We’re staying in Tyson’s Corner, which is a place outside of DC that I wasn’t able to see last time I was here. There is a ton of stuff over here. There’ s an AMC, IMAX, Barnes & Nobles, and a snazzy looking Borders. I didn’t even know that all of this was here. I won’t have any time to see it, but it sure looks cool when you’re driving through it. The traffic is ridiculous though, so I don’t really have a chance to look around or I may slam into the person in front of me. That’s no good at all.

My training is also down in the middle of downtown DC, so it’s a little rough to get to. I drove it today though and I pretty much figured out what lane I needed to be in. That’s half the battle really. Anytime I go to a new place, I usually look at the Google maps satellite stuff so that I can tell what the roads really look like so I have a better idea of where I need to be. I don’t like being completely surprised.

The training itself is going to be from 8 to 8 everyday, so my brain very well may explode. It’s going to be awesome though because I’m super interested in what I’m learning about. Plus I may very well get a certification when I come out of this. I say “may”, but I mean “will” because it’s not really an option. I WILL be CCNA certified at the end . Woo!

YES! You heard me right.

I have spent the years since gym class NOT running for any reason whatsoever, except for an occasional game of spotlight, or running from a ruthless animal out for my blood. I have never once considered running to be a recreational activity, but my eyes started to open a bit when I watched Zombieland. Holy Crap! If I don’t start running, the zombie apocalypse is going to take me out! Nothing like the fear of zombies to motivate somebody to change their lifestyle.

My best good friend, Lando, arrived in Morgantown a couple weeks ago to start a new job, with me of all people, and I asked him to help me get in shape. You see, Lando has been to Thailand and trained with the great Muay Thai masters over there, so of course I would ask him to help me out. Lando went through a lifestyle change of his own a couple years ago, and the guy is unrecognizable as the person he used to be. I’m incredibly proud and amazed at how someone can drive themselves, with no outside influence, to make a 180. He’s got that magic, I don’t. So I needed some help to nudge me along.

We started running last week and I thought I was going to die the first couple of times. Not only are we running around the apartment complex, but we’re getting back to the apartment and doing a few sets of sit-ups, crunches, pull-ups, and push-ups. That’s a whole lot for a guy like me who has a history of not being the least bit active. I’m actually pretty sure that I have only maintained this weight because I don’t eat that much, which I’m learning is a necessary thing to do if you ARE going to be active. Food=Good!  Tonight was the 4th night of running. We were moving Lando into his new place all weekend so I’m pretty sure all those stairs count for something. I felt better after tonight’s run than I have after any of the previous ones, so I think I’m making progress.

I’m just honestly proud of myself for even doing this. I’ve never liked doing things like this but I recognize the necessity for it. If I’m going to stay in shape…or get in shape..then this is what must be done. I honestly couldn’t think of anyone more fit to help me out than Lando though. The dude has his stuff together. He’s helping me break years of inactivity, and come to terms with my hatred of traditional exercise. Let’s just say that 7th grade gym class haunts me to this day. I still think some people need to die in a fire, and I hate mesh gym shorts, but I’m getting over all the stuff that has bothered me for years. At some point you just have to take it back, and quit letting old crappy memories control what you do.

I think I may give Forrest Gump a run for his money in a few years

The wedding was so amazing I don’t even know how to explain it all. We held all of the weekend festivities at the Foxwood Inn in Ghent, WV, and I don’t think we could have picked a better place. We had the most incredible time out there. A few of my extended family were able to come and spend the weekend out there with us and it was so good to spend some real time with everybody. Christmas is great and all, but we never really get to talk a whole lot about anything. We all just kind of sat out on the back porch having wine and chatting about life in general. It’s times like that that mean the most to me. Those times when you’re just hanging with family or friends doing nothing in particular at all. I think that’s why I like to “burn a fire” in a barrel whenever I go to my parents’ house in Florida. It’s time to connect without distractions.

