Ha Ha Ha. I win! I don't deserve any special points for it. Thanks for the special task although I don't really believe in having a special task for this... keep it at 0 points, please. I will collaborate on Wrong Holiday.

It was a major task to try to a) Understand the clues to find out there was a party b) Figure out that it was a New Years Eve party and c) Get Oliver X's address. One of my most tasking tasks yet... here's my story:

I think I've been "that other guy" in terms of SFZero players in Minneapolis. Most of the other players don't know me that well or at all, but I'm apparently suspicious enough to not be trusted by some.

I started getting hints earlier in the week about a party going on - and that it might have something to do with SFZero players.

For instance, in an email from Celina when I casually asked if she was working on SFZero tasks over the holiday weekend: "I think some tasks are happening on Friday and Saturday there may be hangovers [...]. We shall see." and a post from Oliver X here: "At the very least, give us a count. I will top it at midnight tonight."

So at this point, I assumed that Celina and Oliver X were collaborating. Then I read from Ink Tea: "Wow. Count me out. I thought we were talking Romantic Comedy numbers, not Anaïs Nin numbers. This task is not for me." So I guess she was involved too - but not part of the kissing task but of something else?

Then I started digging. I got more and more clues that there is indeed a party going on. I'm not sure where, though. One of my biggest theories was that S 4 and Space Bug were having a housewarming party in Saint Paul. After a long, long time searching I came across this gem:

GETTING READY, YO
Hey ya'll:
This saturday, my place, noon, DOING THINGS FOR VS. PARTY.

Please all and sundry come over and help. There will be folding, cutting, coalating, button making, and more that needs to be done. We are always looking for people to help with the party but even if you can't or aren't even going to Con your help on Sat. will still be super fabulous! I know many of you will be hungover from NYE but that's ok!

I ask myself "hungover from NYE? WTF IS THAT?" Then I thought... New Years Eve. June 30. Wrong Holiday!!!

I still don't know where it is. I dug some more, and then went through some old emails. I text messaged a few friends asking if they knew anything about a New Years Eve party (you never know). I then thought of an old email from Celina. In it, regarding r0ckc4ndy's completion of Document Player Kill Areas, she asks out of the blue: "and I'm curious.. would you be able to find where Oliver lives from the pictures in that task?" I initially replied: "I haven't bothered. Knowing where he lives isn't all that important to me." I re-reply to it again and say "This is suddenly more important than I thought." She replies: "ah yes, now you pick up on where I was headed with that... ;-P" Ha. Thank you.

Time running down on the clock. As I didn't know where he lived, I had a few options on finding out. After finding out that getting the address from friends in SF was not going to be easy, I made my way to Celina's place. The mission was to follow her to the party. By the time I get there, I realize that I might be too late. I've only met her once, so suddenly just showing up at her place might be spooky, but hell, this is SFZero. I have points to earn. In the security vestibule I stuck around instant messaging on my hiptop debating what to do. Then a couple shows up and we greet each other and small talk. I said I was just waiting for someone. He said, "oh, well, you seem like a nice enough guy, come on in." I make it to Celina's door and I knock... knock... damn. Not home.

I then started putting together some things that I knew. His house was on the east side of a street (thank you for shadows in photographs). He lived not far from Celina. I knew what neighborhood he lived in. I know what the front of his house looked liked. I drove around for about an hour using my GPS unit to track which blocks I've already scanned. I kept bugging contacts in SF. I may have even crossed a line or two in desperation for this information. Dear reader, if I crossed your line, I apologize. When it turned 23:34, I finally was able to get enough information to get there... and actually without any help from San Fran. I arrived very shortly after as I was only a few blocks away. I may have eventually found it with the process of elimination but with the pattern I was using it would have taken me past midnight.

I brought a bottle of wine. I walked to the back porch behind a couple other guests. When Oliver saw me while greeting the other two people, he shook my hand. I think he was rather surprised. Celina saw me and yelled out "You're not supposed to be here!" and gave me a hug. Ha. Pwnt. I went over and talked with S 4 and Space Bug as I know S 4 from another life and have chatted with Space Bug a few times before. I then ended up meeting most all of the Minneapolis SFZero players... although as it's a small enough world around here, I had actually seen or met more than half of them before. I find out that I was intentionally not invited due to trust issues. =) (and well, like I said, most of them don't really know me)

I never fully got into exactly how I found the place, but I did tell Oliver that I found out in a very serious way that his address is a rather closely kept secret.

I had a good time, Danger D. Hotrod aka Lexibles did the countdown and it was rather hilarious. We all shouted "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" with a cork or two flying in the air and everyone cheering - then everyone started kissing.

I sang Auld Lang Syne to myself, holding my half-empty bottle of wine.

I realized, "hell, I gotta task this kissing thing too" so I went for the gusto: I found Oliver X and gave him a long tight kiss right on the side of his red head. He froze for second. It was good. I generally don't kiss guys - ever - so this was pretty frightening to me. I dug owning the high scorer in SFZero. Ha. Owned. I made a couple other brief kisses to others - mostly for the sake of photos - and I decided I'm probably not going to proof the kissing task. "Kiss and Make It Real" it says and I decided that when I do the task I'm going to "Make It Real." I kissed Oliver nonetheless. w00t.

I'll let others talk about the rest of the party... I had a good time. Thanks for not kicking me out when I crashed it. :-)