the Jets coming into this season. I like the roster, but I was always uneasy. The schedule is the big reason. They face one great quarterback after another and they are thinnest at CB. The genius GM doesn't bring on one starting caliber CB, even allowing Darrelle Revis to go New England, of all teams. So what happens in one day in practice? Their top pick from last year, and number one CB, Dee Milliner, has a high ankle sprain and he's out for a month. His status for Opening Day is in doubt. And their 3rd round pick this year, Dexter McDougle, tears his ACL and is out for the season! I love Rex Ryan, but he needs to pull a rabbit out of his ass and figure out a way to get a decent secondary out of this group. Cause if Milliner is not healthy, I don't know how it's going to happen.

9) This past weekend actually felt weird. And it went by so slow. I didn't travel out of state for a change. Hoping to get back to New York before the year is over though.

10) P.S. You do not run on Juan Lagares!!!!

Portland-Part 2

It was disappointing having to miss John Ortberg preach at Willow Creek this weekend. So what instead was my top priority on a Sunday morning? Voodoo donuts, of course. The line was well out the door at 9 am and I think we waited about a half hour in line. Now I'm not a big donut eater, but this is quintessential Portland. We got a bacon maple bar, apple fritter, old fashioned with glaze and orangutan, which had orange frosting and orange sprinkles. We split all four. I have to admit eating those donuts just make you smile. The bacon maple was by far my favorite. I wish they had a raised donut with granulated sugar; that is by far my favorite. And although they offer it, I did not get married at Voodoo donuts.

 

We walked a block east to the Portland Saturday market. It was just getting started, so most of the stands were still setting up. We looked for a winter coat for Maggie, but couldn't really come to a consensus. It seemed either the size was off, the color was bad, or the lining didn't have fleece. We headed back to the courtyard, checked out, and took a cab to the Crowne Plaza. This hotel is in the northeast district and mom had a free night there since her tour was beginning the next day. It's a very nice hotel that used to be a Holiday Inn before it got remodeled. It's not the nicest area around the hotel, I mean you wouldn't expect a Martin Luther King Blvd to be a block away from a Crowne Plaza. We walked two blocks and took a streetcar back to the Northwest district.

Mom wanted to show me the Alphabet district, which is just west of the Pearl district. It's a more casual, yet very trendy shopping area. We found a nice gray and black winter coat for Maggie at 60% off. Not bad at all. We checked out a few stores and many were nice. One leather store had some great shoes, belts, and bags. Another had these really soft shirts. Sadly, they were well out of my price range.

 

For lunch, we settled on McMeniman's Ram. This company has several dozen pubs and restaurants throughout Oregon. My visit there made me wonder why. First, the music is just too loud. For a bar that tries to be decent and classy, and did not have many people sitting inside, I still had to raise my voice to have a conversation. When I got my iced tea, there was no straw or lemon. I asked the server for a straw and she didn't get me one until I asked again. In addition to our server not being very available, I'm not even sure she ever smiled at us even one time.

To the food. I ordered the communication breakdown burger with cheese, peppers mushrooms, and onions. I got the burger and I see something white on it. My hear sank. This burger had a mixture of mayo and horseradish and the menu never specified it. I guess that's why it's called a communication breakdown burger... I don't eat mayo and since the menu did not mention that there would be mayo, this really bothered me.  Mom gave me her lamb burger and she took mine. The lamb burger was fine, but not worth that much aggravation. Disappointing service and a misleading menu would keep me from coming back. We should have gone to Escape from New York for pizza or to the Jewish deli next door for a pastrami sandwich. But I let mom make the call. This time, it didn't work.

 

We walked east and went shopping in the Pearl district. We passed the Timbers soccer stadium so I took a couple of shots. They've did out every game in their the year history, which is impressive. But I'm amazed their season ticket waitlist is 6,000 people long!

