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on life, pictures

Mid-Century Madness & Other Tales

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Up front, I admit I don’t have any real good tales to tell, and let’s be honest here, does anyone here actually read what I’ve got to say?  Now that Facebook and Twitter dominate the scene, anything beyond a few sentences elicits a tl;dr almost immediately from anyone.  Regardless, I can’t help it and will write up a storm anyway.

Lots of pics to get through, so let’s not dilly-dally, alright?  I’m going to go in reverse chronological order for this, as frankly, the new stuff is stuff I’ll remember better.  As I was updating my local picture cache, I was shocked at how much actually has happened since last I posted here!  I also realize that I have quite a bit of work in uploading all the stuff from my old site still.  I’ve been working backwards there too, and I think I’m at 2005 now.  I was looking for my Berlin pics recently and found I hadn’t put them up yet.  Travesty!

Mid-Century Living Room…Complete!  Dec 20, 2012

Well, even if we managed to put some art up on the wall the day before the apocalypse, it was worth it.  Completely worth it.  Just because it took us 2 years to do it…so what?  Larry & I have been toying with what to do with this giant living room wall the entire time we’ve lived here and finally, finally, it was done.  Larry seized upon some children’s book travelogues that had some very cool artwork of different cities throughout the world – we chose the author’s Rome, Paris, San Francisco and NYC books and Larry got these images.  The final result is AWESOME.  Also, you may notice that we also added a nice new recliner/ottoman to the mix too.  Yep, that’s an authentic Eames chair.  It’s Amazing.  Capital A Amazing.

20-Dec-2012 13:37, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 50
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20-Dec-2012 13:42, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 64
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20-Dec-2012 13:42, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 64
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20-Dec-2012 13:46, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 50
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20-Dec-2012 13:53, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 64
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20-Dec-2012 13:53, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 50
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20-Dec-2012 14:15, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 50
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20-Dec-2012 14:16, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 64
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20-Dec-2012 14:17, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 50
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20-Dec-2012 14:17, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 64
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We had gone to Room & Board a few weeks back after I finally realized I wanted to get a “real” chair and not a knock-off as we had been contemplating.  The knock-offs just were clearly inferior.  On Thanksgiving I had noticed that Room & Board was having a sale on Herman Miller furniture, which is much appreciated even if the sale price is still a LOT.  But hey, we now have a true piece of designer furniture.  Comfortable designer furniture at that too.  Yay.

Room & Board Visit on Nov 25, 2012

25-Nov-2012 14:26, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 100
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25-Nov-2012 14:43, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 160
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25-Nov-2012 15:01, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 100
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25-Nov-2012 15:16, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 80
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25-Nov-2012 15:16, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 100
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25-Nov-2012 15:17, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 64
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Back to NYC, Day 1 – Nov 12, 2012

Alright, let’s now fly back to shortly after my birthday.  I headed back to NYC for work (mainly for the CCWorld convention which ended up being quite useless) for a week and Larry came along with me.  He was able to work at Strategy Farm so it wasn’t as if he was bored, that’s for sure.  It was great to go back and see my team as well as the rest of my boss’ group, not to mention a chance to see Larry’s family.  Thanks, NBC!  Also it’s always great to visit the city.  Love that place.  Miss it still, but having wonderful space to live in LA isn’t easy to push off to the side.  So here are my pics from the trip back east.

I had a window seat on the flight back, and awesomely enough, the route followed I-15 to Las Vegas, then I-70 to Denver, effectively retracing much of my steps when I drove to Colorado Springs.  Felt a little like going home.  We ended up getting back to NYC in the evening around 7pm, then took a black car to the Sanctuary Hotel, which is ridiculously convenient to 30 Rock, as the hotel is right on 47th St near 6th Ave.  Awesome.

