Deep Thoughts With Jerry #24

I'm a little pressed for time. Katie is in the kitchen making all sorts of seitan and I totally forgot to write this post until the last minute. If Katie was typing this post it would take her minutes but because it's me and I type like a four year old, it takes me forever.

What's something new you've learned about yourself in the last couple of months?

I'm getting older. I've also been put on notice by my family that I've been acting older with the dad jokes and dad-like actions I perform on a daily basis. 

Here are several examples:

1. I stand outside and check out the weather when I read it's supposed to rain soon. It's like I fact-check the weather app. (GUILTY)

2. When I hear loud noises outside I stand at the window and scope out the neighborhood for the source of the noise. (GUILTY)

3. I laugh at my own jokes, always. (GUILTY)

4. I use old phrases that used to be cool with the kids but I use them in such a way to try to sound like I'm being cheesy. They don't know if I'm joking or not. (GUILTY)

5. I rub my bare toes together when I have my feet up. (GUILTY)

6. When driving, I always look around outside instead of on the road. (GUILTY) 

Overall, I am older. I am a dad. And that's just the way the cookie crumbles. 

How would you spend your time if you had unlimited time and resources? 

Being out with my friends a couple weeks ago up north, in the sticks of Michigan, made me want to live sort of off the grid. There was hardly any sort of cell signal and we were content with fun animated conversations, and played yard games and disc golf. So, if money wasn't an object and I had all sorts of time, I would be in the sticks within a reasonable distance from grocery and gas where I'm able to live in peace. 

What smell or sound triggers nostalgia for you?

Smell: It would be Katie's body spray, Love Spell from Victoria's Secret. She used to wear it when we were in the late stages of our dating phase and into our marriage. The smell drives me crazy, in a great way. It gets my juices flowing in nether regions. 😍

Sound: Music always makes me feel something. No matter how I'm feeling, the song 'Fade into you' by Mazzy Star pulls me back into the 90's when life was simpler. 

Question for the readers: What are your triggers?

What's your guilty pleasure right now?

Pretzels and mustard. I could use just regular yellow mustard but lately I've been using this garlic mustard from Boardwalk Kitchen. I found it a couple weeks ago at Detroit's Eastern Market and it's just phenomenal. I love having hummus with pretzels as well, but hummus can be so expensive to buy. Maybe I'll try to make some on my own.

If you were at trivia night, what category would you know the most about?

I've never done a trivia night but I think I know a lot about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the MCU. I wrote some time ago about how I've seen each of the movies at least 20 times. I know them inside and out. Trivia night would be fun. I'll have to see if I can find one around here.

What TV show are you currently watching?

I just started Big Bang Theory. It used to be a big deal and I just never watched it. I think it's because we didn't have cable. I never knew what it was about and it was sort of recommended to me. So, I'm already on the 3rd season and I'm laughing my ass off every episode.

I'm going to cut this a little short. I would really like to have some questions from you guys. I'm an open book so fire away and I will answer!

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Deep Thoughts With Jerry #23

Jerry hasn't done a "Deep Thoughts" post in a while. I'm kind of embarrassed to even publish this one because he gets kind of gushy about me! But he's insistent, so here he is...

---

It's been a while. Usually I get on here and answer some questions that I find on various websites, but it's been an eventful time for me, so I'll write about that.

In late July I was asked to go work at a plant down in Texas for two weeks. They had been experiencing turnover and by losing some of their key operators a lot of knowledge was lost. So, they asked me and three others to go down to cover for the guys who were going to be training the new hires. 

The guys I was helping cover for were a select group that performed hot work on the assets and also traveled the world to other plants within my company to help. I have zero problem working in the extreme heat, and I actually enjoy it to a certain extent. I took the opportunity to learn as much as I could, working without complaint or hesitation. I learned quite a bit and had gotten some praise for my efforts. Hopefully this will afford me some other opportunities in the future. 

Texas. Texas was hot AF. 

I would get up around 4:45 am for work and it was already 85 degrees. When I would go to bed at 10:00 pm or so it was 100! Never seen anything like it. I had a case of water in my room and plowed through the water at work but it never seemed like enough.

We had the weekend off and the managers at the plant bought us tickets to the Texas Rangers game in Arlington. It did not disappoint! The seats were great and the game was a nail-biter. And the stadium, gorgeous. And it should be, seeing as how they spent $1.6 billion on it.

The next day, we went to a flea market called First Monday Canton. Apparently it's the world's largest flea market. In October they have somewhere close to 7,000 vendors across 450 acres. However, the weekend we went they "only" had about 1,000, and that's just because of the heat. Overall, Texas was a good time. 

After being gone for two weeks in Texas, I was ready to be home. And I had a whole week off work, which was nice. I'd already had a trip planned with some old high school friends for the 3rd week in August. I hadn't seen these friends in quite some time, but we had all somewhat stayed connected in the 24 years out of high school.

The plan was to go out to my friend's cabin on the west side of the state for five days. That almost fell through with the torrential downpour and flooding we had with some storms during the night before we left.

On my way home from work that morning, I decided to take another route home because my normal route had become somewhat flooded and I didn't want to drive through that. Everything was cool until I came upon a section of road that was getting completely covered with water. I had slowed down because I didn't want to start hydroplaning. Another vehicle had other plans.

This person was driving super fast and started hydroplaning when they hit that section of road, which caused them to come into my lane. With the fear of getting hit I started to get over a little and that's when the car started floating, completely out of my control, right into a ditch.

After dealing with the tow truck taking the car, the drive home (Eli picked me up), a call to the insurance company, no power at home, and a panic attack I was just ready to call the weekend. Be done with it. Katie was super insistent that I go out with my friends and enjoy the time. So that's what I did. It was great to connect with good friends and just pick up right where we left off. I'm hoping that this will become an annual thing with us. 

*Gush alert*

After all my time away Katie had her hands full. She knows the opportunity that being in Texas was for me professionally and was beyond supportive of it. In many ways us being apart for two weeks helped bring us closer together. And then with the trip I had planned with my friends... what can I say? She was so insistent that I go, even though the timing was the worst ever.

