Week #5: Hook-Yah Mama!

This was the week to visit a Hookah Bar. My good friend Dave and I decided we should try out this "Hookah Bar" thing. We had to do a little searching on what was a ... and where are there Hookah Bars in the Milwaukee area. To my surprise there were at least five here in Milwaukee. After diligent research, I found the right place for us. The Casablanca. http://www.casablancaonbrady.com/

We started with some excellent middle eastern food. In fact, I can't get the word Babaghannoj out of my head. We had babaghannoj, grape leaves, shish kabobs, and shawarma. All dishes were outstanding. Then we moved on to the main course, hookah!

A hookah is an eastern tobacco pipe with flexible tubes which draw smoke through a jar of water which cools down the smoke. They are pretty cool. The smoke seems as light as humidifier air. With everyone smoking, the restaurant was surprisingly not that smokey. The vibe of the place definitely changes as it gets later in the night. Belly dancers started dancing, middle eastern music started playing, and we started hookahing. Our nice little restaurant slowly turned into Jabba the Hut's Palace from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. We kept looking for Princess Leia, Jabba, Lando Calrissian and that little dog-like thing. I think I heard Jabba's deep voiced laugh in the background. It was a really fun time. I would recommend it to anyone. I have included a dark video of the evening. You can't really see anything, but the sounds of the evening are evident.

Week #4 : Photos

View of Holy Hill and of the new "David Hasselhoff" of the ski hill.

Week #4: Towing the line and giving a lift

This week, my wife and I volunteered to help run a ski hill for a day. Little did we know that the temperature would be in the negative digits ALL DAY! From 9:30 to 5:00 we learned how to run a ski lift, master the rope tow, work the office, start a massive fire in the chalet, clean up the chalet after everyone left and be home for dinner! Neither of us were looking forward to this adventure, especially the Mrs.! It was minus 3 degrees before we left the house and it did not become much warmer throughout the day. Luckily, our good friends were sharing the duties with us. We started the the day with a crash course on the daily operations of the ski hill. These included such warnings as "if the lower operations house catches fire, DO NOT STOP THE CHAIR LIFT...LET THE HOUSE BURN!", on the tow rope, only stop the tow if children start piling up or if a young girls hair gets caught and DRAGGED along with the rope ... along with many other dire warnings. Now that we were sufficiently freaked out, it was time to start our day.

I started by warming up the chalet with my formidable fire building skills. Next was The Bunny Hill Tow Rope Experience (I think I remember this being a scary ride at Disney world), I was able to watch inexperienced skiers fall time and time again on the dreaded Rope Tow (which I hated as a kid). Little did they know that I had their back and was ready at a moments notice to hit the slow or stop button if needed. After this, I worked the main chair lift operations and also was the person who helps skiers safely board the chair lift. I felt the deep responsibility that was bestowed upon me. It was a bit tedious, but you had to pay attention at all times, especially with no feelings in your fingers and toes by now. The view at the top operations house is beautiful with a clear view of of the Holy Hill church.

When we were finished, we came out with a much greater appreciation for all ski bums working the lifts and ropes everywhere.

Week #3: Photos

A few pictures of this weeks events.

Week #3: Doing the Monster Mash

This week presented an opportunity that I never thought might come up (... or even existed). I received a random e-mail from Ticketmaster regarding a Monster Mash at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee. Even though I was voted "least likely to go to a Monster Truck Rally" in high school, I figured if my two older kids were game for it, we should try this. On a very cold Wisconsin evening, the three of us ventured out for dinner followed by MONSTER TRUCKS!! I heard it might be loud, but I never imagined how loud it would actually be. Luckily, I was told to bring earplugs, which we were very glad to have! Apparently, there is an 8 truck competition to see who mashes hollowed out cars in the center of the stadium the best. It then gets to the final 4 most monsterly trucks, then final 2, to the winner. The usual favorite "THE GRAVE DIGGER" lost to Wisconsin's own "THE DEVASTATOR" which brought great applause and rowdiness from the partison crowd. My favorite moment of the show was my daughter talking about the great win by the The Demonstrator (not Devastator), which I think is an even better name. I never knew what ear-piercing noise and the smell of diesel fuel can do to bring a family closer together. To my surprise, my daughter and my oldest son had a great time and were sad to have to leave a little early. I am not sure if we will do this again, but I was pleasantly surprised at the fun we did have.

Week #2:Start a blog ... and wait 10 hrs for a flat tire then drive over 100 miles with another flat tire!

