Adventures in Gastronomy

I’ve recently begun recording old Will & Grace episodes on the DVR and, truth be told, they just make me happy. True, the show isn’t perfect: Jack went from being an self-involved (yet charming) drama-queen in the first few seasons to an annoying 2 year old by the last few seasons, but overall I could always count on the show to make me laugh. And it does.

And, because I’m such a loser, it’s something that reminds me of Paris. Most people have fond memories of taking a boat ride down the Seine, or dining at an outdoor cafe, or walking the galleries of the Louvre. Me? I liked retiring to Mark’s flat at the end of a long day of playing tourist, tossing on some DVD’s of Will & Grace and decompressing. It’s the little things.

Like winning a game of Scrabble! Deano came over last night for our nearly-regular game night. Two games were played. He beat me (slightly) in the first game because he finagled yet another 8 letter word on a triple word score square (hoisting). But Randy joined in for the second game and I managed to sqeak ahead and win by a few points (even with Deano’s second 8 letter/triple word score of the evening: stranded).

Ah yes, it’s the little things.

January 30th, 2008
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: snarl . Comments: Comments Off on It’s the Little Things

Is haiku news? Could it be? Because I’m proud to say that my haiku has been published in the most recent issue of “American Way” magazine. Granted, it’s the in-flight magazine for American Airlines, but that’s still kinda’ cool, no?

There was a contest last fall to win something like 1,000,000 frequent flyer miles and and 2,000,000 Hilton Honors points. All you had to do was submit a few photos, write a haiku, and answer ten travel-related trivia questions. Obviously, I lost on all accounts – but they did publish my haiku (along with a dozen or so others).

Though, now that Randy isn’t traveling, I have no way of obtaining a copy of my published masterpiece! It does appear in the online version of the magazine, but that doesn’t count. I’m published online (via this blog) every day. Print is different! Maybe I’ll need to fly somewhere this weekend just to grab an issue?

Oh, speaking of travel, it’s official: Randy and I are off to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, again. Our friends offered to let us stay at their condo and Randy and I bought one plane ticket and used frequent flyer miles for the second ticket. We’ll then split the cost of just one ticket and have a bargain trip. Though, before I get excited for this April trip I should probably focus on the more imminent Las Vegas trip in less than three weeks.

Liberace Museum – here I come!

January 29th, 2008
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: snarl . Comments: 4 Comments

This weekend, Randy and I hosted the big Christmas Re-Gifting Party. For the past 5 years Randy has held a party where people are inviting to bring a gift they want to re-gift (you know, those crappy gifts you get from friends or coworkers that you really have no use for?) It started off with 10-12 people in the old days. On Saturday night things graduated to 27.5 guests (there was one four year old present).

Everybody brought some incredible food (dinner foods, desserts, appetizers) and the gift trading went well. Unfortunately, Randy picked the worst possible number (the sequence in which you open gifts). However, in the end, he was able to keep a set of salt and pepper shakers in the shape of a dog (Daschund?)…where the salt and pepper shakes out of their asses. Cute!

Other people got some interseting things: a lava lamp, candles, the Scooby-Doo board game, books, a solar powered plastic decorative bird that chirps, and a bag of size 34-36 tighty-whities (which were given to a woman).

And what did I get? Well, the above picture says it all: I got a Bloomingdales make-up travel kit.

Yay.

Guess what’s being re-gifted next year?

Still, we all had a good time. I counted all of the empty bottles in the recyling (which was collected this morning) and there were 22 bottles of wine, 2 bottles of San Pellegrino, and unknown numbers of bottles of water, beer, and sparkling water. A look at our recyling alone should indicate a decent party was had.

We also played host to Randy’s (and my) friend, Jen, who came in for the 5th year in a row from the NYC area (this time with her boyfriend). We all had a blast catching up and even prepping for the party. Now it’s back to work.

Oh, and we’re back in vacation planning mode. Our friend’s are offering to let us stay in their Puerto Vallarta condo again this year. Last year we did it in February, this year it would be the first week of April. Randy gets less vacation time than I do so we may go for a partial week if we can finagle frequent flyer tickets and/or flights that are more accomodating to our scheduling…fingers crossed.

January 28th, 2008
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: snarl . Comments: Comments Off on Holiday Season Encore!

I’m not sure why, but this morning felt like the coldest morning we’ve had all winter. I’m fairly sure that it wasn’t (I recall some single-digit weather reports in December and today was a balmy 16 degrees compared to that). And the sun is shining with clear blue skies, yet it just felt bone-chillingly cold today.

I suppose the fact that my bus was a wee bit delayed this morning didn’t help. And the frigid air was accompanied by a rather unpleasant breeze. But if this is as bad as this winter gets, I’ll be a happy man.

