The last time I bought some dress shoes, I went to John Daniel here in Tulsa. About a month later, a seam on the sole of one of the shoes started to separate so I took the shoes back prepared to argue in the strongest of terms how disappointed I was with the quality of the shoes and to demand an exchange for a new pair. I opened the box which the shoes were in and just started to state my case when the salesman (owner?) turned away and went into the storeroom. How rude! I was really going to let him have it now!!! He returned and handed me a new box of shoes and asked if there was anything else he could help me with. I opened the box and there was a new pair, same model, same size. I thanked him and left...a good speech gone to waste.

Not surprising, I went back to John Daniel when a cleaning and polish would no longer make my shoes look presentable. According to their records, I bought my old shoes just two months shy of 5 years ago. Guess I needed a new pair. They had the same make/model in stock and, to no one's surprise who knows me, I got the same shoe again! (The one on the right.) The manufacturer improved the sole (to eliminate the separation problem), got rid of the raised piping and made the shoe a shade darker.

I was so happy that I was able to get the same but improved shoe that I went outside my comfort zone and bought a hip and mod (at least for me) casual loafer. (The one on the left.) It looks better from the side. I didn't really have anything comfortable between my sneakers and dress shoes and this fills the gap well.

And, yes, my pants are normally that high.

Tonight the four of us went to the University of Tulsa College of Law, Alumni Association, annual Chilifest Cookoff. My co-worker, chef Tony, is a multiple past winner and was favored to win again but the judges took pity on the other contestants and let them take home some hardware for a change. In other words, we were robbed! Drew and Will made out better than our team, behaving like angels and taking home pockets full of trinkets and finding a surprising assortment of non-chili food items to stuff themselves with: ice cream, brownies, cookies, chocolate covered marshmallows, lollipops and probably some other stuff I've forgotten.

I haven't gotten the official total but there seemed to be about 35 or so teams competing in the Chilifest Cookoff.

There were a number of student teams competing including several representing various conservative and liberal student groups. Can you guess whether it was the Republican law student group or the Democrat law student that was giving out free copies of the United States Constitution at their table? Hint: it was the group which actually cares about and respects the Constitution and not the group which considers the Constitution an impediment to the implementation of their dream of a government controlled socialist utopia.

Our team was the Beverly Chili Billies:

~ To the tune of the Beverly Hillbillies theme song ~

Come and getcha a taste of Bodacious Chili
Made by the cook of the Beverly Chili Billies
His recipe is full of surprises
With tons of peppers and exotic spices

Hot it is, tasty, Bodacious Chili

Next thing you know you'll be grabbing for your beer
And steam will be a comin' out your ear
ACAC is the place ya oughta be
To sample our Bodacious Chili

Chilifest - 2009
Chili, beer and lots of fun

The Beverly Chili Billies!!!

Have you ever tried to make a Model-T-esque jalopy (actually a 1921 Oldsmobile) out of construction paper and aluminum foil?

I missed last year's cookoff because I was in Chicago. We cleaned up the 2008 competition winning Best Traditional Chili and Best Overall Chili with our Pirates of the Chilibean entry.

I did a much better post explaining the logistics of the competition in 2006, when we won the Tournament of Champions.

I've been meaning to write something about Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday but just haven't had the time. More books have been written about Abraham Lincoln than any other president. However, I think I can sum him up fairly succinctly with just a few choice quotes.

I watched the very well done "Looking for Lincoln: Myths surrounding Abraham Lincoln" on PBS with host Henry Louis Gates Jr. One of the commentators said that it was, "important to demythologize and talk about him as having human characteristics with human failings." I couldn't help but laugh as they (PBS/Gates/etc.) actually did a great job of factually telling about the life of Abraham Lincoln including that he may have visited a prostitute once...Oh, the horrors! My laughter though wasn't at an alleged brief moral failing of Mr. Lincoln but, rather, of how PBS wouldn't in a million years provide the same factual treatment and "demythologize" and discuss the "human failings" of say, oh I don't know, MLK. You liberals...I just want to collectively hug you all and give you a great big noogie...you're just too cute!

[To be continued...]

The fine folks at the Earnest Parenting blog have awarded yours truly the Heroes in Parenting award! AmyL explains the award as part of a project "to highlight people who are doing great things in their parenting." I couldn't be more flattered, thank you AmyL.

AmyL adds: "If you know of someone else who deserves to be part of the HIP honor roll, please do let me know as I'm always on the lookout for more people to honor." Stop by her Earnest Parenting website and if you have a nomination pass it along.

Drew and Will got some soak-in-water and watch-them-grow toys for Christmas. This week's soak-n-grow experiment was the Amazing Spider-Man. Click on "Continue reading" to see before and after photos.

No "shrinkage" problem for Spider-Man!

There aren't many opportunities for Will to get some time in with the "family" iphone. First, I have to be home. Then Drew has to not be hogging playing it. Finally, eliminate nap times, meal times and any time something Star Wars is going on and there are precious few minutes left. I can still remember some '70s round swivel chairs my parents had that I curled up in when my age could still be shown on the fingers of one hand. I wonder if Will will have a similar memory of this chair.

Just some pictures taken with my iphone on a partly cloudy day.

The pictures don't really do justice to how beautiful the clouds were reflecting off the building highlighted in a rich blue background. Either that, or I just appreciate when I can escape outside to go next door for a sandwich.

Of course, I couldn't pass up a flag shot.

Since we're all still feeling a little under the weather, here is a picture from a couple of weeks ago of my better half and our two handsome boys.