Jason's Untimely Thoughts

Give ’em bruises, give ’em stitches, beat them Sooner sons a bitches.

The Tigers host Oklahoma tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m., as you might have heard.  Like Ron Burgundy, it’s kind of a big deal.   It’s also Homecoming, which traditionally means I make jokes about how it always rains at Homecoming.  There’s a reason I make those jokes.

The Homecoming Parade is at Noon, I’ll go to the tailgate from there.  Food this week is provided by Todd Bennington and Bryan Ninichuck (and Natalie and Val, I bet) of Wingate Pest Control and Lawn Maintenance fame.   Call Wingate for all your pesty lawn needs.   Chili, chili dogs, frito pies, and possibly other chili dishes will be the fare.  If interested in bringing anything else, a small side dish should cover any needs.   If you’re thinking about bringing any beer, don’t.  We have lots of beer.  Seriously, we have beer.

OU is favored, more highly ranked, and so on.  But it feels a lot like 2003 vs Nebraska to me.  Night game, rain, an opponent that’s not as good as they have been, and one that Mizzou owes a beating to, both because it’s simply been long enough and something necessary to take the next step.  OU is good, though, but it seems like Mizzou is too.  Should be a fun time.

p.s. I’m a little fired up about the game.

I hosted our 20th pledge class reunion a couple of weeks ago.  By “I hosted,” I mean I sent a couple of emails, then went to CJ’s on Friday night and our tailgate on Saturday.  It was quite a stretch.  Also had my 20th high school reunion semi-recently.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m older, the circumstances, or what, but in both cases reunioning seems to be more difficult for me than before.  A lot of years and experiences have passed for both parties of every conversation at those things, and generally I don’t like the chit chat.  I’d love to actually find out more in depth what’s going on with those old friends and acquaintances, but there seems to be a lot of menial chit chat required to break through into the depths.  Menial chit chat isn’t one of my strengths, I don’t think (maybe I should avoid describing it as menial?).

I don’t mean to imply it wasn’t great seeing everyone.  It absolutely was.  Some of each group (pledge class and high school) are great great friends, people that I respect and would do anything for.  It’s almost insulting, I feel, to pretend to catch up via “how’s work?” talk.  It would simply be more enjoyable to see the group in smaller numbers where we could actually talk.  Pretty much the same reason I enjoy the postgame tailgate better than the pregame tailgate most times.  That, and basking in victory.

Luckily, menial chit chat seems to be right up facebook’s alley.  And I think it’s time to admit I’m possibly falling in love with facebook.  I like being able to keep up on the goings on with friends, follow up with strangers, and develop relationships that simply wouldn’t have happened without it.  I like looking through other people’s old photos.  Why, no idea?  Other than it’s fun.  I even like its ability to prove (to me) that people I think are jackasses, are in fact jackasses.  I assume others like that in similar fashion towards me.  Especially if they knew I was looking at all their old photos.

All the above is more true because of my limited ability to have real conversations with adults.  Just doesn’t happen much for me, still, which is understandable and largely due to time constraints (and my chit chat issues).   And, irony of it all, after weekend of reunioning where chit chat can become something I avoid, the first (only?) thing I do when getting together with a group of great friends is trivial chit chat… making fun of each other, cracking jokes, and so on.

In other hypocrisy news, I’m thinking of buying a Mac for our next computer.  It’s completely possible that’s only because I really really really think I might want an iPad, but that seems utterly ridiculous and unnecessary, but we do need a new computer, so maybe I can rationalize my way to a Mac.  stupid Macs.

The blog for the Tribune is up and going.  Posts by me and others can be found here.  Seems like I should write another one, but writing about my love of facebook and stalking you through your old photographs didn’t seem like such a good idea for the family section.

Tigers, yay.

The beloved Tigers from Mizzou host the Colorado Buffaloes on their farewell tour this Saturday, kickoff is at 6:00 p.m.  I’m hosting a 20-year fraternity pledge class reunion at the tailgate, which is clearly both good and bad news.  Good news means food will again be provided by Hoss’s Market, there around 3:00 p.m.   I’ll be at the tailgate by Noon.  Bad news, well, we won’t get into that fully, but it’s safe to assume there will be ridiculous claims, tales of freakish adventure, and mildly inappropriate nicknames, and that’s just from the Preacher in the group.

The start of Big 12 play also means the bitterness is back in full swing, as you’ll soon notice.   The message of this week’s tailgate will be “Hey, shut up with your freaking 5th down stories already.  Yeah, I remember, thanks.  And yeah, it still makes me mad.  And yeah, he still hasn’t scored.  Yes, random fan in Boulder last year asking us if we still took that seriously, yes, we do.  Shut up.  We wuz robbed.  Seriously, shut up.  Or at least take down that national championship sign, either way.  Oh hey, look, the Tigers scored again.  Shut up.”

With the 5th down nonsense, 55-0 shall be the final score.   See you there at Noon.  Or 4.