It's real

So how did I spend Thanksgiving? Well, it started off with throwing out a bunch of stuff in the basement that I don't need anymore. I also boxed my DVD collection, my bobbleheads, and most of my pictures from the basement and my bedroom.

This move really is going to happen and I'm strongly believing it will happen in 2017. I can't put a date on it. I don't know exactly where I'm going. I don't know where I'll be working.

I have lived in this house in St Charles IL since July of 2003. Over 13 years and I've had a lot of memories. I've owned two beloved dogs here, I did my Master's degree here, I've made love to women here, I've played a lot of music here, I've ate and drank a lot here. I remember the games. The high of seeing the Jets beat the Patriots in the playoffs and seeing the Rangers make the Stanley Cup Finals. And I was here for the Mets breaking my heart in the 2006 NLCS and the Rangers lose several heartbreaking playoff series. The loss to Buffalo is the one that sticks out the most.

But I think about myself personally. I've had great conversations with people in here, both in person, on the phone, and through social media, and I've grown so much as a man. I've had some of my worst moments come out here through verbal altercations with loved ones.

I've lived in five houses, not factoring in college. I can't particularly say that one means the most to me. But this one in St. Charles would either be #1 or #2. Edison NJ, I lived there until I was 15. Sure it's my roots, I can't remember as much of it as I wish I could. Wheaton IL, I only had a year there. My most vivid memories are watching TV when Princess Diana passed away, trying to mow that hilly lawn, and the raspberries growing in the backyard. Winfield IL has some personal meaning. On and off, I had four years there. My surprise 18th birthday party was one of the better days of my life. I remember Bible studies, Hogan running all over the house, and the island dining area in the kitchen. Cary NC, well, I only had a little over one year there and of that one year, I was only there around 3 months.

My hope is by my 36th birthday in July, I'll be gone. But we shall see. It's going to be an interesting couple of months. Looks like I have a resume to polish and then send out.

Costa Rica, part 6

Onto Wednesday, our final full day in Costa Rica. The plan was to wake up around 5:15 to see the sun rise outside our room. Well, when I started to rise and could see a hint of light peeping through the curtain, I knew that plan was done. I actually got out of bed around 7:30.

We drove to Tamarindo and walked down the beach. One of the things that made this speech interesting was how long the space of wet sand was. It really seemed that some waves travelled really far up the sand and some just really didn't go anywhere.

We spent about a half hour settling on the same refusing vendors offering us coconuts, duck calls, and massages. Interesting combination, to be sure. We then snuck onto the Diara hotel pool property. Sneaking on only required climbing a rock wall about one foot high. I tried to get two towels, but without a hotel towel card, that wasn't happening.

We sat under the palabra bar and preferred a couple drinks while playing farkle. 

I'm actually going to stop for a minute and just go on a segue here. I'm sitting on a couch on my screened-in balcony and the sun has set about 30 minutes ago. There's something so peaceful about the ruggedness and the strength of these waves crashing against sand not too far from where I sit right now. That sound represents freedom, power, and action. I feel very close with nature in this moment and very much at peace as I hear the strength of that water. It's a beautiful thing and something I can never have in Chicago.

Ok, now back to my post. I'm now 6-0 against mom in farkle, which is remarkable considering she's such a good game player. I guess she's more into Yahtzee. We wanted to have lunch in the town, but only new restaurant seems to be open: a pizza place and another joint called Walter's, which didn't really excite us that much. Though we knew we would spend some money at the Marriott, we knew the quality would be wonderful. So we decided to head back to the hotel.

In the mood for something unique, we went to the one open restaurant on the property. We started with a jumbo vodka shrimp cocktail with mango ketchup, horseradish sauce, fried plantains, and avocado ice cream. I'm not a big shrimp cocktail, as it usually lacks flavor. But there were enough elements where it was really enjoyable. I had a pan seared jerk red snapper with caramelized plantains, Caribbean peppers, and rice and beans. The spiciness of the peppers was very apparent, but the sweetness of the plantains helped to counter. It was a wonderful dish, I just needed a little more sauce. Mom made a great choice by ordering the grilled octopus. I'm not even sure what else was in it, but it looked like a snake. But as I tasted the octopus, I could taste the flavors of lemon, white wine, fresh herbs, and garlic. I can't say I'll be eating octopus anytime soon, because I'm not sure who can make it correctly in the States. But this was an absolutely wonderful dish.

