70 Degrees & Sunny

So the SOB continues with the weather finally turning the corner and 3 rounds of golf under my belt I feel confident that I can put a serious dent in my handicap over the next couple of months. I'm starting to look forward to Europe with less than 6 weeks til departure and some time amongst beautiful Swedish women as well as one Italian.

I was also fortunate enough to provide the IRS with some additional blood money...I mean revenue last week, I'm sure my continued contributions will fund some more meaningless programs aimed to help everyone who is not me!

The next few weeks should provide for some good fodder as I have 2 Bachelor parties and 2 weddings before I leave the first week of June, I may leave the camera behind to protect the innocent but the stories will live on. I can only assume the guy who injured himself trying to sneak a fifth of whiskey into the Garden 2 weeks ago will certainly do something foolish during several big events in the next couple of weeks. Things should be quiet this week with a lot of golf and some gym time on the docket. I plan to be imbibing on the deck soon, so please keep me advised if a cocktail becomes necessary.

I'd like to thank the woman who attempted chat me up last night I've never had such an entertaining opening to a conversation, it was high comedy and I appreciate the effort, at least you have that going for you, which is nice.

Such is life during the SOB!

Having attended the 40 Days to FAGAWI party last night (solid work on the open bar) it is clear that people are ready for summer and so am I !!!!

I've died and gone to......Georgia?

While I am admittedly not a big fan of the "south" my trip to Talladega and last weeks road trip to Augusta have started to temper my opinion, maybe, no not really. However, Augusta National and the Masters are unlike anything I have ever encountered. Words, pictures and television do not begin to do justice to the beauty and difficulty of the golf course. A few pictures which I snapped along the way including Magnolia Lane, Amen Corner and me hanging out where I belong.

I would also like to thank the individuals who gave me the one finger salute as I weaved and tailgated my way south, for the record the left hand lane is for passing not traveling!!!

It is also very clear that folks south of the Mason-Dixon line are not usually in a hurry to serve you, answer your questions or provide feedback in a manner consistent with those of us who try to be productive; at least they are friendly.

I would commend the Augusta National Golf Club, anytime you go to a major event where people pay huge amounts of money to attend and the most expensive food item is $2.50 for a club sandwich you are trying to take care of the people, well done. In fact an entire lunch with a beer was no more than $6 including desert, amazing how much we have all become accustomed paying $8 for a side of potato salad.

Anyways it was a fantastic trip and I would tell any golfer to make the trip to Augusta if and when you ever have the opportunity. It is an amazing place that lives up to the billing in a day and age when few things do. Happy Easter, I'll be back next week to share my dislike of the IRS and with the start of the summer golf season. Summer is just beginning.

The SOB is off to a tremendous start, two days of basketball at the Garden including an amazing finish in the Villanova/Pitt game have set the bar pretty high for the next couple of months. Guinness consumption for the last 7 days totals 43, thankfully it's almost time for a "summer" beer. I have made a few observations during my first week including but not limited to:

- Daytime television is amazingly bad

- The studio audience at the Price is Right is either much smaller than I thought or they have moved filming to a high school auditorium

- The news at noon could be done in 5 minutes allowing for more amazingly bad daytime TV

- Traffic is always bad even at 11am

- It's a really nice feeling to have an entire day with no plans

- Bowling alleys are suprisingly quiet during the day, I can see why The Dude always had a caucasian in his hands

- Lunch is always better when you've done something productive that morning

I'm getting ready for a big roadtrip, heading home for a couple of days and then on to Augusta and a chance to check an item off the list with a visit to Augusta National and the Masters. Since I will be able to take a camera with me during the practice round so I expect to have plenty of

pictures upon my return. The Buttermilk5 is also getting ready for another season on the diamond and as you can see here http://www.buttermilkfive.blogspot.com/ ticket sales are brisk.