The Big "D"

As I was perusing the bookstore today, I couldn't help but get a chuckle out of this book title and cover...It would be cooler if he was wearing a ninja suit...

My Best Friend

I forgot to post this on Saturday but I figured it was still important enough to put it up tardy...The above picture was taken 3 yrs + 2 days ago on Amanda and mine's first date. Rusans...Sushi...Sake...Laughs...

Only God knew that the two of us were to become best friends and eventually say the words "I Do" to each other.

I can't say enough things about how Amanda has made my life better. Since that first date, there have been lots of great times, a couple of bad times and enough memories to last a life time. The cool thing is that on June 14th, the real journey begins and I'm so excited.

Thank You Amanda for putting up with my crap and loving me so much.

I love you with all my heart and can't wait to call you my wife. I will strive to be the best husband I can possibly be....

Soda and Friends

Yesterday was soda day...The Brown-Man desperately wanted to go to the World of Coke so the dude abides and we rolled...The opening video was kind of weird. If anyone can tell me what those characters are, I want to know.

The highlight of the day was watching Adam as well as others drink the Beverly. The Beverly is an Italian soda that Coke makes that pretty much tastes like dirty diaper. It's bad...We must have sat there for about 30 minutes just watching others partake in that nastiness...

Here's a few pics...I got some video of Adam drinking the Beverly but I haven't been able to figure out how to download. I'll be sure to share once I figure it out...

"WWJBD"

Let me first start off by saying that I'm not an economist so I don't know the "ins" and "outs" of this $150 Billion Stimulus Package. What I am, is a West Wing freak that knows that something like this was tried before and it didn't work. Let's go back to season 3 of West Wing and the episode called Stirred. If you don't remember, I highly recommend you stop what you're doing and buy the entire season and watch just this episode. For those of you who find that stupid, I'll fill you in. Besides for the stuff going on with the VP and the Uranium rod nuclear issue, Charlie is filing his tax return online. After a little help from the Man Himself (Jed B), he finds out that he has to pay taxes although he makes $36k a year and gives to charity. He was perplexed at why this happened until Jed enlightened him. Here's where the Govt' needs to takes note. Jed explained to Charlie in the prior year the Govt' issued a tax rebate and the idea behind it was to stimulate the economy. Sound familiar? Well, Jed goes on and explains that it didn't work...Catch that...Because people like Charlie either put it towards credit cards or save it.

I mean seriously, it's been tried...It didn't work. I don't mind the check. I'll stimulate the economy by using some of it to pay for my honeymoon but come on now guys...Bush, Bernake, Pelosi, Paulson, and the rest of Govt'...Ask yourself..."What Would Jed Bartlett Do?"

Food Art...

This morning as I was making my lunch, I had to stop myself and take a step back to fully appreciate this feast I was making. Not only was it providing healthy vitamins and minerals, it was a cornucopia of colors. A feast not only for the stomach but for the eyes as well...

If Picasso was a chef, his food probably would have looked like this...

Registering Volume #2

Yesterday, Amanda and I ventured out to Lenox Mall for round two of registering.

Mission Macy's...

I have to say that I was rather out of my element when it came to towels, bedding and China. I'm all about the kitchen gadgets, so I was on the BBB thing...

It actually went OK. Personally, I was overwhelmed by the entire experience and only got a little perturbed once during the two hour journey. Thankfully, I have a rock star fiancee that pulled me back down to earth when I was getting boo bears. I love you girl.

Another checked off item...Done, done and done...

Next up, center pieces...Yippee!!!

Triple "B" Homies...

Just made our first registry trip to Bed Bath and Beyond. Way too much fun. If anyone gets me/us the knives...The first child may have your name...

These oven mitts were awesome...

Licked, Sealed, Stamped, Mailed...

They've been sent...June 14th, 2008....

Check out www.amandaandjonathon.com for more details....

If you didn't get yours, it's probably lost in the mail....

Rad...

Stole this from Wes's blog. Sick. The song has been purchased...

Snow Day #2

Day 2 of snow this week in the ATL...Amanda and I went outside to have a little fun not in the sun. I kind of like snow for the mere fact of having a totally justifiable excuse to be super lazy...We're on team lurk right now...Get ready for some more blogging action as we're huddled up in the house...

