After settling into Las Vegas and getting Comp'ed into a nice suite because I'm the Mack (why else would they?!) ;) I looked to take a quick shower as I had been camping and hiking and making a dirty mess of myself! Unfortunately though there was a major malfunction with the circuit breaker in room which caused me to go back and forth with maintenance for about an hour and a half before I could finally take that shower and take off out for the night to see what kind of debauchery I could get into!?
Over the next 3 days I would gamble in NEARLY ever Casino on the immediate strip and several off the main drag! My goal was to hit as many as humanly possible no matter how far I would have to walk or cab it! I think I must have hit about 20-25 casino's in all and although I did not hit the mother load, I still came out just about even which isn't a "loss" in my book what-so-ever!!!
While there, I "Slotted" it up big time! Most people are unaware but I am about a Grand or Two up life time in my Penny Slot history and have been lucky enough to hit the jackpot a few times winning several hundred dollars at a time! Some of my favorite hot spots to visit were the Rio & Voodoo Lounge, The Playboy Club within the Palms, My favorite area of the strip is the MGM Grand/New York-New York spot, the Hard Rock Casino, Paris and Planet Hollywood where they have several guests that accompany you and entertain you in the pit while you play the tables! Good times, Good times!!! ;)
After spending a few days in Las Vegas to unwind at the tail end of my first Mack'n The Nation Tour, I headed back out driving through the rest of the state of Nevada! I had already hit Reno previously so I did not feel the need to stop there and then spent the night in Boise, ID before cruising successfully through "BFE" Oregon and then into Washington, finally after two and half months on the road! What a breathe of fresh air! I literally screamed "I'm Home" along with several other passionate expletives at this point and then continued on my way through Yakima, and on across the Cascades and through into my town, on the "Eastside of the Westside," Woodinville, WA!!! I was beside myself upon reaching the last hill that leads Hwy 520 down into downtown Redmond, past Microsoft & Marymoor Park and started blazing one of my favorite theme songs, Mark Morrison's "Return Of The Mack!" As soon as I hit Avondale Rd. It was so ON!!! I flew through the last 5 miles of city streets before hitting the turn off for my neighborhood! What a Blast! What a Time! What a Finish! Two and a half months, 11,500 miles and no tickets, accidents or major mishaps later, I was HOME!!!
Big THANK YOU's go out to all of the people who made "Mack'n The Nation 2009" a huge success and so worthwhile!!! I couldn't have done it with out all of you! To all those individuals, brothers, family and friends that let me crash on their couches and floors and spare bedrooms, I sincerely appreciate it! To all those, who pointed me in the right direction, shared valuable info on where to go and what to see and all those who took valuable time from their own lives to help this "Tattooed, Shaved Head, Stranger From That Outpost Known As The Northwest," I can't thank you enough! Much Professional LUV straight from The Mack to all of you!!!
Little did I know at this point that I would return to Washington and settle in for a month spending time with all those that matter most locally and catching up on life before deciding to head back out on the road to continue my search for employment and my next passion in life! In a little over a month, I would head back out on "Mack'n The Nation, Part II" to Chicago, Illinois (Naperville) to spend some quality time with my "Professional Wife" Angela Brandenburg set up a temporary new base to continue the search for what was to come next!
Stay Tuned!!! In the coming days and weeks for many more blogs to come! Be sure to check out Facebook and add me as a friend to truly experience all of the stories I will soon share! So many amazing photos of National monuments, weather patterns, sunsets, and the best of friends and experiences! I hope all of you out there in Internet land are well and with all things in life, I must finish with two things... Much Professional LUV and watch out for there will be another "RETURN OF THE MACK!!!" ;)
Mack Out!!!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Then It Was On To Complete The Journey...
After leaving Naperville, IL and Brother/"Professional Wifey" Brandenburg behind I headed West through Iowa and stopped for the evening in Des Moines. This was the old stomping grounds for another great brother named Melissa who I have recently gotten to know through AKPSI and she has since moved to Seattle to work for my old company Microsoft!
Though I did not get a chance to do as much in Des Moines or Iowa has I had hoped, it was still nice to drive through and see the country and peacefulness that exists out there away from huge metropolis' and traffic and pollution and on and on and on! Des Moines also has a special fondness in my heart due to an old game called "MASHO" if anyone is familiar? But alas, that is a story for another time!!! ;)
From Iowa, I was Northwest bound into Nebraska briefly before entering South Dakota and spending some great times in this part of the country. While is S.D. I drove through Custer National Park named after Gen. Custer who had and is famous for his "last stand!" The park was absolutely beautiful and I drove all around it taking in wildlife from all angles from inside my car. I saw sheep and buffalo and horses and cattle and mountain goats, etc! Most impressive however were the free roaming buffalo who nearly walked right up to "Yarissa" if I had let them! I didn't stick around to see if she could fend for herself against these "Wild Buffalo" as she had already gone head to head with a Semi on the free way who kicked a rock her way and cracked her beautiful windshield and a left fog light as well!
After Custer Nat. Park, I headed to Sturgis where I took in a little Motorcycle history with museums and retail stores and historic bars just to name a few! I even got to take in a little car show action before heading out toward Mt. Rushmore! While in Sturgis, although there weren't any major rides going on with thousands of bikers, there was definitely still a lot of activity going on and fanfare for bikers and car enthusiasts and tourists alike! I had a blast and spent several hours there drinking a beer in what could only be described size-wise as an "Alcoholic Big Gulp" straight from what could have been 7-11 as this beer was 50oz! I also finished that off with some of the best steak tips this side of anywhere and talked life and history and everything else under the sun with a great bartender I had befriended there! I will never forget Sturgis and am thankful that I was able to do as much as I did while in town and not get crowded out by 100,000 bikers if infact it had been rally time!!! ;)
Mt. Rushmore in S.D. was great too! Especially since I was able to see everything and soak it all up for free but yet again my famous motto comes into play and..."That is a story for another time!" I will however say this...despite the amazingness of carving something like that into the side of a mountain, I was fairly unimpressed overall compared to other national monuments, landmarks, geographical anomalies and such that I had seen along my journey! Sorry Mt. Rushmore, but you're officially being downgraded by the Mack next to "The Alamo" with the title "Nice Attraction But Still A Disappointment!"
From South Dakota it was on to Wyoming and Devil's Tower! I made excellent time through this part of the journey and pulled into town just as the sun was going down behind the tower. What a sight! I slipped into the small town of Hulett, where I spent the night in an old Motel Cabin that was pretty sweet actually! Met some nice folks and caught up on some much needed rest. The next day I was up extra early to pack a lunch and head out to hike the tower! I spent the next few hours circling the Nation's FIRST National Monument and learning about all of the history and spirituality that exists there! What a place, after a ton more photos and sunshine and aching calves, I was off once again for Colorado en route to the Grand Canyon in Arizona!
Colorado was nice, I had never been there before and though I didn't spend that much time in the state, I took full advantage to drive through as much of it as possible! I spent the night in Fort Collins which was pretty cool and then drove through Denver and then through endless mountain ranges and ski towns including Vail, Aspen, Breckenridge, etc. This driving part of my journey was one of my most fun and memorable and I will definitely return to Colorado to spend more time there in the coming years to vacation. Definitely got a "Rocky Mountain High" on Life(Unofficially) while I was driving through though, man what a drive! I had already previously been through Utah and Salt Lake City before so I flew through Utah and all of the Mormons as quickly as possible in a race to get back to Arizona.
Upon entering Arizona, I drove for miles through the most beautiful desert and rock formations I had seen in some time, I drove through Moab, AZ and other resort and vacation towns and cities that were fun to take in! Eventually I pulled into Grand Canyon National Park just before the Park closed but it was already dark so I slipped in under that cover of darkness and once again made out like a bandit, more stories, no time!!!
I found a campsite and for the first time in two and a half months on the road I broke out and pitched my small one person tent and had me a good old fashioned night in the wilderness to myself with coyotes and strange creatures howling occasionally in the night but the sky was truly amazing! Though there was much fog/clouds that blow in from the pollution in California and L.A. I could still see the entire sky and the stars were all seemingly blinking at me! It was quite surreal and I will never forget this as I had never seen stars behave in this manner before. Very special and I slept like a baby! More importantly I rested for what would be my greatest hiking challenge of the trip!
The next day I awoke early and trekked down to the Canyon edge to buy souvenirs and eat breakfast before beginning the hike. Met some nice people and workers at the Canyon and they gave me much needed hints about where to go and what to do! Note to others looking to do the Canyon... DO NOT what ever you do... DO NOT... go to the Indian Reservation and walk out on the glass bottom bridge that takes you over the canyon! I DID NOT do this myself but everyone I spoke to who had, said it was the biggest rip off and waste of time and money as it took an additional hour or two to drive there and then depending upon how big your family is it could be over $150 to go and see it and when you do, you aren't even allowed to bring a camera or recording gear with you to prove that you actually did it! Like I said, a FREAKIN' RIP OFF!!! Don't Do It!!! Anyways, I digress... The LEGIT Canyon experience was amazing and one of my favorite places again on the journey, very spiritual, very challenging hike (the way back up anyways!) and I spent half the next day taking pictures and videos and learning about the history behind the Canyon and hiking its various trails. I took the Angel trail as well, and loved it and would recommend it to everyone!
