This place is bloody Awesome!

Although the weather did not clear up, our evening certainly did. First let us make an observation. Be it from in-breeding, or due to cast-offs, the women in this city and absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately the men in the city are just as beautiful (or so I have been told). But we have a secret, a hidden weapon if you will. We have that much sought after American accent. I mean everyone has a funky Australian accent, only the cool people have this non-crazy accent. Well sadly we have been since informed, after numerous drinks in numerous bars, that our accent really isn’t that attractive to the opposite sex. In fact far from attractive it goes as far to be repulsive, as arrogant and annoying Americans. Damn!

But we will say this, the hospitality in this wonderful city has been….well wonderful. We have finished with work and plan on taking on the city for the weekend. Maybe catch an opera at the opera house (truth be known we already have tickets for Friday night). Maybe meander through the botanical gardens. Swim with the fishes in the Aquarium, or bounce with the kangaroos in the zoo (never the Koala’s since we have been duly informed they are an endangered species). Many more pictures tomorrow, but for now, we would like to say Sydney rocks (at least the beer does), so cheers mate!

Rain rain go away. please!

To answer a question that was asked in the comment section from Nate, no my pager did not go off for the earthquake (my pager does not work in Australia), however my cell phone works in all of North and South America, Europe and now Australia. So I forgot to turn off my cell phone last night and starting at 5am, it was ringing off the hook. Look at my computer screen and I have 15 IMs all asking if I am awake. So yeah I knew about the earthquake pretty darn quickly. Too bad I missed it though.

So everyone here in Sydney is thrilled because they are in the middle of a drought and for the first time in many many months there is a good amount of rain. We are a little disappointed by this since we would prefer not to have this rain. They swear that the thunderstorms will end by tomorrow, but since we are indoors all day that was just peachy keen. Currently I just finished pontificating for the past 9 hours, so believe it or not I am actually tired of talking. Yes mark the day, I am tired of talking :) . So time to get some food now and copious amounts of alcohol.

short but sweet update from land down under

So here we are in Aussie. Typical I just leave CA and they have a nice big earthquake, why do I always miss the fun times. But Australia is quite fun, we have already hit the local pubs and I have been identified as a cheeky bastard. Now I am not sure if this is really an insult or a term of endearment, but I will take it as the latter. The Sydney opera house is truly stunning (I will put pictures up later), but I will tell you it is not quite as white as we see on TV (is anything?). Besides having to do some work, we plan on touring around and hopefully hitting the beach a little (most beaches here are topless).

Need to get up and present now for the next 8 hours (I really hope I can stay awake), but a longer blog entry later!

catch ya later blokes.

Aussie Land

For those of you following my exploits, after a short 14 (we had a nice tail wind) hour flight my colleague and I arrived bleary eyed and ready for the land down under. No we are not talking Texas, it is Australia. Crikey (in your best Australian accent). Thankfully going from Red Carpet Club, to sitting in Business Class in a nice comfy leather seat, to the executive level of the Hilton helped make the trip that much more tolerably (I know I lead a tough life, who wants tom come with me next time?). If anyone is curious the movies on the plane were TERRIBLE, thankfully brought my own as well.

So we lost 17 hours (we left Sunday night and land Tuesday morning), catching up on those lost meals was tough, but we were able to manage on the plane! So time for me to catch up on some sleep (I know wrong to sleep in the morning here, but tired). More to follow on the exploits of where in the world is MDS.

Morning or night

So why are some people night people and others morning people? Now while you medical students or psych students ponder that for a little while, why do we care? So can a relationship last if one person is a morning person and the other a night? I mean lets face it from a pure sex perspective, one half is always on while the other is off Yes women, there are times then men are just interested in getting sleep more than sex, its rare but it happens (although when you consider foreplay, after sex cuddling, I mean we are talking a good length of time here). So ponder this, what makes it that some people can be up at 5am (yes I am one of the freaky people like that) and ready to conquer the world, while others wait until the hour strikes 10 or 11 or even 12 before venturing out into the big bad world.

On other news, work is just not a fun place to be right now. Its kinda sad considering how much I used to love going to work and my job. The scary thing that almost everyone I know at work is at the exact same place. The amount of dissent is not only apparent in their attitudes but also in the very work that they are doing. I just hope my company opens their eyes and starts to allow people to move around more, otherwise, well we are predicting that they are in for a hell of a wake up soon.

