Hi everyone,                                   6/9/10
      I apologize for being MIA for the last 6 months. I've been working MAO all winter so that I could take the summer off and I'm pretty much there. Anyway, the annual "Red, White, and Blues" patriotic boat party will be on Saturday, July 3rd, 2010 on the St Croix River in Hudson, WI. Live music will be by "Zensome". I will need some volunteers to drive the pontoon shuttle boat.
      Also, the second river party with a Hawaiian theme (with coconut bikini tops :-) ) will be Saturday, July 31, 2010. Music by Billy Larson and "Vintage Raggs". Stay tuned for more details.
Thanks,
Gary

P.S. "Friend" me on Facebook at Gary R Crossman. Soon to come, "GarysNextParty.com" Facebook page.
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Click here for a great holiday story. 

Hi everyone,                        10/18/09
      I'm happy to announce that I just signed the "Lamont Cranston Band" along with DJ Dave to play at my annual Halloween party on Sat. 10/31/09. Doors open at 7:30. Click here for a map. 
      I will have food, beer, booze (vodka & rum while supply lasts), great music and dancing, and $350 in cash prizes for the costume contest all for only a $10 DONATION. The food will consist of beef brisket, lasagna, barbeque pork sandwiches, hot dogs, and various salads and veggies.
      Bring your swimsuit. This is the only venue that has a hot tub on the dance floor!
      Anyone that has too much to drink is welcome to sleep over. There is plenty of room. Last year we had about 25 people stay the night. Dan and I will be making his famous eggs, bacon/sausage, and hash browns for everyone the next morning. Anyone that wants to continue partying through the Vikings/Green Bay game on Sunday is more than welcome.
      I have a lot of eBay items for sale that would make great Christmas gifts, so start your holiday shopping here!
      My pick for Friday, 10/30 is the Monster Mash party at the Bayview Event Center on Lake Minnetonka.
      I just uploaded some pics from the last boat party. Click here or the "pictures" link above to see them.
See you there,
Gary
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Hi everyone,                       Sat. Aug 1 10:00 A.M.
The forecast is a little cool but with little or no rain, so the party is ON. We've had some of the best parties in weather like this so don't be discouraged and COME ON OUT!
See you there,
Gary
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Hi everyone,                                  7/29/09

Mark your calendar for Sat August 1, 2009 because I have just booked the one and only "Lamont Cranston Band" for my next "Blue Hawaii" party. This time we are going to have it south of the Hudson pier near the public docks. As usual, I will have a couple of kegs of free beer and plenty of coconut bikini tops for the ladies (and a couple of guys!).

There are a number of reasons why this party is going to be special, not the least of which is the return of our good friend Dave Reker from serving our country in Iraq. Let's give him a rousing welcome home! Also, it is his fiance' Justine's birthday and Cindy Dennucci's birthday. Come and have some birthday cake with us.

As you might imagine, this party is going to be a budget buster, so I am reluctantly going to have a cover charge of $20 for a "back stage pass" on Jim's boat. There is no charge for any of the other boats. Included with this cover is free beer, some booze (vodka, rum, coke, lemonade, orange and cranberry juice), food, and of course a chance to party with the band. The food will consist of beef brisket, barbeque pork and chicken sandwiches, hot dogs on the grill, ham and turkey wraps, and various salads and veggies. Also, we will be serving Dan's famous sirloin steak on the grill - first come; first served.

Where else can you eat, drink, and party for less?

Already I am being barraged by people that want to get on for free because they are a friend of Jim's or myself. I would like to do that, except that everyone would get in for free!! So, to make things easier and to insure that we can do more parties like this, EVERYONE PAYS, including the people that are helping out. If you have a Paypal account, you can use my email to pay in advance. Otherwise, just pay the bouncer at the door.

As usual, most of us are going to P.D.Pappy's in Stillwater afterwards.

The weatherman is predicting 78 with scattered showers. Don't let this discourage you. The party WILL go on and we WILL have a great time as always.

