Thats right ladies and gents, its that time of year again. Black Friday, Cyber Monday, the countdown of the days left and the radio stations devoted to just christmas music. Its that magical, remarkable, utterly joyous time of Chirstmas! The time of year when the days grow shorter and colder, tempers get hotter and strangers trample eachother to get the last of whatever the hottest thing on the market is. Long gone are the days of sitting by the fire or your grandmother's favorite chair, listening to the recount of the Night Before Christmas with wide eyes and a cheshire smile.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Rogue, Criminal, Demon, Savior, Saint, Man.
I've been known by many names, one thing is certain.
Every one of them is true.
I've known pain and pleasure, love and loss, hate and joy.
I've saved lives and dealt death.
Prayed for God and shook hands with the Devil Himself.
Tasted fine wine and boot leather.
Been on both sides of a pistol.
Felt the softness of a woman's touch and the hard crack of a man's fist.
Equal parts Devil and Deity
I am a Man
I am an Outlaw
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Plain (Just Salted) Farmer's Cheese
Farmer's Cheese
w/ Garlic, Onion & Red Pepper
You're probably wondering, "Why the hell would someone MAKE cheese when they sell the stuff in the grocery store?" The answer is simple. Because I can. To some people painting is art, to some its music, to me, its being able to take raw ingredients and turn them into something amazing is an art form. Now, I'm not saying this stuff is amazing, actually its tasty at best (hey, I'm new at this give me a break) but like anything else it requires practice. So, for now I'll just share the basic recipe and that'll be that, and believe me if I can do it, so can you.
Homemade Farmer's Cheese
(Fromage Blanc if you're a snooty Frenchman)
1/2 Gallon Whole Milk
(raw if you can get it, pasteurized if you can't. Ultra pasteurized will not work)
1 Cup Cultured Buttermilk
1/4 Cup Distilled White Vinegar
(lemon or lime juice will work as well)
Salt to taste
Seasonings to taste if you want to go that route
In a heavy bottomed pot over low to medium heat, bring the whole milk to 175*F-190*F Stir slowly but constantly to prevent milk from scorching
When milk is up to temperature add in both the buttermilk and the vinegar (or juice) and stir to distribute throughout. The milk should start to curdle and separate into curds and whey within 30 seconds
Turn off heat, let sit for 10-15 minutes
Line a colander with heavy cheese cloth (I use a cut up cotton tshirt)
strain the curds into the colander, let sit for a few minutes
at this point you could salt or season the curds
When you feel like enough time has passed pick up four corners of the cheese cloth and squeeze more of the whey out of the cheese ( the more you squeeze the firmer and crumbly the cheese will be)
Transfer cheese to a container and cover, let firm up in refrigerator for a few hours to overnight
If all goes well, you now have homemade farmer's cheese!! Not too shabby eh?
Friday, January 27, 2012
Untitled Vampire.... Thing pt. 1
From behind me I hear a man speaking into a cell phone.
"Avem nevoie pentru a trece de vânătoare, eu sunt de foame!" (we need to go hunting, I'm starving!) This catches my interest, see, I know a little of the dialect he is speaking, something about hunting and being very hungry. He notices me standing there. "Fill it, regular." Yes, I work at a gas station. The man goes back to his conversation. "Ne întâlnim la parc după 10, vom bea de bine in seara asta." (Meet me at the park after 10. we will drink well tonight.) I finish pumping his gas and collect his money. as he pulls off I say "Noapte buna!" (good night!) He suddenly stops the car and glares at me in the rearview mirror. That was the last night of my life. I was 25...
Sunrise. There was a time when I thought, like so many who have never become a creature of the night; that the sun spelled one thing for a vampire. A quick, firey death. So imagine my surprise when, one bright July morning, having decided to end my life, I ran out into the sunlight and poof!… Nothing. Its very rare that I see the dawn, nothing new since I’ve always been a night owl, but now every time I watch the sun rise it holds a different meaning for me. Another day, another step down that long road, another chance to put things right. Normal people, mortals, scurry around day-to-day going about their lives, doing things that, in the end, are utterly pointless. They never really know what it means to live, or to die.
I woke in a frenzy, my body screaming as if every cell burned in fire. My muscles twisting and pulsing under my skin, sweat pouring from my pores leeching some unseen poison from within. When I finally got my breath back it took a moment to realize I didn’t need it. Sitting silently, I could not feel my heartbeat, couldn’t hear it in my ears as I had all my life. Panic, confusion, terror gripped me. From the darkness I heard a familiar voice and my blood went to ice. He was laughing, the bastard laughed in the face of my torment, of my terror. What evil was this? What monster could do this, and laugh? A hearty chuckle escaping his mouth as he stepped into the light, his eyes gleaming like a lion after his evening dinner. “ I see you’re finally awake. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Magar. I am the reason you are here. I am the one who did this to you.” At that statement I glared at him, burning his face into my memory, remembering every line, every feature of the Devil’s mask. What have you done to me?!?! What’s happened to me?! ANSWER ME YOU SON OF A BITCH!!! I try to stand and strike my legs gave way sending me scrambling to the floor like a newborn calf. This earned another bark of laughter at my expense. “Well, dear boy, I couldn’t have you listening in on my conversations and just walk away. It was either turn you or just kill you. I opted to keep you, to turn you, so that you would know never to stick your nose into others business again.” I stare at him dumbfounded, unable to process the things he is telling me. “You did this to me to teach me a lesson? What are you??” “I am like you…I am a vampire.”
