Sunday Adventures With Nick

My friends and I have been going out on Sunday’s to watch football for a couple of years now. We all play fantasy football and it is kind of cool to all meet up at a bar and watch all the games together. Our requirements for a bar are not unreasonable. All that we ask is that they have the Sunday ticket and have some food put out at halftime.

The Sunday ticket is a service by direct TV that has every NFL game on it. A bar needs to have enough receivers and televisions setup to be able to carry all the games. What I usually do is put my main focus on the Bears game and then during down time and timeouts look over to the other TV’s to check out what my fantasy players are doing. For the last couple of seasons we would head to the Sports Dome in Bridgeview. There they always had the games on and offered a buffet for the Bears game that was out of this world. It included home cooked meatloaf, ham, pork chops, roast beef, and smoked butt. It was incredible. Sadly, that bar closed over the summer, which led us on a mission to try and find a new home to watch the games. It is week twelve of the season and we still have not found a permanent residence. Here is a brief rundown of the bars we have tried so far.

The Castle, 5700 W. 79^th St. Burbank – The Castle is the bar that sponsors our softball team so we figured we would give them first crack. I like the bar and the owner is a real good guy. However, the setup for football lacks a lot to be desired. First, they only have about four games on. So, they are usually missing at least half of the early games. Then, the setup of the TV’s is all wrong as they are all over the place. Also, they don’t have a lot of tables so if you get there late you are screwed. On the positives they do have a great kitchen and the drinks are very reasonable but overall it was a miss.

Papa T’s, 7130 W. 79^th St. Burbank – For week 2 we tried Papa T’s which used to be Angie’s. They did have most of the games on, however that was their only good point. All the TV’s are located at the bar. So, if you don’t belly up you are out of luck. The food they put out was basically frozen pizzas and spaghetti-o’s. The drinks were expensive and the service was unfriendly. So, needless to say our search continued after this place.

TC Pub, 9700 S. Cicero Ave. Oak Lawn - We used to go to this place back before the Dome opened. However, there piss-pour service and attitude forced us to move on. With that said, it had been a couple of years so we decided to give it a try for week 3. This place does have every game on and the setup of the TV’s is outstanding. However, those service issues are still present. The bartender is a complete prick. I have never seen a guy with such a bad attitude. Every time you get a beer it is like you are inconveniencing him. They do not put out any food and their kitchen is a joke. Basically, frozen pizzas and soy hamburgers. The place is huge but the cheap owner only has one waitress who has no chance of keeping up with the customers. Just an unpleasant place that even though they set the games up there well, prevents us from going back.

Groucho’s, 8355 S. Pulaski Chicago – For week 4 we tired Groucho’s. This was the worst of a bad lot. First off they only had half of the games on. Second, all the TV’s were behind the bar so, again if you want to watch a game you better get there early to grab a seat. They had no food special so we were forced to eat off the menu, which was brutal. The drinks were over priced and I got a Rolling Rock, which was skunked. A complete shit-hole, which we will not be going back to.

Zante Lounge, 10307 S. Roberts Rd. Palos Hills – Zante Lounge is located right by my house so, I wanted to like it so I could basically walk home if I needed to. Sadly, this place also was no good. They only had four of the games on. Also, their TV setup was all wrong. They put out some bad, bland ribs and some boiled potatoes at half time. The drinks were reasonable but that was all this bar had going for it. Lastly, they had this young waitress who was wearing an outfit that would have made Jenna Jamison blush. With all that said obviously we won’t be going back there.

All Stars’. 8000 S. Roberts Rd. Justice – For week 6 we tried All Star’s. They had most of the games on but were missing a couple. The setup is actually pretty good. However, there was this bus boy that kept changing one televison to put the soccer game on which was a major sin. They put out some roast beef, baked beans, taco salad, and some pulled pork, which was decent. The drinks were also ok, but the fact that they couldn’t get all the games on coupled with that damn bus boy was enough to make me not want to go back.

Jordan’s 13500 S. Harlem Ave. Orland Park – I had to sit out week 7 at home but for week 8, we tried Jordan’s. They had all plasma screens with HD on them so the setup was great. However, they didn’t have enough receivers so they could only get like five games on at one time. They put out some pizza and chicken wings at halftime. The beer was cheap however their mixed drinks left something to be desired. (At least that is what I was told as I was drinking beer.) All in all I liked the place but the fact that they couldn’t get all the games and the mixed drink issue caused us to keep searching.

