Cauliflower Rice

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In our quest to bring healthy vibes to our household while helping yours truly maintain his girlish figure, we've been leaning more toward the meat-free, lower carb diet. Not because we're crunchy and holistic (well, maybe a little), but for a whole host of reasons that I won't bore you with. In addition to my abstinence from sweets, which has thus far been progressing rather smoothly, we're eating less bread (no white bread-my favorite food), more veggies, and tons of fruit.

I have to say, I really miss eating killer soft white bread, like fresh ciabattas and sourdough boules, and avoiding sugar is next to impossible, but for the most part, this new eating pattern hasn't been that bad. For whatever reason I don't feel the sexy, irresistible allure of sugar calling to me. In fact, when I look at a bar of chocolate, I can pretty much walk on by and not feel tempted, though I have to confess, I did eat a bowl of ice cream the other night. I was warned my mom that it might drag me back down into my compulsive/binge-y sweet eating habits, but I found this wasn't the case. I figure a bowl of ice cream now and then may be about as good as it gets.

We are also dabbling in creative ways to eat the healthy veggies that everyone loves to hate, including cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, and cabbage. We've been making “cauliflower rice” in place of the real stuff, and while it tastes nothing like rice, it's not bad, and the girls like it. Plus, you can put away bowls of the stuff and not worry about glycemic shock or getting plugged up, an unfortunate consequence of eating lots of rice. Brussel sprouts are a family favorite, but I've found an easier way to make them that everyone seems to love, and with cabbage, caramelizing it is the way to go.

And, both mom and A have indicated that they'd prefer it if I'd make less food for supper, because I tend to make too much. The reason for this is because I can't stand it when the food runs out and there's no food left (bad planning), and leftovers usually get put to good use. However, with greater quantities of food come the temptation to simply eat more - just go to any all-you-can eat buffet and see this in action.

Having excess food is not a bad thing when you have a person such as myself (who enjoys engorging himself) and a growing boy in the house, but I understand where mom and A are coming from, and I'm happy to accommodate them. Plus, it's less food to prepare, which makes my life easier - no argument here. As a compromise, I've started making various burgers for N in addition to our pared down (mostly) vegetarian options. For burgers, we omit beef and go with veggie burgers, turkey burgers, and various “meat substitute” burgers. Don't ask about the last ones, you'll think I'm crazy.

Everyone seems to be happy, so far. There are days when I'm craving white rice big time, and if it's just the guys, I'll make it, but overall our diets have been pretty healthy. Throw in all that glorious fruit salad in the morning, and GI tracts are doing okay. I hope to keep it that way.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to Nicholas Noyes for the pic.

Youth Hockey Comes to a Close

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This weekend marked the end of N's youth hockey career, and I think it's been a good run for him, culminating in some changes that will be good for all of us in the years to come. I thought I would have mixed emotions about the end of hockey, but I have to confess, I feel good about it all. Not too much in the way of poignant nostalgia, partly because of hockey season fatigue, but also because I think N is in a good place in his life, and while hockey is a part of it, he's got a lot of other good things going on. For that, I'm grateful.

Hockey has always been a bit of a mixed bag for us. On the one hand it's a great sport and I'm glad that N enjoys it, and I think he's a pretty good player, but there is so much drama and political BS involved that it sometimes ruins the enjoyment. This is especially true when you've been involved with the same system for many years like I was in our old lame program, you really become incorporated into the complex and undesirable machinations of youth hockey culture. After all the BS we experienced and the dust had settled, we found ourselves in a new program and it worked out beautifully. All of us had our reservations about making the change, but it was all for the best.

Not only were we able to get a fresh perspective on things, but I was able to disconnect from the youth hockey machine that gave me so much anxiety, i.e., I didn't have to coach anymore. He got some great instruction from a great coach who, for once in his life, was not a father to one of the teammates (which really screws things up). The players were all good kids, the parents were (for the most part) down to earth, and most importantly, we got an objective idea of N's abilities. I've always thought N was a reasonably good player, but was always met with the proverbial cynicism that I'm not objective because I'm his dad. For the record, this is not true. In coming to the new program, which is not a soft, fuzzy place (this is a good thing), we experienced fairly objective analysis of N's hockey skills, because they don't beat around the bush. They're not going to sugar coat your kids abilities, or lack thereof. If your kid sucks, they're pretty much going to let you know this. Not only were the tryouts straightforward and cut and dry (unlike the ones at WYH, which for the record were complete horseshit), but his coach had no vested interested in playing up N's skills. Plus, he is a real hockey dude from Canada who was one step away from the NHL. With all this in mind, I think it confirmed what I've felt all along. Enough said.

Most importantly, N's shift to the big city will set him up for the years ahead, because he'll go to school with these guys and probably interact with them, at least on some level, in the days to come. And, now that the season has ended, it's time for N to turn his attention to other interests, reminding us that, yes, there is more to life than hockey. It's hard to remember this when you're enmeshed in youth hockey because the season is so long and requires so much dedication. I really can't think of another sport that asks so much of you, though I know they're out there.

While lacrosse will start to take up a big place in our lives, I'm glad N is interested in doing more MTB riding, and once the weather warms up, I'm thinking (can't say for sure) that he'll still be keen on hitting the waves. Plus, he's got his drone racing stuff that he loves.

I'm not one to believe that all's well that ends well. When bad things happen, even if the results are good, I still can't let go of the bad things that happened. However, I am grateful that things turned out as well as they did. If anything, I should just let go of the past and move forward into the future, but as anyone who knows me can attest to, that ain't going to happen.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to Brian for the pic.

Stranded in the Capital (again)

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This past weekend N had his hockey state tournament, and it was a fun weekend but at times long and excruciating. The reason for this is because it required some time sitting around and awaiting our fate, and in retrospect, I definitely did things the wrong way. You'd think I'd have learned the drill by now.

N had his state tournament playoffs down in Nashua, and we actually got a good deal on a hotel. It was a Homestead Suites, which is part of the Hilton chain, which usually bodes well for us. Plus, I'm a Hilton Honors member, though I haven't quite figured out what benefits I get from that. The playoffs were played on neutral ice so they had two rinks at play, one in Tyngsboro, MA (wherever that is), and the other in Nashua. Our hotel was pretty much right in between, so you couldn't beat it for location. Since there's so much going on down there, we was no shortage of places to eat.

