Capitol Swell

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:32:00 +0000

Come check out my new blog Bad Latin:Ludux

Evolution

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:28:00 +0000

Underneath my hard Capitol Swell exterior lies change.

Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:53:00 +0000

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion."- Thoreau

It is time to end this blog.

Why? For too long I have treated work like it was everything and then it became everything. I'm not quitting. I want to make the world a better place. But I've always used work as my excuse to not exercise, to not find love, to not do anything. I have let so much go and must reclaim it. I'm starting with my health and working forward.

Thanks to all my loyal readers. I hope that I brightened your days. It's been fun. I have talked about everything from getting demoted to japanese toilets and getting my ass sprayed by water. I gave you my thoughts on food, rules to live by and my endless random nonsense thoughts. I have enjoyed sharing a bit of myself with you all.

Walt

I Will Love Him and Pet Him and Name Him Walt

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 03:35:00 +0000

Healthcare Reform Arghhhhh!!!!!

Did you know woman can pay up to 40% more in premiums vs male counterpart?

Did you know that 78% of healthcare plans do not cover maternity care?

Did you know that a number of states consider C-Sections a pre-existing condition?

Sometimes I am Lenny from, "Of Mice and Men"....I met with a Women's group today about healthcare. The lobbyist said to me, "In 8 states domestic violence is considered a pre-existing condition. "

What the Fuck?!?! That just makes me mad to think a woman could be denied service because she was abused.

Man, I was pissed off, "What are the states?"

Lobbyist rattles off the eight states: all in red states.

Me, "Whew! I thought you were going to say my state and I was going to have to punch someone in the Governor's office."

Insert foot in mouth. Beer kills brain cells. Yes, I am that dumb. Ughh.

I apologize to all women.

Return of the Jedi

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:25:00 +0000

I found myself on a bus today driving around our district to show new staff what we are fighting for. Fuck the bus sucks. It's bumpy and the seats are so smashed even my shorter asian legs are pushed into my chest. We had a bathroom but why would you ever use it. I mean the bathroom on the bus is basically a moving port-a-potty. That doesn't safe now does it. You can pee on yourself. You could get splash back. You could go flying out of the bathroom for all to see. Danger. Also, buses have no real way to regulate temperature. On a trip to China the bus driver to create more cold air he opened the safety roof hatch and the exit panel in the floor. It didn't work. i think it got hotter. i have never been on a long bus trip the longest was a 12 hour round trip to see a stone garden in China. Our embassy chaperones had enough coke to quench the thirst of the Chinese army but no water. They didnt want to stop to make sure we saw petrified trees. A side note the petrified forest was cool. It was a region where you can see obvious signs of the last ice age and the flooding and how it carved the rock like crazy. Anyway that trip made me cry and you couldnt sleep because of the bumpiness.

I am trying to think of a good bus trip...maybe...nope.

I am always amazed at the dexterity of the bus driver and their buses. They seemingly can turn a bus around in an abandoned alleyway. Do you remember in the movie strips and the awesome urban assault vehicle in RV form. I think strips had it right. A fighting RV would dominate on the battlefield. The RV/Bus would be bulky to take punishment, for the geeks out there a RV/bus battlefield weapon would be akin to the beta fighter in Robotech, sorry. Have you seen a bus navigate a city. They can move in an d out of traffic and no matter what the bus always wins in a game of chicken. The bus rules!

Return of the Jedi is on as I write this piece.

Lost

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 01:45:00 +0000

I often find myself feeling directionless. That's a bad choice of words. I find myself constantly seeking out a fundamental truth. I wish it was like Monty Python's The Meaning of Life but it tends to be more X-File-ish or I berate friends of other religion seeking out some truth. Too deep, yeah but it still haunts me. On some level it is where are all the space aliens? Were we more advanced in the past and we lost it and now we are getting it back? There a thousands years of human existence, life and death struggles produce immense knowledge do we still have that knowledge? Sometimes it is why do we hate each other so much when all religious texts point to understanding oneself and each other. The truth is out there.

I find myself at church seeking answers. I work in an office where too much information is given too me but the truth still evades me. And then I read the dumb new book, by the guy who wrote the movie with Tom hanks and Amelie, and it's about unraveling ancient wisdoms.

Seeking answers

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:15:00 +0000

Can you fry lychees? if they were sufficiently dried,could you fry them like in a very light tempura batter. Drizzle honey on it and place a mini scoop of mango ice cream...mango sorbet in it. Does that sound good to anyone?

The reverse could be mango sundae with lychee crisps on top.

Or you could have a platter of fried lychees with a spicy honey chili sauce on top.

How about dessert nachos? Crispy fried tortillas lightly dusted with cinnamon-sugar. toppings could be ice cream, chocolate and caramel sauce, nuts like shaved almonds, maybe diced fruit like bananas....

Crab mac n cheese

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:39:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:38:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:37:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 19:43:00 +0000

What Makes A President Great?

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 03:16:00 +0000

Why do people hate Truman? Because he sought to contain communism and that drew us into Korea and Vietnam; because he took apart the military budget and desegregated it; because he nuked Japan; or he created our modern National Security apparatus; he advocated for national health insurance; recognized Pakistan.

I love Bill Clinton, he's indiscretion aside he was at the helm of the greatest economic expansion, a reduction in debt and left us a surplus. He gave us Family Medical Leave Act; pushed the goverment onto the internet; he cut taxes for middle class and businesses; welfare reform.

No matter what is passed or signed into law, changing the course of our country or history never happens overnight. Momentum for passage of major legislation takes years to prime our country for change. Healthcare reform is such legislation. Some people hate it but this reform will push our country forward.

