Paul Ryburn's Journal

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Better?

A good friend and BBQ teammate of mine is moving back to Memphis this week and is looking for a place to live. Anyone know of anything? Communications are sparse with him because of his job, but I believe he’s looking for a 1 BR or studio apartment Downtown, and might also be open to a roommate situation. Not sure of price range – he works on the barges on the Mississippi, no idea what they make. He’d likely prefer an apartment with a lot of tube top hotties in it, but would be interested in hearing about anything. Would like to have him Downtown so he can hang with his friends. Email me at paul@paulryburn.com if you know of anything.

Dammit. We’re nearing the halfway point of Tube Top Month and this blog has positively SUCKED in terms of photo quality. Determined to do something about that tonight. Just walked home from the Saucer in the rain and got soaked, but I’m going back out. My readers deserve tube tops and they’re going to get them.

Velvet Sky

She’s in town for TNA BaseBrawl at AutoZone Park tonight. Unfortunately none of the photos on her profile page are of her in a tube top, because she looks damn good in one.

The Orpheum Summer Movie Series continues tonight, with “The Big Lebowski” showing at 7:15. In honor of The Dude’s favorite drink they will have a White Russian drink special. In addition, you can wear a bowling shirt or bathrobe to be entered to play in “Walter’s Over the Line Bowling Tournament.”

Bar None will be getting in on the fun too. They’ll have $4 White Russians and $3 “The Dude” flavored Three Olives vodka all night. That vodka is awesome. Tastes just like Mountain Dew. $25 gift card to be awarded to the best character costume after the movie.

Hard Rock Cafe will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the company’s founding Tuesday, June 14, and there will be a special for our men and women in uniform. Police officers, firefighters, EMTs and active military members can get a burger for 71 cents, in honor of Hard Rock’s 1971 founding.

Good news for poker players: A key conservative has joined forces with Harry Reid in the movement to legalize online poker. Let’s get this done soon!

I’ve been checking into Facebook Places more, and am starting to see the value in it. Last night I checked in at Bardog, and a Facebook friend who lives nearby came up to hang out. I still think Foursquare is the premier check-in service, but I have four times as many friends on Facebook as I do on Foursquare. Not that I’m going to quit Foursquare – I want to maintain my Flying Saucer, Bardog and Number 10 mayorships for as long as possible!

The one network I’ve been ignoring lately is Twitter. Between Facebook and Foursquare (and texting), I just don’t have enough phone battery left to do much tweeting. Thankfully, though, some of my friends have done a more than adequate job stirring up drama on Twitter during my relative silence. Apologies, though, to people who got used to a large number of tube top tweets last June and are disappointed this year.

Speaking of tube tops: I really need to step it up on the photos! I’ll have the camera out this weekend and hope to take and post some quality tube top shots.

The morons in the Tennessee State Legislature are at it again. The buzz on the Internet yesterday was about a law they passed this session, making it a crime for someone to publish images on the Internet that “another person could reasonably find offensive.” The law is clearly unconstitutional, but while it’s on the books, do bloggers have something to worry about? For example, suppose I embedded the video Propecia the Crack Whore Goes on a Blind Date in a blog post. Could real-life crack whores find it offensive and press charges against me? (WARNING: If you click through to watch that video at work, use headphones.)

I sure hope the state legislature has nothing against tube tops, or I may have to move to another state.

Lots going on to blog about, so let’s get started…

Garry Goin and G3 will play the Peabody rooftop party tonight. They’re the group that used to be the house band at EP’s. Food theme will be German/Austrian this week, with buffet (included in price of admission) of bratwurst, rolls, German mustard, sauerkraut, German potato salad and dill pickles. The buffet in VIP will have knockwurst with rolls and German mustard, sliced sausage and cheese, and deviled eggs. $10 to get in, ladies free before 7.

VIP pass holders get admission to a pre-party from 5 to 6 in the Corner Bar. Yuengling and a food buffet of chili glazed chicken wings, calamari fritti, and an antipasto platter. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.

There’s also an after-party in the Corner Bar from 10 to 12 that is free for everyone. Josh Crosby and Nick Redmond from Star and Micey will play. Drink sales will benefit the Memphis Music Foundation.

