[sick]
GYERO Sucks Randoms.
Glad I took the time to catch up/read through all that non-Derby garbage. Here's a scaled down trip report & randoms to break up all the fun -- if that annoys you (as it seems to, for many) good ---> please skip and move on to rogue & the gang's latest updates.
-Barcelona was maybe the most "fun" city we've visited -- The Gotic/Born area was an endless maze of alleys, squares, bars, shops, eats...then the beach is always a few blocks away if you need that. Very clean as well. The drinking/tapas culture is just great -- their lives basically revolve around drinking & nibbling ALL DAY/Night (or til sunrise) -- not a bad way to live. Gaudi, Picasso, Tapas, Cava, Sangria, Cannelloni, Paella, Beach. Will be back.
-Santorini was like something out of a dream. Sure my lassies photos & my snaps seemed redundant, but literally everywhere you are on the entire island is simply breathtaking, and it's impossible to not want to capture in some way. Place is just surreal, and our accommodations will be hard to top on any future trip, for us. Raki, Ouzo, Seafood, Souvlaki, Gyros, Saganaki, Pastitio, Moussaka, and 101 ways to use phyllo.
...^ cracked my head the 1st night on the corner of our cave bedroom wall -- was around 4am (and sober). Total bloodbath, luckily I didn't need stiches. 1 more mph, and I would have. One of those times you
"try to stay asleep" when pissing in the middle of the night. Big mistake. That cute round hat my wife bought had a purpose in her mind -- I instead opted to run around with a huge gash in my head for the rest of the trip after she got her photo.
-Athens was equally as cool, for different reasons -- although we only did 1.5 days there. Wasn't really interested in much outside of The Acropolis/etc, but Old Town and The Plaka area was a pretty cool. Hard to process all the history & architecture, when you're talking 500 years
before Jesus, over 2,500 years ago. Our life and time on earth is just so insignificant & miniscule in the grand scheme. Would be fun to smoke weed and think about that kinda stuff, I imagine -- was really cool (and kinda creepy in a way) having drinks on our hotel rooftop looking over the Parthenon to end the trip -- place nicely lit at night, and just majestic. Pastitio, Gyros, Gyros, Gyros.
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-Pulled a Schem and upgraded w/ Cash for the Athens-Montreal leg (9:45) home. As Anth has said many times, that's money WELL spent. The adrenaline got us through fine on the flight over, but that was turbo clutch on the way home. That + having pre booked a final night in Chicago to sleep & eat

izza: (Giordano's delivery) as opposed to laying over for a few hours after a transatlantic & then getting back home at 1am made for a pretty normal work week -- caught the 8am from O'Hare and went straight to work on arrival without issue.
Oh, and the weather was 75-85 the entire time, not sure we saw a cloud the entire trip. Just an amazing time.

ray:
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-Hope everyone had a nice Derby, pics looked great. Congrats to Bonzo on the Anth VIP experience, definitely seems like the way to do it, if you're going to do it. Shout to Anth btw, seemed to have plenty to drink. Atta boy :clap:
Was Glad Derby Day weather seemed to clear up a bit for everyone, especially wildcatchad.
NOBODY loves Derby Week as much as that guy, at least nobody who's been to Louisville on Derby Week twice in 37 years despite living an hour away.
-Ran through the Up & Vanished podcast on flights, etc -- pretty good, actually. Does make you appreciate the production value of Serial, S Town, etc -- just on another level. LOL at Payne's little buddy who does the occasional "scene setting" in his manufactured dramatic voice. Could do without that. Props to the host though, I don't think there is any doubt he's the main reason this case is going to likely be resolved after 12 years - pretty cool.
Giving Crimetown a go, next.
-Books read: The Noticer, The Big Miss. Really enjoyed both
-Sneaky Pete filled the rest of flight/down time, show is great imo. Bryan Cranston is awesome, of course -- and Boiler Room Seth is the same as he always is.
-Kevin Knox. Was shocked, as everyone else was. Wasn't even checking for it...didn't find out until a day or so later -- definitely the biggest Cal surprise for me.
-Ursch seems to be showing Chad & Lass the full NOLA experience -- would like to do that sooner than later -- my wife is convinced there is nothing more than Bourbon Street. Still know I'd be hankering for Razoo's after an hour of the real sights. I just worship that dump.
-Great Mother's Day weekend -- Mom came up to see the house for the first time...we entertained my parents + in laws Saturday night with a little grill out & lots of wine. Met back up with everyone Sunday for a brunch over at the club. Said it before, but pretty cool that my/her parents have become close friends; makes for a nice time when we're all together. They'll be heading on their 4th annual trip together this summer, as well.
-Ghin dropping fast. Have posted more rounds through May 15th than I have in any SUMMER since High School, probably -- feels good to be back. :golf:
-Kendrick's DAMN! is just unreal, imo. :fire: Gave it the full listen numerous times, appreciate the rare sequenced 'album' these days that's not just a bunch of singles thrown together. Not gonna say something silly like it's better than GKMC, but it may prove to be more enjoyable over time. I love everything about it -- the 'Genius' addition to some Spotify albums is a nice little touch, imo.
-Got the garden tilled & halfway planted yesterday. It's the wife's baby to start, as she needed a 'hobby' while I golf -- she's diving in w/ books and all sorts of other stuff. A garden thread would be kinda cool, probably -- what's everyone growing?
-John Wall :eyes:
-Powers Boothe was dope. One of those dudes who just seemed like he actually was his signature character in real life. Always felt the same about shady Michael Douglas.
-So sorry, Hyman.
-Stoooooooooooooooooooooooops :sunglasses: Good call,
@assistbyhawkins !!
-Summer GYERO always kinda sucks, but some of you need to get it together.