Champ’s 5728 W. 87^th St. Burbank – Champ’s is as now is the leading bar. It is a dump but they do have a good football setup. They get every game on which is a good start. Plus, their setup is nice as you can see them all. They put out a great food spread for halftime from the Mexican restaurant next door. The drinks are reasonable and the service is good. On the negative side, they don’t have a lot of tables and the bathrooms are war zones. Still, this has been the best place we’ve found and we have gone back three times.

Grove’s 11^th and Austin Chicago Ridge – Even though we like Champ’s we still wanted to keep searching so we tried Grove’s on 111^th. What a mistake that would be. First off they had a whole three games on. The drinks were over priced and watered down. Then for halftime they put out tasteless, burnt hamburgers and fries. The only positive was the setup of TV’s but when you only have three games on what is the point.

So, as if right now we are leaning towards making Champ’s our new home. I have heard about two other places that have the NFL package, one being Lot 4 in Chicago Ridge and the other being Fat Sam’s in Orland. We may give Lot 4 a chance this week. I figure by the time the season is over we should have our permanent home figured out.

Am I Too Young To Retire?

Even though I had to work on Friday I still had a nice Thanksgiving weekend. I relaxed watched a lot of football and forgot about the horrors at the office. Then I come in today and it was like a brick hit me upside the head.

We have six techs on our team. Someone thought it was a good idea for there to be four of them out of the office today. Mind you no one called in sick, these were scheduled days off. So, I now am doing the work of three people on this gray Chicago autumn afternoon. I think I may buy a lotto ticket on the way home from work today.

How Many Dinner Rolls Will Nick Eat?

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Traditionally this has always been one of my favorite holidays. It has all the good qualities of Christmas without the sappiness of it. There are two main reasons I have always liked Thanksgiving. One being the night before and the other involving football.

A lot of people don’t realize this but, Thanksgiving Eve is the biggest and busiest bar night of the year. There are a lot of reasons for this. One being that a lot of people are coming from out of town and a good way to catch with out of state relatives and friends is to go grab a cold one. I’ve gone out many a Thanksgiving Eve and while I’ve always had fun I can not pin point one being a whole lot better then any other. A couple of years ago I remember going to see my friend Kevin’s band play at O’Malley’s and then heading to the Gas Light in Oak Lawn to close the night out. That was a lot of fun, but nothing memorable happened.

As for football, well that is a different story. Back in the day my friends and I had our own Turkey Bowl. As we have gotten older and more brittle we have retired the game but still there was a time when it was an annual event. One year we played across from my house in Willow Springs, which was fine except that half way through we realized that this same field was where a lot of the neighborhood walked their dogs. Thus there were many a shit bombs lying around. Hence, that game was dubbed the shit bowl. One year we played at Wierzba Park in Bridgeview after a snowstorm the night before. It was freezing and the wind was blowing snow everywhere. You couldn’t pass the ball, as the wind would knock any pass down. The final score that year was 7-0, when I while running in the clear slipped on an ice patch fumbling the ball only to have my friend Chris pick it up and run it the other way for the lone score. Eventually, I quit playing after spraining my right foot and had to walk on crutches for a week. I soon realized that this game was no longer worth the trouble. Still, though every year my Uncle John, myself and my cousin Kevin play a five-minute game of catch outside to keep the tradition flowing.

When it comes to professional football I have found memories of that as well with the Bears - Lions contest in 1980 being the most memorable. The Bears were getting their ass kicked the whole game. The team that year stunk, so no one had high hopes that the Bears would win the game anyway. Suddenly in the 4^th quarter the Bears started to make a furious comeback. The Bears were down 7 points with two minutes left when they got the ball on their own 2-yard line. Vince Evans then proceeded to lead the team down the field. Then with only seconds remaining he ran a QB sneak into the end zone to tie the game as the clock expired. It was at this point my Aunt who had been slaving over a turkey the whole day told us it was time to eat. The hell it was. This game was going into overtime. My Uncle told her to keep basting. We would be there in a minute.