But guess what? In three days I am going to AUSTRALIA! Sydney, here I come. That’s all for now, everyone have a good night.

Yoga is short for my muscles are like Yogurt

So my first Yoga class was today. Entering a dimly lit room with soft music in the background. Men, women, old, young, sweat pants, spandex, stretching on mats. Each in their own world trying to relax from their own stressful workday. No one person looking at another, until final our sensei gathers our attention to begin. Now I know the body has literally hundreds of bones and muscles, but I don’t think I have ever known most of them. Today I have discovered my long lost muscles. The realization of my lack of flexibility is a wake-up call to the desperate need to work on ones own flexibility. In other words, my flexibility is for shit, and I had better work on it.

After a relaxing hour, where one waffles between muscle quacking pain and extreme relaxation to the point of falling asleep, the class comes to a close. I walk out with a renewed sense of life and alertness, ready to take on the world. Invigorated I am ready to go out onto the town or sit down and do work for the entire evening (hopefully not part of the plan).

Can’t wait to make this a weekly event, so to all who have not experienced it, don’t laugh, try it!

The fragility of health

Most of us take for granted healthy and happiness. When we are sick that is all we can think about, but when we are healthy when do we stop, smell a flower and exclaim how great it feels to be health. Because if we don’t, well something will sneak up on you and steal that fleeting health or happiness from you.
Today a very healthy woman walked into a bathroom first thing in the morning at work, slipped on the freshly waxed tile, and changed a very good day to what would end up being a lousy day. Treating someone, especially when you know what they are about to go through for the next few hours if not longer, is challenging in the least. My thanks to engine number 39 for the assistance today. So let this be a lesson to myself as well as to others, never allow health to pass you by.

Everyone is still happy, although separated by a lattice fence and prickly plants. Fear not, the two-door car will bring them close together. 

who could ever think this to be an erotic flower? It is truly stunning though. 

Maybe not everyone enjoys flowers as much others. But what a trooper to hang with the gang. 

Orchids can be quite erotic when recreated by O'Keefe, otherwise simply stunning. 

Ever notice how nature can create such wonderful patterns? 

Grandma enjoying the tranquility of the Japenese tea garden. Now where are those fish? 

Deliberations for the common man

Choices. Our life is made up of those unrepeatable events that we are forced to do throughout the day. Some seam so simple as what to eat for lunch, while others are so much more, such as where do I want to go in my life? But really how do we decide between two paths. This is similar to the word trivia which is actually Latin for crossroads. The story goes that in roman times at every fork in the road a signpost would be put up with a piece of information, hence trivia. But if we really examine this, it is really telling us that at every crossroad when we need to make a choice some information will be gained, and some information will not. If we decide between two jobs, we will never know what we have given up and what might have happened. But that is what life is about, choices.

But with choices come responsibility. A child is not allowed to choose what they will eat everyday as a child will choose ice cream and candy which we all know (or have been taught to believe) is not healthy. As adults even though we may not feel ready to make certain decisions however we must, then we must live with the consequences of our decisions. What we eat, how we spend our time, and even who we sleep with. E.S. he made that decision to go off with an ex, that was a conscious decision and reflects on him.

But as we grow we begin to learn from past mistakes and hopefully make better decisions. I truly chose my alma matte based on its meal plan and its high speed network, two things that were the most important things to a 17 year old. As a 25 year old I haven’t stopped kicking myself. C.F. not working out of college while looking for the perfect or decent job might seem regretful now, but it seemed reasonable at the time. Spending your time focusing on job searches seemed appropriate, now you have seen more of the world and maybe chosen a little differently. You are smarter for it, may we all strive to gain the insight that you have gained.

So there lies the mantra. It is not in any one decision that makes or breaks our life. I refuse to believe that one choice, one decision, one action can truly and irrevocably change our life (with the exception of one terrible game of gambling I might add). It is rather the ability to make those decisions, and how we make them that define who we are and where we are going. Compare those that think 10 steps ahead versus those thinking of immediate gratification. So may we all think a little harder when making every decision from what to eat for lunch (I think I will pass on the Super Size, thank you), to who we will sleep with on that crazy night out on the town.

