The dude abides
Crazy past few days...again. This weekend....whirlweekend.
Friday was fairly nominal. Left math to get my kilt together for the Drunken Paddy Wagon. After having talked it up for a few weeks, the excitement of pub crawling with my pipe band, playing music was coming to a head. Candice coming to town only served to add to my over the top excitement and jitters.
We were riding around on an open party trolley. We warmed up at a couple pubs, early in the night ( about 8 PM), so the crowds were into it, but nowhere near to the fever pitch as later in the night. Candice found her way to the richmond to meet us at Ireland's 32.
The rest of the night was the same story, slowly descending into drunken debauchery. We'd assemble outside a pub, play in to the din of applause and cheers, give a little shpiel, sell some raffle tickets, play a couple more songs, get bought some shots and play out. The highlight had to be singing cheers, playing drums and bagpipes in the moving trolley to pedestrians around san francisco. Low point, but still kind of funny was me slipping and dropping a drum down the stairs of the trolley. Thank goodness it was not damaged soundwise...but my pride took a serious blow. Still kind of funny.
To Madrone to see Garen after the Crawl, mini dance party, night cap, and walk home. Good, Good sleep.
Saturday was spent waking up slow with Candice, breakfast at Kate's Kitchen with a mildly hungover Candice and Francesca-type people. The girls giggled...I was focused solely on my biscuits and gravy and cornmeal pancakes. whew, they were a doozy, too.
half of an MST3k, and meeting of my brother and Jeanie and co. at zeitgeist for a midday pint. Home to shower and change for the night. what followed was the best followed-through-on date I've ever taken part in. Plan: dinner at Ame, Lyrics Born show at the Independant.
We spent about 10 minutes waiting in the cold for a cab on haight street - Candice in her red dress and black cardigan and black "pointy-toe" shoes, me in my blue diesel jeans, white shirt, black vest and tie. A nice black car pulls up..
"You couple need a ride?"
"Are you a cab?"
"I can get you where you're going.."
"OK. Don't kill us."
The strangest cab ride I've ever taken starts. This dude was definitely an under the table kind of guy. Unaffiliated with any cab company, he droves us to Ame in a roundabout fashion, the whole time making jokes about driving in New York and killing pedestrians. I was extremely on edge...Candice enjoyed my tense squeamishness.
He got us to the restaurant ok, where we had an amazing dinner. The best meal I've had cooked for me in San Francisco, hands down. Our server is a regular at Sir Francis Drake, so he hooked it UP, pairing out seared black cod and perfectly moist Pork chop dishes with amazing wines. Every bite was an unfurling in our mouths.. every scent was a gift...and the conversation - not half bad, either.
Left the Restaurant, sated with wine and rich food. Caught a cab to the Independent for the show. We got there, and the line was about a half block long. Waiited in line, until we were about 2 people away from the box office. Sold out.
I stopped the guy with the guest list and gave him my name. Working at Madrone (up the street) had gotten us tickets and through the door.
Met Nate, Jeanie and Co inside JUST in time for Lyrics Born. An amazing show...even better, if possible, than when I saw him in New York last year...but Candice's first time, and she seemed just as into it as I was.
Stopped at Madrone for a mini Prince Vs. Michael nightcap and back to the house. Conclusion of the perfect date.
Sunday, "accidentally" missed Candice's morning bus out of the city, so she hung out with me a little at work, brunched and caught up with an old friend, re-met back up with me near the end of my shift and after a big ass crowd of coworkers who would have been in love with her left. Got her to the bus station on time-ish and said a solemn goodbye.
Sunday also decided to not go to school anymore. Emailed my professors about, you know, that. Turns out they can't really do anything since I'm past the withdrawal date unless I have a compelling reason to get out of it. "I'm gonna, like, fail," probably wouldn't go over too well. So, first Fs of my college career are on their way. But I'm really ambivalent, which I think is a sign that this whole not school thing is a good move. I've ruminated on its many pros and cons, replacements for my time, ways to not feel like a waste of space all day..... I'm still scared, though. I've been in school for 22 years. I've never not been subject to government sanctioned learning. I have a couple fun, well-paying jobs, and more than a couple soul-satisfying ventures in my present.
