First Post of 2010!

Let me just get the apologies for not posting for a while out of the way. I know it's been a while. So, sorry adoring Internet.

Ok, so for my first post in a while, I bring you, not a beer review, but rather a song review. But first, I want to try something different. I'm going (assuming I remember) to start off each post henceforth with a sort of 'status' of what media I'm taking in. Often, these books and pieces of music will have bearing on the topic, or at least my mood while writing the post. And hey, if I turn someone on to good books & music, that's practically a service, right? A free one, at that!

Ok, here goes:

Currently

Reading: The Smell of Sin and the Fresh Air of Grace - Don Everts

Listening to: It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All A Dream! It's Alright. - mewithoutYou

Ok, so as I mentioned before, the music & books may sometimes actually have bearing on the topic at hand. In this case, it's a song from the cd, called 'A Stick, A Carrot & A String.' To put it frankly, this song paints one of the most beautiful pictures of Jesus I think I've ever seen. So far, I've cried every time I've heard it, and I can't even say that about most songs in the 'worship' genre today. The lyrics are quite long (though well worth it), so I won't bother writing them all down here, but they should most definitely be checked out. I will post one of the more moving parts:

The night was cool and clear as glass with a sneaking snake in the garden grass

Deep cried out to deep, the disciples fast asleep

The snake perked up when he heard you ask, "If You're willing that this cup might pass,

I could find my way back home, maybe start a family all our own."

But does not the Father guide the Son?

"Not my will, but Yours be done!

What else here to do? What else me, but You?"

I won't go on forever about this, but this image we see, of Jesus wanting to give up this unbearable calling, and yet still, his humility brings him to the response, "What else me, but You?" God, I wish I could have the humility to say that to the Father when He brings something to me that I don't want to do! Which seems like a lot of the time.

That's all, for now. Hopefully there will be more frequent musing of life, love, beer and music from now on.

It's A Bit Nutty

Today, I'll be talking about Oak Creek Brewing Company's Nut Brown Ale. If you got the Austin Powers reference, extra super bonus points for you, but no, it doesn't resemble feces in the slightest.

I've only had a few different types of nut browns, so I don't think I can call this typical. Newcastle was the first, and is my favorite. It's a bit lighter, but still flavorful. The next was Santa Fe Brewing Company, and it was darker than the Newcastle, and richer.

Oak Creek resembles Santa Fe more closely. It's dark, rich and, well, nutty. The flavor was very robust, a little sweet, with a very slight hint of maple. All in all, very good. I'd probably give it four stars if I did that sort of thing.

While it wasn't surprisingly, eye-openingly the best nut brown I've ever had, Oak Creek Nut Brown is a very tasty microbrewed ale. I would very much suggest it, if you have the chance.

"Don't go making phony calls. Please stick to the seven-digit numbers you're used to."

Here I Go Again On My Own

This is officially the second blog that will have anything to do with beer. Enjoy. As you will soon read, hopefully this will be more regular for a couple of weeks.

Ok, so my friend Travis scored me 8 exotic-ish beers, most of which I've never heard of. The one I have, Moose Drool, I've already tried. I really enjoyed it, so I'm glad to have another, and I'll give a review when I get to that one. Here are the beers I got:

Czechvar, Belhaven Scottish Ale, Kiltlifter, Warsteiner Dunkel, Black Jack Porter, Moose Drool, Oak Creek Nut Brown, and finally, something I'm very excited about, Krusovice. The first and the last are Czech beers, and the last apparently cost $3 for the bottle. I'll be saving that one for last.

Today, I'm trying the Czechvar. First, some backstory. In America, we know Budweiser. This started from some Czech immigrants that decided upon coming here, that whatever was available to them didn't meet the standards they set in Prague. Thus, Budweiser was born. The actuall beer from Prague is apparently called Budvar, but that would confuse dumb Americans, so it's Czechvar in the states.

Czechvar is, essentially, what Budweiser is trying to be.

Ok, so onto the beer itself. If you've ever had Budweiser, this won't be wholly unfamiliar to you. In fact, if you've had lagers, this will probably ring a bell. Right off the bat, this has noticeably more flavor than Bud. So far, nothing stands out to me as either "über good," or "that tastes like crap." It's slightly malty, but nothing like a Killian's. The hops are noticeable, but not overpowering. All in all, it's good, but I'm liking it less now that it's not from-the-fridge-cold, and I don't think I was in love at first sip.

