Homebrewing Update: Last Friday I took the day off to homebrew what will become a Bourbon Barrel Porter (with some vanilla). This is the first time I've tried this recipe and also buying the ingredients from Northern Brewer. The ingredients were top-notch, and I recommend you try them if you're going to homebrew. Basically, I make the porter with the kit ingredients. The "bourbon barrel" comes from the Maker's Mark bourbon I bought and the 2 oz. of smoked oak cubes that came with the kit. While the beer in the primary fermenter (a 7 gallon plastic pail with a lid and airlock), the oak cubes are soaking in 8 oz. of bourbon. Next week I'll transfer the beer from one pail to another (the secondary fermenter) and add the oak cubes & the bourbon in which they're soaking, and one cut-up vanilla bean. I might add 8 oz. more of bourbon. That will sit for at least a week, maybe two, then I'll bottle it. I'm expecting it to be ready for drinking around the New Year, and it will get better as it ages. (The chocolate stout I brewed last year is really getting better with age - I just don't have much left!)

Running: I've been running about 4.5 miles two to three times a week, and did some speed work at the track earlier in the month. I ran a 5K last Sunday and improved my time by about 45 seconds. I'm happy with my results as its showing that I am getting back to where I left off before the stress fracture. The race on Sunday was the same race from last year when I realized that something was really wrong with my leg.

Wednesday Weirdness #27

1.) As an adult, do you do anything for Halloween or is it jut another day? We do decorate the house a bit and put on scary music/sound effects while passing out candy.

2.) Do you ever dress up for Halloween? What will be your costume this year? We really haven't gone to a Halloween party in a few years.

3.) Have you started Christmas shopping yet? When do you usually begin? Sort of. I started thinking about what I'm going to give but I haven't bought anything yet.

4.) Do you look people in the eye when talking? Does it bother you when people don't make eye contact during conversation? That depends. One thing that bothers me is when the other person has a lazy eye. I mean, which eye do I look at? Are they offended that I'm looking back and forth between the good and the lazy eye? I also have trouble looking at women that I have a thing for in the eye. There's this girl at work that I've crushed over since I met her. We talk occasionally about work and stuff, and I just have a tough time looking into her eyes - I just start to melt. Same with the girl that I see at races at all the time.

5.) What excuse do you usually use when you want to take a day off work for no real reason? I don't think I've ever had to come up with a reason. I just tell my manager that I'm taking the day off.

6.) How often, on average, do you find yourself thinking about sex per day? The question should be "How often do I find myself not thinking about sex?" And the answer would be "Not much!"

7.) What company makes your favorite brand of shoes? What makes them your favorite? I have Doc Marten's and Sperry Topsiders that I wear all the time. The Doc's are comfortable, and the Topsiders (not the plain old deck shoes) are the preppy thing to wear. (Yep, I read the The Official Preppy Handbook as a teen). For running, I wear the Brooks Beast. I'm not a heavy runner, I just need the support that it offers since the fracture. Before that it was Asics all the way! As far as women's shoes go, I do love Nine Wests!

8.) Do you ever save alcohol bottles once they are empty? I do have a small collection of beer bottles that have either a strange shape or patterns in the glass.

9.) Do you enjoy musicals? "Maria. I just met a girl named Maria." Some I do, some I don't. Don't get me started on "Xanadu".