If You Watch Lost...

You will love this video of Sayid's standup. If you don't watch Lost, don't waste your time watching this. You won't get it.




HT JVo's blog Vertizontal

Office Quote #6

"As a farmer, I know that when an animal is sick, sometimes the right thing to do is put it out of its misery. With teh electricity we're using to keep Meredith alive, we could power a small fan for two days. You tell me what's unethical."

-Dwight

Why I don't blog.

The reason's why I don't blog regularly:

The reason's why I don't blog regularly are simple. The most things I, in my heart, want to blog about, most people don't want to read (or the people who actually come here). I let my blog lay dormant most of the time. I most often want to blog about an amazing wine experience or a great diving experience. This is the reason I originally titled my blog "dive n wine". Why do I want to blog about these things??? I don't have any good friends that enjoy wine. I don't have any friends that enjoy diving. So this could be my outlet in sharing about these things that I don't have anyone in my life with to really converse with and share like I would like to be able to.

The problem is, no one out there cares either. The only time I really get love or comments is when I post pics of my daughter. I don't do this very often. My wife does though.

It was a rude awakening that most people that come here could care less about the things I created this to be about, in which I don't have someone in my life to share about. The reason I don't share the pics of my daughter more often, or other trivial things, is I have people to share those things with (the ones in our daily lives). I believe that I have the social and networking skills to turn my blog into a social empire. I don't want that either. I don't want this to be a thing that's purpose is to serve my ego. This blog was never meant to change the world. It was designed as an outlet.

I don't want my blog to be about self promotion. You never hear tax talk cauz I don't want to try and gain business on it. You don't hear endless paragraphs of self revelation, because they are often jumbled in my head and there are countless blogs devoted to such things.

So what will this blog become? I don't know?

So I guess I am asking the few readers that routinely come here. What do you enjoy? What do you want to read? Cauz if it is just an online journal for myself, I can do that in my own book on my nightstand without having to post pictures. What would you want to hear, see, or read about from me?

Seriously? What?

Amazing Wine Night...Break from Taxes

Last Wednesday, I decided to take the afternoon off from work. I have been in my hole doing tax returns constantly lately. I know my wife was longing for some time together, and so was I. We went down to Old Town Clovis to watch the Amgen Tour of California go flying by to the finish. It was kinda cool. I had to go to church, but we made plans to go to Trelio for a nice dinner afterwards.

Everyone knows how much I like Trelio. It is hands down the best food and wine of any restaurant in Fresno or Clovis. But this post will not be about that (because I have posted about it so much before).
When we arrived, there were no open tables. Chris told us to come anytime after 8 because one of the team's and the organizers of the Clovis leg of the amgen were having a party from 4-7. Well I guess they were having quite the time and all stayed for dinner. Chris convinced us not to leave and made settings for us at the wine bar. So we stayed.
After all the quite drunken people left (remember they had been there since 4) around 9:30, we were able to finish our meal in peace. Great meal, paired with a Freeman Pinot Noir.
A man sat down at the bar and pulled a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. He poured Chris (the owner at Trelio) a taste. He turned to us asking if we would like a taste. How polite. So we partook with them. It was great.
A little while later his bag was empty and there were 8 of his wines on the wine bar in which we were able to taste all of them. We got to know this strange man (or an angel sent to Trelio to us). His name is Russell Bevan. Russell is now the winemaker for Showket Vineyards (one of my napa Fav's) and has his own wines as well (Bevan Cellars). Russell poured me some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon's and Syrahs I have ever tasted (and that is saying something since those are the two main varietals I drink). Not only were his wines great, he is just a cool guy. He had his label, some Showket, and some wines he had made for some other projects. Hopefully Trelio has an "in" for his wines now. They are only in a few high end boutiques in NY and a few restaurants in NY. Trelio will be the first one to carry them in CA (yes I know they are from CA). Then came the sucky part. I wanted to know what I could purchase (well what Trelio could get and I could buy from them). Nothing. What we tasted were some of his own personal library wines that he had less than 1 case of each of. The Shoket's hadn't been released yet!!! What a tease. But we tasted several different vintages, and I know anything he does will be quality. I look forward to the futures we will get!!!!
A cool thing Russell is doing with his label: All of his wines have a unique bottle code on the back label. You can text that code to a number, and you will receive all info about the wine. It's making, tasting notes, everything!!! How sweet is that. You know how many times I am struggling in a restaurant on my phone trying to find info and tasting notes of a wine. That is SWEET!!!!

