Homecoming

Homecoming weekend in Bowling Green had no trouble living up to its name.

The weekend began just like the past several weekends, with me jetting out of the office as quickly as possible on Friday and heading for a Troy football game. I stopped in Piqua to pick up Amy, and from there we headed down to Clayton for Troy vs. Northmont. It was cold and windy, but we saw a good game. I stuck around for a little bit when I dropped her off so I could watch the local football highlights with her and Doug. Then I drove back to Bowling Green.

Brandi had to teach at noon on Saturday, so she was gone by the time I got out of bed. I planted myself on the couch to watch the Ohio vs. Toledo game on ESPN, as I always try to catch MAC games when they're on television (unless I'm attending them in person, of course). When the game went to halftime I got in the shower and started getting myself ready for Bowling Green's game that afternoon. Brandi got home around 2:00 and started getting ready herself, and we left for the game around 3:00.

We had thought about going over to the stadium earlier than that and doing some tailgating, but we didn't quite make it. Still, the game was fun. We got some food on our way into the stadium and ate it while we watched the players warm up. It turned out to be pretty good timing, as we finished our food just about the time the game was starting. McComas joined us around the start of the second quarter, and we watched the Falcons dismantle Ball State.

Brandi left a few minutes before the game was over because she was really cold. She went out to the car to get it started and warm, while McComas and I stuck around to watch the end of the game. I don't like to leave before the final gun sounds, no matter the score or the weather. Eventually, though, we made it out to the car, which was quite warm by that time, and Brandi and I headed home.

When we got back to our apartment, Brandi made us some soup that we ate while we watched the end of the Wisconsin vs. Purdue game and then some other television.

Later that evening I went out on the town to meet up with my friend Jamie, who was back in town from Chicago. The bar scene in Bowling Green was absolutely crazy. I cruised around for quite awhile before I found a parking spot, and even then I had to wait in line to get into the bar. Navigating through the bar was even more of an adventure, packed as it was with students and alumni alike. Eventually, though, I managed to find Jamie and the rest of the crew. It was fun to hang out with some old friends for a while and have a couple of drinks together.

Even aside from that, it was a pretty entertaining night to be a people-watcher. There was a fight near the bar entrance as I was trying to get inside, and later in the evening a girl stormed out of the bar in tears. People were hooking up and making out. All in all, it was a pretty typical evening at a college bar, except many of the participants were people well removed from their college years. These people came out to seek some of the "glory" of their college days, and although many of them succeeded, I wonder how many of them found it to be as exciting as they remembered. Aside from the normal angst were the overheard conversations, which involved divorces, pregnancies, mortgages, and interest rates. I can definitely see how someone would want to escape from the monotony of the typical American adult lifestyle, but seeing some of the reactions I have to wonder if escaping into generally more youthful escapades was what they were looking for. At any rate, it was an interesting way to wind up an evening.

On Sunday, Brandi and I both slept into the afternoon. We got up and went to the mall in Toledo so she could get a manicure and pedicure. I did that for her as part of our anniversary celebration from last Tuesday. Then we walked around the mall for a bit and had lunch before we headed home.

I turned on a football game when we got home, and McComas came down to join us. He brought the baby, who was pretty amusing most of the time. As the evening progressed Brandi made dinner (scalloped potatoes and ham), and McComas's girlfriend Charissa joined us for dinner. We all hung out for a while, and Brandi introduced both of them to The Sims 2. Charissa eventually had to take the baby home so she could sleep, but McComas stuck around for a while longer. It was pretty cool to get to hang out with them for a little bit.

Now I'm at work, and it's been an interesting day so far. Brandi packed a lunch for me today, and I think I'm going to start bringing one each day (except Friday, which will continue to be marked with a visit to Wendy's). I don't know if I'm going to like staying in the office that extra hour, meaning I'm here for nine continuous hours, but I think I can get used to it. I'll still be reading on my break while I eat each day, so that should still allow me to escape, if only in my mind.