Quite The Week

What a crazy week. Last Thursday, we flew into London from Los Angeles and then connected to Dusseldorf. We went right from the plane to the building we were wrestling at without any sleep. Unfortunately for us, we had a crying baby on board the 10 hour international flight. We wrestled three days straight in the worlds stiffest ring but in front of an enthusiastic crowd of fans who are so hardcore, they don’t even need chairs to sit in - they stand the whole time. They bang their hands on the ring all night which creates a loud, intense atmosphere that makes our job as wrestlers a lot easier. These fans sure are passionate about what they love, and what they love is good wrestling. On the third night, Nick and I had a one on one match. We were very excited about this, because very rarely do we ever get to work with each other on opposite ends, especially on a big show like such. We were very proud of the match and dubbed it our favorite singles match to date. I would of died if I knew 5 years ago, I’d be wrestling my brother one on one over seas in Germany one day.

We stayed in a hostel for the first few nights which at first seemed creepy to me. (I’m a big fan of those horror movies). The hostel actually ended up being very nice, and no one even tried to kill us or anything. How about that? During our stay in Germany it was absolutely bone chilling cold. I remember it was chilly last time we paid a 24 hr visit back on Halloween day for a Dragon Gate show, but this time it was even colder. We got to meet a lot of our German fans who were all so very kind. They were so interested in what it's like to be backstage with guys like Hogan, Bischoff, Scott Hall and others. When we took a minute to “make a photo” (that’s how they put it) and have a quick chat, they were so very appreciative.

Monday would eventually come and we’d make the same connection to London, where we’d eventually fly home to Los Angeles. Again, both of us had trouble trying to sleep, so we were up for the full duration of the flight. I don’t know what it is about flying, we just CAN’T get comfortable enough to sleep. I find it to be impossible. As I write this now, I am unable to sleep on a flight from Orlando to Los Angeles. Finally we would land in Los Angeles where we’d spend only a few hours before heading back to the airport. Unfortunately, Dana had work until 6pm, and I had to head back to the airport by 7pm, so we’d only get one hour together after being apart for four whole days. I tried to do some chores around the apartment before ordering Chinese take out that was waiting for her as soon as she walked through the door. It was only an hour together, but it was a wonderful hour. I always get emotional leaving her behind, as I hugged and kissed her good-bye, it seemed all to sudden. “I have to leave already!?” I thought. This business is tough. I get to do what I love, but have to be away from the person I love the most. It’s the price I pay. With a tear in my eye I kissed her cheek and was off to LAX once again. Nick and I flew into Orlando on yet another sleepless flight on the last red eye going out. We landed at 5:00 am and found our way to the hotel shortly after. Call time wasn’t until 11:00 am, so we figured we’d be able to grab some sleep instantly! We were wrong. They wouldn’t let us check in until 7am. So we waited around until finally getting access to the room where we crashed for a few hours before heading to the Impact Zone. We filmed Herbies Hotseat which is an internet talk show that will be up on TNAwrestling.com very soon. Nick and I were both on dream-street at this point while answering questions for the interview, trying to seem as upbeat as possible but feeling like zombies. Several hours later in the 11th segment of the taping we filmed our X-division angle which I thought turned out really good. Nick and I got to dive off of these really high metal trusts which hold up the Ultimate X cables onto the Motor City Machine Guns. I won’t give it all away because it airs Monday, but look for a Young Bucks pose somewhere in that segment. (You long time fans will know what I mean)!

This morning we were up at 4:00am for an early flight back home - the very flight that I sit restless on right now in fact. We’ll be home soon, where we’ll have one whole week to relax and recharge our batteries. I look forward to celebrating my 25th birthday this Saturday with my wonderful family, great friends and beautiful wife Dana.

Next Wednesday we leave for the road, where we’ll be gone for another week. We’ve got a couple of TNA house shows, our Jersey All Pro debut and probably the biggest match of our career - an Ultimate X Match against the Guns on Pay Per View. After that we’ll wrap up the week long tour with a couple of TNA Impact tapings. I can’t help but sit back and be proud of all that we have accomplished. We truly are blessed to be in the position that we are in.

