crusty and less-crusty West Point grads meet for dinner with their spouses and wax poetically about the way things used to be. The Superintendent of West Point, Lieutenant (3-star) General Frank Hagenbeck, will talk for a half-hour about how great the program is and how things will be getting better in the future, and some young 20-year-old Cadet will stand up and talk for a while after him, insuring us that it's still hard a West Point. Blah, Blah, Blah.I'm as patriotic as the next guy, more so perhaps, but I just don't do military functions well. Having to "suit up", sit at a round table with 5 other couples I hardly know and pass salt around is just not my idea of a good time. You'd hardly guess I sell stuff for a living! I'd so much rather have not postponed my 2-hr run 'till Saturday.
Mrs. B is friends with Hope, who's a classmate of mine and who also is on the Founder's Day Committee - so...it's very hard to bow out of this event anymore. I've been good at it so far - missed it 4 years in a row! Well, time for an attitude check, mister - this will be fun, right? I'll bust bugs after work getting there, drink water while everyone else is drinking cocktails, including Mrs. B, hopefully =;-) and maybe I'll run into someone from my past military life that I used to know. An old friend. Who's name I can't remember for the life of me. Now that's FUN!
6 comments:
Would it be uncivilized to drink a beer whilst everyone is sipping cocktails?
Beer would be a good source of water and sodium for your run. :)
I read on a blog somewhere that if you are going to do triathlon right you have to find a way to slip it into every conversation possible so that everyone knows you are doing triathlons. However, this tactic tends to alienate people rather quickly, unless you are real slick about it.
Look at this as a new venue for "spreading the word."
Funny story, I never did well at military functions either. The last Marine Corps Ball I attended on order of my CO...got myself thrown out. Of course I did so in an acceptable Marine Corps fashion so as not to arouse suspicion. I got ripped and started a fight with my best friend. We went out 4 wheeling in our dress blues post haste ;-)
I suspect Mrs. B would frown on that kind of behavior though, huh?
Good you hung in there, not military but came from military family, but not remember any events. I agree would have rather been running or biking or swimming or watching/reading something about tri's ...lol..
Have a great weekend!
rockon`
My brother was an athlete at West Point for 2 years and all his friends are graduating this year. I have gotten to know several of them, and we were able to hang out with a few of them at Mardi Gras this year. Anyway, my point is, why are so many Cadets and post Cadets I know and meet so bitter about the whole thing? I realize it wasn't as fun as partying at an SEC school and as a whole the women leave much to be desired, but still you are one of a handful of people that can say you are a West point grad. It is elite company and something very few people have the ability/chance to do. We triathletes talk and talk about doing things that few people do, but more people do Ironman Hawaii every year than get into West Point. So, my questions is, why all the bitterness and trash talking about West Point from grads? Just curious, but I don't get it!
Well it won't be all bad, you can enjoy the food and partake of the refined liquid refreshments:) It's always enjoyable to read the blog and the interesting comments so I established an account and the rest will be history. Keep working on the diet, I've gained a few lbs back but I'm back on track. First one too 225 wins.
Well, I'm glad someone is going to these events because it is surely not us. Every year we get invited to the USMC and Army Balls and DH usually comes up with some excuse to politely decline -- thank goodness!
Thanks for your comment on my blog. Good luck with the Strawberry Century next weekend. I'd considered doing it but wimped out to make sure I'm fully recovered for my next marathon the following weekend.
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