So Very Dark

As some of you may know, I was out of Pittsburgh for the majority of the past week.

You see, my friend Brendan:

…decided to have a mid-July luau. He went on and on every time I talked to him about how awesome it was going to be and told me that I should really come. I told him each time that I would do my best, and that I was sure that it would be lovely, but that the commute from Pittsburgh to California was a bit long as well as a bit more than my budget could handle. I joked that he could pay for a plane ticket, and he told me that he would gladly get me a one way trip…which wouldn’t work for me. I mean, all of my stuff is here.

Well, as it happens, the next day I was speaking to my mother:

…and mentioned the conversation to her. She (who has either been pining in my absence or just wanted me to come home and do chores for her) promptly offered to purchase me a ticket herself, so long as I could procure transportation from the airport. Well, I asked Brendan and he was more than happy to be my chauffeur…though he didn’t wear the little hat.

We decided that my visit would be all the more delicious and exciting if it were kept a secret until the night of his party, if people could simply show up and discover me lounging around drinking Pina Coladas in a bikini with the rest of the gang.

For a month I restrained my forgetful urges to comment upon my upcoming journey, and then finally, on the morning of July 12th, Briggs’ sister Burgandy:

…drove me to the airport where I got through security without a hitch and eventually left on a jet plane, squeezed into the aisle seat (someone had stolen my window) next to a yamichaed and prayer-shawled jewish man. The connecting flight was somewhat better; I got a bit of a nap and doodled, although my speaker jack seemed to be broken and I was unable to lower the volume to a point where it would not puncture my eardrums and thus did NOT get to watch ‘The Last Mimzy’.

I arrived in time in San Fransisco and was picked up, exhausted and travel worn, by Brendan, Karly:

…and Karly’s sister who does not know what Karly does for a living.

Then Brendan dropped the three of us off on the corner of Market street and went back to work.

After a couple hours of being dragged around by two excited and energetic girls, I escaped to the park behind the-no-longer-Metreon and read for a few hours while they shopped; the best rest I could get barring the nap I was desperate for.

Around 7:30 or so, Brendan picked us up and took us to sushi (which Karly’s heathen sister decided she did not like) and then to see Harry Potter. The combination of having viewed it the day before and abject exhaustion led to me trying not to drool on Brendan’s shoulder *too* much as I slept through the majority of the film. Heck, tired as I was, I probably would have crashed even if I hadn’t seen it yet.

They dropped me at my mom’s house a bit past 1am and I dragged myself inside and the futon into my old bedroom, located a couple of scrawny blankets and (after reading until I was tired again) slept the sleep of the….something that sleeps well and deeply.

The next morning, Mom and I went to my favorite Starbucks:

…and lingered over chai and pastries before going grocery shopping so I could have one thing I’ve been missing since the move: a mom-cooked meal. After we got back, I lounged around and goofed off, chatted with Kristin and Heather on the phone:

<–Kristin <–Heather

…and almost gave away my temporary California habitation a number of times, but managed to keep the cat firmly in the bag. Mom and I ate dinner, and then watched Minority Report instead of going to the Rialto to see the late-starting Paprika.

<–Minority Report (played on TV)

<–Paprika (didn’t play until 9:45–too late for mom)

On Saturday mom and I goofed around the house a bit (I honestly don’t remember much of what we did…I showered at some point, and I believe that she did as well) and then in the evening got ready for the Luau.

Which I have no pictures of since I forgot my camera at home. (Seriously, if anyone has any and wants to link them in my comments that would be cool)

But the party was slammin’. I understand that Brendan and Adam spent over $1000 on it and it showed: a tiki bar on the back deck, a large inflatable pool, rented tables and chairs in the yard, tiki torches and decorations galore, plus food, alcohol and sundry incidentals like leis enough to go around. I came out of the garage (the designated smoking, lounging and general chill and not have to shout conversations above music room) at one point and saw a tiki-lit backyard full of people chatting at tables, chinese lanterns in the trees, a back porch full of people in island garb and flowers talking, mingling and dancing, and a busy bartender behind a snazzy bar, and I thought, ‘wow! This looks just like a real party!’ It was like parties in movies or magazine spreads with people dressed to theme having a good time and decorations to boot! Although most magazines and movies would have likely excluded Sean’s:

periodic naked sprints through the congregated revelers…

Anyway, it was overall, a good party. Great job, Brendan and Adam’s house!

The next day (Sunday) I woke up shortly before Heather, Sean, Erin, Robby and Rob:

<–heather <–Sean

<–Erin <–Robby

<–Rob

showed up for a walk-through (Heather is thinking of renting my house by the way.). After that was done, the gang dragged me off for breakfast at Sam’s For Play (and paid! woohoo!) then back to Heather’s to hang out, watch Doctor Who and introduce me to the Amazing Mouth-Spelunking Cat. It was very warm out and we mostly draped ourselves in the coolest position possible and tried not to move.

Sean and Heather gave me a ride home and Adam and Carrie picked me up and took me to dinner, and then back to their house where I got to finally see Adam’s Improv group. They were not bad! I was laughing my butt off a couple times…sometimes even when they intended it.

On Monday I got up and hung around while mom ran errands and my friends worked or slept (oh yeah…Adam was free, but I was a lame-ass and didn’t call him) and then went to girls’ night at Kristin’s. It was cool. Heather came and we watched Prime, which was pretty good.

<–Kristin <–Heather <–Prime

Onnn…..Tuesday, I hung around while mom was at work, packed my stuff, scrounged for food, watched The Fairly Odd Parents and drew.

<–Fairly Odd Parents

Around 5, mom came home from work and Heather showed up to take me to some much-needed coffee. mmmm…. Then she went to school and Brendan and mom and I went to the Olive Garden. I got their new Shrimp Caprese:

…which was delicious and I ate like a pig.

Afterwards, Brendan went home to do a work project and Heather came and grabbed me and we went to bother him.

This blog is really long.

Anyway, after hanging out for a while Brendan was getting ready to go sleepy-time, so he gave me a ride back to the house, where I made sure that my stuff was packed for the morning, and crawled into bed and didn’t fall asleep until 2:30 or so (though I did watch the new History channel show ‘the Universe…very cool) and then was poked by mom around 5am. Around 6 I managed to drag myself up. She left for work, then called and told me work was canceled due to rain (drizzle) so Brendan would not have to give me a ride to the airport after all. I called and woke him up to tell him that he didn’t have to wake up so early after all and mom and I left for the city at 8:15 or so and plunged into the height of rush-hour traffic. Which was ok, ’cause I got a call from Orbitz telling me my flight was delayed an hour.

We got to the airport, I checked in and was told I should be able to make my connecting flight okay, and then I foraged (mostly without success) for food. San Fransisco airport does not have many choices. Unlike the Huston airport that I had to dash through past food options galore and a Borders outlet in order to catch my second flight. However, my headphone jack DID work on my departing SFO plane…unfortunately, rather than ‘The Last Mimzy’ they were playing ‘Are We Done Yet’:

…a movie which has nothing to recommend it but the fact that John C. McGinley (Doctor Cox of ‘Scrubs’) is a supporting character. That didn’t come close to saving the movie.

After an arduous day of travel (my second flight was peopled by an annoying teenaged girl in front of me that didn’t realize that while 3rd class seats DO go back, taking advantage of the options is very uncomfortable for the passenger behind you and a screaming baby) my sweet boyfriend:

picked me up, took me to buy impractical but yummy food (except for the sauerkraut pirogies…those were a bit off the mark. Sorry sweetie) and home to a sparkling clean house with new shelves and drawer pulls to eat it while watching Big Love and cuddling with my sweet kitty.