She is Not Alone

There is an interesting medical condition in which individuals lose their ability to smell, in many cases due to some sort of head trauma. It's called anosmia. Really. Like amnesia, but it's your nose which has no memory. There's even a foundation that helps to advance the issue. It is evidently an affliction that affects many people.

In December, the New York Times profiled a woman who suffers from it. She had moved to New York and was unable to smell the aromas (good) and odors (bad) of the city that never sleeps. In 2006, she had been hit by a car and the olfactory neurons in her brain that control the ability to smell had been damaged. Then her sense of smell began to return. Her body had decided that she needed her ability to smell - especially the smell of freshly baked bagels coming from a New York bagel shop on a Sunday morning. It is noteworthy the woman being profiled was once a chef and food writer. The story in the Times was picked up by a blogger in New York who also suffers from anosmia.

I have to say, I would miss my sense of smell terribly. As a life-long allergy sufferer, I have gone days with a stuffed nose and the inability to smell things. But there is something about waking up to the smell of coffee (or bacon!) or the aromas coming out the kitchen at a holiday that I would miss tremendously if that sense was lost.

How about you? What sense could you not live without?

For Those of You Still Wondering

Today is the 42nd anniversary of the launch pad fire at Kennedy Space Center, which claimed the lives of astronauts Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, Edward H. White, and Roger B. Chaffee. On January 27, 1967, a flash fire broke out inside the capsule of Apollo 1 and the three astronauts were unable to open the door and the three astronauts were killed. For those who would like the complete history of the tragedy, you can read the Senate report here. An investigation of the accident resulted in several modifications to the space capsule to ensure that the tragedy would never be repeated. The final report submitted to NASA can be read here.

When I first started this blog, I came up with the moniker, "Brave Astronaut." I alluded to how I came up with the name by mentioning it had to do with my secondary school career. The junior high school that I went to was Harry B. Thompson Junior High and our athletic team was known as the Astronauts. The school has three wings off the back of the school, one for each grade attending the school. When I arrived there in the fall of 1978, the halls were known by those grade (7th grade hall, 8th grade hall, and 9th grade hall). However at the head of each hall there was a plaque denoting that each wing had also been named for one of those three "Brave Astronauts."

The name of the school store (where I also worked), where you could get school supplies and occasionally snacks and candy was also known as the Astronaut Shop. Today, the school is now a middle school, and the 6th grade classes are divided up into "Rockets," "Meteorites," and "Stars." But I hope that somebody is remembering the Astronauts, especially Grissom, Chaffee, and White today.

But Will He Do It at My House?

One of my as yet, unstated New Years Resolutions is to get a handle on the clutter that is overtaking the Brave Astronaut launchpad. The problem of course, is not enough hours in the day. Some time ago, Adam Roberts, also known as the Amateur Gourmet, published a how-to guide to getting a handle on your kitchen. Perhaps that is the place to start.

Then just the other day, he posted a recipe worth sharing. Chicken with Bacon AND Cream!

Mustard Chicken with Bacon and Cream

Make a marinade. In a bowl, mix together:

• 1/4 cup strong Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons mustard seeds crushed (optional; I had them on hand)
• 1 1/2 cups Creme Fraiche OR 1 1/4 cups heavy cream (I used the cream)
• 8 garlic cloves sliced
• 1/2 pound thick-sliced bacon or pancetta cut into 1/4 inch lardons
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 Tbsp chopped thyme
• 2 Tbsp chopped sage

Take chicken, cut into 8 pieces, pat dry with paper towels and season aggressively with salt and pepper. Place in marinade, stirring, let sit for at least an hour or two or overnight.

Bake in the oven at 400 degrees. Place the chicken and all the marinade into a baking dish and bake for one hour, turning the pieces as they brown. Some of the pieces will cook through earlier, Adam found that the breasts were done after 45 minutes--but the legs and thighs took the full hour.

Stranger in Paradise

From C in DC, here's another Friday meme. Feel free to play along. She got it here.

1. Put your iTunes or MP3 player on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer
   

You must write the song name no matter how silly it sounds.

If someone says "is this okay" you say?

• Ally Ally Oxen Free (The Kingston Trio)

What would best describe your personality?

• Georgia on My Mind (Ray Charles)

What do you like in a guy / girl?

• If I Can't Have You (Yvonne Elliman)

What is your life's purpose?

• Straighten Up and Fly Right (Natalie Cole)
  

What is your motto?

• Old Joe's Place (The Folksmen - from A Mighty Wind)
  

What do your friends think of you?

• Yellow Submarine (The Beatles)
  

What do you think about very often?

• Calypso (John Denver)

What is 2 + 2?

• Shower the People (James Taylor)

What do you think of your best friend?

• One of These Nights (The Eagles)
  

What do you think of the person you like?

• Owner of a Lonely Heart (Yes)
  

What is your life story?

• Dance Band on the Titanic (Harry Chapin)
  

What do you want to be when you grow up?

• Stay (Jackson Browne)
  

What do you think when you see the person you like?

• I'm Still Standing (Elton John)
  

What do your parents think of you?

• Grazing in the Grass (The Friends of Distinction - from the Anchorman soundtrack)

What will you dance to at your wedding (although I don't expect to be having another wedding)?

• Fire and Rain (James Taylor)
  

What will they play at your funeral?

• Come Together (The Beatles)
  

What is your hobby / interest?

• Worrisome Heart (Melody Gardot)
  

What do you think of your friends?

• Buildings and Mountains (The Republic Tigers)
  

Whats the worst thing that could happen?

• What's Goin' On (Marvin Gaye)
  

How will you die?

• She's Got a Way (Billy Joel) (ouch)
  

What is the one thing you regret?