Why does nothing feel like so much of an adventure?
Friday was fairly nominal. Left math to get my kilt together for the Drunken Paddy Wagon. After having talked it up for a few weeks, the excitement of pub crawling with my pipe band, playing music was coming to a head. Candice coming to town only served to add to my over the top excitement and jitters.
We were riding around on an open party trolley. We warmed up at a couple pubs, early in the night ( about 8 PM), so the crowds were into it, but nowhere near to the fever pitch as later in the night. Candice found her way to the richmond to meet us at Ireland's 32.
The rest of the night was the same story, slowly descending into drunken debauchery. We'd assemble outside a pub, play in to the din of applause and cheers, give a little shpiel, sell some raffle tickets, play a couple more songs, get bought some shots and play out. The highlight had to be singing cheers, playing drums and bagpipes in the moving trolley to pedestrians around san francisco. Low point, but still kind of funny was me slipping and dropping a drum down the stairs of the trolley. Thank goodness it was not damaged soundwise...but my pride took a serious blow. Still kind of funny.
To Madrone to see Garen after the Crawl, mini dance party, night cap, and walk home. Good, Good sleep.
Saturday was spent waking up slow with Candice, breakfast at Kate's Kitchen with a mildly hungover Candice and Francesca-type people. The girls giggled...I was focused solely on my biscuits and gravy and cornmeal pancakes. whew, they were a doozy, too.
half of an MST3k, and meeting of my brother and Jeanie and co. at zeitgeist for a midday pint. Home to shower and change for the night. what followed was the best followed-through-on date I've ever taken part in. Plan: dinner at Ame, Lyrics Born show at the Independant.
We spent about 10 minutes waiting in the cold for a cab on haight street - Candice in her red dress and black cardigan and black "pointy-toe" shoes, me in my blue diesel jeans, white shirt, black vest and tie. A nice black car pulls up..
"You couple need a ride?"
"Are you a cab?"
"I can get you where you're going.."
"OK. Don't kill us."
The strangest cab ride I've ever taken starts. This dude was definitely an under the table kind of guy. Unaffiliated with any cab company, he droves us to Ame in a roundabout fashion, the whole time making jokes about driving in New York and killing pedestrians. I was extremely on edge...Candice enjoyed my tense squeamishness.
He got us to the restaurant ok, where we had an amazing dinner. The best meal I've had cooked for me in San Francisco, hands down. Our server is a regular at Sir Francis Drake, so he hooked it UP, pairing out seared black cod and perfectly moist Pork chop dishes with amazing wines. Every bite was an unfurling in our mouths.. every scent was a gift...and the conversation - not half bad, either.
Left the Restaurant, sated with wine and rich food. Caught a cab to the Independent for the show. We got there, and the line was about a half block long. Waiited in line, until we were about 2 people away from the box office. Sold out.
I stopped the guy with the guest list and gave him my name. Working at Madrone (up the street) had gotten us tickets and through the door.
Met Nate, Jeanie and Co inside JUST in time for Lyrics Born. An amazing show...even better, if possible, than when I saw him in New York last year...but Candice's first time, and she seemed just as into it as I was.
Stopped at Madrone for a mini Prince Vs. Michael nightcap and back to the house. Conclusion of the perfect date.
Sunday, "accidentally" missed Candice's morning bus out of the city, so she hung out with me a little at work, brunched and caught up with an old friend, re-met back up with me near the end of my shift and after a big ass crowd of coworkers who would have been in love with her left. Got her to the bus station on time-ish and said a solemn goodbye.
Sunday also decided to not go to school anymore. Emailed my professors about, you know, that. Turns out they can't really do anything since I'm past the withdrawal date unless I have a compelling reason to get out of it. "I'm gonna, like, fail," probably wouldn't go over too well. So, first Fs of my college career are on their way. But I'm really ambivalent, which I think is a sign that this whole not school thing is a good move. I've ruminated on its many pros and cons, replacements for my time, ways to not feel like a waste of space all day..... I'm still scared, though. I've been in school for 22 years. I've never not been subject to government sanctioned learning. I have a couple fun, well-paying jobs, and more than a couple soul-satisfying ventures in my present.
Why does nothing feel like so much of an adventure?