Month Off

As I write this, we are one day from the happiest day of the year, Dec 23, AKA Christmas Adam. Ten quick hits:

1) Elvis Presley's original Christmas album is fantastic from start to finish.

2) As upset as I am about the Jets likely losing Trevor Lawrence, what's even more important is hiring the right head coach. Without a great coach, no quarterback will ever turn this sorry franchise around.

3) At least we have hockey coming. Jan 13, let's get started.

4) I made a roast duck and it worked out really well. I made a homemade spice rub, coated the duck at near the end with honey, and it turned out great The only problem is you don't get a ton of meat on the bone like you do with other meats.

5) I think it took 2-3 years, but I really feel like I now have legit friends in Virginia.

6) The Virginia Jets Fan club will not stop meeting unless every restaurant and bar is suddenly closed.

7) Ginger ale and Gentleman's Jack with lime is the perfect cocktail

8) It felt like Thanksgiving had this huge build up to it, weeks and weeks of being thankful during a disastrous year. But Christmas, it feels so under the radar. 

9) Rest In Peace, Aunt Linda. Go and suffer no more.

10) I try to be nice to people. But I will never respect the mind of a person who actually voted for Sleepy Joe and Harlot Harris. I only assume they are delusional or ignorant. And yes, the election was completely rigged. President Trump won fair and square.

Top 10 Favorite Athlete Lists

Current Athletes

10) Sam Darnold

9) Mekhi Becton

8) Jeff McNeil

7) Pete Alonso

6) Mika Zinbanejad 

5) Michael Conforto 

4) Noah Syndergaard 

3) Jacob deGrom 

2) Artemi Panarin

1) Henrik Lundqvist

Favorite Jets

10) David Harris

9) Laveranues Coles

8) Wayne Chrebet

7) Dennis Byrd

6) Shaun Ellis

5) Kevin Mawae

4) Jonathan Vilma

3) Jerricho Cotchery

2) Nick Mangold

1) Chad Pennington

Favorite Mets

10) Curtis Granderson

9) David Cone

8) Michael Conforto

7) Carlos Beltran

6) RA Dickey

5) Jacob deGrom

4) Matt Harvey

3) Darryl Strawberry

2) Jose Reyes

1) Mike Piazza

Favorite Knicks

10) Jeremy Lin

9) Tyson Chandler

8) Xavier McDaniel

7) Allan Houston

6) John Starks

5) Latrell Sprewell

4) John Wallace

3) Carmelo Anthony

2) Marcus Camby

1) Patrick Ewing

Favorite Rangers

10) Chris Kreider

9) Ryan McDonagh

8) Derek Stepan

7) Alexei Kovalev

6) Tomas Sandstrom

5) Artemi Panarin

4) Ryan Callahan

3) Brian Noonan

2) Brian Leetch

1) Henrik Lundqvist

Favorite Golfers

10) Happy Gilmore

9) Fred Couples

8) Tom Watson

7) Bernhard Langer

6) Colin Montgomerie

5) Lee Trevino

4) Adam Scott 

3) Brad Faxon

2) Patrick Reed

1) Greg Norman

Emerald Coast, Round 2, Part 4

I woke up for my last day in Florida, left Achilles still sore from the prior day's run. We drove west into Lower Alabama, through Orange Beach and Gulf Shores. It was striking to see the level of hurricane damage that had occurred from a month prior. Not just trees being knocked down either. I'm talking about mall signs being blown out, used mattresses still being left by the curb waiting to get picked up by a garbage truck. There were a lot of very nice new apartment buildings on the inlets that were probably designed to hold up in the extreme weather. But for every new building, for every sign of hope and progress, there would be a knocked over trailer or an out of service gas station.

We drove north to the town of Foley, where they have an extensive outlet mall. I have to say I think the gimmick of outlet malls are long over. A lot of times it seems you have to pay the same price you would pay at any other store, it's just that there are a lot more options to choose from. 

For days leading into the trip into the Gulf Coast of Alabama, I was searching for a restaurant to stop. I wasn't looking for 5 stars, just something unique and local. Reading through a book I got at AAA, I read a paragraph about the fantastic food at Jesse's and it looked like a place worth trying. As we walked into the dining room,  I was struck by the remarkably rustic decor. Old bookshelves, weathered signs, dilapidated musical instruments accented the brick walls. 

The server gave me two beer samples from a couple of local breweries, an amber and a pale ale. I went with iced tea. For the app, we got the New Orleans BBQ shrimp, which I order every chance I get when I see it on a menu. This wasn't the best I've had though. We got 5 shrimp for $12, and they were cooked well, but close to overcooked, where they were starting to taste a little rubbery. But I didn't love that sauce, it was more of a tomato flavored fish stock, not as dark in color as I usually would expect. We also were given a pair of warm crusty rolls served in a brown paper bag with a side of honey butter. Truth be told, I could've used another roll or two! 

And then the lunch got right! I thought about their pecan pesto salmon, but I was drawn to the beef tenderloin risotto. Hard to say why, I had never ordered risotto before as a main dish. I may never do it again, because I don't think it could live up to this one. Copious chunks of pan seared tenderloin, with mushrooms, tomato, garlic, parmesan, green onions. The veggies were diced so fine that the green onions may have been the biggest one. The beef was seared ask the way around, juicy as can be. The rice was cooked perfectly, a little creamy, but definitely not too heavy, and so satisfying on the cloudy, rainy day that we were experiencing. Fifteen bucks, a complete steal. I think I'm going to start learning how to make risotto and if I can make mine taste half as good as theirs, I'll consider that a success. 

For the other entree, we ordered their $16 amberjack special with a feta glaze, a sun dried tomato sauce, sauteed spinach, and served over fried garlic risotto. I really like amberjack, though it's very hard to find. This was a nice thick piece, grilled well and the combination of spinach, tomato, and feta always works well together. 

For dessert, we shared the pecan bread pudding for two with vanilla ice cream. Really really good, not too different from other bread puddings I've had but the crunch of the local chopped pecans was a fine addition. 

The steak prices are certainly high for dinner, but there are so many great options for both lunch and dinner that don't require spending a ton of money. 

After a 2 hour drive home through the rain, we were just going to stay home. I took a nap on the balcony outside trying to take in the last moments of summer before heading back into the stress of every day life. I had the sausage and peppers that we had cooked days prior and watched the World Series.

On my final morning, I lifted weights before Mom dropped me off at the airport. Of course, at the ticket line, there was a guy in Brady jersey and I noticed he hand his wife were having issues with their passports. Put it this way, they looked to be from another country, not that you ever know. As I went through security, the guy was a few yards behind me. The security guy was ribbing me about my Jets hat and I asked security to detain him based off the jersey.

This airport takes some major hits in my book. None of the outlets worked to charge my phones. They didn't have a loudspeaker system to announce the standby passengers. Thankfully, I heard her yelling my name and I got to select my seat, which I'd never been able to do before for a standby flight. After arriving in Charlotte, I got bumped of the 4:40 plane, it was me and one other person getting bumped. So I hung in the Charlotte Terminal E Plaza for a while. Thankfully, they have a Potbelly. Same order as always. Big Mediterranean with chicken on wheat with everything, no mayo, no mustard, extra pickles.  Except they had no pickles, so I asked for extra cucumber. And one more Wicked Weed beer for the road. I got home to Newport News around 9:30 pm

Emerald Coast, Round 2, Part 3

I made 6 eggs and an English muffin for breakfast, I was nice enough to let mom have two eggs. We drove to Topsail Park and rented a kayak. We had it for 4 hours and cost $50.00. Mom wouldn't go too far away from the starting point, which bothered me, though I was never going to say it. That was not an argument that I needed. But I guess I wanted a little bit more of an adventure. We lasted 90 minutes on the lake. Then we ate a Jon Smith's Italian sub that we had brought along. The Italian cold cuts was pretty good, especially when I added the hot cherry pepper relish for a little extra heat. But I will stick by this principle until the day I die, regular ham has no business on an Italian hero sandwich.

We got back and I really had a desire to run, especially after my legs had been stationary for the last 2 hours. So in the Florida heat, I decided to run westbound, shirtless down the scenic coast highway. After about 20 minutes, I felt a pain in my left Achilles. I made it about four miles or so, but I really ran 3.25 along with alternating running and walking the last mile. I limped back into the apartment, applied sunscreen, and laid in the sunset for an hour, trying to catch my breath and forget about the discomfort. 

After a shower, it was time for dinner and we went to Boshamps. Holy crap. And I mean that in the absolute most positive sense. What a great experience I had. The two of us arrived around 630 on a Monday and were told the wait would be 60 to 90 minutes. By the grace of God, we found two seats in the outside rectangular bar. Even though there wasn't live music going on, there was still a happy relaxed energy that was easy to sense. 

