so some friends and i went to a new eatery, new for me at least, in downtown carpenteria for dinner this monday night. it was a very interesting place.
it is a bbq place where you order your meat raw, and then you cook it yourself on an indoor bbq. if there are a lot of people, you have to wait in line for grill space. there is an all you can eat salad bar that come with ever entree that also has bread, potatoes and beans.
all the food was pretty good, and i got a filet mignon for 15 bucks, and it was a good cut of meat (cooked to perfection might i add).
but i couldn't get that episode of seinfeld out of my head where kramer comes up with the idea of having a pizzaria where the people make their own pizzas. seinfeld says it best: "why would anyone pay you to make their own pizza?"
seriously, why would we drive all the way to carpenteria to pay someone to let us use their grill to cook our own dinner? for the experience i guess. and, believe it or not, it was a good one. i would actually recommend this place (to go to once, maybe once a decade...you know, for the experience)
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
house stuff
all of my friends who have already gone through the wonderful process of purchasing a home warned me that this would happen, but i don't think even they, having gone through the process already, knew it could be this rough.
first of all, we looked for more than 18 months. i know lots of people look for a long time, but that is a little ridiculous. and it isn't like we were being really picky, maybe in the beginning we were, but for the last year we were pretty open to anything. anyway, we finally get a place and now there is so much paperwork and stuff it's crazy.
again, our friends warned us. we sort of had an idea of what we were getting in to. but again, this is ridiculous. our broker for our loan is on a skiing trip and we are freaking out at the list of fees due at closing. we just found out that this list includes buyers (us) and sellers fees, so the number we have to come up with won't really be that scary. sweet!
and all we are hoping for is enough money to do some (pretty extensive) remodeling, remodel enough equity into the house to get the pmi removed, and have a wonderful, comfortable home that we can entertain in and make the most of while we are living in it. is that too much to ask?
i think not.
ps- guys in my group who are reading this and who offered to help with the house...your first mission has arrived. i need to visit the place and weed whack the crap out of some weeds. then we will need to follow that up with the mower and then with some weed killer. i will talk to you tonight about when and stuff.
pps- for the duration of this rant, blood by the middle east has been playing in the back ground. tough to rant about something and be frustrated when such beauty is luring you away from those feelings of frustration. thank you Jesus for great music.
amen
first of all, we looked for more than 18 months. i know lots of people look for a long time, but that is a little ridiculous. and it isn't like we were being really picky, maybe in the beginning we were, but for the last year we were pretty open to anything. anyway, we finally get a place and now there is so much paperwork and stuff it's crazy.
again, our friends warned us. we sort of had an idea of what we were getting in to. but again, this is ridiculous. our broker for our loan is on a skiing trip and we are freaking out at the list of fees due at closing. we just found out that this list includes buyers (us) and sellers fees, so the number we have to come up with won't really be that scary. sweet!
and all we are hoping for is enough money to do some (pretty extensive) remodeling, remodel enough equity into the house to get the pmi removed, and have a wonderful, comfortable home that we can entertain in and make the most of while we are living in it. is that too much to ask?
i think not.
ps- guys in my group who are reading this and who offered to help with the house...your first mission has arrived. i need to visit the place and weed whack the crap out of some weeds. then we will need to follow that up with the mower and then with some weed killer. i will talk to you tonight about when and stuff.
pps- for the duration of this rant, blood by the middle east has been playing in the back ground. tough to rant about something and be frustrated when such beauty is luring you away from those feelings of frustration. thank you Jesus for great music.
amen
Monday, April 5, 2010
top ten # 4
i have been thinking about this since my last list of my favorite ten bands of all time. while that list, as all my lists are, is subject to change without notice, it seems pretty complete at the moment.
so i have this list in my head of my favorite solo artists of all time. here you go:
10. jason mraz - while his sophmore album was a bit of a let down, i think he is finally finding his groove. and i am feeling it.
9. ray charles - older stuff = better stuff. check it out.
8. bob dylan - while i am not a crazy fan of his, and there are many out there, the things he did for music can't be taken away from him. he changed it.
7. jay-z - a rapper adam, really? well yes, and here's why. this guy puts stuff together that blows my mind lyrically. his beats are sic and he can flow like nothing. he has also solidified himself as one of the most influential, if not the most influential guy in the game. his career alone is enough to get him on the list.
6. johnny cash - this guy made great music until the day he died. god's gonna cut you down. amazing song. you should look it up. now. don't worry, the rest of us will wait for you to finish.
5. damien rice - it will be interesting to see what kind of music he makes without the help of lisa hannigan. but the stuff he made with her on his first 2 1/2 albums is legendary. yeah, i said legendary.
