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Happy Birthday, Dawson’s Creek!

Today (January 20th) marks the 14th anniversary of its premiere on The WB. The show introduced the world to the future Mrs. Tom Cruise, a future multiple Academy Award nominee, a future sci-fi fan favorite… and James Van Der Beek.

On this date back in 1998, we met 4 hyper-aware teenagers living in the fictional town of Capeside, MA. Joey, the proverbial girl next-door, climbed through Dawson’s bedroom window looking for comfort and refuge from her depressed family life. Dawson, oblivious to her intentions, daydreamed about being the next Spielberg and pined for Jennifer, the new neighbor. Jennifer, exiled to Capeside for her bad girl behavior, was seeking a fresh start by moving in with her Grams. And, Pacey, always looking to stir the pot, was seducing his high school teacher. Good times.

Over the course of six seasons, Dawson, Joey, Pacey and Jennifer debated life and love with a maturity and vocabulary that showed a wisdom beyond their teenage years. So, what better way to mark this anniversary than to present ‘Creek Wisdom’…

On the evening of Tuesday, January 17th, I gathered at the Tattered Cover Book Store in Denver to celebrate the release of my debut novel, Taft 2012.

Tattered Cover is a Denver institution as well as being one of the finest booksellers in America, and it was an honor to be their guest. The crowd was amazing–must have been at least a hundred people there, and not even all of them were my family!–and despite my nervousness I was somehow able to keep people from fleeing.

But in all seriousness, I couldn’t have imagined a better book launch. Thanks to everyone who came!

Have you welcomed the Year of the Dragon yet? Well, these Asian-inspired spicy ribs are as powerful and mighty as a dragon. Superior flavors of sweet hoisin sauce blended with fierce red pepper flakes make this an ideal meal to celebrate the Year of the Dragon.

Simply bake the covered ribs until the succulent meat nearly falls off. Then uncover and roast quickly with the sweet-spiced glaze. Serve hot with steamed white rice, and you’ll rule! Just like a dragon!

When Stacia Kuceyeski of the Ohio Historical Society reached out regarding Taft 2012 campaign materials, she included photos of her adorable pug-chihuahua mix… President William Howard Taft, or just "Taft" to his friends.

These, of course, had to be posted on the blog immediately.

The photos are of Taft posing at the McKinley Memorial in Canton, Ohio. Please take note of the sassy Taft tag on his collar and the scarlet carnation, which is Ohio's state flower. According to Stacia, McKinley always wore one.

There are a few more photos below after the jump. Take a look. Thanks for sending these in, Stacia! Taft sure is cute.

Amazingly, today is the first of three Friday the 13ths to happen in the next 13 weeks!

Mythology and spirituality aside, this date immediately brings me to the movies. And, I’m not talking about the recent retreads or even the last few movies in the original series. We’re talking the early days when a boy drowned in Crystal Lake because his counselors weren’t paying attention. We’re talking Mrs. Vorhees and her hockey-masked son seeking revenge. We’re talking guts and gore in the wilderness. Ah… good times.

So, in honor of this momentous 13 week stretch, let’s consider what Jason might be listening to while on his murder spree–assuming he had an iPod underneath that hockey mask…

The Winter season is a great time to have friends over for a nice fancy dinner. It’s cold out, you want to stay in and warm up in the glow of friends and family… so I’ve got a recipe that’s perfect for you. Cornish game hens and wild rice.

Don’t be fooled. This roast is easier to cook than it looks. Make sure you plan accordingly though, serving one bird per portion, because they weigh less than a pound each. You can slather on a quick marinade and pop these little birds into the oven while you spruce up your dining room and lay out the plates. Get hold of an instant wild rice side dish, chill the drinks… and enjoy!