HOUSE FOR SALE

So the time as come to finally list my Lawrence home for sale. It really is a great place and, for the space, price and location, can't be beat. Here are some details:

2613 Cranley Lawrence, KS

4 Bedroom/3 Bath
2700+ sq/ft
Finished Walk-Out Basement with TONS of storage space and workshop area
2-Car Garage with extra storage space

$199,500

Check out the photo gallery and contact me for more information!

Morning Comedy

"Woah, woah. You're telling me that Jean-Claude VanDamme is tougher than Steven Segal?!?!?" - Zach Morris in the passenger seat of a 1992 Ford Explorer speaking to Slater and Screech, Saved By the Bell: The College Years

Pretty much, it doesn't get better than that at 8:40 on a Friday morning.

The Holidays Are Here

Nashville, Tenn. – It’s here. It’s finally here. After another year of roller-coaster temperatures, near-unbearable New York crowds and a demanding work schedule, the Holiday Season is finally here. From decorations around town to plunging temperatures to a little more meaningful conversation when you see friends and family, the best time of year has arrived.

In my privileged experience, I have had the opportunity to, in my opinion, experience some of the best this country has to offer when it comes to the days between Thanksgiving and New Year’s day. Looking back, I can recall time during this period in Puerto Rico, California, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Washington State and Florida just to name a few. You look around during this time of year, in the airports, shopping malls, hotels and even offices and start to wonder not as much “what” but “who” those people are going to see. What plans do they have for themselves and their families at this time of year? Are they going to see grandparents, children, cousins?
Or, as I spent one Thanksgiving a few years ago, are they going to be by themselves and take in what they don’t have? Spend a Thursday morning on the couch of their apartment drinking coffee and eventually getting dressed for an excursion to the parade route at Columbus Circle. I very distinctly remember that year watching the parade in the freezing rain and watching kids on dad’s shoulders pointing with gloved fingers at the larger than life Scooby-Doo and Dora the Explorer. I can also remember my next action that day was to dial the phone and call my parents. Certainly something about that day makes you remember what Thanksgiving is all about.

This Thanksgiving, I had the luck to be in Nashville (well, Goodlettsville, to be exact) with Kerri and her family. We came down on Tuesday afternoon and have spent the last few days between her aunt’s house, grandmothers house and the mall. Not exactly the time I would have had with the Loudis Uncles and family in Springfield but it is great to see/meet Kerri’s family and get to know how someone else celebrates Turkey Day.

Most impressive of the trip was the annual event of frying the turkeys that would be on the table later that day. If you have not seen the science that is involved in this, get to your local outdoorsmen and check it out. I was convinced after witnessing the process yesterday that this form of cooking may be the single most important the residents of Louisiana (“Cajuns”) have given the rest of the country. Forget Brett Favre, the New Orleans Saints, Dixieland Jazz, etc. Whole turkeys, injected with seasoning with a large syringe, tied up with twine and then placed in five-gallon pots of peanut oil heated to 350 degrees for 45 minutes should change the way we value the entire state.

Cruise 2007 Pictures - Round 2

We are getting closer.

Ethan and Marilyn uploaded their pics yesterday and I put them in the slideshow below. Adam and Andy are still slackers and have not uploaded theirs yet. If you speak to them, tell them to get theirselves in gear.

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Back at Home

Kerri and I made it back from the cruise late Saturday night with sand in our shoes and memory cards full of pictures. It was a great trip that, as you always wish, could just last longer.

The pictures of the trip are soon to follow but to highlight a few of the moments...

• Kerri and I leaving the apartment at 3 AM on Saturday to get to the plane. We passed people just leaving the bars (or still going strong).
• Arriving at the hotel in Miami to meet with Adam, Andy, Ethan and Marilyn. You know its a good trip when the guys don't remember the night before.
• Spending 48 hours at sea. Don't know about the rest of the group but I felt like a Pirate.
• Kerri ordering three main courses from Allan (the waiter).
• Ethan getting excited that the only place you could order Vueve was in the dining room.
• Andy wanting to hear nothing but "A Pirate Looks at 40" in the Piano Bar.
• Adam almost getting in trouble with "the referee".
• Marilyn drinking just a little too much; just a little too fast. There was such potential there...
• Kerri and I, after the cruise, sitting through two (yes, TWO) shifts of waitresses at Hooters while watching college football. Thank goodness the Dawgs won or it would have been even a longer day.

Pictures to come soon.

-BL

Cruise Nation starts tomorrow.

Headed on vacation tomorrow for an enitre week! Kerri, myself, Ethan, Marilyn, Andy and Adam are going to be on the Carnival Triumph, traveling through the blue waters of the Carribean to ports unknown. Well...we actually do know where we are going but it sounded so much more mysterious when I said "ports unknown." Taking off from Miami, we are headed to San Juan, Grand Turk and St. Thomas. There are a few days at sea built in there but if you ask any one of us on the trip, they are going to be "FUN days at sea."

Pictures to follow after the trip ends next weekend. Not sure how much updating I will be able to do from the boat. I should be busy checking in on work emails and such.

Here are a few photos from the wedding in Atlanta.

Obviously you know about the Kerr-Barr Stare...

This one is a bit more normal.

Cutting cake in the main house.

Bride and her friends.

Back from Atlanta

Had a great time in Atlanta. Wedding went well and everyone even said "yes."

Beginning the countdown to cruise-time USA. Five days to go.

Headed to the ATL.

Will be there all weekend. Word.

Redirect is active

Not that anyone looks at this site (or barryloudis.com) but the official redirect is working. If you go to barryloudis.com, you will be automatically redirected to this blog. It's actually a pretty cool feature that allows you to only have to update one site while still being able to use the other URL. Basically, this is what "Pink is the new blog" does. It redirects to trent.blogspot.com.