I just blogged all over the place....

I was born on Thanksgiving, so I guess it’s no wonder I ended up having a weight problem as a child.  I stumbled through my childhood as a portly, well-adjusted, blonde, blue-eyed baseball playing kid.  Baseball was as macho as I got.  At family gatherings when all of the men were in the garage talking about the new Briggs & Stratton 4-stroke small engine they just put into their lawnmower, I tended to stay behind in the kitchen with the women folk.  This blog is no different.  Why on Earth would anyone like to talk about leaf blowers, socket wrenches, or the complex inner workings of a carburetor?  The ladies were in the kitchen talking about the neighbors, how screwed up our relatives are, and generally being all around petty, gossipy people.  I enjoy those types of people.  Always have.  Why waste your life in the garage, waiting to find out the inappropriate uses of WD-40, when you can live in the kitchen and eat well, drink well, and cook well…with all of the ladies!  Fellas you keep the macho stuff, I’ll stay in the kitchen with the breasts and the thighs; sipping a vodka drink and finding out who’s an alcoholic in the neighborhood.  This is where my interest and relationship with food truly started.

I use to be a comedian.  It’s not as glamorous as one might think.  It’s a rough gig, but it’s a helluva good time.  Making people laugh, meeting famous people, touring, traveling, and being so poor you have to go hungry some nights.  However, that did not happen that often because I lived in a neighborhood in Washington, DC known as “Little Ethiopia”.  There were tons of Northern African and Middle Eastern restaurants right outside my door and they were cheap.  What they lacked in hygiene the made up for in flavor.  For $5 I could stuff myself with wonderful dishes that I have no idea how to spell.  I got to have a culinary world tour right outside my front door.  It was an awesome experience and one that I still enjoy finding.  Good food can be a time machine.

The first time I met Lindsay I was eating lunch outside at a bar in Clemson, SC.  I was with friends and she was with a coworker on her lunch break.  I didn’t know who she was, but I remember finding her attractive.  In fact my best friend whom I was with actually asked her out first.  Then, on the night of said friend’s birthday we ended up meeting again.  She was leaning against the Foosball table as I shot pool with some buddies and in between shots we would talk.  She lived in Japan.  I traveled Africa.  She loves to cook.  I love to cook.  She is beautiful…yeah, I’m not playing pool anymore guys.  I don’t remember how I asked her out, but our first date was to go see J.J. Grey & Mofro at The Handlebar.  She was late because she had an adult party (wink) to attend, but met my rowdy group of friends and me at the club.  I was already in full tilt party mode because J.J. Grey & Mofro is one of my favorite bands.  I found her at the bar, she scalped a ticket, and I bought her a drink.  Then we stumbled back into the show where I proceeded to sing and dance like an autistic child with sparklers in his hands.  We even kissed on the dance floor.  It was a good night.

So, all of those things have led Lindsay and me to this blog.  She’s a great cook and I’m a great eater.  I’m a relatively funny person, and she’s got a great laugh.  We like to cook and laugh together and we figured, why not document the entire experience?  In addition to her good looks and culinary skills, she’s a talented photographer.  It’s nice to have some quality snapshots to document your journey.  Along the way we figured we’d also impart some wisdom for anyone else who might be walking down similar paths in life.  You know: dating an atheist, dating a Believer, how to break-up nicely and still date, finishing college at 30, where to drink on the cheap, and how to live with massive amounts of dog hair.  We’ve got a little bit of an odd story but as long as the end result is happiness, then who’s to say what works and what doesn’t?  I’m glad I’ve found someone that I share so many amazing habits, hobbies, and activities with.  Plus, our kids* get a long.

I hope you enjoy reading this thing, because I’m going to enjoy making it.

Jay

* Dogs.