Behold Jake Shimabukuro kickin’ ass with four strings.

Holy crap! Nothing else to say.

Via Cousin Jack

She could wind up being two heartbeats away from the presidency.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Image swiped from The Colossus. He’s got more of them.

This is funny, and it comes with sound.

Thanks to Barbara.

Hat tip: Velicoman

After having turned the Usual Suspects on to Three Olives Chocolate Vodka, which has kept our local liquor merchant busy trying to keep it the stuff stock, and now, following the Hysterics at Eric’s, with people from various states scouring local liquor stores for the wonderful choco-elixir, I felt duty-bound to give Three Olives Vanilla Vodka a try. It seems so right. You know, peanut butter…jelly, salt…pepper, yin…yan, , Abbott…Costello, chocolate…vanilla.

After letting the bottle remain in my freezer for 24 hours, I cracked it open and poured myself a shot. I gave it a good whiff, and detected the aroma of vanilla, not too strong, but clearly there. As is the case with Three Olives Chocolate Vodka, the winning surprise is in the taste. As it was rolling off my tongue, I was reminded of the taste of what is perhaps the world’s greatest cream soda.

Will it take the place of my beloved chocolate vodka? Probably not, but that is because I prefer the taste of chocolate to that of vanilla. However, for those who would order a dish of vanilla ice cream over a dish of chocolate, this is your drink.

I then tried following a sip of chocolate with a sip of vanilla, and lo and behold, it was like having a “chocolate covered” direct from the Good Humor Man’s truck, except it ain’t ice cream, and it will kick your heiney real hard if you’re not careful.

I’ll be keeping a bottle of each in my freezer. Somebody better warn the local liquor guy to stock up.

Have you ever tasted Red Bull Energy Drink? I have.

On the long drive back from Tennessee, I decided that an energy boost would be a good idea, so I bought a can of the stuff, popped the top and took a long swallow.

Let me say that, in my life, I have been fortunate enough to never to have had to drink piss to try to stay alive (nor do I find the argument that pee drinking can be therapeutic to be at all convincing).

As such, I don’t know how piss tastes, but my single swallow of Red Bull Energy Drink (which ‘is farookin’ yellow), provided me with what I imagine to be a pretty good sense of how the genuine kidney-spawned fluid would work on one’s palate.

I cannot tell you whether drinking the entire can would have provided the promised energy boost, because I didn’t want the boost bad enough to drink a can of piss-tasting stuff.

I will happily leave Red Bull Energy Drink to the afficionados of urolagnia.

I’ll be heading over to the Post to spend Sunday with the Usual Suspects. I’ve missed the two most recent Sunday gatherings, so I suspect I’ll have some catching up to do. I’ll probably share some stories about the Band Reunion, and Ken and I will undoubtedly tell some Tennessee Tales, which tend to get better with each telling.

Sunday with the Usuals is like slipping on a pair of comfortable shoes. It’s a good thing.

The one day I was home last week, I went into the basement to fetch a bottle of red wine. Holy cannoli! No red wine! Not a single bottle to be found. There were a few whites and even a bottle of “pink” for those who like “pink” wine. But, alas, no red.

I resolved that, upon my return to the Garden State, I would make a wine run and maybe, just maybe, pick up a bit of spirits as well.

After a morning walk, some backyard chores (blecch), a trip to the store to buy a new winter jacket, I finally hit the liquor store, which is just about one of my favorite places to shop. In fact, it’s not shopping; it’s an adventure

Seeing as how I don’t have any interesting content in mind, I thought I would share with you the haul from the trip to the liquor store. They looooves me at the liquor store.

Wines
Ravenswood Merlot , 2002 (2 bottles)
Ravenswood Cabernet, 2002 (2 bottles) – Had this one before. Primo.
Red Knot Shiraz, 2004, Australia
Muir Wood Syrah, 2000, California
Conte Priola Chianti, 2005, Italy
Twin Wells Shiraz, 2003, Australia
Toro, 2004 (Red from Spain – tasted it in the store, cheap and pretty good)
Blackstone Syrah, 2003
Sangiovese Di Romagna, Riserva, 2002, Italy
St. Francis Merlot, 2001 (Always a fave)
Rombauer Merlot, 2001 (I love this one; a bit pricey, but, for a special occasion – poifect!)

Port
Chateau Reynella, McLaren Vale, Old Cave Fine Old Tawny Port (aged 12 years), Austraila (2 bottles) – A house should never be without port.

Spirits
Three Olives Chocolate Vodka (2 bottles) – No surprise there.
Three Olives Vanilla Vodka (Based on my mondo positive experience with the chocolate, I have to give the vanilla a go, no? Abso-farookin’-lutely.)
Cruzan Coconut Rum (Straight from the freezer – very good!)

CHEERS!!!!

Spent the last three days here with a collection of lawyer peeps. The scenery was terrific, the food was plentiful and delicious, and there was more than ample time for cocktails. Even managed to fit some time in for meetings about law stuff.

Fortunately, I did not run into this guy.

I’m beat.

Seems like I just unpacked my suitcase, and I had to pack it again. Yes, I will be away from the keyboard until some time on Friday. No, it is not a blogmeet. I’m still recuperating from the last one.

Play nice.