Have some Spring Cheese!

It's been a little more than a month since the last so I thought I'd whip up a little spring cheese to share!

1. What's the best part of spring?
Shorts, being able to ride bikes later into the evening, the smell of fresh cut grass, more beach trips, bikinis!, barbecues and baseball!

2. What's the worst part of spring?
Allergies, post nasal drip, cleaning.

3. What do you look forward to in the spring?
Long bike rides, camping out with my boys, watching our tomatoes grow and, of course, the pending summer vacation (though this year's summer vacation is mitigated by summer school and the fact that I've been laid off for the fall).

4. What is a perfect spring day like for you?
Sleeping in until 9, having coffee already ready, going out for a family breakfast, riding bikes with the boys, collapsing on the big bed in a group nap, listening to a ballgame on the radio and barbecuing and drinking cold beers with friends as the sun sets.

5. How's that spring cleaning coming along?
Well, we can now make it through the garage more quickly and I fixed our vacuum so the accumulated dog fur is gone. There's still plenty to do but we're starting to make good headway. Plus, we'll have a yard sale soon and are planning to be ruthless with leftovers.

There's my Cheddar, where's yours?

Zombie Cheese!

I got an itch this morning to dust off the Cheddar X and create a new set of questions to see how people were coping with the current recession. Here are the questions I came up with and my answers.

1. How worried are you about a layoff?
I got laid off last year and then rehired two weeks later. I've got a year of seniority now and am not at the bottom of the totem pole anymore. Concerned but not worried.

2. How likely are you to be laid off because of the recession?
Odds are that I won't get pink slipped but you never know and I'm operating under the assumption that I will get laid off because that keeps me motivated to search for other jobs.

3. What plans have you made in case a layoff does come down?
We are in the process of turning the hair salon from a break even proposition to a profit making proposition. Additionally, we've become distributors for Kyani, makers of a great antioxidant juice, omega-3 supplements and a nitric oxide booster, good stuff! I am also doing more professional photography work which makes me very happy.

4. What have you decided to go without in order to save some money?
We passed on the his & her Bimmers, no more month long vacations in the south of France and we now drink store brand soda more often than not.

5. Has anything positive come from the recession?
The excesses of Wall Street, the toppling of crooks like Bernie Madoff, the realization that more isn't always better and traffic is lighter. But the downsides are far, far outweighing the upsides right now.

6. How will you know your personal recession is over?
When we're no longer borrowing money every month to cover our basic expenses.

7. How will you celebrate?
It will very likely involve sushi, sake, beer and friends. And maybe a new huge HD LCD tv.

There now, that didn't hurt a bit! Come and get some Cheddar. If there's enough demand, I'll probably try to get it rolling again.

Ultimately Cheesy

This month's is all about ultimate (not the frisbee game). Without further jibber-jabber, let's get to the cheese, eh?

1. Your ultimate car: Ford Gt40, no question.

2. Your ultimate house: I could settle for Hearst Castle, I guess. Failing that, I'll go "slumming" in Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water. But if I were being somewhat realistic, there's a great Mexican style villa on the market in Freedom that I'd love to have. Maybe I'll snap a pic one of these days when I stop to get the real estate agent's number to see what its on the market for.

3. Your ultimate career: my ultimate career would be a combo plate of skills including advertising creation, marketing and public relations. I have a very strong creative streak that can be applied to logos, slogans and advertising campaigns. That or President of the US (and I can absolutely promise I'd be a better and more effective leader than the current asshat in charge).

4. Your ultimate toy: The ultimate toy for me would probably be an A-10 Warthog, oh yeah!

5. Your ultimate trip: A year long trip around the world with a full month being spent at any place that strikes us (of course I'd have my family with me). Extra time spent in Cape Town, Barcelona, Prague and Paris.

6. Your ultimate dinner or meal: Start off with oysters on the half shell and shrimp cocktails. Follow up with marinated skirt steak on the grill with fresh sliced pineapple on top, grilled veggies on kabobs, grilled corn with chili butter and as many Amstel Lights or Pyramid Hefeweizens as I need to make it through the meal. Dessert could be any number of things but I'm particular to cheesecakes and warm from the oven apple pie a la mode.

7. Your ultimate relaxation: A good long day of riding through the redwoods followed by the high speed descent out to the ocean via Wilder Ranch and topped off with the ultimate meal above. And a blowjob.

The Last Cheddar X of 2007

Here it is, the last Cheddar X of 2007.

1. What single personal event in 2007 stands out?
The most defining moment of 2007 for me was getting laid off way back in February and went a long way towards making 2007 a forgettable year for me.

