Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Can I Get You Something While You Wait?

I thought I might do a post while I am preparing my secret project (and waiting on a few responses and starting to read a whole book on the subject.) The project will post in the next few days for sure but barring any personal life changes (I still look for work, go for walks, talk with Laurie, watch movies and then go to bed) or anything to rant about, I find I don't have anything to post on between now and then. So, as a humble offering in the meantime, I thought a fun little post might be a few recommendations.

- BBC's complete works of Shakespeare DVDs- they probably have these in your library which means you can borrow them for free. If you live in Chico, I know that this is the case. Some of them are the best. I really do believe that this set contains the best film version of Hamlet. Their King Lear is excellent, as is their Twelfth Night, Merry Wives of Windsor, As You Like It, Midsummer Night's Dream, and many others. There are also some that are not so good (I did not like their Macbeth.) But they are wonderful and you should watch them. You should devour them.

-1554- This is a dark ale by New Belgium Brewing Co. This is one of those beers that Laurie hates because she calls them "chewey." I love those. They are dark and chocolatey and they are like a meal. I like the Rogue ales, especially Dead Guy Ale. This is along those lines, but a bit mellower. Also, I used to use Dead Guy Ale in the my chili recipe but I may try this one next time.

-park walks- also if you are in Chico, you have a wonderful resource at your fingertips. You have one of the largest municipal parks in the country. Regardless, now is the very hottest season. I love hiking in this weather. I love walking, sweating, listening to something on my headphones, surrounded by trees, feeling like I can barely make it, being sore, kind of vaguely concerning my loved ones by having to call them and get them to pick me up far from home. Also, how glorious to get home, drink tons of water or citrus juice, bathe, sit down. Step out of your comfort zone! Go hike like a lunatic.

- TAL & Radiolab- If you are not already, you should subscribe to the podcasts for This American Life and Radiolab. You can even listen to Radiolab on my sidebar over there on the right if you are so inclined. They are the best shows on radio today. TAL is stories of normal, modern people. Sometimes tragic, sometimes charming, always beautiful. Radiolab is a show about big ideas and the science that surrounds them.
And if you like them, as they are public radio shows, send them a few bucks here and there to keep their podcasts free.

- Love By The Glass: Tasting Notes from a Marriage by Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher- Laurie got me this as a birthday present and I am enjoying the heck out of it. It is by the wine tasting columnists for the Wall Street Journal. It is part biography, but also a very informative course in wine. It is a wonderful book. Guys, it's not the manliest things to carry around, the cover is beige with two intersecting wine glass stains and the title is in red cursive, but I tell you it is a joy to read. And, if you're anything like me, you've set precedents to the people around you and no one will even bat an eye that you are reading it.

Just a few things rattling around my brain over the past day or so. This was kind of fun. I shall probably do this again.

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