9 lists of 8

Because I am coming off a hectic weekend, and 2 relaxing days off, I gave my brain a day off.

My new found Canadian Buddy, Will tagged me in a game of lists.  9 lists of 8.  They are predetermined lists. But I need a break for now.  At the end, you get a chance to play along.

8 TV Shows I watch:
Law & Order: SVU-This is where I get all my knowledge on crime.
Myth Busters- I love how nerdy Adam and Jamie are to get to the bottom of Urban Legend
Glenn Beck- I know I know. But like I have tweeted before, part thinks he is full of shit, the other thinks he might be right.  I hope he is full of shit, but something tells me he isn't.
Local News on WKYC-TV-When it comes to the news in Cleveland, I turn to our NBC affiliate.  The weather reports are pretty accurate, but they don't scare me with their 8 million Doppler Radars.  
Top Chef-I am not what you would call a foodie, and frankly I hate the word.  I am a guy who likes to cook and likes to eat.  I don't criticize restaurants, I don't tell you to stop going there.  If I write about it; it was good.  If I am quiet, then I think it sucked, but I am not so entrenched in my opinions of a place to tell you that it sucked.  Top Chef really let's me spend time with Audrey and show her food is something to get excited about.
ESPN First Take-Although I am not your typical guy, I am still a guy.  I like to see what they are saying about my Browns
Iron Chef America-Michael Symon is from Cleveland.  I always watch when he is on.
Diners, Drive In's, and Dives-This season is featuring 7 or 8 Cleveland area restaurants.  Check that show out.

8 Favorite Places to Eat & Drink
Bar Symon-Goes without saying I like Symon.  He's a Cleveland dude.  The fact he opened a restaurant in my home town, I think it goes without saying I love the place and will support it in anyway I can.
The Greenhouse Tavern-Although I have only been there once, I loved the wings, beef tartar, and wine.  It may be a 'green' restaurant, but political buzzwords aside, it's fantastic.  It's run by two great people Jonathon Sawyer, and Chef's Widow.
B-Spot-Symon's new burger joint.  I love burgers.  I love Symon.  Enough said.
Swenson's-See B-Spot but strike the word Symon and just plug in burgers. 
Fiesta Jalapeno- The Mexican joint across the street. Love it.
Melt-Coming up on Diners, Drive-In's, and Dives on February 8th.  Grilled Cheese and Beer.
My Kitchen-I have made plenty of great meals at home, but I love it when Wifey and I are in the kitchen together, but it doesn't happen too often.
My Mom's house-Who doesn't love their mom's cooking?

8 Things I look forward to:
Sexy time with the Wifey-Do I really need to explain that?
Eventually a 'by' line in a published book, article, magazine and then getting a check made to my name as a result.-C'Mon, I've been published 3 times, but never got paid for it! 
Comments on my blog posts-A bloggers wet dream is getting a shit ton of comments.  Don't make me beg.
The end of my work days-Work has been tough recently and I usually like the overtime, but as of late, I love going home to the family as fast as possible
Getting my car fixed-Hopefully it will be fixed by the end of the week
Addison being potty trained-Changing diapers is shitty, and yes, that pun was intended. 
Change-for the good.  It may include, but is not limted to, becoming independently wealthy, getting a full time gig that will pay me to write, having smart kids that will take care of me when they get rich.
A visit from a certain blogger who started this whole list thing-Vodka Logic is coming to town!


8 Things that happened yesterday:
Baby woke up a million times, thus trumping something I was looking forward to-2 guesses as to what that was.
I called to see how much it was going to cost to fix my car-I really wish I was more mechanical to know when I was getting raped up my ass.  At least the inmates in prison can see it coming.
Watched a ton of news-I love the news.
I forgot to put out the garbage for the garbage truck for the 2nd week in a row-I have a feeling it is going to get stinky.
I did the dishes-I am domesticated.
I read a lot of blogs-But only commented on a few.  
Laughed- I seem to do this a lot when I am not at work
Watched the Wifey sleep- And I tried to figure out what she sees in me.  She is so much cooler than me.


