Well as you can see, it has been a little while since the last time I posted. So I have a little bit to update. My roommate Eric has since moved out. He and his girlfriend Maya are expecting their first child at the end of October. They are now living with each other in Fountain Square area. Real nice place they got. On the 4th, we all went over there for dinner and they have a great view of the Indy skyline so also watched the fireworks there too. My new roommate is Kara, she is a sorority sister of Jen’s and it just worked out well that she needed a place to stay for the summer. So far so good with her. No complaints as of yet.
Earlier that weekend (the 4th), I went to Lake Cumberland with Willis and the gang. His parents have a huge house boat down there and we spent some fun days on the water. I rode down with Rattsy, Saylan, and Bottom. Everyone seemed to be doing real well and we, of course, did our fair share of drinking. Chad and Jenny were also there, along with Duane and Brandi, Jessica, Amy, and Frische and his girl. The day I left Jared came up with some of his friends and family too. All in all it was a great weekend.
The weekend prior to the 4th, another large group of us went down to Lake Monroe in Bloomington. We were celebrating Jen Anderson's birthday. We rented a double-decker pontoon boat with a slide going off the top. That, too, was a lot of fun. Let's see, the attendees that were there from memory: Lelak and Skippy, Alisa, Jen, Jessica, Leah, Erica, Maya and Eric, DC and Crystal, my new roommate Kara, Leslie, and that's all I can really remember. We definitely had a great time and we are going to try to do it again before the summer is out. We left early in the morning and I believe we got off the lake around 5 or 6. Afterwards, Lelak, Skippy and I were all supposed to go to Blanton's Wedding, which was also in Bloomington. Lelak got way to drunk to attend, so I ended up going alone. I hung out with Tierney and his girl for most of the time I was there.
Let's see, we'll keep winding the clock back to two weeks prior to that. We had our family vacation this year in Las Vegas. And everyone was able to attend. Mom, Dad, Angela, Bill, and CJ all got down there on that Friday night. Ed and I didn't come in until the following Tuesday evening. Money-wise, Vegas didn't start out too promising. I came into town with $300 cash. Well, at the end of the night on the day I got in, I was out of cash. Pretty bad, I know. I started betting heavy, like I remembered I did last time I was there in February...well needless to say, it wasn't working for me.
But the second night started looking up. It started with a comedy show, which was pretty good. I don't recall the guys name but he was a staple of stand-up during the Johnny Carson era. After that we headed to downtown Vegas (Old Vegas). That’s where me and Dad started our lucky streak. I taught him how to play my game, craps of course, and we never looked back. We took the Golden nugget my storm. I left "Old Vegas" being up quite a lot of money. I believe I walked out with $700 and some dollars...so if you are keeping track, I was up 400 or so. Dad, who was betting a little more conservatively than I, still cashed out $300 or $400. We were both ecstatic with our luck there, and we were both getting quite tipsy as well. There were several times that we debated on cashing out early b/c Mom and Angela were wanting to head to a different casino...but we kept pushing the limit and it worked out well. When we went to go cash out it made me feel good b/c they actually had to call someone to verify the 500 dollar chip I was attempting to cash in. All the while we are cashing out, Mom and Angela were calling CJ and Bill to find out where they were, so I was yelling in the phone as they were talking "Yo I am cashing out 700 bones 'bee-otch' " dad followed suit and followed my outburst with "I am $300...'bee-otch'." Needless to say, it was quite entertaining for me to hear my dad say 'bee-otch'. The people all around who were observing our ridiculous commotion also thought it seemed funny, as well as did Mom, Angela, and Ed. We then left there and went and picked up Bill and CJ and headed to the soon infamous "New Orleans." Angela drove us there b/c, well, No one else probably should have. It was quite a bumpy ride back b/c the road we went back on wasn't exactly in the best shape. I think several of our heads were getting friendly with the roof of the van.
