blogwaffe

So the last many posts have been entirely devoid of content. Perhaps someone out there found the new bits interesting (though I think the robots are the only hits I get these days). If so, I’m glad. The new bits are the only thing I’ve done the entire week other than class, TA and sleep. And certainly none of that is interesting.

Last week(end), however, was more entertaining. Saturday night in particular. The evening started with a rollicking good (if long) time at the Lunasa concert on campus. The band is from .ie and claims to perform traditional .ieish music. I can’t back them up on their claim, since I don’t know what it is “supposed” to sound like. I can tell you that the concert was pretty awesome. The performers were obviously mighty musicians and masters of their various instruments. Additionally, their stage presence was most entertaining.

The makeup of the band was particularly interesting. There was (from left to right). A very taciturn fellow playing the bass fiddle. He never spoke and was mentioned only once by other members of the group. Up next was the “front-man”: quite amusing (if a wee full of himself). He played a variety of flutes and whistles and introduced most of the music with some andecdote: sometimes informational but usually quite humorous with but the traces of underlying truth. To his left was the band’s piper. Another quiet member, though one which was mentioned with some frequency by his bandmates, particularly for his status as lore master. Next, as one would expect, was the redhead. The fiddler/”second in command” seemed the youngest of the group and, according to the front-man, the most lascivious. Finally, bringing up the rightmost was the band’s guitarist and writer. He was a moody looking fellow with, by all acocunts, a hot fiancée.

The concert was excellent. But only after (well, before if you get Roger’s version) did the booze come out.

Suvir, his friend Dominic, Jeff, Greg, Paul.za, Roger and I hit up the OTP at Lucky’s and consumed many a fine pitcher of stouts, hefeweizens, bitters, and pale ales. Since last call hits early ’round these parts (12:30 on a Saturday?), we had no choice but to come back to my place and continue the revelry with more beer, a few gourds of mate, a handful of cigars and two sacks of tacos.

I learned three important things that night. 1. There are those in this world who believe people who make over $200k are not rich. 2. We will get yelled at by the neighbors if we make a lot of noise out on our balcony at 3am (stupid parking garage, it just reflects it all back at the building). I sincerely apologize to any offended neighbor. If I knew in particular who hollered, I’d say so in person. 3. The Two Sacks of Tacos Partitioning Problem is highly contentious and still unsolved, thought to be intractable.

Sunday was also .ie themed: xaosseed was visiting Dixie and I finally got a chance to meet him. Quite an interesting fellow who sill soon have, no doubt, entertaining stories to tell about being upended inside a helicopter chassis immeresed in flaming oil on stormy seas. At night. In the winter. Thinking of Christmas pudding on the mainland.