Grits, one of the bartenders, was super friendly and engaging. I started with a mojito, but I tasted more soda than anything else, such as lime, mint, or rum. Decent but not too good. 

Then the food started coming. The Devils Crab app in a Mason jar. Lump crab meat, fried saltines, a couple varieties of peppers (I'm thinking jalapeno and Fresno, since one of them was red but overbearingly hot), a little seasoning, and not much else. And more fried crackers with a little salt and pepper for dipping, and they gave us a long thin spoon for scooping. Now this wasn't saucy, it wasn't a dip. The dominant ingredient was crab meat, followed by crunch and spice. Satisfying, a creative presentation, but not a heavy dish that exhausts the stomach. They gave us a perfect amount of crackers for the dip too.  

As for the entree, I thought about their crawfish  salad because I love fried crawfish. Grouper is huge down there but I don't love the flavor and it usually gets overpriced anyway. I have always been a huge snapper fan when I can find it, so I went with the Snapper Destin. A large filet of red snapper, topped with jumbo lump crab, two gulf shrimp, served over mashed red early potatoes, braised local greens, lemon butter, and béarnaise honey roasted nuts. 

This truly may have been the best fish dish I've ever eaten. Crunchy, meaty, salty, hearty, a  complex fusion of flavors that came together perfectly. $39.99, and it was well worth the price. That plate went back to the cleaning crew  totally empty. 

They only had one dessert available, a cake with Maker's Mark rum, so instead I drank a Lucky Dog cocktail with vodka, and several fruit juices. Sweet finish to a dynamic meal. 

Now this isn't cheap for dinner, so lunch or happy hour might be a wise way to go. But this was a special experience and that snapper may well have been the most memorable part of my 5 day Florida trip. 

Emerald Coast, Round 2, Part 2

We started the day by driving over to Topsail Park, which is about five miles east of where we're staying. We inquired about taking a kayak later in the week, although my mom felt a little uneasy with the possibility of alligators. We walked about two miles to the beach and turned around. There were a lot of dunes, but my gosh, they're nothing like the midwest. These are more like hills, there's a ton of grass growing on them, and people aren't even allowed to walk on them either. What's the fun of a sand dune that you can't climb up?

Anyway, after cleaning up, we headed to Faith Assembly Church in Destin, or the Rock and Roll church, which is where my mom always goes when she is visiting. It's a blues based music church that is more of an older crowd but has a lot of youthful energy. You've never heard Amazing Grace until you've heard it performed mid-tempo blues with a sax solo in the middle.

It's definitely not a slick and polished church: there are no lyrics displayed anywhere, the stage lights were off when the service start, their online giving link is down, and on Facebook, they misspelled the world "church." But I guess there's something appealing about the rawness and realness of a church like that. Definitely worth returning.

Mom wanted to head over to Bass Pro Shoppe. It's funny, we had never gone there, and now we've visited twice in 9 months. All I could think about is if I had to do a Shipt order form this store, I would be so screwed. Fishing supplies, hunting gear, marine equipment, I may as well as have been staring into the human brain. She wanted to get a waterproof pouch for her kayaking and she was able to get that. I wasn't looking to buy anything, but when I saw the silver pouch containing the ready to eat Italian sausage sandwich, I nearly threw up in the aisle. It looked like a Manwich inside of the worst looking bread of all time. I swear, it was like some drunk guy said, "How can we go a few steps more disgusting from a combination of a sloppy joe and a hot pocket?"

I did make one stop inside of a spice shop. For a small bag of chimmichuri rub and a container of Butcher's Rub, I paid $19. These are the purchases that make all the sense in the world to me.

The sun was starting to emerge from the gray clouds so we headed home and I put some sun block home so I could have a little beach time. My friend, Cristin, drive two hours form Tallahassee and we met up for about an hour. It was OK but as I suspected, it did not feel like anything more than an online friendship. I wasn't disappointed, it was pretty much what I expected. I mean, let's face a little reality, when a girl is in her 30s and hasn't been kissed, there's a reason for it, and it is usually not her own choice.

It was around 3 pm and the Jets had just lost their seventh straight game. So i walked over to the beach bar at Pompano Joe's. As it turned out, it was Happy hour. On a Sunday afternoon too! I drank 4 Rum punches, $5 each. Was glad to drop the cash!

Mom made shrimp broccoli and pasta for dinner. The only other thing I remember about that night is doing this 1000 piece puzzle about the history of television which was so complicated. I think I spent 3 hours just putting the end pieces together. I also found out two bitches I used to know found guys to marry. More reasons for more beer. And sometimes alcohol is the only way to get through a jigsaw puzzle.

Emerald Coast, Round 2, Part 1

I feel fortunate to have even made it on the 7 am plane out of Newport News. 24 hours before my flight, the color on the standby website was orange, meaning I had a fair chance. I think 15 of 64 seats were open, and i was the first standby listed, so I wasn't worried. 

Well after not being able to get an Uber, I had to drive myself, which will cost me an extra 15 bucks or so. Check in and security were a breeze and I began my hour long wait at the terminal. I wasn't feeling any more uneasy than I usually do before I fly, I actually tend to relax once I'm on the plane. I checked the flight listing and it was suddenly oversold be one person, meaning about 15 or 16npeople had booked the flight in a 24 hour span. And I counted about 45 people or so in the terminal for the only plane that would leave that airport until 11 am. Then as a family of five wearing LA Dodgers gear showed up 15 minutes before departure, I don't know why, it suddenly set me off. It's actually a blessing for me that I can wear a mask in the airport, so people can't see me glaring. 

So the ticketed passengers all get on. There were 5 of us trying to get on. They call a Richardson, who is sitting next to me and clearly smokes a lot of cigarettes judging by the smell. Then they call an Otis. How are these two people going ahead of me?! I'm a D1 and checked in first! Finally the gate agent called my name and I got the last seat on the plane to Charlotte. 

Sadly I can't get into the Admirals Club anymore, which makes airport drinking and phone charging a whole lot harder. And all the food I've had in the Charlotte airport has sucked. They have the absolute worst pizza I've had in the last ten years. But I did find a plaza that had Potbelly, Bojangles, Shake Shack, and Wicked Weed beer. Not too shabby. 

It is almost scary how quickly my phone drains. I swear, 4 hours of moderate usage, and it's practically shot. 

Lunch was at The Shack in Fort Walton Beach. This was my first lunch spot on my trip, I wanted some seafood on the waterfront. Sadly with the heavy rain, we had to sit inside, right next to the storm windows. Would have been a great view on a clear day though. We started with the boom boom crawfish, which had a sett and slightly spicy Asian sauce and served with diced tomatoes and green onions and served over a bed of lettuce. Pretty good, but the crawfish didn't need the sauce Just deep fried with some lemon and tartar sauce or remoulade would have suited me just fine. 

For my main course, I had a plate of grilled mahi mahi with French fries and broccoli (I paid an extra 3 bucks to lost the mayo-based cole slaw). Fish was really good, a pretty good sized portion, nicely seasoned, and their tartar sauce was really zesty, it definitely didn't taste like the generic tartar that so many restaurants tend to serve. Their fries were those long wedge slices, and they tasted really good when dipped into some honey mustard.

I wouldn't necessarily call this place special, there are many that I would consider comparable in terms of atmosphere and menu. But on a clear day, it's a nice place to visit.

We did some window shopping down Highway 98, which is the main drag that is just as much under construction now as it was when I first visited a year ago. Two lanes each way and the equivalent of four more lanes that are nothing but dirt, road cones, and empty cranes. We actually stopped into a couple of shoe stores. Sadly, I would've had to pay $140 for another pair of On shoes. Nothing quite worked, so we went to the home on Miramar Beach and unpacked.

Looking for some live music on a Saturday night, we went to Graffitis Funky Blues Shack. Their variety of pizzas named after musicians really caught our eye. I could've ordered the Stevie Wonder, but I don't think I would've been able to see it when they brought it out. 

But that aside, we got a 3 topping 12 inch pizza for 9 bucks. It was a pan style pizza, not thin crust, but not so dish either. They served it with a decent amount of parmesan already on top. I think it could've used a little more sauce but it was still a very enjoyable meal. Throw in four good size glasses of happy hour wine, and it cost me $23, and that's with tax included! That's a steal. 

They had music going on in the parking lot, a 3 piece keyboard based blues band with a vocalist. Really nice relaxing sound. But then certain types of customers were getting a little too close and it was quite disturbing, so I was ready to go pretty quickly. We stayed for the first set and then left. 

