Mutha Fuckin' Ireland: Kilkenny, Cashel, and Blarney

So, when I go about doing things like uploading pictures, I upload the shit out of 'em. This isn't all the photos from our trip to Ireland, hell some of them aren't even that good. All that I know is that I just took my sweet ass time putting them on my computer and then took even longer to get them to my ever so masssive internet audience. So, without further ado, here are the pics of The Toast's trip to Ireland, with Kool-Aid in tow. Now, with even more small raccoon shots (I'll explain later)!!

Walking into central Kilkenny from our B&B.

Blaa...Blaa...Blaa...sandwiches!

Kilkenny Castle

St. Canice's Cathedral, Kilkenny

View of Kilkenny from atop tower at St. Canice's Cathedral

Kool-Aid and the Toast atop said tower

More Kilkenny

Even more Kilkenny

It's a long way to Tipperary. Kool-Aid and I used to live on Tipperary Hill in Syracuse, NY.

They have trees there too?!?!

Cashel, Co. Tipperary

Open till 17.30, when the shit is that???

Rock of Cashel

More Rock of Cashel

That's a rockin' Kool-Aid..HA!....sigh.

Well, certainly there's going to be a little showmanship.

My foist material possession, my stuffed raccoon Rocky also made the trip. Keep your eyes open for sighting.

Hore Abbey, Cashel, Co. Tipperary. This was right across the street from the Rock.

More Rock of Cashel

The view from the top of the hill

Imprisoned inside the Rock of Cashel. Watch out..that's one vicious coon!!!

Just some path that I liked that lead from Cashel to Hore Abbey

I crush your Abbey!

Kool-Aid and I doing what we do best, lookin' cute.

More Cashel

Cahir, Co. Tipperary

She's just so G.D. dorky.

Cahir Castle

Gratuitous action shot!

This castle was just sitting right in the middle of town in Cahir, like a Starbucks would here.

You wouldn't know it from the shot, but we's were drunk here. Last night in Kilkenny.

Blarney Castle, Blarney, Co. Cork. Home of the infamous Blarney Stone.

Blarney Castle

Blarney Castle

From inside Blarney Castle

Eh..it's a staircase, what of it?

Tree outside Blarney Castle. The whole grounds were pretty amazing.

A path..a path..

Toastie's list of kick-ass things from 2008

Nothing real original about all of this you see below. Just a quick cumulative list of the kick-ass that's happened this past year. Enjoy!!

- Saw Eddie Vedder at the Warner Theatre here in DC.
- My nephew Callan was born on April 20, 2008
- Work promotions and pay increases, who knew?!?!?!
- The Giants winning what was probably the best Super Bowl of my lifetime (so far)



- Going whitewater rafting in West Virginia in October
- Seeing Pearl Jam again with the Chuck
- High fives
- Heading down to Florida for my buddy Matt's wedding
- Johnny Lester not only says eat shit to cancer but also no hits the Royals
- Spending a weekend in Virginia Beach with Kool-Aid
- Getting to know "the inlaws" a bit more only to discover that they really like me
- Singing "Rock and Roll Part II" aboard Philly's subway system (yeah, I wasn't aware they had one either)
- Same weekend, "Too Legit 2 Quit" on Jitter's roof deck
- Radiohead outdoors in the rain here in VA.
- The Bruins return to NHL prominance
- Toastedblog's rise from the ashes like the magnificient Phoenix, or some other town in Arizona
- I've decided to grow my hair long and you know what, it's none too shabby
- Spending this past Christmas with my entire family, first time we've been all together for some time
- Becoming friends with D.C. and with all its faults, I am really happy here
- My sister getting married
- Chipwiches
- Mutha-fuckin' Giants!!
- Work people beginning to learn about how awesome I can be, rather than just a dude in an office
- Taking Kool-Aid to a boat-load of games (Giants v. Cowboys, a number of Nats games, Manny's 500th HR in Baltimore)
- Going with Kool-Aid to a few moe. shows
- Tina Fey

- And of course, another year with the Kool-Aid. Can't beat that deal with a stick!
- Barack Obama
- The Dark Knight
- Frequently making your own pizza
- Cheap gas!!
- the baconator

Happy New Year people, we'll catch you in '09!! Be safe and if you see me around midnight, don't be hesitant with that whole kiss thing.

Uh...yeah...so this is me.

Lately I've noticed a recurring trend within the blogging community, from both wildly popular bloggers to itty bitty ones. Bloggers seem to be either coming out and exposing their true identity or going through the ridiculously long amount of time it takes to type out "100 things about me". Well this is the real me, Thunder McAwesome. Nice to meet you. And now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to hit you with some knowledge.