Our first game was late Friday evening, and with so much time to get there, I decided to take the long way over there, which meant heading down the state and then cutting across on small backroads. I personally prefer to travel this way, it's so much more interesting, though it added about 20 minutes to our trip. We arrived in the early afternoon and had time to chill out, get some supper, and then go to his game.

Since we were in the happening big city and in the market for a new MTB, we did a search for bike shops and found a really nice one called Goodales. Next, we came up with a plan - since we didn't have to be at the rink until 7:00PM, we figured we'd order some supper for pickup, go to the bike shop, learn about bitchen dual suspension (dualies) MTBs, check out some afforable models, get our supper and eat it back at the hotel, digest the meal, and then go to the game. How's that for a plan? It actually worked out beautifully, and the bike shop was actually really nice (huge selection) and the guy who helped us was very cool. Definitely a young hipster who had the outdoor nature vibe. The bikes were on the higher end, but it was nice to look.

We then headed back toward the hotel to get our food. Just for the record, we could not have done any of this without Google Maps, and thankfully I got my new $30 phone just before we left, so we were connected. We got pizza and wings for supper, ate back at the room while watching Guy Fieri on the Food Network, and chilled out for a bit. We then headed over to his game where N's team got beat pretty badly, then back to the hotel to chill out some more before going to bed. Luckily we had leftovers from supper so we could chow a little before bed.

The hotel had breakfast included, so we chowed down and then went to N's second game, which they won. Now this is where things got complicated. Not to be such a pessimist, but I figured we would get a hotel for just one night. If the team did well and qualified for the elimination round, they would play on Sunday, requiring a second night in the hotel. However, this wasn't completely realistic because they had never beaten either team. GSL rules require that every team play each other twice, and N's team has lost all for meetings with these two teams, Lakes Region and Concord. They are very strong, and chances were pretty slim that they would advance to the next round. I hate to be such a cynic, but if we had gotten a hotel room for a second night, we could not have canceled at the last minute and would have had to have eaten the cost. We figured if they advanced, we could probably find a room somewhere, even closer to Concord.

And that's where the situation gets even more complicated. Since we were down by the Capital, naturally N wanted to hang out with his girlfriend. Can you blame him? She even came to the game Friday evening, which I think is so cool. They didn't have a ton of time together, so I broached the idea of them hanging out on Saturday after his second game against Concord. Since I assumed they'd lose the game (wrong), N and she could spend the rest of the day together, and they invited him to spend the night (in the guest room, of course). I would simply drop him off at their house and head home, then meet them at our regular halfway meeting spot and pick him up. Great plan, right?

Except that his team won. They beat Concord, who dominated them all season and had all of their high school players back. Logically speaking, they shouldn't have won, and yet they shut them out, 2-0. I was very happy for them, but a little shocked. And, it completely threw off my plan. Now, there was a chance that they would play on Sunday, with one condition - Concord had to lose it's next game and thus be eliminated. There was a good chance of this, as well, because their next game was against Lakes Region, the odds on favorite to win it all. They had beaten N's team 8-3. Since we beat Concord, and Lakes Region stomped on us, the logical conclusion was that Lakes Region would also beat Concord, thereby propelling us into the next round.

What was a total pain was that we wouldn't know the results of the Lakes/Concord game until late Saturday evening. Their game was at 7:00PM. What made this hard was that we wouldn't know if we needed to get a hotel for a Sunday game until after this game, which would be around 8:00PM at the earliest. How's that for a pain in the YKW? Almost all of N's teammates simply went home and awaited word. If need be, they were planning on driving down the next morning for a 9:30 game. Since it's a two hour drive and they had to be there at 8:30, we're talking waking up at 5:30 and getting out the door by 6:30. I decided to wait it out down in Nashua and see, mainly because N was with his girlfriend, anyway. If, as it should have gone, Lakes beat Concord, eliminating them, I would go get N in Concord and then we'd get a hotel for Sunday's game. I asked mom to search for a hotel for us and she found one but didn't reserve anything until we knew if they were even going to play.

I went to the Lakes/Concord game and can you guess what happened? Concord upset Lakes Region. Not only that, but they controlled the game. By the time it was over, I realized that there wasn't going to be another game, and that I could just go home. In retrospect I screwed up because I didn't need to stay and watch those games. I should have just gone home in the first place. If they had a game, I could have picked up N en route the next mornign. Instead, I did a lot of back and forth driving just to see the result. It was a fun game to watch, but what a drain on time.

So, I got in my car and headed home around 8:30PM, got home around 10:30PM, and went to bed. The next day, I went back down to Concord to get N, and then back home. Boy, talk about a crazy weekend. I can't believe how much driving we do, but that's what happens when you play hockey with the big boys.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to Dan for the pic.

More Toys = More OCD

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As if I needed something more to stroke my OCD, we are currently in the market for a new mountain bike (MTB) for N. Not only has he outgrown his current bike, but we are thinking that it's time for him to move up to some serious MTB equipment, namely a dual suspension unit. He currently rides a single suspension MTB with a “hardtail,” and it's worked out fine for almost all the riding he does, but as I think I may have mentioned, last summer we went up to the Northeast Kingdom and rode the ski trails at Burke Mountain, which were very cool. It became painfully apparent, however, that our bikes were completely inadequate. Not only were our bikes embarrassingly out of touch with MTB reality, but our protective gear was, as well. For the record, we were the only people riding hardtails, not to mention the only ones lacking proper helmets and padding (more on this later).

Riding was fine, but the trails were pretty hairy, at least for me. I rode down with N but couldn't even come close to keeping up with him, he flew down those trails. At some point I stopped even trying, and just let him do his own thing. I did notice, however, that even with my bike upgrade from my previous “rigid” frame, I was still getting bounced around pretty hard. You can see where a rear suspension would make the ride much more enjoyable. To add to the suffering (oh how we suffer), N took a spill. I don't think this is attributable to his bike, but he took a wrong turn and hit a tree, bruising his ribs enough to make him want to stop riding. At the very least, it made us realize he would have benefitted from better protective gear, which as I mentioned, all the other riders were sporting. This meant a full face-protecting helmet, much like a motorcycle helmet, and rib and shoulder protection. This is also known as body armor. When I first heard of this, I thought it was the usual commercial overkill, but now it totally made sense. I felt like I really screwed up and didn't prepare him for the worst.