Over at the Madison, Joyce Cobb will be the featured entertainer this week for “Sunset Atop the Madison.” Doors open at 5:30, sunset at 8:13. $7 cover, cash bar and tapas available. At 10:30 a DJ takes over for “Moonlight Atop the Madison,” free for Sunset attendees, $5 otherwise.

Meanwhile, over in Handy Park, David Allan Coe and Brad Kessler will play tonight. Free with $10 food/drink purchase.

And across the street at Alfred’s will be the “Play for Jay” event, with casino games, cash bar, live music and food. Proceeds will benefit the Jay Uiberall Legacy Fund scholarship. More details here.

A group of my friends ate, or I should say attempted to eat, at Happy Mexican last night. The waiter told them that an ID and credit card were required before they could even order. Manager said this is a requirement for parties of six or more. They got up and left and ate at Spaghetti Warehouse instead. What the hell? It’s been discussed on Twitter this morning and a Commercial Appeal columnist has been notified about the experience. I hope she does a column on it. That rule is ridiculous.

Ferraro’s is doing the $15 all-you-can-eat pizza and all-you-can-drink PBR night for Thursday karaoke night. I’ve heard a rumor – and this is as of yet an UNCONFIRMED rumor – that the $15 deal may be coming to Tuesday trivia night soon. The Nuh-Uh Girl will never miss another Tuesday there again if that turns out to be true!

Next Tuesday is the monthly South Main Association meeting. It will be at Earnestine & Hazel’s and the speaker will be Veronica Sally-Garner. She is the coordinator of the South Main Precinct neighborhood watch program. 6 to 9 PM, happy hour prices on beer, free soul burgers for members. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.

On Saturday, you can meet TNA wrestlers and get free tickets to TNA BaseBrawl that night at AutoZone Park. Go to Direct Auto Insurance from 2:00-2:45 PM to meet “The King of the Mountain” Jeff Jarrett. Get an insurance quote, and you’ll get a free autograph and a ticket to BaseBrawl. Watch out if he picks up his guitar!

From 11 AM to 1 PM, “The Blueprint” Matt Morgan and Velvet Sky will be at Direct Auto Insurance at 2552 Covington Pike. Same deal – get a quote, receive an autograph and ticket. Velvet Sky is HOTTTTTTTTTT. She looks amazing in a tube top. I would marry her!

There’s a Memphis Blogging Boot Camp to be held on Saturday, June 25 from 10 AM to 2 PM. It’s for new and intermediate bloggers. Learn about topics like how to set up a blog, integrating social media, themes, moderating comments, finding your niche, blogging for money, keywords, and understanding SEO (search engine optimization). I haven’t heard of the company presenting the seminar before, but they’re using WordPress, which is far and away the best blogging platform, so I’m going to recommend this. Seminar will be at Jason’s Deli conference room. Register here.

Plans for tonight: I was leaning toward going to the rooftop, but photos I’ve seen on Facebook are now swaying me in the direction of Bardog. What the hell did I miss there last night? Shouldn’t have left right after poker. Maybe I’ll get more texts from someone telling me how “gangsta” she is. Geez. Right now, though, it’s time to make a quick run to Target, then back to an afternoon of website updates in my air-conditioned office. Later!

Last night I had a few warm-up beers at the Saucer, then headed to Bardog for the Wednesday night poker tournament in the Underdog. The potential opponent I tried to invite decided to be antisocial, but that was fine, I ended up having someone to pick on. Look who made a surprise guest appearance:

Yep it’s the one and only BRICK!!!!! As far as I know this was her first appearance at Bardog. Here she is modeling the PBR suspenders Poker Jon brought me.

Brick brought her BFF Kalista, who ended up winning.

I made an early exit from the tournament, after shoving my 1600 chips in under the gun with 10-8 unsuited, with the blinds 200/400 and about to go up. What can I say, I’m a maniac who will play any two cards!

Afterward, I hung out with Uncle Ray upstairs.

Bardog was once again tube top deficient, which was kind of surprising considering Suzy was there.

It’s Thursday… I need to do a Peabody rooftop post at lunchtime… plus whatever other news comes along. Once again I’m in decision mode between rooftop and poker at Max’s Sports Bar. Right now though, it’s time to get dressed and go to work in my air-conditioned office!