2. What single news event in 2007 stands out to you?
So many stories to choose from, so many political scandals (wide stance anyone?), so many tawdry celeb-gossip stories. Its very difficult to choose. I think I'm going to go with Michael Vick, former NFL star quarterback, getting indicted for running a disgusting dog fighting ring on his Virginia property and participating in the execution of sub-par animals.

3. Who do you think the Person of the Year for 2007 should be?
Britney Spears because she provided more laughs and drama than any other ten people combined. But I also think she should be institutionalized and her mother euthanized.

4. What was the worst thing that happened to you in 2007?
See #1 above.

5. What was the worst thing that happened in 2007?
Blatant criminals like Alberto Gonzales, Karl Rove, Scooter Libby and other bastards from the Bush camp continue to walk free when they are traitors to this nation and the ideals upon which it was founded.

6. What are you looking forward to in 2008?
Putting 2007 behind me, having, holding and keeping regular employment with benefits. Seeing my two boys grow up a little bit more. Riding my bikes alot more, maybe seeing my westwardly mobile brother and his family more, spring training in Arizona, starting the process of taking some of my inventions from drawing board to retail shelf. Continuing my growth and learning as a photographer including more professional (read that: paying) gigs. And oh yeah, getting me an iPhone!

We Eat Cheddar X

How about a gastronomic Cheddar X for a little change?

1. What do you make sure you keep in your fridge at all times?
For me? Mustard, in about six or seven different varieties. For my two boys, milk and lots of it!

2. What is the oddest thing in your fridge?
The severed goat's head comes to mind but its worth it for when guests visit. Actually, the oddest thing is a shelf organizer that came with the fridge, takes up a ton of space and has nothing in it.

3. What is the oddest thing in your freezer?
Frozen baby teethers for when Sully's teeth start to really bug him.

4. What is your go to comfort food?
An organic Cheetoh's knock off.

5. What food reminds you of your childhood?
Peanut butter fluff sandwiches (or Fluffernutters if you're cool enough) for good memories. Split Pea Soup for the bad memories (sorry, Mom, the stuff is nasty!).

6. How often do you eat out?
Not very often, maybe once or twice a week for lunch. We will get take out every so often when neither of us feels like cooking.

7. What are you most likely to get at a drive thru?
A cheeseburger with bacon these days.

8. What's your favorite fast food?
In-n-Out Burger, the fries are fantastic and the burgers are consistently excellent, I just wish we had one closer to where we live.

Annoyances Cheddar X

It was about time to put up a new Cheddar X (and hey, I upgraded the blog as well!) so here it is.

1. What are your top 5 political annoyances?
Rudy Guiliani - he looks like a goblin when he grins
John McCain - never met a jowl he didn't like and that whole pandering thing
ShrubCo - he's a leader only he's led us down a dark and very dangerous path
Dick Cheney - he's just a mean and vindictive old bastard
The bile that passes for debate spewed by jackasses like Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter and others. They are poisonous to real debate about the real issues facing our country.

2. What are your top 4 entertainment annoyances?
Paris Hilton, the show Friends, Simon Cowell and Dr. Phil.

3. What are your top 3 family annoyances?
Not having enough money move, having to work when I'd rather be with my kids and feeling like the mess and clutter are neverending. Sorry, going for #4, the screeching contests my two boys engage in, they make me feel like my ears are bleeding.

4. What are your top 2 SO (that's signicant other) annoyances?
Um, I'll respectfully pass on this one. Oh what the hell, she doesn't turn things off (tv's, computers, lights, etc.) and she doesn't put things away in a reasonable period of time.

5. What is your single greatest annoyance right now?
Not being able to sell this damned house and move somewhere with more space, more privacy and a bigger yard for Nande to roam (and poop) in.

My Most Favoritest Cheese

I finally got around to posting a new and I invented a new word too, excusification. Anyway, let's get to the Cheese.

1. Where is your favorite place to relax?
Hidden Beach in Aptos, California with my dog, my wife and my kids and maybe one extra person to help keep track of the kiddies since they like to run now.

2. Where is your favorite place to cut loose and have some fun?
The lower trails at Nisene Marks have been a favorite place of late. We've been getting out for rides on a weekly basis now for a couple of months. It helps re-energize and de-stress me tremendously.

3. Where is your favorite place that reminds you of a special time?
Seabright Beach because we got married there.

4. Where is your favorite place to sit and watch the world go by?
It depends, if I want to people watch then the Boardwalk is perfect. If I want to nature watch then I'll go to Hidden Beach by myself. Its a wide open expanse of sand and it is very easy to get close to nature there.

5. Where is your favorite vista point?
Any of the dozens of wicked spots along Highway 1 down in Big Sur. The dropoffs are stunning!

