How to pick the right guy for your Daughter.

This post is for all the Dads out there that are active participants in their Daughter's life.  The title may seem a little misleading but after you read this you will see the total truth of it.  So, in a free nation, how can you decide who is going to be the right guy to be with your Daughter?  Well, it's a little give and take, but you're not really picking the guy, you are influencing your daughter to make a better choice for herself.  That may seem a little vague so I'll explain it a little further.

My life experience has been that women that have an active male figure in their life, whether good or bad use that person when seeking out a partner.  If she has a good relationship with her father/male figure then more than likely she will base her decision of partner against him.  If that partner measures up or has similar properties, then there is a greater chance that she will pursue that partner.  This isn't ALWAYS the case, and I want to make it clear this isn't an *end-all* guide to make your Daughter marry Prince Charming.  

Here's a little food for thought.  Let's say that you are a pretty good Dad. You eat together, play at the park a few times a year, and watch TV together.  You probably have a good bond with your Daughter.  Now, drop the idea of having a "man-card" and try to find out something that truly interests her.  Mine like cooking and crafts.  If you can swallow your man-pride long enough to learn a few crafts that you can sit with her and talk about while doing them, you just increased your bond even further.  She will more than likely see that the guy who was already Superman in her eyes, drop his shield and go the extra step to be involved with her.  I have taken on many different crafting styles and will involve my girls when I can.  And if they say something out in public I don't cower down because it's something "girly".  I can stand by her and take pride in the fact that she's proud of what I've done.  If they ever ask why I do things that other men can't or won't do, I plan on telling them this: "Men can Bar-B-Que, work on cars, fix things around the house, mow the yard and work in the garden.  REAL men can do anything.".  Anytime I can do something that will make my girls want to tell the world, I know I am doing my job and making them proud, and that gives me the greatest feeling in the world.

Learning how to sew, crochet, or even cook so you can pass that along to your own girls isn't cashing in your *Man-Card*.  Your just ensuring that the guy who wants her later has an *Upgraded Man-Card* that compares to yours.  And that Sir, is how you pick the right guy for your Daughter.Don't tell her who to pick, set the bar so high that only the right ones can meet her expectations.

What to take away from this:

Don't be ashamed to learn something new.  Moms aren't the only ones who can teach their girls.  Teaching should be a dual-parent responsibility.  This won't apply to everyone, but it should apply to the majority, take it for what it's worth.

And as always be sure to do something for someone other than yourself.  Pay It Forward.

Save Some Money ($25) on Your Wireless Bill

Okay.  I've been searching each and every major phone carrier trying to see which one is not out to completely rob me blind.  I had narrowed down my choice to a single carrier based on service in my area, plan services/features, and cost.  Without naming any names, I almost went with a company that has a large "T" in their name, and they deal with most "mobile" devices.  Unlimited talk, text and 4G web with hotspot (even though the speed gets throttled down after certain usage based on your plan) was pretty fairly priced for a family plan.  I went through their site, picked some modest smartphones that were on sale, chose my plan options, and was ready to checkout.  While trying to complete the checkout process, they required a hefty deposit to start service.  I could secure phone service for several months just for what they wanted for a deposit.  So back to square one.

I was watching one of my favorite YouTube personalities who had in fact had their show sponsored by an online service that appeared to offer very affordable wireless service.  I wanted to check into it because I never heard of them before, but had a preconceived notion that I wouldn't try it because they weren't a major carrier and didn't want the headache.  Come to find out that they use one of the major carriers services.  Then comes the part where I had already dealt with that carrier before and didn't like them, but I tried to keep an open mind.

Here's a photo of how the plans work, and I'll explain more below:

As you can see, the left hand side breaks it down into Minutes, Texts, and Data.  The different levels are across the top and the prices line up under what you selected.  So this plan shows 500 mins. ($9) + 100 texts ($3) and 500 Mb ($13) which as you can see comes up to $31+ surcharges ($32.50 altogether in NC).  The first thing that came to mind is what if I go over my choice, do I have to pay per unit thereafter, does my service stop, or is there an overage fee of some sort.  After further investigation, they just move whatever section you went over in to the next level up for that month and then make up the difference.  On the other hand if you didn't use enough in one area to meet the level you chose, they would move you down a level and credit your account.

For example, this picture shows 500 minutes picked for the current month. if I used 600 minutes, they would move just my minutes up to the 1000 minute level for that month and charge the difference.  If I had only used 90 minutes though, they would have dropped me down to the 100 minute level and issue a credit towards they next month.  Each section works the same way.  

You can also set alerts for yourself, so that when you get close to one of the thresholds, you are prepared for the extra charges for going over, OR, you can set the service to stop that feature altogether to control your costs.  You do get control of that, which was another selling point for me.

So, I liked how each section was separated from the others and not bundled.  I also think the way they handle the overages and under-usage costs/credits.  And being able to go online and check your dashboard in nearly real time to see where you stand for the month was a plus.  The selling point for me though was the cost of the first month.  

You can purchase new and used phones directly on the site, and for the most part they are reasonable.  There were only 2 or 3 phones that are considered "top-end" that I felt were a little pricey, but maybe that's just my broke viewpoint.  You can use a phone that you already have as long as it is a Sprint phone.  You can't use Boost, or any of the PTT (Push To Talk) phones.  If you aren't sure you can enter the phone ESN/MEID numbers on the site and it will let you know.

