Crispy stuff

So, it's been a while since I've really blogged more than a random picture or joke or something.

Thinking back, when I was working at IU, I had more free time to wander around on the internet and I found out about blogs. I started one and enjoyed blogging about all kinds of random and funny things. I kept bugging Anne to blog, but she just didn't for a long long time. Then sometime in the last year or maybe 2, she picked up the blogging thing and I faded off stage left. I'm not saying this is going to change again, but just remembering.

What's up with me?
Chocolate.
Random thoughts.
More chocolate.

Let me tell you about this. I've always loved chocolate, and have been told I was a chocoholic since a young age. Chocoholic probably isn't technically the right word, but good enough. Anyhow, since being here in Europe, I've discovered a whole new world of REAL chocolate. Quality stuff made of higher percentages of cocoa beans, better quality of cocoa beans, or both. Chocolate is becoming like wine in the sense of there being connoisseurs, beans coming from one special plantation, etc. I've gone from thinking Hershey's Special Dark was the best ever to not ever wanting to touch that stuff again - even with a 39 1/2 foot pole. They use the lowest/cheapest quality beans, probably over-roast them, put in way too much sugar to cover up the taste, and throw in some unnecessary chemicals and artificial flavors. Yuck.

Some random thoughts.
This was a Christmas break of extremes. One extreme was having family from both sides here for Christmas. Lots of people, presents, attention for Cole, food, etc. It was great. Then they all left and we have lots of time just for us 3. Reading, sleeping, hanging out with Cole and watching him learn to crawl, stand, put his finger in anything that resembels a hole, try to eat plants, and just being his normal curious self. Now that he's kinda mobile, it's getting dangerous.

I've gotten pretty interested in photography - as a hobby. I have a nice digital SLR camera and an extra lens that allows for much higher zooming capabilities. It's fun to walk around Vienna and take pictures of whatever - signs, architechure, people, etc. This city is full of old buildings, history, lots of cultures, un-American signs and customs, so it makes for good photography opportunities.

I got a soccer game for the computer. It's very cool and fun and very much eye-candy material. Problem is I can't score. Even if I choose the best team with Rooney, Ronaldo, Rialdino (sp?), etc. - a dream team - and I play against some sorry team in a low level league with terrible defense. I still can score one stinkin goal! ugh. I still have to learn the right buttons and stuff. Eventually I will... but I just hoped that during Christmas break I would have learned more with the free time. But the free time went mostly to being with Anne, Cole, and...

CHOCOLATE. Seriously people - I'm crazy about this. Not only am I a budding connoiseur, but I have ideas about future business possibilities. I've been taking notes about my ideas as well as the "notes" I taste in chocolate. The look, mold, smell, break, first taste, melt, second taste, texture, after taste, etc. It's amazing how much there is to premium chocolate. Anne gave me a book for Christmas called The Chocolate Connoisseur. It was a great book for me - it encouraged me in what I already knew and whet my choco-appetite for so much more about the beans, growth, production, the small companies that make the good stuff, conferences and festivals, and more. I've been realizing that living in Europe is awesome because most of the great premium chocolate in the world is made here - France, Italy, Germany, etc. I'm oozing with ideas of making trips to chocolate factories. But I better stop there - cause I don't want to write too much and I kinda want to go read more of another chocolate book I have.

Now THAT was a serious post!