Can ANYONE beat this FEAT?
Th’ Lip was invited to a Sooper-Exclusive tasting at the Ballard compound in Redwood City, Ca. 20 Bay Area TEQUILA AFICIONADOS gathered together to taste 17(!) bottles from the famous 1109 distillery, home to brands like Arette, Gran Viejo, Gran Clase, Unique, and El Reformador. These boys sure did like their 1109!
Sparing no expense (and skimping nothing on the legwork) th’ Lip took his video rig down the Peninsula to give you all a first-hand look and listen as to how it all went down.
Which brand beat all others to an (almost?) unanimous victory? Which reveler reveals intimate details about their coming-of-age sexual exploits? Which camera-jockey got his upper arm bitten by a H U G E fukking GREAT DANE? (that was ME, folks).
Join the fun and watch along as Lippy brings you all of the intimate tasting details and debauchery that define a Bay Area TASTING EVENT!

While visiting my Alma Mater Radford University earlier this week, I found myself surrounded by business students yearning for “in the trench stories” when I was alerted to the fact that Dr. Nick Pappas was on campus.

I was further advised that Young Hall is currently under reconstruction, and the Political Science Department can be found over at Russell.

I double-timed my way over there straight away.

I could not find his office quickly enough, so Dr. Sidney Peterson (there is a story around this man as well) escorted me down the hall and to a door with a simple poster of a circus on it. Inside we found Dr. Pappas bent over a book reading softly aloud to himself.  There was no computer (he won’t use email) on his desk that (as always) was littered with books (Plato’ Republic? Hobbes’s Thucydides?) and insundry notes of some kind or another. Dr. Pappas must be near 75 now. Dr. Peterson gently cleared his throat and Pappas turned carefully in his chair. He was wearing (what I am sure he would call) spectacles.  When our eyes met his widened in recognition.

I was only just thinking about you two weeks ago. What have you been up to Christian?

Dr. Peterson quietly left the room nodding his head with that rueful smile on his lips.

I stood there for a minute just grinning.

Please sit down and tell me about yourself.

We talked briefly about my work (it seems so unimportant compared to what this man has done for over 45 years), about my girls (and, of course, soccer).

This is a man that flung himself on a grenade to save other members of his squad while serving as a Marine in Viet Nam (See Philip J. Caputo’s A Rumor of War).

We reminisced over “power muffins”.

I am still filled with so much emotion (around this particular trip – but, seeing Pappas in particular). However, I think the important part is I finally had an opportunity to look him in the eyes and tell him first-hand what he has meant to me all these years. What an enormous impact his teaching and lessons have had on my role in business and society. We talked about two certain and pivotal discussions he and I had over 25 years ago; and, another 10 years ago; and, how that transitional exchange set the stage for me and my role in society.

NOTE: It was, indeed, that very exchange he was contemplating two weeks ago.

In any event, I earnestly explained to Dr. Pappas, while leaning forward in my own chair, that from the day I graduated, I have worked so very hard to earn my time with him (and his belief in me), and at Radford University, each and every day.

He taught me that it is not about me – but, what I do.

He looked away for a moment or so, and then said:

Well…  I’ll be.  I never thought like that.  I do this every day for 25 years (its longer). Thanks for letting me know.

So simple.  So matter-of-fact.  So astonishingly humble. This man who has transformed thousands of young minds.

He then told me a story about Radford when it was still a College. Some how the topic of John Adams, and then the emerging football team, wound its way into the dialogue.  The relationship somehow made perfect sense listening to him.

He paused; looked at me and said:

Chris, give yourself an Arette (this is a big deal).

He paused, then softly added:

Let me give you the recipe for power muffins.

He carefully scrawled an almost illegible list of ingredients on a note card and handed it to me with s sly smile.

I say chocolate chips. But, I mean a SINFUL amount of chocolate chips.

He (carefully – but nonetheless imposingly) reared himself up out of his chair. I shouldered my bag and shook his hand.

And, then he began to sing me a tune – an old Radford College fight song.

As I strode out of his office he swelled his (still) mighty chest and began to belt that tune.  It grew louder as I made my way down the hall and out of the building.

I will probably work on this post some more.  I just needed to share.

We all need a Dr. Pappas in our lives.

Peace be to my Brothers and Sisters.

Brian Patrick Cork

In this RP, Telcia has just been freed of her oaths and is coming to warn Arette of impending danger for her own children.  She fears the wrath of the Creator, however, as she prepares to break the most dire oath a person can even make… even if that oath was given to a servant of the Shadow, Rasputin. 

The silver thread cut through the air again, but this time creating a doorway from Tar Valon, not to it. The doorway was created in an location that was designated some time ago for such things. Safely far away from any homes or businesses where it was very unlikely anyone would be hurt by the weave that literally cut a hole through reality for the Channeler to walk through.

The door was smaller than she normally made, mostly because she was still tired and hungry and emotionally shaken. The foretelling had been a lot on it’s own, being assulted by a woman in the presence of the Amyrlin, that had been another thing entirely. Of course that was to say nothing of the many other emotions that came to her any time she saw … no, not home… the White Tower. Home was somewhere else now and forever.

Even though Telcia hadn’t worn her shawl in years, today she felt the lack of it’s weight. Perhaps it was the lightness of her skin and less silvered hair, she could not be sure… but it’s absence was noted and keenly. She wanted to cry, in some ways, and dance in others. The mix of emotions was confusing enough to stop most grown men and make them sit down a while, but Telcia kept moving because lives were on the line and finally she could warn her dearest friend of that fact before going home to make up her deceptions to her own husband.

Waving her hand to the guard in the distance who had taken notice of her, Telcia picked up her skirts and made her way down the very cold and empty street towards the Stavros household. Silently she hoped Arette would have tea on the boil already waiting for her.

“Telcia Dyfelle,” She stated her name to the guard who looked at her as if he’d never seen her before. “I’m here to see Lord and Lady Stavros, are they inside?”

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