Her

It’s 2:00 am and I can’t sleep. And it is all because of her. The her I use is figuratively. She is me and I am her, together, we are a team. I’ve spent all weekend with her, she left three hours ago.

Her…

We met through the online dating website, Match.com. I was living back in Brookings after my failed Southern adventures. I was also job searching at the time not knowing what would happen. Our first date was Dec. 10, 2012 at Buffalo Wild Wings, we were going to watch Monday Night Football. Things on the date went well, if you ask her she knew we were going to end up together.

The following week however, I accepted a job and moved to Manhattan, Kansas. We decided not to pursue things seriously in the meantime, but kept talking… And seeing other people.

Me…

We didn’t see each other again until Super Bowl Weekend, but there were thousands of text messages exchanged during that time. I went on several dates with other girls, but nothing was there. We stayed in touch and the past each other how other dates went.

She came to Manhattan to visit over Super Bowl weekend, we went on another date and had a great time and then she went to her sister’s place for the rest of the week.

Hmmm…

Over the next few months we would text, exchange messages, and calls. We would also try to see other people. The dating other people attempts did not work out in either of our favors. Over the next couple months, things would carry on status quo with no changes.

Sometime during this period of time, the text messages and phone calls became fewer, for what reason I don’t know. At some point she was ready to give up on me.

Time…

In May, my grandma passed away. I came back to Brookings for a week, at sometime, during this week I believe we met up and spent some time together.

Over the next few months we would talk and things were well between us. Nothing serious had happened until then…

The fight…

In August, I started seeing someone. She was younger and all that jazz. At some point over Labor Day weekend, I was back in South Dakota. The girl I was seeing and myself got into a fight. Which translated me getting into fights with several of my friends and her.

I told her and several other friends to do something that rhymes with “Buck off.” She was almost done with me, I didn’t know that. At some point, after the fights, I contacted her. I apologized for being an ass. I was forgiven.

The visits…

During the next couple of months, we exchanged visits to each other. We spent some time over hobo day weekend at a high school football game photographing it. And it was a blast. Over the next couple of weeks, we talked more and more.

The change…

At some point between visits in October and November, things changed. Though I didn’t notice them much, she did. And she liked the changes. We were never officially a couple, but things had moved that direction with more time spent together.

At some time over the time she was there, I told her, “I loved… That you’re my good friend.” Yep, I told her that, but she knew.

Three words…

The text messages grew fast and furious up through Thanksgiving week. I was due to come back to SD for a long weekend. We met up later in the weekend. After doing not family friendly activities, I told her the three words… I love you, and I meant it.

At some point I realized I put her through hell and treated her like shit, and she decided to chase me. At this point I knew she was it for me, or did it become we?

Us…

Sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas we decide to make things official and become a couple. And we made it Facebook official, because it isn’t real if it isn’t on Facebook!

For Christmas, I was to be back in South Dakota for 13 days. We had planned to get together. Which we did at high school basketball games. I told her I wanted her to become a part of Hartley’s Huddle Media. She’s a graphic designer who rebranded the Hartley’s Huddle Media logo.

We met parents and family at the time and all was well until I had to leave for Kansas again.

Shock…

She came down to Manhattan for New Year’s Eve to spend a couple of days with me. We watched the “Little Apple” drop in Aggieville and kissed and then walked to the car. We slept in late the next morning. Eventually we made it out and about to do some shopping.

It wasn’t the kind of shopping I expected to be doing, but we ended up in a couple of jewelers shops in the Manhattan mall. She was shocked and shaken when that happened, as was I! I took notes and pictures and all the responsible stuff a guy should do when engagement ring shopping.

The move…

I had eventually decided I wanted to be closer to home and closer to her. In January, I came back to South Dakota for a weekend for a job interview. It also turned out to be the weekend I picked out our engagement ring. I got the job and start date and relayed the good news to her.

Over the next few weeks I started packing and the weekend before I was scheduled to move she came to help. We had become us, a little over a year after our first date.

The question…

She knew i had the ring picked out as I had shown everyone except her a picture of it. She also knew that I was going to ask before her parents left for a month-long cruise because she had talked to her dad and he said we had a chat about things.

Unbeknownst to her, I alerted several people that there would be a a better half-time show during the Super Bowl at her family’s farm. Getting down on one knee and I asked my most perfect match the question. And she said “YES!”

