Billy's Blog

Hello 2012!!

2012-01-16T10:06:00.001-08:00

Well, a new year has begun. Not sure if that's good or bad, but I guess I'll take what it gives me.
2011 was, without a doubt, the most financially challenging year of my life. As mentioned in a previous blog, I have a new vehicle, a 2011 Kia Sorento. It's been a great vehicle, but I've pretty much stayed broke ever since. And, I feel so bad for my poor Discover card. It's taken such a beating! But, what choice did I have? It was the only way I could buy anything, because my paychecks had to be used for car payments, loan payments, and other bills. Now, that the new year is here, and tax time is here (getting back about $1,500! yay me!), I'll be able to have some money in the bank finally! Plus, I'll probably have to work some Friday nights, so that will be a little extra money, too.
2011 brought me 8 more Mustang Sally shows, bringing my count up to 34!! (the fact that I'm keeping count probably means I have no life! LOL) Hopefully, I'll be able to hit some shows this year, too. Love those ladies (and Jake's OK, too)!
Til the next blog, PEACE OUT!!!!

blog update

2011-08-14T20:02:00.000-07:00

No, I don't need to vent this time. I'm just gonna update what's been going on.
I have a new vehicle! A 2011 Kia Sorrento! I've had it almost 4 months, so far so good. It's a little bigger than the Toyota RAV-4 I had, which was a great vehicle for 5 1/2 years. I love the Sirius Satellite radio that's in it. I hope to keep this vehicle for a long time. It's financed for 6 years, so I know I'll have it that long!
It's been 4 months since I've been to a Mustang Sally show. They play up in the Midwest pretty much all summer, so with a new SUV, I stay pretty much broke now! But, if nothing happens, I'll see them August 26 in Fernandina Beach, FL. Always look forward to seeing their show! THEY ROCK!
Mom's doing good after having her knee replaced back in mid-June. My brother moved out of the party house, so it's officially a party house again. Glad I remembered how to play pool!
Anyway, till the next time I update this blog, SEE YA!!!!!!!!!

time to vent

2011-03-28T09:50:00.001-07:00

Well, I haven't updated this blog since last July. Hasn't been much reason to, very little going on except work and going to Mustang Sally concerts. So, this might be a good time to get some things out of my system.
I SO wish I could afford to move away and start over somewhere else. I really need to get the hell out of South Georgia! Other than my family, there's really nothing keeping me here. My best friend got married and now works in Lake City, FL. Some of my so-called "friends" around here are nothing but liars and hypocrites! I never get invited to anything, it seems like I'm only their friend as long as they can get something out of me. A friend made the point over the weekend that if I move away, I'll be in a city where I don't know anyone and no one knows me. Which is a fair point, but it can't be much worse than it is here. I've made some wonderful friends thru going to Mustang Sally concerts. I think all of them care more about me than friends I've had for years. It's always great to go to a concert, knowing I'll have a chance to hang out with some of them. They don't mind my company and they seem to appreciate my friendship, which more than I can say for a lot of the people here. It seems the older I get, the more I realize who my real friends are and who could care less about me. When God forbid something happens to my Mom, I'm gonna seriously consider moving somewhere else, maybe transfer to a Lowes DC in North Carolina, or they're supposed to be building a new DC somewhere in Atlanta. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it.
Anyway, I feel better now! I'll try to do better about updating this blog!

it's summer time!!

2010-07-05T13:24:00.000-07:00

Well, here it is July and it's hot as hell! Which means sweating thru 2 shirts a night at work, and probably losing some weight along the way. Oh well, comes with the territory, I guess.
Seattle was a great trip! Enjoyed spending a week with Matt and Lori and the kids. We went to the top of the Space Needle, went to the Hard Rock Cafe for Lori's birthday, took a trip to McChord AFB in Ft. Lewis (God bless our trips!), and Matt and I went to a Mariners game. They lost to the Blue Jays, but we had a good time, and Safeco Field is a nice stadium! I would definitely go back to Seattle.
Next on the agenda, a trip up to Norcross to see Mustang Sally, then Mom and I are going to Biloxi the end of August to do some gambling and see 2 Mustang Sally shows. Should be a fun weekend!
Otherwise, everything's about the same. Mom and my 2 brothers are fine, the pets are doing good, and it's good to have a few extra dollars with my loan and SUV paid off!
CATCH YA LATER!!

time to update this thing

2010-05-03T11:27:00.000-07:00

I just realized that I haven't written a new blog since the end of the year, so here's an update on what's been going on. In short: not a whole lot!
My loan and my SUV are both paid off!! That's a good feeling. Paid off my SUV 8 months early, and paid off the load 14 months early! Good to have a little more money coming in.
Work is going good, except that we've been working mandatory OT for about the last 6 weeks. The extra money is good, but it makes for a short weekend, and I'm more tired than usual. Maybe by the time I come back from vacation, they'll be done with it.
Speaking of vacation, my Mom and I are going to Seattle on May 14! My nephew is in the Army, and he and his family just relocated from Germany to nearby Ft. Lewis, WA, so we're gonna go spend a week with them. When I get back, I'm gonna start planning a weekend trip to Biloxi, MS the last weekend of August to do a little gambling, plus Mustang Sally will be in concert Friday and Saturday night! Should be quite a weekend!
Speaking of Mustang Sally, I've seen them 3 times this year, and I'll be seeing them again this Saturday night in Adel, GA. Always look forward to seeing them, they put on a great show.
All the pets are doing good, my brother got divorced and is living down at the party house, and the other brother is doing OK, too. PEACE OUT!!