The injuries did not turn out to be so bad (thankfully), but I sure learned a lesson on that one. I decided that for the next season, we would do things differently, and hopefully get things right. This meant proper protective gear, and maybe even a new bike. I can justify this because he's grown so much that his current bike is realistically a bit small. Of course, I did some research and looked into getting him a better/bigger bike, and if there's one thing I've learned it's that they're not cheap, especially for a frugality monger as myself. I don't even like spending more than $20 at the grocery store, never mind a MTB. And we're shopping on the low end. A high end bike, not the highest, mind you, but a really good MTB will set you back $4000-5000, easy. People don't blink an eye at spending that much, I couldn't believe it. You realize what keeps the economy humming, people like to spend money, especially guys and their toys.

This is going to take some research and maybe a little blood, sweat and tears. I've found that deals can be found if you have time (I do) and are willing to do the legwork (I am), but this journey can also result in plenty of disappointment and frustration. Believe me, I know all about disappointment and frustration, especially when things online are not as they seem... are they ever?

Used bikes are of course and option, but having perused more than my fair share of used surfboards and surf gear, not to mention skis, snowboards, and hockey equipment, sometimes buying used stuff is more of a hassle than it's worth. When it works out, it's great, it's just that it often does not. So we'll see where this adventure takes me. One thing for sure, there will be an interesting story to come out of it... oh yeah, and there's the issue of getting mom on board with this one. I think I have my work cut out for me.

Until then, thanks for reading, and thanks to Mark Hodges for the pic.

Last Hurrah

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Ski season is winding down, and would under normal circumstances be done and over, but we hardly (ever) have normal circumstances here in New England. First off, the winter has been all over the map, starting off with a couple of cold brutal weeks (with snow) in December, followed by up and down temps for the rest of the season. Not a huge amount in terms of snow, though ski season was manageable. At some point in February we got this major warm spell with rain and I figured that the ski season was over, so much so that I had set my mind to milder temps and spring activities.

Then we got hit with this major storm, and now we're getting another one. Can you believe it? I realize it's still March and we've gotten snow storms around April, but this is crazy. Normally I'd be stoked to get more snow so we can ski, and would be calling our local ski hill to see if they're still open (they said they would close this past weekend). However, I'm sort of over skiing at this point, and have a hard time getting too excited about it. I think N has one more day teaching the kids, so we'll probably get one last hurrah in, but after that, I'm ready to put our ski equipment into storage.

Time to break out the bikes and surfboards. Until then, thanks for reading, and thanks to Martin Griffiths for the pic.

Winding Down

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As the hockey season draws to a close, I often have mixed feelings because on the one hand, it's a long season (6 months) and I'm ready for it to be all done. On the other, it's fun to watch the kids play, and I enjoy many aspects about it. This year is particularly poignant because it's N's last year of youth hockey, if you can believe that. 7 years of youth hockey and now his run is over, almost. I have to say, I've really enjoyed it, and it's been a growing experience for myself, as well. How I ever had the audacity to step onto the ice and help coach, I'll never know.

I will say this - it's been very cool to watch N grow as a player, and unlike many kids that you see out there, I don't think he peaked early. In fact, I think it's fair to say that he's progressed as a player every year, this one being no different. I think this stems a lot from the fact that he's a good listener, very coachable (coaches have said this, it isn't just me), and he learns what he's taught and employs it.

It remains to be seen whether he'll play high school hockey, though I think he's good enough. The choice will be his, but regardless of what that decision is, I'm proud of the way he's developed as a young man of character who just happens to be pretty good at certain sport, hockey being just one of them. I will leave it at that.

A week or two more and it'll be time for him to hang up the hockey skates. Then we'll have to figure out what to do with our lives.

Until then, thanks for reading, and thanks to Dave McKinley for the pic.

Getting What You Pay For?

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I know My Mentor is shaking his head right now, but my cheap phone recently bit the dust, and for the life of me, I can't explain why. It was only a few months old. It just conked out. What's crazy is that it was working the morning and when I went to use it a few hours later, nothing. I was going to give it to N to dismantle and if not fix it, do something cool with the parts, but he said it might void the warranty. It was then that I realized that it didn't have a warranty, or at least it didn't seem to have one. Such is the case when you buy a $30 cell phone, you get what you pay for.

Naturally, being disgusted with such a poor quality product, I did what any sensible person would do - I bought another one. For $30, it's worth another shot. I actually really liked that particular phone, and if this new one dies like the one before it, then I'll have learned my lesson. We shall see.

Of course, there's a story to go along with it, as well. My phone died on a Tuesday, and I was going away that Friday for N's tournament. It helps to have a phone when you travel for countless reasons, one of which is just finding your hotel, not to mention places to eat. I looked online and saw that I could order the phone on Wednesday and get free overnight shipping for Thursday via Fedex, so I did it.

Well, wouldn't you know that a big storm would come in on Wednesday into Thursday, and Fedex wasn't able to deliver the package. We were leaving Friday around noon, and deliveries usually come in the early evening, so I probably wouldn't get it in time. I tried to simply have them hold it at the shipping facility, where they said it was being held, but they wouldn't let me. Also, I couldn't call them because when you try, you get some central routing location that has no clue what's going on at any specific location.

Since I had to take A to school that morning, I figured I had nothing to lose by simply going there when they opened and seeing if I could just pick the thing up. As luck would have it, I was just in time because the person said they were just about to load it onto the truck. She handed me my phone, I activated it when I got home, and spent the first day down at the hotel loading apps. Luckily with Google+, I could transfer all my contacts from my old phone, even though the thing is dead. Sure, some things got lost, but all in all, it wasn't too painful, especially for $30.

Let's hope this one last a little longer... maybe three weeks instead of two. Just kidding.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to robert zylstra for the pic.

More Snow?

