Pain and Suffering in Sarasota

Yesterday afternoon my poor aunt impaled her toe on a rusty garden tool. It was a claw looking thing to turn up the dirt (Philly would know the proper name) and one of the blades went right through her toe. I had to pull it out right after it happened and rushed her to the hospital. Rush to the hospital is funny because when we got there she had to wait in the waiting room for 2 hours before anyone looked at her. She's in a lot of pain right now but they say she'll be better in a week. She needs to be better by next Monday because my cousin Ryan is coming with his 2 kids and wife and they are all going to Disney World.

Other than rusty spike news, I took My Baby back into the shop this morning. Just a quick tune up, mainly spark plugs. My grandma is having them do a complete check on my car since she always gets so worried when I drive anywhere and I'll be doing plenty of driving starting Wed with picking up Jessie in Tampa for the week o' fun. Busch Gardens, Mardi Gras in NOLA, randomness, nice weather, beaches, jacuzzi's and pools, and who knows what else. Whoo hooo!

Also this afternoon/tomorrow should be step one of Ed's new life plan which is being finalized right now. I'm visiting a condo that would be an investment/part time home. More life news when I figure everything out, since my life plans have had ways of never happening as planned.

Lazy, lazy Sunday

So it's Sunday, haven't done much today. Laid by the pool for a bit in the nice nice sunny 78 weather. Ah, I heard it snowed on my poor hometown yesterday. My Baby and I are glad we're not there for that :) Also went shopping with my grandma a bit. Yesterday ruled actually. Cleaned up my aunt's garage then early bar hopping with her and spent the night just having cocktails with my grandma and chatting until almost 2AM. Caught her up on everything in my life and started my real plan now. It's coming together and once I figure out everything I'll let people know. I think it's going to work and combine favorite parts of my life. Well that's enough, I'm suppose to be lazy.

Top Down Day!!!!!

It's been a while for My Baby and myself but today was an old school Top Down Day. Just spent a few hours driving around the city casually shopping in 75 and sunny weather. Felt so good. Driving around on days like today is one of my favorite things in the world. It relaxes me, takes all my stress and worries away for a bit, and just puts me in a great mood. Good start to this Friday. I love the days here even though my nightlife is still kinda sad. Today hopefully I'll meet more people, going downtown with my aunt at 5 to go to her radio talk show, and then off to a bar and I think I may just wonder down to the few bars on Siesta Key (it's the island my grandma and aunt live on, it's a part of sarasota just right off the coast). It's been strange to go from crazy good great social life to almost none besides random unattractive waitresses talking to me yesterday. At least I have beautiful weather, a jacuzzi, and plans for the next month to go Mardi Gras and back home. Oh yeah, I will be coming back late on Feb 12th, staying through my birthday (Ed Fest 2005 part deux). You say "a visit arleady? but it won't even be a month!" Well someone has to drive grandma's car back to Florida from IL for her and since I'm home might as well spend my birthday there. So I'll get to do the 1200 mile drive again, whooo hoooo! Good thing I love driving and my grandma's new car is really nice. Everyone enjoy their Friday night!!!

You want useless quotes, fine you get useless quotes! Find the one 2pac one in here among the atmosphere and win a prize!

1 "got used to the feeling of falling but you'll never see her following
bouncing back and forth between the healing and the hollerin'
griding the outer ring of your own private saturn thoughts scattered all across the grey matter
Little baby doll, she doesnt know what to say to yall
the patience is short and of course the pride is way too tall
break it all smash the past like it was made of glass
aint no other way to make it last
It hurts to watch Lucy lose a dream Ive had the pleasure of seeing our hero kick and scream and when she calms down Ill turn the sound down
and put my arms around the little lost and found"

2 "i've always dug the way you love the way your tattoos intimidate men"

3 "i'm sparked, waiting for the dark to hit Cuz when the moon gets above my apartment, I catch fits for starting shit"

4 "from a head full of pressure as the senses that i clutch
made a date with divinity but she wouldn't let me fuck
i got touched by a hazy shade of god, helped me change, caught a rush on the floor from the life in my veins"

5 "lately been reminiscing about peppermint schnapps in junior high"

6 "do your homework, solve the problem, celebrate
Tip the bartender, breath and meditate"

See, I can take up your time with nonsense :)

Would you like to talk about the ceiling and carpet for while?

