As I look back on the recent years of my life, much has changed. There have been fun times, sad times, good times, and bad times, all the while I've been building myself and my life story. So much has happened and to be completely honest, I'm thankful for every bit of it. All of my experiences, both positive and negative have made me a stronger me, a more confident me, a happier me, and truly a more complete better me. This spills into every aspect of my life; as an employee, as a father, as a son, as a boyfriend, as a man.
2010 was the year my life really changed; all that previously was would no longer be and a scary new future loomed ahead. Not scary in that bad things would happen, but scary because change always presents things you aren't prepared for and in this case my changes were to be confronted alone. Although I welcomed all that was to come, it was a true departure from the past. The paths that I had previously trod as part of team, I began to walk alone. This was true from a professional standpoint, as I transitioned from a large department with many peers to a new department in a new job in a position that was just created... with no peers at all. It was also true from a personal perspective, as I ventured out a single man after 10 years of marriage; where I once had a partner, I found myself on my own. Mentally, socially, professionally, spiritually, in every shape and form things would be different from this point forward.
2011 was the year (and at the moment is still the year) that all the wheels were put in motion. I began that trek toward some destination unknown. The scary time had passed months before and a new beginning was upon me. There was an opportunity in front of me and I had to make a decision: stay the course or realign; considering that previously I really didn't have a course, that I just tended to go with the flow, I felt it was best to realign (or better yet, align for the first time), decide what things are important to me and make those my priorities. What I found is there are a number of important aspects of my life. On the most basic level, what matters most to me is deeply rooted in the health, safety and happiness of my children as well as myself. In addition, I had some lacking parts of my life that needed some work. I was neither socially fulfilled, nor financially stable. Surely this is no big surprise; at the collapse of a marriage one finds oneself in a new social atmosphere and typically in poor financial standing... and I was no exception. All this being said, , I wanted to ensure that I put my sons and I in a good financial environment, a good social environment, and I wanted to ensure that the people we surround ourselves from this point forward are good, positive, caring people.
As 2012 approaches, I can't help but be excited. My life and the lives of my children are what I would call "in order". Jackson and Alex are both doing well in school; they are not only involved in athletics but also really excelling to a greater extent than I'd have imagined; they're healthy and all-around doing great. They are happy, wonderful kids and I'm so proud to be their father. I personally find myself moving in very positive direction financially; my career is joy and very fulfilling; I have a great base of positive friends that I love spending time with; my boys are a constant blessing; my parents and brother are pillars of light in my life as they always have been; I'm involved with an amazing woman who cares about me and my happiness more so than anyone I've ever been with; likewise I love her and want to make sure she and her kids are as happy as they've ever been. Jackson and Alex really like her and her kids are their best friends. I couldn't have written a better script leading into the new year. I know this is no fairy tale and life often throws curve-balls our way when we least expect them, but all-in-all 2012 is stacking up to the greatest year of my life. I can't wait to see what the future brings.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Aspirations
We all have aspirations, things which we wish to accomplish yet often times are more pipe dreams than anything. What are your true aspirations? What do you really want?
When I think about what I want, I can make quite the list, but do I need to? Do I really have that large of a list? Last night I stepped back to think about what I really want and although the meaning of this is deep and can be applied in many different ways, it's very simple: I aspire to be one whom positively inspires.
Inspire others by the way you live your life, with your outlook, with your success, with your handling of failure, with all things in life. Whether generally applied to professional life, to role as a parent, to role as a friend, aspire to inspire.
When I think about what I want, I can make quite the list, but do I need to? Do I really have that large of a list? Last night I stepped back to think about what I really want and although the meaning of this is deep and can be applied in many different ways, it's very simple: I aspire to be one whom positively inspires.
Inspire others by the way you live your life, with your outlook, with your success, with your handling of failure, with all things in life. Whether generally applied to professional life, to role as a parent, to role as a friend, aspire to inspire.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
HOLY SHHHHHH......
So last week was our family vacation. The boys and I joined Laura, Matthew and my parents for 5 days in North Myrtle. Nila and her boys even joined us for a day. It was really a great vacation; great weather, tons of amazing food, not one person left sun-burned, and it was a true vacation; no work and all play!
I actually did bring a book along to fill the time as the boys played on the beach, but didn't crack it even once... not even to read a single sentence. Why? Because I played hard with the boys every minute of the day. We played in the pool, played corn hole and football on the beach, as well as the golf ball game that we've come to enjoy that is similar to corn hole but there are no boards, there are just two holes in the sand which you attempt to roll golf balls into from about 10-12 feet away. Sounds easy, right? Think again. Corn hole is MUCH easier.
Two of the highlights of the trip were very simple.
First was a great new toy that we played with more than even the corn hole set. What was it? The Wave Runner Ball! This thing was awesome. It's just a simple ball about the size of a racquet ball that feels like mushy rubber. The crazy thing is that it's consistency allows it to do what other balls can't; it skips on top of the water. It was the coolest thing. You can throw it as if skipping a rock or even like throwing a baseball; just be warned that it bounces crazier than a a baseball off of the ground... especially when it hits waves! Try one out! Oh, the Wave Runner comes in at least two varieties: the beach ball and the pool ball. We tried both however the beach ball was the better of the two.
The second thing was hilarious. I don't even remember what we were doing; possibly a board game in the room. Anyway, something was said to which Alex in a long drawn out way said HOOOOLLLLYYY SHHHHH..... he held the SHHH for a while and the expression culminated with HOOOOLLLLYYY SHHHHHRIMP! We all looked at one another and tried to hold back but ultimately busted out laughing. It was hilarious.
I actually did bring a book along to fill the time as the boys played on the beach, but didn't crack it even once... not even to read a single sentence. Why? Because I played hard with the boys every minute of the day. We played in the pool, played corn hole and football on the beach, as well as the golf ball game that we've come to enjoy that is similar to corn hole but there are no boards, there are just two holes in the sand which you attempt to roll golf balls into from about 10-12 feet away. Sounds easy, right? Think again. Corn hole is MUCH easier.
Two of the highlights of the trip were very simple.
First was a great new toy that we played with more than even the corn hole set. What was it? The Wave Runner Ball! This thing was awesome. It's just a simple ball about the size of a racquet ball that feels like mushy rubber. The crazy thing is that it's consistency allows it to do what other balls can't; it skips on top of the water. It was the coolest thing. You can throw it as if skipping a rock or even like throwing a baseball; just be warned that it bounces crazier than a a baseball off of the ground... especially when it hits waves! Try one out! Oh, the Wave Runner comes in at least two varieties: the beach ball and the pool ball. We tried both however the beach ball was the better of the two.
