I spent several extremely hot hours at the Brewhouse Cafe for a chance to join a large contingent of Spainards (my wife and son included) watching the UEFA Cup 2008. Spain defeated Germany in the final 1-0. Why does this deserve a post you ask? It was standing room only as you can see below...
Viva Espana!
Went to Chastain Amphitheater last night to see the incomparable Mr Carlos Santana. It capped a very busy Saturday, more to come on that.
See the whole album here.
We're at Headliners in the Vista area of Columbia. Right now I'm really enjoying a band called Treadmill Trackstar. This quartet has (i) guitar and lead vocalist, (ii) thumping bass, (iii) drums, and (iv) a cellist. What? A cello? Yes, and this band sounds pretty good live.
Update: You can read this article for more information about the band.
Update 2: Photos!
Angelo Gianni………..Vocals/Guitars
Mike Mills…………… Bass
Tony Lee………………Drums
My photo of the cellist Heidi Carey did not come out. Sad!
Weather not withstanding, today has turned out pretty good. More details and photos to follow.
UPDATE:
So we slept in a bit this morning (wonder why?) and then made our way over to the music festival--about 20 steps from the front door of our hotel. The threat of rain did not keep the masses from showing up.
Bradd, me and Wayne offer those not here a toast.
Bradd, Wayne, Lee (covering up "CCCP" on Wayne's shirt) and Matt.
Bradd welcomes Mark!
We also made some new friends Dillon, Jess and Robin (through Wayne). I think Bradd is in every picture...
And also there are the more unusual pictures from the day...
Red helmet, visor and white jump suit? Bet it pays minimum wage.
That stone weighs over 300 pounds (from the Strongman competition).
The bagpipes made their return again this year.
So let me sum it up:
Well it's 12:30 in the morning and we're leaving Delaney's Speakeasy and stopping now at Delaney's Pub. A good start...
Update: We drank and talked and laughed until we were the last people in the whole place.
The fountain was already green at 2:30am in the morning.
FYI: All of these not-so-great photos were with my phone. I left my regular camera back in the room.
Well I must be getting older because it sure doesn't feel like a year since the last St. Patrick's weekend in Columbia. But it is! For those of you new to the site, or with failing memories, here's the day one and day two posts from last year.
This year should prove to be at least as good as last year. Lee, Wayne and I will be heading over that way this afternoon.
8:45pm on a Friday night. But this isn't any ordinary weekend. No, this is a Hailey birthday/Superbowl weekend extravaganza! Tonight I've already been to the K-1 cheerleader end-of-season party. Fuddruckers may never recover from the chaos that a couple of dozen little girls created.
And folks, that's the warmup.
I fully expect to be up with the sun to either cook or take Hailey a mega-breakfast. It's gonna be french toast or pancakes or waffles or some such. Mmm...
Later in the day will be a gymnastics-themed party with a gym filled with kids. Some of my "dad crew" will be there so it will probably be as great for me as it is for her!
Sunday... Oh, Sunday. Too much to deep-dive into so let's go bullet points:
Let me tell you a little story. It will ramble a bit but bear with me.
A couple of weeks ago I had let Maria know that I wanted my 40th birthday to just come and go. I expressed an interest in a nice dinner out for the 4 of us but no party or big deal. No need to rally the family for the cause. Maria encouraged me to at least take the day off. Nah, it'd be just another day at work in the life of "Papa Goose" (a story for another time).
About a week before my birthday, my life-long friend and suburban Atlanta neighbor Lee wrote to ask for help. On the Friday after my birthday he needed help to pick up a large grill and move it to his house. The email thread amongst his family discussing the details was lengthy. He was reaching out to us locals, like Joey and Wayne, for assistance. I'd just taken several days off over the Christmas and New Year's holiday and did not think it was a good plan to turn around and take the next Friday off too. Plus, I had a vendor coming for a lunch meeting that day. Anyway, as Wayne made a commitment to help, I said I could meet up after work that day.
