the 61st week

Monday. I didn't open (surprisingly), so I treated myself to breakfast at The Anchor before closing with Jake & Amos. Brandon told me today that he believes many of 600's advances in sales and operations over the last few months are largely due to me taking over select roles and running mornings. Again: it feels good to be appreciated. Amos & I went to his place after work to play MW3. John & Brandy returned from a wedding and visiting Rob & Mandy in Portland, and Brandy lamented being back in the dregs of Cincinnati and John fired up the grill to make chicken but ran out of propane. So we drank beers in the kitchen and cooked the chicken on the stove. Amos came home with me, and we rounded out the night with Andy, Ams & Blake. 

Tuesday. Jake & I opened. It was Ana's birthday so Brandon brought in a cake from Servatii's. It made her cry: "I miss my family in Brazil, but you guys, here, are like my family." So precious! The evening was spent in Dayton with Mom, Dad & Ams for a family cookout. I accidentally napped through a lot of it, but I also found time to clean out my car and rustle through the crawlspace looking for some old college books from my C.C.U. days. A little mouse died in one of the boxes. Dad grilled pork chops, steaks, and hot dogs, and Mom made mac-&-cheese and corn-on-the-cob. We made a fire out back and roasted marshmallows and I was attacked by a praying mantis. The drive home was dark and rainy, and Andy & I went to the Hilltop for chocolate milkshakes and sat on the front porch where Andy--pretty drunk off vodka and Mountain Dew, dubbed the "Emergency Cocktail" for obvious reasons--was likewise attacked by a praying mantis. The mantises are afire this summer, apparently.

Wednesday. The salad bar circuit breaker went out overnight so we had to toss most of our stuff and thus lunch ran on fumes. I went over to Amos' after my F.P. shift (he opened), and we played MW3 and hung out with John and Sabrina. I returned home to hang out with Andy but he was asleep. So I read The Glorious Cause on the front porch till he woke up, and then when he woke up we got Dusmesh for dinner and watched "Wilfred". It's got Frodo from The Lord of the Rings, and he's a manic-depressive who hallucinates a dog as a man in a dog costume. Brandon came by for a little bit, and we shared Front Porch Timez (again, with a Z) and talked T.M. 

Thursday. Two catering orders and a massive USFoods delivery made for a hectic morning. After work I went to the Elite Smoke Shop in Clifton, and when I got home Andy & I sat on the front porch and smoked cigarettes. He's not with T.M. anymore, has expanding horizons, I'm kinda excited for him. A change of pace would be nice, I'll have to make sure he lets me know what it's like. I went to The Anchor and drank coffee and rounded out my 2-week study on election & predestination; I think the idea of corporate election, rather than the traditional Calvinist/Arminian positions, makes the most sense. Andy & I joined Ams & Josh at the Cronin's house down Glenway, where Ams is moving soon. She hasn't been around lately, has been working and house-sitting since Chris is doing Black Ops for a week and Sarah's in Hawaii, so it was good to see her. She grilled kabobs on the grill and made mac-&-cheese, and I brought roasted red potatoes, Andy provided cupcakes, and Gabe & Emily delivered the drinks: Woodchuck Hard Cider. Haven't had that in a long while. We watched "Wilfred" after the meal, and Andy & I headed home to get ready for bed. We watched some more "Wilfred" and I played NBA Jam with Blake, who didn't work today.

Friday. Tiffany & I opened, had a really solid morning. I went to Family Christian in Florence after work to pick up an N.T. Wright bible study on Romans. As much as I find the atmosphere of Family Christian suffocating with its tacky and secular knock-off cultured Christianity, the fact that N.T. Wright's lesser known works are readily available makes it a pretty decent place. God is patient, or at least I'm banking on it (though not in the antinomian way). I spent the afternoon hanging out with Blake and reading The Glorious Cause on the front porch in the sweltering heat; it's felt like autumn recently, but summer's still in full-swing, despite a tree changing colors outside Chiquita, and we've still got a few weeks to go before things start cooling off. I just hate the humidity, the pollen, the heat, I can't stop sneezing, damned allergies. I got Dusmesh for dinner--chicken curry, aloo bhatura, and some beef samosas--and went to a park on Ludlow. I forget the name, it's got a few benches and some trees and a brightly colored playground flanked by polished yet tilting gravestones. I went over to Amos' and we played MW3 and hung out with John, his brother William, and his brother's pregnant wife Ali. She went to C.C.U. when I did, but I never really got to know her at all. 

Saturday. Amos, Andy & I got Dusmesh buffet for lunch (Indian three times this week, four if you include Sunday? Yes, please!). It was baby machete squad meets double rainbow enthusiasm. I ruined Blake's life by parking behind him in the driveway, so after exploring Ludlow and running by the Clifton smoke shop, we dropped Amos off and scurried home so I could move my car. Andy made a French press of Mexican chiapis, and I did some much-needed laundry and cleaning before hitting up The Anchor to begin the N.T. Wright bible study on Romans. It was a good pairing with stale diner coffee, and I can pretty much anticipate Wright's take throughout the study since I've read so many of his books. I went over to Amos' for a bit, and we played MW3 like we usually do till late in the evening, and I picked up some food on my way home and did a loop through Eden Park, thinking about things, clearing my head, reorienting my thoughts.

Sunday. I went by Carew Tower for some coffee, to study Romans, and to visit Isaac & Amos who were running the show. They were slammed when I got in so I hopped on and helped them through the rush. I hiked up to Dayton and went to Southwest with Mom. Emily M. gave a devotional on repentance from Acts 3.19, I was so impressed and proud of her. Last time I saw her she was half her height; goes to show how time just passes like sand through a sieve. We parted ways and I stopped by the house to see Dad and hash out a camping trip for the middle of September: we're going to go hiking and rock climbing at Red River Gorge. Lunch was Subway with Tyler, and we watched The Office and played MW3 and I stopped by Amos' house on my way home to do the very same thing. Isaac and I went to The Anchor for coffee and dinner (fish filet with a side of onion rings, treating myself well!), and I rounded out the night reading The Glorious Cause and chatting with the Wisconsinite.

the 60th week

one of the awesome pigs on fountain square

Monday. James & I opened at 600, and later on in the evening Emily & I went to Rock Bottom for dinner. They cut our bill down to $7. The nachos were heaping, and I'm ashamed I finished them. Brandon came over when we got back to the house, and we gathered in Blake's room and listened to music and Brandon told us how drug dealers are dealing heroin right outside his apartment complex. "And I just signed another year lease," he moaned.

Tuesday. Jake & I opened, his first solo shift. He rocked it out. We have a really good team right now, the last several people we've hired have been top-notch. I got off earlier than usual, around 1:30, so I spent the afternoon reading on the front porch and then grabbed cottage cheese and coffee at The Anchor before our 600 Vine store meeting at 6:30. I took Amos home and we played MW3, and Andy came over half drunk and we watched cheesy sitcoms and ordered Papa John's Pizza.

Wednesday. I went to The Anchor before closing shop with Brandon. I hung out with Isaac & Andy at the house before grabbing Rock Bottom for dinner and going on a sunset walk through Ault Park down Route 50. 

Thursday. I did F.P. today and delivered two catering orders and got a Jew star from Tiffany for being the only one who showered this morning (though, ironically, I didn't). Back home I played GTAIV before perking up with coffee at The Anchor. Andy, Amos and I met up with Tiffany at the Hilltop, and Eric made us some drinks and we played ping-pong like way back when, and we reminisced on the old days and sought to avoid cussing in the presence of the overly sensitive freshmen. Tiffany & Eric are just like us, they've just sobered up a bit since they had kids. Amos & I grabbed Wendy's and went back to his place and played some MW3.

Friday. Sarah & I opened, and at 2:00 my weekend began. I went to The Anchor for a while to drink some coffee and read, and I returned home to make oven-baked chicken quesadillas for dinner. It was a quiet night with the house to myself.