The second thing was hilarious. I don't even remember what we were doing; possibly a board game in the room. Anyway, something was said to which Alex in a long drawn out way said HOOOOLLLLYYY SHHHHH..... he held the SHHH for a while and the expression culminated with HOOOOLLLLYYY SHHHHHRIMP! We all looked at one another and tried to hold back but ultimately busted out laughing. It was hilarious.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Three Groups of People
Love them or hate them, we get labeled all the time. Which group are you in? Short or Tall? Skinny or Fat? Republican or Democrat? Smart or Athletic? Not all these distinctions are fair, nor are they all mutually exclusive of one another. Think about being pigeon holed as the dumb jock. Sure you can be smart and athletic, but quite often if your athletic, your intelligence is overlooked - hence the dumb jock label. Not to belittle this process of classification, because I'm about to do the same thing right here!
Over the past few weeks I've come the realization that you can categorize people into three distinct groups. Yes distinct is a strong word, because you will surely find yourself in different scenarios when you will find yourself classified in in one of the "other" two groups, but most of us will have the propensity to settle into one of these roles on a general basis.
So, what are the three types of people?
First are Actors. Not actors in the sense of the big screen, rather Actors as I am classifying them are the people that live out loud; they and their actions are out there for us all to see. They are making unprompted moves. These are typically the people who make things happen, for better or worse. Sometimes their actions or ideas are ground breaking; other times they are just the people leading your social group. You have to have actors to drive the action, come up with new ideas, and keep a fresh perspective. They are essential to moving forward and the growth of a group.
Second we have Reactors. There are tons of these people out there, and to be honest there needs to be. After an Actor makes a move, then what happens? Well of course a Reactor swoops in and does something in response. Does what, you may ask? It could be a number of things. Maybe it's a critique of the actions of the actor or maybe it's an improvement on that new idea.
How many times have you been sitting around discussing an idea and there are 100 improvements that build on that first notion? Reactors are of the utmost importance to the improvement of products and or situations and to the streamlining of processes. Put simply, they make the group better.
Any group, be it a company or even a social group, is best served with a combination of Actors and Reactors, and to be totally honest the best Actors tend to project themselves into the role of Reactors pretty well although they are more comfortable Acting.
The third and final group is the viewers. They may care about what's going on or they may not. Seeing what the Actors and Reactors are up to is enough for them and they just aren't getting involved. To just sit back and watch is plenty enough action for them, and on some occasions the choice to stop viewing altogether is their course of action.
So what type of person are you? I'm a huge believer in the idea that we live live in shades of gray. Because of this, I wouldn't be surprised if you read this and said, "what BS; I'm all 3!". To some extent that is true, but ask yourself two questions:
(1) Which of the three is your true nature?
and probably of more importance
(2) Which of the three would you like to be?
Think about those questions as you approach your day.
You may ask how I see myself? That's only fair, right? I don't mind answering my own question! Personally I feel that I'm inclined to Act. Others may see me differently, but I feel pretty confident in my categorization as an Actor for both my natural inclinations as well as my desired nature. If you don't agree, feel free to React to this post! haha!
Over the past few weeks I've come the realization that you can categorize people into three distinct groups. Yes distinct is a strong word, because you will surely find yourself in different scenarios when you will find yourself classified in in one of the "other" two groups, but most of us will have the propensity to settle into one of these roles on a general basis.
So, what are the three types of people?
First are Actors. Not actors in the sense of the big screen, rather Actors as I am classifying them are the people that live out loud; they and their actions are out there for us all to see. They are making unprompted moves. These are typically the people who make things happen, for better or worse. Sometimes their actions or ideas are ground breaking; other times they are just the people leading your social group. You have to have actors to drive the action, come up with new ideas, and keep a fresh perspective. They are essential to moving forward and the growth of a group.
Second we have Reactors. There are tons of these people out there, and to be honest there needs to be. After an Actor makes a move, then what happens? Well of course a Reactor swoops in and does something in response. Does what, you may ask? It could be a number of things. Maybe it's a critique of the actions of the actor or maybe it's an improvement on that new idea.
How many times have you been sitting around discussing an idea and there are 100 improvements that build on that first notion? Reactors are of the utmost importance to the improvement of products and or situations and to the streamlining of processes. Put simply, they make the group better.
Any group, be it a company or even a social group, is best served with a combination of Actors and Reactors, and to be totally honest the best Actors tend to project themselves into the role of Reactors pretty well although they are more comfortable Acting.
The third and final group is the viewers. They may care about what's going on or they may not. Seeing what the Actors and Reactors are up to is enough for them and they just aren't getting involved. To just sit back and watch is plenty enough action for them, and on some occasions the choice to stop viewing altogether is their course of action.
So what type of person are you? I'm a huge believer in the idea that we live live in shades of gray. Because of this, I wouldn't be surprised if you read this and said, "what BS; I'm all 3!". To some extent that is true, but ask yourself two questions:
(1) Which of the three is your true nature?
and probably of more importance
(2) Which of the three would you like to be?
Think about those questions as you approach your day.
You may ask how I see myself? That's only fair, right? I don't mind answering my own question! Personally I feel that I'm inclined to Act. Others may see me differently, but I feel pretty confident in my categorization as an Actor for both my natural inclinations as well as my desired nature. If you don't agree, feel free to React to this post! haha!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Mental Takes Over When Physical Fails
I'm no stranger to running. In the distant past, being high school, I was involved in Track and Field; in addition to throwing shotput and discuss I also ran the 4x400 and the 800 (half mile) and I wasn't to shabby I might add... but those days are long gone. Now I run for distance. Over the past few years I've ventured into some 5Ks and 10Ks and always enjoy them and even post on Facebook about how the races go.
Last year a friend of mine noticed my posts on running and laid down a challenge. I guess it was just more of a question, but my response made it feel like a challenge. She said, since we're both runners, why don't we pick out a marathon to do together. Not that we live near one another and can train, but just knowing that you're committing not only to yourself but also to someone else makes the commitment that much more solidified. After we came to an agreement that this would happen, I came to the realization that 26.2 miles is about 20 miles farther than any other run that I'd completed. haha. Seriously; it's easy to do that math but when you really ponder those numbers it's a bit sobering to think of what it will take to stretch that 6.2 of a 10K into a 26.2 of a marathon. Wow; I had much work to do.
Being that I like to be prepared, I figured instead of jumping straight to the full marathon I should probably take baby steps and do a half marathon first. Note that I said "I like to be prepared", not that "I always am prepared"; there's a big difference in those statements and one that would play out when race day final came along. Is this foreshadowing my intent to be prepared but ultimately not being ready. Haha; you bet it is.
