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Skywatching
Mar. 24th, 2003 09:27 amI sat on a sort of mobile porch swing in front of a duck pond at Tristan's mother's farm house. We were on the way back home from the Workshop in Kingsville, and we took a side trip to Schulenburg, where the farm is. Tristan, who's driving this merry bunch, needed to see her. The house is old, but she's painted it like something Frank would create on Trading Spaces. faux finishes everywhere...and she keeps the Christmas decorations up all year long.
She also made homemade cupcakes, made with real Hershey's Coco. No store-bought icing here. Yum!
There are horses, goats (perfect for a fraternity roadtrip!), ducklings, baby chicks and a big labrador named Jake who followed me down to the pond, while the other guys were playing petting zoo.
Yep, me looking at the small, puffy white clouds crossing the sky and wondering what's next? Just like the night before at the party, down in Kingsville, in front of the somewhat dilapidated old house that was home to some of Texas A&M Kingsville's active brothers.
Oh, I enjoyed the party. I was getting kudos for doing a workshop presentation that went over very well. I was the only guest speaker who would actually attend such a party. I spoke with District officers who asked me to come advise a committee at district convention in three weeks - now I need reservations and registration to do so. A trip to Waco, of all places. Where the Sears catalogue is porn.
There was "Toxic Waste" a trash-can punch made of vodka, everclear and lemonade that is both the smoothest, and most potent thing you will ever drink. The name comes from the fact that it's green, it glows because there are glow-sticks thrown in, and it smokes from the dry ice. It's all in the presentation. We created the concoction more than 10 years ago, and it's still the hit of a party. Still, the stuff sneaks up on you.
I know to drink it slow. I had two cups, and that was fine.
There were shots, a keg, and a refrigerator stocked with beers of the world (not really, these are college students, and they can't afford anything but the cheap stuff). I danced a bit, but those hoochie-mama songs - how do you dance to that crap? I'm sorry, i don't really want to dance where I have to be grinding my pelvis into a girl's behind - that makes me really, really uncomfortable. Still, I got out and did the Time Warp - with the few of us who still knew how to do it.
I decided to get away from the crowd, and head outside.
Toni, the brother who graduated from UH and is now in graduate school in Kingsville came out of the house and talked to me. We've been close since she joined the frat several years ago, and she's always been a strong member. She was in the pledge class that came in my last semester in college. She's the one who suggested to have me as a speaker for the workshop. I was flattered. I guess I left a good impression.
She was upset that the guy she's interested in couldn't be there since he was sick. She's been trying to understand her feelings for him, and wondering what's next. I told her what had been going on in my life and the people I've met recently and my feelings-and wondering what comes next.
Mostly, I stood outside and watched the stars. They shine brightly away from Houston's lights and smog. I'm obviously not 23 anymore. This isn't me. I love doing things for the fraternity. It was one of the most important experiences in my life, and I want to give back to it, and make sure that those in it now know how great this time in their lives truly is.
In ways, they're miles ahead of me, in others - well, I've grown up a lot.
Orion, Cassiopeia, Ursa Major, other stars and constellations that I couldn't remember. I'd learned the night sky in my childhood, but I'd gotten away from it. I couldn't recall them all anymore. Strangely, I found myself humming "Goodnight My Someone" from the Music Man. To that I remembered the words.
So in Schulenburg, I sat, swinging, thinking how strange this week will be. From the past me - the fraternity, to the current me - work, then to the emerging me at TRBU this upcoming weekend. All in the space of a single week. But for now, the clouds float gently by.
In the distance there was a call to come back from my daydreaming and reminiscing, we're going home.
Not before I get another cupcake.
She also made homemade cupcakes, made with real Hershey's Coco. No store-bought icing here. Yum!
There are horses, goats (perfect for a fraternity roadtrip!), ducklings, baby chicks and a big labrador named Jake who followed me down to the pond, while the other guys were playing petting zoo.
Yep, me looking at the small, puffy white clouds crossing the sky and wondering what's next? Just like the night before at the party, down in Kingsville, in front of the somewhat dilapidated old house that was home to some of Texas A&M Kingsville's active brothers.
Oh, I enjoyed the party. I was getting kudos for doing a workshop presentation that went over very well. I was the only guest speaker who would actually attend such a party. I spoke with District officers who asked me to come advise a committee at district convention in three weeks - now I need reservations and registration to do so. A trip to Waco, of all places. Where the Sears catalogue is porn.
There was "Toxic Waste" a trash-can punch made of vodka, everclear and lemonade that is both the smoothest, and most potent thing you will ever drink. The name comes from the fact that it's green, it glows because there are glow-sticks thrown in, and it smokes from the dry ice. It's all in the presentation. We created the concoction more than 10 years ago, and it's still the hit of a party. Still, the stuff sneaks up on you.
I know to drink it slow. I had two cups, and that was fine.
There were shots, a keg, and a refrigerator stocked with beers of the world (not really, these are college students, and they can't afford anything but the cheap stuff). I danced a bit, but those hoochie-mama songs - how do you dance to that crap? I'm sorry, i don't really want to dance where I have to be grinding my pelvis into a girl's behind - that makes me really, really uncomfortable. Still, I got out and did the Time Warp - with the few of us who still knew how to do it.
I decided to get away from the crowd, and head outside.
Toni, the brother who graduated from UH and is now in graduate school in Kingsville came out of the house and talked to me. We've been close since she joined the frat several years ago, and she's always been a strong member. She was in the pledge class that came in my last semester in college. She's the one who suggested to have me as a speaker for the workshop. I was flattered. I guess I left a good impression.
She was upset that the guy she's interested in couldn't be there since he was sick. She's been trying to understand her feelings for him, and wondering what's next. I told her what had been going on in my life and the people I've met recently and my feelings-and wondering what comes next.
Mostly, I stood outside and watched the stars. They shine brightly away from Houston's lights and smog. I'm obviously not 23 anymore. This isn't me. I love doing things for the fraternity. It was one of the most important experiences in my life, and I want to give back to it, and make sure that those in it now know how great this time in their lives truly is.
In ways, they're miles ahead of me, in others - well, I've grown up a lot.
Orion, Cassiopeia, Ursa Major, other stars and constellations that I couldn't remember. I'd learned the night sky in my childhood, but I'd gotten away from it. I couldn't recall them all anymore. Strangely, I found myself humming "Goodnight My Someone" from the Music Man. To that I remembered the words.
So in Schulenburg, I sat, swinging, thinking how strange this week will be. From the past me - the fraternity, to the current me - work, then to the emerging me at TRBU this upcoming weekend. All in the space of a single week. But for now, the clouds float gently by.
In the distance there was a call to come back from my daydreaming and reminiscing, we're going home.
Not before I get another cupcake.
