Random stupid things on your mind. Post them.

[zeebo]

Chivas is my go-to blended scotch.  So smooth.  One of the few I drink straight by preference.  And, only *slightly* sweet.  If I want a blended scotch with a bit more bite to it, I go for Black Label. 

Glad you picked 'A Storm of Swords' back up.  Srsly, at the halfway mark is just when it starts getting good.  The last quarter of that book is near unputdownable, and it has one of the best endings I've read *ever.*

Next for your reading assignment is 'The Crystal Cave' by Mary Stewart.  The best re-telling of the King Arthur legend that exists, especially as seen from the eyes of Merlin.  Probably my fave book *ever.*

Agree on Chivas, it's my standard issue scotch and serves me well.  I like it with a little ice, that's it.  I like Black Label too, it's a more complex, hearty taste I think, but it's a bit more expensive too. 

Thanks for the book tip, it sounds cool, and will def add to my reading list which keeps expanding lately.  It takes me a while to work through my reading lists as I'm a slow reader and I tend to be drawn to verbose epics. 

[Ravenna]

I have not read it in a long time.  You've inspired a re-read.   

I've read it at least six times:  it stands up *very* well to re-reads, as does 'The Hollow Hills.'  (Alas, the 3rd and 4th book in that series were not as good).

[Ravenna]

I haven't tried JW Gold, but I will keep a look out for it. This is my first try of alternate scotches. I just noticed there were like chili scotches and lots of flavored scotches out there so I though I would give one a try. Usually if I want a sweeter scotch I will just make a Rusty Nail.

Thanks and it goes both ways, so if you read a good sci-fi book let me know so I can check it out!
As a weird side note when I went to India everyone wanted to talk to me about--Whiskey and SciFi novels. People are serious whiskey officiandos over there.

It's interesting to me how people who are into SciFi novels, or horror (which is more my thing), are often whiskey drinkers.  Maybe we need something warm and comforting after being unsettled by our reading material.

Although not HPL.  I could never figure out how he could go to *that* level of imagination being a complete teetotaler.  He didn't even do drugs.  Smh, but impressed.
(And, note, King became "meh" after he sobered up, although of course this is *just* mho).

[Ravenna]

Agree on Chivas, it's my standard issue scotch and serves me well.  I like it with a little ice, that's it.  I like Black Label too, it's a more complex, hearty taste I think, but it's a bit more expensive too. 

Thanks for the book tip, it sounds cool, and will def add to my reading list which keeps expanding lately.  It takes me a while to work through my reading lists as I'm a slow reader and I tend to be drawn to verbose epics. 

I like Chivas straight, with chaser (usually club soda or ginger ale).  I've never tried Johnny Walker Gold, as someone else was discussing.  Am curious about it:  I'll have to pick some up next time.

'The Crystal Cave' is the first of the 4-book series about the King Arthur legend.  The first two books of the four are from Merlin's point of view and are by far the best two books in the series.  It helps to have an interest in the King Arthur legend, but not completely necessary:  the books will draw you in regardless of whether you do or not.  There is plenty of action, suspense, and magic, but it's intertwined with a very deep study of what it's like to be an individual in a world comprised of pressures to conform. 

[zeebo]

...
Thanks and it goes both ways, so if you read a good sci-fi book let me know so I can check it out!
As a weird side note when I went to India everyone wanted to talk to me about--Whiskey and SciFi novels. People are serious whiskey officiandos over there.

Interesting about India... I already love Indian food and now I find out they like two of my favorite pastimes as well, very cool!

As for sci-fi books as you know I'm working my way slowly through the classics so there's prob not much I could recommend that you don't already know.  However there is one pretty recent book which I really enjoyed and would definitely recommend, but only if you're interested in something super super geeky, I mean something truly and unabashedly nerdy. -  e.g. it has elements of video games, role playing games, virtual reality, a treasure hunt, giant robots, hacking ... all wrapped up in references to 80's pop culture.  It's called "Ready Player One" and it was just a real fun, semi-guilty pleasure type read.  It does actually have however some interesting ideas on some near future technologies and the societal implications thereof.  That said, you have been warned, as it is, as one reviewer called it, a true nerd-gasm, so if you're looking for more hard/serious sci-fi, skip this one.  (Btw to appreciate the book it also helps alot I think if you have some nostalgic connection to the 80's era of music, movies, etc.)

[gbneely]

Awesome thread. I love whiskies, but am certainly not an aficionado. My go to whiskies are: single malt - Glenmorangie, The Original, blended - Johnny Walker Black Label, American - Maker's Mark. All are worth a try. 

