Joe and Jamie’s Blog

Happy Birthday to me! Sad that I have to blog about my own birthday, (grrr Jamie) but that’s another issue.

I am 24 years old now, getting pretty old I guess. I asked for a simple birthday, just a nice family dinner, wanted everyone to save their money really. There isn’t any need for a big hoopla in between 21 and 30 anyway. To celebrate, I asked to go to O’sho Japanese Steakhouse on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie. We all haven’t been there in many years, so it was time for a visit.

The dinner was great. By some stroke of luck we got our own table which was nice. We all were stuffed by the end of the meal. I felt like the guy from Monty Python’s Life of Brian (hope you all know what I mean). Everything that came off that hibachi was delicious, couldn’t get enough of it.

After we took some pictures in the rain of the building for this blog, we went home to digest some food before cake. A few hours later we sat around the table and had cake while I opened my presents. Everyone hates shopping for me because I either want stuff that is really expensive, I already own everything they think of, or the gift that they want to get me is technical so I would have to ensure they purchase the right one. I am a big movie buff and own quite the collection of DVDs, up near 400 last time I checked. Like usual, I only asked for some DVDs for my birthday. Love getting a whole bunch and adding to the collection.

To my surprise, my parents got me a very awesome gift. They gave me tickets to the 20 Mile Super Speedway Program from Stock Car Racing Experience at Pocono Raceway. This program puts you behind the wheel and driving a 600 hp Stock Car on the 2.5 mile Super Speedway for 8 laps, reaching speeds of 165mph. I am in 100% complete control of the car by myself. No instructors or experienced drives in the car with me, just me and an exact model NASCAR stock car. I don’t think awesome is quite a powerful enough word. I have to go through a few hours of lessons and training first, but I just can’t believe I get to drive the thing! I also get to go on a three lap ride along in the beginning, which is fun in itself. Can’t wait to experience 160mph G-force going through a turn with a 20+ degree embankment.

Enjoy some pictures from the night.

Today we went out and bought our Christmas tree. Since it had rained for two days straight and was below freezing we decided to just get one off a lot somewhere, rather than go cut it down. We had to the same last year and the tree was great. Our family likes the short and full trees. Ceilings aren’t too high in my house, plus its a pain decorating a 7 foot tree when you are 5.5 feet tall.

My father and I put the lights on it after cutting the base and getting to to stay in the tree stand. The next day, my mother, sister, and Jamie put all the decorations on the tree.

After the tree was set, Jamie and I wrapped up our gifts to get a jump start on things. More or less we had nothing better to do, but its fun wrapping gifts.

Check out the tree!

The chosen one.

Jamie holds the chosen one while I step back to take a look.

Christmas tree with lights on it.

Larger wreath on the front of our house.

Wreath on the front of our house.

Christmas tree all decorated.

More of the decorated Christmas tree.

Closeup of the little dog ornament!

Jamie adding candy canes to the tree.

All done decorating!

Jamie wrapping Christmas gifts.

All the presents are wrapped!

Who put those there already??