On a separate note, my family has all flown home (thank you for allowing me the privilege of driving you to the airport at 5:15am on a Sunday), however it was an outstanding weekend filled with intrigue and adventure. This of course depends dramatically how you define adventure, most consider my driving to be an adventure in and of itself. With tours of Golden Gate park, and most especially the Conservatory (which has recently been reopened after the great wind storm of ’95), lunch at a traditional Chinese restaurant with a roasted pig hanging in the window, and 5 hours of West Wing episodes on DVD, a good weekend was had by all. Plus the 50+ high school cheerleaders staying at my grandparent’s hotel led to numerous jokes and laughs.

Until next time, have a good night.

A new year, upwards and outwards.

For those of you not of the Jewish religion you may not be aware that last night marked the beginning of the Jewish High Holiday Rosh Hashanah. This is a time of reflection, retribution and hope.
Reflection in terms of looking back over the past year at where you have been, what you have done and where is it taking you. It is a great opportunity to center yourself and see if you really are heading in a direction you want to go in. Without outside distractions but left to your thoughts at a place of prayer, one can search the deepest recess of ones mind and past thoughts. So am I on track, well I have another day in temple to contemplate, it is a large task, so will need that extra time.

Retribution, is used not in a punitive sense, but as part of reflection if you feel you have wronged someone or hurt someone, even unintentionally, now is the time to try to apologize. This is usually one of the hardest parts of this time of year. How does one go to former relationships that might have ended badly, or a close friend that is no longer due to a fight, and mend those fences? But, when you do, it does bring closure and makes you feel just a little better.

And finally hope. Hope in the literal sense of the holiday because during this time it is said that it is written who will live, who will die, who will be rich and who poor, etc. etc. But I like to look at this a little less literally and look at this as a time when based again on that reflection you can re-center yourself on that road of life or maybe move in an altogether different direction.

So I only bring this up because some friends of mine wondered what made this holiday so special and why some of us are so serious about not doing work or going to classes. The reason is to really reflect on an entire year you can not be distracted with current events in your life or those of work. To all those who understand, L’Shana Tova.

On a more lighthearted side, my folks and grandmother are in town, and to say this is a hoot is an understatement. My family has a way of making you laugh when you least expect it. We are in the car and for whatever reason discussing the etymology of phrases and words (yeah you can we are a barrel of monkeys on long plane trips). So my grandmother brings up the origins of the word POSH, her explanation is Port Out, Starboard Home. Now I will have to admit, my parents and I were not buying this at all. I mean we have heard some whoppers in our day, but this one sounds like it is just out of there. Well 5 hours later, good ol’ internet, sure as shit, she is dead on;

“The story goes that the more well-to-do passengers travelling to and from India used to have POSH written against their bookings, standing for 'Port Out, Starboard Home' (indicating the more desirable cabins, on the shady side of the ship).”
[http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutwordorigins/posh]

So grandma, in front of the whole world (or who ever reads this) you have our apologies, you are right. More family stories to follow!

I love my blood, my red red blood!

Well today I decided to do the altruistic activity of donating blood. Now if anyone feels they have any semblance of privacy in their life, do not go to donate blood. Wow, lets see if I remember some of the questions.

Have you ever been to Africa, if so where did you stay and who did you sleep with? (I have to remember their names??)
Have you ever slept with a man (question is only for men of course)
List all the times you have been out of the country in the past three years, with dates, and again who you slept with? (yeah I can’t even remember where I have been in the past three months, yikes!)
Have you ever used a needle (ok easy one, finally), has anyone you have slept with every used a needle (man I am going to need to ask so many more questions on dates from now on, they have this fascination with my love life, or LACK THERE-OF)
Oh wait here is a good one. Have you ever traded drugs for sex? (I am looking all over the place for the cops—by the way the answer was NO).

So after all these calm and relaxing questions they take your BP and I my gosh look at that you have high BP. Well come on you just gave me the third degree for 20 minutes, of course I have a high BP, I guess that helps get that blood out of you faster. So about 8 of us are all facing each other with red tubes hanging from our arms looking like something out of the movie aliens trying to look normal as we see our life fluids draining away. How you doing (insert Italian Joe Tribiani accent here, with cool head nod)? Finally after we have successfully lost some weight (is this the new Atkins plan, drain fluids), we move the recovery area. Here is where they hope you will pass-out (versus at work or on the drive out). Every time you get up you need to ask permission so they can have a volunteer come behind you and catch you in case you fall. They apologize for the quality of the cookies, not being up to the usual par while ever watchful. One poor gentleman who had been up since 4 to get to work, decided to lean back and close his eyes while recovering. You can imagine the fun that one caused! Finally when they believe I am not about to pass-out, I am allowed to go my merry way, another happy customer. So do a friend a favor, leave your privacy blanket at home and go donate blood, for the great good.

