So, As you may or may not know (I would assume you would, as you probably got here through my Facebook Link), I am now the proud father of a 3 week old.
Jack David Anderson was born, November 9th, at 22:38; weighing in at 7 lbs 13 oz, and 21 inches in length.
To answer your question: I cried. I smiled. and all my fears seemed to melt away. I didn't know what I was doing, but by golly, there was the cutest little boy looking back up at me, and I knew everything would be OK. I changed my first diaper, I got peed on, I watched helplessly as poop started appearing were there had once been a diaper. I held him, I kissed him, I loved him. I couldn't help but smile whenever I looked at him.
The first two weeks of his little life were quick, and for the most part, fairly quiet. Elizabeth and I thought to ourselves, "Wow, we must have gotten the rare non-crying baby type!"
Whoops.
Then came week 3.
We were happily minding our own business, sleeping 2-3 hours at a time at night, and adoring our amazingly quiet baby, when it happened. Jack began to notice the world around him, and he found that the absolute best time to vocalize his concerns were when Mommy and Daddy were close at hand, right in same room, in bed, just waiting to hear his cry.
I exaggerate, but only a little. This past week has more moments than I can count where Elizabeth and I hae simply looked each other in the eyes and smiled (Mostly because we can't hear each other over the very healthy lungs of our son), but I wouldn't have traded it for the world.
I am so grateful for my Employer and my Co-Workers, for allowing me to have these last three weeks off, to allow me time to bond with my Son and to support my amazing wife as we learn how to be parents, and figure which cleaner gets baby vomit off of... well, everything...
Babies grow up so fast, or so I'm told. To this end I've begun a photo journal on the ol' facebook. I've dedicated myself to taking a picture of Jack every day for the first year of his life, and chronicling them all in order.
Some Days I'm on top of it, and others, I'm frantically trying to get an image taken before the day is done, but hey, it wouldn't be me, if it were any other way.
--
The past three weeks have been wonderful, the time off work with my family has been a Godsend, but tomorrow I must venture back into IT, I must earn my keep, and the keep of my family.
So friends, I bid you adieu.
Until Next Time,
-Joshua Anderson
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Friday, November 1, 2013
Much Ado About Easy Pasta.
Welcome back to a less serious post here on Life in Triple G!
First, the necessaries, Wee Baby Jack is still safely nestled within Mommy, we are 5 days out of the due date, and we're getting more and more excited as the days expire.
--
Elizabeth and I went the ye olde Redbox last night a perused the offerings presented. One came up on the screen that I had almost forgotten about. I had looked forward to it coming out earlier in the year because it stars both Nathan Fillion and Clark Gregg, as well as being Directed and Produced by the one and only Joss Whedon. what great masterpiece could this possibly be you ask?
Shakespeare's: Much Ado About Nothing
This movie, along with all that was stated above has the advantage of being one of Elizabeth's favorite Shakespeare plays.
So we run home and pop it in the Blu-Ray player and watch as one of the best movies I've seen in a very long time unfolds before us.
-
Like all Shakespeare, it took me about 15 - 20 minutes of staring blankly at the screen deciphering each sentence spoken until my brain finally switched over into "Shakespearean." the film is done in black and white with a very minimalist soundtrack, which is a nice retreat from modern day blockbusters that practically shove emotion down your throat with an ultra-charged score (Don't get me wrong, I love me some John Williams and Hans Zimmer, but there really is something special about letting the acting and the story give you all the emotion you need).
For those that don't know, this is one of Shakespeare's comedies, not like Romeo & Juliet, King Lear, or even Julius Caesar; no this is classic slap-stick at it's finest (with a wee bit of drama thrown in). It is about a celebration of sorts, a victory celebration after a fierce battle. the prince and his Officers come home to close friends home and spend some time winding down, and perhaps, falling in love.
Anywho, we open with with Clark Gregg playing the Father(Leonato) and the classically trained Reed Diamond as The Prince, Don Pedro. This is a modern re-telling of the classic, so we are presented with cars and suits, guns, and fine liquors. As the second car door is open, none other than Sean Maher (Simon Tam, Firefly), steps out as the evil Don John, brother to the prince, and all around bad guy. Surprisingly, this is actually his first role as a "bad" guy... although, I must, after this film, I'm sure he'll be in more, as his acting was superb.
As we move through the opening act, or boy meets girl, girl meets boy and so on, we get to the thick of the love story, you are wrapped up in the story, the actors drag you in, hanging off of every word. the cinematography is smooth, clean, refreshing almost. somewhere between a home movie, and big budget production. Again, a hint of piano here, and a splash of guitar there, and the score proves masterful. Then, something amazing happens.
Nathan Fillion.
Fillion plays the blundering Captain of the Guard, or in this versions case, the Police Chief. he plays the role so well, with perfect recitation and comedic timing, with the look in his eyes, and the posture of his being. Nathan Fillion was born to play Shakespeare. His part is fairly small, but every moment on screen, is a moment of pure joy.
The play hits it's low, then it's triumphant high, and all live happily ever after, and my life is all the better for seeing it. (I have to cut off the review suddenly like that, because you have to see it!)
-
Much Ado About Nothing was filmed entirely in Joss Whedon's beautiful home, and was completed start to finish in only 12 days, in the middle of production of the Avengers.
With such limitations you might think that production value would suffer, but instead it makes it feel more real, more intimate, more enjoyable.
Nothing at all against Kenneth Branagh, his renditions of Shakespeare stay true to word, and setting, but Joss Whedon and crew make Shakespeare fun, exciting, approachable, and down right gorgeous. I really hope that they do more of his plays, and that this wonderful cast of characters return once more to recite the words of the greatest playwright.
-
From the first "thou" to last backwards sentence, Much Ado About Nothing gets a full 10 stars out of 10 from me, and would get an 11, if I allowed myself such ratings.
I will be watching it over and over.
--
That was an exceptionally long Movie review.... but I think it was worth it. Now onto yet another easy pasta dish from the kitchen. The beauty here is that you can use this as a guideline and really swap out any of the ingredients for what you have in your pantry!