To say I have the best wife ever would be an understatement. I truly lucked out with having a wife that I can talk to, someone who looks out for me and has my best interest at heart. We've been together for 24 years, married for 20 of them. We've grown a lot and essentially became adults together. I'm so crazy lucky that I found my soulmate so young. 

*End gush*  [Katie here--I *swear* I did not write that myself! And he neglected to mention that I was in a very grumpy mood and I didn't even want to hear how much fun he was having while I was at home with no power.]

As for the future? There are some things on the horizon for me, hopefully they come true. Talks at work of me getting back on day shift again are still on-going. I'm still trying to create as much value as I can for the company, making me less expendable, and hopefully I'll be compensated well for my efforts and knowledge.

Personally, at home, things are starting to look up. Noah started a full-time job as well as continuing his college classes. Eli started back to school today and everything seems to be tracking in the right direction for him. Katie and I, we are good. As I type this I'm watching her read her Kindle on this floor pillow she has and she's so f**king adorable. She's way out of my league.

PS: Thank you all for the support you've shown our family over the years. It means a lot to me to know that Katie has had so much support from total strangers when she needs it the most.

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Deep Thoughts With Jerry #22

I was planning to write a little about my day (getting in 10,000+ steps) but I am completely exhausted. It's 8:15 pm and as soon as I'm done with this post, I am going to eat a big bowl of Jerry's Beans & Greens. I've been eating that a lot lately because he loves to make it for me when he knows I'm feeling down. And since I've been in this depressive episode, he's had plenty of opportunities, haha.

Anyway, I *did* manage to get in my 10,000 steps today--and I worked like hell for it, too--so I'll write about that tomorrow for my Wednesday Weigh-In. For now, here is Jerry and his "deep thoughts". (I would normally add more pictures to this post, but I am having a hard time finding what I'm looking for. So here goes...

What do you think would most impress your 15-year old self?

Wow. If you told me in 1995 that I wouldn't have to rely on my Discman for music I would've shit a brick. "Noooo wayyyy", would be my response. I love music. It's my life force. Walkman->Discman->MP3 player->iPhone... insane when you think about having every song at your fingertips at a moment's notice. It's great!

What do you enjoy spending money on?

Where to begin... As I get older I tend to be a little tighter with money. I try not to spend money casually. So, when I make money and want something it has to be somewhat important to me. I love to play video games, particularly first person shooters. I love the Call of Duty games and currently I'm playing Star Wars: Jedi Survivor. I enjoy games that give me the best bang for my buck and have a high replay value. 

What is your useless talent?

Useless talent? LOL. Trivia. For sure. People assume trivia is just for the bars and trying to win money... false. It's to just randomly blurt out. Last weekend, we were at a summer party at Brian's and I made a Thomas J. reference when someone was talking about a bees nest in the woods.

Later on, I used a Home Improvement (the old TV show) reference.. they had cut their finger with a power washer. "Oh, it must've been the Binford 3000 power washer", I replied. Trivia comes in handy when talking to everyone and you can just slide it in to conversations. It's useless but handy at the same time. And it's fun to see who catches those little things.

What is the most awkward situation you have ever felt yourself in?

When we first moved into out house, we didn't know anyone in the neighborhood. One day while Katie was outside, a neighbor came over and introduced himself. He was Gary from next door. Gary was a quadriplegic and got around the neighborhood with ease in an electric wheelchair--everyone knew him. 

After Katie met Gary, she told me about about this nice neighbor she'd met when she was outside and that when I could, I should introduce myself to him. She mentioned the wheelchair, but she failed to mention that Gary was a quadriplegic and unable to use his hands.

I was outside the next day getting some stuff out the back of our van when Gary rolled up and introduced himself. I turned and told him my name and reached my hand out to shake his hand. At this moment, I totally realized that he was a quadriplegic and in an embarrassed panic, I still went for the hand shake. I grabbed his hand and shook it--I have never felt smaller.

I went about the rest of the conversation and came into the house to share my horror with Katie. She laughed and said that I shouldn't worry about it--he probably liked being treated like a "normal" person--but I still remember it all to this day.

What movie could you quote by heart?

Katie thought it was Forrest Gump... and she's right! I could quote it. But the movie I was thinking of is Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. LOL. Word for word, use phrases to this day to get through the day. I also learned a random fact about Katie last weekend. She knows the entire Disney movie Aladdin by heart--literally every single word. She said she hadn't see it since she was a kid, but she remembered it all. We both quote Forrest Gump all the time though, because we both know every line.

What is one question that you wish people would ask you more?

"Are you okay?" And then genuinely listen to the answer. It's a question that people don't ask people enough and if they would, it would make a world of difference in someone's life if they were asked. It would for me, for sure. People either feel awkward asking it or just flat out don't care. For the sake of having some sort of faith in humanity I will say most don't know how to ask it without feeling intrusive. I can tell you, at least for me, ask away. I (and I imagine most others) would appreciate it and knowing that someone cares enough to ask means a lot. 

What do you like that everyone else seems to dislike?

Professional wrestling. I am a huge fan. Wrestling is on Monday through Friday every week and I'm on top of it all. When people hear that I'm a fan they give me the "you know it's fake, right?"or the "you like men in tights rolling around with each other?" comments. To both of those I will always reply with, "go jump off a cliff".

People spend too much energy and time trying to crap all over everyone else's likes. I've been a fan since I was a little kid and it's lasted this long. There seems to be a sort of stigma associated with it. However, if it's not your cup of tea just let it be, there's no reason to slam others for what they enjoy. 

What is your definition of success?

Definition? Healthy family, well-behaved kids, happy wife. I don't put a monetary value on any of it, it all hinges on fulfillment. If everyones happy and good to go then that's great! We certainly aren't made of money, but we are a happy family (most of the time, LOL) and I think that's more important than anything. I'd consider it a success.

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Deep Thoughts With Jerry #21

Jerry and I were discussing what questions to put on the blog today, and I had the idea that we make an actual "deep thoughts" post--writing vulnerable questions and answers. I suggested things like, "What is the hardest part of having a wife with bipolar?" and "How do you think it will feel to be an empty nester in a few years?"

