While Ryan is up visiting his grandmother about a mile up the road, I need to share this little episode from breakfast at the Waffle House this morning.
When was the last time you laughed so hard you cried? For me, it was a little while ago, listening to Mamie the waitress talking to what I can only assume is a regular customer, and going through the list of 'who's died lately...and what they died of'. I know my behavior was completely inappropriate, particularly given the fact that it's Memorial Day, but she pretty much decimated her entire family tree within a couple of minutes 'with just a few leaves dangling in the breeze'...I lost it. A combination of waffle and grits lodged in my throat for a good 30 seconds while I tried to breathe.
It's going to be a good day, hitting Nashville and the Musician's Hall of Fame!
PS--After last night's Cleveland-Orlando game, I need to know--is there something wrong with Zadrunas Ilgauskas' shoulders? He seems to be unable to lift his arms above his head. How many 7-3 centers in the NBA are unable to at least challenge a tear-drop layup from a 6-4 guard? Does gravity have a greater impact on tall people?
Monday, May 25, 2009
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Live from Athens, part deux
My internet connection at the hotel is weak, so I may or may not be able to finish this post. I'm sitting watching a very un-inspiring Cleveland-Orlando playoff game (especially after the excitement of the last game). Hedo Turkoglu is an overrated hack.
Starting the road trip off in Alabama this time was a good idea, even if things haven't gone as smoothly as I'd hoped. This has given Ryan and I a chance to at least catch up on our rest, and he's had a chance to see some of his old stomping grounds. Being a U of Alabama football fan myself, it was pretty cool to drive through Tuscaloosa yesterday and seeing the stadium. The campus itself was a ghost town, since classes have already ended. But it was still fun to actually be there.
My friend Allison, bless her heart, couldn't stop suggesting things that we could do. I think she's afraid we're going to be bored in northern Alabama, but we honestly needed to take it slow for a few days. And no, Allison, although I did see the exit for the Ava Maria Grotto, we decided emphatically not to stop...maybe next time. :) So we just came straight to the hotel after our barbecue plans fell through, mainly because the doppler radar looked like a brain MRI loaded with tumors.
Tomorrow, we head to Nashville, then Memphis for a few days on Beale Street. We'll be hitting loads of musical museums and trying to catch some jazz. Then we head back into Mississippi to the famous 'crossroads' to see if I can buy my soul back from the devil, and then drive down the River to check out some small but highly recommended blues bars. That's why I'm sleeping so much now. :)
Which is good, because this game is boring the crap out of me...
Starting the road trip off in Alabama this time was a good idea, even if things haven't gone as smoothly as I'd hoped. This has given Ryan and I a chance to at least catch up on our rest, and he's had a chance to see some of his old stomping grounds. Being a U of Alabama football fan myself, it was pretty cool to drive through Tuscaloosa yesterday and seeing the stadium. The campus itself was a ghost town, since classes have already ended. But it was still fun to actually be there.
My friend Allison, bless her heart, couldn't stop suggesting things that we could do. I think she's afraid we're going to be bored in northern Alabama, but we honestly needed to take it slow for a few days. And no, Allison, although I did see the exit for the Ava Maria Grotto, we decided emphatically not to stop...maybe next time. :) So we just came straight to the hotel after our barbecue plans fell through, mainly because the doppler radar looked like a brain MRI loaded with tumors.
Tomorrow, we head to Nashville, then Memphis for a few days on Beale Street. We'll be hitting loads of musical museums and trying to catch some jazz. Then we head back into Mississippi to the famous 'crossroads' to see if I can buy my soul back from the devil, and then drive down the River to check out some small but highly recommended blues bars. That's why I'm sleeping so much now. :)
Which is good, because this game is boring the crap out of me...
Top 10, version 1
In honor of my May 2009 NOLA krewe, here's my top 10 (v. 1.0) moments and phrases of our week:
10. "We ask that you just take two sandwiches. Just two, please. Is that too much to ask?"
9. "Whoa, Monsoon! Door, open, chop chop."
8. "We awright back there?"
7. "Bill's in the store...Bill's in the store!..Put it in 'park', Bill's in the store!...Marshall, Bill...is...in...the...store!"
6. The $15 hand wash.
5. Seeing Lebron James' game-winning shot live at Boondock Saints off Bourbon Street.
4. Blinding myself with salad dressing at Mona's...and proceeding to do what had to have looked like an impression of a drunk baby moose stumbling over a log pile.
3. Bill's 'shoulders of seduction' moves...coming soon to YouTube! I'll also do an 'honorable mention' here for Scott and his strip tease act. No video of that one, though.
2. Tina and the 'salsa bottle incident' at Juan's Flying Burrito. And wouldn't you know it, Ray happened to be wearing white?
