God Does Not Care About Your Sports Team...Or Does He?

This is what happens when inspiration hits me like water rushing from a broken dam. I write and I write a lot. This latest inspiration was to good to let simmer or marinate. Am I making you hungry? Sorry. Wait. I'm not sorry. I liked that opening and I'm keeping it.

If you've ever followed sports or know someone who does, you probably know the passion involved. If you've ever been to a game, you witness thousands of people adorning their team's colors, logos, name, or anything that relates to that team. You see the people that brave scorching heat, torrential rain, and blinding snow to watch one group of humans duke it out against another group. You see the tears shed in jubilation or in agony. You see the huge celebration when a championship is won, and in some cases riots when a team loses it all. This group of people called "fans" are an unusual bunch. They support something they can't participate in. They pay lots of money to watch one rich guy's team beat up another rich guy's team. And yet they know all of this and still do these crazy things. Why? Simply put, for the love of the game.

Love can make one do funny things. If you've ever been in love with someone or loved something, you know what I'm talking about. I, however, am thinking of one thing in general. And that's praying to God to allow a team to win. You may laugh, but it happens. Believers and even non believers do it. Heck I even did it as a kid, as a high school student, and I believe I might have done it in college. Why do people do it? Do they really expect an all divine being such as God to change the outcome of a worldly sports game? In most cases they do, hence the reason they pray. Usually this action is met with the response "God doesn't care about that game, sports, or your team winning or losing." And in one sense, that statement is true.

But what God does care about is people. He cares about reaching them. Getting them to choose Him. God cares about man's heart. And because He loves man so much, he'll use whatever He has to, to see His will for man accomplished. Even sports.

For many years, fans who sit behind goalposts at various football games have held up a simple sign that says John 3:16. The reference to the most famous verse in the Bible. The verse that states how much God loves the world (the people that make up the world). Millions of people see those signs. Some who may not know of that verse are probably inclined to look it up out of curiosity. That's a small thing, but it can have a major impact on many people's lives.

This past football season, I witnessed how God can really use sports to further His purpose. As you all know, the Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LII. And if you watched the trophy presentation, you heard head coach Doug Pederson thank his personal Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. You heard tight end Zach Ertz give glory to God. And you heard Quarterback Nick Foles do the same.

Before I get to my point, I need to give a little context first. It's not just those three people on the Eagles who share this belief. Nor is it just a mild belief. What God has done amongst many members of this team is unreal. Throughout the season, articles and videos came out of faith related things going on with the Eagles. In October of 2017, Eagles player Marcus Johnson was baptized in a hotel pool with many teammates there to witness it.  Before Nick Foles signed on to be the Eagles backup QB, he thought about retiring and becoming a pastor. And he will do that once he eventually retires. Carson Wentz has a strong faith and has given messages before. Being with Carson and seeing his faith allowed Zach Ertz to fully commit himself to Christ. There are many members on this Eagles squad who are devoted to Christ. Torrey Smith, Trey Burton, Chris Maragos, Jordan Hicks, just to name a few. The team holds bible studies. And even after they won the Super Bowl, Doug Pederson gave a post game speech that ended with every player in the room getting down on one knee and reciting the Lord's prayer.

As you can see, many of the Eagles are invested in their faith and God. So how did God use this? Because the Eagles were winning and because Carson Wentz was taking the league by storm, people started to pay attention. Games got nationally televised. They made the playoffs all the way to the Super Bowl where it was hard for millions of people not to notice. Articles were written about the faith of these Eagles. Videos produced. Their faith was heard by many. Even if the Eagles lost the Super Bowl, they made it there in front of the biggest viewing audience in the US. If nothing else, many people heard and saw what faith in Christ can do.

God's desire is for all humankind to know Him. And while He may not help you favorite sports team win because you ask Him to, He will use sports to accomplish His will and desire.

1 John 4:7-8  Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.  Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Fly Eagles Fly

Ever since I was very young, I had a love for playing sports. There's a picture in an old photo album of me when I was two years old, holding a red plastic baseball bat, wearing a blue baseball cap, and sporting a huge smile. That's the proof from that young of an age, sports were going to be a huge passion of mine.

Growing up I played them all. On summer days, we'd go to the local baseball diamond and my dad would toss me balls while I slugged them as far as I could. We had a portable basketball net set up in our yard and we played on grass until we wore a permanent dirt patch due to the lack of a driveway. We were given a soccer ball one year and found two sets of trees on our property that made decent goal posts. We spent countless hours playing soccer out there and sometimes that drew the attention of the neighbor kids to come join.

As I grew older, I picked up street hockey and was darn good at it. Whether I played at a park, in a parking lot, or during gym at school, I found a way to score. Heck, when I saw my middle school gym teacher almost three years ago, I reminded her of the goal I scored on her back in the 8th grade and she told me I'm still the only student to have ever done so.

When I moved to Cleveland, the kids my age and slightly older had a passion for Ultimate Frisebee. Pretty soon it became my passion as well. I also added Tennis and Volleyball to my arsenal. But playing them wasn't enough for me. Watching the pros and becoming attached to professional teams became a thing for me in 2001. If you've talked to me a time or two, you've probably heard the stories of how I became fans of the teams I root for. That's a whole other post in itself. So to keep it short, I am passionate about the Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia Flyers, Cleveland Indians, and the Philadelphia Eagles.

