What, fourth post in a day? No big deal, right?

I was talking to one of my college friends last night - my soulmate really, and we were reflecting back on how absolutely amazing college was. Classes, schmasses. Whatever to that. What I remember from college was unbridled financial irresponsibility, binge drinking and all the trappings that come with that sport, being able to walk into the Angelic Brewing Company on a Thursday night, and knowing every other JAP with a Sapphire in one hand and a Parliament Light in the other...or the State for that matter, where everyone had a Marlboro in one hand and a Long Island in the other. I love walking into a bar and, as I make my way through the crowd, giving everyone their hello handshakes and kisses...It's been a common experience for me through college and law school, but does that happen when you're out of a scholastic environment?

Mem'ries.

Allison said that her memories of college were me, her and our other friend, K.T., meeting on State Street, clothes shopping like woah, and picking up yet another set of wineglasses, just...because, walking arm-in-arm down the street, bags swinging, stopping for a salad (or a Buffalo chicken sandwich, ZTeca Burrito, or a gyro in my case), then going out for a drink, depositing the bags back home, and going back out drinking, all the while waving at everyone we passed and yelling tonight's plans at them as we walked by. She also described feeling like "Hey! I have a job! This $100 a week coming in has me FLUSH with cash!"

And honestly? That's how I remember college too. Credit cards being swiped, receipts being printed and signed with a flourish, beers splashing, cameras flashing, shots clinking, lighters flicking, champagne bottles popping, "Better off Alone" in the background, handing a $20 to the Pokey Sticks delivery man and telling him to, "keep the change," black lights and gyros and Martinis and Cigars and endless French fries and Sal's Pizza, Bloody Marys on Sunday Mornings on the Captiol square, and pitchers on the Terrace from Der Rathskeller, sunlight glinting off black sunglasses, watching boats clip across Mendota - ice cream from the UW-Dairy and shopping trips into Chicago that would make me choke today. Clothing price tags clipped and regular $300 dollar runs to the liquor store after dropping $500 on groceries, Dara and I would smoke on our way to the tanning beds, and smoke on the way back.

I don't remember being hungover and I don't remember the 40 pounds I gained Freshman year. Well, I don't remember very much of Freshman year, period. I also don't really remember when I spent all of the rent money that Dara gave to me (to cover her rent while she studied abroad in London for a semester) on jeans and liquor, and thusly had to live out of my flask and the kindness of my wealthy friends, as I hustled for hours at College Library. God. Those were good times. I realize that law school is a partial extension of my college ridiculousness, but unfortunately, three years has tempered me slightly, and I'm a little older, a little wiser, a little more hungover the next day and a little more aware of the consequences of a splurge at BOP (when they used to sell men's clothing).

Still. The picture that I found of the State almost shows where I spent a good deal of Senior year... if you look at the foot of the stairs in the middle of the picture... that's where I was. Every night except Thursdays... Good Times.

Law school has been fun too, but I never made the neon-streaked memories and musical associations in law school that I did in college - the smell of Aqua di Gio may remind me of Stephen, but it's not tied to nearly as strong a memory as the smell of Dolce & Gabbana is to Dara, stomping down the street with a Burberry bag, yapping into her cellphone. Hearing "This Love" reminds me of the prebars that Jess threw, but still, not yet as strongly as Nelly's "Must be the Money" brings me back to the nicotine-stained and clementine-sticky smell of Suite 901E, The Towas, drinking diet cokes and smoking cigarettes with Amy, Katie and Gavin.

You can never go home again, but I will say this: Thank god I'm at in moderate contact with many of those amazing people who tinted my otherwise rose-colored days electric blue and lightning yellow. :)

And on that note, I am REALLY going to learn about mixed personal and business expenditures.