Having decided to do a half marathon I quickly jumped to sign up for Kiawah since it's both close and a nice location. Unfortunately it was already full so I looked to my second choice and signed up for the Myrtle Beach Half Marathon. Actually paying the money was a second commitment; no turning back! The next step was the training routine. I won't bore you with the details, but I did take some time to research plans that already existed and used those to craft my own 24 week plan. It was laid out in Excel, I printed and hung it both at work and home. I didn't stick to it 100% in the early goings, but I was pretty close. Long runs were on Saturdays and just before Thanksgiving I put in my longest run ever: an 8 miler. I felt good having finished that and knew that before race day I would have not only put in a lot of miles but I would have also done a few runs that are even longer than the 13.1 required for race day... or so I thought.
Thanksgiving presented problems; kids were out, tons of food, and plenty of justifiable reasons to NOT put in my miles. That would not have been so bad had I jumped back in it after Thanksgiving, however with my schedule with the kids and work and my love for fatty foods (not to mention Christmas) I often found reasons to either not run or to just cut the longer runs off very short. I found myself in late January having slipped totally away from the running schedule all together and realized that I would not be "ready" for the race, but that I'd be as ready as possible. That being said, my longest run in weeks had been 4.5 miles... Wow; not even close to the needed 13.1 on race day.
The race was to be held on Feb 19th and on Feb 5th I committed to do at least 10 miles. I strapped on the GPS watch and started running, constantly looking down at the watch to see how far I'd been. In the interest of brevity, I'll tell you that my body wanted to stop at 7, but I pushed through mentally to finish the 10. I have completed it without walking. Although those last miles were quite slow, I knew that I could push another 3 miles out on race day. Over the next two weeks I had a few 2-3 mile runs and one 4.5 miler, but I was saving up the rest for race day.
We made race weekend a big weekend in Myrtle, but I didn't let that take me away from why I was there in the first place: to finish the race and push it as much as possible. I set a goal for myself to average 8:00 minute miles (which comes out to just under 1 hour and 45 minutes). It should be doable, considering that during my 10 miler I averaged 8:15 with hills and no competition. Myrtle Beach is flat, and there would be plenty of people to help push me. So what happened?
After hours of sleep, on race day I got out of bed at 5:00 to get ready to run. I caught the shuttle and the excitement was building. Tons of people, including two women using this race as their Olympic Trials qualifier, were ready and awaiting that gun shot to start the race. My iPod was loaded, my watch was on and ready to be started, and I was as ready as I could ever be... that is unless I had actually trained as intended! The gun fired and I took off like a bat out of hell. I didn't sprint, but plenty of people were pushing it so fell right in with them. It was interesting because I kept a balance of pushing and holding back enough to not burn out too quickly. The pace that kept for for the part of the race made me so happy. My watch tells me my mile splits for each mile and as those would pop up I was doing the math in my head as to how many extra minutes I had "in the bag" just in case I fell apart at the end. That way I'd know how slow I could go and still make my overall goal. I'll post my splits down below, but just notice that I kept up one hell of a pace for about 9 miles.
Between the 9th and 10th miles, as I knew it would happen, my body began to give out. I was ill-prepared. Oh shit; what now? What do you mean, "what now"? You push and push until you can't push anymore. I can't tell you that I kept the great pace, because in fact I did not, but I never walked, I kept pushing and I finished the race. It was amazing at how slow I was near the end and that was with pushing with all my heart and even becoming light headed as I started the 13th mile. I just knew how good I'd feel upon completion of the race and knowing that I pushed through mentally. Guess what? I was right. It was such a good feeling. Although my legs were about to collapse, my knees and feet hurt, and I was hydrating as fast as possible, I had such a feeling of contentment and achievement. It felt great and I fully intend to do another very soon.... before I move on to the 26.2!
During the two days since the race, I've been hobbling around with sore legs like a little old man, but in just 48 hours I'm already beginning to recuperate and I'm feeling pretty good. I can't wait to get back out and hit the pavement again.
Without further ado, check out my splits and get a good laugh as you see my slight decline in the first 3/4 of the race, followed by my rapid decline during that last 4 miles. haha. I get a kick out of it and will use that as motivation to do better next time!!!
Mile 1 - 7:00
Mile 2 - 6:55
Mile 3 - 7:00
Mile 4 - 7:15
Mile 5 - 7:10
Mile 6 - 7:22
Mile 7 - 7:31
Mile 8 - 7:34
Mile 9 - 7:55 ( the last mile under my goal pace)
Mile 10 - 8:17
Mile 11 - 8:44
Mile 12 - 9:04
Mile 13 - 9:38
Extra 0.1 - at an 8:01 pace.
After all was said and done: my official race time was 1:42:23, averaging 7:54/mile and I came in 270th out of 3115 people. I'm very happy and looking forward to the future!
Last year a friend of mine noticed my posts on running and laid down a challenge. I guess it was just more of a question, but my response made it feel like a challenge. She said, since we're both runners, why don't we pick out a marathon to do together. Not that we live near one another and can train, but just knowing that you're committing not only to yourself but also to someone else makes the commitment that much more solidified. After we came to an agreement that this would happen, I came to the realization that 26.2 miles is about 20 miles farther than any other run that I'd completed. haha. Seriously; it's easy to do that math but when you really ponder those numbers it's a bit sobering to think of what it will take to stretch that 6.2 of a 10K into a 26.2 of a marathon. Wow; I had much work to do.
Being that I like to be prepared, I figured instead of jumping straight to the full marathon I should probably take baby steps and do a half marathon first. Note that I said "I like to be prepared", not that "I always am prepared"; there's a big difference in those statements and one that would play out when race day final came along. Is this foreshadowing my intent to be prepared but ultimately not being ready. Haha; you bet it is.
Having decided to do a half marathon I quickly jumped to sign up for Kiawah since it's both close and a nice location. Unfortunately it was already full so I looked to my second choice and signed up for the Myrtle Beach Half Marathon. Actually paying the money was a second commitment; no turning back! The next step was the training routine. I won't bore you with the details, but I did take some time to research plans that already existed and used those to craft my own 24 week plan. It was laid out in Excel, I printed and hung it both at work and home. I didn't stick to it 100% in the early goings, but I was pretty close. Long runs were on Saturdays and just before Thanksgiving I put in my longest run ever: an 8 miler. I felt good having finished that and knew that before race day I would have not only put in a lot of miles but I would have also done a few runs that are even longer than the 13.1 required for race day... or so I thought.
