"Undermining my electoral viability since 2001."

Outlandish Josh

Published on Fri, 2008-04-18 20:26

Ribonucleic Acid Freak Out!

Flashing through the accumulated images of the past week, it's a heady mixed bag. Trying to work my way from being a direct-actor to a manager. Trying to get ahead of the curve. Trying to continue my studious avoidance of all feminine diversions. Trying not to get boring as I get old. Trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. Trying to communicate. Trying to love. Trying to speak correctly. Trying to listen. Trying.

And a few things occur to me.

In the smear of pint-night down at Everett's, veterans of the military and Gillman st telling stories early, Kelly and Zya creating interpretive dances to Neil Diamond, then the kids coming in as the evening sets in; there emerges a ray of light in shiny blue tights, sheer brilliance, such as to make me avert my eyes. She looks pretty good at the coffeeshop usually, but this is another level, enough to make a man reexamine his beliefs. It occurs to me that my "my head's not in it" excuse for studious avoidance of such is a self-fulfilling prophecy with real limits in its utility. Something's got to change, but for the moment, hey, at least you've got a collectable pint glass to duck into.

And from this, a potential remedy for my romantic listlessness, a possible self-concept, an avenue of habitual action. How does "power-dating" sound? It's more applicable than my retired manslut persona non grata, and it could be useful to get me out there in some way. It ties in with ambition and other shadowy forces that need outlets. I don't know how it squares with living half-n-half between here and the Bay -- where exactly do I set my sites? both? -- but it seems worth trying.

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Published on Wed, 2008-04-16 18:24

Observation on Small Town vs City Life

In a New York City, and presumably other big cities, one builds a vital sense of community out of the people with whom you have regular pattern overlaps: fellow commuters, the workers at the coffeeshop when you like to go, the corner deli staff, one or two people in your building you see often. Otherwise, you're awash in strangers, and points of familiarity tend to be a welcome surprise and a comfort, even when they're discovered through the mediation of customer service.

In the HC, you've probably seen everyone before, several times, possibly even picking up enough information along the way to form opinions about these people even if you don't know their names. Unfamiliar faces are rare and precious, and people often use the mediation of social roles -- again customer service comes to mind, but there are other examples -- as a means of creating pseudonymity where none actually exists, a way of escaping omnipresent social information or obligation.

Clearly these are generalizations, and deeply colored by my own bias. Still, kind of interesting.

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Published on Tue, 2008-04-15 20:51

That's One For You Nineteen for Me....

The taxman cometh. I just forked over about 52% of my total take-home income from the past year to the federal government and state of California. This is where having a business that works out becomes painful, though I can't help but think that a more devious accountant (yes, more devious than a ninja) could have done at least a little bit better.

In many ways the deck is stacked against us entrepreneurial types. We're taking advantage of the simplest and most flexible business structure, the LLC. We still pay self-employment tax, and our desire to build up the business and hire people means we're leaving money in the bank that we could be taking for ourselves, yet the IRS considers that as profit from a business and personal income whether we draw it or not.

So in an effort to expand we knock ourselves up a couple tax brackets without increasing our take-home pay a cent. I've been saving for it since last fall, but it still feels mightily deflating. No refund for me.

Oh well. First-world problems. If you're on the other side of the great class divide and wondering what to do with your Bush Money, here are some neat ideas.

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Published on Mon, 2008-04-14 17:12

Unlikely Foodblogging

I don't foodblog very much, in large part because I never got into it, and because while I've got some kitchen skillz, I don't get to exercise them all that often. I make myself a lot of quesadillas, and still eat out fairly often (though not nearly as much as in NYC, natch). Bachelor kitchen.

However, I had a little BBQ with my prospective employees (eep!) up here on Sunday, and pulled out an old favorite for the occasion. It went over well, so I figured I might as well share my method.

This recipe comes via Ms. Julia Henning, who first cooked it for us up here in Westhaven about a year and a half ago. She served this with a delicious jicama salad, which I have no idea how to replicate. However, I did get the details for the sauce and meat parts, and since then I've been noodling with it on my own:

Grilled Skirt Steak w/Chimmy Churry Sauce

Skirt Steak is the ultimate grill appetizer meat, imho. It's tasty, bite sized, and cooks in a matter of three to five minutes on a hot bbq. The genius chimmy churry sauce makes a perfect dipping compliment. In keeping with my style, all measurements are approx. Use your best sense and taste lots!

First you'll want to make the chimmy churry, which is like a pesto, and needs to sit for at least a couple hours before serving so the flavors can permeate. Overnight is even better:

  • 1 bunch fresh parsley
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/2 med size onion
  • 2 to 3 jalipeno peppers
  • Canola oil
  • Olive oil
  • 1 lime
  • Rice vinegar
  • Salt/pepper

Chop up the onion and garlic and jalipenos and put them into a blender. Depending on your taste for heat (and how hot the peppers actually are) you might want to use two or three, or even one.

Next you want to chop up about 2/3 of the parsley bundle and toss that in the blender too. You may add more, but it's best to do it by taste.

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