 

We stopped into a yoga store on Couch St. That's pronounced kooch...I have no idea why. I must admit I noticed the employees' dress code, as they were wearing yoga outfits. One attractive woman, who must have been 40-something, offered to assist me and she was wearing a white tank top and black yoga shorts. Kind of hard not to stare, but I'm a gentleman after all. I saw one shirt that was super nice; it was a pima cotton shirt. Light blue and really soft. Unfortunately, it was a little out of my budget. Maybe one day.

 

By now, it was late afternoon and I wasn't sure what else to do. We took the streetcar loop down to south Portland, to the Portland State University campus. It took about an hour to get back. Eventually, we switched cars and found our way back to the hotel. I definitely needed to rest for a few minutes. We watched an episode of bar rescue and walked a few blocks to grab dinner at Schmizza, which is a local pizza that mom recommended. And...it was another clunker. First, when I order a Coke, I order Coke. Not a Pepsi. Coke. We then ordered a veggie pizza. They forgot the pesto chicken, which we requested. But the quality of the pizza was mediocre at best. The crust on the bottom was so soft, no crispness at all. The sauce tasted overdone. The veggies were definitely fresh though. But I have no idea why mom liked this place. Mom definitely swung and missed on both food picks, which is unusual. She typically just missed on movie picks.

 

We got back and I was ready to be alone, so I put on my bathing suit and headed to the pool. Well so much for relaxation! Lots of grandparents and grandkids, so there went any chance for quiet. I sat in the whirlpool for maybe 15 minutes and that was it. In the room, I watched two episodes of Frankenfood, read for a half hour, and went to bed.

 

And it came to be Monday morning. I actually had a weird dream that I got hired by Costco and it turned out to be military training. I have no idea, maybe it was something in that lousy pizza sauce. I had the $15.00 breakfast buffet, which was free since mom scored a voucher. After another workout, I loaded up on scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, wheat toast, potatoes with peppers, pineapple, and cantaloupe. Mom gave up her voucher for me, which she didn't have to do. But she had a Keurig coffee machine in her room, so I guess she can't complain.

 

She spent most of the morning trying to set up her voicemail and work email on her phone, which only took about four hours. Not even kidding. And the Mets were on at 9 in the morning. Of course they blew the game late. They are so dead, it is ridiculous. Anyway I left around 11:30 for the airport. The Portland airport is so different than anything else I've seen. With drop offs, cars, cabs, and shuttles all converge in the same area and there is next to no room. Ticketing went smooth and then came security. One woman swabbed my wrist with what looked like a band aid. I have no idea why my wrist was suspicious. Then they check the ID and ticket as normal. But I couldn't take my own tray. The agent chose whether we'd get one. She decided no and I stuffed everything into my backpack, but I could leave my shoes and hat on at least.

 

We got delayed over an hour, thanks to bad weather in Chicago. But it was worth it. During the delay, I got a surprise call from miss Nona, who's vacationing on the west coast from Lebanon. I would've missed her call if we'd taken off on time. Always a pleasure to hear her sweet voice. I do like the new 737 American plane, with multiple charging outlets and a personal video screen at every seat. Landing at 8:30...back to real life...

 

Actually we landed around 8:45 and stayed on the tarmac for an hour. Lightning delays kept planes at gates. So we got to the gate and I headed down to baggage claim. I wound up standing there for nearly an hour. And no Portland luggage to speak of. The carousel is spinning, but there is no luggage on it. It's kind of like the hamster wheel running with no hamster. It is absolutely comical. I was supposed to land at 7 and be home by 8 or 8:15. I did not get home till 11:30. At least Maggie isn't alone tonight.

