"[Reno] baby! [Reno]!!!!!"

Hey all. So I might have told some of you, I have been telling everyone I can, but I had one of the greatest nights of this summer last night. It all started at the BBQ some friends of my boss' had in Reno. So there is a new sport sweeping its way west from the Windy City. That's right, Windy City is a place somewhere in the Midwest on the shore of a huge "lake", and it's sometimes called Chi-ca-go.....or maybe it's Chi-ca-ho, maybe it's a soft "g", I dont know. Anyway since you're dying to know what this sport is, I will tell you. It is called Bags. Man even the name is cool. Simple, yet so self explanatory, because thats basically what the game is, a giant game of bean bag toss. If you're having trouble envisioning this, think horseshoes without the horse, the shoe, and the pole in either pit. Instead there is a box with a hole in it and you stand 28' 8" away from the opposite box and toss a bag that weighs 1lb. into that hole....if you can. This phenomenon apparently has all but replaced drinking sports like horseshoes in the Midwest, and they are attempting to legitimize the sport by creating a league, the MWBBA (MidWest Bean Bag Association), but they will never take away its importance to the inebriated crowd who cant do normal sports that require coordination, not to mention how great it is b/c you dont have to set you drink down in order to play. Anyway, this sport was pretty fun and intense all around. There was money to be made, a cool $70 actually, split between you and your partner. My boss won. And that is what leads me to the next part of my story.
So we would have played bags all night, or until the booze had run out for those guys (since I was dd), but a neighbor came and complained that we were being too loud on a friday night in the middle of the summer at 10pm.....yes there are bedtimes for children to be met, school on saturday mornings, and of course everyone has to get up early in the summer anyway. Anywho, regardless of how anal the neighbors were, we kept pushing the envelope until finally the hostess finally put her foot down and made us stop playing at midnight. So here were a bunch of guys, quite drunk from....well, drinking, and they had nothing to do, and my boss had $35 burning a hole in his pocket. What else could we do? yea nothing..........nothing but go 5 minutes to Circus Circus Casino/Hotel in Reno!!!! Yes these guys STARTED gambling at midnight. I felt like I was back with LOG or YFC, starting everything in the wee hours.
So we walk in the doors and there is an empty stage with keyboard and drums and other instruments on it....well Matt (one of the funniest people I have ever met) and his brother in law Chuck (a very funny guy also) beeline towards the stage, setting themselves up behind the keyboard and drums respectively. They had not been on for more than 2 seconds when 6 guys in white suits who looked like they wouldnt think twice about crackin a few skulls came up and all but forced them off the stage. We were lucky tho cause they didnt get kicked out.
After that little charade, my boss Seamus, hit up the roulette table with his $35, and put it all on black. He won. kept it all on black. He won. He pulled 35. He won. He left the $210. He won. He then pulled 100 out, left the 320 in. He won. He pulled another $115 out makin his pocket total $250, left about 400 in. He lost. It didnt matter tho, he won 5/6 roulette runs, and multiplied his worth 7 times over. Man. He was so money, and he so knew it. Awesome. Anyway the whole time this was happening, my boss had been talkin to us about how he didnt have to worry about being in trouble with his wife cause he had entered the Bags tournament for $2, and plus, he said, "My wife's in CONNETICUT!!". She is visiting family until tomorrow night. Well as more money rolled in, he felt it more and more necessary to tell everyone this. Soon we had half the pit shaking their heads at him yelling "I dont know if you guys heard!!! My wife's in CONNETICUT!!", and the other half ooohing and aaahhing cause Matt had told them that he had won $134,000. Man, I was dying from laughter. Seriously some of the funniest stuff ever.
Anyway, Seamus' money lasted him a while and he got several hours of fun in on the craps tables as well as his favorite game, blackjack, but he ended up spending it all. And he didnt feel bad at all. "That was the best $2 I've ever spent! I had an AWESOME time!!!". There were many different times of comedy, too many to count, but at the end of the "night" (it was 430 by this time), Seamus was out of money, Chuck had lost $20, my brother had lost the same, and Matt was up $100. So of course he treated us to breakfast. Well I say of course cause but in reality I gave him a hard time about how I needed something in my stomach to drive them home. He was cool with it tho. We finally peaced out of there around 5am and headed to drop off Matt and Chuck at Matt's house, then to Seamus' house, then back to camp where I came into my room and as I was closing the window, the Sun peeked over the horizon. Crazy. Such a good night. Sooo much fun.
So during the night I was only bummed about 1 thing. The fact that I was only 20yrs 11months and 29 days old. GAAH!!! Only 2 more days!!!! I dont know why Im trippin out, I just wanted to gamble!! but its not like Im stayin up at night thinkin about being 21 yrs old. Im actually just stoked cause we're doin the same thing we did last night next weekend for my bday!!! Since there are kids at camp during my Bday, I wont be able to go out until the next weekend, which is ok with me cause my best friend Bryan is comin up from SD to join us!!! Anyway, Im lookin forward to this week for so many different reasons. First; Im turning 21 on Monday, Second; It's the last week of camp!! wooot, Third; it brings me closer to going back to my family, and to you guys in Irvine my extended family. Sooo cool. Anyway this is getting a lil out of hand, but I will leave you with some words of wisdom from my boss that I will learn to live by:

"I figure, if I get into bed and I'm not in trouble, and I wake up and I'm not in trouble, I'm probably not in trouble"

Stay out of trouble everyone.
Joe

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it!"

