the Dallas cast

Dallas debuted on April 2, 1978 as five-part mini series and then was picked up and aired until 1991. If you live under a rock and do not know what Dallas is about, it is about a rich, oil family in Dallas, Texas. Originally Bobby and Pam were the focus of the show, but soon the serial revolved around JR and Sue Ellen. Dallas invented the cliff hanger, which is now used on almost every television show. My favorite character was Bobby Ewing, played by Patrick Duffy. He was the youngest of the Ewing brothers and the nicest. JR Ewing, played by Larry Hagman, was definitely the most entertaining. He was so funny with his smirk and snide remarks. At first I didn’t like Sue Ellen, JR’s wife, because she was pathetic and weak, but she morphed into a strong, smart woman. Conversely, I first really liked Pam, Bobby’s wife, because she was strong and smart, but then she morphed into sad and whiney. Lucy Ewing, JR and Bobby’s niece, started out as a spoiled brat but turned into a good girl. Jock Ewing, the family patriarch, was a really cool, tough old man. Unfortunately, he died at the end of the fourth season. Miss Ellie, Jock’s wife, was a very strong woman. Ray, the ranch foreman and eventual fourth Ewing brother, was a real cowboy. A few things I noticed while rewatching Dallas were there was lots of drinking, lots of purple, lots of fast cars and the store where Pam worked was actually called The Store. Everyone was drinking at every meal and every business deal no matter what time of day in Dallas. All the ladies wore purple clothes and purple eyeshadow – it was the 80s. Everyone zoomed in and out of the driveway at Southfork. For the first three seasons, the family ate breakfast and dinner together every show and then everything changed on season four. The most memorable part of Dallas was the ‘Who Shot JR?’ saga. The episode that revealed who shot JR was the most watched television show ever, until the finale of MASH. It was Kristen, Sue Ellen’s sister, who show JR. She was played by Mary Crosby, who was Bing Crosby’s daughter.

Southfork!

On June 4, 2010, I toured Southfork Ranch, the Ewings home on Dallas. It was so cool. It was the highlight of my trip through Texas. Dallas was never filmed inside the house until the reunion show, but all the exteriors were shot on Southfork – the pool, the back porch, the driveway, the front and back yards, and the front of the house. I was so excited to see the yellow awnings on the back porch and the actual table where the Ewings ate breakfast. I was surprised that the pool was so tiny. They used mirrors to make it look bigger on tv. The driveway is shorter than in looked on tv. And they used to put powder down to make it look as if it was a dirt driveway. The tour was great. I took the free shuttle from Southfork hotel, and they even gave me a coupon for the tour. I first toured the Dallas museum and then the ranch. A guy in a tractor pulled us around the ranch and told us about the real Southfork, which was owned coincidently by a guy named JR. We then went inside the house and learned about the real house, which is only about 5000 square feet, and the house on Dallas was supposed to be about 30,000 square feet. I bought a lot of souvenirs while visiting Southfork, including a sparkly orange cowboy hat.

Dallas!

the Southfork Ranch

the Southfork driveway

the Southfork house

the Southfork backporch and breakfast table

the not so big Southfork pool

my Dallas stuff

To continue on with my Dallas obsession, I just finished JR Ewing’s, excuse me, Larry Hagman’s autobiography Hello Darlin‘. Larry did not have a great life growing up. His mom, who was broadway star Mary Martin (she played Peter Pan), was only 17 when Larry was born. Mary was too busy being an actress to raise him. Larry was raised by his grandmother until she died when he was 12. Larry moved back in with his mother & stepfather, but they were never around. His stepfather was an abusive alcoholic. To put Larry asleep, his nanny gave him a sack of sugar dipped in whiskey. Maybe these things led to Larry’s future alcoholism. Larry wanted to be a cowboy then an actor. Coincidently, he was born in Texas – right near Dallas. After deciding he wasn’t cut out to be a cowboy, Larry started his career as an actor in the theatre and the circus before going on to becoming a star on I Dream of Jeannie and Dallas. Throughout his career when a fan wanted an autograph, Larry would ask the person to give him a poem, prayer or song first. He thought this made the experience more memorable and it was a good way to get to know his fans.