Saturday. I did some reading at The Anchor upon waking, and then Amos & I got Dusmesh for lunch before playing some more MW3 at his place. We're pretty addicted to it. I spent the late afternoon hanging out with Blake, and then Emily came over and we met up with Brandon and his friend Jesse, who may end up being our new catering director, at Rock Bottom. The bartender gave us drink after drink on the house, and all of our food was comped down so that the bill was only $20 (which we paid in gift cards, leaving a hefty tip). While talking with Tory, the floor manager, I went to drink my summer honey and spilled it all over my unzipped pants. Classic. 

Sunday. I had McDonald's for breakfast and then headed downtown with Blake to do some reading, drink some coffee, and visit Andy & Isaac at Carew. Amos came by, and he came with us back to the house and we watched "Stella" before going back to his place for MW3. Isaac, Andy & Josh made chicken curry and ghetto naan bread. I wasn't going to partake, but my trip to Dayton for a family cookout was cancelled (or, rather, postponed), so they were gracious enough to let me eat with them. I went to The Anchor for a bit and the rest of the night was spent reading on the front porch. I finished Rise to Rebellion and started The Glorious Cause.

the 59th week

The Claypole housemates. Not friends. Housemates. 

Monday. Sarah & I opened, and after a hefty nap back home, Emily came over and we made a kick-ass Mediterranean pizza using ingredients from the T.M. salad bar. We were floored at how good it was. She headed home and Amos & Brandy took her spot, and the rest of my evening was spent hanging out with them and Blake and Andy. I was scheduled to close but Isaac has to go to court tomorrow because he gave a serial murderer some bottled water, so Amos is covering his shift at Carew and I'm covering Amos' opening shift at 600.

Tuesday. The day turned out being rather chaotic: superbly understaffed, ridiculously busy, and baristas switching between different stores to accommodate the flow of traffic. Emily was off work, too, tending to things with her husband, Gabe; and thus two of our strongest baristas were unavailable. I made another pizza tonight with my friend Mo out in Hyde Park, and I accidentally locked my keys in my car and Andy & Ams drove out with my spare to rescue me. 

Wednesday. Sarah & I opened with our new hire Jake in training. After work I took a nap and hit up The Anchor for a bit, and then Andy & I ran out to Dusmesh to try their dinner entrees. I had chicken tikka masala with some vegetable samosas and bhatura. Phenomenal. Simply phenomenal. And so much food: I couldn't finish it, and that's saying somethin'. Emily came over and we played with a BB gun we found in the basement, and Isaac came over and we joined Andy watching nature documentaries and "Drunk History." Emily left and Isaac, Andy & I took a late-night drive east out of Cincinnati, through the quaint and Gilmore Girl-esque towns of Mariemont and Milford, and beyond there were McDonalds and CVS Pharmacies and Kroger stores. "Everything's the same everywhere," Isaac mused, noting how the temperature drops five degrees when you get outside the smog-laden city limits. We took 275 into Kentucky and then jumped onto 471N back into Cincinnati, and the dark clouds above the skyline were flickering with pulsing bursts of lightning. 

Thursday. Tiffany & I opened, and I was thankful we had to deal with less chaos than usual. "Ever since you started running mornings, our days are smoother and our sales are up," Brandon told me. "It's been noted." I went to The Anchor to perk up with coffee, foregoing my nap. I'm reading through 2 Corinthians, and it's been eye-opening, to say the least. The highlight of my evening: playing MW3 with Amos back at his place in Over the Rhine.

Friday. Emily & I opened; it's fun working with her, I hardly ever get the opportunity since she's been Isaac's slave over at Carew for the last couple months. The morning was chaotic, but we were a grade-A team. Brandon always notes how we're kick-ass working together, we flow really well. I took a long nap and got Chipotle for dinner. I went on a drive through Eden Park, the storm-clouds pierced by the sun, and then I went to Dayton to pick up my ESV study bible and to see Dad. We caught up on the front porch, watching the cold front's storms recede, Tanner & Sky curled up at our feet. Sky doesn't really like Tanner, but she tolerates him; it's clear that she's the alpha between them. On my way back home I ran by the Speedway on Yankee and saw Mom & Grandma there refueling after their trip home from up north. I headed back home, swinging by Brandon's loft on Vine, and we hung out for a while and then I returned to the Claypole House to hang out with the roommates till 3 AM, listening to music and playing NBA JAM. Andy & I were on the front porch enjoying this frigid autumn-esque night and takin' pictures, and Andy said, "Did you hear about that actress who got stabbed? Her name was Reese something." "Liam Neeson?" I asked. 

Saturday. Quite the busy day. It started off with pastries and a pale horse bourbon latte at 1215 with Brandon & Cat, and then Brandon & I went to Fountain Square to see Luke and his band (Phatty and the Mojos) play for Rock Bottom's 16th Anniversary Party.  Luke's phenomenal on guitar, I must say. Brandon & I went by Carew down the street to see Emily & Sheffy (a new hire who's absolutely ballin'). Brandon & I went back to the square and won free Rock Bottom t-shirts, and when Emily got off work she joined us over at Brandon's to hang out for a couple hours. She left and we met up with Blake at The Anchor. It was Brandon's first time, he loved it: "This place is so epic!" The night ended seeing Gabe & Sarah's band, They Had Voices, playing at Mainstays Bar. Brandon, Emily & I clung to the far right corner in the back (I was enclosed on three sides, it was awesome), and we had a few beers and then everyone headed their separate ways. I rounded out the night playing NBA JAM with Blake and then went to bed.

Sunday. Brunch was a crepe from It's Just Crepes downtown, and Blake and I visited Andy & Emily at Carew. I spent my afternoon reading on the front porch and writing at The Anchor, and then Andy & I went to the Grand China Buffet on Glenway for dinner. It really messed with my stomach, I knew it would. If memory serves me correctly the last time I went there was back in, say, September or October of last year. Those were simpler times, I often find myself looking back on them. Things have changed since then, some changes being good, others being bad. I know those days weren't as perfect as I imagine them to be, but memories change and hindsight's nothing more than forgetting some things and enhancing others, reinterpreting things through a different sort of lens. I'm working on contentment where I'm at now, but I still long for those days like a freezing beggar longs for a winter coat.

the 58th week

Andy & Blake at U.D.F. These are my friends.

Monday. Amos & I left the Claypole House around 5:35 AM: I opened at 600, he opened at Carew, covering for Isaac who's still in Portland but getting back tomorrow. Sarah was my opener, and we rocked it out with our Brazilian sidekick Ana. After work I ran some errands and went to The Anchor for a bit, and then Emily came over bearing gifts: some Raging Bitch Belgian-style India pale ale. We sat on the front porch and enjoyed the beers, and Tiffany joined us for a bit and then Brandon arrived. Amos & Brandy came over, and we all hung out late into the evening, and when Ams came home she came with her own gifts: Rally's for dinner. I ate on the front porch in the dead of night and then went to bed.

Tuesday. I opened with James, and when I got home Gambill came by to pick up his bike. We sat on the front porch and caught up; I haven't seen him since Mandy left, and now the drama's subsided. Some, those who know him least, may call me crazy, but I do miss our friendship. I went to The Anchor to read Rise to Rebellion, all about the events leading up to the American Revolution, and I ate dinner there, too: a western omelette with a side of biscuits and gravy. I went over to Amos' for a bit. Erin's sister is in town. We hung out with Brandy and Ams joined us later in the night. 

Wednesday. I went to The Anchor before work, and after closing down 600, Andy & I headed down into Florence for an amazing Cracker Barrel dinner: 2 eggs, sausage, ham, bacon, grits, fried apples, hash-browns, dumplins, and three biscuits and gravy for only $10! It's such a deal, we've got to take advantage of that more often. We talked about how Amos is moved out, how Ams is moving in with Sarah at the beginning of September, how Andy's looking for his own place. I don't know what Blake's doing yet, haven't talked to him about since I never see him during the week since he works 3rd shift. Nevertheless, I've been looking at apartments around Cincinnati, especially Northside. Part of me would like to stay at the Claypole House for a while more, but a change may be good for me. And, soon, it may be necessary.