I already had an old Nexus S 4G so I gave it a go.  Worst case scenario is I get to use a phone for a month and it costs me a little over $30.  Or so I thought.  It took about 15-20 minutes to enter my information and get things going. (The Nexus S 4G and the Galaxy Nexus both require a few extra programming steps on your side, but they give you a step by step walk-through that ANYONE can follow.  You do need the MSL number which is emailed to you after you confirm activation.)  So I followed through, and saw there is no activation fee, and since I used the link from the YouTube personality, I reduced my first bill an additional $25.  So my first bill was $6 and change, since I already had a phone.  It is a prepaid service, but for $6, I'll give it a fair try.  

One thing to note about the link that I used to save the $25.  It isn't just for service credit.  It also can be used for device purchase too.  So it can be used to purchase a phone, a mobile hotspot, or applied to your service plan.

Since I mentioned the mobile hotspot above, if you use a smartphone with a mobile hotspot feature, there is NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE to use it with this service. But it does count towards you data usage.  Most carriers offer this feature for about $15-$45 last time I checked, and that's in addition to your data charges.

I've been tinkering with the new service for a few hours as of this post and it is working just fine.  I'll try to do a follow up around the end of April (2013) and disclose anything I missed, liked, or didn't like.

If you're in the process of looking for service and want to give this a try, I can pass the same $25 discount on to you to use towards your service or purchase.  I was glad to get a discount, and I figure other people might as well.  

$25 Discount Towards Service or Purchase.

I honestly feel that I may have found a decent service.  I hope that someone else out there traveling the "Interwebs" can find the same sense of use.  If anyone else out there tries this or currently has this please let us know below.  If you used this and didn't like it, please make it known below and why you didn't like it.  I'm always open to other peoples point of view.

As always, remember to do something for someone other than yourself and, Pay It Forward.

How to Install Adobe Flash Player on your Android 4.1 Devices

So.  You got that brand new tablet for Christmas.  You were running Android 4.0, and you recently just got an update to 4.1.1.  The world is looking up for you...THEN...you have to do a factory reset.  What happened to being able to watch videos in the browser window?  Where's my Flash Player?  What do I do?!?!?!

Have no fear.  All may not be lost yet.  In the updated version of Android 4.1+, I have read that they no longer include Flash Player.  And, if you some how found a link that would open Flash player in the Play Store, you probably saw a nice little note where the Install button should be stating, "This App is not compatible with your device.", or something along those lines.  It may still be possible to install Flash Player directly from Adobe's website, and it only takes a few minutes (Really.  Look at the screenshots.  They start at 11:18 and end at 11:22, and that's counting the extra part at the end about how to switch over to desktop browsing).  There is no risk involved and you don't even have to be technically inclined.  C'mon!  Let's do this.  I do have a video showing the entire process which I'll include below.  If you want to prep yourself, read the article then follow along with the video, or vice-versa.  Whatever works better for you.  Good luck!

The link used in the video and the picture below is:Adobe Flash Player Archive

Step 1.

You need to open your settings.  I have an icon on my homescreen, but it can also be opened by clicking the time and then settings at the bottom right corner, or by clicking the App Drawer (the dots/squares) and choosing settings from there.

Step 2.

Once you've opened your settings, scroll down the left hand side and choose "Security".  Look for the "Device Administration" area on the right.  There will be a block area that reads, "Unknown Sources".  Make sure the checkbox to the right of that is checked.  All this does is allow you to install an app that isn't from the marketplace.  This is usually only risky if you are NOT downloading directly from a reliable source. The app you will be installing is directly from the companies website, not a 3rd party location.  It's safe.

Step 3.

 The next thing you need to do is open your browser.  I used the stock browser because I know that everyone has that one.  Go to Google and search for, "Adobe Flash Player Archive" and find the link that matches the picture above. It will bring you to the page below, just scroll down until you find the sections that I have noted in the picture.

Step 4.

Depending on your operating system choose the appropriate link.  For Android 2.x and 3.x users click the first link under that section.  For Android 4.x users, click the first link under your section.  A small black box will appear at the bottom of your screen that reads, "Starting Download...".  A few second/minutes will pass depending upon your internet speed.  A small arrow will appear beside your time when it is done downloading.

Step 5.

Click the area near your time/the little arrow and a box will appear that is similar to the one above.  Click on the section that looks like the one highlighted above.  From there you will be presented with an installation screen like most other apps.  Just click on the "Install" and the "Done" buttons as the are presented to you and POOF! you magically have Flash Player back on your device.

As an extra side tip, most mobile devices are automatically directed to mobile sites.  When you have a fairly large 10 inch tablet, you can normally handle the same display as a desktop machine, which tends to be better quality.  It is also very handy when watching video sites.  For those of you over 18, it will also stop directing you to verify your age with a credit card at adult video sites because it looks like you are viewing from a desktop and not a mobile device.  This can be done simply by opening your browser and clicking on the settings area (the 3 dots/dashes) at the top right.  A dropdown box will appear, just click on the  "Request Desktop Site" option and refresh the page.  If for any reason you need to access the mobile version of a website, repeat the same steps to return to mobile browsing.