After the Grand Canyon and barely making it back up to the top all the while avoiding heatstroke, overly sun burnt skin, and death... I headed back out and traveled Northwest to Nevada where I saw the HOOVER DAM, you guys remember National Lampoon's "Vacation" with Chevy Chase and that line, "Welcome to Hoover DAM, I'm the DAM tour guide, do you have any DAM questions!?" Yeah it was a brief visit and drive through but I still laughed going over it. They were doing massive construction still and most likely because of 9/11 where they will eventually circumvent traffic over the damn via massive sky bridge to ease congestion and most likely also avoid potential for additional terrorist threats! This part of the journey was also where my car and every car before and after me was systematically stopped and searched prior to the Dam for anything suspicious and I also had a feeling they were looking for certain unidentified individuals as well by the looks of things and types of searches they were doing!!! I made it through unscathed and without felonies or misdemeanors discovered though so onward I went!!!
After several more hours I finally pulled into Las Vegas, NV though very unceremoniously at rush hour on a weekday evening so a 20 minute jaunt to the strip turned into almost an hour and a half!!! Boo on you Vegas traffic!!! Regardless though I was there...finally... for what had been planned as a sort of mini-vacation to relax, recoup and re-energize myself for two nights and three days before heading on the last leg back up to Seattle, WA!!! As I pulled on to the strip after hours of driving and hours barely moving on the freeway entering the strip, I crashed into my upgraded suite at the NEW YORK, NEW YORK which I found fitting as I had chosen not to go to NYC in New York state due to time constraints earlier in my trip. At the time I had wanted to do NYC right and chose to instead do a FULL ON vacation there sometime down the road when I could do everything I wanted and not be rushed over say 5 days at least and not less than 2 which I would have had at that point in the journey! So needless to say, I got my FAKE New York on in style and showed Vegas a thing or two about the Mack before moving on! What a time and more to come as I try to catch everyone including myself up on this journey and the blog!
Thanks for putting up with such a long post and I hope you all truly enjoyed the photos on Facebook and the blogs in their entirety to date! Cheers and more to come soon!
Sincerely,
Matthew "The Mack" Allen
"MACK OUT!!!"
Though I did not get a chance to do as much in Des Moines or Iowa has I had hoped, it was still nice to drive through and see the country and peacefulness that exists out there away from huge metropolis' and traffic and pollution and on and on and on! Des Moines also has a special fondness in my heart due to an old game called "MASHO" if anyone is familiar? But alas, that is a story for another time!!! ;)
From Iowa, I was Northwest bound into Nebraska briefly before entering South Dakota and spending some great times in this part of the country. While is S.D. I drove through Custer National Park named after Gen. Custer who had and is famous for his "last stand!" The park was absolutely beautiful and I drove all around it taking in wildlife from all angles from inside my car. I saw sheep and buffalo and horses and cattle and mountain goats, etc! Most impressive however were the free roaming buffalo who nearly walked right up to "Yarissa" if I had let them! I didn't stick around to see if she could fend for herself against these "Wild Buffalo" as she had already gone head to head with a Semi on the free way who kicked a rock her way and cracked her beautiful windshield and a left fog light as well!
After Custer Nat. Park, I headed to Sturgis where I took in a little Motorcycle history with museums and retail stores and historic bars just to name a few! I even got to take in a little car show action before heading out toward Mt. Rushmore! While in Sturgis, although there weren't any major rides going on with thousands of bikers, there was definitely still a lot of activity going on and fanfare for bikers and car enthusiasts and tourists alike! I had a blast and spent several hours there drinking a beer in what could only be described size-wise as an "Alcoholic Big Gulp" straight from what could have been 7-11 as this beer was 50oz! I also finished that off with some of the best steak tips this side of anywhere and talked life and history and everything else under the sun with a great bartender I had befriended there! I will never forget Sturgis and am thankful that I was able to do as much as I did while in town and not get crowded out by 100,000 bikers if infact it had been rally time!!! ;)
Mt. Rushmore in S.D. was great too! Especially since I was able to see everything and soak it all up for free but yet again my famous motto comes into play and..."That is a story for another time!" I will however say this...despite the amazingness of carving something like that into the side of a mountain, I was fairly unimpressed overall compared to other national monuments, landmarks, geographical anomalies and such that I had seen along my journey! Sorry Mt. Rushmore, but you're officially being downgraded by the Mack next to "The Alamo" with the title "Nice Attraction But Still A Disappointment!"
From South Dakota it was on to Wyoming and Devil's Tower! I made excellent time through this part of the journey and pulled into town just as the sun was going down behind the tower. What a sight! I slipped into the small town of Hulett, where I spent the night in an old Motel Cabin that was pretty sweet actually! Met some nice folks and caught up on some much needed rest. The next day I was up extra early to pack a lunch and head out to hike the tower! I spent the next few hours circling the Nation's FIRST National Monument and learning about all of the history and spirituality that exists there! What a place, after a ton more photos and sunshine and aching calves, I was off once again for Colorado en route to the Grand Canyon in Arizona!
Colorado was nice, I had never been there before and though I didn't spend that much time in the state, I took full advantage to drive through as much of it as possible! I spent the night in Fort Collins which was pretty cool and then drove through Denver and then through endless mountain ranges and ski towns including Vail, Aspen, Breckenridge, etc. This driving part of my journey was one of my most fun and memorable and I will definitely return to Colorado to spend more time there in the coming years to vacation. Definitely got a "Rocky Mountain High" on Life(Unofficially) while I was driving through though, man what a drive! I had already previously been through Utah and Salt Lake City before so I flew through Utah and all of the Mormons as quickly as possible in a race to get back to Arizona.
Upon entering Arizona, I drove for miles through the most beautiful desert and rock formations I had seen in some time, I drove through Moab, AZ and other resort and vacation towns and cities that were fun to take in! Eventually I pulled into Grand Canyon National Park just before the Park closed but it was already dark so I slipped in under that cover of darkness and once again made out like a bandit, more stories, no time!!!
I found a campsite and for the first time in two and a half months on the road I broke out and pitched my small one person tent and had me a good old fashioned night in the wilderness to myself with coyotes and strange creatures howling occasionally in the night but the sky was truly amazing! Though there was much fog/clouds that blow in from the pollution in California and L.A. I could still see the entire sky and the stars were all seemingly blinking at me! It was quite surreal and I will never forget this as I had never seen stars behave in this manner before. Very special and I slept like a baby! More importantly I rested for what would be my greatest hiking challenge of the trip!
The next day I awoke early and trekked down to the Canyon edge to buy souvenirs and eat breakfast before beginning the hike. Met some nice people and workers at the Canyon and they gave me much needed hints about where to go and what to do! Note to others looking to do the Canyon... DO NOT what ever you do... DO NOT... go to the Indian Reservation and walk out on the glass bottom bridge that takes you over the canyon! I DID NOT do this myself but everyone I spoke to who had, said it was the biggest rip off and waste of time and money as it took an additional hour or two to drive there and then depending upon how big your family is it could be over $150 to go and see it and when you do, you aren't even allowed to bring a camera or recording gear with you to prove that you actually did it! Like I said, a FREAKIN' RIP OFF!!! Don't Do It!!! Anyways, I digress... The LEGIT Canyon experience was amazing and one of my favorite places again on the journey, very spiritual, very challenging hike (the way back up anyways!) and I spent half the next day taking pictures and videos and learning about the history behind the Canyon and hiking its various trails. I took the Angel trail as well, and loved it and would recommend it to everyone!
After the Grand Canyon and barely making it back up to the top all the while avoiding heatstroke, overly sun burnt skin, and death... I headed back out and traveled Northwest to Nevada where I saw the HOOVER DAM, you guys remember National Lampoon's "Vacation" with Chevy Chase and that line, "Welcome to Hoover DAM, I'm the DAM tour guide, do you have any DAM questions!?" Yeah it was a brief visit and drive through but I still laughed going over it. They were doing massive construction still and most likely because of 9/11 where they will eventually circumvent traffic over the damn via massive sky bridge to ease congestion and most likely also avoid potential for additional terrorist threats! This part of the journey was also where my car and every car before and after me was systematically stopped and searched prior to the Dam for anything suspicious and I also had a feeling they were looking for certain unidentified individuals as well by the looks of things and types of searches they were doing!!! I made it through unscathed and without felonies or misdemeanors discovered though so onward I went!!!
After several more hours I finally pulled into Las Vegas, NV though very unceremoniously at rush hour on a weekday evening so a 20 minute jaunt to the strip turned into almost an hour and a half!!! Boo on you Vegas traffic!!! Regardless though I was there...finally... for what had been planned as a sort of mini-vacation to relax, recoup and re-energize myself for two nights and three days before heading on the last leg back up to Seattle, WA!!! As I pulled on to the strip after hours of driving and hours barely moving on the freeway entering the strip, I crashed into my upgraded suite at the NEW YORK, NEW YORK which I found fitting as I had chosen not to go to NYC in New York state due to time constraints earlier in my trip. At the time I had wanted to do NYC right and chose to instead do a FULL ON vacation there sometime down the road when I could do everything I wanted and not be rushed over say 5 days at least and not less than 2 which I would have had at that point in the journey! So needless to say, I got my FAKE New York on in style and showed Vegas a thing or two about the Mack before moving on! What a time and more to come as I try to catch everyone including myself up on this journey and the blog!
