The day before...

the wedding was relaxed for the most part. Letha, Phil, Justin and I cleaned up the ceremony site a little in the afternoon (people leave trash all over the place).

We had the rehearsal at the gazebo (where the ceremony was being held) that evening and then headed to dinner at Buca Di Beppo (ummmm...yummy... :-P). It was here that Letha and I gave all of the wedding party and our parents their presents.


Letha and I also exchanged gifts that evening too. I gave her a set of sapphire jewelry and a jewelry box that she liked. She then blew me away (she's good at giving presents) by giving me a Breedlove Guitar: The Atlas Plus Edition. I have wanted to learn an instrument (I've messed around with the keyboards a couple of different times) and figured this was something that is easier to travel with. The really cool thing about this guitar is that it has a built in tuner. So thank you very much Letha.

Editor's Note: My version doesn't have the built in tuner.


After dinner some of us headed up to Noblesville to a brewpub (they brew their own) called Barley Island. Good food and my friends (Rebuilt) were playing that night. I walked thru the door just in time to hear the 2ND half of their last song, which sucks because I wanted to hear at least a couple of songs. I use to see them almost anytime they played, but hadn't seen them since I moved to Massachusetts. But we all hung out there for a couple of hours and had some fun.

Then a few of us crashed at Justin's apartment that night while we watched The Monster Squad, ahhh the good ol' times. This movie is written co-written by Shane Black (and I'm friends with Shane WHITE, coincidence...I think NOT), and was a BIG flop in the theatres. Imagine The Goonies with classic monsters (Dracula, Wolfman, The Mummy, Frankenstein's monster) in it. The movie found life on T.V. and VHS, and people begged for years (at least to me) that they release it on DVD. It was released not too long ago and I bought it (well Shane WHITE bought it for me and I paid him back).

The Bachelor Party...

was down in Orlando. Joe goes to mechanics school down there (he's learning to work on motorcycles). So when I land in Orlando (everyone else flew in from Indy), I get to the bar and everyone is pretty good (just a little drunk). I sat down and had a couple while waiting for Mike.

Once Mike arrived we went and got the rental car (Dodge Charger, don't bother with this car), hung out at Joe's and played Guitar Hero II (I love this game), and then headed to our condo that Lee found for us (Thanks Lee!).

This place was huge and slept all of us comfortably. It had it's own small pool on the back deck and gave us access to the clubhouse.

The next day we went Universal Studios. It was a blast, we rode almost every ride and got to go to both sides of the park. My favorite part of Universal Studios was Terminator 2 in 3D (it made me excited to see a GOOD part of the sega, not the abomination that was T3 or what will be T4). The coolest part of Adventure Island is The Hulk roller coaster.

Then our last day was spent chilling at the housing development's pool (it had a water slide).

It's been a while...

since I last wrote. If you know me then you know why. So I am going to write a few new blogs in the next couple of days to chronicle what's been going on.

I will be adding pictures in the next couple of days as well.

Spider-Man 3...

If you hated the movie anywhere near the amount that I did, you will love this!

It's GREAT!!!!!

Spider-Man 3: The Way It Should Have Ended

Go Pats, Go...

Did anyone else stay up to watch the Chargers gets shell shocked? I know I did...it was GREAT to see the team bounce back after the week they had.



L.T. just doesn't look like himself so far this year, and you're not going to hear me complain. When we lost our offensive and defensive coordinators, it took us a while to get going again. But the Chargers also lost their head coach...how you fire someone after a 14-2 season is beyond me.

I think right now there are 3 teams in the AFC that are going to be there the WHOLE year long:

The Patriots
The Colts
and The Steelers

Mike Tomlin looks like he has instilled a desperation to win in Pittsburgh. They are a team to watch this year.

Randy Moss is NASTY. Yes, I said nasty...he has a good team and a good attitude. He's happy because he's WINNING. He wasn't happy anywhere else because he was losing all the time. Now, IF we start losing while he's on our team then he will become a cancer. But I don't think with Brady at the controls, that we are going to see those days for a while now.

