Ugly Doll Month - Señor Caliente

Señor Caliente the Pepper - Doll #3

 

 A purple hot pepper does exist in nature. The purple "capsicum annuum." But this one exists because of my lack of green and red scraps. There are many crocheted Hot Peppers out there, mostly red and some with sombreros.  Señor Caliente Prefers his unique color and natural stemmed head. The stem was freehand single crochet, ending with some small bobble stitches along the crooked edge. His lidded eyes are a bit Oscar the Grouch style. My thought, if not for scrap shortage, was to make a "Salsa Trio" - including Señor Caliente the Pepper, Tito the Tomato, and Orlando the Onion. So Señor Caliente stands alone and proud. He is still crispy and perfect to slice up for some authentic Picadillo tacos. :D 

Hola! Me Llamo Señor Caliente


 Color, wasn't his strong suit. The heat of his latino personality really defined Señor Caliente. Preferring to sit along the veranda and listen to far away accordian and acoustic guitars, he knew someday he would be a spicy dish of composition himself, so he lived a happy daily life, though he dreamed of being a heroic bandit. Then one day whilst soaking up the sun and sipping Margaritas with his green Compadres, the shadow of a big cutting board came into his vision. There was no need to squirm, he accepted it bravely. It was his time. The time for Caliente to show his true flavor. Reciting the famous last words of Pancho Villa, he murmured... "Dont let it end like this. Tell them i said something."

Ugly Doll Month - Tootie "Two-Lips" Johnson

"Tootie Two-Lips Johnson" Doll #2

Another Tuesday, another creepy little doll. Freehand using ovals rounds,, basic single crochet arms, square shaped (a little overstuffed) legs and curly antenna hair/head features. The center oval with the blue stripe, is her "console", or a place for inserting her card media. I laugh because the feedback I initially received from RL friends, was that the console looked somewhat sexual. Then all the bad jokes started like.... "Everyone needs a lil Johnson in Two-Lips" lmao and "I bet that Johnson would fit in her slot", and so on. I bite my blogger finger here and resist saying all the other sexually related quips. They were hilarious and caused a snorting laugh episode. I'll still maintain that It's her "console", because she is a bit robotical, yet has a Rotund body. I think it may be her short legs. They don't allow her to walk easily, or ride her bike often enough!

"Tootie Two-Lips Johnson"
Latent technology did not stop Tootie Two-Lips from carrying out her basic functions. C:\DISKCOPY She could still process SD cards and mini diskettes as required by her employers. Her console was dusty but operative. Preferring hearty meat stew and plum jams, over keeping her processors clean, caused some blockage in her system variables. Yes, Tootie was a bit rotund, but her spirit was as free as government cheese and her lips as sweet as 8gig of RAM.

Ugly Doll Month - Messy Mel the Grimacer

Something about my scraps, and boredom, inspired me to make a few freaky ugly dolls this month. The first was completed a few days ago.

"Messy Mel the Grimacer" Doll #1
I did not write out the pattern here. Home spun Yarn for body and hair. It is a simple tube shape, continuous dc. Using Curly q's for the mouth, pom pom for nose and some Nubbie rounds, buttons for the eyes. The homespun yarn gave him a curly hair look. I debated teasing the hair. Took off a string bow and added a smart lil stove pipe style hat! I hope the next doll can measure up to Mel, whose personality I took a shine to. (For Doll #2 : Working on a rotund, but somewhat robotic, version of a female doll.)


"Messy Mel the Grimacer"
Mel was a man about town. The unkempt style was something he wore well while pedaling the city streets, artfully selling umbrellas and the occasional shoeshine. His lack of limbs did not thwart his enthusiasm. His grumpy disposition came from the hurtful comments and bullying, by those with greater ambulatory means.

Zesty Baked Tilapia

Zesty Baked Tilapia
by Cooksterz

I rarely write out my recipes, because i do not measure. This was an impromptu, "whats in the fridge" recipe and the combination was too good not to share! Using a medium spice kick here.

5- 6 Tilapia Filets - or alternate white fish
Carrots, Celery ( can use zucchini or broccoli as well!)
1/2 Onion
2 cloves Garlic
Lime Basil ( fresh - can use dry or substitute, but my fresh lime basil is great with this Fish)
Lemon Pepper
Salt
Thai Rooster Chili Sauce - or Chili Oil (alternative: jalapeno or serrano)
Tartar Sauce ( this is not for garnish, its for tang in the sauce)
1/4 cup Half and Half ( or milk alternative)
1/2 cup Water
Butter - Olive Oil
(Tomatoes optional for sauce)
Lemons (orange or lime will do too)

Clean prepare Fish, Slice Carrots, lengthwise in quarters. Dice onion, garlic , celery and fresh basil. Slices of half a lemon.

