80 Years

This was written in late September and not published until recently.

My Grandma (Dad's mom) turned 80 last week, and Starr & I got to go up to Indiana this past weekend to celebrate with my family. It was great to get to see most of the family, even though some couldn't/didn't make it out. We had everyone come to my dad & step-mom's house because they seem to have the most room in a convenient location. We set up some corn hole games and grilled out. Starr made an awesome cake too.

I was kind of excited to see my family, especially my Grandma. But, she almost didn't make it out. She had started feeling bad a few days before the party and was thinking about not even showing up. She did decide to come later, but something was different about her. She wanted to read something about her life and how she had come to know God. It was interesting, but it was also troubling to me.

Her attitude about the whole event didn't seem particularly cheery as I thought it would. She didn't act like this was a celebration of her long life. She acted more like it was her way of saying bye to the family. It was just a couple short months ago that we were all on a camping and kayaking trip in Missouri. She didn't kayak, but she did camp. And, I'm talking about camping in a tent, not many people's version of camping that includes a cabin. At that time I was talking about how spunky Grandma is and about how she'll outlive the rest of us. Now, I'm not so sure. I'm not sure because she seems to be tired of living, not because she seems old and decrepit.

It's a weird thing to basically see a shift in someone's outlook on life in such a short amount of time. I'm glad that my relationship with Grandma is between today than it was a few years ago. I went through a time period where I didn't want to forgive her for something she did, but I got over myself and am glad she's still around for me to build a sort of relationship with.

First Coupon Experience

So, Starr has been doing a bit of coupon shopping for the past few months. She's pretty good at it too. I'm impressed. At first, I didn't really care but thought it was cool that she was going to be saving us some money on groceries. Since we get most of our household goods from our Amway business, we try to get good deals on as many food items as we can. So, a couple days ago we decided to get a little more serious because Starr has seen some episodes of Extreme Couponers who get something like $230 worth of groceries for $10. We don't spend hours upon hours researching these things and go to ten different stores, but if we can save some money buying things we need anyway, why not spend a couple hours doing it? We bought a Sunday paper and I helped her cut out coupons that we could use. We organized them and found out what we need or will need in the next month or so. Then, we looked up what Publix will be having on sale.

I know what some of you are thinking, but Publix has really good stuff at good prices, and we don't have to feel like we're going to get a disease walking around the store. The workers there are cordial and will help find something in a nice way. Plus, Publix lets you stack a manufacturer coupon with their own to get more of a savings. They also double coupons that are 50 cents and under. So, the price ends up being less than shopping at many other lower quality stores.

Anyway, I went today to do our shopping; it was my first experience doing the coupon thing alone in the store. I felt quite weird walking around the store, checking my list of what we need, checking the coupon to make sure that I'm getting the right item, and trying to make sure that I'm not in everyone's way. Luckily, I went when it was relatively calm in the store and wasn't really in anybody's way. It was still weird, though. Starr tells me that she feels that way when she goes too; so, I don't feel too bad.

Now, I know that some of you might be thinking that I'm a weird guy to be doing the couponing thing. But, if you're friends with my wife on Facebook, then you'll know that she appreciates me helping her out while I'm waiting to start working again. I know a lot of guys that could learn from reading this. However, those guys probably wouldn't take the time to read something this long that isn't about sports.

Maybe you're wondering what I got and how much I spent. I ended up spending $43 and saving $34 by using my coupons. It's a pretty sweet thing to be cutting the grocery bill almost in half. I'm sure I'll get better with a little time. I'm also including a photo of the products that I got.

Today had some other fun in it too, but I'll save that for another day. Have a great day, and remember, "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift." --Steve Prefontaine

Here's what I got:

Larriviere's Restaurant

When stopping in or passing through Gallatin, TN, be sure to take a little while to go to the city's square. Not only is it a quaint square with a feel of old, small town America, it's also home to Larriviere's Restaurant. Owner Rene Larriviere is originally from Louisiana and brings that Cajun taste to Tennessee in a big way.

I came to know Rene when I was still in high school at Hunters Lane in Nashville. During my junior year (13 years ago now) I started to work at Cici's Pizza in Madison, TN. Rene and his brother Andre were the owners of that restaurant at the time. It was the first CiCi's in middle Tennessee and, for the next few years, the best. The brothers were wonderful owner/managers who never betrayed our trust or acted in a hypocritical way. They always had the highest standards of our conduct and professionalism, even though most of us workers were quite young. They rewarded us and led us to be good workers for them.

I can see by the way that Rene's current employees talk about him and their experiences at the "new" restaurant that he has continued with that same great philosophy. All of the workers and manager had nothing but good things to say about him. The restaurant itself was very clean and tidy. The food on the lunch buffet looked hot and tasty. However, I decided to order off the menu. I had originally gone there just to talk to Rene, but he had left about 10 minutes before I arrived--that's what I get for not calling ahead and making plans. So, I decided just to give him my business for lunch.