Hope to see everyone there,

Gary
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Hi everyone,                                7/5/09
      After an hour long torrential downpour, the sky cleared up, the weather was awesome, and the party went on as planned. We had a great time as always. I want to thank everyone that helped make it possible, including Jim Space who provided the houseboat and Dan and Sue from New Richmond, WI who provided a much needed second shuttle pontoon. I've posted a few pictures already and I'm sure I'll have more as people send them to me. Click here for the first pictures.
      Thanks to everyone,
      Gary
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Hi everyone,                                6/26/09
      The forecast for next Saturday's "Red, White, and Blues" patriotic boat party (7/4/09) is 84 and sunny :-). The band will be Zen Some and will play from 5-9. Click here for an aerial map to the party or click here for a regular map.
      I will have a pontoon for a shuttle boat. Tentatively, the shuttle will be running steady from the Hudson pier to the party from 1 to 4:30 and 8:30 to 10. In between, call me for a ride at 612-366-4085. The tie-up usually breaks up around 9:30 P.M., so if you didn't come by boat you need to get back to land by then or be stranded. Starting around 8:30 P.M., if you need a ride back, just go and sit in the pontoon. It will be tied to the back of the main boat. When it's full, either myself or someone else will bring you back. PLEASE BE COURTEOUS WHILE ON OTHER PEOPLE'S BOATS!!!.
      In the last few years we've had some inconsiderate people that have ruined it for the rest of us. By that I mean that people on Jim's houseboat (the main boat) have put their cigarettes out in the upholstery and have stolen hundreds of dollars, to name a few things. Consequently, you will need a wrist band to get on the main boat and it is totally at Jim's discretion as to who gets on.
      I will have free beer, otherwise it is BYOB. It would be very neighborly of you landlubbers to bring some food or a bottle of booze as a peace offering to the boaters who are nice enough to have you as their guest. I should have plenty of cups and ice.
      A lot of us are going to P.D.Pappy's in Stillwater after the party. The fireworks start at 10:05 P.M. It's supposed to be one of the largest choreographed shows in the country and will be simulcast on KLBB AM 1220 radio.
      Hope to see everyone there,
      Gary
      P.S. I am looking for full time office help. If you are interested, call me at 612-366-4085 or fax your resume to 763-391-6678
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Hi everyone,                                6/5/09
      I'm planning the Fourth of July river party right now. This year it will actually be on the 4th. I will put more info here as I get it.
      Later
      Gary
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Hi everyone,                                2/15/09
      Well, December 08 was one hell of a month for parties. I want to thank everyone that helped with my party including the Marines. I'm not sure how many toys we collected for "Toys for Tots" because the Marines were here Sunday morning to collect them before I got up. I think it was around 200. Thanks to everybody.
      Not that I'm bragging (of course I AM), but I won the "Sexiest Legs" contest at Mike and Tony's "Light Rail Running of the Santas" at Whiskey Junction on Dec 13, 2008.    :-)     Click here for the pictures.
       Other pictures you might be interested in:

      My "Toys for Tots" party
      "Running of the Santas" 12/19/08
      New Year's Eve at the W

      I'm thinking of having a spring party at my house so stay tuned for more info. Otherwise, the next one will be the infamous "Red, White, and Blues" party on the St Croix River on July 4th (tentative).
      I'm selling a lot of stuff on eBay now, mostly consumer electronics, so if you are interested in any of it, let me know. I usually have many of each item in stock and can sell them to GNP partiers cheaper than you will pay on eBay. Just click here or on the "My eBay" link above. Although I'm out of stock right now, I will be selling a lot of iPod and Zune boomboxes at 50-70% off retail in the future so check back often. 
      Thanks,
      Gary 
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Hi everyone,                                11/24/08
      I want to thank everyone for another successful Halloween party. I have received over 200 pictures so far. Thanks to all the photographers. Click here for those pictures and here for the video. We partied until 6:00 A.M. and many people stayed all night, which was the wise thing to do. 
      Next up is my sixth annual "Toys for Tots" Christmas party. This year it will be at my home on Sat. Dec. 6, 2008 from 7:30-1. The band will be "Inside Straight Blues Band". There is NO cover charge. I will have free beer AND booze, a "Sexy Santa's Helper" contest with cash prizes, and a hot tub (I hope). Click here for more info on the contest. All I ask is for you to bring some food AND a new unwrapped toy (or two) for the kids. 
      I have plenty of extra space, beds, blankets, pillows, cots, couches, sleeping bags, etc. for anyone that doesn't want to drive home. Or, we could just party til the sun comes up! For all the people staying overnight, Dan and I will be making eggs, bacon, hash browns, and bloody marys the next morning.
      I am starting a "track" or "karaoke" band mainly for the fun of it. I'm looking for a lead singer or two, but could use any other band members including other horns (I play the tenor sax). Click here for my current song list. If anyone is interested, please call me at 612-366-4085. We would be the warm-up band at my parties. If it clicks, we could get some real gigs!
      See you there,
      Gary
      P.S. 11/27/08 My buddy David Reker just sent me this picture from Iraq. You might remember him from my parties. He is usually the sound guy or the DJ. He says that they just lost two guys from his base. I want to take this opportunity to thank him and all the other brave men and women that are fighting to make the world a better place. Happy Thanksgiving and hope you all come home safely and soon!

