My "Oneders" Moment

So it goes without saying that, "That Thing You Do" is one of my favorite movies of all time. I mean seriously who doesn't love that flick? Also, I would argue that the scene when their song is played on the radio for the first time is one of the best scenes in the history of American Cinema. In case you don't know the scene...here it is:

Man, what a great feeling!

Well, yesterday I had an experience that will probably be the closet I will ever come to hearing my song on the radio.

Remember when I told you about the Dayton Alefest I went to a few weekends back? Well we of course brought along the Brouha House's favorite yeast baby mascot, "Bud" and took him around to different booths. However, the good people at Flying Dog Brewery (recently ranked the #1 brewery in America by one publication) took a picture with Bud and then asked us to send them the picture. I had all but forgotten about it until one of their people sent me an e-mail yesterday with this link:

FLYING DOG AND BROUHA!!!

Holy Guacamole! Can you believe that? I mean the Brouha House is still 7 or 8 months from being open...but when the #1 brewery in America has a blurb about you on the front of their website...and a picture of your little yeast mascot....IT'S HUGE!!!

I realize to everyone else this is nowhere near as exciting as having your song played on the radio...but to me...it is!!!

If nothing else this is great publicity. And, it further drives home the fact that in a few months...I will most likely be the manager at my own brewpub!

I AM SPARTACUS!!!

Song of the Day: Squirrel Nut Zippers - Hell
Beer of the Day: Flying Dog - Gonzo Imperial Porter

Tuesday Tidbits

Alright, so let's catch up and what's going on in the LofB right now...

** Last Friday I officially moved into my Apartment. It still feels a little weird, but I'm starting to get used to it. My room is lookin' good and the balcony is flippin' amazing. The kegerator should be up and running tomorrow and the HDTV will be put to use sometime soon as well. I'll put some pictures up once I get totally settled in...I know you guys are dying to see it. Also, feel free to stop by if you want.

** It's beginning to drop a few degrees in the weather which means Fall is just around the corner. I love Fall for many reasons but the most important reasons are...I get to drink darker beer, I get to wear jeans comfortably, I get to wear long sleeves and I get to drink bourbon! I know that makes me sound like an alcoholic who likes to cover up his skin...but that's not it. I just really enjoy all of those things...but in the summer it's just too damn hot (for a penguin to just be walkin' around!). Also, I have certain music that only feels right in the fall. The most notably is "Sunken Treasure" by Jeff Tweedy. You can't buy this album because it came free when I bought Jeff Tweedy's DVD...but if you want a copy (trust me...you do) just let me know and I'll figure out a way to legally smuggle it to you.

** So I went to the UofL game this past Saturday and not only did the Cards look good...I got to see the best beer man moment ever. I was walking back from the bathroom and there was the beer man right at the bottom of our section. This guy walks past him and the beer man takes a plastic cup and just beams him with it. Then the beer man said, "Flag on the play. Personal Foul, Unnecessary DUMBNESS! Walking past the Beer man empty handed!" It was hilarious, easily the funniest thing I have heard in a long time.

**Basketball went well last night, I didn't play outstanding but I felt solid...and I'm only sore today because I took a wicked knee to my thigh...it's killin' me though.

** FANTASY FOOTBALL UPDATE:
Of course the CrapBags opened up the week in Championship form, posting the highest score (which earns me $2)...and removing any doubt that they are the best Fantasy Football team of all time.

On a side note, I think we'll all agree that I warned everyone that taking Tom Brady away from the CrapBags would be a bad idea...it was.

I actually talked to Tom after he found out he wasn't a CrapBag this year, he told me he didn't even want to play this season. His exact words were, "This is total B.S. I'm a CrapBag or I'm nothing!!! Maybe I'll just let someone tear my ACL so I don't have to play for someone else." I told him he was much to good looking to let that happen, so he should go a head and play...but just play poorly against the CrapBags...apparently that wasn't good enough. Oh well, get well soon Tom.

*** Athlon's College Basketball preview magazine is out and checkout the cover:
You're a bad-ass Earl. CARDS = 2009 NCAA CHAMPS!!!

** Vampire weekend is playing tonight at Headliners, anyone want to go? Oh wait it's sold out so we can't...DANG IT!

Hasta Luego Muchachos!

Song of the Day: Jeff Tweedy - One By One (Live)
Beer of the Day: Sierra Nevada - Brown Ale

Are you ready for some.....Basketball?

I know the NFL season just kicked off and tonight is the first night of Monday Night Football, but I want to talk basketball today. No not because I am giving up on UofL's football team, but because Monday night basketball is starting up tonight...and I'm coming out of retirement.

