Nothing fancy today. Just a another magic meld: “a cosmological event wherein two or more ingredients, when blended together, produce an outstanding and often surprising marriage of molecular culinary enchantment.”

While mixing up an egg-yolk dumpling recipe for a chicken and dumpling dinner the other night (the dumplings didn’t turn out — still searching for that ever-elusive Grandma recipe from my past), I ended up with two leftover egg whites. Not wanting to toss them away, I poured them into a hot skillet, added some salt, pepper, red pepper, and a dash of oregano. As they sizzled, I spread a thin coating of tartar sauce on two pieces of toasted oat bread, onto which I plopped the fried egg whites and a sprinkle of mild cheddar cheese.

It was the tartar sauce that produced the “magic” of the meld. Next time I’ll try adding Swiss cheese and a perhaps a garnish of thin-sliced shallots.

Tim says: curious because that is my nature, I Googled “egg white sandwich recipes” and one of them immediately caught my attention: “Egg White, Caramelized Onion and Fig Jam Sandwich“.

Man, does this look good or what? (Presentation is everything!)

Back in the 70s i was fascinated by MIME. Every city I visited, my then wife and I would go to city center and gawk at the talent. The following Video Curiosity was submitted by “ballisticforce”. “ballisticforce” is one of my UberStrike gamer friends, many of whom have taken it upon themselves to drag “Gray Mouser” (my in-game identity) into the current century. Just last night I was chatting to one of them who was trying to explain to me some of Google’s many features. After a while, a bell went off in my head: “Oh,” I typed. “Are you talking about that CLOUD THINGY?”

Gray Mouser is often referred to as “Mouser”, or “da Geeza”, or “Grandpa”. I’ll be telling you more about him in the near future. Gray Mouser began writing for the UberStrike community several months ago, when he was interviewed and promoted to Cmunity Writer. Since then, Mouser has been promoted once again, this time to Cmunity Leader. Basically, he is now the Perry White of the Cmunity, a group of very talented writers and artists, all of whom have become friends.

Which reminds me of a funny story.

The other day I was interviewing a young teenager in an effort to recruit a new writer who could connect with the prevalent younger demographics of the UberStrike Forum (where we all post our articles). Somewhere in our Skype text chat, I mentioned I would like him to possibly become Cmunity’s Cub Reporter — just like Jimmy Olsen!

“Who’s Jimmy Olsen?” he asked.

I was devastated.

“You know,” I prodded. “Perry White’s Daily Planet CUB REPORTER!“

A few minutes passed. Then, “Who’s Perry White and what’s the Daily Planet?”

Right to the heart!

At any rate, I would REALLY like to see this Video Curiosity’s “Dubstep” dude performing these moves live. (I even like the music!)

–submitted by “ballisticforce”

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Tim says: if you’d like to submit one of your own You Tube “Video Curiosity” discoveries for consideration, use the “Contact” form at the top of the blog. Include the link and your first name only. Email addresses (if any) will not be published.

This is one of the funniest videos I’ve seen in a while. Be sure to watch it to the end.

–submitted by “Mary N.”

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Tim says: if you’d like to submit one of your own You Tube “Video Curiosity” discoveries for consideration, use the “Contact” form at the top of the blog. Include the link and your first name only. Email addresses (if any) will not be published.

(submitted by Rich)

This new type of shameless encroachment into our personal viewing habits far exceeds the recent introduction of the visual “product placement” types of advertising cropping up nowadays in television shows and movie productions as well.

For example: on the “Fringe” Sci-Fi series (one of my favorites!)  last week, during a conversation inside a speeding vehicle, the camera lingers a bit too long on a tight shot of the actress’s finger pushing a phone button on the steering wheel.

