08/13 - I tried running 10 miles today with a friend of mine in Charlotte. It was a blazing hot day. Between that and my herniated disc, which I didn't know I had at the time, I barely made it. Walking was definitely involved. Everytime I started to run, I had to fight the urge to avoid passing out. It was excruciating...
09/09 - I tried running for the first time in just under a month, but I only made it 0.4 miles before the pain made me stop short...
09/10 - I tried running again, but I only made it 0.4 miles before the pain made me stop short...
10/04 - I found out from a doctor in Charlotte that I have a herniated disc in my neck.
11/22 - I went for a 45 minute run in the gym on a treadmill. This was the first time I'd run since 09/10. Having forgotten what it was like on a treadmill, I accidentally set the incline too high (6%) so I felt tired early and a bit out of breath, but after 30 minutes or so, everything started to settle in and I felt myself begin to open up. I actually felt pretty good. I limited my arm swing to avoid aggravating my herniated disc. My next trial would be the Turkey Trot on 11/24...
11/24 - I woke up around 7:30 am to get ready for my first real road test, the 2005 Turkey Trot in Dallas, in over three months. The race started off well, but then my shins really began to hurt about 0.5 miles into the event. I thought I might have to walk. Determined to not let that deter me, I kept pushing onward. I hit the 3 mile marker at 28:40.9 and I noticed that the pain in my shins subsided. I was starting to feel pretty good. There was some tingling in my left arm, but not too much. Again, I kept a limited arm swing to avoid aggravating the nerve. I completed mile 4 in 8:58.1 and was feeling pretty good; mile 5 came in at 8:43.0; miles 6 & 7 came in together at 17:44.8 (roughly 8:52/mile) as there were some inclines to deal with. The last mile was difficult towards the end but I ended with a strong 7:56.3 bringing me home with a total elapsed time of 1:12:03. Needless to say, out of breath, legs suffering from a long-awaited pounding, I was extremely pleased by my strong finish. Plus, it was nice bumping into some of my old running friends--Master Kim, Jill, Amy, Kristen, and Kristin.
11/28 - I went on a 3 miler on the treadmill at the gym today. It felt okay. I was still feeling sore from the Turkey Trot.
12/03 - I woke up around 6:45 am to a cold 28-degree cloudy morning in Charlotte. Why you ask? On Wednesday, 11/30, I signed up for the inaugural Charlotte Thunder Road Marathon. I used my performance at the Turkey Trot and days leading up to the deadline to decide if I was truly "ready." Loaded up with Gu, muscle relaxers, and Advil, I walked about six blocks in the cold to the start line. The pre-race setup was great--no lines for the bathrooms. When the race started, I made it two blocks before my calves started to hurt--bad sign. Anyway, I was determined to do yet another thing not recommended for beginning runners--change my race strategy. I decided to do a modified Galloway program of running for six minutes and walking for one. The first three miles I think I was passed by every single runner on the course. However, everything started warming up and starting at around mile three I started passing people. As a matter-of-fact, I continued passing people all the way up through the finish. Each mile through 14 I grew stronger and stronger. At the halfway point, which, coincidentally was near my favorite bar, Morehead St. Tavern, I had no doubt that I was going to finish. My time at the halfway point was just under 2 1/2 hours. Around mile 17 it definitely started to become more difficult, both physically and mentally. Around mile 24, near another favorite, Philospher's Stone Tavern, I temporarily stopped taking walk breaks because it was too painful to start back up running again. I did get another wind at mile 25 knowing that I just had to make it down the hill, turn right, and then turn left onto the finishing stretch.
I'm not sure how it happened, but I finished in 4:46:33. I finished 555 out of a field of 717 entrants. Clearly in the bottom half of all finishers, but I again beat my time expectation by at least 30 minutes--a tribute to my being an underachiever. I never hit "the wall". While physically totally unprepared save for spinning twice a week to keep my aerobic level up, I believe that mentally my game was on that day. I believe that running marathons is 99% mental and 1% mental.
The walk back to the Westin Charlotte was the toughest part of the marathon. It took F-O-R-E-V-E-R. And I was intent on going out later that afternoon and night...
Clearly overtraining was not an issue here. Today's marathon almost doubled my training mileage. Would I do this again? One of my goals has always been to be adequately prepared. And I would have done so had it not been for my herniated disc. I would have to rank this as one of more crazy and stupid things that I have ever done. I was clearly not physically ready for this event. I had also taken muscle relaxers the night before which left me dehydrated. Last year's training for the Dallas White Rock Marathon was pretty bad, but this eclipsed that amount of undertraining by...literally...miles. Of course, before the White Rock Marathon, I did make it to a party the night before...
Needless to say, I was in danger of breaking my streak of consecutive marathons. I had run at least one a year for the past four years. And now that streak is still alive and I have extended it to five! Until next year...
Friday, December 16, 2005
Saturday, December 10, 2005
December Pint Nights at the Ginger Man
Pint Nights are every Tuesday starting at 4 pm. If you buy the beer of the day you get to keep the logo glass.
December 6th - Blue Moon glasses
December 13th - St. Arnold Christmas glasses
December 20th - Sam Smith glasses
December 27th - Mix & Match glasses
December 6th - Blue Moon glasses
December 13th - St. Arnold Christmas glasses
December 20th - Sam Smith glasses
December 27th - Mix & Match glasses
Sunday, December 04, 2005
My Last Entry from Charlotte
I compose this, my last online entry, as I am sitting in my hotel room listening to "Lure of the Road" by Christene LeDoux over and over. In about 30 minutes, I will be headed to the airport to return back to Dallas to my home and friends.
My leaving here is bittersweet as I have made friends and connections here. It will be truly hard to not go to Morehead Street Tavern on Sunday and Wednesday nights, not to go to Philospher's Stone Tavern on Monday nights, not to walk the streets of Uptown from the Fourth Ward down to my hotel, not to drive through the Plaza/Midwood and Dilworth and South End areas, and so many other things.
Many of the people I have met here are great in so many ways and I feel like I have only begun to see that. I hope that we will continue to stay in touch.
The only consolation I have is that I will surely return here for another visit, if not for another project. Until next time...
Signing off...
toshi
"an I’ll be happy
I’ll be sad
on every highway
thru every town
maybe I’ll find love
maybe I’ll find me
an that’s life on... the road"
My leaving here is bittersweet as I have made friends and connections here. It will be truly hard to not go to Morehead Street Tavern on Sunday and Wednesday nights, not to go to Philospher's Stone Tavern on Monday nights, not to walk the streets of Uptown from the Fourth Ward down to my hotel, not to drive through the Plaza/Midwood and Dilworth and South End areas, and so many other things.
