My MMA Observations...

So like THOUSANDS of others, I took in Saturday night's Mixed Martial Arts event at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, so I thought I'd share some observations that crossed my mind....

1. Why is Coastal Carolina's basketball team not playing more games in this venue? It's PLENTyYbig enough for the games they'd draw more than the 900-1000 their tiny on-campus gym holds. Seriously.

2. Why was it necessary to INTERVIEW the girl singing the national anthem to get her thoughts on the night's events? Nobody interviews the GRAMMY WINNING ARTISTS who perform the same task at Super Bowls and World Series games... so what, pray tell, was "whatshername" going to say that would enhance the experience?

3. We're here already; tickets have been bought. Therefore, the various meat-heads that got the mic should've realized we didn't need to be sold on this event anymore. Less chatter, more fighting - and in less time, please.

4. I've never seen so many "tools" in one building in my life. Of course, said douche-bags had to impress (who?) by being pulled up in rented stretch Hummers ('cause, you know, we're gonna PRESUME that's how they roll and be completely envious, right?).

5. Is wearing Ed Hardy or 'No Authority' scripted tees all that special when EVERYBODY's doing it? You couldn't swing a dead cat without striking a meat-head wearing one...

6. Overall, I was impressed with the presentation of the event; the giant screen with the two camera feeds showing the live action was REALLY nice for those that sat higher up in the bleachers, but all in all, there wasn't a bad spot in the house to see the beat-downs. The videos between fights, the music and all were pretty first-rate, I thought. I do think 15 bouts on a card is a bit much, especially if you're going to let everybody who had ANYthing to do with staging this event have the mic to blather on further and ask the crowd "are you rady for some fighting, Myrtle Beach?" But all-in-all, I came away impressed.

This winter has sucked, frankly

Yeah, you came to my page looking for entertainment, and what you wind up with is my griping about how my life can sometimes suck. What surprises you more: that the friendly-sounding guy on the radio can actually have some "suck-itude" in his life or that I'm even bringing it up?

Seriously, though; this winter has been awful, hasn't it? Recession hangs onto our wallets like a money-hungry bimbo hangs onto Hugh Heffner's bathrobe/smoking jacket; the weather - when has it ever been THIS cold for THIS long?; my personal life is ridiculously morose, and ya know what, I'm not happy the way my football season went, either.

Alright alright; let me try and look on the BRIGHT SIDE, for a few.

1. While my Georgia Bulldogs and Atlanta Falcons had better expectations than they were able to reach, my fantasy football team, the MURDA BEACH BOMBERS, won its league championship. I manage to play the right guys, bench the right guys, and acquire the right pieces to bring home a fictitious trophy from the "Dirty South Sandlot." Ya know what, don't send me a trophy, anyhow - one less thing to dust. See? That's being optimistic, right?

2. Yes, the weather has been awful cold the last few WEEKS; the good news? We've survived 33 winter days, which means only SIXTY SEVEN more days before the first day of spring! Wait; we're only a THIRD of the way through winter? Crap. Can't put a positive spin on this...

3. So my love life's in shambles; the UPSIDE to this is, I'm not still dating a habitual fibber. Seriously, 2nd date, I asked "do you smoke?" as I gave a hug, where I could CLEARLY smell cigarette smoke embedded in the jacket. I was told 'no,' and a day later got the mea culpa explanation worded something like this:

"so I have a confession to make. When you asked if I smoked, I wasn't completely honest. I do smoke, but only in my car."

If that were the only fib I experienced, I'd have been fine. But there were some DOOZIES that followed; like "I'm working late New Year's Eve" when I inquired about the two of us making some cutesy NYE plans. Stupid ol' romantic me put together a little New Year's Eve "survival kit" and drove it all the way up to N. Myrtle Beach to drop it off at sweetie's job, where I discovered that not only was MY romantic interest not there, but NObody was - they were closed at 6pm.

Naturally, it aroused some suspicion, to which I was told "I had something very personal I had to deal with and didn't know what to tell you; just know it was legitimate and very personal and I'm not comfortable sharing that with you, just yet."

Okay, maybe THAT should've been the "here's your sign" sign, but I absorbed that, talked it over, decided not to press, getting a 'sensitive' vibe, and accepted the explanation. Dunce.

