Yup, it's been a pretty sweet 16 weeks down in the village.  Tonight, I lost the keys to my scooter (what was that tinkling sound I heard on the pavement just now?  Probably nothing!) which not only darkened my arrival this evening, but kept me freaking out for at least half the night.  It's one thing to lose your keys, another to get your bike turned on (or off) soon after, and quite a different matter to realize that the same (missing) keys also unlock your trunk, which contains all manner of supplies and sundries necessary for running a quiz. 

All told, it took one wire hanger, at least half a dozen sets of keys, 2 grown men, a pocket knife (broken in the process - and dude, I'll still totally buy you a new one), 2 butter knives, a lighter, a pair of flashlights when the lighter proved to be a poor idea, collective shouting, whistful feelings, human drama, hopes and desires, a copy of "Are You My Mother" by P.D. Eastman, and finally - a leatherman (we'll call him "Carl") to pry open the safety-deposit box containing our Wedneday's Finest.  Quite a harrowing experience for me, as I strongly dislike starting late, and I like to ensure that I'm actually going to get home, as well (but hey, keys are stupid!) 

I won't even try to describe to you how I got the bike back up and running at the end of the night, with a flat-headed screwdriver, only to discover that my steering column was locked.  That was another strange and altoghether familiar slice of hell (hey, cool! We got the bike fired up, only ... you cannot steer it!)

So my personal failures aside, tonight was pretty freaking awesome.  I took my damn time for once, and hopefully got to known the lot of you just a little bit more - and by that, I mean that you guys are a gathering that merit the time to get to know.  You're the salt which fills the earth with tasty goodness, and I thank the shit out of you for coming out and supporting our weekly quizzing at the Oasis.  I've been at this game for some time - and you are, most assuredly, the most motley assortment of wonderful folks I've come across yet.  I'm gonna miss you like crazy, and I will be doing everything I can to bring another quiz to the wrong side of the river here, very soon.  

I'd call you out individually, but I think you know how terrible with names I am by now.  For real - you're the best.  Thank you.

Cheers to the Oasis, for giving us an honest shot and for providing us with a home these past few months.  Your fries are like golden slices of heaven, and your waitstaff is like joy (here's looking at you, Michael and Emma!)  All things considered, we'll be back next "season," quizzing down like it's going out of style (which it isn't, and probably never will - even in Corrales). 

(Also, HEY! ScoreWeaponX!)  Because I know she'll be reading this in the dead of night by the fire from another slice of hell in the east mountains.  My sweet plume, my heart of hearts.  I double trouble you. 

With a pizza cooling on my lap, and an engine finally purring beneath my druthers, I sped home tonight with a few thoughts on my mind, and a song in my heart.  As much as I'm going to miss my weekly excursions to the village, I have to say that it can't be too long until we find our own special place again, probably not too far away - before next season turns. 

I'll meet you there.

That's right, it is now 10-til go time, and having finished my pesto turkey panini of awesomeness, I'm making sure answer sheets and visual rounds are abound as I finish getting ready for our Wednesday's Finest.  The bar is filling up nicely, although a few extra tables probably couldn't hurt.  I shall endeavor to update here as the night progresses into sweet quiz oblivion.

- Wow, CMS already ate half of my last post.  Maybe this idea was stupid.

- Rolling nicely with 7 squads tonight, not including that one duo who sits in the corner, plays, and never turns their shit in.

- Wow.  Round 2 is sounding a lot more difficult over the PA tonight then it did in the office whilst I was putting it together on Monday.

- Yup.  Scores were sparsely decorated with failure.  One 10-pointer, the rest notsomuch.

- Hudson Hawk finished torrenting, sweet!

- Because I skip the first regularly-scheduled scoring break after Round 3 at this quiz, we're straight into Round 4.  I think tools are sweet, except when they are alive.

- Fuckers have never heard of a "plectrum," but it's OK - cos neither have I.  Also, what is a "Seether?"  Apparently, it whispers carelessly.

- 50 minutes in, about to start Round 6.  Crowd is keen!

- Whedonverse quota = met for the night.

- Oh, sweet!  Greg hooked me up with a burn of some April March earlier, and also has a lead on a potential Vanagon for me.  Will discuss after quiz ...

- Midget Movies was a hit, that round was sweet.  Going into Random Knowledge.  Just heard we've been cancelled as of next week, apparently.  Weak!

- Yup.  Official word from der kommissar is that next week is our final week here at the Oasis.  Please watch next week's e-mail for confirmation, denial, etc.

- I have the hiccups.  This sucks.

Well, "live" blogging this one was actually pretty cool, even if it never really gave me time to "reflect," or whatever.  Alas, my shiz is done and I haven't even packed my gear up yet!  So, that's pretty dope.  Gonna tip Michael out and hit the road; it's a long way home from this one, and the night is endless - like so many questions unanswered in a sweet-ass quiz in the village.  See you next week (for our final excursion?)

Because if there is one thing the westside provides, it is a seemingly infinite quantity of options chez Craigslist, for stuff.  Since taking on the Oasis some months ago, I have checked out a number of motorized vehicles, from sundry scooters to several VW Westys (read: latter day camper vans, not that hippie shit) in various stages of deterioration.  Today's find was modestly priced, and gerry-rigged in the way that only Volkswagens seem to be for this model-era (oh, to be born in the early 80's). 

Succinct to say, I didn't necessarily fall in love with the van, but can indeed smell its promise in the rain-soaked air (or is that the exhaust, that isn't quite attached to the manifold?  Or the stereo that operates from a series of plastic kill-switches?  Just what is that ominous something seeping in from the cat-sized hole in the pop-top?) 

So yeah, I dunno if I'm gonna buy it, but I seem to have become taken with finding all this stuff on the wrong side of the river.  Notwithstanding, our Wednesdays Finest.

There's never anything good about walking into a totally empty bar 45 minutes before go-time, that is until said bar fills up (like fuck) with 7 squads of joy.  It was a ball-bouncing good time down in the village this evening, one that I'll probably remember for the rest of the night, at least.  Despite a selection of rounds that could only described as "freaking difficult," our grip of teams kept it together for the shiz, and brought it all back home with me in the end.

Cheers to you, villagers and ne'er do wells - in feverish things and crazy electrical storms overhead.  Until next week, wherein I may or may not appear in a Westfalia - all ready to make you pork'n beans and camp the fuck out.