Many of the people I have met here are great in so many ways and I feel like I have only begun to see that. I hope that we will continue to stay in touch.
The only consolation I have is that I will surely return here for another visit, if not for another project. Until next time...
Signing off...
toshi
"an I’ll be happy
I’ll be sad
on every highway
thru every town
maybe I’ll find love
maybe I’ll find me
an that’s life on... the road"
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
November Pint Nights at the Ginger Man
Pint Nights are every Tuesday starting at 4 pm. If you buy the beer of the day you get to keep the logo glass.
November 1st - Maredsous #10 glasses
November 8th - Stella Artois glasses
November 15th - Mix & Match glasses
November 22nd - St. Arnold Texas Wheat glasses
November 29th - Unibroue glasses
November 1st - Maredsous #10 glasses
November 8th - Stella Artois glasses
November 15th - Mix & Match glasses
November 22nd - St. Arnold Texas Wheat glasses
November 29th - Unibroue glasses
Friday, October 14, 2005
Leia's Visit to Charlotte
For those of you that don't know, my superfriend Leia came into Charlotte this past week for a client visit. What follows is a recap of the short week's events as I tried to share as much of my Uptown Charlotte experience as I could.
Day One
I picked up Leia at the fabulous Hampton Inn and we went back to my hotel at the Westin Charlotte to have some Ketel One & 7s in the lobby at Bar 10. We spoke about various personal, but extremely hilarious topics before heading to dinner at a neighborhood pub called Alexander Michael's in the Fourth Ward. There we ate and discussed our first "fight" as a "couple". Unbeknowst to me because we'd never dated or gone out, I apparently had some duties and responsibilities that I did not fufill during a mountain biking trip in Winter Park, CO. Hmmm...curfew? Go figure.
After that, we went over to Dixie's Tavern. Apparently this turned out to be a Steelers bar as evidenced by the tons of fans in black & gold watching and screaming at the screens around the bar showing the Steelers - Chargers Monday night game. Leia cut off the circulation in my wrist and I had to go back outside to the doorman to get my wristband cut off. The place was pretty full with more and more people streaming in as the night wore on. This being Leia's first night in Charlotte, we cut it a bit short and I dropped her off back at her hotel, which leads us to...
Day Two
Leia met me downstairs in the hotel lobby around 8:30 pm and we went to eat some casual, rustic Italian fare at Coco Osteria. I tried to talk her into joining me for a drink at Connolly's on Fifth, but like most girls, she turned me down so I walked her back to her hotel. Needless to say, I took her the long way and when we started doubling back, that wasn't a good idea on my part and we started "arguing". Laughter aside, she made it back okay in time for...
Day Three
Leia ditched me to have dinner with the client and a co-worker at Rí~Rá. I arrived at City Tavern just around the corner about 7:30 pm to join a roll-off party for three members of my project. I'd never been there before. We had a bartender named Jennifer and she was awesome as well as...well...see the photo below! Leia joined us with her co-workers and we hung out there amidst appetizers, drinks, and Irish Car Bomb shots.
Afterwards we headed off to Therapy, which is known for its Wednesday nights and great courtyard for people-watching. We got a great table outside and hung out there and enjoyed drinks and sight-seeing. At one point, I was nominated to introduce myself to another table (see results in the photo below).
Around midnight, the guys elected to change venues so we picked up and headed over to a pub called Connolly's on Fifth. Once there, we set up anchor and Leia and I separated from the rest of my group. I switched to water and Leia stayed with beer (HER choice!).
Finishing her beer we moved off to a corner to continue chatting. There Leia happened across a full glass of beer that someone had abandoned, which she adopted for our own--most definitely a poor choice of judgment. Continuing on unabated with a new glass of beer we had some of the best, most personal discussions I've ever had with someone else until we were kicked out around 2:30 am. After that we walked back to the Westin where we looked at some old photos before walking her back to her hotel around 3:30 am. Returning back to my room, realizing that I had not really eaten anything I enjoyed a MOJO BAR before "sleeping".
Aftermath
Waking up the next morning, I realized that I was going to be in trouble. Although I was not feeling too bad, I knew someone else would. And, sure enough, later that afternoon I received a text message. The following is an excerpt of that very message:
"Dont like you right now"
Needless to say, I cannot express how happy I was to have Leia come visit me even if it was for a short time and even if she will not speak to me for a while. :) I've definitely felt detached from everyone as I've been traveling since May. Add to that the fact that Pete & Jenn moved away, it's been a bit difficult for me personally. And it was good to have someone come visit me in my new "home".
Thanks Leia!!! ;)
Day One
I picked up Leia at the fabulous Hampton Inn and we went back to my hotel at the Westin Charlotte to have some Ketel One & 7s in the lobby at Bar 10. We spoke about various personal, but extremely hilarious topics before heading to dinner at a neighborhood pub called Alexander Michael's in the Fourth Ward. There we ate and discussed our first "fight" as a "couple". Unbeknowst to me because we'd never dated or gone out, I apparently had some duties and responsibilities that I did not fufill during a mountain biking trip in Winter Park, CO. Hmmm...curfew? Go figure.
After that, we went over to Dixie's Tavern. Apparently this turned out to be a Steelers bar as evidenced by the tons of fans in black & gold watching and screaming at the screens around the bar showing the Steelers - Chargers Monday night game. Leia cut off the circulation in my wrist and I had to go back outside to the doorman to get my wristband cut off. The place was pretty full with more and more people streaming in as the night wore on. This being Leia's first night in Charlotte, we cut it a bit short and I dropped her off back at her hotel, which leads us to...
Day Two
Leia met me downstairs in the hotel lobby around 8:30 pm and we went to eat some casual, rustic Italian fare at Coco Osteria. I tried to talk her into joining me for a drink at Connolly's on Fifth, but like most girls, she turned me down so I walked her back to her hotel. Needless to say, I took her the long way and when we started doubling back, that wasn't a good idea on my part and we started "arguing". Laughter aside, she made it back okay in time for...
Day Three
Leia ditched me to have dinner with the client and a co-worker at Rí~Rá. I arrived at City Tavern just around the corner about 7:30 pm to join a roll-off party for three members of my project. I'd never been there before. We had a bartender named Jennifer and she was awesome as well as...well...see the photo below! Leia joined us with her co-workers and we hung out there amidst appetizers, drinks, and Irish Car Bomb shots.
Afterwards we headed off to Therapy, which is known for its Wednesday nights and great courtyard for people-watching. We got a great table outside and hung out there and enjoyed drinks and sight-seeing. At one point, I was nominated to introduce myself to another table (see results in the photo below).
