What Will they Think of Next?

Redbull, Monster, Rockstar, we've all heard of the energy drinks. I myself was a Redbull-aholic until I developed a heart murmur and found out my heart would explode if I kept drinking it. But now these companies have taken it one step further and developed a new drink: Cocaine.

No, seriously.

An energy drink billed as a "legal alternative" to the drug, it is 350 percent stronger than Redbull. An ingredient has also been added to numb the throat, just as the drug does. Creator James Kirby says, "I can think of no other product except real Cocaine that could have that effect on the public".

That's friggin scary. What I want to know is, if this is going to provide the same effects as cocaine, why should this be legal but not the "real" thing. After all, they never claimed it was a "safe" alternative, just legal. What is wrong with our country? I can't buy beer on Sundays, but an 8 year old can go buy a drink that will pump 280 milligrams of caffeine into their system. Something's not adding up.

Now, I'm not suggesting that energy drinks should be banned or that you should have to show ID to buy one, but I am wondering how far these companies are going to go. How much more caffeine can we put in one drink? Where do you draw the line? Are we gonna have liquid ecstasy, liquid acid, liquid heroin? And, more importantly, if we do, where can I get some?

Three More Days

In exactly three days from right this very moment- just 72 hours- I will be flying over the Atlantic ocean on my way to three glorious months in Madrid.

Im excited, I'm nervous, I'm impatient, I'm scared. Sometimes I want to do nothing but daydream about my upcoming months and at others I try and shut it out of my thoughts completely. I'm essentially making this trip all on my own. Sure there will be other people from Manhattan at the Complutense, the university I'm attending,but I am not friends with any of these people nor am I certain I will have any of my classes with them. Furthermore, I'm not living in dorms like the majority of the students. Instead, I'll be sharing an apartment with three other people. This could either be awesome or a complete disaster.

On the plus side, my roomates- a french girl and two spanish guys- have lived in the city for some time and are therefore familiar with the local sites. They are also slightly older- out of college- which I don't mind since I tend to get along best with people a few years older than me. However, this could be completely inconsequential since I've also been informed that there is very little interaction between any of the roommates.

On the downside, not only am I living sperately from the students, my apartment is a full 40 minutes from the university. I can deal with doing a 40 minute trip at the beginning and end of my school day, but if I have to go 40 minutes to get everywhere- bars, restuarants, stores- then I'm either hopping on the first flight back to Philly or hoeing it up to some Spanish man with a more conveniently located apartment. Either works for me.

But in the end, what really matter is that I am going to learn some Spanish. I don't care if it kills me, I'm coming back fluent- or at least able to understand a Telemundo soap opera. But, considering I'm taking four Spanish language courses, I think I'll be able to do it. Either way, there's no turning back now: The tickets are booked, my tuition is paid, and my roommates are expecting me. Now I just need to get my ass in gear and pack those bags. Hmmm...maybe I won't be going to Madrid afterall.

25 years of Excellence, One Night of Ridiculousness

Well the Twenty Fifth Birthday Extravaganza has come and gone, and I'm unsure of whether I want to relive Saturday every night for the rest of my life or if I want to forget all about it and never look back again. It was that kind of night.

Because the evening was way too chaotic to assemble into a chronological account, I'll just provide a summary of some of my favorite moments:

1. Bringing Sexy Back...Again and again: Freddie and I have been obsessed with JT's latest masterpiece and were thrilled to find out that everyone else at the party was equally in love. Luckily Liz brought the CD and put it on repeat in both the apartment and the limo. Then, every DJ at every bar we went to played it as well. I would guess that the song was played and danced (hard) to at least a dozen times throughout the night.

2. "I'm TWENTY FIVE!": After a mojito and several bottles of champagne, Emily became very enthusiastic about getting a year older. Mimicking Molly Shannon from one of her popular SNL skits-- who shows off her new boyfriend and boasts about being 50 on talk shows--Emily repeatedly kicked her leg up as high as she could while screaming "Im TENTY FIVE!" at every bar we entered. The bouncers weren't too amused, but I sure as hell loved it. It even inspired me to start a dance with Emily at McFaddens where we repeatedly kicked our legs up in the air to the beat can-can style. It was a huge hit.

3. Little Dave: One of Emily's friends brought with him his roommate from freshman year of college. Little Dave, as we called him, was an extremely awkward individual with pale skin, glasses, and a rather short build. He had called Nops earlier last week to 'inform him he would be in Philadelphia for the weekend' and to ask him if he would "be available". This is how Little Dave talks. We actually debated whether or not he was retarded. We also suspected that he was completely being used by Nops to score chicks, by making him seem like a kind, sensitive guy for hanging out with someone so nerdy and weird. Incidentally, this may have worked.