Anyway, it was one of the best wine experiences of my life. We didn't leave Trelio until 2am. Liege, Makenna, myself, and Russell were the only ones there from 10-2. How often do you get to spend that type of quality time with such an amazing winemaker??? What a night. I think part of what makes it so special, is that it was so unexpected!!! I hadn't signed up for a winemaker dinner event, I hadn't planned a tasting. We were just going to dinner, and this amazing event happened out of nowhere. SWEEET!!! DOUBLE SWEEET!!!

Office Quote #5

"Yes, money has been a little bit tight lately. But, at the end of my life, when I'm sitting on my yacht, am I going to be thinking about how much money I have? No. I;m going to be thinking about how many friends that I have. And my children. And my comedy albums. I mean, I have a yacht so I obviously did pretty well money wise."

-Michael

V-Day Wine Tasting

On Valentines day, my lovely wife and I went with some people wine tasting. There was an event from Fresno Wines called "Fresno Wine and Chocolate Weekend," or something like that. The problem is, I have had some amazing local wines. So I thought I would give these Fresno guys a try. We got a limo (a cool Hummer Limo) and hit the tour. There is only one time I have had so much crappy wine in my life. We did a Texas wine tasting event. Ever have any good wine from Texas? I didn't think so. This wasn't any better. I couldn't identify any varietals, and most were just flat out undrinkable. The chocolate part of the event is some tasting rooms had m&m's or hershey kisses out. Yeah!
Well after all of this, I stumbled on one table that wasn't part of the winery we were at. All three of his wines seemed amazing to me. He had a Grenache, Tempranillo, and a Cab Sav. However, I was not sure that it just seemed good because I had so much garbage before. Like finding a piece of coal in a pile of cow dung (I have no idea why that is the illustration that came to my mind while trying to think of an example of something that isn't that great, but can seem great when compared next to something absolutely awful). But, I was right. There wines are great. The winemaker is Stewart Epstein of Sunfire Estate. Great wines. The problem, not Fresno fruit. He just makes and cellars the wine in Fresno. So it isn't exactly Fresno wines.

So I have learned my lesson. There are some great wines grown somewhat locally, but none on the valley floor. Guys, if the only acreage you can afford is on the valley floor, MAKE RAISINS!!! If I decide to go tasting some "local wines" I will stick to the few gems in Madera and Mariposa Counties. Or take the drive to the other excellent wine regions in CA.
Nothing Great is grown on the valley floor, but I am glad I have found things that are made on the Valley Floor. Sunfire is a great find!!! The pic is of me talking with Stewart, the winemaker of Sunfire.

Office Quote #4

"I think it's great that the company is making a commercial. Because not very many people have heard of us. I mean, when I tell people that I work at Dunder Mifflin, they think that we sell mufflers, or muffins, or mittens, or.... And frankly, all of those sound better than paper, so I let is slide."

-Jim

WOW!!! Phoenix on Letterman

Well I knew it wouldn't actually last long. I wonder how many people CBS is paying right now to go and take down their you tube videos. If I was CBS, I would love this attention. Remember when Hugh Grant went on Leno and forever took over the ratings from Letterman? Well this could get it back. If this gets circulated everywhere Letterman could probably get some love from the Leno types. But no, CBS doesn't think that way. I don't know why. So this video no longer works...

Office Quote #3

"So Ryan got promoted to corporate, where he's a little fish in a big pond. Whereas back here in Scranton I'm still top dog in a fairly large pond. So who is the real boss, the dog, or a fish?"

-Michael

Recreate Conference PreGame

This week I am at the recreate conference in Franklin, TN just outside of Nashville. I have wanted to come here for several years. There will be more to come for sure. Here is a little video of the pre conference action. I traveled with Pat, and Randy drove up from GA to hang out with us Sat night and Super Bowl Sunday. If you think you are too busy to watch 9 minutes of video, I guess I will understand. However, EVERYONE should at least pick it up at the 5:25 mark. I promise you Randy will not disappoint. (PS, some of my music decided to not upload with the video, but I am not going to redo it. Just know that the original is cooler with cool tunes)

Church Visit

Today in Nashville, I went to service at Cross Point Church. I met this guy, who is now on staff at Cross Point. The service was amazing! No pinching of tits though.