Waste of time, waste of mind, truly a lightened time

**Please don't read this is if you are easily offended, weak-minded or don't like me.

I have been thinking about my past, "so called friends" and wondered, why the FUCK have I wasted so much of my time in life, concerned, interested and overwhelmed with those so called friends? Well, it's because they were ALL takers, NEVER... NEVER EVER givers. While I was, always.... and I mean always concerned with them and their current situations. If you (and you know who you are!!) see this and want to comment please don't chicken out (you respond, not your wife)! Show the people who read this (3 people, one of those is unaccounted for, ha!) the fact that you are a "man!" Man is in quotes because those that abide by that usually are and those that I speak of aren't and haven't been for at least 2 years!

It all started with a sleep over, while I was still in high school with a bunch of "grown ass men" still stuck in fantasy world. That turned into a lifetime friendship, but unfortunately it took 10+ years to realize who had the balls and who was still a child stuck in high school. Some are on the fence while some are clearly (I mean clear enough for my unborn child to see) unfit to be categorized as humans, let alone friends. So I guess you get my point? Oh..... You don't understand? Well... let me clarify. I have a FUCKING blog, (Holy shit!!! did you know that??? Oh, that's because you aren't my immediate damn family or my insanely close group of friends that knew about this). I use this blog for the single/sole/unique/ personal fact to keep up with my life.

I have a wildly unique, awesome, confusing, and busy life. I need to keep track of it some how. I like to remember the things I do and the small things I think I don't have time to remember. Do you? (the one's I question are the very ones this "post" is about). I highly doubt you remember the last encounter we had, quick, what was it? Yeah I thought so, you remember! Oh... you don't? Well you're just an idiot if you don't! (remember you assumed I called you that in my last post about you?) Yeah, I called you an idiot and that's because you are, on multiple levels. You have show your side and I'm so grateful. I have grown so much more than I ever would have with your old, experience-lacking, Debby-downer attitude. You turned me into the extremely successful person I am today, thanks!!

Hopefully you have changed since we have talked! Hopefully you have changed A LOT since you now have children (oh, snap..cats outta the bag bitches). I really hope you are teaching and influencing them down the right paths. I'm really concerned and hope that you are not guiding them down the path of settling, giving in and excepting failure much like your own. Your path in life reflects all these attitudes and it deeply saddens me as I use to see tons of potential in you! I tried to help push you towards success but easy, laziness and comfort became your fallback. Raising a generation on failures is not what we are intended to do, no matter your religious (I recognize your agenda), political views or overall outlook on life is. I'm extremely uncomfortable being in, and raising a child in this current world. Maybe that makes you smarter, better and stronger? But to me it's the normal thing to do, a fall back weakness. It's very easy to follow the path of the norm. Have you ever done something to make an experience for yourself? To benefit you're knowledge, education, or god forbid... for others? I have... and it wasn't so I could turn around and tell my peers I had done something they hadn't, I could care less.

It's easy to see and feel friendship and what goes on in that realm. I have multiple friends with children and I can see, within seconds, who cares and who doesn't. Honestly that doesn't matter to me, who has kids and who doesn't. It should NOT DEFINE you but it should help make you who you are. Am I a better/weaker person because I'm an only child or because my parents tried for close to 10 years to have a child? Hell no! I am who I am because of my PARENTS and the experiences they put me in and the the ones that found me along the way. Personally, I don't feel you can provide that if you can't keep a friendship with your our age group (or even worse, and younger one, ha!). What really matters is who tries and who shows what, in those extremely meaningful split seconds of human interaction. I know you don't understand, and that's part of the experiment.

I surely don't know everything and I admit that, but I see the interaction around me and it's hard to ignore. I have been made the person I am today due to my past. I really really believe that. It's actually due to one person in particular. His extremely negative attitude drove me to reevaluate my owe while excluding him and his family from my life. I truly am thankful for those that this post is about. My situation and position in life wouldn't be where it is without them. Really wish I could share my success with them (could actually use them)! I highly highly doubt they'd say the same, but that's fine. They have (this is and will be a stab at their decisions in life) settled and have convinced themselves they are at the top level in life. Live it out and hope your child extends your legacy? You have insanely great potential and could EASILY move up, take advantage of, and conquer in your field, but you're fucking settled, lazy and a slacker! Drives me crazy, can you tell?

