I Know This Means Something

I don't really want to write about religion for this blog; I'd rather write about something that I am a bit more certain about. That subject would be the help and support my Mother and Father have provided me with for the past 18 years and the fact that I will have to thank them in a tremendous way someday. They may say that I have repaid them already because of who I have become and how I have done in school and everything, but I don't really think that this is enough. They have been there for me countless times and I definitely wouldn't be where I am today without them. For this reason, one of many motivations to become successful is to attempt to show my parents how much their support meant to me and how large of a role they played in nearly every step of my life. I'll have to show them that the minor arguments that we've had over the years meant nothing next to trust and reliability of our relationship. At the end of the day, they are the only people I know that will have my interests on their mind even before they think of themselves. As time passes, I think that this concept should flip the other way around. One of my biggest wishes is that my parents can live life exactly how they want to when they are older and I'm on my own. I would love to call them in the future and hear that they are taking a trip to the Caribbean or to Europe. If I can be part of getting them to that point, I'd be a much happier person. Right now, I see the best way of returning their tremendous favor to me as helping them get to where they want to be, once I can of course.

Ultimate Recipe

This is the recipe that I use to make pizza dough. I've enjoyed cooking for several years now, and pizza has become one of my favorite things to make. It is a time-consuming process, so I don't get the chance to make it too often, but it's great whenever I do. I would really like to have a wood-fired oven to bake the pizzas, but those are a bit expensive. I'll settle for a regular pizza oven for the time being, I suppose. Here's the ultimate, hand-made pizza dough recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 package yeast
• 1 cup warm water 
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups flour 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

In a large bowl, combine yeast with water, olive oil, salt and stir well to proof. After 5 minutes, add half of the flour and mix well to thoroughly incorporate. Add all remaining flour except 1/2 cup and mix well with your hands. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead dough for at least 5 and up to 7 minutes, adding enough additional flour as necessary to form a smooth and elastic dough. Dough should not be sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled 2 or 3 quart bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, usually at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. and if you have one, place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven.

Divide dough into 2 portions and form into balls. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and cover with a damp towel. Let rest for 15 minutes, then transfer to a lightly floured surface, shape as desired and roll out to a thickness of 1/4-inch. Transfer dough to a pizza peel and top with toppings of choice. Transfer to the preheated pizza stone and bake until crispy and golden brown, usually 12 to 18 minutes (depending on the toppings). Remove from the oven with a metal peel or spatula and serve immediately.

Good Food Review

Last night, my Mother made the best fajitas that I've ever had. Obviously, this was not food that came from a restaurant, but it was very good food. The key to these successfuk fajitas was Rick Bayless' seasoning marinades. We had used them before for just seasoning chicken, steak, or seafood, but we had never tried the fajita mix. The packet takes care of the flavor for the fajitas, but the chef has to add all of the other components. These include poblano, red, and green peppers, all of which are mixed into the meat and the marinating sauce. Of course, this is not where it stops. You can't just take that mixture and wrap it in tortillas and call it dinner. Whenever we have tacos or fajitas, we have to have the real deal. This means guacamole (homemade if I have time), pico de gallo, chihuahua cheese, fresh limes, fresh cilantro, and sour cream. I wouldn't have it any other way. All of these things have unique flavors and, along with the delicious tortills, combine to make an amazing taste. I've been searching for the perfect tortilla for a long time now and I finally found it at Hyde Park Produce. They have a great taste and don't require that you double them up. Overall, Hispanic foods are amongst my favorite food because of the how the textures and flavors of all the different ingredients mesh together. Although I enjoy making foods and seasoning those foods myself, Rick Bayless has created a great product with the seasoning packets. They make for quick Mexican dishes and turn tacos and fajitas into something closer to what you would get from a Bayless restaurant, as opposed to Taco Bell.

King Still King?