The Bears won the coin toss and elected to receive. The kickoff went to Dave Williams a back-up running back that returned kicks. Sure enough he found a seem and ran the kickoff all the way back for a touchdown and a Bears victory. I still remember all the men going ape shit as the women were wondering what the hell had just happened.

So, I draw on those memories as I make my rounds tomorrow. Joyce and I will be going to her sisters in the morning to celebrate with her family. Then we will head to Darien to celebrate with my Mom. After eating there we will eventually end up at my Aunt’s house in Lemont to grab a piece of Pumpkin Pie before heading home. All in all it is a hectic day but I still would rather do all of that then sing the Twelve Days of Christmas any day.

Places I've Shat

I have been working in downtown Chicago for twelve out of the last thirteen years. Here is a list of the buildings I have worked in while in the Loop.

564 W. Randolph – My first job downtown was with IRI and I was given a desk on the first floor of their off shot building. It had whole seven floors and only two elevators. Located in the west loop, I was kind of in no man’s land when it came to lunch. We would usually hit Paula’s, a sit down greasy spoon across the street. I spent a couple years at that location before I moved.

150 N. Clinton – This was IRI’s main building. It was connected to the Randolph building via a crosswalk built over the alleys on the 6^th floor. It was also just mere steps from the Lake street green line stop which was convenient when I was at DePaul My desk was moved to the second floor when the pc lab was forced to move. It was actually a cool looking building in that they had this new age wooden design going on when you walked in. There was a racquetball court and showers located on the 6^th floor, making it a kind of cool place to work. I didn’t sit there that long but for the short time I did, I enjoyed it.

525 W. Monroe - Ah, the Monroe building. Eventually IRI grew so large that they leased out four floors in an old building that Xerox used to own. IRI had floors 2-5. I was assigned to support this off site building. This was great because I was by myself and had my own thing going on. I was given an office on the 4^th floor and everything. It was a cool building and it was in a much better location. It was just a mere two blocks from Union station so I didn’t have a long walk. Also, my lunch choices opened up as it was near a lot of places. I eventually moved to the second floor and set up my own personal lab there. A great time and one of the best buildings I ever worked in.

222 Merchandise Mart Plaza – When I finally got back downtown I did so, by working at the Mart. Located at the very north end of the loop, I again lucked out, as this was a historic and great place to work. I was consulting with Monsanto at this point and they had the 9^th floor of the mart rented out. It was great as the building had it’s own red and purple line stop so, getting there was a cinch. Also, they had a food court so, on bad days I didn’t even have to leave the building to go to lunch. We also had a pool table, bouche ball court, and hammocks. Just a great location and a great building.

200 W. Monroe – When I first got hired at Harris Bank, they gave me a desk in this building on the 14^th floor. I didn’t sit there very long so I don’t have a lot of memories of it. The building had a Burger King and a Hallmark shop in the lobby. It was a nice location as it is in the heart of the loop and again I had a number of lunch options.

311 W. Monroe – Once I became a Lan Admin at Harris Bank, I was moved to the 311 team, which meant I would support that building. I was first given a cube on the 9^th floor. I would eventually move to the 8^th and finally the 3^rd floor. I sat in that little building from early 99 until I left in 2003. It is a small building with only 14 floors. The main bank was located two blocks away so, we were kind of left on our own. The check processing units and lockbox were located there so, those were the areas I supported. All in all I liked working there as it was a good location and offered me a lot of options for travel and lunch.

20 S. Clark – When I first started at Bank One the first building that I sat at was this one. I only sat there for two three months so, I don’t have much of a history of it. My desk was in the 14^th floor. It was a bit of a walk from Union Station but again was located right smack dab in the middle of the loop so, I could get anywhere I wanted rather easily.

131 S. Dearborn – This is where I currently sit. I’ve been here now for a little over two years. It is a brand new building that does not have a lot of history or character. I sit on the 6^th floor. We have a Walgreen’s in our lobby, which is nice. It is a haul every day as it is eight city blocks from my train station but hey I could use the workout. I do have a blue line stop right in front of my building so, that is pretty cool. Plus being only one block off of State St. is a nice feature come Christmas time in case I need to run to Carson’s or Marshall Fields for a last minute gift.

