Category Archives: Miscellaneous

Winter Is Here…

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I think it’s finally decided to get cold for a little while here in South Alabama. For the next few weeks, the temperature is not expected to rise above the low 60s with lows in the low 30s. I have one friend who would say, “Quit your bitchin’!” But then again he lives in the frigid north. To be honest though, I am not complaining. I love the cooler weather. I have three reasons to enjoy cooler weather. First, I prefer winter clothes to summer clothes, because I usually wear long-sleeved dress shirts to work. Second, you can walk outside without breaking an immediate sweat (It was in the mid to upper 80s just a few days ago). Third, it doesn’t get too cold here in the winter, so it’s never that bad. It could be worse. The high could be -3 degrees as it was for my friend up north.

I used to have a teacher in high school who would always say, “I love cold weather. You can always put on enough clothes to be warm, but legally, you can’t take off enough clothes to be cool when it’s hot and humid.” Unless I have a pool to swim in, I do not like the very hot and humid summers here in Alabama.

I’m hoping it will at least stay fairly cool through New Years, but Alabama winters can be quite unpredictable. I’ve known more than a few Christmases and New Years to be quite warm and short sleeve weather. I never have liked warm Christmases. I prefer a cold Christmas so that you can gather around a warm fire.

So I am going to pose a question for you guys: Do you prefer cold weather or hot weather? Why?


TMI: KISS THE COOK!

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I don’t do these TMI posts from Sean at Just A Jeep Guy every week, but on occasion, I see a topic that I can’t resist. Since I love to cook, this one was a no brainer. I had to answer the question. I hope you enjoy my answers.

1. How good of a cook are you?

I’m actually a really good cook. I’ve experimented a lot with different spices and how they taste, so I can usually eat something once and then recreate it. I can also cook a wide variety of food, such as Southern comfort foods, Italian cuisine, Creole and Cajun, Mexican, and various other types of dishes. I’ve never had anyone taste my food that didn’t love it, even when it’s something they don’t normally like. As my aunt usually asks, “Did you doctor it?” My answer is always yes. I’m going to make sure it tastes good before I serve it.

2. Who taught you how to cook?

My grandmama taught me the most about cooking, and my mama helped out a lot as well. They both taught me how to cook good southern food. I learned to cook everything else I cook from watching the Food Network and experimenting with their recipes.

3. Who does the cooking in your home?

I do all of the cooking in my home. Usually, at least once a week or so, I also cook for my neighbors.

4. Do you cook more or eat out more?

I do more cooking than eating out. I enjoy eating out, but I love in a rural area, so eating out is not convenient. I cook what we have at home mostly. This also allows me to regulate the calorie and carb content of my cooking. I almost always make one meat, two vegetables and a bread. The only exception is when I make soups or stews then I only add a bread to that.

5. Are you more of a cook or dessert maker?

I am more of a cook. My mother and I together can make wonderful desserts, but alone, I’m not so good at it. I do make fabulous cookies, though. It’s the one sweet that my mother taught me well enough that I can make cookies and brownies on my own. We used to make a lot of cookies at Christmas time. In fact, we still do, just not together. And I almost forgot, I make a wonderful peach cobbler, but I love to adapt it and use plums instead, which is beyond delicious.

6. What was your worst/funniest cooking moment?

My worst moment is any time I try to fry chicken. My mama can fry a chicken better than anyone I’ve ever known, but I’ve never had her gift, and good fried chicken is a gift.

I don’t know if I’ve ever had a funniest cooking moment. Although I recently made a fake coconut cake for a friend: styrofoam for the cake, rolled-out clay for the icing, and fake snow for the coconut. It looks beautiful and delicious, but you wouldn’t want to eat it.

7. What’s your best dish?

My best dish is Scallopini al Vino, which is veal in a white wine sauce. Pair that with risotto, bacon-wrapped asparagus, some linguini, and a good loaf of Italian or French bread, and along with a good pinot grigio, you have a delicious feast. (The dessert will be in the bedroom.)

I do my best cooking with Italian food, but if you prefer Southern comfort food, I can make a delicious meal by frying some pork chops, cooking collard greens and pink-eyed purple hull peas, with some fried hot water cornbread, that as they say in the South “Will make you slap yo mama!”

8. Is revenge a dish best served cold?

I don’t think revenge is a good dish at all. It’s best if you forgive and forget. Why dwell on something when you should jut move on. It’s best just to let anyone you’d want to take revenge on to just go their merry way, and let that be that.

