Cornbread Pecan Waffles

In 2012, I wrote about Pecan Waffles, but I was not making Cornbread Pecan Waffles - which are much better than any other kind of waffles.

I think 2012 was a pretty good year.  Maybe pecan waffles help.

Thinking back and looking at what has been written over the last year, 2016 has had the typical highs and lows. The one consistency has been cornbread pecan waffles nearly every morning where I woke up at home but didn't have to work.

I didn't travel as much as I should have in 2016; there were no impromptu trips for a day or three away. But the two big adventures, Hawaii and an epic motorcycle tour out west, were phenomenal. Deer hunting was fantastic, and would have been even if Mr. Big hadn't walked into my 95 grain bullet on Thanksgiving.

The summer was quite mundane - I have no one to blame but myself. I'm in a new job which is either good or bad. There was lots of lawn mowing. The swamp in the back yard continues to be wretched. There was lots of dog walking. There was lots of bike riding. There was a heinous, protracted election, with a very surprising ending. This will either be good or bad, but should have value as entertainment.

Since pecan waffles seem to correlate with reasonably good years, I'll share my secret Cornbread Pecan Waffles here.

Cave quid vis Recipe

*Note:  The world is not exact.  Life is not exact!  This recipe is not exact.

• A couple tablespoons of vegetable oil.
• 1 egg
• Somewhere about a quarter cup of milk
• 1/2 box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
• About an eighth cup of old fashioned oats (NOT quick oats - they are loathsome)
• A heavy eighth cup of smashed up pecans.  More if you are rich.

Combine in a bowl.

Mix with a spatula.  More milk and/or old fashioned oats (NOT quick oats - they are still loathsome) can be added to make the mixture slightly thick.

Let the batter sit for at least a half hour.  The corn meal and oats will absorb some of the liquid, making the mixture thicker and the grains softer - this helps the final texture.

After allowing the batter to sit, lightly spray the waffle iron with oil and heat it up to temperature.

Once up to temperature, you can cook the waffles.  BUT!  And this is important!  Do not goob up the waffle iron by letting batter fall all over the place.  Images like the one below from Waffle House should inspire dread and self-hatred.  Any batter that does spill should be cleaned up immediately.

Cook the waffles.  

Notice that the waffle iron does NOT look like this.

This recipe makes enough for 3 waffles of a size where the iron doesn't spill out all over the place.

Eat the waffles - syrup not needed.

Correlation does not mean causation!

But I still plan on making Cornbread Pecan Waffles into 2017.

Who died?

I turned on the TV as I was getting ready for work on Tuesday and heard a theme song I instantly recognized.  I didn't think I had left the channel on one of the many broadcast rerun channels, so I instantly said, "Wonder who died?"
I probably only watched a couple seasons of Growing Pains.  I was certainly done watching by the time they put the show on life support by bringing in Chrissy (Ashley Johnson) and Luke (Leonardo DiCaprio) as Kirk Cameron and Tracey Gold got too old to be relevant to the show anymore.  About the only episode I actually remember is the one where Mike and dad go to a Bruce Springsteen concert and get caught on TV after - resulting in some teasing by Mike's friends; I was quite surprised this was a very early episode in the series.

This started me thinking about all the other people who died in 2016.  There seems to be an acceleration in the notable people of some level of celebrity who have played a role in my past who are now dying.  Presumably, this will only continue to increase...

David Bowie, January 8:  I can't say I was a huge fan; I sort of saw him as this weird, androgynous performer.  But I recognized his unique contribution to music.  I probably appreciated Ziggy Stardust more later in my life...

Phil Fish, January 26:  I probably only watched Barney Miller in reruns, late at night - and I'm not sure when, since we weren't really allowed to watch that much TV, but I do remember watching Abe Vigoda on the show.  Hard to say now if those memories are good or bad, but there they are.

