VT Football

so... we won again today. we are 3-1 but we still don't look that great. Our offense and defense looked good during the first half and then the offense fell apart during the second half. Our defense won the game for us again. We need to do better. Next weekend we play Clemson but i won't be able to watch the game.

Restaurant Review: El Patron

S.O. and I went to El Patron on Saturday night. We read a short blurb about it in Baltimore Mag and thought we'd check it out. And as a side note - maybe I just don't know where to look but we have had a hard time finding a good Mexican restaurant in Baltimore.
The review in the mag and one on line that we found said that they don't take credit cards so I called to double check. Someone answered the phone but didn't understand my question so passed the phone to someone else who before I could say anything said that they were really busy and asked if I could call back in 5 minutes. I said I just wanted to know if they took credit cards - she said yes and hung up. OK First of all - if you are really busy I would rather be put on hold rather than told to call back - this is bad business strategy - most people will just call another restaurant and eat somewhere else.
Second - when we got there 20 minutes later the place was dead! We were 1 of 3 tables when we got there. Really busy? I don't think so. I am really curious what a slow day would be if 2 tables means you are busy.
To the food - as we sat we ordered two margaritas and water. The water came warm and we weren't even provided the option of ice. The margaritas arrived small and weak. We placed our order. S.O. ordered the tortilla soup to start and the ground beef enchilada. I ordered the tamale and the chipotle shrimp skewers. The tortilla soup was spicy but good. My tamale was also good - but not great. The chicken filling was tasty - spicy and flavorful - but there wasn't much of it. There was too much "packaging" and not enough filler. After our plates were cleared we were ready for another weak margarita. We put in our order and waited. (By this time the two other tables that were in the restaurant had left and another table had arrived - there are only 2 tables now.) Our entrees arrived. S.O.'s enchilada was good - good enough for him to eat without complaining - which he is prone to do if he isn't happy with the food. My chipotle shrimp was great. Perfectly seasoned and cooked on skewers on the grill. Overall I would give the food a B. Then.... The waiter/bartender/host walked by our table and said - "oh! Your drinks will be right up - I had to make another batch." Then he realized we were done eating our entrees and apologized.
We just asked for the check and left. It was unfortunate that the service really sucked (on many levels, from the initial phone call, to the drinks being weak AND not even getting our second drink) because we liked the food enough to go back but who knows now. I think it is likely that we will try someplace new before we go back there. But I am always willing to give a place a second chance so maybe we'll go back in a few months.

Blogtarded

So.... i've know about this for a while, but it just came to me in the form of a new word. I am blogtarded.
I don't know how to post video and my myspace page looks like it did the day i signed up for it and Tom is still one of my top friends... i need to learn some skills.

Another First

So... yesterday I ran for 6 miles. Another first! I am trying really hard to get myself ready for this half-marathon, but I am scared shitless. I am afraid that i am going to pass out or something and have to be taken away in an ambulance or something.... but i know if i finish it i know that i will have done something that only a very small percentage of the population has done and there is a good feeling about that. I just hope i finish. My goal is actually to finish in 3 hours. That would be an average of about 4 miles an hour. I figure I can run the first 6 miles in the first 65 minutes or so (avg 5.5 miles/hour) and then take a brake for a few minutes and then run again for 3 miles, walk a few minutes, run another 3 miles, etc until i get to the end. I figure if i can keep this pace then i might be able to finish in 2.5 hours. The race is in 3 weeks. Tomorrow I am going to try to run 6 miles again. I need to do it on the street though. We'll see how it goes. I have to do work tomorrow from 10 -12 pm. fun times...

Chili Cook-Off Results

Well.... we got 2nd place! (out of 10 contestants) That is pretty cool. A guy from FL got first and a guy from MO got 3rd. Not bad for my first time competiting in a food competition. We are going to have to enter again next year. The guy who won - his chili was a lot like mine but less watery. I knew mine was too watery but i initially didn't make enough so i had to improvise at the last minute and i added to much water to increase my volume. Lesson learned. I won't make the same mistake next year - assuming i get to make the chili again.

Here is a pic of my prize. Boss gave the real prize to his wife. I should have expected that.

Why am I up this late?

you might ask? Well, boss entered himself in a chili cook-off and no one else in the office stepped up to the plate so I am up at 1am waiting for my chili to cool a bit before I put it in the required 1 gallon glass jar.

The event is tomorrow so I'll let you know how it goes. I am competing against chili purests from Texas and the mid-west where apparently there is an on-going debate about kidney vs. pinto beans, ground beef vs. steak, veggies vs. no veggies... hmmm.... this is going to be interesting. I am going to call our submission "D's Chili" or "Maryland Chili" and be done with it. I know some of the judges won't like it b/c of the kidney beans, ground beef, hot sausage (i think that the sausage will blow their minds! whoever heard of sausage in chili?), and many many veggies... yum!

Back in Blacksburg

S.O. and I and a few friends from Baltimore went to Blacksburg this past weekend. It was AWESOME! I love the place but I didn't realize how much until I go back. It has been TOO long since i've been in the 'burg. I miss it a lot.

We went back for the class of 97, 98, 99 reunion, but really it was just an easy way to get football tix and a hotel room on campus.

We took off work on Friday and headed down early. It took 6 hours b/c we stopped twice, once for an oil change in Mt. Airy, MD and again in Harrisburg for lunch. The first thing we noticed in Harrisburg - and on the drive down - was that there are many more options for food on the drive down I-83. Now, in addition to the McD's, Wendy's, and Subways, you also have 5 Guys and Chick Fil-A. Sweet. We ate at Chick Fil-A. My "spicey" chicken wrap was OK, but not spicey at all.

