I`ll pretend I`m free from sorrow
Make believe that wrong is right
Your wedding day will be tomorrow
But There`ll Be No Teardrops Tonight.
Why, oh why, should you de-sert me
Are you doing this for spite?
If you only want to hurt me
Then There`ll Be No Teardrops Tonight.
I`ll believe that you still love me
When you wear your veil of white
But you think that you`re above me
So There`ll Be No Teardrops Tonight.
Shame, oh shame for what you`re doing
Other arms will hold you tight
You don`t care whose life you ruin
But There`ll Be No Teardrops Tonight.
Thank you Hank
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Disgraced
Have the New York Rangers gotten off the plane yet?
After winning 8 of their last 9 games and then winning one of the greatest hockey games I have ever seen at home against the Phucking Phlyers on Friday night, the Rangers had a win and in opportunity in Philadelphia. One game, the winner makes the playoffs and the loser goes home.
And Jody Shelley score four minutes in and I am going crazy. I know it's a long way from over. But the asshole fans in that building are quiet. And that dead, fat piece of lard Kate Smith is crying. From then on, I thought only Henrik Lundqvist and the 4th line of Prust Shelley, and Anisimov showed up. The Phucking Phlyers outshot the Rangers 17-4 in the first period. Seventeen to four! That is atrocious!
Second period. Two minutes of even play. Then Aaron Voros (enough of him!) gets suckered into a fight with Ian Laperriere. Philly gets all the momentum back. By the grace of the King, it stays 1-0. Nothing else to say.
And after PA Parenteau (who has no redeeming value aside from the shootout), takes his second penalty midway through the third period, Matt Carle, standing all alone in front of the net, beats a sprawled Lundqvist. Had no chance.
The Rangers somehow survive to get to overtime. Both teams traded good scoring chances in the extra period, but both goalies held their ground, and the 8th seed of the NHL Eastern Conference would come down to a shootout.
Erik Christiansen gets stopped and Parenteau scored. Claude Giroux makes it 2-1 and the season comes down to Olli Jokinen. Olli freakin' Jokinen. One of the biggest floaters in the history of this team. No Marian Gaborik. No Brandon Dubinsky. No Vinny Prospal, who also stunk by the way. Jokinen, who came over in March and will be gone along with his 5 million dollars next month. He does not get a shot off. And those motherphuckers in Philly make the playoffs. The Rangers are left to scratch themselves and reserve tee times.
This was a terrible season. In a year with the Eastern Conference this mediocre and one of the three best goalies in the world and a newcomer who scored 43 goals, it is disastrous that they missed the playoffs.
Sather will not go anywhere. Tortorella will not go anywhere. I'll have an offseason plan later. Right now, I'm sure the powers at be will settle for corporate suits buying tickets and more mediocrity on the ice, which is exactly what we Rangers fans have seen for 5 years now. The 8 years before that were downright embarrassing.
How long will 1994 be the only thing we have to be proud of?
After winning 8 of their last 9 games and then winning one of the greatest hockey games I have ever seen at home against the Phucking Phlyers on Friday night, the Rangers had a win and in opportunity in Philadelphia. One game, the winner makes the playoffs and the loser goes home.
And Jody Shelley score four minutes in and I am going crazy. I know it's a long way from over. But the asshole fans in that building are quiet. And that dead, fat piece of lard Kate Smith is crying. From then on, I thought only Henrik Lundqvist and the 4th line of Prust Shelley, and Anisimov showed up. The Phucking Phlyers outshot the Rangers 17-4 in the first period. Seventeen to four! That is atrocious!
Second period. Two minutes of even play. Then Aaron Voros (enough of him!) gets suckered into a fight with Ian Laperriere. Philly gets all the momentum back. By the grace of the King, it stays 1-0. Nothing else to say.
And after PA Parenteau (who has no redeeming value aside from the shootout), takes his second penalty midway through the third period, Matt Carle, standing all alone in front of the net, beats a sprawled Lundqvist. Had no chance.
The Rangers somehow survive to get to overtime. Both teams traded good scoring chances in the extra period, but both goalies held their ground, and the 8th seed of the NHL Eastern Conference would come down to a shootout.
Erik Christiansen gets stopped and Parenteau scored. Claude Giroux makes it 2-1 and the season comes down to Olli Jokinen. Olli freakin' Jokinen. One of the biggest floaters in the history of this team. No Marian Gaborik. No Brandon Dubinsky. No Vinny Prospal, who also stunk by the way. Jokinen, who came over in March and will be gone along with his 5 million dollars next month. He does not get a shot off. And those motherphuckers in Philly make the playoffs. The Rangers are left to scratch themselves and reserve tee times.
This was a terrible season. In a year with the Eastern Conference this mediocre and one of the three best goalies in the world and a newcomer who scored 43 goals, it is disastrous that they missed the playoffs.
Sather will not go anywhere. Tortorella will not go anywhere. I'll have an offseason plan later. Right now, I'm sure the powers at be will settle for corporate suits buying tickets and more mediocrity on the ice, which is exactly what we Rangers fans have seen for 5 years now. The 8 years before that were downright embarrassing.
How long will 1994 be the only thing we have to be proud of?
Saturday, April 03, 2010
The heat is here
1) And it's hottest in my cubicle at the office. As of 11 AM today, I now have a new boss and four schools to work instead of three. Time to learn to set a steady, consistent pace.
2) The BBQ pulled pork sandwich at Honky Tonk BBQ has become one of my favorite sandwiches in the word. Toasted ciabatta filled with chunks of pork and some extra BBQ rub sprinkled on top. I preferred the tomato vinegar sauce to the Carolina mustard sauce and it complemented the pork perfectly. Throw in a side of beans and a cornbread muffin and I was stuffed. Drank my first Konig Pilsner, which is a lighter tasting, refreshing German beer. Had my second right afterwards. And I like the atmosphere of the place. A lot of old wood, so it feels like a classic saloon. Live music, a lot of 1920's Old West art on the walls. In the middle of a pre-dominantly Hispanic neighborhood of Pilsen, this place really stands out. I will definitely return, when I'm in the hood anyway.
3) Wrestlemania was a fun night with the guys. The card on the whole was decent, but Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker made it very good. I can say I am fortunate to have watched Shawn for 22 years and I wish him all the best with whatever he does now.
4) Four fantasy baseball teams. I picked 1, 2, 3 , and 5. So I wound up drafting a lot of the same players for multiple teams. I guess that means this season will be really good or really bad.
5) I believe I can sniff out a cigarette from two miles away.
6) The great season of Easter has arrived. Checked out the Good Friday service at Willow, will go back on Saturday afternoon, and then probably over to Wheaton Bible on Sunday. I really prefer a traditional service for Christmas and Easter.
7) Since they lost what I felt was a killer game to Boston two weeks ago, the Rangers have picked up 9 points in 10 games. they are just two points out of the playoffs after demolishing Tampa Bay 5-0 in Florida tonight. If they beat the Panthers on Saturday, this will get very exciting. Five games left to play...
8) On April 1, a friend of mine wrote this on his Facebook account: "Happy Atheist's Day." It was April Fool's Day. Maybe not the nicest thing to say, but certainly creative. Not like I expect to hear a whole lot of well wishes from atheists about Easter anyway.
9) Trying to get into jazz music. Got a couple of Miles Davis CD's from the library. I like what I hear, but really, I'm just trying to appreciate one song from the next. Because without words, a lot of jazz does sound similar to me. Sounds great though, so I guess that's good.
10) Ring of Honor debuts in Charlotte, NC Saturday night. I am really excited to watch this show, I just wish it wasn't beginning at the same time as the Rangers. My picks:
ROH World Title Match – Triple Threat Rules
Tyler Black vs. Austin Aries vs. Roderick Strong
ROH World Tag Team Title Match
Jay & Mark Briscoe defend vs. The Kings of Wrestling with Shane Hagadorn
Pick 6 Series Match
(5) Kenny King vs. Davey Richards
Grudge Tag Team Match
Kevin Steen & Steve Corino vs. El Generico & Colt Cabana
Lucha Super Estrella
Blue Demon, Jr. & Misterioso vs. Super Parka & Solar
Lucha Estrella
Cassandro el Exotico vs. Magno
Butcher’s Rules
Necro Butcher vs. Erick Stevens with Prince Nana
Song pick: "I Want My Rib Back" Keith Whitley
2) The BBQ pulled pork sandwich at Honky Tonk BBQ has become one of my favorite sandwiches in the word. Toasted ciabatta filled with chunks of pork and some extra BBQ rub sprinkled on top. I preferred the tomato vinegar sauce to the Carolina mustard sauce and it complemented the pork perfectly. Throw in a side of beans and a cornbread muffin and I was stuffed. Drank my first Konig Pilsner, which is a lighter tasting, refreshing German beer. Had my second right afterwards. And I like the atmosphere of the place. A lot of old wood, so it feels like a classic saloon. Live music, a lot of 1920's Old West art on the walls. In the middle of a pre-dominantly Hispanic neighborhood of Pilsen, this place really stands out. I will definitely return, when I'm in the hood anyway.
