It was the eeriest of feelings. With dense fog rolling off the Ohio River, I was traveling north on US 23, a road that hugs the body of water. It was a familiar drive but one I hadn't driven in more than 25 years. Less than 10 minutes later, I pulled into a parking lot where I spent more than the usual amount of time back in the late 1990s.

I had volunteered to speak to a journalism class at my high school alma mater for several reasons. Still, the primary one was that I don't remember either having a journalism class back when I was at Greenup County HS or anyone coming in and telling me about the profession. And while the school has changed inside and out, I quickly learned that high school students don't.

There's the kid who is just trying to stay awake. There are the two girls who not-so-secretly whisper the entire time. You still have the Type-A students who absorb everything, always taking notes in case the littlest thing pops up on a test. And yeah, you still have the group of guys led by the wannabe class clown. It was 2024, but I felt like it was 1997 again.

It was a harrowing experience, but it was worth it if just one kid took one percent of what I said about journalism. Now, let's get into some ramblings.

- Let's start with a hot take: Steak 'n Shake fries are the best fast food fries. This is undeniable.

- I agree that Hugh Freeze needs to be harder on his players than he has recently. It's a tightrope you must walk now as a college head coach, but kids still need tough love. Also, people who think Freeze isn't taking the losing hard are fooling themselves.

- Driving from St. Louis to Jefferson City last week, I was listening to Game 5 of the Mets-Dodgers series and kept hearing a phrase I had never heard. It was the "leverage guy" from the bullpen. I've followed baseball all my life. This is the first I have heard that.

- The fact that Alabama and Auburn were picked 1-2 in the SEC preseason media poll is a fact that if you had told someone 10 years ago, they would have laughed at you.

- Speaking of MLB, how happy are the executives for both the league and television that it is a Dodgers-Yankees World Series? I bet caviar is flowing in the Connecticut country clubs right now.

- I was thoroughly impressed by Missouri's stadium and the crowd on Saturday. It was a late-arriving crowd, but they were loud when it mattered. It is an underrated environment.

- Another first: I took an exit in Wentzville, Mo., and the exit lane quickly turned into a roundabout. That's living dangerously.

- In my 20s, I was one of those guys who got to an airport bar and struck up a conversation with anyone and everyone around me. Now, I put my earphones in and watch Netflix or write. I'm considering that maturity.

- YouTube of the Week: the monster made up of sticky notes in this commercial absolutely terrifies me to no end. I wish I were making this up.

- I passed Six Flags St. Louis and saw a wooden roller coaster that I must ride at least five times before I die. I also went through a town named Rosebud and hoped to see Eugene Levy walking down the street carrying a sled.

- Another thing I passed? An exit sign for Troy and Bowling Green. It was either the towns or advertising one of the crappy bowls played before Christmas.

- Not used to having a push-to-start car, I accidentally left the keys to my rental car overnight. That would have been difficult to explain to Hertz. It also took me 15 minutes to figure out how to put the car in reverse.

- The season hasn't gone exactly how I imagine Cam Coleman thought it would, but if he is finally fully healthy, it makes all the difference for Auburn's passing game. Let's see if he can get any distance between him and a talented Kentucky secondary.

- It took me more than an hour to come up with the word foilage the other day. I feel this is something you need to know.

- Heading to Commonwealth Stadium (Kroger Field) on Saturday, I'm reminded of how many games I have seen there. While most were forgettable, I will never forget seeing Kentucky fans storm the field after beating Alabama in overtime in 1997.

- An American Legion convention was happening at my hotel in Jefferson City this past week. Stepping into the lobby, I immediately felt like I was in the Fred the Dorf Dorfman scene in Fletch. And if you don't know what I'm talking about, quit whatever you are doing and watch the Chevy Chase classic right now.

- TikTok of the Week: Remember your first time going to a Costco? Did it go a little like this? I bet it did.

- Finally, if you are in Lexington on Friday and have some free time, a couple of us are meeting up for drinks. Send me a direct message if you are around.