The “NISSAN” leather-imprinted logo, clearly visible in the shot, is entirely irrelevant to the scene’s action. I suppose soon — during this type of product-insertion shot and the advent of more Subway-driven abominations –  the actors will be carrying on a scripted dialog about gas mileage, dealership incentives, and choices of additional items:

“Well, gee, Peter, while we are busy chasing down that shape shifting maniac who’s hell-bent on destroying our universe, I thought you might like to know Nissan has a super deal cooking for two days only at selected dealers for qualified buyers that lets you choose any seven of their 16 incredible accessories for ZERO down and 6 years to pay! Let’s forget about shape shifters for a few minutes, make a quick detour, and go check out that exciting new candy-apple-red Nissan pickup truck offer before heading over to Subway and checking out yet ANOTHER super deal I saw last night on Hawaii 5-0!”

Shame on you advertisers. Shame on you television networks. Shame, Shame, SHAME!

I think I’m going to puke.

I have recently discovered how cool rice noodles are. You know what I’m talking about — they’re the noodles you see in almost any movie where the actors are hunched down in one of those small, ambient-rich Asian side-street restaurants with a bowl cupped in their hands, shoveling steaming noodles and seafood tentacles into their mouths with chopsticks. (There is an incredible rice noodle scene with Harrison Ford in one of my all-time favorite movies, Blade Runner. Every time I see that movie — which is quite often — my taste-buds wake up and begin jumping up and down, hammering the roof of my mouth in protest!)

What I really like about rice noodles is their preparation: bring a pan of water to a boil, toss in the dry rice noodles, stir, turn the heat off, let sit for anywhere from 4 to 8 minutes (depending on the type of rice noodle you are using), drain in a colander, and chill by pouring cold water over them (to stop the cooking process).

How simple can it get?

To die for!

Good question!

How about covering a couple handfuls of dry rice noodles in a bowl of water and soaking them overnight in the fridge, where they store well until you are ready to create a colorful stir-fry, or a tasty broth soup?

Needless to say, an amazing wide range of rice noodle recipes are available in a Google search, limited only by your imagination.

Damn, there go my taste-buds again — waking up and  jumping up and down, hammering the roof of my mouth in protest!

Your NAPP (National Association of Photoshop Professionals) membership expired last month, which means it’s been a month since you…

- Logged on at the members-only website to watch a new video tutorial.
- Cashed in on our outstanding discounts from Adobe, Apple, B&H, onOne, Adorama, and more.
- Networked with over 71,000 members on the forums.
- Read an issue of Photoshop User magazine.
- Received free tech support from our Help Desk.
- Caught a free Kelby Training class.
- Watched a rebroadcast of one of our live webcasts (or watched a live one for that matter).
- Continued to learn new things about Photoshop and photography from the best instructors in the industry.

It’s easy to renew using our secure server here, or call us at 800-738-8513, Monday-Friday, 8:30am to 7:00pm EST.

Please renew today and because your continued membership means so much to us, we’ll send you one of our bestselling books to you free as part of your renewal.

Thank you for continuing your membership with NAPP!

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Dear Photoshop,

By golly, YES — you are CORRECT! My NAPP membership expired last month, which means it’s been a month since I’ve…

- Logged on at the members-only website to watch a new video tutorial.
- Cashed in on our outstanding discounts from Adobe, Apple, B&H, onOne, Adorama, and more.
- Networked with over 71,000 members on the forums.
- Read an issue of Photoshop User magazine.
- Received free tech support from your Help Desk.
- Caught a free Kelby Training class.
- Watched a rebroadcast of one of your live webcasts (or watched a live one for that matter).
- Continued to learn new things about Photoshop and photography from the best instructors in the industry.

Truth is, I can no longer AFFORD doing ANY of the above!  (Thank you, though,  for your continued reminders that I can no longer afford it!)

When I CAN afford it, I’d love to once again:

- Log on at the members-only website to watch a new video tutorial.
- Cash in on our outstanding discounts from Adobe, Apple, B&H, onOne, Adorama, and more.
- Network with over 71,000 members on the forums.
- Read an issue of Photoshop User magazine.
- Receive free tech support from your Help Desk.
- Catch a free Kelby Training class.
- Watch a rebroadcast of one of your live webcasts (or watched a live one for that matter).
- Continue to learn new things about Photoshop and photography from the best instructors in the industry.

