Flight

As time passes and people grow older, all but the most poignant, exciting, inspiring, and sometimes painful memories fade into a blur; much like staring from the window of a speeding car. But it is for those memories which we remember that we look back and laugh, cry, shudder, or share stories. Please allow me to share a story here, told from two perspectives, taken over 20-years apart. It is one that is all of the above for me (except painful, though you would think I was torturing myself at the time).

I must have been eight or ten years old when I learned how to ride a bicycle. I can remember begging my parents to teach me. They would spend evenings, for what seemed like a month, running beside me, holding the seat of my brother's Green Grasshopper bike (complete with what he said was a special squared-off, slick grass rear tire and banana seat) or my sister's girlie BMX-lookin' bike (which I proudly rode, mind you, until I got a bike of my own). On occasion, unbeknown to me, they'd let go of the seat and let me ride for yards on end until I wobbled out of control and they were there to save me. The only painful part of my entire recollection came not from crashing, but from frustration.

My mantra became, "I give up! I'll never be able to ride I bike!" "I can't do it!", I'd sob. As frustrating as learning was to me, it had to be doubly frustrating to my parents. The cycle went like this: beg Mom and Dad to run with me in the yard, not believe them when they told me I could do it, scream and bawl my eyes out until both parties had enough, repeat in a few days time. I think they eventually put my brother and sister up to this just to spare themselves some of the agony. And so it went until late one Saturday morning, when myself and the Earth were in perfect balance (planets aligned, Vernal Equinox, etc) and I actually rode my bike. My parents had worked with me most of the morning and suddenly my cries turned into nervous laughter. I still needed a push to get going (learning that would come later) and I ran into the Silver Maple a few times, but I did it. Free as a bird with wheels. Self-motorized transport.

Fast forward twenty-plus years. I now have kids of my own with bikes of their own. My youngest wants to ride anything with wheels, while his sister requires some prodding. Just getting her to ride with training wheels is a battle, forget about riding with the possibility of crashing. Instead of begging to learn how to ride my bike, my wife and I were now begging her to learn how to ride hers. Begging became pleading, pleading became bribing, but finally we were able to convince her. After several wobbly attempts and much whining and complaining her mantra became, "I don't wanna ride my bike!" "I can't do it!", she'd sob. Things had come full circle. I was getting a dose of my own medicine. As frustration set it on us both, we swallowed the bitter pill and put her bike away until next time.

The next few attempts brought much promise. Several unassisted trips down the sidewalk or across the parking lot. Fear turning into nervousness and then into confidence. Our frustration turning into smiles and exuberance. At less than half the age that I learned to ride, she can now do it all alone. Free from such terrestrial things as feet. Free to fly.

Units

calorie (cal)-the amount of heat required at one atmoshpere to raise one gram of water by one degree Celsius.

Calorie (kcal)-one thousand times the above quantity.

The latter is how your food is represented on nutritional labels.  The average adult requires 2000 Calories per day just to sustain itself.  This is equivalent to the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a metric ton of water by one degree Celsius.  A seemingly enormous amount until you consider that this is the same energy required to power a 60-Watt light bulb for a day and a half.  Makes you appreciate the efficiency of the human body.

Ear Experiment

You may not want to hear this. You may wonder why I'm telling you, but every six months, I lose my hearing.

Before you go freaking out saying, "What, oh my God! What's the matter?" Just hear me for a second. For whatever the reason, my ears don't shed their wax (again, before you get completely grossed out and consider me a freak, read on) and it's not for lack of trying. I clean my ears regularly. No, not with a Q-tip (apparently you're not supposed to do that anymore), but my finger (I knew you'd still be reading, it's like a train wreck). So to remedy the situation and keep my sanity, I'd go to the local urgent care and have my ears chiseled and irrigated. Sounds kind of embarrassing doesn't it? It was, but only for the first visit.

What was I to do? I wanted to hear. After doing the normal routine of yawning and finger-prying to pop my ears and having no success, it was time for minor ear surgery.  I'm sure the nurse at the urgent care thought I was being a wuss and exaggerating...exaggerating until she looked into my ear.  I told her that I was sorry that she had to do this and that it was probably pretty gross. She shrugged it off, said that was why she had chosen the medical field, and went to work. Without hesistation she dug right in with a precision ear picker, syringe of hot water, and a bed pan propped under my ear.  I could hear and feel the stuff coming out of my ear.  At one point I even smelled it.  This stuff must have been buried under my ear-strata for awhile to smell like that.  Gross huh?

Forty-five minutes per ear and several iterations later and it finally happened.  With a "pop", I had a moment of clarity that I had been missing for some time.  I could hear.  Not just hear, but hear with ultra sensory perception.  My car sounded so different that I thought it needed a tuneup.  It was then that I decided that I must do this every six months.  Everyone should.  Like a haircut, a message, a dental visit; it should be scheduled human maintenance.  

And so I did, twice a year, until I managed to smuggle out my own ear chisel and irrigating syringe.  Now I do it myself at home.  That's gratification.

Breakfast of Champions

Breakfast is by far the best and the most important meal of the day.  Nothing kicks off metabolism and brain function while staving off hunger and morning breath better.  I spent a large part of my teenage and college years skipping it; never again.  Bagels, fruit, coffee, eggs, cereal, cold pizza and on and on.  The list is endless and universal, but for you, I have provided some of my favorites.

In a bowl--try any of these simple and quick breakfasts for the bowl

Wheat and barley cereals--satisfying and healthy.  Add some berries for natural sweetener and antioxidant power.

Mueslix--this mix of nuts, grains, and dried fruit can be eaten with milk cold or hot (or the Euro-way, overnight in the fridge covered in milk).

Parfaits--mix your favorite fruits, yogurt, and crunchy cereal for this tasty and complete treat.

Fruit--enough said.

On a plate--more effort required here.  Well worth the reward.

Fried Egg Sandwich--eggs, cheese, mustard, and any breakfast meat.  Fry the eggs in the renderings of the meat for extra crispiness.  Not the healthiest of options, just the tastiest. Especially good after an early morning surf session on the beach (hint, hint).

Padre Island Gumbo--with fried potatoes and onions, eggs, cheese, and meats, this is a veritable trash bowl of breakfast.  My parents used to cook this in our backyard in cast iron skillets over open coals.  They'd have their friends over and all be wearing overalls and straw hats with signs that read "Welcome to Claytonbach" (still not sure what that was about).  If we had neighbors, they might think we were crazy.  I thought it was pretty cool and delicious.

The faves--my current favorites.  Restaurant quality, easily made at home.

Salmon Benedict--top two toasted English Muffins with spinach or basil, smoked or grilled salmon, two poached (firm but runny) eggs, and cheese.  Season with cracked pepper and Dijon mustard.  Packed with protein and healthy fats, this will keep you going all day.

Huevos Rancheros--boil then pan fry and season about a handful of fingerling potato wedges.  At the same time, brown some sausage in a pan and then add in black beans.  Combine these ingredients atop a toasted tortilla.  Garnish with salsa, sour cream, and cilantro, top with a fried egg (again, runny is better) and get ready to tuck in!  

Mix it up.  Try something different each day.  I do.