RT #4: Lake of the Ozarks

Back in '05, a crew of us recent college grads cruised down to Lake of the Ozarks to celebrate our graduation from the Vegas of the Midwest: The University of Iowa.

Four years later, the Ozarks was named the official site of Reunion Trip #4.

The life changes that are taking place at rapid pace became apparent on this trip. Aside from big headlines like marriage, moving in with girlfriends, changing careers and going to grad school, other news is that Jake is now using a blow dryer a la Monty circa 2003, Red is shaving 3 times a day to avoid Luigi resemblances and Dan now goes by the name BMOC as opposed to Danimal.

The good news is that life changes, but most of the time, friends don't. Hintze still dreams of taking a dump on Eddie Vedder, Parker's legs still don't work and Bart is still killing kittens several times a day.

It was on the back of Kim's boat Saturday evening chugging a bottle of Jack as the sun set over the Missouri skyline and Red and I took turns pouring Coors Light on each other's crotches while everyone chanted "Chuck! Chuck! Gray-son! Gray-son! Deb-bie! Deb-bie! Let's go hawks! Let's go hawks!" that I realized reunion trips are a lot like your children. Each one of them is unique in their own way, and you love them all the same. This trip was another masterpiece. Can't wait for #5. That's 5 fingers, a whole hand of fun.

The Malibu Triathlon

The new hardest thing I've ever done. And probably the closest I'll ever come to being in the military. 7am on the beach, overcast, standing shirtless and barefoot with a bunch of guys yelling "Let's go boys!" going up and down the rows slapping everyone on the head. Then a shotgun is fired and we go sprinting into the ocean, diving over the waves, kicking each other in the face. It could have been the Invasion of Normandy...except that it was Malibu.

Total time: 3 hours, 2 minutes.

Strange Days

The moon was orange last night. Orange. The fires of LA were reflecting off of it. Seems almost impossible, but true. I’m convinced that if the world ends, it’s demise will commence in LA.

Jill came around. At one point, I was positive I would never see her again. She came out of hibernation and apparently is living life the way she had wanted to before, which now features yours truly. Unexpected and odd. http://intheends.blogspot.com/2007/11/time-off-for-turkey-day.html