8 Things I love about Winter:
The Cold-The Wifey gets closer when it is cold.  That's why the house is kept at 52 during the summer.
Snow!-Although I haven't skied in years, I always watch the ski forcasts.
Cozy fires-I need a fire place
Emergency Snow Warnings-It means it's going to be a fun day behind the wheel.
It's when Addi was conceived-We did it a lot that winter.  
The hush on the street when the snow falls-The snow on the ground just mutes all the noise cars make
The last day of cold before it turns into spring-I like it when it ends.
That first snow fall-It's always amazing

8 Things on my wish list:
A portable mixing board-It would really help with the podcast
A night without the kids-I want to take the lady out to a good dinner at one of the 8 places we love to eat, maybe a movie, and then maybe do it like teenagers after words without worry the kids will hear/walk in.
A new car-More specifically a Ford Taurus SHO.  Sexy car.   I want it loaded.

A new laptop-More specifically a 15" Mac Book Pro
A happy and prosperous life and family- Like anyone else.
A new house-Need a bigger house with a yard.
A Superbowl win for the Cleveland Browns-Need I say more?
My own airplane-So I could have breakfast in San Fransisco and dinner in NYC.  Lunch on board.


8 Things I am passionate about:
My wife and children-They are the most amazing people in my life
Sales-Sales is not about hitting a number, it is about forming and cultivating relationships. 
Writing-I like to write, and I think I am ok at it.  Sometimes I think I suck, but sometimes I really do think I am awesome.  Average it out, and I am just ok.
Reading-Read to escape and learn.
Music-Especially not the shit you hear on the radio.  Local, grassroots shit.  The demo tape made in a garage is my favorite.  Gritty, honest, and usually awesome!
Food-I hate boxed dinners
Coffee-Local coffee houses are awesome, but few and far between thanks to Starbucks.
Learning-Whether it be about myself, or anyone else, I am a fan of the human being.  

8 Words I often use:
[in no particular order]
Awesome.
Happy. 
Please.
Thank-You.
Fuck.
Hello.
Cock.
Shit.

8 Things I learned from the past:
That the freedom America has wasn't exactly fought for, but negotiated.-Read Zinn's book; A People's History of the United States of America then follow it with McCullough's biography on John Adams.
That it could be worse-A childhood story that my Grandpa read to me.  It's a philosophy to live by.
Abstinence only programs do not work- I was in a school district that taught us what a condom was, and also what spermicidal lubricant was, and also how to put on a condom, by demo-ing it on a banana.  I look back on that day in health class in 9th grade as the information I use most often.  They also said that the only form of birth control that was 100% effective was abstinence.  As a result of this class I abstained until I was nearly 21, although I almost had sex when I was 18, but stopped short.  I have only had 2 partners.  Knowledge is power.
Prohibition created NASCAR-Google that.
The 60's looked scary as hell-I watched  a documentary on 1968, and it was fucked up.  
History repeats itself-I am working hard on not repeating my mistakes.
Humans will eventually be extinct-And it doesn't matter how many windmills we put up.  Eventually we are all going to die.
Gravity is awesome-Sir Isaac Newton.  Thanks for discovering it!


8 Things I want/need:
To be idolized by my children-Really, my kids need to think I am awesome
Money-It's tight right now.
Clarification on how we are NOT helping Haiti-I have seen interview after interview of American's telling the government get involved in the recovery effort.  We have Marines, War Ships, and a TON of American Aide on the ground.  We cannot just wave a magic wand.  
I need the celebs to raise money for things in their own country-For instance.  When disaster strikes, Hollywood, the fashionable cause monger they are, gets involved.  I have not seen 1 PSA from then helping out the people of this country since Katrina.  Why can't Clooney raise money to help average guys like me pay off their debt?!  I don't care what you think, but if you want to use your celebrity for something, help us out, don't tell us what you think.
Motivation-Seems I am lacking some motivation as of late.  I don't know what it is.
A new couch-Anyone who has sat down on this thing has had a hard time getting out of it.  It sucks you in.
A new TV-The one I have is sweet, but it is also 300 pounds.
A new car-For either my wife or for me.  Just want a new one


I am supposed to tag 8 people.  I say eff that.  I like breaking rules.  If you want to play along, let me know in the comments section.  I will come check it out and comment on it.
     

