ZEITGEIST

It was a year ago, as I watched the Katrina coverage, that I first thought about doing this blog entry. Now that we're on the first anniversary of that catastrophe, it seems like as good a time as any to at least talk about this subject.

The subject is the one most likely to inspire yawns and rolling of eyes, so ready your mouse to click onto something else: Disaster Preparedness.

Still awake?

Okay, look, I'm not writing this because I've been sentenced to doing PSA's off some DUI conviction or something, but I do work on a show that's premised on the idea of an apocalyptic event actually happening to group of people and their struggle to survive in its aftermath, and so the idea of being ready for the unexpected does actually occur to me on occasion.

I won't make this a rant or a sermon, but I will ask anyone reading this blog to take at least a moment to think about the idea that maybe, just maybe, something really bad can happen to you and the people in your life that you care about. Your life can be upended by any one of a litany of disasters and in that moment of maximum peril, the one thought that should NOT be going through your head is, "I wish I had thought about this ahead of time."

And don't think for a moment that just because you don't live in a hurricane area or an earthquake zone or next to a potential terrorist target that something bad can't happen to you. It can. Houses burn, cars crash, and sometimes things just fall out of the frakking sky. That's life and it sucks, but you can at least help yourself by waking up to the idea that bad things happen to good people all the time and that means YOU.

Get some supplies. Get a plan. Get a clue.

There are plenty of websites out there to help you, I'm not going to hold your hand and give you a list of things to do. Battlestar Galactica is all about the precious few survivors of a holocaust and how they cope with the reality of their lives in its aftermath. Give yourself a fighting chance to be a survivor.

Get some supplies. Get a plan. Get a clue.

Thank you. This site will now return to its regularly (or intermittently) scheduled programming.

I haven’t been feeling very good lately, so I thought I’d write something new for this blog, since I have abandoned it for two months and I need to get my mind off of things for a while. Anyway, two months doesn’t seem like a long time, especially if you are a lazy lout, like myself, but it is when you are looking for new things to read.

So what am I going to write about? Hmm… what would be interesting? You know what, let’s talk about food! Everyone loves food, right? Well, okay, loving food might be a strong word (not many people marry food, right?), but most people enjoy eating it. Some enjoy eating it more than others (you as opposed to me), but we all like to talk about what is good to eat and where to get the good food. So since this is my blog, and I can do what I want, I will list some foods that I enjoy to eat. And then in the comments (which no one ever leaves, so I’m not holding my breath!), I hope to hear suggestions from other people about foods they enjoy. Let’s expand our horizons, as they say.

I will do this in a list fashion, counting down my top five favorite food/meals. So that means number one is my most favorite. And these will be meals or food associated with meals, not desserts. We’ll save that for some other time. Get the concept? Good!

5. Kimchi (Kimchee/Kimuchi)

Ah, kimchi! No matter how you spell it, or pronounce it, kimchi is that spicy, fermented cabbage concoction from Korea that is good for your spirits and your health. I’m not going to get into why it is healthy for you (it has to do with antioxidants, I think), but it’s spicy, puckering taste and vegetable crunchiness make it quite enjoyable for me. I first truly discovered kimchi in Japan (kimuchi, as they call it) when I lived over there. I had read and saw a cooking show on how to make it before that time, but I had never actually eaten it until I lived in Japan. Now I eat it whenever I get a chance, which is more rare these days since I live in Montana. I hope to try to make it one of these days, when I stop being so lazy. So look out for my homemade kimchi some time around 2020… if you’re lucky!

4. Kosher Dill Pickles

Yes, another sour food on the list. I love pickles, but only dill pickles. I don’t like those nasty sweet pickles. I find them an affront to nature. As for dill pickles, I love them. The more sour and green they are, the better. I prefer kosher dill pickles (I guess they are inspected by a rabbi), but normal dill pickles are good. Of course, home made pickles are the best, if you can get them, or know how to make them. It’s not hard to make them, but when you are as lazy as I am, it seems difficult.

3. Crab Legs and Melted Butter

At number three on the list, we come to a pricy meal. Crab legs and melted butter is expensive, difficult to eat, and may cause injury, but it is so delicious! Well, it’s delicious if you aren’t allergic to it. Despite me being lazy, I will happily dive into a pile of crab legs and try my best to get the meat out. It’s not so easy, and I tend to get my hands all cut up and scratched, but the reward is worth it. Crab meat is kind of sweet, kind of crabby and goes great with melted butter. So if you have a big wad of money burning a hole in your pocket, go get some crab. Now! Go!

2. Pad Kee Mao

Pad Kee Mao is a Thai dish that I just love, and it’s quite simple. It is simply pad Thai noodles (rice noodles) with mushrooms, broccoli, baby corn (is that the actual name?), red and green peppers and basil. Top it with a meat (my favorite is beef) and a huge smattering of spices, and you have a good, healthy dish that will make you sweat. Of course, if you’re anything like me, it will also give you nightmares and a huge bowl movement, but it’s worth it. It tastes good, and the basil smells good (the rest smells like a death sentence, however) and it is good for you. What else can you ask for?

1. Sushi and Sashimi

Okay, now this is my favorite! I love sushi. I actually would marry sushi if it were legal… and would hold me while I silently weep at night. Okay, maybe that is going a little too far, but I just enjoy the chilled raw fish that harkens back to Japan. I like it in nori (seaweed) rolls, I like it in nigiri form (placed over a roll of rice) and I like it in plain sashimi form. I will eat it for any meal and I will eat a lot of it… and if you know me, you know that is a feat, since I eat like a bird. My favorite fish to eat in sushi form is maguro (tuna) or sake (salmon). Some people think salmon gets fishy too fast (which it does), but if you get it in a somewhat fresh state, the flavor is good. I also will go for octopus, squid and yellowtail… among many others that I can’t remember now. It’s all good. I prefer it old-fashioned and not with many frills. In America, there are people trying to make sushi “better”, which is complete nonsense. The old, simple way of sushi is the best. So if you think eating something raw is gross, you should give it a second chance. Sushi and sashimi are great! I promise… unless you hate fish that is cooked as well. If you feel that way, I can’t help you.

Okay, that is the list. I’m sure I could have put other things on there, but these are the foods I eat a lot. I could have put steak on there, and I probably should, but there is beef in the Pad Kee Mao I order, so that will handle the beef for now. But I will suggest getting a filet mignon steak if you have the chance. It’s expensive (like crab is), but it is great. It is rare cooked beef wrapped in bacon and usually covered in mushrooms. Delicious.

I’d better stop writing now, before my stomach explodes from hunger. I hope you feel the same way. Let’s eat!