State of Columbus' Highways: 71/70 sucks.

So, if you've been keeping up with my blog, you know that I was involved in an accident on this trip, and if you haven't been keeping up, you now know about it. As it turns out, this particular spot is well known by the locals as an EXTREMELY DANGEROUS spot... infact, there is a CITY PLAN to change it. With this being the case.... how much signage or warnings were there about this? notta.

I point you to this:

CITY PLAN

and the local news

So, what does this mean? Well, one of the people in my seminar told me that she thought I should sue the city. At first I laughed about this, but you know what....

if getting rear ended in an auto accident can possibly be my fault, do you know who else's fault it can just as easily be? The fine city of Columbus, OH. They actually share quite a bit more fault in this matter then I do, although still not as much as the guy who hit me. if the insurance company somehow finds this to be any way connected to me, I might just look into this more. If this is a known dangerous place, the city should at the very least have signage, and in reality should have an officer there to keep traffic slowed down. Steps could have been, and should have been, taken.

Here are some photo's of the area taken by the wonderful google earth thing:




I was traveling from left to right on this picture.
It's hard to see here, but I'll explain the basic set up. There is an on ramp right before the river, on the otherside of the river that same onramp lane is also the exit to "fulton" which is apparently a very popular destination. The people coming from the major highway 71 enter the express way from that on ramp but must get over unless they wish to go to the fulton street exit. To add fun to this, traffic backs up from fulton onto the express way, so as was the case for while I was in my accident (which was on a SUNDAY, which is a LOW TRAFFIC DAY) the traffic was backed up from the fulton exit, all the way up the ramp, back to about half way between the bridge and and the fulton exit... about to where the train tracks are. I'll draw it on the next picture:




Soo.... this means that traffic exiting 71 has very little room to merge onto 70, and for those poor bastards like myself who actually want to get off the express way, we have a nightmare to get over. Luckily, as I said, it was a sunday, and traffic was light. I was able to get over without any problem. My problem was that the driver behind me was too busy to be watching the road ahead of him, let alone the traffic backed up way onto the expressway.


Here is the ramp:



Anyway, I need to get to my seminar. I'll stop my ranting for now.

Columbus Ohio... my hotel.

So, I find myself with a full day of life in Columbus, OH behind me. I found breakfast at my hotel, the Hyatt on Capital Hill to be sufficient. The bacon was a little tough, but other then that it was good. I was presented with some sort of free yogurt drink that I can only assume is some sort of northerner tradition, because it was free, and it was pink. it tasted of strawberries and a few things I couldn't quite put my finger on, and didn't quite go down smooth chased with coffee and orange juice. I'll pass on it next time. For dinner this evening I came back to the hotel restaurant, and had a chicken breast. I found myself a little on edge that in Ohio they would make something with sweet potatoes, and sure enough they were not quite to my liking. Maybe it's because I am still a bit cranky over my auto incident, or maybe it's because sweet potatoes should stay in the south. Other then that, the chicken was just a bit well done to start, but it was tasty enough, along with my beer. I do have to admit that the service was excellent, and I was well attended. I'll return to the restaurant a few more times, because there were several things on the menu that I think might be well worth sampling.

There is a nice outside area by the hotel, with a fountain and ample seating for one to retire for a smoke. The only flaw in this plan was that there was no drink service, and I had to order my drinks from the inside bar and carry them out. Columbus seems an honest enough place, my opinion of the traffic laws aside, and my book and cigar were undisturbed the few times I had to go back in for a refill of bourbon. I'll take advantage of this sitting area again no doubt tomorrow, but I have found out that there is a nice jazz and cigar bar less then a mile from the hotel. If I feel brave enough one evening, I might try and find my way there on foot, or at the very least, by way of a short cab ride. I'll post more on this as I find out more information. a website may be available, and if it is, I'll make sure that I get a link for all to view. I'm not sure of what the city streets are like at night in this town, although it appears safe enough, rarely are things quite what they seem. We'll have to see.

Any way, in so far as this fountain goes, I have three shots for you:



This is the fountain itself. It appears to be some sort of dryads or perhaps the freshwater nymph, some naiads... regardless, the thing that kept my attention was this...



I'm not sure how well this will come out. Have you ever seen the movie "Alien" or it's wonderful sequel "Aliens?" For some reason I kept thinking of Bill Paxton when I looked long and hard at these fish. I'm not sure what it means, other then too much of this:



With that, I'll leave you for the night. They made me drink my Manhattan in a plastic cup, which took quite a bit of the romance out of the whole thing.

