Yesterday was the holiday tradition in Karen's family known as Pseudo Christmas. Now, I suck at Pseudo Christmas. I think Modern Family's "Express Christmas" has a better ring to it.
Pseudo Christmas is held in the lovely land of Lowell. There is a lot to like about Lowell or so the residents there will tell you. It just so happens to be where Karen's aunt, uncle, and cousins live.
Personally, as much as enjoy Lowell, I think Karen should have skipped her family tradition this year. She has been battling a fever this entire weekend. She actually almost cancelled going to my BFF's (Kerry) holiday party on Saturday due to her fever. So going out the following day, even if it's family tradition, probably isn't a good idea. But that's just my opinion. As I am posting this, she is still battling fever-like symptoms (and it's Monday). Oh what people do for "tradition".
Anyway, it was a nice Pseudo Christmas. With Karen being sick (and pregnant), I actually spent most of the day making sure our twenty month old daughter (Briana) was not getting into things. I actually missed out on the majority of the "silly swap" that Karen's family holds because Briana wanted to play elsewhere. Luckily for me, I drew an early number. So I could just pick a gift... leave to attend to Briana... and no one would miss me.
For me, probably the most memorable part of Pseudo Christmas was taking a break to go to a discount auto parts store with Karen's cousin's husband (Tommy) and my favorite brother-in-law (PJ). PJ needed to pick up some light bulbs for his trailer. We weren't gone that long, but the break from being a responsible parent was definitely nice.
One of the other things that I'll probably remember from Pseudo Christmas 2011 is Karen's grandmother's sister (Mary) and her love of apple pie. Suffice to say, Mary is mentally not all there. She is being taken care of by her son (Kevin), who interestingly enough told me a side story about how someone calls him "Mike" now because he was spotted wearing a jacket I brought to the silly swap of Pseudo Christmas 2010. I brought an old high school jacket with my name on the sleeve. Kevin (or Mary) was the lucky recipient of the jacket last year. As a result, Kevin uses it as his smoking jacket and apparently someone whom he vaguely knows greeted him with a "Hi Mike" the other day.
Anyway, Mary had a slice of apple pie for dessert. She wanted a second helping of the apple pie, but Kevin told her that there was none left. So back and forth they went over the apple pie and how she wanted another slice and how Kevin said there was none left. Of course, while this is going on PJ is egging Mary on about getting another slice of pie. It seemed like the discussion of the apple pie lasted forever. And truthfully, there were two slices of apple pie left. I happen to know that because I ate one of the remaining slices. Apple pie = yum! (Mary was right.)
Monday, December 12, 2011
I Suck At Holiday Parties
Saturday was my BFF's (Kerry) annual holiday party. Too bad I suck at holiday parties. For the past ten years (I think), Kerry has been having a party North of Boston during the holidays.
This year, Kerry mentioned it may be her last holiday party. In essence, it would be her holiday party to end all holiday parties. So we'll see. Attending the possibly last holiday party North of Boston were my friends (Marc, Kelley, Andrea, Cass, and Ellen).
Early on, the party would be divided by geography. Kerry's friends from Massachusetts would be in one room; Kerry's friends from Rhode Island would be in the other; and never the twain shall meet. Logistically, it makes sense because people tend to go toward what they are comfortable with. Over the years, her friends from both states have started mingling together. And this past holiday party on Saturday was just that.
Although as an interesting side note, I think Kerry may now be attempting to keep some of her friends from mingling. Karen and I found out on Saturday that Kerry's friend, Sam, is also from the South Shore where most of her friends from Massachusetts reside. Sam lives in the mean streets of Weymouth to be exact. All of us have met Sam before, but that interesting tidbit somehow never came up.
I actually find Sam pretty funny and personable. When I first met her, she had a lot of love. She loved watermelon. She loved quinoa. And she told everyone with such enthusiasm. It was bizarre, yet funny. And of course, she didn't even bat an eye when seeing Marc in his skimpy mesh track shorts from high school that were way too small for him now. Now, my friend Garv on the other hand was blinded by the sight.
Anyway, it was nice seeing friends and hanging out with everyone. Karen and I actually did not stay too long because our twenty month old daughter (Briana) was not liking the fact that we were out and about without her.
One of the main topics of discussion from the night was the hierarchy of geeks, nerds and dorks... since most of the people in attendance were either geeks, nerds, or dorks. Cass didn't think he fit into any of the categories... and I'll agree with him. After all, he's going to be the future mayor of Quincy! Vote Cass for mayor!
Another topic that got me thinking was what superhero I would be. It only makes sense since the previous topic was about the hierarchy of geeks, nerds, and dorks. That thought (about what superhero I would be) entered my mind because Marc and Kelley suggested that Kerry could dress up as the Black Canary and attend a comic book conference. Much like my original suggestion from years back to Kerry about attending a Star Trek convention... the ratio of women to men is greatly skewed in her favor.
Naturally, when Marc and Kelley suggested that Black Canary was actually fitting for Kerry, that got me thinking about what superhero I would be... much like what actor would play me in the movie about me. I suppose if you combine the two, I can have an actor play me becoming a superhero in the movie about me...
