Nashville Class Capital of the World

18.5 inches of rain fell on Nashville in a 2 day period & our community is still reeling but through it all the people of Nashville have displayed class & dignity to the rest of the United States as well as the World. One FEMA agent was quoted as saying "In my 10 years working disasters, I have never seen a better example of people handling diversity than the people of Nashville." We have not fought, complained or looted during this catastrophic event; instead we have picked ourselves up, reached out to one another & supported complete strangers during this tough time. We were asked to conserve water as one of our 2 water treatment plants was completely submerged by the Cumberland River & we did. We didn't blame our local government for building this plant too close to the river as noone could have foreseen this disaster...it just happened. Looters were nowhere to be found as maybe they were busy taking care of their homes or maybe we just know better. A natural disaster is not an opportunity to steal from your fellow man, it is a time to help him start the rebuilding process. It did appear that the national media wasn't too concerned with our problems but seeing as we are a red state(Republican), maybe they felt we were getting what we deserved. F__k em & for the record Davidson County is liberal blue. We can take care of ourselves & couldn't care less if the media covers it. I have seen many of slogans since the flood but my favorite is We are Nashville. We are a good, hearted Southern town built on the river & we will be back ASAP! No excuses, no complaining....just being the best town I have ever seen in the U.S.A. & I've been to New Orleans & Memphis(shameless dig) We have seen how the people of one of those towns reacted to a natural disaster & Memphis would have been just as bad if they experienced what we have.....just sayin. The picture is of our riverfront park during a BBQ festival in August of last year. The street pictured is 1st ave & before the river crested we had water all the way up to 5th Ave! LP Field where the Tennessee Titans play had water 3-4 feet deep on the playing field. Jeff Fisher the coach of the Titans & adopted Nashvilian was quoted as saying" Oh hell, we could of played on the field today if we had to". That is the way to say it Jeff....good on ya!
Cheers & keep your powder dry,
Rip Pewett proud native Nashvilian

I didn't vote for the arrogant ass.....he is 1 and done

Never in the history of our country have we ever made such a colossal mistake. It is hard to imagine so many millions of people who would ignore all the warning signs that Barack Obama wants to destroy the United States & our way of life. The media hid all the facts they could but the truth always comes out. It didn't matter to the Democrats that Mr. Obama would not produce a valid birth certificate, is a practicing Muslim, went to Reverend Wright's radical church for 20years or has zero experience running a 7-11 store much less the government. What were they thinking? Hope, change....yes we can. Well I hope they keep their eyes & ears open to watch what this man is doing to our country. He is busy blaming former Pres George Bush for everything while he secretly cripples this country. He is the weakest president our country has ever seen & the World knows it. We just signed a nuclear arms treaty with the Russian president who won't even shake Mr. Obama's hand. It is terrifying to think that our biggest adversary doesn't respect our president. Mr Obama has been pushing healthcare reform since Day 1 to keep the American people from concentrating on the economy & the 2 lingering wars....these 2 things are far more important than healthcare. He went so far as to bribe senators for their healthcare vote & when he got caught; he removed the stipulations from the bill. He is a common criminal & I desperately HOPE he gets caught so we can CHANGE his residence to prison after we impeach him....YES WE CAN! He has demeaned the Office of the President of the United States of America with all his late night talk show appearances, his calls to celebrities to tell them to be strong(Tiger woods) & his NCAA bracketology! You are the President, not some rock star! His arrogance will be his undoing & I eagerly await his exit from the Oval Office. It will be tough to steal more stuff from the White House than the Clinton did...but the Obama's can do it, yes they can. I hope every Democrat remembers & admits to what they did. Way to go Democrats.....you fucked it up for everybody & now we have to fix it before it is too late. Vote the Democrats out of office. I've never been happier to have a valid passport in my entire life. I can live in Australia just fine. Like I said if I'm going to be living in a socialist country then Australia has better beer & scuba diving. I need a stiff drink!
Cheers,
Rip Pewett Republican for life

