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Tag Archives: Paul Jones III

Silent Sunday or: Anniversacation Day Four

05 Sunday Sep 2021

Posted by TGBII in Life as We Know It

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Tags

Broad Branch Distillery, Fiddlin' Fish Brewery, Friends, Mojito Latin Soul Food, Paul Jones III, Penny Path Cafe and Crapes, Susan Jones, The BCPF, Wise Man Brewing, WSNC

Salutations™!!

Well, I’m just gonna let these pictures tell the story of yesterday.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“With a prominent position on historic Trade Street, we’re surrounded by a phenomenal community of innovative small businesses–restaurants, bars, music venues, and the downtown Arts District. It’s safe to say that this our kind of neighborhood.” – Broad Branch Distillery

My Holiday or: A Happy Podfather

30 Wednesday Sep 2020

Posted by TGBII in Life as We Know It, Podcasting, The Less Desirables Network

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Apartment 5B, asylum: Tales from the Devereaux Diaries Podcast, Beeswax Vinyl & More, Bethany Miller, Brian Attridge, Bruce Cole, Caitlin Weaver, Camel City Dispatch, Chad Nance, Clay Howard, Danielle Bull, Eugene B Sims, Fan Interference, Gary Kirk, International Podcast Day, Jeff Evans, Jon Lowder, Jordan Keiper, Kelly Bone, KISS, Lea Metz, Marvin Phillips, Paul Jones III, Podcast, Podcasting, Podcasts, Ray Morgan, Rory, Sipping NC: The Art of Drinking, The Beer Dads, The Less Desirables, The Less Desirables Network, The Man Who Ate the Town, The Podfather, Tim Johnson, Ty Collins, Wheeler's Dog Podcast, Wheelers Dog

Salutations™!!

Today I get to celebrate a holiday that many celebrate now but when I started there were a lot fewer. Today is International Podcast Day.

I have mentioned before that I have been podcasting longer than probably 98% people in the area and probably that much or more continuously. I started podcasting in 2007 when I was co-owner of a local comic book store. We only did about 5 or 6 that was even worth mentioning and it most of that was rehashing recorded conference calls with Marvel Comics execs. But, it was a start and wasn’t what I wanted to do. I wanted to do a radio show. I wanted to talk about pop culture. I still want to do radio. And, in a way, I do.

I started The Less Desirables with my pal Brian Attridge on February 3, 2010. You know that story. Eugene came along, Brian left, Caitlin came, Eugene left, Bruce came, Bruce left, Danielle came, Caitlin left, Bethany came. I’ve talked that ad nauseum by now. I wanted to do more than The Less Desirables, though. I wanted a whole network of podcasts, whether I was involved or not, perhaps just as an associate producer. Also, I wanted to get my “studio” out of my house and into a real business location.

So, in late 2012, Eugene and I moved all my stuff from my bedroom loft to a spot in the Chatham Building off of Fourth Street in WSNC. Soon after, in early 2013, I started producing both the Camel City News Hour hosted by Chad Nance and Fan Interference hosted by Ty Collins. CCNH lasted a few years and Fan Interference is still going today. Later in 2013, Nikki Miller-Ka, The BCPF and I started Tart & Tangy Triad, a food news podcast. That went until early 2016.

In February 2015, five years after starting The Less Desirables, Jon Lowder, Paul Jones, and I started The Beer Dads Podcast, after we were sitting at Small Batch Beer trying to decide what we were going to do a podcast about and I came in complaining about 3B, my son. We recorded it and Jon and Paul have become partners of mine. We have crossed the 200 episode mark.

In July of 2016, I recorded my first episode of The Man Who Ate the Town Podcast because I wanted another food podcast and had to rebut nasty comments about a critique of a local restaurant that I was actually a fan of. That is still going and I have had four co-hosts. Kelly Bone was my first, followed by Tim Johnson, then Ray Morgan. Ray is still with me and we have added Lea Metz to our lineup. I love them both being there. We will record episode 170 next week.