I am really looking forward to the new Dallas series on TNT this summer!

the gym

I have finally found a job I actually like. My mom had been telling me to get a job so I can be with people, since I like to be alone – well alone with my 2 dogs. I found a job, but it’s with dogs, which is why I like it. So much for getting out and being with people. I started working at Dogtopia last week, and I love it! It’s a lot of cleaning up, a lot of barking, it’s early in the morning, it’s tiring, but I love being with dogs all day. It’s hard to describe unless you’re a dog lover, but I just love being around dogs petting them and playing with them. It truly is Dogtopia. And as an added bonus, Dogtopia fosters dogs from Dogs XL Rescue. I have fallen in love with one foster dog named Sanders. He is the sweetest dog and has been at Dogtopia for 3 months. He really needs a family. Unfortunately, I cannot take him because Elvis and Cilla would not be so welcoming – plus I have been warned that if I bring another dog home, I’ll be evicted.

the romp room

I have always wanted to take a passion of mine and turn it into a way of making money. Now I have done just that. I am making a living taking care of dogs, which are my greatest passion. I have finally found what I have been looking for.

me and Brady Anderson Orioles FanFest 2012

Brady Anderson came to the Baltimore Orioles from the Boston Red Sox in 1988. I was 16 and was instantly in love. I started my Brady Anderson scrapbook when Brady started in centerfield on Opening Day 1989. I have all the tickets from important games, every article about Brady from the Baltimore Sun, every Brady Anderson baseball card and many, many, many pictures. The first time I met Brady Anderson was on my 21st birthday, October 4, 1993. I went to this terrible bar he hung out at, so I could meet him. I talked with him briefly. The second time I met Brady was at Yankee Stadium in New York in 1995. I met him as he got off the bus. This was the first time I got Brady’s autograph. The third time I met Brady was in Cleveland in 2002 when he was traded to the Indians in the last year of his baseball career. I shook his hand in the parking lot after the game. The fourth time I met Brady was a few days later when the Cleveland Indians came to Baltimore. I arrived early for batting practice and stood in the front row. Brady looked up at me and said, “Didn’t I just see you in Cleveland?” I said, “Yes, but I live here in Baltimore.” The fifth time I met Brady was in 2004 at the luncheon when Brady was inducted to the Orioles hall of fame. This was the second time I got his autograph. The sixth time I met Brady was in Cooperstown in 2007 when Cal Ripken was inducted to the baseball hall of fame. Brady was warming up with the Iron Birds, and I had my Cal and Brady tee shirt on. I talked with Brady through the fence and asked him to sign my shirt. He said, “If you take it off, I’ll sign it.” Sigh! Today was the seventh time I met Brady Anderson, but the first time (in 23 years!) I have gotten my picture taken with him!

me and Brady 1.21.12

my MLK Pride shirt

I have been a fan of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr since I learned about him in high school. I may have learned about him earlier, but I don’t remember. I do remember that when I learned about U2 in my freshman year of high school with the release of The Joshua Tree, I realized they were the same group that had sang that song Pride I remembered hearing a few years earlier. Pride, about MLK, was one of my favorite songs back then and still remains one of my favorites today, especially live in concert.

When I moved to Memphis in 2008, I worked at the National Civil Rights Museum. I toured the museum the day after Barack Obama was elected President. It was amazing and incredibly touching to be standing where Dr. King was assassinated 40 years later on the day after a black man was elected president of the US. That day I ran into a friend who worked at the museum and he arranged an interview for me. I worked as a visitor service representative and had a great time teaching people about the civil rights movement. The National Civil Rights Museum is located at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis where Dr. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968. The hotel was gutted for the museum, but the front remains and room 306 where Dr. King stayed is still in tact.