2009: Year in Review

2009-12-11T13:54:00.000-08:00

Ah yes, we've just about come to the end of another year. And, as it turns out, this one was quite eventful. We begin with Mom starting the year recovering from hip replacement surgery. She's doing great now and is looking for a part-time job to get her out of the house. I have no problem admitting I'm a Mama's boy! She's the greatest person I know!!
Then, we move on to March 6, a dark day indeed. That was the day I got permanently laid off from Exopack after 17 years. I felt for my friend Athena, she was the one that had to break the news to me, and I could tell it bothered the hell out of her. But, I don't blame her at all, she was just doing her job. After that came 4 months of unemployment, and it was a LONG 4 months. It was fun for about a month, but after that it got old in a hurry. I know Mom appreciated it for a while, because I was there for her while she was still recovering. After a while, I think she was ready to get me out of the house. In those 4 months, I went on a week-long Caribbean cruise, went to several Mustang Sally concerts (those gals are awesome!), and took a trip to Bass Pro Shops in Macon after winning a $500 gift card.
From there, we go to July 6, definitely a bright day in the year. That was the day I started my new job at Lowes Distribution Center in Valdosta. I've now been there 5 months and I love it there! I have a great coach and I get along great with everyone in my department, and I like the job that I do. I hope it's the last job I ever have.
Altogether, I saw 8 Mustang Sally shows in '09 (with the possibility of a 9th on New Year's Eve if I don't have to work) and look forward to more in the future. And, congrats to the girls on their record deal, an appearance in Country Weekly, and their video on GAC and CMT. They deserve all their success.
What will 2010 bring? Who knows?! But, I'm looking forward to finding out.

September 22 update

2009-09-23T11:37:00.001-07:00

Well, let's see: my 20 year reunion was a blast! It was great seeing everyone again, lot of pics taken, and a little booze drank that weekend. LOL The job is still going good, I'm approaching 3 months, and I think they're happy with me so far. I've caught on to my job pretty quickly, and I'm even getting about a $200 bonus on my check this week, based on my production. So, I hope to be there for the long haul. Been to a couple more Mustang Sally concerts. Damn, those girls can rock!!
Mom is still doing very well, and all the pets are doing good, although Oscar tends to get out of control occasionally. And, I still don't have a girlfriend. Oh well! Til next time, PEACE OUT!!

off the unemployment line!

2009-07-22T10:52:00.001-07:00

Well, I'm back and I come bearing good news! I have a job! I started at Lowes Distribution Center in Valdosta, GA on July 6th. I'm in my 3rd week and so far so good! Everybody's been really helpful and have made me feel like part of the team. I drive what they call a 'walkie', which is basically a pallet jack like you'd see at Wal-Mart, only it's battery-powered and has a platform for me to stand on, and I deliver products to different trailers to be delivered to many different Lowes stores. The hours aren't the greatest in the world (6PM-4:30AM), but it's Mon.-Thurs, and I'm off Fri., Sat., and Sun, so that's good. And, it's hot as hell, but I'm used to that from my last job. I think I'm gonna like it there, and I hope it's the last job I ever have. I don't wanna go thru the unemployment bull$h*t again! Those 4 months felt like 4 years! And, the perks aren't bad either: 10% discount at Lowes stores, and apparently they give away free NASCAR tickets! My friends and family were really supportive while I was unemployed, I'm sure they were tired of me whining about not having a job! But, I couldn't have gotten thru it without them!
Last but not least: to those of you who are still unemployed, you're in my thoughts and prayers because I know what you're going through!!

May 11th update

2009-05-11T17:38:00.000-07:00

Well, it's time to update this blog again. So, let's see what's happened.
I was permanently laid off my job after 17 years on March 6th. It's kinda sucked sitting on my ass drawing unemployment for the last 2 months. I have an interview tomorrow, so we'll see happens with that.
Mom is doing great after back and hip surgeries in '08. She's started walking around the yard again. She's exhausted but most importantly, she's in no pain. My oldest brother has been having some health issues, but he seems to be on the road back, so that's good.
We went on a cruise March 27-April 4. Had a great time, the best part was when my brother and I rode ATVs all through St. Maarten. I'll take that over a couped-up bus tour anytime! I've also been to a couple of Mustang Sally concerts (go see them if they come to your area, they're an awesome group) and also took a trip to Bass Pro Shops up in Macon, GA after I won a $500 gift card.
Meanwhile, our new puppy, Oscar, is not a puppy anymore. He's about a 30-35 pound dog! He's hyper as hell, but we love him anyway! LOL He's a great pet. And, we still have our cats, Fox, Dolly, and Reba.
Last but not least, my 20-year reunion is June 12-13. That should be fun. Looking forward to seeing some old friends.

February 15th update

2009-02-15T17:51:00.000-08:00

Well, I haven't updated my blog lately, so here goes:

Mom had her hip replacement surgery back on Dec. 22. She is doing wonderful! She's now at the point of walking all the over the house without a cane or walker or anything! Amazing what a new hip will do for you. She's looking at going back to work after we get back from the cruise in April. Both of her part time jobs have told her that she still has a job when she's ready to come back.
For me, work is SLOW! Like everyone else, our company is suffering because of the economy. I've been off work drawing unemployment 4 of the last 5 weeks. The time off is nice, but it's also boring as hell sometimes. You can only play so much online poker. Hopefully, business will pick up sooner than later.
We have a new puppy! Oscar, half chocolate lab, half English bulldog. He's quite a character so far! But, he's gonna be a good dog.
And, my 20-year reunion is in June. Damn, I've been out of high school 20 years. Where has the time gone?! It will be good to see some old classmates. I plan to take a few pictures.
Well, till next time! SEE YA!!!!

The latest from my world.

2008-09-14T05:20:00.000-07:00

Since I last blogged, Mom had her back surgery on July 28th. It's been 7 weeks, and Mom has been walking with a cane and trying to rely less on her walker. And, she's doing some driving, too. She says her back doesn't hurt, but now her hip is giving her trouble. She'll probably need hip replacement surgery at some point.
Sadly, our dog Sable passed away on August 27th. She had a heart murmur for a while, and I guess her heart just finally gave out. Unfortunately, I'm the one who found her in her pen when I got home from work. We buried her that weekend, and we have a nice monument with her name on it.
And, to update our cat, Reba, she is back at the house. So, that's a good thing.
I'll be back with another update soon.

Reba update!

2008-07-19T17:19:00.000-07:00

In the last blog, I mentioned how I thought we'd lost our outside cat, Reba, because we hadn't seen in almost two weeks. Well, my brother saw her tonight! Something must have scared her away from our house, right how she's under the party house. So, for the time being, we'll be feeding her down there till she gets used to us again. Because, Lord knows we won't hurt her. Other than the fact that she looks like she's lost some weight, she looks normal. So, needless to say, Mom breathed a big sigh of relief!

