Spring into nasty grand parenting · Friday April 3, 2009 by colin newell
I do not have any kids. I Never had a real urge to make a contribution to the gene pool.
And for the most part I am glad that there are some folks out there doing it on my behalf…
to a point that is…
My wife and I were in McDonald’s at lunch for our one guilty pleasure; I enjoy an Angus Burger, a side of fries and some iced tea. We eat healthy all week long – so from time to time… we need to re-balance if you know what I mean. Too much of a good thing and all…
Anyway – sitting upstairs at the normally quiet Cedar Hill and Shelbourne location at noon today… something caught my attention.
It was the expression of my wife tuning into a conversation between grandpa and his seemingly well behaved grand-son… that caught my eye – And I tuned into it a millisecond later.
Grandpa was saying… and I quote: “If you do not stop your messing around, I am going to kick your ass!”
Apparently the small boy, according to what we could see, was being overly jovial and chatty being near the excitement of the kiddie playground on the main floor…
The 4 year old responded, “That is not a very nice thing to say Grandpa…”
Grandpa responded, “And it isn’t going to be a very nice thing to happen to you if you don’t smarten up!”
A Great-Granny was sitting with them and she kind of looked on, oblivious to the conversation between the grand-thug and the young boy…
This is 2009 – and I was astounded that I was hearing this violent exchange directed at a small child. And I was baffled as to how to respond…
saying to my wife… “Shall I go over there and KICK his ass?”
No. Probably not a good idea.
I was (we were) in fact, witnessing an event of child abuse unfolding and I was at a complete loss as to what to do about it. The conversation ended with the above exchange between the 2. The kid settled down a bit and the grand-thug settled into reading his paper.
But what of after… the later on for that 4 year old?
Sometimes violence is subtle – and one needs to be diligent to protect our young. In this particular case… well, I just don’t know.
Maybe the parents of this child will read this. Now that would be ironic.
One other thing: Moms and Dads… when you are out with your small children… Watch them! When we were coming into the McDonalds today, a young Mom and her Son and Daughter were with her. The boy was dawlding, kicking imaginary stones and counting the cracks in the sidewalk. He fell back about 20 feet as she went into the food outlet ahead of him and did not turn around until the door closed behind her.
He could have been grabbed in a heart beat by a clone of grand-thug above.
Anyway. Just a suggestion.
Spring coffee style - Joy in the Italian espresso maker #2 · Thursday April 2, 2009 by colin newell
If it were a simpler World – less all the problems that we are all too familiar with; hunger, war, strife, natural disasters… etc
and I had the luxury to choose… which Country I would like to rule the World… based on the simple things…
…like food, drink and love.
I might pick Italy. For the coffee. For the wine. For the food. And for their love of simple pleasures.
Sure I could pick France for the superior cuisine (kidding) and the slightly more civilized wines (now I am really kidding!) and the faster trains… but why bother.
The Italians rule the coffee pot. Particularly the stove top espresso maker. They excel in that department and the numbers do not lie. Over 100 million Italian families start each and every day with a stove top espresso maker. It is simple. It is elegant. And although it does not make real espresso (that takes more pressure), it makes some pretty dope brew – with an attitude and a punch that is definitely not straight coffee.
I have had a Bialetti for years – and it is currently on loan to another coffee lover. When Bodum-USA sent me a family sized one (twice the size of the basic stove top), I was delighted because I had heard a rumor that it makes slightly better coffee.
Now I can neither confirm or deny that the coffee was better than the coffee that my little Bialetti coughs up – but this first brew was spot on the money; intense, thick and built for the breakfast table.
So. If you have never had stove top espresso, give it a try. The coffee makers start at around 25 dollars. Do yourself a favor and get a stainless steel one. The coffee tastes better and the unit lasts longer – likely a lifetime of coffee drinking. Salut!
Colin Newell is a Victoria resident and food writer for Eat Magazine. His almost daily jaunts into coffee world leave him intense, awake… and creative.
Spring forward - out of my face Chapter one · Tuesday March 31, 2009 by colin newell
I think it is pretty safe to say that if you poll your friends (about the Google Street View concept) they will be split 50-50.
Go ahead try.
Many people are in the “So what, who cares, it is kind of cool” camp. Like, I will be the first to admit that the application has some uses.
Quite a few folks are adverse to having their privacy invaded.
Some folks will say… “If you have nothing to hide then you won’t mind if we take a quick peek up your kilt…”
Which is essentially what Google Street View is working on – as they prepare to deploy on the streets of Canada.
Google street view should know one thing – Canadians are not Americans… and they are not Brits.
Brits are so accustomed to being preyed upon by a impertinent and overly prying government that they ignore that they are observed, on average… 64 times a day.
Not so much in Canada.
Personally, I like the feeling of walking alone – or with my wife… on the streets of Victoria – sometimes on a Friday… or on a day off – and the feeling of being somewhat on the lam. Even if it is my own personal illusion.
And I like to be able to maintain my personal freedom from observance – especially when I am such a well behaved citizen.
So a message to Google Street view… no, a promise:
If I see a Google Street view camera cross my path… and there is a rock or a stick within my reach… I promise you that I am going to aim it squarely at the Google Street view vehicle…
with a curt “Get out of my face Google street view”
Get out. Of my face. Or else.
That’s my opinion. What’s yours?
Colin Newell is a Victoria resident and a writer of words – normally friendly when watered and well fed, the Newell can lash out when it encounters foolishness or bad behavior
Comment [4]
Spring coffee style - joy in Italian stove top espresso · Tuesday March 31, 2009 by colin newell
I gave a retired buddy an Aeropress coffee maker. And at 6’ 7” tall, Bob is a whole lot of coffee enthusiasm – not that size matters… but in a funny kind of way, it does with Bob.
Bob used to work in our I.T. division at the University. And when he retired a few years back, he was immediately missed – as much for his skill and his way with people as his childish (or more fairly, youthful) way of seeing potential in the germination of new ideas.
And he treats his coffee the same way.
It came as quite the surprise to me that Bob was a big fan of the coffee website. I am always surprised when someone admits that they dig what I do… I mean, it is only coffee after all.
Anyway – Bob made up his mind one day the Aeropress was going to be the thing for him. Perhaps he could relate to the creator of the Aeropress, Alan Adler – a teacher from Stanford who could see the potential in toys (the Aerobie Disk) and subsequently the Aeropress coffee maker – because of his childlike approach to product development.
Anyway. Bob comes to me one day and says… “Where can I find one of these Aeropress coffee makers to buy?”
Have I got a deal for you Bob!
Not surprising, he was delighted to be comped a freebie. Who wouldn’t be?
Anyway – little did I know that Bob was going to take me on a small journey to toy-land – because Bob practically giggled when he got it. I have honestly not heard that kind of giggle since I was 5 perusing the 1965 T. Eaton Christmas wish book. And anybody that remembers that experience knows what I am taking about.
So. Yea. Sharing the joy.
In the photo above, I did a quick photo shoot to concentrate on taking a chip out of the Bodum project I am working on. Bodum U.S.A. was good enough to send me a crate of their products – dang, a long time ago! And I am finally getting around to the meat and potatoes of the project.
My point? If you look at some of the other photos in this series, you will (maybe just maybe) get some of the joy – that Bob imparted to me – via his newly minted Aeropress crush.
Oh yea. Final note on Bob. Ran into him at a retirement party today. He told me… “I have pushed all of my other coffee makers into the back of the cupboard… It’s Aeropress all the way…” He tittered with glee.
Right. Child like joy over coffee.
That’s what I am talking about.