I can tell you countless memories and stories of amazing moments I witnessed, spectacular plays, amazing wins, agonizing defeats, and where I was when each of those happened. But that's not what I'm truly writing this post for. In six days, Super Bowl LII between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles will take place. It's the biggest sporting event in the U.S.A. That Sunday is called Super Bowl Sunday and it's an unofficial holiday in the U.S. As it's name denotes, this will be the 52nd Super Bowl. This one means more to me than the other 51...combined.

In 2001, living in southern, central, PA, at 10 years old, I fell in love with the Philadelphia Eagles. They were two seasons removed from being the second worst team in the league. Their fortunes had turned the previous season as their young and upcoming QB Donovan McNabb had led them to the playoffs the year prior. This team consisted of players I looked up to. McNabb, Staley, Thrash, Runyan, Thomas, Douglas, Trotter, Dawkins, Vincent, and of course Akers. Coached by Andy Reid, this team was something magical. I watched in awe as they took the toughest challenges and overcame them. They made the playoffs that year and I was elated. They tore through the Buccaneers and Bears to face The Greatest Show on Turf (St. Louis Rams) in the NFC championship match. The game was a shootout, but ultimately they fell just short. Anyone who pays attention to sports or was following them that year knows what happened next. The legend of Tom Brady was born. That was the first super bowl I watched and to see what Brady and Vinatieri did to the Rams, I was not only awestruck by what happened, but knew the Eagles could could have a chance to do that one day.

I wasn't wrong...well for the most part. That day came in 2005. After losing three straight NFC championship games, the Eagles had finally made it to the super bowl. They had a couple new players that helped them get there in Brian Westbrook and Terrell Owens. But their opponent was the greatest challenge of all. Bill Belichick. Tom Brady. And the New England Patriots. They had two super bowl rings to their names and the Patriots were as feared as the Greatest Show on Turf. The game favored the Patriots, but the Eagles hung in. Losing late, they scored a touchdown to bring the score within three. But it was too late. Time was not on their side and Vinatieri's lone field goal was the difference. Tom Brady got a third ring in four years. The Eagles still hadn't won a Super Bowl since it's birth in 1967. My 14 year old self was crushed.

The next four years the Eagles barely made or missed the playoffs. They finally had another good run in 2007, only to run into the explosive Cardinals and Larry Fitzgerald in the NFC championship game. They lost. Just short of another super bowl appearance. Two year laters McNabb was gone. Three years after that the Vince Young proclaimed "Dream Team" led to a 4-12 season and Andy Reid was fired. Things couldn't be worse...

...that is until the third season of Chip Kelly being the head coach of the Eagles. After two 10-6 seasons he wanted to make a change. He cut talent. He traded away talent. And he built "his team". That team crashed and burned. Philly fans, me included, felt the sting of the players we lost, the disappointment of how awful that season went. We were hurt and it was the lowest of lows. Kelly was shown the door. But that didn't make up for everything that happened.

Enter 2016. The Eagles hired former NFL QB and Kansas City OC Doug Pederson as their new head coach. They made a lot of moves and acquired the number 2 overall pick and drafted QB Carson Wentz. Sam Bradford was the starting QB in Philly. But after the Vikings lost their QB to a freak injury, they traded for Bradford. Wentz was thrust into a starting role. The Eagles didn't end up with a horrible record and Wentz did show potential, but it wasn't enough to make the playoffs.

Then in 2017, everything changed. No one expected what was about to happen. this team was given a 9-7 potential record at best. But this team shocked the world. They were winning. Not only were they winning, but they were putting up 30+ points nearly every game while limiting their opponents to 20 or less. Then they hit bumps in the road. They lost their future hall of fame left tackle to injury; they lost their explosive running back; then a key line backer and special teamer. Then with only a few games left, Carson Wentz tore his ACL. Their record was 11-2. They were the number one seed. But with Wentz lost for the season, everyone counted them out...again.

The next week they won and won big. The week after, they played sloppy, but pulled off a victory and the number one seed. They lost the next week, but that was expected as they rested most of their starters. Their first playoff game came against a potentially explosive Atlanta team that just took down a more explosive Rams team. The number one seeded Eagles were considered the underdogs. Everyone was counting them out. They didn't put up many points, but they won.

Next they faced the Vikings who had a fairy tale season of their own. They boasted the #1 ranked defense and a dangerous offense that moved on from the last round by a walk-off touch down, or the Miracle in Minnesota as they called it. Once again, the Eagles were considered dog meat. "They stand no chance" some said. The marketing facebook page even prematurely posted an image of the Patriots/Vikings facing off in the super bowl. Once again, this team proved the doubters wrong. They tore the number one defense to shreds. Foles had a 300+ yard, three touchdown/no picks night. They are going to the Super Bowl.

