Month: June 2010

Test your truth

Posted on by Steve

Testing our truths helps to solidify what we believe true about the world or gives us reason to change accordingly. It can be fun, provided, of course, that you’re sufficiently philosophically inclined, don’t mind having your sacred cows slaughtered by your own or another’s hand, etc.

Wait, what am I talking about!? Ah, the constant test of what we hold true. I have to admit that there’s some stuff I can immediately flip on in the face of new information and there’s other stuff that’s a lot harder to let go of. Here’s an oddball unrelated to relationships one that I’m still struggling with: are Israelis really always the victim/underdog in any culture clash or is it time to move my beliefs to the new era? That’s more of a couple o’ brews at the pub kinda topic though what with it being just short of a sports discussion.

Anyway, was doing some thinking about youngsters being out in the world on their own for the first time ever. Particularly in NYC. I think many are so new to navigating the world that they need a feeling of control and cling to what they’ve been told was true like it’s a lifesaver. They NEED a map even if it’s a bad one. They don’t yet know how to navigate through vagueness and accept they might f*** something up, be wrong along the way, or just not know what they’re doing. Control… that’s the word. That’s my take away from some recent comments over at my buddy’s site. I saw a lot of reaction recently that I think was based on fear and the illusion of control. I work in project management so believe me, control is always an illusion. I’m a little off topic but I was also reminded of what I wrote about stereotyping way back in September 2009…

Most importantly, I’m willing and sometimes even eager to have my ideas tested and yeah, it might suck, but I’d rather form my decisions and act on the real picture than what I want the world to be. However alluring the latter might sound. In my head.

Test For Echo

Posted on by Steve

Quite by accident I’ve hit on a strategy where I can test someone for the presence of a trait or traits that I like. Or I think I can – let’s say it’s in pilot. I can then filter appropriately and /or set my expectations based on their response. I’m quite pleased with this realization, although I doubt it will change much of anything in dating terms, it’s at least an added dimension and keeps things fun. Very important that it be fun.

Let me back up a bit:
I’ve determined that I’d be much happier with someone creative or with some kind of passion for something than not. A person who’s moderate though, not the super-extreme ones like poets whose sentences can be so over worded and pregnant with multiple meaning, yet steady meter(!), that I have no idea what they’re trying to say. Are we going out now or do you want a ham sandwich? I shit you not. I’m not saying that’s right or wrong but how I respond to it is an indication of how different I may be – I’m setting their expectation.

From this I connected dots and came up with with my own call and response. It’s as simple as you feed them something you’re passionate about then wait to see if they respond with some similar work or something else they have the same level of interest in, or if they merely say, “Hey that’s fantastic”! Please don’t read me wrong, compliments are always appreciated (a sale is even better!) but I know now that if I get the latter response a whole lot of other things I like aren’t going to be present.

Ginger Xtreme

Posted on by Steve

Got this from a new friend (“Hi I’m Steve, give me your cocktail recipes and no one gets hurt!”)
See my notes at bottom.

Ginger Curio – by Romee de Gioriainoff, Brandy Fanatic
Ice cubes, plus crushed ice
1 2/3 oz cognac
2/3 oz fresh lime juice
1/2 oz Simple syrup
1 quarter-size slice of peeled fresh ginger
5 mint leaves plus 1 mint sprig

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Add the cognac, lime juice, Simple syrup (honey* or honey syrup?), ginger and mint leaves, and shake briefly. Strain into a crushed-ice filled rocks glass and garnish with the smacked mint sprig.

This is what I made:
Ice cubes, plus crushed ice
1 2/3 oz Gin
2/3 oz fresh lime juice
1/2 oz Simple syrup
1 quarter-size slice of peeled fresh ginger

Note:
I used gin instead of cognac ’cause gin I have handy, cognac… not so much. I used honey ’cause it’s my signature cocktail ingredient at the moment. I didn’t have mint sprigs either but I’m sure they work well with it and I’ll get ’em next time around. The mint would give it a nice dimension of flavor and make it less of a Gin sour. Which I still like.

*The key when using honey is to premix it with the juice. I shake it in a jar. I have several small ones handy… I eat lots of jam, no really! But I digress… If you put honey directly in a cold or ice filled container IT WILL SINK TO THE BOTTOM AND STAY THERE LIKE GLUE. So pre-shake the honey in a jar with the lime juice – don’t make me come over there and do it for you – transfer to a shaker then pour over ice and enjoy! 🙂