Place Fish in Bowl, season with peppers, salt, basil, 2 tsp olive oil, rooster chili sauce, or hot thai chili oil to taste, and squeeze remaining half of lemon. Place fish filets in a baking dish, lined with foil. Let sit 10 min while you saute veggies.

In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons butter. Add Onions, Garlic, Basil and carrots. Season if desire, and saute for 10 min or so. Till carrots become only a bit soft. Place saute mix on top of fish filets in baking dish.
In the same saute pan, reserve a few onion , garlic, add tbsp butter, 1/4 cup tartar sauce, lemon, pepper and about 1/4 cup half and half and water. If you like spicy you can add more chili sauce here, or add fresh jalapenos or serranos. I also like to add a bit of sea salt or tomatoes to the final sauce, for color. Heat on med high, stirring constantly, till sauce thickens briefly. Pour sauce on top of fish and vegetables. Topped with Slice Lemons or Oranges. Bake Covered at 375-400 for 20 min. Remove foil cover, bake for 5 min longer for a golden brown color. Garnish with more basil if desired.
Serve with Baked Potatoes, Rice or a Salad, for a Tasty, Spicy Tender, delicious Fish!

I Am Not Linking

It's one of those days, where everything around me seems to be in 5th gear above 75mph. My brain wants to ingest every detail. My soul wants to look at the trees, dig in the dirt with my dogs and listen to the birds.
(photograph link should be here)

9 tabs, and 2 programs later I'm all up to date, and would prefer to cruise this day's dirty streets, at about 15 mph in the shade. (video link should be here)

I would like to thank Twitter and Google+ for fueling the race of this day. 'Talk Nerdy and Linky to me!' I could post 5 interesting links, and offer you information that you can Google easily. Add me over there as Cooksterz (I should link my website here, but if you are reading this you already know it)

Important Parts? : Sure there are! I have air conditioning, and i just found out if i get on my bike in the living room i can ride it to the laundry room, without hitting my handlebars on anything. I just slurped my coffee and wondered about the color of yarn I'm using to craft this shawl. (I am not linking patterns or audio files here)

I am not Linking things. But I will always add a Photo. The Moss Rose Plate in 2011 (See old blog about the plate - I am not linking it!)

The Number 7

The Number 7 Re-Occurs

I don’t know its significance or what message it is meant to convey. A set of non-blinking brown shadowy eyes and the number 7. Often there is a sweep of silence right after the number presents its self. A silent moment where for three or more seconds I don’t think about the number 7. A slight euphoria? It’s almost a search of emotion in that few seconds because I try my hardest to feel what or where or who is presenting this number to me. I see nothing… Then it starts over again. Seven, 7, XII, just 7… It drips like slow molasses and stays inside my brain for a good number of days after its recurring arrival.

I’m not much of a numerologist. I really haven’t delved into any sort of historic, prophetic, or psychic explanation of this ever occurring number 7. Although looking at the Wikipedia entry on that number along with random Google searches which yield lots of biblical and historical references to consider; I know this is not relevant to my number 7. Yes mine. All I can explain is that it and its aura remains dense for many days after its unexpected arrival. It doesn’t let me forget. It’s almost playful in its occasional, reoccurring visits But, the receiver or giver or initiator is always just out of my reach. I smile at it and look back to see who tossed it but, once again, no one is there. It is charmingly familiar and it lingers for days. But, there is someone or something there that tossed this elusive number 7 toward me. Despite the lack of physical knowledge I fully expect it to be tossed to me again but I can’t predict where or when or why. To my best recollection that number has periodically shadowed me over eight to ten years. Making itself known more and more often. That is the best I can explain it. It feels like there is love or goodness attached with it yet, there is an unfamiliarity that continues with the arrival and ensuing association. This is engaging and somewhat mysterious. In several of my art forms I am required to count a stitch or a shot or a step. In repetitive work I often pause mentally on the number 7 as well. Just because I recognize that it is mysteriously saying something to me or for me or just near me, but mostly making sure that I have once again noticed its presence.

It's not my lucky number. I don’t play the lottery or gamble often. But, a few times I have bet on the number 7. Once in Vegas I played it in Roulette several times knowing it wouldn’t hit. I just wondered if some sort of event would occur due to repetitive betting. Yet, these have availed no winnings and no event has occurred to justify these occurrences of the elusive number 7; Which, to date, continues to remains permanently just out of my reach and understanding. Fuck it, I never liked Vegas much anyway.