A rematch. Eagles/ Patriots round 2. Tom Brady is still their QB. Bill Belichick is still their coach. The two of them have won five and are going for number six. Not many outside Philly fans expect the Eagles to have a chance against them. I've heard it all and will probably continue to do so until the final whistle. "It's the GOAT. He can't lose". "Five Rings." "Gonna be a blow out". "It's Tom Brady." "The refs are against Philly" "The experience is against you." It goes on and on...

...But you know what? Bring on Tommy boy. Bring on good ol William. Bring on the Patriots. To be great, you have to beat greatness. To beat the GOAT, Belichick, and the Patriots in the Super Bowl, would be the ultimate victory and I wouldn't have it any other way. How can I be so confident? Because I've watched this team all year. I've followed every step of the way. Not only were they winning, but they were having fun while doing it. Just look at their endzone celebrations. The way they treat each other like a family. And to lose your potential MVP QB and still win games and make the Super Bowl against great odds, is extremely hard to do. Just ask the Raiders of last year, or the Packers and Texans this year.

The Philadelphia Eagles represent more than just a football team to me. They represent a city. They represent a passion. They represent an 10 year old's hopes and dreams of finally seeing his team win the biggest prize of them all: The Lombardi Trophy. So no matter what flak continues to come, no matter what the doubters and haters keep spewing, I believe they can win it all. Fly Eagles Fly.

Holla! We're in 2018!

With a new year comes new beginnings, new experiences, and new in general. Take the title of this post for example. I usually try to come up with something clever, sometimes something deep. Always with proper english and usually sophisticated words. But this time I was feeling an uncharacteristic approach. And why not? It's a new year after all.

So what's this post going to be about? Every once in awhile I get an idea or rather inspiration. It's usually from something simple, or something no one would bat an eyelash at. Like my poem titled "One-Eyed Jack". It's a three page, 20+ verse poem that I got inspired by a friend putting a broken plastic spoon over one of his eyes to be funny. And it's one of my favorites that I've written. So what happens after the initial inspiration? I begin to write. I keep going until I hit a block or feel it's finished. Sometimes the piece needs work. But then sometimes, once I put the pen down, I feel the piece does not require change. I may change things in the future, but I also may not. So for this post is a new piece I've written and has almost no editing done to it. It is one of my spontaneous pieces. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.

Jason

By Josh Watkins 

Jason shot her an angry look from across the bar. The guy next to her was ordering her another drink. Rachel acted as if she didn’t notice Jason’s glare. She retrieved from her purse the cherry red lipstick she only used for special occasions. As she applied it to her lips, Jason picked at the label on his beer bottle and continued to stare her down. Frustrated, he chugged the beer and slammed the bottle on the counter. The bartender wasn’t fazed as she had watched this charade unfold for over a month now.

By now Jason was on his feet and had made his way to where Rachel was perched. She turned her body towards him and didn’t say a word. His rough complexion melted. His demeanor changed to what one would call vulnerable. 

“Fine,” Jason grumbled. “You win.”

A sly grin spread across her face as Jason turned and walked towards the jukebox. She watched as he reached into the pocket of his muddied, faded blue jeans and retrieved it with a few quarters. One by one, he placed the coins in the slot. The sound of them rolling down was enough to make his nerves tingle. It wasn’t long before “We Danced” began coming out of the music machine.

“Wanna dance?” the guy next to Rachel asked while trying to hand her a freshly mixed daiquiri.

“You have been too kind,” Rachel replied. “But our deal has been completed. I’ve got what I want.” She slid the man a Benjamin, left her seat, and made her way towards Jason.

Jason reached his hand towards Rachel and she gladly took it in hers. He pulled her close and they began to sway with the music. Jason saw the look of disappointment on the face of the man at the bar. He had noticed what Rachel had done.

               

“Did you really pay Chris to put on that act?” Jason asked

               

She put her lips up to his ear and spoke softly into it,

               

“Whether I did or didn’t, it does not matter. I’ve got my husband back.”

               

She kissed his cheek and then he dipped her low. His pursed lips gave way to a welcoming grin that she had not seen for a while. As they danced, Rachel kept her eyes locked on his and let everything around them become a blur. She wanted to savor this moment and lock it into her memory forever. Jason was never truly the same since he returned from Iraq. Between the losses of some of his buddies and an RPG blast that took out the caravan he was traveling in, causing severe head injuries, Jason’s reality and actual reality often became misconstrued. Rachel’s love for him was the glue that held everything together.

               

“I’m sorry,” Jason whispered as the song was coming to an end.

               

Rachel put her finger upon his lips. She leaned in and kissed him.

               

“Let’s go home,” she said.

               

As they walked out the door, she knew this moment was fleeting. But she wasn’t going to worry about that right now. She had her husband, her best friend, her true love. She was happy.

As 2017 Ends, I Reflect.

Twenty-seven years. Twenty-seven trips around the sun. That's how long I've been breathing. And in a matter of hours, the year that marks this will come to a close and another will begin. With each year comes many things. Highs. Lows. Joys. Pains. New experiences. Familiar themes. And so much more. They all make up this crazy thing we call life. Even though I would like to erase some of those things, I'm slightly grateful that I can't. Being in my late 20s (yes that sounded weird typing that), I think about things like this more often than not. Each experience, every moment shapes who we are and what we will become. Some experiences, though cruel when they happen, teach us things about life and help us grow. 2017 was filled with both.