When it's OK to say "OMG"
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Hi everyone,                               10/14/08
      My Halloween party will be Sat., Nov. 1, 2008 at my new home in Brooklyn Park. Click here for a map. I will have 4-5 hours of live music, free beer, free booze (limited supply; if you are picky you should BYOB), costume prizes ($200/$100/dinner for two), and a hot tub (bring your swim suit). The main band is "Total Disktraction". Click here for a short video clip of their work. Doors open at 7:30. Live music at 8:00. Any food you could bring would be appreciated. Click here for some interesting Halloween recipes.
      I have plenty of extra space, beds, blankets, pillows, cots, couches, sleeping bags, etc. for anyone that doesn't want to drive home. Or, we could just party til the sun comes up!
      I want to remind you of two other great Halloween parties that I recommend. They are both on Friday, Oct. 31, 2008. They are Curt and Karen's "Boo Ball" at Trocaderos this year and the "Monster Mash" at Bayside in Excelsior.
      See you there,
      Gary
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Hi everyone,                               9/5/08
      After looking at the weather forecast for tomorrow, I conferred with a few friends and decided that we SHOULDN'T go ahead with the party tomorrow. A few people still wanted to, so if you want to go anyway, there should be a few boats there.
      I'll watch the weather and if it looks like a good weekend coming up, I'll schedule another one.
      The next party FOR SURE will be Halloween at my house. Stay tuned for more info.
      Later,
      Gary
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Hi everyone,                               8/30/08
      For various reasons, I wasn't going to have a second boat party this summer, but a number of people have convinced me that that wasn't a good idea. So, by popular demand, I will have another boat party on Saturday, Sept 6, 2008. This will be a "no frills" tie-up; i.e. no band, no kegs of beer, no dj, etc. No one cared about that stuff. They just want to get together one more time before the snow flies.
      I'll post more info in a few days,
      Gary
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Hi everyone,                                    7/2/08
      Before I talk about the next party, I want to let you know that a good friend of mine, Bruce Roskaft, just passed away last Thursday. He is pictured in the header on this page, seventh from the left with the yellow shirt. In case you knew him and wanted to leave a message in his online obituary, Click here.  
      Now, about the '08 "Red, White, and Blues" party. It will be next Saturday, July 5, 2008 in the same place in Hudson WI at 1:00 P.M. Click here for a map. I apologize for not posting anything sooner, but Jim's big houseboat isn't ready yet. Big Scott said we could use his 42 ft Sea Ray aft cabin, but it's not in the water yet. Scotty promised me that it will be ready for the party. One way or another, it's going to happen!
      I don't know who the band will be yet, but I'm working on it. We WILL have Dave the DJ for sure though. He was there last year and really had the crowd rockin'. We will be doing karaoke also, so get those vocal chords warmed up. Click here for the list of 7000 songs. I will have two 16 gal kegs of beer for free, otherwise it is BYOB. Please bring something to eat.
      If you don't have a boat, there are several ways to get there. The best is to meet at Scotty's house in Bayport. Click here for a map and directions. We leave the dock at 12:00 noon SHARP! You can ride with us to the party and back. We will get back to the dock around 11 P.M. after watching the Hudson fireworks. If you want to leave sooner, there are always boats coming and going that would most likely be able to give you a ride.
      If you can't or won't get there that early (because it's tooooo much fun for one day?), you can walk out to the end of the Hudson dyke (see map link above). We will be a couple of hundred feet off to the right or north. Just hang out on the edge of the water and look like you are lost! If no one offers a ride, you can find some party animals on the beach and offer them free beer at the party for a ride! As a last resort, greenbacks will work also.
      Boaters: when you come to the party PLEASE take a run by the beach and see if anyone needs a ride.
      Remember, these river parties are designed for people that DON'T HAVE BOATS! All the boats near the center, if not all the boats period, will welcome non-boaters on their vessels. Just remember to be respectful of other people's property.
      As I get more information, I'll post it here, so just check back.
      The weather forecast right now for Saturday is for 87 degrees and sunny! PERFECT!
      Sorry girls, "The Kid" can't make this party :-)
      Later,
      Gary 612-366-4085

P.S. Today's political truism: "If you rob from Peter to pay Paul, you can count on Paul's vote!" - unknown

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Hi everyone,                                        4/2/08
      My good friend Norm is entering the Heartland Natural Classic bodybuilding contest on April 5, 2008 at age 51. He just lost 75 pounds and is anxious to show off the result of his hard work. Click here for a flyer with more information including directions. The address is 2400 Lindbergh Dr., Minnetonka, MN 55305. 
      I hope to see everyone there.
      P.S. Just for laughs, here is a "BEFORE" picture from my '05 Halloween party.
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Hi everyone,                                           2/7/08
      On behalf of "Toys for Tots" and myself, I want to thank everyone that attended my Christmas party. I was just notified by the Marines in attendance that we collected 5 crates or 328 toys. 
      My friend Peanut is having his 40th birthday party on Saturday, Feb 9, 2008 at Fatboy's in Blaine. Click here for a map. I hope to see many of you there. 
      Below is Peanut at my 06 Pirate river party with his vibrating left hand :-)
      Thanks again for your generosity,
      Gary

