Back to the old stomping grounds with a whole new step.

I lived in Iowa City for the better part of five years. i would like to say that a top University and a pursuit of education kept me there, but we all know that would be a silly, or even a straight-forward lie. I stayed in Iowa City because you can exist there with great people and great culture and never really have to do anything amazing. There are skeletons in every closet and demons in every corner so I wouldn't recomend dropping any scholastic intentions to try the little city just for the life of it.
Everytime I return, I am filled with a few things. One, and the most prevelent, would be nostalgia. I think of the Que bar, where Sam worked, where Tony and Travis and Mandy and Mary and Mitchell and Amy and I would spend hours and days and nights enjoying each other and the newness of a forbidden nightlife. Then I pass the daedwood, and it makes me think of summer, beacuse it is the darkest and coldest bar in Iowa City, it is always smokey, and at the time, the best. The Alley Cat reminds me of Djing and great friends... the tobacco bowl, the den, big mikes, it all takes me to a different day. I love that place. There are still several people that I care about that live there, which is the entire reason I visit. Allison lives on the out-skirts, Cody in the hub, Ryan, Kyla, Sam's brother Spencer, and numerous faces that I will not name but I would hug if I saw them. Dan Pomales is at the top of that list.

Last Thursday night Sara, Charlie, Matthew and I left Des Moines to travel to Iowa City to see Martyrs of Maudlin (check them out on myspace.com) play at Gabes. I was SO excited for them because this is their first great Iowa City break-out and I know that people will dig them. (For those of you that would like to see them, they are playing again at gabe's on February 9th, at the Vaudeville Mews in Des Moines on Feb.10, and at House of Bricks in Des Moines on February 11th) i will garuntee that you will love them when you se them. I am not just saying that because I know them personally and the drummer is like a brother.

We rolled into Iowa City at nearly six and went straight to Mickey's. It is my favorite chill restaraunt in Iowa City and I knew that I could possibly run into Spencer, Sam's brother. I really wanted him to come to the show because I know that he is in with alot of creative types, and I think this band is right up their alley. I did run into Spencer at Mickeys and it was great to see him. He looked handsome as ever (not as handsome as you Sam) and came in and chatted for a few short minutes. I thought he would come to Gabe's, but he did make it clear that he hadn't planned on making any social appearences that evening so I wasn't holding my breath. Our server at Mickeys was probably the best ever, polite, funny, and sang along to all of the right songs. After a meal with Kyla and Ryan in tow, we headed to the Que for some Silver Strike bowling and Ryan went to set up his drums. We played for an hour and had a great time. I was drinking this night, and it was nice to have some drinks, be in great company and have no worries. It was fantastic, actually.
Kyla and I had a moment, where I felt free to tell her how great she really is and how excited I am that we will be working together again this summer. I really enjoy our friendship.
On to Gabe's, the dirtiest bar in all of Iowa City. We went upstairs to see the guys and then back downstairs because THE GIRLS WERE THERE!!! That's right ANNA and Kristi were at Gabes and whenever I see Anna I have to shake it and giggle because she is my girl. I have said it before, I think we were seperated at birth (and by 6 years). It was great also to see her friends, I don't remember their names, but they are super cool chicks. We talked for a bit and then skipped upstairs to enjoy the show. Cody came to the show and it was wonderfully delightful to see him. He was chill and in a great mood and it is the best when we are together. I liked that we could hang out on a week night. I miss that. The music was incredible, the drinks were flowing and the crowd was dancing. It was a great evening.
WE left at around midnight because I had to give a presentatin for the agency I work at at 9:00am. Sara and Charlie were absolutely donkerfaced and Kyla, well, she hit it up Shelby style. Outside the bar, we waited to take Kyla's car home for her and meanwhile, Sara and I posed for Senior pictures. cody was snapping away and when he sends them,, I will post. Kyla walked out of the bar and ran up behing me, bent me over and said, take a pitcure of this! Sara put her business in my face and suddenly we had a crowd. guys in passing were offering their services and we decide to simmer down so that we would get a little known pastime called "public intox". Sara walked barefoot to the car and threw her sox at the brick building in passing and made them stick. She and Charlie are adorable, but were very drunk. We went to Kyla's to pick up Ryan to take him back to the bar and while we were waiting, Sara and Charlie were talking about how they wanted McDonalds... they talked at length about the menu and settled upon McNuggets, so much so that they rolled down the windows and yelled ,"NUGGETS" for what I would say was the better part of te minutes. Ryan joined us in the car and was lovingly deemed as "Nugget" by Sara. Ryan confessed that the only ever nickname he had been given was by a childhood friend and his friend named him "HoneyDew". Why HoneyDew? we asked. He siad he wasn't sure, but his friend said that Ryan mad ehim think of HoneyDew. I thought it was endearing that a child would name his best friends HoneyDew, and then he said that it was Jim who had given him the name and I thought it was hilarious.
We got onto the interstate and agreed not to stop for twenty miles so as to get out of Iowa City with the two drunks in the back seat. Se stopped at a gas station and Sara and I (both barefoot) got a few snacks. While sara was getting her hotdog, I bet her a dollar to eat a handful of onions out of the condiment container. She said, like this? and shoved a heaping ahndful of onions into her mouth ate ate them. For a dollar. Her dirty sock throwing, ciggarette smoking, just went to the bathroom hand dug into the community onion container. Glorious.
We made it back to Des Moines, after listening to the snore of Sara and the sleep talking of Charlie, Matthew got us all home safely. I fell asleep for the last thirty minutes of the drive and woke to the greatest song I have heard in a long while. It reminded me of a friend, and so I woke up thinking about him. the song is 'Southern State' by Bright Eyes. It has been on repeat for me.

Friday morning went well as far as the presentation... thank god for MAC concealer.

Thanks for sharing the story... I will work on the valentine contest tomorrow.

Much love to all. and for those who may be curious, I am down 53 pounds. YEAH!
c