Portland-Part 1

We landed around 12:30 after a 10 am flight out of O'Hare. The weather, as it would be for the whole trip, was in the high 80s and not a hint of rain to be seen. We took a free van (it pays to have free vouchers) to the Courtyard in the middle of downtown, or the southwest district of Portland. As I walked around this town for the first time, a couple of things stuck out to me. First, I was impressed with the public trans system. They have streetcars, light trails, and buses. Even if they don't intersect a lot, it's good that a town is so oriented towards biking and walking has multiple ways to get around town besides driving. There were lots of homeless people as well. I would barely pass two blocks without seeing one. The atmosphere is very casual, which isn't surprising. Wearing a golf shirt and straight leg levis, I felt like I was wearing a business suit. I noticed lots of workout clothes, tank tops, t shirts, and high boots. And it's easily the most tatted city I've ever seen. I don't mind a little ink, nor do I look down on it. But when an arm looks like a coloring book, I mean, what's that going to look like in 20, 30, or 40 years? If I could get a temp that would go away in a year or so, I'd think about it. Ok, off my high horse now. As a proponent of facial hair, they're awesome in Oregon. Excellent beards. Unique styles, crazy length.

 

Another fans aspect of Portland is food trucks. There are about 500 in the city and I like that since it let's people try unique visitors in an approachable manner. I saw trucks for Moroccan food, Egyptian food, Lebanese food, and plenty of Asian trucks too. I started with a Vietnamese fried chicken sandwich. It had cucumber, pickled vegetables, and Sriracha mayo. Really good. The chicken was spicy, but the freshness of the veggies countered it well. Definitely, I would get this again. Then, it was Korean tacos with beef, chicken, and veggies and done kind of creamy sauce. Pretty solid at two bucks a taco or three for five. Then, to go American, it was a grilled cheese with tomato, bacon, Swiss, cheddar, Colby, and mozzarella cheese. To me, a grilled cheese is so much better with tomato and bacon. Nice spicy salt 'n pepper chips and pickle spear too.

 

We walked a few blocks east to Pioneer Court square, a great place to people watch. There was a small turf soccer field set up in the middle of the square. The MLS All Star game is in Portland on August 6. I was pretty amazed how many people walked around wearing Portland Timbers jerseys. Then again, when there's no football, no pro hockey, and the new Class A baseball team plays in a suburb, I guess there aren't many options. Actually, with the Mets heading towards another abysmal season, maybe I'll adopt the Timbers as my soccer team.

 

We did some shopping in the Pioneer mall, where I found a bottle of bacon maple ale from voodoo donuts. Apparently, we're so lazy now that we can't even eat the donuts, we need to drink them now. I did see the Portlandia, which is a huge copper statue at the federal court building. It's the second biggest copper statue in America behind the Statue of Liberty.

 

After chilling at the hotel for a few, we went to Huber's for dinner. This place has been around since the 1870s. They're known for turkey and searching it year round. Mom had a halibut with hazelnuts and capers in a beurre blanc sauce. I had a taste and was really impressed how well the fish was cooked. I had the chili garlic prawns, which were good, but really spicy. For dessert, I had bread custard pudding. Really enjoyable, but it was a pretty big portion. Excellent service too, the server was incredibly friendly as she explained the menu and helped us with directions around town.
 

I worked out pretty hard in the morning. A vigorous half hour on elliptical and a half hour with the free weights, followed by half a peanut butter quest bar had me feeling good. The big plan of the day was an eight-hour boat ride to Cascade Falls, which is east on Portland down the Columbia River. For 88 bucks a pop, we didn't exactly have the best accommodations. The boat was like a speed boat, where passengers were all facing one another. I didn't want a yacht, but I thought there would at least be room for us to all stand or sit outside. No such luck.

 

The trip started on the Willamette River, which runs through Portland. The city is also known door it's many bridges and we went under many of them, like the Morrison, Steel, and Broadway. There were a lot of navy ships and barges too. One of the highlights was passing by Multnomah Falls, which is a series of picturesque waterfalls. We also saw floating houses. They looked like standard manufactured homes with siding, but we're right on the water. I don't think I'd want to live in the basement of one of those. The cascade locks were interesting. Basically, it was a section of water near a dam that raises and lowers water through pipes, showing the boats to keep traveling. This one raised and lowered the boat by 60 feet each time. It took about 20 minutes each time and it is kind of cool to go up and down in a boat like that. We took an hour for lunch where I had a salad and fish and chips. Great beer batter on the fish; I'd have been happy to have it on chicken too. The disappointing part was we missed setting foot in Washington. So I saw the coastline of the state for like five hours, but technically, I guess I still haven't been to Washington.