Oh to have a simple life....would bore me to tears

I'm staring out the window of our Madison Street Clarksville store at the traffic driving by, much as a lion might at the zoo, when I witness 2 car loads of simple folk pull into our parking lot. I watch as they all struggle to get out of their vehicles as all 5 of them are over weight,border line obese. They are all related, probably poorly educated & happy as they can be. Damn them. I listen to their conversations & determine that they probably will never be rich, never travel the world & couldn't care less. They don't know any better.....or worse. For me it is painful to listen to their mindless babble bout Momma telling Jr he gunna have to study real hard when he starts HVAC school next week but it is real good for him cuz they ain't gonna make him do no math or english.(no but electricity is involve) Don't misunderstand me, I am not better than anyone, I have just been provided with a better opportunity to live life to it's fullest for lack of a better term. I was raised seeing Destin,Fl for vacations & these people probably took a camping trip to Kentucky Lake. I graduated from high school & went to college, they probably didn't graduate from high school & started working at Dairy Queen. (luv me some Dairy Queen)I have dated & married some of the most attractive women I have ever seen; they married a customer that was nice to them. I have traveled through Australia 3 times; they went to Outback Steakhouse one time in Bowling Green,KY & believe everything on the menu is true Aussie vittles. I know this is coming across as condescending but it is not. When I am struggling in my life....I am envious of the simple life. I sometimes wish that I lived in small town America & the problems of the real world were unknown to me. I have been exposed to the good, bad & ugly of the real world & can never go back. I want to do every single thing on my list of 100 & it is going to be a a hell of a lot of fun making it happen! Small town America works for some but the Big Old World is my forte. The picture is of Shelena, bar vixen at the Old Cabin Inn, Benton TN stapling a $1 bill with OnMeWay written on it to the wall. The past 2 years we have descended upon this great hole in the wall after our Ocoee river trip & she has come up with some great lines each year. 1st year....(her) "where u tourists from?"(me) "how do you know we are tourists?"(her)"cuz you all are way too happy to be from here!"2nd year(me)"Shelena, what does this text on my phone mean?"(her)"what does it say?"(me)"anything for you honey"(her)"Oh hell, that means butthole luvin for sure" We all nearly fell out of our chairs laughing. I look forward to next year & Shelena's yearly classics! Although I'm happy to live in the real world....escaping to small town America is rejuvenating.

Cheers,

Rip Pewett

relationships end but the clothes stick around

As I was buttoning a big orange shirt today in preparation of UT playing this evening, I had a flashback to a past relationship & how this symbol of my addiction for God's team came to be mine. I then took a moment to do a mental inventory of every piece of clothing in my wardrobe & all the sweet young vixens who helped assemble it. I'm not going to lie; it made me smile from ear to ear! Each piece of clothing whether it be boxers(no briefs) or an incredible black leather coat has a face & a great story. The boxers were given because we as men wear things until they evaporate & this one story involved said ex disgusted with the crotch being out of one or two pairs of my existing under garments. Next thing you know 4-8 pairs of new boxers in a variety of colors & designs proceeded by a quick funeral of crotchless boxers....goodbye old friends. The leather coat was a gift from one of the loves of my life for Christmas & it is one of the heaviest leather coats I have ever seen. One thing lead to another(she loved cocaine) & relationships end. One of the last things she said to me was "And i want that f___in leather coat back that I gave you as a xmas present!" I calmly replied "look in the dictionary for present & let me know what it says" I have acquired quite a few coats in my days that I still wear & really look good on me. Thanks ladies! I've been given shoes, socks,jeans,khakis,shirts,belts,boxers,coats; you name it & some young lady has given it to me. I consider myself a fairly fashion forward dresser but I realize that many of the givers have been conservative in their clothing choices as in other areas as well. Probably need to donate the dull stuff to Goodwill & make room in the closet. I believe that clothing as well as photos will transport each of us back to a period of time we may have forgotten or better yet; just filed away. I can look at every piece of my wardrobe & remember who gave it to me, the circumstances & ultimately regenerate a fond memory of that relationship; very much the same way a picture will. Ultimately relationships end but remembering the great times will serve you far better than the misery that may have been there at the end. Obviously this does not apply to violent & abusive relationships or ones that involved finding your lover in bed with your brother or sister. I think we can all agree that life consists of chapters & over time the best we can do is look back on each chapter with fond memories. If we don't then our book of life would be put in the horror section of the bookstore.

The picture represents one of the best gifts I ever gave...a pair of Dallas Cowboys thong panties. It says sexy plus 5 time World Champion! See as men we realize if we attempt to give you anything besides panties(s,m,l),jewelry or gift certificates we are only creating problems;as we have zero idea what the current fashion for chicks would be. Plus we understand the incredible pleasure you ladies generate from going to the mall together, getting manis & pedis & making fun of us. So go nuts & let us watch sports, drink beers & be guys. I will tell you that i have become the exception to the rule when it comes to giving gifts. I gave a bad present back in 1986(pair of rose printed jeans) & ever since I have made it a top priority to really be unique in my gift giving ability. No shit gifts ever again!

