Its rare that i get enough time to think this much about the world i live in. I must say i do love many things about it. My friends, my family, my daughter and my girlfriend and the experiences i have had over the years and the people i have met. The main story of this post is the world i live in and how growing up makes you forget about the little things in life everyday that you or I take for granted. Sometimes as you get older you get caught up with your job and the stress of everyday life that it affects the way you live. Your attitude and outlook and overall health.
Its easy to let your job take over your life especially when it is such a big part. But me......
I get overwhelmed with my job and it effects the way i spend time with my girlfriend and my daughter. I always enjoy the time we spend together but wish i had more. Really id like to be more positive about my job and what i do but i really see it as just a job. I don't see a promising future in it (in Virginia) but right now but it is the best way for me to provide a living for myself. It definitely not what i thought i would be doing considering my hobbies now and what i loved to do growing up.
Most of these hobbies have taken a back seat to my grown up world. I would love to be doing something else i enjoy (for a living) and am always thinking of new ways to make this reality. Its seems the more and more i think about it, it seems to be more and more just a dream. I have been thinking more about this today as I've been watching a show called car crazy. The show i have watched many times before bc i love cars. Simple and plain. In the last four years the actual hands on love for this hobby of cars has taken a back seat to my lack of funds and more or less poor planning. Cars have always been a love of mine and are to this day. My first, second and third car were hobbies of mine i had tinkered with them and enjoyed doing it. Lately Ive been wanting to get back to this love and try to make it possibly a side job with the possibility of being a way out of Virginia construction. I need to take this more seriously and use better planning to improve my attitude on day to day living. It may take longer than id like but right now i don't really have much to lose!
Another hobby that has been lost to growing up and my job ( i believe) is skateboarding. Something that has always been a part of my life and the reason i am friends with a lot of people i know. Being that the last couple of years i have been working further and further away from home i have had less free time to do it. And as people get older not all of my friends still skate or have the time either. It is nice every once in a while to roll around and get a little exercise. I'm getting a little gut seeing as the most exercise I've gotten lately is getting up and down the backhoe at work. Its not as fun either! This is something that i miss and wish i had more time to do. I could do it if i didn't work so much and worked a lot closer to home also. It would get me back to doing the things i love and improve my outlook and positivity on my life.
I know that getting older i have to make some sacrifices growing up but at the same time i want to being everything possible to avoid this. I want to be doing things I want to do not bc i have to. I want to do fun things not boring and worthless things!! I'm looking to the future to change the things i dislike about my life and spend more time getting back to doing the things i enjoy and spending more time with the people i love! Fuck a boring life you only live once you might as well like it!
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Better late than never
So a couple of months ago when the girl had said she wanted to visit her parents close to Panama City i said i would tag along. But if i was gonna tag along i had to make a couple other stops in other cities i had never been. I figured this would probably be my best chance to visit and besides what's a five hour ride out of the way? The cities im talking about are ATL and NOLA (For all of you that dont know Atlanta and New Orleans).
First things first Atlanta. Never in my life had i been to ATL but wanted to go for....(for those who really know me) for The New Era Flagship store. This was the last and final New Era store i had not been to. I have now been to all four North America stores (NYC, Toronto, Buffalo and Atlanta) and have only the europeans stores left! All the stores are cool and this one was no different. Had some stuff that id like to go back and get but it was good to see and visit and if your in the Atlanta area a must visit.
New Era Cap Co Inc
117 Luckie St NW
Atlanta, GA 30303-2146
(404) 584-0151
Also did some shopping in Atlanta at Wish in Little five points. Cool store, a lot of shoes and nice cloths. Spent a little and looked a little. Found one pair of shoes i was looking for and couldn't find another. Hung out with Sheena's friends sat night and sunday too. Cool people and fun. Thanks for letting us stay at your place too!
Over all Atlanta was cool. I wasnt blown away but it was good to check out. Wont be running back anytime soon (i think) but again good to see.
After spending the weekend in Atlanta we made a four hour drive south to Marianna FL to visit her parents. This was a little town not far from Georgia nor Alabama. But the closest real landmark that anybody would know is Panama City. It was about a hour away. She got to spend time with the peeps and i got to chill out and drink beer. We went to "town" and looked around and visited her Grandma in Alabama and her Uncle in Panama. Wasnt too much going on in FL but the end of the week the two of us got to get away and went to the beach to kick it alone! No oil no fuct up beach looked as good as new! It was relaxing there was a bunch of people out surfing and people just kicking it. We did go swimming and walked the pier. Ate lunch a Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville (pretty gay but beach front) for lunch and then headed back to the peeps house for the last night before we headed to New Orleans.
