I just got back from our monthly blogger pizza party, thrown by our generous, handsome, and intelligent bosses. It sounds innocent enough: pizza, chit-chat, hobnobbing. But, I've got to tell you, six hours of rhythmic chanting and ritualistic animal sacrifice really takes its toll.
I'll leave the specifics of our "pizza" party to your imagination, but I came away with some good feedback from my fellow bloggers: apparently my recent posts have been somewhat depressing. Now, I think that my prediction of the coming Mad Maxification of the United States will prove prescient, but I don't want to leave you with the impression that we Oberliners just jump from one existential crisis to the next, pausing only to rearrange our black turtlenecks, revel in the misery of the current economic conditions, and reread The Bell Jar.
No, no, no! Look at these exclamation marks! We are a generally merry bunch! Honestly, my jaded exterior is but a façade, built to hide my emotions and inability to relate to potential sexual partners.
The fact of the matter is that--while my fellow bloggers do an admirable job of it--writing about Oberlin is hard, and, in the absence of things to write about, my default writing voice is similar in tone to Crankshaft.
But I can change! Here are some happy Oberlin things:
(1) I recently discovered that, if you get there early enough, you can get some of the most delicious pastries you've ever tasted in the Science Center. They have a little cart that they put out each morning at 7:30 AM, full of warm croissants and Danishes, pockets and hand pies, scones and muffins. Good god, just thinking about it makes my mouth water and my soul sing. (2) I got an A on my last paper. What up.
(3) This Saturday, at a poker game, I got taken to the cleaners by a professional clown and the father of one of my friends. I haven't had this much fun losing, well, ever. Also, can you think of any place in the world, other than Oberlin, where someone's dad--a clown, literally, and a poker shark, figuratively--would come to and enjoy a student poker game? I can't.
Obviously, I could go on. There are at least a couple of moments each day when I shake my head, smile, and think to myself, ahh, Oberlin. All of my fellow bloggers, I'm sure, know what I'm talking about. Whether it's seeing Harkies doing contact improv in Wilder Bowl, or hearing the sounds of bagpipes from Tappan, or catching a glimpse of the famed Albino Squirrel, Oberlin is full of these little pleasures, and, if I really wanted to, I could write blog post after blog post detailing them.
But it's hard to explain these moments if you're not in Oberlin. I can write about how awesome it is that, in one night, I saw a recital by one of the best historical countertenors in the country; went to a dance concert featuring students performing modern lyric, Israeli folk, and break dancing; and still had time to lose money to a clown. But that's hard.
So, I'll make you a deal, readers, (and I know you exist, because I look on Sitemeter, and plenty of people read this blog), you let me know when I'm getting to depressing. Let me know when you want a fun Oberlin story; I've got plenty. We have a comments section; tell me what you want to hear, and I'll do my best to oblige.
