Alright, since I have been lazy and haven't made a post about it, and I've been guilted into it by the one I have pledged my minion services to, here is the official blog announcement of the formation of Baking After Midnight. Inspired by a comment made by a high school friend who I haven't seen since graduation (thank you wonders of Facebook) and encouraged by my mistress, it is a group dedicated to the wonderful idea of staying up too late and baking. Cookies, cakes, various other forms of sweet or savory nibbles, all are welcome to join.
Not really sure where it's going to go, or what is going to happen with it. It started as just a lark, a bit of a laugh between friends, but it actually seems to be gaining interest. Thinking of starting another blog, dedicated to the group, encouraging more recipes to be shared, I honestly don't know. All the good ideas have come from the Wicked one. lol As well as the very cool artwork that graces the group. Mucho thanks to her for the support and encouragement, as well as to Heather for planting the idea seed.
Dunno what else to say about things. Tell your friends and everyone else to come join Baking After Midnight.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Sports and other things of the like
I've never been much of an athlete. Yeah, I played tennis and I fenced and I was above average in both. With fencing, a good deal above average. But I have never played baseball or football or any of the other sports that the average American male played growing up. But I do love some sports, and I highly admire the idea of sports representing more than just the mere athletic contest.
The Winter Olympics were a couple of weeks ago and I enjoyed watching them more than I probably should have. It is however, majorly disappointing to see the role that professional athletes have come to embody in what used to be an amateur undertaking. It used to be amazing to watch people who dedicated their lives to perfecting a sport where the monetary gain was negligible for the simple love of the game. Pro hockey, baseball, and basketball players don't belong in the Olympics. They have an arena to shine in that is beyond the hopes of the average competitor. I can understand the draw but it detracts from the purity of the symbol of the Olympics, at least to me.
On the other side of the coin, the Winter Parlympic games have been going on over the past couple of weeks. I haven't watched much, but it is amazing to see. The Paralympics are games run parallel to the Olympic games for physically handicapped athletes. Completely different from the Special Olympics, these are competitors that train as hard as any other athlete and the sports are as cutthroat and hard fought as any in the world. I watched clips of cross country skiing where paraplegics competed with people with amputated arms. It was amazing to think about the effort that it would take to ski 20k like that. The most impressive was visually impaired biathlon. Yup. Blind shooting and skiing. It was amazing to watch without knowing how it was done, but finding out made it that much more mind boggling. Look it up. If that doesn't make you whistle, then there's something wrong with you.
Now on to other sports. I've wanted to write something about Tiger Woods for a while now, but haven't really gotten it to meld in my mind. People, get over your racism. If it was a basketball or football star who cheated on his wife multiple times, the story would be 2 minutes and then forgotten. The fact that he is the greatest golfer in the history of the game, black, and liked white women has blown the thing completely out of proportion. No one is willing to say it, but it is simple racism that has made this "story" stick around as much as it has. It isn't a shocking story of an athlete behaving like a jerk; it's a story of an athlete behaving the way athletes are encouraged to act from a young age. If anything, it should be more evidence that the classic sense of marriage is antiquated and should be abandoned.
And on to one more kinda sporty topic. NASCAR. A couple of weeks ago one driver intentionally wrecked another, and admitted to it. People were shocked that such things went on and called for massive penalties for those drivers who did such things. What people forget is that that is part of the 'sport'. Take a bunch of hyped up rednecks, put them in cars that fly, and then expect them to behave like anything other than rednecks is an idiots hope. Wrecks are the most interesting thing about driving in circles anyway. It satisfies the place that chariot racing had in ancient Rome. Can it get out of hand? Yes. Is it dangerous? Definitely. The danger is why people watch and why people do it anyway. Reasonable restrictions are already in place and there is no need for more.
Kinda along the same thread, baseball season is just around the corner. The most disturbing trend in baseball recently, even more so than the overuse of steroids, is the death of the brush back pitch. Pitchers are warned and ejecting for coming inside on batters, giving the batter the distinct advantage. Sorry people, baseball is more than just the home run. The inside pitch has been a staple since the first days of the game. It is a way of giving the pitcher some way to control what the batter does. Can it get out of hand? Yes. But there should be a use of common sense in situations where it is used.
Alright, that takes care of a rambling blog that has been building for a while. Gotta admit, it feels good to write. Hate doing it on this dying computer, but hey, that's the price right? Look back soon for another political rant. Those are always fun.
The Winter Olympics were a couple of weeks ago and I enjoyed watching them more than I probably should have. It is however, majorly disappointing to see the role that professional athletes have come to embody in what used to be an amateur undertaking. It used to be amazing to watch people who dedicated their lives to perfecting a sport where the monetary gain was negligible for the simple love of the game. Pro hockey, baseball, and basketball players don't belong in the Olympics. They have an arena to shine in that is beyond the hopes of the average competitor. I can understand the draw but it detracts from the purity of the symbol of the Olympics, at least to me.
On the other side of the coin, the Winter Parlympic games have been going on over the past couple of weeks. I haven't watched much, but it is amazing to see. The Paralympics are games run parallel to the Olympic games for physically handicapped athletes. Completely different from the Special Olympics, these are competitors that train as hard as any other athlete and the sports are as cutthroat and hard fought as any in the world. I watched clips of cross country skiing where paraplegics competed with people with amputated arms. It was amazing to think about the effort that it would take to ski 20k like that. The most impressive was visually impaired biathlon. Yup. Blind shooting and skiing. It was amazing to watch without knowing how it was done, but finding out made it that much more mind boggling. Look it up. If that doesn't make you whistle, then there's something wrong with you.
Now on to other sports. I've wanted to write something about Tiger Woods for a while now, but haven't really gotten it to meld in my mind. People, get over your racism. If it was a basketball or football star who cheated on his wife multiple times, the story would be 2 minutes and then forgotten. The fact that he is the greatest golfer in the history of the game, black, and liked white women has blown the thing completely out of proportion. No one is willing to say it, but it is simple racism that has made this "story" stick around as much as it has. It isn't a shocking story of an athlete behaving like a jerk; it's a story of an athlete behaving the way athletes are encouraged to act from a young age. If anything, it should be more evidence that the classic sense of marriage is antiquated and should be abandoned.
And on to one more kinda sporty topic. NASCAR. A couple of weeks ago one driver intentionally wrecked another, and admitted to it. People were shocked that such things went on and called for massive penalties for those drivers who did such things. What people forget is that that is part of the 'sport'. Take a bunch of hyped up rednecks, put them in cars that fly, and then expect them to behave like anything other than rednecks is an idiots hope. Wrecks are the most interesting thing about driving in circles anyway. It satisfies the place that chariot racing had in ancient Rome. Can it get out of hand? Yes. Is it dangerous? Definitely. The danger is why people watch and why people do it anyway. Reasonable restrictions are already in place and there is no need for more.
Kinda along the same thread, baseball season is just around the corner. The most disturbing trend in baseball recently, even more so than the overuse of steroids, is the death of the brush back pitch. Pitchers are warned and ejecting for coming inside on batters, giving the batter the distinct advantage. Sorry people, baseball is more than just the home run. The inside pitch has been a staple since the first days of the game. It is a way of giving the pitcher some way to control what the batter does. Can it get out of hand? Yes. But there should be a use of common sense in situations where it is used.
Alright, that takes care of a rambling blog that has been building for a while. Gotta admit, it feels good to write. Hate doing it on this dying computer, but hey, that's the price right? Look back soon for another political rant. Those are always fun.
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