AKA Abraham Bacoln


“I feel very close to you all now; so close I could almost… loan you money. Really. it goes that deep.”
August 15, 2006, 12:42 pm
Filed under: tidbit



Ross can sit still

Originally uploaded by Kevin O’Mara.

Yesterday was, by far, the best day I’ve had in the last, oh, seven or eight weeks.

A bit of background – wait, first, a poem.

gentlemen and gentle ladies
i urge you to begin your snoring
though i have typed quite long and hard
this post has turned out rather boring

I graduated high school in 1994 and was just barely mature enough to know that I wasn’t mature enough to yet attend college. I figured I’d take a year off (story of my life, recurring theme, etc.) and then go to college. Well, one year turned into five before I finally weasled my way into TTU. I stuck there for two years before departing this fair land of Tennessee for the muggy nastiness of New Orleans to be with my sweetheart. We both figured we’d be down there for one year (her senior year at college) and then we’d move somewhere and I’d go back to school. Well, one year turned into five, and there I was in a wonderful job with great people, debating whether or not to take night classes at UNO or something.

[INSERT HURRICANE KATRINA HERE] and bang! we were off to Portland. After a stretch of what-do-I-do-now-edness it came up that I should go back to school. And why not! I applied to PSU, had TTU fax my transcripts, all that jazz.

Then this whole separation thing came about and I left Portland, most likely for good. Now I’m back in TN, wondering what to do with my life. I keep thinking about visiting Asheville, NC and not getting around to it. Finally it occurred to me that the reason I was so excited about this photo job opportunity was that I’m eager to stay in Cookeville for a few years. I kept saying that all my friends were moving away, no one was going to be left, Cookeville was boring, blah blah blah – but it really appears that most everyone isn’t going anywhere any time soon, and I’ve just been enjoying the hell out of myself since I arrived. I’ve made new friends, reconnected with old friends, so on, so forth, et cetera, ad nauseum. I’m content to stay here for a few years.

So I said to my father the other day that I had decided that I should probably go back to TTU. I mean, I won’t have to worry about transferring credits, I’ve already completed two years of classes in my major (international business), it’s so cheap as to be unbelievable, and it’ll offer me an opportunity to see if all my friends really do move away. I was thinking of the spring semester but Dad reminded me I had two weeks to squeeze into the fall semester. I realized he was right (I have lost a bit of my ability to keep track of time lately) and Sunday night I made up my mind to go in there Monday and inform the school that whether or not they wanted me to be there I was coming back.

Turns out I didn’t have to fight at all. I went in, they confirmed I hadn’t attended any other schools, they confirmed I left in good standing with a high GPA, and told me, “Well, we’ll get you in the system in two to three days – check back then. Oh, wait, since you’re returning … well, just let me call downstairs.” That call confirmed that they would get me in the system that very day. I called the Business department and set up an advisement appointment for that afternoon.

At my advisement they told me that I had indeed been taking all the right classes and I was set to go, on course, full steam ahead, damn the torpedoes and all that mess. I have to thank Mrs. Kumar for being so nice, polite, energetic, helpful, and caring. I have a schedule of classes laid out now and everything. I just have to officially complete late registration on the 25th and I’m set.

Are you asleep yet, dear reader? If not, grab your pillows and cuddle them tight, knock back some NyQuil for me, ’cause I ain’t done yet.

So!

Monday! Great day! I got up early for breakfast with my parents and a family friend who had spent the night. Hardee’s biscuits and gravy with laughter and Gridge’s coffee was the perfect way to start the day. Sounds like a commercial. I should probably fix that.

Afterwards I went over to TTU ready to send out shockwaves of pure awesome in order to blast my way back in and turns out they had the doors open, arms spread wide in welcome.

