Well, we’ve made it. Week 52. Day 365. In a manner of hours, 2021 will be in the rear view mirror and I’m not exactly sad to see it go. Sure, it was better than the absolute dumpster fire 2020 was, but that bar was so low, worms were tripping over it. All in all, 2021 was a pretty decent year for me. I wrote my 100th post in January, I got a new house, as well as a better job; and despite a close call, still missed out on the plague that is still unfortunately ravaging the world at this very moment, almost 2 years in.
Thanks to the wonders of science, Mrs. Sharkbait and I are double vaxxed, boosted, and Sharkette will be first in line once the vaccine is approved for the 24 month to 5 year old age group. Unfortunately, the fact we’re still in this mess has somewhat cast a pall over this past year, and that shadow is extending into 2022.
With that in mind, I’m going to try to be more positive going forward here. Actually, that brings me to a good point. I’m generally a pretty positive and upbeat person, but I had a few low moments and doubts over the course of the year. As we all have I’m sure. However, I think going into this coming year, I’m going to try and just focus on what I can control, and tune out all the outside dumbassery that I cannot change, despite the best of my abilities. I’m usually not a big resolutions guy, but I guess that’s my New Year’s resolution right there. Be more positive and control what I can control for the better, and not spin my wheels worrying about what I can do fuck all about. What about all of you? What are your resolutions? Throw them in the comments.
Apologies for the long winded intro, let’s move on to the subject at hand, this week’s drink! For New Years Eve I wanted to have a Champagne (or sparkling wine) cocktail given that most of you will have some on hand already. Last year I made one too many elderflower, gin & prosecco cocktails which necessitated the old pepper leadoff in that post. After having already made the beautifully simple Champagne cocktail, I needed something a little bit different. Luckily I’ve been sitting on a champagne cocktail for a little bit, and is featured in an awesome book called Last Call that I got for Christmas called “Death In The Afternoon”. It’s an Ernest Hemingway special so you know it’s gonna be strong, and good:
Death In The Afternoon:
1 oz. Absinthe
Champagne or Sparkling wine
Garnish: Lemon twist
Pour the absinthe into a chilled coupe or flute. Slowly top with the Champagne. Garnish with the lemon twist
The nose of this is, bright, citrusy and fruity thanks to the prosecco I used in place of champagne. I figured good prosecco is better than marginal champagne here. A second and third smell revel some light absinthe notes cutting through the lemon and prosecco aromas.
Wow. This is a very different, and heavy hitting drink. The flavor could not be any different that what the nose leads you to believe. The smells would lead you to think this is light and effervescent, but it could not be farther from the truth. The light and bubbly prosecco lead in on the palate is very quickly shoved out of the way by the absinthe bitterness. The fennel and anise notes of the absinthe really take over, and don’t relinquish palate domination until the end for a split second when the prosecco pops back up, before those notes are beaten down by the absinthe again.
There is a bit of aftertaste on this one that lingers for a minute or two, so this is a sipper for sure. Don’t rush to finish this one, you won’t enjoy it very much if you do.
There is this really great quote in the beginning of the Last Call book that resonates with me and seems pretty apt for our current times:
“Until we’re all together at the bar once again, with dirty martinis and platters of cold, crisp oysters to comfort us”
I like the sound of that. Hopefully this coming year will allow us to all get together again and enjoy life to the fullest again. Cheers!
(Banner image found here)
Fuck it’s Friday. I need to go pick up my mail. I don’t wanna!
Hopefully the Cincinnati defenders figure out that just bumping into the ballcarrier doesn’t count as a tackle.
Buttchinski got Saban’s “run the ball, you limp-dicked asshole” text, it seems.
DFO Book Club recommendation “Swan Song” arrived today, 900 pages of apocalypse to lift my mood. Very excited to start it.
Did anyone else just catch Cincinnati’s answer to TAWMMY?
oh yeah, the dude with the placard?
OW-AH COACH IS TALL-AH THAN YOU-AH COACH!
That reminds me of the SNL bit with fake Bush Sr./Dukakis ads. George Bush. He’s Taller. George Bush. He’s whiter.
(there was a 3rd, but I forgets)
How many fucking passes need to get slapped down at the line of scrimmage before this asshole realizes Alabama’s D linemen aren’t 5’7”? 10? 20?
I think whoever wins later tonight will beat Alabama in the finals.
Both teams have punters that are from Australia. That’s Rocking!
I mean, grow up in Alabama, say you want to be a punter? They’ll stone ya for being queer.
Apparently there is a punting academy in Australia that is cranking out good punters
Yup. An old AFL guy is recruiting AFL players to go to the States and become punters.
Which is very smart entrepreneurship.
Alabama brought their punter?!
THEY’RE PLAYIN’ SCARED!
Do blind-side offensive linemen instructed to call out when they know they’ve lost their man, and the QB needs to tuck & run?
Cincinnati’s only hope is for Alabama to keep playing with their prey and keep UC in the game.
Yup. They get bored and start making mistakes.