The Lorraine Motel / National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis

In 2009 when U2 played their 360 concert in Atlanta, I arrived a day early so I could visit the Martin Luther King Jr sites including the MLK National Historic Site, the house Dr. King was born in, Ebenezer Baptist Church, and MLK’s grave. I was sick that day in Atlanta but I had always wanted to visit Dr. King’s hometown and nothing was going to stop me.

MLK site

MLK birth house

Ebenezer Baptist Church

MLK grave

Dr Martin Luther King Jr gave many great speeches in his life, but my favorite was his last. It has been dubbed the ‘Mountain Top’ speech, which he gave in Memphis the night before he was assassinated.

One man come in the name of love
One man come and go
One man come here to justify
One man to overthrow
One man caught on a barbed wire fence
One man he resists
One man washed on an empty beach
One man betrayed with a kiss
Early evening, April 4
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride
In the name of love!
What more in the name of love? – U2 Pride (in the name of love)

I am not a bandwagon drinking the Tim Tebow Kool Aid Denver Broncos fan. I have loved the Denver Broncos for over 26 years. I was a loyal fan through all the lows in the late 1980s and a proud fan in the late 1990s. I have liked Tim Tebow since the Broncos drafted him. In fact, it was the first and only NFL draft I have ever watched. I wanted them to start Tebow as soon as he became a Bronco. And I still wanted him to start when everyone was criticizing him. I know he is not a traditional NFL quarterback, but Tim is a great football player and usually gets the win. I like Tim because he never ever gives up, he believes he’ll accomplish his goal no matter the circumstances, and he always has something encouraging to say even when mistakes are made. And oh yeah, Tim Tebow is a U2 fan.

Bono & Tim Tebow backstage in Denver at the U2 360 concert 5.21.11

Unfortunately I wasn’t in Memphis this year to celebrate Elvis’ birthday, but I celebrated here in Maryland by listening to his songs and watching his movies. Some of my favorite Elvis songs are Heartbreak Hotel, Loving Arms, Just Pretend, American Trilogy and Love Me. My favorite Elvis movies are Girl Happy, Wild in the Country, Jailhouse Rock, Loving You, and King Creole. Girl Happy is my favorite because one of the female leads is named Deena, and hearing Elvis say my name over and over again makes me very happy. The other four movies are truly great movies with real plots and good acting – can’t say as much for the other 27 movies.

The Elvis movies are the reason I became an Elvis fan. As a young girl, I would watch Sunday afternoon movies on television with my mom and a lot of those movies were Elvis movies. I remember Girl Happy being one of my favorites.  Years later I grew up and moved to Memphis for a few years and spent a lot of time at Elvis’ home Graceland. Happy Birthday Elvis!

2012 will be the year I publish my book, On the Road with U2, about my travels to the 75 U2 concerts I have been to the past 20 years. I would love the publishing of my book to lead to a job in writing, but it will be great just to have it published and read by fellow U2 fans.

2012 is the year I turn 40. To celebrate this milestone, I am planning a trip to Las Vegas in October with my best friend and our familes. The other trip I have planned for 2012 is to Memphis for the Beale Street Music Festival the first weekend in May, an ongoing tradition of 10 years. I’m very excited I have trips planned to my two favorite cities.

In 2012, I will go to lots of Orioles games, especially on Saturdays when they are wearing their orange jerseys – and whenever Brady Anderson is there. In 2012, I will go to many concerts. It won’t be U2, but hopefully some cool groups will play Baltimore. And at the very least, I can see some great local bands. My two favorite things to do when I’m not home is to go to baseball games and concerts.

In 2012, I will go back to being a vegetarian. I started eating meat again while on the road this summer and just let it continue through the holidays – I love turkey sandwiches. It’s not a health thing. I just feel bad for the animals – guilty for eating them. In 2012, I am going to walk more. Elvis, Cilla and I really need to get back to walking. It won’t be along the Mississippi like in Memphis, but Centennial Lake is nice too. Hopefully eliminating meat again and walking more will get me into a little better shape.

