Conor - Reprise

Eliot just lost against Vargas for the second time. Vargas isn't a very hard boss, Eliot just plays with a little too much style. He has a natural inclination towards flair, an irrepressible urge to give the audience a show. So instead of just hitting "attack" over and over again until Vargas the improbably big and improbably evil martial arts master falls to his assault, Eliot takes his time. Eliot inputs random button commands, hoping that something cool will happen, and the game's like "what are you doing, no," and big ol' Vargas laughs and punches him in the face again. Twice now Eliot's thrown the match in an attempt to pull off a big stunt. As big of a stunt as you can pull in Final Fantasy VI, anyway. The kid needs to play within himself.

That's cool, though, that's fine, I have a Classic Brian to write and nothing better to watch. Actually that's not true at all. Watching cooler better things is the how I've kept myself busy over the break. 7 episodes of the Wire over 2 days and 5 episodes of Breaking Bad today alone. Boom. Thanksgiving Break, 2011, motherfuckers. Y'all know how I do.

Thanksgiving Break is an awkward break. Thanks to OU oppressing us with Monday and Tuesday classes I'm given 4 days to enjoy Springfield, Illinois. As Eliot pointed out, those 4 days can be spent either relaxing and enjoying myself with the few close friends who I naturally gravitate to in my spare time, or I can spend them running across town and seeing every single one of the people who I've missed and need to catch up with. I miss these people and I'd love to see them, but a long, stressful semester has tired me out, there's mashed potatoes in the fridge and freshish rolls on the stove, Winter Break is right around the corner, and Nick's house is right across the street. Looks like I'm playing Mario Party and watching the Wire tonight.

As brief as it is, Thanksgiving Break came at the perfect time this year. I may have bitten off more than I can chew this semester, and a lot of stressors were accumulating at worrying rates. Thanksgiving rolls around like a beautiful, beautiful Band-Aid, solving nothing, but at least giving me a slight respite from all of that. I don't deal with my problems, I drive 10 hours away from them for a week or so. Like I said, y'all know how I doooo.

Here in Springfield, we never have plans for the here and now, we always have plans for the future. Like I know what TV shows I'm going to ruin over Winter Break, and what video games I'm going to marathon, and what gigs Band Practice will hopefully be playing, and such, but tonight? Yeah, I'm cool with Steak n' Shake if you guys are. I don't mind this. I don't have to be doing something special to enjoy myself, it's just nice seeing everyone, but we have significant problems coming up with plans that aren't Steak n' Shake.

Once again, not like that's a bad thing. Anyone in Norman who's witnessing my current Cane's spiral of self-destruction should know that I would never grace that lowly chicken tender vendor (heyooo) with my presence if there was a Steak n' Shake in town. This shit is for real. There's nothing quite like a Western BBQ Bacon burger, hold the cheese because cheese is gross and also icky. Food was a big priority for me this break. I did not fail in my goals to eat all of the foods. Apologies to anyone who wanted any of the foods.

If anyone wanted to practice their intervention skills, I could really use a lot less Monster energy drink in my life. The balls in your court now, everybody else in my life. This is now your responsibility, and more importantly, your fault. Stop allowing me to drink this delicious garbage really really often.

Sunday I drive back to Norman for 2 or 3 weeks of hard work, and then I will return here. I will probably sit in this chair, and play this video game with these people. I'm looking forward to it, it'll be a welcome rest, as apposed to the nap that is Thanksgiving Break. Like naps, it was very pleasant and I needed it, but it lulled me into a false sense of security. There's still work to be done. That's fine though. Y'all know how I do.