When I was in High School I was a pretty good basketball player. I'm not trying to sound conceded, I played like 5 nights a week, and I just got really in shape and pretty good at basketball. Well, every Monday from a week or so after Labor day until a week or so after Derby, I used to play basketball with My Dad, cousins, uncles and some other good friends. I had to stop playing when I went away to school...but the league kept on...and tonight, I make my return.

I'm a little worried because when I left I was playing the best basketball of my life. I was in shape so I was able to use my youth and quickness to make some plays. However, as we all know...I didn't play much basketball in college...unless you count shooting on the Michael Jordan Jr. Jammer...in which case I'm an All-Star. So, I'm a little nervous about playing tonight. I know I'm not as in shape as I was, I weigh about 15 pounds more than I did...there is no way I can grab the rim anymore...and I'm just looking to hit the rim on my first few shot attempts.

While thinking about this whole situation...I found out that I could simply use YouTube to show why I should be worried about my ability to play basketball tonight. You see, senior year of high school they picked an intramural all-star team to play a game against the faculty in front of the whole school. I was lucky enough to be picked...and it ended up being a really fun game. I had totally forgotten about it until a few weeks ago when I was messing around on YouTube and found something amazing. Someone actually got some video from the game and made a highlight video with "One Shining Moment" in the background. Hilarious right?

Well in hopes of displaying how I went about life in High School...here is the video. I'm #5 in the Red. My highlights include, playing ridiculously awesome defense against a girl teacher and forcing her into a 10 second count...then over enthusiastically slapping our coach's hand, making a layup, and dishing out a nice assist on a three pointer, I'm also the third person to walk across the screen at the beginning in the yellow shirt, go ahead and laugh...high school is awkward:

What a baller!

Well now it's time for my other YouTube claim to fame. This video illustrates my life in college, which included drinking, cheering for UofL and making an ass of myself. This is Ben and me at a UofL pep rally in Charlotte for the NCAA tourney this past March. What you CAN see is us drunk, stupid and excited. What you CAN'T see is Denny Crum standing about 2 feet away from us. You also can't see the 2 or 3 hugs I made Denny give me for good luck!


So as you can see...my glory days of PLAYING basketball are behind me...while I fear that I am still in the middle of my glory days of drinking and WATCHING basketball. That's why I'm nervous.

Oh well, regardless it should be a great time tonight...and it'll be nice to exercise again. Watch out Becky!

Song of the Day: The Doors - Roadhouse Blues
Deer of the Day: Schlafly - Oktoberfest

Big Time Weekend

Ok, now I know we all want to get crazy because it's Friday...but we can't. There is simply too much to do!

Just kidding, well kinda. There is a lot of stuff going on this weekend, but it's all fun...so it's quite ok to get really excited.

First of all, I will be staying in my apartment for the first time tonight. AHHHHH! It's been a weird week, filled with mixed emotions. The excitement of fixing up my new place, mixed with the sadness of sleeping in my bed at home for the last time has made me feel a bit odd about the whole situation. Right now the edge has to go to the exciting feeling...but I know there is going to be a time in the next few weeks when I really realize that I don't live at home anymore. Damn! That's gonna be tough to handle...but I'm sure it'll be ok. It's a new/exciting/scary/nerve wracking stage in my life...and I think I'm ready.

Tomorrow I get to go to my first UofL football game since I went to school there in 2004. I know, they suck. But hey...I get to tailgate and that'll be fun. Plus, let's be real here...I love my Cardinal Birds and there are few (if any) things I would rather do than drink beer and watch the Cards in action. So yeah, I'm excited...It's because I'm a FAN! GO CARDS!

Ok, the other big thing about this weekend is that it's my Dad's birthday today! Alright Dad! You did it! Another year...wooohooo! wooo! wo! And it's his 60th! ALRIGHT! Man, he's old!

Just kidding, he's actually only 53! But the really exciting thing is that I have a job now...which means I have money...which means instead of borrowing money from him to buy him a cheap present, I can use the money he pays me through his firm for I job I'm not really qualified for...to buy him a kinda nice present!

In all honesty though, when it comes to dads...mine's the best. So in your face! Happy Birthday Dad, I hope it's a good one. And don't worry, I'll call Ben and make sure he remembers. I kid!

Have a good weekend folks!

