The Old Stomping Grounds
I had quite a weekend this last weekend I'll tell you. Most of my friends here know full well about it, after all they were there too. But for the benefit of the folks who weren't there and just want to read the view from my point, here we go. One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, now go cat go.
I bummed a ride off of my buddy Andy to the airport. Not too much to say about that other than it actually worked to my benefit in the big week I'm in right now. Being in the airport you don't have a whole lot to do and I didn't have much else other than schoolwork, assuming that's what you've got with you. I was probably more productive than I have been most weekends, usually Friday and Saturday nothing gets done and I'm rushing in a panic to get it all done on Sunday if there's a Monday test. It helped a lot to have that.
The flight out was smooth and I didn't have a long wait in Minneapolis. I ended up at gate C6 for my departure and I hope to wind up in that area again. I hadn't eaten much up to that point during the day and there's a Dairy Queen Grill and Chill there. I indulged in a Flamethrower for an early dinner/late lunch/snack. I barely had enough time to get it eaten and read a little before it was time to be westbound. First class as usual, Dad cleans up good when it comes to booking me on flights. I had hit microbiology on the outbound from Omaha and I shifted gears to pharmacology. I got a run through the notes on both prior to landing in Rapid between the time in both flights, so I was pleased about that. Joe was there to pick me up and it was back to their new place, just a few blocks from the old house where I had spent many a night at small group and hung my hat the last time I had been out in Rapid two and a half years ago. Two and a half years ... like I said when I got there, it gave me a moment of pause. Last time I was out there in 2006 I was all but at the bottom of the barrel. I had gotten my rejection notice from pharmacy school at SDSU just over a month prior and I hadn't gotten the gig at the VA hospital yet. I also remember that trip prominently because that night while we were relaxing that was the very first time I ever saw an episode of House, never knowing or imagining how big a fan I would become just a little while down the line.
Katie was at the rehersal dinner, Joe had somewhere to go, but Matt, another friend from the old days was there. He had another friend coming another Katie, and we went out and grabbed something to eat. It was the standard "catching-up" conversation. We headed back and the house was still empty, so we broke out Life and gave it a play. It was my first time ever playing and I had a huge heap of beginner's luck and won the thing. By then some of the other folks were back, including the bride-to-be. She didn't stick around for too long and we all acquired some work to do setting up the wedding program. They were cutting them up and gluing them to cardstock. I think that's the most I've ever worked a glue stick in my life. We kept at it until past midnight and then were pretty much ready for bed. I slept alright, woke up a little earlier than I had planned, and ended up crashing on the couch until lunch. We hit Taco Johns for it. I had the iced tea, keeping up with my abstaining from soda, now four months and counting. I'll have to figure something else for the future, that stuff was so bitter it bit him too. We came back to the house, got dressed up, and it was off to Rimrock, my first time up the mountain road in four years. I was kicking myself for forgetting my camera, but as I was lending a hand with the setup, I remembered there was a general store nearby. So I ran over and got two of the disposable cameras.
I found a good place where I could snap photos without getting in anyone's way. It was very pretty, I'm somewhat inclined to an autumn wedding in the unlikely event I ever get a chance to make my run to the alter. It was a beautiful day, other than being a touch windy and the decorations were lovely. I think both Don and Marci nearly wore out the tissue they had up there. Pastor Rob, like me making the first trip back to the old stomping grounds, did an excellent job. What he said almost made me need a tissue of my own, but for different reasons than the couple up front. Pretty much everyone of the old crew has gotten hitched now and I'm still running in place pretty much when it comes to my own life. I'd really like to have someone someday, but I've got no business doing that at this point. At my harshest I'd call myself a selfish asshole and, as the sermon needlessly reminded me, someone like that has no business getting married or at least the way its supposed to be. Maybe someday that'll change, but my feelings about my future are anything but optomistic in that regard. Afterwards, while the newlyweds were walking down the aisle greeting folks one at a time (I was in the back), I got some photos. They made their getaway in a yellow Ford Mustang. I wouldn't mind taking that hoss for a spin. After helping out with taking stuff down, it was off to the reception.
The reception was at this place just about three miles up the road and was it was also very nice. I sat with some of the folks from IVCF. I got some of the usual "whatcha been up to" conversation, but for the most part I was on my own. For all that's changed, a lot has remained the same too. The dinner was delicious, they had the usual side dishes and some of the best roast beef I've ever tasted. Left to my own devices and I was feeling the lovesick blues from seeing another friend get hitched while I'm still alone. There was free beer available and I took full advantage. I've never pushed myself to the limit and I ended up doing it. All up I had eight drinks over the course of the night and I think that it was the first time I could say that I was drunk. Not too badly though, I didn't loose any coordination that I could tell, had enough of my inhibitions damped that I did pretty darn good on the dance floor (speaking of which, the SOB DJ never did play "I Cross My Heart" like I'd requested). I'd have definately surrendered my keys had it not been pointless seeing as how my car was 400 miles away as the crow flies. I got my traditional photo with the couple towards the end of the evening and, other than being a little less socially inhibited than usual, not much else to say about the evening. The bride and groom made their final getaway. We headed back to our respective places of residence. Katie, Matt, and I sat up awhile talking some more. They had a little Jameson, I threw some in my water glass after two glasses of water. I made the mistake of drinking it straight and I think I took off some of the skin in my mouth.