So... Columbus.

Okay, so on my second attempt to post info on my trip, we'll see if this horrible ten buck a day service will actually work. If they are going to charge for use, they should make sure it holds a signal.

the short version of events:

I was in a wreck less then 5 minutes from the safety of my hotel. Some guy rear ended me, but apparently in Ohio, just because you slam into the back of someone on the expressway doesn't mean that it's your fault. The cop basically said he couldn't make a judgement because I "admitted that I merged." well, of course I merged. so did he. this apparently means nothing. Go Columbus. some guy slams into me, and it might be my fault. What place. I could do nothing to avoid the accident, he COULD HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION. oh well. the cop said that it was up to the insurance companies now. so, now I won't know the verdict of this the whole time I'm here, taking one of the most difficult and important certification tests of my career. joy. The only good news of the wreck is that my rental, a chrysler 300 was practically undamaged. The bumper is scratched up, but other then that it's fine. His car was undrivable. Anyway, I have to wait til tomorrow afternoon to get in touch with my insurance agent to find out the low down on what I'm supposed to do... not to mention the difficulties that I'm sure will arise because it's a rental car. anyway, I'm turning in early tonight. more about it tomorrow, and I'll try and talk some about the vegas trip.

After Vegas

So, since i had so very little to share about my vegas trip, I'll take a few minutes today to make a post. I'll be driving to Columbus OH today, and when I get there I'll have some time to do a little fill in work on the trip, so look for a two-fer of info coming up soon!

Las Vegas!

Okay, I know I promised you some info on my vegas trip, and I'm a little behind in it. We've been here for three days, and this is the first notes I've made. We are getting ready to check out of our first hotel, the Hilton Grand Vacations Club at the Hilton, and cab it over to our second hotel, Ceasar's Palace. The first was an actual vacation, the second will herald the return to work. We'll be attending a convention/buying trip for the store, and that means real work. Luckily, it's in Vegas, so that's not too bad.

I'll try and post more as I can, but we have a quickly approaching check out time, so there isn't much time for details other then this...

I can tell by the amount of forwarded emails that I'm going to have a rough time of it when I get home. Luckily, I'll be renting a car next week and making my way to scenic Columbus, Ohio.

So there is that.

Return

Well, I find myself back in Louisville after a harrowing adventure that is the Ronald Reagan Airport, accompanied by the continued lackluster everything about US AIRWAYS. Holy moly.

The airport might be the worst airport I've ever been in. A lot of people don't like Atlanta's Airport, but honestly, I don't have a problem with it. There is ample seating, and more then one place to wet your whistle with a brew. I couldn't find any place selling any form of alcholol past security. Granted, I didn't look too hard on the ticketing side of the gate, I figured that for sure I'd be able to sit down and have a drink at a bar somewhere. I was wrong. I couldn't find anywhere. Miami Florida's Airport was nice in this regard, and my favorite is still NY's LaGuardia. Atlanta, sure, it's hurried, but you can find a place. Regardless...

US Airways ineptness continued. Every 5 minutes (and that's not a joke or exaggeration) the airline "barker" (as I will call him, since he wasn't taking himself too seriously and was doing his damnest to try and make light of the situation) would come across the loudspeaker and inform the assembled that there had been an overbooking, and they needed 6 people to step up and take another flight. They promised to put you up in a four star hotel, take care of your meals and transportation, and then get you on a flight the next day. Right. Most likely you'd be on STAND BY the next day, and it might take you a week to get home, and they would only pay for that first day. They offered a free round trip ticket to those willing to do it, but forget it! not for me. I wanted to get home.

I checked the arrival/departure board. The plane was scheduled to arrive at the airport at 8:20pm, and leave at 8:17pm. yup, not a typo on my part, that's what the board said. I knew I was screwed. When the plane finally did take off at 9:30pm I thought it was miracle. Lord help me if there is ever another choice, I'll remember this trip and pay extra money if need be to NOT FLY US AIRWAYS. It was godawful.

Anyway, that's that, and I'm home. I'll be leaving again at the end of the month for the wonderful LAS VEGAS! This should be fun. Half of the trip is business, and the other half is a mini vacation for myself and my wife. I get a discounted room rate, so I'm taking advantage of it. Check back at the end of May, beginning of June for more misadventures and trip reviews. Remember, by god traveling may not be pretty, and it takes those with true grit... And we've got plenty of that.