These screenshots, video, and complete process were done using a Toshiba Excite 10.  At the time of this article this process works and has been known to work on many other devices.  Just keep in mind that it MAY NOT work on yours.  Some steps may be a little different, but most people will understand what they need to do differently.

I hope this helps someone out.  

Remember, you're not the only person on the planet.  Do something nice for someone other than yourself.  Pay It Forward.

My Little Frog

The picture above is of an ultrasound of our baby at about 7 weeks.  While we, my wife and I, were watching the screen we both thought the same thing.  The baby's shape looked like a sitting frog.  Therefore we nick-named the baby, "Frog".  I couldn't wait to scan the picture into the computer and trace it out and share it with others to show my new bundle of joy off to my friends and family.  And for anyone that thinks the other little spot is ANOTHER baby, it's not.  It's the yolk sack, we double checked.

Like with our other children together, we started planning out how things would change, and so forth.  We would spend a few extra minutes in the baby section when we were getting clothes or diapers for our other little ones, and think about whether it would be a boy or girl, and what kind of outfits we wanted to get.  Bringing a life into this world seems to have an effect on the mind that makes some people constantly visualize the future with an imaginary child sitting in the buggy instead of a bump on your wife's/girlfriend's belly.

Sad to say, we lost our little Frog 12/30/2012.  That was the first time I had seen an ultrasound and no movement or anything.  My world dropped off in that very moment.  What seemed to make it worse for both my wife an I, was the doctor sent her home, and made her get a second ultrasound the next day, and then proceeded to remove the lifeless child from her.  The day was New Year's Eve.  It seemed like everyone that day could only say, "Sorry for your loss, Happy New Year."  For that very reason I will disable comments on this post.  I'm not posting this for any sympathy or feedback.  I mentioned in an earlier post that this is the start of something that I intend to pass on to my other children to give them a little more insight into some of the things that they may not understand now.  This isn't our first child that we lost.  This was my second and her third loss.  We have our ways of dealing with it and aren't looking for any outside help.

I look at it from a natural point of view.  I have raised and even hatched my own chicks before.  I have seen eggs fully mature as expected and then a few days before they should start pipping (breaking from the shell) a blood-ring appears, meaning that the chick died.  If it was close enough to have a somewhat formed chick in the egg, I would open it to see what happened.  The most common occurrence I saw was a malformed chick, which wouldn't have survived long if it had hatched on schedule.  With that in mind, I can look back and find some peace knowing that the child didn't have to suffer, and that we wouldn't have to watch it suffer and then have to mourn even longer for a child that we have actually held and started the entire bonding process.  That may seem somewhat selfish, but it's the truth.  All in all, I don't want any living thing to suffer, and I wish everything was always perfect, but it's not.  That's just how it is.  I don't have to like it, but I can accept it.

I know a lot of my posts have been, from what I recall just sitting here, upbeat, positive, or just plain food oriented.  This may be a sad time in my life, but I will carry on.  So, I want to end this in a positive way.

Things in life don't always turn out how you want them.  That doesn't mean everything stops.  It might slow you down, or even stop you cold in your tracks for a moment, but you still have to pick up and drive on.  Handle each and every obstacle fully and move on.  Don't let it make you a cold and heartless person either. Everyone goes through down times.  Some people even feel at times that it will never end, but it will.  The only thing I have ever found that will keep a person down is themselves.  For every excuse you make to not be happy, is a lost opportunity to find a way to move on and be happier.

I hope that this finds the right person and lifts their spirits enough to keep on trying.  Don't give up.

One of the best way to feel better about yourself, and help someone else, might just be doing something good for someone other than yourself.  Pay it Forward.

Another Year in the Books

Today, technically yesterday because I haven't been to bed yet, I celebrated my 32nd birthday. What better time to reflect on your life than when your celebrating it, right?

First off, I want to make mention of the people that are no longer with us. I won't make a list or mention names, because there are probably some that I would forget unintentionally. There are quite a few people I have met over the years and even shared part of my growing up with that are no longer here. I don't just mean family, but friends and acquaintances that I feel have passed before there time. Whether they were good or bad people, they still had some impact on my life, and most of them shall be missed.

Next, I will move on to the people that aren't here yet. Huh? Well, person, more so than people. I'm sure there are more people that I will meet through the rest of my time here, but there is only one that I am waiting for right now. I'm about 9 weeks into being a Daddy again. I'm so excited. I can't wait to meet him/her.