• Don't Stand So Close to Me (The Police)
  

What makes you laugh?

• We Can Last Forever (Chicago)
  

What makes you cry?

• Good Life (Tony Bennett)
  

Will you ever get married?

• Lowdown (Boz Scaggs)
  

What scares you the most?

• The Boy in the Bubble (Paul Simon)
  

If you could go back in time, what would you change?

• Crazy Love (Poco)
  

What hurts right now?

• Tell Her About It (Billy Joel)
  

What will you post this as?

• Stranger in Paradise (Tony Bennett)

For want of a checkpoint . . .

An inauguration volunteer was lost.

As many of you know, I was supposed to be on the Mall today to volunteer for the Inauguration of Barack Obama. I started my day at 4:00am, when I left C in DC's house and headed for the National Mall. I walked and walked and walked, getting pushed north of the Capitol complex. I finally headed east along E Street, trying to find a checkpoint that would get me to the National Mall. However, with Pennsylvania Avenue between me and the Mall, I was unable to find a checkpoint where I could cross.

I walked around with several thousand cold Americans for about two hours when I finally hit my limit. I talked with my team captain and told him of the troubles I was having. He had no good advice for me, nor did any of the many law enforcement officials that I talked to.

While this will certainly sounds like sour grapes to some, I finally decided to throw in the towel and headed home. I got some celebratory donuts and have returned home to watch the ceremonies on TV. But I can always say that I was almost a part of it. I've got the badge and the hat to prove it.

Winter Food - Good

Today is the federal holiday set aside to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. Tomorrow our nation will inaugurate the 44thPresident of the United States, Barack Obama. I am going to need some good stick to your ribs food to keep me warm through the festivities, which I am planning to attend, as an Inauguration Volunteer. I'll be in front of the American History Museum. I'll be the one in the red hat.

Braised Beef Brisket
Makes 8-10 servings; Time: 3 hours (including prep time)

• 1 whole beef brisket, about 5 pounds, cut lean
• 2 cups chopped yellow onion
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1 large ripe tomato (cored, chopped, peeled and seeded)
• 1 teaspoon garlic
• 36 oz. beef broth, or enough to almost cover brisket
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F
2. Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the olive oil, so it covers the entire skillet, then add the beef. Sear each side for about 5 minutes or until it is nicely brown. Remove meat from skillet and place in oven-proof casserole dish. While you don’t need to sear the meat, it really helps retain the juices and moisture.
3. Add chopped onions, mushrooms, garlic, tomato and beef broth until the meat is almost completely covered in the casserole dish. If you don’t have enough beef broth, you can add water.
4. Place in the oven, turning the meat every 30 minutes, until tender, approximately 2.5-3 hours.
5. Allow brisket to rest for 10-15 minutes, while you boil down the gravy/broth over a high heat.
6. Carve thin slices of the brisket going against the grain.
7. Voila! Brisket is ready to serve with whatever seasonal sides you’d like. My sides were baked potatoes and cabbage with butter and nutmeg.

From We Love DC.

Valentine's Day Plans

It's a last minute date night here in Brave Astronaut land. Mrs. BA and I are heading out to the Georgetown basketball game. But I've been sitting on this tidbit of information for a while. Perhaps we should make a plan for a Valentine's Day outing. Because nothing says "I love you" like a good schnitzel and a peppy polka.

My friend, Anna von Schurman, spotted this on a blog that she reads. Blob's Park, is back in business. The polka palace which closed at the end of 2007 has reopened (a planned real estate deal fell through and the owners decided to give it another go). I enjoyed the one time that I went and according to the website, there is a big plan for Valentine's Day.

I say we make a date! OSGs, Special K and J in PA, what do you think?

An Open Letter to the President-Elect

Dear President-elect Obama:

In one week's time, you will take your oath of office on the steps of the United States Capitol. I, along with millions of Americans, will be there to witness this great event. You have been entrusted with the greatest office and we are counting on you to bring us the change we need. We are with you. I wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your election and second, to let you know of one appointment that is of great concern to me and many of my colleagues at the National Archives and Records Administration.

As you know, the Archivist of the United States, Allen Weinstein, announced his resignation, and left the agency on December 19. While I completely understand that you have a lot on your plate right now and that leadership of the National Archives may not be centered on your radar screen, I urge you to act on nominating a replacement as soon as possible.

Since the establishment of the National Archives in 1934, there have been nine Archivists of the United States.

• Robert D. W. Connor - October 10, 1934-September 15, 1941
• Solon J. Buck - September 18, 1941-May 31, 1948
• Wayne C. Grover - June 2, 1948-November 6, 1965
• Robert H. Bahmer - November 7, 1965-March 9, 1968
• James B. Rhoads - March 10, 1968-1979
• Robert M. Warner - July 1980-April 15, 1985
• Don W. Wilson - December 4, 1987-March 24, 1993
• John W. Carlin - May 30, 1995-February 15, 2005
• Allen Weinstein - February 16, 2005-December 19, 2008

Mr. Bahmer served as Acting Archivist from November 7, 1965 until his appointment, January 16, 1966. Mr. Rhoads served as Acting Archivist from March 10, 1968 until his appointment, May 2, 1968. Between the tenure of Archivists Rhoads and Warner, James O'Neill served as Acting Archivist for approximately six months. Prior to the appointment of Archivist Wilson, Frank Burke served as Acting Archivist for more than two years as did Trudy Huskamp Peterson between the tenures of Archivists Wilson and Carlin. With Dr. Weinstein's departure, Deputy Archivist Adrienne Thomas now serves as Acting Archivist.