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I'm not sure if it's worth mentioning that I'm ready for spring because the weather is about as predictable as the, well, the weather, right? Case in point, we were having some nice, warm temperatures that really got me in the mood to don shorts and a t-shirt, and lo and behold, we got slammed with another storm. Not some tiny little sprinkling of snow, but a major storm that dumped at least 15-16 inches of snow, maybe up to as much as 2 feet. I kid you not. We were finally thawing out of the last snow storm which created a bit of a logistical nightmare for us, mainly because I didn't take care of it thinking it would all melt, and it didn't. Well, sort of, but it's been cold enough at night to freeze everything, which created some serious snow ruts and made driving and getting firewood a bit of a challenge. I was hoping for a really warm day to chisel away at the stuff with a shovel, but it just hasn't gotten cold enough.

The stuff that's been exposed to direct sunlight during the day has melted, thankfully, but there's a significant shaded by our house that has stuck around, especially on the path to get firewood, which is a must. Naturally, as the temps dropped, it froze to a solid sheet of ice, and now it's an uneven surface. Once the big storm came, we had to shovel the snow but it wasn't easy because it's not a smooth surface to clear.

I know, I'm just whining as usual, and I have nobody to blame but myself. You'd think I'd have learned by now but it amazes me to this day how many mistakes I repeat. Then again, a day without whining is like a day without sunshine, right?

We've had two big storms (“noreasters”, as they're known) in the past few weeks, and I'm hearing that we might get another one later this week, so there is ample opportunity for me to whine at that time. Stay tuned for more.

Until then, thanks for reading, and thanks to Ruthanne Reid for the pic.

Sugar Free

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I never thought I'd see this day come in my life of gluttony, but I recently tried to stop eating sugar, or at least cut back, because in reality it's virtually impossible (for someone like myself) to completely avoid sugar. In light of this, I guess the most accurate way to put it is that I cut dessert out of my meal plan. This is tantamount to saying that I've pretty much removed my reason for living... just kidding, though it's worth mentioning that by not having dessert, I've probably cut out 1/3 of the calories in my diet because dessert is so calorie dense. This is especially true with ice cream, being the compulsive eater that I am (I don't mess around when it comes to dessert). I could easily put away half a pound of chocolate after supper, and believe me, I did.

I guess I can sort of trace it back to my recent cholesterol test, which was weighing on my mind. Now that I've reached the ancient 5-0 milestone, it's time to start thinking about how to care for the old body, or rather not just thinking, but actually putting a plan into action. I knew I was going to have to have my blood tested, and since it was a source of anxiety, naturally I put it off and ignored it in the hopes that it would just go away. Of course it didn't. My concerns were exacerbated by the fact that in the years leading up to this, I was eating ice cream, on average, about 327 days a year. On the days that I wasn't imbibing in my favorite food, I would put away cookies or chocolate by the handful. It was a little compulsive, to say the least.

At some point I knew I had to deal with this, so in the months leading up to my blood test, I quit eating ice cream, and believe me, it wasn't easy. I contemplated joining a monastery to help me in this quest, but then I'd have to cut my hair and quit playing hockey, and I wasn't willing to go there (though the robes wouldn't have been half bad). My ice cream abstention lasted about a month, though I still consumed plenty of cookies and chocolate, and then I had my blood tested and if you can believe this (I still can't), my cholesterol was in good shape. They say the ratio of good/bad is what you want to keep in mind, and I ended up okay on that front... can you hear the huge sigh of relief?

Naturally, that very night I had a big bowl of ice cream to celebrate, and believe it or not, it didn't get my endorphins firing like I thought it would. Sure, it tasted good, but it wasn't life altering like I anticipated. It dawned on me that maybe I didn't need ice cream and cookies, after all. I felt like Woody Allen in Hannah and Her Sisters when he learned he didn't have a brain tumor - he was so stoked, but then he had this epiphany about life. I had a similar epiphany, except about ice cream.

I decided that maybe I should give this ice cream abstinence a chance, and then why not just apply it to all sweets? It really began in earnest when we went up to Maine for a family vacation, and for whatever reason, I decided to stop having dessert at that time. This isn't easy when you're at a breakfast buffet, where muffins and danishes are screaming your name, but I managed.

And you know what I discovered? I felt a lot better, so much so that the difference was striking. Within a couple of days of removing sugar, or at least copious amounts of it, I had more energy and didn't feel like crap all the time. I naturally attributed my constant state of fatigue to sleep deprivation and just getting old, both of which are valid, but since I cut sugar out, my head has cleared, as if a cloud has been lifted. Again, I can't believe how significantly different I feel. Even when I'm tired, I don't feel all crappy and cloudy like I did in the past, and this sort of makes sense because my golden hour is in the AM when I wake up and have coffee. That's when I feel the most alert and invincible, probably because I'm rested and I haven't eaten any sugar. As the day progresses, I just feel worse and worse.

Looking back, I realize how bad sugar made me feel. My kids will vouch for this, but I was always tired throughout the day... then again, I still am, but in a different way. After eating sugar, I had this cloudy fatigue that made me just feel awful, like a hangover, or as if my brain was stained with something, which it was. I didn't make the connection in the past, despite all the info that's out there, not to mention the wisdom of mom, who is always railing on sugar. I guess I was in denial because sugar it's hard not to love the stuff.

Either way, there are numerous positives to cutting out sugar, besides the health benefits, which alone are reason enough. The kids might not like this, but since I am reducing sweets, I'm not buying or making them, thus denying them in the process. Since my caloric intake has been reduced, I'm eating less so I naturally feel lighter on my feet, and my clothes fit better. I have more time because I'm not baking cookies or cakes, and we're saving money because sweets can take up a significant portion of your grocery bill.

Needless to say, cutting sugar out of my diet has given me a new perspective on life. I know how corny and extreme this sounds, but I'm pretty stoked about it, and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. If anything, I thought it would be impossible. I don't mean to sit here and proselytize, and I'm not denying mom or the kids their chance to eat sweets, but I figure if their worst dietary role model is cleaning up his act, it will probably encourage them to clean up theirs, as well. For the record, they do a fine job without my encouragement.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to kitty nancy for the pic.