Latest update!!

2008-07-13T13:59:00.000-07:00

Well, here's the latest from my world:
I got busted down to the bottom of the ladder at work. I was told that if I didn't want to move back up to a permanent Machine Operator job, then they saw no reason to keep me in the Asst. Operator job. So, I'm back to just stacking bags. And, ya know what? I'm happy with it. I actually don't mind going to work these days, there's little or no pressure on me anymore. I think I'll stay right where I'm at as long as I'm working there.
On to my Mom: she needs back surgery, but it's been pushed back twice. The last time was because she found out she's diabetic. Talk about a shock, she had no idea! When I took her to the hospital, her blood sugar count was 340! Since getting out of the hospital, she's now able to keep it in the 100-140 range, where it should be. So, hopefully, if nothing happens, Mom should have her surgery on either July 21st or (more likely) 28th.
I mentioned in a previous blog that it looks like we're going to Disney World in December. Well, it's paid for and we're going! That's another reason why Mom wants to get this back surgery over with: so she can be fully recovered in time to have fun down there.
And, we're going on another cruise in March, which Mom says will probably be her last. So, we'll definitely make the best of that trip!
Looks like we've lost another cat, too. We haven't seen our outside cat, Reba, in almost a week. We're afraid that she went into the woods on our property and something got her. That's unfortunate, she was a good cat. She was even starting to like me! LOL
Anyway, I'll try to keep this blog updated a little better. (How many times have I said that, right?)

Pay attention, ladies!

2008-07-13T13:56:00.001-07:00

I read on a woman's MySpace page that all she wants is for "one guy to prove that they're not all the same!" (To her credit, it doesn't get any better than a 40-year old woman with the body of a 22-year old.)It's your typical woman comment: a woman gets treated badly by one guy, and now all guys are scum of the earth. WRONG! She then finds a great guy and says he's "one of the few good ones left." WRONG AGAIN!! The truth is: there's a lot of great guys out there who aren't given a fair shot by women.
Hey ladies, here's a strange and bizarre concept: lower your standards a little bit. Not every guy is gonna be filthy rich, have Brad Pitt-type looks, or have 6-pack abs. A lot of guys are basically nice guys with good hearts who know how to treat a lady if given a chance. But, they get thrown by the wayside in favor of the guy who talks a good game and throws a little so-called "charm" in her direction. Then, when she gets her heart broken, she can't understand how she could have been so wrong about him.
For me personally, I gave up on a girlfriend/future wife a long time ago. If it happens, great. If not, oh well, it's the women's loss.So, ladies, give some of us "regular" guys a chance. You might actually find what you've been looking for in a man, and it was probably right in front of you the entire time.

first update of '08

2008-03-23T15:17:00.000-07:00

I haven't updated my blog since November, so I guess my first journal of 2008 comes in late-March. Oh well, not a whole lot to blog about anyway. My Mom, two brothers, and a sister-in-law are going on a cruise starting next Sunday (3/30). I'm not going, but I took the week off anyway, and I'll have the house to myself. I'm planning on going up to Atlanta the first weekend of April to see some old friends. Besides, somebody's gotta keep an eye on the pets. If I don't, I could be the one sleeping outside! LOL
Since the last blog, we had to put our oldest cat, Pookey, to sleep. If she had to made it to Christmas Day, she would have been 15. Turned out she had pancreatic cancer, so of course, we did the right thing putting her down. My cat, Fox, is now 11, but he's as active as he ever was!
Looks like we're going to Disney World in December. That should be a fun trip!
Maybe I'll update this blog a little more often. I'm gonna try to anyway!

The holidays are here!

2007-11-24T06:27:00.000-08:00

Well, Thanksgiving's over and I ate too much again! LOL I was on vacation all week, and I am NOT ready to go back to work because I have been really lazy the entire time. Now, it's on to my birthday (12/23, I'll be 37) and Christmas. The good news is: my Christmas shopping is finished with the exception of Mom. We're gonna have a birthday/Christmas get-together at my oldest brother's house, then a New Year's Eve party down at the party house. And, I'm going to the Falcons-Seahawks game on Dec. 30th. So, this is always a busy time of year! But, as usual, we'll get through it!

A little catching up to do.

2007-11-05T08:01:00.000-08:00

I haven't updated my blog since the end of July. Damn, I'm a little behind! OK, let's see what's happened since I last blogged: Mom and I went on a cruise back in September. It got off to a terrible start when the bastards at the Valdosta, GA airport lost our luggage. 3 of our 4 bags never got on the plane. It's bad when you go on vacation on a cruise and you still have to go to Wal-Mart! But, that's what we had to do on our first stop in New London, CT! Our bags finally arrived on Wednesday. Basically, I had to survive 5 days on about 3 outfits! Needless to say, the people at Delta got an earful from Mom when we got home. She kept all the receipts and sent copies to the people at Delta looking for reimbursement for their screw-up. As for the cruise itself, we had a blast! We had a couple of stops in Canada, a couple of stops in Maine, and our last stop was Boston. I liked Boston, I would definitely go back there. We took a 1 1/2 trolley tour, including passing by Fenway Park. Then, we had lunch at Cheers (not the original on TV, though we went by there), and stopped by the Hard Rock Cafe. I have a lot of pics on my MySpace page; if you're on my Friends' list, stop by and check them out.
Other than that, not much going on. I'm off the week of Thanksgiving and going to a Falcons game in Atlanta in December.
I'll try to do a little better job of keeping this thing updated!

Our first party.

2007-07-29T05:59:00.000-07:00

Last night was the first get-together in the new party house. It was definitely a success!! About 20-25 people showed up, mostly family, and we played pool, threw darts, and played a little poker, and just hung out! And, we got nothing but compliments on how the place looked. It was the culmination of about a year's worth of hard work! Looking forward to a lot of fun in that place in the future!

First pics of party house.

2007-07-04T15:07:00.000-07:00

Well, after so many updates about our new party house, I come bearing pics. There's still things to add to it, like the poker table that's over at a friend's house, but we're looking forward to our first blowout later this month.

It's been a lot of hard work, but it's gonna be worth it just to have somewhere to hang out and have a good time.

The floor is finished!

