Long Drawn Out Rambling

The monkey is out of the bag, so to speak. I originally started V Agent so I could just be an ass in public – mom always said do what you do best. I didn’t think cooking would meld well with the insane/inane ramblings of a dude in an M-17 gas mask so I started the Shredded Monkey: Cooking with Primates. There is something humorous about borderline cannibalism, just eating a little further down the family tree. Not to say I ever actually ate monkey, though rumor had it that the dude selling sandwiches in Panama was using monkey meat. Whatever he was using the sandwiches were pretty damn good, so if it was monkey I hope it starts showing up at the local meat counter. They already have buffalo, seasonally, and that is tasty. There was Korea where meat could have been someone’s pet just the other day and Germany where you could get venison, horse, and wild boar at the market. I gave the horsemeat a pass; it gave off a strange smell when being cooked.

Anyway, there is a wealth of food sites on the web. FoodCrazee, Vietnamese God, and Jingle’s Kitchen all have interesting views of their homeland as well as some excellent recipes and pictures of the dishes that make you want to get on a plane and head out to try some for yourself. That is saying something, as I hate to fly.

I love to cook, most likely because I don’t have to cook. The day of the mommy stays home and has dinner on the table when the daddy comes home from a hard day's work is behind us, in most places. My wife heard from fellow teacher who said a student’s father wanted to discuss his progeny’s progress with a man, not her. You can bet he has a number 3 decal on the back window of his pickup truck.

It is hard to believe that in the 21st Century anyone would have that attitude. Ok, I tease about women drivers and letting women vote, which is just part of being an ass in public. I am far from serious, however. I work with several female fighter pilots. The Air Force doesn’t do affirmative action when it comes to fighter jocks – either you have the right stuff or you find yourself flying heavies or an LGD-6D (Large Gray Desk - 6 Drawer). Flying fighters is a tough business but these women are some real stars. Then there is my wife, a teacher who faces battlefield conditions every day of the week in her classroom. She is a very remarkable person and I am lucky to have her in my life. She had the fortitude to press on while I was gone to other people’s deserts. She worked, ran the family, and had the car fixed (another unwritten rule of nature, when you are on your own the major appliances and the vehicle take turns breaking down) all without whining or running home to mom. Anyone that thinks women are weak and incapable needs to give it another think.

All right, I am babbling, just like Meg Ryan’s character in the movie “IQ” - funny movie by the way. It all boils down to I love cooking, love the interaction on the Blogs, and think it is interesting hearing the thoughts of people from other lands, other states, and different backgrounds. I also love being an ass - thanks for the advice mom!! Therefore, much as church and state, I decided to have assification and food separate, mostly, with the option to occasionally hang the 10 commandments in the courthouse.