Song of the Weekend: Ben Kweller: My Apartment
Beer of the Day: Flying Dog - Dogtoberfest

De Plane De Plane

Today I want to talk about airplanes and airports. As I said the other day, I love airports...but I'm not too fond of the whole flying experience. I mean taking a really heavy machine...filling it with people and then shipping it in the air from one place to another...it's just not natural. However, the whole experience of flying is really kind of entertaining.

You go get your ticket, then you have to take all of your clothes off and put them on a check out counter and walk through a metal detector. If you're like me...you can be totally naked and you'll still beep. I think I'm a perfect 10 out of my last 10. Anyway, when you're lucky enough to pass through security...you then get to wait at your gate.

Now while waiting, if you're like me you will begin to scope out the other travelers and what I have found is that you can break them down into three types of people.

Tom the Traveler
Tim the Tourist
Ordinary Joe

I like to look at people to not only judge them, but to see who I might want to sit around me...if I had a choice. Let me explain.

Tom the Traveler - This person is going to be dressed in business casual attire. They will not have a lot of carry on luggage. They will be alone. And they will have a really nice looking cell-phone. These types of people can be trusted, they do this kind of thing all the time and they aren't excited to be on a plane...they're just trying to get to where they're going. I like to identify at least one of these people once I'm on the plane, that way if a weird noise occurs, or there happens to be lots of turbulence, I can read their face and see if I should be worried or not. CAUTION: This could back fire and you could end up believing that your plane is about to crash...but it works most times. If you are traveling alone, Tom the Traveler is the person you want to sit next to...he's all business and he'll leave you alone...but he will also be polite.

Ordinary Joe - These people are going to look a lot like me. They will have on jeans and a fairly nice shirt, they will be reading a magazine or book of some sort, they will also have some carry on luggage, including a backpack of some kind. i-Pod is another thing to look for. These are the people who not frequent travelers, but have done it enough that they are at least somewhat comfortable. It is ok to sit next to them, but they may strike up the risky in-flight conversation. Often talking to strangers is fun...but it can become dangerous on a plane because if you begin a conversation and soon realize that person is either boring or annoying...you are stuck. You can't just say, "Oh I have to be some where!" You are now forced to either talk to that person, or sit awkwardly next to them. Ordinary Joe is a nice guy, sitting next to him should be ok...but wait until there are only about 45 mins left in the flight before talking to them.

Tim the Tourist - These people are the worst. They will look like a tourist. Cargo shorts, Hawaiian shirts, tennis shoes with tube socks...these are all possibilities. If they're on their way home...they will undoubtedly have on a t-shirt from some "Crazy fun" restaurant they went to. They will have way too much carry-on luggage, they will ask way too many questions, they will want to be the first on the plane and the first off the plane regardless of where they are sitting, they will also ask the flight attendants for something every 10 minutes. These people don't travel much, so when they do...they want everyone to know. If you get stuck sitting next to Tim the Tourist...go to sleep before the plane moves. Otherwise you'll get an earful about how amazing this person's trip to Florida was and how crazy they got at the Crazy Crab!

That's how I see it...you may disagree, but I think if you follow those guidelines you'll end up much happier.

Just for fun, here are a few other things that annoy me about flying: When they start boarding...everyone goes and stands in line. Why? You are all gonna get on, why stand around? Also, when the plane stops...why does everyone immediately shoot out of their seats and proceed to stand in the aisle for 20 mins? It's dumb. Also, stop using my overhead bin space....it's mine!

But the best parts about flying: The drinks and peanuts they bring you, trying to pee during a pocket of turbulance, getting places really really quickly.


Well, that's my rant about airplanes...I enjoy flying...but sometimes it can be a bit much.

Enjoy your Thursday people.

Song of the Day: Avett Brothers - The Weight of Lies
Beer of the Day: Mikkeller - Beer Geek Breakfast

Moving is awful...

...well not really but parts of it are.

Let me just say I can't have a long post today...because I unintentionally took off work from 10:30 - 2:30.

Well it wasn't totally without knowing, the furniture store told me that they would deliver my bedroom furniture between 10:30 and 1:30. Well of course they showed up at like 1:45, and then they had to assemble it all. So yeah it was great. To make things better, I was starving, but couldn't leave to get food...so I ordered Chinese. However, I just wanted like 6 bucks worth of food. Well of course you have to order at least 15 bucks worth so I just added crab rangoon and then just kept adding egg rolls until I had enough. I finally get up to $14.67 and the lady was like, "well, it's supposed to be $15." I said, "ARE YOU KIDDDING ME? I just ordered like 9 bucks of food I didn't even want...and you won't give me the extra 33 cents?" She quickly saw it my way and said it was fine.....I knew she would...I wouldn't want to mess with me either.

