I'll Sleep When I'm Dead.

Before I cover this weekend's shenanigans, I have something much more important and serious to talk about. Six years ago today cancer took the life of musician Warren Zevon. Zevon, a highly underrated performer was best known for his hit “Werewolves of London” and other songs “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead,” “Excitable Boy,” “Lawyers, Guns, and Money” and “Splendid Isolation.” Although I didn’t start listening to him until this past summer many of Zevon’s songs have quickly climbed to the top of my itunes. Zevon, who was very good friends with David Letterman was a frequent guest on the show, the most memorable was when he was the only guest and stayed on for the entire show, shortly after announcing his cancer diagnosis. Zevon refused treatment, partially due to his life long fear of doctors and he accepted his grim future by recording a final album “The Wind” in which he recorded a version of Bob Dylan’s “Knocking on Heaven’s Door.” I do not consider myself to be an emotional person, but I can’t help but get the chills to say the least every time I watch this performance of “My Shit’s Fucked Up,” (see below) a song he wrote before he learned of his diagnosis, but took on a completely different meaning after. Zevon was just 56 years old at the time of his passing. Zevon often said he made choices that probably didn’t help his life, but he was always glad that he had fun, or as he put it to “enjoy every sandwich.”

I can’t help but agree with Zevon on his perspective of life. I know that he obviously did some hard-core shit, stuff that I’ll never touch, but as a student at a rambunctious university I’m going to have my share of fun, especially on the weekends. And this weekend has been no exception.

Things started off kind of slow on Thirsty Thursday, primarily because most of my friends have Friday classes, but that didn’t stop us (me) from drinking most of a large jug of Carlo Rossi Sangria, the most deliciously cheap red wine available. I highly recommend it. That night I made my first D-Hop trip of the year and I was very pleased to see the trumpet and banjo kids were back at their posts, pan-handling out front of the campus’ best pizzeria. I didn’t puke. One for one!

Friday night things picked up a little. I stepped up from wine to Svedka. A couple friends and I played a few round of dringa (a drinking version of jenga, in which every piece has a different rule on it.) Most of the rules are simple like take 3; give 4 and others have many same rules as Kings. But then there are a few pieces such as “act out a movie scene” (I nailed that one) do 25 push-ups and do a summersault (which has a huge puke factor). After this we went to a small “get together” at one of our university's fine fraternities. I made it back to my bed without puking. Two for Two!

On Saturday, after attending the football game, things picked up where they left off that morning. A friend of mine from UMaine who was home for the weekend stayed over for the night. After a few drinking games we made it to D-Hop for my second trip of the year. We were planning on having my friend buy a large pizza and handing the slices out to show that UMaine kids aren’t all bad. By the time we got to D-Hop we completely forgot about the plan. As a side note: I bought a pack of cloves at Store 24 and got carded for the first time in my life. (I’ve never bought tobacco before.) While at D-Hop we ran into a kid I knew in high school who invited us back to his apartment where we became influenced by a substance other than alcohol. I personally didn’t puke this night either. Three for three! Success!

When I got back to my room early Sunday morning I checked my facebook account for the blog and I ended up chatting with a reader. His name is Allen F, he lives in big willy and he is the man. (Ladies.) This is a short clip of the brief chat we had:

NH: thanks, i promise to keep writing if you tell a friend about the blog.

Allen: i just told three friends i deserve a fucking medal

NH: word. ill give you a shout out if you want.

Allen: ha thatd be solid man, thanks

NH: done deal.

Allen, not only do you get a shout out, here is your fucking medal.

So listen people, if you add me on facebook you just might get to chat with me. Don’t be shy, but more importantly,

Stay classy, not UMassy.