9. Is the best way to a man’s heart truly through his stomach?

Absolutely! Let me cook for a man with a good appetite, and I’m pretty sure I can have him not only for the rest of the night (I make fabulous French toast for breakfast), but for the rest of his life as well. People have always told me that I’d make a wonderful husband, I just haven’t been given the chance to prove it. One day, I will though, and I have no doubt that my cooking skills will close the deal.

BONUS
Have you made whoopee in the kitchen? Which foods have you used to spice up your love life?

Nope, I’ve never made whoopee in the kitchen, but it is a fantasy of mine. I’ve never used food to spice up my love life, mainly because it’s nearly non-existent. However,that is something I would do if I had the chance. I will say though that Charles Anthony’s Restaurant at “The Pub” in Montgomery, Alabama, has a creme brûlée for dessert is truly an orgasmic experience. I’m serious, take one bite and your dick gets rock hard, eat all of it, and you’ve had an orgasm in your pants. If you are able to resist the orgasm, then you will be so horny by the time you get home, that your significant other won’t know what hit him.


Monday, Monday…

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It seems that most Mondays I have the worst time coming up with a blog topic. This Monday is no exception. Maybe it’s because I dread returning to school on Monday…I have no idea why. Anyway, I’ve got nothing. I racked my brain and I just came up with nothing. Sometimes, I can start writing and come up with something as the ideas begin to flow. Apparently, this was not one of those times.

“Writing is something that you don’t know how to do. You sit down and it’s something that happens, or it may not happen. So, how can you teach anybody how to write? It’s beyond me, because you yourself don’t even know if you’re going to be able to. I’m always worried, well, you know, every time I go upstairs with my wine bottle. Sometimes I’ll sit at that typewriter for fifteen minutes, you know. I don’t go up there to write. The typewriter’s up there. If it doesn’t start moving, I say, well this could be the night that I hit the dust.”
― Charles Bukowski


Black Friday

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Did anyone go to the Black Friday sales? Did you find any great bargains? If not, what are you doing today?

I did not go shopping. Black Friday is always just too crazy. I’m still at my parents’ house. My sister’s family could not make it to our Thanksgiving because she went with her husband to his family’s Thanksgiving. Since my sister was unable to make it yesterday, they are coming today to have lunch. I was ordered to stay because my five-year-old niece has insisted on throwing me a birthday party. So we will eat Thanksgiving leftovers for lunch, and then have cake and ice cream as a family celebration. You see, living in Alabama, a celebration could not take place on Saturday. This Saturday is one of the most important days for any Alabamian. It’s the day of the Alabama vs. Auburn football game. For many Alabamians, this is more important than the Super Bowl. Honestly, I really don’t care who wins this year. Auburn is #4 and Alabama is #1 in the polls. Whichever wins will go to the SEC Championship game. If it is Alabama, it will be almost assuredly another step toward another National Championship; however, if Auburn wins, it is a possibility that they could jump to #2 in the polls and be poised for a National Championship. Either way, a school from the state of Alabama is likely to be in the National Championship game for a fifth straight year. Anyway, in Alabama, you can’t plan anything before or during the game. Plans after the game are likely to be determined by whether or not you’re celebrating your teams victory or mourning its loss.

With rivalry weekend in full swing, what football teams will you be pulling for?

I won’t care either way about Alabama or Auburn. I am most loyal to the football team at my graduate school. Saturday is our last chance of the season to win our first game in two years. Our storied football program has suffered mightily these last two years. I refuse to give up hope on my beloved, but downtrodden, team. SMTTP!


Happy Thanksgiving!

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Thanksgiving Day is usually filled with family and food. There are many LGBT out there who are without their families because of the hate and bigotry that exists in this world. I hope those who cannot be with their families, for whatever reasons, have wonderful friends with whom to share this day of Thanksgiving, and I hope they feel the love that I send their way.

I wanted this post to be about all that I am thankful for this year. In many ways, it’s been a hard year, but things have been brightening in the last few weeks. With my birthday, (it’s this Saturday), I will begin a new year of my life with hope and promise for a wonderful future. I am so thankful for my family. They may drive me crazy at times, but I love them and they love me. I am thankful for the love and companionship provided by HRH, my beautiful and loving cat. I am thankful for the wonderful people with whom I have the pleasure to work. I’m even thankful for my students, because without them, how could I teach. I am thankful to be alive and in a happy point in my life. Most of all, I am thankful for my many friends in my life. Some of them are people I’ve never met in person, but have formed a connection with through my blog. For them, I want to say, you are as important to me and as loved by me as if you were a friend I saw everyday. I love you all! Thank you for being my friends.


