Entries this day: back_to_UH

back to UH

25 August 1998

Yesterday my friend Sarah invited me to say HI to her at 4pm at Camp Guerin at University of Houston.

I was almost embarassed that I had to ask, "which one is Camp Guerin?" (She told me it's the one by PGH.) "Oh yeah!"

So today I took a nap and perfectly woke up at 3:40 and drove out to UH. Wow. Nostalgic feelings rushed toward me at 60 miles per hour on the highway.

Oh my gosh they're building a highway right in front of the main entrance!! Wow! I won't have to wait for this traffic light anymore... but it sure will feel different.

I rolled around to the back side of the campus where I always parked and found a spot fairly close.

Barefoot, with frisbee in hand, I stepped back onto my campus.

Light smile of the Buddah on my face as all the memories flood back from the residence halls... Walking through the Quad, where I nearly lived for 3 years (I never actually lived there, but I hung out there all the time) everything seemed the same.. except they had powerwashed the buildings! They seemed white! Wow!

Over the bridge across my fountain and toward PGH I saw Sarah sitting by Camp Guerin, reading. I pretty much was right by her before she saw me.

"HI!"

"HI!"

We hugged and walked over to the University Center for a snack. Before we got there, we stopped by a booth labeled, "First Impressions." To my wonderous surprise, I was recognized.

His name is Eric, and he knew me as that Barefoot Frisbee Guy on campus. Wow! I introduced myself and Sarah. He said he would probably be there for another hour so we might catch him on the way back from the UC. Cool.

In front of the UC, I recognized someone.

"ohmygosh" I said. "I know him I know him..." "HI!"

His name is Mike.

"Oh yeah!" We said HI a bit and I introduced Sarah. Short conversation as we never *really* knew each other, but yeah.

Sarah and I bought snacks (I got trail mix, ice cream bar, and Surge) and walked down to the lounge by Campus Activities, where people had filled more than half the chairs, talking, studying, and one girl was even curled up sleeping.. Normal college stuff.

I told Sarah stories and delighted in the delight of just being *back* at UH again.. so much was still the same.

'course, it's only been 2.5 years; not that much could change.. but it seems like it's been forever!!

Into Campus Activities we wandered and I was drawn to the office of the Student Program Board. Her desk was moved, but LaDonna's name was still on the plaque. yay!

I said HI to someone named April, and left a fun note for LaDonna.

Then outside we meandered to go to AH.

Just outside the UC, I saw Spencer!! I couldn't remember his name but I knew it started with an S. He just almost remembered mine. Amazing! I gave him my email address and stuff. It'll be cool if he emails me.

Back over to say HI to Eric, we said HI and he asked about my degree and job and I told him and told him I quit to do youth advising.. We just yacked a bit and I wished him a great semester.

(I'll speed this story up)

To Social Work (building) to AH organization office I met Nicky (sp) a friend of Sarah's, and lo and behold she knew that *I* was the Wonderboy who busted his head inline skating!

I gave her the URL of the adventure so she can read about it. Yay! I love it when people are interested in my page!

Walked Sarah to her class in the Roy Cullen building right next to the big fountain. I cut the corner and waded through the fountain, just to do it.

"I knew you were going to do that."

"How?" I teased.

"I just did!"

Hugged her off to her class and walked back out to my fountain and sat, meditating in the comforting energy.

Met and talked to Susan and Eddie, who were staffing a "First Impressions" table just like Eric had been, and told them all sorts of stories of some of my adventures on campus, mostly centered around the airvents.

"See, the airvents are all evacuating air out of the tunnels under the campus. My friend, who shall remain nameless, and I decided to map out the vents from underground. So, of course, we had to name them first.

"We started over by the shallow wading fountain, and called that one 'AV Omega' (AV stands for Air Vent)

"Then there's the flat air vent over there that we call 'AV Bacteria.' That's because it's by the Ezekiel Cullen Building or 'E Cullen' or 'E Coli'.. bacteria!

"Then we named that one after Marcel (oops I said his name), 'Camp Guerin'

"The one over by Social work is 'Nugen's landing,' named after me, and then there's 'Lonesome Squirrel' over by the SR1 building."

I continued my stories of all the air vent names I could remember (pretty much all of them (unless I forgot any hahaha)) and I could see after a while they were getting bored of my stories.

That was cool because a guy named Joe walked up and asked where the Engineering building was.

"I'll walk you to it," I said, and I did.

I mosied (how do one spell the past tense of mosey?) over to the Communications building and found the Daily Cougar office and the Houstonian (yearbook) offices both closed.

Then back toward my fountain, where I found Nicky again! Wow!

And here's the coolest part of the day: she was taking pictures of the water spouts in the fountain, and I waded out there and posed for the shots! (Anything for a publicity stunt!)

I met her friends and we yacked a bit and then it was time to mosey some more.

I wished them all great semesters and headed off west into the sunset toward gymnastics, with incredible joy, high energy love and happiness for the world.

Awwwww.