Matt in the Middle: My Heart Will Go On!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

My Heart Will Go On!

cue today's music... and let's shove off...

I am a little salty this morning (TWSS). I went to my scheduled appointment do donate plasma this morning at 7:30. I scanned my finger (fingerprint recognition) and it said that I was not eligible to donate and someone would be with me in a moment. What's wrong? Was it due to the blood-spurting incident? Did it have to do with my borderline protein level two donations ago? Am I too sexy again (this one happens to me quite frequently)? So, I waited and then spoke with the ladies behind the counter who asked, "when did you donate last week?" I said "I donated Tuesday and Friday and again Tuesday this week." I usually do Tuesdays and Thursdays but changed last week so I could donate my screwing time to the United Way Day of Caring.

Apparently no good deed goes unpunished as the adage goes because now that I did Tuesday/Friday that is my new weekly schedule. If I want to switch I have to skip my second donation this week and start again with Tuesday/Thursday next week. I scheduled for tomorrow but I have to think about it. If I do Tuesday/Friday it will mess up my workouts because then there isn't a break between each plasma donation day. You're not supposed to do any heavy lifting after you donate and I don't think I would be too motivated to workout before my plasma donations at 4:30 in the morning. Blogging it here has made me think about it so thanks, as always, for indulging me and helping me to figure out my messes. Choices are: quit donating plasma all together, skip tomorrow and get back on Tuesday/Thursday donations so workouts would work, donate plasma Tuesday/Friday and figure the every-other day workouts with one day being a REALLY early work-out day, quit working out (not an option)...or think of other solution. Darned Day of Caring...A pox on me for caring but if I get a pox and quite donating plasma there may not be a cure for my pox...damn it all to helser!

There were three totally separate Trojan Horse references in my day yesterday. I know I will figure out the significance sooner or later. At least my mind will figure out some lame attempt to tell me there is a link with something. I had a vasectomy like ten years ago or so so that's not the reference...Trojan Man!!! I have so many "blue" references running through my mind but I don't need to work blue...I'm too good for that. Actually I work blue a lot for shock-value but that's not what this blog is about though I'm not entirely sure what this blog is about other than to entertain you and to get things off of my chest (TWSS).

Did you hear there's a new theory as to why the Titanic struck the iceberg? Supposedly there is a relative of one of the ship's crew that wrote a book saying that the cause was a steering problem. There was an order to turn aport but the ship was turned starboard causing the ship to hit the iceberg. The Titanic may

have still hit the iceberg but not as directly so she wouldn't have sunken so quickly making it possible for the Carpathia to reach her in time and maybe save everyone on-board. Very coincidental timing when Sugar Momma is heading down to Hannibal/Quincy for this weekend's wine-tasting. And you ask, "how in the heck can Sugar Momma and her friends' (my friends too) weekend in the MIDDLE of America have any tie-in to the Titanic sinking?" Being a student of the town of Hannibal and all things Mark Twain I happen to know that Margaret Brown is from Hannibal Missouri. "Who is Margaret Brown?" you may ask. Margaret Brown was known as Molly Brown and came to be best-known by her nickname The Un-sinkable Molly Brown. She was one of the first women to ever run for public office; she ran for the Senate eight years before women even had the right to vote in America. She survived the Titanic disaster, which is how she got her nickname, and went on to start which was probably one of the first relief funds in American history to help families who lost loved-ones to the Titanic's sinking. You may remember that she was played by Kathy Bates in the film Titanic. I believe she also survived another ship sinking too but I am not sure of that. A truly great person in history. Things you should know brought to you by Matt In The Middle!

Well, it seems I have blogged on about only two main topics today but it helped me work one thing out and hopefully taught you something about MIDDLE-American history. If you already knew about Molly Brown it's still good to be reminded about the great ones who made a difference. Have a nice what should be plasma-donation day - one of my many weaknesses is not letting things go. Thanks for letting me hug it out. I'll blog you again later because I still have to whittle this green notebook down. TTTT...MITM

1 comment:

StaceeSeptember 23, 2010 at 11:44 AM
you can visit the molly brown home in Denver...
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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!