So yeah, on the 3rd day, the insanity of my family starts to come out again. Now my grandma and aunt have been screaming since early this morning. They are cleaning the house to prepare for an insane amount of house guests then next few weeks. And they both go a little nuts about it all. They have a huge house but not enough room still for all their stuff to be put away nicely. Freaks them out, not too much fun for me as I try to help and stay out the middle of arguements. Luckily when I visit they don't flip out like this, and once tonight hits everything will be all good. This weekend I get to help them. A dumpster is coming this weekend so my aunt can finally clear out her garage. I'll get to take apart an entire giant wooden shelf thingy with my non carpentry skills. At least the MG will finally be uncovered, now only if my aunt can convince the authorties it's not stolen, she might be able to restore it yet again.

Other than that, my car is totally clean, running good, and enjoying the topdown weather. I really think she hates winter more than me, so the move hopefully will prolong her life. I also started jogging which is going to be a daily thing in the perfect weather of Feb here. Evidently I've lost weight the past month. Go figure, driving across the country will car trouble is good for your health. Today's plan besides cleaning is to go shopping for things I need/forgot to bring down. I also need a car tarp that's easy to put on on off to stop the rain leaking into My Baby.

Ed Fest 2005 part deux coming soon..........

In Florida.....finally

So today was the final drive to my destination: Sarasota FL. Woke up early, said bye to Grind, then off to the newly fixed My Baby. She actually ran pretty good and I made excellent time. Even got to stop at Whataburger for a tasty double whataburger. Sooooo good. Also got on a huge 2pac kick today driving. Luckily he has enough music for the little over 8 hour drive. That and a little country radio. Once I got here I sure enjoyed the close to 70 sunny weather. Not sure how I'm feeling about Florida yet. Kinda bombarded with a bunch of different things once I got here. Oh well, I'll take a few days to clear my mind and see which things are real or not. Other than that, it's great seeing my grandma and aunt. They welcomed me with a champaign toast when I pulled up at 4:30ish. Good times.

"Oh yes I love her like Egyptian, want a description, my royal highness /So many plusses when I bust that there can't be no minus"

Oh yeah, since I listen to so much music on my drives get ready for tons of posts ending in song lyrics, most of them will make no sense and a lot of them will be 2pac even though that one is Outkast. Be warned, I was known to really confuse people back in the day with away message song lyrics.

"I'm cooler than a polar bear's toe nail"

Take good care of My Baby

So My Baby is running good again after way too much money. Don't think she's worth it, but alas I'm always a dumb ass when it comes to women. Tomorrow is the final 9 hours to florida and to grandma who was worried sick about me and My Baby. On a good note, when she started up the first song I heard on the radio was by 2pac!!! It's actually one of my favs and since I'm gone now and such a thug it's appropriately called Thugs Get Lonely Too. I'll leave you with a small snippet:
I call you up long distance On the telephone / I wanna tuck you in Even though I can't make it home /I whisper things in ya' ear like you're near me /Wonder if you feel me from far away or can you hear me

Something's wrong with My Baby

So I'm in the ATL right now hanging out with Carlton. I thought I was going to be taking off for Florida tomorrow, but with the way my car is running and talking to people it looks like I'm going to have to take it to a mechanic tomorrow morning. I hate taking my car in since I know very little about them. Not having knowledge about something drives me crazy since I can't be in control or even evaulate what's going on. This is something I need to do though. I was hoping I could make it to Florida and worry about things there but that doesn't look like it's going to happen, it would suck to get stuck somewhere in Southern GA. I really hope this isn't the end of My Baby. She's still my first and only car and I'm really attached to her. I also really don't want to spend the money on a new car now when I'm trying to settle into a new life. It would throw a lot of plans out the window if I need to spend that money. Ugh, other than that I have been having a great time on my trip down. Nashville was a lot of fun with mechanical bull rides and random nashville bars. Seeing Carlton is great, we've just been doing things just like old times back in Springfield. Had some of the best Chicken Wings last night and he showed me around town. Pretty cool place. Also finished up some fun fun fun fun plans for Feb now too, so life is good besides My Baby, who hopefully will be fixed quickly and cheaply.