Thanksgiving Vacation

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I am off this entire week for Thanksgiving and HRH are going to take full advantage of my warm bed and sleep in a little today.


Castaways

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Just sit right back
And you’ll hear a tale
A tale of a fateful trip,
That started from this tropic port,
Aboard this tiny ship.
The mate was a mighty sailin’ man,
The Skipper brave and sure,
Five passengers set sail that day,
For a three hour tour,
A three hour tour.

We all know this song. It’s the theme song for Gilligan’s Island. I loved this show as a kid, and I always wondered what it would be like to be stranded on that island. I think we all wish at one time or another that we could disappear to an “uncharted desert isle.” If you knew you’d be stranded on an island and could have six people with you and one item, who and what would you choose?

Number one on my list would be my “guardian accountant.” That may sound odd, but he’s also one of my best friends, and I love him dearly. He is intelligent, caring, and would make a wonderful leader, and any group would need him. Not only that, he’s lived his whole life on a tropical island, so he’d be a perfect choice.

I would also choose my best friend. She’s very resourceful, and I couldn’t do without her. That also means, I’d have to choose her husband, but he’s ex-military, so I think he’d be a good choice too. It helps that I get along well with him also. I have to say, I didn’t think she could do it, but she found herself a wonderful man.

I’d also take our art teacher at school. That might sound like an odd choice too, but she’d make everything look nice. I’m not for sure she’d survive unless we figured out how to make beer, but she’d be worth having there for entertainment value if nothing else. She’s also a very resourceful woman, so she’d be very useful. It would be up to her, if she decided to bring her husband, but it wouldn’t be the worst thing if she did. At least he has a fabulous butt to look at.

If my art teacher friend decided not to bring her husband, I would definitely bring the lady who runs the lunchroom at school. Not only is a she a master with food, and between the two of us, we’d all be well fed, she has a green thumb that would be most resourceful. Besides, she has a great wit that would keep everyone entertained, and I’m sure she’d love to escape to a tropical island.

Last but not least, I’d bring along a certain 22 year-old. I’m sure he’d be resourceful too, but I’d just prefer to frolic naked with him and have amazing sex all the time. He’s sweet, beautiful, and intelligent. What more could you ask for? Also, he makes me smile, and never fails to put me in a good mood.

Now I’d also love to bring along some of my followers, especially a Boy Scout leader who I know would be prepared for anything.

For the last thing, that one item I’d bring. I guess it’s not necessarily an item, but it is something that I couldn’t do without. I’d have to bring HRH along. She’d be lost without me, and I’d be lost without her.

So, if you knew you’d be stranded on an island and could have six people with you and one item, who and what would you choose?


A Whimsical Wednesday

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I racked my brain for a post last night, but came up with nothing. I was also incredibly sleepy. I’d dozed off twice trying to come up with a topic. So I began to browse through some picture I had found on the Internet and saved. I loved this one. It was so cute and whimsical, and you guys know how much I love cats, especially my own HRH.

I have been in an exceptionally good mood this week and last. It could be that I am finally recovering from my cold, or it could have to do with the fact that we will be out of school all of next week. It could have to do with the fact that I’ve had some wonderful conversations with friends this week, and with one friend in particular. If this friend is reading this, then he knows who he is and that he puts a smile on my face.

I hope each of you are having a wonderful week.


Flabbergasted!

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Flabbergasted! That’s what I am. Just flabbergasted!

Yesterday, I went to court for the speeding ticket that I had blogged about a month or so ago. The officer testified that he registered a gray car in the far left lane closest to the median and farthest from him. He also testified, that no cars were around me. I called my witness, who was in the car with me. She was not allowed in court during the officer’s testimony. I asked her, which lane was I in? She answered, the far right lane closest to the state trooper. I asked, how much traffic was on the road? She said cars were speeding around us. One of those cars was a gray Ford Fusion in the farthest lane over. She also testified that I was going the speed limit and that she keeps a close eye on both the speedometer and the surrounding traffic. The prosecutor made a smart ass comment about how she could see two things at once, when I reminded the judge that being able to see what was in front and around was called peripheral vision. He agreed with me. Remember, she had not heard the previous testimony and backed up everything I said. After her testimony and mine, the prosecutor called back the officer. The prosecutor, who was not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, did catch on to my line of questioning and realized that his witness had made a number of mistakes. So he asked the officer if he ever lost sight of me after he had me in his sights. The officer said he never lost sight of me. I asked him how that was possible when he was behind his vehicle and I lost sight of him. The judge agreed that there was no way he kept his eyes on me the whole time. He then asked if I wanted to testify. I said that I did, and I told my story, just as it happened. Then the judge asked if there were any further testimony or questions….

