This is the first year I’ve not been downtown for stampede and I gots to say, I’ve barely seen any hint of it. Where I live now is sorta downtown but far enough that I only see people in cowboy hats walking from up here to the C-train…or wherever. I’ve missed all breakfasts (bummer…I wish I hadn’t) and I’ve not been near the fairgrounds at all. One more day and it’s over and I’ve missed yet another stampede.
I don’t want to sound like a party pooper, but who-the-eff-cares about the Stampede? I’ve seen enough downtown men and women turn into ‘urban cowboys’ around this time of year and spend the week getting hammered to turn me off of the whole shebang. ‘Cept the breakfasts…dude, what a great tradition. A good stampede breakfast is worth 20 huge beltbuckles in your face while you try to make your way to work in the morning.
However, at the uni, there is very little hint of the ‘dress western’, thankfully. People have some bbqs and breakfasts (again…missed them) but we are sheltered from the massive onslaught of country music and drunkards that are so common in the downtown area. Having lived extremely close to the Red Mile for years, I was thankful to escape it all this year.
I’ve started another Spanish class…the second in my language requirement…and, of course, I’m in there with a bunch of kids. One in particular who sits near me has this magical ability to turn any conversation into one about booze. I would watch him in awe, but lots of kids his age have the same ability. Even me…I’m sure…when I was that age. Which is why I must find it so a/ irritating and b/ boring.
I’ve had similar conversations with men in their 40s with wives and children.
And it’s funny, I think, how booze and drunkeness has become a badge of honour. Once I stopped going out with any sort of regularity and once I started finding other stuff to do (brag about? how about my lvl 59 mage for bragging?) I realized how useless it was to talk about booze all the time. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy getting drunk occassionally and have, on more than one occassion, needed a drink…but I hope I’m able to use it more as a social lubricant or relaxation tool rather than that plus topic of conversation.
me: ‘hey, kid…how was your weekend?’
kid: ‘awesome…we made a vodka bong that shoots vodka to the back of your throat so that you get wasted faster’
me: ‘uh. yeah?’
Bah. Kids.
