Joe's Rambles

Reflections

2009-12-27T22:06:00.001-08:00

As I sit back and reflect upon my life, upon my triumphs and my failures, I get a sense of what went wrong. I get a sense of why I rebelled as hard and as fast as I did. See, I grew up in a very conservative church. Long hair was a sin (not that I would grow my hair long, I hated hippies), facial hair could be seen as a sign of an attitude problem (Hey, I wanted to grow facial hair! What teenage boy does not!). Wearing shorts was a sin. Swimming with the opposite sex was seen as tempting sin and discouraged. Holding hansd with your gal was discouraged. Dancing was out. Alcohol was the devil's brew. This is a sin, that is a sin...and if we ain't named it...well it might be a sin too! There was lots of judging (maybe in order to pacify their own mind regarding their own sins?) The problem was the standard was set at an unrealistic high, the bar never surmountable. All you were faced with was failure to reach this mythical standard. All you had was failure. You were forever like Sisyphus trying to roll the stone up the impossible hill.

What else could I do with constant failure? Failure that over shadowed any semblance of grace? Why...the answer is clear. Develop a clear cut case of self hatred. Despise yourself. Kill the flesh; no matter the cost to your mind.

When I rebelled I rebelled hard. The shackles were off and I was on a permanent Rumspringa. What is wrong with that picture? It's a picture that leads to a mental breakdown. That is a yoke , the yoke of legalism Christ never intended. What was missing was Grace.

Forgive your brother 70 * 7, keep forgiving the contrite person. When they offend you, forgive. Grace. Grace. Grace. And Mercy. That is what Christ offered. His harsh words were not for the sinners. No! He ate and drank with sinners, he ministered to the "scum" of the earth. His damnations were reserved for those religious figures with the faux-piety and pseudo-righteousness; those that would place the yoke on others, point out the speck in others' eyes while ignoring the beam in their own eye. Hypocrisy. No more.

No more will I allow myself to be brought under the bondage of another man's condemnation! No more will I judge myself by the standard that man places upon me (a standard they themselves can not keep). No more. Grace. Mercy. Christ! That is what I will strive to imitate. Will I fail. Yes. And so will you. But will I so despise and hate myself for everything little failure until such hatred because an all consuming entity that burns my mind mind and rips my flesh? Never more! I will reach up to Christ when I fall and call upon Grace! Mercy! Call upon the forgiveness that Christ offers...even when men disagree with that forgiveness, and learn from it and grow in Christ. Never more will I judge others just to silence the little voice that screams at me my own judgment...a judgment that is of man and not Christ. Grace! Mercy! Christ!

My story

2009-12-18T18:51:00.000-08:00

Recently, I made a decision to rededicate my life to Christ. This has not been at all an easy decision to make. Nor is it a decision made in haste and without the proper introspection, reflection, and study of the issue.

In fact, this time two or three months ago I considered myself to be agnostic, if not outright atheist. When my son passed away earlier this year the very idea of God died for me too. There was no more need in my life for God nor did I ever want to consider Him again. What good would it do?

What good was the idea of God when my son was on his deathbed? What good was the idea of an all loving and merciful God to me when that very same God did nothing to heal my son? What good to me was the idea of an all powerful God when that same God seemed so powerless to stop the cancer than took my son's life? Or worse yet, what good was the idea of a good and benevolent God when that same God allowed such a cruel thing to happen to my 9 year old son?

For me the answer was "It is no good." God, as Nietzsche once said, was dead...and I killed Him. I killed the very idea of God. In my life, God would be dead. No longer would I look to the heavens in hope that some all powerful Being would notice me and take pity upon me...and help me. No longer would I concern myself with His will and how to walk in His path. No more. My life would be my own. I would be the ultimate authority in my life. In short, I would become my own god.

But, there was one small problem. I killed God...but God would not stay dead. In fact, God became more real to me than He has been in years. Through the tragedy my son and my family went through I have felt the Father pull me closer to Him. In spite of my hatred for Him, I have found the love of God to be ever more present.

I have been asked to share my story. That is something I am more than willing to do. More than anything I want to help point people to God and to the great salvation offered to us by Jesus Christ. That is what I will do here. I will share my story with you (and pray that somehow the story of my life, of my son, of my family) will point you to Christ and inspire you to walk in His steps.

In order to properly share my story I feel it incumbent upon me to start at the beginning. To skip the first 32 years of my life and jump to the most recent parts would be to do a great disservice to you and to God. This blog will tell the story of my life. I will start at the beginning and go from there.

It will not be a short story. It will take more than one or two posts. My posts will probably be long. But, I hope you are patient with me and I hope you will stick around to read these posts and to share your comments.

A note about this blog;s I have had it for around 3 years I guess. Some of the previous posts were written when I was away from God. Thus, the content you will find therein may be rough and the language salty. I will leave these posts up. I feel these posts are a part of my story. Reading back through them and reading the new post may show you the transformation that has indeed taken place in my life (through the grace of God the Father).

