Brewed Beverage of Choice: Lindemann’s Kriek Lambic (I just finished a book on brewing with wild yeasts…)
Soundtrack of the Day: Seems to be Cool Blues by Jimmy Smith
Where to start. O! Where to start! As I walk the White Wonder all around town I find, or rather she finds, the remnants of a lazy society, a society whose greatest concern is consumption regardless of whether or not it reaches totality. As we walk the wet streets she finds with the help of the finest nose this side of the Mississippi the scattered remains of food we toss out without regard to the ones who may pass. She finds, in no particular order, pizza, fried chicken, bread pieces, taco bell, mcdonalds, old milk, slices of turkey, chicken or beef, etc. etc. To this I yell at the top of my lungs, “It is called a fucking garbage can! USE IT!”
It makes me glad to have the parents I have. The extended parents of my family, the patrons of the local pub, the school teachers and principals, the shopkeeper, and the residents of the neighbourhood. It is because of them I can use a trash can. It is because of them I find myself using the words “Thank you” and “Please” without even thinking about it. It is because of them I actually care about my neighbourhood to the nth degree. It is because of them I have more respect for my elders, my neighbours, and the visitors to my neighbourhood.
Which actually brings me to Christmas and the encouragement I am glad to receive from my parents. As I opened the gifts my mom and dad sent me this year, I was not hit with the thought “What the fuck is this? AND when will I ever use this?” For as long as I can remember, my parents (and this includes Merry, Joe, and Charity’s Grandfather) have encouraged me to be whatever I want to be. They have encouraged me to read and write, to study. So while I opened up said gifts it struck me, “What other parent would encourage their kid’s geeky study in the history of Milwaukee?” “What other parent would encourage their kid’s religious study of brewing?”
It is not that all parents don’t encourage their kids. I am sure they do. But I have seen far too many of them live vicariously through their children, pushing sports, medicine, law, or other glamourous position without a thought of what their children really want. And don’t get me wrong, there were times where my parent were less than encouraging, but they did know when to let the wee duckling go off on their own. And to that I say, it is their fault I am a geek. Blame them! Damn encouraging parents!
Prost!
the confucian brewer