Road Trip!
I can pull up by the curb, I can make it on the road, Goin' mobile, I can stop in any street, And talk with people that we meet, Goin' mobile, Keep me movin' The Who
Yesterday was our yearly trek to Baltimore, three-middle aged dudes. For food, drink, fun, and fashion. OK, only joshing about the fashion part. Although I was sporting my new Greg Norman Costco-bought white twill shorts, best suited for old gents playing golf. The Bmore road trip was my vacation. I had been thinking Copenhagen, Denmark, to walk the streets of Soren Kierkegaard:
I employed this quote in the last chapter of my book.Much of life is a mystery, particularly when facing the future (I know, no duh). Coherence and sense typically are the result of reflection. Many of the prophets in the Old Testament, and John with the Revelation which closed the Canon, didn't understand what they were seeing. Listen to prophesy experts today explain what will happen based on the predictions of the Apocalypse and you will enter a maelstrom of confusion.
Well, anyway, I decided to not fly to Copenhagen. Time was short and it would have not been a full rendering. The only problem about not going to Copenhagen is that there will never be a perfect time. Delays tend to become No's by default. So, I understand the exhortation I got from a younger friend to go.
Nonetheless, we did head to BMore yesterday, and it is always a great time. Interestingly, also a time for some pretty serious conversations over beer. Our guide, Brian, is originally from Baltimore and knows all the places and cool spots. Usually not a good idea to drive around urban locales without knowing the town. I heard a joke one time that GPS should have a feature of "Avoid the Ghetto."
We have been friends since college. He's a Jew and I am of German ancestry. The German and the Jew. We both believe in Jesus yet have diverse takes on things. I am more Reformed (i.e. Calvinistic) in my thinking, Brian is profoundly Jewish. I learn a lot from him. He is a straight-talker with a big heart. The third of our little traveling road show is Ken. I am not sure of his ethnic heritage. Good guy, a musician. The elder of the bunch.
Road trips are a lot of fun. One thing I like is the open-ended nature of what could happen. Hare are some pics from yesterday which illustrate this in one way or another: Sorry, that I don't have the links to the places, I am in a hurry.
Had a killer crab cake to start out the day. Who knew that mustard and horseradish is the authentic BMore garnish for a crab cake? Not me. I was raised on tartar sauce, being that I went to the public schools and ate fish sticks. Have to say that the mustard and horseradish is a better taste. Not as cloying. Yummeee!
Then we headed down to Max's for some beer. I had this Tart of Darkness by The Bruery:
Uh, didn't realize what makes beer sour is vinegar. Or at least, that is what it tasted like. It literally burned my throat and esophagus. Perhaps even my larynx. I had visited The Bruery out in California so this was in homage to that. It was good once to try, yet never again. Lets us put it this way, I needed to drink this brew at another joint to soothe my throat:
Maudite is a Belgian Beer made by Unibroue in Quebec. Another town I want to visit. I have been to Montreal but neglected to push further North a bit. Would love to go there in winter. Maudite means the "Damned" in French It actually had a sanctifying affect on my throat. Healing powers. Very good beer, one of the best around. Not often one sees such a fine beer on tap.
Next up, cigars:
A fine $10 Ashton cigar. I was talking to a dude in the humidor and he said for the price that Ashton's were the best. Definitely a step up from my Dutch Masters. Not sure it was five times as good which is what it would have to be since the Dutch Master's are two bucks per cigar. I am really trying to not become a cigar snob. I am already a beer snob, a coffee snob. Still on the snob list: cigars and whiskey. If one more of these dominoes falls, I will just be a snob period, despite my proletarian protestations. Added bonus of the pic: The thick black chick in the background. Didn't consider this when snapping the photo. I was concentrating on the pic. One thing really cool about the city is that black and white mix, which rarely happens in the 'burbs where people typically configure themselves along the lines of homogeneity.
We concluded the day eating at a Thai restaurant. It was truly run by Thais. I can tell with some accuracy what the different Asian countries people look like. The food was great. Flavorful, sweet, and spicy:
It pays to eat ethnic food in cosmopolitan areas. This was in Towson. There is more competition and the food is definitely a notch above. Here in Lancaster County, there are some pretty bad places because no one really knows any better. The standard is lower because of no other players. I bought two order of Drunken Noodles with Pork to go which I plan to enjoy today with a buddy coming over for Vietnamese Coffee at 9:00.
Well, I am back to work tomorrow. I had a dream the other night that I was excited to be helping a kid. With teaching a College and Career class this year with my book as the text, I am looking forward to the opportunity to put some of my ideas into action on a large-class scale. I think it is going to be good, maybe great. I just don't want it to suck. For me or the students.
One lesson I want to convey to the kids is that life has many winding roads. There is a great deal of sadness but there is also a lot that is good, happy, and hopeful. I know that my Divorce blog was a bit of a downer. Like Snape in Harry Potter, I try to take on the darker forces. That may cause me to look more negative, yet I want to deal with the downside. We all fight harsh battles. Does little good to act that all is cheery.
Jesus came to bring Good News when He traveled down here on his road trip to the Cross. I have to think God learned and experienced something that He would not have otherwise had He stayed in heaven--and he counted it worthy his time and effort and blood to do so...
