We made it to Chicago!

Well, we left Wednesday morning and just pulled into Karin and Pat's crib in Chicago on Friday night. Again, it wasn't a bad trip. Rather boring, I opted to drive most of the way bacause it was way more exciting than sitting there doing nothing, plus the driver got to choose which music we listened to, although my choices still had to be approved (my classic rock was nearly completely shut down (Meatloaf, Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd, Stones, The Who, and The Doors to name a few that were off limits, while I had to sit through the Chicksy Dicks!). The highlight of the trip was driving through the home of American Idol Carrie Underwood somewhere in Oklahoma (there was a sign), shows you how exciting it was.

I still have a couple hours to the Nasty to get through before I am finally home. My parents are comming to Chi-Town tomorrow and will bring me back on Sunday. Anybody got something to do for the Super Bowl?

We'll see what's up.

Ferris Sucks... International!

Awight, check this. I had a couple beers set aside for myself tonight, my last Mexican beer night if you will. Anyways, I went through them pretty quick and was in the mood for more. So it was about 1a.m. and I strolled on down to the Hotel bar. I wasn’t sure if I was going to score (some beers, what’s on your mind) but….

Since I was ready for bed, I had my under-shirt on that I was wearing all day… Today it happened to be “FERRIS SUCKS FOREVER” (because they do, don’t forget… Ferris Sucks, Ferris Still Sucks, and Ferris Sucks Again) pertaining to Ferris State University, and how much they suck! Little did I know, there was a FSU grad hangin’ in the bar!

I walked up, and the dudes at the table (the only dudes at the bar) were speaking English and saying to their boy… “Didn’t you go to Ferris?” And I was like, “Ferris in MI, I went to Grand Valley!” So I sat down, had a couple brew-ha-has. It was just crazy to make fun of FSU peeps in Mexico (you suck Cartman!). I was happy because they were hangin’ on my balls for my Spanish skills and in the back of my head I was making fun of them ‘cause they were dorks… but alas, someone to drink with… instead of drinking alone… Hi my name is Keith… you know the rest.

Anywho… Peace and bootie grease… I’m on my way home, see you in a few.

Peace and Bootie Grease!

Well, just over a week left and we are outta here! I happy to make the move home but a little sad that I am going to leave a lot of good friends I have made here and my students as well. Such is life!

If you haven’t noticed I haven’t been on-line very frequently lately. That’s because Karinski called in advance to cancel the internet on the 31st, but they shut it off on the same day, which was like 2 weeks ago. It kinda sucks having to wait till I get to work to check my shizzy but I have been playing a lot of Minesweeper and Spider Solitaire! So my next post might not be for a while, but I do have an option for an audio blog from the phone so I might try that out on the road.

Still not exactly finalized on our plans for driving back as to where to stay and what not but I think we might be making it as fast as we can’ maybe a three day trip, bur we’ll see.

Oh – I am looking for a job, so if anybody has any options for me. It’s not really important what or where at this point but I am looking.

Not much time since I am working so I’ll keep it short.

We’ll see what’s up.

Movin' Back!

Well, its pseudo official, my last day of work is on the 31st of this month and we will be making the trek home on Feb 1, 2007, and hopefully not be on the road for Super Bowl XLI on the 4th. I hope to make it to GR for Inferno’s birthday on the same day, but we’ll have to see, most likely only make it to Chicago. I’m not sure if I want to make the trip as quick as we can or spend a couple nights in cities that I’ve never hung out in like Monterrey, San Antonio, St. Louis. Depends on how we feel when we get on the road I guess. The cool thing is that the trip will be expensed so we can stay at nice hotels and what not!

As far as when I get back, I will be in Saginaw/Bay City. I am going to try and get into Consumers Energy and get back into school. But plans can always change and there are several other opportunities that I can pursue. I like to go with the flow and usually don’t like to plan things out, because it seems that they always change anyway.

I started training again last week. For the first time in several months I might add. I was really sore even though I dogged it quite a bit. I didn’t want to over do it and be so sore that I wouldn’t be able to function for three days. I plan to go whenever I can until we bust up. There was a 7s tourney pretty close to where we live but I had to work so I didn’t play, just watched and drank beer! It was cool because there were little dudes playing, there was a team of under privileged kids from Mexico City. It looked like they were between 6 and 12 years old. I’ve never even seen kids that young play in the states.

