Washington, DC

The whole process of waking up and getting food pretty much repeated itself from the previous day. The only difference was the destination which was Clyde’s in Chinatown. It was a good meal with good company. By the time it we had gotten all of that done it was time for the wedding party to get ready and me to nap. I watched the beginning of the Penn State v. Michigan game while I fell asleep.

The calm before the storm
Dunk sporting his authentic mesh Steve Largent jersey

I got eventually got ready and headed over to the Hotel Monaco, beautiful place, with the others for the ceremony and subsequent festivities. I caught up with some of the other “Ugly Mugs” from summer softball and Bill and Amanda who was due with their first child any day. It was great getting caught up.

The ceremony was great. As a frequent wedding attendee and veteran groomsman I am rarely surprised by some aspect of a wedding ceremony. Leave it to Virginia and Norm to do just that. For the scripture reading they chose John 2:3 – 11, or commonly known as the Wedding at Cana, more specifically Jesus’ debut miracle, water to wine. For anyone who has been to Bourbon Street in New Orleans or Beale in Memphis with me, you know I like to argue with street preachers about the supposed evils of alcohol. Well the Wedding at Cana is my biblical evidence for the drinking. The street preacher stated that John meat non-alcoholic grape juice. And then I drunkenly retort that, “You take the whole bible literally except for these few lines. Bull%&#$!” I digress. Anyway the reading was perfect and the minister, Virginia’s brother-in-law, said that he chose this reading because he knew that Brian and Virginia liked to have a good time. Amen!!!!

In the time between the ceremony and reception there was a cocktail hour so no one would die of thirst while the room was changed from a ceremony setting to a reception one. Some of the highlights; Stiff drinks, nummy appetizers (The andouille sausage and shrimp skewers were my favorite), and not to be boring a belly dancer. That’s right a belly dancer. Good times!!!

Norm and the belly dancer

Once the reception area opened the party was on. Young and old alike, it’s all relative anyway, danced from the moment the music started till the final song. The food was awesome. They even had sushi bar!! Dunk, at everyone’s insistence, revisited his best man speech/song from the previous night. It was awesome! Some highlights were; Virginia’s dad’s speech and jacket, singing some Journey, “Don’t stop believing”, Dunk’s rendition of the wedding classic, “Shout”, and me knocking over a plant decoration. This description totally understates the whole reception. Easily one of the top five wedding receptions I have ever attended, no exaggeration.

Mr. Duncan's awesome jacket.

Double E enjoys a little, "Sugar Time!"

After the reception was over we made our way to the lobby bar to finish things off. By the end of that, it was time for everyone to go home and lick there wounds. Great job everyone!!!!

For more pictures of the insanity and fun check this photo album.

Washington, DC and Rural Virginia

After waking up at the crack of noon we slowly assembled our team and went on a journey to forage for sustenance. After meeting up a Norm’s we took an agonizingly slow time, due to hunger not company, we ambled to Matchbox, near the Verizon Center in downtown DC. Matchbox specializes in Min-Burgers and Pizza. We had both. To get a better picture imagine gourmet Krystals or White Castle. We enjoyed our feast and went back to respective places to grab some zzz’s to prepare for the nights festivities.

Mini Burgers at Matchbox

The rehearsal dinner was about an hour and half ride to the north of DC in rural Virginia. The parents of the Norm and Virginia (The bride, not the state) were nice enough to provide buses to and from the dinner which enabled much more fun and made Virginia’s (The state, not the bride) roads much, much safer. We had to stop in Arlington, right out side of DC because it became apparent that the buses may run out of…, “fuel”. After loading up the coolers.., I mean tanks, we continued on.

The bus ride to country

Virginia’s (The bride, not the state) Dad’s house was on a farm in the country. The weather and setting could not have been any better. Cocktails and conversation were enjoyed on the porch in the back of the house that overlooked the rolling hills of Virginia (The state, not the bride). I couldn’t resist that one.

