Forthcoming

I will try to put up a new post on Wednesday to let you know how the Memphis in May Triathlon and weekend in Memphis turned out. I'll tease you by saying that Yes, I did go to Graceland, but NO, there was not a pretty little thing waiting for the King down in the Jungle room.

Oh, and the AC is out at my house, time to get a second job to pay for the new compressor unit. SWARM(Scott Wants A Riding Mower) is now being replaced by DAMN(which is not and acronym, it just means DAMN!).

Memphis in May BBQ Fest 2010 Recap

As I mentioned in my previous post, I went to Memphis for the annual BBQ festival last weekend. I LOVE BBQ!

I have been struggling with the the question of what I like more, BBQ Ribs or boiled crawfish?

Well, this past weekend it was BBQ. I rolled up to Memphis friday night and Kelley and I headed downtown to BBQ fest where we met up with Charlisa (charlie and lisa) and Chris and Diana(who don't have a cool name yet, but i'm working on it.) For those of you who Have never been, BBQ fest is huge. Several hundred teams from across the nation converge on Memphis for the BBQ world championships. They compete in several different categories such as ribs, pork shoulder, and whole hog. I happen to be a rib man myself, but etheir nough about me. One of the guys that Kelley works with is on one of the afore mentioned BBQ teams(i don't remember the name of the team) so we had access to their tent, some cold beers (bottled water for me)and some most delicious BBQ sandwiches, Beans and Potato salad.

We hung around there for a while, then the 6-pack(I just made up that name, Genius) Head up the hill to world famous Beale St. which to me is like a PG version of Bourbon St. in New Orleans. We made our way to one of Memphis' fine establishments for the procurement of smoked meats called "The Pig". Normally I don't like to eat at places in the touristy parts of town but I gotta hand it to "The Pig" that's some mighty fine fixins boys! I was a little concerned from a foodie perspective because we got there late, 11:15-11:30ish, which scared me because I have been to many a bbq joint late and that's when they dish out the subpar or "this is all we have left" ribs. Not the pig, Our ribs were moist and meaty, plain old delicious. The cheese and sausage plate was good too.

As if that wasn't enough, we made a new friend. We call him "The King", his momma called him Elvis. As it turns out he is alive and well and plays at the pig on friday and saturday nights. He is also available for private parties.

After dinner with Mr."The King" we stepped out on to Beale St. and did what everyone on Beale St. does, played the claw machine. Now, I'm not one to brag(seriously, I'm not) but if there is something winable in a claw machine, I will win it. I put in my dollar, scanned the machine from several angles and released my claw on an unsuspecting penguin looking thing. The claw swooped down from above and wrapped it's tines around the plush morsel, then began to ascend and carry the novelty bird to me. BUT, the penguin slipped out of the clutches of the claw to rejoin its friends below. Panic insued in the machine as the stuffed comrades clung to each other for safety, but the daring young penguin-thingy was no match for me and my calculating claw. I reassessed the location of the penguin, set my aim and again launced a daring attack from above. The talons swooped down and encased the helpless penguin-like-thing in a firm embrace, plucking him from the huddled masses cowering in fear. The Claw carried him to the drop point and released him to me. But the cunning young Penguinish thing had one more trick up his flamable little sleeve. As he was falling in to my possession he mangaed to wedge his tag in between the glass and metal rail that held the glass in place. There he was, dangling, holding on for dear life, making a last ditch effort to cling to the only home he has ever known and the friends who fought with him so valiantly. It seemed he would be victorious as he was now out of the range of the claw. But, dear friends, I was fighting for more than just a toy. I was fighting for the glory of all those who have fallen victim to the claw machine, I was fighting for all those who have spent hours and 5 or 10 bucks trying to win a 30 cent toy for their sweetheart or dear child. I knew I had been called to this machine and it was my duty to prevail. I would not be denied. Reaching into the shallow depths of my wallet i found the only tool available, and the only tool I would need. A single one dollar bill. I looked at the bill and General Washington looked at me. I read the inscription,"In God We Trust"and knew that I was fighting on the side of good and the victory would be my blessing. I felt the words E PLURIBUS UNUM (out of many, One) become not just a motto, but a battle cry. Out of many stuffed novelties, this ONE penguin was my destiny. Did General Washington Surrender to the British, Hells No! Did he give up that hard winter at Valley forge? No Sir. Did he have trouble eating BBQ with wooden teeth? Hells yeah! And still he smoked the swine and patook of its deliciosity. And I knew that this day I would prevail.

