the simple life

so... this weekend was great, and we didn't get piss drunk like the last time. just had the right kind of buzz. and i really enjoyed the beers i tried, especially those from Asheville Brewing Company. of course, there's something about mixing your drinks, even when i technically drank the same kind -- beer. somehow, it still gave me a slight headache, the same way drinking wine and beer, or beer and hard liquor on the same night would. mixing gives me the worse hangovers if i drink too much. i don't really get why. we imbibe the same thing, right? alcohol? anyway...

next day's fishing tour went great. i caught the biggest trout. between the guys and i (total:5), we caught 6 trouts, which we immediately grilled for lunch. felt great to just get out and enjoy the simple things in life. even the grilling was simple. we cleaned the fish, rubbed salt and pepper on it, and tossed it on top of the griller. we chased chunks of fish with warm beer, bought from last night's brewers. yes, this is the life...

we just got back into Knoxville a while ago. i am now putting together a last minute costume for our office's Halloween party. the year before, i went as a rejected transformer (over toaster LOL). that took time to prep. this year, with absolutely nothing useful in my closet, i'm thinking of just an all-black ensemble. i'd either be a shadow, or an exclamation without a point lol.

this actually reminds me of a question posted on my facebook: will a good suit get you laid. the most liked answer was: a birthday suit will. well, i might get to test that soon. bonded with my bros for two weekends now. i think i'll spend time with the good people at Funtime Getaways next.

pre-Halloween Road Trip

starting my morning with this blog. had a late night at work yesterday but it was great. i was able to accomplish a lot of pending stuff. and now, it's Friday, the weekend beckons.

and, as much as i want to Wahoo this weekend, it's not going to happen yet. i'm reserving that trip for a special girl -- when i find her -- lol. this weekend, the guys and i are going on a road trip. of course, 2 hours hardly qualifies as road trip but hey, i'll take what i can get. we're going to Asheville, NC for wine tasting. oops, make that beer "tasting."

i do not foresee this as another drunken debacle like last weekend. i know days before, i'd come off like a character from the Hangover. we are seldom like that actually. we drink our beers like gentlemen and pass out like gentlemen LOL.

but seriously, this'll be a good time with close friends. i've lined up three breweries, and we really will savor our beers. we'll drink, and talk some. there's a band playing in one of the breweries i picked so we might give them a listen.

Here's my list:
1. Green Man Brewery: one of the oldest breweries in Asheville, i'm going to try their Porter and Stout. i'm also curious about their Rainmaker Double IPA. i'll try that too if it's available

2. French Broad Brewing Co.: apart from my liking the name, there's music this Saturday night. their 13 Rebels ESB is a favorite.

3. Asheville Brewing Company: will go for stout again here, with their Scout Stout. then i'll have a Shiva, which is their flagship beer. of course, we wouldn't miss out on their King Kong Wings.

now, that's about it. end of Saturday, we'd check into a motel. and no, no getting naked. unthinkable with the bunch of guys i'm with, yuck! i haven't even gotten them into Funtime Getaways, and i've known them for years. we've arranged for some fly fishing with the Asheville Drifters the next day... then we'll be back in Knoxville for Halloween.

sweet day in Knoxville

the office had a surprise treat today, care of our boss: a box of cupcakes from Confectionista's Kitchen! yey! felt like a kid again. i've a weakness for cream cheese icing, i just have to stay away. i think i've gained some pounds already.

yeah yeah. i was all athletic in my last blog. i just couldn't help that my jeans felt tighter around my midsection today. i don't know if it's age, water-retention or that kegger last weekend. i just feel bloated. and all this whining while i munch on an angry bird cupcake. fittingly, i got one with a pig on top.

well anyway. life's for enjoying, all with limitations, of course. i like to eat. it's a good thing i've made it a habit to workout. else, i'd be huge right now.

that's one of the best things about Knoxville, actually. the food!

first of, we have our barbecues. my favorite is Calhoun's of course. but options do not end there. there's Famous Dave's, M&M, and so much more. chinese here is great too. Szechuan Garden is probably the best. and who could miss PF Chang's.