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Hi everyone,                                11/29/07
      OK guys and girls. It's that time of year again. Time to open your pocket books and help the less fortunate. My Christmas party will be at the Harrington Mansion at 2540 Park Ave. So. on Dec. 15. Entertainment will be by "The Senders" (they are a swing dance band, you'll love them) and as usual, it will be a charity for "Toys for Tots". The cover charge will be $10 with a new, unwrapped toy and $20 without. Doors open at 8 P.M. Dressy attire is encouraged.
      Last year my friend Larry found a donor who gave 200 toys which brought the grand total to 600. We had four Marines there to help out with all of the toy donations and we will try to do the same this year. Semper Fi!
      We will be playing the "Mating Game" again this year.  Everyone gets a numbered ticket at the door and then you need to find the member of the opposite sex with the same number. The first three matching couples get a prize to be determined. If you were there last year, you'll remember that, thanks to my friend DW's expert planning (she won't let me say her name), no numbers matched!!! I guarantee that won't happen this year.
      I know many people who are giving a dozen toys or more. Let's try to break last year's record.
      See you there,
      Gary
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Hi Everyone,                              10/15/07
      I've got a change in plans. I have to go to Las Vegas for work (try telling THAT to your wife!) on Wednesday the 17th for a week so I'm nixing the FL trip; too much traveling. The work only consists of 4 hours on Thursday and then I have the rest of the time for fun. If anyone wants to meet out there, give me a call and we'll hook up.
      Thanks,
      Gary  612-366-4085
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Hi everyone,                               9/27/07                                 
      I'm not going to have a Halloween party this year, but I recommend going to the Bayview Event Center on Oct. 19 for the "Singles Experience" and Karma Night Club on Oct 26 for Curt and Karen's "Boo Ball". 
      Instead, I am organizing a trip to Ft Lauderdale on Halloween weekend for the world's largest in-water boat show. If you like big boats, 90 degree weather, and ice cold beer you'll be in absolute heaven. I will be packing my diaper for any contests down there (see pictures from Halloween 05). If anyone is interested in going, send me an email. I haven't made any reservations yet.
      Happy Halloween
      Gary
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Hi everyone,                                9/24/07
      In case you haven't noticed, I added a couple of new links above. One is for my "YouTube" videos and the other for "My eBay Listings". Thanks for looking, Gary
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Hi everyone,                                 9/11/07
      I want to thank everyone that came to the last party and everyone that helped make it possible. We had a good turn out for such short notice. The weather was absolutely perfect. I have some of the pictures and videos on this site and I put one more on Youtube.com. Remember the search word "garysnextparty". 
      Later,
      Gary
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                                                    9/1/07
      I apologize, but I worked all day yesterday to get the streaming webcam working with no luck. I'll try again next time.
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Hi everyone,                                8/30/07
      The forecast for this Saturday is excellent, so PARTY ON! The details are similar to the "Red, White, and Blues" party from 7/7/07 so just scroll down a couple of pages for that information. I will be supplying coconut and sea shell bikini tops for everyone and, as usual, free beer. 
      I am proud to say that I just booked the "T C All Stars" band for the party. They are a collection of some of the best musicians in the state. Individually, their resumes are a mile long. Some of their previous gigs include playing with Steppenwolf, Blue Oyster Cult, Winton Marsalis, and Harry Connick Jr. to list a few. They will play from 4 to 8.
      I am also working on streaming live audio and video from the party through the internet. I tried it a few years ago, but the technology wasn't there, or at least I wasn't aware of it. I won't know for sure if it is working until I get to the party spot on Saturday because I'm not sure how strong the signal is from there. For those of you that can't make the party and want to see what you are missing, I'll put the instructions on finding the broadcast on this page.  
      Don't forget, after the party breaks up around 10 o'clock, many of us are going to P.D.Pappy's bar to close out the night.
      If that isn't enough partying for you, you can party all day Sunday at the Mudd Bowl, a charity event for the families of the victims of the I35W bridge tragedy. Click here for more details.
      See you there,
      Gary

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Hi everyone,                                 8/19/07
      I'm going to try to get the "Coconut" party in on Saturday, September 1, 2007, weather permitting. Please check back as we get closer or sign in on the guest book above for the latest updates.
      Keep your fingers crossed,
      Gary
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Hi everyone,                                 8/16/07
      I regret to inform you that I have canceled the next party on the 18th. The weather forecast really sucks. I've learned from past parties that it's not the actual weather, but the forecast that counts. I will reschedule it for some time in the next few weeks, but I might only be able to give you 4 or 5 days notice so that I can insure better weather. Please check back often or sign up for my email list by clicking on the "guest book" link above.
      Please pass the word and I hope to see everyone in a few weeks,
      Gary
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Hi everyone,                                 8/13/07
      I apologize, but I left town a week ago on a trip and forgot to update this website on the upcoming party. It is the second annual "Blue Hawaii" party on Saturday, August 18, 2007. The time and place are the same as the last one (see below). The band is "Inside Straight" and I'll have free coconut and sea shell bikini tops for everyone. I'll put more info here tonight.
     Thanks,
      Gary
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Hi everyone                                  7/17/07
      I want to thank everyone that came to the second annual "Red, White, and Blues" river party. It was a great success by anyone's standards. I might have to rename it the "Girls Gone Wild!" river party.
      Congratulations to Stephanie for winning the bikini contest. It's too bad all the contestants couldn't win because they were all winners in my book.
      I want to thank my many friends that helped put this together including Jim Space, Dave Reker, Norm Novak, Dan, Donna Witt and the one and only Peanut. I also want to thank Julian and his band for playing in adverse conditions (96 degrees = good for playing and bad for working).
      I just uploaded a bunch of pictures and videos. I finally entered the 21st century with my photo sharing. I'm using Google's Picasa software. So far it seems to fit the bill. It saves me many hours of programming and it allows you the viewer to post your comments on each picture and video. I do have the option of removing any comments that are inappropriate. Click here for that link. Have fun with it.
      Later,
      Gary
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Hi everyone,                                 6/10/07