Thanks for putting up with such a long post and I hope you all truly enjoyed the photos on Facebook and the blogs in their entirety to date! Cheers and more to come soon!
Sincerely,
Matthew "The Mack" Allen
"MACK OUT!!!"
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Exploring Chi-Town And Marrying My Professional Ball Of Yarn And Bouncy Ball!!!
After heading back to Chicago I was again greeted by Brother Angela Brandenburg. Upon my return flight, Seattle had decided to invade Chicago and there were torrential down pours everywhere. After me offering to drive and then simultaneously getting us lost several times on the way back to Naperville we finally arrived and crashed hard my first night back.
What follows is a brief narrative of a great time in Chicago that I will never forget. The days are blurred and the nights were exhilarating but very exhausting! Each day we would retire back to Naperville and literally crash out and sleep until our bodies told us we could function again!
On one occasion we spent the day driving around the outskirts of Chicago and having lunch with several of Ang's old co-workers at the Front Street Lofts in Lemont, IL! The next minute we were touring down town Naperville and hiking around her condo at The Ponds in Naperville! Each day, each moment was seemingly maximized and utilized to the Nth degree to show me all about this great part of the country and to further promote AKPSI and the brotherhood to the communities and businesses and people of Chicago and the region! What a time, I'll never forget it!
Next thing you knew, we were on a road trip up to Milwaukee, WI to speak at Ang's Alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee! After spending the day trouncing around Milwaukee and eating "LOTS OF CHEESE" amongst other local delicacies we both spoke to the local chapter at her school and made some great new connections! I was very impressed with them as a group and especially their pledge class as well as their current members! From there it was on to another great brother Vijay's where we crashed for the weekend. While there Ang took me around her old stomping grounds showing me down town Milwaukee and taking me to the top of one of the tallest buildings there to photograph and truly view the city, what a trip! We ate more cheese, made new friends across the land and really did Milwaukee right! Such amazing hospitality too with Vijay and his girlfriend Kristina, they really helped us around town and I learned a great deal in my time with both of them and will be forever grateful! We capped off Milwaukee with trips to the Mars Cheese Castle where I had my very first Cheese Curds and fell in love with them! Lastly we hit up the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park and watched a killer game in their great stadium! What a blast, who knew I would get my "golden" pants for the "professional" wedding directly from the Brewers themselves! Thanks again to their great organization for their help in this! We also met up with some more brothers and had mini reunions around Milwaukee the next few nights out on the town where we closed the famous "Wolski's" and got a bumper sticker to prove it, amongst lots of other debauchery! Besides that we also got the awesome opportunity to tour the Jelly Belly factory in Milwaukee and learn more then I ever thought was possible about those little beans!
After Milwaukee, we headed back to Chicago to take in the Depaul University's AKPSI Fashion Show that was an absolute hit and a great experience especially coming from the student chapter there! You guys ROCKED IT! Afterward we stepped out for a drink and some more networking before getting ready to tie the "professional" knot the next day.
The day was such a found memory of getting dressed up, exploring Chicago and taking photos around the city and spreading awareness of AKPSI and Brotherhood and the professional events coming up! We hit up many of Chicago's finest establishments and saw the city from the Hancock tower which took my breathe away! We ate at Ed Debevic's which is similar to those cafes where the waiters/resses talk down to you and put on a show! We did so much in so little time but boy was it worth it. Before you knew it, it was time to head back to grab our things and head to where the event and fundraiser was to take place, it took a little "TOO" long to hail a cab but when we finally did, and arrived it was great, we had a Kentucky Derby audience of patrons along with AKPSI brothers from across the country! You should check out the videos on Facebook and Youtube, they are hilarious and yet very tastefully and masterfully done by brother Matt McCall of Matt Thomas Productions in Chicago, IL! You Rock Matt, and I appreciate all your help with those videos!
The video's themselves will give you a better all around picture of what we did that day then any sort of writing here ever will so please check them out! All I can say is that we are now NOT-LEGALLY bound, but in a Professional manner in the effort to raise money for AKPSI charities and promote the idea that Brotherhood doesn't have to end after college and to celebrate all those AKPSI couples that did the "ACTUAL" tying of the knot after finding their significant others through the fraternity! What a great time this was followed by an evening out raising more money and celebrating amongst more good friends and brothers! I've been talking about "Professional LUV" for awhile now and this was truly the pinnacle of it! If you're still WTF and confused about things you can always watch the "wedding explanation" video on Facebook and Youtube and that will hopefully help a little bit more too!
After the wedding was over we retired back to Naperville and crashed heavily once again after such a hectic and busy week + promoting AKPSI and touring around Chicago and neighboring areas! After resting a day, we culminated the professional wedding with a quote, unquote honeymoon at Wrigley field where we took in a Cubbies game against the Giants! I had seen the two play in spring ball in 'Zona earlier in my trip so this was a fun deja-vu of sorts! The game was amazing, the stadium was fantastic, my company was great and we had a blast! Besides Fenway and the Red Sox, this was also a childhood fantasy of mine and I was tickled pink (or should I say blue) that I was able to go and experience this to its fullest! Again check out the photos, they were amazing and we made lots of new friends, promoted AKPSI and most likely got on TV too!
After a full week + in Chicago where I finally met my destiny of meeting the one brother who helped me the greatest during my trip, I was pretty much complete! We had been talking, texting and facebooking for a few months now and it all culminated in Chicago! Have you ever met someone who so mirrored your thoughts, dreams, ideals, passions, motivations and was just plain "ridiculously" similar to you, but with the other gender's body parts!? Crazy Truly Did Hit Chicago! I said from the get go that upon my arrival there, either Hell would freeze over or World Peace would be had! I think we saw a little of both during that time! We really did make a difference and an impact though briefly in each others lives and it was because of this that we decided to take that "professional luv" to the next level and shock the world in true "WTF" style!
Never before had I met a brother that truly got me on so many levels! It was as if we knew each other and had reconnected from a past life! Never before had I met some one who was just as misunderstood and at times judged falsely for the passion, dreams, and actions they have and continue express in trying to make AKPSI that much better! I will never forget Chicago, and like the movies... Instead of "We'll Always Have Paris," in this case "We'll Always Have Chicago!!!" Thanks for the most amazing of times and memories and may you continue to strive to realize your dreams and purpose in this life! If things don't go according to plan, you may want to take some time and rethink/rediscover where you want go next because who knows...as the "signs" may continue to point and lead you back to me Personally or Professionally! ;)
Regardless, thanks for everything and I wish you all the best in this next phase of your life and career where ever it may take you! Perhaps I'll see You again in the next one!?
Sincerely,
Matthew "The Mack" Allen
What follows is a brief narrative of a great time in Chicago that I will never forget. The days are blurred and the nights were exhilarating but very exhausting! Each day we would retire back to Naperville and literally crash out and sleep until our bodies told us we could function again!
On one occasion we spent the day driving around the outskirts of Chicago and having lunch with several of Ang's old co-workers at the Front Street Lofts in Lemont, IL! The next minute we were touring down town Naperville and hiking around her condo at The Ponds in Naperville! Each day, each moment was seemingly maximized and utilized to the Nth degree to show me all about this great part of the country and to further promote AKPSI and the brotherhood to the communities and businesses and people of Chicago and the region! What a time, I'll never forget it!
Next thing you knew, we were on a road trip up to Milwaukee, WI to speak at Ang's Alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee! After spending the day trouncing around Milwaukee and eating "LOTS OF CHEESE" amongst other local delicacies we both spoke to the local chapter at her school and made some great new connections! I was very impressed with them as a group and especially their pledge class as well as their current members! From there it was on to another great brother Vijay's where we crashed for the weekend. While there Ang took me around her old stomping grounds showing me down town Milwaukee and taking me to the top of one of the tallest buildings there to photograph and truly view the city, what a trip! We ate more cheese, made new friends across the land and really did Milwaukee right! Such amazing hospitality too with Vijay and his girlfriend Kristina, they really helped us around town and I learned a great deal in my time with both of them and will be forever grateful! We capped off Milwaukee with trips to the Mars Cheese Castle where I had my very first Cheese Curds and fell in love with them! Lastly we hit up the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park and watched a killer game in their great stadium! What a blast, who knew I would get my "golden" pants for the "professional" wedding directly from the Brewers themselves! Thanks again to their great organization for their help in this! We also met up with some more brothers and had mini reunions around Milwaukee the next few nights out on the town where we closed the famous "Wolski's" and got a bumper sticker to prove it, amongst lots of other debauchery! Besides that we also got the awesome opportunity to tour the Jelly Belly factory in Milwaukee and learn more then I ever thought was possible about those little beans!
After Milwaukee, we headed back to Chicago to take in the Depaul University's AKPSI Fashion Show that was an absolute hit and a great experience especially coming from the student chapter there! You guys ROCKED IT! Afterward we stepped out for a drink and some more networking before getting ready to tie the "professional" knot the next day.
