The prodigal son returns...

I remember starting this blog quite a few years ago, in an effort to simply chronicle my exploits and adventures with golf. In that time, I've been fortunate to play many courses, great and otherwise, and meet many people who epitomized (and exploited) the gentlemen of golf, and vastly improved my game through hours of practice.

For all of this, I lost sight of a few things, namely the amount of time that I could have been with my family. While my coaching duties required my attention, it was the additional time that I put in beyond that required that took me away from my family. Beyond weak justifications, I finally realized that I was missing a huge part of my family due to my own actions. It was time for me to take a step away.

In the nearing two years since that time, I've played golf a total of four times, namely in charity tournaments with some buddies, but I didn't miss the game. I guess all the hours that I had put in (and away from my family) had been more than enough to satisfy the longing that I may have had.

I got an email the other day from our local golf course (the ownership is changing, and this website may quickly become outdated). Basically, there have been some positive changes made at the local golf course (new management and all) and in short, the rest of my family are interested in taking advantage of this and obtaining a membership. I guess it's funny how things go full circle. My son has a renewed interest in it, and is actually listening and following instruction. The wife is ready to take up the sport as well. All of this without my persuasion, I might add.

I'm excited about this next chapter in our lives. As I told my wife the other day as we discussed this possibility, I was always a bit jealous of the neighborhood men whose wifes would join them to play a round or two here and there. Maybe deep down, it was something I had wished for, and wow...here we are.

Pictured above, the split fairway Par-5 #11.

Shazam!

Short and Sweet...

I just finished reading my buddy's latest and final entry for 2010, and it was the impetus I needed to go ahead and get a few words down on this last Friday of the decade.

Today's words? Short and Sweet. Down and Dirty. Hard and Fast. Okay, that may be a bit much, but you get the gist.

1. Santa Run 2010 - I must be getting old, as the trip was as good as usual, but I got hit with some road-lag or something, because after 400 miles, I was simply tuckered out and not myself. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, but was sad that my son, looking to make a sort of initiation, couldn't make the trip due to illness. Aside from that, visiting with my siblings and their respective spouses was a great joy. The lunch and conversation with my grandmother and a dear friend of mine really goes to show. Not a bust, but way too many problems this year.
2. Fantasy Football - As I have in years past, I partake in a college pick 'em league. Really simple: pick the winners each week, drop your lowest week, and largest total wins. Came in second last year (Shawn's picks just outdid me in the final three weeks), but this year I came out on top. It was a frisky few final weeks, but two points is two points. Shawn? He came in second. It was a fun league and I look forward to next year's competition.
3. Kindle - I don't want to spoil the full entry that'll probably come in a few days, but basically, this singular device has enabled me to read more than I have in the last few years. Don't get me wrong, I've read my share, but this device is, quite frankly, so easy and handy to have around, reading is simply that much easier. But more later...
4. Playstation Move - Santa was pretty nice this year, and I splurged on the Move. So easily put, it's the Wii that's been jacked up on Steroids and enabled with sniper vision. It works so easily and eliminates all the annoyances that the Wii had (I still have and enjoy the Wii, just differently). The 1:1 ratio of movement tracking really can create some tired arms, but it's a lot of fun. Watching my son take care of his little animal on EyePet is quite hilarious. More after further testing...

That's it for now. Yeah, I know...nothing really substantial. That's okay. In fact, this holiday, I've spent more time really trying to focus on the little things. Paying attention to my kids and what makes them smile and laugh. I guess it's those little things.

As this year closes, wherever you are and whom ever you share the entering year, make it a step forward in the right direction.

Cheers!

Shazam!

Lost in Corn: GPS Optional

I so could have done the whole "It's a-maize-ing!" route, but damn I'm tired of that cliche.

In November, I made my third sojourn to Hondo, Texas. A small blip of a town, with the local high school mascot of Owls, and the notoriety of having a corn maze and some mighty fine kettle corn.

The South Texas Maize is easily one of the best family attractions one can find in the greater San Antonio area. Due to it's growing nature, they are only open September 25 to November 28 (at least that was the case this year).

