Oh, big ol' jet airliner, carry me to my home...

The Thursday Threesome

::The Dentist or Flying?::

Onesome: The Dentist? -- ...a bigger 'scary factor' than than flying? What do you think?

I'm not sure why either would be scary to an adult. The dentist could hurt so that would have to win. Does flying physically hurt? Probably only if you crash and don't die. A person should truly be more scared to get in the car, leave your driveway, and drive to the local store for a quart of milk. The number of people who die in a car accident a very short distance from home is MUCH LARGER than the number of people who die from flying in an airplane.

Twosome: or -- maybe you have coping skills to handle dental visits? Would you care to share any of them?

Last time I was there, quite awhile ago as I don't go for regular visits every year, I had my wisdom teeth yanked out. They gave me nitrous oxide for the pain and I coped VERY well. YAYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!! So I have no coping skills to share... just ask for nitrous!

Threesome: Flying -- has received a really bad rap this year. Deserved? ...or is all sweetness and light now?

The commercial airline industry is essentially overall a tragedy. Anyone who flies from any significant city is brave to deal with the potentially horrendous service from lost baggage to lines at security to tarmac delays long enough to drive someone to want to commit mass murder. It's pathetic and deserved and then some.

On the other hand, flying ain't all that bad within Alaska... which is a country in itself. Small airlines, no lost baggage, no insane delays... when you are delayed by weather, you're not forced to sit in an airplane for hours on end with no answers. And when you fly yourself, like so many in Alaska do, that's just joy compounded. You can come and go at your pleasure. I highly recommend getting your own plane!

Mystery, Bus, & Games With Balls

The Thursday Threesome

::The T-3::

Onesome: The-- best things in life are free? What's your favorite freebie? I'm thinking of some annual event you partake in...

There's an annual event I partake in? I did not know that. Maybe it's something that occurs once a year and when I'm partaking I'm blacked out or under the control of someone so I don't remember? That doesn't seem possible but that statement above, that last one without a question mark, I mean that says there's something I partake in but I just don't know what the heck it is.

Twosome: T---buckets, Model T's, maybe even Thunderbirds? Do you have any ties to classic cars or modified roadsters?

No modified roadsters but I did have a 67 VW bus (see last Sunday's Unconscious Mutterings for 2 pics) which is, I think, now a classic... just wish I still had it. Oh well. Might get another someday, it's often on my mind. I love that split-window look!
Now I have a '73 VW bus, a Westfalia camper, which I don't think is old enough yet to be a classic but gettin' there. Just wish it was near-mint but nope but maybe someday I'll slowly put a few years of work into it to give it a shinier, nicer appearance. It's not rusted out and falling apart but it could be better.

Threesome: 3-- days until Sunday, but the NFL season begins tonight! Who's your team this year? Not a football fan? Post your rant on why not !

Da Bears!

Good to be a Bears fan!

This is now confusing -- yes, I am a football fan, not just an American football fan. Not a fanatic, don't do the fantasy league stuff or collect memorabilia or memorize stats but sure, me likes watching on Sunday and Monday night... but right now it's still BASEBALL season and the Mets are rolling towards post-season play and the World Series.

But I digress -- football:

Celtic F.C.!

Now this is REAL football, at least according to MOST of the ENTIRE world outside of the United States. Why on earth was football renamed soccer? Soccer should be football and American football should be soccer. Talk about things that make no sense. In any case, when I was in Scotland, I kind of adopted Celtic F.C. as my favorite football team. Sucks that the Scottish League isn't on TV here, only the English League but oh well. Got to watch Chelsea lose at Aston Villa earlier this morning.

a constructive title this post will not have

The Thursday Threesome

::Over the Rainbow::

Onesome: "Over-- the Rainbow" Has someone 'Somewhere' done the song better than Judy Garland did in the movie? ...or does she still 'own' it in your opinion?
Judy Garland does it just fine in the movie...
but outside of the movie men are not supposed to listen to Judy Garland.

For a listen, all of these all have done the song just fine and dandy:
Tori Amos, Victoria Williams, Eric Clapton, Willie Nelson,
Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Papa John Creach, David Grisman,
Maceo Parker, Frank Sinatra, Rob Wasserman

Twosome: the-- best all time album in your collection? ...or one you'd like to have? Sure, the Go-Gos count, but hey...
I absolutely hate naming favorites or what's the "best" of anything especially music and movies. There is no best because best is subjective. But for the sake of playing along I'll say U2's The Joshua Tree is a great (non GD-related) album that I own. I don't physically own many albums but The Joshua Tree is a Can't Leave Home Without When Going On A Long Roadtrip CD.


Threesome: Rainbow"?-- As sung by Billy Ray Cyrus? (Yes, on his latest album.) Who has done the best "cover" of a song you like to listen to? You know, better than the original artist...
Any non-Grateful Dead written tune that they've done is better than the original whether it's Dylan or The Beatles. Methinks so. And that, for the most part, carried over to Ratdog and Phil & Friends, as well.

It's Thursday already?!!??!!?!

