Homecoming

                School spirit.  That’s something I never once had when I was a student.  I was devoid of it.  I never attended any events.  I never cared if we won or lost in sports.  Ask me a question school related and I wouldn’t have been able to tell you a darn thing.  I spent enough time in classes and at the library.  The hell if I’m going to participate in any of the other dumb activities.  That was my general attitude back in the day.  That everything thrown on by the campus was a stupid waste of my time & the people that were interested in all that stuff had to be boring.  Losers!!!  The whole lot of them!  I guess I never considered myself part of the student body.  I always felt tied to Tech.  This isn’t even a real university.  This place is a joke!   

                Just kidding!  I had you there, didn’t I?  You were probably thinking to yourself “Wow!  This guy is a real a**hole.  What a jerk!  Why am I reading this pompous f***er’s blog?”  Don’t run out on me yet.  I wasn’t an elitist snob.  In truth, I don’t remember them having so many things for the students to do.  Or maybe they did a poor job of spreading the news to students that didn’t live on campus.  Both Bekah & I were discussing this and we both draw a blank.  Aside from the bonfire, we really don’t recall many fun functions.

                Watching all the students alive with excitement and joy, I feel like I missed out on something.  So I’m joining in on the homecoming fun. 

I helped decorate the mall with party fliers.  It was going to be 30min but it ends up being 1 ½ hours.  Barely made it back to the office.  Umm, just tie some flyers and be done with it.  No way had it needed to take that long.  And it was hot!  But I had fun.  I was with good people and the campus mall looked good for it.  Sad that they never decorate it for homecoming.  I guess I just never noticed that in the prior years.  If asked to do it again I will gladly commit.  The next week I was asked if I was going to the “take down party” to remove the decorations since I helped make the mess.  Uh… we shall see.

I went and saw the parade down the mall.  That was really fun, btw.  I almost missed it because some slow a** in front of me would rather chat on her phone than drive.  It took me 6 min to get across the campus.  My eyes wanted to roll out of my head, but I made it just in time.  And I was really glad that I went. Kind of hard to explain the wonder of it.  I guess it was a shared energy amongst all that attended.  The cheers, the band, everything was just fun.               

I was able to sneak away from work and catch the Blue & Gold Party.  Lucky that I have somewhat flexible hours.  I was all smiles.  How easily I am entertained.  Watching the blue and gold powder launched into the air.  It was soooo cool.   (It’s corn starch, btw.  Thanks, Jamie.  Everyone I asked had no idea.)   How it mingled together to form a green fog.  Said green fog nearly engulfed me, as I was standing down wind.  It was a good time.  You really had to be there.  Or maybe it’s just that I’m a nerd.  That’s up in the air for debate.

For the first time ever I went to the bonfire.  It was perfect weather for a fire.  I didn’t get as close as I would have liked because “someone” didn’t dress appropriately and was afraid to run into anyone I might know.  So we sat on the bleachers.  It was still a beautiful sight in this pyro’s eyes.  Sadly we missed the fireworks.  “Someone” had to pee.  So we rushed back to the house and as soon as we got there I heard the first BOOM.  Not helped by the fact I got behind someone that would make a snail seem fast.  (Notice a trend here?  I have a knack for getting behind slow-pokes.)  We tried to make it back but it was too late.  Epic fail. Oh well.  I saw fireworks a few weeks ago.  At least I can say I saw the bonfire from afar.  Next year maybe I’ll just go alone. 

The next morning was the homecoming parade.  Walking distance.  A beautiful morning if you like cold cloudy days.  Once I reached Johnson Street I could see I was alone in thinking the morning was grand.  Everyone looked miserable and cold & I had flip flops on.  I’m sure that got a few looks.  (Listen, I would wear flip-flops & sandals all year round if I could.  Don’t judge.)  So the parade kicked off.   Like I said, people looked uncomfortable and cold riding along in the back of the trucks.  I couldn’t help but laugh a little.  But there was enough school spirit to elevate everyone’s mood once the cheering began.  It was a good time if not a little long.  I stuck it out though.  If the parade is on campus again next year, I will likely go again.

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Spur of the moment move, we attended another Ram Jam.  I had no intention of going.  The music was hip-hop.  I don’t do hip-hop.  (Have I mentioned my dislike for hip-hop?  I hear it in the mornings when I hate the world.  Bekah’s music, so great to start the day with.)  Bekah was getting snap chats from our friend that was there and she was trying to convince us to attend.  Also, Bekah knew the hip-hop artist. (Is he REALLY an artist?)  So we went.  And dang-it, we arrived right when the hip-hop was ending.  What a crying shame.  Damn our luck.  I was asked if that was the plan.  Arrive after the show?  Whatever do you mean, my dear sweet Bekah?  I had no idea that he would play such a short show.  So we sat back and had a few beers.  We laughed, we cheered.  It was a beautiful afternoon.  The band came marching through to signal it’s time for the big game.  This was our cue to depart.

That wraps up a week of school spirit & homecoming.  I had a great time.  I feel boisterous just writing about it.  I’m a changed man.  Boy oh boy was I ever missing out!  I am already looking forward to next year’s homecoming week!  What in the heck shall I do in the mean time?  I’m open to suggestions. 

Jalapeño!!!!!

Sunday Pizza!

Bekah was gone the first half of the week so I was just experimenting in the kitchen.

  Night 1.  It was Chinese.  I threw together both red & green jalapeño and made a sauce out of soy, mirin, & brown sugar.  Cooked it down to a nice thickness and wa-lah!!!  This had a high flavor profile and just the right amount of heat.  No way would this have been acceptable had she been home.

Night 2.   I made a green chili gravy for some grilled chicken.  Backed some breaded okra, a healthier way to eat it.  The topping you see there is some caramelized jalapeño.  Again, this would have been too warm for my dear wife.

Night 3.  This meal was HOT.  You see a theme here.  I hurt myself when my better half is not around.  This was just cream of chicken, Rotel, some seasoning from hell, and grilled chicken and jalapeño.  I guess that’s sort of what King Ranch is? 

Bekah is back.  Another experiment.  This time with “Beyond beef”.  She was going to make her famous Bekah Burgers with plant based protein.   She opened the package.  Said it smelt like SPAM.  I leaned in.  No, it smells like cat food.  She said the texture was off putting as well.  No way were we eating something that initially smells like cat food.  Dinner failure.  Like, it stunk up my kitchen for a good 20 min after we disposed of it in the outside trashcan far away from the house. 

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With nothing else in the house to cook it was decided carry out would save the day.  We picked up some Ban Moon.  I got the spicy chicken, 5-pepper hot w/ a side eggroll.  It was delicious.  I was a happy camper. 

Tortilla soup.  We finally have some soup weather.   Even if I hadn’t planned on making soup Friday, I would have by the end of the day.  I had at least a 10 min conversation with one of the deans about spicy soup.  Soup was on the brain after that.  It was pretty amazing.  The first soup of the year usually is. 

Cocktail of the Week:  Cherry Rum & Coke