Homecoming at Delta Delta Delta

Homecoming and fall at the Tri Delt House in Bloomington brings back special memories--like 1973 when we and the Sig Eps won the grand trophy for best homecoming display. (I was so stressed, worrying about tripping in the middle of the football field at half time when my Sig Ep counterpart and I accepted the trophy for the brothers and sisters.) Sadly, there weren't any lawn displays this year--just painted sidewalks and steps.

You can come home again

Last Saturday was IU homecoming. Even though I'm already "home," homecoming weekend still feels like a special day and time with a holiday aura. B'ton swells with returning alums anxious to show their children, mates or significant others where they guzzled their last collegiate beer, the exact booth where they drank it, and any other sorted details they can remember that could be associated with that particular ritual. The lines at the Steve and Barry's collegiate sportswear outlet curl out to the street and the community sees red (actually cream and crimson) for at least 48 hours. Nicks is standing room only with as many as three generations of IU alumni. (Its a good thing, we know where to find it, since its historical neon sign is nearly unnoticeable due to the concrete fire wall of the apartment construction next door.)

Homecoming 2007 events started Friday afternoon with the customary parade down third street and ending at the Sample Gates. That evening was the annual homecoming concert at Assembly Hall with Bob Dylan the headliner. We've gone from Bob Hope to Bob Dylan and Elvis Costello. It's too much to imagine that Dylan was originally popular with most of the current co-eds' grandparents. Yup. The times, they are a changin'.

Even nature contributed to the festive atmosphere. In spite of the lack of rain and drought conditions, the trees on campus put on a spectacular light show in all imaginable colors of crimson, gold and pumpkin.

And the roads to Brown County and French Lick were bumper to bumper with pilgrims seeking fall color magnificence. They were not disappointed. So with that, I'm glad to share some wonderful images of fall in Bloomingtown.

Pirates of Monroe Revised: Au Revoir Tiki Bar

The established Bloomington grape vine announced last week that the owners of the Inn of the Four Winds will have the hotel demolished in November. Was it the Tiki Bar or the blog that convinced them it was time to for a redo.

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen, already!

According to the calendar, summer officially left last month. By now our favorite IU sweatshirts and sweatpants with INDIANA across the bum should be the dress of the day. Not when its STILL 90 degrees in Ol' B'town. Central air conditiong bills continue in the mega dollars and Indian summer is just a continuation of Indiana summer.

The heat's also making some people do crazy things--like throwing their support to the Republican candidate for Bloomington's mayor. Eighteen local dems must have had been suffering from heat stroke when they put their names on a mailer saying they're turning their backs on the incumbent and supporting--dare I say it--the REPUBLICAN. That word just sticks in the community's throat like a wad of sour apple bubble gum. And I'm lovin' every minute of it!

Having only voted for one or two donkeys that I can remember, I've always been in the minority around here and have had to swallow hard , grin and bare all the sarcasm and verbal abuse from what I refer to as the "dark side." This is great. Now they're cannibalising themselves--with no help from the right. So if the weather wasn't hot and steamy enough, the election certainly will be.

We can only hope that the temps cool off sooner rather than later and the heat in the kitchen continues to rise.