This is going to be a difficult story for me to share. There will be highs and lows. And I am sure many of the posts will be written by me as I wipe away tears from my eyes. But, for better or for worse I hope you come along on this ride with me.

Thank you and God bless you.

Joe

Best song and video ever.

2007-12-01T04:38:00.001-08:00

6

2007-11-25T16:10:00.000-08:00

Well, the sixth verse is the same as the first. Last night the Iron Bowl was played. And Auburn won 17-10. It was a decent game. A real defensive struggle. Alabama had a chance to take the lead before half-time, but threw an interception in the endzone (pretty much like has happened all season.)

So now Auburn has won 6 in a row and are getting closer to Alabama's record of 9 in row. Next season's game should be a lot better. Both teams should be much improved over this year's squad. Alabama looks to have a great recruiting class for 2008 (Bama is currently ranked number 3 in that department) and Saban will have had a full year to get his system in place. Better days are ahead for the good guys!

So, congrats to Auburn for a hard fought win. We'll see ya'll next year in Tuscaloosa.

Iron Bowl 2007

2007-11-24T03:52:00.000-08:00

Today is the day. The day when all of the state of Alabama comes to a grinding halt. It is the day of the 2007 Iron Bowl.

This is more than just a football game. More than just a game for bragging rights. People in this state live this game 365 days a year. It is a game that is talked about, debated, rehashed, and relived all year long. If you are not an Alabama or Auburn fan I really do not know how to explain it to you. It is more than just a football game. It is the best rivalry game in college football.

Usually, this game carries SEC and national implications. Not this year however. Both teams have had down years (Bama is 6-5 and Auburn is 7-4). Nothing to play for but pride and bragging rights. But, that doesn't even start to tell the story.

For years Auburn lived as Bama's "Little Brother". While Auburn was mired in mediocracy, Bama was winning national titles and SEC titles left and right (Bama has 12 national titles to Auburn's 1. Bama has 21 SEC titles to just 6 SEC titles for Auburn). Auburn suffered through a 9 game losing steak to Bama. But my how times have changed.

Bama is the team in the shadows now. While Auburn still has not won a national title since 1957, they have won 5 Iron Bowls in a row (tying their school's record). Let me put this in perspective. I have 3 kids. Two of them were not even born the last time Bama beat Auburn. Auburn would love to make it 6 in a row. Bama would love to end that streak and start one of their own.

Both teams are coming into this game after losing their last game. Auburn was blown out by Georgia while Bama suffered an embarrassing loss to Louisiana-Monroe. A victory in this game would erase all of that and give the winning team a great end to their season.

I don't know who to pick. Both teams have a lot of minuses and few pluses. This should be a very good game. Will Auburn make it 6 in a row? Or will Bama end Auburn's streak and leave Jordan-Hare singing "Rammer Jammer?" We will find out tonight!

Roll Tide!

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T01:45:00.000-08:00

I hope you and your family have a blessed Thanksgiving.

Joe

My Top Ten Indulgences.

2007-11-13T17:04:00.000-08:00

Got this meme from Sage Thought I'd give it a go.

1. Going on a date with my wife. Now, this may seem strange to be on this list. But alone time with my wife is indeed an indulgence. We have three small kids at home (ages 9,5, & 2). So it is a real treat when we can call up the babysitter and head out for a night on the town. Plus, Tanda is a really cool chica and so much fun to hang out with! Love ya gal!

2. Making You Tube videos with Tanda. Now, we started doing this just for kicks and giggles. It was a great way to unwind after a long day. Just put the kids into bed, grab some coffee and have fun making silly videos. We actually have a good amount of subscribers. So I guess people like our silliness. Plus, we have got to meet some really nice people and watch some really funny videos.

3.Grabbing a beer and listening to a live band at the nightclub. I love live bands. Really doesn't matter what they play. I love the whole ambiance of the scene. Tuscaloosa has some really nice bars and nightclubs (it's a college town...what else would you expect?!). Our favorite clubs are The Legacy and Cheap Shots. The Jupiter is nice. But, it tends to attract the fraternity types. At age 30, I'm much to old to hang out with them.

4. Reading. This dropped down on my list because lately I have had so much reading for my masters degree program than reading is becoming blah. But, when I can read for pleasure, I love it. Right now I am reading a biography on John Adams. Really good. I love reading history, political stuff, religion, & philosophy. I am actually beginning a bibliography for a book that I plan to write. The genre of my book will religion/philosophy. It will be essay form more than likely.

5. Watching a movie on DVD with my wife. I love doing this. It's nice when just the two of us can stay up late and watch some movies together. Winter times are great for this. Grab a warm blanket and a cup of hot chocolate and the night is set!

6. Playing on the 'Net. Yeah, it's a mindless time waster most of the time. But that is what makes it so fun!

7. Wrestling around with my kids. With three boys in the house...you just know a wrestling match can break out at anytime. Doesn't matter when, doesn't matter where...at ANYTIME you are liable to be pounced upon by the three lion cubs! It's fun. I have a great time playing with them. They are great kids.

8. Watching SpongeBob with my kids. Yeah, I admit it. I am a SpongeBob fan. My kids love the show and it kinda grew on me. It's a pretty funny show. Mindless hilarity ensues!

