A look back on 2012

So, I guess I'm still alive...I guess the mayans were wrong about the whole end of the world and another christmas has come and gone... As I get older I'm tending to somewhat despise Christmas, not because I don't mine spending time with family and friends, but with all the commercialism, material wanting and just plain selfishness it just seems more for the kids and less for the adults.

Also as the holidays are coming to an end it is time to look back at this past year.   First, my mom got remarried in march.  Ernie is a great guy and has nothing but treated her with the utmost respect for her.  She seems very happy.   I took a lot of trips this year....Las Vegas to see the grand canyon, St. Louis for the second time ( I took my cousin jeff with me). Finally, crossed something off my bucket list as I went to Cooperstown, NY to the baseball hall of fame as well as Niagara Falls on the canadian side.   We had the all star game in Kansas city as well as the all star fanfest in which I was a volunteer for three days...an awesome experience in which I treasure.

We had an election that I didn't like the results, a school shooting that was tragic, a hurricane that smacked the east coast, a summer Olympics that was impressive for Michael Phelps and we all decided to go gangham style with psy.

So, merry christmas and a happy new year for 2013

sincerely,
tim crippen

Election day hangover and recent trip

Okay, I'm going to get this over with once and for all.  I was not happy with the results of this past election.  Not that I was romney fan by any stretch of the imagination, but the man who is in the office right now is literally destroying this country.   Whether it is on purpose or he's just naive....these next four years are going to be horrible.   First, our debt right now is around 16 trillion. Not million, billion ....trillion!!!   After these four years it will be around somewhere between 20-21 trillion.  Stock market might hit around 3,000-4,000 within next three years making your 401k turning into 201k. Also, obama wants to reduce our missile defense to nearly zero.  Fact. when he took office there was around 10,000 missiles...today there is around 1,500...A missile free defenseless U.S. in a post 9-11 world....this is insanity times ten.  I don't understand why people reelected this man.  Unemployment around 8%, cutting dept. of defense jobs, apologizing to every foreign country for our wrong doing and telling businesses that qoute "you didn't built that and that somebody help you."  To which I would reply bull$&!#.   As I joke, I thought the most appropriate song after the election was REM- End of the World.  Now, I will also criticize the republican party for putting another moderate as their candidate for the second consecutive presidential election.  First it was McCain and now recently Romney.  I hear the news pundits saying that republicans need to change their ways by catering to this group or that group.  I only partially agree with those statements. What they need to do address the issues to all Americans and not catered to some hyphen American (ex. Asian American).  We need another Reagan, but in this day in age it's hard to find another one like him.  Also, put a conservative next time around ....a true conservative in what he says and does, not a lapdog to democrats.  I hope the people who voted for obama twice will finally have their eyes open at the end of this term.   One more thing, if people think that obama is like santa claus giving things away...well after the first term you would be right, but there will be a price to pay.






I had finally crossed something off my bucket list...I took a trip to the baseball hall of fame in cooperstown, ny.

Here I am pointing to the george brett plaque

I also made trip to falls of niagara...stayed on canadian side...breathtaking

 

Signed tim what a wow week Crippen

Inflation hits even Aldi's

This morning,  I make my morning grocery run to Aldi's to pick up a few items.  I mostly go there for the lower prices, but this morning I notice something.   For years Aldi's has had their milk for a gallon at $1.99.  What a bargain right then this morning it was at $2.99.....of course other items in the grocery stores have gone up to like orange juice in big jugs for $6 or $7.  Another one, is nuts it use to be around $2.50 now it's like around 6 dollars for a can.   Wow, inflation is terrible ...I guess a dollar just doesn't buy what it use too.   I guess a better buy some gold.

Signed
Tim "uggghh" Crippen

Meet me at st. louis

Eleven years ago, I made the trip to St. louis after my NYC plans got changed.  This past labor day weekend, I came back for my second time into the city.  Here is a pic of our hotel window view

This time on the trip I brought my cousin Jeffrey with me....he actually made the trip exciting and enjoyable.  We definitely enjoy our time

 

The newest attraction to go to is city museum.  Best way to describe this place is like Willie Wonka meets a junkyard.  I climbed, walked and even slid down a ten story slide....yes you heard right a ten story slide...here's proof

Of course no trip to st. louis is complete without going to a cardinals game and tour of the budweiser campus

 

Overall, the trip was great and for $48 a night at the Hyatt next to the arch I couldn't complain other than we had to pay $20 a day for overnight parking...man what a ripoff.

missouri state fair 2012

Well it's that time of year again when state fairs get underway....I decided to get out of the house for the weekend and go the missouri state fair in sedelia, mo.  I have'nt been to the missouri state fair since I was teenager.  Stayed at the days inn at concordia, mo.   It was an all right motel...the complimentary breakfast was skimpy, they had a nice pool and jacuzzi, they had satelite, but they had no espn, usa, tnt, tbs or comedy central. They had all the free over air networks and five HBO channels really strange place.  Saw Larry the cable guy and laugh my freaking butt off...he definitely isn't politically correct. Anyway, here are some pics enjoy.

