Choices

March and April of last year, I was e-mailing back and forth with "Ann".
She sent me a few pictures and wasn't entirely repellent.
She mentioned that she was going away for "girls weekend" at the Irish Village on Cape Cod.
http://www.capecod-irishvillage.com/index.shtml
She suggested I meet her there. I gave her a rather non-committal answer.
The week leading up to "girls weekend" was really bad. Lots of bad stuff was happening on both a personal and professional level. I was driving home from Westwood to Boston at 8:00PM Friday, having made the decision to spend the entire weekend in my apartment eating meatball subs in my underwear. As I approached the turn-off that would take me to Boston, I made a snap decision to drive to Cape Cod (about an hour and fifteen minutes away). I realized that I had nothing, no reservation, no toothbrush, no love potion, no "protection", nothin'.
I made it to the Irish Village and strolled into the office. The desk clerk (whose name was Seamus I think) hooked me up with a $40 room. I immediately drove to a convenience store and bought some essentials (toothbrush, toothpaste, and those things...).
I went back to the room and made myself presentable. I headed over to the bar that's on the property not having any idea what to expect.
Walking into the bar, I felt like a T-bone steak being waved in front of a pride of hungry lions. There were a few couples strewn about the bar, but it was mostly "cougars". I have no illusions about my appearance but I was getting "the eye" from perhaps a dozen different women. I knew immediately it was going to be a good night...
The prettiest girl in the bar was up talking to the band (if you can call 2 Irish guys with fiddles a band). I strolled up to the bar and ordered my usual "two Bud Lights please."
Within a few minutes one of the cougars approached and started talking to me. She said her friend (the really hot girl) was going to sing with the band and was wondering if I was willing to sing back-up with her. I said I'd be happy to after a few beers. I told her 19 beers should just about the right number.
After a minute or two, she introduced me around to her friends (who included the lovely Eileen). They were curious who I was with, and I explained my situation. They claimed to have nobody with their group named Ann and invited me to hang out with them. I then told them that if I suddenly started calling myself a different name (Steve Mason) to play along with it. They agreed.
I had a delightful time getting to know Eileen. She was a hospice nurse who lived north of Boston, she also ran an Irish dance studio.
After what seemed to a very short time, last call was announced. Eileen told me that they were having an after-hours party in the "party room" and she invited me.
As Eileen and I were walking over, the subject of relationships came up. She said "How come guys like you never ask me out?" To which I retorted "you'd never go out with a guy like me". Eileen said "You should ask me out and find out." Well I asked her out and she gave me her number.
We got to the "party house" and the cougars were joined by a bunch of guys who were wearing hats with the initials "SFO" on them. I eventually came to learn the SFO stood for the Shit Faced Open, an annual weekend-long golf tournament. I worked the room confident that the hottest girl there wanted to go out with me, and the night was only going to get better.
I struck up a conversation with a lovely girl named Lisa.
As I was talking to her, a few new girls joined the party. Among this new, and obviously intoxicated, group was a big red-headed bruiser with a Red Sox pullover jacket that would have fit me with plenty of room to spare. She made a b-line straight over to the girl I was talking to. Before I could say anything Lisa blurts out: "Ann, have you met my friend Charlie?"
The recognition was almost instantaneous. I went from having nothing but potential with the hottest chick there, to having a shit-faced bruiser in my lap.
I am now faced with a quandary. Do I go with the shit-faced bruiser who's a sure-thing, or do I take a chance with the really hot girl?
Those of you who know me, know how I chose...
The bruiser and I slip out the side door and head to my room.
When I got to my room it became apparent how bombed Ann was. I put her to bed in one of the two beds and I slept in the other. Her snoring convinced me I made the right decision.
The next morning I woke to more snoring. I gathered my few belongings, snuck out, and got some breakfast at the restaurant. As I headed back to my car thinking I had made a clean getaway, I ran smack into Ann. She apologized for her inebriation and promised to make it up to me if I wanted to come back that night. I told her I'd think about it.
I drove back to Boston regretting the entire night. I had to pull-over twice to vomit also.
I called Eileen a few days later and she said she'd been hoping I'd call. I asked her if she'd like to go out and she said she would but first we had to talk. She said that "the rumor around the campfire" was that I had hooked-up with Ann. I explained what happened in a manner that made me look like a hero. She seemed to buy it. I told her I'd call her in a few days to arrange a date.
A week passed and I couldn't find the courage to call her (no booze). She called me a few days later and asked if I'd still like to go out. I said yes and promised to call her in a few days to confirm. I never called her back. Too scared.
Life comes down to a few moments. One can recognize those moments for what they are and act or, one can assume that more and better opportunities will present themselves.
I failed to recognize the opportunity.
C'est la guerre...

