Bruchal.com: Rich & Shannon’s Musings

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus, etc. to one and all from myself, Shannon, & Sasha. Check out our lovely Christmas card:

Elf Yourself!

Last Saturday night, Shannon took a group of her High School kids on a Midnight Run. For those of you who don’t know, Midnight Run is an organization that coordinates volunteer groups efforts to distribute food and clothing to the homeless of new York City and is:

..dedicated to finding common ground between the housed and the homeless. In over 900 relief missions per year, Midnight Run volunteers from churches, synagogues, schools and other civic groups distribute food, clothing, blankets and personal care items to the homeless poor on the streets of New York City. The late-night relief efforts create a forum for trust, sharing, understanding and affection. That human exchange, rather than the exchange of goods, is the essence of the Midnight Run mission.
[Midnight Run]

Everyone I know who’s gone on one says it’s an amazing experience. This is the fifth time she’s lead a run - one of these years, maybe I’ll get to go. I’ve got a few pictures up on flickr that I took helping sort and pack some clothes before the trip in. Hopefully, there will be more coming in from other participants. You can read about her experience on her blog here.

CNET has a story about Barcade, a Brooklyn based bar/old school arcade:

In Brooklyn’s warehouse-turned-artist district of Williamsburg, young hipsters flock to Barcade to sample its roster of microbrews and mingle with the likes of Pac-Man, the Mario brothers and Frogger.

I remember back in high school, arcades were all the rage. Games like Pac Man, Donkey Kong, etc. filled dimly lit rooms and the sound of cheesy synthesized game music was drowned out only by the sound of tokens spilling out of change machines. Well now it’s all come full circle, except now your arcade experience can be augmented by microbrews.

This just seems like a lot of fun, as well as a trip down memory lane. Next time we’re in the city, we should try to go. Of course, now it will end up being impossibly crowded. If it isn’t already.

They also have a Flickr stream and a MySpace page.

UPDATE: I wanted to mention my favorite video game at the time, but couldn’t remember it. It came to me: Tempest.

Shannon & Sasha

Originally uploaded by rich_bruchal.

This morning we went on a dog walk to benifit STARS, the Stratford Animal Rescue Society, which is the local animal adoption place. The weather was perfect and it was for a good cause.

There were of course lots of other dogs for Sasha to meet, including some kind of sheepdog who had been given dreadlocks by his owners. I guess that’s one way to keep the grooming effort to a minimum. (There’s a picture of him on the flickr site.) A great time was had by all, except for possibly the drivers who were held up by the traffic cops while a long parade of dogs and their owners marched by. (We had to cross a semi-major intersection at the halfway point in order to turn around and come back.)

Freaky Dog RoofbeerOriginally uploaded by rich_bruchal.

Had lunch at Cafe Atlantique in Milford today. Freaky Dog “Roofbeer”. Good stuff.

Why?

Originally uploaded by rich_bruchal.

Seen en eoute to the beach on Hilton Head. I don’t understand this. If you’re not going to wear your helmet, why bother taking it with you?

YouTube has a great real-life Simpsons Opening video. It’s shot for shot, just like the animated original, except with real people.

(Via Waxy.org Links.)

Wikipedia has a List of problems solved by MacGyver Such as:

- MacGyver destroys a laser array using binoculars and cigarettes
- MacGyver plugs a sulfuric acid leak with chocolate.
- MacGyver builds a telescope using a newspaper, a magnifying lens, and a watch crystal

(via Wikipedia)

Me

Originally uploaded by rich_bruchal.

We recently got a new iMac at work. In case you didn’t know, they come with built in iSight cameras and a little app called “Photobooth”, which is has a bunch of funhouse style distortion effects.

We set up the screen saver to display its collection of distorted photos

Almost everyone who’s passed by this machine has gotten sucked in by these pictures and has taken a few of their own. The collection currently stands at close to 50 and is still growing.

Here’s one of me.

Back in December,’James Yu over at Slashfood posted about the Black and White
cookie, made famous by the’Seinfeld episode ‘The Dinner Party.’ Readers gave their own opinions
on the origin of the cookie.’

Now The Philadelphia Daily News not only has a little history on the cookie, but they also give the recipe for the ultimate Black &
White’cookie. In case you’re’throwing your own Seinfeld related party. (Of course,’you can always order them online if you’re too busy to make them
yourself.)’Make sure you wear your manssiere and bring some chocolate babka’for your hosts.’

[via TV Tattle]

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Black and Whites are my favorite cookie. I’ll often get one downstairs at Grand Central on the way into the city.

(Via TV Squad.)