Saturday July 4, 2009

Happy Fourth of July!!!

My only day off all week warrants the lack of alarm clock execution this morning, and it feels glorious. My first day off in over a week and it happens to land on the 4th of July. I guess I do luck out once in awhile after all. Even though there is no alarm blaring in my ear, I still manage to roll out of bed just around 10:00 AM, but it's alright because it's on my own terms. I decide to hit up Dunkin' Donuts this morning to help get my day started, so I throw my shoes on, grab the keys, and it's out the door. I rock out to my latest created playlist on my Zune, strategically titled, "Summertime Jams." The god vibes are flowing this morning, and I haven't even been up for a solid half hour yet. As Ice Cube would say, "it was a good day."

I pull up to Dunkin', cruise in and proceed to order up my large coffee and a bacon, egg and cheese bagel. They are fairly busy, but this doesn't stop them from whipping this shit out at an abnormally fast pace. The day is really looking good right now, and the booze hasn't even started flowing yet. I cruise home and bomb inside to get down on my breakfast sandwich and delicious coffee that I still am convinced that they lace with blow, which would give a pretty accurate explanation for my undying obsession with their coffee. After all is said and done with my hearty breakfast, I cruise to the bathroom to shower and really get the day started.

Just as I'm almost completely stark-ass naked, Tool and Shimon cruise in and start discussing plans to hit up the annual Woodridge 4th of July picnic. I just dismiss this idea until I overhear the words "$1.25 beers." Now I'm all ears and I can't pull my pants up fast enough and almost bolt out of the bathroom bare-ass. Luckily, I manage to get my clothes back on and calmly exit the facilities before entering Tool's room to get all the details on today's excursions. The plan is that Tool and Shimon were going to head back to Shimon's place to enjoy some food with his family and then cruise over to the picnic around noon. I opt for them to give me a call when they head to the picnic, as I still haven't showered and I look like hell, not exactly the ideal look I want to be sporting when hanging out with one of my best friend's family. They agree to give me a shout when they are heading out of Shimon's and they take off. I'm just about to jump in the shower when I decide to stop and check my e-mail really quick beforehand.

What started as a quick pre-shower e-mail check winds up being an hour and a half long jam session after I decided to bust out the acoustic and practice some songs.

Before I know it, I'm getting calls from my brother and Shimon saying that they're going to the picnic. I throw on some clothes and head over there. Alcohol and lots of greasy food consumption ensues. We spend a few hours there and decide to head home before we are no longer able to walk.

Once at home, we throw in Can't Hardly Wait, which Tool insisted I get from Netflix, and rock the leftover beers in the fridge from the night before. We end up getting pretty sauced over the next hour and a half, at which time I get a call from Dave T. He tells me that they are all partying at our old friend Jon's house which just so happens to be about 2 blocks from my place. I tell him I'll be over there as soon as I shower. I cruise into the bathroom and finally make it into the shower, after some clever maneuvering due to my suddenly increased level of intoxication. Nevertheless, I make it into the shower and get that task taken care of.

I air dry in front of my computer while I check my bank accounts and respond to some e-mails. I throw on some clothes and shoot a call over to Dave T. letting him know I'm on my way. He tells me that they have a keg, but it's $5 a cup. I check my wallet. No cash. So unless they accept plastic or a self-written I.O.U., I was going to have to bring my own supply to the party. I make a pit stop at the liquor store and pick up a 6-pack of Red Stripe. I figure if I'm buying for myself, it's going to be something good. None of this Miller High Life bullshit today.

I pull up to Jon's house and Dave T. greets me at my car. I walk in and greet everyone, including Jon who is now sporting this dope fuckin' mohawk. I run into my old friend Dan, whom we call Shrooms, and Chris T. Jon informs me that the burgers and hot dogs are almost off the grill and I should get a plate ready. I'm still somewhat full from the picnic, but i also can't turn down free grilled food, especially on the 4th and even more so because I'm still drinking. I crack open a Red Stripe and wait patiently for the fine dining to begin.

