This was my fourth and final day on vacation in Panama City Beach, Florida. The first three days were filled with fun, food, rest, and relaxation.
Unfortunately, this day started out in a rush. One minute I was watching "Good Morning America". Another minute I was watching the local weather report from ABC station WMBB-TV on possible tornadoes and severe weather.
Kelly and I were smart enough to get off of the backroads and get onto I-10 once we got going. We skipped a planned breakfast in order to get on the road. Once we got moving and evaded the severe weather (high winds, hard/sideways rain), we emerged onto I-10 and began our journey home.
Actually, we needed to get to grandma's house first. Kelly's mom took great care of Ben during our vacation. We discovered Panama City Beach for the first time and was glorious. It's a neat little town.
It will be remembered for the beach, food, drinks, sleep, putt-putt, and getting ready for Blake. Now, back on the road.
On the road, Kelly and I drove Northbound on FLA HWY 79 to get home. Along the way, we saw a lot of severe weather. We witnessed rain, hard rain, wood debris, sideways rain, and strong winds. I've never been scared of severe weather like that in my life.
Finally, we saw daylight. We saw some light at the end of the tunnel: I-10. We took I-10 to Tallahassee, Florida. Add Tallahassee to another city as a state capitol I've set foot in. On the freeway, I saw a billboard that advertised WHATABURGER off the freeway. Before we settled in on Whataburger, we listened to some classic Casey Kasem. We heard a 'this week in 1981' countdown of some of the Top 40 hits.
After I enjoyed my most delicious Bacon and cheese Whataburger with my wife, we trekked back on the road. We bypassed the temptation that was a Krispy Kreme Donut shop. We drove up U.S. 319 all the way from Tallahassee to Wrightsville, Georgia.
Along the way, we crossed GA300 (Georgia/Florida Highway), I-75 in Tifton, Georgia, and I-16 near Dublin, Georgia. We tried three times to get gas for the old Rogue. The third time was the charm. I remember the scene of the crowded gas station. It was so rainy and crowded as I recall. I think think it took at least three laps around the filling station.
For our sake and for the sake of other drivers, I filled up my tank quickly and I got out of the way. I parked in front of the store so other drivers could gas up and so that my wife could get into the car as nearly as dry as possible. I think that was a success. We drove off with some coffee, chips, and soda to complete our journey.
We continued on US 319 on our journey to Grandma's house. We went past I-16 in Dublin. I remember the 'familiars' like Longhorn Steakhouse and Cracker Barrell on our rides through Dublin. I've stopped inside that Longhorn a couple of times. We were excited to see Ben for the first time in a few days.
Once we passed through Wrightsville, Georgia, I recalled that as the hometown of Georgia Bulldog legend and 1982 Heisman Trophy Winner Herschel Walker. I felt like I was riding through history.
When we got to my mother-in-law's house, I couldn't believe how grown-up Ben looked. He was having so much fun climbing and running around. I was spinning something to the amusement of Ben. I think I spun Ben around in a chair as well. He was smiling and laughing in his chair. One of those pictures was my phone screensaver for a while.
We all stayed as long as we could until it was time to go home. Kelly and I had to go to work the next morning. Sun light turned into darkness on GA-15 on our way to I-20. We bypassed the Flying J in order to get home.
Ben slept like a champ the entire three hour drive from Davisboro to Acworth. I couldn't believe it. I was a proud papa. It did not hurt that we had the Big 80's on 8 Big 40 countdown from SiriusXM to keep us company. I don't recall any late night road construction in slowing us down one drop.
When we finally got home, I was relieved to finally walk inside our four walls of our dwelling. I was even excited to see my beloved cat Gandalf. I was excited to give my family hugs and kisses. I was really ready for Gandalf, or so I thought.
Once Ben and Kelly went to bed, I got ready to see my furbaby. Unfortunately, Gandalf didn't feel the same. He clawed and meowed his way right out of my heart and to the door leading to our garage.
I just wanted him to be good and sit on my lap. I was hoping to get some last minute TV watching in with my four-legged pal before I had to go to bed.Instead, he made me chase him around to the door. I got mad at him for no reason because of that. He was just being a cat. I tried to pull him away from the door, engage in feather toy play with him, and bribe him with treats to get him away from the door. Nothing worked. He still scratched.