In 2012, I will read more and watch less. I have vowed not to buy any more books until I read all the ones I have – and I have a lot. I tend to stock pile books, buying every memoir written by celebrities and politicians – and now I’m buying the classics. I do the same thing with DVDs – tv show and movies. I guess I’m making sure I have lots to do when I’m alone in my basement, which I love.

If all of this happens, 2012 is sure to be a fantastic year!

Although 2011 was consumed with U2, I did manage to squeeze in a few other activities. In January, I became a published writer, celebrated Elvis Presley’s 76th birthday, saw some Grizzlies games in style and started my On the Road with U2 blog. On January 7th, I scoured the book stores for a copy of the new Twisted South magazine because I had written a review of Jerry Lee Lewis’ cd Mean Old Man – my first (and only so far) published article.

my first published article

Later that same day I started Elvis’ 76th birthday celebration at his father Vernon’s house, where many Elvis fans gather to celebrate. It was my first visit to the house that backs up to Graceland. That night, I went to Graceland for the Elvis Insiders Reception and Tour. The next day, January 8th, was Elvis’ birthday. We celebrated on the front lawn of Graceland singing Elvis songs and ‘Happy Birthday.’ Chilean miner, Edison Pena wowed the fans with his rendition of Elvis’ Wonder of You.

I had season tickets to the Memphis Grizzlies, but there were three special games – and they all occurred in January. On January 15th, I watched the Grizzlies game in style. About 25 of us who had $10 seats enjoyed the Grizzlies-Mavericks game from a suite, complete with food and drinks as well as visits by Grizzlies GM and VP Chris Wallace and Grizz himself. The Grizzlies defeated the Dallas Mavericks 89-70. It was Zack Randolph mini bobblehead night, and I received my autographed Zach Randolph jersey that I got for buying my season tickets early and paying for them at one time. Two days later was Martin Luther King Jr Day. I wore my U2 Pride MLK shirt to spend MLK Day with the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum. The Memphis Grizzlies were the first NBA team to have a MLK game – now everyone does. Prior to the game, I went to the Martin Luther King Jr Day Sports Legacy Award Symposium honoring NBA greats Willis Reed and Lenny Wilkens and MLB legend Willie Mays, who was such a character and very funny. Grizzlies lost to the Bulls 84-96, but the halftime show was great – the fantastic Mavis Staples performed! I spent the last day of January court-side at the Grizzlies-Wizards game. I asked for an upgrade and boy did I get it. I picked up my ticket at Will Call and it said $387. I was pretty excited because my entire season tickets cost $400. I was unsure where my seat was so I asked an usher, he looked at my ticket and said, “This is a $387. ticket! You’re on the floor.” I was dead center, court-side. I could hear the plays and see every expression on the players’ faces. The Grizzlies defeated the Wizards 107-93.

I spent most of February planning my U2 360 trip and relaxing around the house reading and writing. I became very interested in Tennessee Williams. While reading his memoir, I discovered that he spent time in Memphis. Tennessee Williams spent the summer of 1934 at his grandparents’ house in Memphis recovering from an illness when he was in college. His grandparents, the Dakins, lived at 1917 Snowden Avenue, across from Southwestern University, which is now Rhodes College. While Tennessee Williams was in Memphis he had dinner at the Peabody Hotel restaurant, but spent most of his time in the library at Southwestern University, now Rhodes College, right down the street from his grandparents’ house. It was here where he wrote his first play Cairo, Shanghai, Bombay!, which was produced and performed by The Rose Arbor Players at 1780 Glenview in Memphis. There is a historical marker at the corner of University and Snowden.

Tennessee Williams in Memphis

In March, I celebrated St. Patrick’s Day at Murphy’s pub in Memphis with a girl U2 tribute band EweToo. I put on my U2 360 I’ll Go Crazy tee, drove a mile down the road to Murphy’s, got a Guinness and found a seat on the deck in the shade. I talked with a lot of great people, long time Memphians who all knew each other for years. Three Guinness later, EweToo finally took the stage. They weren’t really a U2 cover band. They learned U2 songs to play specifically for St. Patrick’s Day. They played Two Hearts, Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year’s Day, Still Haven’t Found, I Will Follow, With or Without You, Pride and Desire. There were maybe two other U2 fans in the crowd, but mostly everyone was just singing the chorus and having fun.