About ten minutes later, Jon walks in with a gigantic fuckin' platter of burgers and hot dogs. I throw a burger together and continue to bullshit with Dave T. and sip on my delicious Jamaican lager. We compare and contrast recent films we have checked out and what projects we have in mind at the moment, as well as the always fun topic of recent musical influences. Before I know it, I've had 2 burgers and a hot dog and I'm rocking my 3rd Red Stripe. I'm feeling pretty damn good when Jon pops inside and tells Dave that him, Chris and Shrooms should start setting their equipment up. I soon find out that the three of them are going to jam out to a handful of blues and jazz tunes. This day just keeps getting better and better.

By the time they start playing, it's going on 8:00 PM. I haven't even really been keeping track of the time, but it was the first time I had really checked my phone to see what the hour was, so I distinctly remember it was just about 8:00 PM. I crack open another Stripe and pick out my spot to watch, right up front. Dave and Chris's parents end up cruising in just as they're about to start, so I shoot the shit with them for a few minutes. Then the show starts.

They rock the shit out of the place and the whole show slowly turns into more of an open mic night. A few people at the party came up and sang some songs and even I jumped in for a little double drum solo with Dave. I was pretty schwasted at this point, but everyone was getting down with our rhythm section, so it was all good. Just around 9:00 PM, I get a call from Mary telling me that she's still waiting for Justin to get off of work and she's just gonna come chill here until he's finished. I give her directions and she's on her way. In the meantime, I crack open my 6th and final Red Stripe and continue listening to the music and shooting the shit with Joe T. (Chris and Dave's dad).

Mary gets there around 9:30 or so and tells me that Justin just got done with work and we're invited over to his aunt and uncle's place just down the street. Now wanting to keep anyone waiting, and knowing that Justin is probably not in the greatest of moods, I opt to peace out of Jon's place fairly quick so we can pick up Justin and cruise to his family party. I bid my farewells to everyone and tell Mary to just meet me at my place so I can drop my car off and she can drive. Normally, I wouldn't even toy with the notion of getting behind the wheel in the drunken stupor I was in, but my place was literally 10 seconds away, so I figured I could just bite the fuckin' bullet for 10 seconds. I made the trip with no problem (happy dance).

I jump into Mary's car and Justin pulls in front of my place just as we're about to leave. He hops in the car and it's off to my 3rd party of the day/night. We get to the house and cruise inside. Justin's parents and both of his aunts and uncles are caught up in an intense money driven game of Left, Right, Center (I'd explain the rules, but I don't feel like it. Google the fucker if it's really bothering you). They finish up the game and we all bomb outside so they can all smoke. The bar is also outside, so we socialize out there while sipping on drinks and watching the fireworks, which we all had almost forgotten about.

Within the next couple of hours more people show up, including Justin's cousins, Stein, Martel, Tyler, Sammy, Molly, an Sammy's little sister Shannon, who was designated driver for a handful of the drunks that night. We all sit around drinking more beer and various cocktails, while indulging in even more hot dogs and appetizers. By this point in the evening, I'm about an impressive 13 beers in and my food intake is just off the fucking charts. How I'm still standing is beyond me. But the night continues, as does the eating and drinking.

Most of the party dies down around 1:00 AM or so. Justin, Mary and myself stick around for awhile longer bullshitting with Justin's parents. His dad and I get on various discussion topics throughout the night, none of which I can really remember other than the mere fact that they lasted forever. Before I know it, it's almost 3:30 AM and I'm about ready to pass out on the fuckin' porch outside. Thankfully, Justin and Mary have to cruise to Wisconsin with Mary's family fairly early in the morning, so they opt to bomb out of there just before I put my head on the bar. We say our goodbyes to the family and pile into Mary's car.

I barely make it through the 15 second drive to my place without passing out, but I make it, nevertheless. I say goodbye to Justin and Mary and give them best wishes on their Wisconsin trip. It takes almost every ounce of energy in me to make it up the stairs without falling. I stumble into the bathroom and somehow manage to take my contacts out, which still baffles me that I was able to do this without poking my goddamn eye out. I walk into my room and pass out on my bed before I can even turn on the t.v. Overall, I had a great fucking holiday. Happy 4th!!!!