When no one had anything else to add, the judge said he found me guilty. What the hell!!! The officer was clearly unable to tell which car was which. He could not remember what lane I was in, and he lied about losing sight of me. The judge agreed with me on each and every point. So how the hell did he find me guilty? The prosecutor was able to prove nothing. I was told that I could appeal it and go before a the circuit court and receive a jury trial. If I did this though, I’d have to pay a $400 bond for the appeal. I knew I could not try this on my own in circuit court, and I couldn’t pay the $400, so I paid the $200 for the ticket and left the court.

I can’t begin to describe my disappointment in the Alabama judicial system. It was an absolute farce. It would not have mattered if I could have had Jesus Christ himself testify on my behalf, the judge would have still ruled against me.


TMI QUESTIONS: LOST AND FOUND

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Only occasionally do I answer the TMI questions from Just a Jeep Guy. Most of the time, I can only answer a few of them, but when I can answer most of them, these posts are generally fun to write. So here is my TMI: LOST AND FOUND?

1. Do you tend to lose things only to find them later?

Yes, I do. If you saw my desk at school, you would understand. I constantly lose things on my desk, only to find them later. However, it’s not just my desk. I constantly lose things and then find whatever I lost when I least expect it. The bad thing is, I usually don’t need it when I find, but then need it a few days later, only to forget where I found it.

2. Have you ever gone “shopping” in the Lost and Found?

Only for props and costumes for my Drama Club.

3. Has a dog or other pet “followed” you home?

No. I have an aunt who has had a lot of pets “follow” her home, but HRH was chosen on purpose and has made a wonderful companion.

4. How are you at finding a bargain?

I am pretty good at finding bargains. Being a poor grad student and now a teacher, I have to search for the bargains.

5. How many times have you lost your wallet?

Only twice, that I can remember. Once was in the basement of a gay bar in Florence, Italy. I was a bit to busy with “other things” to notice that it had fallen out of my pocket. Luckily, the bartender went down there with a flashlight and found it. Even more lucky, everything was still in my wallet. The other time, I didn’t actually lose it, it was stolen.

6. How do you find the time?

I just do. Sometimes, it has a lot to do with a lack of sleep. Plus, I have the philosophy, “Don’t freak out; it will all get done…eventually.”

7. Have you found your soul mate? Do you think you ever will?

I have not found my soul mate, at least as far as I know. Will I ever find him? It looks less and less likely as the years go on. I hope I will find him someday, but I will just have to wait and see. I will keep searching, nonetheless.

8. Do you have a lost love?

No, I don’t. I thought I had once, but I realized that it was just the idea that I was in love with.

9. When did you loose your innocence?

I lost my innocence the day that my best friend told me she had had sex with numerous guys. We had always said that we would save ourselves for marriage, yet she had not. I didn’t know this because she had moved away for a few years. Back before emails and cell phones (and when long distance was too expensive), we used to write each other letters. When she moved back, we were friends as if she had never left. Year, there was lots of things about her years away that she didn’t tell me until later. So when the truth came out, my innocence was lost from that point on. I did always enjoy hearing “all” the details about her various boyfriends. I think I knew the dick size of half the guys of south Alabama, LOL.

BONUS
When did you loose your virginity? How many times have you helped someone loose their’s?

When I lost my virginity to a girl, it was to the only girl I ever thought I loves. She was a bit of a tomboy and I met her when I was attending the University of Alabama for an honors program during the summer between my junior and senior year of high school. I remember we were sitting on a bench behind the business library and telling her that I wanted to ask her something. For the life of me, I do not remember what I was going to ask, but I do remember that she said, “I know what you’re going to ask.” She said that I was going to ask her to have sex. It wasn’t my intent, but I thought what the hell. It took a week or so to finally convince her, and I lost my virginity in Parker-Adams Hall at the University of Alabama.

My first time with a man was when I was 23. It was not a particularly pleasant experience, and it is not a story I want to relate. It was consensual, but a bad experience. It was the only bad sex that I have ever had though, so I think I have been pretty fortunate since.

As far as helping someone loose theirs. For sure I know that I have only twice, but there could have been a few more times. Once was with the aforementioned girl I lost my virginity too, and the other was a guy who I hooked up with.