Obama is going to push our country forward...we are going to reclaim American strength in industry and innovation...he'll be great.

Chilis rules!

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 00:41:00 +0000

Loot Box of Joy

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:49:00 +0000

Esquire has an article about the permanent box of joy. It has fun things like West Wing Clip about Butter Ball hotline, Zoey Deschanel blah blah blah...I am going to build on this article a little and give you the Loot Box of Joy.

What makes me happy this year?

1. Pinepapple, granola, and plain yogurt aka Betty Breakfast

2. Chipotle iPhone App- Tres crispy tacos

3. More and more...i like the idea of a doorless cars.

4. Jenna Fischer

5. War reenactors-- passion for history is awesome

6. Mexican Fried Ice Cream

7. REM "Don't Go Back to Rockville" Live

8. Bill Clinton-- Im sorry greatest President, rediuced debt, left surplus and economic boom.

9. the Prado- Too many pieces of arts to mention.

10. Couplings- Lesbian Spank Inferno

She's At It Again

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:36:00 +0000

Hokie Girl emailed me and pointed out that Elizabeth Large is at it again. She's writing even crappier blog post then every. This time she is asking "100 Things that every Baltimore Foodie should know." Elizabeth Large has eaten and tried everything in the metro region and yet you rely on your readers to write this articles. Cheese and crackers that's your job. Take some pride in your work and write up the list yourself. If you are having trouble coming up with the list I'd think your Editors would pay for you to try some new foods. Sorry, she has what is the best job and she can be influential and she chooses not to.

At the end of the Internet

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:28:00 +0000

What's at the end of the internet and how do I get there? Wading through, the countless blogs, all the newspapers, endless sports pages and the other 99% of the internet known as porn, the internet has to eventually end with what.... a mission statement from the creators..maybe God...Morpheus asking me to take a pill...no wait a picture of Al Gore.

I guess on some level the internet is like the universe ie its expanding...In astronomy their is a theory that as farther apart the universe gets the faster it moves also known as the Hubble constant. I think there is something similar for the internet,the faster it grows so does the perversity of mankind or the faster it grows the closer we get to all living in virtual reality land.

People have been mapping the internet for the last decade and I would love to see the work and for someone to tell me how it ends.

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 22:53:00 +0000

Jock Rock, the Cure and workout tunes?

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:12:00 +0000

I'm making a workout mix from my hard charging collection of REM, the Cure and Uncle Tupelo and frankly none of it seems to be good work out music. I'm looking for songs to really get me pumped and I'm stuck on "Killing an Arab" by the Cure. When I started compiling I figured I had a ton of Jock Rock but I still cant define it and I only have one foo fighters song...how am i going to make a mix with emo and no jock rock. I just can't have the Cult on heavy rotation.

Ramen

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:40:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 03:09:00 +0000

There are times when life calls out for a change. A transition. Like the seasons. Our spring was wonderful, but summer is over now and we missed out on autumn. And now all of a sudden, it's cold, so cold that everything is freezing over. Our love fell asleep, and the snow took it by surprise. But if you fall asleep in the snow, you don't feel death coming.

I Love Paris

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 12:18:00 +0000

I've been watching "Paris, Je t'aime" a 2006 movie made up up of a number of vignettes about Paris from multiple perspectives. I have only been once to visit and countless times to Charles De Gaulle as layovers. I forget how old I was when I went but I had a brown barn jacket from J. Crew so i guess early college. What I knew about Paris came from my studies, Dumas' books, and reading magazines. When we went we saw all the major sites, Musee D'Orsay, La Tour Eiffel, Notre Dame, Pere Lechaise, the Louvre, Sacre Couer, mimes, we drank wine, ate baguettes, i smoked cigaettes and drank coffee in cafes and we took the overnight train from Paris to Barcelona. It wasnt that many days and I cant say that I saw how real Parisians live but I loved it anyway.

After watching all the vignettes I have been here thinking what did I like about Paris. I want to say the culture of a city thathas been around for a millenium..i want to say diversity of the people.. Maybe cruising around MontMartre? La Joconde? But..I loved talking to this crepe guy, i must have ate 6 mostly sweet and one or two savory. I believe he extarageted his frenchness for me but his crepes were perfect, light slightly chewey sugary...standing with that guy taking it all in is when I fell in love with it. I havent been back and there is so much to see..i'll get back there.

Hipsters at old school barber

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 17:41:00 +0000

The Dark Side of the Diet

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:58:00 +0000

So in my attempt to get healthy I have been trying to miniaturize portions and occasionally forgo meals, a friend insists that eating healthy will negate my necessity to forgo meals, they are right but whatevs. eating smaller portions and not having unfettered access to favorite snacks has been challenging, however I genuinely feel better. My pants are starting to fall off my flat asian ass.

These limitations often brings out a side in me that many people haver never seen before a sick, sadistic side because i get grumpy. I yell. I scream. I want to take my car and ram slowly accelerating drivers....wow it's like quitting smoking all the frack over again. This lack of eating made me very testy yesterday and I hate when I get like that.

This weight loss thing is just too perilous and I find myself asking: Are these exercises in the dark side on trials on a path to the light side. Am I walking through the Valley of the Shadow of Death? Must I use the Bene Gesserit's Litany Against Fear incantation to give me strength? Or I can just say no.

It's been rough and at I times I don't want to do another set of stairs and would rather kick back and have some wings and potato skins and a Big Gulp of Doctor Pepper but I have to do this. So if im grumpy it's only because i went without the donut or my idea to make microwaveable deep fried twinkies has failed but maybe i can start fitting into my nice suits again.

noreply@blogger.com (CapitolSwell) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 04:33:00 +0000