like biscoff cookies, make your own

2 cups all purpose flour,

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon,

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger,

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups (packed) dark brown sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 large egg

2 ounces good-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Baker's)

Red dye Colored sugar for dusting cookies

Combine first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar and butter in large bowl until light.

Add egg and beat until fluffy.

Gradually add dry ingredients and beat just until combined. Divide dough in half.

Flatten each half into rectangle. Wrap with plastic; chill1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 2 large baking sheets. Roll out1 dough piece on lightly floured work surface to 13 x 9-inch rectangle. Trim edges to form 12x8-inch rectangle.

Cut into (24) 4x1-inch rectangles. Lightly press miniature cookie cutter into each rectangle to make imprints (do not cut through dough). Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.

Bake until edges begin to darken, about 8 minutes. Transfer cookies to rack and cool.

Repeat with remaining dough piece.Working with 1 cookie at a time, brush imprints with melted white chocolate.Sprinkle colored sugar generously over chocolate. Let stand until chocolate sets, about 2 hours. Shake off excess colored sugar. (Can be made ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to1 week, or freeze up to 1 month.)

new pic

The downfall of my stability

Well here I am again sitting in my chair wasting my days away listening to internet radio and spending vast amounts of time in Second Life. But let me bring you back to why I am here. I rarely schedule off hour work especially on the weekends for my clients but sometimes its unavoidable. This past weekend was the exception of course and I required the 10 offices to all be offline while doing a server upgrade. As usual someone was there to let me in the building and also as usual I was to use the back door to leave after setting the alarm. The front of the building was closed with security shutters since they were closed. After finishing my work I gathered my items and headed out the back door. You know the type with the pushbar that locks after closing. It slam shut behind me and thats when I noticed the rear courtyard didn't seem right. There is a security fence that surrounds the rear courtyard that is a minimum of 6 foot and higher in some spots to almost 10 feet, it is also topped with razor wire. There are two exits out of the courtyard on either side of the building. One is a heavy wooden gate with razor wire on top and the other is a standard swing gate fence with the fork lock to a pole. Usually the standard gate is the access to the parking lot but this time I noticed there was a chain aroud the fork and a lock. This has never been a problem before. I walked to the other side to check the wooden door but it too was locked. I started calling the office manager since that was the only number I had outside of the offices themselves. But alas there was no answer this time. I tried a few more times and got nothing but voicemails. I called my partner that I share this client with but got no answer there too. I tried some friends and still got no answer, I guess they were all busy prepping for the oncoming hurricane Fay. At this point I was pretty much on my own. After pacing the courtyard for a while I dragged the courtyards picnic table over the gate and took my shirt and laid it on top of the razor wire. Knowing that I had just recovered from a previous leg injury I knew that I wasnt going to come out unscathed. Hoping for the best I removed all my pocketed items and put them down by the gate. I climbed up and was able to steady myself on the top rail using the roof line. Fearing the pain I was probably giong to feel I stalled for a bit trying to go through the landing and what I needed to do to limit the about of pain. I took a breath and dropped to the cement below. Whump, both legs giving out as I came down on my feet. I rolled as best I could to keep the momentum from breaking any bones. I hit the ground pretty hard but was able to keep my head from hitting the ground. After the initial shock was over I realized the immense pain I was in. My vision was blurry. I laid back on the hot cement, it was most likely 93 degrees out and it was 12.:30pm, the mid of the day. I laid there for a while pondering if I could even walk on my stinging legs. I rolled over closer to gate and gathered my things, keys, wallet, screwdriver, etc. that I had placed there before the jump. I struggled to get to my feet but was in quite a bit of pain. I crawled over the cement wall that was behind me and used the corner of the fence and wall to prop myself up to my feet. Left foot and ankle was in a huge amount of pain. I thought how stupid my recent actions where but all I wanted to do was get out of there. I suppose I should have kept trying to reach the manager or call the fire dept or police to bring a ladder or bolt cutters. In hind site that was probably my best bet. I creeped my way to my car which was conveniently located in the farthest point of the parking lot, but at least it was in the shade right? So was it stupid to have jumped, yes, did I want to wait in the heat of a courtyard, no. I tried to get someone over but was unsuccessful. So I was able to make it home in my car, which was quite a feat in itself as of my two cars I took the sports car to the job and it has quite a heavy duty clutch pedal. The left ankle as really hurting and made it difficuly to push the clutch pedal. I took the longer way home but it allowed for less shifting. I really just left it in third and did my best. So I got home and stammered my way into the house and finally made it to my bed. I wasnt really able to sleep. I checked out my legs and feet and no swelling had appeared after the first few hours. I got the nerve to try to walk and grab a soma and a darvocet to ease my situation, I dont like taking them but this was a good time to break my rule of drug free. I tried to walk and let out my dogs and it was really painful to do so on my left heel and ankle. Without any weight on it I didnt feel any pain. I thought perhaps I had broken it. After dragging my ass back to the chair here I felt a pop in the foot but didnt really think anything of it. The next time I tried to stand I felt no pain in the foot. This was a good sign. However both knees were in a great amount of pain compaired to earlier. After spending an amount of time in SL to kill some time I made my way to bed. I awoke Sunday and after my first step on my left foot I thought things were looking up for me. No pain in the foot or ankle just like last night. I moved out my right leg and put my weight upon the knee. down I went. Fast forward to where I started this thread. Its now been 2 days since and I have both my knee braces on. I have great instability in my knees. More so in the right one where any time I step wrong or give any sideways motion while on that leg I pretty much will go down to weekness or I will shift over quickly to the left and cause close to the same pain in the knee there. I am unable to lift myself onto my feet from a sitting or laying position without help of a wall or other stable object.

