Bogart in P Towne

My Drifting Mind

2009-10-29T15:37:00.004-04:00

I find my thoughts often think of him.

Sometimes they are memories of hoping in the car or working on some chores. Other times I am reminded of how he treated her and how much he loved life.

Mostly they are of random things that really don't make much sense.

How I was amazed that he never would wear shorts...How his hair had a cowlick in the exact same spot mine does...How he always took his coffee black...How he took a nap every day...His little, practical jokes.

I don't know why those things still strike me. I don't understand why he is the one that pops into my head so often.

Well, I guess that is a lie. I know.

He was the most influential person in my life.

The pain of his loss has faded, but the disappointment of him not being around is still very real.

Thanks and Stuff

2009-10-27T10:50:00.002-04:00

Our camping equipment arrived recently.

It is so sweet!

High quality and fantastic.

Thanks again Hallie!

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The only thing that did not arrive was the Windproof Lighter...I hope that cool thing shows up!

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We had a great time in Orlando with Claire's family. I will post some pics later this week, but I can sum up the trip this way...

5 Disney parks, 2 Disney water parks, 5 fast food drive thru's, 7 family members, wonderful weather, Sake and sausage.

Second Happiest Place on Earth

2009-10-19T11:21:00.004-04:00

Claire left last night for Orlando...It is the Food and Wine Expo at Disney, so her family is going to be doing the whole Disney thing for a week.

Lucky me, I get to join them on Tuesday!

I have never been to Disney in Florida except to run through it...I grew up with Disneyland in SoCal and always figured the original was the best. I guess I am about to find out.

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What did I do with my bachelor night?

I watched Playoff Baseball and Sunday Night Football...I ate spicy sausage...I drank Scotch.

Good Times....Good Times.

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I baked some cookies I got from Ramblings, Rants and Recipes. They are Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies....cause that is what bachelors do on the first morning their significant other is out of town.

I actually had to make them for my Volleyball team because they swept both matches last week...

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And if any of you are wondering...Costco, according to my sister, is the Happiest Place on Earth!

Colorful Past

2009-10-16T08:45:00.003-04:00

The girls volleyball team I coach had a team dinner last night. We had finished eating our carbo load (stuffed pasta shells and garlic bread...yes mom, we had a salad too) and we were tearing into the caramel layered brownies...one of the girls said that they like my red sweatshirt. It was "a good color".

I told her that I seem to wear a lot of red. Claire likes me in that color and I have always sorta liked it. As a matter of fact, I confided in them, I have always thought it would be cool to have a nickname that is a color like "Red" or "Blue". They laughed and thought that was silly.

It was then I remembered that from about age 8 to around high school, I did have a nickname that was a color...or at least a color was in it. White-Boy.

At that age, my father was living very close to the Mexican Boarder. I was the ONLY white kid in the neighborhood.

Everyone called me "White-Boy". My friends, their parents and even the ice cream man.

"White-Boy".

I think I would prefer to be called "Red" or "Blue".

Nah, I will stick with Bogart.

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So we went and saw the 12:01am showing of Where the Wild Things Are last night...this morning?...I'll stick with last night.

The reviews have been generally good and the previews are really freak'n fantastic.

The movie...well, it was good, but not quite as good as we had hoped.

A little darker than the previews would lead you to believe, but both Claire and I enjoyed it.

I am not a parent, but I am guessing kids under 8 or 9 would probably be a little scared...older than that and they will enjoy the heck out of it.

That is all.

Kings of Leon are Stalking Me

2009-10-13T08:41:00.003-04:00

Ever have a song follow you? It can be a little strange.

That happened to me yesterday.

I put on some music in the morning and the Kings of Leon song Use Somebody was playing.

I said to myself, "Self, I like that song. Let's go to iTunes and download it." So I went to iTunes and listened to it there. Then I downloaded it. It played as I downloaded it.

That makes it 3 times I had heard it in about 10 minutes.

A couple of hours later, I hopped into the car to head to the gym and what song that was playing? Yup, Use Somebody by Kings of Leon.

I arrived at the gym. It was playing there.

I got home, flipped on an Internet radio station and it was the second song I heard.

At 230, I left for Volleyball practice. The song played on two different radio stations during my 25 minute drive.

Sorta sick of it by this point.