In April, I went to the Memphis Redbirds Opening Day and toured Graceland for what turned out to be the last time before I moved. For the third year in a row, I attended Opening Day for the Memphis Redbirds, the Triple A affiliate for the St. Louis Cardinals. For three years I sat in the front row behind homeplate. And for three years the stadium has never been full – even though it was 70s degrees, Opening Day and the Redbirds were the defending Conference Champions for the past two years. The game ended just before 11pm (4 hours!). Unfortunately, the Redbirds lost to the Redhawks of Oklahoma City 8-7.

In May before I started my U2 360 Tour, I went to the Memphis in May Beale Street Music Festival as I had done the first weekend in May for the past nine years. My friend Tasha flew in early Friday morning for our annual weekend at the Beale Street Music Festival. We ate lunch at Paula Deen’s at Harrah’s Casino in Tunica, walked around the Art Galleries on South Main, and ate dinner at Majestic Grille. My first stop once inside MusicFest was the hat tent because I wanted to get a new cowboy hat. The prices were much lower than when I bought one a few years ago, so I bought another one. I would wear this hat to all 16 U2 shows. That first night of MusicFest we saw Everclear, Cake, Flaming Lips, Jimmy Vaughan, and Stone Temple Pilots. Saturday Tasha and I decided to go downtown early and walk around Beale Street before going to the festival. We had a great lunch at Alfred’s after a failed attempt at breakfast at Lil’ Anthony’s. The second day of MusicFest we camped out on the front rail of the Budweiser stage all day because Tasha wanted to see Mumford and Sons. We saw Amy Lavere, Paul Thorn, Jerry Lee Lewis (my annual favorite), and then finally Mumford and Sons – and Jake Gyllenhall who was watching from the side of the stage. Sunday we decided not to go to the Beale Street Music Festival because it was pouring rain. So instead we had lunch at the Cupboard and went to Sun Studio. We didn’t take the tour, as we could give the tour by now. We just sat in a booth and hung out for a bit, soaking in all the music history. This was to be my last visit to Sun Studio before I moved from Memphis. Monday morning we drove out east in the pouring rain to Blue Plate for breakfast before Tasha flew home.

I spent the next three months On the Road with U2 driving over 18,000 miles with my dogs Elvis and Cilla through 31 states to all 16 US concerts, seeing many fantastic American sights along the way and making many great friends. This U2 360 tour was definitely the highlight of my year. I drove through and/or stayed in Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Delaware, New Jersey and Minnesota. I visited Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and Deadwood in South Dakota, Red Rocks in Denver, Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Reno and Lake Tahoe in Nevada, the Experience Music Project and Kurt Cobain’s house in Seattle, Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, Harmony Hotel, Joshua Tree Park and Elvis’ homes in Palm Springs, took a bus tour of LA and Hollywood, visited Johnny Cash’s grave outside of Nashville, Bronz Fonz and Summerfest in Milwaukee, the Football Hall of Fame, and Soundgarden in Philadelphia. My favorite places I visited were Mount Rushmore, Palm Springs and Milwaukee. My favorite U2 concerts were Anaheim2, Chicago, St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Seattle. My favorite tour moments were seeing U2 walk through the crowd and onto the stage 16 times, “LET ME IN THE SOUND” during Get on Your Boots 16 times, Larry walking around during I’ll Go Crazy 16 times, being on the field at the Denver Broncos stadium for the first U2 show in the US, hearing Love Rescue Me for the first time in Salt Lake City, talking with Bono in Seattle, shaking Larry’s hand in Seattle, talking with Bono again in Oakland, hearing Larry sing Perfect Day in Oakland, hearing I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For for the first time that leg in Anaheim, opening the show with five straight songs off Achtung Baby in Anaheim, Larry taking off his shirt on his way to the car in Baltimore, watching half of the show in the daylight in East Lansing, hearing Northstar for the first time in Miami, seeing Larry get out of his car at the stadium in Nashville, hearing The Wanderer for the first time in Nashville, Bono bringing a blind fan on stage to play All I Want is You to close the show in Nashville, shaking Edge’s hand in Chicago, finally hearing Out of Control for the first time that leg in Chicago, hearing One Tree Hill for the first time in Chicago, hearing the original version of Magnificent for the first time that leg, Bono’s shout out to me about the Larry Mullen Band in St. Louis, ending the show with Out of Control in New Jersey, the fantastic rain in Minneapolis, hearing Bad for the first time that leg in Pittsburgh, and my favorite moment of the entire tour (the entire three months) was when Larry hugged me on his way to the stage at the final US show in Pittsburgh. For all the details of my three months on the road with U2, including pictures and videos, please visit my other blog.

