J.P.

One of my traditions during my storm chasing trips is to taste regional variations of chili. It’s not great for the gut but it can be an oh-so-delicious experience.

Last night, Earl and I met up with our friend Marshall and went to one of our favorite restaurants on this side of Tucson. On the menu they have “Cowboy Chili”. It has a bit of kick and is served with the Fritos and other stuff garnishes shown here.

I have been known to dump chili into a bag of Fritos and go at it with a spoon. This more refined approach is probably better for when I’m out in public.

I’ve never been a huge “Wheel of Fortune” fan, but I do hearken back to the days when Chuck Woolery and Susan Stafford shared the stage, the winning contestants bought items on a shopping spree, and the remaining balance was either used “on account” or on toward a gift certificate.

Here’s an episode of the original “Wheel of Fortune” from 1980. Many of the episodes were taped over when they reused the video tapes; yay for the rich people that had VCRs back in 1980.

A couple of years ago we had a contracting company build what we can the “amphitheater” in our back yard. This area is about 10 feet below ground level and overlooks the wash that crosses our property in the back. The space has been quite enjoyable, though dusty because we had them install hard packed dirt and sand as the “floor”.

We decided to finish the space off and this week the contractors completed the work. The amphitheater now features paver stones in desert colors, making the area even more enjoyable.

Earl now has a relatively secluded place to relax on a beautiful day in the desert.

I’ve been trying a new application for iPhone. It’s called Endel, and it’s suppose to help me find peace, happiness, tranquility, and productivity. So far, so good. I’m impressed by the quality of their soundscapes. The UI isn’t too bad, though there are a few quirks I’m still figuring out. For example, if I need to dump out of a session early I’d like it to fade out instead of just coming to a jarring halt when I hit the pause button.

The UI is interesting as well, in its primarily black and while approach to art. I find this graphic a little creepy looking, though I suppose to intent is friendliness.

Overall I’m pleased with the experience. I’ll see how I feel after the trial period has come to an end.