2007-07-01T17:14:00.000-07:00

We laid down all the linoleum on the floor in the party house. Now, we can start moving in the pool table, poker table, et al. But, we've decided we're probably gonna wait till the end of the month to have a party, after Mom comes back from Philadelphia. When it's finished and decorated, I'll take some pics and post them on here.

pictures of me

2007-06-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

A lady on a message board wanted to know why I have no pictures of myself on my blogspot. Well, be careful what you wish for.

Latest party house update.

2007-06-24T11:27:00.000-07:00

The walls are finished!! WOO HOO! All that's left is a little trim work and laying down the linoleum on the floor, and then we can start moving in stuff like the pool table, poker table, etc. It's been a lot of hard work, but we can see light at the end of the tunnel. It's gonna be a great place to hang out in when it's done. A 4th of July party is definitely a possibility. When it's finished, I'll come back, hopefully with some pictures.

A year ago today.

2007-05-28T08:38:00.000-07:00

One year ago today, I lost the most important man in my life: my Dad. It's hard to believe it's already been a year, it almost seems like yesterday that he went on to be with the Lord. I think about him every day. He was an ornery ol' goat sometimes, but that's because he was always hurting in his later years. But, he was always a loving Dad, and did everything he possibly could for us. Mom and I went out to the cemetery to see him today; took him some new flowers and a new American flag. I haven't been too worried about myself this weekend, I've been more worried about Mom, but she seems to be holding up just fine. She thought about getting out of town this weekend, but she decided running away wasn't the answer.
So, we made it a year. It still ain't easy, but we're getting by.

The party house has a ceiling!

2007-04-22T07:58:00.000-07:00

Got the ceiling finished on the party house yesterday. Everything's taking shape. Next up will be the walls. I won't be available next weekend, I'll be watching the NFL Draft all weekend! Barring a disaster, a July 4th party is really looking like a distinct possibility! WOO HOO!

Party house update!

2007-03-31T18:41:00.000-07:00

No, we haven't forgotten about the party house. With everybody having crazy schedules, not to mention crazy weather, we fell way behind on the construction. But, over the last couple of weeks, we've made a lot of progress. We finished the outside wall, and put up a back door. On the inside, we have 3/4" plywood laid down on the floor, and we've bought linoleum. Next up, we're gonna work on the ceiling, then the inside wall. We're looking at the possibility of a big summer blowout! I'll post updates from time to time.

Another cruise!

2007-02-19T17:45:00.000-08:00

Mom has decided that she's ready for another cruise, this time a Canada/New England cruise in September. Should be interesting. This will be the first time we've taken a 9-day cruise; apparently, the 7-day cruises to that area were sold out. I've never been to Canada or Boston, MA or up there in that vicinity. (I've been to NYC, but that was way back in '86.) So, I have another vacation to look forward to. I'll post updates as we get closer.

Goals for 2007

2007-01-24T18:47:00.000-08:00

So, what would I like to get accomplished in '07?! Well, let's see: continue to dig my way out of credit card debt! As I have found out the hard way, credit cards are easy to use, hard as hell to pay off! Thanks to some help from Mom and a loan from the bank, I've knocked a pretty good dent in it. All my cards, except for 1 gas card, have been run through the shredder, and I'm now working on paying them off slowly but surely. Another goal: find a girlfriend. Of course, this is a goal every year, and I'm usually not successful. I'm at the point where I'm not too concerned about it. If I find a girlfriend, great! If not, oh well. Another possibility: travel a little more. Mom and I are tossing around the idea of going out to San Diego and Los Angeles later this year for some sightseeing. That one might actually work out.
Who knows what 2007 holds for me?! But, I'm sure it will be interesting.

Almost NASCAR time again!

2007-01-21T13:28:00.000-08:00

Well, it's almost time for the NASCAR season to begin again. They don't get an offseason anymore, do they? By the time the banquet is over, it's about a month before they're down in Daytona testing; and the guys back at the shop get pretty much no time off, because they're getting the cars ready for next season.
A lot of interesting things are going on this year: Toyota is joining the Nextel Cup series this year with 7 teams; the Car of Tomorrow seems to have more questions than answers from the drivers and everyone else; and, of course, new faces in new rides. As a Jeff Gordon fan, naturally, I'm rooting for him to win his 5th Championship! He has a new teammate at HMS: Casey Mears replacing Brian Vickers in the 25 car, with new sponsorship from the National Guard. His other teammate, Jimmie Johnson, will be trying to defend the Nextel Cup Championship, I wouldn't bet against it, either. And, Kyle Busch will probably be a threat for the Championship, too. Looks like the potential for another great season for Rick Hendrick and Company. The Daytona 500 is 4 weeks away as I type this, and I can't wait!

Mom's in Philadelphia!

2007-01-12T17:21:00.000-08:00

Mom is originally from Philly, so she went back up there yesterday to see some of her family; she'll be home Tuesday. It's the first time she's been back in YEARS!! Only 2 people knew she was coming: her niece and a longtime friend. In fact, her sister (my aunt) called tonight and I had to lie to her and say that Mom was out on the town. Mom's gonna call her later tonight. Should be fun! LOL It's probably doing Mom good to get out of town. She retired back on Jan. 1st, and has started working with one of the surgeons at the hospital, working 1, maybe 2, days a week at $17/hour!! Maybe, retired life ain't so bad! Hope she has a good time up in Philly!

End of year updates

2006-12-25T12:05:00.000-08:00

First of all, we're getting through our first Christmas without Dad about as well as can be expected. More than anything, we're just trying not to think about it. But, I think we'll be fine.
Next, the party house: it doesn't look like it's gonna happen by New Year's Eve. The weather's been too crazy around here lately. Now we're shooting for Jan. 27, Mom's birthday. We'll see.
Now, the woman I may be re-connecting with: I sent her a Christmas card; she sent me one back and told me to keep in touch. Still haven't seen her or actually talked to her, but I think that's coming. Not getting my hopes up too high, but I'm optimistic.
Well, as we enter the New Year, that's where things stand.