Like the SEC title game last season. I mean, I’ve seen my cats “play” with mice, every now and then one gets away.
Cincy is lucky Bama didn’t go for the TD. Not sure why they didn’t.
Didn’t want their kicker to go cold before next week?
Happy New Year Sharky. You’re a warrior doing this every week 52 weeks a year.
I’m also dialing back the stress and emphasizing saving towards retirement.
Stay healthy and weird everyone!
Happy New Year to you too!
NOOOOOO!!!!
This game is why I never fought back when bullied in Jr. High.
I don’t kick this close in, especially from the hash. It’s very missable at JV level.
When reality sets in.
which one is Redshirt?
Aw, I remember him from Ghostbusters!
oh shit, Saban doing analytics now
Got halfway thru the 5th word, popped a chub, then was disappointed.
REPLAY REFEREE: That’s not remotely close to conclusive…
[headset fills with the sound of Carmina Burana]
REPLAY REFEREE: On further review, nyalgothetep Alabama! (translates loosely as “first down”)
Yeah, back door cover is my only hope here. Alabama gonna put up a 50 spot here.
Look, I don’t know what you and your wife’s NYE traditions are but balls recommends lifting the covers on the backdoor.
Indeed. Don’t deprive yourself of the visual!
Not to brag, but I have a good feeling—
/is exploded into a cloud of pink mist by my wife’s eye-lasers
Wait, you married a Jewish satellite?
[gives harrumph]
[continues raking forest]
Turn ‘em over here, Cats. Make Saban’s fucking head explode.
https://twitter.com/infinityhowlett/status/1477010175064223747?s=21
Do I spy some FRESH FISH downstream? Somebody get the Clubhouse barrel out!
He showed up looking cold, hungry, and scared. He seems like a Good Boy. Can we keep him?
Betty: “As my final wish, I want this to play on a loop at my wake.”
Family: “We can’t do this.”
Betty: “You will do this or I’m altering my will.”
Family: “OK”
Song playing at the wake-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31GjRnXfUjo&ab_channel=buckeyegirlTD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fpu5a0Bl8eY&ab_channel=NENA
Reminder to pur one out for NBCSN (which also dies today)
Wait, what?! Where is EPL going to go?
USA network (also owned by NBC). Same broadcast crew, the streaming still on Peacock. Spotlight dance still on big NBC.
Thank Christ.
yeah, the rights were up to bid after this season, but thank fuck NBC won it
Reminder – JV WKRP’s placement kicker is turrible
Another great read!
Happy new year sharkbait!
IFC shows titties. I know what I’m watching on the main screen.
Fuck killed Betty White? I know she was 99, but she looked in good health! I hope Ron DeSantis dies and knocks her off the front page. Hotdog fingered cocksucker.
She died from being 99.
Twitter currently has “Queen Elizabeth” and “Harry Kissinger” trending as people wonder why they weren’t struck down instead.
I think 2021 wanted to clear the books and give 2022 a clean start. And I don’t think anybody will be terribly sad if 2022 claims a war criminal or two.
Can Cincy keep this under +13.5 going toe-to-toe with these malignant hillbillies?
I think they could backdoor it (PHRASING) late. Saban will want to keep his starters fresh for the real game.
Excellent point. Hadn’t even considered that.
if I wager further today, it be MICH moneyline
Already fucked that up. Took GA & Over. Always hated big 10 teams vs SEC.
Malignant Hillbillies is the name of my Kid Rock cover band!
WHOA, that’s an insult to hillbillies. And cancer.
How about Inbred Nazis?
I was going to do it anyway, but masturbating to topless women on playing cards from the 1940’s will take on special meaning today now that I’ve learned of Betty White’s passing.
Apparently, there is another Brad at my office now, in finance or some shit. I get a bewildering, no context e-mail about once every 2-3 weeks, my brain spins for 5 minutes before I realize “oh wait, this ain’t for me.”
How do y’all with MOAR common Christian names handle this shit?
I legally changed my name to D’Brickashaw.
I ignore all emails sent to me. If it’s important someone will call.
Road Trip is on IFC. I suggest Redshirt start watching that.
Especially since I have a feeling Michigan wins the nightcap. Rise above teh rage, Magical Pony!
I definitely like the points. (RUN DON’T WALK TO BET ON GEORGIA)
Makes me feel better about how badly I’m aging. I’m pretty sure I’m older than Axl.
Yeah, Axl has aged like a fine Scottish terlet.
Like a gallon of milk left next to a radiator.
Can’t wait to try this. Happy new year sharkbait !
Early guess at the Saban gameplan – control the clock, wear the defensive front out.
10 straight runs to start the game. Me thinks Hippo is onto something here.
NC State runs that same 3-3-5 (has for like 4-5 years, maybe), this season was the first that opponents didn’t run through our front like a chainsaw through butter.
Oh no, PAC 12 ref?
This is going to be a disaster.
I live by the motto: Control what you can control and don’t worry about what you can’t.
We often have logistics issues (a driver calls in sick) that messes with our delivery sked and I have to repeatedly tell the guy that oversees such things to not fuss about it. Move on, and come up with a plan-are you going to make the driver ‘not sick’ by worrying about it?
