The Annual Christmas Party

Oh, well, I must say, I am still hungover. The booze flowed freely and gift-wrapping was tossed in the air w/ glee. Saturday, December 15th, is a day which shall live in infamy.

First off, so many new PSU friends showed up and I was so glad that they did. Everyone seemed to mix well. Everyone thought Shannon was a hoot and a half, especially when she was frantically digging thru the coolers in search of Lone Star Beer. Marie made Mark so happy by speaking German w/ him, and Kylie charmed the whole lot. Rachel and her beau Derek win for Nicest Couple Ever. I was so happy to finally get a chance to have Aimee and Roll over. And Tana got in a wreck the night before, totaled her car, and still showed up to kick some Gift Exchange Ass.

It was also the first appearance at the Party by my new friend Lorna, who brought a Wandering Jew baby plant for me, and I was so touched! If only I can keep it alive it'll start feeling more and more like Texas around here.

This was also Melissa's first Party and she made the Best Snack Ever, Pigs in da Blanket. Those things were like crack. Nom nom nom. We also got to see Susan, after a 2-year hiatus. Yay Susan! And Mickey showed up for the first leg of the party. And Barb was totally rocking this extravagant ethnic outfit. Not only is she smart and funny and a joy to be around, she is always so visually captivating as well.

Camille and Jarvis are such good folks and I feel like I never ever never get to talk to them long enough. Of course, I was drunk off my ass, and maybe I did talk to them and sadly don't remember, but maybe one day we can talk and I'll be sober.

Clay had the most fabulous jacket, made out of 1940's couch fabric. If you rubbed it, it sounded like "Wick wick wickey, wickey wick wickey." Plus, cool Shriner's tie pin. Dan was urbane as usual, and left at midnight for another party. Hmmm. . . I am intrigued. . .

And Stephani looked fantastic. She's letting her hair grow out and it's all wavy. Lovely. We were gonna go to Crafty Wonderland the next day and load up on local-made artsy stuff like t-shirts and wallets and stuffed animals, but we were so hung over. We suck!

Wilber and Becky finally showed up. Man, I have been wanting Becks to come over forever and I hope she will come over more, now that she knows where we are. And Kyle and Wilber work together on Mondays now, so maybe we will get to see more of Wilber, too.

Gina and Arley were so funny. Aimee said later that, even though she used to live down the street from us, Party night was the first time she'd ever heard Arley talk. And he was funny! Gina made the AMAZING sign at the front door. I wanna keep it forever. She's so damn talented and she just hides her light under a bush. She also rocked her patent leather pumps.

And Wendy looked absolutely amazing, too. Look at the picture, because she had this beautiful coat on. And she had a cute lil' haircut and she's just so damn sweet. Love her! And Joseph was celebrating on Saturday. He will soon have a new job at Intel, so congrats! Beanie and tiny bebe Wyatt were w/ Grandma Della on Saturday. Beanie is a giant, almost taller than me, which ain't saying much, but still. . .she's only 8.

The best gifts were: Life-sized cutout of Bobafett, giant Beefeater gin, fun papier-maché doll, Penis Man drum, electronic keyboard, GIANT post-it notes, battery eater monster, magnet board, and that's all I remember, cuz I was way drunk. If I offend by not naming yer gift cool, it's only becuz I have diminished facilities. Please post a comment and tell what kick-ass thing you brought and I will be duly chided.

Thanks everyone! I love my friends so much and it was so fun getting to see ya all in one place!

DOGFEST 2007

These are my stinky doglings.

Trudy is the blonde at the top. She currently suffers from a Urinary Tract Infection, which is what ya get when you are low to the ground like she is. We get to spend millions of dollars at the vet tomorrow, when she goes to get x-rays to make sure she indeed does have her 2nd UTI in a month, and not something more horrible, like kidney stones.

Tuco is the short, dark and handsome boy. He is shy and doesn't like to be photographed. He's really much cuter in person. When it's time to go for a walk and I are getting ready, he'll run and get one of his gross, slobbery, matted stuffed animals and SHAKE IT. He gets so excited he just has to GET SOMETHING! Then I spin around Tuco, shaking the plastic (not yet filled with) doo doo bags and Trudy runs in circles around me, hopping every now and again. Tuco drops his filthy toy and begins to bark and pretend-snap at the doo doo bags. It's really fun.

