Reeling in the Years (College Edition)

Kins has been making lists of her favorite memories from her college years (both at PCC and OBU), and I thought it would be rad to do similar. This will mean little to most of you, and quite a bit to maybe two of you. But it's my blog, isn't it. So indulge me.

(By the way, I would invite all current and former Bison and/or spouses of Bison to leave some love at Kins' page. Let 'er know ya care.)

Here's my list. Maybe not some of my favorite memories, but definitely some that are the most indelibly writ on my mind and heart. Presented with little or no editing to save face (or, offered "straight-up," as the drunk kids would say).

--many, many nights at the Rainbow
--the first time it snowed while i was there
--when i got pneumonia during my first finals week and nearly passed out outside the GC after Midnight Breakfast
--watching The Matrix for about the fifteenth time on the steps of Raley, in 30 degree weather
--my first role: "Second president." Six lines. Most notably, "But what *is* it?"
--Chief yelling at me repeatedly during rehearsals for that show. "Can you yell, Dave?" "Yes, Chief!" "Then DO IT!"
--Standing on the steps of Shawnee Hall during CP initiation, in the cold, imagining all the ones who had gone before standing there too.
--when Trevor told us his parents were splitting up...i think we were all sitting around in the gazebo that night.
--when Trevor told me that he and Tiffany were together. at Denny's.
--when a group of us nearly got thrown out of Denny's by some anal-retentive OK state troopers.
--Trev's no-speak-week, and my irritation with social clubs.
--when I was hauled up to the Dean's office for writing an expose in the student paper that was (unbeknownst to me) based on inaccurate information
--Shannon's hairy arms (unfair but true)
--playing "Mafia" in the Kerr lobby for weeks, until no one was speaking to each other
--losing to Matt Romoser in Spades. over and over and over.
--Shauna Donahoo, and the many people who had a crush on her at one time or another (Currier, me, and her eventual husband)
--falling asleep during finals week, while four guys (including my RA) were in my room screaming at the TV while playing a wrestling video game
--Chris Currier (my next RA) convincing me to ditch so many Civ classes, i nearly FX'd.
--Driving to Wichita one Saturday to visit Renetta, a girl Currier may have had a thing for, when she had knee surgery
--my first good role, and the first (only?) time I got to work with the great Marty Peercy
--my best role (as a drunk Irishman, naturally)
--my first kiss, at a theatre-related function
--making out with two girls at the same time, to the utter shock of Michael Clack, who bore witness to this event
--the first time I told Riss how I felt about her, and her response
--screwing up our first (and only) Valentine's together
--the first time it was made public that we were together (at a Halloween party)
--meeting "Drunk Laura" and being sad when she had to leave
--Ira Wilson and Marty Peercy, performing "Round Here" at Oregano's
--the painting of the "Italian scenery" on the walls of Oregano's
--Marty the waiter, at Oregano's
--those cool tables at the coffee shop that used to be Oregano's
--Waterdeep concerts
--Aaron Willis singing "Beautiful Disaster" at a campus-wide BBQ
--Aaron Willis singing "What's Up" at a "coffee shop" event
--playing air hockey every day with Jerry Joule
--seeing Dr. Litherland play chess every day with the gameroom guy
--Dr. Litherland, in general
--Dr. Cole, the coolest woman ever
--Dr. Kelly
--Dr. Byland's "Science Fiction as a Television Genre" was actually a legit class.
--Dr. Joe Hall (who I hated before I respected)
--Dr. Doug Watson
--spending something like 12 hours on my Scene Design project, only to get a D+ on it.
--directing Matt Packer and David Steele in a scene from "True West"
--Holly telling me she liked me, and my desparate attempts to escape that situation.
--the most excellent Chris Jones, and his most excellent wife, Elissa (I always misspell her name)
--when Liz Jones revealed her feelings for me after Jerry's wedding rehearsal, and how I almost reciprocated.
--living with Joey Brewster in Shawnee for half of a summer.
--having to climb in through a window one day, because Dave Steele locked the door and I didn't have a key to the house.
--making out with...someone...in Joey's house, after watching Traffic and Taxi Driver, of all things.
--having to leave my idiot car at the park on four separate occasions, because it would start up after I'd been...parked there, with someone, for a few hours.
--finding out that everybody made jokes about my car being stuck there, behind my back.
--how embarrassed my girlfriend was, when she learned this.
--making the infamous "Life at OBU" video that I keep hidden away and show to only a select few.
--the Kerr "lobby rats" (i still have my membership card!)
--helping (too much) a girl I had a crush on do her Civ homework, including all but writing her papers for her, while i was a freshman.
--Daryl, the hairiest Brittney Spears fan I ever met.
--making fun of Daryl's being a fan of Smallville. (I'll take that one back, now.)
--Daryl's ridiculous Pez collection.
--Josh.
--getting an average of two hours of sleep a night, during my entire senior year
--my last performance at OBU... I was the constable in "Our Town."
--almost getting the lead in "All My Sons."
--being told by my favorite professor that I was "the brightest person to ever come through here" and knowing she meant it.
--my first roommate, Jerrod Waggerman, who flaked out and left school in March of his freshman year, so he could be with his high-school sweetheart.
--living with the walking whirlwind that is Trevor Taylor.
--getting to know awesome people like Jess, Heather, Kara, Toni, Trav, Brandi, Lucas, Michael, Kelli, Will Ledesma, Kins, Marty, the Couri's, Bree, A.P., and countless more I could name, and how each of them impacted my life in a unique and awesome way.
--about a million other things i wish i could remember and name.