Joe's Rambles

Okay...so I survived my 30th birthday. It was close...but I made it. My wife gave me a great birthday. She's just to awesome and my kids just made my day. I love you guys! I'll post some pictures of that later on.

And thanks to Sage for the birthday shout-out. It was much appreciated.

Now, I love to read. I have had a passion for reading for a long, long time. I'm always on the look out for new books. What are some of your favorite books? Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction? Hit me up!

September 28, 2007, 6:07 AM. I am now officially 30.

30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!
30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!30!

Well, in about 12 hours I turn 30. 30. 30. No matter how many times I say it...it just doesn't seem right. 30. Nope...still not right.

I just can not believe that I...me...myself...the person typing this post...will be 30. I remember very well the 1980's. Has it really been that long ago? I remember very well the first Iraq War...that was what...16 years ago now? I remember very well when the Challenger exploded and also watching the Berlin Wall come down. It just seems like yesterday. But it was so many years ago.

I remember when I was 15 (half a lifetime ago!) and the mere thought of turning 30 conjured up images of old men, with tacky shorts pulled up way too high, playing Shuffleboard at Shady Acres Retirement Home. Yeah, to me 30 was old. 18 was cool. 21 was even better. But when you hit 30 you might as well go ahead and join AAPR.

What a difference 15 years makes! Now, 30 isn't that old. In fact, it's pretty damn young...even more so since I turn 30 tomorrow!

According to Wikipedia, I am only 5 years away from a possible midlife crisis. Midlife? Wow...really? Midlife. When is mid-life? I dunno. But I am getting closer to it everyday. In 30 more years I'll be 60. And the last 30 years has gone by way to fast! I'm sure I'll wake up on Monday and be 57...and then 62...and then I'll wake-up in a casket. UGH!


Oh well...here's to another 30!

Well, another week, another Bama 4th quarter comeback, and another great game. But...this time it wasn't the Bama fans who went home cheering.

The game between UGA and Bama was great. UGA looked pretty impressive. They have one of the best QBs in the SEC. And he is only a sophomore. UGA pretty much dominated the first half. At halftime the score was UGA 10 Bama 3. We just looked flat in the first half tonight.

But, in the second half Bama played much better. Went went into the 4th quarter trailing 20-10. However, Bama fought back. We kicked a field goal to make it 20-13. Georgia got the ball back and we held them. Just like last week, we saw a late Bama 4th quarter drive that resulted in a touchdown. The game was tied 20-20.

UGA got the ball back with a minute or so to play. They drove down the field and then missed the field goal. We were headed to overtime.

Bama got the ball first and couldn't move it. We kicked a field goal to go up 23-20. UGA would need a touchdown to beat us. And on their first play in overtime, they got that touchdown. UGA wins a hard fought game 26-23.

Even though we lost, I am very proud of my team. Once again they found themselves trailing late in the game. And once again they made a dramatic comeback and sent the game into overtime. We are a young team really and are pretty thin on defense. That showed tonight. But, this team is much improved over last year. The next few seasons should be really good for Bama.

So, congrats to the Georgia Bulldogs for the win. Both teams played with pride, class, and heart. Hopefully, we can rebound and beat Florida State next week (that'd be a great birthday present for me!). Hope you enjoy the pics I took at the game.

Today was much better. Sometimes you just gotta vent.

Ever have one of those days where you just want to put your fist through a wall? Yeah, me too.

So for the past 10 or so years I have struggled with my weight. When I was in high school it wasn't to hard to take the weight off. I played football and was in pretty good shape.

But then I got married. Well, it isn't her fault (even though she is a great cook). Although it IS easier to blame her! ;) But, about 10 years ago my weight started going up, up, and away! I'm not sure why. I didn't pig out. But I didn't eat very healthy either. And of course...pizza rolls, jalapeno poppers, and beer late at night aren't good for the ole waist line either.

At one point my weight got up to 330 lbs. Even though I am on the tall side (6'2) and carry my weight well...there just is no way of carrying 330 pounds well, unless you're 8 feet tall. Needless to say, I was a fat ass. Yeah. I was. My ass...the thing I sit on...was fat. It was huge. No, it was freakin' huge.

So, I did the Atkins thing for about 7 months. I dropped down to about 260. Much better. But, after awhile you just get tired of the Atkins food and all the damn grease. I've always had low cholesterol and wanted to keep it that way. And plus, Dr. Atkins died and had heart disease...so I dropped the Atkins diet (much the same way Justin dropped Britney).

Well, after a few years my weight started to go up again. About a month ago I stepped on the scales and it said "Get off!" No, actually it read 294. Not good. So I decided to make a change.

There is a doctor's office not far from my house that is a bariatrics clinic; a doctor that specializes in obese people. They had a pretty good reputation in the community and I decided to give them a try. The results are great!

After only four weeks on their plan I have gone from 294 to 267. That is a 28 pound weight loss in only four weeks. That is an average of seven pounds a week. Oh yeah...I'm happy...and I'm still losing weight!

