Fake Bogart

I don't know who this young woman is...I don't know why she thinks she can just use my name for her own purposes...I really don't know why I scanned this picture.

But I will not stand for the unauthorized use of my name in this manner.

That is all I have to say about that.

Evil in the Form of a Woman

I had a craving for Steak on Sunday, so after volleyball practice I headed to the local market.

I picked up my steak, a small package of chocolate chip cookies with no nuts and 2 boxes of Smacks (What? They were on sale!) and was walking towards the register.

It was then that it happened.

A young woman, dressed to impress, carrying a package of energy drinks, looked me up and down...I was wearing a very sweaty, bright orange t-shirt, gym shorts and some flip flops. It was clear that I was not "dressed to impress", but looking (and smelling) rather gross.

She walks next to me, puts her hand on my shoulder and says "you are a beautiful man."

Shell shocked, I smile, say thanks and left.

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Ladies, when you say something like that to a guy, what is the appropriate response?

A. "Thanks. I know I am beautiful. In fact, I am hot. No, not just sweaty hot, but really hot. Would you like to see me flex my calves?"

B. "Wow, you need to get your eyes checked."

C. "Get behind me Satan."

D. "I will make sure to pass that along to my parents. Clearly their genes matched well."

E. "I know. Claire tells me all the time. You know Claire. My girlfriend."

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Maybe I should ask a more pointed question...

"Claire, how would you like me to handle this type of situation in the future?"

Undercooked Lizards and Other Misc. Things

Babies.

I love them. They are so cute, so cuddly, so squishy.

Watching CBS Sunday morning this week and they did a story on how we view the wee-ones...specifically why we will lie and tell people their babies are cute when they actually look like undercooked lizards.

I have seen some amazingly goofy looking babies. Really, some of them needed to come out way earlier than they did (usually those look like they are really small 80-year olds) and others that seriously needed to cook longer.

Did I tell those parents? Nope. Sure didn't. I said they were "cute" or "great". Why? I don't know. I don't normally lie.

Obviously it is to save some feelings, but is that the right thing?

Isn't self-awareness a good thing?

One thing that Sunday Morning said was that the cuteness of a baby is directly related to those we are related to.

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Claire and I got to go see Crosby, Stills and Nash on Friday. It was a great time. Clearly their lifestyles have caught up with their bodies and voices, but they still harmonize decently well and put on a decent show.

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Thank you all for the kind words regarding Claire's good friend Sam. The family's website has some pictures of Sam and some very kind words. His wife has asked that in lieu of gifts or flowers, that money be donated to the American Cancer Society. I am thankful that Claire has the opportunity to spend the weekend with Kelly, their 2 kids and their family.

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Congratulations to Claire's sister Pamela. She bought her first place and moved in this weekend. From the pictures it looks like a sweet place and she is very excited. Claire's family spent part of the weekend scraping wall paper, moving furniture and bombing the potential for bugs...all sound like wonderful fun, eh!

All kidding aside, WAY TO GO PAMELA!

Sam

Last fall, Claire learned that one of her good friends, Sam, was having some medical issues. The problems baffled the doctors and he was bounced around from one specialist to another, from one hospital to another, from one town to another...nobody could figure out what was going wrong. (You can read his story here)


It took 10 months before they could come up with any type of solid diagnosis. It was a very rare form of cancer. By this point, Sam was having issues with his vision, his thought process, and had little to no strength. Sam was very sick.


At the beginning of July, the doctors decided to try radiation to attack the cancer. On July 18, after 1 full week of radiation, things were looking good. To quote the family journal:

"Today ends Sam's first full week of radiation. Everything is going fine, but he is extremely tired. He's put on a few more pounds and is up to 90 pounds now."

Radiation continued last week and there was hope for everyone involved. Unfortunately, by the end of week two, Sam started to get very sick again. On Monday this week, Sam was taken to the ER with respiratory distress. He was admitted with pneumonia. The family journal on Tuesday, July 29th reads:

"After multiple discussions with several of his doctors, I have agreed to honor Sam's wishes. We are currently seeking comfort measures only, and Sam will be moved to Bethany House (a residential hospice facility)in town later today."

Claire got word early this morning that Sam passed away.


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Sam and Claire were wonderful friends. He was a huge part of her life for most of college and after he got married to Kelly their friendship continued. Earlier this year, Claire was able to fly down and celebrate Kelly's birthday with her. She also got to spend some time visiting Sam in the hospital. A great time was had by all and Claire returned to Portsmouth very happy after spending the weekend with people that are so very important to her.


When I met Claire, I was told that there were a few friends that I had to meet. By the end of last year I had met each of them, except Sam and Kelly. We were going to fix that. We HAD to fix that.

Unfortunately, I never got that chance to meet Sam and I am very sad for that.


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Sam leaves a beautiful wife and two very young children behind. Please keep them in your prayers today.

VBS and a Question

Claire and I are teaching at VBS this week. She is the "Lifeguard" for first and second grade and I am the "Lifeguard" for the fifth and sixth graders.

Two days in and it has already proven to be a challenge. Claire's little ones all want to be her best friend, use her as a pillow and struggle with the idea that she is not a jungle gym. My group loves to push the bounds of authority, are terrified of being embarrassed and can't decide if they want to be "cool cats" or just kids.

One kid in particular has been a challenge for me. When he wants to be, he is sweet, charming and very smart. When he decides he is done with that, he is difficult, prone to anger outbursts, and cannot tolerate authority.

Last night, he asked if we could go outside of the group and chat. He shared with me that he had a "lot of stuff to worry about" and it makes it hard for him to behave. We chatted about the things going on in his 11 year old life and I was stunned.

I don't want to get into specifics, but he is clearly dealing with some very adult problems, most of which he should not even know about, let alone being involved in.

Last night, my heart hurt for him.

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If you had 2 weeks off to do whatever you wanted what would you do? BEFORE you answer that, let me put some limitations on it.

Limitation #1 - Travel more than 2 hours is barred and overnight travel is limited to 1 night.
Limitation #2 - You have to do anything you schedule alone.
Limitation #3 - You have a limited budget to work with.

Okay, let your mind go. What would you do with 2-weeks off from responsibility?

A REAL Vacation

Normally at the end of a "vacation" or even a weekend away, Claire and I are so tired we can't wait to get back to P-Towne. See, we are the types of travellers that make you scratch your head and ask "You went WHERE and you did WHAT?".