Around midnight, the guys elected to change venues so we picked up and headed over to a pub called Connolly's on Fifth. Once there, we set up anchor and Leia and I separated from the rest of my group. I switched to water and Leia stayed with beer (HER choice!).
Finishing her beer we moved off to a corner to continue chatting. There Leia happened across a full glass of beer that someone had abandoned, which she adopted for our own--most definitely a poor choice of judgment. Continuing on unabated with a new glass of beer we had some of the best, most personal discussions I've ever had with someone else until we were kicked out around 2:30 am. After that we walked back to the Westin where we looked at some old photos before walking her back to her hotel around 3:30 am. Returning back to my room, realizing that I had not really eaten anything I enjoyed a MOJO BAR before "sleeping".
Aftermath
Waking up the next morning, I realized that I was going to be in trouble. Although I was not feeling too bad, I knew someone else would. And, sure enough, later that afternoon I received a text message. The following is an excerpt of that very message:
"Dont like you right now"
Needless to say, I cannot express how happy I was to have Leia come visit me even if it was for a short time and even if she will not speak to me for a while. :) I've definitely felt detached from everyone as I've been traveling since May. Add to that the fact that Pete & Jenn moved away, it's been a bit difficult for me personally. And it was good to have someone come visit me in my new "home".
Thanks Leia!!! ;)
Sunday, October 09, 2005
A Farewell Fiesta for the Pete & Jenn
On Friday, September 7, my friends Kristian & Quince hosted a farewell party for Pete & Jenn, two awesome people! They, along with Max, Rocket, and Suby, headed for the rocky mountains of Colorado on Sunday. :(
I still remember meeting Jenn, Meredith, and Leia three years ago during a 12-mile Dallas FIT run. We were on the back side of White Rock Lake when Jenn asked me if I had any good stories. Following the end of the run and first introduction, she invited me to join her along with a host of friends, including Pete, Lynden, Meredith, Saul, Cathy, Elyse, and Brian, for breakfast at Cafe Brazil where Jenn inquired as to whether I was gay or straight. At this point, Leia was making excuses to not hang out with us. I'm sure that there was a tiny voice in her head warning her to stay away from me in particular. Whether or not that tiny voice is correct is yet to be determined.
Little did I know then what that would have turned into. Since then I have met some of the finest people I have ever known--we've run together, dined together, biked together, camped together, and, last but not least, partied together. I cannot say enough about what awesome people they are and about how they've impacted my life.
I look forward to many more adventures together, but, in the meantime, Pete & Jenn, you will truly be missed...
Love you guys,
toshi
I still remember meeting Jenn, Meredith, and Leia three years ago during a 12-mile Dallas FIT run. We were on the back side of White Rock Lake when Jenn asked me if I had any good stories. Following the end of the run and first introduction, she invited me to join her along with a host of friends, including Pete, Lynden, Meredith, Saul, Cathy, Elyse, and Brian, for breakfast at Cafe Brazil where Jenn inquired as to whether I was gay or straight. At this point, Leia was making excuses to not hang out with us. I'm sure that there was a tiny voice in her head warning her to stay away from me in particular. Whether or not that tiny voice is correct is yet to be determined.
Little did I know then what that would have turned into. Since then I have met some of the finest people I have ever known--we've run together, dined together, biked together, camped together, and, last but not least, partied together. I cannot say enough about what awesome people they are and about how they've impacted my life.
I look forward to many more adventures together, but, in the meantime, Pete & Jenn, you will truly be missed...
Love you guys,
toshi
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
First Person Cervical MRI Experience
On Thursday, September 29, I underwent a cervical MRI to help diagnose pain, numbness, and tingling in my left arm.
I left work a bit early to drive to the Presbyterian Orthopaedic Hospital in Charlotte, NC. Prior to entering the MRI examination room, I removed all metal objects and bling. As I entered the room there was a loud, intermittent, chirping noise. The radiology technician assured me that that was from hydraulic pumps circulating liquid nitrogen to keep the magnets cool. Somehow that was not very reassuring to me. He gave me earplugs and told me that I should try and keep from moving or swallowing, if at all possible unless the MRI is "quiet" for recalibration as it was now to which I replied, "You mean that this is quiet?"
As soon as I lay down on the table I experienced quite a bit of pain in my upper back and shoulder. I'm not sure how long the entire procedure took. There were about 3 - 5 sessions ranging from approximately three minutes to about ten minutes. While not claustrophobic, the pain I was experiencing due to my neck/back followed by the various loud noises caused my breathing to get a bit out of control at times. I had no problems with opening my eyes and seeing roof of the MRI chamber a mere inches from my face. However, I had to resort to playing mind games--99 bottles of beer and others to keep the pain in check (as best I could) and to keep what was left of my sanity. After what seemed like an eternity, I was finally pulled out. I don't think I could have taken much more. In a nutshell (and I mean that, literally), it sucked. I'm not even sure if it would've helped had I had a hot, female radiology technician performing the procedure. On the contrary I had a rather large fellow named Richard. Of course he was extremely nice and helpful.
Personally I think that the MRI exam goes like this...the actual procedure takes about 10-20 seconds. MRIs are truthfully highly unreliable machines. The actual banging you hear is the radiology tech pummeling the side of the MRI with a pipe wrench to get it to work properly.
I left work a bit early to drive to the Presbyterian Orthopaedic Hospital in Charlotte, NC. Prior to entering the MRI examination room, I removed all metal objects and bling. As I entered the room there was a loud, intermittent, chirping noise. The radiology technician assured me that that was from hydraulic pumps circulating liquid nitrogen to keep the magnets cool. Somehow that was not very reassuring to me. He gave me earplugs and told me that I should try and keep from moving or swallowing, if at all possible unless the MRI is "quiet" for recalibration as it was now to which I replied, "You mean that this is quiet?"
As soon as I lay down on the table I experienced quite a bit of pain in my upper back and shoulder. I'm not sure how long the entire procedure took. There were about 3 - 5 sessions ranging from approximately three minutes to about ten minutes. While not claustrophobic, the pain I was experiencing due to my neck/back followed by the various loud noises caused my breathing to get a bit out of control at times. I had no problems with opening my eyes and seeing roof of the MRI chamber a mere inches from my face. However, I had to resort to playing mind games--99 bottles of beer and others to keep the pain in check (as best I could) and to keep what was left of my sanity. After what seemed like an eternity, I was finally pulled out. I don't think I could have taken much more. In a nutshell (and I mean that, literally), it sucked. I'm not even sure if it would've helped had I had a hot, female radiology technician performing the procedure. On the contrary I had a rather large fellow named Richard. Of course he was extremely nice and helpful.
