The Week of a Lifetime

Hello, Companions—welcome back!
Today, I’ve got a story for you: a weeklong odyssey packed with travel, cards, concerts, chicken tenders (some vegan, some not), and unforgettable memories with my brothers. Buckle up, because this was the week of a lifetime.

Stop 1: Viera, Florida – Cards, Concerts, and Cuban Bread

My journey began on April 5th, 2025. I hit the road with my mom to visit my brother Lucas and his fiancée, Katie (both fellow Companions), in the beautiful planned community of Viera, Florida. The trip had three goals:

Catch Katie’s chorus concert with the Brevard Symphony Orchestra (they go crazy every spring and winter),
Crack open the Journey Together booster box I’d split with Lucas,
Test my deck against the meta’s top two: Dragapult and Tera Box.

Before leaving Tampa, my mom suggested we hit La Segunda Bakery—a Mir family classic and a Cuban cornerstone of the community. Their Cuban bread? Best on this side of the Gulf of Mexico (not the gulf of america). I finally tried one of their breakfast sandwiches, and oh my god. Absolutely delivered. See below for photographic proof of this sandwich masterpiece.

Once in Viera, we immediately got to business: open that damn booster box. It had been burning a hole in my closet for weeks. We pulled some heat, and even better—my mom pulled a Special Illustration Rare Volcanion. Iconic.

What I really wanted was a Lillie’s Clefairy EX—the perfect counter to both my Raging Bolt deck and Dragapult, the format’s current menace. Sure, we could’ve proxied it for testing, but that’s just not the same. Things weren’t looking good as the box dwindled… until the final few packs. BOOM. Full Art Clefairy EX. No proxy needed. Very nice.

Lucas and I dove into deck testing. I got stomped—repeatedly—but he’s way better than me, and honestly, I always have fun playing against him. Plus, I learned a lot.

That night, we went to the spring concert, and it was phenomenal. The orchestra absolutely shredded (as usual), and Katie crushed it. You could see how focused she was, totally locked in. I’m also a big fan of conductor Christopher Confessore. Guy just seems cool.

The next morning, we hit The Salty Bagel for breakfast. I got a bacon, egg, and cheese on an Asiago bagel, and as expected, Asiago did not let me down. A perfect wrap-up to a wholesome, productive visit. The concert was great, but the real MVP was the Dragapult bootcamp. Didn’t drop a single game VS Dragapult in Atlanta.

Stop 2: Gainesville, Florida – Natty Dubs and Surges

On Monday, April 7th, I made my way to Gainesville for the National Championship game between the Florida Gators and the Houston idk uh Roughnecks? More importantly, I was going to see my brother Quentin.

On the way over, I grabbed Culver’s—because it’s amazing and because if I lived near one, I’d be 500 pounds. When I got to Gainesville, Q started showing me around like I’d never been there. I insisted I had. He insisted I hadn’t. Turns out... I hadn’t. It was just my mom and me visiting August. Q was right. Again. Hate that.

To soothe my bruised ego, I challenged him to some Pokémon TCG. He played N’s Zoroark EX (not great), and I mopped the floor with him. Felt good. Then we pivoted to Mario Party mini-games, where I scouted for a win. Eventually, I locked in on Chip Shot Challenge and crushed some CPUs—and more importantly, Quentin.

Later, when August got home, we started pre-gaming for the big game. We cracked open the White Claw Surges (awful, just awful) and began strategizing when to head to First Magnitude, a local brewery. August talked about bringing chairs, so naturally, I dug out my folding beach chair from my trunk. Quentin and I crushed some Surges (August was the DD). We stopped for a gas station run where we picked up more Surges.

When we got to First Mag, the place was slammed—not surprising, but still overwhelming. We immediately saw some of Q and August’s friends (great folks), found a table, and settled in. The energy was already electric.

Mid-game, I got hungry. Two food trucks: one with a massive line, one with none. I went for the one with no line (classic move). The tenders looked amazing... until I took a bite. Vegan. Of course. Probably clearly labeled, but I was way too deep in the sauce to notice. Ranch carried hard, but once it ran out, I abandoned ship. Someone asked if they were free to grab one, and Q said, “They’re vegan.” That ended that.