There are matches each of the next two weekends we will still be here and I want to get back on the pitch and get my self ready for the spring season back home with the Tri-City Barbarians.

We’ll see what’s up.

I'm back!

Well, I survived yet another back home binge and got home safely Thursday night. I was supposed to arrive in Mexico City at about 1:30 pm but they were looking for volunteers to give up their tickets and get on a later flight so I did. In exchange they flew me 1st class to Huston and then Mexico City along with a $300 voucher same as cash good for up to 1 year. My body was so tired I literally slept every every moment I could, in the plane, airport, and the bus. I kept having wicked dreams of sleeping through the boarding and missing my flights and ending up with other peoples carry-ons. I would wake up in a sweat freaking out and rushed to see a clock (I didn't have a watch), but everything was all good.

I decided to put my body through detox for a while, which was a difficult decision due to me flying 1st class and having wine and beer at my finger tips, but I refused and just drank water the whole time.

It was a little different finally getting home because if actually felt like I was home, and not on a long trip away from home. Kinda funny because we will be moving back in a month or so. It felt so good to finally sit on my spot on my couch and finally sleep in a bed (not my parents couch or Joey Joe Jo’s futon).

I got a lot of pictures and a couple stories to tell, along with future plans panning out, but I have to get the pics on photobucket first. I just wanted to let everybody know that I am back in Mexico and back on a computer (while I was at home there wasn’t very much access to a computer, Kyle and Inferno don’t even have cable let alone internet and my parents have dial up and a slow computer so I didn’t even bother).

We’ll see what’s up.

2006 Mexico Year in Review

Karin put a bunch of pics and video together of all the chazz we've been doing since we came to Mexico last November. Tip goes up to one of my best years!

We'll see what's up.

Perfect Fantasy Week (6-0) and Plans

In week 14 of the NFL season, I finally recorded a perfect 6-0 record in my 6 fantasy football leagues! One was a dramatic Monday night comeback to defeat the 8th ranked team to take the 8th and final playoff spot!

Well, less than a week before I make the trip home for the Holidays! I fly into Chicago on the night of the 17th and fly back on January 4th. With the exception of my Labor Day quick weekend boozefest, I haven’t been home since May. Then it will only be a short stay before I move back for good in February.

I have yet to figure out what I am going to do when I move back but at least I have been thinking about it. I think either way, I will go back to school. Either to get teacher certified or for my Masters in Psychology. I was going to go for my teacher certification because there was a accelerated program at SVSU that I was interested in, but after talking to them a few times, it won’t be very accelerated because I don’t have a teachable Major, and if I am going to go back for 2 years, I mine as well for my masters. The question is, Where?

What I would like to do is spend some time living in Alpena, MI (North East Lower Peninsula), find a job in children services (there is a non-profit organization who I worked with in Saginaw that is up there), substitute teach, referee/umpire/coach sports (one of my career goals is to be a D-I/professional referee/umpire and you gotta start somewhere), and maybe even start a rugby club. I have a place to live at my families hunting cabin just outside the city and living expenses will be very low. It would be a nice easy life in a small town atmosphere that I always wanted to try.

But I will explore my options in Grand Rapids and the Tri-Cities area (Saginaw/Bay City/Midland) if anybody has any connections. I wish I had a bunch of money to travel Europe!

We’ll see what’s up.

I leave you with a Deep Thought by Jack Handy:
“I bet a fun thing would be to go way back in time to where there was going to be an eclipse and tell the cave men, "If I have come to destroy you, may the sun be blotted out from the sky." Just then the eclipse would start, and they'd probably try to kill you or something, but then you could explain about the rotation of the moon and all, and everyone would get a good laugh.”

John Stewart on the Political Probems in Mexico

Just came across this video about the "two presidents in MX" from the Daily Show, and wanted to share!

You know when...?

You know when I know when I am drunk? OK, here’s my theory. I know when I am drunk when… Well, let’s lay some groundwork at the beginning. When I start drinking I can usually have about 3-4 beers without breaking the seal (A.K.A. asking about a horse, A.K.A draining the weasel, A.K.A. taking a piss), and that’s the norm. But after a couple few, you start to have to ask about a horse about the same frequency that you need another brew-ha-ha, so when you get up to ask about a horse you get another brew-ha-ha. Then, the first time that you have to get up to ask about a horse when your beer isn’t empty… you are drunk!