2006

2006-12-06T16:24:00.000-08:00

Well, another year has come and gone in a hurry. Not a whole lot to speak of.
Unfortunately, 2006 will be remembered as the year my Dad passed away. It's been 6 months, and it's still a little strange not having him around the house. But, he's in a lot better place than we are, and he's not suffering anymore.
2006 was the also the year that we went back to Las Vegas. I had a blast! Mom had fun too, but I think she was ready to get it over with, because it was the first trip without Dad. And, it was great to see Joann from Cleveland again! Hopefully, we'll go back out there in 3 or 4 years.
Other than that........well, I'm another year older (36), and made it another year on the job (15).
No telling what 2007 will bring!

Party house update!

2006-11-21T16:51:00.000-08:00

My brother had to work on a greenhouse for my Mom. She still has a few plants from Dad's funeral, and wanted a greenhouse for them since it's getting chilly. Now that it's finished, we can go back to work on the party house. My brother's neighbor helped him knock out one of the walls, so that we can extend it out about 6 feet to have room for a pool table and a poker table. Looks like a New Year's Eve party is still a possibility.

Possible Reconnection??

2006-11-17T15:10:00.000-08:00

I got a card in the mail from a woman who I haven't heard from in about 7 years. She's the biggest crush that I've ever had on a woman, and we ended up becoming best friends. Then, she moved about 20 minutes up the road to be closer to her job, and for whatever reason, never got in touch with me after she got moved in. I was upset, confused, disappointed, and Lord knows what else at the time. After about 7 months, I got a hold of her address from a friend of hers. I wrote her a letter and probably said some things I shouldn't have said. She wrote me back and said some things I wished she hadn't said, including saying that I was no better than her very abusive ex-boyfriend. Talk about hitting below the belt! We talked once on 12-31-99, and that was it. I thought for sure that I'd heard the last of her forever.
About a month ago, I decided to send to her a letter at her work place to tell her about Dad passing away, because Dad really liked her a lot back when we were best friends. Well, this past Wednesday, I got a sympathy card from her, and she preceded to tell me that she had lost her Dad in April. What a sad coincidence! So, last night, I wrote her back a letter, and told her I would love to see her soon. It would either be a new beginning or good closure. I'm hoping for the first option.

Favorite Halloween Memory!

2006-10-24T18:24:00.000-07:00

With Halloween coming up, I thought this would be a cute memory to share. One year, I was nominated by Mom and Dad to pass out the Halloween candy to the little kids. I thought to myself, "if I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna have fun with it!" So, I went in the closet and found an old monk outfit (complete with hood) and a hockey mask, which of course, looked like what Jason wore in the movies. Then, I squirted fake blood all over the mask and laid down on the front steps. When the kids approached, I would slowly rise up and give a devilish laugh! Needless to say, it scared the hell out of the kids, who would run crying back to their parents. I had several Moms tell me, "you should be ashamed of yourself for scaring little kids like that!" Uh, I don't think so! Mom thought it was mean, Dad thought it was hillarious!

Las Vegas review!

2006-09-30T09:35:00.000-07:00

Well, we made it home Thursday evening about 6 PM. We had a great time. Here's a brief review of what we did:
*Saturday evening: arrived about 5 PM Vegas time. Rented a car and dropped Mom at the hotel (stayed at the Bellagio), and I drove out to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Didn't go to the Truck race, just bought a couple of souveneirs.
*Sunday: ate breakfast at the hotel (it was awful!), toured some hotel/casinos, bought a few souveneirs, then ate dinner and saw Penn and Teller at the Rio. They were hillarious! And, we got their autographs after the show!
*Monday: this was the day we went in as many hotel/casinos as we could, including New York New York, Luxor, Excalibur, Mandalay Bay, and Tropicana. Dropped Mom off at the Tropicana for a show that night, and I went next door to Hooters to watch the football game.
*Tuesday: went to Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. They have wax figures of A LOT of famous people. I took Mom's picture with Princess Diana. That was the wax figure she most wanted to see. I got my pic taken with Jeff Gordon (among others). Went to Toby Keith's I Love This Bar and Grill for lunch. Went to the Aladdin that night and saw V! The Ultimate Variety Show. Pretty good show.
*Wednesday: had breakfast with Joann (the woman from Cleveland I mentioned in the previous blog) and her boyfriend. It was great seeing her again! Went to the Liberace museum (Mom's idea, not mine) and the Elvis museum. Went back to the hotel and started packing. After dinner at Caesar's Palace (the steak at Nero's was great!), I walked to the Mirage and got in a Texas Hold'em tournament. I finished 4th out of 10, which isn't bad except that they only paid the top 2.
So, we had a great trip. But, it's also good to be home!

It's finally here!

2006-09-22T18:47:00.000-07:00

Mom and I will be leaving for Las Vegas tomorrow morning. I think we'll have a good time. It's the first vacation we've taken since Dad passed away, so there's some mixed emotions, but I'm sure Dad would want us to have a good time.
I'm taking about $880 with me. If I blow that in 5 days, I need my ass kicked! I'll probably just play the slot machines and some blackjack and buy a few souveneirs. And, I'll buy lunch a couple of days, too. We've got several shows planned, we're gonna tour as many hotel/casinos as we can, and we'll go to some museums, like an Elvis museum for example. So, we've got a full plate.
Not only that, but I got an e-mail from a woman from Cleveland, OH that I met on an '04 cruise, and she's gonna be in Vegas next week, too! So, we're gonna try to hook up either Tuesday or Wednesday. It will be great to see her again!
I doubt I'll sleep much tonight. Oh well. I'll give an update next week when we get home.

Mass Destruction!

2006-09-12T14:31:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, my two brothers, a couple of neighbors and I went to the trailer/future party house and started tearing everything apart: the floor, the walls, the counters and God knows what else! That place was a mess! Now, the rebuilding is about to begin. New floor, new walls, it's gonna be quite a job! But, I think a New Year's Eve party is still realistic. So, we'll see.

Party house update!

2006-09-02T16:16:00.000-07:00

So far, so good. We have electricity and two new air conditioners in the trailer, one in the living room and one in the guest bedroom. And, we've started pulling up the carpet in the living room. My brother told my Mom that she can start moving stuff into the other bedroom AKA the storage room.
Our goal is still a New Year's Eve party. I'll keep everyone posted.

Life Goes On!