9. Hanging out at the local coffee house. It used to be called Bad Ass Coffee. But now it is called Wicked Bean Cafe. They have a great selection of coffees, lattes, and the rest. Great place to study and just chill out. Plus, how can you not love a coffee shop that sells women's thongs! Bow chicka wow!

10. Martial Arts. I've been involved in martial arts since my junior high years. I took Shotokan for a long time. Had a little lay off and got involved with Chinese Kenpo. I love Kenpo. It is a real self-defense style of martial art (as opposed to kata based or tournament style martial arts). It's a hard style and I like that. It's a great stress reliever and gives one confidence to be able to defend themselves in any situation.

Well, that's my little list. Hope you enjoyed.

Pictures from the River Walk.

2007-11-06T20:44:00.001-08:00

We went down to the River Walk the other day. I love that place. It has a nice walking trail (about a mile and a half in length) and a really great view of the river (the Black Warrior River). Really great scenery. There are some old style Southern paddle boats (not sure what they are called) that come down the river and it really adds to the whole ambiance.

We went down to there about sunset last Friday. There was a big football game here that weekend and some fans showed up in yachts and boats and had a tailgate of sorts (what's the nautical equivalent of tailgating? Sterngaiting? Bowgaiting? Portgaiting? I have no idea!). We took a view pics of the river, the sunset, and the boats. Hope you enjoy.

Halloween Fun!

2007-11-02T19:15:00.000-07:00

This year's Halloween was a blast! On Tuesday, the sorority sisters here at the university had a "tick-or-treat" thing for the kids of the community. It was cool. All of the sorority houses took part. They decorated their houses and yards with Halloween themes and had games for the kids to play. They even dressed up in costumes themselves! They do this every year. Last year was our first time to go and the kids looked forward to it again this year (of course, I think my boys were looking forward to seeing the cute co-eds all dressed up. I know I was!). They had it the before Halloween this year, which meant the kids could go trick-or-treating twice this year! Yea! This of course meant the kids would have more candy to add to their candy fueled bouncing off the walls here at home. Joy. lol

Also, on Halloween night, the University of Alabama had "Crimson Hauntings." This was a tour of the haunted places at the university. It was pretty neat. At each stop there were actors playing the ghosts of the dearly departed. It was really cool to hear the legends of the campus and see the re-enactments. The actors all did a good job and my kids were convinced that they saw real ghosts. One interesting thing...we did have a spooky experience at one of the stops.

On campus there is a building call the "Little Round House." It is said to be haunted by the ghosts of confederate soldiers. The story goes that if you put your ear to the door and ask them a question (one that is meant to tick them off) you will be able to hear them. Of course, I did not believe that. So I gave it a try.

After the tour was over we made our way back to the Little Round House. Tanda and our oldest boy went first. My oldest boy is a bit of a clown (like me). So, he walks up to the door and says "You wear dresses!" Well, as soon as he said it there was a sound from inside (there are windows all around the little house...and you could see no one was inside) and the doors started rattling something fierce. My oldest boy took off running and my wife looked pretty shaken up herself.

I went up to the door and asked a few questions. Nothing. I tried again. Again, nothing. Finally I said "Look, you bastards are pissing me off!" LOUD BANG form the inside and a very spooky sounding echo! Whoa. I checked the windows to see if anyone was inside. No one was there. So I tried again. I mentioned that my wife was a Yankee. BOOM! Another sound and the doors rattled like something was trying to get out. Freaky. I asked a few more questions and nothing happened. I do not believe in ghosts, but, something odd did happen that night. I am going to go back again and take my video camera and try to get it on film. I'll let you know if anything happens...that is...if I make it back!

Here are a few pictures from our Halloween fun. Hope you enjoy!

Political stuff.

2007-11-02T16:31:00.000-07:00

So I took this little test to find out what Kind of liberal I am. (Thanks Sage!) Here is how I scored.

My Liberal Identity:

You are a Reality-Based Intellectualist, also known as the liberal elite. You are a proud member of what’s known as the reality-based community, where science, reason, and non-Jesus-based thought reign supreme.

Take the quiz at www.FightConservatives.com

That pretty much sums me up, except for the Jesus thing (I like a lot of what Jesus said...but I am not about to go all Pat Robertson on someone!) If you take it, let me know how you did!

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T15:18:00.000-07:00

Volleyball!

2007-10-28T05:01:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday my wife and I took our kids to an Alabama volleyball game. The Lady Crimson Tide played the Lady Bulldogs from Mississippi State University. We started attending volleyball games last year and became hooked. It really is an exciting sport.

Bama has a multi-game win streak against MSU and put it on the line this game. It was a really good game. Bama won the first two games with ease. But, in the third game MSU came out hard and strong. MSU took an early lead and never looked back. They won game 3. The fourth game was great. It was back and forth. Both teams took the lead, but could not keep it. At one point it was MSU 29, Bama 28. Game point MSU. But, the Lady Tide were not to be denied. They fought back and won the game 31-29. Thus, Bama won the match 3 games to 1. Yea Alabama! Bama is in first place in the SEC West and is looking to host round 1&2 of the NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship. Good luck girls and Roll Tide! Below are some pics form the game, including my boys getting the autographs of the players and of the head coach (Judy Green).