I call it Mushroom-Chicken Tetrazzini
The Needed:
1-2 Chicken Breasts - cubed into 1/2 - 1 inch pieces
8oz Fresh Mushrooms, Washed and quartered
3-4 Cloves Garlic - peeled and chopped
6oz Frozen Broccoli - Thawed and strained
3oz Frozen Peas - Thawed and strained
1/2 T Italian Seasonings (a mixture of Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Paprika, and Thyme)
Spaghetti noodles
1(15-18oz) Jar Alfredo Sauce
Olive Oil
1C Shredded Italian cheeses
The Procedure:
Pre-heat oven to 400°F
For the frozen greens, I put them in a small colander together, rinsed with warm water, and set aside.
Start water for the noodles, break in half and cook until just before tender (1-2 minutes less than directed for al dente)
Saute Mushrooms and garlic in olive oil until mushrooms are cooked.
Remove Mushrooms, Saute Chicken and spices in the same pan until cooked.
Strain noodles and return to pan.
Add Mushrooms, Greens, and Chicken, stir well.
Stir in Alfredo Sauce
Transfer to a baking dish, I used an 8x10 glass walled dish.
Cover with shredded Cheese and bake for 30 minutes.
And you are done!
I served mine with homemade garlic bread
The Needed:
3T Room-Temp butter
3 Cloves crushed fresh garlic
1t Oregano
dash of salt
Italian cheese
Bread
The Procedure:
Mix up everything but the Bread and cheese
Slice the Bread into 1 inch thick slices. and place on cookie tray
Spread the garlic butter on each slice of bread
Sprinkle cheese atop each slice
As soon as the pasta is done, set the oven to broil
Slide in the bread on the second shelf
Keep the door propped open and keep an eye on the bread
It only takes a couple minutes to toast the bread, and it can go from perfect to blackened in the blink of an eye.
Pill it out once the bread is toasted and the cheese is beginning to brown.
And Voila,
Dinner!
--
Thanks for stopping by, I imagine that the next update will will include a family addition... Stay Tuned!
-Joshua Anderson
First, the necessaries, Wee Baby Jack is still safely nestled within Mommy, we are 5 days out of the due date, and we're getting more and more excited as the days expire.
--
Elizabeth and I went the ye olde Redbox last night a perused the offerings presented. One came up on the screen that I had almost forgotten about. I had looked forward to it coming out earlier in the year because it stars both Nathan Fillion and Clark Gregg, as well as being Directed and Produced by the one and only Joss Whedon. what great masterpiece could this possibly be you ask?
Shakespeare's: Much Ado About Nothing
This movie, along with all that was stated above has the advantage of being one of Elizabeth's favorite Shakespeare plays.
So we run home and pop it in the Blu-Ray player and watch as one of the best movies I've seen in a very long time unfolds before us.
-
Like all Shakespeare, it took me about 15 - 20 minutes of staring blankly at the screen deciphering each sentence spoken until my brain finally switched over into "Shakespearean." the film is done in black and white with a very minimalist soundtrack, which is a nice retreat from modern day blockbusters that practically shove emotion down your throat with an ultra-charged score (Don't get me wrong, I love me some John Williams and Hans Zimmer, but there really is something special about letting the acting and the story give you all the emotion you need).
For those that don't know, this is one of Shakespeare's comedies, not like Romeo & Juliet, King Lear, or even Julius Caesar; no this is classic slap-stick at it's finest (with a wee bit of drama thrown in). It is about a celebration of sorts, a victory celebration after a fierce battle. the prince and his Officers come home to close friends home and spend some time winding down, and perhaps, falling in love.
Anywho, we open with with Clark Gregg playing the Father(Leonato) and the classically trained Reed Diamond as The Prince, Don Pedro. This is a modern re-telling of the classic, so we are presented with cars and suits, guns, and fine liquors. As the second car door is open, none other than Sean Maher (Simon Tam, Firefly), steps out as the evil Don John, brother to the prince, and all around bad guy. Surprisingly, this is actually his first role as a "bad" guy... although, I must, after this film, I'm sure he'll be in more, as his acting was superb.
As we move through the opening act, or boy meets girl, girl meets boy and so on, we get to the thick of the love story, you are wrapped up in the story, the actors drag you in, hanging off of every word. the cinematography is smooth, clean, refreshing almost. somewhere between a home movie, and big budget production. Again, a hint of piano here, and a splash of guitar there, and the score proves masterful. Then, something amazing happens.
Nathan Fillion.
Fillion plays the blundering Captain of the Guard, or in this versions case, the Police Chief. he plays the role so well, with perfect recitation and comedic timing, with the look in his eyes, and the posture of his being. Nathan Fillion was born to play Shakespeare. His part is fairly small, but every moment on screen, is a moment of pure joy.
The play hits it's low, then it's triumphant high, and all live happily ever after, and my life is all the better for seeing it. (I have to cut off the review suddenly like that, because you have to see it!)
-
Much Ado About Nothing was filmed entirely in Joss Whedon's beautiful home, and was completed start to finish in only 12 days, in the middle of production of the Avengers.
With such limitations you might think that production value would suffer, but instead it makes it feel more real, more intimate, more enjoyable.
Nothing at all against Kenneth Branagh, his renditions of Shakespeare stay true to word, and setting, but Joss Whedon and crew make Shakespeare fun, exciting, approachable, and down right gorgeous. I really hope that they do more of his plays, and that this wonderful cast of characters return once more to recite the words of the greatest playwright.
-
From the first "thou" to last backwards sentence, Much Ado About Nothing gets a full 10 stars out of 10 from me, and would get an 11, if I allowed myself such ratings.
I will be watching it over and over.
--
That was an exceptionally long Movie review.... but I think it was worth it. Now onto yet another easy pasta dish from the kitchen. The beauty here is that you can use this as a guideline and really swap out any of the ingredients for what you have in your pantry!