What's up with people in parades?

I think that people in parades are cocky. They think that they attracted an audience, but really it's just people waiting to cross the street! I could attract a crowd too if I stood in everybody’s way!

- Mitch Hedberg

Thanksgiving shizzy-shizzerton

Happy Thanksgiving!


It has been cold, really cold, here the past week. I guess a lot has to do with me having to work every morning this week so I have to deal with it, but when you think of Mexico you don’t think of 30 degree weather! Usually I get to sleep through it. At night it gets down to the 30’s but it is still pretty warm during the day due to the sun (60’s-70’s). I’ve been sleeping good as hell, I love it when it is cold, I even still run my fan. The reason is that we are so high in elevation, like 8,790 feet! It’s supposed to be a colder winter than usual and some say that there is a chance for snow! I doubt it.

Outside of having to work on Thanksgiving, it was pretty cool. Yes, I had to work, but I did request that I work in the morning so I can cook dinner. We had 10 guests over for dinner and I must say that the chef was AMAZING….it was me! I love cooking for people. I made a bomb ass turkey and all the basic fixin’s; corn, mashed potatoes (from scratch mind you), stuffing (Karin smuggles a box of stove top from the states), and gravy. We had cheese cake and a huge chocolate cake for desert, along with beers and football.

I was a little cheesed off because Karinski couldn’t make my all time favorite dessert in Strawberry Pretzel Dessert because we can’t find pretzels anywhere. Karin also was having a fit because she couldn’t find any biscuits to make.

It was the first celebration of Thanksgiving for all of our guests and we did our family tradition where everybody says that they are thankful for and what not. For some reason Karin wanted everybody to take self portraits of themselves so you can see all of our guests as well as other pics (Thanksgiving pics). After every body left Karin and I were watching some woody wood pecker cartoons and she was cracking up at the name of the villain of the episode “Dirty McNasty.” It was pretty funny, she has a pic of him at her blog (link on the right).

There is a 7’s tourney in Peubla, a town just south east of Mexico City, tomorrow but I don’t think that we’ll make it. They are meeting way early and I don’t know exactly where or how to get where they are meeting. They are meeting at 7:30 (we would have to leave at like 6am) and at a random McDonalds off a HUGE road. Too much trouble for this guy.

So, I will spend my Friday night cleaning up from yesterday without help because Karin conveniently came home with a migraine!

I leave you with another deep thought by Jack Handy:

“I think a good novel would be where a bunch of men on a ship are looking for a whale. They look and look, but you know what? They never find him. And you know why they never find him? It doesn't say. The book leaves it up to you, the reader, to decide. Then at the very end, there's a page you can lick, and it tastes like Kool-Aid.”

Win one for BO!

For those of you who haven't heard the news yet, Bo Schembechler passed away this morning just before noon. He is a great icon for Michigan Football. There are several great articles about his career and what he did for the Wolverines. Here are some links:

NY Times - Bo Schembechler, Football Great of Michigan, Dies
SI.com - Bo Schembechler dies
SI.com - Somber Scene in Ann Arbor
Wikipedia - Bo Schembechler

I never really remember watching him on the side lines, but I don’t think that I would have needed to see that to understand the importance he had on the University of Michigan and College football in general. He and Woodey Hayes (Wikipedia – Woody Hayes, 1951 - 1978), the famed coach for Ohio State, boosted this rivalry to a whole new level. I am a sucker for rich sports history and legends, and this game it all!

This news adds a whole new dimension to this already action packed rivalry game. For Michigan, I think that “The Game” is no longer about beating OSU, an undefeated season, Big Ten Title, or the right to play for the National Championship. It is a game about “The coach.” A Disney story like script that this rivalry seems to be following continues with the death of “The Godfather” of Michigan Football passing only hours before arguably the biggest game in college football pitting the most storied rival in sports history along with the #1 and #2 ranked teams in the country battling to continue an undefeated season and an undisputed spot in the National Championship game. With both of the storied coaches coaching the game from up above.

