What’s On Your Mind?

[Scepticalscribe]

A mug of hot chocolate is on my mind.

 

[Renzatic]

I got T-boned off the road four years ago by a young lady who was playing with her phone. Double spin, all windows burst and the car was completely ruined but somehow I was unharmed. The moment before the impact though will not leave my memory.

I had a similar experience, though I was the one at fault. I was driving along after a long day at work, didn't notice the red light until I was up on it, and by then, it was too late to do anything about it except hope for the best.

Luck wasn't on my side. Ended up getting t-boned, and rolled over on my side. I'll never forget the eerie calm that overcame me when I knew I was going to get hit. It wasn't quite like it was in slow motion, but everything seemed so casual. I saw the car hit me, and I thought "yup, this is how I die." I looked to my left, saw the road coming up at me from the drivers side window, felt the impact as I landed, and I sat there on my side, watching antifreeze spew out of the front edge of my hood for a good 30 seconds before I finally snapped back to reality.

My car burst into flames about 5 minutes later. Altogether, 4 cars were totaled in that wreck. Somehow, no one was severely hurt. I ended up with a bruised shoulder, and nothing more.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

And now, a cousin of mine is on my mind.

 

[Renzatic]

I'm thinking about fajitas, and how good they are.

 

[lizkat]

Snow! Deer! Hanukkah, the winter solstice, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year's, Twelfth NIght and alas, land tax season to bring everyone around here back to their budgets just in time for the dead of winter. But first all the festivities.

And yeah, mice... I have special Unwelcome mats out for them as they're starting to come in now after a long Indian Summer. I've never replaced a particular missing pane of glass on the deck that conveniently faces a small alley between deck and walk-in coldframe. it's sheltered from the wind, just outside my kitchen door and a handy place to toss the evidence that there's a certain level of basic hospitality missing from these premises from a mouse's POV.

 

[ericwn]

I had a similar experience, though I was the one at fault. I was driving along after a long day at work, didn't notice the red light until I was up on it, and by then, it was too late to do anything about it except hope for the best.

Luck wasn't on my side. Ended up getting t-boned, and rolled over on my side. I'll never forget the eerie calm that overcame me when I knew I was going to get hit. It wasn't quite like it was in slow motion, but everything seemed so casual. I saw the car hit me, and I thought "yup, this is how I die." I looked to my left, saw the road coming up at me from the drivers side window, felt the impact as I landed, and I sat there on my side, watching antifreeze spew out of the front edge of my hood for a good 30 seconds before I finally snapped back to reality.

My car burst into flames about 5 minutes later. Altogether, 4 cars were totaled in that wreck. Somehow, no one was severely hurt. I ended up with a bruised shoulder, and nothing more.

Wow, thanks for sharing! For me, this was the third heavy car accident that I was involved in as a victim so to speak, and each time I thought “this is the moment I die” with that calm certainty- luckily I was wrong every time.

 

[Herdfan]

I'm thinking about fajitas, and how good they are.

Now I want fajitas for dinner.

 

[Renzatic]

Now I want fajitas for dinner.

I had some for lunch. They tasted like a dream!

 

[Eric]

Cleaned up my office and add some wall hangers for my guitars, freed up quite a bit of room.

 

[Herdfan]

I had some for lunch. They tasted like a dream!

Back in college there was a local Mexican place that was still probably the best Tex-Mex I have ever had. It was fairly cheap so a lot of students ate there as it was within a long walk from campus. Final semester of my senior year we all had to take the Management capstone course. I was in it with 2 other friends and since the class was at 2 on M-W, every Wednesday we would meet there for lunch and then go to class.

This was the type of place where you pretty much smelled like the place when you left. So the three of us would go to class and basically make the whole room smell like Mexican food. Before long a couple of other in the class would join us ensuring the room smelled even more like Mexican food. By the end of the semester, half the class was eating lunch there. Even had a surprise visit by the prof for lunch once. Good times.

Sadly they moved to a new larger location and closed within a couple of years. It lost the original feel and people stopped going.

The owner/chef is now putting his recipes on youtube for people to try and make at home. So far he as released 2 chili's and the black bean soup. Waiting on him to release his fajita recipe.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGv8U055WmkAHWDoyRqH0mg

 

[Renzatic]

This was the type of place where you pretty much smelled like the place when you left. So the three of us would go to class and basically make the whole room smell like Mexican food.

That's the sign of a good Mexican restaurant right there.

The place I go to is a little hole-in-the-wall joint that you wouldn't even look at twice were it not for the word of mouth surrounding it. It is, bar none, the best Mexican place for miles and miles around.

...though I've been hearing rumors about some taco place up in Chattanooga that may have it beat.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Back in college there was a local Mexican place that was still probably the best Tex-Mex I have ever had. It was fairly cheap so a lot of students ate there as it was within a long walk from campus. Final semester of my senior year we all had to take the Management capstone course. I was in it with 2 other friends and since the class was at 2 on M-W, every Wednesday we would meet there for lunch and then go to class.

This was the type of place where you pretty much smelled like the place when you left. So the three of us would go to class and basically make the whole room smell like Mexican food. Before long a couple of other in the class would join us ensuring the room smelled even more like Mexican food. By the end of the semester, half the class was eating lunch there. Even had a surprise visit by the prof for lunch once. Good times.

Sadly they moved to a new larger location and closed within a couple of years. It lost the original feel and people stopped going.

