Have you ever been through a series of days where you are so tired that you're brain isn't all that sharp and something stupid gets stuck in your head? That's where I'm at. I've been working A LOT lately...yes my home life and work life coming together in a neat little package...and thankfully this crisis will end in a couple of weeks once these deadlines pass. The other day I was talking to my faithful companion Vic, my 110 pound German Shepherd in case you're new to this, and I was telling him how drained I felt and started singing the old Jackson Brown song "Running On Empty". Well, since that time, I CAN'T GET THIS SONG OUT OF MY HEAD!!!! It reminds me of that Seinfeld episode where George and Jerry are going to meet Elaine's dad for dinner, and George tells Jerry he's got a song he can't stop singing from "Les Miserables". Jerry tells George about some famous composer that had to be institutionalized because he had a single note stuck in his head...so of course George starts to panic...much like I would. So I wonder where the day comes that this stupid Jackson Brown song will cease to exist in my head...hahaha. If my next blog is from an institution, you'll know what happened. And what makes it worse is I don't know all the words outside of a line or two, so of course those are the ones looping in my head. Ah...it will go away soon...I do believe so. Why? Because FOUR DAYS OFF ARE COMING UP!!!! Oh man I can't wait. Sleeping late, feasting, movies, videogames, and FOOTBALL!!!! That's right sportsfans, it's Thanksgiving time! And I hope you all have a great one! So now to share thoughts, experiences, and whatever else is going on. I just finished a marathon day of work, and am basically typing to unwind...so I have NO clue where this will all go.
After working long hours, I'll sometimes unwind having a drink or two and watching a movie late at night...and man I've watched some pure CRAP lately. Now one I will suggest is "I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry". Honestly, I thought this movie would suck...but it was hilarious. Plus, Jessica Biel looked absolutely stunning in this wearing her business suits as a lawyer. One part that had me cracking up was when the two guys are going through a store to buy stuff to throw away. A city investigator was going through their trash to determine whether or not they were really a gay couple, so the guys went to buy stuff to throw away that would make them seem gay. They're pushing a cart around going "ok, think gay...we have to buy stuff gay people would buy". I really don't know why I thought that part was so funny, but I did. And Ving Rhames...hahahaha...hilarious! To see him sing "I'm Every Woman" was priceless. However, I also watched "Rise of the Dead". Now wouldn't you think that the title would mean it was a zombie movie? Yeah, me too. But how wrong I was. After 30 minutes it turned out that people were being possessed by the ghost of a 2 year old who picked up his dad's gun and shot himself. He was doing this to bring horror to the lives of everyone who resulted in his death. I just turned it off. Man it was just completely stupid. I also wasted my time on "Welcome To the Jungle". No, it wasn't a movie about Guns N' Roses, it was SUPPOSED to be a horror movie about 4 people who encounter a tribe of savages and get eaten. It was shot "Blair Witch" style like a documentary and just SUCKED. The 4 people are such pricks that part of you can't wait to see them get eaten...but you never see a thing...yet online reviewers praised it for it's artsy-fartsy style and "suspense". Here's my review - it sucked and don't waste your time. Now one thing I have been watching in chunks is a new 3 DVD set of Roddy Piper. I loved Rowdy Roddy Piper years ago, and figured I would revel in some nostalgia watching this...plus Piper is a really good guy in real life. Him talking about leaving home at 13, living on the streets and how he turned out is pretty amazing. And talk about a guy who cherishes his family and feels truly blessed with all that he has...it's him. While watching that I realized what date had passed - November 14th. Ready for a flashback?