I like local

I've been bored for the last few years.  Food choices, retail shopping choices, entertainment options.  All those categories I have started to grow tired of going to the same god damn place.  If we can't decide on a good restaurant to go out to, we go to Fridays.  It's good, but I'm bored.  If we can't find it at Wal-Mart or Target, we don't seem to buy it.  If it's not playing at a local regal cinemas, it seems that we don't go. 

This is plaguing Cleveland.  I think we do things because it's what we have always done. 

This Christmas season, inspired by Chef's Widow, I focused not on getting great gifts for my wife, but getting great gifts for the wife you can't get anywhere else BUT Cleveland. 

I got the wife a couple scarfs from Proper Tea for Christmas.  Proper Tea is a locally owned and operated clothing company by Danielle DiBenedetto.  When I first heard of Proper Tea it was on a local morning show.  It was impressed and ever since I was on a mission to get the wife some scarfs.  The only down side is that they were hard to get.  She, at the time, did not have an online store [now she does] so I was boutique hopping.  I finally got my hands on both scarfs this Christmas when she set up a temporary boutique in the same outdoor shopping mall I work in.  I met her and happily plunked down my cash for them.  She also sold me another gift for the wife.  A long shirt, or dress depending on how tall you are.  I was nervous about that, but my wife has a good eye for design and she also loved it.

A customer of mine had a unique purse.  It was a cigar box with a handle.  It was awesome.  I asked her where she bought it, thinking my wife, a purse freak, would love one.  She said she made it.  I asked her if she sold them and she said, "thought never crossed my mind until now."  Three days after our encounter, she walked in with 2 purses to show the wife.  I bought them both.

People who open stores locally, I need to help them.  Their wares are usually just as good as what you would buy in the store.  Why not buy from your neighbor if you can?

2009 was hard for many people.  There are those who have lost their jobs, like my friend Kasey, or like my Mom, but both are not sitting around feeling sorry for themselves.  Kasey started a blog and is trying to make her own destiny rather than waiting for it to come to her, and my mom is doing the same thing.

My mom makes jewelry.  She is what I was call a jewelry freak.  She has a jewelry safe bigger than most jewelers.  If she cannot find what she wants, she makes it.  Well after her recent job loss, she turned to her craft to pass the time between checking e-mails and making phone calls.  After 3 days we had tons of jewelry.  Why not sell it?  She always has gifted these pieces off to family, but now that she has so much invested into her jewelry, it doesn't make sense to give it away.  So she has turned to sell it.  If you care to check it out, she has 6 item for sale in her Etsy store.  She sold one within a week of opening, so let's hope this is the beginning of a new path for my mom. 

I like buying local now.  A whole new world has opened up for me in Cleveland.  From drab boring Midwest city to culinary mecca of the Midwest, Cleveland is transforming in front of my eyes.  Cleveland has more little boutiques than I can mention, and so many great places to dine. 

Now if only the Browns could get their shit together and resign Cribbs to a respectable deal, and the Cavs keep LeBron after we win the NBA Championship.

#cocktailsforanissa

There are things I have learned since starting this blog.  You never know who you are going to meet.  You never know where you will find yourself.  You never know why things happen the way they do, but in the end, things happen for a reason.

Last night was something magical.

Fellow blogger Chef's Widow [who recognized me and knew my name which was just a shock to me] was called into action by a tragedy.  Anissa, a fellow blogger out there in the world, who was only 35 or so, had 2 strokes.  She was in a coma.  She is in bad shape.  The Widow decided to throw a party in her honor.  So the "Blog it Forward" dubbed #cocktailsforanissa was born.  She was donating proceeds to Anissa's family to help with whatever they needed help with.  The Cleveland Blogging community stepped it up and came forward to "Blog it Forward".  We all need good Karma, and we all need to have those little guardian angels.  

