Saturday, May 31, 2008

Congratulation, Sameer Mishra

West Lafayette native Sameer Mishra won this years Scripts National Spelling Bee.

Competition News Article


Vanderjagt to Argonauts, eh?


From what I've been reading on the message boards, Vanderjagt has signed a contract with the Toronto Argonauts. It's really funny to see how far he's fell since his days of bad mouthing Peyton and biffing on chip shots.

Heck, he's still a better kicker than I'll ever be, but he'll never be one of my favorites. Good luck in Canada, eh.

source:
Vanderjagt to CFL

Devour Downton June 2 thru 15

The Indianapolis Downtown Restaurant and Hospitality Association (IDRHA) and many downtown restaurants are gearing up for a two-week celebration of downtown restaurants during Devour Downtown this summer June 2-15.

During the weeks of June 2-15, many downtown restaurants including St. Elmo Steak House, 14 West, Agio, Harry & Izzy’s, The Oceanaire Seafood Room and Palomino will offer special $30 menus plus gratuity and tax. In addition, many of the participating restaurants will feature special offerings not normally on their menus. Reservations are encouraged and accepted by calling each individual participating restaurant.

“Diners can expect a wide variety of delicious cuisine during Devour Downtown. We are excited to be able to offer this collaborative food effort in Indianapolis to provide another opportunity for the community to venture downtown,” says Roddy Kirchenman, general manager of The Oceanaire Seafood Room and one of the founders of Devour Downtown. “If you haven’t been downtown lately, this is a great opportunity to try something new or visit an old friend,” says John Livengood, IDRHA.

For more information and participating restaurants, please visit http://www.indyrestaurantweek.com/summer.html or contact the Indianapolis Downtown Restaurant Association at 317.673.4211 or info@indianarestaurants.org.

About Devour Downtownhttp:
Devour Downtown originally started in 2005 as Indy Restaurant Week. This two-week event was created by the Indianapolis Downtown Restaurant ; Hospitality Association (IDRHA), a chapter of the non-profit Restaurant ; Hospitality Association of Indiana (RHAI).

Man Journal - Home Alone

Saturday, May 30 @ 1:49 pm

Bored!

I've done my chores. The house looks pretty good, and should stay pretty clean. I'm not bad at keeping things clean. As long as I follow, Matt Rule #123, "Put'et where et goez!".

I'm pretty bored right now. The chihuahua is passed out next to me. The cats are hiding. Showbiz is daydreaming out the window. I am starting to miss Stacy a little. She always has something planned, even if, I'm only home for a few hours. We'll go window shopping, or to some garage sales, or maybe even a local winery. Always something. Alone. It's just me and I get a little lazy.

I did make a grocery list. Milk! and Cereal.

Also, I'm going to take back the movies I watched last night. First, I viewed "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford". This would be a better book. It starts slow, building the characters, and the story. It's very much a drama, and not a 'shoot 'em up' cowboy film. (Which I wanted.) In the end, everything came together and the film ending in a very powerful and suspenseful manner.



Following that, I watched "Beowulf", which in my opinion, was made to be a visual spectacle for the IMAX theater. The story was weak and on a regular television, the visuals were confusing. It's not worth the time, unless you can see it in IMAX.



Finally, I wanted to end on a happy note, so I watched "Balls of Fury". This is a pretty stupid film. Maybe I was tired (it was 2am and storming), but I didn't even make it to the end.



I'll probably grab a new film tonight, maybe "I am Legend", and hope for the best.



Also, I wanted to promote this new blog I've been reading. It titled "A Good Beer Blog" and has some great articles on quality beers. I recommend checking it out.

Man Journal - Home Alone

Saturday, May 31, 12:01 pm

I've been up for an hour or so, but I'm just getting around to an update. Last night, the storms rolled in about 2 am. It really poured outside, but this morning it seems that everything is still intact. Even our new tree came away fine.

I've got to start cleaning up. At least, pick up the kitchen and living room. I promised Stacy I'd take care of the house.

Other than that, I work at this afternoon, and should be home around 1am.

Take care folks.

