Teri, don't hit the condo.

Meandered up to New Hampshire for Labor Day to see the parentals as well as the Princess (Teri, my sister) and her beau Nate.

On Saturday, we played golf. Well, Nate and I didn't play - we were in charge of photography and taunting the players. We did this quite well.

First, warming up at the range



And now, onto the course, of course. There were five of us, so we had three carts. My dad hassled my poor sister the whole way through. Although, she didn't set herself up too well by almost hitting a condo on the first hole

Now this is a strange shot. It has not been altered. But I am in black and white. A bit like that film Pleasantville. My parents do live on Pleasant Lake so who knows what is going on.

And here she is, the Princess. Don't hit the condo.

My sister is actually an excellent golfer. It's just that she's so easy to tease. Loving you Teri.

Dark

Over a year ago (August 23rd, 2007) I wrote a post about the damn lamp outside of my bedroom that glows like it's Vegas. I had several clever ideas for remedying the situation including building a fort of cardboard boxes and sheets around my bed frame or just throwing a heavy object at the lamp and blowing it out. In the end, I had to take the traditional route of curtains. A double window treatment, no less, with tie backs and all sorts of bullshit that gave my room an undesired B&B feel, relative to the rest of it.

Light still found a way into my bedroom but I just got used to it.

I woke up the other night and upon my return to my room, Ouch - I hit the bed frame. I never hit the bed....WAIT! I can't see.

I can't see. The light is out. Hooray! I am so excited I can hardly sleep (the irony). I trust my building will take their time replacing it, if they even notice. I file maintenance requests for just about everything but not this.

And, those curtains are coming down.

#11 and I earned $1.50.

I did an audit of all the previous pizza nights and realized that my counting was a little, um, wrong. So, for those of you who are counting, and counting properly, as in using consecutive numbers, tonight was Pizza Night #11. I think.

Pizza Night #11 was enjoyed at Amante in Raleigh.


When I first walked in I announced “I’m cold.” Apparently I announced it loud enough that the guy behind the counter brought over a windbreaker. Now, that’s service.

Two pizza’s were ordered. They did not arrive at the same time. Now, that’s not service. In fact, one was getting dangerously close to cold before the other arrived which forced me to choose between being impolite or eating cold pizza. I chose impolite.

The pizza was good. Good as in I would eat here again. The company and conversation was also enjoyable, thereby elevating the experience.

But I wasn’t going to make a final decision before I made it through dancing without a grumbling, rumbling stomach a la Lily’s. It passed the test. I’m putting it in the Top 3. Don’t ask me what the other two are – I don’t know – but this place would be among them.

And that was Pizza Night. On to dancing.

I hadn’t been to Loafers in a few weeks (out of town) so I was clumsy as anticipated, but had fun anyway. A few weeks ago I learned a cool Charleston move that I thought was “money” – so I called it the “money move.” Learned a little add on to the move tonight and dubbed it “dollar and a half” or “buck fifty.”

When I was taking classes earlier this year I would arrive at Loafers at 7:30, do the lesson, dance with a person or two and leave. In fact, I think the bulk of the people showed up after I left. Gradually, I’ve started to stay a little later. On Thursday, I broke new ground and stayed until the bitter end (the bitter end as defined by the DJ as in “last song”).

I’m an animal.

Weary.

Haven't been feeling well this week. Have stayed in a few too many nights in a row and have a little cabin fever. Or apartment fever. Watched a little bit of Lady Killers and all of Mr. Deeds.

I hope I feel well enough to go dancing tomorrow night. I need to get out. I missed my weekly lesson over my cold so I will be even more clumsy than usual. Hooray!

Happy Birthday Mom, Sweet Sixteen.

Doh.

Why is it that at times it seems like there's a long list of movies you must see but when you actually get to the video store you're at a total loss and you walk away with this?

Doh.

You get to boss people around and rest your feet on them. I like this game.

Had a few pals over to my place tonight for grilling, swimming, gaming and movie-ing at Station Nine.

Learned a new game called "The Great Dal Moody." I like this game. If you are "The Great Dal Moody" you get to boss people around and rest your feet on their back, as demonstrated below.

And then there's the not so Great Dal Moody (I can't remember the name for the person who is the lowest in the game). They have to pick up the cards and deal them at people's feet.

Note Taboo in the background. We played that first. Duh. It was my gathering, after all.

Also enjoyed delicious pie and pretzel salad. Mmmm.

Bidet, a makeshift shower.

I'm in West Chicago, IL. I'm not "west of Chicago." I'm in a town, about an hour outside of Chicago called West Chicago which personally, seems deceiving to me but no matter.

Am here for work. Staying at a hotel in Geneva, IL. The hotel is on the fancy pants side. They provide milk and cookies as part of turn down.

The most interesting thing in my room however, by far, was the bidet.
And the funniest moment, by far, was me turning it on (wasn't actually using it) and having the water shoot into the ceiling and then trickle down back on me.

