Another year gone, and what a year it has been. Ups and downs. Good times and bad. Trying to sit here and re-cap all of the things I have learned / experienced this year would be near impossible for me to do. 

I graduated college. I came to terms with my CP.  I moved to Vegas. These are just some of the things that have defined 2011 for me. There were certainly more moments that should be mentioned here, but there would be too many to list. They always say that a new year brings a fresh start, a clean slate, a chance to make this upcoming year better then the one before it. I plan to do that. Sprinkled in with all of these good moments were also those that had a strong impact on my life. Most notably the time period in February when my life seemed to be in pieces. I felt as though I was going to lose everything. When something like that happens it forces you to take a look at yourself and make some changes. We all have those life changing moments that we either take advantage of, or we let them slip away. I’d like to think that I was able to take advantage of those chances to better myself this year. Even now, there are still some things that I need to work on, but overall 2011 was a year of positive change, moving forward and growing up. 

I am not perfect. I never have been. There are moments this year that I wish I could take back. That I wish I could go back and handle differently. Even as recently as yesterday. We all have moments where we lose sight of things for just a second, only to have to be told “Hey, everything is alright”. We get clouded with our own thoughts and forget just how good things really are. It happens. We’re human. I know that I’ve done some things that were childish. I know that I have made situations more difficult for certain people in my life. I know that there have been moments where I have acted out of jealousy. All I can say, for all of those moments however few or many there were this year, is I am sorry. I never meant for those moments to get in the way of us. To let those moments cast doubt. To have those moments cause sadness and pain. Through all of those moments you stood by me, we stood by each other and here we are going into 2012 together. I know this year has not been perfect, but I promise to make the best of this upcoming year and hopefully grow closer and learn new things about each other and continue to build our lives together. I know I say this a lot, but I love you. Thank you for being in my life. Thank you for everything you have given me and taught me this year. 

Happy New Year to all. They say 2012 is the end of the world. If that is the case, I say lets go out with a bang. 

It’s been a few weeks since my last review. (of an actual beer that is.) In my last, special edition of TBB, I tried (and still regret to this day) Cucumber Lime flavored Gatorade. Lets just say that will never be happening again. For tonights review I found something pretty unique. A local Nevada brewing company who, as of right now, has a very small but devoted following and has put out some interesting brews. Joseph James Brewing Company is a small brewery in southern Nevada specializing in small batch craft beers and even their own brew of root beer and cola. I was interested to try their “HopBox Imperial IPA” for a few reasons. 1) I had never heard of JJBC and thought to give a local brewery a try. 2) I’m a fan of dark hoppy beers and this seemed like it could be pretty tasty. — Lets see how this one turns out….

Beer: HopBox Imperial IPA

Brewery: Joseph James Brewing Company

Thoughts:

There is a lot of citrus in here. It has a very sweet flavor to it. It is very crisp. I thought that it was going to be a lot darker and heavier then it turned out to be. The finish is strange to me. Initially the aftertaste is not very good, but as it dissipates there is some kind of orange taste that comes in and makes it pretty good. It is more refreshing then most IPAs I have had in the past. Not to say that the other beers were not refreshing, but there is a lightness and a crispness to this that reminds me of drinking a really cold beer on a very hot summer day. It is very enjoyable. Im not that big of a fan of sweet beers, but this one is very good. I am interested to see what the other beers this company has to offer.  

For the last several years, Penn + Teller have organized a blood drive in the area to help out the community. Liz and I get wind of this and decide it would be cool to support their cause and help some people out, so we get ourselves to the blood center. Now, I am not a big fan of needles. I have had them around all my life with all the surgeries and such, but I don’t like them. Be that as it may, we get there and sign in, get the “pre-screen” interview and paperwork done and then we get called back. Liz goes in first, and I get called a few moments later. I get into the room and there she is, sitting in the chair getting her arm cleaned and her veins checked. I sit down with my Gatorade and get ready for the stab. The staffer that was there to hook me up and “stick me” went to fill out my paperwork. While this was going on, Liz was hooked up and the blood was flowing. I look over to make sure she is ok, and then realize that I am not so comfortable. Needles. Ick. So I drink some Gatorade. They check my veins and wrap my arm. At this moment Liz starts to feel funky. I look over to make sure shes ok, shes very pale and needs some water. Now I’m a bit nervous and start to feel dizzy. I grab the Gatorade to hydrate myself. Next thing I know, the Gatorade is on my lap, literally, and I had passed out. Before the needle came anywhere near my arm. Needless to say, I declined to donate. After I came to and started to relax, I look back over at Liz who is still pale, and the next thing I know, shes got her head in a bag and is throwing up. It was at this point I look down and realize I’m sitting in a puddle of spilled Gatorade. Of course, the spill pattern looks exactly like if one were to piss themselves, so there I was, ice-packs on my head looking like I just pee’d myself, while my girlfriend was throwing up while giving blood. — Let me tell ya, we sure know how to have fun at a blood drive. In summary, I passed out before the needle even touched me, Liz threw up and because I dropped the Gatorade on myself, I left the blood center looking as if I have pee’d my pants. At least Liz managed to actually donate blood. 