And well.. I can go on about food. I'd just get hungry.... and it all began with one cupcake. LOL

midday rush

i escaped the office for a couple of hours midday today to swim and shoot some hoops at the Davidson Community Center. i like doing that -- getting off my seat and getting physical, then coming back to work. it actually energizes me, and gets me prepped for more work. i know that sounds weird. sleep would be the more logical aftermath of something like that. of course, there's the office coffee to help me along.

i'm to work on my speed. i haven't done and triathlons but i want to. plus, it's a good activity on rest days. it pumps me up but isn't as physically stress full like my other activities. the Fleet Feet Sports Double is in December; and i've registered to join. no swim here though. just run and bike.

the pool at the center is quite ok. my trunks were killing me though. i don't know. either i've put on some pounds or i'm just itching to get them off. i'm a devout nudist after all LOL! Funtime Getaways will have an activity soon. i'm sure to join :)

monday's beer musings

monday's the busiest day at the office. there's the backlog from last week to take care of, plus new stuff that have come up over the weekend. seems like i've endless updates to this system i'm working on. i don't see the end in sight. the good thing is that it's work that i'm interested in. i'm not the best (not yet, at least, lol) but i'm working on it, and learning along the way. i suppose that's what keeps me going.... even when today started with a humongous headache. must be from the kegger this weekend. oy, i am getting old.

when i was in college (that's about 20 years ago), i used to bounce back up right after beer binges. all i need is 6 hours of sleep to shake of the drunk. now, give me that 6 hours, plus a couple for hurling and groaning, then 2 more hours for naps.

my tastes have changed too. in the past, all i knew was to drink Buds. there was a lite beer phase. that was when i was packing some extra pounds, which i wanted to get rid off while still getting my beer doses. tasted like water and i just ended up peeing a lot.

now, back in brewer's heaven, i am enjoying the variety of beers in Knoxville. i've taken a liking in Marble City's Dad's Dime Amber Ale. it tastes crisp, smooth and delicious. i also like Woodruff Brewing Company's Nut Brown Ale -- full-bodied and just the right hint of sweetness. (sorry, i'm not a pro beer critic. i just love 'em!)

of course, this weekend wasn't about satisfying the "beer connoisseur" in me. it was just about a bunch of guys, hanging out to watch some games. i think we had a Budweiser keg. i don't know. i didn't really care that much about the beer, until i've had to deal with Monday's hangover. LOL

beers and balls weekend

so... instead of the Wahoo Zip weekend or the Funtime Getaway i had been pining for, i ended up with a couple of drinking buddies, at someone's pad, on an overnight beers and balls binge.

one of our 'mates' was -- yep, you guessed it -- oz and so rabid about the 2011 Rugby World Cup . we headed for a kegger at his place and watched the World Series first. (go St. Louis!!!) the Rugby World Cup didn't come on till about 4AM!!! i think he got live feed via pay-per-view. i don't have this on cable.

it was the All Blacks versus the French (forgot what their team's called -- always called them the French.) our host was for the All Blacks. i was rooting for them too. i watched a couple of games during the semis and they were good. another buddy of ours was for the French. he said he was part French, if having a Frenchman who lived in Madagascar as a distant great grandfather really qualifies him as part-French. he only knows to say Sacre Bleu and a dirty French word, and hasn't even stepped a foot in Europe. anyway, whatever floats his boat. his team lost anyway. 8-7 for the the All Blacks.

critics say this was a so-so win for the All Blacks, that the French played a better game. i say defense is a huge part of the game and the All Blacks' defense was solid, almost impenetrable. have to admit though, the best moment during the game was when the team captain of the French touched down on the 2nd half. that was awesome.

this was a good weekend. i may not have Wahooed or let loose with my friends at Funtime Getaways; but it was good clean fun with my buddies. quite tired and still drunk right now. our binge ended at about 12nn Sunday. that's a lot of beer, and a lot to recover from for Monday's work. catch you in bit. i am looking forward to this week. work, gym (and maybe running into my crush), and next weekend's Halloween.

