Tech Retraction

Okay, I got everything transfered, uploaded and fixed, so the Midnight Mysteries website is now live and in color. Woohoo (Phew)

Technical Difficulties

Well, this sucks.

I've been working all week to revamp the Midnight Mysteries website

And, if I may say so myself, it looks really good. But you don't know that and you're not going to for several more days because the STUPID, STINKIN' SERVER isn't working right!

Here's the background at least.

Sink or Swim

I don't have any kids of my own- not sure that I even want any, but that's a topic for another day- however that didn't stop me from pulling Mommy duty for my niece and nephew at the swimming pool today.

Both Paul and Allegra are signed up for swim lessons and, since my brother Rafe and sister-in-law Laura are away for their anniversary, Auntie Steele got to babysit for a couple of hours. Actually the kids call me 'Anti-Steele' because I'm such a push-over around them. [Don't let it get out though. It will wreck my rep].

So all of the kids line up at the water's edge because on the first day they are tested on their skills and or comfort level. My nephew Paul loves the bath tub, but can't stand the idea of going under, so he was placed in one of the beginner's classes. My girl Allegra is part fish though. She's not that great a swimmer but she's fearless and so was put into a more intermediate class.

All of this took time though. More time than it damn well should have because the spawns of one woman were screaming bloody murder and fighting the instructor. Now, a person with more than two brain cells to rub together would have taken the precious demons away and tried some other time. But no. The woman plops herself down at the edge of the pool to cuddle the little monsters, who by the way, refuse to stop screaming.

This is, of course, a huge distraction to the other little ones who now all want their mommies to sit on the side of the pool too. The instructors should have told the woman to back the fuck off and take her brats with her, but didn't. So under the guise of handing Paul his swim goggles, I accidentally knocked the woman into the water.

Yeah. She didn't believe it was an accident, either.

The naked truth

I got this story form the BBC world news site:

"A pair of risque Art Deco statues at the US Justice Department have been quietly put back on show, three years after a mysterious cover-up. Majesty of Justice and Spirit of Justice depict a partially nude man and a woman with one breast fully exposed. "

Didn't the Justice Department have anything better to do than spend $8,000 on curtains to cover up the most natural thing in the world- the human body?

What is everyone so afraid of? It's like the whole breast feeding issue. What on God's earth is so offensive about a woman's breast that people freak out to see her feeding her child. Which, by the way, is what breasts are for!

Maybe the real problem isn't the breast, but the penis. Obviously men get so overly excited by the sight of a breast that they get instant hard-ons and lose their damned minds. Therefore the only solution must be to Ban the Breast (insert dramatic music here).

Is it just me, or would the entire planet be better off if the people who own the breasts were in charge?

Steele, who is off to buy some new bras

Alien-ated

Let my start by saying that I don't usually do the alien thing. I love books that employ magic and time travel and I don't mind the occasional foray into Buffy territory. But for the most part, I can't get into anything that shapeshifts or comes from another planet.

I made a huge exception for AWAKEN ME DARKLY my Gena Showalter. At first, my thought was just to read a few pages since my best friend Anna had recommended it, but instead I stayed up until the wee hours to finish the whole book in one sitting. Mia Snow is a real kick-ass babe [it takes one to know one!] and Kyrin is really hot for a guy who has to take drugs to breathe in our atmosphere. Can't wait for the next book in the series!

Not sleeping well always makes me hungry. So after work I treated myself to a bottle of red wine, filets with goat cheese and pasta salad. [I'll run it off tomorrow]

1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter
(5 to 6-ounce) filet mignon steaks (each about 1-inch thick)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces soft fresh goat cheese

Boil the balsamic vinegar and sugar in a heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/3 cup, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Melt the butter in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the steaks with salt and pepper. Cook the steaks to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer the steaks to a baking sheet. Crumble the cheese over the steaks and broil just until the cheese melts, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with pepper.

~*~

1 pound farfalle pasta
3 tablespoons butter
1 pound cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 pound thin asparagus, trimmed, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 cup mascarpone cheese
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the farfalle and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender and most of the juices have evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the asparagus and saute until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the farfalle. Stir in the mascarpone and nutmeg and toss until the cheese coats the pasta, adding the reserved cooking liquid 1/4 cup at a time to moisten. Stir in 1/2 cup of walnuts. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mound the pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and remaining 1/4 cup of walnuts. Serve.

I hate Mondays

Yes, I do know it's Tuesday. But it might as well be Monday since I lost 24 productive hours.

