Happy Birthday to me!

Well, I'm another year older. The slow march to 30 continues, only one more year left in my 20s. I had fun this birthday. As most of yall know, last weekend we had a weiney roast at Nanny & Papa's. Staishy & Sean, I wish yall could have been there. We had grilled hot dogs and Eckridge sausage, with all the fixins. They were so yummy, props to the griller. ;-) I wonder who that was. We then spent the rest of the day just hanging out, some chatting, some playing dominoes. Then last night I went out with my friends to celebrate with a few drinks and a movie. We saw the new Predators movie. Overall, I would say it is probably on par with the first movie, and definitely better than the second.

Arts Festival, cont...

Well, the visit to the Main Street Fort Worth Arts Festival got moved up a day. We ended up taking off work a couple of hours early and going Friday afternoon. It was pretty cool. I posted a pic of a wind sculpture by Andrew Carson and Shelly Corbett. In my opinion, they look pretty cool, just not in my yard. There was art and "art" there from every medium imaginable. My favorite was digital photography by this guy named David Mayhew. He had on display some of the most beautiful stormy sky scenes. I think what I loved the most about them was the contrast between the dark greys of the churning clouds or tornadoes and the bright colors of the landscapes or the rest of the sky at sunset. Breathtaking. If only I won the lottery, then I could have one of those beauties hanging on my wall. Heck, if I won the lottery I would take a photography class, then travel around seeking out my own scenes.

Arts Festival...

Hey all, just letting yall know I'm going to the Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival on Saturday. This is my first time in eight years to go. Anybody else going? The news just said it is rated as the third best arts festival in the country. I'll post back letting yall know how it goes.

Wisdom teeth...

I have been dreaming of the day when I could get my wisdom teeth pulled. Oh, and be able to afford to do so. Well, I went to the dentist a few months back for the first time in years. They took X-rays (the new machines are so fast and amazing), and I got to see just how bad those wisdom teeth are. I was told to get them pulled very soon before something happens. I had another appointment yesterday, and after getting griped out for not getting them out I definitely have to schedule a consultation with an oral surgeon. This is where my agoraphobia kicks in. It just occurred to me that when they pull them, they don't just numb the area and dig them out, they actually put me under. To anybody that doesn't know what agoraphobia is, let me explain. While the literal translation means the fear of wide open spaces, what it actually means is the fear of situations you can't control (i.e. wide open space with no where to hide, so you're too vulnerable and can't escape.) Well, being unconscious and having people mess with me is definitely a situation I can't control. Ahhh, anxiety disorders suck! I hate this, I wish I had perfect teeth and didn't have to deal with this, but, as Dad always says, "Life ain't fair."

A first time for everything

Well, I finally did it. I've canonballed into the world of blogging. For my first post I had planned to talk about some yummy pulled pork sandwiches I had made, and post a yummy picture to go along with it. I suppose the talking about it part isn't difficult. Since my apartment complex unsurprisingly will not allow smokers on the patio, I couldn't barbecue the pork like I had wanted. I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I was forced to create faux barbecue. Faux-cue? Hmm... maybe that's not the right word. I love barbecuing, so I feel it necessary that the world understand that true barbecue is cooked low and slow, outside, over a heat source, with the application of wood smoke forming a beautiful pink smoke ring. This process should also awaken some long dormant instincts from our carnivorous roots . If it doesn't meet these qualifications, then, pardon my grammar folks, it ain't barbecue. Oh, and by slow, I mean that this can sometimes take at least 24 hours to cook. Anywho, I digress. I started with a bone-in pork butt (no, not a pig's backside, but its shoulder), rubbed it with some secret ingredients, including liquid smoke (shhh, don't tell). I then cooked it while at work, using my wonderful 7 qt Crock Pot ($30 @ Target!), until it is fall apart tender. When this is done, let it cool enough to handle, then pull apart. This is the hard part. By the time it is completely pulled, I have usually nibbled on enough pieces of meat to count for an entire meal. I would say that you must resist this temptation, but as any Trekkie knows, "resistance is futile." Normally I mix in a homemade root beer based barbecue sauce, but I was lazy, it was store bought this go-round. When making the sandwiches, it is very important to pile the yummy meat so that it is spilling off the bun, the more the merrier. Traditionally, cole slaw is topped on the meat, which is just how I like it. Before taking a picture, I staged the sandwich just right, with plenty of coleslaw visibly draped over the meat, and the top hamburger bun sitting back just a little to make the sandwich appear to be bursting at the seams with yumminess. I took the picture, then plugged my camera into the computer to download, only to find out I don't have the software installed and the CD is still packed up from one of my moves. So, until I happen to find that, I hope my description is acceptable. Maybe by the time my next culinary adventure rolls around, I'll be able to share some pictures.