Shelly's Back Room

Well, to get you a little caught up....

Yesterday I did indeed head out to the aforementioned bar... and it was good.

After a stressful day, I decided it just wouldn't be right to not give our nation's capital a fair shake. So, I headed down to the cab station, had the friendly worker hail me a cab, and went on my way. I went across the river in what I would later learn was "about average" traffic. It took perhaps 20 minutes to cover the distance, and cost me about $20. I was lucky enough to have the world's craziest cab driver, which I guess was nice. This man took me at speeds well in excess of the posted speed limit, and further more, cut off more cars and trucks then a california car chase driver on TV. (okay, what I'm really trying to say is, I was scared. I thought on at least 3 occasions that we were in a wreck for sure. Amazingly we only had one motorist threaten us.)

When we got there, the driver gave me his card, and assured me he'd be right there if I needed him. I nodded and thanked the man, and quickly put his card out of mind. I entered the bar, and I was surrounded by the smell of old leather, smoke, and beer.. this is the sort of thing I was looking for this whole time. It's a small bar, with couches, plush chairs, and a few tables scattered around in a central room. The bar is in the back, and in the front is an area with tables and booths. The host asked me where I would like to sit, and my response of, "some place quiet and in the corner" was greeted with a laugh, "The corner I can do, but quiet, I think you're out of luck." True enough. The patrons were a laughing and talking bunch, sitting in thier suits smoking cigars and drinking beers. At first I thought I was terribly underdressed in my blue jeans and dress shirt, but I was quickly assured that this was a more casual local: the ties were loose, and more then one shirt was untucked. This was a place for winding down.

I took my corner seat and was pleased with a view of "F" street and a nice widescreen TV in the corner. All the TVs were well placed, and I have a feeling no matter where I sat, I would have been able to keep abreast of the sports scene. I ordered a Manhattan, and the waitress brought me a large marble ash tray. I had brought a couple of cigars with me, and it looked like most of the other patrons had done the same. There were cigars available, but I found them overpriced. I'm sure that they can sell them for those prices, or else they would have them priced differently. I have many of the cigars that they had for sale in my humidor, or I can get them if I wanted for prices that are much more reasonable. They did have humidors lockers for rent, and I have to tell you... if I lived in DC, I would have one, and Shelly's would be a definate hangout.

Anyway, I had a cheeseburger and french fries, and they were excellent. I followed it up with another cigar and drink. The time had passed too quickly, and it was time for me to head back to the hotel. I had no trouble catching a cab, and this time I made the trip back in no traffic, with a sane driver, which took perhaps 8 minutes, with a cost that I still thought a little high, but I guess not. it was $13. maybe it was because it was a different cab company.

Anyway, that was yesterday. Today has been a good one. No activity or anything like that. I had the hotel send me up a pizza and two amstel lights for dinner.

Morning madness.

Now, while I have had a continuing wonderful experience at my hotel, the Double Tree Crystal City, I did have a bad go of things at breakfast. I woke up early yesterday, and as I suspected, I beat the rush to the restuarant, so that I could sit and order in realitive peace. My waitress brings me my menu, and I ask her for a glass of orange juice, and then I ask her about a few items on the menu. She responds to my questions about menu items by stating, "We have a buffet. it's $14." and then she left and got me my juice. Well, I didn't want the buffet, so I ordered of the menu, and I got a heavy sigh from the waitress. She shook her head as she walked off, obviously upset that I didn't get the buffet. 1/2 an hour later she, had never returned to my section, but had cast several displeased looks to my area (of which I was the only occupant). 15 minutes later she brought two other people to my section, and brought them drinks, and left me again. They got the buffet... My juice cup had been empty by this point for well over half an hour, and since I had not been brought any water, I wandered around the restuarant to try and find some juice. I finally saw a jug sitting in a server area, and made my way back there and starting pouring myself a glass. This got her attention, and she rushed over to me, "Can I help you?!" my response, "I'm not sure, I haven't had much luck yet. I see this is where you keep the orange juice, if I want more should I just come back here and get it?" She was obviously upset at this point and responded, "I will bring it to you." I nodded and told her, "oh I see, well that would be wonderful."