After the U2 360 Tour ended on July 26, I spent a couple weeks at my parents’ house in Maryland before I drove back to Memphis for Elvis Week in August. Tuesday August 16th was the 34th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death and his fans still remember. In fact, each year more and more fans flock to Memphis to pay their respects and remember the King of Rock n Roll. This was my 6th Elvis Week. I went to the 25th anniversary, then the 30th and then every one since. I began my Elvis Week with a screening of the documentary Sam Phillips: The Man Who Started Rock n Roll hosted by Knox Phillips and Peter Guralnick at the University of Memphis. After the documentary, Sam’s son Knox and author Peter Guralnick told stories about Sam and Elvis. It was a great documentary, a great couple of hours. Later that night I went downtown to the Orpheum Theatre for Elvis Presley Live: the King in Concert. Elvis’ conductor Joe Guercio introduced the show. When the curtain opened and the music started, the audience went wild. Elvis on stage, at least he looked as if he was on stage, with the band behind him. They used footage from Elvis ’69 performances in Las Vegas on a big screen that covered the entire stage top to bottom, but you could still see the live band behind it. I was so into the show that I forgot Elvis has been dead for 34 years and wasn’t really singing in front of me. From the screaming and cheering I heard, everyone in the audience agreed with me. At intermission The Imperials, the gospel quartet who toured with Elvis, performed a few songs. It was a great night, and the most fun event of Elvis Week for me. Elvis Week ends each year with a candlelight vigil at Graceland beginning the night of August 15th. Fans stand in line overnight and make the pilgrimage up the driveway to Elvis’ grave to pay their respects. I took my chair and cooler and secured a nice spot in the median on Elvis Presley Boulevard in front of the gates of Graceland. It was a beautiful night – cool for Memphis in August. It was great to be sitting in front of Graceland listening to Elvis music with people who love Elvis as much as I do. During the opening ceremony, everyone lit their candles and sang along with Elvis’ If I Can Dream- “there must be lights burning brighter somewhere…out there in the dark there’s a beckoning candle.” After the opening ceremony, I walked around a bit admiring everyone’s Elvis sidewalk art and sat back in my chair for a few hours enjoying the night. At 11pm, I got in line to make my way up the driveway. I passed through the gates of Graceland at 11:15 and was at the Meditation Garden by 1am.

In September, I attended a preview of the remake of Footloose, saw the Denver Broncos play in Nashville, and decided to move back home to Maryland. Memphian Craig Brewer, who directed the remake of Footloose, put me on the guest list for its preview – we follow each other on Twitter. The large theatre at the Paradiso in Memphis was almost full for the sixth screening of Footloose. A lot of folks from the local news were in attendance and Craig Brewer was there to greet us as we arrived, introduce the film and sign posters after the screening. Craig explained he remade Footloose because as a 13 year-old kid in 1984 when it came out, it was as if the movie was made just for him. He was the misfit city kid who moved to the small rural town. The movie was fantastic! It was really funny and had an underdog champion kind of feel like Karate Kid and Rocky. The story and characters followed the original movie. Kenny Wormald’s Ren was way hotter than Kevin Bacon’s, but he did wear what looked like the same maroon blazer to the dance at the end of the movie. Dennis Quaid’s Rev. Moore was more sympathetic and less scary than John Lithgow’s. The music was great. It was a mix of covers of the original soundtrack and new songs.

