gloucestermen edition

8/25/11

randy silvey coming in from seattle today for all*T festivities.  He has earned it.  Another fpa coop title.  Meanwhile we've got Irene baring down at us. This afternoon definitely looks like a thunderstorm jam. 

El Barrio

August 19th, 2011

What the well dressed social work consultant wears to work on Fridays in August: Hawaiian shirt, Levis, Vans.

You know you are in El Barrio when:

• DVDs on the street cost one dollar (I picked up Monty Python and the Holy Grail and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.)
• The $1.25 9am tamale from the lady on the corner of 103 and Lex is one of the best breakfasts ever. Pictured above.
• The 22oz can of Coors costs $1.35 and the 22oz can of Coors Light costs $2.00.
• The Chinese lady behind the counter at New Delicious speaks good Spanish
• Everybody and their mother is wearing a Harlem RBI t-shirt.

crema

August 18th, 2011

The plush consultancy is winding down and I have too much time on my hands.  One enlightening aspect of being at this site in "el barrio" is the chance to be in earshot of the foster care visits.  It's hard to tell what is going on but but there is a fraught vibe that reminds me that children should remain in their homes unless they are in immediate danger.  The trauma of separation on everybody involved is palpable.

Jill rescued a microcimbali espresso machine from my folks' house.  This thing is way old skool with the big pull down handle.  She has pulled a couple of good shots already.  When I left this morning she was descaling and mumbling about mineral deposits.  We will soon be on the quest for the perfect crema.

freestyle

August 17th, 2011

How cool is it that three days after the fpa worlds is over one can already see many of the winning routines on facebook or youtube.  When I was learning to jam, i would wait months to get my hands on a copy of a discovering the world catalogue that included tournament results and maybe a short write up and a picture or two (now what exactly is Jim Schmall's hand placement in relation to his leg there?). Now i get upset if the video feed is slow or jumpy or if the dude filming spaced for a second.

Also the worlds were in Praha! I went to worlds events in Florida, Seattle, San Diego, Santa Cruz, NYC, Ft. Collins.  These places are nice, but Praha is WORLDLY.  Gambrinus!

The combined age of the winners of Open appears to be 48.  My combined age also appears to be 48.  I used to think that to win an event you had to be at least 48.  The wheel is turning.

Congrats to Marco, Claudio, Lisa, Mary, Randy, Dave and Matt!

one year anniversary

August 16th, 2011

pretty much exactly one year ago the hansonsimonfamilysingers were touching down in athens, greece.  Nobody really knows how close we came to athens, georgia.  It was about 100 degrees.  I don't remember the name of the hotel but the location was great.  At 100 euros a night it was also one of the more expensive lodging arrangements for the trip.  As the first major sightseeing event of the trip, the Acropolis did not disappoint. 

It's a little odd looking back at the trip today as we struggle to find work, pay the rent, and organize the appointment.  In Athens there was that electric feeling of freedom and the possibility that we might just spin off the planet. 

beer can chicken

an excellent day to consult
8/15/2011

Back in consulting mode at EGSFC IMP.  It is a fine day to consult. Somewhat cool, gray and very damp.  Spent a great deal of the last week in the hammonck looking up at Skytop and the gunks.  Found a hidden stash of Spenser novels that I had never read.  Too bad Robert Parker is no longer.  He had those characters down pat. Spenser and Hawk join Travis McGee and Meyer, Batman and Robin and the Lone Ranger and Tonto as some of the greatest bad guy fighting duos of all time.

I think my consecutive day grilling streak ended with Uggla's consecutive game hitting streak.  Beer can chicken never disappoints.  Rub bird with olive oil, salt. lemon pepper. Drink half can of bud, place bird on beer can, put drip pan under bird, spread hot goals around the drip pan. Cover.  Retreat to hammock for one hour with suitable libation.  Uncover. S'nice.

things are gonna get worse

August 1, 2011

The wife says "I don't wanna be pessimistic but, things are gonna get worse."  Her general take on the world financial vibe has been spot on.  But I was not ready for some sketchy, scruffy dude on the 3 train to lick his lips and fire up his crack pipe in a pretty full car at 11pm last night.  That move has  not been in favor in two decades.  The thing about crack heads is that nobody wants to engage them because they are on the kooky unpredictable side.  So nobody says anything.