It was another busy week this week. Maybe not 84 hours like last week, but probably 75. Got major progress done on the new Allen Hunt Show website. Very productive. But with the production, I was also very tired and looking forward to a Saturday of doing absolutely nothing.

At 11:45pm on Friday night, my friend Glenn swings by the studio. As he was leaving he asked, "hey you want to join us for tomorrow's Alabama game at Ole Miss? Plane takes off at 9:00." I don't care what I am looking forward to, if it involves taking a private plane to a great day of tailgating and a live SEC football game, I am dropping the other plans.

So even though I desperately needed the rest, I traded it for a day full of fun.

So because I am lazy on blogging right now, here is a post in picture form (with commentary):

Working weekends for the past four years meant that I regrettably had to check the "will not be attending" box to the 30+ weddings I have been invited to. Even some that I planned on going to, got canceled fairly last minute because of work (which I got an earful about one in particular this weekend).

Though as my plane banked and began its descent over Memphis, I found myself staring out the window and thinking back to a conversation I had with Allen a year earlier about balance. And how because I implemented balance into my life this year, my descent "back home" felt more like coming back home than it did after my March weekender.

But in classic "Andy blog honesty," I also freely admit that while this trip pointed to one area of balance I was glad to be growing in, it also brings to light another area of balance I still am missing.

Weddings are of course incredibly joyous occasions for me, but also a bit of a reminder of my own discontent and loneliness. I freely admit that.

I don't think I am alone in this with other 20-somethings professionals that try to use the excuse that they are focusing on their career over their love life. But at 27, a full 6 years beyond when I thought I would have been at my own wedding, here's to my sincere and honest wish for Lissa and her husband to experience a full and happy marriage. And here's to me in continuing to try and figure out the balance needed to find a full and happy marriage of my own.

If you don't get the title of this blog, you need to watch the news more (and keep reading). This past weekend I continued my new years resolution and took the 8th weekender of the year and visited my friend Ashley in Louisville, KY. No offense to the other weekenders out there, but this was by far the most fun.

We ate out on the deck at a beautiful restaurant that overlooked the Ohio River on Thursday night. And even though I couldn't get a scallops entreé, and had to settle for salmon, the sunset was breathtaking and easily compensated for lack of scallops.

Friday was fantastic. Started the day by going to the Louisville Slugger museum. I found Ryne Sandberg's bat signature, saw how bats were made, even got my own bat with my own name burned into it. The end of the museum was a bit embarrassing, as they let you go into a batting cage and use a Major League Baseball players bat. Well out of 20 pitches at 40 MPH, I hit NONE! Zero! I sucked at baseball as a kid. I suck at baseball as an adult. But I still love it.

After the museum we went to the Woodford Reserve Distillery and saw how good ole Kentucky Bourbon is made in Versailles, KY (don't you dare pronounce it like the castle in France - because apparently like Georgia, people in Kentucky can't talk).

I had the first shot of my entire life. Downed mine - and half of Ashley's - like a champ. I think I would actually like bourbon if I drank (but then again, the fact that I probably would really like bourbon is why I don't drink).

After that we went to Porcini's. It had great food, and a great atmosphere. And if you haven't been watching the news, Porcini's is where Rick Pitino had sex with a woman who later blackmailed him for $3,000 for an abortion, and later tried to extort millions of dollars from him.

So while I did enjoy the Italian dish which I can't pronounce or spell, unfortunately I did not partake in the "Rick Pitino special" - but at least no one got pregnant.

But of course, doing stuff isn't what makes these trips fun. Spending time with people I get to spend way too little time with is easily more enticing to me than all the activities.

Now you may remember me blogging about Ashley back in December. In that post I said that, "Ashley has grown into an incredibly beautiful, successful, and talented engineer." But Ashley is also one of the most intelligent people I know.

And I am not talking academically intelligent (although she is that as well). I am talking life intelligent. Not just regurgitating fact intelligent, but original thought intelligent. Needless to say, conversation with her is always intriguing and insightful (and hilarious).

