Monday, November 17, 2008

Searching for Lex

Dude, where the eff are you?

Just so I know where not to be.

Later.

Sean

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Turkey Day Approacheth

Thanksgiving '96'

That's right folks it's that time of the year again! To many it means the stresses of having family over and having to cook a huge meal, yadda yadda....to me it means one of the best times to catch fish! So in the age old honored tradition that my brother and I have, we are going to go fishing. Holiday trips either fishing or surfing usually produce good results! Back in the day it seemed that the surf was usually good in some form or fashion, but surfing has taken a back burner recently for a number of reasons, one being that I am fat. But fishing has been known to produce as well and is kinda fun. Not like surfing, but it is a great nature vibe. Besides, fall stripers are back in town and now it's the big males that we are (hopefully) catching. Day after Thanksgiving we might go out on a head boat at Island Beach State Park which in the last week has been slaying the huge blues and the stripers are starting to trickle in. And then after all that, I have a date! Yeah check that out! A young lass and I are going to take a tour of the city via horse and buggy. Should be a lot of fun as I haven't done that before and she is good company.

The only glitch is that I am supposed to cook on turkey day. Yeah, uhmmmmm, so what I did was order the complete meal from Whole Foods.......free roam turkey and organic side dishes.... and will hopefully be back in time to throw that prepped turkey in the cooker. This is where I praise cell phones (which is not a common thing for me) because I have a feeling my dad is going to get a call from the boat asking him to toss in the turkey as I promise to be back in time to cook the rest of the fixins. yeyah! plan of action!

Friday, November 14, 2008

Pretty Girls

A man is tormented.

The ultimate question is: does he turn in his lonely freedom for domestication?

I've struggled with this my whole life.

This Einstein quote grabs me:

I live in that solitude which is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity.




And then, there are these quotes;


No, this trick won't work...How on earth are you ever going to explain in terms of chemistry and physics so important a biological phenomenon as first love?

Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.

Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love.



I then refer back to the first quote and ask myself at what age comes maturity?

I put in my time playing the role. Much shorter than most. Short enough to avoid that routine that people fall into and then fall apart. But long enough to somewhere in the recesses of my brain to realize that this was not the optimal situation. I liked where I was in that role. I truly did. I liked who I spent all of my time with. I truly did. At the time I was convinced that she was truly the one to grow old with. Somewhere in those recesses of my brain, the answer was known just not spoken. Could I have made her to be that one that is the true balance of freedom and domestication? Because such a relationship exists.......I think. I'm pretty sure that I have witnessed it in some of my dearest friends. Or I think I have. I probably could have made her that. And she could have made that same choice. It would not be that true balance.

So what is a person to do? Wait for that balance? Be a giggalo (seems to be the best option sometimes) in the meantime? Be lonely in the meantime? OR hop into something monogamous but not with that true balance?

Best yet, why worry about it?

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Wiss-Brau!!!

Wissinoming Brewing Co. got in full swing today after much waiting for brew kettles and sundry items befuddled by a nasty sinus infection. So in the much admired (by me) tradition of brewing beer as they do in Oregon, Ian and I got soaking wet in the rain cleaning crap out by the hose outside. Brewing beer on a rainy day, how my Oregon bretheren would be proud. And the temperature outside was a balmy 45 degrees as Oregon is most of the year! I'm homesick, can you tell?

Ian brought up a bit of irony as we yakked about Oregon weather. He said that brewing in Oregon now is like what it used to be like here in Philly. Philadelphia in the 19th century had in the area of 1200 brew pubs. I think ideally that things have changed much since then. Well, prohibition killed ALL of the small breweries. Very beneficial for those very few that were able to survive and completely dominate the market. I'm not gonna flame all of the survivors as corrupt entities in my conspiracy theory banter because there was a brewery in Portland, Oregon called Henry Weinhard's that survived by brewing Root beer and Orange creme soda, a few others did as well. But what I am talking about ultimately is how people have changed due to whatever circumstances. Philadelphia at one time was the center of culture and progressiveness on the east coast (shared of course with it's other major coastal cities) and now it seems almost dead to what it once was. I can't see the brew pub culture that is so strong in Oregon being popular in more than a few sections of the city not to mention the whole state! Although I am hearing good things about Pittsburg. For the last 15 to 20 years I hear it has turned itself around and has a pretty progressive attitude. Though I have never been. What I am saying is that I would like to see areas other than college towns take on a better view of the world around here on the east coast. Well now that I think of it, those rural farm towns in Oregon seem to be on the same "head up their azz" track as some of the short sighted thinkers around here.

The connection here is that brew pubs (public houses) were places where things happened. They were cultural hubs and I think we need to bring back that atmosphere if this country is to prosper. I read an awesome little article today in: the Mid-Atlantic Brewing News called Landmark Taverns, by Rich Wagner about such things. Major issues debated, governments gathered and formed, the Liberty bell was hidden from the English in 1777, how they were centers of commerce and even courtrooms and how inkeepers were highly repected. Mr. Wagner is writing a book on the topic. He is speaking November 22 @ 2PM @ the Philadelphia Brewing company. I do beleive that I would like to attend!!

Wiss-Brau is just a name for Ian and mine's homebrew. But there is a dream of a public house in there somewhere. Maybe one day there may be another cool public house where the Delaware River meets the Tacony/Palmyra bridge and lads and lasses can relax and shoot the shite about every topic under the sun, or to find a quiet corner to read, or even to have an occasional live band play. A place where the past, present, and future come together over a tankard of ale and some crusty bread and cheese!