Her…

Her name is Heather Christine Kuecker. She’s 6’4″ and has gorgeous green eyes, though they sometimes turn blue or brown. Her smile lights up a room and she is my perfect match. She’s creative, caring, loving and most of all she’s put up with me. She’s encouraged me and challenged me. She walks side-by-side with daily basis. We’ve faced some challenges, but are plowing through them day-by-day. I would give my life for her because she is the perfect one God created for me.

On August 16, her and myself become us. Though our journey has been rough so far, I can’t wait to see what happens next with us!

Changes

As I write this on a Tuesday evening, my Manhattan, KS apartment is mostly packed up. I’ve already got a car load of my things back in South Dakota thanks to my lovely girlfriend Heather. Everything I have left in Manhattan should easily fit into my Jeep as I move back to South Dakota on Thursday. That’s right, I’m moving back to SoDak, or SnoDak as it is affectionately called this winter.

Almost two weeks ago, I had an interview back in South Dakota with a company out of Aberdeen. The interview went well, an offer was extended and a notice that my time in Kansas was nearly up was sent into the company I am working for. It wasn’t an easy decision to make, as I thoroughly enjoy working for CORE Construction Group and saw myself working for them many more years. But the opportunity came up back home and I couldn’t let it past me by.

Starting Feb. 3rd, I will be working for a construction firm in Aberdeen that has a great business model and projected growth. While I am not wanting to name it, I will say the career growth and opportunities are outstanding!

Keep Heather and myself in your thoughts and prayers as I begin this transition back to South Dakota.

Top 9 Photo Memories from Kansas

As I sit and type this for posting at a later time, my time in Kansas is coming to an end (more on that in a later post). The past year (2013) brought back a passion for photography. Over the course of the year, I upgraded cameras and later Photoshop software. This post features nine of my favorite shots from around Kansas.

1.) This is my favorite shot of the year

A shot I’ve been longing for since covering football!

A lot of luck came into capturing this photo, as it was one I’ve wanted to capture for a long time while covering sports. Two bitter rivals go head-to-head in Northeast Kansas as the Silver Lake player flies in for a go-ahead score late in the second half against Rossville. Though the shot isn’t completely perfect by any means in my book, i.e. could have had better lighting and a better angle, it captured the moment. In the background you can see a girl with a Beat Rossville shirt on with an amazed look on her face.

2.) This is why you bring your camera gear with you, EVERYWHERE

Also known as red sky in morning, sailors take warning.

On this early October day, I knew there was snow in the forecast. I also knew I wanted a picture from my jobsite of the sun reflecting off the big open atrium area. I happened to take a peak out my office window about 8:00 and saw the sky on fire with pinks, purples, blues, and oranges. I knew I had to grab my camera and snap a few photos of the event. It turned out to be my second favorite photo from my time in Kansas and the most memorable moment from my time on the project here.

3.) Smaller than you think we are

Starry night on the plains of Kansas reveal the stillness of this old one room school and the galaxy beyond it.

This shot was taken near Emporia on a photography roadtrip with a friend I met down here, who also happens to storm chase. This 13-second exposure captures the galaxy beyond the old one-room schoolhouse as pioneers and children growing up in the late 1800’s may have seen it. It happens to be one of the most liked photos on the Hartley’s Huddle Media page.

4.) The race against time

As fall races towards winter, this John Deere combine joins the race in trying to finish his harvest.

I’ve seen something similar to this photo before. What makes it pop in my book is the cloudy skies, which breaks up enough light to not have to correct the white balance much. The autumn brush turning bright reds and purples clash with the golden waves of wheat as the yellows and greens of the treeline in the background complete the picture. This farmer located south of Manhattan captured my attention as I was driving on some of the back roads of the area at the time.

5.) Stay in the moment

My boss, his son and his wife share a moment before the senior’s final high school football game in late October.

The sunset helped a lot on this photo as my boss and his family take the field on their son’s final football game. The family shares a laugh during this lighter moment in the day’s ceremonies.

6.) Smalltown, USA

This small slice of Americana is capture along the train tracks that helped breathe life into the town.

I’ve seen something like this before as well, and wanted to capture it from the point of view of a mouse or a bird sitting in the train tracks snacking on a piece of grain or whatnot. The high school mascot adorns the grain elevator in Chapman and helps make this picture. As the sun sets on another day in Smalltown, USA, the town keeps going.

