Go Canada Go!! What a great couple of days for us in freestyle skiing. First Jenn Heil winning the silver, and then Alexandre Bilodeau winning the gold. Of course up here in the great white north we’re known for our hockey prowess, but if we now become famous for moguls too, I’ll take it!! I can’t think of any other sport that lasts a mere 20+ seconds, and packs a fucking wallop, a shitload of on pins and needles excitement in determining its winner!! Such a nerve-wracking fucking blast!!

Golden Glory – Alexandre Bilodeau

Sweet Silver – Jenn Heil

Motherfucking love this one too!! Like I said … c’est la vie!!

Hey, that’s just the way it is … fair or unfair has nothing to do with it!! That’s life … c’est la vie!!

You don’t understand who they
Thought I was supposed to be

Down in a hole and I don’t know if I can be saved

Down in a hole and they’ve put all
The stones in their place
I’ve eaten the sun so my tongue
Has been burned of the taste
I have been guilty
Of kicking myself in the teeth
I will speak no more
Of my feelings beneath

I own quite a collection of high quality cookware and bakeware. Names that are quickly recognizable to people in the know, kitchen enthusiasts, people who love to cook, skills notwithstanding … Le Creuset, Staub, and Emile Henry to name a few. But, every now and then … quite frequently actually, I love digging out and using my Corningware … it’s unpretentious, inexpensive, and best of all highly competent!! It gets the motherfucking job done without any fucking fanfare or fuss!! I love it … love things like this that aren’t the end all and be all of being a chef!! Gotta give credit where credit is due … thanks Corningware!!

It’s times like these you learn to live again
It’s times like these you give and give again
It’s times like these you learn to love again
It’s times like these time and time again

I am a new day rising

I’m a brand new sky
To hang the stars upon tonight
I am a little divided
Do I stay or run away
And leave it all behind?

Tomorrow I’ll start making my chili. In the past I’ve made many varieties, but generally try to stick to my original recipe and not stray too far from it. Oh, and I don’t give a fuck about traditionalists and their bullshit. Fuck em. For instance, I’ve heard that in chili cooking competitions beans are banned … fucking forbidden!! Not in mine!! I throw in black beans, red kidney beans, and tons of both!! Also, while it’s not a secret ingredient, it’s not as if it makes the chili, I throw in a can of hominy … this exact brand too. Now, I’m sure my Yankee friends know about this product all too well, especially in the south western states, but here in Canada? Fat chance!! I’d bet dollars to doughnuts no other Fucken-Canuck even knows what it is, let alone uses it.

To do something different for this version, I went to my local supermarket, had my butcher cut and prepare a beautiful 5 lb. prime rib roast. Then I told him to mince it!! Cut the ribs out, and chuck it into the fucking grinder, I said. He was dumbfounded … fucking flabbergasted!! He was resistant and reluctant to do so. He couldn’t understand why I would spend all that money, and do this. I told him that’s just how I motherfucking roll … unlike the rest of you dumbfucks, I march to the beat of a different drummer!! That’s what makes me who I am and I wouldn’t have it any other way!! Also, I always put beer in my chili … surprised? Usually what I have on hand will suffice, and I always have some on hand. But, this time I wanted to make it extra special since this rib roast gave its usual dignified place on a platter, surrounded by roasted potatoes and carrots to be my chili ingredient extraordinaire that I went and bought an exceptional beer worthy of a match, a perfect fit and compliment. Guesses, anyone? I chose the Black Stuff … Guinness motherfuckers!! Deeply coloured and richly flavoured!!

And for this Sunday, that’s a winning combination!!

I’ve been doing a lot of this lately!! Did you get the groovy reference? Oh, and to all of you youngsters … that means a record player!! Not that even that means anything to you. And that’s a shame actually. Let me explain, I have quite a sweet stereo system and consider myself an audiophile … and if you’ve never heard the snap and crackle of the needle on a spinning record, with its warmth and fullness emitted from the speakers(on a pure 2 channel system), well I pity you and what you are missing. Nothing compares to its quality  … nothing!! And I know being raised on iPods, MP3’s and all the digital shit out there, it’s hard to relate, or understand!! Fuck, even I get caught up in the convenience of iTunes/iPods, and their shuffle, and the randomness and variety that this offers. But, every now in then, every once in awhile, I dig out the vinyl … and I have a great selection, even though it’s limited because I haven’t added to it since the ’80s. Also, there’s a reason that musicians created their work this way, and in many times, it’s really, really meant to be listened to as a whole, as if it’s telling a story … cuz it is!! Ever hear of rock opera motherfuckers? That’s why they called it album rock on the FM radio stations way back when!! It sure feels good working, creating in my kitchen and listening to an album side. It sure feels good getting back to things that were good!!

