OK, so I'm going to keep this short and sweet, and you'll find out why in a second.
Eric and I just got to the hotel in Jacksonville and got up to the room, which, first off, is NOT a suite, but a room with two double beds and little else. That'll be fun. Second off, we've already had a nice middle-aged gentleman asking if we're headed to the Landing and need a ride.
"Uh... no... we're going later." I was raised to not get into cars (or vans for that matter) with strangers, and this guy was STRANGE. Regardless, I'm off point.
When I bought the tickets for the Gator Bowl I bought them in a special four pack. The first "special" thing that I realized after committing my order was that the tickets would be in the Big East section, which means that we'll have a much higher ratio of West Virginia fans in our section than we would on the other side of the stadium. Still, I'm holding out for the very real possibility that Jacksonville Municipal Stadium will be overrun with Garnet and Gold, so it won't really matter. One of the other special inclusions in the four pack is a lanyard badge that gets you into the Budweiser Tailgate Party before the game for free. When I first got all the tickets and paraphernalia in the mail, this seemed like the coolest part. It talked about how you got a free drink at the party and a couple other special offers. I chalked it up as awesome and haven't looked at all my swag until today.
Today... I looked on the back of one of the badges and found out that there was a SECOND side to the paper on the back of the badge that I hadn't even peeked at yet. On this side... was an offer... for HALF OFF OF LASER TAG.
Ladies and gentlemen, my ship has come in.
To put it in perspective for you, whenever I'm hanging out with anyone and they can't think of anything that they'd like to do, my first suggestion is always laser tag, even if I know they'll hate it. My parents have pictures from my childhood of my brother, father and I playing a homemade version of laser tag. For my fifteenth birthday, me and a handful of friends spent a good hour at the skating rink playing laser tag with the Beastie Boys "Intergalactic" blasting through the speakers, even though we requested anything but that song. Even since then, I've been addicted to the live experience. Honestly, I should get a membership.
So, long story short, Eric is one of a handful of people that ALSO loves to play laser tag, and since he and I both have passes that entitle us to half off the regular price, we're going to be out the door shortly, mowing down unsuspecting seven-year-olds and sniping oafish teenagers.
As my wife would say: SUPER PUMPED.
12.31.2009
12.30.2009
So close...
...yet so far. That's one of my favorite sayings from my childhood. I still say it all the time. It's 11:03PM at the time that I'm writing this, and I've almost missed my "daily deadline." So close... but I've made it. I still have 57 minutes. I could ramble and ramble for nearly an hour and I'd still make it. HA!
Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and while it's not my most favorite of holidays, and it's loosely a holiday at that, this one promises to be better than most. I'll be away from my loving wife and golden retriever in Jacksonville. That's not the good part. That part sucks. I'll be hanging out with my brother-in-law, Eric, until my Dad and old college roommate and groomsman arrive most likely late into the night. We, my friends, will be going to the Gator Bowl.
I bought tickets to the Gator Bowl the day that they went on sale, December 1. On the rather surprising news that Bobby Bowden would be retiring after Florida State's bowl game, and the subsequent request he made to stay in Florida for his last game as well as to face his old team, the West Virginia Mountaineers, rumors swirled that the Seminoles would be headed for Jacksonville Municipal Stadium and the Gator Bowl. It was either that, or maybe the Champs Sports Bowl... or maybe the bowl selection committee would do what my alma mater did and treat a legend with a smaller measure of respect that he deserves, than he earned. I took a calculated risk and bought a prepacked four pack of tickets and crossed my fingers. It paid off.
I grew up a Florida State fan. Although both of my parents are from the fine state of Georgia, and even though I was born there in the fine city of Moultrie, GA, I've spent all but 3 months and two semesters of my life living in the Sunshine State. That being the case, my father understood that he'd need to choose between the Gators, Canes, and Noles at some point, and for whatever reasons, it was the Garnet and Gold that got his allegiance. He stays a die hard Georgia Bulldogs fan to this day, and an Alabama fan on the side, but in our house it was always Florida State that was on the TV on Saturdays. I watched Bobby Bowden lead his team to the promised land and the NCAA National Championship twice, more memorably against Michael Vick and the Virginia Tech Hokies in 1999. I remember Warrick Dunn and Chris Weinke. Unfortunately, I also remember Chris Rix, Jeff Bowden, and the slow, painful fall from grace that my Noles have suffered over the past 10 years.