I won't let Gandalf ruin the end of what was a very successful vacation. I'll always have fond memories of visiting Panama City for the first time. It was a bonus for my wife and I that the Spring Break crowd was non-existent.
Monday, August 31, 2015
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Dreaming of New York again
This morning, I was in the middle of an amazing dream of me working and living in Manhattan. I was weaving in and out of sleep in this dream. I was watching my son Blake sleep and then I went back to sleep again.
In my dream, I was going Northbound in Manhattan. I was traveling inside a big bus/firetruck. I was part of a camera crew for some TV show. I was dreaming of working in Television News in the Big Apple.
I remember in the dream that my primary job was to shoot video of exteriors for a TV show to be filmed in Los Angeles.
Along the journey of my bus ride, I was humming the NBC theme and ID to a fellow passenger. He was impressed how good I was at doing that. I must have secretly been desiring to work for NBC over at 30 Rock. In real life, it was a dream of mine when I was a little kid.
I was getting into a groove. I was shooting tall buildings with my lightweight video camera, then something happened. I woke up.
At home, it was 7:45 in the morning, too late for me to keep sleeping. I had to get ready so that I could get my son ready for the day. I had to get the milk ready for Ben and the coffee ready for me. Then something else happened, Ben slept it.
He sometimes takes after his daddy.
In my dream, I was going Northbound in Manhattan. I was traveling inside a big bus/firetruck. I was part of a camera crew for some TV show. I was dreaming of working in Television News in the Big Apple.
I remember in the dream that my primary job was to shoot video of exteriors for a TV show to be filmed in Los Angeles.
Along the journey of my bus ride, I was humming the NBC theme and ID to a fellow passenger. He was impressed how good I was at doing that. I must have secretly been desiring to work for NBC over at 30 Rock. In real life, it was a dream of mine when I was a little kid.
I was getting into a groove. I was shooting tall buildings with my lightweight video camera, then something happened. I woke up.
At home, it was 7:45 in the morning, too late for me to keep sleeping. I had to get ready so that I could get my son ready for the day. I had to get the milk ready for Ben and the coffee ready for me. Then something else happened, Ben slept it.
He sometimes takes after his daddy.
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Sports Writing Samples for August 22/23, 2015
INTERLEAGUE
Final Houston 3 L.A.
Dodgers 1
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final N-Y
Yankees 6 Cleveland 2
Final Minnesota 3 Baltimore 2
Final Texas 5 Detroit 3
Final Kansas City
6 Boston 3
Final Tampa
Bay 5 Oakland 4
Final Toronto 15 L.A.
Angels 3
TORONTO’S JOSH DONALDSON DROVE IN SIX RUNS
Final Chi
White Sox 6
Seattle 3 IN 10
NATIONAL
LEAGUE
Final Chi
Cubs 9 Atlanta 7
THE BRAVES HAVE LOST SIX IN A ROW
Final Pittsburgh 3
San Francisco 2
STARLING MARTE’S HOMER IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 9TH WINS IT
FOR THE PIRATES
Final Washington 6
Milwaukee 1
Final Arizona 11 Cincinnati 7
PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT HIT TWO HOME RUNS
Final Philadelphia 4
Miami 2
Final N-Y
Mets 14 Colorado 9
METS PLACE FIRST BASEMAN LUCAS DUDA ON THE 15 DAY D-L WITH A BACK
INJURY
Final San
Diego 8 St.
Louis 0
IAN KENNEDY AND 5 RELIEVERS COMBINE FOR THE SHUTOUT
JASON GORE LEADS AFTER
THREE ROUNDS OF THE WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP IN GREENSBORO.
HE SHOT A 62 ON
SATURDAY TO TAKE A TWO STROKE LEAD AT 15-UNDER PAR OVER TIGER WOODS AND JONAS
BLIXT.
WOODS WILL QUALIFY FOR
THE FEDEX PLAYOFFS BY WINNING THE TOURNAMENT ON SUNDAY.
AND JOEY LOGANO WINS
AT BRISTOL UNDER THE LIGHTS FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW.
LOGANO TOOK THE LEAD
AT THE RESTART ON LAP 438 AND HELD OFF KEVIN HARVICK AT THE IRWIN TOOLS NIGHT
RACE.
