What I have to look forward to this fall...

I just found this on another blog and thought it was pretty on point with how thing operate in the Brandon household during football season. Here is a list of house rules from September until post-Super Bowl.

1. From the first weekend in September until the end of the bowl season, the television is mine, at all times, without any exceptions. The remote control will be fingerprinted each night, any sign of your fingerprints and all shopping trips will be cancelled for a month.

2. If you have to pass by in front of the TV during a game, for an important reason such as preparing snacks or getting the beers, I don't mind, as long as you crawl along the floor.

3. During the football season, read the sports section of the newspaper so that you understand who I'm yelling at during the season. As a tip, check the box scores for the referees' names too.

4. During the games I will be drunk as Cooter Brown. You cannot expect me to listen to you, open the door, kill any spiders, answer the phone, etc. It ain't gonna happen.

5. It would be a good idea for you to keep at least 2 six packs in the fridge at all times, as well as plenty of things to nibble on, and please do not make any funny faces to my friends when they come over to watch the games. In return, you will be allowed to use the TV between 12am and 6am, unless they replay a good game that I missed during the day.

6. Please, please, please!! if you see me upset because my team is losing, DO NOT say "get over it, it's only a game", or "don't worry, they'll win next time." If you say these things, you will only make me angrier and I will love you less. Remember, you will never ever know more about football than me and your so called "words of encouragement" will only lead to a break up or divorce.

7. If a great play occurs while you are in the room, you may be required to freeze or repeat your act for the rest of the game as good mojo. If my team wins, you will be showered with gifts for the next 6 days. If they lose, you will be blamed repeatedly for moving, blinking or secretly not believing in your heart of the power of mojo.

8. Tell your friends NOT to get married, have any babies, or any other social related parties or gatherings that requires my attendance because:I will not go, I will not go, and I will not go.However, if a friend of mine invites us to his house on a Saturday to watch a game, we will be there before the Coors Light bottles reach "Code Blue".

9. You are welcome to sit with me to watch one game and you can talk to me during halftime but only when the commercials are on, and only if the halftime score is pleasing me. College Gameday and the highlights on Saturday night are just as important as the games themselves. Even if I curse Lou, Herbie, and Corso like the anti-SEC, biased dogs that they are, I still want to hear what they say.

10. And finally, please save your expressions such as: "Thank God the football season is only during the Fall." I am immune to these words, because after this comes the NFL playoffs, the Pro Bowl, AFL, AFL2, the CFL, and the replays on the college sports channels.


I really don't have a strong team preference when it comes to college football. I support the SEC when they are playing non-SEC teams (unless they are playing Southern Miss...Go Eagles!). As for the SEC teams, having attended grad school at MSU, I feel obliged to pull for Croom's Bulldogs. Rich is an avid Alabama fan, so he is fitting in perfectly here in Birmingham. As far as the NFL, I don't think Rich really cares, but I LOVE MY SAINTS! (Geaux Saints!)
Well, I'll try and post some more later. I just saw those "house rules" and had to post them. I'm going to go hop in rush hour traffic and hopefully be home within the next half hour or so. Later!

"I'm not dead yet!"

I love that movie. Anyways...as you can see, I'm still alive and kicking. I've put off an update for weeks now because I've got some pictures and stuff I'd like to post, but that will just have to wait, I guess. I updated the layout of my blog and I think I like it better than what I had, but it's still not quite there yet. It'll have to do for a while. I'm still loving my job. I'm making some new friends which has always been a bit of a challenge for me. Rich and I have started looking into buying a house. That would be nice. I'm sick of renting and just having to deal with what I get because I can't change anything. There is a serious lack of closet space in my new apartment and I can't use my treadmill due to the fact that it would drive the downstairs neighbors crazy. I'm also not too fond of having people walk over my head all hours of the night. That's not something I had to deal with in my duplex.
We're still seeing our old friends a good bit. That has really made the move so much easier.
Rich is running up a storm. He's done 3 5K runs and is training for a 10K that's coming up. He plans to possibly do a half marathon early next year. He's down to 190 pounds and none of his clothes fit. We're having to completely start over with his wardrobe. He really loves running and I'm happy to see him looking so healthy. He's really motivating me even though I haven't really found the energy to get myself into shape. I'll get there. I just have to dedicate myself to it the way he has.
There's so much here to do. Friday night, I'm thinking about going to an art show at a gallery in Homewood after work. I just love going in there to appreciate the work even though I don't have hundreds of dollars to spend on art right now. I hope to make a couple of investments after we purchase our home.
We've only had satellite and internet for a few weeks, so I'm slowly reincorporating that into my schedule. I love DVR!! How did I survive all these years without it? I'm no longer tied to the TV or looking for blank VHS tapes. For the young kids who don't know...VHS tapes are something that played movies in a box called a VCR. You know, the early version of the DVD and DVD player. I apologize for the blatant sarcasm, but I've been feeling kind of old lately. I think it has something to do with the fact that Rich just turned 28 last Sunday and I'm beginning to realize that 30 isn't too far away for either of us. I've just got to take things one step at a time.
I think I've decided to not finish my master's degree, although, I haven't made anything official in that regard yet. I dread telling my boss. I really don't think he'd care all that much, but I can't seem to find a way to work it into a conversation without just blurting it out. It's so awkward. And before anyone decides to jump up and tell me that I'll regret this decision, know that I've put a lot of thought into this and I know that this is what will make me happy. I need to move on with my life. People told me I'd always regret not going to my prom. I can honestly say that 8 years later, I still have no regrets about that. I feel the same way about this decision. I've gotten everything out of that program that I can.
Okay...well, this has turned out to be much long than I had intended. I'll try and post some pics and more of an update this weekend. Later!