Bamboo Banga

I have to admit, I enjoy those rare weekends where we have nothing planned. No parties, no road trips, no visitors. S'nice. Although we did have plans Friday night, as my company's annual post-holiday party was held at a nearby banquet hall. It was a good time. We did much socializing and the like at the party, despite the fact that the DJs were pretty cheesy. A bunch of us headed to a bar for last call. We ended up getting home just before 1, which is waaaaaay past our bedtimes. But since it happens so rarely that the two of us are out that late (as opposed to me alone, since my Wednesday night hockey games get me home around 12:30), it was no big deal.

I've always enjoyed parties, not so much for the drinking or scamming on wimmenz, but just for the sheer fun of socialization. I like huge parties where you can just walk around and get into conversations with people you know and don't know about any number of things. You know those people who can't stand social situations and would rather stay home curled up with a good book? That ain't me. I honed my love of parties in college and in the first decade or so after I graduated. Nowadays, they happen much more infrequently. But I still love them. I don't need to do shots or play cards or dance the night away, although I have done all of those things at some point in the past. Just give me some good beer and some good friends and I'm happy. Of course, nowadays I'm much more apt to stay home, put the kids to bed and watch a movie or game on TV, but I can still get into party mode if need be.

Alas, Friday night's socialization (plus the half hour I spent after we got home taking out the trash and recycling so I wouldn't have to in the a.m.) kicked my butt. I was pretty wiped yesterday morning. Deb got up and went running at 7 a.m. Me, I made it downstairs and was snoozing on the couch while the girls watched cartoons. I rallied later to run some errands and then went for a 5-mile run in the afternoon. Got out for a 10-miler at noon today. The weather has been great for running, temps in the 40s and dry. The next few days it's supposed to warm up into the 50s. Break out the shorts, baby!

Bullets over Broadway:

• I don't write much about the NBA on this here Internet home page, but I've gotta give props to the Boston Celtics, who have gotten off to a ridiculous 29-3 start this season after being one of the worst teams in the league last year. It's a testament to how much of an impact a couple of marquee players can make on a basketball team. Bringing in Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen has totally turned the team around. Unlike football, baseball or hockey, which all have many more players on the field or ice, in hoops if you can count the aforementioned duo and Paul Pierce as members of your starting five, you can kick some serious ass. So good for them. But I had to crack up when I read about the American Bandstand video clip they play at C's games of a disco-dancing dude who shakes his booty while wearing a vintage Gino Vannelli t-shirt. This video clip provides more information on this phenomenon. Who's Gino Vannelli? Glad you asked. He's a Montreal-born singer who had several hits in the '70s and '80s. As a kid growing up in Toronto, I heard him on the radio all the freakin' time. Here's one of his big hits: I Just Wanna Stop. He was also a manly man, as SCTV showed in this parody featuring the great Eugene Levy as Gino. Awesome.
• So the late-night talk shows came back this week. While I don't give a rat's ass about Leno, I was happy to see Letterman and Conan back. Both guys have grown beards in support of the striking writers. Dave's is especially awe-inspiring, giving him a deranged mountain man look. Next week, the Daily Show and Colbert Report are back, without their writers. Should be innaresting.
• I was late to the party on M.I.A.'s latest album, Kala, because I kept waiting for it to show up on eMusic. Finally, I just bought it the other day off iTunes. But this song, "Paper Planes," has been stuck in my head for a couple of weeks. Doesn't hurt that she samples the Clash's "Straight to Hell" and swipes a verse from the mighty "Rumpshaker" (caution: plenty of early '90s booty and cheesy double entendres).