There were two separate menus given to me when I asked to see them. One was the lunch specials, the other was the full menu. I decided to eat a lunch special. It didn't disappoint. I ordered the Shrimp Etouffee (also available in crawfish). I haven't had a good etouffee in quite a while--since about 2001 when the New Orleans' style restaurant Copeland's had a couple of places around Nashville. I was sure that this would be different, though. It was! The food was great. It had just the right amount of spice that I felt the heat, but it wasn't overwhelming. The taste was great, and the shrimp could be tasted, but not in that gross "I taste the ocean" kind of way. Anyway, next time you're in Gallatin, TN, you should go try it out. You can tell Rene, if he's there, that I sent you, but it won't change your price or my wallet in any way. I just thought you should all know that I'm not getting paid for this rave review ^_^.

Here's a link to his website for anyone interested: http://www.larrivieres.com/

Also, while I was in Gallatin, before going to my old friend's restaurant, I stopped by a little jewelry store called Thomas Jewelers. I met Thomas a few years ago while I was dating Kim. He's an awesome guy: very genuine, a true craftsman, and all around good guy. He makes these really cool rings that used to cost just a few hundred dollars. However, with the price of gold and palladium skyrocketing, the price has obviously risen as well. The ring looks like woodgrain and is a mixture of different metals. I don't know if he really wants me sending new business his way or not, but you should at least check out his site to look at his jewelry. He told me today that he has more business now than he ever really wanted to have.

Tom used to have a couple of big-time jewelry stores in New Jersey and shut them down many years ago for a couple of reasons; mainly, he was working more than he cared to be. Now, he's getting to the same situation, which really just goes to show how great of a craftsman and honest businessman he is. Before I got a chance to chat with him today, he was helping another lady. She was looking at a 14K white gold ring with baguette diamonds in it. He's selling it for $550 because that was the fair price when he got the ring. Many of his jeweler friends have told him he should raise the price since gold and diamonds cost more today than they did when he first got the ring. However, he's such an honest guy that he doesn't want to rip off his customers in order to make a few extra bucks! How's that for customer service and honesty? I can't think of many places that would do the same as Tom. So, anyway, check him out if you're in the market for any really nice, hand-crafted pieces, or just nice jewelry in general. If you're looking for something less expensive, just talk to me and I'll point you in the right direction. Again, like Larriviere's Restaurant, you can tell him that I sent you, but it won't change anything, except maybe the conversation.

Thomas Jewelers website: http://www.thomas-jewelers.com/

Well, I hope everyone is having a great day. I planned to upload pictures of Larriviere's Restaurant but the phone to computer upload isn't cooperating at the moment. I'll update this later to include some pictures.

Let me know what you think in the comments.

It's That Time of Night

It's the time of night that most of the world that I know (living in Tennessee) is sleeping. This happens to be when my brain usually either works the best or just goes randomly roaming through endless thoughts that I can't control. I guess I'll leave that for you to decide.

So, Starr was going to bed earlier--she almost always goes to bed before I do--and something interesting/annoying happened. About 20 seconds after I left the bedroom (because I tuck her in and show her love when she's going to sleep), the smoke detector beeped. As annoying as that is in itself, it's worse when you keep reading. Now, that might not seem like a big issue, right? I mean, smoke detectors beep. That's what they're made to do. However, they're only supposed to beep when they're supposed to beep, not randomly. We have five SD's in our two-story townhouse. That seems a little like overkill, but I guess it makes sense to have one in each of three bedrooms, one in the upstairs hallway, and one in the downstairs living area. There might even be one in the attic; who knows? I guess I could go look, but I really didn't think of that until just now ^_^.

Anyway, this is not the first time that this has happened. Actually, it never just beeps once. Here's an example of what it will do. It's always the one in the upstairs hallway that instigates this whole debacle. It will beep (not chirp like it has a low battery, but a real beep) either one, two, or three times in succession. Then, it will stop for about thirty seconds. Then, it will beep in either one, two, or three times, but not the same amount that it did just beforehand. No, it beeps a different amount. Then, about thirty seconds, it does it again. Sometimes, it even starts bringing the other smoke alarms in on the fun and those start beeping in exactly the same time and manner and culprit number one!! They are all hardwired into the ceiling, and they all have battery backup. The batteries have been changed. You wouldn't guess how many Google searches bring up "Change the batteries" as the solution to this problem, even though a million people said, "I changed the batteries and it kept beeping."

