house thoughts



Comments are going down again for a little while. I’m in the process of setting up some blocks and such as my spam entries have really picked up in the last few days. I shoulda modified this way back when, but I’m lazy.
HOUSE last night- wow, wow, wow! Man I was totally giddy. House was flirting with EVERYONE! NO STACY! And I loved the idea of Foreman being in charge, and they really just turned that one up, it was really great. I almost fainted with Cameron hopped on the bike with House, and that jacket. That jacket is my new favorite thing- even though he’d worn it in other episodes. Now it’s just like, mmmmmmm. Not to mention that stunt he pulled. It was a real ‘How could you?’ moment, but right in the vein of Dr. Greg I think. Very plesantly surprised given my expectations of late. TV.com (http://www.tv.com) tells me that Michael R. Perry wrote the episode and it is apparently the first one he’s written. Perry’s other creds show a lot of American Gothic- which is great, and some Dead Zone, L&O:SVU and the like. Good man, Mr. Perry, here’s hoping you have some more HOUSE on deck.
Speaking of L&O:SVU, which I also caught most of last night, who doesn’t love Det. John Munch? What do we have to do to get him on HOUSE? The great thing about Munch is that the character is not only one of the longest running live action Primetime characters, but he’s been on like six different shows on three different networks- Homicide: Life on the Street, the many incarnations of L&O, The X-Files, and some show in UPN. The neeeeeeed to get Munch on HOUSE. Dear Santa, make it happen.

drivetime activities



A lot of my best thinking is done in the car on the way home to work. Sometimes I just do music really loud. Classical music is a lot of fun, because it really pulls the stress out of me and really quickly I start to catch myself relaxing. Also I love the confusion that occurs when you roll up on a stop light blaring Handel’s Messiah or Beethoven’s 5th. People think an action movie’s about to break out.
Sometimes I work on my impressions. I have a tough time keeping the Joisey in my Bugs Bunny. Repetition helps. This is usually punctuated with me cursing at people that don’t know how to drive. Which is most everyone on the Interstate 40 between 4-7PM. So I end up hurling obscenities in Bugs’ voice. My Bugs isn’t really that good, but I persevere. When I’m not cursing them to the black depths of hell, I do my thinking. If I’m in a good mood I bust out my drumsticks which are tucked under the driver’s side shade and I play along with the music. I don’t actually know how to play drums, and any rhythym I may appear to possess is questionable, but tapping out the lines in ‘La Grange’ is pretty therapeudic.

Lately I’ve been trying to work out some dialogue for N&D- which means I end up talking to myself a lot. The conversations weave in and out of spoken and unspoken. I’ll say something in my head and answer out loud. As long as I’m working on a script, I think this is fine, I have an excuse. My experience with writing problems has shown me that if I’m explaining a problem to someone (even if it is my own fictional character) out loud a solution may present itself.

This is all well and good, because there’s a purpose. But I’m still talking to myself. And sometimes… Sometimes I just have conversations. One of these days you may roll up on me having an argument with Bugs about the pronuciation of hasenpfeffer. But you can’t prove a damn thing.

grats and good luck



My spies have informed me that the little brother is now a dad:

This is Ella Nicole Jones**. Brett, I hope you enjoy not EVER SLEEPING AGAIN. Sucker. Also, I don’t babysit, this goes for you too Matt & Susi. Now would you people stop reproducing. Jeez.

(** not sure if this is the actual name or not)

I’ve finally done it



‘Lo, all. Having a little publishing issue since I’m updating my version of Mambo. If the Links start playing musical Chairs Please forgive.

Anyway, I have once and for all lost my cell phone. Sometime between leaving my Mom’s house Saturday and arriving at my apartment 10 minutes later, it was lost to the ages- (or possible some homeless person who picked it up in the parking lot, who knows?) Me and Cellphone, we didn’t really get along. It wasn’t that I disliked Cellphone- he had a nice Raiders of the Lost Ark ringtone, but was otherwise unimpressive. On many occasions I have misplaced him, left him at friends’ houses, in my car, at work, whatever. I never kept him charged and I’m not all that into the ‘cell phone’ clique. Perhaps it is odd, being the tech-fan that I am, but I don’t really feel compelled to take pictures, check my email or listen to MP3s with Cellphone. I have several computers for that. Sorry, Cellphone.

To be perfectly honest, I don’t even really like using it that much- who in their right mind wants to be traceble 24/7? I leave it turned off while I’m at work, because I have a work phone, and my IM clients and my email if you want to talk to me at work. I feel odd talking on the cell phone when a real phone is sitting nearby. I never really buy many minutes, so most of the people that do call me get instructed to dial after 9pm when I’m on the Night and Weekends minutes. That’s probably kinda annoying, but not the point. The point is people got along perfectly well before cellphones. In fact the whole instant media/communication thing is probably going to end up tracable to the end of the world. It’s created this ’social’ atmosphere without the bothersome hinderance of actually BEING social, thus perpetuating a decay in all human social interactions.

But whatever. I’ll have to ge t a new phone eventually, since it’s hard to exist without a phone number. I guess I just want to express my hope that phone booths will make a comeback- like say after some sort of nuclear holo- well, I probably shouldn’t finish that sentence.

Dammit, now I’m going to have to pay for that Raiders ringtone again.