Placement Test

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N is officially taking the first step toward going to school - he took his placement exams for school, and before you know it, he'll be off into the complex world big boys and girls. The big question is, what are his parents going to do with their lives? I was a little concerned about him embarking on this journey, much like any parent would when their child is heading into a new situation, especially one that can potentially be fraught with so much angst. However, he seemed calm and collected about it, and in the end, he came out of it unscathed and even commented that he didn't think they were that bad. Good enough for me.

Besides, this is just the first step and one of the more straightforward ones. The real fun and/or drama will begin the first day of classes, but no need to rush into things, don't you think?

Until then, thanks for reading, and thanks to David Bill for the pic.

Time For New Skis?

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It must be that time of year, but I'm once again toying with the idea of getting new skis. I don't know what keeps coming over me, but let's face it, my skis are old as the hills, and I've been told again and again that I should really check out some of the new stuff. I am not sure how to best approach this, however, because skis are expensive, and I've tried newer skis and didn't like them. I would really need to ski on them and decide, because that's the true test. It would bum me out beyond description if I bought new skis and didn't like them, and if I'm going to pay the money, I'm going to make darn sure they're the ones for me. With all this neurosis, it's no wonder I've never bought new skis.

I've found that I am unable to really explain to ski folks what sort of skis I am looking for, partly because I don't really know, but also because I don't have a huge frame of reference. I'm old school, and we didn't really make an issue of what skis we were on. With the advent of modern shaped skis, which for the record I own (they're just old), everything changed. Now there is way too much to consider when buying a pair of skis. Way too much for my old and tired brain.

I did recently learn that some ski shops will let you demo a pair. For $30-40 bucks, they'll fit the skis to your boots and off you go. Then, if you decide to buy them, that money goes toward the price. I probably wouldn't buy them on the spot, but at least trying them will allow me to know what newer skis feel like, at least the ones that are more geared to my style of skiing, which for the record is not like most normal people. I'll leave it at that.

Unfortunately, the season is pretty much over and the snow is disappearing fast, so I may be too late for this year. However, I think next season I'll be more on the ball and test out some skis. It would have been more ideal to have a sense of what I want this year and then look during the off season, but that would mean being organized and on top of things, and somehow that just never seems to apply to me. Funny how that works.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to Tristan Holdsworth for the pic.

Liking Portland

Since we were vacationing in Maine with two restless young people, we thought it might be nice to check out the big city in that part of New England, and I think A in particular was interested being the hip girl that she is. We spent the day in Portland and found it to be a pretty cool and hip town. It was an enjoyable day, especially dabbling in the foodie scene, of which I was not really clued into. I'd been to Portland a couple of times but didn't really spend a lot of time there, so this time we decided to walk around and explore.

First off, Portland is different than Burlington, being bigger and more interesting/eclectic, though more urban, as well. It has a New England hippie vibe, and there are shops and restaurants everywhere, not to mention young and hip people inhabiting the streets. We really liked it, though it was cold and dreary the day we were there. With phone in hand, A targeted certain stores that interested her, and she also helped us to find a place to eat.

In fact, the foodie scene was alive and well over there, and the choices were interesting and extensive. We just touched the surface of it, and felt like it was worth revisiting at a later date, and with more time. Consulting our food muse Yelp, we had lunch at Asmara, an Eritrean restaurant that got good reviews. Not to sound too ignorant, but the food reminded me of Ethiopian food that I've had in New York, though I have to confess, I was not thrilled with Asmara because the food was mediocre, the portions were small, and the prices high. Three strikes and you're out. Maybe I'm just not accustomed to African food, but it just didn't do it for me. They serve the dishes on a big platter on top of traditional African bread call injera, which is made from teff flour. I actually like the bread a lot, and thought of trying to make it, but that's a topic for another date.

You eat the food with your hands, and I'm fine with all of that, but the dishes we got were pretty plain. It looked impressive on a big dish, but I came away dissatisfied and still hungry. N agreed with me, while the women in our group (i.e., mom and A) liked the place. Maybe guys just need more food.

Afterward we continued walking around and stopped at a food court where we got some non-dairy, ice cream that doesn't use refined sugar, if you can believe that. The place is called Sticky Sweet, and the ice cream is made from coconut milk and cashews, sweetened with coconut sugar. I have to say, it tasted great, and I'm an ice cream fanatic. We all tried different flavors, and they all tasted great, though I was partial to mine, the local latte. To add to the enjoyment, the woman working behind the counter was really enthusiastic and clearly proud of her product. You gotta love that, it left us with a warm fuzzy feeling as we left.

We didn't spend too much more time in Portland, but as I mentioned, would love to come back again and do some more exploring. It's really not that far away, and there is much to do up there, including surfing. We'll wait for warmer weather on that one.

Until then, thanks for reading, and thanks to Daniel Garrido for the pic.

Maine Event

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Sorry for my absence (again), been away on school break and not quite feeling it. Lame excuse, I know.

We were in fact away on vacation, and it dawned on me that we can longer go on vacation like we used to now that A is firmly entrenched in the school system. N will soon follow suit, but more on this later. We used to travel quite a bit with the kids, and not just on small trips to a nearby lake. When I think about it, the kids have been to several countries overseas, some multiple times. Taking stock, they've been to France 2X, Spain 3X, Italy 2X, the Greek Isles, Croatia, Turkey. Toss in several Caribbean Islands, including Bahamas, Dominica, Puerto Rico, Belize (sort of Caribbean), and Turks and Caicos. Pretty impressive stuff, and we traveled extensively within those places. It warrants mentioning that mom was the supreme driving force behind all these trips, funded mainly by our earning from the farmer's market.

Now that the kids are a little older, it's not as interesting for them to spend so much time with their boring parents. In fact, it's probably downright painful at times, not to mention embarrassing, With this in mind, we've had to, or rather mom has had to modify our travel plans. Not only do we have to work within the parameters of school vacations, but we can't take long trips to the farthest reaches of the planet. Plus, as any parent knows, vacation time doesn't mean students are exempt from doing school work, so A doesn't have unlimited time to just lounge by the poolside working on her tan.

