Guardian of the Non Sequitur

The year’s party has come and gone. It’s been at my house for eight years, and coincides with Lights in the Heights which is put on by the Woodland Heights neighborhood, which is half a block from me.

We had an estimated 400 people at the peak, and perhaps 600 people throughout the night. Bubba Coltrane & the Train Wrecks (Bob, Ed, and Mike) played again, after taking last year off and adding a great new guitarist to the lineup (Kenny). After providing the music last year, DJ Larry returned and filled the spaces before and after the band.

For the third year in a row, no police came to complain. This is attributed to 1) the Lights in the Heights is getting considerably larger. We used to be the only large rowdy party. We still likely go the latest, but we’re not too loud after 1am; 2) most of the neighborhood is currently empty with houses under construction, the other neighbors are used to it (and many are at the party). Also, cooler weather means no one is sleeping with their windows open.

Once again we had some fabulous flaming art cars parked in the front of the house. Also a sizable early contingent of roller derby girls, and some in for the long haul. Quite a few friends made it in from Austin and at least one from Dallas. We had a crew of party supporters buy an extra keg of beer for the party. Props to the NTN Crew!

The five kegs of beer ran out about 12:15, there was a small surge about 2pm from some industry folks, at 2pm there were about a dozen people, and somewhere after 4:30 the thing finally wound down. I was up again at 10:30 beginning the cleaning, and spent 5 hours at it. Conn spent about as much, and that got it about 80% cleaned up (but with about twice as much more time that needs to be put in – that last 20% of cleaning is the most laborious.

Only two vomiting incidents (that I had to somehow deal with) and one broken window (very likely accidental from the Star Chair. Three people slept over, two of which called in advance and reserved a spot. The following items remained that didn’t begin here: a cell phone, a plaid woman’s jacket (belonging to “Emily S.”), a small trendy women’s jacket, a suitcase, a back pack (with 2 full beers), an elf hat with ears, a pink pirate hat/beannie, a pink helmet, a wrist guard, a baby bottle containing water, a gray cloth glove.

Personal party gifts from friends: some nice tequila, an insulated longhorn mug, and St. Arnold Devine Reserve #2. Thanks (you know who you are).

We also have a few minutes of walk-through of the party from Rob Zipp:

It’s Day 14 since Ike. Friday night. First time Molly & the Ringwalds have played the happy hour in three weeks -seems like longer. I’m back at the sound board where I have been most Fridays for over four years.

Big news is I stopped at home after work and I had power. Apparently a lot of the Heights was getting power tonight, because I saw entirely too many fire engines, lights blaring, heading into the ‘hood. And a circling police helicopter to boot. I battoned down the house, got on the bicycle (no telling if it might be faster to take to midtown: 20 minutes), and got to sound check.

It doesn’t take too many weeks away from the board for it to start to feel foreign, so I’m once again easing back into it.

Before the gig I ran into Jule Be Sorry (Houston Roller Derby season 2008 Campionship rescheduled from Ike+2 to the 28th). She said Greg Hinkel is having an open house upstairs. He lives in David Beebe’s old place immediately above the Houston Continental Club. I really want to check out what he’s done with the place, especially for an art exhibit.

It’s one of the lighter Ringwald crowds in a while, but they’re aren’t any wallfowers in the crowd.

Jennifer Ringwald’s We’re Not Gonna Take It rant was about Sarah Palin – not as great as it could have been, but pretty good for off-the-cuff ranting. Sam: “You’re the best kind of Republican, the kind that doesn’t vote”

Made it up to Greg’s art opening. It was a neat scene. Then back down to the Big Top.

G’night

I saw many good friends and lots of great bands, and missed just as many good bands.

Asli from the Tontons 5

baldheretic

Here’s what I managed to see at the HPMA Showcase 2008: Flying Fish Sailors, The El Orbits, Umbrella Man, Katie Stuckey and the Swagger, The Tontons, Buxton, Los Skarnales, Blaggards, Bring Back the Guns, Thee Armada, Young Mammals, and Sideshow Tramps.

I only caught a song or two of a few of the bands. I really liked the Tontons; it was the first time I had heard or seen them. Thee Armada had an amazing ability to empty the room at the Venue – where the sign had been corrected: Three Armada.

I enjoyed hearing from a few guys in Pale that they enjoyed Miss Leslie a lot.

I noticed both Jay and Eric at many of the venues taking photos. And it seems Julie and Ginny were as well.

Once again the Houston Press Music Awards Showcase is taking over downtown on a Sunday. For only $10 (two for $15 if you buy early), you can enjoy 6 hours of music from 6-60 bands (depending on how hard you try).

And once again the Houston Press has shown an inability to produce a grid-like schedule for the festival-type lineup.

What is wrong with those people?! Venues across the top, timeline across the left. Humans have been doing it at least as long as they’ve been plugging in guitars, likely longer.

Despite this consistent inadequacy, you should attend this weekend’s event. I’ll be there.

Those that I’m familiar with?

Continue reading

A chronological list of my holiday weekend, with duplicates removed. It was over a week ago, but I’ve finally put it all down in writing.  I have included the ratings for the beers and the games (taken from RateBeer.com and BoardGameGeek.com).  The beers are ranked by percentile.  The games are rated out of 10, and ranked in order.