The day was such a found memory of getting dressed up, exploring Chicago and taking photos around the city and spreading awareness of AKPSI and Brotherhood and the professional events coming up! We hit up many of Chicago's finest establishments and saw the city from the Hancock tower which took my breathe away! We ate at Ed Debevic's which is similar to those cafes where the waiters/resses talk down to you and put on a show! We did so much in so little time but boy was it worth it. Before you knew it, it was time to head back to grab our things and head to where the event and fundraiser was to take place, it took a little "TOO" long to hail a cab but when we finally did, and arrived it was great, we had a Kentucky Derby audience of patrons along with AKPSI brothers from across the country! You should check out the videos on Facebook and Youtube, they are hilarious and yet very tastefully and masterfully done by brother Matt McCall of Matt Thomas Productions in Chicago, IL! You Rock Matt, and I appreciate all your help with those videos!
The video's themselves will give you a better all around picture of what we did that day then any sort of writing here ever will so please check them out! All I can say is that we are now NOT-LEGALLY bound, but in a Professional manner in the effort to raise money for AKPSI charities and promote the idea that Brotherhood doesn't have to end after college and to celebrate all those AKPSI couples that did the "ACTUAL" tying of the knot after finding their significant others through the fraternity! What a great time this was followed by an evening out raising more money and celebrating amongst more good friends and brothers! I've been talking about "Professional LUV" for awhile now and this was truly the pinnacle of it! If you're still WTF and confused about things you can always watch the "wedding explanation" video on Facebook and Youtube and that will hopefully help a little bit more too!
After the wedding was over we retired back to Naperville and crashed heavily once again after such a hectic and busy week + promoting AKPSI and touring around Chicago and neighboring areas! After resting a day, we culminated the professional wedding with a quote, unquote honeymoon at Wrigley field where we took in a Cubbies game against the Giants! I had seen the two play in spring ball in 'Zona earlier in my trip so this was a fun deja-vu of sorts! The game was amazing, the stadium was fantastic, my company was great and we had a blast! Besides Fenway and the Red Sox, this was also a childhood fantasy of mine and I was tickled pink (or should I say blue) that I was able to go and experience this to its fullest! Again check out the photos, they were amazing and we made lots of new friends, promoted AKPSI and most likely got on TV too!
After a full week + in Chicago where I finally met my destiny of meeting the one brother who helped me the greatest during my trip, I was pretty much complete! We had been talking, texting and facebooking for a few months now and it all culminated in Chicago! Have you ever met someone who so mirrored your thoughts, dreams, ideals, passions, motivations and was just plain "ridiculously" similar to you, but with the other gender's body parts!? Crazy Truly Did Hit Chicago! I said from the get go that upon my arrival there, either Hell would freeze over or World Peace would be had! I think we saw a little of both during that time! We really did make a difference and an impact though briefly in each others lives and it was because of this that we decided to take that "professional luv" to the next level and shock the world in true "WTF" style!
Never before had I met a brother that truly got me on so many levels! It was as if we knew each other and had reconnected from a past life! Never before had I met some one who was just as misunderstood and at times judged falsely for the passion, dreams, and actions they have and continue express in trying to make AKPSI that much better! I will never forget Chicago, and like the movies... Instead of "We'll Always Have Paris," in this case "We'll Always Have Chicago!!!" Thanks for the most amazing of times and memories and may you continue to strive to realize your dreams and purpose in this life! If things don't go according to plan, you may want to take some time and rethink/rediscover where you want go next because who knows...as the "signs" may continue to point and lead you back to me Personally or Professionally! ;)
Regardless, thanks for everything and I wish you all the best in this next phase of your life and career where ever it may take you! Perhaps I'll see You again in the next one!?
Sincerely,
Matthew "The Mack" Allen
Monday, May 18, 2009
Chicago Tease...And The 10 Year Reunion Of Beta Lambda In Pullman, WA!!!
April 27th, 2008
As I sit here on the plane sipping the finest Chardonnay (for free I might add) I think back and reflect on the past weekend in Pullman, WA where I helped take part in AKPSI Beta Lambda Chapter's 10 year Reunion! What an experience! My original goal was to make it across the Nation and drive into Pullman with a fury and passion and for better or worse look to end things shortly thereafter. Almost 2 months later, that couldn't be further from reality! I made it all the way to Chicago, IL where I met the Professional LUV of my life...Ms. Angela Brandenburg. Never before had I met someone so spot on with ideas, passions, motivation and life experiences similar to my very own! Unfortunately due to time constraints I had to leave her behind after only what amounted to about a good half day and evening before jet-setting back to Pullman. In that time however we decided to do something that has never been done before and get "Professionally" married as brothers in AKPSI. Some people work so hard and spend so much time at the office that they literally develop a sort of work husband or wife, this was similar but different! Instead of being legally bound in Milli-seconds we decided to make a pledge of brotherhood to each other signifying our "Much Professional LUV" of each other and what we stand for both as separate entities as well as together! It wasn't long before I "Professionally" proposed with the biggest blue diamond my ex-Microsoft salary could afford, (She said YES by the way!) and things were on! Within hours, the world would be told of this desire for unity of brotherhood and a COLLECTIVE "WTF" could be heard across Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Email, and the Phone Lines! Most people I've spoken with wished us well but had no idea what we were doing, were we serious? Was this a joke? Were we crazy!? Perhaps all of the above would be the best answer! Yes we're serious and there is a genuine, indescribable connection and understanding between the two of us! What better way to express that and spread brotherhood and professional luv to the masses and help make a difference in the meantime!
Saturday, May 2nd we're set to tie the "professional" knot in Chicago complete with bachelor/bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinners, vows, reception and honeymoon! ;) Life is good and I hope all of you will keep an open mind and really see all that this event means and what it will do for AKPSI and brotherhood across the nation! We actually have brothers flying in from as far as Washington DC to take part, we have bridesmaids and the best man and videographers and photographers and even a flower girl! We've got venues, and hotels and a plan! Sounds crazy to some and we may be the only two brothers in the world to dream this up and pull it off but that's exactly what makes this event so special! Its about the coming together of brothers from all walks of life and backgrounds and chapters and history and uniting for the purpose of spreading professional luv! What is professional luv you might ask well if you know me then you may have a little bit of a clue but I can't even really begin to explain it at this point.It is something that I not only coined and created my own movement with but it is always given with the highest regard and respect as I live each day! Stay tuned for additional news, notes, video blogs, photos and announcements about this special day to come! All capped off of course with my ladies "most excellent" wedding gift...Two tickets to see the Cubbies at Wrigley Field in Chicago! I Professionally LUV you Babe!!!
Wow, can you say tangent!? I return to my original topic of the Beta Lambda 10 Year Reunion of Alpha Kappa Psi at Washington State University! When I arrived late Thursday night I was picked up by one of my favorite current members, Mr. Brandon Borchers, also known as "Brando" or "Mongoose" after this weekend's festivities! I have stayed with him and his two roommates, Taylor & Matt once before and had the time of my life on another weekend of festivities so I knew upon arrival that I was in for something great this weekend! We headed back and crashed as I had been on planes and in airports for the majority of the day, not to mention the drastic time difference between Chicago & Pullman!
The next day I set out to rediscover Pullman in all its glory on foot! Backpack in place and camera in hand, I began to photograph my way around campus in the effort to truly show brothers across the country, the true beauty of the Palouse and Washington State University! I hope you all enjoy the photos on my Facebook page and if you haven't already please go ahead and add me as a friend on Facebook to truly experience the journey through visuals which can sometimes be better or greatly add to these stories that I share across this medium! The campus is a truly beautiful one with red brick buildings that date back to 1890 and our founding! This was the perfect opportunity to exercise my old "Cougar Calves!" Cougar Calves develop over the course of our college experience in Pullman due to the never ending hills and Pullman is one of the only places where I can honestly say I used to have to go "up hill, both ways in snow and almost barefoot (flip-flops)" and I loved every minute of it! There's another reason why I say that I have a PERMANENT Cougar Calve but that is a story for another time! ;)
After hiking around campus and down town Pullman, I stopped by the CUB or student union building and met up with fellow AKPSI brothers at our "SPOT" where no one else dares sit or else face some serious "professional" consequences! It was great grabbing lunch with brothers I hadn't seen in almost a year since my last "Return Of The Mack!" I was feeling guilty about missing the last two big events at our Chapter so this one was even more extra-special to me! Afterward we all met up back at Brandon's before getting a home-cooked, very tasty meal from at another brother Sam's place! Fat & Happy we set off to collect party supplies and treats for that evenings festivities at Brandon's house! Perfect as this way, I didn't even have to walk home, I could literally crawl! (Though I did none, thank you very much!) After a killer Friday evening of catching up with some of the best current brothers I know along with Alumni, some of whom I hadn't seen in six or eight years, I crashed on the couch and slept better then I had in some time!
