Matt in the Middle: I'm a Good Deed Doer!

Monday, July 11, 2016

I'm a Good Deed Doer!

I started donating plasma again today. I haven't done it since like 2012 or something but thought I would start being a good deed doer again. I stopped back then because my protein levels were getting low and I thought saving other peoples' lives could fall on others for awhile. I believe I have saved some lives since then but just not through my plasma. I was very excited to learn that my pulse and heartbeat were almost too low to donate. The nurse told me that I have what they call "an athlete's pulse rate." A pulse between 40 and 50, according to her, is considered an athlete's pulse. Mine was 50 but she fudged it to 51 so I could donate today. She said that if it falls below 50 she will have to have a doctor there sign-off on it so I can go as low as 40. I guess the weight-loss and walking and biking an average of about 17 miles per day are working. Maybe the meditation is working too.

Speaking of that, Cha Cha and I are going to start going to the Buddhist Temple in Woodstock on Monday evenings for meditation. We had been going on Saturday mornings but my new schedule fouled that all up. Then we started going to one in St. Charles (put on by the same temple we go to) but they were doing it in a yoga studio and it was rinky-dink and Cha Cha was having a hard time hearing the monk. I am happy and exited that we get to go tonight and every week thereafter as we choose. Mondays seem to be a good night for us to do this but I really like to eat in the town square up there but weigh-in day is Tuesday. I will manage because I want to keep my Jesse Owens pulse in check. I washed the FIAT and everything for this occasion.

How's that for a goose-step Adolph?!

I just spoke to my dad and he says my mom seems to be doing a little better but she probably won't come home for awhile still. Overall, everything sounds like it is going in the proper direction and everyone is optimistic that she may get out in a week or so. I hope that, should that happen, she doesn't slip back to where she is and/or was a week ago. We'll just take it as it comes like we all do every day of our lives. If we're not flexible and adaptable we might as well hang-it-up and let gravity go.

Four members of this household are playing that stupid new Pokemon APP game where they find invisible Pokemon characters living among us and they capture them and get points. I know I sound like a old fogie but I see people walking around town in packs staring at their phones like they are metal detectors. Somebody is going to get hurt watching their map and not paying attention to where they are going. Also, it won't be long until the makers of the APP will monetize it via advertising or charging businesses to have Pokemon characters placed at their establishments to get business headed their ways. I don't mean to be a buzz-kill but I know how materialistic and greedy people and companies are in this country. I would like to believe that someone is just trying to get people more active and up and moving but my radar is. most likely, spot-on on this. CA-CHING!

Well, we have our hotel reservations at the MGM Grand and our tickets to see John Fogerty in concert in Las Vegas. I have been to Vegas a bunch of times on business (monkey and funny and real work) but Jill has never been there. I think she will have a great time. I know she will have fun at the concert. She almost peed her pants when we saw Creedence Clearwater Revisited in Aurora awhile back and there was no Fogherty there, of course. I cannot believe is still so nice given all that he has been through being screwed-over by his former band mates and his record company. I am sure he is doing fine but I would have lost faith in a lot of things had all that happened to me. I guess we have all faced lots of adversity and betrayal but not on such a large and public level.

Okay, I am going to maybe take a little nap here before we head north tonight. Thank you for stopping by. I hope I distracted you from something you needed distracting from. I am pretty sure I will blog tomorrow and then I may have a bonus blog on Thursday because I have an opening in my dance card that day. TTTT...MITM (TA)!

Be well
Be happy
Be peaceful

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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!

Monday, July 11, 2016

I'm a Good Deed Doer!

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