Phillies Win the World Series!!!!

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".

Back to Beer Basics

On the way home from work yesterday I was listening to this story about beer short-servings on NPR, which was based on this blog article. Apparently, some establishments are using glasses that aren't holding 16 ounces and still calling them "pints". The Wall Street Journal also did a column about this earlier this year. "What's up with that?!" to be colloquial. If the menu says "pint", serve me 16 ounces of beer. Or at least add a disclaimer like they do at McDonalds. I used to think draught beer was more economical. If I order by bottle, at least, I know how much is in it.

More importantly, which presidential candidate will address this issue?! Is this an "elitist" issue, or one for "Joe the Plumber"? Is this a "hidden tax" that can be eliminated (or propped up?) by a socialist regime? Are they just going to put lipstick on it and then find some way-better looking & acting comedienne to bring it to our nations attention (Tina Fey really does have a better stage presence)? (Don't ask me where I'm going with this, I'm just rambling.) Is this the Red Tide of Communism's way making its way back into our country? Is this what makes some parts of our country "un-American"? I say its time to stand up for our rights as tax-paying, of-legal-drinking-age, non-drunk-driving, drinking-responsible citizens and fight back to get what we paid for.

Its been a weird Wednesday so far - the very windy weather we've had since yesterday is playing all sorts of games with the power lines. I'm running around like a headless chicken trying to keep things running.

WW #26: Wednesday Weirdness- Happy Birthday Edition

1. Is there a particular birthday that you are dreading (ex: 40th) why? No. Actually my birthday is on Friday and I've already past 20, 30, and 40. No worries here on this one.

2. What is your favorite birthday memory? The one that stands out the most was when I turned 22. I was in college and we just had a big Physical Chemistry exam in the evening. Most of the class went out to get pizza a beer. It was getting late and my roommate and I decided to leave. On the way out, he "casually" mentions to the group that it was my birthday. D'oh! They pulled me back in, lined up the shots of various liquors, and I proceeded to get pretty damn drunk.

3. What was the best birthday present you ever received? The worst? I'll pass on this one as nothing in particular sticks out in my memory. However, since it is my birthday on Friday, you could send me a picture or two, nudge, nudge, wink, wink, grin, grin - and I'll do my best to make the most of them!! And I'm taking the day off to brew beer.

4. Frosting roses: Love them or hate them? Depends on what they're made of: butter cream - yes; Crisco and sugar - no!

5. Do you like when people make a big deal out of your birthday, or do you prefer a quiet or no celebration? I prefer smaller celebrations to big ones.

6. Surprise parties; Good or Evil? Good! I like a good surprise every now and again.

7. Bonus Question: Over at Casa ASM, it is traditional for the birthday boy or girl to get carte blanche in the bedroom that night. Who and/or what would you choose for birthday bedroom carte blanche? See yesterday's post.

Pervy Thoughts

I recently found my way to the Public Disgrace site (definitely NSFW). The idea behind the site is "women bound, stripped and punished in public". The preview clips show scenes of women being tied up in various positions and having a lot of different things done to her by men and women while in very public locations or staged scenes with many people. I don't really care for the scenes that were shot in public locations. The look on the faces of the people that weren't part of the cast go from complete disgust to complete enjoyment. Which to me is a distraction from the action going on between the cast members.

I do like the scenes where everyone is part of the cast. One of the videos is at a house where a dinner party is going on. The girl that is the object of the party is brought out in lingerie while everyone is dressed. She has to accept anything that the guests care to do to her. In one scene she's bound, put on the table where everyone is eating, and the various guests stimulate, slap, and abuse her as they wish. Everyone is obviously having a good time.

