Because the thought occurred now and it might be gone tomorrow
As per usual, here’s my post-holiday winter post, recapping whatever I was up to in January last year.
Aside from that, the holidays were stressful as usual and too action-packed for my liking. So here’s a toast to the new year, and the holidays being concluded once more:
–Simon
Guns are of course a polarizing topic for us Americans. But unlike guns, knife design has a far less malleable intent of purpose. Sure, the gun pendants will argue otherwise, that a gun is a tool–but its purpose is always to kill, regardless of the target being animal or human. A knife, however, may indeed be designed for killing, and it may be multi-purpose say for military or survival applications that might require killing, but it may also be very obviously designed for non-lethal utilitarian tasks. And the attempt to use the latter for the act of killing would probably bring equal harm to the wielder.
But this is difficult to explain to those whose sheltered lives never necessitated the carrying of a basic blade, for why carry a blade at all when other tools can be acquired to accomplish a blade’s tasks? And if a blade is indeed required, could it not be readily requisitioned from somewhere other than a person’s clothing?
Is it necessary to carry a knife as regular personal equipment?
This question came to mind recently when, due to my own negligence, I had my daily-carry folding knife confiscated at a Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert.
As what seems to be the increasing norm at large gatherings, security has tightened to the point of ridiculousness. Coupled with the wannabe cops that seek this employment, the experience is akin to TSA, minus the wandering hands squeezing my crotch. Humph–their loss.
But the old guy who caught me was nice (no crotch-squeezing involved), and probably just making some extra money in retirement, so rather than relegate a fine blade to the dumpster, I gave it to him on the spot. He was openly pleased at the offering, so at least I know that it went to an appreciative new owner and not a douche-bro trying to act ultra-alpha.
But back to the question: why carry a knife at all? Does its application warrant the irritation of having personal property essentially stolen? My daughter, who herself has lived an incredibly sheltered life to date, didn’t seem to think so. Maybe I just have outdated habits based on early experiences of a life I no longer live myself.
So to answer the question, I began documenting every instance where I reflexively reached for and used the knife in my pocket.
Over the course of 3 days I…
Okay, 3 days isn’t a large sample size, but it was a tedious list to maintain. Still, it’s enough to make two observations:
So perhaps it’s time to revise my loadout. I could always just stash a knife in each of the vehicles in case I’m out and need one, but as I’ve already taken this approach to flashlights and never seem to have one in the glovebox, that might not guarantee knife access.
Or maybe the world just needs to chill the fuck out.
In the meantime, I’ll just carry cheapies. Fuck you, paranoid world.
I never was a foodie. I always viewed an obsession with food as unhealthy. Then I had two revelations:
These two points continually boost each other, and whether we blame capitalism or economic limitations as the initiator, the end result is that American middle class food culture is one of excess over quality.
But then I developed the technical skills required for cooking, and while my formative financial station kept me locked in the familiar mediocrity, my socioeconomic ladder-climbing provided exploratory means. I realized that cooking, like any technical skill, could be quite rewarding when also risking failure (something money allows). I argue with people on the true artistry of food preparation, but I don’t think many of us achieve that level. We are not chefs. We are cooks, executing known techniques to output a palatable result, which is not to say that the process is easy to learn, or not fun and interesting.
But enough of my sociological babble. That was just an intro so I could show what I’ve been up to on the food front.
…which amusingly begins with peasant food!
Potatoes, onions, blood sausage, sauerkraut, and dumplings. That’s pretty peasanty all right. Filling and hitting all the macronutrients. This was mainly to try the blood sausage, which I had never had before. Like liver, it was unsurprisingly very rich and iron-y. It was okay, but I don’t think I’ll get it again.
Next up, bread, which I don’t think qualifies as peasant food. It predates that, being a standard subsistence food for humanity and the reason for agriculture’s genesis. Well, that and beer. Both cereal crops though.
But, this is no simple bread. This is sourdough, and a wild strain at that.
Bread freaks go on and on about this–about how sourdough yeast is unique to the geographical region and by baking with it, the essence of said region has been captured. However true that may be, it sounds a little too fanciful for some damn bread. But it still holds an ounce of coolness, that I now posses the knowledge to create bread sans commercial yeast. And unlike commercial yeasts, this one had a much stronger flavor. I’ll try to keep that mother alive (the yeast one–the other one’s on her own).
And next, some more smoking successes. While I can’t claim the other dishes on this table, I did smoke a turkey for the first time, to positive reviews. I don’t know where exactly turkey fits in on the status scale, because it’s a holiday tradition food, so maybe it’s exempt altogether.
Turns out that smoking is indeed a viable cooking method. I’ll try frying one of these years.
And last, also smoked–some more bacon. Pork belly might have originated as low class food, but with its popularity and prices today, I think it achieved haute cuisine. Noveau riche, perhaps.
Prior attempts were good, but this batch seems especially tasty. Maybe that’s because of the meat slicer acquisition. Uniform pieces make me feel professional…and bring back nightmares from a certain prior job. Worth it.
Thick bacon! Not that sissy store crap.
There we have it: good food, normal ingredients. And while much of my cooking may have peasant origins, I can at least claim proper execution and variations in method. But more importantly, I’ve learned to appreciate the result, not the quantity, of the final dish. Perhaps I’m a true foodie after all.
–Simon
Edit for context: I bought a new shotgun choke.
I have some blog drafts that I don’t feel like completing, at least not yet. One’s regarding my political stance on gun control and the AR-15. One chronicles my dishwasher problems. And neither is terrible fun nor interesting.
So instead, I’ll post some pics of squirrel hunting, 2022!
This year, only the haunches were saved. I could never get squirrel back meat to taste any good. Also, pan frying is always a winner.
Success! The vicious hunter we are then retired for an evening of drinking and pizza.
–Simon
–Simon