It was a long weekend like no other!  Tessa and I traveled all over the Carolinas from Columbia to Asheville to Charlotte for a nice minication.

We started by heading down to Columbia Friday night and stayed with my cousin Tonya and her new husband Soup.  Tonya had to work an all-nighter but still managed to join us for a trip to the Riverbanks Zoo.  Tessa had never been so I was excited about taking her for her first visit.

After several hours, we left the zoo and went to the Red Bowl in Columbia since we love the one here in Greenville and wanted to share the experience with Tonya and Soup.  I gotta say, the Columbia location isn’t anywhere close to the one in Greenville in terms of food, service and price!  Fans of the Greenville location should go somewhere else when down in Columbia!

On our way out of Columbia heading towards Asheville, my dumbass let us run out of gas – on I-26 where there were exits every 3 or 4 miles and not all of which were gas exits!  I have never in my life run out of gas and this was a BAD day to start!  As we were walking towards the nearest exit, my stomach which had been giving me fits for the better part of the day decided it would rear it’s ugly head once more forcing me to run down into the woods on the side of the interstate!  Let’s just say it’s a good thing I wear underwear on a regular basis!

Not long after my ‘crappy’ ordeal, a good Samaritan by the name of John stopped and gave us a lift to the next exit so we could get a gas can and some gas.  As we got back to my abandoned car, John’s car decides to die on him upon arrival.  Apparently some killswitch he had killed his battery temporarily and he needed a jump.  Unfortunately, we had no jumper cables so we drove a couple of exits up, finished filling my car with gas and borrowed jumper cables from the nearest Hess station.  We got back to John, jumped his car and followed him back to the Hess station to make sure he was alright and to return the jumper cables.

We finally got back on the road and reached our hotel room in Hendersonville around 9.  After we checked in, I immediately hit the shower for obvious reasons!  Not thinking I closed and locked the bathroom door and Tessa needed to get in so she could get ready herself.  So I stepped out of the shower to open the door and as soon as I swung my right leg out, my left foot began to slip in the shower.  Panicked, I tried to steady myself by attempting to plant my right foot on the bathroom floor but to no avail.  I finally landed my wet and naked ass flat on the bathroom floor.  By this point I had had enough but the show must go on so I continued to finish getting ready and we made our way to the Orange Peel.

We got to the venue around 10 while AS SICK AS US was on stage.  Unfortunately, our misfortunes of the day had caused us to miss DIXIE DEATHWISH.  We made our way backstage to get a gameplan together for my introduction for IRONSIDE who was headlining the show.

After getting the crowd hyped up, IRONSIDE came out and delivered a killer set including tunes from the new EP Prepare For War.  After the show, we were bushed so Tessa and I went back to our room and passed out!

The next morning after we checked out, we headed to her cousin Sherry and her husband Mike’s house in Clover, SC to spend the day and night before going to Carowinds on Memorial Day.  They took us out to eat at Amber Jack Seafood Restaurant in Gastonia, NC where I gorged myself on shrimp, scallops and crab legs!  Nom!

Tessa and I got up fairly early the next morning and got ready for a big day at Carowinds!  Being it was Memorial Day, we expected it to be a bit crowded which it was but not as bad as expected.  We geared up appropriately for a day at a theme park (I chose to wear a bandana on my head to protect my now bald and vulnerable noggin) and doused ourselves with SPF 30 sunblock.

We immediately hit a few roller coasters including the Intimidator before the crowds could get any worse then decided to hit the water park section.  While Tessa changed into her bathing suit, I reapplied sunblock to all of my exposed parts and we were on our way.

By the time we rode a few water rides, it was after 5 and we were starved so we stopped and grabbed some food before hitting a couple more coasters and leaving the park.  As we were leaving, I finally decided to take off the bandana which had stayed on my head throughout the entire day through water rides and all.  When I did, Tessa broke out in laughter as it was the only place on my head not exposed to UV rays whereas the rest of it had been hit with the rays that penetrated the wimpy SPF 30 (I’m used to 50+)!