Yesterday was our yearly trek to Baltimore, three-middle aged dudes. For food, drink, fun, and fashion. OK, only joshing about the fashion part. Although I was sporting my new Greg Norman Costco-bought white twill shorts, best suited for old gents playing golf. The Bmore road trip was my vacation. I had been thinking Copenhagen, Denmark, to walk the streets of Soren Kierkegaard:
I employed this quote in the last chapter of my book.Much of life is a mystery, particularly when facing the future (I know, no duh). Coherence and sense typically are the result of reflection. Many of the prophets in the Old Testament, and John with the Revelation which closed the Canon, didn't understand what they were seeing. Listen to prophesy experts today explain what will happen based on the predictions of the Apocalypse and you will enter a maelstrom of confusion.
Well, anyway, I decided to not fly to Copenhagen. Time was short and it would have not been a full rendering. The only problem about not going to Copenhagen is that there will never be a perfect time. Delays tend to become No's by default. So, I understand the exhortation I got from a younger friend to go.
Nonetheless, we did head to BMore yesterday, and it is always a great time. Interestingly, also a time for some pretty serious conversations over beer. Our guide, Brian, is originally from Baltimore and knows all the places and cool spots. Usually not a good idea to drive around urban locales without knowing the town. I heard a joke one time that GPS should have a feature of "Avoid the Ghetto."
We have been friends since college. He's a Jew and I am of German ancestry. The German and the Jew. We both believe in Jesus yet have diverse takes on things. I am more Reformed (i.e. Calvinistic) in my thinking, Brian is profoundly Jewish. I learn a lot from him. He is a straight-talker with a big heart. The third of our little traveling road show is Ken. I am not sure of his ethnic heritage. Good guy, a musician. The elder of the bunch.
Road trips are a lot of fun. One thing I like is the open-ended nature of what could happen. Hare are some pics from yesterday which illustrate this in one way or another: Sorry, that I don't have the links to the places, I am in a hurry.
Had a killer crab cake to start out the day. Who knew that mustard and horseradish is the authentic BMore garnish for a crab cake? Not me. I was raised on tartar sauce, being that I went to the public schools and ate fish sticks. Have to say that the mustard and horseradish is a better taste. Not as cloying. Yummeee!
Then we headed down to Max's for some beer. I had this Tart of Darkness by The Bruery:
Uh, didn't realize what makes beer sour is vinegar. Or at least, that is what it tasted like. It literally burned my throat and esophagus. Perhaps even my larynx. I had visited The Bruery out in California so this was in homage to that. It was good once to try, yet never again. Lets us put it this way, I needed to drink this brew at another joint to soothe my throat:
Maudite is a Belgian Beer made by Unibroue in Quebec. Another town I want to visit. I have been to Montreal but neglected to push further North a bit. Would love to go there in winter. Maudite means the "Damned" in French It actually had a sanctifying affect on my throat. Healing powers. Very good beer, one of the best around. Not often one sees such a fine beer on tap.
Next up, cigars:
A fine $10 Ashton cigar. I was talking to a dude in the humidor and he said for the price that Ashton's were the best. Definitely a step up from my Dutch Masters. Not sure it was five times as good which is what it would have to be since the Dutch Master's are two bucks per cigar. I am really trying to not become a cigar snob. I am already a beer snob, a coffee snob. Still on the snob list: cigars and whiskey. If one more of these dominoes falls, I will just be a snob period, despite my proletarian protestations. Added bonus of the pic: The thick black chick in the background. Didn't consider this when snapping the photo. I was concentrating on the pic. One thing really cool about the city is that black and white mix, which rarely happens in the 'burbs where people typically configure themselves along the lines of homogeneity.
We concluded the day eating at a Thai restaurant. It was truly run by Thais. I can tell with some accuracy what the different Asian countries people look like. The food was great. Flavorful, sweet, and spicy:
It pays to eat ethnic food in cosmopolitan areas. This was in Towson. There is more competition and the food is definitely a notch above. Here in Lancaster County, there are some pretty bad places because no one really knows any better. The standard is lower because of no other players. I bought two order of Drunken Noodles with Pork to go which I plan to enjoy today with a buddy coming over for Vietnamese Coffee at 9:00.
Well, I am back to work tomorrow. I had a dream the other night that I was excited to be helping a kid. With teaching a College and Career class this year with my book as the text, I am looking forward to the opportunity to put some of my ideas into action on a large-class scale. I think it is going to be good, maybe great. I just don't want it to suck. For me or the students.
One lesson I want to convey to the kids is that life has many winding roads. There is a great deal of sadness but there is also a lot that is good, happy, and hopeful. I know that my Divorce blog was a bit of a downer. Like Snape in Harry Potter, I try to take on the darker forces. That may cause me to look more negative, yet I want to deal with the downside. We all fight harsh battles. Does little good to act that all is cheery.
Jesus came to bring Good News when He traveled down here on his road trip to the Cross. I have to think God learned and experienced something that He would not have otherwise had He stayed in heaven--and he counted it worthy his time and effort and blood to do so...
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