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The Major’s Weekend Blast-Off

WEEKEND GRAB BAG O’ THOUGHT:
Another weekend has arrived, and I’m so looking forward to this one. I haven’t had a normal weekend since the middle of June. Two weekends ago I worked all day on a Saturday, and then last weekend I was on vacation over in the Dallas Texas area. I’ll also be on vacation next weekend, so this is like the bit-in-the-middle. It’s my time to relax and do normal things at home – like blog – and prepare for my Sunday morning hosting duty at Life Pointe Church – and go grocery shopping at Publix – and do laundry. I live for the mundane. It’s truly great to be right here in my home sweet Homestead !

BEST LUNCH OF THE WEEK AWARD:
Longhorn Steakhouse – Parmesan Crusted Chicken, Seasoned French Fries, Mashed Potatoes, Bread, Coke. I dig.

15 WEEKEND MINI THOUGHTS:
– It’s still hot, humid, and dry here in South Florida while Texas is drenched.
– In a normal year it’s the other way around – a dry Texas and a wet Florida.
– Does everyone remember our record-shattering frigid cold winter season ?
– I just received the first of my two home insurance premiums.
– This one covers everything except for damage caused by wind.
– The premium for 12 months of coverage increased by over 16% from last year.
– That seems a bit steep for an annual increase, but it could be much worse.
– Next Thursday I embark on yet another vacation.
– I’ll be driving 600 miles in a single shot until I arrive at my destination.
– I’ll be at an undisclosed location in the northwest part of Florida.
– It’s very peaceful and quiet there.
– Internet connectivity will be extremely limited.
– There will be no new blog posts from me next weekend.
– I’ll be lucky to get out an occasional tweet.
– When I return from this short trip I have no plans to go anywhere until Sept.

THOSE CRAZY CRAZY CATS:

BLATANT PROMOTION:
Tomorrow on the ‘Retro’ I’m going back deep into my early childhood – all the way back to when I was 4-years-old during the Summer of 1971. Then on Sunday it’s a fresh new ‘My Fantastic Journey: It’s In The Lyrics’. Be sure to check out those two new blog posts during this weekend. During the week when I’m not blogging I’m tweeting, so follow me if you wish at majorhitwaves. Have a great weekend my friends. Make it memorable. Be safe.

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Animals Blogging Driving Food Holidays Humor Travel Weather

The Major’s Weekend Blast-Off

WEEKEND GRAB BAG O’ THOUGHT:
It’s Friday July 02ND, and it’s the long extended 4TH Of July holiday weekend here in the U.S.A. Go out and make it an enjoyable one, but always play it safe in everything that you do. I’m 1,400+ miles away from home within the vast northeastern suburbia of Dallas Texas. I’m here visiting my little brother, his lovely wife, their adorable 10-week-old daughter (my niece), their old dog, our parents, and later on this weekend our favourite Aunt and Uncle who I haven’t seen in about 7 years. It’s my 2ND visit here in exactly 7 weeks. When I return back home again I’ll be less than 10 days away from my next big weekend vacation getaway. I’ll have more on that next weekend on the ‘Blast-Off”.

BEST LUNCH OF THE WEEK AWARD:
Longhorn Steakhouse – 12-ounce (NOT 12-inch) Renegade Top Sirloin, Loaded Baked Potato, Bread, Coke.

15 WEEKEND MINI THOUGHTS:
– My American Airlines flight from Miami to Dallas was rather uneventful.
– Due to severe weather in Central FL we took an unusual route out of Miami.
– We traced the entire Florida Keys from Key Biscayne to past Key West !
– We essentially flew directly over the Homestead area.
– I waved down at all of my friends back home and on Key Largo and Tavernier.
– I even saw Dry Tortugas National Park and Fort Jefferson from way up there.
– We crossed right over the middle of the Gulf Of Mexico into Louisiana.
– The entire trek from north of the Keys into Texas was above layers of clouds.
– It was the leftover counter-clockwise circulation of former Hurricane Alex.
– This afternoon the remnant moisture of Alex has turned Texas into the tropics.
– We’re getting occasional showers this afternoon here in Northeast Texas.
– Everything is lush and green here, as it’s been a rather wet month here.
– Meanwhile the grass is dying and becoming crunchy back home in Homestead.
– Today for Lunch we picked up fast food from Sonic.
– It was pretty good, and maybe by Christmas our Homestead Sonic will be open.

THOSE CRAZY CRAZY CATS:

BLATANT PROMOTION:
TOMORROW on the blog we’ll celebrate America’s Birthday with a classic jam that’s all about “America”. It’s from an American music legend who is still gettin’ it done today. Catch it right here on my ‘Saturday Night Retro’. Then on Sunday on an all-new ‘My Fantastic Journey’ I’ll tell you what freedom means to me on this 4TH Of July. It’s all right here this weekend. Go forth and enjoy your weekend, and check back here later on. You won’t regret it pal.

