God I hate getting up in the morning.
Maybe I should rephrase that. God, I hate getting up for work
at 4 am.
That is so freaking early.
You know how I know that?
My dog Rudy won't even get up.
In fact he'll lift his head and look at me with a look that says "What the hell are you doing up this freaking early? Oh, by the way, leave me some food in my bowl when you leave." then he'll drop his head and go back to sleep.
I never thought in all my years I would be getting up to go to work when I used to be just going to bed in my crazy young days. I didn't join the military because I didn't want to get up that early.
Now...I'm up so early that I hear revelry at the air force base located on the other side of the airport. And to top it off...by the time I hear the bugle play to wake up our brave men and women in uniform, I've already been at my job for three hours.
You know what makes it worse?
I hate coffee. Can't stand it. So not only am I tired and grumpy I have to put up with all those other cheerful people high on caffeine.
They are so smug with their "Good Morning's." It make's me sick. I just want to tell them to shove it. Then...I turn on the radio thinking that some music might wake me up...but nooooo. There' some annoying guy and gal hyped on some sort of super coffee telling me all about what happened on American Idol or Dancing With the Stars the night before.
I don't care. I want to hear music...not people talking.
Than...they jack it up a notch by asking listeners what they think about the latest Brittney Spears scandle. I don't care about Brittney Spears, let alone what Joe Blow off the street thinks about it. PLAY MUSIC!!
Seriously, you don't need a Howard Stern or a Bob and Tom type on every single station. Not just that. Only a few people (like a Stern or a Bob and Tom) can really pull "talk radio" stuff off. Just play music so sorry suckers like myself who have to be up at this time can stare blindly at the wall and wonder: "What happened to my Life? How did I get here? My life had promise didn't it? Maybe I should of payed more attention in school!"
Then, just when I think this is it..the end of my life...the sunlight pierces the morning and hits Pike Peak and the front range of the Rocky Mountains. The colors are unbelievable. The purples and oranges dancing across the mountains are...well...indescribable.
I have always heard America The Beautiful growing up, and heard the lyric "...purple mountains majesty". I never believed that line until now.
The mountains in the early morning sun are truly purple and magnificent. It's beautiful.
When I see them, I take a deep breath of the clean crisp mountain air and think out loud "Man, I am glad I get up so early in the morning for work."
Early Morning Mountains
Spring Baseball and the Cincinnati Reds
I know, I know I've been neglecting my job as the manly man of Virgil's Fine Soaps and I am sorry for that. But being manly takes a lot of time, it really does. I wonder how the heck did Steve McQueen pull it off so well? But I digress.
Since the last time we've talked a season has changed and that means at the airport skis have changed to golf clubs and my back still isn't happy. Basketballs have changed to baseballs and my fiancé Melissa is also still not happy. Maybe she can ask my mom how she deals with losing Virgil for two to three hours every night to Marty Brenaman and the starting nine of our beloved Cincinnati Reds for the duration of spring, summer, and , if the baseball gods smile down upon us, into autumn.
Spring always fills us baseball fans with that youthful optimism that our team, no matter how bad they have been or really are, this is their year. Virgil and I are no different. I can't tell you how many phone calls dad and I have had these past few weeks talking about the Reds chances and how finally the new owners went out this off season and spent money on what really matters in baseball, pitching. How the Reds have been slowly building their farm system with depth and talent that looks like this year with Jay Bruce, Homer Bailey, and Jonny Cueto will finally pay some dividends in the standings. The Reds also ate some contracts of some players they knew would not help them win by releasing them. Than, to show how serious and commited they are to winning now they went out and hired a bonifide winning manager in Dusty Baker . Bringing hope to many in Reds country that this really could be their year.
But I think the Reds have another ace in the hole this year. You see the baseball gods will have to help the Reds because long time Reds announcer and player Joe Nuxhall will be there bugging them. The Ol' Lefthander passed on this off season to that big diamond in the sky and will be sorely missed down here by everyone who is a Reds fan that listened to Marty and Joe on radio.
My first ever real memory was sitting on the front porch in early summer watching the corn grow with my dad and listening on dads old beat up cystal radio the Big Red Machine. And I just remember how excited Joe got when a Red, I don't even remember which player, hit a home one. As Marty was telling you what was transpiring you could hear Joe in the background going nut's yelling " GET OUT OF HERE, GET OUT OF HERE!!" And you felt you were there with. From that moment on I was a Reds fan. Thanks Joe, I'll be thinking of you everytime Ken Griffey Jr. goes deep.
OMG Dancin' Slim is Creating a Scandal!
Wow!
A TV commercial I did for 95.5 My Country in Casper, Wyoming caused quite a scandal. I never knew dancing with my shirt off, having a great time would make ruffle so many feathers! Oh well... I'm having fun...and the campaign is working. Job done. :)
Check out the video "news bite" by clicking here!
