I like to think that I know a decent amount about all things kitchen for a man my age. However, I fell victim the other day to a classic marketing ploy: the currant. You may have seen these at your local boutique bakery on a scone or perhaps in the grocery store next to the raisins and dried cranberries. Currant! What a lovely name. So exotic and tangy sounding! Well, I’m going to let you in on a little secret so you don’t make the same mistake I did if you ever find yourself being tempted by these little Sirens at the grocery store.
Currants = Cute, Little Raisins.
Seriously. No extra tang whatsoever.
My work is done here.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
American Flyers - I Salute You
It's pretty well documented that I love the movie American Flyers. It encompasses everything I need in my life: love, sport, humor, Kevin Costner in spandex to name a few. Yes, the movie is dated a bit being produced over 20 years ago but many of the themes running throughout the plot are still valid today, such as USA vs. Russia and the adult male desire to wear shorts above the knee.
Seriously though, the movie is chock full of one-liners, quotable scenes and great overall moments. If you find yourself in the mood for an 80's movie then pick this up (it sells for around $5). I bought my two copies many years ago and can look back on my acquisition as one of my smartest investments to date. And in case you're wondering why I own two copies, I look at it like a game of tennis where you bring two rackets to the court at all times. In the event that you break a string on your first one you'll have an identical backup that will allow you to continue your match. I haven't had to use my second copy of American Flyers yet, but when the time comes I know that I'll be able to watch the film in its entirety with only a brief interruption.
Anyhow, to commemorate my love for this movie I've put together a couple thematic montages. The first (below) deals with the brotherly-love undercurrent that exists between Marcus and David and the overall feel-goodness of the movie. One, might not expect such a sensitive side to a high octane sports movie but it's there! See, it's even a great date movie!
Side note: there are a few words scattered in the videos that make them more suitable for home viewing...don't say I didn't warn you.
The second montage (shown at bottom) focuses on the intense competition and fierce emotion that is really the glue binding this movie together. Much like the first stage of a rocket launch, it's the competition that takes this movie to the upper echelon of cinematic greatness. I mean, it really doesn't get much better than Cold War Cycling, does it?
Seriously though, the movie is chock full of one-liners, quotable scenes and great overall moments. If you find yourself in the mood for an 80's movie then pick this up (it sells for around $5). I bought my two copies many years ago and can look back on my acquisition as one of my smartest investments to date. And in case you're wondering why I own two copies, I look at it like a game of tennis where you bring two rackets to the court at all times. In the event that you break a string on your first one you'll have an identical backup that will allow you to continue your match. I haven't had to use my second copy of American Flyers yet, but when the time comes I know that I'll be able to watch the film in its entirety with only a brief interruption.
Anyhow, to commemorate my love for this movie I've put together a couple thematic montages. The first (below) deals with the brotherly-love undercurrent that exists between Marcus and David and the overall feel-goodness of the movie. One, might not expect such a sensitive side to a high octane sports movie but it's there! See, it's even a great date movie!
Side note: there are a few words scattered in the videos that make them more suitable for home viewing...don't say I didn't warn you.
The second montage (shown at bottom) focuses on the intense competition and fierce emotion that is really the glue binding this movie together. Much like the first stage of a rocket launch, it's the competition that takes this movie to the upper echelon of cinematic greatness. I mean, it really doesn't get much better than Cold War Cycling, does it?
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Announcement
Ahhh, spring is in the air. Can you smell it? Can you hear it?! Birds chirping again; buds starting to take a peek outside and see if it’s safe to open up for the season. It’s wonderful!
Now before I get too deep into this whole spring-is-great emotional moment I must admit, spring hasn’t quite made it to Anchorage just yet. There’s still some lingering snow on the ground, albeit patchy snow, and the temperature is barely topping 40 at it’s highest of highs. But spring is just the image I need to make an exciting announcement!
See, spring is about new life. It’s about organic matter growing again after the dead of winter leaves us. It’s about making it through another year stronger and more experienced than the last...and growing because of it. Grow. Grow! GROW!!
So, the announcement. Do you sense a theme??
I’m growing a mustache again!!! Much to Mary’s chagrin, I’ve decided to see if 2009’s upper lip follicles can top last year’s class (not a tough feat by any means)!