3) Wrestlemania was a fun night with the guys. The card on the whole was decent, but Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker made it very good. I can say I am fortunate to have watched Shawn for 22 years and I wish him all the best with whatever he does now.
4) Four fantasy baseball teams. I picked 1, 2, 3 , and 5. So I wound up drafting a lot of the same players for multiple teams. I guess that means this season will be really good or really bad.
5) I believe I can sniff out a cigarette from two miles away.
6) The great season of Easter has arrived. Checked out the Good Friday service at Willow, will go back on Saturday afternoon, and then probably over to Wheaton Bible on Sunday. I really prefer a traditional service for Christmas and Easter.
7) Since they lost what I felt was a killer game to Boston two weeks ago, the Rangers have picked up 9 points in 10 games. they are just two points out of the playoffs after demolishing Tampa Bay 5-0 in Florida tonight. If they beat the Panthers on Saturday, this will get very exciting. Five games left to play...
8) On April 1, a friend of mine wrote this on his Facebook account: "Happy Atheist's Day." It was April Fool's Day. Maybe not the nicest thing to say, but certainly creative. Not like I expect to hear a whole lot of well wishes from atheists about Easter anyway.
9) Trying to get into jazz music. Got a couple of Miles Davis CD's from the library. I like what I hear, but really, I'm just trying to appreciate one song from the next. Because without words, a lot of jazz does sound similar to me. Sounds great though, so I guess that's good.
10) Ring of Honor debuts in Charlotte, NC Saturday night. I am really excited to watch this show, I just wish it wasn't beginning at the same time as the Rangers. My picks:
ROH World Title Match – Triple Threat Rules
Tyler Black vs. Austin Aries vs. Roderick Strong
ROH World Tag Team Title Match
Jay & Mark Briscoe defend vs. The Kings of Wrestling with Shane Hagadorn
Pick 6 Series Match
(5) Kenny King vs. Davey Richards
Grudge Tag Team Match
Kevin Steen & Steve Corino vs. El Generico & Colt Cabana
Lucha Super Estrella
Blue Demon, Jr. & Misterioso vs. Super Parka & Solar
Lucha Estrella
Cassandro el Exotico vs. Magno
Butcher’s Rules
Necro Butcher vs. Erick Stevens with Prince Nana
Song pick: "I Want My Rib Back" Keith Whitley
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Friday night darkness
I really prefer turning off the main lights in my basement off and working with just the desk lamps. It adds more atmosphere. Maybe at this rate, I should put in a disco ball. With another week over, a few thoughts...
1) I can't help but grin every time I think about what I write about the "guy" looking like Danielson/Omega/Down's Syndrome. It is so true.
2) Two straight weeks of incredibly heavy work loads. And now with spring sports kicking into full gear, I get a similar dose at home in the evenings. So be it.
3) I am very excited for WrestleMania on Sunday. Much moreso than I have been for some of the previous WrestleManias in the last several years. The big question is where will I stop and eat before I arrive at Rozak/Mangold's house?
4) I am happy to hear Jim Cornette promote ROH and rant on the state of mainstream pro wrestling. I am sick of him ranting on how Republicans are basically responsible for screwing up America.
5) I begged the Rangers not to tease me for they played Boston last Sunday. They barely bothered to show up and lost that game on NBC 2-1. Since then, they beat the Islanders and the Devils. This better not be some sick setup...
6) I pray I can be proud of the Mets this season.
7) Tax day tomorrow. Great.
8) I am very excited to read Joe Benigno's new book. I just wish he could have done an audiobook. It would have been like a six-hour radio monologue. Brooooooooooooooooooooo!
9) Guzzling a beer while watching the Sandman's entrance at One Night Stand is one of the coolest moments imaginable. I wish I could have done it in the Hammerstein Ballroom.
10) I may adjust my church plans on Sunday...
11) I feel more and more like I made the right decision. I thank God for his subtle guidance.
Song pick: "How's My Ex Treating You?" Hank Williams Jr.
1) I can't help but grin every time I think about what I write about the "guy" looking like Danielson/Omega/Down's Syndrome. It is so true.
2) Two straight weeks of incredibly heavy work loads. And now with spring sports kicking into full gear, I get a similar dose at home in the evenings. So be it.
3) I am very excited for WrestleMania on Sunday. Much moreso than I have been for some of the previous WrestleManias in the last several years. The big question is where will I stop and eat before I arrive at Rozak/Mangold's house?
4) I am happy to hear Jim Cornette promote ROH and rant on the state of mainstream pro wrestling. I am sick of him ranting on how Republicans are basically responsible for screwing up America.
5) I begged the Rangers not to tease me for they played Boston last Sunday. They barely bothered to show up and lost that game on NBC 2-1. Since then, they beat the Islanders and the Devils. This better not be some sick setup...
6) I pray I can be proud of the Mets this season.
7) Tax day tomorrow. Great.
8) I am very excited to read Joe Benigno's new book. I just wish he could have done an audiobook. It would have been like a six-hour radio monologue. Brooooooooooooooooooooo!
9) Guzzling a beer while watching the Sandman's entrance at One Night Stand is one of the coolest moments imaginable. I wish I could have done it in the Hammerstein Ballroom.
10) I may adjust my church plans on Sunday...
11) I feel more and more like I made the right decision. I thank God for his subtle guidance.
Song pick: "How's My Ex Treating You?" Hank Williams Jr.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Therapeutic
Could use something like that. Sometimes, I feel that's what this blogging turns into and I don't think that's always a good thing. I can only wonder who is reading this thing, if anyone ever does.
1) After the Rangers latest debacle tonight, a 4-3 home loss to St. Louis, I seriously wish Blueshirt Banter had been on tonight. I may have even called in. For the first time in 18 months, I got to watch the Rangers play on MSG in HD. I would have preferred a blackout.
2) Corned beef melts on rye with Swiss cheese, mustard, and pickles taste awesome.
3) I've been seeing advertisements for this Elgin Primehouse in the Grand Victoria Casino in a lot of places. Billboards, movie theaters, radio. Well, I finally checked out their website and it looks really bougie with a few "suggestive" methods of persuasion. But some of their shakes include a lemon buttermilk, a toasted marshmallow, and a creme brulee. And after seeing Crazy Heart last weekend, I got a $10 gift certificate. I might have to try this.
4) Speaking of which, Crazy Heart was a fine movie, I would give it a solid B. It would be an A-, if not for Maggie Gyllenhall's very weak performance. Jeff Bridges definitely deserved an Oscar for his performance as Bad Blake. The best scenes were when it was just him accompanied by either a drink or a song. His old, unshaven, ragged face disguised a soul yearning for glory and redemption. Kind of like a lot of people.
5) I pray I never become addicted to anything harmful. Existing around one on a constant basis is painful enough.
6) My brackets blow. I filled out 17. I'm just hoping to get through Friday with a Sweet 16 still alive and kicking,
7) The first time President Obama filled out his bracket on ESPN, it was all well and good. One year later, not so cute.
8) This has been without question the busiest week of work I have had in at least two years. So many people out, bringing new people in, saying goodbye to people. I really miss Maja. But good job by Erin, Brian, and Bradlee for ordering Buona Beef for us today. It's nice to have hard work get recognized. I know I earned it and so have others.
9) I know I'm restricted by rules. But once every two weeks, and on two occasions, five weeks, is just not enough. In rare instances, rules are made to be broken. This is one of those times. Yet I dread that I'm just setting myself up to face more disappointment.
10) I have figured it out. This douche looks like Bryan Danielson and Kenny Omega had a baby and it had Down's Syndrome!
Song pick: "It Was Almost Like a Song" Johnny Hartman
1) After the Rangers latest debacle tonight, a 4-3 home loss to St. Louis, I seriously wish Blueshirt Banter had been on tonight. I may have even called in. For the first time in 18 months, I got to watch the Rangers play on MSG in HD. I would have preferred a blackout.
2) Corned beef melts on rye with Swiss cheese, mustard, and pickles taste awesome.
3) I've been seeing advertisements for this Elgin Primehouse in the Grand Victoria Casino in a lot of places. Billboards, movie theaters, radio. Well, I finally checked out their website and it looks really bougie with a few "suggestive" methods of persuasion. But some of their shakes include a lemon buttermilk, a toasted marshmallow, and a creme brulee. And after seeing Crazy Heart last weekend, I got a $10 gift certificate. I might have to try this.
