Our Silver (25) Anniversary at the Comedy Club

I think this is that first wedding anniversary where people have large parties to celebrate.   This is that wedding anniversary that as kids you look at your parents and can't believe they put up with each other for this long, and you can't believe how old they are now.   Yet, when you are a part of that couple, you realize that you are old, and you are thankful that the pretty lady beside you has put up with you for 25 years.   

And NO, the comedy club stardome was not my first idea to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.   It began last year with a grand plan to take Magan to Niagara Falls, a place I know she has always wanted to go, but she did not want to go with just us, but with the whole family, even with the sweet girl Noel that Sam was starting to be serious with.   Well, that plan fell through when the serious part became a wedding this year.   

So, next came a plan to go to Nashville, which is old faithful for me and Magan, but that plan fell through as we choose to save for a potential trip in 2027.   So what did that leave us with...well actually nothing...but then I saw Dustin Nickerson tickets for only $13/each on a flash sale.   You did have to order food there, but that was a given anyway on a dinner date, so I texted Magan to see if she was free, and since she is still going out with me, she said yes.   

I had seen some reels of Dustin Nickerson, and he seemed like our line of comedian.   Clean, middle aged, and drives a mini-van...sounds like my type of guy.   So we arrived early, as it is really the only way that makes me comfortable anymore.   At that point, we waited at the bar area, and Magan placed use over by a door to get out of everyone's way.   Which ended up being a perfect place, because we they opened the doors, we were the first ones to be seated.   And even with $13 tickets, we sat front row at the stage.   Fortunately Dustin is not the type to pick on the fans, so we were able to just look up at him during the show cracking up all all the jokes.   

His opener was a guy named Nathan Owens, who was a home school kid, and had some pretty good jokes that went with that theme.   Some of you guys like going home to visit your family, but when I do, I am also visiting my junior high school and all my teachers.   Also had a bit about using his grandma's bench seat in the shower, which ended with him stealing it and riding it like a horse at his house. Nathan Owens (https://www.nathanowenscomedy.com/) is a stand up comedian from Atlanta and has traveled throughout the United States, Ireland, and the UK spreading his own brand of awkward funny. Proud to be born in West Virginia and raised in Georgia Nathan brings his own stories and unique observations to the stage. You can checkout his debut album Name Brand Human and watch the special on youtube now plus his latest drop Possum Daddy on youtube and wherever you listen to comedy!  Nathan has opened for Dustin Nickerson, Brian Bates, Aaron Weber, Matt Braunger, Katherine Blandford, and many more! 

Dustin Nickerson came out to a relatively small crowd of about 100 people, and quickly noted that and shared that we were going to be more like a large group.   He shared his viral hit about Looney Tunes characters and all of their "issues", a funny bit about his daughter having friends over (like a band of demons), fights with his wife, and warnings for all of us to be careful letting the "Boomer Tumer" loose on these young kids and their electric bikes.  I liked one joke he said about his generation working for gender equality in the workplace, only for this current generation to state that there was no gender and no workplace.   

Dustin (https://www.dustinnickerson.com/) is a Seattle native now suffering in Southern California, Dustin Nickerson is an in demand comic on the rise. In 2020, he released his debut comedy special Overwhelmed which is currently one of the highest rated specials on Amazon Prime Video.  In addition, he’s been featured on Comedy Central and Netflix by Kevin Hart, the Late Late Show with James Corden, is a regular on After Midnight with Taylor Tomlinson, Fox, Hulu and can regularly be heard on Sirius Radio XM. Online, his stand-up clips and jokes have received tens of millions of views and his podcast, Don’t Make Me Come Back There, has over 3 million downloads.  He’s also the author of How to be Married to Melissa, an Amazon #1 New Release published by Harper Collins in June 2022.  Dustin describes himself as “the world’s most average person” but is far from it when on stage. He brings you into his life through his jokes about the struggles of parenting, marriage, and being generally annoyed by most people.  At 40 years old, Dustin has been married for 20 years and has three kids. This helps makes Dustin truly one of the most unique voices in the comedy scene.

