So Long Summer

In order to send off summer right I decided to have a last day of summer BBQ and I couldn't have asked for a better day for it. I set up the TV outside, cooked some brisket overnight, and loaded up a cooler with homebrew so my four guests who showed up could sit outside and watching a couple football games and just enjoy one of the nicest day of the year. As the day went on I got calls from people who said they were going to be there, but couldn't make it at the last minute. The Bears played the Sunday night game and we had a few more guests (my roommate not included) show up in time for the start of that game. We watched them stink up the place as we finished off the three cases of beer that I had chilled. Although I didn't have the turnout that I expected, everyone who did show up had a good time.

Whoring Myself

About a week ago I got and email from my former rugby coach who made a fairly nice offer. I believe it was along the line of: 'Do you want to go to Aspen to play in the Ruggerfest tournament? And we will pay for you flight, hotel, and rental car and I'll buy you a steak dinner.' After getting a couple days off approved from my boss I was on a flight to Ruggerfest. I met up with some Austin players at the Denver airport and we headed off to Aspen. After feeling like I was in an episode of 'Flight of the Conchords' we arrived at the field. When we arrived, my Old Boys team was taking the field. Usually a strong team, they had only brought 7 players and 'borrowed' a rest of a team. I watched their game when I was greeted by my old coach. After catching up, we headed off to a bar to catch a World Cup game, but we denied by a full house. So we headed off to a restaurant with one server and one bartender. At dinner I learned a little about Aspen. First, the average home price in Aspen is around $4 million. And because of that Aspen doctors don't even live in Aspen, much less hourly workers, so the service is less than ideal. We enjoyed some slowly served beers and appetizers to later learn we were going to have a practice, as everyone seemed sober enough to give it a go. We went through a few dozen 'simple' calls and I was suppose to be all ready for the next day's three games. Then we headed back to our condo, it was nice place with a lodge feeling next to a stream and four bedrooms, two bathrooms, ten ruggers, and one guy who left his cot only once during the weekend. We rolled through our shortened Saturday games winning by fairly large margins and long breaks in between.

After our first day we were all set to face the Gentlemen of Aspen, who always seem to win their tournament as they seem to have enough players to field a fresh team for each game. So by the time for the finals they have a fresh team against a team that played three games the previous day. We headed back to our lodge to be greeted by an ice bath. After no more than 60 seconds, I decided that it would be best to cuddle up under a comforter and watch 'Heroes' on my laptop. We headed out for a team feed and I got my steak dinner. After picking up drinking supplies for the next night (Colorado does not allow liquor stores to sell on Sunday), we retired back to lodge for the evening where I watched a most interesting documentary about 'Deep Throat.' We woke up soar but geared to play. We gave Aspen their first test of the tourney with a hard fought game which we lead through the first 60 minutes, a missed tackle and penalty conversion later we held the second place trophy at our sides.

At this point, I started to make up for not drinking all weekend. I started with a slice of Domino's pizza, a six pack of New Belgian Trippel, and a couple of PBR and I was off. What exactly happened after that was a little hazy. I do know that I got lost trying to find the lodge, I stole a pumpkin, and I'm pretty sure that I walked into the wrong room when I did find the complex. The next day I was not feeling too well. Drinking an not eating is never a good idea. The Kiwis and I headed back to the Denver airport about nine hours before our flight. And if it were not for a delay I would have missed my flight, as we stopped in Vail where the Kiwis proceeded to run up a $250 tab at the Vail rugby bar, despite me not participating in the drinking as I felt like my life was ending. But on the plus side I did get to drive back to the airport. On the other hand it allowed the Kiwis to drink about a cases of beer, criticize my driving, get unreasonably loud, and even try to wrestle in the passenger seat. We arrived at the airport about 20 minutes before my flight was scheduled to take off, but thanks to an hour delay I made it back home.

Taking My Laundry for a Walk

Last night I threw my laundry into the washing machine and left it alone for as long as it usually takes to go through the cycle. But when I returned I found my clothes soaking wet with soap right where I left it on top of the pile. I closed the lid and the washing machine just kept clicking. I started to pull my clothes out and realized they were actually sitting in a pool. As I heaved them into my plastic laundry basket I started to notice the huge weight of my cumulative pile. What is one to do with a huge mound of soaking wet laundry? I dashed to Google to find the nearest coin launder. To my disappointment the nearest one was about a 15 minute walk away. So I loaded my extremely heavy laundry basket onto a dolly and headed off. I must have looked like a homeless person as I pushed a dripping wet basket full of clothes down the sidewalk wearing a swimming suit and a white Bears T-shirt leaving a trail of my path. I passed couples with their strollers and joggers with their dogs as I trekked on. I finally reached my destination and spent the 30 minute wash by taking a trip to my local YMCA to take a soak in the hot tub then headed back to launder to retrieve my slightly less weighty clothes to wheel back to my home dryer.

