ultimate failure

I've played a bit of Ultimate in my youth - circa early 1980s when I was young, in shape, and could run forever - and in the summer of 2007 when I played here in the WAFC novice league. The difference between playing at 18 or 19 when the game was pretty wide open and at 42 when the game has developed more strategy and planning was amazing. I hurt, literally hurt (ribs, toes, shoulders, etc.), for six months after the season finished and wondered if I could manage to get myself in better shape to play again. I haven't. I would like to play again next year but I have a bit of challenge getting back to even 2007 shape. We'll see. Anyway, what brought this up was a video I saw from the 2010 World Championships in Prague...an amazing catch. I have a few from my days that I thought were comparable to anything that could be done but I was just kidding myself. These guys are Open/Pro teams and their skills are way beyond anything I ever accomplished. This catch, at least the video (there may be some legendary catches not caught on tape), is the most awesome catch I've ever seen.

I came home today to discover another Vitantonio Belgian Waffle iron on my doorstep...I know, this is my fifth. (In my defense, I've given two away as gifts.) One of my double-barreled setup lost its legs about a year ago and even as I've managed to survive waffle mornings, I wanted another. I actually snagged this one for $9.99 on eBay which is some kind of record - I've lost out on bidding wars that hit $35. X laughed at me as I unpacked it and added it to my countertop that includes the KitchenAid K4-B mixer: two things no longer produced that kick some serious kitchen ass. She might wonder about me but amidst her laughter at my peccadilloes, she opened up a package that contained four extras belts for our new vacuum cleaner...who's crazy now?

An update on school: we are doing "sandwiches" in Garde Manger this week and I've followed up on the plan put out there earlier in the week. I'd planned out my time today to get both the rye and white bread made in class so they'd be ready for tomorrow's plating (note: we had loads of bread delivered on requisition for sandwiches but I still wanted to do as much from scratch as possible.) Having moved through breads in B & P I was ready to redeem myself from week 1....as if. Apparently, unbeknownst to me, the ovens in this kitchen (my first course in this fourth set-up) are absolute crap. My breads went into a '375' degree oven that only heated to about 225; something I discovered when I went to check my 'finished' rye about 25 minutes later. That doesn't work...if you must know. Both loaves has no rise and were basically wasted from perfectly well-proofed dough. I've break this mother yet....

Hey to all.

t

begoogled

The organization that runs the Ultimate leagues in the D.C. area has access to about ten different sets of fields all across the greater metro area. Since I have often found myself, in my first season, trying to sort the fields, figure best transport, and building timelines for arrival, I decided to use the Google to build a more effective mousetrap. I think the product turned out quite well as a saved map (hybrid with roads AND satellites) that everyone can access: all the fields with nearest Metro stops, some basic directions, and field tips for players. Making widgets, making widgets. I make the widgets. I’m still old and the after-game party on Park Dr. still involves much moaning, groaning, and rolling on and off furniture.

This just in…no, it’s not the Onion.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Hasbro Inc. will recall about 1 million Easy-Bake Ovens because children could get their hands caught in the front opening and suffer burns, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday.

A voluntary recall for the ovens was first issued in February so a repair kit could be provided to address the issue. But since then, there have been 249 reports of children getting their hands caught, 77 reports of burns and one girl had a finger partially amputated, the CPSC said.

I certainly have sympathy for the amputated finger, I wouldn’t want that for anyone’s child. The 77 burns and 249 stuck hands (out of 1 million?) don’t seem too catastrophic. Isn’t this a classic case of children learning? How do we get children to not touch a hot burner or oven? I prefer the ‘say no’ method but I know there are parents out there that may lean towards the ‘get burned once and you’ll think twice’ mentality. Look at the opening on this oven…




…it’s a little hole that should be inaccessible because the safety device/cake spatula is in the way. Why are you putting your hand in there? I know…kids. Are these bad boys still powered by 50W light bulbs? Do you let your kid touch a light bulb? Shall we recall all the lamps in America? If your kid is jamming his paw into any random opening with glowing light emanating from within, you’ve got more issues than the Hasbro Easy-Bake. When did they change the name from E-Z Bake? Should we recall fences? Don’t kids get their heads caught in fences?

ultimately amusing

A few other passing bits of signage that I’ve seen over the last few days; it’s summertime and the mottos seem to show up everywhere. On my way home (by bicycle) the other night I was waiting at a light behind an SUV of sorts that had a license plate the made me twinkle. Like most states, Virginia now has the plexi-plastic plates that allow for an infinite number of supported functions and organizations. If you graduated from Doane College in Nebraska I think you can get the Doane College Alumni plate with associated one-up numbering. Granted, your number will be 001 but at least everyone will know you went to Doane. The plate I saw the other night was a background calling out that the owner/operator was a member of the Virginia CPAs. Oh well…the CPAs. Way back when there was a time when two dudes driving Cameos would give each other a wave, a head nod, a honk as a short recognition of each other’s good taste. I don’t imagine that happens much anymore – license plate backgrounds are now the way we nod our cool ways. I can visualize two or three CPAs coming across each other in the Crate and Barrel parking lot, in step, coming together; a Jets and Sharks thing, scoffing at, and fighting with, the Best Buy Managers and Apple iMac Coolster plates.

Last night I stopped in the central library and noticed a handwritten posted sign on the main doors: “Para / Hang-gliding meeting on second floor”. Where else would they meet? On the ground floor? Right.

I’m easily amused.

I’ve volunteered for near-death activity this summer. I’m in an Ultimate rec league here in the D.C. area. For those not awares, Ultimate can best be described as a combination of soccer and Frisbee on a 100-yard field. This ain’t like when I was 19. Well it is like when I was 19 – I’m not 19. I need new hamstrings, a forehand throw, some of that (limited) jumping ability from high school, and lots of water. Last night’s game started at about 8:30 and was still ongoing when the field lights clicked off at 10pm. There’s nothing like almost 90 minutes of running, chasing, grunting and groaning in the late evening humidity of Arlington. My greatest feat is that I’m probably the oldest player humping up and down the pitch.

I’m NOT listening to the Senate debate on the immigration bill/cloture. I’m not. If I were listening I’d say they are a bunch of chuckleheads. I think Ted Kennedy is going to blow a gasket.

The Eleven (and the remaining kibbutz members) are heading to Vermont for the weekend. I envision sitting on a patio for two-and-a-half days. No molestar!

T.