Point and case.
I KNOW... individually your situations, and know for a fact that you could move up in your current roles and/or take advantage of your field to increase income and ultimately happiness. Why in the damn world would I say this after the way you have treated me? Because friendship and professionalism DO NOT go hand in hand. I, unfortunately, have first hand experience with this. You don't know about this because you don't know about my experience with starting a company and having it drained due to a bad assumption about a person, much like my experience with you.

Yet another worthwhile experience I needed on my path in life, but...

Fortunately my time with him was expedited compared to my wasted time/experience with you useless fools. I really wish and wonder what my life would have been like had I surpassed you. I totally outgrew some you high school grads in my junior year. It's very sad to look back now and see all the time I wasted but it is what it is, and at least I gained one true friend that has remained true though all this. The true colors were shown at his wedding. I learned more at that wedding than I did at my own about who my friends were! Truth said, I would LOVE to redo my wedding day! Not only because it was the HANDS DOWN best day of my life, but because some the men that stood by my side were not men at all. That, overall truly upsets me, straight to the core, more than anything else. Well, besides the fact that these guys are to weak to talk to me face to face about their concerns and have their wife talk to my wife about the situation. Really? If you have a comment or concern about my PERSONAL (my blog, NO ONE, and I mean NO ONE knows about besides family) writings than, fucking be a man and talk to me! Not my wife?! Really it just relates back to the fact that you can't excel in your career and are "floating" by. So I take it as a compliment honestly. You're so mad at yourself you have to try and upset others. I get it, but damn get over it or try and push that on people that might care, like..hummm that dude that cut you off at the intersection. I'm sure that they care as much as I do, haha!

Man... we never had a good time, pssshhhttt. Really miss that and wonder, what could we be doing this week? Maybe you still have that? I hope so because I do. But still to bad you had to go and ruin it!
Keith's 30th
Jason's 30th
NHLAS 08
Moto GP Indy 08
FL trip

Hope your children are at least an 8th the person you are and can provide to our society. Really hope they don't turn out different from your believes or... heaven forbid gay! If so, give them my name, number and/or email, I'm open minded, un-judging, caring and LOVE hearing young opinions and could probably help them find a school or job!!

I can't thank you enough for making me who I am now, possibly giving me a super aggressive business mind and for helping me find and recognizing true great friends. I hope for the best for you all and that I'm completely wrong in my assumptions about you....

I'm not, right?! haha.

Good luck, ya dick! If this inspires you... please respond, call, text or email!

Getting rid of the collection.

For a long long time I have collected my wine (some liquor) bottles and today we got rid of them. We kept the ones with meaning (I keep bottles from special events and add little labels to the back) and freed up a lot of space. Now Mako has his favorite spot on top of the cabinets back!

Sickness

Last Wednesday I got hit with the sick stick. Worked a long day and headed over to the bar with Travis and Matt, felt fine. Got home around 7:45, walked the dogs then fixed some dinner. Steak and baked potato, mmmm. Well, after eating, relaxing on the couch it hit me. Started feel bad, getting weak. Went to bed woke up feeling pretty bad.

Been pushing through and still coughing and nose blowing today. But the worst part is Mary has it now. She sounds worse than I did, and I HATE it. I really wish she would call into work but she is programed differently. She knows she has the obligation to be there and no one else can really replace her. I can't get it into her head she needs to relax and rest to prevent the sick from prolonging. I admire the strength she has just wish she'd do it for her.

Ohwell, I really hope it leaves her soon and she is back to 100%!

Mary's done!!

We recently found out Mary's days are number at the dub. I can't wait for the day to come! She deserves so much more then she is getting. They are losing a true asset. I'm just looking forward to having my wife in my life more!

Pop the champagne, life's about to get fun!

Jack Daniels tasting

**Update**

Red on Red makes it into the News Sentinel

Read the article here.

Red On Red was invited to a small private JD tasting at Latitude 35. It was very interesting and actually learned a lot. I had no idea of the interesting history and production process of JD. I never took into account that JD doesn't display an "aged date" on their labels. JD is matured not aged. No.7 can be 4 years old or 5 but will have the same taste and color no matter what. The head taster was on hand to give the presentation and he did a great job. His father was the head taster before him but he did tell us he wasn't just handed the job, he had to work hard and be trained to replace his father.

I definitely plan to make the trip to Lynchburg to take the tour and learn more.

I really do love learning about stuff like this. Very entertaining and I really appreciate those involved for extending the invite!