I was spending some time with my wife tonight when my best friend called to wish me a happy birthday. We usually talk for lengths of time and ply catch up on what's been going on in our lives. There's usually a portion of our conversations dedicated to reflecting on the past. Mostly about drunken escapades and basic tomfoolery while growing being young and free. I've been told that people would probably pay to listen to us talk because it would be so funny at times while remaining witty and intelligent. A majority of our talks end up being philosophical at times as we analyse our past and think about the future. I find it very therapeutic to have someone on the same wavelength that doesn't take offense to the truth, which I hope is given in return. I tend to drift off in thought about how things were just mere years ago, and how much has changed. How much I have changed myself. I was barely driving and helping babysit my little cousins when I swore I would never have kids of my own. Now I have a growing family of 7 (in July 2013). I think of past careers and compare myself to teenagers I see working today. I recall every stupid thing I can remember and just take a moment to rejoice that I made it 32 years, and that I learned my lessons thoroughly enough to make it even further. I look back at anything good that I have done or tried to do, and smile knowing that I tried to make things a little better where I could. I try to hold on to the inspirations I see in so many ways, like the entire reason I started this blog. I read a blog entry about "Baby Avery" whose parents documented her time on Earth in a blog which they still run and update even after their child's passing due to SMA. It reached out to me and inspired me to do something. I don't really know how helpful this is to anyone, unless they are using the few recipes I put on here, but it makes me happy and content, so I will continue doing it. If anything, whoever reads my entries to the end will always see the phrase, "Pay it Forward". I know I didn't create the phrase, but it is something I believe in and wish to pass on and maybe inspire someone else to do some good.

Now, on to the future. To be completely honest, no one knows what the future holds in store for us. I know I have sat here and written a little bit about my past and present. I had full intention of writing about my future. But the fact remains that dwelling on the past and hoping on the future only does one thing. It takes you focus off now. I'm not saying to forget everything you've ever done. I'm not saying that it's wrong to dream. Know where you came from and focus on what you're doing, and you'll end up where you're supposed to be. Learn from your mistakes and dream big. Keep your mind on what's going on right now because that's all you really have is right now. One second at a time. Grasp it. Cherish it. Own it.

And while you taking control of your own destiny, do something good for someone else along the way. Pay It Forward.

Taking a Break...Kind of

I have been trying to write on here as much as possible in my spare time.  Here recently I haven't been writing very much.  It's not because I have lost interest.  I still remember my first post on here and my incentive that drove me to do so.  I have taken interest in writing elsewhere though.

I have always had the dream of publishing my own work.  I had researched some options for doing that several months back.  I could try to contact a publisher in person, edit my book countless times, spend up to a year in the process, and still risk the publisher not using my story.  But the money could possibly be better. Like most people, I felt a more reasonable time frame would be towards my liking.  I found a few reputable publishing companies online.  Here's where the differences weigh in and you have to decide what you are really looking for.  Do you want to make a real book, or an e-book?  Do you use their free ISBN number and have them as your publisher, pay a small fee and get a little more freedom as to where you can sell your book, or do you buy your own ISBN numbers and have total freedom of it, but pay more up front?  Do you want your book available in brick-and-mortar stores, online only, in schools and libraries, or all?  I always thought that people just wrote a story, sent it in to a publisher and if it was good enough, turned into a book and sold.  Boy was I wrong.

After weighing in as many options as I could, I found a company that seemed to suit my *wants* a little better than some of the others.  With the acceptance of e-books today being used on smartphones, tablets, and e-readers, I wanted to primarily use an e-book format.  And for others that prefer to have a tangible item, I wanted the option to have printed books as well.  I also don't have the extra money to purchase an ISBN much less a block of ISBN numbers, so having the option of getting one for free in exchange to a few minor restrictions, works well in my favor.  The restrictions really are minor.  The one's I have found are: You can only sell through this publisher, but in turn, the cover almost everywhere you would sell to start with.  If you use any of there images for your cover design, you can't redistribute it outside of their distribution lines, you would have to design a new cover on your own, and republish the book as a new edition with a new ISBN.  Neither of those, or any other restrictions, were deal-breakers for me.

I have been plotting out a few stories in my head for some time now.  I also feel that it is time to try and follow that dream now.  With a little bit of hope and luck, maybe it will be something that works for me.  I may make a few dollars in the long run, but for me it would be about seeing my work in print with my name on it.  It's not a major accomplishment.  Anyone can write something and get it printed.  But to me, it would satisfy a goal I've had since I was a child.  To me, it would mean something.

If anyone is interested in checking out the service I decided on, you can use the link below. There is no cost to join or use the service unless you want professional services. The whole service is free except for buying proofs of your hardcopy to evaluate. If you don't want a hardcopy, you can use this service to publish to Kindle I believe. Good Luck!

This software can also help you format and upload digital books (eBooks) directly to Kindle.
A great way to make a few extra bucks while expressing your creative side.




I'm not forgetting or dropping my writing on here, but it will be neglected for a little while.  I will try to write on here in my spare time or when I need a break.

Until then...

Remember to do something good for others that are less fortunate.  Pay It Forward.

Love For Your Pets - The Kitty Pillow

I feel that most of my posts have been food oriented, so I want to change up a little.  Well, if you consider going back to what I started out doing as changing.

I snapped this photo a few nights ago, and thought it was cute, but it also held something a little stronger.  I don't usually break down photos like this, but I felt like this was was *talking to me*.

If you look at my Daughter, she is no doubt comfortably asleep.  The blue thing you see in the bottom left side of the photo is her *Bunny* that she normally falls asleep with.  On this night she replaced the *Bunny* with the Kitty-Cat.  She claimed this cat as soon as it came into our home, and has loved it and played with it since.  We named the cat, but we always refer to it as "Her Cat".  We see how she interacts with this Kitty-Cat every day.  Everyone here knows how much she loves that cat.  And I think that it is reflected in this picture how much she loves it.  She fell asleep with it instead of her favorite stuffed animal.  For a child her age, that must be love.

