Dirkmonster

Office Chili Cook-Off

I was lucky enough to be a judge at our office chili cook-off today.  Lucky, of course, because I got to eat first.  Eleven or twelve different cups of chili - not one of them was bad.  All were tasty in their own way. It was more fun than I expected.

Mainly, it reminded me of the funniest Internet joke I ever read: The Texas Chili Cook-off.

Harris Teeter Raises Hopes, Then Crushes Them

My friend emails me today with the subject line: OMG

Knowing this had to be something big, I open it immediately and read news that was absolutely sudsy-licous.  Harris Teeter was carrying Yuengling beer.  Not since the Titans arrived in Music City has there been a more significant enhancement to Nashville's American profile.

For those of you unfamiliar with america's oldest brewery, Yuengling beer is produced in Pottsville, PA, a small town roughly between Harrisburg and Philadelphia.  To taste it is to re-define the American beer experience.  Black and Tan, Porter, Chesterfield Ale and my personal favorite: the golden Lager.

As their official web site states:

Since 1829, D.G. Yuengling and Son of Pottsville, PA, "America's Oldest Brewery" has produced a complete line of fine brewed products to statisfy the most discerning tastes of beer connoisseurs.

OK, so the locals call it "Pottsville Piss", but back to the point...

My college roommate introduced me to this beer while at American University and I've been passionate about it ever since.  I can't say why, but it means a lot to me. And I'm not alone.  Ironically (see the PP reference above), Yuengling has achieved a certain designer micro-brew status over the past 10 years or so.  So slowly it began to show up outside the Northeast.  And when it came to Alabama, I thought Tennessee could not be far behind. But I understand politics were involved.

But here was the news that it was in a cooler near me. About to leave work early to buy out the entire supply at Harris Teeter, I decided to call first to see if it was true. I wanted to document it here to let everyone know that God's beer had arrived.  And then Barbara at the Hillsboro Harris Teeter customer service desk crushed me in a quite matter of fact way.  You see, the Harris Teeter emails you get from their site are produced nationally in SC. They don't have anything to do with your neighborhood store. As a database marketer by trade, that offends my sensibilities - but "Holy Shit there's no Yuengling?" I cried.  "Uh, no sir." That was it.

That's a lot to handle at the end of a tough week.  I wonder how I'll manage to wind down if there is no Yuengling before the Alabama border.  I've never been one to settle, but in this case...

Breaking News: Vokoun will have an Olympic Opportunity

Though this article on nbcolympics.com does not mention it, Preds fans know what it means: Tomas Vokoun will have a chance to make the greatest save of his career as he'll have to carry his Czech Olympic team through the rest of the tournament in Torino. The "Dominator" seems down for the count.

Skeptics will question whether the Czech Republic has a shot now to upset the quadrennial favorite Team Canada.  Preds fans know Tomas led his national team to a championship just last year while Hasek was resting his tired bones.

I'm rooting strong for team USA, but if that doesn't happen I'm jumping on the Czech-wagon!

Snow is what you make of it

Once again, Nashville's predicted snowstorm failed to materialize this weekend.  I think the last significant snowfall in Nashville was in January 2003.  I remember that one since my son Ross had just been born.  So this was really his first opportunity to enjoy the snow.  When Saturday morning came and there was only a dusting that was quickly melting, we decided to load up the SUV and head north.

Heading north on I-65 out of Nashville, the temperature gradually dropped, making me think there was a chance the snow may still be ahead.  We cruised up the hill towards Sumner and Robertson counties and sure enough, our neighbors to the north woke up to a little more of the white stuff.

Before we realized it, we'd passed the last exit in Tennessee.  The Kentucky Welcome Center seemed like a convenient place to stop and look for a reasonable place to play in the snow.  I'm not going to say Franklin, KY had anything near, say, what NYC got this weekend, but it was enough to put a smile on any three year old's face.
Download MOV00035.MPG

Next time you have a chance to do something silly like driving an hour north with people you care about just to find barely an inch of wet snow, do yourself a favor: Just Do It.

4/29 On My Mind

Eighty-two days never seemed so close.  That's the time I have to finish training for the Country Music Half Marathon on April 29.

I'll admit to the world that I'm behind on the training schedule.  Not too far behind, but with 82 days to go I feel urgency.  I'm running roughly 12 miles a week currently. I figure I should probably be around 18-20.  That's 4 miles three times a week and 6-8 on Saturday.  So this weekend feels pivotal.  I'm going to complete a 8 mile run.

I want to give the Galloway Training Program a look.  A group led by experienced Galloway training method coaches meets at Fleet Feet in Brentwood early Saturday morning.  The idea, as I understand it, is to basically run 9 minutes and walk 1 to conserve energy over the long haul.

82 days seems as close as tomorrow.