Top 10 Country Music Lists

Top 10 Favorite Male Artists

Johnny Cash

Waylon Jennings 

Kenny Rogers

George Strait

Eddie Rabbit

Earl Thomas Conley

Charlie Daniels

Toby Keith

Ricky Van Shelton

Keith Whitley

Top 10 Favorite Female Artists

Linda Ronstadt

Trisha Yearwood

Tammy Wynette

Martina McBride

Emmylou Harris

Loretta Lynn

Patsy Cline

Miranda Lambert

Dolly Parton

Danni Leigh

Top 10 Favorite Duos/Groups

Oak Ridge Boys

Blackhawk

Restless Heart

Pirates of the Mississippi

Midland

Alabama

Gatlin Brothers

Brooks & Dunn

Zac Brown Band

Montgomery Gentry

Diamond Rio

Over One Month

Life has been so hectic and I feel so uninspired to write at times. Then again, I have no audience, so I'm sure nobody feels deprived. Let's do 10 quick hits. 

1) YouTube has old Yan Can Cook shows up from a San Francisco TV station. I think this is the show that got me into cooking more than any other when I was a kid. It didn't matter that I never cooked any of the recipes from that show. It was the energy and fun from that show that showed me cooking could be an art. When Martin Yan smiles, I smile. When he tells a dad joke, I laugh. Can't help it. 

2) I met such a great girl while horseback riding. Yet I am terrified to ask her out. She just seems so busy with school. Probably the girl who's not looking for a guy... until the right one comes along. And I'm no great girl's fantasy. 

3) The Jets. The Jets. The Jets. They are not getting any better. Not now, not tomorrow, maybe not ever. 

4) Every time I want to spend money, but I refrain, there is an internal victory in me that I have discipline. And usually, it's on food.

5) I completed a 4 week dumbbell workout, where I focused on certain body parts each day. Typically, I would do a little bit of everything. But man, with these workouts, I would feel the burn in my chest and legs for 2 or 3 days afterwards. I'd like to maintain this workout  but I think it would be tough once I start seriously running again. But what is the human body truly capable of enduring?

6) I have this fascination with visiting Annapolis, MD. I think I could spend 3 days there easily. But I would like for the Naval Academy and Maryland State House to open back up already...

7) I made something of a pact with God that if my biggest pains in my life was related to women that would be alright. Just as long as I could make a fair living, save some money, travel a little. I wonder if that was fair. Because I don't even need to be in a relationship for a woman to break my heart. Maybe my independence is my God. Doesn't seem like the most stable foundation, does it?

8) I miss being in a church where I feel I'm part of the community. Where the pastor teaches me, entertains me, and challenges me. Where the people take me in and actually have time. Where the music isn't loud overproducted and ovesung rock and roll. Where I have opportunities to serve in unique and creative ways. I hope God has that for me. 

9) If Donald Trump isn't reelected, I'm truly terrified of where the United States will be headed. The more I live, the more I realize the people who are truly hateful, intolerant, and dangerous are the extreme left. And to see my mother on the left now just because he mentioned the word pussy... I'm ashamed of her. 

10) 36 hours until Florida. I'm dying for a break from the daily stress that I live with. I have not taken voluntary time off from work since maybe February. I've freaking earned it. 

Bacon onion jam

So tonight, I made bacon onion jam for the first time. Basically I chopped a pound of bacon and rendered out the fat, then I sauteed four sliced Vidalia onions with some brown sugar, beer, fresh thyme, and salt. It took about two hours for the jam to really come together, even though I was told it would only take about 45 minutes. Then I finished it with a little balsamic vinegar for some acidity, sweetness, and tang. 

So now the question is what will I put this on? Well it has already gone on top of a double cheeseburger with some pickles and Sir kensington's sauce, and that was absolutely fantastic. I have the rest of the jam sitting in a mason jar in my refrigerator and apparently it lasts for about a week. So I'm thinking maybe a grilled cheese, Hot Dogs, roast beef sandwiches, and an egg dish maybe. Or maybe I will even spread it with some almond butter and make a sandwich.

Fall Creeped In

In Virginia, we dropped from 90 to 55 faster than if the Emporia police was watching us drive. I wore shorts and a t-shirt to do my Shipt day. While i wasn't cold on a upper 60s degree day by any means, I'm thinking it's almost time to reshuffle my closet. But knowing the weather in this state, we will definitely be seeing a few more days in the 80s.

 Hmm it's coming on fall, I suddenly want pumpkin pie...

Make Time For Me

It's only been a couple of weeks since I met you and I've gotta say you're already making an impression on me. So many times, I've thought about spending days with you. Going to church, traveling to events, getting in the car and driving anywhere. It's crazy, but I've even thought about you accompanying me when I do random grocery deliveries. I've never thought of that with any other girl. 

I've thought about our first phone conversation that took place on Labor Day. 1 hour, 4 minutes, 28 seconds. It flowed so smoothly. Like I was chatting with my best friend of five years. You knew how to respond. You displayed great listening, timely humor, and personal insight. You encouraged me, you lifted me up. As I hung up, I knew I wanted to do this with you more and more.

And that's what scares me. So many times in my life, I've had an initial burst of excitement over a girl and then I became too eager to move forward or too analytical of everything I'd say and do and it's backfired on me. I want to do this right with you, I believe that you are special, and I do not want to mess this up. 

You don't need a random guy to come along and add to your already heavy load. I don't want to be a burden on your schedule. I don't want to be an obligation for you to fit in. 

I honor and respect your goals and aspirations. I respect you as a woman and a fellow believer of Jesus Christ. I know I will make mistakes, but I pray you will give me the grace to learn from them.

I don't want to confess that I'm interested in being your boyfriend, that would be crossing a couple lines when it's so early in this process. But I'm curious where this can go. 

Do you feel the same? Will you explore it with me? Just say yes. 

NFL Predictions

 This is assuming there is a season of course.

AFC
AFC East

y-Buffalo               10-6    

x-New England     10-6 

Miami                    5-11

NY Jets                  3-13

AFC North
c-Baltimore         13-3 

x-Cleveland           9-7

Pittsburgh             9-7

Cincinnati            4-12

AFC South
y-Tennessee         10-6    

x-Indianapolis      10-6

Houston                7-9

Jacksonville          2-14

AFC West

y-Kansas City         12-4

San Diego/LA          9-7

Las Vegas/Oakland 8-8

Denver                      4-12

NFC
NFC East
y-Philadelphia       11-5

x-Dallas                  10-6

NY Giants               6-10

Washington            3-13

NFC North
y-Minnesota          10-6

Green Bay              8-8

Detroit                    7-9

Chicago                 5-11

NFC South
y-Tampa Bay        10-6

x-New Orleans     10-6

Atlanta                  8-8

Carolina                6-10

NFC West

c-San Francisco    12-4

x-Seattle                10-6

LA Rams                7-9

Arizona                  6-10

Super Bowl

Baltimore over Philadelphia

Rejected

I remember when I was a young man, especially in my early to late 20s, the very thought of asking a woman on a date intimidated me. I guess I have always been a late learner when it comes to social settings. I suppose that's what happens when you don't have any siblings, when you get bullied for so long, and when you don't have much else in the way of family in terms of cousins and people that are your own age. You just come by things the hard way, and that makes those hard lessons cut that much deeper.

Somehow, somewhere along the way, I gained a little self-confidence. I can't even be sure if it's something somebody said or if it was just when I had a moment of self realization, but I remember I was 26 years old. 

And now fast forward 13 years. A change has taken place. I'm not afraid to ask a girl out, it's now that I get rejected constantly. And what has not changed is that the moments after I get rejected sting just as deep as they did when I was in my early 20's. I still sense the confusion, my brains start racing to figure what I said or did wrong. Did I use too many words? Did I ask too quickly? Did I use the wrong voice tone or rate of speed? Did my freaking eyebrow go up?

The most common things I hear are they're just getting out of a relationship or we're not a match. The latter, I can't really do much with. If they feel that way, they feel that way. But the first one is complete nonsense. If they say they are not looking for a relationship, all it means is they are not looking for a relationship with ME. I've seen it. They're looking for a relationship with one particular guy or they have a set image of what that guy is supposed to be (6 feet tall and makes at least $60,000 seems to be the most important criteria). 

Women will reject men over the stupidest crap. And it's always personal for me. It doesn't stop hurting and it doesn't stop happening. And I don't know how to change it.

Maybe there just is no other half. And if so, that's ok, I'll learn to accept it. But I'm pushing 40. My time is running out and running out quickly.

Opus 9 Steakhouse Review

I'm going to start right with the main event, because I know you're not reading this to see how the bread tasted. Fantastic steaks, nice and juicy with a touch of char, cooked exactly how we wanted, medium porterhouse and a medium rare strip. The sound of that sizzling butter as the meat is coming on that white hot plate, it is one of the most beautiful sounds human ears have ever heard. However my friend's strip was certainly oversalted, and that is saying a lot since they add salt to just about everything they eat. I took a bite of the strip and before i did, I had to actually scrape some of the salt off.

