Lack of Content and Upcoming Events

Hey folks.  I wanted to say sorry for the lack of updates recently.  Coming off vacation and heading straight back to work has really worn me out.  I should be back to posting quality posts soon enough.  Or should I say "quality"?  Anyways, I'll get on it.

In other news, the podcast is still being worked on.  I'm currently looking into hosting space.  Right now, I'm looking at the format to be a weekly 30 - 60 minute show about random events, stories of past and whatever we can think of at the moment.  I think the hardest part will be getting everyone in their different locations to get together at the same time, record their segments at the same time and send me their audio so I can edit it appropriately.  It's going to be one of those things where I have to depend on others to do their part.  I'm terrible at that but, I trust the people who will be a part of this will be somewhat responsible with their responsibility.

I don't want to give an exact date of when these podcasts will begin recording.  I want to say end of May is when we'll get the first one recorded but again, nothing is set in stone as of yet.  By the way, as always, any input is appreciated as far as what you'd like to see in the show as well as a name.  So far I've received some pretty awful suggestions but, I appreciate the effort.  Sort of.  Anyways, that's it from me.  Joe out.

Back Home

Hey all.  I rolled back into Austin about 11 o'clock last night.  Sort of just relaxed and chatted with everyone at the house for awhile before passing out.  It's sad to have the vacation end but, it's also good to be home.  Work in 2 days...yuck.  But, oh well.  Work is work.  Gotta go car shopping sometime today or tomorrow as well so, let's see how that goes.  Joe out.

The Tournament of Kings And Up Another Grand

Tournament of Kings

Hey all!  Just got back from the Tournament of Kings and some gambling.  That show was absolutely amazing.  A pretty great way to close out the Vegas trip, in my mind.  We ended up rooting for "Dragon", the evil sorcerer.  In the end, the good guys triumphed but, it was all in great fun.  Lots of violence, pyrotechnics, good looking chicks and a midget.  Oh, and the food was excellent too.  The only gross part was when a clod of dirt shot right into my mug.  At least I hope that was dirt.  In any case, if you're heading to Vegas and you're up for dinner and a show, I highly recommend it!

In other news, that Wheel of Fortune machine is my bitch.  I decided to take a detour and hit up the machine one last time before heading to the room.  I put in a hundred bucks and was down to just about thirty left.  Then, I finally hit the bonus spin.  And what a bonus.  One thousand big ones.  Yep.  So, altogether, that machine wound up paying me just about 2200 bucks.  All in all, I wound up leaving Vegas with a profit of 2400.  Not too shabby if I do say so myself.

In the end, it was a pretty great trip.  Watched some Blue men play music with a little nerd named Sasha, took a trip 45 years into the past to watch The Beatles, hung out with a douchebag magician, got horse dirt in my souvenir mug, had a duck pee on me, made the Pat Sajak machine my bitch, and left the desert with a cool couple grand and then some.  What happens in Vegas...gets put on the blog.  Joe out.

PS:  See ya in Austin soon!

And Then Everything Worked Out

Wheel of Fortune, you my bitch

So, you know how I was bitching about the show last night and all that money I spent?  Well, I made up for it and some.  Just came back from Excalibur with an extra $1250 in my pocket.  I guess that's my place.  Hit up the Wheel of Fortune machine.  Won $250 right off the bat and thought I should walk around and check out the other machines.  After breaking even on pretty much everything, I decided to head back to Wheel of Fortune.  Wound up hitting back to back Bonus Spins worth $500 each.  So, that puts me at about fourteen hundred or so profit.  I think that'll do for me as far as gambling goes.  I can't complain about leaving Vegas with a profit.

Tonight's the show at Excalibur.  I can't remember the name...  Something about Knights of the Round Table or some such thing.  Should be a fun way to end our stay.  I'll let you know about it once we get back.  Joe out.

Edit:  Show's called Tournament of Kings.