The number 7. Are you thinking it? Did you see the A in my hand too? Was there 7 of something that I missed. Who are you Number 7? Will I know you or even dare to? I say, I have know you? Can I email you Number 7? Does it have a Twitter, maybe a cell phone?
(I tried not to be sarcastic right up until this moment.)

NUMBER 7, NUMBER SEVEN, NUMBER 7.

Disclosure: No I’m not criminally insane and have never had any mental disease or been labeled obsessive or neurotic or even psychotic. I’m not an addict nor do I claim to have any sort of supernatural gift or anything of the like. I just felt that after ten years; I should publicize my thoughts on the appearance of this elusive Number 7. Perhaps I am not meant to know. albeit, I still want to know. It won't let me forget. Perhaps I’m losing my mind? This was written on the last day of the Seventh Month , in the year 2010

What Happened to the Weather Channel?

What happened to the Weather Channel?

Over the decade, I would consider myself a weather-head.

Do you recall the commercials in the late 90’s for the weather channel? It depicts 2 guys in a sports bar setting, one was rooting for the warm weather, the other for cool weather. As weekend outlook begins, they are cheering the forecast outcome, like a couple of face painted football fans on opposite teams. I loved that commercial.

Here it is on you tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqYDx5rQjdA

Something has changed in the Weather channel programming in the last 5 years., In my opinion, the overall functionality of the channel and its programming are not effective. Ever since some of the best weather anchors they had, left for on site assignments, it's gone downhill. Now its like listening to small metropolitan news anchors, and very little actual radar coverage. Of course, I'm tuning in to get the latest developments on Tropical Storm Alex, and just had to express my disappointment at actual weather coverage, of the ENTIRE United States and outlying areas.

Why? Well everyone need advertisers and sponsors, and I am aware of that and its what fuels our tv and internet today. Selling commercials on the Weather Channel, should be like catching raindrops in a bucket during a thunderstorm. The drowning of the channels content, has diminished the purpose of the weather channel , hasn’t it? Half of the hour, goes to telling us about the channel, what it covers, who covers it and what even may happen soon. Less than 15 min of the hour, shows the actual radar or forecasted weather for the country. So my irritation, beyond the local on the 8’s, has driven me to “timeline” half an hour for you. (granted that is Sunday and the format is lacking on the weekend anyway) Let us start at the Local on the 8’s… with commentary.

2:38 – Local on the 8’s some love jazz makes it watchable.

2:43 – Disaster in the Gulf… anchors open Ann Thompson's story, fly over of the oil gulf. Shows the spill, and barges in the area working on the spill and relief wells. Interviews with Oil Chief on the ship. Graphic of the Relief Well proposal. One of the outside reporters, who I really admire. Comprehensive and engaging, ending with the possibility of the storm hitting the area and destroying the mission.

2:47 – 15 secs of graphics reminding us that we are watching the channel, and what they will cover.

2:47 Back to Michigan Radar, a quick shot of storms in Boston. Never any really close radar looks. Obvious its storms and lightning near Detroit. But moving out of the area. They also don’t show area NORTH of that, still in the storms. Its like only Detroit exists there.

2:49 – One shot of TS Alex, with a fade out to commercials. (of course they mention that they cover the Tropical Storm News and they have coverage of that. (cause we may not have known)

2:49-2:52 Proactive Commercial, Texas Workforce Commercial, Louisiana Tourist Commercial, weather channel beach party promo.

Actual time is 2:53- but Local on the 8s came back on….. ?

2:53 – Tropical Update. Adam covers it.. his head blocks the biggest part of the storm intensity. Winds 35mph now, he mentions it was intensifying yesterday. Same Radar image loops, short low pressure graphic. Models show the possibilities. His statement is “Last thing we need is that oil going in ever which-away direction” He is showing the timeline and says “We are worried about somebody somewhere”….

10 secs again for Kim to tell us that the weather channel is coming up…..

2:55 – Michigan storm damage. Just a text list, showing damage done in some areas.

2:55 – Live webcam of Detroit.. its just lightly rainy and humid on the video. Once again radar shown for 5 secs, of Michigan.

2:56 – FINALLY, another weather radar of Ohio Thunderstorm Line. No more than 20 secs of it.

