Organic Half & Half

Where do I even begin. I have gone through many life changing things and I don’t know what to talk about first. Job change, living healthy, trying to simplify life, find peace and rest in a hectic world, and my first successful organic garden. With so much to talk about I thought I would put a small post out there to share some fun things that will be coming in the months to follow.

I’m eager to share about all I’ve learned in my 3rd official growing season. That will probably be my first post.

But something I’m even more scarred, uh, excited about is my own version of a 40 day fast. My plan is a post every day during that time. Now since I’ve not said a word in 12 months the crowds out there can scoff and laugh. And with perfect justification. So I will need to put my money where my mouth is and just let the posts speak for themselves. I will post in the next couple weeks about what it will all involve and then I think my target date is end of July.

Its exciting to write again. To share my thoughts out loud and get back to what I’ve loved so much. I hope as I process my life that it would challenge us all to do the same.

SB

It has been the perfect summer weekend. We had our grand opening of the Bellagio A La Granny Bugs. Our group has called our spot at a sweet 88 year old lady’s home and we will chill with her all summer as we enjoy long dips in the pool and naps in the Costa Rican hammock. My buddy and I worked on the yard which I’ve come to enjoy more and more. There is something sweet about working the earth with your own bare hands and envisioning how big your tomatoes will soon be. As we ended our day drenched in sweat we sat in silence as the cool breeze came through the yard. I looked over my shoulder to see in the drive way my memory box on 4 wheels. My Camry just turned 10 with almost 200,000 miles and as I stared at my car and tried to remember who stole my Toyota emblem, a flood of memories rushed into my head…

I was a spoiled, 18 year old graduating senior when my parents told me I could pick out any car I wanted. I still remember how great my dad was, taking me around the car lots and test-driving all the cars with me. I special ordered a black V-6 brand new Camry with leather seats and wood grained interior. I still to this day have not thanked my parents enough for such an incredible gift. I drove it off the lot with 11 miles on it and hand washed it every 5 days. It now has been all over America and the closest I get to a wash is when I throw some liquid Joy on it before a heavy rain.

I35 from Waco to Dallas. I can’t tell you how many times I drove that route during college. The countless road trips all over Texas. It was our Freshman year when my friend K Day and I were driving back from Dallas to Waco at 9 at night and wanted some Waffle House. Our disappointment came when we realized Waco did not have a Waffle House. Our extreme disappointment came when Austin (110 miles south of Waco) didn’t either. IHOP in Austin just didn’t cut it and the drive back was miserable…but that is what memories are made of. Out of all my college road trips in the Camry driving back and forth from Dallas to Munford, TN (north of Memphis) has to be top on my list. It was the summer of 1999 that I ventured to small town Tennessee to make friends. And what resulted was a new family that I will cherish forever. Sweet tea, amazing bbq, homemade biscuits, and special conversations around the small kitchen table are just a few of my favorite memories. But better than the butter beans were the lessons I learned from Bobby O and Sweet Pam on how you love family. These are the places I’m thankful my Camry has taken me to.

During college is also when a group of us went to One Day in 2000 to worship in a field with 10s of thousands of people. That was the same year that Keas and I jumped in my black beauty to go see his sister in Chicago. Highlights of that trip were: wearing a karate outfit to a high end steak house, trying on dresses, and taking a picture of Keas naked in a corn field…don’t worry, I was amazing at my framing and positioning of the corn stalks

Big Sis and I were “big pimpin’ in NYC” as we cruised in the Big Apple a month before 9/11. I have a photo of the Twin Towers and can still remember saying, “See those buildings? It’s the center of Capitalism in the world today.” It was the first time I saw Broadway and from that moment forward NYC became my favorite city in the world. Most say the driving there is insane. I say, drive in Romania for a summer and Manhattan is a cake walk.

