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So it happened to me again on the drive to work today: I was on the freeway, merrily speeding along (or at least keeping pace with traffic, which is all one can really do), when I suddenly jumped, because I had no idea where I was, what I was doing, or where I was going. It took me a few seconds to remember that I was on my way to work, in Des Moines, and that I was not utterly lost, but rather right on track. Freaky when that happens. Good for an adrenaline rush, though.

I hope everyone had a good day of independence? Yes? Yes? Mine turned out quite a bit better than I expected, what for having no plans and all. The festivities really started on the evening of the 3rd. Dana was in Des Moines with Rhonda waiting for Steph to arrive home via aero-plane from Mexico (her plane was nastily delayed in Chicago), so I went out to the bar with Kate, Yusuf, Scott, Krystal, and Molly. There might have been someone else there at some point, but they’re not bothering to make themselves known in my memory, so not much I can do on that one. We started out at a small bar located at 212 Main named (and aptly so!) 212 Main. We had a pitcher or two of beer (I think two) before we got a touch bored and headed across the street to the Corner Pocket to play some pool. Kate, Yusuf, and I played for several hours, until we were sufficiently tuckered and decided to head home. Dana got back shortly after I arrived at my place of residence.

We woke up the next morning at tensomething o’clock, which was the perfect time for to go into the living room (having first put on pants this time), pull back the curtains (I’ve them hanged now!), open the window, and watch the parade pass beneath our feet. After the parade had finished (parading?), we headed to King Buffet to celebrate our victory over our British oppressors by oppressing our stomachs with nummy foreign fare. Then, Dana had to head back to Ankeny to ensure the cats weren’t left out of the whole eating part of the festivities, so I headed up to my roof to tan for an hour and a half or so. I say or so because I fell asleep and don’t really remember how long I was out there. I didn’t burn, though, so I suppose I wasn’t out there for, like, infinity, or anything. Also, I am writing this post, which equally helps negate the infinity theory.

After Dana returned from her cat-related adventures, we headed to the park to an English-grad-student-type barbeque. Seems I still qualify in some manner of speaking. I met several creative writers in the department I hadn’t met previously, most of whom were married, but after long and arduous deliberation I’ve decided not to hold that against them forever, but instead only for a bit longer. We ate (again), played Frisbee, drank a beer or four, and played sand volleyball for long enough that my feet are still a little raw. It was, in my estimation, a killer time. After we were volleyed out, a few of us headed to my place to watch fireworks from the roof, which would have been cooler had there been no streetlights in the parking lot. Ah, the best laid plans of mice…

So to recap: Yusuf doesn’t drink but he’s still fun to hang out with, there was only one clown in the parade despite what others might claim, King Buffet wasn’t that busy for all that it was a holiday, I like volleyball, Sara and Jenny are cool for all that they’re married, I do not own a gun what for shooting streetlights (but if I did…), and I haven’t been grocery shopping in over a month. Does that clarify?

You know, in my defense, I really did assume that sitting in front of a computer for at least eight hours a day, five days a week, would increase my blogging significantly. But I guess you know what they say about “assume”… people like to make up sayings about it because their lives are otherwise empty and meaningless. And also, their hair is thinning, and yes, everyone has noticed.

I had a pretty darn good time this last weekend. Friday night, Dana, Megan, Megan’sFianceeScott, Justin, and I all went to see Sister Hazel in concert at the Simon Estes amphitheater downtown. Dana has a lot of stuff posted about this, as well, so you might wanna check out her blog (assuming you can make it all the way through the panic attack sequence). ;) It was a great concert, and the fireworks only added to the fun. Particularly when they paused briefly in the middle of the show to sing the Star-Spangled Banner under the light of the fireworks. :)

After the concert, we all headed to a bar called El Bait Shop for a few drinks, and we were joined by Dana’s roomy Kate and Yusuf. I had a moderately adequate IPA, while Dana stumbled across a very yummy beer called Lindeman’s Framboise Lambic. I wasn’t aware of how cool a beer it was until this morning, when I read up on the particulars of the lambic brewing process (to save you a bit of reading, no yeast is artificially added to the beers: they are simply exposed to the open air during the Belgian harvest season, resulting in a spontaneous fermentation. They’re then stored in barrels for a couple of years before being bottled, making them closer to a champagne than a traditional beer). We happily discovered we could buy lambics at Cyclone Liquors in Ames, so we’ve a new alternative for special occasions. Scott and I also amused ourselves (if not the others) playing an old arcade game (Galatica, I think it was called) which was built into our table.

After we’d had our fill at el bait shop (eww), we headed, sans-Justin (who was tuckered (probably) and sober (definitely)), to Blazing Saddles, which is a somewhat small but ~very~ gay bar downtown, where we spent an hour or two dancing. I only got my tush grabbed twice, but I’ll still consider it a good night. ;) I can’t be sure, but at one point I thought I overheard Megan warning a guy behind me on the dance floor that I was, in fact, straight. One of them had their hand on my butt at the time. And I’d rather not explore that idea much further.

After we’d had our fill of dancing, we all headed our respective ways. Dana headed back to Ankeny, and Megan drove me back to my car (parked in front of her house), and I left for Ames shortly thereafter, much to Scott’s dismay. However, he was a little (read: a lot) less sober than me, and his primary argument against me driving home was something along the lines of, “Rob! Rob! Hey… staaaaaayyy.” Which almost worked, cause it was pretty damn fun.

Saturday, I woke up feelin’ pretty good, so I cleaned my apartment a bit and read some Harry Potter (nearly done with book 4) before Dana came over to hang out. We got burritos at Flying Burrito, picked up some beer (something-Goose Ale for me (eh, it’s okay) and Framboise for her) and watched the Underworld movies. Yay, vampire fun!

Sunday! I drove down to Ankeny and Dana and I ate lunch at Chili’s, which was the first time I’d been at any Chili’s restaurant since I visited Megan working at that exact same one two or so years before. Nobody looking even remotely Meganlike was working, though, so after a while I was able to get over myself and enjoy my food a little, though I think Dana noticed I wasn’t much for conversation. We then played with the kittens a little (again, see Dana for womanish details) and headed to Jordan Creek, where I bought two pairs of flip-flops at Old Navy for $5, and then we went to see Superman Returns in the theater (gotta support Iowa boy Brandon Routh). The Century theater is decidedly better than Ames theaters in terms of seating, screen size/clarity, and sound quality, but I will say this for Ames theaters: the ratio of adults to children is ~VASTLY~ superior. We’ve been to the Century theater twice now, and both times I ended up surrounded by eight-year-olds who insisted on kicking my seat from behind, noisily chomping on their snacks, and talking to their parents (suspiciously several seats away) loudly throughout the movie. The screen may be better, sure, but I think I prefer watching movies in Ames, where I can actually hear the dialogue and watch the film in relative peace.

End rant. :)

So that should do for now. Because I know I’ve been a bad blogbuddy, I’ve posted a new entry, new pictures, ~and~ new links for today. I hope that’ll be enough to slake your thirst for all things Robbystyle, at least temporarily. ;)