Gave in, part II

2007-10-24T02:54:00.000-07:00

Shit...I had beer and pizza rolls tonight. If I keep eating pizza rolls I'll soon have belly rolls...again.

I don't know what it is, but my will power is NOT what it was 3 weeks ago. I went out to the supermarket tonight and ended up at one of the local nightclubs here. I wanted to relax and chill out. Bars are great for that. Before I knew it, I was kicking back 3 beers and watching ESPN HD (on a HUGE TV) at a bar. UGH! GOT TO STOP THAT. DIET. GOING. TO. SHIT.

Then I bought a six pack for me and my little (read: sexy) wife. And then I got a little hungry and ate some pizza rolls (Read: 200 calories for 6...I had 12).

Damn...I have got to get back on track. This is the most I've cheated on this diet in 9 weeks. I have just gotten down 50 pounds and do not want to go back up. I have got 4 weeks left on this diet and my goal weight is 230-235. Only 8-10 more pounds to go. BUT NOT IF I KEEP DOING THIS!

UGH! Give me words of encouragement for I am needy!

I gave in

2007-10-23T06:06:00.000-07:00

My diet is going good. I am around the 244 mark...so I have dropped 50 pounds. Yea me! But, last night I was low on my diet food. So, I did what anyone on a diet who is low on food would do. I went to a Chinese buffet! And man it was so good!

It was the first time in almost 10 weeks that I have gone out to eat. I have literally had dreams, vivid dream, about eating Chinese food. And this was worth the wait!

I wasn't able to eat as much as I wanted to eat, but what I did eat was great. It was like a wet dream on my plate; only nothing like a wet dream. I think you get my allusion.

My stomach wasn't used to this food and gave me a few little pains. But, it was worth it. Just to be able to eat food that did not come in little bitty packages and made from soy was well worth it. I have about four more weeks on this diet. I am hoping to get down to 235-230 by the time I finish it. That would rock!

My wife said that I look and feel like a new person. She even said she felt like she was cheating on me...wait...maybe I should ask her some more questions about that!

I've also started lifting weights again. The results are pretty pleasing. And my wife loves to watch me work out. So yeah...double bonus. I can not believe that 11 weeks ago I was pushing the 300 pound mark, and now I am closer to 200 pounds than to 300 pounds. Man it is great!

Now, for my next vice to shuck...smoking. UGH! Out of the frying pan and into the fire!

Ramblin' On

2007-10-15T14:24:00.000-07:00

Well, went to the doctor today for my weekly weigh-in. I dropped 4 pounds last week. I now weigh 250. That's a 44 pound drop in 8 weeks! Yea! It's great. My blood pressure is 122/68. When I started it was 150/90. So there has been a huge drop there too.

I am really starting to notice the difference in the way I look. My dad and I went to Target and the mall over the weekend and he asked "Why are all these woman checking you out?". I looked around and sure enough...women were checking me out! (That hasn't happened in a long time). They were college gals and older woman. It was great...always good to get a boost to the ole ego!

Also, today I took a new job. I will be selling insurance and such. The company I work for is Liberty National. I'm looking forward to it. It's a good company and they have great benefits. I was talking to MetLife. But it didn't work out.(Click here to see my You Tube video about this). So, Liberty National it is!

We had my oldest son's birthday party this past Saturday. Man...it was fun. He wanted a Ninja Turtles theme and boy did he get it! My wife made a "Ninja Turtle" cake and it looked oh so yummy! (Alas and alack...I could not have any). I can not believe my oldest boy will be 10 next year! UGH!

All in all it was a pretty good week. I'm excited about the job and the weight loss (I hope to be 245 next week!). I have to get my state license to sell insurance. So it will be a couple of weeks or so before I can actually start working. But it should be fun!

Have a good one. Thanks for stopping by.

Crazy Times!

2007-10-09T22:36:00.000-07:00

Well, my oldest boy turned 9 today. I can't believe he is going to be 10 next year. Wow...time flies by! Seems like only yesterday we were bringing home from the hospital. That was fun. I remember driving him home so slowly...and getting mad at the people tailgating me. I mean I was only doing 25 in a 50 MPH zone! It's not like I had experience driving home my new born son!

We will be having his birthday party this weekend. That means family and friends and a house full of people. Just a few weeks ago our middle child had a birthday and a party. Then I had a birthday and last Sunday my wife had a birthday (Hey Tanda...you're 30 too!) So as you can see...I've had to spend a lot of money lately! But it's great. I love watching them grow up.

On the weight lose front I had a great week. I lost seven pounds last week week. That puts my total weight loss at 40 pounds in 7 weeks. Not to bad! I bought a pair of size 36 pants the other day. The last time I was able to wear a 36 was in high school. It was only 4 weeks ago I started wearing a size 38. And now they are too big! I love it. When I started this diet I was 294. Now I am 254. I am hoping to be in the 240s next week. That will be cool. I think I will stay on this diet about 4 more weeks. After that I should be the weight I want. Just hope Thanksgiving doesn't screw me up! But of course I am so looking forward to that turkey and all the fixings!

