Can I eat that Almond?

About 3 years ago I purchased a bunch of trees from the Arbor Day Foundation. Most of these trees were fruit trees. One tree in particular was an almond tree.

When I planted this tree it was a tiny pathetic twig in the ground, but it has now grown to well over 12 feet tall and is absolutely covered with peach-like fruit. I am a total peach freak -- they are my favorite fruit -- so seeing this tree every day before and after work is quite tempting.

There is one big problem -- certain almond trees produce a cyanide containing chemical that when digested is converted to cyanide which can kill you!

I have spent quite a bit of time trying to find out if my tree was poisonous or not. I tried to contact the Arbor Day Foundation -- they have no question e-mail -- just a general question form that is broken! Argh! At least I was able to contact them via phone to found out that my tree is a Hall's Hardy Almond.

From what I can tell a Hall's Hardy Almond is a hybrid between a peach and an almond tree that is grafted on to peach root stock. It is safe to eat! So I look forward to eating my almonds! Now I need to figure out how to harvest them! I know you are supposed to let them stay on the tree until they split open, and then roast them. That is all I know so far.

I cannot wait for my wife to make some of her awesome almond butter using our home grown almonds!

• Almond - Wikipedia
• Hall's Hardy Almond - Arbor Day Foundation
• Hall's Hardy Almond - Willis Orchards (good info)
• Gardenweb Forum about Hall's Hardy Almond

School Rumble: The Third Term (スクールランブル三学期)

It is funny how easily it is to miss the release of something you like even with all this technology to like the Web with its RSS feeds etc.

The point is that first episode of School Rumble The Third Term was released in July! I just watched it -- first thing I noticed was that it started as if this OVA was episode 25 and 1-24 been produced and released. There is a short review of the whole fictitious season (based on the manga) and then it picks up (if you are familiar with the manga) right at the end of the walking festival.

I have to say I am very disappointed that they skipped over so much great School Rumble material from the manga. I was really looking forward it to being made into anime form. The leading seiyu(voice actors) Takahashi Hiroki and Koshimizu Ami really give life to the characters. Also animators really add the delivery of what is a awesome show.

Enough of my complaints because I want more School Rumble. The episode it very good! Watch it! I am looking forward to Episode 26 when it comes out at the end of this month!

• スクールランブル三学期 --公式サイト-- (School Rumble The Third Term Official Site

Zombie-Loan back for a second season? Wait no.

I was checking out the new anime fansubbed episodes on fansub.tv today when to my surprise I saw episode 12 of Zombie Loan! Zombie Loan ran for a very show 11 episodes last fall. This is a most awesome anime was adapted from the mangaka duo Peach-Pit. Peach-Pit also created my daughter's favoriate anime Shugo Chara.

Zombie Loan is a awesomely dark anime about a teenage girl who get caught up with two male teenage zombies. These zombies are working for "the riverman" to payback a loan. This loan is for making them undead from previously being dead. Once they pay back the loan they will become fully alive again. Of course as with all Japanese stories it is never quite that easy.

The style of the show's animation is quite striking with rich colors. The color read is always the most vivid of colors. The opening song "Wolf's Throat (オオカミのノド)" by The Birthday is raw and full of energy that really sets the mood for each episode. And the ending song "Chain Ring (チェインリング)" by MUCC caps off each episode and leaves you looking forward to the next episode!

But alas no new season of Zombie Loan -- just 2 new episodes from the DVD release, but I will take it! I highly recommend that you watch it as soon as possible!

• Zombie-Loan Official Site (Japanese)
• Zombie-Loan Episode 12
• Shinsen Subs
• The Birthday - Official Site
• MUCC - Official Site

Book Review: Learn Japanese the Manga Way

I have been "self teaching" Japanese for about 2 years now. Most of it has been very casual, primarily watching fansubbed Japanese anime, and listening to Japanese music.

I have several Japanese dictionaries and other learning materials -- but what I have always wanted was a book that would translate Japanese word-for-word literally. This year I was given this book by a very thoughtful coworker for my birthday. It does just that.

The book will show a panel from a manga with the original vertical Japanese, then it will write the Japanese right to left, then under that it will translate each word literally. Then below that it will have a properly constructed English translation! All I can say is that this book is AWESOME!!! And so is Mike for giving it to me! Thanks!

If you are teaching yourself Japanese I cannot recommend this book enough. Pick up one right away!!!

• Wayne P. Lammers - Author's Homepage
• Japanese the Manga Way - Google Books
• Japanese the Manga Way (Amazon's Look Inside)

Why is Monster Jam Awesome?

It is because of Dennis Anderson and his Grave Digger!!!

Anyone remember TNT's Tuff Trax!?!?!

Here is a video that brings back the memories!

Here is some more great Grave Digger footage from the early 90's

Demolition Derby Time!

I had this week off to spend time with the family, and one of the fun things we did was to attend the Cobleskill Sunshine Fair.

We do this every year and it wouldn't be complete without seeing the demolition derby!

Every year I tell my wife Jennifer that I will enter. This year a highschool classmate Eric Sperbeck was in it.

Oh ya I am so gonna do it, and I am going to do it in style, with a awesome custom paint job. I could do nothing less for a car that will bear the name "Awrecknid" or maybe "Awrecknophobia"!

My wife suggested that a Lobster themed car could be called "Crushstation"!

YEEEEEE HAAAAAW!!!!!