Kick-Butt Chili

With inspirations from Sis and m²I

My sister had a recipe for Kickass chili— but I never got it from her. I instead modified a standard chili recipe to make it hot. I am currently going to make this recipe for our Chili Fest this year but will be using a larger quantity to try and feed around twenty plus. The recipe below should cover about 4-6 servings. Enjoy.

Kick-Butt Chili:

1 lb of Hot Italian Sausage

1 Yellow Onion

2 Jalapeno Peppers

1 Large Can Crushed Tomato (28oz)

1 16oz Can of Kidney Beans

1/2 Jar of Hot Salsa

1. On Medium Heat, crumble the Italian sausage and cook in a large pot.
2. Chop the onion and peppers and add to the pot.
   you may want to use latex gloves while handling the peppers.
3. Once the onions are transparent, add the can of Crushed Tomato.
4. Add the Can of Kidney Beans.
5. Add about half the jar of Salsa.
6. Simmer on Low, stirring occasionally.
7. Enjoy.

Writer's Workshop: OK Bridgford

When I was in college I wrote a poem for our poetry professor just for fun. This is another example of one of my six lined poems where the first two pairs of lines rhyme— the fifth line rhymes with a word in the sixth, and the sixth line rhymes with the first two. I am using this poem for Mamma Kat's Writer's Workshop

2.) Write a poem for your favorite teacher of all time.
I don't know if she was my favorite teacher of all time— but at least I wrote a poem about her.

---

Oh— K Bridgford is her name
passing out tons of paper is her game.

She makes us stuff our folders so thick
we wonder if her real name is St. Nick.

But keep the classes going with fun and wit
so we can sit and share in your fame.

cj86'

The night the lights went out in Georga

I guess the Decepticons are on to me…

It appears that once I edited my last post to clarify a few things, the power went out at the office. Theories abounded from "a garbage truck that just pulled out before the lights first dimmed" to "perhaps the city couldn't get their snow plow started and they had to get a jump". The latest rumor was that a transformer blew and knocked out power for several blocks. Oh oh… I think the're on to me.

You find some interesting things when the power is out. Going to the bathroom was like entering Mammoth cave in pitch black— having to feel around for everything. I went into the break room to get a glass of water from the cooler and had to gauge how much water was in the glass based upon the pitch being generated by glass being filled.

Later we were told that we had to evacuate— which wound up not being much fun either because the emergency lights in the stairwell were out. Luckily the firemen where there with their flashlights to guide the way to the lobby.

Eventually it was learned that it would be several hours before the power went back on and we were told to go home. I don't know… what with Kitchen Sink-Gate and now this— CaJoh doesn't lead such a borring life after all.

Wordful Wednesday: Optimus Primer

When I went sailing on Lake Michigan with a friend last summer I looked at the old stove that they had in their cabin. To my amazement I noticed that one of the buttons was labeled Optimus. I got a chuckle out of that and had to take this picture.

If you are familiar with the Transformers then you may get the joke. Optimus Prime is one of the main characters (a semi truck that can transform into a plane or something). Why then would Optimus Prime transform himself into a button on a boat… I ask you?

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2009 Chili Fest

If you like chili, the Ravenswood Fellowship United Methodist Church will be hosting their annual chili fest. I am including the information on how to get there if you like chili:

ALL YOU CAN EAT FOR $7.00
Children 10 and under $5.00
Hot, mild or vegetarian

Saturday, January 31, 2009
4-7 pm
Ravenswood Fellowship United Methodist Church
4511 N. Hermitage
Chicago, IL

I look forward to seeing you there.

Familiarity Factor

Don't I know you from somewhere before…

Do you ever notice that there are some people that you recognize and never bother to learn what their name is. These embarrassing situations are not entirely your fault. Sometimes you get to know someone and never ask their name. Other times you may recognize someone but never talked to them. In either case— the term "Familiarity Factor" comes into play.

So often I find myself seeing people in other locals and wonder… "where do I know them from"? The sense of recognition is so strong that we must tell ourselves that we know them well— but then are perplexed when we can't think of either their name or where we know them from. What is even more embarrassing is when you have to introduce someone— but have forgotten what their name is as well as where you know that person from. Sometimes our pride gets in the way and we neglect to pull the person aside and ask… which makes it even more embarrassing.

I have taken public transportation for many years now. Because of this I tend to see people standing on the platform or riding on the train— but never speak to them. One would think that you would know the difference between someone you have spoken to and someone you haven't— but I think that the more you see someone the stronger the familiarity becomes. This gets you into trouble when you "think" you know someone and are forced to introduce them. You are then convinced that you do know them and then realize that they don't know you at all… (or never bothered to notice).

I wish that I could have some "personal-assistant" by my side whispering in my ear… "That's Jane Doe— you never ever spoke to her and don't know her real name because you only saw her on the train platform twenty years ago when you were in college".

ASCII Love

When I first wrote this poem I was completely unaware of ASCII Art. The original is on a piece of graph paper with numbers next to the letters to indicate how many spaces to use when typing out the poem. I really love the fact that it spells out the word LOVE.

Love is a magical word
It can take any broken heart and make amend

It's a good word anyone can use
to be a good friend.

    L
   ove
  IsA
 Mag
ic
 Wo
  rd
   ItC   anT
    a   keAny
       Br   ok
       en   He
       ar   tA n
        dMak  eI
         tMe  n
             d.
             I    t's
             a   Go
             odWo   r
                   dAn
                  yOneC
                 anU  se
                ToB e  AG
                 oo    d
                  Fr
                   ien
                    d

cj84'