Goingbigger: Holidays

Sweet 4th of July Pics

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:49:15 GMT

This 4th of July I spent with friends at a wedding. I know what you are thinking, weddings are gay, but this one was cool. It lasted a whole 10 minutes (tops) and I was boozing during the ceremony. Easy money if you ask me. After the "I do's", everyone started in on the food, got back to talking and started to booze even harder. Then the meat wagon showed up.

A 1948 Ford truck pulling a bbq that would not fit in some garages. It was packed full with good smelling wood and tons of meat. Ribs, ribs and more ribs baby! There were pretty good and hosted by Armadillo Barbeque. What a cool name and they said they even have a 1953 GMC as their other truck. Should have brought that instead of the Ford, lol, needed at lease one Ford jab in there.

Then the big moment had arrived. All year I have been waiting for the 4th because my room mate bought like 2k dallors worth of fireworks (wholesale from the internet) and made a 4x8 display board to compliment the boxes off other stuff he had :) The dispay was the best have ever seen and the pictures turned out amazing. I bought a Fujifilm camera for my 30th and it has a fireworks setting on it. Bingo! The show lasted for about 30 - 40 minutes and there was a rock cover band playing right behind us. So rock music, drinks and fireworks (Toby got a burn on left hand...thank god it was the left!) was the best combination. And here is my favorite of all the pictures, all the rest can be found in the photo album.

Happy Independence Day, July 4, 2006

Wed, 05 Jul 2006 00:18:05 GMT

Last night Rudy came over to watch the fire works from my apartment. From my apartment we could see the Seattle Center's, Gas Works Park's, Bellevue's, Madina's and Kirkland's firework display all at the same time. It was wild and very very colorful. The sky was lit up like a Xmas tree with the 5 different displays and the best part about it was it was free :P.

But before all the displays Rudy and I just hung out here while I Appreciated some Spacers and he played PS2. We chatted up a storm about a whole lotta nada but a few good things here and there. Since neither of us had s*** to do it was just right. His gf is New York right now, she watched the New York display from a party on a roof top in Brooklyn, trying out for some commercials. She gets back on Sunday and Rudy and I are really rooting for her. It would be so cool to know another person from TV. I know a weather guy on our local station, that is pretty sweet.

More about the 4th...hmmmm...I finally read the Declaration of Indpendence from start to finish. What a great document and its no surprise that it has been called one of the most important documents is human history. It is truely and art work but the verbage is a tad difficult to read. Totally different than the type of English I grew up on. And the all "S" look like a cursive "f". It took me a bit to figure that out.

I re added my Patriotic Photo Albumn but I am sorry to say that I have placed any new ones in for some time. There are some specatcular images floating around the net of the United States and for s***s and giggles here are some search terms that produce some good ones

Updated: July 7, 2006

Image of the Day provided by NASA, Resident Bald Eagles

If I could be any animal it would be a Bald Eagle. They kick ass, heck they would kick my ass. Standing roughly 4 feet tall with a 6 foot wings space and tallons that 4 inches long they virtually have no predators, unless you count man.

It would be so cool to be able to fly around and to look so noble doing it. I have see a lot of them in wild but one time stand out more than another others. I was 16 and was walking in the mountains on the Eastern slope of the Cascades when all of a sudden here she came. Flying through the valley about 25 feet from me she came soaring by in graceful flight. It was just amazing and it was totally one of those times where you are rooted in place.

I couldnt move, just watch. A perfect experience and one I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Toby

Friday I took off work early...

Sun, 02 Jul 2006 18:03:39 GMT

Friday I took off work early and headed home because holiday traffic was a mess. I got home in time to listen to my favorite radio program, The Men's Room on KISW 99.9fm. Part of their program poses questions to viewers and viewers call or e-mail in with their responses. Being Friday before the Holiday it was fitting that The Men's Room question was "What is the best thing you like about America?"

The answers were coming so more good and some where off the wall. But it leads me to my comment which I e-mailed in.

Hola Bticholas!!

The best thing I like about living in America is our personal Freedom. Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Press and Freedom from Persecution. There are a lot of people in our country that will complain and criticize American policy and our government actions but have those people ever thought what gave them the freedom to make such statements or acusations? In other countries people die or disappear if they talk bad or disagree with the governing power. Our Freedom gives citizens more Freedoms than they actually realize. Our system many not be perfect but its the best in the world and to me that is saying something.