In late 2016, I started Sipping NC: The Art of Drinking Podcast with Jordan Keiper and we had a lot of drinking to do, for sure. We recorded into 2017 had to pause due to an illness in Jordan’s family. We are still on that hiatus, although Jordan and I have discussed, along with Danielle from TLD restarting it back up, but C-19 and other issues have kept us from doing that.

In 2018, along with “Jeff Evans” and Rory, we started Apartment 5B: Irrational Conversations with the Cool Breezes of Anytown, USA. We did that up to the pandemic, which JE’s wife was getting ready to have a baby, so we put everything on hold and we haven’t started back up.

In July 2019, Clay Howard and I started Beeswax Vinyl & More, a podcast that explored music in a different way. Clay’s schedule didn’t allow for him to do that long. I’m exploring other options for that. I haven’t given up on it. Stay tuned.

In February of 2020, Eugene B Sims started his long-awaited podcast, Wheeler’s Dog. He does two a week, one for the general public and one for his Patreon subs. I am an “associate producer” for that show. It’s all Eug, really. But, it is on my network.

And, finally, in July of this year, my “Kousins” Gary and Marvin and I started Asylum: The Tales from the Devereaux Diaries Podcast. We talk music but almost exclusively about our favorite band, KISS.

Also, I have produced a lot of podcasts for companies and clients. Forsyth Magazines, Blue Door Group, Phoenix Rising, Ring the Bell Realty, Center for Private Business, Dr. Shawn Ricks, and more are on the way in the next few months.

So, podcasting is now in my blood. I have done it so long and for so many that I’ve been christened, “The Podfather” and I love that title. I run with it and will continue to do so. So, to all my podcasting co-horts, whether they’re mine or not, to those in the community that do podcasts that I’m not part of but may have been inspired by (so I’ve been told) and to the people who listen to them, HAPPY INTERNATIONAL PODCAST DAY!!!!!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I think podcasting is here to stay.” – Adam Scott

Another Happy or: The Bestie

09 Thursday Jan 2020

Posted by TGBII in Life as We Know It

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

AJ McLean, Alex Staropoli, Backstreet Boys, Bill Cowsill, Birthday, Carl Bell, Dave Matthews, David Johansen, Drew Brown, Eric Erlandson, Haddaway, Hayes Carll, Jimmy Page, Joan Baez, John Paine, Kenny Spearman, Music, New York Dolls, One Republic, Paul Jones III, Roy Head, Scott Walker, Sean Paul

Salutations™!!

I have a few people that I call my bestie. Today, though is my pal Paul, aka Beer Dad Paul’s birthday! And since I did the one yesterday that matched up musical birthdays, let’s try it again.

26169308_10203684863399106_9106572259158147230_n

Paul and some goof ball…

John Knowles Paine (was the first American-born composer to achieve fame for large-scale orchestral music). Kenny “Klook” Spearman (jazz drummer and bandleader as well as a major innovator of the bebop style of drumming). Joan Baez. Roy Head (“Treat Her Right”). Scott Walker (teen bop-turned-avant-garde singer). Jimmy Page. Bill Cowsill. David Johansen (singer of New York Dolls and sometimes known as Buster Poindexter (“Hot Hot Hot”)). Eric Erlandson (founder of the band Hole with Courtney Love). Haddaway (“What is Love” from A Night at the Roxbury). Dave Matthews. Carl Bell (founder of Fuel). Alex Staropoli (co-founder of metal band Rhapsody of Fire). Sean Paul (rapper). Hayes Carll (singer-songwriter). AJ McLean of the Backstreet Boys (Paul’s favorite, just kidding). Drew Brown (One Republic).

That’s a lot of folks!

Happy birthday Paul. Love ya buddy!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!!

—
“Me mind on fire — Me soul on fire — Feeling hot hot hot” – “Hot Hot Hot” (Cassell)

The Aftermath or: Perfect 2020

01 Wednesday Jan 2020

Posted by TGBII in Life as We Know It

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Tags

3B, Friends, Jim Young, Jon Lowder, Life, Life as It is, New Year, New Years Eve, Paul Jones III, The BCPF, The Beer Dads, The Less Desirables, The Less Desirables Network

Salutations™!!

