Do I Wish I Could Go Back to College?

"I wish I could go back to college. In college you know who you are."-Avenue Q the Musical

Is this true? That in college you really discover yourself and you find your true identity? I don't really buy it, but I do know that college is a very unique time in life when you can truly think about identity and what values you hold true. It's funny, I never missed college a whole lot. I mean, there were certain times I would love to repeat, but other things I am happy are over. However, the one thing I miss terribly is the proximity. We were all so physically close. You could walk over to a building to see your friends. Everyone was always online, so you could talk to them on aim, and then go say hi, and it just felt so wonderful to have people you cared about all in the same place.
And then it was gone, just like that. I graduated and had to face the reality of life which was, I didn't live at college. I had to get a job, and focus on my future, and I couldn't walk over to ML to see Tina, I'd have to drive for a half hour on the highway, and most likely, she wouldn't be home, because she now has graduated too, and is searching for a way to make a living or even a life.
I mean, I have a wonderful fiancee, who I love dearly, and am truly grateful to have him in my life. But no one takes the place of friends who you love dearly.
I was always one of those optimistic kids who was like, "Of course this isn't goodbye. We're TOTALLY gonna visit each other, in fact, I'll call you when I get home" kind of a thing. Well, life isn't that easy or convenient, despite the internet and phone.
I decided with Pierre yesterday to do a little New Year's get together. And when he asked me why I invited so many people, I told him, that in actuality only like 10 will come at most, because most people have plans, or have a life, or obligations, and don't feel like shlepping to our house, or are on vacation, or whatever. People have their own lives. We are not in college where everything revolved around our social lives with some academics thrown in.
Right now, I'm thinking to myself, that I am grateful and happy where I am, but you know what I would like for the holidays? Just to have one night with some of my friends and my fiancee, just one night to catch up and see their smiling faces in person. Is that really too much to ask? I guess in today's world it is. And in actuality, no matter what happens for new year's, it's never what you think it's gonna be, because despite all of the hype the media gives it, not everyone has access to "the club" or "the party", and some people don't want to get so drunk that they can't remember their name the next morning. I like to be able to identify myself without having to wear a nametag, thank you very much.

Diamonds and Orchids and Designer Gowns- oh my!

I was watching a show called "Platinum Weddings" earlier today. It was a marathon of "Platinum Weddings", actually. Oh man. One of these shows I was watching, they had six courses of food. Six courses, hmmm. I don't know if that's really necessary. I feel like the weddings we see on TV are all about excess. It's as if a normal man and woman finding each other aren't good enough, we have to dazzle it up with jewels and sparkly chandeliers and make it so grossly over the top that it wows everyone who walks in the door. Who started this tradition of having grossly overstated weddings?
I wonder. I mean, I always thought of weddings as things in huge churches, with high ceilings, and dressed with long trains. However, there are other people in the world, besides Christians, and other places to get married, that don't have high ceilings. And it's not even really about the ceremony, it's all about the reception.
While watching this show today, I was amazed at the insanity of some people's receptions. One couple had a white "seamless" dance floor put in. I don't even know what that means. Another couple had various Las Vegas acts perform and two bands, and fireworks and pyrotechnics. There are children starving in Africa, why do you need fireworks at your wedding?
Another couple had over 50,000 dollars worth of flowers at their wedding. I mean I love flowers, but don't they want to save for retirement?
I feel like people think that weddings are outside all practical and rational thought. But the truth is that they are far from it. One must think rationally about these affairs, otherwise they become larger than life, and larger than the thing they are actually celebrating.