Depression VS Annoyed

I can tell you with all honesty that at this time I am in a funk of drepression, after all, my house has been under reconstruction for almost 2 years and yet its still not finished and today I find out that my self pulled permits have all been retired and now have to repermit the whole shibang, hell who wouldnt be depressed after that. I'm not the sort to be sucidial or wanting to off myself through any inaction so dont go worrying about me whoever reads this.

A few things keep me going through it all. Music, my greatest passion. Wether it be making it, playing it or listening to it, without it I would most likely loose whats left of my fragile psyche at this point. In fact as I write this I am using my Studio headphones, Sony MDR-7506 Reference series, {for those not wanting to spend over $100 they are great if you reach the point of "I'm tired of replacing all the crappy ones I've been wasting my money on or I want to get something decent for under a hundred bucks dept." If you can handle an additional 50 bucks there is a set by Audio-Technica that are getting super reviews in the recording industry, model ATH-M50, you just might throw the earbuds away or keep them for mobile listening only.}

Next up, HUMOR, I have to have it, I have to laugh. When I do watch TV I pretty much only watch comedy shows these days, I stay away from all forms of drama shows. Perhaps after I grow out of this funk i will take on some drama types.

SECOND LIFE, it's a bit of an escape really. SL keeps me engaged with others even though I am not going out and socializing much in RL due to my physical ailments I still feel an interacton with others. Besides, most of the people I have met are really nice and am happy to call them friends. Though I have had my share of DRAMA in SL, wether it stems from bad jokes gone ary, jealousy or misread (misunderstood) text that cannot represent the true emotion that's behind them to the people that are reading it, seems there is no way to eschew from it. Even with the minor drawbacks I can still find ways to employ SL as my savior from the ho-hum of dreary TV most nights. I do what I can to keep my head above the waters mentally and do well most of the time. In fact there are times I can dry off for days here and there.

I guess the last thing is my drive to be triumphant in all that I do. I don't like to be beaten. It's not always about being first, mostly it's a one on one deal. It''s me versus a goal or the like. Especially when it comes to my work/company. When dealing with a problem I don't want to give up, I can't give up, there is always a solution. Although sometimes that solution is start over or move to something else that actually works, ie software, hardware etc. I apply this ideal to most of my daily activites.

The Annoyed part:

Lately I have noticed how easily and how often I feel annoyed about things. Just about anything really, from failures of my own accord to the gormless people that litter the earth. I seem to have a sensitivity to the later and find that others self inflicted stupidity is an epidemic in America especially where I live. All this free education and it's wasted. I have a very low allowance for people who act as such and become easily discomposed when I am a witness to such behaviors. It doesn't take much to educate yourself daily or take notice of the world around you. I'll say I'm am bit intolerant of stupid people. It sets me off pretty quick. And no it's not the stupid as in the challenged meaning, it's the ones who don't care to better themselves or learn when they are perfectly capable. I dont get mad when I meet the mentally challenged. I really don't know where it comes from, it just happens. Of course I am my biggest critic when it comes to this. If I find myself doing or having done something (stoopid) I get upset at myself rather quickly. I feel I am better than that and it shouldn't happen, I am human, despite what others think, and I have my faults, but hating meyself for a self fault is usually not a good thing, but I have learned to cope with my self anger, to control it better. As for my anger towards others being stupid, I often wonder if it stems from my holding everyone in high reguard from the start, I feel greatly disapointed that if something that seems so easy to me can befuddle someone else so greatly and not be do the right thing. I start to get angry because of others failures to understand as I do. Or it might be that I expected too much, I belived they could handle it but indeed it may not have been true. I find however that most just dont bother to try and that's what gets me started on the path of annoyance.

