Cheers to 25 Years (of marriage)!!

5/1 - I was back on the road just for the day for work today.  I was able to stop in at Happy Trails Brewing in Sparta on the way back and had their decent So Passional Coconut Banana Sour and then off their guest taps I had the nice Peach Day lager from Half Batch Brewing over in Hendersonville. 

Well, it happened again.  Our great pearl-clutching, hypocrite of a state called Tennessee has now blocked real money play at ClubWPT Gold.  It's not surprising since they use the same "sweepstakes model" as Global Poker does.  And I was never really much of a fan of the site, but it was all I had, and I was winning on it.  So, I promptly won my last $5 SNG on their tonight and cashed out my entire $76.39 bankroll while I could.  So lame and so frustrating.  

5/2 - I got some nice overtime today working the Cumberland University spring graduation ceremony.  There was a huge crowd there, and I was busy shuttling folks to and from the ceremony from outer parking areas.  One guy even tried to tip me $5!  

5/3 - I am back at the $2-million-dollar house on the lake cat-sitting for the week and I had no luck fishing (although I had a good bite), but I might have found a new online poker site to play on called Bovada Poker.  I was able to make a real money deposit.  Not sure about cashing out yet. We shall see, but it does gives me a place for good practice and keeps me sharp vs. opponents who care about playing which is worth the $25 investment to me.  I even won my first small buy-in 6-handed SNG on there today!  

5/4 - I got another small buy-in 6-handed SNG win on Bovada tonight.  

5/6 - I went solo to see another 80's heavy metal former frontman, David Lee Roth of Van Halen fame, at The Ryman tonight.  This was kind of a last-minute decision that was made on a couple of factors:  1. He's performing mostly Van Halen songs! 2.  I got the floor seat ticket for under $25 on Stub Hub! 
With another big show going on downtown, I decided to Uber to The Ryman from New Heights Brewing where beforehand I had their decent Tail Dragger IPA and then their nice amber lager called Boston Bob.
The show was really great.  Diamond Dave's still got tons of energy and showmanship.  His backing band was solid, and he had a quartet of black male singers to help him with harmonies.  He told stories, cracked jokes, and cranked out hit after Van Halen classic

hit all of which he wrote.  He even choked up a bit talking about Eddie (RIP).  And to top it all off, I had this smokin' hot young girl sitting/standing by me who was also alone.  She seriously looked like an 80's Taylor Swift...who knows, maybe it was her incognito! You never know in Nashville! 

5/7 - I got another small buy-in 6-handed SNG win on Bovada Poker tonight. 

5/8 - Finally!  On my last day cat-sitting at the fancy lake house and on one of my last casts, I caught this healthy young bass off the dock.  I will sure miss this beautiful place.  Hopefully I will get another chance to stay here again in the near future.  
I also got two small buy-in 6-handed SNG wins on Bovada Poker today.  

5/9 - We tailgated at the Iroquois Steeplechase in Nashville today, and I brought along a couple of brews from a variety four-pack of pint cans for the festivities that I picked up earlier this week at the Mt. Juliet Beer Company.  I started with the excellent wheat beer called No Spring Kitten from Fat Orange Cat Brewing (CT - on my bucket list to visit) and then a very good DIPA from Burial Brewing (Asheville) in collaboration with Xul Brewing (Knoxville) called The Fabrication of a Most Diabolical Empire.  

5/10 - I headed up to The Barrel in Franklin, KY, today to play in a poker tournament that didn't go great due to two bad beats, but it was a beautiful day nonetheless, so I moseyed over to find the nearby art piece called Fork in Road.  I even ran into the surrounding farm owner while I was there who told me it was created by the local high school welding teacher.  Pretty cool!  

Just around the corner is the Cutting Edge (get it?) by the same welder along with a little park area of other fun creations.  I am going to submit these places to Atlas Obscura and hope they get some notoriety.  On the way home I stopped by Portland Pizza and Pub where I had a draught of the pretty good Banzai XPA from Half Batch Brewing over in nearby Hendersonville.  I also grabbed an early dinner from Vui's in Gallatin that was oh so delish. 