They leave you with a smile, a thank you, and a subtle, “We can't wait to see you in two months for your next donation!”

Life, ain't it a crazy wild thing?

Sometimes life throws us curve balls. We are happily moving through our lives concerned with day-today events or maybe where we will be in a week or a month, and then something happens. Something that rocks us to our core, where the day-to-day is not the concern. Not where we will be in a month, but how something will affect us for much longer. This can be caused by a trip to a doctor, a call from a family member, or a call from a significant other. Thankfully when those moments are encountered, we can rely on friends and family to help support us, guide us, and listen to us when we just need to vent or cry. It is not easy, but it makes it maybe just a little easier. L.M., good luck on the procedure, many of us are thinking of you and wishing you the best!

I received a page yesterday from a friend who will be in a class all week. ARGGHH, I COULD TEACH THIS CLASS, WHY AM I IN HERE!?! Well in my typical fashion I of course decided to send multiple pages today asking if she had started to teach the class yet? Much to my surprise and hers, it was not the typical response. Rather it was a declaration of surprise that class had become tougher and more interesting. Isn’t it nice how sometimes you expect one thing, and are happily surprised when things work out differently? So here’s to hope, to optimism, and life sometimes surprising us in great ways! May we never stop wishing and hoping for bigger and better things.

So next week I have signed up for and will begin to try my hand in yoga. Yes I know it doesn’t sound quite manly (as I have been reminded of by numerous friends), but it is new, it is different, and why not. Do I expect to at all keep up with my fellow classmates? Not at all, but I will sure give it one hell of a shot. Anyone want to try something new and crazy next week with me (or in absentee)? More updates to follow.

Life can be hard, that is what makes life well life.

So how many people enjoy going to work? How many people wake up and don’t see it as going to work they see it as something they enjoy. I would like to share something my father told me a long time ago when I just about to graduate college. He told me that he hasn’t worked a single day in the past 2 decades. Now clearly that wasn’t true, I mean lets face it you work days, nights, and even some weekends, so how can you say that? He replied that he liked his job so much that it was not work to him, the it was something to enjoy. When you stop enjoying it, it is time to leave. Chris, I know it hasn’t been all fun, but you will find something that is I know you will, good luck.

Losing a parent at any age is hard. We grow up seeing our parents as rocks in the incredibly fast past river of life. To lose one that has been so influential is even harder. S.B., I know this is hard for you, but know you have friends and family who are there for you. He is proud of you and all that you have accomplished! Our condolences to you S.B.

For me today was well interesting, lots of things up in the air, lots of choices to make, and no clear road to take. Well I guess that is life right? But thankfully I have great friends and family, makes it so much easier. Everyone say thanks to a friend next time you see them, why not make someone smile for a second or two.

Anything but a usual Sunday

We have all seen situational irony in movies, but it is rare to see an example of one in life and be able to place it enough to identify it. Well that very thing happened today and I do so hope you enjoy reading of it as much as I did living it.

Many of you know that the Jewish high holidays are at the latter part of this week. My plan as of waking up this morning was to attend at my favorite local university’s Hillel by myself. Planning ahead having ordered tickets and was all set to go, is my life orderly and comfortable or what? I received a call from my mother at her usual early morning time (if she has to be up to work, well shouldn’t I be as well, as her logic stands) :-). Would I like if my parents come up and spend the holidays with me? Hmmm, of course I would.

Meanwhile I am already thinking, ok I need to clean my apartment, if they are going to stay with me I need to get guest towels (yeah look at the bachelor, only one guest towel), a pillow for me to use when sleeping on the couch. No problem I can do this. No sooner am I done with Bed Bath and Beyond (as a newbie, I find I don’t know half of the items in the there and what they are for, come on mom, didn’t you teach me anything), when I get another call from my mother, is it ok if the grandparents come as well? Hmmmm, of course it would be wonderful.