[onan]

Don't people actually meet in real life anymore?  I haven't had a regular group of "hangout" friends since sometime in 2001.

Yes, they do. It does seem however close friends, are not nearly as common as a couple decades ago. I remember when I was a kid people were always at our house. Or we were visiting someone else. It seemed to be daily. Now it seems everything has to be planned out... I hate that. Just come over, if I have to leave, you can hang till I get back... just don't take that last piece of cake.

[Juan]

I blame computers.  I have to spend most of every day sitting, alone, in front of a computer doing freelance work.  To remedy it, I ended a 27-year layoff, pulled out my axe and joined a band and a couple of orchestras.  Musicians don't have a lot of time to talk, so I haven't had to learn to do that again, yet.

[Mind Flayer Monk]

It's called "Ready Player One" and it was just a real fun, semi-guilty pleasure type read. 

My friendly local library had it available as an e-book so I borrowed a copy right away. They also had an audiobook available so I reserved that. Thanks again for the recommendation.

Although not HPL.  I could never figure out how he could go to *that* level of imagination being a complete teetotaler.  He didn't even do drugs.  Smh, but impressed.
(And, note, King became "meh" after he sobered up, although of course this is *just* mho).

I always wondered about that and I knew HPL idolized Poe so I wonder if this was some kind of reverse Poe thing? I think Baum was a teetotaler too, and his books are astonishingly creative...or just maybe real world people he is trying to hide in his stories.

My go to whiskies are: single malt - Glenmorangie

I love Glemorangie. My go to blended is ye old Cutty Sark.

[analog kid]

I wish I could be a recluse.  Alas, I have to work.  But I prefer online friends to real life ones:  hence, I think I'd make a good recluse.  Plus, I love to drink and I enjoy junk food.  Alas, I do not smoke (at least "tobacco").

Off topic now, but my property generates revenue. It isn't much but it pays the bills. I'm completely self employed and receive no money from the government teet. It's a lot easier when one has never been married or had kids. Except, as a man, the people who know you think you're either gay or a weirdo of some kind.

[BobGrau]

boorish noobs

noorish boobs!

[West of the Rockies]

noorish boobs!

  Dude needs a Mansierre.

[Ravenna]

I always wondered about that and I knew HPL idolized Poe so I wonder if this was some kind of reverse Poe thing? I think Baum was a teetotaler too, and his books are astonishingly creative...or just maybe real world people he is trying to hide in his stories.
I love Glemorangie. My go to blended is ye old Cutty Sark.

I think H.P. Lovecraft was just one of those writers who was able to get to that truly weird imaginative place without the help of any tools (alcohol, drugs) to open the portal.  I'm sure he was quite unbalanced, as most great artists are (Van Gogh comes to mind).  I've read both of his biographies, the maligned De Camp one and the very long Joshi one, and the guy was just the real deal:  weird, plain and simple.  Not using that term in any way to put him down:  quite the opposite.  HPL embraced his inner weirdness at a time it was just not the done thing to do.

I've never tried Glenmorganie (did I spell that right?):  now you've got me curious.  Cutty Sark was my go to scotch when I was younger; then I tried Chivas and Cutty didn't cut it any more.  But if I'm really low on funds, I'll still buy Cutty on occasion, and enjoy it.  Probably the best of the cheaper blended scotches out there.

[ItsOver]

  Dude needs a Mansierre.

You mean a Bro? 

[Ravenna]

Off topic now, but my property generates revenue. It isn't much but it pays the bills. I'm completely self employed and receive no money from the government teet. It's a lot easier when one has never been married or had kids. Except, as a man, the people who know you think you're either gay or a weirdo of some kind.

I'd love to have a revenue-generator anything and not have to work, but it's one of the few things that actually forces me to get out there, rub elbows with people, and have to get along with them.  It's often a strain, but it's probably good for me.  My real life friends all live some distance away, so I don't see them often but communicate online with them near daily, so it makes me FEEL like I have a busy social life when I actually don't.  Fortunately for me, I have a small, very nice, very close-knit family.  We like each other and get together weekly, if not even more often than that.  I live with my aunt, who's disabled, and we get along very well:  it's cozy to have someone to watch TV with at night, and she'll even watch my spooky stuff like Ancient Aliens and try to wrap her mind around it, so I like to think I've broadened her horizons.  She's very open-minded, since her dead husband often speaks to her, so the paranormal is not something she automatically poo-poohs.

[gbneely]

I've never tried Glenmorganie (did I spell that right?):  now you've got me curious.  Cutty Sark was my go to scotch when I was younger; then I tried Chivas and Cutty didn't cut it any more.  But if I'm really low on funds, I'll still buy Cutty on occasion, and enjoy it.  Probably the best of the cheaper blended scotches out there.

