Standing on the Ledge of the Skydeck at the Willis Tower, 1,353 feet separating the soles of my shoes and the streets of Chicago. Feeling equal parts safe and foolish. Resolve to strike a similar balance each day (and night).
Monthly Archives: March 2012
Alter Ego: Guest Food Blogger #2
The following excerpt is from my occasional turn as guest food blogger on A Ruby Reduction. In this entry, I discuss life wtih a seemingly insatiable sweet tooth and attempt to temper my cravings through a rather unusual treat – bacon chocolate chip cookies…
To the surprise of absolutely no one who knows me, I have a confession to make: I am the proud owner of an unbelievably potent sweet tooth.
I know, such a shocking revelation.
For me, temptation from all things sugar is at times too hard to resist. One indulgence in particular, whose appeal I am utterly powerless against, is the cookie.
One cookie leads to two. Two lead to three. Three lead to a number greater than I care to admit.
But at least my craving is satisfied, right? Not exactly.
Every time I venture down this slippery slope, I naively believe this sense of contentment will last. Unfortunately, it turns out to be a mere appetizer, inevitably followed by an entrée of regret coupled with a heaping side of self-loathing (and eventual tummy ache).
To frame this pattern in somewhat simpler terms: sucrose, fructose, glucose, comatose. Ugh.
To view the rest of the entry, simply visit RubyReduction.com (originally posted 02 December 2011).
Alter Ego: Guest Food Blogger #1
The following is an excerpt from my recent turn as guest food blogger for my wife’s site, A Ruby Reduction. If you prefer your food full of flavour and your food blogs light on pretense, then her site is definitely for you.
Shortly after Connie launched A Ruby Reduction, I briefly entertained the thought of creating a companion blog focused entirely on the hamburger.
It seemed like a splendid idea at first … until I began to realize that in order to maintain such a site, I’d have to eat an (almost) ungodly number of burgers (and buns) on a regular basis.
Hey, I love hamburgers, but a man’s got his limits.
So, rather than subject myself to the perpetual “meat sweats”, I offered to submit the occasional post on hamburgers to A Ruby Reduction. From a health (and creative) perspective, it’s probably a more reasonable rate.
The rest of the piece is available at RubyReduction.com (originally posted 02 March 2012). Featured in the entry are two original hamburger creations inspired by comedian Bill Burr.
You can also follow Ruby Reduction on Twitter: @Ruby_Reduction
From the archives: Meet Kurt Southern
The following is an excerpt from my exclusive profile of Canadian mixed martial artist, Kurt Southern. The interview was featured on MMAOutlook.com.
Kurt Southern’s day begins much like yours or mine: awake earlier than he cares to be; dragged from the comforts of sleep by the clatter of a clock radio seemingly stuck between stations.
The sun—rising steadily above the horizon—greets Southern as he steps outside to take in the morning air. After a brief moment, though it feels longer, he turns and closes the door to a home he works hard to pay for, but rarely gets to enjoy.
“Another day, another dollar,” people say.
Except for Southern, another day means grinding out long hours at a job in the steel trade until his shift ends and he can trade his torch and coveralls for a pair of four ounce gloves. From there, it’s several more hours of punishment inside the gym before finally returning home to rest and spend time with his girlfriend.
And then prepare to do it all over again the next day.
It’s the kind of life that could have inspired a Springsteen song, had the Boss come of age on the Canadian prairies and not the backstreets of South Jersey.
But you won’t hear Southern complain about hard work; he wasn’t raised that way.
To read the rest of the exclusive profile, visit MMAOutlook.com (originally posted 28 August 2011).
THIS IS LIKELY TO CHANGE 