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Highlands Today

Let's 'Ring-Rage' In The New Year

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By Norm Cukras | Highlands Today

Published: January 5, 2008

It's that time again for some bon mots, or clever remarks, to help usher in the new year. The problem is I can't think of any even though we just stepped over 2008's starting line. When it's time to turn over a new leaf; to make new resolutions; to bury the hatchet; to forgive and forget.

Perhaps it's a result of holiday doldrums that I've come up dry this year. The excitement and anticipation winds are out of my sails. I don't even feel like going into a rage over anything, which today seems to be the catchword. As in road rage.

Just when I thought every type of occurrence was labeled I read about something that's called "wrap-rage" – the frustration one feels when they can't rescue a product from the stupid package it comes in. Maybe I can coin the term ring-rage to describe how one feels when that little tab on the top of a can separates from the top before the top separates from the can, and it takes a pair of pliers to get the top off, and juice is spilled all over you in the process.

Perhaps introducing ring-rage is about the cleverest I can be at this time. At least until I come up with something more, let's just sit back and enjoy our new and relatively unspoiled year. It's not going to be that way for too much longer.

Some Less Than Bon Mots

What do you think the words, striated (marked with lines: as in stretch marks), chary (cautious), seneschal (a nobleman's steward), mephitic (foul smelling), imbricated (overlapping), ensorcelled (bewitched) and adamantine (unyielding) have in common?

They can all bw found in the books by teen-writer Christopher Paolini who wrote Eragon and Eldest and is finalizing the third book of his trilogy for release later this year.

I admit I was smitten by the story about flying dragons when I first saw the movie Eragon and just had to read the books. Now I can't decide if it was worth it. I kinda liked them yet they smack a bit of Star Wars' action coated with a layer of Harry Potter wizardry. And they are sophomoric. The writer appears to be showing off how many words he knows and how complex he can plot his stories. While his audience is supposedly teens, Paolini doesn't write for them. He doesn't even write for the average adult. He borders on delivering what's called "writer-based prose" where only the author understands what he means.

Can You Smell Me Now

Next Friday and Saturday you might smell the aroma of barbecue as you pass by Firemen's Field in Sebring. That's when a bevy of top barbecue teams from around Florida and nearby states will assemble to compete in the Central BBQ Festival. Also known as the 12 Hours of BBQ the festival is coincidentally celebrating its 12th anniversary this year.

Admission is free. While there, look for team HomeBBQ.com. The head cook is Kevin Bevington, the president of the Florida BBQ Association (FBA) the contest's sanctioning organization. Kevin also won the FBA's top team of 2007 award. It was his unmatched fifth consecutive year to capture the title.

Also look for the Smokin' Cracker BBQ Team headed by local resident Jimmy Brod. Jimmy, a worthy opponent, took home the third place award for the FBA's 2007 Team of the Year, which is no small feat in itself.

You will be able to buy some pretty good BBQ from some of the competitors. It'll give you a chance to compare pampered BBQ to what's turned out in driveways and backyards.

See you there.

Overheard

Overheard at the checkout counter: May all the presents Santa brought you this past week continue to perform as well throughout the new year.

And may this coming year be as kind to you as last year was to me.

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