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My day started like any other; laying in bed on my first conference call of the day. Eventually I got up, dressed, fed the gaggle of cats swarming me like a Zerg rush, logged in, checked email, and absolutely delighted in my first cup of coffee.
But eventually, something felt off - different. Something felt...not right. You ever have one of those days where you feel unloved? Or worse, unlovable? Yet nothing else adverse is happening in your life? The perfect day otherwise, but this feeling of indescribable dread? When you can pinpoint why things are off it's sometimes easier than the elusive feeling that you don't have a place in the world.
As I was feeling sorry for myself it dawned on my I hadn't yet partaken in my daily routine of SECOND coffee, and that has made all the difference.
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I don't expect you, dear reader, to commit to memory all my little idiosyncrasies, but suffice it to say, I greatly enjoy the 'diner cup' style of coffee cup. I have a rather impressive collection I do not use from all the U.S. Navy ships I've been aboard, but rarely use them for drink. My most recent is a wonderful 14-ounce sized one emblazoned with U.S.S. Lexington across it from my month long trip photographing museum ships. The one before that is a sadly undersized 12-ounce Death Wish mug I ordered from their online store which I use the most. But before that, hailing back nearly 20-years with an impeccable glaze and logo which still looks brand new, is my favorite coffee cup of all, McDonald Bradley (attached).
There is some disagreement about when/how I actually came into possession of that cup. I believe it was somewhere around the turn of the millennium, given to me directly by Photogoot's (now ex) wife. He believes however, that he gave it to me much later, after having absconded with it in order to smash it at a later date. His recollection of events hold merit over mine because he accurately remembers the discussion surrounding my love of its diner cup shape. But this is immaterial to the present story.
I believe Photogoot has been divorced nearly 20 years now, give or take. So when he came for a visit, and we put him up in the B&B my wife crafted, I removed the coffee cups upstairs and replaced it with that one.
The first time he came downstairs to the kitchen where we were gathered, he gave me a quizzical look and asked, "Did you put my ex-wife's coffee cup next to the coffee maker on purpose?"
I couldn't hide my expression, or the subsequent laughter when I replied I was wondering how long it would take him to notice. Not long apparently. Not long at all.
Something about me was fundamentally wrong today.
I'd easily passed it off at having arisen at god-awful hundred this morning; the dream I was having was so visceral. I was composing magnificent shots with my camera, and editing them brilliantly, in an almost 3D perspective. They were things of beauty. Then I awoke. I was stunned none of it was real, but this reality overtook me slowly, and sadly. I tried to crawl back into the dream by shrugging back under the covers which had loosened around me. It didn't work.
This wakefulness was entirely unjustified. I blamed it on the Perocet I'd taken two hours earlier - blindly, as the pain from my knee startled me awake once again in the middle of the night. Only, I'd stayed up until well after midnight, mindlessly staring at at unblinking phone for a whirlwind of unrelated reasons, some one which undoubtedly led me to my dream; the dream which was stolen away.
I laid in bed as the frustratingly early time-modified dawn crept around me. Eventually, I rose, though I don't remember dressing, and at the appointed time, dialed into work and started going through the motions. Yet something was definitely amiss. At some point I consumed a bowl of cold cereal - an unusual breakfast for me to be sure, but again blamed upon the cruelty of the early morning.
Then later, as I was wandering the kitchen trying to sate an appetite I don't usually have, it dawned on me. All this nihilism, this disregard for normalcy - I'd forgotten to drink coffee this morning.
And that has made all the difference.
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We have a Mennonite grocer here in the bedroom town of Newton, Kansas who sells overstock at greatly reduced prices. That's how I ended up bringing 4 boxes of assorted K-Cup teas and coffee to the beach house for vacation, and subsequently learned about Keurig DRM.
Having never owned a K-Cup device, and my instant-coffee hotpot already going out after I killed my last coffeemaker (possibly due to hard-water deposits despite my best efforts at routine descaling), I was rather impressed with the ability to deftly create and distribute a variety of coffee and tea at a moment's notice - but not Keurig's heavy-handed attempt at institutionalizing my culinary options. Das Kaptial!
One of the better reviews was for the SS-700 (pictured below).
Secondly, I decided to use only filtered water. While our tap water here tastes fantastic, its hard water, and has many of the problems associated with such. So I started reviewing ceramic 3-gallon water dispensers and stands. About halfway through that search I remembered I had one of these in my garage, so set it up adjacent the kitchen! That was a nice bonus.
But best of all? It uses ALL K-Cups. Old, new, licensed, unlicensed. Hello, my name is Eric, and I guess I'm a coffee pirate. Yarr.
Viva la revolución!
