Scandalous.

I (sorta) fear I was the girl having so-much-fun up front at the Tapes and Tapes show Sunday at Grand Old Day, that I might have annoyed you. I was having fun; but if I was overexuberant...

well, can you blame me, really? I had at my disposal:

• My dear friends
• Gin from a jam jar (OK, it was gin and tonic in Jana's water bottle. Drank from her purse. Even if it was a messenger bag.)
• Excellent Twin Cities music
• Warmth (read: humidity)
• Mild newbie successes at Guitar Hero
• Beer
• Sunburn
• A big fat stogie
• Anne's headband
• Jana's sunglasses
• Sass
• Corn dogs and husk-roasted corn on the cob
• A stolen cheese curd
• Flipflops (my powerwalking shoe of choice)
• A bazillion other happy Grand Old Day go-ers
• Basset Hound sightings
• Dreams of a band called Dudes with Boobs (Joel playing drums on that one)

Summer's here, kids. Make it scandalous, make it fun. Just make it memorable.

Ringo Starrship Enterprise

Even in the midst of school deadlines, myriad work deadlines, and a couple of big upheavals in routine, I find myself compelled to repeat:

I love Tuesday nights.

It's not always about trivia - though that's typically a big part of it. It was old guy trivia last night, which meant decent, challenging questions we sometimes rue but more often just relish angsting over. Picture round was "name that hat". Adele made sure the Premiums never went empty. She remembered to pass along Dave's Grolsch bottles for round two of bottling. We had a Before and After round (my personal favorite)... and it's true, when you get one (collectively, we scored 4 of 8 on the round, which is damned impressive for us), it's likely the most intellectually satisfying thing you do all day. I especially delighted in the before and after round last night being about musicians... and yah, we probably should have gotten Peter TownSend in the Clowns... but it was good to feel like we actually *had* a chance.

We got 6th. Which is mid-pack, average, nothing to write home about. Makes me feel nostalgic for last week's 2nd place victory and a 15-dollar Leaning Tower gift certificate.

Other things which made my Tuesday lovely, and less strange than I anticipated it would be:

• A much-needed hair appointment with Jamie at her new salon in Northeast, which I love (I love it all: Jamie, the new salon, my funky new hair)
• Competently taking the bus wherever I want to go
• Eating Surdyk's deli food for dinner in the parking lot with Jana (ask her about the guy who rapped on her window while she had half a chicken in her lap)
• Smart, fun new additions to the trivia team, courtesy of Joel
• Premium. My friend and (almost constant) companion. How I love you.

It's a wedding, and I helped.

Some photos of the (I believe) aforementioned wedding of the Lovely Diana and her wonderful husband(!) Jeff.
I'm not (really) trying to toot my own horn about the dress... but I made it and I'm pleased with the way it turned out. So, there you have it. Hurray, love!

It's Friday, I'm in love.

(urbanwanderlust confesses: I actually really dislike the Cure, and that's probably the only line you'll ever hear me quote from any song they've put out.)

If you know me outside internets (it's a series of tubes; it's not a truck!) you will know I have endured a craptastic week. Meh, we've all got 'em, right?

Well, it is Friday and things are looking up.

For one thing, the craptastic week is nearly done.
It's payday, and I was welcomed into my office this morning by a warm, chewy, decadent Everything Bagel with gobs of melty cream cheese, because my boss brought us all breakfast.
I got a good night's sleep for the first time in well over a week, after ignoring my laundry and dishes and chores in favor of a compelling episode of Buffy.
My best friend is getting married tomorrow.
It's my favorite holiday of the year tomorrow (OK, Thanksgiving is really my favorite. Food narrowly edges out drinking. This is my life.).
I get to celebrate Becca's birthday (which is today -- Happy Birthday!) with many people I adore.
Of Montreal is at First Ave tonight. I'm currently going through my Of Montreal collection (it's deliciously upbeat and absurd and nonsequitor) and seems to fit today perfectly.
That is, of course, after I partake of some Irish goodness at the Liffey.
I got to ride next to a lovely service dog (who was a beautiful Golden Retriver, and reminded me of Claire and how much I miss her and Denali and are looking oh-so forward to an East Coast roadtrip this summer) on the bus this morning.
I walked past a mailbox covered in a big sticker that made it look like R2D2 on my way into work. I have my camera with; maybe I'll wander down there and take a picture during lunch.
My hair did a semi-cooperative thing today.

matchbooks, high-jinx, and scotchy blindspots. (or, a birthday tale for the ages.)

The Queen of Hyperbole dubs January 19, 2007 the best. birthday. ever.
I'm done now, I promise.

The birthday saga concluded splendidly Friday evening. Took off a little early from work... met my mom to make the Paige exchange, which was lovely, with the exception of getting lost in the suburbs. Well, at least it's proof I don't frequent them. Headed home and spent some quality time with iTunes makeing a birthday going-out mix and making copies of Bettie Serveert for a couple of friends.

Commence primping... black dress, black tights, tall black boots. I feel adorable in that babydoll dress.
Forget the camera.
Damn.

Head over to Jax Cafe for dinner, It's everything I want it to be, kitchy and supper-club-ish and swank in a way only Nordeast can pull off. They have even graced the tables with little matchbooks imprinted with "Happy Birthday Sarah" in gold. Awesome. Everyone gets there, on-time-ish. We eat pierogies (mmm) and artichoke dip (double-mmm). I get a fantastic steak (heavenly, and we all know how I feel about a good quality side of beef. Wait, I didn't mean for that to sound like a double-entedre... hee hee.)
I was treated to some amazing, heart-felt, we actually like and know Sarah, gifts. So awesome. Best of all, there was a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting from Woullet's at the end of the night. Scrumptious!
After dinner, we headed down toward the Otter for karoke.. a little more traumatuic, as people unfamiliar with the neighborhood god turned around (it's Northeast. I contend it's part of its charm, but I'm biased, having grown up there.) But we all arrived, and eventually procured a table from some lovely people who were leaving after they saw a party of 12 walk in. And I sang Criminal, and Jana sang, and Joel channelled Iggy Pop, and there was whiskey and scotch in abundance. Andrea came! And Laura showed up after the whiskey and I were doing our little thing. (whiskey and I have this very passionate, flirtaceous relationship in which whiskey talks his way into my sour and starts playing Al Green in my soul's living room and suddenly I am a sensual, intimate little imp, who sashays rather than walks, and holds nothing back as far as pride in the cleavage goes, and has a burning and genuine passion for everyone and simply cannot see faults.) I was twentysomething and in love with the people around me and otherwise completely blissed out. It's an amazing feeling to be celebrated by people who genuinely care about you.

Hurray, birthdays. And thank you to my friends for making it a night that still puts a smile on my face.