Typically we run around for hours each day. Getting up early and staying up late.

We usually walk 8-10 miles in any given city, exploring every nook-and-cranny that we can find. We get on the plane back to VA and crash. We are normally very exhausted and are eager to get back home.

This week's South Florida trip was different. VERY different.

I flew down to Fort Lauderdale last Tuesday for a work conference. Claire joined me at 1am on Thursday night/Friday morning.

After my breakfast meeting on Friday (at 7AM...jerks), Claire and I put on the suits and headed down to the pool with books/newspapers and sunscreen in hand. We only got up at 1pm to grab lunch with some friends, then we headed back to the pool...at 7pm we went out to dinner on the boardwalk.

Saturday was the "busy" day, including an early breakfast at the local bakery, shopping on the Miracle Mile and some other fancy dancy mall, a visit to La Gloria Cubana cigar factory, walking around Little Havana (yes, with a cigar burning away), lunch in one of Claire's favorite restaurants, and dinner on the beach at the Art Deco area of Miami. This day included the purchase of way to many things, something neither she, nor I ever do. Linen pants, a shirt from "Pinks", a stone ashtray, a box of cigars, and vintage cigar boxes were in my haul and Claire pulled down some clothes on the Miracle Mile.

Sunday was back to the pool...Claire grabbed the choice spot at 730am while I drove to the bakery for croissants, muffins, and coffee. It was there that we sat, sweating and getting a fancy tan until it was time to pack up and leave.

I told Claire on the way to the airport, on the airplane and when we deplaned in Norfolk that I was not ready to be home and would have loved to stay down there a while longer.

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Here are some shots from the birthday weekend.

Here is the view from the room...Yes, the Westin hooked a brother up!

Claire and I on the way to dinner Friday night.

Dinner on the boardwalk was amazing!

On Saturday we found this cool little fountain...Claire loves fountains!

The La Gloria Cubana Factory. A little slice of heaven.

Happy Birthday Claire

Today is Claire's second anniversary of her 29th birthday. We are in Miami for the weekend celebrating.

We are eating Cuban food, dancing to salsa music, and chill'n with the "in-crowd" at Miami Beach.

Happy birthday Claire.

I love you.

Learning to Love My Hair

When I moved to VA, I had to do some stocking up. There are things that don't make sense to bring along if you are moving across the country...Toilet Paper, Paper Towels, a Plunger, Coffee Filters, etc. Just make a run to the store and restock. It is so much easier than moving those type of things 3000 miles. This includes toiletries...right? I mean, do you really want to bring along that $8 Jumbo Conditioner from Costco when you can get a new one for, well $8? Of course not.

So, when I moved out to P-Towne, day 2 included me heading to the grocery store to buy mustard, hot sauce, mayo, ketchup, eggs, bread, conditioner, shampoo, etc...

Shampoo. Yes, it was put into my cart. I even got a deal. 2 bottles for the price of 1. It was Vanilla Coconut scented (wish it included that flavoring!!). It was great!

Little did I know, Claire did not like this so much...no, the smell was fine, it was the buying shampoo and conditioner that made her look at me cross-eyed. I, of course, did not know this until a few weeks after. I just liked the way my hair smelled. I felt pretty...strike that last comment...I felt manly. Claire, just thought it was stupid.

What? Huh?

The evening I found out was a romantic one. I went over to her apartment to find that she had prepared me a nice dinner, complete with wine AND dessert. She even had candles.

The conversation was light hearted and fun. We laughed. We teased. We flirted. The food was great, the dessert amazing and the bottle of wine was perfect. We got to the end of the meal and just as I was sitting back in my chair, reveling at what an amazing woman I was dating, she leans in and says that she "has something important to show me." I smile, knowing that she bought me some cool present like a flat screen TV or a new motorcycle...

She took me by the hand, led me to the bathroom and opened a drawer. Inside, there were hundreds of bottles of shampoo and conditioner. I then came to realize why she felt me buying a bottle of shampoo or two was a waste. See, she and I travel a lot for our jobs. We usually stay in pretty nice hotels that have very nice amenities. So, for the past year or two, she has been gathering up all the nice bottles of shampoo/conditioner, bringing them home and saving some cash...not to mention using some pretty frigg'n nice shampoo on the cheap.

When I say this drawer was full, I mean it. It had to be rearranged to close it. The hinges on the drawer were bending. The wood at the bottom started to bow. This drawer had shampoo from around the world. This drawer was Shampoo mecca.

I quietly slid the drawer closed as she averted her eyes. She was embarrassed.

I grabbed her by the hand, nudged her chin up so that she could look me in the eyes and I told her "I love your shampoo drawer. I will never buy shampoo again."

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I ran out of my two bottles of Vanilla Coconut scented shampoo two weeks ago. I called Claire, met her at her place, had a romantic dinner, lead her to the bathroom and asked if I could have some bottles of shampoo. She happily obliged.

I now have 47 bottles of Bvlgari, Bumble and Bumble, Kerastase Bain and Alterna Ten , to name a few.

My hair thanks Claire.

Music and Driving

Music plays a big part in my life...many of you read about my Top 50 songs and some of the other music that has influenced me or been important.

This weekend, I realized that the music I listen to really effects how I drive. Let me share with you my ride to Volleyball on Sunday.

I started off listening to a nice little song like this:



My driving is slow and measured. I might stick my hand out the window, feeling the wind flow over and under my fingers. Speed = 54mph

Then I get through the tunnel and cross the bridge. The radio station I was listening to goes to commercial, so I change to button 3. The song that comes on is this one:



My driving picks up a bit. I am bobbing my head and drumming on the steering wheel. I set the cruise control and tap my feet. The people driving next to me are laughing as they drive. Life is good. Speed = 61mph

The song ends and I have to change stations again. It isn't until preset #6 that I find a song that I like. It is this one:



4:30 seconds into this song, I turn off the cruise, put the pedal to the metal and rock out. I am banging my head, yelling at the other drivers to get out of my way, and putting cracks into the dash board. I hear my self growl. I am fired up. Speed = 97mph and climbing.

Just before I arrive at my destination, smoke pouring from my ears, a sneer on my face, I hit preset #4 and the song that comes on is this:



Speed = 0mph...I had to pull over to allow myself to feel the emotion of this song.