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On I-15 - what ARE these towers by Primm?
On I-15 - what ARE these towers by Primm?12-Nov-2012 11:16, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 50
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View of Primm aka Stateline
View of Primm aka Stateline12-Nov-2012 11:16, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 50
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Down there is the Hoover Dam
Down there is the Hoover Dam12-Nov-2012 11:21, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 50
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Lake Mead more visible
Lake Mead more visible12-Nov-2012 11:21, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 50
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The Grand Canyon is out there in the hazy distance
The Grand Canyon is out there in the hazy distance12-Nov-2012 11:26, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, ISO 50
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12-Nov-2012 11:26, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, ISO 50
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That's Aspen on the right edge
That's Aspen on the right edge12-Nov-2012 12:15, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 50
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Majestic Rockies in Colorado
Majestic Rockies in Colorado12-Nov-2012 12:15, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 50
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12-Nov-2012 12:19, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, ISO 50
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I miss you Breckenridge
I miss you Breckenridge12-Nov-2012 12:20, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 50
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The area between Breckenridge and Keystone
The area between Breckenridge and Keystone12-Nov-2012 12:20, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 50
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Keystone!
Keystone!12-Nov-2012 12:20, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 50
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The arid plains south of the snow resorts
The arid plains south of the snow resorts12-Nov-2012 12:21, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, ISO 50
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12-Nov-2012 12:22, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 50
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That would be Pikes Peak
That would be Pikes Peak12-Nov-2012 12:23, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 50
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Back to NYC, Day 2 – Nov 13, 2012

The Sanctuary Hotel has a rooftop bar of its own.  It’s ridiculously expensive.  The gimmick is cool though and the views are nice, although I’m sure it’s a bit nicer when it’s not covered in plastic.  But for the time of year, without the plastic, it would be effing cold.  Yet the fact they charge automatic gratuity on a party of one or two is a bit silly, and the prices are high, even for NYC.  I’m happy to schlep somewhere else for drinks, that’s for sure. But we made it there at least once.

13-Nov-2012 17:54, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.063 sec, ISO 800
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13-Nov-2012 17:54, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 800
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13-Nov-2012 18:12, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 800
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Back to NYC, Day 3 – Nov 14, 2012

No trip back to NYC for me & Larry is complete without at least attempting to go to Blue Smoke for dinner.  Sweet Jesus, their mac&cheese is other-worldly.  I took so many pictures of Larry not because I love him so much, but in my drunken state, I could have SWORN that Anne Hathaway was sitting behind him.  In the light of sobriety, I see I was wrong.

14-Nov-2012 20:18, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 3200
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14-Nov-2012 20:18, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 800
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14-Nov-2012 21:10, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 3200
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14-Nov-2012 21:16, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 3200
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14-Nov-2012 21:17, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 3200
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14-Nov-2012 21:17, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 3200
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14-Nov-2012 21:17, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 3200
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14-Nov-2012 21:17, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 3200
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Back to NYC, Day 4 – Nov 15, 2012

This night, we met up with friends in NYC down in the Murray Hill/Turtle Bay area for some Chinese food.  On my way there from Rockefeller Center, I took some pictures of 30 Rock.  Then I went to Grand Central to see the new Apple Store.  Of course I went there after work when it’s rush hour.  Probably not my best move, as it was super packed with people.  There’s nothing like it though that’s for sure.

Sharon still has a mail slot
Sharon still has a mail slot15-Nov-2012 15:35, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 320
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The tree was put up the day before
The tree was put up the day before15-Nov-2012 17:57, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 400
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15-Nov-2012 17:59, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 320
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15-Nov-2012 17:59, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 400
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15-Nov-2012 17:59, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 250
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15-Nov-2012 18:00, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 200
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15-Nov-2012 18:00, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 200
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15-Nov-2012 18:00, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 200
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Grand Central at rush hour
Grand Central at rush hour15-Nov-2012 15:16, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 640
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15-Nov-2012 18:16, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 800
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Back to NYC, Day 5 – Nov 16, 2012