NFL, BEER, ROCK GRILS

Toby

Kirkland

It is what gives us the right to blog on whatever, however we want (besides putting nudies on here) without the fear of a reprisal. I'll save my Independence Day post for the 4th. The Men's Room reads comments over the air and wouldn't ya know...mine was read over the air at the end of their show and Steve "The Thrill" Hill gave me a "Well Said" and Thee Ted Smith gave me a "hellz Yea". Yea Buddy!!

I raised my arms in celebration and it gave me the willies. Don't ask me why but it gave me a great feeling for me to actually have my vioce heard. I conveniently threw some politics in there that I feel most people forget about.

I am still reading "The First Scientific American, Benjamin Franklin and the Pursuit of Genius" and fittingly enough I just got into the year 1776 and how Franklin used his fame as a natural philosopher to influence and have soverign countries to recognize the Declaration of Independence and America as a soverign nation. As our country approaches its Independence Day, I am reading about in a book. Its a cool coincidence if I don't say so myself.

I love this country thick and through. Everytime I hear the Star Spangled Banner I get all choked up and chills run througn my body. It is amazing how this country was formed and what events lead to America's formation.

Well I am off to do some other work to my Space. Peace out and lai-tro.

Toby

St. Patty's Day kicks arse!!

Mon, 13 Mar 2006 01:55:47 GMT

St. Patty's Day kicks arse!! This morning I got up hella early, too early on Sunday, and headed to Safeco Field to park the car. Then we took and old school blue bird bus to the Seattle Center and Key Arena for the starting line. Being the ealier birds we got there in plenty of time and stood around and frooze our asses off until the Sun came up.

Ah the morning wasn't too bad since we were layered pretty good but after the race commenced i was wished i left the jacket home :P It was a great jog down the Alaskan Way Viaduct. The view was spectacular and I almosted crashed becuase i wasnt paying attention to my running, hehehe, "oops sorry" and keep on going :)

While running on the Viaduct, I looked forward and thought to myself "my buddy Jason (the one i went to whistler with) has a beani like that" and as I got next to him I was like "WTF". A total random meeting in a run, on the Viaduct, between to buddies who had no clue the other was doing the run.

As I approached Safeco Field, homeplate was the finish, the crowd was big and cheering. I have never done one of these things before so the whole experience was brand new. The crowd cheered and it gave me a good final push to finish the 3.5 miles 30min 58secs. I was breakin no records that run but it was pretty fun.

After the race, we all sat around talking about the views, times and what hurt and made our decesion to go get breakfast. Your probably shocked I wasn't in the beer garden, I kinda am...but food sounded awesome :)

We ate a Chelan Diner near Alki Beach and then cruised Alki to see the views. What a perfect day in the Northwest!!!

Well that is all for folks,

"Live long and prosper"

Toby

Holiday Greetings

Sat, 10 Dec 2005 02:20:24 GMT

Ah HAAAAA...

I took this pic tonight from my roof top and already it is featured on King5.com website. It is named Blood Red Sunset from Kirkland. Check it out and let me know how you like it!!!

YEA BUDDY, now that is playa stuff...

This blog may or may not be finished tonight, hehehe

Stipulations suck don't they?

Take care All

Good Morning

Sun, 04 Dec 2005 19:58:00 GMT

This weekend was great!! Friday I met up with my old man and started to decorate his boat for the parade on Saturday night. We had lunch at Anthony's Homeport in Everett then off to decorating.

The boat was covered in lights and looked suprisingly well. My homeboy Jake came down after he got off work then we cruised around at night with some of my dad's friends. I'm not sure I have ever seen the Puget Sound so smooth in my whole life. When I would releave my dad from driving on the fly bridge, it was F'kin Cold, I was feeling like the I was on the Titanic the night before it hit the iceberg. It was clear, cold and calm. After cruising for a bit we just headed back to the slip and relaxed over drinks and conversation.

Jake and I took off to head to the Casino to meet up with some more buddies and their ladies. I avioded the tables becuase last time I sat on a black jack table the casino broke my bank. Ah, it happens. Later night we ended back in Marytown and just chilled.

WellI got cleaned up and met up my buddy in Kirland, Aaron. That dude cracks me up, one of the funnest guys i know, I called him already this morning and he gave me a one liner from Anchor Man, and last night we had a whole conversation with lines from our fav films. We didn't resort to breaking out the Star Wars lines or talking Klingon but I'm anyone would understand ;)

Aaron and I went up to Everett and met up with Dad and his friends to do the boat parade and take part in the boat judging contest. We easily stepped it up over all the competition. GO DAD...There was 3,000 lights on our boat, hehhe, "Dad you taught me everthing I know about exterior illumination".