Cheers,

Rip Pewett

things done in the name of religion

Lent has begun & the Catholics are screaming from the chapels what they are foregoing until Easter. Everything from alcohol, pizza & sweets to represent the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross....I think. My knowledge of religion is sketchy at best as I haven't been to church two weeks in a row since I was 15. What I find humorous is each individual gives up something they feel will be a sacrifice but it is selective of that person & what they believe to be a sacrifice. One person believes giving up pizza is going to be a challenge were the other person may not like pizza at all but is abstaining from ice cream for 45 days. If a person is a Catholic Vegan then they don't eat those items year round so they must give up something else like eating....sand? Muslims don't eat pork....pig is good, one of their many issues. Monks set themselves on fire.....really?! I was raised Presbyterian and as a child i was allowed to eat & drink just about everything so i feel it was a cool religion for that period of my life. The Mormons aren't allowed soft drinks or alcohol...bad, but can have multiple wives.....real bad(more wives equals more problems, enough said). The Jehovah's witness....who cares, bunch of nut jobs. If you are a member of some cult you probably get to do pretty much as the leader dictates; right up until he poisons you or the local federales start lobbing tear gas into your compound. The Agnostics are saying who knows, who cares & why bother. The Atheist is eating, drinking, smoking & fucking right now during Lent. The Baptists are singing & the Church of Christ people are condemning everybody else to Hell no matter what! Since I am a free agent I have decided some sacrifice is in order so i have decided to slow down on my consumption of cold beer. It is dual purpose...first I want to lose 10-15 lbs so I look good in my bikini....oops swimming suit & 2nd just waking up with a clear head un hung over is a good thing! It has been a week & I feel great & my belly is already shrinking. Only 35+ days to go & the sacrifice is marginal but I'm not giving up pizza, ice cream or pop tarts.....I'm just not. All these things are essential to my happiness & therefore are staying. O.K. you are probably wondering as a free agent which religion might sign me to a long term deal....gotta go with the Catholics, they can pretty much do whatever they want, go to Confession & all their sins are forgiven....that is AWESOME! I'm holding out for terms of the deal & a huge signing bonus so I can buy a bunch of cold beer. The picture is of Barry McCord, one of my inner circle who is Catholic & is giving up both alcohol & soft drinks....truth be told he is alot more fun when he is on the booze...oh well, sacrifices must be made in the name of the Lord.
Cheers,
Rip Pewett free agent

I don't ever want to know how many i've had

We all have our vices & most come with some sort of huge price; whether it be financial, emotional or physical. I have narrowed my vices through the years for numerous reasons but one has always remained....cold beer. I can't remember the first time my dad let me take a sip of his beer but i do remember that my parents were drinkers, not raging drunks but social drinkers; so boozing was an accepted vice in the Pewett household. Hell, growing up as a kid my dad owned 4-5 bars in Nashville including the Gold Rush, One Eyed Jacks,Luvs, Fannys & Southwinds. The Pewetts like our sauce & made money selling it to other boozers. I do remember the first time I drank beer with friends; it was with Kelly Jones & we headed to the mountains of Busch. Have i ever said how much I love bush? I was 14 years old, he got smashed & made me drive his AMX muscle car home & drop off 3-4 of our closest friends..WTF?! After my dad died I continued to drink beer through high school where numerous arrests(see possession of alcohol & trespassing at my own house) were followed by community service & probation. I consider these offenses as victimless crimes & glad that they were concealed in my juvie record. Oh, and i was wrongly accused as well(maybe not). I left for college in fall of 1984 for the University of Tennessee with my spectacular fake I.D. in my pocket. I did every beer bust, drink or drown & happy hour that the strip had to offer with numerous stories to recall the following morning. I started to realize that beer was holding me back with my studies & my progression as an adult. It became apparent that I needed to go in a different direction or i wasn't going to make it out of college alive. In the fall of 1986 I pledged Kappa Sigma Fraternity, that should fix it. The next 4 years were a blast, a blur & brotherhood of a bizarre kind. 1990 I was finally done at UT & decided to move back to Nashville to regain my focus & begin my life as a stable member of the community. Then i was hired as a on premise liquor & wine wholesaler for B&G Wholesalers...once again that should fix it. Lasted 2 years & once again had a blast & it was a blur. My roommate owned the largest beer store in town so we had an abundance of cold beer. I wish I had kept all the cans & had some homeless person turn them in for cash with us splitting the profits & buying a forty of Schlitz Malt Liquor to remind of my Kappa Sig days. Bottom line is I love the beer, it is my alcoholic beverage of choice & I am so thankful i don't drink liquor like I do beer or my liver would be shot! I drink beer to relax, unwind and socialize. I can't remember ever saying I'm going out to get drunk, it may happen but never my main goal when i pop the top on the 1st of many cold beers. Beer has caused me to do some pretty stupid things but also have some of the best times of my life. Beer can be abused but if used properly......can solve all the worlds problems. I hope that I never hear my doctor say...."You have to quit drinking beer or you will die soon" but if i do then 1st I'll get a 2nd opinion,then if it is confirmed....I'll quit drinking beer as I cry. Some women collect shoes & would never want to know how much they have invested in shoes that they rarely use but with me I would never want to know how much money I've spent on cold beer. At least i know I used every single one of them equally. Ben Franklin said it best..."Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy!"