Ah, Friday nights in the city.  I had been dying to hang out with some coworkers from NBC, Alison & Jessica (now of AMC Networks), for the longest time.  Even when I lived in NYC, we had meant to hang out but never did.  So we rectified that situation.  We first met up and had dinner at the funnest Mexican food place in Hell’s Kitchen, Arriba Arriba.  Le sigh.  Love LOVE that place.  The food is pretty good but what really makes this place worth it is all the HOTNESS in room.  You see, the waiters are almost all uniformly hot.  Charming, and hot.  It’s wonderful.  Our waiter was probably one of the cutest/hottest we’ve ever had too.  So there’s that.  Also, their margaritas are fantastic, and of course, I knocked back a few.  Michancy would be proud.  The music in the place is almost always crowd-pleasing and ensures a fun party atmosphere.  Wonderful place.  Oh, so to backtrack a bit, we first had to wait at the bar for a while, during which time Alison & Jessica met up with us.  We finally got a table with a hot waiter, got suitably blitzed on food and drink, then made our way to a new(ish) gay bar in Hell’s Kitchen called Flaming Saddles.  Yep, that’s its name.  As you’d expect, it’s a gay country-western bar.  And it’s awesome.  The pics below are from the sexy bartenders dancing on the bar.  Turns out I understand the allure of Coyote Ugly after all.  I just needed ridiculously attractive men up there, not women.  Who knew?

Oh Flaming Saddles, your bartender dancers are fantastic
Oh Flaming Saddles, your bartender dancers are fantastic16-Nov-2012 23:17, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 1000
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Especially that guy - yum
Especially that guy - yum16-Nov-2012 23:16, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 800
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16-Nov-2012 23:16, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 800
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It's awesome to have a gay honkytonk bar
It's awesome to have a gay honkytonk bar16-Nov-2012 23:16, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 800
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16-Nov-2012 23:16, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 1600
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16-Nov-2012 23:16, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 1000
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16-Nov-2012 23:20, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.059 sec, ISO 1600
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 Back to NYC, Day 6 – Nov 17, 2012

On our last full day on the East Coast, we spent the day with Larry’s family, specifically taking the time to go to New Jersey where his sister and brother-in-law, Alyssa & John, now live and where they’re raising their daughter, Stacy.  We got the grand tour of their new home and it was amazing, especially considering that they had an already swank place in Hoboken.  But Hoboken money translates into even more amazingness when you go further away from the city.  It was crazy to also see how much Stacy had grown even in just the few months we last saw her.  I had started the day a bit hungover from the previous night’s excitement, but as the day wore on, I was able to recover and enjoy alcohol yet again.  We also watched the UCLA v USC football game (UCLA won, bitches!) while there and then went out for sushi with John & Alyssa.  It was a great way to spend a Saturday.

Oh yeah, also seeing these pics again, I forgot that Larry & I had the chance to walk from our hotel uptown through the UWS, passing by where we once lived.  My name is still on the buzzpanel.  Miss that place a bit, but yeah, I think I like having plenty of space.  It was a beautiful day for walking around, that’s for sure.

My old homestead on 72nd
My old homestead on 72nd17-Nov-2012 12:40, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 50
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My name is still on the list
My name is still on the list17-Nov-2012 12:41, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 50
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3 generations
3 generations17-Nov-2012 15:19, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 500
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17-Nov-2012 15:20, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 500
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17-Nov-2012 15:20, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 500
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17-Nov-2012 15:20, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 500
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17-Nov-2012 15:20, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 500
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17-Nov-2012 15:20, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 640
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Uncle Larry and Stacy
Uncle Larry and Stacy17-Nov-2012 15:23, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 500
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Adorable
Adorable17-Nov-2012 15:23, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 500
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Feeding time
Feeding time17-Nov-2012 15:34, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 160
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17-Nov-2012 15:34, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 125
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Thanksgiving 2012!