All in all, I'd say, if you ever get the chance to experience Czechvar, give it a go. It's different enough to be fun, but similar enough to what you may know to not throw you for too much of a loop. Definitely better than it's bastard American successor.

"I'm in the business of misery, let's take it from the top."

New Things

Ok, so I've given it some thought, and I think I want to take the blog in a slightly newer direction. I'm talking, of course, of reviewing beer. Now, I'm no expert, so this will most likely be me sharing my insights on the beers I try as I broaden my horizons.

Not to worry, if you've grown to be a fan of the whiny, emo, high-school-girl syndrome blog. There will still be a place for that. In fact, this will still be primarily that. But I figured, since I'm writing online, I may as well write something I enjoy, and something I know a little about (albeit, not much, but that's why I'm doing this!)

I'm not sure what form this will take, be it a weekly thing, a monthly thing, or what. For now, I'm not going to give it that form. I'll explore the freedom of irregular updates and whatnot. This won't be just for new things I've tried, as I've been doing this for about 2 years now. Rest assured, you'll hear plenty about some of my favorites.

And this new adventure is also not limited to beer. If ever I try something new that I like, or dislike, or if I just really enjoy something to the point that I have to mention it, it'll be here. I hope you enjoy.

This post, I'm going to be talking about something I just recently tried: Kelly's Brew Pub Oatmeal Stout. If you're not in the ABQ area, Kelly's is a local brewery/burger joint in the Nob Hill/UNM area. You can even brew your own beer there. Anyway, last Saturday was my first time eating there, and despite the at times slow service, my experience was a pleasant one.

When the beer was brought, the dark stout started making me thirsty to try it. The aroma was rich and full. The flavor, smooth and malty, almost sweet. From the moment I started sipping, to the bottom of the pint, I was thoroughly pleased. I even finished the rest of my cousin's (she's a bit of a lightweight :D ). All in all, I really enjoyed trying their oatmeal stout and will be back again to try the many different brews available.

Ok, so I know my descriptions are a bit weak, but I'm just going to give it a go. What do you think? Have you tried it? What beers do you like? Any suggestions on what I should try for my next post on the subject?

"Go on, take the money and run"

It's Been Too Long.

It really has been too long since I exercised my typing fingers. I feel like too much has gone on to blog about in the sort of detail the events in my life deserve. If you're interested, ask me sometime. We can chat over a cup of coffee, a beer, or a cigar. Whatever sounds best.

I will say a few things:

I passed microcontrollers. I've never been so happy for a C in my entire life. I'm not sure i've been that excited for an A, either. That was a sure hurdle. I thank God for the clarity of mind and the favor w/ my professor needed to pull that one off.

Chapter camp was amazing. I really feel like I want to reevaluate why I'm even at college. I really want to see God move at Tech next year, whatever it's going to look like.

My good friend Keith has decided to stay in Socorro. This has come as a very welcome thing, since I thought that most of my guy friends would be gone, or at very least, living some distance away. I hope to build that relationship this summer and in the fall.

Ok, so those are the things that all probably deserved a whole post. Like I said, ask if you really want to know. Now for some more current-type events.

The Saturn is on its way out. If people are interested, I might start up a betting pool for people to guess when it either dies or I get rid of it. The countdown is on, and I hope to buy a jeep before it reaches 0. If there is interest, something more formal will be decided.

I was digging through all my old stuff at my parents' house, which is now here (or some of it, at least), and I ran into stuff pictures of me and Amanda. I honestly was caught off guard, as I thought I had pretty much destroyed all of that. Needless to say, it all got ripped up rather quickly and painlessly. I did think it was funny, however, that I still had a birthday card from her mother, addressed "to my futer son-in-law (hopefully)." And by "think it was funny," I of course mean "shivered at the dark presence that seemed to enter the room." I couldn't have destroyed the thing fast enough. Just so weird what I held onto without remembering that I had.

