Summer Hobby: Cocktails

I have written a few articles on my enjoyment for coffee and cigars and I realized something about myself this summer, regarding hobbies. I really enjoy learning about and investing in hobbies that force me to slow down and think through a process; almost like a delayed gratification. Earlier this summer, I picked up making cocktails and they have been a lot of fun and have learned a great deal about them. I don’t know if I’m any good, but I’m certainly having fun and my wife is very gracious when she says that my gold rush is like the “nectar of the gods.”

If you have the time, you should definitely pick up a couple of hobbies and interests. I think they’re very healthy because they can provide you with an outlet or help you in processing a few things that are on your mind. I am pretty sure there are incredible physical and emotional benefits to hobbies that I am unaware of so if you want to do some research, tell me what you find. But I do know, at least, they’re a great tool and outlet.

So, how did I get into making cocktails? I think it’s a mix of realizing that I like something that slows me down and insecurity. For starters, and I’ve already mentioned this, when it comes to coffee, cigars, cooking, and weightlifting I find a great deal of myself invested in these areas because they provide me with delayed gratification, serve as outlets, they help me process a lot that’s on my mind, and they are interests that I can share with my friends and family. I think cocktails are similar. It takes a little bit of time getting everything together, takes some basic knowledge, and has some technique involved. The insecurity for me came from learning that I don’t generally like to drink whiskey or bourbon neat. Does that make me less of a man? It’s foolish, but it certainly did and still does come across my mind, but as I have been learning more about cocktails, I don’t care.

I think making cocktails is fun and I have been able to share some of my learned skills with my family and friends and either they really did enjoy what I made or they’re super gracious; hopefully a mix of both. Also, apart from buying liquor, cocktail making is fairly inexpensive. All of the ingredients are cheap and can be made at home which was very surprising to me. I think any skill or interest you want to invest in can have a level of intimidation because you (at least I am) can be exposed to the fancy video production, clever filters, and advanced experience and knowledge from others.

FAVORITE COCKTAILS SO FAR?

Here are my top five favorite cocktails that I really enjoy, but am still tinkering with:

1. Gordon’s Cup
A Gordon’s Cup, I think, can be enjoyed any time of the day. It’s a gin based drink with a hint of sweetness and plenty of citrus from lime, cucumbers, and salt. There are a few different versions out there, but this particular one is certainly my favorite. And I’m also not ashamed to say, I really like gin. It’s pretty legit. Further, here in Texas, it’s over 100 degrees almost every day so having something as refreshing as a Gordon’s Cup really helps.

2. Gold Rush
Another sweet drink. This is a whiskey based drink that is, as my wife say, the “nectar of the gods.” The honey syrup compliments the whiskey so well that mixing it is almost invigorating. There is some lemon which helps bring your soul to life on a hot day.

3. Irish Buck
Also, another whiskey based drink that’s really easy to make. It’s whiskey and ginger ale and it’s magical on a hot summer day.

4. Moscow Mule
I just learned how to make this one a few days ago and I have been tinkering with this one the most. The first time I made it, the ginger beer was almost too over powering for me and that was a little too much heat. I’ve messed with it a few times since then and I’m really digging this vodka based drink. The sweetness I use is a simple syrup, but I’m looking to make a ginger syrup to remove the simple syrup and ginger beer in the future.

5. Carreta (Ranch Water)
This is always going to be a favorite of mine because it was the first cocktail I learned how to make after my friend James introduced me. It’s tequila, lime, and mineral water; less is certainly more and this is the perfect drink on a hot summer day, after a long day, brunch, and everything in between. It’s certainly a staple for me and always will be.

I have learned how to make other drinks, but I’m either still tinkering with them for me to find full enjoyment or I simply didn’t like them afterward. For instance, I made my wife and I a Whiskey Sour and she loved it because she digs frothy drinks and this one requires using an egg white so it foams really nice, but I wasn’t feeling it. It wasn’t bad, but I’m not sure that I like my cocktails frothy.

Either way, if you’re looking to learn a thing or two and not interested in doing too much reading, then I recommend How To Drink on YouTube. Greg is an amateur bartender and does a great job in walking you through the making of cocktails; not to mention his video production quality is excellent.

What are some of your favorite hobbies and interests?