Needless to say, I am wearing my hat all day at work and everywhere I go!

Well, after two trips to the Bahamas last year.   I can admit that I am obsessed with pirates . Hopefully, over the summer,  I can make another voyage to the Caribbean.  I believe my love for pirates began as a young child in Disney Land.  My favorite ride at the park was of course, Pirates of the Caribbean.  I was able to go to the Bahamas twice the past year.  On my honeymoon,  I went to the Pirate Museum in Nassau. I was quite interested to learn about Black Beard.  I want to go back and research more about the two female Pirates, Mary Read and Ann Bonny.  Ann was last seen  pregnant and in jail in Nassau. She was the daughter of a South Carolina Plantation Owner.  The locals think that her father paid to have her released from jail.  She returned to South  Carolina to live the life of a Southern Lady.   Kind of funny, since she spent years sailing the seas murdering, thieving,   drinking rum and sleeping around with Pirates.   Black Beard was Beheaded and his head was put on the bow of a ship,  and sailed around the Caribbean.     I watched Pirates of the Caribbean Movies  on TV over the weekend.  Monday, I saw the latest addition. “Pirate of the Caribbean,  On Stranger Tides.”   I was happy to watch  Ian McShane as the legendary Pirate,  Edward Teach, AKA Black Beard.   Penelope Crux was Black Beard’s daughter, and Jacks Sparrow’s long- lost love.  I liked the movie,  and I was glad that they didn’t stick to the historical facts.  Jack Sparrow is not a real pirate.  I don’t think that a Disney movie needs to show the  beheading of Black Beard.   The Queen Anne Revenge was not a magical pirate ship.

Last night was quite the spectacle to behold!  The best Aussie import since AC/DC, SICK PUPPIES came to our town to play the Handlebar!  They dropped by the station while I was on the air to record an interview and acoustic set with Dex so I managed to sneak into the production room and get a pic!

Before the show, the PUPS did a meet ‘n’ greet with some of our listeners.  Before the meet ‘n’ greet started, I went into the concert hall to talk to Brandon from A VACANT SOUL, one of the bands opening the show.  While we were talking, the PUPS came out to get ready for the meet ‘n’ greet so I introduced them to Brandon.  So we got talking and I made a comment about their “Shimrock n’ Roll” shirt from their 2011 St. Patty Day Run and Shim asked me my size and grabbed me one which I am proudly sporting today!

As the show got under way, I got to see many folks I know and got to hang with them upstairs where ‘little’ people like myself can enjoy a show without sniffin’ some dudes armpits!  Then Chris Siciliano, the record rep for EMI Records (SICK PUPPIES’ label) showed up and so did the tequila!

By the time I got up on stage with Dex and Paige, I was feeling mighty good!  I taunted the crowd in order for Dex and Paige to psyche up the arrival of the PUPS then made my way back upstairs to watch a killer show!

When their set was over, the PUPS made their way over to the merch table to meet and sign autographs for as many fans as they could.  Siciliano and I ran over to say goodbye to the band then went our separate ways as he had to drive all the way back to Atlanta and I had to head to….McDonald’s for some tasty McDoubles to soak up the booze!  And, yes, Tessa was the designated driver!

Brock Lesnar is coming on The Show today, seems like we have a good stream of shows here lately. I’m excited, should be a good Summer coming up.

This weekend was yet another adventure in Twistedland!  After getting a terrific night’s sleep (considering Tessa and I passed out at 11….on a Friday night – damn, we’re getting old!), we got up Saturday and hit Borderlands comics so I could pick up a hardback copy of Marvel Zombies Vs. Army of Darkness!

We then went down the road to the Irish Pub for our cornhole tournament as a part of Test Fest.  The turnout was fantastic despite the heat….and the fact that Tessa and I can’t play cornhole worth a crap!

After getting our butts kicked by two different teams (one being the station’s own team of Tyler and Shelley from promotions who sucked almost as bad as we did where we’d go several rounds without either team scoring any points) we moved on down the road again to the Carolina First Center for the Top of the Hops beer festival.