Now on the other hand, and what caught my eye was the cat doesn't seem to mind her holding on to him.  He's not asleep, but I think that's from where I was moving around to catch the picture.  But he's not trying to get away from her.  I think it I had been a little more quiet when getting the picture, I may have caught them both asleep.  He's just laying there, seemingly enjoying his affections.  If you were to see the way he acts towards her when they are playing during the day, this picture would explain it all.  My Daughter will pick him up, carry him like a baby, and then play with him.  And he goes along with it.  It almost seems like he understands her affection towards him and reciprocates it back the best he can.

To most people that may read this article, they will see a picture of a girl snuggled up with a Kitty-Cat followed by the ramblings of a madman.  When I see this picture, I see the epitome of love.  People may have many pets during a lifetime.  They may be cats, dogs, birds, fish, or whatever animal suits you as a person.  But it's those special pets you have during that lifetime that make the biggest impact.  Sometimes you come across that one pet that seems like it was meant for you to meet.  Once that bond has been made, that pet is forever a part of your life.  That bond.  That love. That's what is seen in the photo above.

If you are ever capable of having that type of love for an animal, just think if you could love a person the same, if not more.  Try to have that kind of love for your fellow humans and see how much better we could live.  And that my friends, seems like a good note to end on.

Try to practice the love you just read about above.  The best way to start is by doing something nice for someone else.  Pay It Forward.

Something a little different - Don't be scared

I was playing around online today and ended up on a new website.  It's called CreepyFeeling.com.  There isn't a lot on there, but there was an empty section that was asking for true stories.  It made me think about when I was a kid.  There may be ways to explain what happened, but in over 20 years time I haven't come up with anything.  If anyone has any ideas that may explain something mentioned, please share your thoughts and ideas on here and/or at the CreepyFeeling.com site.  So, are you ready to find out what part of my childhood was like?  Here you go...

When I was about 4 or 5 years old, we lived in this 2 story house that was built in the early 1900's.  I never really heard about anyone passing in the home, but I can assure you that many weird things happened in that home.

There was always something knocking on the walls and/or doors.  My parents told of one morning they were awakened by someone beating on the door several times, and each time they answered, no one was there.  This happened a few times in a row that morning.  The last time they checked the door, and saw no one there, they smelled smoke.  Upon tracking down the smell, they discovered an outlet behind the refrigerator that malfunctioned and almost caught fire.  This one, I believe, is the only event I didn't witness first hand.

Aside from the everyday knocks and bangs, there was one thing that made me feel "singled out".  I think I was the only one to experience the "touches".  I don't know of any other way to explain it.  Some nights when I would being laying in bed trying to sleep, I could feel something "tickling" my back and sides.  It was almost like someone was playing with me.  There were times I would be walking through the house and bump into something that wasn't there.  I felt it.  It would sometimes slow me down or stop me even.  Like some sort of imaginary brick wall at times.  Other times it was like bumping into someone at the store when you don't pay attention.

Every once and a while my parents would have friends come over to eat.  I remember a few times when our house was full of people.  On one occasion, we had a full house.  One of the ladies had already gotten her plate of food and asked my Mom when the bread was going to be coming out of the oven.  My Mom just looked at her funny and went back to what she was doing.  She thought the woman was messing with her.  A little more time passed, and the woman asked her again about the bread.  My Mom finally answered her, that there was no bread cooking, in fact the oven had been off for quite some time.  The woman insisted my Mother was playing a joke and went to check the oven for the bread she had been smelling.  She went into the kitchen, saw that the oven was indeed off and cool to the touch.  She opened the door, and found nothing there.  

On the other side of the phantom smells was when all of us would stay away overnight.  We would only experience a certain smell when we would come back home after an overnight stay.  The smell was always of onions and fresh dirt.

As far as things in the house moving, it was quite rare.  The one that sticks out the most would be when my Dad and I were sitting in our living room watching TV.  While we were sitting there the door coming into the living room opened slowly by itself.  We heard the handle turn, and watched it creak open.  We were both shocked at what had happened.  Being just a little kid I didn't know what to do.  I did the first thing that came to mind.  Anytime I left a door opened, I was told to shut it.  So I saw this as my chance, and yelled out, "Shut the door!".  A few seconds went by, and the door started closing even slower than it has opened.  About halfway through shutting the door slammed shut as hard as it could.  The door never moved again on it's own, to our knowledge.  And I never yelled at anything weird in the house again either.  

Like a lot of people today, our TV would come on by itself, change channels, and the sound would go up and down.  The only difference was this was back in the 80's and our TV wasn't remote operated.  You had to pull the knob to turn it on, and push it to turn it off.  If you twist the knob, it would change the volume.  We had the old timey cable box that sat on top of the TV and you had to turn the knob on that to change channels.  The only thing we had with a remote was a VCR.  And somehow the remote kept getting lost and would show up weeks later in a completely different room.