This year, Kerry mentioned it may be her last holiday party. In essence, it would be her holiday party to end all holiday parties. So we'll see. Attending the possibly last holiday party North of Boston were my friends (Marc, Kelley, Andrea, Cass, and Ellen).
Early on, the party would be divided by geography. Kerry's friends from Massachusetts would be in one room; Kerry's friends from Rhode Island would be in the other; and never the twain shall meet. Logistically, it makes sense because people tend to go toward what they are comfortable with. Over the years, her friends from both states have started mingling together. And this past holiday party on Saturday was just that.
Although as an interesting side note, I think Kerry may now be attempting to keep some of her friends from mingling. Karen and I found out on Saturday that Kerry's friend, Sam, is also from the South Shore where most of her friends from Massachusetts reside. Sam lives in the mean streets of Weymouth to be exact. All of us have met Sam before, but that interesting tidbit somehow never came up.
I actually find Sam pretty funny and personable. When I first met her, she had a lot of love. She loved watermelon. She loved quinoa. And she told everyone with such enthusiasm. It was bizarre, yet funny. And of course, she didn't even bat an eye when seeing Marc in his skimpy mesh track shorts from high school that were way too small for him now. Now, my friend Garv on the other hand was blinded by the sight.
Anyway, it was nice seeing friends and hanging out with everyone. Karen and I actually did not stay too long because our twenty month old daughter (Briana) was not liking the fact that we were out and about without her.
One of the main topics of discussion from the night was the hierarchy of geeks, nerds and dorks... since most of the people in attendance were either geeks, nerds, or dorks. Cass didn't think he fit into any of the categories... and I'll agree with him. After all, he's going to be the future mayor of Quincy! Vote Cass for mayor!
Another topic that got me thinking was what superhero I would be. It only makes sense since the previous topic was about the hierarchy of geeks, nerds, and dorks. That thought (about what superhero I would be) entered my mind because Marc and Kelley suggested that Kerry could dress up as the Black Canary and attend a comic book conference. Much like my original suggestion from years back to Kerry about attending a Star Trek convention... the ratio of women to men is greatly skewed in her favor.
Naturally, when Marc and Kelley suggested that Black Canary was actually fitting for Kerry, that got me thinking about what superhero I would be... much like what actor would play me in the movie about me. I suppose if you combine the two, I can have an actor play me becoming a superhero in the movie about me...
I Suck At Little Duck
On Thursday, Karen, my twenty month old daughter (Briana), and I had our weekly get together with friends. We ended up going to Quincy where my friends (Marc and Kelley) live. My friend (Andrea), who has since become Kelley's drinking buddy, was unfortunately not able to join us due to work-related issues. So for the second straight week, all of us were not in attendance. Someday, we'll get to season three of Community (such a great show!).
Anyway, it was great to hang out with Marc and Kelley. Kelley recently returned from her trip to Germany (Sprechen sie Deutsch?) and we were able to see all of her pictures.
Aside from that, we just hung out, laughed, and watched some things they had recorded on their DVR. One thing in particular was recorded just for Karen. It was an episode of the Daily Show which had Betty White on as a guest. Gotta love Betty White.
Oh, and we also did something we haven't done in a while: we ordered takeout from the Little Duck. Now, I suck at the Little Duck. I haven't eaten there in awhile, but since Karen was craving it (and really, who would deny a pregnant woman her craving?) we got dinner there. As usual, the food was delicious. Oh Little Duck, how I missed you so! Okay, so maybe I had a craving too...
All in all, it was a great night as usual hanging out with friends.
Anyway, it was great to hang out with Marc and Kelley. Kelley recently returned from her trip to Germany (Sprechen sie Deutsch?) and we were able to see all of her pictures.
Aside from that, we just hung out, laughed, and watched some things they had recorded on their DVR. One thing in particular was recorded just for Karen. It was an episode of the Daily Show which had Betty White on as a guest. Gotta love Betty White.
Oh, and we also did something we haven't done in a while: we ordered takeout from the Little Duck. Now, I suck at the Little Duck. I haven't eaten there in awhile, but since Karen was craving it (and really, who would deny a pregnant woman her craving?) we got dinner there. As usual, the food was delicious. Oh Little Duck, how I missed you so! Okay, so maybe I had a craving too...
All in all, it was a great night as usual hanging out with friends.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
I Suck At Attending A Service For Remembrance
It's good to know that I can still feel pain.
On Tuesday, Karen, my twenty month old daughter (Briana), and I attended the 19th Annual Service of Remembrance at the Old South Union Church located directly across from South Shore Hospital. The service is held for families who have lost children. Too bad, I suck at attending a service for remembrance.
I've been attending the service ever since our son (Braden) passed away in 2008. As a result, this year was the fourth annual service I've been to. It's amazing how quickly time goes by.
For anyone curious, the service in addition to remembering the lost loved ones allows for people to share encouraging stories with one another. And every year at the service, I always wonder what it is that I would say if I had that opportunity. I don't think there's really much I could say other than the experience sucks. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.
Luckily for everyone, I did not share that encouraging thought. Instead, I spent the entire service at the "crib room" complements of my loving daughter. My always curious daughter was definitely not going to sit patiently through the service. So off to the "crib room" we went... at the start of the service.