long day

i'm starting my day with this blog. yesterday was a long day at work. it was pay day, hooray, but still long. i didn't have time to do much with the cash i got, except to buy myself some milk on the way home.

hopefully, it'll be different today. i expect some more of the same problems like yesterday. but you know about Fridays -- it's when employees slack off. i won't be slacking off (i can't!) but hopefully the whining from our more demanding customers would.

i plan on going to Pilot Light tonight with some buddies. Stolen Sheep is playing. i've only seen them a couple of times. they're a rock and roll band that does covers and some originals. they remind me of 90s bands, like the Gin Blossoms. i haven't decided if i like them yet. tonight will be just about giving them another listen.

and yes, hopefully, i'll meet a girl and we'll Wahoo this weekend ;) actually, i already have a girl in mind. i met her at Crossfit Ktown and would run into each other every now and then. i'll drop by at the gym this saturday and let's see if i can get an impromptu date. wish me luck!

crossfit in Knoxville

had time to pass by the gym today for a WOD (workout of the day). i do crossfit at Crossfit Ktown, over at Morris Ave. for the uninitiated, crossfit is a brand of exercise system that mixes different types of exercises to improve your strength, power and stamina. here's a little more about it according to Wiki.

i'm actually fairly new to the exercise. i used to just mess around with free weights, and do some cardio training in between. my routine is pretty hard and i'm quite strong. i run at least 5k as warm up on weightlifting days; then i lift. on cardio days, i do a mix of cardio blasts and plyometrics. i signed up with a trainer just a few months ago, and he was brutal with the routine he made for me. before crossfit, i thought no exercise can jolt my body again. yey for crossfit!

i also happened by this website a while ago: Fit2Fat2Fit; and promptly bookmarked the site. can you believe this guy? i don't really like gawking at public spectacles like his. i'm not a fan of reality shows, except for the Amazing Race. i'm a fitness buff but i've only watched half an episode of the Biggest Loser. but this guy, i just have to see.

most of my curiosity is about whether he can really trim down in 6 months. gaining weight and letting go are easy. acquiring bad habits and food preferences, easy... but going back to the same health level after you've nosedived physically, ummmmm. i think there's some arrogance there on his part.

for one thing, he risked his health when he started this fit2fat routine. eating too much of the bad stuff within a six month period has got to take some toll. just look at that Spurlock guy in Supersize Me. and if i remember correctly, Spurlock only did his McD diet for a month.

and he will be risking his health when he starts his fat2fit. come on! six months? fitness experts have long criticized the Biggest Loser for its unhealthy rate of losing weight. just too much, too soon. i don't doubt that with some effort, he can trim down. but to be back at peak health? i don't think so.

of course, no one's perfect. i, for one, passed by Savelli's Italian, over at Sutherland Ave, for some marinara pasta, with meatballs on top. ooops. there goes the calories :)

tomato head

that's what you can call me tonight. hey, tomato head!

yeah, you guessed it. extended work hours (we finished at 1AM), we were all hungry so we made the last call to Tomato Head over at Market Square. Two 14-inches pizzas, both Tomato Head's number 2, the one with bacon, ham and sausage. Jason wanted extra cheese on the side, and topped his slices with shredded cheddar. his pizzas overflowed with cheese. i'm like, "dude, you're ruining the taste of the pizza!" if it was just him, he would've gotten an all cheese. dunno if they have those at TH.

i am so looking forward to the weekend. it's only Tuesdays and my eyes are already strained from staring at the computer too much. work's fine. my eyes just feel tired all of the time. and i've tried those natural stuff --- those i can stand doing, at least. i've had cucumbers and tea bags (no dirty jokes please!) on my eyes.

i'm thinking of either going to Wahoo Zip over at Sevierville, or maybe joining my group Funtime Getaways this weekend. i'm not sure if funtime has anything scheduled though. and Wahoo would be better with a date. i bought two coupons. i suppose my next few blogs would be about that -- the Tomato Head's quest for a weekend date -- if i do get the time for it.