After the show, we hung around to get a picture with both Nathan and Dustin.   I am glad he stopped in Birmingham, as he had 4 sold out shows in Atlanta over the weekend.   But always an opportunity to work on new stuff.   My first question to Nathan was if he worked at Hobby Lobby or Chick-Fil-A, and he was of course a CFA home schooler..."They will hire you at 14".   And Magan shared with Dustin about us missing our trip to Nashville to be with him.   And I let him know we were double minivan drivers.   Seemed like a nice guy, but the line was long, so we got the picture and kept moving.   I did get him to sign "Happy 25th" in the book we purchased, so we have a memory.   

We made the required stop at Krispey Kreme on the way home, bringing some donuts to the kids.   Sweet Ruby did the streamers for our 25, and wrote us the most special card.   So maybe we will still be around in another 25, only time will tell.   It feels like it is serious between Magan and me, so we make look to make it another 25 together.   May of 1998 we shared our first kiss after a romantic dinner at Denny's.   And even tho I am older, I am tireder, and I am slowly falling apart, I am glad she is still there by my side.   The goal has never changed...make her smile, and all will be right in the world.   

Chelsea High School Choir Spring Concert

Belle had her end of the year Spring Choir concert at the North Shelby Baptist church.   And luckily I remembered flowers, actually picking up 3 bags of flowers, which worked well to share with Linley and Mrs. B.   Anabelle did not have any solos in this performance, but we heard again how wonderful they all sounded together in a group.   Mrs. B did fantastic this year, as I was quite impressed with all of the choir groups.   I will just say some of the previous years groups might not have sounded very well at all.   Bless their heart.   

The main son I remember them doing was Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars, and while really fun, I just kept thinking that that might not fly as a Sunday morning song.   I did ask one of the pastors what he thought about that song on Sunday morning, he said no way, they would have to wait till Sunday Evening.   :)   Belle did get a reading section, and of course she did great with that.   I know I heard some of those crazy Sarah Beth high notes.   And there was a Ritchie moment, which is always...interesting.   

Sam's Birthday Happens Again!

Birthday parties used to be filled with elaborate planning and family and friends coming to a cool location like Chuck E Cheese, or McWane, or a Barons Baseball game, but now it is just planning a couple of hours at a Cracker Barrel with Sam on his way up to Cullman.   We found a good location in the middle for all of us in Pelham, and even had Davis come through on his way back from Tuscaloosa.   I think everyone had a good meal, and Sam liked all of his presents, which included a couple of Brandon Sanderson gifts I picked out, which is unusual...for me to pick out anything.   

The Bundt Cake dessert was amazing, but left me not feeling well for the remainder of this short get together.   I will share an embarrassing story that had me in the bathroom with a sick stomach, and looking over to see wheels rolling up and trying the stall door.   I then realized in my hurry to get to an immediate relief area, I grabbed the first one in, and the larger handicap one.   Oh No!   I quickly took care of the paperwork and came out of the stall to find no one waiting.  So I felt a bit of relief until I walked out the restroom door directly into the gentleman sitting and waiting for the restroom.   I quickly said "Man, that guy in there is a jerk, he is still in there" and walked past quickly.   

Oh well...what is this blog about again...Oh Yeah, Happy Birthday Sam!   I guess we could now go get us a CoBeer, but that might be frowned upon, and I have a feeling we would both be disappointed.   Your goodness and kindness is amazing to see as a Dad.   I know you will be an awesome husband, thankfully because your patience matches your momma better than mine.   I wish we had more time together, but I will always cherish the time we do have.   Thank you for always giving me the big hugs.   

AHG Court of Awards Graduation Ceremony

It is always bitter sweet to end an American Heritage Girl year, but this one came to an end with another award ceremony.   Both Ruby and Belle both earned the Silver Presidential Award, with 60 and 70 service hours respectively.   But perhaps in a cost cutting initiative, Trump is not signing these things, so they made it the AHG troop presidential awards instead.   

I was proud of all my girls on this day.   Anabelle helped lead some of the ceremony, and was at the table when Ruby "crossed over" the bridge into the last level of AHG...The PiPa group.   Anabelle was able to put the sash on Ruby.   Crazy to think Belle has only 2 years left, but also that Ruby has her sights on the highest rank of Stars and Stripes.   And while Magan was not the troop leader this year, she was the troop shepherd, and led the girls on all of the spiritual rank requirements this year.   Mom closed out the meeting in prayer, and we celebrated with some cookies and juice boxes.