Friday, May 30, 2008

Man Journal - Home Alone

Friday, May 30 @ 9:09 pm

Just talked to Stacy, she was driving through a stream of water which had overcame the rode. A severe storm system is heading my way. Just to be safe, I stacked up the lawnchairs, covered the grill, and made sure the pots were all on the ground. I'm a little concerned about our new crabapple tree, but hopefully the wind doesn't damage it.

As stacy says, "It's time to hunker down."

Man Journal - Home Alone

Friday, May 30 @ 6:44



I've finished up relaxing in the sun. It was just too hot! Here's some photos I took while I was outside.

Nothing like a tasty refreshment to cool you down on such a hot day.


My grandmother's host is starting to flower.


This guy freaked me out a little, b/c he's living in the side of our siding, but I'm pretty sure he's one of the good guys. I'd rather have him around than a recluse or those hairy wolf spiders.


Even big cat got to have some fun outside.

Now its time for supper, then a shower, then movie time. It's been a big day!

Man Journal - Home Alone

Friday, May 30, 2008 3:50

Well, I'm starting to realize that Stacy is actually going to be away this weekend, and this is beginning to worry me. I'm a big boy though, and should be able to handle myself.

To catch up, after lunch with Stacy, I came home. Let the dogs out, watered the lawn, and played with my fantasy baseball team. After deliberating for about 30 minutes, I've decided to drop Jeff Francis, who has sucked ass this year, and Aaron Heilman, who wasn't much better.

In their place, I picked up Jose Contreras, who is having a surprising season so far, and Scott Downs. Downs will get me an occasional save and should be at least worth an inning or two of scoreless baseball each week.

Now, I'm too the big moment. I'm gonna go get some rays, relax, and read a book.

Here's too beer #1.

Man's Journal - Home Alone

Fri May 30, 1:44 pm

Met Stacy for lunch, but by the time I got into Indy and parked I was in the doghouse for being late.

Even after lunch, I feel tired and a little worn out, already.

Well, I'll post more when I get home.

Man Journal - Home Alone


Friday, May 30 @ 11:27

Well, I'm supposed to meet Stacy for lunch at noon, but I'm running a little late. Also, I'm in a little bit of trouble because I didn't tell her I bought a blower/vac for the yard.

It's worth it, though. Man, it made a 45 minute job into a 5 minute job. Since I'm a big Troybilt Fan (I recently got a new weed-eater which is a Troy-Bilt TB495 Electric Trimmer/Edger and is great for small yards), I got the TB190BV, or the electric mulching blower vac. It puts air out at a speed of about 180 mph and is light enough that I can maneuver it with a cast on my left hand and 7 stitches in my right hand. It's a great machine for anyone looking to save a little time on clean-up and has a small yard like mine.

Anyways, I'm feeling pretty good right now, but I could you one of my Leinies (Lemon Shandy). For the rest of the day, I'm planning on relaxing, picking up the house, grilling out, and watching some movies. But for now, I gotta get cleaned up, and as you can see, it's gonna take some time.

My Wife's Big TV Debut...

Actually, its not her debut, because she was featured on an IUPUI recruitment add that ran throughout central Indiana, but recently she was filmed by the news getting on the bus for work.

She's the sexy lady in the black shirt and grey pants getting on the bus about halfway through the video.

Link to video.

Man Journal - Home Alone

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 9:43

Okay, so Stacy's leaving me at home this weekend to take a short get-away with her family. Unfortunately, I've been married four 4 years, and living with her for 5 years, so my survival skills are close to none. As for as my rambunctious bachelor days go, I've been domesticated for a very long time. But anyways, I dropped her off this morning, and then went to run a few errands.

First, I needed a new spray head for an outside hose. Check. Got it at lowes, along with some birdfeed, a birdfeeder, and a blower/vacuum combo for the yard.

Second, I was hungry. So I grabbed a bite from Panera and some coffee. Cinamon crunch bagels are awesome.

The third errand was a quick stop at the video box for some nightly entertainment. Of course, I picked out the films that I usually don't get. So tonight, I am going to enjoy Beowulf, The Assassination of Jesse James, and Balls of Fury. (and don't get any ideas, its about Ping Pong folks...look it up!)

