Seriously????

Ok, Im in a bad mood. Ive got plenty to rant about and figured now would be the perfect time to just let her rip. If I jump around a bit, its the blood pressure, not the medulla ablongotta, got it?


I decided to go to Denny's yesterday. I was feening for some of their loaded hash browns, MINUS the gravy. I called initially from home and was put on hold to order a carryout and eventually said to hell with it, I would just ride over there.

When I got there, you would have thought it was a FEMA tent. People were lined up outside waiting for a table. So I called again and the lady was nice enough to take my order and told me that it was a 45 minute wait on carryouts, hour wait on dine in. Seriously?


So I ordered my food, a club with no mayo with my hashbrowns and my wife a French Toast slam. After waiting and toying around with my phone, I walked in and sure enough, it was "ready" in forty five minutes. I looked down in the bag as I was waiting in another long line to pay and noticed a gallon of gravy on my hashbrowns. I walked over TO THE GRILL and told them it was wrong, nicely. They brought back my container and just said to keep them and they would make some fresh ones for me. No biggie, the wife would eat the gravied taters and I would catch up on some DVR'ing while I enjoyed my sandwich and hashbrowns. I get home and open up my sandwich......extra MAYO!! Seriously?


My wife said take it back and I told her no fricken way, it wasnt worth sitting in that madhouse for another decade waiting on something they should, but never do, get right the first time. I ate my hashbrowns, snuck a sausage link from my wife and as the Beatles sang, Let It Be.


Seriously!

I hadnt noticed it until I went looking through some pictures

I was out in my old stomping grounds yesterday and decided to take some pictures of places that meant something to me during my 18 years of living in Mt. Washington. I had to stop by and "see an old friend" and took a picture of his gravestone. Not realizing it until I was glancing through them, it was twenty years ago to the date that he had passed. At first, it gave me the willies, thinking how ironic it was that of all days, I was there on the anniversary of his death. I knelt down, straightened up some flowers he had recently received and patted his headstone. I told my old friend that its been a while but I just wanted to stop and say hello.


Its almost funny how things happen for reasons we dont understand. Im glad I made the trip to Mt. Washington, even though it was for a friends fathers wake. It was good to see some old friends again. God is good, never forget that. RIP JWR!

Its been a year and I have some advice

Its almost been a year since my last blog and its been a pretty hectic one. Seems the kids are growing like weeds and wanting everything their eyes peer upon. Im anxiously awaiting our trip to Myrtle Beach this year. Its a longer trip and Im sure we'll get to do more things than we did last year. The kids missed out on some cool things unfortunately so hopefully, this year, we can make it up to them. We are staying in Gatlinburg the night before so maybe a trip out on the town that night could do all of us some good. My wife is still mad that she didnt get to go shopping the last time we were in the Smokey Mountain area so Im hopeful I can redeem myself in that aspect as well. Two birds, one stone, not too girls, one cup. Note that kids, it will be on the test!

I found out last night that a friend from schools father passed away and it only brought up memories of the day that I got the news about my father. It was good hearing that they as a family were able to join around him and reminisce about the times they had with him prior to his passing. Thats something I wish I could have done. I did visit my father while he was on a respirator and according to the doctors, could not hear me or respond to me. I hadnt talked to him in over a year and didnt know what to expect. I walked into that ICU room and seen him lying there, hoses and tubes attached to his body keeping his kidneys from failing and his lungs functioning. He was wearing the same ring he allowed me to wear at my Senior Prom on his right hand, lying there with an IV cord wrapped around his wrist. As I heard the ventilator lift up and down in the small room, I grabbed his left hand and, nervously, started talking with him as if he was there, hearing everything I said. The doctors insisted he was in too deep of a coma to even acknowledge anything.

I grabbed his hand and said "Pops, its Nick, Im here with ya. Everything is going to be fine soon. I know you can hear me. They are gonna make it where you dont hurt anymore."

A small tear rolled out of his left eye and down his unshaven cheek. I grabbed a tissue and wiped his face, knowing he could now hear what I was saying. I told him that I had forgiven him years ago, just couldnt forget what he had done to our family. I never again mentioned anything in the past. I told him I loved him and that I would be back up that next day to see him after work.

I never got that chance, he passed the following morning. Im so glad that God told me to turn right out of my driveway that morning I seen him instead of left, headed to work. Im glad I didnt put off that final conversation with him. It helped me get through some times and things that I held alot of anger inside for many, many years.

I guess the reason why Im writing today is to let whomever is reading this know that every moment with a loved one is precious. Dont take advantage of it. Fighting with loved ones, holding grudges, none of that matters once that person faces his maker. At that point, whom are we to judge, if ever?

RIP Stan Burroughs, you were loved by many, known by many, and were obviously a success at raising such great children, being such a positive influence in your grandchildrens lives, and being a wonderful and supportive husband. You were strong until God brought you home. May you rest in peace forevermore!