Cheers,

Rip Pewett platinum member of the 1 million beer club

The new kid at school turned out to be a sissy

We all the remember when the new kid from California showed up at the 1st day of school. He was a tan, blond hair pretty boy that seemed a bit too arrogant for the South but we all gave him the benefit of the doubt because we are Southerners & that is what we do. Sometimes he turns out to be a good kid that shares his lunch & makes you laugh at his silly accent; sometimes he steals your girlfriend & leaves you wondering why he was ever allowed to come to your school in the first place. Well Lane Kiffin, you should of never been allowed to come to my school, shame on you Mike Hamilton. This should be no real surprise as so much is unknown about Lane Kiffin & what makes him tick. He is from Minnesota, played quarterback at Fresno State & coached at USC 2001-06. We have all been to the beaches of California & the hills of Tennessee; come on I am an alumni,season ticket holder & life long fan but I still love the beaches of California more than the hills of Tennessee. He had absolutely zero loyalty to our program & the obsession that is Tennessee football. Let's call a spade a spade; he didn't have what it took to be our coach. He is a rich kid who does whatever he wants to do without a second thought about commitment, loyalty or the consequences of his actions. He never really embraced what Tennessee football means to the people of the great state of Tennessee; it is a passion, a reason to live & a life long worship. People name their kids after great players, budget all year for their season tickets & expenses for road trips & paint their houses orange.(their is a checked board house in Benton,Tn by the Ocoee River) Lane Kiffin has taken the easy path & left our program in disarray. He will be able to compete in a weaker conference, recruit in a top 3 talent state & maybe play a SEC team in the BCS Championship....which he will lose cuz he ain't a good coach.(Southern terms used for affect) We as Tennessee Volunteer fans will pick up the pieces of our great program & move forward. You can kick us while we are down because we will NOT be there long! I believe Mike Hamilton should be fired for putting all of our trust into a rich kid with no loyalty. As far as our coach is concerned, I am fine with Kippy Brown as he is an honorable man with real ties to Tennessee & he lives it like we do. It probably won't happen but I would be fine with it. Get ready for a wild, humbling few years but like the USA, we will rise again to be team to fear around the world or the SEC! It is still great to be a Tennessee Vol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, let us all wish for the NCAA to levy 5yrs of probation, loss of numerous scholarships & post season ban of Mr. Dick Kiffin's new team!
Cheers,
Rip Pewett believer in loyalty & Karma

Google-Double Secret Probation & Alabama is there

The 2009 college football season is sadly over & even more sad is a team on probation was crowned the 2009 BCS National Champions......The University of Alabama. In 2002 the NCAA placed Alabama on probation for 5 years for the illegal recruiting of Memphis Trezevant High's Albert Means. Means was a 5 star defensive lineman that was a lock to be a great college player. Alabama booster Logan Young(who has since been brutally murdered) paid Trezevant High's football coach Lynn Lang $200,000 to steer Means to Alabama, which he did. Ironically, Means never started for Alabama & later transferred to University of Memphis where he had a marginal career at best. Alabama was also required to reduce 21 scholarships over 3yrs & banned from postseason. Paul Dee, the NCAA's chair of committee on Infractions was quoted" I pray that I never see the University of Alabama before this committee again!" Strong words but not worth the air he used to say them. In June of 2009 Alabama would once again be put on probation for a major violation. It would be discovered that during 2005-07 while still serving probation from the other major violation, student athletes including football players were guilty of obtaining free textbooks for other students. Granted, it was university wide involving 16 sports teams, not just the football team but still a major violation. They would be forced to vacate 21 football wins from the 2005-007 seasons & placed on 3 more years of probation.....but no scholarships were lost & they were NOT banned from postseason play. Way to go Paul Dee, you really taught them a lesson....NOT! Lack of institutional control is the buzz word of the NCAA, obviously Nick Saban has the coaching control as evidence of the past two 12-0 regular season records. You know really who should be pissed off.....Auburn fans! They were on probation in 1993 for cheating & went 11-0 finishing #4 in the country because they were banned from t.v. & post season play. What is up with the state of Alabama? Nothing else to do down there but cheat to gain an advantage in college football? I find it horrible that a program can be awarded a National Championship while serving probation for major violations; talk about rewarding bad behavior. I know what some are thinking about my beloved Tennessee Volunteers & the recent violations but the truth of the matter is secondary violations don't amount to more than a slap on the wrist & every team in the country breaks theses rules from time to time. Hell, the manual on recruiting is 500+ pages thick. So Alabama enjoy your 8th not 13th National Championship & keep on singing that dumbass Yella Hammer song all the while you are still on probation until June 2012 for breaking the major rules. Go job, cheaters do win & I'm sure you will be just as good next year. If I was your staff, I would ramp up the cheating efforts as the NCAA must be scared of you. Well, the Big Orange Nation isn't, so kick us while we are down because we won't be there long!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rip Pewett avid SEC football fan

Time to leave 2009 in the rear view mirror

This year is almost wrapped up & I'm not quite sure where it went or what i accomplished but I didn't die, didn't get arrested & didn't declare bankruptcy; 3 things I try not to do every year! So 2009 is gone & I am staring over the horizon & feeling real good about 2010. I've already written down my list of 2010 New Year resolutions which I believe is a necessity for anyone working to improve & get more out of their life. I will not be sharing the entire list as I don't need anyone up in my business too much but I will share a few. #4 Swim 4 miles per week(my belly & fat throat must go) #9 purchase a new vehicle & buy a handgun(Cutlass is restored, Cherokee is on last leg & must protect myself from Democrats) & #1 Get to Cuba(i like living on the edge). This list is on my cell phone so I can refer to it, revise it & check these items off when completed. I am not a pack rat by any means but i still occasionally stumble upon past lists & laugh at how much or how little I accomplished that particular year. For instance 2006 #2 Win Noble Peace Prize after i would bring about College Football playoff for National Champion. Didn't do it yet so i figured you couldn't win it until you actually did something but then Obuma won it for what he might do...I feel robbed. What I'm most excited about is going back to Australia then on to New Zealand for my first official buying trip for OnMeWay,Inc. I will be gone for 6-8 weeks, exploring new lands & buying one of a kind treasure to import back to NashVegas. What fun will be had by the world's tallest treasure hunter! I can't wait to work for myself & build my own company from the ground up. Oh & quit wearing ties like the one I have strangling me right now! I am also excited about being single for awhile & just having fun! I plan to be traveling quite a bit for the rest of my life so a committed relationship just wouldn't be fair to anyone. (Notice the disclaimer statement) O.K. so bring on 2010 & let it be one of the best years ever! Pictured is the river view of the skyline of my town Nashville TN...but i will share!
Cheers,
Rip Pewett list maker

Have you ever intentionally hurt somebody?