Dr. Weinstein and his two predecessors have had controversial tenures. When President Clinton nominated John Carlin, a former Governor of Kansas, there was concern in the archival community about his qualifications for the position. In fact, one of the first pieces of professional correspondence I wrote upon becoming an archivist was to President Clinton regarding the nomination. When Dr.Weinstein was nominated by the current president, there was concern over Dr. Weinstein's publishing record, but he was a genuine historian and his service to the National Archives has benefited the professional community immensely.

With Governor Carlin's appointment, the National Archives and Records Administration was in need of an administrator that could help with the management of the archives. It was Governor Carlin who secured the initial funding for the Electronic Records Archive and partnered with Lockheed Martin Corporation to get ERA off the ground. Dr.Weinstein's tenure has raised the reputation of the institution and, in what will surely be one of Dr. Weinstein's greatest legacies, made ERA a viable entity, which will revolutionize the way records are transferred to the National Archives.

What the National Archives needs now is someone with enormous technology knowledge. The National Archives needs to be the leader in the archival community and nominating someone who can fully embrace technology and help move the archives forward is crucial to the success of the institution. ERA, though it has many critics and significant issues, must not be left to wither.

I respectfully also suggest that you look to the archival community for candidates as well. I can think of several right off that would do amazing things for the National Archives, individuals who are technologically savvy and also of a keen archival mind. The blogosphere and many of us in the archival community have been abuzz with suggestions on who should be the next Archivist of the United States. I know that members of your transition team met today with representatives of the Society of American Archivists to listen to suggestions and concerns about what qualifications are needed in the next Archivist of the United States.

The individual that you select must be able to navigate the intricacies of the federal agency and assist in developing a policy that echoes one of the promises you championed in your campaign, that of openness and transparency. Declassification efforts currently underway at NARA must continue to move forward.

Finally, the new Archivist of the United States should be an individual who can reclaim some of the prestige that should be afforded the National Archives and Records Administration. I will note that four of the nine individuals who have served as Archivist of the United States have also served as President of the Society of American Archivists.

One of your predecessors, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who established the National Archives in 1934, offers some more advice in a letter he wrote to former Archivist of the United States R. D. W. Connor, who was serving as President of the Society of American Archivists: "I need not tell you of my lifetime interest in the building up of archives throughout the nation." President Roosevelt concluded with an understanding of the work that lay ahead, speaking for the work of the Society, but could easily be translated to the necessary work that lay ahead for the National Archives, "This involves, of course, a vast amount of work because of this volume of federal, state, and local archives of all kinds - but I think that a broad plan would meet with hearty public support if it could be properly publicized."

Again, congratulations on your election. I am honored to be a part of your historic inauguration. Now let's get to work!

Regards,
Brave Astronaut

_________________________
This letter represents my own personal opinion and in no way reflects the opinion of the National Archives, nor do I speak in any official capacity for the National Archives.

Here's a list of 100 food items

But not 100 recipes. I pinched this from Special K, who got it from here, who got it from here. Special K was kind enough to follow up with an explanation of some of the more exotic items on the list, in case you aren't sure what they are, let alone if you've eaten them.

I'm off tonight to a long overdue chiropractic appointment and then I will be attending my training session for inauguration volunteers. Yes, I have been selected to help out on the big day. While I am sure that I will be right on the podium, ADR is betting on my holding a big arrow at the intersection of 21st and Constitution Sts. Let's hope for something in the middle, shall we? You'll find out shortly after I do.

Instructions:

1. Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2. Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3. Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4. Optional extra: Post a comment here linking to your results.

The Brave Astronaut Omnivore's Hundred

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea - who am I, Winnie the Pooh?
   
3. Huevos rancheros - I mean, I like salsa, I like eggs, but not together.
4. Steak tartare - I like my steak rare, but not that rare.
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding - ew, no, never
7. Cheese fondue - as recently as New Years Eve - our traditional fondue night with the OSGs!
   
8. Carp - was it in a tub?
   
9. Borscht - not a fan of the beet
   
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari - this one is a Mrs. BA favorite and a reason that I now eat it.
    
12. Pho - another recent addition, but hot soup, good!
    
13. PB&J sandwich - um, yes. It's a popular late "dinner," with an ice cold glass of milk
    
14. Aloo gobi - I could eat this.
    
15. Hot dog from a street cart - from the cart is part of the adventure!
    
16. Epoisses - Mrs. BA likes to say she's never met a cheese she didn't like. Perhaps this one might be the first.
    
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns - heh, heh, pork buns, is that like cow cheeks?
    
20. Pistachio ice cream - but not the artificial green kind, Ben and Jerry's makes a really good one.
    
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries - my mother used to have raspberry bushes in the back yard, and the neighbors had blueberry bushes, not to mention the wild strawberries that use to line the road to my grandmother's house in Maine.
    
23. Foie gras - not for me, but a fave of Mrs. BA and Mr. OSG.
    
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese - ick.
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters - I've had them raw, including having them at the bar at the Acme Oyster House.
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda - I could eat this, too.
    
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi - what's that Timmy, Lassie's been sprinkled with pepper and put in the blender?
    
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float - a weakness, especially when made with vanilla soft serve.
    
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea - I like it better when my milk does not curdle in my coffee.
    
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O - there are some gaps in the memory of doing these, but yep, been there.
    
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat - There are some that think lamb is gamy, man what must this taste like?
    
42. Whole insects - it's intriguing, but not unless I really, really have to.
    
43. Phaal - my taste for the hot stuff is still way below this level.
    
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more - um, must stay away from the brown liquor.
    
46. Fugu - I'm not that adventurous. And there is still a part of me that thinks all this is really just, well, bait.
    
47. Chicken tikka masala - I could do this.
    
48. Eel - see #46
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut - just one?
50. Sea urchin - see #46, again. I've stepped on them, I don't need to eat them
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi - maybe, but probably not.
    