Is it easy? Absolutely not. We’ve practically been living on the road for the past 2 years. And a lot of people don’t realize, we’ve been professional wrestlers for over 6 years now. I’ve been taking bumps one way or another since I was 16 years old. I miss my wife. I miss not being in pain all of the time. I miss sleeping. Everyone keeps reminding me that it will all pay off in the end. I sure hope so. Either way, I’ll never forget these days as a professional wrestler. Barely 25 years old and I’ve practically accomplished every single goal I’ve ever set as a wrestler. Pretty friggin good if I can say so myself!

God has truly blessed me with a wonderful life. I brag all of the time to the boys about my family. Maybe 25 years from now I’ll be able to look back and be happy about my days spent as a young wrassler? Well, happy may be a long shot but hopefully I’m at least not bitter. HA!

You know what else I plan on doing when I get home shortly? Catching up on my sleep! Until next time…

-Matt

Your Twitter Questions Answered!

DamienPezzuti - You got any wrestling schools you'd recommend for an aspiring pro wrestler?

Unfortunately I don’t know much about many current wrestling schools. I do know of a school in Anaheim, CA where my good friend Joey Ryan is the head trainer along with Johnny Goodtime. Apparently they’re bringing in a lot of new wrestlers down here in SoCal.

Here’s the info
www.m1wrestling.com, www.myspace.com/m1wwrestling, or www.facebook.com/machonewrestling

Chris_CKJ - who is ur fav wrestler and why?

My favorite wrestler is Shawn Michaels. It’s not exactly an original answer but it’s the absolute truth. Why? Because he is the full package. He earns the most sympathy, his moves means the most, and he talks people into literally and figuratively buying into what he’s selling. He re-invents himself every night and has proved for years now that nobody will ever be at his level.

FlashJan - Who are you looking forward to face in TNA (or anywhere else)?

In TNA, I am personally really anxious to work with Motor City Machine Guns in a long program. We’ve wrestled in multi-mans and regular tag team matches already, but I am looking forward to a meaningful feud with them. We’ve been put in dream matches for two years now but we haven’t had a chance to have a great program. Also, I’d love to work with Beer Money Inc. Those guys are SO over. You should hear the crowd for them at the house shows. Unbelievable.

TheKevinHBrand - who is your dream opponent(s)?

I’d have to say Matt and Jeff Hardy. They’ve obviously been huge influences in our careers, so it’d def be a “dream” to wrestle them in a straight up tag team match. There has also been so much comparison between us two teams, so I think it would make an interesting match.

PWPunk23 - of every current wrestler, who do you want to wrestle the most?

For obvious reasons, Shawn Michaels. I would treat it more like a learning session and just try to absorb as much information as possible. I pretend I’m Shawn sometimes when I’m selling. HA! Watch Young Bucks vs. Briscoes from last Monday on HDNet, you’ll see what I’m talking about.

TuukkaTime40 - Will you guys ever wrestle for ROH again while under contract with TNA?

Yes, there are plans to have us back. We’d love to go hang with Cary again!

man5devil6god7 - Who have you never wrestled that you would like to? Not anyone in TNA!

I REALLY want to team with Nick and wrestle Kota Ibushi and Kenny Omega. There was talks about this match happening a few times now but it keeps falling through. Hopefully someone pulls the trigger on this as I think it could be something special. Nick and I were practicing the “Golden Shower” like 3 years ago but never performed it in a match! They did it first!

edk86 - if you could have had the career of any other wrestler who would you choose?

Rob Van Dam. He did it ALL and got out. I know, I know, he’s still wrestling part time. But, he doesn’t have to. The man created a wave and such hype for himself pretty much all on his own and made it to the big times where he continued to stay true to himself. Rob stuck by his beautiful wife and has a reputation for being one of the few in the entertainment business who has been loyal to her from day one. I want to be like him.

The_MOW - What is your ultimate dream match to participate in, and to see as a fan (legends in their prime from any era)?

Since I answered part one earlier, I’ll jump to the second part of your question. As a fan, I would of loved to see the Rockers (best tag team in history in my opinion) vs. The Hardy Boys. To my understanding, whenever your name was on the board opposite the Rockers, you basically had the night off - that’s how easy they were to work with. And in the process they’d make you look like a million bucks. The Hardy’s were much like the Rockers of their generation. They bumped better than anyone and put on the most exciting matches of the early 2000’s, not to mention they re-revolutionized tag team wrestling.