 

We got back around 3:45 and though I liked the trip, I was ready to walk a little. We took a 20 minute walk across Morrison bridge into the northeast section of Portland. In a very industrial area, was a place I'd seen on the Travel Channel: Big Ass sandwiches. It's a food truck, which Mom didn't exactly expect. I didn't think that was a big deal but I guess she wanted a place to sit and have apps and that lousy wine. Problem is the truck is closed Sunday and Monday, so this was my only chance to go. I ordered the Richwich, which was ranked one of the top 10 sandwiches in America. We split it. It's homemade roast beef, bacon, grilled onions, cheddar cheese sauce, and French fries on ciabatta bread. It's a total mess, but so good. The fries are fresh, the cheddar sauce is rich, the meat is moist, and the bread is soft and full of flavor. It's a freaking mess for sure, but well worth the mess. I might not take a first date there though!

 

We took the streetcar to the NW district. Mom was pretty beat and getting a little shirt, so I went my own way. I felt like relaxing, so I thought I'd stop at Deschutes brewery and have a cold one. At 6 pm, I could not get a seat, not even in the bar. I admit my patience was running out; I needed to sit and have some water. I waited a half hour and walked out.

 

I headed two blocks south to Powell's bookstore. This place is huge, it takes up a whole city block and has four levels. I found a book about the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team and sat with it for about an hour. I did listen to the end of the Mets beating the Giants, the only one of the four games they actually won. Finally, I went back to Deschutes brewery and got the one seat left in the bar. I started with a soft, warm, round pretzel with a white cheddar cheese sauce with a ring of porter-infused stone ground mustard. Just a killer pretzel and those can be hit or miss. Then I had a salad with grilled chicken, spicy cashews, roasted corn, shaved pecorino cheese, and a few other good ingredients. Of course, the guy didn't realize I was ordering it, so 15 mins later, I ordered it a second time. I drank a beer flight with six sample. It had mostly ales, and even an IPA. My favorite was probably the mirror pond pale ale. Oh and the guy sitting next to me was a Mets fan from New Jersey and staying in the same hotel as me. What were the odds? I stumbled back to my room around 10 at night.

32 years down

So I'm sitting here and my 33rd birthday is upon us. Only eight hours to be exact. I thought about recapping some of the best and worst moments of the last 12 months, but isn't that why I've been writing all along? So instead, I'm just going to jot about how I'm feeling at this particular point after the many ups and downs of the last 12 months and what I want going forward.

I've been blessed to have learned a lot about human interaction lately. I think one of the best indicators of a whether a friendship or relationship will last is how both parties handle conflict. Any worthwhile relationship is just going to have peaks and valleys. And my goodness, I have seen both sides reach an extreme measure. People who handle problems well by addressing somebody with respect in a one-on-one manner, and with sincerity have my repsect. On the other hand, people who just twist the truth to suit their own agenda and feel the need to vent to other people and through social media when they have the ability to just address the person...well, they're probably not going to be in a lot of relationships that will last very long. And then they wonder why they're so alone.

The kind of people I want in my life are people I can feel comfortable talking about anything with, and I hope they can recognize my positives, and bear with my negatives. At the same time, I want to encourage them when they need it and learn how to make them be comfortable with me. I am learning more and more who those people are and those are the ones I want to stay in community with.

Professionally, I feel I have so much to offer. I have my shortcomings, but I know I have God-given talents. It is incredibly frustrating to not have an outlet to use those talents. I've been sitting at home for three months now, doing everything in my power to keep from going insane. Between bills, tuition, and now car payments, money is a scary thing. It's easy to see why it ruins so many people.