7.) BOOMER SOONER!

Oklahoma takes the lead in the second half against hometown K-State.

Growing up a Sooner fan, I’ve wanted to see the Oklahoma Sooners play in person. This year I had the chance to do that, twice. On this cold November day with many fans bundled up, the Sooners downed the hometown Kansas State Wildcats. With this 3-yard scamper by Brennan Clay, Oklahoma asserted their dominance in the second half to a win and leaving the photographer of this picture in a great mood.

8.) As day turns into night

The moon rise lines up on the ripples to create this awesome shot on a November evening.

A 1-second exposure at 400 ISO and F/3.5 leads to this shot from the shores of Tuttle Creek State Park. Another photography adventure with my friend from Manhattan help motivate this fun shot in mid-November.

9.) Another Day Comes to an End

This abandoned school in the Tallgrass Prairies of Kansas gives way to night as the sunsets.

The broken swing, the lone tree, the old school house make this shot. As the sun sets on another day, the photographer grabbed a new lens from his collection and captured this shot. It also turned out to be the first photo that was framed and matted for his girlfriend who loves the shot.

Catching up with… An old friend

I went back home to South Dakota for the first time since May this weekend. The time spent back home was relaxing and enjoyable as I caught up with many good friends over the course of the 4-day weekend I had created for myself. But perhaps these were some of the oldest friends that I caught up with.

My Baseball Card Collection Numbers in the 10s of thousands.

I started collecting baseball cards back in 1991 at the ripe age of 7. I can remember my first baseball card, that 1991 Upper Deck Kirby Puckett card is a replica of my first card and is in a much better shape. I remember treasuring that thing until it fell apart despite being held together by tape. Kirby Puckett was my childhood and I remember watching the Twins and the Braves with my grandpa in his chair as a kid.

My Kirby Puckett collection numbers roughly 60 cards

As I got older, I spent probably hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on my baseball card collection. Weekends were spent at Wal Mart and K-Mart with my cousin Jesse looking at the baseball card aisle. Trips to the Empire Mall in Sioux Falls involved going to the toy store, Spencer’s gifts and the little baseball card shop that was next to the Asian nail place. I spent hours in that store looking around as my mom shopped.

I went card shopping this weekend and pulled these Braves from a pack.

As I got older, good grades were rewarded with addition card packs by my mom and I started taking care of my collection, first with one binder and then another and 8 binders later. I continued collecting and then this sad day came. However, during that time the Braves were still on the Superstation a rookie named Chipper took his place as my teenage and twenties hero.

My Chipper Jones collection numbers somewhere around 75 cards.

My card collection continued to grow into my teen years, but at a much slower pace. Eventually the collection added basketball and football into the mix and then NASCAR cards. Now as I get older, less attention has been paid to the cards as they sit in my old closet in that big blue tote. Eventually, I want to share my interest in card collecting with my future kids whenever they may be born. The baseball card collection of my youth is alive and well and will live for another day.

Who doesn’t love Tim Couch?

 

Boulevard of Broken Dreams

It’s been a while since I last blogged. Kansas is a struggle for me. I’ve been working on this blog for the last few days.

Life is a struggle here in Kansas for me and I don’t quite know why. I’m struggling with my blogging, struggling with money, struggling with working out, struggling with women and struggling with sleep. I’m struggling with personal demons from my past. Most of all I’m struggling with finding my happy place in life and purpose in life.

I can live with missing my family, we talk a bit on the phone during the week. The blogging is what it is, it’ll take care of itself as things come up. The money is a pain. As much as I love my job, I barely am able to pay my bills. If you lose money working on the road in the construction industry, something is wrong. The work out thing is a pain I can’t keep myself motivated to work out on a daily basis.

I’ve found the women in Kansas suck and my dating experiences suck here. I’ve went on dates with a girl who was technically still married but said she was divorced. I’ve went on dates with women who claimed they wanted a relationship but wanted something else. In general, my dating here has sucked.

As much as I love my job, my happy spot isn’t in Kansas, or at least Manhattan. I’m sick of the college town atmosphere’s and the people who come with them.

This past weekend was spent in Kansas City watching AAU basketball, specifically some friends from South Dakota. I felt at ease and at peace watching basketball all day Friday and Saturday. It made me miss sports writing and it made me miss South Dakota. It made me smile and happy in a time I am struggling with happiness in Kansas. However, it reminded me of the fun times I’ve had. The road trips to sporting events, covering tournaments and games, the side stories and photography.

