The Darkside: Not Quite So Dark?

Playing around with different blogger templates to try and find something a bit easier on the eyes (for folks out there who don't dig the white-on-black -- I know you're out there).

Hopefully this one works a little better. I wish there were an easier way to make it more...interesting... but their fancy new template-system doesn't play too nicely with major hackage. I'd really like to at least get an image up sharing the title bar or something - we'll see. I can't imagine getting a wealth of time to poke at it any time soon.

The Shadowbox Shindig was a blast. Amy & I were talking it out and we're pretty sure it was our 5th straight year, which is awesome. This year we had a table (from the Fireball) AND one extra, so a total of nine in the group! Amy & I both got all fancied-up for the night out:


I will say the difference between expectations here is a bit unfair. Me getting fancied up involves a t-shirt, jeans, and a non-tucked in dress shirt, combined with messing up my hair with some gel. Conversely, Amy spent quite some time mastering the look - and she looked good! See for yourself:



One fun side-effect of this look for me is how easily it slips into greaser-mode, as can be seen at the left. I don't know what the hell was going on in this pic - I think I was talking or something.

Anyway, we had a blast - BillWho? put on a great show, as always. Added bonuses this year were a complete lack of Christmas music (it's good and all, but by New Years especially it's time to move on), Carrie Lynn getting back into action, Gabe back in action, a few preview songs from the upcoming Sex, Lies and Shadowbox, and of course, favorites from the past couple years worth of shows. Mary doing "Space Truckin'" just owns.

For more recap of the night, including a great pic of me making good use of the party favors, see Laurie's recap. Inexplicably, she's also got a picture of Amy's abandoned uncomfy shoes (they made it about 20 mins in). Because hey, why not?

Hope everyone's having a great new year so far. Less than a week 'till the OSU-Florida National Championship Game (woot!) and the end of the college football season (un-woot :( ). Enjoy the games while you still can!

Exeunt 2006

Well, I'd have to say it's been a heck of a year. Though my blogging has suffered mightily this year, in most other aspects of my life, things are going pretty damn well. Highlighted, of course, by the arrival and first 8 months of Evie! It's been a wild time, and things won't be settling down any time soon.

Aside from that most awesome of awesomeness, some other stuff of note from the Year In Max:

• Got what I believe to be the best birthday present ever, from my wife, who is awesome beyond words.
• Played my first "real" full game of golf. ("Real" is in quotes mainly because of a) how poorly I did and b) I don't believe anyone was bothering to keep score - except perhaps my uncle).
• Guitar Hero I & II
• Got introduced to another great series of books by Randy: George R.R. Martin's A Song Of Fire and Ice. Of course, this marks the second series he's introduced me to which I've gotten REALLY into, and then been faced with waiting many years for the conclusion of the series.
• Finally visted my uncle & his family at their new (swank) home in North Carolina.
• An AWESOME undefeated regular season for the OSU Buckeyes - and holding out hope to bring home the National Championship in another week or so.
• Attended a Daily Show taping.
• Saw a great rock show in Cleveland: Kamelot & Epica
• Took my Dad to a Browns game (we won!) and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. We also hit up the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Good times.
  
• I'm sure there's a lot more stuff in there my brain is leaving out - especially closer to the beginning of the year...

Anyway, good times.

Tonight we're hitting up the Shadowbox Shindig for the 5th (or 6th??) year in a row. Promises to be a great time - we've got the group back up to NINE this year (from a low of just Amy & I the past two years).

Hope everyone has a great one! See you in 2007!