2:58 – Oh another Promo of the Weather Channels Beach Party

2:59 – Commercials for Sherwin Williams, M&M’s, Subaru, and Off Clip On

2:59 - Another 15 secs, that weather channel is the authority on Weather

2:59 Local on the 8’s again….. different modern music.

3:00 – You are watching the weather channel. – Graphic.. thanks for the reminder

3:00 – TS Alex, 5 secs of the Radar. Beach cam shown in Belize.. Most is not really visible, but the storm will move out of the area shortly… not really anything to see.

3:01 – Adam again showing the same radar he showed at 2:53. Now pointing and saying that it intensified yesterday. Same graphics , the issue is it will hit land. Yes it has to hit land, Alex. Heavy Rain and Potential track shown again. Intensity will of course change this track. FINALLY they show the rest of the Trop Atlantic. Nothing Forming there.

3:02 – New Information coming from Ntl Weath Svc at 5pm eastern. Kim tells us what is coming up, and that the Weather Channel has continous coverage of it.

3:03 – Michigan Weather, text shown only, some damage and reported Tornado.

3:04 – Kim shows that same Michigan Radar, Moves to Ohio Storm again. (hail Damaging Winds. She mentions the county names. Goes to Southeast, some storms moving southo f Atlanta.

3:05 – Thunderstorm Forecast Graphic

3:06 – Alex at the desk. He says stay tuned for the weather channel, and that we can count on them for the very latest… same TS Alex radar shown.

3:06 – Commercial Dr Scholls, Omnaris allergy med, Crazy Critters for your dog (these are a rip off, btw! Made in china and my dog tore it in the first 10 min)

3:08 – 30 secs of that the weather channel covers, and that they are the authority of Hurrican Season. It looped again at the end.

3:08 Local on the 8’s.

How long can I go on? I didn’t realize how much dictation that would be. But if you read it you get the point. There is only a few minutes, focusing on MI, OH and a very tiny part of the Southeast. Then the TS coverage, unchanged in the last hour, and Local on the 8’s. its almost like the rest of the country doesn’t have weather. Only one graphic shown of the entire US, with a thunderstorm forecast.

ARGH 3:10 – Back to Alex, showing the TS Storm Radar, and repeating things. He gives us too much of a geographical lesson. As if we are in 5^th grade and don’t know where Mexico or the Gulf of Mexico is. It would be effective, if he gave us small talk, about Hurricanes, or something about the storm winds, water temps, or something else!!

3:11 – Back to Gulf. Tarballs on Beach in Jackson County , Miss. Not shown, only a text list.

3:12 NBC's Cary Sanders. Ntl Story shown about the Rigs and possibility of the storm gets into that area. Oil is going to contaminate that whole area. Not just the beach.

I just get fed up watching the weather channel now. Unless Dr Steve Lyons, or Dr Forbes, or one of the other “actual metorologists” come on briefly to give us more comprehensive information. Otherwise, they could just have a robot there, pushing the button that says “replay that” and lets run a bunch of 15 sec promos about how we cover the weather. These promos actually make your realize, how little weather the show actually covers. They just dont actually show a lot of weather in the US. A few main storms, the Tropics, and then lets run some news stories.

Am I the only weather-head that misses the old weather channel? I don’t even know whats going on in the West, Northwest, South, Southwest, The Plains. Its like that part of the US, is just not weather worthy for them. Only Bad and highly repeated Weather Stories Channel. Thank God for the Internet. I can use NOAA.gov, forecaster statements, local news sites, and weather sites, to get more up to date information and more useful weather information on the Heat and Cool, the Rain and Snow, the Hail or Tornados, the Radar composites, and the Tropical Season of Hurricanes. My local WOAI meteorologist, gives me 5 times more US weather information in his 10 minutes, than the weather channel peeps shows me all day long!! I think the guys on the commercials, at “The Front” bar, prolly stopped going there to watch the Weather channel. The face paint faded and now they browse the internet for weather. I just drove myself nuts for 30 minutes, watching the Weather Channel, and documenting the lack of programming and actual weather coverage. Why would I put this content on my smart phone, or embed it on my website? It doesn’t give me any information on the latest weather. I can google better weather information.

Thank goodness at the end of this story, Dr Forbes, does get 1 minute or so to tell us about US Weather and Storms. With actually good graphics. I have to change the channel now. Im on team Lyons, but Forbes really presents the weather issues well.

~Cooksterz

Real Weather can be found at:

http://www.noaa.gov

http://www.wunderground.com/

http://www.intellicast.com/

Also posting this at:

http://www.woai.com/home.aspx

- Citizen Journalist section