53. Abalone - again, more bait.
    
54. Paneer - more stinky cheese. I can barely eat bleu cheese.
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle - I used to be married to a girl of German descent.
    
57. Dirty gin martini - another fave of Mr. OSG, but not for me.
    
58. Beer above 8% ABV - when it can be secured, it will be drunk, as will I.
    
59. Poutine - oh why ruin perfectly good French Fries like that?
    
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores - C'mon, my mother was a life-long Girl Scout.
    
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin - eating dirt, thanks, but no.
    
64. Currywurst - maybe, but not likely.
    
65. Durian - sure, maybe someday
66. Frogs’ legs - Mrs. OSG had these on my birthday.
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake - I will always reach for the sugary dessert, every single time.
68. Haggis - thanks, no.
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho - I prefer my soup hot
72. Caviar and blini - that scene in Big? Could have been me.
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost - more stinky cheese.
    
75. Roadkill - never even been tempted, although it creeps me out when I pass a skunk that has been hit and the smell makes my mouth water, it's really weird.
76. Baijiu - get me drunk enough, and I might not even notice.
    
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail - if it's on the menu, I'm ordering it.
    
79. Lapsang souchong - tea, which I'm not adverse to
    
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum - again, something I might eat.
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky - its got chocolate, how bad could it be?
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant - maybe someday
    
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse - Hey, I saw that episode of MASH
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox - bagel, yes - lox, no
    
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

To honor the 100, here's the fondue recipe preferred by the OSG and Brave Astronaut families.

Classic Swiss Fondue

• 1 garlic clove, halved
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 cups (8 0z.) shredded Gruyere cheese
• 2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Emmentaler cheese
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 2 tbsp. kirsch
• dash white pepper
• pinch grated nutmeg

Rub inside of fondue pot with cut garlic clove.

Pour in white wine and lemon juice; cook over medium heat until bubbly. Turn heat to low and gradually stir in cheeses with a wooden spoon.

In a small bowl blend cornstarch with kirsch. Blend into cheese and continue to cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture is thick and smooth. Do not allow fondue to boil. Season with white pepper and nutmeg. Serve with bread cubes, ham, apple slices, or whatever you want to have with melted cheese. Makes about 4 servings.

If it's Friday, it must be another Meme

Fridays have developed into Meme / List Friday around here. Here's one that C in DC stole from others and also undertaken by Special K.

1. Political show - Meet the Press
2. Picnic food - Deviled Eggs
3. Mixed drink – Vodka Collins
4. U.S. President – Thomas Jefferson
5. Kind of student to teach – High School
6. Hobby you do or wish you still did - Read for pleasure
7. Sports commentator – I was always fond of Jim McKay
   
8. Sport to watch on TV – baseball
9. Animal to have as a pet - cat
10. Halloween costume you have worn – Pirate
11. Kind of dessert - my mother's cheesecake
12. Comic strip - Pearls Before Swine
13. Style or make of footwear - Docksiders
14. Ice cream flavor - Heavenly Hash or coffee
15. College or university president – I am a big fan of Ruth J. Simmons
16. Internet news source – I have to pick one? Probably CNN
    
17. Vacation spot - Bermuda
18. Wine – Shiraz
19. Way to waste time instead of working – things like this
    
20. Student excuse for late work – true story - my typewriter / word processor ran out of ribbon - ah, those were the days
    
21. Reality show – not if I can help it.
    
22. Jewelry on a man – a wedding ring is sufficient, though I do have my father's fraternity ring
23. Pizza topping – Sausage
24. Children's movie - from my era, possibly the Fox and the Hound, currently the next generation of Brave Astronaut prefers Toy Story 2
    
25. Celebrity you wish would retire - Jack Nicholson
    

Random Observations on a Road Trip

I traveled to Jersey City, New Jersey yesterday to pick up my new (used) car. I've put a picture at the bottom so you can see my new ride. As some of you know, I have been looking to replace our second car for a few months and finally scored it on eBay, hence the day trip to Jersey City. However, with the new car came a radio that requires a code to make it work. So I had some time to think on the drive home. So I wrote this blog post in my head.

• I have (in my mind) come up with a list of New Years Resolutions but have not yet gotten around to posting them here for public review. One of them is however, getting out of bed when the alarm goes off, which will allow for an earlier arrival at work and a better time management of my work day. So today, I got up when the alarm went off (and one snooze) so the Brave Astronaut family could get downtown and I could make a train northward.
• Walking from the Metro to the bank (to get a bank check for the car) and back to the Metro reminded me how much I liked working downtown. The trip downtown also allowed me the opportunity to help drop off the boys at daycare, which LBA had been remarking to me that I never did.
• As I got on the Metro to go to Union Station, I was standing near the door of the subway train, and a woman looked over at me and said, "Brave?" "Brave Astronaut?" Of the mass of humanity crowded on the Metro on a morning when I wouldn't necessarily be downtown, I had managed to bump into someone I went to high school with, in New York. It was very funny and good to see her.
  
• I haven't ridden Amtrak in some time (I will say, had I bought a car from the Boston area, I could have flown there for less money than the train fare to Jersey City) but it was a very uneventful trip, complete with the requisite travel mall catalog in the seat pocket. VP-elect Joe Biden does know how to travel.
  