The Confessional Taco Podcast

During the month of June, I made a post and released a few details on the start of a new podcast that I’m doing with my friend Serge called The Confessional Taco. I’m pretty excited about this project for multiple reasons and we are stoked to share this experience with you as we dive into the Christian faith from the depths of Mexican-American culture.

The response has been great so far and we’re hoping to have a lot of fun with our topics and the variety of interviews we’re looking at having. For the months of June and July, we’re fine tuning a lot of the behind the scenes stuff like the website, audio, and listening platforms. But if you’re interested in learning a little more, visit the website for all of the details.

Once you’re on the website, you’ll notice “The Weekly Taco” link at the top of the page and you can listen to our 10 minute trailer as we work through some of the details in conversation concerning The Confessional Taco. Starting in August, we will be releasing new episodes every Tuesday morning.

While we work on all of the BTS material, be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook. Stay posted and we hope that you enjoy!

Summer 2019 Reading List

The summer months are right around the corner and one of the things our staff team has been really trying to push is getting some extra time in this season to disconnect and invest a little more time in areas or hobbies we enjoy. For me, that’s certainly a reading list. Over these next two weeks, my family and I are taking a vacation and I’m looking forward to spending some time in a couple of books.

So, for summer 2019, here are the books I’m reading:

The Tech-Wise Family by Andy Crouch
I’m really looking forward to this read. I have listened to a few podcasts review and reference this book. Crouch, from what I understand, does a great job in supplying the reader with hard data along with how he and his family operate when it comes to screen freedoms. As Chango (my son) gets older, Rebecca and I are looking to hook him up with a phone, but we want to digest a couple of practices or rhythms that we may not even be applying.

Rhythms of Grace by Mike Cosper
This is another book I’ve heard referenced a great deal in recent podcast listens. One of the ongoing conversations I’ve been having with staff and other friends has been on the depth and study of liturgy. I think the central piece of a Sunday gathering is and should be the Word of God and I personally believe that our services should be better shaped by the Word of God for the people of God. I love liturgy saturated in scripture, but I wish to better learn how that shapes what we do on Sunday mornings at Storehouse McAllen.

Holiness by J.C. Ryle
I have read Holiness once before and it’s one of those books that should be read multiple times by Christians. I believe it’s that impactful. Bishop Ryle’s classic, Holiness is, in my opinion, the best book on the pursuit of personal holiness. He is both convicting and comforting; challenging and pastoral. Ryle essentially challenges his readers in the practice of holiness as it is formed out of our understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Throw by Ruben Degollado
My very good friend and brother published this book earlier this year and the reviews are astounding. I’m very excited to read this book that takes place in the 80’s here in the Valley. I meant to read it earlier this year, but wanted to give it my undivided attention as he provides so many cultural references like la llorna that I wish to enjoy it at a pace. If you don’t follow Ruben, you should.

The Apostle’s Creed by Al Mohler
We’re kicking off a new series later this summer on the Apostle’s Creed and I’ve been diving into some study over the past few months, but Al Mohler’s new book was just released so I couldn’t help myself to check it out. I’m really excited about this series as the Apostle’s Creed is not only a great and historical creed held by many evangelical church, it’s also a cultural value in the Valley. Also, our graphic designer/production guru, Everett, has done a phenomenal job with the graphic:

That’s all I have for this summer. I’d love to hear what you’re reading. What do you suggest for additional reads this summer?

Saturday Coaching And Your Garage Gym

Over the weekend, a friend of mine invited me out to help him coach a small group of athletes at Bronc Fitness in Edinburg on the positioning and dynamics of the clean and power clean. If you’re unfamiliar with these barbell movements, check them out here and here.

Needless to say, I was pretty thrilled at the opportunity. It’s been a little more than two years since I have coached any group of athletes or ran anything Bear Stout related. Unsurprisingly, I missed being in a strength and conditioning gym and I missed having a group of athletes eager to learn a few nuggets here and there for their pursuit of a personal record.

In 2017, I brought all things strength and conditioning to an abrupt halt in order to focus and give all of my attention to replanting Storehouse McAllen and caring for my family in the midst of a new season. I really wanted to figure out a way to continue Bear Stout, but something had to give and it wasn’t going to be my family and the Lord had made it very clear to me through His word to lead our church by serving them.

Perhaps, some day in the future, the doors will open again for Bear Stout and I’ll have another small group of athletes that I’ll be privileged to coach. I love seeing the light bulb turn on for an athlete or seeing them achieve their goals—big or small. I love the grunt work the barbell forces upon a person and the spin on a good bar is one of the most pleasant sounds to my ear.