      The next party is planned for Saturday, July 7,2007 on the St Croix River in Hudson, WI. Click here for a map. I am billing it as the “Red, White, and Blues” party. We will have free beer and live music as always. Please BYOB. With all the crap going on in the world and the vocal minority getting most of the airtime, I thought it would be appropriate for the rest of us to show our appreciation for everything that our forefathers have done for us.  
      I only have one band booked so far, but it's a good one. For contractual reasons, I can't advertise the artist's name, but I can give you a 17 second preview. CLICK HERE for that video. They will play from 3 P.M. to 7 P.M. If I don't get a band to play from 12 to 4, I'll probably have a DJ at least.
      Anything red, white, and/or blue will be encouraged. I will give $200 cash to the person with the best patriotic swimsuit. No nudity please! I want to see a sea of red, white, and blue out there, OK?
      I will have over a thousand free gifts to give away, including 250 GNP can coolers (CLICK HERE for a picture of last year's can cooler), GNP visors, specialty visors, red white and blue mardi gras beads, specialty beads, patriotic baseball caps, and hundreds of suntan products courtesy of Hawaiian Tropic. They will be given away on a first come, first served basis. You will have to go to the main boat with the band to get most of these.
      With a date like 7/7/7, you know something magical is going to happen!
      If you are a GarysNextParty.com "virgin" and are hesitant to go to a party where you may not know anyone, please read some of the feedback that I've received and maybe it will change your mind. Part of the requirement for a boat to be near the center of the party is that they allow strangers on their boats. Newcomers are welcome to start out on the mother boat (Jim Space's 55' houseboat) and when they get comfortable, move on to others.
      CLICK HERE for pictures for last year's R,W, & B party.
      If you have a larger boat and want to be near the center of the action, try to get there by 1:30 P.M. Lately, some larger boats were getting there fashionably late and then they have to tie up next to a 16 footer which makes things kind of difficult.
      I haven't lined up a shuttle boat yet, but if you don't have a boat and want a guaranteed ride to and from the party, just meet Jim Space and myself at the Hudson public docks at 12:00 P.M. They are about a third of the way out on the dyke and on the left or south side. 
      The party breaks up pretty fast around 9:30 or 10, so if you came on a specific boat you should return to that boat by 9:00 or you might get stranded on another one. Once one boat leaves in the center, it's impossible to walk from boat to boat anymore.
      Some people have contacted me because they weren't sure how to get there without a boat. CLICK HERE for a more detailed description of that process.
      Although we may have a shuttle boat this time, I thought I would try something a little different. With everyone's cooperation, I think it might work.  If you are coming by boat, could you please drive by the beach closest to the party to see if there are any landlubbers looking for a ride? Landlubbers, pick a spot with no boats so that they can pick you up. If you want to leave early, just hang out on the back of Jim's 55' houseboat. Boaters leaving early, please check there for passengers before you leave. Landlubbers, if that doesn't work, just pick out some party animals with a boat on the beach and invite them to the party (remember, FREE BEER!) if they bring you with. That has worked many times!
      It would be greatly appreciated if some of you brought some food to Jim's houseboat. He has a big grill.
      The forecast is for 96 degrees and sunny. We will have plenty of ice water to go with the beer.
      After the party breaks up around 10, many of us are going to P.D. Pappy's to close out the night. Click on "ABOUT US" on their website for a map and directions. It's about 7 miles north in Stillwater on the Minnesota side.
      The party starts at 1 P.M. and will go on RAIN OR SHINE!
      Hope to see everyone there,
      Gary
      P.S. The weatherman is forecasting 100% chance of purple rain!
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Hi everyone,                                5/7/07
The next party will be the second annual "Red, White, and Blues" patriotic boat party on July 7, 2007 on the St Croix River. Same time and place as last year. I haven't picked the bands yet, but I'm working on it. Check back for more details.

Gary
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Hi everyone                                 4/11/07                                               

