I'll Be Sitting at the Kid's Table on Thursday

My brother and future sister in law put a bid on a house yesterday and it was accepted. I don't think that means it's theirs yet but I guess it's pretty close. I am so excited for them and can't wait to see it. But them taking that step just reminds me how un-grown-up I still feel.

They are purchasing something (granted not with one lump sum, but still) worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. I think the most expensive things I actually own are my TiVo and my iPod- and I didn't even pay for either of those, one was a prize (thank you, Coyne PR) and one was a gift (thanks Mom and Dad).

As much as I like to think of myself as an independent adult, things like this- my brother buying a house, my friends getting married, make me think of all the adult things I don't understand or know how to do or just don't care about, for example:


- I don't know what "escrow" is, or what it means to be in it
- I have no concept of what it happens when you roll over a 401K
- I don't send out Christmas cards
- I wouldn't know how to apply for a loan if I needed one
- I've never really done yard work
- I've never done any of the processing of my tax return
- I call my mom after my voice lessons to tell her the encouraging things my teacher said
- I don't save receipts or file important paperwork
- I never iron clothes; if they are wrinkled I just wet them, lay them out to dry and hope for the best, or if I'm already wearing them I use a blow dryer

On the other hand, I guess there's something to be said for not really owning anything, I don't have to worry too much about losing stuff and I don't have as much personal responsibility. Maybe ignorance is bliss.

'Godfather! The Musical'

I had a really fun Friday night. I actually got out of work by 5:30 and went to the city to meet my friends Natalie and Laura. We had dinner and drinks at Blockheads and then sat there drinking margaritas until 10:00 when we went right next door to see a really funny off-Broadway play called “My First Time,” the name is pretty self-explanatory- it was hilarious.

After that we were a little tipsy and a little giddy and hopped in a cab to go across town to meet Natalie’s boyfriend and a few other people at a bar where they were doing Karaoke. Anyone who knows me knows I can’t resist a microphone and a crowd of drunks so I was pumped.

On the cab ride over we tried to get a picture of the three of us- didn’t work out too well but it was a fun ride.

The first thing I noticed when we got there was the group of large, shiny-suited, slick-haired, bejeweled Italian men congregated around a couple of tables.

“Oh my God,” we said to each other. “Do mobsters like Karaoke?”

Indeed they do, my friends, indeed they do.

I have since christened them the Judy Garland Mafia and do they ever love their early ‘90’s power ballads.

I didn’t get to talk to any of them but I’ve given them my own names and I would like to tell you briefly about each one:

Joey the Sparkler- my personal favorite. While walking around with a fruity drink in a wine glass filled with ice, he always made sure his left hand was held up next to his chest so that his large pinky ring could catch the light at every opportunity.

Vinny Windpipes- what a voice- from Billy Joel to Whitney Houston, he didn’t even need a microphone, but that didn’t stop him from using one.

Tony the Hangnail- wouldn’t let anyone have the spotlight, tried to grab a mic while Vinny was singing and when the Karaoke mistress wouldn’t let him he went and stood right behind Vinny so everyone would be looking at him too.

Frank- seemed like they just kind of let him hang out but he wasn’t really part of the group; maybe someone’s cousin from out of town.

We really didn’t know what to make of these gentlemen, should we cheer for them? Should we just listen respectfully? Should we only sing Sinatra songs?

After a while we couldn't take it anymore and had to leave, it was just too mixed a bag of nuts in that place, but it was fun while it lasted. I may have to go back, though just to see if they are there again. Also, I would just really love to Vinny’s rendition of “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” again.

Petroleum Nostalgia

The price of gas at the station right by me is $1.87 for regula!- It makes me feel like I'm in college again...except that I can't get by on four hours of sleep anymore and I can no longer handle warms shots of cheap vodka chased with Capri Sun.

Addendum

A slight addendum to the previous post. I need to thank my parents for making this trip possible by...uh... pretty much bankrolling the whole thing. They generously gave Jackie and I this experience that we will still be talking about when we both have long grey hair that we wear in braids tied with ribbon.

Yes, we have discussed our old lady hair, among several other details and elements of our dotage.

My Version of Eat Pray Love i.e. Eat Drink Eat

I can't believe I haven't really posted anything about my trip to Italy. After so much build up you'd think I'd have a lot to say about it but I just got distracted by so much other stuff when I got home that it just didn't happen.

There's too much to document it all here but I thought I'd list some of the highlights:

- Climbing up to the top of the Duomo and seeing the incredible views from the top

- Meeting one of my sister's local friends who, when learning I was her sister replied

"Seeester? Ah yes, I see it, same as beautiful."

- Eating gelato at least once a day

- Eating an entire pizza in approximately 11 minutes after a day of touring Rome (with

mushrooms, sausage and onions, in case you're wondering)

- My sister and I forcing ourselves to finish a half liter of red wine eventhough we were full and

drunk and then somehow finding room for gelato

- Having a picnic in the Boboli Gardens behind the Piti Palace

- Getting an Italian haircut from a hairdresser who turned out to be a Yugoslavian named Bob

- Going to a bar that looked like an Irish pub, where the employees looked Goth and they played

Reggae music

- Creating makeshift pirate costumes for Halloween from stuff we found at the 99 Euro cent

store

- Hearing the couple behind me in the customs line at the airport arguing about where to go to

get to the official the fastest, it sounded something like this:

Wife: "Get ovah there, Morris, get in that line!"

Husband: "Where do you want me to go- they all go to the same place!"

Wife: "For God's sake, Morris, move ya feet, all these people are getting ahead of us"

Husband: "Will you shut ya mouth, I'm movin as fast as I can, Jesus Christmas."

- Waiting for my car service to pick me up and seeing, through the sea of black sedans, a long

white limosine pull up in the distance and knowing, deep down, that it was my ride and then, in

fact, seeing a sign on it's dashboard with my name in all caps

All in all, a great trip.

Queenpin

I had another outing with my "Little Sister" today. We went bowling. I totally dominated, won every game, but I got her cheese fries and Pepsi so she was happy.

Ciao Bella

I feel like my blog has arrived. My most recent post (before this one) was read via someone's cell phone on a street corner in Italy at 2:30 in the morning and elicited laughter loud enough to warrent an Italian woman opening her little bedroom window and yelling that she would like to go to sleep and could we please shut up.