Did I say I was gonna go reverse-chronological?  Anyway, during Thanksgiving, our great friend Michancy came down to spend it with us.  Yay!  Always a blast to drink and laugh with her.  She came with us to my stister Stacie’s house for Thanksgiving, along with of course my mom and Harv.  My mom ended up giving us a frozen turkey too, which we still need to do something with.  That’s a huge amount of our freezer that’s occupied now.  Cool story about going out to dinner with Michancy the Friday after T-Day:  we went to Lares, our favorite Mexican food place in Santa Monica so far, and while dining, Michancy casually mentions that at the big table, John Slattery is eating there.  Holy shit, Roger Sterling from Mad Men is right there!  It was pretty cool to see him as well as the fact that he was properly shitfaced.  NICE.

Wednesday, Nov 21, 2012

21-Nov-2012 21:22, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 400
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21-Nov-2012 21:22, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 320
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21-Nov-2012 21:23, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 320
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Thanksgiving – Nov 22, 2012

22-Nov-2012 14:23, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 200
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22-Nov-2012 14:25, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 125
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22-Nov-2012 15:06, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 64
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22-Nov-2012 15:06, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 2.18mm, 0.042 sec, ISO 250
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22-Nov-2012 15:06, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 160
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22-Nov-2012 15:07, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 2.18mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 200
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22-Nov-2012 15:08, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 100
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Friday, Nov 23, 2012

23-Nov-2012 18:34, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 3200
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23-Nov-2012 16:38, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 2.18mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 250
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23-Nov-2012 16:39, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 2.18mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 250
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23-Nov-2012 16:39, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 2.18mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 160
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23-Nov-2012 16:39, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 2.18mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 200
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23-Nov-2012 18:34, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 3200
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23-Nov-2012 18:34, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 3200
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23-Nov-2012 19:36, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 800
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We Put Up Our Christmas Tree

Not much to say except that it was the right weekend to put up our (fake) Christmas Tree.  Yay!

Sunday, Dec 2, 2012

02-Dec-2012 13:52, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 400
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02-Dec-2012 13:52, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 400
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02-Dec-2012 13:52, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 400
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02-Dec-2012 14:22, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 320
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02-Dec-2012 14:22, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 320
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02-Dec-2012 14:22, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 64
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Who Loves 5Ks?

I don’t want to jinx things, but working out steadily and safely while also adding running into the mix has resulted in my back not being a total fucking bastard.  Knock on wood.  So I’ve been entering some of the races that Larry has been doing too.  Our first one was a repeat from the one we both did last year, the “Say No to Drugs 5K” held on the Universal Backlot.  Last year, I had to walk it as I was still in the throes of my sciatica being miserable.  This year, I was able to run it….well, mostly.  There’s a part at the end as you return to the starting point where it’s ALL uphill.  Had to walk after a point.  Oh well.  Still did it.   The following weekend, there was a Christmas Run held just a few blocks from our house along the Santa Monica/Venice shore.  Quite a bit of holiday spirit by the participants, that’s for sure!  (quite a bit of hotness there too….)

Say No to Drugs 5K, Sunday, December 2, 2012

Here’s my results:

Overall Place: 282/753 | 37.5%
Chip Time: 34:08.5
Pace: 10:59
Age Group: M 35-39
Age Group Place: 16/31 | 51.6%

02-Dec-2012 07:35, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 64
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02-Dec-2012 07:35, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 64
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02-Dec-2012 07:36, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 50
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02-Dec-2012 07:48, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 50
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02-Dec-2012 08:45, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 50
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02-Dec-2012 08:57, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 64
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02-Dec-2012 08:58, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 50
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Christmas Run 5K, Saturday, December 8, 2012

Here’s my results:

Overall Place:  649/1704
Chip Time:  29:39.3
Pace: 9:33
Age Group:  M 35-39
Age Group Place: 59/88
Male Place: 357/614

08-Dec-2012 10:13, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 50
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08-Dec-2012 09:04, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 50
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And finally….my last set of pictures.  Whew!

