October

Welcome to the 6^th floor.

Today's contributors are: Ann, Sara, Tabitha, Frank, Billy and Scott.

Subject: October is here

“So guys, what do you like about October?”

“Didn't you ask us this about September? Are you going to blog this? Isn't that a cop-out?”

“Yes, Yes, and No. I think it's an interesting post. Besides, it doesn't preclude us from posting other things throughout the month. We did have a poor September though.”

“Not as bad as the damn Mets..”

“Very true. I'll give you time to grieve before I collect on our bet.”

“Right. So..October. What do you guys feel about October?”

“What do YOU feel?”

“Fine. I'll go first. I really like all the leaves changing and the storms and the wind. It's very poetic. Perfect for a writer.”

“I love decorating. October starts Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas. Lots of decorating opportunities.”

“You putting up that creepy witch again this year?”

“Yes. I don't understand what you find creepy about it. She's just a witch.”

“I think It's her nose. Creepy. My favorite thing about October is the people. While some people get nastier from the holiday stress, most are a lot more friendly. At work, many regular customers, as well as employees, bring in cookies and candy and all sorts of goodies.”

“Baseball. It's October, it's the holy month. Playoffs, World Series. Lets go Yankees!”

Sara fixes Frank with a very evil stare. “That's usually my favorite thing about the month. This year I'm thinking about taking a renewed interest in hockey. The season starts this week.”

“Oh. My turn? October huh. The leaves? No you said that. Oh! Of course, Pumpkin Pie, Apple cider, especially spiced, and Apple pie!”

“Food. Gee, we never would've guessed that one.”

Kitchen Chat

Welcome to the 6^th floor.

Today's contributors are: Ann, Sara, Tabitha, Frank, Billy and Scott.

Subject: Round Table

“Cheese? Where is the cheese!”

“American? Or mozzarella?”

“American.”

“I don't know.”

“Okay, where is the mozzarella then?”

“Not a clue.”

“Argh!” Tabitha screams, grabs a butter knife and moves towards Scott.

Frank restrains Tabitha. “Relax Tab, It's just cheese.”

“Just cheese? Just cheese?”

“Calm down! It's behind the sour cream!” Sara shouts, her head stuck in the fridge.

“Fine. Fine!” Tabitha says, grabbing the cheese from Sara.

Just then, Ann walks in and joins us around the table. “Ann! Welcome home! I feel like I haven't seen you in days. Let Scott pour you a drink.”

“What'll you have? Beer? Pickle Juice? Iced Tea? Beer?”

“Do we have any more of that ..”

“Beer it is! Nice cold beer!” Scott pops the top off the bottle and places the bottle in front of Ann.

“You're going to let her drink alone? That's not right. Open that fridge back up Scotty.”

“He does have a point. Pass 'em over bud.”

Scott grabs a couple more beers and passes them out. “Tabitha? Sara? Want one?”

“Not from you.” Tabitha says, taking a beer out of the fridge for herself.

“I guess I can't be the only one not drinking.”

“Thatagirl!”

“Hey, so the playoffs start soon. You guys going to any games?”

Sara downs her beer. “I need another.”

Frank hands her one. “A friend of mine got two tickets, I may go with him to game 2. Not sure yet though.”

“How's Catalina's?” Tabitha asks Ann.

“Oh you know, the usual. I got to bartend a little bit the other day. That was a nice change.”

“Neat. Hey, I need to get some new clothes. You want to come shopping Saturday?”

“Yeah. Sure. I need a couple of things too.”

“Sara?”

“I don't know. Maybe. We'll see. Saturday? I don't know.” Sara mutters quickly.

“Err, what was that?”

“She's got a Mets game Saturday, but she's thinking that if they lose horribly these next two games, she might not want to go anyway. Of course, if she doesn't go to the game I imagine you'll be able to find her with a couple of those bottles somewhere.” Frank translates, indicting the two empty beer bottles next to Sara.

“Well, hockey season starts soon.”

“I've never been to a hockey game. Maybe we should go this year.” Frank says to Billy, who's ignoring Sara's death stare.

“Definitely. As long as it's the Rangers.”

“Humbug! But I guess that's a lot easier than trying to get to Newark or Uniondale for the Devils or Islanders.”

“We could always drive.”

“Lots of traffic though. We'd basically be in rush hour to make a 7pm game. Unless we went on the weekend. I hear the area around Nassau Coliseum is nice.”

Ann bursts out laughing. “You heard that where?”

“You disagree? Hofstra is right there ain't it?”

“Yeah, that just makes it worse.”

“Hofstra huh? Freshman chicks!”

