I had my first tennis match of the season last night, having not picked up a racket since last summer. One of my teammates was complaining she hadn’t played in two weeks. The thing is, I am the youngest person by at least twenty years on my team, which isn’t a problem, but me not playing a lot probably is. I thought I could win my match anyway, but it didn’t work out that way. I lost 7-6 (9-7), 6-3. I thought I put up a good fight and probably should have won, but it turns out there’s a level of fitness required in tennis and two hours was a bit much for me. Embarrasing. I’m hoping I can turn this around.
On the way home, though, Sister Christian came on Charlie and I felt ok about things for a bit. It took me back to a time when Kristin, Heather and sometimes Ben and I would head out to the Wisco for cheap beers, grilled cheese, yahtzee and jukebox. Simple times. Good times (at least when they wouldn’t unplug the jukebox on us, and ok when they did as long as they gave Heather her quarters back). Post-AmeriHell, pre law school. Pre real world, really. We had a cute apartment (esp since we didn’t discover the mice for a good year, though the raccoon was a bit creepy) and I had probably my best roommates ever. We all had silly jobs — Heather at Victor’s working nutty morning hours; Kristin working with cokeheads at Mickey’s, coming home with more change than I’ve ever seen; and me at Luigi’s, telling folks they can’t smoke on our outdoor patio even when they’re the only ones on it. But we made enough money to pay for our cheap, sunny apartment and enough to go to the Wisco several nights a week and enough to have a party now and then. That was a fun summer.
life and puppies 
OMG the raccooon!!!!!!!! I was telling someone that story the other day. I seriously still get a little jolt everytime I think about seeing that thing right outside the kitchen door.
And my cups of change! Ha ha ha. Styrofoam cups of change, and I wanted to roll the coins myself and Kate made fun of me. But I did it anyway and brought them to First Federal (First Federal?) and they promptly ripped the coin wrappers open and poured everything into the coin counting machine. Damnit! I still miss rolling coins.
Remember the basement laundry nightmareness? And the potato bin, and we were so excited to have it we put potatoes in in right away and then forgot about them for the summer (might explain mice…)?
And remember when I left the heat on in the apartment for like a month even though it was 70 degrees out? And finally, remember how we didn’t have to pay long distance for the WHOLE SUMMER?!?!? That was the best.
I was just remembering all those things. The coin rolling may be my favorite, though. You were so focused while you were doing it, so into it, so good at it. And the long distance was so brilliant until Telluride or whatever they’re called called me that fall to find out why they were paying for all the long distance on that number. Oh, life before cell phones. And the potato situation still makes me nervous. As does that creepasauras outside basement entry with no light and serial killers down there. Oh, Jenny Street. Home.
why is it that we all seemed to be able to afford a party now and then back in the day… and now, with real jobs, we’re still scraping by?
I know. I think about that, too. I guess it’s because (a) my room in my apartment was maybe $300/month; (b) I didn’t have student loans; (c) I didn’t have a car; (d) I didn’t have a baby puppy; (e) I hadn’t discovered the martini and (f) my credit card bill was about $500 because I was 23 or 24. All of these have changed significantly.
Kate, props on tennis. Every couple years I decide to take on my sister because I get delusional enough to think that it can’t be that hard. And then after about 4 volleys, I remember why I don’t play regularly, and it’s because it would probably kill me. The number of breaks I need is embarassing.
And I’m glad I am not the only one who is comforted by 38 Special.
Oh man. No credit card bills. What in the sam hill was that like? I can’t even remember.
Does anyone ever look at the Possibly Related Posts on other blogs that WordPress sometimes puts after Kate’s posts? Today one of them is “Leading Your Church Into Growth”. Wow. It’s like they really have their finger on the pulse of this blog man…
Those related posts kind of freak me out. Just a little big brotherish. Like when you search google and they already know what you’re searching for before you type it.
Ahhh, the racoon. And the coins. And the potato bin. let’s not forget the green coach. and remember how we almost thought about playing volleyball at the wisco? of course, i never felt like i could call it the wisco. always the willy street pub.
and that bartender darryl? those were the days.
Oh, Darryl. He was Heather’s boyfriend. I thought I’d call it the Wisco on here to up my coolage factor. You didn’t need to bust it wide open. And Kristin’s boyfriend was at Ground Zero. I can’t really picture him anymore, though.
Sara, I’m so happy you said that about tennis. I don’t really remember getting tired from tennis in high school but, good Lord, now is a different story. Turns out it’s some sort of “sport.”
The other funny thing about the Big Brotherish syndrome is that I can see what words folks type into google and then find my blog. Today there was a good one “know the bride of puppy.” I know that I type some weird things into google, but why in the sam hill (thanks for that expression, Fee) is someone typing that in?
Oh my boyfriend at Ground Zero. I can’t picture him either. But Darryl, now I do remember that he was very…manly.
I think I still see Kristin’s boyfriend. But, it could just be a guy who has worked at gz for a long time.
I just checked out those related blogs, and I am not sure what key words are triggering the association.
The berfday one was some woman talking about her birthday (shocking). Someone gave her a pig cupcake. She then proceeded to talk about the sweater she had knitted, with pictures. I’m pretty sure no one on this blog would use the term berfday, and, although i know kate did do some knitting, we don’t seem to be exchanging patterns.
The schweets one was quite wordy, and mostly seemed to be about the different psychedaelics he had taken. Pretty much the same as $5 capital pitchers and sister christian at the wisco.
The church one did sound a little like sundance, as she was at some retreat, but then not at all because she loved the spiritual speakers and didn’t mention a tunnel.
do you think they are reading this?
If they are, I don’t they did it with such a keen eye towards research as you did. Someone did click onto my blog from some Obamamama blog that had something about Michelle in Puerto Rico. I’m sure that person was really sad to come here and find v. little about the Obams.
You know what sucks? I have to go to a union meeting on Thursday at 7. When are we meeting at the terrace to celebrate your latest degree?
Well that does suck. Where is your union meeting? At the union? heehee. Maybe we could just grab a drink-i think i’ll be drinking- (or dinner?) somewhere. or can you not go at all? as i said in an email, it may be a party of just 1 or 2.