Thanksgiving presented problems; kids were out, tons of food, and plenty of justifiable reasons to NOT put in my miles. That would not have been so bad had I jumped back in it after Thanksgiving, however with my schedule with the kids and work and my love for fatty foods (not to mention Christmas) I often found reasons to either not run or to just cut the longer runs off very short. I found myself in late January having slipped totally away from the running schedule all together and realized that I would not be "ready" for the race, but that I'd be as ready as possible. That being said, my longest run in weeks had been 4.5 miles... Wow; not even close to the needed 13.1 on race day.
The race was to be held on Feb 19th and on Feb 5th I committed to do at least 10 miles. I strapped on the GPS watch and started running, constantly looking down at the watch to see how far I'd been. In the interest of brevity, I'll tell you that my body wanted to stop at 7, but I pushed through mentally to finish the 10. I have completed it without walking. Although those last miles were quite slow, I knew that I could push another 3 miles out on race day. Over the next two weeks I had a few 2-3 mile runs and one 4.5 miler, but I was saving up the rest for race day.
We made race weekend a big weekend in Myrtle, but I didn't let that take me away from why I was there in the first place: to finish the race and push it as much as possible. I set a goal for myself to average 8:00 minute miles (which comes out to just under 1 hour and 45 minutes). It should be doable, considering that during my 10 miler I averaged 8:15 with hills and no competition. Myrtle Beach is flat, and there would be plenty of people to help push me. So what happened?
After hours of sleep, on race day I got out of bed at 5:00 to get ready to run. I caught the shuttle and the excitement was building. Tons of people, including two women using this race as their Olympic Trials qualifier, were ready and awaiting that gun shot to start the race. My iPod was loaded, my watch was on and ready to be started, and I was as ready as I could ever be... that is unless I had actually trained as intended! The gun fired and I took off like a bat out of hell. I didn't sprint, but plenty of people were pushing it so fell right in with them. It was interesting because I kept a balance of pushing and holding back enough to not burn out too quickly. The pace that kept for for the part of the race made me so happy. My watch tells me my mile splits for each mile and as those would pop up I was doing the math in my head as to how many extra minutes I had "in the bag" just in case I fell apart at the end. That way I'd know how slow I could go and still make my overall goal. I'll post my splits down below, but just notice that I kept up one hell of a pace for about 9 miles.
Between the 9th and 10th miles, as I knew it would happen, my body began to give out. I was ill-prepared. Oh shit; what now? What do you mean, "what now"? You push and push until you can't push anymore. I can't tell you that I kept the great pace, because in fact I did not, but I never walked, I kept pushing and I finished the race. It was amazing at how slow I was near the end and that was with pushing with all my heart and even becoming light headed as I started the 13th mile. I just knew how good I'd feel upon completion of the race and knowing that I pushed through mentally. Guess what? I was right. It was such a good feeling. Although my legs were about to collapse, my knees and feet hurt, and I was hydrating as fast as possible, I had such a feeling of contentment and achievement. It felt great and I fully intend to do another very soon.... before I move on to the 26.2!
During the two days since the race, I've been hobbling around with sore legs like a little old man, but in just 48 hours I'm already beginning to recuperate and I'm feeling pretty good. I can't wait to get back out and hit the pavement again.
Without further ado, check out my splits and get a good laugh as you see my slight decline in the first 3/4 of the race, followed by my rapid decline during that last 4 miles. haha. I get a kick out of it and will use that as motivation to do better next time!!!
Mile 1 - 7:00
Mile 2 - 6:55
Mile 3 - 7:00
Mile 4 - 7:15
Mile 5 - 7:10
Mile 6 - 7:22
Mile 7 - 7:31
Mile 8 - 7:34
Mile 9 - 7:55 ( the last mile under my goal pace)
Mile 10 - 8:17
Mile 11 - 8:44
Mile 12 - 9:04
Mile 13 - 9:38
Extra 0.1 - at an 8:01 pace.
After all was said and done: my official race time was 1:42:23, averaging 7:54/mile and I came in 270th out of 3115 people. I'm very happy and looking forward to the future!
Monday, November 1, 2010
A Fresh Start
I was married for 10 years, the last year of which I've been separated. Wow, that seems like a crazy long time. As with any established routine of any tenure, you find yourself falling into ruts and doing things the way that you do them, not due to any good reason or desire, but just because that's the way you do it. Do you know what I mean? Sure you do. We all fall prey to this to some degree and marriage very common venue for falling into such ruts.
For better or worse, South Carolina has a law requiring a separation of 365 days before even being able to file for divorce, after which you have to wait on a court date to make it all happen. It's a pretty drawn out process, which for a while seems as if it will go on forever. At first I wished that I lived in a place with a lesser required term, but now that it's been a year I think the time frame was very beneficial. That's not to say that I'd have not enjoyed a shorter wait, but during the last year I have found myself more so than I had in quite some time. Those ruts that we often find ourselves falling into no longer exist. It's time to delve into new territory and establish new expectations and routines... and yes, possibly fall into new ruts! lol. Seriously though, if I am creating new ruts, they are the paths that I've chosen after having been given the actual choice of what I want and that fact is both empowering and quite refreshing.
Next week we formally file. We still get along wonderfully and the kids are doing great. We are both very happy and want the best for not only ourselves but also one another. As strange as it sounds to say so, when you take everything into consideration, it really is a great situation. So often we hear of horror stories about divorce; it doesn't have to be that way and the proof rest in what I'm living. I'm extremely proud of the way we've handled everything up to this point, I have all indications that the future will continue to be extremely positive, and after one year of finding myself I am completely ready for a fresh start!
For better or worse, South Carolina has a law requiring a separation of 365 days before even being able to file for divorce, after which you have to wait on a court date to make it all happen. It's a pretty drawn out process, which for a while seems as if it will go on forever. At first I wished that I lived in a place with a lesser required term, but now that it's been a year I think the time frame was very beneficial. That's not to say that I'd have not enjoyed a shorter wait, but during the last year I have found myself more so than I had in quite some time. Those ruts that we often find ourselves falling into no longer exist. It's time to delve into new territory and establish new expectations and routines... and yes, possibly fall into new ruts! lol. Seriously though, if I am creating new ruts, they are the paths that I've chosen after having been given the actual choice of what I want and that fact is both empowering and quite refreshing.
Next week we formally file. We still get along wonderfully and the kids are doing great. We are both very happy and want the best for not only ourselves but also one another. As strange as it sounds to say so, when you take everything into consideration, it really is a great situation. So often we hear of horror stories about divorce; it doesn't have to be that way and the proof rest in what I'm living. I'm extremely proud of the way we've handled everything up to this point, I have all indications that the future will continue to be extremely positive, and after one year of finding myself I am completely ready for a fresh start!