Thats about all I have time for today, a little incite to the person behind the avatar. I have to go take care of a friends house while they are away. At least I have my super duper laptop to run SL on their wireless network for the next half a week. Seeing this animal sitting is just another reason I am not going to replace my animals when they pass this time, at least not for a while anyways. Freedom to leave all behind and have mini vacations over the weekend without having to find someone to cover the feed and fecal issues when you go away. Since starting my business I have not had a chance to leave for a real vacation since 2004's run to Cedar Point. Yeah, I'm a coaster nut, but am affraid my recent injury proneness will leave me unable to ride.

you may know my confusion

I am totally confused as to why they call it Piccadilly Circus, there are no clowns and no tents much less animals..

Im still worried about the baggage retrieval at heathrow..

playing

playing at subterranea with some friends LOL

Silly silly me,,

Saw this in Wal Mart tonight, could pass on taking a pic.. been sick as hell lately, no SL or nothing lately, saw this and got a good childish laugh for a while.

sum bitch road was hot today

Done gone and burnt my shoulder on the highway when doing an emergency car repair. I ran over something and it tore my front air dam all up and it was dragging down the highway at 70mph. I had to pull over and lay down on the blacktop pavement with only shorts and a light tshirt on. It looks like road rash of sorts. This was taken 6 hours after the fact, most of the red swelling is gone but the road marks are still there. Just add this one to the pile of mess me up situations.

Finaly out of the house this week

As you can tell if following my rantings I did a little leg damage a little over a month ago and have been pretty much tied down to my chair and bed for all this time, a few outtings here and there and even some falling down stairs was included as a little side adventure. It's been odd spending so much time in one place for so long. As an owner operator my business allows me to conduct mainly from my remote control software of which was a great help with the healing process. I do feel much better aside from stress of being that operator in emergency situtations. I actually don't mind the emergency as much as the dumbass calls. I have a low tollerence for stupidy and even less if it's my own. So this week has been a bit bumpy as I finally ventured out a bit and even spent the last four days now without the brace for the most part. I can lift myself up out of bed and get in and out of the car without too much pain. It's there if I squat or climb a bit of stairs but I am avoiding that in most cases. Even so I've managed to loose some weight instead of gaining it. Getting out each day to tend the garden has been fun even if most was just to water by hand.
So this past week I did get out finally to have some fun. My sweety stayed over at Runy Questi's house with his kids during the holiday and when I went to pick her up we went out to dinner. Later in the week things got quite stressfull and I was a bit down at one point as you may have read earlier. I spend some time in the garden expanding it and stressed my tendons again with all the squatting. With the quick jump on some anti pain drugs, staying off my feet and some ice downs I was feeling better. Perhaps it helps because I got to stretch a little as I was feeling a bit weak overall from sitting so much. A bit of atrophy I am sure.
Last night I got to spend a good portion of the day out and into the night having some fun. It was really great to get out of the house. I took my sweety with me and headed downtown to the square and we met up with my oldest friend. We had a lot of fun even tho the place was a bit dark and made it difficult to read the menus. The waiter sucked too. But the food was most excellent as it usually is there. We then headed off to the movies and saw the new Indiana Jones. A bit long and QUITE a streatch of the imagination with all the stunts and events. I would say if they toned it down a bit and shortened it from 2.5 hours I would have enjoyed it more. Fight scenes were too long and dragged on and on, even more than I do when I write these things.


So what did I do this past week?

After enjoying a long night of Diva I headed off to bed and rounded the corner from my desk..
this is a second time for the beagle but a first for my other dog much less both at once. I hope I can get out the dog hair as it will scratch the guitars paint very easily. This is the case from my 1979 Fender "The Strat" which I just retrieved from being in storage.





The next day I expanded the garden, more cedar is left to start in an area of more shade
starting from left: basil bush, (middle from back left counter clockwise) habenaro, culantro (not cliantro), chives, rosemary, and a tomatoe big in the cage, (third box from left"sandy soil") Sweet basil, 2x thyme, greek and italian oreganos, (slim box) all roma tomatoe, (new planter on right) green onions, new cilantros, and large onions. (which all have now been transplanted into the new spaces in the first box on left and the middle one as of today)




Runy's kids and my sweety at Sal's Italian after spending the holiday at Runy's, poor RQ..



When we got home the pooches were very happy to see my sweety.. WHOOOOOOO



Sweety and my female four legger. Both are drama queens.. LOL no really..


