weier.net

Watch that last step...it's a dooooOOOoooOOOOOozie.

   Pre-Fight Braggadocios

Kevin brought a nerd toy to work in which whoever is the last person to push their Jeopardy-style button when the music stops is given a mild electrical shock (well, maybe not so mild - a lot of people dropped the joystick like it was hot when they got buzzed), Lightning Reaction.

During a 10 minute break after lunch about 20 nerds got together to see who was the fastest gun in the west using a single-elimination ladder tourney.

Yep, it's me. Other nerds can't defeat my amazing fingers. ...fear my KMEG Quiz Bowl button-pressing skillz!!!!!!


PS: My victory was partially tainted by improper play-mode configuration skills by said Kevin ....but....I will brag it up for as long as I can anyhow.

Having enjoyed The Bulldog, N.E. many times ....I am excited we might have a new official after work option...

   Coming Soon.....The Bulldog, St. Paul

...no details on what the "soon" may be.

I was wondering how they made that perfect "fireworks Olympic rings"....now it turns out that what we saw on TV was digitally altered.

   Olympic Fireworks Display Modified

Suck....I want to see NBC crucified for their complicity in this. Commentator admonitions were NOT candid enough.

At 11:31AM today I got email - from a list I don't even know how I am on - announcing that 6 1/2 hours later there was going to be a paid-entry rooftop party with Latin House Music, tapas from Solera, Guacamole-making contest, and all the Cazadores margaritas and Coronas one cared to drink.

Not having any knowledge of this mailing list - and a general suspicion on the Interwebs - I was not quite sure what to make of this out-of-the-blue offer....but METRO Magazine was hosting it...and it was on their website...so there had to be some legitimacy to it. But still things that seem too good to be true usually are....BUT NOT ALWAYS!!!!!

Holy crap we had a good time.

It could not have been a more perfect evening for a rooftop party; 80ish and sunny, a pleasant breeze. The 6th story Skyscape Condos' rooftop is landscaped with a path around the perimeter and a basketball-court-sized manicured lawn in the middle....all of it available for mingling. Open bars scattered about. D'Amico caterers roaming around doing their thing. Beautiful people were sprinkled throughout - including us bumping into sister-in-law-in-law's friend, Jim, who I was in bro-in-law#1's bachelor party golf foursome with. (The more I think about it the more I think he was probably involved in the organization of this stellar event...so it was probably no coincidence that he was there.) The guac contest was a fun addition - 3 of the 8(?) contestants really had creations that stood out...trying to guess the secret ingredients in them we were thinking; chipotle, ancho and worcestershire...and these three swept the awards as they should have.

The only thing that could have improved it is if we could have found some other DINKs at either of our works (well, not just DINKs - anyone able to create plans in a couple hours notice - but DINKs seem to do that easiest) to join us for the festivities. I am praying right now that an event like this comes along again and with more notice we can make that happen.

Maybe the best thing about the iPhone is that it works with golf glove(s) on.

We are just catching up on the Twins on DVR...we noticed a bad omen for the 35W bridge in Friday's game.

The Twins were wearing 35W Bridge memorial badges on their right jersey sleeves for the one year anniversary of the bridge disaster. Nick Blackburn, starting pitcher, reared back to throw his opening pitch - and the (probably) iron-on patch tore off his jersey and crashed to the ground. Cameras cut away...the announcers talked about anything else -- all while (we are assuming) a ball boy dashed onto the field to suppress recognition of the prophetic sign. No mention of it was ever made as Blackburn pitched 7 innings.

Let's hope future telling is as much bunk as I believe it to be.

I have been eyeballing Shazam in the iPhone 2.0 free apps list for a bit now...but hadn't had an immediate need. It promises to identify any song just by listening to a couple of seconds thru the microphone - and then tag it on iTunes so you can buy it - and damn if it doesn't work everytime...

We were sitting across the street from a bar where the only thing we could make out of the tune were the synthesizer bass beat and some hand claps - and Shazam totally nailed it.

Total Awesomeness!!!!!

If you are a pickle and/or BBQ person you need to go and purchase Famous Dave's Signature Spicy Pickle Chips immediately. They have been one of the best parts of eating at Famous Dave's for a couple years now...and now you can get them at CUB or probably anywhere.

I still don't think they are quite as zingy in the jar as they are at the restaurant - but still plenty dang good. ....in fact, the first quart bottle we got was completely emptied in one sitting by 7 people.

PS: Make sure to fully chill them before you dig in.