Tom Brady has been throwing up some VERY impressive numbers for ANY QB. He finally has the weapons he's always wanted. The Patriots can play how ever they want now...run the clock out and play you slow or throw the bomb down field and go fast. Great teams dictate clock usage.

Go Brady, Go...

Patriots punishment...

I would have to say that this is a fair punishment for something happens across the league. When the Dolphins did it to us last year, did anyone blow the whistle? No, it's because they weren't a winning team at the time.

Now I don't agree with what the coach did, I'm okay with the penalty because he did cheat. Now the only saving grace he has is IF we win a lot of games and go DEEP in to the playoffs. Notice I said IF. IF we win it all then no one has anything to complain about. If we don't then the GENIUS of the coach is in question, and the Krafts should punish him by firing him. That's right I said they should fire Bill Belichick IF he can't produce a deep run into the playoffs (at least the AFC Championship). IF they don't make it far, then it proves to me that he wasn't a genius, and cheated to win.

If you get caught or you don't doesn't excuse ANY kind of cheating.

Kaylee

This is my puppy. I always wanted one, and it never worked for one reason or another. But I love Boston (the family dog), and so glad my Dad has him. But now there is a new dog who is near and dear to my heart. This beautiful black lab was free to Letha and I. As we both love the ways labs look (even if we weren't going to look for a puppy until after the wedding) we felt this was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

Here's a few more pics for you guys, mainly my brother Mike, so he'll stop complaining. I'm gonna get back to training my pup...

Blogs...

I know I have plenty of friends that blog, but thanks to the Celtics page of Boston.com, I found a website that has a lot of athlete blogs. Yardbarker.com. You can look at Greg Oden's (he's from Indiana and my high school rival - Lawrence North), Isaac Bruce (he talks about Troy Brown in his latest blog), Rajon Rondo (plays for the Celtics), and many others.

I like Oden's blog because it seems to show his down to Earth side.

If you have the time and care what some athletes think, head on over and have a read or two.

Things I learned whilst drunk...

First, that Madden 2008 can't hold my jock strap!

So I played the first game of the Patriots season last night, after I closed the theatre. It was against the Jets, and I decided that I would just try to run the ball to set up the pass. It worked beautifully...I won the game 21-0. I think it was the first time I shut out a team EVER in Madden (Madden has ALWAYS had a way of making sure the other team ALWAYS scores somehow, usually within the last 2 minutes of each half - my friend Mark and I call them Madden NASTIES). By the time the game ended I realized I had 3 beers in me already (I was a little tipsy). Then I saved my franchise (in case I lost, then I could blame it on the alcohol) and played the Chargers. I was so worried about losing this game (mind you I was already half way thru my 4th beer at kick off) that I called Justin Rachal to express my concern for LaDainian Tomlinson (who is THE best running back in the NFL).

Man, I guess I was silly to worry...somehow while I was finishing my 4th and 5th beer (which were AMAZING, I'll explain in a second...) I DESTROYED them 42-7. I abandoned the running concept with this team, and played like the Indianapolis Colts. I threw for 400+ yards and 4 TDs with Tom Brady, caught 2 interceptions and returned them for TDs, 1 TD catch for 80 something yards, 1 TD catch for 60 something yards, and gave up 1 sack. LT had one run for 80 yards, which was one of the Madden NASTIES.

Second, so while I was drinking my Sam Adams: Summer Ale, I had let it sit too long...so it had gotten warmer than I like my beer. This is when I had the idea of dropping a couple of FROZEN grapes in to help it cool down again. Now I know what you're thinking FROZEN GRAPES????? These things are amazing (to my own fault I have only tried this with white seedless grapes, but those are the only grapes I like), they taste like popsicles, and they're good for you (well better for you than REAL popsicles anyway). Everyone reading this should try them, if you haven't already, and then post a comment on here about how GREAT they are...then maybe eventually we can get the whole world to try them. :-)

So back to the beer with the FROZEN grapes in them (I swear, my parents could have gotten me diagnosed with ADHD when I was a child). This beer had gone from good to AWESOME for me. WARNING!!!! Be careful when you put them in a full bottle as the grape juice interacts with the beer, it tends to foam up. I now drink until the beer level is below the neck of the bottle before dropping in the grapes (2-4 depending on my mood). The best part is...after you finish the beer the grapes drop down the neck (and fairly easy to get out) and then eat these WONDERFUL tasting grapes soaked with beer. hhhhhmmmmmmmm...I think I have to buy some more grapes on the way home tonight.

