i would walk [three-point-one] miles and I would walk [three-point-one] more.

~the proclaimers.

And that’s a lie. I’m not walking ANYMORE. My legs and shins hurt, man. We've walked A LOT this weekend. Enough to justify whatever beer we wanted, thankyouverymuch!

So, Kinston, NC? Middle of Nowhere, USA. And a weird drive. But I made it and picked up Del, and we’ve had a glorious time!!!

Except for the walking part.

This Saturday was the Beta Chi Shamrock’n’Run. Except, y’know, we walked the 5k. Which isn't really that far, and it was pleasant, except for the damn hills. We just walked a lot the rest of the time, too--and we were not the last people in, hurrah! Oh, and I won a hat. A UNC hat. Which I will soooooooooo be selling. Here we are pre-race.

Next, it was off to the brewery tour, which was packed. Like, twice as big as usual. But mmmmm CBC beer is yummy, ‘specially when it’s free. Del and I kept looking at their tanks and all and talking about safety regs and the like. We are silly girls, yes we are.

After lunch at Mitch’s, a mini-tour of NCState, some pretty picture taking (see below!) and a drive through Raleigh proper, we did the best thing of all—we napped! We were tired—we’d been in seven cities in seven hours! (Morrisville, Chapel Hill, Durham, Cary, Apex, Holly Springs and Raleigh!)

And then had sushi, and then went out on the town. At Hibernian we ran into my co-worker Dmitry and his buddies. Once we’d moved to Bogart’s we also met a few members of the News 14 Carolina team. It was quite creepy to see the weatherman on tv the next day, let me tell you. And one of the guys, the birthday boy who I kept calling “28” kept calling me “glasses.” I met some photography peeps too. And some dudes with weird names—Champ and Boss—and then a very funny guy named Kenneth who Del and I could call Kenny ‘cause we’re white. Good times, good drinks, good music and fun dancing! My kinda night!!! Except for the fact that my legs were like, "carrie, what the hell? you take us walking for miles and miles and then you make us walk in heels?!?" I'm used to being able to wear heels as much as I want, but weird sections of my legs were not pleased with me at all. Still fun though. anyhoo.

here's del, me and marla

the russian and me

and dmitry's friend tom, another photo-aholic and funny face maker. I *might* have been trying to make a fish face. maybe. not sure. I do know for sure I was trying not to laugh!

And this? This was all on Saturday. And it’s why you should totally come visit me. :) It was a little weird though—I realized how much I know about where I am, and how to get places, and factoids and all. I think maybe, just maybe, I’m a teensy-weensy-whole-lot more of a North Carolinian than I let on. I’m sure as heck starting to sound like ‘em.

More about Sunday not now. Mostly ‘cause I’m tired, I leave to drive Del to Kinston in an hour, and I’m sick. My voice isn’t functioning properly—it’s dropped like four octaves (okay, maaaaybe more like .12) and it’s all scratchy and half-functional. Ugh.