GunnarWuher - First thing you thought stepping into the Impact zone to face MGM?

(Answering this question in regards to our try-out match with the Guns) I remember walking down the ramp thinking, “Don’t mess this up.” HAHA. It’s the truth. As a wrestler, it’s very tough to step back and enjoy the moment. You’re in such a high stakes situation where succeeding is so very important so you don’t have a second to soak in the moment. However, after the match when we were offered deals on the spot, I felt so fulfilled as a human being. It happened just like I’d always imagined it would. I called my wife and we both shared tears of joy. It’s a special moment that I’ll never forget for the rest of my life.

2009

"What a year this was!" ... "This year was awesome, but next year will be sure to top it!" ... "This year was amazing!" Dana read the last four years worth of "Year In Review" blogs that I've written aloud last night convincing me to do another one this year. Each blog, littered with similar sentences about just how incredible the year had been, all sounded the same. We noticed as she went on reading one blog after the other, that there was an obvious pattern. Every year was great, but it just kept getting better. The quality of my personal life and career was slowly molding its self into formation as every year passed. In these past blogs, my relationship with Dana grew from girlfriend, to ex-girlfriend , to girlfriend, to fiancé, to wife. The closeness I have with my family and friends have gone from strong to stronger. And my career as a professional wrestler has gone from a dream to a reality.

As I mentioned before, I had to be convinced to do this blog again this year. So much has happened. I sit here now thinking about what I am going to write, but realize that I have NO idea where to even begin. Maybe the beginning?

Here are some highlights:

Dana and I rang in 2009 at her parents' house, kissing each other as the neighbors and my father-in-law competed with each other over who could blow their loud horns the longest. Even with my tinnitus (constant ringing I have in my left ear) being irritated, it couldn't wreck the moment. I held my precious wife of 2 months in my arms and looked down at her chest, I mean eyes, and promised her that 2009 would be an unforgettable year. Boy, I REALLY wasn't kidding.

Right off the bat, Dana was trying to convince me to get her pregnant. How did I counter? We brought home a little black cat originally named Harley, but later renamed Zeek. Before Zeek, I'll have to admit that I wasn't much of a cat person. In fact, I hated them. All it took was 5 minutes of holding him and listening to his engine like purring and I was converted. Dana sometimes gets mad when I rough house with him. I can't help it, he's my wrestling buddy! He takes a great ddt.

After some mold issues with our apartment, we decided to move in March. Dana found a great deal (by California standards) on a bigger, nicer apartment that also happens to be in a much better area. We absolutely love it here and plan on getting comfortable. Besides, it's either here, or underneath a freeway pass.

Unfortunately, as documented in my past blogs, we also lost a very significant person this year to cancer. Grandma Dana passed in May. In the short time that I knew her, she showed me love and acceptance. She was greatly missed during the holidays especially.

Dana fell in love with a Calico cat (one of the many weekends I was on the road) as she browsed through the local animal shelter. Shortly after her visit, I received a picture on my phone of this adorable creature. I had NO intention in owning another pet. A few short days later, the two of us brought home, Cali - the cutest but LOUDEST cat we've ever heard.

For our 1 year anniversary, Dana and I went on a 5 night cruise that stopped in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. It was an absolutely incredible trip and is on my top three trips of all time. It was so nice being able to shut off our phones and just enjoy each other's company. I don't think we ever ate so much in our lives!

My older sister Donajoi, who we used to irritate when we were kids by calling, "Donaboy" found out that she is pregnant with her third daughter. (LOL. The gender is 100% speculation on my part). We are all thrilled to welcome the third kid into the Massie/Meijer clan! My niece Makayla (just turned 4 on Christmas Eve), the prodigy of the family continues to shock everyone with just how smart she is. My other niece Rebecca (turning 3 this April) is a complete doll who stole the show at Dustin Cutlers A.K.A Santa Claus' Christmas Party. My brother in law Paul, a guy I never pictured as the family-man type has really become just that.