Trip to DC - Stanton Warriors

So I'm out with Mary, Ben and Allison Wednesday night at Soccer Taco, eaten, drinking, you know. Well Ben is super super excited about a show in DC. It's his favorite DJs, the Stanton Warriors. He keeps talking about it and I'm not exactly sure how it happened but... as you can see, I decided to go. I had been at Latitude with Travis, Lauren, Chris and Steph so I called Travis to see if he wanted to go, he didn't have the money so I offered to pay for him.

Travis and friends went on to another bar and Ben and I headed back to his place to buy tickets while Mary and Allison went to get ice cream. Megabus the day before is a little more expensive, 8$ each way so 32$ for the both of us. Hotel which we would be slitting with another buddy Randal and the show tickets were 5$ a piece so it really wasn't an expensive trip. Well, not even 2 minutes after I purchased everything Travis calls to tell me he has a unmissable meeting at noon the next day and couldn't go. Welp, so now I had 2 of everything haha.

So we are off. The Megabus was nice, roomy and had wireless so I could work. It was our group and 2 others on the bus so we all had plenty of room.

Got to DC around 5:45. That pic of the Washington Monument was from the next morning but it was better than the one I got when we arrived. The White House is just up the street from here. I got a pic but it's a little to far a way to be any good.

Randal and I shared a room. It was a cool little place. An old house/apartment building converted into a hotel, called Windsor Inn. Our room was down the hall up the stairs, down the stairs around the corner down more stairs, and to the right. Had a huge walk in closet and an awesome walk in shower with the rainfall shower head.

After chillin some in the room we met up for dinner. We headed out and found a place called Jo Jo's Bar and Grill. We sat upstairs. I had a great chat with a very old friend, Jason. We went to
school together, elementary through hall. He is all into motorsports so we connected well. Later, after dinner, we all headed to Ben's room for adult beverages. There Jason and I continued our chat.

Around 11 we headed to the show. This venue is pretty well known for having this crazy sound system that can float paper and move trashcans, pretty neat. The show was great! Had an awesome time. Stanton rocked the house.

Allison and I got right up front at the end to check out the man at work. We headed back after a failed attempt to buy a shirt around 4am. It was nice we were only staying about half a mile around. So walking wasn't a problem.

Front of the hotel

The crew waiting on the (only 30 freaking minutes late!) bus. Few more folks heading back to Knoxville then were on the bus the day before. The trip was quite, everyone was tired and some hungover. I managed myself well at the show cause I really didn't want to feel bad on the trip back. All-in-all it was a great quick trip with some great people, great music and a fun adventure. I look forward to hanging out with them again.

Beth's birthday!

Went to Brazeiros tonight for Beth's birthday party. It's actually in the same parking lot as PF Chang's so I went to two bday parties within a week in almost the same location with completely different group of friends, pretty funny. We had reservations for 7:30 but didn't get our table until 8 due to there being 13 of us.

I had never been to Brazeiros and I was really looking forward to it. Brazeiros is an authentic Brazilian steakhouse from Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil. In short it's a "the buffet comes to you style" restaurant. There isn't a really menu other then the wine list, so as soon as you are seated it's time to eat. the Salad bar was awesome, had everything you could want including a HUGE cheese selection. After salads they replace your plate with a clean one and the meat fest begins! See the little red circle card on my napkin in the pic? The other side is green, I bet you're a quick one and get the picture right? Green means bring on the meat and red means I'm taking a break. There are 12 different types of meats that are delivered and all 12 are delicious! Especially the house special sirloin which when we asked what it was we were told its the best part of the cow. Anyways it was great. I ate WAY too much and was completely stuffed until late afternoon the next day! Mary and I will definitely be going back and I highly recommend it!

Heater out again... movie with mom

Apparently we have the worse heating unit known to mankind. It died almost exactly one year ago (1/8/10). We had a limiter switch go bad, the fan motor had a broken motor mount, and that cause the fan to bend. All where replaced, the motor mount broke last time aswell. So this is our third fan motor! It's like we have a whole new unit.

Later in the day mom came over to watch Stone with me. Robert De Niro, Edward Norton and Milla Jovovich are all in it. It was a strange movie with one of those you decide what happened endings. I enjoyed it.

Allison's Birthday!

Went to PF Chang's tonight for Allison's birthday. Allison is a huge Colts fan and they played the Titans today, and beat us, grrrr. Of course she rubbed it in as soon as I got there. We had a great time though, got to catch up with some friends I hadn't seen in a while and even met some new folks. I also got to see Ben's mom whom I haven't seen in well over 10 years!

Crazy crazy weekend

Overview
Saturday I find out my debit card number has been jacked. BOA was on top of it so it looks like the thief tested out the card with 2 purchases totaling under 5 bucks.