I walked into Volleyball with tears in my eyes. I needed a hug. I called Claire and told her I loved her. I bonded with my team.

The music took me there.

And I went through it all again on the way home.

Gay's in Toga's, Satan and a Presidential Election...

Thought I would share some goodness for you cooks today...Claire came over to my place last night and baked some fresh bread. She has done this a couple of times, but last night she tweaked the recipe a bit and it was a HUGE WIN!!! What did she do? Well, she took the recipe below and used an Apricot Ale for the beer. Then we proceeded to eat it with brie and jam. It was fantastic!

3c Self Rising Flour

3tbsp Sugar

1 Can/Bottle warm beer

Mix together and pour into well greased bread baker. Rub butter on top while baking to brown better. Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 mins.

Oh yea, I would also recommend adding a little salt when you butter the top about 1/2 through baking...it ads such great flavor.

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Went and saw Batman: The Dark Knight on Saturday night. It was a very cool flick. I don't normally enjoy the comic book to movie genre, but this one, like the last one, was very good.

And yes, Heath Ledger really was that good...Oscar good.

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I think that I am officially swearing off going to the Regal Cinema's across the water from my apartment. The last two or three times I went, it was nothing but loud talkers, constant texting in a dark theater, and Bluetooth headsets blinking...Seriously folks, turn off the celly for 2 hours and enjoy the movie. I paid my $20 to be here and enjoy it...when you open your phone the light shines like a beacon of annoyance.

And take that stupid Bluetooth headset off your ear. The flashing blue light is crazy annoying in a dark room and you are not so important that you need to have your phone on your ear at all times...plus, you look really dumb.

Sorry, rant over.

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The title of this post was the "teaser" that a CNN announcer used just before going to break this morning...he said "Gay's in Toga's, Satan, and a Presidential Election...has a comic book gone too far?"

I think I shot coffee out of my nose when, using his best TV announcer voice, he paused between "Gay's in Toga's, Satan" (pause) "and a presidential election".

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Sign #486 that I am getting old...

When nobody is around and I know I won't get caught, do you know what I like to do?

Take a nap.

Did it twice this weekend.

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On Saturday morning, Claire and I headed out to Virginia Beach to participate in a 5k...We ran as part of Team Hoyt, a running team for St. Mary's Home for Disabled Children. We had a great time running with our new friend Izzy, who alternated between watching a video on her iPod and staring out at the course on the boardwalk. While the heat made it a harder run than it should have been, we really enjoyed it.

If you don't know anything about Team Hoyt, click on the link above and watch the Good Morning America story. It is amazing.

Happy Anniversary

Anyone going to see Dark Knight this weekend? I am going to see it on Saturday even though I usually HATE going on opening weekend to movies.


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I was reading this post over at Charming Hedonist's sight this morning and it got me thinking about how some relationships can get so sour so quickly.

Dealing with people is such a funny process and clearly some are better at it than others. It does, however, never cease to amaze me at how perfectly rational and mature people who have a long standing and warm relationship can turn so emotional and immature so quickly. Now, I understand that often times it is simply a build up of emotions over time and the "moment" it changes it is more a "straw that broke the camels back" rather than a quick roundabout, but...

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File this under "How did I end up doing this?"...sort of like the marathon training last year, the Goofy Challenge training this year, and the whole moving from San Diego to the hot, muggy and buggy East Coast, I am getting up at 5am on Saturday to go run at the beach...sure it is for a good cause and I really do embrace my being a "morning person", but 5AM on a Saturday is a bit much.

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In HER defense, I did willingly agree to all of these things and in almost all cases encouraged it, but I don't know that I will be that happy on Saturday morning when the alarm goes off at Zero-Dark-Thirty.

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Four years ago this weekend, my buddy started a church in his home...he was the "Head Cheerleader" (aka Lead Pastor) and I was the Associate. A lot has changed over the past 4 years...holy molly is that true....but a few things have remained constant. My buddy Deron is a good pastor (and getting better daily), a great friend and a phenomenal man. That little church plant we started is growing and impacting lives in East County San Diego. I think the Sunday morning service is running around 150 people, most of whom were either completely unchurched or had walked away from their faith before "finding" The Gathering.

So, if you are in San Diego, pop on over one Sunday and tell them I sent you...You won't be sad that you did...

Congrats Gathering Family...I miss you more than you know.

So Wrong...

Driving the other day, I was stuck behind a convertable car with two fairly large people in it, consuming a very large bucket of french fries...

Do you know what their license plate said?

FRYBABY

There is something very wrong about that.

HR Derby

Did y'all see Josh Hamilton last night in the Home Run Derby? If not, take a quick peek into his story here...then read about what he did last night here.

It is an amazing story, one that I have been watching for a couple of years now.

Congratulations to Josh and his family! What an amazing display he put on last night.

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Claire and I went and saw Hancock on Sunday. It was silly, stupid and campy, yet it was a lot of frigg'n fun. Both Claire and I enjoyed it. Just thought I would pass that along.

The Baconater and a Slip-n-slide

Claire and I met Mr. Peanut this weekend. You know Mr. Peanut as the mascot for that one peanut company. Mr. Peanut was very nice. He told Claire and me all about Suffolk, VA, was really happy to pose for pictures with us, and even shared some coconut peanut brittle with us. I was surprised that he treated us so well even after the face Claire made at him when she tasted a raw peanut for the very first time.


After our tour of Suffolk, we had a little BBQ at a friends house to celebrate the end of softball. The Bridge/Monumental team was not very good, but we took losing well and always had a good time together.

Our manager Bob invited everyone over to his home to have a grill out, a bonfire and a SLIP-N-SLIDE...you know, for the kids. HA.

By the time the 8 kids were getting tired of it, 4 of the players decided it was time to take it over. I won't share all the pics (this is a family friendly blog and nobody needs to see that), but as you can see, this homemade slip-n-slide was well used by the end of the day!

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I was given a nice little blog award this weekend from Practically Joe over at Practically Wisdom. Joe has been a contributor to my comments for a while now and has a very enjoyable and unique blog. Pop on over and say hey....thanks for the award Joe!!

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Bacon and eggs on Saturday morning.

Bacon sandwich for lunch.

Bacon sandwich for breakfast Sunday morning.

Bacon sandwich for breakfast Monday morning.

Now I am out of bacon and I am sad.