The Thursday Threesome

::Calculators may not be Used::

Onesome: Calculators-- and such: are you good with numbers? Do you have a calculator built in? ...or does the presence of a second column demand some help from something electronic?
In my head I can't easily multiply 134 x 27 but 125 x 7 is very easily doable. Division? 125 ÷ 7 is easy but 4921 ÷ 394 a lot less so. Pretty much any addition or subtraction is easy. With bigger stuff I'll often use a calculator just 'cause it's sometimes faster. But basically math's not too hard unless it's like square roots and crap then seriously, I don't care.

Twosome: may not be-- where you left them. Hmmm... What have you misplaced lately? You know: the item you are flat positive you left in one spot but somehow mysteriously migrated to another!
My head, I can't find it and it's been about a week and a half now. I took it off for routine maintenance but it's gone. Maybe I'll find it, maybe not.

Threesome: Used-- cars? When you buy, do you buy new? ...or do you go for those with a few thousand miles on them?
I would never buy a new car. Never. Ever. Well, maybe. Most likely not. For the most part, I don't like new cars. No individuality. When you can walk into a full arena parking lot or (God forbid) a mall parking lot, or some similar large parking lot, you know, with lots and lots of cars, if there's a big chance there'll be another make and model in the same color of my car, then that's not a car I want. The only new car I'd buy would be a Porsche or Ferrari but my conscience couldn't really allow me to make such a purchase considering both cars, while GORGEOUS, are ridiculously not needed. No expensive car is needed. I can respect someone's need for reliable transportation but there's no true need to spend on a BMW or a Mercedes or Hummer. That's just a selfish want and consumer excess like that is disgusting. Expensive cars are usually pretty freakin' nice but what's nicer is driving something modest and donating money to charities that work to help ease some of the damn suffering that people face every single day in this world. Driving a shiny new Jaguar helps starving children how?

In any case, I've had the same 1973 VW since 1996 and the same 1995 Ford Bronco since 2000. I probably won't get anything else for years to come and when I do it'll be something from last century, without a doubt.

meme o' the day... or the morning, I guess

I've totally gotta go to sleep but I guess I'll get this done first. Sometimes working odd hours means I don't live the 8 to 5 life so being awake at 3 a.m. sometimes is pretty cool.

The Thursday Threesome

::Going out to Dinner::

Onesome: Going out-- means what? Deal with this and plan that and...? ...or can you just leave and hit it ... where? Hmmm... Where is "out" for you?
Out for food? I don't go out to eat much anymore. I seriously try to avoid it.
A) If I'm gonna go out it most definitely ain't gonna be to some health food place... not that there's anything wrong with joints like that and besides, not many of those actually exist anyway, at least not here in Fairbanks. Going out I'd only wanna feast on stuff that would be somewhat or completely unhealthy... you know, seriously delicious Good Eats... BAMM!! But the thing is I try to give a darn about my health and caring and doing should go hand in hand. It's great to care about your health but if you just care and don't do, well, happy early death!
B) Maybe stoopider than eating unhealthy food is wasting money on something completely not needed. No one truly needs to go out to eat a meal. No excuse on Earth can cover that. Cooking/preparing an acceptable, modest and healthy meal at home will cost significantly less than a meal out unless it's some Egg Mc-freakin-muffin for 99 cents which I wouldn't touch with a billion foot pole. Might be cheap but it's certainly not healthy! My goal in life is not to thoroughly selfishly enjoy myself in as many luxurious ways as possible, like going out to eat. Spending excess money on that which I do not need is not right when that money should be better used to help others who have nothing.

Twosome: "...to-- the dogs?" Is that just a strange expression? ...or do you 'get' it? What's the most curious expression you've heard or you use and others don't 'get'?
Due to contractual obligations between myself and Major League Baseball, I cannot answer this. So kiss my shiny metal ass. What the deuce? Giggity giggity giggity! Don't have a cow, man.

Threesome: Dinner-- bells and chuck wagon triangles: what sound means food to you? Okay, okay, sure, the ice cream truck counts !
I do not believe any sound means food to me. Maybe when my timer goes ding signifying something in the oven's done cookin' and I'm ready to plate it all up. The smell of something freshly cooked is what usually means food to me, not a sound. OHH, but wait, maybe the sound of my .308 Winchester as I fire a round into a caribou... that has never been for fun, just for food. I guess also the sound of the fan in my smoker which means smoked salmon! Mmmmmmm... smooooked saalmon [droooooooool]

meme From The Back Porch...

The Thursday Threesome

::Swimming Pool Pumps::

Onesome: Swimming-- along? Do you swim? Can you swim? Do you like to swim? Do you have a place to swim? I'm drowning in questions here !
No, I don't actively swim but yes I can swim just fine. It's not something I'd say I enjoy but when you jump into water, you really have no choice unless, well, unless maybe you're on something that floats, you're in the Dead Sea, or you drown. I do have a place to swim, several of them, they're called oceans. They are mine so please don't pee in them.

Twosome: Pool--? ...or billiards? Have you played either one? ...or would you like to learn?
Never played billiards... that's with no pockets, right? I'd learn, I suppose, but I don't really have an interest in it.