Personally I think that the MRI exam goes like this...the actual procedure takes about 10-20 seconds. MRIs are truthfully highly unreliable machines. The actual banging you hear is the radiology tech pummeling the side of the MRI with a pipe wrench to get it to work properly.
Sunday, October 02, 2005
October Pint Nights at the Ginger Man
Pint Nights are every Tuesday starting at 4 pm. If you buy the beer of the day you get to keep the logo glass.
October 4th - Blue Moon glasses
October 11th - Young's glasses
October 18th - Mix & Match glasses
October 25th - Bass glasses
October 4th - Blue Moon glasses
October 11th - Young's glasses
October 18th - Mix & Match glasses
October 25th - Bass glasses
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
A Formal Affair at the Belo
On Saturday, September 24, Accenture returned to its former glory days pre-IPO and hosted a party at the Belo Mansion in downtown Dallas for its employees and invited us from Avanade to join in the celebration. I booked a room at the Westin City Center, which, by the way, is nowhere near as nice as the Westin Charlotte. FYI...
It was a great reunion of co-workers and friends and an opportunity to meet new faces amidst the open bar, gaming, and music & dancing from the likes of Journey and The Commodores.
After the party ended, we headed off to Dragonfly for more drinks and conversation. Thanks to Lora, Chris, Ashley, Chris, Lori, Ashley, David, and JLo for a wonderful evening with a special dammit to Lora for taking pictures of me during my afternoon manicure. And yet another evening where the likes of us get to hang out with hotties!!!
Sunday, September 04, 2005
September Pint Nights at the Ginger Man
Pint Nights are every Tuesday starting at 4 pm. If you buy the beer of the day you get to keep the logo glass.
September 6th - Warsteiner glasses
September 13th - St. Arnold Oktoberfest glasses
September 20th - Mix & Match glasses
September 27th - Young's glasses
Additional Pint Nights this month
September 12th - Sam Adams Octoberfest glasses
September 14th - Hofbrau Oktoberfest glasses
September 15th - Spaten glasses
September 6th - Warsteiner glasses
September 13th - St. Arnold Oktoberfest glasses
September 20th - Mix & Match glasses
September 27th - Young's glasses
Additional Pint Nights this month
September 12th - Sam Adams Octoberfest glasses
September 14th - Hofbrau Oktoberfest glasses
September 15th - Spaten glasses
Friday, July 01, 2005
Sylvia's Last Ride
Here is another moving story I wanted to share with you regarding a family who very recently lost one of their daughters on a mountain biking trip in Moab, Utah...
Please go to the following links for more information:
Sylvia's Last Ride
Salt Lake Tribune article
A few of us returned from a mountain biking trip this past weekend, and we are looking forward to our next. As much fun as it is, like any other relatively extreme athletic pastimes, at times it can be quite dangerous.
Hopefully in the next coming days and weeks, I will have some more information to add on this subject...
Please go to the following links for more information:
A few of us returned from a mountain biking trip this past weekend, and we are looking forward to our next. As much fun as it is, like any other relatively extreme athletic pastimes, at times it can be quite dangerous.
Hopefully in the next coming days and weeks, I will have some more information to add on this subject...
July Pint Nights at the Ginger Man
Pint Nights are every Tuesday starting at 4 pm. If you buy the beer of the day you get to keep the logo glass.
July 5th - Maredsous glasses
July 12th - St. Arnold Christmas glasses
July 19th - Victory glasses
July 26th - Mix & Match glasses
July 5th - Maredsous glasses
July 12th - St. Arnold Christmas glasses
July 19th - Victory glasses
July 26th - Mix & Match glasses
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
15th Annual Fat Tire Classic
And the winner for the 3rd Annual Contest for the Crash Test Dummy Jersey is…
Fortunately (or unfortunately), there were no crashes this year. Slight blood was drawn from a few (including myself). And there were a few emergency dismounts. However, no notable wrecks. Among the far-reaching nominations were ones impaling themselves with a hiking pole, one falling off the trail backing up while trying to take a picture, two people pinching their finger in a chair, and other lame incidents. Therefore, Leia still retains the prized jersey. Sorry Leia!!! BTW...She says hello from Dubai.
The weekend weather was great. There were brief periods of rain, but the weather mostly alternated between sunny and partly cloudy. Due to a late snow burst, there was still snow on some of the trails. The elevation of Winter Park is about 9,100 feet. Our various climbs took us up to (and perhaps beyond 10,500 feet) and down to below 8,500 feet.
This year is the first year we had a mix of both bikers and hikers led by Jenn & future TdF sensation-to-be.
Pete got to ride his new, unrecognizable to all but the most seasoned bikers, "Grey Ghost", and, with Brad's help, Pete even managed to break a sweat.
The end of Sunday's ride was a repeat of last year with Alison, Eric, and me (as well as Jeremy who joined on a rigid) getting lost again. I separated from the group on Buck Creek, and, through sporadic cell phone communications agreed to meet back up with Alison, Eric, and Jeremy at the intersection of Winterwoods and Whoops! After becoming hopelessly lost, I found Whoops!, I found where Alison wrecked and was in serious running for the jersey last year, and I found Winterwoods. Through a bit of luck, we all (sans Brad & Pete who went to do the Wall of Death) worked our way home. We even found where Alison, Eric, and I huddled under a tree last year to unsuccessfully escape the hailstorm.
Sunday night consisted of a quiet evening with Eric, Jenn, Pete, and me on the sofa watching both Supersize She (starring Joanna Thomas) and Dodgeball (with a cameo appearance by none other than Lance Armstrong) and eating Hernando's salad and pizza.
Monday consisted a lackadaisical day resulting in both Eric and me missing our flights and having to fly standby.
All-in-all it was a great weekend. The beer was flowing. The condo was in a great location for a great price (thanks to Renata!). The hot tub held more than four people. And Lisa started dancing!
Hopefully next year, we can try and avoid pre-ride injuries/maimings and get more riders out there so that we can have more of a fierce competition for the jersey!
Fortunately (or unfortunately), there were no crashes this year. Slight blood was drawn from a few (including myself). And there were a few emergency dismounts. However, no notable wrecks. Among the far-reaching nominations were ones impaling themselves with a hiking pole, one falling off the trail backing up while trying to take a picture, two people pinching their finger in a chair, and other lame incidents. Therefore, Leia still retains the prized jersey. Sorry Leia!!! BTW...She says hello from Dubai.