20200101_000305-01

No caption needed

The BCPF and I hosted our first New Year’s Eve event at our house last night. It was just a small gathering. The BCPF made a French onion pot roast and brie and fig jam pastries and I made my “breakfast deviled eggs.” It was potluck from there, so Beer Dad Jon and his Pilot brought salad stuff and pie and wine. Beer Dad Paul and his Pilot brought wine, potatoes au gratin, and a corn & green bean casserole. Our Jim Young brought a “hot corn” dish made with jalapenos and spices. It had a kick but was delish. 3B and Nephew CRAJ hung out with us long enough to eat. I even put 3B to work in the kitchen for a few minutes.

I played DJ with an “all request line.” Each guest had their own time to make a request and I told them all, “if I don’t have it, I have something comparable.” The only thing I didn’t have was BD Paul’s initial request for Louis Prima. He was satisfied with a little Dean Martin, though. We talked about music, life, fun, beer, food, it was just good.

Then we pulled out the playing cards. We play a little game we call “shitboots.” Yeah, I don’t usually use curse words on this blog but this is the name of it, so there. It’s a game that my brother-in-law had a hand in making up in his college days. I won’t get into the game right now, but it is a load of fun and Celeste, BD Jon’s Pilot, won both games!

We had the ABC feed on the tele when the ball dropped. But, we all agreed, instead of listening to the trainwreck that is always an NYE program (I am looking at you CNN), we continued with music and the sound “off” on the TV. We had a bubbly that was recommended by our pal Frank at Publix and he was spot on. It wasn’t too sweet and it hit the spot. Good stuff.

Hugs, kisses, smiles, promises of a great year. It was a great way to start.

So, my wish to all my readers and all my listeners of the podcasts that I host/produce, the happiest of new years and let’s have a productive, safe and prosperous year in life, work and everything else. Also, in the words of Bill & Ted, “be excellent to each other!”

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Come, gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkindness.” – William Shakespeare

Unchain the Chain or: Dat’s Good

04 Tuesday Jun 2019

Posted by TGBII in Food, Life as We Know It, The Less Desirables Network

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Carrabba's Italian Grill, Carrabba's Italian Grille, Daniel Butner, Old Salem, Paul Jones III, Ray Morgan, The BCPF, The Beer Dads, The Man Who Ate the Town

Salutations™!!

Tonight, The BCPF, Beer Dad Paul, his wife Susan, Ray from TMWATT and his wife Whitney all went to hang out at Carrabba’s Italian Grill with my pal, the Proprietario Daniel Butner. You’ll read more about this later this week on the food blog.

27355589_1640953015968476_6146679912816657273_o

Daniel Butner

I want to say that yes, I have a problem with restaurant chains. I have for the last 10-15 years. There are many reasons why. Inferior food. Usually crappy service. The money is generally part of some corporate entity that ships a great chunk of the revenue the restaurant makes to someplace in the midwest, removing most of it from the local economy. And, probably the biggest problem is that the restaurant is only about money and not about the community.

I can tell you that while Carrabba’s is a chain, Daniel is all about the community. I know what you’re saying, sure, Sure he is. Well, let’s go with this, then. His last name Butner and his 3-4x grandfather was one of the Butners that moved from Pennsylvania to Bethabra and then on to form Salem. He was the founder of the bakery in Salem and his great-great-great something uncles were Butner’s Hat Shoppe owners. So, fast forward these many years and he is owning a franchise in the town that his family helped to found. And, he does a lot of charity work for non-profits and other community needs. He’s a remarkable man. And, he has a beard that even I am envious of.