I will let you know when I am able to do so!

–Simply Tim

Tim says: it worked –never received another renewal email!

Chicken-Apple Gouda Sausage

My culinary discovery-of-the-week is Hillshire Farms Gourmet Creations Chicken Apple with Gouda Cheese Premium Smoked Sausage. A mouthful no matter how you cut it.

I like almost any kind of smoked sausage, but this one took me by surprise. I cooked mine by first simmering it in a skillet of boiling water for about 8 minutes, which maintains a pleasant water content. Then, I poured out the water, added a touch of olive oil, and browned the sausage over low heat, which maintains the pleasant water content as well as providing a crispy snap to each bite.

Beef and Jalapeno with Monterey Jack Cheese Sausage

In my opinion, Chicken Apple with Gouda Cheese Premium Smoked Chicken Sausage is tasty enough to serve as a trusted main dish, when served with sides of sticky rice, baked or scalloped potatoes, and a zesty Italian salad.

Just for kicks, I went back to the grocery store a few days later and purchased Hillshire Farms Gourmet Creations Beef and Jalapeno with Monterey Jack Cheese Sausage, and was pleasantly surprised all over again.

Two other varieties are available. Check them out!

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It’s sincere, but it’s also rather trendy to thank a military veteran these days. “Thank you for your service.” I hear it at least weekly, sometimes more often. I say it myself. For many years I never heard it at all.

“Thank you for your service” means “Thank you for putting your civilian life on hold,” and “Thank you for working so hard,” and “Thank you for suffering,” and maybe most of all “Thank you for risking your life.”

I work the service desk at BJ’s Wholesale Membership Club. It’s a far cry from the jungles of Vietnam. I’m lucky to be there. Last week an Asian woman came to the counter to renew her membership. I’m pretty good at guessing country origins from names. When I saw hers I asked if she was Vietnamese. She nodded. I said I had been there. She asked when and I told her.

“You were in the war?”

I nodded again, not sure how she would react.

She reached her hands across the counter and gripped both of mine, tightly, her voice firm, intent. “Thank you,” she said. “Thank you for fighting for us. Thank you for fighting for our freedom.”

I was speechless. I started to say I didn’t really do any fighting, but then I heard that whupping sound of a sniper’s bullet tumbling by my ear. My mind shifted and I shot into a flashback. On another day I was in a Huey in a monsoon as we lowered into the misty jungle. The blades snapped branches off. Colored smoke grenades were like monster streaks of finger-paint on the side of the hill. I saw muzzle bursts. I heard shots and screeching metal. In the middle of a firefight grunts lifted their buddy up and I grabbed him, pulling him to the deck of our hovering bird. My mind shifted again and it was night and I knew the mortar rounds stepping toward my hootch would hit. Shift. I felt like a breaking mirror at hearing a screaming rocket. And shift. And shift. And I was back.

All this in the blink of an eye and a tear.

“Thank you,” she said and it meant more to me than anyone else thanking me for my service. She was the reason we were there.

“I escaped in 1980,” she went on. “I love my freedom. I love America.”

I held her hands as tightly as she held mine, but we were at the service desk of BJ’s Wholesale Membership Club and the line behind her was lengthening. The war is in the past now. Still, it’s part of me. We didn’t want to let go of each other, but we did.

Rich

Tim says: Thank you for coming home.

When I was a young adult I assumed that “old” people had old minds that feebly floated back across old memories the same way their old bodies feebly crossed a street; that my own young memories were fresh and sharp merely because they had occurred in the span of a few short decades; that I would NEVER grow old enough to shuffle or chase peas around on a plate; that — like Peter Pan — I would never grow up.

This year my body turned 62. Now, one of the LEAST frightening things I’ve discovered is the mind’s refusal at following the body’s lead.

“I’ll tell you a story
About David Corey,
Now my story’s begun…
I’ll tell you another
About his brother
Now my story’s done.”

After Dad left the bedroom, I would usually drift off to sleep quickly, my mind anesthetized inside a soft, protective cloud of circular logic.