Traveler's Log; Stardate NOW: 2013

well last night did not go as long as i would have liked....did not even make it until 1am, 5 drinks total i think. then again i only slept about 5 hours last night.

crashed on the couch last night. dont know why. i never even do that at home and honestly my couch at home may be a touch bigger. after my 4 egg omelette yesterday i only was 'allowed' a 2 egg today. ironically, i struck the golden mean between amount of eggs and pan size to get the perfect thin layer of egg, folded perfectly, best one yet.

used the rest of my rice and stock and made the worlds simplest risotto with only those 2 ingredients. finally done cleaning the kitchen and doing dishes after my atom bomb cooking sunday.

going to take the busses out to SE orlando and hit up knightly spirits today and grab a couple more 750s. will probably be minimum 2 hours of waiting for busses and riding them but fuck it, got nothing better to do. been out that way years ago and nothing of interest that i remember but ill surely be doing some adventuring. going to ride my bike part way and lock it up somewhere. something id normally never do at home but i figure this bike and this area make it far less prone for theft.

SATURDAY:

All time fastest travel through security at O'Hare - I probably entered the line, then was putting my shoes back on within about 3 minutes. The line wasn't too long but I just lucked out in things being really speedy. Right place, right time.

Took link 111 and hoofed it for the last mile. Dropped off my stuff and grabbed by $125 incentive (now in Amex gift cards instead of Marriott money) in advance - and new and useful development. Dropped off my gear and went right back out again on link 8 up north on Turkey Lake Road.

Walked the remaining 1.5 miles to Wal Mart. Fooled around with a few bikes for a while before deciding on a Huffy Cranbrook cruiser. Rode back the 3.5 miles and then decided to continue on down Westwood to Publix right away rather than wait, which was tough as the bike already was in need of major adjustment. Toughed it out for about an 8 miler probably with a giant load of groceries.

Made some pasta with jar sauce and roasted a huge bunch of asparagus. Cooked off some green pepper and mushrooms for omelette fillings. Ate and started drinking, eventually headed out and had a Natty Ice silo behind the strip mall at Central Florida and Gateway. It was a good quiet derelict drinking spot but there was all types of intermittent behavior going on, even more shady than my own boozing. Was running out of gas anyway so headed back and hit the rack by about 1am.

SUNDAY:

Woke up and went back to Publix to get the rest of what I needed and also some liquor. Figured I'd find better prices at Knightly Spirits - results were mixed. Prices still were not very good but somehow Maker's Mark, Knob Creek and Woodford Reserve all had about a $3 spread - should be closer to $15. Also copped a 750 of Cigar City Cucumber saison.

Made it back and got to cooking - and drinking. First off made chicken stock with mirepoix and some whole unpeeled garlic cloves. Used 4 giant drumsticks. Skimmed and strained and it came out really clear and nice. Then I cooked a pound of red beans with more mirepoix and garlic until they were done - even went down to the pool (and bar) while they finished doing their thing. Found some nice looking local sausage and crisped it up in a pan and saved the grease. Used the grease for even more fresh mirepoix, then the beans, sausage and chicken stock.

At the same time, started work on some arroz con pollo. Mirepoix, garlic then rice got sauteed, then tossed in a whole can of rotel and some more stock.. Finished both dishes with half a bundle each of parsley. Made a few cups of rice on the side for the beans. Still have some stock and rice left which I'll cook off probably tomorrow as the cooked supply runs low.

Got super drunk, had about 7 drinks by about 330pm then laid down for a nap. Woke up at about 730pm with a laser beam headache and felt totally disoriented, took me a few moments to figure out what day/time it was, or even where I was! Could not get it together all night, eventually rode down to CVS and bought some junk (cheese/PB crackers and doritos) and ate all that mess and drank a Sunkist. Watched a long documentary about Jeff Dunham and went to bed sober and finally feeling better from the effects of the mid day hangover.

MONDAY: (still in progress)

Had my appt for sales meeting set for 830am. Scheduled via email over a week ago and got a confirmation phone call when I arrived over the weekend. They even offered to give me a wakeup call and I assured them that would not be necessary.

Still got a call at 7am asking if I wanted to move my appt to 8am. When I said of course not, they said that if I needed transportation at 830am a 'special arrangement' would have to be made as this was not a normal time slot. I calmly and articulately explained that I did not care at all and that I would there at 830am and ought to have a van waiting. That ended that.

Got up about 745am and made the 2nd omelette of the week and noticed one egg barely cracked in the carton. Was able to carefully extricate it and salvage it, leading to a 4 (rather than 3) egg omelette. Came out better than yesterday.

Got cleaned up and went down to the meeting. Got back at almost 11am. Proceeded to do nothing besides read a 350+ page book ('A Fair Cop'), eat beans/rice and arroz/pollo and Cheez Its. Now drinking a root beer and thinking about how there is no way I plan to start drinking early at all tonite. Going to do some work on my bottle of Woodford, drink that 750 then take a ride to CVS for a 12 pack of Heiniken and a DiGiornio later on. I do not want to go to bed much before 1am, hoping to extend it even later. Bio Channel has been about the most rewarding so far or I am going to put a Bronson flick on as I bought his whole filmography with me.