• While I should have used the time on the train to sleep, I instead read and found myself looking out the window. There is a wide range of stuff littering the side of the tracks. I would swear that I even saw evidence of where people had been living - another sign of the poor economy.
• I was also struck by the fact that in many places, looking out the window from a train is not the best view. I wonder if the President-elect will have the same thoughts when he travels to DC from New York next weekend?
• I bought the car from a used car dealer in Jersey City. It was everything you would have expected. Trailer, fenced in lot, in the wilds of Jersey City. And I had to put gas in the car and put on new wipers.
• I traveled home via the New Jersey Turnpike and noted with some interest that while there are rest areas up and down the Turnpike, the exits do not indicate what other amenities you might reach if you get off - with the exception of some hotels listed off of exit 5(?), including a Macintosh Inn, where I may have stayed once.
• When I reached the Delaware Memorial Bridge, I noted the overhead sign warning me of a slippery roadway but also offering me a phone number if I was in crisis. Does a slippery roadway make it harder for people in crisis to do what they may have come there to do?
• I made a pit stop at the Delaware rest area. I got some coffee, a snack, and a few dollars of Powerball tickets. I didn't win.

I am sure there are more random tidbits that I might have had last night, but the day overcame me and I had to get in bed. Which is why this post is 24 hours late from planned. But enjoy nonetheless. The car goes to the dealer tomorrow for a checkup. Wish me luck.

Two Great Tastes that Taste Great Together

Stolen from my friend Stinkypaw, who posted this on her blog on a MONDAY. There were some accusations of content overlap, but she told me to use it in the future, so here it is.

Best-Ever Peanut Butter-Chocolate Molten Cakes

• 4 squares Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2 whole eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 6 Tbsp. flour
• 1/4 cup Smooth Peanut Butter
  

Heat over to 425°F. Butter 4 custard cups. Place on baking sheet.

Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on High 1 min. or until butter is melted. Stir with whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Add sugar; mix well. Blend in whole eggs and egg yolks. Stir in flour.

Pour 1/2 batter evenly into prepared cups. Spoon 1 tablespoon peanut butter into center of batter in each cup. Cover with remaining batter.

Bake 14 min. or until sides are firm but centers are still soft. Let stand for 1 min. Carefully run small knife around edges of cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto dessert plates. Cut in half to serve.

Not one, but two year end lists

At the end of the year it is traditional for the year-end summaries, lists of popular songs (c'mon how many of you taped the year end countdown off the radio onto cassette - Anyone? Just me? OK, moving on), top movies, big news events (was there one this year?). Herewith is a list that popped up not long ago with a list of the Top 10 Most Annoying Phrases that came into the language this year, seen among others, here, here, here, and here.

1. At the end of the day
2. Fairly unique
3. I personally (It's not personal . . . it's about me, of course it's personal)
4. At this moment in time
5. With all due respect (If you hear that, be prepared for something disrespectful)
6. Absolutely
7. It's a nightmare (not anymore - just three more weeks of the current nightmare)
8. Shouldn't of
9. 24/7
10. It's not rocket science (well sometimes it is)

Following that list is the one promoting the top buzzwords of 2008 seen first on kottke:

1. Fail
2. Malus
3. Change (well, duh)
4. Caribou Barbie
5. Obamanation
6. Frugalista
7. Staycation
8. Digital cliff
9. Skadoosh (from this movie)
10. Phelpsian (was Spitzian ever on the list?)
11. Gas-sipper
    
12. Joe (you know, like that plumber-guy)
13. Greyjing (making it hard to be Phelpsian)
14. Fish pedicure (I would like one of these)
15. Sister wife
16. Lipstick on a pig
17. Photobombing
18. DWT (Driving While Texting)
19. Age-doping
20. Pregorexiz
21. Throwie
22. Hockey Mom
23. Twitt- (and its roots, tw- tweet-)
24. Plutoid
25. Futarchy
26. Maverick (and no, not him or even him)
27. Quake lake
28. Recessionista
29. TBTF (Too Big To Fail - hah!)
30. In the Tank
31. Twi-Hard (rhymes with this movie)
32. Naked Shortselling
33. Nuke the Fridge (the new "Jumping the Shark" from this movie)
    
34. Edupunk
35. Stag-deflation
36. Longphoto
37. Burrowing
38. Terrorist Fist Jab
    

If you want to show off your Internet skills with people, you can always tell them, hey, "Let me Google that for you."

Weekend Wrap - Christmas Edition

Back from New York for a Christmas weekend. Here's the wrap-up.

Let's start with the Loot List:

• Stephen King's new collection of short stories, Just After Sunset
  
• A few other books, Jeffrey Toobin's book on the Supreme Court, this Bill Bryson book, which I haven't read, and a sports writing anthology
  
• Bananagrams, a new game
• A new mag-lite, as mine had gone missing
• A new canister for holding my coffee beans (perhaps Mrs. BA is tired of looking at the plastic Folger's can?)
  
• A great puzzle of a map of baseball stadiums (Thanks C in DC!)
• One of the books I got from my MIL will work well with the above as it is "Watching Baseball Smarter."
  
• As a treat for having NJM over for Christmas Eve dinner, I now have a new supply of official NJM fudge sauce (and thanks for the dinner treats, NJM - Lobster rolls - GOOD)

We headed for the Big Apple on Friday and made it in a relatively easy five and a half hours. LBA was a great trooper, informing us as we were passing the Vince Lombardi rest area that he had to go potty, in time for us to stop for him (because after that it's no stops until Grandpa's house). SBA did well on the trip as well. My brother was there when we arrived as was my father and his new girlfriend. We all decompressed from our long drives (my brother traveled from Maine) and then my father took us all out to dinner at Boulder Creek Steakhouse.

On Saturday, my brother and my family got up and headed into "the city" for what might be referred to as "Midtown Christmas Tour A." Both LBA and SoBA enjoyed their first trip on the Long Island Rail Road. After arriving at Penn Station, we headed across 34th Street toward Fifth Avenue, passing the window displays at "the World's Largest Store." The theme, as you might expect was, "Miracle on 34th Street." Along the way, Mrs. BA ducked into Old Navy to buy a vest as it was colder than we thought when we started out.