Now I know that this is not a beer review. I understand that. But the idea was brought to me by one, Mike Olsen and I couldn’t pass this up. I have never even heard of ‘Lime Cucumber’ Gatorade until about a month ago. I have heard some weird flavors of things before, but never something like this. In the words of Kel… Awwww here it goes.

So… It smells like a salad. This is really strange. I can not get past this. It is almost making it impossible to take the first sip. Holy craaaaaaaap. Lime…Lime….and BAM, cucumber. This is the weirdest tasting drink I have ever experienced. I can’t even describe it any other way. This will be the shortest review ever. This reminds me of the time that my roommate Rob and I tried this Magic Hat special brew that looked and smelled like vomit apples. Wow, ok. Im done. Avoid this. 

A magician goes into a library…. 

I will never forget that day…

I should have known something was wrong when I got home from school. I was already all mixed up with emotions. My grandfather had died just one day earlier and I had no real grasp as to what was even going on at that moment. I had gone to school that day, trying to make it though the day knowing that I had to go back to the funeral home that night and sit there with my family as we all cried together, not knowing what to do next. My mom was acting really funny on the phone that afternoon. She kept asking me if I was ok. More so than usual. Like after every sentences. Even though I was telling her that despite what was going on in my life right then, I actually managed to have a good day at school. Something seemed off with what she was saying to me. I attributed it to everything happening around me. So I let it go. Thinking back on it, I should have asked her flat out what was wrong. I doubt that would have made any difference though. So I went about my afternoon. Getting my clothes ready for the wake. Making sure my brother was all set and waiting for my dad’s partner to come get us. He showed up and we started walking out of the house….

I will never forget hearing the phone ring as I walked out the door. Part of me wanted to keep going and get in the car. But I did turn around. I did go back inside. I did answer the phone…

Corey… You there? 

Yeah man, look, I can’t talk right now. I’m on my way out to my grandfathers wa….

Dude…. I gotta tell you something. It’s really important. 

Man, I really gotta go…. Are you ok? You sound terrible my dude.

He loved you man…. He really did.

What the hell are you talking about? You’re freaking me out….

Scotty died. He’s gone. 

Dude, don’t even kid like that son. Shut up. 

I’m serious man. Diana called me this afternoon. He’s gone…

Shit. You’re not kidding are you? 

Naa kid…

…..I gotta go. I’ll call you later. Love you man. Just hold on….

I don’t even remember the next five minuets. I think I sat down at the kitchen table. Joe asked me if I was ok. All I could muster was “My friend Scott… he…..he’s dead.” I called my mom and tried to talk to her. As soon as she heard my voice she hung up the phone and within what seemed like moments, she was inside the house. I couldn’t hold it in anymore and I just cried for hours. My whole world was shattered. The funeral service was one of the worst days of my life. Seeing some of the strongest people I have ever met in my life, sitting together, crying. It was such a painful sight. I remember clearly seeing my camp director David standing in doorway of the church and all I could do was fall into his arms and cry. I had no energy left after that day and I was numb for weeks. 

I should have called him more. I should have visited more. There are so many thing I wish I could have done. Though none of them would have stopped this from happening. But here is what I do know…

Scott Pollock was the most inspirational person I have ever met in my entire life. He set an example for everyone who thought about giving up. For everyone who thinks that their disability can control them. For everyone who thinks they can’t do it. For everyone who has ever been though shit in their lives. He taught us all to rise above it. To take control and show the world, we are proud of who we are and what makes us different from everyone else. We can do anything. No matter what the situation. No matter what the obstacle. Failure is not an option. 

So today, 6 years removed from the day that changed our lives forever, we remember you Scott. Bubba. Brother. Dude. Homie. Friend. Son. Cousin. Nephew. You are forever in our hearts and lives. You are apart of who we are. You motivate more people then you could ever imagine. You changed part of the world. I love you. I miss for you. Rest easy my brother. OBs for life. 

RIP Scott ‘Bubba’ Pollock

11.7.89 — 12.13.05

(Source: nevver)