2 days' posts--cause i screwed up, aight?

DMB. 'Nuff said.

You can find us in the club

Late posting. This is the post for Thursday, the 29th.

Went out in the 'burgh for the first time in a loooooooong time with Julz. We got all dolled up (cause girls do those things) and made a night of it.

This picture was taken at Town Tavern, a complete shit hole in the South Side, but really the only bar where you can dance (without going to an all out "club"). Nobody knows who that guy is in the photo with us, but he was really nice and offered to take a picture of just me and Julz. ;)

Before we arrived at the yinzer convention (not a hater, just calling it like it is), we stopped off at Harris'. Harris' became my bar before I left for Colorado, and it caught fire on the day that I moved there. They got it back up and operating a month or so ago. The bar was really me and Eric's place, and now he even works there (though he wasn't last night). Walking through the door I was immediately greeted by Christina, the friend largely responsible for talking Eric through the idea of proposing. She was always so delightful to both me and him; I adore her.

But I was very, very nervous at first sight. I didn't know how she, or anyone else, would be towards me. I hadn't seen anyone since Eric and I had broken up. To my surprise (and relief) she was just, well, as she always was. And excited to see me. We chatted and caught up. She was working, so our interaction was brief.

Julie and I saw several other people that night, and I got the same reaction from all of them. Kevin, Caleb, Rick, and Matt all hung around for a while. It was nice. I missed Eric a lot. So strange how I can go away for 9 months and completely change my life and then walk back into a place (that had burned and been rebuilt) in the city I'd been missing, and just have everything feel like old times.

What a strange thing this life is.

Take me out to the ballgame

Much of the gang

Tonight was a delightful one. A Pirates game in the 'burgh. Of course, we lost. We've got the Steelers, the Penguins, and the Pirates...2 out of 3 ain't bad.

It was fireworks night. Though the video here is kinda of lame, I assure you that the display was quite good. Actually, it was the best fireworks showing I've ever seen, hands down. After the video, we moved to a better spot to see them. I was standing next to an older gentleman in a wheelchair. He sat, quietly and rather expressionless, but watching the fireworks intently. And I thought to myself, how many fireworks shows has this man seen in his life? Are they all something special? Unique? Do they have to be? Maybe each time isn't really anything especially memorable at all. He didn't seem to relish in the moment. However, his attention was never broken.

I just thought about these things while I watched him. And I thought about how many fourth of July's and baseball games, and other events I had attended. And I thought of my grandparents at in Martin's Ferry when I was young. And I wondered how many times I had seen the fireworks.

Old habits die hard, or not

Went out with an old friend tonight. It's so funny because I spent about two years of my life being enamored with him as an undergrad and now we go out and drink for hours (and it's so awesome being back at sea level, because I can drink FOREVER), talk about everything, and are the epitome of 'just friends.' Funny how life works.

I was also reminded of how sweet little things make everything so worth it. Allow me to unpack that unwieldy, ambiguous statement. Jesse (said friend) and I know each other from the a cappella group that owned both of our lives in college. We were also the choice soloists for several songs, and frequently duetted. One such song was "The Reason" by that band with the dumb name. We stopped off at a couple of bars tonight between 9 and 2, and when I dropped him off at his car that song came on the radio. That song is so old--it never receives airplay anymore. But there it was in full Hoobastank glory. And we harmonized to it like the nerds that we are, and we hugged, and he left.

I have to admit, that tune would definitely make an appearance on the soundtrack to my life.

Golf is good.
All the time.
and
All the time.
Golf is good.

As we go on, we remember...

I walked through campus today around 9 in the morning, going to print and turn in my final paper of the semester. CU is lucky to be located in Boulder; all graduation ceremonies can be scheduled in outdoor venues because it's sunny everyday.

I had forgotten that it was graduation day, and the major university-wide ceremony happened to begin at 9 o'clock. It was held at the stadium, which I pass on the way to my building. I watched all of the people hustling and bustling. Merchants were selling flowers and fresh leis. Students in full garb were running madly to their gates. Colorado Avenue looked as though it were hosting a yacht club convention (CU is known for its white privilege).

Pomp and circumstance was echoing from the stadium sound system. The sun was shining, but it was still cool. The morning chill had not yet burned off.

Life is forever passing. Milestones are reached every single day. It goes by rapidly. How did I end up here? I remember so well my first day of middle school, not so well my first day of elementary school. I didn't go to kindergarten. Here I am at nearly 23. My god, a quarter of my life--the slowest passing one at that--has gone by. There is no stopping, or even slowing it. And so, as incredibly cheesy as this is about to get, I really am reminded of that wise sage, Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings when he says "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us." And that is something we all share.