Pink, nice manly manly colour pick, eh? Here I am … Best man at my best friend’s wedding!! Sorry my old friends, wasn’t sure if it was kosher or not publishing your pics, so I didn’t. But man motherfuckers … did we look good!!

Another oldie, but a goodie!!

Hell!! You know what? Could even be 1980.

I’ve been crawling on my belly

I wanna feel the metamorphosis

Change is coming

Now is my time

Pissing, laughing … fucking cracking up, at that dickwad douche-bag Gomer in Pink Floyd’s ‘Nobody Home’!!

BTW … great song … great, great, motherfucking song!!

I’ve got wild staring eyes

Lately parts of the U.S. have become overwhelmed with terrible winter weather. Weather, that perhaps residents aren’t accustomed to. Every day, in the morning, and in the evening as well, on the shows I watch … on my American broadcasts, I see people using a ten inch … maybe at best, a ruler sized implement/scraper struggling frantically to remove ice from their windshields!! This hardly provides the force needed to work effectively … not enough torque. Now, I realized these areas of the country normally aren’t hard hit in this type of weather … but still … don’t you want the best tool for the job? Even here, in Canada, we aren’t inundated continually with harsh winter conditions. And I still know to have the best scraper at my ready. I use a telescoping one with a brush for clearing snow that extends so I don’t have to. It also comes with a squeegee for my cleaning my windshield that ends up mucky and salty during the winter … something similar to this version. Now, that’s an ice scraper(said in my attempted Crocodile Dundee voice)!!

When I’m a good dog they sometimes throw me a bone in

Got amazing powers of observation

And that is how I know

When I try to get through

On the telephone to you

There’ll be nobody home

When it rains, it pours!! Everything is coming to a head lately!! God didn’t make enough hours in the day for me to deal with all this shit … but I will try!!

When your own world comes undone,
Let me be the one to say:
(If God is looking down on me)

“I’m not Jesus,
You can’t run away!”

Do you remember me?

I will not forgive.
I won’t be whatever you wanted.
I will not forgive.
I won’t be whatever you wanted.

When your world comes crashing down,
I want to be there
(If God is looking down on me)

I’m not Jesus,
Jesus wasn’t there

You confess it all away,
But it don’t mean shit to me!
(If God is looking down on me)

I’m not Jesus,
I will not,
I’m not Jesus,
I will not forgive!

Oh, I will not forgive, yeah yeah!
No, I will not forgive!

It’s been a mild January, and I got it into my head to barbecue with my homemade hibachi again. It’s still a little project of mine, and I appear to be obsessed with perfecting it. I went to Costco, because I knew that they would have what I wanted (chicken wings) and at a good price. Then I went regular grocery store shopping for the remaining items, which included sweet potatoes (that I peeled, and hand-cut into french fries) and Danish Blue cheese for my dip along with a baguette and a few other things too. Now, while the temperature was agreeable, the day was really drizzly. It really wasn’t conducive for barbecuing. Fuck in the summer, I would never consider it if it was raining, or even with a possibility of rain for that matter, just because I have so many glorious, sunny days available. But, there I was in the backyard, crouching over my smoky hibachi, umbrella in one hand, tongs in the other. I kept wondering what my neighbours would be thinking if they saw me … hell, maybe a few even did. My guess is either danistrulytheman sure is devotedly passionate about grilling, or danistrulytheman is a fucking mental case!! Somehow, I suspect the latter.

Sitting here on a Sunday morning, sipping my coffee, relaxing, listening to my newly purchased, moments ago downloaded, Hope for Haiti Now from iTunes!! Couldn’t think of a better way to spend my morning!!

BTW, the benefit show was fucking awesome!! And I hope people continue to do all they can, and continue to donate!! Peace!!

Certainly not one of my strengths. Not a virtue I’m naturally blessed with I feel … well, certainly at times at least. When God was handing out humbleness, I must have lost my place in line … so I strayed, I ventured, that’s always been me … who I am!! But I try, and I know people in my life help me!! I wanted to blog about so many people, friends, acquaintances, but I knew this post would turn into a short story, so I decided no to got that route. But, I will mention them in the future, one at a time, fingers crossed … hopefully!!

There are places I remember

In my life I\’ve loved you more

All these places have their moments

With lovers and friends I still can recall

Some are dead and some are living

Though I know I’ll never ever lose affection

For people and things that went before

I know I’ll often stop and think about them