now THAT, was a four day weekend! pt.1

[epilonious]

I had a rocking thanksgiving holiday. It was nice to see everyone, but as I am commenting to everyone else, it was more work than work.

Thursday at 12:40 PM... Boss calls (He was working from home) , pretty much asks "why haven't you left yet". I have no good answer. I put on Eric's green hoodie that he left behind the night before (thus I hijacked it to keep me warm and because it smells like him). I get in Lina since I drove into work that day. Call dad to let him know I'm sprung early. Drive out of the parking garage wondering what route to take from Atlanta to Columbia.

1:00 ~ 5:00 Decided to take I-20 to Columbia. LAME. I basically got stuck in traffic for a half hour outside of Augusta. I spent the whole time wording a snarky post to the DDR freak forums... something along the lines of "Dammit, Augusta... stop sucking, you suck so much... I mean, I'm sure you have some cool people, but the fact that you constrict I-20 like some sort of horrible cancerous prostate is what is always making me take the I-85 --> I-26 route to get into columbia. I ALWAYS hit some sort of inexplicable slowdown near you. I mean, not even GAFFNEY has the sorts of problems you do. and they have a discount mall. Getchurself a bypass"

5:00-1:00AM Hang with parents. They set out the tray of olives, meats, and cheeses and I basically stuff myself with brie, genoa, boursin and kamaleta goodness for the rest of the night (I call that dinner). Go out and rent movies, Hollywood video didn't have what we wanted so we went to blockbuster instead. Got "Romy and Michelles High School Reunion" and "Scrooged". I watch Romy and Michelle and then post a small homage to one of my favorite movies of all time (OMG, I remember whoring that movie out when I was 16, more indications that I should have just gotten my gay card early)

Thursday 9:30AM Wake up, have breakfast, parents notify me that brother is not getting a ride to columbia, I offer to pick him up and go do that

11:00-2:45 Pick up brother in Charlotte. Much fun seeing him and chatting.

3:00-5:00 Have dinner at Garibaldi's in 5 points. I got the salmon. It was yummy. A lot of my eye-time was spent watching the guy in the wheelchair missing legs cleaning off a mercury sable in the parking lot, and watching the valet wearing and A&F sweatshirt shuffle all the expensive cars around (they apparently don't have a lot, just a guy to make sure that no car expires their time limit in a space. Talked with parents and had various people take our picture with my parents really nice new kodak.

5:30 - 11:00 watch "big fish" and chat around. Brother steals bed, I set up air mattress and sleep, setting clock for 3:00 AM

3:00 AM - 11:00AM Friday. Wake up, shower, give hugs to rest of groggy family, pack, and set off in Lina around 4:00. Mom helps and takes most of the leftover salami and cheeses and puts it in a box-top so I have something to snack on. The trip, aided by mom-love, goes quickly. Some pretty sunrise moments along i-95.

11:00 - 2:00P Arrive at Ian and Suzyn's. They are astonished by my arriving so quickly. Meet Melani (matron of honor) and Adam (her husband). We (Me, Melani, Adam) set out in lina to shop for party that night (basement gathering). Ironically, I buy the booze, even though I am not going to be drinking. I also got to stop in a Giant, this made me happy. Inside Giant we got mushrooms and boursin, and ingredients for spinach dip in a bread bowl. We went to Office Max for card-stock and silver sharpies (seating charts) and then a party store for indigo and ice blue tablecloths and napkins (winter wedding). Stopped by McFood (I hadn't eaten anything but mom-snacks) which had NO DRIVE THROUGH (I was taken aback.. this wasn't a mcdonalds in a high-rise or something, it was a standalone building that just happened to have no pick up window or drive through or anything. It was creepy). Got back, and frosted Melani's barbie cake. In the process further staining Erics green hoodie with black frosting dye. I also helped Suzyn burn the two songs that were needed for the IanSuzyn dance and the SuzynDad dance.

3:00 - 7:00 drive to church with Suzyn (I wanted to show off Lina). Got a dose of how pretty the George Washington parkway is. Took the really big bridge that forces you to yeild, and then that right onto k-street that is basically a traffic kludge to avoid driving through Georgetown. Then got an idea of how nice it was to have a city with a grid system. "can't turn left here? ok, three rights oughta do it..." The church was gorgeous. We had the rehearsal, which was basically us walking through how Suzyn and Ian wanted to do it. They had memorized their parts of the simple ceremony, we just got the places and arrangements set up as best we could. We then went down to see what the kitchen and reception area would be like. We liked it, but realized that there was no easy way to get Ian's friend Nick Cross into the reception area. They had this strange stairclimber thingamawhatsit, but we'd need help finding someone to operate it.

7:00-11:00 Drove Ian and the other guys (and some girls) to the tux place to get tuxes fitted. ALong the way, had to weave across 2 lanes of traffic to avoid getting on the wrong street.. but cut off/pissed off an infinity G20 in the process. Blew him a kiss at the stop light . Got the tuxes. We were all getting different style coats and vests with the color scheme of "black coat, white shirt" (because the brides had the theme of "same color dress" made in different styles). Then we all drove over to the restaraunt for rehearsal dinner. It was much yum.

11:00 - 2:00 AM Drove people back to the house. Helped set up all the food for the rehearsal dinner. Unfortunately was too bushed to make the dip or the mushrooms, but nobody seemed to mind since there was plenty of other good food. The barbie cake was well received. I ducked out early to go to bed upstairs because I was so tired. Apparently I won the "best effort" award which involved colt studios playing cards, measuring tape and cowards guide to "how to dump a guy"

Oooog, so much posting. I think I am going to make this part 1. and finish part 2 later today/tonight. But yea, you can sort of understand the amount of stuff I got to do.