Once training concluded on Thursday, I realized I’d spent the whole week traveling to other states to cross them off my “remaining” list and had hardly seen the great city of Portsmouth! So, I decided to slip on my Vibrams and go for a run. After a mile or so, I thought, “This town is worthy of some pictures! You should stop every now and again and take a few!” So I snapped the above.
Shortly afterward, I stopped in an old church with wide open front doors:
I passed a relic from my childhood (and yours):
Once I got good and out of breath (and lost), I used my phone to find my way back to the hotel to bathe and meet my classmates for dinner. A couple hours later, I met an old humor blogging friend, Chris, who used to pen the “Angry Seafood” site. He interviewed me in November 2008, but sadly, the site appears to be gone.
Chris had never met a blogging friend in person before…probably because he lives way the hell out in New Hampshire! I’m glad I could be his first.
The next morning, I flew to New York for BlogHer 2012, my fourth one. There was reconnecting with friends from online, some educational sessions, good food, and parties. But most memorable about BlogHer 2012 will forever by the trips to Duet Karaoke until 5am both Friday and Saturday nights (videos after the jump!):
With quality of singing voices and song choices degrading as the night progressed…
We crooned and crooned until the nice Koreans asked us to leave. Luckily, there were food trucks to visit at sunrise.
On Sunday, while most of the participants struggled to get home through horrible weather-related delays, my bride and I explored Central Park, shopped on 5th Avenue, brunched at Sarabeth’s, and then met Adam and Amy for a damned near perfect dinner at The Nomad Hotel.
I wasn’t planning to go to any more BlogHers before I went to this one, since I always have to miss my military drill weekend to attend (which I’m only allowed to do once a year), but given next year’s moving up a week to late July, and given my love of Chicago, I’ll likely return for a fifth, provided my bride can accompany me. It’s some of the most fun we have together all year.
And, as silly as it sounds, I like the people who live in my computer.
The people in your computer LOVE you. Give Dewey Decimal a huge hug for me.
Have been doing a lot of that lately. And, the love is mutual!
Aw, this is terrific. Your warmth for both the experience and the people really translates.
So lovely!
Wish I could get your ass out there one year! And, thanks.
Yep. We like you too. We need an encore in Chicago. Though I may make you sign an NDA because I’m slightly horrified that my tipsy middle-of-the-night singing is on the internet. 🙂
Ha! You think I can’t weasel out of an NDA?
Tears streaming down my face…dying laughing …man you guys are all so much fun!
Also I sing much better in Canadian. SORRY ABOOT THAT, EH!?
The best part about Duet’s set up is that the rooms are just the right size and have just the right acoustics to ensure bad singing is drowned out by everyone else’s bad singing. Woot!
So glad you could come play.
Don’t stop believing, dude.
(Can’t wait for karaoke again next year with you and your lovely bride.)
(Andy’s bringing his “instrument” (his words). Just so you know.)
I don’t think I’ve ever engaged in such tomfoolery with you and Andy (and several of the others who were there), but I’m glad we did. Skills…y’all have them.
One time I stay awake long enough to bring in da funk with you, though my voice will definitely contribute to da noise.
Noise and funk are welcome! I contribute lots of both.
That doesn’t sound nearly as silly as it might when you consider just how much the people inside your computer love you, too.
Never forget, Michael: We are golden karaoke gods —and no amount of drunkenness, ridiculousness or video can take that away from us!!!
I feel much better now…thanks! Hope to see you at Dad 2, Mardi Gras, and BlogHer next year!
That was a great trip, and I’m so glad we got to do karaoke again. Sunday night’s dinner was my favorite part of the whole weekend, though.
I’m so glad you got to utilize your voice lessons. I just wish I’d recorded it. Maybe I was too awestruck.
Aaaaaaw. 🙂 Sunday’s dinner made me kind of glad that my flight got cancelled. (Don’t tell anyone, though, okay?)
I’m glad it was cancelled, too! But I think you knew that already.
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That’s an awesome looking historic house…is that where you stayed?
nope…just visited it!
I enjoy your site. Thank you for posting that. I’ll return back to see what’s new and inform my neighbors about this site.
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