“I think you're getting a little old for Freshman.”

“She's right.” Frank says, pausing. “Sophomore chicks!”

“All right!” Scott and Frank high five, Tabitha just rolls her eyes.

Playoff Race

Welcome to the 6^th floor.

Today's contributors are: Sara, Frank

Subject: Playoffs

“Argh!!” shouts Sara, throwing a newspaper across the room as the Mets lose in extra innings.

“Wow. They lost again huh? Some bullpen. I bet they don't even make the playoffs.”

“You're on. They'll still make the playoffs. The Phillies are worse.” Says Sara, somewhat unconvincingly.

“Let's make it better, I bet the Yankees go farther in the playoffs than the Mets.”

“$100?”

“Sounds good. It's win-win for you; If the Mets choke, you lose $100 but get refunding your playoff tickets.”

“I don't know if my heart can take them not making the playoffs. I might have to take that money and pay for the hospital bill, or at least therapy.”

“Doesn't surprise me that a Mets fan needs therapy, I mean you decided to vote for a loser in the first place.”

Sara throws the newspaper she had just retrieved at Frank. “Cocky aren't we? I think you'll find the Yankees have played their cards a little early, and will have nothing left in the postseason.”

“They've got plenty of cards, don't you worry yourself about it.”

“Oh yeah? Wanna bet?!”

“We just did dear.” Frank says, patting Sara on the head with the newspaper as he walks back to his room.

Brewfest!

Welcome to the 6^th floor.

Today's contributors are: Ann, Sara, Tabitha, Frank, Billy and Scott.

Subject: Brewfest

Last week was both Frank's and Ann's 24^th birthday. To celebrate they decided we should all go to Brewfest which features a whole lot of local New York breweries. It runs from five until ten, but we had to wait for Sara to get off work first, so we don't leave until five. The line to get in literally wraps around the South Street Seaport, and we don't actually get our 4oz tasting glasses and wristbands until a little after six.

“Wow, that line was a little crazy. I still don't understand why they only had two people checking Ids.”

“Yeah, that could've been done a lot faster. Oh well, let's drink!”

“Let's head over to the cask conditioned beers first, since they're only available for a limited time.”

“Cask conditioned? They are special?”

“Yeah, great stuff Tab. I don't think you'll like them, very dark and bitter usually.”

We push through the crowd and start tasting some of the cask conditioned beers, and predictably, I don't care for most of them. Since all of the tents are right next to each other, we end up on line for Rogue, which is right next to the cask conditioned ones.

“Those were pretty good. I like this; get a beer, wait on line for more beer while you drink the first one.”

“We might want to take it a little slower, we're really knocking them back like this.”

“Ann. Ann. That's the whole point! Cheers!” Scott says, clinking his glass with Ann's.

“Got to get our money's worth right Ann? Besides, what have we been practicing for if not this?”

“I wasn't aware that we were practicing at all, but maybe we should mix in some food. I know I saw some BBQ when we came in.”

“Food works too. We can make our way back that direction after picking out some beers along this row. I guess we can't try every single beer that's here.”

“Why not? Are you not up to the challenge Billy? Tsk tsk.”

“Dude. There are like 300 different types of beer here. Even in 4oz glasses, that's 75 beers. No one can do that.”

“Except Superman!”

“Aye! You're not Superman Scott!”

“Oooh! Mead! That's not beer, but I won't complain!”

“The Long Island Meadery? I've had those before, they're pretty good. I actually have an unopened bottle of Root Beer Mead back at the apartment.”

“Holding out on us Sara? We'll have to crack that open. Root Beer Mead sounds pretty good.”

“Well probably not tonight. We're doing pretty well so far.”

“Not as well as some of the people behind the booths apparently. Look at that guy, I think he's drinking faster than he's pouring.”

“I noticed that too. I guess you can't come to one of these things and not appreciate all the fine beverages around you.”

We do indeed stop and get some food, taking a break and listening to the live music. The seaport is awash with a mass of humanity, most of it tipsy if not outright drunk.

“That was a good idea Tabitha!” Sara says, as we emerge from inside the Seaport to use the bathrooms, instead of waiting on line for portapotties.

“Thanks, not that those bathrooms were amazingly clean or anything.”

“Come on girls! It's Belgium time!”

“Great beer and chocolate, what a great country!”

The Belgium beers are only available for an hour, presumably because they're much more expensive. Everyone else is aware of this too, so the rush of the crowd is strong around the booths, and we eventually taste everything we want to and are standing in front of an empty booth littered with beer bottles.

“Wow, these guys are all tapped out and gone already. Look at all these beer bottles, I guess they didn't bring enough beer.”