Stephanie looked absolutely stunning in her wedding gown! My jaw literally dropped when I saw her come out the door to walk down the aisle. She was so beautiful! I’ll definitely be posting pictures once we get them back from our incredible photographer, Amanda Reed. The ceremony is actually a total blur to me now, but I just remember seeing nothing but her as she walked down the aisle. I’ve often compared it to “For the Love of the Game”, where Kevin Costner is pitching and the crowd just disappears and all he can see is the batter and the catcher. That’s exactly what happened to me. Stephanie was all I could see. Total tunnel vision. We got through the whole thing without crying, thank goodness, but I smiled so much my cheeks were sore. I was sure that I would end up crying during the vows, but we held it together. We were just so excited to be getting married and finally making it to this point. We’ve been waiting so long that there really weren’t any nerves at all. I was cool as a cucumber, man!

The speeches that were given at the reception were also very touching. Steph’s dad started it off with a line that got everybody chuckling: “They told me I would have to give a toast, but I left it in a sandwich bag upstairs.” I laughed so very hard at that. My dad surprised the crap out of me by knocking it out of the park with his speech. We always joke, on H&H, about him not being able to talk so that anyone could understand him, but he did such a good job. My mind was blown. He said such sweet stuff and earned some wicked brownie points from my mom for saying that she was the most beautiful bride he’d ever seen, but, of course, Stephanie was second prettiest . Then Ash told a heartfelt story about how we first met and made me look like a total goober…which I love! It was really fun. Then Lando went for broke and just told us both, “‘Bout damn time!” Which is so perfect for him

We then went on to dance our heads off all night long. I don’t think I’ve ever done so much dancing in my life! I pulled off some crazy moves too, every one a bit goofier than the other. I even got to do the famous PeeWee Herman dance from PeeWee’s Big Adventure. It was so much fun!

All in all, we had a fantastic weekend and I hope to have an even more fantastic life with my new wife. Stephanie is amazing and all I’ve ever looked for in someone to share this journey with. We’re so excited to be married and know that we always have each other to turn to. Life is awesome!

This year marks one of the biggest years in my life. It’s the year that I add another person to my small single person universe by getting married, and it’s the year that my car insurance goes down because somehow my age equates to my ability to drive like a sophisticated human. Seriously though, this one is going to be the big one. I’m getting married in a little over two weeks and I honestly could not be more excited for anything. Stephanie and I have been dating since I was 17 and she was 16. Here we are now, 25 and 24, getting ready to officially start our lives together as Mr. and Mrs. Adams. It’s crazy! I never thought this day would come, but here I am getting ready to embark on this crazy journey. It’s way better with two people if you ask me.

Twenty-five is such a milestone. Even making it this far feels like an accomplishment. I even have all my fingers, toes, and other extremities in tact. Some may think that I clearly have lived a life free from danger, which is pretty accurate. Self preservation is a pretty big thing to me. I think I’ve managed to gain a lot of experience in my 25 years here on this planet though, but there is so much more to learn. Everyday poses some new challenge, or new opportunity to pick up on a different skill or just learn a new lesson. The way I see it, I’ve only got about 15 more years of good learnin’ to do before my brain decides its full. Apparently the older you get the less you absorb. I’d like to keep absorbing to be honest with you. That’s how you prevent alzheimer’s disease!

In a lot of ways I still feel like that confused, scared kid that came right out of high school and into the big, crazy world, but at the same time I feel like a man who’s ready to take it on and see what I can get out of it. I did realize today that I’m doing a good bit of things right in this life, though. I think I got told “Happy Birthday” 50 times today between 7 this morning and 5 this afternoon. It’s things like that that re-enforce my idea that your relationships are one of the most valuable things that you can forge in this life. All it really takes is to give a little back to people, and just be nice to people regardless of how they may be to you, or how you may perceive them at first. I’ve made SO many friends over these years and I know or at least talk to about half of them I think. Which is probably overestimating, but I’d like to think that I’ve managed to keep in touch with a lot of people. I’m glad to know that I even know 50 people right now who felt like taking time out of their day to even tell me “Happy Birthday!” I’m honestly touched by it.

