Honey-Chipotle Glazed Ribs

Taste - Spicy at first. Some bites were mouth-watering, others were average.

Smell - Muted

Texture - I didn't enjoy the cartilage.

Appearance (visual aesthetics, general appeal, use of color) - Looked very good, could have taken a picture of it and put it into a magazine

Presentation (including degree of difficulty in eating) - Meat easily slid off the bone

Quality of ingredients - OK, the cartilage was annoying. I don't really like Caesar Salad.

Temperature - Nice and warm

Overall success of dish - A little disappointing (6.8/10)

Dream - 6/1

I'm funny when I'm half asleep:

As Kate and I were falling into a deep sleep, I dreamed I was in water and a small fish or two got into the back of my shorts and/or the back of my shirt. Kate says I started to moan/whimper.

Kate: Derek
Derek: Kate
Kate: What's going on?
Derek: I gotta get these fish off my back

I wanted to get the fish out so at this point I stood up (semi-awake) and re-adjusted my shirt and shorts. As I was doing this..

Kate: What's wrong?
Derek: I gotta get these fish off my back.
Kate: I don't understand.
Derek: You wouldn't.

I've got a bad attitude because I'm half-asleep and tired and grumpy and trying to get these damn fish off of me.

Kate says I then went to the bathroom, but I don't really remember that.

ANALYSIS:
I think this dream was caused by a spider that we found in Ollie's bed close to my behind.

Lamb on Naan

Taste - Tasty

Smell - Smelled warm, if that's possible

Texture - Soft

Appearance (visual aesthetics, general appeal, use of color) - Looked comforting

Presentation (including degree of difficulty in eating) - Was pretty easy to eat

Quality of ingredients - Good

Temperature - Toasty

Overall success of dish - Success (8/10)

Strip Steak

Taste - Good

Smell - Didn't really smell it

Texture - A bit tough

Appearance (visual aesthetics, general appeal, use of color) - Looked OK, a bit plain

Presentation (including degree of difficulty in eating) - Also plain, but pretty easy to cut and eat

Quality of ingredients - A-/B+

Temperature - Warm to hot

Overall success of dish - Not quite Porterhouse (7/10)

Porterhouse

Taste - Very good

Smell - Pretty good

Texture - Supple

Appearance (visual aesthetics, general appeal, use of color) - Looked better than in the picture (less veiny)

Presentation (including degree of difficulty in eating) - Tough to get some of the meat off the bone and I had to floss afterwards

Quality of ingredients - Seemed Grade A (maybe A-)

Temperature - Warm to hot

Overall success of dish - Good (8/10)

R&B Ballads - #1

#1

Allure f/112 - All Cried Out

1998

Don't you know my tears will cause an inferno
Romance often fades, why should I take the blame?
You were the one who left me neglected (So sorry, baby!)
Apology not accepted, add me to the broken hearts you've collected

Woo-hoo!: And so we've reached our conclusion with another very emotional song. You might have thought this list would end on a happy note, but it was not to be. Allure and 112 singing about the mistakes that were made in this relationship were just too fierce to overcome.

D'oh!: I'm sure this song isn't perfect, but it's good enough to be number one in my book.

The Deal: Two things:
1) Allure is more than one person?! Guess that's OK since 112 is more than one person.
2) My tears will not burn the pillar.

R&B Ballads - #2

#2

Uncle Sam - I Don't Ever Want To See You Again

1997

Listen to me baby
I gave you everything
My love and my ring
And you violated me
And I don't want to see you again

Woo-hoo!: Unlike our previous emotional song, Uncle Sam goes completely away from "love" in this song. He goes through a range of emotions (shock and hurt to anger and acceptance), but the transitions are very well done. This is a longer song (clocking in at just under 6 minutes) but it's filled to the brim. Can't forget to mention a deep-voiced guy telling the woman in question his deepest thoughts.

D'oh!: Not much to critique. It really is a complete song.

The Deal: Uncle Sam - we hardly knew ya. I wonder if he ever thought of writing Part II, "OK, I Want to See You Again".