So I'm not sure what I'm more excited yet, my 21st bday or being 2 weeks away from comin back to Irvine. I know that seems like a dumb thing to say, bein less excited about something I've waited....well 21 yrs for, than goin back to the school town, but the truth is, I am havin a really hard time away from everyone down there. I guess what I'm most excited about is the fact that I will be 21 when I get back! haha yea thats it. Well in case you guys didnt know, the bday is monday the 1st, and I think I have the greenlight from my boss to go out even tho we have work the next morning. Technically we're supposed to chill with the kids overnight but he's sayin he'll spot me and my bro while we go out to a brand new irish pub that opened. How appropriate, the first bday after being graced with the moniker "Irish" I am enjoying my heritage in true Irish fashion, drinking. it's too bad I have to wake up at 730 the next morning, otherwise I would be out waaaaay late in Reno hittin up the casinos and the hold 'em tables. Whatevs, I can live without gambling for a few more days. Alright I dont even know why I'm blogging right now, I'm so tired. Had to catch kids and I havent had practice in a while so Im beat. Hope y'all are doin well, and I will see all of you soon.
your beloved Irish

Here are the pics!!! Finally! Sorry for being soooo late with them. I hope you guys like them. Missin all of you.
Chalk it up everyone.......

The Camp

We're Americans, man.

The Valley....that isnt Tahoe, it's Donner

Me climbing up from the valley....you cant see it but my clothes and computer are right behind me...I carried them up.

This is how I get into my room.....ok not really, it's a fire escape. But aren't you happy its in mine and not my brothers window?? I am

So that's the trapeze rig. Me in the catch trap, my bro Eli on Board on the left

It's kinda scary lookin huh?

Me waiting for some kids to put their lives in my hands....literally. Muuahahaha

She did fine.

I dont even know what Im doing here.

Another catch.

Now that just looks cool

Yes keerz, this is a Diabolo. Not the computer game. And yes, it IS fun.

I taught this kid everything he knows

Me doin something on the trampoline....looks like a backflip

Snow??? in July??? wtf

yeah Keerz I AM bored

first I would like to apologize about the pics not being up yet, they're almost a week late (sorry GP), but my boss has been swamped and they're on his camera. They WILL be up tho. Dont worry. Dont trip. Dont.

Three names you go by:
1. Joe
2. Irish
3. Chemo (in HS)

Three screen names you have had:
1. spencerchild6
2. I'm new to aim,
3. and too lazy to get another

Three physical things you like about yourself:
1. My laughter
2. My darker skin than at the end of school
3. My hourglass figure.....don't laugh, you're all just jealous

Three physical things you don't like about yourself:
1. My smile, it always looks just a lil creepy
2. my small feet....no it doesnt mean THAT
3. my lack of a distinct 6-pack

Three parts of your heritage:
1. Irish....didnt you see the second thing I wrote?
2. German....seig heil! JK JK!!
3. English...my own people killed my other people (Irish)

Three things that scare you:
1. Mass on the Plaza!! JK, I know I can do it with His help
2. the future
3. dying

Three of your everyday essentials:
1. eating is for woosies! (Im such a woosy)
2. praying
3. living seems kinda essential

Three of your favorite musical artists:
1. Anberlin
2. Bell X1
3. kelly clarkson.....no I didnt forget to delete this one, she's cool

Three of your favorite songs: (I'll do "of the moment" songs)
1. Anberlin- A Day Late
2. Mos Def ft. Nate Dogg- Oh No!
3. Bell X1- Eve, The Apple of My Eye

Three things you want in a relationship: (Love should be a given!)
1. Humor
2. Independence
3. Compassion

Three lies and three truths in no particular order:
1. i work at a circus camp
2. i am comin back to the vine on Aug 17th
3. i was born in La Mesa, California
4. i'm scared of heights
5. i was voted best dancer in my HS yearbook
6. i was ASB vice president

Three physical things about the opposite sex that appeals to you:
1. Smiling, and lots of it!
2. A nice face means more than anything else for me
3. a nice pair of.......hands. ::piano fingers::

Three of your favorite hobbies:
1. Acting
2. Laughing
3. Making others laugh....with or at me, doesnt matter

Three things you want to do really badly now:
1. watch some more 24
2. get my debit card....I have no cash
3. eat cause Im bored

Three careers you're considering/you've considered:
1. Acting
2. Screen Writing
3. Porsche Test car driver......damn I wanted to be one soooo bad

Three places you want to go on vacation:
1. All of Europe
2. Africa
3. Philippines!....hey Im like half now anyway

Three kids’ names you like:
1. yea Ill pass
2. or it will look like
3. Im not a guy at all

Three things you want to do before you die [no particular order]:
1. Get with a great girl....well any girl will do if Im gonna die ;)
2. Travel for at least 3 months around Europe, Asia, and other countries
3. Fly an airplane

Three ways that you are stereotypically a boy:
1. I like movies with guns
2. I like movies with hot chicks
3. I have no boobs

Three ways that you are stereotypically a girl:
1. I like gossip
2. I like shoes
3. I think brad pitt is hot

Three celeb crushes:
1. elisha cuthbert
2. kristen kreuk
3. brad pitt

Now it's your turn! FOUR people that I would like to see take this quiz now:
1. gp....bitch
2. brenton
3. michelle
4. yea I dont know this many people