As such, I will be adding a lip status indicator on the right hand side of my blog, which to the nay-sayers out there is aptly named again. There you will be able to see what my upper lip looks like, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I know, just what you needed.
Now before I get too deep into this whole spring-is-great emotional moment I must admit, spring hasn’t quite made it to Anchorage just yet. There’s still some lingering snow on the ground, albeit patchy snow, and the temperature is barely topping 40 at it’s highest of highs. But spring is just the image I need to make an exciting announcement!
See, spring is about new life. It’s about organic matter growing again after the dead of winter leaves us. It’s about making it through another year stronger and more experienced than the last...and growing because of it. Grow. Grow! GROW!!
So, the announcement. Do you sense a theme??
I’m growing a mustache again!!! Much to Mary’s chagrin, I’ve decided to see if 2009’s upper lip follicles can top last year’s class (not a tough feat by any means)!
As such, I will be adding a lip status indicator on the right hand side of my blog, which to the nay-sayers out there is aptly named again. There you will be able to see what my upper lip looks like, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I know, just what you needed.
Monday, March 30, 2009
I've Discovered How To Time Travel!!
Not all of you know this, but I originally went to college as an engineer. Now I didn't graduate as an engineer, but I stuck it out for a year and a half before switching to a less physics-intensive area of study. Throughout this period of approximately 18 months, I went through more physics and chemistry courses than any human should ever be subjected to. If you're looking for a quick test to see if you've also been subjected to one too many physics lectures then ask yourself this question: "What do I associate with the words 'red rectangle'?" Go ahead, ask yourself...
If you thought of this, then you're OK! No need to worry about your mental well-being any longer:
Just to show you how to fail this test, this is what comes to my mind when I ask myself the same question:
Now some of you might be asking why this is relevant. Well, it just so happens that my physics background finally paid off. I've stumbled upon something that could revolutionize the way we contemplate the current space-time view of the universe. I've discovered how to time travel! The Carpvano household has managed to warp back in time approximately 15 years! It's truly amazing!!
And for the doubters out there who say that this just isn't possible given current technologies and theories of our physical world, I submit to you this picture:
Dial-up internet!
If you thought of this, then you're OK! No need to worry about your mental well-being any longer:
Just to show you how to fail this test, this is what comes to my mind when I ask myself the same question:
Now some of you might be asking why this is relevant. Well, it just so happens that my physics background finally paid off. I've stumbled upon something that could revolutionize the way we contemplate the current space-time view of the universe. I've discovered how to time travel! The Carpvano household has managed to warp back in time approximately 15 years! It's truly amazing!!
And for the doubters out there who say that this just isn't possible given current technologies and theories of our physical world, I submit to you this picture:
Dial-up internet!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Apartment
We finally found an apartment that we both liked and only narrowly avoided slumming it in a shag carpet stink-fest had we not found this place. It's small, but brand new and nice. It has key appliances such as a stacked washer/dryer, dishwasher and garbage disposal which saves us the annoying trips to the laundromat. It also has radiant floor heating, so your feet are toasty warm when you step out of the shower in the morning (well, that's what the idea is but when you're feeling low on cash and the heat is not exactly cranked then your feet are just mildly warm when you get out of the shower in the morning. Okay, I'm just trying to save face here, they're pretty much cold still). BUT when we do get some sort of regular cash flow again THEN our feet will be toasty.
So we have an address. That's good because most employers like that.
Speaking of which, I have a job now...as a proud employee of the U.S. Department of Commerce, which just so happens to be the department housing the U.S. Census Bureau, which is constitutionally bound to perform a census in 2010 and was hiring for temporary positions in Anchorage, which just so happens to be where I'm actually working. US CENSUS 2010!! BE COUNTED!
Yep. Really.
Eric Carpenter
Enumerator
U.S. Census Bureau
So we have an address. That's good because most employers like that.
Speaking of which, I have a job now...as a proud employee of the U.S. Department of Commerce, which just so happens to be the department housing the U.S. Census Bureau, which is constitutionally bound to perform a census in 2010 and was hiring for temporary positions in Anchorage, which just so happens to be where I'm actually working. US CENSUS 2010!! BE COUNTED!
Yep. Really.
Eric Carpenter
Enumerator
U.S. Census Bureau
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