I am regretting the iTunes purchase.

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On Friday, I baked a pumpkin cake...had some extra pumpkin, so I baked pumpkin cookies.

They both were fantastalicious!

Except that I ate so much of each that I am now orange and becoming very round.

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My wife has invited me to a date on Thursday.

She would like us to go see the 12:01am showing of Where the Wild Things Are.

I have not gone to a 12:01 showing since early college.

I am not a night person.

Neither is she.

It should be interesting.

Somebody's Momma is Lying

2009-10-09T09:42:00.004-04:00

Coaching girls high school varsity volleyball has me spending a lot of time with teenage girls.

Occasionally you forget that you are around teenage girls when they are there constantly.

For example...last night I was sitting in the stands watching the JV team play. My players were sitting near me and I struck up a conversation with our setter.

Me: "Which sister is older? The outside hitter or the middle blocker?"
Her: "They are not sisters."
Me: "Of course they are. Look at them. There is no way they are not sisters...I actually am surprised they are not twins."
Her: "They are not related. They are not sisters. They get told all the time that they look alike, but they are not from the same family."
Me: "They are from the same family. They have to be. I bet they have the same dad and nobody knows. I bet the milk man is their real dad."
Her: **Blank Stare**
Me: "Or the mail man. Has anyone seen the mailman in their neighborhood?
Her: "Coach...the one dad is sitting right behind us!"
Me: **Blank Stare**

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Need to refrain from those conversations in the future.

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I am baking a cake today. Pumpkin Spice cake for Claire's book club. I have not baked a cake since the Angel Food Cake incident earlier this year.

I hope I don't die.

Party in My Mouth

2009-10-07T10:31:00.005-04:00

I think I have found nirvana.

I think my Heaven has been decided.

The Maple Bacon Doughnut.

Yes, that is a big'ol fatty, maple doughnut...my favorite...with a couple of slabs of baconny goodness on top.

I think that has to the best "party in your mouth" ever...EVER!!!

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For those of you living in the Pacific Northwest (Portland to be exact) or within driving distance (Wes, I expect a road trip out of you!), I need to hear about this. I need to know if it is as amazing as my dreams about it are. I need to know if I can finally say that my culinary life is complete. I need to know.

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They are sold at Voodoo Doughnut...you can see their other sinful breakfast items here.
***Edit***
So, I went and looked a little more closely at the offerings...please be aware that there may be some sexually explicit doughnuts sold there...venture on at your own peril.
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Forget Europe next year, we are headed to Portland!

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Do you think they have to post the calorie count and the fat content in Portland?

Taste Buds A-Flutter

2009-10-05T04:11:00.001-04:00

So I went out and bought this Breyers Yogurt.

It is Mint Chocolate Chip flavored.

Yogurt.

I can't decide if I like it. I have decided to keep eating it.

You know, for interesting sake.

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Yea, I know, Mint Chocolate Chip yogurt sounds disgusting...In my defense:

1. I love mint and chocolate together. It is second only to peanut butter and chocolate.
2. I had a coupon and it was double coupon day at the grocery store.
3. I like to try new things.

Would I recommend it?

I don't know. It is very weird.

2 Years Running

2009-10-01T16:56:00.001-04:00

Two years ago today, I moved to Virginia.

I started blogging a couple weeks later.

It was not an easy move. I left behind my beloved Southern California. I left behind my closest friends. I left behind my family. I left behind carne asada and avocados.

I struggled to adapt to my new life. Living away from SoCal did not immediately agree with me.

Two years later, I would so do it again...and again...and again.

She made it worth it. She made it a lot easier than it could have been. She became my companion.

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To celebrate, I am going to the U2 concert tonight with 7 other guys...a limo ride from Norfolk to/from Charlottesville included.

I probably could have thought that ticket purchase through a little more.

Although, having never seen U2 in concert, I am rather excited about it.

Wash that Mouth Out with Soap

2009-09-30T05:15:00.000-04:00

There are times that I am truly amazed by what people will name things.

I saw this place in Salem, Mass.

I did learn that a "Bunghole" is actually the name for the hole in wooden barrels and the cork that is plugged in is called the bung, but c'mon.

Even Beavis and Butthead knew what a Bunghole really was.

