ShopFest 2006

Oh man.

I may not be able to look at a glass of wine for a while without my liver whimpering just a bit in terror.

The graduation party was terrific. As in, good food, friends, great weather (except for a short burst of rain.) I was there from 2 pm to past midnight and there was plenty of beer. Pretty nice to just walk across the street when it was over and crawl onto my pillow. The next day I got up early to walk it off (seriously NONE of my clothes fit and I have to get in gear. I walked for 3 days in a row for about 45 minutes each time. It's a start.) My neighbor kind of laughed at me when he saw me because I think I looked just a bit rough. To be fair, it wasn't even 8 am.

Then I headed out of town. I flow to our corporate HQ for some exciting training that I found out is now also going to be offered right at my own office. That's the way these things generally work for me.

I got to HQ-Land on Sunday afternoon and found out that with my hotel room key I had access to the concierge level. Sweet. They had appetizers - grilled veggies, cheese & crackers, fruit, and scallops wrapped in bacon. Oh, and I enjoyed one really big glass of wine.

After that it was only about 8:30 so I was bored and I went to the hotel bar. One more really big glass of wine later, I winked at the bartender (I was probably 20 when he was born so I bet it creeped him out a little) and I asked for a slice of cheesecake. "Oh, a sweet tooth, huh?" was the response he gave me. Yes, I still have more than one of my own teeth, kiddo. Just kidding, he was nice and he brought me an amazing dessert.

What I got could probably be more suitably called a slab. It was 5 or 6" high and about 4" wide on the back side, with pineapple sauce on one side, strawberry on the other cut edge, and chocolate dribbled down the back. This woman sitting a couple of seats away said "is that your dinner?" in a sarcastic voice and I thought "what's it to you, wench?" so I smiled one of those smiles and said "why yes....it is" and signalled for Junior to bring me another glass of wine.

Junior told me that one of the singers Sue knows was in town. Darn darn darn! If I'd known about 1 hour earlier I could probably have made it into the show. Oh well.

I finished the whole slice of cheesecake. Yes, I did.

I had contacted John (aka Shop Dungarees) when I made my travel plans so that I would know where I was going from the hotel to our offices, etc since he works there. Let me tell you that John is the best host in the world and I really hate him. (He kept in touch with me the whole time and took me to lunch both days with his friends, and in return I tampered with things in his office. Did you figure out what I did yet, John?)

How many people do I know that when I introduce a business acquaintance to him, he will mumble "Did you do him?" in a voice that only I could hear? He's one of a kind (and no, for the record, I did not. Really.)

John and Sarah and Danielle took me out to dinner Monday after a happy hour with Erik. Well, at least I vaguely recall a plate of food in front of me at some point, and about four glasses of wine. Then John playing the guitar and crawling on the floor and chasing a cat, and telling the bellman at my hotel that I was a hooker. It's all kind of murky. I'm afraid though, because John had his camera and we all took pictures of each other that will resurface just when my husband finally decides to run for public office. Dammit it was fun.

I didn't sleep well in the hotel because I was inebriated both nights and the noises of the city below me woke me up pretty often. I'm such a baby. Let me tell you that when a hot shower feels SO unbelievably good and so horribly bad all at same the time, it is a sign that you drank WAY too much the night before, you have a problem and it is going to be a long day. I did, I do, it was.

I am home now, and I'm going to hide in my house all day because it's supposed to be about 99* here today. Damn.