OurGirl: No Reservations

I sigh over fulfilling a long-time wish to complete the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage. i think my brother is working on his pilgrimage, when he walks the appalachian.

but anthony bourdain? he's smart. he gets the travel channel to PAY him to fulfill his pilgrimage. its a series called No Reservations. here is his intro:

i'm anthony bourdain.
i write. i travel. i eat.
and i'm hungry for more.

yeh!

tony is in my top 20 favorite people i dont know. i like a sly, self-deprecating man who knows more than he immediately lets on and is handy with a kitchen knife. i like a show that starts with view discretion advised, with a host that interacts with his video crew. i find a kindred spirit with his staccato-style rambling prose.

addendum: tonight I watched a little of bourdain on utube. i recommend the lebanon series. here is a link to the first of a series of five utube postings.

if you need a summer beach book, f' the latest chick lit--or worse, the secret. rosicrucianism? can we please proclaim we are over the da vinci code and all accompanying legendary esoteric orders? free yourself from the need to be special. you already are. problem is, so is the rest of the human race. that's why you aren't standing out. oh. and your daddy? he already loves you. stop trying to impress him. and the answer to the universe? i just found out that answer recently from my friend, stew. its deceptively simple. the answer to the universe is: ok.

my suggestion for the perfect summer read is to punch up ebay and pick yourself up a battered copy of cook's tour. yeh. i'm here to facilitate. get it shipped in before you head out to the outer banks, or the gulf, or carribbean--whatever your sandy destination is, you lucky, lucky reader. once there, scoop out a sandy hollow for your butt, plop down with a couple of chilled coronas and read until your eyes fry in the late afternoon sun or your family insists you assume your assigned familial duties.

that evening, make:

spicy, crispy calamari

3 pound calamari
(do yourself a favor and buy it cleaned, but it ain't no big thang to clean it yourself. cut it up into bite size pieces)
tempura batter
(follow the directions on the packet!)
hot oil in a deep pot to fry the tempura
coarse sea salt

essentially, you want to dip the bite-size pieces of calamari in the tempura batter, deep fry the calamari tempura til golden crisp, fish it out and sprinkle with the coarse sea salt. but you want to serve it at the same time with this:

5-6 green onions
chopped into bite size chunks
5-6 peeled whole cloves of garlic
chopped into small bite size chunks ('bout 3-4 pieces per clove)
chopped fresh jalapeno
hot oil in your favorite heavy fry pan

fresh chopped cilantro

here you just want to stir fry the green onion, garlic and jalapeno in the sizzling oil fry pan. then you serve it up, heaping with the crispy, salted calamari on a plate of size and sprinkle the fresh chopped cilantro on top.

make your company eat it with chopsticks and drink cold, cold beer with it. maybe even treat them to watching No Reservations while they eat the meal. show them you think they are special, even if they know nothing about the Law of Attraction.

its as good as it gets.
bon appetit.

Morgan: TCB, Baby!

I really have to thank “Our Girl” for enlightening me with interesting topics. Before the other day I had never heard of “The way of St James”…I considered myself well traveled and a bit of a history buff, but I had never even heard of it…and people have been doing the el Camino de Santiago for over a thousand years. I started looking further into the strange topic of pilgrimage. In religion and spirituality, a pilgrimage is a long journey or search of great moral significance. Sometimes, it is a journey to a sacred place or shrine of importance to a person's beliefs and faith. Members of every major religion participate in pilgrimages. A person who makes such a journey is called a pilgrim. Apparently, St. James Way is one of three pilgrimages on which all sins could be forgiven; the others are the Via Francigena to Rome and the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Hmmmm, all Sins? Not all pilgrimages were peaceful, during the middle Ages, the crusades to the holy land are also considered to be mass armed pilgrimages.

Pilgrimages are not limited to Christianity; it seems all major religions have their own special journeys. Pilgrimage to Mecca – the Hajj – is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. It should be attempted at least once in the lifetime of all able-bodied Muslims who can afford to do so. It is the most important of all Muslim Pilgrimages. I always wonder if a corn-fed white boy from Illinois would be welcome at the Hajj…Nah.
According to the Wiki, The second caliph, Umar, is believed by many Sunni Muslims to have expelled non-Muslims from the Hejaz (Western part of Arabia). Non-Muslims were not to visit nor to live in the holy land. There is much evidence against this claim, at least so far as it relates to the early centuries of the Islamic empire, but it is well documented that by the 18th and 19th centuries, there were small colonies of merchants in various port and trading cities as well as communities of Yemeni Jews. The prohibition was not so much imposed by the authorities as enforced by rioting crowds and was most strictly enforced with regard to the Hejaz, and the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

America has numerous tourist destinations, many of which can be considered mandatory secular pilgrimages. Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the Boston Marathon, High School field trips to the Smithsonian Museums of Washington DC. But the one destination that stuck out in my mind as The American Pilgrimage…was Graceland. Graceland is the name of the large white-columned estate that once belonged to Elvis Presley, located at 3734 Elvis Presley Boulevard in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Graceland receives approximately 600,000 pilgrims a year, and CKX, Inc the company that recently bought the estate has big plans on turning Graceland into a huge tourist destination on par with Disney World.