Oh, and it appears that the MBTA (Boston’s transit system for those out-of-town readers) is finally getting rid of the flimsy plastic passes they’ve had for at least the last 3 decades. Most of you have already switched over to the CharlieCard (a firm credit card style pass that you tap against the fare machines). However, I’ve been opting for the old-school style plastic pass for the past year so that I can access the subway, pusses, and Zone 1A of the commuter rail (for that rare instance when I need it). It’s the same price as the CharlieCard yet it even gives you more commuting options.

Apparently, effective February 1st they’re discontinuing the plastic style pass and going to paper because that’s what arrived in the mail yesterday: a flimsy paper pass. This is all rather disconcerting to me. My plastic passes get fairly abused over the course of a month – I can just imagine the damage I can inflict on a freaking piece of paper! This is going to force me to alter a practice I’ve held for nearly 20 years: hole-punching a corner of my pass and attaching it to my key ring. My keys are going to feel (and appear) so much lighter now – which means I’m bound to lose them on a daily basis.

Have I mentioned that I don’t accept change very well?

I’ve already decided that effective March 1st I’ll be switching over to the CharlieCard. On the plus side, I have realized that a CharlieCard conveniently fits in the back of the rubber protector I have for my iPod so I won’t have to carry it separately or pull out a wallet. I’ll just tap my ipod against the turnstile and go on through. Knowing my luck, though, there’s probably some magentic frequently involved between the subway pass and turnstile that will short circuit my iPod.

January 25th, 2008
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: snarl . Comments: 1 Comment

(I wish I could figure out how to write the letters backwards).

Actually, it should read more like RedBones, RedBones, since that’s where we ate dinner last night. I’m not sure if many of you are aware, but there is a website called restaurants.com where you can buy $25 gift certificates for only $10. Basically, you browse the thousands of restaurants listed nationwide (and probably well over a hundred in the Boston area) and pay $10 for a $25 gift certificate (essentially giving you $15 off your meal).

Master dealhunters (Randy) also suggest that before you go to restaurants.com, you should do a google search for “restaurants.com coupon codes”. We did that and managed to get two different $25 gift certificates for only $5 each (a deal of $20). It’s so easy. I still have no clue how this makes anybody any profit (aside from the consumer) – but I’m not going to complain.

I’m also proud to state that I was the one who discovered this website bargain (though, it was Randy who found the additional online coupon code savings opportunity).

Anyway, the food was good but I must admit that both Randy and I are looking forward to a quiet night tonight. We’ve got out-of-town guests arriving tomorrow so we’ll be Mr. and Mrs. Social* for the whole weekend. I think I need a vacation. At least Las Vegas is less than a month away.

*I am the Mr. in that scenario.

January 24th, 2008
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: snarl . Comments: 4 Comments

Phew! It’s a good thing I opened that CD yesterday morning! I had been planning to open a CD before the January 29th meeting of the Fed Reserve Bank (when it was expected that rates would drop). But it came as a complete surprise yesterday with their emergency reduction of .75%.

So, I quickly opened a CD in the morning with a 4.55% interest rate. By late afternoon the rate had been reduced to 3.50% (thanks feds). Fortunately, I made it before the lower interest rate took effect. Unfortunately, I stupidly only made it for 6 months (and it’s already predicted that the Fed will reduce rates to about 2.5% in the next few months).

I’m such a lazy investor. I like the old days when I kept it simple: money was taken out of my check and thrown into my emplyer’s retirement plan, and a certain amount of money was taken out of my checking account each month and put into a Roth IRA. I never worried about what it was doing, and I never had to make rushed decisions regarding CD’s or new funds or what not.

I miss the old days.

On the plus side, I played Scrabble with Randy and Deano last night. The first game was just Deano and me and I won. The second game was played by all three of us and Randy beat me…by ONE point. I must say that the only reason he won was because toward the end of the game he was stumped and showed us his letters and Deano and I came up with a 38 point word for him.

Note to self: don’t help competitors in Scrabble.

January 23rd, 2008
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: snarl . Comments: 1 Comment

I had a fun weekend. On Friday night we went out to dinner with to celebrate the birthday of some friends. On Saturday, Randy and I went to the gym (yay me) and met up with my friend, and fellow blogger, Will. We met up at our place sinc he’d never been there then headed to the Rosebud Diner in Davis Square (one of them old school diner cars). That night went to a game night at another friend of ours (playing Turbo Cranium and Balderdash).

On Sunday, Randy talked me into seeing Cloverfield. I actually liked it – and I normally dislike everything that gets hyped up in advance. My only problems with it were that it showed the monster too much (I’d have prefered more of a mystery in that regard). My other issue was that it went with the old horror movie cliche’ of the guy going after the girl he done wrong instead of worrying about saving his own ass. The world is collapsing around you and you’re going to trek 50 blocks (in a pitch black subway tunnel with hi-rises collapsing above you) because you want to save the friend you had a one-night stand with? UGH.

Anyway, I still liked it and was entertained.