What I'd planned to do yesterday:
Wake up early, run five miles, try to get photos of a guy claiming a work comp injury, serve a couple of subpoenas to witnesses in a slip&fall case, meet with a new client, issue reports to several existing clients, follow an allegedly cheating wife, have dinner and see Mr. & Mrs. Smith with my friend Nikki

What I actually did yesterday:
Woke up late with horribe cramps, suffered through a hormone induced headache, called in sick to work which meant cancelling several appointment, lost money by asking another company to handle the subpoena service, missed a chance to catch the cheating wife, watched 16 hours of the Lord of the Rings (that included all of the bonus features)

What I ended up doing today:
Not running because I needed to get an early start, took useless photos of the work comp claimant doing not a goddamned thing, met with the new client who decided not to hire me after all, got yelled at by the husband of the cheating wife because he followed her himself but didn't bring a camera- that was supposed to be my job, ate microwave chicken dinner at my desk in order to catch up on all of the paperwork, came home and poured a really big glass of vodka

Sanitas per Aqua

"Another Saturday night and I ain't got nobody" as the song goes, but I don't mind. I'm too relaxed.

Mom and I spent the day at the INDULGENCES spa. It's owned by my brother's girlfriend (and I hope someday wife) Santina Otenyo. Tina has the lovely accented speech of her native Kenya and the most beautiful skin I've ever seen. She's a walking advertisement for her own services.

I don't normally admit to doing anything as girlie as lazing around in a towel while floral scented women do stuff to my body, but I really love Spa Day. Thanks to Tina's generosity, Mom and I have made it a monthly ritual.

This time I got the Dead Sea Salt Polish, the Detox Herbal Body Wrap, Reiki Massage and an Aromatherapy European Facial. The best part though was the Vichy Shower.

This thing has six rotating and pulsating showerheads that massage you with water pressure varying from mist to deluge while you lie on a perfforated table. It's suposed to alternately relax your muscles and stimulate your circulation.

It stimulated something, all right. Who the hell needs a boyfriend when you can have shower sex?

My new set of globes

Get your minds out of the smut gutter. I didn't have breast enchancement surgery (Several men have told me I don't need to, so there).

I'm talking about art glass, spheres of hand-fired, mouth-blown molten sand that magically become stunning works of color and form. I collect paperweights, mostly, but also have a few vases and sculptures.

The ones I got today are from the Glass Eye Studio in Seattle. Each creation they make there contains ash from Mt. St. Helen's. I just bought two of the Thunderstones and they are gorgeous!

Here are some of my other favorite places to shop: Objects of Envy, the Light Opera Gallery, Caithness Glass, Crystal Mirage and Midnight Sun Designs (I'm partial to the name!). Just in case you want to get me something for my next birthday. Or for Christmas or Valentine's. Or for no reason at all.

Know when to hold 'em

The World Series of Poker began on June 2 at the Rio. Today's event is No Limit Texas Hold 'Em. Players buy in at $5k and stay at the table until they lose it all- in tournament play, you can't cash out your winnings and buy more chips to stay in the game.

For those of you who have been living under a rock and don't obsess about the shows on The Travel Channel or ESPN, here's how the national poker craze is played: Players receive two cards face down, followed by a round of betting. After the first round of betting, three cards are "flopped" face up in the middle of the table and are used as community cards, meaning that every player can use the cards in the middle, as well as their hole cards, to make a hand.

After the second round of betting, the fourth card (called the "turn") is placed face up in the middle. After the third round of betting, the fifth card and final card (called the "river") is placed face up in the middle. Then the fourth, and final, round of betting occurs. With all the cards out, each player tries to make their best five-card poker hand using the five community cards and the two cards in their hand.

Me, I'm not good enough for this level of gambling. But I am good enough, along with my girlfriends Nikki and Anna, to handle my brother Joey and his friends at our monthly poker night. Should be a good one- I'm feeling lucky.

Buon compleanno a te

Sundays mean family and food, wine and whining, love and laughter, arguments and a game of canasta. Today was a special Sunday- my father's 70th birthday.

In addition to myself and my parents Paolo and Vivian, my brother Joey and his girlfriend Santina, my brother Rafe and his wife Laura and their kids Paul and Allegra, Uncle Vinnie and his lady friend Evelyn, Uncle Tony and Aunt Gina and my cousins, a ton of Dad's friends came over, filling the house with food and noise and more food and gifts and food. We started eating anti pasti at 1:00 and Mama didn't serve the pan di Spagna and gelato until after 7. I probably gained ten pounds today.

Long ago, it was feared that evil spirits were attracted to people on their birthdays. In order to ward them off, family and friends would gather around the birthday person to protect them and bring them good thoughts and wishes. When the candles were blown out, the thought was that the smoke carried the birthday wishes to the heavens to be granted.