5/11 - I had a remote day at work today, so I walked up to Cedar City Brewing (it's been a while since I've done this) for lunch and to have my Mug Club monthly free flight which had three new-to-me brews including their new and very good Banana Pudding Cream Ale and their new and refreshing Salty Watermelon Gose.  I also added their Apple Cider since a taster is about all I wanted of it to get it checked in on UNTAPPD.  It was actually OK, but too sweet for a whole pint to my palette.  I had their always-awesome dry-rubbed wings to eat.  On the way walking back home, I stumbled upon the NashBrew coffee truck and just had to have one of their delicious honey wildflower chai teas to sip on as I finished my short journey.

5/12 - Hopefully this is $35 well spent.  I paid the CU registration fee for a student over in DeKalb County today, so she can come check out Cumberland University and hopefully go to school here this fall.  She's a smart cookie with a great GPA and ACT score, so I was happy to help.  I know how it was to be poor as a high school student with potential.  Thanks to my dear momma for the encouragement and help as best she could when I was in a similar position.   I dedicate this gesture to her memory.   

When one poker window closes, another one opens.  Despite the recent loss of Global Poker and WPTClub Gold to real money online play here in Tennessee, I've learned of some other options that look promising.  The newest one is the Bluffers Poker Club on Clubb GG which I heard about through the Ante Up podcast.  I've dropped $50 in on this one to get started.  Fingers crossed! 

5/14 - She's back and better than ever!  Our beloved backyard pool got a new dark blue liner this year plus a few leak repairs and she's back in business as of today!  This is our 10th anniversary of the installation of the pool, and we still think it's the best money we've ever spent.  I toasted the reopening with a poolside brew this afternoon.   I cracked open a pint can of the excellent hazy DIPA called Hashtag...Vaguely Italian from Young Blood Brewing (WI) that I picked up recently in a variety four-pack from the Mt. Juliet Beer Company. 

5/15 - I got a nice mention (by my PokerStars screen-name) on this week's Ante Up Podcast as Joe Scales and his co-host (and wife), Elle, gave me some props about my play last night in the monthly Ante Up Patreon Game. Even though that luck-box, Joe, beat me heads up with a runner-runner flush, plus he crippled me earlier when, as chip leader, my AK ran into his conveniently timed AA.  But, in turn, I had already knocked Elle out when my K7 ran down her AK on the river earlier in the game. It was quite the rollercoaster of a night and I could say the same also over on Global Poker where I got just five spots away from another play-money trophy.  

5/16 - More frustration on Global Poker tonight with two final table finishes and another 5th place in PLO that was 4-handed, so I just missed a third final table.  

5/16 - I celebrated American Craft Beer Week and the 60th birthday of my friend, Brenda, tonight at her casino-themed party (the poker didn't go well) with a can of the solid session IPA called Stone DayFest from Stone Brewing (CA).  

5/17 - I sat with my pal, Nate, tonight in his session-ticket seats and enjoyed seeing our NSC boys take a 3-2 victory over LAFC thanks to a hat-trick by team captain, Hany Muhktar, and some incredible saves by our goalie, Brian Schwake.  This victory keeps NSC atop the Eastern Division and now gives us a one-point lead for best record in the entire MLS!  
Beforehand, I parked for free at Fait la Force Brewing and enjoyed their brand-new NEPA called Flower Maiden.  

5/18 - I recently found a great website called TeePublic with some hilarious and nerdy-cool T-shirt designs.  The prices are fair and the material is great.  I chose super-soft.  I love this McCleod Scottish Ale tee inspired by one of my favorite 80's movies, Highlander.  "Best served without a head" - now that's funny!  

I mean, come on, The Tipsy Taun Taun Pub and Brewery located on Hoth...how is that not the funniest Star Wars thing you've ever seen! 

Tuesday, May 19 - It's our 25th Wedding Anniversary!! - We flew very early this morning to Costa Rica to celebrate for the rest of the week.  

5/24 - I went to see the new film, Star Wars:  The Mandalorian and Grogu, at the fancy new Hooky Theaters in downtown Nashville with several friends tonight.  (poster pic on phone at 5/12) 

5/27 - I started another pet-sitting gig in Mt. Juliet today and through the weekend.  It's located very close to the Mt. Juliet Beer Company, so I slipped over an got me a variety four-pack to enjoy during my stay.  

I went to see the new historical WWII movie called Pressure tonight. (poster pic on phone at 5/12) 

This month's column in the Ante Up Online Magazine came out today.  

5/31 - I went to see Steve Earle at The Ryman solo tonight with a $30-flat ticket that I scooped up recently during the big summer sale.  (tour poster pic on phone at 5/16)