There’s voices there to dare me,
..my father’s here to scare me.
My mother she sits beyond the door.
She’s curled up crying on the floor.
Look at what her son’s done.

When the weight of all the world’s gone wrong.
Wrong again.
Gone wrong again.

Liars they leave a guilty trail.
Let me tell you, I’ve been lying for years.
That must be why I’m standing in this space.
Disregarding that I’ve created these monsters,
..that are on both of my sides.
So I wipe the blood from both of their eyes.
From all four of their eyes.

While I wait for wounds to heal,
..I see you by the window sill.
Your heart’s torn out;
..a plastic spoon,
..when honesty lit up that room.
So I stole the pillowcase to clean,
..this mess I’ve made of someone else’s dream.
Now you’ve seen what I’ve done,

When the weight of all the world’s gone wrong again.
Gone wrong again.

This room is old and wise.
I fall onto the bed and wonder,
..”How did I get here?”
I was a little boy who would argue with a tree.
“Go ahead thump his head,
..he’ll turn back to normal.”

Now why is that what I see?
Don’t bother trusting me.
Don’t bother waiting.
Don’t bother changing things that won’t give into changing.
Just let me go away.
I’m packed.
Whenever.
Let’s go.
Whenever.

Rays of light pierce the overall gray that is the sky. The crisp wind cuts the very tiniest of cracks within the walls. These chill those inside to the slightest degree. Those sitting on the the long, wooden seats; those cold themselves, yet the perceived embrace of the occasion brings warmth to all.

As this, most important right of passage proceeds. Those attending the event focus completely on that which is before them. Outside, the passage of gold, tan, red and blue cars fade. All memories and regrets forgotten.

Trickles of water drip, ceremoniously across the brow of the young child.

—

Proud, tall and thin, he presides over the ship. Such respect his crew has for him, as he has overseen them through times of ordinary existence, awaiting the inevitable or that which will never come. They unquestionably follow him, as his experience and undeniable loyalty to them an the mission never falter.

As those they fight embark upon him and his crew, it becomes clear that that there is no escape from this, the inevitable fate of what lies ahead.

—

Just one of a multitude of scenarios that pass through her mind, for her tiny prince. A respected Naval officer presiding over a crew of substantial adoration. A hero of men, responsible for that which will change the lives of many, for better or worse, but to his best judgement. A man, a husband, a father. That pillar of the family to uphold generations to come.

—

All could have been, she imagines. So much that he could be.

As the sun passes over the, the light moves beyond the windows above. Those individuals presiding over this moment move aside. Without the noonday illumination blanketing the miniscule soul, the lifeless gray returns to his tiny cheeks. The baptismal droplets of water slowly trickle down his tiny head.

She drops to her knees as his small body is placed in the equally small casket. Her mind overcome for the boy, only three days old, and the man she never met, and that he could have been.

Goodness Cafe is located at the intersection of Monroe and Laveille Streets, very near downtown and next to the (former?) Peoria Bread Company. It appears that the PBC operates out of Goodness Cafe now, and is owned/operated by the same, including Senator David Koehler. Don’t mess with Sen. Koehler, by the way. Goodness Cafe just opened for business a week or two ago.

The place is amazing. “Franchise-fodder,” if you ask me. Many may describe the atmosphere as “eclectic.” I think it’s just a nice, clean, warm place with really good food. I did not have the soup, but it looked absolutely fantastic.

I really hope this place makes it. This is just a good place with good people, in the heart of a neighborhood. This is exactly the type of establishment needed in the area. Goodness Cafe is the “full package:” good food, good people, good reach across an immense array of foodies. As a result, I feel this is a gem. Time (and your business) will help Goodness Cafe become a new member in Peoria history.

(Ratings explanation.)

• Menu

A dozen or so offerings, scrawled on a blackboard behind the counter. Sandwiches of all types. Many veggie offerings.

• Food

Really good, very carefully prepared, fresh and quality food. I chose the avocado turkey on sour dough. Awesome. Large portion, too. More than enough for lunch. I was also given a side of hummus and (vegen) coleslaw as a “grand opening” special.

• Ambience

Just amazing. Local artwork is prevalent, and most for sale.

• Staff

Incredibly nice. All seemed honored to have me as a customer.

• Price

Right around the $5. Perfect for a good lunch from a local restaurant.

• Return?

Without a doubt. Go as soon (and as often) as you can.

Support your local businesses!

El Mexicano is located at the intersection of Jefferson and Mary Streets, very near downtown. I had heard of it for some time, but never made the time to go there. I am so glad that I did.

First of all, I love “dives.” When I describe somewhere as a “dive,” most often it is in an endearing fashion. This place is that. Secondly, I am fairly certain that, food-wise anyway, I should have been born in Mexico or Central America. I can, and sometimes do, eat it everyday. Needless to say, I was excited.

The kitchen is about 2.5 times the size of the dining area, which has around eight tables; roughly four too many for the size. That said, the dining area is perfect as is.