Now the game? Absolute rollercoaster. The Gators looked awful in the first half. Walter Clayton Jr. went oh-fer. The vibes? Bleak. I was dying of thirst, and Q was making elite drink runs. One water run? Under 30 seconds. I swear someone gave him a golf cart.

Late in the game, I climbed up on a bench to get a better view of the massive screen. When Florida made the final stop to win it, the whole place erupted. I started hugging random frat guys, screaming, “WE DID IT!!!” despite never attending the University of Florida.

Post-game, we mobbed over to campus to cause some controlled chaos. It was drizzling all night, everyone was soaked, and I was running out of steam. We passed a Wawa which was borderline being looted, where I used the restroom and walked out with a crisp Sprite Zero, which fully reset my soul.

Eventually, Q’s friends decided to head back to an apartment. I was fading fast, so I Ubered home, left Q’s keys outside so he wouldn’t get locked out, and collapsed into bed.

The next morning, we got Maple Street Biscuits—both of us going for the hot honey pimento cheese chicken biscuit. Seasonal heater. So good. Before leaving town, I hit a local card shop and snagged a Near Mint 1st Edition Magnemite for $1. A lovely little guy.

Favorite moment from Gainesville? The water runs. Easily.

Stop 3: Atlanta, Georgia – Masters, Maxx, and Maximum Vibes

I flew into Atlanta early Thursday morning, April 10th. Flight was quick, not crowded, and—bonus—no middle seat companion. Shout-out to the guy next to me who slammed a Miller Lite, hit the bathroom, and then passed out for the rest of the flight. Respect.

Navigating the airport was a bit of a choose-your-own-adventure, and I accidentally exited through the taxi-only area. But hey—it perfectly synced up with Kedrick’s arrival. Right on time. Hive connection is strong.

We went back to his place and watched the Masters while Ked did work calls, and I played test matches. Later, we went to Tacos La Villa with amazing energy. Three-taco combo + drink = elite. Then we went to a Braves vs. Phillies game. Tix were cheap, vibes were high, and the popcorn and beer combo hit. Around the 7th, rain started, and the game got delayed—but they powered through. It ended at 1 AM with a two-run homer from Ozuna. Unreal.

On Friday, Ked and I saw the Minecraft Movie, and yes, we were surrounded by rowdy kids—most of whom got kicked out within 15 minutes. No crowd pop for the chicken jockey line, sadly, but Jennifer Coolidge as the Villager lover? Absolute scene-stealer.

That night, Lizzie, Ked, and I went to Ted’s for dinner. Their house-made ranch dip + kettle chips = elite starter. I got the Ted’s Bacon Cheeseburger (because, of course, I did), and it was BANGIN’. Great food, great vibes, powder soap in the bathroom, which was... something.

Saturday was the Atlanta Regional Championship—a long, competitive day of shiny cardboard battles. Afterward, Ked and Lizzie took me to CFA for a victory meal.

Sunday Rot and The Redemption of Maxx

Sunday was sacred. We woke up, and Lizzie and Ked wanted to go on a walk. I was hesitant—Georgia has sneaky elevation—but it turned out great. Ked took some banger photos, which will be posted below.

We spent the rest of the day doing what Sundays are for: beer, pimento cheese, and the Masters. I was pulling for Bryson DeChambeau (hits the ball very far), but he didn’t take it. Still, huge shoutout to Rory McIlroy for finally completing the career Grand Slam. Legend.

Also, big shoutout to Maxx, Lizzie’s cat. I spent the weekend slowly trying to earn his trust. By Sunday, he sniffed my hand a few times and even let me pet him once. Huge win. I didn’t force it—just mutual respect.

Home Again

I wrapped up my journey with an early Monday flight home, where my amazing mom picked me up and brought me back to Herca Lerca.

This trip meant everything to me—time with each of my brothers, incredible memories, wonderful music, and movies, and lots and lots of good food. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I loved living it.

Until next time, Companions 🫶