Nate's Blog

I was recently shown a new innovation in coffee preparation – a way to chill 200°F coffee down to 45°F without dilution or an extended chill-time in a refrigerator. In essence, it uses the method of a still to cool down steaming hot liquid via chilled, coiled copper. Because this contraption is selling for $180+, and because of how easy this sounded to build, I gave it a try. Unfortunately, I did not take pictures during the build process, except for a picture of the outcome, so you’ll probably have to re-read some of this a couple times. You may even find it easier, after reading, to swap out my ideas with your own. You’ll need: a narrow 2-qt jar, preferably at least 4″ wide some sort cylindrical-like object that is 0.5″ shorter in width than your jar a rubber grommet (Outer Diameter: 7/16″, Inner Diameter: 3/16″) 10 feet of 1/4″ copper coil a drill with 3/8″ and 5/16″ drill bits Since I borrowed a drill and didn’t need to buy bits, this only cost me $20. I used a Mainstays jar from W...

  As I begin writing this, I am gauging if I’m really in the right frame of mind to write a paragraph or two of nonsense; and so far, I think I might be feeling the certain juices necessary to blog on this. Take me lightly, since I am writing for fun. So, concerning espresso, which is it – light or dark roast?   Ask me for the whole truth and nothing but, and I shall give it: I’ve been battling with myself recently. Every time I take a sweet sip of velvety smooth, warm milk blended to complete perfection with the pinnacle of our culinary world, which we discovered just centuries ago: I am concerned. Do I prefer the rich, caramelized, roasted taste of an Italian espresso or the gently beautiful aromas and flavors of a light roast, with all of its own character to be divided and named individually anew every morning and night? I have mentioned character. Let me wander there. Both have character – and good ones at that. If compared to trees, the first is like an oak, the other a ...

A couple days ago, I came across a series of scary/creepy videos – I’m sure all of which were faked. Nonetheless, it reminded me of two of my own creepy experiences, which I thought I could write about. I have a predisposition as to what was actually happening when I encountered the things I’m going to tell you about. You can put 2 & 2 together to figure out what I’m getting at, but I will not humor the things which I believe caused it. Hebrews 13:2 states that some entertain angels. Let’s be careful to not entertain all of them. About ten years ago, slightly less, I was finishing up a high-school semester and taking the exams to do so. At the time, I was close friends with a guy named TJ, and at the time of exam-week, he and I were hanging out with another guy named Jamal. There was absolutely nothing irregular going on that week – just a bunch of high-schoolers trying to get out ASAP. However, for that week, TJ was stuck at school from noon to three, waiting on his ride. I lived ...

Satan’s goal is to mimic Christianity closely, but only close enough to miss the mark and lead everyone away from the actual saving knowledge of the justifying work of Jesus Christ. It seems now, in this culture, that Satan’s tactic will work out in his favor more than ever before. Why? Because this culture has been so saturated by selfish, wicked, anti-God ideology, that anything better than human trafficking looks like perfection to us. Our culture is currently driven by comical media, unintelligent humor, exaggeration, sarcasm and shallow relationships. I am influenced by all of these. We talk to each other out of insecurity. We base our choices off of distrust. We hide who we really are. And we live hypocritically because we’re too driven by self-image to live honestly. I’m sick of my culture. And I’m fed up with my generation of short-sighted people who only seek what they think is best for themselves, not realizing the doom they’re ignorantly and foolishly sowing towards. I’m tir...