The Weekend's Over Already? Part 1

I have got to learn to take it easy on weekends when R's gone. Of course, my weekend was nothing like this or this or even this, but it was busy nonetheless.

5:00 rolled around Friday and it suddenly occurred to me that I had spent the entire day in my pajamas, sitting in the basement, and staring at my computer screen. I shook the cobwebs loose and hit the town.

It was Chad's birthday and he was meeting all his J-school buddies at a bar called McNally's. I had some time to kill and needed to eat, so I hit the Chinese Wok Express. I don't know why this place is considered Chinese. The best stuff on their menu is off of the Vietnamese side. The mix of fresh, cold vegetables with hot, spicy pieces of beef over some noodles really hit the spot.

I eventually sauntered over to Sycamore for a beer. According to Dr. Fab, Sycamore has by far the best selection of beers in town and I have to agree. The bar was sparsely populated, so I set up shop at one end. The bartender brought me the wrong beer and didn't realize until I was half-way through. I told her not to worry about it and finished my Oberon. However, in order to cut the spice from dinner, I really could have used that IPA. Oh well.

Sycamore began to fill and I took that as my cue to shuffle over to McNally's. Now, I've never been to McNally's. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. It turned out to be an undergrad bar and meat market. The best part is that Chad and his entourage were late. It did, though, give me a chance to watch the Cavs force a game 7 versus the Celtics...once I was able to convince the bartenders to change the TV from reruns of the original American Gladiators to the NBA game.

I gave Chad his birthday present (a jump drive loaded with Daytrotter tracks) and a card that mistakenly wished him a happy 13th birthday (it's his 31st - they don't make cards for this milestone). His colleagues are a smart lot and very friendly. Despite the undergrad environment, the J-school folk provided plenty of good discussion. After finishing my beer, I wished Chad a good evening and headed out for more adult locale: The Ragtag.

Billy was at the Ragtag with buddies Justin Squared (I'm working on a catchy nickname for the two Justins - this does not appear to be the one). Have I mentioned how much I love this space? The room at Ragtag is spacious and aesthetically pleasing. Plus, bartender Barry stocks the bar with a great selection of beers, particularly the Bells. I almost exclusively drink Two Hearted Ale when I'm at the 'Tag, but I also enjoy an Oberon now and again.

We all chatted it up to finish off the evening and I headed home.

Saturday was maybe the busiest day I've had in a long time. It wasn't busy in the sense that I was doing one task all day long. Rather, it was busy in the various ways I used my time.

Of course, Saturday is when the COMO farmers' markets do big business. For a small town, it's surprising that we have two markets. COMO lore tells me that there was a split between those who wanted to ask tax-payers for market improvements and those who did not. The descenters (Is that a word?) splintered off into their own market. I prefer to stick to the original by the ARC.

The farmers' market in COMO is one of the best parts of living here. There are Vietnamese vegetables, free-range eggs, and organic...well almost anything. I picked up some veggies and eggs, but it was the breakfast burrito I loved best. The burrito is not the greatest burrito in the world, but it really feeds my early morning hunger. My only complaint about the market is that the coffee booth has no real cream. Even milk would be preferable to non-dairy creamer. Who uses that stuff anymore?

After running some errands, I prepared myself to go to yet another birthday celebration. The only difference was that this birthday girl is 30 years younger than Chad. I attended V's first birthday, complete with cake (in both low-sugar banana and high-sugar chocolate styles) and ice cream (handmade by Dr. Fab).

The cake and conversation were good, but I began to feel claustrophobic. This anxiousness wasn't caused by the company or even the cramped quarters. It was all the kids banging, running, wiggling, etc.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "Didn't this guy used to teach whole classrooms of children?" or "Isn't this guy going to become a parent in September?" The answer to both questions is "yes".

I understand what having kids means, but it's really hard to be in a room full of children when you don't have your own for which to be responsible. I didn't have a child that needed to be redirected. I didn't have to wipe cake from any one's pudgy face. Basically, kid parties are not nearly as enjoyable for the kid-less adults as they are for parents. This will change. As V's mom told me, I'll be the one throwing this party next year.

To be continued...

Images blatantly stolen from here, here, and here.