Claire's Twelfth New Friend: She makes me eat like I live on the Seam in the 12th District

Friends have been on my mind a lot this week. I have really been thinking about how I don't have any!! I have 1 friend (who I do not live with....you guys don't qualify) who lives in Vegas and who is interested in hanging out with me. So that means I have to do a lot of things on my own. I go to the movies, coffee, out to eat, the bar, volunteer, workout, etc by myself. Sometimes I feel a little awkward just sitting and blatantly staring at every other patron who walks in, so I have learned to always carry a book (whether it be so I can pretend to read, but actually still stare at everyone, or actually fit in some reading). This weekend, after seeing all the Facebook posts about the midnight showing of The Hunger Games and then hearing about how it is the top grossing movie ever, I decided I better read it and then see it...obviously, I am not what you would call an early adopter.

After reading the first few pages where they go into great detail about being starving and eating fresh bread, I had to stop reading and eat approximately 8 pieces of garlic bread. Carbo load for the marathon reading sesh!  I am a super, super slow reader, so give me a week. (I can read the words fast, but I won't retain any of it as I will just be thinking about how fast I am reading. I blame my second grade teacher, Mrs. Bean for that one. She put me in the advanced reading group for some reason and we read The Indian in the Cupboard and the other students breezed through it and comprehended it and discussed it. I didn't say much during said discussions. When I watched the movie, it was a whole new story to me, like I had never even read the book! It turned me off from book clubs for years. I think I may be ready for one now.) So, meet my new friend The Hunger Games.....that is, if you have not already met.

Me and my girl Katniss just hanging out.

Kevin's Twelfth New Friend: Sometimes bars don't have windows

Bailey: "Let's go to a dive bar tonight!"
Me: "Yes, please! I always love me a good dive bar."
Bailey: "My friend wants to come out with us but she doesn't have a car.  The Dunes is right next to her house, let's go there."

Enter "The Dunes"

Holy Moley! This bar is on Dunlap ave and 30 something avenue.  GULP! It really delivered on the "dive".  We pull up and the box of a building in the middle of a large parking lot is windowless and says "cocktails" in big cursive letters...We walk in and are greeted by the comfort that only carpeting can provide (but, I decided not to feel the berber between my toes and keep my shoes on).  The two free! pool tables look very inviting but I decide to first head to the bar.  "Hello ma'am! What do you have on tap?" "Bud, Bud Light, Miller Light and Coors" "Anything in a bottle?" "Yes, same selection plus Amber Bock" (I remember that my lenten promise is to not drink and decide these options do not give me a good reason to break my promise) "Coke, please!" Now that my drink has been ordered, I can take care of soaking in the rest of the place: a mirrored wall, formica bar, a dart board, whaaaat?! Karaoke night?! Is that 50 year old white lady singing "My Humps"?! This is wonderful, I never knew I liked you West Dunlap (or East Dunlap...let's just say Dunlap).  The next few hours are taken up by playing pool and watching the locals sing their favorite songs.  I owe all of this to my new friend, Jen.  Jen is a mother, a friend of Bailey's and a regular at The Dunes.  Thank you Jen for introducing me to this wonderful carpeted environment; it really reduced the echoes.

Kevin's Eleventh New Friend: An SPD Artist

It's the greatest day of the year! My Saint Patrick's Day was filled with blasts from my past this year.  I counted, I ran into (unplanned) 12 people that I had not seen in over a year -- and a few that I had seen within the year.  All of these people are old friends though so, no blog for you! Ms. Statt; however, is a friend that I have made this year.  Ashley Statt (yes, of the same Statt family that we know and love) is, of course, a graduate of SSJ and soon Bourgade.  She is an amazing girl who showed me what to do on an 8th grade retreat and will be going to South Africa (the same mission I went on in 2010) this summer! In order to help her raise monies, she was at First Friday Artwalk (I don't know if that should be capitalized and I am almost certain "artwalk" is not one word) selling her art.  Although Britany stole the piece that I really wanted, I was happy to donate to the cause.  I cannot wait to hear about her trip and have stolen her art idea.  I hope she doesn't get mad at me.

The stolen art project

Kevin's Tenth New Friend: SSJ is thicker than blood

We all have birthdays.  This one insisted on making me 23; but, I was not alone.  My friend Britany Statt shares this glorious day with me so I went out with her to celebrate.  And, as always, I met someone that she went to grade school with - Amy Thompson (that's right, as in 1829 Thompson street.  I love you, Philadelphia).  Amy wasn't the only SSJer that we ran into that night but she is my new friend.  Amy, regrettably, found her way to Xavier for high schools.  It's ok though, we all make little mistakes.  She is now at ASU and studying non-profit.  She loves Tempe and ASU and, I'm assuming, Canteen.  I hope to run into her on Mill many more times.

