Will the NX make it?
Alright. Race time again folks. I am pretty excited, and worried as well about the little NX. This Friday I have a test-and-tune that Hermen and I are heading over to and running the NX. Team PLP is back in the game! Then Saturday morning in Moline, MI the NX will be back in action.

The NX is needing some repairs. My axels (I blogged about this before) are in a really bad shape, and now I am developing a small leak in my exhaust which needs to be repaired. I am gonna need about $600 to get her back into top shape. I will run her hard this weekend regardless. I don't work at GVSU after this week so if I end up carless for a week or so while I fix her... no big deal. I can find rides to CompuCraft.

So for those who have been wanting to see a race you are invited this weekend. Racing starts at 10am on Saturday at the ABC Auto Auction grounds. It is in Moline right off of Exit 72 on Highway 131 (just south of GR). The auto auction is also running that exotic car auction that day (last year tons of classics, Ferraris, Lambos, etc.). So you can catch both. My heat will be later in the day, probably a little after 12. Come on out if you want. Good times!

Strangeness... or Funny?
Weird things happen to me, and often times I wait a while to be able to laugh at them. Take Sunday; I was finished packing my bag for my trip to see Novali and all of a sudden.... BAM! Lightning struck the house! I am watching TV and from the window came the biggest light I have ever seen! Then lightning so loud it shook the house and scared the crap out of me! Then the TV went out... Internet went down (yeah the internet I just spent 2 hours on hold trying to get fixed...). I have never been so scared (well with the exception of that time I got rear ended by a Semi truck on the highway). Needless to say... Hermen's TV is broken now, so might the DVD player, and also the wireless internet router and modem. Sucks.

Alright... the real story here, Novali. I had an awesome two days with the little one, well she is not so little anymore. I got there and as usually she was excited to see me. We hung out, watched some movies and she showed me her new toys. I taught her how to do a somersault, gave her a bath and put her to bed. She was very entertaining. She sings more now, notably the theme song to her Abuela's novela (Spanish Soap Opera) and sings it like a rock star. Hands in the air, face toward the sky, all the passion in her face like they do on TV. It was funny... well enjoy some pics.

On my arrival she jumped on me and gave me a big hug and we watched... Lion King.

I worked on teaching her a somersault... patience...

She would laugh hysterically on each one.

Of course I taught her to say, "Tada" after each roll.

Then we sat down and read a book before bed time and she told me what each character was doing.

All her clothes get stuck on her head coming off... so she stops and swings the sleeves around.

Saying a little prayer and in her PJs and ready for bed after her bath (sorry no embarassing bath pics this time).

After some rest we got up, and headed out to the store (yes she wanted to shop for more glasses...), but we stopped at the playground first.

She crawled around, over and through everything... got her pants dirty... but papi does not care.

She was not scared of any slides, climbing any height, and evening going high on the swings.

We headed home, watched more movies and she played and ran all over... got dirtier, markers... crayons...

Smiling with her mom just before I took off... then she got to crying. I hate leaving.

Now I am home, working at CompuCraft this morning and then off to GVSU to wrap up a few things. This Friday I am helping to coordinate the regional Association of Fraternity Advisors conference. Well let me get back to work now. Adios!

Get a Night Life
So our favorite watering hole got flooded with the torrid rains we received here in West Michigan the last few weeks. The famed BFE is flooded, no ten cent drafts, no shooting pool, no hanging out on the deck.

The entire parking lot is flooded out! Poor BFE has been closed for about a week now.

The water early this week was nearly at the level as the deck, we used to sit out there and try to flick caps into the river... now you could just drop them over the edge.

So we have have had to find new things to do at night. Thursday night was the first crazy one. I was in Kalamazoo with Ramon to meet with the Brothers there and we went to Club Soda, my old stomping ground. It was a blast! All the Betas in town came out and we had a good time. Lets recap with some pics...

Ish, Ramon and Rudy... ready to get down. Well except Ish... he's whack.

Ramon was making the ladies laugh.

Vic getting his groove on with two ladies.

Ramon saying... hey do you like my pants?

Normally I stick to merengue and bachata... I did a Salsa finally.

Juan (AKA Fabio) with his pimp shirt.

Rudy teaching the ladies about Covert!

Ramon busting out the Cumbia skills.

The gang, representing in our special section.

Rudy left guys at the club, so I crammed way too many people in my little car...

It was a memorable night. I am glad I don't have a real job yet... I get to sleep in! Besides the being broke part it is everything I hoped it would be.

Friday... slept in, wrapped up a few things in the office, and was on hold for an hour trying to get my internet fixed at home. After the stressful day... Friday guys night out. I rallied a few brothers together and we planned to do something different. Colleen from WMU had some friends coming up, so we thought we would meet up with them. Lame... we met them at 48 West, which is cool... if you are like 40. I'm not that old yet. Then the gang wanted to head to Monte's, not really my scene but we made the best of it. Found some cool people there I knew and we got down.

Montes is a dance club a little away from downtown. Mostly locals... I prefer the college scene.

Found some people I knew from GVSU and we danced and partied.

Once again got to see Vic getting down. I miss partying with him.

Not sure why Ramon took this picture of himself...

I also ran into some Sig Ep friends, Joe and Justin (we served on IFC together) from WMU at the bar. I had not seen them in nearly three years. They were not surprised to hear I was looking for a job as a Greek advisor, and I was not surprised to hear they are both big money businessmen in Detroit area. They were the two coolest Sig Eps from Western (most of them I did not get along with...).

Vic and I watched Van Wilder and ate some McDonalds (yes I did not eat the bun). Then it was time to get some rest.