And that makes for a perfect weekender. Great food, great stuff to do, and phenomenal conversation that includes a lot of laughter and a lot of depth.

One of the largest affronts on our relationships, families, and happiness is "keeping up with the Joneses". It invokes pride and vanity, and it is subtle. I say this knowing full well that I am the worst of all.

More on that in a second.

After arriving in Hilton Head last weekend a high school friend who married a baseball player commented on my Facebook saying:

Honestly, I used to think there couldn't be anyone who travels more than athletes and sports wives...but I think the amount of traveling you do is pretty comparable to mine.

I certainly have been living up to my New Years Resolution that's for sure.

• February: Denver Ski Trip
• March: Hilton Head
• March: San Diego Visiting Sarah & Adam
• April: Orlando Visiting the Letters To God Movie Set
• April: Miami Visiting Erika & Patrick
• May: Key West w/CJ & Andrea
• June: Nashville Visiting Pat
• June/July: Indiana
• July: Hilton Head

On top of that, August is going to be Weekenders gone wild because soon I'll be working 6-days a week. The remaining travel is:

• Aug 6-8: Hilton Head
• Aug 13-15: Louisville Visiting Ashley
• Aug 20-23: Oregon for Lissa's Wedding
• Aug 27-29: Kentucky Lake Visiting Angela
• Sep 26-28: Chicago Watching Mike's Play
• Oct: Maybe DC Visiting Nathan
• Nov: Maybe Denver Visiting Mom & Cassie
• Dec: Maybe Indiana for Christmas

Or in interactive map form:

View a larger map

But what does this have to do with keeping up with the Joneses and Facebook? Simple: 170.

211 is the number of days from January 1st to today. Of those 211 days, I have "been on the road" 41 of them. Leaving 170 days that are just like everyone else's days.

Wake up. Shower. Go to work. Eat Lunch. Work Again. Come home. Eat Dinner. Watch TV. Sleep.

80% of my days are "boring" normal days.

But no matter how much I travel, I am still just as envious the friend backpacking through Europe, or spending the day at the lake. And I know about all of this becuase of Facebook.

I do know most people don't care about traveling like I do. But you could replace traveling with anything, and Facebook provides a 24/7 comparison of lives.

But wasn't that what class reunions were for?

Once every 10 years, you had one night where you were bombarded with the question: "how do I compare?" It was vain. It was stupid. But nevertheless it happened 3 times in life - and that was if you went.

But with Facebook, I am lucky if I go 3 hours with out seeing what everyone, and I mean everyone, is up to. Constantly comparing what they are doing to what I am doing (or buying, or living in, or driving, or marrying, or kids are doing, etc...etc...).

And even though most likely 80% of their days are "boring" just like mine, I still find myself comparing against the entire culmination of everyone's days.

This is not healthy. Constantly being bombarded in this fashion forces one to constantly pursue the next high: albeit trip, purchase, or (fill in the blank). This constant pursuit just took keeping up with the Joneses and gave it a steroid injection right in the quad.

I wasn't going to take a Weekender this month. Key West in May wore me out. But that didn't last long as I was itching to get out of Atlanta two weekends ago. So I called up my friend Pat who lives in Nashville on relatively short notice and went and stayed with him and his family.

It was a relaxing trip. Thursday was spent at home, smoking some cigars on his back patio and having great conversation. Friday was a day at the pool, followed by a party at the Nashville City Club.

Back in Indiana, and about 12 years prior, Pat was my youth pastor (as seen here being awesome when driving us on a ski trip to Michigan).

He is easily one of the top 3 mentors I have had in my life and with out a doubt I would not be the man I am today with out him.

As I went from the "heathen child I was" in Middle School when I first met Pat in 8th grade, to a probably overly zealous Christian in High School, to someone who went and got a Biblical Studies degree in college, to being the "moderately-liberal Christian" I am today producing a talk radio show, a lot has changed.