“Some of these breweries probably can't afford to give away that much free beer all night.”

“Yeah. This place is really really packed. I'm sure they did what they could afford.”

“As long as people remember what they drank and remember some of the breweries to try them again for real.”

“I've had so many different beers today, they're all blending together!”

“Well, there will be name recognition if you're in a store and looking for something at least.”

“I really liked that blueberry ale we had, where was that from?”

“That was Wachusett I think. I'm about ready to go. What about you guys?”

“I've had so much to drink tonight there's a brewfest in my bladder!”

“As long as there isn't a brewfest on the floor of the apartment when I get up tomorrow, you're fine.”

“Beer! Maybe we should stop for food on the way home.”

“It is only 9:30. I could do food. Or we could go to the beer garden in Astoria.”

“Beer garden! That place rocks!”

“Let's stick to food. Might as well just stop at that McDonalds near the subway. It's not like any of us are really going to taste anything.”

“Happy Birthday to Ann..Ha..Ouch!” Billy says, as Ann hits him.

“No singing. Especially not to me old man!”

“Oh okay. Angus burgers it is. I'll buy you dinner since It's your birthday.”

“Oh wow Billy, that's so nice. You could spoil a girl like that buying her Mickey D's like that.”

Flavor of the Week

Welcome to the 6^th floor.

Today's contributors are: Billy and Scott.

Subject: Flavor of the Week

Billy walks into Starbucks, nods to Scott, and takes a seat in one of the empty chairs. Shortly after Scott walks over with a Starbucks cup and hands it to Billy, who tastes it.

“Gotta be the Pumpkin Spice Latte. That was easy, I knew you'd choose that.”

“Drat! I have to be more unpredictable.”

“Not surprising, I'm sure Starbucks has been drilling you about the new seasonal stuff all week.”

“Hmm. Maybe they have. It's hard to tell, I don't really listen much.”

“I can tell, you have a customer at the register waiting for you.”

“Eh, that's just Max. No hurry, I already know what he wants.”

“A mind reader now? Impressive.”

“It keeps things interesting. I will not bring you a cookie!”

Max: “Actually Scott, It's Monday. I'm thinking peppermint mocha.”

“It's Monday already? My My.”

“I guess you're mind reading skills aren't up to snuff. And you ARE going to bring me a cookie when you come back.”

“It was my pick this week Maximus. I'll let it slide, but next week, it's all me.”

Max: “You got it pal.”

Scott mixes up Max's drink, makes some more small talk and then returns with a cookie for Billy.

“Here is your cookie. Careful, or I'll make you pay next time.”

“You wouldn't!”

“Try me. What are up to anyway? You don't usually stop in on Mondays.”

“Oh. Well Ann and Tabitha are still sick. I figured I should keep out of the germ infested apartment a bit. Caffeine helps combat disease right?”

“Certainly! You've never seen anyone sneeze while drinking coffee have you?”

“Well, actually.. Yeah, I have.”

“Oh. Well then we're screwed.”

Billy the Sage

Welcome to the 6^th floor.

Today's contributors are: Ann, Sara, Tabitha, Billy

Subject: Our Sage

“So you've been 26 for a couple of weeks now. How does it feel? The arthritis kick in yet?”

“It's much like being 25, only older. The arthritis is painful. It takes me 45 minutes to get up in the morning.”

“Seriously?”

“No! I'm 26, not 56. I get up fine in the morning, my hair's not falling out or going gray, and I can actually remember everything that happens during the day.”

“Now you're just teasing me.”

“Would I do that?”

“Probably.”

“You're right. You young ones have it so easy. Back in my day..” Billy pretends to drift off and stares into space.

“Ann and Frank are turning 24 next week, they're getting up there too!”

“Wow, a good two dozen years. You can measure your age just like you measure eggs.”

“Are you implying I'm an omelet?”

“Hmm, what else can I compare your age to?”

“No fair. Your age is a prime number, hard to compare to anything.”

“That's why we just make fun of him because he's old.”

“The ancient one.”

“Ancient one? That makes me sound like a wise sage. Ooommmmm.”

“Oh wise Billy the Sage. Tell me where to eat dinner tonight.”

“The path lined with pepperoni pizza is the path to happiness.”

“I can live with that advice.” Tabitha says, picking up the phone.

September

Welcome to the 6^th floor.

Today's contributors are: Ann, Sara, Tabitha, Frank, Billy and Scott.

Subject: The Best Month Between August and October

“Well, it’s September again. What do you guys like best about September? I’m just thrilled that I’ve stuck with the blog for six months now.”

