Here’s what you’ll need.

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon of parsley
1 teaspoon of crushed chilies
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
3 tablespoons of Mrs Dash Chipotle spice
1 table spoon of sweet chili and peppers steak spice
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
2 servings of spaghetti noodles
2 cups of honey and garlic sauce

Pour  2 cups of honey and garlic sauce into a bowl, and set aside.

Mix the parsley, chillis, salt, pepper, and bread crumbs into a bowl.

Dunk the chicken breasts into the honey and garlic sauce, then into the bowl with the bread crumbs.  Makes sure the chicken is evenly coated in bread crumbs.  Place on a cookie sheet with tin foil over top of the cookie sheet.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

While the oven is preheating, start working on your sauce.
Pour 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil into the pan.

Add a handful of chopped onions to the pan.  Once they start to golden, add a can of tomato sauce.

Add 3 tablespoons of Mrs Dash Chipotle spice, 1 tablespoon of sweet chili and peppers steak spice, and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.  Stir and keep on low heat.

Place the chicken on a baking sheet into the over on the middle rack, and set timer to 40 minutes.

Boil a pot of water, and add your spaghetti noodles.

If your noodles are ready before your chicken, strain and keep covered.

Serve chicken with noodles, and sauce on top.

]]> http://www.shanemacaulay.com/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=180 0 http://www.shanemacaulay.com/wordpress/?p=173 http://www.shanemacaulay.com/wordpress/?p=173#comments Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:16:06 +0000 Shane http://www.shanemacaulay.com/wordpress/?p=173 I have been hearing lots of great stuff over the past few weeks about the #NewNewTwitter.   Lots of iPhone and Android users were able to launch the #NewNewTwitter early by upgrading their iPhone and Android Twitter apps.  Unfortunately for me, I have a BlackBerry, and this trick only worked for iPhone and Android users.

SO..  today, while I was on Twitter, the #NewNewTwitter kicked in.  I took a quick look around, and one of the features I like best is when you click on someone’s tweet, it will show the conversation if it was a reply or retweet.  Much easier.

The real reason why I am here writing about it, is because now every tweet basically has its own URL.  Twitter now has a quick button that allows you to embed tweets into websites.  The best part is, they even supply a shortcode that can be easily inserted into any WordPress site.  So, here is my sample.  I’ll follow up later when I have more time to investigate the #NewNewTwitter.

Finally!!My #NewNewTwitter is active.This is sweet.Thanks @twitter

— Shane Macaulay (@ShaneMacaulay) January 6, 2012

9.  Let me discuss this with my financial advisor.

8.  I’m going to take a bath.

7.  Could you please pass the peas.

6.  It’s a nice night out, lets walk to the store.

5.  I’m gonna wake up early and hit the gym.

4.  Watch my seats, they’re leather.

3.  I’m taking my suit to get dry cleaned.

2.  Can we just cuddle tonight?

1.  Wanna share a beer with me?

Follow me on Twitter @ShaneMacaulay

One of my hobbies is photography. And with photography, every photographer looks at life differently. When traveling through town, or visiting a Provincial Park, every photography will constantly be looking out for great shots. Whereas anyone else just kind of passes through. Same goes for all you tweeters. You need to stop and smell the roses.  I now have Twitter on my mind throughout the day.  When I notice something, experience something, or find something funny, I will stop to tweet about it.  Hoping that my followers will also enjoy my experience.

Most of the users on Twitter use Twitter all wrong. Especially those who have been Facebook addicts for the past few years. No, you do NOT tweet “I am BBQing chicken for dinner”, which is what I have also done on Facebook for years. You have to remember, Facebook is mostly friends and family who actually might care what you are eating or cooking for dinner tonight. But with Twitter, you are letting all your followers, and anyone in the world who wishes to view your profile know. When someone looks at your profile and sees your cooking chicken for dinner, they most likely won’t care, and won’t follow you. Would you follow someone who is cleaning their house on a Sunday morning? No. It’s boring. Instead, tweet something like “I just ate the tastiest BBQ lemon chicken I have ever had. Here’s the recipe” and include a link for others to try!  Or try tweeting “Cleaning the house Sunday morning with Mr.Clean..  it works wonders!”  Tweets need to be witty, fun, informational, shocking, etc. You always got to remember, ANYONE could be reading this, and if you want them to keep reading more, you have to provide them with something they could be interested in, or something they may find useful.