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My other culinary treats this weekend included a chocolate covered macaroon, a chocolate dream bar, 3 chocolate chip cookies, 5 chocolate mint brownies, 1 piece of marble pound cake, 1 1/2 hamburgers, 2 hot dogs, 1/4lb of coconut peanut brittle, 1/4lb of chocolate covered peanut brittle, 1 tomato sandwich, uncountable amounts of chocolate chip cookie dough, and finally some Sushi on Sunday night to be healthy.

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I might have to wear scrubs and other clothes with elastic waist bands for a while.

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Finally, one of my favorite little clips...and it happens to have some bacon in it. "I just like that story."

I Am Funny, Dang-it

Claire laughed AT me today...no, not with me...AT me.

We met up to go for a 530am run. We are beginning the long road of training for Disney's Goofy Challenge in January (1/2 marathon on Saturday and 1 full one on Sunday...same weekend.)

She mentioned that our pastor was swapping churches this weekend and he would have to preach in robes. Pastor Hank is certainly not a robe guy, he is a jeans and polo preacher, so the thought of him preaching in formal robes was unusual.

This reminded me of one of my favorite jokes from the Catholic High School I attended...quick mental picture...priest, walking into mass with his full robes on, swinging the incense burner...got that picture in your head?

Good.

Now, if we were sitting there an I tapped you and whispered:

"Nice dress, but his purse is on fire."

Would you laugh?

Fat and Happy

Have I ever mentioned my love of cookies? Chocolate Chip, no nuts, type of cookies? Maybe, once or twice or even three times...okay, maybe even more than that, but you get the picture.

Well, last night Claire and I were supposed to go golfing. The impending storm made that plan unexecutable, so she just came over to my place, had dinner, played Wii, went for a walk AND MADE ME SOME COOKIES.

Not only did that beautiful woman bake me some Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies with no nuts, she also made extra batter so that I could have a couple of hot, fresh Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies with no nuts anytime I want during the week.

How sweet is that? How sweet is she?

I think I am in love...yes, with both her and the Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies with no nuts.

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And to add to the nature vs. nurture debate...last time we visited Claire's family in South Louisiana, her mom had a Tupperware full of Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies with no nuts just sitting in the fridge waiting to be cooked and consumed by me.

How cool is Claire's mom?

Way cool.

4th of July 3-Day Weekend Getaway

The Fourth of July weekend was a blast for Claire and I...starting with a great time at the ballpark on Thursday night.

Claire came over, ate a quick dinner, then we headed to the ballpark ferry...about 300 yards from my apartment is a ferry boat that takes you directly to a dock just off of the Right Field Corner...and it only costs a buck! What a deal.

Friday morning we took off for Washington D.C., stopping in Fredericksburg for a picnic by a creek, a 4th of July street fair, a quick golf lesson for both of us and the BEST COFFEE EVER. Sure, that detour was a little longer than expected, but we were having so much fun. We so love spending time in Fredericksburg!

As we got just south of DC, Claire's cousin Lynn called and asked us to come to the place they were staying...sure, why not?! So we quickly jumped off the freeway and headed to a sweet little community near Mt. Vernon...you know, where George Washington lived.

We ended up getting along so well with the people her cousin was staying with, we spent the rest of the day at their house, on their boat and at their yacht club, even exchanging phone numbers with a promise to meet up again soon.

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Quick break from the story to bring you a tasty little treat for the grill...take stew beef or venison (if you have it), lay a bite sized chunk on 1/2 a strip of bacon. Dab on a dollop of cream cheese and a couple diced jalapenos...wrap the bacon around the filling, skewer with a toothpick and grill (in a grill pan) for a couple of minutes. Wowee delicious.

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Saturday morning saw a breakfast of wonderfulness at La Madeleine French Bakery. The croissant was exquisite, the butter and jam on fresh bread divine, and even the help-yourself coffee was good. Then we headed over to the shopping mecca TYSONS CORNER. Claire had to walk around all of the shops. Not to buy anything necessarily (although that self control did not last long), but just to check out all the cool designer shops and stuff. I even scored new clothes that I look ever so crack-a-lack'n in.

Then we headed into Maryland and down the back way to the Eastern shore. We spent the next day and a half, cruising into and out of small towns...checking out ice cream shops, Nick-Nack stores run by crazy ladies, and out of the way family wineries. We found a general store that had been turned into a restaurant with some of the best wings and fries ever. We stayed on a NASA Rocket Deployment Facility (thanks to Claire's Navy enlistment) and even found time to walk along the beach and get yelled at for climbing on rocks. (The "Lifeguard" that yelled at us, at least took our picture before we had to get down...see:

We were even back in P-Towne on Sunday night early enough to eat some brie and hard meats (gotta check out poop-n-boogies post on salami...rated PG to PG-13 for those so inclined) and unwind with a little TV watching.

That weekend ranks right up there with some of the best Claire and I have spent together.

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Thought I would end this post with a recommendations of the highest degree. Do you like cupcakes? I know that is a silly question, but I have to ask...cause if you do, then we found the best cupcakes ever. We might have thrown down 1/2 a dozen morsels of goodness.

If you are ever in DC or even within an hour of Georgetown, you have to, have to, have to check out Georgetown Cupcake for a little taste of heaven. They are so much better than that crappy place we waited 45-mins to get into while we were in New York last year. The only reason that place has a line is because it was on some stupid TV show on HBO...you know the one that men hate and women fawn over...yea, that one. We waited in line there to try these crappy little cakes. If that stupid show would have been filmed in Georgetown, then Georgetown Cupcake would be the rightfully famous one...anyway, I digress.

We ate the following flavors and I would encourage you to try them all...

CHOCOLATE COCONUT - valrhona chocolate cupcake with a vanilla cream cheese frosting, topped with coconut

CHOCOLATE3 - valrhona chocolate cupcake with a creamy chocolate frosting topped with chocolate sprinkles

LEMON BERRY - lemon cupcake with a lemon raspberry frosting

MOCHA - valrhona chocolate cupcake with mocha frosting and a chocolate-covered espresso bean

LAVA FUDGE - valrhona chocolate cupcake with a fudge frosting

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT - valrhona chocolate cupcake with ganache icing, topped with crunchy hazelnuts

Pooling Spit

Sitting here drooling on my computer keyboard after an early morning call to the dentist...I hate going to the dentist...really hate it when I have to drool for 4 hours after the visit.

