Christmas Campin'!

-Christmas has come and gone. This was one of my favorite ones in recent history. I didn't have a lot of money this year and I think that helped. I didn't put a lot into gifts and worrying if I was keeping up with everyone.
I was kind of concerned about the gifts I got my boys that is until they opened them. I got them little indoor remote control helicopters and a $15 dollar gift card for iTunes. I was thinking just up to the reveal that it was a little childish to give 28-29 year old guys toys but they both loved it.


- We all go on our annual boys camping trip this week, actually we go tomorrow, and I can't wait. We usually have John, Adam, Myself, and Joe go but this year we add two more to the group, our buddies Scott ("Conrad"), and Doug ("The Doug"). Joe can't make it this year, he has to work...maybe next year? Ill have photos to soon. But for now I gots to pack.

UPDATE!

So I know its been a few since the last post. Sorry about that. It is not lack of stuff to write about I know that fo sho. Lets begin:

Oct 27: SHE SAID YES!!!
I asked my special lady-friend to be my special lady-wife and she accepted. I did it on the Queen Mary here in the wonderful city of Long Beach. Now the fun begins with planning this party. Any ideas please e-mail me.

Nov 10: 10 YEARS!!! 10!!
I went to my 10 year reunion and there was only about 40 people there. It was sad. But the meal was great! I saw my high school sweetheart and met her husband of 10 years. I thought it would be a little more weird then it was. It was great to hang out and talk about old times. I left early and met up with a group of old high school friends that was hanging outside the reunion at the hotel bar. We went to the Alud Dubliner and then to a neighborhood hangout that we all frequent, Tracey's.

Nov 18: TODAY!
I realized yesterday that the places we were looking at for wedding/reception sites were way out of the budget. Dropping $40k for a 6 hour show is outrageous and I cant see why or how people get away with some of the charges they charge. Example, $20 cork fee. This is a $20 charge just to open a bottle of wine, 5 bottles you got $100 right there. Cake Cutting fee, the average for this is around $5 per slice! Whoever you hire to cater the event charges you $5 a slice to cut it out and deliver the slice to whomever is going to eat it. Chair Covers, don't get me started...$5-7 per cover, per chair just so you cant see the chair.
We've looked at around 6 places and everyone puts the cost for the wedding and reception around $25,000. This is without, photography, D.J., cake, rehearsal dinner, hotel rooms for out of town guests, tux, groomsmen and bridesmaids gifts, and honeymoon.
I know that you cant put a price on love, but give a brotha a chance!

Until Next Year...(Shit!)

So, today the Angels got hammered by the red sox 9-1, killing the Halo's season and hopes for another World Series title. I am upset. The way I see it they owe me. They owe me and all the Halo Faithful that spent their hard earned money at the Big A this season. I am an upset customer of the product that has been dished to me.
2 outs, runners on second and third, Vlad comes to bat. What sucks is that Anderson left the game due to a pink-eye attack and Willits now bats in his spot, behind Vlad. 4 balls to Vlad, Willits up and he pops out to the catcher. In this moment I would have given back all the foam fingers, ice cream helmets, pennants, t-shirts and whatever else I have bought over the last 20 plus years for another hitter. I don't want to be an armchair quarterback here but if someone in the front office didn't realize at that point that we needed another basher to back up Vlad then I don't know what the hell is going on and I don't know if I can take another year of this. Someone please, please, pull the trigger and get someone that will help, and damnit, not another washed up, over the hill former super-star. I would love to see A-Rod for example playing third base next season. I would rather not make the playoff then make it just to be embarrassed in the playoffs on national TV...again.

4-0, 9 hits...W.T.F.? What happend to this Big John? That's what I want to know.

We're There!!

Ok, ok, maybe it's not this big of a deal...but it's not your blog and I'm excited! THE ANGELS WON THE WEST!!!
It was a beauty of a day at Angel Stadium, and from where I was sitting (upper view right behind home) I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else to watch my beloved Halos win the American League Western Division.
Bring it on Tribe, Sox, or Yanks! I'M WATCHIN' YOU!!!

SPLIT AT BIRTH!!!

From The Ashes!!

I start school tomorrow. It’s my third go-round at college and should be my last. I just transferred from National University to University of Phoenix where every time I call with a question about something it’s not like calling the cable company. This morning I got a call from them and it was two people on the phone at the same time! I talked to Kate, my Academic Counselor, and Debi, my Finance Officer. Good people.