At one of our homecoming games, I remember a group of students about 4 rows deep and 10 seats wide unfurling a "FIRE JEFF BOWDEN" banner. It had to be a harbinger of things to come. No more than 5 years later it was a similar sentiment from the boosters of the football program that wanted to see the same fate for Jeff's father and the second-winningest coach in NCAA football history. In fact, Bobby Bowden broke Bear Bryant's record before Joe Paterno passed him later down the line. Regardless, 14 straight years finishing in the top 5 and 2 National Championships apparently aren't enough to earn you the right to call your own curtain call. Bobby Bowden is essentially being forced out of his coaching role before he's ready to step down.
That's what makes this trip so important, so great. While I'm not crazy about being away from Meghan on New Year's, while I'm not crazy about the day or Eve itself, I can't wait to the go to the Gator Bowl. I can't wait to be there in person for a legend's ride into the sunset. I'm not sure how I'll react or what I'll be thinking when the final seconds tick off the clock, but I know that I'll be telling the story to my children, to my grandchildren, and to anyone that will hear me tell it. Whatever that story may be, I'll be eager to share it. And hopefully I'll be close enough to get a glimpse of the legend himself before it's all said and done. And if not? I'll just get to say it again.
So close... yet so far.
Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and while it's not my most favorite of holidays, and it's loosely a holiday at that, this one promises to be better than most. I'll be away from my loving wife and golden retriever in Jacksonville. That's not the good part. That part sucks. I'll be hanging out with my brother-in-law, Eric, until my Dad and old college roommate and groomsman arrive most likely late into the night. We, my friends, will be going to the Gator Bowl.
I bought tickets to the Gator Bowl the day that they went on sale, December 1. On the rather surprising news that Bobby Bowden would be retiring after Florida State's bowl game, and the subsequent request he made to stay in Florida for his last game as well as to face his old team, the West Virginia Mountaineers, rumors swirled that the Seminoles would be headed for Jacksonville Municipal Stadium and the Gator Bowl. It was either that, or maybe the Champs Sports Bowl... or maybe the bowl selection committee would do what my alma mater did and treat a legend with a smaller measure of respect that he deserves, than he earned. I took a calculated risk and bought a prepacked four pack of tickets and crossed my fingers. It paid off.
I grew up a Florida State fan. Although both of my parents are from the fine state of Georgia, and even though I was born there in the fine city of Moultrie, GA, I've spent all but 3 months and two semesters of my life living in the Sunshine State. That being the case, my father understood that he'd need to choose between the Gators, Canes, and Noles at some point, and for whatever reasons, it was the Garnet and Gold that got his allegiance. He stays a die hard Georgia Bulldogs fan to this day, and an Alabama fan on the side, but in our house it was always Florida State that was on the TV on Saturdays. I watched Bobby Bowden lead his team to the promised land and the NCAA National Championship twice, more memorably against Michael Vick and the Virginia Tech Hokies in 1999. I remember Warrick Dunn and Chris Weinke. Unfortunately, I also remember Chris Rix, Jeff Bowden, and the slow, painful fall from grace that my Noles have suffered over the past 10 years.
At one of our homecoming games, I remember a group of students about 4 rows deep and 10 seats wide unfurling a "FIRE JEFF BOWDEN" banner. It had to be a harbinger of things to come. No more than 5 years later it was a similar sentiment from the boosters of the football program that wanted to see the same fate for Jeff's father and the second-winningest coach in NCAA football history. In fact, Bobby Bowden broke Bear Bryant's record before Joe Paterno passed him later down the line. Regardless, 14 straight years finishing in the top 5 and 2 National Championships apparently aren't enough to earn you the right to call your own curtain call. Bobby Bowden is essentially being forced out of his coaching role before he's ready to step down.
That's what makes this trip so important, so great. While I'm not crazy about being away from Meghan on New Year's, while I'm not crazy about the day or Eve itself, I can't wait to the go to the Gator Bowl. I can't wait to be there in person for a legend's ride into the sunset. I'm not sure how I'll react or what I'll be thinking when the final seconds tick off the clock, but I know that I'll be telling the story to my children, to my grandchildren, and to anyone that will hear me tell it. Whatever that story may be, I'll be eager to share it. And hopefully I'll be close enough to get a glimpse of the legend himself before it's all said and done. And if not? I'll just get to say it again.