What Bothers Me Right Now 7: David Copperfield Edition

"Entertainment Douchebag of the Year"

Ah, yes.  David Copperfield.  You get your own post.  Your douchebaggery, yes douchebaggery, has earned you a sacred spot right here on the blog.

So, we arrive at the show and everything's going well.  I'm excited for the show and even more so, for the meet and greet we have set up for afterwards.  Only one thing's bothering me thus far.  Now, I paid about two hundred bucks each for these tickets.  Keep this in mind.  I sit down and the first thing they start pawning off on us is twenty dollar souvenir cup.  Fuck you.  I should get one free.  Anyways, other than that, I'm fine at this point.

Now, I do have to give the man props.  He puts on a great show.  The guy turned a sheet of paper into a butterfly, made 13 people disappear, walked through a fan blade...oh, his duck pissed on me.  Yeah, that was a highlight.  The duck just shot urine all over me.  Now, that's a souvenir.  Shove that in your twenty dollar cup.  Anyways, awesome show.  I highly suggest checking out at least that portion of the whole "David Copperfield Experience".

Now, the meet and greet.  They usher us, there's only six total people, to this little corner and we wait.  Which is totally fine.  I've met with "Weird Al" Yankovic several times and that's pretty much customary.  So, the wait's over and we go to meet David Copperfield.  So, just so you know, the man's the first magician I had ever seen perform.  The guy made me want to be a magician.  He made the Statue of Liberty disappear, he walked through the Great Wall of China, he, um, dangled over some spikes that were on fire or something.  Anyways, some amazing tricks.  So, my expectations are super high.

Okay, so we walk up the steps and there he is.  And in less than a minute, it was all over.  He didn't say "hello".  He didn't shake my hand.  He just told me to stand to his side, smile for the camera and then said "goodbye".  Oh, he scribbled something on a photograph of himself.  I assume it's his name.  Looks like it says "Dan Cotfeld".  So, all I can think of is, "Wow, I spent hundreds of dollars for this."  Well, whatever.  At least I get a free souvenir picture and this awesome autograph I can now sell on Ebay...er, cherish forever.

Time to pick up the photo.  "Okay guys.  For the 2 pictures and some wallets, that'll be 45 bucks."  Haha.  "No, no," I say, "we just came from the Meet and Greet".  "Oh, okay," says the attendant, "well, I can throw in all of the wallets instead of just 2."  Sad face.  Angry face.  Forty five more dollars gone.  Thanks David.  You magical, mystical fuck.  Oh, and I bought a little stuffed version of the duck that pissed on me.  Might as well have that to remind me...aside from the urine stains on my shirt.

So, in the end...the dude's a total douchebag and totally only doing this magic thing for the money.  I mean, I should've guessed as much.  You know what?  I really shouldn't bitch about it.  It was a once in a lifetime experience...cause I sure as fuck won't do that again.  I'll tell you what though, that man sure can make  money disappear.  Well, at least mine that is.  Joe out.

Up A Hundred Bucks

That's right folks. Hit the Casino floor over at Excalibur for about 3 hours and wound up being up a hundred bucks or so. My biggest win was at a machine called "The Big Catch". I hit max bet a few times, and won the $167 progressive jackpot. So, not too shabby for spending all of about 3 bucks on that machine. I'll have to make my way back down there tomorrow or later on after the show tonight.

Also, got some information on the Texas Hold 'Em tourneys over at Excalibur. Not really bad at all. Forty dollar buy-in and they've got a good 12 - 15 tables so, there's potential to win some good money. I may do that tomorrow as well. I'll let you guys know.

Anyways, on schedule for David Copperfield tonight. I'll let you all know how that goes. Joe out.

Ladies and gentlemen, The Beatles!