6. Where is your favorite place to waste time online?
Skyrates.

7. Where is your favorite place to waste time offline?
My backyard with my boys and my hound.

A Cheesy Habit

About time I posted a new Cheddar X, this one's about habits.

1. What is your best habit?
Exercise has been a habit since I've been young. If I don't workout, ride or otherwise burn off physical steam, my life doesn't work right. And yet I still miss workouts and rides which leads me to my worst habit.

2. What is your worst habit?
Procrastination.

3. What habit in others annoys you the most?
Interrupting me when I'm speaking. Although Sully's gotten into this habit lately of screeching loud enough to make it feel like my eardrums are bleeding, that's pretty annoying.

4. What habit would you like to acquire?
Going to bed earlier.

5. Why do they call a nun's headgear a habit?
I don't know but I smile everytime I think about The Flying Nun because the headgear looks more like a wing than a habit.

Cheddar X Upside Your Head

A new has gone up. The is a smack happy cage matcharific Cheddar X and I expect to enjoy it.

1. What tv host would you most like to smack right upside the head?
John Brunel on cop video shows, he takes condescension to incredible depths. The smacking would be nice. The host on Cheaters is a close second because of how much he seems to enjoy showing people that their spouses are sleeping with other people.

2. What sports personality would you most like to smack right upside the the head?
So many to choose from, so many in desperate need of a sound smacking. The short list includes Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Skip Bayliss and Tony Cornholer. I'm going to Cornholer because of the satisfaction of the smacking of open palm against that crusty bald dome of his. Damn he is an annoying wanker. Also, a Dishonorable Mention for local KNBR sports radio personality, Ralph Barbieri, solely because he has the single lamest signoff line in the history of any radio (Angels fly because they take themselves lightly, bleh, puke, what a smackworthy sentiment).

3. What media personality would you most like to smack upside the head?
Brit Hume. That he considers himself a journalist and not a reanimated puppet of the GOP is almost sad its so pathetic.

4. What political figure would you most like to smack upside the head?
Karl Rove but I'm not sure I could stop at just one smack. I fear I'd keep swinging until it came clean off (well not cleanly).

5. What musical figure would you most like to smack upside the head?
Bono or Madonna, preferably both at once so I could delight in the coconut-esque sound of their empty skulls banging into one another.

6. Which two politicos would you most like to see in a cage match to the death? (i.e. win/win since one ain't coming out)
John McCain because he's just a pathetic pandering power-mongering bitch and Dick Cheney because he's just a mean old dirty rotten black hearted bastard.

7. Which two public figures would you most like to see in a cage match to the death?
This one would probably change with each day you ask me but today? Today let's go with Donald Trump because that damned sour puss face of his has got to go and Rosie O'Donnell because I bet she'd friggin' thrash him like a rag doll and that would be really fun to watch.

8. Who on planet Earth should be put in a rocket and shot into the sun?
Bud Selig wouldn't be a bad choice but neither would Mark Cuban (though that's more for the haircut than anything else) but I'll go with Bill O'Reilly because of his inpenetrable smarm, lies, abusive behaviour and outright just mean-ness. Oh yeah, also the fact that people actually tune in to listen to him for news, those folks should get shot into the sun too but that's probably over stepping a bit. 'Course, I'd say anyone who watches Fox News for news is unlikely to be a free thinking contributor (as opposed to a detractor, false patriot or single-issue voter fool).

Yep, I did enjoy it, I did enjoy it! Huzzah!

Time for a Little Cheese Flavored Late Night Snack

Time for a little

1. What are your numbers?
I'm partial to 3's but I also still like 9 and 11 because that's my birthday.

2. What are your words?
I've got lots of words, ones that I made up (like secrutiny and or urbal) and words someone else got to first, like nictitating, malodorous and chunder.

3. What are your names?
For boys - Alexander, Davis, Graydon and Sullivan (of course)
For girls - Cassandra, Nina, Michelle and Chastity (but only if she's got really loose morals because I like irony!)

4. What are your days?
Easy, Saturday and Sunday.

5. What are your colors?
Greens are good.

6. What are your flavors?
Cinnamon, basil, garlic, teriyaki, pineapple grilled on top of marinated skirt steak.

7. What are your scents?
Basil, sweat (my own, thanks), campfires, lime and mint mashed together (as in mixing up some mojitos), freshly cut grass and freshly cut wood.

8. What are your sounds?
Children's laughter, my motorcycle at 10,000 rpm, dead silence at 10 pm (nothing like sleeping kids!), the hum of bike tires during a high speed descent and the crack of a baseball bat when one of the Giants crushes the ball!

Tags: cheddar x, questions, meme