1. I'm fucking awesome.
2. Love Pearl Jam
3. Sandwiches are delicious
4. Kool-Aid is the tops
5. I play rugby
6. Love the Sox
7. Had major reconstructive surgery on my right shoulder leaving me with a bitchin' scar
8. I used to steal piles of chicken wings from Ponderosa by wrapping them in napkins and just walking out.
9. Baseball road trips = Thumbs Up!!
10. Have the uncanny ability to remember song lyrics instantaneously
11. I like "the pot"
12. I majored in History in College....HISTORY?!?!
13. I also minored in Religion, yet I seldom can be found at church (Major Holidays aside)
14. Irish
15. Enjoy eating Spaghetti O's right out of the can.
16. I have no idea how many concerts I've been to (see 11)
17. Hate pretentious assholes
18. and fucking morons
19. and dudes with their collars popped that call me "Brah"
20. I've been kicked out of more bars than you.
21. I have meticulous hand writing
22. I'm fucking 'ilarious!!
23. An expert in the art of grilled cheese making
24. Modeled my style of hockey play after Bruins great Cam Neely.
25. Also why I wore number 8 throughout my hockey career
26. I still wonder why I didn't get drafted following my Senior Year at LeMoyne College.
27. Oh..did you know where I went to college, well now you do, LeMoyne in Upstate NY.
28. Awesome at Trivial Pursuit
29. and Rock & Roll Jeopardy...when it existed.
30. My favorite play in football is the play action pass
31. To aid in my appreciation for all things awesome, my father made me watch "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" when I was 10
32. I was a finicky eater as a child.
33. I have since seen the err in my ways
34. Have a love and appreciation for cooking as my father started teaching me the ways in my early teens.
35. I can't sing all too well but I love me some karoake
36. My bloodline can be traced to Music Legend, Huey Lewis
37. Oddly enough, my name is neither the Toast, Thunder McAwesome, or even my mom's pick of Squire Brandon. Simply put....it's Casey
38. Don't let the goofiness fool you, this kid is wicked smart when he wants to be
39. Avid golfer with..I'd say, about a 8-10 handicap
40. I like good beer
41. Love every single one of my friends.
42. Even though Kool-Aid will disagree, bumper cars are the way to go at amusement parks
43. Have a fondness for dancing and often search for opportunities to do so.
44. I'm 5'11"
45. My favorite word is pants (try not to laugh when it is said right)
46. I could care less if I impress you or not
47. I can be defensive at times...I've been burned in the past
48. Star Wars Nerd!!
49. Not a fan of tucking in my shirts (aka Business Class Toast)
50. Family has had NY Giants Season Tix since probably about the 50's.
51. I wear T-Shirts...not alligator polos
52. I'd like to live on an island
53. I'd also like to learn how to play the banjo/mandolin
54. BBQ sauce is my dippin' sauce of choice
55. I've broken my right arm twice playing hockey (wrist, radius and ulna in forearm)
56. And the aforementioned shoulder injury, which was a severly torn rotator cuff, was hockey related.
57. Despite having brown hair, when I grow a beard it comes in red
58. While in college, aided in a prank by wallpapering the campus with flyers that advertised a fake film festival known as "Gary Busey Day". Clever huh?
59. All Hot Films...All Gary Busey. or the Buse is Loose!!
60. Created a dance craze that at one point was sweeping the nation..the calculator
61. Often I wear flannel shirts, it's the rocker in me. Weather permitting of course
62. Pompous D.C.'ers can go (expetive deleted) themselves
63. Favorite treat, the white chocolate macadamia nut cookie
64. Saw a game a few rows behind home plate at Fenway. Fuck and Yes!
65. I still have my first material possession, a stuffed raccoon named Rocky
66. Rocky often accompanies me on road trips and currently resides in a bookcase in my living room.
67. My apartment is known as "Fort Awesome".
68. I should be a paleontologist.
68. If I could go back in time, I probably would be
69. My younger brother is far more handsome and much taller than I. (5'11" vs. 6'4")
70. I'm an Uncle
71. My Irish twin sister lives in FL.
72. I've been to Portugal
73. I used to have a convertable.
74. When driving former convertable, I would be seen wearing aviator shades and a cowboy hat.
75. I have a big ribcage
76. and stumpy legs
77. but a pteradactyl like wing span
78. I like to mix ketchup and brown mustard together to make my own secret sauce for fry dippin'
79. I strive for 5 every day (servings of fruits and veggies)
80. Hate cell phones but feel naked when I leave mine at Fort Awesome
81. Feel that "The Big Lebowski" is the best movie in the world
82. Aside from signing my name, I can no longer effectively write in cursive
83. I can laugh at anything..and I often do.
84. I believe in chivalry and I try to prove to Kool-Aid that, at least for her, it is not dead
85. Very fortunate to have a love for music instilled in me by my father at a young age.
86. Have a strong desire to see Rome.
87. Oddly enough, I was extremely shy throughout my childhood until I was a junior in high school. That is when I realized that I really don't care
88. I can speak German
89. I feel bad for my older items when they get replaced by a newer model.
90. Initially I went to school for chemical engineering until I discovered college level calculus.
91. If the situation calls for it, I can communicate entirely in movie quotes. Seldom does this happen.
92. Don't tell Kool-Aid, but I have a huge crush on Tina Fey
93. Although when Kool-Aid wears her glasses.....hmmmm.....
94. I'd like to train to do a triathalon but get turned off of it with the whole swimming thing (and I'm a decent swimmer, I just don't know how to really train for it nor do I want to get kicked in the face)
95. Last time I was kicked in the face I broke a tooth and its remnants had to be yanked. (Damn rugby, damn yous!!)
96. I don't know why, but I can't wear sneakers with shorts, unless I'm working out.
97. Ability to eat chicken wings in one swift motion
98. I may be planning something big here in the relatively near future.
99. Love chipwiches.
100. Whatever situation I am in: meeting parents, interacting with co-workers and higher ups, entertaining guests, conducting training sessions for clients, sitting at a bar having a beer; I'm me, no-one else.