It’s crazy when I start to look back in my life. I can easily get gloomy about all the mistakes I’ve made or the “I wish I would have” moments in my life. But today I celebrate. I look back at 10 years of big smiles my Camry has given me. We have been to the mountains of Colorado and the countryside of North Carolina. The hill country of Texas, inner city of Philadelphia, Washington DC and even a cross into the border of Mexico. She’s got many gray hairs but I think she’s got 5 more years in her. My plan is to drive her until she goes dead and then park it in our drive way and let it collect dust like the neighbors do.

SB

It’s been raining a lot lately. So much in fact I’ve decided to get a Home Depot credit card to buy all the supplies I need to build an arc. Right now they have this superb offer of 0 payments and 0 interest for 12 months. Flood or not that is a damn good offer. And so I return to writing. Don’t call it a come back but it has been awhile since I’ve added any of my measly little thoughts for the world to dissect. I’m looking out of the window on a very wet and rainy day and the last 6 months of my life speak to me in very clear terms. Life is not about waiting for the rain to stop…it’s about giving your umbrella the bird.

It seems lately that I’ve been coming out of a hazy whirlwind only to realize it is Thursday afternoon. No time for feelings or stopping to enjoy moments…simply full throttle and all systems go. There have been those mornings I’ve woken up and the first thought on my mind is the next project to accomplish and something inside of me tells me there is something off. I tuck those thoughts away as I drink my 2nd cup of amazing fair wage coffee and I pick up my sword as I storm off to battle the day ahead. It becomes Thursday afternoon again, I wonder where the week went and I eagerly get excited about a restful weekend that will involve no rest at all. So today I sit and wonder. Why do we do it? Why is it that we wait until something tragic happens in our lives before we come out of the haze and begin to dream of a simpler life with more relationships and true meaning. It seems to me only in those moments of disappoint, heartbreak, or death do we question what the hell it is we’re doing with our life. We then let 6 weeks go by before we begin our plan to acquire the HDTV that we so desperate need in our lives to survive. Anyone who has seen Planet Earth in HD knows this is no joking matter. And so the “rat race” continues. The marathon of people desperately trying to find meaning in work, people, and stuff. Do we continue the cycle of insanity because we do not know the answer or is it that we’ll never figure it out in the first place.

Funny how rain can ruin a day yet some of my greatest memories come from being in the rain. Like the time I was in high school and we played a 5 on 5 death match of mud football. I love how playing in a foot and a half of water makes the fastest of guys slow and the slowest of guys fast. We were drenched as our white shirts were a light coffee color and we still laugh today about how fun it was. Or the time I worshipped in Memphis with 80,000 people. Rain is suppose to ruin a day of white American Christians trying to get their Jesus on so thankfully I am only half and enjoyed the feeling of truly letting go. My senior road trip with 4 of my closest friends had a stop in Ashville, NC. I can still hear the sound of rain falling on the canopy of trees above as we hiked down to a boulder the size of a house. We stood on that rock and sang. We got wet and sang. Kisses in the rain, shampooing my hair in the cold Tennessee rain, sliding down the muddy mountains of the Na Pali coast in Kauai, throwing clumps of sludge, and smiling so big my mouth hurt as it monsooned on my wedding day. We never wish for it to rain on the days we’re hoping for sunny skies but when we choose to embrace it we find ourselves in a special place of making memories that only get sweeter as the years go on.

So as I’ve gotten 6 months older I’ve learned to give the umbrella the bird. Because it will always rain. And I can choose to tip toe through life and hope my hair doesn’t get wet or I can dance and laugh while I lather, rinse, and repeat. There is a weird peace in knowing that when I am stressed out about life that it’s just 1 more of 10,000 more that I will have. Hopefully this time I can make a memory I’ll be sharing 5 years from now. Truth sinks in today and my eyes are opened to the reality that rain is essential to growth. Chew on that awhile until its easier to swallow.

SB

If you are like me then you probably have at least 3 email accounts. For awhile there I used hotmail for junk, yahoo for personal/newsletters, and then had 2 different work email accounts. On top of that I have one email account for OH&H that tells me when someone posts a comment and to top things off I have a gmail account for only personal emails and ZERO junk comes to it. I like that. So I have finally dumped the hotmail and formed a junk gmail account. It’s good to have a junk email so every time you have to sign up for something then all your spam and stupid emails will go to one place.