Thursday. Brandon & I opened, and after work I took a long-ass nap and then picked Amos up from downtown around 6:00, and we went back to his place for an evening hanging out with John & Brandy, playing video games and eating a delicious impromptu meal courtesy of John: barbecue chicken cooked on the grill, paired with mashed potatoes and baked beans. 

Friday. I went to The Anchor before closing with Amos, spent my time there drinking coffee and researching apartments yet again. As of now I can afford anything at or below $500, and Northside has lots of options, not to mention it's not West Price Hill. If everything unravels according to plan, I'm looking for a move-in date around the beginning of October. It'd be nice having my own place, a grown-up move, though word is that C. Isaac is looking into the Claypole House if Andy & Blake both leave. There's the option of staying at the Claypole House, if that were to happen, but still: a change might do me well, rip me from this awful stagnation of the last couple months. After work I talked with Mandy over Skype, and Blake, Andy, and Amos joined us on the front porch for some classic Front Porch Timez (yes, with a Z), and Isaac was there, too. I got Wendy's for dinner and spent the evening watching British sitcoms with Blake and enjoying good midnight conversation with Andy on the front porch. Blake and I heard fireworks, and he exclaimed, in not-so-subtle but beloved mockery, "What is that? Antietam?" I love him.

Saturday. I went to The Anchor and then had Dusmesh for lunch with Andy. I took a three-hour nap and then went to Miami Whitewater down 74. It was nice and woodsy with a ruddy lake. My arms got tore up by bugs, but nothing comparable to Brandy: 100+ bites (she counted), plus a spider bite on her face. It was good to get out of the city. I smelled a skunk and liked it. Blayne came over, and we went to UDF for ice cream (Blake & I both got peanut butter shakes), and I did some more apartment searching before chatting with the Wisconsinite before bed. She'll be making a trip down here the last week of September, I look forward to it.

Sunday. I had McDonald's for breakfast and then ran to Carew to see Andy & Isaac and to get a drink. I spent the afternoon playing Grand Theft Auto IV, doing laundry, cleaning my room, and reading Rise to Rebellion. It's superbly good, I'm 300+ pages into it, just past Lexington & Concord. I went to The Anchor for coffee, hammering out some posts to be unveiled. This blog's really been hit-or-miss lately, and I'm seeking to remedy that. Once my coffee was drained, I returned home and hung out with Blake & Andy, and then I ended the night with some oven-baked pizza and Moscato on the front porch.

As mentioned above, I spent a considerable amount of time stitching together some posts to be published throughout this week. I haven't forgotten The Quest, have been thinking about it a lot, and I think it's time to get a lot of this stuff out of my head and onto the screen. I'm not promising anything good, great, grand, or even decent (after all, these are my thoughts, so they may very well be frightening). But the time for me to "catch up" with The Quest has come, and I hope these upcoming posts will be interesting for those who care enough to read. Koalabeast out!

the 57th week

Monday. Sarah and I opened, and I got off a bit early and ran up to the Atrium Medical Center in Middletown to get some lung function tests (per mother's request). I'm no fan of hospitals (big surprise), though I did almost fall asleep in their overstuffed chairs in the waiting room. The test took about an hour, and then I headed a few miles farther north to visit Mom, Aunt Teri & Grandma at the house, and then I hiked over to Tyler's and we spent the evening watching Breaking Bad, eating Wendy's for dinner, playing MW3, and hanging out with his neighbors in the apartment below. It was quite a good evening.

Tuesday. I opened with Sarah yet again, and then Mom, Grandma, Aunt Teri & Ams came into T.M. to grab lunch with me, and then we all headed up to Dayton for Mom's belated Christmas gift: a hot air balloon ride! It was fantastic: it's so still and quiet up there, and we saw deer and spooked a herd of cattle and dogs were chasing us far below. It's crazy how much greenspace there is, everything looks so developed from the roads. It gives you an idea of the vast expanse of undeveloped American land. We had a champagne toast after the flight (it's a French custom; the French invented hot air balloons), and we got late-night Marion's Pizza before Ams & I headed back to Cincinnati.

Wednesday. I didn't go in till 10:00, so I got to sleep in and hit up The Anchor before closing with Amos. I took Amos home, the Loth House, and I scouted his new room: it's either an abandoned wine cellar or storm bunker, and it's pretty rustic and cool. We played some video games and hung out with John & Brandy, who live there, too, and I headed home and had a healthy dinner and watched 30 Rock.

Thursday. I went to The Anchor for coffee and to read The Last Full Measure. I should have it done by the end of the weekend. Amos & I closed, and then we ran by the Kroghetto and went back to his place to grill out on John's new monster-truck grill: steaks, shells & cheese, portabello mushrooms, and green & pole beans. Brandy milled about while we cooked and scavenged the remnants. "You two cooking together is always something to watch!" We watched "Deadly Women" on Netflix and Andy joined us for some C.O.D. in the Cellar (not the Dungeon, that's a Claypole designation, the titles are different). Some decent storms came through, there were five tornadoes across the border in Indiana, and back home I rounded out the night sitting on the front porch reading The Last Full Measure with the rain falling all around.


Friday. I went to The Anchor before my 10-close with Amos. It was a pretty hectic day, and another storm chased its way downtown. I happened to be on Fountain Square when it happened, the merchants' tents being torn from their struts, the trees all bowed over, the patrons at Mint Martini scrambling to get inside as the patio umbrellas turned up in the driving rain. I took Amos home after work and stayed there for a while, playing MW3 and hanging with him, John, Brandy, & Erin. "This is basically an extension of The Claypole House," Brandy said. "Now there's just two houses instead of one!" 


Saturday. I did coffee at The Anchor and ran downtown to deliver some things to Emily at Carew. Amos & I devoured some Dusmesh and took a plate down to Andy, who was also working Carew. Amos & I returned to his place and played video games and watched The Patriot with Brandy. I got back home around 8:00, and after a much-needed shower, Andy & I picked up nachos and wings from Rock Bottom downtown, and we feasted while watching Woody Allen's Annie Hall.


Sunday. I had my becoming-ritual breakfast burritos, and then I sat on the front porch and finished The Last Full Measure, and I celebrated by finishing the Ken Burns' serial documentary of The Civil War. I went down to Carew to see Emily & Andy and also to get an iced soy mocha. I spent the afternoon doing some much needed R&R, and then I went to the Starbucks in Mariemont for a bit and then hiked over to The Anchor to do some writing. I went over to Amos' yet again, and we played MW3. Andy came by, joined us for a bit, and then we all went back to The Claypole House: Amos is opening Carew tomorrow, with C. Isaac being in Portland visiting Rob & Mandy, and since I'm opening 600, he's hitching a ride with me come morning.


It's been a pretty good week.
I've really needed that.

the 56th week

this is what we're losing

Monday. James and I opened; he's back to help this week since we're super understaffed. President Obama ate at the Skyline across the street, there was much ado about it all downtown. I spent the evening after work eating sunflower seeds and watching the third Transformers movie. "This is a 2 1/2 hour commercial for Optimus Prime Jet-pack," Andy said. Everyone at the house went over to Brandy's for the night, but I had a nasty headache so I stayed back home. I felt restless so I went to The Anchor, and then I ended up meeting up with Emily and Isaac at Roh's Street Cafe. She and Gabe just returned from vacation in Austin, where they got married. They had a pretty exciting honeymoon, and not in the way you like. Indiana is filled with its trickeries.

Tuesday. I went to The Anchor before closing with Stephanie. Amos, Emily, Brandon & Isaac are doing their Serv-Safe certifications this week. "Why the two people who work with food the most weren't part of the first batch beats me," Tiffany said. She has a point. With our store at a skeleton crew, and with Sarah on vacation in Florida, Tiffany & I had been "left behind" so-to-speak to make sure things aren't run into the ground. I went back to The Anchor after work, then met up with a friend at Rock Bottom and had a couple Summer Honey Ales. Good times.