Dunk outside the stately Duncan Manor

The view of the back patio and porch overlooking the hill's of Virginia

For dinner Norm’s folks brought up Whitt’s BBQ from Nashville. There were some great toasts and speeches from both sides of the isle. The company and setting, along with the food drink, conspired for a wonderful evening. Here is a link to the video of Dunk's hilarious and wonderful best man speech. The video sucks but the audio is good. Sadly we had to leave the house because our buses had to get back to DC. We were entertained on the way home by some singing, pole dancing, courtesy of Norm, and some hilarious DJ action.

Norm, being Norm

When we returned to Norm’s place we entertained ourselves with drinks and Nintendo Wii tennis and bowling. I channeled some of my inner Polak and did quite well in bowling. That made up for my poor performance in Tennis. And yes, if you were wondering, we did in fact play video games the night before Norm’s wedding. Why not? The alternatives would have frightened a few and endangered many.

Memphis to Washington, DC

Heading back to DC for Norm’s wedding. All the college crew will be in DC for the Wedding. I flew into National and took the Metro to my motel. I then walked over to Fran’s in Chinatown where and some others were hosting a soiree for Norm and Virginia. It was a great time. The crew was already there. Libations and food treats were enjoyed. Afterwards we slid over to Norm’s for some late night tomfoolery.

The tools

The tools in action

The grab!!!

The young Jedis, Norm and Mark, bask in their success

A dark version YouTube clip of the shennanigans

A game was invented out of necessity, hashed out by inventiveness, and enjoyed because of idiocy. No name was assigned to game but here is the etymology of it. While throwing a nerf football to and fro on Norm’s balcony it inevitably went over the ledge onto the balcony below. (Not the first or last item to do so) That is when Dunk sprung into action. In order to retrieve the football a Nieman Marcus shopping bag, a fed ex delivery envelope, tent poles, and of course tape were used to fashion a “pusher” device and “grabber” device.

Working in tandem Dunk and Owen were able to retrieve the ball. Norm and Mark were caught up in the heady satisfaction that imbued the balcony with a “Ben Franklinesue” vibe. A challenge was issued, a time frame was set, the nerf ball sent back over the balcony. Success was achieved. Here are the photos. A video may follow.

The lingering question was this, "What would Norm's downstairs neighbors thought/done had they woke up to the image of two tent poles, an envelope, and shopping bag "dancing" around thier balcony. No such luck. Fun anyways. This was one of the highlights of the evening. And yes this is how we spent the bulk of our college years entertaining ourselves.

Memphis, TN

If it is Wednesday then it is Court Square Concert Series. The band this night was the smooth Jazz stylings of Sal Crocker and his Strictly Jazz Quartet. The weather was great and the cooler full. I picked up some fired Chicken from Gus’s and it was spicy good. I was joined by Truk and Kath, Jasper, and Jim Lanier. Dr. Lanier is one of my old History teachers from Rhodes College and although retired still does a lot of stuff through the college and subsequently knows Truk who also works there. The jazz provided an excellent backdrop for conversation. After the music we slipped over to the Flying Saucer for a few additional libations.

The gang enjoy's some southern fried chicken from Gus'

The trolley heads down Main Streey towards Court Square

Sunset over a barge on the Mississippi.

Sal Crocker plays jazz from the Gazebo in Court Square.

Memphis, TN
Well folks I guess it’s that time of the week again. Let’s see what happened near Pete’s Cave this past week.

Tuesday
I actually got a lot of work done. I went out to Dan McGuiness downtown and had a couple pints of Guinness as I corrected papers and prepared lecture and discussion notes for the week. The irony of working on lessons and instructions for China while drinking Irish beer is not lost on me. I find that the text we use is good for background knowledge but it does not connect with the girls for true understanding. There are a few cites that I use religiously for background and primary source documents.

1. Paul Halsall Internet History Sourcebook Project
   This site has primary documents and great info on nearly every part of world history from ancient to modern.


