My blog n'at

I know, it’s not hump day so I had to add one but for good reason! Today we released the audio and pictures from the Steel City Big Pour which took place last weekend. Over in this space I’m going to give you a recap that you won’t hear on SIDT.

Download SIDT EP44 | Photo gallery from the 08 Big Pour

This was the second edition of the SCBP and once again the organizers put together the best event of the year. I know that you hear that from me a lot about festivals but all around experience this is the place to be. Not only were there over 20 brewers but also local restaurants joined in. I had the chance to sample foods from establishments that I either hadn’t heard of or is “on the other side of the world”, leaving me to eat closer to home. Sounds off the wall coming from a guy that will drive 45 minutes for a Red Onion sub in Bethel Park.

I’m not a fan of muscles but I had 5-10 on the half shell and loved every single one. Vegan foods has always been cardboard to my taste  but a couple of these new dishes appealed to me. (note: see I’d mention names. If you don’t offer business cards or handouts, I wont rememebr you).

If you didn’t order your tickets early enough then you weren’t getting in. Both sessions sold out faster than a Hannah Montana concert and I was one of those screaming fans with a golden ticket. Brewers are my rockstars. I stayed for both sessions and sampled many, many, many *hiccup* many beverages over the course of 6 hours and even witnessed both special tapings of East End Brewing’s treats. (want the details on the beer, listen to the show).

One of the memorable moments came in Session 1 when the hype behind a custom made tap handle that was being poured at the event almost fell through. Mother nature started to rain down on the metal workers and time was running out. Brian Sprague (Sprague Farms), who happens to be and excellent wood carver, stepped up and within 5-10 minutes had a custom made tap all ready for Scott. Crisis averted and beer flowed.

The only downside to the day for me was the weather. Host company Construction Junction held the event,as with last year’s, in a warehouse. Typically this isn’t bad because there is air flow however, it would rain, warm up, rain, cool down, rain, warm up to give us some ungodly humidity. I felt like an old man by the end of the day with sore feet and lower back.  One thing I’ve noticed at all of the festivals I’ve attended is that the beer geeks and fans tend to come to the early session while the drunks, rookies and 2 beer drunken ladies come to the second. It’s just a fact of beer fest life. We stayed for both so I guess that makes us…

Overall my favorite beer of the day was the Stone Levitation which was on tap for the first time ever in PA and will not be seen again unless a special occasion.

Next year make it a point to get your tickets early for this event. $30 gets you great food, incredible craft beer and a buffet of artsy eye candy. Something about a woman throwing around a chain saw that gets your blood movin.

cheers!

I’ve heard there comes a time when you stop for a second and realize that something you created (besides life) has grown larger than you ever expected. At that moment everything clicks.

I’m having this right now and I must say, it’s pretty fucking cool.

more later…

Most of you know by now that the Pens lost Wednesday night 3-2 to the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup finals 4 games to 2. Normally a fan would be depressed but not me. Yes, I would have liked to see my team win but when you look back over the last 5 years you can’t help but feel pride.

The franchise was on the verge of leaving Pittsburgh. A cash dump by then GM Craig Patrick left us with a team that couldn’t even beat the Johnstown Chiefs and those of us die hard hockey fans were on life support for a sport destined to leave and keep this struggling city a major league town. 5 years later the Penguins became Stanley Cup finalists and the promotional baby of the NHL which was revamping a sport considered dead from a full season lock out.

Hockey isn’t a sport that you can just jump into. You need to know the rules to fully appreciate it. It’s also not something that can go to and just drink unlike football where it’s usually one big kegger. Hockey fans are similar to baseball nuts in regards to the amount of information they can pull out of their rear at any given moment. They are a plethora of random sports knowledge. Come up to F balcony some game and you’ll see it first hand.

My point is that not only as hockey fans but citizens of Pittsburgh, we’re on the verge of something very special and rare. We are at the birth of a dynasty. Granted that the offseason could really screw that up if Shero can’t resign some guys but still we have a core group of guys and a fan base that is more passionate than any other professional sports franchise. We don’t set fires like the people in Montreal or get violent like the thugs in Philadelphia but we do bleed black and (las vegas)gold.

I’m upset that the team lost the Cup but I could never, on any level, be disappointed in the season. I’m proud of this team, the organization and I’m DAMN proud to be a season ticket holder and a fan.

THESE GUYS!

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DETROIT — The Detroit Red Wings were 34.3 seconds away from a magnificent celebration. They were 34.3 seconds away from their fourth Stanley Cup in 11 seasons, as they held a 3-2 lead on the Pittsburgh Penguins.

And then Maxime Talbot crashed the party.

Talbot evened the score with Pittsburgh’s first goal of this entire campaign with the extra attacker, then Petr Sykora scored with 10:03 remaining in triple overtime as the Red Wings failed to close out the Stanley Cup Final in a dramatic 4-3 loss to the Pens at Joe Louis Arena on Monday night

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LETS GO PENS!

best Soundgarden song ever… EVER.

best… movie… ever…

I couldn’t resist that picture. Lushie took it while on our way to visit her family last weekend in central PA. That’s right, an Amish buggy on a flatbed and that guy walking would be the Amish guy.

