my drunken Uncle

just a quick amusing, if hurtful anecdote from the weekend...

my niece Caitlyn was over for the night this past weekend and she was off amusing herself by playing Brandon's Playstation 2...and she was playing some game where you compete in horse competitions (whatever the word for that is)

of course I asked her if it was her game...being decidedly girlie (I was giving Chief the benefit of the doubt for once)
she responded that it was not her game and that she found it in Brandon's bag but she thought it must be Jenny's game
her exact words were "I hope its her game, I would hate to have a gay uncle."
stifling my normal reaction to make fun of my brother here I asked what would be so wrong with that.
she responded with "nothing"
following up with my unusual defense of Brandon I added "Well atleast he has a girlfriend, thats more than I can say."
to which my cute little niece replied "I know! You're pathetic!"

ouch....out of the mouths of teenage girls...I haven't been called pathetic by a teenage girl since high school.
add to all this the fact that the night before I witnessed the girl who Chach was trying (in his slow, ineffective Chach way) to hook me up with making out with some random dude on the dancefloor.

the only bright spot (and I'm sorry, Chief) was that Jenny was there to confirm that it was indeed her game but that Brandon has played it and has his name in some of the records..
but he wasn't called pathetic by his twelve(?)-year old niece...even I had to laugh when she said it (and then fight the urge to hit her of course...kidding, Child Services)

anyone want to see my favorite position....for sleeping?

on my side by the way....
and yes, very lame post....but I've run out of new things to whine about

What Your Sleeping Position Says

You are calm and rational. You are also giving and kind - a great friend. You are easy going and trusting. However, you are too sensible to fall for mind games.

What Does Your Sleeping Position Say About You?

random musings VI

-I think that when Chach and J move into the new house I am going to buy a new bed and put it into the bedroom that would be mine...now I still haven't decided (though they say I have no choice) or found a job up there but I need a goddamn bed that doesn't cause me pain or squeak (you know when I'm in it by myself)...anyone know a good place to buy a cool, but cheap bed?

-speaking of, now I'm even getting shot down in my sleep....that takes some kind of talent my friends

-I scared the hell out of myself when, while brushing my teeth the other day, my spit was yellow (very yellow!)...then I relaxed when I remembered I had just eaten a bunch of lemonheads

-I have a dorky confession to make...every morning one of the first things I do is check the UT library (NOT LIBERRY!) catalogue to see if my thesis has been listed yet....I can't wait to see it there on the shelf, completely ignored for decades

-I think that I'm a pretty fair boyfriend but, unfortunately I am a REALLY good friend

-after going to Brandon's military reenactment (where there was also a Lincoln and Mark Twain reenactor)at the Fort this weekend I've finally decided what I want to with my life....I am going to be a George Washington reenactor!!!! if Lincoln gets one at all these events, why not Washington...the Father of Our Country....plus Washington could totally take down Honest Abe in a fight (with or without an axe)
where's the love for Our Nation's Daddy?

-I'd give someone real money (as would alot of people) if someone were to kill Nick Lachey....or atleast maim him pretty good so his vocal cords would no longer function (and I could care less that he's from Ohio, makes him more annoying)

-as happy as I am for all of my friends who are with someone now (and I am happy for them), it also sucks...an ever-present reminder that I am not

-been watching Benson alot lately on TV Land...willing to bet most of you don't know what that is but Brandon and I as kids used to run down every summer morning at 10 to catch Benson reruns on BET of all stations...the show (the main character Benson) was sarcastic before sarcastic was in

-I hate my job...as you all know all too well...but the ironic part is that I am VERY, VERY good at it (and no, I'm not proud of that)

-I love summertime because of all the fun events and stuff going on...but its also kinda stressful to fit all of that in and do everything

-I am as close as I have ever been to wanting to rid myself of the awful Cubs fan tag...especially after a three game sweep at the hands (or bats) of J's Detroit Tigers and their 35 homeruns in three days....worst part of all, I know somewhere Ralph is making fun of me in his tiny dinosaur-like brain


Bonus History Factoid:

NAPOLEON DEFEATED AT WATERLOO:
June 18, 1815

At Waterloo in Belgium, Napoleon Bonaparte suffers defeat at the hands of the Duke of Wellington, bringing an end to the Napoleonic era of European history.