So the friday morning we woke up early to make the drive to New Orleans. Its was a little more than a four hour drive west from Florida. The drive was boring!!!!!!!!!! Two lanes no turns nothing to look at just tree's. But when we got to New Orleans it was good to be back in a big city. I had no idea of what to expect or any pre-conceived notions of New Orleans. But as we pulled into town it seemed to be just like any other big american city but it wasn't. There was the French Quarter which made New Orleans seem like a whole different country. The buildings, the architecture and the people made you think you were in another world. Sure once you were out of the quarter it WAS like any other american city some good some bad but it is what it is.
The first place we went was to the hotel as we had been driving for a while and wanted to get out of the car and see where we were at. We get off the highway and take a slight detour (planned) and we seeeee.......
This Bansky wall stick up. The guy does some pretty cool shit all over. If you never heard of him check it out, www.banksy.co.uk/ Had got another shot of his other work but the girlfriend has them in her camera or her blog. Ill try to get them too.
So we find the hotel easy. It was in the french quarter, a little hotel rooms weren't huge but for the location and price you couldn't go wrong. The hotel and every other place in the french quarter had a nice courtyard and a pool to hang at which was nice. After we checked in we walked around to see what was around. We ended up doing a ghost tour that night. Sheena was talking about it before we went so it was a must do. It was a lot better than i expected. It gave you a good history of the town and what has gone on in the place that you stand. Some weird and creepy shit has gone on in NOLA. That was the end of the night. Plus in NOLA u can drink anywhere!!!! So I was done by the end of tour.
We were only in NOLA for just Fri and Sat so Sat Morning we woke up and drove around to check some other shit out and too see the real New Orleans and not just the french quarter. Nothing was poping but what do we know. So after the drive we went back to the Hotel and went swimming in the pool before dinner. For dinner i had made reservations at a nice resturant so we could eat a nice dinner. N fuck that food was good. Resturant was nice and id do it all over again. After dinner we had planned to goto the Casino and spend the rest of the night playing some slots (her shit) and video poker. We did that for a while didnt really win or lose. But i did get NNNice. Kinda regreted it the next morning when i had to drive 6+ hours from New Orleans to Atlanta with a killer hang over. But we made it.
Didnt take a butt load of pics but definaty a cool town! All in all another successful road trip!
First things first Atlanta. Never in my life had i been to ATL but wanted to go for....(for those who really know me) for The New Era Flagship store. This was the last and final New Era store i had not been to. I have now been to all four North America stores (NYC, Toronto, Buffalo and Atlanta) and have only the europeans stores left! All the stores are cool and this one was no different. Had some stuff that id like to go back and get but it was good to see and visit and if your in the Atlanta area a must visit.
New Era Cap Co Inc
117 Luckie St NW
Atlanta, GA 30303-2146
(404) 584-0151
Also did some shopping in Atlanta at Wish in Little five points. Cool store, a lot of shoes and nice cloths. Spent a little and looked a little. Found one pair of shoes i was looking for and couldn't find another. Hung out with Sheena's friends sat night and sunday too. Cool people and fun. Thanks for letting us stay at your place too!
Over all Atlanta was cool. I wasnt blown away but it was good to check out. Wont be running back anytime soon (i think) but again good to see.
After spending the weekend in Atlanta we made a four hour drive south to Marianna FL to visit her parents. This was a little town not far from Georgia nor Alabama. But the closest real landmark that anybody would know is Panama City. It was about a hour away. She got to spend time with the peeps and i got to chill out and drink beer. We went to "town" and looked around and visited her Grandma in Alabama and her Uncle in Panama. Wasnt too much going on in FL but the end of the week the two of us got to get away and went to the beach to kick it alone! No oil no fuct up beach looked as good as new! It was relaxing there was a bunch of people out surfing and people just kicking it. We did go swimming and walked the pier. Ate lunch a Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville (pretty gay but beach front) for lunch and then headed back to the peeps house for the last night before we headed to New Orleans.
