I smoked a sirloin tip roast last Sunday afternoon that turned out pretty darned tasty if I do say so. Just under three hours with Uncle Jammy’s River City Rub. The only thing I would have done differently is to cook it just a little longer or a little hotter. I was aiming for medium but it ended up juuuust medium-rare. That’s not a huge issue for me because I like most beef cuts to be cooked in that range. But Diana prefers medium-well as does Youngest Daughter. I told them I wouldn’t be offended if they zapped their servings to get them a little more done, but they liked them just the way they were.
The common recommendation for a sirloin roast is to reverse-sear it, and I hauled out the cast-iron skillet to try that. I didn’t get the crust that’s expected though, which may have been a heat issue in the skillet. I used the side burner on the grill (for the first time) and I’m not sure I got the skillet hot enough. Maybe next time.
I’m still undecided about smoking the Thanksgiving turkey, too. We’ll be in Hawaii the week before the holiday which could make things kind of hectic. Plus, Number Two Son and his wife just bought a house so I’m not sure if they’ll be doing dinner there or not. I’m not convinced my smoker is big enough to do the 20-pound bird I usually cook, either. I’ve considered doing a slightly smaller bird and adding a ham or a separate turkey breast. It all depends on our headcount though.
What’s next for the smoker? Aldi had duck on sale this week…
I worked my last day at the Day Job Friday. When I put in my notice, my boss mentioned that the position I’d applied and been rejected for was opening up again. She asked me if I wanted her to go to bat for me, and I briefly considered it. But the person who shot me down last time is still capable of shooting me down again. Nothing’s changed there, so I didn’t really see a point in hanging around.
The freight company I applied for turned me down, but the college admissions position I applied for will be making first calls this coming week, so I’m hopeful. Still sending out applications though.
Reading
The Associate Press had a great piece last week that gave me hope for the future of journalism. While The News Industry Struggles, College Students Are Supplying Some Memorable Journalism. It’s clear that future lies in independent organizations. I think the giant conglomerates will eventually fade away.
Sports Illustrated shared this article as part of their ongoing coverage of the Michigan scouting controversy. It’s rarely a good thing when the word “manifesto” is used to describe your writings. Michigan’s Connor Stalions Texted That He ‘Stole Opponent Signals’ From TV—and Had a Vision for the Wolverines.
I still can’t quite wrap my head around all of the accusations against the Wolverines. I don’t understand why someone would take the risks that Stalions apparently took. He supposedly wanted to become the head coach for Michigan sometime after Harbaugh leaves. But I think it’s obvious Stalions doesn’t understand or appreciate Michigan culture. Yeah, lots of teams bend the rules as far as they can, but I’ve always felt that Michigan had a lot of integrity toward the game.
I think in the end, this isn’t going to be the death of Michigan Football that so many expect or are clamoring for. I’m sure that Stalions is done in the collegiate football world. I can see UM paying a fine, too. I don’t expect wins to be vacated, or bowl eligibility to be revoked, and I certainly don’t see the death penalty being an option. Could the B1G impose penalties? Sure. But I again wouldn’t expect any such grave penalties.
Will Harbaugh jump to the NFL over this, or be forced to resign by the school? I doubt either option. I honestly expect that when Jim Harbaugh steps down as head coach, he’ll head right up State Street to the Athletic Director’s office.
Time will tell.
Writing
Lifting a fellow writer this week. I’ve mentioned Dean Wesley Smith several times around here as something of a mentor. That word may not be the right fit in that we don’t have that kind of direct relationship though. And I don’t want to use the word hero because that gets thrown so much that it’s lost a lot of its original meaning. But he’s definitely someone I look up to. He’s been in all aspects of the writing and publishing business for decades, and he knows a thing or two.
At any rate, now in his very early 70s, he’s running. Like, running races. He was running a 5k race in Las Vegas a week ago and took a tumble, which, when you’re 72, can be a really bad thing. He shattered his shoulder in the process but thankfully that was the only broken bone. Doctors already repaired the joint and sent him home, but he’s going to be laid up for a while. One of the things his wife Kris suggested we could do to help them out right now is to sign up for their current Kickstarter or Story Bundle.
Folks, I know many of you have written to me privately about Dean, asking if you can do anything. This morning, I thought of something. Dean is our biggest promoter on all our projects and he’s out of commission. So if you can let your friends/family know about the current Kickstarter as well as the StoryBundle, that would help more than you know.
So in the interests of helping out a fellow writer who’s really done a boatload of things to help other writers out, here are the links to the WMG Holiday Spectacular 2023 at Kickstarter and The 2023 Halloween Bundle at Story Bundle. Note that the Story Bundle ends this week, on November 1st, I think.
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