I think my personal pilgrimage would be to see Yakoff Smirnoff (Яков Смирноф) play in Branson, MO

OurGirl: Walking El Camino

Santiago de Compostela. Saint james of the field of stars. its the capital of galicia in nw spain and the destination of the medieval pilgrimage, camino de santiago, the way of st. james. when my brother posts about his latest appalachian adventure, it makes me think of that 6 week vacation i'd like to take, walking the way of st. james.

over 100,000 pilgrims make the pilgrimage on foot, bike, donkey or horseback. they collect stamps in a passport from the towns they pass along the route and claim their certificate at the end.

here is a webcam of the santiago cathedral square. pilgrims arrive at all times of the day.
also, there is a pretty interesting web site featuring the main route, Camino Fances
looks pretty sweet.

one day, when i'm a robust old lady, i'm gonna walk the el camino, complete with a scallop 'round my neck. until then, i walk a pilgrimage daily in my head and try to keep up with the lessons that are handed to me.

Morgan: Appalachian Odyssey

Today we (Bullfrog, Son of Rhino and Me) finished our fifth leg of our Appalachian Trail odyssey. We have now gone over 100 miles from Harpers Ferry to midway down the Shenandoah Valley.
The further we get away from home the more difficult logistics become. Thats why we decided to drive both cars to the start on friday night...er the finish. We arrived at Franklins Cliffs Overlook about Ten O'clock the parking lot was empty. So we decided to look for a trail head with flashlights and a few beers. We couldn't see anything in the dark so we just enjoyed the brisk evening. Bullfrog and I were drinking beers, not son of Rhino, and everytime a car would drive by we would hide our beers. We discussed setting up the tent or sleeping in the cars. Thats when a mysterious SUV drove up and parked near us. We stood by our cars...scared. All I could think of was the Zodiac killer gunning us down as we slept in the cars. After awhile when no one got out of the SUV we decided to risk it and go to sleep. Bullfrog got into his car and me and the boy got into the Grey Ghost. I couldn't sleep at all. I kept looking around expecting to see someone standing by my window. Around 0400 I fell asleep. The next morning we woke up and Boy said "Well were still alive!" We drove 20 miles south to Beahms Gap and began the hike.

Son of Rhino wasn't happy to be there, but I had been very adament that he go with us and experience this rite of camping. We started up Thorton's Gap which was nearly all uphill for 3500ft. I tried to take it easy on the boy, stopping frequently for water breaks. We eventually made it to the top, with its sweeping vistas and cool breezes. The boy enjoyed it...although he didn't want to admit it. We found a relatively flat grassy field and set up our camp. Evidently it was the home of three deer also, because they kept circling our camp all night. Sunday we woke up and started out on our last ten miles. I was really sore and my whole body was aching so I would go slow, the boy foraging ahead with unlimited stamina. We would catch up to him sitting on a rock sipping water. Wildlife was eveywhere, We counted 31 deer the whole weekend and half a mile from the car we saw a black bear ambling alonside the trail next to us. I took a few pictures before I left him, although he could have caught me. I was so proud of the boy and he finished right alongside me. He may never want to go again, but I'm glad he shared this hike with me.

OurGirl: Le Rajah de Bourbon

photo from taipei times

the bourbons? colorful people. this noble house got its start in the 13th century, the family seat's loyalty was to france. soon they spread euro-wide, with monarches overseeing thrones in france, spain, naples, sicily, parma, basque and luxembourg. they even had a short stint in 18th century brazil.

they are the people proudly bringing you henri IV, louis the 14th, that ole' sun king and marie antoinette.

now they've expanded their territory yet again and would like to introduce you to their latest in line: Balthazar Napoleon de Bourbon. or, as prince Michel de Grèce would like to call him, Le Rajah de Bourbon. he even wrote a book about the saga—not available in english on amazon, yet, so stay tuned. Mr. Bourbon divides his time between being a lawyer and a farmer. he's ready to take a DNA test, as the greek's book is based in fact, but more proof is needed.

so here are the pros and cons i gleaned from the guardian unlimited news article:
pro: the bourbon name gets you private castle tours—Mr. Bourbon's sister visited france, found the castle closed, but upon flashing her passport, snagged an insiders look.
con: well. beheading and revolution—general mayhem and bloody ends. not much in the family coffers, either.

see right for a great post from bhophal E: beyond the gas blog.

Morgan: We have Consensus!

The fact that 75% of Americans are glad Paris Hilton is back in jail and serving out her paltry 45 day sentence is no surprise. However reading the blogs and comments attached to her news story is a eye-awakening glimpse into the dark heart of the merciless public. Don't misunderstand me, I was laughing with glee as I searched for one more photo of her crying in the police car. Why? Why did i get so much satisfaction, out of seeing her pay for her crimes. Was it because of her misdeeds, or the fact that this little rich bitch is finally doing something on her own...no I like the fact that she thought she was above the law...and she could get out of her sentence, with a doctor's note. The last time the public turned its back and rejected a beautiful, rich socialite was in 1793. According to the "wiki"...

