Chopstork

Laura finished day 1 of her comps today, so we were slumming it at Red Robin for dinner. 3 tables had birthdays in the time we were there, as evidenced by the gathering of the entire wait staff clapping and singing… 3 times.

Not nearly enough.

Enter Operation Birthday Bash. We shall make a field trip to Red Robin. We shall make a staggered entry and sit as separate couples and groups. We shall recruit acquaintances/co-workers/professors and their children so we’re not a conspicuous influx of 20-somethings all eating Red Robin on the same night.

And, of course, there will be a birthday at every table. And the wait staff will sing and clap. Over and over. It will be the happiest birthdayest night in the history of Red Robin.

Sarah hired me to take pictures at her friends’ rehearsal dinner, as her wedding gift to them. I think I got some good pictures. I didn’t know what I was going to do without the usual ceiling to bounce a flash off of … forced some creativity. It’s fun and a relief when I can get the flash to work for me nicely.

Everyone thinks the Fridays After Five season ended last week. I heard there’s one more band playing this Friday. They are a Rock Band, and I hear they Rock, even though they don’t always finish their songs.

It’s Another Friday After Seven (gotta be dark enough to see the projector, we learned last time). Come to the Pavilion around 7pm tomorrow to rock out with your cock out.

ROCK!

has anybody made plans to travel cross-country for this yet? I’d really like to go, but my upcoming trip to the other side of the world is leaving me feeling stingy. I’ve looked a bit at airfare, some of it isn’t too bad, and I might be able to use AA miles. Is everybody flying into the Charlottesville airport? Are there other decent ones to choose from? Apparently this marriage is too formal an affair for evite, so I’m still not entirely sure who is going. I assume the groom & groom will be there (rest assured my gift will include His & His towels, even though there is no registry). Who else? What’s your trip itinerary?

Mitch’s parents were kind enough to have us over for their annual crawfish cookout eatathon. Deeelicious fun. Below are all the things Bubba forgot you can do with shrimp, except with crawfish.[This post is rated M for Mature].

“Get the f away from me” crawfish.

Edward crawfish fingers.

Doggy style crawfish.

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Tuffy McFucklebee has hereby invented the vertical jowler!!! The VertJowl™ © patent pending.

Moment of first inception.

First production run.

Also, the band Birdlips has filed an improvement to the original jowler with the addition of a fist to the scene. The knockout jowler. Unfortunately another local band Straight Punch to the Crotch failed to incorporate this improvement in their versions, even though Punch is in their name.

Birdlips’ Lindsay on a knockout jowler.

Big Bird, are you from 19th century Japan?

In early 19th-century Japan, it became fashionable for the culturally sophisticated theatergoing population of Edo to entertain themselves at parties by imitating the voices and gestures of famous actors. As this fad spread, people began to expand their repertoires by mimicking animals, and as animal poses became all the rage at parties, writers and artists collaborated to produce illustrated books containing model examples of these poses…

In the 21st century, it became fashionable for the culturally unsophisticated bar-going population of Silicon Valley to entertain themselves at work by imitating big birds.

via Pink Tentacle (more pictures)

Fridays After Five is a concert series during the summer in downtown Charlottesville, with concerts taking place every Friday (obviously) after work. For SFers, think Stern Grove, but much smaller/local acts and more mingling.

We decided we couldn’t wait for the season to start, so we put on our own rock concert. With Rock Band. At the Pavilion. “One Friday After Four-thirty.” The band is Panty Zamboni.

Prefuncing in the green room.

The roadies setting up.

Off to a rough start. The wind gave us some problems and the lyrics were illegible. Band manager: For our next gig we need sandbags and static lyrics mode on our rider.

Rocking out.

This would be Tea Bags’ final performance before his fatal heroin overdose.

Tea Bags. Almost passed out. Eating grass. If Bloc Party was on Rock Band, I could understand the confusion (”like eating glass” / “like eating grass”), but I’m not sure how this happened. …And then he passed out, like a true rock star.

Fans show up.

And we let them play. Cuz he can actually sing.

ROCK!!!!

Luke and Katie decided to get chickens. Pet chickens. Not for human consumption. So Luke, Strongo, Amie, Laura, and I converted an old shed in their back yard into a luxury chicken condo. I mostly watched. Luke’s classified description:

PRICE SLASHED $200! New chicken coop! Stunning new 1 bedroom, bathroom-everywhere contemporary coop set on a quiet lane within walking distance of a chicken wire fence and cat that wants to eat your face. This sensational home offers a luxury sun splashed interior with soaring cathedral ceilings, balconies, oversized windows and gleaming pine shaving floors. The gourmet country kitchen enjoys a feeder dangling from an old nail on the ceiling. The oversized owner’s suite has a walk in old cat carrier full of the same pine shavings. This residence also has a private mailbox, no heat and no A/C. The private back yard patio offers an ideal spot for family fun and summer cook-outs. $200

Beatrice and Latifa:

Kalihari, the cat that wants to eat their heads off: