Thursday, December 27, 2007

HISTORIC OCCASION

Yes, your eyes are not deceiving you. This is a new post. The first since Oct. 12 and believe it or not, according to the fine folks who run this site, my 100th post. And it took a trip to NYC and Mrs. Pendleton's run-in with some a-hole on the subway to get the blogging juices flowing again.

First, some notes since my last post.

-- I actually made it from Oct. 10 - Nov. 19 without having 1 beer. But then it got all shot to hell, with an open-bar shindig on the 19th, the holidays, christmas hijinks. Still, the 6-week layoff gave me hope that I can go tasteless from Jan. 2 - March 17*

*-I'm pondering a 3-day ski trip to Utah in Feb with my brother and four cousins, so that won't count. Weak yes. But let's be realistic, especially since the odds of me skiing are not great. Therefore, getting loaded in the lodge might be the only thing I can do. Actually, i do plan on skiing, but haven't done it in about 14 years.

-- This Wii thing is the greatest invention those Japanese geniuses ever came up with. I've gotten more exercise the last two nights playing video games than I have the last two months. It's pretty cool. I bowled a 216 yesterday. I feel good about myself.

-- The 42nd birthday is coming up Sunday. Holy shit am I old.

-- Not much planned for New Year's just yet. Maybe some neighborhood tastes. However, I know exactly where I'll be at 1 p.m. on New Year's Day - on the couch, with a taste, watching the Sabres and Pens drop the puck at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Speaking of the NHL, I went to the NHL store in NYC today, and let me tell you, they have to be kidding me. They had a t-shirt with a Winnipeg Jet logo on it. I was fired up to purchase it, until I saw the price tag of $44 dollars. For a fucking t-shirt. Good move by the folks at the NHL - let's overcharge the miniscule fan base to make a few extra bucks. Screw you.

By the way, speaking 2008, the big 2007 lookback and 2008 lookahead are coming in a few days.

Now, the Mrs. Pendleton story. We - along with every other person on the East Coast, decided to take the kids to the Museum of Natural History in the city today (FU Ben Stiller). Our daughter, Georgia, is a huge dinosaur fan, so she was in heaven.

Anyway, we leave the museum, head to 30 Rock to see the tree, and then head for E train back to Penn Station for a NE Corridor train.

We enter the E subway stop at 5th and 53rd, and it features a huge, huge escalator down to the platform. It also features a stair case between the up and down escalator. Anway, it's about 5:30, and the place is packed, so we load the kids on the down escalator. About 15 seconds in, some women comes walking down the escalator, and pretty much brushes by me on the right hand side, prompting Mrs. Pendleton to say, "you know, there's a staircase if you want to walk." The dame keeps going, and some other dude then brushes by us, goes a few more steps and turns and says to Mrs. P. "The way it works is, the right side is for the walkers and the left is for the escalator riders." Mrs. P responds by saying, well, "If you want to walk, use the stairs," and this guy, being a polite asshole, says, "I'm just telling you how it works, because obviously you don't know subway protocol." The which Mrs. P. responds, "Dude, it's the holiday season, it's crowed on the escaltor, use the stairs." The guy, who was about 25 and could have easiliy used the stairs, turns proceeds to walk down the rest of the way. Of course, he got the bottom about 10 seconds before us, where we all proceeded to wait another 10 minutes for the train.

I really felt like going up to the dude and doing one of the following:
A. Punch him in the nose to show Mrs. P I have her back.
B: Point out to him that the subway isn't the only place in the world with escalators, we know the right side walking schtick - hell, I practically invented it. But if there's a staircase right next to it, protocol is out the fucking window.
C: Thank him for directing some of Mrs. P's ire toward him - and away from me - for a few fleeting moments.

Of course, enjoying the whole confrontation, I did nothing but tell Mrs. P how right she was with the hopes of parlaying that into some post museum action. Results still pending.

Well, that's it. Happy 100th post. Happy New Year. Happy International Bowl.

7 comments:

Pete said...

Nice work, cat.

Before you book any Utah plans, I suggest you consult with Rico, who has just returned from such a venture.

I believe this is critical, because if the driving force of your visit is not skiing, but getting intoxicated, Utah may not be the place.

Those crazy Mormons have all sorts of ridiculous laws that impede on your ability to get hammered, including only serving 3.2 beer, subjecting you to paying a membership fee at a bar and not allowing bartenders to serve more than one shot in a mixed drink -- and they have to come out from behind the bar to do this.

I shit you not.

As for the subway, I have a tremendous fear of standing next to the pusher.

So I would probably avoid confrontation at all costs underground.

Welcome back.

Todd Cohen said...

Why spend that much for a shirt when you can find one on ebay for much less?

Case in point:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Throwback-NHL-T-Shirt-Winnipeg-Jets_W0QQitemZ330080900255QQihZ014QQcategoryZ15687QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p1638.m118

Happy New Year and birthday. I figured there might be a 42nd shindig to celebrate....complete with the unveiling of the Pendleton Lost Home Movies.

Nice work. I hope we will be graced with another posting before I turn 42.

Joependleton said...

pete: Dude in the subway was weak, I could've taken him.

As for Utah, let me get this straight. I can legally be married to and bang 100s of dames at a time, yet can't get a 12-oz taste when I want one? Do they at least have regular liquor stores/beer stores there, where I can pick up a 30-pack (or two) of something?

I don't plan on sitting around getting loaded, but that new info does trouble me. Another friend told me about Park City, where you need to be with a member to even get in. I think we are going to Deer Valley or something like that.

We'll see.

Pete said...

Cat,

Actually, no, they do not have regular liquor stores. All the liquor stores are run by the state, and they all have bizarre hours -- designed to ensure you cannot buy your 3.2 beer except at odd times, like 1-3 on a Thursday afternoon.

Most people in Utah who want to drink pick up their provisions in Wyoming on the way into town.

Park City is a fun town. Yes, you need to pay for your membership there too, just like anywhere else in Utah.

Don't mean to rain on your trip. It's a great place to ski and hang out. But them's the facts.

Joependleton said...

How far is Wyoming from Utah? Also, are you allowed to bring like a 30-pack on a plane?

SJPSandman said...

Yo, fuck Utah. That's all I have to say on that subject.

And you totally should have decked the guy. Not only would that have been enjoyable for you at the time, but I'm pretty sure it would have ensured you some of that post-museum action you were looking for.

In closing, fuck Utah, again.

J Morrison said...

Several feet of fresh powder in Utah.

Lets be sure to be thorough on Spygate 2 aka Ram Gate.

If true, the Rams deserve that Ring