Matt in the Middle: For the Love of the Blog!

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

For the Love of the Blog!

I am pretty tired. I got my regular sleep today but, yesterday I fell a bit behind. The Cardinals played at 1600 yesterday so I watched that game when I normally would have been sleeping; it was worth it - what a great came if you are a Cards' fan. I was actually one of those guys who jumps up in his living room and starts screaming. I thought that stuff just happened to idiots in the movies and on television but, the last time I checked, there is no production crew in my house except when we are recording and I am editing Dirty Laundry Podcast. I guess it happens to idiots in real life too. Now the National League Championship Series (NLCS) comes down to the Giants and the Cardinals starting Saturday at 1900. It's funny how all of the "best teams in baseball" don't appear to be the best teams in baseball after all. Professional sports' seasons don't always turnout the way the media and "experts" like to hype them do they? I listened to sports radio pretty much all night long so I know everything about this upcoming series. Tonight is my Friday so that makes it easier to tough-through less sleep. If the Redbirds make it to the World Series again I am going to one of the games again.

We are going to record the new show tomorrow and I should have it up Friday. Cha Cha leaves on a train Friday (I am taking her to the station). I cannot go because I am too essential to work and those will be one of our two busiest weekends of the year. I would stay away from our town this weekend at most costs.

It never looked like that here unless it was after 06:00

Last night / very early this morning the moon was behaving very oddly (a red moon means this is the Cardinals' year right?). I guess this lunar eclipse was actually called a Blood Moon. As I drove around town I saw all of these people staring up into the sky. I saw the moon in every phase of it and I did not see the big deal. It was a clear night / morning so it was probably as good as it gets. I love, love, love the moon and the stars but I was not impressed. I have always been fascinated with celestial things. That probably comes from watching all of those first launches into space as a very young boy. When I was in third grade in the 1960's I had a jacket with all of the space mission patches on it; I really wish I had those patches now. Yes, I realize the jacket would ~~probably~~ definitely not fit but I could take the patches off. I always think, when things like this happen in the sky, how people hundreds or thousands of years ago must have felt.

It is such a beautiful day today (in my opinion). I love autumn and I love the word "autumn" too. "Fall" is not as classy or sexy as "autumn." I just now realized that I like most words that end in "MN:" solemn, hymn, condemn, column, goddamn... Hey, that's the abbreviation for Minnesota. Thank you for that Blood Moon! I hope the weather is like this when I am sitting in Busch Stadium in a couple of weeks (the Series begins October 21st). They should change "Fall Classic" to "Autumn Classic." If there is a World Series game on a Friday (or maybe even a Thursday) in St. Louis I may even go down there if I don't have a ticket. I will just try to find one of those "who needs two" guys or just go to the new Ballpark Village at Busch Stadium if I cannot get tickets. Man. I love this game!

Praying or crying that he left the Cardinals?

I heard a statistic on sports-radio in the MIDDLE of the night. Since Albert Pujols left the Cardinals to go to the Angels (already eliminated from the play-offs) the Cardinals have won 19 post-season games and the Angels have won zero. They were in the play-offs this year and got swept. I love Pujols but I love his old team A LOT more!

I guess we are going to go to dinner before I come back here and sleep before work. Thanks a lot for stopping-in. If you're not a baseball fan I apologize if I bored you today. Maybe you'll get lucky and the Cardinals will get eliminated by the Giants and I won't have that to blog about. Actually I will probably still blog about it but it will take a sadden tone. I will let you know when the new show is ready. Have a great AUTUMN night. TTTT (94%)...MITM (out on his Friday - woohoo) TA!

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Matt In The Middle Blogssary

47% Rule - Matt in the Middle is 47 % estrogen
53% Rule - Matt in the Middle is 53% testosterone
Agitator (the) - Matt's podcast name (revealed in blog and podcast number 2
B. S. - blog stuff
Big Sexy - Jay Cole's drink of choice (Jack and Coke) - doesn't necessarily have to be Jack
Blogcast - our podcast (Dirty Laundry)
Bloggestion - now in Urban Dictionary meaning something suggested on a blog or taking a few minutes to understand (like suggested or digested)
Blogging Suit - like a NASCAR driver's racing suit with all of the sponsors patches
Blogssary - blog glossary
Blogisodes - episodes of this blog
BWAK - blogged with a kiss
Ca-Ching - the sound of the cash register as I try to gain sponsors that will never actually happen (I'm not really that delusional) - same as ka-ching
Cha Cha - revealed to be Sugar Momma's new name on premier podcast
Cheese & Quackers - our resident ducks. she is cheese and he is quackers
Ciaoloha - MITM's new mega-word "discovered" on Columbus Day 2011. It combines "hello," "goodbye," "love," "podcast" and "blog" into one happy little package!
Copyright - something that I think is clever and original that needs to be protected as original intellectual material (like it would really hold up in court)
Dirty Laundry - our podcast/blogcast launched 4/1/11
Discomboobulated - a word Bret Michaels used on Celebrity Apprentice when he meant discombobulated though discomboobulated is an actual word
Fabio - the name my son preferred being called on the blog (the artist formerly known as Sparky)
Judii - the sister I never had but wish I did (my unofficial sister)
Ka-ching - the sound of the cash register as I try to gain sponsors that will never actually happen (I'm not really that delusional) - same as ca-ching
Kajunkles - used for people who don't know how to run correctly. Body parts moving against one another rather than together for the common goal of running (could be a noun, proper noun or a verb). Trying to accomplish something against seemingly impossible odds.
The Lost Sock - Cha Cha's brother (and my brother-in-law). One of the best people I have known in my life.
MADYM - One of my very good friends - Mary. She was given this name based on an acronym of her name by one of my other very good friends Stacee. Together they came up with the MITM theme song idea. She was also our maid of honor or matron of honor (I don't know the difference).
Middle - anything average or center (Middle of the country, Middle of life, average intelligence, a regular joe (or joan)...)
MITM - Matt In The Middle
Ms. Peabody - Maisy (our dog) because of Mr. Peabody
Nature Girl - Another very good friend- Sue. Given this name because of being a combination of Diane Fossey, Caroline Ingalls and Danielle Boone (lady Daniel)
Patent / Patent Pending - something that I think is clever and original that needs to be protected as original intellectual material (like it would really hold up in court)
PFT - Plasma Fun Time - donating plasma - twice a week.
Roz - my pink/fuchsia i-pod nano. Named for Roz Kelly who played Pinky Tuscadero on tv's Happy Days. She goes with me everywhere to play my life's soundtrack and measure my steps with her pedometer.
Sparky - my son's blog pseudonym (see also Fabio)
Splenda - my daughter's blog pseudonym
Sponsorship Patch - when I mention a known product to try to get sponsorships and want to put a patch on my blogging suit
Stacee - a friend from high school that is a great inspiration to me continuously. The Cosmos keep bringing us back together electronically (MySpace, Facebook, Blog...) even though we haven't "seen" each other for nearly thirty years.
Stuck In The Middle With You - Stealers Wheels theme song of MITM. Idea suggested by MADY and Stacee
Sugar Momma - my wife, Jill
Trademark - something that I think is clever and original that needs to be protected as original intellectual material (like it would really hold up in court)
TTTT - Ta Ta 'Til Tomorrow
TWSS - that's what she said
WTF - why the face?

