The Write Time and the Write Place - Just Around the Riverbend

We got down to the Carolinas on Friday night. Saturday was the Biltmore Estate and Sunday was hanging out in Columbia at some Random's house. My plan for today (Monday) was to go to the Atlantic Ocean (somewhere around Folly Beach) but the weather forecast made that a bad idea. I would go to the ocean all day, every day. To me it doesn't matter how hot or cold it was or even if it was pouring rain. I live so far away from the ocean that I'm lucky to get there once every other year. I was just in Oregon in February, so I really wanted to visit both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans in the same year. While that still may happen (I've got 8 months left in the year but not a whole lot of time or money, especially because I'll be in San Francisco in July), I was very disappointed that we couldn't do it today. The two things that hindered this was that Folly Beach is a two hour drive away (so then also a two hour drive back) and the forecast was calling for mid 50s and more than 50% chance of rain. So I was overruled by the rest of the gang. What we ended up doing instead wasn't the same as going to the ocean, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

When we were looking for something to do, I started Googling "things to do in Columbia, SC." When all else fails, turn to the internet I guess. One of the things that I found was the Columbia Canal and Riverfront Park. This is where the Broad River and the Saluda River come together to form the Congaree River. This is right on the edge of downtown, and as you can see in these pictures, it really is a beautiful nature space among the concrete jungle of the city. We started out by walking over this pedestrian bridge across the river and canal. I took so many wonderful pictures that I kind of want to print out and frame to hang on my walls. Aside from that they had some placards that told about the history of the river and canal, as well as some of the old buildings in that area (such as the Columbia Penitentiary), which continued the history lesson from Saturday. I was learning all sorts of things on this trip and I was eager to continue that. Gaining knowledge is always a good thing because it does allow you to appreciate the World around you. To understand what had to happen by the hands of God or the hands of Man and what went into designing and constructing of these things makes them so much more remarkable. I'm not a God nor am I an engineer or a structural architect. I don't have the power, vision or intelligence to be on that level. So I have mad respect for anyone who is able to do something like this. 

But the best part about this was just being outside, with my family and doing something different than my normal day-to-day activities. It was a Monday, so I was supposed to be at work. But not today. Today I was having an adventure. Plus this helped me stay in line with my new goal that I set after getting my new phone. This phone keeps track of every step you take and I set a daily goal of 10,000 steps. I know that sounds like a lot, but it really isn't difficult if you just get outside and move around. I established a new step record at the Biltmore Estate on Saturday (of 17,323) and today I almost achieved my goal but I fell just short at 9,690 steps. Even so, this was more exercise than I normally get. It's a good thing to go out into the World and be active. Not only do you burn calories and hopefully extend your life, but you also get to experience more things and enjoy a grand adventure. I'm a writer and a storyteller. In order to be able to share more stories with you, I need to live them first. That's why I take advantage of these opportunities and get out there and do something. It may not always work out according to plan, but in the end it's always one hell of a ride.

We walked around the river for a few hours. There wasn't really a lot to see or do but it ended up being just what I needed. Sometimes less is more. Sometimes it is better to not have a plan or an agenda and just go with the flow. Sometimes what you didn't expect to find is waiting just around the riverbend. That's why you have to be flexible and keep an open mind (and  a good attitude) when things don't work out according to your plan. Because if you haven't already experienced this first hand, let me tell you here - the World doesn't care about your plan. The World has been here before you were born and the World will continue when you are gone. I'm not saying that you shouldn't make plans. All I'm saying is that you have to be open to new ideas and develop a way to quickly deal with change. Because change is going to happen whether or not you want it to. You have to change with it. And then, when you least expect it, that change works out for the better. It's just takes a little while for you to realize it.

 - pookon - 

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The Write Time and the Write Place - Some Lucky Folks Get This Every Night

It is natural to be envious of someone else who has something that you do not have. I would like to say that I am above or beyond that, but I am human just like every single one of you reading this post right now. I live in the outer regions of Milwaukee and I could walk to the "suburbs" if I really wanted to. But I am surrounded by concrete, buildings, stores, gas stations, man made green spaces and other city objects. Here in Wisconsin I do have the ability to easily venture into an area that is "untouched" by human hands that maintains a true and natural beauty. Every now and then I try and escape into nature and go camping for a weekend or take a moment to walk out in the park. But even when I do allow myself to take that chance, it only lasts for a moment, a few hours or a few days. It certainly doesn't repeat itself on a daily basis. That is why I was so incredibly jealous (and very upset that I would have to leave this place and go back to my real life) when I spent some time at a Random's house when I was in South Carolina.

This night was a total surprise to me and even though I'm pretty good at improvisation, I couldn't help but act a a little lost while hanging at a stranger's house. I guess they weren't really strangers because they were friends with my brother James and his wife Melissa, but these people were so Southern that I felt like Yankees like us weren't allowed to set foot on this hallowed ground. But (SPOILER ALERT), the North won the war. Sure, the South may rise again, but not on my watch M'nfer. No offense of course to the ones who are true Southerners who still believe. But it's not going to happen pal. But we can still be friends, right? I hope so, because I really like hanging out down here. To be honest, I've been spreading lies just now. Tim and Kristy did unleash some real Southern hospitality upon us and they graciously welcomed us into their home. After I settled in and checked my inhibitions at the door, I was able to enjoy the good company, good food and great surroundings that this night gave us. 