Anyone up for some XBoxing?

Crazy About You...

I worked on a movie a long time ago...it was a slight variation on what at happened in my life with a certain ex-girlfriend. It turned into a script that I thought really related to the way us men think. It's been a while since I had seen a film done from the man's side of a breakup. SWINGERS is the only one that actually comes to mind.

Well, I took this movie and the footage in January and told everyone that I would get the new edit done after a trailer. Well the trailer has been done since January and I just the other day started messing with the edit. I must praise Shane's work as the original editor of the film, he did a great job. I am only messing with tightening up the edit. I might go back later on and change some of the shots used, we'll see.

Who knows this movie might get done by 2010!

Few and far between...

So on my day off, as I watch the Red Sox lose the third game in a row (ARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!), I was surfing and headed to WebMD. That's where I came across "11 Don't-Tell-the-Wife Secrets All Men Keep." It got me interested since I am just over a month away from getting married myself.

This article is great and true for us men. My personal favorite is:


Secret #11: Give us an inch and we'll give you a lifetime
I was on a trip to Mexico, standing on a beach, waxing my surfboard and admiring the glistening 10-foot waves, when I decided to marry the woman who is now my wife. Sure, this was three years before I got around to popping the question. But that was when I knew.
Why? Because she'd let me go on vacation alone. Hell, she made me go. This is the most important thing a man never told you: If you let us be dumb guys, if you embrace our stupid poker night, if you encourage us to go surfing -- by ourselves -- our silly little hearts, with their manly warts and all, will embrace you forever for it.
And that's the truth.


Not too many women know how to let their men go out and have a good time without them. I'm lucky enough to have landed one of the few, but I know PLENTY of women in relationships that don't follow this simple rule, hell I use to be involved with one of them. It's not because we don't love you, it's because all of us guys NEED alone time...or GUY time. The sooner ALL women realize this the better ALL relationships will be.

And please (any women who read this) don't take this blog to mean us guys don't do anything wrong. This is just a simple rule that makes everyine happier.

On a side note: Why is it that us guys get so tangled up in how our sports team does? For something we have no control over, it seems to have plenty of control over us? Red Sox BLOW another one...

New Addition to the family...

So Letha and I have been talking about getting a puppy for a while...so without further ado...it's

KAYLEE!!!!!!

She's a black lab mix born June 23rd. She is being watched by her Grandmother (Letha's Mom...THANK YOU DAWN!!!!) until Letha can bring her home on Labor Day.

If you want to, and I hear she loves people, anyone is more than welcome to come visit her and her parents when she gets here. She told me she's sad that she can't be in town for Mom and Dad's wedding.

She's soooooo cute, isn't she?

And here's another pic...

Pretty cool for...

a fan film.

If you dig Superman and Batman?

It isn't true...

THE BELOW WAS POSTED LAST NIGHT...

I was just told that Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi died tonight at Mass General. I am hoping that this isn't true and that people are passing around bad information...but I don't think that all the different avenues this information traveled would ALL be wrong.

I can only guess that it had to do with his heart (he had surgery after the Pro Bowl in 05), he had suffered a slight stroke.

This brings to mind the question, why did he play again? Would he still be able to play with his little boys if he never had put on a helmet after that stroke? Or would it still have ended the same way?

If this is true...then my heart goes out to his family. If it is false then I hope he is okay. I will write more on this soon.

FROM TODAY:

Who's idea is it to start a rumor like this? Why would you do it unless you're an @$$hole? I should've known it wasn't true when I couldn't find it anywhere this morning or last night. If Marquis Hill dissapearing in a lake can be told to the world in the matter of hours than TB passing should have hit the news (or at least the web) instantly. My apologies for premature information.

I do have to say I am quite surprised that I was so upset about this when I thought it was true.

Love his art...

The MAIN reason I ever got into comic books was because my brother Mike was into them.