Well, this just got us emotional--me, feeling very depressed as it is, and Jerry talking about the answers made him tear up as well. Soon, we were each a crying mess. It was an emotional discussion. Literal deep thoughts.

So, we went for the opposite. Maybe next week our emotions will be in check and we can write something like that. This is something a little different than usual, though. This is a "lightening round"--I asked a "this or that" question and he had to answer immediately, without thinking about it.

Does anyone remember the Friends episode where Phoebe helps Joey decide something by asking a bunch of "this or that" questions? And then Joey screws it up when he tries to do the same thing to Ross? Maybe you'll catch the reference...

Vacation or Staycation?  *Staycation

Netflix or Hulu?  *Hulu

Night or Morning?  *Morning

Passenger or Driver  *Passenger

Car or Bike?  *Bike

Train or Airplane?  *Airplane

Ketchup or Ranch?  *Ranch

Bad Breath or Body Odor?  *Bad Breath

Guacamole or Salsa?  *Guacamole

City or Countryside?  *Countryside

Sweating or Shivering?  *Sweating

Fiction or Non-Fiction?  *Fiction

Patterned or Plain?  *Plain

Board Games or Video Games?  *Video Games

French Fries or Onion Rings?  *French Fries

Tattoos or Piercings?  *Tattoos

Store Bought or Homemade?  *Homemade

Plans or Surprises?  *Surprises

Roller Coasters or Water Slides?  *Roller Coasters

Letters or Emails?  *Emails

Loud or Quiet?  *Quiet

Protagonist or Sidekick?  *Protagonist

Animals or People?  *Animals

Show or Tell?  *Tell

Visual Learner or Verbal Learner?  *Visual

Raise or Bonus?  *Raise

Introvert or Extrovert?  *Extrovert

Speed or Accuracy?  *Speed

Sight or Sound?  *Sound

Predictability or Excitement?  *Excitement

Dogs or Cats?  *Cats

Night Out or Night In?  *Night In

Sweeping or Vacuuming?  *Vacuuming

Who would you rather sleep with, Monica or Rachel?  *Rachel

Here is the video clip from Friends that I was talking about ;)  (I had it start at the point where Phoebe quizzes Joey. I couldn't find a shorter clip--but it's funny and worth watching!)

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The One Where Jerry Interviews Katie

Jerry and I are getting ready for our trip up north (gah, so much stuff to do!) and I was putting away laundry while Jerry decided to work on his "deep thoughts" post. He started asking me about questions he could answer, and then had the idea to interview *me* while I was putting away clothes. I thought that sounded fun!

So, I didn't choose these questions (neither did Jerry--he got them from a list of ice breaker questions). But here goes...

Jerry: I'm going to keep it short and sweet today. Katie and I are getting things ready to go to the UP (upper peninsula) tomorrow. Today I thought it would be cool to interview Katie by asking some fun ice breaker questions. This should be fun.

Q. What is the worst haircut you've ever gotten?

Is it any question that a mullet would be the worst? My mom used to tell me that my hair was "like a bush"--so thick and curly. I don't know if that's why she gave me a mullet, but a mullet is the worst. There are a couple of years of photos of me that proudly show off my mullet.

Q. What is one thing you can't live without?

[Eyes super wide as soon as I asked this question] Jeez. That's a HUGE question. As lame as it sounds, it's got to be Google Maps. It's the only way I can find my way around anywhere because I have a horrible sense of direction. You know I'd still be lost in New York somewhere without it.

Besides, sometimes you accidentally come across funny things while looking at Google Maps, like this crop phallus circle. 

Q. What is your biggest phobia?

Getting Alzheimer's disease. It's kind of weird to have that as my biggest phobia, but when I can't remember something, it freaks me out beyond what is normal. Gobby [my grandma] was heartbreaking to see in the end. I hated every second of it. And when I was in the hospital for my broken jaw, I woke up with NO memory. (The whole story about this fear and how it came to be is in this post.)

Q. What was your favorite breakfast cereal as a kid and what is it now?

As a kid? Ughh... Did I eat cereal as a kid? Probably Lucky Charms. I can remember eating all of the brown pieces first and then eating just the marshmallow pieces after. My favorite now is Grapenuts--how old am I?!

Q. What is the most out of character thing you've ever done?

Flying on the Breezy, hands down. (I wrote all about that on this post.) Anybody who knows me knows how much I *hate* flying! I hadn't flown in years and I was terrified of it. Remember how I was DYING and crying and dry heaving at just the thought of doing it? Totally out of character.

Q. What is the dorkiest thing about you?

Ummmmm.... there are so many! I think the dorkiest thing is probably that I love numbers. I'm always looking at numbers and associating them with other numbers. Sounds weird and is totally unexplainable, but that's it. I add up numbers on license plates or I look for patterns on things that have numbers. God, I didn't realize I was this weird. Aside from numbers, I also love logic problems and I actually do them for fun. LOL

Q. How did your parents choose your name?

My mom told me that the delivery room nurse's name was Katie and she really liked it. It wasn't Katherine or Kaitlin or any other version--just Katie. And I LOVE my name!

Q. What two things do you consider yourself really bad at?

1. Replying to people either by text, email, or phone. I have said it a million times over, but it's literally my biggest vice. And it's one thing that I feel absolutely terrible about!

2. I'm also REALLY bad at remembering names. Another thing I feel terrible about! Remember during cross country season, I finally remembered everyone's name by probably the last practice. I don't get it! Renee knows all of their names by the second practice. I am always trying to remember, and I'll ask Renee, "That's Sara, right?" "No, that's Catherine. Sara is the one with the pink shorts." CONSTANTLY. It's embarrassing at how bad I am.

Q. What is your favorite meme or viral video? 

Hahaha, you know how obsessed I am with memes! There is NO WAY POSSIBLE to pick a favorite. It depends on my mood and what I'm interested in at the moment. Lately, I've been loving the dad jokes that people write on stock photos. Here is a fun one:

Q. What is your biggest pet peeve?

When people are on their phones while "spending time" with other people. Instead of interacting with the people they're with, they're on their phone. It's just rude. It always makes me feel sad when I see kids trying to tell or show their parents something and their parent tells them, "Hold on." or "Oh, that's so neat." while their eyes are glued to their phones. Maybe it's just me, but if I'm having a conversation with someone and they check their text messages or Facebook or whatever, it makes me feel like what I have to say is super unimportant.