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I used to openly mock
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suzanne1945 for being too old to enjoy a pot of real, brewed coffee. But ever since this day if/when I drink a cup, its usually instant.I would now like to openly mock her for being wealthy beyond her limited and feeble imagination, and happy in life despite her obscene wealth.
(All I have to do is sit back and wait now, right?)
I wouldn't say that I "relive" the experience nor confuse it with reality, but I do have very strong associations between instant coffee and my time in Saudi Arabia. I keep expecting a certain amount of time to pass which will nullify this. To date, however, this has not been the case. Its as strong as it ever was.
I was in the unique position to be attached to Her Majesty's Royal Air Force - which came with many perks not seen in the US Armed Services, one of which was an allotment of tea and instant coffee - something I had not had in any quantity before or since, but somehow managed to survive on the 5-months I was in country. Given the stressful mission and circumstances, somehow an association was formed between the two.
I enjoy good, strong coffee and purchase fairly expensive coffee makers. Given my routine, I rarely require instant. On occasion, however, it is unavoidable. And I am always immediately transported back.
Its unnerving as hell, though I have grown accustomed to it.
King of Kings
I purchased my Krups Cafe Il Bistro at Lords & Taylor (Dillard's) in the King of Prussia Mall outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania upon my arrival there in 1997 and its been a good and faithful friend ever since.
It passed away Tuesday morning at 0530.
In lieu of a memorial service, my wife dumped it into the trashcan along with the $40 Original Replacement Carafe I had to order off the internet in 2004.
The Il Bistro would drop only measured amounts of water into the grounds waiting for each pass to complete before sending the next, and with the cone filter, maximize its flavor. I like my coffee very black, and very thick. No other coffee maker I've owned has even come close to this.
I bought the best "el cheapo" I could off the shelf at Wal-Mart that morning. Not a one utilizes a cone filter, but I found a GE which has a 'gourmet' mode - which appears to brew more slowly. I'm still playing with water levels and scoop volumes to get it at least drinkable.
And it can't make expresso.
Rest In Peace little buddy. I'll never forget you.
You woke up this morning
I put my coffee cup directly under the coffee maker this morning to fill my cup. It's stronger that way.
Got yourself a gun
The F-15's were taking off this morning from the Air National Guard side of Saint Louis-Lambert Airport. It makes quite a racket. "Oh those planes making all that noise." I hear. My reply? "I don't mind it one bit. Sounds like...freedom."
Mama always said you'd be...
I'm really disappointed in the quality of recordings I get with my console DVD recorder. Of course this could have been what Tony was referring to when he told me he wasn't pleased with his Magnavox, but who really knows what Tony's ever talking about:
drax0r: I don't like the magnavox
EricHowton: Why not?
drax0r: I just don't.
EricHowton: Does it not work?
drax0r: It works.
EricHowton: So what is it exactly you don't like about it?
drax0r: meh
The Chosen One
Rec'd my data cable today to move my contact list from my old phone to my new one. It's pretty sweet what the suite can do. Apparently, I can also convert mp3's to ringtones. I'll have to play with that one...
Oh NICE! It connected to my old phone and backed up my contact list to the PC, but now will not connect to either my new phone or my old phone. Hence the title of my livejournal account, "Nothing is ever as easy as it sounds." Asses. I fscking hate USB software.
She said: You're one in a million
You've got to burn to shine
( My Dream last night )
But you were born under a bad sign
So, I had this idea, that I could make my own online blog quiz for you guys. Something less gay tha n most of them out there. But so far, all I've been able to come up with, are gay meme's! YOU get to fill in the questions, YOU get to fill in the possible choices, BUT THE ANSWERS MUST ALL BE RANDOMLY GENERATED! I was looking for something with some if/then statements so I could come up with something accurate (kinda like that O/S quiz onximo's page..) Sucks something fierce. I'm just not looking hard enough. Maybe Tony could write me one in perl.
With a blue moon in your eyes!
I put my coffee cup directly under the coffee maker this morning to fill my cup. It's stronger that way.
Got yourself a gun
The F-15's were taking off this morning from the Air National Guard side of Saint Louis-Lambert Airport. It makes quite a racket. "Oh those planes making all that noise." I hear. My reply? "I don't mind it one bit. Sounds like...freedom."
Mama always said you'd be...
I'm really disappointed in the quality of recordings I get with my console DVD recorder. Of course this could have been what Tony was referring to when he told me he wasn't pleased with his Magnavox, but who really knows what Tony's ever talking about:
drax0r: I don't like the magnavox
EricHowton: Why not?
drax0r: I just don't.
EricHowton: Does it not work?
drax0r: It works.
EricHowton: So what is it exactly you don't like about it?
drax0r: meh
The Chosen One
Rec'd my data cable today to move my contact list from my old phone to my new one. It's pretty sweet what the suite can do. Apparently, I can also convert mp3's to ringtones. I'll have to play with that one...
