moe.down promo 2006

Headed to moe.down for the weekend, see everyone Tuesday. By the way this is all the fun you will be missing!

Happy Birthday Dad!

Although my Father is no longer with us I would like to take this opportunity to wish him a Happy Birthday wherever he may be and let him now that those of us who knew him best still miss and love him as much as we ever did, as well as let everyone else know a little about him. He would have been 64 today, however he was gone a few months before he turned 59 and as anyone will tell you that is far too early.

Since he has been gone I have been married, two more grandchildren have been born between my brother and myself and countless moments of everyday life have been missed, however the one thing that his stayed consistent are the lessons of life that he taught me while he was here. It is funny, because although he is no longer with me I feel I have learned more from him since he has been gone in the last five years than I did during the other 25 I spent with him. That is not to discredit the job that he did raising me, but rather praise him for it. Anyone can teach someone how to drive a stick shift or how to throw a football, but to me it takes a real man to teach somebody how to raise a family and conduct yourself with respect and treat other people with the same respect that you feel you deserve. It is these life lessons that I continue to learn from everyday and often find myself thinking back to things my Father told me when I was younger but just didn't understand yet.

I am sure that some of the learning experiences just come from getting older and starting a family myself, but is from the way that my Father raised me that I will try to raise my son. As a said during his eulogy when I was younger I didn't know about bills or stresses at work all I knew was when my Father walked through that door home from work I was the happiest kid on Earth. I don't think he even had a chance to put to his coat down before I was jumping on him and dragging him back outside to kick around a soccer ball or shoot some hoops and the crazy thing is not one time did he ever tell me no. Sure he had his faults like everyone does, but when it came to his family there is nothing that he wouldn't do, between coaching sports, driving us all over place or just wrestling on the floor he always made sure he had a smile on his face even though I now realize in the back of his mind he was probably like, "Jesus Christ, give me a minute." I can even remember in high school calling him up late night and having him pick us up from the loft a few times where I am sure he could get drunk just from our breath and never did he utter a word to my Mother about it. The next day we would always talk and he would tell me to be careful, but he never sold me out or yelled at me. In fact during the whole course of my whole life my Father never raised a hand or even his voice at me once. Most people find that hard to believe even me, but I swear to you it is the truth. It is with that kind of patience and love that I hope to raise my kids.

As time goes on you get used to important people not being around anymore, but I don't think you ever really get over it. You kind of become numb to things the good times aren't quite as happy and the bad times aren't quite as bad, you've been through the worst and know you can deal with anything. Anyway I would just like to wish my Dad a Happy Birthday and let him know we all miss him.

Breaking Twenty!

Of course I am not referring to breaking a twenty dollar bill, but rather breaking the twenty mile mark for the first time yesterday and I must admit I am pretty damn proud of myself. Although I knew the day would come when I would have to run twenty miles if I am to complete the marathon in November, however mentally I have been dreading it for a couple weeks and doubting myself whether or not I could actually do it. Well I am pleased to announce that day came and went yesterday and I was able to complete the task it just a little over three hours.

Having mapped out the course the day before in the car with Nate and my constant companion
Wilson. I left from my house and headed down Belleville Ave and up the Belleville Pike until Kearny Ave then headed down by West Hudson Hospital, after turning around I mad my way through North Arlington, Lyndhurst and Rutherford before heading around the circle. From there I went into East Rutherford, Carlstadt and Wallington before making my way home through Clifton and Nutley. Wow, now that I look at it I must say it does look like an epic.

I was actually surprised at how it was actually more mentally tough than physically. While I will admit that the last five miles were anything but fun, it was the idea that I can't do this that loomed larger than anything. I think it was somewhere in Carlstadt for those of you familiar with the area when I was like "Holy Shit" I can actually do this and from then on once I cleared the mental hump it wasn't that bad.

If it is anything that running has taught me it is how positive thinking really is a powerful force. While I have always considered myself a realist I am now realizing that it you really put your mind to it and bury that little bit of self doubt that we all have we really can will ourselves through situations that we thought we otherwise impossible. I don't mean to sound like am preaching here, but this training regiment has really been a mental breakthrough for me. While in the past I have always kind of just floated around and went where life has taken me I now realize that we take so many things for granted and we really should try to make the most of everyday and thrust ourselves into life. I think the reason for this is the many hours I have spent on the road with only my thoughts to keep me occupied over the last few months. The mind is a powerful thing and I find myself thinking of everything from what my son will be like when he gets older to thoughts of my father and I how much I miss him and how quickly the time went by when he was here and how much quicker the time goes by that he is not here.

