He comes out of the WINEDUP....

So I just switched the name of my little wine blog to the WINEDUP. The other name just sounded stupid and made no sense. This new name doesn't suck as much.

Dusting off the defunct blog

Geez....I haven't typed in this space for quite some time. Time to get out the Swiffer...

Did you know I got a new job? I'm an Area Manager for gulfstreamwines.com. Take a look around. Tell me what you like! Mine wines will be coming to a Gainesville soon. Sooner than that...check out Manuel's Vintage Room, Tipple's Brews and Wine & Cheese Gallery for the first shipments to arrive. More to come!

Tasting at Caymus

Tim Tebow at Zach Brown Band concert

Help Wanted

So how does one break into the wine industry? Work at a wine store? Move to Napa? Read back issues of Wine Spectator? Open your own wine bar? Take classes? Watch Bottleshock and Sideways? Drinks lots of wine and take notes? Start a wine blog? Listen to Gary V? Network with wine industry folk via Twitter? Wait tables at an upscale restaurant? Bribe a winery to hire you in exchange for fudge? Eat your weight in crab meat to get on Letterman and arm wrestle him for a chance to name a new varietal after your favorite Battlestar Galactica character? For Halloween, dress up like "Grape Ape" from the Saturday morning cartoons and loiter at your favorite wine shop? HUH? WHAT? YOU DON'T KNOW?

When you do, leave a comment or send me some fudge.

Yesterday

I was laid off from Starbucks yesterday. Five years of my life...heart and soul...sweat and tears...highs and lows...evaporated in an instant. I knew it was coming. I could sense it like a dog knows it is going to the vet. It was quick and painful. I tried my best to compose myself and walked out of my office, clutching my framed diploma with my pride dinged. Where do I begin...or end? I worked harder for Starbucks than any other point in my life. Unfortunately, during the final days of my tenure, I felt that no one had my back. I now have 9 weeks of severance. I'll take a few days to go through the emotions of shock, sadness, angry, really angry and elation. I know it's time for me to venture into something new, exciting...blah blah blah. Nobody likes to get kicked in the gut. I got mine. I will overcome. Starbucks lost some great people yesterday (over 1000 employees). Unfortunately, they let go some really good people who could have transformed the company into some great and special. I will focus my passion on something else. Something fun. Something important. Something new.

I'm sick of coffee...

Rob talks about wine

Rob talks about wine
Originally uploaded by dublwrap

As you can see, I have no idea what I'm doing....