My first class is an intro class that I guess even if you’re going for your Doctoral you have to take. It basically is a class that helps you get to know the system that UP uses and how to write all the papers (they only accept APA format).

But, I am looking forward to one day becoming the first Burroughs with a college degree and I can’t wait just to get this over with. I know, bad attitude coming in, but school was never my thing. I just know that in order to go anywhere in life I need it, so I will take a bite.

Back Home...

I find myself home 10 days early. My dad and I drove straight home on Sunday from Portland because my dear mom was feeling ill. As some of you know (or don't) my mom had a double bypass about 25 years ago and sometimes the ol' ticker still acts up on her. Dad and I made a decision to high-tail it home in time for her Dr. Appointment, cutting the trip in more than half. I will inform you that yesterday she went in for test and all came back "all good", and yes, that is the way the doctor said it.

Final Numbers:
Miles:....................... 2,513.
Days:........................ 7.
Baseball Games:..... 2.
Cash:........................ $300.

Obviously my most disappointing stat is the amount of games that we saw. We had two plans for coming home. The first was hitting up Reno to watch the Silversox, and then possibly Vegas, then Phoenix. The other was to come back on I-5 and hit all the minor league towns on the way home.

All in all I guess it was a good trip. It was great to spend time with my dad and see some family. By the way for those who were wondering, I did in fact call Mike “Bill Brasky” Burns when I was in the greater Portland area. I had four tickets to the Portland Beavers game and we were set to go Sunday before knowing about my mom.

Strike One...(Day One)

We pulled into San Francisco this afternoon and realized that there was no way that we were going to be able to get inside AT&T Park even though I had tickets. Apparently some guy is going for a record or something and there isn't a parking spot from here to San Jose, not under $30 that is. Yes, you read that right. $30! John and I thought Dodger Stadium was bad at $15. Good thing my Paw and I didn't drive a motor home because it would have been $50.
Like I said before, I paid $30 for the pair of tickets and as we were driving out of the stadium a guy on the street asked if we had any extra tickets that we wanted to get rid of. I flashed him a “deuce” sign and he came up to the car window.

“Whatta ya got?” He asked.

“Standing room” I answered quick and to the point with as much street ooze as I could muster up.

“Mmmm. There going for about $35 out here. Whatchu want for em?”

“$70 then. “ I said. Thinking to myself that this guy is not the brightest crayon in the box if he’s telling me what they’re selling at, but then again they could have been going for $70 apiece and I wouldn’t have known.

“Common man, I got to make some money out here… $40 for the two.” He comes back with.

“$60.” I say…Hey, I hold the tickets!

“$50.”

“Sure, $50.”

To steal a line from… someone, “Straight cash, homie!”

I didn’t double my booty, but it’s a needed nice meal on the trip. Tomorrow we ride to Portland, get a good night sleep, and we have a night game Tuesday in Seattle. I’ll keep you up to date.

Durham, Don't You Owe Me Money?

Damnit Ray Durham!! This guy has no idea about what it's like to be a team player! Saturday night's game on the line, bottom of the 9th, 1 out, and the winning run on 3rd WITH BONDS ON DECK and he's swinging away (He hit a long fly ball to win it.)!? Sonofabitch!

I have tickets to Sunday's game and I want to do one of two things: If Bonds had hit 755 tonight (Saturday), I would have sold the tickets. I paid $15 and from what I can tell eBay has the tickets for Sunday's game selling anywhere from double all the way to exchanging your first born son to get a pair. But, because of Ray and his selfish act of putting the team before Barry, it looks like I will have to go with the second choice and that is going to the game and standing out in right field hoping that I see (catch??) 755 and maybe, if I'm lucky, 756.

Road Trip!!

Sorry it's been so long. I know that all of you have been just holding your breath every time you click on the the bookmark that leads to my blog in hopes that a new post will pop up, well you got it...breath.

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The old man and I are hitting the open highway on Sunday and taking a much needed man-trip to watch baseball games all over the west. On the docket so far is Sunday(7-29) we wake up early and hit San Fran to watch the Giants and the Marlins play at AT&T Park, one of the premier ballparks in the Majors. We will be staying with my boy Adam and his lovely wife in San Jose Sunday night before waking up with the chickens again and saddling up to hit the I-5 all the way to Seattle where we will watch my beloved Halo's do battle with the Mariners at Safeco Field, another one of M.L.B.'s nicest places to play, on August 1st! GO HALO'S!!

