Biggie Said it Best....

I'm back in Cali and it feels good!

I’m looking at the date of my last entry and I didn’t realize how long it’s been….my bad. The last couple weeks have been packed with work and travel, and a little fun mixed in for good measure. Let’s see, where to start….

Two weeks ago Trader and I headed south to Florida for a much needed mancation. We started things off in sunny South Beach for 3 days where I was abruptly met with $9 beers and the occasional nude beach (totally by accident, by the way). You remember that feeling when you’re at a club/saloon/tavern/bar/disco and your favorite song comes on? You feel the bass from the speakers work it’s way up your spine and all of a sudden you bust out in the moonwalk? No? Just me I guess. Anyway, somehow Trader and I convinced the very large and very Russian (think Ivan Drago from Rocky IV) bouncer at Mansion to let us in and few hours later, that feeling struck me. It not only struck me, but hit me square in the face in the form of JaRule! That’s right, I said it. He’s still around believe it or not. The lights went out and spoke filled the club and Ja jumped on stage a mere 25 feet from us. Pretty cool. I remember my college days and jamming to him in some random basement on a Saturday night and here he is in front of me……many years later.

From there, we took off for Captiva Island, which isn’t really an island at all. This was a trip the Trader won through work and brought me along as his Goose. I like to think that I did my job and did it with pride. The only downside to Captiva was that I got so burned in SoBe that I spent a good portion of my time under a cabana. Not a big deal though. Crushed some fish tacos, enjoyed the scenery, and pretty much did nothing for 3 straight days. Our last night there was fun. There was a big reception on the beach that kinda resembled a luau and then a few after hours gatherings, one of which kept me up all night. And when I say all night, I literally didn’t close my eyes or sleep for the entire night. And my Mom will be happy to know that it wasn’t because I was boozing…had only one all day!

We left with some good memories, some better pictures that may or may not end up on here someday, and some re-established and newly formed relationships. That was starchy, sorry.

So I bounce from Captiva straight to DC for a work thing on Friday. I did DC for the day/night and then hit up Phil-lay for the last leg of my adventure. PA has been a blast the couple times I’ve been there. It seems there’s always someone showing up to brunch in the same clothes they wore out the night before, or complaining that they have been on 5 dates with the same guy and still no kiss. And then there’s this girl that goes spray tanning and gets the level 5 treatment, turning her into a legit contender for a BET award! Wait, I just described the same person. It seems to me she should have her own nickname…maybe “Mini Drama”!! But seriously, Phil-lay’s rad and my new favorite place is Plough. They have the right mix of 80’s and hip-hop and it’s close to home so you don’t have to cab it. All I need now is a Phillie’s hat to complete the look.

By the time I got home I’m pretty sure my 2 dogs had no idea who I was.

Fast forward to today where I’m sitting at the John Wayne airport in OC in what is my first trip back to Cali since I left in December. It’s really crazy being here. I mean, the people, the buildings, the food…..everything is different. And in a way, I almost feel like a visitor to what was my home all my life. Almost like I left and everything changed in the 5 months I’ve been gone. But then again, I’m still sitting on a bench across from baggage claim so I’m sure things will pick up when I get outside!

And as I sit here staring at all the OCer’s I realize just how different life in the Midwest is. I mean, I get off the jet and all I see is huge purses, huger sunglasses, really really tan people, and little dogs everywhere. Ahhhhhh….how I’ve missed home! But there really is a change in the total mentality of folks out here and I think you have to leave to really see the difference. Even the weather knows it’s better then the weather everywhere else!

I’m here for a couple reasons that are work/vacation related. I’ve got some meetings in LA the next couple days and then I’m heading home to the IE (Inland Empire) for 5 days. From there it’s San Diego for work and then back up to Malibu for a wedding next weekend. I’m really curious what home will look like when I get there Saturday. It was always fun coming back during college break to see friends and find out what new restaurant had been put up and who was dating/married/broke up. Now, as I get older, it’s not so much who is dating or married, but who has another child or is expecting their first. I guess this is growing up!

Eight Belles, Thoughts and Prayers

I'll get to that in a minute, because something really bothers me about that. But first, I woke up this morning in Florida, and turned on the tube and John Q is on with Denzel. This movie is awesome....Denzel at his finest. The only beef I have with D is that while he is a great Lakers supporter and is at nearly every game, he needs leave the NY Yankees hat at home!! You're in LA, dude. Pick up a Doyers hat, or even the Angels....anything but a Yanks lid.

Speaking of the Lake Show, we look real good. When I was a kid, I used to watch the Lakers when it was the Showtime days...Erv, Big Game James, even Rambis. Then, I got a little older and fell in love with them all over again. You had Nick the Quick, Cedric, Eldon Campbell (deepest voice ever, by the way), Eddie Jones, an old Byron Scott. I know I'm forgeting some dudes. Those were the run and gun days. Then we got KB8, The Diesel, Big Shot Rob, B-Shaw (best alley-oop tosser ever), D-Fish, and the titles starting rolling in. Those 3 years were a few of the best of my life.

After a few years of minor dropoff, it's looking good that we will get back on top again. Game 2 is tonight at 10:30EST and even though I'm on an island in FL that isn't really an island, I'll be watching.

This thing with the Derby horse that broke both legs and had to be put down right after she finished second is bothersome. What bothers me is that PETA is now coming forward saying that the horse, a filly, should not have been running with the boys. That she was overmatched and outside of her comfort level and this may have been the cause of her ultimate death. PETA is blaming the jockey for pushing her too hard and is calling for drastic measures to be taken to prevent this from happening again. While I agree that this is very tragic and the thought of any animal breaking both front legs to the point where the bone is sticking out of the skin is horrible, how do you put that on the jockey, or the trainers and owners for that matter??? The horse clearly had the stuff to run with the big boys, as she finished a close second to the hands-down race favorite. There were only 20 horses in the field and with the competitive nature of this race, the most famous of all horse races, there is no way that she could have just stumbled into the field of 20 without earning a spot. I look at this as just another way for a fanatical group of people with nothing better to do, to make posters with silly catch phrases, redirect blame and stand outside Churchhill Downs and other horse stables and make a scene. GIVE IT UP! I'm all for the ethical treatment of animals but not when it means asking for the jockey's job calling out the trainers and owners as people who didn't truely care for the well-being of Eight Belles.

My Aunt and Uncle raise horses in Minnesota and if you've seen one horse person, you've seen them all. What I mean is, they eat, sleep, and live for these horses as if they were their own children. They would gladly sacrifice any personal comfort in return of knowing that their horses had enough to eat last night, or a warm barn to sleep in, or an open pasture to run. This is the same mentality that Eight Belles' handlers surely have. For PETA to call these people out is hysterical. I mean, this horse probably lived a better life then I do!! She ate, she slept in very comfortable stables (heated and air conditioned), she ran around all day and big deal, the dude on her back weighed 90 lbs.!!! I'm pretty sure I could make it to the finish line with 90 lbs. El Salvadorean dude on my back.

PETA needs to stick to house pets, and dolphins....both arenas they know very little about, but still more then horses.

Today's my last day in the FL sun. I leave manana for DC, then throwing in a little Phil-lay for good measure. I got cooked down in Miami but I'm confident my skin will either bubble up and fall off, or turn a nice shade of tan.

KB24 MVP!!!!

I'm on vacation but had to update the blog with the late-breaking news that Mamba earned his first regular season MVP award. More later.....