Oh NICE! It connected to my old phone and backed up my contact list to the PC, but now will not connect to either my new phone or my old phone. Hence the title of my livejournal account, "Nothing is ever as easy as it sounds." Asses. I fscking hate USB software.
She said: You're one in a million
"Caprica" will be set more than 50 years prior to the events of "Battlestar Galactica" and focus on the lives of two families -- the Adamas (ancestors of future Galactica commander William) and the Graystones. Humankind's Twelve Colonies are at peace and on the verge of a technological breakthrough: the first Cylon.
You've got to burn to shine
( My Dream last night )
But you were born under a bad sign
So, I had this idea, that I could make my own online blog quiz for you guys. Something less gay tha n most of them out there. But so far, all I've been able to come up with, are gay meme's! YOU get to fill in the questions, YOU get to fill in the possible choices, BUT THE ANSWERS MUST ALL BE RANDOMLY GENERATED! I was looking for something with some if/then statements so I could come up with something accurate (kinda like that O/S quiz on
ximo's page..) Sucks something fierce. I'm just not looking hard enough. Maybe Tony could write me one in perl.With a blue moon in your eyes!
Installed a surround sound system in my house...for $57. That was the price of the Logitech X-530 5.1 system at Sam's. Everywhere else they're $75. It came with it's own stereo mini-male to RCA converter, so I took back the $10 worth of parts I picked up at Radio Shack in anticipation of this project. The wife was moaning the entire time, "Why do we have to do this?" And, "I like how it sounds just coming out of the TV." Then I put on The Soprano's and her face lit up and she began nodding at the theme songs pounding out the subwoofer. She likes the new system. Saved some bucks too, doing it this way.
In updating my iTunes database to include the newest Power Rangers: Mystic Force, I ran across the submission by the original composer, Aaron Waters. I played it for my six-year-old, who much prefers it over the rap-song (yo!) the producers chose. Funny, I wonder if they asked any six-year-old's before making their decision. I doubt it.
Replaced my grill. Same make and model as the one I left in Texas. Assembled my second grill in as many years. Tiring. I hate buying things twice. I'll send Dad a Father's Day card letting him know he can keep my old one. He's going to LOVE that.
Unpacked the Krups, cleaned it, and immediately made a demi-tasse of expresso. It's been oh, so long. It was fantastic!
Completed Season One of The Sopranos. Not bad. I've never seen Scarface. I loved Godfather III. Been listening to the soundtrack a lot. The Sinatra and the Main Title mostly. Good stuff.
Currently downloading DVD cover art for my blank cases, as the wife found a Magnavox console DVD recorder for under $100 and I have just under two dozen movies on Tivo awaiting a home. Got a 50-pack of the slim cases at Sam's for something like, 12 bucks, so am having to photoshop the spine to get the title to fit. So far so good. Tony's had issues with his Magnavox, so I'm going to burn off these movies pretty quick hoping if it goes tango-uniform it does so during the first 30-days of use. Other than that, this will make a nice little addition to my collection.
Was sitting here listening to the V for Vendetta score. Pretty good stuff. I've decided I'll wait for it to come out on PPV, Tivo it, then burn it to DVD. Better than the theater!
In updating my iTunes database to include the newest Power Rangers: Mystic Force, I ran across the submission by the original composer, Aaron Waters. I played it for my six-year-old, who much prefers it over the rap-song (yo!) the producers chose. Funny, I wonder if they asked any six-year-old's before making their decision. I doubt it.
Replaced my grill. Same make and model as the one I left in Texas. Assembled my second grill in as many years. Tiring. I hate buying things twice. I'll send Dad a Father's Day card letting him know he can keep my old one. He's going to LOVE that.
Unpacked the Krups, cleaned it, and immediately made a demi-tasse of expresso. It's been oh, so long. It was fantastic!
Completed Season One of The Sopranos. Not bad. I've never seen Scarface. I loved Godfather III. Been listening to the soundtrack a lot. The Sinatra and the Main Title mostly. Good stuff.
Currently downloading DVD cover art for my blank cases, as the wife found a Magnavox console DVD recorder for under $100 and I have just under two dozen movies on Tivo awaiting a home. Got a 50-pack of the slim cases at Sam's for something like, 12 bucks, so am having to photoshop the spine to get the title to fit. So far so good. Tony's had issues with his Magnavox, so I'm going to burn off these movies pretty quick hoping if it goes tango-uniform it does so during the first 30-days of use. Other than that, this will make a nice little addition to my collection.
Was sitting here listening to the V for Vendetta score. Pretty good stuff. I've decided I'll wait for it to come out on PPV, Tivo it, then burn it to DVD. Better than the theater!