We hadn't had a real vacation together in awhile, partly because of the reason's I've presented, but also because there is a lot of stuff going on in our personal lives (for both mom and I) that ultimately takes precedence. With this coming break in school, mom took a firm stance and said we're going to go on a family vacation, and needless to say, we were all on board. I, of course, had my usual and predictable reluctance based on the irrational neurosis of feeling the need to do things around the house, which is all so silly and misguided. We always have fun when we travel, and this time was no different.

We decided to go to Maine, and got a deal at a hotel through my work at the Inn. It wasn't a mind blowing deal, but we saved some dough, nonetheless. And, we had fun. The place was the Stage Neck Inn, located in York. The Inn is much smaller than the Woodstock Inn, but it was very nice. Maine is an interesting place, sort of funky with an old New England feel. The town of York itself is a bit sleepy, though there are some nice beaches with surfing. Enough said.

We ended up spending more time in Ogunquit, which we are familiar with, along with a trip to Portland, which is a cool and happening town. We swam a bit in the pool, walked on the beach, and just did some exploring. It was pretty low key, but very enjoyable, and we had a great time. Best of all, we got to hang together and do some exploring of the unknown, which is always a great thing to do as a family. That's what makes traveling together such a growing experience.

I went into this trip not really knowing what to expect, but I would definitely go back, especially since it's so close. For the quintessential New England experience, you just can't beat Maine, it's so beautiful. One other great aspect of this trip was that mom did all the driving, so I could just sit back and enjoy the ride. I love when that happens.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to Henk Meijer for the pic.

No Rest For the Fanatical

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I've been doing the adult learn to play (LTP) hockey program in the big city and it's been such a blast, though I started thinking that it would be nice to have one more day to just scrimmage. The LTP is a blast, and it's awesome to be with DD, the coach, who is not only just a great guy, but a great coach whose success on the ice speaks for itself. More importantly than anything else, however, is how much of a great guy he is. It's just a blast to be on the ice when he's running the show.

However, being the wet blanket that I am, if there was one thing that I would complain about, and there's always something for me to complain about, it's that I would love to have more time to scrimmage, or play pick-up games. We spend about 75% of our 2 hours doing drills, which are fun and very helpful, but I also really enjoy playing games. Sometimes we only get 10-15 minutes to scrimmage, and it's kind of a bummer, but nobody would complain because time with DD is time well spent.

I looked into playing in some of the lower level leagues, but the times just don't work for me. The one that I was interested in played between 9-11PM on Saturday night, which is just too late for my sorry old ass. I played in an adult league that played at a similar time and it's very difficult to come home after a long day and then leave the house that evening. I just want to take a phat nap.

One of the guys we do LTP with, MB, plays on the weekends in the early AM. While it's not always easy to wake up and get out the door at that time, I could do it, and it would leave the rest of my day open to take care of life stuff, like taking my son to his hockey games. I inquired and he said the group was pretty full and they didn't want to have too big of a crowd. I completely understood and was resigned to just playing twice a week, which is still pretty good.

Well, just the other day, MB mentioned that some of the group had stopped coming and there was space if I was interested. Boy, was I ever. It's a new crowd for me, though I know a couple of the skaters from LTP. They are good and have a good hockey sense (way more than me), so it's a challenge but I'm not too out of depth. And it's fun. I'm pretty tired by the end but I'm hoping to continue until the ice goes away, or until they kick me off the team because they're sick of me, whichever comes first.

Until then, thanks for reading, and thanks to Jason Kurylo for the pic.

Moving Over

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In yet another step of our big sports transition, N has indicated that he would be amenable to playing LAX in the big city, thus completing our exodus from the old lame program. To be fair, it makes sense to transition, and not just because of my bitterness, which of course makes perfect sense to me. In the old lame program, most of the guys he would consider to be his friends have moved on, either to high school, or just out of the game. He has one, maybe two guys on the team that he could consider his friends, but otherwise, it's a group of guys he doesn't have much connection to. Plus, they all go to the same middle school, which kind of leaves him on the periphery.

At the big city program, not only are some of these guys on his current hockey team, but they will be his classmates in HS. I'm not saying he's going to be best buddies with these guys, but he likes them, and they're actually nice, down to earth kids who seem to include him. And, you don't see the inflated egos that were so prevalent in the old lame program.

Whatever be the case, we're moving ahead with this and I'm A-Okay with it. Plus, as I've said on countless occasions, more of our lives are over in the big city, so we might as well just add to the mix. We'll see how this one goes.

Until then, thanks for reading, and thanks to C.C. Chapman for the pic.

Hanging in the Big City

I should have seen this coming but it still sort of came out of left field. N had a game down in the southern part of the state, near the NH capital, and also near his girlfriend (okay, I said it, though I don't know what exactly the status is). I figured it would be a good opportunity for him to hang out with her but he didn't say anything, so I left it at that. It's not an easy thing for me because his game was at 9:00AM, which meant I was up by 5:00AM, woke him up at 6:00, and we were out the door by 6:30. It takes about an hour and a half to get there. While I'm totally stoked for him for having a girlfriend, after his game, all I wanted to do is go home and take a phat nap. If he wanted to hang, I'd have to kill several hours in the even bigger city. It helps that Concord is pretty big, and there are places to hang, but that still doesn't beat a comfortable couch and bowl of peanuts.

Anyway, I hadn't heard anything leading up to the weekend, and I figured I was home free to salvage the rest of my day, but then last night, right as we were getting ready for bed, he asked me if he could hang out with her. Ouch! How could I say no? We were going to be down there, and who am I to stand in the way of young love?

So here I sit, in a bookstore in the big city, working on my blog, writing letters, and hopefully working on my glorious novel, whatever that means. The key is having access to an outlet so my battery won't die. I even managed to get in a quick nap, if you can believe that. The crazy thing is that there is clearly a contingent of people who are doing the exact same thing, though the activities may differ. We've all commandeered a group of tables along the perimeter of the room and we're all faking like we're doing work. The person directly next to me is a heavyset individual of unknown origin who has spent the past several hours (4-5) playing a game on his/her phone. How is that even possible? It's pretty sad, in my opinion, and to make matters worse, he or she is chewing tobacco and spitting into a cup. Yikes! Moving down the row, a couple of people have set up their laptops or tablets and have not left their seats, and then there are the two ladies who are knitting. It's pretty hard to fathom, though I guess I should be grateful to said bookstore for allowing us to use this space and their internet, even if the WiFi is terrible and doesn't work. I'm using the WiFi of the business directly next door.