• Franziskaner Heffe-Weisen (90) – a fabulous summer beer, light and refreshing
• Yspahan (7.5, 83, Sébastien Pauchon) – a fun and light game with wooden camels, and an interesting dice mechanic; a very approachable game for “non-gamers”
• Unibroue Maudite (96) – a fabulous and dark complected beer, with riotous carbonation; i discovered this Quebecan gem when I was living in Alberta, and have loved it ever since
• Hacienda (7.3, 151, Wolfgang Kramer) – take your cattle to market on the South American pampas frontiers; lots of bits, moderate difficulty
• Lord of the Rings (7.1, 187, Reiner Knizia) – a co-operative game, where everyone is playing a hobbit, trying to help the ring be destroyed, quite a bit of variety, with multiple boards, we lost horribly
• Dvonn (7.6, 69, Kris Burm) – one of the Project GIPF series (all 2-player abstracts), Woody’s son Mac happens to be very good at it and he trounced me
• Anchor Porter (98) – my favorite beer is the next one I’m having, variety is the spice of life, and the variety in beer styles is what I like, but when pressed, this is the beer I call my favorite, it’s chocolatey goodness is unsurpassed
• In the Year of the Dragon (7.7, 53, Stefan Feld) – this was a new “big box” release last year, and got a lot of play, though mixed reviews at last year’s BGG.con; i was slow to warm up to this game, but by the time my first play was over, i liked it
• New Belgium 1554 Brussels Style Black Ale (85) – the lowest rated beer so far, likely because it’s not true to style; it is true to total deliciousness, and I have several friends who like this beer a lot, but aren’t really beer drinkers



• Twilight Imperium, Second Edition (7.2, 794, Christian T. Petersen) – this 2000 game was superseded in 2005 (3rd Edition, 7.9, 27), last year I bought the 2nd edition w/ expansion for rock-bottom prices; this was the first real play I’ve had, it was very enjoyable, it would be great with 4 (we had 3), and yes it would take 6 hours or so
• Tribes – hmm, a week gone by and I don’t recall this game
• St. Arnold Summer Pils (36) – a good light but moderately hopped beer
• Unibroue Trois Pistoles (99) – a dark belgian ale, another fabulous example from this brwery
• Lindeman’s Framboise (90) – it seems that lambic variety has dropped in past years, Lindeman’s can always be found in the Houston market; this is their raspberry infused version; not as sour as tradition would dictate



• Tigris and Euphrates (8.2, 4, Reiner Knizia) – a classic, and tough to get your brain around, such simple mechanics, such complex interplay, best with 4, very Knizia
• Lindeman’s Cassis (76) – this may be one of my favorite lambic flavors, this one is black currant
• Goa (7.9, 21, Rüdiger Dorn) – this one has sat in the box at Wimberley many, many times, and this is the first I’ve played it; it was a great game, i’d love to play more
• Avery The Reverend (87) – a quadruple that was deliciously sweet and complex
• Alagash Dubbel Reserve (87) – a taste beer from Maine
• Hamburgum (7.4, 159, Mac Gerdts) – i wasn’t quite sure about this one on my first play a month ago (despite beer being one of the resources in the game), but playing it a second time I really came to enjoy, and grok, this one
• North Coast Brother Thelonious (90) – a strong ale from California, named after the Jazz icon
• Tripel Karmeliet (98) – a fabulous belgian tripel
• Ra (7.9, 19, Reiner Knizia) – this multi-round bidding game is nearly 10 years old and a classic
• Lindeman’s Pêche (79) – peach, a standard, but less common lambic flavor
• Lindeman’s Kriek (82) – the classic version of the flavored kriek; cherry
• Traders of Genoa (7.5, 76, Rüdiger Dorn) – we play this one fairly often at Wimberley, this time it was reinforced that the game play can vary drastically depending upon the opponents – there’s deal making afoot



• Recess! (5.4, 3643) – a kids game where you try to steal the lunch money from everyone else while not getting caught by the nuns, getting one of your boys to kiss one of your girls ends the game and earns a bonus
• Keythedral (7.1, 131, Richard Breese) – a game I had to have for the octagonal pieces, generally enjoyed by all
• Las Vegas Showdown (7.4, 116, Henry Stern) – a great build-your-own-casino theme, implemented with a bidding mechanism that’s not too threatening, mean new-comers always enjoy it; lots of fun
• Wits and Wagers (7.2, 175) – a great solution to the party trivia game – bet on everyone’s answers; this one was in constant play last year at BGG.con
• Pandemic (7.9, 29, Matt Leacock) – brand new and hard to find, this game is amazingly fun, even when you perpetually lose; well balanced, it’s a shame it maxes out at 4 people

I had the odd and uncommon experience of not being able to find my keys Wednesday morning. I checked the two spots I normally leave them. Then checked again. Then the five expanded places I might leave them.

I tried to recall what exactly I did with them when I came home – to no avail.

I walked out to the car, peered into the ignition. No luck. Went back in the house to check again. Got as far as the dining room, and froze. I had seen something. Something in the last twenty paces.

I rewound it in my head, saw the dangling orange Texas that had been an inch above my hand when I walked back in the door.

Tuesday when I arrived home from work, a day after boardgaming in the Hill Country with friends, there was a package obstructing my door. The game I had purchased the week before. My hands being full, after I got the door unlocked and grabbed everything I kicked it open and entered.

I returned and closed the door, forgetting the keys. They spent the night.