It's Friday Night and I'm...Home

Let's get the football picks out of the quickly as I think the dogs will cover big time this week.

NCCAA Football:

ISU+6.5: I love Kansas state as much as the next guy but this game is in Ames and ISU has been within a td the last 4 years. Happy with a KSU blowout but I'll take ISU and the points.

South Carolina+2.5: any team that can do that to Georgia gets my vote. LSU has not been impressive. Again, take the points.

Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, West Virginia, and Oklahoma State: those are all decent size lines but should all cover. Take them all, hit at least 3, and go home happy.

NFL:

NYG+6.5: I love San Francisco, but never count the Giants out. The line is just to big.

Indy+3.5: I think luck is the real deal and they look awfully good against green bay. Plus the jets just got done playing a heart breaker.

Minnesota+1.5: I'm not sure I buy Mindy, but I don't buy Washington, never had. If Minnesota is for real, they win this game.

Good luck everyone and remember to get that book.
Once again, I'm sitting here on a Friday night and it dawns on me how old I am. Not necessarily in age, I'm only 35, but in the game of life, I'm no spring chicken. Started drinking, partying, and having a real good time at a very young age, and now that I'm married with children, the old Al Bundy has set in. For me, I was never satisfied staying at home on a weekend night. Heck, I never sat at home on any night, let alone a Friday night. It's not even the kids or the wife that keep me at home anymore, it's my friends. Weak sauce guys. The wife and I always make time for each other, but I think more importantly for a strong marriage you have to make sure that you make time to stand out as individuals. Typically I get Tuesday nights to play cards or do whatever, and she gets Wednesday nights.  The weekends are always just kind of a toss up. The older I get though, the less there seems to be going on?

Is it because there is actually less going on where I live now then before? That can't be possible. There are more bars, bistro's, clubs, and dives then ever before. I think that not only have the burbs grabbed me, but it's grabbed all of my friends as well, and they have all decided to not fight the fight, but to simply give up? Where's the toughness? Where's the machismo? Where's the guys who would rather drop dead from exhaustion then to ever stay home? Most of the time I get one of two responses:  one, "I'm tired": two, "dude, there's nothing to do, so I think I'll just stay in". I literally had a conversation the other day that went like this:

Me: let's go out.

Lazy friend: I'd like to go out but what do you want to do?

Me: I don't care but let's do something different. Tired of sitting at a bar telling the same stories.

Lazy friend: so. . . .

Me: we could go see a band, we could go bowling, we could go eat, we could see a movie and eat, we could go to an art show, we could go to a thunder game, shocker game, wing nuts game, a gastropub, a play, hit golf balls. . . .

Lazy friend: that all sounds stupid, I'd go to "insert name of bar we always go to" or I can just stay home.

Me: aaaaaarrrrggghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!

My point tonight: take advantage of what you have around you. The town may be small but it's not dead. It's not new York city but there are things to do. Fun things to do. Different things to do. Go out and explore. Try new things. Eat at new places. Experiences what your city has to offer before you miss out on something. Don't get stuck at home on the weekends just because you don't want to try new things. Tomorrow, tomorrow a buddy of ours from college is in town and we're going out. get off work at 5:30, go work out and shower, meet the guys at 7pm at Twin peaks for some grub, beer's, and then watch the UFC fights. After the fights, who knows, maybe we'll find a rocket ship to Mars. At least we're out and about, and not at home on a Friday night. .  .like i am now. Hope she's having fun because I know I will. : )

5th Floor Views of Justice

So the last time I was at the county courthouse it was to serve on a jury.  That was about 10 years ago. Now I'm back again, and not much has changed. Let me first say that I'm glad I'm here.  My wallet was stolen after my car was broken into last May, and after talking to a detective who was assigned my case, and after shutting my credit Nd all my cards down, I was pretty sure nothing was going to happen. My driver's license, social security card, birth certificate, and everything else of real importance was all replaced. Even so, there's that feeling in the pit of your stomach that stays with you.  That feeling that you have been violated, that someone else has a piece of you that you'll never be able to get back.

Anyway, I get a call a month later from a different detective telling me they arrested a guy who had some of my stuff on him. He wanted to know if I knew the person or had given this information to the person. Of course I said no, and said nothing would probably come out of it but he would let me know if it did. I gave him the original case number from the break in and told him to let me know if there was anything else he needed to give me a call. A month or so after that, in August, I get a call from a different detective, this time out of Maize, who said they had busted a guy for writing checks in my name. I give him the first case number and detective and the second detectives information. He said he would be in touch, and then that's the last I had heard of anything.

Another month of so passes and I start getting subpoena's to appear in court for something I assume is related to my car break in. After calling in several times only to have the case date being pushed back, I was informed yesterday that today would be the day. I show up on time, early in fact, and arrive at the doorstep of the courthouse. Hello Walmart law. The line to get into the courthouse looks like I'm arriving at McCarann airport in Vegas to come home to Wichita. It's at least 60 people deep and it's a who's who of Wichita's finest: like they combined a Walmart with the state fair and added a splash of the downtown club scene from a Saturday night. It was a who's who. We should all be used to lines and searches but it's the same ol, same ol. Knives, arguments, refusing to take off belts or shoes. For Pete's sake, act like you've been there before.

I get through the line, get up to my area, and check in. I thought I would be the only one involved, but besides our break for lunch, I've been in the same room on the 5th floor for the last 8 hours. The "criminal masterminds" who stole my stuff, also stole the identities and information from several other people. Between all of the breaks, and the testimony of the police officers involved in at least 5 different incidents, we haven't even gotten to any of us who's identities were even stolen; and this is just the prelim's. Sounds like at least one of the guys has had enough and is going to take a deal, so that's a different process that has to be done before we can get back to our cases. I've know lot's of lawyers and I've known a lot of them who hated what they did, but this assistant d.a. Seems to like his job. He's apologized several times for keeping us here all day [he's said this is the longest prelim he's ever had], but man, we are still here. . . 8 hours and counting, and I have yet to step into the courtroom. I'll keep you updated on the outcome, but this guys done his duty, and identity theft be damned, I'm ready to go.