SOTU Drinking Game

When President Obama's fourth State of the Union address was taking place across all the major networks, some were following along playing the State of the Union drinking game.

The instructions are too numerous to list in their entirety, but here are some highlights:

Drink once every time you hear "progress," "let me be clear" or "make no mistake"
If you hear "debt," borrow a shot from a friend, promise you'll really pay it back this time
If you hear "deficit," finish your drink; borrow the drink of the person next to you and drink it too
Drink twice when the President calls a tax increase "asking someone to pay more"
When he adds a color qualifier to jobs ("green" jobs, "blue collar" jobs), drink one drink of the same color
When they show the First Lady, drink once. When they show the First Lady's arms, drink once, delivered by bicep curl
Drink once when they show Speaker Boehner. Drink again if he's crying.
Drink once if they show any of your Congressional representatives, then pat yourself on the back for being able to identify your Congressional representatives.

Should have made for a more entertaining SOTU, and if you fully comprehend the "actual" State of the Union, might go easier if you had a "buzz" on.

Jerry "Hoot" Havens

Jerry Christianson - Joe Francis - Jerry "Hoot" Havens

Bad photograph, cameras not allowed in the club, taken with a little Brownie

I just has some bacon and eggs, when I was done I took the plate out to the kitchen, washed it, dried it, and put it up in the cabinet, and as I dried it, I thought of Jerry "Hoot" Havens. Not sure when I first hooked up with him, probably at the Nevada Club when we turned out as dealers.

Jerry and I shared a number of apartments, and worked together on the same crew at the Primm. I don't know how he got the nickname of Hoot, it just seemed to fit him.

He was a good "clerk" as we were called in those days, thanks to the IRS. They had no classification for dealers, so we were listed as Clerks.

I embarked on a few "excursions" in those days, went to Elko, Oregon on one occasion, and a few other trips, but always had a place to stay when I got back, at Hoots. He was just a good friend, no, a great friend.

I remember Hoot bought a car on one occasion, one he had always wanted. A Ford hardtop convertible, The top automatically receded into the trunk, and you had a convertible. Nice car. Worth a fortune, if he still has it.

The last time we worked together, at The Primm, Hoot and myself, a kid from Vegas, Jerry Christian, and sitting box was Joe Francis. Don Eammelli was the shift manager, and a good friend. Great crew, great store and had a great time. Joe went on to be a casino manager for Harrah. I know he is gone, and have tried to get in touch with Don or his family, I know they are still in Reno. Jerry is probably still around, he was a few years younger. Jerry came to Reno with his new wife, rented an empty apartment, slept on the floor, and each payday they would purchase more furniture.

If Hoot reads this, or anyone who knows or remembers him, joedooley@yahoo.com. Would love to hear from anyone from the "old" days of Reno.

I digress, Hoot always washed dishes after he ate or even dirtied a glass. I was admonished on a number of occasions for leaving a glass on a table, putting something in a sink or not leaving a cleaned kitchen.

Hoot, you've never been forgotten, thought of often, a big part of some great memories.