What did ya do this weekend?...

So what did you do, this weekend? <Insert text here>

And what did I do? <On Saturday morning, I jumped in my car, hit the highway, and had decided to go to a “doper gathering” in Raleigh NC. I needed an escape (and an interesting one it was).

Three hours after driving 80mph. on I95, I85, and rt. 1, I get a little lost. I know I’m close to my destination, but my <quote> “mapquest” directions near the final destination were “fatally flawed.” So I stopped in a gas station <screeeeech> asked some dude where <____> this street was, then I found the place.

After a few drags on a cigarette I walk up to the place and run into Smooth Operator, we chat for a few…then everyone shows up. So then I’m asked, “Who are you?” <short pause> “Oh, I’m Mike…Mike Masterson” aenea looks/is stunned. Then she bombards me with questions and remarks which had everyone laughing –me too. For a minute I felt like I was in a pit thread…lol. Then she wants to go to a private place and see “it.” Sorry guys I couldn’t do it, I’m shy when first meeting people and I’m more of a gentleman then to do “that.” After “that” everyone was friendly. Satan and his “female pal” :smiley: showed up. We all had a good time, a “good bunch” of dopers. Aenea sure was a trip! :wink: Lots of pictures…

Later in the day I left and went to mi Aunt & Unca’s house–he just moved to NC. He’s got a nice place. I stayed overnight, headed back home today and here I am typing.

I just thought I’d tell ya’ll my doper story. heheh

–Mike

Floated around, flew planes, bombed Iraq…

Masturbated.

Damn, Chief Scott, that was funny! Completely aced out my feeble impulse to yawn away about mowing the grass, pulling weeds out of my gardens, etc.

Backing away, bowing,
Veb

I became a chew toy for my family’s new puppy, which I believe may be a small Clydesdale in disguise.

Drove 1700 miles with an idiot friend(?) in a complete waste of time. Said idiot flooded the house we stayed in, so we spent half the day sucking water out of the house. Found out said idiot didn’t have reservations with u-haul and hadn’t even checked on the price so we couldn’t drive his stuff home. So we had to get another 1-way rental car… headed out to the airport at almost the last minute (after my constant nagging that we need to leave NOW)… got to within 5 miles of the airport and blew a rod on idiot’s stepfather’s truck (FREAKIN DODGES!!!). Idiot’s stepfather got a ride out there and we hauled ass to the airport, and got there 3 minutes before the avis booth closed. Ended up having to get the damned thing in my name on my government travel card (picked it up with that card, but paid with idiot’s credit card).

Somewhere in between U-haul and Avis, I spent about 6 hours on the verge of an aneurism (sp?) at the thought of being stranded 850 miles from base. That would’ve sucked big hairy ones, since I only have 6 months left in the Air Force and currently have a perfect record…

Altogether, saturday was about the worst day I’ve had with the possible exception of the day I shipped out to basic training.

but I’m back now.

never again.

never never never.

-dook
ps- is this is slightly unintelligible, keep in mind I have slept about 8 hours in the past 2 days. :slight_smile:

I spent yesterday (and the two days before it) working at my company’s convention. I sat for three days directly underneath an air conditioning vent in a freezing room, where I had the job of sorting over 1,000 digital photos (which, very likely, no one will ever use for anything). As part of this I sorted through dozens of pictures of Oscar de la Hoya, who is (or was until last night, anyway) much better-looking than I’d thought. Jack Nicholson, on the other hand, is repulsive.

Today I mostly slept, and I’m thinking of going and sleeping some more soon.

Catrandom

Saturday: Went to an academic team meeting from 2 to 6. Before that I had been clipping my family’s holly tree.

walked home from the meeting in the rain after waiting 15 mins for the bus. Ran for part of it, then remembered I am neither an endurance runner nor someone who can run fast and long distances. Got winded, walked the rest of the way. Still in the rain.

And then I sat at the computer for as long as anyone would let me and posted to these damned boards.

Sunday: Woke up at around 9:15 for mass. Went, saw the mother of a friend of mine who lives in California. This is the one who is not Helga. Note that I did not say she saw me. She was cantoring . . . she may well have seen me, but didn’t make any noticeable effort to talk to me after (though why she would have is beyond me).

Got home, after running an errand, to post more to boards. Answered double-digit kilobyte email from fellow doper who will remain nameless. Run more errands.

There’s more, but I don’t remember it, or it’s not important.

I spent time with my son (he’s 9). We saw the movie Titan AE (planet “Bob”), swam, and went fishing. We caught: Walleye, carp, smallmouth bass, sheephead, sauger, northern pike, white bass, catfish and mooneye.

Fun stuff.

Rysdad, of course you live in Minnesota. Glad somebody’s catching something somewhere.

We’ve been getting our house ready to sell. Now it looks so damn good we think we might keep it. Funny what a little paint can do.

Father’s day – hubby’s son, girlfriend and new daughter (Torrie, age 2 weeks) came for a visit. Was tempted to kidnap the little darling after watching mom and dad jump every time she moved. Then I realized that all new parents do stupid stuff like that and she’ll probably survive just fine.