Damn...now I made myself hungry.

Bama vs. Houston

2007-10-06T18:01:00.000-07:00

This was a tale of two games. We owned the 1st quarter and played good the second. In the second half Houston out played us. They have a good offense. Our defense played very well and we were able to win 30-24. So, a win is a win and now we are 4-2 and play Ole Miss at Oxford next week. That is going to be a tough game.

Hats off to Houston. They made our homecoming game interesting to say the least.

We were awesome the first quarter. We were 23-0 after the 1st. After that we stunk it up. We don't have a QB to speak if. Our QB (Wilson) stinks. He makes terrible decisions. Our defense played well. They seem to be the strength of our team. Which is surprising. Our running game looked good with Glen Coffee gaining 121 yards and one touchdown. Our running game is going to be very good in the next couple of years. He have some real horses there.

Play calling sucks. Offensive coordinator Marshall Applewhite needs to make some changes. It will be a tough game against Ole Miss next week. I've pretty much written off the UT,LSU, and AU games. Those will probably be loses for us. I am just hoping we can beat Ole Miss, MSU, and ULM. This season is tough. But, brighter days are ahead for the Tide. Roll Tide!

And stupid me did not put on any sunscreen before going to the game and now my face, arms, and the back of my neck are burned to a crisp. Thank goodness for aloe vera!

Hope you enjoy the pics I took at the game.

My son's blog

2007-10-05T10:41:00.000-07:00

My oldest son (he's 8) has started a blog devoted to his favorite website; Club Penguin. His blog is CP Talk. Please pay him a visit and leave him a comment. He's pretty excited about his blog and would love to hear from you! Thanks.

Halloween Beer Review

2007-10-01T21:40:00.000-07:00

The folks over at X-Entertainment.com gave me a great idea. Soooooo....introducing...

My 2007 Halloween Countdown! (Cue wild applause.) I will be reviewing various Halloween themed items that I find here and there (translation: whatever crap I can find in the bargain basket at the local Dollar Tree).

The first installment is something I found in the beer section of my local Wal-Mart. It's pumpkin flavored beer. Freakin'...Pumpkin...Flavored...Beer. Say it three or four times. It still doesn't sound right does it? But, how could I pass up buying freakin' pumpkin flavored beer?! I couldn't. The power of the hops compelled me.

This Halloween six-pack of fun is brought to you by the fine folks at Blue Moon Brewing. Now, I've had a couple of different brands by Blue Moon (their Summer Honey and Belgian White brands). I liked them. They were good. They were 5.6% alcohol. So I had a very good time with Blue Moon!

As I was looking at the different brands of beer, the Blue Moon Pumpkin jumped out at me. I mean how could it not? It's a freakin' bright orange color that smacks you across the face and yells "Drink me bitch!". I've learned to never argue with beer that can kick my ass. Or looks at me with a bright orange hue. So I bought it. And on the way home I wondered "What hath God wrought?". What would pumpkin beer taste like? Now, I love pumpkin pie...I love pumpkin spices...but would I love pumpkin beer? We would find out.

And there it is. Looking at me. Menacingly. Daring me to crack'er open and discover her pumpkin flavored secrets buried deep inside. Dare I? Oh yeah...I dare.

Actually, I loved the packaging. I admit it. I am a total geek for Halloween. I love it. And it's not just for the free candy (my waist and hips have never forgiven me for my love of Halloween). I just loved the whole Halloween/Fall theme. I remember having dress-up day at school, seeing all of the Halloween decorations out...and also believing, be it ever so slightly, that an evil witch would swoop down and take me back to her liar and cook me. And then serve me a'la carte to the wolfman, Frankenstein, and whatever other goblins happen to show up.

So this packaging really caught me eye. It spoke to me. It touched my soul (but not in that weird Michael Jackson kinda touching). It had such a Halloween/Fall feel to it that I had to buy it. But now, here comes the real test. How does it taste?

It had a nice color. It's a little lighter here that it looked in real life. It did sorta look like a pumpkin...I guess. OK, it really didn't. But it did look Halloweenish/Fallish. And it looked stout. So that is good. And it had a nice smell. Pretty pleasent.

It had a pretty good taste. It tasted a bit like Guinness Draught...with a touch of pumpkin spice. Overall I liked it. I'll give it a 8.5 out of 10. So, if you see this around your area...and wanna try pumpkin flavored beer...pick it up. It's worth the money you'll spend on it. Plus, you'll feel like a Halloween Fool. And after 4 or 5 of these, you might be a dancing Halloween Fool. And who doesn't want that?

Books

2007-09-30T03:03:00.000-07:00

Okay...so I survived my 30th birthday. It was close...but I made it. My wife gave me a great birthday. She's just to awesome and my kids just made my day. I love you guys! I'll post some pictures of that later on.

