I'm really busy at work. People are anxious to get their tax returns done so everyone's coming in early this year. As a result, I plan to do a lot less commuting between my two offices and am spending a lot more time in our home office.

One upside to less travel is I'm in one place long enough to cook. Last night I made this:

Photo: Francesco Tonelli; Styling: Tiziana Agnello

It was pretty easy, not expensive, and very delicious. The recipe is from March 2013 edition of Cooking Light and can be found here.

Tradeoffs

I was just at the grocery store picking up, among other things, frozen peas. Maybe it's been a while since I've been down the freezer aisle - or maybe I just never noticed before - but the frozen vegetable section is really small relative to the rest of the frozen goodies. I found it a little depressing.

Maybe that's because vegetables have their own dedicated section elsewhere in the store. Maybe it's because fresh fruits and vegetables are readily available (is that even true?) or the demand for the frozen variety is much lower than for fresh or canned.

Or, maybe the demand for TV dinners and  potatoes processed in every conceivable manner and shape imaginable commands more freezer space than frozen peas or corn.

I don't know. I did find more frozen vegetables in a section of the frozen aisle labeled "Natural" which I found a little ironic.

All I know is this: by contemplating the popularity of frozen vegetables I have effectively avoided doing my ironing. I figure that's a win.

BTW

As a follow up to yesterday's story about a winery that plans to age four-year-old wine for three months at the bottom of the ocean, I thought I would mention that Mira Winery sells this wine for $48 on their own website.

The same website describes this 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon as 60% new for 18 months.

Clearly, I don't understand a thing about wine making because they expect this wine to be worth $130-$150 four months from now, according to ABC News.

Ever Feel Like Dropping a Bottle Into the Ocean?

California Winery Ages Wine in Ocean

To be clear, the wine is already four years old and will rest at the bottom of the ocean for a mere three months. It's already aged. But, hey, they expect the wine to sell at $130-$150 per bottle and they're dropping four cases. That's $6,240-$7,200.

I wonder, does the ocean charge rent? Because I can think of a lot of huge business opportunity in the storage industry.

I have a boat. Anyone want to store something on the bottom of Lake Washington? I wonder if I can put a wine cellar down there....

Snively

Farmer's Fight With Monsanto Reaches The Supreme Court

Bowman is wearing a Monsanto hat. It's probably an ironic gesture, but in fact, he's been a pleased and loyal customer of the company's seeds. He thinks the genes that Monsanto inserted into soybeans are just great. They let soybeans survive the country's most popular weedkiller: glyphosate, also known as Roundup. He can spray that one chemical to get rid of the weeds without harming his crop.

This is an interesting topic and one that's worth discussing but I'm not going to do that here. I got distracted by the name of Monsanto's general counsel. It's David Snively.

Doesn't Snively sound like a great villain name? Especially one that represents big corporate interests? It reminds me of the character Snidely Whiplash on the Dudley Do-Right show.

So I typed "Snively" into my search engine and got this.

What I love is that there's a striking resemblance to the actual dude:

Good luck, Farmer Bowman. Looks like you're going to need it.

Breaking News

VANCOUVER, WA - Violence erupted in Apartment C between rival gangs over territory that was previously understood as belonging to the Dust Bunnies by "gentleman's agreement." Under The Bed has long been controlled by the Dust Bunnies much to the consternation of the other inhabitants of Apartment C but relative peace has historically been maintained by a loosely derived general consensus. By local tradition, Dust Bunnies have maintained control of Under The Bed and other outposts collectively known as Nooks and Crannies (which includes territories such as Corners and Chair Legs.)

A rival gang of Sink Bugs has been also occupying Apartment C but terrorized the citizenry by lurking in Ceiling Territory. While the citizens have generally been more fearful of the Stink Bugs, there has been very little contact between the two gangs, each seemingly satisfied with a certain amount of control and autonomy in the division of space.

A recent sweep by authorities of Under The Bed found the carcass of one member of the Stink Bugs ensnared in the strangling grip of Dust Bunnies. A roundup was made of all participants on the scene and an investigation continues. After the sweep, authorities are finding it difficult to find witnesses willing to come forward with a statement.

Authorities also found the body of another Stink Bug at the threshold of Door. Although it has not been determined this is a related incident, foul play is suspected.

When I'm supposed to be goofing off, I work.

When I'm supposed to be working I goof off.

If I could figure out when I'm supposed to be doing what, I'd be in good shape.

(Back on the mainland. Back to work.)

I've recently learned that Häagen-Dazs Java Chip ice cream is a good substitute for Baskin-Robbins Mint Chocolate Chip when the latter is not readily available.