Finally, I needed to stock up with some necessities. Before leaving this morning I noticed we were low on milk, and probably needed some things like bread and eggs. So being the responsible adult that I am, I stopped at Kroger's and got me some.........

Beer.

Okay, well, Stacy called and wants me to meet her for lunch because she forgot to pack her bathing suit and wanted me to drop it off. So I'm gonna mow the yard (and use my new blower/vac to clean up) then off for lunch with her. I'll check back later for more updates.

Oh yeah, I did one more thing. I stopped at our library and got a couple books. One of the books is entitled Zoology. More on that later.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Taco Bell - Why Pay More Menu

Things are expensive. So why pay more on you fast food, TB has now put out their WPM menu, featuring all the items we love, plus a few new ones.

Although, I'm not a big fan of the new products, its still a good idea. Here's the new commercials and a link to the menu, but take my advice, if you gonna buy a lot of bean burrito's, make sure you get them at the grande meal price ($0.89) or just save a nickel and get the Cheesy Double.

Taco Bell WPM Rap 1


Taco Bell WPM Rap 2




Taco Bell WPM Commercial


'Why Pay More' Menu
http://www.tacobell.com/valuemenu/


Taco Bell Frutista Freeze Review


Well, I've been selling the frutista's like hotcakes. So far Taco Bell has struck gold with this product, and I would like to introduce it to you. Both strawberry and mango-strawbery flavors are available.

If you haven't tried it yet, you this link to get your free frutista. The coupon is available in the bottom right corner of the link. It's redeemable at any Taco Bell, so get yours today.
Free Frutista.
http://www.tacobell.com/frutistafreeze/

Second, TB is having a promotion featuring a complimentary 5 day vacation. Register here for your chance to win.

Choose your own escape. Win a free 5 day vacation.
https://www.timecmg.com/frutistafreeze/

Finally, here's some other reviews on the web about the new frutistas. From what I hear, this is going to be a regular on the menu, although the flavors will change with the seasons.

Serena from Yahoo! says "I loved it. It tastes so fruity and mostly organic."

Sarabelle from Idaho says "We just tried these, they weren't too bad. Kind of reminded me of a "slurpee""

Or check out the blog " Diary of a Picky Eater: Taco Bell’s Fruitista Freeze"

This is pretty cool, too. This is the Taco Bell Surf Cam.

Birdfeeder!



So I ran out of suet in our birdfeeder, so Stacy got a little creative. She's been reading a blog about ways you can use household items in your yard, and she came up with this great idea to help encourage birds to nest in our yard and trees. She filled the suet feeder with lint from the dryer which the birds are pulling and using for nesting. I caught a couple Finches using the feeder yesterday.

Favorite Movies Blog: Captain Ron

"Well, you've heard of St.Croix." Captain Ron
"Yeah!" Caroline
"We're going to the island to the left of it." Captain Ron
"What's it called" Caroline
"Ted's" Captain Ron

Captain Ron is a 1992 film starring Martin Short and Kurt Russel. A family in Chicago inherits a yacht formerly owned by Clark Gable. They decide to sail it from the island of St. Pomme de Terre (Saint Potato) to Miami and hire a local, Captain Ron, to sail it for them. He guides them from island to island in the treacherous Caribbean, making friends with revolutionaries, partying with the locals, and running afoul of the dreaded "Pirates of the Caribbean."

Here's some video shorts:

Captain Ron on sailing to St. Croix, or thereabouts.


If anythings gonna happen, it's gonna happen out there.


We gotta have them. We're getting into pirate waters.


And my favorite, Incentives are important.


Tuesday, May 27, 2008

To Stacy...


Photo came from the comic talents of xkcd. You can view more xkcd by visiting http://xkcd.com/

Blood Drive with complimentary Indiana Beach Pass

Save a life and then celebrate summer
at Indiana Beach!

Visit one of the Indiana Blood Center locations listed below on
Thursday, May 29 or Friday, May 30
and receive a complimentary pay-one-price pass
for one ride session up to seven hours at Indiana Beach,
located on Lake Shafer in Monticello, while supplies last.