Hey all! Just got back from the BeatleShow! Talk about an awesome experience. I'd have to say that these guys know their shit when it comes to being a tribute band. Half the time I almost forgot I wasn't at an actual Beatles concert. It was pretty amazing to be a part of that. I almost got a little feeling of what it must have been like to be present for those shows some forty, almost fifty, years ago. Nah, not really. As good as these guys were, and they were damn good, nothing can measure up to what must have been one of the most amazing experiences in the world to see those guys perform live. In any case, another really great show. This time, I actually got to take photos and I've already uploaded them to Facebook here: The Beatles!

After the show, we received a comp meal down at the Planet Hollywood Buffet. Now, that was some great food. I, of course, gorged on meatballs and linguine. Absolutely amazing.

After that, we moseyed on down the strip. A bunch of weird characters. Oh yeah. Saw my first Vegas tranny. Though, this was mostly just a man in a bra and a miniskirt. Thing was hideous. I mean, props to you for being who you want to be but, I definitely didn't need to be a part of it. No photos of the tranny either, you sick fucks.

Picked up our tickets for the David Copperfield show at the MGM Grand for tomorrow night. I'm really looking forward to that. I worked out a way to actually get to meet the guy after the show. Don't know if I'll be able to upload any pictures from that yet but, once I get home, I'll try to scan the photo that we're supposed to get with him.

Anyways, that was today. Really awesome show. Again, if in town, head over to the Saxe Theater and look up the BeatleShow. Even if you don't like the Beatles, I think you can appreciate what these guys are doing to try and help some folks relive their past and help others, like myself, get a little taste of what Beatlemania was all about. Joe out.

Alive and Well. Blue Man Group And What Else Is On The Agenda

Hey all. I made it through the night. God. Look at that previous post. What a loser. That appletini really fucked me up. Anyways, the Blue Man Group concert was last night and that was pretty awesome. I got shot in the face with digestive fluid, which always makes for a good time. I'm sorry to say that, since no photography is allowed, I don't have any shots of the show but, I can say that it's probably one of the coolest things I've seen.

Oh, this is funny, or ironic, or sad. Depends on how you look at it. So, the show is all about music and color. Sort of like how you can see music through this group's eyes. Anyways, we're sitting there waiting for the show to start and all of a sudden, we see this blind lady. I'm an asshole, I know but, I'm thinking...Jesus, what kind of sad joke is this. A show that's all about sight and sound, she's going to miss half the show. I hope she got in for half price. Then, I was thinking, could you imagine taking Helen Keller to this type of show. I would guess they'd have to let her in for free. It's only fair.

Oh, oh...damn, I almost forgot. There was also this little queer kid. I'll never forget his name. Sasha. Or maybe it was spelled like Sacha but, anyways...this kid. Good god. He kept talking to us. He was amazed that they gave you ponchos for sitting in the front row. His mom was telling him that they shoot stuff at you and that's why you need to wear the poncho. Then he said "I hope they don't shoot pollen at us. I'm allergic to pollen." All I could think was, "what a fucking nerd." "I hope they don't shoot wizards and goblins at us." Then, he kept talking about Garbanzo Bean Island or some shit. The kid was fucking retarded. And then, the whole time, his stupid ass mom just kept smiling like it was the greatest thing ever. I'm all for being proud of your kid or whatever but, cut your losses lady. The whole Sasha experience made me wish I was Helen Keller.

But yeah, all in all, great night and a great show. If you're ever in the neighborhood, I'd suggest checking it out...with or without Sasha. Tonight we're heading over to the "Beatleshow!", which I guess is some sort of tribute to the Beatles. I'm looking forward to it, what with them being one of my favorite bands and all. I'll let you guys know how that goes. I'll also be doing some gambling tonight, I do believe. I haven't done any thus far but, it feels right to go do some tonight. Wish me luck! I hope they don't shoot any pollen at us. I'm allergic to pollen. Joe out.

Drunk

Hey everybody. i just got back from the blue man group thing or whatever and i drank a lot and i sleep. i'm going tos leep now. woooooooooooooo. updated tormwow tommrowo tomorrow. joe uout.