The crib room is essentially a play area to keep little children occupied during the service. The room also broadcasts the on-going service, so that you don't really miss out on anything that is said. Interestingly enough, Briana and I were not the only ones there. When we got there, a mother and two of her children were already in the room.
I generally think Briana is a handful. She's curious and on the go until she sleeps. Fortunately for me, Briana pales in comparison to one of the children I met in the crib room. The girl was slightly older than Briana and she literally ran non-stop circles around the room for the entire service. It was impressive... and insane at the same time.
Needless to say, despite the interesting experience in the crib room, I did get to hear Braden's name over the speakers. It was good to be able to dedicate a night to him, which is something I think I don't do as often as I'd like.
And as proof as to how soft I have become, I actually teared up in the crib room. It was not even for Braden. The grandmother of the other two children in the room was telling me how her daughter lost her son. To me, it was just an awful story about how the unborn child was near full term and just one day, the mother could not feel any movement. The baby simply had passed away. I think what struck me as the worst part of the story was that the mother had to deliver the deceased baby. I felt so sad when I heard that. Heck, I feel sad typing it right now.
Anyway, it was good to remember Braden. I still wonder what he would be like right now if he had survived. I miss you, Braden. Please don't forget that I'll always love you.
On Tuesday, Karen, my twenty month old daughter (Briana), and I attended the 19th Annual Service of Remembrance at the Old South Union Church located directly across from South Shore Hospital. The service is held for families who have lost children. Too bad, I suck at attending a service for remembrance.
I've been attending the service ever since our son (Braden) passed away in 2008. As a result, this year was the fourth annual service I've been to. It's amazing how quickly time goes by.
For anyone curious, the service in addition to remembering the lost loved ones allows for people to share encouraging stories with one another. And every year at the service, I always wonder what it is that I would say if I had that opportunity. I don't think there's really much I could say other than the experience sucks. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.
Luckily for everyone, I did not share that encouraging thought. Instead, I spent the entire service at the "crib room" complements of my loving daughter. My always curious daughter was definitely not going to sit patiently through the service. So off to the "crib room" we went... at the start of the service.
The crib room is essentially a play area to keep little children occupied during the service. The room also broadcasts the on-going service, so that you don't really miss out on anything that is said. Interestingly enough, Briana and I were not the only ones there. When we got there, a mother and two of her children were already in the room.
I generally think Briana is a handful. She's curious and on the go until she sleeps. Fortunately for me, Briana pales in comparison to one of the children I met in the crib room. The girl was slightly older than Briana and she literally ran non-stop circles around the room for the entire service. It was impressive... and insane at the same time.
Needless to say, despite the interesting experience in the crib room, I did get to hear Braden's name over the speakers. It was good to be able to dedicate a night to him, which is something I think I don't do as often as I'd like.
And as proof as to how soft I have become, I actually teared up in the crib room. It was not even for Braden. The grandmother of the other two children in the room was telling me how her daughter lost her son. To me, it was just an awful story about how the unborn child was near full term and just one day, the mother could not feel any movement. The baby simply had passed away. I think what struck me as the worst part of the story was that the mother had to deliver the deceased baby. I felt so sad when I heard that. Heck, I feel sad typing it right now.
Anyway, it was good to remember Braden. I still wonder what he would be like right now if he had survived. I miss you, Braden. Please don't forget that I'll always love you.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
I Suck At Alba Restaurant
In celebration of Karen's birthday, my friends and I went to the Alba Restaurant located in Quincy. Now, I suck at Alba Restaurant. I don't believe I have ever been to Alba's. My friend (Marc), however, seems to think I may have been there over three years ago when there was an incident involving him being doused in water by the waitstaff (accidentally, of course). If it is true, I sadly don't remember that incident and it just goes to show how terrible my memory really is.
Regardless, Karen has never been to Alba's. She wanted to try their breakfast as the Brioche French Toast was recommended to her by one of her friends. So off to the Alba Restaurant we went for breakfast on Sunday. Joining in on the celebration were Marc, my friends (Cass, Ellen, Garv, Leeann, Andrea), and my BFF (Kerry). Cass and Ellen's baby daughter also joined us as well, which gave my baby daughter (Briana) someone else to play with. And by play, I mean look at it.
Anyway, I ordered the Alba Special, which was an omelet with feta, tomato and spinach that came with potatoes and an English muffin. The meal was good. The problem, in my opinion, was the service.
We waited... and waited... and waited for our meals to arrive. There was never once a mention of the reason for the delay, or even an acknowledgement that they were taking longer than expected. When I say we waited, it was a ridiculous amount of time for things as easy as french toast and eggs. Other tables that had come in after us had already finished and left before we got served our food. Not to mention, when the food did arrive, the food came out in waves where a few of us received food while the rest of us had to watch and wait for a prolonged amount of time for for the next food item to arrive. It was terrible.
In my opinion, if Alba simply acknowledged they were having problems, I would have been okay with that. But nope. Nothing. It seems to me like that should be basic customer service 101. I also found out later from Karen, who was equally disappointed with the experience, that the bathrooms did not have any toilet paper. That struck me as equally terrible because we arrived for breakfast when the restaurant opened. To have no toilet paper in the bathroom during the opening hours is just a sign of bad management.
