College Game Day
     I love fall. It took me moving to Houston to realize that. When I was young, I thought of fall in all the negative ways: going back to school, the closing of the pool, leaves dying and the weather getting cold, hinting at the coming brutality of winter. “Winter is Coming” is not only for the Starks. In Iowa, it’s also a thing.

     But, as I’m older, these things are all still true, but I see them differently. College was great, and fall meant tailgating at football games with friends. Even though I was a lifeguard, I never had a pool body, so the pool closing gave me a reprieve to that about that pool body I’d get “next year” as I fill up a second bowl of chili. And that cold weather, well I learned to appreciate those nice cool dry days that aired out the humid swamp ass of August, and allowed me to fully embrace my basic white girl ways, because I like a Pumpkin Spice Latte every now and then. And my plaid blanket scarf and outerwear game is on point.

     When I lived in Houston, I realized all of these things. Around September and October, I would be looking at my friends’ Facebook pages, seeing them opening windows and talking about crock pot chili, and I’m thinking “We still at over 100 degrees and over 80% humidity, I don’t think we’ve ever opened our windows. Chili sounds like the worst thing ever right now.”

     Another reason fall holds a special place in my heart is that a lot of major events in my life have happened when the leaves start to turn. Josh and I started dating in late October, and last year we had our little pumpkin in October. So, in the past couple of years, these cool temps make me feel new again.

     It’s opening day of Iowa State football, and just most college teams in general have their first game today. Josh won’t ever say it, but I think this is his favorite day of the year. It’s like his Christmas, he’s full of innocent childlike optimism, talking about saving money for a trip to bowl game, running wires through our house so we can watch the game on the deck, and smiling when I dressed our son in a ISU football onsie. We try to save the money, knowing full well Iowa State will shit the bed again. Iowa State’s football program often goes the way my pool body goes…glimmers of hope, but not really taking off. So that money will likely turn into flights to Omaha for Christmas, but it’s cute to see Josh so restless, randomly throwing out a wish list for this year. “I really hope the offense can get it together this year.” “We got some new recruits that should really make some plays.”

     Of course I share the excitement. I suggested holding a BBQ, which is our normal mode of celebration, but Josh doesn’t want to be distracted during the game. Bitches still gotta eat though, so I bought some ribs and gave him a time that I wanted them ready, just the three of us. I am cleaning the whole house, every window is open, and I spent a good 20 minutes picking out the right microbrewed ales to try this weekend.  Right now I’m drinking a special birthday edition of Shiner’s Cold Brew Ale, because it’s technically part coffee, and it’s not quite noon yet.

     I think it’s all more fun because we have our son to pass this along to. Josh really wants to take him to a game this year, but I'm being a realist about him staying even remotely still for 4 hours. We have his little ISU umbrella chair all set up in the backyard, and hopefully he can stay awake long enough to watch a quarter and not be a monster.

     Suck it, Panthers.