Kitchen Comeback Update 5

Things continued to roar in April 2016 and May 2016. In May I got a job, with the job the cooking of new dishes slowed down considerably. My work is as an in-home caregiver at home for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I cook quite often for the residents.  I have had to strengthen my on the fly/improvisational cooking skills.

Due to time constraints I was cooking from scratch less and at home. However, at work I started to experiment. This is a list of what I cooked that was new from 2016 to the present.

April 2016

Bagel with cream cheese and lox sandwich, corn husk baked paiche with corn and poblanos, pan seared paiche with spicy avocado sauce and greens, Puerto Rican pastelón de amarillos, ribeye steak with mashed potatoes and peas, turkey cheddar bratwurst with mashed potatoes, quesadillas, bean and cheese burritos, jalapeño cheddar bratwursts with mashed potatoes, beans with smoked turkey wings, Cajun dirty rice, eggs and hash browns, salsa eggs, and Southwestern pork roast with gravy, mashed potatoes, corn and peas.

May 2016

Curried coconut rice, bagel with cream cheese and lox sandwich, pollo con crema with red rice, calabacitas ralladas, and refried beans, Cajun red beans and rice, quesadillas, Rick’s tacos with serrano coleslaw, barbeque pulled pork with mashed potatoes and corn, fried rice, beef burritos, bean burritos, honey mustard chicken with rice, and Thai chicken and lemongrass soup with jasmine rice.

June 2016

Thai chicken and lemongrass soup with jasmine rice, pork in guajillo sauce with roasted red potatoes and avocados, Pad Thai with shredded green papaya, Mexican arroz con pollo, quesadillas, and quesadilla Española (flour tortilla filled with manchego cheese, piquillo peppers, and Spanish chorizo).

July 2016

Citrus roasted paiche in collard wraps, Russian beef Stroganoff with kasha pilaf, pepper jack quesadilla (flour tortilla filled with Monterey Jack cheese and pickled jalapeños),

August-October 2016

Rick’s Chile con Carne, taco dogs (hot dogs or sausages wrapped in flour tortillas with cheese and taco sauce or Heinz Chili sauce), quesadillas in various styles, slow cooked barbeque pork with mashed potatoes, slow cooked barbeque pork ribs with mashed potatoes and vegetables, beans with smoked pork or turkey, Rick’s burritos and tacos.

January-February 2017

Hamburger steaks with gravy on rice, pork in red onion sauce.

2018

Sautéed cabbage, quinoa, enchilada beef quinoa, carne molida con papas (ground beef with potatoes), Chile blanc con lima (White bean chicken chile with lime), kimichi fried rice

2019

Moo shoo pork, Pueblo pie (ground beef with black beans and corn topped with chipotle mashed sweet potatoes), Indian style curry, English banger sausages and mash (mashed potatoes)

Alpha Beta Bull Pucky

{Author's Note this was written in 2017. I had not gotten around to publishing it when the great implosion happened.}

Originally I was going to write about how Beta males are treated by our society. I was using the Beta as used when discussing wolves, canines, and primates. The problem is the terms Alpha Males and Beta Males have been corrupted when referring to human males. In the Animal Kingdom and alpha is a leader. No true leader would care about what other thought of them or fitting someone else’s molds. The whole Alpha male phenomenon is used to excuse bad behavior. The whole Beta male concept feed into an Us versus Them mentality, instead of solving the toxic masculinity we have in this society.

The idea that an Alpha male is the macho jock type or corporate raider type is a misnomer. It is a false construct created to excuse bad behavior. Look at the Stanford Rapist. He was presented at the one who was unfairly treated by our system. The victim was treated like she did not matter. This tends to happen with affluent “alpha” male types. The alphas are the more confident types, A type personalities, overachievers, the socially adept ones who fit in to the stereotypes of gender roles.

The betas are allegedly the less confident, the more intellectual, and passive types. The funny thing is the way human society acts they are treated more the traditional omega from wolves, canines, and primates. The Beta is also used to mean weak, submissive types, especially in certain human sub-cultures. In those social orders, the beta is the second in command. They are more supportive, but that is a role. In those orders the beta is the heir to the alpha position should anything happen to the alpha. In that manner the metaphor does not work as humans use it. The whole Alpha and Beta male dichotomy in humans is used to excuse bad behavior by the so-called Alpha males. It is their nature so therefore no their fault. The types of crimes that are excused by these people being labeled Alpha Males is terrifying, rape, murder, white collar crimes, domestic abuse, sexual harassment and so on. Interesting enough, the so-called Alpha Males are rarely any socio-economic level lower than middle-middle class. They are almost always Caucasian, Heterosexual, and Cis-Gendered. 

To me it seems the concept is used to keep the status quo, give the rank and file in our society the idea that leaders can only be certain types. These types of people are threatened and we are seeing their last gasps for control. In this system control is gained by keeping those with no power divided. The concept is also rooted to a toxic view of masculinity. One of the fallacies in that concept is that male sexuality is inherently predatory. That includes the idea males cannot control their sexual urges. Sentencing of sex crimes is also tied up in socio-economic politics. Suspects from middle middle-class backgrounds or higher are more likely to get lighter sentences. Where as suspects of color or people of lower middle class backgrounds or lower are more like to get harsher sentencing.