Friday, October 29, 2010
The Lost Phone Story
First off, the night before was a very fun night to say the least. I'll skip the details, but let you know that it was a fun night spent in the Vista, not unlike many other nights downtown except that this one ended poorly. At the end of the night I decided to head back to Lexington, hopped in the truck, and started my journey. Some 20 minutes later I'm almost home and realize I dont have my phone. Crap. One of my friends swiped it being funny... or maybe, just maybe I left it somewhere. Who cares? It's late. I'm tired. I'll get to the bottom of this in the morning.
The next morning I wake up and immediately have an "oh shit" moment. My phone is one of my lifelines; how will I get through the day without it. Surely someone I know has it. I know! I'll just call them to see if they have it! Doh! ... I have no land line at home; this is 2010, all you need is a cell phone, right?
I then decided that I could easily email the select few people that may have it... no response. Meanwhile, time is ticking. If I did lose it, surely someone who doesn't need to find it will very soon, if they haven't already. Once it's gone, it's gone. I wait what seems like half an hour, but was probably more like 5 minutes. Why wont these people answer their emails!!!
Then it hit me. My phone, the HTC Droid Incredible, was only about 2 weeks old and I was still learning about it and playing with the features and new apps. While at lunch only days before a friend of mine suggested I download this great App called Lookout. It's a mobile security application that will scan your other apps for viruses as well as, and this turned out to be the big one, track your phone! Few people had heard of this app at that point in time, although now I have seen it advertised on commercials. Back to the point, it hit me! I had downloaded this app, so maybe, just maybe, I could find my phone using this app! Sweet! Picture Jim Carrey as Lloyd in Dumb and Dumber saying "So you're telling me there's a chance... yeayah!".
I logged in to the mylookout website, logged in, and the GPS began tracking to a smaller and smaller area, and sure enough, THERE IT WAS!!! Woo Hoo! I tracked the blip it to the corner of two streets in the Vista, a corner that I had walked by on the way to my truck. Excellent! Now, I only have to drive downtown to pick it up. Then the unthinkable happened... the blip began to move. Oh Crap! Someone has my phone!!! What do I do now?
I jumped back over to email and sent a few message to people that I knew that had smart phones. My thoughts were that if I logged in to the website on their phone, then we could track it via GPS and walk right up to it and the person that has it. This is an excellent plan. Two problems. I have to find someone to help and the battery life on the phone is surely an issue. If it goes dead, there will be no GPS signal so we won't be able to track it. Time is of the essence.
Luckily, my friend Terry responds very quickly. I am about to leave to meet Terry when the blip is no longer current. Oh shit. Either someone powered it down, or it actually died. Oh well, we can still try. We met downtown and I logged in. Sure enough, the last GPS signal was from over 30 minutes prior. It was worth a shot though, so we headed to the last known location. It was very exciting, almost as if we were treasure hunting. When we got really close, we picked a parking lot and got out the car to walk the remainder of the way. At that point in time we could no see where the phone was, but we were near railroad track and the signal appeared to be from near there. Ok, maybe someone tossed it down near the tracks.
We continued on foot only to realize the signal had been from beyond the tracks. Great, there is a parking lot around the corner, we'll walk over there and hope that the person is still there. At this point I fully assume that if any one is there, it will be a homeless guy or two chilling on the corner and will claim to not have it. Hmmm. What will this confrontation look like? It may get ugly. Wait a minute; if there is any batter life left, the lookout app also has an alarm feature. This was the idea; if we confront this supposed holder of the phone and they deny having, we'll just the alarm for an "ah ha" moment. "Ah ha, you liar! Now give it to me or I'll... !" Let's not go there. Anyway, hopefully it wouldn't come to that.
We rounded the corner, assuming the best case scenario (besides finding the phone abandoned on the ground) was to find one homeless man with it in his possession. What we found was much more surprising. Homeless? yes. One or two? no. There was a church group feeding the homeless and there must have been 100 of them there. Wow. Now what? I guess we ask around? 20 minutes later - no luck. What to do? Ah, let's sound the alarm. We listen up... nothing. Of course if the batter is dead, the alarm will not sound. Now what?
Ah, luckily I knew one of the volunteers and started talking to them all. The man in charge said he'd make an announcement before the blessing. Sure enough he makes the announcement that "we know the phone was here because of GPS... please turn it in if you have it". Also, at the end of the food line we are asking everyone if they have found the phone. Of course everyone denied having it. It was beginning to look bleak and I had the profound idea to offer a bribe in the form of a monetary reward. A new phone to replace this would be a few hundred bucks since it was not renewal time. I figured offering $20 may not be enough; they may just try a pawn shop, but $40 would do the trick. The second announcement went like this: "If you didn't have the phone before, but have suddenly found it... please turn it in. There is now a $40 finders fee. No questions asked; just turn it in." Within about 3 minutes a man that had just told us moments before that he had see no phone walked up with my freakin' phone. "Is this it?" lol, of course it is. I laughed, gave him the $40, and felt I like had struck gold.
When we left, I was riding high. This software was amazing. It had found my phone when I didn't have any clue where it was. Not only that, but if the battery had lasted, we'd have been able to walk right up to it within a foot. Wow. In the end we were extremely lucky, because when the battery did die, it just happened to have done so after the man that found it was at his destination, a destination that he would be at for the next hour or two. What are the chances that (a) he stays put for that long, (b) that the phone just happens to last long enough to get him to that location? Amazing that it worked out.
I feel quite fortunate that I downloaded Lookout. I feel quite fortunate to have a friend that could meet me such short notice (Thanks Terry). I feel so very fortunate that the timing worked out such that the phone was still in the vicinity it was when it died. I feel very lucky for the entire experience.
Oh, and one last plug for the App. If you have a Droid, get Lookout. It's worth it!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Funny Quotes from the weekend
I feel so good about myself for making it to the gym today (although not funny on it's on, it was said after I put together a massive 15 minute weight routine... yes, that counts as a workout.)
It starts at 7:00... so I'll be there at 6:15. (said by me and although I was early I was one of 4 people that showed up at the same time. I guess that is what happens when the drinks are free)
Drink it! Hurry before it curdles. (said emphatically in response to a car bomb being sipped. tisk tisk)
You know it's gonna be a big time when there is an escalade limo, blondes, a fag, lotsa booze, and a small indian man. (said by the self-proclaimed fag, and yes it was a big time!)
