To see them sitting there playing their Harry Potter video game was just awesome.  Every once in a while I look at my family and realize once again just how lucky I am to be a dad and a husband… this was one of those times.

The Top 10 Posts Of 2011
(Based On Number Of Views)

#10 – Thoughts At 35
No matter how hard I try, I continue to get older.  On this “milestone” birthday I decided to jot down a few musings.

#9 – 100 Facts About Me – Or At Least 50
I really dove into Twitter in the past year.  There was a game/activity going around where you had to tweet out 100 facts about yourself.  I got halfway home before I decided to call it a day.

#8 – WrestleMania VI – The Ultimate Challenge
This was #10 on last year’s list.  It’s part of my WrestleMania Project where I’m reviewing every show since the beginning.  This particular show was outstanding, as the main event pitted Intercontinental Champion the Ultimate Warrior against WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan.  Tremendous.

#7 – Top 10 Guilty Pleasure Movies
Another list that I put together way back in the day.  These are flicks that no matter how bad they are, I’ll watch every time they’re on TV.

#6 – Harry Hamlin Made Me Smile (in 2010)
Another repeat from last year’s list.  This is a report of a video game that Pip played with an interesting cameo in it.

#5 – The Overuse Of LOL
There aren’t a lot of things in pop culture that piss me off, but this is of them.  My take (OK… more of a rant) on the use of the term “LOL” in today’s culture.

#4 – Empire Snow Removal – Solon, Ohio & Twinsburg, Ohio
Way back in 2008, I got screwed over by a scam called The Snowplow Guys.  This year, I got a flyer in my mailbox for the same service.  I wasn’t happy, and wrote this post.

#3 – The Best Animated GIF Ever
The title of the post pretty much says it all.  It’s epic.

#2 – The WrestleMania 27 Drinking Game
If you’re a regular reader, you know that a couple of times a year, Pip and I get together and pretend we’re a lot younger than we are.  One of these times is during WrestleMania weekend.  Each year, we build The Beeramid with the help of a drinking game that we develop through the year.

#1 – Top 80?s Action Movies
For the second year in a row, the top spot goes to this post that I made about my favorite 80?s action flicks.  Love it!

Naturally, that lead to the conversation of exactly WHAT pictures I was going to show Mr. Matt and the inevitable conclusion that the current pictures I had we clearly sub-standard.  We needed a photo shoot and we needed it right… now.  During dinner… before we finished.  I managed to hold them off until after dinner was cleaned up but we marched right downstairs to take some acceptable pics to share with Mr. Matt.  And here they are…

G & C Posing For Mr. Matt

And now the "silly" shot

C show that HE is the World Champion

Though G may have something to say about that

I've never been prouder as a wrestling fan or as a father...

I got a nice note that a good friend of mine Tom Whittaker had mentioned me on his blog about Father’s Day.  Tom’s an awesome guy and it really made my day to hear such nice words.  If you’ve got a few minutes get into Tom’s head by reading his blog here:  http://www.tomwhittakerblog.com/

My in-laws live in a community with a huge lake in the middle.  Last year for Father’s Day we got both families together and had a great big cookout.  This is perfect for A and I as we both get to spend time with our dad’s (and families).  It worked out so well last year that we decided to do it again this year.

The Crew Down By The Lake - Before The Rain Came

Everything at the lake started off perfectly.  The boys were having a grand time playing in the water and on the beach, the grill was kicking and everyone was enjoying the afternoon.  There were a couple of rumbles of thunder off in the distance  but it looked like it was going to blow over.  PLUS, Dick Goddard said it wasn’t going to rain so we were golden.  Yeah right.

The heavens opened up just as we got everything off the grill.  We did the flight of the bumblebee trying to get everything packed up in the car before we got soaked but to no avail.  It was just raining too damn hard.  So… I found myself rolling a grill down the street back to my in-laws house in the pouring rain.  Seeing as everything was already cooked & prepared, we decided to set up shop in the garage and continue our cook out.

The Crew In The Garage - After The Rain Came

While it was a little bit unconventional, I can’t remember a Father’s Day where I had a better time.  I really can’t think of a better way to spend a day than with my wife, kids, parents, in-laws, brother, sister-in-laws, brother-in-law and grandfather.  Can’t wait to do it again next year!

