Camp Traditions Wild Rice Soup

I'm up at my cabin, and two days ago it was bitter cold.  The wind was out of the Northwest at a 20+MPH clip, temps were in the 30's, and snow spat at me while I was fishing.  Don't believe me?  Here is the temp at 4:00 as I was driving to a movie:

On days like these, especially when just coming off the freezing lake, getting something warm to eat can make life a heck of a lot better.  For me, that was some Wild Rice soup by my friends over at Camp Traditions.

This soup, in a packet, just needs water and some TLC over the stove and it is ready to go.  It's rich, hearty, and warm.  However, it lends itself well to getting doctored up, and in my case I added some leftover ham, and it was out of the park good.

It makes 8 big servings, and I've been eating on it for two days, and let me tell you that it gets better with every reheating.  

A good friend owns this company, but I'd be touting this product beyond that relationship.  It is seriously the best thing you'll have at your hunting or fishing camp (and it will give everything a run for your money at home, too).

Buy some at your local sporting goods big box store, or you can order the best soup directly online.

Why the Left Kowtows to Islam

Robert Tacinski recently penned a fantastic analysis on why the Left continually bends over backwards to support Islam.  The entire article is worth the read, and I have a link to it here.  I encourage you to check it out.

Here is one of his better points:

The point is that the left doesn’t kowtow to Islam because they actually love Islam, but rather because they hate our own culture. They have been steeped in a narrative about how American and Western culture is racist and “imperialist,” and they’ve been trained to see anyone with a dark complexion and a non-Western origin as the victim of our crimes. When they see criticism of Islam, or deliberate attempts to defy Islam, they filter it through that narrative. They see it as: there go those bigoted right-wing Christians, demeaning dark-skinned foreigners again. So they reflexively oppose it.

I really wish there was another viable reason, but I see none.  Scary.

Who's In Your Corner?

Between Mrs. YDP's cancer last fall and my current unemployment, we've been under a lot of stress lately.  OK, a lot of stress.  In times like these - where the chips really are down and things are at their toughest - that's when those that are truly in your corner raise their hands and come to your rescue.  They drop everything, bend over backward, and truly are concerned about your welfare.

Likewise, another group bubbles up.  This group actively moves away and tend to fall off the radar screen.  They don't tend to check in, and if engagement occurs, it is usually of the superfluous kind.  Nothing too deep, nothing too close to the emotion of what is happening.

These massive life changes are tough.  Really, really tough.  But they are oh so good at clearly identifying who is firmly in your corner - fixing your cuts, offering insights, and continually rooting you on - and who's merely in the crowd, watching. 

And those that identify themselves as being in your corner, and what you mean to them, well, they make all the pain worth it in some weird sort of way.

Recap from the Cabin

The annual guy's fishing trip was held this last weekend.  While the weather didn't cooperate, and we were missing 3 of 4, we still had a good time.  Here is some evidence:

This picture really captures how we run.  Captain JT has us moving out, and we're typically well above 40 MPH, which is petty fast for a boat, especially in 40 degree weather

Here is how things looked from my spot on the bow of the boat at the same time

While the weather was less than perfect, we did have a pretty good bite, and caught our share - more than enough for our annual fish fry

As usual, the food, drink, and BS were all in ample abundance.

Yesterday I was to fly out to Cincinnati for an interview, and I drove two hours to Fargo to do so.  We boarded the plane, but were held on the ground for nearly an hour as Minneapolis (where my connection was) was suffering from stormy weather.  It finally got the point where it was pretty clear that I'd miss my connection and be stuck in Minneapolis for the night, much less miss all of my half-day interview.  Hence, I hopped off the plane and drove back to the cabin.

My interview has been rescheduled for the Tuesday after Memorial Day, which will cost me a day on the cabin at that end.  But I get one back with today.

Unfortunately, this is what it looks like:

Oh well.  Regardless of the weather, there's never a bad day at the cabin...

The Real O'Neils - Real Offensive

Interesting how Catholics are treated in this new ABC show:



Unlike the pigs that attempted the murders down in Texas, my offense at this will not lead to violence.  Instead, I pray for the people behind this filth (sorry, the Virgin Mary on the toilet can't be defined as anything else).  