Today was supposed to be a long day of nothing. Did not go as planned. Becky woke me up asking for help moving some stuff. So I woke Vic up and we went to help, got some free food out of the deal. Then we got some groceries and watched Bruce Allmighty while waiting for the cable guy. Tonight Becky is coming over, she leaves for Colorado in three days so we are hanging out tonight. Adios!

Goodbyes
This week is when most grads move on to greener pastures. Some first years off to internships and practicums, seconds years off to the real world and responsibility, and then some of us will just be bums all summer. So this week we have been hanging out a lot and I figured it was a good time to invite everyone to the house. So we had a BBQ at my apart last night. Good times!

Slocum brought the meat, everyone brought ice (I was worried about ice... and then we had too much), Heather made an awesome dip for fresh strawberries, Carrie made the beans, the Traila girls (minus Dre, we missed you!) made a potato salad, a few people brought pop and other assorted beverages, and we combined our condiments together and had enough for everyone.

The strawberries... I forgot about Atkins and ate one... or two... Oops.

The guys threw the frisbee a few times in the pug farm... lucky the dogs were locked up and Landis jumped the fence.

Adrian manned the grille while I defrosted our ten tons of frozen hamburger.

I was in Atkins heaven... 10 dogs and four burgers.

We hungout and ate outside... lots of Central girls.

I decided we should use an ice cream scooper for the beans... it was cool.

We were low on seating, so I busted out Hermen's desk chair... Everyone had races or was pulled by a car...

Shawna said if I put a picture of her on the blog she would comment... well... there it is. She left early to watch American Idol. Addict.

After the BBQ some of us headed to Holland to the New Holland Brewery to celebrate Miguel "Oso Negro" Ortiz's birthday. Not sure how old he is anymore but we had a good time. I don't see him much anymore, been really busy. I plan to get out there soon and hangout with him and his little baby girl soon.

Oso has always been a funny character. This is a pic from a party a while back. We have had some good times hanging out together. Happy Birthday Bro, have a great day. So how old are you...

Thanks to the grads who swung by the house. Good luck to everyone on your future endeavors. To those being bums this summer... me to. Lots of car work and pondering the meaning of life.

No Internet
Added 5/25: Pictures
As most people know, I can not live without the internet. During my six day trip to Indiana I was only able to get internet once to check up on things. I got back into Michigan last night... and the internet at home was out! So then this morning I decided to stroll into work at CompuCraft a little early, and guess what? No internet here either, our DSL line is down! So I had to head to campus to finally get a web connection.

This last week I was at the Undergraduate Infraternity Institute (UIFI), and it was more then I could have ever hoped for! I had a great time, met some great facilitators, and worked with some amazing students. I really needed that to pump me up and get my focused again on why I decided to do this full time. I also renewed my commitment to Sigma Lambda Beta and am planning some new things I want to do with the Betas as well. I am very pumped!

We were put up in an amazing sorority house on Indiana's campus.

Our facilitation team was great, we were an awesome team.

UIFI's curriculum is perfect and the activities really get the students thinking.

In our free time we played a lot of Mafia, danced, and played the famous game... Big Booty.

The games were tons of fun, one day it involved water... which was good since it was so HOT down there!

The activity was about building community... and getting soaking wet in the process.

Of course a water fight broke out afterwards... I put my camera down and got in it.

At the end of the week we had a social.... glow bowl!

Chrissy, me, Kate and Adriene from Chapter 6.

Damien from Phi Beta Sigma taught the group a stroll, they caught on quickly.

Graduation day, rumor has it I shed a little tear... I can not confirm or deny that at this time.

My group, or Chapter 6 to be exact, dressed up for graduation.

It was a rejuvenating time. I really needed the chance to work with some students with passion and fire about being Greek and making a difference with their chapter, council, campus and communities. I made some awesome new friends and I am pumped to hear about all the changes they will take back to their campuses. Big shot out to the facilitators, and Chapter 6!

Now back to the grind, meetings, website designing, fraternity stuff, and cleaning the house. Fun fun fun. And for those still wondering... DePaul emailed me (no call, just email) and turned me down. Their loss...

Off again...
I have been on the road nearly non-stop the last few weeks. The trend continues. This morning I am leaving to the campus of Indiana University to facilitate a leadership weekend called the Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute (UIFI). This is another program of the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC). I am excited to be heading down there, I participated in this program as a student, and now I get to be on the other side.

This past weekend was great! After my trip to Dallas I crashed out. I was tired and slept nearly the entire day on Friday. Saturday and Sunday was time to be outside relaxing. Saturday I got caught up on shopping and laundry that needed to be done and started some car work. I got my room organized and everything back in place after nearly two weeks of solid busy time. Saturday night was Aaron's birthday, she turned 30... I think she took it well. I had fun being out with her friends and really glad I got to work with her for the past two years.

Sunday I finally got a few things done on my car. It became a love your car day as Hermen joined me outside and we cleaned Tashina's car, finished Heathers car, tried to get Santi to clean his, and got the some serious work done on the NX. The NX got the new replacement seat bet latch (not a perfect fit... but I made it work) and the calipers finally painted.

Nice rims... new paint... ugly calipers. They needed some work.

I was debating whether I should take the brakes completely apart to paint them...

I ended up just painting them on the car. This summer I will need new brake pads and then can do a more thorough job.

Bling bling! Looking good. I was very happy with the turnout.

Well it is about 6:30AM and I need to get on the road. Four hours of sleep... some coffee... hot dogs from Speedway and I am ready to roll! See you all next week.