So close... yet so far.
12.29.2009
In all fairness...
...like I said, I'm a starter, not a finisher. But damn it, I'm not going to quit now.
I'll start by saying that I could never have dreamed of a better wife. Meghan is beautiful, intelligent, caring, thoughtful, considerate, loving, funny, adorable, and strong. She's the kind of woman I hope to be some day.
On our way home from Christmas with my family up in the North Georgia mountains, she managed to stay awake for all of the drive but about 30 minutes just after downtown Atlanta. It has to be some kind of record. Usually, once that constant road vibration starts, it turns the car into the perfect place to nap. Not unlike waves gently lapping at the shore or the songs of crickets keeping you company on a starry, country night, the soothing sounds of I-75 make her as relaxed as can be. Next time I'll bring along a recording device for all those nights that she finds me in the office, saying she can't sleep. "Well have I got the perfect solution for you..."
But, as always, I'm getting off the point.
She suggested that this year, for my "New Year's Resolution," that I should dedicate myself to writing more. But not just more: every day. With her checking e-mails and facebook every night, I have the perfect accountabilibuddy to make sure that I'm keeping pace. I agreed. Writing more never killed anybody apart from a handful of our founding fathers and biblical heroes, right?
And then, on a related note, I heard that one of the best ways to make sure you keep your resolutions is not to set an alarm, tell all your friends, or set up punishments for yourself, but to start now. As in right now. The moment that you think of it. So, here I am, not in the moment but in the mindset, writing. I'm not giving up. I'm not standing idly by. I'm active. I'm thinking. I'm... resolute.
I know that I probably won't be able to write every single day. Odds are, somewhere along the way, I'll be away from a computer for a full 24 hours. In today's day and age, though, that's becoming a slimmer and slimmer possibility. A more likely scenario is that, in these first few days and weeks, I'll be reminded by my ever-loving wife that I still have something to do before bed in addition to brushing my teeth and tucking her in, and I'll spend the wee hours of the night trying to think of something interesting and insightful and ingenious. I work best under pressure. Hopefully all this will teach me to work best period. We'll see. Keep watching. I'll be here.
I'll start by saying that I could never have dreamed of a better wife. Meghan is beautiful, intelligent, caring, thoughtful, considerate, loving, funny, adorable, and strong. She's the kind of woman I hope to be some day.
On our way home from Christmas with my family up in the North Georgia mountains, she managed to stay awake for all of the drive but about 30 minutes just after downtown Atlanta. It has to be some kind of record. Usually, once that constant road vibration starts, it turns the car into the perfect place to nap. Not unlike waves gently lapping at the shore or the songs of crickets keeping you company on a starry, country night, the soothing sounds of I-75 make her as relaxed as can be. Next time I'll bring along a recording device for all those nights that she finds me in the office, saying she can't sleep. "Well have I got the perfect solution for you..."
But, as always, I'm getting off the point.
She suggested that this year, for my "New Year's Resolution," that I should dedicate myself to writing more. But not just more: every day. With her checking e-mails and facebook every night, I have the perfect accountabilibuddy to make sure that I'm keeping pace. I agreed. Writing more never killed anybody apart from a handful of our founding fathers and biblical heroes, right?
And then, on a related note, I heard that one of the best ways to make sure you keep your resolutions is not to set an alarm, tell all your friends, or set up punishments for yourself, but to start now. As in right now. The moment that you think of it. So, here I am, not in the moment but in the mindset, writing. I'm not giving up. I'm not standing idly by. I'm active. I'm thinking. I'm... resolute.
I know that I probably won't be able to write every single day. Odds are, somewhere along the way, I'll be away from a computer for a full 24 hours. In today's day and age, though, that's becoming a slimmer and slimmer possibility. A more likely scenario is that, in these first few days and weeks, I'll be reminded by my ever-loving wife that I still have something to do before bed in addition to brushing my teeth and tucking her in, and I'll spend the wee hours of the night trying to think of something interesting and insightful and ingenious. I work best under pressure. Hopefully all this will teach me to work best period. We'll see. Keep watching. I'll be here.
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