I have never hurt anyone intentionally. I have broken my fair share of hearts, disappointed hundreds of times, & pissed off over a 1000 people but i never intentionally hurt someone. So when I see people hurt people for their own selfish reasons, it confuses me, it troubles me & to be perfectly honest...it pisses me off! I believe one of the reasons life is hard is because of events that happen to you that you never saw coming or can't believe happened to you. When these things happen you struggle to find the answers to explain why another person would maliciously hurt you. 9 times out of 10 it is usually for their own selfish reasons. People who can justify their action no matter what are dangerous in my eyes. The ability to justify any action will lead a person to continuously hurt others with no regard to the consequences or feelings of others. I was taught to treat everyone as I wanted to be treated & try to make peoples lives better when possible. I also have been the person who when he makes a mistake or hurts someone to say I'm sorry, it won't happen again. If you make a mistake or do something stupid.....take a look in the mirror & look yourself in the eyes, take responsibility for your actions. It is the way I hold myself accountable for my actions. I learn from my mistakes & I move on. There is no reason to linger on the pain of it. Sadly if you are the victim(i hate that word) person who has been wronged, it is sometimes hard to move on when the other person or persons are unwilling to say they are sorry or if they are continuing on with the hurt. Some people may never get over it. In my personal life I have had many relationships that have ended poorly. Do they really end any other way? It is ultimately one person saying, I don't want to be with you for whatever reason. Sadly, some of my favorite people want absolutely nothing to do with me. I didn't beat them, steal from them, some I did cheat on( i get that part) but they hold a grudge & it may last till the day they die. What I haven't done is go out to hurt them further & I'm amazed when people do this very thing. Learn from the mistakes that were made & try not to make them again. If you choose only crazy girls like your mother....then at some point you have to realize the pattern & quit dating crazy girls(even though they are the best sexual trapeze artists, just my opinion). O.K. I think you get my point......Quit being selfish & quit hurting people. Karma is a bitch & payback is hell!
The picture is of Bigboy drinking himself into a stupor before a UT game. I have been known to do the same when I'm trying to explain why someone would hurt me for no reason.
Cheers,
Rip Pewett barstool psychiatrist

You never really know if you are middle aged

I had a sweet young vixen ask me how I was handling my middle age & i burst into laughter. I told her that if I'm middle aged then I will live to be 86. I came to the realization a long time ago with my St Bernard Elvis that big dogs & big guys don't live as long as the normal size dogs or people. I've embraced it as my call to get busy living instead of getting busy dying. We all have friends that will ultimately look back on their lives and wish they had done anything besides bitch about their plight. I won't be that guy! Sure, I will have things on the list that didn't get checked off but it won't be from a lack of trying, it will be because I burned out....not rusted out;). I wonder if they(University of whomever's hospital) will do a study that links having a positive attitude & sense of humor to longevity over people who are negative, rude & zero sense of humor. I should get a grant & do the study myself! What a great way to spend our hard earned tax dollars. I'm on it.

Wouldn't it be great if you were notified in the email by God that you had reached middle age & you currently were or were not getting into heaven? Maybe even break it down into percentile so you could see where you rank with everybody else. It would probably have an advertisement on it for a new coke product & a link for suggestions on getting into heaven which you had to pay for by credit card. Well it isn't going to happen so I plow on by trying to JBN (just be nice) to people & see how I score at the end of my run. I am coming to the end of 2009 & haven't checked many things off my list but no worries...2010 is right around the corner & with it new adventures. So it goes for me & I embrace it. If I make it to 86 then yes I am middle-aged right now. Furthermore, if I make it to 86 i will be f____in amazed! I am bigger than the average bear as the saying goes & i still go hard in all areas of my life. The picture is of my father's grave. He died when he was 45, so middle aged to him was 22 1/2. Some of our soldiers have died at 18, 9 was there middle age. So, we will never know if we are middle aged so go out there today & have fun...the grim reaper will find you eventually. Always remember "Don't worry about dying today as it is already tomorrow in Australia" Charles Schultz