Ugly Sweater Christmas Party

A coworker and friend at NBCU threw an Ugly Sweater Christmas Party at her and her boyfriend’s downtown LA loft this past weekend.  It was a lot of fun, although I must confess I don’t really remember much of it past a certain point of time.  That time = when I got close-to-blackout drunk.  Oof.  I’ll rewind a bit though.  First, Larry & I had to go get an ugly sweater, as our wardrobe collection is always refined and always in good taste.  🙂  We ended up finding some good stuff at Urban Outfitters, although of course it wasn’t cheap.  Fashion never is, though.  My drinking started in earnest there, as we were at the Santa Monica Third Street Promenade and after shopping, had to stop at La Sandia and have a few margaritas.  That night, we then headed to DTLA early so we could grab some dinner in the city.  Many of the trendiest places had no reservations and rather than chancing waiting, we found availability at Wokcano, a few blocks from the party.  We also wore our ugly sweaters proudly, which definitely garnered a few bemused looks.  While dining, I heavily partook in hot sake.  Yummm.  Finally, headed over to the party.  It was great to see this loft, as it was very spacious although it was truly a loft as the only doors were found for the bathrooms.  I’ve been very fascinated with one day living in DTLA just because it has a lot of similarities to NYC life.  One big difference though is that at night, DTLA still gets quite empty compared to NYC.  Anyway, lots of fun was had at the party, at least that’s what I’ve been told.  I think I had quite a few whiskey and cokes, made by others so who knows what the proportions were.  Happily, the next day I really wasn’t all that hungover.  One good vomit and I was good!  TMI?  Eh, too bad.

Party Time!  Saturday, December 15, 2012

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15-Dec-2012 12:56, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, ISO 50
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15-Dec-2012 13:13, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 80
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15-Dec-2012 13:13, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 64
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15-Dec-2012 19:48, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 800
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15-Dec-2012 19:48, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 800
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15-Dec-2012 19:57, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 800
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15-Dec-2012 19:57, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 800
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15-Dec-2012 19:57, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 3200
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15-Dec-2012 20:14, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 2000
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15-Dec-2012 20:14, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 3200
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15-Dec-2012 21:36, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 800
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15-Dec-2012 21:36, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 800
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15-Dec-2012 22:44, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 800
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15-Dec-2012 23:29, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 800
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15-Dec-2012 23:29, Apple iPhone 5, 2.4, 4.13mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 800
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Rooftop Revelry!

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Last Friday (the 13th, no less!), Larry & I had our first party at the ol’ awesome homestead.  We basically ended up preparing for it the few weeks leading up to it, spending probably way too much money on it.  Yet it was all worth it.  It came about because of some work friends who basically told me to put up or shut up about having people over.  A date was chosen (no kidding, I think we chose it back in the beginning of May) and I took it as an opportunity to really make it an event.  Invited work friends and then of course friends from MHS and UCLA.  Larry created a great hors d’oeuvres-based menu, he made sangria, I made cookies and margaritas, we rented a keg, and we also bought a ton of outdoor lights since it WAS a rooftop party.

