more congrats!

I'm behind on my congratulatory posts, but 2 are in order. This weekend my cousin Michael proposed to his girlfriend Emily. What a great catch she is, we're so excited to have her in the family!
Also, a couple weeks ago, my cousin Trish's boyfriend Chris proposed as well. Also a really super guy who I'm so excited to officially call a cousin! Trish and Chris will probably have the big day sometime next fall and Michael and Emily probably early 2009. Let the Keegan wedding fun begin!

Birthday EXTRAVAGANZA!!!

Just wanted to update everyone on the birthday extravaganza that I've been experiencing this whole weekend! My cousin Steve is here and we've had a great time. On Thursday we went to dodgeball and did a bit of precelebration then. Yesterday we went to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, then out for a really nice dinner and then today we went to LEGALLY BLONDE the musical!! It was awesome!! So much fun, just as fun as the movie, but on stage. Tonight we're going to a bar and hanging out with some friends. Steve is a great guest and I want him to stay LONGER!

Dodgeball

So tonight is the last week of dodgeball and for the whole season, one of our players, JP has been sending out motivational emails to the team. Today's was the best yet, so I thought I'd share. The Rich Coster who he's referring to is none other than the Rich on our team. Enjoy!

JP Shand gave his famous "Win One for the Coster" speech to Ball
Busters players in between the last two regulation games of the 2067
Party Dodgeball NYC season. Shand was trying to salvage something from
his worst season as coach of the Ball Busters (a position assumed
after his retirement thirty years earlier). To inspire his players he
told them the story of his final conversation with the legendary Rich
Coster; although historians believe it is doubtful that Shand's
version of Coster's words was true, the Busters did win their next
game against the next generation of Sweatpant Boners.

More importantly, the story became solidified into popular culture
after its recreation in the 2093 movie, JP Shand- All American. The
phrase "Win One for the Coster" was infused into the lexicon of
American society, and later became a rallying cry for political
campaigns, sports teams, and business associates alike. Here is the
transcript of the dialogue from the movie that begins one hour and
seventeen minutes after the showing of the MGM logo:

Well, boys and girls... I haven't a thing to say.
Played a great season...all of you. Great season.
(Shand tries to smile.)
I guess we just can't expect to win 'em all.
(He pauses and says quietly.)
I'm going to tell you something I've kept to myself for years --
None of you ever knew Rich Coster.
It was long before your time.
But you know what a tradition he is at Party Dodgeball NYC...
(There is gentle, faraway look in Shand's eyes as
he recalls his words.)
And the last thing he said to me -- "JP," he said - "sometime, when
the team is up against it -- and the breaks are beating the boys and
girls -- tell them to go out there with all they got and win just one
for the Coster...
(Shand's eyes become misty and his voice is
unsteady as he finishes.)
I don't know where I'll be then, JP", he said - "but I'll know about
it - and I'll be happy."

STEVE!!

My cousin Steve comes to visit today to kick off the birthday festivities! he's a senior at Marquette and such a great, fun visitor! I can't wait for him to arrive.

Oh, and in case anyone was wondering, I am declaring victory against the fruit flies. I only see 5 in my apartment right now!!

Fruit flies

I'm waging a battle with an invading army of fruit flies. I've got my defenses in line and am in full on attack mode. My plan of attack is three pronged. Well, actually four pronged as my first move was to eat all the fruit. But, now that I've done that, here are my strategies:
1. They like wine, so I've set out bowls with a bit of white wine in them. I put a teeny bit of diluted dish soap in the bowl as well which kills them when they slurp up the wine.
2. I've taken slices of bananas (before I ate the rest of them) and put them in the bottom of a glass. Then I put saran wrap over the glass and poked little holes in the saran wrap. The flies smell the bananas and go through the holes but can't figure out how to get back out. Then when I have a decent collection of invaders, I take them outside and let them go.
3. I take them on MANO A MANO. I get my bottle of Seventh Generation cleaning solution and spray individual unsuspecting flies while they are sitting on the cupboards. Their wings are saturated, they're rendered flightless and WHAM, I squish them. That takes a lot more effort though, I really have to hunt them as individuals and while they are definitely annihilated when I squish them, it is slower going than the other methods.
Now, I've learned that a certain amount of patience is required when battling fruit flies. They like to get closer and closer to my traps, congregating on the edges of the bowl and glass until finally they go through the holes or get stuck in the wine. I think they're testing the waters to make sure that I'm not coming after them as they make their approach. So I just have to sit back and wait. As we all know, I have TONS of patience, so it's quite easy for me to fight them.
Ok, this post MIGHT be more ridiculous than the tortilla chip one.