It is a good feeling to be killing it in my classes. Seven classes done, seven A's. Halfway to my Master's degree. I have a one-week break until the next one, which I think is financial analysis. Sounds like a thrilling conversation topic at dinner.

I'm feeling a sense of my own mortality lately. For one thing, my mom just turned 60. She's not showing it, but damn, that's a scary thought. I have been blessed to have had excellent health throughout my life. The two worst injuries I've ever had were a torn knee tendon (not a ligament) and a separated shoulder. But over the last three months, I've developed sunburn, a skin rash that covered half my body, and sustained brutal leg injuries. I've worked out for a while, but this year, I'm taking better care of myself. I'm doing DDP Yoga and I definitely notice how much better I feel when I do it as opposed to the days I don't. And although I love to splurge in good food, I am making a conscious effort to eat more vegetables. It takes more preparation and they don't last long, but there is no question that I feel better when I eat them.

In the next few days, I will knock two more states of my bucket list: Oregon and Washington. I believe that just leaves seven or eight that I have not been to yet. New Mexico has to be one of the next ones to cross off the list. Not to mention Hawaii...

Getting to me-the issue of pride

"Believers ought to take pride in their humble circumstances."

That statement comes from the book of James, in the first chapter. I was reading it a couple of days ago and I have to say it shook my pretty hard. I stopped reading my Bible right there and I just took a few minute to meditate on it.

I feel right now God is shaking me up in a lot of different ways because he is trying to guide me to a new path. The shaking has come through job rejections. It has come through physical ailments, which up until May, have rarely been a problem for me. Leg injuries, skin issues, and burns. Now I truly wonder if my body can ever be in the condition that it was. Perhaps I have place too much attention on my body and not quite enough on my heart. The shaking has come through changes in relationships, seeing some begin and some go on the backburner. And I am learning a lot about how to relate and how not to relate to people, especially in the midst of conflict. Some people handle it far more maturely than others and it is important that I try to consider their perspective, even if it doesn't make any sense! But back to the issue at hand. I am trying to keep my eyes open to see what path I am headed on. I wonder now if there is something I am holding onto that I need to let go of or if I need to start doing something new that I never had been doing.

And I'm amazed that the word "pride" is used in that verse. It seems like any time pride is used in a spiritual circle, it is referred to as perhaps the most seductive of all sins. It seems many men I know would list pride or lust as the sin that they have the most trouble with. Certainly, we need to stand up for ourselves and not become doormats. But at what point does pride go too far? The best answer I have is that if I have enough pride to where I am the most important person in my life and I am consumed with myself, then it is pushing the boundaries that Christ defines. I need to be aware of myself, I need to take care of myself and I need to love myself. Oh, and be content. However, if I'm working on myself and ignoring the needs of others, then I need to re-examine myself, figure out what needs to change, and then go about changing it. Love God, love people. There's no room for pride in those two commandments.

Excessive pride goes against what Jesus says God is looking for in his followers. He says in Matthew 5, "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Over the last three months, my spirit has been tested as much as any time in my life. Many people offer me a message of hope and I appreciate that. I believe they are sincere. But I have learned that there simply are no guarantees in this life. I don't know when I'll work again and I don't know if I'll ever have a good job again. I just hope right now that when I do work again, it will be something that I can be proud to do.

A day break

I woke up this past Saturday around 6 in the morning. After downing a handful of green grapes and drinking a liter of water, I was out the door for my two-hour drive to Milwaukee. The drive was pretty smooth all the way up, although it is interesting that I every time I make the drive, there are 4 lanes open on 94 in Illinois. Once I cross the Wisconsin border, it goes down to two lanes and there are bulldozers just sitting in a construction zone. How many years can it take to add a lane to a highway. Then again, when you only have good weather for three months a year...