They look great. We have nothing to worry about. (said describing the Gamecocks at half time of the USC/Kentucky game)
It starts at 7:00... so I'll be there at 6:15. (said by me and although I was early I was one of 4 people that showed up at the same time. I guess that is what happens when the drinks are free)
Drink it! Hurry before it curdles. (said emphatically in response to a car bomb being sipped. tisk tisk)
You know it's gonna be a big time when there is an escalade limo, blondes, a fag, lotsa booze, and a small indian man. (said by the self-proclaimed fag, and yes it was a big time!)
They look great. We have nothing to worry about. (said describing the Gamecocks at half time of the USC/Kentucky game)
Sunday, October 3, 2010
The Lunar Fly
I had to look back at previous blogs to figure out how long it had been since I purchased new running shoes. It was December of 2008, as seen in a post called New Gear. Wow. That was back when I first bought into the theory that buying two pair of shoes and rotating them would last longer than if you were to buy two pair of shoes back to back. The reason for this is supposedly that while the shoe is on rotation you are crunching the cushioning and by rotating off of that shoe it gives the cushioning time to come back before rotating back on, thus lengthening the life of the shoes. I tested that theory out and not only liked it but I've decided to keep up that routine with my next rotation of shoes. Granted my last shoes should not have lasted me almost two years. The truth is that although I've gone through periods of time when I was really pounding out pavement and tallying up many miles on my shoes, there have also been quite a few times when my running has been almost nonexistent; because of those times, my shoes lasted this long.
Back in 2008 I took a leap to buy the crazy looking Lunar Trainers and I absolutely loved them. They were great shoes, although with the color scheme used for the shoes, a blind man could see me coming from about 4 miles away. Unfortunately Nike stopped making the Lunar Trainer not long after I first bought them, so I had no choice but to switch it up. Luckily though, they didn't totally depart from the technology used on the shoes. They now have an entire line of Lunar series shoes. I checked out a few of them, as well as some Asics and Saucony running shoes. There was no comparison; the others were definitely good shoes, but the Lunar series is still, by far, my favorite. This time I decided on the Lunar Fly. It's a great, snug fitting shoe, that holds the foot much more tightly than it's predecessor that I was so used to, however it retains the super light feel that I really enjoyed. I cant wait to start putting in some real miles with them. My half marathon training starts tomorrow and I'm totally stoked.
Without any further ado, here are some pics of the shoes, both old and new.
My old Lunar Trainers (which are being set aside for next year's Mud Run).
My new Lunar Flys. Two colors: Black and Blue, Blue and Yellow (had to get one with the bright yellow again. lol)
Back in 2008 I took a leap to buy the crazy looking Lunar Trainers and I absolutely loved them. They were great shoes, although with the color scheme used for the shoes, a blind man could see me coming from about 4 miles away. Unfortunately Nike stopped making the Lunar Trainer not long after I first bought them, so I had no choice but to switch it up. Luckily though, they didn't totally depart from the technology used on the shoes. They now have an entire line of Lunar series shoes. I checked out a few of them, as well as some Asics and Saucony running shoes. There was no comparison; the others were definitely good shoes, but the Lunar series is still, by far, my favorite. This time I decided on the Lunar Fly. It's a great, snug fitting shoe, that holds the foot much more tightly than it's predecessor that I was so used to, however it retains the super light feel that I really enjoyed. I cant wait to start putting in some real miles with them. My half marathon training starts tomorrow and I'm totally stoked.
Without any further ado, here are some pics of the shoes, both old and new.
My old Lunar Trainers (which are being set aside for next year's Mud Run).
My new Lunar Flys. Two colors: Black and Blue, Blue and Yellow (had to get one with the bright yellow again. lol)
Friday, July 2, 2010
Independence
We all love the 4th of July. For most of us it is a reason to get together with friends and family;
it is a reason to grill out, enjoy good food and have a beer;
it is a reason to have a day off of work;
but how many of us celebrate it for its recognition of our independence and our appreciation of those that make it possible to stay independent and free?
It was this day, July 2nd, back in 1776 that the Resolution for Independence was passed. Two days later, the Declaration of Independence was signed and went down in history as "the day" that stands as a testament to our freedom and continues to be the day in which we celebrate our Independence!!! Whether the 2nd, the 3rd, 4th, or any other day, it's not the day that matters; it's what it stands for that makes the difference to each of us. Take the time and, yes, enjoy the celebration, but also realize it's true meaning.
I think that many more individuals do recognize it's true meaning than used to. Either that is true or I've become more conscious of such things in the past few years. It really does seem to me, though, that Americans in general have become more patriotic as of late; more conscious if nothing else. Use as evidence the disasters that have pulled us together as a country united or the celebration of our country's athletes in the Olympics, or the rallying of political parties for the best of the country, or the support we constantly show our troops through our ongoing struggles around the world; we really do seem to have become more aware and appreciative of what we have. I've very happy about that fact. I'm proud to be an American and all that comes with it.
I will happily enjoy my time with friends and family this weekend.
I will happily grill out, enjoy some tasty barbecue and a cold beer.
I will enjoy my day off work, and...
I will celebrate America's Independence and our blessing of freedom!
Wont you join me?!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Summer Fun
Jackson's birthday is Monday. Of course that means Summer fun because he always has a party for his birthday. Not a regular birthday party; I'm talking parties everywhere. Why, you may ask. It's simple. His birthday is the day after the 4th of July! He always has fireworks and plenty of fun activities leading up to his birthday. Not to mention all of the people that have left over fireworks that shoot them on the 5th... to celebrate his birthday of course!
I hope to have some pics from the weekend of the fourth, but until then here are a few of the Summer thus far:
Two shots of Jackson Diving!
As for the rest of Summer, bring it on!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Memorable Quotes
I obviously haven't found the time to blog during my move so I thought I'd just take a few moments to share some of my favorite quotes. Enjoy:
I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes. ~Charles Swindoll
The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure. ~Sven Goran Eriksson
I have no regrets in my life. I think that everything happens to you for a reason. The hard times that you go through build character, making you a much stronger person. ~Rita Mero.
People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within. ~Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
Most people have a harder time letting themselves love than finding someone to love them. ~Bill Russell
You learn to like someone when you find out what makes them laugh, but you can never truly love someone until you find out what makes them cry. ~unknown
Fear is the lengthened shadow of ignorance. ~Arnold Glasow
Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway. ~Mary Kay Ash
You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him. ~James D. Miles
Finally, I couldn't find a quote that said this as I think about it but I've heard the principle before so I'll phrase it the way I want and claim it as my own!