I call it Mushroom-Chicken Tetrazzini
The Needed:
1-2 Chicken Breasts - cubed into 1/2 - 1 inch pieces
8oz Fresh Mushrooms, Washed and quartered
3-4 Cloves Garlic - peeled and chopped
6oz Frozen Broccoli - Thawed and strained
3oz Frozen Peas - Thawed and strained
1/2 T Italian Seasonings (a mixture of Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Paprika, and Thyme)
Spaghetti noodles
1(15-18oz) Jar Alfredo Sauce
Olive Oil
1C Shredded Italian cheeses
The Procedure:
Pre-heat oven to 400°F
For the frozen greens, I put them in a small colander together, rinsed with warm water, and set aside.
Start water for the noodles, break in half and cook until just before tender (1-2 minutes less than directed for al dente)
Saute Mushrooms and garlic in olive oil until mushrooms are cooked.
Remove Mushrooms, Saute Chicken and spices in the same pan until cooked.
Strain noodles and return to pan.
Add Mushrooms, Greens, and Chicken, stir well.
Stir in Alfredo Sauce
Transfer to a baking dish, I used an 8x10 glass walled dish.
Cover with shredded Cheese and bake for 30 minutes.
And you are done!
I served mine with homemade garlic bread
The Needed:
3T Room-Temp butter
3 Cloves crushed fresh garlic
1t Oregano
dash of salt
Italian cheese
Bread
The Procedure:
Mix up everything but the Bread and cheese
Slice the Bread into 1 inch thick slices. and place on cookie tray
Spread the garlic butter on each slice of bread
Sprinkle cheese atop each slice
As soon as the pasta is done, set the oven to broil
Slide in the bread on the second shelf
Keep the door propped open and keep an eye on the bread
It only takes a couple minutes to toast the bread, and it can go from perfect to blackened in the blink of an eye.
Pill it out once the bread is toasted and the cheese is beginning to brown.
And Voila,
Dinner!
--
Thanks for stopping by, I imagine that the next update will will include a family addition... Stay Tuned!
-Joshua Anderson
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Two Weeks
Two weeks.
In two weeks, our baby is due to be born.
We have the walls painted, the crib built, the toys contained, the plugs covered.
The books have been read, the diapers prepped, and the classes completed.
I still have no idea what's about to happen.
Let's get something clear first; I am not anxious about baby, but I'd by lying (and badly at that) if I were to say I'm not nervous. I've never held a baby for longer than a moments breath, never changed a diaper, never talked baby-talk while leaning over a crib wall. I don't know how I'm going to react when he's born, will I cry, will I jump and laugh, will I smile the biggest smile I can? I don't know; and if you know me, you know I don't like not knowing the answer to things. Especially the important questions. I excel at tests, I can study and learn the answers before hand.
-
Despite all we've done, I feel just as prepared for fatherhood as I did 5 years ago... (Hint: not at all)
-
I look so forward to the times I can have with him. Teaching him the rules of baseball, and to boo the Phillies, watching Star Trek with him, Teaching him to read, all the way through helping him wrap his head around the atom. From family vacations, to pizza night. I want it all, and I simply can't wait to be his father in all of those respects. I already love him.
But the first few years... the delicateness of his little body, the fretfulness of not sleeping through the night, the myriad of exciting colors I am to find behind that puffy white diaper... Am I going to be good enough? Am i going to be man enough?
-
I am lucky, oh so lucky to have Elizabeth as my wife. While she's not been a mom before, at least she's held a baby before, and is a pro diaper changer! I am so glad that she is here to go along in this journey, nay, adventure, that is parenthood.
I will be relying on her expertise so much, I only hope that I can be more helpful than burdensome.
-
Two Weeks before my life changes.
Two Weeks before I meet the man I will call "son"
Two Weeks before I am called "Father'
Two Weeks before Something more Beautiful
Two Weeks
--
See y'all in 14 days,
-Joshua Anderson
(P.S. Movie Reviews, and Good Cookin' to come, so stay tuned!)
In two weeks, our baby is due to be born.
We have the walls painted, the crib built, the toys contained, the plugs covered.
The books have been read, the diapers prepped, and the classes completed.
I still have no idea what's about to happen.
Let's get something clear first; I am not anxious about baby, but I'd by lying (and badly at that) if I were to say I'm not nervous. I've never held a baby for longer than a moments breath, never changed a diaper, never talked baby-talk while leaning over a crib wall. I don't know how I'm going to react when he's born, will I cry, will I jump and laugh, will I smile the biggest smile I can? I don't know; and if you know me, you know I don't like not knowing the answer to things. Especially the important questions. I excel at tests, I can study and learn the answers before hand.
-
Despite all we've done, I feel just as prepared for fatherhood as I did 5 years ago... (Hint: not at all)
-
I look so forward to the times I can have with him. Teaching him the rules of baseball, and to boo the Phillies, watching Star Trek with him, Teaching him to read, all the way through helping him wrap his head around the atom. From family vacations, to pizza night. I want it all, and I simply can't wait to be his father in all of those respects. I already love him.
But the first few years... the delicateness of his little body, the fretfulness of not sleeping through the night, the myriad of exciting colors I am to find behind that puffy white diaper... Am I going to be good enough? Am i going to be man enough?
-
I am lucky, oh so lucky to have Elizabeth as my wife. While she's not been a mom before, at least she's held a baby before, and is a pro diaper changer! I am so glad that she is here to go along in this journey, nay, adventure, that is parenthood.
I will be relying on her expertise so much, I only hope that I can be more helpful than burdensome.
-
Two Weeks before my life changes.
Two Weeks before I meet the man I will call "son"
Two Weeks before I am called "Father'
Two Weeks before Something more Beautiful
Two Weeks
--
See y'all in 14 days,
-Joshua Anderson
(P.S. Movie Reviews, and Good Cookin' to come, so stay tuned!)
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
I'm Still Here!
Well... I got nothing... Like most bloggers early into their career, I stopped visiting, and each time I thought of coming back, I thought: "It's been too long, it'll just seem cheesy..." and I didn't log in.