I'd ask when the show comes out about this Muslim family in which there is a statue of Muhammad on the toilet, but I think we all know the answer to that question.

Stay edgy and brave, ABC 

Missing My Bride

Things are crazy right now, as interviewing is as hot as it has ever been.  I've been either prepping, travelling, or meeting a ton, with a lot more to come in the short term.  Likewise, I've been doing some consulting work in Minneapolis a couple of days per week.  Lop on a turkey hunting and fishing trip, and I just flat have not been home.

All of it is important.  Perhaps the most important has been the consulting, as the value that I'm adding to that company has been great for my ego and keeps the voice in my head that questions my value a little more quiet.  But it has meant I've not been home much, nor will I be in the next couple of weeks.

While progress is getting made, I miss my life, and I really miss my wife.  I'm hopeful that things can come together soon and we can move on to the next chapter in our lives.

Together.  As it should be.

Bible Solves Murder

A couple of months ago, a 90 year-old country bachelor in Carver County, Minnesota was murdered and his house ransacked in what appeared to be a burglary gone very, very bad.  Authorities were stumped, and no good leads in the brutal murder existed.

One of the items taken in the burglary was a bible.  And when the murderer moved out of his apartment, he left that bible behind.  A cleaner found it, opened it, and found two $1,000 savings bonds inside, both with the victim's name on them.  The cleaner conducted an internet search of the name, looking to return the bonds to their rightful owner, and found that the owner was brutally murdered.  Thus, she called the cops, the cops found the person that previously rented the apartment, and the arrest was made.

For more on this story, check out the StarTribune.

There are a lot of different ways in which I could conclude this, but I'll leave it up to you, gentle reader, to put the capstone on it as you see fit.

  

Birthday Songs for My Brother

As we do every year, I've given my brother a listing of songs that are in heavy rotation for me in celebration of his birthday.  Some are old, some new, but all are sounding really good to me right now.  Here's the mix for 2015:

Crime - Real Estate: Airy and light, it is indicative of a sound that is really popular right now.
Driving Towards the Daylight - Joe Bonamassa: Joe is the standard bearer for blues artists right now.  His playing is virtuoso, and his vocals surprisingly good for such a great ax man.  
Free So Free - Ivy: Another new artist.  Not that dissimilar to the track from Real Estate above.
Have Love, Will Travel - The Sonics: It is hard to believe that this track is damn near 50 years old.  It sound a lot like some of the music that is being made right now.  This sounds completely relevant right now.  Just awesome.
I Remember - The Greyhounds: I'm a sucker for blue-eyed soul, and this track has it in spades.
I'm Afraid of Americans - David Bowie: This is not the original, but a remix, and one in which the remixed version is darn near better than the original.
Is this How You Feel - The Preatures: Their whole last album is outstanding, and this is the best track from it.
JM - Strand of Oaks: I should not like this song; it's typically not one that resonates with me.  I don't know why I do, but I adore this song.
Love TKO - Michael McDonald:  Speaking of blue eyed soul...
Modern Blue - Roseanne Cash: Like her dad, the older she gets, the better her music gets.
Pharrell Mashup - Poplamoose: Quirky and original.  Try not to tap your foot
Shitlist - L7: Been into girl groups a lot lately, and this is indicative of what I've been listening to
Something from Nothing - Foo Fighters: I could listen to this song over and over and over again.  Impeccable song construction, a bridge that absolutely makes the song, and lyrics that fit the tune like a glove.  
Unclouded Day - Johnny Cash: Played at Dad's funeral, I can't listen to this song without getting  a lump in my throat
Watch Over Us - The Lone Bellow: Speaking of crying, that's exactly what I did when these guys played this song in concert.
West Coast - Lana Del Ray: LDR is sometimes tough to get, but when she nails a song, she really nails it.  This is the best track from her latest.
Where Are We Runnin'? - Lenny Kravitz: Old Lenny for motivation for that last couple of miles on the bike.

Happy birthday, Kev.  I love you.