Wednesday. I woke late and missed The Anchor, so I went by McDonald's for some breakfast burritos before going in early to try and take care of some things before I had to jump behind the counter. It was pretty much chaos when I got in, so I leapt in and we had it under control in 'bout forty-five minutes. The rest of the evening was smooth, despite a catering order delivery at 4:00 (don't even get me started about T.M. catering...), and I finished the last delivery just as the sky turned black and a storm broke. I rushed outside in awe at how the storm's advance could be seen in the sleek skyscraper windows, and I went across the street to join Luke who was taking a break from brewing beer to do the same thing. Once the rain hammered down, I clung to the bay windows watching it all. Power outages, wrecks everyone, flooding... It was a nice summer storm. I went over to Brandon's apartment right after work, and he cooked an amazing Thai dish (he's quite the chef) while Emily and I tried to figure out her new IPAD. "The biggest plate is for you, thanks for keeping me sane at work." After work I drove up to Dayton to see Joe. "The lymph nodes are definitely smaller, they're normal-sized now." That was quite the relief, like a weight off my shoulders; and some of my other concerns were addressed, but they weren't as concerning as I thought. I've just been paying so much attention to my body, it seems, that I've been noticing things I haven't before. 

Thursday. I woke thinking, "It's only Thursday?" Work's been ravaging my soul and strength these last couple weeks. Sometimes it's like I assume to be going in early or staying late, knowing the whole time we'll be trying to get the job done and done well without enough people and lacking in basic needs, and at the end of the day you hope you did a good enough job so that tomorrow won't be as crazy as you assume it'll be. That's T.M. right now, and we're losing Stephanie who's a bad-ass barista, and Andy's virtually put in his two weeks. But we're hiring a few new people, and if they're good hires, that could be good. I went to The Anchor after work--"Your zen," Brandon said--and then drove out east to explore uncharted territories and to uncover hidden vistas. And I did a damned good job, too.

Friday. I opened with Stephanie, her last day. At the close of my shift I went across the street to Rock Bottom and got a growler of their K-9 English Session beer off Luke. Andy & I crossed paths, and we walked to our cars together, talking about the War of the Roses. "English history is like Game of Thrones, except it's real," Andy quipped. Amos & Blake joined us for coffee and breakfast dinner at the Anchor, with Damien Jurado playing on the jukebox (our tradition). We rounded out the night hanging out upstairs in Blake's room playing NBA Jam. It's phenomenal. A good highlight: got to talk to Mandy out in Portland! She's constantly putting pictures of the area on facebook, the landscape taunting me. "We have rain forests, out here!" she exclaimed. Yes, Mandy, I know they have rain-forests: I zip-lined through them! The Pacific Northwest has always held a certain place in my heart, and I'm so jealous that she gets to live in it.

Saturday. I went to The Anchor and then got lunch at Dusmesh with Amos & Andy. I spent the afternoon napping and writing, and Amos moved most of his things over to Brandy's. I honestly didn't realize he was moving out so soon. Around 8:00 people started showing up for our ill-advertised Big Lebowski Party. We drank white russians, at egg rolls and spinach dip (unrelated), and watch the movie. Jessie & Tony came, and it was nice catching up with her. Encouraging and refreshing. The party lasted till 'bout dawn, ending with Andy territorially pissing on the maple tree out front and Isaac puking his guts out in the basement with only a few hours to spare before opening at Carew. Blake & I were up until 3:30 AM playing NBA Jam. Ams missed the party, went up north to be in Anna H.'s wedding.

Sunday. I got McDonald's for breakfast and ate it while watching 10 Items or Less. "This is so 600 Vine," Tiffany remarked. I went down to Carew to get a drink and to visit Isaac & Emily before running to the bank in Delhi (it feels like Appalachia out there). I spent the afternoon cleaning, doing laundry, and journaling--much has been on my mind. Isaac & Emily came over after closing Carew, and we hung out for a while and then Blake and I went to The Anchor. He got chocolate pie and I got an omelette with home fries and wheat toast. Both of us got coffee, of course. We had some good talks, some serious and some not-so-serious, and it was a pretty good time. I spent the rest of my evening reading The Last Full Measure and watching Ken Burns' The Civil War mini-series. Only one more episode to go and I've watched them all! Then on to something new.

the 55th week

Fountain Square is waaaay too crowded for my tastes

Monday. Sarah & I opened together, and after hanging out with Blakey a bit back at the house I went to The Anchor and spent much of the afternoon and evening writing. It was a low-key night hanging out with the roommates. Andy and I ordered nachos from Rock Bottom and I picked them up and we ate them in front of "The Office".

Tuesday. I went to The Anchor before closing with Amos, and we rushed to my car to try and outrun the World Choir Games parade that had downtown packed to the gills. The evening was spent watching TV and playing video games with Amos. Andy's been applying for jobs, has a couple interview. I need to get on that. Ams & I had a good heart-to-heart, albeit over text (since she was working), and I can empathize with her. I feel lonely and lifeless, envious of the happiness of the families all around me. Empty, barren, poured-out and stretched thin, aching for the fresh wind of change but feeling only the stifling and stagnant humidity.

Wednesday. I did another bout at The Anchor before closing with Brandon. The rest of the evening was spent (a) reading The Last Full Measure, (b) gamin' with Amos, and (c) hanging out with Patrick D.: we got dinner at the Irish Pub downtown, and my Bass Red Ale came free from the head chef (he gets a large caramel latte, religiously). Pat remarked, "I can't go anywhere with you downtown without someone giving you free drinks!" And to top it off, my mussels in a garlic-white wine herb broth were off-the-charts, far better than my own previous attempts at home-steamed mussels. Pat & I returned to my place, and we sat on the back porch and played some Call of Duty. "Doesn't this remind you of when we used to go over to Chris & Lee's just to play Goldeneye on the N64 for hours?" Pat remarked. We spent much of the evening on the front porch talking about our stations in life. It's always good to talk to him about such things. He pointed out that though I may be fearful about the future, I've got a good head on my shoulders and am decently well-grounded. I may not have everything figured out, but I'm asking questions lots of people don't, and I've got more squared away than many.

Thursday. Stephanie and I opened together, had a really solid morning despite a rushed catering order. I grabbed Chipotle for dinner, talked with Ams for a bit back home, and spent the evening hanging out with Amos & Andy. Related to my health: the lymph nodes still haven't grown, and indeed they may even be smaller! I'm calming down, slowly but surely, though sometimes I still freak out, and the stress, albeit less intense, remains. Most, if not all, of my current complaints are most likely due to stress. And I'm not alone: the aches & pains are shared among all of those slaving away at 600 Vine. There are moments when I start thinking I have lymphoma again: but the nodes don't match, and the gauntlet of tests tell me that my blood is exceptional and I have healthy bones. There's really no reason to worry, except for that little beast called Uncertainty, and yet--at times--I do, even to the point of letting the unknown of it all cloud my entire day is the most unfortunate way. But I must let logic & reason trump all irrational fears birthed from paranoia.

Friday. I went to The Anchor but had to leave early, since Stephanie was violently sick. The World Choir Games are coming to an end, but the 90,000 foreigners who've descended upon the city have spread germs unknown to us, and now Cincinnati's reporting a skyrocketing number of sicknesses. On my way in I was stuck in traffic downtown for fifteen minutes, and I was stopped at the light on 5th and Vine for two signal changes because someone decided to just start unloading their car in the middle of the road to get to Fountain Square with no concern for the other drivers. Truly irritated me. If I had road rage... Today was Tiffany's 26th birthday, so we celebrated with some free Rock Bottom in the back room: brewery nachos, ballpark pretzels, and a growler of the Summer Honey Ale. We downed most of the growler before the lunch rush, and thus we were feeling pretty good once the chaos began. After work Brandon had to take the Tazz Mobile to 1215, so I rode along. I spent the night in Dayton, needing to get out of the jam-packed city (see picture above), and Grandma & I sat out on the front porch long past sunset. Mom & Dad went to Cincinnati for the Red's Game, so it was just me and Grandma, and we made do. When she went to bed I cuddled with Sky on the sofa and she fell asleep while we watched Civil War documentaries. On a sad note, Grandma told me that Grandpa has cancer, as does his two sisters. Cancer, cancer. It's all over the place these days. It used to be called death by natural causes; now we have names for all of them. My prayers go out to him. "I wish no ill of him," Grandma said, "despite all he's done to us." She's one of the most forgiving people I know. It's true what I told Brandon: "Being home, around unconditional love, is the best remedy to my stress and anxiety."

