Heather, Bob, Shannon and I spent a fun Friday night cheering on the Cougars, a single A baseball team in the area. We were going to stay for the fireworks after the game but the cool spring night turned cold after the sun went down.

God, I love single A baseball. We splurged on the second most expensive seats in the park: $10 to sit a few rows behind home plate (for two bucks more we could have been in the first two rows). The players are there for the game (or at least the dream of a future major league game), the food is great, and the beer is slightly cheaper than Wrigley’s. Between each inning there is usually some sort of event involving kids racing around the bases, so it’s always entertaining.

I think the night is best summed up by what the four of us ate:

• 2 cheddar-wurst dogs (mmmm… cheese-filled meat)
• 2 regular hot dogs
• 1 “grande” nacho
• 1 bag of peanuts
• 2 hot chocolates in collector’s mugs
• 6 draft beers
• 1 bag of blue cotton candy (hence the picture)

[note: This post has been backdated to correspond with the date of the events described]

Bob, Heather, Shannon and I all met up yesterday afternoon at Features (a bar/grill in downtown Naperville) to watch the IU vs. Ohio State basketball game (we lost). While finishing off our second pitcher of beer Bob and I decided that we should continue to have a drink at every bar within walking distance. Hence the first annual “Bar Crawl For No Reason” began.

Our lady companions decided that shopping would be a better way to spend their time and headed off to Pottery Barn. Bob and I enjoyed a drink at several bars, collecting matchbooks when available and writing down what we drank (picture on right):

• Features - Two pitchers of Sam Adams (tasty but expensive)
• The Lantern - Heineken bottles (tasty, and green)
• Jimmy’s Grill - Amstel light bottles (nice smooth drink)
• Timpano’s Martini Bar - Orange flavored Grey Goose w/ tonic, Romeo Y Juliet cigars (which the people sitting next to us hated, sorry)
• Potters Place - Margarita (really sweet and gross)
• Two Nine - Sangria pitcher (at this point the women have rejoined us)

All told, I had about 7-8 drinks over the course of 5 hours. Usually, back when I was a 21-year-old, this would be enough to keep me buzzing but not nearly enough to make me sick.

Guess what happened next?

If you answered “ditch plan to play board games with Heather and Bob, and instead throw up in bathroom at home” you are correct, sir! As a 27-year-old I felt (and still feel) rather stupid. Naturally I have tried to blame it on other things. The cigar was probably not a wise move: in addition to such alluring extras as cancer and the ability to still taste it 12 hours later, I had also not had a smoke in many moons and I didn’t quite feel right after finishing it. Or perhaps it was the undercooked burger I ate at Features: then again that was a damn good burger, smothered in hickory sauce and bacon.

So the only thing left to blame is myself. Wow, I am a dumb ass sometimes. Lesson learned for the eighty-third time.