The last thing I want to share is the only "physical" weirdness I witnessed.  It was early one morning.  I was in the living room once again watching my morning cartoons and getting my stuff together for school.  Then it happened.  Right there in the middle of the room.  It looked as if someone had taken a gigantic drag off of a cigarette, and exhaled it right before my eyes.  The white smokey-looking cloud came from nowhere.  It just swirled in from the middle of the room from thin air.  It filled a good portion of the room and then just dissipated back into nothing.  I was speechless because I didn't know what was happening, but I also felt no need to be scared.  It was truly something that has stayed with me through the years.

That house eventually burned down in the early 90's.  Amazingly, we were in the effort of moving into another home on the other side of town.  My Mother and I were staying at the new home the night the fire happened.  My Father was finishing up at work.  No one was in the house.  The gas furnace we had malfunctioned.  The explosion was strong enough to lift over half of the roof off of the second story of the house.  The room that was effected the most was the room my Father would have been sleeping in.  The explosion would have killed him instantly.  

I guess luck was on our side.


Everything mentioned here is true.  I could go into more detail, but then this post would be incredibly long.  I just wanted to get the main points across.  If anyone wants any further information, I'm willing to answer anything I can if it can solve what happened back then.  


I anyone wants to share their stories, you can do so at CreepyFeeling.com and/or below.  I can't wait to read what other's have experienced.


Until we meet again folks, remember to do something nice for someone else.  Pay It Forward

Homemade Chocolate Cake Covered with Ganache

I was sitting around the house today, and became bored with the TV and internet.  Most of the time when that happens, I end up in the kitchen.  I know I'm a "big boy", but I didn't go to the kitchen to eat.  I was on a mission.  I was there to cook.  But what was I going to cook?  I like trying to make new things just to see how it turns out, and if I want to change it around or add my own twist to it.  Well, if you made it past the title of this blog, you know I ended up making a Chocolate Cake.  When I got done, I posted this picture online:

Chocolate Cake covered with Ganache and dusted with Powdered Sugar.

I was proud of how it turned out and wanted to share it.  A friend of mine also thought it turned out well, and wanted me to post the recipe on here for her to try out as well. Before I go on, I want to take a moment and give my friend, Kim, a plug for her own blog at:http://kimberlydpegram1981.blogspot.com/.  She requested this, and has been a good friend over the years.  So when you get done drooling here, click on over and drool on her pages for a while and thank her for getting this recipe put up.

Now, on to the good stuff...

Ingredients for cake:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup Cocoa Powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup boiling water

Ingredients for Ganache:

• 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1/4 cup butter

Directions:

We'll start off with the cake.  Mix the sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl. 

Now add in the wet ingredients except for water..  Milk, extract, eggs, and vegetable oil.

If you are hand whisking you should do this next part VERY slowly, as you do not want to cook the eggs already in your batter. Electric mixer should be okay, but still go slow, don't just pour the water in.

Start mixing your batter, and slowly pour in the hot water.  Allow each portion of water to be completely mixed before adding more.

Once all of the water has been mixed you should have a slightly runny batter.  

You can use 2 9" round cake pans, a regular bundt pan, or if you have another cake pan of equal volume.  Either spray them down with Baker's Joy (or equivalent I'm not picky) or butter your pan(s) with butter and a paper towel and lightly flour them afterwards.

Distribute your batter to your pan(s), and place them in a pre-heated 350 degree oven on the middle rack for 30-35 minutes.  All ovens were not created equally, so start checking you cake after about 20 minutes.  I test mine with a bamboo skewer but toothpicks, and quite possibly for the older crowd that still uses "the broom whiskers" all will work.  Pull your cake from the oven, and when you put your skewer/toothpick/broom whisker into the cake and pull it out, it shouldn't have any wet batter on it.  If it does, put it back in the oven for another 10 minutes and test it again.  When I get a clean test, I test several areas across the entire cake, just to make sure it done evenly.

Now on to the Ganache.  This is really easy.

Pour you semi-sweet chocolate chips into a medium mixing bowl.

Add the powdered sugar to the chocolate chips.

Add the cocoa powder to the chocolate chips.

Put the butter and cream into a small saucepan and bring it almost to a boil.  Be sure to stir the entire time to prevent burning or scorching.

You can tell it's almost ready when you start to see it let off steam, and it continues to do so as you are stirring.  If you get it to boiling for a few seconds, don't worry, all is not lost.

As soon as it is ready, pour the cream and butter mix in with the other ingredients.

It might be tempting, but let it sit for about a full minute before starting to mix.  This will give the chocolate chips time to soften and allow an easier mix.  Now is also the time if you want to try out some of your extracts.  Maybe a touch of vanilla, or strawberry, maybe even a touch of coconut.  You don't have to, but it may just add another level of complexity to you tastebuds when it's time to eat.

Once it is fully mixed, drizzle it over the top of the cake.

I can see it now.  Someone has done this with a bundt pan and is thinking, "Why do I have all of this Ganache left over!".  You may have some left over with the other pan assortments as well.  It's not a mistake.  Don't flood your cake with the Ganache.  It is already a rich flavored cake.  The remaining Ganache is for plating the slices.  If you serve on small plates or saucers, spoon about 2-3 tablespoons of Ganache onto the plate, and then place a slice of cake on top of it.  As you can see in the picture above, I also dusted mine with a little powdered sugar after adding the Ganache drizzle.  You can add more powdered sugar to the slices, or whipped cream.  Pretty much anything that goes with chocolate.