      Where's the global warming?
      I took this "untouched" picture of the front of my house in Maple Grove on March 2, 2007 from the driver's seat of my car on the street in front of my house.
Gary
P.S. As you probably know, I lost the Anna Nicole lottery. Oh, well!
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Hi everyone,                               2/14/07
Add me to the list. Remember, you saw it here first. I might be the father of Anna Nicole's baby!
Stay tuned,
Gary
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On the lighter side:
      As you might know, I'm in the long distance auto transport business. I've trained a lot of drivers and one thing I always teach them is that they have to be good at McGyvering things, i.e. you have to get the job done even though you might not have the correct tools or supplies. I just experienced a classic example of this.
      A few weeks ago, I was driving down I-80 in PA in the early morning hours when a brass air fitting broke on my truck and drained all of my air pressure. For you non-truckers, this means that my air brakes locked up and I couldn't move the truck. It was 10 miles to the nearest town. 
      I knew that duct tape alone wouldn't hold 120 psi. I needed something pliable to stuff in the hole and then wrap it with the tape. After a few minutes, I came up with a crusty old jujube from under my seat. It held the air pressure just long enough to get to the nearest truck stop to get it fixed the right way!
Gary
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Hi everyone                                 1/1/07
      I want to thank everyone who attended and everyone who worked at the "Toys for Tots" charity party. We donated over 750 toys and $1200 in cash this time. I have some pictures uploaded, but I know there are more out there, so if you have some, please email them to me and I'll post them.
      Thanks again,
      Gary
      "If everything is under control, you are going too slow" - Mario Andretti
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Hi everyone                                12/14/06
      Your response to sponsorship for our upcoming Christmas party has been outstanding. Consequently, we have a variety of donated items to sell. I was going to put them on eBay, but I didn't get back from a business trip in time so we are offering them in a silent auction at the party itself. You don't have to pay at the party if you win an auction, but I will need payment within a couple of days. Please make your checks out directly to "Toys for Tots". I can take credit cards, also. Here is a current list of the sale items. Some of these items have links that you can click on to get more information.

      1) 18" Japanese cultured pearl necklace 6mm. Retail $1350
                     Donated by Charles Fine Jewelers, Mpls. 952-545-0921
      2) 8" men's titanium bracelet. Retail $350
                     Donated by Charles Fine Jewelers, Mpls. 952-545-0921
      3) One week's lodging for two at the Loase Resort in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
                     Donated by Joseph Kruchten, owner 612-701-7011
      4) Three day weekend stay for up to 4 people as guests at a private home near Lake of the Woods from mid-June to the end of August. Best walleye fishing not far away!
                     Donated by Sandra Lintz 612-616-5798
      5) (2 ea) Two hours of house cleaning
                     Donated by Donna Witt of Donna & Co. 612-282-2686
      6) (5 ea) "Pay As You Go" Cingular cell phones
                     Donated by Brian Partridge of Wireless Products Marketing 952-346-1000
      7) (10 ea) Sets of two tickets to the "Laugh'N Lounge comedy club at Trocaderos Nightclub.
                     Donated by Isaac Clark of Black Ink Entertainment 651-334-3287
      8) (2 ea) $300 gift certificate towards landscaping
                     Donated by Norm  Novak of Tigerpaw Landscaping 612-290-8119
      9) (3 ea) $30 gift certificates at Uptown Hair Concepts
                     Donated by Rick Unruh 612-822-3669
      10) One hour massage
                     Donated by Paul Benson 612-521-7739

      The "Toys for Tots" people tell us that they aren't getting enough toys for kids age 12-16. 
      We've already passed the original goal of 250 toys and the party hasn't even started! Therefore, I'm raising the bar to 1000 toys! Come on, you can do it!
      Hope to see everyone there,
      Gary 

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Hi everyone,                           11/25/06
      Thanks for making the "Monster Mash II" Halloween party a success. Click here for the pictures. 
      Next up is my fourth annual "Toys for Tots" charity Christmas party. It will be at the Harrington Mansion on Saturday, 12/16/06 from 8 P.M. until 1 A.M.  We will have four of America's finest Marines there to collect toys and judge the "Santa's Little Helper" contest. Semper Fi! There will be cash prizes. 100% of the net proceeds will go to "Toys for Tots". 
      Entertainment will be provided by "Soul Tight Committee".
      Please bring at least one new unwrapped toy. I promised "Toys for Tots" that we will collect at least 250 toys for them although I think if we really tried, we could double or triple that. A couple of years ago a good friend of mine, Jim Adler, brought not one but two BIG SHOPPING BAGS full of toys. I told him that he was the REAL Santa Claus.
      The cover charge will be $10 with a toy and $20 without. Donna has an appointment with Toys R Us on Sunday morning to purchase many more toys with any excess money we collect.
      Look for Donna and myself on KARE 11 at 5:00 P.M. the day after the party. We will probably be able to list all of the sponsors on the air and announce how many toys you donated.
      Speaking of sponsors, CLICK HERE for the benefits of being a $500 cash sponsor. We are also looking for donations that can be given as prizes or items that can be sold on ebay with all the proceeds used to buy more toys. It's a good way to get some inexpensive advertising for your business (don't forget the TV spot!). CLICK HERE for a current list of sponsors.
      There are two entrances to the party. One is from the north side or alley side that goes right into the ballroom and bypasses the mansion. The other is through the front door of the mansion from the corner of 26th & Park Ave. I recommend entering through the mansion for the following reasons:
            - It is an awesome historic building and is well worth taking a tour through it
            - I will have a vocalist in the foyer singing Christmas carols to get you in the mood
            - Last but not least, the first 100 people in the door THROUGH THE MANSION ONLY will receive a free drink ticket.
      The "Santa's Little Helper" contest is for men and women this time. Guys, you can dress as an elf, a reindeer, or you can wear fishnets and a push-up bra, I don't care. We are looking for quality, originality, and funny. Ladies, just remember that the four judges are young, virile marines! Half of the judging will be for a question and answer part for which there are no wrong answers. For example, "What would you do if you saw Santa Claus stuck in your chimney?" We are looking for ad lib, funny answers. The prizes are $200, $100, and $50 for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Everyone that enters will receive a prize. 
      A second contest is what I call the "I've got your number" contest. As you enter the party from either entrance, you will be given a ticket with a number on it. Men will receive one kind of ticket and women another. You then need to find the member of the opposite sex that has the same number as you do. The first three couples that match will receive $100 per couple ($50 each person). See Donna Witt for your prize. For those that don't know her, she will have a name tag on.
      We have a few celebrity guests coming and are working on some more. 
      "Dress to impress". 

