Digital Johnny, Real Johnny: Party Like it's 1998!

April 11, 2004

Party Like it's 1998!

Yeah, that's right - I said 1998 because that's when all of the coolest people graduated from high school... or at least when most of my friends and I graduated from College Park. Our graduating class was the best though - and everyone knows it. 98 BABY! Anyway, last night, Cody had a 1998-themed party at his house in the Castro. The plan was to invite a bunch of people from high school, dress up like it was 1998, listen to high school music and drink. It may seem like the last part doesn't really fit a high school party, but I know for damned sure that I drink less now than I did before I was 21... and my tolerance is much lower than it was then, too.

When I got there - fashionably late, yet still the first guest - Cody was wearing some raver jeans (with 32" bottoms) from waaaaay back in our raver days and he said that his plan was to cut strips off them throughout the evening to kind of make a ritual out of their destruction and symbolize the final passing our raver days. It was a fun/cute idea, but I couldn't help but feel like this act was also sealing the coffin on my youth and one of the most fun and joyous periods of my life. Oh well. (Pictures of the pant-destruction process below)

Soon, Randall Coyne and Christine Cramer arrived then Erica Ball and Matt Toney. At that point, Erica was the only person there not from College Park's class of '98 (she graduated from high school in Rhode Island in 1999 and now goes to my law school), so I felt bad for her while we were all reminiscing and gossiping about others from our class. Who's married? Who's had a baby? Who's still never left home? Who's where doing what?

Matt Toney and Me - No one else seemed to know that it was a themed party, but here I am wearing my classic PHD shirt and (not that you can see them) multi-colored platforms from high school. How retro is that!?

Me, Randall and Erica Ball - The pants I was wearing were so old that there was a huge hold right under my back pocket; the only patch I could find was my CP academic letter

Randall and Christine

One important aspect of the evening that can't be denied was the incredible goodness of the tequila that I brought for us to drink. This tequila was given to me by my sister, Joy, and her boyfriend, Isaiah after they got back from their latest trip to Mexico. Since they had just "picked it up somewhere" in Mexico, I was kinda afraid to drink it, thinking how strong and bitter it must be, but I thought it'd at least be fun to have at the party because it's in this ridiculous bottle that's in the shape of a large, naked woman... making me think that it's probably a reference to an ancient fertility goddess, so I've been calling it the "Mother Earth tequila". Anyway, when I poured my first drink (a kind of tequila sunrise with cranberry instead of grenadine), I was surprise to find out that not only was the tequila very smooth, but it tasted spiced; a little sweet the way that spiced rum is, almost a nutmeggy, pumpkin pie flavor. I had like 3 of those (and a red bull and rum - I don't drink vodka as a general personal rule) but didn't feel very drunk for some reason.

Damn that tequilla is sexy

Mother Earth close-up; Dimitri and Asheley (also from law school) and I getting our grope on

It turns out that the tequila is called Damiana Graycura because the Guaycura Indians used to make it from the Damiana Herb, which grows freely in the desert of southern Baja California, Mexico. The Damiana herb is supposed to be a natural aphrodisiac, but I drank of lot of it last night and it didn't do a thing for me.

CLICK BELOW FOR MORE FUNNESS.

After a while, Dimitri, Ashely, Susan and Suan's fiance (and Aaron's new buddy), Paul, came and Matt and Christine left, so it was more of a Hastings party toward the end and we all decided to leave and Cody, Randall, Erica, Dimitri and Asheley and I headed to the Bar (on Castro) for a little more drinky and to get our dance on. It was crowded as usual, but after a half hour or so I was in a dancing mood and it was clearing out because it was about 12:30 already. The music was very cool - so cool that they played one of our favorite high school songs CJ Bolland's Sugar is Sweeter.

Cody and I stayed at The Bar until they kicked everyone out and then I took the bus home. I'd had two more beers at The Bar, but I didn't feel very drunk at all and I wasn't even that tired. I came home, made some processed food, watched Saturday Night Live (Aaron Tivo'd it for me - we got satellite this week) and went to bed at around 4am. I should be doing work right now, but I just don't feel like it... and I have to go down to San Jose for Easter dinner. I hate the South Bay...

Cody making the first cut; Christine looks on