"He was a legend that the student athletes not only heard about, but could see, touch, and feel him. He was still an integral part of U of M football even thought he wasn't the coach and had a profound influence on them still today." (NFL Network)

As “Huge” a sports radio personality in Grand Rapids said, “this seems as if OSU and Michigan are two countries at battle and Michigan just lost their King.”


I have a few question's:
Can OSU match the intensity that Michigan will bring to “The Game?”

Is this the biggest game...EVER, at any time in history, in any sport?

Should they introduce some sort of trophy for this game, and naming it something like “The Schembechler-Hayes Torphy?”

What about renaming Michigan Stadium after Bo Schembechler?

I look forward to your comments.


Win one for BO!

Medical Use for Tequila!

My New Favorite Mexican Dish

I had to work on Saturday so I missed the 7’s tourney, but I went after work to catch the last match. We chilled for a little bit, had some beers, and then went to eat. My buddy Bondi (short for arbondiga, or meatball) ordered my new favorite dish, Tlayuda. It comes from Oaxaca and it is AWESOME! It’s like a big Mexican pizza (like Taco Bell, but infinitely better). There was a large flat hard shell with beans spread over it, then there were sections of different meats (arranchera, chicken, chorizo…) with Oaxaca cheese and avocado. I wanted to take some pictures but Karinski has the camera in the states. But I did find it at Wikipedia. Here is the link: Tlayuda - Wikipedia. Check it out.

I had plans to go to Mexico City after to party but the dudes who I usually party and stay with weren’t there so I just came home (Hey Ofo and Nico, if you are reading, where were you?). I also had plans to go to the Bombonera (Toluca Red Devil’s stadium) for their Sunday match against Cruz Azul but my buddy from work never called me. So I just sat on the couch all day watching football yelling at my fantasy players.

I leave you with a deep thought by Jack Handy:
At first I thought, if I were Superman, a perfect secret identity would be "Clark Kent, Dentist," because you could save money on tooth X-rays. But then I thought, if a patient said, "How's my back tooth?" and you just looked at it with your X-ray vision and said, "Oh it's okay," then the patient would probably say, "Aren't you going to take an X-ray, stupid?" and you'd say, "Aw fuck you, get outta here," and then he probably wouldn't even pay his bill.

We’ll see what’s up.

Halloween and El Dia de los Muertos

I did get to dress up for Halloween. There was a party at my school and I had to wear a costume all day. It was pretty awkward teaching classes with my (Karin’s) cool sherrif fit. Check it out. Oh-yea, my pumpkin was cooler than Karin’s (even though I had lines on it that I didn't use)!





El dia de los muertos was incredible. On my way home from work Wednesday night there was gobs and gobs of people at the cemetery. When I got home I told Karin, "Put some clothes on 'cause were going to the cemetary!" She was all busy packing and what not and wasn't going to go but I was like I'm goin! I just wanted to experience what the deal was. She finally came around and we busted up. It is the tradition to visit loved ones that have gone before them. The graves were all above ground. Karin said that they were like the ones in New Orleans, they were either concrete box thingies or just plain dirt mounds. They decorate the graves with flowers and candles and offer things to them that they liked during their lives (music, food, alcohol, candy, ect.), there was candles all over the place. The place was packed, there was food and flower stands set up in front. It was an incredible experience that I think everybody should have it. Just seeing something that is sooo weird to our culture, but so normal to the people here. We didn’t get very many good pics because we didn’t know how kosher it was to take them but check ‘em out. There is a movie clip that shows a good view of a decorated grave.



Candles throught the cemetary






Me gettin' some good ass Tacos!


Check out more el dia de los muertos stuff from the market here.

We'll see what's up!

You Know What I Don't Understand...?

Why do they call it taking a dump, when your not really taking a dump, your leaving a dump...

-Beavis (from Beavis and Butthead)

Sorry for the random quote/thought but it is so true, just thought that I'd write something, and maybe get some laughs!

I fell like a kid!

Ordoñez’s walk of 3 run Homer in game 4 of the American League Championship to sweap the A’s to go to the World Series for the first time in 22 years!