I also find Twitter is much more fast paced, where you’re living in the “now” moment. Facebook is “last weekend”. You can login to Facebook and find out what your buddy Joe did last weekend. You can see all his photos. You can see his friends tagged in photos. You can comment on photos. You can look up your old highschool sweetheart and hope she accepts your friend request. Twitter however, is right now. Log on to Twitter and find people talking about a snowstorm moving in on Southern Ontario. Updates 30 seconds ago from people you don’t know. You don’t have “friends” on twitter. You have followers, and these followers are usually strangers. You also have people you follow, which can be strangers or people you know.  Its up to you.  Twitter is less personal, and more informational. Twitter is a great tool for searching for the information you need immediately. Today, Mike Fisher was traded from the Sens to Nashville. His girlfriend, Carrie Underwood, lives in Nashville. Look at all the tweets regarding Mike Fisher and Carrie Underwood. View opinions from millions in real time. And this doesn’t go for just headline news. Find out who is camping and where right now. Do a search for Algonquin Park, and see who is talking about the park as you read this!!  Get reviews on foods, magazines, bands, venues, products, services, the list goes on and on and one. Really, Twitter does all the searching for you.  I don’t know why one would use Google anymore, unless searching for a website.  Google will give you results, but most of the sites Google sends you to has information that was updated yesterday, or even last week.  Hell, alot of the time I get search results from websites that were last updated in 2004.

Now, you may be intimidated by the Twitter language, such as the # and @ symbols showing up all the time. But take a few minutes to read the Twitter glossery, and maybe a few tips on how Twitter works. Understand that what you take in from your followers is different from what you put out to your followers. It’s pretty straight forward, and much different than Facebook. So for those who say Facebook and Twitter are the same. You couldn’t be more wrong. And please don’t have your Twitter account automatically send tweets to Facebook, or vice versa. These are two different platforms and provide two different services.  Use them separately.

Happy tweeting. If you have any questions, feel free to follow me, @ShaneMacaulay.

Cheers!

#20
There Is – Boxcar Racer
From the album Boxcar Racer, 2002

#19
The Secret – Emery
From the album Weak’s End, 2004

#18
Satellite – Strung Out
From the album American Paradox, 2002

#17
International You Day – No Use For A Name
From the album Hard Rock Bottom, 2002

#16
The Artist In The Ambulance – Thrice
From the album The Artist In The Ambulance, 2003

#15
View From Heaven – Yellowcard
From the album Ocean Avenue, 2003

#14
Stay Together For The Kids – Blink 182
From the album Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, 2001

#13
Anthem Of Our Dying Day – Story Of The Year
From the album Page Avenue, 2003

#12
Hair Of The Dog – Senses Fail
From the album Life Is Not a Waiting Room, 2008

#11
Again I Go Unnoticed – Dashboard Confessional
From the album The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most, 2001

#10
Farewell My Hell – Millencolin
From the album Kingwood, 2005

#9
The Taste Of Ink – The Used
From the album The Used, 2002

#8
American Dream – Silverstein
From the album A Shipwreck in the Sand, 2009

#7
What Sarah Said – Death Cab For Cutie
From the album Plans, 2005

#6
Hey There Delilah – Plain White T’s
From the album All That We Needed, 2005

#5
Summer Wind Was Always Our Song – The Ataris
From the album End is Forever, 2001

#4
White Sparrows – Billy Talent
From the album Billy Talent III, 2009

#3
Everchanging – Rise Against
From the album Unraveling, 2001

#2
Box Full Of Sharp Objects – The Used
From the album The Used, 2002

#1
Theme From A NOFX Album – NOFX
From the album Pump Up the Valuum, 2000

I wanted to set them up straighter than the previous years, so out on the roof I went. Normally I’d use a small step ladder or the back of my jeep to reach up above the garage. But with such a short reach, it was next to impossible to get them perfect. So I got them as best I could from up top.

My floodlights from last year were still up for the upper half of the house. I have no idea how Im suppose to get up that high without a cherry picker, so I use floodlights. The lazy mans way.

Next, I did the back yard. We have a big tree next to the hot tub, and its always quite nice to have the lights light up on the real life Christmas Tree in the backyard. Plus, I like to decorate the hot tub fence with lights too!

When we went to to do the Christmas Tree inside our living room, I had the fake tree all put together with lights rolled around it and brought the decorations upstairs. We were about to decorate the tree, but I felt something was missing. I couldn’t decorate the tree knowing my mom was just around the corner without a tree, or without many Christmas decorations. After all, this was her old tree, and the decorations she passed down to my brother and I. So we put off decorating the tree until Mom could help.

Once the tree was decorated, we already had one or two gifts wrapped and under the tree. I was going to wrap my first gift that I purchased for Jocelyn, but I found out later that she went out and bought this item before Christmas. Which reminds me of why I am such a last minute shopper. You usually buy someone something that someone else ends up getting them. And if yours is cheaper, they’ll return it. So its better to wait I think.

Anywho.. it seems Ontario is under a severe weather winter crazy ass storm watch every day. Well, everywhere in Ontario except for the GTA, including Durham. But this morning we did get a whopping 5 cm. They’re saying its a guaranteed White Christmas. Which is always great. Seems we don’t get many of those anymore. Maybe we’ll get to go snowmobiling on Christmas Eve!!

