For the Love of God.....

Will the fans of "DWTS" please STOP voting for Kate Gosselin? What is wrong with you people? She's a complete troll and if people would stop giving her attention, she would go away. She's ruining my People.com and my trash magazines. Ugh...I can't stand her. Please, please, please, I beg of you...STOP voting for her nasty hair extension ass.

I'm still a little in the dark (suprise, suprise!) about this push from the CASI Directors to use Casa Fiesta Beans...a Bruce Foods product. I understqand that they are a CASI sponsor and they provide a lot of products and support (I'm sure monetary as well) for TICC. But I don't agree with the Directors of a NON PROFIT organization endorsing a sponsor's product so blatantly. If I wanted to use their beans, I would. They sit on the same HEB shelf as Bush beans and I choose to use Bush beans. Beans aren't even a CASI sanctioned event at any cook off. Why the push to introduce them into CASI? Yes, Bruce Foods sponsors CASI, but don't I every time I enter a chili or bean cook off? My money is going to charities that CASI claims to help through "Chili, Charity, and Fun". I don't necessarily like being encouraged to use a product that I can choose whether or not to use of my own free will. As a cook, I'm discouraged from contacting any of these sponsors directly for a cook off's benefit. And before you readers who like to read my blog and then email me about what I've written, hold on. I know why we shouldn't just cold call Bruce Foods and harass them to sponsor our individual cook offs. Jim Ezell has an excellent relationship with these sponsors and he's the perfect go between for CASI and the sponsors. But at the same time, why can't some of these sponsors play more of a role in some of the larger cook offs? "Here...use our stuff and help us help you..but only on our terms." I don't know if that's exactly what's going on, but that is my opinion of the situation. CASI and TICC were both around long before the sponsors started pitching in and yes I know what the sponsors' contributions have meant to CASI. But what are we doing here; cooking chili for charity or helping keep sponsors by sort of being "encouraged" to use their products? Maybe I'm in the minority here, but it would have been nice to have had a more informed annouoncement from the Board. If there was one and I missed it, please direct me to it. All I've seen is the ad in the Trails asking "what bean will you use at the next CASI competition?" Well, technically, I won't use ANY beans at the next CASI competition because competition chili doesn't allow beans. But at the next bean cook off at a CASI chili cook off, I'll use Bush beans, thank you very much! I mean, c'mon! The push to use products is now spreading to non sanctioned events at cook offs and TICC. I could go on, but then I push buttons I didn't even know people had and the next thing I know my email is blowing up and I'm forced to drink yet another glass of wine.

Look, I'm not saying this is evil...or that it's a blessing. I'm just thinking out loud here. Why not tell the cooks the Board was meeting with Bruce Foods when they were at a cook off in Louisiana? Why not tell the cooks what they're trying to do instead of sending a few board and non board members out to cook offs and meetings to push their products? Why can't a rep from a sponsor come to a pod meeting and get to know what we are all about on this level. I know CASI needs their sponsors, I am not disputing that fact one bit. I just get the feeling that we're treading on iffy ground here. An organization that was started to help those less fortunate by cooking chili is now pushing the products of businesses on the individuals who are one of the main reasons this organization, CASI, exists. I don't know about you, but I'm not real sure how I feel about it. I know how much the Pod's rely on the relationships that they have with the businesses and individuals that support their cook offs. And as much as I detest the word "organic" for anything other than food or compost, it really does seem that those relationships are natural and have evolved organically through open communication and hardwork from all of the parties involved. This bean situation doesn't seem that way to me.

I guess that's enough for this evening. I hope everyone has a great night. Just when I think I have problems or issues to bitch about, Paige puts my life in perspective for me. I just think I have problems. She has socks that she can't fold perfectly (just like Gary), bedtime that interferes with iCarly and an almost disturbing reluctance to bathe herself (guess that's my problem). I better go and make sure she's clean and break the bad news: it's bedtime.

Kelly