In a continuing effort to find food products that combat headaches we usually end up getting products that pack a caffeine whallop. So we figured we would try some new Energy Drinks out there.

Good
-------------
+ Rockstar JUICED: Guava - tastes pretty much like fruit punch
+ Full Throttle: Fury - tastes like weird Sunkist...not bad.
+ Full Throttle: Blue Demon - supposed to be agave....not that anyone knows what that tastes like.
+ Mountain Dew Amp Energy Drink - tastes like Mountain Dew + Sweet Tarts

Probably Not
---------------
? Rockstar Original Energy Drink

I don't know how familiar with hospital procedures my readership is....but if any of you out there have enjoyed your doctor putting you thru an Upper GI Follow-thru....you will recognize this beverage's flavor. It tastes like the combination of Barium and Smarties™ candies. Not exactly pleasant, IMHO.

Of course, in the end none of them have really been all the effective at combating the headaches either.

Ever since 2007 when we enjoyed green chili in Denver at both La Loma and Wynkoop Brewing Co....we have been looking for a fix here in MN. That's when we heard of Ol' Mexico in Roseville...can it measure up?

Right behind Dairy Queen #1 on Lexington it appears to be a bar that can't quite make up its mind between 80s-rock-blue-collar bar and mexican restaurant. Their tequila selection is impressive for their lack of dedication in other areas of authenticity; cheeseburgers, NTN trivia, VFW-style woodwork ambiance. If they would fully commit to the concept they might have something here....but right now we would be happier if it were more of either one.

The problem occurs on the plate too...it seems like they are trying to hide something....with cheese. and cheese. AND CHEESE! Things were smothered in so much we couldn't even tell with flavor of enchilada we were eating until we tore them open some more.

Must Have
---------------


Very Good
----------------


Good
---------
+ Green Chili

I am not denying that I would eat the Ol' Mexico vision of this any time it was placed in front of me. But it does miss the mark for Denver green chili. In Denver green chili is a stew of New Mexico/Anaheim chilis and ground pork. Depending on the restaurant you are in it will be served as chip dip, or straight up chili, or both. Here it is chilis with beef chunks and then topped with a huge dollop of sour cream - seeming again to try to hide something. The order came with deep-fried flour torilla wedges - which were fine but wasted when compared to just dipping the complimentary tortillas. We now believe it hopeless to get mindblowing green chili in MN

+ Original 24oz Margarita
+ Complimentary Tortilla Chips
+ Beef Enchilada (with too much cheese)
+ Sonoma Black Beans


Take It Or Leave It
---------------------
? Complimentary Table Salsa -- like watery Pace
? Refried Beans -- must be made in bacon lard...tastes like eating bacon...where's the bean flavor?
? Cheese Enchilada (with too much cheese on top)
? Chicken Taco
? Chili Relleno with Beef (and too much cheese)
? Chicken Enchilada (with too much cheese)


Too bad....I don't think they are bad cooks...the green chili has some promise for inventiveness...but they don't know what they are trying to accomplish here. I don't think we will be back to find out if they figure it out.

Bah.

Turns out that the iPhone can't dial letter-based phone numbers.

Now how am I supposed to call 888-4-PICKLE?!?!?!?

(Wow...the weather was nasty. Someone said the heat index was 107° ....if Emily wouldn't have been smart enough to bring water I probably would have passed out on the mound.)

Another team we played before...I don't remember the results last time....but they are a good match for us. Our batting was really off...we must have hit 30% of our outs right back to the pitcher. But still we were able to tie it up 10-10 in the 6th....only to let it slip away in the 7th for a heartbreaking 13-10 L.

Some more D opportunities for me on the mound; 1-3; L-1; 1-3, 1-3, 3-1 (yay!!! My first decent coverage of 1st on a grounder!).

Play of the game goes to our second double play of the season. Non-conventional this time, 8-3. Andy charged on a well hit ball....caught it and then rifled it to Jason to double off the person on 1st when they didn't retreat fast enough.

I am going to miss the last game of the season so this is the season for me....it was great fun.

	Game	Season
---O---
AVG	.400 (2/5) - 1-3, 4-3, 1B, 2B+E, 1-3	.677 (21/31)
SLG	.600 (3/5)	1.000 (31/31)
R	1	14
---D---
W-L	L	4-7
ERA **	13.00 (13/7)	13.60 (103/53)
BB	5	33
SO	3	15

** based on softball's 7 innings - instead of 9 as usual. Also this calculation does not take into account errors behind the mound...the ERA is all runs scored in the game.

Darth Vader Plays Golf [via Kevin]