“I like how the weather starts getting cooler, and my birthday’s in September.”

“When they change the subway advertisements for the month of September I get to find out what all the new tv shows are.”

“Apple cider. I love apples! Fall starts rolling around and it gets to be time to have a nice hot spiced apple cider.”

“September is crunch time for baseball, It’s a fun month with so much to watch.”

“I don’t know that it’s what I like best, but since I’ve always been a student I associate September with getting back to school and a normal routine. I never know what to do with myself in the summer, at least with school I have goals and deadlines to work with.”

Train Ride to the Complaints Department

Welcome to the 6^th floor.

Today's contributors are: Sara, Tabitha, Frank, Billy

Subject: Local Train to the Complaint Department

“Ugh!” Sara says, tossing her bag on the counter as she arrives home. “I hate the MTA.”

“What’d they do now? You get a ticket for having your feet on a seat or something?”

“It was a combination of things really. It just led to a bad day. It started by my 30-day Metrocard running out without me realizing it.”

“So? It happens every 30 days right? How surprising could it be?”

“Well it wouldn’t be a surprise if I’d remember when I bought it, but I forgot to make a note of it, and I guess the month went by faster than I imagined. Some warning would be nice you’d think? Like if you had less than 24 hours left on the card? You listening Billy?”

Billy looks up from watching tv. Huh? Yeah, a warning would be nice I guess. I don’t know, mine doesn’t expire.”

“Well aren’t you just so special! You have to be able to do something at work. Put in a suggestion or something.”

“I’m just a worker bee. I have no more say than you do. I guess the card readers just aren’t set up to display that information. You do know they expire 30 days from first use right? So you can buy a second one anytime and just pull it out of your wallet when the first expires?”

“Really? I didn’t know that.”

“Oh. Well still, a warning would be nice. The thing has to compare the current date to the expiration date, so it wouldn’t hurt to display the difference.”

“Well, the subway often seems no frills. It’s better than a lot of other places though.”

“No frills? Kind of like Billy’s cooking.”

“So I like simple foods. Nothing wrong with that. Why do I need sun-dried tomatoes in my pasta or fancy cheese on my burger?”

“Fancy food can taste good too. Another thing, would it be so hard to allow me to refill my 30-day Metrocard? It wouldn’t have been that big a deal, it only would’ve cost me a minute if the machine had decided to accept my credit card. Of course it decided not to be able to read it.”

“I get that a lot too actually.”

“Did you try a little sugar?”

“Sugar?”

“Yeah. You know, be nice to it. Treat it well. Maybe you were rude to it and it decided not to accept your card out of spite.”

“So I’m supposed to what? Flirt with it? Oh Metrocard machine, you’re so pretty! Here, let me clean the stray Metrocards off your head. There, isn’t that better?”

“Yeah, that should do it.” Frank says, laughing.

Chocolate Contest

Welcome to the 6^th floor.

Today's contributors are: Ann, Sara, Tabitha, Frank, Billy and Scott.

Subject: They make that in Chocolate?

“So one of the chocolate blogs I check in on occasionally is having a contest.”

Chocolate blog? Is it edible?”

“Of course. It’s one of those Harry Potter Chocolates.”

“No no. Not a chocolate frog, a blog. Oh forget it.” Sara grumbles.

“We’re just playing with you. What’s the contest?”

“It's a Contest to find the strangest chocolate item.”

“So what are you going to enter? That nasty bacon chocolate bar you brought home the other day?”

“I found that bar through that blog, so no.”

“I know that look, you've got something.”

“Actually yes. You remember those milk chocolate headless chickens in the can that I found?”

“Yeah! Those were weird, but good. I use the can as a change tray now. It's still on my desk.”

“I can't find the product on their website anymore. I don't think they make them. I did find Chocolate Squashed Hedgehogs though.”

“Eww! What's wrong with these people?”

“Well, they're British.”

“Oh! Well that explains it doesn't it?”

Are You One?! Are You Two?! Are You Twenty-Six?!

Welcome to the 6^th floor.

Today's contributors are: Ann, Sara, Tabitha, Frank, Billy and Scott.

Subject: Are You One?! Are You Two?! Are You Twenty-Six?!

(Events of last weekend. I know our posts are lagging.)

Rosemarie: “..dear Billy! Happy Birthday to you! Now make a wish.”

Billy grins a very evil grin and blows out his candles.

“Well what did you wish for?”

“There's always someone that has to ask that. You can't tell or it won't come true!” Sara frowns at Tabitha.

“Would you believe me if I said cake?”

“Probably.”

John(7^th Floor): “What kind of cake is that? It looks good.”

