on the good ship lollipop

My friend Toby came from new york for halloween weekend in ft. lauderdale, I'm sorry that my posting has been nonexistent.  If it's any consolation it's because I was doing things like spending the day on the boat pictured above, courtesy of friends of Toby.

I sent that picture to Meghan because I had heard it was snowing up north and I wanted somebody to be jealous, which she was.  I had to come clean though about the reality of the situation.  That picture has more camera tricks working for it than a barbara walters special.  This was more what a lot of the day was:

All of us huddled on the back deck watching the deluge.  It was a typical Florida day where the driving rain would start and stop at a moments notice so those of us foolhardy enough to keep going upstairs would then have to try and climb down the narrow slippery staircase as the waves and rain pelted us unmercifully.

Being inside had it's advantages too though.  Namely this handsome guy who, much to everyone's delight, shared the name Toby:

I also spent a good deal of my time inside perched on the edge of the couch so I could watch the horizon to keep from throwing up.  It's crazy how in the canals you notice how big the boat is by how little it is affected by other boats wake, but once you get out in to the ocean you're reminded of how insignificant you are as the waves toss you about.  One thing that was not tossed about by the waves however was this beautiful glass sculpture of a wave:

I spent most of my inside time here so I could see out the windows, but I would also watch that sculpture as the boat tipped from side to side and it never moved!!  Even when all of the drawers in the kitchen came flying out and everything crashed to the floor it still stayed right there.  That is craftsmanship right there.

But the trip wasn't all rain and roughness, there were grace periods, especially when we got down to Miami.

We even got to do one of my favorite nautical activities; making motorists wait.

As we cruised down the Intra Coastal and got deeper in to Miami proper I kept looking for the bad girls house but I never saw it.  I saw a couple that looked like it but I don't think it was it.  I also tried to be on the lookout for Rosie or Gloria but neither made an appearance.

We kind of just got to Miami when we had to turn and head back so I only got a glimpse of downtown proper.

Which was fine as the hosts of the afternoon had been more than generous already with their time and toys.  I just hope I get a chance to do it again.

Upon returning to Ft. Lauderdale there was little time to spare before we headed to a halloween party.  I felt bad that I wasn't dressed as anything but I was glad I went regardless.  I have seen more amazing houses in the past two days here than you'd believe.  And costumes!  So many good costumes, but I have no trouble naming my favorites.  Toby's friends Bill and Jed win the grand prize in my book:

Half of the amazingness of these costumes was how much joy it brought me when I would look at them and the other half was the joy on other people's faces when they would see them for the first time.  I mean really, I still can't get over how much I love these costumes.

Though I have to give credit to the runner up who was literally running around the party the whole night just being nice:

I want a doggy that I can dress up in costumes and have run around and smile at people.  And since that's pretty much all I've seen in Ft. Lauderdale the past two days I'd say I'm in the right place for it.

I'm not sure what's on the agenda for today.  It's overcast and rainy again, lame.  I guess it's time to wake up human Toby and figure it out.

Happy Halloween!  : )

Shut up I totally called it

source

Omg I was looking through old posts and I came across this post that I did back in December.

The important part is the very last thing I said, "I hope she does her first interview after the birth with Barbara".

I know she's done interviews since the birth but I would just like to point out who got the first glimpse of dem babies.

And who called it.

Thank you

beers around the world

As I mentioned before Scott and I have entered a "beers from around the world" competition at the local pub.  It's 80 beers and when you finish they put your picture up on a wall.  I'm very excited.

The first time we went I had a guinness and a black and tan.  This time I had a blue moon because we had been talking about it earlier, then decided to just start picking randomly from the numbers I had left between 1 and 80.  I first chose 60 which was the stone levitation.  It was good, I think maybe having it right after a blue moon made me think they tasted very similar and I wouldn't have if I had just had it fresh, but regardless I liked it.  I also liked the bottle, it commands respect.

The next beer I had was magic hat:

I'm sure you've seen or had magic hat before, I took a picture of it more so I would remember that I had it.  At this point I was pretty wasted.  I actually had never had magic hat before, it was ok.  It tasted kind of like fruity pebbles to me.  I might order it again.  I am not sure what made me pick it, I don't remember what number it was.  On the front of the cards is the logo of the bar which has Shakespeare's picture in the center.  I think I might have chosen whichever number would punch out his smug mug.  Take that Shakespeare, now where's your soliloquy?

Hmmm doesn't have the same affect as, "now where's barbara walters"

Anyways, I look forward to updating you all as I make progress on my way around the world with sweet lady beer.

Also, I'd like to go ahead and get this out of the way now so I never have to think of it again.  Every time I leave this bar we walk past the hair salon next door which features this as their logo:

And every time I see it I think that it's a woman wrapped up in seaweed.  She looks kind of like the girl in casino royale who they find wrapped up in the hammock.  I don't care for it and I just had to get that off my chest.

i know you're kinda busy with your elves right now

source

I love the girls on either side of her.  If the gif isn't working you might have to click the image to open it in a new window.  I still haven't completely figured out this "internet" thing.

The article on ohnotheydidnt is worth reading as well.  It's about how Mariah's christmas special on monday night was amazing.  duh.

There's also an article on there that Jon sent me about how Mariah used camera tricks to make herself appear skinnier during it.  How is she so good?

It makes total sense.  When Nick Canon was on the View a few weeks ago I was surprised by the exchange that took place between him and Barbara.



If you don't want to watch the whole thing (although I don't know why you wouldn't) you can start around around the :45 mark to see it.

It was the first I had heard of the apparently intimate relationship between Mariah and Barbara.  It made me imagine that Mariah must like text message Barbara Walters for advice.  I love that.  And that means that Barbara Walters would have Mariah on her ipod...if she has one.  She at least would be a fan and would have gone to concerts and things.  I love that too!

And the camera tricks totally make sense.  Barbara is the queen of camera tricks, they basically coat the lense with vaseline so everything looks gentle and hazy.  So Mariah texted her and was like, "The baby weight makes me look so fat on tv!" and Babs texted back, "Just tell them to vertically stretch you when you're on camera.  Problem solved."

I hope she does her first interview after the birth with Barbara.