Even though it sounds like I am being a real son of a bitch for making fun of our hosts and rehashing facts from the Civil War, I really did enjoy my evening here. After all, I got free eats, dinner and a show AND I got to hang out with my entire family. What more can you want in life? This was magical and I didn't even have to deceive you in any way. But I still wish that I was in a position to have this in my backyard. I don't even have a backyard (it belongs to my neighbors downstairs - I just rent this place).  So I appreciated every moment of being here. I did not take this for granted. I understood that I was given an opportunity to experience a different way of living, if even for a brief amount of time. I'm not there. I doubt that I will ever be. But I feel like if I keep on trying, I might be able to get close. There are a lot of lakes in Wisconsin. If I am fortunate to grow old and be able to retire, I'd like to get a cabin on the lake. I would love to wake up every morning with this kind of view in my backyard. I would love to sit out on the dock and just stare out into the nature surrounding me. To play guitar and be inspired by the earth, wind and water. To sit back and listen to the sounds that present themselves on a daily basis. To just be and let it all happen. I'm not there. I don't know if I will ever be. But I do know, that for a few hours on a Sunday night in South Carolina, I got a glimpse of what it could be like. And it was amazing.

 - pookon -

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The Write Time and the Write Place - The Biltmore Estate

The whole point of this trip was to spend time with James and Melissa. If that was the bare minimum, then we achieved our goal. But even though I'm one lazy ass bastard, I do more than the bare minimum when it comes to having adventures. I like to go balls to the walls until the wheels fall off. But I can't let the wheels fall because then the car stops driving. What happens then? The adventure is over. It should never come to that, so on this trip we added a few more things to the checklist. We did things like rage, try out some new shit and also anything that my Mom wanted to do. After all, she was the one bankrolling this little endeavor. So when the boss gives orders, you say yes. Fortunately for me (although I didn't know it at the time of selection), the boss wanted to check out The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.

I didn't really know anything about the mansion that George Vanderbilt uhh... built, prior to driving into the grounds. This was half on purpose and half on accident. When I heard that this was the plan, I stopped my inquisitive nature and decided to play the cards when they fell into my hands. This would allow me to live in the moment and react to every little thing that was happening around me. If I would have paid attention to history, television, my education in life and most importantly my mother, I would have known that the Biltmore Estate is like the largest privately owned house/land in the United States if not the World. I don't have my fact checkers on the payroll right now so I can't really look that up, but it really was something that I had to see with my own eyes before I believed just how incredibly ridiculous this place was.

Almost everything that I learned about this joint, I learned from a dog. While I know that sounds impossible, you just wouldn't understand it unless you took the kids version of the audio tour. They have an optional audio tour and it comes in two versions - one for adults and one for kids. I listened to the adults version for just a few minutes to know that I chose poorly. Luckily I was only on the first stop of the tour, so I went back and got the kid's version. I made the right decision. Not only did Cedric, the Vanderbilt's St. Bernard, give me a good history lesson, but he also kept me thoroughly entertained the entire time. I can't remember what he sounded like (he spoke perfect English), but in my head he sounded like Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams). We weren't supposed to take pictures inside the house, but I had to take a picture of the indoor swimming pool. Cedric told me to try out the acoustics of this room, so I sang in an opera voice. When people around me looked at me weird, I told them that the dog made me do it. Like that made it acceptable. But this isn't anything out of the ordinary for me. Everything I do causes people to stare at me.

I'd tell you more about this house, the grounds, the gardens and the winery, but what is the point in doing that? There's plenty of other things out there that can do that. You can read up on it on the internet, watch a documentary, watch Richie Rich or best of all, you can go there yourself. And if you do, make sure to get the kid's version of the audio tour. You'll thank me later. I'm not a big fan of dogs, but I kind of wish that Cedric was still alive so that we could hang out. I feel like we would have a great time telling stories to each other in the Lando Calrissian voice. We'd be best of pals and we'd always be in cahoots, using each other to get food, women and fireworks. We'd be the perfect team and no one could stop us. Of course this is all just speculation from listening to him talk for 90 minutes, but a lot can be gained in a short amount of time. So while I'm off finding out how to recreate the DNA of a deceased dog from 1902 so that we can start a unique partnership/small business/microbrewery/law firm/doggy day care/sweet shop/crime scene investigation lab/modeling agency, I encourage you to make plans to visit beautiful Asheville, NC to visit the Biltmore Estate.