More Nonsense Reading

It has been awhile since I posted some book reviews. So here is a brief summary of the last five books that I have read.

The Bad Guys Won, by Jeff Pearlman – This is the story of the 1986 Mets. Now, I am in no way shape or form a Mets fan. I am however, a fan of baseball and 1986 goes down as one of those classic seasons in which the postseason had more dramatics then any other one then I can remember. When it was all said and done the Mets had won the World Series. In this book the author reveals just what a bunch of lunatics these guys were and it also goes into to explain what happened to that team and why they only won one title. In all of my life I have never seen a bigger waste of talent then that of Dwight Gooden and that chapter alone is worth reading.

An Askew View: The films of Kevin Smith, by John Kenneth Muir – Another book about one of my favorite directors, Kevin Smith. In this one, there is a lot of regurgitation of stories I already knew but it was still a good read. If you are a fan of Smith’s work then you will enjoy this book. If you have no interest in pouring over the Jersey trilogy then you might not enjoy this one.

Heavier Then Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain, by Charles Cross – A really good book about the life and times of Cobain. In this book we learn about the troubled, tumultuous life of whom may consider the voice of my generation. Whether you agree with that or not, is not the point. This is the most honest portrayal I’ve read about Kurt and it showed him for what he really was. He was a contradiction, one minute loving and tender the next a narcissist who would turn off anyone that cared for him. Ultimately his demons got the best of him but he sure put out some good music in a short time frame.

The Rise and Self Destruction of the Greatest Football Team in History: The Chicago Bears and Super Bowl XX, by John Mullin – The 85 Bears go down as one of the greatest teams in the history of the NFL. However, to any fan of that team there is always that feeling that they should have won more then just that one title. Here we get the story about how that team was built and how it fell apart. I have always felt that Mike Ditka is the most over rated coach in history and in this book it does go into that a little. If you are a Bears fan this book is a must read.

Dean and Me: A Love Story, by Jerry Lewis and James Kaplan – I am a pop culture junkie. And as such, I love to read about what the entertainment industry was like back in the day. Martin and Lewis were doing their thing in front of a live audience sometimes fives times a night for ten years. What a run they had. This was quite simply one of the best books I’ve read about show business and I have read a lot of them. I could not put this book down. Dean Martin has always been my favorite member of the Rat Pack and this is a great insight into that man. Jerry Lewis, tells a hell of a story and you get all you would ever want to know about their partnership and their eventual break-up. Funny, sad, goofy, and serious this book tells it all. I’ve never been a huge Jerry Lewis fan but after reading this book, you can’t help but like the guy. I cannot re-iterate how much I loved reading this book. I didn’t want it to end and I could not put it down. If you have even a remote interest in this subject matter please pick this one up.

It Was One Year Ago Today...

It has been one year to the day that I first started this site of vanity I call my blog. In that time I have killed a lot of time at work, gotten a lot of things off of my chest and kept those who care apprised of what was going on in my inane ordinary suburban life. While I wrestle from time to time over this site I must admit that I do find writing it therapeutic. So, therefore I think I will keep going.

A friend, awhile back while discussing my blog said, I don’t know what is lamer, you writing one or me reading it. I guess I understand that thinking. I mean everyone’s life is interesting to them but rarely significant to others. So, I realize that at times I may bore people with the minute details of my vacations or my half assed opinions. Therefore, I don’t expect a lot of people to have much of an interest in what I am posting.

I went into this blog with the noblest of ideals. I have always felt that by writing I could post thoughts that I would never say out loud. Also, since I hate the phone, I figured I would have a venue for family members to keep posted of what was going on in my life. (Hello, Dad) Lastly, I personally think it is a good idea to have a creative outlet. I don’t play an instrument, I can’t paint or draw things to save my life so I figured I would cram one more self important blog into the world wide web.

With that said, to anyone who does take time out from surfing porn and checking e-mails to venture on over here, I say thanks and hello. Please feel free to post any thoughts or comments or hell, just post to say hi if you want.

Nick's Boring Vacation

I’m back in the office after a couple of days off. Here is a brief rundown of the events of the past week.