2006-08-27T17:50:00.000-07:00

It's been 3 months since Dad passed away, and it's been quite an adjustment. Mom spent a couple of days last week trying to clean out his closet. Jeez, I didn't know Dad had that many clothes or that much stuff. I guess ya never know. Since then, we've all had to take on a little more responsibility, such as cleaning up, cutting grass, etc. One thing Mom's been able to do is make some new meals for dinner. Dad was your old-fashioned meat and potatoes guy who wanted the same meals all the time. Lately, Mom's been experimenting with some new recipes, and they've been pretty damn good. Shrimp, chicken-and-rice, and tomorrow, we're having Shepherd's pie. Should be interesting.
My brother got the trailer/future party house wired up over the weekend. Once the EMC comes out and approves it, the rebuilding will begin. Still shooting for a New Year's Eve party. We'll see.
Also, I've been able to go back to day shift at work. I had to stay on evening shift to help look after Dad. As for now, I don't think he would mind. Getting up at 6 in the morning isn't much fun, but at least I'm at home at night, which is my preference.
So, it's all been one big adjustment. But, as the title states: life goes on.

Our new party house!

2006-08-14T15:08:00.000-07:00

We bought my best friend's old single-wide trailer to turn into a party house of sorts. Today, they moved it in and set it up. It needs a lot of work done on the inside, especially on the floor and walls, but considering my brother's expertise with his hands (carpentry, electrical, welding, etc.), I have no doubt we'll get it done. We plan to put in a pool table, a poker table, and a dart board. Plus, Mom plans to use one of the bedrooms for storage, and the other bedroom if we have company come over. We're shooting for a New Year's Eve party. That's our goal right now. I may post updates later, and we'll see if our goal comes to fruition.

Losing weight!

2006-08-07T09:31:00.000-07:00

Back at the first of this year, I got on the scale and it read 296 pounds! I thought to myself, "No way! I can't go on like this!" I've never been over 300, and I certainly didn't want to do it now. So, I asked my Mom to recommend some pills to help me lose weight. She gave me a bottle of Leptopril, and it worked. I lost 20 pounds in a hurry. When they ran out, I bought Relacore, because it was $20 cheaper. They didn't work at all! I didn't gain any weight back, but I didn't lose any more either. So, over the weekend, I bought another bottle of Leptopril and started back eating less and trying to lose weight again. People are always telling me, "but you're so tall (6'4"), it doesn't look that bad on you." Maybe so, but I don't like the gut. Mom's such a good cook. LOL Right now, I'm about 280 with hopefully, some more weight coming off. I'd like to get down to the 260-270 range and try to stay there. If I can get back on day shift at work, I plan to start walking with Mom because she's trying to lose weight, too. I need to drink not as many Cokes and start exercising, I know that would help. So, we'll see how it works out.

Happy Birthday Jeff Gordon!!

2006-08-04T08:34:00.000-07:00

Today (Aug. 4th) is Jeff's 35th birthday. Jeez, he was just 21 and making his Cup debut in Atlanta. Time flies, doesn't it?! Jeff's been my favorite driver since I started watching in '94. I started watching him because he and I are the same age, and he's been my favorite ever since. I got his autograph on pit road in Atlanta in '02. Everybody was sticking stuff in front of him for him to sign, so I said, "the hell with it, I'll do it too!" I put a picture in front of him, he grabbed and signed it and handed it back to me. I don't think he even looked at me, but I got my fave driver's autograph and that's all that matters. A few minutes later, I got his then-crew chief, Robbie Loomis' autograph on the same pic. We talked for about 5 minutes, and he told me they had a good car (which they did, till Jeff lost a cylinder). I've seen Jeff win in person once (3/99 in Atlanta), but I was also there in '01 when he finished 6th and clinched his 4th Cup championship, and I remember running to his trailer and buying a Championship shirt and hat. Ah, the memories!
So, happy birthday, Jeff! A 5th win at the Brickyard would be awesome present!

An idea from my sister-in-law.

2006-07-28T08:55:00.000-07:00

First of all, let me specify that I have one that is my sister-in-law, and the other one is "my brother's wife". (Doesn't take much to figure that out.) Anyway, my sister-in-law, Jennifer, came up with an idea for what would have been Dad's 84th birthday on Oct. 30th: to go out to his gravesite and have a little party or get-together and basically hang out with him that evening. I would've never thought about that, but it doesn't sound like a bad idea. We'll have to see how that works out.