 - pookon -

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The Write Time and the Write Place - Detroit Airport

I tried writing this entry while we were in the Detroit airport during a 2 hour layover, but apparently everything I wrote over the last hour just decided to delete itself (technology can be a real bitch sometimes). So let me try and figure out what I said so that I can share that with you. I'm a little upset at this son of a bitch right now. I had written 4 paragraphs of content and then when I tried to post it, it magically disappeared. I am currently operating on this new tablet and we're still trying to become friends. So I apologize if I'm a little rude and crass. Now I'm not saying that what I wrote before was gold, but I was proud of the nonsense that I came up with. The whole point of this was to write something that wasn't structured. To write something random during my adventure. I'm on my way to see my brother James and his wife Melissa in South Carolina. But we're also going to be spending some time in the North one as well.

This trip is kind of a big deal. I've been down to visit them almost every year that they have lived there (5 or 6 years now) but this one is different. This time my mom and my sister Jenny Reck will be joining me. So we're getting the band back together. We don't get to hang out as a family much anymore except for holidays and when someone dies. But this will also test the patience of everyone in the surrounding area because Jenny Reck and I come with some baggage. And not the kind of baggage that we carried on the plane. I'm talking about the baggage that follows you around like a little monster. This monster has a name. His name is Nonsense. And he never leaves the sides of the #HotMess and the #Spectacle. That's right bitches,  we're trending. So if you can't deal with the nonsense, don't even bother paying attention to anything I do. Now that we got that shit out in the open, we can move on.

I'm trying to be more random, so feel free to call me that. Yes, I understand that name already belongs to a Milwaukee bum chilling out on a park bench back in like 2004, but he's either dead or he has transfered to a city that isn't cold as balls. Seriously, why would bums ever be homeless in a cold weather city? I understand that your options are as limited as your finances, but whatever happened to stowing away in a box car or a cargo ship with nothing but the clothes on your back, some baked beans, fingerless gloves and a stick & bindle? Do bums still do that? If they don't, then that's one of the many things that they are doing wrong. If I hear that they are no longer warming up next to a burning barrel, then I've lost my faith in the modern day bums. If that is true, I'm going to start teaching classes for homeless people. Free of charge of course. Homeless people don't pay for shit. Maybe I can write it off on my taxes because I'm doing a service to the community. That way we all benefit. Hooray for profit and hooray for me!

I hate to make comparisons to something that you can't see, but the other post (the one that got deleted) was so much better. It's not even fair how much this fails to live up to that. But so it goes. That's life. Shit happens. Sometimes you create something beautiful and sometimes it is what it is. Only I know the difference, but you move on. And speaking of moving, I gotta get going because the Carolinas are calling my name. The adventure is just beginning my friends. And I couldn't have asked for two more worthy traveling companions. Here's to making memories. Cheers folks. 

- pookon -

www.pookon.com

Who's A Rock Star?

I am. That's right. There's no other way to say it than by stating the obvious. And while I do that, I also need to reference Josie and The Pussycats. I've been watching this movie a lot lately and I'm not ashamed to admit that it's one of my guilty pleasures. I have an unhealthy obsession with pop music, women who sing and play guitar and Rachel Leigh Cook. All of these things come together in Josie and The Pussycats. And it is glorious. I love this movie more than any man should. But what does that have to do with anything right now? It's because I am a rock star. When I think about that statement I think about two things - this clip from the movie and something that writer/director Kevin Smith once said. This clip (at the bottom of the page) speaks for itself. You need to only watch this to know where I got this from. It's a very simple message but it is so true. If you say something and convince yourself that it is a reality, it becomes real. Just like "Do. Or do not. There is no try." or "Don't think you are - know you are." Yeah, they're movie quotes but they are so incredibly true. There's a reason people have been saying them long after the films were released and they have become legendary. But how much do you actually believe in them and practice them in your daily life?

Kevin Smith talks (a lot). I know that is pretty ironic from a guy who is known as Silent Bob. But the man is a genius. I could go on and on about how much I admire and subscribe to his philosophies, but he has said so many things that I have taken to heart. One of the things that he talks about is when he was thinking about going to film school to become a filmmaker. He told his sister that he wanted to be a filmmaker. She said be a filmmaker. He said that's why he was going to school, to be a filmmaker. She said no, don't want to be it, don't try to be it, don't work to be it; simply be it. It's very simple really. Don't set goals for the future that you are working towards. Tell yourself from Day 1 that you are that thing that you want to be, and you will become that thing because you have been it from the start. If this doesn't make sense, then you just don't get it. I'll try and make this crystal clear - If I don't say that I am currently a Rock Star, then I will never be one. That's just one of the many things that I have learned from him. That and chasing whimsies...

I played guitar last night. In a bar. With other people around. Now before you start thinking that I had an audience chanting my name, I will tell you to slow down. I'm not there yet. My friend Heather handed me her guitar as she was putting it away after her gig. So I started playing a few songs. And it may have been the wine going to my head (I got a free glass of wine from a gay guy. Don't ask) but I actually sounded good. Real good. Better than I have ever sounded before. I have been playing a lot more lately, but I still don't play as much as I would like to. I don't even practice as much as an amateur should. But I felt like a true musician. I felt like I belonged up on stage or in a circle of friends providing the entertainment. I was never this guy before. I was also the supporting member of a band getting by on my good looks and marginal talent. OK, so I didn't have the good looks part down, but one can dream right? But the whole point of this is that I took a giant step forward last night and another step towards my ultimate goal as a singer/guitar player - performing in front of people that I don't know (like an open mic night). I know that sounds like a very achievable goal to most people, but I have a real issue with confidence and being the center of attention. If I play anything like I did last night, I'm on my way.

