YOUR FAVORITE?

I'm watching it tonight, and I watched it last night.  Not to mention the 20 plus times I've seen it before.  I never could pick what my favorite movie was before tonight, but I think it hit me as I sat here watching inmate # 30265 sit on the stairs of the courtyard as he talked about his friend's release to the other inmates and then discussing what it means to be "institutionalized".  Yes I think it is safe to say that "The Shawshank Redemption" is my all-time, favorite movie.   The acting was great, the actors themselves were beyond exceptional for their roles, and more than anything the story was so well written and delivered that you can't help but sit down and become enamored with the movie all over again every time you see it on.  The scene of the courtyard when Andy plays the opera music is moving, and more-so the sequence of Red's trip to find the piece of volcanic glass at the end of the stone wall under the tree, and all the way through his voyage to Zihuatanejo to see his friend.  That whole sequence is my favorite part of any movie and contains on of my favorite quotes: "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies."  So now you know my favorite movie, leave a comment and tell me yours.

A KO, OR JUST OK FOR THE FIGHTER?

Stephanie and I went to see "The Fighter" last night.  We really enjoyed it and thought it was a very good movie.  I understand why it was up for so many awards.  The story was well written, and the director did a great job of bringing it all together.  Not having heard of Micky Ward, or his brother Dicky, did not hinder my enjoyment of the story.  You get drawn into the characters very early on, and begin to see who they are and what they are about within the first 15 - 20 minutes.  While the actors gave a great performance, I think Christian Bale excelled at playing Dicky Eklund.  Melissa Leo, Amy Adams, and Mark Wahlberg all delivered, but it was Christian who rose to the top of this picture in the supporting role.  You will enjoy it, but may pick up the use of some new language after the film.  If a 10 count is considered a KO, then I'd give this film about Micky "The Irish" Ward a standing 8.

THE GREAT 18

I think if I had a chance to play a round of golf at any course, it would have to be at Pebble Beach.  I'm watching the 3rd round of the PGA Celebrity Pro-Am, and it is beautiful.  Maybe one day...

HOUSECATS DON'T DO WELL ON THE ROAD

While UK has been perfect at home so far this season, they have now lost 5 SEC games on the road after falling to Vanderbilt this afternoon.  Just goes to show the inexperience of a young team, and how the momentum of a crowd can affect the game.  Hopefully they can pull some road wins out down the stretch and learn from these losses to make a run in the tourney.  I'd love to see what one of Calipari's teams could do if all his top recruits stayed for their full time of eligibility.  However when you bring Freshman in, and they leave after one year, the team doesn't get enough time to understand how each person plays together.  Maybe Cal's plan of 1-and-dones will work eventually, but until that happens I think we UK fans are going to have to settle for early round exits during March.  Regular season wins are great, and get you to the postseason, but UK is known for tourney wins and championships.  That's what we expect and should demand from our team and coach.

CONGRATULATIONS

Big time congratulations to my wife Stephanie!  She has been awarded the "Teacher of the Year" award at her school.  I'm so proud of her, and everything that she has accomplished.  I know how much she cares for the children she teaches, and how hard she works to be her very best.  Each child that has had her as a teacher has been truly blessed and I'm sure has enjoyed their time in 3rd grade.  Way to go Steph, I'm so happy for you.

SUPER SUNDAY

Is it just me or am I the only person who is getting really tired of the over-produced Superbowl?  Seeing people (celebrities/former players) interviewed as they walk the "red carpet", or even the intro that shows the struggles of America through the past century that then finalized with the talk of the struggle of a football game...I mean c'mon.  How do you compare WWII, the Kennedy speech, or Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to a football game, albeit for the NFL Championship of 2011?

Just get rid of the fluff, keep the commercials, and make the star the game itself. 

Sidenote:  I don't really blame Aguilera for the National Anthem flub.  It was a mistake in the moment.  What I really had a problem with was the half-time travesty of "Sweet Child Of Mine" by Fergie and Slash.  I think at one point she was even dancing like Axel.  Wow, that was not good.

QUICK HIT

I know it has been a couple days since my last post, but I've had some things going on.  Here's just a quick check-in on National Signing Day.  For those who don't know, I'm a UC football fan.  I never used to follow college football until I went to my first game 3 1/2 - 4 years ago.  UC was playing undefeated Rutgers in Cincinnati.  UC man-handled Rutgers that night and earned 3 new fans that evening.  Season tickets followed the next year, and I've been following UC ever since.  On Signing Day today, UC got some great recruits, and here are the top 5 I will be interested in following over their college career:

5.  WR - Damon Julian:  6'3", 215 lbs. - Appears to be a big, physical target with good speed.  From the west coast, offers from New Mexico State, and some other schools.  Chose UC!
4.  OL - Parker Ehinger:  6'8", 260 lbs. - Not your typical heavy lineman, but good speed for size, and the leverage this guy should be able to get could produce some serious pulling power and open up some holes for #2 on my list. 
3.  QB - Stephen Weatherford:  6'3", 200 lbs. - Big QB that has run the spread.  Had good arm to make the throws.  Being recruited by Miami and some other Florida schools.  Good pickup.
2.  RB - Jameel Poteat:  5'11", 200 lbs. - 4 star RB who's got it all.  Maybe not the fastest, but one of the top prospects in the nation. 
1.  WR - Alex Chisum:  6'3", 180 lbs. - One of top WR coming out of GA.  A big recruit out of the SEC territory.  Has the speed, hands, and potential to be the #1 WR UC has seen.  Broke High School records set by Calvin Johnson (star WR for Detroit Lions). 

My overall opinion for the commitments UC received today:  very impressive.  Coming off a down year, to be able to pull in high recruits from SEC territory, and top 3 and 4 star recruits is huge for UC.  Possibly the best recruiting class in the Big East conference.

Pro Bowl???

The NFL Pro Bowl was today, and the NFC beat the AFC, and yadda yadda yadda did anyone even know this was on?  It is not just the Pro Bowl either.  It is the same for the NBA, and NHL.  MLB seems to be the only sport that has a successful All-Star game that people actually want to watch.  Yet the MLB All-Star game still has blemishes.  All-in-all these games after the season, that don't mean anything, where the players want to avoid injury at all costs are pointless for the fact that it is a bunch of overpaid athletes that aren't giving 100% to their game and are there only to collect a bonus.  These games are an abomination to the sports they represent.  Yeah, I do enjoy seeing great players perform in their sport, but only when they are going all out on every play that they are paid to do.  These games rank about as high in ratings as old re-runs of "Little House on the Prairie".  But that's just my opinion.

FIRST ATTEMPT

Stephanie and I have watched cooking shows before and it seems as if there is always risotto served on these shows.  We had been wanting to try risotto ever since watching these shows.  One night, we decided to go to a nice restaurant for our anniversary, and chose one we had never been to (The Quarter Bistro).  Stephanie ordered the risotto, and it was instantly a hit with both of us.  From that point I knew I had to try to make it sometime.

Sometime had turned into tonight.  I decided to make:  Chicken Risotto with Basil and Lemon.  First attempt at risotto = stunning success.  Stephanie said it was very well cooked, and really creamy.  So how did I do it?  Here's my own recipe:

Chicken Risotto with Basil and Lemon

1 lb of boneless skinless chicken tenderloin
1 medium onion (yes I said onion...I know, I know)
3 tbs olive oil
1/4 cup fresh basil
2 tbs butter (unsalted)
1 1/2 cup Pinot Grigio wine
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
7 cups chicken broth
1 lemon
2 cups Arborio rice

Prep (15 - 20 min):
Finely dice 1 onion, and 2 cloves garlic.  Cut any tendons out of the chicken (if any) and leave whole for now.  Rough chop the basil and set aside.  Grate your Parmesan cheese and set aside.  In a large pot add chicken broth and put on medium low heat. 

Cook (30 - 40 min):
In a large cooking pan (with sides, and holds about 3 quarts) add olive oil to medium high heat.  Add chicken and cook to just get a nice color on the outsides, then remove.  In remaining oil, add diced onion and garlic and saute until translucent and soft.  Add Arborio rice and mix with wooden spoon until shiny.  Add 1 cup of Pinot Grigio and continue to stir until wine is absorbed.  Once wine is absorbed, ladle in 1/2 cup of chicken broth, and continue to stir until rice absorbs the broth.  Do this 1/2 cup of broth at a time, until the rice is al dente (should take about 20 - 25 minutes).  While mixing broth into rice, roughly chop chicken into small pieces and add to rice.  Before rice is al dente, add half the basil and then salt and pepper to taste.  When rice becomes al dente stop ladeling in broth, and add 1/2 cup of Pinot Grigio.  Mix in until wine is absorbed.  At this time, add juice from 1 lemon and mix in.  Add Parmesan cheese, and butter.  Mix until butter and cheese is melted.  Add lemon zest to finish.  Then plate the dish.  Garnish with the remaining bit of basil for color and taste. 

At this point the risotto should be very creamy and hopefully really good.  Bon appetit. 

FLEETING MOMENTS

How quickly do moments pass by that if you don't stop to enjoy them, you blink and they are gone?  Take time for those moments and live in them for as long as you can.  They will be etched in your memories for life if so.  My son wanted to just sit with me for the few moments he could sit still.  He crawled up in the chair with me and leaned his head on my shoulder.  That lasted for about 3 minutes until he saw his Mr. Potato Head on the floor.  The lure of toys was enough for him to get up, but those 3 minutes I got to sit there with him were some of my favorite this morning. 

Life throws these moments at you throughout the day, just don't let them fly by without taking them in.  You'll thank yourself later.