SPRINT CUP RACING WILL
CONTINUE TWO WEEKS FROM NOW AT DARLINGTON.
Saturday, August 22, 2015
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Sports writing samples for August 17/18, 2015
INTERLEAGUE
Final N-Y
Mets 5 Baltimore 3
Final Toronto 8 Philadelphia 5
Final Kansas City
3 Cincinnati 1 IN 13
Final Detroit 10 Chi
Cubs 8
SURVIVING A 2 HOUR 17 MINUTE RAIN DELAY
Final Oakland 5 L.A.
Dodgers 4 IN 10
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final N-Y
Yankees 8 Minnesota 4
A-ROD EXTENDS HIS CAREER RECORD 25 GRAND SLAMS
Final Boston 9 Cleveland 1
Final Seattle 3 Texas 2
HISAHI IWAKUMA FOLLOWED HIS NO-HITTER LAST WEEK WITH ALLOWING 5
HITS AND TWO RUNS OVER SEVEN INNINGS.
Final Houston 3 Tampa
Bay 2 IN 10
Final L.A. Angels 5
Chi White Sox
3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Pittsburgh 9
Arizona 8 IN 15
Final Miami 9 Milwaukee 6
Final San
Francisco 2 St.
Louis 0
Final Washington 15
Colorado 6
Final San
Diego 9 Atlanta 0
MELVIN UPTON JUNIOR HIT TWO HOMERS AGAINST HIS FORMER TEAM.
LESS THAN TWO SEASONS AFTER A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, RED SOX GENERAL MANAGER BEN CHERRINGTON STEPS DOWN AFTER ANOTHER DISAPPOINTING SEASON.
DAVE DOMBROWSKI IMMEDIATELY TAKES OVER AS PRESIDENT OF BASEBALL OPERATIONS LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AFTER LEAVING THE TIGERS.
PATRIOTS QUARTERBACK TOM BRADY IS EXPECTED BE BACK IN COURT AGAIN TODAY IN NEW YORK.
THE FOUR-TIME SUPER BOWL CHAMP IS SEEKING A REDUCED SUSPENSION AS PART OF A SETTLEMENT IN THE "DEFLATEGATE SCANDAL."
BRADY IS STILL ON THE HOOK FOR FOUR GAMES TO START THE SEASON.
BILLS RUNNING BACK LeSEAN McCOY HURT HIS LEFT HAMSTRING IN PRACTICE ON TUESDAY.
HE'LL GET AN M-R-I TO SEE HOW BAD THE INJURY IS.
THE N-F-L SUSPENDS SAN FRANCISCO 49ER WIDE RECEIVER JEROME SIMPSON SIX GAMES FOR VIOLATING THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE POLICY.
HE SERVED A THREE-GAME SUSPENSION WITH MINNESOTA LAST SEASON.
THE VIKINGS PUT RIGHT TACKLE PHIL LOADHOLT ON I-R.
HE GOT INJURED ON THE SECOND PLAY IN SATURDAY'S GAME AGAINST THE BUCCANEERS.
PHILADELPHIA 76ER CENTER JOEL EMBIID'S RIGHT FOOT PUTS HIM OUT FOR THE SECOND SEASON IN A ROW.
THE THIRD PICK IN LAST JUNE'S DRAFT HAD SURGERY AGAIN, THIS TIME FOR A BONE GRAFT PROCEDURE.
HE MISSED LAST SEASON WITH A STRESS FRACTURE IN THAT SAME FOOT.
Sports Writing Samples for August 17/18, 1015
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final N-Y
Yankees 8 Minnesota 7, 10
Innings
Final Baltimore 4
Oakland 2
Final Cleveland 8
Boston 2
Final Texas 4 Seattle 3
Final Tampa
Bay 9 Houston 2
Final L.A.
Angels 2 Chi
White Sox 1
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Arizona 4 Pittsburgh 1
Final St.
Louis 2 San
Francisco 1
Final Miami 6 Milwaukee 2
Final San
Diego 5 Atlanta 3
INDIANS MANAGER TERRY FRANCONA SAYS HE'LL JOIN HIS LONGTIME FRIEND JOHN FARRELL FOR HIS FIRST CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENT.
THE RED SOX MANAGER IS ON LEAVE FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON FOR TREATMENT OF LYMPHOMA.
FARRELL WAS FRANCONA'S PITCHING COACH FOR THE 2007 WORLD CHAMPION RED SOX.
THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD REJECTS A PROPOSAL FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYERS TO FORM A UNION.
LAST YEAR NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL PLAYERS WANTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO FORM A UNION.
THE N-C-DOUBLE-A ALLOWED SCHOOLS FROM THE FIVE POWER CONFERENCES TO ADD STIPENDS UP TO 55-HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR ATHLETES TO HELP THEM LOWER THE COST OF ATTENDING SCHOOL.
ALABAMA QUARTERBACK JAKE COKER MIGHT MISS PRACTICE WITH A FOOT INJURY.
COACH NICK SABAN SAYS IT IS A MINOR INJURY AND COULD BE BACK ON THE FIELD SOON.
MINNESOTA VIKING RIGHT TACKLE PHIL LOADHOLT'S SEASON IS OVER ALREADY.
HE WAS INJURED IN SATURDAY'S EXHIBITION GAME AGAINST TAMBA BAY IN THE FIRST QUARTER.
AND DANNY BRIERE IS RETIRING AFTER 17 YEARS IN THE N-H-L WITH FIVE TEAMS.
HE SCORED 307 GOALS AND ALMOST A THOUSAND POINTS PLAYING FOR THE COYOTES, SABRES, CANADIENS, FLYERS, AND AVALANCHE.
Monday, August 17, 2015
Sports Writing Samples for August 16/17, 2015
GOLF-PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
IT WAS JASON’S DAY AT
WHISTLING STRAITS IN WISCONSIN.
JASON DAY WINS HIS
FIRST MAJOR IN THE P-G-A CHAMPIONSHIP ON SUNDAY, FINISHING THREE STROKES AHEAD
OF JORDAN SPIETH.
DAY SETS A RECORD FOR
THE MOST STROKES UNDER PAR IN A MAJOR WITH 20.
SPIETH’S SECOND PLACE
SHOWING WILL SPRING HIM TO NUMBER ONE IN THE WORLD.
DAY TAKES HOME THE
WANAMAKER TROPHY AND ONE-POINT-EIGHT MILLION BUCKS.
INTERLEAGUE
Final Chi
White Sox 3
Chi Cubs 1
CHRIS SALE CAREER-HIGH-TYING 15 STRIKEOUTS
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Toronto 3 N-Y
Yankees 1
Final Baltimore 18 Oakland 2
Final IN 12 Seattle 10 Boston
8 Final Minnesota 4 Cleveland 1
Final Houston 6 Detroit 5
Final Texas 5 Tampa
Bay 3
RANGERS SWEEP
Final in 10 Kansas
City 4 L.A. Angels 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Pittsburgh 8
N-Y Mets 1
PIRATES SWEEP THE SIX-GAME SEASON SERIES
Final in 10 Atlanta 2 Arizona 1
CAMERON MAYBIN WITH THE WALK-OFF HOMER IN THE 10TH TO
WIN IT.
Final Milwaukee 6 Philadelphia 1
RYAN BRAUN’S TEAM-TYING RECORD OF 251 HOMERS (A GRAND SLAM)
Final Miami 6 St.
Louis 4
Final San
Francisco 5 Washington 0
GIANTS SWEEP; REELING NATIONALS LOSE SIX IN A ROW
Final L.A.
Dodgers 2 Cincinnati 1
Final Colorado 5 San
Diego 0
NATIONAL FOOTBALL
LEAGUE PRESEASON
Final Philadelphia 36
Indianapolis 10
MICHIGAN 400
AND POLE-SITTER MATT
KENSETH LED 146 OF THE 200 LAPS TO TAKE HOME THE CHECKERED FLAG IN THE PURE MICHIGAN
400.
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Sports Writing Sample 1 for August 15/16, 2015
THE SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
INK QUARTERBACK PHILIP RIVERS TO A FOUR YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION.
THE DEAL IS WORTH 83
MILLION DOLLARS, 65 MILLION GUARANTEED.
THE NEW DEAL COULD
MAKE RIVERS A LIFE-LONG CHARGER.
DON’T KNOW YET IF IT
WILL BE IN SAN DIEGO. STAY TUNED.
INTERLEAGUE
CHICAGO WINS!
Final Chi
Cubs 6 Chi
White Sox 3
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final N-Y
Yankees 4 Toronto 1
MASAHIRO TANAKA (mah-sah-HEE'-roh tah-NAH'-tah) SCATTERED FIVE HITS
IN HIS FIRST COMPLETE GAME IN MORE THAN A YEAR, EXTAND THEIR LEAD OVER THE BLUE
JAYS BY 1.5 GAMES.
Final Boston 22 Seattle 10
FELIX HERNANDEZ GIVES UP A CAREER HIGH 10 RUNS IN TWO-AND-A-THIRD
INNINGS
Final Baltimore 4
Oakland 3
Final Minnesota 4
Cleveland 1
Final Detroit 4 Houston 2 IN 11
Final Kansas City
9 L.A. Angels 4
ROYALS HAVE A WHOPPING 12 GAME LEAD IN THE A-L CENTRAL.
Final Texas 12 Tampa
Bay 4
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Arizona 8 Atlanta
4
Final Milwaukee 4
Philadelphia 2
Final Pittsburgh 5
N-Y Mets 3 IN 14
PIRATES 5-0 AGAINST
THE METS THIS SEASON
Final St.
Louis 6 Miami 2
Final San
Diego 7 Colorado 5
Final L.A. Dodgers
8 Cincinnati 3
Final San
Francisco 12 Washington
6
NATIONAL FOOTBALL
LEAGUE PRESEASON
Final Houston 23 San
Francisco 10
Final Minnesota 26
Tampa Bay 16
JAMEIS WINSTON 9-FOR-19 WITH A PICK AND A RUSHING T-D
Final Kansas
City 34 Arizona 19
CANCER SURVIVOR ERIC
BERRY RETURNS TO THE FIELD FOR THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS NINE MONTHS AFTER HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH HODGKIN'S LYMPHOMA.
MORE HISTORY MADE IN THIS GAME.
Sarah Thomas became the first female
official to work an NFL game and CARDINALS' LINEBACKERS COACH Jen Welter IS the
league's first female coach TO WORK A GAME.
Baby Number Two dream comes true
On July 26, 2015, I became a father for the second time. I welcomed my new son Blake into the world with open arms. I cried like a baby just like he did when he left his mother's womb. See my beautiful baby and the happy father down below.
I got to see doctors clean him up and get him ready for his new life. I even saw him pee for the very first time.
My wife went through some great pains, labor pains that is, in order to ensure delivery of our new baby boy.
We, more like she, were in labor for parts of three different days before the pain meds kicked in for her. I was watching some baseball (Dodgers/Mets) before we decided to turn off the TV and focus on the task at hand.
My wife thought that it would be a bad idea for Blake's first words to be about the New York Mets. I wanted Blake to hear from either me or Kelly.
I wanted to hear what my new son had to say. He said "wah" a lot. He said it a lot when he had his first bath. This time, I was there to see him get cleaned up.
My family is now complete. I'm so happy that I have two great boys at home.
I miss these boys right now and I can't wait to see them again when I get home later tonight.
My wife is doing an excellent job in taking care of them in my absence today. I soon hope to have weekends off so that I can spend more time with them. They deserve it.
I love you Ben and Blake :-)
I got to see doctors clean him up and get him ready for his new life. I even saw him pee for the very first time.
My wife went through some great pains, labor pains that is, in order to ensure delivery of our new baby boy.
We, more like she, were in labor for parts of three different days before the pain meds kicked in for her. I was watching some baseball (Dodgers/Mets) before we decided to turn off the TV and focus on the task at hand.
My wife thought that it would be a bad idea for Blake's first words to be about the New York Mets. I wanted Blake to hear from either me or Kelly.
I wanted to hear what my new son had to say. He said "wah" a lot. He said it a lot when he had his first bath. This time, I was there to see him get cleaned up.
My family is now complete. I'm so happy that I have two great boys at home.
I miss these boys right now and I can't wait to see them again when I get home later tonight.
My wife is doing an excellent job in taking care of them in my absence today. I soon hope to have weekends off so that I can spend more time with them. They deserve it.
I love you Ben and Blake :-)
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