Then came Monday. Randy started his “new” job and I had the day off (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day). I slept until 11AM (so rare) and did random chores around the house. Now it’s Monday and the freaking’ feds have dropped the interest rate yet another 3/4%! BASTARDS! It was supposed to happen on January 29th (according to everything I’d read) so I was planning on opening up some CD’s before then. I still managed to get a CD at 4.55% this morning (whereas if I had opened a CD in October it would have been over 5%…oh well). At least as the rates continue to drop, I’ll be locked in at a higher rate.

January 22nd, 2008
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: snarl . Comments: Comments Off on All Good Things Must Come to an End

Oh dear.

That pretty much sums up what’s happening with my retirement accounts. I’ve been through recessions before in my adult life. The first big one occured while I was attending/graduating college. I still managed to find retail jobs all throughout college and a full time job when I got out. I wasn’t making much ($20,500/year that first year), but I was able to survive with room mates and I was happy and independent.

The next recession hit around 9/11. Again, I had minimal investments so I didn’t lose much. But I had a stable job at Harvard so I wasn’t too worried. Hell, I even purchased my first condo at that time (thanks to the low interest rates and a real estate market that was climbing, but not yet obscenely expensive).

Now it looks like we’re heading into yet another recession. Although this time, I actually have a reasonably substantial amount in my retirement accounts (a 403(b), roth IRA, etc…) and they are taking a hit…and fast. In November alone I took a loss of 4.9%…in one month.

But it gets worse. In the first two weeks of January (TWO WEEKS) I’ve already lost an additional 7.9%. I have to repeat this again….TWO WEEKS! So, in the last two months, that means I’ve lost nearly 13% of my savings (and I’ve invested in thie “moderate/conservative category). So, let’s say I had $100,000 in there to begin with (I didn’t, that’s just an easy number to round to), that means I had $100,000 on November 1 and only $87,000 today.

Ouch – that hurts.

Of course, I immediately called my financial planner (who said she’s been fielding calls like mine all month). She said what I expected to hear (and historically is what has been proven) which is to stick it out and think of my investments as longterm investments – which they are. And, on the plus side, any contributions I’m adding to the plan now are being bought at the lower rates (buy cheap, sell high). Of course, that doesn’t help the money that’s already in there and tanking. But what goes down must come up, right? RIGHT?

Anyway, I’m not all that worried since i’ve got, oh, at least 3 more decades before retirment. But that really smarts.

There’s something to be said for the whole cash under the mattress investment plan.

January 18th, 2008
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: snarl . Comments: 3 Comments

You can’t trust the gossip pages (or the government, or the media, or even me for that matter), but I read this morning that there is suspicion that Britney Spears is pregnant.

Again.

Apparently, she was photographed in a phamacy looking over the early pregnancy tests. Of course, there was no evidence of her buying one…but she was at least looking at them.

Why? Why, oh why, are people like her allowed to breed? I mean, seriously, she’s proven TWICE that she’s not fit for motherhood. She’s proven TWICE that she’s incapable of taking the commitment of marriage seriously. She’s proven multiple times that going commando isn’t always the best fashion choice. And now she could possibly be expecting yet again.

Honestly, I sometimes wish the government had the right to neuter people. I do! I mean, I’m very much pro-choice, but I’m also anti-abortion. By that I mean that I’d prefer people not get pregnant in the first place if they don’t want children. However, in the event that they do get pregnant….and they’ve already been proven to be ill-equipped to raise a child (or even keep a cactus alive, for Pete’s sake)…I think the government should step in. Yes, for the sake of the unborn child and for the sake of society as a whole.

Think about it. Britney will have been pregnant three times in 4 years. At this rate, she could burp out an entire city by the time she’s 40. And with her teenage sister also pregnant, the Spears family could collectively populate twin cities in no time.

Now if that doesn’t give you nightmares, I don’t know what will.

January 17th, 2008
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: snarl . Comments: 5 Comments

OK, that may be a bit of exaggeration. In fact, I am beginning to notice a difference in my arms/chest (Randy even says I now have distinguishable pecs!). I can’t see the difference, but I can feel the difference when I bend my arm and my forearm touches my upper arm (bicep?) much earlier than it used to. Does that make sense?

But there are some negative effects I’ve noticed, too. First, I’ve freaking gained weight. Yes, gained weight. I met Randy at 164 pounds. A year later I was up to 180 or so. Since starting at the gym in October, I’ve ballooned up to 187! What’s up with that? All this work and I’m gaining? Randy thinks it’s because I’ve developed muscle (and muscle weighs more).

Screw the muscle…I just want to be comfortable in my 32 jeans.

Oh, and the second negative side effect is that I was very nearly mortally wounded last night on the leg-press thingy. A ridiculously located metal bar was protruding from the base. And when I stepped out of the torture device (I mean, equipment), I rammed my thigh into it. Now I’ve got this swollen black and blue mark with a divot of skin removed. I just know I’m going to get MRSI or something.

January 16th, 2008
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: snarl . Comments: 3 Comments