Upon waking up the next day I set out with brother Lauren to further explore WSU and took in some Cougar Football Spring Scrimmage while actually getting the chance to set foot on Martin Stadium! After some good times and Meeting up with several other brothers and friends we then headed to the ZZU CRU's festivities celebrating WSU Basketball which just came to an end. A free lunch later and some great times with Lauren and I was back to Brando's for a little nap before the biggest and most anticipated event of the weekend...The 10 year banquet! After getting decked out in some professional duds we set off back to the CUB along with tons of other brothers! When I arrived I was beside myself and sometimes didn't even know what to say! I was awe-struck at the professionalism and great job that the current student body had done to make this happen! I can't THANK YOU all enough for this TRULY AMAZING weekend! After some initial chatter and catching up we sat down to an excellent meal that was fully catered with bar and all! After dinner was the award ceremony along with slide shows showing the past years activities and put to a soundtrack! All the while monitors across the banquet hall played slide shows of photos from the very beginning of our chapter! Back then was a time when I was, well, slightly less follicly-challenged and well lets just say I loved it! Several brothers gave speeches and discussed their times with Beta Lambda and then it was on to take class photos and family pics with the Mack Family (Mine) looking absolutely frickin' ridiculously sexy, professional and ready to take names! Did I mention the Mack Family is mostly ladies! I ain't complaining!!! ;)
Afterward we headed back to change before attending another soiree with more singing, dancing, and catching up with our chapter! Great times though I was (like usual) one of the last brothers standing and made it home ok before watching the sun come up and reminiscing about the last 10 years and how far we've come! Got home, passed out again and then it was Sunday! We headed out with as many brothers as we could to grab brunch at Denny's before saying good bye one last time! Nice way to finish the weekend as far as brotherhood goes! Afterward I headed back to Brando's to once again take a nap! (P.S. I'm Old...Remember!) The roommates all got together and prepared another HOME-cooked meal for me that I will never forget! Hit the Spot and Then some!!! We stayed up again watching movies, updating Facebook and recollecting the weekends events! The next day I headed off to the Pullman-Moscow Airport to head back to Seattle. I met up with my Dad there and was lucky enough to grab lunch and spend a few hours with him in the terminal before heading off back to Chicago on the plane where I sit here now typing this! Keep in mind I hadn't seen any one in my immediate family in almost two months! This man was a bit homesick for the best "Pops" in the history of man! Thanks Dad, I owe you so much and love you more then I can ever begin to express in words!
Ok, well that was a mouthful and then some but alas I think my blog this time around must come to an end! All in all it was an amazing weekend with the ultimate in brotherhood and reminiscing and I can't thank the current student members enough for all they did and all the personal money that went into planning and paying for this! I hope that the alumni were able to donate some as well toward your efforts! Thank you to all my brothers! May we live on stronger than ever and continue to improve and grow as a chapter and brotherhood! I consider myself "lucky" just to be able to call you brothers and have many of you as true friends! Cheers to Us!!!
Sincerely,
Matthew K. Allen, Founder of Beta Lambda, 1999
PS. It was back to Chicago I went, to realize and experience my "professional" Destiny! I was to be "professionally" married in a week and boy was a ready to take that "professional" leap! ;)
~ Mack Out
As I sit here on the plane sipping the finest Chardonnay (for free I might add) I think back and reflect on the past weekend in Pullman, WA where I helped take part in AKPSI Beta Lambda Chapter's 10 year Reunion! What an experience! My original goal was to make it across the Nation and drive into Pullman with a fury and passion and for better or worse look to end things shortly thereafter. Almost 2 months later, that couldn't be further from reality! I made it all the way to Chicago, IL where I met the Professional LUV of my life...Ms. Angela Brandenburg. Never before had I met someone so spot on with ideas, passions, motivation and life experiences similar to my very own! Unfortunately due to time constraints I had to leave her behind after only what amounted to about a good half day and evening before jet-setting back to Pullman. In that time however we decided to do something that has never been done before and get "Professionally" married as brothers in AKPSI. Some people work so hard and spend so much time at the office that they literally develop a sort of work husband or wife, this was similar but different! Instead of being legally bound in Milli-seconds we decided to make a pledge of brotherhood to each other signifying our "Much Professional LUV" of each other and what we stand for both as separate entities as well as together! It wasn't long before I "Professionally" proposed with the biggest blue diamond my ex-Microsoft salary could afford, (She said YES by the way!) and things were on! Within hours, the world would be told of this desire for unity of brotherhood and a COLLECTIVE "WTF" could be heard across Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Email, and the Phone Lines! Most people I've spoken with wished us well but had no idea what we were doing, were we serious? Was this a joke? Were we crazy!? Perhaps all of the above would be the best answer! Yes we're serious and there is a genuine, indescribable connection and understanding between the two of us! What better way to express that and spread brotherhood and professional luv to the masses and help make a difference in the meantime!
Saturday, May 2nd we're set to tie the "professional" knot in Chicago complete with bachelor/bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinners, vows, reception and honeymoon! ;) Life is good and I hope all of you will keep an open mind and really see all that this event means and what it will do for AKPSI and brotherhood across the nation! We actually have brothers flying in from as far as Washington DC to take part, we have bridesmaids and the best man and videographers and photographers and even a flower girl! We've got venues, and hotels and a plan! Sounds crazy to some and we may be the only two brothers in the world to dream this up and pull it off but that's exactly what makes this event so special! Its about the coming together of brothers from all walks of life and backgrounds and chapters and history and uniting for the purpose of spreading professional luv! What is professional luv you might ask well if you know me then you may have a little bit of a clue but I can't even really begin to explain it at this point.It is something that I not only coined and created my own movement with but it is always given with the highest regard and respect as I live each day! Stay tuned for additional news, notes, video blogs, photos and announcements about this special day to come! All capped off of course with my ladies "most excellent" wedding gift...Two tickets to see the Cubbies at Wrigley Field in Chicago! I Professionally LUV you Babe!!!
Wow, can you say tangent!? I return to my original topic of the Beta Lambda 10 Year Reunion of Alpha Kappa Psi at Washington State University! When I arrived late Thursday night I was picked up by one of my favorite current members, Mr. Brandon Borchers, also known as "Brando" or "Mongoose" after this weekend's festivities! I have stayed with him and his two roommates, Taylor & Matt once before and had the time of my life on another weekend of festivities so I knew upon arrival that I was in for something great this weekend! We headed back and crashed as I had been on planes and in airports for the majority of the day, not to mention the drastic time difference between Chicago & Pullman!
The next day I set out to rediscover Pullman in all its glory on foot! Backpack in place and camera in hand, I began to photograph my way around campus in the effort to truly show brothers across the country, the true beauty of the Palouse and Washington State University! I hope you all enjoy the photos on my Facebook page and if you haven't already please go ahead and add me as a friend on Facebook to truly experience the journey through visuals which can sometimes be better or greatly add to these stories that I share across this medium! The campus is a truly beautiful one with red brick buildings that date back to 1890 and our founding! This was the perfect opportunity to exercise my old "Cougar Calves!" Cougar Calves develop over the course of our college experience in Pullman due to the never ending hills and Pullman is one of the only places where I can honestly say I used to have to go "up hill, both ways in snow and almost barefoot (flip-flops)" and I loved every minute of it! There's another reason why I say that I have a PERMANENT Cougar Calve but that is a story for another time! ;)
After hiking around campus and down town Pullman, I stopped by the CUB or student union building and met up with fellow AKPSI brothers at our "SPOT" where no one else dares sit or else face some serious "professional" consequences! It was great grabbing lunch with brothers I hadn't seen in almost a year since my last "Return Of The Mack!" I was feeling guilty about missing the last two big events at our Chapter so this one was even more extra-special to me! Afterward we all met up back at Brandon's before getting a home-cooked, very tasty meal from at another brother Sam's place! Fat & Happy we set off to collect party supplies and treats for that evenings festivities at Brandon's house! Perfect as this way, I didn't even have to walk home, I could literally crawl! (Though I did none, thank you very much!) After a killer Friday evening of catching up with some of the best current brothers I know along with Alumni, some of whom I hadn't seen in six or eight years, I crashed on the couch and slept better then I had in some time!
Upon waking up the next day I set out with brother Lauren to further explore WSU and took in some Cougar Football Spring Scrimmage while actually getting the chance to set foot on Martin Stadium! After some good times and Meeting up with several other brothers and friends we then headed to the ZZU CRU's festivities celebrating WSU Basketball which just came to an end. A free lunch later and some great times with Lauren and I was back to Brando's for a little nap before the biggest and most anticipated event of the weekend...The 10 year banquet! After getting decked out in some professional duds we set off back to the CUB along with tons of other brothers! When I arrived I was beside myself and sometimes didn't even know what to say! I was awe-struck at the professionalism and great job that the current student body had done to make this happen! I can't THANK YOU all enough for this TRULY AMAZING weekend! After some initial chatter and catching up we sat down to an excellent meal that was fully catered with bar and all! After dinner was the award ceremony along with slide shows showing the past years activities and put to a soundtrack! All the while monitors across the banquet hall played slide shows of photos from the very beginning of our chapter! Back then was a time when I was, well, slightly less follicly-challenged and well lets just say I loved it! Several brothers gave speeches and discussed their times with Beta Lambda and then it was on to take class photos and family pics with the Mack Family (Mine) looking absolutely frickin' ridiculously sexy, professional and ready to take names! Did I mention the Mack Family is mostly ladies! I ain't complaining!!! ;)
Afterward we headed back to change before attending another soiree with more singing, dancing, and catching up with our chapter! Great times though I was (like usual) one of the last brothers standing and made it home ok before watching the sun come up and reminiscing about the last 10 years and how far we've come! Got home, passed out again and then it was Sunday! We headed out with as many brothers as we could to grab brunch at Denny's before saying good bye one last time! Nice way to finish the weekend as far as brotherhood goes! Afterward I headed back to Brando's to once again take a nap! (P.S. I'm Old...Remember!) The roommates all got together and prepared another HOME-cooked meal for me that I will never forget! Hit the Spot and Then some!!! We stayed up again watching movies, updating Facebook and recollecting the weekends events! The next day I headed off to the Pullman-Moscow Airport to head back to Seattle. I met up with my Dad there and was lucky enough to grab lunch and spend a few hours with him in the terminal before heading off back to Chicago on the plane where I sit here now typing this! Keep in mind I hadn't seen any one in my immediate family in almost two months! This man was a bit homesick for the best "Pops" in the history of man! Thanks Dad, I owe you so much and love you more then I can ever begin to express in words!