As I said before, I want a Jeep. Specifically a Cherokee. A manual transmission would be ideal, but I'll honestly take anything that's going to be reliable. My friends pointed my attention to one that looks to be a good deal, and I intend to go see it next weekend, if it hasn't sold. However, I've been giving this loan thing a thought, and I think that I'm not going to do it. Even a small loan will tie me down for three years or more. And I can raise the money, if I put my head down and go for it. I hope. Maybe I'll check again when school starts, and see if I still need some extra, and take out a smaller one. But we'll just have to wait & see on that. Buying it outright would be the best, I think.

Well, that's all in my head for now. I'm sure I'll get back into the swing of things, dear Internet. I haven't forgotten you. ;)

"They swear their love is real; they mean 'I like the way you make me feel.' "

No Regrets? But I Don't Want To Swim In The Kiddy Pool!

I've recently taken myself off of the market. Now, this won't look any different from when I was the market, except that when people ask (and with my family, they will), I can tell them that I'm not dating for my own reasons. That way, I can sound wise, and like I've put a lot of thought into it. And if I'm in a Christian crowd, I'll get the double bonus of having them assume that my hiatus from dating is for spiritual reasons. I'm here to let you readers in on a secret: I'm off the market, because I'm sick of wasting energy on all the bullshit of trying to find a relationship. It hurts too much, and maybe I'm just getting old, but it makes me tired just thinking of trying to "date" someone right now. So, if you are around me, and you hear me say, "Oh, I'm off the market," you'll know deep down that you're privy to some pretty confidential info that only everybody with an internet connection can see (but a lot of them don't know that).

My cousin and I got to talking, about school, relationships, and things we regret about both. And she said, "If you didn't have regrets, you wouldn't be human." Now, this got me thinking about all those people you hear about/see around/know that talk about living life with "no regrets." And you know what I think? I think it is impossible to have no regrets without having a completely shallow existence! Which, for me, would be a huge regret. As for me, yeah, I've had some pretty shitty parts to an otherwise great existence thus far. And I do regret certain things, like dating that immature little girl when I could have come to tech a year earlier than I did. And failing those classes last spring. But you know what? That's just part of my experience of this STD called life! I have so much more about life that I enjoy, and the good outweighs the bad. In fact, the bad helps me give some contrast to the good, so I can see just how good it really is!

That's all I really have for now. I really have to get to some homework, I just thought that I had to get this out, or I might lose it. Do with it what you will.

"And the problem, it seems, is with you and me--not the love who came to repair everything."

Putting off Math

One of these days, my posts won't have to do with school. One of these days, my posts won't have to do with girls. One of these days, I'll feel confident in my abilities, my intelligence, my personality, and current status. One of these days, the term "Professional Student" will be a joke, and not a statement of fact. One of these days, I'll have a degree. One of these days, I'll put more trust in who I am in God, and not worry about where I am in the world. One of these days, I'll meet the girl of my dreams, and when I call her, she'll get excited; I'll hear it in her voice. One of these days, I won't define where I am by where I've been, or where I want to be. I'll just define where I am by where I am, and enjoy it for what it is. One of these days, I'll be up front with my feelings, and not let humor cover what's really going on. One of these days, I won't let the little stuff get to me. One of these days, I'll be able to hang out with people my own age on a regular basis. One of these days, I'll be better on the real guitar than on Rock Band. One of these days, I won't feel like I'm not important to the people I care about, but one of these days, it won't really matter that much to me. One of these days, I'll learn the difference between what I want and what I need. One of these days, I'll take everything to God before it happens, not after. One of these days, I'll bring God my joy as well as my sorrow. One of these days, I'll have a man room complete with guitars and equipment, pool table, cigar humidor and various types of whiskey. One of these days, that room will probably have to become a second house. One of these days, I'll feel less insecure about how women see me. One of these days, I won't feel like the only one in my circle who isn't married or dating. One of these days, I may shave the beard -- but don't count on it. One of these days, my only experience dating someone won't end in sadness. One of these days, I won't have to hide who I am from certain people, however well-meaning they are. One of these days, I'll care about others more than myself. One of these days, I'll stop writing horribly formatted blog posts at 12:30am, and do my homework and get some sleep instead. :P

"But that's the problem! We never speak to Him!"