Grab Your Bag, and Grab Your Coat

The Avett Brothers are performing on Dave Letterman tonight and releasing their new record, I and Love and You, tomorrow (9/29).


I’m pumped and have already listened to the entire thing 30+ times the last week over at NPR. It’s really good. I also want to be the first to point out the Jackson Browne & Randy Newman influences (Rick Rubin, you sly dog, you!!)

Don’t call what you’re wearing an Outfit

I was folding laundry the other day and realized something . . . I can’t wear that anymore.


This realization wasn’t easy. I guess I’ve been fighting this (losing) battle since I graduated college. I’m sure everyone goes through this stage, where they think they’re still as young and rockin’ as they were in their (early) twenties.

But I’m (almost) 28 years old. I’m a CPA. I enjoy college football. I’m expecting my first child in January. I’ve come to realize recently that a lot of the things I used to wear are not socially acceptable in my current state of affairs.

No one wants to see a (slightly) over-weight aging-hipster (?) wearing an Against Me! t-shirt to the grocery store. Those whipper-snapper kids don’t think I’m cool. I know I’m out of step with the style. I know I don’t know where the actions happening. I know the downtown club scene ain't nothing like it used to be.

I guess this shirt has always been a stretch for me (no pun intended. Yes, I know it’s snug). I’m a social conservative. I don’t have mutual distaste for everything else. I got this at an AM! show in early 2004 (Cave 9). I felt pretty old at that concert, and I know those kids would think I’m a NARC today.

So now, I’ve basically got a bunch of t-shirts that I can only get away with (?) wearing if I’m working out (taking the dog for a walk) or working in the yard.

Maybe I’ll turn this into a recurring feature of TMF’H? I had grandiose dreams of writing a book based on this discovery (Daniel, where are you??), while browsing the humour section of Barnes & Noble a few weeks back.

PS - the LOML and I got our BABY FURTNITURE in this weekend!!!!!!!1! I’m not afraid to say, we have one good looking crib (last shred of street cred falls to the floor) . . .

Hey Mama

Before I post anything, I have to make a HUGE DISCLAIMER:

The LOML is completely against having pregnant “baby bump” pictures of herself taken, and did NOT want this picture broadcast all over the internet/facebook. I’ve been saying the last few weeks that we really needed to take some pictures (since she’s starting to show), but every weekend seemed to come and go, without us “finding time” to take a picture.

SO, you’ll have to imagine the HUGE SMILE on her face while we took this picture yesterday. In case you hadn’t heard, we are having a GIRL and she looks to be arriving January 17th, 2010!!! Just so there won’t be any confusion, we’re thinking of referring to her as the LOOL (Love of our Life) or SBG (Sweet Baby Girl) on the blog. My dear wife will still be referred to as the Mrs. or the LOML (Love of my Life).

Spanish for "Really Wordy"

So a couple weeks ago, the LOML and I went to a Topless Party at Andrew & Kelly’s (aka a Tapas party). They had an OUTSTANDING (I feel so Rick & Bubba typing that) spread of “small bites”, and I’m hoping we can get some more topless parties going in Bham this fall (apparently, they were the jam at S. Alabama Med School).

I made these Chicken & Chorizo BBQ Rolls (I started to write “bites” but that sounded a little too girly) and thought they turned out pretty good. I wasn’t really sure what to bring, so I just Googled Tapas and kind of combined these two recipes.

TMF’H Chicken & Chorizo BBQ Rolls
1 Tbs vegetable oil
½ lb Chorizo (I used Mexican Chorizo)
1 lb Chicken, cut into small pieces
1/2 C chopped Onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt/Pepper
1 C sweet BBQ sauce
1 Tbs chopped Parsley
½ C grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
2 sheets Puff Pastry
2 eggs, beaten (with a splash of milk)

First, preheat the oven to 400, and set out the puff pastry to thaw (if frozen). Once I started cooking, I realized that phyllo dough and puff pastry sheets are NOT the same thing (I probably would have realized that had I actually got my hands on some phyllo dough, but I think puff pastry actually worked better for this recipe).

Over medium heat, add the oil to a sauté pan, and cook the chicken for about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Then, set the chicken aside, and add the chorizo, sautéing until cooked through (this will render a lot of oil/fat), maybe 5 minutes. In a separate pan, I sautéed the onions on med/low heat until tender/translucent (I was going to let them caramelize, but didn’t have enough time/patience). After cooked through, I added the garlic and cooked a few minutes longer.
Is there anything better than the smell of chorizo frying up?? I used Mexican chorizo, which was closer to ground beef (in consistency), than Spanish (closer to sausage). Since the chorizo was hella oily, I poured off a good bit before adding the chicken back to the pan.

Earlier this summer, my grandparents brought us some Willingham’s Championship BBQ sauce (Sweet & Sassy and Cajun Hot) after seeing the rest of my (immediate) family at MIM. This sauce is REALLY good, and I’d put it up against anything you’d find in your grocery store. High quality stuff and both flavors definitely have a KICK. After the meat and onion/garlic finish cooking, I combined the (Willingham’s) BBQ sauce, parsley, salt/pepper and cheese and simmered for another minute. After simmering, remove from the heat and cool the mixture completely (I threw it in the freezer for 15 minutes).
While the mixture is cooling, roll out the puff pastry, and cut into thirds (it should already be folded into thirds). When the filling has cooled, spoon down the center of each piece of puff pastry, “crimp” the edges together and place the rolls on the baking pan (seam side down). Finally, cut the rolls into small pieces, spread apart on a baking sheet, and brush with egg mixture. (I should have) lined a baking sheet with parchment paper, but I just placed the rolls on the non-stick pan.

Bake these rolls for 15 minutes, reduce the heat to 350, and cook for another 15 minutes (or until puffed and golden). Finally, once out of the oven, let them cool slightly and BOOM goes the topless dynamite!
PS – I know I switched back and forth between imperative and declarative sentences on this recipe. Hope this doesn’t drive y’all (ones of readers) crazy.

Pacing the Panic Room (where's Dwight Yoakam?)

Ever since finding out the LOML and I were pregnant (well, she’s pregnant, but we’re both going to be parents), I’ve discovered there is a whole new world of Parenting/Daddy blogs* out there on the internet. They run the gamut from traditional parenting tips to the hipster/alterna-dad (sometimes, a little over the top), but one blog I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the last 5 months is Pacing the Panic Room. Ryan (author or PtPR) found a good bit of “internet fame" this year as the photographer behind his pregnant wife’s “American Apparel” inspired maternity series, but has kept his readers with REALLY good writing (and interesting topics) since the birth of his daughter, Tessa Tangerine.


A few weeks back, he posted about his wife and his decision to go with non-disposable cloth diapers (Fuzzi Bunz to be exact) for their new baby girl. Much like Ryan, the thought of washing dirty diapers with your laundry makes me gag, but he had a lot of interesting stats/information and I found myself e-mailing the link to the Mrs. with a whaddya think??

Well, today he has posted a contest to give away some Fuzzi Bunz diapers (Ryan himself traded his photography skills for a sweet bounty of Fuzzi Bunz, and now wants to share the wealth). He’s going to pick a winner this Monday (by random number generator), so cross your fingers that we could be one (?) of the lucky winners!!

* Speaking of parenting blogs, you should totally check out WhattheMom.com . . . my nieces/nephews are hilarious/awesome!