Ok, well that was a mouthful and then some but alas I think my blog this time around must come to an end! All in all it was an amazing weekend with the ultimate in brotherhood and reminiscing and I can't thank the current student members enough for all they did and all the personal money that went into planning and paying for this! I hope that the alumni were able to donate some as well toward your efforts! Thank you to all my brothers! May we live on stronger than ever and continue to improve and grow as a chapter and brotherhood! I consider myself "lucky" just to be able to call you brothers and have many of you as true friends! Cheers to Us!!!
Sincerely,
Matthew K. Allen, Founder of Beta Lambda, 1999
PS. It was back to Chicago I went, to realize and experience my "professional" Destiny! I was to be "professionally" married in a week and boy was a ready to take that "professional" leap! ;)
~ Mack Out
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Off Through New York State Westward-Ho Toward Chicago!!!
Hello Again,
After heading out from Massachusetts I headed back through NUMEROUS tolls that again took all of my money! Damn you TOLLS!!! But alas I could not be stopped in my journey west toward Chicago where I would embark on a cross country trip through the air, back to Pullman, WA and my 10 year Reunion for my Professional Business Fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi!
I got a late start but shot across NY state and despite some more nasty weather I hit Niagara Falls on the US side where I stopped for some time to take in this National Treasure! When I arrived there wasn't much going on! I had to ask some random strangers directions to the falls as all I could see coming into Niagara were some rapids and a large body of water rushing some where!? After getting straightened out to some degree, I headed toward the falls where I was almost, literally, BLOWN off of them and into the water below! The weather had grown horrid since leaving Massachusetts and I had already been blown all over the freeway on my way through! The pictures I took really took my breathe away although they could do NO justice to what I experienced personally! Despite the inclement weather and getting entirely soaked through, I stayed there for what seemed like forever, taking videos and pics from multiple angles! This was truly another great highlight of the trip and I took full advantage of it! I wanted to go to Niagara Falls-Ontario, Canada across the way as well and take photos but it would have taken awhile and besides an additional photo-op there wasn't much else that I could see besides tons of casinos and I had Las Vegas in my future so I decided to move on!
South-Westward bound, I headed down to Buffalo, NY where I took in some more great views of the city and was really taken back by it! Of course it is well known for some of its sports teams including the NEWEST, Terrell Owens stop on the NFL bandwagon, the Buffalo Bills along with the Sabres in the NHL and some other great colleges as well! The city itself was Super Industrial and that was something that I wasn't as prepared for, though really I had no idea what to expect in Buffalo, NY! I took some photos but there was construction everywhere! Roads, freeways, factories, everything! It did look to me as if Buffalo had been hit hard by the economy and recession but it also appeared to be doing everything it could to work with that situation! I wish I could have stuck around and seen more of the city but it was a good first impression and experience! Thank You Buffalo!
From here I continued to head down to Cleveland, Ohio where I looked everywhere for Drew Carey from the "Drew Carey Show" as well as "Whose Line Is It Anyways" another personal favorite of mine and of course who can forget his current role hosting "The Price Is Right!" I love PLINKO!!! ;) Unfortunately, Drew was no where to be seen and so I continued on after taking in more of the local sports stadiums for the Browns and Indians! (Turns out he was in Seattle, being a part owner of the Newest MLS Soccer Team, The Seattle Sounders which are kicking some tail in the league after their inception!) I absolutely love Soccer and have played it off and on for 17 years of my life! But I digress...
I continued on through Toledo taking photos and doing my thing before settling in Maumee, OH! Pronounced "Mommie" where I decided to shout to the world that very same phrase and city at the top of my lungs as I entered town! People probably thought I was a bit weird (understatement) but it was a chance I decided to take! I really liked the area and the Motel 6 (which I am UN-Officially sponsored by!) was awesome!
After a relaxing evening in and trying to catch up on photos/blogs/etc. I headed out to Indianapolis, IN where it had become my destiny to see the Heritage Center and all of its hard working staff in person! I headed out and dealt with a few more mini-storms before making my way into the city!
I arrived at the Heritage center and met up with Brother James Maher! I really am UBER-Thankful to James for taking the time that he did to show me around the Heritage center and all of the history behind our great Fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi! Please take a moment to again add me as a friend and check out some of that history and great shots of where we came from and how we got to be where we are today! It was such a highlight and I have James and the rest of the great Heritage Center staff to thank for this experience and great memories! You Guys Are Awesome! Unfortunately Mr. Epperson, CEO was unavailable due to a Dentist's visit! I don't know about you but using the scales of justice to weigh opportunity costs, lets see... Meet The Mack VS. Sit In A Dentist Chair And Get Work Done!? Hmm... It was ok though and I hope I get the opportunity to meet you Mr. Epperson in the not too distant future! Hope the visit was worthwhile and not too painful too! ;)
After spending what turned out to be a few hours, I met everyone including Jess LaNore who is a fellow Cougar who graduated shortly before I was there! We took photos and I was very impressed with the Cougar memorabilia in his office! Keep up the good work Jess and keep rockin' and supportin' those Cougars!!! I hope I see you again soon perhaps at Convention along with all of the others! We then celebrated Administration Professional Day with the staff there, took some photos you can see on Facebook and I even bought some additional merchandise on the spot which is something I would highly recommend anyone and everyone to do online if you can't make it to the Heritage Center yourself! While there, I got a new pin which was nice as I had one from 10 years ago when they were much smaller and now I could really REPRESENT when wearing it in the business world! I also got the newest designed sweatshirt which was Blue/Gold and printed on although it looked like it was sewn on! Great idea and a Great sweatshirt! I love mine! Lastly, I found my original registration certificate with AKPSI when I first founded the Beta Lambda chapter at Washington State University! The fraternity doesn't complete these in this format anymore and it turns out I was one of the last ones to complete it before the change! This was an amazing discovery and I now have a copy of it for my own memories and took some photos with it as well!
I left Indianapolis, IN and the Heritage center some time later in the afternoon after thoroughly thanking everyone for their hard work and dedication to the fraternity! What a time I had, so many new friends and brothers met! Big Props to Mr. Maher, for your kindness, dedication and support while I was there! You made my visit one I will never forget and are truly one AMAZING Brother! Now it was time to realize my destiny in Chicago, IL and bring together the powerful forces of two brothers with Immense Passion and Dedication for AKPSI and all of our brothers worldwide! What a time I would have in store for me in Chicago! Stay tuned for more verbiage on this great adventure and the "professional" wedding to come!
Interesting Tid-Bits...
1. Back tracking a bit, in Massachusetts, local liquor stores have the right like most liquor stores to REFUSE service to any patron for nearly any reason! When I was in Massachusetts, I was not asked for my ID but when I offered it voluntarily, I was told to put it away and that the employee had not seen the ID. I was confused but was asked whether I had seen the sign outside. I said no, and was told that the Management reserved the right to refuse service to anyone outside the great state of Massachusetts as there apparently had been a ton of issues with fake ID's from other states! I was luckily still able to buy some merchandise and gifts while there however and learned a valuable lesson... "If you're passing through Massachusetts, and are from out of state, DO NOT give them your ID unless asked!" And then make sure your picture looks like you do!!! ;)
2. I actually had my gas pumped for me like they do in Oregon which was quite strange! I still have never been able to feel comfortable or get used to it!
3. There are a lot of towns/cities in New York state including Rome and Poland, NY!? I can't count the number of times while driving around the country that I felt like I was in another country besides the USA!!! Craziness!
4. Painesville, OH...Definitely NOT stopping there! Mentor City, sounds like a great place to work!
5. Indiana...Is the Crossroads of America!
6. Unfortunately since it has been some time between experiencing everything and writing about it I have definitely let some things out but this will no doubt come back through reflection in the days, weeks and years to come! What a Time!!!???
Sincerely, Mack
After heading out from Massachusetts I headed back through NUMEROUS tolls that again took all of my money! Damn you TOLLS!!! But alas I could not be stopped in my journey west toward Chicago where I would embark on a cross country trip through the air, back to Pullman, WA and my 10 year Reunion for my Professional Business Fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi!