So Thursday, my actual birthday, comes. I enjoyed a great breakfast and card from the family that morning. At the office I got a nice card signed by everyone in the department. At lunch, Maria came with me to Papi's in Midtown for our monthly Cuban lunch date. During the afternoon I took several birthday calls from my sister, mom and others. That night it turned out that Ash had to work but Maria, Hailey and I went our for a great seafood dinner. All told, it really was a low key, easy day. Nice.
Friday I am back to normal with Hailey and carpool in the morning and work. The vendor I'd been expecting shows up and we step out for a light lunch and to discuss our latest agreement. At around noon I get a call from Maria's principal. She tells me that Maria has fallen on the travertine floor and hurt her knee. It is not terribly bad, she goes on, but Maria needs to go the a local clinic to get checked out. She adds that they cannot take her (some kind of worker's comp issue) and that I need to come pick her up and take her. Can I be there in 30 minutes? Egads...
The vendor I am meeting with accepts the news and we work quickly to get our check and move out. The traffic back to the office is extra bad while I continue to take periodic phone calls from the school checking on my whereabouts. At the office I tell my boss the short of it and leave my desk as is with the intent to come back later after all is taken care of with Maria. The "beautification" (i.e. major construction) project on Peachtree takes a while to navigate. I mean it's Friday, right? Running terribly late I shoot up the highway exiting on the 6 lane that takes me to Maria's school. Guess what? It is down to 1 lane on my side (more construction--thanks Atlanta!) and it takes nearly another 30 minutes to go the last 2-3 miles. Suffice to say between the stress, traffic and worry I am fit to be tied.
I arrive at Maria's school and circumvent their efforts to keep cars out of the bus lane. A locked gate? Ha! A nice lady inquires as I walk into the school as to whether I will be parked there long. Nope, just here to pick up my injured wife who could not get to clinic by any of dozens of teachers and staff I see coming and going. Hold it together, Ashley...
I am met at the door and whisked quickly through the front office and into the clinic. Maria is there, as are many faculty and staff buzzing around like bees at the hive. She is sitting with her leg propped up and loosely bandaged. There is not even any ice on it. Maria tells me it's not as bad as she thought. She adds that these "three guys" looked at it and think it's probably going to be ok. What three guys? She points behind me to Lee, Joey and Wayne who have come into the clinic through a side door. Still stressed and edgy, not really processing it all well, I can only ask, "What are you all doing here??"
Dang, you got me!
L2R: Joey, Maria and Wayne
Maria shows me the camera.
Well it seems that Maria, my friends and the folks at her school had been in collusion behind my back--for weeks. They had taken great lengths to craft elaborate stories and plans all in an attempt to get me my for my 40th birthday. They even roped my boss into it.
Maria proceeds to tell me that I'm a hard person to get one over on. That urging to take Friday off? I wouldn't bite. The email thread about helping move a grill Friday afternoon? Nope. I've fallen and I can't get to the doctor? Well it took far too long for me to get there but I guess that was the ticket. I tell you what, they are some tricky, conniving, sneaky jokers... and I love them all.
There are cheers and hugs and handshakes and happy birthday wishes all around. I take some heat for taking so long to get there but all the stress and worry has washed away. But that ain't all!
Maria goes on to tell me that she has reserved a cabin at Elijah Clark State Park for the weekend. Lee, Joey and Wayne are all here because they have taken the day off, packed up and are ready to speed me away to the lakeside cabin mountains for a guy's weekend--right now. Outside she gives me a packed bag of clothes--bathroom stuff included--and a poker jar. Go and have fun she tells me, completely happy to have orchestrated a successful trip for me. I am the luckiest guy on the planet.
I will work on part 2 of the story soon. In the mean time, and especially for those of you who were in cahoots with all this, please feel encouraged to leave your own comments and perspective.
Yesterday my wife sent my friends and me on a guys weekend getaway at Elijah Clark State Park for my birthday. More to come!
Ashley H, a long-time friend from work (affectionately referred to as "the other Ashley") sent me a birthday eCard!
You can click it to enlarge. Aww... ain't it cute?
This is a cross-post reply on Samae's Live Journal that I felt was so good that I should share it on my own actual blog.
Here is something that I learned from a mutual friend to beat down a cold. Maybe it can better be described as having five days of cold in one day. The secret? Hot wings. I know I know, but bear with me here. Here's the story...