Nick, the best 20 year old wrestler ever who also possesses the best hot tag comeback in history , thanks for tag teaming with me. Not just in the ring, but on the road. I've said this before and I'll say it again. If I had to do this alone, I'd quit. It's been fun traveling the world and getting to work with a family member. We'll have a bond that nobody will ever understand except us, years after this foolishness is over. I'll never forget some of the times we've had this year.

It has been a really good year for my brother Malachi. 2009, the year he grew up. Mal got his license, bought a house which he and my family remodeled, got a girlfriend (who he's moving a little too fast with), and has taken part in some of the most exciting opening matches at PWG in the company's history. I could see him coming down to Orlando eventually to team up with his big bros.

Mom and Dad have had a challenging year to say the least. Dad had a scare earlier this year with his heart that has changed his coffee and caffeine consuming ways. Both my parents have had to go through the frightening stages of "empty-nest" syndrome which can be seriously devastating. The construction business is still trying to pull its self back together, so my parents have had to buckle down and be as thrifty as possible all year long. They're two of the only people I know who can survive off of tooth paste and a loaf of bread, yet be praising the Lord the whole way through. Your selflessness and courage has not been ignored. Things will only get better. I can only hope that Dana and I are in as much love still as the two of you are, 29 years in to our very own marriage. Mom, Dad, thank you for having sex and creating me. Also, thanks dad for building me a ring on my 16th birthday. You laid the pavement down for this long adventurous road I've been on ever since. Mom, simply put, you're the best human being I've ever met.

Dave and Sue, my in-laws, have also had a tough year because of the economy. Fortunately, things look to be turning around for their business. They've both been so kind to Dana and I this year. When we get a lot of money, they're definitely two of the people we need to take out for a nice steak dinner. My brother in law Scott became a sailor this year after 2 months of boot camp and 3 months of school. Luckily he got stationed in San Diego so we'll be fortunate enough to see him every week. We're both so very proud of him.

My best friend Dustin found the love of his life, M.B., and proposed to her a few months back. A few years ago he was going to make the biggest mistake of his life by marring this other girl who ended up being a home wrecker. (Yep. I included this in my blog). It's always nice to text message with Dust for hours at a time. He doesn't realize how simple conversations like those keeps me sane in the craziest of times. Brandon, his real life brother and another one of my close friends, has had a trying time this year in the female department. You'll find HER bro, don't worry. Collectively, Brandon and Dustin Cutler are making a huge wave for themselves in PWG and I predict that this will be the year that they EXPLODE on the indies.

Dana. You are my personal chef, hairdresser, accountant, therapist, maid, masseuse, travel agent, etc, etc. and rock of my life. I'd be lost without you. How you put up with my absence EVERY weekend this year is beyond me. SO many times I felt like I couldn't go on this year, but you helped keep me together. My success in this life is because of you. I wouldn't be me, without you. Thank you for letting me chase my dream. We made it. I love you.

Nick and I have had quite a year as professional wrestlers. Pro Wrestling Guerrilla has given the Young Bucks the platform to perform on and is responsible for a lot of our success. Sure, we put in the work, but PWG had faith in us, letting us do what we do best which definitely has gotten us to where we are today. For that we will always be grateful. You haven't seen the last of us. That tiny building in Reseda doesn't belong to Larry, it belongs to the Young Bucks.

We had the privilege to go all over the world with Dragon Gate this year: Japan, Spain, Germany and England. The Young Bucks style was created with the help and influence of guys like Pac, Doi, Yoshino, Shingo, Cima and BxB Hulk amongst others. Nick and I both find it funny that we are so close to guys who don't even share the same language as us. I truly feel that the Dragon Gate dudes are some of my closest friends in this business.

In the middle of the year, we got a call from long time friend Adam Pearce to come work for Ring of Honor. Wrestling for ROH was always something we both wanted. I remember watching ROH tapes during my backyard wrestling days, being in complete awe. So, obviously, wrestling at the ECW arena for the first time under the bright lights, surrounded by ROH banners and signs was surreal. We met a lot of great people in ROH, including Cary Silikin who has taken care of Nick and I above and beyond. Because of Cary, we got to see America through the eyes of a tourist as opposed to a wrestler which normally consists of: airport, building and hotel. Nick and I will never forget the four hour shoot interview/road trip Cary and my childhood hero Bret Hart had earlier this year. Unforgettable.