Happy Birthday, Dad. May all of your wishes come true.

Workin' for the weekend

It's Friday which means I'll be tending bar at my dad's restaurant, Mezzanotte's. (It's on South Maryland Parkway, across from the UNLV campus if you want to stop by for a drink and a bite to eat. I recommend the crab and mushroom ravioli.) I help out on weekends since I don't have a love life to speak of, much to my mother's disappointment.

One of the most popular drinks I've been mixing lately is my own creation, a little something I call

Mesmerize
Take 2 oz of Hpnotiq (a liqueur of vodka, cognac and tropical fruit)
Add 1/2 oz white cranberry juice
Shake with crushed ice until very cold
Strain into a flute then
Add 2 oz of champagne
Stir gently and garnish with a strip of lemon peel

Mesmerizes are blue and bubbly, a bit sour, a little sweet and several of them will eventually knock you on your ass so make sure you have a designated driver. Dad hates when people sleep in the parking lot.

Pool- party of one

Things have been slow at work, so I sent Jon, my part-time secretary... Excuse me. He prefers to be called 'administrative assitant'... Anyway I let him leave earlier than usual and I went home to laze in the 'backyard'.

It was only 87 degrees today and partly cloudy. That meant it was hot enough to swim without having a constant glare on the water. Swimming 50 laps on a day like today beats the hell out of running, which I had to do way too much of lately while trying to serve subpoenas .

Pork refunds

In today's Journal (that's the Las Vegas Review one, not the Wall Street) three stories caught my eye.

The first being the news that I may not get my $150 check from the state after all. You see, after the Legislature approved the new budget, they discovered they had an extra $300 million. (I wish I could make that kind of discovery when balancing my checkbook.) What's cool though is that Governor Guinn wants to give that money back to the masses in the form of car registration rebates. What's not cool is party politics over the issue to pay taxes on the rebate money and the fact that not everybody who pays taxes drives.

In other news, three separate mixed-use communities have been approved by Clark County commissioners. But, ho lookey here, developers are sidestepping land restrictions that prohibit homes on former airport property. The problem? The deed restriction says you can't use airport land to promote a residential development. The loop hole? "Urban villages"- new communities that commingle condominiums, shops and office spacewhere residents can, according to the sales pitches, "live, work and play." Gee, in other parts of the country they just call them neighborhoods.

And lastly we come to this tidbit- a bill creating $2.5 million in funding to help gambling addicts has been approved by the Assembly and now goes to the Gov for signing. The idea is to take $1-2 of the current slot tax from every machine in the state and put it into a pool for grants and treatment/prevention programs. I just wonder how many gamblers have to play the slots into order to fund the program that will help them stop playing the slots?

Steele

Store traffic

It's Saturday, so I went grocery shopping. I hate shopping. I just want to walk in, buy exactly what I came for and get the hell out. All I needed was fresh parsley, ripe peaches, a pound of Tilapia from the seafood counter and some arborio rice. That's it. That's all. Could it be that easy? No, of course not.

But I was trapped in store for half an hour while people crept along in front of me and plodded behind me and cut me off at every aisle intersection. They walked in the middle of the aisles, or stopped moving without warning and refused to get out of the way, totally oblivious to the fact the some of us wanted to Return to Our Lives.

If these mouth-breathing morons drive their cars the same way they operate shopping carts, I'm stunned that the highways aren't littered with more carcasses.

Steele, who is no longer in any damned mood to cook

Well... Here it is

This is my first dip into the blog pool, so forgive me for not diving in and saying anything profound. I don't do profound.

I will say that a good way to get to know someone is by their likes and dislikes, so here's

WHAT I'M READING Urban Shaman by C.E. Murphy is awesome so far. Great heroine, compelling story, taut pacing. (Oops. I sound like my author)

WHAT I'M WATCHING I am so totally hooked on the tv series 24. I rented the first disc of the first season and haven't been able to stop watching yet.

WHAT I'M HEARING Can't Hold Us Down Christina Aquilera is awesome. Lousy fashion sense until recently, but the best vocals around.

WHAT I'M EATING Here's the recipe for Baked Rigatoni with Bechamel Sauce. I'm gonna have to run an extra five miles, but it's so worth it.

SOMETHING I LOVE My Harley Davidson Softail. Everything you've heard about bikers? Not true. Except some of it.

SOMETHING I HATE I have a long list. But the most recent is dressing room mirrors. What sadist goes out of their way to make people look so freakin' ugly while trying on clothes??

WHERE I WANT TO GO We took a trip to visit my father's family when I was a kid and I need to go and see Tuscany again.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME Come September 2006, I'll be between the covers. My life will be an open book, forgive the pun.