Kiss Me, I'm Irish

St. Patrick's Day is a great holiday. I feel like I re-learn the history of it every year, and I figure next year I'll re-learn it again. But it's still a great holiday.

The Stevensons and friends threw a party at their home for this historically-forgettable but fantastically-celebratory holiday. They had Irish food in good supply and there was a jig-off (Kevin was crowned as this year's Lord of the Dance).

Late Lunch at Niki & the Schmidts

Church can really make you build up an appetite. On occasion, you get invited to (or you host) lunch or dinner on Sunday afternoon. I love these gatherings because it's a relaxed meal and it isn't so late that you have to worry about getting home to bed.

Niki and the Schmidt sisters invited me and a few other people over to their place for a late lunch, and it was a most enjoyable afternoon of chatting and getting to know some people better that I haven't had the chance to really talk with before. One previous impression that was reinforced: those girls are really fun and funny. One first impression: Michele Mickelsen makes a delicious dessert (which Sarah and I are eating in the picture above).

Let's Go Bowling!

I'm an average bowler. Generally in the 130's or so. After getting some dinner in DC, Barbara and I met up with my friend Stanley and some other friends. We all watched some YouTube videos of Flight of the Conchords (one of my new loves) and then headed to the bowling alley.Bowling is great because it's not only about the score, but you have 10 frames in which to celebrate great shots, commiserate less-than-great shots, and generally have a good time. Each game had a PR (personal record) for someone. In the first, Barbara smashed her previous best with a score of 184. In the second, Stanley blew it up with a dominating 194.

Anne's Farewell Dessert Party

Some people wish they could return to Guatemala where they served (me), and some people get to go to Guatemala and serve now (Anne). As she is leaving soon to live and volunteer down there, a dessert party was held in her honor [and her roommate's honor, as she's also leaving the area]. We wish you the best of luck, Anne! Que te vaya muy bien!

There were lots of friends there, and it really made me think about how lucky I am to be surrounded by such good people and how I don't express my gratitude for them as often as I should. So to you friends reading this, I want to thank you for being there for me. For helping me to be a better person. And for enriching my life though your wisdom, compassion, and humor.

"Fishing is Poetry"

I like to think that I'm a fairly cultured guy. My parents took us to various museums, historical sites, symphony performances, Broadway shows, etc while we were young, and I've enjoyed these things ever since. In the home, we were taught, most often by example, the importance and value of literature and poetry for a well-rounded education (readings from Shel Silverstein's "A Window in the Attic" are still some of my favorite memories from childhood).

Anne Sidwell and friends planned a poetry night and invited everyone to memorize or bring their favorite poem(s) to recite. There was a really good turnout and many insightful poems were shared. They ranged from lyrical to actual lyrics, from fanciful and funny to cranial and thought-provoking.

Some of the highlights included Anne Sidwell and Megan Stevenson performing their Beauty Pageant piece, Dustin Currie's guitar-fused gas pump escapade, Becca Haynie's journey into the Jabberwocky's lair, and Grayden Ridd's impromptu poetic stylings of words we don't like. My contribution was a tastefully-profane recitation of selections from "A River Runs Through It".

Instead of clapping, we snapped our fingers with delight at the end of each poem. It was a lot of fun to see the type of poem individuals picked. Some fit what we expected and some didn't. It was a wonderful, cultural, and jovial evening.

Props to the City of Brotherly Love

My friend Nancy had never been to Philadelphia, and I hadn't seen my friend Stanley in several weeks. Both of those facts are a crying shame. As a result, Nancy and I journeyed up to the City of Brotherly Love to check it out.While Stanley was taking his ethics exam, which we assume he'll pass with flying colors, Nancy and I went downtown to see the historical sites. We battled through the rain to first see the Liberty Bell, then Independence Hall -- thanks to the cool lady who snuck us in without tickets -- and Christ Church Cemetery (Ben Franklin's grave).Stanley then joined us for some philly cheese steaks and shakes at a little restaurant that he loves. It was Nancy's first philly cheese steak, and I have to admit that mine was delicious. Not something that the heart can take too often without having a coronary, but tasty on the every-so-often visits I've been making to Philly.

Now it was time for the second annual clubs tournament. It's played just like spades, but clubs are the trump suit because St. Patrick's Day is this month. The games were long, and it took Nancy and me a bit to figure out our strategy, but we ended up with a 2-0 record in the ~5 hours of card playing.Philly is always a fun city to visit, and I think both Nancy and I had lots of fun seeing the sights and experiencing the history there. Plus, we've got several things that we didn't get to do that we wanted to, including but not limited to: running the Rocky steps and doing the mural tours.

Buon Giorno, Principessa!

Prior to this weekend, I had never seen the movie "Life is Beautiful." I had been told countless times that it's an incredible film, and I was aware that it had won various prestigious awards, but I had just never taken the time to see it.

The time came when I realized that my roommate owns the movie and I just needed to put it in and watch it. As movies are always more fun with a group of friends, I called up some friends to join me.

The film was excellent. Wish I'd seen it earlier. The story was uplifting and inspirational, despite being placed in such a dismal setting and under such horrible circumstances. If any of you reading this haven't seen "Life is Beautiful" before now, I would urge you to make time this weekend, call some friends over, and enjoy a foreign film that will change your life and make you forever love the phrase, "Buon giorno, principessa!"

Thai in Tenleytown with TJudi (That "T" is Silent)

You can find a lot of delicious, authentic foods in the DC area. So I asked my friend Judi if she'd be interested in getting some dinner. She already had plans for the night but was interested in grabbing a bite. We chose a nice Thai restaurant in Tenleytown that she recommended and had an excellent evening of conversation and sumptuous vittles.Peter (who introduced us) joined us for the last couple minutes of our mini-date and then they went to their show. Though it probably only counts as a half date, we had a great time and I look forward to lots more fun and tasty meals in the future.

I Love the 80's Party

Say Anything

There is a reason that 80's parties persist and you don't often hear of 70's or 90's parties: because the 80's were the coolest decade since sliced bread. There were so many groundbreaking fads and immediately recognizable icons, and we who grew up in that time are extremely happy to flash back to that period.

The most rockin' roommates around

Saved by the Bell reunion - Kelly, Zack, Lisa, and AC

Jem is excitement, and those Misfits will never get her

A group of my friends decided that it was time for an 80's party, and boy did they ever throw a good one! The decorations, the music, even the very house in which it was held, were all totally 80's. Costumes ranged from glam rock to preppy, and a whole bunch of movies and TV shows as well.

At Silver Diner after the party - yeah we got lots of funny looks

See all the pics from the 80's party