We did the parade and partied. Once again I had a few beers. This time the flavor was MGD canned. Not my favorite but it was cold and within reach ;)

We went up to the award ceremony to see how we fared. The first award was the "Over 40ft Class". We won, that is a W. It was cool to win our class and then they handed out the rest of the classes and then we won the "Best Overall"!!!!!

It was pretty cool because knocked the guy out that has won the most. He came over to dad's boat afterwards and we talked and he loved that we took it the next level. Now we all are hoping that people bring it and make the competition more ofjust that, competition. As the competition grows in between boaters hopefully more people turn out to watch it. The Yacht Club has done the best in planning and preformaning there public events. So hopefully next year it crazy time ;)

I am going to search for some pics and links online while I watch the Steelers and the Bangles duke it out.

I want to chill but that doesnt look possible. I have to get cleaned up in a half hour to meet up with dad, brother, sister-in-law and nephew to hang out and do a Xmas thing.

Dad's boss has him working this Xmas :( the first one ever. Ah, duty calls but sometimes there timing SUCKS!!

Hope all is well in your corner of the Universe. Your friend in Time,

Tob

Another day; Another dollar

Fri, 25 Nov 2005 20:54:24 GMT

Thanksgiving was perfect! The family came up and we watched football and grubbed on a lot of food. MY guts kind of hurt today from the volume of food that were shoved in there!! Oh well it is totally worth the pain.

A big Seahawks game is coming up Sunday and yours truely will be there in full affect. It will probably rain and be very cold but I don't care because I will probably be kind of hammered. YEA BUDDY!!! "YOU KNOW IT and YOU KNOW IT!!!", Frank, Old School.

Yesturday, when we were hanging out before dinner, my nephew brought me his Baby Einstein book and crawled up on my so I could read to him. It was so cute and it made me feel so good inside. We sat there and he was so excited sitting next to me while he looked at the pictures. My brother and sis-in-law are good parents but they will have there hands full when this kid gets older...for some reason it makes me laugh, probably because it is my brother :) They will do fine. Aiden YOU ROCK!!

I started my first story last night. It is called Hotel Ice Age and it is a little rough but the more I write the more indepth it gets. Who knows if it will be any good but I really don't care it is fun to do.

BARE's website is in limbo right now. I am trying to implement "depth of pages" into it but it difficult to be creative on it and be professional all at the same time. As long as I keep moving forward I don't think I can go wrong, well not to wrong anyways. Being full-time here, Barnett Associates Real Estate, it is giving my time to get comfortable and now implement strategies makes me excited to think where this company will be in a few years.

The other night I developed BARE's Triangle of Success for our agents. It is made of up Prospecting, Agent Marketing and Implementation with Achievement in the middle. The idea is to give visual representation to the agents if they are not achieving the results they want, part of the triangle are they not doing. So then they can come to me and we can work on filling the gap. That is the plan anyways :)

Well I am outta here and will be back sometime on Sunday!! Take care and Enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend!!

Toby

Tonight :)

Tue, 25 Oct 2005 17:35:55 GMT

Charlie Brown's The Great Pumpkin is on tonight on ABC. I haven't seen this show since I was a little kid so I am going to sit down and watch it :) I love all the holiday shows I used to watch when I was young also I am a sucker for any holiday special on TV. So to say the least I am a tad excited to watch CB. Also next Monday night the Simpson's Treehouse of Horror is on FOX.

I know, I know, that isnt too grown up but what the hell, I am kid at heart. Growing up I used to be religious in my cartoon watching. It would start with Gummy Bears then Duck Tales , my all time favorite, Tale Spin and some others I can't remember the names of. They used to the highlight to my day and it bothered me when I didn't get too.

I miss the simple things I used to do especially during the Holiday seasons. One of the things I used to do and still do somewhat is watching Xmas movies from the beginning of December until the Xmas. I almost wore out my VHS copies of Home Alone 1 & 2 and White Christmas with Bing Crosby watching them over and over and over. My family probably got so tired of it but I didn't care. Everyday I would get home they would get plugged in and then I would do homework. Memphis Bell, a true story about a WWII B-17 bomber and its crew (they were the first bomber team to finish all 52 missions), is another movie I used to watch repeately just not during the holidays.

Ah, when the days were so simple. Now it full so much other stuff but tongiht is my night to reminence and remember the good old days :) I can't wait.

I am writing this at work :) Not the best thing to do but it is my last day as a Starbucks Accountant on Friday . Then it is on to my new job as BARE's office manager :) It has me excited and nervous all at the same tiime. Well I better leave this at that and get back to work.