100 Things About Me

2006-07-10T19:40:00.000-07:00

This should be interesting, but here goes:
1. I was born in Camp Lejune, NC on 12/23/70
2. I've lived in Norman Park, GA for all but about 2 years of my life.
3. I've lived at my current NP residence since 1992
4. I have 2 brothers by Mom & Dad, and a half brother (same Dad).
5. I graduated from high school in 1989.
6. I've been at my current job almost 15 years.
7. I'm not married and have no kids!
8. I love my cat, Fox!
9. I've known my best friend, Alvin, since kindergarten.
10. My closest "cyber-friends" are Sharon, Tina, and Staci!
11. I love NASCAR!
12. I've been a Jeff Gordon fan since 1994.
13. I've seen Jeff win in person once (3/99 Atlanta)
14. I've been to 11 Cup races, 6 Busch races, and 3 Truck races.
15. I also love NFL and NBA!
16. My favorite NFL team is the Atlanta Falcons.
17. My favorite NBA team is the San Antonio Spurs.
18. I listen to mostly country and classic rock music.
19. My favorite singers include George Strait, Brooks & Dunn, Jimi Hendrix, and Def Leppard.
20. I've been on 3 cruises!
21. I've been to Las Vegas twice (will be 3 times this September)!
22. I've also been to NYC and Atlantic City.
23. I play a lot of poker, both online and with friends.
24. I play Texas Hold 'em, Omaha, and 7 card stud.
25. I won $234 playing poker this past Saturday night (7/8)!
26. I finished 2nd out of 23 players.
27. I drive a 2005 Toyota RAV-4 SUV.
28. My first vehicle was an '86 Ford Futura.
29. My Mom is the greatest person I know!
30. I miss my Dad terribly, but I know he's in a better place.
31. I used to care what people thought about me, but not anymore!
32. I speak my mind a lot more than I used to!
33. It takes a lot to piss me off!
34. I wouldn't recommend doing it, though!
35. I have a pair of Reeboks and a pair of Nikes.
36. I have 2 pair of ostrich-tail boots.
37. I can take cold weather a lot better than hot weather.
38. I hate liars!
39. I also hate people who don't acknowledge me when I let them cross the street in front of me.
40. I have a lot of NASCAR die-casts, especially Jeff Gordon, of course.
41. I have 6 Jeff jackets, including a leather jacket.
42. My favorite channels are ESPN, Speed Channel, and CMT.
43. My favorite actor is Jack Nicholson.
44. My favorite actress is Nicole Kidman.
45. My favorite non-racing athletes are Tim Duncan, David Robinson, and Michael Vick.
46. My favorite movies are: Casino, Heartbreak Ridge, and Beverly Hills Cop.
47. My favorite food is pizza.
48. I love ice cream.
49. I drink Pepsi and Coke, but I need to cut back on them.
50. My favorite alcholic drink is Smirnoff Ice.
51. I also like Jim Beam and 7-Up.
52. I used to country line dance, got pretty good at it.
53. I once set up a former best friend with a married woman.
54. I've gotten 2 speeding tickets.
55. My favorite comedians are Larry the Cable Guy, Ron White, and Jeff Foxworthy.
56. I don't care who you are, that's funny right there!
57. My current celebrity crush is Joanna Krupa.
58. My DVD collection is rapidly building up.
59. I love all the Grand Theft Auto video games on PS2.
60. I also play the NASCAR game on PS2.
61. IMO, the sexiest female athletes are Amanda Beard, Jennie Finch, and Maria Sharapova.
62. In the shower, I use Dial for Men body wash and Pantene shampoo.
63. I use Preferred Stock cologne.
64. I shave with the Gillette Fusion Power razor.
65. I use Gillette under arm deodorant gel.
66. I wear a size 15 shoe.
67. I'm 6'4" and weigh about 280.
68. I don't tan, I burn!
69. I have a Fu Manchu mustache.
70. I keep my hair relatively short.
71. I always wear a ball cap or visor.
72. My favorite college team is Florida State.
73. I love doing Sudoku puzzles.
74. The NFL Draft is one of my favorite weekends.
75. I have a laptop and a portable DVD player.
76. My CD collection is also rapidly building up!
77. I'm not much of a singer.
78. I'm not bad at a karaoke bar, though.
79. My favorite radio show is Rick and Bubba.
80. I change my own oil in my SUV.
81. I watch Days of our Lives!
82. I have DirecTV.
83. My favorite announcers are Mike Tirico and Dr. Jerry Punch.
84. My favorite sideline reporter is Bonnie Bernstein.
85. I wear my Dad's Marine Corps watch.
86. I still wear my class ring.
87. I wear a gold chain with a 24 pendant.
88. I shop at Wal-Mart and Sam's.
89. I have a checking account and a savings' account.
90. I always seem to date older women.
91. My brother's stepdaughter is the closest thing I'll ever have to a sister.
92. My current favorite song is "Promiscuous" by Nelly Furtado.
93. My all-time favorite album is "Hysteria" by Def Leppard
94. My favorite autographs are Jeff Gordon and Michael Vick.
95. I'm a pretty good photographer.
96. I tried songwriting once, but it didn't work out.
97. I've always wanted to be a bartender.
98. I have a lot of numbers programmed into my cell phone.
99. I have no special ring tone, just a regular ring.
100. I can't believe I came up with 100 things! WOO HOO!!

My First Visit

2006-07-06T16:03:00.000-07:00

Today was my first trip to Dad's grave. How appropriate, I suppose, that it was raining. Of course, I had to ask Dad if he planned it that way. LOL But, the funeral home/monument people did an outstanding job. They did an excellent job on everything from start to finish. Most importantly, Mom was pleased.
Seeing Dad's grave sort of makes reality set in that he really is gone. But, he wouldn't want us to quit or give up. So, we'll keep going forward so that he'll be proud of us.

Las Vegas

2006-07-02T13:30:00.000-07:00

It's still about 3 months away (last week of September), but I'm ready to go again. We last went to Vegas in '03 and had a blast! Looking forward to gambling and a little shopping and Mom wants to hit a show or two. And, I want to go out to Las Vegas Motor Speedway again. I've been to Vegas twice and both times, I hit my big payday at The Mirage, so we definitely have to go back there. Looks like we're gonna stay at the Bellagio this time, which is a nice one. Jeez, it's not September 24th yet?

Our First Father's Day

2006-06-19T07:54:00.000-07:00

As previously mentioned, this was our 1st Father's Day without Dad. Obviously, we thought about him constantly, but for the most part, it pretty much came and went. Mom took us 3 sons out to dinner Saturday night, and that was pretty good. We didn't do much of anything Sunday, just went shopping for a generator for the house in the event of a power outage, and had lunch.
People seem to be amazed that we appear to be doing so well since Dad left us. We definitely miss him all the time, but we know he's in a better place, he's not suffering anymore, and we know he's watching over us and wouldn't want us to stop living our lives.
So, we'll do the best we can, Dad.

Father's Day

2006-06-11T19:27:00.000-07:00

This will be my first Father's Day without my Dad, who passed away on May 28th. I'm not sure how it's gonna be, probably pretty damn sad. Mom's gonna take the four sons out to dinner next Saturday night, the day before Father's Day.
I still stay close to Dad because I started wearing his Marine Corps watch. Yes, he's in my heart forever, but when I look down at my wrist, it's like he's telling me what time it is. So, he'll always be around. But, it's still strange sitting around the house by myself before I go to work in the afternoon.
I want to thank my friends, Tina and Staci, for starting threads on the Falcons' and Racing Stalkers message boards, respectively, to break the news to fellow posters, because I didn't feel like it at the time. Everyone's been great. I wish I could hug every one of them.
Dad, I know you're up there watching. Hope I'm making you proud!

Barry Bonds

2006-05-22T22:21:00.000-07:00

Every sports fan has an opinion on Barry Bonds now that he has hit #714 and tied Babe Ruth for 2nd on the all-time HR list. It's either love him or hate him, pretty much no in between. I read opinions today like "disgrace to baseball" and "a damn criminal and should be in prison"

Don't forget, people: for all the steroid allegations Bonds has encountered, he has tested negative for every drug test administered by MLB. I don't know anything about the "clears" and "creams" that he allegedly took, but otherwise, nothing has been proven, so no asterisk should be put on his records. At least not yet!