On the road again

So I'm in Nashville, don't have much time so this will be a quick update. Car is struggling, hopefully she'll make it to Florida, going to get it checked out tomorrow. Going to be in Atlanta tomorrow, but first off to a bar with a mechanical bull, i'll probably fall off in like 2 seconds. Other than that, crazyness in the fam over my grandma's new car and i'll be the one to drive it home from IL most likely. So you may get to see me for a few days in Feb now. Whoooo hoooooo!!!!! Off to bars now!!!

You've been fading day to day, I've been moving town to town

Well this will be my last blog post from Springfield. The next time you hear from me will be from either Nashville, Atlanta, or Sarasota FL. Looking forward to the drive and visiting old friends on the way down. It should be a good time.

Just want to tell everyone in town I'll miss you all way too much and you are always welcome to visit me or most accurately use me to stay with my grandma and aunt. So many fun fun memories of the past year and a half in Springfield. Not even going to try to list them. K did a very good review of our friendship of the last 5 years. Made me smile. It's my vote for best blog post ever.

They say you don't know what you got until it's gone but I've been thinking about it before I'm gone. Hope that makes sense to people. Just strange feelings running through me about tons of things. Good thing that a good majority of them are great happy fun feelings. The town I swore I would NEVER come back to after high school has treated me so damn good over the past year and a half, I'll miss it. Good luck to everyone in whatever you end up doing in life, and I'll see you soon as long as alligators don't take me out first.


"If I could give all my love to you
I could justify myself, but I'm just not coming through
You're a pill to ease the pain of all the stupid things I do
I'm an anchor on the line of a clock that tells the time that is running out on you
Well it was cold when I woke and the day was halfway done
Nearly spring in San Francisco but I cannot feel the sun
you were sleeping next to me but I knew that you'd be gone"

I can't seem to make up my bed, much less my mind

Or even pack.....

That's the entire plan for today until around 7ish. PACK PACK PACK. I really really must pack, so I think if I type the word pack a hundred times maybe I'll actually put my PS2 in a box. Ugh, everytime I plan on moving somewhere I always wait until the last minute. Hell if it wasn't for my Mom, Dad, Aunt, Grandma, and 2 cousins helping me pack up from Tulane I may still be there with half empty boxes thrown about. Then there was after my sophmore year where I left 3 days late because I didn't pack in time. Why am I so lazy about this? I should have started this earlier, but I had a social schedule, a 3 day festival to organize, drinking, and people to see. Pack, pack, pack. See everyone tonight for my final night going out. I shall be at Browns for a bit, then off to Mojo's for a holiday party. You can consider it a bonus day of Ed Fest if you want.

C is for Cookie, Z is for Zombie

So yeah, sorry for the lack of updates but Ed Fest 2005 kept me busy for the weekend. Way way way too much fun seeing everyone. The bar hop went very well, including a trip to New Berlin for the Still to see Posamist. That rocked, Spammy's rocked, Harry's rocked and Norb's rocked. Yesterday was the final day of Ed Fest. Started at Jessie's watching Zombie movies, Dawn of the Dead and Shaun of the Dead. Good times. Shaun of the Dead is so damn good, so similar to what my life would be if zombies attacked (not the fast ones mind you, the dumb slow ones, you're just screwed if they are the fast ones). I highly recommend it if you like romantic comedies feat zombies.

After the movies and having beer spilled on my sock, we headed downtown to Mojo's. Everyone seemed to be in a pretty chill mood so we just had a few drinks there then went to the Alamo for another drink. Even left before 1AM. Still a great night including a very introspective moment for me. In the Alamo, the Counting Crows song Anna Begins comes on and he hits me. I just start to think about the course of my life and what I am doing now. I just sang along quietly while everyone else chatted away. Looked back into myself, my ideas, my plans, and my actions. And in the very end I just got a big goofy smile. I love my life, my friends, my opportunity, and the fact that if this doesn't work out for me I have a place to come back to where they won't care if I'm back and will welcome me like nothing happened (besides a few alligator jokes). It's nice to have a good base when you're taking another leap. (and damn do i sound like a hippie PhilO, the expert on hating hippies?)

