[Work]
A good portion of my week was spent (socially) with co-workers from another state; since they are always such good hosts when I travel, it was only right I attempted to show them a good time. We hit a couple of Center City spots that I like (yes - we went to Jose Pistolas and I contend that for a little beer bar, their food is always very good to excellent). I wish I could give you some outstanding stories featuring interesting things/people, but for the most part - Philadelphia bars were dead quiet this week which was weird with the Phillies advancing in the playoffs.
Because I was going out every night, I was forced to find some alternative gym arrangements. My building has a modest gym but the idea of getting sweaty with co-workers I don't know doesn't appeal to me. A kid I work with reminded me of the Bally's a few blocks a way; I retained my membership even though I signed up for a new gym near my house. I had never been to the Philadelphia Center City Bally's and I like trying out different gyms, so I packed a bag and went. The building was beautiful, but in typical Bally's fashion, the lower levels were completely disgusting. The locker room was nasty (but not as bad as the Deptford location) and there were quite a few creepy old men strutting around naked like they had nothing better to do. Gross.
[Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes]
In last week's blog I mentioned I was going to do a retrospective on the year's worth of changes that happened since I got married. The main theme was going to be me venting about a situation I have grown frustrated with... but after a week of thinking about it, I wrote this:
Fifty-three weeks ago, my wedding featured two best men; one I talk to often and remain close with, the other one I don't talk to at all. Some of the fissures in the friendship have been documented on this blog over the last 18 months as they were happening (I am not going to connect those dots for you, the info is here if you want to look for it), but I have remained silent for a while, waiting to see what happened. Nothing did.
As I prepped for my lambasting post this week, it started to dawn on me that I am not really mad at him; I am mad at me. Why? I have to admit that I bet on the wrong horse. This isn't an attempt to piss on the guy, but I should have made changes when I saw it going down hill. I selected him as Best Man #2 because he was the friend closest to my future wife (at the time that I asked), and I thought it was a nice gesture. The situation took an increasingly sour tone: I wasn't sure if it was his life or the additional stress of best man duties, but I started getting the silent treatment until a few days before the wedding. In retrospect, I really feel bad that I didn't give the slot to another friend or my cousin, especially after that friend stepped up big time to deliver "the funny speech" at the wedding.
My former friend has never been anything else than who he was - good or bad: I thought I could change/help his behavior with kindness, then tough love, then tougher love, and sometimes outright rudeness (I am not going to downplay my actions). None of my attempts at "help" did anything. Nothing. Eventually, I could tell that my calls were becoming more unwelcome to him (some people don't want their faces rubbed in steaming piles of truth) - so I stopped calling and he never called again. Point taken.
Five years ago I was asked to be the best man in a wedding and I didn't think I deserved the position (and I basically said that, but was assured that I was the person to fill the role). During the planning of their wedding we talked less and we had less in common. By the time the wedding came, I was in a very different place in life, but I still tried to be a good best man and make their day easier for them and I think I did (they also did some things that made certain situations easier on me). After the wedding, we continued our course of drifting apart. We still get together a couple of times a year, and I think he wishes we hung out more, but he is looking for the guy he used to hang out with, and I am not that person anymore...
Reflecting on both situations, my former friend is on his own journey and the guy I asked to be Best Man #2 was gone before the wedding happened. I am not much for lamenting, and holding grudges takes too much effort; so I will wish him luck on his new path.
[Recipe of the Week: Joey's Vegetable Medley Soup]
I had a bunch of stuff in the fridge that I needed to cook before it went bad. This is the result:
INGREDIENTS:
2 diced onions
3 diced/pressed bulbs of garlic
1 diced red pepper
1 diced green pepper
3 cups of de-stemmed shredded spinach
4 cups of chicken stock or 4 cups of vegetable stock (make sure to add a little more salt to taste)
4 cups of water
1 cup brown rice
1 cup quinoa (optional for more protein and fiber)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons sriracha sauce
a splash of olive oil
SEASONING PACK:
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon of garlic powder
1 tablespoon of dried parsley
DIRECTIONS
1. Get a soup pot and add a splash (about three table spoons) of olive oil. Heat the oil on low-medium and then add the onions, peppers, and garlic. Put on a lid and let them cook down for 6-8 minutes (when the onions are golden, move on)
2. If you are adding the quinoa, do so at around the 4 minute mark and let that cook until brown.
3. Add the chicken/vegetable stock and increase the heat to medium
4. Add the spinach and allow it to cook down
5. Add the water (I usually put the Worcestershire sauce in the water before I add it to the soup) and the Seasoning Pack to the soup and bring to a boil.
6. Add the brown rice and allow to cook for five minutes
7. Add the sriracha sauce, mix, and remove from heat
That's it - Let me know what you think
[DIY of the Week: Halloween Bouquet]
Here is something extra you can do for the kids you like in the neighborhood:
Halloween decorations: Halloween Candy Bouquet - More DIY How To Projects
[Video of the Week]
[Picture of the Week]
In Honor of "Where the Wild Things Are's" release...
[Conclusion]
If you are looking for the jazz documentary videos, unfortunately my subject came down with the god-damn swine flu this week and canceled his performance which is throwing the project into chaos. Don't worry - I'll figure something out. If you need to reach me, you can contact me via email: "blog at joeylombardi.com". As always, don't take shit from anybody.
Smell You Later,
~ Joey
Joey Lombardi | Create Your Badge
BONUS:
I wanted to see if I could get music working on the blog... Let's see if this works...