The weekend weather was great. There were brief periods of rain, but the weather mostly alternated between sunny and partly cloudy. Due to a late snow burst, there was still snow on some of the trails. The elevation of Winter Park is about 9,100 feet. Our various climbs took us up to (and perhaps beyond 10,500 feet) and down to below 8,500 feet.
This year is the first year we had a mix of both bikers and hikers led by Jenn & future TdF sensation-to-be.
Pete got to ride his new, unrecognizable to all but the most seasoned bikers, "Grey Ghost", and, with Brad's help, Pete even managed to break a sweat.
The end of Sunday's ride was a repeat of last year with Alison, Eric, and me (as well as Jeremy who joined on a rigid) getting lost again. I separated from the group on Buck Creek, and, through sporadic cell phone communications agreed to meet back up with Alison, Eric, and Jeremy at the intersection of Winterwoods and Whoops! After becoming hopelessly lost, I found Whoops!, I found where Alison wrecked and was in serious running for the jersey last year, and I found Winterwoods. Through a bit of luck, we all (sans Brad & Pete who went to do the Wall of Death) worked our way home. We even found where Alison, Eric, and I huddled under a tree last year to unsuccessfully escape the hailstorm.
Sunday night consisted of a quiet evening with Eric, Jenn, Pete, and me on the sofa watching both Supersize She (starring Joanna Thomas) and Dodgeball (with a cameo appearance by none other than Lance Armstrong) and eating Hernando's salad and pizza.
Monday consisted a lackadaisical day resulting in both Eric and me missing our flights and having to fly standby.
All-in-all it was a great weekend. The beer was flowing. The condo was in a great location for a great price (thanks to Renata!). The hot tub held more than four people. And Lisa started dancing!
Hopefully next year, we can try and avoid pre-ride injuries/maimings and get more riders out there so that we can have more of a fierce competition for the jersey!
Saturday, June 04, 2005
June Pint Nights at the Ginger Man
Pint Nights are every Tuesday starting at 4 pm. If you buy the beer of the day you get to keep the logo glass.
June 7th - Stella Artois glasses
June 14th - Mix & Match glasses
June 21st - Tripel Karmeliet & Schneider glasses
June 28th - Ayinger glasses
June 7th - Stella Artois glasses
June 14th - Mix & Match glasses
June 21st - Tripel Karmeliet & Schneider glasses
June 28th - Ayinger glasses
Saturday, May 28, 2005
The Cleanest Little City in Texas
On May 14, 2005, a bunch of friends and I joined thousands of others for the 2005 Shiner B.A.S.H. We awoke around 5:15 am to the sound of rain and thunder. After hemming and hawing for about five minutes, we headed to the start in the rain. About 6:30 am, the rain subsided and we went to register and pick up our packets. We ran into my friends, Amy and Ivan, who were relaxing in Amy's car.
We departed from the start line in Austin around 7 am. The morning air was cool from the morning rain and there was a slight 7 mph headwind coming from the southeast. It turned into a truly beautiful day. For the first 50 miles I was able to average 17 mph, including a combined 10 miles of drafting between 22 and 26 mph. I caught up with Amy and Ivan and the three of us departed together for the remaining 40 miles. At mile 55, I started to bonk. Luckily they are great people to draft off of and that helped a ton!
Okay folks...This is the BEST ride I've done so far. It was extremely well-supported--the last rest stop at the Shiner Brewery is NOT to be missed. Amy, Ivan, and I had a blast there. And I think both Amy and Ivan can attest to the fact that my body is extremely efficient in converting beer into ATP...at least, for the remainder of the ride.
Thanks to all who showed up for the post-ride party! I hope to see many more of you next year!!!
Monday, May 02, 2005
May Pint Nights at the Ginger Man
Pint Nights are every Tuesday starting at 4 pm. If you buy the beer of the day you get to keep the logo glass.
May 3rd - Blue Moon glasses
May 10th - Weinhenstephaner glasses
May 17th - Belhaven glasses
May 24th - Duvel glasses
May 31st - Dogfish Head glasses
May 3rd - Blue Moon glasses
May 10th - Weinhenstephaner glasses
May 17th - Belhaven glasses
May 24th - Duvel glasses
May 31st - Dogfish Head glasses
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Google SMS Rocks!!!
Some of you may not know of this, but Google has an SMS service that can provide the following information:
Business listings
Residential listings
Driving directions
Movie showtimes
Weather conditions
Stock quotes
Q&A
Product prices
Definitions
More useful information
Help
You can obtain Google SMS help information sent directly to your phone by sending the word 'help' as a text message to 46645 (GOOGL).
Below are some sample queries:
'Corner Bar Dallas TX' (for business listings)
'weather 75209' (for weather conditions)
'aapl' (for stock quotes on Apple Computer Inc.)
'150 pounds in kilograms' (for conversions)
For more information, see Google SMS.
You can obtain Google SMS help information sent directly to your phone by sending the word 'help' as a text message to 46645 (GOOGL).
Below are some sample queries:
For more information, see Google SMS.
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Help Save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Is it really the caribou's fault that we drive cars that get 12 miles to the gallon and then complain about the price of gas? If the answer is yes, then feel free to skip this posting.
For the rest of you, I hope you will take the time to try and help save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
So please take a minute...okay...maybe three...to take action and protect one of America's greatest natural treasures.
Let's try and make a difference. Thanks...
For the rest of you, I hope you will take the time to try and help save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
So please take a minute...okay...maybe three...to take action and protect one of America's greatest natural treasures.
Let's try and make a difference. Thanks...
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Camping @ Bar-H Ranch
Today I returned from another successful mountain biking/camping excursion to Bar-H Ranch with my great friends Eric, Jenn, Pete, and Rocket.
On a leisurely Saturday morning we headed north around 1 pm after a short brunch visit to Einstein's. Despite moderate traffic we arrived in Saint Jo around 3 pm. After a short drive, we located a suitable camping spot complete with a modified Weber grill and unloaded the bikes. Eric, Pete, and I suited up and began our adventure while Jenn and Rocket went for a hike.
We started down Bill's Way, veered left into The Oaks, started our ascent into Go West (where we ran into Jenn and Rocket), descended the Horseshoe, took a breather on Earl's Way, turned onto Copperhead down to the creek bed (where I took Eric and Pete on a bit of a wild goose chase), shot up through The Holler, rounded Rustler's, dove into the trees in Commanche Dance, played with sand down in The Holler, rode through Hole in the Tree, climbed and screamed down Upper Armadillo Ridge, and returned back up Bill's Way.