We made it to the burg by 3 pm. We checked into the new Alumni hotel and then tooled around town for a few hours. We did a drive-by of the places we used to live - what shitholes - and then we went to the bookstore and spent WAAY too much money on VT stuff. Sweatshirts, T-shirts, Polos, a backpack, and 2 ponchos (it was rainy).

We went to Sharkey's (where everyone planned to meet at 8) for dinner around 6. Sharkey's is now located one spot from where it used to be - now in the old Arnold's location. Sort of weird, b/c I went into Arnolds a total of 2 times in the 4.5 years I was in Blacksburg.

Anyways, we had wings and ribs for dinner - with Miller Lite. Peeps started showing up around 8 and we were there until about 10:30 pm. D mentioned that he used to work there and so we got the employee discount so the tab was $20! Sweet! even if we didn't get the discount it would have been like $35. Way cheap.

We left Sharkey's and went to Champs - upstairs. We "tried" to play some darts and D and I won the first game but failed miserably during the 2nd game. It was at that point we decided to head back to the hotel.

Saturday AM we got up pretty early and made it to campus to our tailgate spot and had a beer in hand by 10AM. The game started at 1:30 pm so we were ready to go! The game was good. We won and that is awesome, but we didn't look great. Taylor looked good and I am excited that he did well, but i just think we still have a ways to go if we are going to win the ACC.

It was sooo exciting to be in the stadium with all of those other Hokie fans! It was a lot of fun!

After the game we headed back to the hotel to ditch the cooler and leftover beer - then we headed back to Main Street. We walked. Good idea.

We went to Sharkey's and stayed there again until about 11 pm. D and I headed back to the hotel but we had to stop at Souvlaki's on the way. THey have the best gyros ever - cheap and tasty. They have always been really good - i just never really thought about it before.

Sunday we got up around 9 and went to breakfast at Boudreaux's. They have awesome gater-bites but it was too early for gater so we had regular breakfast food. Cheap and good.

We made it back to Baltimore around 4ish - a bit later b/c the Ravens game was already on the radio before we got home... not too much later after 4 though.

It was a great weekend and all it did was make me want to go back again soon.

Some day we will end up there again - if D's job goes away or when we retire... we will end up back in the 'burg.

It took me a while to enjoy small-town livin' but once you discover all of the cool things about a place you don't want to leave. We love the City but we love the 'burg too. What we need to do is win the lottery and then we can live in both places.

One other thing I wanted to mention was that on Friday D and I went to visit the VT memorial to the 32 Hokies who were murdered on April 16, 2007. It was quite moving. Walking by all 32 of those stones with the victim's names engraved in each stone really hit me...

so, that's it for now... I miss VT and can't wait to make it back to town.

Second Quarter cont.

Less than 6 minutes left in the 2nd quarter. Our 2nd string QB - a freshman - is on the field... just got a gimme first down b/c of a personal foul by LSU....

Second Quarter

VT just got their first 1st down.....

OK - so... I think i'm going to have to stop...

i don't think i can keep this up with VT getting steamrolled like this by LSU. Anything significant - like VT taking the lead - and i will write again. If not, don't expect to hear from me on this topic for the rest of the game....

First Quarter - cont.

VT's 3rd posession - glennon runs and gets a few yards. takes a good hit. SHIT! Glennon just threw an intersecption.... on to LSU's 4th posession.

First Quarter - cont.

LSU's 3rd drive ends in a punt - LSU downs the ball at the VT ONE yard line...BUT - illegal shift - RE KICK - that's right! Royal downs the kick at the 16 yard line.

FIrst Quarter Cont.

LSU's 3rd drive.... moving the ball.... finally an inclomplete pass.... SHIT! a VT player hurt!

First Quarter cont.

VT's second drive ends in a punt. Glennon needs to get his shit together.

Dudes with tats on their shoulders

SO… I think tattoos are pretty cool. It doesn’t really matter to me where they are located – in general they are just pretty cool. It is easy for chicks to display their tattoos because of the style of clothes that girls wear – short skirts, tank tops, etc.
When guys have tattoos on their shoulders it is an awkward place b/c the only 2 ways they can display their work is to either wear a wife-beater tank or no shirt at all.
I was at this beer festival earlier today in Frederick, MD and there was a guy there who was trying WAAAY too hard to display his shoulder tattoos. He was wearing a short sleeve shirt and was rolling up the sleeves to his shoulders so that his tats would show.
A little advice for the guys: Don’t do this. You look stupid.

Crap - 5!

LSU just scored again - 2 TDs in 2 posessions with over 5 minutes left in the first quarter.

We look like we just learned how to play.
Not good. I think we might lose this one.

Crap - 4!

AAAAHHHH!!! NO FIRST DOWNS!!! we need to stop these guys! LSU on our 11 yard line.

Crap - 3!

LSU just gained 30 yards.

Crap - 2!

Glennon just got sacked!

First Quarter - cont.

Eddie Royal rocks! Great return for 37 yards!

Lots to Discuss

So - I havent written written in a while and i have a few things to write about - I am going to try to do this while watching the VT game and eat chili and drink a bacardi at the sasme time.

First Quarter

Opening drive + 10 plays = touchdown. LSU just totally rolled over our defense. Not looking good. Let's see what our offense can do....

CRAP

LSU just scored

Are you ready for some football??

VT is playing LSU and the game just started a few minutes ago. We are looking OK - an early personal foul on our side was really stupid. LSU is on their first drive and they have gotten a few first downs and are in Hokie Terrority. They are really running over our defense....