I slid the dollar bill through a small slit where the machine is opened to refill its bounty. It was no easy task as there was several L's that the bill had to manuver anround before entering the inner sanctum of the machine. The crowd of on lookers gasped in awe as the dollar penetrated the inner chamber. The bill wiggled and wryed its way into the inner chamber until about 1/3 of the bill was in. Then the bill worked its way from side to side pusing the little tag that the penguin clung to. first to the right, the crowd was hushed, the anticipation soared, why words fail to do it justice. Then the bill pushed the tag to the left. The puny penguiny-thing shook in fear and then the life line was severed as the bill dislodged the tag from the window. The stuffed warrior fell into the abyss and into my possession. The whole of Beale St, No, The Whole of Memphis, erupted into jubilant celebration. Free rounds were given, the strippers charged half price, and the homeless found a warm pace of comfort for the night.

Victory was mine. I held the little hero high into the night, the smell of smoked meat drifted through the neon-filled street. I saw unity in the streets as we all saw, if just for a moment, what is right about the world, Gangstas and Rednecks rejoiced together, the Memphis police actually protected and served, and a child shed a single tear that was wiped away by the bbq stained handkerchief of her aged and wise grandfather.

I turned to Kelley, tears in her eyes, and said to her, "Tonight, here on this street, All is right with the world, and as long as this token, this spoil of victory resides in your hands, our unity will be blessed and prosperous, for this is the day that I have conquered the evil of the claw machine not just for personal benefit, but to destroy tyrrany and restore liberty to all the land"(some liberites may have been taken with what I actually said, but this is pretty close, i think).

The penguin remains in safe hands today, siitning on a candle on Kelleys desk. I have returned to Baton Rouge, But I have heard rumors that crime in memphis is down 0.0001% since that night. A testament to out victory and remnant of the night when, if just for a moment, all was right with the world.

And that is the story of Memphis in may BBQ Fest 2010

Once again, as I wrote this post while my class was takng a final and the bell is about to ring, I don't have time to go back and fix the grammar or spelling, Then again, it's my blog and i don't have to if i don't want to, MWAHAHAHA!

final week

This is the final week, finals week, of school and I am ready for a break.

I know that many of you non-teachers out there think that teachers are lucky to get 2 months off in the summer, and I'm sure there are some that think teachers should work year round, and I respect your opinion. BUT, I am extrememly thankful for the break. In my short career as a teacher I can say that without such a break, most teachers would burn out in no time and leave the proffession.

I would actually prefer to work year round, just not non -stop. I like the idea of six weeks on, 2 weeks off year round. i think it would be better for the teachers and much better for the kids. But, until that happens, thank goodness there is only one more week.

This is also the final week before the Memphis inMay Triathlon that I will be competing in on Sunday the 23rd. I have reassessed my abilities, training, and the course I will be racing on and have come to this conclusion: I WILL finish the race, but it's gonna take a while.

My training got off to a great start a few months ago, but the last 2 months it has been a little, how should I say it, suspect? Hit or Miss? not-quite-consistent?

The thing I should do the best at is the swim, which is the first leg of the race. This is also the area that I have been most consistent in my weekly workouts. BUT, this is an area that still concerns me as I have never had a good open water swim in a race. If it's not the weather and large waves it's me being sick and barely being able to breath, thus not being able to get into a swimming rhythm. Hopefully this will be the race where that changes. In fact, my sole goal for this race is to do well in the swim. I feel like i need that confidence boost before continuing my quest towards Ironman(someday).

The second leg of the race is the bike, which will be 25 miles through the rural areas north of memphis. As you may recall I live in South Louisiana. That makes me a flat-lander. Not that memphis has mountains, but the land is not flat. The course is full of rolling hills which are great for preventing getting into a riding rhythm.

However, I did go to Memphis this past weekend and road the hills on Peabody and Central Avenues both Saturday and Sunday. I feel like I know what the ride will be like. But, again, I will finish it, but it will take a while.

Then there is the run, 6 miles, and the run is the workout I have neglected the most. It will be interesting to see how my legs feel after the swim and the run. As they say, "slow but steady, still makes it to the buffet". Or something like that.

An added goodie is that my Dad and Step-Mom are coming in from Tulsa to cheer me on. And yes, I will use them as an excuse to eat more delicious BBQ than I should. I have to admit, I have a very supportive family, at all the races I have done there has always been someone there to cheer me on, be it my Mom, Tom, Brother, nieces, Dad, Janet, and the GC's(who got me a great CCC no parking sign), oh, and Uncle Brian and Aunt Wanda at the mamrathon. I'm a pretty lucky guy!

So the point of all this writing is to say that I have a big race coming up Sunday, what a great way to end the school year. I also have a summer job lined up, but I will tell you about that later this week. I will also try to include the good time I had at BBQ fest in Memphis this past week, I wanted to find a picture to go with that before I put up the post.

Have a great week and check back soon for the other stories.

