It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

If Labor Day weekend is officially the last weekend of summer, then my summer went out with a bang. I started the weekend out by researching my German ancestors at the Cuyahoga County Oktoberfest. When I say research, I really mean sampling a lot of beer and eating a lot of schnitzel and potatoe pancakes. The next day we headed to Buffalo to research the National Buffalo Wing Festival. In this case, when I say research, I really mean sampling wings from all over the country, drinking beer in a baseball stadium infield, finding cool bars all over the city and staying out until 4 am enjoying the suprisingly exciting Buffalo nightlife. We made it home the next day thirty minutes late for a party that WE were throwing. Luckily there was only one person there waiting for the hosts to arrive.

On top of all of this...IT'S FOOTBALL SEASON! I have waited patiently (not really) for the past seven months for football season to start again. With two fantasy teams ready to go, I am looking forward for the regular season to kick off tonight. I initially wanted to change my one team name to "The Sarah Palins," but I thought that might be too extreme. I don't want my team to come off as too conservative or inexperienced.

Along with all of these great experiences and two weeks of political convention drinking games that we have invented (Someone says "Change" and everyone has to drink), there is one more big event I am looking forward to, which will officially bring in the Fall. On September 13, the biggest gala in Cleveland, Pandemonium 08, will be taking place at Cleveland Public Theatre (CPT). This fundraising extravaganza includes live entertainment all night outside and inside the theatre along with free food, beer and wine stations set up all over the CPT campus. Last night I found my dream outfit for this event at a thrift store. The only problem is the shirt is a little snug. I am now about to begin my Nine-Day Pandemonium Diet of Champions. Ironically my diet doesn't include schnitzel, potato pancakes, wings or beer. I wonder if those things have anything to do with my shirt being snug.

**For those of you paying attention, my diet includes not drinking beer for the first weekend of football. That's how much I like this shirt I bought.