I got a late start but shot across NY state and despite some more nasty weather I hit Niagara Falls on the US side where I stopped for some time to take in this National Treasure! When I arrived there wasn't much going on! I had to ask some random strangers directions to the falls as all I could see coming into Niagara were some rapids and a large body of water rushing some where!? After getting straightened out to some degree, I headed toward the falls where I was almost, literally, BLOWN off of them and into the water below! The weather had grown horrid since leaving Massachusetts and I had already been blown all over the freeway on my way through! The pictures I took really took my breathe away although they could do NO justice to what I experienced personally! Despite the inclement weather and getting entirely soaked through, I stayed there for what seemed like forever, taking videos and pics from multiple angles! This was truly another great highlight of the trip and I took full advantage of it! I wanted to go to Niagara Falls-Ontario, Canada across the way as well and take photos but it would have taken awhile and besides an additional photo-op there wasn't much else that I could see besides tons of casinos and I had Las Vegas in my future so I decided to move on!
South-Westward bound, I headed down to Buffalo, NY where I took in some more great views of the city and was really taken back by it! Of course it is well known for some of its sports teams including the NEWEST, Terrell Owens stop on the NFL bandwagon, the Buffalo Bills along with the Sabres in the NHL and some other great colleges as well! The city itself was Super Industrial and that was something that I wasn't as prepared for, though really I had no idea what to expect in Buffalo, NY! I took some photos but there was construction everywhere! Roads, freeways, factories, everything! It did look to me as if Buffalo had been hit hard by the economy and recession but it also appeared to be doing everything it could to work with that situation! I wish I could have stuck around and seen more of the city but it was a good first impression and experience! Thank You Buffalo!
From here I continued to head down to Cleveland, Ohio where I looked everywhere for Drew Carey from the "Drew Carey Show" as well as "Whose Line Is It Anyways" another personal favorite of mine and of course who can forget his current role hosting "The Price Is Right!" I love PLINKO!!! ;) Unfortunately, Drew was no where to be seen and so I continued on after taking in more of the local sports stadiums for the Browns and Indians! (Turns out he was in Seattle, being a part owner of the Newest MLS Soccer Team, The Seattle Sounders which are kicking some tail in the league after their inception!) I absolutely love Soccer and have played it off and on for 17 years of my life! But I digress...
I continued on through Toledo taking photos and doing my thing before settling in Maumee, OH! Pronounced "Mommie" where I decided to shout to the world that very same phrase and city at the top of my lungs as I entered town! People probably thought I was a bit weird (understatement) but it was a chance I decided to take! I really liked the area and the Motel 6 (which I am UN-Officially sponsored by!) was awesome!
After a relaxing evening in and trying to catch up on photos/blogs/etc. I headed out to Indianapolis, IN where it had become my destiny to see the Heritage Center and all of its hard working staff in person! I headed out and dealt with a few more mini-storms before making my way into the city!
I arrived at the Heritage center and met up with Brother James Maher! I really am UBER-Thankful to James for taking the time that he did to show me around the Heritage center and all of the history behind our great Fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi! Please take a moment to again add me as a friend and check out some of that history and great shots of where we came from and how we got to be where we are today! It was such a highlight and I have James and the rest of the great Heritage Center staff to thank for this experience and great memories! You Guys Are Awesome! Unfortunately Mr. Epperson, CEO was unavailable due to a Dentist's visit! I don't know about you but using the scales of justice to weigh opportunity costs, lets see... Meet The Mack VS. Sit In A Dentist Chair And Get Work Done!? Hmm... It was ok though and I hope I get the opportunity to meet you Mr. Epperson in the not too distant future! Hope the visit was worthwhile and not too painful too! ;)
After spending what turned out to be a few hours, I met everyone including Jess LaNore who is a fellow Cougar who graduated shortly before I was there! We took photos and I was very impressed with the Cougar memorabilia in his office! Keep up the good work Jess and keep rockin' and supportin' those Cougars!!! I hope I see you again soon perhaps at Convention along with all of the others! We then celebrated Administration Professional Day with the staff there, took some photos you can see on Facebook and I even bought some additional merchandise on the spot which is something I would highly recommend anyone and everyone to do online if you can't make it to the Heritage Center yourself! While there, I got a new pin which was nice as I had one from 10 years ago when they were much smaller and now I could really REPRESENT when wearing it in the business world! I also got the newest designed sweatshirt which was Blue/Gold and printed on although it looked like it was sewn on! Great idea and a Great sweatshirt! I love mine! Lastly, I found my original registration certificate with AKPSI when I first founded the Beta Lambda chapter at Washington State University! The fraternity doesn't complete these in this format anymore and it turns out I was one of the last ones to complete it before the change! This was an amazing discovery and I now have a copy of it for my own memories and took some photos with it as well!
I left Indianapolis, IN and the Heritage center some time later in the afternoon after thoroughly thanking everyone for their hard work and dedication to the fraternity! What a time I had, so many new friends and brothers met! Big Props to Mr. Maher, for your kindness, dedication and support while I was there! You made my visit one I will never forget and are truly one AMAZING Brother! Now it was time to realize my destiny in Chicago, IL and bring together the powerful forces of two brothers with Immense Passion and Dedication for AKPSI and all of our brothers worldwide! What a time I would have in store for me in Chicago! Stay tuned for more verbiage on this great adventure and the "professional" wedding to come!
Interesting Tid-Bits...
1. Back tracking a bit, in Massachusetts, local liquor stores have the right like most liquor stores to REFUSE service to any patron for nearly any reason! When I was in Massachusetts, I was not asked for my ID but when I offered it voluntarily, I was told to put it away and that the employee had not seen the ID. I was confused but was asked whether I had seen the sign outside. I said no, and was told that the Management reserved the right to refuse service to anyone outside the great state of Massachusetts as there apparently had been a ton of issues with fake ID's from other states! I was luckily still able to buy some merchandise and gifts while there however and learned a valuable lesson... "If you're passing through Massachusetts, and are from out of state, DO NOT give them your ID unless asked!" And then make sure your picture looks like you do!!! ;)
2. I actually had my gas pumped for me like they do in Oregon which was quite strange! I still have never been able to feel comfortable or get used to it!
3. There are a lot of towns/cities in New York state including Rome and Poland, NY!? I can't count the number of times while driving around the country that I felt like I was in another country besides the USA!!! Craziness!
4. Painesville, OH...Definitely NOT stopping there! Mentor City, sounds like a great place to work!
5. Indiana...Is the Crossroads of America!
6. Unfortunately since it has been some time between experiencing everything and writing about it I have definitely let some things out but this will no doubt come back through reflection in the days, weeks and years to come! What a Time!!!???
Sincerely, Mack
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Boston, Fenway, Red Sox, Lindsay!!! I LOVE THIS TOWN!!!
I arrived in downtown Boston and met up with Lindsay who is an old college friend of mine! She actually went to my rival high school in Redmond, WA but I won't judge her for that! After dropping some stuff of with her I was off to Fenway park! When I arrived I parked and headed into the madness! There are a ton of historical bars around the stadium and I made a point of having a beer or shot at as many of them as possible beforehand! I took a ton of photos and many of you will recognize and appreciate! I even had some local Fenway micro brews that really cemented my pre-game festivities! After touring outside the stadium for a few hours it was time to head in! I felt like a kid again! This was something that I had always wanted to do since I was an "actual" little boy! I had been to the outskirts of Fenway and drove around it when I was little and visiting my Grandma who lived in Roslindale, MA back then before moving to Washington to be closer to us! Never did make it inside though! This was MY time!
After spending the next few hours taking photos around the stadium, making new friends in "Red Sox Nation" from all over the country and watching the Red Sox win it was time to find Lindsay again and crash in the city! Check out the photos, it was a truly magical experience and I had a PERMA-GRIN the whole time!
The next day we set off to explore Boston and take it to the limit! We hiked around town and saw what seemed like most of it when we were through! In the park, we saw the swan boats that I had ridden years ago! We even came across the ducklings which were made famous in an old children's book. The greatest part of this was that one of the ducks that I photographed with was named "MACK!" After taking in some of Boston's best architecture we went to the Cheers Bar, Paul Revere's house and the place where the Declaration of Independence was first read aloud! We toured multiple colleges including Boston University and Hahvaad! Such beautiful campuses full of life and intellectuals! We ate some of the finest foods and had some New England clam chowder to complete my time here! We truly rocked the city and walked miles upon miles around the town! Definitely needed after such good food here! When we were through, I felt completely satisfied and content and ready to move on to my next destination! Lindsay you are an amazing lady and friend and I can't thank you enough for all you did while I was there! You made Boston that much more memorable and unforgettable! I wouldn't have done it any other way! THANK YOU!!!
Finally it was time to head out of town but I wasn't done with Massachusetts just yet! It was off to spend some time with some very close family friends Marty and Linda who are my brothers godparents and truly amazing in their own right! I always enjoy spending time with them though it comes very infrequently, so I knew I had to soak it up when I could! I headed out to meet up with them at their place outside Boston and spent the next few hours catching up and having an absolute blast! I hope we can do it again soon! I capped off my Massachusetts visit with some BOSTON CREME PIE! Wouldn't have had it any other way! You both are the best and I hope I get the chance to see you again soon and take a trip together as well!