Red Headed Manatees

Yesterday I met Mac at the "Y" for a little swim action before work. We head into the pool area and see that all lanes are filled with pro swim dudes/chicks with shower caps, speedos and not fat. Mac and I at least have the goggle thing working but are wearing board shorts and don't really look like swimmers...Fortunately, there was one lane open and there was only one person using it...I asked the lifeguard if we could get our swim on in that lane and he was cool. Well the lane I'm referring to is the floatie lane...Basically, if you're an old person wearing floaties, this is the lane for you. Needless to say, Mac and me looked like Olympians in that lane...

this is pretty much what we looked like in the water

Look at me go ma!!!!

We should have work off tomorrow...

I'm not a fan of snow...Never have...But I really felt like singing, dancing and making snow angels...

Seriously, it's still kind of sleeting outside so I declare tomorrow a Thursday before MLK Day Off...Who's in?

Just One More Reason...

On Saturday, Amanda and I worked for about 3 hours on wedding stuff including that thing that should have been done long ago...The Budget...As we were going through the excel spreadsheet, I felt anxiety just totally well up in me and I starting sweating things big time as the numbers starting summing up. It was not good. Fortunately I have a rock star fiancee that brought me back down to earth. Still though, when I went out with the boys on Sat. night I was still kind of boo bears and just wasn't very stoked about things...

Well on Sunday morning when I arrived and got my UpStreet lesson, it was on a passage that I read quite a bunch...WORRY! I've read Matthew 6:25-34 like eight thousand times because I'm the ultimate worry wort. You name it, I've worried about it. So as we were going through the lesson and talking about stewardship and worry, God smacked me straight in the gut..."This lesson isn't only for these 3rd graders, it's for YOU."

I was totally focusing on the things that I didn't have and what I couldn't get and didn't really stop and say, "I'm marrying the raddest person on earth and it doesn't matter where we go on our honeymoon."

Thanks for the punch in the gut God. I need it sometimes. I actually need it more.

Macho Macho Man...

That's right ladies and gents...I'm fixin' to be a macho man...With the wedding 154 days away and me in horrible shape and fat,,,it's on homies!!!

Last week I began my quest to 170...And the starting point...206lbs!!! Holy crap that's ridiculous...In all seriousness, I am all about dropping the lbs. before the wedding but it's also all about getting to a healthier lifestyle for the long term...

So, last week was the first week on this quest and I think I did pretty darn good. First off, I signed up at the YMCA as my official gym of choice. And believe it or not, I woke up at 5am every morning this week and hit it up. Nothing crazy...Just a little cardio action and light weights to get back into the swing of things. Then Saturday, the new roomie Jim took Amanda and I through the paces at his gym (he's a personal trainer). Amanda smoked me and I was extremely sore today but I went back to the YMCA for 20 laps in the pool...No ladies, I didn't wear my speedo...7 Days down...7 lbs. down to 199...Not bad...

I need all 7 people that read this thing to hold me accountable to staying on this program for the long term.

I just said 7 a lot didn't I???

Moving on Out

I greatly apologize once again for my lack of blogging here lately. I've been super busy with a bunch of stuff since after the holidays and have had barely anytime to breathe.

Well, anyways...Last weekend Mac and I moved away from the Villages of OTP. I moved into a buddy's house in Buckhead and the Doche moved down into the Highlands with his bro. Mac and I lived together for about a year at the Villages and another two years at the Palace. As Forest would say, he's definitely a best good friend. Even though we hated Smyrna, we made the best of it and probably spent eight grand at the local Taco Bell and Chicken Wing place...

Good times, minor tears though...

Any suggestions?

I got huge amounts of I-Tunes gift cards for Christmas and was wondering if anyone has any good suggestions on music...

I've already downloaded the following:
Season 1 & 2 of Weeds (Great Show)
Season 1 of Dexter
Season 3 of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Radiohead - In Rainbows

I want to use the rest of what I have left on music...My IPod seriously has everything from Pantera to Chris Tomlin so I'm down for pretty much everything...

Bhappi New Year

It's been a pretty darn lazy first day of the year and I'm absolutely lovin' it...And it is not because I partied hard last night. In fact, Amanda and I fell asleep on the couch watching Weeds at 10:30pm. Am I getting old or what???

Anyways, just wanted to write a quickie...Have a bunch of stuff I want to post about so all the people that read this thing can hold me accountable...

This was just a couple of minutes before we totally gowned on the couch...