Now a new list, ok reservations at a hotel (my apartment is roomy, but not that roomy), a rental car (a 2-door is just not appropriate for 5), and some extra food. Not two hours later get another call, is it ok if everyone comes in early on Wednesday (holiday doesn’t begin until Thursday). Ummm, sure, I can work from home and pick them up from the airport. Furiously I am checking my calendar for what meetings I will have to reschedule or try to call into. Yeah…I can do this, no problem. But wait another call an hour later, another change of plans. Grandfather can’t come since he needs to be in court (lawyer not defendant) on Friday. (sigh) ok still need hotel, but not need rental car. Finally I plead to my mother, just make all the plans and just call me with final confirmation. I mean I am flexible but now I am doing full-on splits in my living room.

So after numerous phone calls I just have to look back and laugh. Is it irony? Well probably not completely, but you do have to admit it to be humorous. No one can accuse my life of being boring. So the final result I will have my parents and grandparents for the Jewish new year, I am stoked.

To all those Stanford students, welcome back to another school year. Chris, good luck on the resignation, it is scary to end a part of your life but you will find something better and will be happier. Everyone else, enjoy another week of work.

Meaning of life? maybe not, just blogs

So as promised why do we blog, and along with that question is blogging a new concept? If we look at what a blog really is, it is nothing more than telling the world (or anyone with an internet connection) about our life, or whatever we want to talk about. Is that so different that personal web pages for the past decade? Kids, adults, companies would put just about everything on their web sites to tell the world about them and what they stand for. The only addition is blogs are designed to updated daily rather than well whenever we got around to it.

So this goes to a new iteration of the original question, why do we feel the need to air our personal life to the world. To some I have talked to it is partly voyeuristic. We love to look into people’s lives and watch them, just look at the popularity of reality TV shows. Is this so much different? I can’t get on TV, but I can create a blog and let people ‘watch’ me live my life. As Joe mentioned, it gives our lives some legitimacy. How many times do we talk to someone who wonders if they were hit by a bus tomorrow, how would someone remember them? Would anyone remember them? Well this is our way of opening our world to others. Its kind of fun, especially when you get to reflect, but then allow others to comment on your life. Just picture Mystery Science Fiction Theater with three people watching a movie and critiquing it as it goes on. Well now friends and family can critique your life as you write it. Finally lets not forget the final reason, its just plain good clean fun!

So today I went back to the driving range (thank you J), and wow what a surprise I am still as inconsistent as I was when I started to golf (a week ago). Although I think the quote from J was (and yes I am paraphrasing), its amazing how far you can hit it considering how bad your form is. I think that is a compliment. J

Let me take a second and also wish my good buddy Chris a happy birthday. He turned the big 25, which for me was a hell of a mid-life crisis. You can check out his blog at http://chrisfridd.blogspot.com. So until tomorrow, have a good night everyone.

Grunt, wheeze, success!

As promised, we will use this entry to ponder the conundrum of why do we spend so much time at the gym. Is it part of the American dream of glutton followed by guilt? Or is it because we are all secret masochists who enjoy pain? Or maybe because we really want to look good? Well that last one sounds reasonable until we look deeper, do we want to look good for others or for ourselves, and if for ourselves is it because we have a low self-esteem of ourselves and need to make ourselves feel better?

I am not sure what the answer is. There probably is a mixture of motivation, inertia (I have been doing it for so long I can’t quit now), and trying to make ourselves look better to and for others. Why else would we get up at 5am every bloody morning to go to spinning class, or arobics, or Yoga, or to lift weights. We make some of our closest friends with those we workout with. Maybe due to the pain and suffering we share together, or the sense of accomplishment we share when we succeed in getting up another day to improve our bodies. So maybe that is the reason we go to the gym, the social interaction and feeling of accomplishment both during and after.

There is of course one more option, maybe we are all addicts. Addicted to the adrenalin rush, the endorphin rush, and the thrill in knowing what we have accomplished. Admit it how many times do you have a personal best run, or bench a new record for yourself, or just bicycle your way up an entire mountain and just want to jump up and yell “I RULE!” Tell me that is not addicting. Regardless of what it is, I say way to go to all you crazy people out there that take time to go to the gym!