Q. What is your favorite useless fact?

I don't know that I'd call this "useless", but it's definitely a huge eye-opener.... If we killed people at the same rate we kill animals for food, the entire population would be gone in 17 days--all 7.7 billion of us. If we include fish, that number goes down to about 27 hours. My jaw dropped when I read that.

Q. Can you do an impression of someone famous?

You've heard my perfect Cookie Monster voice! LOL. I also do one of Chewbacca, remember? I even have that one video when I was trying to make the kids laugh when they were little. So funny!

Q. Who was your role model as a child?

It's cheesy, but Jeanie and Brian [my older sister and brother by 8 and 6 years respectively]. I just thought Jeanie was SO cool and I used to borrow her clothes sometimes, which is funny because she is literally eight years older than me. I wanted to be just like her. I looked up to Brian because he was the smartest person I knew and he was super funny.

Q. What is something you think is totally overrated?

This is a hard one, but I think I would have to say coffee. People put so much emphasis on how important it is the mornings, but I just don't get it. This tweet sums it up (for me, anyway--coffee gives me bad anxiety):

Q. What was the worst idea you've ever had?

I'm bipolar!! What kind of question is that?! I've never had a bad idea ;)

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Pop Quiz for Jerry

Jerry was having a hard time coming up with what to write for his "deep thoughts" post today, and then I felt kind of clueless as well. I looked through past July 4th photos, and I really don't have any great ones. Anyway, since Jerry is such a history buff AND he's very good at trivia, I thought it would be fun to give him this pop quiz on American history (found on Reader's Digest--I did not fact check these, so take it for what it's worth).

Jerry has no warning whatsoever that I'm about to ask him these questions, and (obviously) he's not allowed to look up any info. I hope that he does well--I always talk up his trivia skills! Here goes... (I'm going to sprinkle some random America / Fourth of July photos throughout this post--I'm not sure what else would go with it!)

Question: When was the Declaration of Independence signed?
[Answer: August 2, 1776]
Jerry: 1776 (CORRECT)

Question: The United States bought Alaska from which country?
[Answer: Russia]
Jerry: Canada (WRONG)

Question: Who was the fourth president of the United States?
[Answer: James Madison]
Jerry: James Madison (CORRECT)

Question: Which era marked a switch from agricultural practices to industrial practices?
[Answer: The Industrial Revolution]
Jerry: Industrial Revolution (CORRECT)

Question: What was the name of the series of programs and projects President Franklin D. Roosevelt enacted during The Great Depression?
[Answer: The New Deal]
Jerry: I have no idea (WRONG)

Waiting for the fireworks show to start

Question: Fill in the blank: The 19th Amendment guarantees ____ the right to vote
[Answer: Women]
Jerry: Women (CORRECT)

Question: Which four presidents are on Mount Rushmore?
[Answer: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and Theodore Roosevelt]
Jerry: It doesn't get more American than this, Jerry, you idiot. Seriously? I know this. Um... Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, Roosevelt. (CORRECT)

Question: Who was the first woman to make a million dollars in the United States?
[Answer: Madam C.J. Walker]
Jerry: I have no idea. It's not Oprah, that's for sure. I really truly don't know. (WRONG)

No idea what the situation was for each, but it's funny that this coincidence happened.

Question: Which year was George H.W. Bush elected president?

[Answer: 1988]
Jerry: 1984 (WRONG)

Question: What do the stripes on the American flag represent?
[Answer: The 13 original colonies]
Jerry: The original 13 colonies. (CORRECT)

Question: Where was Martin Luther King, Jr. born?
[Answer: Atlanta, Georgia]
Jerry: Mobile, Alabama (WRONG) 

Question: Which two Native American leaders led Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne warriors in the fight against Lieutenant Colonel George Custer’s troops in the Battle of Little Bighorn?
[Answer: Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull]
Jerry: I don't know. No idea. (WRONG)

Question: Finish the line President Franklin D. Roosevelt said during his speech addressing the attack on Pearl Harbor: “Yesterday, December 7, 1941…”
[Answer: “A date which will live in infamy”]
Jerry: "A date which will live in infamy" (CORRECT)

Question: What was the name of the landmark Supreme Court case that ruled the racial segregation of schools unconstitutional?
[Answer: Brown v. Board of Education]
Jerry: I don't know this one either. (WRONG)

Question: What year was the Vietnam Veterans Memorial dedicated in Washington, D.C.?
[Answer: 1982]
Jerry: 1982 (CORRECT)

Question: The “shot heard ’round the world” describes the beginning of which battles in the American Revolution?
[Answer: The Battles of Lexington and Concord]
Jerry: I have no idea. Give me a clue. 
Katie: Okay, it's a type of grape--I think it's even a brand for grape juice.
Jerry: Battle of Smuckers?
Katie: Juice, not jam.
Jerry: Concord?
Katie: Yes. The other is a city in Kentucky.
Jerry: Lexington.
(CORRECT- kind of) 

Question: What was the first state to legalize same-sex marriage?
[Answer: Massachusetts]
Jerry: California? I don't know. Why don't I know these things?! (WRONG)

Question: Who was president during the Cuban Missile Crisis?
[Answer: John F. Kennedy]
Jerry: Kennedy (CORRECT)

Question: Who was the first Black Supreme Court justice in the United States?
[Answer: Thurgood Marshall]
Jerry: Clarence Thomas (WRONG)

Question: In what year did child labor laws start in the United States?
[Answer: 1938]
Jerry: 1984? I have no idea. I've always grown up knowing the labor laws like they are. (WRONG)

Question: What was the name of the battle in the Pacific fought between the U.S. Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy in June 1942?
[Answer: Battle of Midway]
Jerry: Battle of Midway (CORRECT)

Question: When was the Battle of Gettysburg fought during the Civil War?
[Answer: July 1 through July 3, 1863]
Jerry: I want to say like 1842, but I think it was a little later than that. (WRONG)

Question: Who was the first American to win a Noble Peace Prize?
[Answer: Theodore Roosevelt]
Jerry: I have no idea. (WRONG)

Katie and her dad roasting hot dogs and marshmallows on the Fourth in 1983

Question: What country did the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team defeat in the semi-finals of the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, a game commonly known as the “Miracle on Ice”?
[Answer: The Soviet Union]
Jerry: Russia, The Miracle on Ice, Lake Placid (Katie: I only ready up to the word "defeat" and then Jerry started spouting off these words. Clearly he knew all about this one. (CORRECT)

Question: What year did the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) go into effect?
[Answer: 1994]
Jerry: 1968? (WRONG)

Well, I got 12 correct and 13 wrong. I definitely need to pick up a history book. I forgot so much from history class! I forgot significant dates, mostly. I'm curious what is being taught in history class these days versus what I read in school. I guess I need to brush up on my history trivia.