I was also pleased with their wine selections, they have about 150 bottles. I wound up ordering a wonderful Syrah from Oregon for $50. But the sever did not pour a taste from the bottle to see if we liked it, he just poured a whole glass. And he could've done a better job noticing when our water glasses were approaching empty.

I had further frustrations with him at the end when I specifically ordered the bananas foster cheesecake when I ordered my meal, since the menu stated this dessert needed to be ordered at dinner for prep time. When my dessert came, it was a regular slice of housemade cheesecake with strawberries, whipped cream, and berry puree. I didn't make a big deal of it, since it was a good dessert, but it was disappointing to not get what I asked for, especially since I was celebrating a birthday.

A few other notes about the meal. I've never seen another restaurant that puts their butter in a piping bag and squeeze it into a ramekin to accompany the bread, nice extra touch. The onion ring side we got was enormous, but they tasted great. Beer battered is always better, am I right? I took half of those home. Since I signed up for the email club, I got a free shrimp cocktail app. Very nice presentation with a silver slotted cup, and a space for each of the 5 shrimp. I liked the addition of remoulade to accompany the traditional cocktail sauce. With the potatoes, the garlic mashed were quite creamy, but nicely seasoned. I enjoyed my au gratin, they had a good amount of cheese, but not too much. I could have handled a little more pepper in them though.

Aside from did, with COVID going on, guests can scan a QR code and view the menu from their phone rather than having a hand held menu at their table.

Our bill came to about $200, which is pretty high when you consider the shrimp app was included and the service wasn't executed as smoothly or as tightly as it could've been. But I did have a great steak and that's really the most important thing. 

MLB Predictions

The kind of, sort of, 60-game baseball season starts in 24 hours. After the latest Mets injury news, and considering how hard their schedule is, I really have no excitement for it. That said, they should make the playoffs considering 8 out of 15 teams will qualify. Here are my predictions:

NL East
y-Atlanta 37-23
x-Philadelphia 35-25
x-Washington 33-27
x-NY Mets 28-32
Miami 21-39

NL Central
y-Cincinnati 36-24
x-Chicago 35-25
x-St. Louis 33-27
Milwaukee 26-34
Pittsburgh 18-42

NL West
z-Los Angeles 43-17
x-Arizona 33-27 
San Diego 26-34
Colorado 23-37
San Francisco 23-37

AL East
z-NY Yankees 39-21
x-Tampa Bay 36-24
x-Toronto 33-27
Boston 24-36
Baltimore 18-42

AL Central
y-Minnesota 35-25
x-Chicago 33-27
Cleveland 31-29
Kansas City 24-36
Detroit 22-38

AL West
y-Houston 36-24
x-Anaheim 33-27
x-Oakland 32-28
Seattle 24-36
Texas 24-36

ALCS
New York over Tampa Bay

NLCS
LA over Cincinnati

World Series
New York over LA

Evil Woman

"I'm not weak, i tell myself. I stay because I'm strong. The truth is I'm not man enough to stop her from doing me wrong."

Those little known lyrics are some of those powerful, dark, insecure words in the history of songwriting, regardless of the genre of music. 

As I constantly face judgement, condemnation, rejection, ghosting, and simply being misunderstood by females, I despise this women's movement more and more. I love women, I respect women. But my goodness, there is the perception that they are the oppressed victim in society. Spare me with the fem sham. They know how to manipulate the emotions and actions of men. 

And those lyrics demonstrate it. He wants to say something, he wants to do something. This bitch, meanwhile, just shits on his heart, soul, hopes, and feelings, and thinks only of herself and what she wants. Actually what her pussy wants. 

She's with him as consolation so she can keep herself semi active while she's out trying to cheat on him with better dick. He can't stand to be alone so he puts up with it, hoping he'll raise up to her consolation level, knowing he will be the dick for her if all else fails. Notice the difference. One settles, one hopes. 

Lowcountry, part 5

We woke up before 6 am to catch the sunrise at the beach. It was already light by 6:10, when we got down to the sand and by 6:21, the sun started to appear over the dark blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It was pretty amazing how fast the sun came up. Within 60 seconds, the sun went from invisible to completely clear.

A lot of breakfast places have similar menus. So going in, you often have an idea of what you'll probably get, and you just hope the meal gets executed properly. That situation describes me having my one breakfast out for the week. I ordered an omelet with spinach, tomato, and cheddar. The eggs were cooked just fine, though the tomatoes lacked seasoning, they tasted too sweet. A plus was their chicken sausage: it had a nice spice, and tasted like actual sausage, which isn't always the case with breakfast poultry sausages. 

Hash browns: the same thing you've had at every regular breakfast joint. Shredded taters, a little browning on the outside. The two slices of sourdough toast were cut in half horizontally and spread with some kind of butter, it was really yellow, so I don't believe it was actual butter. 

My mom had the low carb scramble, and she let me try her side of bacon. The bacon was still limp and too chewy and it was really salty. I needed a few sips of water after one bite. I mean come on, how do you mess up bacon?

Sadly, the OJ wasn't fresh which is so key to me. It had had no pulp, but it did have that sour taste that is such a turn off. The staff was kind enough to replace it with iced tea. Good breakfast spot, but just not special.

We wanted to get some good quality time in before mom had her timeshare meeting and I had my golf round. So we played shuffleboard for about 30 or 40 minutes. Took me a little time to get warmed up, but after five or six rounds, I was getting 7s and 8s pretty easily.

I chilled in the hammock for a little while, read some of Colossians and thought about a girl in Tallahassee and wondering if I had any chance in hell at her. I still don't know, to be honest. I came back and we played a little Yahtzee, whch we seem to do every time we're together. I guess I needed another warmup. After a low round, I  rolled seven Yahtzees over two games,  I don't think I've ever had a streak that hot.

Then I dressed quickly in a maroon Greg Norman golf shirt,  black shorts, and new black Sketcher soft spikes, covered myself in sunscreen, put my dozen orange golf balls, flex tees, and glove in my yellow drawstring bag, the thing I'd been waiting for, golf at Shipyard. I hadn't played a round in six years and I chose this course because it was close to my hotel, not too expensive, and not very challenging. I paid as much to rent clubs as I did to play 18 holes ($60 each), but at least the clubs were somewhat new Titleists. I also had a Scotty Cameron putter in the bag and they had everything strapped in for me on my cart along with a cooler, and two mini USB plug-ins, sadly, they didn't work at all. 

The course is mostly maintained well, the bunker rakes were off the course due to COVID. The one real problem was the greens are not green on nearly every hole. There were spots where the greens actually looked like flat sandy beaches.

As for my play, it was pretty uneven. I hit one great sand shot on the second hole and I even parred one hole. But for the 18 holes, I shot a 110 (counting the nine penalty strokes for lost balls).

Could not hit the 1 and 3 woods for most of the round, maybe 1 out of 8 3 woods shots wee really good, and I quit the driver after two tries. I guess some time on the range before the round would have helped. But I was pretty pleased with my iron play and my short game was mostly good. I didn't make any great putts, but I made most of the ones I thought I could make. I have to say even though it would cost me some money to get a bag, clubs, and balls, I would consider playing the game. I have some disposable income and maybe golf is a place I would use it.

After five hours (and 3 beers), my feet were tired and I was sweating hard. But surprisingly my back felt better than I expected. I didn't even have a beer at the pub since mom was there to pick me up. I wanted to go back to the hotel and clean up, but mom had been at a timeshare meeting for 3 hours and did some shopping and she felt if she went back to the room, she wouldn't be leaving again. So it was off to find some dinner. I just wanted something quick and not too heavy, I thought about Publix for a sub sandwich. We arrived and all they had for meat options was turkey. I like turkey, but that wasn't going to satisfy me on this night. From there, we tried Slapfish, which a modern seafood pub. But the prices were a little higher than we wanted and it asan't quite the menu we were looking for. And considering the next day was the 4th of July, we knew the island would be crowded and finding an open place would be challenging. 

After leaving Slapfish, we headed back east on 278 and turned into a strip mall looking for one restaurant, but then we saw this one place with these outdoor tables and it looked pretty inviting. Sometimes the best experiences happen to us by accident. This was absolutely the case when I dined at Ombra on my final night during my vacation to the Lowcountry.

I reviewed the menu outside and was drawn into the early diner special menu that was priced at $30 per person. It was 5:20 PM, we still had 10 minutes so we decided to try it out. The restaurant was largely empty inside, I guess they were making a strong effort t keep diners a healthy distance apart. The stereo blared out playing opera and crooner music, which is great for setting the atmosphere in an authentic Italian restaurant. The lighting was kept somewhat dim.

We got a liter sized bottle of water, which cost $7.50 as we found out later. I was fine with iced tea, which came in a tall thin glass. They didn't have sweet tea, so I had to add the sugar myself. We got a brad basket, which has thickly sliced Italian bread and focaccia along with extra virgin oil for dipping.