My first two weeks ideas are blatantly stolen from my friend who did this last year. Yet, I figured a blog is a great way to record these events. I have absolutely no technology skills whatsoever. I was told this was easy to set up and I am sure it is, but this thing took me about five hours to figure out last night. Anyways, I am looking forward to this new year and all of its challenges.

The following happened last weekend so it technically is not a new thing for this particular week, but I am going to write about it anyway. This was in Door County about 3 hours from our home. On the way to the polar bear we got a flat tire and apparently my wife's Toyota minivan does not carry a spare. The tires are run-flat tires, meaning you can drive on them at slow speeds up to 100 miles when flat. I find out through many phone calls that only Toyota dealerships can change these @#$# tires. So the next day at 8:30 am, I get in the car to drive to Green Bay which is 1 1/2 hrs away. After many stressfull miles, the car begins to shake and then smoke. I figured it might be a good idea to pull over ( I am only half way there). I call AAA and they say a tow can be there in 2 hrs. The tow comes hooks up the car and he asks "That's not an all-wheel drive is it?" It was and he can't even tow it! I need a flat bed truck. He refers me to a guy a few blocks away. I call him he says he can change Toyota's, then in the middle of the conversation my phone battery dies! Five minutes later my car battery dies! Then 2 cop cars come by to help and call said car guy. Two more hours later, he shows up at same time as flatbed guy (who I didn't know was coming). At this time my Dad drives by and stops to help me out. I tell flatbed guy he only has to drive me a few blocks and not Green Bay. We get to the repair shop, I meet owner and ask again if he can change the tire. He says "Yeah, I'll just put the spare on." There is no spare! I run down grumpy gray bearded flatbed guy to say he does have to drive to Green Bay after all. He says he already took another tow call. I say he has to take me there. He swears at me gets in the truck with the minvan on the flatbed and takes off. My Dad and I follow him to Green Bay. He is driving 80-85 mph in the blowing snow with my car bouncing around like crazy. I try to talk to him when we get there but he swears again and speeds away. My Dad leaves and I wait for a couple more hours. I get back at 6:30 to complete my 10 hour tire change and get ready to turn around and drive home with kids already in their PJ's. Too bad the story is not over! One hour into nightime drive, a different tire blows! I can't believe it!! I then drive my most stressfull (and slow) 100 miles ever, until that familiar shaking and smoking of the car happens again. We barely pull into a closed Toyota dealership and call my brother across town to pick us up and drive us home (15-20 miles away). We finally get home around midnight. There you have it ... a 10 hour tire change followed by driving 100 miles with my family on another flat tire.

Week #1: Taking the plunge!

I figured if I was going to start this thing I might as well start strong. I jumped in to the New Year (and Lake Michigan) in a cooolddd fashion! I joined the Polar Bear Club for the first time in Door County Wisconsin. http://www.doorbell.net/pbc/yr23.htm As an added benefit, I might be in my first movie. Apparently, they were filming a scene for a Tony Shalhoub (Monk) movie during the polar bear. http://www.feedthefishmovie.com/ Beforehand, it seemed like the gods were trying to tell me not to do this (along with my Wife and Mother) ... I thought I broke my leg on New Years Eve afternoon after I sledded into a 10 foot tree and broke it at its roots. I could barely walk for the next few days. Then on the day of the plunge our car got a flat tire on the way to the event and we were stuck with 20 minutes to go before the jump. My dad (who lives nearby) came to the rescue and delivered me and my family with 15 minutes to spare.!

Now that I have done this, I can say anyone who repeatedly does these polar bears, is CRAZY!! It was freezing! The temperature said the water and air was 31 degrees, but with the 15+ mph wind it was a lot colder. When you are in the water you have a numbing sensation to your body. But, when you get out that sensation gives way to reality! My whole body was shaking and my hands and most of all my feet were frozen. I could barely grab the towel with my shaking hands to dry off my frozen hair. Twenty minutes later when we were driving home, I for the first time felt this strange pain on my chins and looked down to see many 1 to 2 inch bumps and scraps all over my legs from the icebergs crashing against them. Oh well, no pain no gain. It was definitely a different start to the 2009.

Here is someone's YouTube of the event: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKKBCiaMmbE

You can find me in minute 2:30-2:34 behind dude with his arms up. I am the slow moving guy with red swimsuit with white drawstrings. Even after all this, I might do it again next year!



UPDATE! August 30th 2009 My brother-in-law videoed and You Tubed my experience ... the three links follow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie0lebthZrU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxZZ2nqhrx4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6uhLgvcrwo&feature=related