I've been here for a few hours, and if I can make it for a couple more, I'm in pretty good shape. I told N that we will meet in the evening to give him maximal time with his girl, but that means I have to entertain myself during that time. I already hit Shaws and got some groceries, and I could even get a bite to eat (there are countless dining options) and use the restaurant's WiFi, but I'm not sure if that's worth it. I actually prepared for this event and brought enough food to get me through to suppertime, and then some, but that means bologna sandwiches for breakfast, lunch, and dinner... just kidding, I haven't eaten bologna in over 25 years.

So three hours down, at least three more to go, maybe more. I was going to try to watch some of the Olympics but the WiFi is so bad I don't have any illusions that I can stream any video. I tell you, it ain't easy being a father who wants his kids to be lucky in love.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to Rene Schwietzke for the pic.

Fortuitous Hockey Transition

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There is plenty of bad blood between myself and our old lame hockey program, most of it (of course) on my side. Yes, I have issues. Whatever be the case, it motivated me to encourage N to change programs, and change we did. It was an unusual move on mine and N's part because he grew up in the old lame program, and I was heavily involved in it as board member, scheduler, and coach. What a fool I was.

Moving to the big city program was not a simple decision because of all that shared history, and let's face it, with the exception of a few bad apples, I like everyone else over there. Plus, in the past, I was disdainful of the big city program because my impression was that they were too intense and competitive. It's an Ivy League town, so they don't mess around. As it turns out, my impressions were incorrect, but more on this later.

N had no interest in the past moving over, and he didn't take last season's slight as such a big deal, so he wasn't bitter like his dad. However, the future didn't look so bright for the old lame program's team, the same one that N would have been on. For every year that he has played over there, there has always been a wide range of skills on the team, from guys who are good to guys who can literally barely skate. This season was shaping up to be more of the same, and the prospect of playing with one annoying (as heck) kid in particular finally nudged N to agree to play with the big city program. The reality was that nothing was going to change without his consent.

Well, in an odd, if not slightly cruel, twist of irony, this annoying kid ended up moving over the big city program, as well. Fortunately, because he is reasonably lacking in skills, he ended up on a different team. I'll leave it at that. In a way it worked out fine because we still run into said kid, but we don't have to deal with, or for that matter, interact on any serious level. I'm fine with that.

And, as I mentioned, my impressions of the big city program were incorrect. The parents are not intense like I thought they'd be, and are friendly and likeable. In fact, they are more laid back than many of the parents in our old lame program. The kids are nice, as well. While I'm not in the locker room, I'm under the impression that there's not as much of the alpha-male thing going on, along with the deification of said alpha males by their weaker followers (N has confirmed this). Definitely more of that going on in our old lame program. N's current team seems to operate, socially and athletically, on a pretty even playing field, and they seem to get along. Not so much in a best-friend sort of way, but they're decent kids with egos in check... for the most part.

It's good, too, because these are the kids he'll see in school, and maybe even play with on various teams. Who knows? Finally, as usual, a lot of these guys play lacrosse, so N could shift over to the big city lax program and see some familiar faces. We'll see how things go on this front.

One last fortuitous note about the big city program is that, for whatever reason, almost all of the teams that they play are located near the capital of NH, Concord. This means that most of the away games are only a one hour drive away, unlike going up to St. Albans, Highgate, and even Burlington, which are all closer to 2 hours. And, his girlfriend (can I call her that?) lives near Concord, so we're there pretty often and he can visit her and hang out.

How's that for serendipity? I have to say, all in all the shift to the big city program has worked out on many levels, but mostly because we don't have to spend time around our old lame program. I love when that happens.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to Steve Dommer for the pic.

Designer/Photography Girl

This is one of those things that a shameless dad as myself feels is too cool for words, but A has been doing some graphic design work, and she's actually getting some paid gigs. Needless to say, I'm totally stoked for her. She has always had a thing for drawing, even as a little kid, but she also has a good eye for colors, shades, and lighting. Her interest in photography helps. She has been voluntarily designing various posters for her band and her school productions, and she designed the album covers for her jazz band. She recently started working with a friend who is a real-deal graphic designer and has done professional work throughout the area. They collaborated on a project I think for the school and she actually paid her, and it wasn't small chump change. She had A create an professional invoice (always a good skill) and then paid her... the big bucks. As I mentioned, she does a lot of work for free, and I have no doubt she would have done this on her own dime, but it's nice to get some compensation. Better yet, said friend also mentioned the possibility of future work, so things could be looking up.

On the photography front, A also entered a pic the she took of her brother and she won. I'm not sure how the contest was structured, and she didn't actually “win” anything, but her pic ended up on the cover of the style section of the local paper. We're really proud of her, not necessarily for winning, but for just doing it and going for it. As Woody Allen said, 87% of life is just showing up.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to hasem2 for the pic.

Feeding Again

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This summer I stashed the bird feeder away in the barn because not only were the squirrels driving me crazy, but there is the ever present concern about bears. In fact, I've been told that it's against the law in some states to put feeders out during certain times of the year just for that reason. I'm not sure I completely believe that, but I do know that bears go for seeds like it's crack, and we're no strangers to bear problems over here. Rather than just risk it, I put them away.

Once winter was in full swing, I figured the bears were tucked away in their caves and weren't going to pounce on our bird feeders, so I put them back out. Not only that, but my OCD kicked in and I got totally into it. We have multiple feeders, and put different seed mixtures into them, as well as spreading them on the ground in certain areas. Not only that, but I've started to pay attention to what sort of seeds I'm using. How ridiculous is that? I used to just buy the cheap stuff in bulk at HD, but I started noticing that a large proportion of the seeds were not very appealing to the birds that we get. I did some research and learned that the cheaper bulk seeds were sorghum, and that they were not an ideal seed. They sort of look like small orange corn kernels.