I wasn't trying to be a jerk, but damn, this woman had maybe three tables total, of which two had the buffet. It's not like this would be a hard set up. I waited tables for years, and trust me, I can do the job just fine. In my experience, acknowledging that you have a table by maybe... walking near it and checking in on your customer maybe once every oh... 25 minutes maybe? I would have settled for once in a half hour, or even 45 mins, but I didn't get any of it. I had to set out on my own. Now a full hour and a half later, my plate of fruit and yogurt had still not arrived. I was nearing the very end of my patience. Finally my meal arrived. I ate quickly, since I now had less then 15 mins to make my meeting. I asked her for my check when she brought my meal, and it never came. I went to the front, and waited for the manager, who I asked if she could help me get my check. That seemed to get things in order, as it was brought in quick order. The waitress had the nerve to stand over me as I filled out my "tip." The woman was lucky she got anything at all.

This morning I had the buffet.

Double Tree Crystal City

Anyway, the low down on my hotel, the Double Tree Crystal City, situated in Arlington Virginia. It's a pretty cool local, really, near the river, and not too far off from the Pentagon. I haven't ventured out into the near by area yet, and I don't plan on it tonight. I might make a go of it tomorrow if I feel up it... but who knows. After my class, I had a headache from processing so much info, that I just didn't feel up for it. Room service again. Not too bad, I've been pleased so far with all the food.

Okay, now to the complaints. First off, when the hell did our nation's capital become ANTI-CIGAR?! not that I've been here a whole lot, mind you... I think this is my third trip, and my first since I've been over 18. Maybe it's just my hotel. There is a smoking allowed bar, but it's not cigar friendly. There isn't even an outside patio section at this hotel. This is a major strike against the ol' doubletree. I tried to have my room moved, but I decided that I wasn't going to give up my suite in exchange for the ability to smoke in the room, since there isn't another suite available. Having said all of this, I must point out that the hotel staff has been nothing but friendly and accommodating, except for this no cigar thing. The bars have some drinks available, and so that's nice. I have located a nice bar with in decent cab distance that is cigar friendly, and they have an impressive bourbon list (and no where on the list is a non bourbon posing as one, so there is hope!) The web link is: Shelly's Back Room

As I said earlier, I hope I'm up for it. If my head is hurting like it was today, I really might not be. I'm just now, 3 hours later, in a mood for anything, and it's too late for me to be heading out into the great unknown that is DC.

Anyway, so there we are. Note in Shelly's drink list, the Maker's Manhattan... can you guess which drink I'll get if I go?

Well, I have "homework" tonight, and I better get to it if I want to be prepared on the morrow.

On a side note, I just realized the Queen is here in DC. I guess she followed me from Louisville. She should be glad she has her own plane, and didn't have to deal with the godforsaken mess that is US AIRWAYS.

EDIT: One thing I have forgotten about this hotel, and I don't know how I could have, is that there is an annoying habit of the doors on the rooms to SLAM SHUT, and it's very VERY loud. There is a room down the hall from my suite, and I'm assuming it's another suite, and there are people coming in and out... a "party" room, I guess. Joy to the world. Hopefully this won't last all night, but it's been going pretty steady for the last hour or so.. or at least they might STOP SLAMMING THE DOORS. I hate to be that guy... but it's getting close. My work is paying for a private suite, and I should be able to reap the benefits of at least a semblance of quiet. I'm getting old, I can feel it... Of course, if there was someplace for me to smoke, I wouldn't even know about this, and there would be no complaining at all.

Washington DC

Well, as I said in my last posts, I'll be traveling again soon, and soon enough has arrived. I find myself in our great nation's capital, Washington DC. What could I possibly comment on so soon? Hmm... how about the state of affairs of US AIRWAYS. First, let me say, holy crap.. not so good. I arrived at the airport, expecting my flight to leave at 5:55, so in true form, I get there about an hour and a half early. It's always been my mantra to arrive early at airports, so that there is no chance of missing the plane. I guess I should have known better. No clue is given to me at the check in of the status of my flight, other then a smile and a "enjoy!" So, I get to the gate, and my ticket that was just printed reads 5:55, and the projected take off time is.... 8:30. I ask the lady at the desk, and she assures me that there is a small delay, and that time will change back to something closer to the ticket time. I should have just left and come back in a few hours. I decided to wait it out.. of course, it did change to an earlier time... 7:50. so, it's hard to say, if I had left and come back, I probably would have missed it, but according to the irate man in line, you had to wait, because US AIRWAYS is well known for just cancelling a flight, and that I should just wait for that to happen. He explained to everyone in listening range about his experiences with the airline in great detail, and finally wore himself out, and sat red faced to wait with the rest of us for the next 3 hours. So of course I finally get to the reagan airport, and I miss the first hotel shuttle. The second one arrives, and I manage to get on board and make it to the hotel around 11pm. What a trip.