I have always been against organized religion, but I am starting to feel that while it may sound kind of hokey this quest has kind of opened me up to my spiritual side. Ultramarthoner James Bonnett once said "You find yourself out there." while referring to the Western States Endurance Run and I think I am really starting to understand what he means. Make sure you watch the video E50 under Dean.

Wow, I just realized this blog just took a serious turn, but hey that's how I am feeling this morning, it must be the endorphins or runner's high. I have two more runs of twenty miles before the Marathon, but I must say after yesterday I feel more confident than ever that I will complete this goal. Happy Monday to all or at least to me since I am on another two weeks of vacation. Unions, America at their best! That one's for you big Tim!

Freakshows, Bigfoot and Bush!

Do you remember when you were a little kid and got to go to your first carnival and fair? Here in North Jersey the big fair was and still is the New Jersey State Fair at the Meadowlands. I will always remember being blown away by the rides and all the craziness that went with being there. I will also always remember how pissed off I was the first time I paid money to go into one of the freak shows to see a girl with two heads or the infamous snake lady. While visions of freaks and the like filled my young mind I was greeted with bitter disappointment as the tent was filled with nothing but black and white grainy photographs and bad plastic dolls in glass cases.

Fast forward a couple of years I am promised proof of Bigfoot that will change the course of history. As the show dragged on for an hour with coming attractions looking better and better with the proof just around the corner. Again by the end of the hour I was greeted with nothing but disappointment and anger as there never was any proof but just a shitty picture of a guy that looks like he just stepped off the set of Harry and the Hendersons!

Where the hell am I going with this, you may ask? I will tell you where I am going with, as I people get older and hopefully a little wiser we tend to fall for less and less scams. Sure, I still go the same shitty fair, but there is no way the creepy felon working the sideshow tent is getting any of my hard earned money these days. However lately I have been experiencing that same bad feeling when we have been promised celebrity nudity and have been greeted with nothing but bitter disappointment. First there was the Paris Hilton sex tape, which turned out to be just a complete disaster from start to finish highlighted by Paris in night vision lighting babbling along.

Next was the Britney Spears pantyless pictures. Once you got past the c-section scar and Sunny Crocket scruff you were left with something that might resemble what someone might eat if they were on the Atkins diet and ordered a ham sandwich from a bodega in the South Bronx.

Now comes the latest disappointment, who is none other than Vanessa Minillo who is famous for being Nick Lachey's girlfriend and I am not sure quite what else. Anyway, while I would have to admit right from the start that i think she is definitely a step down from Jessica Simpson I still thought she was pretty hot until the latest pictures of her came out. Apparently while vacationing in Hawaii, Vanessa and Nick decided to get a little frisky in a hot cub and as usual a member of the paparazzi was there to catch it all on film. While floating around online I just happen to stumble across these pics and check them out as any good red-blooded American male would do. Lo and behold what to find in these pics, one of the biggest bushes you will find this side of 1973! It looks like she is walking around with a toupee glued to her nether regions. Those of you interested can check out the photos here! While they appear to be censored on the first page, if you click on the thumbnails they will pop up uncensored. Again a another complete disappointment. I feel it my responsibility to take all my donations from Team Continuum "Like the cheap plug, huh?" and donate it to Vanessa for a good ol' fashioned waxing. I must say what a step down for Mr. Lachey. Well that's it for now, until the next disappointment! Keep your pants, because you never know who's watching!

Fantasy Football League!

I have started an ESPN Fantasy football league and would like to try and get all of our friends in it. It is going to be a no money league for fun with the only prizes being bragging rights and a trophy that will be purchased by me and presented to the winner at the end of the season. Anyone interested please give me a call and I will give you the details. Again i would like to try to keep this amongst us, but i also realize not everyone reads the blogs so let Jack, Danny and company know about. It is set up for a live draft this Thursday night at 7:15. I know it is last minute, but i figured it might be some fun.

Bellagio water show

Enjoy Your Sunday!

Rhain Davis the Whiz Kids join Manchester United

Manchester United signs Nine year old!

NYC Nike Half-Marathon

Hat's off to both the New York Road Runners and Nike on one of the best races I have ever been part of. As most of you know I was lucky enough to be one of the almost ten thousand people who finished the NYC Half-Marathon this past Sunday, 3,495th overall with a personal best of 1:54 with those of you scoring at home.

I figured that this many people running I was due for a day of frustration and unorganization, but boy was I wrong. The race was completely organized from the the very beginning all the way to the end, with plenty of water stations and bathrooms available throughout the race. It really was the best experience of my brief running career and I just can't say enough good things about it.