Having some time to kill before my advisement appointment I went and kidnapped Jim and forced him to go to The Dog House with me. That is one fine establishment wherein one can procure true Detroit-style coneys in exchange for a rather modest amount of money. Seriously, these people are dedicated – they have been in business for six or so years now and still travel to Michigan to get their dogs. They may even be better than my traditional favorite, the Hebrew National All-Beef Frank.

Man. I may have to go over there for lunch today. I’m getting all worked up just thinking about it.

After my most pleasant lunch with a good friend I returned to TTU for advisement which went so smoothly it made butter look like Yellow Extruded Sandpaper Log (available in the angst section of your local grocery store).

Feeling high on life I left there and headed to Poet’s to get a refreshing chilled beverage of the non-alcoholic but certainly-caffienated variety. As I stood in line I got a call from the photo job I want, asking me to come in for an interview. That put my spirits up to Toadally Awesome.

I hung out with Trey, attempted to do some portraiture work, saw Maaron and E.V., hung out MORE, and then it was time for dinner. We went over to TT and RK’s house where apparently red beans n’ rice are served every Monday, either in honor of that old New Orleans tradition or because they’re mentally unstable. I have not yet determined which.

I managed through smooth talking and much waving of hands to receive from them one of those super-spanky KitchenAid burr coffee grinders which I have salivated over for many months. In return I am to bring them a pot or two of my Gumbo and several Abita beers for a Monday dinner. I feel this to be a rather fair deal, do you not?

After dinner we jetted over to the pool where poor Jim and Ariel and Ross and Derek (Derick? Derrikk? Daric?) were waiting patiently as the mosquitos consumed them. I am the Keymaster, you see, and they were the Gatekeepers. Yes, have some.

When swimming was over it was Donut Time and I stuffed my fat face with not one but two buttermilk donus (plural of donut) as we played Donkey Konga. This game is just like Guitar Hero but entirely different. JJ and Trey and Maig and Jim and I took turns beating the crap out of the controller. We also found that during the parts where one is supposed to clap one can instead yell loud angry words and it works just as well. It is also infinitely more entertaining for those watching.

After that? AFTER THAT? Sweet, sweet blessed sleep.

The interview went great today, by the way. I am rather confident I will soon be employed and we’ll see if it can destroy my love for photography.

That’s it!

Wake up, go brush your teeth, and go to bed.

Can you hear Ringo yet?

Close your eyes and I’ll close mine
Good night, sleep tight
Now the moon begins to shine
Good night, sleep tight
Dream sweet dreams for me
Dream sweet dreams for you.



10 Comments so far
Leave a comment

Your post made me feel as if I were there. Oh, wait.

Comment by Trey

Man, high freakin fives for all of these things falling into place (not without effort on your part, but you know what I mean). You’re officially taking a big damn bite out of Tennessee.

Comment by Heather

Good to hear you’re not going so far away again before proper partying is done! So now what frat were you joining… heh.

Comment by Jonathan

Glad things are going your way.
Your post makes me miss all the good things about Cville. Like the Dog House. I love that place. And World Foods beside it.

Man…that makes me want our Donkey Konga back (from T&M) to try that out. We always just slapped the side of the controller for the “clap”. Your way sounds like it would be harder, but definitely more entertaining.

Comment by Rebecca

You should change your plans, go to Watkins instead, major in Photography, and split gasoline with me. Yeah.

Comment by henry r.

Congrats on your new beginnings. Good luck with the dirty photo thing. And there are no better hot dogs than 5×1 Hebrew National All-Beef.

Comment by Silvey

have you ever tried Nathan’s hot dogs?
We’ve had both N’s and Hebrew Nat’l, and we prefer those.

Comment by Rebecca

What a good story teller you are! Go, Kevin!

Comment by Kelly Piepmeier

Hoorah! Kevin is in Cookeville! Happy for you great day! Woo!

Comment by maig

This town ain’t big enough for the both of us… So I’ll just squeeze in a little tighter for a bit and hope this house sells soon. Glad to see your getting all sorted out. Good luck on the jobby job.

Comment by Zane




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