Vacation - WEEK ONE:

My friend Jeff and I headed to:

Washington D.C.!

We got to DC and had a nice night out on the town (Red Bull and vodka). On Sunday, we took in the sights (100 degrees with 100% humidity):

Washington Monument

Lincoln Memorial

The White House

And the reason I wanted to see D.C.:

World War II Memorial

My Uncle George died fighting in this war. I never knew the man but I knew what he meant to my Dad. I didn't ask my Dad about his brother until my Dad was really sick...it was just something I didn't know how to handle. But I'm glad I finally asked him about it. I'm glad I got to see the memorial, it's beautiful.

Monday morning, after a stop at the Smithsonian, we loaded up the car and drove to AC.

The Borgata

I was comped the rainman suite! It was pretty cool but we didn't go there to spend time in the room. I played a few slots and then hit the Blackjack table. I had a good run, then I started making stupid bets, I had it in my mind that I was going to get rich, ha ha. I played for about an hour and left with what I came to the table with. I should have walked away but, you know. I played some slots, some more blackjack, lost some more, hit the ATM, lost some more and was going to call it a night. Then I found a few hot slot machines, I won $200. I moved when that machine got cold, found another machine and hit for 20,000 nickels...that's $1000! I said to myself, this is as good as it gets. I left AC $300 up and I was lucky to do so. Whew! Jeff had luck at the BJ table and left up as well.

Tuesday we drove back to Hoboken, Tuesday night, we drove out to the Hamptons, that's right, the Hamptons...playground to the rich and famous. Wednesday I woke up to this view:

Sweet living!

We hit the beach and just chilled out. Thursday we drove to another part of the island to meet up with Jeff's coworker/friend Jon. Holy crap, this guy was amazing to talk with! When I was growing up in the 80's and watching MTV, this guy was making videos for the best of the best...without posting his resume, this is all you need to know: he made the Aerosmith/RUN DMC video!

Jon Small

(I feel weird about posting his photo but I found it on his website! He's not shy. Ha ha.) Jon took Jeff and I out on his boat, so much fun!

I'm holding on for sweet life!

There was an embarrassing story about the boat but I choose not to talk about that.

[[SIGH!]] OK, here's the story; To get to the boat we had to row out in a row boat. The key to this journey? Weight distribution. On the way out, we were OK. On the way back, he dropped Jeff and me off at the beach but the drop down was too high for me, I just imagined ruining this guy's boat by ripping the metal rope ties out of the front of the boat. So, back to the row boat for me. Again, think 'weight distribution,' I offer to row because I'm like three of him. He asks, "You know how to row?" "Oh yeah," I said. We get in the row boat and I couldn't get the hang of rowing! I kept banging into his big boat. This went on for five minutes, I'm as embarassed as hell and then we had to switch places. I felt like a child. Rowing to shore looked something like this:

Damn.

Ha ha ha. Oh Lord, this diet can't work fast enough for me. Jeff treated us to dinner and then we headed back to Hoboken. Thanks for a great day Jon and Jeff!

We woke up on Friday morning and it was time for Jeff to go.



A week to spend with anyone is a LONG time. We did get on each other's nerves but the good times outweighed the bad. Thanks for a great week Jeff, Godspeed.

Vacation - WEEK TWO:

Friday night I hung out with my friend Tiffany.

Saturday, I was on the road to Steubenville, OHIO! Saturday night, I was at my nephew's birthday party:

Happy 8th Jacob!

Sunday I hit the local casino and lost. That's it for a while, I'm holding on to my money. Sunday night I had dinner with the family.

Monday I spent most of the day with my nephew Lucas. We had lunch at Steak & Shake, took his bike in for repairs, played some video games, sat in some cool massage chairs and just had a good old time. Today was his last summer day before school started, remember that feeling? Here's Luke at Steak & Shake, I got him a huge milkshake (don't tell his Mom).

It's the little things

Tuesday...I went back to the casino due to peer pressure, thanks Mom! Anyway, I'm done with the local casinos around here, they just don't pay out.

Wednesday I decided to chill out at the movies. I saw Wedding Crashers, it was pretty good. Afterwards, I went to the mall and had an Orange Julius, mmmmmmmmmm, Orange Julius. Nectar of the Gods, damn that was good!

Thursday I took my car in because it was out of alignment. Driving in D.C. and NYC was too much for her, what can you do? Thursday night my friend Tim wanted to see the first high school football game of the year, which happened to be a few miles away and also happened to be the school where we graduated, Steubenville High School, home of the mighty Big Red. Back in the day...we were in the band.

High school football

I have to say, I really didn't want to go, I wanted to play Madden and not be social (I'm 35). But sometimes we have to do what our friends want. I sucked it up and still had a crappy time, ha ha. But, what the hell else was I going to do? The score was 20 to 0 after the first quarter and 20 to 14 when all was said and done. Big Red wins!

Friday I went to Wal-Mart to buy some underwear. Now, I told that to my family and I got the old, "Too much information" but what's wrong with saying I bought some new drawers? Friday night, another birthday party! Max, the youngest Borden, hit the big 4.

Happy 4th Max!

He had a fun day, good for him.

Saturday I decided to leave Ohio early so I could get one day in Hoboken to chill out before work. I took the PA turnpike instead of 80 because I would have bet that there would be traffic due to the Little League World Series (somewhere on route 80). I haven't been on the turnpike in a while and I made it back in record time! I only stopped once but there was something about the road/drivers. On the way to Ohio, on route 80, there were just SO many people living in the left lane -- it was very frustrating! On the turnpike, I only encountered that once. Remember people: Keep Right, Pass Left!

Saturday night I chilled out, got some dinner and watched Serpico. Damn fine movie!

Sunday I woke up at 1! Holy crap, I must have been tired...nothing like sleeping in your own bed. I cleaned my apartment and listened to music. Around 7 I picked up some dinner, it was crazy humid out there.

So, that was the last two weeks of my life, it was fantastic! If I do say so myself.

I'm back...we're back. Have a great day.

Best,

Bob