Hubby grilled a couple of ribeyes, mowed the yard (blew a tire on the mower), and I weeded flowerbeds and did some laundry. Then we sat in the yard with Boomer and the cats.

Wondering what we did to deserve such a beautiful day. In Iowa, in the summer, whodathunkit?

Friday: After finally getting off the SD close to 8:00am my time, I fell asleep and woke up around 5:00 pm.

Got up for a couple of hours, ate a little something then fell back asleep for a couple of hours.

About 1:00 in the morning I fell asleep and didn’t wake up till 2:00 in the afternoon.

Watched TV and movies till 2:00 in the morning.

< note: not one drop un internet the entire time >

Woke up this morning around 7:30, pigged out at a brunch (major pig out), came home dinked on the net for a while, went to parent’s hous, grazed on food for 2 hours.

Now I sit here feeling like a little bloated (I haven’t eaten that much in one day in years) and needing sleep.

Overall it was a weekend I needed…mellow and good.

Complete and all-around bummer, Dook. Sounds like one of those weekends that exist only as a benchmark for what you’ll never do again. Since you’re safely back on base and prepared for another stint, I’m not sure “relax and kick back” is quite appropriate. But then again, maybe it is. No matter how stressful and icky your normal routine, couldn’t match the past few days for pure frustration.

Wanna know my real weekend? My poor pupper is sick; spent most the time coaxing pills down her, worrying and trying to keep her comfy. The usual mundane chores, of course.

But I also somehow got a huge, purple chemical blister on the back of left index finger. Burns, itches, stings. I think it brushed up against the crystal Vanish while I was cleaning the bathroom and my hands were wet.

But now I’m an itching, leprous mess. Gad, what a glamorous life. No wonder “floating, strokin’, launching planes and bombing Iraq” struck me so forcibly.

A mundane mess,
Veb

Got new carpet in my bedroom & vinyl in my bathroom.

Other than that - scraped and unpacked, repeat ad nauseum. (I will be so glad when this is done)

[ul]Saturday:[/ul]Woke up. Rolled over. Went back to sleep. Repeated several times until dogs licking me in my face let me know they want outside RIGHT F***IN’ NOW!!!

Let dogs outside. Went back to bed. Slept s’more.

Woke up and got online. Checked out SDMB.

Dogs making noise outside. “We’ve pooped and barked about as much as we’re able. Can we come in and sleep now?”

The dogs are good at sleeping. They each have their own unique style. Buster, the younger one, awakens whenever I shift in my seat or break wind, dashes in the room and circles my chair a few times, then falls asleep at my feet.

Fluffy (~11 years old), OTOH, sleeps that sleep of the old dog who isn’t certain there’s any sleep allowed in the next world. She rouses herself only for dinner and to insure I haven’t raised my foot quite far enough to step over her without stumbling. I think she has a sophisticated sense of humor for a dog.

Made iced tea and one (4-demitasse equivalent) big, honkin’ espresso (mistake, but not until later). Finally (after ~8 months) figured out how best to operate the Mr. Coffee Milk foamer/steamer (overfill the @#$% reservoir!) Watched TV and enjoyed good, strong coffee.

Later, I went to the gun shop to hang out in the back. One of the guys has a license to own autofire weapons (pre-ban only) and was trying to convince our (only) English expatriate (former military) that there were better SMGs than the Sten. They took several examples of autofire weapons in the back and emptied numerous clips into the firing pit. I got to fire a 9mm M-16 carbine. 20 years in the military and the first time I get to shoot full auto is after I retired. Autofire is great fun, but with the price of 9mm ammo, it could be as expensive a habit as heroin.

I also got to fire a (properly licenced) silenced .22 caliber rifle. It made no more noise than a pellet gun, and had no more recoil than one either. I’m convinced. I want (don’t need, but want is okay ;)) a scope for my Ruger 10-22. I am surprised at how good my accuracy (decent even with glasses) improved when I could just put the crosshairs on the target and pull the trigger.

Later, I went home, fed the dogs and fixed dinner. Steak marinated in “Newman’s Own Olive Oil and Garlic” salad dressing. That stuff is GREAT! Watched TV and cruised the web s’more, then went to bed.

Got back up (wired on coffee from late morning indulgence). Stayed up, despairing of anything worthwhile to watch. Had a small brandy. If they give you coffee to sober you up when you’ve been drinking, it should work the other way around, right? It did for me. I went back to bed & got some sleep.

[ul]Sunday:[/ul]Woke up early, and groggy (not the brandy’s fault – if I get less than 8 hours sleep, I’m a slug). Showered, shaved. Went to get Son for Father’s Day visitation. It was raining.

Son “Would not eat breakfast” so he might be hungry when I got him to my place. Sure enough, he demolished a biscuit smothered in sausage gravy, drank several glasses of juice, and wanted some candy (“Later, Son”). We watched Teletubbies (recorded off PBS just this morning) and he fell asleep. Put him down for a nap.