All Star Fanfest 2012

Two years ago when Kansas City was announce to have the all star game....I was so excited...my team, my city was going to host this big event.  It just made me want pump up my chest a little bit and say yeah. Now, the game, homerun derby and the all star fanfest have come and gone, but the lifetime memories will stay with me till the day I died. I still wanted to be a part of this event for a couple reasons....One, I needed something to enhance my resume if I wanted to be a part of the sports industry and two I like getting autographs from ballplayers.  Enter being a volunteer at the All Star Fanfest.   Wow for three days I was eithier being a volunteer or I was getting to act like that 10-year old boy that once was.   The fact that I love baseball really help me at ease to interact with people and just really let me enjoy this time even for just three days. Here are just some of interesting pics of the big event.

Welcome to Las Vegas

Back in january, Tim sparks and I decided to make some time to go out to fabulous Las Vegas.   Some people go out for the gambling....Me, I went there for three things to go see the Grand Canyon, to see some shows and to see what the big deal is about this city since I have never been here before.
First, let's just say before you even land you notice the strip right away.  You see how big the hotels are and all you can say is wow.  I took the rental car and headed straight for the hotel. Stayed at the Excalibur (the pic above was our room view at night)

the hoover dam

                                                     the grand canyon at mather point

the canyon is this wide

Saw Carlos Santana...great show

Other things I saw was the tournament of kings dinner show...kind of like medivel times only without Jim Carrey and Mathew broderick (cable guy reference)

The weather was great out there, but don't stay in Vegas too long otherwise it will drive you nuts. Break it up by going to the grand canyon or somewhere outside of the city...you'll enjoy your stay a little better.  Overall, had great time and if you want to know more...you can respond to this post. After all what happens in Vegas...stays in Vegas.

Signed Tim

"no longer a vegas virgin"

Crippen

PS: After a little bit of thinking I decided not to sell my collection.

To Sell or Not to sell

i

When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.....1 Corinthians 13:11.

This week I've been really debating myself on whether or not to sell my entire sports card collection.   I've been collecting off and on since 1985 and the pictures that you see is just a portion of the collection (I put the good ones up just to show off).....It's not that I couldn't use the money, but this has always been a hobby of mind and lately I've been doing the coin collection with the national parks quarters. So,anybody right now who reads this pray that I will make the wise decision.

Diamond club suites

Last night, I want to thank some people for making last night's game great...for the people who I invited Ernie, Mateo and Barrett for the good laughs we had at game.  For our server Whitney (pictured above) who treated all us with great respect and brought our food and drinks.  For Jan Lacey Hodges in sales at work who gave me tickets even though she didn't have too....and most importantly thank you to GM of Aramark (I believe his name is Jeff) for allowing us sit in his seats for one night.  It was an awesome experience.

March madness 2012

Looks like it's that time of year again when college basketball crazy fans get ready for the three weeks in what is called march madness....I've study the team brackets, regions where the team is playing, wins and losses and most importantly defense. So, without further ado here are my final four picks for this year......Kentucky, kansas, Vanderbilt, and marquette with Kentucky winning it all.

one more thing....I'm starting to not like going to the dentist....at the end of this month this will be my fourth time in two months. With the money, I have spent going to see him...I could have taken a weekend trip to phoenix for spring training...oh well it beats having dentures.

Signed
Tim "ready for the maddness to begin" Crippen

Why I never talk about past girlfriends on this blog until now

With Valentine's day just around the corner it's time to come clean.....I looked back on some previous February posts and none of them mention love except in a tongue and cheek way (See Jane Seymour post on Feb. 2008). In fact, I never talk about my girlfriends in the past at all....why is that? Let's start with the beginning....I never had a girlfriend until my first year in college....Oh sure, I had plenty of crushes in high school, but none them really develop into serious relationship.....in fact in high school I never even went to prom my senior year...pathetic yeah I know. Most of my past girlfriend experiences were actually pretty good, but as you date for some reason either you or your partner seemed to fizzle out. There were others that I had missed on opportunities and some you would just like to forget. I don't mention the names because of two reasons....One out of just respect...two it's in the past and you just can't change that. Love is a two way street and it only works when both people are on the same page, but i would also say that if your relationship with Christ isn't connecting vertically then all the other parts of your life won't be functioning either.

Signed
Tim "trying to open up" Crippen

Pay it forward and it will pay you back

I always believe that if you do good things for people without expecting something in return....it will be forwarded to you later down the road. That was a lesson my dad taught me that I still use today. Last summer, I was coming back from band practice in church and I stop by a gas station to fill up. I saw an older woman whose tire went flat on her car and she was so frustrated. Now, I normally would ignore this and would be on my merry way, but something inside my spirit compel me to help this woman. So, I offer to help put her spare tire while taking the old one off. After getting a little dirty from the dust and the grind....I finish my job. The woman offer me money, but I told her to pay it forward to someone else. She asked me if I was a Christian and I said yes I was and I left doing my good deed for today.

Now fast forward to today.....back in September our company is a big sponsor of JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research foundation) and we raise a lot of money through raffles, silent auctions etc. Well, one of the prizes they were raffling off was a chance for three people to take three of their friends to a Kansas City Royals 2012 game along with a parking pass sitting in suite section. I put tickets in but was not one of the three to win the tickets. Well, today a co-worker who I barely know out of the blue gave me her tickets. I asked her why she gave them to me? She said that she had heard that I was Royals fan and that the person she wanted to take would complain the entire time at the game. She felt like she would give it to someone else who would thoroughly enjoy it. I thanked Jan and gave her hug....she didn't have to do it, but I was really appreciative. God works in mysterious ways whether they are great or just in small tokens. There are still good people today.

Signed
Tim "pay it forward" Crippen