I’ve not really touched on the food because I’m saving that for the food blog, as I said. I just wanted to talk about how this “chain” changed my mind on what a chain is, or in Daniel’s words, “what a responsible chain looks like.” I will be back at Carrabba’s soon. I recommend you try it, too. Let me tell you one thing, the filet is to die for!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Carrabba’s Italian Grill was founded in Houston, TX by Johnny Carrabba and Damian Mandola in December of 1986, who set out to create a restaurant experience where people felt like guests in their home.” – Carrabba’s

A Happily Recurring Theme or: Seventh Second

18 Thursday Apr 2019

Posted by TGBII in Life as We Know It

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Tags

3B, Costa Rica, Dr. Bret Borchelt, Europe, Family, Health, Heart Surgery, Honeymoon, Jon Lowder, Life, Paul Jones III, The BCPF, The Beer Dads, Zipper Club

Salutations™!!

Note: I liked what I wrote about this day last year so I just copied it and reposted. It’s hard to write this story without repeating myself so, why fight it? I want to bring attention to the fact that I’m still here to annoy you, Dear Reader. I am happy to be able to say that (that I’m still here).

It was  six seven years ago today that I received my “zipper.” Being at the hospital before the sun came up, getting shaved from neck to (literally) toe, seeing my family, having my (then) fiance – The BCPF – standing holding my hand and trying to keep a happy face, having my parents pray over me as I get wheeled through some ominous doors, being moved onto a mostly comfortable operating table and telling stupid jokes to the operating staff before I just blacked out counting back from 100. That’s how I remember it.

I groggily stirred with a breathing tube snaked through my gullet whilst hearing a nurse, whose name I believe was Sandy, talk to me and me nodding that I understood whatever it was she was saying to me. The BCPF came in to see me, touching me, stroking my hair (I still had a little bit). I’m not sure of the timeline, I was still very doped up on morphine at the time. Maybe some time passed, maybe it didn’t, but Ma Mère came into the recovery room and in a moment we will all talk about until we’re no longer here, she patted me on the left shoulder and said, “see, you really do have a heart.” At this point, I pointed to “Sandy” and made a motion to bring me a writing utensil and something to write upon. In my continued, and glorious haze, I scribbled to my mother the following:

Leave the comedy to me!

I remember everyone laughing. My job was done, I went through another phase of “blacked out.” They had collapsed my lungs in order to get to my arteries and heart and whatever else they were doing with me and, as a lifelong asthmatic, my lungs and I have a long history of arguing. They weren’t wanting to cooperate and inflate so I could breathe on my own. So, recovery took a little longer than it should have. Then they wheeled me up to my own private room. I had to get up and sit in a chair. I asked for my phone and that’s when this selfie was taken:

Tim After Surgery

My son came in to see me, as did my family. I had put them all through a lot. They were tired, nervous, but happy that I was sitting there making stupid faces at them, I was alive. I had survived. Hand me my heart-shaped pillow and let me cough. There was no laying down for a while, that’s for sure. When I sat back, I could feel my chest shifting. After all, they did saw me in half. I didn’t lay down for about four weeks, actually. But, over time my strength came back and I was able to maneuver around like a real person.

On the way to that, though, I had people watching over me like a hawk. The BCPF made sure that someone was “on duty” with me the whole time, from my sister to my mother, her to her mother. Someone was always here. It got to where I had to fake needing to go to the bathroom just to go sit on the toilet lid and be by myself for a few minutes. I had some great friends bring me and my chaperones food. I can’t tell Chris and Ashley, Doug and Molly and Jerry and Jennifer how much I appreciate them doing that.

After this, though, The BCPF and I decided that we’re going to live. LIVE! And, that’s what we’ve done. We’ve been to Europe twice, the second a wedding/honeymoon expedition. So glad I got to see Notre Dame before this week happened. We accompanied friends to Costa Rica. We went to Walt Disney World with my family. We have time with each other. We enjoy just about everything we do. We collect records, we eat really delicious food, we hang out with really terrific friends, we just love our lives.

I have to really thank The BCPF for everything, because if it
weren’t for her, making sure I take my meds regularly, eating right, doing what little exercise I’ll do, going to my doc appts, and just living the heck out of IMAG0150me, I wouldn’t be here today to write this. She didn’t sleep much that first week. When she did it was in my hospital bed. My boy is also a huge part of my life. He’s almost 16 17 so he’s testing my ticker a good bit, but I love that boy to no end. They together are truly my everything. To my family, thank you all for your support and being here for me. To my friends, you’re all my bedrocks. You’re the foundation that I build on. To The Beer Dads, Jon and Paul, thank you guys for traversing this weird ride with The BCPF and me in our quest for World Domination. To everyone. I love you. Just… I love you. To Dr. Bret Borchelt. Thank you for “fixing” me.

