So, rather than sweat to death in my overheated apartment, I thought I'd drive up to Jersey City and see how ol' Jess was doing. She was doing well, it turned out, has a ridiculously nice new apartment, and had a birthday party. I decided to stay.
With me for the ride were Kristy and Terry and Mr. John Jameson and His Sons. Kristy and Terry and I mixed with the other guests, but Mr. Jameson only mixed with ice. This turned out to be a terrible move on my part. But, one cannot learn that one is no longer in shape to drink straight whiskey all night until one attempts to do so. The Master has spoken.
Nils who was Hobie was there, and I apologized for not putting Nils and Hobie together at the last party. We talked a little old school and I met his gal. Ray was there, and is pursuing a doctorate these days. Well done, sir.
Someone named Jean-Luc who reminded me of the Waffle King was there, and his girl Molly listened to me describe the works of Mark Helprin. And, as an added bonus, she didn't just take the first opportunity to leave the area, she actually responded and offered conversation. Somewhere around this point I thought calling the Waffle King would be a good idea (clearly the work of Mr. Jameson) but did not have his number in my phone.
Cat was there. She remains cute and cool, but on this occasion busted out both geek cred and highly intelligent conversation. She did not fall into my arms this time, much to my dismay. Next time, I'm wearing Chuck Taylors.
The next day saw hangovers, gastrointestinal dysfunction and massive amounts of self-pity. Thank goodness K-Bar drove. Neither I nor Terry was in much shape to attempt it.
So, back in the 215 and back to work. There's law that needs to be practiced.
--8:37 AM, EDT, Holland, PA, with cream filling, icing, jimmies
Happy birthday, Jess.
--8:21 AM, EDT, Holland, PA
Regarding the use of celebrities to market things to geeks:
"We have our -- this is what these (expletive) people never understand, is that we are a subset of the major culture. We have our own celebrities, you know what I'm saying, we have our own people... who embody the virtues we cherish."
"That we admire, yeah."
"Paula Abdul is not one of the people that we cherish."
--9:54 AM, EDT, Hatboro, PA
Scott Pilgrim is the bee's knees.
I recommend you purchase!
--11:43 PM, EDT, Hatboro, PA, "he probably wants to cut your head off with his prized antique samurai swords! man, my dad is so lame."
So, I'm in my second week of the new job. Learning a lot, reading a hell of a lot, starting to do things that lawyers do. It's good.
Played poker tonight, finished third out of nine. (Ten?) Third place got me my buy-in back, which makes me glad I didn't suggest going first-second or winner-take-all for the prize money. Good to see Justin, who is looking forward to going up on the mountain. Have fun up there, y'all.
Going to the near city this week, and a farther city next week. I plan on other people buying me dinner and drinking to excess. Well, not both at once, I'm going to pace myself.
Apparently casinos will give you free money to gamble with and let you keep the money that you win from the free money. That seems to violate one Law of Thermodynamics or another. But it's true.
I need to walk more. I need to periodically burst into jogging. I need a plan.
--11:32 PM, EDT, Hatboro, PA, I detect an ounce of sadness, but you won't say a word
Congratulations, Keith and Suzanne.
--12:02 PM, EDT, Hatboro, PA
So I went to Wizard World Philly this weekend. It was a hoot, and I got to do a lot of different stuff. I was in a trivia contest*, and did fairly well -- I think I got more questions consecutively than anyone (except maybe the 50-60 year old looking dude who knew all sorts of Avengers and silver age Spider-Man stuff). I heard Garth Ennis say, "I wanted to have the Punisher kill a priest," in his charming Irish brogue. I bought a large chunk of the 100 issue run of New Mutants, sadly paying money for a second time to acquire miserable Rob Liefeld artwork. Dan DiDio asked me what my first comic book was.
And that was just Sunday!
