I'm mostly cautious by nature, until something captures my imagination. I fall in love quickly and hard. I’ll binge watch without remorse. The first time I attempted to ride a skateboard I immediately tried to ollie over a discarded toaster. No beginner's luck there. My chin proved to be very effective at breaking falls. Two years (and 16 stitches later) I would be ice skating for the first time. An axel looked easy enough on TV. It was not. I chipped off my two front teeth and split my lower lip wide open.
 
Against most odds I turned 10. Around this time I noticed that a new girl named Rosemary had moved into the neighborhood. Taking a predetermined route, I walked past her house one day to discover her friends, Anna and Carolina, doing cartwheels on Rosemary’s front lawn. My older sister was a cheerleader at the time and had taught me how to do a round-off. I thought it a stellar idea to dazzle these ladies with my secret talent. What girl wouldn’t want a guy who can do a round-off? One would think I’d have learned something about being so ambitious with my flourishes, but one would be wrong. I broke into a focused run and planted my hands. I didn’t know that their lawn had been watered the day before. The earth was too soft and my fingers sunk right it. I crashed in a clumsy pile but tried to salvage the moment, employing my momentum to summersault up to my feet. All part of the routine!  When up and ready to accept my scores, I didn’t have to worry about hiding my eyes- no one was looking at my face. They were all focused on my hands, their eyes unusually wide and full of fright.
 
I had dislocated both my thumbs at both joints and they were bent back acutely nearly to my wrists. It was grotesque. I excused myself and once around the corner my eyes begin to water and my pace quickened to a panicked run. I kept my hands held high the whole way home, a ridiculous spectacle of surrender.

 
This Saturday is our Grand Opening Party, from 4-8pm. There will be no tears and (hopefully) no broken bones or chipped teeth. But rest assured that I have not learned my lesson. There will be no holding back this enthusiasm and fervor. Joy is unrestrained at OAKLAND YARD, this day and always. Thumbs up. And luckily for me, the team here is far more composed and far less clumsy than I. Max is calm and in control. He already has bottles of bubbly chilling, ready to be popped, and holiday wines selected and snuggled in happy 6-pack totes. Julia and Glenny are kicking ass in all kinds of ways, prepping amazing small bites for your enjoyment. Friends are joining us to pour and pass plates and put your minds at ease. And yes, you can expect a flourish or two. I'll do my best not to make a mess and to remain in one piece.


See you all Saturday, hopefully sooner.


Daniel