Upon reaching 5th Avenue, we turned north, stopping at the window displays at this New York institution. From there, we pushed on to catch sight of the tree at Rockefeller Center. Shortly thereafter, LBA announced he needed a potty break, so we headed across the street to find a rest room in Saks Fifth Avenue, which had its own window display, but the other need was more pressing. So we made use of the mens lounge (on the 6th floor, if you need it) and went across the street to St. Patrick's Cathedral. LBA had a small meltdown leaving there (he didn't want to put on his coat) - so we managed a compromise and he promptly fell asleep in the stroller before arriving at our final planned destination, FAO Schwartz. SoBA enjoyed the store from start to finish and finally LBA awoke and nearly lost his mind at the world he had found himself in. Thanks to Uncle David for some birthday money so everybody got to leave with a new toy.

Then it was time for lunch. We had no planned destination and started back in the general direction of Penn Station, walking down 6th Avenue. We finally spotted an Au Bon Pain and figured it was a good place to stop. I set the family up at a table and headed back to get some food for everyone. I get back to the table and Mrs. BA is deep in conversation with the couple behind her. I try several times to get her attention but she doesn't come back to the table until the couple has finished, gotten up and left the store. I ask her, "Who have you been talking to?" She responds, "Tyrone, you know how much I love watching you work, but I've got my country's 500th anniversary to plan, my wedding to arrange, my wife to murder and Guilder to frame for it; I'm swamped." I suddenly realize that she has been in engaged in conversation with Prince Humperdinck and his wife, the lovely Joanna Gleason. It was a very New York moment.

After that we headed back to Penn Station walking through Times Square. Thanks Rudy, for cleaning up the porn shops, but chains have rushed in to fill the void. It's a little jarring. I did note in the news today this story, but there's still a lot going on there. All in all a great trip to NYC.

The rest of the weekend was spent working with my father on helping him to divest himself of his many treasures. If you're in NY and in the mood to build some models, he's got a lot for sale on Craig's List. Yesterday we headed home, with a horrendous drive - traffic was everywhere - my SIL was kind enough to rescue us, we stopped at her home for dinner before taking care of the final leg of the trip.

Speaking of legs, I screwed up mine carrying a sleeping child into the house. He didn't get hurt, but I managed to twist my knee and get a bad cut. But I'll live. But I might whine about it.

2008 will come to an end tomorrow and we will have our traditional fondue evening with Mr. and Mrs. OSG here at the Brave Astronaut launch pad. I've already loaded a post for you tomorrow and I am working on one that might concern some resolutions for 2009. For now, a very Happy New Year to you all and I thank you for coming by now and again.

God Save the Queen's Dinner

With Boxing Day just a few days ago, this is an appropriate time to throw out a good English recipe. Toward the end of October, Washington Post restaurant critic Tom Sietsema reviewed a new restaurant in the DC area, CommonWealth. You can get all the standard British pub fare there, but not Toad in the Hole, which was highlighted in a subsequent post to DCist later that week. That is one dish that I could get behind. From 101 Things Every Cook Should Cook.

Toad in the Hole

Ingredients

• 8 pork/beef or vegetarian sausages (get nice ones, you’ll thank yourself)
• 2 fresh eggs
• 125g plain (all-purpose) flour
• 150ml/5fl oz milk mixed with and 50ml water
• 1 tbsp mustard (I use Dijon)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons lard (LARD!), dripping or oil

To make the batter; whisk together eggs, flour, milk, water and mustard. Whisk it well so that it’s nice and smooth with no lumpy bits and it’s about the thickness of runny custard/cream of mushroom soup/double cream (pick a comparison you like). Season with salt and pepper. Set it aside to rest for at least half an hour. This is so that the flour absorbs the liquid properly and relaxes and the whole thing comes to room temperature.

Now get the oven nice and hot - 220C/450F/Gas mark 7. Put the sausages in the baking tray and stick them in the oven for 5 or 10 minutes without turning them over until the tops are brown. This means that you’ll have one brown side and one pale side.

Take the sausages out of the baking dish and set them aside. Put the lard into the baking tray and put it back in the oven. Wait 5 minutes or so until the fat is really, really hot and sizzling and then quickly remove from the oven and pour in the batter. It’ll sizzle pleasantly. Quickly pop the sausages in the batter, pale side up, and put it straight back into the hot oven.

Leave it for 25-30 minutes. Resist the temptation to open the oven door, the cold influx of air may make the batter collapse. After 25 minutes, it should be all puffed up and golden brown. Serve it immediately with some gravy and maybe some greens like peas or cabbage.

A List of Firsts

I'm on the road today to spend a few days with my father for the holiday, so here's a list of firsts, that I "borrowed" from my Canadian friend, Stinkypaw.

1. When was your first kiss? Well I was known as the "kissing bug" in elementary school for a reason.
   
2. When did you first start buying holiday or birthday gifts for other people and stop thinking about what people would buy for you? An interesting thought, but not one that I have ever really contemplated. I like to buy things for people.
   
3. When was the first time you thought of yourself not as a kid/teen, but as an adult? Who says I think of myself as an adult now?
   
4. What do you remember about the first time you drove a car? Drivers Ed in high school. I think the teacher is still pounding on the passenger brake.
   
5. Tell me about your first pet. There were always cats and dogs around the house. But Tonto was the first pet that was really "mine." He had a brother, Tarzan, together they were TnT. Tonto lived to a ripe old age, despite having been hit by a car and nearly dying. He used to lie around my neck like a stole and be quite content about it. And he liked to eat cicadas.
   
6. What was your first job? Delivering Pennysavers, then Newsday. Then I got an "indoor job" working at the Syosset Public Library.
   