I admit that I like sweets.  This cake sits pretty much in the middle of the road for me.  It's very rich tasting, but it's also not overly sweet.  Be sure to have an ice cold cup of milk on standby as the perfect drink to go along with this.  

If you think this may be too much chocolate, you can swap out the Ganache for a simple glaze.  In a small mixing bowl add 2-3 tablespoons of milk.  To this you will add powdered sugar a little at a time while whisking until the mixture thickens.  It is a very quick glaze.  You can also add a touch of vanilla to the glaze for a little extra flavor. You would then drizzle it over your cake like the Ganache, but I wouldn't sprinkle the powdered sugar on the glaze.  

If you have anything you would like to add, change, or remove, then share it below.  If you have tried this one out and want to share your opinions below please do so.  You can also request me to write about almost anything.  I read every comment that goes into this blog, and I regularly check my social networks.  Feel free to contact me at any of these places, and the next article I write, might just be on your idea.  I will also give credit like I did at the beginning of this article.

As always, remember to do something good for someone else.  Pay It Forward.

Beef Stroganoff Made Easy

Beef Stroganoff may not be on the top of your family meal list, but I think it makes a great meal that should in turn be made at least every other week.  Most families that I have noticed will make the boxed dinner version, but if you were to ask them how to make it, they wouldn't know quite what goes in it.  I going to give you a very simple recipe that can be made in less than 45 minutes and tastes amazing.  Are you ready?

Ingredients:

• Ribeye Steak (preferred, but other beef can be substituted)
• 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
• approx. 1/2 box of Beef Broth
• All Purpose Flour
• Olive Oil
• Butter
• approx. 1 cup of Sour Cream
• Minced Onion flakes, or fresh onion to taste
• Fresh Mushrooms (diced) to taste (can substitute canned mushrooms, but drain first)
• Salt + Pepper to taste
• 1 Bad of Egg Noodles

Directions:

• Cut your Ribeye into small strips or chunks.
• Thinly coat a sauce pan with the olive oil and about 2-3 tablespoons of butter. Your stove should go on MED - MED-HI.
• Brown the meat in the sauce pan.
• Add your onions and mushrooms to the pan and allow them to cook for about 10 minutes.  Both of these items are to taste.  I used about 2 tablespoons of minced onion flakes and about 1 cup of fresh mushrooms, diced.
• Now add about 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour.  This should cause the oil and the butter to thicken up. Continue Stirring.
• Add in the cream of mushroom soup.  Continue stirring  The contents of the pan should be thoroughly mixed together, but the stirring is to help keep the mixture from sticking to the pan.
• Add in the beef broth.  This should thin the mixture out.  If you want it a little thinner add more broth.
• Once it has a texture you are happy with, turn it down to warm/low, and cook your bag of egg noodles.
• Right before you add your beef mixture to the strained noodles, add the sour cream to the beef mixture.  The amount of sour cream can also be adjusted according to preference.  I find that it adds a sharp creaminess to the meal.
• After the sour cream, mix the beef mixture and the noodles together. Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

I have tried this a few times.  I have tried different meats.  Ground beef works very well, but I still prefer the small pieces of ribeye.  The ribeye tends to add more flavor from its drippings in the mix, and also has a tenderness to the meat.  I have also substituted the beef broth for the small packs of Knorr Beef Stock (here's a link if you don't know what I'm referring to: Knorr Beef Stock)  If you use these, you will have to play around with your liquids. I ended up using about 1 1/2 cups of water, but I also think the taste is worth the hassle.  I would have used it in the recipe above, but I decided to make the one above as simple as possible while still tasting great and just added my 2 cents after the fact.  Also if you find that you're not getting enough onion flavor while your cooking, but you don't want to add more onion flakes or cut more onions.  I used the amount of minced onion flakes stated in the recipe, but later added onion powder.  I like strong full flavors in my food, while others don't, which is fine.  For other that do, that's why I'm adding this at the end.  

If you have any other twists on this recipe that you would like to share, or maybe another way of doing it altogether.  Please, share it with everyone else by adding a comment below.  I'm always on the lookout for new ideas and techniques.

As always remember to do something nice for someone other than yourself.  Pay It Forward.

Guitar Lessons: G, C, D - Chords to Live By

This is a short starter video I did to share with anyone that wanted to learn how to play the guitar.  These are very basic chords that are used in many popular songs.  It's even enough to make your own song if you wanted to.  If you're learning how to play, I'm going to make the assumption that you are learning how to read Tablature (a.k.a. - tabs).  I'll "tab out" the chords below so that you can see them along with the video, or study them afterwards.  If you haven't learned how to read tabs yet, there are many great resources out there to read or watch how to read them.  YouTube would be a good starting point, and reading tabs with greatly further your playing.  So here are those chords:

                           G            C              D

e ---------|---3----|---------|---2-----|-#1-|  <---Smallest String - #1

B ---------|---3----|----1----|---3-----|-#2-|

D ---------|--------|---------|---2-----|-#3-|  The numbers represent the frets to hold down.