And thanks to Sage for the birthday shout-out. It was much appreciated.

Now, I love to read. I have had a passion for reading for a long, long time. I'm always on the look out for new books. What are some of your favorite books? Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction? Hit me up!

30.

2007-09-28T04:12:00.000-07:00

September 28, 2007, 6:07 AM. I am now officially 30.

30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
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Happy Birthday to me!

2007-09-27T14:42:00.000-07:00

Well, in about 12 hours I turn 30. 30. 30. No matter how many times I say it...it just doesn't seem right. 30. Nope...still not right.

I just can not believe that I...me...myself...the person typing this post...will be 30. I remember very well the 1980's. Has it really been that long ago? I remember very well the first Iraq War...that was what...16 years ago now? I remember very well when the Challenger exploded and also watching the Berlin Wall come down. It just seems like yesterday. But it was so many years ago.

I remember when I was 15 (half a lifetime ago!) and the mere thought of turning 30 conjured up images of old men, with tacky shorts pulled up way too high, playing Shuffleboard at Shady Acres Retirement Home. Yeah, to me 30 was old. 18 was cool. 21 was even better. But when you hit 30 you might as well go ahead and join AAPR.

What a difference 15 years makes! Now, 30 isn't that old. In fact, it's pretty damn young...even more so since I turn 30 tomorrow!

According to Wikipedia, I am only 5 years away from a possible midlife crisis. Midlife? Wow...really? Midlife. When is mid-life? I dunno. But I am getting closer to it everyday. In 30 more years I'll be 60. And the last 30 years has gone by way to fast! I'm sure I'll wake up on Monday and be 57...and then 62...and then I'll wake-up in a casket. UGH!

Oh well...here's to another 30!

Just a little short.

2007-09-23T01:11:00.001-07:00

Well, another week, another Bama 4th quarter comeback, and another great game. But...this time it wasn't the Bama fans who went home cheering.

The game between UGA and Bama was great. UGA looked pretty impressive. They have one of the best QBs in the SEC. And he is only a sophomore. UGA pretty much dominated the first half. At halftime the score was UGA 10 Bama 3. We just looked flat in the first half tonight.

But, in the second half Bama played much better. Went went into the 4th quarter trailing 20-10. However, Bama fought back. We kicked a field goal to make it 20-13. Georgia got the ball back and we held them. Just like last week, we saw a late Bama 4th quarter drive that resulted in a touchdown. The game was tied 20-20.

UGA got the ball back with a minute or so to play. They drove down the field and then missed the field goal. We were headed to overtime.

Bama got the ball first and couldn't move it. We kicked a field goal to go up 23-20. UGA would need a touchdown to beat us. And on their first play in overtime, they got that touchdown. UGA wins a hard fought game 26-23.

Even though we lost, I am very proud of my team. Once again they found themselves trailing late in the game. And once again they made a dramatic comeback and sent the game into overtime. We are a young team really and are pretty thin on defense. That showed tonight. But, this team is much improved over last year. The next few seasons should be really good for Bama.

So, congrats to the Georgia Bulldogs for the win. Both teams played with pride, class, and heart. Hopefully, we can rebound and beat Florida State next week (that'd be a great birthday present for me!). Hope you enjoy the pics I took at the game.

Much Better

2007-09-20T20:33:00.000-07:00

Today was much better. Sometimes you just gotta vent.

UGGGGHHH!

2007-09-19T21:07:00.000-07:00

Ever have one of those days where you just want to put your fist through a wall? Yeah, me too.

Weight loss

2007-09-17T23:42:00.000-07:00

So for the past 10 or so years I have struggled with my weight. When I was in high school it wasn't to hard to take the weight off. I played football and was in pretty good shape.

But then I got married. Well, it isn't her fault (even though she is a great cook). Although it IS easier to blame her! ;) But, about 10 years ago my weight started going up, up, and away! I'm not sure why. I didn't pig out. But I didn't eat very healthy either. And of course...pizza rolls, jalapeno poppers, and beer late at night aren't good for the ole waist line either.

At one point my weight got up to 330 lbs. Even though I am on the tall side (6'2) and carry my weight well...there just is no way of carrying 330 pounds well, unless you're 8 feet tall. Needless to say, I was a fat ass. Yeah. I was. My ass...the thing I sit on...was fat. It was huge. No, it was freakin' huge.

So, I did the Atkins thing for about 7 months. I dropped down to about 260. Much better. But, after awhile you just get tired of the Atkins food and all the damn grease. I've always had low cholesterol and wanted to keep it that way. And plus, Dr. Atkins died and had heart disease...so I dropped the Atkins diet (much the same way Justin dropped Britney).

Well, after a few years my weight started to go up again. About a month ago I stepped on the scales and it said "Get off!" No, actually it read 294. Not good. So I decided to make a change.

There is a doctor's office not far from my house that is a bariatrics clinic; a doctor that specializes in obese people. They had a pretty good reputation in the community and I decided to give them a try. The results are great!

After only four weeks on their plan I have gone from 294 to 267. That is a 28 pound weight loss in only four weeks. That is an average of seven pounds a week. Oh yeah...I'm happy...and I'm still losing weight!