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While we are at it, do we really need to call the game "Cornhole"? It should be called Bag Toss or Baggo...not Cornhole.

I can't even say it without snickering.

Are We Pretty?

2009-09-28T04:32:00.000-04:00

Claire and I went to a charity event for the United Way a couple of weeks ago. They had an artist doing caricatures there.

I am not sure they truly captured my essence.

At Ease Sergeant

2009-09-26T15:37:00.002-04:00

Having done student ministry in some shape or form since the mid-90's, I have had a chance to get to know a number of "kids" and watched many of them grow up...and boy do some of them grow up!

I recently was sent this link of a "Morning Salute" one of the news channels in San Diego did about a marine...one of my old students, Sgt. Brian Atkinson. He was one of the kids that you get to know well...loud, goofy and always fun. Now he is "organizing water polo" in Saddam Hussein's old pools and serving our country around the world...I love that!

They grow up oh so fast, don't they?!

Some Boston Pics

2009-09-24T04:51:00.000-04:00

The day after the ceremony, we headed down to Boston for the weekend. Of course we had to hit up Fenway!

Once Claire joined us Thursday night, we had a wonderful time touring Boston, one of my favorite cities!

It was a beautiful weekend...fall weather most of the trip, but beautiful nonetheless.

We toured the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides). To say that the quarters for those sailors were a little cramped is an understatement.

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We visited the Old Library on the Southside of town. It was stunningly beautiful. If you are ever in Boston, you need to check it out!

Here is a shot of the courtyard...

In the library it was a scene right out of a movie...all the seats were taken and there were students actually studying, reading and working on their computers...oh yea, it was the first month of school...

Derek and Emily by the fountain in the middle of the courtyard.

Congrats Derek

2009-09-23T04:15:00.002-04:00

I was blessed with the opportunity to go to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in New Hampshire to witness the "Pinning Ceremony" of my good friend Derek. He was recently promoted to Chief Petty Officer...a BIG DEAL in the United States Navy. It was a really neat thing to see and be a part of.

Derek and me at the after party...

Standing with the 6 new Chiefs from the Helena...

This is right before he was admitted to Chief's Mess...

His wife and father were honored by pinning his Chief's pins on his lapels...

You can see he is proud of his accomplishment...and he should be!

Congrats to Derek and all of the new Chiefs!

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A quick excerpt explaining how big a deal making chief is:

Unlike Petty Officer First Class and lower ranks, advancement to Chief Petty Officer can only advance after review by a selection board of serving Senior and Master Chief Petty Officers, in effect "choosing their own" and conversely not choosing others.

Advancement into the Chief Petty Officer grades is the most significant promotion within the enlisted naval ranks. At the rank of Chief, the Sailor takes on more administrative duties. In the Navy, their uniform changes to reflect this change of duty, becoming identical to that of an officer's uniform except with different insignia. Sailors in the three Chief Petty Officer ranks also have conspicuous privileges such as seperate dining and living areas. Any naval vessel of sufficient size has a room or rooms that are off-limits to anyone not a Chief (including officers) except by specific inviation. In addition, a Chief Petty Officer, no matter how much he was on a "first name" basis with other petty officers before promotion, is always addressed as "Chief" by subordinates and superiors.

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We went to Boston after the ceremony...those pics will be up tomorrow.

Girls are Wierd

2009-09-21T06:06:00.000-04:00

Now that I am back coaching High School Girls Volleyball, I am putting together a list of things you never see/hear at a guys practice, but you see at a girls practice:

1. Skipping...guys don't skip. I don't think guys past the age of 9 skip. It really does not happen. Girls seem to skip until they are 80. My volleyball girls do it all the time...during practice. I say "Hustle-up, there is to much walking going on!" and they respond by skipping. What is that about?

2. Fixing hair...You are working out. I am pushing you pretty hard. Why are you fixing your hair while we jump on boxes? Why are you putting your ponytail in when we are running lines?

3. A player saying "I missed that hit because my hair got covered my eyes"...really? Weren't you just fixing your hair a minute ago when we were running lines? What the junk?

4. Crying during practice...I know, I have seen guys cry at practice, but that was because he got a note that said his dog had died, not because it was hard. Guys puke when practice gets really hard, girls cry.

