stonebender (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
stonebender) wrote2005-05-03 03:04 pm
stonebender) wrote2005-05-03 03:04 pm
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Last Thursday serenejournal told me that Sarah Vowell was reading from her book Assassination Vacation at Cody's Books and asked if I wanted to go. It's been a long winter for me and I don't do well in the winter. I'd been staying home more than I like and (besides serenejournal liking me a little) I think her offer was an attempt to lure me out of the house. I called loracs at work to see if I could get a ride but she wasn't sure she could get out of work early enough. I gave serenejournal a tentative OK if things worked out. Fully expecting things to fall through. loracs work has been keeping her plenty busy these days.
Happily, she came home from work in time and we headed for Berkeley. We got there early enough to have dinner before the reading at a pub just down the street called Raleigh's. It was a typical college town beer joint. Lots of booths and a few tables with benches, not exactly luxurious seating. Having brought my own chair this wasn't a problem for me, but I don't think Carol was comfortable. The cuisine was pub grub: meat, various fried things, and did I mention meat? My bacon cheeseburger was pretty good. The fries were very tasty. Raleigh's is the kind of place that I like to try a new beer. I very much prefer dark beers. So I asked our waitress what was a good one? She suggested Guinness. Which I like but can get most places. In fact if places have only one dark beer it is usually Guinness. I said no you can get that anywhere, something different. Then she suggested another beer that I can't remember the name of which didn't taste too bad but was pretty thin. I like my beer on the chewy side. :-)
I liked the place, but I admit it was as much because the waitresses were cute and I was overwhelmed with nostalgia for this kind of college town place. It reminded me of a cross between the Beer Garden and PK's at SIU in Carbondale, Illinois. It was also a great treat to have an evening out withloracs in the middle of the week.
While eating, we got a call fromserenejournal who was already at Cody's with someotherguy. We told her where we were and after a little "passing each other in plain sight" dance. We met in front of the restaurant. serenejournal had already checked out the wheelchair access and it turned out there was an elevator that needed a door unlocked. So she and someotherguy went ahead to flag down the KeyMaster.
By the time we got to Cody'sserenejournal had bought me a copy of the book, directed us to the correct door and the KeyMaster was there. So I was in Cody's waiting for Sarah 1-2-3! serenejournal stood with us for a little while, but someotherguy hadn't come up in the elevator with us. I felt like we had abandoned him, so serenejournal went off to sit (actually stand) by him.
Sarah could be the perfect geek girlfriend. Cute in an unconventional way. Very bright but with unusual interests and a great sense of humor about them all. I've enjoyed her on NPR and really enjoyed the excerpts of the book she read. After the reading she opened up the floor to questions. I liked how she often asked the questioners their opinion. It felt like he was trying to make a genuine connection with her audience.
After questions we took the elevator back downstairs. Carol offered to stand in line to get the book signed. A think mainly because there was no way for me to get to the end of the line. Traffic patterns were not well thought out in the bookstore at least for those folks using the elevator. I looked around the bookstore bit. I can and have spent all day in a bookstore. After a whileserenejournal and someotherguy showed up. It turned out they couldn't hear very well and had decided to spend some time at a cafe near the store. There was some smooching in the poli sci section with serenejournal and I. Then the line had gotten to a length that I could take loracs's place. The three of them decided to abandon me and enjoy more coffee. I should've went with them but I do have a sick need for famous people to scribble in my books.
I spent the time in line worrying about who should be mentioned in the signature and how. They all didn't seem to care, but I didn't want to appear to snub them. Besides I thought it might be fun to put the laundry list of our family in the book. I also really wanted to say something original preferably funny to Sarah. I did come up with something that I thought was funny. As I approached the table I would say, "I've been trying to think of something original to say to you. Something that would fill you with inspiration and ideas for a new book. The book would be heaped with praise, and awards and you would have dedicated the book to me and my inspiration. But all I can think to say to you right now is: Hey!"
