Our Dumb Blog

I’m not sure what to do with this space. Everytime I think about posting something interesting, I find myself worrying that someone might be offended. I think I’m going to stop worrying. This probably doesn’t mean that anything interesting will appear, so don’t get too excited. It was easier when I had fun flying things to talk about.

It was good to be in the mountains. I spent a long time on Sunday doing nothing outside, enjoying the mountain air, blue hills off on the horizon.

I’m frustrated at my current flight instructor. The fact that I simply don’t like him doesn’t help. He seemed surprised to hear from me today, and said he’d get me in the schedule for tomorrow. Called me back later to say he couldn’t get me on tomorrow, but he’d schedule me twice on Thursday. At 8 and 10 am. I don’t like flying early in the morning, yet he schedules me for nothing but morning flights, in spite of numerous complaints. I’ll fly in the morning if it’s all that’s available, but it seems like I should have a choice. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky this afternoon, and there’s no clouds tomorrow. And I’m not on the schedule. I haven’t flown since November 9.

I took Arthur to the post office this morning. His battery cables were quite corroded, and he didn’t want to start. Replacing them took care of that problem.

Joanna called me on her break this afternoon. I’m not sure why, she’s never done that before. Last night we talked about the fact that she couldn’t find her phone, so I was surprised that she was even able to call me. Then I was immediately suspicious that something was very wrong. It wasn’t, she just wanted to say hi, and ask me to buy beer.

I went to Sooner West, the closest bestest liquor store. They have quite a beer selection, though I’ve learned not to get attached to anything because their inventory seems to fluctuate wildly. I spent a long time browsing and selected three promising-looking German beers that I’d never tried before. I used to think that I really didn’t like German beer, but I’ve found that the darker ones are often quite good. I selected a Franziskaner (Franciscan) Dunkel Hefe-Weisse. Monks make good beer. This one turned out to be quite nice. Dark, unfiltered, a little sweet, no trace of bitter, and good flavor. Brewed by Spaten in Munchen. I’m not, in general, a fan of Paulaner, but I picked out something they brew called “Salvator Double Bock” which had great flavor but was almost unbearably sweet. It’s one of the more intriguing beers I’ve tasted recently. Lastly, I got some Kostritzer Schwarzbier. Pretty much anything that calls itself “Schwarzbier” is loved by Joanna. This was no exception, a black “lager” with hints of chocolate a bit malty. Just sweet enough to meld with the bitterness. Also good.

I chatted with the tall, non-American looking girl who was working. There are three girls, an older woman who seems to own the place, but isn’t very talkative. A younger sorority-type girl with much makeup, big breasts, and no knowledge of beer. And lastly this girl– tall, dark skinned, polite, and actually has some appreciation for beer. She said she really liked the Salvator, but hadn’t tried the Kostritzer, and asked if I’d tell her if I liked it next time I came in. I suppose I’m something of a regular.

Joanna did indeed like the schwarzbier.

Yesterday, we went by the new Sam’s in Norman. It’s still not open, and there’s not much inside, so it looks like it’s going to be a bit longer. So, we went to Albertson’s. Joanna really hates grocery shopping. I suppose I should stop dragging her along, but I like it much better when she’s there. I bought stuff for “taco salad” which isn’t really. While browsing the old, soon-to-be-thrown-away section of the meats, I found some veal chops seriously marked down. $7 off, total. Not able to pass it up, I bought it. I pan-fried then sauteed them this evening with onions in white wine. Roasted some potatoes, and the schwarzbier made for a yummy meal. I think it’s the best I’ve ever managed with veal.

I’m pretty happy, overall. I’ve got a Jonah, a nice little apartment, and I get to fly airplanes sometimes. I simply feel a bit anxious, like everything is teetering on the edge of some abyss for some reason. If one of the two of us gets a decent job in the next few months, I think that will go away. I’ll feel much better after I get this upcoming 250NM cross-country out of the way.

We went to Highlands for Thanksgiving, and we’re back now. It was great. Maybe I’ll write more later.

Out of Order was apparently a Showtime TV series that didn’t make it. The pilot was released on DVD disguised as a movie. Eric Stoltz, who has apparently been in everything, starred. He was also in a couple of my favourite movies– Bodies, Rest & Motion as well as Kicking & Screaming. This in spite of the fact that I don’t much like him. In any case, Out of Order the movie, er pilot, er DVD is quite good. There were apparently a few episodes as well, but they don’t appear to be available as of yet. I really enjoyed it– it’s the sort of movie I would like to rent all the time but of which they don’t seem to make too many.

Radio is a fairly well-done example of that grand tradition of PG feel-good family movies.

Pieces of April was better than I thought it would be, although I didn’t have many expectations, renting it only because Magnetic Fields did the soundtrack. It wasn’t wonderful, but I’d give it a solid B+.

Napoleon Dynamite managed to be the weirdest movie I’ve ever seen without being remotely deep or complicated. It’s just there. And proud of it.

We watched all of Krzysztof Kieslowski’s Decalogue. Intense, well done, cinematically fascinating for having been shot on video. I don’t know that I can recommend them. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that all together it’s 10 hours long, and any one of them will give you enough to think about for a week.

Dopamine wasn’t bad, but wasn’t great either.

Master and Commander was a grandiose and pathetic waste of money.

The Five Obstructions is definitely one of those films that went out on a limb which broke causing the film to die with a rather uninteresting thud.

Apparently, chocolate is good for you

It’s better than codeine for coughs.

A German insurance company is urging its clients to eat chocolate every day for its antioxidants.

Studies suggest that chocolate can actually protect against tooth decay. Without sugar, of course.

And contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t cause acne.

I had to work today, which stinks, it being Sunday and all. But they have us work Sunday so we don’t have to work on Friday. We get Thursday off, of course.

So everyone, pullers and in-checkers, pulled for all the stores that usually go out on Mondays. The warehouse office ladies (a limbic position–not quite corporate but not quite warehouse employees) checked stuff in and then stocked it (I guess product that came in Thursday). We’re scheduled to work till four-thirty Monday and Tuesday, then get off at 3:30 on Wednesday. We better…our flight is at 5:40 p.m.

The E-Baying has been far more successful than our wildest expectations. We’ve now passed the $600 mark.