I was 41 when this happened. I’m 46 47 now. I have to at least make it to 82 for me to be satisfied with it. I have to say, in all sincerity, I would never want to go through this again. However, in the grand scheme of things, it was all worth it and really, for me, wasn’t all that terrible. I think my family and friends had it worse than I in this ordeal. I got taken care of, waited on and yes had to endure some pain, but it wasn’t too awful. I’m just glad we have hit the “magic number” (no not three in this case) of six seven. That’s when the docs stop looking so closely at the procedure. I’m still here and other than being ridiculously fat, I feel great. So, all is well on this side of the world. I hope all of you have as wonderful a time as I do. Happy sixth seventh second birthday to me.

Until tomorrow, still kickin’…
Scorp out!

—
“Open-heart surgery is now part of a typical life experience for many people. Folks talk casually about ‘having a stent put in,’ as if they had their tires rotated.” – Roger Ebert

A Unique Piggyback or: Sixth Second On

18 Wednesday Apr 2018

Posted by TGBII in Life as We Know It

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

3B, Costa Rica, Dr. Bret Borchelt, Europe, Family, Health, Heart Surgery, Honeymoon, Jon Lowder, Life, Paul Jones III, The BCPF, The Beer Dads, Zipper Club

Salutations™!!

Note: I liked what I wrote about this day last year so I just copied it and reposted. It’s hard to write this story without repeating myself so, why fight it? I want to bring attention to the fact that I’m still here to annoy you, Dear Reader. I am happy to be able to say that (that I’m still here).

It was five six years ago today that I received my “zipper.” Being at the hospital before the sun came up, getting shaved from neck to (literally) toe, seeing my family, having my (then) fiance – The BCPF – standing holding my hand and trying to keep a happy face, having my parents pray over me as I get wheeled through some ominous doors, being moved onto a mostly comfortable operating table and telling stupid jokes to the operating staff before I just blacked out counting back from 100. That’s how I remember it.

I groggily stirred with a breathing tube snaked through my gullet whilst hearing a nurse, whose name I believe was Sandy, talk to me and me nodding that I understood whatever it was she was saying to me. The BCPF came in to see me, touching me, stroking my hair (I still had a little bit). I’m not sure of the timeline, I was still very doped up on morphine at the time. Maybe some time passed, maybe it didn’t, but Ma Mère came into the recovery room and in a moment we will all talk about until we’re no longer here, she patted me on the left shoulder and said, “see, you really do have a heart.” At this point I pointed to “Sandy” and made a motion to bring me a writing utensil and something to write upon. In my continued, and glorious haze, I scribbled to my mother the following:

Leave the comedy to me!

I remember everyone laughing. My job was done, I went through another phase of “blacked out.” They had collapsed my lungs in order to get to my arteries and heart and whatever else they were doing with me and, as a lifelong asthmatic, my lungs and me have a long history of arguing. They weren’t wanting to cooperate and inflate so I could breathe on my own. So, recovery took a little longer than it should have. Then they wheeled me up to my own private room. I had to get up and sit in a chair. I asked for my phone and that’s when this selfie was taken:

Tim After Surgery

My son came in to see me, as did my family. I had put them all through a lot. They were tired, nervous, but happy that I was sitting there making stupid faces at them, I was alive. I had survived. Hand me my heart-shaped pillow and let me cough. There was no laying down for a while, that’s for sure. When I sat back, I could feel my chest shifting. After all, they did saw me in half. I didn’t lay down for about four weeks, actually. But, over time my strength came back and I was able to maneuver around like a real person.

