more new years feel-goodery

two favorites from the Google image search results for "fried chicken"

My dearest reader, please believe me, I don't want to bore you with the mundane details about my personal life. I really want this blog to stay on task and keep moving forward with an ongoing discussion about pictures and ideas, but this holiday break has reinforced the fact that the mundane details of my daily life are integrally tied to my photographic pursuits & interests. So, please indulge me while I take this opportunity to tell you that I made the most amazing fried chicken over the break!

Amy Stein recently posted about her love of tacos and the importance of getting away from photography for the holiday. I couldn't agree more. One of the great pleasures I took in the holidays this year was leaving my camera in the bag (for the most part) and indulging other fancies. Of course, what this really translates to is eating & drinking. My personal holiday highlights include:

• Frying my own chicken (and some tofu, for the veg crowd).
• The soup my mom made out of Velveeta and hamburger. Really. It was an amazing fantastic creation, like nachos with reversed proportions.
• Finally figuring out how to make a decent omelet (it really does take the right pan- and high heat).
• Using those new pans to make blueberry crepes with Max (note, he was so inspired that he's now making pancakes as I type this).
• Cracking open the whiskey my dad gave me and staying up late to watch Prime Suspect 7. Then repeating with the Bad News Bears and the kids. And then repeating yet again with the Karate Kid. And I've still got half the bottle.

• Spending four hours in Carver, Oregon while waiting for the tow-truck driver to show up. By the way, apparently the driver's grandfather is the man who trained noted painter Bob Ross.

So, I promise to get back to the task at hand soon, but really needed to sing of my enthusiasm for the new year. Consider me recharged, invigorated, and raring to go. Well, and maybe a little pudgier than I was two weeks ago.

And please, in addition to your comments and photographs, send recipes. In exchange for each recipe I receive, I'll send you a copy of Michael Bishop's Views of the NYS Barge Canal. Oh shit, Ed, did I ever send yours? I can't remember.