So, I've changed the batteries; I've reset and tested the alarms; I've even blown the dust out of the main culprit. Evidently, smoke detectors are supposed to be changed every ten years and there are some duds. Well, our townhouse is less than five years old. So, the SD's should be also. They haven't always done this; so, I doubt it's a dud or it would have always done this. Here's what I've noticed the last couple of times this has happened (because it always, except once, happens in the middle of the night): our bedroom door is shut and our a/c is turned on. I've never heard of a SD being pressure sensitive (and, no, there's never any smoke, just in case you thinking that). So, why would this happen at such a time? The only time that it happened during the day, that I know of--I've been home most days for the past couple of months--was a similar situation. I was in the bedroom, just falling into a nice sleep...then, BEEP! I wanted to throw the alarm into the next county. They're disk-like and Davidson County isn't too far from my house...

So, that's my dilemma. I wonder if it's funny that I finally got out of being too lazy to start a blog because I was annoyed by the stupid smoke alarm. If you have any thoughts that aren't obvious (like changing the batteries), I'll be happy to hear [read] your suggestions. So, I guess that's all for now. I guess one of the best things that I can take from this is: it's better that it happens to me and my family since we are capable, both physically and emotionally, to handle this stress. I know many people who would fail to function properly in this same situation. I know that I'll never face anything that I can't handle.

"It is an observed fact that the art of becoming is composed of the acts of overcoming." --Leonard Read

A Short (not really) Intro

Well, I've wanted to start a blog for a while now. Starr (my wife of 2 1/2 years now) started one a while back for the two of us, but I don't think that I've contributed much to it. My thoughts tend to be more random and don't really go with the flow of that blog most of the time. So, I started my own. I'm sure she'll understand.

I'll start with a quick intro for those of you who aren't extremely familiar with my background. I was born and raised for most of my life in or around Nashville, TN USA. My parents divorced when I was about 2 1/2 years old; so, I never really knew them to be married. I have an older sister; she's 2 1/2 years older than me. 2 1/2 really seems to be a running theme tonight, doesn't it? Anyway, my sister Stacey, and I lived with my mom for most of our childhood. We moved almost every year to a slightly different location around Nashville area until I was 12. I then moved to my dad's house in southern Kentucky for four years before moving back to Nashville with my mom so I could finish out my high school years.

After high school I tried to motivate myself for college. I didn't get into any schools that I really wanted to attend; so, I settled for Tennessee Technological University. I went there mainly because they gave me a scholarship that covered about half my expenses. However, I got injured about 2 months into training/season and got very depressed since I really didn't want to be there in the first place. I did very badly at Tech before transferring my second year to Martin Methodist College where I had some friends attending. I got to play with the soccer team there--I learned that I was nowhere near as good as I had previously thought. I got back into doing the school thing for a little while. I then transferred back to Tech because they at least had a degree that I was somewhat interested in pursuing. But, I still didn't like being there and wasted lots of time and money. I quit toward the end of that third year and signed up for the Navy.

During my waiting period to go into the Navy, my Grandpa became very sick with cancer. He died a few months later. It was a very sad time, but I'm glad that I got to spend a few months around him. He was a very kind and gentle man. I'll probably write more about him later. After that happened I went Australia to visit the girl I was dating at the time, Kim. That was a pretty awesome experience. Then, I went into the Navy.

I spent just over 3 1/2 (yes, not 2 1/2 this time!!!) as a Machinist's Mate (Nuclear) in the Navy. The schooling was pretty brutal, and the knowledge was cool, but the actual job on the ship was awful. It was just hot and boring. Anyway, through a series of events that I don't care to go into right now, I got out early, but with an Honorable Discharge. So, I still got my GI Bill benefits (for some reason that was important to me even though I hated school). After getting out of the Navy, I moved into my aunt's house, Becky, to live in Nashville while I got back on my feet. I met Starr (my now wife, in case you already forgot) just a couple months later. Also, my friend, Anthony, from the Navy moved to Nashville to be my roommate.  Anyway, Starr and I dated for seven months before getting engaged. Then, we were engaged for seven months before our marriage on March 21, 2009. It was a beautiful day.

So, now I have been in school for just over two years now (not quite 2 1/2 ^_^). I was working toward a Computer Science degree since I've always wanted to learn to program. However, I've changed gears and am finishing my degree in Nuclear Engineering Technology. I may finish up the few classes I have left for the CS degree at a later date, but I don't know at this point. There are many many more things that I could go into, but maybe they'll come at a later date. For now, I want to start a new post with what I was actually thinking about when I decided to create this blog.

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy, are moved, or get some type of intellectual stimulus from my blog, even if you don't agree with what I think, feel, believe, etc. I want this to be a place of "organized chaos" that you can enjoy. That's a phrase I've used for over a decade, and Starr said the exact same phrase on our second date. It was just another sign! Anyway, have fun and don't be afraid to leave any [clean] comments.