Cheers,

Rip Pewett young man

#1 issue in America-the entitlement belief

I was helping a woman last night with a suspended phone line situation & by the time we finished with her, I realized that she is the reason our country is going down the toilet at high speed. She came into the store to reactivate a phone after having one lost or stolen but didn't think it was an issue that the phone didn't have a charge on it. I explained the need to activate the phone after I swapped the ESN(serial number) of the phone but as I explained how she could do this herself; I could see the deer in the headlights look of someone who expects everything to be done for her. She asked repeatedly why I couldn't do this for her...entitlement. She went on to be so lazy to go charge the phone, then come back to make us do it for her. When she left i was so disgusted at this type of mindset. The majority of the population(Democrats) believe they are entitled for the minority(Republicans) to do everything for them. This mindset will lead to the biggest socio-economic gap & a resentment never before seen in this country. I have never understood why Democrats want to help people who don't want to help themselves. They are fine with raising taxes for the middle class & rich to provide for the poor & illegal aliens. This is most idiotic thing i have ever heard in my life. If you are gonna provide for someone else their entire life; why would they do anything but allow you to do this until they die. I expect my Government to protect me from foreign powers & provide an infrastructure(roads, waterways & etc), everything else I can do for myself. It is very frustrating to see the entitlement mentality play out in everyday life. People believe Obama is going to take care of them & they will prosper during his presidency but in reality nothing will change for the entitlement group. They will still lead the country in crime rate, obesity & single parent households. They will still wait for the mailman to bring their check as their children are robbing working people. It is sad because this group lacks the one ingredient that could improve their lives....HOPE. Remember that slogan during the campaign? Here is my belief on the entitlement group....If you don't want to be a contributing member of society, YOU are entitled to get the F__K out of my country as you are a drain on the good, hard working members of our great country! The sign is on the door of our room at the Motel 6 during Memphis in May BBQ Championships. We were robbed of $125.00 & 2 bags with all of our clothes in them. The natives of Memphis obviously felt they were entitled to our things that we worked hard to obtain. Happy Thanksgiving!
Cheers,
Rip Pewett

men are idiots, just different levels of severity

I am constantly amazed by men & the ridiculous comments we make. In question is the issue of fake or real breasts. We were enjoying a nice fall Sunday at the Brewhouse & watching every girl walk by us when I overheard one of the pigs, i mean guys say..."Ahhh, those are fake & i can't stand fake tits" I responded in my usual sensitive way, "Really, I guess you can't stand blowjobs either?" Come on. I'm opposed to putting anything in to my body that didn't come from the original manufacturer unless it would prolong my time on this world....but if some sweet young vixen wants to enhance her self image; good for her. I'm just not going to pay for it as I would consider it a lease as relationships end & knowing my luck some guy on my BBQ team would be playing with them next. What can be the problem with plastic surgery as i've seen with tattoos is once people start it becomes an addiction & they feed on the vanity of it & become freaks. Boob jobs lead to botox, botox to eye jobs, eyes jobs to face lifts & so on. For the record any man that gets calf implants is gay! We all wish we could change things about ourselves & need to realize that nothing beats taking care of yourself via a healthy diet, exercise, not smoking & limiting booze. I love me some beer & hence I will always have a belly & that awful excessive neck fat, I hate the neck fat! Back to the boobs, let the ladies do as they please & maybe if we are lucky and don't prove how big an idiot we are; they will let us inspect them....thoroughly! Also, if you have real boobs & they are spectacular...please stop me anywhere & with pride tell me so! The breasts pictured are fake obviously & belong to a good friend of mine who happens to be my primary physician's nurse. She is very proud of them & it is only fair that she showed me as she has seen me naked,(tattooed lips on ass an all) unfortunately in a professional setting only, so far;)
Cheers,
Rip Pewett admirer of all breasts

Today is a good day to be alive!

Alot of good stuff happening in my hemisphere & I'm thinking it is a good day to be alive! I feel very fortunate to be happy, healthy & terrific! Working with the public on a daily basis allows me to observe other people who aren't as fortunate as myself. I see people that are too busy to be polite & believe they are somehow better than me for whatever reason. I see people who are so angry at their current situation they must lash out at others to even communicate. I witness people that believe they are entitled to everything without actually doing anything.(you know who you are) And lastly, I witness people that have no hope, these are the saddest of all because they will go through life with very few victories & many self inflicted defeats. I do not pretend to have walked in anyone's proverbial shoes but I have seen alot of tragic events but i always believed that it could be worse & so I remain positive. Oh, i have bad days & certain out side forces put me in a bad way but it usually is fleeting as I believe life is about details. I do it by taking the worst day of my life, the death of my father , and comparing every bad situation to that & i usually put things in perspective quickly. I realize that I am very fortunate & that i have been given a great life so I power on.I love dealing with each type of person listed above & here is how I do it. First, the people that feel they are better than me, I stand up & they realize they are smaller than me(always works). Second, the angry people that lash out with anger; I ask what did I do to them, totally disarms them as they realize they are being rude. Third, the people who feel they are entitled to everything without doing anything, I tell them I'm a Republican & get Obama to do it for them(can cause a ruckus but f__k em they are lazy & using good oxygen meant for me). The fourth, I try to make them smile & realize that they are human beings who although may have been dealt a bad hand, can improve their current situation by hope & the kindness of complete strangers. I have always felt that you can size up a person by the way they treat service people(servers, convenience store clerks or janitors) I was told by my dad along time ago to be as nice to the janitor as you are to the president of the company as they just might be the same person. I would ask everyone to try & make one stranger a day feel better about themselves & just see if you don't feel better about yourself as well. It works for me & I will continue to do it until the day I leave this world. The pic is of Webb Wilder at Frist Friday. His music has made me laugh with lines like" She may not drive you crazy but you will be close enough to walk"& the song Tough it Out. He bills himself as the last of the full grown men & I have an autographed poster of the Webb Wilder credo....Work Hard,Rock Hard,Eat Hard,Sleep Hard,Grow Big & Wear glasses if you need them.....CLASSIC! Until next time.
JBN-Just Be Nice
Rip Pewett

