Sometimes you just gotta say "what the heck"

Yes I know it has been a few weeks since I last wrote here in my ultra secret personal diary of a madman but it's not like I haven't had things to do, places to go, people to say. Actually, in all honesty I haven't had people to do, things to say and places to go and I have known what I have wanted to write here in my ultra secret personal diary but I just haven't done it. Sometimes life is like that, and sometimes you just gotta say "what the heck".

So my buddy Tdom (with the silent and ineffective 'd' - I do love that joke) was talking to me the other week about not attending an event in Starbucksville as the flight back meant he might be late or miss the end of year company shindig. The event in Starbucksville was actually a pretty big deal, well at least it seemed like it to me. I cannot recall exactly what it was called but essentially it involved underwater people carriers with big nasty fireworks and the last time his brother would be commanding said underwater people carrier with big nasty fireworks. His presence had been requested but he was on the fence about the trip. Once he had told me of his dilemma I gave some insightful advice. I am pretty sure it was along the lines of "Are you fucking kidding me, book the tickets now you moron" - although it might have been less subtle. My gentle coaxing pushed him in the only sensible direction, so after firing me (just kidding - he wanted to but I am too damn sexy to be fired.....again) he booked his ticket and next week he is off to Starbucksville to attend an event that is a once in a lifetime happening and well worth the credit card payments.

I recently had a "what the heck" trip with Turtle and Monkey to DeepDishPizzaTown where we were joined by Mike the Cop (code for my kids and Mike the Cop). I had known for a while we would be going as there was a game of rugby going to be played at Soldier Field and although I had missed the game a couple of years before when the All Blacks destroyed the USA Eagles (not the Cheesesteak town ones) I was not going to miss the All Blacks vs the Fighty Drunks. We just happened to land the night that the Cubs won the World Series of Rounders and the Monkey and I caught the end of the game (after some awesome food at Devil Dawgs - go there if you get the chance). 108 years of pent up losing was released that night, horns were honking, people were cheering, fireworks were going off (we presumed they were fireworks) and we just happened to be there. The next day we wandered around town, bought the T-Shirts, had lunch at the Billy Goat Tavern (where they bought out a real billy goat which was also cool - tastes like lamb by the way) and tried to see Canada. Friday was even more interesting - not sure how many of y'all have been in a crowd of 5 million people but we were. That is a lot of humanity to say the least. The kids got to meet King Richie and some other All Blacks then that night off to watch the Maori All Blacks play the USA Eagles and the arrival of Mike The Cop. Saturday was game day, the mighty All Blacks v the Fighty Drunks who had not beaten them in 111 years. 62,000 people at Soldier Field, my first live All Black game in over 20 years at a guess and of course the boys in black made even more history that day - they got beaten (I was going to say they lost, but in reality they got beaten - there is a difference). But what a game, what a crowd, what an amazing event. It can never happen again and we were there because I said "what the heck" - because sometimes you just need to.

There are times in life where we are at a quandary as to what we should do and "what the heck" needs to be used in an intelligent and balanced way - it's not like I am suggesting that testing to see if your car will do what the speedo says it will do on a back country road is a "what the heck" moment because that is not intelligent and balanced but sometimes you need to look at the situation and just go for it. You might need to get some external input like Tdom did or you might not, but either way you need to know that a good "what the heck" decision can lead to some lifetime memories and seldom results in regret - the regret is usually from not taking the chance.

As always this misinformed and completely unresearched letter jumble cannot be used in any way as legal defence for your actions, but may be credited if you do something awesome. The opinions contained here are purely mine however you may borrow them as long as you promise to put them back. Access to this ultra secret personal diary is limited to anyone who reads it and the contents cannot be used against me in any way as that would just be mean :) People presuming I would say "what the fuck" instead of "what the heck" are most likely people that know me.

I am now about to slide around my house in socks, jocks and a business shirt. 


Work hard, play hard and earn your inspiration.

Happy Poets Day