When I think of King, I think of Martin Luther King. As th day dedicated to the civil rights activist approaches, I imagine that he is the topic of this blog entry. If the question is if Martin Luther King's presence and impact on society is still existent, there is no doubt that the answer is not quite. Dr. King chose a life to lead that would affect the world for centuries. Every public action and word of his has been analyzed since his untimely death and this is because he was and still is a figure that people look to for inspiration and strength. Unfortunately, Dr. King's legacy has faded a bit over time, mainly for high school students who treasure every minute that they have to be in school. Another reason why his presence is fading is because we were born into a time when the impact of Dr. King's actions had been set in history for quite some time. We aren't truly able to fully recognize what Dr. King did for civil rights because we were not around to see, step for step, the progression of his work. Our grandparents, or parents, probably appreciate Dr. King and the day off much more because they may have suffered from prejudice and felt that Dr. King was fighting for them. The closest this generation will get to that is sitting in history class and learning about the marches and speeches. Fortunately, the day that is dedicated to Martin Luther King, Jr. is also dedicated to service so that we do not forget that Dr. King's main purpose was to create societal change and serve the people. The idea is that he gave his life for this cause, so we are expected to uphold it by serving at least on our day off.

I'm a Shoe

If I am a shoe, I am either a pair of Vans or some dress shoe (maybe Cole Haan or Ferragamo). I would be a pair of Vans because they are comfortable, have a subtle design, and very versatile. I like to think of my self as a subtle person that is pretty laid back. I work hard, but also really enjoy to take time off and relax when I need to. I also identify with the versatility of Vans because I am pretty good at adapting to certain situations. Whether I'm talking with different groups of people or dealing with different teachers throughout the school day, I find that I'm able to successfully communicate and work with different people. The reason that I said that I may be a dress shoe is that I work hard and always try to do things as professionally as possible. I am very interested in learning more about the business world, in addition to learning more about engineering. The dress shoe and suit is the standard for the business world, no matter what aspect of business you look at. This is because how people dress really represents wherever they come from, whether this means from a family or a business. Dressing professionally, when appropriate, is how everyone represents what they have learned about how to present themselves.

Globalization

Globalization is such an interesting topic because it the source of so much controversy. There are several arguments for and against globalization and its almost overwhelming to take in all the different perceptions and form my own opinion on the subject. In "How Soccer Explains the World", globalization is not seen as a great thing. Especially in chapter 4, globalization is almost hated by hooligans such as Alan Garrison. They belief that globalization is what has caused the transformation of the down and dirty Chelsea football club to the uptight, wealthy Chelsea that it has become today. At first thought, globalization means that the world has become more interconnected, which is a good thing in my opinion. Foreign capital can be a revitalizing source of money for a nation or just a local area. At the same time, globalization can drastically change the areas that it affects. In Chelsea, globalization resulted not only in the physical changing of the stadium and surrounding areas, but also in the feeling of degradation for the locals that had supported team years before money changed everything. Traditions and customs that have been set in stone for years have been demolished by globalization in certain parts of the world, and I'm sure that there are many people that hate the idea of change and wish that foreign nations had never interfered in their home. Today, globalization affects all of us each and every day. We buy things everyday that have been produced in some foreign nation and don't think twice about the implications of our actions. This may be because America doesn't have serious roots in anything, but this doesn't change the fact that traditions and patterns are changed (mostly for the worst) when nations interfere in the business of other nations. Then again, how would the world be if every nation had kept to themselves for all this time?

Sports in my Life

At an early age, I took up golf as my favorite sport. I had played basketball, soccer, and baseball, but in the end, golf is what stuck. I have no idea why, at that age, I chose a sport that most people think is extremely boring, but I've been playing ever since. Over the last twelve years, I've come to really enjoy golf, which is why I've played competitively for such a long time. Of course, I've played for the Whitney Young golf team for the past four years, during which we have won three city championships. Through golf, I have been able to travel around the country and meet people from around the world. I've gone to golf academies at Kansas State University and University of Richmond. most recently, I've gone to Disneyworld for a leadership forum (related to golf). I agree with other people about watching golf; watching it on television can be painfully boring sometimes. I really only watch if Tiger is in contention. While golf is my favorite sport to play and compete in, I greatly enjoy watching and casually playing other sports. I consider SportsCenter to be one of my favorite shows because it gives the perfect interview of what's going on in the sports world. I wouldn't say that sports consumes my life at all, but I do like to have sports in my life. Most sports are a lot of fun to watch, and there a certain few that I enjoy playing as well. Still, at the end of the day, golf is still my main connection to sports.