I appear to be gaining weight & don't know why

Well, I'm not going to lie to you...I appear to be putting on a few extra lbs. It could be the long hours I'm working, not being able to get to my local Y, the crap food I'm eating, the copious amounts of cold beer OR a complete combination of all these factors. My clothes are tighter, I'm avoiding mirrors & terrified the scales would utter the disastrous phase" One at a time please". Now, let us be clear that i consider myself a manly man so the word diet is not in my vocabulary but it is time to get a handle on this as winter is fast approaching & I am way too girthy. The 2 main things that I must do is 1) get my fat ass to the Y at least 5 times in a week which is tough working Mon-Fri & UT football on Sat & 2) quit eating crap! Anyone who knows me realizes copious amounts of cold beer is pretty much my only vice, well except Black Forrest gummie bears(only found in the evil empire named Walgreens) & I am never giving up or cutting back! I must start eating better which means giving up pizza(except the Chicken Pie @ Pizza Perfect), Bread(except Chick-Fila original sandwiches or Calhoun's Chicken Cordon Bleu) & ice cream(except Gold Medal Ribbon from Baskin Robbins). Every year about this time, I have the same revelation & vow to trim down after college football is over. My calendar says October 8th & college football is over January 8th, that is 3 months. I may be 3bills by then unless I resort back to 1)get my fat ass to the Y more & preferably in the pool. At one time I was swimming about 4 miles(yes miles) a week & was looking like Mark Spitzs without the 7 gold medals of course. I always say that as big as I am....I really don't eat that much, which is true. I just love me some cold beer! So off i go to get my fat ass in gear! And I'm also fully aware that we are our own worst critics so let's work less(constant theme), eat a little better(bad for you food is good) & make it to the Y more. Oh, and praise cold beer everyday the way i praise the Lord that I am a man as it is alot easier than being a chick! The picture above was the carnivore feast that i so masterfully grilled to perfection for the crew on Friday night of the Ocoee trip followed by New York strips on Saturday night. I do know my way around a grill! Thanks Mom for being a terrible cook so the boys had to learn or starve.

Cheers,

Rip Pewett grillmaster for life

My 1st Vol Walk ever!!!!!!!!!!!

Well I can't believe it took me almost 44 years to witness one of the greatest spectacles in college sports but it was worth the wait! To see all the die hard fans young & old cheering on the Vols was an incredible experience. An added plus was seeing former coach Johhny Majors walking with the team!

Fearless party of 1, your table is ready!!!!!!!!

Well , I'm bored & in need of some real adventure. UT football will keep me going until the first of the year but I need some wild, daredevil like experiences. #79 on Ripper's 100 things to do before I die....see Killer Whales up close. I have to admit that the diver is going a bit over board. I'm fearless but hell no! i was thinking in a kayak or watching one come up on the beach and take a seal as I was drinking beer with the luckier seals. I owe my adventure some nature to my dad who, was pretty fearless in his own right. I guess he came by it naturally growing up the youngest of 10 kids in Bordeaux & I don't mean France. We were coming back from Destin when i was about 10ish in his Mercedes 450 SL convertible when he asked if i wanted to have some fun...well you bet was my answer. He told me to lay back on the lip of the trunk, he held my ankles & proceeded to pass at least 10 cars doing over 100 miles an hour. I looked up at the clouds, smiling ear from ear & listening to all the non-fearless people honk at my Dad for being a reckless father. Well that might of been true but it was one of the wildest rides of my life. I have loved roller coasters every since or scuba diving or bungee jumping(once 222ft) or dating; although some of those are inherently more dangerous than others. Now i find myself at a crossroads & need some excitement fast! I guess I will have to try dating until i can figure out another fearless endeavor to undertake. Wish me luck as I usually need it when it comes to the opposite sex.