I enjoyed the few posts I put on here, and for all two of you that read this, I enjoyed you too. So here I am, back in full swing!
On Tonight's Agenda:
General Life update
~ Family Additions
~ Work Upgrades
~ Knowledge boosting
Ludicrously Simple Spinach and Chicken Alfredo
~No seriously, this was so easy, and so good, you're not even ready.
--
Big news first:
So, Elizabeth and I are pregnant! Well, in case you skipped that part of human biology/anatomy, Elizabeth is the pregnant one, and I'm just standing around...
We are due on November the 6th of this year, and we are having a little baby boy! His name will be Jack David Anderson. Jack after my Great-Grandfather, on my Fathers-Fathers side. And David, for his son John David, to his son James David, to me Joshua David.
To understand this choice, you must understand his namesake. Ernest (Papa) Jack Anderson is a very special man to me. He is the only Great-Grandfather I know, and he has shown me what love is, and dedication to One Love; who very sadly passed away some 6 years ago now, and for as long as I've known him, what it is to follow Jesus. Papa is not the only good man in my life, nor is he the only great man I know; but he is a man that I look up to, and the man that I have always wanted to become. He is a man full of nothing but good memories, silly smiles, and frustrated "hurrumphs" as Mama put whatever cereal I wanted for the weekend in the shopping cart. He is late nights playing cards way past bed-times. He is waking up early to drive to Daytona Beach. He is an order of onion rings and a Varsity Orange that you can't help but love. He is a man who protected those he loved in Europe by standing for his country in World War II. He is driving me through those North-Georgia mountains, picking apples, and eating boiled peanuts as an 8 year old. He is catching fireflys and drinking a Coke. He is listening to the Braves on the radio. He is 94 years old, and still keeping a garden. The happiest memories that I hold are with this Man and his Wife.
My son will begin a whole new chapter of my life. New memories, new laughs, new joys, new vacations, and new love. I want my son to know that he is my joy, and I want to give My Jack even half as many great memories I have with Papa Jack. I never want to forget the old, and never cease making the new.
Jack, I love you.
-
That went a little deeper than I expected, but there you go, Jack David Anderson is due in but 2 months!
-
In March of this year, my Team Lead got a new position within Long View, leaving her position open. Through much deliberation, I think, I was given the position of Team Lead over our Help Desk! More responsibilities, a new title (and a bump in pay)!
I can't say the position has been completely seamless... there have been a few stressful instances, but overall it's been quite the experience, and I am quite glad I was given the opportunity! It only goes up from here right?
-
Along with my blog, another thing I put off was my A+ Training... I'm not sure why I procrastinate as much as I do, but I do. Nevertheless, as I had been given the Team Lead spot, I had a bit of a learning curve to master, so I put it off some more... But now that I been in place for some time, I knew it was time to buckle down and do something about it.
I'm happy to announce that as of August 30th I am now properly A+ Certified! I did learn a thing or two, and now I can officially do my job. ;)
I also participated in a few Long View sponsored learning sessions. One of which was a basic Project Manager training. Now, I'm not wanting to be a Project Manager or anything, but i thought it would be beneficial to learn about them and their mindset. I must say, I'm glad I did! It makes meetings with our PMs make a lot more sense and I can understand most of the things they say now...
--
And now, the part you've been waiting for... a shiny new recipe!
So, I wanted something easy, something delicious, and quite frankly, it needed some nutritional value as well
Spinach And Chicken Alfredo
The Needed:
2-3 Chicken Breasts - Chopped into 1.5 inch chunks
1/2 Onion - Chopped
1-2 Cloves fresh crushed Garlic Cloves
1/2 T Italian Seasonings (a mixture of Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Paprika, and Thyme)
Olive Oil
Pasta
8oz (Half a bag) Frozen Spinach
1(15-18oz) Jar Alfredo Sauce
The Procedure:
Saute chicken, garlic, herbs and onion in olive oil.
Start up the water for the pasta
Once chicken is cooked, transfer to bowl, keeping some of the oily-garlicy-oniony goodness in the pan.
Add spinach to pan with a bit more oil - heat slowly
Finish cooking pasta as directed
Strain pasta, mix in chicken and spinach - try to mix the spinach well.
Pour in Alfredo Sauce - Mix and heat
And your done!
Serve it up alone, or with some buttered bread.
Meat, Protein, Greens - it's all there, and it was fantastic! :)
--
Well, that's all for tonight I suppose!
Hope it was a decent comeback, See you next time!
-Joshua Anderson
I enjoyed the few posts I put on here, and for all two of you that read this, I enjoyed you too. So here I am, back in full swing!
On Tonight's Agenda:
General Life update
~ Family Additions
~ Work Upgrades
~ Knowledge boosting
Ludicrously Simple Spinach and Chicken Alfredo
~No seriously, this was so easy, and so good, you're not even ready.
--
Big news first:
So, Elizabeth and I are pregnant! Well, in case you skipped that part of human biology/anatomy, Elizabeth is the pregnant one, and I'm just standing around...
We are due on November the 6th of this year, and we are having a little baby boy! His name will be Jack David Anderson. Jack after my Great-Grandfather, on my Fathers-Fathers side. And David, for his son John David, to his son James David, to me Joshua David.
To understand this choice, you must understand his namesake. Ernest (Papa) Jack Anderson is a very special man to me. He is the only Great-Grandfather I know, and he has shown me what love is, and dedication to One Love; who very sadly passed away some 6 years ago now, and for as long as I've known him, what it is to follow Jesus. Papa is not the only good man in my life, nor is he the only great man I know; but he is a man that I look up to, and the man that I have always wanted to become. He is a man full of nothing but good memories, silly smiles, and frustrated "hurrumphs" as Mama put whatever cereal I wanted for the weekend in the shopping cart. He is late nights playing cards way past bed-times. He is waking up early to drive to Daytona Beach. He is an order of onion rings and a Varsity Orange that you can't help but love. He is a man who protected those he loved in Europe by standing for his country in World War II. He is driving me through those North-Georgia mountains, picking apples, and eating boiled peanuts as an 8 year old. He is catching fireflys and drinking a Coke. He is listening to the Braves on the radio. He is 94 years old, and still keeping a garden. The happiest memories that I hold are with this Man and his Wife.