After taking a short breather for some water and snacks, we headed out again, this time to conquer the infamous Devil's Backbone. Hoping to slow Pete down, I sent him off to do Go West again while Eric and I took a shortcut through Earl's Way, which led us directly to Devil's Backbone. Once there, we started our arduous ascent (about 1,000 feet of climbing in just under four miles). The first descent I took a turn a little to fast and wide and, seconds into it, I ended up on my back. After a quick recovery, we continued our journey reaching the summit four more times over seven additional climbs. Naturally Pete caught up with us. We finished off Devil's Backbone with a screaming downhill and warmed down on Earl's Way back to our campsite.
After a quick, sulfurous shower relaxed with some Old Speckled Hen, Hacker-Pschorr Weisse, and Dogfish Head Shelter Pale Ale and set up our tents. We then prepped for dinner, which consisted of some my grilling some cedar plank salmon and grilled chicken breasts. Jenn and Pete provided couscous, orzo, and rosemary rustica bread. For dessert, we had s'mores and hobo pie with apple pie filling.
We settled down for bed around midnight. Wind gusts of around 25 mph kept most of us up all night (I probably fell asleep around 4 am). We got up around 8:30 am Sunday morning as Quince joined us. Quince and Pete went for a short ride while Eric prepared his famous breakfast tacos. After breakfast we packed up our belongings and went for one last ride. I had to cut the ride short due to a slow leak and hung out with Jenn and Rocket while the rest of the guys did Devil's Backbone again. Reunited, a few of us enjoyed some additional beers and relaxed.
We gladly paid our self-service dues at the trailhead and then left to return home around 3:30 pm. Yay us for a rain-free camping weekend! I can hardly wait to go back!!! In my opinion this is the BEST mountain biking in Texas. Hopefully next time I'll have some pictures to share with you.
On a leisurely Saturday morning we headed north around 1 pm after a short brunch visit to Einstein's. Despite moderate traffic we arrived in Saint Jo around 3 pm. After a short drive, we located a suitable camping spot complete with a modified Weber grill and unloaded the bikes. Eric, Pete, and I suited up and began our adventure while Jenn and Rocket went for a hike.
We started down Bill's Way, veered left into The Oaks, started our ascent into Go West (where we ran into Jenn and Rocket), descended the Horseshoe, took a breather on Earl's Way, turned onto Copperhead down to the creek bed (where I took Eric and Pete on a bit of a wild goose chase), shot up through The Holler, rounded Rustler's, dove into the trees in Commanche Dance, played with sand down in The Holler, rode through Hole in the Tree, climbed and screamed down Upper Armadillo Ridge, and returned back up Bill's Way.
After taking a short breather for some water and snacks, we headed out again, this time to conquer the infamous Devil's Backbone. Hoping to slow Pete down, I sent him off to do Go West again while Eric and I took a shortcut through Earl's Way, which led us directly to Devil's Backbone. Once there, we started our arduous ascent (about 1,000 feet of climbing in just under four miles). The first descent I took a turn a little to fast and wide and, seconds into it, I ended up on my back. After a quick recovery, we continued our journey reaching the summit four more times over seven additional climbs. Naturally Pete caught up with us. We finished off Devil's Backbone with a screaming downhill and warmed down on Earl's Way back to our campsite.
After a quick, sulfurous shower relaxed with some Old Speckled Hen, Hacker-Pschorr Weisse, and Dogfish Head Shelter Pale Ale and set up our tents. We then prepped for dinner, which consisted of some my grilling some cedar plank salmon and grilled chicken breasts. Jenn and Pete provided couscous, orzo, and rosemary rustica bread. For dessert, we had s'mores and hobo pie with apple pie filling.
We settled down for bed around midnight. Wind gusts of around 25 mph kept most of us up all night (I probably fell asleep around 4 am). We got up around 8:30 am Sunday morning as Quince joined us. Quince and Pete went for a short ride while Eric prepared his famous breakfast tacos. After breakfast we packed up our belongings and went for one last ride. I had to cut the ride short due to a slow leak and hung out with Jenn and Rocket while the rest of the guys did Devil's Backbone again. Reunited, a few of us enjoyed some additional beers and relaxed.
We gladly paid our self-service dues at the trailhead and then left to return home around 3:30 pm. Yay us for a rain-free camping weekend! I can hardly wait to go back!!! In my opinion this is the BEST mountain biking in Texas. Hopefully next time I'll have some pictures to share with you.
April Pint Nights at the Ginger Man
Pint Nights are every Tuesday starting at 4 pm. If you buy the beer of the day you get to keep the logo glass.
April 5th - New Belgium glasses
April 12th - Rahr glasses
April 19th - St. Arnolds glasses
April 26th - Real Ale glasses
April 5th - New Belgium glasses
April 12th - Rahr glasses
April 19th - St. Arnolds glasses
April 26th - Real Ale glasses
Friday, April 01, 2005
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Restaurant Review: Iris
Tonight my parents and I ate at Iris, a contemporary American restaurant near the intersection of Inwood Road and Lovers Lane. This restaurant is co-owned by Susie Priore and chef Russell Hodges.
For my appetizer I selected the "Prosciutto with Roasted Figs, Seckel Pears, Golden Beets, Baked Goat Cheese, and an Aged Balsamic Glaze" ($13). The plate consisted of a layer of prosciutto upon which sat a mound of organic microgreens beneath a round of goat cheese. This was surrounded by the figs, pears, and beets and a drizzling of the aged balsamic glaze. The balsamic glaze was rich and mellow and applied sparingly so as not to overwhelm the delicate salad as most restaurants neglect to do. I thought the warmed goat cheese, while delicious, took a bit away from the cool, crispness of the fruit. Otherwise, the plate was delicious and is highly recommended.
For my entreé I selected the "Double Chop & Loin of Lamb with Medjool Dates, Saffron Texmati Rice, Grilled Asparagus, and a Fresh Mint Apricot Chutney" ($30). The lamb arrived a perfect medium and the meat was silky and smooth with an almost melt-in-your-mouth character and the rice was fluffy with a hint of spice. This is also highly recommended.
The restaurant is beautifully decorated on the interior with various works of art from local artists. The wines-by-the-glass tend to be a bit pricey ($8 - $14/glass).
Overall, I highly recommend a visit to this restaurant. While it lacks the typical Uptown Dallas crowd it follows in the footsteps of such notable, unforgettable gems as Hattie's, York Street, and the sorely missed Barclay's.