But those times are in the past as I couldn’t work for an editor who half asses his paper’s sports coverage and whose sports staff doesn’t work to tell a story. I couldn’t deal with mediocrity and laziness. That is somewhat why I formed HartleysHuddle Media two years ago.

That brings me to the second spot of my happiness. I’d love to work around South Dakota, but the construction industry in South Dakota is limited greatly by the who you know, where you know aspect. If you’re a farmer, banker or doctor of some sort there is something for you in South Dakota. But the opportunities in the construction industry and projects just aren’t there as the economy of South Dakota is somewhat retarded – used as a term to discuss the state of SD’s economy.

Maybe I’m not meant to be happy here in Kansas or life in general. Who knows the answers to that? Maybe time will work things out.

For the Love of the Game

I originally wrote this story three years ago. Dallas Lavin, 81, was still involved with the South Dakota Rushmores Men’s Senior Baseball squad as of 2011, not sure about 2012 or 2013 though.

“The strongest thing that baseball has going for it today are its yesterdays.”

When baseball writer Lawrence Ritter penned those words years ago, he never met Dallas Lavin.

The 78-year old Clear Lake native has spent most of his life involved with the South Dakota Amateur Baseball Association in one form or another. With over 70 years of South Dakota baseball experience under his belt, his eyes are the path to the yesterdays of South Dakota baseball history.

“I never got to see my father play,” said the veteran of several hundred amateur games. “But I was always told I couldn’t carry his jockstrap. So that’s how I got my welcome to Legion baseball.”

The grandson of the first mayor of Clear Lake, Lavin was the youngest in his family. Born June 1, 1932 during the Great Depression, baseball was a motivating factor throughout the Lavin family.

His playing career got started as the starting second baseman for the Clear Lake Legion teams. But his best memories involved state tournament time

“There was no A and B then,” Lavin said. “We had this terrific pitcher named Jim Anderson from Brandt and we would always win our first game at the tournament. Once in a while we would win our second game. It was just like pie ala mode if we won two games at a state tournament. We took Watertown out my last year in Legion ball at the state tournament.”

He then went into the service spending three and a half of the next four years in Casper, Wyoming upon his high school graduation. Serving the country on detached duty as a Radar Technician, Lavin wound up meeting his future wife, Joy, in Casper. While he didn’t get to play baseball during that time, he played the next best thing in fast-pitch softball.

“I always say, I was lucky in the service and I met my wife,” recalls Lavin. “At that time, low-flying aircraft could come flying in under the radar and so we went out and set up in ranches, oil fields and small towns. Then we had people watch and they would call in to our fielder center in Casper and we would track the planes across the state. It worked out good and it was a good duty.”

Upon the completion of his service to the country, Lavin and his new bride returned to Clear Lake where they started a family of five. All three of his sons were actively involved in the Clear Lake program while growing up. Two of his sons have since relocated to Arizona while Chad, the former head coach of the USD Coyotes women’s basketball team, has been actively involved with the Vermillion amateur program.

Remaining fully involved with the Amateur team, both as a player and manager, Lavin ran the Legion program at the same time. He also picked up a new position shortly after his return to Clear Lake, namely that of the catcher due to a freak injury suffered by the original catcher.

His best season was the 1958 campaign where he won the Louisville Slugger Award in the Eastern Dakota League with a .409 batting average. During years where the season ended early, Lavin often found himself drafted by area teams to help fill out a state tournament roster, including several trips with Milbank and a trip with Watertown.

But with the task of being manager, so came the headaches associated with the position.

“You’d get people mad at you,” Lavin said. “There was a couple times where the wives wouldn’t talk to my wife because I wouldn’t play their husbands. Most of the time it was a great time, we had a great bunch of guys. We went to the state tournament 15 years I would guess off and on.”

Turning his love for the game into service, Lavin spent 36 years on the state baseball commission. Despite some of the scrapes that came up from time to time, it was mostly an enjoyable experience. During that time he has seen the changes in South Dakota baseball, namely tournament site location.

“At one time, small towns were hosting the state tournament,” said Lavin who stepped away from the District 1 Commissioner’s spot in 2008. “Eventually we went to the large towns, because financially wise it was better. But a town like Parkston had the state tournament, Freeman had the state tournament, and it was neat to have small towns hosting state tournaments.”