Help keep our blood supply strong through the summer months.
You'll have someone's undying gratitude.

Go to www.donorpoint.org
to schedule your appointment or create your DonorPoint account.
Then enroll in the DonorPoint Rewards program and receive 100 bonus points!

Or for more information, please call 1-800-632-4722 ext 5150 or (317) 916-5150.

Anderson Substation - 1826 South Scatterfield Road, Anderson
Avon Branch - 7655 East US Highway 36, Avon
Indianapolis East Branch - 10537 East Washington Street, Unit E-2, Indianapolis
Indianapolis Main Branch - 3450 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis
Indianapolis North Branch - 1416 South Rangeline Road, Carmel
Indianapolis Northeast Branch - 7458 East Fishers Station Drive, Fishers
Indianapolis South Branch - 8725 US Highway 31 South, Indianapolis
Kokomo Substation - 3728 South Reed Road, Kokomo
Lafayette Substation - 2200 Elmwood Avenue, Suite D-16, Lafayette

A tribute video for all lost pets.

This is really a heart melting video.

Thanks for sharing this with me, mom.


Monday, May 26, 2008

Indianapolis 500 - Follow Up


Well, I was pretty close to my predictions. Helio finished fourth, and he was my pick as winner. I did call Andretti's finish, I figured he would make top three. And, once again, the women struggled in the field. Danica did show some passion, and would have probably beat the crap out of Briscoe if she would have got the chance.

It was fun race. Dixon deserved the win, but the biggest surprise came from the Panther Racing squad. Vito Meira is, currently, the best racer yet to win a race.

Here's some good resources on the race.

Patrick Analysis
ESPN recap

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Hurt Again...

I'm starting to think this isn't for me. I sliced open my right hand, today. I was rushing around, doing more than I should with an injured hand, and when I went to empty the trash, my hand slipped. My fingers hit a metal stand. Both my middle finger and ring finger received stiches.

Before May, I had never been stitched up. Now, I can claim to be the recipient of 21 stitches in the past 2 weeks.

Let's just say that I'm having a very sore...and unlucky month.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Indianapolis 500

Well, it's that time of the year. Memorial weekend is a time for all Indianapolis residents to remember we like racing. Especially, Indy cars.

Here's my picks: I feel that experience is tough to beat. Helio Castroneves will come away with the win. Andretti will finish in the top 3 and push Helio for the victory.

It's my feeling, but the women will suck this year. The best performance will come from Milka because she'll be the only one to finish.

The excitement will come from seeing old names turn into Indy flames. Marco Andretti, Graham Rahal, and AJ Foyt IV all show their lineage this year.

My favorite racer this year is Will Power. How can you not like the guy?

My least favorite is Danica Patrick. Unless she's in a bikini serving my beer. Okay, okay...that's sexist, I know. But I FEEL that she's a gimmick.

Beer News: InBev looking to take over Anheuser-Busch

This is crazy. In an article posted on the blog, Wall Street Fighter, InBev (the maker of Stella Artois) has been reported to have plans at a $46 billion offer for Anheuser Busch. Anheuser Busch has reportedly been on the market for a very long time, but nobody, except InBev, has shown much interest.

This could mean a lot for beer drinkers around the world. Maybe the same old hoppy taste, would make way for a more crafted, smoother brew. Likely, it just means that In-Bev would become a serious player in the US Market.

For more information about the take over visit WallStreetFighters Blog or the original source article: INBev Article

Thursday, May 22, 2008

My first visit to Dr. Tumi's office.


Today I made my first visit back to see Dr. Tumulari. My thumb is doing fine. I was able to get off of the antibiotics, and received a new splint. The new splint is a lot less bulky and breaths better, but I still wrap it because my pins are exposed with the new splint. I'm more comfortable when its wrapped.


I also found out a few things about the injury since I was unable to see it after my surgery. Two yellow capped pins are currently stuck in my thumb to restrict movement. I was worried that I had lost movement in the tip of my thumb, but the lost sensation was due to the pins. These pins will hopefully be removed on June 5th.