The third ballgame we are going to hit up will be the Portland Beavers. For those who don't know, yes Portland Oregon, they are the Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres.

In the greater Portland area I have family so there will be about 4-5 days of just messing around, BBQ's and whatnot before hitting the road again. I would love to try and go to Reno, Vegas, and Phoenix to catch a Dimonbacks game...I just know if we will have the time!

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Speaking of Phoenix, I just transferred to the University of Phoenix. Reason being I was promised a starting position and a higher meal stipend, hey, I go where the money is. Good bye National. First class August 21st!!

I Love The Internet!!

I just ordered a pizza...off the Internet. I don't know what else mankind can think of. We have invented the wheel, been to the Moon, and now we can order a pizza off the Internet. Game over.

BING!

My plan for becoming a wealthy man without much work is beginning to take effect. My girlfriend got a healthy raise today at her job...so I got that going for me, which is nice. I'm proud of her though. She's getting her masters in Marriage and Family Counseling and has only about six classes left...Smell that? MMMMMmmmm, Angels season tickets!!

And Another Thing...

This past weekend (April 28-29) I saw one of my best friends, Adam, and his lovely wife up in San Francisco where my special Ladyfriend and I went for the weekend to see one of her old college roommates. We went to an Italian place that was wedged between a "massage" parlor and a sex shop. Oh, and across the street was the "House of Ecstasy" and right next to that was Larry Flint's "Hustler Club" that had a neon flashing girl that was naked and red all over. Adam happen to notice that the admission was free that night...of all the people.

The food at the Italian place was great, wine was great, and the conversation with good friends was a "happy ending" that all of us enjoyed. I felt kind of sad that Adam had to drive from San Jose just for dinner but none the less it is always wonderful to see him.

One of my other best friends, (yeah i have 3 best friends, I said it!) John, let me in on the fact that he was loosing his job in June. They used the classic "It's not you, it's me." excuse. Boy, if I had a buck for every time I heard that one... But I know John will bounce back. I think, and he agrees, that this is good for him. I think what he needs to work on is his writing. It's what he really wants to do with himself. Chase the dream!

Speaking of chase the dream, as mentioned before in my wish list, Scott "Conrad" Palcifer gets a run at his tomorrow at Long Beach City College where he will be trying out for the Long Beach Armada. Although I can't make it to watch him, it's where I really want to be.

My little wish list:

This weekend I found myself sitting on the couch just thinking. Nothing specific just a lot of little things that turned into a little wish list that I wanted to share.

• I wish Barry Bonds gets injured and never breaks Hank Aaron's home run record.

• I wish my friend Scott Pulcifer (AKA Conrad/Conradical) good luck a few weekends from now on his quest to quench his baseball thirst at the Long Beach Armada tryouts. You will do fine.

• I wish I had the health to tryout along side Scott.

• I wish that someone, somehow, could find a way to stop stupidity...it's beginning to run ramped in the streets.
  

• I wish I could have the drive to finish school. It just sucks.

• I wish that one day I can have another dog...I miss you Ben.

• I wish that every time I look in the mirror that my scalp wasn't so ever more visible (and it's not because of the haircut).

• I wish that one day the Angels learn how to beat the Red Sox and A's.
  

• I wish my old friend Joe would pick his head up out of the sand and show up somewhere.

Imus!...W.T.F?

• "Bitches ain't shit but hoe's and trick's. Lick on dee's nutz and suck the dick..."- Snoop Dogg, Multi-platinum Rap artist/Actor(?).

• "Nappy headed hoe's..."- Don Imus, Shock Jock.

Now, before anyone falls out of their chairs let me set the record here. I'm not defending Imus what so ever. My question is, why didn't anyone flip out when the song I mentioned previously was released by Snoop?

Where was Gloria Allred and all the Reverends? I find these lyrics much more disturbing then what Imus said for one reason: By a show of hands how many people knew who Don Imus was before last week? Okay. And how many have heard of Snoop Dogg? Yeeeeah.

