The Power of Tailgating

It worked better than anti-aging cream, better than a weekend at the spa, better than chocolate … well … let’s not get that crazy.

But it was good.

It did rejuvenate me. It did charge my batteries. It did bring Guat back into The Guat. It was powerful. It was tailgating and it was desperately needed.

As a parent sometimes you need an escape from your Nickelodeon–Lego-building-filled life. You need to play and hang out with people your own age. You love your kids, you really do. You’d take a bullet for them, but sometimes you need a time-out and that’s when the power of the tailgate comes into effect. Granted I still took my kids with me because there was no babysitter available, again, but the fact that I still got a chance to hang out with friends and let loose was enough medicine to cure me of the I’ve-been-cooped-up-and-haven’t-seen-anyone-in-weeks-I’m-going-crazy blues.

How was I able to do that?

Nap time. Even my older kid who never sleeps during the day, took a nap.

The fact that we started our festivities at the beginning of nap time was awesome. I was happy that my kids were so exhausted that they slept through the hustle and bustle of setting up for the tailgate and the tunes our DJ was spinning from the Pandora sound experience.

I was kid-free for about two hours during the day. Something that rarely happens when the sun is out. I ate in peace. I had a conversation. I sat. I danced. I laughed. And then I ate some more. When my kids woke up there was no more sitting for me, but there was still plenty of laughter and dancing. All The Guats had a good time until the actual game began and we realized that our team got trounced.

But regardless of the loss, the tailgate festivities made up for the state of play.

For those of you who haven’t experienced this awesome American tradition, I strongly encourage you to put it on your Bucket List.  The power of tailgating … it’s a party filled with Food Network cuisine on the grill, music that makes you dance, friends that recharge you life battery, conversations that crack you up, laughter that fills your soul, and sports. It’s the type of situation that makes you forget that you have a few gray hairs.

Yeah … tailgating … it’s that powerful.

 

The place where it all happened.

 

As soon as we got there, we ran into people with spirit.

 

We also ran into people with a little too much spirit.

 

Before the big meal we snacked on a classic tailgate staple.

 

Then someone brought a classic thirst quencher we often sipped during our college days.

 

Then the party continued and I was able to hang out with the people who help me forget that I have gray hair.

 

 

 

Advertisement

Weekly Image of Life Challenge: Event

Event

 

It’s part of our culture.

It’s an all-day event.

It begins early in the morning and ends late at night.

It involves tailgating with  breakfast sandwiches, and orange juice, followed by BBQ wings, nachos, Goldfish Crackers, Capri Sun pouches and plenty of other beverages.

It involves high-fives and smiles, half-time shows and Thomas the Train companions.

It involves a stadium filled with fans cheering and my son enjoying every minute of it.

It involves touchdowns, excitement, and unforgettable woo-hoo moments with my son.

His first college football experience … definitely an event worth remembering.

 

 

Weekly Image of Life Challenge courtesy of This Man’s Journey.

 

 

Thank You Inventors of Duct Tape

It was a disaster. A disaster that hasn’t happened in over six years, but nevertheless a disaster anyway. A complete catastrophic event owed to the number three … as in three turnovers which led to three touchdowns, which then led to three glasses of Framboise. And then the complete disaster continued and ultimately sent me into a serious angry-depressed-crappy day spiral.

One pint of Ben & Jerry’s Half Baked.

Two Hostess cupcakes

11 Oreo cookies.

101 swear words.

One broken remote control.

And three Ghirardelli squares.

Still nothing.

My blood was still boiling.

My blood pressure was still up.

My profanity level was still at an all-time high.

Image via LA Times by Gina Ferazzi

If there were a time when you would want the players on television to hear you, it would be today. Today. The day of The Big Game. The day where my Trojans dropped the ball and uncharacteristically lost to the Bruins.

Dude.

I cleared out my chocolate stash and my emergency stash. Completely burned out by the terrible way they played in the first half and then making a big a huge comeback only to have a brain fart in the end. I mean who were these people?

Yeah the Trojans. Always giving their fans heart attacks and emotional breakdowns every season — however this season there was a little bit too much of that. Thank God for those Aflac commercials, otherwise I would not have laughed at all after the game.

Alas … the saga of the sports fan.

In the end it was the remote control who suffered most. Being thrown across the room and slammed against the floor whenever the Trojans made a bonehead error proved to be almost fatal. I’m a diehard fan there was a lot throwing. However, I’m glad I found the duct tape. It’s a miracle worker after BIG GAME night.

Thank you inventors of duct tape. Remote control works just fine.

 

Weekly Image of Life: Celebration

Celebration.

Celebrate friendship.

Celebrate college football.

Celebrate the post-game.