People are not defined by their handling of the good times, rather it's how they conduct themselves during the difficult times that truly reveal their character. ~Michael Owings
I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes. ~Charles Swindoll
The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure. ~Sven Goran Eriksson
I have no regrets in my life. I think that everything happens to you for a reason. The hard times that you go through build character, making you a much stronger person. ~Rita Mero.
People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within. ~Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
Most people have a harder time letting themselves love than finding someone to love them. ~Bill Russell
You learn to like someone when you find out what makes them laugh, but you can never truly love someone until you find out what makes them cry. ~unknown
Fear is the lengthened shadow of ignorance. ~Arnold Glasow
Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway. ~Mary Kay Ash
You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him. ~James D. Miles
Finally, I couldn't find a quote that said this as I think about it but I've heard the principle before so I'll phrase it the way I want and claim it as my own!
People are not defined by their handling of the good times, rather it's how they conduct themselves during the difficult times that truly reveal their character. ~Michael Owings
Monday, May 17, 2010
So Much Going On
It's been over 2 months since my last post. I apologize and will try to do better. Life has been busy!
The house has been a constant work in progress, but it's now in such amazing shape that it is a shame I have to move! It looks great, but the economy is not helping at all. We've had many showings, but no offers as of yet. It's only been about 6 weeks so I'm still very hopeful, but also ready to move on. In the meantime, I started my search for a new house. Not only did I start, but I found a gem!... or so I thought. My search was limited to large fixer-upper types or smaller new construction. I was very close to ready to pounce on few of those fixer-uppers when I stumbled onto what seemed like the perfect house. I played the off, counter offer game until we came to an agreement on the last day that I could qualify for the tax credit. Hurray for me. The only problem is that the inspection turned up quite a bit of large issues. I'm currently in the waiting phase to see if the bank (owner) will pay to have all of the issues fixed. If so, then it's still an amazing deal! I am getting very antsy right now awaiting a response.
Meanwhile the rest of life has been cruising right along. The boys are getting big and doing it quickly. They are wrapping up yet another school year. I can't believe how big they are. They continue to impress me with their advancement in their education, athletics, and socialization. It's amazing to watch.
Alex is reading so well and he is only in Kindergarten. Jackson is bored with his old books and now insists on the more difficult ones and knocks them out like it's nobody's business. Not to mention they will both correct you with any math discrepancies you throw their way. Just last night I told them that they'd have to go to bed in 30 minutes, then told them that bed time was at 8:00. Jackson said something to the effect of, "actually dad, that would be 20 minutes; 30 minutes would be 8:10". Hilarious. The point is that school is going well and my boys are getting smart!
Physically they're developing too. Jackson has progressed away from training wheels to his "two-wheeled bike" as he calls it. haha. I love that term. He wants to ride every afternoon even if just for a few minutes. He and Alex both are also still playing basketball every afternoon with me and continually improving. It seems like we usually do basketball, but yesterday I got a bonus. Jackson wanted to throw the ball. He had a tennis ball and we threw it a little and my goodness, he has an arm. I knew he could chunk a football, but he had some heat on that tennis ball. I'm not a baseball fan (yet), but I just may have a pitcher on my hands... and a lefty at that!
Let's see, what else has been going on in my world. Here's a quick list:
(1) I've had a few golf trips that were amazingly fun. I'm playing much better than in years past, consistently shooting low to mid 90s. For some people that's not great, but I'm extremely happy with it.
(2) Donna has introduced me to karaoke. I've always thought it would be fun, but never gave it a shot. After a few trips out with her, I love it! Of course she is a hell of a lot better than I am, but have fun doing and fully intend to keep it up.
(3) I've started getting back into bike riding. Donna and I have been out a few times and I'm really enjoying it. At least until I blew a tire last week! I need to get that fixed and get the bike tuned up. Once I do that, I'll be ready to tackle some longer rides.
(4) Basketball is going well... at least in some ways. I feel great on the court. The weight I lost last year has really improved my game.... now if I could just shoot free throws. lol. As a team, we don't have a great record, but we've proven that we can compete with any team in the league. Playoffs start Thursday, so we'll see how that goes. I think we'll be fine but only time will tell.
The house has been a constant work in progress, but it's now in such amazing shape that it is a shame I have to move! It looks great, but the economy is not helping at all. We've had many showings, but no offers as of yet. It's only been about 6 weeks so I'm still very hopeful, but also ready to move on. In the meantime, I started my search for a new house. Not only did I start, but I found a gem!... or so I thought. My search was limited to large fixer-upper types or smaller new construction. I was very close to ready to pounce on few of those fixer-uppers when I stumbled onto what seemed like the perfect house. I played the off, counter offer game until we came to an agreement on the last day that I could qualify for the tax credit. Hurray for me. The only problem is that the inspection turned up quite a bit of large issues. I'm currently in the waiting phase to see if the bank (owner) will pay to have all of the issues fixed. If so, then it's still an amazing deal! I am getting very antsy right now awaiting a response.
Meanwhile the rest of life has been cruising right along. The boys are getting big and doing it quickly. They are wrapping up yet another school year. I can't believe how big they are. They continue to impress me with their advancement in their education, athletics, and socialization. It's amazing to watch.
Alex is reading so well and he is only in Kindergarten. Jackson is bored with his old books and now insists on the more difficult ones and knocks them out like it's nobody's business. Not to mention they will both correct you with any math discrepancies you throw their way. Just last night I told them that they'd have to go to bed in 30 minutes, then told them that bed time was at 8:00. Jackson said something to the effect of, "actually dad, that would be 20 minutes; 30 minutes would be 8:10". Hilarious. The point is that school is going well and my boys are getting smart!
Physically they're developing too. Jackson has progressed away from training wheels to his "two-wheeled bike" as he calls it. haha. I love that term. He wants to ride every afternoon even if just for a few minutes. He and Alex both are also still playing basketball every afternoon with me and continually improving. It seems like we usually do basketball, but yesterday I got a bonus. Jackson wanted to throw the ball. He had a tennis ball and we threw it a little and my goodness, he has an arm. I knew he could chunk a football, but he had some heat on that tennis ball. I'm not a baseball fan (yet), but I just may have a pitcher on my hands... and a lefty at that!
Let's see, what else has been going on in my world. Here's a quick list:
(1) I've had a few golf trips that were amazingly fun. I'm playing much better than in years past, consistently shooting low to mid 90s. For some people that's not great, but I'm extremely happy with it.
(2) Donna has introduced me to karaoke. I've always thought it would be fun, but never gave it a shot. After a few trips out with her, I love it! Of course she is a hell of a lot better than I am, but have fun doing and fully intend to keep it up.
