Birthday Week - Day Two

Okay. When we left off, I was going to bed at 5:30 in the AM. THANKS STEPH! Troublemaker.

I sent Vader an email at about 5:15 saying that I was just going to bed now and she could feel free to show up late for Coney Island. Then went to sleep. Well, Yahoo Mail doesn't work the time stamp so well and my phone rang at 9:30 or so. And I cried a little and didn't bother to get it because I think I left the cordless in the bathroom. And I tried to get back to sleep but wasn't so good at it. I finally gave up when Pimp Daddy called around 10:45 to say he was running a bit late or on his way or something. Troublemakers with phones. The whole lot of them.

Anyway. Then Steph calls a little after 11 to tell me they're halfway ready and to see what the departure status is. So I jump in the shower. And Vader arrives right at 11:16 because she's awesome with the promptness and all. So she got to see me answer the door in a towel. Because I am class-ay! Then Pimp Daddy arrived and Vader answered the door (like a good hostess helper) so I could dress before he walked in. Eventually Muffy & Steph joined in and our tired little group headed off to Coney Island.

We had perfect weather. Sunny and warm but with nice breezes and all so we didn't cry from heat or anything. We wandered the boardwalk a little and got Vader a Coney Island t-shirt to change into. Then we headed for Nathan's to get some dogs and cheese fries and drinks. And it was awesome. On the way we got to watch a cute topless boy at the batting cages. Woo. Oh, and we got to check out (but not partake in) Shoot the Freak. Because what's more fun than shooting paint guns at some poor guy dressed in heavy black armor running around a vacant lot? Nothing.

Then it was off to Keyspan Stadium so Muffy & Steph could purchase Cyclones hats and we could cringe every time someone set of the door bell. It was a horrible, horrible noise. The folks who work there should get some kind of workers comp for the damage being done to their eardrums. Poor things. I looked for a t-shirt or hoodie I could love and take home, but alas. Nothing for me.

We did catch a bit of a girls softball game at the little league field nearby. Carmine vs. Our Ladies of Solace. We were rooting for Solace but they didn't seem to be having the greatest of games. Poor things.

A nice long walk down the pier proved uneventful. No one got stuck in the head with a fishhook so hurray! And more boardwalk time while Puerto Rico and African festivities were going on. A moment or two for more topless boy batting cage ogling. Then Steph made us do the race cars. And treated. Which was very, very nice of him. I was having a grand old time until I got stuck behind a very slow girl who couldn't even stay off to the side. Alas.

Then I finally got to play Skee Ball. And it was a Birthday Week Miracle. I LOVE Skee Ball and the machine I picked (#10) happened to be magical. Instead of giving 1 ticket for 90, 150, 200 and so on it would give anywhere from 1 to 4 tickets. And it would often start me at 10 or 20 points rather than 0. I got a nice long run on that puppy before some arcade guy caught on (apparently he didn't feel my big pile o' tickets matched my mad skills even though I'm quite good) and moved me to another machine so he could fix #10. Bad man. Everyone had a bit of a run at Skee Ball but none of them are true devotees so they wondered off to play Ms. PacMan, shoot zombies and box with machines. Good times for all and about 300 tickets amassed. * Woo. So then it was off for funnel cakes (premade and not done right in front of you on the fryer alas) and sitting time. Then we made an AWESOME t-shirt with the five of us; Vader, Pimp Daddy, Muffy, Steph and the birthday girl! It will debut on Saturday and people will fall to their knees in praise of this great shirt.

And after buying this ridiculous shirt we felt we were ready to spend our tickets. It took like 20 minutes to end up with some bead kits to make an I *heart* Eds Shirt necklace and an Amanda bracelet, some mini paper playing cards, two I *heart* you bracelets that we thought were shoelaces, a smiley bubble necklace and a plastic fly. Oh yeah. We go for the quality.