“It's a Baskin Robbins ice cream cake.”

John: “Awesome, lets get eating!”

“Will you do the honors and cut the cake Frank?”

“Sure. If you get me another beer.” Frank takes the last swig out of his beer bottle, holds it up and wiggles it at Tabitha, and then tosses it towards the bin of empties near the kitchen. His coordination not what it was earlier in the evening, it misses, bounces off the edge of the counter and shatters on the floor in front of the fridge.

“Nice shot Shaq.”

“And that's why we don't throw glass bottles in the apartment. You'll have to wait for your beer until I clean this up now.”

“Fine, but then I'm not cutting the cake.”

“Just going to let it melt into a mess?”

“And what If I am?”

Rosemarie: “I'll cut it.”

“You don't have to.”

Rosemarie: “I don't mind. Scott's salivating is disturbing anyway.”

Scott snaps his jaw shut. “It's such a good cake.” He whines.

John: “Nothing wrong with a little drool. Happy Birthday Billy!”

“Drool. Just what I always wanted!”

Sara is helping Rosemarie, taking the candles off the cake. “Who's idea was it to put fire on an ice cream cake? It's just going to melt faster.”

“What if Billy wished for his ice cream to never melt?”

“Then I imagine he'd be pretty disappointed.”

Rosemarie: “Okay sugar, here's the first piece.”

“Oooh, me next!” Scott says, taking the next piece of cake when Rosemarie puts it on a plate.

Frank runs by and snatches it out of his hands. “Nah nah na nah nah!”

“Thief! Felon! Rogue!”

“Oooh, nice synonyms there. Did Starbucks print a dictionary on the back of the cups this month?”

“No. The Akeela and the Bee cups are long gone.” Scott says, sticking out his tongue at Sara.

“Hey Frank! I've got your beer here! Beer! Ice Cold Beer!” Ann shouts across the room, holding the beer by the stem and waving it at Frank.

Frank turns to look, and as he does, Mike accidentally bumps into Ann and she drops the bottle. It cracks as it hits the hard floor, and the beer spills out into a puddle.

Frank grins. “Ha! At least mine was empty. Alcohol abuse!” As Frank is distracted by the mess, Scott steals his piece of cake back.

Mike: “Sorry Ann, but boy, you guys really are a bit clumsy aren't you?”

Ann glares at Mike and he gets the hint and walks away to mingle with someone else.

Ann cleans up the mess, and the night winds on. The cake is served and eaten, and Billy opens his presents happily, enjoying the surprises. Lots of booze gets consumed, and before long people are slurring “Goo-Night, Haapy Birthday Bill!” and stumbling back to their own floors and apartments. Billy and Rosemarie are cuddled on the coach, just zoning out. Frank and Scott have a different sports highlight show on each tv, and Tabitha has fallen asleep at the table amidst the empty beer bottles that didn't make it into the bin. Ann and Sara are cleaning up the kitchen, except they both are having trouble standing.

“Great party tonight. We should do this again don't you think?”

“Well, You and Frank both having birthdays next month right? I guess we could do this again.”

“Yeah lets. I bet nothing goes well with turning 24 like an Abita Purple Haze.”

“Purple beer? That'd be pretty nasty if you drank too much.”

“Ugh! Why is your first thought after beer, vomit?”

“Could be because I feel like I had too many beers. Or just that purple beer sounds nauseating.”

“Maybe we should stop sponging.”

“Sponging? That sounds naughty.”

“Lucky Scott wasn't paying attention then. I meant we should stop this..cleaning. No more sponge. Just bed.”

“Bed sounds mighty awesome. Did you know a sponge supposedly isn't three dimensional? It's only like 2.83 dimensions or something.”

“Huh? What the hell are you talking about?”

“No! Really! I went to this lecture about dimensions once. There are supposed to be 11 I think, but most of them are on the microscopic level.”

Ann groans and grabs onto the counter. “I think the rum in my tummy isn't agreeing with your physics talk. Too complicated for such a smooth and simple beverage.”

“Okay okay. Chemistry then?”

“No! All I know about chemistry is that the chemistry of my blood contains lots of booze and I need to lay down. Goodnight everyone!” Ann shouts, startling Billy and Rosemarie. They follow Ann's lead and slowly rise and head to bed. Sara walks over to Frank and Scott and sits down.

“So how did the Braves and Phils do tonight?”

(Is the occasional mention of random bit people confusing? I've mentioned Mike and John before, but should I put in more information about them when I post, at least to remind everyone who they are? Feel free to comment or email us if anything is confusing or you have an idea about how to make anything more clear)