MAN-SAC WEEKEND

04/14/08 - 04/16/08

Last spring's "Boyz-E Weekend" was the start of an annual tradition, where the old San Diego gang gets together in a different town for a weekend of cocktails, cigars, movies and videogames. This offers a chance for the married guys to get a little taste of the old days. And a chance for a bunch of old friends to get the now-rare chance to hang out together again. Well, this year, for the second annual gathering, the other guys got to come to MY town and take part in an event hereafter known as "Man-Sac Weekend" (don't ask).

	After Aaron, Russ and Tony get themselves picked up at the airport, by me, on Friday morning, we head straight for supplies. Shop smart! Shop Save Mart!
	Come on. We HAD to! It was on sale!
	I forgot to mention to the guys...Sacramento women are really needy...
	If you're a Browncoat, you'll appreciate my van's license plate rim as much as Tony did. If you're not, and you have no idea what a Browncoat is...then let's move on.
	Back at my apartment (home base for Man-Sac Weekend), Russ gets busy loading up the "supplies" in the fridge. Friday's supplies, at least...
	Now that's a proud bachelor fridge, baby. All liquid, not a morsel of food...
	And here, ladies and gentlemen, is your complete Man-Sac Weekend survival kit. What else could a man need?
	Time to meet the MEN of Man-Sac Weekend. Let's start with Aaron, all the way from Seattle. Had to use this shot, as I thought he'd appreciate how gay he looks in it.
	And there's Tim, from right here in Sac. Had to use this one as I thought he'd appreciate how nerdy he looks in it.
	I look cool, though. Actually, I could use a shave. And a haircut. But I think that just makes me look more roguish..
	THAT's right. All the way from Boise, Russ is in town. Now where's his bourbon?!
	And from San Diego, Tony poses for this self-portrait. It helps to have a model you can really work with.
	Here Tim reaches back into his theater experience to show us the "LION FACE" technique.
	While Tim chomps on a Red Vine (tm), Tony plugs his iPhone (tm) into my TV and shares some nostalgic Space Ghost (tm) clips. Hey...I have to pay for this web site somehow, all right?
	And to end our Friday night, we all kick back for a viewing of the John Carpenter classic, "They Live". Tony? Not so sure about this one.
	Saturday means X-BOX, baby! Aaron gets the game dialed in while Tony does some tech work.
	Aaron prepares to save the world from eeeeeevil. But not alone...
	...because his old X-Box partner, Russ, is more than ready to pick up where the dynamic duo last left off. That being atop a pile of smoldering CORPSES! AH ha ha!
	Russ and Aaron, TCPAB (Taking Care of Apocalyptic Business)
	Meanwhile, another of the gang (from here in Sac) joined up with us, finally. A.T.'s in the house! I'm trying to point out how much cooler my PC is than Tony's Macbook that's sitting next to it. Not really pulling it off...
	A.T. and Tim kicking it on the porch while Tim checks out Tony's iPhone (bitch!).
	Tony smokes alone, plotting the next step in his master plan to cover the world with Apple products.
	Ah, smoking alone's no fun. So he's joined by Russ, whose counter-plan is to cover the world with Reaganomics.
	A.T. and Tim, smokin' and jokin'.
	Sweep the leg, Aaron! Do you have a problem with that?
	Me, Aaron and Russ, enjoying the patio and some fine H. Upmann cigar love. Russ is using my new Guinness torch lighter, by the way.
	And now Aaron is, too, after using the cigar punch on my keychain. We're professionals, folks.
	And the last of the Sac gang shows up and joins us for dinner and drinks at the Sacramento Brewing Company. Rich takes a seat with his former La Casa roommates, me and A.T.
	Aaron, Russ and Tim sample the various brews at the SacBrewCo.
	Russ is forced to listen to old-school Sacramento stories from Aaron. "And then we stole this cow... And A.T. here tried to make it with the cow..."
	Russ and Tim, waiting on the food.
	Tim, Rich and I finish food and more beers. I seem to be giving something a thumbs-up. Your guess? Good as mine.
	Oh, and if you look to the upper left corner of this photo, you'll see our waitress, Jessica, who let us know she's also a hair stylist (and uses this job to pull new clients in to her salon). She gave us her card. Kudos on the enterprising spirit, Jessica. But really...do you think THESE three guys really need a hair stylist?
	Must...stop...hearing...Sacramento...stories...
	Russ, Aaron and Tim...creators of the $200 breakfast. Luckily, in Sacramento, the bill's a little more reasonable...
	A.T. and Tony hitting the cell phones. Checking in with wives, I'm sure...
	Tim and Rich, making the scene.
	Russ shows Aaron something on the web via his iPhone. My, the world has changed since we all first starting getting drunk, smoking and playing videogames...
	And there's the gang, in a shot courtesy of waitress/stylist Jessica.
	And Jessica gets up on a chair to pull this one off. We're practicing the motto we live by - eat, drink...and drink some more!
	Rich and A.T. at the bar after dinner.
	And as we get back to my place, we find Tony at work on his Macbook. Shall we see what he's up to?
	I knew it! He's uploading a virus to the mothership! And probably starting a podcast about the experience. Which you can download on iTunes (tm).
	And as the evening winds down, we find Tim, Rich and Russ chilling with equally chilled beverages.
	Finally, on Sunday, the out-o-towners and I are enjoying a final smoke, and some final drinks, before I take them to the airport (the guys, not the drinks). And did I mention it's the day before St. Paddy's Day?! That hat was sent to me, courtesy of Mrs. Aaron, a.k.a. Jeni. THAT is Irish pimp, yo!
	Aye, and Russ is down the the wee hat as well, boyo!
	Top o' the mornin' to ye, ladies, toasts the equally toasty Tony!
	Come now! Let the hat's proper owner get in on the festivities! Fairplay to one and all!
	You mind if Russ dances with yo' dates?
	Ah, but sadly, Man-Sac Weekend did have to come to a close. And my fridge had to return to "normal" after we cleared it out (the fun way). Hey, there's SOME food in there at least, right? Join us again next year and see where the guys end up!

Back to Photos