Best part is that I get to go back in 3 weeks for a "routine" cleaning. That should be fun.

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I think I know why dentists traditionally have the highest suicide rate of any profession.

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Claire and I had an amazing weekend...will give the rundown later this week with some pictures, but it included a AAA baseball game, boating with people we did not know, shopping in Washington D.C., staying on a military base/NASA Launch site called Wallops Island and cruising the Eastern Shore. It was a great 3 days.

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Thank you all for the kind words on my post about Mandy. She really was great...and yes, KP, that summer seems like forever and a day ago.

Mandy

21 years is not long enough to live for a woman like Mandy.

In March of 2000, she made the trip with me and 3 others to watch the Padres in Spring Training. We sang karaoke, she helped me impersonate a professional ball player and we learned about flashing truckers. She loved baseball and had a HUGE crush on Brad "Nice" Ausmus...always trying to score seats behind home plate so she could stare at Brad. She enjoyed food, good food and spicy food. She taught most of us about "White Trash" progressive dinners, racing in shopping carts and how to make a stranger ask about her faith.

21 years was not long enough for those of us who knew her.

The headache was crushing. She tried aspirin and ibuprofen. She tried sleep and rest. She tried to ignore it, but it would not go away. She had to see the doctor. On June 13 her mom took her to the emergency room. The pain was far to great. Something had to be done.

21 years is such a short time.

You couldn't miss a girl like Mandy. Tall and pretty with an unbelievable zest for life. You want to know who was the most popular girl at the party? It was Mandy. The girl so many of the guys wanted to secretly date? Mandy. The leader in the church group? The deviser of plans? The one that would visit you when you were sick, make you laugh until you peed your pants or cry with you until you both had no more tears to give? Mandy, Mandy, and Mandy. Just something about her made everyone want to be her friend...and she obliged.

21 years goes by so fast.

A softball sized tumor was in her brain. They thought they might be able to operate, pull it out, do radiation and chemo and then maybe, just maybe she might be okay...but probably not. Mandy took it in. Thought for a moment, then smiled at the doctor. She said "Doc, let's do what we have to do."

21 years should not be a lifetime.

Her faith was on her sleeve. It always had been and some little tumor was not going to change that. It did not matter where she was or what she was doing, Mandy lived her life by two principles...Love God and Love People. It was no different during her short time in the hospital. Nurses and doctors, strangers and loved ones, every single person that got to see her during this time got to see what it was to Love God and Love People. That guiding principle led her to enjoy life like so few do.

21 years can't be all that she got. Not her.

The surgery was successful. "There may be some complications" the doctors said, but it went well. Radiation and chemo were to start in a few days. Mandy rested and the rest of us prayed. 7 days later we got a call, the tumor had returned and it was already the size of a golf ball. Despite the "successful" surgery, Mandy's tumor was back. There was nothing that could be done. 3 weeks to the day of entering the ER, Mandy died. July 4, 2000.

21 years was all she had.

The funeral was later that week. The church was meant to hold 250...there were over 500 there. They were in the entryway...they were in the patio...they were in the parking lot. 500 people. There were only 100 invited. They were all there to say goodbye to Mandy.

21 years lived the way they should be.

At one point during the service, Pastor asked how many people's faith in God was impacted by Mandy...EVERYONE raised their hand. She was not perfect...she did not always say the right thing...she certainly did not fit the mold of a "good little church girl"...but she walked the way she talked...her faith guiding every step of the way.

21 years is all we got of her.

She is missed often, spoke about occasionally and certainly not forgotten.

July 4 is my reminder...21-years...She lived them right.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly...

The Good - Claire coming over on Monday night with a box of Chocolate Rice Crispy's which she turned into Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats.

The Bad - I ate a row of them last night...a BIG row.

The Ugly - I had 3 for breakfast this morning. Well, not really breakfast, more like pre-breakfast as I went out to eat after consuming the Chocolate Peanut Butter goodness.

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The Good - Claire and I started our running program for the summer on Monday night, making it a full 2 1/2 miles on our first shot.

The Bad - We walked over a mile and a half of the track.

The Ugly - The mile's worth of running and mile and 1/2 worth of walking made me sweat like the fat kid in dodge ball...it could have just been the Chocolate Peanut Butter heaven I ate, but maybe not.

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The Good - Owning a Wii rocks!

The Bad - Claire keeps whoop'n my butt in Wii boxing...like, not even close...like Mike Tyson vs. Joey Bagadoughnuts.

The Ugly - Boxing until 930 last night, falling over from exhaustion, but being unable to sleep b/c I was so upset about the beatings I kept taking.

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Do you have any Good/Bad/Ugly's today?

What Weekend? I Didn't See No Stink'n Weekend!

Sushi, the Zoo, 2 car repair shops, $100 worth of dry cleaning, 2 movies, 1 book club, 2 softball games, 18 holes of golf, 1 bbq cookout, 90 minutes in church...that was a full weekend.

Claire and I kicked it off by grabbing Sushi on Friday night. It had been over a month since we hit the sushi bar, so we were due...then checked out BJ's with the free trial membership Claire got in the mail...We tried to watch Zach Braff's movie "The Last Kiss", but 30-mins into it we shut it off. It just was not good...and the Wii was calling. I got very tired of getting my butt kicked in a racing game, so I had to call it a night. Losing to your girlfriend over and over is very tiring.

Saturday we dropped off Claire's car at the Honda dealership and headed to the zoo...after an hour of walking around and watching the mating habits of Giraffe's, the dealership called Claire. They wanted $600 to replace the alternator...Pashaw...ain't gonna happen. Put the car back together, we are going somewhere else...picked up her car, dropped it off at another repair shop, and off to my apartment to watch Superman Returns and put together my new desk chair.

I spent the rest of the evening playing softball and watching baseball...while Claire went to a Book Club/Pajama Party...

Sunday morning we met up for church, went golfing with our good friends Mark and Rhonda, grilled steaks for dinner and then proceeded to go through family pictures. By the time we got back to P-Towne it was 11pm and we were wondering what happened to our weekend.

Half Deserted Streets: Testaments - Number Two

I posted a guest blog over at Half Deserted Streets today...Lauren is running a series about break-up's...run over there, check out my story of love and loss, all in 36-hours...