So yeah, I have sweet furniture now and I'll get the rest in there soon. However, I have to go do some work now. But I won't leave you empty handed...I'll give you this to entertain you for a little while longer.


Just for you mom (she may be the only person in the world who thinks that baby is funnier than I do)

Song of the Day: Ben Sollee - A Few Honest Words
Beer of the Day: Highland - Gaelic Ale

Labor day weekend round-up

Man, I had a great weekend...how about you guys?

**As you all know, I was in Charleston visiting Taylor this weekend, and it was great to see her. We went to the beach, ate some good food, shopped around Charleston...it was just a really great time. Unfortunately, I won't get to see her again until October...but it will be here soon enough.

I flew to Charleston and I spent quite a bit of time in Airports. Let me just say that while I am not a huge fan of flying...I love airports. I'll talk about this more later this week...I don't want to short change you on my thoughts and feelings about the whole flying experience.


** This is a big week, even though it's a short one, because I move into my apartment. I'll move stuff little by little each day with hopes of getting finally set up by Friday or so. It should be fun, pictures and updates will be coming soon.

** If you're ever in Charleston, SC and you want to listen to the radio...tune to 100.5 the Drive! It is the best radio station I have ever heard. Sorry 91.9 WFPK, they're just as good as you and not as snooty (snotty?). They played Band of Horses, Pearl Jam, STP, R.E.M., Nirvana, The Cranberries, Radiohead...it was great.

** It's September now...that's sweet. Mainly because August is gone...but also mainly because it's almost Fall...WOO-Hoo!!

** Can you tell I'm just talking about things to avoid talking about another thing?

** Ok let's discuss. Yes, lets discuss the worst football game I have ever seen! I know UK fans are sitting there thinking, "Yeah, you just think it was bad because we kicked your ass!" Well, yes you did kick our asses...but if you know anything about football...you should realize that every team that plays in a BCS bowl this year will have more wins than UofL and UK will have combined at the end of the year. That's what made it so bad, UK sucks...but we sucked so much we got beat by 25! I want to say the defenses were just so outstanding...but I think the offenses were just that bad. Regardless here are a few observations:
- Douglas Beaumont - I like you...a lot!
- Hunter Cantwell - I like you...but will you play better next game...a lot better?
- Bilal Powell - You have the coolest name for a running back ever...too bad you looked like a total pansy on the field. Get better so I can say your name as if it were an onomatopoeia. "BILALPOWELL!"
- Ron English - I think you're awesome...but I want to watch a few more games before I put you on my "man-crush list"
- Josh Chichester - You're soooo tall...and pretty talented. Way to go!
- Jeff Brohm - Really? You can do better.
- Steve Kragthorpe - I'll give you until the Kansas State game before I make ridiculous remarks about you and your coaching ability. (Note: If we don't beat Tenn. Tech, I get to judge you then.)
- Rich Brooks - You're an alright old man...I don't really hate you at all.
- UofL football team - We can do better, seriously we have too....it's killing me.

I'm not crying...no I'm not crying....It's just been raining on my face.

Also, I of course ran into some UK fans in Charleston (they're everywhere). The first two noticed my UofL shirt and were good sports about it. One said, "Good Luck to you guys today...it should be a good game." The other one, was after the game and he said, "Oh, I'm from Louisville too! But unfortunately, I'm a UK fan." I said, "well, that's fortunate for you today" He smiled and said "yeah I guess." Not too bad. But then as I was leaving a restaurant, this UK fan sitting with his two buddies, he waits until Taylor is out the door and I have one foot out...then yells,

"PITINO SUCKS!"

Hahahahaha. First of all Einstein....you just beat us in FOOTBALL! Second of all, way to be a man and yell it as I'm almost out of the restaurant and then look like you're totally innocent when I turn around and give you the, "I'm gonna kick your ass" stare. I mean you just waxed us in football and you bring up Pitino? It just goes to show that there are some morons out there...and a lot of UK fans will never ever get over the fact that Rick Pitino is UofL's coach. This guy's comment really made my day....not really but I at least got to laugh again.

You'll be happy to know I didn't punch anything...but I was upset. The only way to express my feelings is by having help from my friends...

They are who we thought they were...and we let 'em off the hook!

Playoffs? Playoffs?

I'm a Man...I'm 40!


Oh well, it was a shitty game...but a great weekend!

Song of the day: R.E.M. - What's The Frequency Kenneth?
Beer of the day: Avery - Ellie's Brown Ale