Happy New Years and Birthday

Sorry I have been MIA lately but I was sick for a few days and didn't feel like moving from the cocoon I created in my bed.

Luckily though, I was able to make it out for NYE celebrations and so far have had a great 2009. I also want to say Happy 30th Birthday to my sister.

That's really all I got for right now since I am running on fumes today because of a fun movie night. Maybe I'll put together some kind of list of resolutions or goals or something like that. I really want to find some kind of continuity with this blog since I have strayed from my original intention of focusing on my house ... but the description does say anything is fair game.

Happy Birthday Aunt Karen, when can I visit?

Today is my godmother's birthday and since they read this from Hawaii, I figured I would send out a Happy Birthday. I hate giving cards and don't need to receive one to know someone cares, plus my memory is shit so saying I hate them gets me off the hook a little when I don't send one to someone I should (which is everyone). Also, I am trying to score some points so I can go visit someday when I get some money and someone (of the female variety) that wants to go to Hawaii and passes my godfather's strict physique requirements. Seriously, he needs to be sent a picture before I can bring a guest. Just kidding ... maybe.

Cause I'm Drunk

It's my birthday and I have been drinking all weekend so I am going to have another guest post and you all (3 of you) can just deal with it.

Labor Day Weekend Wrap-up

My friend Vanessa came down to visit me this weekend because apparently the neighborhood she where she lives in Brooklyn is on the edge of the Caribbean section and the was a big parade/festival thing going on that gets pretty out of hand and she didn't want to be there. Saturday she spent all day shopping and lounging around while I was at the Maryland-Delaware football game. On Sunday she and I went out to brunch with my dad and his girlfriend. We went to Eggspectation in Columbia ... one of the best breakfast places there is. I had a waffle with fresh blueberries and she had their strawberry and banana crepes ... the crepes are so good my dad and gf ended up splitting an order as a dessert.

I was tired from the previous day's activities and headed back downtown to take a nap before dinner. Vanessa's bday was earlier this month so I took her to a nice dinner at Flemming's in Harbor East as a belated gift. We had the "Wicked Cajun Barbecue Shrimp" as an appetizer, they were really good but not spicy as the waitress made them out to be. We both ordered the filet mignon (she got the petite) and split a bunch of a la carte sides; a baked potato, chipotle cheddar macaroni and cheese, and grill asparagus. I had a couple glasses of wine (a Cabernet and a Cab-Merlot blend), she left her ID in NYC and isn't a big drinker anyways. She ended it with chocolate lava cake, no desert for me (not a big fan of chocolate or cakes).

Some of each of the sides and my filet

Does it look like I got some sun at the Terps game? (Keep in mind I generally have a traditional Irish (pale) complexion.

After dinner we walked across the street to the Landmark Theater and saw Pineapple Express. Good movie and a lot more violent than I expected. Reminds me of when James Franco and Seth Rogan were on Freaks & Geeks (great show, everyone should see it)

I dropped Vanessa of at the train Monday afternoon and went to my mom's in Columbia for her bday celebration (it was last Thursday). My friend and former roommate Ali came and we had a great time. Basically this was a weekend of great meals .. better than the ones I had in Vegas the previous weekend (except maybe the Wynn's buffet). My mom's bf made steamed mussels from his "secret" recipe (we have these whenever there is a big dinner at my mom's and they are amazing). My dad and his gf (yes, my mom and her bf and my dad and his gf all had dinner for my mom's bday at my mom's house; my dad's sister was there too) brought the drinks, white sangria with lots of fresh fruit in it mixed with a splash of ginger ale. Both my sisters were there and one brought her bf (the other's bf was hosting a dinner of his own so she came for dinner than left to go back to his cookout). We had steaks from the Laurel Meat Market (one of the best butcher's in the area) cooked on the grill by my dad and seasoned to perfection. There were left-over grilled mixed veggies from my tailgating that we re-heated (on the grill) and added to fresh ones that I grilled at the time. Desert was angel food cake with fresh strawberries, raspberries and blueberries topped with whipped cream. I know what I said about deserts and cake, but there is something about angel food cake that I like, maybe how light it is ... i don't know. My mom opened her cards and gifts and then we all went our separate ways. It was a great end to a great weekend.

About time

Well ... I know it has been a while since I posted that first post saying I was going to post a lot during the first few weeks and then maybe drop off. Hopefully this means the opposite has occurred and I dropped off early and will not start to post on a regular basis. It's just hard for me to sit down at a computer when I get home from work. I thought about posting several times (is this a repeat of my first post or what?) but didn't have the energy or desire to fire up my POS laptop and hope the keyboard worked. So on that note, let's re-cap what has happened so far in July ... with plenty of occasions forgotten I am sure.

• Went to NYC (brooklyn) to visit Vanessa (V)
• Went to a Staten Island wedding with V - I consider her my default wedding date because we always have fun together (this was also the most elaborate wedding I have been to in my life and I have been to quite a few)
• Saw Hancock with V and Wolfe (V's friend) - Still don't know what I think about it ... what kind of movie were they trying to make ... I think they got lost somewhere in the development and made half of two different movies and decided to connect them
• Did absolutely nothing to celebrate the 4th even though I was in the biggest city in the US that had a $40 million fireworks show (fireworks just don't do it for me unless I am setting them off)
• Went to Spamalot on Broadway (much funnier than Monty Python's Holy Grail I saw for the first time less than a week earlier ... British comedy is like fireworks to me, the dry wit is only funny to me when I am doing it)
• Randomly went out for drinks with Lucas and Nancy (from MD but happened to be in NYC at the same time)
• Left V to go to a "White Party" with Lucas and Nancy (for which I had to buy a white outfit that I didn't have)
• Had fun at said "White Party" on a small boat that took us around NYC till 5 AM
• Commuted back to Brooklyn only to pack up and commute back to Penn Station and catch my train back to B'more
• Worked for a few days then got sick and worked from home for the next couple days
• Went to Roy's Hawiian Fusion in Harbor East with MK (I love this place but when dinner is this expensive it can't be a frequent visit)
• Watched Happy Gilmore for the first time in years, "the price is wrong ... bitch" (one of Adam Sandler's funniest)
• Went out with Brian and Jill for one of their friend's 30th bdays this night included a rooftop deck, Saute (which has some of the best calamari I have had), Claddagh's Pub, dancing on the pool table at Claddagh's (not me), more roof deck, passing out on couch, walking home at 5:30 AM
• Had 59th Bday dinner at my mom's for my dad ... always an interesting time when you get my family together ... I swear it could be a successful TV show
• That brings us to yesterday on my dad's actual bday we went golfing, Waverly does not have enough trees to provide shade for my Irish skin (which is now red), went to Ryleigh's in Fed Hill for Shore night and had crabs, oysters, the best corn on the cob ever, calamari (not as good as Saute's), and ended up in Canton to go to Vaccaro's for desert and show my house to Aunt J and Uncle G (sister's godparents)

So that may be a lot to take in right now and maybe I'll post some pictures from the random events on there (when I get home since I don't have them here at work ... shhh! I'll get back to work now, and by that I mean start setting up my fantasy football league)