Adventures in Uptown.

It started out as a simple idea. Let's go out on Friday night! Just the ladies! Yayyyyyy!

And then I suggested that we see a show at Annoyance Theatre. I'm not even going to re-type the title of the musical, because if I did, most would say "well, what did you expect?" Which is why I have this unsettled feeling of bewilderment. I EXPECTED it to be a horrible, offensive, one-penny production with bad actors. I just didn't expect to be so right.

Thoughts that myself, Kaye, Christina, Rita, and Stephanie all had at one point during the first half of the show:

He's going to hurt his voice if he keeps talking like that.
Oh, no. She's not going to say...oh. She said it.
Don't drink that...oh. He drank it.
The Dame is actually pretty good.
Yelling in key is not singing.
Ugh, maggots.
I need another drink.
Why do his jeans fit so weird?
He's not going to take off...oh. He took it off.
He's not going to use his belt on his...Oh.
Thank god there's an intermission so we can leave.

Thought that another audience member said out loud:

What IS this?



Heh. It was actually really funny to look over and see all the ladies exchanging the same WHAT THE WHAT?! looks. Everyone was too nice to say they wanted to leave at intermission, so I pointed that no one said they actually wanted to stay. Did I mention that before we went to THE THEATRE we had an amazing dinner at De Mera? The manager was annoying ("hey, have you guys heard of Facebook?" WHAT?) but the food was delicious, and I love eating without a knife and fork (or spoon).

We decided to find a place for a drink, and tried out about five different bars before settling on Max's bar. We wanted to find a hole in the wall that wasn't too loud or crowded, and this was certainly the place. Since there was no place to go but up from our previous entertainment, we enjoyed the many unique characteristics this bar had to offer with smiles on our faces: a "unique" smell, a bartender that was maybe six months pregnant and the only other woman in the bar, lots of leering men, and a one-eyed man that kept creeping towards our table until the bartender would yell "Larry! Come over here!" and then he'd retreat to a bar stool for about 10 seconds before slowly standing up and sidling over to our table again. Again, on the up side, everyone said goodbye to us when we left. Very sad, leering goodbyes.

To top off the night, I swore at a cab driver. What a night! Uptown...you are a strange minx of a neighborhood. I'm glad I got to experience it with a group of fun-loving and forgiving females. Sorry ladies.

2008. Can wait.

We are finally home! We spent three weeks back in the northern tundra, a few days on the slowly warming streets of chicago, and about 10 hours traveling yesterday (train, bus, bus). I didn't post at all over vacation, because i basically threw up in my mouth when the thought of "responsibility" blipped across my subconscious. But understand, dear readers, Christmas break was more wonderful than I could have ever expected, although I was salivating for home by day eight. Why? Kitties (thanks, Nanny Noah and Dana).

Top 5 Highlights of 2007 Wunderbar Winter Wacation.
1. Duh, family. Kate (holiday running partner!) and Aaron, Dave and Jess, Liz and Scott/Aaron, Leah and Ben. I digress. We spent about 75% of our time with blood relatives, and we have no complaints. Other than we might have worn out our welcome. In several places. (below: Great Aunt Leona, Grandma Meberg, Leah and Ben)


2. Julia! Gwen! Morgan! Plus all the marrieds (Moriah's embroidered dog purse), Tim's music pals, etc. But I didn't get to see my friend Liz as much as I wanted to. (below: Sara welcomes 2008 with a smile)


I planned to share a table with Liz at the VFW, but instead her mountain of friends from Fargo South joined her before I could make my move and in retaliation she tragically chastized me for my relationship with a local folk singer (not my fault). However, I attempted to keep the bridge of friendship alive by sending her a small amount of my mom's cookies and a christmas photo from 2006. They are the only ones we have, okay? It's the thought, not the year. For an audio representation of Liz's reaction to this excuse, please click here.

3. Food. According to Jo Ann's scale (admittedly 2 pounds heavier than her doctor's scale) i weighed 168 pounds. Officaly, the heaviest I have ever been. What is the culprit??? Okay, my own will power. But also: Dad's jerky, cooking from two moms and one dad, MOUNTAINS of cookies from momma Claudia, soups and homemade CARE-a-mel and PEA-can turtles from Liz, as well as a trip to Alladin's for spinach pies with Julia, Buffalo Wild Wings with Meberg cousins for trivia, and a couple humus wraps at Atomic with Gwen. And lots of beer. And drinks. So, obviously, not my fault, just everyone else's.


Side note: my sister-in-law Liz (pictured below) can eat more than a mountain lion. And she's TINY. I think about 85% of her body mass is pure muscle (hope that is complimentary, don't really know what "body mass" means).

4. Planning for the future.
Taking a tour of MPR and American Public Media with Aunt Catherine was amazing. We got to see Gary Eichten in the broadcast booth, saw their music library, and just basically salivated. Did I mention that I want to live in public radio? Is that possible? I also realized that, duh, Morgan works for a public affiliate in Fargo, so she's also helping me reach my dreams.

Also, we checked out a couple apartments while staying with friend Kaye in Chicago. So much fun! Became attached to her neighborhood, access to the blue line, and did not love the snowy sidewalks. Was amazing to visit a Kentucky girl stuck in a midwest winter. Only thing that could have made the visit better would be Mai returning and joining us from Tokyo. Damn you, multi-cultural friends! Below is a car parked outside the perfect apartment we saw, which included a next-door market with hand-dipped chocolate covered marshmallows. Droooool.


5. Inspiration. Thank you Julia, Joshua, David, all Fargo friends.
Soon to come: my own television sculpture/installation. This photo is from Joshua and David's apartment, natch.


Coming soon...New Years resolutions.