Threesome: Pump--ing iron: is that in your reps? ...or does the thought of that style of working out just do you in? Inquiring minds and all that...
There's value in lifting weights and I do but only a few times a month and only for an hour or so each time. It helps keep the body healthy which should be important to people. I kinda feel sorry, though, for those guys who are obsessed with weightlifting... there truly are more important things one can do with their time. Hey, Muscles, tryin' to compensate for lack of something else?!??! Yeah, I thought so.

from The Back Porch...

The Thursday Threesome

::Writing your Blog::

Onesome: Writing-- on the web: Do you consider yourself a writer, in that you provide a narrative of some sort? ...or a responder, wherein you primarily work the meme circuit?
Definitely a writer. I can just answer but I'd rather elaborate and even ramble because why limit yourself to a single word or a few words, I mean get some exercise with those fingers, gotta be burning a calorie or two, huh?

Twosome: your-- place: did you do your own design? ...or did you pick out something from the established templates?
Started with a given template... doesn't everyone? Then gave elements to make it unique and I'm sure from time to time I'll continue that just so long as it doesn't get all clogged up like some blogs do. Henry David Thoreau said it best once upon a time: "Our life is frittered away by detail... Simplify, simplify." Okay, so maybe I've gone a bit beyond that but I ain't gonna go much further beyond that. Some people add so much stuff, and that's their choice, but why overwhelm people's senses?

Threesome: Blog-- this! What's your favorite type of thing to run across that you just can't wait to get to the computer to post? Photos count, but for the photobloggers (like Laurie and me), what is it that you just know you won't be able to hold on to for even a day?
Seriously? What blog is so life and death important that something just needs to urgently be typed out and/or posted. If you're ever thinking, "Oh my God, I've gotta get this posted!!!!" well... I just can't understand that mentality. Do you freak out when you miss American Idol?

meme time

The Thursday Threesome from The Back Porch

::Lettuce and tomato::

Onesome: 'Lettuce'-- talk of salads and dressings: Is plain green your thing? ...or do you like 'stuff' mixed in or scattered over the top? ...and how about the dressing: what's leading your list this year?
Grilled chicken salad: Overnight or at least for two or three hours, marinate boneless skinless chicken in lemon juice, olive oil, tablespoon of low sodium soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne and about 4 cloves of minced garlic. Grill, brushing all remaining marinade and minced garlic on each side of chicken. Cover with plastic wrap, set aside to cool to room temperature.
Salad: fresh baby spinach, radicchio, other lettuce, usually iceberg, shredded carrot, thin celery slices, some finely chopped onion, one small roma tomato chopped, slices of cucumber quartered and I think that's it.
Give chicken a nice chop to bite size pieces, dump into salad, add all chicken juice and bits of garlic left on the plate. Mix all around, add some freshly ground black pepper, no salad dressing needed... besides, that would probably just make this healthy meal unhealthy.

Twosome: and-- how about those Mets, -eh? Actually, baseball's doing okay this week, with basketball, football and cycling having the problems. Is there any sports news you'd care to comment on?
Just - Go Mets!!!!!!!
(And hope the Atlanta Braves crash, burn, drop way, way behind!)

Threesome: tomato-- and lettuce: the perfect toppings for that hamburger someone will cook up for you at a Labor Day picnic in another month or so? ...or perhaps you have another set of condiments you like on your meat or tofu?
Cheese, lettuce, onion. That's it!

Meme time...

Another meme, this one is:

The Thursday Threesome from The Back Porch

::I love this Book::

Onesome: I love-- to hear about new music; do you have any new favorites for us this week?
Ummmmmmmmm..... no. I don't listen to much new music. Perhaps I'll venture into some newer stuff, I'd like to, at least a little here, a little there, but really there isn't much reason to since there's an over-abundance of great older stuff just calling out, "HEY, Listen to ME!!!!! Don't Press Play on something new... Listen to ME!!!!!!!"

Twosome: this-- is way past the half way point of Summer; how are vacation and other plans working out for you? Here's hoping you're doing well!
Wait a sec... Summer started on June 21st at 1:06 p.m. NYC time. Okay. That means today at 1:06 p.m. NYC time, summer has been alive and kicking for 28 days and there are 65½ days of summer remaining. The half way point would be about day 47, not until, if my math is all correct with these immensely difficult calculations, not until August 7th. Therefore, we're only at the day 28 point which is significantly less than half of 93½ days.

Okay, anyway... summer doesn't mean vacation for me but I am well, mostly. Could be better if I didn't have this slightly broken leg that's not allowing me to run or hike for the past 5 weeks. Other than that huge problem, no complaints.

Threesome: Book-- query: Whatcha' readin' this week? No, not "The Harry"! Arrgh! ...okay, if that's a big thing, sure.
I haven't read not even a single sentence of Harry Potter and not about to start anytime in the foreseeable lifetime. I just, a few days ago, started a book called Sky As Frontier: Adventure, Aviation, and Empire by David T. Courtwright. It's about some of America's aviation history. Not a bad read so far. Aviation isn't my favorite category of non-fiction... usually I'm reading something related to hiking or mountain climbing or a travel adventure of some kind... but as a pilot this is cool stuff to know and I've got a nice little library of flying books.