This is where my pervy thoughts come in. I'd love to change places with her! The story would start like other fantasies that I've posted - I'm out shopping for women's clothes and I'm caught by one or more women. They proceed to verbally humiliate me in the store and then lead me away to some house where there's other people gathered for the dinner party. They bring me in to the house secretly and take me up to the bathroom. They disrobe me, make sure I'm shaved completely from the neck down, then dress me up in the clothes I've just bought. They lead me down to the party on a leash with a ball-gag in my mouth, and have me serve the guests. At first they laugh at me and verbally humiliate me. I'm forced to kiss and lick the womens' feet. Later they become more physical - groping and fondling, and exposing me. As in the videos, this eventually leads to me being tied up or suspended in various positions while the women fuck me with hand-held and strap-on dildos and vibrators. I'm blindfolded and forced to suck cocks. Eventually after everyone has had their way with me, I'm tied up in some odd position, a strong vibrator is put in my ass, the women put their feet on my face and body, and then I'm forced to cum while everyone watches.

Yep, pervy thoughts for Monday. Any of the women readers want to share a picture or two of your feet, in heels or not, with me?

TMI Tuesday #156 - Foresight

1. What do you do that sends a clear signal to your partner that you're interested in an intimate evening? If we're on the couch watching TV or reading, I'll grab her legs, put her feet on my lap and give her a foot & leg massage. If we're in bed, copious amounts of me fondling her gets her attention.

2. How important is foreplay to an exciting evening? Very. I like the long and drawn out kind of foreplay. The kind that starts with some nuzzling and kissing as we're getting ready to go out for dinner to build excitement.

3. What is the first thing you do during foreplay or what is the first thing you like done to you? As mentioned in #1, I like massaging her feet and legs. That usually leads her to using her feet on my dick. And that always feels good!

4. Are you a one and done kind of partner (20 minutes or so) or do you like intimacy sessions longer than 60 minutes? The longer the better!!

BONUS: If you are interested in sex with a same-sex partner, what would be the first thing you'd like to touch on that other person, and why? (For those already in same sex relationships...what was the first thing you touched, or if you were interested in a relationship with the opposite sex, what would be the first thing you touched?) I'm not in a same-sex relationship, nor have I ever been. If I were, then it would have to be our dicks. I mean, I don't find the same body parts attractive on a man as a woman.

All is well, the Blogrolling.com site is back up and running (sometime Saturday I think). Move along, do not panic.

I read that someone has hacked into the Blogrolling.com website. Can I scream now?
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All of my links were there. Hopefully they will come back.

In the mean time, please leave a comment here so I can get back to your blog. Also, anyone know of a good Blogrolling substitute?

Wednesday Weirdness #24

1.) Do you think you're approachable? No. I'm a quiet sort of person that doesn't talk too much, and I think people that don't know me take this for arrogance. Conversely, if I'm out running I almost always get stopped by somebody asking for directions. Sometimes that can be a bad thing - during one run I was so wrapped up in the run that I gave out the wrong directions.

2.) Out of the two, would you rather be able to predict things before they happened or be able to read minds whenever you wanted to? Why? I'd rather be able to predict things. I mean, some thoughts are just not meant to be read.

3.) Have you ever kissed, fooled around or slept with an ex significant other AFTER you were already broken up? No.

4.) Do you believe dreams are your imagination running wild as you sleep, your subconscious showing you what's really on your mind or something else entirely? A bit of both and other things. I dream in color, and my dreams almost always have people from one time/place in my life mixed with people/places from other times/places. Things are familiar, but not exactly the way they should be. Like last night. I dreamed I was at college and at my current age. As I walked through campus, I noticed that they were building huge new dorms. The strange thing was that I was at one end of campus and the new buildings were way at the other end, although they appeared to be just behind the buildings in front of me.

5.) How often do you use cuss words? Does your use of cuss words vary on your moods or situations? Very little, and usually only when I get hurt, e.g., stub a toe or hit my finger with a hammer.

6.) Do you ever purposely lead people on so you can get what you want? No, I'm pretty open about what I want.

7.) When was the last time you did something you told yourself you wouldn't do? What was it? Remember that post from last week? I'm trying to forget it.

8.) If you could meet one musician who is no longer alive, who would it be? Mozart. I'm not sure the movie did him justice. I love his works - I can tell he was very full of life while composing them.

