The Pre-Meetup

Friday morning was spent making some trips to the airport. Our first pickup was for Will who flew in from South Carolina. I took Will and Yadira to the Westin Hotel downtown and then drove back to the airport (a 30 minute drive) to pick up Melanie, Erin, and RJ who were all flying in from Las Vegas.  An hour later, we went to a different terminal to pick up Tim who was flying in from Austin Texas. No misadventures, except that I once again couldn't remember where I parked my car and we spent 15 minutes looking for it! I am rapidly gaining a reputation for doing this. haha

Back at the hotel a few more had arrived...Eric from Michigan, and Sal from Las Vegas. Sal had arrived earlier and rented his own car. Mark, who only lives a short distance away, had also arrived.

Our afternoon and evening was spent in the Power and Light district. Our first stop was the Raglan Road Irish Pub for lunch. I chose not to eat and instead began drinking grey goose and cranberry juice. Mel and I also did some shots of grey goose. By the time we left, I was already buzzing. We left the Raglan and ventured across the street to the College Basketball Experience. After playing some B-ball and taking some shots (the basketball variety) my buzz was beginning to fade. But not to worry...there were plenty more shots (the grey goose variety) to come.  TOO MANY, in fact!

So after the basketball, we went to the Power and Light courtyard and had more drinks while we waited for Howl at the Moon to open. Once it opened, Melanie and I were off to a quick start with more shots of grey goose.

We all did some dancing, and Melanie entertained the crowd on stage. After 7 shots of the goose, Melanie and were back outside talking on the phone with Jillian...something we call drunk dialing! And for both of us...this was about the last thing we remember. Apparently, so we were told, we left Howl at the Moon a couple hours later and went to an Italian restaurant next door. But as I said, we remembered none of this. The last remaining moments for Melanie and I were spent outside in front of the restaurant being baysitted by Sal, Erin, and RJ. And shortly after that, Will drove Mel and I back to the hotel in my car sometime around 9:30 or 10:00 p.m.

So after we passed out in Mel and Erin's room, the rest of the gang continued on. And when they left the Power and Light District, the party continued in Eric's and my room...ending sometime around 3:00 a.m. It was an early retirement for Mel and I, and we didn't remember half of the night. Lesson learned....don't go without eating all day and then drink as much as we did.