Once 2016 came to a close, I had mixed feelings entering 2017. I was looking forward to the new year after all the traveling I did, the weddings I attended, graduating college, the memories, you get the picture. But on the other hand, I still didn't have a full time job, the outcome of the 2016 election divided this country even further, and the outlook of 2017 was unclear. However, as I look back on what 2017 was and what it brought, would I say it was my favorite year or even top 5? Probably not, but through all the muck and mire that came, a lot of good came out of it too. So journey with me as I look back on 2017.

As every new year begins here in Cleveland, winter is always there to welcome you with it's bone chilling fury, and heavy doses of cabin fever. One way to beat the winter blues was going to a Cavs game with a bunch of awesome people. Good friends of mine, Ben and Natalie Wong, who are in the medical field in Las Vegas, came into town and treated us to a Cavs game with amazing seats. We were basically 7ish rows from the court. The Cavs won, adding to the amazing night it already was. We ended up hanging out late into the night, laughing, talking, and making memories. I'm very grateful to have these two people in my life.

As winter gave way to spring, the new season brought both joy and sorrow. This year marked the first year I went to Opening Day for Cleveland Indians baseball. If you're reading this from facebook, you know how passionate I am about it. Josh Malek and I got to witness a walk-off winner and little did we know it then, but this season was going to have something magical. Then, not long after that day, the sorrow set because my grandmother (Lois Andrewson) on my Mom's side had passed. We all knew her time was coming, but that doesn't erase the fact that someone you love is no longer here. Yet, I believe I will see her again one day and am at peace which comes from the love of God and my faith in Christ.

The month of May kicked off with a wedding and if you read my end-of-the-year post last year, you know how much I love weddings. Who were the wonderful couple? Why Philip Tsao and Phoebe Cheng! Philip had come from Ann Arbor and spent a year in Cleveland so I got to know him a whole lot better. I'm glad he came because it was a blessing to have him around. Their wedding took place outdoors on a beautiful farm-like setting. You could see green for miles and when the sun set off the rolling hills, it was breath-taking.

Along with June came summer, the season I love the most. I was still looking for work, but being able to enjoy another summer as freely as I wanted was fine with me. The highlights for this month were as follows: Some of you know that I picked up the hobby called geocaching back in 2015. If you don't know what that it is, well I 'll briefly explain. It involves using billion dollar satellites to find tupperware containers in the woods. Well that's the cooler description anyway. Basically people hide containers all over the world ranging from the size of thumbtack to the size of a shed. The more common ones are tupperware containers, ammo cans, and pill bottles. You then either use a gps device or your phone's gps to find them. It also puts you in contact with some super awesome and crazy people who share the same joy you get from this hobby. Here in Northern Ohio, the geocachers here like to give recognition to those who reach 1000 finds. There's a big picnic with lots of food and fun and those who have reached that 1000 find milestone are given an ammo can painted gold and packed with goodies. I was a recipient of one this year.And in 2018, I'll have the privilege of honoring a new 1k milestone for someone else.

Photo Credit: Diane Rust

June didn't end on just that note. Wedding #2 occurred in this month as well. My cousin on my mom's side, Aaron Hoefs, was getting married. They're located in northern Wisconsin and the nearest airport was in Minneapolis. I had to wait for my other cousin, Jeff, to fly in from San Francisco so we could make the 2 hour drive to the farm. That made for the perfect opportunity to visit the Mall of America. Sure it cost $14 in Uber fees, but it was well worth it. After my escapade in MOA, I returned to the airport, met up with Jeff, and made it to Wisconsin. The wedding was awesome and had that country feel to it. The groomsmen were fishing in between pictures. They all wore jeans with a vest top (it was way to hot for a suit). And the ceremony was beautiful but quick as it had to beat a rainstorm and did so by minutes. It was a joy to attend, see the family and guess what, they're expecting in May!

I've always loved July and it has shown me a lot of love back. In past posts, I've mentioned my annual retreat to a friend's cabin on Lake Erie that consists of me and two of my best buds (Jeremiah Johnson and Mark Greenwood) at minimum. I've spent so many summers there and have so many memories to last a lifetime. With our lives becoming so busy and adulthood being so real, there aren't many times we are together anymore. But each year we make time for this. Well this July may have marked the last one ever because at the end of 2018, the property will have new owners. Therefore, we made the most of it. It was a blast. Here's a scene from that time.

Our youth event known as Mountain Top occurred in this month and in Cleveland. Every summer 300ish youth come from all over to experience God in a new way. I wasn't able to attend all over out, but from what I did attend, I saw many young lives touched and changed in great ways.

After a year of searching, July yielded another gift.  I got a job offer from General Electric. A contract job sure, but It's nearly everything I was looking for and came just in time. And before I even started, they approved my two weeks off to go to Austraila...