Not only was this my opportunity to help out a great cause, which by the way was able to raise $300+ in a 50/50 raffle, but it also afforded me the opportunity to head out to the Greenhouse Tavern.  I have talked about it.  I have watched many videos about the place, but I have never had the opportunity to head down to the Tavern to enjoy the deliciousness that is Jonathon Sawyer's cooking.

I have been dreaming of having his much raved beef tartar.  I have never had beef tartar before, so what better time to try it.  I just hope I am not spoiled from it.  The texture of the raw beef, the seasoning, the garlic in the fries.  It was just heaven on a plate.  I also had 2 plates of crispy fried chicken wings with the wife's help, which were out of this world.  This stuff had sex with my taste buds.  That's the best way I could tell you.  I loved it all!

Now, the Widow was able to pull out some amazing people.  Just to mention a few of them, we had Tony Ramos, Kasey Crabtree [which you met last Saturday], Jeanne from Life in Cleveland, Alexa from Cleveland's a Plum, Amelia from Chef's Widow, Rima from Rimarama, KaKaty, Josh a.ka. Chef Pallardy, Carrie from Shawnee's Girl, Julie from West of Cleveland, and who am I forgetting?  Oh yeah, Michael Symon.

I don't want to go on and on about Michael Symon, I did that enough yesterday, but I DO want to share a little story.

Like I said before, you never know who is reading your blog, but something funny happened.  In the midst of all the chaos, somehow I was able to get my good friend Chef Pallardy to go introduce himself.  While they were chatting about being chef's and what not, before he walked away I was able to say, "Hey Chef, just wanted to say my 7 year old daughter loved your roasted bone marrow at Bar Symon last night."

He stopped turned around and said, "YOU'RE the dude who wrote that today?  I totally read that, she also had the goat cheese mac n cheese huh?"

My heart skipped a beat.  He read my blog.  I was so floored I just stopped and said, "Dude, you read but didn't comment you bastard."

He laughed and went on his way after posing for a picture with Chef Pallardy and his wife and MY wife.  I took the picture, but I don't need my picture with him.  Michael Symon is a totally nice dude.  I could drink with him more often.  I'm sure he has some great stories.

Talking about nice dude's Chef Sawyer was an amazing guy too.  I was able to stop and talk to him very shortly as he had a kitchen to run, but I did make sure to comment on his beef tartar. He also was explaining sustainability, and things like that.  I am not much of a tree hugger, but I definitely respect a guy who has convictions like that.  I think we all need something to believe in.  I was inspired by him and his wife.  If I could have a FRACTION of the success they have worked for, I would be a happy guy.   

Last night was so amazing I am having a hard time writing about it.  There were just so many layers to the evening, I am having trouble with it.  I could write a blog about every person I met, but I think somehow you would get bored.

All in all I loved the Green House Tavern.  They definitely deserve all the praise and acclaim they have gotten over the past year.  Thanks to Chef's Widow for hosting and putting together such a great event to meet other great twitterers and bloggers from the good ole Cleveland. 

I'm sure there will be future blogs posts and photos about the debauchery that happened there.  Many many disposable cameras have completely random photos of us just drinking and having a good time! 

If you want to read more about #cocktailsforanissa and relive the fun we had, go to twitter and search the hashtag in the title.  It was a fantastic evening I really enjoyed being a part of.

Roasted Bone Marrow anyone?

It feels so great to be back from the long weekend.  I hope you enjoyed all my guest bloggers while I was away.  Kasey was calling them Adam's Angels.  I would have to agree.  So from the bottom of my heart, thank you to Kasey, Laura, Ashley, Jules, and last but not least, my wife, Mrs. Throwing Quarters. 

It was a long weekend and I couldn't have blogged even if I wanted to.  I also want to thank you for all the great comments you have left for all my guest bloggers.  Thank you thank you and again, thank you.

So, now that I am back, what should I talk about?  Should I talk about mean customers?  No.  Been there done that.  Should I talk about the awesome Thanksgiving dinner we had this past Sunday?  Yes, but not right now.  I want to talk about food, but I want to share a more recent story.

When you go out to eat, what goes through your head as a parent?  Do you instantly think of what the kids menu is before you leave because you want to make sure your child eats?  What happens? 