For my appetizer I selected the "Prosciutto with Roasted Figs, Seckel Pears, Golden Beets, Baked Goat Cheese, and an Aged Balsamic Glaze" ($13). The plate consisted of a layer of prosciutto upon which sat a mound of organic microgreens beneath a round of goat cheese. This was surrounded by the figs, pears, and beets and a drizzling of the aged balsamic glaze. The balsamic glaze was rich and mellow and applied sparingly so as not to overwhelm the delicate salad as most restaurants neglect to do. I thought the warmed goat cheese, while delicious, took a bit away from the cool, crispness of the fruit. Otherwise, the plate was delicious and is highly recommended.
For my entreé I selected the "Double Chop & Loin of Lamb with Medjool Dates, Saffron Texmati Rice, Grilled Asparagus, and a Fresh Mint Apricot Chutney" ($30). The lamb arrived a perfect medium and the meat was silky and smooth with an almost melt-in-your-mouth character and the rice was fluffy with a hint of spice. This is also highly recommended.
The restaurant is beautifully decorated on the interior with various works of art from local artists. The wines-by-the-glass tend to be a bit pricey ($8 - $14/glass).
Overall, I highly recommend a visit to this restaurant. While it lacks the typical Uptown Dallas crowd it follows in the footsteps of such notable, unforgettable gems as Hattie's, York Street, and the sorely missed Barclay's.
Friday, March 18, 2005
St. Patrick's Day @ The Ginger Man
It being such a nice day, Brandon and I went to the Ginger Man around 5:30 pm and grabbed a spot outside on the back patio as close to a heater as we could.
An awesome band that played last year called Spinach came on stage around 8 pm and started playing music reminiscent of Weezer, Jack Johnson, John Mellencamp, Jackopierce, U2, and others.
Lora, Laura, and Cheryl joined to help keep us warm and toasty. As the temperature dropped and as I shivered more and more, my hoodie made an appearance. As the evening progressed and as my natural charm came out as a result of consuming many glasses of Abita Purple Haze, my hoodie transformed into a hoody and my dormant superpowers began to surface.
After the girls left us, Brandon and I returned back to the Ginger Man to continue our philosophical discussions about girls. Realizing that that conversation was getting us nowhere but hungry, we headed eagerly to Whataburger to enjoy some delicious taquitos and call it a night.
Thanks to all of you who showed up on such short notice!!!
Sláinte!
An awesome band that played last year called Spinach came on stage around 8 pm and started playing music reminiscent of Weezer, Jack Johnson, John Mellencamp, Jackopierce, U2, and others.
Lora, Laura, and Cheryl joined to help keep us warm and toasty. As the temperature dropped and as I shivered more and more, my hoodie made an appearance. As the evening progressed and as my natural charm came out as a result of consuming many glasses of Abita Purple Haze, my hoodie transformed into a hoody and my dormant superpowers began to surface.
After the girls left us, Brandon and I returned back to the Ginger Man to continue our philosophical discussions about girls. Realizing that that conversation was getting us nowhere but hungry, we headed eagerly to Whataburger to enjoy some delicious taquitos and call it a night.
Thanks to all of you who showed up on such short notice!!!
Sláinte!
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
SXSW
The South by Southwest Festivals + Conferences is in mid-week running from March 11 through March 20 in my hometown Austin, TX. The number of showcased musical acts is 1,279 playing at 60 different venues around town.
For all of you music lovers out there who can't attend, what may be of interest to you is that you can obtain music from the showcased artists for free by going to the following link. So far it's over 750 full-length mp3 files.
It does require that you download and install the BitTorrent client, which is also free.
The BitTorrent client is pretty simple and neat. However, so far, it has taken me at least five days with another estimated two extra days remaining to download 2.6 GB of music. Is it painful? Absolutely! My download rate varies between 1 KB/s and 20 KB/s. Hopefully my download rate will stay high. Once that is done, I will try and keep my client open so that you might benefit from any load-balancing that is available.
Enjoy!
For all of you music lovers out there who can't attend, what may be of interest to you is that you can obtain music from the showcased artists for free by going to the following link. So far it's over 750 full-length mp3 files.
It does require that you download and install the BitTorrent client, which is also free.
The BitTorrent client is pretty simple and neat. However, so far, it has taken me at least five days with another estimated two extra days remaining to download 2.6 GB of music. Is it painful? Absolutely! My download rate varies between 1 KB/s and 20 KB/s. Hopefully my download rate will stay high. Once that is done, I will try and keep my client open so that you might benefit from any load-balancing that is available.
Enjoy!
Anoopa Sharma
Occasionally I take time aside to cover issues unrelated to me and to my personal life. Sometimes when I am taking daily time to read other blogs I come across items I find humorous and/or interesting, and I enjoy sharing them with you, the reader.
However, sometimes I will find the need to share with you things that affect me a little deeper. This is one of those times. Anoopa Sharma, someone I did not know but was a friend to many, passed away yesterday evening in a Birmingham hospital. She was involved in a head-on car accident on Saturday, March 5.
Some friends of hers created a blog after the accident as a way to keep friends and relatives updated as to the condition of her recovery. However that blog has now become a tribute.
You can visit her website www.anoopa.net to read the thoughts and prayers from others.
What is the takeaway from this posting? Remember to cherish the time you spend with friends and family and make sure that they know how much you care about them. Life is too short. Don't take anything for granted.
It is said that it is always best to end with a quote. And if someone else has said it best and you can't top it, steal from them and go out strong. So I picked a guy I thought you'd like.
"Dance as though no one is watching you, love as though you have never been hurt before, sing as though no one can hear you, live as though heaven is on earth." - Souza
However, sometimes I will find the need to share with you things that affect me a little deeper. This is one of those times. Anoopa Sharma, someone I did not know but was a friend to many, passed away yesterday evening in a Birmingham hospital. She was involved in a head-on car accident on Saturday, March 5.
Some friends of hers created a blog after the accident as a way to keep friends and relatives updated as to the condition of her recovery. However that blog has now become a tribute.
You can visit her website www.anoopa.net to read the thoughts and prayers from others.
What is the takeaway from this posting? Remember to cherish the time you spend with friends and family and make sure that they know how much you care about them. Life is too short. Don't take anything for granted.
It is said that it is always best to end with a quote. And if someone else has said it best and you can't top it, steal from them and go out strong. So I picked a guy I thought you'd like.
"Dance as though no one is watching you, love as though you have never been hurt before, sing as though no one can hear you, live as though heaven is on earth." - Souza
Sunday, March 13, 2005
St. Patrick's Day
The festivities started just after noon on an absolutely beautiful, clear, mid-80 degree day in March. We sat out in front of Ana's watching many of the revelers walking towards the party on Greenville whilst enjoying beer, cider, and B-to-the-E.