But you’ve got to have a lot of hotel rooms for the teams that come in there and stay. That kind of took the tournament away from the smaller towns. We try and keep it closer, because most of the teams are on the east side of the river. Rapid City, being A ball, represents that side of the state very well.”

Enshrined in the South Dakota Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993, Lavin thought his career may be on the outs. But an opportunity he could not pass up came his way. The 1994 Ed Tyson Reuer Award winner for outstanding service, dedication and commitment to supporting and promoting amateur baseball in South Dakota has played for the last 10 years with the South Dakota Rushmores Men’s Senior Baseball World Series team down in Arizona.

And with games held on several of the spring training fields used by major league squads, Lavin has cherished the experience while using it as a time to visit family and reunite with old friends.

“I thought I was crazy in going down there and playing,” said Lavin. “But it was the best thing I have ever done. It is something to do and I enjoy every bit of it. I started and went with the 68 and over team and I haven’t missed a year since. It is just like Old Folks Home week, where you get to meet all the same old ball players.”

And while his game is slowly declining, he isn’t about ready to call it quits. Back to his natural position of second base, Lavin is the oldest member of the squad. And while he doesn’t play every game, he helps those around him enjoy it.

“It isn’t quite like it used to be,” Lavin said, “but it is fun to try to make it like it used to be.”

And Lord willing his love for the game will keep him going, as he just committed to the 2010 70 and over World Series team.

A little about my Grandma

My Grandma passed away Sunday at an age of 81. She went in her sleep, just the way she wanted to go and there wasn’t a lot of stress on the family. She got to see me graduate from high school and become the first to graduate from college and she was always proud of me.

Growing up my grandma and grandpa were always there for me. I remember running away from several babysitters houses as a youngster to go to my grandma’s place… Boy I got my butt whooped by my mom after she found out about me sneaking away from the babysitter’s place. Grandma was always there with homemade goodies and stuff and she would patch us up after Jesse, my cousin, and me got hurt building things in the backyard by grandpa’s shed. Christmas at their trailer was always a blast and you knew you would be leaving with a ton of good presents and good food.

After grandpa died, she moved to the east side of town. As I got older, she became my helper in my paper route during the school year. I would ride my bike across town to her place to deliver the papers in the summer. When I was done doing the paper route in her apartment, she would always have something waiting for me to snack on, or we would go to Wal Mart, boy how she loved going to Wal Mart.

Last February, she had another stroke and my family put her in the nursing home. A delivery driver found her sitting on the side of the street by the hospital here in town, sitting in a pile of snow. Hearing about all this while working on the road was tough to take. But whenever I saw her, she always had that beautiful smile on her face.

Last summer, I got closer to my grandma with my unemployment situation. Wednesdays became our day together. We’d go to McDonald’s  KFC, Taco John’s and then to Wal Mart. It was the best time I had with her. We would talk about her when she was growing up. We would talk about grandpa and her. We would just talk about whatever. And she would smile and drink her coffee. It made me smile when an old country song would come on the radio when we were driving and she would sing along to it. I remember when Willie Nelson’s Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain came on one day and we both started singing along to it.

When I moved to South Carolina, I would occasionally call her to see how she was doing. When I was back in South Dakota in November/December, I would make a point to go up and see grandma in the nursing home and wheel her over to the hospital for coffee.

The last time I saw her was when I came back for Mother’s Day. She had that beautiful smile on her face, but you could tell her latest mini-stroke took a toll on her. I am glad I saw her and got to tell her I loved her before I left her that Saturday. I also took my last picture of her and my mom.

My grandma may not have been rich, popular, famous or anything that society today says defines a person, but she was caring, loving and always there for you no matter what.

An Open Letter to Aramark

This is an Open Letter to anyone from Aramark, who may happen upon it.

Dear Aramark Corporation,

I wish I could say something good about Aramark, but in good conscience I can’t. My 61 year-old mother has worked for Aramark at South Dakota State University for the past 8 years. She loves her job and interacting with the students.

She had never complained about poor treatment by her management until this year. She doesn’t complain about how she is barely living paycheck to paycheck, because the dining services on campus is unwilling to give her a raise after 8 years of work. She doesn’t complain about not having a job in the summertime because no place in Brookings, SD is willing to hire someone with limited dexterity due to arthritis in her hands.

Over the past few weeks she has developed an issue with her knee which has limited her mobility. She went to the doctor’s today and was told she needs to take it easy and stay off her feet. She’s due for an MRI May 3rd because Aramark’s insurance policy doesn’t cover her over the summer.
Her supervisor called her this afternoon demanding to know why she couldn’t come into work today and if she would be in to work tonight, mind you she had to be helped out of the SDSU Student Union last night by students and a wheelchair.

I guess what I am getting at is I’m sick of seeing my mother who worked hard to support herself and myself for the past 28 years treated like a piece of dog feces by her employer. She’s been there for me in my toughest battles and lowest points in life and I hate to see her suffer like she has the past year that I’ve been working on the road.

Aramark please train your supervision and management staff to support those who are older and have worked hard for your company with a little more respect and compassion.

A former user of your end product,

Nick Hartley

South Dakota misery

It’s been about two months since my last blog, so let’s throw some heavy punches with my second blog of 2013.

I went back home to South Dakota last weekend to get my taxes done. Initially, I was excited to go back home. That excitement quickly faded though as I spent more time in Brookings.
Up until the last year, I have lived my whole life in Brookings. Up until last year, I haven’t seen the world or United States. Doing so has changed my thoughts and opinions on my East Central South Dakota home.
Coming back to Brookings for Hobo Day was the first time I felt the feelings I have for Brookings or don’t have. Brookings may be home but it isn’t full of any good memories. The best memories I have involving Brookings are mainly sports memories or memories of covering events in the area.
The mantra of Brookings being someplace special or some place to bring your dreams is complete crap, at least to this Jackrabbit alum. None of my memories involving Brookings are memorable or exciting. The majority of the memories from middle school and high school are painful as I went to school with a lot of stuck up pricks, speaking of which my 10 year class reunion is this year. College wasn’t much better or worse, as I used sex and booze to fill the pain and emptiness I had.
The last four years I spent in Brookings were mixed with going to school, working at the Register and finally working on the Deer Creek project. The memories involved with those journeys in my life were the best ones I take away from my time in Brookings.
It is said,
“We all want progress. But progress means getting nearer to the place where you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turning, then to go forward does not get you any nearer. If you are on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive man.”
To that end, I think time away from Brookings is what I need most in life. I love South Dakota State athletics and seeing my family, but that comes at the expense of bringing back painful memories from the past. Someday, maybe I’ll be able to live in Brookings with happy thoughts and memories. But for now, the separation from what is my hometown is necessary.

In A Funk

Well it has been about two months since my last blog post. A lot has changed since then… Some good, some bad, mostly good.

For starters, I took a job at Fort Riley, Kansas with CORE Construction Services as a Project Engineer with a focus on cost functions right before Christmas. It was the most informal interview I’ve had ever, but it was awesome! So for the third time in 2012, I relocated to a new place. I’ve got a pretty amazing 2-bedroom, 1.5-bath apartment in Manhattan, Kansas with an amazing view of the city. Though I haven’t really spent any time here because of the holidays and work.

I am working on a hospital project at Fort Riley. So I spend most of my days on the army base, which is kind of awesome if you ask me. The project, a mega million replacement hospital, started back in 2010 and is in the final year of construction.

Manhattan is a college town of about 54,000 people, including 24,378 students at Kansas State University. The town is similar to Brookings in a way, but it is not. There is an immense school pride here, something that is not as evident in Brookings. There is a district right off-campus called Aggieville, it features restaurants, bars and shops and is an active area. There appears to be much to do around here?

So that for the most part is the good.

The trip back down on New Year’s Day was interesting. Near Beatrice, Nebraska, I had an exciting near-death experience with black ice. I was coming around a curve at a reasonable speed when the left front of my blazer started to turned me. I went to the left and then the right using all parts of the road up to the rumble strips. Eventually I spun and was going backwards on US77 at a decent rate of speed. Somehow I managed to save it and keep it on the road without hitting or being hit by anything, no noticeable damage to the trusty blazer.

So that’s the bad or somewhat bad?

I find myself currently going through a funk though. I am not sure what exactly is causing it either. It seems to be a yearly thing about this time each year. But I seem to be stuck in it.

I need to get my shit straight. Get back into a gym routine. Find a good woman to spend time with, get to know her and hopefully fall in love with,LOL! Paying all these freaking bills. Discover the area. Take in some sporting events. Do something, anything to end this feeling of loneliness and being down.