It also solves the problem of what to eat next since it's coffee, ice cream, and chocolate combined.

What could be better?

Stairs

But Wait! There's More!

Raise your hand* if you sleep with extra pillows in your bed, shoved under the covers to prop up body parts that no longer function properly. For example, do you put a pillow between your knees when you sleep? Do you find that you wake up only to find those pesky pillow(s) at the foot of your bed crowding your slumber? There must be a better way!

Now, there is (!) with the exclusive patent-pending Lynn C Dot designer padded jammies. These pajamas are made to order to your precise specifications. They are available in a variety of fabrics and patterns, and styles.

The secret is in the inflatable pillows sewn into your jammies to support your body in style and comfort. They automatically inflate with accelerometer technology so your jammies adjust to you as you shift in bed.

(They can even be adopted for adult situations!)

But wait! There's more! If you order within the next fifteen minutes, you'll also get your choice of Lynn C Dot patent-pending knee rings or shoulder rings - ABSOLUTELY FREE!

Remember water wings? Now there are knee and shoulder rings. Perfect for travel and for people who prefer to sleep in the nude. Just slip on a ring and slide between the sheets in perfect comfort. What could be better?

What's better is the price. For only three payments of $29.99 you get custom, one-of-a-kind, tailor made, accelerometer enabled pajamas with a convenient matching drawstring carrying case, plus not one but two rings of your choice (either knee or shoulder) also with travel case.

Supplies are very limited. So hurry to your phone and order now! Operators are standing by to take your order!

*Do not raise your hand without checking with your physician. Persons with shoulder pain should avoid raising their hand unnecessarily. This website does not accept responsibility for injuries associated with hand raising or any movements associated with any physically registered affirmative responses. Use of the exclusive patent-pending Lynn C Dot designer padded jammies and/or knee or shoulder rings may cause shortness of breath, blindness, anal discharge, balding, and/or death. Please consult your physician and/or attorney before using any products or advice featured on this website.

Two Amazing Discoveries

Anti-slamming cabinets and 3D TV.

I have to say that of the two, I can do without 3D TV. It never occurred to me that this could be a useful invention. Ever. But, quite by chance, I think I saw one. Not saw, watched. I've seen them displayed at Costco, for example, but never thought to take the time to actually watch one.

To be honest, I don't know if what I was watching was 3D TV or not. What I do know is: it was a Samsung, I didn't have to wear glasses, and the images were startlingly clear.

And I mean startlingly.

Imagine if a Bruce Willis movie was shot to look like a soap opera: harsh lighting, hollow sound, corny background music, actors that look their ages. For me, it was far too much information. The magic of TV was gone and every show became more real in the worst way. Good television, if there is such a thing, was ruined and bad television was finally in good company.

Far better an invention are un-slammable kitchen cabinets. This has immense practicality in small living spaces in densely populated areas such as apartment buildings with thin walls in which all the tenants are in bad marriages. The hinges look like regular cabinet hinges but they brake the momentum of a fast-closing door and then finish closing at a whisper. I tried them all in the condo where I'm currently staying and I couldn't slam any of them. Not that I'm a cabinet slammer by habit but I thought this was at least as entertaining as 3D TV.

I don't know how the drawers work but you can't slam them either. They close like the power trunk lid of a Lincoln Continental. Easily ammused? Perhaps.

I have a friend who travels a lot and wishes someone could invent anti-slamming hotel doors as it appears by some force of nature a neighbor's hotel room door cannot be closed without slamming and generally while you are in the dead of sleep. Here you go, my friend, I have found the answer. Sell it to Marriott and you shall be a rich man.

But forego the 3D TV.

HI

Live image here.

Which One Were You?

The iron was one of the original game tokens introduced by the Parker Brothers in 1935...

BBC News -Monopoly: Cat replaces iron in board game overhaul

So if you’re Ravens wide receiver Anquan Boldin – and if you are, congratulations—of the $6,000,000 in salary you will earn in 2013, you must allocate $180,00 ($6,000,000 *6/200) to Louisiana, where it will be subject to a maximum tax rate of 6%.

Forbes: Congratulations To The Baltimore Ravens! Now Pay Your Louisiana Tax Bill

Figures

(Reuters) - As many as 60 students have been forced to withdraw from Harvard University after cheating on a final exam last year in what has become the largest academic scandal to hit the Ivy League school in recent memory.

The class was Introduction to Congress.

Woulda Shoulda Coulda

I should have called my story about that darned argyle sock Dirty Laundry.