Found out I was exposed to someone with Covid. Spent time in a closed room with the person on Monday. I took a rapid test this afternoon and it came out negative, but its probably too early for me to have developed a case. In the meantime, In the garage, separated from my wife and kids until I assess further and take another test. Great way to kick off holiday break. Damn, it's chilly out here!

It's Christmas Day and my nephew (twenty-one months) has been watching a cartoon featuring owls and other animals. Character names include Glitter Horn and Love Master, which makes me laugh and think of some weird low-rent porn studio staffed entirely by idiots.

It also makes me think - and probably only fellow Brits of a certain age will appreciate this - of the urban legend re the names of characters in Captain Pugwash: Seaman Staines, Master Bates, and Roger the Cabin Boy.

Have a good day, folks.

Got boosted just now, plus a dose of the flu vax.

Looking forward to doing squat tomorrow.

I was going to have this beer with my dinner but I couldn't wait so I thought I'll just start on this while it's in the oven. I'll pace myself a little, right?

Not so. Gone in an instant. Why is beer so good?

jason from volo wrote: Thu Dec 30, 2021 4:24 pmWhat kind of beer was it? (Humor me, as I have to live vicariously through you for the moment.)

Tsingtao, Chinese typical lager. They serve it at all China restaurants. I remembered it being light and fresh, something like Corona. It was deeper and more alcoholy, sweet but rather dry. Perfectly fine to drink though.

jason from volo wrote: Thu Dec 30, 2021 4:43 pm

kokorodoko wrote: Thu Dec 30, 2021 4:29 pm

jason from volo wrote: Thu Dec 30, 2021 4:24 pmWhat kind of beer was it? (Humor me, as I have to live vicariously through you for the moment.)

Tsingtao, Chinese typical lager. They serve it at all China restaurants. I remembered it being light and fresh, something like Corona. It was deeper and more alcoholy, sweet but rather dry. Perfectly fine to drink though.

Yup, I've had it. Tastes great when fresh and/or on tap, particularly on a hot day (or... when your kitchen oven is on)! Like Corona, though, don't let it sit in the sun for too long...

The lesson of all this is obviously that one should ideally have at hand one beer before dinner and one beer with dinner. And maybe - why not? - one beer after dinner.

Tonight's after-dinner-beer is a "Barrel Aged Imperial Stout" from some French brewery called Grand Paris. There is an immediate sense of something sharp here. There is a very deep sweetness which is smooth like honey at the same time as it places itself all over the mouth and stays there for a long time, numbing the entire palate. This must be the barrel thing, right? It's the same feeling as when drinking whiskey or cognac or rum. Pretty interesting that although this one is so much weaker in alcohol (9%), it has the exact same character, right down to that piercing sensation that squeezes at every point of your tongue, or how the drink feels warm when going down but also feels warm in your mouth. For a stout I usually prefer something easier and creamier, so this one would be an every-once-in-a-while kind of thing. It tastes good as hell notwithstanding.

Happy new year folks.

I'm drinking beer and I'm here
my appearance is queer
my lifestyle is not austere
I'm free like a deer
sounds in my ear
calm my fear
not another tear
for what used to be near
and still is dear

(happy new year)

Add my old bandmate to the list of people* who bought a TB Designs guitar, it showed up with fretboard flaws that you might learn to live with on a Classic Vibe Squier but not a 3 thousand dollar guitar, and is now getting the ghost treatment. He wanted my perspective on it, and remembering all of the 'waiting around for 15 months for an adequate response' stories made me say "Geoff Benge can fix literally anything, live and learn, get your dream guitar in dream guitar shape blah blah". Feels a bit dirty and unjust, but I truly would just want to move on with it. Kind of bigger things to worry about in the world right now..

*there was a lengthy thread of this stuff that was lost. Also lost was that excellent fake EGC tshirt design with Buzz from the Melvins cutting in line..

Took the dog out on the sled. He loved it and so did I.

Dude, I've been tired the whole day and I thought, I'll go to bed early today. Now it's late, and my energy is back. It's so often like this.