The short of it? It's a big ass maze made in a corn field (though there isn't any actual corn growing in said field...). There are other attractions as well, including hay-rides, tractor trains for little ones, foods of the fried and barbecued type, play areas, and damn good freshly made kettle corn.

When you park, it is in the middle of a roped-off pasture. You walk over to a red building, pay admission, and get your wristband. As it is entirely open air, you are immediately hit with the smells of a clean pasture and comfort foods galore. Hamburgers, brisket, and turkey legs whet your appetite, deep fried steak fries tempt your greasy inhibitions, and chili to be laden upon your choice of foods all beckon your hunger. Beverages are your typical sodas and such (no beer, as this is strictly a family oriented joint), but the pièce de résistance is the kettle corn. Freshly made in a large iron kettle with propane tanks spewing hot flames, your typical wait is about fifteen minutes. They write your name on bags that are longer than your arms (for a large...only $7) and proclaim your name when your order is ready. The process of making the corn itself is one worth sitting back and taking in. The art behind it rewards your palate when the kernels hit your tongue.

But the main attraction: the maze. I've only done the maze at night, so I can't speak about how it is during the day. Pitch black, you provide the light. My first year, I had only a small cell phone with a 1.5" square screen. Needless to say, I found the nearest couple to follow and stayed with them. This year, six flashlights, two lanterns,a bag of popcorn in hand, and a posse in tow, I bring a copy of the current image/design/maze and map out my turns (past maps are posted here). Call it cheating; I hate being lost. The rest of the crew enjoy going through the maze without any problems. There are checkpoint throughout the entire maze. At those checkpoints, you can use the clues provided at the entrance (they have clues for various categories including movies, Biblical stories, and music, among others) to decided which way to go. It's about as exact as saying "three handfuls of sugar", but you can make it through. Another parent suggest on a whim to keep your hand on the left side at all times. Strangely enough, a la the fabled labyrinth, it would work. Of course, it would take you over ninety minutes to do so. I got out in less than fifteen. In the end, the maze isn't necessarily my cup of tea, but being with family and friends who enjoy it is easily a worthwhile expedition.

Anyone in the near area, take a moment one year and visit the place. You'll find yourself pleasantly surprised with the whole bit. And did I say they have some really good kettle corn?

Shazam!

Black Friday, Part Deux

It was a few years ago, when I wrote about Black Friday and a death that occurred at a WalMart.

That being said, I decided, on a complete and utter lark, to make a visit to my local Wally World in an effort to simply procure a few unnecessary items and save a few bucks doing so. My rationale? The prices were super cheap, and it's the Flo; how many people are going to be there?

As Florida Evans said, Damn damn damn! I have failed to ever be so completely wrong before (and I've been wrong a few times). The entire WM parking lot was filled, and the adjoining stores' lots were filled as well. I parked at a nearby bank and walked the entire length of the lot to the doors.

I was expecting to have to wait out side, and lo my surprise when I was allowed in. "I guess we can't be grabbing things, can we?" I asked the door greeter. With a smiles, she replied with a succinct "No." Fine.

I made my way to where I thought the items would be and Damn damn damn! There was so many people there. Imagine going to a home opening football game and being jammed packed with folks intent on their purpose. That's pretty much the climate. As you can see in the video, there's not much room to mess around (the pallets hold all the sale items, and people gathered around them).

For as many people as was there (even if it seems loud in the clip), I was surprised by how eerily quiet it was. People didn't spend that much time talking to one another, almost a subtle plotting going about as to how to procure the most items. I talked to others around me, recognizing a great many people and students, saying hi to them, and offering a gentle ribbing about shopping so late.

At about five minutes to midnight, the PA announced that shoppers could "begin shopping". Amidst whoops, there was a mass scurrying, and I remember oh so clearly the sound of a DVD case hitting the bottom of a cart, but multiplied by a thousand, combined with the equally multiplied sound of hands rubbing and sliding upon cardboard boxes. It was nearly instantaneous and I nearly missed my items trying to take this in.

There were no injuries, but I did hear an interesting story later on that detailed how a woman was so firmly "asked" to replace her prematurely grabbed items before she was "escorted out of the building". I thought that was actually the right thing, but more later.