4) Speaking of which, Crazy Heart was a fine movie, I would give it a solid B. It would be an A-, if not for Maggie Gyllenhall's very weak performance. Jeff Bridges definitely deserved an Oscar for his performance as Bad Blake. The best scenes were when it was just him accompanied by either a drink or a song. His old, unshaven, ragged face disguised a soul yearning for glory and redemption. Kind of like a lot of people.
5) I pray I never become addicted to anything harmful. Existing around one on a constant basis is painful enough.
6) My brackets blow. I filled out 17. I'm just hoping to get through Friday with a Sweet 16 still alive and kicking,
7) The first time President Obama filled out his bracket on ESPN, it was all well and good. One year later, not so cute.
8) This has been without question the busiest week of work I have had in at least two years. So many people out, bringing new people in, saying goodbye to people. I really miss Maja. But good job by Erin, Brian, and Bradlee for ordering Buona Beef for us today. It's nice to have hard work get recognized. I know I earned it and so have others.
9) I know I'm restricted by rules. But once every two weeks, and on two occasions, five weeks, is just not enough. In rare instances, rules are made to be broken. This is one of those times. Yet I dread that I'm just setting myself up to face more disappointment.
10) I have figured it out. This douche looks like Bryan Danielson and Kenny Omega had a baby and it had Down's Syndrome!
Song pick: "It Was Almost Like a Song" Johnny Hartman
Friday, March 12, 2010
Facebook and a few other thoughts
I have a theory. Once you've had filet mignon, you can't go back to baloney. In other words, once you attain a certain status or level, it is hard to go down. Well, not always true judging by what I've been seeing from two or three certain people on Facebook. No matter how hard they try to forget, they can't get the filet out of their mind. It was very rare filet too...
There are some days I really wish Facebook and myspace and message boards did not exist. I like that I can keep abreast of how my friends are doing. I like I can see what old friends have been up to. But for Pete's sake, there is so much crap people put on I have to filter through. And it always comes from the same people. I seriously wish I could delete certain topics off of my live news feeds. And sometimes I want to delete just one news post from a certain person. But the only option I have is to hide everything they ever write in the future. There needs to be some improvements made here. Thank God I can at least hide Star Wars and all these space games. I'm not interested in finding out someone just reached Level 26 and they're calling me out to match it.
And the games they have are so lame. I'm convinced these things are science fair projects made by third-graders. I was looking to play a Yahtzee game and I looked for the one with the most players. I found one with maybe 80,000. Either there are 80,000 geeks with nothing better to do in the world or these crack scientists have figured out how to manipulate the subscriber total. The 1970's style graphics, the slow gameplay, can't play with someone, you have to play first and then let them play. I feel like I'm playing these games alone in a dark closet on a Beta Mac, it's just not efficient.
The other thing is not so much the site as it is one certain kind of user. There are a few people who rarely if ever post. And when they do, which happens maybe once every four months, they feel this strange urge to update the world with everything that has happened in those four months. I have to "open more stories" three times just to find a new name. And I don't know what changes/evolves more: working through Facebook or the financial aid policies I have to learn at work. OK, enough of that.
I'm ready to try out some Bushmill's this weekend. Boomer and Carton's visit to Ireland last weekend have really have me excited about that and I have never drank a sip of Irish whiskey in my life. I guess that interview with the master distiller can do that. Meanwhile, this leg of lamb I'm chewing on right now is outstanding.
Song pick: "Disappointed" Mindy Smith
PS And there are also those who had the filet served up right in front of their face and they never recognized the difference between that and dog crap. And now they'll settle for eating Oscar Meyer pimiento loaf and they'll never get near the good stuff! Shame on you, you had an opportunity, you blew it, you chose your own house and now you deserve to stay in it.
There are some days I really wish Facebook and myspace and message boards did not exist. I like that I can keep abreast of how my friends are doing. I like I can see what old friends have been up to. But for Pete's sake, there is so much crap people put on I have to filter through. And it always comes from the same people. I seriously wish I could delete certain topics off of my live news feeds. And sometimes I want to delete just one news post from a certain person. But the only option I have is to hide everything they ever write in the future. There needs to be some improvements made here. Thank God I can at least hide Star Wars and all these space games. I'm not interested in finding out someone just reached Level 26 and they're calling me out to match it.
And the games they have are so lame. I'm convinced these things are science fair projects made by third-graders. I was looking to play a Yahtzee game and I looked for the one with the most players. I found one with maybe 80,000. Either there are 80,000 geeks with nothing better to do in the world or these crack scientists have figured out how to manipulate the subscriber total. The 1970's style graphics, the slow gameplay, can't play with someone, you have to play first and then let them play. I feel like I'm playing these games alone in a dark closet on a Beta Mac, it's just not efficient.
The other thing is not so much the site as it is one certain kind of user. There are a few people who rarely if ever post. And when they do, which happens maybe once every four months, they feel this strange urge to update the world with everything that has happened in those four months. I have to "open more stories" three times just to find a new name. And I don't know what changes/evolves more: working through Facebook or the financial aid policies I have to learn at work. OK, enough of that.
I'm ready to try out some Bushmill's this weekend. Boomer and Carton's visit to Ireland last weekend have really have me excited about that and I have never drank a sip of Irish whiskey in my life. I guess that interview with the master distiller can do that. Meanwhile, this leg of lamb I'm chewing on right now is outstanding.
Song pick: "Disappointed" Mindy Smith
PS And there are also those who had the filet served up right in front of their face and they never recognized the difference between that and dog crap. And now they'll settle for eating Oscar Meyer pimiento loaf and they'll never get near the good stuff! Shame on you, you had an opportunity, you blew it, you chose your own house and now you deserve to stay in it.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Never Thought I Would See the Day
But my baseball and hockey teams had their seasons end on back to back days in March.
Yesterday afternoon, Mike Francesa said the Mets received good news on Jose Reyes and he should be back to the Mets within a few days. A few more thyroid tests had to come through. But everything looked positive. And I felt pretty good. I figured, he can take some medication and his thyroid will be regulated. We’re in business. Hold on to that though.
I get back from a great night at Feasting and Fellowship. The sausage fest went over very well. Made homemade garlic butter, dumped it on the rolls and them baked them in the oven until they got brown and crisp. Had peppers, onions, fresh mozzarella, the whole nine yards. We had a great lesson on Titus 2 and I left to go home around 10:30.
I settled in the living room and turned on the Rangers-Devils game via DVR. Three times the Devils scored and the Rangers tallied the equalizer, and twice it happened inside of one minute. Then right near the end of the second period, the Devils make it 4-3 and score again inside of a minute for a two-goal lead, chasing the best goalie in the world from the Rangers cage. I knew there was no way the Rangers were tying this game. No way in the world.
Getting tired, I watched the third period at fast forward, four times the speed. Even going that fast, I could tell that they still sucked. This team plays no defense in front of Henrik. They rarely score more than a goal a game. John Tortorella is a horrible coach, I don’t care that he doesn’t have the players he wants. They have completely tuned him out. I am not one to advocate firings, but both Glen Sather and Tortorella need to be eradicated from MSG as soon as this season ends.
And then fast forward to today, Thursday. During the middle of the day, I’m following the Georgetown-Syracuse game. Although the Orange lost their second straight game, I won’t go too crazy over that. The real tournament starts next week.
I click on Metsblog.com and even I did not anticipate this latest train wreck. I saw Mr. Full Autonomy and Peter Greenberg, Jose Reyes’ agent were holding a conference call. All I need to see is Omar Minaya talking to the media about something negative and it equals disaster. Ten minutes later, I click back on the site and my buddy Matt Cerrone is reporting that Reyes is out for 2 to 8 weeks and needs to rest in a way that does not elevate his heart rate. How is that happening? Maybe they should just freeze him at a cryonics lab and let him defrost when and if he’s ready.
Alex Cora, welcome back to the starting lineup.
I’m looking at this realistically. No Reyes or Beltran until June 1? 60 wins. Last place. Sane old treadmill I’ve been running on for 20 years. Can football be far away?
Yesterday afternoon, Mike Francesa said the Mets received good news on Jose Reyes and he should be back to the Mets within a few days. A few more thyroid tests had to come through. But everything looked positive. And I felt pretty good. I figured, he can take some medication and his thyroid will be regulated. We’re in business. Hold on to that though.
I get back from a great night at Feasting and Fellowship. The sausage fest went over very well. Made homemade garlic butter, dumped it on the rolls and them baked them in the oven until they got brown and crisp. Had peppers, onions, fresh mozzarella, the whole nine yards. We had a great lesson on Titus 2 and I left to go home around 10:30.