1. 'I think (or don't think) there's an app for that.'
10. "We ask that you just take two sandwiches. Just two, please. Is that too much to ask?"
9. "Whoa, Monsoon! Door, open, chop chop."
8. "We awright back there?"
7. "Bill's in the store...Bill's in the store!..Put it in 'park', Bill's in the store!...Marshall, Bill...is...in...the...store!"
6. The $15 hand wash.
5. Seeing Lebron James' game-winning shot live at Boondock Saints off Bourbon Street.
4. Blinding myself with salad dressing at Mona's...and proceeding to do what had to have looked like an impression of a drunk baby moose stumbling over a log pile.
3. Bill's 'shoulders of seduction' moves...coming soon to YouTube! I'll also do an 'honorable mention' here for Scott and his strip tease act. No video of that one, though.
2. Tina and the 'salsa bottle incident' at Juan's Flying Burrito. And wouldn't you know it, Ray happened to be wearing white?
1. 'I think (or don't think) there's an app for that.'
Live from Athens, Alabama
This morning in Birmingham started off much better, as first thing I took the car over to the gas station across from the hotel to fill it up using my debit card...and it worked. Then I used it again at lunch...and it worked. I'm still done with Chase, as soon as possible after I get back to Seattle.
Speaking of lunch, it was actually breakfast, Creole-style. Ryan Rye and I met up with my friend Allison again (have I mentioned that she's one of my favorite people on the planet?), and followed her up into a fairly ritzy part of Birmingham. We had to maneuver our way through the post-church crowd (and traffic cops...for the post-church crowd), but eventually we sat down to a great breakfast and some hilarity.
Eventually, though, we needed to get on the road. It was sad to say goodbye to Allison again. I don't know many people like her, so I always feel lucky to see her in person. She led us back to the highway, and we were off to Pinson and some Ken's Roadside BBQ!
Umm, not so much. We eventually found Ken's (I'd stopped there in October), but turns out they are closed on Sundays. So we took a quick picture with our mascot, Pete, and headed back out towards the Interstate...which meant we looped back to Birmingham. So after almost 90 minutes of driving, we found ourselves right back where we started. :)
Barbecue stop # 2 in Madison was also closed. *&(%$@#! Seriously? I know it's Sunday in Alabama, but church ended at noon for most people...so, no barbecue this time. Apparently, Memphis has some kick-ass 'cue, so I'm looking forward to that.
We raced thunderstorms the rest of the way up I-65, and made it to our hotel just in time to get dumped on while we ate dinner. It's sunny outside right now, but there are dark clouds all around us. Very, very cool.
For the NOLA crew, keep an eye out later tonight for the first version of this trip's top 10...been working on it all day.
Speaking of lunch, it was actually breakfast, Creole-style. Ryan Rye and I met up with my friend Allison again (have I mentioned that she's one of my favorite people on the planet?), and followed her up into a fairly ritzy part of Birmingham. We had to maneuver our way through the post-church crowd (and traffic cops...for the post-church crowd), but eventually we sat down to a great breakfast and some hilarity.
Eventually, though, we needed to get on the road. It was sad to say goodbye to Allison again. I don't know many people like her, so I always feel lucky to see her in person. She led us back to the highway, and we were off to Pinson and some Ken's Roadside BBQ!
Umm, not so much. We eventually found Ken's (I'd stopped there in October), but turns out they are closed on Sundays. So we took a quick picture with our mascot, Pete, and headed back out towards the Interstate...which meant we looped back to Birmingham. So after almost 90 minutes of driving, we found ourselves right back where we started. :)
Barbecue stop # 2 in Madison was also closed. *&(%$@#! Seriously? I know it's Sunday in Alabama, but church ended at noon for most people...so, no barbecue this time. Apparently, Memphis has some kick-ass 'cue, so I'm looking forward to that.
We raced thunderstorms the rest of the way up I-65, and made it to our hotel just in time to get dumped on while we ate dinner. It's sunny outside right now, but there are dark clouds all around us. Very, very cool.
For the NOLA crew, keep an eye out later tonight for the first version of this trip's top 10...been working on it all day.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Live from Birmingham
I guess I could say this isn't exactly what I had in mind. After almost not being able to leave New Orleans with clean underwear, Ryan and I managed to get on the road around 1 pm after a quick airport run, and were happy to start the 2009 Music, Mayhem, and Mischief tour, aka Two Went Out, One Came Back. We're off to a bit of a rocky start, what with it raining the entire time through Mississippi and my card getting declined at the hotel in Birmingham (apparently, Chase's method of letting customers know there might be a disruption in accessing their money while 'data conversion' is taking place is purely telekinetic). But some classic rock stations and good memories of the week gone by (a top 10 list will be coming shortly) are keeping us upbeat...if it's possible for both of us to be that way simultaneously.