Don't be jealous of our backlighting

Claire's Eleventh Friend: So a nun walks into a bar on St. Patrick's Day.

This weekend I went to a Nunchelorette Party, maybe the first ever in the history of the world. One of my dearest, sweetest friends is becoming a nun! A cloistered nun at that (for those of you who don't know, cloistered means she will never be leaving the convent! She'll be praying for our asses!)! A little sad because we are realizing we only have a limited time to hang out with her and communicate with her on a regular basis, my friends and I knew that this is what she was called to do. Soooo, what else do you do when somebody figures out what they want to do with the rest of their lives? Throw a party. And we did just that.

1 Nunchelorette + 4 single ladies + New Orleans + St. Patrick's Day = Best Party Ever (and at least 10-20 new friends)

On St. Patrick's Day (which is my favorite day of the year....if Gonzaga would just stop losing on that day, it would be even better!) we went to the parade in the Irish Channel (side note: their motto is amazing, America First, Irish Channel Always). Everybody knows at parades in New Orleans you get beads...I never really understood why everybody wants those cheap ass beads until I experienced it. It was a full on competition between you and the other 3000 people on that street to have the most beads hanging off your sweaty neck. I don't know what came over me, but I was ready to throw my elbows in the old lady's face next to me to get those damn beads that were going to stain my skin because I wore too many for too long! But, they are not just throwing out beads, they are throwing out heads of cabbage (pay attention, because that shit hurts when it hits you in the face!), potatoes, jello shots, moon pies, ramen noodles, garter belts, pool noodles and flowers. At the beginning of the parade, a massive amount of men in tuxedos walk by giving out kisses and flowers to all the ladies on the route. Weird, but I loved it!

After the parade, we wander over to the best block party ever. It was huge and free and there were live bands and men everywhere! While we are trying to understand where we are and how to get drinks in our hands, my new friend Mike Sullivan corners me in the bar. He is in a tux and was one of the guys from the start of the parade! Just as he starts in on his life story, the nunchelorette joins us. He asked me if I was from Uptown, which made me excited because 1. my faux southern accent must be really sounding great these days! 2. I am blending in with the locals! and 3. Uptown sounds like a fancy place....and I am not that fancy.  He forces us to take some sips of his drink he brought from home in his janky water bottle and then lets me in on the little secret about SPD in NOLA, byob. He puts his mixed drinks in janky water bottles and then packs beer and ice in his backpack.....water was literally dripping out of his not so water proof backpack. I decided I was pretty happy with our choice to not wear ice chest back packs. I asked Mike why he was marching in the parade and he answered, "My last name is Sullivan and I paid $130!" Mike's life story and antics kept us entertained for probably close to an hour. Mike was really really in love with our nunchelorette.....he admitted his love for her promptly after he told us how much he loved his fiance, Melissa! Our friend, Hayley, whom he appropriately named Tall Drink of Water, told him he can't love our nunchelorette because she is marrying Jesus, and without missing a beat, Mike said he was changing his name to Jesus and moving to Phoenix for her.

Mike gives us the beads he said every girl at the parade wanted and told us how lucky we were to have them for about 15 minutes and then we went our separate ways. I hope he made it home okay. Thanks for showing us some real Southern Hospitality Mike!

Mike sitting on Tall Drink of Water.

Me cracking up from everything Mike is saying. Janky water bottle front and center.

Claire's Tenth New Friend: He's Bootcamp Tough!

I am a sucker for group fitness Groupons/Living Social Deals/Huge Ass Deals. Group fitness is so great because the trainer is not always focused on you, so you can slack off if you want, or you can really push yourself by trying to beat the hard body granny working out next to you, plus....I hang out with an infant all day, so I need to talk to somebody who will actually talk back. Naturally, I purchased a Groupon for Sin City Waist Trimmers bootcamp. Two weeks ago I started in on my ten sessions. Enter my new friend, Donovan. He is the ultimate bootcamp tough coach/trainer/cheerleader. After the first 5 sessions, I began to dislike Donovan. I was beyond sore. Sitting down on the toilet hurt me. The next week, I already felt stronger and started to like Donovan again. He might even convince me to give up my group fitness Groupon buying ways, settle down and commit to one program. My last session is tomorrow....and I just can't say goodbye! Must keep going (especially since we are friends and all)!!

Claire's Ninth New Friend: Entrepreneurial Spirit

Ever since I was in grade school, I wanted to own my own business. Nothing sounded better than making your own hours and being so damn passionate about your job, that you don't even care that you no longer sleep, workout, or have friends and have replaced all of your meals with coffee and microwave popcorn because you are too busy working. I was especially gun ho about the dream of becoming a business owner in college after taking an entrepreneurial leadership class. The semester long assignment was to develop a business plan with your team. My team of 7 awesome ladies developed a plan for a little business we like to call ucasa.com (University realty website). Our professor loved the plan and really encouraged us to enter the annual business plan competition. So we did. We lost and didn't win the start-up funds. My dreams were a little bit crushed. And do you know who beat us!? My new friend! No hard feelings though Sarah. I promise.

Meet Sarah Wollnick. She went to Gonzaga with me and was another one of those people I knew of, but never really knew or talked to. I met her this weekend because it was the West Coast Conference tournament in Las Vegas, coupled with Young Alumni Weekend. (Three things: 1. The Zags lost to the stupid Gaels. 2. The Gaels got a new mascot. It is a cavemen or something and really disturbing looking. 3. We were the oldest people at Young Alumni Weekend. I guess 25 is no longer young?) Turns out, I was missing out because we have a lot in common besides our mutual friends!
1. We both love business ownership! Okay, I dream about this one and she actually does it. Upon winning the business plan competition, Sarah and her husband, Josh, started their business, GreenCupboards. In fact, they were just featured in the Startup Spotlight on Geek Wire!
2. We were practically wearing the same outfit to the championship game! Right down to our gray Toms...But then again, I guess those basketball fan outfits are pretty standard.
3. We both love alcoholic milkshakes!
4. We both secretly really wanted to sing karaoke at the club. Don't deny it Sarah! Not much sounds better than the sound of Spice Girls music coming out of my mouth!

So glad I got to get to know the lovely Sarah Wollnick this weekend! Looking forward to many a more reunions, either in Vegas or Spokane!

At tha cluuuub with my new friend! Wishing they would stop playing 50 cent and  pop in a Spice Girls cassette. 

Kevin's Ninth New Friend: Don't take it personal Glenn

Last Sunday I was in bed looking at the cars I was "watching" on ebay (I'd gotten in the habit of going to sleep researching cars on my pad) and noticed that there was a CL500 I had been watching.  Weird.  That is clearly out of my budget.  It had already been sold so I went to the dealer's website that had listed it to find out what the price was...no such luck.  BUT, I did stumble upon a listing for a 2006 Saab 9-3 with 50k miles.  They were asking $10,8 and that seemed doable (even though it did not have any pictures).  I'll think about it tomorrow, I'm subbing in the morning and it is time to go to bed.

Monday after school my dad and I drive out to Audi of North Scottsdale and test drive this same car.  A few chips, squishy breaks and a headlight that's out.  Not to mention the price tag is a little high.  Let's think about it...  OK, I've thought about it.  I want it! Make an offer...make another offer.  Walk out the door for $10 and you'll fix my complaints? Sold!

Tuesday I go and get my first auto loan.  My friend there was slow and felt no pressure even though the clock said it was an hour after the bank closed.  I don't think he'd make a good friend for my blog, but thanks for the loan!

Wednesday, February 29, 2012 I buy a new car from Bill Jacobs.  He'd be a great new friend because he sold me my car but we didn't even shake hands after I signed everything and gave him the largest check that I'd ever held so we didn't seem like a good match.  Who does that leave?  Well, although a machine, I will spend numerous hours and travel (hopefully) 100,000 miles with this week's friend: my new car.  I hope my next forty friends get to meet her!

Kevin's Eighth New Friend: ...It's God's Time

Jen asked me to be an adult for the grade school's 8th grade retreat and I said yes.

5:30 am last Friday I am standing in the SSJ parking lot loading up two buses full of 14 year olds.
6:00 am it is time to drive down to Oracle, Arizona (yes, there is such a place) and, it seems that I am the only adult on the second bus (well, I'll allow that the bus driver was of technical "adult" age).  Guess I have to learn how to be grown up: I make them all pray the rosary, like any good Catholic adult.

I get off the bus and there is Wendy Treon.  There was a light breeze in the air that moved the hair across her face and the way the sunlight hit her eyes...wait, no. The air was motionless and I honestly have no clue where Wendy was.  We had met three weeks earlier to discuss my function on the retreat and she seemed so stoic.  But that must have been her in "business" mode.  While the students were working on team building, Wendy and I refined our jokes (our humor is similar and that is all I will say on the subject!)

Mrs. Wendy Treon is the counselor two days a week at the grade school and went to school with Jen.  She has a beautiful family of three and I have every intention of continuing to stalk her on Facebook if we can't hang out in real life.