I settled in the living room and turned on the Rangers-Devils game via DVR. Three times the Devils scored and the Rangers tallied the equalizer, and twice it happened inside of one minute. Then right near the end of the second period, the Devils make it 4-3 and score again inside of a minute for a two-goal lead, chasing the best goalie in the world from the Rangers cage. I knew there was no way the Rangers were tying this game. No way in the world.
Getting tired, I watched the third period at fast forward, four times the speed. Even going that fast, I could tell that they still sucked. This team plays no defense in front of Henrik. They rarely score more than a goal a game. John Tortorella is a horrible coach, I don’t care that he doesn’t have the players he wants. They have completely tuned him out. I am not one to advocate firings, but both Glen Sather and Tortorella need to be eradicated from MSG as soon as this season ends.
And then fast forward to today, Thursday. During the middle of the day, I’m following the Georgetown-Syracuse game. Although the Orange lost their second straight game, I won’t go too crazy over that. The real tournament starts next week.
I click on Metsblog.com and even I did not anticipate this latest train wreck. I saw Mr. Full Autonomy and Peter Greenberg, Jose Reyes’ agent were holding a conference call. All I need to see is Omar Minaya talking to the media about something negative and it equals disaster. Ten minutes later, I click back on the site and my buddy Matt Cerrone is reporting that Reyes is out for 2 to 8 weeks and needs to rest in a way that does not elevate his heart rate. How is that happening? Maybe they should just freeze him at a cryonics lab and let him defrost when and if he’s ready.
Alex Cora, welcome back to the starting lineup.
I’m looking at this realistically. No Reyes or Beltran until June 1? 60 wins. Last place. Sane old treadmill I’ve been running on for 20 years. Can football be far away?
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Sunday evening coming down
Thanks to Johnny Cash for allowing me to semi-borrow one of the greatest songs ever for this title. Of course, it's Wednesday morning as I'm finishing this...
1) Excuse me. I didn't know I wasn't allowed to get upset and be honest about it. I'm tired of having to put on a performance. I did it for 18 months in another setting and it was so liberating when I broke away. Not only that, but the Adams deal, that little prick Kaleta, preview photos, it doesn't end.
2) OK, moving on. The Final Showdown gag I pulled in class on Sunday did about as well as UConn against St. John's. Bottom line: it was clever and I'm proud of myself for having the nerve to do it.
3) Donald Miller is a phenomenal speaker. I think I'm going to investigate another book of his.
4) I like the Jets trading for Antonio Cromartie, giving them another excellent cover corner across from Revis. This team still has holes to fill, most notably a pass rusher. We'll see how everything looks after the draft in six weeks.
5) Rangers vs Devils tonight. I can see it now. Rangers win tonight 6-2 and lose to Atlanta on Friday 2-0.
6) Good job by El Famous Burrito. $1.00 tacos Tuesday and Thursday. Good steak and I like the warm tortillas. But would it be too much to include a little pico de gallo?
7) Mom in court later this week. I'm not feeling very optimistic. I'm praying, but I'm feeling uneasy.
8) Heard a Nok hockey reference on the FAN today. Man that reminds me of Brookwoods/Deer Run in New Hampshire back in the old days.
9) I got mentioned TWICE on Blueshirt Banter last night by The Mouth. My man! I hope I get to meet some of those guys down the road.
10) I've been able to watch a few of the old Dean Martin roasts. Bob Hope, Don Rickels, Ronald Reagan. These shows are so darn funny. Sometimes it's hard for me to not burst out laughing in the middle of the office.
Song pick: "Love's Great When You're Not It" Michael Peterson
1) Excuse me. I didn't know I wasn't allowed to get upset and be honest about it. I'm tired of having to put on a performance. I did it for 18 months in another setting and it was so liberating when I broke away. Not only that, but the Adams deal, that little prick Kaleta, preview photos, it doesn't end.
2) OK, moving on. The Final Showdown gag I pulled in class on Sunday did about as well as UConn against St. John's. Bottom line: it was clever and I'm proud of myself for having the nerve to do it.
3) Donald Miller is a phenomenal speaker. I think I'm going to investigate another book of his.
4) I like the Jets trading for Antonio Cromartie, giving them another excellent cover corner across from Revis. This team still has holes to fill, most notably a pass rusher. We'll see how everything looks after the draft in six weeks.
5) Rangers vs Devils tonight. I can see it now. Rangers win tonight 6-2 and lose to Atlanta on Friday 2-0.
6) Good job by El Famous Burrito. $1.00 tacos Tuesday and Thursday. Good steak and I like the warm tortillas. But would it be too much to include a little pico de gallo?
7) Mom in court later this week. I'm not feeling very optimistic. I'm praying, but I'm feeling uneasy.
8) Heard a Nok hockey reference on the FAN today. Man that reminds me of Brookwoods/Deer Run in New Hampshire back in the old days.
9) I got mentioned TWICE on Blueshirt Banter last night by The Mouth. My man! I hope I get to meet some of those guys down the road.
10) I've been able to watch a few of the old Dean Martin roasts. Bob Hope, Don Rickels, Ronald Reagan. These shows are so darn funny. Sometimes it's hard for me to not burst out laughing in the middle of the office.
Song pick: "Love's Great When You're Not It" Michael Peterson
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Myrtle Beach Days 2
I woke up around 8 the next morning and a little frustration to get out. So with Mom still asleep, I put on my gray ROH shirt and navy blue shorts, went downstairs, and ran for 15 minutes on the treadmill. Didn't have a slew of options, this gym had two treadmills, a bike, a TV, and a water cooler. Not exactly a deluxe gym, but at least the machines worked, which hasn't been the case at my home gym lately. Just before I got on, the machine, a large man with a dark goatee walked up to me and asked “You like wrestling?” Turns out this guy is not only a co-manager of the hotel, but he had been wrestling for 30+ years. He wouldn’t give his name out, but he did say he had been teaming with Robert Gibson lately. It certainly wasn’t Ricky Morton, I’d know him immediately. I got Q and Jerome on the case and we didn’t get very far. But after researching a few websites, I think it may have been Bobby Doll. I thought that was the bass player in Poision...
After my run, I went outside and soaked in the hot tub alone for about 20 minutes. There was still a bit of a chill in the air, but the tub felt very relaxing. I came back to the room and showering, then we left around 10 AM for Barefoot Landing. Mom’s main job was to gather information for the tours and figure out food options, shopping options, and drop-off points for the tourists. We didn’t stay very long, Mom wanted to get to Broadway at the Beach. We just felt that would be a place we could spend a little bit more time. As we drove up, I recognized the huge pyramid shape of the Hard Rock Café. On my mission trip, we had dinner there and I ate steak. Everyone else was getting burgers and salad. Even then, I thought nothing of dropping 20 bucks on some sirloin. Some things don’t really change.
We always try to eat at places we can’t access in Chicago so we decided to eat at a restaurant called Key West Grill. The owners are from Key West and while the place was mostly empty, we thought the Cuban and Latin concept of the restaurant sounded intriguing. We had a really cool waiter named Jimmy, whose wife is actually from Montgomery, IL, about 25 minutes from where I live. I started with a cup of conch chowder, a word I mispronounced for at least 30 minutes. But the weather was 50 degrees or so and I was dressed in a black t-shirt and cargo shorts. Chowder seemed to make sense. The broth was red in color and rich in flavor. It had several vegetables in it as well and it really warmed me up. Mom got a Torch chicken dish, which she enjoyed. As for me, I got the Cuban sandwich with mango mustard and sweet potato fries. I have become a big Cuban sandwich fan in the last two years and this one was up there with the better ones for sure. The bread was very crusty, the pork was tender, and the mustard had a little bit of sweetness to it. And the sweet potato fries are always a welcome addition to my lunch. I really wonder why fast food places like Burger King and Wendy’s don’t add SPF to their menu.
I hadn’t had dessert the previous two days. But at a joint that prides itself on Key West, I knew I was going to top the meal off with a slice of key lime pie. But Jimmy recommended this one dessert, the banana caramel fried cheesecake. I’ve had fried cheesecake once or twice and it’s not one of my favorites. But I figured with banana and caramel it sounded pretty enticing, so I went with it. Ten minutes later, Mom got her free sundae which was not exactly a single scoop. I get a plate of two large crispy tortilla shells stuffed with banana cheesecake filling and rolled in cinnamon sugar. They were resting on a large scoop of vanilla ice cream, which was then topped with more cinnamon sugar. If that wasn’t enough, this dessert was accompanied by two nice dollops of whipped cream and a garnish of caramel sauce and cherries. I hesitate to say anything is the best. But this dessert is a definite top 3 or 4 in my list. It goes right up there with the banana cream pie at Emeril’s, the peach cobbler at Fleming’s, and the cheesecake at Junior’s.
