We could all use a laugh...

"Where you guys been?"

So, it's been a while. To be honest, outside of Bella's ongoing and extreme cuteness, there hasn't been a lot of good news to share lately, so we've had a lack of motivation for blogging. In short, I lost my job (along with other friends), Trish's beloved grandmother, Tucker, died, and our friends Adrianne and Seth experienced great losses of their own. It feels like there was more, but that's all I can or care to remember right now.

Too much "real life" and not enough fun and laughter in our and our friend's lives lately I guess. Fortunately, we're all doing well - as well as can be expected - and are looking forward to more good news which I'm sure is just around the corner, waiting for us (like this!). So, wish me luck in the job search, and keep Tucker and the Jones and Weibel family in your thoughts. They're in mine.

Now for the funny.

A while back I entered a burger contest at The Bay Leaf (one of our favorite stores, with great kitchen gadgets and friends who work there). I was one of four people chosen to compete, Top Chef style, for four local judges (in addition to Trish and Bella there were also other friends and family of the contestants there) in the Bay Leaf kitchen. We had 45 minutes to cook four burgers, and would draw numbers to see whowould go first (Padme was not there, and we drew paper, not knives). I drew numero uno, meaning I'd serve first. I made a buffalo version of my "Neuty Burgers," (recipe follows this post) and thought they turned out great; the judges apparently did not.

They only announced the top two finishers, and I was not among them (one can imagine that I must have come in third). An awesome bloody mary burger won, and an inside out burger took second place. I had no problem with the winning burger, but my burger was clearly better than the second place burger. Oh well. I had a great time, and won got some nice parting gifts from The Bay Leaf. And heck, at least I'd get to see my name in the paper as a local, amateur burger chef!

Or maybe not.

Turns out the reporter, Shawn Hittle, couldn't fit me into the story. Imagine my disappointment when the next morning (a Sunday), we get up to read the paper online, and find out that - in spite of my interview - I am not named! Yeah, I was pretty bummed out.

Trish however...Trish was furious! She immediately called Shawn and left him a Neuteboom-style angry message. Her main point being that he should have at least put my name in the article, and that his omission made it hard for us to enjoy sharing the article with friends and family since my name didn't appear (especially as many excellents chefs as we have in the family - I'm talking published, award winning cooks and authors).

Anyway, I was trying to to tell this whole story to my buddy, Jonesy, one day at work. As a writer/reporter, I thought I could ask him if we were just being unreasonably mad (as if!) because I wasn't named, or if Shawn, the reporter, was just being lazy by leaving my name out (despite taking the time to interview me!). We disagreed on some key points, but really got a kick out of the mindless barroom-style banter. Well, as he had some free time, he decided to "rewrite" the article as it should have appeared. For your enjoyment, I will print it here for the first time.

Suck it, Shawn Hittle.

LOCAL MAN'S BURGER COMES IN 4TH PLACE AS JUDGED BY LOCAL CELEBS

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Eric Neuteboom, of Lawrence, Kan., recently lost a burger-cooking competition judged by such local luminaries as Jayni of "Jayni's Kitchen," Steve the Always High Hippie and Carl, the funny homeless man who used to always wear the "That's my Dillons" T-shirt.

"I'm disappointed that the judges obviously have no taste," Neuteboom said. "But I'm thrilled to see my name in print today, even as the loser of a contest where I had a 1-in-4 chance of winning."

Neuteboom's burger, dubbed "The Neuty Nuclo-Burger," was a blend of ingredients that makes it very special and tasty.

"His burger is delicious," Neuteboom's wife, Trish, said. "And Jayni is even prettier in real life."

Neuteboom says he looks forward to entering more contests in which he'll probably lose. The next one on his plate, he says, is the Jayhawks West Fantasy Football League.

"Just be sure to spell my name right. That's N-E-U-T-E-B-O-O-M."