...which brings us to August and one of the greatest experiences of my life. Im not going to go into a lot of detail because i did that all in daily posts on this blog. So if you're interested in my experience, I highly suggest you go back and read them. God is so good.

As the fall crept in, I had one more wedding to attend. A good friend from college, Scott Ruebensaal and his now wife Nina Nager tied the knot at The 9 in downtown Cleveland. The ceremony was held on the rooftop and the reception in the old bank vaults downstairs. It was a ton of fun and a great day.

Another major change occurred when I finally had to say goodbye to my first baby, my 2004 Dodge Intrepid. With 214,000 miles, 13 years old, and needing over $2000 worth of work, it was time to say goodbye. She always got me where i needed to go, in some cases hundreda of miles, and even if there was a hiccup (flat tire) it was correctable and i always made my destination. Rust in peace. And so, I welcomed my second baby, a 2008 Chevy Malibu. She passed her first test and got me to PA over Christmas and back. Here's to hoping I have many more years with her.

Summer gave way to Autumn and I turned 27. The holidays began and filled my soul with mirth. Then December snuck up on me real quick and now is near it's end. But it was a month to remember. A lot of geocaching events with great people, two geocaching county runs, a fantastic Christmas where I drove all the way to Pennsylvania to surprise my grandparents (my car survived her first major test), and 8 friends from Australia came to visit the US for almost a month and I'm so glad they're here.

A few closing thoughts. I don't think I've mentioned this before, but every winter I do something a little unorthodox. You see I'm not a fan of the cold, especially this cold. I hate it. Snow is okay and fun for things such a sledding and snowboarding, but the after effects of it I do not enjoy. I'm a summer child through and through. I had a childhood friend who loved the snow. It was something she looked forward to every year. Long story short, she passed unexpectedly in 2014. So as a little tribute to her, if it snows in the late evening, I step outside and stand there. I watch the flakes fall against the dark night sky and listen to the beautiful silence and magical scene unfold before me. Snow is best observed at this hour because the noise of the day is gone, the white crystals against the midnight sky are relaxing to watch, and it's a peaceful feeling. Then I too eventual retreat to the warmth of my home.

As I was driving back from PA, I was listening to the 90s on 9 on satellite radio and a fitting song came across the airwaves. It was called Everybody's Free to Wear Sunscreen by Baz Luhrmann.  I'm not going to post all the lyrics here, that's what the link is for. But here are some blips of it that are really sound advice for the new year.

"Don't waste your time on jealousy
Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behindThe race is longAnd in the end, it's only with yourself
Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insultsGet plenty of calcium
If you succeed in doing this, tell me how
Be kind to your knees
You'll miss them when they're gone
Dance
Even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room
Read the directions, even if you don't follow them
Do not read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly
Get to know your parents
You never know when they'll be gone for good
Be nice to your siblings
They are the best link to your past
And the people most likely to stick with you in the future
Live in New York City once
But leave before it makes you hard
Live in Northern California once
But leave before it makes you soft
Travel
Accept certain inalienable truths
Prices will rise
Politicians will philander
You too will get old
And when you do you'll fantasize that when you were young
Prices were reasonable
Politicians were noble
And children respected their elders
Respect your elders
But trust me on the sunscreen"

And on that note, I say so long to 2017 and am ready to welcome in 2018. Here's to the people in my life, the memories to be made, new experiences that will come, and another trip around the sun. Happy New Year!

The Dreamer and His Bucket List

A few things about me In Case You Didn't Know. I like making lists. Not because I find joy in creating said lists, but because I love the feeling I get when I cross something off of them or complete them. I can't really describe that feeling to you unless you enjoy doing that sort of thing like I do.

I'm also what some would call a dreamer. I have been since I was a wee lad. And what separates me from a good portion of the pack is I don't let them die. Even when the odds are stacked against them and the haters and naysayers have had their fill, they still live on. Yes some are outlandish and near impossible to do in one lifetime. But if they do come to fruition, the feeling, experience, moment, and memories become that much more magical. In that moment, you'll say the "memory of a day like Today, can get you through the rest of your life" (Brad Paisley).

When those two things come together, one can create something to strive for, to live for, to really appreciate being alive; something that even the darkest of times has no grip over. So, for those who have taken the time out of your eventful lives to read this post, you are getting to see my Dreams in the form of a few bucket lists. For the full details behind each list and each item on it, you'll have to talk to me sometime. Otherwise this wouldn't be released this month and you'd be reading a novel instead of a blog post. As you read (or skim) this, think about your own dreams, no matter how absurd or impossible some may be, strive for them and don't ever let them die.

This list is THE Bucket List. The first one I ever made. The start of pursuing dreams.

Bucket List

Marry the girl of my dreams (Still a mystery)

Visit New York City (Completed Summer of 2016, one of the best weeks of my life)

Visit Hawaii

Visit all major U.S. cities (Visited: Boston, NYC, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, Chicago, Minneapolis, Austin, Raleigh, Charleston)

Go surfing

Go wind-surfing

Go skydiving

Drive a corvette (Original dream car, not anymore but still want to drive one)

Drive a 1970 Chevelle SS 540 (Current dream car)

See the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade live (Watched this on TV every year, would love to see it live once)

Visit Times square during Christmas (Yes I know the crowds and  the chaos, but once would be fun)

See the Grand Canyon

Ride every major roller coaster in the U.S. (I'm an adrenaline junkie can't you tell?)