As the train began falling, I realize the odds of ping pong and volleyball happening were not very high. So I spent some time reading in the balcony and watched the sunset behind the clouds, with my bare feet buried in the wet sand. I eventually went to the gym for about an hour. Meanwhile, mom spent most of the afternoon at the spa. I have to admit, I would really like to try a volcanic mud wrap treatment, but I don't think I want to spend $150 to get it.

For dinner, we went to Tamarine, the Asian fusion restaurant at the hotel. I wanted to sit on the balcony of the restaurant, since it overlooks the pool, which at that time of night had colored lights on. With the leaves in the palm trees blowing in the night time wind, it created a wonderful atmosphere for a nice final meal. We split vegetarian egg rolls, a wonderful fresh tuna salad, and a bowl of Japanese fried rice. It was a very nice dinner, but as much as I love fried rice, there is no fried rice in the world worth $22.

For my last morning, I had one last workout, before hopping in the steam room and sauna. The travel was smooth as we got both our flights without a problem. We wound up getting home right at midnight.

I don't know if I would go back to Costa Rica, as I'd like a little more structure on my vacations. But I'm definitely open to experiencing some more adventure when I do go away. I'm certainly glad I got to spend six days there and experience a different country and culture. Pura Vida!

Costa Rica, part 5

One of the most impressive factors of this hotel is the gym. They have almost 10 cardio machines, six Nautilus machines, three free weight stations, and a variety of sizes of medicine balls and kettlebells. I hit the elliptical for about 25 minutes and did some weights for the next half hour, before heading back to the room. We really weren't that excited about spending $15 for even a continental breakfast, so I had a tropical carrot juice from the gift shop, and half of a protein bar, which I had brought with me from back home.

For the first time since I have been in Costa Rica, the sun was actually out, so I knew I was going to spend a couple of hours in the sun and trying to get a little bit of color. For the most part, I was listening to more Jeremy Roenick hockey podcasts although I did take a couple of dips in the water. They have an infinity pool which leads to the small white rocky beach and then to the Pacific Ocean. From just the right angle, it looks like the pool leads directly into the ocean.

I enjoyed a great grilled shrimp sandwich for lunch, although I wish I could have done without the french fries. Even though the drinks are very expensive, as it's just about everything at this hotel, I give them credit that's your sizes of the drinks are really large. I spent $12 for a Mojito and it must have been a good 16 ounces. And there's just something about the flavors of fresh mint and fresh lime on a hot day. It is just so refreshing and invigorating.

After about four hours total in the sun, I figured that was enough for a while. I headed to another shaded hammock to relax before taking a shower. Then it was time to head into town. Mom had mentioned that she wanted to go to a beach in the morning to watch the sun rise. To scout the area, we decided to drive to Playa Negra, which was only about 12 miles away from the hotel. One thing we have learned is if you need to drive more than 15 minutes anywhere, you're probably driving on some brutal, muddy, bumpy roads. And for the third time, we did that again. Eight kilometers total. We did get to a decent beach, but it was by no means memorable or picturesque. So...back across the same lousy roads.

We eventually got to Tamarindo around four p.m. It seems like the inital goal was how many stores, hotels, bars, and restaurants can we cram into this little place. There's barely any room to sit or walk on the town built around this two lane road. There's one other decent road that sticks off that road so the town is shaped around a letter T. Anyway, we went to a pizza place. We had a fine margherita pizza, but the service was brutal. They never offered us a drink refill, they never asked how our food was, and it took twenty minutes to get our check after we had initially asked. It's a good thing I can't rip them on Yelp, because they'd be lucky to get two stars.

