There’s a big difference between ‘Killing Time’ and ‘Time Killers’. When you could be productive but choose to do things that just take up time, that becomes a time killer. When you are away from or unable to perform your normal routines or tasks because of the situation, you end up just killing time.

Here in Chicago, I’ve been forced into the killing time mode. Waiting 14 hours to hear about Suzanne’s surgery outcome, just killing time. Every morning, waiting for visiting hours to start at noon, just killing time. After leaving the hospital each evening and back at the hotel, just killing time.

Preparing to head to Chicago, I wondered what I was going to do with all that time when I realized that I was way behind on all my statistics. Yep, I’m a real stats guy, numbers thing, totals, percentages, averages . . . . Love that stuff. So what stats am I working on, my Beer stats!

You may not know it, but one of my favorite hobbies is beer. No, I’m not a drunk, don’t need to join AA, hasn’t impaired my normal activities, at least I don’t think it has. But I love to try new and different beers. I go to Binney’s and other stores that allow the build your own six-pack and study what’s available, what I have had to drink previously, and choose my selections. Then, when I drink the beer, I rate it on my favorite social media app: UNTAPPED, the Facebook of beer.

I also collect beer labels. I have hundreds of labels that I plan on wallpapering my woodshop with. It’s fun to look through all those labels, their unique design, colors, shapes and reminisce about that particular beer.

So I’m sure I have your curiosity up now about my stats, well maybe not but here are a few details about the beers I have had:

• 1703 Unique / Different Beers
• 418 Different Breweries / Brands
• 100 Different styles and sub-styles of beer

I hope you realize these numbers are not just this year, although it has been that type of year. I started keeping track of my ‘beer stats’ in 2005, long before phone apps to keep track of things were even thought of.

And if your wondering, what is my favorite beer? Well, that’s like asking which is your favorite child. About three percent of what I have tried are in the higher rankings, so here are some of my top contenders:

• Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) – Imperial Stout – Founders Brewing Co.
• Passport to Russia – Imperial Stout – Mark Twain Brewing Co.
• East Pass IPA – IPA – Destin Brewery
• Cast Iron Oatmeal Brown – Brown Ale – 4 Hands Brewing Co.
• Weissbier Dunkel – Dunkelweizen – Spaten-Franziskaner, Germany

If you’re ever planning an event or wonder what to get the guy who has everything, let me know and I can give you some suggestions, as long as there is beer involved.

Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.
Ecclesiastes 9:7