The owner/chef is now putting his recipes on youtube for people to try and make at home. So far he as released 2 chili's and the black bean soup. Waiting on him to release his fajita recipe.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGv8U055WmkAHWDoyRqH0mg

Sounds as though it was a great place.

Thanks for posting the link; anyway, I've been enjoying the videos - that seriously industrial (professional) stick blender is absolutely awesome.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Back in college there was a local Mexican place that was still probably the best Tex-Mex I have ever had. It was fairly cheap so a lot of students ate there as it was within a long walk from campus. Final semester of my senior year we all had to take the Management capstone course. I was in it with 2 other friends and since the class was at 2 on M-W, every Wednesday we would meet there for lunch and then go to class.

This was the type of place where you pretty much smelled like the place when you left. So the three of us would go to class and basically make the whole room smell like Mexican food. Before long a couple of other in the class would join us ensuring the room smelled even more like Mexican food. By the end of the semester, half the class was eating lunch there. Even had a surprise visit by the prof for lunch once. Good times.

Sadly they moved to a new larger location and closed within a couple of years. It lost the original feel and people stopped going.

The owner/chef is now putting his recipes on youtube for people to try and make at home. So far he as released 2 chili's and the black bean soup. Waiting on him to release his fajita recipe.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGv8U055WmkAHWDoyRqH0mg

Did I mention that - I have now watched all three of his videos, and must say that I thoroughly enjoyed them - I also like his background music?

Again, thanks for the link.

Terrific stuff, the sort of recipes that make (nay, persuade) one want and wish to cook these delicious dishes.

 

[Herdfan]

Did I mention that - I have now watched all three of his videos, and must say that I thoroughly enjoyed them - I also like his background music?

Again, thanks for the link.

Terrific stuff, the sort of recipes that make (nay, persuade) one want and wish to cook these delicious dishes.

You're welcome. It seems like he is releasing one every couple of months.

I plan on doing the Texas Red over Christmas. Trying to track down all those peppers at the moment. And I am going to cheat and buy Chorizo. Making it seems a bit overkill.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

You're welcome. It seems like he is releasing one every couple of months.

I plan on doing the Texas Red over Christmas. Trying to track down all those peppers at the moment. And I am going to cheat and buy Chorizo. Making it seems a bit overkill.

Agreed.

To be quite candid, the Texas Red struck me as being the most - shall I say, challenging - of the three recipes; not just tracking down the ingredients, but the execution of the detailed instructions (fascinating, though they were).

However, the other two recipes did seem, to me, to be a lot more......doable.

And I don't doubt that they were delicious.

 

[Herdfan]

Agreed.

To be quite candid, the Texas Red struck me as being the most - shall I say, challenging - of the three recipes; not just tracking down the ingredients, but the execution of the detailed instructions (fascinating, though they were).

However, the other two recipes did seem, to me, to be a lot more......doable.

And I don't doubt that they were delicious.

My standard meal there was beef fajitas, with which you got a side. My side was always a cup of Texas Red. They served it with a flour tortilla folded in fourth's with a dollop of butter inside. Yum.

I am going to watch the video again taking detailed notes. Then when I try my hand, I will take detailed notes as to how much of each thing, the setting on the stove, etc.

 

[ericwn]

Reading all of this, I miss Austin. Been there many times and really enjoyed the people and atmosphere and food.

 

[DT]

Put the top back on the Jeep Monday morning, to drop it off at service. Not totally necessary, but figured if it had an extended stay for some reason, it could be closed up/secured.

I forgot how great it looks all buttoned up, with the color matched top, it really comes together nicely. I was going to pull it right back off when we got it home, but I think we're going to leave it, and if we want a little extra sun and fresh air, the front 1/2 of the top has easy to remove panels (aka, "freedom tops" ) And start using the Jeep more, give the Tesla a little break The Jeep has ~1400 miles on it and we got it in April ...

Got it back Tuesday morning, heck, I thought it would take longer, it was specifically for a service bulletin (not quite as urgent as a recall), for an improved harness (done). I also felt there was a tiny bit of slop in the steering, plus I had heard an "under torque spec" issue from other owners for the control arm, checked, and tightened, feels 100% better. All that was quick, but the service manager said they spent like 3 hours applying __several__ ECU/MCU updates (I mentioned I knew of some when I dropped it off, guess there was ). Supposed to smooth out the transmission, especially in electric-to-gas transitions (this is much improved, feels much better), tweak several other things - and finally (as I had heard from other owners) the regen braking switch now retains its state, i.e., turn it on, stop, fire it up, and it's on again. Sweet.

We took it out for a long drive today, over to Total Wine (@JagRunner ), roof panels out, stocked up (FYI, AMEX is doing $20 off $100 or more), and came back by Ida Claire, so f-ing good, we had duck nachos, house made potato chips vs. corn chips, gravy, sunny side up eggs on the top, gravy - their biscuits with bacon gravy and homemade apple/pineapple jam, and cups of their out of this world gumbo (sausage, chicken, okra).

Also placed an order with Sonos - more on that later when the gear arrives, it's backordered (but no biggie since we're traveling for XMAS).

Edit for beer scored on this trip ... and FYI, every bottle/can in this photo is unique, so 16 choices on deck

 

[Joe]

Also placed an order with Sonos - more on that later when the gear arrives, it's backordered (but no biggie since we're traveling for XMAS).

I recently purchased the Sonos Arc Soundbar and the SubWoofer - I love it!

 

[ericwn]

Thinking about resigning and what else to do for a living.
Feeling my heart’s no longer in it and the need for change. At the same time, stressed and clueless what else to do.