A Happy Dad On Father's Day

In no particular order:

1. Being a dad allows you to be a kid.   I have a tendency to do some stupid things.  The wife does not like this.  However, in the eyes of my boys these same things make me a hero.
2. Kids who have an outgoing personality can be dangerous.  Watch out ladies!
3. I have less time to keep myself in shape now that I’m a dad.  I don’t care… there always seems to be an opportunity for a workout.
4. Kids pick up on stuff.  This includes your language, your likes and dislikes.  It also includes what you watch on television and what you like to eat.
5. Sometimes being a parent isn’t what you think it will be.
6. Kids say some funny stuff.  Don’t believe me?  Here’s another example.
7. When you think your kids are safe they will find a way to get hurt.  No… seriously.
8. Potty training sucks.  Plain and simple.
9. A child doused in Miller Lite is a terrible thing… but kind of funny at the same time.
10. Weekends are for family.  And they’re awesome.

So there’s a look back at my first 5 years.  I’m a little fatter, a little wiser but simultaneously a little dumber from hanging out with these yahoos.  But I wouldn’t change a thing.  I’ve been covered in poop, barfed on, laughed at, jumped on and ridden.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… I love being a dad.

Happy birthday G.  Love you buddy.

I was working on Friday and Al had the day off, so he was nice enough to give Pip a ride downtown.  After work, I rode the RTA into town to meet up with the boys.  Needless to say, I felt like a sardine riding the RTA to the stadium.  Apparently I wasn’t the only one with that brilliant idea.  We met up at Cadillac Ranch for some awesome pre-game grub.

Opening Day in Cleveland is essentially a holiday… second only to St. Patrick’s Day.  That said, there were a TON of people who were WAY ahead of us in the drinking department – including this guy who was busting a move to Footloose.  I can’t be hyper critical though… Pip and I did the same thing at his wedding.

We made our way to Jacob’s Field which was beautiful as always.  Yes… I know it’s called Progressive Field these days.  I don’t care… it’ll always be “The Jake” to me.  The Indians did a great job during the pregame and honored recently deceased Bob Feller with a very touching video.

After the game, we headed out to celebrate my buddy Brad’s birthday for a while.  Through many protests, we called it a night before going “next door” and headed home.  In retrospect a very good decision.

Saturday we hung out with the boys during the day and then met up with one of Pip’s high school classmates and her husband for dinner and some drinks.  SUPER cool people that I’m so happy to have met.  After meeting up with them, Pip had to make his annual trek to the Annex.  Even if its for one beer (which this year it was) it’s nice to be back “home”.  We continued our rounds of local bars with a stop at Legends to check out some of the scenery… and a very talented band.  Knowing that Sunday was going to be a big day we headed home rather early.

Sunday – WrestleMania day.  Marko got in on this year’s action and came over at around 5:00 for the 7:00 show.  We got ourselves some food and we were ready for the evening’s festivities.  I’m certainly not a “foodie” by the traditional sense of the word, but I have to say we did a pretty damn good job in the food department.

I won’t go into the details of the show here but if you’re interested in my thoughts you can find them here.  The Beeramid as per usual was a tall challenge but I’m thrilled to report that we once again were up to the task.

If you want the blow by blow details of the Beeramid challenge you can find them here.  Suffice to say it was once again A-W-E-S-O-M-E.  Monday morning rolled around rather quickly and just like that the weekend was over.  Miraculously I was at the office right around normal time on Monday morning and Pip was out the door and on the road by 9:00 as well.  We don’t have a date yet for my trip to visit the Pips but it’s typically in the fall.  I absolutely can’t wait (though my liver does need a bit of a rest).  See you soon brother!

I made my left, the gentlemen in the police car did the same and was following me.  And then he turned his lights on… uh oh.  Maybe I AM a felon on the run from the law.  Immediately I began to freak out cause I wasn’t sure if the town that I was in had a “No Cell Phone While Driving” law.  So, I proceeded to hang up on the wife, turn off the phone and pull over.

So, very politely, I rolled down my window and I was greeted with, “License and registration please.”  I honestly didn’t think that cops actually said that.  I figured it was just a TV/Movie thing.  I naturally had both and said in my best “I didn’t do it officer” voice:  “Is there a problem officer?”  His response was less than what I was expecting… “Why yes, you turned left on red.”

FUCK

In my infinite wisdom, I managed to be talking to my wife, in a town that I’m not familiar with, with a cop behind me and just blew through a red light.  And I didn’t just “miss it” or roll through it.  Nope… I came to a complete stop, looked in my rear view mirror, saw that there was a cop behind me, went back to my conversation and proceeded to turn left before the light turned green.  And for my stupidity I earned a ticket for $140.

My name is “dumb ass”.  Hear me roar.