At long last

I've been remiss in my posting. I didn't have much going on in my life.
Last Sunday was 80's Night. It was pretty good, lots of talent.
There was a girl there whom we referred to as "Demented Jen." She bore a slight resemblance to my ex-girlfriend Jen (but better...and worse).
The most remarkable feature of "Demeneted Jen" was a string of pearls she was wearing.
The pearls formed a neck-tie that drew ones eye to her bosom like a moth to a flame. Once there, it was apparent that she had nothing on underneath her blazer. It was a great look...
I spoke to her off and on throughout the night, she was actually pretty cool. I didn't have the courage to ask her out (not enough booze).
Thursday I drove to Milford and met up with Mary.
Friday I did nothin'.
Saturday I went to a birthday party for my nephew Connor. He's 1.
Sunday I did laundry and hung out with Paul and Karen and their new baby Jack. Karen's sister was also there. I regailed them with stories of my mis-spent youth. I may have horrified Elaine...
I'm planning a weekend trip to the Irish Village on Cape Cod in April. More about that as it gets closer...

Chester A. Arthur

Friday. 3:33PM.

We’re heading towards a long weekend and it’s payday. Woohoo!

President's Day weekend. I think Chester A Arthur may be my favorite president.

Don’t know what’s going on tonight. I’m going to buy pants tomorrow. I need some pants. Pants that make my ass look good. Perhaps blue...

Drinking Sunday. 80’s Night at Nostalgia’s in Quincy, the cheesiest place on Earth. It’s wonderful.

phone call

So I just called a girl I've been talking to on-line for several weeks. Her name is Jenn. This was to be our first conversation.
The conversation could not have gone any worse. Apparently I woke her out of a deep sleep. She had no idea who I was "Who's Charlie McCann???". God help me.
So what do you do in a situation like that? Do you keep trying to explain who you are and what you want?
No me. I hung up.
She called back ten minutes later and wanted to know who I was.
Bad...

Sick

I'm sick. I feel like ass and have a fever. Maybe I'll lose some weight...

February 12th

Sunday night. The end of another uneventful weekend. I seem to remember my youth being much more exciting.

Friday night I went to my friend Goody's house. We played video games and then went to the fabulous 50's Lounge for a few drinks. It was okay. The talent was...lacking. The place has gone down hill steadily since the first time we went last Summer.

Saturday I went to a birthday party for my 2 year-old nephew. It was lovely. Cake and ice cream.

I got a series of late night text messages last night. Having recently had my phone stolen, I didn't recognize the number. I received and responded to six messages before I asked just who the hell I was conversing with. It was Sheryl. She had had a few glasses of wine.

Sunday we had a god damn blizzard. I had to dig my car out of 2 feet of snow with my hands. Not fun.

I had a long conversation with my friend tonight. She recently moved to Boston. She's working at a job that's beneath her and she's getting very discouraged. I think she's pretty typical of a lot of women. She doesn't realize that a temporary "professional setback" is no reflection upon her abilities nor a harbinger of what the future holds. She has a very promising interview Wednesday, I hope she does well.

I get paid this week, woohoo! Planning to go to the "great New England Boat Show", and 80's Night at Nostalgias in Quincy Sunday night. President's Day is next Monday so I have all day to recover. Real nice...

Thursday

Not much happening.

I tripped while walking home the other night. It's not the physical injuries I sustained, but the bruising of my pride and ego that hurt the most. That, plus the fact that I ripped my favorite fat-guy pants...

There are riots breaking out across the globe over cartoons published in a Danish newspaper depicting the prophet Mohammad. Apparently that's not cool in Islam. Well...fuck 'em.