5. Coordinated Cheerleading on the court. When a guy hits a good shot, the other guys high-five them or slap them on the butt...girls circle up and cheer. "Oh snap, beat that ace!" or "Roof, Roof, you just got Roofed"...hand motions to boot.

Some NoLa Pics

2009-09-14T09:20:00.006-04:00

Thought we would share some shots from our tubing adventure in LA last weekend...

We had a great time with the family.

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I also mentioned that while we were down in Louisiana we met Leigh-Ann from Starting Somewhere, one of our favorite bloggers...
Sorta looks like an AT&T commercial...more bars in more places.

The New Laundry Day

2009-09-09T08:24:00.004-04:00

Back home from a two week jaunt through the country. We had a great time this past weekend in New Orleans, getting some quality time with the fam.

This weekend, I am off to Roanoke, VA with the volleyball team and then New Hampshire and Massachusetts next week. One of these days I will need to settle down.

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While we were in SE Louisiana, I got to fly my RC Plane again. I will tell you, we have gotten more use out of that thing...might be the best $30 I have ever spent.

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We walked around the French Quarter last week. One of the highlights was meeting fellow blogger Leigh-Ann at her work.

I thought it was funny that she recognized Claire before she recognized me.

I mean, c'mon....it is MY blog and all.

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If you have not had a chance to read Leigh-Ann over at Starting Somewhere, I would highly recommend that you do. She is always an enjoyable read!

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It was Southern Decadence Festival this weekend in NoLa. I have never heard more people say to me "Hey Big Boy, what is in your pocket?"

Sadly, I did not see any buttless chaps. You know it is a bad party if no one is wearing buttless chaps.

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I just held up a roll of quarters and told them it was laundry day.

I think it was laundry day for a lot of people.

I Am A Daddy

2009-09-07T04:54:00.000-04:00

When I am asked if I have any kids, my standard answer is "none that I know of!"

Then I saw this video and figured that I actually have a kid...I was a redhead until I was 4 or 5 and dude has the exact same moves as me...except my worm is better.

The Weigh In

2009-09-04T09:04:00.003-04:00

We had our weigh in last night...

I dropped some poundage and now weigh 1lb less than I did when Claire and I got married.

Claire dropped the same poundage and EASILY won the weight loss challenge.

She is my rock-star!

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Everyone in the family lost weight and it showed. I think among us we dropped a small village worth of weight in the past 6 weeks.

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Last week I was at my mother's home when the "Shaving incident" happened.

No, it was not my mom's shaving cream I used...it was my sister's.

Ouch!

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This week we are in New Orleans with Claire's family. A day for tubing down the river is on the docket fo'sho.

This Blog Post is Rated PG-13

2009-08-28T13:46:00.004-04:00

No, really, it is.

If you would not watch a PG-13 movie, you should not read on...if you choose to, do so at your own peril. If you prefer not to go on, here is a link you can enjoy.

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Okay, those of you still with me...

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So I took a shower today. A normal event.

I am traveling and did not bring soap, shampoo or shaving cream. Also, a normal event.

I used the "body wash" that was in the shower...I prefer my Lever 2000 bar, but I got clean.

I used the shampoo that was in the shower...it was fine. I like to smell pretty.

I then needed to shave. Usually, if I don't have shave cream, I just use conditioner. It works well and keeps my pretty face, soft and supple.

Today, in the shower, there was shave cream. It was not manly and not because of the aroma.

No, the shave cream had a very...uh hem...interesting name...

Coochy.

Digest that for a moment.

Coochy.

I don't think I had said that word since I was 16.

Coochy.

And I put that on my face to shave with.

Coochy.

Really? Is that the best name? I mean, it does say rash free body wash for "All Over", but really, what is is for?

No, don't answer that.

I am just troubled that I put Coochy on my face to shave with.

I think my life is complete...or my political career is over...one or the other.

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If you don't know what Coochy is slang for, just think of a girls "who-ha"...now you got it.

Proverbs 31:10-12

2009-08-26T12:57:00.004-04:00

Nothing like having your cell phone die when you are 1500 miles from home.

And that sucker is dead. Even the tech guys at Verizon could not get it to turn on.

Claire really wants an iPhone. I really don't have good feelings about AT&T.

