Thursday, July 19, 2012

MIH Overload!

I recently went a little crazy with the Making It Happen theme.  It was kind of necessary after all I was going through (Kyle would call it a "Freedom Weekend" using his words).  Anyway, this past weekend I traveled to Las Vegas even though I vowed at the beginning of 2012 when I was just there that I wouldn't go back the rest of the year.  However, sometimes you just really need a vacation.  I booked my travel to Vegas on Monday and left on Thursday to go meet up with Wes and Suzye to celebrate Suzye's 21st birthday!
No, I didn't stay at the Bellagio, that picture is just to set the mood of this blog with the Vegas theme.  We actually stayed at the Flamingo, a hotel I've never stayed at before.  I think it's been remodeled recently and I was content with the place, for the price it was pretty good. :) Hanging out with Suzye and Wes was really refreshing for me and even though it was a short trip, I'm really happy I went!  Since Suzye lives in San Diego now, we really don't get to see her much. :/ Also, I didn't win any money since I know you're curious.  I lost a bunch on craps and blackjack, you know, the usual.  And no clubbing this time, but you won't hear me complaining (you know my feelings about places like Tao)!  I will say that the next time I go to Vegas, which is hopefully not anytime soon, I think I'd like to stay at the Cosmopolitan.  Man that place is trendy!

I left Vegas early on Saturday morning in order to make it back to Phoenix for a Bocce Ball tournament with Jeff.  We entered a double elimination tournament with 16 total teams and the games started early in the morning.  It was $40 a team, which included beer and food...and mandatory Fireball Whiskey shots!  I was actually really scared that we might have to forfeit our first game and it kept looking that way.  I landed in Phoenix at 9:30am but the tournament started at 10:00am in North Phoenix.  And of course things never go as fast as planned and I didn't arrive until 10:45am! :/ Luckily, we were up right as I got there and Jeff and I hurried our way to a 15-8 victory over our first opponents!
If you've never played Bocce Ball, it's pretty simple.  One team throws a small white ball anywhere on the field.  Then the object of the game is to throw your 4 heavier softball-sized balls as close to that small white ball as possible.  Teams take turn tossing based on who's closest and then points are scored for every ball you have closest to the small white ball before your opponents balls.  Yes, lots of ball in bocce ball. After our round 1 victory, Jeff and I started to choke. :( In our second round, a 12-8 lead quickly became a 12-15 loss.  Then in the loser's bracket, a 7-0 lead became a 13-15 loss. Needless to say, it was disappointing how we lost, but overall the tourney was a lot of fun and I hope to play again next year!  Thanks Jeff for inviting me as your teammate!

I spent the rest of the weekend in Scottsdale hanging out with the parents and then finally made my way back home to Tucson on Sunday night.  Then I decided I wanted to join a pool league, so I inquired about the Tuesday APA Pool League at the Fox and the Hound.  There was a team looking to pick up a player, so I was like, "sure, why the fuck not!?"  This league is a fun league with handicap and the system is set up so that it's 5-on-5, each of the 5 members of a team taking a turn against an opponent from the other team.  New members (that's me!) start with a rating of 4 for guys and 3 for girls.  The scale goes from 2 (lowest) to 7 (highest) and based on who you play, you have to win a certain amount of games to win the match.  My first night, I got matched up against a 5, so he had to win 4 games against me and I had to win 3.  He was pretty good in my opinion, but I held my own...  ...until I started to choke badly.  After splitting the first 2 games, I lost the 3rd game when I had a 5-ball lead but scratched on the 8-ball. FM! In game 4, I had a solid shot at the 8-ball but I missed and then he put it in. FML! Finally, in game 5 the 8-ball was right next to the pocket along with the cue ball, but I needed to use a bridge, which I never use, and then I ended up shanking the cue and missing the shot and giving him ball in hand. FML! So I ended up losing my first night 1-4 and was really sad. :( Everyone was nice and just chalked it up to first-night jitters, but you know me and my competitive nature.  I was pretty upset with myself inside.  But anyway, I'm excited to join a pool league and look forward to having another thing to do on Tuesday nights!

So a lot transpired in the last week, my hand forced by things I have mostly gotten over by now.  But the MIH doesn't stop there.  I'm traveling to Alberqueque in August for Brian and Kelly's wedding, Phoenix for Labor Day weekend, and then shortly after I have trips to San Diego for Kyle's bachelor party, and a secret trip somewhere that I can't tell anyone. :) Matt and I came up with a new motto for me, "Make Everything Happen!"  So if you ask me what I'm up to these days, I'll just tell you "I'm MEH!" :P

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Fancy New Grill...And Then Some!

My old Charbroil grill that I had for over 5 years was no longer good and it was time to purchase a new gas grill for my backyard.  I looked around a bunch at Lowe's and Home Depot looking for cast iron plating, which is my personal preference when it comes to grills.  They don't make too many cast iron grills anymore (or they are heavily coated) but I was able to find a Weber grill at the Home Depot that I liked a bunch. I had also read reviews about how awesome quality Weber grills are and I had my eyes set on the affordable $500 Spirit E310.

I purchased the grill on Saturday and had the option of taking the on floor model or having a new one shipped and pre-assembled for me.  I never like buying used/display models, so I requested that they have one shipped and so they called me on Tuesday letting me know my grill was assembled and ready.  My friends Wes and Dori came to help me go pick up my grill, but when I got there I noticed that the grill they had ready for pickup was not the grill I ordered.  Instead, it was the higher end $700 Genesis E310 that they gave me!  I didn't say anything about it and was wondering if it was a mistake they'd figure out, but they ran all the paperwork and give me the grill with no issues.  I know I know, I could've said something, but myself and my friends were there and it would be too inconvenient to try and set up another run later in the week, so I accepted the upgrade and walked out of Home Depot a very happy man!  I will just have to think of it as a backorder issue, where they didn't have the Spirit E310 in stock but had promised me a grill and so they gave me the Genesis E310 instead! :D

Anyway, I took that bad baby home and used it the same night, it's so awesome and I'm very impressed.  Here are some pictures.  There really isn't a big difference between the Genesis and Spirt, the Genesis is just a little bigger, has nicer metal, and the burners are in the front instead of the side.