I didn't bet but still exciting as hell! I actually teared in happieness and remembrence from the old days when I was a kid rootin' for for the likes of sweet Lou, Trammie, Gibbie, ol' Jack, then Cecil, Rob Deere, and Mickey Tettleton. Beggin' the old man to buy me the $1 grab bag at baseball memories wishing for the life of me that I'll get the Tigers. When baseball and how many dingers the Tiges hit was the only thing that mattered, my first Tiger game at Tige stadium with my old man and his old man, and trading all my A's to the Brushabers (Kurt and Todd) for the Tiger greats. Those were the days. What a great game, a simple game!

Just wanted to share! I feel like a kid again!

Winning With the Tigers and New Dew

The Tigers… hell, yea! I’ve always rooted for them for as long as I can remember, and when the season starts I always say every year that they are going to win the series. It’s just a good feeling when your team is finally doing well and has a great chance to win it all. It makes me to think back to the days when I spent all the money I earned cutting grass on baseball cards. I just wish I was there to celebrate. Not only the fact that they are doing well that makes me happy, they are making me some dough as well!

I took the total winnings from my winning bet last weekend and put them on the Tigers last night. They were +1.5 underdogs and I was like, hell yea I’m taking that bet, and it paid off. I got really nervous at the end when the A’s had the bases juiced, mostly for the Tigers because if The Big Hurt hit a walk off grand slam I would still win my bet. I totally was going to bet on the first game but I didn’t have enough time to go to the sports book before work. Depending on the spread for game 3, I can foresee another bet. Again, I only like to bet when I feel really good about it.

I don’t think I will bet on any NFL games this weekend because I really don’t like the spreads. I am contemplating on betting on the Lions (they are a +1 underdog to the Bills) but I really don’t feel comfortable betting on the extremely inconsistent Lions. Although they are my favorite team, I do live in reality. The other game I might bet on is the Bengals and Buccaneers. The Bengals are a favorite by -6, I think they will win by more than that but I don’t think I am confident enough to make the bet.

If you are interested, here is the website of the place I like to go to Caliente Race & Sports Books.

I got a new haircut today and I going to go with the slick back style for a while to see how it goes, I just want to fit in a little better! I’m going to decide whether to keep it of not by the reactions of my students and co-workers. Here is a pic, tell me what you think. Should I keep it?



We’ll see what’s up. It’s only a matter of time before I am straight blingin’ with my winings. I might have to build a money bin like Scrooge McDuck!

Part Time Job Betting on Sports?

Damn it feels good to be gangsta! A sports betting gangsta! It's only a matter of time before I am straight flossin' in my weekly winnings with my uncanny ability to pick teams to cover the spread.

I am considering the new possibility of pursuing a career in sports betting. I won for the first time this season on the first bet I made of the season ($200 pesos for the 49ers to bea the Raiders by 4). Even though thought last football season I was a little bit in the red (I really mean a little bit, I started with a $10 bet and ended up with nothing after the NFC championship game and decided not to bet on the Super bowl, and that included loosing on a random NBA game between the grizzlies and the hornets).

Just kidding really, but I think I have the chance to at least have some fun in adding a little more excitement to the NFL week (as if 6 fantasy teams aren’t enough) as well as some extra cash… maybe… I already do a lot of research as it is on a weekly basis so I am comfortable with my educated guesses on a weekly basis, also I pick really good match-ups where I think I have a good chance to cover.

I didn’t go out at all this weekend… and no I’m not sick. I had a couple opportunities but passed. Friday I was supposed to go out with some students but I was a little hesitant, although I didn’t have to work early, I had rugby practice at 10am. So I not only had to get up early, I had to run and do all the fun practice stuff as well, not to mention that I haven’t done any physical activity since the 7’s tourney in Acapulco last July. After practice we all chilled and had a couple beers and everybody was talking about the party last weekend and they were making fun of me about how drunk I was. I had a few and even managed to have a beer for the drive home (it is very common here!). Once I got back I rushed to get cleaned up cause Karin and I were going to the sports book to watch the Michigan/Michigan State game and the Tigers. It was cool cause they were on adjacent screens! We had a couple drinks and some food. Oh-Yea, GO TIGERS! It is a great experience watching a resurrected baseball town celebrate success… it ain’t over yet. I just wish I was there to PARTY!