The kids I know love the Rap. Hell, I used to listen to it. That was all I listened to in my early high school days. The kids sing these lyrics like they don't mean anything. They don't see the hate behind the words. Rap has had racist and sexist lyrics for years. Remember the Ice Cube classic "Cave Bitch"off of the Lethal Injection album? It's a song where Ice Cube rips on white women that pursue successful black men.

I have watched black stand up comics on TV tell racist jokes about white people before and no one even looked the other way. I had a comic do almost a complete set right in front of me, using me as an example of how white people still "rule the country and won't give a nigga a break..." and calling me "masta" numerous times. I don't recall anyone calling the news stations or pulling me aside and suggesting that I should contact my local civil rights rep.

I just want to know where the one lane road came from? How is it almost acceptable for a black artist (music, comedy, or movies) to make racial comments and no one looks at it different but the second a white person says something racial the guys endorsements, professional career, and the way he is perceived in society is shattered? Your thoughts.

I Should Sue!

As many know I cut my own hair. I have for years. Just a simple buzz cut at 1/4 of an inch all the way around. I use clippers that have the guard that you clip on to determine how long you want your hair to be. Today I decide to clean the dome up a little. I get half way done and just as I'm making a pass that is right down the middle the guard pops off. "FUCK!" Now I'm at an 1/8th of an inch and I got to wear a hat so my scalp dosen't burn. Someone should pay!! Adam, any legal avenue I can take to make sure this never happens to me or any one else again?

Opening Day 2007

Here we go again! Yesterday the 2007 baseball season started. I wasn't too sure if I was ready for this season, but after a warm up during spring training and then sliding into my seat last night at the stadium with a cold beer, hot dogs, and good friends, I can't wait until October. Here's a few pictures from the evening:

Here's a view from my seat. (notice the heavenly rays of sun)


Here I am with beer 1 of...3?



It's a beaut, ain't it?

Conrad with his ice-cream helmet, Go Halo's!!!

Let's get a few more of these, eh boys? I'm not asking too much.

I don't know if I will have this on my headstone
or blow it up poster-size and hang it on my wall,
but it is a sobering reminder every time I leave
Angel Stadium that I want to come back.

Opening Day

OPENING DAY , SON!! and I got a ticket!! Conrad, John and myself will be at Angel Stadium this Monday night as the 2007 season begins. I cant wait.

Well so much for "writing practice". It's been almost a month since I last posted. I thought about it, I swear. Just nothing came up that warranted my posting it. We had spring training weekend and John has that on his blog. I don't want to just post stuff that I don't think anyone would care about.

I am on vacation for 3 weeks! Working at a year around school has never been better. I just wish I had a better boss and made more money... as I assume we would all want.

Over The Weekend.

It was a wonderful weekend and I was sorry to hear the alarm go off this morning at 6:00 am sharp. I wanted to throw it through the wall, but I knew my arm wouldn't let me do that without blacking out in pain...but then again, I would have technically been going back to sleep, so that would have been a good thing. Damn!
We had the daft on Saturday, also played a little wiffleball as well and did a little boozin' later on after a birthday dinner for Joe. Good times had by all.
3 DAYS UNTIL SPRING TRAINING.

Workin' For The Weekend!!

Today was, simply put,shitty. My saving grace was that I got a paycheck and it was Friday.
Saturday I hope will set the tone for next weekend which is a huge weekend. Tomorrow is "Draft Day" for the "Hats For Bats" fantasy baseball league I'm in with my boys. I get to have a homemade breakfast at Adam's with Joe there as well, plus we're all celebrating Joe's birthday that was on Thursday...Happy birthday buddy!!
As I said before, next weekend is the end of all weekends. No, it's not Monster Trucks or anything, this is bigger then any weekend before...well, since last year. I'm talking about SPRING TRAINING 2007! Tempe, AZ here we come!! That town doesn't even KNOW!! GO HALOS!! This is where the road to ANOTHER HALO WORLD SERIES begins. I can't begin to tell you how pumped I am about this. I'm already packed! I have a feeling the coming work week will in fact be the longest ever.
I'll let you know how the picks turn out.

So, this is me. Hi. Hello.
I told myself that I would never get a Myspace page so after long debate with myself, I decided to go with a blog. All of my buddies have them and, I was kind of feeling left out, plus I can use the writing practice.
I'm going to use this blog as kind of a random dump of my thoughts and things that come up within my life and of course your input is always welcome...call it free counseling if you will, not that I need it.
Ok. That's it for now.