Mediocrities everywhere, I absolve you.

Minored in Latin & biology. Bachelor degs anthropology & sociology. Grad school: anthropology & historic/museum admin. Postgrad: Wharton School. Those ways of learning have been central in making me a better writer. But a few taught me to think as expansively as James Burke:

We had bottle openers, pull tabs, and pop tops through my teens early 20s. Also used: belt buckles, knives, lighters. Beer country. I’ve seen boys open bottles of wine with heels of shoes and a cordless drill. Weren’t a lot of corkscrews around the scene. Or wine that needed them

For no particular reason, here’s an old post on gedörrtes Hundefleisch, a Swiss recipe for cured, pressed dog meat, from Calvin Schwabe’s 1979 book, Unmentionable Cuisine: matthew-rowley.blogspot.com/2010/11/gedorr…

This thing is growing out back. I don’t know what it’s called. Google suggests Alocasia odora, but I’m not 100% sold on that ID. Can any plant aficionados, botanists, or gardeners tell me for sure what this elephant ear-looking monstrosity is?

Reading on Mexican cuisine this morning. This char-grilled tuétano/marrowbone from the book Punto MX from Roberto Ruiz et al is a stunner. Published 2018 by MONTAGUD EDITORES, Barcelona. 440+ pages, about 2.5 kilos, ES/EN. A fat book, somewhat pricey, worth every penny.

Watching Werner Herzog’s 2005 film ‘Grizzly Man.’ TL;DR — yes. Yes, he could.

Crazy, huh?

Just a few of the character actors who will always be more famous to me than any YouTube star.

A good 10-12 seconds of walking away in silence passed in the parking lot before I uttered a word.

Male friendship: I’ve been good friends with a few guys for 35-45 years. I swear on my life I have no idea how many children they have between them. In total, more than two, probably fewer than ten.

Outstanding. Well done, Pellicle

Began the night at Bee’s Knees in #kyoto with a round from the menu, then a round off-menu. Wound it down with yakitori and kushikatsu at Akiyoshi Kawaramachi. And a cold mug of whisky highball. Or two.