You can tell a lot about a person's personality by how that person drives... it's very interesting, especially on longer road trips. BC is a generally laid back person. Really doesn't rush around, diligent when working, but generally doesn't stress too much. This is not the case while driving. While he's not stressed while he's driving, BC can be... well... intense. So intense, in fact, that we missed the exit for I287 on the way up AND on the way back. BC obviously takes his driving seriously. Now, most of us drive around 80mph when we're on open road - I do this all the time. Driving 80mph on slightly congested but not traffic-y road... a little scary. It's very interesting to watch other driver's reactions to this kind of driving.
Now, I do not abide drivers who drive slower in the left lane than the right. That's just stupid. BC really doesn't like this behavior, and makes sure that slow driver knows it. It's amazing how long you can follow behind a slow driver, obviously wanting to go faster than they are, and that driver will not change lanes, either because of obliviousness or stupidity. On a stretch of I81 in PA (which is only 2 lanes), where there was really no one on the road, there was a car in the left lane basically driving the same speed as the one next to it in the right. This is just annoying and stupid. The woman finally gets the hint that she's going way too slow and changes lanes. When we pass her, the face of either absolute confusion and/or disgust that was thrown our way... well, it was one of those faces that would have scared adults and small children alike - and it made us laugh hysterically.
On the way back to Maryland, there was less of the idiot slow drivers (although there were still plenty) and more of the competitive drivers. Drivers who obviously could not stand being passed in their expensive cars by a Chevy Cavalier. The driver of a bright blue Corvette, after being passed, decided that he needed to prove how ballsy his car was and sped up significantly, caught up and tried to pass... only to be foiled by the toll plaza. I guess he thought better of it after that. Even more obnoxious was the BMW driver, who decided, after passing us, to hit his brakes and basically box us in - he in front, semi next to us. The situation remained this way for MILES. Why this person felt the need to do this, we couldn't figure out. But after about 5 or 10 minutes of being stuck behind this guy, BC couldn't take it anymore and used an exit ramp to get around him and the semi... and dusted him in the process.
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The rest of the weekend in CT, while not as adventurous, was A LOT of fun. A trip to IKEA in New Haven with SA and LH. SA did a bit of Christmas shopping for her little cousins, determined to be the cool cousin this year, as her presents last year apparently didn't go over too well. There was a blue tunnel bought - I'll get back to this later...
SA and I stopped in Milford to see the movie, Shopgirl (note: for those who read the novella, as both SA and I did, the movie is a bit disappointing). We weren't originally planning to stop in Milford for the movie, but while driving by, we saw that a movie theatre just off the highway was playing it. Why drive all the way back to Stamford, where the parking is horrendous by the movie theatre, when we could just stop here? Finding the movie theatre, however, was an amusing game of "which direction should we go in now?" My theory was to just drive parallel to the highway until we found it... unfortunately we got too far away from the highway to even see it anymore. Eventually, after driving for a while, nearly ready to give up, we see a sign for I95 and decide we should just go to Stamford. As we were ready to get on the highway, I point to the movie theatre, which is literally across the street from this onramp, and scream, "THERE IT IS!" at which point SA quickly crossed 3 lanes of traffic and pulled into the parking lot.
SA:What just happened?
N'il:We found the movie theatre...
SA:Oh... okay...
After the movie, SA and I headed to South Norwalk for some really good sushi, sake and conversation at Kazu. Then a stop at Barcelona for a quick drink, then home to rest for company the next day.
SA invited DL and SL to visit Saturday night. I was really happy about this since I had not seen them in a really long time - too long, in my opinion. Crawdiddy was coming into town too, so along with the roommates, this looked like it would be a fun evening. The funny thing about SA is that, even though she likes to have people over and entertain, she completely stresses out for the days leading up to the event. "This is what I'm planning to cook... does it sound okay?" "Should I vacuum now?" "Should we just meet them in the city instead?" Whenever she gets like this, I always remind her that people are coming to see her, not the house, not the food... we could drink, watch movies and order pizza and people would still love it.
Preparing for the guests proved to be more amusing than we had expected. SA made asopao with tostones and fried sweet plantains. And it was all delicious... we bought a ready-made salad, just to pretend there was a vegetable - it never made it out of the fridge. SA had put me in charge of the appetizers. Earlier in the day we went to Trader Joe's to pick up mini quiches, spanakopita, some hummus and olive tampenade. Easy - put out the cold munchies and warm the others up in the oven. Yeah, not so easy. SA warned me before I put anything in that the oven tended to run a little hot, so I should probably set it about 20 degrees cooler and just check the thermometer in the oven. I open the oven after pre-heating to discover that it was actually about 20 degrees lower than the set temperature. SA figured she just got it backward, so we set the temperature higher, and stuck the appetizers in to get them started. When I went back to check on them... well, the temperature dropped even more! WHAT THE HELL?!?! It took about an hour to heat up the mini quiches and the spanakopita... well, let's just say that one of the jokes for the rest of the night was, "So, you think the spanakopita's ready yet?" We never did eat it.
After dinner, it somehow turned into "Awesome 80's Dance Party." There was some discussion about song lyrics - how, when listening to songs now, there are songs that mean something completely different than what we thought as kids. We were talking about the song "We don't have to take our clothes off" when LH says, "I have that song on my iPod... let me go get it." After that, it was 80's music, dancing, feather boa's, and lots and lots of silliness. It was a really good time. One of the highlights was watching LH re-enact "Flashdance" to the song "Maniac." It was really impressive - I think I would have passed out after about 10 seconds.
We played some Texas Hold-em. I was the first one eliminated... DL, who was the one who didn't know how to play, won, of course. At some point I left the room to make a phone call... I will forever regret what I missed during this time. Apparently, while I was gone, SA decided that she had to show everyone the really cool gifts she got for her cousins in IKEA. All I know is that, when I came back into the living room, the tunnel was open. SA apparently tried to crawl through it... and got stuck. Not from being too big for it, but from laughing so much that she couldn't continue. I hope someone got pictures.
The rest of the night wound down quickly. People were tired and drunk and DL and SL needed to get home. In all, the house was quiet by midnight. Yeah, we're all getting old. (SA woke up at about 2am with a second wind, only to discover that no one was awake).
Ahhh, good times... think the spanakopita's ready yet?
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