Well hello one and all. It's been a while since my last post and some pretty exciting things have been happening to me, The Reluctant Midwesterner.

I have been taking guitar instruction for about 6 months now and I can't believe how much my playing and confidence has grown. Having a guiding hand to see me through the fundamentals has been just what I needed. Scales and theory has been a bane to my guitar existence in the past. But now I relish running up a down scales and recognizing lead patterns in my favorite songs.

Also, I'm heading back to the North Woods for the month of June and the fish better watch out.

TRM

Talk about lame potatoes...It's been over a year since I last posted to my blog. To say not much has happened that was worth blogging about would be less than true. I've has possibly the best summer of fishing ever. I got to spend 3 weeks at a pop at cool weather locales in the height of the sultry Midwestern summer. Wisconsin being one and Colorado (my favorite place on the planet Earth) the other. It's been a pretty sweet summer to say the least. Coming back to work this fall has been relatively smooth. Everyone seems to be happy to be where they are, and the clients are equally as happy with the new faces in new places. Overall, a great time to be me. Looking forward to posting more.
TRM

I just wanted to post this to my blog. This is the link to the photo album documenting my grandest adventure. Enjoy.


Joey's Great Adventure

Well, summer break is underway (has been for a few weeks) and I'm starting to feel decompressed for a change.
My vacation began immediately the afternoon of the 15th. 5:00pm saw me on an airplane for Philly. Ah, sweet sweet home. The trip was prompted by the wedding of my cousin Jed (an event that only served to show me how old I've become) and gave me opportunities to see people (family) I haven't seen in years and years. I made me realize how much I've missed out on. I understand that a career, family, distance, disagreements, etc. make the myopic focus of one's day to day life seem so consuming. I just can't help but feel I've missed out on an awful lot in the long run. I am hopeful that the future is rich with family long missing from my life's experiences.

Greetings all and Happy New Year! A month late, but heartfelt none the less.

It has been an interesting Janurary on so many levels. Work has been surprisingly smooth, thanks to some great hires in the offseason and falling food prices due to slacking demand from the restaurant industry.
I hope things pick up a bit in the economy as many of my colleagues and friends in the business are suffering considerably.

This past week I received news of the passing of an old girlfriend to cancer. It hit me pretty hard. She and I were together for almost 5 years. Years that shaped me like no others. We parted rather bitterly, things were said that could never be taken back. But as time passed, I found myself thinking of the good times and how she opened my eyes to so much of the world and the possibilities that life had to offer. I wish I could have thanked her, wish I would have had the courage to call or write her and tell her that she made a difference in my life. It is now too late. I think she may have known (probably never gave it much thought though) that this kid from the projects has made good, due in no small part to her towering presence in my life. Her family gave so much to me, opportunities, encouragement, and most of all, love. I am forever in her debt and hope that she knows that she will be missed.

Rest in peace Sharon.
TRM

Can you believe it? My beloved Phillies are 2008 World Champions of baseball! I have to say, the 3 inning game was just the perfect length and really ratcheted up the intensity of the moment. My family watched with me, and they, not being from Philly and knowing the full extent of the pain and suffering I've had to endure as a Phillies, Eagles, Sixers, and Flyers fan, found great entertainment in my hypergeekout during the game. My heart was literally racing at the top of the 9th inning and when Tampa got a runner on first and then he stole second, the one run lead looked pretty nebulous. Brad Lidge has a way, in spite of the perfection of his 2008 season, of making things more interesting than necessary. I am so relieved that the curse of Billy Penn has been laid to rest and now the Eagles have no more excuses. It's a good day to be me. GO PHILS!
TRM

October 2008 and I am so enjoying the Autumn of my 46th year on planet earth. I haven't had much to write about recently but I need to keep my blog somewhat active or I'll lose it.

Work has been challenging this year to say the least. I've had more "Human Resource" issues in the last 3 months than I've had in the 5 years I've been employed with this company. This past summer has seen some of my key personnel move on to different jobs (and I am happy for them) and has forced me to bring on and train new people. It's amazing how someone can interview so well and so not deliver on expectations. Is it my "training" that leaves them ill prepared to execute their jobs? I think I am pretty clear on the expectations prior to hiring. I need "Chefs" not "cooks. I also am amazed at how the experience of culinary school makes some believe that they are qualified and deserving of respect that has historically needed to be earned in this career field. The arrogance of youth never ceases to surprise me. In hindsight, I was as guilty of the crime of arrogance as any. I am glad that humbleness came to me eventually and allowed me to succeed and thrive in my chosen vocation.

On the poker front, I have voluntarily banned my self from Pokerstars for 30 days. I was running so terribly bad (horrendously bad) that in order to save my bankroll from sure evaporation, I had to stop myself from playing untill I figure out where the leak in my game was. Still working on that........update to follow.

I have not been fishing since my trip to Colorado over the summer (which was AWESOME). I need to get down to the crystal clear spring creeks of my my early middle age and work them over like I know how. It's kind of hard though since my main fishing buddy and I are no longer speaking to one another. I should give him a call and see if he is still mad at me.

Catch you all later. I hope to be posting with more frequency. Aren't you all lucky?
TRM