Team Snoodies

Charlotte: I just don't know what I'm supposed to be.
Bob: You'll figure that out. The more you know who you are, and what you want, the less you let things upset you.

Well, the weekend in New Orleans was, by all accounts, a success: good food, cheap booze, The French Quarter, Cooter Brown's, a deck of cards, season 5 of Friends, and roaches were enough to provide all the necessary ingredients. Hmmm, I'm not sure exactly what that means, "the necessary ingredients," but I assure you all were present. So there's that.

Stephen's apartment, by the way, is pretty damn sweet. The low ceilings and less-than-abundant amounts of natural light are made up for by the enormity of pretty much every room in the place. Most notably is Stephen's bedroom, which I'm pretty sure is twenty by a million feet.

Oh, I should add that over the weekend I was able to enjoy a Bud's Broiler burger. I don't know what they put in their special barbeque sauce, but I just love those burgers more than I feel I should. *

Hmm, what else? Ahh, I took my dad's new car out for a spin yesterday. It was my first time behind the wheel of a sports car of that caliber, and I was definitely amazed by the level of performance it was capable of reaching (and that's just on the city streets...today or tomorrow I'll take it on the highway for some real fun).

Well, I think that's all for now. Tonight the folks and I are planning on "dining out." Baton Rouge has a wide array of good restaurants to be enjoyed; any suggestions? Good luck to SColson on her CPA exam, and cheers to Stephen on his first day of his last year of college.

*A note to all the ND folk reading this: a Bud's Broiler burger in no way compares with a CJ's burger. Bud's falls under the category of fast-food burger, though the name belies the quality.

foodstuffs

Thanks to the folks, today I was able to enjoy one of the best lunches I can remember eating. Additionally, I got to see my younger brother's new New Orleans apartment; it's quite the DeuzePad, I must admit. We even got to toast the place with a round of whiskey. Not a bad day. I should be heading back to the Big Easy (as they say) with Claire sometime this weekend for some nights out. Madigan's here I come!

That was a joke. An awful, awful joke.

I mentioned in a previous post a fast that I might be undertaking in the near future (snacks...eww). Well, after some consultation with my dad, I might be changing the plan -- only slightly. We'll see what kind of mood I'm in when I get back to Plymouth.

I still have yet to really take the new Audi out for a thorough test drive. I'm hoping to remedy that tomorrow sometime. And on that note, I think I'll go watch "The Cone Zone" or read some Garrison Keillor or do some crosswords or all three.

Finding Your Voice

It's hot here in south Louisiana. Hot and humid. In preparation for the trip I managed to put a large dent in the stack of cds in my library that had not yet made it onto my iPod. I now carry over 1600 songs in my pocket. Booya.

I saw Garden State this afternoon.

Three trophies for the slobs!!!

Explanations (long) overdue

The day Pat Nolan arrived back at the house, we went to work and we haven't really stopped since. First we set out on the task of running my internet line through the ceiling into my room. About a year ago Pat had someone run some cat5 cables throughout the house for later use; unfortunately no one could remember where these lines were. After pulling out every light fixture and air vent in sight, as well as punching a few holes in various walls (Pat's idea, not mine), we finally figured out that we needed to scrap the idea and run all new cable. Upon our return from Radio Shack we got sidetracked by the cable lines and boosting the cable signal in the house instead. So, the day ended with at least one task accomplished: the cable signal boosted and a cable line run into my bedroom (more holes drilled in walls...glorious).

Today was spent largely outdoors. We dug some trenches, installed small 1-inch conduits and ran the exterior cable lines through them and under the deck and a new outdoor, pool-side bathroom, which we then primed for painting (to take place tomorrow). Oh yeah, and we cut out a section of the brand new fence enclosing the pool. Don't ask me why.

Why am I explaining all of this? Well, so that (a) Richard will grow immensely jealous and want to come over and help and (b) I can feel like I'm earning my keep around here.

Moving on, I wanted to explain my previous list, however briefly. Here goes:

1. When you combine the best burger around with pitchers of Amberbock, you just can't lose.

2. Yesterday's is a quaint little restaurant in Granger, IN. Wonderful atmosphere, food, and bowls full of belly. A great place for a nice lunch or an excellent dinner. Or just coffee and dessert.

3. This one is a bit hard to explain. In fact I don't think I'll even attempt to, at least at this point. Some of you out there no this one, and that's going to have to do for now.

4. A touch of home with a touch of tackiness, this coffee shop is the only one in the Michiana area to serve Zapp's chips, Community Coffee, and decorate each corner of the room in various crazy themes. Oh, and they have live Irish Celtic music from time to time.