Needless to say, even though the food was decent, I probably would not recommend the Alba Restaurant in Quincy. The service was just that terrible. Sadly, the celebration was for Karen's birthday... which was back in October. But at least we got to hang out with all of our friends and enjoy our time together. So that part was nice.
Regardless, Karen has never been to Alba's. She wanted to try their breakfast as the Brioche French Toast was recommended to her by one of her friends. So off to the Alba Restaurant we went for breakfast on Sunday. Joining in on the celebration were Marc, my friends (Cass, Ellen, Garv, Leeann, Andrea), and my BFF (Kerry). Cass and Ellen's baby daughter also joined us as well, which gave my baby daughter (Briana) someone else to play with. And by play, I mean look at it.
Anyway, I ordered the Alba Special, which was an omelet with feta, tomato and spinach that came with potatoes and an English muffin. The meal was good. The problem, in my opinion, was the service.
We waited... and waited... and waited for our meals to arrive. There was never once a mention of the reason for the delay, or even an acknowledgement that they were taking longer than expected. When I say we waited, it was a ridiculous amount of time for things as easy as french toast and eggs. Other tables that had come in after us had already finished and left before we got served our food. Not to mention, when the food did arrive, the food came out in waves where a few of us received food while the rest of us had to watch and wait for a prolonged amount of time for for the next food item to arrive. It was terrible.
In my opinion, if Alba simply acknowledged they were having problems, I would have been okay with that. But nope. Nothing. It seems to me like that should be basic customer service 101. I also found out later from Karen, who was equally disappointed with the experience, that the bathrooms did not have any toilet paper. That struck me as equally terrible because we arrived for breakfast when the restaurant opened. To have no toilet paper in the bathroom during the opening hours is just a sign of bad management.
Needless to say, even though the food was decent, I probably would not recommend the Alba Restaurant in Quincy. The service was just that terrible. Sadly, the celebration was for Karen's birthday... which was back in October. But at least we got to hang out with all of our friends and enjoy our time together. So that part was nice.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
I Suck At Jack Link's Premium Cuts Chicken Nuggets
Okay. So it's been a little over a week since the last time I wrote a post. I'm trying to get back into the habit of writing posts. Writing this blog is like working out, just without the sweat. I always make excuses to put it off... but when I'm actually doing it, it's great. And if I do happen to sweat while writing this blog in front of my computer, then something is definitely not quite right with me.
Plus, I told my friend (Andrea) that I would post something today because she asked. Apparently, she has missed reading my blog posts. When I think about it, I guess that makes sense. With Facebook and social media all around us now, knowing what people are up to seems status quo. And since I don't regular check Facebook, I guess the only means for people to know what I am up to is through this blog. Perhaps some day I'll embrace Facebook and update my status based on my bowel movements like I had originally wanted. In the meantime, all of you can thank Andrea. So thanks Andrea!
Anyway, in case anyone is interested, here are the exciting events that have transpired since my last post:
1) Thanksgiving. Happy belated turkey day! I hope everyone took the time to give thanks, particularly to the Native Americans whose land we stole in return for booze and disease. Seems like a fair trade. Luckily, they are slowing getting us back by praying on our gambling vices. Good for them!
All in all, my Thanksgiving was quiet. Karen, our twenty month old daughter (Briana), and I spent the holiday with my parents and Karen's parents... at my in-law's. As usual, the food was delicious. At one point during the day, everyone was gathered around the dining room table looking at newspaper ads for Black Friday deals. I thought it was a comical sight.
Following Thanksgiving dinner, Karen, Briana, my in-laws, and I visited Karen's grandmother at the nursing home. We brought Nana a little turkey dinner. The interesting thing about the visit was that Nana actually mentioned Karen by name during the visit. In all of my previous visits with Nana, she had never called Karen by her name. So it was interesting, particularly for Karen. Luckily for me, Nana has no problem saying "Mike".
2) Black Friday. Every year, I look at the Black Friday ads and think about going out shopping in the wee hours of night. And every year, I stay snugly warm in my bed Friday morning. This year was no different.
I did not see any deals that jumped out at me this year. I'm still waiting for the day there are deals on Sony televisions. Maybe that will actually get me into the Black Friday shopping spirit of trampling people (or pepper spraying people as it may be this year) in the early hours of morning. Perhaps I'm too brand loyal.
Instead, Karen, Briana and I waited for the afternoon to go shopping. We actually had nothing to do, so we decided to just go shopping. And interestingly enough, we ran into Karen's parents while shopping. It was fun. For anyone curious, the highlight of my Black Friday shopping was purchasing a video game. It's not just any video game. It's Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition! Gotta go for the gold. There's a lot to like about zombies... like Lowell.
And as always, Black Friday night was spent at my friends' (Cass and Ellen) as they hosted the annual Black Friday potluck tradition. For anyone curious, the potluck involves everyone bringing their Thanksgiving leftovers. My like of potlucks aside, I have always thought the Black Friday tradition by Cass and Ellen was brilliant. What better way is there to get rid of leftovers?
Joining in on the potluck this year were my friends (Marc, Kelley, Garv, Leeann, Scott, Meredith, Andrea) and my BFF (Kerry). It was definitely a blast hanging out with everyone. Granted, having Briana around does make that difficult at times. If it's not me, it's Karen who will watch Briana run amok. So inevitably, one of us will most likely miss or hear only parts of a conversation. It's just how it is these days. This year, I spent some quality time with Ellen and Meredith (and Elyse and Xander).