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Blogging Career Driving Food History Holidays Life Music Philosophy Shopping Travel Weather

The Major’s Weekend Blast-Off

PREFACE:
It’s the dawn of a brand new weekly series here on my personal web log. Following in the storied tradition of the surprisingly successful and long-running ‘Friday Night Blogroll Review’ (81 editions) and ‘The Major’s Friday Night Disco Party’ (36 editions) I proudly present to you my newest creation – the sensational summer series debut of ‘The Major’s Weekend Blast-Off’. This fresh new weekly series brings blogging back to Fridays – where it belongs. It also serves as the de facto replacement series for two now defunct weekly series – ‘Tuesday Night Grab Bag O’ Thoughts’ and ‘Thursday Night Mini Thoughts’. I’ve ended the run of both series after a combined 200+ weekly editions dating back to this blog’s infancy in 2007.

THE FORTUNE COOKIE MESSAGE OF THE WEEK CLUB:
“The best angle from which to approach any problem is the TRYangle.”

BEST LUNCH OF THE WEEK AWARD:
Red Lobster – Caesar Salad, Cheddar Bay Biscuits (4 of them), Wood-Fire Grilled Grouper, Mashed Potatoes, Fresh Broccoli, Sprite

15 WEEKEND MINI THOUGHTS:
– It may be Friday night, but it’s NOT the end of the work week for me.
– I actually have to work tomorrow for much of the day.
– I took the morning off today, and I got my car serviced at Firestone.
– They did the oil and filter change, tire rotation, wheel alignment, and A.C.
– I was in and out in just about two hours flat.
– After that I ventured up to Target in the Cutler Bay area.
– I went on a spontaneous shopping spree.
– Target is my favourite place to buy clothes.
– Tomorrow is actually the 7TH anniversary of the purchase of my current car.
– It’s my 2ND longest-owned car.
– I drove a 1989 Geo Spectrum for over 8 years before I bought my first Saturn.
– Next weekend I’ll be hanging out in Texas with my family.
– That’s become an annual 4TH Of July Weekend tradition.
– I’ll be prepping for 100°F heat next weekend.
– But it’s a dry heat (compared to South Florida anyway).

BLATANT PROMOTION:
TOMORROW on the ‘Retro’ I’ll be remembering the first rock concert that I ever attended in my life. It was exactly 24 years ago this weekend in London England. Coming up in 5 weeks on the ‘Retro’ it’s the ‘Awesome ’80s In August HI-NRG Dance Party’ – a month-long celebration of the decade that was. Be sure not to miss that my friends. You won’t regret it pal !

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History Life Music People Radio Travel Weather

Tuesday Night Grab Bag O’ Thoughts

This week on the ‘Grab Bag’ I’ve got something old – something new – nothing borrowed – and something blue. It’s all for you – on this Tuesday night !

Old School – I’m currently experiencing a major 1970s hit music revival. I’m not really talking about the classic rock of the decade or even the disco revolution of the last few years of the decade. I’m talking about those cheesy pop nuggets – those moldie goldie oldies on 45 RPM vinyl. The songs that even sounded good amongst the AM radio static. I’m talking about great tracks from such forgotten artists as Hamilton, Joe Frank, & Reynolds, Albert Hammond, Gilbert O’Sullivan, Climax, Reunion, Andy Kim, Neil Sedaka, Electric Light Orchestra, Dr. Hook, Andrew Gold, Jay Ferguson, and countless others. One of my iPod Shuffles is currently being stocked with a bunch of these timeless classics from yesteryear when my life as a 2-year-old to a 12-year-old kid was so much more simpler. Long live the cheese from my youth !

New England – Next week at this time I’ll be in New England for the first time ever. In my 43 years of life I’ve never been further east than Pennsylvania and New York along the eastern seaboard although I’ve lived on the east coast for 39 out of my 43 years. Next Monday I can claim two new states that I’ll be setting foot in for the first time – Connecticut and Massachusetts. I was actually wondering if my destination next week would be the furthest north that I’ve ever been in North America. The answer is NO. I’ve been to Syracuse (43.1° north latitude), Milwaukee (43.1°), and Detroit (42.3°). All three of these cities are a little further north than Chicopee Massachusetts (42.2°). I’ve also been to Chicago (41.8°) and Cleveland (41.5°) – a little further south. Incidentally Syracuse was where I spent a few freezing cold and snowy days and nights before heading off to war in the Saudi Arabian desert at the start of 1991.

Blue Seas – I’m now just 89 days away from embarking on my next Carnival cruise – and my first as a Platinum V.I.P. cruiser. It’ll be my 10TH cruise with Carnival (since 1999), so I’ll get all of the perks that go along with such a status. It’s expected to be an extremely active hurricane season, and my cruise is scheduled for the absolute peak of the season – the week of Labor Day. Cruises rarely get cancelled because of hurricanes, but could my cruise be out on the high seas at the same exact time as a Hurricane Igor or a Hurricane Julia or a Hurricane Karl ?  Those are the ‘I’, ‘J’, and ‘K’ named storms that could be out there during that second week of September this year. Igor and Karl simply sound vicious. Julia – not so much. I’m hoping for a lull in the hurricane season while I’m out there during that week. I’m hoping for peaceful and quiet blue seas.