My son will begin a whole new chapter of my life. New memories, new laughs, new joys, new vacations, and new love. I want my son to know that he is my joy, and I want to give My Jack even half as many great memories I have with Papa Jack. I never want to forget the old, and never cease making the new.
Jack, I love you.
-
That went a little deeper than I expected, but there you go, Jack David Anderson is due in but 2 months!
-
In March of this year, my Team Lead got a new position within Long View, leaving her position open. Through much deliberation, I think, I was given the position of Team Lead over our Help Desk! More responsibilities, a new title (and a bump in pay)!
I can't say the position has been completely seamless... there have been a few stressful instances, but overall it's been quite the experience, and I am quite glad I was given the opportunity! It only goes up from here right?
-
Along with my blog, another thing I put off was my A+ Training... I'm not sure why I procrastinate as much as I do, but I do. Nevertheless, as I had been given the Team Lead spot, I had a bit of a learning curve to master, so I put it off some more... But now that I been in place for some time, I knew it was time to buckle down and do something about it.
I'm happy to announce that as of August 30th I am now properly A+ Certified! I did learn a thing or two, and now I can officially do my job. ;)
I also participated in a few Long View sponsored learning sessions. One of which was a basic Project Manager training. Now, I'm not wanting to be a Project Manager or anything, but i thought it would be beneficial to learn about them and their mindset. I must say, I'm glad I did! It makes meetings with our PMs make a lot more sense and I can understand most of the things they say now...
--
And now, the part you've been waiting for... a shiny new recipe!
So, I wanted something easy, something delicious, and quite frankly, it needed some nutritional value as well
Spinach And Chicken Alfredo
The Needed:
2-3 Chicken Breasts - Chopped into 1.5 inch chunks
1/2 Onion - Chopped
1-2 Cloves fresh crushed Garlic Cloves
1/2 T Italian Seasonings (a mixture of Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Paprika, and Thyme)
Olive Oil
Pasta
8oz (Half a bag) Frozen Spinach
1(15-18oz) Jar Alfredo Sauce
The Procedure:
Saute chicken, garlic, herbs and onion in olive oil.
Start up the water for the pasta
Once chicken is cooked, transfer to bowl, keeping some of the oily-garlicy-oniony goodness in the pan.
Add spinach to pan with a bit more oil - heat slowly
Finish cooking pasta as directed
Strain pasta, mix in chicken and spinach - try to mix the spinach well.
Pour in Alfredo Sauce - Mix and heat
And your done!
Serve it up alone, or with some buttered bread.
Meat, Protein, Greens - it's all there, and it was fantastic! :)
--
Well, that's all for tonight I suppose!
Hope it was a decent comeback, See you next time!
-Joshua Anderson
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
It's been almost a month since my last post... whoops
A lot sure has happened in that month, lots of cooking, a new Certification, a few Godly insights, Halo 4 launched, we saw a few movies, and we elected a President...
First off, my excuse, three weeks ago my classes to become ITIL Certified began, This included a few 18 hour days followed by a few hours of sleep, and then a test at the end of it all, I passed, not necessarily with flying colors, but nevertheless, I get to add a Cert to my name! :)
--
As far as cooking is concerned, I've been playing it safe for the past few weeks, cooking easy things, things I've tried before, and whatnot... A few days ago, Elizabeth noticed that we had a few boxes of 'leftover' uncooked noodles, some penne, a little rigatoni, even a few veggie noodles, and I decided to do something with them. What came to mind was a sort of lasagna casserole, which I later realized is generally called a baked ziti.
Josh's Baked Ziti:
1lb Ground beef
2 Cloves of garlic, crushed
1 chopped onion
½T Basil
½T Oregano
½T Parsley
1 can Diced tomatoes (I used a Mediterranean herbed one)
1 jar Red pasta sauce
2c Shredded Italian cheese
2c Chopped mushrooms
Leftover noodles (About 3-4c worth, uncooked)
Pre-heat oven to 375°F
Boil noodles as directed - set in large bowl
Brown the Beef with the garlic, onion, mushrooms, and herbs in a large skillet with some olive oil
Add to bowl with noodles.
Mix in whole can of tomatoes and pasta sauce, stir until all noodles are well coated, at this point the mixture should have cooled some
Mix in 1½c cheese, stir well
Pour mixture into casserole dish, sprinkle with the remaining cheese
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until sauce is bubbling. Serve with a delicious side...
Now, I had picked up a can of olives to put in the Ziti, as Elizabeth loves them.... but I totally forgot. Enter, Delicious side:
Scrumdiddlyumptious Bacon-Olive Green Beans:
1 can French-Style Green Beans
3 slices Bacon, cooked, roughly chopped
10-15 large olives, chopped
½t Basil
½t Oregano
½t Parsley
¼t Garlic powder
Add all ingredients to a small sauce pan, stir, cover, and cook on medium heat for 10-25 minutes (Lightly boiling for at least half of that time.
When it comes time to serve, using the lid, drain the water from the pan, keeping all the goodies for the plate!
--
Halo 4 came out last week, it's been over 5 years since Halo 3 and I really couldn't have been more excited! The graphics are top notch, the music is wonderful, the single player story is very engaging, ad I haven't had this much fun in multiplayer since going to LAN parties with the original Halo: CE. Easily my favorite game on the Xbox 360. If you have this system, you should have this game. Here's a full review by someone paid to review things...
If you find yourself on your 360, and needing a new friend, hit me up, my GamerTag is: SPARTAN 029 PO2
--
Movie time!