Dragon Gate USA gave us permission to wrestle with our hair down - so to speak. On the debut show, Nick and I had our best match to date. Many people say that this was the match that put us on the map. I can't argue that. You have to give credit to Gabe and OJI for bringing something different to the table in a business that banks on always doing the same.

Oh yeah. And something else significant happened. We had an impressive dark match in Orlando against our good buddies who actually got us the gig. Then, on Christmas day, Nick and I officially signed with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Now, if you know us, you've heard that its always been a dream of ours to work for TNA. It's time to live the dream.

So... I'd hate to quote myself, but I think it's so very fitting....."What a year this was!" ... "This year was awesome, but next year will be sure to top it!" ... "This year was amazing!"

I wonder what's in store for 2010?

-Matt

DGUSA show, dgusa=ecw?, Nicks Bday. Schedule

Nick and I were at LAX International Airport on route to Tokyo, Japan when I received an email on my BlackBerry (which I'm typing on currently) from Dragon Gate's American booker OJI, who works out of Houston, Texas. He told us the plans to run a company that will hold events every two months in the states, and wanted to see if we would be interested. He already had a date and building, July 25th at the famous building originally known as the ECW Arena in Philadelphia. Of course we were thrilled.

A few days later, Dragon Gate announced this new company known as Dragon Gate USA to the public. Nick and I nearly walked into the press conference that was taking place that day at the Korakuen Hall. We were coming from downstairs where the locker room is located and noticed how quiet the area where the ring is. We loudly made our way towards this area and then saw Cima, Yoshino, Doi and most of the Dragon Gate office sitting at a long table. Several members of the media stood in front of the boys with flashing cameras. Without hesitation, Nick and I hurried back downstairs because we didn't want to interrupt. We soon realized that this new company might be a big deal when DGUSA was all over the next weekly wrestling magazine. Eventually Gabe Sapolsky who was appointed Vice President, sent us an e-mail saying he was excited to work with us and came across as a very genuine human being. Nick and I had always dreamt of one day working with Gabe, as we are long time ROH followers. The debut show was scheduled, but was over three months away. Nick and I were SO anxious to say the least. We didn't want to wait THAT long!

July 25th would finally come. Most of the crew hung in the back right before showtime. I stood by one of my true best friends in this business, Doi, my brother Nick and the awesome heel, Yamato. We all looked up at the big screen and watched along with the fans (little did they know), as a countdown occured. As the number got lower, the roars got louder and the anticipation grew stronger amongst the fans in attendance, along with all of the boys in the back. The number would eventually reach 3, than 2 and finally 1... Then the place erupted! I don't think I've ever heard anything like it. Excitedly, Doi grabbed me by my shoulders and started to shake me. He looked at me with big eyes, a smile from ear to ear and said, "Matt! You hear!?" I responded, "Hei! Crazy crowd!" I looked around, and the rest of the boys were sharing the same enthusiasm.

In 2001, I was a 16 year old kid who wanted to be a professional wrestler one day. I was so very disappointed that very year when Extreme Championship Wrestling had just closed down. I used to watch and be mesmerized by how loud, excited and passionate ECW's fans were. These people truly loved professional wrestling and knew what good wrestling was. I was bummed because I knew my chance of working in front of a crowd like that, in an environment like that, were pretty slim - either way, it wouldn't be ECW.

Working for Paul Heyman's assistant in the very building they ran, in front of many of the same fans: It doesn't get much closer. Although DGUSA is much different that ECW in many ways, it's also very similar. DGUSA had an ECW-like crowd. A crowd that knows what they like. A crowd that knows what they want: Good wrestling. And I believe Gabe when he states that DGUSA is "your wrestling haven." Dragon Gate has produced what I believe to be the greatest wrestlers in the world. Bringing Dragon Gate up close and personal to America along with a mixture of the top independent wrestlers in this country is ground breaking. The Young Buck's are fully behind this new company.

All in all the experience was tremendous. The show was awesome, the fans were hot, and the boys had a wonderful time. It was so great to see the Dragon Gate guys and to grab dinner afterward. Cima is an absolute animal, ordering more food than anyone. "Everytime I come to America, 5 extra pounds!" Lol.

