Matt in the Middle: Yes Virginia, there IS a Matt in the Middle!

Monday, June 7, 2010

Yes Virginia, there IS a Matt in the Middle!

Sorry there was no Matt in the Middle yesterday. Blospot was down Monday so I had total withdrawals. Hopefully that absence makes the heart grow fonder thing applies to blogs too and you didn't forget me already. They added upgraded Viagra software and now it's back up. So, for the first time since I started this blog I am writing it at night. I think I am more creative in the morning so this will probably not be the same... who knows what to expect? I guess that will make people want to read it right there.

I went to my niece's graduation party Sunday and I saw a lot of my Facebook friends that I haven't seen in awhile. I love how Facebook has made people reconnect with people. It's ironic that the thing that was condemned for causing people to become anti-social (the computer) is now responsible for making us more social.

Sugar Momma wanted to go for a walk this (Monday) morning before work. We walked quite a ways and it was weird.

Now that the kids are out of school it's like The Omega Man in the morning. For you non-Middlers Omega Man was the original I Am Legend. I always wanted to be Omega Man. There's barely anyone around. On our walk by the lake we saw geese out with their goslings and it occurred to me that goslings walk exactly like dinosaurs so it seems obvious to me that dinosaurs were more closely related to modern day birds than reptiles. Wait, how do we know how dinosaurs walked? Who was there to see them walk? Maybe Steven Spielberg was the only one. Good thing that the great flood wasn't in dinosaur times. Can you imagine the size of the Ark Noah would have had to build to take the dinosaurs two by two? Also on the walk I noticed that the sweet corn is already knee-high. That's one less thing we have to worry about so check that off of your list or your vegetable bingo game card. We also saw that the wind turbines were out of sync. That is the first time I ever saw them not synchronized. I bet BP is behind it to deflect from their problems in the gulf.

I bet if I remembered my dreams I would have better things to blog about...like that is possible. I am going to dream about blogging tonight and then I can blog about dreaming about blogging.

Hey... Sugar Momma got a promotion at work. I am very proud of her, like always. She now is an Instructional Designer. Her boss is in Omaha (Middle I think) and her boss's boss is in Florida. It's nice that she is doing what she loves (TWSS) and who doesn't love that their bosses are half-way across the country in opposite directions? Hey, she's in the MIDDLE of her bosses. she says this is "her dream job."

Thursday we're going to Milwaukee to see the Brewers play the Cubs.

The battle of the MIDDLES. My son and I are going with my parents and my brother who lives in the MIDDLE of the Pacific Ocean. Then we (the Cardinals) have a double header against the Cubs in Pony League baseball. It's going to be a very busy day driving most of the MIDDLE. My son and I will drive separately (together with each other but separately from my parents and my brother that is) because we will probably have to leave early to get to our games.

Now it's Tuesday morning and it has been raining. I don't know who hasn't been doing their Dry Dance but we need to get on that people. Actually I haven't been doing it either so I guess I need to get on that people. I kind of want it to rain Thursday because I have been to a couple of Brewers games and I always wanted to see a game at Miller Park with the roof closed but Sugar Momma will be a wreck if it's raining close to Saturday. Do the Dry Dance Friday and Saturday people!

Well, it's Tuesday. Tuesday is the loneliest day...it's the loneliest day since the day that starts with "Mon". I wish all of your days could be Fridays except for Saturday and Sunday...they could stay Saturdays and Sundays. I hope you have a great Tuesday. sorry I didn't get to wish you a happy Monday so if you had a bad Monday I will take the blame (me and Blogspot by Google). Blog you tomorrow unless technology fails us again.

** omega man photo taken because I am the only man alive and can take whatever I want from vintageculture.com & miller park photo stolen on a passed ball from jdbaseball.com **

No comments:

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, June 7, 2010

Yes Virginia, there IS a Matt in the Middle!

No comments:

Post a Comment