Another bit of evidence that I didn't get too badly drunk was, the next day, I woke up sans experience the first hangover. In fact, I felt great, better than awhile, it helped that I'd slept pretty well. Speaking of well, I got to go to service at the School of Mines with all the others. Definitely not the conventional church, but more power to them for that. To my surprise, on the worship team, one of the ChemE professors, one of my favorites Dr. Dixon, was playing bass. Matt and I talked to him for awhile since we've both had him back in the day. Afterwards I made the realization that my flight was at 11:30 and that's what time it was. That was one of those "oh crap" moments. We rushed back to the house, and after some failed efforts to call the airport, we drove out. It sucks that you can't get a real person without juggling a dozen chainsaws it seems. I was able to get rebooked on a flight at 3:40 and another one that got me back to Omaha at 11:30. It was nice having some more time in Rapid and I took full advantage. Between lunch and watching football and bull riding, the time went by fast. I got lucky, my original booking was on a CRJ, as I already mentioned "cramped regional jet" being my take on the acronym, but I was scheduled to come into Omaha on a new addition to the Northwest fleet, the Embraer 175. Not only is it bigger overall, its big enough to have a first class. It turned out that both of the flights were now Embraers and thanks to my elite status, my booking was first class for both. So I had a good flight on both legs, got some studying done, but mostly read in my Hank Williams autobiography. Between that and the wedding, I had gotten a lot of song ideas written down. I'm eager to see what more I can do once the doppleganger of tests are over with. I had a long layover in Minneapolis. Once again I was near the Grill and Chill, this time I added a Blizzard to my meal. I did some calling around before takeoff and after landing and got a ride back to Heider with Vince. And I had managed to get four of the glasses customized for the wedding home safe and sound, wrapped up in my laundry from the weekend. Each of us had one, but a lot of the folks had left theirs so I took some liberty, partly figuring in case one or two broke, numbers would make up for it. I hung around with Andy for awhile and got some stuff done I needed to do on the secure browser that wasn't working on the loaner computer I had while my own was getting fixed. Thus ends the whirlwind weekend in Rapid, plenty of good times indeed.
I'm happy to say I managed to pull very high Bs in both of the tests so far this week. I used the afternoon to catch up on some sleep, other things I needed to do, and just hang around. I'll do some studying this evening. I think I'll sign off to get some grub and then its off to worship practice. Seems like its just go-go-go in my life these days.
I bummed a ride off of my buddy Andy to the airport. Not too much to say about that other than it actually worked to my benefit in the big week I'm in right now. Being in the airport you don't have a whole lot to do and I didn't have much else other than schoolwork, assuming that's what you've got with you. I was probably more productive than I have been most weekends, usually Friday and Saturday nothing gets done and I'm rushing in a panic to get it all done on Sunday if there's a Monday test. It helped a lot to have that.
The flight out was smooth and I didn't have a long wait in Minneapolis. I ended up at gate C6 for my departure and I hope to wind up in that area again. I hadn't eaten much up to that point during the day and there's a Dairy Queen Grill and Chill there. I indulged in a Flamethrower for an early dinner/late lunch/snack. I barely had enough time to get it eaten and read a little before it was time to be westbound. First class as usual, Dad cleans up good when it comes to booking me on flights. I had hit microbiology on the outbound from Omaha and I shifted gears to pharmacology. I got a run through the notes on both prior to landing in Rapid between the time in both flights, so I was pleased about that. Joe was there to pick me up and it was back to their new place, just a few blocks from the old house where I had spent many a night at small group and hung my hat the last time I had been out in Rapid two and a half years ago. Two and a half years ... like I said when I got there, it gave me a moment of pause. Last time I was out there in 2006 I was all but at the bottom of the barrel. I had gotten my rejection notice from pharmacy school at SDSU just over a month prior and I hadn't gotten the gig at the VA hospital yet. I also remember that trip prominently because that night while we were relaxing that was the very first time I ever saw an episode of House, never knowing or imagining how big a fan I would become just a little while down the line.
Katie was at the rehersal dinner, Joe had somewhere to go, but Matt, another friend from the old days was there. He had another friend coming another Katie, and we went out and grabbed something to eat. It was the standard "catching-up" conversation. We headed back and the house was still empty, so we broke out Life and gave it a play. It was my first time ever playing and I had a huge heap of beginner's luck and won the thing. By then some of the other folks were back, including the bride-to-be. She didn't stick around for too long and we all acquired some work to do setting up the wedding program. They were cutting them up and gluing them to cardstock. I think that's the most I've ever worked a glue stick in my life. We kept at it until past midnight and then were pretty much ready for bed. I slept alright, woke up a little earlier than I had planned, and ended up crashing on the couch until lunch. We hit Taco Johns for it. I had the iced tea, keeping up with my abstaining from soda, now four months and counting. I'll have to figure something else for the future, that stuff was so bitter it bit him too. We came back to the house, got dressed up, and it was off to Rimrock, my first time up the mountain road in four years. I was kicking myself for forgetting my camera, but as I was lending a hand with the setup, I remembered there was a general store nearby. So I ran over and got two of the disposable cameras.