Mom took off, leaving me to fend for myself. I wasn't heading back to the hotel yet. It was World Cup qualifying night. USA at Costa Rica. Sadly, San Jose is nowhere near where I was in the northwestern section of the country. With a couple of hours to kill, I walked away from the main town and sat at a beach front bar. By now it was almost completely dark. I have to say I felt a strange mixture of gratitude and isolation. I was happy to take this trip, but wish I was with friends or a loved one.

My spirits did perk up when a mariachi band played Hotel California. One has not lived till they've heard that Don Felder-penned guitar solo being played on two trumpets. I made my way to Sharky's by 6, which was two hours before game time. Already the place was filled and I knew I was not going to get four seats. I watched the end of Chile vs Uruguay and right before the start of the big game, Joel cane in. He was with his neighbor and some other friends from Wisconsin. We all went to a local BBQ joint down the street, which is owned by an American who married a local. I didn't eat, I just had a real Coke with lime and a glass of water. I knew I had a cab ride coming and figured I'd better save the money.

We waited for the USA to start. In fact, they never got started. I guess this was the Ticos payback from when we kicked their ass in Chicago this past summer. This time, it was their turn to win 4-0. Jurgen Klinsmann needs to be fired today. He shouldn't even be allowed on the plane back to the States. Anyway, I caught my cab and it cost thirty dollars and left the guy a ten dollar tip. I don't know if I got ripped off, but hey, the driver is counting his dollars more carefully than I am. Thankfully I can watch the Rangers game in Vancouver and they're up three as I type.

Costa Rica, part 4

As much money as we had been spending to participate in activities, I think we were both ready to just hit the road and drive west to the JW Marriott. Thankfully with the car keys now attached to an American Airlines lanyard, it was much harder to lose. So there was one last breakfast. By the way, I tried soursop juice which looks a little bit like coconut water. It wasn't too bad, as it tasted very light and tropical. Almost like a blend of coconut banana and pineapple.

We took off around 9:30 and began making the endless dips and curves around the huge lake. I was struck by the rolling green hills, the high elevation, and the fact that we were actually seeing glimpses of the sun. We passed through a lot of small Costa Rican towns, and I noticed a lot of street dogs and kids getting out of school. We did drive over a few gravely and rocky roads, but nothing quite as treacherous as Route 927 on the first night we were in town.

Lunch was at a barbecue joint called 3 Hermanas, which is actually located in several major cities in South America. We split a BBQ combo and the food really wasn't all that impressive. I have to say I was a little surprised when they asked for our passports when we presented a credit card. But I guess that's one way that they try to prevent theft.

The total drive took about four hours, without breaks. We passed through the town of Tamarindo which is a surfing village but now has become a little bit of a tourist trap. I can't remember the last time I've seen so many surfboard repair shops, let's just put it that way. There are also an abundance of restaurants and small shops, and not exactly a lot of room to park.

To get into the hotel, we had to pass through a guarded gate and then drive an extra four or five miles just to get to the hotel on the coast. We were warmly greeted with cold hand towels and a small glass of passion fruit juice. When we checked in, we were a little surprised to find out our last night was Wednesday and not Thursday. So it turns out, we're coming home one day sooner than what I originally anticipated. It wasn't the most welcome news to get. For dinner, we went into the primary lounge, called Nau. Even though it was 5 o'clock  and the sun was on the verge of setting, it was still really dark inside. And with the sun starting to set seeing was a little bit difficult. I had a great cocktail with bourbon, lemon, orange, honey syrup, and fresh rosemary. But I had one of the greatest fish sandwiches ever. It had breaded sea bass, avocado, tartar sauce, pickles, raw red onion and a couple of other ingredients. Everything came together so well. Even though I have never been a sea bass fan, this sandwich might help me change my mind.

Our room has a great view of the Pacific Ocean. And one thing I have never seen is there is a sliding window in the bathroom which allows you to see through the room into the ocean. So I guess if you ever want to take a shower and look at the ocean while you're doing it, this is your opportunity.

