10/8: fish out of water

if there's any ones advice i will always listen to, its my family's.

friends- of course. but family, always. it can be subtle hints. "its going to rain today" (bring an umbrella), or "i think you may have been a little harsh" (go apologize to your sister), or the classic, "grow up" (get your shit together/ stop being so miserable/ your not 5/ if your going to burp- cover your mouth, and don't rate it 1-10).

im never surprised that they find something new to say that sheds light on a particular situation or mood that im feeling. this weekend- was no exception.

friday night, after 3 tall beers and a shot of tequila on an empty stomach with my cousin, walking to the train was a breeze. no one on the streets and the 8:40 train about 10 mins from departure. im set. all there was to do was sit on the train, keep my drunken self from talking to people, and sober up some to walk from the train to my house. (no problem).

well- about 10 mins into the ride, the motion of the train was starting to mix with my high level of intoxication- but only to the point where i was going to fall asleep. "THE NEXT STOP WILL BE CICERO."

i wake up 3 hours later. im still in Cicero. it didn't occur to me that the train had been stopped for 3 hours because of a suicide a few stops up. had i been awake i could have called for a cab. lucky for me, i hadn't passed up my stop yet.

when my dad called 20 mins later to ask where i was- i drunkenly told him, "Cicero. suicide."

he knew exactly what had happened and why i hadn't been home yet so he told me, "see you never know what you going to encounter" (you should have probably not been such a drunk ass and called me 3 hours ago so i could have picked you up). "i know- im awake now."

midnight, 2 quesadillas, and an episode of Louie later- i woke up the next morning in my cloths with my cat to my mom peering through my door. "watcha doing" (what time did you get home? you look like shit. did you really sleep in that?). "im going to Jewel" (get up, your coming with me).

not wanting to move, i was told by my mother- yes by my mom..."you need to rally, this is what you do on the weekends" (make the most of it, because you only have today and tomorrow for fun). by then- i was out of bed ready to tackle the day, and my monster headache.

4 hours later i found myself downtown, wearing Notre Dame colors, drinking heineken and partying with my family. as great as it was- it was a challenge to have any excitement/school spirit for a team that wasn't the Hawkeyes. not to mention i was still recovering from the night before.

a breath of fresh air and a Zico later, my step brother- wearing a kelly-green blazer gave me a drunk pep talk at the bar. holding my shoulders and shaking me back to reality "you need to enjoy this time, no matter how awkward it is. i was in your position before, and you just need to go crazy and get out of your shell" (......................).

he knew exactly what i was feeling. awkward 22, no friends around, not doing the things you normally do, living with your parents, having your parents drive you nuts at a bar trying to introduce you to men who are 19, finding yourself in weird situations, going to places you don't want to be, finding out who you are. yes- he said it all in that kelly-green blazer.

and i took it. i knew he was right. no matter how out of place i felt the whole weekend, i knew that it was just one of those moments where i needed to get out of my shell- be a fish out of water, and just make the most of it. at least i knew that it worked out for the man in the kelly-green blazer. he has his life going for him in ways i could only imagine for myself.

although he was family, he had been there. and even though i felt like shit the entire day- i had so much fun.

a shot of patron later and i was sitting second row and soldier field. "see i told you this would be fun" (thanks mom for teaching me how to really rally)

although im never going to stop rating my burps 1-10 (especially because i can out-burp anyone), i know that when family advice comes around- im going to take it. they only have your best interest at heart.

i had survived another hangover, another tailgate, and another weekend with my family. and that was that.