Peruvian Nights and Jamaican Days

'WEEN '04

So. Ween '04 pictures will probably follow on Abbzug's photo site. I apologize ahead of time for potentially unpleasant pictures of me without a shirt on. Man. I have a cool farmer's tan. I didn't realize how bad it was until I saw myself in Abbie's camera (digital). When I don't have a shirt on, I look like I have a white T-shirt on.

Um. Let's see. This party is an annual event, apparently. Mostly zoology folk, but the botanists get invited too, or at least the cool ones. And I get invited via my association with the botanists. I recognized a few anthro people there, too. Although, they might be archaeo people - one of those groups of folk who dig up old stuff. I think there were more people there this time than last year. The sangria was deadly, but fortunately it ran out pretty quickly.

So I had planned on going as a woolly bugger (a fishing fly, for those of you who aren't hip to it). But alas, nobody in town carried grass skirts OR fake fur, which were both integral to my plan. So as Plan B, I went as Huck Finn. I did this simply by wearing overalls with the legs rolled up, no shirt, no socks, no shoes, a beat-up straw hat, and a bindle on my shoulder. Let me tell you, the walk to the party was COLD (we have about 3" of snow on the ground as I write this). I would say 64% of people correctly identified who I was supposed to be. Jen was Frida Kahlo (her costume was perfect), Abbie was a librarian, Rick was a golfer, and Peter was an aphid. The best costume of all..wait..I have to set this up for those of you non-Laramites who might be reading...There's this guy who walks around Laramie picking up aluminum cans. He carries one of those old-school external frame packs (think Boy Scouts) with garbage bags full of cans tied to the frame, and dresses like..well...like a grandpa. He probably is one. And he carries a walking stick. So the best costume was a guy that dressed up like that guy. And everyone knew who he was supposed to be.

And as far as barfing goes, it wasn't that bad. So far as I know, it was only me this year (dang sangria!), though I haven't talked to anyone else yet - last year we didn't find out until like 2 days later that half of us had vomited after leaving the party (I was not among them). I had no idea it was coming, but apparenty Jen did, since she had placed a trashcan right in front of me. It was pretty quick, and not one of those awful ones that half comes out your nose. Relatively pleasant, as puking goes. The color and texture was awful - hot pink liquid with bits of fruit floating in it. But all in all, not a bad upchuck.

So, may post pictures here eventually, if I get some from Abbie. Or I might direct you to her site.

In other news, there may be hope yet. It actually seems to me that Kerry might have a shot.

I haven't decided whether to vote Green, or write-in Sharpton. I'm leaning toward Green, since it would help their cause, but they don't seem to be as egotistical as Nader, and will probably direct people to vote for Kerry in swing states. I'm tired of Nader.

In other other news, do not see the movie Coffee and Cigarettes. Or maybe it's Cigarettes and Coffee. Either way, don't bother. Terrible. Just a bad idea. How can a movie that features Bill Murray, GZA, RZA, Tom Waits, Iggy Pop, and Jack and Meg White be made to suck? I don't know. But I suspect they had to try very hard. As I write this, I'm trying to think of a single redeeming quality. It was in black and white, which was apparently supposed to make you think it was 'artsy.' In actuality, it was just really stupid. Jack White is a decent actor, but Meg is terrible. Tom Waits is a good actor, but Iggy Pop is terrible. The scene with Bill Murray was, predictably, fairly hilarious, but mostly because GZA and RZA were great. I don't care what anyone says, that movie is TERRIBLE. It goes NOWHERE. It's like Lost in Translation on Valium.

Also saw the movie The Day After Tomorrow. It was both entertaining and awful. Man. That scene with the wolves. That ranks right up there with the all-time stupidest moments in cinema history.

-m