Visit every major theme park in the U.S.

Visit Italy (Dream Country: the food, the culture, the Colosseum, the Leaning Tower, I could keep going)

Go to a Super Bowl

Go to a World Series game (I stood outside Jacob's Field for Game 6 of the 2016 World Series. Closest I've got)

Go to a NASCAR race (Was a super fan in the early 2000s and I love cars)

Go to a Flyers NHL game in Philly (Die hard Flyers fan)

Go to a Phillies game in Philly (Cavs fan, but want to complete the Philly sports experience)

Go to a 76ers game in Philly (Huge Indians fan, but see above comment)

Go deep-sea fishing

Go scuba diving

Go on a cruise (I know some people loathe these, but again one experience would be fun)

Go to Disneyland

Go to Disney World

Snowboard in Telluride, CO

See the Northern Lights (But in Alaska. Or Iceland. Not from Ohio)

Ride in a hot-air balloon

Go white water rafting

Meet Carrie Underwood (Yup you read that right)

Visit Europe (This is more of a tour of multiple countries and not just one)

Find Buried Treasure (I've been fascinated with this since I was young. I would consider this complete if  I found a Spanish Doubloon on a Florida beach)

Earn a bachelor’s degree (Completed May of 2016)

Snowboard in Europe

Go to Olympics (L.A. 2028. It's gonna happen)

Go to the World Cup

Play 18 holes of golf

Go on an African Safari

Visit Uganda (Many people I need to visit)

Bowl a 200 point game (160 is my best I believe)

Bowl a perfect game

Catch a trophy fish (A fish that I'd be willing to pay the money to mount)

Catch a trophy Largemouth Bass

Play in a Texas Hold ‘Em tournament

Visit all 50 states (Visited: Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, West Virginia, North Carolina, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Texas, Michigan)

Drive a dune buggy in the Las Vegas desert

Drive on the German Autobans

Spend $200+ on fireworks

Go Hunting

Watch a game in every NFL, MLB, NHL, and NBA stadium (One can dream)

Ride a train across a countryside

Meet Kenny Chesney (Favorite musician. Would love to shake his hand)

Go back to Ocean City (The memories I have from my childhood here make me want to go return)

That's all for this post. Sometime in the near future, I'll post and comment on the much bigger one I found and made a goal to complete, even if it may never happen. Keep dreaming friends.

"So don't you sit upon the the shoreline, and say you're satisfied. Choose to chance the rapids and dare to dance the tide."~Garth Brooks

Learning to Dodge: The Last Ride

When I first laid my eyes upon you, I didn't give you much of a glance because you were in the hands of another and I never expected you to be mine. But then September of 2014 rolled around and you became available. This time I took a long gaze and instantly fell in love. You had everything I was looking for. You were spacious, comfortable, and handled like a dream. Your image portrayed adventure, your style said silver vixen, and your tune was smooth and loud. Yes you had some scars, were a bit aged, and a little rusty around the edges, but that didn't bother me because you were mine.

Three months after our joyous union, we set out on our first adventure. It was a cold, December Tuesday and we were Boston bound. I had total confidence in you as we cut through Erie, PA and then traversed across the entire state of New York. I hated the cold and worried the weather would turn for the worst, but you cruised along and allowed me to enjoy the beauty of the snow covered hills. As the sun faded and the darkness crept in, we entered Massachusetts. Two hours later we arrived in Boston. We navigated its curving, cobblestone streets in the rain and darkness, but your beams lit the way. Then came a crucial moment where I asked you to stop on a dime and on a slick wet surface. You didn't question me and your reaction saved a jaywalker from severe injury. I gave you the next day off because you earned it. But 36 hours after we arrived in the city where the most famous tea party took place, I told you we had to go. Snow was lightly falling and the weather was miserable, but you didn't complain. You fired right up and took me safely back to the CLE.

As the Winter tolled on, you got me where I needed to go and took Winter's wrath like a champ. When Winter finally gave way to Spring, the month of May brought new adventure. We were Indianapolis bound to see one of the most famous and historic races in American history. The 99th running of the Indianapolis 500. It wasn't just you and me however. I brought a friend. Most would complain, but you didn't. You did your job and did it well, allowing us to arrive without a scratch. Your unselfishness allowed me and my friend to fulfill a bucket list item and make memories to last a lifetime.

Your age began to show during that year when your calm demure turned into a dull roar. I put up with it for a bit, but then your displeasure was voiced. I heard you loud and clear and took care of the one who takes care of me. I gave you a shiny new piece of hardware and your gentleness returned.

As the days rolled on and the seasons changed, you kept humming along. I gave you the necessary fixes to keep you happy. 2015 came and went without much fanfare, but when 2016 graced us with its presence, we were in for a whirlwind of adventure.