...On Friday she trembled and cried quietly throughout the hearing, then brokeinto loud sobs when the judge ordered her back into custody. "Mom, Mom. It's not right," she wailed as she was led out of the courtroom. Her mother, Kathy Hilton, also sobbed.

On the morning of October 16, 1793, a guard arrived to cut her hair and bind her hands behind her back. She was forced into a tumbril and paraded through the streets of Paris for over an hour before reaching the Place de la Révolution where the guillotine stood. She stepped down from the cart and stared up at the guillotine. The priest who had accompanied her whispered, "This is the moment, Madame, to arm yourself with courage." Marie Antoinette turned to look at him and smiled, "Courage? The moment when my troubles are going to end is not the moment when my courage is going to fail me." Legend states that her last words were, "Pardonnez-moi, monsieur," (Pardon me, monsieur) spoken after she had accidentally stepped on the executioner's foot.[6]
At 12:15, Marie Antoinette was executed. Her head was exhibited to a cheering crowd. The bodies of Marie, Louis XVI and Madame Elisabeth (Louis' sister) were buried in a mass grave near the location of today's La Madeleine church and covered in quicklime. Following the restoration of the Bourbons, a search was conducted for the bodies. On January 21, 1815, more than twenty years after her death, her corpse was exhumed—a lady's garter helped with identification—and Marie Antoinette was buried at the side of her spouse in the crypt of St. Denis Basilica just outside of Paris, the traditional final resting place of French monarchs.

Captain Oveur: Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?

OurGirl: Not for Nothing-Girls Gap Analysis

one of my favorite episodes of the sopranos has to be employee of the month. its essentially contrasts the behavior of two women: dr. jennifer melfi and tony's sister, janice. its a regular goofus and gallant cartoon:

janice steals svetlana's leg in order to get her ma's records back (so she can sell them on the internet).
melfi gets raped.
tony finds out what janice has done and warns her not to take on the russians. the girl doesn't listen.
melfi gets no recourse from the justice system. the men in her immediate family are ineffective in avenging her. she finds relief in a dream where a rottweiler, symbolizing tony, attacks and kills her rapist.
the russian mafi finds janice and beats the leg out of her—which she has stashed in a bowling alley locker.
as melfi recovers, she clings to the thought of revenge and struggles not to "break the social contract."
janice finds God at the hospital room. she asks tony to pray with her. tony notes whenever janice finds something, it costs him money. janice is perpetually looking for outside solutions when the answers can be found within herself.
at a session, melfi briefly loses it when tony tries to comfort her. he asks her what is wrong—can he help her? she looks at tony intensely and says, no. she learns. she masters self-control in the face of injustice. she keeps the social contract.

wiki posts this in regards: Series creator David Chase says "Melfi, despite pain and suffering, made her moral, ethical choice and we should applaud her for it. That's the story."

i write this post thinking of the events of today and a blog morgie sent to me. please to be contrasting the stories of the following two girls, and ask yourself—with whom are you more familiar:

Paris Hilton Ordered Back to Jail

www.samanthalarson.com

yeh, its a soapbox i'm on. i'll shut up and sit down now.

Ralphie: Gentlemen, what we do in life... Echoes in eternity.
Paulie: He's fucking obsessed with "Gladiator".
Ralphie: C'mon! It's a great fucking film: 'Strength and Honor'!
Tony: 'Scotch and Soda'!

Morgan: John 11:35

Jesus wept.

OurGirl: Table Show

so, im thinking: this is a dinner table top.

morgie, picture your poker night on this puppy!

Morgan: Rebirth of Victorian Blogging

I've got to admit, I've gone through some serious blog phases after the last Bout of Blog. Admitedly I was baiting the bear with loaded blogshot and I shouldn't have posted one photo which I thought was innocent enough. When the rebuttal came I was shocked that we had been shutdown...I felt guilty and started questioning my actions. Then I felt angry, because I have always sucessfully danced on the sharp edge of appropriateness. And I was upset that I might have slipped and offended my friend. Then I reread the rebuttal, and slowly like a Rhino waking from long nap I realized "She" was more upset with her own actions...Then I got mad all over again for different reasons. I start formulating aggressive responses, like "I fear No Man!" and "whatever happened to freedom of speech!" and "Screw 'em all if they 'aint got a sense of humour" However, the seeds of doubt had been sown, and I was uncertain about any of my topics. So I waited and worked on other blogs, designing headers and new illustrations for Monday Artday. The longer I waited the more worried that I became that she didn't want to blog anymore. because I really do enjoy it. And then I tried to look at it from her perspective...and I began to understand, we had gone astray(in our writing)...and she had every right to be concerned, even if I didn't feel the same, I could empathize and change my style. If that's not enough I posted Streaming TV at the bottom of this blog, and Sudoku...scroll down and see whats not on TV or play Sudoku! I have removed the TV...Poor ratings.

Whether he went on with the diary, or whether he did not go on with it, made no difference. The Thought Police would get him just the same. He had committed— would still have committed, even if he had never set pen to paper— the essential crime that contained all others in itself. Thoughtcrime, they called it. Thoughtcrime was not a thing that could be concealed forever.