Antonin Scalia, February 12:  My Criminal Justice professor in college said that listing the names of the 12 Supreme Court justices would be on the final exam.  With the internet in its infancy at that point, I was trying to find current information and it was not terribly easy.  My boss at the time called directory assistance, got the number for the Supreme Court in Washington DC and got the information from the person who answered the phone.  Seriously!  The list wasn't on the final exam - which I shouldn't be surprised about since the professor had some major problems.  I'm quite sure he at least had an alcohol problem, if not issues with something much more troublesome.  I liked Scalia's matter-of-fact, no apologies style; reportedly when Helen Prejean (Dead Man Walking) ran into him in an airport and she asked him if he was Antonin Scalia, he responded, "Well, somebody has to be..."  The fact that he remained friends with the diametrically opposed Ruth Bader-Ginsburg is something everyone with strong political beliefs should emulate.

Henry Warnimont, February 15:  Punky Brewster was one of several kid-themed Annie-esque TV shows (think Different Strokes and Webster).  I guess we all at some level wanted fabulously rich pseudo-parents to appear out of nowhere - 'cause this happens all the time.  George Gaynes as Punky's "dad" is slightly unmemorable, or maybe I didn't actually (and embarrassingly) watch the show enough to remember it that well.

Harper Lee, February 19:  Too Kill a Mockingbird is a great book, an American classic that is actually worth reading.  I've read enough reviews to know I should probably proceed cautiously with Go Set a Watchman, and it is sad that there was so much controversy surrounding the release of that book.  At a minimum, it was updated from its original form to be more in line with modern political philosophy in a way.

@, March 5:  He may not be a household name, but Ray Tomlinson "invented" email and pioneered the use of the "@" symbol.  One man, one symbol, forever a part of modern technical history.

Nancy Reagan, March 6:  "Just Say No!"  First Lady, Mrs. Reagan, played her own role in the Ronald Reagan White House.  Lots of criticism over astrology or spending of money on household furnishings, but it is without a doubt that President Reagan would not have been who and what he was without her.

Benny, March 17:  I'm not sure if Larry Drake's character on LA Law had a last name, but his portrayal as a functionally slow person was really good.  LA Law had a good run as one of the better of the many 1980's lawyer shows.

Gary Shandling, March 24:  Not my favorite comedian, but I did watch The Gary Shandling Show quite a bit.  I don't recall finding it particularly enjoyable, but his awkward comedic style was done in a such a non-television way that the show was actually quite revolutionary.

Eugene Gatling, March 28:  The premise of  Benson wasn't very strong, but James Noble's character as governor allowed Robert Guillaume to have the self-named show.  Despite the show, the story lines were often surprisingly funny.

Merle Haggard, April 6:  I'm sort of neutral on country music, but broadly speaking, there is a sliding scale from the music's origins to the music now.  Merle lived country music in a way that Garth Brooks is a best a very weak copy of (and his new beard is really, really awful).  When we lose Chris Kristofferson, who is about the same age, it will be a very sad day indeed.

Mildred Krebs, April 17:  Remington Steele was a great show, and paved the way for other flirtatious detective shows (i.e. Moonlighting).  Doris Roberts was a great part of Remington Steele, even if a little over-the-top.  Not as much over-the-top as Everybody Loves Raymond, which was not loved by everyone (and even got a little bit dark for a sitcom).

Prince, April 21:  Probably the death that bugged me the most.  Like David Bowie, I really wasn't a big fan in the 1980s, and also like Bowie, I saw Prince as this weird, androgynous singer.  I may or may not have ever seen the movie Purple Rain, but I listened to the music from it a lot.  "Is the water warm enough?"  He definitely had a very unique role in popular music that will continue to influence for some time.

Morely Safer, May 19:  60 Minutes is no longer the show that it once was.  Now more pop-political than anything else and while I like Scott Pelley as CBS News anchor, I think this has weakened both the CBS News and 60 Minutes.  Morely Safer's interview with Salvador Dali has to be one of the best people interviews ever, and the Homer Simpson/The Shining/60 Minutes blurb from TreeHouse of Horrors V is a great brief tribute.

