Saturday, February 27, 2010

Commitment....




Commitment ....




What is it?




Do you have it?



It is the end of February and the 2010 Winter Olympics are ending. It has been a marvelous display of athletic achievement at all levels. Favorites have won—favorites have lost. Why?



Good question. We have seen athletes of great talent perform well on the world stage. We have seen some with far less talent kick butt & take the gold. Why?




Think about your own successes or disappointments. Why did you run your own PR marathon or why did you crash? How about your personal life? Why did you marry……and stay married? Why did you divorce? Did it fail…or was it avoidable?




We set goals…we dream. The difference between a dream and success is…..well….commitment. It is relatively easy to set a goal. We imagine ourselves running an effortless 26.2 road race or riding a seamless 100 mile road race.




In life we dream of meeting the perfect mate and living a perfect life together. Yet in reality our own imperfections run into each other and we must deal with out differences. We look at our own expectations & needs and then decide if we can adapt and accept the sum total of our mate. What glue exists to help us grow old together?



The task of preparing for a 26.2 mile road race is daunting. The task of two living a life as one is daunting. What holds is all together?




Commitment.



When we begin our assault on the 26.2 distance we set a plan that takes weeks of training and dedication to miles upon miles of effort and…….commitment. We give up so much in order to attain our lofty goal. We invite family & friends to watch as we sacrifice so much to prepare to run so far. Yet are we so selfish & self absorbed to isolate ourselves in those hours upon hours of insular training?



The process of courtship should allow us to vet those who don’t quite measure up. So many enter the corral of possibility….only to be tossed to the curb of reality as we narrow the field of suitable candidates. We hope to wallow thru lust as we paddle our way to enduring love.




Training is the process through which we patch the pieces of our plan together on a daily basis. The race is the table where we dine or barf on the results.




Commitment is the stuff that cements the miles of our life together. We look beyond our shortcomings and frailties to the commitment of our spirit to endure through the endless miles and potholes of every day life.




Our lifelong success is the sum total of our commitments to ourselves and each other.



Our race is run on a daily basis.


Without commitment there is…….
nothing.

Saturday, February 13, 2010



The Queen of Bloody Marys


What to serve your Valentine tomorrow morning???


Our friends at Garden & Gun- www.gardenandgun.com suggested:

To find the queen of them all we narrowed in on New Orleans, of course, and followed our noses straight to Cochon. There executive chef and owner Donald Link makes a Bloody Mary that will make you practically rise from your seat in joy. The secret lies in some unmistakably Southern ingredients including authentic pork jus* and a heavy splash of pickled okra brine. But don’t take our word for it. Whip up one yourself.

* If you don’t happen to be the chef of one of the most famous pork restaurants in America, you can substitute beef broth for the pork jus.

Cochon Bloody Mary(yields 10–12 servings)
1 can V8 (46 oz.)2 tbsp. finely ground black pepper
2 tbsp. whole grain mustard
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1.5 oz. pork jus
1.5 oz. lime juice
2.5 oz. lemon juice
3.5 oz. hot sauce (preferably Crystal brand)
2 oz. green hot sauce
1.5 oz. red wine vinegar
1 oz. olive juice
1.5 oz. okra juice (the brine from a jar of pickled okra)vodka of choice


Mix it up: Combine everything in a pitcher—except vodka—and stir.
To serve: Fill glass with ice. Add about 2 ounces of vodka. Fill with Bloody Mary mixture. Stir, garnish with pickled okra and a stalk of celery, and serve.


Enjoy.....this Bloody Mary-----Makes Dust......


:).......Bubba