Half Deserted Streets: Testaments - Number Two

The Dealer

El Rancho Jr. High had a problem and that problem was me.

Apparently, they did not like the little distribution business I had started. 7th and 8th graders were not supposed to buy such a product.

"They are so young" it was said.

"How can they be making such adult choices" it was asked.

Then the focus came back squarely on me..."That little delinquent is providing access to the contraband. What are we going to do about it?"

My supplier did not have as high a mark-up as I did, but she was happy. I made sure to tip her from time to time and to make sure she knew she was appreciated. I had a system...my supplier would purchase the goods, I would split it up into individual servings...Each type would be priced accordingly. I could sell the high-end product at twice the price I could see the generic street product for. I would give discounts to my regular buyers and their buying in bulk.

But when the Jr. High Principle called pops, the distribution quickly came to an end. My parents said "boys will be boys" and dismissed my selling as a rite-of-passage.

El Rancho lost their Blow-Pop supplier that day. Candy being sold at a modest mark-up just was not in the cards for the school. They could not have a 12-year old making $30-$45 a week selling suckers...They had gum in them and gum ended up at the underside of desks...they also were not approved snacks for 7th and 8th graders.

Mom had to stop buying them in bulk from Price Club (now called Costco)...well, not completely...she still had 6 kids at home that loved to eat them!

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Thanks mom for getting my little business off the ground and being my "supplier".

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Remember this???

Wednesday Odds and Ends

Andre the Giant was a villian in WWF wrestling when I was growing up. Hulk Hogan the hero and his arch rival. But in Princess Bride, Andre was the muscles in a "criminal organization", later turning his life around and becoming a force for good. Andre died a few years ago and for some very strange reason, I was sad about it. I never knew him and never really was a "fan", but it made me sad...I think mostly b/c he seemed like such a cool guy. I was reminded about this last night while I was watching Princess Bride on AMC...it was/is so good. Rob Reiner says it is his favorite movie...It is definatly one of mine. It is one of the more quoted movies in my little circle of friends.

"No more rhyming I mean it!"

"Anyone want a Peanut?"

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How do I know that Yahoo's spam filter may be a bit too tight?

I sent myself an email...from my personal Yahoo account...to that very same personal Yahoo account...and it got caught in the Spam Filter. Amazing.

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On Monday, I got some sweet pictures of my good friend's baby...Last summer, I lived next door to him and his wife...our townhouses were close enough that we could literally just talk back and forth without going outside. If their bedroom slider was open, I could hear when they turned on the shower. So, when he sent the pictures over of Ava, this was my response:

"To think, I was less than 50 feet away when she was made."

And he wrote back:

"Heck, you were closer than that. You probably could have watched if you wanted to."

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I miss hanging out with Jeremy.

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That reminded me of my very first apartment in college. We had two very, ahem, "active" couples living near us...one above and one beside. The ones above had a squeaky bed and the ones beside us (we shared a balcony) were, well, boisterous.

The best part was the wafting cigarette smoke that would come through the window after they were finished...

I just got shivers...not in a good way.

An Open Letter To You Sitting in Row 5

Dear Sir/Madam:

While I appreciate you taking time to enjoy your family, making time for your friends, sharing a meal of nachos, popcorn, ju-ju bees and coke, I do not appreciate you doing it all-at-once while in the movie theater.

You see, when the movie starts that usually means that people are trying to pay attention and get as much out of the $20 they just shelled out to enjoy 2-hours with their significant other.

So in the interest in sparing everyone else the pain that is sitting in a theater with you, please let me outline a couple of really good guidelines for you to know:

1. If you walk in to a movie theater after the movie starts, please try to be courteous and quiet. Others are watching and trying to enjoy the movie. Your constant yelling at the kids, talking to each other and complaining about the comfort level of the seats is not really conducive to an enjoyable movie going experience.

2. Please do not answer/talk on your cell phone during a movie. Cell Phones are wonderful devices, but a certain level of decorum is expected. I know that what happened last night on Celebrity Circus was important, but most of the people around you paid $10 to watch Robert Downy, Jr. not listen to you tell us how Antonio Sabato, Jr. did on the high-wire act.

3. Please don't think that anyone who politely asks you to keep it down is wanting to fight. If you are being loud, you might even get shooshed...and if you keep thinking that fighting those people makes sense, I am guessing that someone may take you up on your offer.

4. 3-5 year old kids belong at movies, but maybe not ones that are rated PG-13 or R. Sure, Iron Man was not terribly disturbing, but do we really want our 3 year-olds to see bombs and shrapnel more than they already do? Panda Ninja was playing just across the hall. That might be a better choice.

5. Yelling at your kid when he spills the popcorn bowl that is bigger than him is really unnecessary. How could you not see that coming?

Thank you for your consideration. I am a fairly tolerant person and my patience is higher than most, but selfishness is a very rapid, one-way trip to ninja-town.

Sincerely,

Bogart in P-Towne.

Frequent Flyer Miles Rule

Minneapolis, MN
Minetonka, MN
Maple Grove, MN
Saint Paul, MN
Dallas, TX
Newark, NJ
Charleston, SC
Atlanta, GA
Portsmouth, VA

2 Cancelled flights, 3 flight delays, 2 long trips...

I am home. I am alive. I am recouping.

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There have been a few questions about what I do...let me explain it this way.

I earn my living by schmoozing and negotiating with mid level bankers across the country. If I am successful in convincing them that my company is good and that my check won't bounce (okay, it really is a wire, but you get the picture), they just might sell me some of their receivables.

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I was concerned about going to South Carolina. Not gonna lie, it does not have the best reputation...but Charleston is one of the coolest cities I have ever been. I can't wait to go there again, but probably not during the summer.

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I did zero in Atlanta. I arrived Thursday, went to dinner, slept, went to meetings and went back to the airport. Unfortunately, those type of trips do happen more than I like.

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On the flight from Charleston to Atlanta, I sat next to a very nice, chatty young lady. I mentioned Claire a number of times during our conversation, but it was not until I told her about moving across the country to chase her down that she suddenly shut up. Yes, it was that abrupt.

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No, I am not usually a talker on planes. I usually put on my Bose Headphones and read.

Home

I am so blessed to be able to do what I do for a living...I travel all over the country, staying in beautiful hotels, eating at amazing restaurants, and playing on sweet golf courses.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate the opportunities I have and how much I enjoy what I do. I still can't really figure out how I got into the work I am in, but make no mistake, I am very well aware of how blessed I am to have fallen into it.