Nowadays, I get to satisfy my coaching itch when friends come over and workout with me in my garage gym which is one of my favorite places. It also seems as if the trend of a garage gym is gaining more popularity and I’m often asked what should be the “must have” pieces of equipment. So, in honor of this weekend’s clinic. Here are my top 5 pieces of equipment you must have in your garage gym:

GARAGE GYM ESSENTIALS

1. SQUAT RACK

In my opinion, the best kind of squat rack you can purchase is a yoke. A yoke is going to be one of the most, if not the most, versatile pieces of equipment you can get. On a yoke, here are some of the things you can accomplish:

1. Carries (you’re looking at 3-4 variations);

2. Squats, Bench (any press, really) and Deads: The yoke can be setup for your squatting preference, variations of the bench press, and rack deadlifts;

3. Sled: The yoke already has ski’s at the bottom so you can push or pull it like a sled;

4. Pull Ups: depending on your height and the height of the yoke, you can bust out some nasty fat-bar pull ups;

5. Accessories: You’ll need to purchase j-cups for squatting or pressing (not expensive), but you can always add rings to the yoke to get ring dips or rows in;

6. Storage: If you’re limited on space (or cash), it’s a great piece of equipment that can store your bumpers;

If you have the cash or can save a little extra, I would seriously consider buying a yoke. A general squat rack is great, but you may be limited on what you can do.

2. BUMPERS

I love the sound of metal plates clanging and banging, but for some they’re not as optimal because you’re going to drop some good money and the last thing you want to do is drop some metal plates from the overhead position and see them crack. Additionally and depending on the brand, metal plates can rust. So, in my opinion, you should purchase a set of bumper plates.

There’s so much competition out there that you can find some really good deals off of places like Fringe Sport or Titan Fitness. Further, bumpers were made to be dropped and they may (depending on the brand) last you longer.

3. A GOOD BARBELL

Because you’re keeping it simple, you’re going to want to purchase a good bar. You want a bar that can take a hit, spins well, and is designed for a variety of lifts and lifting styles. One of the very first bars I bought was the Wonder Bar from Fringe Sport and I love it. It’s one of the more economic bars, but it does such a great job and is a versatile bar. A good barbell is going to run you a little over $200, but if this garage gym is going to be your jam, then you want to load it with good equipment.

I’m not saying everything in your gym needs to be top of the line, but there must be a few pieces of equipment that are special buys and a good barbell is definitely one of them.

4. STRENGTH BANDS

Strength bands are amazing because like everything else I’ve listed, they’re versatile. Strength bands help you with everything from assistance exercises, accessory movements, dynamic warm-ups, therapy, and mobility. Go buy some.

5. ACCESSORY ESSENTIALS

I actually struggled to think of the 5th essential because the yoke takes care of so many of your needs. However, here are a couple of accessory pieces of equipment I would consider:

1. J-Cups: You’re going to need these for setting up your squats or presses on a yoke;

2. Rings: Buy wooden rings (they’ll last longer); rings can hang from your pull-up bar and serve a multitude of exercises;

3. Pull-Up Bar: If you’re unable to purchase a yoke, then be sure to get a good pull-up bar;

4. Dumbells or Kettle Bells A good pair of dumbells can go a long way;

5. Chalk: Don’t be the person that doesn’t have good chalk in their gym;

6. Sleeves: Knee sleeves, elbow sleeves, etc.

7. Mobility Equipment: If you’re mobility sucks, invest in some good rollers

There are a ton of accessories that you can purchase, it just depends what you’re going for and how simple you’d like to start off.

COST

If all of this is intimidating and sounds pretty expensive, that’s because it is. BUT in the long run, you’re actually saving a great deal of money. And since I love data, here’s an infographic from Garage Gym Reviews to help give you a rough breakdown of owning a garage gym verses paying for a monthly membership at a local gym:

A garage gym, I think, is the best way to go especially if you have that busy life-style. It’s really convenient and best of all, it’s yours. You make whatever you want out of it with the music set at “11.” I hope this helps you with your strength and conditioning needs. And one last thing I would encourage: be diligent in your research; don’t just listen to what I’ve written here or even the infographic. Find out what you want to do and what’s going to work for your goals.

