Small World

Tonight I ran the Festa Italiana's 5K Fun Run with Mick. This was my 4th Fun Run for the season, but the 1st that did not involve free beer at some point during the run. The number of participants is drastically lower than for the other 3 races. Coincidence?

While waiting for the race to start I saw a guy that reminded me of the other bass player from BU's all campus orchestra. I stared at him for quite a while to determine if it was him. It would be too strange for him to be in Milwaukee so decided that it could not be him. Well, then when we lined up to begin the race I was much closer to the guy and was quite certain it was him. I started talking to him and I think we were both surprised that the other ended up in Milwaukee. He's here for law school, but has found a job in the city too. We talked briefly after the race, but I didn't know what to say. We weren't good friends in college. We just shared the blaim when the bass section led the entire orchestra astray. But I found him on facebook, so perhaps we will hang out sometime. Perhaps I should introduce him the Bluegrass Night.

Break the fast

I hit a milestone in my life today. I was drinking before 8 am. Whiskey. And it's Thursday. But there's a story behind this. You see, last night was Bluegrass Night, as every Wednesday is. We were listening to Chad Witty and friends play "Whiskey Before Breakfast", which you can watch below on YouTube.



Christie and Amanda were already planning to have breakfast before they went to work. It only took a little leap of logic to realize that pancakes will taste better with whiskey. Breakfast was good. We ate on the balcony and watched the neighbors wake up. It was a great way to start the day. But I don't think it'll be an everyday occurrence.

Refrigerator Raider

My refrigerator is broken, so Christie took all of my dairy items and I am drinking all of the beer.

My Independence

I think the greatest symbol of my independence during my week at home occurred on the Fourth when I smoked a cigarette in front of my mother. We were at the family's lake cottage and Mom's sisters decided that they needed a smoke break. They invited their oldest nephew to join them for his company.

I want you to picture this: My mom, her two sisters, and me in the middle of a dirt road, 50 feet from the cottage's property. We made sure that there were plenty of trees and bushes between us and the house so that husbands and children would not see us. I had a cigarette in one hand and a high-ball glass (a Manhattan made by 89 year-old Uncle Harry) in the other. The look on my mother's face said, "But you were an honor roll student."