I am home sick as a dang dog when my good, single friend calls. He is in town and wants to go out. Man, I don't think I have it in me but we don't get to hang out nearly enough and that gets me out of bed and into the car.
On this particular adventure, he tells me he's got my solution and drives me to Three Dollar Cafe in the heart of Buckhead. There we proceed to order a 14 inch pizza pie dish absolutely heaping with their hottest wings. He drinks beer and I water (concerned mostly with the pain about to come and not wanting to mix meds and alcohol). Note here that I have no appetite and have not had anything substantial to eat in a couple of days. We get started.
Three wings in and I am already a mess. I am forcing them down amidst flaming lips, tearing eyes and a veritable attack of yuck from my now streaming nostrils. We continue to plow through wings, napkins, and so much water (for me) that the waitress gives in and leaves me a
pitcher. The guy at the table across from us, at first confused by my efforts, is now having a great time watching me suffer. OMG, I am gonna freakin' die...
Somehow, some way, in all the noise and pain and mess we make it to the end of fifty wings. The paper towel roll is empty as is the pitcher. The pizza tin is now a giant pile of bones and refuse, larger than the original meal.
Wait a minute, I can breathe! Not feeling the best but recognizing that something has seriously changed, I do opt for one 7N7 (my drink back then). My friend has mercy on me (as far as I can recall now) and takes me home.
Later that night, well let's just say that I'd sufficiently scalded my insides that I felt another painful burn.
(1) A basket of the hottest hot wings the restaurant prepares.
(2) A large cup and a ice-laden pitcher of water.
(3) A full roll of paper towels.
(4) Skip the drink and go straight home to your bathroom.
(5) Hit the sheets immediately after.
(6) Wake up, steaming hot shower, and get on with your life.
Tonight I had the distinct pleasure of watching my sophomore son in his Spring Concert. It washed over me in a fit of nostalgia which brings me to this photo:
That is the 1986 Concert Band from Statesboro High. Where in the heck did we get all those tuxedos?
03/19: Update: Filling in links and photos.
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When I have the occasional weekend with friends, there are some absolutes about me:
03/19: Update: Added some links and photos.
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Blogging by phone in outline form this morning. I'll backfill it later with links and photos.
Day One set a nice pace for the rest of the weekend.
Lee and I left Atlanta mid morning and arrived at Sconyers in Augusta for lunch. Their BBQ is great but the hash with rice made the lunch exceptional.
We arrived in Columbia, SC around 3pm and made an obligatory pass through the Shandon neighborhood--the place where Lee, Matt, Mark and others lived when attending USC.
The next stop was the Claussen Inn in 5 Points, our "basecamp" for the weekend which was less hotel and more of a bed and breakfast right in the heart of the action.
Bradd arrived at the hotel and then the three of us went to Jillian's in the Vista area to meet up with Matt and Mark. The 5 of us spent a couple of hours catching up and watching NCAA basketball.
At around 6pm we made our way just up a couple of blocks to The Flying Saucer. With walls lined with decorative plates ("saucers?"), we enjoyed arguably the largest and most diverse beer menu that Columbia has to offer.
Jump to 7:30pm. Bradd arranged for us to go to the local Columbia Inferno's home hockey game against Charlotte. But that's just the beginning. We parked in a special space right next to the stadium and were escorted into a side door arriving, literally, at ring side seats right on the glass. Highlights included me getting the actual game puck from the first period! A few free beers later the game ended, unfortunately in a loss.
At around 9:30pm we made our way back to 5 Points to a great little upstairs pizza place called Village Idiot. There we enjoy great pizza, wings, jalapeño cheese fries and basketball. We left there stuffed.
At around 11pm our final destination of the night was Delaney's, an Irish style pub also right there within the walking-friendly 5 Points area. There we did a final round of beers, free shots of whiskey hand delivered by the Jameson's Girls and (seemingly) authentic Celtic music aptly performed by J.J. Smith ("OYE!")
One of those neat things that I wanted to share.