Saturday. Grandma & I started the morning with coffee and the newspaper on the front porch, Tanner curled up at my feet. We got McDonald's for breakfast and LaRosa's for lunch (Dad joining us after his run). I went over to Tyler's for a bit, and we talked and listened to music (he's really into Rihanna & Katy Perry for some reason), and we shot zombies on Call of Duty: World at War. I went to The Anchor on my drive home, and I spent the evening hanging out with Blake & Amos. I went on a city-lights drive across the bridge to Newport and went to the Beer Sellar on the river. I just got a diet coke, 'cause beer messes with my stomach, and I sat on the barge's deck and watched the fireworks from Covington reflecting in the skyscraper windows across the river (and, with the river, you know I imagined it to be the sounds of that cursed stone wall the Federals sought to take after crossing the river at Fredericksburg). I was wearing stained shorts, a green t-shirt WAY too big for me, my hair was a mess and my black shoes with white socks couldn't even touch the ground from the stool. I was a hot mess and got more than a couple second-takes, and I smiled, thought, I'm the craziest person these people could ever know. You wouldn't expect it from a 25-year-old who looks like he's 16 tops. The highlight of the day was an hour-long phone conversation with Mandy K., catching up on life. It was supposed to be only ten minutes, but you know how that goes. It was really great to talk to her, to laugh with her, to hear her voice. We've been exchanging emails during her time "in the field" at Camp Grow, and I like that.

Sunday. I went to The Anchor and watched some Youtube videos countering the New Atheism movements. Some were super good, others superbly pathetic. After running errands in Delhi, I waited out a thunderous storm and then drove to Dayton (yes, again: I forgot my netbook charger at Mom & Dad's), and I waited out yet another storm at Tyler's playing Call of Duty. I returned to Cincinnati, played hockey with Amos, went on a sunset drive, and enjoyed Front Porch Timez (yes, with a Z) with Andy & Isaac. I was in bed by 10:00. Ams, having read one of my recent blog posts, remarked, "You really ARE an old man!" 

the 54th week

600 Vine group shot! Not pictured: Amos, Emily, & Sarah

Monday. Sarah and I opened, had a really solid morning. After work I napped till 5:00, and Emily brought Amos home after closing 600, and Andy joined us in the basement to shoot the shit and share work-related frustrations. It helps to get it out. Brandy came over with the gift of Chipotle. People started filing out as darkness fell, and I went for a drive through Eden Park. I like these drives 'cause the world seems to stop and I have time to actually breathe and think.

The 149th Anniversary of the Last Day of Gettysburg. I went to The Anchor before closing shop with Amos. Bob wants us to be open tomorrow for The World Choir Games, so Brandon & I are going in with Ana in case business warrants the salad bar. I'd like to have tomorrow off work with all my buddies, but oh well: I'll be getting paid time and a half! Ha, as if. After work Andy, Sarah & I went over to Rock Bottom for some Summery Honey Ales. Brandy & Aaron came over later in the evening, and we made a fire and played the drinking game Train, and we had hot dogs and s'mores and I was in bed by 11:00. The party raged long after, late into the night, 'till 4 A.M. The party was a success, with not one but two blackouts. Pickett's charge, perhaps one of the greatest mistakes of the Civil War and the landmark tragedy of Gettysburg, took place on this day 149 years ago, thus ending the battle.

Independence Day. Today begins The Choir Games, and when I went into work, downtown was vacant. Brandon & I had no more than two customers from 7:30-10:00, and the building charged us $250 to turn on the AC, and once we learned about it, we shut everything down. We ran by Carew to see Isaac, Gina & Shannon, and then I took Brandon home. Isaac came by the house, and Sarah came over around 3:00, followed by Emily at 4:00. We hung out in the basement, laughing till our guts hurt. Isaac & Amos went out to Indiana and the girls went their separate ways. I grabbed Subway for lunch, took a walk 'round Eden Park, and Andy & I went for a walk out to C.C.U., and we went to the rock ledge and watched the fireworks peppering the hills beyond and across the river. I ended the night on the front porch reading The Last Full Measure and pretending the fireworks were the distant sounds of Bristoe Station (not Gettysburg; we're past that). A misguided firecracker burst low over our roof and showered the street in red fire. Bits and pieces of it fell from the sky and lodged in our maple tree and fell onto our neighbors' S.U.V.

Thursday. The Choir Games are in full swing, and Asians have taken over downtown Cincinnati. And you know they're taking pictures of everything. "Let's be honest," Brandon said: "This isn't The Choir Games. It's the Asian Choir Olympics." Emily & I (and Blake too) refer to it as "The Hunger Games", though that can be politically misleading. I went to The Anchor after doing Food Prep for Ana, reshaping some more of The Procyon Strain: Book One. I just can't seem to pull it together. Amos & I grabbed Wendy's for dinner, and we spent the evening hanging out with Blake & Andy. Interesting news: Matthew & Shelby, who were married in May, are several weeks pregnant. Honeymoon Baby.

Friday. I ran by the bank and got coffee at The Anchor before closing 600 with Brandon & Sarah. It was a quick close, and I went over to Brandon's for a bit before heading home. Blake, Ams, Andy & I went to The Anchor for dinner. The evening service was awful, it generally is. I didn't get my O.J. and the others didn't get their coffee! Back home we spent the night hanging out with John & Brandy and Josh & Isaac. Leah told me today was Carly's last day at Spring Valley. Apparently she's being transferred down to somewhere in my neck of the woods. Jessica S., who used to date Chris way back in the day, found out Chris W. & I don't talk anymore, and wondered why. "You guys were like best friends!" I couldn't give her an answer. We just drifted apart. Life's like that: a revolving door.

Saturday. I went to The Anchor and sent out an email to The Wisconsinite, just filling her in on all that's been happening. I'm glad that we still have a pretty solid, open, and comfortable friendship. I grabbed some McDonald's for brunch, and Blake & I hit up Carew for coffee and a peanut butter cookie and to visit Andy & Isaac. Gabe & Emily came by the house to hang out for a bit. They're heading out to Austin tomorrow, finally getting hitched. I spent the evening writing, finally finished my FINAL revision of The Procyon Strain: Book One. It's around 250 pages, where I want each book to be. Amos spent the day partying with Brandy, Blake went and visited some friends, and Ams worked. Andy came home but only for a little bit. So I sat on the porch for hours and read The Last Full Measure, and Eric & Tiffany were at their mother's, and Eric brought Adler over so she could ask me a question: "Antwonz, can you talk?" I laughed, said, "Yes, Adler, as a matter of fact I do!" I went for a late-night drive with some Sobe and hung out with Ams for a bit late into the night. Carly's transferring to the 'Bux on 4th and Vine, just a hop and a skip (quite literally) from my place on 6th Street!

Sunday. Andy & I got Dusmesh for lunch: it'd been a while, and I gorged myself. I took my ritualistic Indian nap when we got home, and Ams & I had some much-needed alone time, talking about things swirling around us in this weird world we live in. I went to The Anchor to do some more writing, and the rest of my night was spent hanging out with Blake & Amos and watching Civil War documentaries online. Ams and I were supposed to go on a hot air balloon ride today with Dad (Mom's scared of heights, is going to trail us in the car), but the late-evening storms demanded a rain-check. 

the 53rd week

photo courtesy of Cat-Herine.
from the Rock Bottom Brewery botanical gardens

Monday. Work: uneventful. My day: likewise. The highlight: a roommate dinner of linguini, alfredo, mushrooms and broccoli, with grilled chicken and artisan bread. I must come to accept the fact that putting my life on stand-by waiting for a resolution that will never come does nothing but breeds stagnation. 