And if you have any questions on the garage gym life, I’d love to chat. If you need help with a couple of recommendations on equipment, then I’d love to chat there too.

Libraries, Hope, and New Pencils (Volume 811)

Earlier this week, I received the latest Blackwing Volume pencils, Volume 811 and I am very excited! In many other posts, I’ve written about my use of pencils and journaling and why you should have both. I’m certainly not trying to be vintage, but both writing in pencil (writing in general) and journaling force you to slow down and complete your thoughts in a manner that, I think, it more beneficial for an individual. I think we don’t slow down enough. Rather, we complain about not slowing down and then, ironically, speed things up in hopes to slow things down later on.

In short, grab yourself a couple of pencils and a moleskin and get to writing. If you don’t know where to start, check out my list of pencils and journals. Moving on to the Volume 811 pencil by Blackwing, as I mentioned, I’m excited because I love the back stories of inspiration behind all of these special edition pencils.

VOLUME 811

The Volume 811 pencil is a tribute to all libraries and their representation of hope. Blackwing goes on to quote Dr. Maya Angelou when she said that the library is a “rainbow in the clouds” so that “in the worst of times, in the meanest of times, in the dreariest of times…at all times the view can see a possibility of hope.” I think that’s a wonderful statement by the good doctor.

Libraries are certainly a beacon of hope in a variety of aspects; educational and relational. But before I jump in to talking about our beautiful libraries, the 811 has a unique design and color compared to other special edition volume pencils in that it has an emerald finish, a color that pays homage to the green desk lamps accompanying many study tables at libraries. Additionally, it has a special coating so that when you turn off the light, the emerald finish is visible in the dark, reminding you of all of those wonderful all-nighters.

Additionally, according to Blackwing (and I think this is great), the number 811 is a reference number to the Dewy Decimal System:

“The model number 811 is a reference to the section of the Dewey Decimal System that contains some of Dr. Angelou’s most famous works, along with the works of countless other inspirational writers.”

I’m very excited about this pencil and looking forward to covering my journals with memories of thoughts, confessions, and literary processing. Check it out and I hope you enjoy it.

All of this being said (or written), here are a couple of reasons as to why libraries are wonderful…

BEACONS OF HOPE

1.) Librarians
I’ll never forget my elementary librarians’ name—Mrs. Ziegler. She was also our public library librarian in the summer too. Mrs. Ziegler was such an inspiration to me growing up because she always challenged me with different books and showered my friends and i with encouragement. While she didn’t have to, she always set time aside for us in the summer when we visited and taught us about the wonderful world of books. She was the female version of Mr. Rogers. Librarians are a well of knowledge and if you find yourself visiting your public library or if you take your kids regularly, be sure to pick your librarians’ brains. They know a thing or two.

2.) Historical Books
in libraries, those who may have been forgotten in history are still alive and well. Further, books of the past are not simply informative, but transformative. Reading books from many who have gone before us is like studying the roots of a tree. Ernest Hemingway once say that “there is no friend as loyal as a book.”

3.) Community Development
I think one of the greatest thing about our libraries is the programs that they provide for the community. Programs are not necessarily designed to entertain (though there is some of that), but to educate. You should check out what your local library has available because chances are, there are a variety of programs that you could benefit from or that your kids could participate in.

4.) Free Resources
I LOVE the bar scene in Good Will Hunting where Matt Damon defends Ben Affleck by challenging a Harvard student’s intellecut (that he tried using to belittle Affleck’s character) by quoting the same book that he read in a library! Knowledge is power. I thought that was such a baller move:

“You dropped a hundred and fifty grand on a f**in' education you coulda got for a dollar fifty in late charges at the public library.”

it’s what you do with that brain that matters, not where you drop the cash.

I’m sure that I could come up with more reasons, but I’d love to hear what you think about our libraries. Do you still hang out there regularly? Here’s a cool story that I’ll share: our public library closed in 2013 and was moved to what used to be Wal-Mart. Today, it’s considered, I could be wrong, the largest single floor library in the country. That’s really cool. But what I think is cooler is that our old library was later taken by our local Chamber of Commerce and converted into a incubator for artists, musicians, and start-ups. The church I pastor now worships at the Incubator (old library) on Sunday mornings, our offices are located there, and we offer a variety of programs along with our tenant neighbors. How cool is that!?

More importantly, Mrs. Ziegler’s desk is still right at the front.