Tuesday, June 26, 2007

all hail the bushy-tailed


One last shot of the ToN glory (hellmouth and frumpy... note that frumpy is drinking from the one and only cup of names). I will, after all, be reliving the experience for much of the next year. Oh, how I look forward to the dvd production that my friends will concoct.

Anyway, my trip finished up a wedding of the seltzer and the bringer of rain. Weddings are a mix for me, because it's fun to drink / dance / be happy for the wedded couple / see friends, it's also sad because, um, I'm not getting married. I always greatly appreciate those who invite me "& guest" because having a date makes weddings so much easier. Flying solo, I end up offering to breakdance as a gift for the groom:

me: but you have to stand there with me... I don't want people to think the breakdancing is about me... it's my gift for you.
seltzer: but what am I supposed to do?
me: umm... just watch? ooh, I know, you could do it with me!

He wasn't so keen on that.

The wedding was in State College, which was nice to reminisce (including peeing on a random building). But I don't belong there anymore. Really, that's a relief. I feel mature for having moved on, and I recognize I have a solid place in Tucson.

Only two years and I get to move somewhere else :).

Song of the Day: SR71 - Right Now

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

stew instead of fry


The ToN. An annual event in which more than a dozen old friends from college get together and... well, we do a lot of things. Here is a brief list:

1. Drinking. All involved are very pompous drinkers. Two of us brew our own beer, three others are pompous cocktail makers (one of whom runs a cocktail blog). However, let not our taste for quality indicate that we do not also consume great quantities. I transported 70 pounds of "Longrifle's Cactus Brew" across the country just to share with everyone.

2. Penguins. Just trust me on this one.

3. Competition. From canoe races to Legos to culinary battles. There was also a greased watermelon.

4. The invention of new words, and the resurfacing of old ones. Like cockholster. Nothin' like a good cockholster... Also see: pumate.

5. Music. Four guitar players, three fiddle players (one of whom also plays stairway, etc on her harp), two harmonica attemptees, and several who just make up their own songs.

6. the Seltzer. There is only one.

7. Fire. I lit myself on fire, intentionally and while sober. Thankfully, the fist-sized burn on my chest is healing quickly. I think all around me thought it was mostly cool, except for the stench of burning hair.

8. Semi-nudity. This was kind of a new one this year, and video evidence indicates that I was the ringleader.

me: You're wearing 100% too much shirt! Frost-Arrow! Come with us! [sunshine rider]! You're still wearing a shirt, what the hell! sunshine rider!!! Okay... it's canoe time. Canoe! Time!
frost-arrow (trying to drag me away): okay, let's canoe...
me: I'm portaging, I'm portaging, it's cool... ohhh, let me slip it down. Okay! There is only 50% shirtlessness! [lingerie warrior], you're doing well.
lw: thank you
shroom: look, you've got more than 50%
me: okay, there is only 67%!
lw: look, you won't be the ToN whore, because 50%, I mean... I.
shroom: If I take my shirt off, then...
me: I mean, if I have to, I'll take my pants off!

etc. (my version of a "scary campfire story" was to say it was a dark and stormy night then turn around and moon everyone)

I also spent the last week in New York. But I just wrote a letter to E about that, and I'll probably write another one to fiery ox... so you can just ask me how that went.

Song of the Day: Tiger Army - Outlaw Heart

Friday, June 8, 2007

meanwhile sooz and the lesbians had papelboners


I went to see the Red Sox play in Phoenix the other night... thanks to nonstop for organizing the trip. We had seats right above the Red Sox bullpen. It was a blowout win, starting with Lugo's leadoff homer. As any fan knows, this is the only sort of game to watch your team play and keep your blood pressure at reasonable levels.

Before the game, Ortiz - a giant black guy with a Dominican accent who scowls murder at opposing pitchers and hugs everyone on his own team - came out and had this little white guy stretch him.

Yeah, I'd be that little white guy.

Song of the Day: The Dropkick Murphys - Tessie

Monday, June 4, 2007

Back


It's true... it's not actually the date listed above. But I have some things to say about a concert on this day (and I only figured out the date by checking the timestamp on the above drunken text message).

I love live music. I'll see almost anyone live, and I'll probably have a good time even if they play sad bastard music, or just plain suck. But the Hold Steady is my current favorite band to see live. I've seen them every time they've hit Tucson, and I'm thankful to have managed it.

Still, the crowds at these shows are generally filled by single young white guys... I don't have a clear explanation, but I've been throwing that around in my head in the weeks since.

Song of the Day: the Hold Steady - Stevie Nix

Friday, June 1, 2007

he also referred to my earlocks as "something to hold on to"


This post is dedicated to my dear friend and brewing partner Surly Barnacle. Recently he remarked, why does [action] get to have these things happen to him?

This is my favorite thing to hear, ever. And I probably spend most of the time watching my life as a spectator, without a clue on why things happen. Almost everyone seems to be nice to me, all the time. Except for the Surly Barnacle. He's always right to me, without bothering to be nice to me. Hence his extreme value as a friend.

Song of the Day: Beastie Boys - Professor Booty