Daniel E. Markle's Blog - Life

Bailout Brownies

syntax@ashtech.net (Daniel E. Markle) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 23:49:00 -0400

While eating at Neato Burrito today I noticed these delicious looking treats in their dessert bin in front of the cash register.

Labeled Bailout Brownies, they consist of a rich chocolate brownie with gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins adhered to the top with a chocolate glue. While eating, the coins stay on the top until their location is reached, when instead of the coin falling off, a hunk of chocolate comes loose with the coin. After prying the coin loose from the chocolate base, a nice imprint of the coin can be seen in the short period before the chocolate inevitably disappears. In a caricature of the real economy, the shadow of the coin is much more tasty than the chocolate within the coin itself.

A wonderful sweet relief from the stress and woe caused by this trying time.

East Pennsboro Water Leaks

syntax@ashtech.net (Daniel E. Markle) — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 09:23:32 -0400

Water spurting out from between sidewalk segments and flowing down the road has become a common sight this week as the local water authority has been steadily increasing the water pressure. The old 70's vintage pipes in my apartment complex couldn't take the pressure and are turning the complex into a waterfront property. As they repair one segment, new ones open up shortly thereafter, often just a few feet away.

First Bicycle Commute

syntax@ashtech.net (Daniel E. Markle) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:27:48 -0400

I bicycled to work today. A 5.3 mile trip from Summerdale to downtown Harrisburg (Pennsylvania), I have been talking about cycling to work ever since I moved in the spring. A series of issues as well as a need to improve my general fitness level so I could do so successfully delayed my attempt.

I am hoping this is the start of many such trips; I want to do this once or twice a week starting out. As my health improves and I get more comfortable biking in less optimal conditions (rain and perhaps snow), I should be able to do this more often.
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Thin Mint Blizzard

syntax@ashtech.net (Daniel E. Markle) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:22:12 -0400

Dairy Queen's Blizzard of the Month is a Girl Scout Thin Mint^® Blizzard. I have had more of these than I would like to admit to this month and still love them. Often with Blizzards they have too much of the featured ingredient and not enough ice cream. These cookies are good enough that I enjoy this particular blend even when it is supersaturated with them.

Generally I prefer hand-dipped ice cream to soft. Handel's Homemade Ice Cream has a wonderful version of this combination, but as I thought they were only in Ohio (which I only venture to when visiting family or camping) I haven't eaten any of it this year. It seems they now have a York, PA location . . .

Chinese 1 Jiao Coin

syntax@ashtech.net (Daniel E. Markle) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 23:01:55 -0400

While ordering a burrito at one of my favorite Harrisburg eating establishments, Neato Burrito, I handed some change to the cashier in exchange for the rolled meal. The sharp-eyed cashier noticed one of the coins I handed him wasn't what I thought it was.

Having never seen such a coin before I paid in more appropriate currency and went to a table, glad this entertaining item came up as a side activity to occupy myself with during lunch. While enjoying my burrito I used one of my ever present internet connected gadgets to look up what this coin was; a 1 Jiao Chinese coin, which is one-tenth of a Chinese Yuan. At current exchange rates it would be worth about one and a half cents.
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Chocolate Easter Egg Season

syntax@ashtech.net (Daniel E. Markle) — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 23:05:29 -0500

Another season of delicious chocolate egg-shaped confections is upon us. Once upon a time there were wonderful ones available in my home town, but they started adding vegetable shortening to those as a filler. That cheap concoction is disgusting, so I have been seeking a better variety.

The wonderful sample shown here is a Peanut Butter/Chocolate Truffle from St. John (Barner's) Lutheran Church. A simple treat containing only peanut butter, corn syrup, and chocolate, these are quite delicious. They are also reasonably sized, a nice side feature for those watching their waist.

New Living Room Windows

syntax@ashtech.net (Daniel E. Markle) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 19:06:38 -0500

After talking about it for a long time, we finally got new windows installed in the living room at Perry View Farm. The old ones were leaking, difficult to open, and had failed seals causing moisture build-up between the panes.

Vinyl new construction windows from Dove Windows (5000 series), these are double hung models that replace the crank-out windows we had before. The additional glass area due to the thinner sides and middle is the most noticeable difference, adding a lot more light and visibility to the room.