4. Tony the Limo Driver: Poor Tony had no idea what he had coming. Afterall, he did think he was cheuffering a twenty fifth birthday party not the junior prom. However, he probably caught on pretty quickly that things would not be as he had expected. Within five minutes of his arrival we were already pressuring him into breaking the rules and allowing more people than the legal limit into the vehicle. Then we all made complete shit shows of ourselves during the ride, entering the bars, and returning to the limo. At one point, Emily tried to get him to drive us from McFadden's to Finnigan's, which are maybe a block apart from each other. Then there was the little secret encounter between two of the passengers while everyone else was in the bar. But worst of all, despite our promises to "take care of him", I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who passed him some cash- and that was five dollars.

5. The Fights: Now, normally, I hate fighting. I think its usually for totally unnecessary reasons, and it completely ruins the night. But when its done in the name of family, I'm all for it. Tensions were getting pretty high throughout the night: there was confusion over where to go, people were getting separated, and everyone was pretty drunk, a factor that never helps keep the peace. By the end of the night it seemed like everyone was yelling. But shit really hit the fan when Emily's friend Courtney started complaining about something while we were outside of Murphy's. Finally, in a last attempt to keep her sister happy, Liz blew up at Courtney. I believe her exact words were "Courtney, will you SHUT the FUCK UP!" To be honest, I think we were all thinking it and Liz, though dramatic, was entirely justified. Courtney, however, disagreed and began complaining to Emily about the way her sister had spoken to her. Clearly, she doesn't know how our family operates. We will lie, cheat, or steal for one another, but mostly, we will tell a bitch off. Which is exactly what Emily did. As soon as Courtney even tried to suggest that Liz had done something wrong, Emily flipped. "Don't you ever talk to my sister like that!" she screamed. More words ensued, and Courtney ended up crashing somewhere else for the night. Never have I been more proud to be related to those two girls.

6. Party Favors: At some point during the night, someone found a necklace and a pair of earrings. "Are these anybodies?" they asked. "Mine!" I screamed without even looking at them as I stuffed them into my bag. I found them the next morning and, though I don't particularly like them nor do I plan on ever wearing them, I'm really glad I got some goodies out of the night.

There were many, many more fun things about the night, and I had a ridiculously awesome time. To be fair, I would have a ridiculously awesome time just raking leaves or going to church with these girls, but nothing beats when we all get together for a night on the town. Its always trouble, and its always fun. Now all I can think about is Summer 2008 when we will all be partying together again at Emily's wedding- only this time with open bar. OHHHhhhhh NOOOoooo!

Happy Birthday, Emily!

Ok, so technically Em's bday has passed, but tonight is the party and we all know that is what really counts. The night is going to be quite the extravaganza. In her typical fashion, Emily is throwing herself a surprise party (yeah, you read that right). And, if you know Emily, you know she will not settle for anything less than excessive. She and her fiance have rented a Hummer limo for the event, which will drive her and her friends around to various bars for the evening. There's going to be mojitos, champagne, and, obviously, shear debauchery. Considering the havoc we wreak on an average night, I can't imagine what will happen when we really have an excuse to party.

Of course, my cousin Emily has never been "mild-mannered". When she was younger, she was rarely allowed caffeine or sugar because of the adrenaline rush it gave her. Now, at twenty-five, alcohol seems to have the same effect on her. Put a few drinks in her and the girl is all over the place. And, because she likes so much to be the center of attention, I think her own birthday party will be the perfect venue for her to display this rowdiness. I expect- and in fact demand- lots of dancing, yelling, and maybe even a little encounter with a stripper pole (don't think I've forgotten Boone, Em). And, ofcourse, I plan to get every embarrassing moment on camera to show our dear eighty-five year old grandmother later this week. I mean, what else are cousins for if not to harass and humiliate you? Really, I consider it a sign of love.

So Happy Birthday, Em. I absolutely adore you and can't wait for tonight (and many more nights to come)!

Some of my Favorites

Paulina and Sara should be supplying me with some more later but heres just a few for now

.............................TOGAS!!!...............................




Sadly, this is normal for us




Me, Bry, and Nat

Roman gods: Bryan and Sandro



The gang




Kisses!!!



Magda and I raging out

More of my Favorites

Siblings!: Bryan and Natalie





With my favorites girls at Martini Night





Bryan pimping it with the Poles- Magda, Gosia, and Paulina (Don't they all look stunning?!)




Me and Natalie





Some of the Grillers at the Albion




The Atlantic, where Fiona works

Home Sweet Home

Well, it's official: Summer is over. Not only has the weather taken a drastic turn, but I have finally returned to Philly after almost four months in Block Island. I left yesterday morning bright and early- 8 am to be exact- and endured a looooong 6 hour drive home, still a little groggy from the night before. Though I had sworn to make Monday night my last night out, Morgan and Maggie finally wore me down and convinced me to go to the Albion for a little. Fortunately, I only had a few drinks--much more responsible then I had been the night before. Because I thought then that it was my last night, Maggie, Morgan, and Rick had insisted on buying me numerous shots, including one very large Mind Eraser. And let me tell you something: the name does not lie. Tuesday night, however, I was in bed by 12:30, much earlier than the previous. Regardless, though, I was still very tired in the morning. It took several coffees and a highly- sugared cookie before I finally felt functional enough to drive.