Got online. As soon as I was logged in, he was awake from his nap, and ready to rock-and-roll. He also needed his diaper changed (I’ll be glad when he starts telling me he needs to go potty instead of telling me he just went). Unfortunately, it’s as wet as a swamp in the back yard, and he can’t go play there unless I strip him naked & bathe him when he’s finished. He gravitates to mud like… well, like something that is irresistably attracted to mud. If mud is present, nothing else of interest exists. If I had a change of clothing for him here, I think playing in mud would be a good idea (I used to have the same attraction for messy fun at that age). Maybe next time.

We watched “A Bug’s Life” and “Gay Purr-ee”. Son alternated between watching movie, playing with dogs, terrorizing dogs, and squirming in the seat next to me while I explained that it isn’t nice to pull Fluffy’s tail (Buster is quick, and retreats as soon as the play gets too rough for him. Fluffy is always surprised by unexpected developments). Halfway through “Gay Purr-ee”, Son nods off again. I put him to bed & start fixing dinner, pork chops, French Fries, and green, leafy stuff I ought to eat more of, and Son thinks is a glider or perhaps confettii.

Finish preparing dinner and wake Son. Son’s “sippy cup” has sprung a leak and his arm is wet. Well, it isn’t soaked, and it’ll dry out. Diaper needs changing (again – I expect it, but I do need to get more wipes). Dinner is a success, once I convince Son that he needs to eat something besides French fries.

Look at the clock. It’s time to take him back to his mother. It’s never enough time.

Happy Father’s Day.

~~Baloo

Says Veb

I said nothing even vaguely rembling “strokin’.”

I know exactly how you feel. I just had my son for a week of vacation, and now that he’s back at his mother’s, this house seems way too damn quiet.

Anyway…Happy Father’s Day to you, too, Baloo.

(Sorry for the hijack. Touched a nerve, there.)

Sheesh, sorry, Chief! Musta been all that suggestive golf talk. Chipping? Driving divots? Careful placement of hips, keeping your head down, wrap hands just so…?

Suffered a minor fugue state there. Don’t know why the totally mistaken image sprang to mind.

Slight miscommunication, Sir.

Somewhat addled,
Veb

Friday afternoon, drove three hours to spend the weekend with a friend. Saturday we went go-carting and played mini golf then headed off to a bbq of a gang of airforce guys/gals from the U.S. and England that are here for Maple Flag. They were a blast. Today drove like hell to get back to town so I could go to the cemetary, hit a brutal lightening storm and downpour, now I’m enjoying some tea and drying off. A great weekend overall!

Friday night: got home from class around 11 pm, and BF wanted to go to Hof’s Hut (a 24-hr diner–sort of a step up from Denny’s). We go, and I get a plate full of fried foods that I can barely get half-way through. Get home, take an alka-seltzer, and hang out for about an hour before getting into bed.

Saturday: Wake up at 10 am, I shower and dress in school uniform, and go work at the school. The school I’m in offers weekend cooking classes for those who do not want to go through a full professional course, but want to know some of the techniques–these people are more like “weekend Emerils”. I’m there to set up the kitchen for the class, help out with the students, if they need something, and to clean up after. The class was running smoothly, and we had extra food since some people didn’t show up, so one of my classmates and I made lunch for our chef and ourselves–seared sea scallops on baby greens with orange dill dressing; herb crusted rack of lamb with grilled fennel and mashed potatoes with caramelized leeks. The BF picks me up at 6, with flowers–it was the 2 year anniversary of our first date. We end the evening at Kinko’s (how romantic!!)working on making copies of recipes for a school project.

Sunday: Wake up at 5:30, and the BF & I go pick up my school project partner up in Pasadena, and we go to downtown L.A. to go to Central Market to price produce. We get there at 7:30 am, and find out that the market doesn’t open until 9 am, and I have to go pee. We walk around (mind you, downtown LA is a ghosttown this time on Sunday), looking for any possible place that would have a bathroom. We finally come across a hotel, and near the doors, I see the ladies room. I make a sprint while the boys wait. I come back, and we are hanging out on a balcony overlooking the lobby. Security comes by, asks if we’re guests. No… so we were asked to move along. (Has this ever happened to anyone in a hotel lobby? I’ve NEVER been approached like that–ever) By the time our adventures were over, we got back to the market, priced out our stuff, and oooohed & ahhhhed over the strange things available–chicken feet, cows hooves, pigs heads, roasted lamb’s heads, and all kinds of new produce that we don’t see in the corner market. I buy a bunch of berries to make jam with. I get home, try to call my dad for father’s day, but get his answering machine. Take a nap for an hour, and then decide to get started on some homework. Stop for a dinner/Simpson’s break. Come onto SDMB where I’m still wasting time.

Exciting life, eh?

My Friday night was spent at my cousin’s wedding rehearsal, and then at her fiancé’s parent’s house.

Saturday I had my hair done, got dressed and got my cousin married. Later on, ten of us drove around in the limo, went to the batting cages, threw rocks, and ate McDonalds fries. After that was the reception where I got to stand up in front of everyone as some guy I’ve never met before roasted me. Then I danced. Danced. Danced.

Today was the gift opening. Everyone but the old people and me, played volleyball. ( I wanted to play but have un-cooperative cysts again. ) Then we ate. Ate. Ate. Now I’m here, tired and bloated.