It's spelled Glenmorangie. The last part rhymes with orange-ee. I really enjoy it. It was the first single malt I ever tried, so I have a certain loyalty to it. 

[The General]

never trust a chicken...

http://www.wikihow.com/Earn-Your-Chicken's-Trust

[ItsOver]

Before the annual onslaught of everything turkey, I'm doing homemade Tex-Mex tonight.  Freshly made cheese enchiladas with borracho beans, topped with salsa, pico de gallo, and lots of cilantro.  I love cilantro.  Sure beats pizza rolls.

[jazmunda]

never trust a chicken...

http://www.wikihow.com/Earn-Your-Chicken's-Trust

I've never had a problem with the chickens on the in-laws farm. They are easily distracted with the prospect of some freedom.

[plumwalrus]

Before the annual onslaught of everything turkey, I'm doing homemade Tex-Mex tonight.  Freshly made cheese enchiladas with borracho beans, topped with salsa, pico de gallo, and lots of cilantro.  I love cilantro.  Sure beats pizza rolls.

All of that sounds so delicious.  My doc put me on a paleo diet.  I miss food.

[ItsOver]

All of that sounds so delicious.  My doc put me on a paleo diet.  I miss food.

It'll be good and then I'll pass out in a stuffed Tex-Mex high, with visions of Falkie doing Jorch doing "Dancing Queen" dancing through my head. 

[coaster]

I'd rather have tex mex or pizza rolls than turkey for thanksgiving. I'm not much of a fan.

[steelbot]

I'd rather have tex mex or pizza rolls than turkey for thanksgiving. I'm not much of a fan.

I want a Deep Fried Turkey.  THey are indeed the best.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t2dwPTnsyA

[UnscreenedCaller]

My kid's a vol firefighter. Thanksgiving's his standby day for Deep Fried Turkey Incidents. Good rule of thumb: bubbling oil hot, no like water.

[steelbot]

My kid's a vol firefighter. Thanksgiving's his standby day for Deep Fried Turkey Incidents. Good rule of thumb: bubbling oil hot, no like water.

Especially Frozen water - but yes, in the military we would always get the squadron together for Turkey day and had about 9 people that always deep fried a turkey.   THey are quite juicy and the moistest ever =P

[UnscreenedCaller]

Especially Frozen water - but yes, in the military we would always get the squadron together for Turkey day and had about 9 people that always deep fried a turkey.   THey are quite juicy and the moistest ever =P

Oh, don't get me wrong, I'd love one. I can just imagine how juicy and delicious a deep fried turkey is. But people around here try to cut corners and don't measure out the liquid before displacing boiling oil with a too large turkey which causes oil and flame to mix, and then there's the frozen turkey issue.

I've had smoked, barbecued turkey hot from the grill also and it was incredible. That takes some time and patience, too, but it's worth every second.

[Mind Flayer Monk]

It's spelled Glenmorangie. The last part rhymes with orange-ee. I really enjoy it. It was the first single malt I ever tried, so I have a certain loyalty to it.

The hardest part of these things is pronouncing them. La-frog?
I think I spent the first year drinking Highland Park because I couldn't pronounce any of the scotches.
Luckily someone made a video

http://youtu.be/N5ZwgGB1Lr4

[steelbot]

Oh, don't get me wrong, I'd love one. I can just imagine how juicy and delicious a deep fried turkey is. But people around here try to cut corners and don't measure out the liquid before displacing boiling oil with a too large turkey which causes oil and flame to mix, and then there's the frozen turkey issue.

I've had smoked, barbecued turkey hot from the grill also and it was incredible. That takes some time and patience, too, but it's worth every second.

oh yeah - the newer fryers are pretty good about letting you know the proper sizes and what not - I found you'd really have to be thick to misunderstand now - but if it didn't happen then Shatner wouldn't have been brought in by state farm to do the commercials for them.  He himself did indeed have an actual incident with not knowing what he was doing.  Nor paid attention to the instruction.

[jazmunda]

I think I'll have a turkey sandwich today in honor of my American friends. Do I need to deep fry it?

[zeebo]

Awesome thread. I love whiskies, but am certainly not an aficionado. My go to whiskies are: single malt - Glenmorangie, The Original, blended - Johnny Walker Black Label, American - Maker's Mark. All are worth a try.

You have good taste methinks - these are all good in my experience.  Single-malts wise I used to love Macallan, but find it a little sweet now, so on the lookout for something new.