BTW, as I am watching my class take their final I am feeling rushed for time(bells about to ring) so there is no grammar or spelling check on this post. Those of you who read this regularly are probaly thinking, "oh, I didn't think he ever used spell check". Very Funny!

yellow cake chocolate icing

yelow cake chocolate icing, I can't get you out of my head. I haven't had you in so long, too long. Oh how I miss you and long to taste your deliciousness again. Oh, yellow cake chocolate icing, I don't think I can make it with out you. But I will not give up, I will hold on until that day when we might once again be reunited. I know not when that day is, but when it comes I will be ready. I love you yellow cake chocolate icing, and I always will!

As I Lay Sleeping

As I lay in my bed trying to fall asleep tonight I suddenly felt wide awake. I laid, with my eyes closed, lights off, hoping it would pass. But it did not. I was drawn to modern music of long ago. I logged on to the Net and followed it to the music of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Tuba Fats Chosen Few Brass Band. I turned up the volume and closed the laptop. As I lay there, I saw in my head the history of New Orleans, From days of Bienville to tommorrow, it's all right there in the bass drum and the tuba. The song of the Frenchman looking for a home in the new world, fighting for his survival. The Song of the slave and the rhythms they carried with them from West Africa, The song of the brokenheated, whose love has gone astray. The song of immigrants who found a place to call home, even if it were way "back of town". And the song of those who are the "have's" and there classical stylings carried from the old world, and all it's charm.

All those things passed before my eyes, and were followed by visions of a city who has been ruined by fire and flood, and fire and flood, and fire and flood, whose residents, who's citizens, we children of New Orleans, through the worst of it all, stood tall, with aching backs and blistered hands, danced both day and night, though feet were sore and muscles ached, whose spirit would not be made tired by long days toil in heat and humidity. They found joy in the music, their music, music born of all nations and forged by time and situation into the rhythm of life in that careless town. A town that has never ceased to love, though has often been forgotten.

No! there is no music that you hear in your car or on your Ipod tonight were it not for the convergence of class, race, and cultures that collided these last 450 years in New Orleans. Trace it back. Trace it all back. The river flows south and carries waters from all over this land to new Orleans. It gives us fertile fields and soil to grow sugar cane as tall as 2 men. But what flows from New Orleans is the heart, and the soul, and the rhythm of a nation.

I sat with my eyes closed, in the dark, listening to the Brass Bands of today play the songs of days gone by. And I saw with my own closed eyes, the entire history of a city and it's people. And I heard the future in the songs of yesterday.

Happy Sadie de Mayo!

4 years ago today I was going shopping, to find a few new shirts as I recall. As I was walking up to the Slidell Ross, I noticed that the PetsMart next door was having a pet adoption day. So, I walked over just to look. I was living in a FEMA trailer at the time and had no intention of bringing home a pet that day. Then I saw the little yellow dog with the bowed legs. $90 later the Pearl River county SPCA said that I could take her home. The vet at petsmart said she had rickets and that proper nutrition and exercise should fix her legs. So, home we went to the FEMA trailer. I read the dog training book, especially the part about house training. For the next 2 weeks i took her outside every 2-3 hours(even in the middle of the night). She only wizzed in the trailer twice, and never number 2'd. She learned how to go up and down stairs and how to sit in no time. and she never slept on the bed, and never whined about it.

It is easily the best 90 bucks I have ever spent.

Today Sadie and I have been together 4 years, it seems like it was just yesterday, and it seems like we've always been together. 4 great years. She sleeps on my bed most of the time, but doesn't whine when I tell her to get on her dog bed. And her legs are fine, strong and healthy.

2 years ago we added Lily to the pack, they are best friends. I have learned alot from these 2, especially from Sadie. Sounds funny to say that you can learn stuff from a dog. But, let me share with you the biggest lesson I have learned from her.

Pure Joy! everyday when I come home from work I open the door and there she is, tail wagging, full of excitement, licker ready to go full speed. How nice is it to know that someone loves you that much? it is the best feeling in the world. How much nicer would it be for the person you love if you showed them that same amount of love and excitement to see them? After all, you see Sadie as just a dog, would you not appreciate that excitement even more if it came from a human, particularly the one you love? I think so.

As for me, I get great joy from that wagging tail!

Happy Sadie de Mayo to all of you and especially to Sadie. "Oh my goodnes, oh Beatrice, that's a good girl!"

Best Friends

It's been a while since I put up a good Sadie and Lily picture. Here's one from the past week. Wednesday is Cinco de Mayo, or Sadie de Mayo as it is called in our house. That's the day Sadie and I started our wolfpack 4 years ago. But I will tell you that story on Wednesday. As for today, the wolfpack and I are doing fine, andwe hope you are to.