I did spend a few minutes soaking in the hot tub, chatting with a couple from San Diego. But after about 15 minutes the water was so hot that I was pretty much finished with it. So I went back in the room, and took a bath. It felt as though something was missing without any bubble bath, so I tried to use the aromatherapy crystals. Sure, it smelled nice, but to me, if you don't have any bubbles, it's not really that good of a bath.

Costa Rica, part 3

After turning in at two am and downing maybe five beers and a shot of Jager, I decided a workout was in order to start Sunday. I paced past the pool and springs to the mini gym. The electricity wasn't on in the building, so I couldn't use the treadmill. Instead, I did ten minutes on the stationary bike, a machine which bores me to tears. I tried doing a few weight moves, but it was a typical disappointing hotel gym. Machines were jarring and not smooth, it was difficult to adjust to different exercises, and the dumbbells only went up to fifteen pounds. So I went running. This hotel complex is really hilly and within five minutes, I was totally gassed. Not the best workout I've ever had.

I got back to the room and mom's face was slight. She had lost the car key. Now she had misplaced it three times already in 36 hours. This time, it was nowhere to be found. We turned that room inside and out. We asked the front desk, I checked the car, but nothing came up. We had breakfast, but mom was absolutely overflowing with anxiety. Our pickup for the zip lining was scheduled to come at 8:20, so without much time, wet got on the shuttle bus for the ride to the Arenal Volcano National Park. We rode with Judy and Carmen, a mother and daughter from Jacksonville we had seen a few times already. Mom felt around in her backpack for some reason and somehow found the key in a small side compartment. The sense of relief we both felt kept us on a high the rest of the day. Even if we didn't get to church on Sunday, it was definitely a religious experience!

Now we get to the Sky trek. This is a zip lining course. Now I thought we would climb a ladder and be up in the air a little bit. I had no idea what I was about to experience. This place has seven different lines with such intimidating names like Speedy Gonzalez, Oh my God, and Big Daddy. We took a lift above the rainforest to the top of a hill. We were about 3500 feet in the air and I started to realize this was a little more adventurous than I expected. First we did a practice line, which was only about ten yards. I was told to lean back, straighten my arms, bend my knees,  and cross my ankles. Then I was told how to brake and finally to spread my legs in the shape of a V when I approached the platform.

So after the first one, I was OK. Then, I looked at the next line and I shivered. We had to go 1500 feet right over the forest to the opposite side. I didn't dare look down, because I knew that drop would've been long, far, and hard. As the guide let my line loose, it was almost surreal how fast I was traveling. I'm sure I had to be going 80 or 90 mph. All I could do was scream for the 20 or so seconds that I flew through the air. I barely moved my head as I was focused on getting to the next platform. I got there safely,  shaking just a little and mostly relieved. The next one was a little shorter, and I was able to look to the side at the huge lake out in the distance. I made it and started to feel more and more confident. Even as the rain started and increased, I felt better and more exhilarated with each slide.

I wanted to get pictures but it was $42 for all of them and I would've preferred having two or three for maybe $20 or $25. I would definitely zip line again. Since we missed our van back to the hotel, we stayed around and ate some fish tacos. The restaurant at Sky trek had a great view of the volcano, it was just a shame that another cloudy day kept us from having an optimum view.

We went back to the room and planned to head back to the national park and the Arenal observatory lodge. We pulled up to the security booth and were told it was ten dollars to enter the lodge. We weren't thrilled, but we said okay and mom gave the man a 20. He came back with wrist bands,  but no change. It turned out the ten dollar charge was not assessed per car, but per person. We immediately left.