Friday, party time downtown across from The ISLAND of PALM BEACH.

Looking at the glass front of Macy's and the local trolly..




The other direction towards the clock tower and square..


Straight to the east towards Palm Beach, Macy's to the left, square to the right.

Horses in front of Macy's, at that moment our table was ready and I got the call so she was a little dissapointed.

Dinner with my friend Stephen King, he doesn't like me to take pics and was a bit grumpy becuase the server was terrible. KEEP THE DRINKS COMING DAMMIT!


Sweety was laughing cus Mr King was bitching so much at the waiter..


Thumbs up for dinner with Stephen King

Then we went to the movies at the Movieco ... Mrs King paid for all eight of us to go and for our dinner, THANK YOU, we love you very much.

Well it's now 7.15pm on Sat the 31st and I am heading out to see adrian belew tonight, I'm upset that I'm missing the dance at Kindly with Diva, but I just can't miss Mr Belew..

I had this shirt made today from when I met him for the first time back in 1989 at an event for the school "Full Sail" in Orlando. Afterwards I got to hang out with him and we talked a good while outside the event which is when the pic was taken, yes me with long hair 19 years ago. He's a great musician and I highly respect him and his approachable attitude. He has signed quite a bit of stuff everytime I have seen him ,outside of when with King Crimson, and have yet to miss any show I can get to reasonably in florida. I have lots of signed goodies and this is the newest item which will get done tonite.

Party pooper

It took a bit to heal from my recent ordeal but with the help from people who care a lot about me I was able to get back on my feet again. After being cooped up all that time in the wheelchair I felt I needed a break for some party time. I surprised my baby with the news we were going to a big frat party at KINDLY. Things started out pretty good, there was even a date auction. I held my tounge while dates were sold until a cute asian girl was up on the stage, I bid on her when it was low just to help move the price along, I still got slapped silly for it. My girl put herself up for the date auction, I beleive she got the highest bid. ONE FOUR SIXTY NINE, not only the winning bid for her but a bold publicly announced statment. Most everyone agreed openly that they were for sixty nine too so there was no embaressment. Then the drinking and dancing started. Wow can some people suck it down. I admit that I did too, I was quite wasted at one point. I was falling down all over the place. I was so wasted I was seeing things and even blacked out for a bit. That's when the news started to spread around the campus. There was danger in the air. The campus had been having problems with vandals lately. Whenever the economy begins a downward spiral small crimes can become an issue for most any location. Usually it's not a big deal but the reputation of the school as being a fun clean inviroment was at stake. I agree that laws can be overly strict with their punishment but if people are flagrant about the rules then harder punishments must be initiated.





She was happy that I surprised her with wanting to go to the frat party
Luckily my wounds were mostly healed.. now its off to the date auction



The drinking was heavy and it started really early.
I took my turn next and was quite intoxicated for some time.. A bit of blurred vision and blackouts occured, I was most likely on the verge of alchohol poisening.



I was so wasted I thought I saw Colette.
Colette spotting happens a lot... go figure


Things were going great, the music was pumping the people were dancing, there was a stage diving accident but they recovered with only a few stitches to the head wound..

Things started getting scary when the rumors spread of the recently implimented laws about vandalism.
Not far away there was an incident..

Harsh laws indeed for a little graffiti..


The campus security cams caught this scene first.. at this point it's all the cam footage that has been shown..





Later the the police released these photos


The truth is, there was no graffiti incident, the wall was painted that way by a local artist who was hired by the campus. The fact was that MURDER was commited. The police have not yet released an official statement.
It's 7am and I have been summoned to the station. I was asked over and over where I was at this time and that. I honestly dont recall all of the time. I have a few gaps in the night.. I was pretty drunk. I think I even blacked out for a while... things are not looking good for me.
9am: The police have detained me now. I made a call to my lawer. There are charges against me.
10am: I have been put into custody as a suspect. I don't know if I can post bail as I just spent all my money at the auction for my girl, like I would let anyone else out bid me for her.. (she gave me 500 towards the bid too)
11:30am: Bored but it's lunch time here, I find out the jail food is TERRIBLE, the guy at the end of the table wants to know if I'm gonna eat my cornbread. If I give it to him he might see me as week. I gulp it down even though it tastes like crap..
11:45am: I'm not sure what the police have against me but it's looking kinda grim. The guy in the cell next to me is in for public drunkeness, he stinks and looks as if he wet himself.
1pm My mother visits me, she is crying, she asks if I had on clean underwear when I was arrested, sheesh, moms and their fears..
1:45pm My lawer sees me, he says he is doing his best but the police have yet to release the campus security footage to him.