So to everybody who may read this, you have made the last 25 years so incredibly awesome. I can’t wait to take on the next 25, keep learning, and keep making friends that I can’t forget. This has been fantastic.

I took a trip this past weekend up to one of the COOLEST places that I have ever been, and that is Washington D.C. I’ve often wondered how this amazing place could not be in a state. It’s part of the United States of America, so shouldn’t belong somewhere in the states? No! Washington D.C. is it’s own little place where the federal government sits. I asked my mom when I was small what state Washington DC was in, and she told me simply, “It’s not in a state.” My perplexed little brain just couldn’t wrap around this fact so again I insisted, “Well, is it in Maryland?” To which she replied, “No, it’s just the District of Columbia.” Do what? What is that supposed to mean? Is it in Maryland or Virginia? I was so confused. I’m not as confused anymore because I’ve learned that it’s the seat of the federal government. It can’t be in a state or it would be required to abide by state laws, which it doesn’t. One thing I can ask is, why is there housing there? Where do they fall?

Anyway, none of that is what I actually wanted to talk about. I believe that EVERY American citizen should venture to our nation’s capital at some point in their lives. I was instilled with a sense of patriotism that I just don’t carry around on a daily basis. Between the memorials, monuments, and craptons of historical places, I was enthralled with our country. You actually get to see the history of the place we live and gain a respect for all the people who came together to make it what it is. The Vietnam Memorial wall was one of the most sobering sights that I have ever seen. There are SO many names of people lost during that war, and you just can’t understand it until you’ve seen it laid out like that. It really is unbelievable.

Seeing pictures of these places and watching videos will never do it the justice it deserves. I’ve seen Abraham Lincoln’s memorial I don’t know how many times, but it was ten times more amazing that I ever though it would be. This is a guy who pretty much held together our country when it was at it’s lowest point, and you feel that when you are in that memorial. It’s not something you walk up to and just nonchalantly look at and walk away form. I stood there and was completely amazed by what I was seeing. Whoever carved this thing was an amazing artist and took great pains to capture every detail. There are also a couple of Abe’s most famous speeches carved into the wall. It truly is an incredible site.

Everything in DC is so HUGE. I’ve seen plenty of pictures of the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, and everything else, but those pictures cannot capture the size. These buildings are massive, and it’s truly a sight to see. So, long story short, you should go visit as soon as you can. One thing I would advise is to stop OUTSIDE the city and ride the Metro in. That subway is the easiest thing to understand and I would take full advantage of it if you can. My feet are still killing me from walking for those 3 days, but it was worth every minute. Go see it!

If you’ve known me for any amount of time, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of solid colors. I wear pretty much navy blue, green, sometimes red, green, and orange. They are simple colors that are somewhat bright and easy to match with my khaki pants. However, I’ve decided that I really need to change up my style because I was getting pretty bored of picking out the same old shirts week after week. I went  out on a limb today while Steph and I were at Kohl’s registering, and I picked up some really looking shirts. She really picked out most of them, I just approved. I will definitely take the credit for the orange and blue one though, because I thought about Auburn University colors and HAD to have it. I’m very proud of myself.

I usually have a major anxiety problem when it comes to shopping for new clothes. I always freak out and I can’t even begin to explain why. I’m just not comfortable shopping for clothes. I never have been. I do better in department stores than I do in places like The Gap though, and I’m not really sure why. I’ve never identified myself with a brand and I feel like shopping at the store might very well do that to me. It really lingers on from my days as a staunch opponent to brand shopping. Just a kick-back to my punk rock days I suppose. I’ve never really have been able to get over it, for unexplained reasons, and I’m unsure that I ever will. I did feel pretty good after getting through a shopping session and actually buying something.