The problem is the toxic masculinity in this country seems also tied to socio-economics and race too. These rules are meant to protect those in power ad excuse their bad behavior. They will ridicule and discount anyone who does not fit their narrow view of masculinity. That has only perpetuated a culture that is toxic. They are also resistant to change. The funny thing is two groups most affected by this toxic masculinity are kept at each other’s throats. They are stuck in a dichotomy. Those groups are the Feminist and Men’s Rights groups. The powers that be are the cause to both their woes. The powers that be fear a coming together of both groups, so they push the more radical elements of both group against each other.

New Digs

At the end of July 2017, during a severe bout of depression I deleted all of my blogs and most of my social media. Friends have encouraged me to bring at least two of them back. I already brought back the food/cooking blog in March of 2018. Fumbling Forwards is going to take longer to replenish over 100 articles. I will post the Best of 2017 that I had planned to release last year. I am not sure if I will post newer stuff. Right now things are in flux. Enjoy.

Rick’s Best from 2017

Wonder Woman

As a kid I watched the 1970’s Wonder Woman show with Lynda Carter. I also was there for 1987’s Wonder Woman comics by George Perez. I have been waiting for the third member of DC Comics’ Trinity to get her own film. She finally did. It proved that a female led superhero movie could make money. I was lucky to see it on opening day since it came out on my 49th birthday. This also was the first successful DC movie since the Dark Knight Trilogy. The studios were shy to adapt her since the 70’s worrying about the backlash if they got it wrong. The other big thing is it also showed a big tent pole movie could be directed by a woman too and be successful. This all flied into the faces of the prevailing attitudes in Hollywood.

Spencer & Locke

What do you get when to put Calvin and Hobbes in Sin City? You get this wonderful exploration into childhood trauma and coping mechanisms. Detective Spencer and his stuff panther Locke live in the mean street, dealing with criminals, child trafficking, drugs, abuse, and murder. Iy has a good deal of Noir elements in it as well. This comic book series is definitely worth the time to read. Warning, the subject matter is very adult.

American Gods (TV show)

American Gods is based on the novel by Neil Gaiman. Gaiman is one of my favorite authors, so I definitely would be interested in this. Ian McShane plays Mr. Wednesday excellently and Orlando Jones does Mr. Nancy so much justice. The concept is the old gods going to war with the new modern gods of technology, media, and etc. It has great casting and wonderful writing.

Milk Run: Smuggler’s Tales from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper Book One by Nathan Lowell

Nathan Lowell is another favorite author. I was introduced to his work through podiobooks. The Golden Age of the Solar Clipper Universe is Space Opera done more like nautical fiction and less war and politics. The Smuggler’s Tales go into things from the side of those not part of organized space. These are independent worlds, stations, asteroids, and outposts in the Deep Dark. The previous stories dealt with charted organized worlds. It also surrounds two strong females, one unfamiliar with that part of space and the other more familiar.

Mage: Hero Denied

Matt Wagner has finally given us the final part of his Kevin Matchstick trilogy. He is the Pendragon, the latest incarnation of King Arthur. In this he fights the Umbra Witch, a new incarnation of the Umbra Sprite, and her daughters, the Gracklethorns. This time he has children and so the stakes are much higher. The third volume comes out 20 years after the second, and over 30 years after the first. Game of Thrones fans there are worse waits for new volumes of beloved series. All three volume are worth it.

Ready Player One (Novel)

I read this one in 2016, but I reread it in 2017 in anticipation of the upcoming film. This weaves cyberpunk, and 80’s pop culture into a wonderful homage. It has a lot of nerd/geek culture references including, comic books, table top roleplaying games, video games. TV, films., and music from the 80’s and before. The movie will not have all the same references due to budget and licensing. That is why you should read the book first or even after.

The Orville

Many consider Galaxy Quest a Star Trek Movie. Officially it is not, but it a very good parody and homage. The Orville in a Science Fiction Comedy from Seth McFarlane of Family Guy. In many ways it is a more faithful adaptation of Star Trek than Star Trek Discovery was. There are joke and humor, but the old morality plays are back. A race that has only one sex and gender is used to comment of gender issues. McFarlane has never hidden his Trekkie cred, and it shines in the writing here.

Baby Driver

I love Edgar Wright as a director. This is a heist film, and it is as a result of his leaving the Film Ant-Man. The movie reminds me of the heist movies of the 70’s. I would not be surprised if Michael Caine, Steve McQueen, or James Coburn showed up. It has the chases the double and triple crosses. Everything one wants and needs for a good heist film. This is not one of those con job flim flam style movies like the Ocean’s film. This is a head on Robbery movie.

Samsung Galaxy 7S Edge

I finally got a smart phone. I went with an Android, because I am not a fan of Apple’s market strategy. They finally gave people a music subscription service 10+ years after Microsoft and other companies. I love what a smart phone can do. I like the Android OS, I find it intuitive.

Shape of Water

A film by Guillermo Del Toro that hearkens back to the Creature of the Black Lagoon films of the 1950’s. Del Toro captures the pathos and emotional truth of the story. The story of a mute woman falling for an amphibian humanoid. Doug Jones and Sally Hawkins prove that you do not needs words to convey feeling and meaning. I love this film.