I would have to give my props to Mr. Jim Lee for me sticking to comic books for soooo long. My first issue ever purchased for the purpose of collecting was Uncanny X-Men issue 275 (amazing folding cover). Since then I have been hooked on almost ANYTHING that Lee as drawn.

Anyways I happened to come across his MySpace page today and got to look at a bunch of art he's done, feel free to check it out yourself:

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=112200319

I found one pic that he did for a certain actor that I think is awesome...

The writing is smaller than I would like...but it says, "For Heath - Happy Birthday - Go Nuts!"

More than meets the eye...

TRANSFORMERS

So I saw the movie on Monday night. It was awesome and I only know 2 people who didn't like it (a film critic and my brother Mike). As far as everyone else they all agree with me (even my fiance and sister in-law), it has everything you want in a film and more. I can't believe I was in awe of this movie so much. From the first time one of them transforms, until the very end, I was enjoying every second. The CGI was mostly flawless (got to hand it ILM again), the action scenes were cool, and the story made just about as much sense as giant robots that transform.

I haven't been THIS happy with a movie since X2 (I know I'm a geek).

If you haven't seen it yet, get off your @$$ and go to see it today or tomorrow or even both days. I think I'm going to try and squeeze it in again sometime this week.

Justin and I would be happy...

According to this posting on the Boston Globe, Justin and I are most likely to be happy at the end of this upcoming NFL season.

I still worry about the Colts, and who wouldn't...especially when you see what happened in the 2nd half of the AFC Championship.

I hope the posting is right.

Back in the area!

So I was back in Indiana this past weekend for a wedding (congrats goes out to Chris and Mary Meek). It was a whirlwind vacation weekend...Friday party at Justin's for a couple of hours. Saturday met with our photographer (she's awesome and here's her website http://www.towerstudiophotography.com/), saw the Meek wedding, went to 2 partys (thanks Lee and Justin). Sunday played paintball, went to dinner, saw Kathleen, and whooped some butt in Scrabble (love you Letha and Mom, it's just I don't know if I have ever won before).

Now, back in MASS. I slept for 11 1/2 hours last night to try and get over a cold that snuck up on me Thursday. So today I am relaxing, doing some house work, and might go and see a movie, we shall see.

Talk about a movie I would like to see...

Now it is no secret that since I have seen THE GIRL NEXT DOOR that I think Elisa Cuthbert is a hottie, but doesn't she look good in the outfit?

Her acting chops aren't the best thing in the world, but then again there are plenty of "ACTORS" who get by on just their looks. As long as there is a good surrounding story, why not go ahead with this project. I'm pretty sure this was done up by someone in photoshop, but it's a darn good looking fake. She has my vote...

Movies and life!

Interesting films I've seen:

Paris Je'Taime - A movie made from 18 short films. Each one is done by a different director and actors. Some are funny, sad, and just plain weird. A few of them were made by directors from different parts of the world, this was apparent by the different narrative forms. Overall, a good experience.

Pirates of the Carribean: At World's End - Better than the second, but that's not saying a whole lot. Depp has some amazing scenes (where Jack has lost it) and besides that it's a CGI orgasm, that leaves you dissapointed.

Ocean's Thirteen - Like Pirates it's a lot better than the second one, and it gets close to the feel of the first one, yet doesn't pay off like the first. I did get some parts that got me excited like the first. Good LAST movie, if it is the last one?

Surf's Up - Cute family film, that is fun. It did seem like they just wanted a movie with penguins in it because of the success of HAPPY FEET and MARCH OF THE PENGUINS.

Besides that I have been working, eating right, and getting to the gym. Trying to lose 30 pounds before the wedding, we'll see how that goes. Tony Lenter is visiting right now. He is staying with my brother (his sister is MY sister in-law), and we're hoping to show him a good time when we can.

Found our new apartment, it's one street over from where Letha and I live right now. It's a cute place , just a little small, but it will allow us to save up money for all sorts of things.

I got some big news hat I can't share with everyone yet, hopefully soon I can talk about it. It's causing me a little anxiety currently.

Besides that all I can say, is that I can't wait to come home next weekend. It's always a good time, I love seeing my friends and family.