(source: History Channel online)

more beer, Jesus?

just got home from a Tharpe Family jaunt to the Queen City....no not San Francisco...the other Queen City, Cincinnati. Went mostly for the food but also because the train wreck that is my favorite baseball team, the Chicago Cubs, were in town to play the surprising first place Reds. Since it was mostly us just eating, a quick few points to recap...

-all we did Friday was to eat at Montgomery Inn on the Ohio River. Greatest ribs around...take my word for it, if you are ever in Cincinnati (you know, if you are like being punished for something) eat at the Montgomery Inn Boathouse. You will NOT be disappointed.

-on the way back to the hotel to sleep off all the ribs we saw some really cool parts of Cincy including Mt. Adams which was a combination of San Francisco, New England and young college town. Would be cool to hang out there, though perhaps not to live there

-Sat. afternoon was the highlight of the trip...actually better than the Cubs victory I went down to see was a trip to the Hofbräuhaus just over the river in KY. Based on and affliated with the original Hofbräuhaus in Munich, the place was set up as a German beer hall. It was excellent!!! Brandon, Dad and I each drank 2 liters of beer (a six pack basically) for lunch!!! there were long wooden tables, a girls dressed up in German outfits with short skirts (though they weren't big, blonde German chicks) and a polka band that sang German beerhall type songs (well there were a couple from the Sound of Music). they even had the World Cup on so we felt very European. and the whole place was full of Cubs fans as well..including a hot one who's t-shirt read "I love Matt Murton (Cubs RF) and my boyfriend"...thats my kind of girl
here are some pictures of the drunken Tharpe Family (along with a pic of the band that just happens to have the chick in the foreground...ahhh, beer):







-then we somehow staggered ourselves to The Great American Ballpark (which wasn't really...hell Comerica Park is a much cooler ballpark) to watch the Cubs beat the first place Reds 4-2 in the rain on the strength of Michael Barrett's grandslam homerun. here's a picture of the Cubs winning (eat it Corey) and of the family outside the park...strangely enough taken by the hot girl from the German place who we just happened to run into..I took a pic of her and her bf too:




-on the way home we had to stop in Dayton and go to this giant flea market that my mom likes...I won't waste time by telling how scary flea markets are, perhaps I'll leave that to a future post when I have more energy (suffice it to say that J and Dan's mullet game goes real well there)
but next to the flea market is a giant, newer church that has the CRAZIEST statue of Jesus in front of a fountain...words fail me to describe how utterly bizarre this thing is...so I will let JC speak for himself:

ahh....southern Ohio...it might as well be Alabama

why don't vikings look like Hagar the Horrible?

I came across this Viking name generator, and being bored (its weird being bored and not having to procrastinate on something) I decided to plug in some peoples to tell you what your Viking name would be... (if I leave you out for whatever reason its just b/c I got too bored to continue but leave me a comment and I will include you!)

though some disappointing news that JK discovered on her trip to Ireland, Vikings did not wear animal pelts and small metal helmets with 2 horns on them


Adam Tharpe:
from this day forward you will also be known as
Bárð the Forgettable (hehe...I feel this way sometimes)

Jenny Kane: Yngvildr Doomslayer (that's pretty sweet)

Brandon Tharpe: Egill the Gloomy (hahahahaha!)

Cheryl Levy: Þórhildr the Brave (I was hoping it would have the Cleaner after it)

Mike Rex: Halldór the Ready-in-five-minutes

Chach Kreider: (yes I did put in Chach) Úlf the Forgettable (apparently Chach and I are very forgettable)

Jason Price: Þorgeirr the Drunk (watch it J, Chach will probably try to trade)

Corey Roepken: Halldór the Brave (I kept retyping it in order for it to come up Sven the Lego Hair but no luck)

Joe Novak: Þórðr the Comedy Sidekick

Giancarlo Anselmo: Steinólf the Voracious (we'd have to ask Jen about that)

Brynn Dittman: Sigríðr the Tone Deaf (well, I've never heard her sing come to think of it)

Mark Heller: Hróald the Forgettable (we should start a club)

Nicole Porter: Þórunn the Lousy (hey, I'm just reporting what it said)

damn, this was nowhere near as funny or as entertaining as I thought it would be...