By the time we got back outside, I was getting colder. I remembered I left my coat in the car and on a day when people around me were walking with wool winter hats on, I could have used a coat. We stopped in a couple of shops like Tiki Jim's, and Sports Heroes, and a couple that probably interested Mom and not me as much.
We left there around 2 PM or so. We headed back south and stopped at the Myrtle Beach Flea Market. Mom picked up some magnets and keychains which she will be using as prizes for the games during the tour. Other than that, there wasn’t a whole lot to get excited about at the Flea Market. We made it a point to play mini-golf and with the weather getting cooler, we knew we had to play quickly. Unfortunately, most of the good ones are in North Myrtle Beach and we were already in the South Strand. We went to one place that cost 8 bucks a head, but it was a pretty simple, basic course. We hit four holes-in-one between us, which is saying quite a bit for the ease of the course.
We thought about going to the Dixie Stampede that night, but I wasn’t psyched about with watching a horse show. So we headed back to the room and chilled for a little while. For dinner, we headed down Murrell’s Inlet to Flo's Place, a Cajun/Creole restaurant. We ate some fried alligator and fried green tomatoes to start. They weren’t too bad, but I really prefer the bigger chunks of gator at Pappadeaux. For dinner, Mom got a mixed seafood grill platter of shrimp, scallops, and Mahi, which I would have gotten if she hadn’t. So instead, I opted for the Bayou Special, which the menu described as crawfish and shrimp served with garlic butter. What I got was a huge bowl of herb/garlic butter filled with about a dozen whole, unpeeled shrimp and 20 full crawfish. I wasn’t getting tails, I got the whole thing. Now, the shrimp were a little messy, but I’ve peeled plenty of shrimp in my lifetime. The crawfish were a different story. On TV, I’ve seen people have crawfish boils and the snap off different parts of the crawfish and eat other parts. All I knew was the tail was a good part. I had to pick these things out of the butter and cut into them to get the edible stuff out. After the fifth one that I had basically demolished, I found out I had to suck the head and the eat tail. So for the last 15 or so, I sucked head and extracted a few clean tails. It took a long time to get through the bowl, but Mom was impressed that I even tried to eat that stuff. And her shrimp and scallops tasted phenomenal. Crème brulee for dessert.
Feeling stuffed, we headed back for the night. I watched Hitch on TBS and I thought it was a pretty good film. I did think that the first half was funnier than the second though. The dancing scenes with Will Smith and Kevin James woke Mom up from her slumber and she just shook her head in sadness and pity.
We were up on Sunday at 5 AM and began driving to Raleigh around 5:45. We stopped at the legendary South of the Border tourist stop on 95 right at the NC/SC border. From the outside, it was the absolute campiest corniest place I’ve ever seen. With the Old West/Mexican design and the empty parking lots, I thought it was be a good place to film a horror movie. Our stay there consisted of two minutes and a few snickers (not the candy bar).
Before we went to the airport, we had some extra time, so we drove by our old home, 517 Berwick Valley Lane. Nothing has changed much over there, just a few new housing complexes where there was once vacant lead. But a lot of the same stores are still in business 7 years later. I guess that’s good. We grabbed a couple of sandwiches and sesame cookies from the Manhattan Café and headed back to RDU.
The flight seemed pretty uneventful. I mostly listened to the last episode of Blueshirt Banter that I had missed from the previous Wednesday. As we descended into the midwest, I noticed there were a ton of clouds and it was taking a long time to see any land. When I did, I saw so many huge sections of white on the ground. I knew I was almost home.
After my run, I went outside and soaked in the hot tub alone for about 20 minutes. There was still a bit of a chill in the air, but the tub felt very relaxing. I came back to the room and showering, then we left around 10 AM for Barefoot Landing. Mom’s main job was to gather information for the tours and figure out food options, shopping options, and drop-off points for the tourists. We didn’t stay very long, Mom wanted to get to Broadway at the Beach. We just felt that would be a place we could spend a little bit more time. As we drove up, I recognized the huge pyramid shape of the Hard Rock Café. On my mission trip, we had dinner there and I ate steak. Everyone else was getting burgers and salad. Even then, I thought nothing of dropping 20 bucks on some sirloin. Some things don’t really change.
We always try to eat at places we can’t access in Chicago so we decided to eat at a restaurant called Key West Grill. The owners are from Key West and while the place was mostly empty, we thought the Cuban and Latin concept of the restaurant sounded intriguing. We had a really cool waiter named Jimmy, whose wife is actually from Montgomery, IL, about 25 minutes from where I live. I started with a cup of conch chowder, a word I mispronounced for at least 30 minutes. But the weather was 50 degrees or so and I was dressed in a black t-shirt and cargo shorts. Chowder seemed to make sense. The broth was red in color and rich in flavor. It had several vegetables in it as well and it really warmed me up. Mom got a Torch chicken dish, which she enjoyed. As for me, I got the Cuban sandwich with mango mustard and sweet potato fries. I have become a big Cuban sandwich fan in the last two years and this one was up there with the better ones for sure. The bread was very crusty, the pork was tender, and the mustard had a little bit of sweetness to it. And the sweet potato fries are always a welcome addition to my lunch. I really wonder why fast food places like Burger King and Wendy’s don’t add SPF to their menu.
I hadn’t had dessert the previous two days. But at a joint that prides itself on Key West, I knew I was going to top the meal off with a slice of key lime pie. But Jimmy recommended this one dessert, the banana caramel fried cheesecake. I’ve had fried cheesecake once or twice and it’s not one of my favorites. But I figured with banana and caramel it sounded pretty enticing, so I went with it. Ten minutes later, Mom got her free sundae which was not exactly a single scoop. I get a plate of two large crispy tortilla shells stuffed with banana cheesecake filling and rolled in cinnamon sugar. They were resting on a large scoop of vanilla ice cream, which was then topped with more cinnamon sugar. If that wasn’t enough, this dessert was accompanied by two nice dollops of whipped cream and a garnish of caramel sauce and cherries. I hesitate to say anything is the best. But this dessert is a definite top 3 or 4 in my list. It goes right up there with the banana cream pie at Emeril’s, the peach cobbler at Fleming’s, and the cheesecake at Junior’s.
By the time we got back outside, I was getting colder. I remembered I left my coat in the car and on a day when people around me were walking with wool winter hats on, I could have used a coat. We stopped in a couple of shops like Tiki Jim's, and Sports Heroes, and a couple that probably interested Mom and not me as much.
We left there around 2 PM or so. We headed back south and stopped at the Myrtle Beach Flea Market. Mom picked up some magnets and keychains which she will be using as prizes for the games during the tour. Other than that, there wasn’t a whole lot to get excited about at the Flea Market. We made it a point to play mini-golf and with the weather getting cooler, we knew we had to play quickly. Unfortunately, most of the good ones are in North Myrtle Beach and we were already in the South Strand. We went to one place that cost 8 bucks a head, but it was a pretty simple, basic course. We hit four holes-in-one between us, which is saying quite a bit for the ease of the course.
We thought about going to the Dixie Stampede that night, but I wasn’t psyched about with watching a horse show. So we headed back to the room and chilled for a little while. For dinner, we headed down Murrell’s Inlet to Flo's Place, a Cajun/Creole restaurant. We ate some fried alligator and fried green tomatoes to start. They weren’t too bad, but I really prefer the bigger chunks of gator at Pappadeaux. For dinner, Mom got a mixed seafood grill platter of shrimp, scallops, and Mahi, which I would have gotten if she hadn’t. So instead, I opted for the Bayou Special, which the menu described as crawfish and shrimp served with garlic butter. What I got was a huge bowl of herb/garlic butter filled with about a dozen whole, unpeeled shrimp and 20 full crawfish. I wasn’t getting tails, I got the whole thing. Now, the shrimp were a little messy, but I’ve peeled plenty of shrimp in my lifetime. The crawfish were a different story. On TV, I’ve seen people have crawfish boils and the snap off different parts of the crawfish and eat other parts. All I knew was the tail was a good part. I had to pick these things out of the butter and cut into them to get the edible stuff out. After the fifth one that I had basically demolished, I found out I had to suck the head and the eat tail. So for the last 15 or so, I sucked head and extracted a few clean tails. It took a long time to get through the bowl, but Mom was impressed that I even tried to eat that stuff. And her shrimp and scallops tasted phenomenal. Crème brulee for dessert.
Feeling stuffed, we headed back for the night. I watched Hitch on TBS and I thought it was a pretty good film. I did think that the first half was funnier than the second though. The dancing scenes with Will Smith and Kevin James woke Mom up from her slumber and she just shook her head in sadness and pity.
We were up on Sunday at 5 AM and began driving to Raleigh around 5:45. We stopped at the legendary South of the Border tourist stop on 95 right at the NC/SC border. From the outside, it was the absolute campiest corniest place I’ve ever seen. With the Old West/Mexican design and the empty parking lots, I thought it was be a good place to film a horror movie. Our stay there consisted of two minutes and a few snickers (not the candy bar).