I'll leave you with a clip from Josie and the Pussycats that inspired this article. This is a movie that is surprisingly making it's way into my top 10. I'm not ashamed to admit when I love a movie (because Lord knows that I love Keanu Reeves in The Replacements more than anyone should. In fact, I almost named my cat Shane Falco before deciding that he looked more like a Korben Dallas), but this goes beyond loving the movie - I love Josie. And I love Rachael Leigh Cook too. I can't decide which one I love more, but I can decide on one thing - I AM a Rockstar. Just like my girl Josie.

 - pookon -

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Life is a Real Precious Thing

I recently got another opportunity to take a look at not only my life, but also the life of someone else. I don't really have too much to say about it, so I will try and keep it brief. Life is beautiful. Life is an amazing thing. You get a reminder of that when you view someone else's life through a series of pictures set to music. Of course that's not their entire life. There's so many little moments that fill in the gaps in between the life moments that were captured on film or digital device. But these are highlights of the good times. That's what pictures truly are. Besides war photographers and people who are sick bastards, who takes pictures of the sad times? Pictures offer a brief look at a moment in someone's life and it allows you to get an idea of what their time was like on this Earth. But of course it doesn't tell the whole story. 

What it does do is spark conversation. You may see a picture and then ask the person who took it for more details. You may ask a person who is in for the story that lead to this snapshot. You may find out that there were some people that were there who somehow didn't make it into the picture. They have their story. Something in the picture may catch your eye. It could be something in the background or something somebody was wearing or even the way that the photograph was framed. Either way, it's a starting point for figuring out what that person's life was all about. I got the opportunity to get to know somebody through pictures. Somebody that I never met. I liked his life. I liked his family and I liked his friends. I liked the good times that he had and I feel bad that he's gone. How can you feel an emotion for somebody that you don't know? It's rather simple actually. You put yourself in the shoes of somebody who did. If you can't do that, you just sit back and look at the pictures.

My cousin Kelly asked me to put together a slideshow for her friend Nick Schaal, who unfortunately left us too soon about a month ago. Like I said, I never met the guy, but it was a privilege to be one of the people granted the opportunity to tell his story. I didn't take this assignment lightly. I know how important these pictures slideshows are. I had a hand in selecting the pictures that appeared in my brother Timmy's memorial at his funeral and I put together one for our Grandma back in January. But this was the first time I did something for someone who I didn't know. But that doesn't matter. I don't have to know someone to know how precious their life was and how important it is to properly convey that. Every life is precious, so don't don't waste too many moments of it. Unfortunately we have been given too many reminders of how quickly it can end, so live every day by having picture worthy moments. Some day it will all end, but hopefully you get the chance to live a long and full life. Not everyone is given that chance, so be thankful for every day you get towards that goal. 

 - pookon -

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It's in My Head #19 - An Irrational Fear

It's OK to be afraid. It's a very common thing. Ask the people around you right now - what are you afraid of? If they are completely honest, they might reveal their true fears. But most likely they will keep their real fears hidden and unsaid. But why is that? Why are people so leery of disclosing their fears? Everyone is afraid of something. Fear is as common as happiness, anger, sadness or any of the other emotions that you humans feel. Fear is defined as "a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined." That last word is where my fear comes into play. The thing that I fear the most is Dinosaurs. I kid you not. I wouldn't joke about this shit. But how can you fear something that doesn't exist? You fear it by convincing yourself of the possibility that it does exist.

I've been fascinated with dinosaurs for my entire life. When I was a kid I studied them. I wanted to be a paleontologist when I grew up. What kid didn't? Here were these colossal beasts that ruled the World and then - BAM! Gone from existence. All they left behind were these mysterious bones that we put together like some big ass puzzle without the front of the box as a guide. But what is so scary about dead animal bones? Nothing really. But what scares me is the possibility that there are some live ones out there hiding, waiting for the day when mankind forgets that they used to be the the dominant species on this planet. They were here first. And humans, the whiny little sacks of skin that they are, couldn't do a damn thing about it if Dinosaurs ever came back. 

I know that you are calling bullshit on me right now. I can hear you say, "But Scott - isn't death more scary?" Nope. We're all going to die. "How about wolves, tigers and bears?" I stay out of the jungles and forests. "But what about guns?" I don't get involved with that nonsense. "But what if you lost your job?" Shit, I wish I was unemployed. Imagine what I could do with all that free time. "You have to be afraid of heights." Nope. I don't put myself in perilous situations where I'm dangling on the edge. "But everyone is afraid of rats, bats and spiders." Nah. That's what poison and traps are for. I don't like those creatures, but that doesn't mean that I fear them. But why dinosaurs?