After that it was on to the Wonder Wheel. Woo. We opted for the swinging car. I think I sorta forced everyone into it by saying the stationary car was for pussies. Because I'm mature like that. Actually, I'm five. And we all learned this in line for the Wonder Wheel. Right past the wheel is a ride called the Scooter. And from our place in line you could see signs saying Scooter. But there were trash cans in front of the sign. So it read COOTER. And I kinda lost it. I had to have a picture of it. And then I started laughing hysterically. Because. Well. COOTER. It was awesome. And I'm hardly the only dirty one. We were debating where in the cage to sit, front or back, and Pimp Daddy got the giggles after too much of "Do you like the front?" "Who prefers it in the back?" "I don't care; front, back, whatever." So I'm not alone in my five year old dirty child mind.

Anyway. We make it onto the Wonder Wheel. And the Wonder Wheel cage with two people in it does not slide back and forth nearly as much as it does with FIVE people in it. And then, when Steph decides to start swinging it... well, it slides a lot more then, oddly enough. Muffy and I became big scaredy cats and at some point threatened Steph's life until he stopped. But it was awesome. Totally. And I got to snuggle with some Vader and some Pimp Daddy and that's always a good time. Then the Cyclone. And my wussy ass wouldn't ride it. I think I have to refuse to ride a roller coaster for a long time before I become so ashamed that I just ride the damn thing. I have only refused the Cyclone once before so Saturday was not my shame time yet. Instead I sat with all the bags, drank a diet coke and waited for the best time to get a shot of Ed's Shirt on the coaster. Luckily Muffy and Steph were good enough to get the front car and I think we have an awesome shot.

After that it was time to get daiquiris in giant tacky neon cups. Good times. They're pricey, but you get a free refill. So we walked a few feet away to finish off the first round while enjoying the view before filling back up for the walk to dinner. We went to Totonno's for what is apparently some really awesome pizza. And it was good. And at the pizza place we learned that Muffy thought cooter meant your hick friend. So she wasn't quite in on my madness all day. We got that cleared up though. Oh, and on the way to dinner, by a stroke of pure luck, we spotted Our Ladies of Solace Church. My children will go there. And play on the ball team. Then we headed back to the train for a rousing game of Death is Not an Option. Some gross options. Don't ever play with Pimp Daddy. Though Muffy was the one who brought us "Michael Jackson or Bubbles the Chimp".

Everyone else headed home to recover and treat sunburns and the like. I just dumped my stuff and headed to the Bowery Poetry Club for Rock Star Fran's gig. Apparently Boog City does fundraisers from time to time where they have a bunch of musicians cover one album. Saturday night was Prince's Purple Rain. And Fran was rockin' out on "I Would Die 4 U" and "Baby I'm a Star" She did a good job and had some interesting takes on the songs. The show overall was interesting. I really liked the performance of "Darling Nikki" and mostly liked "Purple Rain". "Computer Blue" and "I Would Die 4 U" were fun covers. But some if it was a bit unPrince like for my tastes. As one of the folks I was standing with said, "Prince is about Sex, not sensitive boy music". And it's true. It just doesn't sound quite right as sensitive boy music. But it was a fun gig and interesting to watch. And it's always good to see Rock Star Fran rock out. Or get goofy. Or both.

There were some poetry readings ahead of time which I wasn't expecting. Not bad, but I was so tired that I don't think most of it registered. One guy kind of upset me at cheering Reagan's death. I don't think the man was a saint and I wasn't upset at the news of his death like some folks at the office, but cheering at it kinda left me a little cold. I don't know. Seems sick. Maybe that's just me. Not quite liberal enough.

Anyway. After the show I hugged Charlotte and BLeia, chatted with Fran and her man a bit and then headed home. To blissful sleep. And so endeth Day Two.

*Apparently I missed a highlight. "One of my favorite moments which Muffy and Amanda missed would be the "Addams Family Electrocute You Game" which Steph took on. There was a crowd of people watching as Steph was able to hold on all the way to the win! The best moment--a little boy became Steph's biggest fan, all agog watching him, and then shyly asking him about the game." - Vader. Hee. So sorry to have missed that.