The Tweet-Up, Part 1
// May 3rd, 2010 // Functional Foodie, My Fabulous Life
I always cautioned my kids about “stranger danger.” There are a lot of weirdos out there. Perhaps I’m one of them.
I’ve known Annie for a couple of years. We were trying to recall how we first “met” online, and think it was probably through the comments section of Jon Acuff’s Stuff Christians Like blog where it seems all things snarky, funny, and outrageous occur. I wonder if Jon has any idea of the friendships he’s fostered from his blog comments section? Compared to those, that book deal of his is small potatoes.
But I bought it anyway. And yes, it’s hysterical. And no, I didn’t get paid to say that.
A group of us bloggers, Tweeters, and chronic email forwarders formed (I use that word loosely) “The Fellowship of the Traveling Smarty Pants” or better known as FOTTSP. Katdish instigated it. If you know Katdish, that won’t surprise you. She starts everything and is always sometimes gracious about taking the blame for things gone wrong. We have a group blog that’s hit and miss, some new members, and we even let a few boys join us, as long as they subscribe to sarcastic, sometimes a bit inappropriate, and a little redneck humor. In the words of one of our most precious members, Helen: “I love Jesus but I drink a little.”
That’s the other thing we have in common. We love Jesus and know He has a great sense of humor. He’s either laughing with us, because of us, or in spite of us. As much laughing as we do, we’re also the first to drop what we’re doing and fire off a prayer request for each other. That’s just how we roll.
Annie and I met up last weekend in Seattle, where I was contracted to do a presentation. She lives an hour away, as the crow flies. Or maybe it was the plane. The next post or two will chronicle our weekend, and if you have ever seen the movie “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” you’ll understand why we shared laughs, tears, and an overall great time.
There’s a verse somewhere in Ephesians that says something like “I thank God every day I didn’t meet an ax murderer” or something like that. Annie was awesome, and I’ve lived to tell about it.
The Arrival – Seattle Airport. I saw Annie the minute I entered my gate. She looks just like her picture, except a little shorter. The first self-portrait attempt. Good thing one of us has long arms. This was after the tears.
Getting our feet wet in Seattle. We found a little shop that was calling our name. How did we know that? This was the first of many clues we’d find all over Seattle. They knew we were coming.
My inaugural oyster. I’ve never eaten a raw one before, but since we were sitting 10 feet from the water, I figured it was fresh. Elliott’s Oyster House offered a free taste for first-time oyster slurpers, so Annie ordered one for me.
Not only was this my first oyster, it was my last. The flavor was good, but the texture? Not so much. I actually had to think it was snot to get it to slide down without gagging and spitting it all over the table. That’s the nurse in me, I guess. Annie felt obliged to tweet this photo. She was quite proud of that conquest. I wasn’t unaware that as funny as she thought this was, she did not order any oysters for herself. Big talkin’ Annie.
The rest of the meal was fabulous. We shared a creamy Crab and Shrimp Dip with crusty bread….
Crab Crusted Salmon with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Broccoli…
And Crab Cakes with Jicama Slaw and Jasmine Sesame Rice…
Total. Eye-rolling. Gustatory. Heaven.
It was quite evident that none of the crab in Seattle is spelled Krab like it is in Iowa. We were even too full for dessert.
After that, we returned to our hotel where I reviewed my PowerPoint one more time (after all, I really was there on business, Mr. IRS) and she acted as FOTTSP Recreational Leader and Party Captain and planned the rest of our weekend.
Film at 11.
Tea today: Tazo Zen
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23 Responses to “The Tweet-Up, Part 1”
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Was the fact that your heads barely made it into the first picture supposed to be demonstrating that neither of you are particularly tall?
No, Peter. That has to do with the fact that neither one of us knew where to look for a camera phone self-portrait. You should have seen the outtakes. Lovely view of the airport entrance with no people!
Hilarious… And I’m loving Peter’s comment. I was going to say the same thing, but when I got down to the comments, he’d beaten me to it.
And I’m with you on the snot/phlegm thing. I have had to do the same with foo foo (native to Ghana) food. But oysters? I’ve had one.
But I’d do it again for $5. You know, if we were betting.
That’s not a bet – sounds more like a dare. I’d do it again, too, but you’d have to add a couple of zeros to that $5 first. With a promise of crab legs or sushi to follow.
Awww! I’m so glad y’all met up! One imaginary friend down, several more to go!
And I’m impressed you ate that raw oyster. I used to eat them all the time, but I used to drink a lot too…
Can’t wait to hear the follow up!
Perhaps it wouldn’t have been so bad if I’d have had a little toddy FIRST.
Everything’s better with a little toddy. And thanks for calling me precious.
I am with you on the oyster thing. It’s not so much the taste as the slime trail. Can’t/won’t do it again! Glad you had a great time though. The rest of that food looked amazing!
Slime trail? Thanks, Jason. It just got worse….
Peter, first thing I said to Candy was, “dang, your taller than me.” (And I am not short, in fact, I’m above average, but y’all knew that. Snort!)
And yes, Candy does love Jesus. And I got her to drink a little.
As for the raw oyster thing, I didn’t want to steal your glory. You’re welcome.
You could have stolen my glory, especially since you stole all my dignity when you made me eat it!
Hmmm…I don’t care for seafood – at all – so I can’t imagine eating that oyster! Way to go! Not only for getting it down, but for keeping it down, too!
You’ve got my curiosity going …is that Dark Bacon Bar some sort of chocolate bar? I love chocolate, but even I might have to pass up that one! lol
Looking forward to hearing more about your trip!
What? You don’t like chocolate and bacon? We found some really weird things. Wait until you see the squirrel underwear, as in “underwear for squirrels…..”
Yeah, that Jon Acuff has a lot of friendships to answer for. I think I met a lot of my friends through him.
(Actually I think I met Katdish through him, and she dragged me kicking and screaming to meet the rest, but that’s another story)
Nice to see y’all getting together there. (Although a little less consumption of sea-food would have been appreciated, I’m just saying.)
Sharkie, know that your brothers and sisters of the sea brought us much pleasure. You needn’t fear being around us. You are more friend than fish.
You people are lightweights…oysters are awesome. And I hear they’re aphrodesiacs too. Just sayin.
I can’t wait to read more about your weekend. And I’m really looking forward to squirrel underwear (I swear, the freak things I find myself typing since I met you people…)
No way an oyster could be an aphrodisiac, Marni. I see nothing seductive about either my husband or me gagging over dinner. Squirrel underwear? That’s a different story. Stay tuned.
I am so jealous of the both of you, getting to meet each other and all! I may have to convince Bob that Waterloo, Iowa is a BIG vacation spot here in the midwest, and we just HAVE to get there this summer….
Love you both!
We are far to close to not visit, Helen. It will happen, either in Chicago or here. If we build it, they will come. (We could probably even get Billy here with that line).
That whole oyster thing still has me gagging. Yak.
‘Snot a pleasant thought, is it Wendy?
Love that you had this opportunity and had such a great time! It sure was fun watching those crazy tweets
Those crazy tweets will be appearing in part 3 – I think. It was fun tweeting with you just like we do WHEN WE’RE 7 MILES APART!!