Flash forward to a few days before and Larry began cooking and preparing food in earnest.  We stocked up on lots of party-esque stuff at Party City (that store is amazing – you really can get everything for a party there) and the day before, I went to town on cleaning the place up, using my new Dyson (yay!) as well as getting a bucket and sponge and cleaning the hell out of ALL the railings on each level of the unit.  That’s a lot of fucking railings.  Yet it got clean, it rained the night before to wash off any remaining gunk, and then on the day of the party, it was GO! time.  I had Friday off so we could both commit fully to getting the place ready.  We first got some of the food knocked out, including the cookies (which I totally forgot about at the party, so basically those cookies ended up for me, Larry and those who stayed late enough for me to have my memory kick in).  Then it was time to set up the outdoors.  We ended up with a great line of lights all around the top deck, and inspiration hit when Larry wanted to string the bigger bulbs overhead.  We “borrowed” wood from the garage (one of the tenants has stored a shitton of lumber down there – he wouldn’t miss two widdle pieces being gone for a day, would he?) and strung the lights as envisioned.  The outdoor furniture was set up, the music was primed – even the lower levels got their tiki torches and chinese lanterns. A trip to get the small keg of beer (perhaps a bit of overkill, but hey, we were prepared and no bottle trash!) followed and then it was time to ready ourselves for guests!

We both think it was a raging success and the lights at night resulted in quite a magical and fun environment.  It was great to have everyone come over and intermingle, as a lot of the times we keep NBCU, MHS, UCLA and Larry’s friends separate.  Of course our friends all got along wonderfully!  Plenty of alcohol and fantastic food was consumed.  We don’t keep our door unlocked, so there were a lot of stairs for me as I’d go from the roof down three flights to let people in or two flights to go get drink refills.  We’ll have to figure out a smarter way to manage that next time.  Having a party is an exhausting affair, yet so worthwhile.  I think we’ll take a break for a month or so, but our place is definitely perfectly suited for entertaining!

Anyway – here are the pics from the evening.

Rooftop Revelry – July 13, 2012

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Before the magic happened
Before the magic happened13-Jul-2012 11:56, Apple iPhone 4, 2.8, 3.85mm, ISO 80
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13-Jul-2012 11:56, Apple iPhone 4, 2.8, 3.85mm, ISO 80
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What, do you need more than two chairs for a party?
What, do you need more than two chairs for a party?13-Jul-2012 11:56, Apple iPhone 4, 2.8, 3.85mm, ISO 80
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13-Jul-2012 11:57, Apple iPhone 4, 2.8, 3.85mm, ISO 80
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There's the magic!
There's the magic!13-Jul-2012 12:04, Apple iPhone 4, 2.8, 3.85mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 80
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13-Jul-2012 12:21, Apple iPhone 4, 2.8, 3.85mm, ISO 80
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Larry's fantastic idea for some overhead lights - at night it was amazing
Larry's fantastic idea for some overhead lights - at night it was amazing13-Jul-2012 12:36, Apple iPhone 4, 2.8, 3.85mm, ISO 80
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Our overhead lights are ready
Our overhead lights are ready13-Jul-2012 12:52, Apple iPhone 4, 2.8, 3.85mm, ISO 80
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Deck seating is getting ready
Deck seating is getting ready13-Jul-2012 12:59, Apple iPhone 4, 2.8, 3.85mm, ISO 80
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I think we're almost there!
I think we're almost there!13-Jul-2012 14:26, Apple iPhone 4, 2.8, 3.85mm, ISO 80
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13-Jul-2012 14:27, Apple iPhone 4, 2.8, 3.85mm, ISO 80
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13-Jul-2012 14:27, Apple iPhone 4, 2.8, 3.85mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 80
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No one's allowed out
No one's allowed out13-Jul-2012 14:27, Apple iPhone 4, 2.8, 3.85mm, ISO 80
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13-Jul-2012 14:27, Apple iPhone 4, 2.8, 3.85mm, ISO 80
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Looking up at the party deck
Looking up at the party deck13-Jul-2012 14:31, Apple iPhone 4, 2.8, 3.85mm, ISO 80
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Some other photos from the weekends leading up to the party, with us putting the rooftop and associated decks to the test to ensure that our guests got the best experience possible.  It was all very necessary, especially all the pre-drinking.