In April we drove through Indiana not stopping to admire the farmland and Illinois welcomed us with the dreaded Chicago traffic. The first 4.5 hours were smooth, but that last hour sitting in rush hour traffic and in the rain was a nightmare. You rolled with the punches and my slight mistreatment of your interior with my frustration and didn't complain once. You brought me safely to the hotel where you got the weekend off while I enjoyed witnessing my first wedding of the year as many more were to follow.

Then when May showed up, I asked you to be prepared for another Boston style trip in length. This time we were headed south on a nine hour adventure to North Carolina. We cruised through Ohio farmland until the West Virginia mountains waved hello. We curved and swerved out way through the majestic scenery until we found ourselves in Virginia. I blinked and suddenly the GPS let us know we had reached our last state. Nine hours later we had finally arrived safe and sound. I had a blast that weekend and when it was over, you were ready for the trip back. I pushed you at times because nine hours is long especially by oneself, but your tunes kept me company and you shaved an hour off our drive.

I came to you in June less than seven days later with hesitation. I had asked you to do something you hadn't done before in taking two long trips a month apart. Now I was asking you to do a third and on only six days rest. This time the destination was The Big Apple. My dream city to visit. And the trip was going to last for six days. The longest I had ever asked of you. You saw the longing look in my eyes laced with adventure. As tired as you may have been, and as arduous a trip this was going to be, you said yes. And I loved you for it. So I filled and packed you up and off we went. Once again we left Ohio and entered into Pennsylvania, but this time we were't breezing through, oh no. We were going the whole way across. Two lanes the whole way, hills as far as the eye could see, and lots of construction. One section lasted for 16 painstaking miles with an average speed of 30 mph. But you never moaned once. Eventually we made it through and New Jersey welcomed us with five lanes of road, beautiful rock wall barriers, and palm-like trees. NYC was close but, not quite in view. Then after five hours, I felt a change in you. I could sense your calm nature fading. You tried your best to keep together, but some things in such an age as yours are out of your control. The tranquility was shattered by a roar I had heard before. And I knew that roar was going to last until we could get back to Cleveland. I knew you were upset as you couldn't keep your peace. But you ran, and that's what mattered. Soon, the roar didn't bother me as the NYC skyline appeared in view. A dream of mine was coming true and you were making it possible. The joy was real, but the bliss was short lived as I now had to become aggressive as ever to navigate the chaos of Manhattan. I pushed you and you obliged. Finally, a little over seven hours later, I found a place to let you rest. We had made it. And I couldn't have been happier. Throughout those six days I navigated you around upper Manhattan, placing you in various locations that you would be safe and I wouldn't get fined. For six days I was living the dream and you held together. Then the fun ended and it was time to leave. So I fired you up, added two more friends and off we went. You still roared the whole way home, but that was no fault of your own. You got us back safe and sound and that's what mattered. Upon our return I took care of you for taking care of me and promised not to ask a trip like that of you for awhile.

August was an emotional moment for me as we decided to journey to our neighbor city of Pittsburgh to witness some good American baseball. Two hours both ways wasn't that long, but on the return trip I took in the moment as you reached a major milestone. I smiled in awe as you proudly displayed 200,000. I'd only been with you for 22,000 of those, but hey I was there when you hit that great achievement.

We've been through so much together. All those trips, three Cleveland winters, a blown tire on I-75 N in Michigan, torrential and blinding rain in Mount Pleasant, PA. You kept your cool when a Jeep nearly clipped us on a rainy night, when a civic wasn't paying attention and nearly ran us off the road at 70 mph, when countless buffoons made blatantly stupid errors, when honest folk made scary misjudgments, when I myself have put you in harms way a time or two, when a rogue, cylindrical piece of metal attacked us in East Cleveland, and so much more. But now age and wear has done you in and it's time to say goodbye. Your ailments have become too great and your repair needs too much to bear. I won't forget you as you will always be my first. What you did for me and those who tagged along, I can never thank you enough. It's been an amazing three years and 35,000 miles. Goodbye my old faithful friend.

    2004 Dodge Intrepid: My first car.


P.S. Many posts ago, I mentioned I gave my car a name, but didn't reveal that name as it was personal to me. Well I felt now is the best time to share that name. I named her Elise. If you would like to know the reason behind it, ask me sometime.

Summertime: The Season of Dreams and Memories

It's September. The weather has gotten cooler. The days are getting shorter. The trees are starting to change their colors, signaling they'll soon shed their luscious summer garments and go into a deep winter hibernation. The children are already back in school. And football is back. All these things mean that the magnificent season known as Summer is drawing to a close. I've quoted Shakespeare before and I'll do it again. "Summer's lease hath all too short a date." I always get a little sad when I see it go, because I love it dearly. But when it returns each June, my heart is overwhelmed with joy yet again. "But what about Autumn?" I hear the people say? It's true, I love the Fall as well. Its slight chill on my face while the leaves crunch under my feet. The warmth of a hot drink against my hands whether it be hot chocolate, fresh apple cider, a pumpkin spice latte, they all sooth the soul. Football returns bringing hope and excitement to fans everywhere. Thanksgiving rolls around for great times spent with family and the start of the holidays. As you can see I do love the Fall.