Have you ever seen a dinosaur? Well, technically I haven't either, but Jurassic Park gave me a pretty good idea of what it would be like if they lived in our World. When I close my eyes and think about it, I would probably lose my fucking shit if a dinosaur was staring me down. I don't care if it was Baby Sinclair from the TV show Dinosaurs or an animated Littlefoot from The Land Before Time standing in an open meadow; dinosaurs are my #1 fear in life. It doesn't matter that those assholes aren't real. I don't care. They scare the shit out of me. But how much would it mess with your mind if they were real?

Imagine your life as it is. That's not hard. You live that every day. Now imagine your life as it is only now Dinosaurs are real and living among us. How much does that change your day to day activities? Oh, I was going to go over to my friend's house for a barbecue, except that a pack of velociraptors disemboweled and ate my friend. So now there's no barbecue this weekend. Honey, did the mail come today? Nope. Sorry, the mailman was crushed by a herd of stampeding Brontosaurs. We'll have to wait until someone else takes a chance and applies for our route. Seeing as that we live close to the watering hole, it's very unlikely that anyone with a sound mind is going to apply for that open position. So don't expect the mail to come anytime soon.

If that was the World that we lived in, I would never leave the house except to get the essentials. And when I did, I would only do it in the tank that I stole from the US Military when they weren't looking (they were too busy firing surface to air missiles at some Pterodactyls that attacked our soldiers when we infringed on their territory. Don't blame them. They were protecting their nest). I would never walk outside without protection. And I'm not even talking about owning a handgun. What is a pistol going to do against a T-Rex? It would only piss him off. You need to own a tank or a rocket launcher if you are going to go toe-to-toe with one of the greatest predators to ever walk the Earth. You can't even use "run" as a backup plan. What good does running do you if you don't have any life-ending weapons? Running will only engage the primal hunting aspects of these prehistoric creatures. They would give chase and your life would be over. So fuck running.

I'm ever thankful for the meteor that killed the dinosaurs. I owe it a debt of gratitude. If it didn't kill those creatures, then life as we know it might not have existed. It may have been dinosaurs and not humans, that were the dominant species on this planet. If that were the case, I probably wouldn't have existed long enough to write this article. But I am here, so fuck the dinosaurs. I can be afraid of something that no longer exists. If John Hammond can recreate them for entertainment purposes, then someone else in the real world could also recreate them for nefarious purposes. That's when dinosaurs get their revenge upon the human race. If that ever happens, then I'm out. I'm jumping ship via suicide because I'll be damned if I'm going to exist in a World that contains dinosaurs. Fuck that. Dinosaurs and humans were never meant to coexist. This is why The Flintstones is bullshit. I would have never trusted those prehistoric bastards to help me move rocks. If one of those terrible lizards would have come near me, I would have dropped one of those giant rocks on their walnut-sized brains. I would have done everything I could to destroy the dinosaurs, even if I had to do it one dinosaur at a time.

The only way to defeat your fear is to face it head on and destroy it. Unless John Hammond or some other old bastard recreates my #1 fear, I'm in a whole lot of trouble. That's because my #1 fear does not currently exist. And it may never. So I need to somehow figure out a way to rise above my fear. I do live in a World without Dinosaurs, so Dinosaurs live in a World without me. That's messed up. My head hurts. But it hurts because of my thoughts and not because of the Dinosaurs. I will never let Dinosaurs hurt me. Not as long as I have a single breath left in my body. I will kill any Dinosaur that moves. I will kill any Dinosaur that doesn't move. I will kill them all. I won't fear you any more. You motherfuckers have to fear me.

 - pookon -

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25 Brewers in 25 Days - 2014 Recap - Centerfield

If you don't love Carlos Gomez, then shame on you. Well actually probably shame on God or the mystery of the human body because you were born without a heart. What's not to love? The only knock on him used to be that he didn't hit for average, batting in the .230-.240 range. But now that he has put up two almost mirror seasons (compare 2013 to 2014) an made back to back All-Star teams, there's really nothing you can hate about him. you may have a few minor gripes with his seemingly reckless abandon on the base paths which leads to him getting thrown out at 3rd when he could have easily scored from 2nd on a single. Or you may not like the way he swings so hard that he loses his helmet and looks like the Tasmanian Devil. Some people might have an issue with his "showboating" while hitting homeruns, flipping the bat or staring at it for a moment. You might not like him because he gets into fights because he doesn't know when to back down in the moment. You might have a problem with him being aggressive. You might say that he goes balls to the walls (literally) in the outfield which has caused him to have injuries (like when he broke his collarbone or injured his shoulder while crashing into the wall). But I promise you that those are all minor gripes. Because anyone who has watched Gomez play since he came to Milwaukee in 2006 can tell you that if you don't allow him to do those things, you don't let him be Carlos Gomez. And trust me, you want him to be Carlos Gomez.