As far as my hotel goes, I like it quite a bit so far. The view sucks, but that's okay, because the bed is comfortable, and really, that's the most important thing. One complaint... I have to pay $10 a day for internet service... what sort of racket is this!? I guess I haven't traveled enough if I'm surprised by this, but that was one thing that Moline did infact have was a wonderfully powerful "g" wi fi. I'm paying for a decent signal "b" which just thinking about it upsets me.

Anyway, that's weak. I ordered roomservice this morning, and so far it hasn't arrived, and I'm starting to get nervous, and the operator assured me that it would be up in a short 15 to 20 minutes, which has already passed. I still have quite a bit of time before I have to be at my class, but I like to have wide open blocks of time to fiddle fart around. Oh well. So, I might not be posting quite every day due to the costs involved in doing so.. but figure on a few more, since I doubt I can really go that long with out checking my email.

A little more to say.

Well, I've driven to just outside Indianapolis, and found myself too tired to drive safely. So, I found a Holiday Inn, and have stopped for the night. As I check my mail and get ready for bed, I've been reminded of a few things about my stay in Moline, and that was a certain bar I went to...

http://www.bier-stube.com/

BIERSTUBE!

yes. this place is that cool. They have foosball, and are cigar friendly. In fact, they have a sunday meeting for cigar swaps and smokes. They also have a pet day, where you bring your dog and sit out in the beer garden and commune.

I had an excellent bratwurst, and apple strudel for dessert. Oh, and beer.

This was a good time, and is something I'm looking forward to when I return to Moline for further training.

If this bar was within two hours drive of louisville, it would be a constant destination for roadtrips and long weekends. Anyway, I need to get to sleep so I can make the drive in early tomorrow. If I think of anything else about Moline, I'll be sure to post it. My next trip is in early May, so keep tuned!

Moline: in Review

Well, it's the morning of my last day in Moline, Il. I have to say, my reactions to this town are mixed. Since I'll be coming back here in six months or so for some more training, I went a little bit out of my way to find out a few good places to eat, and I found them. First off, Moline is the headquarters of John Deere. The man moved here some time in the mid to late 1800s and set up shop, and the rest is history. His house overlooks the river front from on top of a large hill, and it's a mansion. The town is under going a revitalization of the river front, and my hotel, the Stoney Creek Inn, is right on it.

The Stoney Creek wasn't my first choice, as the recommended hotel was the Radisson, which is just across a park. I found the Stoney Creek to be a nice hotel, with nice sized rooms, and very comfortable bedding. There is a nice indoor pool, and a bar with friendly service, and a nice screened in patio with a good view. The view, however, does include a large concrete bridge that crosses the river to an Army Arsenal. Apparently this is the last Arsenal that still makes howitzers and this sort of thing. While, that is pretty cool, it doesn't make for a nice view. My problems with the hotel? Well, the website led me to believe that there was a restaurant in the hotel, and THERE IS NOT. All the other guests that were in the same class as I was agreed that it was sort of misleading. There is a free breakfast, but it is the most basic continental I've seen. Enough to get the job done, and that's it. I've made a habit of grabbing a custard filled donut and a cup of coffee each morning and heading back to the room. They also have a substance that is labeled "Fresh Florida Orange Juice" but I assure you that the only thing correct in that label is that it is colored orange. It tasted more like bad Tang.

Then there is the bar. The bar was staffed by a different person each night I went there. They had an expected collection of bottled beers, and they claimed to have a full "hard liquor bar." I'm not sure why it was pointed out that it was a liquor bar, but maybe they were heading off potential trouble of people asking for salad. I guess that's right out. Anyway, the first night I asked them which Bourbons they had, and when the list started with Jack Daniels, I knew I was in trouble. She didn't mention Maker's Mark, which I only found out about when I spotted a bottle tucked away behind some boxes. So, I asked her for a Manhattan, with the makers mark, and I recoiled in horror as the drink was made. A proper Manhattan is made in a cocktail shaker, but in a situation like this, I was not surprised to see it mixed directly into a glass (I've made them this way in a pinch myself), but it obvious that the woman had read about the drink once, and was struggling to recall exactly how it was made. I stared to interject and that's when she quickly grabbed a bottle of sweet vermouth, sprinkle a bit on top, and then add soda water. She garnished it with a cherry and presented it to me with a bill for $5.00. Against my better judgement I took the drink, thinking it best not to upset her since I didn't know that she wouldn't be working again, and headed out to the deck to my work in private. I retired a little disappointed, but little did I know, there would be more to come. I didn't go to the bar the next day, but the following, there was a young man working, who thank the lord, simply said they didn't have the materials to make the drink properly. I just had a makers, and all was well. the next day (my final day ordering anything from the bar), there was a different woman working. I asked her for a makers and water... how could this get messed up, right?

wrong.