Some people have tried gmail and hate it. I personally love it. Yes it is different but I love change so maybe that is why I enjoy it. I like that all your emails are in one place and you never have to delete. If any of you out there are wanting an invite (gmail is by invite only) then just email me at sb@organichalfandhalf.com and I’ll shoot you an invite.

The reason for this post wasn’t really to start a word of mouth campaign for Google but to tell you a cool little trick I learned on gmail. Lets say my gmail account was: sb@gmail.com. Well, if you put a plus sign (+) right after sb then you can put any word you want after the sb and it will still come to your gmail account. For example: sb+organic@gmail.com. I could give that email address out to anyone emailing me about OH&H. or I could do sb+junk@gmail.com and only hand that out when I have to sign up for something. If I want an email just for newsletters or weekly updates maybe I could have sb+news@gmail.com. either way once in gmail I can set up LABELS for each particular email address that I have sent out. And when an email comes into to lets say sb+news@gmail.com then it will automatically get LABELED into the Newsletter part of your gmail. Just an easy way to keep track of all things in gmail.

It’s also great if you want to know who is selling your email address. Because if the only time you gave out sb+clothes@gmail.com is when you signed up at Urban Outfitters and then all of a sudden you get a Viagra email to sb+clothes@gmail.com…well then…you can go set fire to UO with confidence.

Happy Googleing,
SB

If you are like 95% of the world and use a PC stop reading now. Mac users unite and listen. Here is a website if you want to download some great free stuff for OS X. The best web browsers like Fire Fox, FTP loaders, HTML editors and more. Enjoy and please share any other cool information you have.

http://www.opensourcemac.org/

SB

Well, when my blogging Miyagi speaks I jump. Here are my 6 random facts:

1. I’m a 1st degree black belt. So don’t mess with me because I can ju-do flip you on your head. I can no longer to the Jean Claude Van Dame splits on 2 chairs but I can still give a mean, “Hi-ya!”

2. Before my Organic Days eating SPAM was a regular event. Fried SPAM with rice. With eggs. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried I always say. I still think its great but it’s not exactly on the OH&H things to eat any more. Oh SPAM how I miss thee.

3. I spoke Korean before I spoke English. Pretty crazy huh? But when I came to the States I didn’t want anything to do with Korean. Just like a good American does I said screw the world and everything in it…America does everything the best and our way is supreme! I also speak a small amount of Romanian.

4. I have a fascination with stealing. Not little things like electronics and clothes. More like Italian Job or Ocean’s Eleven kind of stealing. The big heist if you will. If I wasn’t a Christian that’s what I would do. Form a team that takes millions from the rich and then gives millions to the…well, to our bank accounts in Switzerland. We’re not Christians remember?

5. If I wasn’t already considered so metro-sexual I would carry a purse. That’s right a man bag. I just think it would be great. I’m always dealing with my wallet, keys, phone, and on occassion my Burt’s Bees Wax. If I had a purse I wouldn’t ever have to worry about how my ass looks when I’m wearing tight jeans and my wallet looks like an abnormal growth. The purse would be the answer. But since I’ve been considered a gorgeous gay man in some circles I’ll instead think of maybe investing in a messenger bag.

6. I’ve dressed in drag before. Ok, so maybe I shouldn’t have put this random fact after #5 but how random is it that in 2000 my good buddy Keas and I road tripped to Chicago and while we were there we dressed in drag. To make a long story short, his sister was a photographer for the city and she spent a lot of time in the gay community. One night we went with her to take photos in an all Black (do you capitalize black? or should I have said African American?) drag club. That’s right, we went clubbin’ with the Queens. Picture a room of 200 black men and women and some that you weren’t quite sure of…and then us. 2 white folks and a 1/2 Korean. Great show and I was confused at times, but it made for a great memory. Dressing in drag came the next day when we were at the wig/dress store most of our friends from the previous night shop at. No pictures to show at this time. Why? Because I had much junk in the trunk and if I’m being honest with my random facts I have to tell you that a picture of me overweight in a glittery dress is more disturbing then funny.