7. Who was the first teacher to make a positive impact on your life? Mr. Izzo, fourth grade, Baylis Elementary. But the model of the teacher I wanted to be was Mr. Gaudino, Social Studies, high school.
   
8. If you’ve lived in more than one house or apartment as an adult, tell me about your first one. The first place I lived on my own was in Poughkeepsie, a one bedroom apartment in a house converted to apartments next door to a funeral home. Occasionally, you could watch the people "arriving" by the side door.
   
9. What was it like the first time you got drunk (assuming you remember). Well certainly, they all start to blend together. But one of the better (more vivid?) memories is on the beach with friends, the night I lost my high school class ring. I was pretty hammered that night.
   
10. Did you marry your first love? Inconsequential. I am in love with the one I am now married to and that's all that matters.
    

Christmas Comes But Once A Year

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.
I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future."

-Scrooge

Here we are on Christmas Eve (are you tracking Santa?). I am spending it with my family and NJM. My mother would be proud, because she hated when people were alone on holidays. We're having a nice dinner and I have kept my father's tradition of making homemade potato chips with dinner. Later NJM and I may go to Midnight Mass, which will take place at 10:00. Then it will back home to meet up with Santa and finish wrapping presents. There are still cards to be mailed to. Honest, yours is in the mail, really.

Tomorrow morning we will have a family celebration and then we are off to my MIL's house for Christmas dinner. Then it's off to NY to spend the weekend with my father (and his new girlfriend) and my brother, who will be down from Maine. We are planning an excursion into NYC to blow LBA's mind with a trip to FAO Schwartz and the Rockefeller Center tree. We will try to take in some of the windows on Fifth Avenue as well.

I leave you with a story about a popular Christmas tradition and my heartfelt wishes to all of you, my faithful readers, for a blessed holiday season and health and happiness in the New Year. I have posted here before, one of my favorite stories about Christmas, and as Clarence remarks in "It's a Wonderful Life," "Remember, no man is a failure who has friends."

The OSG family and the Brave Astronaut did not get out to cut down our own trees this year. We settled on some nice conifers from the local Lowes:

• On Christmas Trees - Although the Christmas tradition of adornment with floral decorations has been traced back to the Roman festivities of Kalends, the Christmas tree has more modern German origins. Records indicate that Christmas trees were sold in Alsace in 1531; in 1605 a German citizen wrote: "At Christmas, they set up fir trees in the parlours . . . and hang thereon roses cut out of many-coloured paper." Folklore has long associated Martin Luther as an early champion of the Christmas tree – crediting him (probably erroneously) with inventing the practice of lighting trees with candles. The British love of Christmas trees is usually linked to Prince Albert who, in the 1840s, did much to make the tree part of the British Christmas. Records indicate, however, that Queen Charlotte had a Christmas tree in Windsor as early as 1800. The most famous Christmas tree in Britain is that which stands in London’s Trafalgar Square. Presented by the people of Norway each year since 1947, the tree is a symbolic gift of thanks for the role Britain played during the Second World War, and the sanctuary King Haakon VII was given in 1940.

The Birthday Bash Weekend

I was back at work today after a flurry of events to celebrate my birthday on Saturday. First let me give some shout-outs to some great gifts. That Ed guy in Pittsburgh has renewed my subscription to Golf Magazine although I'm beginning to wonder if it is going to help my game or the information overload will completely destroy what little game I have. Mrs. BA and sons gave me a great gift - a griddle, complete with warming tray.

No one gave me a city for my birthday - or Christmas, as General Sherman did for Lincoln on this day in 1864, but that's OK, where would I put it?

So how did I spend my weekend? On Friday night, I was invited out to a evening of drinking. Which I did. A lot. I hurt myself. I guess I really am getting too old for this. Although I had a very good time hanging with the Capitol Lounge Rovers. My downfall was most assuredly the brown liquor (free Irish whiskey) that I put on top of the several beers that I was drinking. I am not a fan of the brown liquor. I should have listened to OSG's voice in my head "Beer then Liquor, never sicker."

On Saturday, I moved slowly for most of the day, cleaning up the house in anticipation of Mrs. BA's family on Sunday. But Mrs. BA and I did get out to the Georgetown - Mount St. Mary's basketball game at the Verizon Center (Thanks to Rob for the tickets!). Watching "the Mount" made me think of the days when I was a season ticket holder for Marist College basketball, watching the bow-tied clad Jim Phelan patrol the sideline for the Mountaineers.

Sunday was the day set aside for Mrs. BA's family to come to the Brave Astronaut launchpad for an early Christmas celebration and birthday celebrations for my two boys. LBA will turn 4 on Christmas day and SoBA will be 1 on the 30th. I got several more gifts from them, several books and a sweater from my MIL. All nice stuff. The highlight of the event was the Cheese and Sausage Breakfast Casserole (Bon Appetit, April 1990) made by Mrs. BA. She considers it a success whenever her BIL, a trained chef, eats several helpings. The recipe appears below the description of the final event of the weekend, dinner with Mr. and Mrs. OSG at Belga Cafe.

By then, I was ready to dive back into the Drinking Pool, so I had one of these and one of these (or at least that's what I think the second one was, I wasn't paying attention - it was just good). Both the OSGs has fruit cocktails - Mr. with Bourbon and Mrs. with Champagne.

As is their wont, both Mrs. BA and Mr. OSG had the Foie de Canard, while Mrs. OSG and I opted for the garlic dishes, she with the snails and frogs leg stew, me with the mussels gratinee. Mr. OSG had the Duck breast for dinner, Mrs. BA had the Belgian steak, which could be cut with a fork. Both Mrs. OSG and I had lamb in various formats. As the birthday boy, I went for dessert, choosing the creme brulee sampler platter (one raspberry, one pistachio, and one vanilla - decadent). A lovely evening and a perfect capstone to a great birthday weekend.