Potato Soup

Ingredients Needed:
1 - 32 oz. box Vegetarian Vegetable Broth (I used Swanson's)
can substitute with chicken broth if you wish
1 - package of Country Gravy Mix (I used McCormick's)
okay to use sausage gravy mix if you wish
1 - 26 oz. package of frozen hash browns

Cook hash browns in a large pot. Cook potatoes until slightly browned stirring often so as not to burn the hash browns. While the hash browns are cooking prepare the country gravy mix as directed on package. Once the potatoes are done to your liking slowly pour the broth into the pot with the potatoes and reduce heat and simmer until hot. After the potatoes and broth are hot add the gravy mix and continue to simmer until thickened. Serve and eat.

** special note...I like it extra spicy so I add an extra package of county gravy mix to the finished mixture and whisk and heat.

Just like I always say - add whatever you want (peas, onions...) and make it your own. And, as always, ENJOY!

Sangria Wine Recipe (reposted from 4/22/10)

I also made Sangria yesterday to honor Earth's goodness (truthfully so I could get lit). I am not a wine drinker because most wines are too dry in my opinion and I am not a big fan of cotton-mouth. I liked the movie "Sideways" though so I want to like wine. I was watching Planet Green a couple of days ago while I was cleaning the kitchen and folding laundry like a real man and Emeril Lagasse was making paella on "Emeril Green". He also threw in, as an after-thought, Sangria so I hit the record button. Well he did it very fast and didn't say measurements or anything but he gave the basics so I came up with my own recipe and I think it turned out well though I made A LOT! Sugar Momma says I am a man of excess - isn't that what "man" means? Anyway, here's my Sangria recipe but I suggest you might want to cut the volume down unless you are having a small country over for dinner:

ingredients (I would suggest cutting the liquids in half)

3 liters of inexpensive Shiraz (Frontera Mendoza 2009)
1 cup of Grand Marnier
1 cup of brandy
1 cup of lime juice
3 limes
3 lemons
2 granny smith apples
2 large oranges
12 oz. sugar
33.8 oz sparkling water (Pellegrino)
64 oz. orange juice
ice

In a HUGE bowl slice the fruit and cover with sugar, mix. Add Shiraz and stir. Add ice to hold the fruit under while it drowns in the wine. Add Grand Marnier and brandy and stir. Add lime juice, orange juice and sparkling water and stir. Let sit for awhile so the tastes blend. Taste and add ingredients to taste (I added a little more lime juice and sugar). Find the biggest vessel you own for storage (mine is a pot like they used in those headhunter movies to cook people which is now sitting on our stove). Sweet and fruity just like me. Share with your friends/neighbors and your boss at review time.

Caprese Paninis

Ingredients you will need:

good loaf of bread (I used Italian bread)
mozzarella cheese
pesto sauce (I used jarred Classico brand - found by pastas)
fresh basil leaves
extra virgin olive oil
tomatoes

And here we go:
slice the bread and brush extra virgin olive oil on both sides of each slice. Clean and separate basil leaves. Slice tomatoes. Grate Cheese. Lightly grill one side of each slice of bread. Flip the bread when lightly toasted. After flipping the bread spread pesto on the toasted side and top with shredded cheese while the other side toasts. Once the second side is toasted and the cheese is starting to melt remove it from the

grill and top with two slices of tomato side-by-side and put a basil leaf on each tomato slice. Remove another slice of the toast with the pesto and cheese mixture from the grill and place it cheese/pesto side down on top of the tomato and basil'd toast to form a sandwich. (They could just as easily be done in a frying pan or on a George Foreman Grill...)

Done! Very simple and delicious!

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

For the Love of the Blog!

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