But, one of my life motto's is:

Happy Wife, Happy Life

You can also translate that to "What my baby want, my baby get".

So, unless there is something new and exciting for Verizon customers, I think I will be porting over to AT&T fairly soon...and my amazing wife will have her new toy.

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Which leaves me with few options for a temporary phone. I am trying to find a used one to borrow for the next 2 weeks while I am traveling. I really don't want to buy a Verizon phone if I am just moving services in a couple of weeks...

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If she gets a new toy, I think I get a new toy.

Claire gets an iPhone. Bogart gets a 52 inch flat screen.

I think that is fair.

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Traveling is the word of the month for me...I was 1500 miles away from home yesterday...I flew out in the AM and flew home later that night. For a 4 hour stay. Long day.

I travel tomorrow across the country for some work and R&R...will be flying back next Wednesday, only to leave again Thursday for a New Orleans trip.

Can you see why I just want a loaner phone?

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Still looking for tear-away pants for our official weigh-in. I think J in L-Towne would love me to walk up to the scale, tear my pants off and get weighed wearing only my speedo...it sounds like the perfect son-in-law thing to do!

We Win...We Are Wieners

2009-08-24T13:02:00.002-04:00

Claire and I were big Wieners on Saturday over at Wonderful World of Weiners. What did we win? How about a boat load of camping equipment...(Pictures here, about 1/3rd of the way down)

Folding Chopsticks
Gator Machete
Crucial Multitool
My-Ti Folding Fork/Spoon
Remix Knife
Omnimore Flashlight
Lamplight 360
Brewfire Dual-Fuel Coffee Maker
Profile Duo Range Grill and Stove
Helios Stormproof Lighter
Vapor Cookset
Solo 3.4 Power outlet

Now we will be camping and tailgating in style!!!

Thanks you Hallie!!!

Locks of Yuk

2009-08-19T09:52:00.003-04:00

I was listening to NPR yesterday as I drove to the HS Volleyball tryouts (I am coaching again)...they had a weird show that had a guy act as if he is Thomas Jefferson and answers questions about his life. It is a very strange show that has a very strange appeal.

Anyway, the interviewer asked him "If Monticello was going up in flames, what 5 things would you grab?"

He started with his collections of 7000 books. Really?

Then he talked about his 5 journals.

Then he creeped me out. He told the story about his wife dying. Just before she passed away, she wrote out a poem that she knew, leaving the last line blank and then dying. So, TJ finished writing the poem out and took a lock of her hair; he put them both in an envelope and hid it in a secret drawer. He said that would be one of the things that he went into the towering inferno to get back.

I understand some sentimentality about the poem, but the hair thing is just wrong. I then realized that I even get creeped out looking at Claire's baby book and the lock of hair that is in there. I am uncomfortable seeing any lock of hair that people keep for whatever reason.

This discomfort includes the Locks of Love chairity. I love the charity. It is so cool. I just don't want to see that clump-o-hair in the ziplock.

Is it just me or does the idea of a lock of hair creep you out too?

I Can Lift Weights in Prison

2009-08-17T12:30:00.002-04:00

This guy has continued his music...recently adding a synthesizer and a microphone. Now he has the steel drums, the keyboard and faux back-up singers. Oh my goodness I am getting tired of hearing him 6-days a week.

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The Weight Loss Challenge is going well. The gym has been visited 3-days a week and, outside of communion on Sunday and a certain soccer game last week, I have not touched bread since we left New Orleans.

It will be fun to roll around in all those twenty's like I just hit the jackpot in Vegas!

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Anyone know where I can get some cool, tear-away pants for the official weigh-in?

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Saturday Claire and I cleaned the house, went to Costco and did misc. chores...yet we had a great day. How cool is that?

Sunday we went to church, spent a few hours at the beach and had a seafood extravaganza at Jon and Lisa's house. Great way to end the weekend!

Catching Crabs

2009-08-10T16:42:00.005-04:00

Two weeks ago, Claire and I went up to Ocean City, MD to visit our friend Kelly, her two kids and some of her other extended family. It was a wonderful trip, full of good food, good times and great people.

We made sure to have a dinner full of MD Crabs...they were nice and big...just the way we like them.

The house was right on the water (bay side) and we had a great time diving off of the dock, watching beautiful sunsets and stunning lightening.