Mohamed Ali, June 3:  An arrogant man if there ever was one, yet oddly humble at the same time.  His place in American culture goes beyond boxing.  Somewhere I have a book of jokes - oddly 1980's jokes that are ethnic without being racial - one of which references him.  "How can I preach against violence when I just plunked down $200 to watch Ali and Frazier pummel each other for a few hours?"

Mr. Lebowski, August 2:  David Huddleston was the other Mr. Lebowski from The Big Lebowski - yet another cult Cohen Brother's movie.  "I'm just going to go find a cash machine..."

The Waco Kid, August 29:  Blazing Saddles could not be made today - and both Gene Wilder and Cleavon Little (1992) made that movie what it still is today.  I also sort of remember watching Young Frankenstein after it was accidentally grabbed at a VHS video rental store instead of Young Einstein.  Einstein may have been more topical at the time, but in retrospect, Frankenstein was probably the better choice.  See No Evil, Hear No Evil with Richard Pryor (2005) would have been the better topical choice...

Janet Reno, November 7:  Quite glad the Clinton (Bill) Administration has ended and no fan of Janet Reno as Attorney General.  But she played a major role in politics during a formative time in college.  I guess I'll probably remember her Dance Party from Saturday Night Live as much as anything else, and her willingness to play along after she left office.  Hopefully she got a chance to see much of the country in her red pickup truck too.

Gwen Ifill, November 14:  I wasn't a fan of the News Hour and I saw her as unnecessarily partisan, but she was also very smart.  She seemed so very young, cancer is a bitch...

Mrs. Brady, November 24:  The mom nobody had, which was probably a good thing.  Why a stay-at-home mom needed a live-in house keeper still baffles me.  The Brady Bunch was seemingly always on in the afternoon, so I watched a lot of it in reruns at friend's houses.  It is nearly unwatchable now - and it may have been then as well.  Perhaps Florence Henderson's demise seems somehow tied to the slow, painful death of Crisco.

Fidel Castro, November 25:  Revolutionary, Dictator, Celebrity Ruler, Tyrant, the list goes on.  Those of us who grew up in the Reagan era still miss the cold war.  In a world where Russia could no longer be the bad guy, Cubans were still able to play that role in the movie Red Dawn.

John Glenn, December 8:  An American hero, but I just didn't like the guy.  I wrote him a letter when he was our Senator (also when I was less realistically cynical about politics) and the letter I got in return was quite condescending.  I still have it somewhere, although I'm not sure where it is.  In retrospect, the return letter was almost certainly written by some flunky staffer and not something he ever even saw.

Which brings us to Jason Seaver, December 13:  Dad from the formerly mentioned Growing Pains, Alan Thicke - a show when sitcoms still allowed the dad's to more than just the buffoon of every joke.

It is transitionally sad to see all these deaths of "notables" from 2016.  Still, the year isn't over yet!
And it makes me start to think ... how many people who were actually important in my life, but who I've lost touch with over the years are continuing to pass?  Maybe that is the real lesson from a list of celebrity deaths.

Belated Edit:  The death of the very influential Princess Leia occurred after this was published.  Starpuff hairdo, "Into the garbage chute, Flyboy" and "It's not funny anymore James" (Big Bang Theory cameo).  'nuff said...

No, Virginia, There Is No Santa Claus

Dear Editor:  I am 40-something years old.
Some of my colleagues say there is no Santa Claus.
The Boss says, ‘If it is on the Internet it’s so.’
Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

Dude, your colleagues are right.  They have been given insight, which is not a product of education per se, but a result of critical skepticism.  Facts are a result of what can be seen, what can be measured.  Humans have been given the gift of rational thought, which allows us to understand what we see and in some cases learn what we cannot directly see.  In this great universe, our planet is one of only billions of planets.  But no intelligent person has ever seen Santa Claus, neither direct nor indirect evidence of him.