On the way to that, though, I had people watching over me like a hawk. The BCPF made sure that someone was “on duty” with me the whole time, from my sister to my mother, her to her mother. Someone was always here. It got to where I had to fake needing to go to the bathroom just to go sit on the toilet lid and be by myself for a few minutes. I had some great friends bring me and my chaperones food. I can’t tell Chris and Ashley, Doug and Molly and Jerry and Jennifer how much I appreciate them doing that.

After this, though, The BCPF and I decided that we’re going to live. LIVE! And, that’s what we’ve done. We’ve been to Europe twice, the second a wedding/honeymoon expedition. We accompanied friends to Costa Rica. We went to Walt Disney World with my family. We have time with each other. We enjoy just about everything we do. We collect records, we eat really delicious food, we hang out with really terrific friends, we just love our lives.

I have to really thank The BCPF for everything, because if it
weren’t for her, making sure I take my meds regularly, eating right, doing what little exercise I’ll do, going to my doc appts, and just living the heck out of IMAG0150me, I wouldn’t be here today to write this. She didn’t sleep much that first week. When she did it was in my hospital bed. My boy is also a huge part of my life. He’s almost 15 16 so he’s testing my ticker a good bit, but I love that boy to no end. They together are truly my everything. To my family, thank you all for your support and being here for me. To my friends, you’re all my bedrocks. You’re the foundation that I build on. To The Beer Dads, Jon and Paul, thank you guys for traversing this weird ride with The BCPF and me in our quest for World Domination. To everyone. I love you. Just… I love you. To Dr. Bret Borchelt. Thank you for “fixing” me.

I was 41 when this happened. I’m 46 47 now. I have to at least make it to 82 for me to be satisfied with it. I have to say, in all sincerity, I would never want to go through this again. However, in the grand scheme of things, it was all worth it and really, for me, wasn’t all that terrible. I think my family and friends had it worse than I in this ordeal. I got taken care of, waited on and yes had to endure some pain, but it wasn’t too awful. I’m just glad we have hit the “magic number” (no not three in this case) of five six. That’s when the docs stop looking so closely at the procedure. I’m still here and other than being ridiculously fat, I feel great. So, all is well on this side of the world. I hope all of you have as wonderful a time as I do. Happy fifth sixth second birthday to me.

I talked to The BCPF this morning (2018) and inquired about her writing a post one year to recount the experience from her perspective. She said that would take time and she doesn’t have time right now, but one day. I may get her to do it and save it for when I need it. You can hear me talk more about it on The Less Desirables tonight.

Until tomorrow, still kickin’…
Scorp out!

—
“Open-heart surgery is now part of a typical life experience for many people. Folks talk casually about ‘having a stent put in,’ as if they had their tires rotated.” – Roger Ebert

A Hiatus or: Just a Bit

12 Tuesday Dec 2017

Posted by TGBII in Food, Life as We Know It, Podcasting

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Danielle Bull, Eugene B Sims, Fan Interference, Jon Lowder, Jordan Keiper, Matthew Troy, Paul Jones III, Piedmont Wind Symphony, Sipping NC: The Art of Drinking, The Beer Dads, The Less Desirables, The Less Desirables Network, The Man Who Ate the Town

Salutations™!!

I wanted to take a few seconds to tell you about what is going on with The Less Desirables Network.TLDNetwork

Sipping NC: The Art of Drinking has been on hiatus for a few months now, due to a health issue in Jordan’s family. He’s dealing with that and we’re still off until further notice.

The Beer Dads Podcast is going to be on hiatus until at least January and possibly into February. Beer Dad Paul started a new day job and he needs a little time for training and assumption of duties. Beer Dad Jon has a lot on his plate, as well. As you’ll see with The Man Who Ate the Town Podcast, forcing content for the sake of content is bad for business and we don’t want to do that. Plus, during the holidays it’s not uncommon for some of our shows to take a little break.

Speaking of The Man Who Ate the Town, I will continue to record those on time, but as much as I would like to have a new one each week, sometimes there just isn’t anything outside of the holidays and history and I want it to be more about the food and WSNC/Triad food scene than aggregated internet info. Also, there may be something new about the show that I can’t talk about right now. There may be no changes at all, but you never know.