From this point, I shoved off out of Massachusetts and headed back through New York State toward my much anticipated meeting with Angela Brandenburg in Chicago! I was revving my engines as I had very limited time to make it to Chicago and catch a plane back to Pullman, WA for my Reunion! Because of this, I did not have time to go further North and see Vermont, New Hampshire or Maine but know that I will get back there and make it so!
Till Next Time, MACK OUT!!!
Interesting Notes...
1. Certain Counties in Massachusetts have additional holidays like Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day off from work!? What the... This single-handedly made me want to move to MA and get a few extra holidays that I've never heard of and that are not observed in WA!!! Craziness!
2. I am continuously amazed with "RED SOX NATION" and the camaraderie that follows them! When the Sox play in Seattle, there is almost more noise and fans cheering on the Sox then the Mariners or any other home team!? Its weird to go to a game and hear cheering on every single play!
3. In San Francisco, I made new friends with a gentleman who approached me on the street because of my Sox Hat! After chatting for a bit, he gave me a RED SOX NATION wristband, similar to the Lance Armstrong bands of yester-year! That act of generosity never left me and I carried that band all the way to Fenway so it could find the way back to its true home!
After spending the next few hours taking photos around the stadium, making new friends in "Red Sox Nation" from all over the country and watching the Red Sox win it was time to find Lindsay again and crash in the city! Check out the photos, it was a truly magical experience and I had a PERMA-GRIN the whole time!
The next day we set off to explore Boston and take it to the limit! We hiked around town and saw what seemed like most of it when we were through! In the park, we saw the swan boats that I had ridden years ago! We even came across the ducklings which were made famous in an old children's book. The greatest part of this was that one of the ducks that I photographed with was named "MACK!" After taking in some of Boston's best architecture we went to the Cheers Bar, Paul Revere's house and the place where the Declaration of Independence was first read aloud! We toured multiple colleges including Boston University and Hahvaad! Such beautiful campuses full of life and intellectuals! We ate some of the finest foods and had some New England clam chowder to complete my time here! We truly rocked the city and walked miles upon miles around the town! Definitely needed after such good food here! When we were through, I felt completely satisfied and content and ready to move on to my next destination! Lindsay you are an amazing lady and friend and I can't thank you enough for all you did while I was there! You made Boston that much more memorable and unforgettable! I wouldn't have done it any other way! THANK YOU!!!
Finally it was time to head out of town but I wasn't done with Massachusetts just yet! It was off to spend some time with some very close family friends Marty and Linda who are my brothers godparents and truly amazing in their own right! I always enjoy spending time with them though it comes very infrequently, so I knew I had to soak it up when I could! I headed out to meet up with them at their place outside Boston and spent the next few hours catching up and having an absolute blast! I hope we can do it again soon! I capped off my Massachusetts visit with some BOSTON CREME PIE! Wouldn't have had it any other way! You both are the best and I hope I get the chance to see you again soon and take a trip together as well!
From this point, I shoved off out of Massachusetts and headed back through New York State toward my much anticipated meeting with Angela Brandenburg in Chicago! I was revving my engines as I had very limited time to make it to Chicago and catch a plane back to Pullman, WA for my Reunion! Because of this, I did not have time to go further North and see Vermont, New Hampshire or Maine but know that I will get back there and make it so!
Till Next Time, MACK OUT!!!
Interesting Notes...
1. Certain Counties in Massachusetts have additional holidays like Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day off from work!? What the... This single-handedly made me want to move to MA and get a few extra holidays that I've never heard of and that are not observed in WA!!! Craziness!
2. I am continuously amazed with "RED SOX NATION" and the camaraderie that follows them! When the Sox play in Seattle, there is almost more noise and fans cheering on the Sox then the Mariners or any other home team!? Its weird to go to a game and hear cheering on every single play!
3. In San Francisco, I made new friends with a gentleman who approached me on the street because of my Sox Hat! After chatting for a bit, he gave me a RED SOX NATION wristband, similar to the Lance Armstrong bands of yester-year! That act of generosity never left me and I carried that band all the way to Fenway so it could find the way back to its true home!
I'm Gonna Try To Catch Up To Myself... New Jersey Time!
After A killer time with Drexel University I took off for Lake Hopatcong to see my Aunt Debbie! We hadn't seen each other in a few years so a visit was long overdue! When I arrived I was exhausted and ready to take a cat nap to catch up on some much needed beauty (handsome) sleep! You should (or shouldn't) have seen me, I was pretty something...alright! After a brief catching up and nap we hung out till the late hours of the evening/morning talking and watching Tivo'ed episodes of everything from American Idol to some of my new favorite MSNBC shows that Aunt Debbie introduced to me! Keith Olbermann was a great sportscaster and an even better anchor for his new show on MSNBC! Check him out, he's hilarious!
While in Lake Hopatcong, NJ we toured around the area and took in some local Diner's which I absolutely loved! One of them has been featured numerous times on the Food Network With several of their celebrity hosts filming shows there! Check out my NJ photos on facebook and see for yourself! Good times, great eats, and awesome service! I could eat there forever! After another day of driving around and catching up it was time to think of where to go next!? My original plan was to head into New York City and see if I would truly "LOVE NYC" but at the last minute, changed course! There was so much I wanted to do while in NYC including, World Trade Center, Broadway, Yankees/Mets, Nightlife and the Statue of Liberty just to name a few, that I realized that I would not be able to do it efficiently or effectively at all in the time I had left before I had to head to Chicago, leave my car with a brother and fly home to my 10 year Founders Reunion in Pullman, WA. I was disappointed but realized that I would indeed be back and be able to do it all another time when I could have at least 3 or 4 days to take it all in! Instead I decided to head out the next day and drive through both Connecticut and Rhode Island on my way to Boston, MA and my beloved RED SOX NATION!!! In fact, that evening before leaving New Jersey I was able to secure one of the very last online tickets for the next days Friday evening game at Fenway! I tried to get tickets the rest of the weekend and Monday but all were sold out! Let's just say I got lucky and this renewed my excitement for what was to be next and helped me forget about driving around NYC!
The drive through Connecticut And Rhode Island went pretty fast but it was a beautiful drive! I stopped just briefly enough to take in some sights and people watching before continuing on! I would arrive in Boston in plenty of time and meet up with an old friend from college Lindsay D! We've kept in touch through Facebook but I hadn't seen her in like 7-8 years! I couldn't wait!
This Mack Was Out!!!
Interesting Notes...
1. New Jersey Has Townships rather then Counties which I am used to, being from Washington State and all!
2. I am SOOOOO sick of Toll Booths! New York state is straight horrific with them and I knew that I had not seen the last one! At one point I didn't have any cash to my name and had to have them take photos of my car in order to send the bill to my home! I can't wait for those or the $2 checks I'm going to have to write to take care of them! : (
3. One thing I was very fond of regarding the East Coast is the fact that you can drive through multiple states in one day! On the West Coast it can take forever to cross state lines! I was knocking out states like Mike Tyson!
While in Lake Hopatcong, NJ we toured around the area and took in some local Diner's which I absolutely loved! One of them has been featured numerous times on the Food Network With several of their celebrity hosts filming shows there! Check out my NJ photos on facebook and see for yourself! Good times, great eats, and awesome service! I could eat there forever! After another day of driving around and catching up it was time to think of where to go next!? My original plan was to head into New York City and see if I would truly "LOVE NYC" but at the last minute, changed course! There was so much I wanted to do while in NYC including, World Trade Center, Broadway, Yankees/Mets, Nightlife and the Statue of Liberty just to name a few, that I realized that I would not be able to do it efficiently or effectively at all in the time I had left before I had to head to Chicago, leave my car with a brother and fly home to my 10 year Founders Reunion in Pullman, WA. I was disappointed but realized that I would indeed be back and be able to do it all another time when I could have at least 3 or 4 days to take it all in! Instead I decided to head out the next day and drive through both Connecticut and Rhode Island on my way to Boston, MA and my beloved RED SOX NATION!!! In fact, that evening before leaving New Jersey I was able to secure one of the very last online tickets for the next days Friday evening game at Fenway! I tried to get tickets the rest of the weekend and Monday but all were sold out! Let's just say I got lucky and this renewed my excitement for what was to be next and helped me forget about driving around NYC!
The drive through Connecticut And Rhode Island went pretty fast but it was a beautiful drive! I stopped just briefly enough to take in some sights and people watching before continuing on! I would arrive in Boston in plenty of time and meet up with an old friend from college Lindsay D! We've kept in touch through Facebook but I hadn't seen her in like 7-8 years! I couldn't wait!
This Mack Was Out!!!
Interesting Notes...
1. New Jersey Has Townships rather then Counties which I am used to, being from Washington State and all!
2. I am SOOOOO sick of Toll Booths! New York state is straight horrific with them and I knew that I had not seen the last one! At one point I didn't have any cash to my name and had to have them take photos of my car in order to send the bill to my home! I can't wait for those or the $2 checks I'm going to have to write to take care of them! : (
3. One thing I was very fond of regarding the East Coast is the fact that you can drive through multiple states in one day! On the West Coast it can take forever to cross state lines! I was knocking out states like Mike Tyson!
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