The Power of a Hashtag

So these finally arrived today...

... in support of Eve and Candace, the world's foremost swim vloggers, their adventures, and fledgling swimmers who do not have big endorsement deals.

Oh, yes, and because I thought it would look cheeky and be funny to have #NathanAdriansChest across my rack.  He is our #collectiveboyfriend and pretty much the best reason to love swimming.

Seriously, how could anyone resist?

You can get your shirts here.

Shame Fuck Stride of Pride

When I was in university, it was as an adult student.  I have had the luxury of never looking my age so I spent a few weekends playing with the kids fresh out of high school without them knowing I was almost a decade older than them.  It made going to parties at frat houses rather interesting.

It has been hypothesized that this is where I developed a taste for younger men.  I'll never tell.  In public.  About the hockey player.  Who may or may not have been a Deke.

Every year, without fail, there would always be one of those frat boys in my classes.  You know the guy, hotter than the flames of hell with his own fan club that follows him around. I imagine this is what university was like for Ryan Lochte.  To be honest, part of me wonders how he made it through university.  You cannot deny he is an amazing swimmer but there is something, I don't know, vapid, happening there.

I know you have been thinking the same thing so do not admonish me.

I also know you enjoy looking at him (the dancing bit and the smirk at 0:25 makes me fall out of my chair every damn time):

Yes, you like me, want to hit that shit like the wrath of Gawd.

Then you see something like this and realize that, yeah, you would still hit it but you would be doing the walk of shame afterwards:

"A what?"  Charmed, for sure.  "Romper!"  Great.  #bouncingmyass

There is a link on YouTube of our Ryan being interviewed by a charming lady with the patience of a saint.  Before you all go to Gainsville on your post-Olympic Ryan Stalk 2012, you should know that 7 times 4 in Ryan's world is 21.  Well done University of Florida.  Nailed it.

Fratboy douchetard?  Probably.  Top of the Shame Fuck list?  Absolutely.

I am guessing that would explain all those one night stands his mother speaks so freely about.

Chicken With Vegetables And Pasta, Or How Michael Gave Me The Shove I Needed

It has been a while.

I have been working on different projects which have been a major distraction.

Then there is the swimming.  Yes, you heard right, my big butt in a swim suit in a public pool, not drowning.  At first the plan was to go back to the gym but I decided to face a few fears and swim instead.  Now, its probably being incredibly gracious calling it swimming.  What I do for an hour at a time is probably not much more than an advanced form of the doggie paddle with a touch of the breast stroke, but for two months I have managed to keep myself from drowning at least three times a week.

Writing and cooking have taken a back seat for some time now but after talking to my friend Michael (code for he talked, I listened), the desire to write and cook is back.

Here's your chicken with vegetables and pasta, darling.  Bad news is, I was out of quinoa.  Good news is, its belly rubbing nap time.

CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES AND PASTA

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, each cut in quarters
3 c. flour, seasoned
3 tbsp. grapeseed or EVOO
½ medium red onion
2 c. mushrooms, sliced
3 – 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
8 stalks asparagus, heads cut off, stalks cut in half and then into bite sized pieces
1 large can stewed tomatoes, drained, juice reserved
6 c. pasta, cooked

Method:

-cut chicken breast in half; turn each piece on its side and cut in half again

-place flour in a container with sides and season the flour with paprika, oregano, and thyme (1/2 tsp. each)

-heat oil in a large pan on medium high heat

-dredge chicken in flour and then place in pan, cooking about 4 minutes on each side depending on thickness of chicken

-once cooked, remove from pan and set aside

-immediately add vegetables and stir fry until al dente

-add reserved tomato juice, reduce heat to medium, and reduce juice to desired consistency

-cook pasta

-when pasta is finished cooking, drain

-warm chicken in a pan

-plate chicken on pasta and vegetable mixture on chicken

 Makes 4 - 6 servings.