G ---------|--------|----2----|---------|-#4-|  The "#" numbers are the string numbers.
A ---------|---2----|----3----|---x-----|-#5-|


E ---------|---3----|----x----|---x-----|-#6-|  <---Biggest String - #6

Now for the video part:

I know personally that learning to play can get frustrating at times.  Be prepared for that.  There will be times that you want to give up, sell your guitar and anything that goes along with it, that is, if you haven't broken it yet (Don't break it!).  I have been playing for many years.  I'm not a guitar master, or anywhere close to being one.  I can play most songs that I set my mind to, and play them well.  Even in different keys or tunings.  I still get caught up on some of the easier songs and get frustrated.  If you get mad, put your guitar down and forget about it.  It's nearly impossible to learn something while your mad.  Go watch a show, catch a snack, ANYTHING but think about playing.  No matter how fast you learn, you won't become a rockstar over night.  This is something that will take time and desire.  With that in mind, take this little bit of information and run with it.  

If any other guitar players have anything to add, please do so in the comments below.  If anyone uses this information and wishes to show me what they learned, please go to YouTube and post a video response.  My YouTube channel can be reached using the tab at the top of this page.  If you just want to tell me, and everyone else, what you learned, leave a comment on here, my YouTube page, or both.

Remember to do something good for someone else, Pay It Forward.

Awesome Waffles

I know that you can go out and buy a box of frozen waffles.  I know that you can pop them in the toaster or microwave and have breakfast in a few minutes.  I also know that a made-from-scratch, home-cooked meal will beat a frozen box meal almost every time.  I wasn't much in the cooking mood this morning, but my wife was in the hungry mood, and proposed a waffle breakfast.  I hadn't made them in a while and the idea seemed great.  I like some homemade waffles.  I dug through my recipes and found one that stood out to me, and I want to share it with everyone.  I believe that this recipe incorporates the fluffiness that makes it palatable.  It has a good buttery flavor, but not overbearing.  And the outside of it has a slightly crispy texture that just begs you to keep eating.  I topped mine off with a little more butter and filled each delicious square with maple syrup.  My wife took the same route, but added some powdered sugar.  She was in search of some strawberries, but our daughter beat her to them.

Now that I've hopefully got your brain thinking food, and your mouth watering, are you ready to find out how I made them?  Well tune in next time to find out...  I'm not that mean.  Okay, here we go!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups AP flour (can be adjusted for lighter or denser waffles)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup whole milk (preferred, but can be substituted)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons of butter - soft/melted
• 2 eggs - beaten
• 1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

• I try to have my ingredients separated and ready to add.  I also try to keep my blender going as I add ingredients.  I feel it incorporates more air into the mix and makes them a little fluffier.  You don't have to do this.  It doesn't have that much effect of the final product.  It's just personal preference.  Whisking and blending wet/dry ingredients works just as well.
• With that said, I start off with the eggs and beat them with a hand blender.
• Next I add the buttermilk followed by the whole milk while keeping the blender going.
• Now it's time to add the butter.  If it's soft butter, beat it until there are only tiny pieces of butter are visible.  If it's melted, just add it in slowly and mix completely.
• Now we can start adding the dry ingredients.  I start with the small amounts and work my way up.  So I add the salt.
• Next in the mix are the baking soda, baking powder, and sugar.
• Finally, it's time to add the flour.  Above I mentioned that this can be adjusted for personal preference.  I would say that if you like very light waffles add flour until the mixture has a consistency of white school glue. If you like heavier waffles you'll probably aim more for a thicker "white gravy" consistency.  I believe 2 cups is about right down the middle.
• Ladle approximately 1/2 cup of mix into your waffle maker.  I usually stop adding mix when it is about 1 - 1 1/2 inches away from the edges.  That allows the lid to close, and the mixture to finish spreading out and rise.

As with any recipe this can be tweaked to suit the individual.  By all means change this however you deem necessary.  You should be made happy by making and eating the food you prepare.

After adding my extra pads of butter on top to melt in and the syrup, I devoured my plates contents trying to enjoy every second of it.  I admit that I am a food lover from top to bottom.  I believe that is the first step in creating great food.  If you give 100% and love it 100% it will show in the taste most of the time.  If you doubt that, visit one of your regular hangouts when the cook is having a bad day and doesn't want to be there.  Chances are you will taste a difference.

If you try this recipe, let everyone know how it turned out below in the comments.  Let us know if you would change something or any variations you liked.

As always, remember to do something good for someone else, Pay It Forward.

Conspiracy Theory

I feel like having a little fun, so I recorded a new podcast on my Spreaker account (The blue audio player above.).  I have heard conspiracy theories about everything.  There may be truth to the stories, or they could be from the farthest stretches of the mind.  I don't know, but I think the conversations are very interesting nonetheless.  I won't spoil the audio by writing it out.  I encourage comments from either side of the spectrum.  I don't try to dispel either side, I'm just trying to have some fun, and hear what others have to say.  You can leave comments below, and/or I have made a special link to include the hashtag I mentioned in the audio.  All you have to do is click, and type your response at the end (make sure you click in the box to deselect the text, or you will just overwrite it, and I'll never see it).

Here's the Twitter link: http://clicktotweet.com/uH5wa


If you have any theories of your own, put them in the comments below and/or use the Twitter link above.

Do something nice for someone else, and Pay It Forward.