SB

Do you ever stop and realize how seductive and sexy the world is? With all its wireless and immediate satisfactions. My wife and I went on a much needed vacation and it wasn’t until we detached from the world that we realized how strong its grip is. When we got to the cabin we taped up all the clocks and had zero concept of time. When’s the last time you went 5 days without knowing what time it is? We turned off the lights at night and only had candle light as we read. That’s right, no movies or TV. Life was simple. We often took deep breathes and exhaled what seemed to be a years worth of stress. The world tempts. And it competes for our attention every day. I confess I often lose. But on this trip I think I might have won. So I think I’ll take that small victory and cling to it until I’m once again caught up in a whirlwind of Tivo and quick meals without any real conversation.

Here is a small glimpse of what STRESS FREE looks like.

SB

I wonder what it was like to live life when there was no money. Everyone just traded chickens for pigs and corn for wheat. And life was easy. Right now there is about 30 pounds of wild organic blueberries in my freezer, and if I could I would use those tiny balls of goodness to trade for all kinds of stuff. My next meal at Pei Wei or paying off the next out of control electric bill. July was a hot month…cost me 12 cups of blueberries.

Today I came across a story that truly defines the world we live in today. A guy posts on his blog that he is wanting to trade his red paper clip. He gets a response of 2 girls who want to trade a fish pen for the red paper clip. He goes on to trade the fish pen for a door knob. Which he then trades for a Coleman Camping Grill. The Grill is traded for a Generator which is then traded for a keg party. The determination in this guy is greatness. He is able to then trade the party for a used snow mobile. The snow mobile is traded for a free vacation which is then traded for a moving van which is then traded to get a recording contract. Unreal. The contract is then traded to get a year of free rent. The free rent is traded for an afternoon with Alice Cooper. That afternoon date is traded for a KISS snow globe. Seems like a dumb move but he’s able to trade the snow globe to Corbin Bernsen for a role in a movie. And that role in a movie is traded to get a house in Saskatchewan, Canada. Now that’s a great story. Read the full story HERE.

Sooo…anyone interested in a Weber Charcoal Grill? How about a Canon Rebel Camera w/lens (FILM)? Um, I have a framed puzzle of a Noah’s Ark print. Any takers? Oh! How about tuba lessons. I played a mean tuba back in the day.

SB

Not sure if this post is “Funny Ha Ha” or if its “Whatevaz Whateva” so for the first time OH&H is giving a post a double category. I honestly am not sure what to do with this story so pardon the confusion while I type.

On July 4 a mega-church, or I guess its a giga-church (toMAYtoe, toMAtoe) put up a 72 foot statue of Lady Liberty. It cost tithe payers…I mean rich Christians…um, what I’m trying to say is all the friendly giving folks at World Overcomers Outreach Ministries Church dropped a cool $260,000. It makes sense though if you think about it. This 12,000 member church in Memphis already has a bowling alley, bookstore, roller rink, school, and cafe. The next logical step in my eyes is “King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet…” wait, wrong story…the next step is Pastor Alton Williams leading his congregation to put this Jolly Green giant of a thing in front of their church. “This statue proves that Jesus Christ is Lord over America, he is Lord over Tennessee, he is Lord over Memphis,” says Willliams. I think it was at this moment the Angels in heaven cheered. With wings painted Red, White, and Blue the Angels above blared “God Bless the USA” By Lee Greenwood. I don’t know about you but heaven just got more appealing. (vomit sounds)

Some people in the community were outraged by this statue. But I say shame on you community. You should have seen it coming. It was not long ago this same church paid for full page ads in major Memphis newspapers condemning homosexuality. Nothing says love like “We hate gay people. ”

When asked why would you spend so much money on a statue when there are people in need, Pastor Williams replied , “We give millions to the poor.” Oh Pastor W, that’s what we sinners call justification. Besides, I think you had your Blackberry off when the poor around the world sent you an email. They’re tired of getting more money. They want you to know they give Lady “Love” 2 thumbs up and raise their dirty disease filled water glasses up high and toast to all the wonderful things she will bring to the community. Is it just me or is everyone just feeling so thankful God loves America more than any other country?