Celebrate with Framboise and other icy cold beverages.

Celebrate with The Band and its leader … Chantel.

Celebrate your inner youth.

Celebrate laughter.

Celebrate memories.

College reunions … a cause for celebration.

Hangovers … not so much.

However, this celebration still rocked.

.

 

Host of Weekly Image of Life Challenge: This Man’s Journey

Guys Suck … They Really Do. But Frida Helped Out.

Angry. Irate. Frustrated. Hostile. Raging. Furious. All hell was breaking loose as these emotions consumed me. I was so upset that I was practically foaming at the mouth.

You sit there with high hopes and they crush you. You feel like you can count on them, but they let you down. They tell you that you can expect great things from them this year and they don’t come through.  It was the most gut-wrenching six hours I’ve spent on a Saturday … well at least this year.

I was so angry that I actually screamed. Not a chick scary movie scream, an Incredible Hulk-Wolverine scream deep from my gut.

My mom and dude rushed in, a little freaked out, to see what could possibly ignite such madness.

“What happened! Are you all right?”

I pointed at the screen. They noticed the fans rushing the field and the score.

“Jesus!”

They shook their heads and went back downstairs.

Football. It was college football.

Who was responsible?

Image via GoldenBearsBlogs.com

 

Image via ESPN.go.com

 

These two dudes. Completely responsible for all the profanity, jumping, wall pounding, yelling, and superstitious ritual rally cap wearing throughout the day.

First D’Amato  stirred the pot with his non-kicking skills. He went 0 for 3 today. I’d understand 2 for 3, possibly accept 1 for 3. But 0 for 3. Dude if you were a stockbroker you’d so be fired with that stat. He missed three field goals that changed the momentum of the game and the mojo of his team. This is where the frustration began. Even though The CAL Golden Bears made a comeback , they ended up losing to Ohio State.

I was so upset that I had to leave the house. I chose to exit a cool-air-conditioned living room for a 100-degree blaring heat. I just couldn’t be in the same room with the television.

After I calmed down, I returned for what I thought would be a game to turn things around for me. An event so awesome that I would high-five myself. But no … none of that. I can’t even begin to explain the amount of errors on the field today. Interceptions. Duuuuuuuuuuuuuude. The thought of it riles me up a bit. I better stop and count to ten.

Rehashing the game will only infuriate me, and I am currently at an acceptable chocolate and alcohol induced state. I’d like to keep it that way before going to sleep.

But in short, the anger just boiled over with the USC Trojans Football Team. I mean they lost to Stanford, for crying out loud. There mascot is a tree. This is where the Incredible Hulk-Wolverine powerful yelling began. However this time I couldn’t escape immediately. I had to read The Adventures of Woody and Buzz Lightyear and put the kids to sleep.

This did not help improve my mood.

I so wanted to break up with both of these teams. But I didn’t. I ended going out for a run. If I had a punching bag that would have been so much better. But instead I put on my New Balance and hit the pavement.

Better, but not great, because after the anger, came the heartbreak, and then the drinking.

But then a friend of mine sent me a text message and it made me laugh:

“Like Frida said … I tried to drown my sorrows with alcohol, but they eventually learned how to swim!”

Enter chocolate. Lots of chocolate. No swimming back from that one.

 

 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Inside

Inside the Red Zone

Inside.

All you want is to make sure they get inside The Red Zone.

Inside those 20 yards right in front of the end zone.

I mean who messes up inside the Red Zone?

Inside those 20 yards means you’re closer to high-fiving your friend sitting next to you and the stranger sitting in front of you because your team will score.

Inside the Red Zone means you’ll no longer be behind by seven.

Inside the Red Zone means the obnoxious jackass from the other team sitting behind you will shut-up.

Inside the Red Zone calls for another beer.

Inside the Red Zone means the band plays your song.

Inside the Red Zone means the quarterback is not a complete moron.

They’re inside the huddle.

You pray that the quarterback doesn’t pass.

Break.

They run it.

He’s at the fifty, the forty, the thirty, the twenty… he’s down.

They’re inside the Red Zone.

High fives as expected. Beer as expected. Jackass quiet as expected.

The next play the quarterback fumbles.

He’s a moron as expected.

Inside the Red Zone.

 

 

 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Indulge

Indulge

 

Indulge.

Indulge in face painting.

Indulge in tailgating.

Indulge in touchdowns.

Indulge in high-fiving perfect strangers because your team scored.

Indulge in interceptions caused by defense.

Indulge in beer.

Indulge in losing your voice in overtime.

Indulge in friends that stay ’till the last second.

Indulge in meeting the drumline at a local bar.

Indulge in pizza at midnight.

Indulge in the college football experience.

Indulge.

Hoo-Raw!