It can be a point of anxiety for many parents.  For me?  I don't even care.  I go eat where I want to eat, and I know if I take Audrey along, she is going to eat something.  She isn't going to look for chicken fingers, Kraft macaroni, or pizza unless it's given as a choice.  She is a typical 7 year old.  She likes those things, I cannot fault her.  But as of late she has been asking for things I am not expecting her to ask for.  "Dad, can I try that mustard over there?" or "Dad, I'm not sure if I like it, but can I try that A-1 steak sauce?" or "Dad I don't like those sweet potatoes, but I tried them." 

She does this without me asking.  It literally warms my heart.  I have tried and tried and tried to give Audrey more than just the crap you can get on a kids menu at any restaurant chain.  She orders off it when available, but I don't fret when we go somewhere that doesn't have a published kids' menu.

Audrey and I watch Top Chef together all the time.  I am trying to show her that people get excited about food.  We watch Iron Chef.  We watch Diners, Drive In's, and Dives.  She gets excited about food. 

Well when I told her that my friends Josh and Carrie were coming in from out of town, we are all going to Bar Symon, she was more than excited. 

My friend Josh is a chef in the Joint Chiefs of Staff's Dining Room at the Pentagon, and a total food guy.  So when Michael Symon built a restaurant in our home town, we had to make sure he went while he was on leave. 

Audrey walked around school for weeks telling her classmates and teachers that SHE was going to Bar Symon and that she was excited.  She had no clue about the menu, but she was excited to go.  I knew the menu enough to know that there was something for her on it, but she is the big girl, she can pick what ever she wanted.

 [panorama shot from the table. You can see the Wifey, Audrey, and Josh's Wife Carrie]

So let's go through the progression last night.  Josh ordered the Roasted Bone Marrow for an appetizer.  His wife, Carrie, and I have read the Julie and Julia Project so we were curious about what roasted bone marrow was.  Josh had it many times in his line of work, but Carrie and I thought it was like a unicorn.  Something everyone always talked about but no one ever saw in the wild.  We have yet to see it on any menu at any restaurant we have ever been to.  Now I know there are some great French restaurants out there, but I have never seen this in the wild.  

To the table came the Bone Marrow [pictured to the left] served right in the bone.  Carrie dove in first, and I was just so excited to try it that I almost jumped out of my skin when Audrey said this:

"Dad, can I try it?"

What?  What does your kid eat again?  Oh that's right, Kraft Macaroni N Cheese off the mother fucking kids menu.

So with delight Josh scooped up some roasted bone marrow onto the toast it was served with and just watched, with my mouth gaping open.  What she said next I almost peed my pants.

"Wow, Dad, I like this, can I have more?"

What?  Yeah you have trouble getting your kid to eat chicken fingers at Friday's, my child eats roasted bone marrow!  You know the stuff from INSIDE the bones of a cow!  She eats that! And she asked for more!

So the waiter, named Steve, yeah he was that good I remembered his name, came back to take dinner orders and Audrey decided to try something I was equally impressed with.  Goat Cheese Mac N Cheese.  She knew it was not Kraft, but then again there is comfort in knowing your pasta is about to be smothered with cheese. 

I looked around.  There were other parents there with their children, all eating off the non published kids' menu.  Buttered noodles, chicken fingers, and who knows what else was on there.  Audrey was ordering off the big kids menu and loving it.  Score one for my daughter!  Even the wife was impressed!

Later on in the night I let Audrey's mom know what she ate and she sent back, Eww, that sounds gross. 

I just sighed in frustration and why doesn't anyone else think that this is the coolest thing in the world?!

So I ordered a braised pork shank, because let's face it, pigs are tasty.  That is also pictured.  The wife got the burger.  But Audrey kept tasting everything.  She tried the braised pork shank, the goat cheese mac n cheese [which she loved btw], and even the Bar Symon burger.  Along with the Bacon and Apple Bread Pudding, Brown Butter Whipped Potatoes, and many many other great things! 

For dessert we tried every dessert they had.  It was just a magical night all around.  Good brews, good eats, and good conversation.