Fan Interference is off until at least January. I am thinking we’d like to have a show to talk about the CFB playoffs and the national championship. Plus, the NFL playoffs will be starting up. I’m sure there will be some NBA stuff to talk about as well. So, January.

The Less Desirables will be business as usual. This show has only missed one Wednesday in 409 Wednesdays in a row and I don’t plan on it to miss, now. We have Matthew Troy, the conductor and Executive Director of the Piedmont Wind Symphony will be on this week. My bestie Eugene will be on next Wednesday, 12/20, to talk about his top TV shows of 2017. Danielle is working on a guest for the 27th so check back then to see who it is.

So, there you have it. The Less Desirables Network will have some out and some in through the holidays and into the new year. As always, we appreciate your support and thank you so much for listening and I thank you for reading the blog, which, by the way is going nowhere!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I take a hiatus every now and again, but I’m not good at that. – Miley Cyrus

Roundtable or: Friends and Food

12 Saturday Aug 2017

Posted by TGBII in Food, Life as We Know It

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Tags

a/perture Cinema, Doctor Brownstone's Sweet Summer Luv Luv Festival, Food, Foodie, Jon Lowder, Paul Jones III, Spring House Restaurant, Stacy Verner, The BCPF, The Beer Dads, The Less Desirables, The Less Desirables Network

Salutations™!!

Usually, there’s a convoluted movie review on Saturday, but I didn’t have a movie of the week on The Less Desirables this week. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still go to a/perture cinema, the Official Movie Sponsor of The Less Desirables, and see a film. You most certainly should. But, today it’s something different.

Last night, The Beer Dads and our Very Good Friends, SRV+VernQuack all converged on the patio of Spring House Restaurant, Kitchen and Bar and enjoyed a night of Doctor Brownstone’s Sweet Summer Luv Luv Festival. It was not only great times with friends but it was 12 courses of food and plenty of libations to boot. 20170812_102917

From scallops to veggie ceviche to cod to duck to rabbit to chicken. There was a bit of everything on our plates last night. And, while we didn’t all agree on which dishes were our favorites or even what we may have liked or disliked, we all agreed we had the swellest of times. That’s a word, I just made it up.

It was the first time we had all been together in a hot minute. When you have a pilot in the group, or the head of two organizations that have them both traveling, or someone moving or flood repairs, it’s hard to get everyone together. But, I’m thankful that last night was one of those rare moments that, hopefully, will become less and less rare.

So, to The BCPF, Beer Dad Jon, his “Pilot,” Beer Dad Paul, his “Pilot,” SRV and her real-life pilot, thank you all for a great time. Chef Tim Grandinetti, or Doctor Brownstone, thank you for an amazing evening of wondermous food from chefs all over North America. You made our night even more special!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Spring House Chef/Partner Timothy Grandinetti will host the annual outdoor grill-fest that celebrates the culinary talents of both local and nationally-renowned Chefs. Each evening during Sweet Summer Luv Luv, guests will enjoy multi-course tasting menus and “hot-off-the-grill” specialties that are planned, prepared and served by an all-star cadre of visiting Chefs.” – Doctor Brownstone’s Sweet Summer Luv Luv Festival

Fifth Second Birthday or: The Things We’ve Done

18 Tuesday Apr 2017

Posted by TGBII in Life as We Know It

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Tags

3B, Costa Rica, Dr. Bret Borchelt, Europe, Family, Health, Heart Surgery, Honeymoon, Jon Lowder, Life, Paul Jones III, The BCPF, The Beer Dads, Zipper Club

Salutations™!!

It was five years ago today that I received my “zipper.” Being at the hospital before the sun came up, getting shaved from neck to (literally) toe, seeing my family, having my (then) fiance – The BCPF – standing holding my hand and trying to keep a happy face, having my parents pray over me as I get wheeled through some ominous doors, being moved onto a mostly comfortable operating table and telling stupid jokes to the operating staff before I just blacked out counting back from 100. That’s how I remember it.