Before we went to the airport, we had some extra time, so we drove by our old home, 517 Berwick Valley Lane. Nothing has changed much over there, just a few new housing complexes where there was once vacant lead. But a lot of the same stores are still in business 7 years later. I guess that’s good. We grabbed a couple of sandwiches and sesame cookies from the Manhattan Café and headed back to RDU.
The flight seemed pretty uneventful. I mostly listened to the last episode of Blueshirt Banter that I had missed from the previous Wednesday. As we descended into the midwest, I noticed there were a ton of clouds and it was taking a long time to see any land. When I did, I saw so many huge sections of white on the ground. I knew I was almost home.
Myrtle Beach Days 1
And having fun in the waves! Well, it was a little too cold for that. But after a steady diet of 30 degree weeks in Chicago, the mid-50's felt pretty reinvigorating. I guess in my last post, I was releasing a lot of frustration and concern. But it's somewhat misleading, my trip included a lot of fun moments.
Woke up at 4 AM, running on four hours of sleep after working till about midnight. We took a 6:15 flight to Raleigh that landed around 10:00 EST. As I stepped into the Raleigh/Durham terminal for the first time since 2003, I was struck by the renovations and modernizations. New walkways, new monitors at the gates, and new restaurants (including the great Carolina Ale House and 42nd St. Oyster Bar). Mom was flabbergasted by the changes too. It had been eight years since she had been there too.
We took our mid-size Toyota (sadly, it was bright red) and began the 3.5 hour drive to Myrtle Beach. After getting off 95 around Lumberton, NC, we took side roads for about 1.5 hours. Myrtle Beach is just not the easiest town to access by car. As we entered South Carolina, I fussed around with the radio. There was one station that played beach music and oldies. And a lot of traditional blues too. This was the type of music that no station in Chicago even dreams of playing, except maybe one of those obscure AM stations. And the country stations were playing some good 80's and 90's tunes, back from when country music was actually distinctive from other genres. But enough ranting.
So we took Rt 17, which is basically the only main road in the town although it splits into business 17 and bypass 17 in the actual town of Myrtle Beach, with the bypass route traveling closer to the coast. As Surfside Beach (the first town south of Myrtle Beach) ends, the two roads merge again. We took the bypass road to Barefoot Landing, a nice outdoor shopping center. In the back of the shopping center stands Greg Norman's Australian Grille. I have visited there to take some pictures before, but this was my first time eating there. We got a table by the pond and started off with crispy Asian seafood spring rolls. They come with a homemade sweet and sour sauce and a green ginger, soy and, scallion sauce. I’m not a big SnS fan, but the green sauce was good. Nice appetizer. Mom got ahi tuna with mushroom risotto and green beans. The cool part was the plate is in the shape of a shark fin. I had a fried grouper sandwich with cheese, onions, and a remoulade sauce and some fries. The grouper was very fresh and the sandwich was quite large and complex with so many different flavors. Walked out of there pretty stuffed.
After some driving around town, we drove to Surfside Beach and checked into the Holliday Inn. With only one black duffel bag for me, I finished unpacking in ten minutes. After being up for so long, Mom took a nap. Meanwhile, I walked around the area, which was mostly beach houses and a trailer park. We had an ocean view and were right above the pool and hot tub, but it was certainly not warm enough to hit the waves. I noticed there were eight or nine 20-something’s in the hot tub drinking beer and other cocktails. I have no issue with that, but in the lobby I saw more kids coming in with more liquor. I had a feeling there were more to come. And little did I know…
Then I did the one thing I really wanted to do. We drove 20 minutes south to Pawley's Island, where I did mission work back in 1998. As we turned onto Baskervill Road, I gazed out the window, eager to see what, if anything, had changed. The little Holy Cross Episcopal church building was still there when we came into the complex. The free clinic where we stayed at, ate in, and worked on looked the same as well. I recognized the white clinic sign hanging from the roof out front, the house color was the same powder blue. But as I looked past the clinic, I remembered what had been there and thought I was in the wrong place. That space used to be an empty dirt field and we had pulled out the old batting cage which had been embedded into the earth. Of course, we lost the bumper off our van trying to pull it out. Well, now they have built a new church four or five times the size of the original with a full parking lot and palm trees lining the entranceway. I was absolutely stunned how much that place has grown. I walked around the campus thinking about people on that trip. Mrs. Riebock, Parker, Whitney, Spata, Quinn, and a lot of others. I’m not really in contact with any of them anymore and I wonder if they think about that trip too.
We continued five minutes down the road to the hammock shops, which is what Pawley’s Island is best known for. In the main shop, I tried a sample of vanilla pecan fudge. Definitely the best fudge I have ever had. It’s funny, take out the chocolate and fudge can be pretty darn tasty. Found a sports shop and picked up two Jets wall hangings. Great, unexpected acquisition.
We headed back to the north side, took about 45 minutes. Looking for a quick bite, we went to Dirty Don's oyster bar. Happy hour was in session and we were charged 35 cents for oysters, wings, shrimp, clams, and mussels and six came to an order. Throw in three Coors Light’s for me and a few wines for Mom. I paid that bill and with tip, it was only $36.00, which I thought was a steal.
Then, we drove 10 minutes north to the Carolina Opry. This is the beauty of Mom being a tour guide. Free tickets to shows! We watched Good Vibrations, which was music and entertainment from the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. We got our seats and I was sandwiched right next to a 300-pound woman. I had to lean forward because my lungs couldn’t get any air. So as soon as the show started, we retreated back five rows. The show was pretty enjoyable. The funniest moment would have been Cheech’s mustache falling off.
I did watch may have been the gayest performance in entertainment history. Four male tap dancers wearing tight black pants and orange t-shirts with tigers on the front. They river-danced to Eye of the Tiger. Talented, but painful. At the end of the 90-minute show, Gary Baker played the national anthem ala Hendrix. Midway through, I screamed “BEAT CANADA!”
We drove home through the business route. Mom got a speeding ticket. The road was curving and as we were moving, we saw these huge lights go out (they were from a mini-golf course) and weren’t quite sure where we were. The jack-off cop gives mom a ticket. The rest of the night was not exactly pleasant between us. We came back to the hotel and a group of maybe 50 or 60 senior citizens were coming off a bus for a tour, just like what Mom would be leading. I remembered the kids that had been in and I knew this was not going to be a pleasant exchange. After waiting 10 minutes for an elevator, we went to our room. I knew to leave Mom alone, so I went downstairs and continued writing. Meanwhile, more kids were checking in and a lot were carrying clothing in plastic bags. With no parents I had a gut feeling that it was not for a wedding. So I found out from a girl that they were from Virginia and it was for a fraternity formal. I think I saw at least 120 kids total and most of them had beer in hand.
The night sounded like full blown-insanity. All of them were hammered, some rooms got damaged, and a lot of them were throwing each other against walls. Finally, I got some shut-eye though I don't think that began until around 1 AM. In the morning, the manager evicted at least two-thirds of them from the hotel.
Woke up at 4 AM, running on four hours of sleep after working till about midnight. We took a 6:15 flight to Raleigh that landed around 10:00 EST. As I stepped into the Raleigh/Durham terminal for the first time since 2003, I was struck by the renovations and modernizations. New walkways, new monitors at the gates, and new restaurants (including the great Carolina Ale House and 42nd St. Oyster Bar). Mom was flabbergasted by the changes too. It had been eight years since she had been there too.
We took our mid-size Toyota (sadly, it was bright red) and began the 3.5 hour drive to Myrtle Beach. After getting off 95 around Lumberton, NC, we took side roads for about 1.5 hours. Myrtle Beach is just not the easiest town to access by car. As we entered South Carolina, I fussed around with the radio. There was one station that played beach music and oldies. And a lot of traditional blues too. This was the type of music that no station in Chicago even dreams of playing, except maybe one of those obscure AM stations. And the country stations were playing some good 80's and 90's tunes, back from when country music was actually distinctive from other genres. But enough ranting.
So we took Rt 17, which is basically the only main road in the town although it splits into business 17 and bypass 17 in the actual town of Myrtle Beach, with the bypass route traveling closer to the coast. As Surfside Beach (the first town south of Myrtle Beach) ends, the two roads merge again. We took the bypass road to Barefoot Landing, a nice outdoor shopping center. In the back of the shopping center stands Greg Norman's Australian Grille. I have visited there to take some pictures before, but this was my first time eating there. We got a table by the pond and started off with crispy Asian seafood spring rolls. They come with a homemade sweet and sour sauce and a green ginger, soy and, scallion sauce. I’m not a big SnS fan, but the green sauce was good. Nice appetizer. Mom got ahi tuna with mushroom risotto and green beans. The cool part was the plate is in the shape of a shark fin. I had a fried grouper sandwich with cheese, onions, and a remoulade sauce and some fries. The grouper was very fresh and the sandwich was quite large and complex with so many different flavors. Walked out of there pretty stuffed.