Ilsa, Ilsa, gimme your other hand honey, I can’t hold you!



Nicolle’s Chicago Style Pizza
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Okay, due to popular demand I’m going to present here my secret -passed down from the Moors of Scotland- pizza recipe. This is all from scratch, and it takes a generous amount of prep time, and anything worth doing is worth doing right, so take your time.

I like to make CSP a major event, because it’s such a great dish and makes for a good social activity. It’s important to note this recipe is for two pies, which I usually top according to the guests, as I’m not all that picky. Plus if you drink, like I do, a few friends nearby is always fun. Remember, the eyebrows you save may be your own.

Equipment
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an oven (and fire extinguisher if need be)
2 large mixing bowls
a measuring cup
teaspoon set
stirring implements - forks, spoons, chopsticks, etc
can opener
knives! or just knife if you want to be rational about it
2x 9-12″ Deep Dish pizza pans- I use the Hard Coat Anodized Deep Dish Pans’ (prod #: AL-CPTHAX) from A Best Kitchen (http://www.abestkitchen.com/store/pizzapans.html) - They’re 2 Inches Deep, and with repeated use they’ll get properly blackened like the ones you’ll see at Pizzeria Uno/Due in Chicago. This recipe will work for 2x 9-12″ pies. The 9s will get you a thicker crust, which is great with the extra sauce, or a quick olive oil/black pepper/basil mix. 12s give more toppings, little thinner on the crust, but you end up eating like one slice a piece.

Ingredients
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Dough:
2 cups warm Water
3 1/2 cups of Flour
2 packets of active dry yeast
1 cup of Cornmeal
1 tablespoon Salt
1/4 cup Virgin Olive Oil

Topping/Filling:
1 to 1 1/2 lb Mozzarella, sliced
1 lb Sausage, Pepperoni, whatever meats you want
28 oz Can crushed tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, finely minced OR 2-3 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
3 BAMS” fresh shredded basil
1 cup Medium Onion, Green Peppers, Mushrooms, Pineapple, whatever you want

Now that you’re basically armed what you might need- it’s a good time to mention that all good recipes are based off the Chef’s intuition and feeling. Improvise! If you like oregano more than basil, use the oregano. You know what you like, and where your tastes run, going off-book is expected in good cooking.

Preparation:
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Pour the warm water AND the Yeast (1 pack per pie) into a large mixing bowl and let sit for approx 30 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup of cornmeal, salt, and 1/3 cup of olive oil. Mix well with mixing implement. While mixing stir in as much of another 1 cup of flour as possible. You want a very elastic consistancy, somewhat dry, but not crumbly. If you over do it, olive oil is your friend. If you haven’t resorted to using your fingers, by now flour your hands and get to kneeding. Split the dough in half sending each to a seperate bowl and kneed both. You’ll be adding flour if it’s too moist, and then give the two doughboys a time out for about 45 minutes to rise double.

Once the dough has doubled in bulk. Punch it down and kneed it briefly. Another 15 minute rest.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Prep the pie pans by generously oiling sides and bottom and sprinkling cornmeal sparingly in each. For each evenly press the dough until it comes up the sides (it’s going to resist a bit) Let the dough rise another 15-20 minutes before filling.

While the dough is rising, prepare the filling. Chop your veggies, the cheese, etc. Cheese-wise you want to cut into nice slab sized pieces. I get 2 16oz Polly-O Whole Milk Mozzarella Cheese hunks and end up using 1 1/2 of the them.

Now pizza construction proper begins. CSP is famous for it’s strange layering- that is Cheese first. Lay the cheese slabs across the bottom of the dough. The more cheese, the better. My first bite of CSP I almost choked to death on the massive amount of cheese- it was totally great. Next you add the toppings- pepperonis, green pepper, whatever you’ve decided on; distribute over the cheese, then add a generous *Emril-style BAM! of the basil on each pie, same with the garlic. If you’re not a qualified Emril-style BAM!-er then just throw the spices and garlic in the general direction of the pies, it’s hard to mess up. Light drizzle of olive oil, then top with the crushed tomatoes. Then for good measure another sprinkle of basil and it’s ready to go into the oven.

Bake for 25 minutes at 500 degrees.

Since by now you’ve been working on these pies for a while, I know you and your guests are probably hungry. What I generally do is plate the extra ingredients, cube the rest of the cheese and with some of the tomatoes and olive oil serve to the guests while we wait for the pies to be done. Also, now’s a good time to refill your booze. Everyone else has been drinking while you’re working, now you’ve got to catchup!

As with any pizza, once the pies come out, they’re like molten lava, so you want to hold off for a few minutes to cool, unless you’re into third degree burns. Once you think it’s safe, you can maneuver the pies out of their pans onto a cutting board for slicing. Then prepare yourself for the delicious rapture that is Chicago Style Pizza.

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That’s it, not too complicated, but always delicious results. I improvise a bit each time to try for different results. Last go round I used 2/3rd of the salt called for in this dough recipe and substituted about 3 teaspoons of garlic power instead, and it yielded some tasty results.

Now, if you somehow screw this up and burn your house down I am totally not to blame. The fact of the matter is, this is ‘Nicolle’s CSP recipe’ and I’m not liable for any face-melting Nazis that might result from you tampering what is otherwise holy, got it?