Though I had been so ready to go, leaving was tough. I hate saying goodbye and, despite the drastic population decline on the island, there were still many people I had to say farewell to. My three closest friends- Natalie, Magda and Gosia- had already left the island, which took a big weight off my shoulders, but It was still a rough time- especially for three in particular. Erin and Steve, my boss and her husband, were the first I had to say goodbye to. I absolutely adore and respect the both of them. They are a great couple and truly caring people. Erin was like my summer mommy, always there to offer advice, comfort me, or lend a helping hand. And Steve, Steve is just a riot. To be fair, a good deal of the humor in what he says probably comes from his strong British accent, but all summer he had me in stitches, whether it was asking me to go "French kiss in the walk-in" or just making frighteningly realistic farting noises whenever someone bent over. Because they are trying to start a family, something they've had heartbreaking difficulty doing, they are unsure of whether they'll be back to work next summer. This added to my sadness as they had been such a great source of comfort for me this summer. Leaving them was definitely a little scary. Even back here at home, I wish I had them to turn to, and I worry that I won't have that same support next year. But I also can think of no two people I wish more to become parents and am thrilled they are trying to start a family. I envy the kids I know they will someday have.

Equally difficult to say goodbye to was my friend Morgan. A chef at the grill, he ran the daily breakfast and was frequently the only other American working with me in the morning. We had so much fun together and were always turning to each other in exasperation when "the foreigners" started spouting out some indecipherable language. On slow days, we would often text back and forth from the kitchen to the hostess stand about the ridiculous shirt Inna was wearing or the screw-ups Olga or Johanna were inevitably making. Walking to the ferry, I got a text from him thanking me for being "his rock" throughout the summer. It is exactly how I felt about him- he was my rock, my sanity, and my source of amusement. He- along with my beloved Natalie- was the reason I could bare to wake up each morning at 7 am. Unfortunately, he's also the reason I'm going to have to get a very pricey international text plan once I get to Spain.

On the bright side, though, there are a lot of good things about leaving the Island, namely 24 hour convenience stores, streets that go over 25 mph, and not having to hear the word "wicked" in every other sentence. But floating out of Old Harbor, I still breathed a sigh of sadness as I watched the grill and my beloved summer home drift away in the distance.

I know I haven’t really been keeping up with my entries but its been for good reason: not only have the last few weeks been really busy at work (excluding this past one), but I have also started another job, and at the same time moved out of the Lapham’s lovely home into employee housing. I was really sad to leave this house I had gotten so accustomed to and especially upset to say goodbye to Fiona and Sandro who I spent many wonderful days with, but it has also been really nice living in town. I get an extra half hour of sleep each night, I’m within walking distance to the bars, and I’m much closer to all of my friends. Hell, I haven’t even minded rooming with Paulina, a very "intense" Polish waitress from the Grill. All in all, the past three weeks have been pretty good.

However, despite all of this, I’m so ready to go home. I miss my friends, I miss my bed, I miss my mommy and daddy. In the short two weeks I’ll be home before shipping off to Spain there’s so much I want to do and so many people I need to see. Already I am set to celebrate my cousin Emily’s 25th on the 16th and I’m trying my best to get to Carlisle for a night to visit Freddie. But I also want to do so much other stuff. I want to hang out at Towey’s and Solaris, I want to have dinner with my grandmother, I want to visit friends at school, and go shopping in an actual mall. I was supposed to have drinks with an old boss and a former teacher. I should be making doctors and dentists appointments and maybe even catching up on some much needed sleep. But, in the words of Frank the Tank, “I don’t know if I'll have enough time”.

But I do know I will try my hardest to do all I can and, unfortunately for my mental and physical health, I’m pretty sure appointments and sleep will be the sacrificed tasks from my list. Obviously, Towey’s and Solaris will not be neglected. And I do know that I will definitely be at Emily’s birthday party, an event that, after our excursion in Cape May, I’m very much looking forward to. I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to hit up Carlisle one night as well, but I also know Freddie will be understanding if I don’t, although I’ll be sorry to miss the opportunity. And in the end, I’m just going to try and remind myself that I will have plenty of time for all the college road trips during the Spring Semester, when I will be spending almost every weekend visiting someone or another. There’s no need to go all Jessie Spano and get hopped up on Speed: my world will survive if I don’t have lunch with Coach Ed or if I don’t make that trip to H&M. What’s most important is getting myself to Madrid and doing the best I can to see some friends before hand.

But, until then, I still have another week in Block Island. Now that Labor Day is over, things should be a lot more relaxed and I will hopefully be able to make the most of my final days. Tonight we will be celebrating the end of Breakfast at the grill, which means that for now on ill get an extra THREE hours of sleep each morning, and tomorrow night is our staff party, a three hour sailing trip followed by dinner at the Spring House. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate for the event and everyone will have a good time. But mostly I just hope that I can ignore that little itch to go home long enough to enjoy my short time left.

Countdown to Staff dinner: 20 hours

Countdown to my return to Philly: 1 week, 1 day