The Last Cornhole of Summer

Admittedly, I have been busy. Too busy to write up a corn hole day blog? Well, yes - that busy!!

How does it all happen? One day you are drinking beast, ironically made by Miller Brewing. from a keg in some dinky apartment, struggling to get your BA/BS. The next thing you know, you are worrying that you do not have enough money in your 401(k) to live in Ireland when you retire.

With so many things changing, I have to ask myself, "What hasn't changed in my life?"

1. My ridiculous sense of competition. Yes, I love being outside and playing corn hole. No, I do not like losing or being terrible at a child's game. The fact that Hollow Leg and AneLyn are great at it - only more frustrating. I think they have experience on their side. Let's come back to this one after a couple years of practice.
   
2. I love to drink beer in the middle of the day. I know this sounds incredibly irresponsible of me. However, there is something about a sunny day that makes me want to grab a bag of Lay's Potato Chips and six pack of Miller Lite and head outside. Of course, you have to eat half of the bag (a common lays chip issue) and drink every single bottle. Good times!
3. I have a magic ability to organize an impromptu tournament. Yes, other people have this power, but I exercise it on a regular basis. Others might try, but I am so pushy, it works for me.
   
4. Work hard, play hard.
5. I realize that having good friends is the secret to staying sane in life. Everyone has crap they need to deal with, but it is better to realize that you are not the only one with a bad boss, a weird co-worker, a pain-in-the-backside parent. Misery loves company. That said, who is really that miserable when they are playing corn hole?

OK, so this has been a post more about life than about beer. Sometimes, Life is like corn hole. You throw four bags. No matter how much you play, sometimes you miss altogether, sometimes you overshoot, sometimes you land short, sometimes you land on the board and sometimes you drain it in the hole!

The Last Swigs of Summer

It is that time of year. The football teams are in action, the baseball teams are fighting their way into post season and Fall is at our doorstep.

What does that mean? Well, we are going to sneak in a game of corn hole at Anelyn's place. Of course, Hollow Leg has already started the trash talking. It is very exciting that some new members will be joining.

I am sure the standard Miller Lite will be the staple at the event. I am hoping to do a quick run to the Chop House to get some Irish Red. As I was looking for the address on the Internet, I noticed that the Oktoberfest beer is going to be unveiled.

Oktoberfest in September. Oh yes. I was once fooled by the term as well. It is a celebration that originates in Germany. They start in mid-September and have a 16-day celebration going until October 1. There are several festivals throughout Germany, but the most famous Oktoberfest is in Munich.

As fortune would have it, I was in Munich as this time last year and didn't have any business meetings. Lady luck is a friend some times. I got to go the Theresienwise - the fairgrounds where the festival is held. I had no idea what to expect. It was unbelievable.

There were over a dozen beer tents and each one was bigger and more grand than the last. I walked around a bit stunned. I was seeing names like Paulaner, Augustiner, Lowenbrau and Schottenhamel. There were rides, like at American Carnivals, and teams of draught horses.

The tradition of good German beer has its place in America. Most microbreweries, and some of the major ones, offer an Oktoberfest. The local Great Lakes Brewing Company has a very nice Oktoberfest.

I think I know what I am going to be doing after our Corn Hole Tournament this weekend!

Magic Hat and a Black T-Shirt

One of the great benefits of my new job is the very close proximity to a wide variety of drinking establishments. For instance, I went to a gallery opening on Friday across the bridge from where I work. Afterward, we went to McCarthy's Ale House for a few cheap beers.

As the group gathered we decided to play bar bowling at the Harbor Inn. We bowled a couple of rounds and I purchased everyone their own individual styled ale. I had the Celebrator Doppelbock (mostly because someone else wanted my beer).

So as the night rolled on, we ended back at the bar in the building where I work . . . the Nauti Mermaid. I had a lovely Magic Hat 9 draft. It is a lovely brew. I had a few drafts when it was on special at the Winking Lizard. I even got a pint glass with it.

I was even more encourage to drink it because I happened to meet the East Coast Representative earlier in the week when I went for a happy hour drink with a co-worker. It was pretty cool. He told me he bought me the drink. I told him I really liked the beer. After that, he offered me a t-shirt.

It is a cool Magic Hat Brewing Company t-shirt. Even better, it is an American Apparel t-shirt. Given the recent situation with Chinese imports, I was glad to be drinking an American beer, wearing an American t-shirt.