Summer, however, as brought me so much joy and so many memories which is why I eagerly await it's return each year. Usually when things come to an end, it's fun to reflect on the moments and memories they brought. So as we say goodbye to Summer 2017, here are some of my past Summer escapades that have made this season so near and dear to my heart.

I was blessed as a child to have a big yard and two woods on our property. This was also in a time before the internet was prominent and before the existence of smart phones. Actually the cell phones at that time hadn't become popular yet. So how did we entertain ourselves? Those "lazy" summer days were spent racing our bikes through the woods, over mini hills, through the yard, and around the house. We were competitive and felt as if victory was the only option. This led to some spectacular crashes, amazing jumps, and sheer thrill. Other days were spent climbing the hundred or so trees and pretending we were pirates out for treasure or astronauts on a mission to Mars. There were times we snuck onto the nearby golf course in search of forgotten golf balls, tees, and other "treasures". Saturday evenings were spent going to the parks and playing pick-up games with all the other kids out enjoying the weather or going out for dinner and then for a game of mini-golf afterwards.

In the summer of 2007, my good friend Mark Greenwood had invited me out to their family's cabin in Vermillion. For the first time in my life, I went Jetskiing. For a 16 year old, it was one of the greatest thrills of my life. As soon as they let me drive, I took off like a heat seeking missile fired from an F-15. I defined the term "reckless driving" that day as I zipped off wave crest after wave crest. Then I hit one full throttle and shot 4-5 feet in the air with Mark holding on for dear life. For a moment I thought we were going to wipe out Evil Knevil style. To everyone's relief we landed safely and even though I was ready to do that again, I think Mark had second thoughts.

That summer was the first of many to come where Mark, Jeremiah Johnson, and I spent weeks and weekends there. I have so many memories of that place and this past summer may have been my last there. Before I move on, I want to leave one more image in your mind. One summer's eve, instead of hanging around the cabin, I decided to take the Jetski out for a sunset run. If you haven't witnessed a sunset over Lake Erie, I implore you to do so. Anyway, as I was roaring happily over the water and terrifying seagulls, I saw a view that took my breath away. I slowed the jetski down to a crawl, then killed the motor. I let it drift along as I saw a golden sky with a setting sun to the west and to the east was a navy blue sky with the moon rising higher and the stars letting everyone else know that they were there as well. It was two moments, night and day, one coming, one going. And I soaked in every minute.

Another summer memory I treasure is I had just gotten back from vacation and had to mow a lawn. Once I finished, I rode my bike to a nearby park to enjoy the evening. When I got there, a bunch of the Cleveland guys were there playing Ultimate Frisbee. This is a game I love dearly and so of course I jumped right in. They were playing with a bunch of random locals who at one point decided to challenge our skill. If you knew us back then, you knew that Frisbee was our game and we were a force to be reckoned with. One of us put up the challenge to them which was the 14 of them verses the 7 of us. They accepted and what a match that was. We ended up being down most of the game until a turning point on a fluke play. Someone from our team lobbed a low pass that bounced of my heel and ended up in Dan Johnson's hands. We ended up scoring and started a comeback that eventually allowed us to win 9-7. Sure it was a pickup game. There were no crowds cheering, no trophies awarded, nothing to say that this was an incredible feat. But to me it felt like we had won a national championship.

Each summer my family takes a vacation to visit family in either Wisconsin or Pennsylvania. Some of my most cherished memories from Wisconsin include riding my first 4-wheeler at 5 years old, catching my first largemouth bass on my last worm, Grandpa taking me fishing for the first time, my Uncle obtaining extremely large fireworks and then having a second 4th of July celebration shooting them off near the lake, driving a pontoon boat into the center of the lake and jumping off the 17ft scaffolding attached to it, fishing every day, catching large pike, largemouth bass, and panfish, roaming the wide open country land in search of adventure, campfires at dusk by the lake, seeing a full sky of stars in the dead of night, fairs and demolition derbies, reunions, cook-outs, and family.
Pennsylvania: Ice cream from Tropical Treat, wandering Hanover, hanging with old friends, nerf wars, swimming in the mountains, backyard Frisbee, football, volleyball, putt-putt, Hershey Park, Gettysburg, late night fires, food, and fun.

I have so many more memories I want to share, but those will be for another time. One of these days I need to write them all down. And who knows, maybe they'll become an autobiography one day. One can dream. On that note, before I bid you all adieu until the next post, I'll leave you with a list of what summer is to me.

Summer is mint chocolate chip ice cream in a waffle cone dripping off my fingers, meat sizzling on a grill, sunsets at Lakewood Park, Ultimate Frisbee, 4th of July, fireworks, getting a tan, chilling on the beach, fishing into the night, biking to nowhere in particular, outdoor concerts, hanging with the bros around a fire, the beach, enjoying great food on a patio, jumping or sleeping on a trampoline, juicy watermelon, Mountain Top, shorts and sleeveless shirts, Indians baseball, windows down and moon roof open, sandals and bare feet, riding the waves on a jetski, vacation, sleeping in a hammock, street fairs and food trucks, feeling free and living easy. Good ol' summertime.