Ever since Ron Roenicke took the handcuffs off him, he has evolved into one of the best outfielders, if not one of the best players in all of baeball. There aren't too many people are going to bat .285, hit 25 homeruns, 85 RBIs, steal 40 bases and play gold glove calibur defense. He's amazing in every aspect of the game. On top of that, he's a joy to follow on social media (even when he tweets in Spanish, I still smile even though I have no idea what he's talking about). I neve see him without a smile on his face and he's been great to the fans at every event and interaction that I've been witness to. Basically he's someone that you want on your team. I just hope that he doesn't play himself off of this team. If he puts up another year like he did in 2013 and 2014, he's going to skyrocket in price. Right now he won't be a free agent until the 2017 season and he makes a very team friendly $8 million per year. 

With his talent and numbers that he's putting up, he could easily make $18 - $22 million in today's baseball economy. This is way more than the small market Brewers could afford especially because they are paying Ryan Braun the same amount of money. This team couldn't afford 2 superstars, so one of them would have to go. If I had my pick, I would take Gomez over Braun, but unfortunately it doesn't work that way. But this is a recap of his 2014 season, not a look ahead to his future. He still has 2 more years under contract, so we'll worry about that when it gets to that point. But it is going to happen. He will someday play for another team, although I wish he would spend the rest of his career with the Milwaukee Brewers.

I wish I could spend the rest of my life playing with Sage. And by playing with her, obviously I mean running my hands up and down her naked body and caressing every inch of her stunning figure. If she wants to play other things, I'm game as well. We can play hide and go seek, we could play Hungry Hungry Hippos, we could play go fish, but of course I'd rather play Naked Twister (right hand left breast! Left hand my cock!) or any one of those role playing games (if you know what I mean). You know it really doesn't matter. We don't even have to play anything. All I want is just to be in her presence even if she doesn't acknowledge me or look in my general direction. But if I had it my way, we would play house. I'd be the husband and she'd play my wife. 

I would come home from a long day at the office and she'd be waiting for me with some macaroni and cheese, toasted white bread and not wearing a shirt. And I'd eat my macaroni and toasted white bread and she'd just sit there all topless and tell me about what she did while I was away. And she'd go on and on about how much she missed me and how she can't wait for me to finish my macaroni so that we can go snuggle on the couch and watch Full House. And of course she'd still be topless all the time so that when she gets cold, I could pull her close to me and let our bodies warm each other up. And then she'd ask me if I wanted to make love to her or if I wanted nachos. And then she would giggle as I tried to choose between two of my favorite things. And then she'd give me a big hug and say to me Scotty, you don't have to choose. You can make love to me while eating nachos. And then I would look deep into her eyes and I 'd say Sage, I know it sounds a little silly, but I seriously am the luckiest man alive. You are perfect in every single way and I wouldn't ever do anything to you that you wouldn't want me to. I worship the ground you walk on and I can't imagine life without you. I would do anything for you, so if you want me to make love to you and eat these nachos at the same time, I will happily fulfill that and every one of your desires, no matter how weird they are. Man I play a messed up game of house...

Now that we're on the topic of playing, you should check out my 8th video. It covers Centerfield for the 2014 Milwaukee Brewers (basically Carlos Gomez), recorded at Indian Creek Park in Fox Point, WI:

I was helping my Dad out with painting the basement at my Grandpa's house in Fox Point, so I decided to stop by the park that we used to walk to when we were kids. It had been a real long time since I have been here, but nothing has changed. Believe it or not, in this case it was a good thing. It really took me back to a time when my Grandma and Grandpa (and Timmy) were still alive and all we did was have fun without feeling any sadness. 

Carlos Gomez #27 - .264 AVG, 23 HRs, 72 RBIs, 35 stolen bases, another Gold Glove and truly deserving of the love from every man, woman, child and beast that just always wanted to go fast.

.284 batting AVG, 23 HRs, 73 RBIs, 34 stolen bases, no gold glove, another All-Star appearance and best friend to every man, woman, child and beast that is in need of a best friend.

I think Carlos Gomez and I could be best friends as long as he stays off my motherfucking Kool-Aid. Damn it Carlos! You already have a beautiful wife! Leave my Sage alone! But I love everything about him and I just have a feeling that we would laugh, have fun and just enjoy each other's company. Of course that's not our relationship at the moment. Right now he's playing baseball on the field and I'm watching him from the left field bleachers, from the club level or on TV. I'm still waiting for the beautiful moment in time when our paths cross and I look Gomez in the eyes and he looks right back into mine and he says to me, Iceman (or Hombre de Hielo cuz he's some kind of Spanish) - where have you been all my life? And I'll be like, Gomez don't be weird. I've been here the whole time. 

But now that you've finally noticed, we can be best friends forever. And since we're such best friends I know that you'll never try to steal my girl. And I know he won't mind that I get all intimate with Sage when he's in the room. He knows never too interrupt something as beautiful as true love and to never mess with a good thing. Of course I respect Gomez enough as a person and as a friend to not like, start fingering her front of him or anything. Come on, I got more class than that. I'll wait until he's left the room, or until he's sleeping. Bong... nooch. But all of this is just a make believe fantasy World in my head. In this World that I've drunkenly crafted, Carlos Gomez is my best friend and Sage is the woman by my side. I'm going to use every "blowing out the candles" birthday wish, every wish upon a star, every coin tossed in the wishing well and every time I get on my knees and pray to a higher power that this dream will someday come true. Because that's the World I want to live in. That my friends, would truly be living the dream. 