Tuesday. I went to The Anchor before closing 600. There was lots of chaos when I walked in: Tiffany stressed out and threatening to quit, Brandon going crazy with stress, and Ana quietly observing it all. Brandon and I enjoyed a cigarette by the fountain before parting ways, and I went to the duck pond at Eden Park and read up on the 20th Maine's defense of Little Round Top at Gettysburg, and then I broiled steak for dinner while Isaac and Josh brewed honey beer in the kitchen, and Blake got home from Portland and we crowded his room and watched The Hangover 2. 

Wednesday. I went to The Anchor before closing with Brandon. After work we met up with Amos & Cat at Rock Bottom for beers and food: fried calamari, ball park pretzels, and pork sliders (and those were just the appetizers). I had a Summery Honey Ale and a Belgian White, was feeling pretty good. The evening was spent reading The Killer Angels.

Mom's Birthday. Last year this time we were in Savannah, Georgia. I miss that place, I really do. I worked Food Prep today, and it was another crazy day: USFoods came late again, we were understaffed and slammed with the 104 degree heat wave. I was going to get a beer from Rock Bottom and sit on the patio, but it was too damned hot and I was too damned tired, so I just went home and passed out with my A.C. blasting. Andy and I went to Kroger, and we watched "Ghosbusters" and had a dinner of fruity pebbles and popsicles. Brandon came over for a bit, and we sat in the dungeon and talked about all the frustrations we have with work at the moment. I confessed to Amos, "I've been missing the 'Bux a lot lately: the organization, the staffing, the procedures, the financial security, the benefits." He can't blame me. Brandon left and I went for a drive--some church was burning on State Avenue, people were crowding the viaduct overlook to watch--and I rounded out the night reading The Killer Angels.

Friday. Isaac & I met up at The Anchor for much-missed cigarettes, coffee, and conversation. We talked about all the chaos at work, "The Farm" (a communal project he's throwing together at a 'political pace'), and we reminisced on the days when Rob was around, when all of Tazza Mia was like a family. Now the comraderie has diminished to me, Isaac, Amos, Andy, Emily and Brandon (with Tiffany as an honorary member). We both headed off to the work, him to Carew and myself to 600, and I closed with Amos. It was a slow day, and a freaky windstorm blew through the city right at close, the towering buildings serving as wind tunnels. Ams happened to come by, and we went to Chipotle across the street on Fountain Square, and on our way back to the store it started to rain a hammering rain, like a tropical rain. Trash was blowing horizontal through the air, and she gave me a lift to my car and took Amos home. Route 50 looked as if it were the New Orleans dam right before breaking, surges of water breaking against the barricades and surging up like shattered waves glistening in the lightning. It was pretty incredible. When the storm passed it was much cooler, no longer in the 100s, and Brandon came by, and we hung out for a while. He went home to play piano, Andy was in bed by 9:00, and everyone else quickly followed suit. I alone rocked out my Friday night, staying up till 3 A.M. reading The Killer Angels on the front porch.

Saturday. Blake & I shared that awkward moment when we both leave the house separately at the same time and end up going to the same place: McDonald's. We were both just craving their breakfast. It could've been a commercial. I went to The Anchor come evening and finished The Killer Angels, and I celebrated with (a) a western omelette with home fries slathered in onions and gravy, wheat toast and coffee; and (b) back home I finished watching Gettysburg, the book's movie adaptation. It was such a damn good book, I can't wait to start the next (and last) of the trilogy: The Last Full Measure. Isaac came by for a while and passed out on our sofa after hookah, The Big Lebowski, Burn After Reading, and lego sculpting with Andy.

Sunday. Amos, Isaac and I hung out as we got up, and I grabbed breakfast burritos and watched The Office and then took Amos downtown to do inventory at 600. I picked up an iced soy mocha on my way out and jetted up to Centerville to hang out with Tyler. We played MW3 and watched an IMAX movie on the giant dinosaurs of Patagonia. I hung out with Mom, Dad, Grandma & the dogs at my parents' house, and we had Tombstone pizza and watched another storm roll through. Back in Cincinnati I spent the remaining hours of my Sunday night hanging out with the roommates and sitting on the front porch in the damp Georgian air listening to the fireworks that sounded like musketfire and the distant eastern thunder rolling like cannon. Fitting: today is the 149th anniversary of the first day's fighting at Gettysburg. 

I decided to keep this thing going, obviously.

For how long? Who can say?

But I figured I should post on this blog, at least, four times a month.

So in a worse-case scenario, this fits the bill.

the final(?) week

1 Year at The Claypole House. She's been good to me.

Monday. I opened with Sarah, and then after a nap, Amos and I went over to Emily's to relax after a hellish day at work. One of the Health Inspectors for the World Choir Games came in and wants to shut us down, the whole thing is ridiculous. I think we'll be all right, though. There's a hearing about it sometime next week, and I'm unsure who called for it. John and Brandy came over later in the night, and so did Brandon, bearing the gift of peace, much-needed peace. Ams came home from her stint in Dayton over the weekend, watching the house for Mom & Dad who are in Arizona, and she brought Sky with her. "She almost got hit by a car today," Ams told me. Sky's not really the brightest mutt around.

The Last Day of Spring. I slept in and then closed with Emily. The Health Inspector came in again, raising more havoc, but I don't think he'll be back again till next week. I hung out with Amos and Isaac after work, and then I went to Eden Park for a bit to do some reading--The Killer Angels, it's an excellent book--and then grabbed Wendy's for dinner. It was an early bedtime for me and Sky. Oh: Blake left for Portland today. He's visiting Rob & Mandy. Am I jealous? Certainly so.

The First Day of Summer. Tiffany and I opened, and we were ridiculously busy. Everything's back up and running and business is good. Andy and I played Grand Theft Auto IV in the dungeon after work, and then I met up with Dewenter on Fountain Square, kicking off the summer with beers and dinner at Rock Bottom Brewery. Megan hit us up with a discount and I used one of my $25 gift cards to cover the rest (leaving a decent tip, of course). Dewenter and I sat out on the Square after stuffing ourselves with nachos, pasta, and a triple chocolate brownie smothered in vanilla ice cream and hot fudge. We watched a Reggae band playing for 2012's "Summer on the Square" concert series, and they basically covered 80's songs in a retrofitted Reggae feel. I didn't get the band's name and made sure of that. We parted ways, and I took Sky for a delightful walk around campus, reliving cryptic and half-buried memories. Those days at C.C.U. feel so very long ago, are of a different chapter in my life, and I kinda feel like remembering them is like looking through someone else's memoirs. 

One Year at the Claypole House! I woke feeling sick after a bad dream, but work took the edge off. I headed up to Dayton with Sky; she much prefers being in her home environment. She was surrounded by people she didn't know--namely Amos and Andy--and she seemed pretty uncomfortable. But can you blame her? Just look at them. The evening was spent hanging out with Tyler at his place: MW3, sushi, and Blue Planet nature documentaries. Ams joined us later in the evening, and both of us stayed at Mom & Dad's place. I watched Civil War documentaries before collapsing into bed around 1 A.M.

Friday. I headed down to Cincinnati to work my 11-6:00 shift, and after hanging out with a few people around the house--the usual crew, plus Isaac & Josh A.--I went back to Dayton for the last night of house-sitting (Ams covered most of it while I watched Sky). I fixed linguine in Alfredo sauce with grilled chicken and vegetables, and it was delicious. Before bed I watched the first part of "Gettysburg", a movie based on The Killer Angels and phenomenal because (a) it's filmed on-location and (b) everything from the troop movements, rifles, epithets and boots is historically accurate. "It helps me better envision an accurate portrayal of the events when I'm reading the book," I told Ams. I'm such a nerd.