Tuesday 11/8 – After work Joyce and I celebrated our Anniversary at the Old Barn in Burbank. I had a Gift Certificate so, we ate like we were kings. I had the Prime Rib and Joyce got this pork dish. Both of them were out of this world and the Old Barn still is one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to. After dinner we went home, I watched bad cable, as Joyce had to go to bed, as she had to be back at work the next day.

Wednesday 11/9 – I got up early and headed to the dentist to get a cleaning. After that I headed home and swept up four bags of leaves from my driveway. It was windy as hell, so a lot of leaves blew into my neighbors yard so I got kind of lucky. I then did the dishes and grabbed some lunch from the Dominick’s salad bar. Eventually Joyce came home from work and we grabbed a couple of bowls of soup from the Patio for dinner. Again, I let the bad cable wash over me as Joyce went to bed at a reasonable hour.

Thursday 11/10 – I was not inspired to much in the housework department so, I decided to at least enjoy one day of my vacation, so I decided to catch a movie. I grabbed the paper and nothing stood out. So, I drove to Orland and grabbed some chicken from Long John Silver’s and read the paper there. I then went to Marcus Theater in O' town and bought a ticket to see the Weatherman starring Nicholas Cage. Since the movie didn’t start for an hour and a half, I went to Best Buy to kill some time. There I picked up the new Office Space DVD. I then went back to the theatre and caught the flick. I can’t say I loved it nor did I hate it. It is one of those movies that you walk away from with no lasting impression one way or the other. I then went home and the Joyce and I ordered a pie from Phil’s. I then, again sat up watching bad cable.

Friday 11/11 – It was Veteran’s Day so, Joyce had the day off as well. I got up and bagged some more leaves from outside. Joyce had a light bulb out on the fish tank and needed my assistance in replacing it. We got the old one out and headed to Odd Lot’s Pet Store in Bridgeview for the replacement. After grabbing it, we headed to Nick’s Fat Boy for a real bad lunch. After getting home and replacing the light Joyce, started cleaning the rocks in the tank, which required my assistance from time to time. (Have I ever mentioned how much I love that tank.) We eventually headed to the Orland Library, as Joyce had to return some books. We killed some time there and grabbed dinner at Fox’s. I had some real bad ravioli and we eventually headed home. There I watched the Office Space DVD I had bought. After that I again let the bad cable wash over me before passing out on the couch.

Saturday 11/12 – Joyce had class leaving me to the house myself. I got up and grabbed another salad from Dominick’s. I then went to battle against the leaves one more time. I cleaned out the gutters on both the house and the garage. I then mowed the lawn, which was littered with leaves. I find mowing the lawn and emptying the bag fifty times, easier then raking all the leaves. After it was all said and done I had thirteen bags worth of leaves for the week. After I was done, I went in and took a shower and fell asleep on the couch until Joyce got home from her class. We then went to the Pit in Hickory Hills for dinner. Joyce wasn’t feeling that well so she hit bed pretty early. I caught most of the Bulls game and then I passed out as well.

Sunday 11/13 – I woke up feeling like someone had stuck a wire brush down my throat. I felt so bad that I contemplated not going out to watch the Bears game. I figured I’d live so I went to Champ’s in Burbank to catch up with my friends and watch the football game. After realizing that Champ’s was only going to be able to get the Bears game in (we try to hit bars that have the Sunday ticket) I was kind of miffed. I still kind of felt like crap so I only had one beer. I did feast on their halftime spread of breaded pork, taquitos, garlic bread, beef and chicken fajitas. After the Bears game I headed home. There Joyce asked if I could hit Cub Foods with her. We went and bought a bunch of groceries for the week. We got home and Joyce made a Lemon Chicken for dinner. After eating I settled in to catch the Simpson’s and eventually Curb Your Enthusiasm before heading to bed.

Pausing Until Next Week

Today is my last day of work for the week, as I have got the next two days as vacation days and Friday is Veterans Day. I have a lot of leaves to rake up so, trust me I will be busy. So, I will not be posting anything else to sometime next week. As always thanks for checking out my blog.

No Longer Newlywed's

I went to send a Happy Anniversary to my wife as Tuesday we will have been married for two years, and we can no longer be called newlyweds. I guess it is true that time flies when you are having fun, because I can’t believe that wedding was two years ago.

Joyce and I got engaged in October of 2002. This started a whirlwind of events that I thank the Lord I will never have to go through again. Here is a brief rundown of the decisions we made for our big day.