He says I could be here a while....................

MIA?

The question was asked many times today, he was reported missing last night



Where's Boulder? No one was sure...


Had he taken off or been shanghaid?
Was said that he didn't even say goodbye...



The bumbling police found no clues at the last reported scene..









It was rumored he was dead and gone... Had fowl play reared it's ugly head?
The police were not sure..


A search was made....
























Discovered




Even though the police had given up, others had not. I was found and brought home.
The shock was too much for her.


After the initial shock wore off she noticed I was alive, but just barely...
She worked on me all day, slowly I came around.


RECOVERY

Bruised and broken but not quite dead....


My recovery begins at home

Base jumper

I had a really really really bad day Wed and I went to bed early (before 9pm) in an effort to relax and hopefully rid myself of the massive headache I had acheived from todays super stresses. I awoke at 3.30 am and got myself up to date on the few shows I watch on TV via the DVR, how ironic that it was the show "Deathnote" after my events that follow, I had not watched it in a month. I also gave up SL today, so I needed a fitting way to end my AV. No these thoughts don't carry into RL but it was amusing and let me blow off some steam. I've been on SL every day/night for over 30 days. I suppose I am burned out on it in many ways and even too much of a good thing can sour one on it's appeal. I think I'm done using as an escape. I had some fun and met some nice people, hats off to those who put up with me there.

I am tired of sitting in my chair hour after hour waiting for the healing in my leg to get well enough to leave the chair without causing more damages. All seemed to be going well lately and have even spent the last few days without my brace. I did have a minor setback the day before when I finally felt well enough to go outside and work in the garden. Stooopid idea, I thought I could get away with not having to squat down by using a cbs blocks for a temporary seat low to the ground. I was wrong, you pretty much have to squat and crawl to get at the weeds, especially when transplanting and moving things about. I paid for it later that night when the pain in my leg got me again, so back on the Darvocet for at that night only so far. God I hate being on that shit. Sure it feels good because the pain stops, well hell most things stop when on this stuff, I get a bit loopy and say things I am thinking much easier and probably make an ass of myself. Others have told me that it really messes them up. I don't feel that way, it helps with the pain a lot and I feel a little spacey but other than coming down and feeling like all gravity is pulling on me I don't get too bad. Now if I mix it with a Soma, that's a different story. Thank god I don't drink.

It's now 6.45am on thursday and I'm posting this..

I have to go back into SL to take out what I have left rez'd where I have been calling home lately, maybe I can transfer it to someone else, I have to check.

Flew up to highest point I could find.

Looking down before jumping..

The jump..

The fall at the falls (pun?)

That wasn't much, there was water below, maybe a broken leg at most.

So I needed something more effective to kill me..

I found a lift ship and took me way up...

I thought it would take forever to fall.... I made no sound

Just listening to the wind blow, kinda peaceful really

After what felt like an eternity I finally saw the end coming.

Not much was identifiable after hitting the ground at

such high speeds..

So I guess there are ways to kill a virtual charactor.. perhaps one day I will find out if one can resurect as well..

Dark Sky ahead

It started as a some what nice day, but ended up pretty crappy, funnel clouds and deluge rains kicking our asses. We were up late and wasted the morning away, so time to take my sweety to the mall. UGH, the mall, lots of over priced crap of the same things from store to store. Rude people and noisey unriened children rule the floors. Yet I was glad to get out of the house for once aside from yesterdays relaxing day by the pool. Feet didn't hurt too much, although I was slow to walk while all the retirees zoomed past in the halls. The drive home was pretty scarry, lots of rain, hard to see, funnel clouds as mentioned, flooded streets... and I was busy texting Kat and Diva while driving too. I like the challenge..


Build a bear workshop

I'M COLD!! She has yet to learn about how women always bring sweaters or jackets when going out.


Get me this one please, pretty please, it's a florida gator.. you know I like the florida gaters.



The ride home


Walked out between storms, luckily no lightning either



DELUGE!! SET WHIPERS TO FULL POWER!! txt txt txt..

The highway home at the on ramp



RED ALERT TORNADO WARNINGS IN EFFECT

Not looking too good, funnel clouds ahead, WE BOTH SAW IT, I was scared too, one of my few fears, I really hate tornados..



After the funnel clouds to the left... an opening in the skys, surely it was looking better for us.






Problem was that we had to go left, into the storm again...



Nope no white knuckles here, house was just ahead, but this guy did swamp me just a second before making it hard to see out the window.. DICKHEAD

My flooded street, making it's way up the driveway

It continues 20 mins later, flooding the front yard now.