I was supposed to go out dancing with a former receptionist at Wall Street, Nahomi and a bunch of her friends, but after we got home I was really sore, tired, and was developing a small headache. So I called in sick.

And of course, Sunday was NFL day. I did manage, however, to wash Karins car. I had a couple run ins with some mud while she was gone and it was really dirty so I figured I would be a nice brother and wash it. I also managed to pay rent too! Karin is low on cash this week for whatever reason so I gave her $500 pesos for the last 10 months rent. I think that pretty much covers it!

I had the day off today so I spent much of it cleaning, dishes and kitchen, sweep, take the trash out, and what not. I was going to go get some of my favorite tortas al pastor and a haircut but it started pouring (our whole backyard is under about 5 inches of water), so I stayed in improving (or thinking that I’m improving) my fantasy teams and playing games online. I am about to cook some dinner, grandma’s enchiladas with beans and rice. I make them almost just like grandma… but I am missing years of experience and the special touch, they are pretty damn good though.

Peace and bootie grease!

I mine as well do it while I still can, right?

Well, my body and mind finally recovered from the weekend enough to document it. Saturday was los premios de Wallabies, or better known as my rugby team’s awards banquet. Usually, this event is somewhat formal and everybody dresses up and what not… but not here. I kept asking about what to wear and what not all week, and I never really got a straight answer. So, I brought nice dress up clothes to wear. After I realized that nobody else was dressing up I said eff it and kept my clothes on. Supposedly the rookies were supposed to wear a tie or something but I was the only one in at the party that was dressed up. I didn’t really mind that much cause I like to dress up and what not. We proceeded to drink and drink, I was a little buzzed by the time we got to the party but after a couple stiff cuba libres (rum and coke) I kinda blacked out. Well, I did black out, there was no kinda about it. The last thing I remember was receiving some sort of award that I still am not exactly sure what it is for. I think it was for a rookie thing but I haven’t tried to translate it yet. I woke up the next morning with the certificate folded and shoved in my pocket. I woke up at the house where the party was with not a sole around, usually when you crash at a party there are a few other souls in your same boat, not this time. The one thing I said to my buddies I went there with was “DON’T LEAVE WITHOUT ME.” And that’s exactly what happened. Then I took a look at my clothes that were all dirty and I just thought to myself something that I frequently as myself after a night like that “what happened?” Apparently I fell into a bunch of flower pots and plants. I apologized to my teammate Juan whose house it was and he just chuckled and said that they’ll grow back.

So I took a cab to Nico house. I was in no mood to attempt to explain where to go as well as having absolutely no idea where to go. I called him and just gave the phone to the cab driver. It was a long ass trip but it only cost 90 pesos, but all I had was $200 and he said he didn’t have any change, so, being still half drunk and just wanting to get out of the cab I just told him to take it. Kinda shitty now that I think about it but I was just glad to be at my Nico’s house. We proceeded to hit the Jagermeister bottle and a bottle of wine to get right back to where we were the last night. Nico had a bottle of wine that was given to him by an Argentinean team and he was saving it for a good occasion. He came to the conclusion that this was the occasion. The wine was incredible! I just wish that I was at least half sober to enjoy it.

We got on our horses and got some tacos as well as more drinks and headed back to Ofo’s house where my car was to watch football. We partied all day and night while watching football with loud ass techno music on the stereo. It was actually pretty cool.

I woke up the next day, got directions on how to get home and was on my way. I wasn’t hurried that much because I didn’t work until 4pm but I was drinking all weekend without a shower OR change of clothes. I had my bag with my clothes in the car that we went to the first party in and that car didn’t make another appearance until Monday morning. Nico’s girlfriend had it and I think she was mad at us for being drunkards again.

I should not be partaking in adventures like this anymore. I am no longer 21, but I don’t feel guilty about doing it every once in a while. If you ask me there is nothing wrong with putting all your responsibility in the back seat that escaping to an alternate universe where everything is fun. Just as long as those responsibilities don’t effect other people, like girlfriends/wives or your children, which none of those I have!

Work was shitty, all I wanted to do and all I could think about was chillin’ on my couch. Even today sucked. My body feels like I played rugby, but there was no rugby played.

It was worth it though. I got the chance to hand out with good friends and do nothing but hang, drink, and watch football. I felt like I was at home.

Untill next time!