She proceeded to take a pint glass, fill it a 1/4 of the way with makers, and then fill the rest of it with water. The whole glass. she then turns to me and says, "I hope it's not too strong." I muttered to myself that I didn't think that would be a problem. I tried to explain to her that the drink wasn't acceptable, but she had it in her mind that she had made it too strong, and kept offering to put more water in it. I ended up getting a miller light. Enough is enough. Anyway...

I have found Moline to be a friendly town, with good people, and a lot of tractors and combines. I would stay at Stoney Creek again, but only if the Radisson was full. Next time I come, I'll be calling at least 4 months in advance to make sure I can get in at the Radisson, which has a TGI Friday's attached to it. There is a vibrant and healthy bar scene in Moline, and there is a definite German influence. I'll talk more about that another time, because there are definitely some bars worthy of notice here.

Blogtastic Return

Well, I've returned to the blog world after a hiatus. This blog will be of a different sort then my previous. Where before I used my blogging platform to shout at the world of my general displeasure and feelings on things, I will use this blog to describe my trips I'll be taking, and my general displeasure and feelings on things.

Normally, I don't usually travel, but for some reason the stars have aligned to make this year something different... I'll be taking a great many trips, each more then a week, and to varied cities across our great nation (the United States, of course). The first two trips on my agenda are to Moline, Il, and then later to Washington DC. I'm currently in Moline, so this first series of posts will be more a review, and not so much a day by day accounting, a format I hope to achieve for my DC trip. I will be taking no fewer then 4 more work trips this year, and perhaps up to two vacations, all of which I hope to review for you.

Anyway, that's the deal with that.

What about me? Me personally? Well, since my profile is private, I'll give you a little back ground info. I'm a 30 year old male, from Kentucky. I'm doing most of my travel for business. I work for a small family owned business (of which I'm part of the family) and I am getting training and certifications for my job. I'm married, which makes traveling alone for these things not much fun at all, and my wife is a nurse, which means she works very long hours, and I don't get to see as much of her as I'd like anyway. I'm newly married, at that, with my first year anniversary coming up shortly at the time of this post. Seeing as I'm from Kentucky, I have a unique world view, as I come from a land that is both Northern and Southern, and I feel that I have many of the best traits of both.

There are three things about Kentucky to keep in mind through out my posts:

We make bourbon. Yup. It comes from my state. When I come into your bar, and ask you what bourbons you have, answering Jack Daniels and So-Co will not earn you points, but in fact will want to make me reach across the bar and smack you (more on this later). My favorite drink is a Manhattan, which while traditionally is made with a rye whisky, most people now drink it with bourbon, which is just fine with me. I find that the finest Manhattans are made with Woodford Reserve Bourbon, but that's just my opinion.

We grow tobacco. Yes, I know this one isn't as popular as it once was. I used to smoke 3 and a half packs of cigarettes a day, and it's a wonder that I haven't completely kicked it already. But I quit smoking cigarettes perhaps 6 or 7 years ago, and now only have the ocassional cigar. But this being said, I am not anti smoking or pro smoking. I'm neutral on the subject as far as the public smoking thing goes.. just as long as no one is telling me what I can and can't do at home. And also on this subject, if you allow smoking, don't give me a dirty look if I'm puffing on Padron. Deal with it.

We gamble. Ah yes, the ponies. What a great thing. The Derby is coming up, and it's going to be nice. In fact, I'll be drinking bourbon and smoking cigars at one of my friends house. What else could anyone want? We are a sporting people, we Kentuckians. The ponies. nice.

So, my glasses have a tint to them that isn't quite understood by the outsider. This, however, is part of my mission. I'll be doing my very best to let you know exactly what I think about the world outside my slice of heaven, and I intent to do so honestly, and with out grudge. We'll see how good a job a do on that. So, with out further ado, I bring you my blog. I hope you tack me into your RSS feeder, and keep up with me. Enjoy.