Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Singing in the Rain

OK, snow, but that's just a detail.

For some reason, I'm ebullient tonight. Actually, there are a number of reasons for it. Which I will now list. So there. (You guys don't come here expecting insightful social commentary or anything, do you?) ;)

  • This weekend, I'm hosting a Leap Year party (at a bar, not my place) on Friday night & attending an Around the World party on Saturday. Who said you have to work hard in grad school? I kid, I kid.
  • I ordered a new Red Sox sweatshirt for the '08 season & it came in the mail on Monday. I don't think I've spent a night home without it on & I wore to class on Tuesday.
  • My nephews continue to be cute & wonderful & I love seeing them once a week.
  • My dating life is too confusing to parse right now (plus, I only have nicknames for two of the five thus far), but it's generally good & I'm clearly doing something right this winter. ;)
  • In my research seminar today, the professor chastised everyone for poor work on a recent essay. She then said the highest grade was an A-. Guess what I (and another friend) got? It was particularly great b/c I'm pretty intimidated by this professor & her notes said my writing was "excellent."
  • It looks like I'll be spending spring break either relaxing & attending a few St. Patty's Day parties or . . . in Puerto Rico!
  • My friend Kate made a mix CD a few years ago, called "Beautiful & Funny & Sad & True," after a line in The Girls' Guide to Hunting & Fishing. I've been listening to the last song, the love song medley from Moulin Rouge (the elephant scene), on repeat. As Kate points out in her liner notes, "this is love at its silliest, most dramatic, and most surreal." Yet, it makes me believe in love again. And considering my bad luck with it in the past, that's saying something. :)

Sunday, February 24, 2008

SUCH a good weekend

You guys, I had a really good weekend. :) I spent Friday night through Sunday afternoon on the Cape with a group of my college friends (and two of their girlfriends). With a few exceptions, I hadn't seen all of the members of this group together since May '06. That's just silly, since we all live in New England (VT, Boston, Nantucket, and the Cape).

On Friday, I picked up four of the crew in Southie and we drove down in the snow. When we got to John & Jerry's apartment, we ordered Chinese & got down to the serious business of drinking & catching up. We also shot foam darts at each other, played a game of 3-man, drank far too many Jaeger shots (my idea, John's persistent follow-up), and at least five of us went to bed at 5am.


On Saturday, we started off with a big pot of coffee. Then, some of the boys left to help Erik's dad move some furniture, while two of the girlfriends made us all breakfast calzones. John bought OJ & champagne for mimosas, so we enjoyed some with breakfast. (Side note: since I've known these guys since we were young & irresponsible, it still surprises me when they do adult things like this!). ;)

When the boys got back, we bought more beer & settled in to watch Karate Kid. We made up a drinking game to go with it - you had to drink anytime
Mr. Miyagi acted creepy, Daniel-son was oppressed for being poor, or there was racial/ethnic tension or tight '80s jeans. We drank a lot. ;)

After the movie, we stocked up on dinner food & more beer (we accidentally bought two thirty-racks since two separate groups went to the store @ different times). We then cooked
steak tips & burgers for dinner and watched this ridiculous show that I found on CMT, My Big Redneck Wedding. Oh, the camo & mud wrestling . . .

After dinner, we vetoed going to the bar (too much fun @ home) and decided to watch Spaceballs. That drinking game consisted of drinking whenever there were racial/ethnic slurs, sexual innuendo, rip-offs of other movies, or anytime the characters were aware they were in a movie (like when they talked directly to the camera or schilled "Spaceballs: the T-shirt, breakfast cereal, toilet paper, flamethrower, etc."). After the movie, the two couples went to bed (pansies!) and the remainder of us played some card & dice games & wore goofy hats.

On Sunday, we went out for breakfast at Cloud 9, this little cafe on the tarmac at Chatham Airport. They're not normally all that busy on winter weekends & the nine of us completely overwhelmed them. We ended up there for close to two hours & worked our way through at least three carafes of coffee & a few pyramids of creamers. Good times. :)

As I always do when I hang out with these guys, I had a great time! They're funny, funny kids and the hits just kept on coming. My stomach hurts from laughing & there was more than one occasion where I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe. ;) Plus, there was some romantic sparking with one of the guys, someone I had a little crush on in our college days. He lives in VT, but is in Portsmouth sometimes for business. We're planning to have dinner the next time he's down & we'll see where things go.

Sorry for the long post, but it was just such a fun weekend, even though we didn't leave the apartment at all!

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Baseball, Baseball, Baseball

I love this time of year. Spring training is underway, we get to see the ol' familiar faces of our boys down in Ft. Myers, and we know spring is just around the corner. Two bits on my boyfriends today:
  • Mike Lowell's press conference. The highlights, in my mind? Around 2:10-2:22, he talks about how he didn't even expect Boston fans to support him in the way that we did. And around 5:11 (near the end), he says Tito sucks at cribbage. ;)
  • In the recently released March issue of Men's Vogue (real hard-hitting stuff, I know), there's a feature article on our boy Jacoby. I particularly like that the opening line calls Ellsbury "the Baby Jesus in cleats."
Enjoy the news from Florida, people. Just under seven weeks 'til the home opener (see ticker below). And they'll be playing in Japan before you know it!

