Chocolate

Well, I can safely say that I am not alone in my affinity for eating good chocolate. First off, like the morels that I will discuss at a later time, I love truffles...mmmm, soft, creamy goodness [yes, again said in a Homer Simpson voice]. I also am partial to dark chocolate (71% or greater cocoa for me). Allow good dark chocolate to melt in your mouth and then shift it back and forth across your tongue...notice the fruity flavor? I like that. Trader Joe's has a nice selection that allows you to sample different cocoa percentages of beans from various countries. Hershey's Chocolate World ride is right, it does matter where the bean is grown. But now the best for last...I once had the opportunity at work to partake of chocolate from Mary Chocolatier Brussels. I had always been inundated with the claims of Belgian chocolate superiority, and alas I can attest to the truthfulness to these claims, as Mary's was by far the best chocolate that I have ever had the pleasure of putting in my mouth. After tasting Mary's, I quickly searched the web to purchase a box of my very own, but at least at the time I was disheartened by the $80/lb to ship it to the States (with current exchange rates it is probably even worse).

Searching for Treasure

In this category, I have three main activities that I enjoy: researching genealogy, geocaching, and metal detecting.

As you can tell from my reading list on the sidebar, you can probably rightly conclude that I am fond of history. This either fuels or is a result from my love of genealogy. Not only do I love getting to know my ancestors, who obviously preceded me, but I love solving mysteries (which means I would be glad to help you with your family research too.) I use and create various analytic tools to solve my family mysteries, greatly aided by the Internet. For example, I take old maps that I find online and use the image overlay function in Google Earth to map out where my people lived, worked, and played. This has helped solve a few mysteries, plus it looks cool. I also highly recommend Live Local as it has Bird's Eye view maps, and don't forget Google's street level maps.

Geocaching is another fun event. Basically, you get coordinates to caches (usually ammo boxes with a log book and prizes). You then use a GPS device to get you to where it is hidden. You sign the logbook, leave a prize and take a prize (if available and desired). I like this activity, because I can spend time with my family and enjoy the outdoors, not to mention the thrill of pretending to be a pirate in search of a hidden booty. I use my Palm TX with a Holux GPS bluetooth receiver and CotoGPS software. Go to http://www.geocaching.com/ to get started.

Finally, metal detecting is something I just recently started. Similar to geocaching it is fun to spend time outdoors with the family, and who knows you might find something of value. So far, I have mostly found quarters of recent mintage, but the most exciting item has been (no, not the 1980s Pepsi can) an Australian two dollar coin, of course it was less exciting when I fully unearthed it and discovered it really wasn't a gold coin, merely "golden." I use a Bounty Hunter Tracker IV, which seems to work well for me so far.

Sweet Nectar

Some people think that my religion is too restrictive on what I can drink...but there are so many wonderful (non-alcoholic, non-coffee, non-tea) dinks available. I fondly call them "sweet nectar." At the top of my list of sweet nectars would have to be Melon (Honeydew) Soda, Melon Boba (aka Bubble Tea or Pearl Milk Tea, minus the tea for me), and Julmust (thanks Ikea and Jungle Jims for supplying it.) Besides the Boba, which I prefer in smoothie form, I am guessing my fondness for melon soda and Julmust stems largely from the fact that they are rare treats due to availability.

I first had melon soda during my mission to Japan (Fanta was a big producer in Japan, so why can't Coca Cola bring it here!) I can sometimes find a barely adequate version at a local Korean or Chinese store, and if I am lucky I can find a good melon syrup to mix my own.

Julmust is a Swedish soda available at Christmas and at Easter, but it is called Paskmust at Easter (Hint: Jul=Christmas, Pask=Easter). Anyway, I was first introduced to it at Ikea, as I am always looking for another good sweet nectar. It had an unsual taste, one that was unfamiliar to me...low and behold it contains hops and malt extracts. So I am very glad I don't drink alcohol...I already have enough of a "beer belly" without it.

Ok, back to Boba. I can have this more often as I can easily get the powder flavoring, tapioca, etc. to make it myself, plus there are lots of Asian restaurants, stores, and mall kiosks that can serve me up some of this "sweet, sweet [said in a Homer Simpson voice of course] nectar." When I went home to Cincy a couple of years ago, I was happy to find a Boba stand at Cincinnati Mills, but it was gone the last time I was in town. So please, if you know, where can I get Boba in Cincy, let me know. Anyway, back to what it is: Basically a smoothie made from milk, ice, and flavoring poured over syrup soaked tapioca balls (of the big variety) that you suck up through an over-sized straw. It is fun to drink, but be careful not to choke. Also, if you don't want tea in it, be sure to ask them not to add it.

If you have an unusual sweet nectar you think I would like, please let me know!

Symphony

While my interest in rugby may cause some to question my civility (which wouldn't bother me...hey, I'm laid-back, not much does), to prove how dynamic my personality is...the music I most listen to now is Classical and Baroque. In fact, I would dare say that I am a bigger fan of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) than I am the Reds or Bengals. Don't get me wrong, I still love my Techno, Eurobeat, and the likes, but a good symphonic piece can't be beat. Included in this mix of course is the more modern pieces heard in the movies, like the scores of Harry Potter and Star Wars.

One of the big things I miss about Cincy is being able to go see a world class symphony at budget ticket prices.

Cincinnati's Music Hall

Sports

Like most men, I enjoy sports. As far as organized sports I participated in, I played football from age five to 18, and during that same time period I mixed in some baseball, basketball, and wrestling. I unfortunately I suffered burnout with football and chose not to play in college, using the excuse that I was too short to play offensive tackle for a Division I school. (Note: Have you ever measured your wingspan, from middle finger to middle finger? Almost always this is how tall you are, or in the case of my grandparents were before they shrunk a little. I however have a wingspan of 6'3", but am only 6'0". Ok, so I am closer related to apes than the rest of you.)

Since I have doused the flames of desire to engage in organized sports, I am regulated to watching others do so. I am still a fan of the Cincinnati Reds and Bengals (despite how hard they make it for me), but in general, all of the negative press stemming from strikes, drugs, and violence in U.S. professional sports has led me to follow foreign professional sports, namely rugby. Being of Welsh origin (ok, I am a mix of everything, but my surname is Welsh) I have been following the Welsh Brains, the national rugby team of Wales (the team that happened to win the Grand Slam again this year, too bad in the World Cup last year though. And did you know that rugby fight songs are actually hymns?!)

Breaking through the Irish line.

Rugby: the speed of hockey and soccer, the hard-hitting tackles of football....I must say after watching rugby, I thought about joining a local league, before remembering that a serious injury would not benefit my family. Oh well....