Elizabeth and visited the '$2' theater a couple times since the last post, seeing both 'Hope Springs' and 'The Odd Life of Timothy Green'
Both were very solid movies, Hope Springs is about an 'Empty Nester' Couple that has lost their spark, and are simply going through the motions of everyday life, barely noticing one another, until the Wife (Meryl Streep) forces her husband (Tommy Lee Jones) to go to marriage counseling with her in po-dunk Maine. It's a love story, with some silly moments, but overall enjoyable, definitely would recommend seeing it with your loved one.
Timothy Green was a true 'heart warmer' not at all what I was expecting going in. I thought I was getting a silly kids movie, about a boy who popped up from the ground. Instead I got a story of a couple just trying to be parents in this wonderful tale of adoption. It made me smile, it made me tear up, it played with my emotions, and I can't say I didn't like it. This one is good for the whole family to site down and enjoy!
(For up-to-date, better, and more reliable reviews, hit up my good friend Rob Lacy at Snark Week!)
--
Congratulations to Mr. Obama for gaining another 4 years in the oval Office, please treat it with care...
--
That's all for tonight folks, tune in in a couple days for those elusive Godly Insights, mentioned earlier!
-Joshua Anderson
A lot sure has happened in that month, lots of cooking, a new Certification, a few Godly insights, Halo 4 launched, we saw a few movies, and we elected a President...
First off, my excuse, three weeks ago my classes to become ITIL Certified began, This included a few 18 hour days followed by a few hours of sleep, and then a test at the end of it all, I passed, not necessarily with flying colors, but nevertheless, I get to add a Cert to my name! :)
--
As far as cooking is concerned, I've been playing it safe for the past few weeks, cooking easy things, things I've tried before, and whatnot... A few days ago, Elizabeth noticed that we had a few boxes of 'leftover' uncooked noodles, some penne, a little rigatoni, even a few veggie noodles, and I decided to do something with them. What came to mind was a sort of lasagna casserole, which I later realized is generally called a baked ziti.
Josh's Baked Ziti:
1lb Ground beef
2 Cloves of garlic, crushed
1 chopped onion
½T Basil
½T Oregano
½T Parsley
1 can Diced tomatoes (I used a Mediterranean herbed one)
1 jar Red pasta sauce
2c Shredded Italian cheese
2c Chopped mushrooms
Leftover noodles (About 3-4c worth, uncooked)
Pre-heat oven to 375°F
Boil noodles as directed - set in large bowl
Brown the Beef with the garlic, onion, mushrooms, and herbs in a large skillet with some olive oil
Add to bowl with noodles.
Mix in whole can of tomatoes and pasta sauce, stir until all noodles are well coated, at this point the mixture should have cooled some
Mix in 1½c cheese, stir well
Pour mixture into casserole dish, sprinkle with the remaining cheese
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until sauce is bubbling. Serve with a delicious side...
Now, I had picked up a can of olives to put in the Ziti, as Elizabeth loves them.... but I totally forgot. Enter, Delicious side:
Scrumdiddlyumptious Bacon-Olive Green Beans:
1 can French-Style Green Beans
3 slices Bacon, cooked, roughly chopped
10-15 large olives, chopped
½t Basil
½t Oregano
½t Parsley
¼t Garlic powder
Add all ingredients to a small sauce pan, stir, cover, and cook on medium heat for 10-25 minutes (Lightly boiling for at least half of that time.
When it comes time to serve, using the lid, drain the water from the pan, keeping all the goodies for the plate!
--
Halo 4 came out last week, it's been over 5 years since Halo 3 and I really couldn't have been more excited! The graphics are top notch, the music is wonderful, the single player story is very engaging, ad I haven't had this much fun in multiplayer since going to LAN parties with the original Halo: CE. Easily my favorite game on the Xbox 360. If you have this system, you should have this game. Here's a full review by someone paid to review things...
If you find yourself on your 360, and needing a new friend, hit me up, my GamerTag is: SPARTAN 029 PO2
--
Movie time!
Elizabeth and visited the '$2' theater a couple times since the last post, seeing both 'Hope Springs' and 'The Odd Life of Timothy Green'
Both were very solid movies, Hope Springs is about an 'Empty Nester' Couple that has lost their spark, and are simply going through the motions of everyday life, barely noticing one another, until the Wife (Meryl Streep) forces her husband (Tommy Lee Jones) to go to marriage counseling with her in po-dunk Maine. It's a love story, with some silly moments, but overall enjoyable, definitely would recommend seeing it with your loved one.
Timothy Green was a true 'heart warmer' not at all what I was expecting going in. I thought I was getting a silly kids movie, about a boy who popped up from the ground. Instead I got a story of a couple just trying to be parents in this wonderful tale of adoption. It made me smile, it made me tear up, it played with my emotions, and I can't say I didn't like it. This one is good for the whole family to site down and enjoy!
(For up-to-date, better, and more reliable reviews, hit up my good friend Rob Lacy at Snark Week!)
--
Congratulations to Mr. Obama for gaining another 4 years in the oval Office, please treat it with care...
--
That's all for tonight folks, tune in in a couple days for those elusive Godly Insights, mentioned earlier!
-Joshua Anderson
Friday, October 19, 2012
Simple Thoughts...
So I was at work today, and it was particularly slow, and this is what came to mind. Please take the time to read this:
Right, Left. Red, Blue. Yes, No. Wrong, Right. Why must there only be two? Why can’t I go any direction I want, what if I want purple, what about maybe, what about me. This upcoming election season I am faced, truly, with two options, Republican, or Democrat. Two, from the surface, very different sides of an argument. A black and a white, if you will, with no grey in between. I am forced to choose between these two sides, someone who will lead my country, and define how I live, and save, and work. I have to cast my vote, fill in a bubble, and choose one of these two. Two options that I don’t fully back, two options that both have good points, but also have flaws, things I don’t believe in. Two choices that, ultimately, I cannot choose. But they are my only options, right? As I open my ballot this year, and I read over the Presidential options I see only two options to vote, don’t I? Wrong, I have ten-plus men and women who are all vying for my pen to fill in their bubble. Who these people are, I’m not certain; What they believe in individually, I really don’t know, nor do I really care. But what they stand for, collectively, what the idea of having such a choice means; that is what I care about, that is why I am here, That is what can change the entire world in which we live in, and that is what I intend to explore, an idea.