Sunday, Mary's phone gets stolen. Had it turned off only to find out later is was some teenage girl that took it and her grandparents caught her with it and made her return it.

Also Jayson Werths big deal hit the news. Going to the Nationals with a 7 year 126 million pricetag.

More to come...

Awesome night out

No movie last night but still went out.

DMG had a little going away party for Matt. He got a new job out in West Knoxville. Later we headed up to DTG to meet Ben, Mariell joined us. We had some good chatting going when in walked Reed and Dean! 2 guys Ben and I played soccer with years ago! So strange to see them, 4 former Knoxville Stars standing in the same room years later. It was great catching up. They left to grab some food and again I run into another familiar face! Molly! I hadn't seen her since the wedding! We had an awesome little talk, great catching up. She went back to her friend then came back and talked some more with us due to her friend talking to some dude, haha.

Great night!

Taco night!

Mom, dad, Ben and Allison join Mary and I at our place for a football taco night. Eagles were playing the Giants on Sunday night football. It was a great time, Ben and my folks got to catch up.

Mary is officially enrolled!

Mary has booked her 2 classes at Pellissippi State for the winter semester. She is one strong lady. Working full time at Walgreens, part time with her dad and going to school. Going to be a crazy next few years but she'll be happy once it's all over which is all that matters.

Sunday football day out!

Ben and I made plans for an all-day-boys-day-sports-day-out (helps me pass the time on a Titans bye week). Started off at Soccer Taco at 11 for Chelsea v. Liverpool EPL game. Arron was in town and planned to meet up with him at Buffalo Wild Wings at 1 for NFL kickoff.

Brews @ Buffalo

Yes I have 2 beers in front of me! Blue Moon was handing out free samples of their new favor so we couldn't turn that down! Ben and Arron hit it off since they both love the same music. They are into the electronic scene. The games had started and we were enjoying our fluids. For some reason they didn't have the Texans game on and I wanted to know the score since them losing helps the Titans. I go for my phone, leaning back on a freaking stool thinking it had a back. The legs of the stool were in the prefect position... guess what happens? Yup, flat on my back, bam, right in the floor, legs flailing. Best thing about it, about 5 mins left in the 1 oclock games and we were about to relocate to Cool Beans. Man I felt like an idiot. Haha, what can you do other than laugh. Too bad this was fore site on things to come.

Cools Beans allows dogs! This cool dude was one of 2 there!

Little toasty, we switched hats.

Mary joined us and had a few drinks and her and Ben had a nice talk.

Sunday soccer night?

Well, after a day of drinking I decided to get some fresh air (I do this often, just my way of gathering myself, walking it off). Off I go walking around campus. I found a cool little place with mini soccer fields and folks were playing, on every field. I sat a watched a little, walked around the fields some. Well long story short. As I was leaving there are 2 big 3 walled areas and some kids were playing soccer in there as well. Around the wall of one of these areas is was I came in and there are some small bleachers there. Well, I was watching this kids not paying attention and walk around the corner and I didn't realize there was a step up. Down I go again... I reach out to stop the fall but I'm to close the wall and the outside of my hand runs down the brick wall. I ripped a good chunk of skin off my hand and scratched up pretty good. Below is a pic but it doesn't really show how bad it is.

I was taken pics of the Evo waiting for it to warm up.
So I snapped a pic of my beat up hand.

I went back to Cool Beans said my good byes, washed my hand off and headed to the car. My car was at market square and I was on campus. It was a nice little walk. I had a great day and can't wait to do it again.

Also the Colts and Texans lost! GO TITANS!!!!

Horrible wreck on West Emory

Coming back from T and L's we notice an ambulance approaching us on Clinton Hwy. We could see blue and red lights flashing ahead of us once on Emory. We turned into washington heights to attempt to bypass it. The wreck was right at the other entrance so we were stuck. It looked like everyone had just gotten there, ambulance that we saw pulled in and pulled a stretcher out. I got out of the car. The loud sound of a helicopter shocked me once I opened the door, lifestar. Finally we realized it was a single car wreck, 2 passengers, 1 was pulled out and in the ambulance within 5 minutes of us arriving. The car had been badly burned after what looked like flying of the road, hitting 2 telephone polls, crashing through a fence and stopping right next to or against a condo. It took them a good 10 mins to remove the roof and extracted the 2 person. Neither person looked to be moving and seemed young. LifeStar landed in the field right next to cate rd and the 2 person was taken onboard and flown out. Really hope these guys are ok. Very scary situation.

