Sweep the Sheep!

The CSU Sweep is complete.

Football, Mens basketball, and Womens Basketball ... All won by Wyoming.

We still have some more basketball games - Lets hope the sweeping continues.

Da Bears!

Da Bears took it to the saints today winning 39-14 and advancing to Super Bowl XLI (41)

The play on my birthday. I hope the same defense we saw today shows up because thaat was a sweet performance today.

Cold Cold Cold ...

It has been freezing here in Laramie recently. This morning was -11, yesterday morning was -15, and the other night it got down to -29. It never makes it to 30 degrees during the day. It has been this way for over a week now, and it looks like it will continue.

In other happenings I have the first part of the frame together for my mom's gift. I will post full pictures and explanation when I finish it.

I asked for and got a week of in the beginning of February to celebrate turning 30. Man that looks old writing that number. I am going to go to Nebraska and visit my brother, watch the super bowl (hope the bears make it) etc. The rest of the time I have off I will work on my book, and audio project.

Cowboys Win in OT!

Whew! ...

Wyoming came back from 9 points down in the final 5 minute to beat UNLV 86-76 in overtime. Wyoming is now 2-0 in conference with wins over 2 of the top three teams. Air Force is next, that could be a huge win. Also Taylor's dunk in the first half made ESPN top plays (#6)

GO POKES!

Another Project to begin ...

Man I am starting a lot of projects now - I guess I'll stay busy for a while.

I finally got a hold of a couple of old laptops. I am converting them into digital picture frames. One will be a gift for my parents. It was supposed to be for Christmas, but I didn't get the laptops until now. I am putting DSL (damn small Linux) on them and will have it auto login and start showing pictures. I will post some pictures of the project a it comes together.

Book Expanding; and other projects

As I have been working on my book the project has expanded. I will probably write three times as much as I had originally planned. The first section is almost done, and I will start on the second and third sections soon.

I think I have found a publisher too. I'll look around a bit more before I make a final publishing decision.

My other Project has been moving really slow (My life on a round plastic disc) It is about half finished. Hopefully I'll find some motivation to finish the writing portion, along with at least one more new song.

The New year

I'm back to work now, and its 2007. I guess last year was ok. My book is progressing slowly now. If I focus on it I should have the first draft done within a couple weeks. Then I'll spend a while editing it, then figure out how I want to publish it.

Football was fun last night. Boise St won with a wild finish against Oklahoma.

End of 2006

We'll it is about time to start the final weekend of 2006. Its been a good year. I'm not sure what I'll do to send it off - Probably sleep.

Until next year ...

See Ya!

After Christmas ...

Christmas is over - It was an OK time - Nice to have a day off at least. but it is back to work now.

I though of a little project to work on - A short book of sorts - I may start writing it soon.

Computer is Back ... and a surprise

My computer is all finished and working fine again. It didn't take long to rebuild.

I also received a surprise today at work - In the form of a promotion. I am now an Information Technology Analyst. Along with the new job title comes a nice raise, which is appreciated, and deserved.

Computer Rebuild

My computer has slowed enough that it is time for me to format and rebuild again. I seem to do that every 6 months to a year.

As soon as my install files finishing copying to my USB key I'll reformat and say goodbye. I hope to have it up and running later today.

My 100th Post

This is my 100th blog post. Nothing too exciting to report.

Concert news:
The dropkick Murphy's are touring outside of Boston finally. They will be playing the fillmore at Denver on March 7th 2007. Tickets go on-sale tomorrow.

The bears are 11-2 now, and playing well. Hopefully the QB position will get better, and they'll get to the super bowl.

Review of Lovejoy's Bar and Grill

Lovejoy’s bar and grill is a small restaurant and bar located in downtown Laramie at 101 Grand Avenue. When we stopped by Lovejoy’s on a Friday evening it was very full. Despite being full we only had about a 15 minute wait to be seated.

The restaurant was very clean, and nicely decorated with local sports photos. They also have a large screen TV to watch games on, and several TV’s at the bar. The atmosphere was vibrant. It felt like we were at “the place to be” that night. The restaurant was filled with young people in their 20’s and 30’s with a mixture of singles, couples, and the occasional child. The restaurant was a bit noisy, including some music coming from a stereo system, but no one seemed to mind. It appeared that everyone was having a good time.

Lovejoy’s features several types of burgers, sandwiches and wraps. The menu also has a few Mexican and Italian style dishes. Prices range from $7.00 to $13.00. They also feature a full bar, and several brews on tap. One of the things I had heard about Lovejoy’s was that they have great burgers, so I had to try one.

I had the Lovejoy’s burger. A ½ lb burger topped with apple wood smoked bacon, pepper jack cheese, and guacamole. It is served with choice of sides. The burger lived up to its reputation. It is by far the best burger I have had anywhere in Laramie. It was juicy and very flavorful, not to mention very filling. The others in my group were all very satisfied with their dinner choices as well, and no one was left hungry.

Because the restaurant was so full I though that maybe our service would suffer a bit, but I was once again surprised by Lovejoy’s. The service was prompt, friendly, and our drinks never seemed to empty.

If you are looking for excellent food, with good sized portions, a fabulous atmosphere, and want to hangout with a younger crowd, then Lovejoy’s is perfect. If you would like to try Lovejoy’s with a bit less commotion, then stop by for lunch some day when it isn’t quite as happening as it is on the weekends; but definitely make a stop to this local favorite.

Service: 23
Atmosphere: 23
Food: 24
Experience: 24

S.A.F.E. Score: 94

S.A.F.E. Score explained:
Each restaurant is rated in four categories with a possible 25 points available in each. Service rates how friendly the staff was, how long it took to get seated and order, were drinks refilled promptly, etc. Atmosphere covers the look, feel, and sounds of the establishment. The Food rating is based on taste, satisfaction, and portion size. The experience score is the overall experience of the restaurant and includes items that don’t fit into other categories such as value. The total of those categories is the S.A.F.E. score. The higher the score the more “SAFE” it is to say you’d enjoy that restaurant.

No posts in a month

Sorry about no posts. I've been busy. I do have two more restaurant reviews to post sometime - so be on the lookout for those.

Review of El Conquistador

El Conquistador is located in downtown Laramie next to the buckhorn bar at 110 E Ivinson. Upon entering you notice the colorful walls, dimly lit décor, and well worn dining areas. The tables and chairs reminded me of a cafeteria; while functional they do not add anything to the experience.

The menu features a fairly standard choice of tex-mex favorites such as tamales, chile rellanos, enchiladas, burritos, etc. Prices average around $10 per plate. One item that caught my eye was the stuffed sopapias. While waiting for a friend to join us we sampled their chips and salsa, and also got an order of chile con queso made with hot green chili sauce. Even though the red salsa was nothing special the green chile con queso was wonderful.

The staff was friendly and patient with us while we waited for a friend to arrive. They did a good job of keeping our drinks filled and checking up on us occasionally.

For dinner I decided on a chicken stuffed sopapia smother in green chile. The food was served piping hot on a hot plate with a small amount of shredded cabbage and a quarter of a slice of tomato. The sopapia was beautifully crisp and chewy, and tasted wonderful. The green chile was a great addition.

After a satisfying meal we were treated to complimentary sopapias sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and served with honey. It was just the right amount of sweetness to cap off a wonderful meal.

The food was definitely the star of el conquistador and although there were few sides served with the dish I ordered I didn’t find myself wanting after the meal. If you can endure a run down décor and dining room, you’ll be thankful you did when you enjoy the food.

Service: 20
Atmosphere: 17
Food: 22
Experience: 20


S.A.F.E. Score: 79


S.A.F.E. Score explained:
Each restaurant is rated in four categories with a possible 25 points available in each. Service rates how friendly the staff was, how long it took to get seated and order, were drinks refilled promptly, etc. Atmosphere covers the look, feel, and sounds of the establishment. The Food rating is based on taste, satisfaction, and portion size. The experience score is the overall experience of the restaurant and includes items that don’t

Watching the border

I came across an interesting site today. http://texasborderwatch.com/
You can view 8 different web cams and report suspicious activity such as people illegally crossing the border. It is an interesting idea and use of technology. I can sit in Wyoming and watch the Texas border in real time.