Nights I can't remember with friends I'll never forget

Well I remember last night but don't be too sure of me having recollections after day 2 of EdFest 2005, the bar hopping adventure. Last night was sooooooooooo much fun! Thanks to everyone that came out to my party and special thanks to the old coworkers who were stuck working and taking care of my drunkness and mess in the back :) Lots of shots, beer, and then some top of the hilton, woot woot. Not sure what the exact plan is today besides a list of bars and a roadtrip to New Berlin to see a band I could see next door. Probably start around 8ish at Millies, then off to Spammy's, then Harry's, then the Still (New Berlin), then most likely downtown. Give me a call to track me down to meet me.

I'm on my way, don't know where i'm going, but i'm on my way

Damn fine night of last night of working last night. Not busy but tons of people came into visit. Unlike Shoo and like K I am no Putz and will not name drop today. Tonight is the big going away party, starting at 7 and going on until 1 at Browns then to be continued at some 3AM bar most likely the Hilton. Should be a damn damn fine time, come on out and say hello. But first lunch with Jenny at Darcy's then setting up the party. See ya tonight!

Last Day Of Work

Well today is my last night of bartending before I take off for Florida. Come in and see me as I shed a tear making my last Long Island or Jack neat. Also training Mandi tonight to become a brand spanking new bartender, so it should actually be pretty fun. Kind of weird after over a year and a half of this to be thinking it's my last day, but who knows what will happen. I remember 3 other times I declared a night at the bar to be my final one ever. St Patty's 2003 that I flew from NOLA to work when I knew I was going to get a job right after school and not come back home, X-Mas Eve night 2003 when I knew right when I got back from my trip to Australia and New Zealand in Feb I was leaving right away, and that random night in June when I was sure I was getting the job in San Diego. So if you see me back slanging drinks by April don't be too surprised, espicially if alligators overrun Florida like Shoo predicts :)

Get a Little Mud on the Tires

Ah, country music and their "slang."

So ever since X-Mas really I have been having a series of just great nights (minus the occasional work related crap), and last night was once again a damn fine fine night. Dinner with Shaela at Suzi-Q's to catch up and everything. Then to the bar meeting up with Farah, Shoo, and K. Monica, Jessie, and Mike were working. Mojo's for 2 seconds, then back to the bar where I hung out, chatted with some random people and lo and behold Mike Patche walks on in. Have a shot with him and a drink then off to the Curve. Ran into Lisa Badger, I now have a new picture of her cute daughter. And then I see Neil, my best friend from back in the day. Shot and drink with him laughing about old times and old stories. Always nice to see someone from my past like that since I lost touch with people I hung out with back in early high school. Shout out to crazy old black homeless woman Neil and I gave a drink to, and got the best picture ever with on Bourbon 3 years ago.
FPC for life!

Ed Fest 2005

So Reier the other night came up with a name for my weekend o' party. Pretty good one too. Here's the plan for anyone that's curious. Friday starting at 7pm until late late late at the bar is my official party. Sat shall be a barhopping extravaganza, complete list of bars coming later this week. The Sunday is movie day followed my the return of Reier opening Mojo's on Sunday for like the millionth try. Hope I see you at one or all 3 :)

Last night was a pretty good night at the bar. GREAT TIPS! Session was in which is always nice, then I got a huge bump from a Birthday Party. You know if someone tips on their free birthday drink they work in the service industry. After this girl gave me 3 bucks for the drink I asked her and she said they all work at the Olive Garden. Needless to say they drank quite a bit and tipped very well. Made the most I have on a Monday in almost a year. Whoooo hooooo!!!!!

I also am very smooth with kisses on the cheek. Damn straight. (I'm such a dead man)

Secrets!

So I guess the new blogging trend is to be cryptic and secretful. Sadly Shoo's credits me with being cryptic first. I only am because I'm too lazy to type whole stories out. As for secrets, if only Shoo and I could share what we know of the world, i.e. how to be the sexiest damn bartenders ,and our secret love machine fuel (i'll give you a hint, it's rhymes with Tack). But alas if we did that everyone would be as cool as us and we ain't having that. Damnit shoo, we could give Mojo's bartenders a run for it's money in the swimsuit competition. I hear from Melissa that your ass is award winning. Well enough of incohent crypic rambling.