Happy birthday Mean Jean!!

It's my Ma's birthday today!! She went for a float down the river with my dad and Miller. What a great Montana birthday! Hope the next year is as great as the day. xoxoxoxo

conclusion

After years of taste tests, with different salsas and various dips, I have come to an undeniable conclusion: white corn chips are my favorite variety of tortilla chips.

John Mayer at Mercury Lounge

John Mayer at Mercury Lounge
Originally uploaded by akeegangu

John Mayer at Mercury Lounge

John Mayer at Mercury Lounge
Originally uploaded by akeegangu

John Mayer

John Mayer
Originally uploaded by akeegangu

John Mayer

John Mayer
Originally uploaded by akeegangu

great new york day!

So yesterday I had a tremendous day. A couple of my girls did a pub crawl up on the upper west side so I joined them for the end of that. $2 Miller Lites at all the bars, so we had one at each. Then I was on the bus on the way home and I started texting with my friend Rich who was still at WORK at 11:00 on a Saturday, so I got off the bus when I got to his office and we met for a few beers and watched the end of the Red Sox Indians game. He's a lot of fun. THEN on my way home from that, my friend Aliy texts me and says she is at a bar where there is no one there and there is live music. So I scoot on over there cause it's only 3 blocks from my apt and it turns out that the live music is JOHN MAYER!! Yeah, only in new York do huge rock stars decide to put on impromptu concerts at clubs in front of maybe 50 people. It was great. I have a few pics I'll post next but for all you female readers out there, from 10 feet away, yes he is just as hot as he looks on TV! :)
Today, off to the Packer bar! GO PACK GO!!
oh, and p.s. I touched John Mayer on his way out. hehe

making progress

Ok, the living room is back under control. Or as Laura Meredith RN said last night, the living room/bedroom/office/guest room/closet/sitting room/den/front hall/foyer. hallelujah! I've got football to watch today so the kitchen and bathroom will have to wait til tomorrow. I have the day off tomorrow so I'll get it done then. I've got one bag ready for the goodwill. I LOVE it.

dodgeball pics 045

dodgeball pics 045
Originally uploaded by akeegangu

dodgeball pics 073

dodgeball pics 073
Originally uploaded by akeegangu

dodgeball pics 039

dodgeball pics 039
Originally uploaded by akeegangu

dodgeball pics 018

dodgeball pics 018
Originally uploaded by akeegangu

dodgeball pics 002

dodgeball pics 002
Originally uploaded by akeegangu

dodgeball pics 015

dodgeball pics 015
Originally uploaded by akeegangu

Dodgeball

If anyone is interested in seeing what dodgeball is really like, my teammate Rich got a little camera happy last night at the bar after the game. Couple pics on here, but if you want to see more, just click through to flickr and watch the slide show. Enjoy!

6 month cleaning

I've decided that since I've been in my new apartment for 6 months (just about) that this weekend I'm going to give it a thorough, top to bottom cleaning. Maybe even purge out some stuff. I LOOOOOVE doing that! Well, getting rid of stuff that is. I don't like cleaning so much, but oh well, gotta do it!

Just in case

If anyone who missed the 4th of July was looking to buy me a Columbus day present, this will do. Probably a size L.

Update on a few things

Sorry I haven't posted this week, I went out 9 days in a row and then got sick on Friday. I went home early from work today and I'm just relaxing now. Hopefully it's just a virus that I can kick with a little extra sleep tonight!

So, the updates. The ridiculous date I went on actually wasn't ridiculous at all. The build up to it was, but the actual date was really great. I went out with this guy who is friends with my friends Hugh and Megan. They had wanted to set me up with him for a really long time and the build up was just crazy. He is from Finland and he is a computer security expert (if anyone saw Hacking Democracy on HBO, he is the one that actually was able to hack the voting machine) and he is really smart and fun. We went out on Saturday and Sunday with Hugh and Megan. He really is a grade-A hacker, so no doubt he could find this blog in a heartbeat, so if he does, I hope we can go out again!

The other thing is I found out today that my friend Bob's book is in fact going to be released just in time for New Year's resolution season on December 26! ML-make sure you have copies in your store, cause it's gonna fly off the shelves! :)

I saw "The Kingdom" on Saturday. It was an interesting commentary on the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the US. Well, actually on the whole Muslim community. Anyone else seen it? I'd like to hear what others thought.

We have entered my birthday month!