Maybe all of it really comes from a slight social anxiety disorder that I have. Which you wouldn’t think I would have seeing as I host a podcast weekly with dozens of listeners and occasional call-ins. I only really get nervous when I’m put in a situation that I don’t feel that I’m in control of. This is why I have problems calling people on the phone, or approaching people in a store. I really need to get over this soon.

Well, thanks for reading a blog post that turned from simple excitement over a few new shirts into a self-examination of my social issues. Blogging is incredibly therapeutic! By the way, the new Alkaline Trio cd “This Addiction” is FANTASTIC!

So I started to neglect the blog again, but here I am to save this sinking ship and bring it back on course. Freaking Xbox is stealing my soul! So let me kick off this sucker. I love Jeopardy!

Steph and I are constantly being told that we are an old, married couple and I’m starting to wonder if it’s true. Now I’m not saying that we don’t go out and have a blast, but we do have some “old people tendencies.” One of the things that we constantly get harassed about is our love for the oldest block of television the world has ever known: Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. Yes, we sit down on the couch, eat our dinner, and proceed to question answers with the rest of senior America. I don’t know what it is about that show that gets me, but I just LOVE trivia and you just don’t run into questions like these on a daily basis in your regular life. These answers can only be found at 7pm Eastern when all the 95 year old people are getting ready to fall asleep…or maybe it helps them fall asleep, I can’t really decide. Actually, I don’t think they need a whole lot of help O_o

I guess I honestly just feel smarter when I sit around and question the answers with my hero, Alex Trebek. I can go through an entire day without feeling an ounce of genius burst from my head, but when I look at those blue squares and I can keep up with the contestants, my ego is saved. Maybe that’s what I do this for. I do it just to make myself feel a little better. There’s nothing wrong with that is there? I’m 24 and I like to sit around and watch Jeopardy! I am not ashamed of how I spend my evening. I could be sitting around looking for the next place to score some hookers and blow, but that is NOT the case! I’m sitting with my amazing fiancee watching Jeopardy. I think that’s something to be proud of.

Wow, this post is a rambling mess. I think the best thing I can do now is just put the keyboard away and find something else to do for a bit. For tomorrow, I promise a post with substance!

I think it hasn’t stopped snowing for the last two weeks, and that really is enough to drive somebody crazy. I miss the sun. I think I know how Superman feels when the clouds block the Sun all day. I bet he gets to feeling sluggish at work as “mild mannered Clark Kent.” This got me to thinking that maybe Superman would benefit from some Vitamin D supplements. Who knows? Maybe all he really needs is some good old fashioned Vitamin D, but he never put together the pieces. Maybe a supplement would make him even stronger than he is, or even manifest a new power that he didn’t even know he had. Now that would be an interesting turn of events. I guess DC could turn him into some kind of health nut, but then again that would be a really screwed up thing to do to the Man o’ Steel.

I’ve been taking some of those Vitamin D supplements for the last few days, and I think they are helping to cheer me up a bit. For those of you who aren’t exactly “in the know,” Vitamin D is what the sun delivers through its amazing rays that you absorb whenever you are out in it. It screws with your seratonin levels and can actually have a “cheering up” effect on you. I have no idea how much this stuff is helping, or if it’s helping at all, but I’m not against the placebo effect. If my brain thinks it’s working and therefore decides that I’m happier, then that works for me. I’m not that picky. I would really love to actually see the sun though. I miss it a lot. I think I remember it being yellow but I can’t be sure. The sky is still blue isn’t it?

So, yeah, I guess the point I’m trying to get to is that the Winter is bumming me out. I’ve had fairly stressful drives to work everyday due to the potential for ice, and it’s dark by the time I get home. Even if the sun did come out I wouldn’t get to see it because I work in an office with no windows. Crap, I’m making myself bummed again. I know the Winter is coming to an end soon, it’s just not soon enough.