Even better, my health is improving. My blood pressure when I started was 150/90. Not good. They said it would go down quick with this plan. And it has. As of today my BP is now 110/80. Wow. Much better.

Also, I have dropped a couple of shirt sizes. Four weeks ago I was wearing sizes 2XL and 3XL (or as I called them...my tarps). Now, I am wearing a size XL. Also, I have dropped two pants sizes. Four weeks ago I was wearing a size 42. Today, I am in a size 38. They fit pretty good. A little snug, but not uncomfortable at all (and they will get looser (much looser) in the weeks ahead!). I have not been able to fit into a size 38 in almost 10 years. Damn it felt good buttoning those things! My goal was to be able to fit into a size 38 again. After four weeks I am already there! Look out size 36...I'm headed your way!

My goal weight is 220. For me that is a very good weight. That is what I weighed in high school (also the weight I was when cheerleaders were hitting on me!). Once I drop that weight I plan on taking up weight lifting again. I used to lift religiously and had lot of muscle mass and definition once upon a time. I want to get there again.

To show how much weight I have lost thus far, I put together a slideshow (below) of pics when I was 294 and pics I took just an hour ago. I think you will be able to see the difference (in one pic I am almost bald. Funny story there involving my kids, myself, and the clippers. I'll have to share it sometime). I was really happy to see how I look now compared to how I looked then. What's even more exciting for me is that I know in another 4 weeks I will be even slimmer and look even better! I can't wait. Although I do miss my Chinese food. Damn...now I want some Pon-Pon Chicken!

The Arkansas Razorbacks came to town yesterday and played on hell of a game against the Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium. What a crazy game! We jumped out to a quick 21-0 lead in the first quarter and looked to be well on our way to leading 28-0. But, penalties and a good stand by Arkansas' defense killed that drive. The stadium's atmosphere was electric. Man, what a great feeling. We were all excited and thought we were about to blow the (then) number 16 team in the country.

Then "it" happened.

By "it" I mean Arkansas' offense came to life. They scored on a quick TD pass to make the score 21-7. Still, no reason to fear. They couldn't stop our offense. Then something funny happened. They stopped our offense. Arkansas got the ball back and scored a field goal to make the half-time score 21-10.

It was a great first half for us. We looked good and our defense had done a good job stopping Arkansas great running back, Darren McFadden (who will probably win the Heisman this year). There was still another half of football left to be played. But, we were all confident that we had this one in the bag. Turns out, our bag had a big ole hole in it. And it was a hole that McFadden ran through again and again...and again.

Arkansas started the second half down 21-10. And they fought back hard. McFadden just ran all over the place. He finished the night with 199 yards. Incredible. However, Bama seemed to have things well in hand. We soon pushed the score to 31-10. But, Bama turned the ball over on a fumble and then an interception. Arkansas scored on both. In very quick fashion the score was 31-17 and then 31-24. Uh oh. Not good.

From there Arkansas just took over. Their running backs (McFadden and Felix Jones) just stole the show. Arkansas scored again to make it 31-31. And, then just to piss us all off, they scored again to take the lead 38-31.

The 4th quarter only had about 4 minutes left in it when Bama faced 4 down and 5 yards to go well inside Arkansas territory. A touchdown would tie the game. But, would the coach go for it on 4th down? Or kick a field goal and hope to get the ball back? Saban didn't hesitate. He kicked a field goal. I didn't understand the call. I did not think we would get the ball back at all. We just couldn't stop Arkansas' running game. But, Saban showed why he is making $4 million a year and I have to buy a ticket to the games. Our defense did hold and we got the ball back with a little over two minutes left to play.

Our QB (John Parker Wilson) struggled in the second half. And now he was being asked to lead us to a game winning touchdown. And boy did he deliver! To make a long story short, Bama drove the ball down Arkansas' throat and we scored the winning touchdown with only 8 seconds left. Arkansas had 8 seconds to make something happen. But the night belonged to Bama. We completed a great comeback to win the game 41-38. Great game! Great win!

Hats off to Arkansas. The were down by 21 points twice in the game. They did not quit. They fought back and almost won the game. Their running back (McFadden) is a beast. He will have a great career in the NFL. But man o man am I glad Bama won that game! We are now 3-0 (2-0 in SEC) and are ranked number 16 in the AP Poll and number 20 in the Coaches' Poll. Up next for us, the Bulldogs of Georgia. Another tough game! Hopefully we can take the win then too. Roll Tide!

In other news, Auburn lost to Mississippi State University last night at Jordan-Hare Stadium. I remember Auburn fans laughed at us last year when we lost to MSU. So...how does it feel now? Yeah...not too goo huh?

I took some pictures of the game...they are below. Hope you enjoy!