We're dealing with a society that hasn't advanced in a thousand years. They're ignorant, uneducated zealots. People who are willing to strap bombs to themselves and detonate themselves in a bus full of innocents. We should kill every single one of them (men, women, children, all of them), then pave the entire middle east. That might ease the parking problems in Boston and other major metropolitan areas.

I want to make it clear that I'm not some ignorant "red state" republican who follows whatever President Bush says blindly. I am indeed a registered republican, however I disagree with most of what Bush has done. We should not have invaded Iraq. Not because there were no WMD's but because we had lots of real enemies in the world. Now we're mired in a guerilla war and the indigenous population hate us (sound familiar?) How about the Saudis? Most of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudis, bin Laden is a Saudi. USS Cole, Saudis and Yemenis. How about North Korea, Iran, China? There are lots of bad people out there.

And the U.S. policy towards Cuba is stupid also.

"That's all I have to say about that"

Massachusetts Dept of Revenue

I did my taxes Thursday 2/2. E-filed with Turbo Tax. Got my state refund today 2/7.

Thank Christ. I had $49 to last me until Thursday of next week, and I needed gas.

Now I can eat and go to the fabulous 50's Lounge this weekend.

Monday night

Mary (from Saturday night) is on her way over. Better take my viatamin E...
I made some delicious spaghetti sauce.I hope I can find a place for her to park.
"How I Met Your Mother" is on. It's my favorite show.

Monday

Monday morning, February 6th.

Superbowl was last night. The officials guaranteed a Steelers win.

The music was really awful. They had some guy with a tattoo on his face as well as the fat lady from the diner scene in the Blues Brothers sing the national anthem. Then the Rolling Stones played the half-time show. My God they're awful. "Smithers, have the Rolling Stones Killed."

Not much happened this weekend. I got a call from my friend Mary Saturday night. She was going to a party in Lowell. She mentioned "coming over" afterwards. I fell asleep on the couch and woke up at 2:50AM. No call...

I'm broke for the next ten days. I did my taxes the other day. I may get a refund if the IRS doesn't take it. I owe them a couple of thousand. I sure could use the dough... I'm hoping their institutional inefficiency works to my favor.

My friend Paula may come to visit in June. That would be nice, she's delightful. She sent me a couple of very cute pictures:







I'm thinking of going to Australia (or Oz as they call it). It's a really long flight.

"Got to stop wishin'...got to go fishin"

Ground Hog Day

Well it's February 2nd and apparently Ground Hog Day.
Phil saw his shadow and apparently there will be another six weeks of winter. There's a big surprise.

In these parts we call them woodchucks.

The only experience I've had with woodchucks is when our dog Kodi brought a big fat one back from a foray into the woods. My mother, my brother Dan, and I watched as Kodi began shaking the woodchuck in order to kill it. Well...apparently this woodchuck was fat because it was pregnant. Almost immediately little woodchuck fetuses bagan spraying all over the yard. Disturbing.

We made Dan clean that particular mess up.

Wheat from the Chaff

The chaff that is the 50s Lounge is copious, but do you really expect to find the wheat kernel of love and happiness there? Isn't sex in cars with twice divorced matrons a sad, sad way to spend your pre-dawn hours? And by the way, what time are we heading down there?

Various

Happy Wednesday. It's February 1st. 74 days until the Tuna Helper is launched.
I'm going to start planning Charlie Palooza. That's my annual fete. It's sure to be a good time despite the freezing rain and howling wind... I'm thinking June 3rd (depending upon availability of the deck at CM www.constitutionmarina.com).
I'm going to dinner with my buddy Mark tomorrow. We're going to have steak and then go to the fabulous 50's Lounge. I've never been on a Thursday, we'll see how it is.
The 50's Lounge has been fairly productive for me of late. There was Mary who's still married (I think), Michelle who had a little girl but she was delightful. She gave me her number, I called her twice and never got a call back. Lousy bitch... And finally there's the old lady, I think her name was Marian or Miriam or something like that. She was quite buxom...
I have finally recovered from Saturday night's booty call. I had battle scars all over. It's nice when a girl is enthusiastic, but this was a little ridiculous...
I was listening to the 80's band The Outfield while driving to work this morning. Say what you will, I like them. They remind me of summers on Cape Cod, Sea St Beach East Dennis, keg beer, hotdogs, and of course girls from Connecticut.
"That's all I have to say about that."