I’m sad to say this could be my last blog post ever. OH&H very well could be no more. Why you ask? Well, I also heard that in one of Pastor W’s books he states how Katrina was the result of sin and debauchery. If thats the case there is a very good chance an asteroid will be hitting my house tonight and I will die. If you never hear from me again please play “Friends Are Friends Forever” by Michael W. Smith at my funeral and please don’t forget to drape the American flag over my casket. Wait, I think I want to be cremated. Damnit, am I going to hell for that?

SB

Every 4-6 weeks a group of buddies gather in what we call “The Lounge” (our 1 car garage converted to a mini-Bellagio) and play poker while we smoke fine cigars. We usually play until the wee hours of the morning, laugh at funny stories, and enjoy some TX Hold ‘Em. My best friend, Cowboy, spent a night like he always does and hit the road Saturday morning to get to a car wash. He called me on his drive back and here’s how our conversation went:

SB: How’s the drive?
Cowboy: Good, getting gas and a coke. Hey, you know you’re Mavs are playing in a couple hours?
SB: I don’t think so. They play tomorrow night.
C: Nope, I just heard on the radio that they are playing in a couple hours.
SB: Well, if I was a betting man, which I’m not, I’d put money on the fact they are playing tomorrow.
C: (big laugh) Well buddy, I might just match whatever bet you make then!
SB: So you’re saying if I bet you $100 that you would be ok with that?
C: Now that’s what I’m talking about…$100! Ok, would I have to pay you in 1 lump sum if I lost?
SB: I don’t care how you pay. The game is Sunday bro.
C: Ok, I’m thinking about making this bet with you! Did you read this somewhere?
SB: (second guessing) Well, now that I think about it. I didn’t read it. I just have talked with some people. I was 100% sure before you called but now I’m 75% sure the game is tomorrow and NOT today.
C: WELL LETS DO THIS. LETS MAKE THIS BET!!! (hoping to win back the money he lost the previous night in a game of friendly poker)
SB: Ok, let me make a call to The Prof and I will call you back.
(Hang up)
C: Ok, talk to me.
SB: Well…sorry bro.
(Silence)
SB: Um…Go Mavs?
C: I’ll talk with you later…
Did I mention Cowboy is a die hard Spurs fan. Sucks for Cowboy.

Its interesting how $100 will make you second guess something that you are so sure of. If I was a betting man, which I’m not, I would bet the Mavs win tonight’s game. I’m about 75% sure of it

SB

These figures are just scary.

Physicians:

(A) The number of physicians in the U.S. is 700,000.
(B) Accidental deaths caused by Physicians per year are 120,000.
(C) Accidental deaths per physician is 0.171.

Statistics courtesy of U.S. Dept of Health Human Services.

Now think about this:

Guns:

(A) The number of gun owners in the US. is 80,000,000. (Yes, that’s 80 million..)
(B) The number of accidental gun deaths per year, all age groups, is 1,500.
(C) The number of accidental deaths per gun owner is 0.0000188.

Statistics courtesy of FBI

So, statistically, doctors are approximately 9,000 times more dangerous than gun owners.

Remember, “Guns don’t kill people, doctors do.”

SB

We have a new expression (thanks to The Prof) we’re wanting to make STICK! With everyones help we think we can start something here. Please go out and use this expression in public and then post telling us how you used it.

The phrase of the month is: “That’s Chilli Wack!”

There are many ways to use this expression. Substitute the following with “Chilli Wack”:
*Ah Snap!
*Damn.
*You’ve got to be kidding me?!
*Thats Krunk!
*This blows.