The original red Volvo just hit EXACTLY 242k miles as I arrived at home just now. While nearly a quarter million miles is phenomenal, my other Volvo wagon is well over 300k miles and still going strong. I'll try to photograph that one day.
On a separate note, I will be heading off on a 3-day weekend tomorrow to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Five Points in Columbia, SC. It's an annual trip with "the fellers" where I get to remember all the silly things of my youth amongst people who know every stinking detail. Quite humbling really.
Oh my... what is this?
Yep! That is me at 16 years old--the same age as my son is now! The caption gives the details... good times...
Superbowl--schmooperbowl. We've got BIRTHDAYS!
Hailey had her birthday party today at Jumpin' Jamboree, an indoor play gym. It was GREAT! Here is Hailey way up on top of one of the inflatables.
Later on there was pizza, cake and drinks.
Here is the "oldie but a goodie" song "Happy Birthday (Hailey)"
Happy Birthday Hailey!
Friends:
I've been at "the-company-that-shall-not-be-named" for over 7 1/2 years. During that time I've come know and admire some of my co-workers. Some I admire for their energy; others for their intellect; some for their derided sense of humor. Of those characteristics, few have them all. Edward (pseudonym) does.
Edward and I started off as co-workers in the same group at the above mentioned (but not specified) company. We became lunch buddies and fast friends. The off-beat humor and meter of our conversations, lightly peppered with enthusiastic kernels of knowledge, have always been something I look forward to. We eventually formed a small, side company which does well at creating the occasional pocket change (but really just pays for big-boy, tiny-tech toys).
Edward is one of those unique individuals who can take any situation-work, home, etc--and make it uniquely his own. He's just a bit older than me but has twice the energy. His journey of life has been different than mine too so that also makes for interesting yin/yang.
Earlier this week Edward went into the hospital with pain in his abdomen. Given a CT (or maybe x-ray?) they discovered a mass and sent him directly to the emergency room--films in hand. There, he was immediately admitted and within a few hours was in emergency exploratory surgery. They ended up removing about a 3 foot section of his bowel and his appendix. The bowel removed was obstructed and the source of his severe pain. The appendix was a "while we're here anyway" policy of this type of procedure.
Edward has been recovering for the last couple of days. He is actively managing his pain with minimal medication. He's already up and about and the doctors and nurses are amazed at his rate of recovery so far. Well done!
Hospitals:
The short summary above leads me to this. I've not spent much time in any hospital, either for myself, loved ones or friends. Maybe that is why this next part hit me so hard.
As I was leaving Edward's room from a long visit, I passed an open hospital room door down the hall. There lay a young child in the bed, eyes closed. Next to her was an adult lady--presumably her mother. The room was both thoughtfully and painstakingly appointed with pictures and objects that have meaning to the child. Seriously, it almost looked like the child's bedroom in the brief passing.
The mother (again assumed) was in her chair, pulled right up along the side of the bed. She was wrapped in a small blanket, slip off shoes on the floor, reading a children's book out loud to the sleeping child.
Perspective:
In that moment I immediately felt two distinct emotions. The first was a sense of heartfelt relief that Edward had been able to come through a traumatic physical event and was well ahead of the curve on his way to full recovery. At the same exact time I also feel deep empathy for the mother, who, even as her child lay there still with eyes closed, had reached down into herself to find a wellspring of hope for her child.
Edward knows he is lucky today.
The child doesn’t know how lucky she is to have a mom like that—but I do.
I have a good friend, Michael, who is back in Iraq. This is important because we have know each other for over 25 years and I fear for his safety. He wrote me this morning:
"One of our aircraft got shot up last week. One of the pilots was hit in the calf. He is back in the States now and he will be OK."
Now to him this statement seemed quite natural--almost casual in it's delivery. To me it was like a two-by-four to the forehead. Aircraft shot up? Hit in the calf? Thank God that he will be OK.
We here in the states have no real understanding of what is going on over in Iraq. It takes a statement like this, from someone you know personally, to grab your attention. It makes you realize that we are living so comfortably under a blanket of false security here. I fear for my friend over there. I fear for my son who will soon register for the Selective Service. I fear a draft. I fear that we as a country are one apart in the world, like my friend
Stay safe, my friend.
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