I went back to Clarion for ALF (Homecoming) this weekend. That was mostly fun. Except, of course, for the fact that I was running on literally no sleep. Got off work at 12am on Friday night, went straight home and tried to go to sleep. No dice. Of course, when your normal bedtime is about 7am, I should have expected that. So I laid in bed forever, gave up somewhere around 5am and just watched movies until I left for Clarion at about 8am. So, no sleep. All of yesterday's activities were fueld by an unholy combination of alcohol, carny food, pot and the excitement of seeing old friends and frat brothers.
My one friend, Gomez, and I entertained ourselves for quite some time marveling at the elderly Clarion residents who bundled up on the street a full four hours before the parade. I guess that's the only excitment there is in Clarion every year. The parade was every bit as boring as I remember it being back in college, so me, Gomez and a couple other brothers spent most of it in the bar, until our float came by. Oh, and the Zem-Zems. God bless drunk old men and their go-cart antics.
Most of the time was spent down at the house, though, eating deep fried turkey and a full pig that was roasted. We even tried to stuff an apple in its mouth, but the dearly departed pig wasn't having any of that. In a way, it was sort of depressing, as the college has been seriously cracking down on fraternities/sororities, and we're actually one of only three frats left that are officially recognized. We've always had a good reputation, which is probably the only reason it's still alive, but it won't last for much longer, I think. Anyway, probably less than 15 active brothers there, the house has sort of fallen into disrepair (well, it never was anything special before, but still)...so I wonder how much longer there will be a frat to come back to ALF with. Well, us alumni will probably all still plan on coming back. It actually kind of makes me jealous of the *typical* fraternities on huge campuses - they don't have to worry about being causally kicked off campus, no matter how many idiotic, drunk/hard drug bullshit they pull off. Wait, nevermind - I never would have joined a fraternity in that environment. Well, it was good while it lasted.
I hung out with Jess for a while, this girl I was sort of interested in back in college, but got cold feet about for some reason. Anyway, I got her number and we might hang out sometime. So even if it's just a "friends" thing, it's still great. If things keep up this way, I really am going to have to start looking for a day shift job - I'm actually going to have too many people to hang out with. Saturday night alone as it is doesn't cut the mustard.
So I'm back home now, and I have to get ready to go over to my aunt's house for her birthday celebration and our bi-weekly get-together between the families. All I really want to do is vegetate at home and listen to some music. But there will be more good food at my aunt's place.
Today's lyrics; it only makes sense to pull them from my defining college album, Moondance, especially a song about friendships and having fun doing absolutely nothing.
Van Morrison - "And It Stoned Me"
Half a mile from the county fair
And the rain keep pourin' down
Me and Billy standin' there
With a silver half a crown
Hands are full of a fishin' rod
And the tackle on our backs
We just stood there gettin' wet
With our backs against the fence
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Hope it don't rain all day
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like Jelly Roll
And it stoned me
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like goin' home
And it stoned me
Then the rain let up and the sun came up
And we were gettin' dry
Almost let a pick-up truck nearly pass us by
So we jumped right in and the driver grinned
And he dropped us up the road
We looked at the swim and we jumped right in
Not to mention fishing poles
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Let it run all over me
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like Jelly Roll
And it stoned me
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like goin' home
And it stoned me
On the way back home we sang a song
But our throats were getting dry
Then we saw the man from across the road
With the sunshine in his eyes
Well he lived all alone in his own little home
With a great big gallon jar
There were bottles too, one for me and you
And he said Hey! There you are
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Get it myself from the mountain stream
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like Jelly Roll
And it stoned me
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like goin' home
And it stoned me
My one friend, Gomez, and I entertained ourselves for quite some time marveling at the elderly Clarion residents who bundled up on the street a full four hours before the parade. I guess that's the only excitment there is in Clarion every year. The parade was every bit as boring as I remember it being back in college, so me, Gomez and a couple other brothers spent most of it in the bar, until our float came by. Oh, and the Zem-Zems. God bless drunk old men and their go-cart antics.
Most of the time was spent down at the house, though, eating deep fried turkey and a full pig that was roasted. We even tried to stuff an apple in its mouth, but the dearly departed pig wasn't having any of that. In a way, it was sort of depressing, as the college has been seriously cracking down on fraternities/sororities, and we're actually one of only three frats left that are officially recognized. We've always had a good reputation, which is probably the only reason it's still alive, but it won't last for much longer, I think. Anyway, probably less than 15 active brothers there, the house has sort of fallen into disrepair (well, it never was anything special before, but still)...so I wonder how much longer there will be a frat to come back to ALF with. Well, us alumni will probably all still plan on coming back. It actually kind of makes me jealous of the *typical* fraternities on huge campuses - they don't have to worry about being causally kicked off campus, no matter how many idiotic, drunk/hard drug bullshit they pull off. Wait, nevermind - I never would have joined a fraternity in that environment. Well, it was good while it lasted.
I hung out with Jess for a while, this girl I was sort of interested in back in college, but got cold feet about for some reason. Anyway, I got her number and we might hang out sometime. So even if it's just a "friends" thing, it's still great. If things keep up this way, I really am going to have to start looking for a day shift job - I'm actually going to have too many people to hang out with. Saturday night alone as it is doesn't cut the mustard.
So I'm back home now, and I have to get ready to go over to my aunt's house for her birthday celebration and our bi-weekly get-together between the families. All I really want to do is vegetate at home and listen to some music. But there will be more good food at my aunt's place.
Today's lyrics; it only makes sense to pull them from my defining college album, Moondance, especially a song about friendships and having fun doing absolutely nothing.
Van Morrison - "And It Stoned Me"
Half a mile from the county fair
And the rain keep pourin' down
Me and Billy standin' there
With a silver half a crown
Hands are full of a fishin' rod
And the tackle on our backs
We just stood there gettin' wet
With our backs against the fence
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Hope it don't rain all day
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like Jelly Roll
And it stoned me
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like goin' home
And it stoned me
Then the rain let up and the sun came up
And we were gettin' dry
Almost let a pick-up truck nearly pass us by
So we jumped right in and the driver grinned
And he dropped us up the road
We looked at the swim and we jumped right in
Not to mention fishing poles
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Let it run all over me
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like Jelly Roll
And it stoned me
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like goin' home
And it stoned me
On the way back home we sang a song
But our throats were getting dry
Then we saw the man from across the road
With the sunshine in his eyes
Well he lived all alone in his own little home
With a great big gallon jar
There were bottles too, one for me and you
And he said Hey! There you are
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Oh, the water
Get it myself from the mountain stream
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like Jelly Roll
And it stoned me
And it stoned me to my soul
Stoned me just like goin' home
And it stoned me