Random Memory

I am going to start doing this thing where I post a random memory that comes to mind. I feel that if you are reading this, you somewhat care about what I have to say, so these memories should be just another thing of mine for you to read and smile (or not) about.

This one started when I was reading my AP issue. AP is the title of a music magazine, otherwise known as Alternative Press. I was looking at the upcoming album releases and saw a band called The O's. This immediately triggered a memory from back home.

In downtown Pittsburgh, there is a place called The O. It stands for The Original. It is a restaurant that is very popular among the college students in the area (specifically from what I remember, Carnegie Mellon and University of Pitt). It is this small, almost apartment looking building. When you walk in, everything screams fat fried, greasy tables, and cheap receipts. I remember it being one of my favorite places in Pittsburgh.

Like most small college town restaurants, The O had a specialty. Although it was known as a Hot Dog hut, I recall their fries being their main business. They were fried, long cut, and often had melted cheese on them. Along with the food, I remember there being an electronic dart board in it. This was a family sort of thing. Both my dad and my mom were both very good at darts in college (possibly how they met? I can remember a greasy fry vendor and not my parents place of starting relationship). My dad was always a good sport about helping me out in the game. You had to throw the dart hard enough to get caught in the plastic pegs that were the representation of the scoring area, but soft enough that it wouldn't bounce off. He somehow simultaneously held me up to the height of the board with one arm, then helped aim and guide my hand with the other.

I haven't been to The O in so long...I'm not even sure if it is still in business.

Going with memories of Pittsburgh, I once stayed the night at the Carnegie Museum.

Wait.
Back up.
Whenever I speak of Pittsburgh, you are going to see that I talk alot about this guy Carnegie. So let's get that out of the way.
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish immigrant who settled in Pittsburgh and became a famous "rags to riches" story.
I'll make this as brief as possible.
In Pittsburgh, there is steel. A lot of steel. Pittsburgh basically is resting on a bed of it to get the picture across.
Carnegie built the Carnegie Steel Company, which eventually merged with another steel manufacturing company to create U.S. Steel. U.S. Steel is now the 7th largest steel export company in the world.
Carnegie made a lot of money.
He wanted to put his money to good use, so he founded the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Carnegie Mellon University.
He made money.
Second richest person ever.
Everyone loved it.
Carnegie Hall in New York is named after him, towns are, a children's book award is, and a natural history museum is.

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History is located in Pittsburgh, and was holding an event celebrating the new dinosaur exhibit being opened. The event was Sleepover at the Carnegie. You would bring your little sleeping bags and pillows, find a place in the museum to sleep, then wake up and be the first to see the exhibit. My dad knew I loved dinosaurs, so he signed up and we went. I remember us creating a board game, a night guided tour, and a continental breakfast. You were supposed to sleep next to one of the animal exhibits. Most of the kids got all of the good ones, so we ended up sleeping next to sheep or wild goats. Then the next morning, one of the employees turned on one of the robotic animatronic dinosaurs and woke us up with the roar installed on it.

The actual exhibit seemed pretty small, but I really didn't care.


Dinosaurs were cool, man.