5. You just have to experience these for yourself.

That's all for now. Goodnight.

one more thing

Some things I miss about South Bend:

1. CJ's
2. Yesterday's
3. 336
4. Lula's
5. The Lakes / Grotto

Wherever The Monk is...there's Mardi Gras

This afternoon I had my official interview with AEFA. It was all pretty straightforward, just some questions and answers for about 30-45 minutes. Upon successful completion* of the interview, I proceeded to the call simulation portion of the application, wherein I was given information on three contacts and had to make a first call to set up an initial advising appointment. These simulations are outsourced and the people they hire are paid to be difficult on the phone. Basically, they wanted to see how I would handle this tough aspect of the job. Fortunately, I passed (though I did not get a single appointment actually scheduled), so on Monday I move right along to the final interview with the VP in charge of the Ann Arbor branch. Rock, rock on.

My room at the Nolan's...errr, at my house...is coming along nicely. It's very cozy (which is a nice way of saying small and busy), but after the expansive abyss of my last apartment, it's a welcome change indeed. One goal for the weekend is to get some pictures posted.

*All interviews are scored and these scores are compared with the scores from the career aptitude test to see whether or not a candidate is eligible to proceed.

Plymouth Nights

As the title would indicate, tonight marks my first night in the Nolan household. I arrived at the house to find a nice "Welcome Mike" sign hanging in the front hallway, hand painted by the kids before they left for a week at Glen Lake, Michigan. They are set to return on Saturday, so until then, the house is mine.

My time here has certainly gotten off on the right foot. Richard and Mary came over, after helping me move furniture into storage, and we proceeded to consume copious amounts of grilled pork loin, veggies, and whiskey out on the pool-side patio. From there we made our way to the hot tub, only getting out for that brief exodus to the pool where the chilly waters served as a nice contrast to the 104 degrees of the tub. Finally, when the whiskey bottle ran dry, Richard and Mary headed back to my former home of Ann Arbor and here I sit in my new room in my new house in my new town writing this entry. And though my future is still heavily veiled from my eyes, I find myself excited for the months to come. REEAR REEAR REEAR, as they say.

Last night about 4 am I got a call from none other than TClary herself. Now, I haven't spoken to Taylor in many months, and yet I got the distinct impression that she was saddened by the fact that I answered my phone. Apparently she just wanted to leave me a message. What a Seinfeldian world we live in - sorry Taylor! Hopefully we'll iron things out at the Notre Dame v. Michigan game in a few weeks. I plan on being there.

Well, it's getting late and I must not allow myself to go to sleep until the rest of my computer and stereo are set up. Clothes can wait, but cable and internet...these are priorities!

Goodnight.

aMAIZEing Wonder Bread

Congrats to Brian and Katie on their wedding this past weekend. The ceremony, as well as the reception, was wonderful. It was especially nice to catch up with a few old Domers I hadn't seen in a while. I think the southern boy in me still holds a special place for the huge, stand-up-buffet-style receptions of my youth, but the sit-down dinners are nice too. I thoroughly enjoyed singing the "Three's Company" theme song during the main course*. My only regret: that the DJ played "Hey Ya" while I was driving some less-than-sober friends home. I guess I was there for some "Musicology" tracks, so I shouldn't complain.

News from the job front! I had a career preview with American Express Fincancial Advisors, Inc. (AEFA). I passed my career aptitude test and was invited to interview one-on-one this Friday. Booya.

Well, that's about it for now. My apartment is in shambles because I have to be out of here by Friday. Fortunately I have a bottle of whiskey to dull the pain of packing alone. God bless you, Evan Williams 7 Year.

*It's kind of a long story: if you know the glass tapping game which forces the newly married couple to kiss, then replace glass tapping with song singing.

Malta Goya

Last night's beer brewing demo was big success. Thanks to Joe and his "beer thumb," Richard and some friends were able to see first hand the art of home brewing, and even begin to make plans for their own setup. The added bonus is that Joe now has 20 gallons of beer/barley wine in his closet. Tremendous.

Today I leave for South Bend...lots of family and old friends to see...should be good times. Oh and the wedding in the Basilica. All in all not a bad weekend planned. I'll try to have some pictures to post upon return.

Some developments have been made on the job-search front, but they'll have to wait until next week. For now I must finish laundry, pack, and head out.

wowie wow wow

You must check this out. I found this link on Poor Richard's site, and decided to steal it for my own. It's just that good.

More later...

Domers Unite!

Well, the joys of college football will soon be upon us, and I'm a little worried as to how all these changes will affect the sport. As a Notre Dame alum, I'm certainly saddened to see the departure of "strength of schedule" from the BCS ranking system, but as a fan of college football on a more general level, I think the simplified system might be good for everyone. At any rate, I'm sure it will have its strengths and weaknesses, as any system will, and I'm just nervous/anxious to see how everything plays out.