---

Katie here. I am impressed! I literally did not know a single one of those answers. (History has always been my worst subject EVER.) 

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Deep Thoughts With Jerry #20

What movies deserve a sequel?

Wow. This is a difficult one. There are a lot of movies out there that probably deserve sequels. People tend to hate sequels; they're notoriously considered less entertaining and not up to par with the original. Some directors have reconned some aspects of the original or even things that have happened in a series.

For example, in the new Star Trek movies J.J. Abrams created a new Star Trek universe with Chris Pine as James T. Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock by having the original Spock (portrayed by Leonard Nimoy) travel back in time through a worm hole and then dying in the second movie. Confusing, I know.

Other directors completely disregard a movie in a franchise to sort of reboot the series. Look at the comedic, cinematic gem of Ghostbusters. The second movie, Ghostbusters 2, is widely regarded as a terrible movie and a horrible sequel. Then comes Ghostbusters: Afterlife, another gem which is now considered the sequel to the original.

The great thing about this movie is that they base the story around the family of one of the original characters and have them continue the story. I love that dynamic, family continues the story or adds onto it. It's perfect.

With that said, I think the Goonies deserves a sequel. The children of the characters embark on an adventure to save something and look for some long lost treasure. Sounds awesome. If I remember correctly, it sounds like it might actually happen. For the record, my favorite sequel of all time is Top Gun: Maverick. Chef's kiss. 

What are your biggest pet peeves?

How much time you got? LOL. I have so many. Probably the biggest one, and one that has been on my mind a lot lately, is people's impatience. More specifically, drivers' impatience. People who are impatient behind the wheel are probably the most dangerous. They're the ones who pull out in front of you when there is no one behind you. That's what happened to Eli in his accident and I think it'll forever be my biggest pet peeve from now on.

What was your first screen name or email address?

Before the internet started blowing up I had nothing. My friend's brother had multiple screen names. He used AOL and ICQ messengers (remember those?). He let me have one of his dormant usernames and it's slightly embarrassing, totally cringy, but was so me at the time. Pimpdaddyj691. I know, right? Terrible. Katie still has the little piece of paper that I wrote it down on for her to look me up later (that was in 1999).

What is your favorite useless fact?

Ha! Cap'n Crunch's real name is Captain Horatio Magellan Crunch. Use that in your next trivia night!

If you had to go without drinking coffee or tea for the rest of your life which one would you do without? 

This is easy because I really don't like tea at all. For that matter, I really don't like coffee that much either. I drink 2 cups a day of Chockful o Nuts. Everyday. It's more out of habit than anything. There have been times that I really haven't gotten a pick me up from it or anything and I question why I drink it to begin with. If I miss a day I don't get those headaches like some people do. What I do get is a feeling of forgetting to do something, if that makes any sense. It's part of a routine with me and my day just seems out of sorts when I miss something in that routine. I really should consider laying off it for a bit and seeing what side effects pop up. As it stands right now, it just makes me poop. That's it. LOL

If you danced in a flash mob what song would you want to dance to?

Easy--Party Rock Anthem from LMAFO (that's the song linked to on YouTube). If you need to move and just feel a beat that's the song to get you there. It never fails. 

Would you rather be a cat or a dog?

Cat. For sure. I'm a total cat guy. I love watching Duck run all over the house and I wish I was a cat just so I could play with him. (The other cats are cool too, obviously, but Duck is this whole other breed not literally, but you know what I mean.) His routine, the way he's so attached to Katie and gets all the love from her... Duck makes me want to be a cat. Plus, cats don't sell out the way dogs do.

What is something you think is totally overrated?

Honestly, beer hunting. It's a thing. There are people I know, and people all over the country, that pay a crapton of money for 'one-off' beers. They wait in lines, pay for tickets, travel across the country for these beers. I've had beers like this before and I don't get the hype because, if you want to get down to it, I've had better.

There were a couple of breweries in Michigan that had these sort of beers. Founders Brewing had KBS which is a bourbon barrel aged breakfast stout and Hopslam from Bells Brewing which is a double IPA. People used to wait in line for hours for these beers and pay over $20 for a 4 pack. I've had better. Way better. And there comes a point in time where an IPA starts to taste like every other IPA, even though they don't really, it just seems like it. I mean there isn't a beer out there that is worth waiting in line for and paying an outrageous price for. Well, maybe one...

I was lucky enough to be gifted Samuel Adams Utopias on two different occasions. That is worth something! It is expensive but they only bottle 30,000 of these every two years and the flavor is out of this world as well as unique. Because of the alcohol content, it drinks like a bourbon. I like to bring it out when we have friends over so everyone can try it.

You have to put your name on a list to get the beer, so you don't have to wait in line. Katie's good friend lives in Boston, home of Samuel Adams, and when Katie went to visit her, they toured the brewery. That's where they learned about Utopias. The next time her friend came to visit, she brought me a bottle! One of the best, most thoughtful gifts I've ever gotten. After I tried it and loved it, Katie put her name on the waiting list for a bottle two years in advance and surprised me with it.

Bad screenshot of a video, but this is when Katie's friend surprised me with the Utopias

Describe the most memorable meal you've eaten.

It was right after Katie broke her jaw. I had spent a couple days in the hospital with her and I didn't come home. Katie's mom had insisted that I go home, take a shower, eat, and get some rest. At that point I hadn't really thought about how much time had passed since getting a good night's sleep or even eating anything. 