Now this begs the question, should I really care? Should I put any time, thought, and energy into feeding wild birds in our backyard, when in fact they're just lucky that I put anything out there? Probably not, but that hasn't stopped me. In fact, I started thinking about what sorts of mixtures would optimize the bird's happiness. I know, this is stupid and crazy, and I've backed off a bit, but I'm still keen on getting a good variety of seeds out there, and this mean avoiding sorghum.

So, I've taken to two types of seed mixes - one back of black sunflower seeds, and one bag of songbird mix, which I supplement with nyjer seeds, which for the record are not cheap. I'm no bird expert (I just play one on TV), but we get a decent mix of birds showing up, and it's really cool when flocks of small juncos (listen to me, the bird expert) descend upon our driveway or deck. I can sit and watch them for hours. We've even had crows come and eat.

Of course, there is the ever present problem of squirrels, which still get on my nerves, but I'm trying to make peace with them. I realize that it's just a losing battle. Short of getting a gun and picking them off the trees, you just can't stop them. I figure as long as they don't pull down or dismantle the feeders (which they've done), we can coexist. To help ensure this, I put an ample amount of sunflower seeds on the ground. which they seem to go for. The yard is a mess, but it definitely resembles a harmonious nature scene. Like me, our cats can sit at the window for hours and just watch it all unfold. For them, it's probably like binge-watching on Netflix, though they'd much rather be out there eviscerating the wildlife.

I figure that at some point near the end of February, I'll stop putting the food out and hope that the critters will eat up any last remnants of seeds, at least enough to not attract bears. I'm guessing that some of the seeds will start to grow in the spring, so I'll have to be extra diligent with the mowing. One final interesting note - I went out there early one morning and I could have sworn I saw an owl perched nearby. I hope they don't eat the small birds, but it wouldn't be so bad if they grabbed a squirrel or two. At some point the mice will come out of hibernation and I'm sure there'll be plenty of leftover seeds on the ground. This, too, could prove to be fruitful for the owls.

In the meantime, I'll continue my impersonation of Marlin Perkins. Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to optictopic for the pic.

Ready to Serve

After all this talk about bailing out on the Inn, I did actually do a job for a private caterer out of the big city. I'd like to clarify that for much of the time that the Inn was putting me on the schedule, I couldn't because mom was away. Now that she's back, there wasn't much going on so the Inn wasn't calling. However, the big city caterers dropped me a line and asked if I could do a gig down in the southern part of the state. The beauty of it was that it started around 5:00 and ended around 10:00. Five hours and done. Sure, it's less money than the Inn, but more of a life for me. I'll take more of a life.

Plus, when you work in catering, or for that matter, any gig-economy type job, they are understanding of the fact that you have other opportunities and should exercise them. Or at least that's the way it should be.

I think I may have mentioned in the past that this year I'd like to work more with the private caterers, if possible, mainly for the shorter shifts and less strenuous workload. We basically prep, serve, and bus. That's it.

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We'll see how this goes. Until then, thanks for reading, and thanks to Ojvind Dahl for the pic.

Build It, and They Will Come

As I mentioned, N is interested in building his own computer from the ground up, and a PC, no less. I've been informed that it's not necessarily cheaper to build your own, it's just that you can customize various features, and keep the door open to upgrade in the future. There is a modular aspect to the components, as well, so the machine can be upgraded over time. It is worth noting that none of this is possible with a Mac.

The nice thing about this is that mom is on board. She has an interest in doing some multimedia stuff, and is in need of a stronger, faster computer than her laptop. Plus, as we are all learning, Macs are just limited in many ways, something N would be more than happy to agree with.

So N has been on a bit of a buying spree, getting various parts to build his machine. Some have even arrived, and he's slowly putting them together. It's pretty impressive stuff, at least for an old guy like me, who would never in his life think to actually build a computer. People from my generation just don't do that kind of stuff, do they?

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Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to William Warby for the pic.

Back to Scheduling

When N transitioned to the big city hockey program, I was willing to help out if needed, but in the end, I realized that they have their act together and my services (or lack thereof) weren't needed. In this regard, I was looking forward to just being a spectator at my son's games. The biggest plus was not having to coach, which was tough for a hockey neophyte as myself surrounded by real men on ice.

The season has had its share of ups and downs, but one thing that I've noticed is that they seem to be a little short on games. Throughout the season there have been assorted cancelations or weekends with one or no games altogether. The general feeling is that they haven't had that many games. At least that's the impression. I was looking at the girls program and they have upwards of 50% more games, though my methods are hardly scientific.

Now it's not the scheduler's fault, because he has enough to deal with doing all the other teams. Believe me, I feel his pain. He did his job by getting the required number of games for the season, and if anything, his job is aggravated by the shifting landscape of the division. Kudos to him (the scheduler) for doing a good job. The only problem is, if there was a desire to have more games, it falls on someone else. Who, I don't know, but whatever be the case, it hasn't happened.

Now there's about a month left in the season, which seems like a lot, but it actually isn't. This is hockey, which for some goes year-round. The way I see it, there are maybe around 5-6 games left to go, and then the states, so N's team will be sputtering into the playoffs with little in the way of preparation, i.e., games. In fact, there were no games planned for the weekend right before states. That's not an ideal situation. If anything, you want games against teams that will kick your butt, or at least challenge you enough to reach deep within, to get your physically and mentally prepared for the tournament. Having no games in the week before is just not a good thing.

Enter yours truly. I didn't want to be the annoying parent (too late?) who sticks his nose into other people's business, nor did I want to be one of those people who thinks he's helping but is in fact being a pain the arse, but I figured that since I'm both of those things, I'd at least offer to help and maybe get some games at the end of the season. Since I used to be a scheduler, I know the drill, so after getting the requisite blessing from the coach and manager, I went in search of games and found a few. It's definitely a bit of a pain when you have to get approval from other people before you confirm a game with the opposing team, but it's not so bad when it only involves one or two teams.

Either way, I did it and now they have a few more games on the books. Truth be told, I would have done it earlier in the season when we had so many gaps to fill, but I also didn't want to step on any toes. I guess, in the end, the season is what it is, and I shouldn't worry too much about it. Just go with the flow and let things happen as they may... yeah right, like that's going to happen. Fortunately, I don't have much, if any, choice in the matter.

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Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to Paul L. Dineen for the pic.