By the time it was my turn the gang had reassembled and I lost my nerve or got my sense back whichever version you prefer. So that was my last Thursday.
serenejournal told me that Sarah Vowell was reading from her book Assassination Vacation at Cody's Books and asked if I wanted to go. It's been a long winter for me and I don't do well in the winter. I'd been staying home more than I like and (besides serenejournal liking me a little) I think her offer was an attempt to lure me out of the house. I called loracs at work to see if I could get a ride but she wasn't sure she could get out of work early enough. I gave serenejournal a tentative OK if things worked out. Fully expecting things to fall through. loracs work has been keeping her plenty busy these days.Happily, she came home from work in time and we headed for Berkeley. We got there early enough to have dinner before the reading at a pub just down the street called Raleigh's. It was a typical college town beer joint. Lots of booths and a few tables with benches, not exactly luxurious seating. Having brought my own chair this wasn't a problem for me, but I don't think Carol was comfortable. The cuisine was pub grub: meat, various fried things, and did I mention meat? My bacon cheeseburger was pretty good. The fries were very tasty. Raleigh's is the kind of place that I like to try a new beer. I very much prefer dark beers. So I asked our waitress what was a good one? She suggested Guinness. Which I like but can get most places. In fact if places have only one dark beer it is usually Guinness. I said no you can get that anywhere, something different. Then she suggested another beer that I can't remember the name of which didn't taste too bad but was pretty thin. I like my beer on the chewy side. :-)
I liked the place, but I admit it was as much because the waitresses were cute and I was overwhelmed with nostalgia for this kind of college town place. It reminded me of a cross between the Beer Garden and PK's at SIU in Carbondale, Illinois. It was also a great treat to have an evening out with
loracs in the middle of the week.While eating, we got a call from
serenejournal who was already at Cody's with someotherguy. We told her where we were and after a little "passing each other in plain sight" dance. We met in front of the restaurant. serenejournal had already checked out the wheelchair access and it turned out there was an elevator that needed a door unlocked. So she and someotherguy went ahead to flag down the KeyMaster.By the time we got to Cody's
serenejournal had bought me a copy of the book, directed us to the correct door and the KeyMaster was there. So I was in Cody's waiting for Sarah 1-2-3! serenejournal stood with us for a little while, but someotherguy hadn't come up in the elevator with us. I felt like we had abandoned him, so serenejournal went off to sit (actually stand) by him.Sarah could be the perfect geek girlfriend. Cute in an unconventional way. Very bright but with unusual interests and a great sense of humor about them all. I've enjoyed her on NPR and really enjoyed the excerpts of the book she read. After the reading she opened up the floor to questions. I liked how she often asked the questioners their opinion. It felt like he was trying to make a genuine connection with her audience.
After questions we took the elevator back downstairs. Carol offered to stand in line to get the book signed. A think mainly because there was no way for me to get to the end of the line. Traffic patterns were not well thought out in the bookstore at least for those folks using the elevator. I looked around the bookstore bit. I can and have spent all day in a bookstore. After a while
serenejournal and someotherguy showed up. It turned out they couldn't hear very well and had decided to spend some time at a cafe near the store. There was some smooching in the poli sci section with serenejournal and I. Then the line had gotten to a length that I could take loracs's place. The three of them decided to abandon me and enjoy more coffee. I should've went with them but I do have a sick need for famous people to scribble in my books.I spent the time in line worrying about who should be mentioned in the signature and how. They all didn't seem to care, but I didn't want to appear to snub them. Besides I thought it might be fun to put the laundry list of our family in the book. I also really wanted to say something original preferably funny to Sarah. I did come up with something that I thought was funny. As I approached the table I would say, "I've been trying to think of something original to say to you. Something that would fill you with inspiration and ideas for a new book. The book would be heaped with praise, and awards and you would have dedicated the book to me and my inspiration. But all I can think to say to you right now is: Hey!"
By the time it was my turn the gang had reassembled and I lost my nerve or got my sense back whichever version you prefer. So that was my last Thursday.
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