Poor Brett Favre

I didn't actually have a horse in yesterday's NFC Championship game between the Minnesota Vikings and the New Orleans Saints. I would've liked to see Brett Favre get one more chance at the Super Bowl, but, really I was like, meh, whatever.

I will say this, though. Yesterday was another example of a good football game being ruined by the stupid overtime rules in the NFL. We were forced to watch as the team that won the coin toss (Saints), took their time, ran the ball down the field and settled for the field goal. Lame. Just like every other overtime game in the NFL. We all know Favre would've made a game out of it if he'd had a chance. Or maybe they should make the team that won the coin toss at least take one shot at the endzone. Either way, a great game, with a lame ending. Dear NFL: Watch some college football next year and take some notes.

Forgot this one, we had the nicest gym in the county! RIP!

In case you want to share in my misery, here are pictures of my old high school being torn down. It's a sad day. I didn't get to make it back there before it happened. I know, I know, it looks like a small school. It is, my wife calls it a one-room school house.

Who Doesn't Like To Start Over?

Let me tell you why New Year's Eve is my favorite holiday. First of all, who doesn't like to start over? I mean, you get to spend the entire night thinking about what you're gonna do different "next year". Let's face it, no matter how good your 2009 was, you can find something to change for 2010. Secondly, (at least if you're me), you get to spend the evening/night in a bar with friends and family. So, getting hammered while talking to your friends and family about what you're "gonna do different next year", SIGN ME UP! It really is my favorite holiday. By the way, My OCD gives me a distrust of odd numbers, so, bring on 2010!

Nate

I hate Christmas music

I hate Christmas music. Most Christmas music, anyway. But, that sparked a question in my mind. In your opinion, what is the worst song ever? The worst song EVER? In case you were wondering, I believe that the worst song ever is "The Christmas Shoes". Just my opinion.

Nate

He-Man? Not quite.

All right. I'll start this off by saying that I'm somewhat of a "Scrooge". I don't like all of the commercialism that surrounds Christmas, and therefore, a lot of Christmas crap annoys me. I don't like Christmas music, I don't like shopping and I don't like real Christmas trees. However, my wife does. So, every year I put up with the mess. I put up with trying to find a place to dispose of it. I put up with the needles all over the carpet. Ugh!

I've hated our tree in the past but this year's tree has reached a whole new level. First of all, we bought our tree from one of the Big Brothers, Big Sisters of the Tri-State lots (the only good thing about it). I figure if I HAVE to have a real tree, I might as well support a good cause. Well, they don't have a tree shaker thingy at their lot. So, when we get home with the tree, we notice that, it is, in fact, full of dead needles. So I figure, I'll just "He-Man" the tree over my head and shake the piss out of it (and all of the dead needles in the process). Well, it worked like a charm! My wife came outside to check my status (which usually means tell me a way to do it better), and I actually said this to her: "I can't believe how strong I am sometimes". Well, needless to say, I shouldn't have said that. Because when I turned to carry the tree into the house, my back went one way and the rest of my body went another. Ouch! Major cussing and crying. I wish that was the end of the story.

So now, the tree is in the house. My wife helped me gimp the tree into the base in the living room. No big deal, right? Well, time to water the tree. I dumped three large pitchers into the base and assumed everything was fine. I assumed. And you know what they say. Ten minutes later, my wife said to me, "didn't you water the tree? It's bone dry". "How odd", I thought. Well, it turns out, the tree had knocked out the bottom of the tree stand and the three large pitchers of water were all over my living room carpet! We (actually I should say I) had the fun task of moving a fully decorated tree from one tree stand to another. Fun stuff.

Moral of the story? My Christmas tree = a pain in the ass and a trip to the chiropractor!

Friday is my b-day, is it that big of a deal?

And the answer is, YES!

Friday I will be celebrating my 31st birthday. Let me be the first to wish myself a happy birthday! Ya know, I've always liked birthdays. Not because of the presents and all of the attention, but because, anymore, it's the only time in my life when I can act like a kid. Okay, well, it's the only time I can act like a kid and get away with it!

Friday night I'll head to one of my favorite places in the world, Athens, Ohio! I'll celebrate with some of my favorite people, fellow alumni of Ohio University and, more importantly, the alumni of the Ohio University Marching 110. That's right, all of us old "band geeks" will descend on A-town to watch the current version of the band do what we did 10, 20, 25, 30 and almost 40 years ago! Not much has changed and that's a good thing! It's Homecoming 2009! One of my favorite things about Homecoming weekend in Athens is gathering on Friday night. The percussion section of the current Marching 110 makes its way around Athens, playing a mini-show in all of the bars uptown. All of the younger alumni and current 110 members will cram their way into some of the smaller bars, jockeying for good spots. I used to do this, but, like I said, Friday I'm turning 31 and I'd like to live to see 32. So, I, along with the alumni who are my age and older, will wait for the drummers at BW3's. It's the biggest bar in A-town and it's where the percussion usually wraps up the night. During the past couple of Homecomings, I haven't remembered much about B-dubs the next day. And this year, it's my birthday! Look out Athens, here I come!

By the way, I'll be in A-town by 6, so if you want to buy me a beer for my birthday, I won't turn you down.

Nate