Friday and The Full Moon

Just some morning cardio today.  30 minutes inclined treadmill.  I really hate doing this, but it is what I need to do to win this challenge.

On my way in to the gym this morning I was thinking about a bar that my fellow Carroll students and I frequented while in school.  This place was called The Full Moon.  By sheer coincidence Lance sent me this text this afternoon: Lingerie Night at The Full Moon.  Crazy.  The best way I can describe The Full Moon is that it is Tijuana, Mexico, a trailer park, and international waters all rolled into one.  They used to have this promotion called Lingerie Night.  It was by far one of the most awkward things I've ever been a part of.  It's just random women from some Milwaukee escort service walking around in their underwear.  They would come around and ask if you wanted a "dance" and if you bought one they would just kind of wiggle around in front of you and tell you what they were wearing and where they got it from.  I accidentally bought one and was laughing on the outside, but crying on the inside for this poor woman.  She didn't want to tell me she got her bra at Vicotria's Secret and I honestly didn't give a shit.  For the dance they also gave away raffle tickets.  I didn't win, but what were they raffling?  That's right, hardcore porno and sex toys.  I shit you not.

Lance also hit the nail on the head when he wrote me this: I think the main reason our group of friends behave the way we do in drinking environments is because we cut our teeth at a bar the resembles thunder dome and not some bs college bar.

Back to the everyday operation that was The Full Moon.  Our first taste was St. Patrick's Day my sophomore year.  They gave away free green beer and acted as if they didn't know they had to card people that looked like they might still be in high school.  Anything was ok at The Full Moon.  Wanted to jump on a bunch of your friends off of the stage.  Go for it.  Want to get all liquored up and pass out on the bar.  Just don't puke.  Want to scream "Fuck 'em Bucky!" at the top of your lungs at the regular on the other side of the bar.  Hell we'll scream with you.  That place was the finest Waukesha had to offer and a bunch of dumb, drunk, underage college kids.  What could go wrong?

Well it turns out the police got wise to us.  Soon they started raiding the place for underage kids.  The back door was never locked so all the young'ns could make their escape.  Soon the fines were too much and they had to start carding.  We were all over 21 for the most part by then and we still went, but it seemed to lose some of the appeal.  We wanted the good old days, the all-or-nothing days.  We'll never get them back, but maybe that's for the best.

Now half of the fun of going to The Full Moon were the walks to and from said establishment.  Way too many stories to name here.  But I can tell you there were swims across the Fox River, broken parking arms, hilarious ice slips, overpacked cars, and epic falls in the middle of the street.  I'm positive I'm missing some so please, remind me.

I don't wax nostalgic that often, but when I do, I can't help but think about those days and be thankful for all of the people I shared those memories with.  Truly great people that I wouldn't trade for the world.