Homemade Ice Cream Recipe for 6 quart Churn

syntax@ashtech.net (Daniel E. Markle) — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 16:33:53 -0500

Our family has made ice cream using this recipe for many years. It produces an ice cream with a fluffy texture which is quite tasty and unique but does not freeze well (it tends to become rock hard in the freezer). We have always used a hand-crank White Mountain churn for it. It turns into a whole family activity with someone turning the crank (we make a game out of never letting it stop), a drain hole opener (it is critical that the drain hole stay open unless you are trying to make salty ice cream), and a runner to add ice and rock salt as well as retrieve supplies as needed.
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Wegmans Harrisburg

syntax@ashtech.net (Daniel E. Markle) — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 09:07:31 -0400

Wegmans has come to Harrisburg at last.

I have enjoyed their Williamsport location on occasion, but it is a bit far for me to drive for regular shopping. This store appears somewhat larger than that location, mainly in the Market Cafe section. This section includes a Chinese by-the-pound buffet called the Wokery, prepared foods section with seafood, Italian, and traditional American foods, a sub shop, pizza shop, coffee shop, and a large indoor and outdoor seating area.
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Dunkin Donuts Iced Coffee

syntax@ashtech.net (Daniel E. Markle) — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 16:47:02 -0400

I have been trying various specialty coffee drinks lately, after years of sticking with plain brewed black coffee. Being into the hot part of summer, my primary focus has been trying iced coffee drinks. Although I enjoy some of the sweeter versions like Frappuccinos occasionally, I find them far too sweet to drink regularly.

Visiting a Dunkin Donuts on the way home late one dark and stormy night, to partake of their invariably healthy pastries, I noticed their iced coffee selections. I have found Dunkin Donut's version of black iced coffee fits my desire for a sugar free caffeinated drink quite nicely. They advertise it as double brewed, and it is indeed quite strong, so don't order it black if you don't like the taste of coffee.

McDonald's Jelly Has No HFCS

syntax@ashtech.net (Daniel E. Markle) — Fri, 04 May 2007 11:51:23 -0400

In my quest to avoid high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), one of the items I most frequently consume has recently become loaded with it; jams and jellies. I consume these instead of butter or worse, colorized processed vegetable oil (also known as margarine) whenever possible. I have found quite a few delicious alternative jellies with no high fructose corn syrup (and more actual fruit), but not grape.

Ironically while eating at McDonald's this morning I noticed their grape jelly has no HFCS. A small comfort perhaps compared to the other pernicious items I am consuming on my occasional lapses when visiting that facility, but at least it is something.

Inspiration is Easy; Doing is Hard

syntax@ashtech.net (Daniel E. Markle) — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 00:40:17 -0400

Quotes have been displayed on my Google home page for a few months, but today one was shown which really caught my attention.

You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.
- Jack London

Perhaps it was not what the author intended, but it made me consider the past few years. I have seen, heard, and even manufactured many great ideas; most of which have gone nowhere due to a lack of time and/or effort to pursue their completion. This quote is a good reminder and motivator to push harder.

Duryea Motor Wagon Company

syntax@ashtech.net (Daniel E. Markle) — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 22:35:49 -0400

While taking photographs for the Capitol Centennial Celebration, I noticed on a float in the parade, then on display in front of the Capitol Building a few days later, a Duryea automobile. The Duryea automobile was the first ever commercially manufactured, and it is not widely known that these first combustion powered wagon things were manufactured in Reading, Pennsylvania.

Apparently they had trouble getting investments due to low demand and difficulty convincing investors the crazy idea had a future.

Destroy All Humans

syntax@ashtech.net (Daniel E. Markle) — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 23:38:36 -0400

Upon visiting a friend's house and purchasing a few Playstation 2 games, my interest in gaming is back for a while. One advantage of my on-again off-again gaming binges includes the low prices the games usually are by the time I get back into gaming. Browsing the $19.99 racks, I found Destroy All Humans, a game I had been interested in when I saw it in gaming magazines a year or so ago. This game is every bit as fun as the previews indicated.

Who wouldn't enjoy running around and shocking people with your electric shock gun, sucking their brains out, and then taking off in your flying saucer and using your death ray to level a few cities? You even have psychokinetic powers that allow picking up people, cars, and even tanks and flinging them up and away to come crashing down. The game is very good at adding a comic flair to these absurd but fun activities, with a setting in the 1950s and an outrageous script.

Video Game Remix Music

syntax@ashtech.net (Daniel E. Markle) — Mon, 22 May 2006 22:42:35 -0400

One of my favorite sites to get music VGMix, has been down for a while now while they rewrite the site. I found a new site for my gaming music fix, OverClocked Remix. They have some incredible music there. I highly recommend the Chrono Symphonic, it is definitely a contender for the best music I've ever heard anywhere. No doubt I'm rather biased since Chrono Trigger is one of my favorite games, but I am convinced you will love it if you are a fan of this style of music. I recommend the torrent, which definitely seems to be the easiest way to get it.