As a side note, Garv gave Briana her first taste of a fruit roll-up. I mention this now because Garv will also be the first person to take Briana to a Taylor Swift concert. It will make his going to a Taylor Swift concert with his adult male friends less creepy.
3) Charming Petals Flower and Gift Shop. There's a lot to like about Lowell... like zombies. On Saturday, Karen, Briana and I headed up north to visit Karen's Lowell relatives (Denise, Paul, Matthew). Karen's Uncle Paul's mother recently passed away. As we could not attend the wake that was scheduled earlier in the week, we asked to stop by over the weekend. So off to the great white north we went.
It was actually an interesting visit, because we did not even stay in Lowell that long. All of us headed to the Charming Petals Flower and Gift Shop located in Dracut. On the agenda... Santa... and not just any Santa... Victorian Santa. Charming Petals was having a free picture with Santa day. Needless to say, Briana was not a fan of the man in the red suit. She cried... and cried... and cried.
Following the tear-filled outing, Karen's cousin (Karlene) and her husband (Tommy) met up with us. We essentially just hung out before all of them left for an alumni hockey game. It was good to see everyone. I don't think we've seen the... Lowellians? or is it Lowellites? in quite some time. So it was good.
Saturday night was also a nice rare event. Karen and I had a movie/date night on the couch when Briana went to bed. We haven't had a night to just ourselves since her birthday back in October. The movie for the night: "When In Rome". Like all chick flicks, this one was predictable. It was an enjoyable movie. How can it not be? It stars Kristen Bell of Veronica Mars fame.
4) Cookie Swap. Sunday was the infamous Christmas Parade in Quincy. For anyone who knows me, they know that I dislike parades. Unless I'm in on a float or marching in the parade... or even inebriated, I find them very boring. Naturally, I begrudgingly attended the Christmas Parade in Quincy this year. My reason for going, of course, was for my daughter. It so happens that I don't think Briana cared much for the parade either. Who is Daddy's girl?
Anyway, attending the parade were my mother-in-law, my favorite sister-in-law (Janine), Janine's family (PJ, PJ and Kaleigh), Janine's BFF (Gretchen), my friends (Jen, Bill, Terry, and Hot Amy), Jen and Bill's mother, Terry's family (Dave, Gianna, and David), Hot Amy's husband (Mark), and Terry and Hot Amy's parents. It was definitely a motley crew of sorts.
For me, the highlight of the parade were the bagpipers and the clydesdale horses. They win hands down all the time. Not even former Bruin, Rick Middleton, who appeared in the parade this year could beat the sweet sound of bagpipes and trotting horses.
Following the parade, all of us headed to Jen and Bill's for a cookie swap. Much like Karen, Jen is into traditions. So this happened to be the second annual cookie swap. Needless to say, the cookies were amazing. Unfortunately, I did not partake in the swapping of cookies this year like I did last year. If I had to choose a winner for this year though, I would go with Bill's cookies. Design-wise, Jen had the cutest cookie with her snowmen, but I enjoyed the taste of Bill's the most which may be sad news for my BFF's ears.
Anyway, after the cookie swap, Karen and I actually had another date/movie night. Back to back nights is unheard of! Interestingly enough, we kept the Kristen Bell theme going by watching "You Again". I must say, it was another cute enjoyable movie. Ooh, shiny!
And finally, that takes me to today. Today I hung out with my friends (Marc, Kelley, and Andrea). It was our weekly get together, which Karen missed out on because she was feeling a little run down. And as the loving husband and father that I am, I immediately bolted out the door leaving a trail of dust behind me when she told me that she'd stay home and watch Briana.
For me, getting out by myself is few and far between these days. So I relish the opportunity to go out. Most of the time, I am watching Briana. And as much as I enjoy my daughter's company, I do occasionally need the break even if it's just to hang out for a couple of hours.
Sadly, nothing particularly happened on my thrilling night out. All of us just hung out, watched some episodes of Scare Tactics, Attack of the Show, and Man V. Food Nation. I may have devoured the majority of Andrea's booze-filled cupcakes. Speaking of food, I tried my first Jack Link's Premium Cuts Chicken Nugget. Now, I suck at Jack Link's Premium Cuts Chicken Nuggets. It was not exactly what I was expecting. The nugget was a little dryer than I thought it would be, but I guess that should have been expected since it is jerky after all.
Needless to say, I had a fun time tonight.
Plus, I told my friend (Andrea) that I would post something today because she asked. Apparently, she has missed reading my blog posts. When I think about it, I guess that makes sense. With Facebook and social media all around us now, knowing what people are up to seems status quo. And since I don't regular check Facebook, I guess the only means for people to know what I am up to is through this blog. Perhaps some day I'll embrace Facebook and update my status based on my bowel movements like I had originally wanted. In the meantime, all of you can thank Andrea. So thanks Andrea!
Anyway, in case anyone is interested, here are the exciting events that have transpired since my last post:
1) Thanksgiving. Happy belated turkey day! I hope everyone took the time to give thanks, particularly to the Native Americans whose land we stole in return for booze and disease. Seems like a fair trade. Luckily, they are slowing getting us back by praying on our gambling vices. Good for them!