No, Dude, there is no Santa Claus.  He does not exist.  This is actually good, because there are, in fact, enough good people in the world to make up for 100s of mythical benefactors.  The world is a better place because there is no Santa Claus.  It is better because there are people who can think, maybe even like you, Dude.  The world is also made better by people who excel in the arts, making things like Santa Claus exist noisily only in the world of fiction.  People should be enlightened early on the difference between reality and fiction, while still enjoying both of them in the appropriate setting.

No, you should not believe in Santa Claus.  You should also know that the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, goblins and Care Bears do not exist.  It is impossible to prove the negative, but over the course of all human history, no one has ever observed Santa Claus and controlled studies giving evidence have never produced data suggesting his existence.  Yes, following the scientific method, we are able to consistently show that the theory of Santa Claus is unquestionably incorrect.  Do not be sad in this, for this frees up time and energy to spend observing some of the real wonders of the world:  From Quantum Mechanics to Chemistry to Astronomy to Geology to Biology; the world is a wonderful place.

We can tear apart the car's transmission to see how it works.   And while there is a veil covering everything, that veil can be made more transparent and eventually lifted through learning.  But still, do not forget faith, poetry, love, literature, music are also available to open up a uniquely different part of life.  Is this other part real?  Yes, it is real in that it exists for everyone to enjoy, Dude, but do not confuse myth and legend with what is fact!

No, Dude, there is no Santa Claus.  And Thank goodness!  He may forever remain mythical.  And your presents – and happiness – come from friends and family members who you interact with every day.

1 Tire : 2 Weeks : 3 Punctures

The aluminum alloy wheels on my 2009 Toyota Tacoma are horribly corroded.  All alloy wheels corrode, and as I've been paying attention to other vehicle's wheels, my non-scientific observation is that Toyotas in general seem to be worse, with only Fiat-Chrysler vehicle wheels showing more oxidation.  But very few Taco's seem as bad as mine.  I'm baffled by the level of corrosion, as while I don't wash my truck frequently, I am sure that I'm not alone in this.

Because of the wheel corrosion on my Taco, all my tires have very slow, persistent leaks.  This is only mildly aggravating; every couple weeks I check them and top them up.  Having an air compressor in the garage and pole barn, plus a portable air tank makes this tolerable.  For whatever reason, the driver's side are worse than the passenger side.  Given road crowns concentrate corrosive salt and other flotsam and jetsam to the outside, it would be more easily explainable if the passenger side were worse.
I'm not sure if the difference is due solely to metal, but I've had rusty 40-year old steel wheels still hold pressure just fine.  I understand the benefits of aluminum for wheels, but isn't there better metallurgy available without huge cost increases?  My underpowered truck isn't a Maserati, I can't help but think steel might have been a better option.

The first puncture:
On my to-do list before the opening day of the deer season, was to check my tire pressure.  This would be one less thing to worry about going wrong when focused on sitting in a tree for hours on end.  That afternoon before opening day, my driver's rear tire was alarmingly low.  Looking around the tire, I spied the tell-tale shiny spot of metal embedded in the tread.  A quick test with soapy water showed that it was leaking, followed by a worse leak after a yank with needle-nose pliers.

No worrys, Stop&Go to the rescue.

The Stop&Go is by far the best emergency tire repair system I've used.  The hole is reamed out to an appropriate size, and the tools in the kit are used to force a mushroom shaped plug into the hole.  I much prefer the mechanical fixture of the mushroom plug, over the (hopefully) sticky and stringy plugs widely available.  Having done this too many times over the years, the whole process only takes a few minutes.