We all know the stories, people left their homeland in search of religious freedom, in the pursuit of riches, or to just get away. Through the centuries, a country was formed, a land, based on the ideals of freedom, the liberation of choice, and the thrill of being able to do whatever we wanted. This freedom, this great gift that our forefathers granted us has been squandered. Where we can have the freedom of choice, we have shackled ourselves to mundane, repeated, despised tasks. Forcing ourselves to examine two presidential candidates, and choosing the “Lesser of Two Evils.” Why do we have to vote for evil? Now I am not saying that these two options are inherently evil, I don’t even want these two parties to disperse. What I am saying is that these two views hardly cover the views and opinions of an entire country. Thus, if the candidate you select doesn’t line up with your core values as a person, then you are, ultimately voting against yourself.
Grab a piece of paper, Think about the government, think about the law, think about how your country interacts with other countries. Now, I want you to write down the ten most important things you care about, and how you believe they should be handled; your ten strongest opinions on the nation. I challenge you to find ten, no five, other people that have written down, word-for-word, exactly what you put down. I’d bet you the commission on this paper that you can’t fill that request, without a little fudging. If we can’t find five, out of millions to agree, how can we expect, honestly, for half of them to side with one candidate and truly, deeply, feel happy about that.
With that extreme example out of the way, we can of course find people who believe fairly close to what we do, where we match on ideals, have the same basic stance of foreign policy, and also stand with us on many other national issues.But even if we do that, I guarantee that we would find ourselves in more than two groups standing opposite each other. We would mingle, move in and out of groups, depending on the specific concern at hand. That’s the beauty of having a free mind, we can freely think, we can hold firm on one resolution, but perhaps be persuaded to think differently on another.
That is part of what these other candidates on my ballot represent. Freedom. I challenge you again, to take that piece of paper, with your top ten, and compare it to the candidate you’re planning on voting for. Do they all match up? If so, great! If not, which is most likely the case, examine for me, the parts that don’t match up, are these areas important to you? Of course they are, you wrote them down. Why are you sacrificing your core values, parts of your very being, for a choice that only strips away more of your once great freedom?
These candidates, the names on a piece of paper that you’ve probably never even heard of before, they embody another core aspect of the first Americans. Hope. These people must know that they have no real chance of winning, that the general media is going to ignore them, that they cannot possibly raise the money needed to campaign against the unfathomably rich in the two party system. Yet their names are still on that ballot, yet they still care about their Nation enough to fight against the mainstream, to demand that this country be given a fair chance at succeeding. They hold a hope, and a resolve greater than many. They hope that Americans will do the right thing, they hope that we will give our freedoms a chance. Hope drives them to put a nation before themselves, hope pushes them to challenge the greatest odds any have ever faced, and hope keeps them alive as a trickle of people choose to stand up and listen to their hearts and minds. They say that the greatest emotion is love, and I say the strongest is hope. Hope can change all things, hope can stand the test of time, and as long as hope is left to burn, it can rise up against every challenge. These men and women, they foster hope, when all else is lost in the two party choice, hope yet remains in a third party. Someone who lines up with your core values, someone who stands for you and what you fight for, some is waiting for your vote, someone needs your vote, someone deserves your vote, and it probably isn’t who you think it is.
By voting for someone that only lines up partially with your core values, by choosing one of two options when you really are a third option, you are lying to yourself, you are lying to your peers, and you are lying to the world around you. You are dismissing your freedom, and are abandoning hope. You owe it, owe it to yourself, to look at these other names on the list, to do a quick search on these people, to see if any might actually line up with you better, then to really dig into who they are, to see if they deserve your vote over your initial choice. It may feel like you are throwing your vote away, but I tell you, if enough of us throw our vote away, if as many people who read this vote for the man or woman who they would be proud to stand with, then we would not be throwing away votes. Nay, we would have the most exciting, and most fulfilling election season you could possibly imagine.
This is no small choice here, this is The President of the United States of America, one of the most powerful people in the world, and your vote gives them that power. Make sure you like who you choose to sit behind that desk.
Right, Left. Red, Blue. Yes, No. Wrong, Right. Why must there only be two? Why can’t I go any direction I want, what if I want purple, what about maybe, what about me. This upcoming election season I am faced, truly, with two options, Republican, or Democrat. Two, from the surface, very different sides of an argument. A black and a white, if you will, with no grey in between. I am forced to choose between these two sides, someone who will lead my country, and define how I live, and save, and work. I have to cast my vote, fill in a bubble, and choose one of these two. Two options that I don’t fully back, two options that both have good points, but also have flaws, things I don’t believe in. Two choices that, ultimately, I cannot choose. But they are my only options, right? As I open my ballot this year, and I read over the Presidential options I see only two options to vote, don’t I? Wrong, I have ten-plus men and women who are all vying for my pen to fill in their bubble. Who these people are, I’m not certain; What they believe in individually, I really don’t know, nor do I really care. But what they stand for, collectively, what the idea of having such a choice means; that is what I care about, that is why I am here, That is what can change the entire world in which we live in, and that is what I intend to explore, an idea.
We all know the stories, people left their homeland in search of religious freedom, in the pursuit of riches, or to just get away. Through the centuries, a country was formed, a land, based on the ideals of freedom, the liberation of choice, and the thrill of being able to do whatever we wanted. This freedom, this great gift that our forefathers granted us has been squandered. Where we can have the freedom of choice, we have shackled ourselves to mundane, repeated, despised tasks. Forcing ourselves to examine two presidential candidates, and choosing the “Lesser of Two Evils.” Why do we have to vote for evil? Now I am not saying that these two options are inherently evil, I don’t even want these two parties to disperse. What I am saying is that these two views hardly cover the views and opinions of an entire country. Thus, if the candidate you select doesn’t line up with your core values as a person, then you are, ultimately voting against yourself.