So here we have it, the last day of 2007. I’m at work for a few hours today fixing a couple of things and decided this would probably be the only time today I could write. I plan on a Hendrick’s martini haze come this evening. This past year wasn’t too bad. We found a new place to live, we have our health, had the one year anniversary of my dad’s passing which was rough, went back to school and finished the year as a A student, watched the Pens finally make the playoffs, welcomed some new babies into the family, podcast soared to whole new levels with downloads and publicity, made some great friends through Podcamp Pittsburgh and took on new responsibilities and title at work. So yeah, it was a good year.

When I started to think of what 2008 will bring my wife was quick to remind me that in 08 it will be 13 years since we met in college, 10 years since I moved to Pittsburgh and 3 years since we got married. The college thing amazes me because I remember feeding Griff’s plant with Killian’s Red for a whole semester like it was yesterday (It finally died when he gave it water).

Hrm so what to look forward to… I guess I can spill the beans on some here. Some are tentative but if they pan out will be a damn good time.

Podcast
An overhaul of SIDT website along with hardware/software upgrades and new gear. Studio B will be finished. You will see us on national cable TV and also a quarterly beer article in a new publication. We have road trips lined up with breweries, live recordings scheduled and of course hella more promotions we’re throwing together. We also will be doing our part to promote Pittsburgh as the best friggin place to go for all your new media needs. We’re not going to change the way we do the show but after 30 episodes we have set some goals for what we want to accomplish next. I want to WIN the Podcast Award this year and not just be a finalist!

Food and Drink
I’m going to start home brewing. As I’ve been told, it’s addicting and worth it more than I can imagine. I’m sure I won’t have a hard time finding people to sample. I’ll be cooking more now (with beer) since the arrival of our new toy. I’m still perfecting my BBQ sauce from scratch and plan on attending a couple cook offs. Phil, Grace and the Big Foamy Head guys have all been a great inspiration for me to do more.

Personal
Work will have me busy in 08 as will keeping up my “A” average at school. This year I’ll get deeper into Interactive Media so I’m very psyched for it. Yeah, me excited for school. I want to get more involved with some of the new groups and people I’ve met over the last year or so to promote new media and this city.  Heh, that’s why I love Podcamp so much. Well, when I’m not being hit in the chest.  I have a goal for a healthy lifestyle that Lushie and I have been working on organizing the last couple of weeks.  I know it’s cliché to start on 1/1 of the year so I’m starting on 1/2   Nick and Tara are expecting their 2nd child in Feb so Bella will have a brother to play with. Lushie and I will be traveling more than we have in the past so the Burgh doesn’t dive her completely nuts this summer. I’ll finish moving superunknown content over and do more with this site to market myself.

There you go for now. Now I’d like to know, what are some of your plans for 08?

cheers!

Once a day for the whole month of November I posted to keep up with the NaBloPoMo challenge. I’ve always been pretty sporadic when it came to blogging so this was a fun task to take up. Thanks to Cindy, Rachel, Woy and Uncle Crappy for keeping me motivated with their daily postings.

Today is soup day and we’re going to be making Gorgonzola & Pale Ale Soup. The name itself is making me hungry. I’ll post pics and details later. I’m off to my cheese monger for some good Gorgonzola. Of course I already have a pale ale in the fridge. What were you thinking? sheesh!

It has been 15 months since I was originally “sent to jail” for the MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association) Lock UP. In that time I have been able to spend it closely with the organization and the great people involved to see first hand how your donations are being used. It was put into perspective when one mother sent me a heartwarming letter saying thanks along with a picture of her son who I was able to assist and send to camp.

Now I’m asking you for help on my biggest event yet. I have been given the task of raising $2000 by the end of November (11/30). I know that the holidays are quickly approaching so I appreciate any help you can give.

There is also a form you can print out if you wish to mail a check (address is on form). Let me know if you are sending a check so I can mark it in my total.

I’m doing this in honor of my father, Robert Sr., who passed away on December 6th of last year. He was my biggest supporter not only for MDA but also with everything in my life. I found it only fitting to make my biggest challenge yet in his memory.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
Douglas

My numbers in the office blocks this past weekend were 9 and 1 and wouldn’t you know it, at the half my numbers his so I won $50. Don’t ask me for a couple of bucks though because we lived it up at dinner tonight after Lushie had a bad day.

Fantasy league update: won in 2 of the 3 leagues this week. Waiting for tonight’s game to finish so I can go 3-0 for the weekend.

Since we didn’t have heat for 4 days it was only expected that both of us would get sick. Yesterday we didn’t leave the living room besides to get cold meds and some food. NyQuil for the most part has done nothing for me in the past but I do have to give it credit. The new brands of it we tried rocked me hard and could be why I’m irritable today (or just the fact I’ve had it with the irritating drama queens around me). I’m also becoming quite fond of the Halls Strawberry Cream Breezers. Cough drops that taste like candy and not a menthol cigarette. Genius!

I need a nap.