My thanks to everyone who sent me wishes via Facebook and various other electronic means.

Cheese and Sausage Breakfast Casserole

• 8 white bread slices, cut into cubes
• 1 pound bulk pork sausage, crumbled and cooked
• 1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar
• 10 large eggs
• 2 cups milk (do not use lowfat or nonfat)
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pepper

Grease 9x13-inch glass baking dish. Place bread in prepared dish. Top with sausage and cheese. Beat together eggs and next three ingredients. Season with pepper. Pour over sausage mixture. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Chill.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake casserole until puffed and center is set, about 50 minutes. Cut into squares.

It's my Birthday and I'll Type if I want to

Today I turn 41. As previously noted here and here, my birthday is cause for celebration. But since it's my birthday, I get to write about pretty much whatever I want here today. So the topic I have chosen is typewriters and death.

Martin K. Tytell, Typewriter Wizard, Dies at 94

What's the point of posting about an obituary that appeared in the New York Times in September? The article has archival content insofar as Mr. Tytell was a typewriter repairman, serving the likes of David Brinkley, Dwight Eisenhower, and many, many others. The article was posted to a professional bulletin board that I read. It also later appeared here. I happened to click on the link and began to read the obituary.

That's when I saw Mr. Tytell's birth date. December 20, 1913. Suddenly, I felt like Josh Lyman in that episode of The West Wing, Noel. Josh snaps when he learns that a missing pilot shares his birthday. Not that I'm planning to put my hand through a window or anything. But it was a little freaky. The scene below is one of my favorites from the show. I know that if I'm in a hole, there's always going to be someone to help me out.

100 Skills That I Should Know

Tomorrow is my birthday and both of my sons will celebrate theirs in the next two weeks. I should get started on making sure they know all of these. Seen on Buzz Feed and kottke, from Popular Mechanics. There's a quiz there also. I've put in bold the ones in the list that I feel I have the skill.

Automotive

1. Handle a blowout
2. Drive in snow
3. Check trouble codes - although my middle name is trouble . . .
4. Replace fan belt
5. Wax a car - "wax on, wax off"
6. Conquer an off-road obstacle
7. Use a stick welder
8. Hitch up a trailer
9. Jump start a car - so far, so good

Handling Emergencies

10. Perform the Heimlich
11. Reverse hypothermia - ooh, body heat!
12. Perform hands-only CPR - is that the Bee Gees I hear?
13. Escape a sinking car

Home

14. Carve a turkey - something I learned from my father
15. Use a sewing machine - if I have to
16. Put out a fire - heh, heh, fire
17. Home brew beer
18. Remove bloodstains from fabric
19. Move heavy stuff - remember lift with the knees, not with the back!
20. Grow food
21. Read an electric meter
22. Shovel the right way - remember lift with the knees, not with the back!
23. Solder wire
24. Tape drywall
25. Split firewood
26. Replace a faucet washer - call the plumber, right?
27. Mix concrete
28. Paint a straight line - except while drinking
29. Use a French knife - I'd have to know what a French knife is, but I'm not usually supposed to touch sharp things. Someday I'll tell you about the scar on my wrist.
30. Prune bushes and small trees - well I can prune, but is it right?
31. Iron a shirt - used to do it all the time, now I just put on a sweater over it.
32. Fix a toilet tank flapper
33. Change a single-pole switch
34. Fell a tree
35. Replace a broken windowpane
36. Set up a ladder, safely
37. Fix a faucet cartridge
38. Sweat copper tubing
39. Change a diaper - um, yeah
40. Grill with charcoal - but I prefer the gas
41. Sew a button on a shirt - sure, and most times it won't come off again
42. Fold a flag - every day when I worked at the public library, we had to go out and get the flag and fold it

Medical Myths

43. Treat frostbite
44. Treat a burn
45. Help a seizure victim
46. Treat a snakebite - this of course, leads to this joke
47. Remove a tick

Military Know-How

48. Shine shoes
49. Make a drum-tight bed
50. Drop and give the perfect pushup

Outdoors

51. Run rapids in a canoe
52. Hang food in the wild
53. Skipper a boat
54. Shoot straight
55. Tackle steep drops on a mountain bike
56. Escape a rip current

Primitive Skills

57. Build a fire in the wilderness
58. Build a shelter
59. Find potable water

Surviving Extremes

60. Floods
61. Tornadoes
62. Cold
63. Heat
64. Lightning

Teach Your Kids

65. Cast a line
66. Lend a hand
67. Change a tire
68. Throw a spiral - Nelson Rockefeller, Jr. likes to tell a story about how his father told him the only way to throw a good spiral meant you had to take off your overcoat.
69. Fly a stunt kite
70. Drive a stick shift
71. Parallel park
72. Tie a bowline
73. Tie a necktie
74. Whittle
75. Ride a bike

Technology

76. Install a graphics card
77. Take the perfect portrait
78. Calibrate HDTV settings
79. Shoot a home movie
80. Ditch your hard drive

Master Key Workshop Tools - as mentioned earlier, I'm not allowed to use power tools unsupervised unless 911 is on speed dial

81. Drill driver
82. Grease gun
83. Coolant hydrometer
84. Socket wrench
85. Test light
86. Brick trowel
87. Framing hammer
88. Wood chisel
89. Spade bit
90. Circular saw
91. Sledge hammer
92. Hacksaw
93. Torque wrench
94. Air wrench
95. Infrared thermometer
96. Sand blaster
97. Crosscut saw
98. Hand plane
99. Multimeter
100. Feeler gauges