After some driving around town, we drove to Surfside Beach and checked into the Holliday Inn. With only one black duffel bag for me, I finished unpacking in ten minutes. After being up for so long, Mom took a nap. Meanwhile, I walked around the area, which was mostly beach houses and a trailer park. We had an ocean view and were right above the pool and hot tub, but it was certainly not warm enough to hit the waves. I noticed there were eight or nine 20-something’s in the hot tub drinking beer and other cocktails. I have no issue with that, but in the lobby I saw more kids coming in with more liquor. I had a feeling there were more to come. And little did I know…
Then I did the one thing I really wanted to do. We drove 20 minutes south to Pawley's Island, where I did mission work back in 1998. As we turned onto Baskervill Road, I gazed out the window, eager to see what, if anything, had changed. The little Holy Cross Episcopal church building was still there when we came into the complex. The free clinic where we stayed at, ate in, and worked on looked the same as well. I recognized the white clinic sign hanging from the roof out front, the house color was the same powder blue. But as I looked past the clinic, I remembered what had been there and thought I was in the wrong place. That space used to be an empty dirt field and we had pulled out the old batting cage which had been embedded into the earth. Of course, we lost the bumper off our van trying to pull it out. Well, now they have built a new church four or five times the size of the original with a full parking lot and palm trees lining the entranceway. I was absolutely stunned how much that place has grown. I walked around the campus thinking about people on that trip. Mrs. Riebock, Parker, Whitney, Spata, Quinn, and a lot of others. I’m not really in contact with any of them anymore and I wonder if they think about that trip too.
We continued five minutes down the road to the hammock shops, which is what Pawley’s Island is best known for. In the main shop, I tried a sample of vanilla pecan fudge. Definitely the best fudge I have ever had. It’s funny, take out the chocolate and fudge can be pretty darn tasty. Found a sports shop and picked up two Jets wall hangings. Great, unexpected acquisition.
We headed back to the north side, took about 45 minutes. Looking for a quick bite, we went to Dirty Don's oyster bar. Happy hour was in session and we were charged 35 cents for oysters, wings, shrimp, clams, and mussels and six came to an order. Throw in three Coors Light’s for me and a few wines for Mom. I paid that bill and with tip, it was only $36.00, which I thought was a steal.
Then, we drove 10 minutes north to the Carolina Opry. This is the beauty of Mom being a tour guide. Free tickets to shows! We watched Good Vibrations, which was music and entertainment from the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. We got our seats and I was sandwiched right next to a 300-pound woman. I had to lean forward because my lungs couldn’t get any air. So as soon as the show started, we retreated back five rows. The show was pretty enjoyable. The funniest moment would have been Cheech’s mustache falling off.
I did watch may have been the gayest performance in entertainment history. Four male tap dancers wearing tight black pants and orange t-shirts with tigers on the front. They river-danced to Eye of the Tiger. Talented, but painful. At the end of the 90-minute show, Gary Baker played the national anthem ala Hendrix. Midway through, I screamed “BEAT CANADA!”
We drove home through the business route. Mom got a speeding ticket. The road was curving and as we were moving, we saw these huge lights go out (they were from a mini-golf course) and weren’t quite sure where we were. The jack-off cop gives mom a ticket. The rest of the night was not exactly pleasant between us. We came back to the hotel and a group of maybe 50 or 60 senior citizens were coming off a bus for a tour, just like what Mom would be leading. I remembered the kids that had been in and I knew this was not going to be a pleasant exchange. After waiting 10 minutes for an elevator, we went to our room. I knew to leave Mom alone, so I went downstairs and continued writing. Meanwhile, more kids were checking in and a lot were carrying clothing in plastic bags. With no parents I had a gut feeling that it was not for a wedding. So I found out from a girl that they were from Virginia and it was for a fraternity formal. I think I saw at least 120 kids total and most of them had beer in hand.
The night sounded like full blown-insanity. All of them were hammered, some rooms got damaged, and a lot of them were throwing each other against walls. Finally, I got some shut-eye though I don't think that began until around 1 AM. In the morning, the manager evicted at least two-thirds of them from the hotel.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Blessing, curses
I firmly believe that God exists and he is personal. He is not absent as my one-time best friend has come to believe. And when bad things happen, I don't think it's right to blame God just because it is the convenient thing to do. Trust is not my strong suit nowadays, especially with people. I want to trust, but in so many cases, I have learned people are out for themselves first. They may not want to hurt other people, but if that's what it takes to get ahead in this world, so be it.
The cop in Myrtle Beach tonight. The bitch from Big Rock who is costing us more money than MC Hammer lost. The co-workers who pass the blame. The friends I once knew. Fate confirming the cancer is back.
And as I type this, I am surrounded by 100 kids who have taken over the hotel for some reason, maybe a wedding, I don't know. They can live however they choose, I don't have a big problem with it. But the contrast between us and them is striking. I mean, they think a tough day is running out of Jack before the party breaks up. They don't have the first damn clue about hard times and struggles.
Right now, as the yells and howls of high schoolers fill my ears, I am so tempted to look at my life and where it has gone. There is so much good. But so much is scary. Did we do something to deserve these circumstances? Is it because God thinks we can handle it? Will a great blessing be given to us? I want to trust, I need to trust. It's so hard to do right now. Money, health, future decisions, more money. So much uncertainty.
I guess we just want someone or something to blame. If I didn't believe in God, I would probably do some unspeakable things to a few people. But it's not worth me ruining my life at the same time. I'm going to move forward somehow. I'm going to pray. And think positive. And somehow keep the faith that things will be OK. I want some justice and more than that, I want happiness and peace.
This is my prayer tonight from a Holiday Inn computer in Surfside Beach, South Carolina. Please see it God and don't turn away from me. Amen.
The cop in Myrtle Beach tonight. The bitch from Big Rock who is costing us more money than MC Hammer lost. The co-workers who pass the blame. The friends I once knew. Fate confirming the cancer is back.
And as I type this, I am surrounded by 100 kids who have taken over the hotel for some reason, maybe a wedding, I don't know. They can live however they choose, I don't have a big problem with it. But the contrast between us and them is striking. I mean, they think a tough day is running out of Jack before the party breaks up. They don't have the first damn clue about hard times and struggles.
Right now, as the yells and howls of high schoolers fill my ears, I am so tempted to look at my life and where it has gone. There is so much good. But so much is scary. Did we do something to deserve these circumstances? Is it because God thinks we can handle it? Will a great blessing be given to us? I want to trust, I need to trust. It's so hard to do right now. Money, health, future decisions, more money. So much uncertainty.
I guess we just want someone or something to blame. If I didn't believe in God, I would probably do some unspeakable things to a few people. But it's not worth me ruining my life at the same time. I'm going to move forward somehow. I'm going to pray. And think positive. And somehow keep the faith that things will be OK. I want some justice and more than that, I want happiness and peace.
This is my prayer tonight from a Holiday Inn computer in Surfside Beach, South Carolina. Please see it God and don't turn away from me. Amen.
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Quiet Saturday
1) Well, I can't make Christine's party tonight since I have to work. I think that's five events at her place I haven't been able to attend. I guess I'm consistent, if nothing else.
2) 40 minutes on the elliptical, 50 minutes of lifting, and 30 in the sauna. Felt pretty good after that. Just could have used a masseuse.
3) I have no plans to travel outside the US this year, but I think after putting it off for 10 months, I should finish renewing my passport.
4) I still love seeing Charlie Daniels on that Geico commercial. What a treasure he is.
5) The Lucky Monk is incredible. Tried the Twisted Chicken sandwich last night. Grilled chicken with bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and herb mayo on a long pretzel roll served with house-made fries with kosher salt. One of the best sandwiches I have ever eaten.
6) When I told a 50-year-old guy sitting next to me at the bar that I hadn't been sexually active because it's my choice, he gave me this look that lasted about 10 seconds, but it felt like 10 minutes. His face had a strange mix of disbelief, insanity, and respect. I doubt I will ever change the world, I can only try to be the best me I can. But I'll never be afraid to disagree with anybody.
7) I'm really tired of watching actors smoke cigarettes in movies.
8) Without much else on after the Rangers excellent 3-1 win over the Devils, I turned on "The Bridges of Madison County" on PBS, of all stations. Commercial-free too. Is something wrong with me for really liking it? I don't know, I just heard guys aren't supposed to enjoy this movie. But it's hard to imagine Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep making a bad movie. Well, Meryl tried to salvage "Julie & Julia"...