Haven't had a lot of time lately for blogging, so here's what's been going on lately:

Running: I ran three 5K's in the last two months. My times are averaging around 25 minutes. I can wish they were better as my best 5K time from before the tibia stress fracture was about 22 minutes. I know that consistent training will eventually improve my times, and my training has been anything but consistent lately. The first 5K in September was on a hilly course, so I was pleased with a time of 25:10. The next one was 9/27 on a very flat course, and my time was 25:17. I felt like crap that day for some reason. The third race was the next day on another hilly course, and my time was around 25:06. Lots of work to do...

MBA: Over the summer I studied for the GMAT as I'm planning to apply to a part-time MBA program this fall. Studying took a lot longer than I expected, and it really opened my eyes to how rusty my math skills have become since college 18 years ago. I took the GMAT last month, and my score was about what I expected, just above average. The toughest questions were in the data sufficiency category. A mathematical expression is given, then two more that might help solve it. You have to figure out if the first is sufficient, but not the second; if the second is sufficient, but not the first; if either is sufficient; if neither is sufficient; or if both together are needed. That's where I had problems in the practice book, and I'm sure that's where I faltered at the real test.

Anyway, now its on to the application process. There are three schools in the Philly area to which I'm applying, LaSalle, St. Joseph's, and the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. My GMAT score is above all of the schools' average GMAT, it just my undergrad GPA that I'm worried about as it was slightly below a 3.0. One of the programs I'm confident that I'll be admitted to. The other two are stretches, as near as I can figure, as they require an essay and letters of recommendation. I've started on the essay and need to ask a few folks for the recommendations. And hopefully my employer will still pay my tuition when the time comes.

Homebrewing: I'm getting that itch to homebrew again as I'm down to about 12 bottles of the last batch I brewed over the last Christmas vacation. I'm thinking of a bourbon barrel porter. I found the recipe on one of the many brewing websites. Instead of fermenting in an actual bourbon barrel, oak chips that were soaked in bourbon and some bourbon are added to the wort during the second fermentation. I read that a few folks also added a couple vanilla beans in there as well to add another complementary flavor. Mmm, that sounds good!

WW #23

Okay, so I'm a day late for Wednesday Weirdness. Here I go:

1.) Have you ever purchased an item of clothing and intentionally worn it with tags on it so that you could return it the next day? Nope, never.

2.) Would you rather be late to the party, or the first person to arrive? Why? I'm usually the first person to arrive. When the invite says "7PM", I'm there at 7PM and everyone else shows up at 7:45PM. I'm just a very prompt person. I guess the impression my Mom made upon me when I was a child stuck - she was never early or on time for anything, even church on Sunday.

3.) When do you usually begin your Christmas shopping? The beginning of November. Any earlier and I'd get those gifts confused with birthday gifts.

4.) What three cancelled tv shows do you wish they’d bring back? "Geeks & Freaks", "The Adventures of Pete and Pete", and "Johnny Sokko".

5.) What do you have in your vehicle's glove compartment? Insurance & registration papers, owner's manual, a few pens, and duct tape. I try to keep my car uncluttered.

6.) Have you ever donated blood? No. I'm a bit scared of needles and blood. I'm sure they'd have to pick me up off of the floor if I ever did.

7.) Have you ever kissed or dated someone else's significant other? What happened? I did kiss a married woman once. It was one of those things that seemed to be a good idea before it happened and turned out not to be. It was a few days before I moved from Indiana to Pennsylvania and she was taking me home from a bar where the folks from work took me out to have a "going away" party. I should have taken a ride with one of the guys that lived in my apartment complex. I had enough to drink that just did what I wanted to do without thinking about it. We're still e-mail friends, but its not the same as before.

8.) Have you ever mistaken one product for another while in the bathroom and didn't notice until after you used it? (EXAMPLE: Washing your hair with liquid body soap, slathering hand soap on your legs instead of lotion after a shower, et cetera) I'm sure I have at some time or another.

9.) Would you/Have you ever dated someone who had a criminal record? I haven't, and in the future it would depend on the crime. Murder - no; shoplifting - ok; tax evasion - no; drunk driving - maybe.