4. aretha franklin - mama can sing. seriously.
3. michael jackson - i think the only argument i'll get here will be that he isn't number one (or two).
2. otis redding - buttery smooth. one of the saddest stories the music industry has ever seen. he died far too young. thank God he got started early and pumped music out while he was working. so amazing.
1. ray lamontagne - crazy at number 1? maybe. but if i could sound like anyone in the world, it would be him...so there you go.
you will notice an amazing lack of estrogen on this list. if you know of some ladies i missed, please let me know. women who almost made the list: janis joplin, etta james, and billie holiday.
so i have this list in my head of my favorite solo artists of all time. here you go:
10. jason mraz - while his sophmore album was a bit of a let down, i think he is finally finding his groove. and i am feeling it.
9. ray charles - older stuff = better stuff. check it out.
8. bob dylan - while i am not a crazy fan of his, and there are many out there, the things he did for music can't be taken away from him. he changed it.
7. jay-z - a rapper adam, really? well yes, and here's why. this guy puts stuff together that blows my mind lyrically. his beats are sic and he can flow like nothing. he has also solidified himself as one of the most influential, if not the most influential guy in the game. his career alone is enough to get him on the list.
6. johnny cash - this guy made great music until the day he died. god's gonna cut you down. amazing song. you should look it up. now. don't worry, the rest of us will wait for you to finish.
5. damien rice - it will be interesting to see what kind of music he makes without the help of lisa hannigan. but the stuff he made with her on his first 2 1/2 albums is legendary. yeah, i said legendary.
4. aretha franklin - mama can sing. seriously.
3. michael jackson - i think the only argument i'll get here will be that he isn't number one (or two).
2. otis redding - buttery smooth. one of the saddest stories the music industry has ever seen. he died far too young. thank God he got started early and pumped music out while he was working. so amazing.
1. ray lamontagne - crazy at number 1? maybe. but if i could sound like anyone in the world, it would be him...so there you go.
you will notice an amazing lack of estrogen on this list. if you know of some ladies i missed, please let me know. women who almost made the list: janis joplin, etta james, and billie holiday.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
top ten #3
so this will be my list of my top ten favorite bands of all time. this will not include any solo acts, only bands. we'll see how this goes:
10. matchbox twenty - they may not appear on many people's top ten bands of all time, top ten on the 90s maybe. but i grew up in the 90s and they have a spot on mine. so there.
9. u2 - their catalogue and their impact on music cannot be argued with. seriously, don't try.
8. aerosmith - they continue to impress, putting out album after album of good rock music. i do think they peaked in the 90s, but their catalogue is impressive.
7. david crowder band - as the only christian artist i will put in and listen to exclusively, crowder and his tejas homies clearly have a spot in my heart, and on this list.
6. pearl jam - they started a revolution for goodness sakes. or maybe they just piggy-backed the nirvana revolution. i can never remember.
5. ccr - creedence clearwater revival. sick stuff that is just plain fun to listen to. get the lemonade out and enjoy your summer; creedence is here.
4. fleetwood mac - the harmonies, the era and some rockin lyrics make this band an icon.
3. jimmy eat world - i have all of their albums and they never cease to amaze. i know they are new. i know these higher spots on the list should be reserved for classic rock bands, because that would be the hipster thing to do, but i am no hipster. don't label me.
2. dave matthews band - their entire catalogue is pretty amazing and got me through my formative years.
1. sigur ros - while i found them later in life, i can honestly say that this music is like a religious experience. i have 13 albums, even bootleg EPs and they are all remarkable. there isn't a song in the bunch that i skip, and that speaks volumes.
10. matchbox twenty - they may not appear on many people's top ten bands of all time, top ten on the 90s maybe. but i grew up in the 90s and they have a spot on mine. so there.
9. u2 - their catalogue and their impact on music cannot be argued with. seriously, don't try.
8. aerosmith - they continue to impress, putting out album after album of good rock music. i do think they peaked in the 90s, but their catalogue is impressive.
7. david crowder band - as the only christian artist i will put in and listen to exclusively, crowder and his tejas homies clearly have a spot in my heart, and on this list.
6. pearl jam - they started a revolution for goodness sakes. or maybe they just piggy-backed the nirvana revolution. i can never remember.
5. ccr - creedence clearwater revival. sick stuff that is just plain fun to listen to. get the lemonade out and enjoy your summer; creedence is here.
4. fleetwood mac - the harmonies, the era and some rockin lyrics make this band an icon.
3. jimmy eat world - i have all of their albums and they never cease to amaze. i know they are new. i know these higher spots on the list should be reserved for classic rock bands, because that would be the hipster thing to do, but i am no hipster. don't label me.