P.S. I got so excited tonight that I changed my profile picture to one of me @ Fenway in April '06. :)

Monday, February 18, 2008

Weekend Recap

Haven't done one of these in awhile . . .

Friday: Up at 6:20am (!!!) to drive down to Hometown & help my sister with the boys. This is going to be a regular thing, at least until my sister goes back to work. While the timing is a bit early for this late sleeper, I'm really looking forward to spending all that time with my sister & my nephews.

At night, I came home to Portsmouth & went out with the GSBB and her friend (who, awkwardly, happens to be The Mechanic's older sister). We met up with some Navy guys, one of whom the MOS is dating. One of them was nice (& tall - 6'6"!) and we chatted most of the night. He wanted my number and to see me again, but I didn't feel comfortable with that, especially not in front of the MOS. I did take his number, though, and told him "maybe I'd call, once I know where things stand" with The Mechanic.

Saturday: Did some work during the day - finding articles for class, filling out my FAFSA, etc. Went out to dinner with another grad school friend (let's call her Philly Girl). Afterwards, we went back to my place to get ready for a party. Some of the grad students had rented out the basement of a Campus Town bar. I went into it knowing like 2 people and met a bunch of new people. They all seemed nice & fun. The only awkwardness was seeing The Accountant, since he runs with that crowd. Wasn't too bad, though. Got home at 3:30am, because some of us finished the night at someone's house watching SNL's "Best of Tracy Morgan." Remember "Brian Fellow"? ;)

Sunday: Slept late, then headed up to the library in the afternoon. Read three of the four articles that I needed to, which was great. Was about to head home when I noticed three missed calls from one of my high school best friends, The Artist. I called her back as soon as I walked out of the library - turns out she & her live-in boyfriend were on the way home from Portland & stopped in Portsmouth for a bathroom break. We decided they should stay with me for the night & hang out. We went out for dinner at the Brewery, martinis at the Red Door, and pints at the Press Room.

Whew! Busy weekend. The Pilot wanted me to meet him for a beer tonight, but I was too bushed from all that going out. He called me an old lady & maybe I am. ;)

P.S. This entry was ridiculously nickname-heavy and for that, I apologize. ;)

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Happy V-day!

Just a quick note before I head off to bed (up early in the morning to babysit the nephews). Hope all of you who care had a nice Valentine's Day!

It went by without much notice for me this year (in contrast to
last year). I got a text from The Pilot (who, to his credit, was away on a ski trip) around 7:30pm & a phone call from The Mechanic (who was @ a poker tournament) around 11. Despite sweet sentiments from both of them, neither one has convinced me that they are boyfriend material. I'm getting a little tired of the ambiguity, you guys. ;)

Oh well. Hope you enjoy this photo of the Heart of Midlothian (Edinburgh) that I took last spring and this blog post that I really like:
Loving Love Actually. Good night!

Monday, February 11, 2008

I Miss Edinburgh

I had a great weekend with my nephews & will post some pictures later on. In the short term, though, just a quick post to say, "I miss Edinburgh!" Anthony Bourdain went to London & Edinburgh for his show "No Reservations" tonight. He wandered around the city a bit with Ian Rankin, who I also love. Their first stop was a chippie in Leith for some deep-fried haggis with salt & brown sauce and an Irn-Bru. And I was wishing I could be there!!! ;)

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Truck Day

Immersed though I am in the joys of a new nephew, don't think I've forgotten about the Sox. ;) As you can see from the ticker at the bottom of the page, pitchers & catchers report to spring training camp in five days. AND, today was Truck Day, the day that the Sox equipment trucks leave Fenway & head down the highway to Fort Myers! Check out the Globe's photos here.

Photo above is Opening Day @ Fenway last spring, taken by my friend Tim (the lucky SOB).

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Welcome to the World!

Introducing . . .Thing 2! Ain't he a looker? I met him tonight & he's even cuter in person. ;)

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Thing 2?

Hang onto your hats, kids. There's a good chance that my second nephew, a.k.a. Thing 2, will be joining us soon! My sister's due date is next Friday, the 15th, but her contractions are pretty close together now & he may be arriving sooner. :) If things start happening, I'll be heading down to Hometown tomorrow after work. Keep your fingers crossed for a healthy delivery!

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Overheard in Durham

Scene: Outside the campus center.

Actor(s): Young guy on cell phone with (presumably) girlfriend.

Overheard: "But how was I supposed to know you were upset if you didn't tell me? I asked you and you said everything was fine!"

Welcome to the world of romantic relationships with women, my dear boy. And yes, that one will always drive you crazy. ;)

Sunday, February 03, 2008

Boo

Well, that stunk. :(

However, in the end, I'm happy with three of these puppies in four years & a flawless regular season this year.


Besides, pitchers & catchers report in just 11 days. ;)

Friday, February 01, 2008

No Time to be Social

Attention, other blog-nerds: This is what we have to avoid on weekends. ;)

Just kidding - I know you all like to drink beers in bars, too.

Cartoon courtesy of Geek and Poke.