Last week our middle son had a birthday. Man, it's hard to believe he is another year older. The time just flies by! Seems like only yesterday we brought him home from the hospital. But that was years ago! It is fun watching the little boogers get older and all the joys that go with that. But, damn it! It makes me feel old!

We had a birthday party for him last week. He is in to Spiderman; so the party had a Spiderman theme. That was cool...cause I love Spider man too. I mean, he's no Batman, but he will do.:)

We had a house full of kids and family. Man...it wears me out just watching the kids play. Where do they get the energy?! It was nice having family over too. We don't get to see them as much as we would like. Our son really enjoyed seeing his paw-paw and granny, as well as his aunts, uncles, and cousins.

He had a Spiderman cake (that my wife made). Man did it ever look good! I could only have a really really small bite of it (cause I am on a diet. Which is cool, I've lost 30 pounds!). It was hard not to dive into the cake and ice cream. I am a cake and ice cream junkie! He got a bunch of Spiderman presents and a big set of Moon Sand (that stuff is great!). All in all he had a really great time. Very cool watching his eyes light up as he opened his gifts.

Our oldest son has a birthday in a few weeks and then our youngest son has one after that. Man...they are making me feel so much older...and making me going broke! I just wish they didn't grow up so fast.

It's a great day in Alabama! Bama beats Vandy 24-10 and Auburn loses to USF(!) 26-23! Yea Alabama and roll tide roll!

Back In July the wife, the kiddos, and myself took a vacation down to the beach. I love the beach. The sound of the waves, the smell of salt in the air, the view of the ocean, and all the other sights and sounds that go along with the beach. What's not to love?!

We vacationed with my dad, step-mom, and brothers. It was great. We went down to Gulf Shores, AL, Orange Beach, AL, Ft. Morgan, AL, and Pensacola Beach, FL. The weather was great...perfect for beach hanging. I loved being in the ocean, even though I did get stung by a jellyfish! It was fun to let the waves crash into me. We even went for a swim at 1AM (not smart, I know...but fun).

We also spent some time at Ft. Morgan. I loved it. I am a huge history buff and this place was great. Ft. Morgan is an old military fort that played a role in the U.S. Civil War. Pretty cool to read about all the history there.

We also went to the Pensacola Naval Air Station (home of the Blue Angels). They have a naval air history museum there. Really cool stuff. They had a really great IMAX theater. Plus, being a history nut, I loved all the historical exhibits there.

All in all it was a great vacation. Our hotel room was great. We had a room on the 11th floor with a fantastic view of the beach. It was great to sit out on the balcony at night, drink a cold beer, talk with my brothers, and feel the cool breeze coming off the ocean. I really hated to leave. We are planning on going back next summer. I can't wait! Check out our the slide-show of our vacation pictures (below).

Last Saturday college football kicked off for the University of Alabama. The Crimson Tide took on the Catamounts of Western Carolina University. What the heck is a catamount anyway? No clue. So I googled it. I found this on WCU's website:

Webster's Dictionary defines "catamount" as "any of various wild cats such as a cougar or lynx." Cats of the catamount variety, including the bobcat, have roamed the southern Appalachian Mountains, where Western Carolina University is located, for years.

The nickname evolved from a contest that was held on the Cullowhee campus in 1933. At the time, the school was called "Western Carolina Teachers College" and its teams were known as "the Teachers."

Cool. So it's a bobcat. That beats the heck out of the Teachers name they had. Just don't see opposing teams cowering in fear before the mighty Teachers of Western Carolina University.

Anyway, it was a great day for college football. Not too hot, a nice little breeze...and the game being played at night. Perfect.

It was also the long awaited debut of Alabama's new head coach Nick Saban. Pretty successful debut for him. Alabama won the game going away; 52-6. Roll Tide!

Something funny happened during the 4th qurater. I heard this loud CLANG! BANG! behind me. I turned to look behind me. There was a single, solitary stiletto heel laying there. I look up. About 25-30 feet in the air was a co-ed looking down. She had dropped her shoe down 25 feet. Glad there was no one sitting there! She asked...no...she told me to bring it up to her. Well, no....I'll not be your little monkey and run when you call. Then she told me to throw it up to her. Riiiight. Like I am going to throw this show (with the heel) up 25-30 feet. I mean...yeah...it could come back down and hit a kid in the head! So, I declined. Her boyfriend looks down and asks me to bring it up. I gladly informed him that I would hold the shoe for him and he could come down and get it himself. He was none to keen on that idea. I guess I was supposed to bring it up to them as if I were a dog running back to its master. Yeah...right. I bet I was the first guy yo tell her no. Poor little daddy's girl! So the shoe sat there until they found another way to get it. Sorry...I don't play fetch.

I took the kids to the stadium before the game and we all had fun. I loved walking around with my wife and kids and seeing the sights of gameday. There was this guy there who had a tattoo of Paul "Bear" Bryant on his back. Pretty cool tat. There is a picture of my kids with him. All in all pretty fun day. Be sure to look at the pictures below!