November 14th, 1997 was an amazing night for yours truly. A few weeks prior to that, I was sitting in my cubicle at work when an email came out about a company talent show sponsored by the United Way where admission money would go to this charity. My buddy Greg who was in a cube across from me stood up and said "Dude...let's put on a wrestling match!" Now I was thinking that there was no way we could pull that off and make it entertaining...but we did. We scripted out a ten minute match, practiced it a few times, and did it live in front of about 200 people. We didn't have a ring, just a stage, so we designed the match to where we wouldn't need a ring and gave the appearance that we were in one. Hard to explain, but that's what we did. Greg was "Gorgeous Greg"...the flamboyant Hollywood pretty boy with the hot chick walking with him to the ring...AND he was the world champ. Yes, we even made a belt. I was Skullkrusher from the mean streets of downtown Atlanta who didn't need anyone. All Skullkrusher cared about was winning that belt regardless of what it took. Greg's roommate Tommy doubled as the announcer and the ref. He did the "Are you ready to rumble...." and then my theme music kicked off over the PA - "Shifter" by Glenn Danzig. It's an instrumental track off "Black Aria". I enter and people stood and started to boo me! I was supposed to be the good guy...oh well. I reveled in it. I walked down the aisle raising my arms in a cocky manner, then took the stage while slapping myself in the face to get ready. Greg's music hit...the theme from "2001 - A Space Odyssey" and walked in with the hot chick wearing a red robe and sunglasses. People stood and cheered...it was unreal what kind of response we got. The match was incredible. I got suckered into a test of strength, only to be kicked in the stomach and hit with a DDT. I got put in a figure four leglock I broke out of. I put Greg in the Boston Crab until his woman clawed my eyes when the ref wasn't looking. People LOVED it. And then, Greg grabbed a chair, knocked out the ref, and I took several chair shots and rolled off the stage. When Greg came out there I recovered and grabbed him in a choke. His woman tapped me on the shoulder so I would turn and she could throw powder in my eyes, but I ducked and the powder blinded Greg. I threw him back on stage and got him in the Human Torture Rack like Lex Luger used to do. The ref composed himself in time to hear Greg submit. After the match, Greg was so livid at his woman for the screw-up he went to hit her...but I caught his fist and choke-slammed him. I then left with the belt and the woman. Now this was done at the Music City Sheraton in one of the ballrooms in front of a couple of hundred people. After it was over, we all went to the bar in the lobby where the employees had a spread waiting along with a couple of free drinks. SO many people came up to us asking where we trained and if we were ok and stuff. Oh man we played it up. Granted, some of the stuff did hurt a little...but we really did our best to make things look worse than it actually was. I remember telling one guy who asked about the chair shots I took - "Oh yeah it hurt bad...but I can take it"....hahaha. In fact, the president of the company came up to us and said "Guys, if you'll do this next year, I will charge double...that was amazing!" as he was grinning from ear to ear. That was quite a night...and since I was still on the clock during this I was paid to wrestle...in other words I was an actual pro wrestler...hahaha. I can't believe that was ten years ago. You know, my best memories are of stuff like that. Putting on a wrestling match, playing gigs, the things where I feel like I have input as to how it goes and do it for myself.
One thing I can honestly say when I look back over my life is that I've pretty much done every thing I've wanted to do, just maybe not to the degree I was hoping for. I thought about being a pro wrestler, and technically I was for a night. I wanted to write a book and I wrote two...neither of which I sought to publish even though I do think I will with the third one I have in mind. I wanted to do sports broadcasting and I did for a small TV and also a radio station where I did high school and college football, basketball, and baseball. I wanted to run for the U.S. Senate so I did and came in 4th out of 7 people...and unlike the others who placed ahead of me, I had never run for public office before. I always dreamed of fronting a metal band as a kid while listening to my Kiss records, and now I'm playing bass and doing lead vocals for a metal band. I have wanted to train in martial arts for years and have been enrolled in mixed martial arts training for almost a year now...and next year I'm going to start training at a new school here in Nashville that teaches ONLY Muay Thai!!! I also wanted to make a movie, and a couple of years ago had one I wrote and acted in entered into a local contest. I have really done a lot of what I've wanted, and I thank God for all the opportunities I've had. Like I said, things may have not gone to the level I wanted, but at least I got to experience it all. That's why I ALWAYS say when you have a chance to do something - TAKE IT! I can honestly say in looking back over my life that I don't have any regrets because I've at least tried everything I wanted to do to a degree.
Have a great Thanksgiving sportsfans! We all have SO much to be thankful for. And even if you don't think your life is going the way you want...you always have tomorrow to go after what you want...and that is a reason to be thankful. All you have to do is be willing to take that first step...