(3) I've started getting back into bike riding. Donna and I have been out a few times and I'm really enjoying it. At least until I blew a tire last week! I need to get that fixed and get the bike tuned up. Once I do that, I'll be ready to tackle some longer rides.
(4) Basketball is going well... at least in some ways. I feel great on the court. The weight I lost last year has really improved my game.... now if I could just shoot free throws. lol. As a team, we don't have a great record, but we've proven that we can compete with any team in the league. Playoffs start Thursday, so we'll see how that goes. I think we'll be fine but only time will tell.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
House Projects continued...
House update. I've been spending most of my free time working on the house, getting it ready to sell. I will post progress pictures later, but for now here is how my list is going.
(1) Redoing the kitchen: new counter tops, fresh paint on the walls and cabinets, and new hardware!
- Old counter tops have been ripped out with the exception of the one with the sink... I wanted to keep running water for a few more days!
- Walls primed and finally painted last night.
- New counter tops will be installed on Friday.
- Tonight I plan to paint the cabinets and install the new hardware.
- I still have to paint the molding and ceiling (not on the original list).
(2) Tearing out at least one more heat registry from a main room. If you've been a reader for a long time, you know what a project the first two registers were. Here we go again!
- Done! And I've painted half of that room as well. The half below the chair rail is done. Above will be a different shade. That room also needs molding installed. I have it and hope to work on that some tonight.
(3) Re-latticing (is that even a word?) the underpinning of the deck and the privacy wall of my carport.
- Not completed. Lattice remains on the list.
(4) Repainting a few rooms, which will include spackling and sanding in more than one of those rooms!
- Partially completed as mentioned in regards to the heat register removal.
(5) actually doing massive cleaning and straightening both inside and out (crap, that means straightening the basement too!)
- Constant work in progress. However, have not even touched the basement yet.
(6) oh, and eventually trying to figure out how to disassemble those loft beds that were built in the room with no intention of moving later!
- Will get to this eventually.
(Other) The house has been inspected and I'm working on everything found to have it repaired before potential buyers come through. More details on this later, but I'm working on it.
As a whole, I've been making progress. It feels good to start knocking it out, but will feel much better when the work is completed and the house sells!
(1) Redoing the kitchen: new counter tops, fresh paint on the walls and cabinets, and new hardware!
- Old counter tops have been ripped out with the exception of the one with the sink... I wanted to keep running water for a few more days!
- Walls primed and finally painted last night.
- New counter tops will be installed on Friday.
- Tonight I plan to paint the cabinets and install the new hardware.
- I still have to paint the molding and ceiling (not on the original list).
(2) Tearing out at least one more heat registry from a main room. If you've been a reader for a long time, you know what a project the first two registers were. Here we go again!
- Done! And I've painted half of that room as well. The half below the chair rail is done. Above will be a different shade. That room also needs molding installed. I have it and hope to work on that some tonight.
(3) Re-latticing (is that even a word?) the underpinning of the deck and the privacy wall of my carport.
- Not completed. Lattice remains on the list.
(4) Repainting a few rooms, which will include spackling and sanding in more than one of those rooms!
- Partially completed as mentioned in regards to the heat register removal.
(5) actually doing massive cleaning and straightening both inside and out (crap, that means straightening the basement too!)
- Constant work in progress. However, have not even touched the basement yet.
(6) oh, and eventually trying to figure out how to disassemble those loft beds that were built in the room with no intention of moving later!
- Will get to this eventually.
(Other) The house has been inspected and I'm working on everything found to have it repaired before potential buyers come through. More details on this later, but I'm working on it.
As a whole, I've been making progress. It feels good to start knocking it out, but will feel much better when the work is completed and the house sells!
Concert
Last weekend was a fun weekend! We hit up Myrtle Beach for food, fun, and a great concert.
Donna and I hit the road late Friday an ended up eating at Benjamin's that night. Who doesn't like an All You Can Eat Buffet?! Of course we went out for a while after and had a great time. Although Myrtle is somewhat of a ghost town in the off season, we still enjoyed ourselves.
Saturday consisted of time in the indoor pool, TGI Fridays for lunch and Japanese Steakhouse for dinner with my friends Rob and Christy. Both meals were delicious! The day culminated with us having the opportunity to see one of my favorite bands of all time: Alice in Chains! I had accepted the fact years ago that when the lead singer, Layne Staley, died in 2002 that I had missed my opportunity to see them live. Little did I know that they'd end up finding an amazing singer, William Duvall, whose voice was spot on with Laynes. William was the lead singer of an Alice in Chains cover band and is now AIC's amazing new front man. Who knew that you could close your eyes and listen to any of their songs and have clue which of the two singers you were hearing. Amazing. Anyway, we hit up that concert and it totally rocked. We all enjoyed the show and sang along with nearly every song.
It was funny that on the way in, Rob had asked me which song I was most excited to hear. That was a loaded question since I love most of their catalog, but I ended up choosing Rooster. I so enjoyed the concert that I hardly realized they didn't perform that song. Only after they left the stage did it hit me. But wait, of course they came back for a two song encore. Guess what, Man in the Box was first and they finished up with Rooster! Incredible.
What an amazing weekend with great friends! Cant wait to do it again!
Donna and I hit the road late Friday an ended up eating at Benjamin's that night. Who doesn't like an All You Can Eat Buffet?! Of course we went out for a while after and had a great time. Although Myrtle is somewhat of a ghost town in the off season, we still enjoyed ourselves.
Saturday consisted of time in the indoor pool, TGI Fridays for lunch and Japanese Steakhouse for dinner with my friends Rob and Christy. Both meals were delicious! The day culminated with us having the opportunity to see one of my favorite bands of all time: Alice in Chains! I had accepted the fact years ago that when the lead singer, Layne Staley, died in 2002 that I had missed my opportunity to see them live. Little did I know that they'd end up finding an amazing singer, William Duvall, whose voice was spot on with Laynes. William was the lead singer of an Alice in Chains cover band and is now AIC's amazing new front man. Who knew that you could close your eyes and listen to any of their songs and have clue which of the two singers you were hearing. Amazing. Anyway, we hit up that concert and it totally rocked. We all enjoyed the show and sang along with nearly every song.
It was funny that on the way in, Rob had asked me which song I was most excited to hear. That was a loaded question since I love most of their catalog, but I ended up choosing Rooster. I so enjoyed the concert that I hardly realized they didn't perform that song. Only after they left the stage did it hit me. But wait, of course they came back for a two song encore. Guess what, Man in the Box was first and they finished up with Rooster! Incredible.
What an amazing weekend with great friends! Cant wait to do it again!
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