Also, my stitches come out next week. I received a total of 9 stitches. In the pictures, you can see two incissions on my thumb. The first cut was the actually injury, and the second cut was made by Dr. Tumi to retrieve the tendon since it retracted after being severed. Pretty gruesome stuff.

The Indianapolis Pacers select...Kosta Koufos


I bet you $1000 that the Pacer's mess this up. They'll select some big nobody who will be arrested for smoking pot or beating their girlfriends within the first year, but if they draft with a little brains the Pacer's may be able to turn this team around.

So, the first player on my wishlist is fellow Ohio State big man, Kosta Koufos. At 7'1 and 265, Koufos is a scorer and fits well with a line-up featuring Dunleavy and Granger. He brings a variety of offensive weapons. While not the most dominant post player in the draft, his back to the basket moves are better than those that any current Pacer can offer including the much maligned Jermaine O'neal.

Here's a quick snippet of what Draft Express states about Koufos, " Looking at Koufos’ game, there is certainly a lot to like, starting with some of his abilities in the post, specifically his back-to-the-basket finesse game"


Wednesday, May 21, 2008

New Yard Pictures...

(Here's a photo of my monster Hostas. )


( A new gnome photo)


(And our beautiful Allium.)

Clouds...

CLOUDS

I'm a cloud watcher. I find them breathtaking. Not only can they give you a look into what the future holds, they hold a spot into both modern day folk lore and even historical mythology. Some Native American Tribes believe clouds to be the spirits of their ancestors, and even use stories associated with clouds to explain specific natural occurrences. According to an article entitled, Cloud Spirits by Charlie K, "When the spirits were pleased, it is said that the clouds would be few. Those that did show up would be fluffy white and often held positive messages for the people below living on earth. But only the most faithful were able to interpret and use the messages to their benefit."

Recently, I was able to take some time to enjoy the clouds. Here's some of my photos from a recent cloud photo shoot.
"When the clouds were thin and wispy, it supposedly meant that the spirits were not in the mood to expose themselves to their people on earth. Just like us, they may have, from time to time, become bored or disillusioned with life in general and with the foibles of mankind in particular." - Charlie K.


"The human Ixion had the audacity to attempt to seduce Hera, the Queen of heaven and wife of Zeus. When Zeus learned of this attempted rape, he set a trap for Ixion. Zeus fashioned a cloud in Hera's image and laid it next to Ixion as he slept. When Zeus caught Ixion boasting that he had enjoyed the pleasures of Hera, he tied Ixion to a wheel and sent it whirling on the winds through the underworld." - John Day, Book of Clouds

"Nature is a mutable cloud which is always and never the same." - Ralph Waldo Emerson


"Behind every cloud is another cloud." - Judy Garland.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Garfield's one funny cat!

Today, I came across this comic and it made me smile.


The new but slightly broke me.


So I'm now hurt. Last Thursday, while working on the deconstruction of a sign at work, it put an inch wide gash into my thumb, just above my knuckle, severing two tendons. At the emergency room, I received about 8 stitches to close the wound, and the following day I underwent surgery. I now have 4 pins in my hand to repair and hold the tendons, and a very new, but not flattering look. Here's a picture of me and my cast. 4 weeks like this, and another two weeks of therapy to gain back the movement. It's only been about two days, but Stacy's getting a little tired so I'm trying to keep my distance and be less needy.


Right now it hurts a little, but my pain pills should help numb the pain. I've also been cleared for work on Monday, but won't be doing anything more than customer service tasks.

My new favorite beers....Leinenkugel's

So I have finally found something to top Sam Adams as my favorite brewing company. While I still respect the history and quality of Sam Adams, the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company offers a magnificent array of high quality and euphoric tasting brews. Jacob Leinenkugel started brewing in 1867 and incorporated old English brewing techniques with more traditional brewing ingredients. 5 generations later, the Leinenkugel family still uses Jacob's brewing technique's to deliver a fresh crisp taste in each brew.

Recently, I was converted to a fan by enjoying myself a sample pack that included the Sunset Wheat, the Summer Shandy, the Berry Weiss, and the Honey Weiss. It was quite a tasting.