 - pookon -

www.pookon.com
https://twitter.com/pookondotcom
https://www.facebook.com/MilwaukeeIceman

Drunken Live Tweet - Finding Nemo - "Just Keep Tweeting. Just Keep Tweeting..."

Words can't even explain how creepy and wrong this is. Who #hashtags a kids movie and talks shit about it while drunk? Me I guess. That's what I do on a Friday night. And this is why I'm still single. And this is also why I have problems. I didn't intend to Live Tweet the Disney/Pixar movie Finding Nemo. I made one comment on my Twitter account and it just kind of snowballed from there (as it often does when I'm drinking whiskey). All of the sudden it's 1am and I'm watching the thrilling conclusion of one of Pixar's finest movies. 

It's ultimately the story of a boy and his Dad and the grand adventure that they share. They each go on a separate voyage in the great big sea but it is all confined within the same story (although they didn't know it at the time). I'm sure that when they look back (assuming that Nemo isn't horribly scarred from this tragic event) they will laugh and recount these fond memories. But what are these memories? What happened when Marlin was out #FindingNemo? I'm sure that you know them. You've seen the movie. You've probably even seen it several times. So you you what you think about it. But have you ever wondered what I think about #FindingNemo? Oh you have? Well then my friend you have come to the right place!

The following is a series of tweets that I sent out from my Twitter account (@pookondotcom) on Friday January 30. Despite this seeming like a shameless attempt to gain new followers by promoting the shit out of myself, I beg you not to waste your time on this nonsense. That is unless of course that you like nonsense. I have plenty of it to go around. I learned long ago that I can't stop myself from being myself. Unfortunately social media has given me an outlet to be myself to the whole world. This is quite possibly the worst thing to ever happen to the World. OK, so maybe I'm being a little over dramatic. But I'll let you be the judge of that after you read my tweets about Finding Nemo.

I couldn't handle losing my wife and all of my kids (except one) in the first 5 minutes of the movie. #FindingNemo is fucking sad.

The other fuckers in the ocean give Marlin a hard time, but he's one tough ass fish. He's been through some real shit. #FindingNemo

Hands down the best part of #FindingNemo is when the baby fish falls off the sponge bed and cries. I love when kids fall down.

That little squid kid inks and then swims in it. What a nasty little bitch. Someone should tell the the EPA. #FindingNemo

Some ass jockey just up and steals Nemo. And people wonder why I don't swim in the ocean. Don't want to get stolen. #FindingNemo

Don't know if I'm Marlin or Dory. Probably both. I'm an non-funny clown who can't remember a God damn thing. #FindingNemo

I hate sharks. They straight up eat you. Who wants to be someone's dinner? I bet I don't even taste that good. #FindingNemo

If Jeffrey Dahmer was still alive, I bet he could tell me what I taste like. What? #TooSoon? #FindingNemo

But these sharks go on a dolphin hating rant. I can get behind that. Dolphins think they're so smart. Smug ass bastards. #FindingNemo

Fish are friends, not food? Apparently those sharks have never been to Milwaukee on a Friday night. #FishFry #FindingNemo

This shark needs an intervention because he wants some of #THATMEAT!?!? Why stop when it tastes so good? #FindingNemo

Worst part about what I'm doing right now? Hashtagging a kids movie and saying these awful awful things. #FindingNemo

Bird blames the other bird for farting and then flies away? Hey pal - he who smelt it, dealt it. #FindingNemo

I didn't expect to be live tweeting #FindingNemo. But I also didn't expect to be unmarried at 33. Oh wait - yeah I did.

I have some real problems if this is what I do with my Friday nights. But it could be worse. I could be in prison like Nemo. #FindingNemo

Love that Jacques fella. He makes popping noises and scurries around. Foreigners are the best. #FindingNemo

Hitched a ride on the porcelain express? Been there. Every morning after a #BachelorParty... #FindingNemo

I'll admit I'm still a little afraid of the dark, so there's no way I'm going to the bottom of the ocean for a fucking mask. #FindingNemo

If I'm not deathly hungover tomorrow, I'm making P. Sherman at 32 Wallaby Way in Sydney, Australia my new pen pal. #FindingNemo

All I want in life is to be part of a ragtag group of outcasts forced to spend a confined space together. #FindingNemo

I wish my voice was half as sexy as Brad Garrett's or Patrick Warburton's. #FindingNemo #aLittleGay

Other best part of the movie - John Ratzenburger as the school of fish when one fish walks the plank of the Pirate ship. #FindingNemo

It's the little moments in this movie that kill me - why Ted here has relatives in Sydney. "Sure do!" #FindingNemo

I just told my cat we're live tweeting #FindingNemo. He said, "who is this we? Don't lump me in with you." My cat is a jerk.