Yup...took as long as I thought.

"Ribs. I had ribs for lunch, that's why I'm doing this."

I stole this from somebody, now I'm givin' it back!!! The idea that is. Ate a bit too much come lunch time here at the office and now I find myself engaging in a little bit of arts and crafts. Eh...its passing the time, pleasing my food baby, and most importantly, keeping my eyes OPEN. Yeah, we'll see how long that lasts when I finally post this summbitch.



More importantly, if you at home ate too much for lunch, are just looking to pass some time in the afternoon, make your new food child happy, or maybe you're just trying to stay awake, you too can be a part of this mad cap and zany fun. It's easy, just go over to the site flickr, create an account if neccesary (takes a second and a half) and type your answers to the following 12 questions one at a time in the search bar.

Once each each picture pops up, simply copy the URL and paste it here, after you set up your mosaic of course. Click create and you've got a project here worth of a gold star from your 4th Grade Art Teacher. Take that Mrs. Collins!! Not so shitty with the papier mache now am I?!?!

Oh right, the questions:

- What is your first name?
- What is your favorite food?
- What high school did you attend?
- What is your favorite color?
- Who is your celebrity crush?
- What is your favorite drink?
- Where would you go on your dream vacation?
- What is your favorite dessert?
- What do you want to be when you grow up?
- What do you love most in life?
- Choose one word to describe you.
- Your Flickr name?

How to be a fucking awesome boyfriend.

Sometimes when I think about it, I'm just not really all too sure how I retain a special lady-friend. I mean, I pretty much do a lot of the things that us men-folk are known for: I make her car smell like farts and enjoy getting drunk. I play video games, frequent bars, alehouses, brewpubs, brewerys, rugby practices and drink-ups, the Toast can often be found watching sports or movies with aliens and/or stuff blowing up in them, and I destroy the bathroom following burrito nights; the list can pretty much go on and on.

Well, I'm not going to lie to you, I'm not the sharpest kid out there either. I often have trouble putting two and two together, not to mention that concepts such as proper moments to cross the street seemingly have never said hello to me over the years. I'm fucking awful with money, I went to college to get a degree in History (History!?!?). And forget about me remembering birthdays, anniversarys, your name, as this brain can only seem to retain dynamic knowledge like movie quotes and song lyrics.

But, then I remember that I'm also pretty much the shit and for some reason I get (understand) ladies; Kool-Aid in particular. And why is that you ask....cause I'm funny and I talk to them. Also, it's so blatently obvious to ladies such as the Kool-Aid that I love her and would most likely be lost, cold, confused and frightened without her, like an abandoned puppy. That is why I go out of my why to tell my special lady-friend how important she is to me and how fucking awesome she is; how she is so fantastic out of the sea of the many many female crazies and lunatics out there. It's not my impressive ability to mow down a heaping pile of pulled pork that gives me the title of the Most Fucking Awesome Boyfriend on the Eastern Seaboard, rather, it is because of these two very important facts about the Toast that I kinda get a get a free pass on all of my very many shortcomings. I make her laugh and make myself essential to be around by loving her unconditionally. Plus, I still do a hell of a job just pawing at her like I'm a bear going after a fully stocked cooler.

It is extremely important that I point out the fact that I am not trying to "get away" with anything here. I am not using this love for my girlfriend as a means to get me things like my sandwiches being made for me on a daily basis or the ability to engage myself in a the "Lord of the Rings" marathon on a Sunday afternoon. I don't have the cranial capacity to cook up a hot plot like that. But what I can do is keep my girlfriend smiling and happy and that should keep me free to impress with my keen sense of taking down baby-back ribs, serenading her in the Corolla by singing both the words and guitar parts to "Do the Evolution" by Pearl Jam, and staying in with an entire bucket of original recipie bird and video games for quite some time.