For apps, we started with the beef carpaccio. Thinly sliced raw beef, beautiful rich flavor. The only thing missing was some avocado, which we've come to expect with carpaccio. I had the panzanella salad, which had lettuce tomatoes, cucumbers, crispy croutons, and EVOO. Both apps had large thin shavings of Parmigiano cheese, which were loaded with that authentic sharp flavor.

Mom's entree was the sea bass served over tomatoes with sauteed spinach and carefully prepped mashed potatoes, they looked like a swirl of soft served vanilla bean ice cream. She enjoyed it immensely. I ordered the herb half boneless chicken. This chicken was pounded thin, and then grilled under a brick. Crispy, juicy, just a tremendous piece of chicken. I loved the roasted potatoes, a little crispiness and super tender inside. The vegetable was broccoli rabe, not my favorite, it's a super bitter vegetable. It's actually part of the turnip family, not broccoli (you're welcome for the trivia note). But it was prepared well with olive oil, garlic, and lemon. My plate also had a nice thick slice of beefsteak tomato.

I was a little limited on dessert since I don't do chocolate. I thought about the panna cotta, but that can be hit or miss. I went safe had the orange sorbet, which was served inside of a frozen orange. It was good, but I wish I could have had pineapple instead. Mom had her profiteroles, always an indulgence for her.

So we got back with the sun starting to go down, and with me just wanting to chill, I hit the whirlpool before heading down to the beach before watching the sunset.

The next morning, it was 45 minutes on the treadmill, 45 minutes in the sun, shower, pack and leave. It took us about 5 and a half hours to make the trip back to Cary. Along the way though, Mom took me to Beaufort which has a very nice old school southern downtown and historical district. Nice blend of antebellum and modern. Yes I said antebellum, even if it's not politically correct, like so few things are anymore.

That Publix sub in Beaufort was so great. I don't know of many actual ub shops that are as good as Publix, which is a grocery store!

Lowcountry, part 4

For our first full day in Hilton Head, I needed a new start after the drama from the previous night. I wanted a workout so I walked the five minutes outside and up two flights of stairs to the gym. I arrived at 6:55 and the sign said the gym opened at 6 am. My key wouldn't work. I tried again, wouldn't work. I went down to the front desk and I was told the gym was actually supposed to open at 7. So I went back, and again, my key wouldn't work.

An elderly joined me, trying to get in also, and her key didn't work either. So we got maintenance down there and they opened the gym. But I had lost so much time that I only had 30 minutes to lift weights because we had a kayaking reservation set for 8:30.

Mom and I both had single kayaks while the rest of our group was all in doubles. It was a fun two hours, I got the hang of the kayak really quickly. We saw periwinkles on the grass, blue herons, and spitting oysters (when they jump out of the water to breathe). Apparently, a few people in the group caught a glimpse of a dolphin, but I wasn't so fortunate. Then again, when I was in Destin the previous October, I saw about 40 dolphins, so it wasn't like missing a bald eagle. Maybe the coolest part was seeing a roseate spoonbill, which looks like a flying flamingo. Turns out these are birds are usually white like swans, but they eat a load of baby shrimp, and turn more progressively pink as they continue to eat the shrimp. Is it weird that I felt a little competition with those birds to get my teeth on some shrimp?

Just as we were about to finish, the rain started and it change from a sprinkle to a deluge within a few minutes. We headed over to Coligny Plaza, which has 50 or 60 nice outdoor shops. And I like that they have good shops for guys, not just a bunch of antiques, bags, jewelry,and shoes for the ladies. Onto lunch at Sandbar in the Plaza. So with a crazy rain coming down in Coligny Plaza (typical mid Atlantic rain, it come down like crazy for 30 minutes, then the sun came out and the temperature got even hotter), we sat outside under their covered deck, since the part of the inside area looked like a construction zone with buckets of paint and plywood scattered on the floor.

Since Mom was somehow in the mood for nachos, I gave in and went with it. The server said they were the best on the island and that he wasn't saying it just because he worked there. That was good enough for me. About 10 minutes later, a mountain of homemade tortilla chips topped with beer cheese, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, Mexican street corn and a good portion of steak chunks showed up. I really liked the extra salsa that came on the side, I could taste the fresh cilantro and spices, which make all the difference in the world. Those nachos were super filling, the two of us knocked out nearly the whole plate. A few chips were left over, but I made sure all the steak and guacamole were eaten, and aren't those the two most important parts of any good plate of nachos? I do wish they had been a little bit spicier, some jalapenos would have helped out.

We also each ordered a bowl of she-crab soup, it seemed to hit the spot on a cooler summer day. It was quite thick and rich, I didn't understand why croutons were added into the middle, maybe a garnish?

I wish I could have eaten a few other items, but with those nachos, there just wasn't room for much else. Service was quite friendly, the server did a god job of bringing iced tea and water refills even before we had to ask.

After a meal that heavy, Mom was wiped out. She later mentioned she had indigestion, she's just not used to eating that way. Strange considering ordering nachos was her idea! So we hung out on the outside patio and played Quibble for about 20 or 30 minutes. Of course, with a lot of people heading back down to the pool and beach, I really wanted to get some sun. I hit the beachside pool for an hour and drank a double mojito. $16, but the combo of fresh mint and lime are always worth it.

I hit up the putting green for another half hour before a shower and dinner at Old Oyster Factory. This place looked like everything I would want in a restaurant in Hilton Head. Great view, inviting atmosphere, menu with variety. For the most part, I was pleased, but I have to say it could have been a little better.

As we pulled into the parking lot, they had attendants guiding us in, which was quite helpful. As I went inside, I noticed the dominantly wood interior, which gave the place a hint of of a log cabin feel. For a place that was a little off the beaten path, that made some sense.

The restaurant definitely didn't observe social distancing, we were really close to the other tables. Most people at least wore masks by the host stand, but not once they were at their tables. I wasn't too bothered, but my mom, who's in her 60s, certainly was overcome with concern.

For my drink, I nursed a $13 pineapple jalapeno margarita. It was not your typical margarita glass, this one was pretty large, so I could kind of justify the price. And the heat was pretty strong, I'm pretty sure the seeds were in this cocktail. A little more heat than sweet, but it was solid.

We were given a basket of honey butter and hot fresh hush puppies. There must have been ten in the basket. I ate three, but after my lunch nachos, I knew I had to limit myself! To start off, I got a bistro salad, which is a pretty standard house salad but with caramelized shallots and balsamic roasted mushrooms and I got feta cheese instead of gorgonzola. I really liked the combination of flavors, it would have been a perfect lunch with some tender sliced filet on top.

My entree was the broiled seafood platter with four local shrimp, two lightly breaded scallops, Oysters Savannah (bacon and cheese), Oysters Rockefeller (spinach and parmesan), salmon, mahi mahi, garlic parmesan rice, and veggies (sliced carrots, zucchini, squash). 28 bucks for all that food was a pretty sweet deal. I would say the scallops and Oysters Rockefeller were the highlight. The fish was all cooked nicely, but could have used a little more seasoning, especially the shrimp. I think I used the entire lemon wedge between the seafood and veggies. Mom had the combination of Savannah and Rockefeller oysters and despite not feeling too great, she had no problem polishing off all six.

The views are marvelous and it's fantastic that the restaurant is arranged in a way so that nearly every table can have a nice view of the water. The food is quite good, but not the best seafood restaurant I've ever experienced.

We got home just before the next Carolina summer storm hit and spent the night watching Restaurant Impossible and cooking shows on Netflix.

Lowcountry, part 3

I woke up and it was July, the best month of the year following the worst month of every year. I wanted to do the Prohibition Museum, but mom had really no interest and wanted to leave Savannah. I didn't feel it was worth it to hold us up, so we checked out pretty early on Wednesday morning. Katie was such a cute front desk worker, it was sad to leave her. But hey, ring was on the fourth finger of the left hand

We drove across the bridge and into South Carolina. Mom wanted to visit Latitudes, which is a Jimmy Buffett themed home complex. They have a full activity center, pools, theater, restaurant, pickleball, tennis, dog park (Barkaritaville), and tons of other features. It's a pretty fantastic complex, if they had apartments or townhomes, I would probably consider it. We toured the homes for about 45 minutes before heading back to our car and towards  Bluffton, an adjoining growing town near Hilton Head, and it's a hot bed for retirees.

After not having breakfast, we were ready for grub. The British Open had been on my radar since the early stages of planning this trip. We started with the Pub Wellingtons, basically mini Beef Wellingtons served over brown gravy. I'm not a Wellington fan, but I did like these. There was melted bleu cheese, some mushrooms, and they helped to enhance the flavor of the beef. 