The Mob Experience

Just got back from probably my favorite thing to date that I've done. It's a little exhibit at the Tropicana called "The Mob Experience". Basically, you go around learning about the mafia and it's rise and fall through the 20s to the 70s. Probably the most fun part of the whole thing is interacting with the different actors who take you through the back alleys and back rooms of the casinos as you go through the exhibits. They also give you a nickname. Mine was "Joe Batters". If you're ever in the neighborhood, check it out. In Vegas, Joe out...for now.

Just Landed In Vegas

Hey folks! Just landed in Vegas not too long ago. I'll get some pictures uploaded here shortly of the suite here at the Luxor. Wish you were here and, in some cases, glad that you're not. Joe out.

Edit: Scratch that...going to bed. Uploaded pics to Facebook if you're interested. Check it out here: Las Vegas Pics

Viva Las Vegas!

Howdy readers! All two of you. Vegas is coming up tomorrow. Got a long list of events we're going to be attending. Blue Man Group, David Copperfield, The Beatles, who knows what else. I'll be sure to take a bunch of pictures and share them with you guys.

Any of you guys ever been to Vegas? What did you do? I know what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas but, feel free to share and comment!

It'll be nice to get out and go back to Vegas. I haven't been there in about 7 years so, I'm really looking forward to it. I've got to get to bed soon to be all rested up to take on the town. I look forward to my next post, in Las Vegas! Joe out!

I've Been A Jerk Lately

It's funny what sleep deprivation can do to you. I've been really irritable lately. Snappy. It has to be lack of sleep. Or maybe it's stress. Or both. You'd think on Day 3 of the vacation, I'd be in a little bit better mood but, nah. I'm just not into it right now. I'm about to head to sleep right now and I'm looking forward to it greatly. Let's hope Day 4 winds up with me being a little less shitty. I should be a lot happier. It's not like I have anything to not be happy about. Oh well, I'll shut the hell up and just smile. Think before I talk. Take a breath and calm down. Get some fucking sleep. That should be number one. Sleep...sleep...sleep...sleep. Damn. I should've turned this into a "What Bothers Me Right Now". Oh well. Good night. Oh, and thanks for not following me. Really appreciate the support. See, there goes the "jerk mode". Joe out.

Are You There Followers? It's Me, Joe.

"Follow" is a fucking stupid looking word. Look at it. "ollo". The hell is that thing? What a terrible middle of a word. Like a British greeting. "Ollo, guvnah!" Whatever. On with the blog.

Vacation Day 2. What a tiring waste of a day. Woke up to Sean screaming "GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!" Which instantly made me jump out of bed and run out. Soon as I saw him, he was playing that damn Black Ops. Thanks, Sean. If it's not bad enough I'm being woken up by Jesus, I got that to contend with.

In other amazingly boring news, installed fans in the bedrooms. The first one took us two hours. Two...hours... Doesn't help that we had the damn thing upside-down for twenty minutes. Funny thing is though, the second one, took all of maybe thirty minutes. You live and you learn, I guess.

As for the title of the blog, where the hell are all the followers? Folks, I made it easy for you. Look to the right. Yeah, you see that? "Follow By Email". Yeah. And then there's that little space where you can type. Yeah. You type your email address there and you can follow the blog. Yeah. So do it. Dammit.

"But Joe, you comment on Facebook every time you post." I don't care. Follow the damn blog. How do I know that you love me? Yeah. Now you feel bad. Sucker. I mean, um, follow me.

Tired. Joe out.

Oh, oh, and yeah, I'm working on getting the podcast going. I've got a lot of stuff to take care of right now but, I'm looking at a launch date of somewhere in May. Sorry, that's the best I've got right now. Follow me. I'm done. Joe out.

Quick Recap For the Day

First day of vacation has been nice. Got up around 1 and hung out with Brad and Breanne. Went to Walmart, Ross, Target and Petsmart. Fun ensued. Breanne accidentally stole a 97 cent water bottle at Walmart. She was literally shocked that she had done it and didn't even realize until we got to the car. It was great.