So the friday morning we woke up early to make the drive to New Orleans. Its was a little more than a four hour drive west from Florida. The drive was boring!!!!!!!!!! Two lanes no turns nothing to look at just tree's. But when we got to New Orleans it was good to be back in a big city. I had no idea of what to expect or any pre-conceived notions of New Orleans. But as we pulled into town it seemed to be just like any other big american city but it wasn't. There was the French Quarter which made New Orleans seem like a whole different country. The buildings, the architecture and the people made you think you were in another world. Sure once you were out of the quarter it WAS like any other american city some good some bad but it is what it is.
The first place we went was to the hotel as we had been driving for a while and wanted to get out of the car and see where we were at. We get off the highway and take a slight detour (planned) and we seeeee.......
This Bansky wall stick up. The guy does some pretty cool shit all over. If you never heard of him check it out, www.banksy.co.uk/ Had got another shot of his other work but the girlfriend has them in her camera or her blog. Ill try to get them too.
So we find the hotel easy. It was in the french quarter, a little hotel rooms weren't huge but for the location and price you couldn't go wrong. The hotel and every other place in the french quarter had a nice courtyard and a pool to hang at which was nice. After we checked in we walked around to see what was around. We ended up doing a ghost tour that night. Sheena was talking about it before we went so it was a must do. It was a lot better than i expected. It gave you a good history of the town and what has gone on in the place that you stand. Some weird and creepy shit has gone on in NOLA. That was the end of the night. Plus in NOLA u can drink anywhere!!!! So I was done by the end of tour.
We were only in NOLA for just Fri and Sat so Sat Morning we woke up and drove around to check some other shit out and too see the real New Orleans and not just the french quarter. Nothing was poping but what do we know. So after the drive we went back to the Hotel and went swimming in the pool before dinner. For dinner i had made reservations at a nice resturant so we could eat a nice dinner. N fuck that food was good. Resturant was nice and id do it all over again. After dinner we had planned to goto the Casino and spend the rest of the night playing some slots (her shit) and video poker. We did that for a while didnt really win or lose. But i did get NNNice. Kinda regreted it the next morning when i had to drive 6+ hours from New Orleans to Atlanta with a killer hang over. But we made it.
Didnt take a butt load of pics but definaty a cool town! All in all another successful road trip!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Do Yourself a Favor!
Last weekend i was up in NY helping someone more home to VA. On the way home i couldn't resist the taste's of Phila PA and had to stop. Usually im all about Tony Luke's and stop there at night on the way through but it was sunday and i had to stop else where. So as i make my way through West philly i make my stop at Koch's Deli.
Koch's is a small deli located in West Philly. It has been a staple of the neighborhood for sometime now. Its popularity was made popular by being soo close to University of Pennsylvannia. When i had moved to Phila in 2000 i had stummbled upon this local spot as i only live half a block away. For a long time it was run by the Koch family but after Bobby's death in 2005 i believe it was sold. But not much has changed! Cold cuts still get passed out in line. The new owner is just as nice as Bob was to the customers and the place still makes a MEAN hoagie. So do yourself a favor an next time your in Philly stop by Koch's Deli and pic up one of the best sandwiches you will ever taste!
Koch's Deli4309 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
ph: 215-222-8662
fax: 215-222-2434
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Part Deux
and....... i left off leaving the Brugal rum factory. Next stop was a old fort that was used to defend Puerta plata against..... everyone who tried i guess. I couldn't not tell you the exact time of construction or whom it was used to defend against either but it was cool to visit and to check out. There was a display case with old machete's and hammers. Also had a great view of the port which it was built to defend. On the way out we had gotten some funny pics with some dude and his donkey! My girl has those on her blog you'd have to look at them there. Leaving the fort our last stop was the city square and cathedral.
After a brief detour we ended up at the city square. It was really clean and really nice. There was surprisingly no one around. We walked around the square, hung out and took a few pics. That was probably the only place into to skate.... that i seen.
Well as good as any church can be this church was about as good as it can be (to me). It was nothing crazy out of the ordinary. Some of locals where in there doing there thing/praying, lighting candles and what not. it had some really nice stain glass window that where done somewhere in NY and shipped to DR. All and all really nice and a relaxing place to visit.
This tour took us all over Puerta Plata and showed us the side of the city that so few on vacation are willing or wanting to see. All and all this tour lasted about 9 hours or more and was def worth the $50 fee. I was more than happy with the tour and would recommend it to anyone. The guide Pedro was cool and knew his shit. Thanks Pedro!
The rest of the trip was spent chilln with homegirlon the beach just relaxing. Thursday night we did go to a resort/casino organized broadway type show. The show was jokes. The main dude in the show look like Count-Chocula (sorry no pics)! And a lot of them girls would give Beyonce a run for her money! After that we did a little gambling at the casino. The girl did ok on the slots and i procedded to drop money on the poker table i had no business at.
The trip was worth the wait and the money I'd do it all over again but not for a couple years.
After a brief detour we ended up at the city square. It was really clean and really nice. There was surprisingly no one around. We walked around the square, hung out and took a few pics. That was probably the only place into to skate.... that i seen.
Well as good as any church can be this church was about as good as it can be (to me). It was nothing crazy out of the ordinary. Some of locals where in there doing there thing/praying, lighting candles and what not. it had some really nice stain glass window that where done somewhere in NY and shipped to DR. All and all really nice and a relaxing place to visit.
This tour took us all over Puerta Plata and showed us the side of the city that so few on vacation are willing or wanting to see. All and all this tour lasted about 9 hours or more and was def worth the $50 fee. I was more than happy with the tour and would recommend it to anyone. The guide Pedro was cool and knew his shit. Thanks Pedro!
The rest of the trip was spent chilln with homegirlon the beach just relaxing. Thursday night we did go to a resort/casino organized broadway type show. The show was jokes. The main dude in the show look like Count-Chocula (sorry no pics)! And a lot of them girls would give Beyonce a run for her money! After that we did a little gambling at the casino. The girl did ok on the slots and i procedded to drop money on the poker table i had no business at.
The trip was worth the wait and the money I'd do it all over again but not for a couple years.
Monday, May 10, 2010
First Time (pt 1)
After months and months of talking, planning and looking we had finally booked our first out of country trip to the Dominican Republic. It was recommended by a friend or mostly i wanted to go after seeing pics of his vacation to DR last year (and Corona commercials). But enuff bs ... my trip my words, here it is
So i had been waiting for a real deal vacation to a place i have never been as usually most of my vacations are to places i have already been, Toronto, NYC, Phila etc........ This one had a different feel all around from the get go I must say. So two Sunday's ago i had hopped on a plane to the Caribbean.
When i get there it looks as i expected, bright blue waters, palm tree's and booze! First stop in the airport to buy a tourist card...? Tourist card you may ask? Its a card that they require all visitors to DR to purchase before you get to customs (but there is more). After you buy the card, you can take a shot then proceed to the next booth where you hand the card to the guy and ............he tosses it in the trash! Yes the trash! Fucking Bull Shit but gots to do it.
Then after the customs guy is done trying to swindle me for tips i head out side to find our ride to the resort.
Once in the bus we get out to the main roads. After a while i start to notice that nobody gives a shit about the yellow line or any other normal ( to us) road laws period. Passing into on-coming traffic, people riding three deep on mopeds/dirt bikes (even 3 year old) helmet less and the pick up slammed full of people (at least 15) cruising down the roads. Shit was jokes to see. But i will say one thing they can drive way better than half of the Americans on the roads today (u know who u are!!!). A little risky but effective.
Get to the Resort and we have to wait for our room so we wonder the resort checking shit out, seeing what the deal is. We get the room and the drinking begins! (I did get drunk a few nights but no fights, blowing chunks or other wise normal drinking activities) The room was definitely nice not too big not too small. The first and second day was me and Sheena jus kicking it around the resort, laying on the beach but the next day we went on a city tour set up by the resort.
The city tour seemed like the best way to see what the Dominican was really about. Not all that postcard shit that everybody always sees. But what it is really like around the city of Puerta Plata.
The tour was a all day janke that first took us to a cable car ride to a botanical garden named after the couple that Christopher Columbus meet when he came to the island. The garden was on top of the mountain over looking the entire town, it also included a little rub off of Rio De Janeiro with a giant Jesus statue a top the hill looking down. The cable car tour also include of the guide trying to skeeze up on my girl!.... fucking bastard!
After the cable car he took us to a couple of little local shop that relate to the islands economy... i.e. cigar factory and jewelry shop. They were kinda cool, but the Dominicans try to sell you shit like nobodies biz, and after a while it gets old. Cigar spot was nice grab's a lil box to to fuck off with nothing high dollar and nothing out of control. They asked me if i wanted to try to roll one and i told him i had plenty of experience doing that let one of the others get at it! Right after that he took us to one of his little local lunch spots for a taste of real island food (at the resort they try to make food from other cultures.... n you know how that goes). This food was much better than the resorts and was probably the best meal of the trip. And they had a monkey in a cage! Muthafucker was crazy as shit!!!!! He wasn't diggin that cage at all!!! He's hard to see but its a monkey.... at a restaurant !!!! Awesome!!!!
The spot that was of biggest interest to me was...... The Rum factory! Yes i was soo looking forward to this part! Little did i know it was a short video and a bunch of warehouse workers staring a my girl. But i did get a bunch of free shots and cheap rum so it worked out.
Once i got my drink on we were off to see the city center and church and the fort on the water....... to be continued
So i had been waiting for a real deal vacation to a place i have never been as usually most of my vacations are to places i have already been, Toronto, NYC, Phila etc........ This one had a different feel all around from the get go I must say. So two Sunday's ago i had hopped on a plane to the Caribbean.
When i get there it looks as i expected, bright blue waters, palm tree's and booze! First stop in the airport to buy a tourist card...? Tourist card you may ask? Its a card that they require all visitors to DR to purchase before you get to customs (but there is more). After you buy the card, you can take a shot then proceed to the next booth where you hand the card to the guy and ............he tosses it in the trash! Yes the trash! Fucking Bull Shit but gots to do it.
Then after the customs guy is done trying to swindle me for tips i head out side to find our ride to the resort.
Once in the bus we get out to the main roads. After a while i start to notice that nobody gives a shit about the yellow line or any other normal ( to us) road laws period. Passing into on-coming traffic, people riding three deep on mopeds/dirt bikes (even 3 year old) helmet less and the pick up slammed full of people (at least 15) cruising down the roads. Shit was jokes to see. But i will say one thing they can drive way better than half of the Americans on the roads today (u know who u are!!!). A little risky but effective.
Get to the Resort and we have to wait for our room so we wonder the resort checking shit out, seeing what the deal is. We get the room and the drinking begins! (I did get drunk a few nights but no fights, blowing chunks or other wise normal drinking activities) The room was definitely nice not too big not too small. The first and second day was me and Sheena jus kicking it around the resort, laying on the beach but the next day we went on a city tour set up by the resort.
The city tour seemed like the best way to see what the Dominican was really about. Not all that postcard shit that everybody always sees. But what it is really like around the city of Puerta Plata.
The tour was a all day janke that first took us to a cable car ride to a botanical garden named after the couple that Christopher Columbus meet when he came to the island. The garden was on top of the mountain over looking the entire town, it also included a little rub off of Rio De Janeiro with a giant Jesus statue a top the hill looking down. The cable car tour also include of the guide trying to skeeze up on my girl!.... fucking bastard!
After the cable car he took us to a couple of little local shop that relate to the islands economy... i.e. cigar factory and jewelry shop. They were kinda cool, but the Dominicans try to sell you shit like nobodies biz, and after a while it gets old. Cigar spot was nice grab's a lil box to to fuck off with nothing high dollar and nothing out of control. They asked me if i wanted to try to roll one and i told him i had plenty of experience doing that let one of the others get at it! Right after that he took us to one of his little local lunch spots for a taste of real island food (at the resort they try to make food from other cultures.... n you know how that goes). This food was much better than the resorts and was probably the best meal of the trip. And they had a monkey in a cage! Muthafucker was crazy as shit!!!!! He wasn't diggin that cage at all!!! He's hard to see but its a monkey.... at a restaurant !!!! Awesome!!!!
The spot that was of biggest interest to me was...... The Rum factory! Yes i was soo looking forward to this part! Little did i know it was a short video and a bunch of warehouse workers staring a my girl. But i did get a bunch of free shots and cheap rum so it worked out.
Once i got my drink on we were off to see the city center and church and the fort on the water....... to be continued
Friday, March 12, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Only Appropriate
So I've always been a fan of import cars (esp Toyota/Lexus) for the dependability and fine craftsmanship. Which leads me to the first post of the new year. In this clip .... well just watch it will leave you speechless.
It is only appropriate that the first post is a car related topic...
It is only appropriate that the first post is a car related topic...
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