Broken jaw, pre-surgery. And looking high AF on the pain meds.

Katie's mom had made pork chops and stuffing for me. It was amazing. It was apple pie filling topped with stuffing and thick pork chops. It was heaven. Before going to a plant based diet, Katie and I had tried numerous times to recreate the meal but it was never as good as it was that day. You know how sometimes the whole situation and atmosphere can make a meal taste better than ever? Yeah, that.

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Deep Thoughts With Jerry #19

I just got done prepping dinner (chopping veggies, measuring spices, etc.) because Jerry is going to make his Beans & Greens (my very favorite comfort food). While I was prepping, he was writing this post; and now I'm putting the post together while he cooks dinner. I'm excited to eat it! (I also find it so random that Beans & Greens are one of my favorite foods; I'd never even tried the dish until last year.)

Anyway, here is Jerry with his "deep thoughts" for the week...

One of Katie's readers sent her a link to some new ice breaker questions for me so I figured I would give it a shot. Here we go:

According to you, what is the most mind-numbingly dull movie ever made?

Look, I'm going to get a lot of flack for this, maybe, but you have to hear me out first. The Lord of the Rings trilogy was dull AF. And it's not because the story was bad; the story was fantastic. The acting is great. The visual effects are top notch.

The runtime of 9 hours and 17 minutes combining the 3 movies consisted of 8 hours and 50 minutes of the characters walking around. Each one of these movies could've been knocked down to 2 hours and it still would've went on for far too long. Being the dork that I am, I would still sit through these movies to catch the great story part of them all. And, I love the Amazon series if that helps me keep my nerd card. Very story driven and keeps me completely engaged. 

Would you rather sit through a Star Wars marathon, a Lord of the Rings marathon, or a Harry Potter marathon?

Given the previous statement concerning LotR, I have sat through and watched them all. Just the first three though, not The Hobbit. It is well documented that I have sat through two Star Wars marathons--one with Noah when The Force Awakens came out and another with Noah and Eli in Chicago when Rise of Skywalker came out.

That last one was awesome to do with the boys and we were in the theater for over 22 hours. I've seen the Harry Potter series; I just broke it up through a couple days. With all that being said, I would do the Star Wars marathon again in a heartbeat. Star Wars just holds a special place in my heart.

How would you spend $50,000?

This could either be a really selfish answer or a very practical one. Selfish answer first, I would buy a truck for myself. I've always wanted a really nice truck. Everyone is driving them now, just not me. I'm patiently waiting, it'll happen one day, just not now. Katie has always said that as soon as the house is paid off, she wants me to go out and buy any truck that I want. If all goes according to plan, that should be in less than two years.

Now, for the practical answer... I would pay off car loan and house. After that, whatever is left would go to home improvements such as new siding and windows. Boring, I know. But, I truly love the idea of not being under the weight of some debt and the freedom it brings could be a huge game changer for everyone in the house. 

Do you believe in ghosts?

Absolutely, to a certain extent. I have a story. When I was a kid living in California, maybe 6 or 7 years old, I woke up in the middle of night and saw a face and torso floating at the top of my doorway. I hid under my covers and peeked my head out to see if it was still there and it was. After a couple times of doing this I fell asleep.

When I woke in the morning there were gum balls all over the hallway floor from the gum ball machine my dad had on the top of a cabinet. I explained the experience to my parents and I don't remember their reaction. It wasn't until years later when we moved that I saw the face again. This time it was at my gram's house. It was on a picture that was hanging on her wall and it was of my uncle Joe. I had never met my uncle Joe; he died before I was born.

I've heard my dad talk about stories from his childhood, a lot involving my uncle Joe. But I had never seen his face. Ever. No pics, nothing. I'm not sure if my dad believes me to this day, but I saw what I saw. Some 35 years later I can still recollect the experience like it was yesterday.

What TV reality show is your guilty pleasure?

Katie and I love watching the relationship shows. Usually our commentary on the shows consists of talking about the unnecessary drama the people start, and laughing at just how ridiculous people can be. It also makes me happy to know that I don't have to be part of the dating scene, I've already caught my trophy wife. If I ever had to go back out and date I don't think I could. Our latest show was "90 Day Fiancé". We just finished up the first season and now it's on to the second. There are so many seasons of the show, we figured it had to be good, right?

What is your favorite Happy Hour drink?

I think I've only been part of a Happy Hour once, and it was when I went to run the Indy 500 Half Marathon. The hotel we were staying at had Happy Hour the day we arrived and while everyone else was getting mixed drinks I stuck with my beer. I'm not too keen on the mixed liquor drinks because they can be too good, and can quickly lead to a bad night and a horrible hangover. 

What have you learned about yourself during the pandemic?

I need people. I need interactions with real, flesh and blood people. Not a text, not an email. Has to be in person, even to hear their voice. There comes a point when you're just answering an email or a text and you're kind of forgetting the face of the person you're responding to. Everything just becomes so impersonal.

After the pandemic, getting together with friends has been few and far between. We have a group chat where we just stay connected but we can go days or even weeks between hearing from each other. In the fall, I had to call each one of them individually to deliver some pretty shocking news, something you couldn't just say via text. Hearing their voices was such a relief and made the news a little easier to deliver and it reignited our friendship. That's when I knew that I needed people. 

Do you think technology improves our lives or destroys them? 

Kind of a broad question. It really depends on what you're talking about. Social media is the absolute worst thing to ever be invented. It has transformed into this fear mongering, hate spreading beast where you can say anything you want to people without ever seeing their face. It's brought out the worst of humanity, it's completely changed our way of life for the absolute worst. It's toxic and I despise it. The world was a better place before it and now we can't put that genie back in the bottle. (Can you tell I'm kind of passionate about that opinion?)