Oh and one more thing. People have to realize that the boys are the biggest fans of them all. We ACTUALLY liked wrestling so much, we decided to get into the business! The only difference between us and you is, we watch the show from the back while we stand in our tights.

Nick said that our match against Susumu and Cima was our best of the year. We were both very proud of our performance and will be holding a DGUSA ppv party on September 4th when its released on demand! Lol. Speaking of Nick, today is his birthday so wish him a happy one! www.myspace.com/hrwslick

Dana (who I fall in love with a little more every day) and I will be heading up the hill to celebrate his 20th birthday with him and the family later tonight. In my opinion Nick is the best 20 year old wrestler on the planet. It's just crazy to think of all that he has accomplished at such a young age.

We will return to Philadelphia at The Arena on August 14th and 15th for ROH on HDNet television tapings that we are very excited for. Working for ROH has been incredible so far and we are only 6 matches deep thus far! Other then those August dates that I just talked about, we'll also be appearing for ROH on September 18th in Ohio, September 19th in Illinois, September 25th in Boston and September 26th in New York City. Check www.rohwrestling.com for more info!

We'll also be appearing in Chicago for AAW on September 5th and then DGUSA "Open The Untouchable Gate" will be held the following day in Chicago as well. Please check www.dgusa.tv for more info!

And tweet me @mattjackson13 !

-Matt Buck

The Tale of the Haunted Smoke Detector.

One night at our apartment, Dana and I had a terrible time trying to get a good nights rest. Why? Because of a certain beeping or chirping noise that came about through the apartment every 30 seconds or so. I honestly had no clue what this sound was coming from until morning came and Dana figured it out. I remember thinking during the night that maybe it was a cricket that snuck into the apartment or even a bird that was near the window or something. The noise is SO distracting, it's sure to keep even the best of sleepers awake with their eyes wide open. After Danas discovery that the chirping was coming from the smoke detector because of a low battery, we took the battery out and the problem was solved. After talking to the people in the leasing office, they assured us that they'd replace the old battery with a new one as soon as possible. Of course "as soon as possible" took longer than they said it would, but eventually we would come home to a fully fuctional chirpless smoke detector and slept like babies on that particular night!

A few days later, Dana and I packed our bags. We we're headed to Vegas! For those who don't know us, we work very hard and have been looking forward to a vacation SO bad. We cruised on over to Las Vegas without even stopping once. Dana who was driving, was on a mission. Three hours later (which is usually four), we walked into a gorgeous room at Homewood Suites. We both gave our selves our own tour and were shouting out lines to each other from across the suite about the cool features. "Check out the flat-screen babe!" "Look at the view!" "The bed is huge!" "Lovin' the kitchen!" I was the one talking about the view and the one talking about the kitchen by the way.

We then grabbed a bite to eat at Chipotle (my new favorite place to dine), saw the town a little bit and decided to go back to the room and crash. All in all, we were just happy to get away. It's so nice to spend some quality time together. Our heads hit the pillow and we are soon off to Snooze-Ville, Population: Dana and Matt... Until, Dana and I are woken by a familiar noise coming from above. At first, we were both in denial. We both layed there in the dark on our backs, with our eyes wide open. I remember thinking, "I'm just hearing something. Afterall, we're in Vegas! City that never sleeps, right!? Someone or something outside made that noise!" As soon as I thought that last thought, another annoying chirp happened, turning my optimism into disbelief. Dana quickly turned to me and said, "are you joking me?" A few minutes later I found my self in my boxers, on top of a table, on my tip-toes trying to reach for the smoke detector which obviously had a low battery that needed to be changed. After a few minutes of being involved in a balancing act that would make many circus performers proud and scaring Dana almost to death, I grabbed onto the smoke detector with a strong grip. With my tongue out (helps me concentrate like Michael Jordan), I turned the top off. And then the fire alarm went off! I scrambled to put the lid back on and saw Dana jump across the giant bed to get to the phone to probably call front desk. Within a few seconds, I had the lid back on and the alarm turned off. "Phewww... hopefully we didn't wake anyone up," I thought to my self. It was well passed 3 in the morning at this point. Dana put the phone down and was now a little more at ease. Then another chirp rang throughout the room. "Ugh! please call front desk! They need to send maintenance up here to fix this!" Said Dana as she picked the phone back up and handed it to me. I explained the problem to some guy down stairs but of course he said that the maintenance guy wouldn't be back at the hotel for a half hour. Dana and I waited, and waited and waited. We sat in silence as more than a half hour passed and the chirping continued. So much for "getting away," and "getting rest," we thought to our selves. More than an hour passed, so we called back and demanded a new room. This was getting ridiculous. In a hurry, we grabbed our bags and headed to the front, where a new key was waiting for us. Eventually, we found our selves in a different room, back in bed, but without the chirping noise! I looked at the clock and it was 5:30am. "Okay, it's late, but time to get a little sleep at least." I then remembered that I left my cell phone charger in the old room and almost shed a tear. I sat up in bed and told Dana the unfortunate news. I ran to the front, grabbed the old key from the guy working the desk, ran to the old room, grabbed my charger, ran back to the front desk with the old key, and finally back to the new room with my charger in hand. I jumped into bed red faced but excited nevertheless, to finally get a couple hours of silence. Dana and I slept for a 3 hours in peace until it was time to get our day started.