Even better, my health is improving. My blood pressure when I started was 150/90. Not good. They said it would go down quick with this plan. And it has. As of today my BP is now 110/80. Wow. Much better.

Also, I have dropped a couple of shirt sizes. Four weeks ago I was wearing sizes 2XL and 3XL (or as I called them...my tarps). Now, I am wearing a size XL. Also, I have dropped two pants sizes. Four weeks ago I was wearing a size 42. Today, I am in a size 38. They fit pretty good. A little snug, but not uncomfortable at all (and they will get looser (much looser) in the weeks ahead!). I have not been able to fit into a size 38 in almost 10 years. Damn it felt good buttoning those things! My goal was to be able to fit into a size 38 again. After four weeks I am already there! Look out size 36...I'm headed your way!

My goal weight is 220. For me that is a very good weight. That is what I weighed in high school (also the weight I was when cheerleaders were hitting on me!). Once I drop that weight I plan on taking up weight lifting again. I used to lift religiously and had lot of muscle mass and definition once upon a time. I want to get there again.

To show how much weight I have lost thus far, I put together a slideshow (below) of pics when I was 294 and pics I took just an hour ago. I think you will be able to see the difference (in one pic I am almost bald. Funny story there involving my kids, myself, and the clippers. I'll have to share it sometime). I was really happy to see how I look now compared to how I looked then. What's even more exciting for me is that I know in another 4 weeks I will be even slimmer and look even better! I can't wait. Although I do miss my Chinese food. Damn...now I want some Pon-Pon Chicken!

Alabama vs. Arkansas

2007-09-16T21:14:00.000-07:00

The Arkansas Razorbacks came to town yesterday and played on hell of a game against the Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium. What a crazy game! We jumped out to a quick 21-0 lead in the first quarter and looked to be well on our way to leading 28-0. But, penalties and a good stand by Arkansas' defense killed that drive. The stadium's atmosphere was electric. Man, what a great feeling. We were all excited and thought we were about to blow the (then) number 16 team in the country.

Then "it" happened.

By "it" I mean Arkansas' offense came to life. They scored on a quick TD pass to make the score 21-7. Still, no reason to fear. They couldn't stop our offense. Then something funny happened. They stopped our offense. Arkansas got the ball back and scored a field goal to make the half-time score 21-10.

It was a great first half for us. We looked good and our defense had done a good job stopping Arkansas great running back, Darren McFadden (who will probably win the Heisman this year). There was still another half of football left to be played. But, we were all confident that we had this one in the bag. Turns out, our bag had a big ole hole in it. And it was a hole that McFadden ran through again and again...and again.

Arkansas started the second half down 21-10. And they fought back hard. McFadden just ran all over the place. He finished the night with 199 yards. Incredible. However, Bama seemed to have things well in hand. We soon pushed the score to 31-10. But, Bama turned the ball over on a fumble and then an interception. Arkansas scored on both. In very quick fashion the score was 31-17 and then 31-24. Uh oh. Not good.

From there Arkansas just took over. Their running backs (McFadden and Felix Jones) just stole the show. Arkansas scored again to make it 31-31. And, then just to piss us all off, they scored again to take the lead 38-31.

The 4th quarter only had about 4 minutes left in it when Bama faced 4 down and 5 yards to go well inside Arkansas territory. A touchdown would tie the game. But, would the coach go for it on 4th down? Or kick a field goal and hope to get the ball back? Saban didn't hesitate. He kicked a field goal. I didn't understand the call. I did not think we would get the ball back at all. We just couldn't stop Arkansas' running game. But, Saban showed why he is making $4 million a year and I have to buy a ticket to the games. Our defense did hold and we got the ball back with a little over two minutes left to play.

Our QB (John Parker Wilson) struggled in the second half. And now he was being asked to lead us to a game winning touchdown. And boy did he deliver! To make a long story short, Bama drove the ball down Arkansas' throat and we scored the winning touchdown with only 8 seconds left. Arkansas had 8 seconds to make something happen. But the night belonged to Bama. We completed a great comeback to win the game 41-38. Great game! Great win!

Hats off to Arkansas. The were down by 21 points twice in the game. They did not quit. They fought back and almost won the game. Their running back (McFadden) is a beast. He will have a great career in the NFL. But man o man am I glad Bama won that game! We are now 3-0 (2-0 in SEC) and are ranked number 16 in the AP Poll and number 20 in the Coaches' Poll. Up next for us, the Bulldogs of Georgia. Another tough game! Hopefully we can take the win then too. Roll Tide!

In other news, Auburn lost to Mississippi State University last night at Jordan-Hare Stadium. I remember Auburn fans laughed at us last year when we lost to MSU. So...how does it feel now? Yeah...not too goo huh?

I took some pictures of the game...they are below. Hope you enjoy!

Birthday Party

2007-09-14T00:54:00.000-07:00

Last week our middle son had a birthday. Man, it's hard to believe he is another year older. The time just flies by! Seems like only yesterday we brought him home from the hospital. But that was years ago! It is fun watching the little boogers get older and all the joys that go with that. But, damn it! It makes me feel old!