But sometimes that travel gets to be too much. Sometimes holding that phone to my ear, talking to Claire in another time zone, gets very old. It is why I chased her across the country, leaving all that I ever knew and everyone I love.

The last 2 weeks I have been traveling, yet again. Another trip, another flight, another meal, another hotel.

Then I hear that Michael Buble song, Home. It might have been a little much. I would like to be home in Virginia, having dinner with her right now.

Flip-Flop

For the record, Flip-Flopping DOES NOT equal changing your position or mind...

Flip-flopping means you change your mind and then change it again...not because you had an epiphany, but because it was convenient for you to do so. It served you in some fashion to keep changing your mind...An example would be you believe something...argue for it...dare I say campaign for it...then you change your mind...maybe it is genuine. Maybe someone showed you the error of your ways. Maybe you saw first hand that your initial beliefs were wrong, so you admit your error and move on...but then you decide to, oh I don't know, run for president...then that thing you now know to be true is no longer politically convenient so you change back. The winds have blown in another direction and you change your mind to appease voters...

That would be flip-flopping...

But if you were against something...let's just say for arguments sake, against a certain Tax Cut...but as you see it working, as you see the benefit, you decide you were wrong. You admit you were wrong. You now see the error in your ways and change. You then campaign on that more correct idea even though it may hurt you in the polls...Sticking to it whether it is politically expedient or not...that is simply growth and evolution of a thinking mind. That is not something to be ashamed of and it certainly IS NOT flip-flopping.

Food and Father's Day

On Friday night last week, we were on Eagle Lake in Maple Grove, MN. My sister's boyfriend made some mean burgers and thought I would mention them to you...I made some killer burgers a couple of month's back (Read about them here), but his was right on par.

In the meat he mixed egg, red/yellow/green diced peppers, red onion, and Gorgonzola cheese. Then he formed the burgers, grilled them to medium, and melted cheese with peppers on top. Served on a toasted/grilled onion bun and they were awesome.

I have challenged him to an Iron Chef cook off...we will see if he has the chutzpah to accept. :-)

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Father's day was Sunday. It is a funny holiday for me because in my life I really have 3 different men that would easily be celebrated on that day...my father, my step-dad, and my gramps...all have provided things for me to live up to, look for, and pursue. I also make sure to call my buddies that are fathers and let them know that they are doing a great job...This year I was able to add 2 more calls...both Jeremy and Derek got messages to celebrate their first Father's Day.

But this past Sunday my mind was mostly on my Gramps. It is the first Father's day without him around. He past away last September (Please read what I wrote about him here) and his presence is still so missed. His life was a blessing to so many people, but inside the family he was held in even higher regard than the thousands of people that cried the day he passed away...yes, I said thousands.

There are a million stories I could write about him and it still would not cover his life adequately. I have shared some of his more notorious ones here, here, here, and here.

Thanks for all you were gramps...you are missed more than you could ever imagine.

Back Home...For A Day

What a great trip to the Great White North...well, I guess this time of year Minnesota should be called the Great Green North. Holy Carp Batman, that was a very green place.


We spent Friday night at with Kalar (my sister's boyfriend) and his family at their house on on their dock. We even took a sunset cruise on their boat around the lake. It was a great night, kicked off with a wonderful meal and capped with a HUGE FRIGG'N bonfire.


Saturday we toured Mall of America. While there, we checked out the aquarium, mini-lego land and amusement park, all of which were located INSIDE the Mall. It is crazy big and it was a lot of fun. Before I left for the airport, we had a wonderful lunch at Napa Valley Grille. Sure, the waiter spilled a glass of Sparkling Wine AND a glass & 1/2 of white wine all over Kalar's lap...but the food was good, they comped the wine and gave Kalar a $25 gift certificate for his sticky lap. They took good care of us.


After arriving back in VA at 1am Sunday morning, I have about 40-hours before jumping a plane again to South Carolina. I will be there Monday night through Thursday morning...then to Atlanta, Georgia for a 30 hour visit...I think I will be home for a short while after that.


Whew.


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A couple of weeks ago I wrote this post, mentioning that I read Whit over at Honea Express. So then late last week, I won a contest at his site. Coincidence? I think so...


Anyway, I am really excited to get all 11 books that will be sent over. Now I don't have to wonder what to read all summer long.


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There is some nasty wildfire down in North Carolina that has been burning since last week. That fire did bring me a smile last week though...As I left for the airport at 5am last Tuesday, I got a smell of burning brush. As silly as it is, that aroma reminded me of home.

How sick is that? A brush fire making me nostalgic for SoCal.

Lightning

Something I hope I never lose the fascination with...Lightning. It reminds me of the time I spent in Nebraska as a kid. I love how it looks streaking across the sky. The power is awesome.

In SoCal, lightning storms are very rare. In VA they happen more, but up here in Minnesota, it apparently happens all the time.

So very cool.

Oooh Yea, Dont-cha know....

Flew up to the land of 10,000 lakes yesterday and I am enjoying the beautiful scenery while visiting my one of my little sisters. She moved up here back in January to chase down a boy. Is there a trend in my family?

She has a great apartment right across the street from a lake. Her man lives just on the other side of the water. It is a pretty nice setup. Claire is going to join us on Thursday night and we are going to hang out in the Twin Cities for the weekend. Should be great!

But I do have one HUGE complaint. My little sister owns a flat screen TV. I am a bit miffed since it seems that I am the only one in the world that does not have one. I need a flat screen so I can properly enjoy the Wii. Maybe I can convince Claire to buy me one for her birthday. Yea, that's the ticket.

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Speaking of birthdays, a big, fat HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Claire's youngest sister Sarah...you know, the one who just got married. She is turning an age today...not gonna share that one. You think I am crazy? No way, she scares me.

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Seems that there is a lot of consternation regarding the lack of video evidence of me doing the worm. I never knew that people were so interested in that dance move. Sure, I am particularly adept at it, but that is the kind of video that can kill political careers.

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I felt like I was back in college this morning...waking up at a friend's house, trying to be quiet so as to not wake anyone else up, going through cabinets looking for breakfast, finding fruity pebbles...etc.

Man I love me some Fruity Pebbles. They rock.

May I Be Excused, My Brain Hurts.

