Flashback to 2003

I rode down to Tacoma yesterday after class, and I couldn't help but remember all the drives I did while I attended UPS. I'd come up for the weekend to hang out with friends, or make an excuse to come home and use the hot tub. Just south of the airport along I-5 is where the "good ol' Alma Mater" feeling hits.

I took the back way, which takes you on a bypass through downtown Tacoma, along the water and up through Old Tacoma and 30th N. 30th is a long, steep hill in North Tacoma, about a half-mile from the UPS campus. I parked my bike in the SUB parking lot, hoping to not get a parking ticket. Strolled over to the Business building to see if my old advisor was around, but he wasn't.

I came back to the SUB and headed upstairs, which immediately brought me back to my junior and senior years at UPS. I'd always go up to the loft of the SUB to study. There was usually plenty of ambient noise, as well as plenty of opportunities to people-watch. I was never good at just sitting in a room and studying, I need little distractions to keep my mind fresh. I opened up my backpack and started studying for my Geography exam next Tuesday, and within an hour Josh called and he was off work.

We met up at his house for some Guitar Hero 3 action, which definitely didn't disappoint. I started off with Pearl Jam's "Even Flow," then played "My Name is Jonas," "Welcome to the Jungle," "Seeker," "Bulls on Parade," and a few others before we packed it up and headed out for trivia night at E-9.

Josh and I were the first to arrive, and he suggested we get a pitcher of Belgian White to go along with our food. I had completely forgotten about the Belgian White at E-9. We'd always get a couple pitchers of it after playing ultimate over on Jefferson Field in 2003. Josh is beer conesuer, and he still hasn't found anything quite like the Belgian White at E-9.

We had slim competition for the first round of trivia. Josh got 27 of 32 answers right, and he needed my help for the Lenny Kravis question. We won a free pitcher with 28/32 right! Tom and Andrea showed up for the second and third rounds, but by then there was more (older and wiser) competition in the room. And even with Tom's history degree and Waldo's Bio. degree, we didn't get anymore free pitchers of beer.

No matter! Josh and I got more Guitar Hero in, and decided because we were buzzed from the beer, it only made logical sense to try the next difficulty setting. And we owned it! We ended the night on Josh's near perfect run through "My Name is Jonas," and promptly passed out.

I made it out on the road by 8am this morning, and froze my balls off. Besides the wet bum and cold hands, the ride wasn't too bad. I only ran into a little bit of traffic, and made it up to Seattle in about an hour. I quickly hopped in the shower and took a nice 15 minute relaxing shower from luke-warm to "so much steam it looks like I'm hot-boxing." Not the most environmentally sound thing to do, but it hit the spot.

Looks like I'll be heading back down to Tacoma on Saturday for the UPS Alumni vs. UPS frisbee game, where I hope to sky Dylan. Afterwards, we might get some more Guitar Hero in, and depending on what goes down, I might spend the night--or I may come back up here to watch the Seahawks game and the Indi/Pats game. Go Colts!