PITFEST 2007

This is my Kyle, who is probably appalled at the revelation of my Walking Ritual with the dogs (see above.) He will be mad that I posted this picture because of his underarm hair showing, because he is modest. Look how cute he is! He is on the phone with Patrick Sheehy, an old high school buddy from Waco. Patrick used to date a girl we secretly called "Too Much Candy For a Nickel." Because she was really slutty. But, that's the way Patrick likes 'em, and you can't convince him otherwise, sadly. Aside from recent poor taste in "ladies" Patrick really is a great guy. He's tall, and tan, with dark hair and blue eyes. He's easy-going and slow to rile. He is hilarious and a talented sculptor.

HAIRFEST 2007

This is my friend Melissa, who tried to talk Patrick out of liking slutty women the night this photo was taken. Melissa says what's on her mind and takes no prisoners. She has long, gorgeous, curly brown hair which she wants to make into dreds. I know it's her life and her hair, but, c'mon now, LOOK at that beautiful cascakidading hair. It's so lovely! Melissa doesn't care what anyone thinks on the matter, which is probably why I like her so much, even tho' it means dreds. Her writing is hypnotic. Do you remember the scene in "Amelie" where she takes the old blind man by the arm and leads him to the subway station, chattering a litany of sensory impressions all the while? After that scene was over, the blind man stood on the sidewalk stunned, with vibrating curly-cues wafting off of him? That's what you feel like after Melissa reads her work to you. She weaves her story all over you and you are left stunned, letting it sink in.

CREEPFEST 2007

Oh Clay! This is my bro-in-law with his hair in a creepy chongo. Our friend Dan said the other night that it is totally fitting for Clay to have such a creepy ol' pony tail, since he is a Boomer. Still, look at that smile. That is the smile I always get when he knows he's creeping me out. When my sister and I would go on road trips when we were little and she would get Funyans & Pineapple soda & then breathe the fumes of that deadly combo on me for hours on end, she would give me the same exact smile.

Halloween!

Bugs! Since I am not in Texas anymore, I was missing bugs. Luckily I now know I am still managing to get my recommended daily allowance.

Look at My Cute Sister and Niece!

Readers Forgive me. It has been a month and 6 days since my last entry. In that time I have seen Gerard DePerdue's doopleganger on the bus, which I am beginning to think is some sort of celebrity worm hole. I also am kicking the grad school ass. I got an A+ on my first paper for Publishing.

When I was in Texas my sister Anita, my mom and myself took pix at the Wal-Marts. I just got those pix in the mail! I hate to tease, but I will have to post the pix at a later date due to no scanner at work, but I WILL post the carnage. Kyle runs around the house mocking my sad Wal-Marts photo studio pose. Mean ol' Kyle. Check out the picture above of my sister Anita and my niece Cameron at the top of this post!

Just missed Junior Brown, who played just up the road from me last night. Dang! But, don't cry for my cultural starvation. We had our Memoir Writing Group last Thursday and it was fantastic. We just got a new member, Lorna Miller, who is a Portland institution. She is a singer/songwriter and all her kids are musicians. Two are in the popular local band Lisa and Her Kin, and her oldest son is a guitarist in Austin. She wrote about her grandmother's apple tree last week and it was a tasty treat. Barbara Haga, also an accomplished writer, is in our group. This last time she wrote a funny, heart-pounding story about her son when he was younger and taking their inflatable raft out to sea in the Puget Sound. Melissa Shearer didn't get to attend this last time, but she writes layered prose honeyed w/ asides and insights. Stephani Skalak, the lovely and talented documentary film maker, had to chair her film festival, so couldn't make it this time. She writes straight-forward memoir gleaned from prompts she gets from fortune cookies. I wrote up some starts for a ditty I wanna do about my Grandma Teston. I highly recommend a writing group. If nothing else it's a dedicated excuse to get drunk w/ a bunch of people you appreciate and find funny and smart.

Lastly, I need a haircut. My gal, Lana Guerra, is in Thailand, so I am hoping for her speedy return. She is walking art. Her tattoos are like stitching, like a doll, and has long, lovely dreds. She makes huge, performance piece wigs and also performs with Circus Mundus Absurdus. Crude Things Gallery is where you can look at her work.

Hope yer weekend is good and I hope to post more soon, and on a more regular basis. Not that anyone cares, but I do really find it fun.