But through it all, Pat has always been a true inspiration and example of what a man of God looks like. I am not exaggerating in the least when I say I know no one who actively tries to improve themselves to be a better man more than Pat. He is one of the greatest husband, father, and friend that I know - yet he is always striving to be a better person.

It was something in an email he sent after my trip that made me appreciate just how deep the relationships God puts in our lives can become over time.

I’ve reflected a lot on our conversation on the patio. I’m thankful that God connected us so many years ago. I had no idea that when I met you as an 8th grader that we would share such a friendship. I have absolutely loved our conversations over the years and I’ve learned more from you then you realize.

Now what we discussed I am not going to elaborate on - after all, what happens in Nashvegas stays in Nashvegas - but the sentiment in his email to me is one of the most fulfilling things I have found in the deep relationships I have had with men and women all around the country that went from mentors to friends.

I still respect Pat more than just about anyone. And even though I have become a bit more "liberal" compared to him and my youth group days - I will always cherish his insight into life.

Thanks for a great weekend my friend.


Next weekender: probably DC the "weekend of July 17-19th." Cubs are in town so I might try to catch a game with some friends from the area. Then Oregon in August for Lissa's wedding.

In 8th grade I took my first trip out of the country. Me and about 40 other middle schoolers took a field trip to France. It was wonderful. Nice. Castles. Lyons. Tours. Versailles. Paris. Even at 14 I was in awe.

I have always loved France, but this week I found myself saying, "I wish I were French."

According to this CBS article, the French are required by law to have at least 5-weeks of vacation and work a maximum 35-hours a week. And in actuality, many French people get 8 weeks of vacation. I have to admit I am a bit jealous.

We don't have a vacation policy here at the Allen Hunt Show. But my vacation schedule seems to be something like this:

• 1 week in May with CJ & Andrea at the Beach
• 1 week in July or September in Indiana with CJ, Andrea, and my family
• 2 weeks in December/January in Indiana with CJ, Andrea, and my family for Christmas

I freely admit that 4 weeks of vacation is pretty fortunate. This of course does not count the weekender trips I take once a month just to get out of Atlanta.

Allen pointed me to another article that states 2/3 of Americans aren't planning on taking a vacation this summer.

This is a huge mistake. Now I know not everyone loves to travel like I do, and in this tough economy, traveling might not be an option anyway.

But I am not talking about travel, I am talking about vacation. Even if you stay at home and do nothing, taking time off work to relax and refocus is of huge importance.

I know I am in a way better mood after coming back from vacation - to which the people I work with are grateful. Even getting away once a month for short trips has been monumentally helpful.

Now before Sean Hannity calls and rips me a new one, yes I know French economy is horrendous and their unemployment is double ours. I am not saying that the US should become France. All I am saying is there has to be a balance between the two. The French could learn something from us, and we could learn something from the French.


P.S. This post is dedicated to Mark Arum for giving my traveling habits so much crap :)

P.P.S. I put up all the pictures from this past vacation to Sunset Key. All the photos can be found at my website, and the "best" photos I also uploaded to Facebook (which you don't need a Facebook account to see the album).

• 2Timothy42.org Photo Album
• Facebook Album (open to the public)

If we know three things about be they are:

1. I am ridiculously anal retentive
2. I would live on a plane, and travel to a different city everyday if I could afford it
3. I am a little nerdy

Below is a scanned image of 116 boarding passes of the 152 flights I have taken on an airline in my 210,167 miles in the sky. You can verify these stats at my flight log if you'd like (told you I was anal, and I am thinking you are changing the "little nerdy" to "a lot nerdy" right about now).


You know what I love about boarding passes? They each have a story behind them of a great adventure. In the picture above there is...

...moving out to college
...the flight I took right after 9/11/01
...going to my study abroad in Israel and the Middle East
...mission work in South Africa and Venezuela
...my job interview in Atlanta
...taking US Military Kids based in Germany and Japan to camps
...adventuring to Australia by myself
...countless weekenders visiting friends and loved ones

Above there are boarding passes in English, German, Dutch, Japanese, Greek, & Hebrew.