Petsmart and Target were fairly normal experiences. Some laughs but nothing too memorable. However, Ross was one of the greatest things ever.

First of all, Brad and I were looking for some shoes for him. He wasn't too sure of the size of his foot so, we just had him try on 5 or so different shoes to check the size. Found out he was a size 9 1/2. Once we figured it out, turned around and saw a foot size chart on the floor. We're fucking retards.

Next, at the register, the total came out to $80.02. Brad was adamant about not breaking a ten. He held the 80 bucks up to the cashier. He then told the guy that he had 80 bucks but, didn't have the 2 cents. The cashier said, "Um, okay." And I told Brad to just give the guy the ten so we could be done with it. Brad gave up the ten and was so damn upset. I kept trying to explain that this wasn't like at Seven Eleven where you get a hot dog for 76 cents and have the cashier spot you a penny. This was a department store that had to count their register and accept exact payment for purchases. He then went on a tirade about some guy named Travis. Finally, I stopped him and asked, "Who the fuck is Travis?" To which he replied, "The fucking store manager/cashier at Ross!" I couldn't believe he would remember the name and be so upset. I then recalled that Breanne had stolen the water bottle from Walmart. I then explained to him that it was okay, they were still up 95 cents for the day. He accepted it.

Later on, we headed over to Cannoli Joe's and enjoyed a nice birthday dinner for Brad. He was shocked that we would do something like that for him at which point I informed him that he owed me two cents for the dinner. He claimed to only have a ten. I hate him.

Finally, we finished up the night with a long game of Rummy Royal. Some folks call it Tripoley. In any case, we had a blast and spent a good 3 hours having only spent a dollar each to join in the game.

All in all, as I said above, a really great Day 1 of vacation. I'll keep you posted with more on how Day 2 and the rest of the vacation goes. Vegas in 4 days, baby! And that's just my "two cents". Get it? Whatever. Joe out.

Here's to New Beginnings!

Brad and Breanne made it in this morning around 12:30. They're in bed right now, resting up from their long road trip. It's gotten me to thinking about the road trips I've taken several times over the past few years, much the same route as they have.

I remember in 2005, we came to realize that living in Kit Carson, CO wasn't going to cut it anymore and decided to move on down to San Antonio, TX to stay with my grandmother for a little while. A little while became a lot less time as she pretty much ran us out of her house. "Psycho Bitch" is a little too nice a name for her. Anyways, we tried out San Antonio and things just didn't go well.

A couple years later, we ended up moving just a smidge northward to Austin. For me, things still weren't going well. I was fed up and truly missed Colorado. So, I took that road trip again, this time in reverse, and made my way back up to Lamar.

Time had changed Colorado though, or at least had changed my feelings on it. So much was different and friends just weren't what they used to be. I came back to Austin after only a month in Colorado, disheartened and disappointed by the whole situation.

Then, came a new job, a new beginning. That beginning has become a career and I'm at a job that, while often I complain about, isn't really so bad. I have good people who I share my workspace with and make me often forget that I'm working at all. Thanks to them.

I made one last trip to Colorado back in January, this time by plane, to meet up with some old friends. I was happy to see that Colorado had changed again. This time, for the better. My best friend was doing great and had a wonderful family to share his life with and, my other best friend was content...playing the hand life had dealt him. I left that time happy with what I had seen.

Not but a few months later, my friend, someone I've talked about a bunch on here, decided to make that same trip I had embarked on 6 years ago to give it a go down here in Austin. I certainly wish him and his love a great life here and I am proud to be a part of his journey. So, here's to new beginnings. Here's to Brad and Breanne. Here's to MY FUCKING VACATION AWAY FROM THIS HELL HOLE. Oh, did I say that? Meh, sometimes...you just gotta get away. Joe out.