Gorillabuns

beer and basketball

This summer I am ever so slightly moving away from my standby of Red Bull and vodka and going back to my roots of adult refreshments. Specifically cider beers. I have been obsessed with pear beer in all sizes and shapes. There is something about ciders that make me feel like I am drinking a crisp cocktail within a beer. Michelob has come out with a new line of beer called Michelob Ultra Light Cider. Since I live in Oklahoma and we do not believe in any fun what-so-ever, I wasn't able to sample this new beverage but be rest assured when our state finally get this product in say, 2014? I will be one of the first on this beer bandwagon. Instead, I will be checking out the grilling recipes from the above links to appease myself.

Speaking of adult beverages, (smooth segue, eh?) this past week was a week chock full of celebrations of sort. Friends, basketball, no routine, parties and SLEEPING IN!

Last week I got together with a few local bloggers and many more including one of my old school friends for cocktails and basketball. Well, everyone else got together for cocktails and chatting, I added basketball to my portion of the evening.

Not quite sure where my dazed and spooky eyes are darting off to but odds are, the Thunder game that evening.

Sarah and Susan sure look all polished a pretty. Me? I look just plain odd and clueless. Come to think of it, odd and clueless is not anything new.

If you are living underneath a gloomy NBA rock, you might not know or care that the OKC Thunder is in the NBA finals! with Miami Heat. What? Why would you care, Shana? Who are you?

Confession time: I'm a crazy addict for basketball lately. Rich caught me the other night watching a game between Miami Heat and the Celtics. Alone. Just because.

Rich: "What the hell are you doing in here watching this?"

Me: "Trying to figure out how we will play these jokers when we move onto the next round."

Rich: "Who are you? Where did my wife run go?"

Me: "Having a massive testosterone surge so if you could, leave me alone and let me scratch my balls in peace."

I'm going a step further in my madness, I think I am going to actually purchase a t-shirt in support of the team. You may not understand how I loathe wearing t-shirts these days much less sports ones but I think I'm going to cave in for my team.

Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go and research stats and drills so I am fully prepared for tomorrow night. I've suddenly become that loser.

 

no, everyone does not deserve a trophy

My philosophy on children these days might be they have TOO many choices.

"You want to wear, this?, this? or how about this?"

"Do you want to eat here, here or how about here?"

Even better, "you want to do this activity, sport, play, party and go out to eat? You are so right, I live to serve."

How about, "you make ALL of the decisions for our family because your advanced decision making skills of an 8-year-old totally rock!"

How about NO! No way!

I mean seriously, this is a picture of child annoyed that we sat outside in the. OH! MY! GOD! NO!...WIND!!! to eat. Yes, the picture of rational thought, no?

When I signed up to be a parent I knew my job was to equip my children to make choices with guidance coupled with consequences. No, you won't always win. No, you can't be in charge and NO! Everyone is NOT going to be the victor in every situation.

Because, you know what? It's life. No one wins every time. You might as well learn this lesson early in life. You'll be less disappointed if you know the actual game plan at hand. No, I don't think you deserve a fucking certificate or trophy if you didn't come in First, Second or Third Place. Harsh? Believe me, my bosses didn't give out participation awards when I didn't hit #1 sales status at the end of the quarter. Mainly because I didn't deserve praise if I didn't excel or beat expectations and well, they were assholes too.

The reason for this crazy rant? At the girls' school, PE has become the decision of the children, not the teacher. Every.fucking.time....kids get to decide who will be their partner for whatever task may be at hand. Again since when does an 8/9-year-old have the facilities to choose without being prejudiced? The popular and sporty stick with the popular and sporty. The weak and awkward seem to be rewarded by being reduced to pair with their lesser or their equal. How about a little humility? How about learning or maybe teaching those that not everyone is as equipped with awesome sauce and maybe one can learn from those who are deemed "blessed?" or not.

My child seems to be coupled with the troubled child "every time." My child is not popular but she is not hated. She is just there. Her feelings of not having a close friend comes true every Friday after school. I hear about how she has to be paired with the girl that no one wants because she is not wanted herself. By those other girls. Trying to instill confidence when she hasn't found her groove in all the activities offered is quite hard. Hearing from another class mate that they don't choose her, Celia, not because she isn't liked but because she has difficulties in school is even more heart breaking. "She is sweet and nice but I don't know why we don't choose her other than, we just don't." This sentence makes me realize that people are assholes and they raising more assholes. Celia tries to be happy to be paired with the girl who cries because she isn't paired with the 'popular' girls. In the end she feels even more like shit and I don't blame her.

I want to tell her third grade doesn't matter and half those girls in your class? I can guarantee you, will be fucking spinsters. Because they are ugly inside and plain on the out.

Such a hard lesson to teach while you want to go kick some major ass in your child's honor. But you don't because it's her life lesson to learn. Even though you learned it a LONG TIME AGO and realized the outcome a little too late.

Would you ask the teacher to get her head out of her ass and do the pairing herself? or leave it be?

 

 

ten ante meridiem

February Photo a Day Challenge: Day Five - 10am

Today at ten a.m., I happened to be rendering bacon for a most comforting dish of barbecue baked beans for game day festivities. The older I become the more I've begun to channel my Grandmother and her "cooking to comfort the soul" adage.

Last night because I'm totally crazy, I made a cake from scratch. A browned-butter cake with a dark chocolate mousse filing and a chocolate granache icing.

 

This cake should otherwise be labeled "diabetic coma."

Friday evening Rich and I went to a school fundraiser which entailed trivia, booze and I think some food but the Ranch-flavored pretzels were more my bag.

As one might gather,

this bird will probably be called into the Principal's office, YET AGAIN!!!

for being loud and well, herself.

Any who, have fun watching the game or not. I'm watching the match-up only because there will be booze, food and great company.  I'm thinking I'm rooting for Eli Manning since Tom Brady is a man-whore.

I know, I'm such a gamer.