My first stop was McKinley Park, which is right on Lake Michigan. I walked five miles down the coast to the Art Museum and back. I crossed over Lincoln Memorial Highway (basically Milwaukee's Lake Shore Drive) on the Brady Street Bridge and walked down Brady Street. I like this section of downtown Milwaukee because it is filled with trendy shops, local cafes, and cool taverns. Each place just seems to have its own unique personality and I enjoy visiting neighborhoods like that. Little did I know there was a street festival going on that day. The signs advertised food, four stages of music, as well as a drag show and pro wrestling. Now I have no problem admitting that I enjoy pro wrestling, but at a street fair? Pass.

I headed straight to Glorioso's Italian Deli, which has been featured on the Travel Channel as one of the 101 best places in America to chow down. I went with the Chicago combo sandwich: Italian sausage, marinara, Italian beef, and giardineira (I opted for mild, sorry). the sandwich isn't appropriately named for one simple reason: I have never seen a sandwich like this anywhere in the Windy City. The Italian roll was soft and seeded. There was just enough marinara to flavor the sandwich, yet not enough to overpower it. The beef was juicy and the giardiniera was well balanced and tasted very fresh. For six bucks! This sandwich is a steal. the cannoli was fine, but the shell fell apart a little faster than it normally should. A good cannoli shell crunches and this one didn't crunch the way I like. But I was impressed with their selection of Italian kitchen items from Genova tuna to pizza dough. I bought home a loaf of Italian bread and put on some marinara, parmesan, and fresh basil for an awesome snack. The staff was happy to help and treated me well despite me wearing my Mets gear too! I will definitely return on my next visit.

I walked back down Brady and over the bridge to my car and I headed a few minutes south to the Fifth Ward to buy a tour ticket for the Milwaukee Brewing Company. Now it was only 12 noon at this point. For the third time that day, I ran into the same two Mets fans. Two college-aged guys. I first saw them on my walk by the museum, then I saw them on Brady St, and now here they were again. We got tickets for the 2 pm tour. Until then, I drove on Water St across the Milwaukee River to the Historic Third Ward, which is well known for its businesses, condos, specialty shops, and is also the spot for the Summerfest. All I wanted was a parking spot for 90 minutes. I didn't want to pay five bucks to enter a garage; I just wanted a spot on the street. It took about 15 minutes, but I did get a spot. The cool part was even though there was a two-hour time limit, I didn’t have to pay the meter. So first, I walked through the Milwaukee Public Market, which is similar to Quincy Market in Boston with a lot of little food stands. I wasn;t going to get anything, but I did give in at a bakery. I got a large Wisconsin cookie, which is a little larger than a hockey puck. It had oatmeal, raisins, walnuts, and maple syrup. I decided to save it up. Guess I was waiting for some milk.

I walked north on Water St and took pictures of the Chase Tower, the Pabst Theater, and the Fonz statue on the riverwalk. I hadn’t been outside an extensive amount, but I felt the skin of the back of my neck feeling really tender. Turns out I was already burned up. I knew I’d be spraying on some Solarcaine as soon as I got home. I had a little extra time to kill before the tour began so I stopped in the Milwaukee Ale House. I didn’t even realize that I had parked right in front of a bar that I had visited three or four times over the years. I stopped in and had a Marco-rona which is a locally made Mexican draft lager. The guy dropped a couple of lime wheels in it. For five bucks, it was a really good refreshing beer. I think I had four glasses of water; I was just so thirsty after walking seven or eight miles by that point.

I drove back to the Milwaukee Brewing Company for the tour. For ten bucks, I got a very nice pint tasting glass, a ticket for a high-alcohol beer, one full glass of any draft I wanted, plus all the half glasses I wanted up until 3:30 pm. Oh and I also got a token for a free beer at one of 15 pubs. I knew I would have to do most of my drinking since I still had a ten minute drive to Miller Park afterwards.