This morning, I attended a Public Relations Society of America workshop about Twitter. Speaker was Sandra Fathi, president of Affect, an agency in New York City, and also president of the NYC PRSA chapter. Her talk was excellent and I got a lot of good ideas about connecting with journalists that I will take back to work this afternoon.

She discussed hashtags, and people mentioned how well the #memflood hashtag has been used on Twitter. So she pulled it up in HootSuite. Among the tweets that appeared was this one:

And the #memflood is gone RT @Paulryburn ousted @clay1278 as mayor of Flying Saucer Draught Emporium on @foursquare! http://4sq.com/7TIbp6

So there was one of my drunk tweets/Foursquare checkins, right there for the professional community of Memphis to see.

And who was sitting right next to me, looking at it as well? My boss. Yep. Fantastic.

Back Downtown for lunch, eating one of my favorite comfort foods, chili with jalapenos, onions and cheese from Court House Deli. Was tempted to eat outside because there was a hot MILF in a tube top dress out there, but I decided to bring it home and do a blog post. The owner of the place said, “Hey Paul. Here. Try these,” as I was walking out and handed me three of their new blackened voodoo wings. I thought about telling him I already tried a full order last month when I was on vacation. But then I thought, the Nuh-Uh Girl wouldn’t turn down free food, why should I?

In other news: Bar None is planning an ’80s party Saturday night. I’m short on time so I’ll just paste the description from Facebook. Sorry about the caps (theirs, not mine):

WE’RE GONNA PARTY LIKE IT’S 1985!! BRING ON THE AQUA NET, ACID WASHED JEANS AND NEON LEG WARMERS. SO FOR ALL YOU GIRLS WHO WANNA HAVE FUN AND GUYS WHO LIKE IT HOT JOIN US AT BAR NONE FOR A TOTALLY RAD 80’S BASH. $100.00 GIFT CARDS FOR BEST GUY AND GIRL 80’S OUTFIT. WE WILL BE ROCKING OUT TO AWESOME 80’S MIXED TAPES. JELLO SHOTS AND DRINK SPECIALS ALL NIGHT.

A friend of mine texted me from Tuesday night steak night at the Downtown Blue Monkey last night. He said the steaks are fantastic and they use only meat from Charlie’s Meat Market. See, I can say good things about the Monkey, just not about their karaoke night. I’ll have to check out their steak night sometime soon.

Harp is the Fire Sale today. Since it tastes exactly like a beer I love, PBR, I’ll be there at the Saucer at 5:30 to enjoy a few. I’m about 50/50 on whether I’ll do poker in Bardog’s Underdog Room at 7:30 tonight. I’d said I was only going to go if a potential opponent decides to stop being a no-fun crybaby and go out, but you know what? $2 Coronas mean there’s a very good chance I’ll show up regardless.

Time for a sweaty drive back to Horn Lake in a hot car. I need to go to more of those PRSA workshops. It really was informative and worth whatever my company paid for me to go.

Last night I started out with a walk down Madison to the First Tennessee building to use their ATM. Snapped a couple of pics along the way.

Then I moved on to Bardog…

My only complaint about Bardog was that it was tube top deficient last night. C’mon people get it together!!!

I then moved on to the Saucer and watched the rest of the basketball game. They left the news on afterward and there was video from Rudy Williams’ music memorial. They had a trumpet made of flowers and his straw hat and I was fighting back tears as I watched it.

I have a PR meeting at the U of M this morning and will eat somewhere nearby, so probably no time for a lunchtime post for today. Plans for tonight: Not set in stone but leaning toward poker in Bardog’s Underdog Room (7:30). I thought I was going to have a new person to beat, but it looks like someone is having trouble putting her big girl panties on and coming out on a weeknight. We will see.

The PR meeting is about Twitter. If I learn anything interesting I’ll recap it later…

I just received the “Bark & Herald,” the email newsletter Bardog Tavern sends out. In it I found a great June special: $2 Corona bottles, with or without lime, all day long, all month long. What a sweet deal! Now I’m going to be torn as to whether to drink Corona and PBR when I’m there. Which I’m about to be in a few minutes!

Tube tops and Corona will keep you cool this hot June!