new yorkers, irishmen, and texans, oh my!

friday was one of those work days where you just wonder if you should throw in the towel and head back home. i felt like i was saying stupid things, making dumb mistakes, speaking before thinking, and generally being an all-around moron. needless to say, once the day was over, i was totally jonesing for two things: 1) a long, mind-clearing run and 2) a tall, stiff drink.

once #1 had been completed, i set about trying to figure out the best way to make #2 happen. rendezvous with the drunken canadians (hi Paula!)?? happy hour with work people? pull a total Bridget Jones by uncorking a bottle of wine, putting on some sweats and popping in a DVD? as i was considering my options, i got an unexpected call from the one and only di johnston, who had been screwed over by the airlines and was making an impromptu drive from houston to fredericksburg... and wanted to stop in austin for some dinner and rest.

the poor kids were so exhausted from their long day that "dinner and rest" turned into a one-night stay @ the luxurious JMWT hotel. there was much consuming of chips & queso and margaritas and eventually glasses of shiraz... much discussion about topics ranging from end-of-life care to my pitiful love life to the difficulty of finding authentic tex-mex cuisine in manhattan. a good time was had by all.

saturday dawned bright and sunny and... green. yes, folks, st. patrick's day was upon us, and although i generally don't make a big fuss about the holiday, i couldn't say no to the prospect of drinking beer with actual irish friends on the big day (who were quick to point out that although st. patrick's day is indeed celebrated in ireland, america makes a far bigger deal out of the day. stupid tacky americans, mucking everything up as usual). i donned a green tank top and headed downtown with my buddies to their favorite irish pub, which was sponsoring a block party complete with a U2 cover band, irish dancers, and tons o' beer (no green beer, though, which made me rather relieved). there was even a bride and groom who had gotten married that morning @ the pub and were there to celebrate their reception (um, survey says: negative). he was decked in a green-themed suit and she was wearing a white wedding gown (IN THE BEER-FILLED BLOCK PARTY TENT) with a green sash. whatever floats your boat, i guess, but for me? hell no. only in texas, eh?

unfortunately, the ol' liver just ain't what it used to be, and i wasn't good for much after 9 pm... in fact, i went home and fell asleep in my living room chair. klassy.

sunday was a flurry of errands, cleaning, laundry, long bike rides and expensive trips to the grocery store. (side note: how is it possible for one person to spend $100 on groceries? i am ONE PERSON, not a family of four. granted, i hadn't gone grocery shopping in forever and was out of everything from the fresh stuff -- drinks, eggs, fresh produce, etc. -- to the pantry-ish stuff -- peanut butter, granola bars, etc. but still! $100! for one person's grocery bill! seriously. am staying home and eating homemade food for the next ten years, WTF.) the highlight of the day was the enormous vat of chili i cooked up (verdict: "tastey," as fergie would say) and the fact that most of the SXSW freaks have left town and i can now reclaim my neighborhood as my own. good-bye emo geeks! now go home and take a shower, mm'kay?