But there were two more DOOZIES to come, friends; like Sunday night, when I invited a few of my friends over for dinner and extended the same invite to my lovely, where my friends would FINALLY get to meet the object of my affection. So at 11:30 Sunday morning, the invites were extended and accepted - babycakes included.

Then, at 2:30, the text came in... "Ok, dana (best friend) just called the store to see if I was still coming by this evening. She said she has chicken bog in the crock waiting. Grrr...I feel bad either way I go. Ur friends are going to start thinking am a (expletive), or she will....I could stop by her place and "eat," and then should still make it by 8ish. I don't want to be rude, but I don't want u or ur friends to hate me either. Ok....just give me a minute. I'll figure it out.

My reaction? Other than the inevitable"WTF" that crossed my mind, I replied with what I thought was rational thought proceses. I wrote "Did you tell her at that moment that you'd already made dinner plans & didn't know she was cooking? She's your best friend so she should understand."

Well...she SHOULD, right? Best friends wouldn't pin their friends down and INSIST they blow off their date over their own misunderstanding, right?

Text came: "Ur rightwe didn't make "plans;" all that was said was I was going to comver. I didn't say anything about staying. I guess she just assumed I was because I normally do. I don't know. I'll get with you in a few."

Then later: "She's pullin the ' I never cook, and u told me u were comin over, so I did this bettery crocker" deal. Uuhh...I just feel bad. I invited her to come with me...and...thats not gonna happen, tonight anyway...Geessh..."

If you'd like to skip a few paragraphs, feel free. Why? Oh, because the whole scenario was a fabricated lie. Read on....

This all-afternoon-into the evening dramatics ensued. The one "truth" to that whole story was that some borrowed movies WERE being returned to Dana after work Sunday, but the whole dinner story was a lie. See, Dana's married, so Dana doesn't NEED additional company and wouldn't have been upset if her chicken bog had gone un-eaten by her guest. Her husband would eat plenty. I know this only because I broke down mySELF and called Dana Monday when I was just bewildered as to what on earth had happened Sunday night.

But back to Sunday.... the silliness kept on coming, when, at 8pm, I tried to call and find out - for once and for all - if my date was coming or not. My friends were arriving at this point. So my call went unanswered, but a text came:

"Hold on; I dont want to talk about her right in front of her...hehe...let me go outside."

My phone rang, the conversation went something like...

Me: "Are you, or you and she, on your way?"

Them: "She's not coming; she says 'its okay,' but I can tell she's mad."

Me: "This is embarrassing me in front of my friends."

Them: "I'm sorry....I'll let you know in a few..."

About 30-45 minutes, the kiss-off text: "Either way I goI'm the (expletive)...So I understand if u hate me for this. I never meant to embarrass u Ron, honest...I'll call personally and apologize for what I should have made clear in the first place if that will make u happy. I'm sorry."

That call never came; neither did any other messages that night.

That led me to calling Dana, myself, for clarification, on Monday. Clarification I got, too.

1. Dana's married, the chicken bog wasn't cooked for anybody other than she and her husband, but the invite was extended to 'stay for dinner' if it was wanted.

2. Problem is, my date didn't stop by her house with those movies (and to eat) until 9:30pm. Remember when I got that text & call ('hold on....don't wanna talk in front of her") around 8pm? Which leads me to....

3. My (now) ex was home before then - coloring THEIR ex's hair. The ex, who I'd been told had moved back to Ohio after the breakup six months ago. The ex that's STILL LIVING IN THE SAME HOUSE w/my (now) ex.

Your jaw dropped, too, didn't it?

Listen, I'm not saying that an innocent little 'white lie' early on in a relationship is cause for concern; but when a pattern starts to develop, run for the hills. If something FEELS or SOUNDS like a ridiculous fabrication - odds are it IS.

So, two days later, and still no SINCERE heartfelt apology for being a lying waste of human flesh; not sure I'll ever get one, either. I always got in trouble when I brought up the term "immature" (mid-20s), but that darned word just keeps popping up in my mind and the minds of my friends I discuss this with, gosh-darn it. That and "foolish."

I'm sorry; sorry I ignored my instincts all along.

So yeah; this winter has sucked. Put a positive spin on THAT.

The irony of this blog - is that I'd already posted something similar on FB, and was chastised by my (now) ex because it was embarrassing to them. Funny, but I don't recall any concern about folks being embarrassed when I was stood up, in front of my friends, Sunday night.