I watched Marty get all misty-eyed thinking about X-Factor #83, and tell Peter David that he'd cheerfully bear his children, medical science permitting. I watched a slim and trim Chris Claremont and Peter David drag Tom Brevoort around by the metaphorical credentials at the "Legends of Comics" panel. I saw a woman in a dead-bang Baroness costume from the GI Joe cartoon. I heard Michael Avon Oeming suggest to his girlfriend something horrendous in a casual voice (it was a "There's Something About Mary" reference, I shan't go further), and I saw people drinking beers in a comic book shop at 11:00 PM in Philly's Old City.
I had already bought a weekly train pass, so it cost me nothing to travel back and forth... except for the one night when we stayed past the last train and had to bum a ride back from Rich at Brave New Worlds. He's good stuff, I say. Thanks, man.
I played some Heroclix, which was both fun and time-consuming. You meet a lot of good folks playing that game, and this weekend was no exception. Though, the people running the events today were a little snide and arrogant. You can't win them all.
I was given free Advil by some marketing people on 11th St. I count myself fortunate I didn't need any all weekend.
Last week at the temp job. Already handing out cards for the new job. Must go pour myself a drink of something cold now, and try to cool down. Summer's going to be brutal in the new apartment. I feel it already.
--7:30 PM, EDT, Hatboro, PA, now I want to go play WoW
*: A sampling of the trivia questions is listed below. See how many you can answer!
I can't remember all of them, and specifically what the first of the twelve "number" questions was, but I answered it correctly, along with a few others, gaining some free swag in the process. Prizes are neat.
Trivia follows:
What is Marvel Boy's real name?
What does FOOM stand for? (Not the dragon, the Marvel Comics fan club.)
Name two people who have been Ant-Man.
Name three of the Howling Commandos.
What four villains were attacked by the New Warriors in Civil War #1, resulting in the Stamford tragedy?
List the original Sinister Six.
List the seven code names originally selected by the Runaways. (Trick question.)
Name eight women Peter Parker has dated.
Name nine Avengers who have never had their own solo book.
Name twelve mutants that have been de-powered.
What does SHIELD stand for? And, what does SHIELD stand for? (Two different answers.)
Trivia ends.
--7:18 PM, EDT, Hatboro, PA, yes I'm a tremendous nerd thanks
Sorry for the quiet. It's been uneventful for a while. I hesitate to post anything that sounds like "Dear Diary, today nothing happened, I wonder what will happen tomorrow."
So what's up?
Happy birthday, Jen! Jen had a birthday. Also, Rob had a birthday party for Jen, which was a great sprawling wonder of a thing. There was multistate cooperation and secrets and presents and beers and the Jimmy Buffett Margarita Machine Super Deluxe. There was fire and rain, which means everyone at the party may now sing like James Taylor. (There was even a sunny day that I hoped would not end. It did, though.)
I started playing World of Warcraft. I'm probably going to have to stop, though, because it's one of those games that will be perfectly happy to have you play it for nine billion hours per week, and it doesn't cost you any more than the monthly fee. Well, doesn't cost you money. The true cost is tolled from your mind and your soul. And you will pay.
Been working in the city. That's been good.
But I won't be, as of two weeks from now, as I have accepted a position with Goldberg, Wong and Associates. That's right, actual lawyer work for the actual lawyer. Please let me know if you or anyone you know needs some lawyering done.
I guess that's about it. See, stuff finally happens that seems to be worth relaying to the Internets, and it's just a short little post. I must not have the right mindset for bloggery.
--1:29 PM, EDT, Hatboro, PA, bloggery is (C) and (TM) Heslin Industries, 2008.
Dad let me watch hockey (Flyers win!), do laundry, and he bought me barbecue for dinner. That's a good Tuesday. Bren drove my box spring over to my apartment, carried it up two flights of stairs, and helped me put it back together (after sawing it in two). That's a good Wednesday. Thanks, y'all.
Interview today, second one at Goldberg, Wong. More on that later.
And now, a word from our spiritual leader, Riley Cote:
"Calling us thugs... well, it's working for us, if that's what it is," said winger Riley Cote, when informed a D.C. reporter had referred to his team as a band of thugs. "We play the game hard, that's the way it's supposed to be played. And that's what Flyer hockey is all about."
--9:15 AM, EDT, Philadelphia, PA
[ archives | front page ]