Here are some examples of when you can use “Thats Chilli Wack” in every day situations:

Someone is dancing like Elaine from Seinfeld…Thats Chilli Wack.
You see someone wearing jean shorts…Oh Chilli Wack.
A person accidentally farts in a crowded room…Ah Chilli Wack.
Girl turns down guy that uses cheesy pick up line…Thats Chilli Wack Yo!
All your veggies in your garden are eaten by mysterious rabbit…Chilli Wack Yo, Chilli Wack.

Use it today at work or at home. Post and let everyone know how it goes. TLC and all in the NYC area can probably give us some good stories.

SB

[Superman and Lois are standing on opposite sides of a large planter]
Lois Lane: What color underwear am I wearing?
Superman: [looking] Hmmm…
Lois Lane: Oh, I’m sorry, I embarrassed you, didn’t I?
Superman: Oh, no, no, no, not at all, Miss Lane, it’s just that this planter must be made of lead.
Lois Lane: Uh, yes it is. So?
Superman: Well, you see, I, uh, I sort of have a problem seeing through lead.
Lois Lane: Oh, that’s interesting.
Lois Lane: [Writing] Problem seeing through lead. Hmmm. Uh, d-do you have a first name?
Superman: What do you mean, like, uh, Ralph or something?
Lois Lane: No, no, I mean like…
[Walks away from the planter]
Superman: Pink.
Lois Lane: Huh?
Superman: Pink.
[Lois walks back to the planter]
Superman: Um, sorry, Miss Lane, I didn’t mean to embarrass you.

As a kid I had 2 consuming thoughts.  Stealing Dip ‘N Sticks from the local gas stations and being Superman.  This summer Superman Returns.  Click HERE and get chill bumps all down your body.  Listen to the music that we all know so well.   Kevin Spacey playing Lex Luther and Kate Bosworth playing Lois Lane!  How sweet it is!  A no name playing Superman which is great.  Did you hear they were going to cast Nicholas Cage?  Oh shoot me!  "Put… the bunny… back… in the… box." (Con Air) 

Wishing I still had my red and yellow underoos,

SB 

Is it just me or does anyone else find a fascination with elevators.  Ok, that sounds crazy but when you really start to think about it this small room transports people up and down buildings so they don’t have to use the stairs.  Pretty cool that we can work and live 100’s of feet above the ground.

Did you know that elevators never have a button for floor 13?  Really?  Are the elevator people THAT superstition?  You would think there would be one rebel elevator designer who would go against the grain but I am yet to take a ride to the 13th.  Please post if you discover differently.

Why is it that when there is a group of people waiting to get on an elevator and the button has ALREADY been pushed someone HAS to come push the button again?  I’ve come to the conclusion that people get very impatient about waiting for the doors to open.  So they feel if they push the ALREADY glowing orange button it will let the elevator know that it needs to speed things up.  

I walked to the elevator just the other day and there was a gentleman waiting to get on.  But what I didn’t understand was there was an elevator with doors wide open right in front of him.  So I squeezed by and got on.  And of course the guy jumps on the elevator with me.  The first thing out of his mouth was, “Oh, the doors were open so I didn’t know if it worked.”  Huh?  I didn’t even know how to respond so I just said, “Yep.”  The entire elevator experience can really confuse people.

Or how about in a situation where someone has pushed the down button waiting for the elevator to arrive.  And when the elevator doors open but the light shows its going UP no one ever gets on.  Why is that?  Has everyone forgotten that the elevator is controlled by the people on the INSIDE of the elevator?  So if NO ONE is inside then no one has told the elevator where to go.  So step inside, push floor 1, and head down.

There is no better place to use one word phrases then in the elevator.  It’s the first day of the week, you get on the elevator with one other person and they say, “Muunday.”  To which you respond, “Yeah.”  And the conversation ends right there.  Or at the end of the week when you get on and someone blurts out, “Friiiday.”  If I’m ever wanting to know what day of the week it is I just take a ride to the 5th floor.

So the next time you’re in an elevator and you are hitting the ‘close door’ button very fast to shut it before someone else gets on, maybe you’ll remember why I had to post about the crazy little world of the elevator.

SB