Hall - Joyce knowing how hard it was to get me to come that far, quickly wanted to set a date and pin me down. So, the first thing we did was to try to find a hall. After doing some searching we toured the Martinique in Evergreen Park and really liked it.

I liked it for all of its old school charisma. Dean Martin once sang there and the place has this nostalgic look and feel that I fell in love with. Joyce, also really liked it so we agreed to have the wedding there. We sat down with the manager of the place and went over the dates. We picked November simply because we both liked the fall and realized that you save money having a wedding in the off peak season. November 8^th was open in the books so, we put a deposit down and we were on our way. As our wedding day approached, it was met with some sadness as we learned the Martinique was closing its doors in the following weeks to make way for a Wal-Mart.

It is to bad because we really just fell in love with that place. They provided a free cake tasting every third Thursday. So, Joyce and I went there every month and ate a whole lot of free cake. In doing so we toured the place and saw how beautiful it was. In the end the place was great, they worked with us, let us upgrade our room, and did a first rate job.

Church – Originally, we thought we might just get married in the chapel that was located right on the premises of the Martinique. However Joyce had a change of heart and wanted to get married in a church. Since neither of us really belong to any catholic church (I know you are all shocked) Joyce suggested St. Albert’s. St Al’s was special to my family simply because, it was where I made my first communion and was baptized, my parents got married there as did two of my Aunts. Also, it is where my Grandparents have been parishioners since the sixties. I wanted to have Fr. Marek perform the ceremony simply because he performed my Grandfathers funeral and I felt with him performing the events, it would kind of be a reminder of his presence.

Fr. Marek was really cool about the ceremony, incorporating all of Joyce’s family customs and only requiring us to go to one pre-cana event. That is a story in and of itself lets, just say I was glad it was only a one-day ritual. We met with the organist and picked our music and all in all I can’t complain too much about the church portion.

Limo – Chicago Ridge Mall had advertised a wedding show featuring many different local business in the area. We went and this is where we found our limo. We were walking around getting bombarded with business cards from all the various companies when we saw this limo place called Royal Limo Service. It was convenient in that they were located right across the street from the church. I called around and found that they were very reasonable so, we went with them. I personally thought we got a good deal and the company did us right. My wife wanted a black limo for some reason and swears she told me this, however I never recalled her letting me know. So, she eventually relented and went with the white stretch and I think in the end was happy with them as well.

Photographer – Joyce really wanted to use Fred Fox Studios as she had seen some pictures from a wedding there and really liked them. I personally could have given a shit so, we went with them. We got to pick our photographer based on sample work and we went with a guy named Caesar. As for Caesar himself, I thought he was cool. He didn’t yell at people and seemed to have a lot of patience. He was professional and did a very good job. I thought that Fred Fox was a tad on the expensive side, but my Father was kind of enough to supply the dough for them, which I greatly appreciated. It took forever to get the pictures and I thought that they came out OK. All in all I was not dis-pleased but I still feel we paid too much for the quality we got back.

Tuxes – This decision was made simply out of location. I surmized (rightfully so) a tux is a tux. With my Dad living in Columbus, Ohio I figured lets pick a place that has locations in both Chicago and Columbus. Thus, we went with Desmonds. The funny thing is that I don’t think they are in Chicago anymore but I felt that they did a good job and got all the fittings and measurements done correctly on the first try. In the end they did a bang up job and if they are still around I would recommend them.

Flowers – This was another area I could have given a rat’s ass about. I let Joyce handle this one. Joyce got an invitation to a bridal expose at the Oak Lawn Hilton. So, she dragged me along to go with her. I was one of about three other men at the thing. So, I followed Joyce around as she looked at various booths. She then stopped at Grapevine’s Flower booth where she really fell in love with the flowers. She grabbed a card and eventually made an appointment. Again, I was dragged along as Joyce and the owner of Grapevine talked flowers. At one point I excused myself to go to the bathroom. I actually went next door to a bar and grabbed a quick beer. I came back and you never would have thought I was gone. Joyce really did like the flowers and other then the owner forgetting to supply roses for my Mom and Joyce’s Mom she did a good job. Again, they were a tad on the expensive side but it was worth it to make Joyce happy.