At a local art shop, I did buy a wooden cross of many different colors. Then it was back to kioro. The rain is getting annoying, I can't even remember seeing the sun yet. And now I'm hearing thunder for the first time. We had our complimentary dinner at Heliconias, the main restaurant at the hotel. I had a garlic flavored marlin, which was great, but even I had to scrape most of the garlic off. But the highlight of the meal was the Montes twins wine. It's a red from Chile that's a blend of Cabernet and Malbec. It was so smooth, but was still assertive enough to pair will with a substantial meal. We enjoyed it so much that we ordered a separate bottle to take back to the room. For $32, it was a complete steal.

Not wanting to hang around the room, I walked outside towards the pool over to the hammock, laid inside,  and fell asleep for about 2 hours. I woke up just in time to watch the third period of the Rangers beat Edmonton.

A few thoughts about Costa Rica before I close this post. This place is all about tourism. Almost nothing is free and they crave getting the American dollar. The people are remarkable friendly as well as overweight, for the most part. I respect their Pura Vida motto. And there's something to be said about a country that hasn't had an army for almost 70 years. They're also rather aggressive with tourists, whether they're peddling coconuts, massages, or surfing lessons. They know English very well too.

Costa Rica, part 2

Thankfully, breakfast was included at our first hotel. Kioro had a mix of local and international options from French toast to rice and beans. I went right for the omelet bar. My order was simple: everything except ham. My order would be the same for the next two days. The bacon was more of a back bacon, like Canadian bacon, so it was really flat and not very greasy.

Our first stop was Mistico Hanging Bridges park. This is a new attraction, with 21 elevated bridges that are set through nature and the rainforest. Most are small green bridges made of solid steel. But they have four or five long suspension bridges. The views of the lake, hillside and rainforest were magnificent. Unfortunately, the rain started just as we began the trail. It rained so hard that we had to take cover for fifteen minutes. And I never expected rain; I had read that Costa Rica was a very dry climate. Not the northern plains, apparently. We walked maybe two hours and were in desperate need of drying off.

Anxious to escape the rain, we went back to the hotel and had lunch at the poolside. We had beef nachos and breaded chicken wings. The nachos were fine with the shredded beef, but they needed heat and some guacamole. With the rain only getting more and more intense, there was nothing to do except go back to the room. Mom said she was taking a 15 minute nap. As it turned out, we both slept about three hours. We both needed the recovery.

Around 6, I went to the bar for happy hour. I met Joel from Chicago, and Joel and Sean, who are neighbors from Milwaukee. I drank the kioro cocktail with pineapple, orange, and cranberry juice with rum. Chef Joel and I talked for about a half hour all about Chicago restaurants. He's a soux chef at an Italian restaurant on the west side called Formento's. I think I may have to check it out.

Mom and I then drove about twenty minutes west to the town of La Fortuna. It's a small but growing town that's in a great spot since it's near so many hotels. What was interesting was a lot of the restaurants we passed were empty, as this is the slow season for travel. I picked a place called Rancho la Cascada. It was under a large palabra umbrella and specialized in grilled meats and seafood. I ordered a sirloin steak with a vodka mushroom sauce with baby potatoes and a green salad. No, it wasn't a steak that one could get at Morton's. But it was still very flavorful and well-made, it was just a little tough. It only cost thirteen dollars, which was an absolute steal.

We got back to the hotel and I definitely was not ready to call it a night. However since this hotel is more of a getaway place, there really are not many activities to do like games, watch TV, listen to live music, or dance. So I just walked around and found myself in the game room. I played a little pool for a while, but it is not the most fun game when playing alone. I stumbled upon the six hot springs pools and immediately one I wanted in. I rushed back to the room and changed into my bathing suit and headed back to the pools. Actually it was more like the lukewarm springs. There weren't any jets, but I found it really relaxing to just sit in there.

I was heading back to the room and saw some of the same people I have met during happy hour. So I walked over to the bar and ordered a beer. Joel, Joel, Sean, a girl named Stacey, and I spent the next 3 or 4 hours talking about every subject under the sun. Primarily, we discussed the issues between men and women. It was a lot of discussions about sex and they were definitely graphic. But hey, it's not as if I'm going to see these people any time soon, so I guess I wasn't really that bothered by it. I just tended to keep really quiet, especially while Stacey was saying a lot of very blunt things about what women enjoy and what she enjoys. We stayed up till 2 am before I called it a night.