As for the course it consisted started on the east side and consisted of one full loop around Central Parks outer loop which is just around six miles plus another mile to make it a total of about seven miles in the park. The next part of the route was leaving Central Park and running down Seventh Ave, which was closed off for the race with a ton of spectators on both sides. It was during this part that I really got a taste of what running the marathon must be all about. As I made my urn onto Seventh and heard all the people cheering I couldn't help but get goosebumps all over my body, especially that tingly feeling you get in your head. I knew that from this moment on it was going to be smooth sailing. The course followed seventh ave all the way down to Time's Square, which was another awesome moment. I mean think about how many times are you going to have the ability to run through Time's Square without any cars honking and really just soak it all in, it really was an incredible experience. I kind of felt like Tom Cruise in the Beginning of Vanilla Sky! As I mad my way to Forty Second street I made a right turn and headed for the West Side Highway and the mile Ten marker. I should also know that all along the route there was different bands playing all kinds of music from rock to salsa, a little bit for everybody. The West Side Highway was smooth and flat and I really felt in cruise control at this point, I think there may have been a cruise ship in and sun was just starting to rise and made for a beautiful setting. I was able to finish the last three miles pretty strong and was greeted at the finish line with a commemorative medal and a kiss from the wife, even though she bitched I was all sweaty and smelly.

This was my fourth half of this year, but known of the other really compared to it in terms of atmosphere. I must say it really was a rewarding experience and I was particularly proud of myself, especially since I had told to wife I was determined to beat two hours and I was not only able to but also beat my previous best time by more than three minutes. It really makes me feel like all my training for the Marathon is starting to pay off and I am really gaining confidence heading towards November!

On a personal note I also want to thank Danielle as well as my in-laws and Nathaniel for coming in to cheer me on that end, as well as everybody at the party and all asked how I did and seemed really happy for me, it really felt good to know that people did care and were rooting for me. By the way here is pic for you CD.

Also don't forget that, I know I am starting to sound like a whore here, but the whole point of me running the marathon is to raise money for cancer patients. Thanks again to everybody who has already helped out, for those who haven't all you have to do is go here and type in Maver in the upper right hand corner and follow the instructions. Plus don't be afraid to e-mail our friends since I don't have everybody's e-mail I could use some help. Thanks again and I can't wait to see everybody in November!

Happy B'Day Appetite!

It's hard to believe but true Guns N' Roses released Appetite for Destruction twenty years ago this past July. While it is scary to think I remember this album when it first came out, which makes me feel old it is even scarier that a great rock record has not been made since. It' s not that some albums haven't been good it is just that no album has come out since where everybody is like "Holy Shit" there is not one bad song on that album. Some of the Loft Boys would argue that Life of Agony's debut "River Runs Red" is similar, myself included however for some reason they never achieved any type of mainstream success.

Not to sound old, but I am going to anyway, I just don't think the generation of today understand the importance of great albums with the invention of i tunes and the ability to download only the songs you here on the radio rather then being pumped up by one song, but deciding to listen to the whole album anyway. Appetite is a great example of this. While it is true that no one will ever forget the first time they heard the screeching of the beginning of "Welcome to the Jungle", it was the catchy phrases of "Paradise City" and "Night train" that really made us love this album.

The sad part is because of egos, drug problems and Lord know what else Guns N' Roses reigned kings for a brief four year period by unlike most bands for that four year period they were untouchable. They were our heroes the way kids today worship Lebron, we worshipped GN'R. They were bad asses and made no apologies for it. They reveled in groupies and drugs and not necessarily in that order.

On a personal note when you think about it Guns N' Roses and the other bands of that era kind of changed all of our lives forever. It is because of bands like Gn'R, Motley Crue and Metallica that most of us started hanging out and still hang out almost fifteen years later. I still remember hanging out as a Sophomore in religion with DZ, when he noticed I had Motley Crue written on my notebook and the rest as they say is history! Since then a lot of things have changed Axl Rose has become a recluse, Izzy disappeared and Slash and Duff now play with the guy from STP, on the other hand half of the "Loft Boys" are married some of us even have kids and a good Friday night is having the Mets' win and the baby sleep until 9 am.

While it is true that a lot of things are different two things remain the same: Appetite for Destruction is still one of the top ten rock albums ever made and the "Loft Boys" are still the best groups of friends on earth. While it is true not everyone is able to get together to get drunk on a random Friday night, if there is a wedding or baby's christening you can bet that you can still find us all in the corner of the room sneaking a shot together!

P.S. There is a great story in this weeks Rolling Stone about how during a late night session recording the moaning in "Rocket Queen", Axl was disappointed in the realism of the moaning so he decided to fuck Steven Adler's girlfriend in the studio to make it seem more realistic. Now that's a man on a mission!

P.P.S. To quote the Golden Girls, "Thank you for being a friend!" Now that's talent, Bea Arthur and Axl Rose in the same blog!

P.P.P.S. Forgive me if I sound nostalgic, it is late night and I have been drinking Scotch solo!