So we arrive at Orleans, which was previously Bill and CJ's favorite late night casino hang out b/c of its close proximity to Club de Soleil (place we were staying). Armed with our newly found cash and liquor-induced confidence, Dad and I led the group to our new home at the Orleans craps tables. Now we had some newcomers in Bill. They wanted a piece of the proverbial pie me and dad had. And soon we were all stealing Vegas' pie. I am not sure what everyone else did, but I cleaned out another couple hundo from the casinos. Everyone was winning and all in the world was right. We even made new friends...our new dealers at the craps tables, Jon and his crew. The following night did not fair as well. Everyone was thrilled with craps and wanted to play again, and b/c I knew the dangers of craps, see 300 down on the first day, I tried to warn that nights aren't always like that, but oh well. We all lost and we all lost together, b/c hell...I had the money so I figured why not try it again. Well like I said...I dropped another couple hundo. We were having fun though, although I think this day made everyone a little more cautious with their money. Gambling-wise for me from then one seemed on and off every other day. But at the end of the trip I had won about 600 bucks or so. I was quite pleased.
On Thursday night we saw an amazing show. It was "The Fab Four." A Beatles tribute band. And they were quite simply, amazing. They looked, acted, and sounded just like the Beatles. I can't say enough, how great this show was. Being a musical person, and one that is a huge Beatles fan, I can tell you that on the musical side of their act...they couldn't have been better. It was nearly identical down to every last note sung and note played. Harmonies were terrific. We spent most of the days doing a combination of sleeping, pool-side fun, and eating. We would usually be out of the resort for the evening anywhere between 5 and 7. On Friday night, I went and picked up a friend of mine from the airport, the aforementioned Jessica from the Lake Monroe trip. She was there celebrating one of her friends 21st b-days.
On Saturday, I parted ways with the family in the early afternoon. They were leaving at 9pm or so for the airport and my other friends had just gotten in town for a bachelor party. So I met up with the new crew. Matt King was the bachelor man. Three friends form his work came, along with one of his buddies from high school. Two guys, three counting me, were from Rose. The other two being, Justin Smith, and Happy. We had a good time drinking, hanging out, and swimming there at the Mirage. After we were done with the pool, we went up to shower and change. We went to this all-you-can eat type fancy restaurant and it was really good food. Later on, the high school buddy of King's decided to get a few "Direct-To-You" girls for the hotel room. With out going into details, let’s just say that he didn't know what he was getting into and we ended up being screwed out of 300 bucks. No naked show or nothing. So I was annoyed at this point and wanted to go lose money at craps. So me and Happy decided to go gamble while the rest of the guys went to the strip clubs. Yes...I lost 2oo more. But oh well...I did come out 600 ahead, so I am not complaining. I met up with Jessica that night and hung out with her and Happy for quite some time. At 5 or so on Sunday morning we met up with some remnants of the Strip-Club crew and grabbed breakfast in Paris. I was so damn tired; I was falling asleep during the meal. We didn’t end up going to bed until 7 in the morning. Well not all of us, so I found out when I awake at 10 to a passed out King. Once he got up we decided to go check on the other group see what they were doing. We walked into a Hotel room of Happy, drunk off his ass, vomiting Bloody Marys into and onto the toilet. He couldn’t even walk straight. Soon someone got him over to the bed and he was so out it. He was hilarious. But that is where I left the group, or I should say they left me. They headed to the Hard Rock, but since I was leaving soon, I just had Jessica come over and we hung out by the pool for a little while and then we lost her $20 at the roulette table and took a stretch limo to the airport. Vegas were done for the second time this year. And I am up for sure. Tom 2 Vegas 0.
Well that pretty much covers the ground between last entry and now. I am still going strong at Howl. I had a real good set this last Friday and I am currently trying to get lyrics memorized so I can put on a better show. After Howl on Friday, Jessica, Erica, Leah and I drank up my tab and had a good time doing it. Some white Russian races and some birthday shots always allows for a good time. Erica and Leah went to the Rathskellar and Jessica and I went swimming at my pool. Saturday, I had to work at 5am for INDOT…yuck! But oh well, it got me out of bouncing on Friday night…so that was cool I suppose. I was done at 2 and headed home to meet everyone up at the pool. The plan for Saturday was to go to Journey to Chevelle concert. I decided on Chevelle, but soon found out it was sold out. Willis was going with me. He was able to scalp some tickets, so he went and I went over to Jessica’s and we hung out for the remainder of the night. At one point we went over to my place and then Willis stopped in after the concert and we watched some SNL…not a very good one I might add. Sunday, didn’t do a whole lot, had dinner with Jessica and Erica, Erica made chili and it was really good. Erica and I then went to see War of the Worlds. Good flick.
As of now, I am sitting in my state car “working.” I am planning on updating this a little more often than I have been. Once every few days or at the least, once a week.
Take Care,
Tommy John