It's always nice to talk to someone about Cleveland when they are away from Cleveland.  You can see a bigger picture of Cleveland and not the narrow-minded views of the residents.  The can't see the forest from the trees I believe is the analogy.  Cleveland, as it turns out, has become a travel spot for foodies.  I have read about this in the times, but I have yet to have it confirmed by someone outside Cleveland that I actually knew.

Anyway, our tour of Cleveland Food resumes tonight as Josh, Carrie, and the Wife head down to the Greenhouse Tavern for Blog it Forward Happy hour.  If you don't have anything to do, get down there.  There is more info about it here. 

Blog it Forward

When you start a blog you start writing for yourself.  You dance like no one is watching, if you will.

Then there comes a point when that whole thing transforms.  You make a few friends, you gain a few readers, and your blog which was coming straight from your heart is now a part of someone else's life.  Then your blog changes.  You start to have a voice in the world.  You become someone's center of influence.  You somehow are put in the position to help someone else, just with your ability to write.

This time of year is always tough and we often lose the meaning of these holidays on shopping and worrying about company.  We never stop and think about all the people out there who are having a tough time.

Yesterday I saw a post from a fellow Clevelander and blogger Chef's Widow.  She told us a story of a 35 year old mother who is in the ICU fighting for her life after having a stroke.  The woman's name was Anissa and her blog that she writes is called Aiming Low.

The Widow decided that she needs to take action.  So she organized a benefit at her restaurant on December 3rd.

I am going to do my best to make sure I am there, and if you are in town, I would love to see you there as well.  It's a good cause and The Widow's husband can sure cook!  

The Blogging community in Cleveland is already spreading the word as I have seen reposts on Cleveland Foodie and Cleveland's A Plum. If you are in Cleveland, please get the word out!

See you there!

Cleveland Blogger Prizes

So remember a certain contest that was run just over a month ago here on this blog?

Yeah, me to too. Well I announced a winner and it was buried in a blog about how awesome my child was, because this IS my blog and yes, I am the narcissist, so it's all about me me me.

So for a refresher, I was giving away a C.L.E. Clothing Co. t-shirt as a price for guessing the Addy's birth time without going over. So many of you chimed in, and 1 of you won.

Kasey Crabtree. A winner. She won the much coveted C.L.E. Clothing Co. t-shirt. As a bonus she was able to come over and meet the baby. Kasey, the clairvoyant she is, was able to guess to within 6 minutes of the correct time. 6 minutes. You know out of 1440 minutes in the day, she picked that particular minute. I couldn't believe someone could get it that close. When I was talking with her, she said, "I saw sixes, nines, threes, and so that's how I got it."

It was amazing and she won a great prize. Way to go Kasey, and for those of you on Twitter, go follow her, she has some great Tweets. She gives good Tweet, as LauraBlue would say.

So that being said, I have given out my first prize, and I look forward to hooking up with C.L.E. Clothing Co. on a future giveaway, but I have also won some stuff out there in Blog Land.

My very very very first prize comes from a very popular Cleveland Blogger Alexa over at Cleveland's a Plum. She was recently voted best blogger in Cleveland by the readers of Cleveland Magazine. She is so popular the C.L.E. Clothing Co. even made a shirt for her. She had a pow wow at her place to give these things away. The contest was genius and check it out so you can see how I won such a fracking awesome shirt.

Now that you are back, the Cleveland Food Scene has recently gotten a TON of attention. More specifically the Greenhouse Tavern. Named one of the 10 best restaurants in the country by Bon Apetite Magazine, and Chef/Owner Johnathon Sawyer was voted best Chef in Cleveland by Cleveland Scene, his wife Amelia runs a pretty fantastic blog as well as running their home lives. This couple is the dynamic duo. Amelia a.k.a Chef's Widow was selected by the Gap to be a Gap Brand Enthusiast and so they shipped her a ton of jeans and other giveaway things, along with a video camera and said, "Give our shit away".

Give it away she did. Check out how SHE gave it away, and how she got her readers [me] involved.

Well a few days ago I got my prize in the mail and off to the Gap I went. A coupon for free Jeans is amazing considering I can't afford much right now, so a coupon worth basically $55.00 is amazing, and the new Gap Jeans I got as a result are also amazing.

In closing I want to thank all of you who entered my contest, and I also want to thank Cleveland's a Plum and Chef's Widow for making me look good, and also did for free.

[Rocking Cleveland's a Plum and Chef's Widow Prizes]

I've been away.....

Before you get all mad, I had a good reasons to be away for so long. I have been losing focus.

Since last Wednesday, I have been hyped. We have a date for the arrival of baby. Between last Wednesday until tomorrow, 1 week later, my wife could have gone into labor at any time. With every vibration of my 2 BlackBerrys I sat on the edge. Was this going to be the phone call, text, instant message that will mark the arrival of labor pains, or a goodbye to my wife's water. All of these things would warrant my immediate departure from work.

These things never came. My mind was elsewhere at work. My sales goals are untouched. Out of the huge goal I have sitting in front of me, I have barely made a dent in them. I haven't tried. My mind was pre-occupied. Understandably, but it doesn't help. It was on Friday when I butted heads with a manager I usually have a good relationship with. That's when I really freaked out. It was 4 days into the month, I had almost all zeros on the board when he looked at me and said, "you are better than this". He had a look of disgust on his face. His #1 sales guy, was in the crapper. I have lost focus. My drive was gone. My ambition was gone. I was ready to see my new child.

My managers are pretty understanding. They didn't hassle me too much, so I unplugged from the blog, I unplugged from twitter [not cutting myself from that too much, but reduced my input], and unplugged from full time Facebooking. I needed to focus on my family and career choice.

This is the reason for me being a recluse from my blog.

I have a ton on my brain as a result. I am in the process of scheduling out some posts because I'm pretty sure I will not have time to do blogging for the rest of the week.

While I was away, some great things happened. I won some stuff and got fan mail.

What I won:
Not sure if you remember, but I won a Cleveland's a Plum t-shirt from Alexa from Cleveland's a Plum. I am forever grateful for this! Thanks again Alexa.

But there is something going on in the blog world that 2 bloggers from Cleveland were recipients of. Brand About Town selected 2 of my favorite Cleveland bloggers to be Gap Brand Enthusiasts. That basically means they get a bunch of free shit from Gap and get to throw a party to give it all away. Sometimes they send you so much stuff, that the awesome bloggers they are get to give stuff away to their readers who didn't get invited to the party.

For a long time I have been following Chef's Widow, who is the wife of Cleveland chef Jonathon Sawyer of the Greenhouse Tavern. Her blog has become one of my stops in my daily routine blog reading. Her adventures of moving have been hilarious, and her insight of what her husband's success in the culinary world by being named Bon Appetite's top 10 Restaurants in America. When she got her free stuff from Gap to give away, she threw a party for her restaurant. She gave all the stuff to her staff. She thanked them for being there for her.

So when she had a ton of left overs, she gave it away to us, the readers.

I am glad to say that I won!! I won a pair of Gap Jeans! First a t-shirt, now some jeans. How awesome!

So thank you Chef's Widow can't wait to try them on!

Don't worry, I will get photos of my Cleveland blogger prize pack!

What I got from a Fan:
Well a good friend of mine who is NOT a fan of blogs, but IS a fan of my podcast recently visited me at my day job. He walked in and gave me a package. I quickly opened it and out came a t-shirt.

George is the drummer of a Cleveland metal band Morality Check. They will be making an appearance on the podcast soon. George and I go way back. He went to high school with my older brother and he and I have stayed in touch throughout the years. I have been to his house many a night rocking to Guitar Hero with a bunch of other friends. My avatar is awesome.

So when I saw George that day in my store handing me a package with a t-shirt, I was interested as to what would be on the shirt. He often makes fun of me for blogging as much as I do, but not in a malicious way, just in jest.

I laughed when I saw the shirt.
How awesome is that?! Thanks George! Can't wait to have the band on my show!

If you haven't already, make sure you get your times in for tomorrow's side bet on the baby pool. Make sure you read the comments and see what everyone else has said! Also, if you would like to stay updated, I will be twittering I'm sure during the labor. Follow me on Twitter to keep in the loop.