Remember, judge not lest ye be judged! He may be already tried and convicted in the court of public opinion, but in the real world, Bonds is still innocent till proven guilty.

And, he's still the most feared hitter in baseball. Why else is he receiving over 200 walks a year?!

Music

2006-05-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

It seems when I talk to people that they always say that they listen to one particular music and one only! Not me. One day I could be listening to George Strait, the next day Def Leppard, the day after that might be Eminem. Like Tim McGraw sang in "Things Change", "it's just good music if you feel it in your soul." Besides, sometimes I get tired of country because they play the same songs over and over, so I go to the classic rock station or the Top 40 station, and there's always something good on there, too. So, I never get pigeon-holed into one genre of music. I can listen to most anything.

As long as it isn't opera or classical, that is.

My best night club moment.

2006-05-10T07:38:00.000-07:00

This one goes back about 10 years, but it's still kinda funny to this day, because it brought out my little tiny dark side. I had fallen out with the guy who was my best friend about 6 months earlier. On this particular night, I was sitting in the club drinking a beer and watching the Braves game on the big screen waiting on the crowd to come in, when here comes Keith and a couple of his buddies. They sit at a corner table and he tries to come talk to me, and I pretty much blow him off. So he goes and sits with his buddies and I keep watching the game. Well, about 9:30 after the band starts playing, a rather attractive redhead asks me to dance. About halfway thru the dance, she says, "Guess what, my husband's watching us!" I said, "excuse me?" She says, "don't worry, he and I have an understanding." I said, "no, I'm sorry, I don't play that." When the song ends, she says, "fine, I'll find someone else to hang out with!" (even though her husband is there, too. Go figure.) At that point, the light goes off in my head, and I told her I knew somebody who would be interested. So, I go to the corner and tell Keith that I have someone that wants to meet him. Of course, he gets excited and says, "where is she, introduce me!" So, I introduce them, and come to find out later, she didn't introduce the guy as her husband, but as her friend. So, they danced and kissed the rest of the night, and I just laughed.
About 3 or 4 months later, he came by the house and asked me, "Do you remember that girl you introduced me to at the club?" I said yeah. He said, "did you know she was married?" I said, "Yeah!" He got a little ticked and said, "Well, g-- damn, why didn't you tell me that?!"
My logical, intelligent answer: "You didn't ask!" LOL
He left and I haven't seen him since.

GO SPURS!

2006-05-07T14:12:00.000-07:00

What a big win today for the Spurs in Game 1 vs. the Mavericks! A 36-hour turn around after finishing off the Kings in Sacramento late Friday night to beat the Mavs, who were well rested after sweeping the Grizzlies. Tim Duncan scored 31 points and pulled down 13 rebounds, still playing on a bad foot that he's been dealing with all season. In my opinion, he continues to show why he's one of the best big men of all time. He's still very much capable of taking over a game when necessary. And, give Bruce Bowen a lot of credit, too. He gets the assignment of trying to contain Dirk Nowitzki, and usually has to do it by himself. One of these years, Bowen is going to get the Defensive Player of the Year award that he truly deserves. So far so good for the Spurs, as they go for back-to-back Championships and their 4th in 9 years!

Cyber-friends

2006-05-04T10:01:00.000-07:00

All you hear about on the Web these days is internet predators. And, understandably so, because I read about guys that prey on teenage girls all the time. That's a pretty disturbing trend, and hopefully something is done about it.
But, I'm here to tell you that you can meet some good people on the internet, too. I've made several good friends on here. 3 in particular stand out, 2 that I've met and spent time with and 1 I haven't.
First, there's Sharon, a fellow Falcons and NASCAR fan. I met her back in July '02 in Daytona. She's a Falcons season ticket holder and I've sat with her at the Georgia Dome for 1 game a year. Talk about a die-hard Falcons fan. And, she's one of the most caring and giving people I've ever met. Among the things she's done for me: gotten me autographs of Michael Vick and Dominique Wilkins and pre-game field passes before the game in '04. I'm proud to call her one of my dearest friends. And, except for my Mom, nobody gives a better hug!!
Then, there's Tina, another loyal Falcons fan. I met her in '03 up at the Dome and we've been good friends ever since. She's always asking about my Dad, because of his declining health. What I love about her: she's 5'11" and has the body of a goddess! She's engaged, so we'll never go on a date, but I value her friendship.
Last, but not least, there's Staci, a fellow NASCAR and Jeff Gordon fan. We've never met, and I'm not sure if we'll get the chance, but I always enjoy swapping PM's with her, especially after Jeff wins a race. And, she actually puts up with my harmless flirting, despite being happily married for 12 or 13 years. From what I know about her, she's a great gal, and I hope we can stay in touch.
So, here's 3 shining examples that you can meet good people on the 'net. And I'm proud to know all of them.

I'm a sports junkie!

2006-05-03T22:15:00.000-07:00

Billy's Blog
I think anyone that knows me would tell you that I'm a sports fanatic. I go to the Sports section of the paper before anything else. I can't imagine my TV without all the ESPN channels. (And, I think ESPNews' Cindy Brunson is a hottie!)
ESPN has the game show, Stump the Schwab, and they used to have 2-Minute Drill. I think I would do pretty good on those shows. I've always wanted my own sports talk show on the radio. My friends think I would make a good play-by-play announcer. The NFL Draft is one of my favorite weekends of the year.
I love the NFL, NASCAR, and the NBA. My favorite teams are the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Braves, and the San Antonio Spurs, and my favorite NASCAR driver is Jeff Gordon.
Maybe this is part of the reason that I don't have a girlfriend. I guess I can't find a woman who is as big of a sports junkie as I am.

My first blog

2006-05-02T22:16:00.000-07:00

Well, this is my first blog, a chance for me to vent, voice my opinion, or just talk about whatever comes to mind. I don't claim to be much of a writer, but I can speak my mind with the best of them. Sometimes, I have things that I just need to get out of my system. This will be the perfect platform for it. Till next time!