After taking a few wrong turns en route, we met up with my friend Allison (one of the nicest people on the planet) for a late dinner in the Edgewood neighborhood of Birmingham, and are now settling in for some much needed rest. He's already snoring.
Here's hoping my debit card is functioning again in the morning. If not, someone's going to get a really nasty phone call.
After taking a few wrong turns en route, we met up with my friend Allison (one of the nicest people on the planet) for a late dinner in the Edgewood neighborhood of Birmingham, and are now settling in for some much needed rest. He's already snoring.
Here's hoping my debit card is functioning again in the morning. If not, someone's going to get a really nasty phone call.
Road Trip!
I'm about to head out to pick up the rental car, but here are some final thoughts on the week. I definitely think we could have done more, been more productive, that kind of thing. We were needed on other things a lot this week, so were never really able to get cracking on that house. And to be honest, the house itself wasn't ready for us...if that makes sense.
But five days is not enough. And when I say that, I don't just mean in terms of 'finishing' something, or working on it from start to finish, that sort of thing. Maybe why I feel something lacking each time I come down and volunteer is because I end up leaving at the end, and nothing seems any better. Five days is not enough.
It was a good last night with the team. After not feeling well most of the week, I finally was able to get my drink on last night. :) I don't think I disappointed. But I should have gone to bed a few hours sooner...
Next post will be from the road!
PS--Becca, Bill, Julia, Ryan, Scott, Tina, and Tyler, thanks for making this a great week! Let's do it again in October. I love y'all, and there's not a damn thing you can do about it.
PPS--Marshall and Ray, I'm looking forward to the future...
But five days is not enough. And when I say that, I don't just mean in terms of 'finishing' something, or working on it from start to finish, that sort of thing. Maybe why I feel something lacking each time I come down and volunteer is because I end up leaving at the end, and nothing seems any better. Five days is not enough.
It was a good last night with the team. After not feeling well most of the week, I finally was able to get my drink on last night. :) I don't think I disappointed. But I should have gone to bed a few hours sooner...
Next post will be from the road!
PS--Becca, Bill, Julia, Ryan, Scott, Tina, and Tyler, thanks for making this a great week! Let's do it again in October. I love y'all, and there's not a damn thing you can do about it.
PPS--Marshall and Ray, I'm looking forward to the future...
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Day 4
Today was pretty much a wash. We managed to put up 4 (count 'em, 4!) pieces of sheetrock. Turns out a majority of the joints are non-existent in this frame, and we would basically be creating a corner for the wall using the two pieces of drywall...not the best idea. So tomorrow, we are going to bring a shitload of wood with us to create the proper ties so that we have something to actually hang the drywall from...hopefully we'll get a wall or two hung. Sigh.
Tonight we tried to go see the Rebirth Brass Band at Preservation Hall, to re-live one of the best nights from October. Unfortunately, the band didn't show up. Apparently, a family death is involved. Anyway, our evening didn't pan out, so now I'm back here at the base camp site with my new buddy Julia. I can say that about her, because she's right across the room. Technically, she's not supposed to be up here in the boys section, but with all of those middle schoolers running around the girls dorm, you can't really blame us for breaking the rules. Just don't tell Sister Beth...
Speaking of middle school, probably the best part of today was a childhood memory I just remembered (thanks, Julia) about my first crush. Two girls asking me out, and me not knowing what the fuck to do, and asking everyone I could think of who might have an opinion...and then telling my friend to tell the girl I turned down how sorry I was, and how I really did like her, and not to hate me...but Christy was hot! I wonder whatever happened to Christy Colvin? Hello, Facebook!
So there you go, people. A fairly random post, practically having nothing to do with the journey down here. Enjoy!
Tonight we tried to go see the Rebirth Brass Band at Preservation Hall, to re-live one of the best nights from October. Unfortunately, the band didn't show up. Apparently, a family death is involved. Anyway, our evening didn't pan out, so now I'm back here at the base camp site with my new buddy Julia. I can say that about her, because she's right across the room. Technically, she's not supposed to be up here in the boys section, but with all of those middle schoolers running around the girls dorm, you can't really blame us for breaking the rules. Just don't tell Sister Beth...
Speaking of middle school, probably the best part of today was a childhood memory I just remembered (thanks, Julia) about my first crush. Two girls asking me out, and me not knowing what the fuck to do, and asking everyone I could think of who might have an opinion...and then telling my friend to tell the girl I turned down how sorry I was, and how I really did like her, and not to hate me...but Christy was hot! I wonder whatever happened to Christy Colvin? Hello, Facebook!
So there you go, people. A fairly random post, practically having nothing to do with the journey down here. Enjoy!
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