Movie night

Ben, Travis and I meet up to see Red downtown. We did our usual thing. Beers and shots are Downtown Grill first, 40 minutes before the movie. I hadn't eaten all day so Travis and I ordered some food, Dave's (the bestest pasta ever!) pasta, 30 minutes. They brought out the wrong pasta, Dan's, so it went back, 15 minutes. 5 minutes before we are chowing down on the piping hot deliciousness. Down the beers and off we go.

We get the normal awesome seats at the rail after missing maybe one preview. 30 minutes in I have to use the bathroom as does Ben, plus I had just received a call from Mark at Fastech confirming my car was done and a final pricetag, whoa!

It began clear that I had drunk to much and the movie wasn't grabbing me. The first portion was entertaining but the middle trailed off and became boring. Maybe it was just me? Maybe the beer? Maybe the movie? Not sure which but I think a second viewing is in order. Ben and Travis later confirmed the movie wasn't all that in their opinions either.

After Ben and I headed to Latitude 35 for some beers and baseball. Phils played the Giants, game 4 in San Fran. Sore subject: Phils lost a horrible game in which they should of won. Lost on a sacrifice fly too, lame!

Rawlings Wedding Day!

What a BEAUTIFUL day! Pretty sure there could not of been a better one! I mean this day was just perfect. Not a cloud in the sky, high 70s not to hot and not to cold, sunny and clear. After running downtown for a few things Arron and I grabbed a beer and watched some football. It became time for the show, we suited up and walked down the beach to the wedding spot.

Molly looked as beautiful as the day, with a smile you couldn't knock of her face with a shovel.


The ceremony was short and sweet.


After, we strolled up the beach to the reception on the pier. We chatted with the head chef for a while as folks gathered. They had a musical rocking a good custom looking guitar paying covers softly in the background, really nice touch. The sun set , beers were popped and dinner was served.


Their first dance.


The cake cutting. Clif got a face full just about as bad as I did.

We saw the Rawlings off with rose pedal showers and the headed down the beach. They were off to the Hilton in downtown Savannah with plans to head to ATL in the am to catch their flight to the Bahamas.

We cleaned up, put everything in Dustin's truck but... we had more than a half keg of beer! What should we do? Well...we'll do what anyone would do, keg stands! We had been joking about it all night but this was on. Arron goes first and then... Molly's dad, YES! Molly's dad says, "I'll go!" I sent a pic to Clif and Molly and they LOVED it and wanted more, so...we gave them more!


Just about everyone took a turn and how cool is it that the bridesmaids were the feet holders?! Amazing, and they took their turns as well. Once everyone had gone their was still plenty of beer left so we invited passers-by to join in. That last pic is one of them. So everyone is beer'd out and there is still plenty of beer left. The whole, who is responsible for the keg question arose and turns out they left. Well we emptied the keg and carried it back to the hotel and Dustin took it to make sure the taker backers could get it Sunday morning to return it Monday.


Everyone was pretty much done for the the night, the Phils had just lost and bars in Tybee close at midnight due to the alcohol laws so I took a walk. The moon was more than half full so I strolled down the beach. Man was it peaceful. I walked for quite a while enjoying the water, fresh air and quite. What a great night!

Finally got me a bike!

Bike and mount are on there way! Time for some weight loss!

And it begins....again!

**** Just Kidding! Put on hold until Monday ****

Today, September 1st marks the beginning of another diet period. I really fall off the wagon after the wedding but its time to get back in shape. I can't wear some of my fav shirts and that is really annoying. I'm always tired and lazy. Time to get up, get out and do somethin'.

Travis and I have placed a small wager on this. He is going to start today too. We are shooting for 20 pounds of loss plus. The winner buys the loser a $100+ bottle of scotch. Only thing is, only us 2 can drink it. So it's win win. Lose weight and get to sit back and enjoy some fine victory scotch.

Tybee Island and Savannah

We got up this morning and met my folks at the beach. We rode into to downtown Tybee in the Flex and did a little shopping. Had lunch at Fannies then headed back into Savannah to meet the rest of the family. Mary and I made a trip to the SCAD book store for some gear. We both got a hoodie and a shirt.

After we gathered with the family we headed down to river street for some shopping and drinks.

Mary, dad and I have ship shots! It's a dollar house shot you get when a ship passes through. After drinks we headed to the islands for dinner at Cafe Loco.

They had Strongbow too!!

After dinner we headed back and had ice cream at Leopold's. It's owned by a movie producer.