Operation: Ruin Hopes and Dreams

Blog 2/8/2010: Operation: Ruin Hopes and Dreams

1. Weddings
2. Bachelor parties
3. The Super Bowl


1. So I was asked to be a Groomsman in Chads wedding. It ought to be a real interesting show. Wink, wink. The wedding is September 24th and it just so happens to be the exact same day as the remake of Red Dawn is released. So I am really torn on what to do with the day. Should I go to the wedding of my college roommate, or go to see the remake of one of the most breathtaking movies in the last 30 years? This one might take me a while to figure out.

2. So Chad has it in his mind that he is going to Vegas for his bachelor party. I have a few comments on that subject. I think this concept is very selfish of the groom to be. Of course a groom to be wants to go to Vegas. The groom to be wants his bachelor party to go down as the most memorable bachelor parties in the history of bachelor parties. Of course the movie "The Hangover" didn't help. What every groom to be needs to realize is that for the guests of a bachelor party, there will be many bachelor parties in their lives.

One of my major hang-ups with Vegas for bachelor parties is the inherent cost of the trip. Being conservative a plane ticket from DIA costs $150, hotels for 3 nights $140 per person, meals $120, "entertainment" money $100, gambling money $200, and multiply the total by 1.33 since you'll be paying for the groom to be. That comes to a total of $944, that is a really expensive weekend no matter how you count it. Remember, that is a per person fee.

My second issue with a Vegas bachelor party assumes that you are not a lottery winner or heir to millions. I am assuming that there is a certain portion of the population that will balk at spending a grand on a weekend so there will be fewer people at the party in Vegas. If the party were held in town more people would come and partake in the fun. In my naive little world more people=more fun.

The last issue that I'll mention with Vegas is that when you're there for a party, unless you're Lindsey Lohan, you are just another face in the crowd. Why not spend a weekend in town and do all of the insane (sky dive, bungie jump, golf, smoke cigars, see the big game from club level, floozies, etc...) things that you want to do for far cheaper and all while the groom to be is the center of attention. You'd live life like a king.

In conclusion, the phrase "What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas" is not true. Here is a non-complete list:
1. Your credit card debit from gambling too much
2. An arrest record
3. Herpies (thanks, The Hangover)
4. A marriage to a cocktail waitress (thanks, the Simpsons)
5. A guilty conscience

3. The Super Bowl was yesterday and I thought it was a real sleeper. I just had a hard time getting up for the game between two teams that I really don't care about. It really brings me to my next point. I hate all of those people that jump on the bandwagon of the winning team. I include people in the previous statement that refuse to acknowledge their team when the team is doing terrible. Winning is so much sweeter, when you've been with the team through the ups and more importantly the down.

There was a term that I learned in grad school related to that fact, it was BIRGing,Basking In Reflective Glory. BIRGing relates to an individual feeling a level of success through the success of another. It's commonly associated with fans of sports teams. This may be the reason why I don't really associate with any professional sports teams. I really don't see the point of cheering for a guy like Brett Farve only to see him go to an arch rival a couple years later. In the college game there are fewer issues with player issues like that.

Currently watching, "The Education of Charlie Bartlett"