lifestyle check

went back to work today, and it felt like i'm being eaten up again. don't get me wrong, i love my work. i like what i get to do everyday and get paid for. it's just that, as in every business, the soul of it gets drowned out by trivialities. whining customers with problems they can solve for themselves, if they would just stop and think. reporting backlogs and stuff like that. can't i just sit down and code?

of course, i do not want to start my work week this way. i had a good laid-back weekend, after all. maybe i got used to that pace, that peace. lol.

anyway, one of the first things that i dealt with today was my chatty co-worker who just wouldn't shut up about this couple she met at the bar. the two intimated with her that they were into nudism, and were looking around for venues in Knoxville. my co-worker (not to name names, and not wanting to call her names lol) almost choked on her cranberry vodka. she was appalled to have been asked by them -- as if.

i wished i was in her place instead. i would have been more helpful and non-judgmental. actually, i dabble into a little nudism too. i'm with Funtime Getaways.

i'm into it because it feels good. it's more natural -- if there is such a thing. i feel less cluttered and freer. of course, i'm sure many would sneer at this. many think there there's immediately a sexual angle in becoming a nudist. that's actually one of the major misconception to this lifestyle. here's a pretty good article about it: http://www.thisblogrules.com/2011/05/top-10-misconceptions-about-nudism.html

i sure the couple coped well with my co-worker's rebuff. they should be used to that by now. i just wished they'd asked someone more open, and didn't have to put their lifestyle choice in check.

weekend whoopee

ok, so my weekend whoopee isn't the hot kind of whoopee we all presumably want every so often. still, it was fun. i had a surprisingly laid back weekend, something i haven't had for the longest time. work at this IT company has been a buzz kill for months now. this weekend was a welcome change of pace.

it started the usual way -- coffee, gym and brunch. coffee = espresso and peanut butter cups at Coffee & Chocolate. hey, i spent two hours at the gym after anyway ;)

brunch was a short drive to Szechuan Garden along Chapman Highway. i know there are other food places at Market Square, and i know that brunch seems too early for Chinese. i guess i'm having one of those man-days or whatever you call it. (i read somewhere that men get hormonal urges too, much like women get PMS, albeit inconsistently). i just felt like some general tso's chicken and hot and sour soup. and man, Szechuan is probably the best in Knox... here's a review about them.

i spend some time here, then drive back northwards to the Bicentennial Park just to hang for a bit. i like walking around the park, staring at nothing. gazing up the sky. gazing at trees, at the river. anything. it calms me to not have to work with the computer -- and all else attached to it -- for a while. there are serene spots that i return to whenever i can.

i was hungry after a couple of hours so i move next door to Calhoun's On the River. we here at Knoxville are serious about our bbqs and i have to say Calhoun's has arguably the best ribs in the city. i would say mine's better but who am i kidding. capped the day with a slab and a couple of beers.

this totally comes off as a man-date with myself. i guess it's the loner in me wanting to get lost in this city i know so well. i had my phone turned off. nobody bugged me about some server problem or another client acting up. it was the first real weekend i've had in a long time.

actually, i want to go back about capping my day with ribs and beers. i gave in and went online once i got home. i caught this pretty good deal on Living Social -- a discounted ride at Wahoo Zip. bought for two so let's see if i can find a weekend date soon. else, i'd go twice ;)

Hello from Seymour!

Ok, so this will be my first post in here, my first personal blog. I've just gotten back from traveling around the country and some parts of Asia. I was born and lived most of my life in Seymour, TN. Now, I'm back. It's been about 4 years since. In putting together a new settled life here, I've gone through a rediscovery, of sorts. This is home, a place I know like the back of my hand. And yet, I am finding new places, new activities and new friends. I love it! I love my life here in Seymour! This blog will be about that rediscovery. I will talk about some of my favorite places here and downtown. I will probably tease you with some food porn. (We are serious about our BBQs!) I will talk of trips and people, and all that. I have a good life here and I want to share it. See you around!