2. dave matthews band - their entire catalogue is pretty amazing and got me through my formative years.
1. sigur ros - while i found them later in life, i can honestly say that this music is like a religious experience. i have 13 albums, even bootleg EPs and they are all remarkable. there isn't a song in the bunch that i skip, and that speaks volumes.
a small detour
after 18 months of searching, we finally got a house. we started our search in the san fernando valley, looking first on the south edge of the valley (woodland hills, tarzana, encino, and west hills), then the north edge of the valley (granada hills, northridge and chatsworth). our search was fruitless and in exasperation my wife finally agreed to try looking on the east edge of simi valley.
after a solid week of looking, we found a great house. it seems as though the good lord wanted us in this area for some reason.
we open escrow this afternoon. we are really excited. i think i will post another list now.
after a solid week of looking, we found a great house. it seems as though the good lord wanted us in this area for some reason.
we open escrow this afternoon. we are really excited. i think i will post another list now.
Friday, March 26, 2010
top ten #2
yesterday i said that there may be another list coming today...and lo! it has arrived.
here are my top ten favorite songs of all time...maybe. this has always been a tough list to nail down, but here goes nothing.
10. ray lamontagne - hannah
9. beth hart - am i the one
8. damien rice - i remember
7. dave matthews band - pay for what you get
6. sigur ros - inni mer syngur vitleysyngur
5. jeff buckley - hallelujah
4. third eye blind - god of wine
3. fleetwood mac - the chain
2. counting crows - colorblind
1. bon iver - skinny love
post your list and we'll see what we get...
here are my top ten favorite songs of all time...maybe. this has always been a tough list to nail down, but here goes nothing.
10. ray lamontagne - hannah
9. beth hart - am i the one
8. damien rice - i remember
7. dave matthews band - pay for what you get
6. sigur ros - inni mer syngur vitleysyngur
5. jeff buckley - hallelujah
4. third eye blind - god of wine
3. fleetwood mac - the chain
2. counting crows - colorblind
1. bon iver - skinny love
post your list and we'll see what we get...
Thursday, March 25, 2010
top ten #1
without realizing what i had done, i took pretty much the whole month of march off. i didn't even really do anything spectacular. my wife and i are waiting to hear if we got a house that we have an offer in on, so that is pretty exciting. but i wasn't on another continent or anything really cool like that.
because the last three weeks of my life were so humdrum, i don't really have any cool stories or rants. last night i was talking with my friend bailey and i told her that i would put a short list together of awesome songs i was listening to right now. we share a love for sigur ros, so we will often share a new song or band with the other.
anyway, i put together a list of my ten favorite songs right now. they are all pretty current (last year or two) and are by no means my favorite songs of all time. maybe that list will come tomorrow.
here we go, from 10 to 1 (plus a bonus number 11 because i couldn't have a list without sigur ros on it):
11. sigur ros - saeglopur
10. madi diaz - love you now
9. the temper trap - sweet disposition
8. local natives - sun hands
7. angus & julia stone - mango tree
6. jesca hoop - love is all we have
5. boy & bear - mexican mavis
4. great lake swimmers - your rocky spine
3. middle east - blood
2. kim talyor - anchor down
1. basia bulat - gold rush
this list is by no means exhaustive and could change within the hour, but will try and leave it alone for a while. you should check these songs and these artists out. many of these peeps could have had several songs on my list, but i tried to give more variety and so i limited them to one song for the list.
enjoy!
because the last three weeks of my life were so humdrum, i don't really have any cool stories or rants. last night i was talking with my friend bailey and i told her that i would put a short list together of awesome songs i was listening to right now. we share a love for sigur ros, so we will often share a new song or band with the other.
anyway, i put together a list of my ten favorite songs right now. they are all pretty current (last year or two) and are by no means my favorite songs of all time. maybe that list will come tomorrow.
here we go, from 10 to 1 (plus a bonus number 11 because i couldn't have a list without sigur ros on it):
11. sigur ros - saeglopur
10. madi diaz - love you now
9. the temper trap - sweet disposition
8. local natives - sun hands
7. angus & julia stone - mango tree
6. jesca hoop - love is all we have
5. boy & bear - mexican mavis
4. great lake swimmers - your rocky spine
3. middle east - blood
2. kim talyor - anchor down
1. basia bulat - gold rush
this list is by no means exhaustive and could change within the hour, but will try and leave it alone for a while. you should check these songs and these artists out. many of these peeps could have had several songs on my list, but i tried to give more variety and so i limited them to one song for the list.
enjoy!
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