Bidet - also a makeshift shower.

Funny NC headline

Kiln Chaos: Ongoing Feud Among North Carolina Pottery Makers Leads to Gunfire

Sent to me by a friend in NYC.

Jamie goes to White Castle

I saw Harold and Kumar go to White Castle a few months ago. After watching the movie, of course, I wanted to go to White Castle. Turns out the closest WC to NC was in TN. But Long Island is littered with them. So I paid WC a visit. I didn't need a souvenir or anything. My stomach remembered the meal hours after it was consumed.



Also visited Uncle Ronnie, Eugene and Aunt Roberta.

"Are you here for the Walt Whitman family reunion?"

I headed east on Saturday from NYC to Long Island. The hotel was right around the corner from the Walt Whitman birthplace so decided to pay the homestead a visit.

Walked into the visitor center

"Are you here for the reunion?"

"Huh?"

"Walt Whitman family reunion? Are you a Whitman?"

"Um, no"

But, for $5 I got a Walt Whitman family reunion magnet. Didn't get a chance to have a photo taken with the impersonator. Just the back of his head.

Darn.

Can you cook a steak with a single match?

In NYC today. Visited the Central Park boathouse and took another voyage to the Savoy plaque.

Totally random seen in New York.

Ended the day standing in the rain waiting for a table at Grimalde's. Thursday, Pizza night, remember?

Attached please find a report of "Jamie's Pool Party."

I was quite pleased with the work of the Balloons Committee. In total, I think there were 200 balloons in my honor. 150 of them blown up with the power of lungs.

Is "Marco Polo" an Olympic event?

Is Taboo an Olympic event?

What about Settlers?

Next Year? Ponies and clowns.

Happy Birthday on Helium

So, yeah. The balloons committee took their responsibility very seriously and there was a helium tank. Which was mostly used for blowing up balloons. But, it provided a bit of entertainment at the end of the night.

I was sad until he handed me the cash.

I'm a bit tearful. I sold my bike. I love my bike - the comfort, the look and the memories but the truth is I've outgrown it. It was purchased for me as a gift (Thanks Jim) during the Minneapolis bus strike and it was a good get around bike but given how much I've stepped it up - I need something more.

I found a buyer on Craigslist. He seems like he'll be a good owner (as if I'm putting the bike into foster care or something). I was very sad about saying goodbye to the bike. Until I got the cash. Then I was not so sad.

The bike I'm riding now is a RALEIGH. I love that. I think I rode a RALEIGH as a kid. Maybe I was just destined.

Goodbye, Bike.

Fireworks. Too late, too much.

I've been going to Bulls games on tickets from a "Fireworks Package" but have yet to see fireworks. To the point where it's become a joke.

Went to the Bulls game on my birthday eve. Saw Fireworks. Fireworks dust in the eyes. First aid.

So much for that.

I think I'm turning 13, not 31.

So I'm having a pool party. On my actual birthday, which is tomorrow.
Here's my invite to my guests.

*
I never had a pool as a kid (humble Greenwich roots) so I never had a pool party. Now, I live in a building with a pool, and that's close enough. At long last, I get my pool party.

There will be balloons, hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers. cake, other goodies + booze.

Kelly Quinn is required to bring some sort of baked good.
Everyone else is off the hook.
Unless you can bring me a pool boy.

If it rains, we'll move to my apartment or to the building clubhouse and I'll make you all play Taboo.

Guests are welcome, just let me know who is in your entourage. That includes kids, but you'll have to bring your own toys.

And while this is a pool party, there is no requirement to wear a bathing suit or swim. The pool isn't that big. Or deep.
*

Folks are threatening to wear speedos. My trainer might wear a thong.

Not so sure about the tent route.

So Teri (sister) and I are planning a trip to Africa and we're trying to determine our level of accommodations for the safari. Teri sends me the following e-mail at work.

Peanuts was our cat growing up, btw. This doesn't make sense if you don't know that.

"Um so my co worker was just sharing a nice story with me. her friend went to Africa somewhere on safari and went the tent route. In the middle of the night he had to step outside and go to the bathroom. He got up and heard some very odd heavy breathing right outside the tent... so he slowly opened the flap and there was a over scaled peanuts standing a foot from the tent. So he peed in a bottle.

- not sure about the tent route. Lol.

McKinney after hours.

During the rare moments when absolutely nobody is in the office this must be what happens.

Either that or we're all invisible.

Take that Tobias, POW!

Enough of the leads throwing us follows.
Tonight, we switched it up, and the follow (me) threw around the lead (Tobias)
And here you have it: The Man Flip

Other highlights of the evening include getting stuck mid Pancake upside down and politely asking to be turned right side up.

Jamie upside down to Tobias: "Um, excuse me? Hello?"

Anyone want a washer? dryer?

Available at the Raleigh Flea Market.

The girls can keep things to themselves in Durham, NC.

Went out swwwwwing dancing Saturday night.

Things seen on the walls and on the dance floor: