Ben's Chili Bowl - Half Smokes at Home

I've never been to Ben's Chili Bowl in Washington D.C. but have always wanted to go there. They are famous for their chili dogs and now you can buy them online shipped right to your door.

I bought their Original Chili Half Smokes, which cost me almost $90 shipped to my house. Ouch! Quite an expensive experience for (8) sausages and (1) pint of chili (buns not included). It's not really Ben's fault since the shipping costs really account for much of that price.

Preparation was easy. The half smokes needed to be cooked so I whipped out the skillet and sizzled them to perfection. The chili is already cooked so I just heated it up in the microwave.

So how was the taste?

I was surprised. These were pretty damn tasty. They have a very unique and smokey flavor to them. By themselves the chili and the smokes leave something to be desired, but together they are magic. Overall, I would give them a 7.5 out of 10 on taste.

One side note: These things are a lot bigger than the pictures make them appear. Two of these will fill you up. If you get the smallest package of (8) smokes invite a few friends over to enjoy them with you.

Final Thoughts: These were tasty, but pricey. I wouldn't order again, but I'm dying to try the real thing on my next trip to D.C. If you are a foodie or an expat from D.C. then this may be worth a purchase.

How to Cook Half Smokes at Home

Axiom 62: Failure is the Easiest Option

"A man may fall many times, but he won't be a failure until he says that someone pushed him." -Elmer G. Letterman

"Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, only this time more wisely." -Henry Ford

There are two types of failure. The first type is failure from giving up. If you've ever made a new year's resolution chances are that you failed by giving up. It is human nature to be somewhat passive and lazy at times. It is always easier to give up and continue the status quo than to push yourself outside of your comfort zone for too long.

The second type of failure is failure from poor execution. If you screwed something up and failed it is often easier to walk away than to make yourself try again. Whether it is from pride, laziness, or lack of conviction, people often determine the potential goal is not worth trying anymore.

There are a few important things to remember in regards to failure:

• Failure is destined to happen. To become successful you will have to endure failures, guaranteed. Learn to deal with failure.
• Don't take failure personally. Don't let failure make you emotionally sad. Separate failure and look at it logically.
• Set realistic goals. Don't set yourself up to fail. If you know that a goal is impossible don't set it.
• Failure is the easiest option. Remember that failure is easier than success. That is why success is so much sweeter.
• Fail Harder. If you are going to fail at least fail trying your best. You are more likely to learn more if you fail with more conviction.
• Every failure is a success. You will learn from every failure if you look deep enough. View each failure as a successful learning opportunity.
• Fail Often. It usually takes multiple failures before you succeed. Don't give up after your first, second, or third failed attempt. 

Failure doesn't have to be a negative thing. Teflon®, plastic, the pacemaker, the microwave, X-rays, anesthesia, stainless steel, and penicillin are just a few of the things created by mistake. They were created from the failures of other projects. Learn to embrace failure. 

Axiom 61: Death of a Salesman

"If you're a car salesman, and someone says 'This is a terrible car, I'm not buying it,' it doesn't mean they hate you. They just don't like your product. I think that's a mistake a lot of people in show business make.. they're so tied to their act they take everything personally." 

-Jay Leno 

"I think it's very important that whatever you're trying to make or sell, or teach has to be basically good. A bad product and you know what? You won't be here in ten years." 

-Martha Stewart

I was at home one day and heard a knock at the door. It was a young man in his 20s trying to sell me magazines. He started telling me his story about how he was a single parent that had recently relocated to the area. He was personable and made me laugh, he made me empathize with his situation, but there was one thing he didn't do - Offer me a product that I wanted to buy.

I told him "no" and he responded with something that stuck in my mind.

"It's not about books, bibles, or magazines. It's about giving someone like me a chance, " he said.

I still didn't buy. I felt like crap the whole day. I felt bad that someone was out there working so hard and it must be a very hard way of life. I felt cold-hearted.

The more I thought about it I wished I had given him some advice. I wanted to tell him that unfortunately the world is about books, bibles, and magazines. I wanted to tell him that the sooner he changed careers and started selling something the free-market wanted the sooner he could be successful in life.

You cannot fight the free-market. It will crush you if you try. Success means that you must offer something of value that people want. The better the value you are offering, the easier the sale.

That young man will not be selling door-to-door forever. It may take time but eventually the free-market will drive him into another career. Hopefully he can then go into a career that he can more easily reap the fruits of his labor by selling a product that the market wants.