We took the limo. That was nice. When we took the limo away from the party, we also took the lead singer of the band that was playing the party, and the party�s host. Also nice for us. Probably not so much for the people who were still partying.
Went to home of friends of ours, one of whom is also a hair stylist. Shawn lobbied really, really hard to get him to cut my hair � which is obnoxious and halfway down my back � then and there. You know how you look back on things, and see them from a different point of view? Thank GOD I didn�t let that man cut my hair that night. I�m sure he�s very talented, but jeez � we were sitting around a counter, singing, and I was wearing Mr. Lead Singer�s shirt. Not the best time for a Major Hair Decision.
I dragged my tired but happy ass out of bed the next morning in time to participate in the annual 4th of July parade. That�s right. Tired, hungover� PARADE. It�s like a special kind of hell that Dante just hadn�t thought of yet.
Rode on top of the station van with Co-Host Kim. Man, that girl is made to be in a parade. She�s singing, she�s shouting �Happy New Year� at strangers, she�s waving flags� I�m flinging sample packets of suntan lotion and contemplating rolling off the van and into the street. Okay, it wasn�t THAT bad. And Kim�s enthusiasm actually did make it the most fun parade I�ve done, and I�ve been doing this for a few years. Plus, after the parade while the driver was trying to park, we got to surf on top of the van like Teen Wolf. That was fun.
Finished work, got home, then the phone rang. It was Joey! That�s right, bitches! Joey! I got a CuppaPhone! I felt a little bad, because I was so stupidly exhausted, I sounded like a hippie and could barely string a sentence together. But he sounds just as nice on the phone, just like I knew he would. Our next step will be for me to outdrink him under the table, which should take about 11 minutes.
After we hung up, I napped like no woman has ever napped before, then headed out to kick off the fireworks. Like the last few years, the station soundtracks the biggest show in the area, so I get the honor (or, life-threatening task, whatever) of being on the barge that�s explosive central, in the middle of the Sound, with the pyrotechnics team, counting down the start of the show so everything matches up.
Last year, they let me push the first button. (Actually, flip the first toggle.) This year, they let me set off pretty much the first half of the show, which totally kicked so much ass, that I�m surprised there�s any ass left in the world, anywhere.
The Head Pyrotechnics guy even was saying stuff like, �We don�t do anything until Jamie says. How does it feel to have this kind of firepower totally under your control?�
And, �Damn! I�ve been working for 10 hours, all day long, and I can�t do a damn thing until Jamie says so.�
He was funny. And it was pretty cool. And now the fireboat guys totally know me when it�s time to pick me up, and they help me onto the boat and are very nice to me and even gave me my own little lifejacket this time. Oh, and this one weeping-willow-type firework didn�t shoot off quite high enough, and rained down on all sides of us, but no giant flaming embers actually hit anyone�s flesh, so that was nice.
When I got back to shore, Beaker and I had to split so I could return some radio equipment. He said something like, �After the first few went off, I felt better, because I figured if something bad happened, at least there wasn�t as many rockets on board.�
And I was all, �Aww! You were worried about me!�
And he should have been rewarded with snuggling and ice cream and puppies, but I was too damn tired and instead he was rewarded with snores.
Saturday was the most boring day I�ve had since I moved down here, three and a half years ago. Either, there�s something to do, or I�m deliberately laying around and vegging out. Saturday, neither was true. The weather was shitty, I was sick of lying around, and there was nothing on TV anyway. I almost whined.
Sunday was much better. Beaker took me to a beach on the mainland, one where I�d never been. We rode the waves and ate hamburgers and ice cream and got pink noses and had a grand time. I think my favorite moment was when he kept telling me to get on his shoulders while he was chest-deep in rough water, and I didn�t understand why and was afraid I�d drown him. Finally, I hopped on, and got to ride above the waves. He indeed almost drowned. I shrieked with the fun and tried to keep the water out of his eyes. Two girls watching cheered for me.
Then, we Found Nemo. Beaker�s a commercial fisherman, and during the part where the commercial vessel almost killed Dorie, I turned and punched him in the arm. Other than that, it was a good movie and a great day.
Too bad this week is going to be a living hell.