I wish that I lived in a sea anemone and was used to stings. That way I wouldn't get hurt so much. Getting hurt sucks. #FindingNemo

Fuck a horde of jellyfish. Forming an unlawful assembly and putting the citizens in danger. They should all be destroyed! #FindingNemo

If all drains lead to the ocean, then I've been peeing in the ocean all night long. #FindingNemo

If you see a small opening, wedge a pebble into it. Maybe it's just me, but that sounds a little naughty. #FindingNemo

Norman Osbourne needs to stop making his cronies do his dirty work. But he's rich. I guess that's what rich people do. #FindingNemo

Marlin wakes up passed out on the back of a righteous sea turtle. Some fish have all the luck. So not fair. #FindingNemo

Wish I woke up passed out on a turtle. But at least I never woke up passed out in the sewer or in a lion's den. #FindingNemo

Jelly Man is a sweet nickname. I'm lucky to be Iceman. And a security guard in Las Vegas once called me The Whistler. #FindingNemo

I headbutt my cat Korben Dallas all the time. There's no sweeter move than knocking heads with another life form. #FindingNemo

I want to scrape together some money and buy a shitload of baby sea turtles. Those creatures are the bomb. #FindingNemo

I wish a bunch of little sea turtles would gather and listen to my stories. I promise they're entertaining! #FindingNemo

Other best part of this movie is the Boston Lobsters talking about it being wicked daaaak. How's it goin' Bob? #FindingNemo

I'm Iike those seagulls every time I see a girl with hot totties - Mine! Mine! Mine! Except she's never mine. #sadness #FindingNemo

Marlin takes on 3 sharks and he's a hero. A girl takes on 3 sharks and she's a slut. That's not fair. #FindingNemo

Does @Disney have a water slide based on the East Australian Current in #FindingNemo? If not they should. They're sitting on a gold mine!

I want credit if @Disney now builds a water slide with inflatable turtles where you ride the East Australian Current. #FindingNemo

Just keep swimming... Just keep swimming... Is that a mantra for Dory or for sperm? #FindingNemo

And speaking of sperm, here's a sperm whale. Why is it called that? Has anyone ever stopped to question that? #FindingNemo

Is anyone else a little weirded out about a girl asking if you have seen her flow? Now that's just gross. #FindingNemo

Can't say that I've ever been inside a whale. Not even in college. #FindingNemo

Marlin says the whale is half empty. Dory says the whale is half full. Whose side are you on? #TeamHalfFull #FindingNemo

If I was up inside a whale I would never quit. Never give up! Never surrender! Get ejaculated from that whale! #FindingNemo

If the light is green, the tank is clean. The fish are incarcerated here in our custom made storage facility. #FindingNemo

But the light is red. The purple fish guy covers his nuts when the machine scans the tank. You can never be too cautious. #FindingNemo

Eaten by a pelican. That's not the way I'm going to go. I'm probably going to suffer from violent cardiac arrest. #FindingNemo

Hop inside my mouth if you want to live? Is that the #FindingNemo way of saying come with me if you want to live? #Terminator2

It's absolute chaos in the dentist's office. That's why I don't go despite having dental insurance. #FindingNemo

I can sympathize with Marlin. I've gone on many a quest only to find a dead fish at the end. #FindingNemo

Have you seen my Dad? And have you seen my baseball? #FindingNemo

I think that Dory just had Drunken Recall. Arnold Schwarzenegger had Total Recall. And Marlin has Nemo Recall. #FindingNemo

Swim down never works. I've been swimming down all my life and it hasn't gotten me anywhere. I'm bound to go belly up. #FindingNemo

I hate that everyone tells Nemo what he can't do. No wonder the kid was underdeveloped. Everyone is holding him back. #FindingNemo

I met a sea turtle once. And he was 150 years old. You know what that means? That Sandy Plankton was full of shit man. #FindingNemo

Like father, like daughter. Adult squid guy inks at the first sight of a shark. Way to keep it together pal. #FindingNemo

At the end of the day it's the story of a boy and his Dad. That's why I love it. It speaks to me. #FindingNemo

Where the fuck do these asshats think they are going in these plastic bags? They were better off in camp tivity... #FindingNemo

I want the end of my life to play out like the end credits of #FindingNemo. "Somewhere beyond the sea, she's there waiting for me..."

Got drunk and live tweeted #FindingNemo. One could say I'm channeling my inner @jimmylaw22 @BingeMedia #Pixar

Did you like that? Did you like what you saw there? You shouldn't. In fact you should be ashamed of yourself if you chuckled at any of these horrendous comments. Don't encourage me because then I might do this kind of shit more often. I encourage myself on a daily basis and I don't need any help pal. But thanks for the assist. Look, I'm sorry that I subjected you to this. But then again, you didn't have to read it unless you wanted to. My head is a twisted place. The only way I can stay "normal-ish" is to let the crazy out from time to time. And sometimes when I let that crazy out, I go after children's movies. It's better than going after children, right? And this blog post just took a real disastrous turn. And that is where I'm going to leave you. Go out and find your Nemo pal!

 - pookon -

www.pookon.com
https://twitter.com/pookondotcom
https://www.facebook.com/MilwaukeeIceman