Matt in the Middle: This Blog is Stuck in Second Gear!

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

This Blog is Stuck in Second Gear!

I am going to do a terrific blog today - hit it Hal

Hey, That's not a MATT in the MIDDLE!

I just learned from my friend Dena that today is Friend Appreciation Day. What a great day; every day should be friend appreciation day. Friends are what make life bearable most of the time. So, let me start by saying that I appreciate you and I am glad you appreciate me enough to be reading that I appreciate you. Over the past couple of weeks I have been thinking a lot about past friendships as four or five very hard-working ladies (why is it always the ladies?) are organizing our 30-year high school reunion. I think about friendships lost and friendships forgotten and have many regrets. I usually think everything is about me, good or bad, so I mainly blame myself for losing friendships over the years. I guess I was just too lazy and selfish to put in the time. I have grown and chilled and become wiser and much more patient and understanding but why does that have to come when we're in the twilight of our life? I am happy where I am in life but there are many regrets. The friends I have now, and the ones I am getting back and adding all the time, will be here until the end (since at my age that could be tomorrow). Sappy time is over...now on to the usual nonsense FRIENDS!

The Dirty Laundry blogcast is just about ready. There is a way that you can listen to it now but the iTunes process takes longer than I had read. The Apple review process for it to appear on iTunes takes two to three weeks. In the meantime you can listen to it from our sight and you can even load it through your personal devise (i-pod...) until it becomes more convenient through iTunes. I will update you later today or tomorrow on the Dirty Laundry (podcast) Facebook fan page. Don't be left out - JOIN TODAY!

I had heard that Katie Holmes was going to be playing Jacqueline Kennedy but had forgotten. So, now the mini-series she is playing Jackie Kennedy in will begin this Sunday night at 10:00PM MIDDLEtime on Reelzchannel (channel 238 on DirecTv on Mattgarita Island). The movie is called The Kennedys. In addition to Mrs. TomKat, the mini-series also stars Greg Kinnear as John F. Kennedy and Barry Pepper as Robert Kennedy (a couple of my favorite actors). I don't know anything about the show except from what I have read. I read that it is done in the vein of The Godfather with Joe Kennedy being kind of a Vito Corleone-type (sounds like it will historically accurate then). I have set a season-pass on the DVR and I will let you know what episode one looks like Monday or Tuesday...we can compare notes. I have always been fascinated by the Kennedys maybe because JFK was the Prez-dispenser when I was born (I was 2-months old when he was shot). Hey, Prez-dispensers would be cool except for maybe the Lincoln one (sorry).

Geez...I am running long again but that great Prez-dispenser idea I just had made me remember an idea I woke up with in the MIDDLE of the night. I will mention it here so I can get credit and be able to sue when someone steals my idiotic-intellectual property. I want to start a Facebook Protection Program (like the Witness Protection Program). I keep hearing of people getting busted for their stupidity of photos they posted or not being accepted into colleges because of their shenanigans. I would offer a service that creates (ghosts) a fake Facebook site for you that would make you be the person you should be for the opportunities you seek. It's kind of like a false-advertisement firm. I think I would call it Mattmen! You know it's a good idea...just admit it.

Alrighty, go out there and make new friends, be a good friend and appreciate your current friends. Again, I appreciate you stopping by whenever you can; I know you're busy. Have a great day and I'll update you later about the blogcast (that's what we're gonna call it now). TTTT...MITM (off)
hit it Hal

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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, March 30, 2011

This Blog is Stuck in Second Gear!

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