We had a birthday party for him last week. He is in to Spiderman; so the party had a Spiderman theme. That was cool...cause I love Spider man too. I mean, he's no Batman, but he will do.:)

We had a house full of kids and family. Man...it wears me out just watching the kids play. Where do they get the energy?! It was nice having family over too. We don't get to see them as much as we would like. Our son really enjoyed seeing his paw-paw and granny, as well as his aunts, uncles, and cousins.

He had a Spiderman cake (that my wife made). Man did it ever look good! I could only have a really really small bite of it (cause I am on a diet. Which is cool, I've lost 30 pounds!). It was hard not to dive into the cake and ice cream. I am a cake and ice cream junkie! He got a bunch of Spiderman presents and a big set of Moon Sand (that stuff is great!). All in all he had a really great time. Very cool watching his eyes light up as he opened his gifts.

Our oldest son has a birthday in a few weeks and then our youngest son has one after that. Man...they are making me feel so much older...and making me going broke! I just wish they didn't grow up so fast.

Rollllll Tide!

2007-09-09T00:35:00.000-07:00

It's a great day in Alabama! Bama beats Vandy 24-10 and Auburn loses to USF(!) 26-23! Yea Alabama and roll tide roll!

Vacation!

2007-09-07T18:09:00.000-07:00

Back In July the wife, the kiddos, and myself took a vacation down to the beach. I love the beach. The sound of the waves, the smell of salt in the air, the view of the ocean, and all the other sights and sounds that go along with the beach. What's not to love?!

We vacationed with my dad, step-mom, and brothers. It was great. We went down to Gulf Shores, AL, Orange Beach, AL, Ft. Morgan, AL, and Pensacola Beach, FL. The weather was great...perfect for beach hanging. I loved being in the ocean, even though I did get stung by a jellyfish! It was fun to let the waves crash into me. We even went for a swim at 1AM (not smart, I know...but fun).

We also spent some time at Ft. Morgan. I loved it. I am a huge history buff and this place was great. Ft. Morgan is an old military fort that played a role in the U.S. Civil War. Pretty cool to read about all the history there.

We also went to the Pensacola Naval Air Station (home of the Blue Angels). They have a naval air history museum there. Really cool stuff. They had a really great IMAX theater. Plus, being a history nut, I loved all the historical exhibits there.

All in all it was a great vacation. Our hotel room was great. We had a room on the 11th floor with a fantastic view of the beach. It was great to sit out on the balcony at night, drink a cold beer, talk with my brothers, and feel the cool breeze coming off the ocean. I really hated to leave. We are planning on going back next summer. I can't wait! Check out our the slide-show of our vacation pictures (below).

Alabama Football!

2007-09-05T16:20:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday college football kicked off for the University of Alabama. The Crimson Tide took on the Catamounts of Western Carolina University. What the heck is a catamount anyway? No clue. So I googled it. I found this on WCU's website:

Webster's Dictionary defines "catamount" as "any of various wild cats such as a cougar or lynx." Cats of the catamount variety, including the bobcat, have roamed the southern Appalachian Mountains, where Western Carolina University is located, for years.

The nickname evolved from a contest that was held on the Cullowhee campus in 1933. At the time, the school was called "Western Carolina Teachers College" and its teams were known as "the Teachers."

Cool. So it's a bobcat. That beats the heck out of the Teachers name they had. Just don't see opposing teams cowering in fear before the mighty Teachers of Western Carolina University.

Anyway, it was a great day for college football. Not too hot, a nice little breeze...and the game being played at night. Perfect.

It was also the long awaited debut of Alabama's new head coach Nick Saban. Pretty successful debut for him. Alabama won the game going away; 52-6. Roll Tide!

Something funny happened during the 4th qurater. I heard this loud CLANG! BANG! behind me. I turned to look behind me. There was a single, solitary stiletto heel laying there. I look up. About 25-30 feet in the air was a co-ed looking down. She had dropped her shoe down 25 feet. Glad there was no one sitting there! She asked...no...she told me to bring it up to her. Well, no....I'll not be your little monkey and run when you call. Then she told me to throw it up to her. Riiiight. Like I am going to throw this show (with the heel) up 25-30 feet. I mean...yeah...it could come back down and hit a kid in the head! So, I declined. Her boyfriend looks down and asks me to bring it up. I gladly informed him that I would hold the shoe for him and he could come down and get it himself. He was none to keen on that idea. I guess I was supposed to bring it up to them as if I were a dog running back to its master. Yeah...right. I bet I was the first guy yo tell her no. Poor little daddy's girl! So the shoe sat there until they found another way to get it. Sorry...I don't play fetch.

I took the kids to the stadium before the game and we all had fun. I loved walking around with my wife and kids and seeing the sights of gameday. There was this guy there who had a tattoo of Paul "Bear" Bryant on his back. Pretty cool tat. There is a picture of my kids with him. All in all pretty fun day. Be sure to look at the pictures below!