Back to Christmas shopping. The malls are busy, and some people have the Christmas Spirit. Others don’t. Gary next door was having car troubles and was stranded, when someone offered him a boost for $40. So he did. He had no other choice. Sarnia received a crazy amount of snow, and motorists got trapped in their cars on the highway for almost 24 hours. Tow trucks were charging $400-$500 bucks a tow. Some people like to give, and help. Others like to take advantage of the weak. It’s brutal.

Well, one week til Christmas. I’ve got a few more things to get, then it gets busy! Off to my dad’s for Christmas Eve up on the lake. Maybe a hot tub and a fire outside with lots of Christmas drinks. Then, Christmas morning its straight across the lake to the other side to Jocelyn’s parents for a Christmas brunch! Then pack up, and head home to unload, unwind, and shower ofcourse. Wait for my mom, brother and his girlfriend to arrive and exchange a few gifts. Then over to my Aunt’s for a big Christmas dinner!

Although the holidays are always so busy, stressful, and very unaffordable. Everyone always seems to have a great time. Come new years, we’ll be celebrating here at home with our friends!

Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!

So about 3 weeks later, the two girls I was friends with at the time decided they were planning a road trip to Montreal, and I was invited to go along!  I was thrilled.  I had never been to Montreal before, and thought at 19, a road trip like this would be very memorable.  All I needed was some train money, spending money, and hotel money.  A few days before we were heading out, I was still trying to gather up some money.  So my mom decided to take me to Bingo to try to win the rest of the money that was needed for this trip!  We went to bingo, and lost more money.  I was devistated.  I didn’t know what to do.  I did not want to pass up a trip like this.
The next day, my mom and step dad decided that they would give me the money, even though money was very tight.  This meant the world to me.  When I called my friends, I was so excited to tell them I can get my train ticket!  With a big grin on my face, it turned sour quick.  One of them replied with “well, we decided it would be best if we made this a girls weekend”.  And I was denied.  Left alone for the weekend.  They didnt want me to come along.

Now what?  Well, its best my mom and step dad keep their money, as times were tough.  So thats good.  So I looked around for something to do in Toronto that weekend.  That’s when I came across a punk show at the Kathedral.  Yes, that’s right.  The Ataris were playing!!  (At this point, I still didnt know the song I heard and loved wasn’t really The Ataris).  So off I went!  I sat on the stage next to Kris and starred up and watch as he performed songs from his heart!  Songs about girls, songs about relationships, and songs about life!  I was blown away.  I ended up buying “Blue Skies, Broken Hearts, next 12 exits” and “End is Forever”.  I went home and played these albums over and over and over until I knew every lyric, and every chord!  (with some research later on, I eventually realized that the first song I had heard was really Fenix TX, but at this point it didnt matter, because these two records were so much better anyways).

Many years later, many songs laters and many shows later I was in Los Angeles, California when I took a trip to Santa Barbara where I stopped by The Ataris’ store “Down on Haley”.  Unfortunately I was told I JUST missed the band!  Too bad.  I bought some merch and some indie CD’s that they had for sale, and off I went.  I also ended up going back a few years later.  However, they were on tour and were not at their shop.

So now, over 10 years later.  My girlfriend and I weren’t too sure what we had planned for Halloween.  We’d been invited to a few different parties.  But I just wanted to do something fun, exciting, special and memorable.  And thats when 3 weeks before Halloween I received a facebook update from The Ataris, announcing a special Halloween show in Toronto!  Unbelievable!  I didn’t think twice, and bought tickets that second!  I told my girlfriend that I made plans for us, and if she couldnt go, then I’d be attending with someone else, or alone!  Didn’t matter to me.  I was going.  And thats that.

So, Halloween night, we left the house in costume!  I was an old bartender with a moustache, and she was one of those German Beer Garden girls.  It was quite funny acutally.  Anyways…  We got to the venue just in time!  Kris was setting up his own gear.  The bar was small, maybe about 150 people tops!  Just like when I first saw them.  So much better than the days when they hit the radio and were playing to sold out large venues, and playing “Boys of Summer” for their encore.  This show was intimate, in-your-face, lets-have-fun, lets-rock out type show.  The shows that I always remembered The Ataris and other great indie bands playing!  We’re there for a good time, and we got that and more!!

The only thing I regret, was not bringing my Rebel Xti DSLR!  I would have got some great shots!  But at the same time, I really just wanted to watch, and enjoy myself.  Turns out, my girlfriend has said this was the best show she has been to ever.  And she keeps telling everyone that.  Which makes me smile!

After The Ataris were done their set, which included 1.15.95, San Dimas, In This Diary, and more, they took a 5 minute break to unveil their surprise.  That’s right.  A surprise.  It’s halloween night!  They returned 5 minutes later dressed as The Misfits, and played 4-5 great Misfits songs!  What a night!  For those Ataris fans who weren’t there.  Well, that sucks!  You should have been!

Thanks for the great Halloween show in Toronto!  I will never forget this, just like I will never forget the first time I saw The Ataris in 99.

I leave you with this live video of one of my favourite songs.