Since I was in a UK pub, I pretty much had to go with fish and chips. The portion was more than acceptable, 9 ounces of cod that had been beer battered, the way God intended fried fish to be prepared. And sure enough, the fish came out crispy outside and flaky on the inside. The fries weren't fresh cut, but they were still well seasoned and crispy. I asked for a ramekin of honey mustard and it was a perfect dipping sauce for the fries. Tartar sauce and fries were fine too.

And then onto Hilton Head Island. My first thoughts were it was very clean, there were a lot of people riding bicycles, and way too many rotaries. So many rotaries, I thought I was on Cape Cod. And around rush hour, oh my gosh, do they back up!

We stayed at the Marriott Surf Watch hotel, which is a vacation club property, or a kind way of saying timeshare. As much as I dread timeshares, this place was fantastic. We had an amazing spot, the back patio was overlooking the boadwalk that led to our beach. Fully equipped kitchen, washer and dryer, I even had my own bedroom with two beds and I had a separate bathroom and closet. My gosh, I even had a ceiling fan in my bedroom! I don't have a single ceiling fan in my whole apartment!

We made a run over to Publix and when e got back, I knew I had 36 hours until golf and I decided to hit up the putting green behind the front desk building. Pretty crazy, they have a putting green, cornhole, bocce, shuffleboard, multiple pools, even several hammocks by the small ponds. the only thing I wish they also had was a bar and restaurant, aside from the one down by the beach.

I wound up putting for about a half hour, experimenting with a cross handed group that helped me control the speed of the putts much better than with a traditional grip. Thankfully there were putters for rent at the front desk, but gosh, it looked like they were borrowed from a low class miniature golf course.

For dinner, it was Cajun steamed shrimp and corn on the cob from Publix. And then, Netflix, and a typical stupid fight, bedtime. 

Lowcountry, part 2

On Tuesday, we woke up early ready for a hike. We knew we had to get started early before the heat wave really started to hit.  The temperature was going to hit the mid nineties again. We drove about 25 minutes south to Skidaway state park. As it turns out, more adjusting was needed. We couldn't find the trail,  So we walked towards the campgrounds and eventually found the Eastern trail. We were going to connect west back over to where the car was, but then came another obstacle.

A "This is Closed" sign appeared at a fork in the road. It wasn't like a piece of paper had been slapped on just because of the virus, this was a weathered wooden sign planted in the earth, and looked like it had been there for a couple of years. So we turned around and finished the walk, about 3 miles total. 

Oh but let me throw this in there too. The trail map said that there was an observation deck on the Eastern side of the trail, so I figured that would be a good spot to take some pictures. We got there and it was a 3 level tower, except there was no way to get to the 3rd level; you could only go to the 2nd level. But they had a garbage can right under a tiny hole that led to the 3rd deck so I guess somebody would have needed to give me a boost step in order to get on the top deck. Absolutely ridiculous.

Mom had heard about Tydee Island, on the east coast of Georgia, so we had made plans to go over there. We really had high hopes for this beachside town, but those hopes didn't last long. It was your typical family beachside town, with a lot of cheap souvenirs, and colorful, youthful looking restaurants. Most of the restaurants we were interested in were either closed or only doing take out.  But I had paid for us to park, it cost $7 for two hours and damn it, I was determined to get my $7 worth! I had to find some crap that I was interested in, even if I had to fake liking that crap. All that only lasted about 30 minutes before we decided we had had enough. We did drive over to the lighthouse which we heard was a great spot, except we couldn't get to it because it was barricaded. Had to settle for a distant photograph. Tydee Island was basically a bust.

We were pretty hungry at this point and we had passed the Paula Deen Creek House on the way in to Tydee Island. The location is excellent, first of all. It's right off a marsh a few miles outside downtown Savannah. We arrived around 1130 and then waited outside for 30 minutes. In the heat mind you, we could not wait inside due to capacity. So even if it was in the shade we had to deal with the annoying heat.

I didn't expect a 5 star dining experience, but that's okay. The meal was best described as ordinary and satisfying. Peel n eat shrimp, house salad, and fish tacos.  Server was an absolute sweetheart, but it's not a place I would recommend for anything special, it's really just to say you've eaten at a Paula Deen restaurant.

By this point, I needed a break and a shower. We headed back to the hotel and after 30 minutes of lifting weights in the gym, I cleaned up. We planned to check out the Prohibition Museum in City Market, but by this time, it had closed for the day. Not the biggest deal in the world, we can always push it to Wednesday.

I guess I can't blame Mom for getting frustrated. I think Corona, or the presence of it, has worn her down to complete frustration, since she has been unable to work or really go anywhere because she is concerned about catching it. She was ready to head back to the hotel but I suggested we at least get an appetizer. We began a 10 minute walk on East street towards a place I had in mind for a couple of apps, but then we passed Ruth's Chris. Mom knew they had a good deal on seared ahi tuna during happy hour and as it turned out they also had a good steak sandwich deal, so we took a detour.

The tuna was quite good, especially when eaten with a little ginger or wasabi sauce. Beautifully presented. As for me, that 6 oz filet steak sandwich with fresh cut fries only set me back 9 bucks. And what I liked about the sandwich was that I didn't get one big piece of steak. The problem with a steak sandwich is when you get that big piece, sometimes it doesn't break easily, and after one bite, you've taken out half the steak, and you're left with an onion/sauce sandwich. With this it was small bites of tenderloin covered in their sauce, so that problem was eliminated. The steak was cooked a solid medium rare. Along with a nice whiskey sour, it was a happy hour steal.

By then, mom went back to the hotel, but I was wanting to hit the town. I still wanted to experience more of the local culture before leaving Savannah the next morning. Translation: I wanted to get wasted in a local pub on local beverages. And across the street from Ruth's Chris was Rocks on the Roof, which is on top of the Bohemia hotel overlooking the Savannah River.  I took the elevator up four flights and took a seat on the outside patio. The view offers a great shot of the river, but the main things I can see are the Savannah convention center, the bridge, and some sort of industrial yard, along with a bunch of trees. It actually feels more like overlooking the shipyard in Norfolk with a forest. The speaker was playing hip hop music, which wasn't the best to suit the mood. I had two beers: the Pretoria Sky Walker Golden Ale and a Coastal Empire Praline Amber. I think I preferred the Amber, not because I'm a fan of sweeter beer, but because it was uniquely Georgia with that nutty, full pecan flavor. And even though I didn't order any food, I appreciate that they're adding an international flair based off the countries that typically send goods into the Savannah port. 

The last planned stop was Churchill, an authentic UK pub on Bay St. And of course, another sign on the door said it was closed but would reopen July 1. I'd already be gone by that point. So instead it was World of Beer. I think I tried 7 or 8 beers in that bar. The Orpheus Transimigration of Souls double IPA was my favorite though. I wanted to get smashed and I did, but not to the point where I couldn't function.

There was one significant issue though. I was drinking draft beer, but I saw that they carried several varieties of Innis & Gunn in their cooler. The new bartender told me the three kinds but didn't say what variety of beer they were. So I wound up getting a bottle of stout, not my style. I apologized,  explained I didn't know it was a stout, and asked to have it removed from my bill. I was told now, but thankfully my original bartender took care of it. 

I must say there are some mighty big boned women here, but downtown there some absolutely gorgeous women. They wear these amazing dresses and they have a tremendous sense of style. But I'm pretty convinced that none of them are single.  They're always hanging out with a guy.

Lowcountry part 1

I woke up at 5 am on Mom's living room couch and we left Cary around 5:50. The estimated driving time was 5 hours, and we made it to Savannah, GA around 10:45 and that was with just one stop for gas, no food, nothing else at all.

It was hot when we arrived on the west side of downtown Savannah, crazy hot, like a desert. I hadn't been in Arizona since 2005, but I felt the same kind of sweltering heat like I just wanted to stay out of the sun.

We had two free tickets to the hop on/hop off Olde Town trolley. It consists of 15 stops through the historical district of Savannah, which is not a large area, only 2.5 square miles. Our first stop was Chippewa Square, the spot where the famous bench scenes from Forrest Gump were filmed. But there's no bench there!

Hungry as can be, stop number 1 was Zunzi's, which specializes in South African sandwiches. We actually took the trolley just one stop just to make the stop at this sandwich haven. When we arrived, we saw they were only open for take out and curbside. But on my first day in Savannah, there was no place I wanted to visit more. I had seen the Conquistador chicken sandwich featured on Best Sandwich in America and I wasn't going to miss this. 

We ordered the number 1 and the number 3, which are the chicken and salmon sandwiches respectively. I placed my order through the company website and it took about 15 or 20 minutes for the food to come up. I also got a small bag of Byrds mini cinnamon sugar cookies and two South African half and half iced teas.