All in all, my Thanksgiving was quiet. Karen, our twenty month old daughter (Briana), and I spent the holiday with my parents and Karen's parents... at my in-law's. As usual, the food was delicious. At one point during the day, everyone was gathered around the dining room table looking at newspaper ads for Black Friday deals. I thought it was a comical sight.
Following Thanksgiving dinner, Karen, Briana, my in-laws, and I visited Karen's grandmother at the nursing home. We brought Nana a little turkey dinner. The interesting thing about the visit was that Nana actually mentioned Karen by name during the visit. In all of my previous visits with Nana, she had never called Karen by her name. So it was interesting, particularly for Karen. Luckily for me, Nana has no problem saying "Mike".
2) Black Friday. Every year, I look at the Black Friday ads and think about going out shopping in the wee hours of night. And every year, I stay snugly warm in my bed Friday morning. This year was no different.
I did not see any deals that jumped out at me this year. I'm still waiting for the day there are deals on Sony televisions. Maybe that will actually get me into the Black Friday shopping spirit of trampling people (or pepper spraying people as it may be this year) in the early hours of morning. Perhaps I'm too brand loyal.
Instead, Karen, Briana and I waited for the afternoon to go shopping. We actually had nothing to do, so we decided to just go shopping. And interestingly enough, we ran into Karen's parents while shopping. It was fun. For anyone curious, the highlight of my Black Friday shopping was purchasing a video game. It's not just any video game. It's Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition! Gotta go for the gold. There's a lot to like about zombies... like Lowell.
And as always, Black Friday night was spent at my friends' (Cass and Ellen) as they hosted the annual Black Friday potluck tradition. For anyone curious, the potluck involves everyone bringing their Thanksgiving leftovers. My like of potlucks aside, I have always thought the Black Friday tradition by Cass and Ellen was brilliant. What better way is there to get rid of leftovers?
Joining in on the potluck this year were my friends (Marc, Kelley, Garv, Leeann, Scott, Meredith, Andrea) and my BFF (Kerry). It was definitely a blast hanging out with everyone. Granted, having Briana around does make that difficult at times. If it's not me, it's Karen who will watch Briana run amok. So inevitably, one of us will most likely miss or hear only parts of a conversation. It's just how it is these days. This year, I spent some quality time with Ellen and Meredith (and Elyse and Xander).
As a side note, Garv gave Briana her first taste of a fruit roll-up. I mention this now because Garv will also be the first person to take Briana to a Taylor Swift concert. It will make his going to a Taylor Swift concert with his adult male friends less creepy.
3) Charming Petals Flower and Gift Shop. There's a lot to like about Lowell... like zombies. On Saturday, Karen, Briana and I headed up north to visit Karen's Lowell relatives (Denise, Paul, Matthew). Karen's Uncle Paul's mother recently passed away. As we could not attend the wake that was scheduled earlier in the week, we asked to stop by over the weekend. So off to the great white north we went.
It was actually an interesting visit, because we did not even stay in Lowell that long. All of us headed to the Charming Petals Flower and Gift Shop located in Dracut. On the agenda... Santa... and not just any Santa... Victorian Santa. Charming Petals was having a free picture with Santa day. Needless to say, Briana was not a fan of the man in the red suit. She cried... and cried... and cried.
Following the tear-filled outing, Karen's cousin (Karlene) and her husband (Tommy) met up with us. We essentially just hung out before all of them left for an alumni hockey game. It was good to see everyone. I don't think we've seen the... Lowellians? or is it Lowellites? in quite some time. So it was good.
Saturday night was also a nice rare event. Karen and I had a movie/date night on the couch when Briana went to bed. We haven't had a night to just ourselves since her birthday back in October. The movie for the night: "When In Rome". Like all chick flicks, this one was predictable. It was an enjoyable movie. How can it not be? It stars Kristen Bell of Veronica Mars fame.
4) Cookie Swap. Sunday was the infamous Christmas Parade in Quincy. For anyone who knows me, they know that I dislike parades. Unless I'm in on a float or marching in the parade... or even inebriated, I find them very boring. Naturally, I begrudgingly attended the Christmas Parade in Quincy this year. My reason for going, of course, was for my daughter. It so happens that I don't think Briana cared much for the parade either. Who is Daddy's girl?
Anyway, attending the parade were my mother-in-law, my favorite sister-in-law (Janine), Janine's family (PJ, PJ and Kaleigh), Janine's BFF (Gretchen), my friends (Jen, Bill, Terry, and Hot Amy), Jen and Bill's mother, Terry's family (Dave, Gianna, and David), Hot Amy's husband (Mark), and Terry and Hot Amy's parents. It was definitely a motley crew of sorts.
For me, the highlight of the parade were the bagpipers and the clydesdale horses. They win hands down all the time. Not even former Bruin, Rick Middleton, who appeared in the parade this year could beat the sweet sound of bagpipes and trotting horses.