Before even hitting any of the beer stands, my eye caught the Weather Channel booth where you could do your own on-site weather report….FOR FREE!!!!  Needless to say, I could NOT turn that down!  Check it out!

Ok, I know it’s bad so, don’t worry, I’m not giving up my day job!

Saturday night I met up with my best friend Kenny and his friend Colleen since they were in town from Atlanta.  We ended up returning to the Irish Pub since we used to always hang out there back when it was called Woodchuck’s.  They ended up crashing at our apartment and we went and grabbed brunch together Sunday at IHOP before they headed back to Atlanta.

We then went down to Hollywood 20 to catch Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides in RPX!  I gotta say that I was very impressed considering I wasn’t thrilled with the second and third films in the franchise.  As a matter of fact, I would dare say that it’s the best installment yet since it was at least as good as The Curse of the Black Pearl!

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides  \m/  \m/  \m/  \m/  \n

I got a chance to sit down with Cody Hanson of Hinder.  Check out this interview:  CLICK NOW

…the world ends tomorrow at 6 am as promised by this elderly kook then there are some things I need to get off my chest.  There moles.  Or maybe ingrown hairs.  But I gotta get them taken off.

I’ve really been thinking about this whole Doomsday prediction and here’s my major quagmire – what channel will I be watching when the ish hits the fan.  Most likely a news station, but which one?  I can’t watch Fox News because they’ll just say Obama caused it.  MSNBC will blame global warming and how we shoulda listened to Al Gore.  Congrats CNN, you win my possible last TV viewing. 

No matter what happens I can say I got to live out my dream.  I must remind you my dream as a child was to work with a bipolar Jew.

Check me out on Twitter, I can say bad words there….twitter.com/ohmaffew

Ok, with all this nonsense about the Rapture happening tomorrow bringing about the end of the world….I’m gonna review a movie!  And it just so happens that I am reviewing Priest!

Tessa and I went to go see Priest after work on Tuesday night and it was pretty much what I had expected.  I wasn’t bent on going to see it but Tessa really wanted to see it so I took her.  If you’re fan of the Matrix and Underworld films, you should enjoy this one.

Priest  \m/  \m/  \m

Now back to this Doomsday nonsense, let me be clear: the Bible (Jesus Himself) says that no man will know the day or the hour regarding the Second Coming of Christ (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32).  So, rest assured, if someone claims an exact date, they are full of crap.  Period.

BMW Charity Tourney is here, I may try to go out and see Patrick Warburton, I mean Puddy, I mean Joe from Family Guy, nonetheless, should be a fun time. The NBA Finals are almost here, seems like it’s been the longest season but I’ll stand by what I said before the playoffs, BULLS COME OUT OF THE EAST. Shocker right, lol, really going against the grain on that one. Peace, enjoy the weekend.

Last Friday was very interesting for reasons more than it just being Friday the 13th!  It was also the day some of the other folks from Entercom and I went to Laurens District 55 High School to play the best sport EVER: DODGEBALL!!!!

When we got there I have to admit I was disappointed with the balls they were using.  Instead of the inflated rubber balls I expected, they were kinda squishy and didn’t throw very well as I discovered upon my first offensive strike.  I was poised and ready to take someone’s head off and, lo, is where my ball went – LOW!  I threw it directly to the ground just a foot or so in front of me!  EPIC FAIL!!!!

It also didn’t help that we faced the Laurens High Wrestling team first!  They were calculated and organized whereas we, myself particularly, were all over the place and got our asses kicked.  I was being kinda cocky and began taunting the jocks so they ended up teaming up on me 3-to-1 with the third ball finally clipping my leg and outing me.  I think the whole team lasted less than two minutes of the six minute match.

We got one more shot at glory as we had an exhibition match against the coaches.  This time we got a game plan and performed considerably better.  However, we did still lose to the coaches but had a lot more fun the second time around!

My only regret is that the tournament was a one-off event.  I would love nothing more than to find a dodgeball league and play regularly and get in better shape and maybe even get good at the game!