All posts in Life

Spring Break Day 1

The day began like most Fridays.  I had no classes, so I had
the whole morning to prepare for the journey.  I packed a
suitcase full of clothes and toiletries.  I selected a bunch of
CDs to keep me sane.  Since I would be sleeping in my car, I took
my blankets and pillow.  I also brought some “food.”  That was
all. I filled my escape pod with these things and wondered where
Alex and Jeff were going to put their stuff, let alone their bodies.

I also took the car in for an oil change.  It needed it.  One
of these days the escape pod is going to fall apart into its
component Lego pieces and I’ll be up shit creek.
I told Alex and Jeff that I wanted to leave at noon.  That
meant they were to have eaten at 11:30.  Of course, as things
with this group go, Alex was just getting up just before noon.
He said it would take only five minutes to pack and shower.

Sure. Continue reading →

Documentary

For my Winter Term project, I create a documentary about the lives of my high school graduating class.

I meet Jeff and Johnny, who Cathy will forever refer to as “your ruffian friends.”

Indulgence

I trip on LSD for the first time with someone whose name will be omitted to protect the extremely guilty.

I meet Nadine.

I meet Janine.

Janine and I “hang out” for a while.

Nadine and I “hang out” for a while.

One of my all time lingering regrets is that a relationship with Nadine did not come to pass. She’s a hot Harvard lawyer now.

Senior Year

Begin my senior year at DePauw.  I lived in Rector.

Crazy Summer

Cathy and I break up.

I try to kill myself.  An attempt is made to hospitalize me. I avoid this by agreeing to therapy.

I spend a lot of the summer in therapy and on anti-depressants.

I stay on campus during the summer, rooming with Ryan.  We have a mysterious passive-aggressive falling out.  But then we went out to the soccer field and beat each other up with foam SCA swords.  It seemed to help.

I discover the card game Magic: The Gathering.  I promptly become obsessed with it, dragging everyone around me into a sick addiction.  I ended up making about $600 selling premium cards on the Internet. Pre eBay, yo.

Cathy

Start dating Cathy.

I have a premonition that we will get married, but it will end in disaster. I didn’t care.

K

Dave, Ryan and I make the short film, “K.”  It tests the endurance of our friendships.

I start smoking. I discover that I lack whatever genetic switch that makes people addicted to nicotine, alcohol or drugs. I switch my use of such things on and off for years later.

Irish Coffee

I have my first alcoholic beverage at a restaurant while out with my mom.

That’s right, I never touched alcohol until I was 21. Unless you count the diluted rumpopo my mom gave me as a child.

Dichotomy

The mood provokes writing. The dark steaminess of the bar envelopes me like I’m wearing a soaking wet trenchcoat. I’m smoking because it gives me a sense of adding something physical to the atmosphere; it is my aura. I sit there, looking through the wall, the scene, everything, and I think about ordering a drink. Something with a bite. Something that will make the bartender raise an eyebrow and the patrons turn their heads with my favorite mixture of disgust and respect. Continue reading →

Dominique

My niece, Dominique, is born.  At first I was angry with my sister for getting pregnant.  Now I hate ever feeling that way.  Dominique is beautiful and wonderful.

She shares her birthday with Dave.