Following the parade, all of us headed to Jen and Bill's for a cookie swap. Much like Karen, Jen is into traditions. So this happened to be the second annual cookie swap. Needless to say, the cookies were amazing. Unfortunately, I did not partake in the swapping of cookies this year like I did last year. If I had to choose a winner for this year though, I would go with Bill's cookies. Design-wise, Jen had the cutest cookie with her snowmen, but I enjoyed the taste of Bill's the most which may be sad news for my BFF's ears.
Anyway, after the cookie swap, Karen and I actually had another date/movie night. Back to back nights is unheard of! Interestingly enough, we kept the Kristen Bell theme going by watching "You Again". I must say, it was another cute enjoyable movie. Ooh, shiny!
And finally, that takes me to today. Today I hung out with my friends (Marc, Kelley, and Andrea). It was our weekly get together, which Karen missed out on because she was feeling a little run down. And as the loving husband and father that I am, I immediately bolted out the door leaving a trail of dust behind me when she told me that she'd stay home and watch Briana.
For me, getting out by myself is few and far between these days. So I relish the opportunity to go out. Most of the time, I am watching Briana. And as much as I enjoy my daughter's company, I do occasionally need the break even if it's just to hang out for a couple of hours.
Sadly, nothing particularly happened on my thrilling night out. All of us just hung out, watched some episodes of Scare Tactics, Attack of the Show, and Man V. Food Nation. I may have devoured the majority of Andrea's booze-filled cupcakes. Speaking of food, I tried my first Jack Link's Premium Cuts Chicken Nugget. Now, I suck at Jack Link's Premium Cuts Chicken Nuggets. It was not exactly what I was expecting. The nugget was a little dryer than I thought it would be, but I guess that should have been expected since it is jerky after all.
Needless to say, I had a fun time tonight.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
I Suck At Brant Rock Hop
It's been quite some time since I blogged. Time seems to travel at lightning speed these days. Before I know it, a month has passed and I missed out on writing posts about the following:
1) Taza Chocolate. Karen and I took my nephew (PJ) on a tour of Taza Chocolate for his birthday. Not only was the tour informative, the free samples were absolutely delicious. And the best part, of course, was that PJ enjoyed it. He literally recounted everything that was told to him when he got home. I would definitely recommend the tour to anyone. (For anyone curious, Taza is located in the mean streets of Somerville.)
2) Tsang's Village Cafe. I had never eaten at Tsang's located in Hanover. I don't particularly eat out at Chinese restaurants, probably because I've eaten a lot of Chinese food growing up (being Chinese and all). It just so happens that Karen's father wanted to celebrate his birthday at Tsang's. Needless to say, Tsang's was very good. The waiter apparently seemed to enjoy playing with my twenty month old daughter (Briana). And I must say, the food was quite delicious. I'd definitely recommend Tsang's.
3) My friend (Aimee). I haven't seen Aimee in quite some time. She happened to be available one weekend so we decided to hang out and grab some lunch. We ended up ordering takeout from the Boston Pizza Company, which was very delicious. Needless to say, I had a great time just hanging out and chatting with Aim.
4) Karen's Grandfather's Memorial Mass. That same day, Karen and I attended a memorial mass for Karen's grandfather (on her father's side). Her grandfather on her father's side passed away last year around this time. I actually missed most of the mass because I spent the entire time chasing after Briana who thought it would be great to walk all around church. Yes, I got to see the entire church, including the Life Teen center located in the basement. Fun. Interestingly enough, a lot of the church-goers still thought Briana was adorable.
5) Butterfield's. Following the memorial mass, everyone in attendance went out to eat at Butterfield's located in Rockland. I have never been to Butterfield's. For anyone curious, Butterfield's is located near the Job Lot in Rockland. Prior to eating there, I have only seen the outside of the restaurant. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. The food was good. The portions were good. And they had milkshakes! Yum!
6) MMA. Apparently, that Saturday was a busy day. Following Aimee, the memorial mass, and Butterfield's, I got to hang out with my friends (Marc, Kelley and Andrea). On the agenda for the night, the MMA fight on Fox featuring the heavyweight championship title bout between Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos. Sadly, the fight was terrible because it only lasted about a minute. Fight aside, I had a great time because it was actually the first time in awhile that I got to do something by myself (without Briana and without Karen). Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my family. There are just times when I need a break.
7) Schoolhouse Pizza. Speaking of Marc, Kelley, and Andrea, all of us enjoyed dinner complements of Schoolhouse Pizza located in Quincy. It was part of our weekly get together. And of course, the food was delicious. Yum! Equally exciting was that we watched more episodes of Community. That is such a great show! Love it!
8) Virus. Due to genetics, I usually am the person Karen's family turns to when there is an issue with computers. It just so happens that one Sunday, after having dinner with Karen's parents, I was asked to take a look at her father's computer. It turns out, his computer was infected with a virus. Porn... gets you all the time. Just kidding. Needless to say, I had to take my father-in-law's computer home with me so that I could fix it. And fix it, I did. Fun.
Anyway, all of that finally leads me to today. Sure, I may still have forgotten a few things. It's tough to recall a month of activities. Today, Karen, Briana and I decided to go out for breakfast.
As sad as this sounds, this would be the first time that only the three of us went out for breakfast. We decided to have breakfast at the Brant Rock Hop located in Marshfield. Too bad I suck at Brant Rock Hop.