I groggily stirred with a breathing tube snaked through my gullet whilst hearing a nurse, whose name I believe was Sandy, talk to me and me nodding that I understood whatever it was she was saying to me. The BCPF came in to see me, touching me, stroking my hair (I still had a little bit). I’m not sure of the timeline, I was still very doped up on morphine at the time. Maybe some time passed, maybe it didn’t, but Ma Mère came into the recovery room and in a moment we will all talk about until we’re no longer here, she patted me on the left shoulder and said, “see, you really do have a heart.” At this point I pointed to “Sandy” and made a motion to bring me a writing utensil and something to write upon. In my continued, and glorious haze, I scribbled to my mother the following:

Leave the comedy to me!

I remember everyone laughing. My job was done, I went through another phase of “blacked out.” They had collapsed my lungs in order to get to my arteries and heart and whatever else they were doing with me and, as a lifelong asthmatic, my lungs and me have a long history of arguing. They weren’t wanting to cooperate and inflate so I could breathe on my own. So, recovery took a little longer than it should have. Then they wheeled me up to my own private room. I had to get up and sit in a chair. I asked for my phone and that’s when this selfie was taken:

Tim After Surgery

My son came in to see me, as did my family. I had put them all through a lot. They were tired, nervous, but happy that I was sitting there making stupid faces at them, I was alive. I had survived. Hand me my heart-shaped pillow and let me cough. There was no laying down for a while, that’s for sure. When I sat back, I could feel my chest shifting. After all, they did saw me in half. I didn’t lay down for about four weeks, actually. But, over time my strength came back and I was able to maneuver around like a real person.

On the way to that, though, I had people watching over me like a hawk. The BCPF made sure that someone was “on duty” with me the whole time, from my sister to my mother, her to her mother. Someone was always here. It got to where I had to fake needing to go to the bathroom just to go sit on the toilet lid and be by myself for a few minutes. I had some great friends bring me and my chaperones food. I can’t tell Chris and Ashley, Doug and Molly and Jerry and Jennifer how much I appreciate them doing that.

After this, though, The BCPF and I decided that we’re going to live. LIVE! And, that’s what we’ve done. We’ve been to Europe twice, the second a wedding/honeymoon expedition. We accompanied friends to Costa Rica. We went to Walt Disney World with my family. We have time with each other. We enjoy just about everything we do. We collect records, we eat really delicious food, we hang out with really terrific friends, we just love our lives.

I have to really thank The BCPF for everything, because if it
weren’t for her, making sure I take my meds regularly, eating right, doing what little exercise I’ll do, going to my doc appts, and just living the heck out of IMAG0150me, I wouldn’t be here today to write this. She didn’t sleep much that first week, when she did it was in my hospital bed. My boy is also a huge part of my life. He’s almost 15 so he’s testing my ticker a good bit, but I love that boy to no end. They together are truly my everything. To my family, thank you all for your support and being here for me. To my friends, you’re all my bedrocks. You’re my foundation that I build on. To The Beer Dads, Jon and Paul, thank you guys for traversing this weird ride with The BCPF and me in our quest for World Domination. To everyone. I love you. Just… I love you. To Dr. Bret Borchelt. Thank you for “fixing” me.

I was 41 when this happened. I’m 46 now. I have to at least make it to 82 for me to be satisfied with it. I have to say, in all sincerity, I would never want to go through this again. However, in the grand scheme of things, it was all worth it and really, for me, wasn’t all that terrible. I think my family and friends had it worse than I in this ordeal. I got taken care of, waited on and yes had to endure some pain, but it wasn’t too awful. I’m just glad we have hit the “magic number” (no not three in this case) of five. That’s when the docs stop looking so closely at the procedure. I’m still here and other than being ridiculously fat, I feel great. So, all is well on this side of the world. I hope all of you have as wonderful a time as I do. Happy fifth second birthday to me.

Until tomorrow, still kickin’…
Scorp out!

—
“Open-heart surgery is now part of a typical life experience for many people. Folks talk casually about ‘having a stent put in,’ as if they had their tires rotated.” – Roger Ebert

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