Never, never, never forget

I would be saddened to know how many Americans will not remember today & what happened to our country 8 years ago. The images of the 2nd plane crashing into the World Trade Center & both towers crashing down will forever be imprinted in my mind. The media made fun of President Bush's reaction when he was informed as he read a book to kids in an elementary school but I had the same look of disbelief. How could a group of terrorist infiltrate our country unnoticed, pass through airline security with home made knives, and commandeer not 1 but 4 passenger planes? I'll tell you, we have become lazy. We are the fattest, laziest & most arrogant country in the world, besides France. If we do not change our course in the very near future, we will lose all that our founding fathers worked & died achieving. I am 43 years young and have no children(that I know about) but it saddens me to think about the future my niece & nephew have awaiting them. If we allow this current government to keep on it's present course, are country will implode on itself. If I wanted to be a socialist, I would move to Australia where they have better beer & the Great Barrier Reef. We need to get off our fat asses & help ourselves. Let us get out of Iraq & concentrate all of our energies on Bin Laden & the Taliban, they are still a threat to our sovereignty. Let us put all of our domestic attention into reviving our economy & getting people back to work. People working means people spending their earnings. Healthcare is a back burner issue to me. 85% of Americans have insurance & 15% don't. What did Spock say in Star Trek 3? The good of the many outweigh the good of the few? We (Republicans) have been sick of Obuma before you(Democrats) elected him and with every single day he proves that he doesn't have the knowledge(57 states), the respect(zero Russians shook his hand at arm talks) & the experience(1st real job) to lead this country anywhere but down the proverbial toilet. Not to mention he wanted to rename 9-11 to National Service Day(WTF). We all need to take this day & reflect on what happened on 9-11-2001 & the thousands of men, women & children that were murdered in cold blood. Also the thousands of men & women in the military that are protecting our country every single day. They will never give up on us but sadly alot of us have giving up on them & ourselves.

I need a drink!

Rip

p.s. can you imagine another terrorist attack that took place during a Titans game on LP Field?

The Ultimate Female Questionaire

Well I've done it to myself again, I've tried to fool the only person I couldn't......myself. I spent 3 years trying to be the person someone else wanted me to be & in the end I like my life as well as who I am. Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely a work in progress but heading in the right direction. I have decided it is time to regenerate the ultimate female questionnaire so I can make sure that no one slips thru the cracks. Here it goes....25 fool proof questions.
#1.Have you ever slept with Darren Petty? If you answered yes, go to the bottom,sign your name, you failed.
2.Do you drink cold beer? if you answered no, bottom, sign name, you failed.
3.Do you want to have kids?
4.What are the ingredients in a Cocaine shooter?
5.Do you smoke cigarettes, crack or meth?
6.What is the greatest rock & roll band ever?
7.How many real live & non imaginary friends do you have?(1 is not a good answer)
8.How many football teams are in the SEC(tricky one since I don't count Vandy)
9.In what country would i find South Pacific Export Lager?
10.Can you make a to die for banana pudding?
11.Do you believe we should help Darfur, Tibet or the U.S.A.?
12.Would you help push California into the Pacific Ocean?
13.Do you eat meat, eggs & cheese?(no vegans will be tolerated)
14.Do you wear hats?
15.Would you like to ride around in a 1972 Olds Cutlass Supreme convertible topless?(dbl meaning)
16.Would you rather go shopping for plants or Sounds Baseball on a pretty night?
17.What is your actual height flat footed & with your biggest heels on?
18.What is your preference in panties?
19.Do you plan on spending $100k of my money on plastic surgery?
20.Do you ever wager oral sex?
21.Do you believe that soccer is a sport(can't use hands,not a sport)
22.Did the North cheat in the Civil War(war of Northern aggression)?
23.Would you of paved Afghanistan after 9-11?
24.Do you ever plan to visit France?
and last but definitely NOT least.....#25 Did you vote for Barack Obama?
There you have it....the Rip Pewett Ultimate Female Questionnaire.
This is a very important tool intended to keep me focused on my business, my football team & my piece of mind. I've always found it a terrible idea to go from one failed relationship into another new,soon to fail relationship. I am going back to being a catch & release fisherman....it is the right thing to do for me & all the girls out there that want to get married, have kids & live in a house with a white picket fence. In the picture are members of our crew & single. See how happy we are & smiling?
Cheers,
Rip Pewett
treasure hunter & single

Christmas is here, time to open my 3 month present

It is Christmas time in Tennessee...for me anyway. College football 2009 kicks off tonight @6pm CST! My world comes into focus, i'm in a great mood & have the time of my life. For some it is opening day of baseball season or deer season but for me it is Tennessee Volunteer football. I get to talk trash to every single person wearing an opposing team piece of swag until they beat us or have owned u for a few years. I set out my tickets for the game every Monday to remind me, no matter how bad a day or week I'm having that on Saturday, I will be on my favorite thrill ride....Big Orange football. Alot of folks outside the South probably don't understand our passion for SEC football but to sum it up....we weren't left with much else after that war of Northern aggression. Some refer to it as a religion & I guess you could use that analogy. Every one gets dressed up in their best outfit, goes to the place of worship the same day, cheers for God or God's team & then proceeds to eat, drink & be merry. People have repeatedly asked if I would ever live in Australia. I say sure 6 months out of the year. I could never miss an entire season of college football or Spring time in Tennessee. I have 36 minutes at work left before I go home, put on my Orange, meet the fellas & cheer on teams i really couldn't care less about. Saturday at 5:45a.m. I will start my UT ritual that the greatest man that ever lived(in my eyes) taught me......my dad. I miss him the most during football season....my Christmas.
Cheers & It is great to be a Tennessee Vol!,
Rip Pewett
treasure hunter & die hard college football fan