My Knee

I hurt my knee last week somehow, and it as been hurting really bad for longer than I though it should. I went to an orthopedic surgeon on Tuesday, and I have some bad arthritis, and wearing of my knee joint. X-rays didn't show any other damage. A steady dose of naproxen is what I've been told to take, and give it two weeks. If it isn't better then a cortisol shot would be next.

So I'm trying to take it easy. Sleeping is the hardest now, my legs just aches enough to keep me up at night. It also aches while I sit at work. I even brought lunch to work so I wouldn't have to leave during lunch time.

In other happenings for Halloween I watched "The Haunting" orig 1962 version. It was pretty good.

Review of J's Prairie Rose cafe

The first thing I noticed about J’s Prairie Rose Cafe, was the name. J’s is located at 410 S 2nd street; the longtime location of Rose Cafe, a small family run Chinese restaurant. Rose Cafe closed its doors last September, and I think it is no coincidence that J’s is trying to use the name recognition that Rose Cafe developed over its thirty years in Laramie.

The restaurant is still in the process of decorating. Most of the walls are blank and freshly painted white; others have a few small pictures hung on them. There were some strange silver-wear and horse shoe structures hanging from the ceiling. The counter seats had been recently re-upholstered, but the counters were worn and faded. The wait staff was polite, but quiet and non talkative. Sitting at the front counter I didn’t have to wait long to get my drink refilled.

The food served at the Prairie Rose Cafe is classic diner cuisine. They feature several types of burgers, fried chicken, club sandwiches, soups, and sides such as fries, onion rings, and cottage cheese. The food seems reasonably priced. One could expect to spend less than $9.00 for lunch. J’s also features a Daily lunch special for $5.99, although it was sold out when I arrived. Currently J’s is only open during breakfast and lunch hours; from 6 am until 2 pm.

I decided to try the Big Laramie burger with pepper-jack cheese and bacon. The burger was very big, and perfectly cooked. The big Laramie comes served on a large toasted sesame seed bun with the usual burger toppings on the side: lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and onions. The fries are seasoned with a type of seasoning salt, and while there were plenty, they were a bit on the soggy side.

As I was waiting for my food I was able to watch the kitchen staff work through the food service opening between the kitchen and the counters. I noted that none of the kitchen staff were wearing hats or hair nets. Seeing this type of thing doesn’t help a restaurant experience.

While the prices are reasonable, Prairie Rose Cafe seems to be lacking in charm, hospitality, and identity. All things it could use to help to make up for some of its other shortcomings. I don’t see myself returning anytime soon.

Service: 17
Atmosphere: 13
Food: 15
Experience: 14

S.A.F.E. Score: 59


S.A.F.E. Score explained:
Each restaurant is rated in four categories with a possible 25 points available in each. Service rates how friendly the staff was, how long it took to get seated and order, were drinks refilled promptly, etc. Atmosphere covers the look, feel, and sounds of the establishment. The Food rating is based on taste, satisfaction, and portion size. The experience score is the overall experience of the restaurant and includes items that don’t fit into other categories such as value. The total of those categories is the S.A.F.E. score. The higher the score the more “SAFE” it is to say you’d enjoy that restaurant.

Restaurant Reviews

I have decided to begin to write restaurant reviews of various places in Laramie. One of the things I love to do is to go out to eat, and I have eaten at just about every single restaurant in Laramie. the other day I was in a new place eating, and the thought occurred to me that I should start reviewing restaurants. Of course I also had thought of Homer Simpson being a food critic shortly after. I think I will put my reviews on my Blog to start, but will create a page on Laramieweb.com to house restaurant reviews to more easily share with the public.

Cowboys Shutout Rams 24-0

Wyoming really took it to CSU in the second half, and now the boot is back home where it belongs. Our defense was superb. They held the rams to -9 yards rushing in the second half.

We need to keep this momentum going at TCU, and get some revenge there.