For the fourth time, I ran into Brett and Chris, the Mets fans, and we got our glasses and our first pints. I chose the Louie’s Demise, which is their flagship beer. The medium bodied amber ale was smooth, malty, and not too hoppy. I really enjoyed this and I would happily drink it again. I also had a half pint of their summer ale, which didn’t have a fruity flavor like a lot of summer beers do. It was just a light-tasting brew. Then I had the Booyah, which is their farmhouse ale. It had a very earthy taste, with hints of rye and oats. It was a good one, but not my favorite. Finally, for my high-alcohol beer, I chose the O-gii, which is a wheat beer with 9% ABV. Usually, with a beer so strong, I’d expect a stout or an IPA. But this was amazingly drinkable, which may be a scary combination! It’s made with chamomile tea with hints of orange and ginger. This is scary good. Our tour guide was Tim and he was really zany and entertaining. At one point, he tried doing a New Jersey accent, but it came out sounding more like Brooklyn. Of course, I buried my head in my hands when he started. But it was fun nonetheless. By the way, I did not use my token for the extra beer. It actually looks like a pretty cool poker chip, so I think I’ll keep it as a souvenir.

After chilling out for a little while, I drove over to Miller Park. I wanted to be there right at 4:30 when the gates opened. I stormed over to the right field corner where I cheered for Mets rookie phenom pitcher, Jacob deGrom. We gave each other a fist pump and I have to say that was pretty awesome! For my second meal of the day, I went to the smoked meats station where carvers stood behind carving boards with brisket, turkey, beer can chicken, and pork. I opted for the Italian roasted pork sandwich with garlic aioli, mayo-free cole slaw, and shaved parmesan. It came with some macaroni salad and a pickle spear. For $10.50, that was a solid deal. I sat in Section 422, right behind home plate, and in the first row. For $22, that was an awesome seat. The game was great for the first half. The Mets took a 2-0 lead, capped by a Curtis Granderson home run in the top of the fifth inning. Unfortunately, some poor Mets defense in the bottom half of the fifth led to three Milwaukee runs an early exit for pitcher Jon Niese. The Mets lost 5-2. The only other things to mention about that are the chorizo edged out the Italian in the sausage race, some girl puked in the aisle near my seat, and my GPS got me lost going home. I needed to just got on 94 East and it had me getting on 43 North towards Green Bay. I might be taking that road soon, but if I do, it isn’t happening until September when the Jets go to Lambeau Field to play the Packers.

Things I'm noticing

1) The George Harrison tree was destroyed by beetles. Somewhere between funny and sad.

2) Why is it in every small group and meeting, there is always one person who doesn't know when to be quiet and let someone else speak?

3) One week to go in my 7th Master's class: action research and consulting. I've earned 818 out of 830 points. As long as I get a decent final project in, it looks like I'll keep up my 4.0 GPA. It's a good feeling. I wish I could have done high school trig online; I might have been decent!

4) It's strange how so many days take so long to go by, then I look back and it feels like a blur.

5) I'm not ready to say I've given up soda. But I could see myself sticking to one a week.

6) Went back to the driving range for the first time in over a year. I didn't get off to a good start, as I grounded 9 or 10 balls in a row. Once I went to my trusty 5-wood, I started whipping shots between 150 and 200 yards. I could even knock my driver 250 yards. But the iron gave me issues. Finally, I decided to turn my left foot in and open up my right foot, so I could get a wider, smoother backswing. It worked well and I hit some high arching iron shots afterwards.

7) As it sometimes happens when I play golf, I now have some nice blisters on my hands, probably from gripping the clubs too tightly. One big round one on the bottom of my middle finger and another on the outside of my lower right index finger. Time to bust out the Neosporin.

8) RIP James Garner. Just a shame some people only know him from "The Notebook"

9) One of these days, I really want to visit New Mexico. There's something mysterious and appealing about it that makes me want to go. Maybe it's the green chile.

10) Movies on Thursday night. Thinking it'll either be "Begin Again" or "Persecuted." Hoping it goes well.

Now what?

I really don't have much logic or thought; I just feel like I need to vent. I don't expect anyone who cares to be reading. I'm guessing it's strangers and the two or three people I know of who love to see me hurt. As in the Middle of (Springfield) Village...

1) Mom says I'm going bald. She apparently found a quarter size spot on the front of the top of my head. I have always been self-conscious about my looks and now I feel even more ashamed.