Footloose

I drove to Nashville September 25th to cheer on my Denver Broncos against the Tennessee Titans at LP Field in Nashville, just as I had 51 weeks prior. Unfortunately unlike the previous year, my Broncos lost 14-17 to the Titans. It was still a great game though, mostly because I got to see John Elway. I saw him come out of the tunnel and ran toward him. I got halfway down the stairs when the usher stopped me because my seat was not down in front. I tried to explain to him that it was JOHN ELWAY and I love JOHN ELWAY, but he didn’t let me pass. He did, however, laugh at me as I screamed and squealed and shouted JOHN JOHN JOHN! I was shaking and SO excited. I’ve been to games and have seen John Elway play four times in his career, but I have never been that close to him. Unlike last year when I spent the entire weekend in Nashville (my birthday weekend), this year I just went to Nashville for the day. I couldn’t take the time off from packing for my move home or spend the money to stay in Nashville overnight. Plus my mom was flying into Nashville to help me pack and move, since Southwest doesn’t fly into Memphis. Mom texted me at the end of the 3rd quarter to say she had landed and was in a cab on her way to Big River Grille. Denver was leading 14-10 and the Titans fans were getting ugly, so I decided it was a good time to leave. I walked back across the bridge and met Mom. We had a nice lunch, and I got to see the last quarter on tv at the bar. Denver lost 17-14, so I didn’t miss much. We left Nashville at 4pm and were back in Memphis just after 7pm. The next few days Mom and I finished packing, played the slots at Harrah’s in Tunica (and of course ate at the delicious Paula Deen’s), and had one last traditional Memphis BBQ dinner at Central BBQ.

In October, I moved back home to Maryland. More specifically back into the basement of my parents’ house in Ellicott City, Maryland. They are in Florida half of the year, so I have the whole house to myself, but I still stay in my basement apartment. Surprisingly, I love having all of my things in one room. I never thought I would leave Memphis and move back to Maryland, but something changed in me this summer. I decided it was more important to live where my family and friends are rather than live in a city I love. I love Memphis. I had a great time in Memphis. But it was time to come home. Mom and I left Memphis October 1st, we were back in Maryland October 2nd, got Ledo’s pizza on October 3rd, celebrated my 39th birthday on October 4th standing in our driveway directing the movers where to put my furniture and boxes, registered my car in Maryland and started unpacking October 5th, and Mom, Kathy and I went to Dover Downs Casino on October 6th – I won $1760. All and all a very productive week.

Since I moved back home, I have been writing my U2 Tours Memoir, hanging out with friends and family, reading, blogging, watching my Denver Broncos play, eating a lot of Ledo’s pizza, and looking for a job. I went to the Maryland Irish Festival with Abbey and Anisha to see U2 tribute band 2U play, went to Keira’s 5th birthday party, went to a Ravens game with my dad, had Thanksgiving dinner with the Knedeisen’s and my dad, went to Jilly’s with my dad and Shawn to watch football, saw The Muppets with Cindy, Tabitha and Keira, went to Charles Town Casino with Cindy and Kathy, babysat Tabitha and Keira, went to Dover Downs Casino with my mom, had our annual Trivia Christmas party, celebrated Christmas with my family, celebrated Cindy’s birthday with her family, and saw The Chipmunks with Cindy, Tabitha and Keira.

2011 was a great year because I moved back home, I discovered I love to write, I drove over 18,000 miles with my dogs across the country for three months visiting places I had always wanted to, made many great new friends, saw 16 great U2 shows, and Larry Mullen Jr hugged me on his way to the stage at the last US 360 show!

We're home!