Grab a piece of paper, Think about the government, think about the law, think about how your country interacts with other countries. Now, I want you to write down the ten most important things you care about, and how you believe they should be handled; your ten strongest opinions on the nation. I challenge you to find ten, no five, other people that have written down, word-for-word, exactly what you put down. I’d bet you the commission on this paper that you can’t fill that request, without a little fudging. If we can’t find five, out of millions to agree, how can we expect, honestly, for half of them to side with one candidate and truly, deeply, feel happy about that.
With that extreme example out of the way, we can of course find people who believe fairly close to what we do, where we match on ideals, have the same basic stance of foreign policy, and also stand with us on many other national issues.But even if we do that, I guarantee that we would find ourselves in more than two groups standing opposite each other. We would mingle, move in and out of groups, depending on the specific concern at hand. That’s the beauty of having a free mind, we can freely think, we can hold firm on one resolution, but perhaps be persuaded to think differently on another.
That is part of what these other candidates on my ballot represent. Freedom. I challenge you again, to take that piece of paper, with your top ten, and compare it to the candidate you’re planning on voting for. Do they all match up? If so, great! If not, which is most likely the case, examine for me, the parts that don’t match up, are these areas important to you? Of course they are, you wrote them down. Why are you sacrificing your core values, parts of your very being, for a choice that only strips away more of your once great freedom?
These candidates, the names on a piece of paper that you’ve probably never even heard of before, they embody another core aspect of the first Americans. Hope. These people must know that they have no real chance of winning, that the general media is going to ignore them, that they cannot possibly raise the money needed to campaign against the unfathomably rich in the two party system. Yet their names are still on that ballot, yet they still care about their Nation enough to fight against the mainstream, to demand that this country be given a fair chance at succeeding. They hold a hope, and a resolve greater than many. They hope that Americans will do the right thing, they hope that we will give our freedoms a chance. Hope drives them to put a nation before themselves, hope pushes them to challenge the greatest odds any have ever faced, and hope keeps them alive as a trickle of people choose to stand up and listen to their hearts and minds. They say that the greatest emotion is love, and I say the strongest is hope. Hope can change all things, hope can stand the test of time, and as long as hope is left to burn, it can rise up against every challenge. These men and women, they foster hope, when all else is lost in the two party choice, hope yet remains in a third party. Someone who lines up with your core values, someone who stands for you and what you fight for, some is waiting for your vote, someone needs your vote, someone deserves your vote, and it probably isn’t who you think it is.
By voting for someone that only lines up partially with your core values, by choosing one of two options when you really are a third option, you are lying to yourself, you are lying to your peers, and you are lying to the world around you. You are dismissing your freedom, and are abandoning hope. You owe it, owe it to yourself, to look at these other names on the list, to do a quick search on these people, to see if any might actually line up with you better, then to really dig into who they are, to see if they deserve your vote over your initial choice. It may feel like you are throwing your vote away, but I tell you, if enough of us throw our vote away, if as many people who read this vote for the man or woman who they would be proud to stand with, then we would not be throwing away votes. Nay, we would have the most exciting, and most fulfilling election season you could possibly imagine.
This is no small choice here, this is The President of the United States of America, one of the most powerful people in the world, and your vote gives them that power. Make sure you like who you choose to sit behind that desk.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Slow cookers, soup, and sickness
So I said I wasn't doing anything exciting this week in our cooking. And for the most part that was fairly true, had some dijon salmon, but I've cooked that before, so no surprises there... the big hit for me was the slowcooker Chicken and Rice.
It started off fairly normal, a few cups of chopped mushrooms, a large onion, roughly chopped, some paprika, chicken thighs (with bone, but skinned), broth and a can of cream of chicken soup. cooked it on low for about 4 hours, then added some pre-cooked brown rice (from earlier in the day), kicked it up to high, and cooked it another hour.
Turned out fairly well, decent flavor, I was happy with it.. at the end we had 2 thighs left and bunch of the fixins with it, and Elizabeth suggested something genius, let's make soup!
So the next day I pulled the chicken meat off the bone, chopped it up, and threw it all into a pot, including the two bones. I added an equal part water, a teaspoon of salt, basil, sage and rosemary, and one bay leaf.
I brought it all to a boil, then dropped the temp, covered, and let it simmer for a solid 2 hours. Made an absolutely fabulous chicken/mushroom/rice soup! Will be having that all week at lunch, methinks.
This Weekend went by pretty quickly, I spent Saturday fixing up the car and reading more in my A+ manual, and Sunday poor Elizabeth got herself a bug and was sick all day and night... :( and I read a couple more chapters in the book. Unfortunately folks, I will have to rescind my former vow to complete the book before the end of this month, and reapply it to the end of the year.
It started off fairly normal, a few cups of chopped mushrooms, a large onion, roughly chopped, some paprika, chicken thighs (with bone, but skinned), broth and a can of cream of chicken soup. cooked it on low for about 4 hours, then added some pre-cooked brown rice (from earlier in the day), kicked it up to high, and cooked it another hour.
Turned out fairly well, decent flavor, I was happy with it.. at the end we had 2 thighs left and bunch of the fixins with it, and Elizabeth suggested something genius, let's make soup!
So the next day I pulled the chicken meat off the bone, chopped it up, and threw it all into a pot, including the two bones. I added an equal part water, a teaspoon of salt, basil, sage and rosemary, and one bay leaf.
I brought it all to a boil, then dropped the temp, covered, and let it simmer for a solid 2 hours. Made an absolutely fabulous chicken/mushroom/rice soup! Will be having that all week at lunch, methinks.
This Weekend went by pretty quickly, I spent Saturday fixing up the car and reading more in my A+ manual, and Sunday poor Elizabeth got herself a bug and was sick all day and night... :( and I read a couple more chapters in the book. Unfortunately folks, I will have to rescind my former vow to complete the book before the end of this month, and reapply it to the end of the year.
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