2) I have had a skin rash for over a week. My left forearm, the inside of my hips, my ankles, most of my legs, the sides of my stomach. Plus my left leg still has a lump from the injury I suffered in May. I have no idea what's happening to me. Why is my body falling apart?

3) The Mets' season is hooked up to the respirators. After a nice winning streak/tease leading into the All-Star break, they drop 2 of 3 to a Padres team that is awful! Unless they sweep Seattle, they are sellers and inconsequential in the NL playoff race. What else is new...

4) I organized a second annual bacon and beer tasting for the guys at Paddy Long's. Six of us showed up. I started with a three bacon and cheddar omelette. Excellent when there is more bacon than egg. We had our five bacons and five beers. Plus three orders of bacon grenades and some deep fried cheesecake. After church, this was my second religious experience of the day.

5) At least a walk around Lake Arlington on Friday night went well. A kiss is just a kiss...

10 thoughts of the moment

1) I'm so over Naperville Ribfest. The admission was 15 bucks this year. The best entertainment they had was George Thorogood & the Destroyers, Foghat, and the former lead singer of Supertramp. And I had ribs from three different places. None were anywhere near as good as the ribs I had four days prior at Smoque.

2) Maggie seems to be adjusting better, even with mom gone. She's sleeping well and doesn't cry anymore, at least not when I'm around. She loves organic dog food, made out of buffalo. If that isn't a bougie dog...

3) Itasca, IL still has the best fireworks I've ever seen. Throw in 100 friends and it just makes you feel good about life.

4) I did go down to Soldier Field for the USA vs. Belgium World Cup soccer game. I stood on the field, surrounded by a couple thousand of teenagers. Dang to think I was one one of them! It actually was a fun experience, even though the good guys lost.

5) Had a good three-way chat with Alison and Carrie from my small group yesterday for about two hours. We're all job searching and that gave us a good chance to express ourselves and let off just a little steam. That's community right there.

6) Ten days till the next men's bacon and beer tasting at Paddy Long's downtown. Had five guys last year. This year, eight are already confirmed.

7) It seems like the last three days, my eating habits are healthy breakfast, healthy lunch, healthy snack, and then the worst dinner I can find. Salads, Strawberries, Naked juice, chicken/rice/broccoli followed by sausage pizza, burger salad and fresh cut fries at Lucky Monk, Italian beef at Portillo's, etc.

8) I think 5 years from now, people in Americaa will look at drinking a soda with as much disdain as smoking a cigarette.

9) I'm ready for some more 90 degree weather. This 75-80 would be much better in September and October.

10) Still doing what I can to save money/not be bored. Sometimes that feels like an impossible combination.

Song pick: "Heart Won't Tell a Lie" Los Lonely Boys

Not happening

I admit I hurt. I just hurt right now. I've done my best to not discuss my job loss here and the pain that I'm going through. I doubt people really give a rip about it. But as every day goes by, as every week goes by, and as the rejection e-mails pile up, the situation just feels worse and I feel more and more unproductive.

I'm up to ten weeks out of work and it feels like it has been a year since I have been working. I admit I still have feelings most days about what I would say if I saw my old boss, and especially his boss. But I snap myself out of that, because there is really no point to it. Maybe one good slug in their jaws, just for good measure. Then again, I can't remember the last time I threw a punch where the target wasn't a bag.

What is really getting to me is these companies who I interview with. The interview goes well, they say they'll be back in touch with me, and then I never hear from them again. I have no patience for deception. If they explicitly say they are going to contact me by the end of the week, then they should do exactly that. Even if it is a rejection, don't screw with me like that.

Mom is urging me to apply for jobs outside of Chicago. I really don't want to do it. I don't know if I could handle losing my job as being the reason I left Chicago. I don't want those pricks at my last job to mess with my life up any further than they've already tried to.

Anyway, I'm off to get my blood drawn. After that...homework. Let the good times roll...