Thursday was the Chris Benoit signing. We drove the 95 minutes up to Round Lake Beach and when we got there an hour before the signing was to begin, there was a line 4 blocks long. Mickie handed out flyers. Cops kept yelling at us because we were blocking traffic even though there were NO CARS in the area due to the 1000 PEOPLE STANDING THERE. I absolutely hate cops that go on power trips because they have a badge. They can arrest me for breaking a law…not for FCKING STANDING ALONG WITH 1000 OTHER PEOPLE. Cops want to know why they have a bad reputation…well there is your answer. Pricks that think they run the universe because they are a cop. Well they don’t run my universe…they don’t even make suggestions in my universe. We didn’t get anything signed by Benoit so it was a bad trip in that regards but I think it introduced several people to the fact that their is an IWA Mid-South out there so that is a good thing.

Friday we went to Chicago for the Trish Stratus and Torrie Wilson signing. We got up there very early and parked in a parking garage across the street from the Best Buy. We also had the Miranda Lambert concert that night. It was a block away from the autograph signing which worked out very conviently. I stood in the line while Ian and Mickie walked to try to find the bar and get Mickie a ticket for the concert. They came back and the concert was a sell out. There was an idiot in the line in front of us talking shit about how much he knew about Trish Stratus and how many times he’s met her and blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. He wasn’t as annoying as the fckhead at the Candice Michelle signing on Tuesday night but bad nonetheless. Then Ian made a joke mentioning the SHITLIST by name and that put me into a bad mood for awhile. Standing in the rain and listening to the jackass in line didn’t help either. Still, the mere mention of that fcking sack of shit’s name is enough to get me in the mood for murder. Earlier in the week, Ian showed me a bunch of pictures from the March Midlo show. Several involved SHITLIST and I just sent those flinging across the table without even really looking at them. Ian thought I would like the pictures due to what was happening to SHITLIST in them. I said “not even if it was a picture of him in a casket.” I will extend my answer to include not even if it was a picture of him doing the world a favor and putting a gun in his mouth and pulling the trigger…not even if it was a picture of the end result of that event. While such a thing would make me the happiest man on earth, I wouldn’t want to see a picture of it or hear his name spoken to talk about it because that would just tarnish the joy assoicaited with my wish coming true. Anyway, back to the signing and concert. We eventually get through the line and Mickie went off to look at DVDs and CDs. I stayed in the line to take a picture for Ian. When Axl and CM Punk left to go to the WWE, I told them to tell Trish that I was available. After seeing what she looked like in Best Buy and not being able to tell if she was a mannequin or a human, that offer is off the table. I wasn’t impressed by Torrie Wilson either. I didn’t even go up to the table to meet them or shake hands or anything. Mickie and I went back to the car because I was freezing to death from standing in the rain. Ian went to get a scalped ticket for the concert so Mickie could go. He gets a ticket and we go to the concert. Mickie and I left right after Miranda started singing. The parking garage closed at 11 pm and due to the opener going over an hour and then a long ass delay before she started, it was already 10:30 when she started playing. The parking garage didn’t have an attendant…just a money machine to pay to get out of the garage. It cost $10. I had a $10 bill. Unfortunately, they only took 1’s and 5’s. I was pissed. They had a number to call…no answer. Mickie took my $10 bill and went up and down the street asking strangers for change. She gets the change and we pull out of the garage a couple of minutes before 11. The big door shuts at 11 pm so the car would have been locked in if we had been a couple of minutes later. We get stuck in the opening construction on the Dan Ryan and it takes us 2 hours to go 4 miles. Patti, Maniwa, Adrianne, Vince, John David and David are at the house waiting for us to get back. We all eat at Romines and get home around 4 am. I had to get up at 6 am to start the airport runs.

David and I leave to go to Midway. We pick up Vanessa, Steen, Generico, Low Ki and Ruckus and go to find a hotel. 9 hotels later, we finally find a run down place to get rooms for everybody. David takes off to get Spike and I leave to get Milano. The show was awesome. 406 people is the paid attendance. Low Ki vs. Necro was the most devastating and fun match that I have ever witnessed. Before the show started, Meg came up and talked to Maniwa and to me by default since I was standing next to Maniwa. It isn’t often to beautiful girls talk to me at the shows so thank you Nick Maniwa for being by me for that. My aunt and my cousins came up to the show. I hadn’t seen Chuckie since Christmas so that was fun. I took everyone back to the hotel and then it was time for karaoke.

I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun. Ray, Fusion, Alex, Sox, Mickie, Ian and me (yes I know Fusion had a friend with him but I don’t know his name) went to karaoke at this little dive bar. I did Summer Wind, Strangers in the Night and My Way. It got good reviews from the lady that I think owned the bar and was telling me about the goodness of Sinatra and how “young people” like me don’t really listen to Sinatra anymore. Sox was hysterical to see perform. We had tears running down our face listening to him. Like I said, I can’t remember having more fun in quite some time. It was just a great time had by all…except for Fusion’s friend who had WM tickets and wanted to be at home asleep. We leave around midnight and stop to eat at Romine’s. Half way through the meal the waitress mentions the time change and I had to leave from the restaurant to return to Chicago to get the guys. 2 trips back and forth to get everyone from the hotel to the airport and to home it was. I fell asleep while driving and missed my exit so that added a few extra minutes to the trip but it was worth it. I got home at 7:15 am and went to bed shortly before 8 am.

I’m definitely ready for bed right now. Tomorrow morning I need to take my car to the mechanic for an oil change, fix the leak in my trunk, my driver’s side back door won’t open from the outside or the inside and other minor adjustments. Guess that is to be expected after 250,000 miles. Then Chris will pick me up from the garage and we’re going to the Candice Michelle signing and then to Hooters to watch the Cubs season opener.

That’s all for now. Until next time….