2. Columbia University’s Asia For Educators
   Great lesson plans and documents and primary source information


3. The BBC site for world religions
   Great background on World Religions

In terms of class prep I find the book by Fairbank and Goldman, “China; A New History” to be the best aid in explaining Chinese History from the Ancient Xia Dynasty to Communist China.

Like anyone wanted to know any of that. You were warned that school year Pete is much different than summer Pete.

Sunset on the Mississippi

View of the "New Bridge" and the Pyramid

Wednesday
Well the much ballyhooed Wednesday get together did not happen. I had to quickly scramble and send out a BBD e-mail to the crew. For the initiated this was term coined by Baruch, to describe how I would blow him off, always exaggerated, for a Bigger Better Deal. Well this it actually was a bigger deal, not necessarily better. I did not know that some of my Dad's friends at Int. Paper planned a retirement party for him at the Fox and Hound on Sanderlin this past Wednesday. So that obviously superseded the music at Court Square.

For those who may not know, my Dad retired in the last month from IP to take a job teaching German at, appropriately enough, Germantown High School. He loves being back in the classroom and is more energized than ever. After 27.5 years of service that is a bigger better deal. The turnout and ensuing evening was marvelous. Some of my Dad’s newer group, who I do not know as well as well as the IP crew from back in the day, early 90’s when the Family lived in the Dova’.

Thursday
I met Baruch and some others at Bhan Thai, a great Thai food restaurant in midtown. The conversation was great as was the food. I had the Red Curry, spicy but doable and extremely tasty. Most of the gang was people I knew through Baruch but also knew in other ways, typical. You may have heard of six degrees of separation. Well Memphis, the largest small town in the country, has two.

If you are bored you can explore the corollary phenomena of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon which is based on a variation of the concept of that states any actor can be linked, through their film roles, to actor Kevin Bacon. In fact a group of computer science people at UVA came up with this site called the Oracle of Bacon, which determines any actor or actress’ “Bacon” number. Things like this are the reason why I love college.

Friday
Met Dad for happy hour at the Celtic Crossing. To more clearly exhibit what I write about for Thursday I cite this example. While waiting for me to arrive for a beer my Dad began to chat up one of the guys helping set up for Cooper Young festival. Why? Well because that is what my dad, and quite frankly all Stephany’s do. Short story, long; my Dad has this guy’s, who is from Syria, nephew in his class at G-Town. Way crazy!
Some other shenanigans for the night included a nap, buying a router at the Apple Store in East BFE, and Mexican food at Los Compadres in Midtown with Truk and Kath.

Saturday
Spectacular day!!! I was chilly most of the day. I went to Big Kat and Steph’s house for their annual Gator Hater party. Mass quantities were consumed and numerous football games were watched. Great games! Here are a few post game comments.

Houston Nutt’s piss poor clock management blew the game for the Razorbacks, 3rd and 12 with 2:20 left and he decides to pass the ball!?!. He literally took the ball out of the hands of the two best backs in the SEC and put it into the hands of a Dick. Shame on you all!!! I meant Casey Dick the QB for the Arkansas Razorbacks. If you just took a knee on that play 25 seconds roll of the clock and the game is over with a W for the Hogs. I never claimed to be a good coach but I know clock management.

Random Football Thoughts

The Pittsburgh Stillers under Tomlin are looking good.
Notre Dame is really bad.
My beloved Big Ten is way down this year.

Penn State is not as good as I thought.
Louisville is overrated.

Kentucky is underrated.

And if I played QB against LSU I would wet myself.

Sunday
Pete was offered two excellent meals by friends. The Music Man grilled out a beef brisket with his special BBQ spices and rubs. Excellent. After reading, a nap, and some football on TV I went to Truk and Kath’s for some great eats. Just when the Sopranos is finally over and I think I am now free from its addiction they showed me a show called the “The Wire”. Damb them both, the show is awesome. It’s a great drama. It ethnic tension among Eastern and Western European groups reminds a smidgeon of my hometown Erie. We watched two episodes from Season 2 on DVD. Way good. Again, damb you Truk and Kath.