Sunday Rooftop Fun – July 8, 2012

08-Jul-2012 15:15, Apple iPhone 4, 2.8, 3.85mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 80
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08-Jul-2012 15:15, Apple iPhone 4, 2.8, 3.85mm, ISO 80
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08-Jul-2012 15:15, Apple iPhone 4, 2.8, 3.85mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 80
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08-Jul-2012 16:39, Apple iPhone 4, 2.8, 3.85mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 80
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08-Jul-2012 16:40, Apple iPhone 4, 2.8, 3.85mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 80
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Yes, you might have seen me shirtless in one of those photos.  One day, if I can keep up with exercising, that will be a happy event.  In the meantime, well, at least I was in the shade, sorta.

Independence Day Drinking and Barbequeing – July 4, 2012

04-Jul-2012 18:31, Apple iPhone 4, 2.8, 3.85mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 100
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04-Jul-2012 17:02, Canon Canon PowerShot ELPH 500 HS, 4.0, 4.3mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 400
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04-Jul-2012 17:10, Canon Canon PowerShot ELPH 500 HS, 2.8, 4.3mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 125
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04-Jul-2012 17:10, Canon Canon PowerShot ELPH 500 HS, 2.8, 4.3mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 125
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04-Jul-2012 17:11, Canon Canon PowerShot ELPH 500 HS, 2.8, 4.3mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 160
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04-Jul-2012 18:16, Canon Canon PowerShot ELPH 500 HS, 2.8, 4.3mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 200
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04-Jul-2012 18:16, Canon Canon PowerShot ELPH 500 HS, 2.8, 4.3mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 200
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04-Jul-2012 18:41, Canon Canon PowerShot ELPH 500 HS, 2.8, 4.3mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 400
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just a post, pictures

On the other side of 30 now (T-299)

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Not only am I now a ripe ol’ 30, I’m also LESS THAN 300 days to freedom!!!!

Anyways, can I just say how much I love my friends out here? They totally helped me celebrate turning 30 in style. The week leading up to the festivities on Friday was a painful one, only in that I just didn’t want to be at work. Nothing bad really happened. In fact, every day I pretty much got home early, as every day we had some event or another in the afternoon! There was a 33S (that’s the Air Force way to indicate a Comm Officer) functional meeting on Wednesday (basically, us Comm O’s are screwed – but I frankly don’t care anymore) so of course I went home after that afternoon meeting; then on Thursday, there was a going-away for two of my COMSEC folks at Fox & Hound, which of course afterward I had to go home! Then on Friday, the wonderful day that is my birthday, there was lots of fun. First at work, they filled my office with balloons and decorated it all birthday-style! Sweet. Then there was coffee and donuts and gifts, which made it that much harder to actually try and work. Fortunately that charade only had to go on till the late morning, as we had a quarterly awards luncheon to attend. Unfortunately, nobody from the 721st got the wing-level award this time. After that I had a fairly painful meeting down at Peterson AFB, but mostly because it was boring as hell. But guess what – that meant I went home afterwards!!! Then I spent some time just getting my house cleaned up, some laundry done, and listening to my awesome ‘Turning 30′ CD I made – some choice tunes were put on that CD, let me tell you.