Exactly. My job is in construction and unforeseen shit happens all the time. You have to roll with it and have backup plans.
Bitching and worrying doesn’t solve problems.
Alright, JV Redshirts. We’re all with yinz this last afternoon of this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CNPR2qNzxk&ab_channel=GunsN%27Roses-Topic
Wrong song!
University of Cincinnati Bearcats Fight Song “Cheer Cincinnati” – YouTube
Wrong Song!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgrVP_J0BHk&ab_channel=twian28
Well, everyone says it will make a miracle for Cincinnati to defeat Alabama. Well, Cincinnati is the city where pigs fly in May and where turkey sadly don’t fly in November.
It would be fantastic if Cincy U unveiled some oddball set of plays and called it “The Venus Flytrap Offense”.
Man that is dark, but appropriate.
Cheers
Which one is Woody?
Huge cheers!
NO, NOT BETTY WHITE!!!
RIP to a 99 year old legend.
2021 not going out without wrecking as much damage as possible.
Sonofabitch.
Goddamnit, when I said “Death to the Whites” at our last ANTIFA meeting this isn’t what I meant!
But seriously that is a bummer. She was great.
My wife is now depressed as all hell, (well, more so than usual from being married to yours truly), but let’s face it, 99 is a hell of a run and she seems to have kept her wits about her to the end. We should all be so lucky.
Her 100th Birthday would have been Jan 17th. Goddammit. She was quite the broad, and I mean that in the best sense of the word!
No resolutions; still keepin’ it at counting my blessings. For example, a lazy afternoon at Little ‘Murika (aka, Rincón, PR, where English is frequently overheard anywhere).
Ok, one resolution: only raise my voice in joy or laughter—never in anger, annoyance, disgust, frustration, etc. etc. And one wish: that the Real World bring me as much joy snd laughter than you fucken maniacs.
You misspelled “sand laughter” which I don’t know what that is but it sounds nice.
Can’t spell “manslaughter” without “laughter”
Do you think “le manslaughter” is a crime in France? And do you think it’s the same as in the United States (killing someone) or is it for not taking the race seriously enough?
No, that’s LeMans Laughter. Even if nothing is funny about this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkcGPf-fLV0
Upon further review, I think I’ll stick with absinthe washing drinks, like a Sazerac
I do appreciate that absinthe is a lovely color, but that’s more of a reason for leaving it on the shelf to look pretty than for drinking it.
To help on the optimism front, I would argue omicron is actually a good thing. The evidence is getting pretty strong that it is milder and causes less lung damage than other variants, and being more contaigious means it can out compete delta and make the more severe strains far less common. This is how we end up with something endemic that causes some deaths each year but is tolerable enough to relax restrictions. While covid is nothing like the flu, omicron is a big step towards its impact on everyday life becoming flu-like, which is the only way the pandemic can end at this point
Yeah. Every day that goes by where we don’t see vaccinated people in the hospital due to omicron makes me more optimistic that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. As to its effect on the willfully unvaccinated…eh, who cares. Fuck ’em. They’re dead to me anyways.
Mrs. Cola works at the hospital here in Texas Canadia and 0 people in the ICU have been vaxxed. The Conservative government here is killing their own. If you fuck around you will find out.
Getting together in person with booze and snacks sounds amazing.
Absinthe is a great way to block out the real world!
I have a small bottle of absinthe that has lasted me a couple of years, because I mostly use it to rinse the glass when making a sazerac.
Try it with rye, sweet vermouth, and cherry heering for a Remember the Maine.
And you don’t even need two cherry heerings for that one.
I did make one of those when I acquired cherry heering earlier this year. Had forgotten it used absinthe.
I’m lost, I’m cold, and I can’t even make a ‘Remember the Maine’ because BFC doubled up on the cherry heering on his!
Looking forward to the annual NYE/NYD tradition of news sites publishing “how to cure a hangover: myths and facts” articles. It’s so adorable that the casual drinkers need that information, but only once a year. Less adorable is that these articles always feel obliged to conclude with a schoolmarmish “of course, the best cure is prevention: don’t overindulge!” I’m actually not a big NYE party guy these days (even pre-COVID), but fuck that kind of prudery just on general principle.
If you’re (not you, Dunstan) 40+ and still make a huge deal out of NYE I am going to judge you harshly. Any sane, rational person will have been beaten down by the prospect of another year on the way at this point.
Even in my misspent youth, I mainly liked NYE because it was when everybody partied. Fresh blood!
When I was a student, the “new year” was the academic year, not the calendar one.
Fresh blood. Fresh meat. Tomato. Tomahto.
Having had absinthe a grand total of once, with a buddy who insisted on doing the whole ceremony, (fire, sugar cube, whatever), I can say with some confidence that I would rather drink pig urine than absinthe.
I have told my absinthe stories here. Never drink it again.
If anyone’s absinthe story does not include a large block of time that one cannot account for, it’s not an absinthe story.