DJ – This is the one area of the wedding I was most concerned with. I’ve been to a lot of weddings and I personally believe that a DJ can make or break the event. Sadly, I’ve been to a lot more bad weddings then good. A while back, my friend Chuck got married and I really thought his DJ did a great job. Unfortunately, Chuck could not remember his phone number and could not find his card. So, Joyce and I searched on and on. We found this DJ service on Ridgeland and Southwest Highway and preliminary discussions with them, even going so far as to “crash” a wedding to see a sample of their work. However, we just never got around to signing a contract. Then one day Chuck calls me to tell me while cleaning out a drawer he found Steve’s (his DJ) card and phone number. So, I called Steve up and he was happy to take the job. We wound up saving a little money and I thought he did a fantastic job. In the end I think Joyce agreed and all was well that ended well.

Rings – Thankfully, Joyce’s Mom took care of this as a wedding present to both of us. All we had to do was pick out which band we wanted. We tried a couple of different sets and eventually went with a very classic solid gold design, nothing fancy or gaudy. We got our ring fingers measured and really we didn’t have to think about them again until the wedding day.

Rehearsal Dinner – My Mom and Dad agreed to split the costs of this one so, we wanted to find something good, while not breaking the bank. We had a number of ideas. First, we were going to go to this Mexican restaurant, but I didn’t like the owner so we moved on. Then we found this Greek place in Worth but we couldn’t just ever settle on it. Then all of the sudden Joyce up and suggested the Old Barn. The Old Barn was directly across the street from the church and would be way convenient. So, we worked out the details and went with that. All, I can say is, we made the right call. The food was out of this world and it worked out in a big way.

Video – Our biggest mistake. Joyce’s sister recommended her boyfriends brother to us. He worked for half the price of most video guys so, we went with him. In retrospect we should have just hired a professional but, we weren’t thinking. Two weeks after our wedding Joyce’s sister broke up with her boyfriend. This made getting the actual video a real pain in the ass. I was constantly calling the guy and trying to get a status. He kept telling me he was editing it. After eight months I was beyond fed up so, I told him I wanted the thing done. He told me he could give me what he had which wound up being an unedited mess of sloppiness. I doubt he worked one day on the final product. It was a complete waste of time and money.

All in all it was a lot of work and money for one hell of a party. I figured it was costing me enough, so I was going to have a good old time, which is exactly what I had. I shook a lot of hands and had my picture taken a whole lot. Of course all of that stuff is secondary to the fact that Joyce made me the happiest man in the world, by marring me. As much of a pain in the ass as all that planning and saving was, it was all worth it for that one great evening two years ago.

What Nick Watches

Television has become a wasteland of bad jokes and laugh tracks. TV writers can’t come up with an original idea to save their lives. There are so few good shows on that without cable I am not sure how anyone could even stand the medium. With that said there are still a couple of good shows out there. Here is my list of what I still watch.

The Simpson’s – Is it as good as it once was? Well, no it isn’t. However even at 80% this show is still better then most anything else on. It still has the wit and conscience that has made it funny after all these years. Simply put this may be the greatest written show of all time.

Curb Your Enthusiasm – Larry David just makes me laugh. I love him, and the whole cast. Plus, it is a vehicle for Richard Lewis who always makes me laugh even if his act is as stale as a BTO concert. The neurotic David alienates many viewers but damn it I love him and this show.

My Name is Earl – With Jason Lee starting I was going to watch, as I am a fan. I was happily surprised as this show is actually very funny. It does not have an annoying laugh track and makes one actually try to find the humor on their own. Lee is of course great as always as is Ethan Suplee as his brother.

Arrested Development – Proof that there is great talent and fresh ideas out there. A great ensemble cast and what they get away with on network TV gives me hope that adult comedies still can exist in this day and age. If you haven’t caught on to this show yet, trust me, it is pure genius.

Law and Order and Law and Order SVU – This is still a quality show after all these years. I miss Jerry Orbach on the OG Law and Order but it is still pretty good. SVU has only gotten better. It took me a while to warm up to this show but now, I love it.

The Soprano’s – Yes, this show is still on the air even though it has been almost two years since they had a new season. I can’t wait until March when the next and possibly last season starts.