9) I'm rooting for the Saints, but fully expect the Colts to win. I'm more excited about the Who performing at halftime.
10) My over/under: 2 years...emBARRassing
2) 40 minutes on the elliptical, 50 minutes of lifting, and 30 in the sauna. Felt pretty good after that. Just could have used a masseuse.
3) I have no plans to travel outside the US this year, but I think after putting it off for 10 months, I should finish renewing my passport.
4) I still love seeing Charlie Daniels on that Geico commercial. What a treasure he is.
5) The Lucky Monk is incredible. Tried the Twisted Chicken sandwich last night. Grilled chicken with bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and herb mayo on a long pretzel roll served with house-made fries with kosher salt. One of the best sandwiches I have ever eaten.
6) When I told a 50-year-old guy sitting next to me at the bar that I hadn't been sexually active because it's my choice, he gave me this look that lasted about 10 seconds, but it felt like 10 minutes. His face had a strange mix of disbelief, insanity, and respect. I doubt I will ever change the world, I can only try to be the best me I can. But I'll never be afraid to disagree with anybody.
7) I'm really tired of watching actors smoke cigarettes in movies.
8) Without much else on after the Rangers excellent 3-1 win over the Devils, I turned on "The Bridges of Madison County" on PBS, of all stations. Commercial-free too. Is something wrong with me for really liking it? I don't know, I just heard guys aren't supposed to enjoy this movie. But it's hard to imagine Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep making a bad movie. Well, Meryl tried to salvage "Julie & Julia"...
9) I'm rooting for the Saints, but fully expect the Colts to win. I'm more excited about the Who performing at halftime.
10) My over/under: 2 years...emBARRassing
Perfect timing
Not much audio worth listening to today at work. And my man Benigno is on vacation until next Tuesday. So I have to be a bit more creative. I decided to listen to an Ortberg sermon and I've been slowly going through his first messages at Menlo Park (I still think of New Jersey, not San Francisco) and am up to the 4-part Family series: Hatch em, patch em, match em, dispatch em. And I'm up to match em. He spent that message discussing marriage vs. single life, disposing common myths about marriage, and how to make sense of it all. The best part was when he mentioned how some young couples want to get married so fast within weeks or a few months of knowing each other. And he responded that they have zero idea what they are getting themselves into.
As the crowd laughed, I wanted to stand in my cube and shout "Amen!" Instead, I just grinned.Inevitably, they will tell me the story of some couple who got married after knowing each other just a couple of weeks and are still in love after 50 years. That happens. But people go over Niagara Falls in a barrel and survive sometimes; it does not mean it is a good choice for transportation.
Thursday, February 04, 2010
A broken record, and the Who is alive
And there is no vinyl involved. Those records are doing just fine. I just wish John was still alive to play bass.
I'd like to thank the Who for accompanying me on my 46-minute cardio workout today. I haven't listened to most of their songs in quite a while. But they're performing at the halftime show at the Super Bowl and I thought I'd turn it on. Of course, I had to stick with my Ipod because every elliptical machine with a TV (10 or so) was taken. Apparently the Fitness Frenzy contest just started at my gym so everyone is trying to get a good start. I guess that's a good thing. Though I think there should be a priority list for members based on how long we've been members...
Anyway, I think of songs like "I Can't Explain" "Bargain", "Eminence Front", and "The Seeker." They remind me of high school and the lyrics Pete Townshend wrote seem to emanate with my experiences of those days. "My Generation" may be the most energetic three minutes in the history of rock and roll. And it is still so relevant to the young disillusioned folks 35 years after it was a hit. And of course, "I Can See For Miles" seems to be a very personal song right now. I have to say this. I really think after the way the Jets season ended, I am more excited for the Who than the game. Onto the the bullet points and these are straight shots.
1) So it is for sure. Fine. I should have known I was being lied to. I just wish I would have known sooner and I would be a lot happier.
2) I pause to thank my co-host John Daly who has now been completely finished. See you in a few days.
3) I really don't know whose management is more incompetent/infuriating/imept: the Mets or the Rangers.
4) Part of me wants to know everything that will happen in my life, another part is glad I ahve no idea. I just hope happiness is part of the deal.
5) I still wish I had the strip of pictures from the night of Rising Above. I know I could find the perfect match for it. That's exactly what it deserves.
6) I tried to forget that deception could be such an powerful undermining of relationships. I just didn't want to think that I would be the victim so many times. It's just really remarkable what I have had to deal with.
That's somebody else's moon tonight
Those are somebody else's stars
They're no longer mine
Cause somewhere tonight
You're in somebody else's arms.
I'd like to thank the Who for accompanying me on my 46-minute cardio workout today. I haven't listened to most of their songs in quite a while. But they're performing at the halftime show at the Super Bowl and I thought I'd turn it on. Of course, I had to stick with my Ipod because every elliptical machine with a TV (10 or so) was taken. Apparently the Fitness Frenzy contest just started at my gym so everyone is trying to get a good start. I guess that's a good thing. Though I think there should be a priority list for members based on how long we've been members...
Anyway, I think of songs like "I Can't Explain" "Bargain", "Eminence Front", and "The Seeker." They remind me of high school and the lyrics Pete Townshend wrote seem to emanate with my experiences of those days. "My Generation" may be the most energetic three minutes in the history of rock and roll. And it is still so relevant to the young disillusioned folks 35 years after it was a hit. And of course, "I Can See For Miles" seems to be a very personal song right now. I have to say this. I really think after the way the Jets season ended, I am more excited for the Who than the game. Onto the the bullet points and these are straight shots.
1) So it is for sure. Fine. I should have known I was being lied to. I just wish I would have known sooner and I would be a lot happier.
2) I pause to thank my co-host John Daly who has now been completely finished. See you in a few days.
3) I really don't know whose management is more incompetent/infuriating/imept: the Mets or the Rangers.
4) Part of me wants to know everything that will happen in my life, another part is glad I ahve no idea. I just hope happiness is part of the deal.
5) I still wish I had the strip of pictures from the night of Rising Above. I know I could find the perfect match for it. That's exactly what it deserves.
6) I tried to forget that deception could be such an powerful undermining of relationships. I just didn't want to think that I would be the victim so many times. It's just really remarkable what I have had to deal with.
That's somebody else's moon tonight
Those are somebody else's stars
They're no longer mine
Cause somewhere tonight
You're in somebody else's arms.
What a riot
Quite the night. Farfalle, rotisserie chicken, vodka sauce, apple pie. That's the dinner I made for the guys. OK, props to Whole Foods for the apple pie. That was my third choice for dessert and it proved to be just excellent, especially with some Cool Whip. But moreover, I'm really amazed how deep these Wednesday night Bible studies are getting. It's kind of sad I went three years without having this kind of community in my life apart from the weekends. And to do it with the CT guys is a very cool deal.
And I also experience something very unexpected at tonight's study. It was my first nunchuck lesson and it taught me an important lesson. It comes down to the idea for training for godliness and its lasting value. Character development is not an easy process. It takes time, takes patience, takes learning new skills, takes more than a few mistakes. And as I swung that weapon around trying to keep it moving swiftly and under control, it didn't happen for me very easily. But I wasn't satisfied until I completed my first Figure 8 tonight. That's the same way we have to pursue the character God calls us to pursue.
And I'm very thankful to God that an old tax return was filed and Mom received a refund of $3,100. That's three months of our mortgage. What an exhilarating feeling to receive great news when we really wanted it.
OK, let's move on. You know, the more I read about it, I find I'm feeling two main things: bewildered and amused. So he says the right things and all, and posts it and all that. It just proves to me what I suspected for so long. The truth in this situation is very dark and very clear. I'm only sorry I waited to move on it. but it is better to be this way then the previous way.
Song pick: "Sail On" The Commodores
And I also experience something very unexpected at tonight's study. It was my first nunchuck lesson and it taught me an important lesson. It comes down to the idea for training for godliness and its lasting value. Character development is not an easy process. It takes time, takes patience, takes learning new skills, takes more than a few mistakes. And as I swung that weapon around trying to keep it moving swiftly and under control, it didn't happen for me very easily. But I wasn't satisfied until I completed my first Figure 8 tonight. That's the same way we have to pursue the character God calls us to pursue.
And I'm very thankful to God that an old tax return was filed and Mom received a refund of $3,100. That's three months of our mortgage. What an exhilarating feeling to receive great news when we really wanted it.
OK, let's move on. You know, the more I read about it, I find I'm feeling two main things: bewildered and amused. So he says the right things and all, and posts it and all that. It just proves to me what I suspected for so long. The truth in this situation is very dark and very clear. I'm only sorry I waited to move on it. but it is better to be this way then the previous way.
Song pick: "Sail On" The Commodores
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