      See you all there,
      Gary

On the lighter side:         I couldn't make this up! The other day I was making a cocktail at home and I put my glass up to the ice maker lever on my refrigerator. Out came three ice cubes and a TATER TOT into my drink!  :-)  GRC

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Hi everyone,                          10/12/06
      In conjunction with the staff at the Bayview Event Center, I'm happy to announce my "Monster Mash II" Halloween costume party on Saturday, 10/28/06. The bands will be "Belladiva" in the main building and "Oddball Protocall" in the Bayside building. Bayside will serve food until about 11:00 P.M. We'll have lots of costume prizes (TBA) and the Hypnotic and Bacardi Girls. This year the cover charge is lowered to $10. 
      I suggest that everyone go to Curt and Karen's "Boo Ball" on Friday the 27th and perfect your costume so that you can win the grand prize on Saturday at the "Monster Mash II". The grand prize is probably going to be a round trip airfare to someplace warm!
      Check back later for more details and a flyer.
      Hope to see everyone there,
      Gary

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Hi everyone,                             9/17/06
      Although the attendance was down because of the weather, we had a great time as usual. Congratulations to Logan and Shannon for winning the Pirate and Wench costume contests respectively. That's the first pirate I've seen with a cleavage, but that was within the rules that I set. I've just uploaded about 115 pictures. Click here to see them. I took about an hour and a half of videos, but those are going to take some time to edit and upload. I did one 40 second clip to show you what a lousy time we had. I titled it "My best gig EVER!". Click here for that streaming video. I'll email everyone when the other videos are done. Thanks to everyone who helped make this another fun time.
Later,
Gary
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Hi everyone,                          9/4/06
      I know it's short notice, but everyone wants to have a third river party before the summer is over so who am I to say no? After careful consideration, we've decided on a "Pirates and Wenches" theme. It will be on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2006 at the usual place near Hudson, WI at 1:00 P.M. until ? Click here for a map. The band will be the "Inside Straight" blues band and they will play from 3 to 7. We will have free Miller beer courtesy of my friend Larry.
      I'll be giving a $100 cash prize to the person wearing the best pirate costume and the person wearing the best wench costume. Here's some food for thought:    you don't have to be a female to enter the wench contest or a male to enter the pirate contest! Part of the contest will be for your costume and the other part will be based on questions and answers where there are no right or wrong answers. Only originality counts. The contest will between the third and fourth sets. I'll try not to screw up this contest like I did the last one (even though it turned out OK). 
      My friend Donna Witt is celebrating her birthday this week and would like it if everyone gave her a big hug & kiss for making it another year! She will be giving her own prize to the best kisser. Her prize is TBA.
      The weather forecast looks real good so far, but remember, we will go on rain or shine! There will be plenty of larger boats to congregate on if the weather turns bad.
      If you are a GarysNextParty.com "virgin" and are hesitant to go to a party where you may not know anyone, please read some of the feedback that I've received and maybe it will change your mind. Part of the requirement for a boat to be near the center of the party is that they allow strangers on their boats. Newcomers are welcome to start out on my boat (Tonka Toy II) and when they get comfortable, move on to others.
      If you have a larger boat and want to be near the center of the action, try to get there by 1 P.M. Lately, some larger boats were getting there fashionably late and then they have to tie up next to a 16 footer which makes things kind of difficult.
      We WILL have a shuttle pontoon boat this time, but if you don't have a boat and want a guaranteed ride to and from the party, just meet Jim Space and myself at the Hudson public docks at 12:00 P.M. They are about a third of the way out on the dyke and on the left or south side. 
      Hope to see everyone there,
      Gary
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Hi everyone,                         8/8/06

      Well, the forecast of a 30% chance of rain scared off a lot of people but the professional partygoers still showed up and I think it's safe to say that this was the best one yet, sans Big Walter. A lot of garysnextparty.com "virgins" showed up. Some came from 100 miles away and further just for this event. It was refreshing to see a lot of new faces. The weather was actually awesome. I presented Jennifer Hersey and Todd Schommer's sister with their $100 prizes for winning the patriotic swimsuit contest at the last party. Congratulations to both of them.
      I just uploaded A LOT of pictures. To see them, click here. To see a streaming music video of "Mustang Sally" by "Inside Straight", click here.
      I just stumbled across my original home page for this website. I made this when I was a webmaster for all of about a half hour. If you want to see it and have a good laugh at my expense, click here.
      I don't want to tease you, but I have some big things planned for next year's river parties that I can't divulge right now.
    So long for now,
    Gary
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Hi everyone,                                                    7/31/06

Next up is the "Blue Hawaii" party on Saturday, August 5, 2006 in Hudson, WI from noon to 10 P.M. or whenever. Click here for a map. Anything Hawaiian will be encouraged. I will have 2 bands, 8 hours of live music, free keg beer, and free coconut bikini tops for the women. To be politically correct, the men can wear them also. 