Rescue Me – This great show is on F/X and it is maybe my favorite of them all. Someone finally figured out how to use Dennis Leary’s talents. It’s second season just ended and it sucks knowing I have to wait another year for season three but trust me the wait is worth it.

Scrub’s – One of the best-written and acted shows on television. Sadly, it is on hiatus as NBS has decided to air the Biggest Loser in its place. No laugh track and a show that while being overly sappy sometimes still makes up for that with original humor

Honorable mention to Family Guy, American Dad, Entourage and The Office, which can all, be very good at times.

Here I Go Again

HMO’s – Is there a bigger scam on the earth then HMO’s. There is nothing more irritating then trying to go see a specialist if you belong to an HMO. First, you have to make an appointment three months in advance to see your Primary Care Physician. Then pay the co-pay to get his OK to go see the specialist. After another three month back log of appointments you might be able to see a real doctor sometime before the next election. I have a bad knee and whenever people ask why I don’t get it fixed, I simply want to say, I don’t feel like dealing with the aggravation of my insurance company bullshit.

Barb Wire Tattoo’s – You know the tattoo of barbwire along some mongoloid’s tricep. If there is anything lamer or more un-original then that, I would love to know. Wow, you guys are real men and oh so macho. I tell you what, put some real barbwire around your arm and them come talk me. Until then keep taking your roids, until your balls completely shrivel up into your sack and stop polluting the world with your over testosterone induced rampages.

Christmas Displays in September – I bitch about this every year and yet, every year it pisses me off more and more. What is it in this country where we need to start celebrating the most annoying and trying holiday of them all for three fucking months. Isn’t it bad enough that you over jingle the lot of us with your false merriment and hypocritical giving? I’ll let you guys have December but this September Christmas crap is to fucking early. It totally ruins Halloween and Thanksgiving, which are much cooler holidays to begin with. Please stop this already.

Finger Licking – Nothing grosses me out more then watching some fat tub of goo, disgustingly licking the remaining barbecue sauce off of their fat fingers instead of simply taking a napkin and wiping them clean. I realize cleanliness and appearance are not high priorities for these elephants but working a napkin does not take a college education. Please stop making the rest of society nauseous with your piggish behavior.

Old Men With Ponytails – Nothing quite says mid life crisis then some grayish ponytail. Listen, you are old and you are no longer cool and hip. Get used to it. Teenage girls don’t want you anymore (unless you have money) and by trying to be something you are not is really annoying. Get an adult haircut, celebrate your age, and stop trying to hang on to your long gone youth.

Jon Bon Jovi – You know there were a lot of bad late 80’s metal bands. Most of them realized that they did indeed suck and went far away and started digging ditches were they belonged. However, this asshole must not have gotten that memo. He has written the unforgettable line, “I’m a cowboy on the steel horse I ride” and so many other ridiculously bad songs that time does not allow me to list them all. This guy is a complete and utter hack and it is to bad that he is still around while good musicians have to struggle to make it in mainstream society.

The NBA dress code – What an overtly racist policy. Let me get this straight. White people don’t like their NBA players wearing gold chains and baggy pants so, we force them to sanitize their look so that white America no longer fears these players. What the fuck does wearing a suit have to do with playing basketball? If you don’t like what a player does off the court then too fucking bad. Would you like every moment of your private life scrutinized and looked over with a magnifying glass? All a fan should care about is a player’s conduct and play on the court. All the other stuff is someone’s private business. Forcing someone to wear something is bullshit, plain and simple.

Golf Assholes – I have long stated that you will find a higher concentration of assholes on a golf course, then anywhere else on planet earth. I like playing golf but I hate golfers. A bunch of elitist white rich guys who spend a thousand dollars on a golf club and ten’s of thousands in bunkered up country clubs. If you have ever come across one of these pricks you know exactly what I am talking about. They look down of everything and everyone and feel they are above everyone. They are jut pure scum.

European Dance Music – First of all I hesitate to call this crap music. It is more like synthesized, repetitive, processed noise. I know I am old and it is a cliché to rip on younger generations music but this is pure drivel. It adds nothing and only the dullest and lamest pallets could possibly get into it. I try to find the good in any form of music, even country but this rubbish is without one redeeming factor.