Costa Rica, part 1

The day started at 2 am on Friday, Veterans Day. We caught a 5 am flight to Miami intending to connect to Liberia, in the northwest corner of Costa Rica. Well, we landed at 8:30 in Florida and had a three hour layover scheduled. We killed some time by chowing on Mahi fingers, garlic shrimp, and salads.

The night before we left, the flights looked fine. There are only two of them a day to Liberia, but we didn't doubt that we'd be able to get on. What we didn't know was that the night prior, a volcano went off in San Jose. As a result, all flights were postponed and some of those delayed people decided to travel to Liberia instead. So we got bumped. The next flight didn't leave for another seven hours. So in the meantime, we played Farkle and napped near D14. I think I listened to three Jeremy Roenick podcasts. And I had a couple of hot dogs from Nathan's.

We got on the last flight, landing in Liberia at eight pm. Of course, it left a half hour late because the pilot was missing. We even got in business class, so we got dinner. Of course, this was an American Eagle plane, so there was no hot food available. It was either Cobb salad or vegetables and hummus. Of course,  the salad didn't have avocado.  Mom's complaint was that there was shredded cheddar cheese instead of Bleu cheese. I think I slept for a good hour.

Customs was a breeze, as no one was in line before us. Plus, our luggage actually showed up. Going international and making a connection always has me feeling a little uneasy, so I was glad this went so smoothly.

We took a ten minute van ride to Adobe rental car. The agent, Max, went into a crazy amount of detail on the car. Everything from emergency info, to how to pass another car, to GPS instructions. We appreciated it, but just wanted to go, as we had a three hour drive ahead of us.

So we pulled out in a very nice white Hyundai and started hearing this constant beeping. It was so annoying, once we were driving five miles per hour, it was going off. We pulled over and tried doing everything from turning the car off, to buckling up, to making sure the trunk was closed to checking the gas level. Out of ideas, we drive beach to the facility. As it turned out, The emergency brake was activated. Why they turned that brake on when the car facility is on flat land, I don't know. Also, I've never seen a car where the emergency brake is on the left side of the driver. For all the detail he gave us, he apparently forgot to mention the emergency brake.

So we left, this time for good, at 10 p.m. The first hour was easy, taking the Pan American highway. Then the GPS had us get off and take Route 6, which was a paved, but very quiet road. Then the fun began. We were directed to get on Route 927 for 16 kilometers. I don't know how this road qualifies as a route. I have traveled on some rough roads in my life. None was as bad as this. Boulders, puddles, pebbles, mud, tight curves, uphill climbs, and downhill twists from start to finish. To go about ten miles, it took us an hour. I was literally praying for protection on our car. And doing this at night made it even worse. I think we may have passed two other cars in the entire hour, so I guess the locals knew better.

To then get on Route 142 and a paved road was like walking onto a beach. But then we had another hour of driving. This last road had even more tight curves and sharp angles as we maneuvered around the huge lake for what must have been 45 minutes. We finally arrived at Arenal Kioro at 1 am, 23 hours after we woke up.

In short...

I admit I am a complex man. One sentence cannot contain me. One paragraph cannot encapsulate me. But after what I have been through in recent times, I feel the need to make a declaration.

I am a meat eating, old school country music listening, New York sports rooting, pro wrestling watching, singing while driving, right wing Christian with open emotions who doesn't love to dance or be around cats, doesn't support gay marriage, doesn't eat ketchup, sushi, chocolate, or candy, but loves gluten.

My conclusion is I'm going to offend everyone I encounter. And I'm finally ok with that.

The worst day in sports history

108 years. And it's over. The evil Chicago Cubs and their fair weather, clueless, and obnoxious fans (shout out to their owner, Tom ricketts) get to celebrate a World Series title. I seriously wonder what I've done so wrong in my life to garner this level of torture.