I was there on a work day, right around lunch time. The dining area was full with all types. Some appeared as though they had just walked off the assembly line, others as though they had just stepped away from the judge’s bench from defending a client. It was not overly busy, but this is the type of place I can envision a line out the door, wrapping around the building.

Several local reviews are displayed throughout.

(Ratings explanation.)

• Menu

Fairly extensive, though not as much as many Mexican joints. It is prominently displayed (with photos) on the front counter. All the favorites; all the necessities.

• Food

Thoroughly enjoyable. Not the best Mexican food in town, but pretty close. Quite a bit of beef is used, which is not my favorite. I might give it a higher rating if i were to order with chicken. Almost too much food for lunch. Great.

• Ambience

Dive: perfect for where I would expect to find good Mexican food.

• Staff

Very nice and helpful, even at a busy period. Glad to serve.

• Price

Right around the $5. Perfect for a good lunch from a local restaurant.

• Return?

Without a doubt. Visit El Mexicano right away. I certainly will again.

Support your local businesses!

“The utensil (usually metal) is used to lift food to the mouth or to hold food in place while cooking or cutting it.”

More on Wikipedia.com: Click here.

One everyday object, that I at least, have failed to recognize that it too, was one day invented. One incredible fact about the fork to me is that much of the world, even those with the wherewithal and means, do not use them. There is something to be said for eating with one’s hands and being closer to your food, but the fork is just so convenient and useful. Just the opinion from a guy that can’t imagine a world without dishwashers – and nothing to do with the convenience factor there… I am just convinced that dishes are not clean without being submersed in water far too hot to be handled with unprotected human hands.

(Dinner fork shown.)

“…considered by many to be one of the greatest inventions of the twentieth century.”

More on Wikipedia.com: Click here.

I dare you. Try:

Living.One.Day.Without.Me.

One of the most overlooked every day objects.

Springdale Cemetery: Take II

Attempted to take a few photos several weeks ago on a rainy day. I do not do well in the rain, a topic we’ve covered here before. Plus, it had gotten fairly dark that day.

Today, however, was quite a different story.

The sun was beginning to set, and the temperature was decent (around 40F). All around, a good experience. This is such a peaceful location, and truly a jewel for the city of Peoria. It accounts for roughly 1/3 of the city proper, from my estimation, and clearly visible from a satellite view of the city.

No matter where life takes me, I am fairly certain that this is were I’d like them to put me in the dirt, once they reduce what’s left to ashes.

22 NOV 2009

• Click to view all photos.

Not an everyday object, or even event, but important enough I thought I would post this. One of my favorite pics…

Many warn of the dangers of social networking (such as FB), and how it somehow diminishes communication and personal contact. I, for one, counter that with the fact that I have connected with family and old friends that I would not have otherwise.

Do I agree with this assumption to a certain point?
Certainly.

Do I feel that this form of communication can (and IS) abused often times?
Certainly.

Do I think one must be mindful of their usage?
Certainly.

Do I think family and friends should make a better effort to “stay connected” without the use of technology?
Certainly, but this is sometimes difficult in practice; we are ALL guilty of this.

Do I think that those connections that I have made where I would not have otherwise are priceless?
Without.A.Doubt.

Toilet paper is a soft paper product (tissue paper) used to maintain personal hygiene after human defecation or urination. It differs in composition somewhat from facial tissue, and is designed to decompose in septic tanks, whereas some other bathroom and facial tissues do not. Most septic tank manufacturers advise against using paper products that are non-septic tank safe. Different names and slang terms are used for toilet paper in countries around the world, including “loo roll/paper,” “toilet roll,” “dunny roll/paper,” “bathroom/toilet tissue,” “TP” or just “tissue.”

More on Wikipedia.com: Click here.

I consider this a marvel since it’s (current form) inception in the 1920s. Many disagree. I’ve heard reports that something like 80% of people walking around in the US have feces in their undergarments due to the improper cleaning properties of toilet paper. Sorry, could not find a source for it, which means that the information is probably bogus, yet seems reasonable. That kind of freaks me out. Maybe we should all use bidets, which seem would clean better, though for whatever reason freak me out more. Never used one. Is the water cold?

What was a simple photo of my bathroom clock, turned into quite a discussion Difficult to top that one. This post is a bit on the lighter side.

[Light struck] beer has been exposed to ultraviolet light for a period of time. Hop-derived molecules, called isohumulones, are basically ripped apart. Some of these parts bind with sulfur atoms to create that “skunk” character, which is similar in character to a skunk’s natural defense and is such a potent compound that parts-per-trillion can be detected and even ruin a beer. Although brown bottles aid in protecting beer from being light-struck, it hardly makes the beer invincible. Green or clear bottles provide little to no protection. And it’s been said that bottled beer can become light-struck in less than one minute in bright sun, after a few hours in diffuse daylight, and in a few days under normal fluorescent lighting.

More on BeerAdvocate.com: Click here.

Who doesn’t trust a website entitled “beer advocate?” Fairly decent article on the difference between the protective powers of clear, glass and brown bottles. Your thoughts?