Since there was no indoor seating, we walked to the adjoining square park, one of about two dozen in the city, and sat on a bench. I guess the additional side dish was black flies (hey, black flies matter, right?) because about a dozen of them joined us. I guess they're a big fan of Zunzi's too.

I was all about the homemade bread, it was soft, and had a flavor, it didn't become soggy. But it's all about the sauces, they actually have more sauces than they have sandwiches. I wish I could have taken a shot of each one of them lol! But the combination of the sauces provides a sweet and garlic combined with a mild peppery spice. It's one of those food situations where the whole is more than the sum of the parts.

Salmon was also very good, though it reminded me a little more of a smoked salmon. It also had honey mustard on it but it was a little more mustard than honey, it was quite tangy.  But the conquistador chicken was definitely my favorite, it was one of the best chicken sandwiches I have ever had.

That all came to about $34 for the sandwiches, drinks and one bag of Mini cookies. It's not what I would call cheap but it's unique and it's great quality so the price is very much worth it.

After completing the remaining 14 stops on the trolley tour, we checked into the Springhill Suites and it was quite the interesting room. There were two bathrooms. One had a shower and double sink, no toilet. The other had a toilet and single sink and was half the size of the other bathroom. Strange, strange setup. The other problem was there wasn't a clean up crew to be found. I'm glad mom had some disinfectant wipes.  Another thing with the hotel, there is no room service right now. They have a restaurant but it is only open from 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Why can't they be open on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday? That's when a lot of businesses are closed, so would it not make sense to be open when other places are closed so they can make more money?

I had made dinner plans at a Cajun style restaurant about 2 or 3 blocks from our hotel and then 3 hours before dinner, I got a call from the restaurant that one of their idiot employees tested positive and that they were closing for the next several days. Just as bad, the same thing happened with Leopold's ice cream, which is an absolute landmark and now we can't go.

So we managed to score a 5:30 reservation at Vic's on the River, which is on Bay St and overlooks the Savannah Riverboat, which sits in the harbor. Very nice atmosphere with the piano player and the tall wall of wine. We weren't overwhelmed by the entree options so we decided to get a couple of appetizers. We first got a basket of buttermilk biscuits with honey butter, because...why not. Then I ordered a baby kale salad, and it was a really unique blend of flavors between the fried garlic and the cider honey vinaigrette. We also got an Asian style calamari, chargrilled octopus, and a lump crabcake. All of the appetizers were good, but I would probably say I preferred the crab cake, since it had a lump meat and I like the mustard sauce that accompanied it. I would have like the octopus more if it had a little more seasoning on it.

But the apps were nothing compared to dessert. I thought about the peach trio, but I went with the pecan praline basket (hey it's Georgia) with homemade vanilla ice cream, strawberries, and blueberries. This was a top 5 dessert I've ever had. Junior's cheesecake,  Emeril's banana cream pie, Elegant Farmer apple peach pie, Caroles cookies, and this. Crispy praline, nice punch of vanilla bean in the ice cream, fresh berries. Perfect. 9 bucks for bliss. 

We walked on River Street and it was still over 90 degrees out, even at 7 pm. But I guess I still hadn't had enough sugar because I dropped by Byrd's cookies for free samples. What I didn't anticipate was how many free samples I'd get.  After trying the scotch oatmeal, lemon drop, key lime cooler, almond shortbread, and two others that I can't even remember anymore, I was pretty sure I was on the verge of needing dentures.

The shops were closing at this point, so we began the 15 minute walk back to the room. The hotel didn't have an open bar or restaurant, so that was it for the night.

Charlie Daniels

This one hurts me. A lot. I was blessed to watch Charlie Daniels play live maybe half a dozen times, as recently as March 21, 2019 in downtown Richmond VA.

He carried an aura about him on stage. That big cowboy hat over his gray mane, the dark sunglasses concealing his eyes, and he'd always be chewing gum. Yet then, he'd give all of that tremendous energy for that hour as he'd play guitar and then sow so hard on that fiddle with his own inimitable grip and technique. He'd play blues, country, rock, jazz, gospel, and not miss a beat. He loved to drop wisecracks in concert with his self deprecating sense of humor.

He was never afraid to stand up for the USA and its military.

He was never afraid to play songs about Jesus Christ in concert.

He was never afraid to stand up for true values no matter how the world around him changed.

I have both his books, several albums, and a lot of good memories.

We have a lost a great artist, a great performer, a great American, a great Christian, and a great man.

Country music, the United States of America, and the world are far better for having known Charlie Daniels. The world will be a lot better if we have more people like him.

With a tear in my eye, RIP sir.

This App Sucks

1) This Blogger app needs a facelift. I update 4 old posts from 2 and 3 years ago and they go to the top of my posts. Ridiculous. 

2) So someone in Vancouver likes me. She has three kids, loves cats, and lives on the west coast of another country. What could possibly go wrong...

3) I think it's been a couple of years since I had French Toast. Bad job by me, I might need to fix this. I still have 2 dozen eggs from Costco, this might be one way. 

4) How did it take me 25 years to finally discover Everybody Loves Raymond? Another bad job by me. 

5) One more week till vacation. 

Recent Pictures

I thought as a twist, I would post some recent pictures I've taken. Who says that these posts need to be composed exclusively of words?

View from the Shenandoah Trail on the Virginia/West Virginia border. 

Beaver dam Trail in Gloucester VA

Now that's a steak. Garlic and herb butter shmeared on top

My new speed wheels

Skillet Rosemary Chicken with Potatoes and Mushrooms. Growing fresh herbs inspires me to try new dishes. 

6 Weeks Off

1) I was speaking with someone online recently and we got into a conversation about blogs and I'm really starting to wonder if it's that people just don't do it much anymore or that people still do it but don't talk about it. But it seems like blogging is now a passing fad of the 2000s like MySpace, LiveStrong bracelets, and pop punk. 

2)  It feels so good to finally have my gym open again. I just could not take running outside in the heat anymore. I got my 5 miles in and it wasn't easy to do it, but I did it at my 7.5 pace which is usually my baseline and I added on a little bit of incline as well. 

Who knows when my next race will be. I had visions of competing a half marathon this year. I don't know if there will even be one for me to run. But at least I can train for whatever might come. 

I have my new On shoes, the first pair of these that I've purchased that are meant for running.  The 1st that pair that I bought were down in Florida and I know now that they were meant for more of a daily use. But I have a good feeling that these will last a long time and they will support my feet well.

3) EA and I are actually speaking regularly. I've known this girl for maybe 7 or 8 years and I've always had feelings, but it was never a close friendship, more of a friendly acquaintance situation. Before, we spoke every couple of months maybe. And when one of us was dating, it certainly wasn't happening. But it seems like we're messaging nearly every day, usually about Corona. 

The fact that she actually sent me a picture from yesterday when she was getting her hair done, I honestly think that puts me on a higher level. I mean, how many women would send a picture of that to a guy who's les than a good friend?

I don't expect a relationship, but I never did even when we lived in close proximity or would see each other on the train going to or from Chicago during the morning commute. 1500 miles of separation isn't helping. It's like if I think about it a lot, I'm just setting myself up.

4)  I'm continuing to do a lot of cooking. Skillet rosemary roasted chicken with potatoes and mushrooms is one of my new go to recipes. Fresh lemon juice and fresh herbs absolutely make this recipe a winner. 

5) Next travel destinations: Savannah GA and Hilton Head SC. Three weeks away. 

I Could Be Holding You Tonight

I could quit doing wrong and start doing right. 

You don't care about what I think. 

Think I'll just stay here and drink. 

I wish LAMC hadn't even texted me the news. I would have rather found out from one of those Facebook relationship status updates because it would have given me something else to be angry about. It's as if I'm looking for something to be pissed off about with her. And I am pissed off because I know it's the end of a friendship. Because there is no going back to what there could have been. I will always be on the shelf, I will never be accepted in the way that she accepts another man. And that just isn't acceptable right now. Not when I wanted to pursue her. 

So I'm here in my apartment mixing sweet tea vodka, lemonade, and dashed hopes. And Mighty meaty pizza from Mellow Mushroom. Pepperoni, sausage, bacon, ground beef and I added garlic. A little extra crushed red pepper because why the f not. A great tonic for the heartache she gave me today. 

Thank you for helping me with this one,  mom. Only question is am I sad enough to eat the whole thing...

A Candle and a Beer

1) We are 24 hours away from the NFL draft. This will be Joe Douglas's 1st draft as general manager of the Jets. I feel like it's a needed new era. It is time to invest in this offense and it is time to help out this quarterback. Here's who I would like to see, especially, drafted in the first round on Thursday night:

• Andrew Thomas, OL, Georgia 

• Tristan Wirfs, OL, Iowa

• CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma

• Mekhai Becton, OL, Louisville

• Jerry Jeudy, OL, Alabama

2) I miss lifting weights. I miss church. I miss breweries. I miss festivals. I miss restaurants. I miss movies. I miss Top Golf. I miss running races. I miss concerts. I miss chicken being sold at Costco. 