But never before have I had a boarding pass like this.

Hello to the new digital mobile boarding pass Delta is now offering to its passengers when flying out of certain airports.

The check-in process was so easy. I did it from my iPhone while sitting at a Gwinnett Braves game. Then showed up to the airport where TSA has a special box that reads the phone. Unfortunately, for this trip that's where the fun ended.

Upon trying to board my flight to Fort Lauderdale, I handed the gate agent my phone.

He looked at me and said, "I need your boarding pass, not your phone."

I responded, "this is my boarding pass."

He took a gradual look at it and said, "I can't use that. It will mess up the computer. What's your name?"

So alas, this wasn't my last non-digital boarding pass as the gate agent printed me a paper boarding pass and moved me along.

But that only slightly hampered the coolness factor, and hey for all I know, maybe there was something going wrong that day and it really would have messed up the computer.

If you fly Delta out of Atlanta, LaGuardia, Memphis, Minneapolis or Las Vegas you should see if you have better luck.

Also here's a tip: take a picture of the pass when you check in by pressing the Power button on the top and the Home button at the same time. You'll hear a clicking sound and then your boarding pass will be in your Photos "Camera Roll." This way you won't have to reload the boarding pass everytime you go to use it.

I always fly mainline airlines, but I have to say, Delta is really rising* to the top of the US mainlines. Their improvements in technology - including WiFi on planes and the Mobile boarding pass - not to mention in-flight trivia and live television on many planes really helps them soar* above the competition in my book.

*Puns intended

P.S. Remember everybody that I am in Key West starting tomorrow, but I have the new iPhone / Email blogging capability so check back often for photos and small blog posts. And in light of this post, to answer your question, no we aren't flying. CJ and Andrea and the kids are driving from Indiana to Atlanta. And then I am driving them from Atlanta to Key West. Although I love a road trip almost as much as I love being in the sky.

This past weekend was my 3rd weekender of the year. This time it was to Miami. I dubbed it my Law and Order Weekender because I visited a friend who works for the FBI and another friend who is graduating from University of Miami Law School.

Because the FBI friend is entertaining a job offer from... well... let's just say the Department of Defense and leave it at that; and the other friend is currently in a job hunt that includes a position at the 11th Circuit United States Courts of Appeals, there unfortunately will not be any photos or names of the people I spent time with.



The weekender was fantastic though.

• Found out I loved Cuban food (had it both nights).
• Had 7 hours to kill on Thursday so I just put Key West in the GPS and drove there and back - beautiful drive.
• Had a scheduling complication come up which in turn led me to take public transportation from FBI Miami to University of Miami - first time riding a bus in the States.
• And as always, had wonderful conversation with people in my life I get to spend too little time with.

But it was amidst the 7 hours I had alone in the car driving back and forth between Miami and Key West when I started to think about how much better of a mood I have been in the past couple of months compared to this past winter.

Baseball season is in full swing.

My to-do list at work isn't quite as over-whelming at it was.

But even more than that, I think there has been some real value in adding some balance in my life, getting out of Atlanta once a month for a weekend trip, and catching up with people in my life that I very much care for and get to spend too little time with.

I know it sounds cliché, but there's a connection shared across a table with a beer that Facebook and emails and phone calls just can't replace.


Ohh and one more thing. Even though Sunshine and Summertime by Faith Hill will go down as the official song of this past weekender, I decided to pull at an oldie but a goodie for this post. Enjoy "a Miami!"

Well I am making good on at least two of my new years resolutions with weekender #2.

I went to San Diego (technically Murrieta) for only 46 hours this past weekend. My friends Sarah and Adam just had their first baby. Since I missed their wedding back in 2007 due to work, I wanted to get out to see their first child as soon as they would let me.