Most, but not all leaks, are effectively sealed and it is instantly effective (or not) without needing to wait for glue to dry (or not).  The worst leaks that are not completely sealed, are at least dramatically slowed down.
Now I KNOW!!!!!!! that any repair done from outside of the tire must be considered temporary.  I've yet to see one seal a leak and subsequently releak, and I've never seen the plug come apart or come out when correctly installed.  So I still consider it temporary, just sometimes temporary for a very long time.  Temporary might be shorter in a motorcycle however, depending on the nature of the actual tire damage.  Margins are always thinner when dealing with only two wheels.
The leak in my Tacoma tire was repaired, and hunting season progressed.

The second puncture:
After a few days of hunting, I noticed my driver's rear tire was still losing pressure at an atypically high rate.  My first thought was that the rim was the issue, since disturbing the bead while repairing the last puncture in the face of the heinous wheel corrosion can cause an increase in the rim leakage.  I've slowed this down in the past by letting all the air out of the tire and cleaning the bead as best as I can without dismounting the tire.  A small amount lubricant can also help slow leaks and minimize ongoing corrosion.
Once I pulled the tire off the truck, it was sadly easy to find nail number 2.

The leak was again quickly and effectively plugged by the Stop&Go system.  The rim was cleaned up and the tire was doused with soapy water looking for any other tell-tale bubbles.  All looked good and I was able to merrily go on down the road.

The third puncture:
Leaving for work a few days later, the TPMS light came on my truck.  Again, it was the driver's rear tire.  A quick look in the morning darkness found predictably nothing.  I grossly overinflated the tire, and put my portable air tank in my truck for the drive home from work if needed.  As an aside, the portable air tank is basically a pressurized bomb.  I am made quite nervous by having this enclosed next to me in my vehicle, should it become self-mobile during any unexpectedly rapid trajectory changes.
Three tire issues within two weeks is starting to feel like more than a coincidence.  Maybe the rims are beyond oxidative hope?  Maybe someone has it out for me?  Maybe someone doesn't like where I park?  Maybe the deer have a ploy to keep me out of the trees?
The tire was low enough after work for the TPMS light to come on again.  I stopped by a tire store on my way home and they were too busy to look at it, but did air up the tires and give the low tire a wet down with soapy water, unsuccessfully.
Back at home, I was able to find the leak, another puncture, but this time without anything in it.  It also wasn't a nice clean puncture, but more of a short slit in the tire, and right near the edge of the tread where repairs should be attempted cautiously, if at all.  Stop&Go was not able to stop this leak, but did slow it down.

I thought about taking this as a sign that it was time to do something more permanent about my wheels and tires.  I have good tread left, but the wet grip of my tires sometimes makes me wonder if they are made out of slippery eels or something.  I drove to my local tire shop that I've had good luck with in the past (local as in 10s of miles away), to see what they could do for wheels and tires.
En route, I changed my mind.  My spare, while original to the vehicle, was the same type of tire as the current road tires.  I could swap the spare to the road, replacing the now leaking tire (with at least three "temporary" plugs) and buy the cheapest new tire available as a spare.

This was done, with the warning from tire guys that the formerly spare tire was getting old.  Noted - and thanks for doing it anyway.

The fact is, I know I'm on borrowed time.  Hopefully I'll be able to continue to borrow that time until my tire tread shows Lincoln's head and at some point in the future, I'll be able to reboot my contact patch with new wheels, tires and TPMS sensors (the sensors are all original to the vehicle, and with 8 years on the batteries, I'm expecting a failure soon).
Whether I run out of the borrowed time or I impulsively get rid of the Taco first is still to be determined.  Hmmmm, a new Honda Ridgeline probably wouldn't have corroded wheels....

Where the rubber meets the road, it has been a tough year.  I think there was one other truck tire effectively repaired by Stop&Go.  One massive gash unrepairable on another car, along with a repairable drywall screw in that same car.  There were also at least two, maybe more punctures of motorcycle tires.  Please people, keep your sharp crap off of my roads!

For now, I guess I'm headed to CraigsList.com to look for wheels.