Saturday. I grabbed McDonald's for breakfast--I'm a sucker for their breakfast burritos, and they're only a dollar!--and then got coffee from the Centerville Starbucks and perused Barnes & Noble. I spent the morning reading & writing, playing with Sky, and it was a cool morning so I went over to Stubb's Park and walked around for a bit. So much on my mind lately. Ams & I hung out on the back porch for a while, and when she went swimming in Mom's retrofitted pool, I met up with Tony P. & Dewenter at our old stomping-grounds: CHINA COTTAGE! I'd forgotten (but delightfully remembered) how amazing their food is. Appetizer, soup, and the entree were all first-class. I returned to Cincinnati to enjoy a calm evening playing video games with Andy & Amos.

Sunday. I was a fool and left my wallet in Dayton, so I jetted up there upon awakening and spent the afternoon visiting with Mom & Dad, and they shared stories of Navajo Indians and desert livin' from their time doing mission work in Arizona. I returned to Cincinnati and got dinner at Red Robin with Ams, and desert was three tubs of U.D.F. ice cream (3 for $10!) while watching the movie Driver with Amos & Andy.

The plan all along was to give day-to-day descriptions of different parts of my week through my first year in Cincinnati. Well. I've been in Cincinnati a year now. A lot's changed. A lot hasn't changed. And I'm unsure whether or not I want to keep it going. My life honestly isn't that exciting--these posts are about as exciting as I can make it, so you know it's not quite that over-the-top--but at the same time, my nostalgic funny-bone gets tickled by the mere presence of these posts, and I like to trickle through them in a cascading fashion, reliving different moments of my time here. This, along with the fact that I don't write on here incredibly often (or at least not as much as I used to; as far as most blogs go, I'm a machine) makes me want to keep it running. So I've decided to just go ahead and keep running with this until (a) I decide, for whatever reason, to kill it, and (b) there's really no Point B here. And thus the 52nd week comes to a close, and we're launching into summer and into my second year here at this den of pagan degenerates. 

the 51st week

the 1215 Wine Bar & Coffee Lab.
Proudly serving Tazza Mia coffee.

Monday. I went to The Anchor before work, and after a solid close I went over to Brandy's. She just got back from Bonnaroo Music Festival, was pretty exhausted. We hung out for a hot minute, talking 'bout what kind of bacteria we would be based on our personalities, and her roommate Erin stepped barefoot into her Chipotle and ruined it. Back home the evening was spent hanging out with Blake, Amos, Isaac and Andy while watching "Game of Thrones." The final episode of Season 1 is awesome. 

Tuesday. Work was preceded by The Anchor yet again, and after we closed, Amos and I hiked over to the Chipotle on Fountain Square for dinner. The evening was spent smoking pipes, reading on the front porch, and hanging out with the roommates. It was a lot like a mild Georgian summer night, ripe and humid and the insects all abuzz.

Wednesday. I did some writing at The Anchor before closing with Amos. I cleaned out my car after work and ran to get gas and played video games with Amos. Yeah, exciting day.

Thursday. I worked 7:30-3:00 with Stephanie and Tiffany. While putting away the order I found an old unopened growler from Rock Bottom, and I drank about half of it during my shift. I was feeling pretty good during the lunch rush. Brandon and I had a meeting about the role I'll be filling at 600 come autumn: an "official" shift manager and "unofficially" Amos' bitch. "You and Amos will make a great team," he said. After work I took a short nap, and then I grabbed City B.B.Q. for dinner: ribs, baked beans with brisket, and hush puppies. The evening was spent hanging out with Amos, Andy, Isaac, and Josh A., and I went on a few late-night drives, the usual route: up 50 & 'round through Eden Park.

Friday. I covered Ana's F.P. shift, opening with Tiffany and Sarah. After work I jetted up to Dayton, did some shopping with Mom & Dad (finally found iced animal crackers!), and we got dinner at Wendy's. They went to bed early, have to get up way before the crack of dawn, and I followed suit a while after, once I finished watching Holy Rollers: The True Story of Card-Counting Christians. Some old college buds--Pat H., Ryan, James, and Mike F.--were in it, and it was a damned good story. I finished reading Gods & Generals while curled up in the guest bedroom: next up is The Killer Angels.

Saturday. Mom & Dad left around 3:30 AM for the airport: they're spending the next week doing missions work at a Navajo Indiana reservation in Arizona with a bunch of folk from Southwest, including Joe & Cindy. I woke much later and got an iced soy caramel macchiato from Spring Valley, got to see Kyle, Leslie, Ben and Joanne. I spent the afternoon reading and writing, made a trip to Barnes & Nobles but couldn't justify spending money on anything. Ams rolled in to house-sit through Tuesday, so I jetted back down to Cincinnati and spent the afternoon hanging out with Amos, Andy, Isaac and Josh A. Andy and I went to the 1215 Wine Bar & Coffee Lab on Vine Street, sat out on the patio in the cool evening drinking ethiopian harrar and talking about life and all its trimmings. Frank was working, and Bobby Bonder came running down Vine and stopped to chat with us for a hot minute. When we got back Eric and Tiffany were at their mom's house, their kids blowing bubbles, so we milled around with them for a bit, and then Amos, Isaac, and Josh joined us for dinner in Oakley at a place called Noodles, Inc. It was pretty good--I got Pad Thai with grilled chicken and snacked on Amos' edamame--and their fire alarm kept going off. Andy and I went joy-riding to the tunes of Pedro the Lion, and when Isaac and Josh headed home, Amos and I played Call of Duty late into the night. We went out onto the front porch to find Andy drunk off Meade and wearing nothing but his boxers, smoking cigarettes and writing. He lent me three cigarettes and I went on a drive west to Indiana and back, The Black Keys the overture.


Sunday. I went to The Anchor for a hot minute in the morning, and after a round of Call of Duty, Amos and I did lunch at Dusmesh. The afternoon was spent reading, and Brandon came over to hang out for a bit. It's good hanging out with him outside work, when he's not so stressed out about the finite business details. I went for another drive out to Indiana, all the way to Lawrenceburg, and then I went the opposite direction down Route 50 to the Starbucks in Mariemont to do some writing while enjoying an iced soy caramel macchiato and a pumpkin scone. 

the 50th week

A statue at the Eden Park duck pond.
Cincinnati has something for everyone!

Monday. I woke and went to The Anchor to do some writing before closing 600 with Amos. USFoods didn't get our order in 'til 1:15, 'bout seven hours late, and we had to shut down salad bar because we ran out of salads. Brandon was furious, and I don't blame him: we're all getting pretty tired of all the headaches they cause us. Amos and I got out right at 5:30, and he went to John's place for the night, and Andy, Isaac, Ams and I spent the evening watching "Game of Thrones". I did some reading before bed and went on a late-night Wendy's run for dinner (Andy and Ams got pizza).

Tuesday. Another visit to The Anchor was followed by a swift & sure close with Amos. Some tourists snapped photos of my latte art: I'm deceptively cool. The evening was spent hanging out with Amos, playing video games with Amos, and reading Gods & Generals. I watched a few episodes of "Lie to Me" and ate a vegetable wrap for dinner (along with a soft Bonbonnarie molasses cookie). I saw on Facebook that Jessica C. is dating someone now. I felt nothing, just that twinge in my gut, the knot of knowing all along that she'd find someone before me, that's how it works. "We're going to be alone forever," Ams mused. Maybe so, and I can't help but wonder if our standards are too high. I don't know what's worse: being alone or settling for someone who's less than you want, less than you need? The other person's always got it best, so I'll never know. But I do know that settling is hard, especially when you've met someone who's not just met your "ingloriously high" standards but who also exceeded them. 

Wednesday. My morning Anchor trip involved writing blog posts to be unveiled (below). Amos and I closed, and then we packed into Andy's car and went to Kro-Ghetto, and back at the house we had quite the buoyant dinner: grilled pound steaks, homemade mashed potatoes, sweet corn, baked beans and cornbread. We polished it off with some Guinness and pipes. Cat came over for a couple hours, and we sat on the back porch and enjoyed the mild sunset and smoked hookah long past dark. It was good seeing her again.