Last week I wrote about the things I learned during our trip to New Orleans and I don't want to keep kicking the same/similar subject everyday, but it really is true that you learn new things everyday. For example:

Friday night I learned that Fire Flies really do exist. Not only do they exist, but they are phenomenal little bugs. No, they are not like the mechanical ones at Disneyland, constantly glowing and staying on, but they their little flashy butts are sooooo cool. (I don't ever want to say that line again. EVER.)

Saturday I learned that fritters made from Conch Meat and being sold 5-for-$1 are not only the best deal at a festival, but they are also pretty darn good. I figured out that if you puree fresh Kiwi with a little bit of Mango juice it makes a pretty mean smoothie...Also, Wii Ping-Pong is fun, but Cow racing may be the best game ever.

Sunday I learned that the character Magda from Something About Mary really does exist. Claire and I saw her at the beach yesterday. Holy Carp batman. She had the little dog, the yellow hair, and the crazy leather skin. I have NEVER seen anything like it.

Finally, I also learned that it is 10-15 degrees warmer in VA this month than normal. No wonder my skin melted off yesterday.

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I bought my Wii yesterday. (THANKS MOM + POPS) I am so excited to play Tennis, Ping Pong, Cow Racing, Fishing, etc. Claire and I tried to buy the Wii fit yesterday (I can't wait to ski on it and Claire is super excited about the Yoga possibilities), but they sold out before the store even opened. We showed up at 11am and the line out the door was just silly. We were lucky to get the Wii, but the blue shirt people just laughed at us when we asked about getting the fit.

It will happen, just not this week.

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Finally, despite all of your requests, there is no known video of me doing the worm, the helicopter, or most anything else that may be remotely damaging to my future political career.

The Wedding

Claire and I boarded a plane to New Orleans about 10 days ago to visit her family and help prepare for her youngest sister's wedding. It was a great week that had us going nonstop just about every day. Neither Claire, nor I have quite recovered from the constant running we did, but boy was it worth it.

The rehearsal dinner was great. We went to this new restaurant called Chef Ed's and they had us all set up in the back room. Problem was the back room was hotter than Tommy Lasorda after a Dodger loss, so we all picked up tables, chairs and place settings and went outside. How cool is that? The waitress was shocked, but it worked out well, sitting out on the back porch on a warm Louisiana night. The food was amazing and it was a good time. If you are ever in South Louisiana, make sure to grab a meal there.

That night I was kicked out of Claire's parents home and sent to stay with the groom. Something about a bunch of girls running around the house on Saturday in various states of undress...whatever. Jerks.

Actually it worked out well. Kyle and I get along very well and we had an enjoyable night and morning, hanging with his brothers and father...YEAH BUDDY!

The wedding was beautiful. The church looked great and I don't think it had ever had so many people in it!

The reception turned out EXACTLY as they wanted it with plenty of food and drink...and some weird fascination with line dancing...

Despite my best efforts, the Dance Competition I was challenged to and wrote about back in March never happened. The challenger chickened out the minute he saw my helicopter and worm...he would not even step one foot on the floor. I am therefore the Southwest Louisiana May 31st Dance Champ. I should get a trophy or something.

As I mentioned last week, we got to see the Blue Dog exhibit at the New Orleans Museum of Art. But we also had an amazing time doing things like eating meals at her grandfather's house, opening presents, enjoying her mother's cooking, eating cookies, eating out...are you noticing a theme here? Yes, I really did throw on 5lbs during the time we were down there.

Anyway, here are a few photos of Claire and me...

I can't wait until our next trip. We ALWAYS have so much fun down there. I really enjoy all of her family and they seem to enjoy my weird brand of sarcasm.

Congratulations to Sarah and Kyle...Thank you for letting me be a part of the fun week and wonderful day! I hope God continues to bless you as you embark on this next stage of your journey...and other miscellaneous words of encouragement and love...

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Thanks Pamela for donating your room to me for the week. I hope you know how much I appreciated it!

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And if any of you are still reading at this point, make sure to click on this little story about a bar fight Pamela might have been a party to...she rocks!

Happy Birthday

She pulled a knife on me once...
Was my diving partner when we were the "Thompson Twins"...
Has 2 beautiful babies...
Encouraged my niece to call me "Yo-Yo". It has stuck.
Got very good at the "Name that band" game I made her play.
Is the "loud one" in the family...
Is a great mother...
Actively pursues her faith in a way that makes me a little jealous...
Found a great husband...
Has a soft heart...
Has done an amazing job of working hard to keep the entire family involved in her life...
Put up with my constant tormenting and teasing...
She is joining the ranks of 30-something's today and I want to

WISH MY SISTER A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Hester Prinn...I hope your birthday is a great one. You are a wonderful woman, mother and wife. I appreciate the trail you have blazed for all the siblings and have set a pretty high standard for being a parent that we all hope to live up too. I love you.

I Learn...

Back from the 9 day trip to South Louisiana. Pictures, a recap, and other assorted fine-ness to come later this week...for know I thought I would share things I learned while down there...

1. I don't know anything about heat...sure, I have been in the desert at 117 degrees and complained, but that really has nothing on 90-and-90 in New Orleans. Wowee.

2. Claire's youngest sister Sarah looked like a princess during her wedding.

3. I am at least 10-strokes better at golf than Claire's dad...I say "at least" because I was playing with clubs that were 1 1/2 inches too short, on a course that I had never played, and in weather my linebacker body was not made for and I still managed a 10-stroke win.

4. I enjoy golfing with Claire's dad and there are not many people I say that about.

5. When sitting around with the guys and nobody has said anything for a min or so, "Yeah, buddy" is an acceptable silence breaker. No, not in response to anything, just a random "yeah, buddy" while staring off into space is okay.

6. Claire's grandfather can cook some mean bbq sausage.

7. The worm should not be attempted by anyone over 30. Sure, it was my signature move on the dance floor back in the 90's, but that ground is not so soft anymore.

8. Southern Hospitality is a real thing.

9. I rock at Wii bowling, but am terrible at Wii boxing.

10. Grooms at Southern Weddings get their own cake. How cool is that? I think, if I get married, I will have a grooms cake made out of homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies (with no nuts!!!).

and finally,

11. There is a lot of pressure when you catch the garter at a wedding...especially when you combine that with the girlfriend pulling the ring out of the cake.