Derby 2009

Ok, I survived. This years Derby was something I hadnt expected due to the weather forecast. I had decided, at the last minute might I add, to cook some food on the grill for the family, invite a few friends over and watch the people that would gamble on both the rain and the horses. Little did I know I was in for a treat. My friends and I walked up to a local grocery to get some things that were still needed for our cookout when I noticed a younger gentlemen standing on the corner, waiting to cross. He was dressed, well, a bit conservative, yet was a blast to talk to. We never got to ask him his name, just where he was from, Lexington, but he walked along side of us until we reached our house, we went our way, Lex went his.....then....he showed back up, with two friends, which I call Harry and Barry. These three guys are probably the most charismatic gentlemen Ive ever met at Derby. Ive been in the middle of that mess for nine years and they were the most personable guys you could ever meet. Now, they were drunk, BUT, that doesnt take away from the fact that they were hilarious.......yes it does, Im lying.

Anywho, above is the picture I took of the three with my bud Ken. The guy on the right, "Harry" had his collar popped on his JACKET, his tie was almost strangling him, and he had not handkerchief in his pocket. I had to save him, I had to help him get some ass that night, I couldnt allow such a nice guy to proceed down 3rd Street with looking that way. I unpopped his collar, loosened his tie and folded paper towel into a triangle, tucked it in his pocket and told him he was guaranteed some ass that night.

We never got their real names, who knows if they will accept the invite I offered for them to come back each year, but if you guys are out there, you made our Derby.

Here's to you guys, Lex, Harry and Barry, hope to see you guys next year!

Bits and Pieces......and feces

So, I got through Seven Pounds and I seen the ending coming right from the first attempt at watching it. I wont spoil it for you, but its an OK movie. I give it ONE GOOGER UP, and thats only because Rosario Dawson is teh hottay. Will Smith is played, he's in everything these days and his acting hasnt changed. Stale, boring, yet meshes right in there with the script. I guess Ill have to keep on hatin......


I normally havent followed Idol after the tryouts, which by the way is the best part of the show, but this year, Ive followed through with it each week and I have some things to say. First and foremost, Im convinced Paula is screwing some of the contestants and is high on cocaine. Her rings are so big, she could hold an eight ball in each one, snort in between commercials, and get right back at her rambling. Her weekly admiration is borderline stalking, harrassment, and down right unacceptable as a professional. FOX should get her out ASAP, which is what Im predicting is happening with this new judge, Kara something, I dont even care. Shes just as bad, if not worse. Adding a fourth judge was a disastrous move by FOX. In order, it goes like this: Randy Jackson, "YO, YO, YO, that was banging, you could record a whole album right now", Kara, "You got SWAGGA that no one else is bringing to the competition, but your performance wasnt up there tonight, sorry".........BOOOOOOOO roars the crown, Paula, " Your soundful voice brings my heart to rain and clouds bring darkness, yet your voice is sexy, mesmorizing, and tasteful. I applaud your parents for learning how to sing, brilliant".....sigh...and finally Simon "I actually thought it was hooooorendous, the pitch was off, the song selection wasnt in your favor and I believe you are in trouble this week"...BOOOOOOOOOO. This alone is why I just fast forwarded the whole show, TIVOED, just through the performances and made my own mind up. Adam, whom I call VAMP, ya, that guy that butchered the Johnny Cash song, made Randy Travis almost turn to Satanism, and made a mockery of the whole country genre, is riding his Freddy Mercury style voice all the way to the top. How in the HELL are you gonna scream some music from the Rat Pack? I never seen Sinatra pull a Freddy Mercury in any of his routines, yet the judges kissed his ass, making him think hes a new "breed" of talent. Tell that to Steven Tyler, Axel Rose, Vince Neil and the other "rockers" that are able to do what that kid does, sitting in a hottub full of woman, booze and a buffet of narcotics. Danny Gokey is gonna get screwed and he's the only one that has the talent and charisma to be a cross genre star, bar none.

BTW, the Sloppy Joes were great....not a stain on me


I hopped online yesterday evening and played some COD with my brothers and had a blast. We played four player Free For All, hunting each other down like dogs, changed over to some Zombie action, and then back for a finale Free For All. I had forgotten how much fun I had playing online with people that I know. Trash talking, plotting, camping, great times. Then, we decided to go into a Team Deathmatch room and Ill be DAMNED if the first room we went too, they were glitching. I was so pissed I just shut the PS3 off, period. Thats why I only play with friends, because the glitching, cheating, and hacking makes most of these games unplayable with random people. Then, you have to hear "WITE PAUR" or "CRACKA, CRACKA, CRACKA". Yea, thats fun.......

I think Ill stick to playing with friends for the time being.

Three more days until Derby.....see previous blog lol


My wife bought some toys for the beach yesterday and it was the first time since we planned for our trip to Myrtle Beach that I realized that this will be the first family vacation we have had outside a 100 mile range since our existence. I find myself trying not to count down the days when Ill be flicking toes in the beach's sand, watching the sunset over the Atlantic with my wife, and documenting my childrens first interactions with the ocean. Ill never forget my first time, Im hoping they dont forget theirs.

Damn Im tired!!! It doesnt feel good having an 8 year old cramming her knee in your back all night while medicated. Waking up makes you feel like you were hit by an Amtrack.


I keep smelling the Sloppy Joes.....yea, that smell........I just got a call from Joe, he needs an escort to the Porcelain Credit Union to make a deposit.

Three nights, three attempts. Ive tried watching 7 POUNDS, it better be outstanding!!!

Sloppy?

If I eat my sloppy joes really careful, and not spill anything, is it really considered Sloppy Joes?


And who is this Joe character?