I made my way through a back aisle to grab either a DVD package or a video game, if one was available. This area was the most jammed pack area of them all. DVD's starting at $1.97 and up, it was madness. I found one of the items I wanted and quickly grabbed one. In stark contrast, I witnessed a woman who grabbed fistfulls (probably six or so cases) of DVDs, took the one she wanted, and dumped the rest on top of the pallets. Nice move, ass.

In trying to depart and pay for my items, I quickly became stuck at a major junction. It literally took me fifteen minutes to simply move out of a traffic jam between a pallet of DVDs and three shopping carts. I paid and quickly departed.

Tubing in a river, watching a sunset, volunteering for charity, and doing a Black Friday opening. What do these have in common? It's something you should do at least once in your life. Me personally, I enjoyed tubing and volunteering immensely. Sunsets I get everyday (my backdoor faces the west, suckas!). WalMart Black Friday? Unless I absolutely know for a 100% fact 1) I will be spending minimun of hundreds of dollars, and 2) that I cannot get that item any cheaper anywhere else, and finally 3) I gotta have it PDQ, then I would do it again. Otherwise, I'll forgo it.

Elements that could affect your experience would, I think, come down to your companions. If you have the right shopping buddies, it would work. It could be a fun, almost clubbing kind of deal. Aside from that, it's still a chore. A thrill ride, quietly and shifty-like-a-criminal sneaking about to get your items.

As with other things you gotta do, I now proclaim "Been there, done that."

Shazam!

Implants: Something to Chew On

The story goes back nearly two decades.

In a fluke football accident, I had my tooth karate-chopped off. No jagged edges. It was simply sheared off by the likes of Kevin Little (who, funny as Fated deemed, is with a very nice lady who works in dentistry, but I digress...). I was promptly taken to the dentist that day and eventually had a crown installed.

I never truly appreciated the costs and simple benefits by having this tooth fixed. Being a prominent tooth, it's easily a big deal, more so as I make my living speaking and interacting i front of hundreds of kids everyday.

Fast forward to this summer, and my brother had a beautiful wedding. The morning after, whilst eating pancakes with the fam, I open my mouth to insert a forkful of syrup-dripping IHOP goodness when I hear a plunk upon my plate. My oldest son is immediately grossed out, followed ever so quickly by my wife. My dad felt a sense of deja vu as basically the same thing happened to him when I was a wee lad. I remember it quite vividly as we were eating fried chicken that day. Oh, sorry...

A dentist's visit was promptly scheduled and the short of the conversation can be boiled down to this:

"David, I can fix this. Now, it's not a matter of if it breaks, because it will. It's a matter of when it breaks, because it will. It may be two months, or two years; it will fail again. When it does, I won't have many options, and you will eventually be faced with an expensive fix either way."

I don't know about you, but money's tight. Period. As such, I was able to arrange finances and go with the implant. As flippant as this reads, it wasn't an easy decision. After consulting with the wife, we agreed with Doc and this would be the best long-term solution (and also the most satisfactory in regards to look/comfort/performance).

In all honesty, the extraction was a cinch. Anesthesia is a wonderful thing, and I needed only a local. The shot on the roof of the mouth was a tight pinch, but nothing I couldn't handle. The old tooth's root was pulled out.

Drill time.

Imagine if you will, someone taking a steel pencil-thick drill, and drilling into your skull. That's pretty much what the did. With the tooth out, it was simply get in and get after it. With finesse, of course.

The funniest part? As they are literally screwing in the titanium screw, there is a miniature ratchet to firmly screw in the implant without over-torquing it. Doc was more than considerate in answering all my questions (and letting me hold the tools).

Three weeks later, I'm currently rocking a prosthesis, a denture if you will. It's simply a retainer like device with a chip of a tooth up front. Hard to tell, unless you know what you're looking for. It's not the most comfortable, but it will work. Doc is more than sympathetic, but I told him, "I'd rather put up with three months of this, and have thirty years of a fine lookin' tooth, instead of [other stuff that really doesn't work well]".

What's bad? My son reminds me in the morning to put my tooth in, as any public appearance without it is "embarrassing, Dad!"

I get it...

I'll follow up when another follow-up is done late January.

Shazam!