MP3s... just off hand, completely changed my life for the better. Long gone are the days of flipping though my books of some 1,000 discs looking for the artist I want to listen to. Just pull it up on my phone and I'm on my way. It's so convenient. If you would've told me 30 years ago that in the future I could pay $15 a month and have access to any song I want at any time on this little device that also serves as the ultimate connection to the world, I would've thought you were crazy. We had just gotten into compact discs and that seemed so futuristic when it came out. Now, that shit's in museums all over the country, along with the rest of my childhood. LOL

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Deep Thoughts With Jerry #18: Father's Day

Jerry asked me what he should write about today for his "deep thoughts" post, and I suggested that since Father's Day is coming up, he could write three things that he loves about being a dad. So here is Jerry...

Three things I love about being a dad:

1: Hanging out like a kid

When Katie used to be our family globetrotter, I would take the time off work to hang out with the kids. She would be gone for a weekend or even just a day or two once or maybe twice a year.

When the kids were really young we could make forts or a giant bed in the living room and watch movies and snack at night. During the day we would go play putt-putt golf, do the batting cages, and ride the go-carts. When it was time for bed they would fall asleep on my bed.

I have very fond memories of doing all these things, and it didn't seem like much at the time but it meant the world to me. Through the years, this has transformed into more individual things like fishing with Eli and disc golfing with Noah. When a new Star Wars or Marvel movie comes out we go to the theater opening weekend and watch it together. It's really become our thing. 

2: Giving advice, being supportive, helping them grow

I love sharing my life experiences with the kids. I almost feel like Jim's dad from 'American Pie'. I share everything with them that could help them in the future. It could be anything from relationship advice to what the workplace is really like, owning a home, to how to properly load a dishwasher. I like showing them things.

When they were little it was all about teaching them little things like chewing your food and how to catch and throw a baseball. Every little thing I did was teaching them something; they mimicked my every move.

Now that they've grown it's become less fun to show them things because it's none of the "fun" stuff. It's about being an adult. About paying taxes and getting real jobs and how to take care of a car and how to save money. However, it doesn't matter how old they are; I will always have something to show them, advice to give. I'm always here. 

3: Seeing them grow

My boys are the best. However, I always question if I should've done things differently with them. Always. They're at the point now where I just have to let them make their own decisions and hope that I did okay. From the time they were born I was in awe of watching them do the little things. And, it was amazing to see how their little personalities developed as they grew. 

NOAH: Noah had the squeakiest little voice and this laugh that reminded me of 'Bambi'. He was always so proud of his little achievements. As he got older he just seemed to take life in stride, he made things look easy and always seemed like he knows what he wants. He's thorough and tries to make informed decisions. He's truly a great kid. 

ELI: Eli has always been an individual. He had this super raspy voice when he was younger and this belly laugh that, still to this day, is incredibly infectious. He has always marched to the beat of his own drum and can be content to just be by himself with a fishing pole in the water. He has compassion and a heart of gold. 

Overall, I am so lucky to be their father. I've tried my best, maybe stumbled along the way. They are amazing young men. I couldn't be prouder of them and I'm excited to see what the future has in store for them.

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Deep Thoughts With Jerry #17

I'm having a very bad day today--my anxiety is really high--so I'm glad that it's Jerry's "Deep Thoughts" post today. Here he is...

Happy Tuesday! I figured instead of doing the ice breaker questions again I would change it up once more. Last week I named my favorites in miscellaneous categories; here are the same categories, but rather than my favorites, I'll list ones that I think are overrated...

Overrated movie:

Right off the top of my head came 'Scarface'. A lot of my friends thought this movie was so awesome. Posters hung on walls in their rooms, popular athletes during the 90's quoted Al Pacino's Tony Montana. It was supposedly the ultimate "must watch" if you were a guy. But I didn't see the appeal when watching it. There's a lot of movies that I watch over and over and over again... not this one. One and done. The acting wasn't bad, the story wasn't terrible. I almost feel like the hype around the movie kind of raised my expectations and I was hugely disappointed. 

Overrated TV show:

Out on a limb, but The Simpsons. I watched this show when I was a kid. Everyone was into it, all my friends were saying 'Cowabunga' and telling each other 'eat my shorts'. But, not me--I just didn't see the show as funny or even entertaining. Maybe it's animated TV shows. I'm just not that into them. (Well, unless it's South Park. That's a genius show that finds a way to make fun of social dilemmas and get away with it. The world has tried to cancel the show so many times and failed.) 

Overrated band:

So easy... Dave Matthews Band. I despise that man's voice. It's so cringy and reminds me of listening to Adam Sandler's character from 'The Waterboy' singing an entire album. 

Overrated sport:

Basketball. I used to love basketball. The 90's was the best but after that era ended the era of selfish players and soft athletes came in and it totally ruined the sport. The theatrics surrounding some of these players was just too much. Players got really good at making it look they were fouled and then fly across the floor like they were shot from a cannon. Lebron James, one of the greatest players ever in the game, is the king of this. He's honed this craft and has taken all the joy out of watching the game. 

Overrated video game:

I've played my fair share of games in my lifetime. When it comes to popularity and overall hype that I didn't get that into the award for Most Overrated Video Game goes to 'Grand Theft Auto' or 'GTA" for short. This game became wildly popular on the Playstation console, it was an exclusive title that only Playstation owners could play and if you had a Xbox like me you were shit out of luck.

Years later, Playstation's exclusivity rights with 'GTA' developer Rockstar Games ended and 'GTA' became available on Xbox. I was so excited when I heard the news. 'GTA' was criticized for years because of it's depiction of violence and sex. That was the appeal to teens and they loved it.

I was a young adult when I was able to play it and I wasn't that into it. In the game you could drive around and mow people down with your car, car jack someone, hire hookers and strippers, get into shootouts with the police, and pretty much do whatever you wanted. You could play endlessly. Me, I just wanted to finish it and be done. Most people say it has a very high replay value but this has been collecting dust in my collection for years. 

Overrated food:

I may lose my man card for this, but to me the most overrated food of all time is steak. The big, juicy slabs of red meat have never been my thing. Ever. I was always envious of the guys talking about the steaks they made over the weekend; it felt like I didn't fit in because when I would say I wasn't a big fan of steak they cast me aside like a leper. It's not to say that I haven't had some good steaks though, but more often than not, just not a favorite of mine. Never really been a red meat guy, I was always about the pork or chicken. 