First, I tasted the lemony Summer Shandy. Brewed from wheat, marley, and a hint of real Wisconsin honey, the Summer Shandy is an excellent brew. Its mixed with lemonade and other citrus flavors to give it cool, refreshing taste.

Following, the Summer Shandy, I tasted the Berry Weiss. This aromatic fruit beer was awarded the Bronze medal for Fruits and Vegetables category at the 2004 Great American Beer Festival. It is brewed with a mixture of Pale and Wheat malts, Cluster hops, and blended with blackberries, elderberries, and loganberries for a sweet, fruity flavor. It carries a 4.7 percent alcohol content and is available year round.

Later in my tasting, I poured myself a Sunset Wheat. Like the Berry Weiss, the Sunset Wheat is brewed with both Pale & Wheat Hops, Cluster Hops, and a small amount of natural coriander. The coriander gives this brew a citrus flavor similar to a Blue Moon. The taste is very mellow which is great for relaxing on any summer evening.

Finally, I tried the Honey Weiss. This brew turned out to be my least favorite of the four. Since its creation in 1995, this beer has been the prize of the brand. Light flavored and malty, the Honey Weiss is powered by its sweetness, but is pale in comparison with its previously reviewed brothers.

Overall, these brews are well worth a taste, and it almost makes me laugh when I consider how my taste preferences have grown. From the convienence of Natural Ice to the smoothness of Rolling Rock, and now on to crispness of Sam Adams and refreshness of Leinenkugel's. It's been quite a transformation. For more information on the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company visit their website at www.leinie.com .

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Stacy's Mother of the Clan Present



For Mother's Day, I made Stacy a small plant display using a stylish window planter, which I purchased from Walmart for $5, some rock's we collected this spring from the fields, and a couple different types of Sedum plants.

As for the planter, you can go several different ways, you could even use an old fruit basket and decorate with different objects such as shells. If it doesn't have a lining, use an old plastic bag to line the planter, but make sure to poke some holes in the bag for proper drainage. Once you have chosen the perfect planter, fill it with planting soil, or just some good dark soil from the yard.

From here, I arranged the planter with different rocks. Stacy likes to go rock collecting, it's been a hobby of hers since her childhood, and I usually go along to carry the rocks. To make the gift special, I chose some of my favorite rocks we collected together to use in the arrangement. You can use other objects too, such as shells or driftwood. I chose different sizes of rocks and placed them throughout the pot.

At this point, I planted the sedum. Using three different types for there aesthetic presentation. Sedum is a plant that grows around rocks and is very stable. It's a tough plant to kill. It's good in sunlight and light sun, and can live without a lot of water. Since I had some open spots, I covered those with a few more rocks.

Finally, the garden came together.

Dog Fight!!! May 10, 2008

First, let me say that I don't like dog-fighting. I think it's horrible. It's cruelty is beyond words, and this post is not meant to make dog fighting appear to be anything more than what it is. But, on May 10th, 2008, two warring gangs of dogs within the Quasebarth Household came to battle it out in a no-holds bar style fight. I was there to capture the images.

P.S. They really are just play fighting but I thought it looked hilarious and wanted to share

(Here's Showbiz, Warrior Princess)
(And let's not forget, the Spaniard, Princess Lola Margaritta)

(Early on , the Biz used here weight to her advantage. Yes, that's my arm she's biting)

(But the Spaniard gains control and goes for the jugular)

(The gangs come together to finally attack 'The Man' who oppresses them)

(But even then, the two war leader's fail to work together)

(But, in the end, what are we really fighting for?)

The End!

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Sports Thoughts...the day that was May 3, 2008

Wow, it was quite a day in the world of sports. We finally find some solace in the tides at Indiana University. After dismissing three more players from the squad, the team that will be together in 2008-09 is beginning to come into focus.

Also, the Kentucky Derby was today and Big Brown delivered a win, but what a tragic end to the only philly in the race. Eight Belles finally raced with the boys, and boy did she race. Tragically, she injured her legs and was euthanized. It was a horrible scene that played out on the track.

Finally, Kyle Busch pushes Dale Jr. into the wall in NASCAR and extends Dale Jr's winless streak one more race.

Crazy times in the wide world of sports.