After drinking some coffee from Dunkin' Donuts (my favorite coffee on planet Earth) and walking around the Mall, Dana and I grabbed a shuttle to the airport. We had a flight to catch going to Montana only 2 hours away! Or so we thought.. After standing in line to check in our bags, we heard that a few unlucky strangers standing next to us just had their flights canceled. "What a bummer!" I thought to my self." "What would we do if that happened to us?" I said to Dana. After cruising through security, we were feeling a little better about our trip, both of us kind of anxious to go see our nieces! Then we looked at the departing monitor and saw that our flight was delayed two hours. "Ugh! Two hours!? Lame!" I thought. Dana and I both agreed that it could have been worse though. Afterall, those guys behind us just found out that their flight was canceled all together. We headed to our gate to confirm with our airlines that our flight was indeed delayed by a couple of hours. Turns out, our flight wasn't delayed by two hours. It was delayed by 4 hrs and 45 minutes. Great. Now, we're going to have to spend the entire day at the airport. Dana and I were soon in way less of a hurry as we walked in slow motion around the terminals trying to kill time. We spent our $8 dollar food vouchers within minutes of receiving them and had plenty of time to kill. Hours passed as we sat patiently, both feeling groggy from the little sleep on the night before. Finally around 9:00pm we were on a plane and headed to Montana. We arrived a little after midnight and did the 15 minute drive to Danas sisters empty (only for the night) house. Dana and I entered the house, turned the lights on, put our bags down and both breathed a huge sigh of relief. It felt good to FINALLY be here! Our vacation is about to begin. Danas nieces will be dropped off first thing in the morning. Awesome! But then I heard something. A noise that had been haunting Dana and I for the last several days. I thought to my self, "okay, this time I'm definitely hearing things." But then, I heard it again. "NO freaken WAY!" I said to a big eyed Dana who also heard the chirp. We both sprinted around the home, looking for a beeping smoke alarm but couldn't find anything. Finally, we opened the door to the guest room. The very room we would be sleeping in. Sure enough, as soon as that door swung wide open, we heard a chirp. Dana pointed up at the ceiling and spotted the faulty smoke alarm. What are the chances of this?! I grabbed a chair from the kitchen and ran it back into the guest room, peeling off the lid and agreesively taking out the old battery, tossing it onto the floor. But, like in any good horror movie, the monster would not die! It kept chirping away! I was now pissed. Dana and I began a wide spread search throughout the entire home for a new battery. Dana and I attacked every drawer and sight. I'd open one up, find nothing, hear a chirp in the background and slam the door out of anger. We were dead-set on not letting this evil piece of equipment ruin one more night of sleep! Finally, like spotting gold in a tray, I opened up a drawer with one single battery left and screamed the simple word, "Yes!" Dana snatched the battery from the drawer and sprinted it back into the guest room. She climbed the chair and stuffed the battery into the smoke detector like it was a bottle being fed to a crying baby. And... The chirping STOPPED! Miracoulously, it was all over. We had finally defeated the evil smoke detector!

Needless to say, Dana and I slept great that night. But the next night we were woken up several times by a crying baby.

Matt

Matt
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