Here's a weekend recap, Friday=way too much fun, Sat=work which was okay if not on the stressful side, after work Sat=fun, Sunday=fun besides the packers losing. And everyday=secrets for all!!!!!!!!!!

WESTSIDE!!!!!!

So Friday was quite a bit of fun. Dinner with Farah and Melissa, then off to downtown for partying with Farah and people. Saw tons of people, Shoo, Reier, Robbie, Anna, Jeff, G, Rich, Kirsten. I learned from Kyle it's cool to drop names, people like it. Top of the hilton was pretty slow at the end of the night, I stopped drinking around midnight so I was able to drive. Now I don't have to worry about collecting my car from downtown today before work. Oh yeah, the bar tonight is the sexiest team of bartenders ever, Shoo and myself. A little something for everyone: one with hair, one with no hair, one taller, one shorter, and both are extreme love making machines. Come see us and best door guy in town: K! (who also may or may not be a love making machine, he doesn't tell, secrets are just too damn good to spread)


Oh yeah, welcome Jessie to this crazy blogging blog world. It's just the cool thing to do or something.

Bonus Cardinals update: Here's this year's lineup barring injury:
1. Eckstien SS (Free agent from Angles)
2. Walker RF
3. THE MAN 1B
4. Rolen 3B
5. Edmonds CF
6. Sanders LF (Two years in one city is nuts for this guy)
7. Grudzielanek 2b (free agent from the Cubbies, who my sister says as the best eyes in baseball)
8. Molina C
9. SP Mulder, Carpenter, Suppan, Marquis, Morris (when he gets healthy, mayish)

Not quite as power packed without Renteria and some defense and leadership is lost from Matheny leaving but should still be the best everyday offensive lineup in the NL. Gotta hope the starting pitching stays healthy and the bullpen kicks ass again even without Kline, Kalero, or Haren.

A dreamt I saw you walking up a hillside in the snow

So I've been on a Counting Crows kick for a while. Posamist actually does a pretty damn good acoustic version of Murder of One. Shoo's hosting some MP3's of them if you're interested.

Still haven't done much to get ready to leave besides planning my going away party and barcrawl. The party is Friday the 14 at starting around 8-9ish at the bar. The barcrawl will be on Sat night. Good thing I've been planning my last few days drinking instead of packing. It's strange, I'm very ready to move on, very ready to be near my grandmother who I haven't seen since late summer and miss her a lot, but I've built a pretty good life here. Great friends, fun times, good steaks, milkshakes, donuts, and cookies, fun secrets, random road trips, and a hunk of family I love to hang out with. I just know that I need to run away for at least a little bit. I'll never get anything done here with the bar always there for me to make enough to cover my meger existentce. Plus I hate cold weather with a passion.

Still I don't know how this will all work out. In a perfect world I get hired right away, set up a nice little apartment or house and start out with real life Ed who will own 2 dogs. Don't know if I'll even like real life Ed or even want to become him yet. Don't know if I'll just fall into a funk down there, let my grandma convince to just travel for a while more, or just end up moving on somewhere else or coming back home again. At the very least I'll be near my favorite person in the world and nice weather, so I'm looking forward to it. Just worried.

Back from NOLA

Happy New Year everyone!! Hope everyone had a great time. The Phils and I made it safely back from our weekend trip to new orleans. New Year's Eve was NUTS! The burning x-mas tress made a 30 foot cool fire which we ran around, ran through and other stupid nonsense. Also fireworks, the phils, and drinking are perfectly safe combinations, we still have all our fingers. Just be careful if I'm in a firework building mode and your house is down the street. PhilO also got to experience a wonderful new orleans park in the form of a car ride over a curb into said park at 2AMish. Such fun and crazy times, you'll have to ask me about more stories.

Other than that, made a few New Year's Resolutions, none of which I plan on keeping more than a month most likely. I suck at those trying to improve my life things. Now just around 2 and a half weeks left before I take off for Florida. Going away party is now being planned for Friday Jan 14th. The date is pretty much in stone but the actual plans may vary slightly, keep tuned to Theed's blog for more information.

Oh and check out Shoo's predictions for the new year, www.gotshoo.com. I found them very funny (and probably true).