Bennett Michael Elwer was of course as cute as can be (yes I know that sounds cheesy). And while 46 hours wasn't enough, I at least got to do all that I wanted to do: take a nap with the little dude on my chest, and catch up with great friends (although going to Jamba Juice four times in two days, and In 'N Out burger was also a nice plus).

As I drove away from their beautiful home down a dirt road in my rented gray Mustang, I realized something: I wasn't heading home...

• I lived in Fort Wayne for 19 years and 26 days.
• I then lived in Los Angeles for 3 years, 8 months, and 8 day.
• I have since lived in Atlanta for 3 years, 10 months, and 23 days.

I blogged a few weeks ago about how it has been a hard couple of months for various reasons. I am giving the official (read: made-up) start date of this time period January 14, 2009 - the day that marked Atlanta surpassing Los Angeles as the second longest place I've live.

I went to lunch with a previous boss and good friend the other day. We were catching up like we usually do amongst a myriad of topics. And out of the conversation I made the statement that, "I have a good job. I have good family in the area. I have bought a house. I have done all the things I am suppose to do. But Atlanta still doesn't feel like home."

I told him how I was taking these weekenders to get me out of this town and that it is friends like Adam and Sarah, and CJ and Andrea that are keeping me sane.

I don't know if it is that I have a spoiled notion and expectation of relationships because of what I had in LA and Indiana, or if I just don't fit in the South, but something just doesn't feel right and I thought for sure it would by now.

Am I alone on this? I know there are a lot of 20-somethings who read this. What has your post-graduate living experience been like? Did you stay close to home or did you move away?

Whether leaving through the corn fields of Indiana with CJ and Andrea behind, or the dirt road of Murrieta with Sarah and Adam in my rearview mirror, it always feels like I am leaving home - not heading towards it.

Despite the downer of the post, the weekender itself was great. Adam and Sarah kept saying, "we're sorry we don't really have anything planned," which was absolutely perfect.

It is about 1:30 am on a Friday night. I am laying awake in a pitch black room in a huge king size bed starring out hurricane-resistant sliding glass doors onto an ocean surface basking in a white glow from the full moon above.

It's been 20 years since my aunt and uncle purchased the condo on Hilton Head Island - we started visiting it every summer shortly there after. Spending up to 6 weeks at a time there in the summers.



I spent weeks bike riding all over the island - appreciating my pre-driver's license independence. When I wasn't on the bike, I'd spend hours upon hours in the ocean boogy boarding.

My first trip down there alone was my senior year of high school with CJ. It was freezing. And we eventually left the condo early to go find Andrea at Sannibel Island in Florida - which I still insist is the true genesis of their relationship.

I made other trips in college with other friends including once with Nate where we pulled wave runners all the way from Indiana - which almost killed us out on the ocean (or at least that is how I tell the story now).

Jadyn was just 8 months when she made her first journey to the condo - and thus the Borgmann/Mills family vacation had begun.

Who knew two years later the condo would be the beginning of a crazy ride involving Asher's premature birth.

I have since fallen in love with shooting down there for the weekend. I find the condo is the only real place of relaxation and rejuvenation for me. Some think it is crazy I drive 4 hours each way, just for 42 hours at the condo. Frankly, I think I would go crazy if I didn't.

But why all this? After all, I am not naive to the fact that most here probably don't care about my nostalgic memories of a place I can't even call my own.

As I lay awake, one thought overcomes me: I do not have a single poor memory of time spent at the condo.

For a place where time spent is only surpassed by my childhood home - and has since outlasted said home - having such a positive place of love and joy and warmth everytime I open the door is such a huge blessing.

When everything else in life seems to be getting more chaotic and stressful and faster and meaner and out of control; having the refuge of the condo stands in stark contrast to everything else.

Allen always refers to heaven as like coming up the escalator at the airport and seeing your family members waiting for you. I find the closest analogy I have to heaven is like opening the door to the condo.

How valuable are places like that in our life. Places where all in the world could literally be collapsing, but the refuge of their safety and security is reassuring. I never realized it until this past weekend, but that place in my life is the condo.

Where is yours?