Some people say there is only one singular moment in time where we get one chance, only one shot at true love, wealth... at happiness. For mortals, maybe. Others, like vampires, have a different outlook on things. Some of us are as old as time itself. Some, like me are still children in their eyes. We know that things go on. Ever moving, ever changing. Twenty five years may seem like a long time, but to a man like Tyler, formerly known as Tut...Yea, that one... Its a blink of an eye.
The same can be said for vengeance. You'd think after five years I'd forget about Him, accept my fate and move on with things. Well, you'd be wrong. Dead wrong, no pun intended. Ever since the first time I woke up in that God forsaken pit, from the first time I was forced to make my first kill, since I put a name to that face, those eyes, I've wanted my revenge.
"Avem nevoie pentru a trece de vânătoare, eu sunt de foame!" (we need to go hunting, I'm starving!) This catches my interest, see, I know a little of the dialect he is speaking, something about hunting and being very hungry. He notices me standing there. "Fill it, regular." Yes, I work at a gas station. The man goes back to his conversation. "Ne întâlnim la parc după 10, vom bea de bine in seara asta." (Meet me at the park after 10. we will drink well tonight.) I finish pumping his gas and collect his money. as he pulls off I say "Noapte buna!" (good night!) He suddenly stops the car and glares at me in the rearview mirror. That was the last night of my life. I was 25...
Sunrise. There was a time when I thought, like so many who have never become a creature of the night; that the sun spelled one thing for a vampire. A quick, firey death. So imagine my surprise when, one bright July morning, having decided to end my life, I ran out into the sunlight and poof!… Nothing. Its very rare that I see the dawn, nothing new since I’ve always been a night owl, but now every time I watch the sun rise it holds a different meaning for me. Another day, another step down that long road, another chance to put things right. Normal people, mortals, scurry around day-to-day going about their lives, doing things that, in the end, are utterly pointless. They never really know what it means to live, or to die.
I woke in a frenzy, my body screaming as if every cell burned in fire. My muscles twisting and pulsing under my skin, sweat pouring from my pores leeching some unseen poison from within. When I finally got my breath back it took a moment to realize I didn’t need it. Sitting silently, I could not feel my heartbeat, couldn’t hear it in my ears as I had all my life. Panic, confusion, terror gripped me. From the darkness I heard a familiar voice and my blood went to ice. He was laughing, the bastard laughed in the face of my torment, of my terror. What evil was this? What monster could do this, and laugh? A hearty chuckle escaping his mouth as he stepped into the light, his eyes gleaming like a lion after his evening dinner. “ I see you’re finally awake. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Magar. I am the reason you are here. I am the one who did this to you.” At that statement I glared at him, burning his face into my memory, remembering every line, every feature of the Devil’s mask. What have you done to me?!?! What’s happened to me?! ANSWER ME YOU SON OF A BITCH!!! I try to stand and strike my legs gave way sending me scrambling to the floor like a newborn calf. This earned another bark of laughter at my expense. “Well, dear boy, I couldn’t have you listening in on my conversations and just walk away. It was either turn you or just kill you. I opted to keep you, to turn you, so that you would know never to stick your nose into others business again.” I stare at him dumbfounded, unable to process the things he is telling me. “You did this to me to teach me a lesson? What are you??” “I am like you…I am a vampire.”
Some people say there is only one singular moment in time where we get one chance, only one shot at true love, wealth... at happiness. For mortals, maybe. Others, like vampires, have a different outlook on things. Some of us are as old as time itself. Some, like me are still children in their eyes. We know that things go on. Ever moving, ever changing. Twenty five years may seem like a long time, but to a man like Tyler, formerly known as Tut...Yea, that one... Its a blink of an eye.
The same can be said for vengeance. You'd think after five years I'd forget about Him, accept my fate and move on with things. Well, you'd be wrong. Dead wrong, no pun intended. Ever since the first time I woke up in that God forsaken pit, from the first time I was forced to make my first kill, since I put a name to that face, those eyes, I've wanted my revenge.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The Voice In My Head
We often, too often in fact, get caught up in the day to day whirlwind of life. Things like who's doing what (or who) at the office, when the newest iPhone or tablet or coffee machine is coming out, the jackoff that cut in front of you in the parking lot, the bullshit and drama. The mindlessness of it all that, in the end, is utterly fucking pointless. We loose sight of the simple things, the important things, what matters the most at the end of the day, of every day. I know I'm guilty of it. Everyone has a list of what is so important to them it is damn near inconceivable to live without. First and foremost for me? My family. I wouldn't be here if not for them. They've seen me at my worst and best, always there with a helping hand or even an "I told you so" when I needed it. I love them more than I can ever express. Next would be my friends, who to me, are like a second family. See, I'm not what you would call a social butterfly; I don't have a thousand friends or go partying every night. Hell, I spend most of my time in one of three places in my house. My desk, the kitchen or the shitter. So the friends I do have are very special to me. These people too I love. Shut up, John. Then come my creative outlets, be it cooking, photography, writing, leather working, etc. Without these activities I believe my head would, in all likelihood, pop clean off my shoulders. Something as simple as cooking something new for dinner or making homemade cheese (which I did today for the first time) can be a very relaxing, even cathartic.
The point of my little rant here is let the bullshit slide, like water off a duck's ass. Kiss the wife and kids, call your mother just to say hi, and do SOMETHING that makes you happy. Because, as the old saying goes, you've only got one shot at this, so make it fucking count.
The point of my little rant here is let the bullshit slide, like water off a duck's ass. Kiss the wife and kids, call your mother just to say hi, and do SOMETHING that makes you happy. Because, as the old saying goes, you've only got one shot at this, so make it fucking count.
Friday, October 14, 2011
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