You Betcha!

Prepare for the most random post in this blog's history. I've nothing in particular to say so here she blows!

I wish I blogged more. Every time I get back on here I remember why I used to update this thing every day. Maybe I should get out more and blog about whatever it is I do, even if it isn't that exciting.

Sister Anna marries her fiance Brad next month. She and Mom are neck deep in planning, a process I've deliberately stayed out of. I did have a say in bachelor party activities, though. That should be a good time. I'm excited for them both. Two good people who seem to have good qualities where the other one doesn't. Does that make sense? Regardless, they seem awfully good for each other.

I haven't seen my grandparents in more than a month. That makes me a complete douche. They live an hour away.

The day after Anna and Brad's wedding Jennifer and I are headed to Los Angeles! We are staying with old friend Debora, her husband Polo and their little son Matteo. I can't wait to see them and introduce them to Jennifer. They are two of my favorite people and I haven't seen them in five years. We are stoked. We've always wanted to go to LA. I've been skeered to visit California because I'm afraid I'm going to like it. It's the same reason I've never smoked weed.

Yard work is upon us. I've cut back the monkey grass, blown the last of the leaves and currently Jennifer and I are working on a new patio in the back yard. Their was a dog pen the previous owner used for his 85 pound golden retriever. It has a concrete pad and everything but Jennifer cut down the bushes around it and I'm about halfway finished tearing down the pen which unfortunately was built very well. It's been a big job but has been helped by my good friend Craig's List. I've gotten rid of a bunch of rocks and a doghouse thanks to the list and I have another guy coming back for the fence part of the dog pen. If you have any junk, don't take it to the dump until you post it on Craig's List. People will come get damn near anything, god bless them.

Here I sit at the cpu at 1:56 Thursday morning. I'm staying up until 6 to prepare myself for a weekend of overnight shifts at work. Evidently this Formula 1 thing is pretty popular and my presence has been requested to make sure every second of of the Australian Gran Prix is forever embedded into a big assed server. I don't mind the occasional overnight shifts. It gives me an excuse to drink more than one Red Bull, eat from a catered omelet bar and learn more about a sport I'm not familiar with. Not a bad way to spend a work day.

I miss shooting tape, but I had my first gut punch this week since I left local news. It was media day for the Quail Hollow Championship. I wrote about this two years ago. It was such an amazing day and I was sincerely bummed to miss it. However, I'm happy to be where I am.

It sure did suck missing media day this year. Oh, sorry. I already wrote about that.

I love my BlackBerry. I never thought I would use it as much as I do. It is sweet.

I've been doing some writing for a couple of friends who are starting a new website in the next year or so. It's focused on local news jobs and it's been really neat to look back on some of my better days in this business and write about them.

Facebook is nuts. I've caught up with so many people I thought I'd never see or speak to again. It's been a blessing to see how everyone is as we all grow older.

My mom is whipping ass in grad school at the spry age of 55. She starts an internship in August and I am stoked for her. She knocked her first interview in 20 years right out of the park.

Every day I get more and more like my dad. The other day at work I stepped out of our area for a while to make some phone calls. Someone asked where I was and a coworker said, "He's probably somewhere telling a story." Even though that wasn't the case, it happens a lot. My Dad tells a shit ton of stories, some of which are interesting. I hope more of my stories are interesting. If not, I hope people tell me they aren't so I'll stop telling them. I also wear khaki pants in the yard, just like Dad. At least I can say I wear them so I won't get bitten by a brown recluse. Again.

I bought a sweet ass HD television from pal Tracy about 4 years ago. It's an old school tube CRT. I was looking at houses for myself back then and he needed to make room for his new tv. Of course, I didn't end up buying a house until Jennifer and I did a few months ago. Thankfully Travers didn't mind giving it a home in his basement for the time being. This evening, he and TV's Kris Cook helped move it to the house. It is now the centerpiece of what will be our Panther room. Jennifer ordered pizza and beer and we all had a good time.

Speaking of Jennifer, I'm digging marriage.

Kathy returned to Charlotte USA from Dublin last week for her second straight Charlotte St. Patrick's Day. She bought us shots at The Gin Mill, brought us Irish chocolate and brought me a six pack of Smithwick's in CANS!! You can't get those over here and they are terrific. Kathy whips ass and I wish I had gotten more time to visit with her. What a lovely person.

I've been learning a lot at the new job especially audio stuff. HD is a whole new world I'm proud to be a part of.

I'm going to go to The Thirsty Beaver one night next week. It's been too long.

Speaking of The Gin Mill, Jennifer and I returned for a media night since Kathy was in town. The crowd was great and I caught up with a ton of old friends. It was a super evening that reminded me of the good old days.

Some of you remember me covering the NCAA tournament in Detroit last year. For some reason I can't get that place out of my head. I check the Free Press website a couple of times a week just to see what's going on up there. It's such an intriguing place with some of the best people I've ever met to go along with its deteriorating economic issues. I love that place. I'll get back there someday.

I apologize for the rambling, it was probably a bit much.