The band "Big Water Smith and the Groove Merchants" was supposed to play but they are backing out of their contract because of the ranting of an unnamed psychopathic lunatic who claimed that they feared for their safety at my parties. I guess they didn't see the sign on my boat that says "No Thugs Allowed". FYI, there are at least 4 or 5 undercover cops at most of my parties that help insure the complete safety of everyone. 

The first band will be The Inside Straight Blues Band starting at 12:30 and the second will be the Curtis And The Kicks blues band at 5:00. Both have played at my river parties before and everyone loved them. 

If you are a GarysNextParty.com "virgin" and are hesitant to go to a party where you may not know anyone, please read some of the feedback that I've received and maybe it will change your mind. Part of the requirement for a boat to be near the center of the party is that they allow strangers on their boats. Newcomers are welcome to start out on my boat (Tonka Toy II) and when they get comfortable, move on to others.

We should have a shuttle boat again but the service is spotty, so if you don't have a boat and want a guaranteed ride to and from the party, just meet Jim Space and myself at the Hudson public docks at 11:00 A.M. They are about a third of the way out on the dyke and on the left or south side. 

See ya there,

Gary
612-366-4085

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 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6/08/06
The next party is planned for Saturday, July 1,2006 on the St Croix River in Hudson, WI. Click here for a map. I have booked the Rae Singer Band and the Curtis And The Kicks blues band. I am billing it as the “Red, White, and Blues” party. With all the crap going on in the world and the vocal minority getting most of the airtime, I thought it would be appropriate for the rest of us to show our appreciation for everything that our forefathers have done for us.

Anything red, white, and/or blue will be encouraged. I will give $100 cash to the persons (1 ea male/female) wearing the most patriotic swimsuit. No nudity please! There is also $100 cash for the best boat decorated in our flag’s colors and it will get prominent attention on this website. I want to see a sea of red, white, and blue out there, OK?

If you are a GarysNextParty.com "virgin" and are hesitant to go to a party where you may not know anyone, please read some of the feedback that I've received and maybe it will change your mind. Part of the requirement for a boat to be near the center of the party is that they allow strangers on their boats. Newcomers are welcome to start out on my boat and when they get comfortable, move on to others.

I’ve also planned the second boat party this year. Mark your calendar for Aug 5, 2006. I’ve already booked The Inside Straight Blues Band and Big Walter Smith and the Groove Merchants. This could be the best free blues concert ON THE PLANET! It will also have a Hawaiian theme so naturally I am going to call it the “Blue Hawaii” party. Eight hours of live blues and coconut bikini tops. CAN YOU STAND IT? 

I've decided to go back to the blog style website that I used to have; i.e. instead of deleting old information, it will just get pushed down the page with the most current info at the top. I guess I was blogging before they even had a name for it.

In my continuing need to experiment, I've added some affiliate/sponsors to this site. They are hand picked by myself. I personally do business with them or I am planning to do so in the future. I get a small commission from them as people click on the icons and make their purchases. The money will go towards the entertainment costs of the boat parties since I can't charge a cover charge. There is no extra cost to you, the consumer and it is 100% safe. By supporting these merchants THROUGH THIS WEBSITE, you are also supporting our boat parties. If you would like to see another merchant on here that you do business with, let me know and I’ll do my best to recruit them.

I installed a new hit counter. The old one was at 548,000 hits. I remember when it hit 100. I couldn’t believe that 100 people had seen my website!

I just checked my affiliate account a few weeks ago and found that I had made my first $.20  (as in four nickels). YOOOOO-HOOOOO! Another million commissions like that and I can book the Rolling Stones!

So long for now,

Gary  

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3/17/06     I finally figured out how to add streaming video to my website. I just added about 18 minutes of video and 66 pictures. Click here for a 17 second sample video from my Santa cam.

Is anyone sick of winter yet? I just uploaded about an hour's worth of videos from the last boat party with "The Suburbs".

As you can see, I've added some new features including a chat room, a forum, a mini poll, a daily cartoon, and a place for your free classified ads including "personals" ads. The mini poll is completely confidential. Currently, I have two polls running. To access the second one, you have to close this window and then open this website again. I hope you will enjoy using them.

Later,

Gary

JOKE of the DAY (heard a couple of days ago on Sirius):
A chicken and an egg were laying in bed. The chicken rolls over and lights up a cigarette. Then the egg says "Well that answers THAT age-old question!"

 

 

 

If everything is under control, you are going too slow - Mario Andretti

 

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