Today I took some online typing tests and found out that I type approximately 64 words per minute. I have no idea if this is any good; I imagine it's a little above average. The reason for such tests is that I am going to meet with a temp agency (the one my sister-in-law, Mary, used) this week or next in order to try and get a job - even a temporary one - as soon as possible. In addition, I have posted a resume online and applied to a few things in the area. Hopefully something will pan out.

Last but not least: movie news. Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind will be released on DVD next month. I can't wait! It is easily the best movie I've seen this year. If you haven't seen it, check it out 09/28/04.

That's it I'm out of here.

bleater to my ears

What a weekend (so far)! Friday night Jenny, Pat, and Lisa Nolan came into Ann Arbor and met Richard, Mary, and me at The Earle - a downtown, underground restaurant that serves tradition French and Italian country dishes. After hours of eating, we returned to the streets of town and made our way to Conor O'Neills - for drinks. I don't always like Guiness, but having it on tap at this place is fantastic. Saturday Jenny, Lisa, Pat, and I went to Greenfield Village with two carloads of kids. I'd never been; it was pretty interesting. Then last night Richard and Mary came over, desserts in hand, and I grilled some steaks, all of which we ate by the pool. As the night wore on we lit Pat's patio fire pit to stay warm. God bless Michigan summers.

It was great to catch up with Jenny. She says she'd love to come back with Adam and Erin, and I strongly support this. Over the course of the weekend the topic of fasting arose. Though I didn't follow through last spring, I'm going to try again this fall with the Master Cleanser fast.

And now for something completely different: Blackie says hello.

Is my bagel ready ALREADY?!

Today I watched Steve Jobs' keynote address at the 2004 WWDC. Man, the newest Mac OS X, Tiger, looks to be incredible. New features will include Spotlight, iChat AV, Safari RSS, and Dashboard. The new OS is slated to be released in the first half of next year, and I can't wait. Jaguar is just not cutting it.

It's been far too long since I've had a good manhattan, and I don't think I can wait until my trip home later this month. Thus, Richard and I will have to buy a bottle of E Williams (or an equivalently cheap whiskey) and hit it over some pipe-smoking or cube-playing. Or both.

Khachik, one of my officemates and former roommate, is napping on the chalk-dust ridden couch, a sign that it's time for me to head home.

I can tell when you rub your eyes you're fading fast.

It's offical. Later this month I will become the newest addition to the Nolan household in Plymouth, MI. After a quick trip to South Bend for a wedding on the 14th I'll be back here in Ann Arbor moving out. Then, on the 24th I'll be flying back to Baton Rouge to spend almost two weeks with the folks and Stephen. Should be good times indeed. By the time I get back some of my old friends from Notre Dame should be up here to join the ranks of the Ann Arborite Domers. All things considered, that's not a bad setup for me: I'll have some key friends and family around these parts to hang out with while I try to figure out some things.

This weekend one of my cousins, Jenny Nolan, will be in town visiting. Hopefully we'll get to meet for dinner or a day at the pool/lake. Perhaps I'll have some stories and/or pictures to share at the end of the weekend.

Recently I've rekindled my love of The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds. Teriffic album; it's almost too much, making me happy and sad all at once. Other albums that have monopolized my recent listening include: Want (Rufus Wainwright), Negotiations and Love Songs (Paul Simon), How Does Your Garden Grow? (Better Than Ezra), Euphoria Morning (Chris Cornell), Meaningless (Jon Brion), Between The Dim & The Dark (Jump), I (The Magnetic Fields), One All (Neil Finn), and Greetings From Michigan (Sufjan Stevens). Quite a long list, yes, but you tend to listen to quite a lot of music when you have no job. By that I mean to say that I listen to a lot of music when I have no job.

And on that note I'll close.

and your goose is cooked

Well, I created this blog to document my year in Japan. Now I'm not going, but though I am kept from the place there where my height is above average, I see no reason not to continue posting as planned.

The past few months, for me, have been filled with a little bit of tutoring, a moderate amount of reading, and a lot of nothing. I find myself wishing I had spent that time job searching. No matter, it's now the task at hand, and I'll keep my progress well documented.

One of my good friends in town, Joe a.k.a. "Sneaks", has been actively brewing beer for about a year and a half. Just recently he has decided to move his brewing operation from his buddy's place to his own, a move that has allowed me to witness homebrewing first hand. I must say I'm quite intrigued by the art and I hope that Richard gets his own operation up and running.

Ok, time to tutor.