Overrated snack:

I can't think of any for this one. People don't really talk about snacks that much, but if I had to pick one it would be movie theater popcorn. It sounds like it would be awesome, such a great idea when you get there. Soon into the movie I always find myself picking it out of my teeth for the rest of the movie and it's just not worth it. 

Overrated beverage:

There are some beer styles that are just extremely overrated. The main one to me, that stands out, is Guinness. People love them some Guinness, especially in March. The beer calls itself the 'Worlds most iconic brewed beer' and I can't say that they're wrong because you would recognize the logo anywhere. However, stouts like this without any carbonation are just gross to me and so ridiculously filling that they're not even enjoyable. 

I was going to write something about an overrated chore but people don't really like chores. It's hard to be overrated when no one likes it in the first place. Anyways, it was kind of a short post but I love answering these kinds of questions. Again, if anyone has questions for me that you would like me to answer reach out to Katie and I will answer them weekly. You can ever ask me things like what  I'm watching or what I thought about this or that. Anyways, thanks for reading.

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Deep Thoughts With Jerry #16

Today is Tuesday! You know what that means... you get me (Jerry). Usually I answer a bunch of icebreaker questions that I find online. Today, a change of pace. I figured I would write a list of some of my favorite things in random categories. Here we go...

Favorite movie:

I think I answered this a couple months back. It might come as a surprise for some that know me a little bit. It's not a comic book movie, it's not Ghostbusters, and it's not Star Wars. It's TOP GUN. Shocker, I know. I've seen this movie so many times and it dates back to my early childhood. I was a military brat, so to speak.

My dad served in the Air Force for a combine 30 years between active and reserve duty. Seeing the fighters and bombers in the air left me awestruck and of course I would gravitate to the closest thing I could get to getting into the cockpit.  A couple years ago I was able to visit my friend John in San Diego and was able to take a car ride out to Miramar, home to the real Top Gun until 1996. 

Favorite TV show: 

Friends. By far. It's my go-to show for background noise in the house when I'm doing any kind of housework. I've seen all the episodes so many times that I don't need to be 'watching' it to know what exactly is going on.

However, there is a small outlier to this question. I've been an avid professional wrestling fan since I was very young. I don't remember where my love for it originated but I've been watching every single Monday since 1993. It's the longest episodic show on television with over 1,500 episodes, and I've seen them all. But, still, it's gotta be Friends. 

Favorite band: 

Very debatable. But I think that Rage Against The Machine is my all time favorite. I say it's debatable because the music bands put out changes with the times. I was a big fan of the Smashing Pumpkins and after their album 'Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness' their sound went way downhill.

Many of my favorites did that, but not Rage. They broke up before it happened to them. LOL. Nowadays, I focus more on the genre. And it also depends on my mood. Currently it's 4:30am and I'm listening to 'Rise and Grind' on Apple Music. It's a punk playlist that's updated weekly. Punk brings me into a good mood when I'm feeling down, which has been a lot lately. Music is a life saver. 

Favorite sport:

Baseball. Hands down. I'm not one of those stats guys who can tell you how the Atlanta Braves center fielder hits against right handed pitchers in open air stadiums. I just love watching the game. I can sit and watch the entire game, all 9 innings without even complaining about how long it is.

Obviously I am a fan of the Detroit Tigers, my hometown team. Across Lake Michigan is my adopted 2nd favorite, the Milwaukee Brewers. My friend Rik is a huge fan of the Brewers and we are determined to get to a game. I go out there once a year for the annual Milwaukee Brewfest and every single year the Brewers are on the road.

Favorite video game:

I've played so many video games over the years. So many. I'm a little particular when it comes to games. I was a Nintendo kid growing up, Katie was all about that SEGA. Mario was king for a very long time but my video gaming experience was turned upside down with the release of the Playstation, a disc based console.

With the Playstation came Final Fantasy 7, mind blowing. I spent so many hours in that world. When I finally beat the big bad boss at the end, Sephiroth, my console crashed and I never reached that point again. My disc was scratched so I was very lucky to make it to that point to begin with. So, to answer the question, Final Fantasy 7. The best. 

Favorite dinner:

I know I am eating plant based but I have to be honest about this... pork chops and rice. Hands down. I grew up with it and before I started eating plant based Katie used to make it, especially on my birthday. It will always hold a special place in my heart.

I don't know if there is a vegan option to replace the pork chop, cream of mushroom, and cream of celery... I should probably look into that. Katie has made a lot of delicious plant based dinners, and we are still finding really good recipes. 

Favorite snack:

This seems to change all the time. I love pretzels and potato chips, plain for both. 

Favorite beverage:

Just saying beer is too broad of a stroke. Even narrowing it down to a specific style is too broad. I love IPAs, a lot. My absolute favorite, and go-to, is Norm's Raggedy Ass IPA from Griffin Claw Brewing. As a matter of fact, I'm enjoying one as I'm writing this. 

Again, every year I go to the Milwaukee Brewfest. Breweries from all across the country come out to give out samplings of their new concoctions and their favorited brews. I experience all kinds of different flavors that weekend, but they never quite equal my Norms.  

Favorite chore:

LOL. Now I'm just adding shit to keep this post a little long! But, in all seriousness, I like cleaning up around the house. I can't explain it. Maybe Katie is just lucky, but I don't mind doing dishes or cleaning up anything. And I love vacuuming. There's something so satisfying about it.

My favorite:

[Katie here. Usually, I don't jump in on Jerry's posts even when I want to argue something or give my opinion ;) I wanted to just remove this "question" that he made up because of his response. Anyway, I swear on my life that I did not write this; nor did I prompt him to write it. Haha]

This is simple. My favorite (favorite=favorite out of anything) is my Punkin Pot Pie, Katie. She's my favorite everything. I love her sense of humor, her kindness, her compassion, and her squirrelliness. We have built quite the life together. A life that no one else will ever understand. A life of familiarity, compatibility, comfortability, love, and support. 

We have both been through a lot, her more than me. But through thick and thin and thick and then thin again we have persevered and beat the odds. I can't imagine my life being any other way and can't picture doing this with anyone else. She's 1/3 of my everything, but she's 100% my partner in this life. And, I'm so grateful.

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