I had heard about the Brant Rock Hop after reading an article about the place in South Shore Living. The article mentioned how the owners of the restaurant had a food challenge because their children were avid viewers of Man V. Food. Hence, they created a challenge themselves involving a 13 egg omelet with stuff, a pound of home fries, and a milkshake. I thought the challenge sounded interesting, in part because I thought I could probably beat the challenge. The challenge lasts one hour and if you defeat the challenge, you would get a free t-shirt. (Things people will do for a free t-shirt...)
Today, I did not partake in the challenge (and interestingly enough, there is no mention of the challenge on their menu). I was actually more interested in the milkshake (as was Karen). So off we went to Marshfield. Needless to say, the food was delicious. I had the chunky chimp pancakes. Yum! Briana enjoyed them as well. And of course, Karen and I split a chocolate peanut butter milkshake. Oh, so good.
All in all, it was fun going out for breakfast as a family. I had a blast.
1) Taza Chocolate. Karen and I took my nephew (PJ) on a tour of Taza Chocolate for his birthday. Not only was the tour informative, the free samples were absolutely delicious. And the best part, of course, was that PJ enjoyed it. He literally recounted everything that was told to him when he got home. I would definitely recommend the tour to anyone. (For anyone curious, Taza is located in the mean streets of Somerville.)
2) Tsang's Village Cafe. I had never eaten at Tsang's located in Hanover. I don't particularly eat out at Chinese restaurants, probably because I've eaten a lot of Chinese food growing up (being Chinese and all). It just so happens that Karen's father wanted to celebrate his birthday at Tsang's. Needless to say, Tsang's was very good. The waiter apparently seemed to enjoy playing with my twenty month old daughter (Briana). And I must say, the food was quite delicious. I'd definitely recommend Tsang's.
3) My friend (Aimee). I haven't seen Aimee in quite some time. She happened to be available one weekend so we decided to hang out and grab some lunch. We ended up ordering takeout from the Boston Pizza Company, which was very delicious. Needless to say, I had a great time just hanging out and chatting with Aim.
4) Karen's Grandfather's Memorial Mass. That same day, Karen and I attended a memorial mass for Karen's grandfather (on her father's side). Her grandfather on her father's side passed away last year around this time. I actually missed most of the mass because I spent the entire time chasing after Briana who thought it would be great to walk all around church. Yes, I got to see the entire church, including the Life Teen center located in the basement. Fun. Interestingly enough, a lot of the church-goers still thought Briana was adorable.
5) Butterfield's. Following the memorial mass, everyone in attendance went out to eat at Butterfield's located in Rockland. I have never been to Butterfield's. For anyone curious, Butterfield's is located near the Job Lot in Rockland. Prior to eating there, I have only seen the outside of the restaurant. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. The food was good. The portions were good. And they had milkshakes! Yum!
6) MMA. Apparently, that Saturday was a busy day. Following Aimee, the memorial mass, and Butterfield's, I got to hang out with my friends (Marc, Kelley and Andrea). On the agenda for the night, the MMA fight on Fox featuring the heavyweight championship title bout between Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos. Sadly, the fight was terrible because it only lasted about a minute. Fight aside, I had a great time because it was actually the first time in awhile that I got to do something by myself (without Briana and without Karen). Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my family. There are just times when I need a break.
7) Schoolhouse Pizza. Speaking of Marc, Kelley, and Andrea, all of us enjoyed dinner complements of Schoolhouse Pizza located in Quincy. It was part of our weekly get together. And of course, the food was delicious. Yum! Equally exciting was that we watched more episodes of Community. That is such a great show! Love it!
8) Virus. Due to genetics, I usually am the person Karen's family turns to when there is an issue with computers. It just so happens that one Sunday, after having dinner with Karen's parents, I was asked to take a look at her father's computer. It turns out, his computer was infected with a virus. Porn... gets you all the time. Just kidding. Needless to say, I had to take my father-in-law's computer home with me so that I could fix it. And fix it, I did. Fun.
Anyway, all of that finally leads me to today. Sure, I may still have forgotten a few things. It's tough to recall a month of activities. Today, Karen, Briana and I decided to go out for breakfast.
As sad as this sounds, this would be the first time that only the three of us went out for breakfast. We decided to have breakfast at the Brant Rock Hop located in Marshfield. Too bad I suck at Brant Rock Hop.
I had heard about the Brant Rock Hop after reading an article about the place in South Shore Living. The article mentioned how the owners of the restaurant had a food challenge because their children were avid viewers of Man V. Food. Hence, they created a challenge themselves involving a 13 egg omelet with stuff, a pound of home fries, and a milkshake. I thought the challenge sounded interesting, in part because I thought I could probably beat the challenge. The challenge lasts one hour and if you defeat the challenge, you would get a free t-shirt. (Things people will do for a free t-shirt...)
Today, I did not partake in the challenge (and interestingly enough, there is no mention of the challenge on their menu). I was actually more interested in the milkshake (as was Karen). So off we went to Marshfield. Needless to say, the food was delicious. I had the chunky chimp pancakes. Yum! Briana enjoyed them as well. And of course, Karen and I split a chocolate peanut butter milkshake. Oh, so good.
All in all, it was fun going out for breakfast as a family. I had a blast.
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