On a side note I was talking to someone last night of a generation older than mine, and we were discussing an interesting point. What is a blog and why do we do it? Is it the social interaction (my plea to any and all to leave comments), the fact we are all just a little bit voyeuristic, or just because we are such ego-maniacs that we believe our life is so fascinating that everyone wants to read about it. So I don’t want to state my views yet, I would like to open it up to any that read this to comment on….

Why have blogs become a popular phenomenon and what do they accomplish. Why do we do them?

Until later everyone have a GREAT Friday!

Honarary Tribute

So I would like to dedicate this blog to one of the hardest working and least
recognized groups around. No this blog is not dedicated to medics or firemen
(they have their own cool tv shows), no this is for all those single parents
out there.

If you don't know any single parents and the life they lead, then I highly
recommend seeing the movie Raising Helen starring Kate Hudson. I saw this
movie on the plane going to Chicago and I have to tell you I know many single
parents but never really knew what the lifestyle changes they endure or better yet embrace. Many of us (you know single people) come home from work, jump into shorts and a t-shirt, read a book, watch some tv, and whenever we want make some food. Single parents don't have that luxury, their work all day and then they go home and make dinner for the kid(s) help them with homework, and finally put them to bed. Well to all of you I salute you, for all the sacrafices you make, and all the headaches, you are great parents, so keep it up.

(p.s. You know who, this is for you)

With that I wanted to thank all those of you who have been leaving comments, it does make for interesting reading. Tomorrow's blog will be on an interesting subject, workouts, why do we get up at 5am to go to the gym?

Have a good night everyone

From popular demand...more details

After popular demand to learn some of the more flavorful parts of the 'boys weekend', I have decided to relent and share some fun experiences. This will be in no particular order and are not meant to embaress, rather to entertain. For that reason most names will be ommitted to protect the privacy, its a 1 out of 4 guess, shouldn't be too hard for some of you out there.

One of the nights we decided (after copious drinking) that what should men do when left alone to their own devices? Why not play a game of Monopoly. Now to give credit 50% of us were married (I can honestly say I am not one of those), so we had to be careful and not offend anyone's sensibilities. So back to the game. At 11:00 we decide to begin the game after some crazy games of Texas Hold 'Em. This game was filled with amazing firsts for all of us. The first time anyone has ever tried to read the rules (and follow them), the first time every house and hotel was placed on the board, the first time Nate ever had more money than he knew what to do with, and the first time Chris was ever broke (well ok not everything was a first). The game went in circles (or was that the room spinning), with big sweaty Pedretti taking the lead and crushing Chris and I fall all we were worth. Nate, we bow in they splendor.

If you are easily offended or under the age of 18, please skip this paragraph and jump to paragraph 4. Something else we learned this weekend, Hummers (the vehicle) are quite popular in Chicago with a plethora being seen on any downtown street. One of the best lines we heard over the weekend was asked by one poor sole.
Q. You know I just don't get Hummers?
A. Of course you don't, you're married.

Bars can be one of the most expensive places that a person can ever set foot into in the evening. One because alcohol is addicting, and you can never have just one. Two because once you start a tab you completely lose track of how many drinks you have, and three because there is no arguing with a bartender over the bill because usually you are too inebriated to discuss much of anything. We would like to give major props to a wonderful barkeep in downtown Chicago who knew just the right times to come over and talk to the group, and when to just leave us to our own devices. She kept the drinks strong and cool, and the atmosphere light. Best of all she gave us a Happy Hour discount on a bar that had no Happy Hour. To you barkeep whereever you are, thank you.

I think that should give you a bit of a flavor of some of the fun times. I will also be starting something new. I will be featuring a family or friend every week in this blog. I think there are many more people much more interesting than I, so I plan on bringing some of them front and center. So stay tuned and keep leaving comments!

Got to have my Kripsy Kream donuts for the plane! 

Now this is living, really living. 

Now that was a big meal! 

Victory is OURS! 

We can take this river!! 

What is that on TV? 

Double fisting beers, we can't drink them fast enough 

Chicago Trip

Well slightly out of chronilogical orser, so of course I beg your indulgences. However this past weekend a tradition has been born. After months of planning and attempts a boys weekend has finally been started. Every Labor Day we are going to congregate at some city to celebrate manhood and life itself.

On this first trip four of us convened on the city of Chicago. This all started by testing the culinary skills of our good buddy Nate over a barbecue. After a unanimous vote, we believe that his cooking skills have greatly improved since marriage. Of course the two cases of beer consumed before, during and after probably aided in this decision.

Saturday we decided to do when men do and conquer something. So took off down the Chicago river in tandem kayaks to take Old Man River. We have since concluded that Old Man River (well ok the other one) is stronger than we are. After a much needed shower to wash hoff the layer of toxic wastes from the river, it was onto the driving range. Myself never having picked up a golf club was well an interesting site to see. A quarter of the balls went directly to the left, others to the right, the third quarter striaght up, and the final, well those I missed altogether. I guess you can say I am completely hooked on the sport, anyone willing to volunteer to teach me how to play? Round out the day with dinner (Pan Asian, Yummm) a number of drinks at ye' old drinking hold, followed by an improv comedy club. What makes this improv club different than all others is that they took one theme and run with it for 30-45 minutes. Sinve I can not accurately describe what really happened suffice to say simply "cuuubbbbaaa".

Sunday is exactly the reason this is a guys weekend and not a co-ed weekend. We woke up on a Sunday and decided within twenty minutes to take a road-trip to Milwaukee for the simple purpose of watching a baseball game, a Milwaukee Brewer's game to be specific at the new Miller Park. Does 4 hours in a car seem appropriate for a baseball game? We think so. But where else can a proposal be brought up, a plan created and executed in mere minutes. We were so exhausted upon returning that all we could do was go back to the driving range for another couple of hundred balls. (can you tell we are addicted at this point?)

Monday, one of the few mondays of the year we do not dread or fear, for this monday is not one for working, rather for celebrating (celebrating Labor? I thought only mother's did that), and relaxing. We decided to do so by cruising the city proper and seeing the sites. This of course had to include of course a meal of classic Chicago deep dish pizza. I don't think I will need to eat for a week, but truly a great meal. For the married boys, gifts were purchased for the appropriate spouses, while the bachelors in the group gave advice which would be better off not headed. But all good things must come to an end, and thus the weekend draws to a close and us men must head for home, to jobs and reality.

Filled with exhaustion, a full stomach, and sleep depravation I climb onto the plane for a quiet and relaxing flight home, and wonderful a great movie to watch as well, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkerbaun. Just my luck with only 20 minutes to go in the movie an announcement comes through, 'Ladies and Gentleman we are sorry to interrupt, is there any medical trained professionals onboard'. Of course, I stand up, its my obligation. Nothing serious thankfully just an infant having some problems breathing, nothing serious. So much for the uneventful flight, but it is an end of an unbelievable weekend. Thanks guys for all the fun! Until next year!

First Entry

Well friends have convinced me to start my own blog to do well what blogs are meant to do, talk about random things to no one in particular. It is said that everyone's life contains excitement and random occurances that are interesting to others. While I am not sure any one person's life is more interesting than another it is kinda fun to get a peek into someone elses'. So pardon any spelling entries, please feel free to comment on one and all entries, and lets get this thing started with a bang!

So today I was asked to perform that chore that every American avoids at all costs even at risk of punishment. Nay it is not taxes nor a trip to the dentist, it is that trip to the jury room. For those of you who have never had the pleasure there is only one thing you need to know, bring a book, a magazine, or a newspaper. However if you keep an open mind the look into a cross section of the very society we live in is fascinating. Being brought into a room with 50+ people and told to wait does not sound exciting, however when you think this is how we have judged our own people and what sets us apart for virtually the entire world, this becomes an unbelievable civics excercise. The case I was asked to jury for was....oops, I don't think I can talk about it. However I will say virtually everyone was trying to come up with any excuse in the book to get out of there.

Q. Have you ever commited a crime?
A. Can you define crime? I was like truent from high school 37 years ago.

Q. Have you ever had a bad experience with a uniformed police officer?
A. I took over a building to protest the Vietnam war and they kicked me out.

Lets say an adventure and as long as you have a sense of humor it is a blast. Unfortunately I was dismissed by the defense due to the fact I was a volunteer EMT and the defendent had beat up a police officer. Oh well maybe next time.

So next time you get a jury summons. Don't groan, don't complain. Step up and say, yes I want to go and serve my country and laugh like hell at my fellow citizens.

Let me know any experiences you have had with jury duty. Thanks and enjoy this first of many postings.