3)  I figured spend 4 months without a hair cut, I may just let this hair and beard go for a little while longer.

4)  I'm so worried that my Ryder Cup trip will be canceled.

5) Her: "What would I do without you?"

Him: "You'll never have to worry about that."

Life would be so much easier if I had a Hollywood screenwriter following me around. 

Easter

So that was Easter. It has come and gone, I swear it gets smaller and smaller in society every year and it's up to us who know and worship Jesus Christ to remember it, observe it, and make it known.

But with Corona going on and not be able to attend church, it feels a little more distant and difficult. But shouldn't we be thankful that we have streaming ability and maybe it makes us need to invest a little bit more since we are in our homes and not in a cathedral or a chapel?

And after reading the book "Heaven Is for Real", somehow my spiritual life feels more vivid, like it makes more sense and that it is more real. My decision to trust Jesus Christ for my eternal salvation is a wise one and with these visions of heaven from the book, it just feels more real and more affirmed.

And for mom, Christ the Lord is risen today. A-a-a-a-aleluia

Oh the Pain

I've never made it a secret that I feel a kinship with Joe Benigno, WFAN radio host since 1995. Joe is almost 30 years older than me, yet he may as well be my crazy uncle. We root for all the same sports teams, so we have shared in a lot of losses, failures, heartbreaks, and pain. 

Oh yes, pain. Joe has many famous sayings, but maybe the most famous is "Oh the pain." I still remember the first time I heard him say it, after one of the Philadelphia Phillies scored from 2nd base on a ground ball to the pitcher against the Mets.

 So with all going on in the world, and live sports being canceled, Joe's co-host, Evan Roberts, decided to create a March madness style bracket of 69 moments of pain. Over the next couple of weeks, they will be going through the bracket and Joe will decide which moment has caused him more pain until there is only one moment remaining.  On a side note, Evan did a terrible job with Rangers moments, he left out the horrible playoff losses to Buffalo, Tampa Bay, and Ottawa.

And now I have filled out the bracket myself, and my final 4 moments were Carlos Beltran getting caught looking in 2006 vs the Jets losing the AFC Title game in Indianapolis on one side, and on the other, I have the Victor Cruz game and the Knicks losing the NBA Finals in 1994.

We'll start with the Overnight Region.  Clip my championship match in that region is the Jets losing in Indianapolis edging out the Rangers losing the 2014 Stanley Cup Final. It's amazing how for a lot of these moments, I was not home. For Game 5 of the Finals, it was played in Los Angeles, but I was in a hotel room in Mystic, Connecticut. The Rangers had a fantastic run to get to the finals. But that LA team was just too big and physical, they would wear the Rangers down in every single game, the Rangers did not score one goal in that series in the 3rd period or in overtime. And when Alec Martinez scored in double overtime, I just flipped the TV channel and collapsed back on the bed. It is an absolute tragedy that Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers of that era did not win at least one championship.

But oh I will never forget Indianapolis. Nobody ever expected the Jets to make the playoffs that season, let alone be one of the final 4 teams remaining. But after they beat Indianapolis and Cincinnati to close the regular season, then beat Cincinnati and San Diego on the road in the playoffs, they were only 60 minutes away from going to the Super Bowl. Indianapolis was about 4 hours from where I was living in suburban Chicago, i knew this might be the only opportunity i would ever have like this, I scored a ticket for about $90. I drove into Indy, parked in a hotel garage, and found a Jets tailgate. I wasn't much of a drinker at the time, but I must have down 5 or 6 beers in the parking lot, we were just having an amazing time huddling, dancing, and drinking.  That looks so, we go inside, and I'm feeling pretty bullets to. The jets jumped out to an early lead and while I was feeling pretty good, it felt very tenuous against Peyton Manning, the best quarterback of this generation by far. And when Indianapolis scored late in the 1st half to pull within single digits, I knew it was trouble. And I was right, midway through the 3rd quarter, I knew the game was over and I left the stadium nearly getting arrested for yelling and cursing. I  stormed back the 6 blocks to my car only to realize I did not have my keys. So I called my mother, and she drove 4 hours with my spare set of keys so that we can both drive home separately. Meanwhile I had to wait for her in a hotel, too depressed to eat or drink anything. And 5 minutes before she arrived I actually found an extra car key that would have worked, though I have never told her about it. I think we got home around 2:00 in the morning.

Let's go to the Midday Region. Losing in the regional final is the Jets choking away a playoff spot in Buffalo in 2015.  Ryan Fitzpatrick had had a magical season as the Jets quarterback, but the clock struck midnight on him. He could not throw a pass accurately, Chris Ivory was glued to the bench at running back, and Darrelle Revis kept playing about 15 yards off Sammy Watkins, who caught short passes against him all day long. That was the day when I knew Todd Bowles was not going to work out as a head coach. And and the Jets have never come close to a playoff spot in the 5 years since.

Now Game 7, 2006 NLCS. That may have been the best Mets team of my lifetime. That lineup was loaded, the bullpen was stacked, the starting rotation was decent enough. They won 97 games, took the division by 12 games, and then swept the Dodgers in the first round. Even though Orlando Hernandez getting hurt was a blow to their rotation,  I never doubted they were going to make the World Series.

October 19. Game 7. Oliver Perez versus Jeff Suppan was not exactly a marquee pitching match. But Suppan decided to pick that night to become Greg Maddux and hold down the Mets. And Perez, who was one of the most wild pitchers ever, did a fair job. He did throw the pitch that Scott rolen would have had slammed for a home run if not for the legendary catch by Endy Chavez.  But the Mets had several excellent chances to score after that catch, and both Chavez and Jose Valentin failed. So when Yadier Molina hit the go ahead home run off Aaron Heilman, it was a bad blow, but I don't vilify Heilman because it never should have come to that. Oh and Cliff Floyd struck out in the bottom of that inning with 2 runners on. And when that curve ball broke in across the plate against the great Carlos Beltran for strike 3, it was if somebody took a sledgehammer to my solar plexus. I snatched the tape out of the VCR and began destroying it in the garage with a hammer. I literally went outside on the porch and screamed at God. I had a qualifying test from my new job the next day and I absolutely did not give a shit. Although the Mets have won a pennant since that time, that is the one year I can remember when they were the absolute best team in baseball and should have won the World Series. And factor in that they didn't get back to the playoffs for another 9 years, it hurts even more.

Franklin College Region. It's a layup. Victor Cruz ruining my Christmas. That beats out the Kenny Rogers bases loaded walk in 1999, as the Mets fell in Game 6 to Atlanta in the NLCS. For that moment, I was terrified, watching on NBC, on a tiny 15 inch TV in my dorm room at Gordon College in Massachusetts.  When Al Leiter gave up 5 or 6 runs in the 1st inning, I was absolutely convinced the game was over and I turned it off. But of course, the Mets battled back to tie, they had to give me one last tease.  They took the lead twice, and blew it both times. Finally, it was Rogers and from the beginning, it did not look good. Andruw Jones drew the walk, Gerald Williams scored, and that was it. Pure heartbreak.

But that son of a bitch, Viktah Croooze.  It's Christmas Eve in 2010, I'm in San Diego hanging out with about a 100 jets fans. It was such a huge game for both the Giants and the Jets that day. The Jets had the better of the game going to the end of the 1st half. But when Eli Manning threw that short pass to Victor Cruz and he took it down the sideline 90 plus yards as he avoided tackle attempts by Eric Smith and the immortal Kyle Wilson, the air went right out of all of us in Henry's bar. The Jets offensive game plan was comical, they made Mark Sanchez throw pass after pass after pass. The Jets lost the game, have never been to the playoffs since, while the Giants went on to win yet another Super Bowl. Oh and I was dating a Giants fan at the time...

In the Food Delivery region, the Knicks edge out the Revis trade for me. Darrelle Revis was perhaps the best defensive player the Jets have ever had. And for him to leave, wind up in New England and win a Super Bowl with Satan, I can never truly embrace him again. But the Knicks had such a good 15 year run and this was their best chance to win it all. Michael Jordan was gone, they'd finally vanquished the Bulls. Then they held off Indiana in the ECF, though we got a glimpse of the misery Reggie Miller would inflict on us for the next 7 years. And then losing games 6 and 7 of the Finals in Houston, blowing a 3-2 lead. They've never been that close to a title since. 

So what is my final? Mets 2006 season edges out Victor Cruz for the win. 

For Joe, I predict his Final 4 will be Mike Scioscia, Bill Belichick quitting, the Jets losing in Cleveland in 1986, and the Charles Smith Memorial. Jets vs Cleveland over Scioscia in the finals