Around 2:30 pm we headed over to join the crowd. Wow. It was waaay more crowded than it was last year when it was overcast and drizzly at times. How we were able to stay together was nothing short of miraculous--wall-to-wall bodies everywhere. "Yikes" was deemed an official word of this year's St. Patrick's Day weekend. Laura was not feeling too well so Quince led the first group back to Ana's for a more relaxed time.
Around 4:30 pm we met Kendall at "The Gate". They were no longer letting people in so we finished our beers and started heading over to another party before Ana unfortunately twisted her ankle and went down in a heap. We then headed back to her house so she could ice her ankle and take some Advil. The first group of our party was keeping Ana's warm and so we were continued the festivities there.
Around 8:30 pm we headed over to dinner at the Blue Goose. Oddly enough, Greenville was still relatively packed and, after an hour wait, we were finally seated for a table. After dinner we headed over to the Dubliner before we decided the line was too long. So we ended up at the Pony Keg instead. With the energy level waning in a major way and with Ana's ankle, we decided to call it a night and head back around 11:30 pm.
Thanks to all for hanging out with us this weekend! While we weren't able to finish up the night at the Slip Inn, it was an absolutely awesome day start-to-finish with great friends!
Around 2:30 pm we headed over to join the crowd. Wow. It was waaay more crowded than it was last year when it was overcast and drizzly at times. How we were able to stay together was nothing short of miraculous--wall-to-wall bodies everywhere. "Yikes" was deemed an official word of this year's St. Patrick's Day weekend. Laura was not feeling too well so Quince led the first group back to Ana's for a more relaxed time.
Around 4:30 pm we met Kendall at "The Gate". They were no longer letting people in so we finished our beers and started heading over to another party before Ana unfortunately twisted her ankle and went down in a heap. We then headed back to her house so she could ice her ankle and take some Advil. The first group of our party was keeping Ana's warm and so we were continued the festivities there.
Around 8:30 pm we headed over to dinner at the Blue Goose. Oddly enough, Greenville was still relatively packed and, after an hour wait, we were finally seated for a table. After dinner we headed over to the Dubliner before we decided the line was too long. So we ended up at the Pony Keg instead. With the energy level waning in a major way and with Ana's ankle, we decided to call it a night and head back around 11:30 pm.
Thanks to all for hanging out with us this weekend! While we weren't able to finish up the night at the Slip Inn, it was an absolutely awesome day start-to-finish with great friends!
Friday, March 04, 2005
Dragostea Din Tei
I was reading Robert Scoble's blog, and came across the Numa Numa Dance. This is awesome! Depending on your connection speed, it will take about two minutes to load. If you decide to download the Shockwave Flash Object, you can open the file with Internet Explorer.
The song is entitled Dragostea Din Tei from O-Zone.
You can view the O-Zone music video at the following link:
http://mapage.noos.fr/martialro/ozone/video.html
If you wish to purchase this song, it is available from the following link:
For more information, see the following blog:
http://badmonkeynobanana.blogspot.com/2005/03/numa-numa-dance.html
The song is entitled Dragostea Din Tei from O-Zone.
You can view the O-Zone music video at the following link:
http://mapage.noos.fr/martialro/ozone/video.html
If you wish to purchase this song, it is available from the following link:
For more information, see the following blog:
http://badmonkeynobanana.blogspot.com/2005/03/numa-numa-dance.html
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
March Pint Nights at the Ginger Man
Pint Nights are every Tuesday starting at 4 pm. If you buy the beer of the day you get to keep the logo glass.
March 1st - DeKoninck glasses
March 8th - Belhaven glasses
March 15th - Murphy's glasses
March 22nd - Potluck glasses
March 29th - Bass glasses
March 1st - DeKoninck glasses
March 8th - Belhaven glasses
March 15th - Murphy's glasses
March 22nd - Potluck glasses
March 29th - Bass glasses
Monday, February 21, 2005
2nd Annual Old School Kegger
This past Saturday, February 19th was the date for the 2nd Annual Old School Kegger at Eric's house. It was a great, great event with a larger, more diverse showing than the previous year. We had a packed house and garage. Leia flew into Love Field just before 8 PM for a special encore appearance. People started showing up around 9 PM with the busy season between 11 PM - midnight. Beer bonging started around 10 PM and lasted throughout the evening until both kegs floated.
We went through a keg of high-quality Miller Lite, a pony of Kirin Ichiban, two batches of trash can punch (the second of which was highly improvised since I was missing most of the ingredients--but, then again, it's trash can punch, right?), and jello shots. Fortunately some people brought along extra beer to help service the needs of those still thirsty.
The air was filled with salsa music as well as the traditional vocal stylings of Pat Green, Robert Earl Keen, 50 Cent, Ice Cube, Notorious B.I.G., Snoop, Roger Troutman (my favorite), Snow, Rob Base, Coolio, and more...
The party wound down noticeably about 3 AM, leaving Eric's with Brandon, Laura, Mark, Kristen, Joseph, Princess Leia, Eric, Brian W., Janet, Dancing Pete, "Bacon & Peas" Amanda, Brian R., Nicole, and yours truly with shower curtain intact this time.
A big shout out to all of you who decided to brave the wonderful evening weather and party with us!!! I did a very conservative count (counting only those in photos and those I remember meeting) and there were at least 65 attendees with a guy-girl ratio of 6:7. My shirt proved to be a huge hit, so it will make many more appearances. Hope to see you again!!!
We went through a keg of high-quality Miller Lite, a pony of Kirin Ichiban, two batches of trash can punch (the second of which was highly improvised since I was missing most of the ingredients--but, then again, it's trash can punch, right?), and jello shots. Fortunately some people brought along extra beer to help service the needs of those still thirsty.
The air was filled with salsa music as well as the traditional vocal stylings of Pat Green, Robert Earl Keen, 50 Cent, Ice Cube, Notorious B.I.G., Snoop, Roger Troutman (my favorite), Snow, Rob Base, Coolio, and more...
The party wound down noticeably about 3 AM, leaving Eric's with Brandon, Laura, Mark, Kristen, Joseph, Princess Leia, Eric, Brian W., Janet, Dancing Pete, "Bacon & Peas" Amanda, Brian R., Nicole, and yours truly with shower curtain intact this time.
A big shout out to all of you who decided to brave the wonderful evening weather and party with us!!! I did a very conservative count (counting only those in photos and those I remember meeting) and there were at least 65 attendees with a guy-girl ratio of 6:7. My shirt proved to be a huge hit, so it will make many more appearances. Hope to see you again!!!
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