'Doomsday' Postponed

The Chicago Transit Authority has threatened 'Doomsday' several times in the little over two years I have depended on it for all my transportation needs. What exactly qualifies it as a 'doomsday?' Well first of all I would have to pay $9 more a month for my pass. Also there would be a few less express buses running. Oh, the horror! Sure, I don't think that it is fair to cut service and raise prices. But who would want to pay more for less? But fortunately I was recently informed that 'doomsday' was to be postponed temporary at least in an email that I received today. I learned "the temporary loan of $24 million provided by the State postpones these changes for less than two months.' I don't know exactly what the problem is but they must be having real problems if $24 million can only sustain you for 2 months, especially when they are undertaking a $530 million Brown Line expansion project. With that money they could hold off 'doomsday' for less than 22 months. I say just charge my the extra $9 a month and put an end to all the threats because frankly I'm tired of hearing about it.

iPod Resurrection

Nearly 3 months after my iPod was put through the washing machine, I found it on the floor behind the computer desk when I was trying to get to an outlet. I looked at it briefly and contemplated throwing it away. My mom suggested that I give it a chance since her phone ended up working after it went through the washing machine. I skeptically threw it in my bag and then forgot about it until yesterday. I found it in my bag and plugged it in. To my great surprise the red charging light came on. I couldn’t believe it until my computer started to read it. I unplugged it and tested it out and it seemed to work fine. I was very pleased, until I tried to turn down the volume and my eardrums almost started bleeding. I took it off my belt loop and tried once again to turn down the volume making sure I was pressing the right button and got the same result. I am glad my iPod survived despite face facing nearly impossible odds, but on the down side I will never be able to use it for gentle background music ever again.

Michael Jackson In Memorandum

During what is usually a carefree and enjoyable evening with the Chicago Beer Society, we took some time to toast the life of Michael Jackson. No, not the pop star but rather a much more normal individual. I'm talking about the beer critic and writer who last his battle with Parkinson's disease last week. This announcement was news to me as we were asked to raise our glasses. Michael Jackson is considered the most influential individual in the early days of the craft beer revolution. He wrote 'The World Guide to Beer' in 1977, when there were only approximately 40 breweries operating in the US. As one brewer said, 'His book was pivotal in the history of beer, because it was the first time that anyone had taken an academic approach to the culture of beer by looking at people's habits, traditions, how it tastes and the brewing styles.' Although I am only vaguely familiar with his writings, I found it interesting how some of the beer gurus in my beer society were touched by him. They went around the room and said a few words about what a passionate and positive person he was. They told stories about how he took time to be involved with a our local club, by judging a homebrew contest in which everyone was required to use a box of cereal in their beer. He even tried so hard to make a good food pairing for a AHA conference that many a hung over beer nerd was served cold poached catfish the following morning. But I think the nicest thing that was said about him involved his positive nature. He would refuse to downright rip upon anyone's attempt to create a great product. He also loved the authenic. They spoke of how he found beauty in old dirty breweries many Americans would find rank. He served as an inspiration to a couple of generation of beer drinkers so far and his influence will undoubtably be felt for numerous future generations.

(The picture is a cartoon of Michael Jackson in hell, where the only beer option is Miller Lite)

ODed

Walking home from m terrible Amtrak ride, I found someone who had an infinitely worse day. He was being wheeled out of his house in a body bag. At first I didn't really understand what was going on. From a distance I thought I was just seeing a couple of movers, but I found it odd the neighbors were watching. As I got closer I saw they were moving whatever it was onto a gurney. After I realized I had just seen a dead body, my first thought was it was an older person. But I was soon to learn this thought too was wrong after my downstairs neighbors got a text message from our police officer next door neighbor which read, 'our neighbor ODed.' So I guess it was a pretty young person. It was very strange to see something like that so close up, but when you do it really serves a reminder of how fragile we all are.

Amtrak verses Megabus

I went to visit my family this Labor Day weekend and made my plans only a few days in advance. First I booked a trip on the Megabus, a low cost express bus. I paid $21 for my ticket and it only took 5 hours and 15 minutes to make the trip with one stop. I slept, watched a movie on my computer and before I knew it we were there. But when I tried to book my return trip, all the good Megabus times were sold out. It was my fault for waiting too long but I was peeved that I missed out on the deal. I looked into flights, but at the time I really didn’t fell like spending $130 for a one way trip. So I searched the Amtrak website. I have had bad experiences with Amtrak, but decided to give it another chance. I booked a 4:30 am train that was scheduled to arrive at 10 am, because it was half the cost of the normal time trains and it was scheduled to be quicker. Here I am at 11:20 and really not even close to the city. I slept most of the morning waking up occasionally to check things out. We had to be stopped for at least an hour and a half because I woke up went back to sleep for a while and woke up again to discover that we had not moved at all. By the time I was done sleeping and realized where we were and how long it took to get there I was really discouraged. I think that this will be my last Amtrak trip. I gave it one more shot but all I learned is that my initial feelings were right, and I gave Amtrak its last chance.

Glory Days

I went to my college football team’s season opener this year and made a startling realization: I am getting old. As of next year I will not have played with any of the current players. All the seniors now were freshmen my senior year. After this season I will be truly removed from the program. I got kind of sad at this thought. I spent some time reflecting on my football career. I have not thought about it that much since I graduated, but watching the game reminded me of all the effort I put into it and how much I actually enjoyed playing. I try not to dwell on the past but it was thinking about how not knowing any players on the team will really isolate me from the team and make it difficult to look back. It’s like that chapter on my life will really be closed and any attempt to go back after this season will be truly backward looking.