Dear Ottis,

I have an important question. I am a member of a minority ethnic group here in Provo. Recently I have noticed a guy who is of similar ethnic origin but has more knowledge of the culture than I do because I was adopted. I went to high school with this guy and now he has returned from his mission and works at the bank I go to. I want to approach him and talk to him but I am too scared to do it. The easy way is to avoid him by going to the teller that I'm familiar with and just avoid talking to him. So should I approach him or not?

Sincerely,

Very Shy

Dear Very Shy,

Thank you very much for writing in. I've enjoyed pondering your question. I think the answer is simple: yes! Go for it!

Now, it seems to me like you're a pretty shy person, though I could be wrong. I have my very shy moments myself. But, I hope you realize that you can take great confidence in yourself as you approach a guy. This is actually an ideal setting, if I do say so. You have this added bonus of a legit reason to go talk to him. Ask him about your shared culture. You can learn a lot about yourself that way, and get close and flirty with a guy all at the same time. And if you can approach that situation with confidence, then that will come off as even more attractive. I know that it can seem like a daunting task, but its one that gets easier with time, practice, and confidence. So, just go up there, and be you.

I hope you have wonderful success in this. Please keep me updated on the situation, and I hope I can offer you more advice in the future! Happy Flirting!!

Ottis

Notice

I've once again been asked to be a judge, this time for BYU Idol. It will be taking place Wednesday January 25th, 2010 in the Varsity Theater at 7pm. Everyone should come!!!

Rolled Pork Florentine

10 pork chops

1 pkg. frozen spinach

1 small bag pine nuts

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup bread crumbs

salt and peper to taste

olive oil

Preheat oven to 375. With a mallet, tenderize and flatten 10 pork chops. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Set aside. In a small frying pan, toast pine nuts. Make sure not to burn or over cook them, just allow them to get nice and toasty. You should be able to smell that beautiful nutty smell. Once they are toasted, remove from frying pan and place them in a bowl to cool. Also microwave the spinach as directed on package. Allow to cool. Once cool squeeze out all excess liquid. You can use a cheese cloth for this. I just use my hands.

In a mixing bowl combine spinach (thawed), cheese and cooled pine nuts. Combine well. Drizzle in olive oil (about 1/4 cup) until you reach your desired consistency (this should be just on the wet side, with out becoming soupy). Place a tablespoon of the spinach mixture onto one end of flattened pork chop and roll. Secure with twine or tooth pick. Place in casserole. Continue with all 10 pork chops. This should take about half of the spinach mixture.

Once all chops are rolled and in casserole, salt and pepper the tops. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Spread remaining spinach mixture over the top of the pork chops. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 30 min. Allow pork to rest before serving.

Tips: Using a white roux, you can make a bechamel sauce. From there, you can add parm and make a cheese sauce that would accompany this dish wonderfully. If you make your bechamel just after putting the pork in the oven, it should take about 15 min. Once done, poor bechamel over pork in the casserole and let pork continue cooking the remaining 15 min. Serve warm, but remember to let the meat rest before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute, making the meet wonderfully moist and succulent. Enjoy!

What the heck???

So, this week when I got back from break and took a peek at my blog, I was made aware of something that scandalized me to the very core. Indeed, something so shocking, so disturbing, so unfathomable I felt I should blog about it: someone un-followed my blog! Now, I realize that to the unexperienced reader, this may seem like something as simple as un-friending someone on Facebook that posts too often. You know...something that happens, and should remain discreet--and--unless you're Zach--non confrontational. This, however, is substantially more severe. Allow me to explain why.

Right off the bat, we do need to remember that this is not Facebook. You'll notice that there are not 800 friends following this blog like we all have on Facebook. Rather, we have a mere 20. Every person counts! Especially because I'm in a secret war with Sydney to have more followers on my blog than her on hers...so secret in fact, that she doesn't even really know about it.

Secondly, the fact that someone has un-followed my blog means that I've bombed, and bored this person so desperately that they couldn't even stand to remain a follower. Now, lets remember that following a blog does absolutely nothing for you...no emails, no reminders, no alerts, no nothing...indeed, it does very little. It just puts blogs in your dashboard, which I have yet to truly understand. So, basically I failed so miserably as a blogger that it wasn't even worth that.

Thirdly, and most importantly... Ok, I don't really have a third point. But, if I were able to think of one, it'd be dang good! Suffice it to say, I'm on the slightly perturbed side of the spectrum due to this issue, but hey...such is life!

P.S.

Speaking of the secret war between Sydney and I, let me just say how happy I am to report that team Lspin is ahead by a few people...so, that is a good thing. We cannot however loose this war! We need to do some recruiting methinks! Get on it people!

-----------------

Update- This once secret war with Sydney has now become a full out battle of the bloggers. Here are the terms: Who ever has the most followers by the end of the semester wins. Judge: Yvonne (to keep things civil). Prize: homemade dessert by the loser for the winner.

Bring It ON!!!!

More Lee-isms

"I can read you like a book! Like a children's picture book!"

-Lee, speaking to Sydney

"Do you know how much of your soul is in my phone?"

-Lee, referring to the pictures of Sydney on his phone

"Do you have a list Suzy? And if so, can I borrow it?"

-Lee, talking to Suzy about list of desired traits in a spouse

"I always pronounce my final consonants."

"Why?"

"Because I LIKE them!"

-Lee and Syd, a conversation

"I'm not optimistic. I'm a realist. The glass is neither half full nor half empty; the glass is simply twice as big as it needs to be."

Lee, from a conversation with Chuck

"Boo hoo...a boo hoo"

Lee, stolen from my dear friend Kelly McBride, who conversely stole it from her sister