Root Beer--Bundaberg Root Beer

As a kid I remember going out to eat with my dad. I always loved when it was just my dad and me.

One thing you need to know about my dad is that he’s a creature of habit. When he finds a restaurant he likes he sticks with it for a long time. One of his favorites was Country’s Barbecue. Not only did Country’s have good food, but every wall in the restaurant was covered with vintage advertisement signs. I always thought those signs were so cool (part of me thinks that I was born in the wrong era).  

Besides the food and the decor, what really sticks out in my memory was the root beer. They served IBC Root Beer in huge frosted mugs, and if that wasn’t great enough, it came with free refills. When you’re a kid and someone tells you, “Hey, you can have all the soda you can drink”; it’s almost as good as Christmas day.

I have a connection with root beer on several levels.  Not only does it taste great, but it brings me back to my childhood and spending time with my dad.  I’ve always enjoyed the national brand root beers like Barq’s and Mug; however i’ve found out that high quality sodas  made by independent bottlers have become widely available. The major difference between national brands and independent bottlers is that independents use cane sugar instead of corn syrup.

I’m beginning a journey in hopes of becoming a root beer aficionado. World Market seems to have a quiet a selection of root beer, so I’m going to start my journey there. I’m going to try a new root beer every couple of weeks or so.

              

My first root beer taste is the Bundaberg Root Beer from Australia. This root beer has an unusual taste. The sassafras flavor, which is usually most prominent in the root beer, is just a supporting flavor instead of the main star. This doesn’t make the drink bad, just different. It’s not too sweet and it’s very smooth. The one bad thing I can say it that it has a very low carbonation and I like a “little bite” in my soda.  Overall an unusual and pleasing take on root beer.

Ummm.....Brains

     

I love zombie movies. Give me a movie with the dead crawling from their graves and taking over the world and I’m a happy man. Rotting corpses, guns blazing, lotting stores, what more could you want? I also love how the survivors have to be clever and out smart the zombies to survive. 

There are several thing one can learn from zombie movies.  First, when all chaos breaks loose you find out who your friends really are. Your friends will have your back, while your enemies will throw you to the zombies to save themselves. Next, divisions arise between the generous and the selfish. It always happens, there’s a division between the people who pull together for the good of the group and the one or two people who are only looking out for themselves. It never works out well for the selfish ones, they end up with their possessions, but no one to share them with or protect them from the zombies. Finally  you find out what type of person you really are on the inside. People seem to either rise to the challenge of dispatching the undead,  or they break down and freak out-ultimately becoming zombie food. 

My Favorite Zombie Movies (in no particular order)

• (Original 1968) Night of the Living Dead – It can come across as a little slow and cheesey, but this film is responsible for creating the modern zombie we know and love.
• (Original 1978) Dawn of the Dead – This is the follow up to Night of the Living Dead. A group of people hold up in a shopping mall fighting off an endless waves of zombies.
• 28 Days Later – The premise is the same as most zombie films, but the zombies are fast and crazy aggressive. The pace of the film will keep you on the edge of your seat. 
• The Crazies – This isn’t nessasaraly a typical zombie film, but it has many zombie elements.
• Zombieland – Usually I don’t care for horror comedies, but Zombieland pulls it off perfecly. The opening sequence is amazing. 

My Newest Hobby

Much to the dismay of my wife, I have began the hobby of guns and shooting.  I blame my father-in-law (Chap) and brother-in-law (Trevin) for the most part.  They both have been hunting and shooting their entire life, and since I do enjoy spending so much time with them I naturally became interested also.

My first gun was given to me my Tiffany’s Papaw Kincaid.  It is a .22 rifle that was refurbished by him.  After this I bought myself a 12 Gauge Shotgun for hunting and shooting sport clays with my first pay check.  Lately, I have been “itching” for a pistol.

I began doing my research…I thought, “Hey I will get a 9mm; that is what you always hear people talk about in movies and it is what the police and military use”; “if a 9mm is what the police and military use, then surely a novice shooter and average citizen (me) needs that too.  After doing my research on the 9mm, I soon realzied that both the ammo and the pistols themselves are pretty pricey for someone who is just learning and wants to shoot a lot.  Trevin then suggested buying a .22 Pistol.  Not only is the ammo dirt cheap, but the pistols are much cheaper.  Also the .22 Pistol has a very low recoil which makes them ideal for a novice shooter who is learning.   Plus, my wife is relieved that we will not be spending an “arm and a leg” on yet another expensive hobby of mine.  So, I’ve decided to go with a Ruger 22 45 with 5.5 in Bull Barrel. 

Below I’ve listed 3 reasons why I believe it is a good idea to be proficient with a gun:

1.    Self Defense: If someone is threatening my family I want to be able to do all I can protect them.

2.    As a male it’s inherent to our nature to like guns: From Cowboys to GI Joe little boys see their heros shooting guns.  To be able to shoot a real gun is a pretty cool feeling.

3.    The Zombie Apacalyplse: When hords of the undead are roaming the streets I want to be able to fend them off.  Come on folks we all know it’s not a matter of if but when.