Exciting Times......Expensive Times!

So, it's been forever and a day since I've put my thoughts out to the world. In the past couple of months, the Travelin' Aggie has gotten married.........to the Korean!!! My occasional dinners of chips and salsa have been replaced by rice and kimchi. No doubt, the odor is strong, but I've gotten used to it......and the smile it brings to the Korean's face.

Married life has definitely been fun and we started looking for more permanent residences here on the hill. We both decided that we were happy with our current location, but we'd be picky to say the least. Anyone who's been to visit, knows that the yard and the location really can't be beat. We'd looked and looked, but hadn't seen too many houses that fit all of our criteria.

While we were growing tired of looking at houses in the area, we decided to forgo the traditional Christmas plans and do some cheap traveling before the clan gets expanded too quickly. And wouldn't you know it, when we stop looking, something came up that piqued our interest.

After jumping through some minor hoops and providing lots of information, tomorrow it comes to a 'close' and we look to get the keys........and then it's off to the land of the ancient Mayans!

Exciting times.........expensive times!

Love, peace, and soul.

Long time.......and the bad night's "sleep"

So, I had a terrible, terrible night's "sleep" last night. For some reason, I just couldn't turn my mind off. I'm sure it was mainly due to the upcoming event, but whenever I get to thinking too much, it's usually best if I get my thoughts out of my head and onto some sort of medium.

For some reason, an odd song popped into my head this morning on the drive to work. It's a song that I really loved a long time ago, but wouldn't listen to as it was too tough to take. Now, amazingly enough, it seems that the song is back to stay........

I'll Take Care of You

Times are hard and rents are high
What can a working man do?
But struggle through another day,
Then I'll take care of you.

Nights are long and dreams are cold
If they're all you wake up to.
But should you rise with crying eyes,
Then I'll take care of you.

I'll be there, but you might not see me,
It's never easy to get through.
But when the laughter dies away,
Then I'll take care of you.

Darlin, I'll take care of you.........

The End......

Though your end gives way,
To the mosquitos at bay,
I still wish you would stay.......
Dear Summer.

There's a cool chill in the morning air,
As I stop and stare,
Into a light that seems to have shifted,
Or maybe it just drifted........

The scent of bourbon now hangs,
Causing my head to bang,
In the early morn,
While I try to keep warm.

The last of the dark and stormys have been poured,
And it didn't cause my hear to soar.
For I will miss you dearly,
Because you only come around yearly.

Starbucks has shoved you aside,
While pushing their pumpkin products wide,
But I will always love you.......

Dear Summer

Two Years.......

Well, I just came to the realization that it's been about two years since I've started this blog. How did I get there? Well, that's because it's time for my annual trip down to Charleston, SC! This year is going to be just as great as years past with friends coming in from Nashville, Phoenix and even Switzerland to enjoy the beaches and the brews!

I got into an interesting conversation with a couple of great friends the other day and it seems that we all have our events that happen in our lives that cause us to look back. As I prepare for Charleston every year, I can't help but think back to that March day in 2003 when my great friend and I were throwing the football around and wondering where we should go for Memorial Day? Six years later.............it's become an annual tradition to start our summer season off with a week in Charleston.

And as I look back over the past couple of years of blogging, I realize that I need to get on it in terms of posting some new posts in the future!

So, until then...........

Love, peace, and soul.

Finally Whole?

My couch has arrived. It's here and it only took 77 days from when I paid for and order it?! Finally, after much anticipation, many nights of longing, and even a nice old fashioned stare down and chew out of my 'sales consultant' my couch arrived on Saturday morning!

The apartment now feels like it's getting closer to being whole. The only thing that's left is get a few more pictures hung up and then it'll be fully done.

More later.........

Love, peace, and soul.

Spring is here!

Spring has officially arrived and I spent the day doing a couple of my favorite outdoor activities to ring in the new season.........smoking shisha and smoking meat on the grill! There's nothing like enjoying the cool days of early spring sitting outside in jeans, flip-flops, and a jacket with the sun on your face and toes while smoking some flavored tobacco. Add a cool beer and some good conversation with a good friend and you have an awesome way to spend the afternoon. Top all of that with some salmon on the grill with some big red bell peppers and it just doesn't get much better than that........unless, of course, if my Nets could pull out a victory against The Lebrons!

But hey, you can't have everything you want in this world........but I already know that......

More later..........

Love can lead to great things.....

such as the Taj Mahal or a beautiful painting or a lovely poem or a heart warming song. There are so many good things that can come out of the powerful emotion that is.........love. What I still struggle with is this; if someone has love in their heart, how can they also be capable of such horrendous acts? How can they be so hurtful to someone that they love?

I loved her.........more than anyone I had ever loved........I knew it too. I loved the little things too; the flash in the eyes, the grumpy look in the early morning hour, the smell of her hair and all of the tiny quirks and imperfections that made her amazing to me. I loved all those things and more and yet, I was so hurtful to her. I made a horrendous mistake and in the process I hurt someone who I loved tremendously.

How could I have done that?

Fast Fwd?

Have you ever wanted to press fast forward on your life? I just can't wait to get to Charleston this year! I know, it's March and I'm already thinking about the end of May, but it's true.......I just can't wait to get there. I can't wait for the warmth of the sand between my toes, I can't wait for a cold beer on a hot afternoon, I can't wait for the tan, I can't wait to just get to a point where I'm laughing at everything Huskey has to say because well, sometimes he just has funny things to say.........but most importantly, I just can't wait to see my friends again and share some good times and good memories.

Charleston........man, how I love that city and the good times that I have there every year!

More later.....

Destiny or Not?

Sometimes I really do believe in some sort of predetermined destiny or fate. Still, other times I believe that life is what you make of it and is the result of the decisions you make. Is it one or the other? Or a combination of both? If it's a combination, how much of my predetermined path do I really have control over? If it's all just predetermined, then do my decisions even matter?

I've struggled with these question for a long, long time and I think most people, if they are self aware, have asked themselves these same questions. Heck, Tom Hanks won an Oscar asking himself these questions!

Still, sometimes you find yourself in a situation and think......."this is it, this is how it's supposed to be, this is how it's going to happen." But then life has a funny way of changing around on you.....and you're left with more questions.

Always more questions.......

I'm beginning to think that Don Henley was a lyrical genius......

"The more I know, the less I understand.
All the things I thought I knew, I'd have to learn again...."

Change?

Most people make grand resolutions and declarations as to things they are going to change when the new year begins. Promises to lose 20 pounds or renew old friendships or get out of credit card debt......or whatever, are made to the people around them........ And what ends up happening?

Very seldom do they follow through and usually by March most people can't even remember what they resolved to do in January. Change has to come from within for it to truly happen. You can't just talk about it and you can't just think about it......you've got to go out and do it. So that's why, this New Year, there was no great and glorious declaration, it was just simple........keep doing what I'm doing because change........has to come from within for it to truly happen.

Happy New Year!