I found a good place where I could snap photos without getting in anyone's way. It was very pretty, I'm somewhat inclined to an autumn wedding in the unlikely event I ever get a chance to make my run to the alter. It was a beautiful day, other than being a touch windy and the decorations were lovely. I think both Don and Marci nearly wore out the tissue they had up there. Pastor Rob, like me making the first trip back to the old stomping grounds, did an excellent job. What he said almost made me need a tissue of my own, but for different reasons than the couple up front. Pretty much everyone of the old crew has gotten hitched now and I'm still running in place pretty much when it comes to my own life. I'd really like to have someone someday, but I've got no business doing that at this point. At my harshest I'd call myself a selfish asshole and, as the sermon needlessly reminded me, someone like that has no business getting married or at least the way its supposed to be. Maybe someday that'll change, but my feelings about my future are anything but optomistic in that regard. Afterwards, while the newlyweds were walking down the aisle greeting folks one at a time (I was in the back), I got some photos. They made their getaway in a yellow Ford Mustang. I wouldn't mind taking that hoss for a spin. After helping out with taking stuff down, it was off to the reception.
The reception was at this place just about three miles up the road and was it was also very nice. I sat with some of the folks from IVCF. I got some of the usual "whatcha been up to" conversation, but for the most part I was on my own. For all that's changed, a lot has remained the same too. The dinner was delicious, they had the usual side dishes and some of the best roast beef I've ever tasted. Left to my own devices and I was feeling the lovesick blues from seeing another friend get hitched while I'm still alone. There was free beer available and I took full advantage. I've never pushed myself to the limit and I ended up doing it. All up I had eight drinks over the course of the night and I think that it was the first time I could say that I was drunk. Not too badly though, I didn't loose any coordination that I could tell, had enough of my inhibitions damped that I did pretty darn good on the dance floor (speaking of which, the SOB DJ never did play "I Cross My Heart" like I'd requested). I'd have definately surrendered my keys had it not been pointless seeing as how my car was 400 miles away as the crow flies. I got my traditional photo with the couple towards the end of the evening and, other than being a little less socially inhibited than usual, not much else to say about the evening. The bride and groom made their final getaway. We headed back to our respective places of residence. Katie, Matt, and I sat up awhile talking some more. They had a little Jameson, I threw some in my water glass after two glasses of water. I made the mistake of drinking it straight and I think I took off some of the skin in my mouth.
Another bit of evidence that I didn't get too badly drunk was, the next day, I woke up sans experience the first hangover. In fact, I felt great, better than awhile, it helped that I'd slept pretty well. Speaking of well, I got to go to service at the School of Mines with all the others. Definitely not the conventional church, but more power to them for that. To my surprise, on the worship team, one of the ChemE professors, one of my favorites Dr. Dixon, was playing bass. Matt and I talked to him for awhile since we've both had him back in the day. Afterwards I made the realization that my flight was at 11:30 and that's what time it was. That was one of those "oh crap" moments. We rushed back to the house, and after some failed efforts to call the airport, we drove out. It sucks that you can't get a real person without juggling a dozen chainsaws it seems. I was able to get rebooked on a flight at 3:40 and another one that got me back to Omaha at 11:30. It was nice having some more time in Rapid and I took full advantage. Between lunch and watching football and bull riding, the time went by fast. I got lucky, my original booking was on a CRJ, as I already mentioned "cramped regional jet" being my take on the acronym, but I was scheduled to come into Omaha on a new addition to the Northwest fleet, the Embraer 175. Not only is it bigger overall, its big enough to have a first class. It turned out that both of the flights were now Embraers and thanks to my elite status, my booking was first class for both. So I had a good flight on both legs, got some studying done, but mostly read in my Hank Williams autobiography. Between that and the wedding, I had gotten a lot of song ideas written down. I'm eager to see what more I can do once the doppleganger of tests are over with. I had a long layover in Minneapolis. Once again I was near the Grill and Chill, this time I added a Blizzard to my meal. I did some calling around before takeoff and after landing and got a ride back to Heider with Vince. And I had managed to get four of the glasses customized for the wedding home safe and sound, wrapped up in my laundry from the weekend. Each of us had one, but a lot of the folks had left theirs so I took some liberty, partly figuring in case one or two broke, numbers would make up for it. I hung around with Andy for awhile and got some stuff done I needed to do on the secure browser that wasn't working on the loaner computer I had while my own was getting fixed. Thus ends the whirlwind weekend in Rapid, plenty of good times indeed.
I'm happy to say I managed to pull very high Bs in both of the tests so far this week. I used the afternoon to catch up on some sleep, other things I needed to do, and just hang around. I'll do some studying this evening. I think I'll sign off to get some grub and then its off to worship practice. Seems like its just go-go-go in my life these days.