Thursday. Brandon and I opened, a skeleton crew: it was crazy, but we got through it all right (much praise to Andy for jumping in & helping out during the lunch rush). I left at 3:00 and took a nap and then went to The anchor, and Amos and I played video games when he got home from closing. We got Chipotle for dinner, and the burrito-artisans loved his Anchor Grill t-shirt (as they should) and so they gave him his burrito on the house. I cleaned my room which had been rendered a mess during a strange night terror Monday night (I reorganized my room, so-to-speak, putting stuff in the weirdest places to try and avoid a spider infestation). I rolled the evening out watching some "Lie to Me."

Friday. I went to The Anchor and then closed with Sarah, the new girl. She's pretty cool, worked at Taza (from its birth to its death), so she already knows how to do most of our drunks, and she's a quick study. We got out right on time, and then Amos and I played Call of Duty for a bit before Andrew & Megan Hartman came over. I went to Eden Park to do some reading by the duck pond--Gods & Generals, I'm loving it--and on my way back I ran through Wendy's for a late-night dinner. The rest of the evening was spent smoking hookah with the Hartmans, Blake, Andy & Ams.

Saturday. I spent 1/2 an hour under the back porch, rifling through rot and rubbish to find my car key, which had slipped through the porch's crooked and bowed wooden boards late last night 'round 2 AM. I went to The Anchor but they were having a garage sale in the lot so the place was packed. Thus I vetoed the idea, ran some errands, went to the bank, and then Amos and I got Dusmesh Indian buffet for lunch. I ate so much I felt sick afterwards, but it went away after a cat-nap. I grabbed some coffee from the gas station and headed south to Lexington, and Aunt Teri gave me a tour of both Jared and Jesse's new houses. Jared lives two doors down from Jesse's ex-girlfriend (who just donated a bunch of baby accessories to Jesse for Kennedy), and Jesse's got a mansion-esque stone house with wood flooring in the Kentucky countryside, complete with a horse paddock used by the previous owners. I met Kennedy, Jesse & Mandy's one-month baby, and I held her and fed her and she rooted into my neck and fell asleep on my shoulder. Jesse & Jared and Uncle Bill went to Cincinnati for the Red's Game, so unfortunately I didn't get to see much of them. Aunt Teri and I ran some errands with Ashley (Jared's wife), and we got Starbucks before meeting up with Grandma, Great Aunt Ethel, Barb, Tim & Sonya for dinner at some candlelit Italian restaurant. I went home right after, rolling into Cincinnati around midnight. I was delighted to see Jake and Tony at the house, but I was worn out and could barely stand so I crawled up to my bedroom and promptly passed out.

Sunday. I went to The Anchor for a bit, and Amos, Andy and I got Dusmesh for lunch yet again. I went to the park to read but it was so hot I didn't stay long. Mom & Dad came down to deliver a recliner--"It's only got six bed bugs, so you should be good," Dad quipped--and then we had a family venture down to Newport on the Levee, where we saw the new Snow White movie and got an early dinner at Dewey's Pizza. "You seem quiet," Mom said. "Is everything okay?" I'm tired, worn out, stretched thin, empty, and still recovering from the stress of the last month. Par for the course at this point, but all I need, I think, is a good vacation. They headed back to Dayton, and Amos and I smoked pipes on the front porch and watched "Arrested Development" with Blake, and we played video games with Andy and I went to The Anchor 'round 9:00 and that's where I'm writing this post now (with my handy journal beside me). My netbook's dying, the battery light flashing, and the coffee's cold and the urging for a cigarette is becoming too much to bear, so I'm going to publish this post, close shop, and head back home for a quiet night of anticipated (a) reading: Gods & Generals; and (b) hanging out with the roomies. 

the 49th week

Yep...

Memorial Day. I spent the afternoon with Mom, doing shopping and such and catching up. I've got a NASTY bruise from the blood-work; the vein knotted up something awful. The nurse asked me if I wanted her to try a different spot on the vein, and I told her just to keep going, it was already in there; and now I've got a bruise to prove it. I went out to Caesar's Creek, around 5:00 almost everyone from Dad's side of the family came over for a Memorial Day grill-out. It started to rain just as we got the grill going, but we made do. It was good seeing everybody, and I went to town on cheeseburgers, pasta, baked beans and Macaroni-&-Cheese. I returned to Cincinnati around 10:00, and I hung out with Blake, Andy, Amos & Isaac for a bit before calling it a night.

Tuesday. I worked 6-2:30, an insane day with our equipment breaking down at every turn: the ice machine's broken, the Food Prep cooler stopped working, our computer systems went down, and we were short-staffed. "Par for the course," Tiffany quipped. I echoed her sentiments. I napped after work and went to The Anchor to write, and when I got home I hung out with Amos and Ams, played "Dead Island," and Andy & I grabbed dinner from Chipotle. John and Brandy came over for a while, and Mandy brought my attention to a zombie attack in Florida. "Summon the horses and gather the men, say your last goodbyes to the women and children..."

Wednesday. I woke early and went to The Anchor to do some writing before closing shop with Shameless Amos (a.k.a. Commodore Harvey). Our oven quit working (add it to the list), so I ran over to Rock Bottom and grabbed some nachos w/ chicken for lunch. Megan--the waitress I always get--was there, and I hadn't talked to her for a hot minute, so that was cool. The new hire, Sarah, started today: she's got lots of XP (in the Skyrim sense) and should make a grand addition to the 600 team. Jake was at our house when we got home, his truck idling in the driveway with Brittany crouched inside on her phone: he had to piss before he went in his pants. Amos and I took zombie pictures, played Call of Duty, and I went on a late-night Wendy's run. I was excited about the possibility of a free grill from Tiffany, but it'd accidentally gotten lost in her stuff. She gave me the bad news, then said, "Lenin says you need to stop losing your grills." Ha.

Thursday. I worked 7:30-3:30 covering Ana's Food Prep shift, and after coffee and writing at The Anchor I went to Dewenter's apartment in Fort Thomas. We watched episodes of "The Office", listened to Zeppelin on his scratch-disc, and drove his cat Sunday--his sister's old cat--quite literally up the wall. We broiled some pound steaks and paired them with baked sweet potatoes and mac-&-cheese (with peas!). All this topped off with some bottles of Killian's Irish Red. A series of heavy storms rattled through on my drive home, and all downtown was lit up with reflected lightning as I drove across the McDonald's bridge. It was a sight to see.

Friday. I went to The Anchor before closing with Amos. After work I grabbed Rock Bottom with a friend, and we watched "Joe Dirt". I'd forgotten how much I love that movie. It was a pretty low-key night closed off with some waaaay too soon episodes of "South Park" (but that's what makes South Park great).

Saturday. I woke earlier than anticipated and did some writing at The Anchor, ran by the bank, went for a drive through Mount Aries, and grabbed Dusmesh for lunch with Andy after hanging out with Blake and Ams for a hot minute. I took an impromptu nap, played some "Dead Island," and was bored so I went to The Anchor for a second time today. I hung out with Blake and Andy by the fire Andy made in the backyard, and Andy & I talked about how Cincinnati is such a green city, resplendent with trees everywhere, deer on the roads, and if you were to take a photograph in most places, you could swear you were in an old Appalachian town somewhere. Speaking of deer, I've seen three on the road right by our house in the last week. I went to Dayton to see Mom and Dad, and Dad and I watched some of "The Hatfields & McCoys," and Mom & Dad went to bed so I stayed up and cuddled with Skyler and watched TV before following suit.

Sunday. I woke and got some Starbucks to perk up, and I went to 1/2 Price in Beavercreek to get a few books. Mom and Dad treated me to Frisch's for lunch, and Dad was going on and on about the show we watched last night, some new mini-series or something that just came out on The History Channel. It's a true story, really good with decent actors and good cinematography. I returned to Cincinnati to do laundry and read Gods & Generals, and C. Isaac came over and we hiked over to Brandy's to laugh, eat snacks, and share stories. Andy came by later on, followed by Ams & Amos, and Blake held up the rear. Erin made amazing white chocolate sugar cookies, and everyone went to The Anchor afterwards; I, however, went home and right to bed, a sweltering migraine pulsing behind my temples.