Then Susan, Jeff, Adam, KD & Eric came over around 7pm – and I had thought that the evening would start at my house, we’d take a cab or two from there and then head to the Ritz for dinner at 8pm. Sounded good, because I had been basically begging/advocating for us to take cabs for a long time so no one has to drive. And we finally were going to do it! But I was in for a surprise – as the truth was, they got us a limo!!!! Yep, a stretch white limo picked us up at my house and was going to pick us back up at closing time (here it’s 2am, unlike Vegas – what’s closing time?). Awesome!!!! We even had champagne waiting for us on the drive out Downtown. It was a great way to start a great night. So then we got downtown to the Ritz bar and restaurant, where we had some good eats. There, Melissa, Kyle, Wink, and Tom met up with us where we all drank and ate some more. We then moved on to a nearby bar called the Thirsty Pelican (I think – at this point, I was a bit faded), where they had some pool tables and a live band and about three different floors to explore. It was okay, and a nice place for me to burn off some booze, although I did drink more there, so I don’t think I really got much better. Regardless, we ended up moving on because the place where I wanted to go was the dance club/bar called Eden, which I had heard was a freakin’ awesome place to party at. Well, we made it there around 10:45 and the fun began! It’s all on one floor, but it’s divided up into really distinct rooms, one being the ‘Red’ room, one being the ‘Ice Blue’ room, and another room being what I call the ‘Skank’ room. We hung out briefly in the Skank room, but then Susan and I went back to the Red room and found a seat in someone’s reserved couch section. They didn’t ask us to leave, so we stuck around for a bit. But you could tell they just didn’t have the nerve too – but we eventually got up, because we’re nice. On the way to the Ice blue room, we discovered that the bathrooms were unisex – how contemporary. 🙂 Finally though we all established ourselves in the Ice Bluee room, which was definitely my favorite. It was lit in white and had a very cool techno sound in it. Needless to say, lots of dancing and drinking ensued. Lots of funny stories – oh the stories. But by night’s end, and when the harsh glare of ‘Last Call’ lights came on, I knew that I wasn’t going to end the night vomiting in the limo. I was just happy that the party was drama-free and everyone had a good time. Our limo picked us up around 2am (I think – by that time I really was blitzed) and then it was back to my house! We watched TV for a while, jacked with Tom for a little as he passed out first (see pics below), and then eventually passed out. Adam, Kyle, and Tom passed out at my place (it’s a good thing I have lots of places for people to sleep) and in the morning, we watched some more TV although mostly just to try to recover from our hangovers (which I didn’t do until much later that afternoon).

And now it’s today. I definitely had an awesome time ushering in my 30s. And to think, it’s only half-done (the celebrations, that is) – because this upcoming weekend is VEGAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t freaking wait, as I’ve even set up some actual fun stuff to do, including a night helicopter flight over the Vegas strip. Now that’s gonna rock. Also some Benihana’s, a show or two, dancing, drinking, and of course, some gambling!!!

The next 3 days will still be painful though – I really have no motivation to get any work done. Tomorrow night I go back to my craps dealing – this time I’m going to be a pit boss though, which I’ve heard is boring, but I still get paid. It’ll be at the Broadmoor again, which I can’t say no to. It looks like there are events every night if I so choose to work. That’ll be some good extra money in the long run.

So thanks to everyone who has made this birthday awesome, so far – my friends, my family, my coworkers – you all rock!!!!! Bring on Vegas now!!!! Anyways, here are pics from this weekend – I actually don’t have my trademark horrendous pics this time. Some aren’t exactly my best, but I have definitely looked worse….

30th Birthday Party – 3 & 4 Nov 06

Me headed out to work on my birthday
And me with my birthday cake, after work!!!
29 + 1 – my friends love me
There’s Susan at my bar
Cackling me – you can probably hear this picture if you know my laugh
I don’t know
KD close-up
Susan, Adam and Eric
Jeff’s eyes, close-up
The white birthday limo!
Inside the Limo!
Me and Susan up front
Adam and Kyle
Smiling Melissa
And Tom
KD & Susan almost making out!
Melissa, me and KD at the Ritz
Wink and Adam..
a little bit better now
Susan and Jeff
The gang at Thirsty Pelican
Eric and KD there
Hardcore, yo
Jeff and Tom, sad
Kyle punching Tom
Kyle is just a happy guy
Me and Melissa – at Eden
Blurry and drunk!
Kyle and Jeff
Happy Susan
Again
Eric
Eric & KD
Dancing Adam – the flash takes all the atmosphere out of the picture…
Jeff
Trippy dance pics
Again
Tom’s remote
Kyle on my floor
Tom with all my belongings on him
Tom with all my belongings on him
Tom with all my belongings on him
Now with some toilet paper too
The finished product