Meet the Author Monday

Going around the blogosphere recently is a wicked game of tag. Kind of reminds me of other initiation rites I experienced in college, like getting creeked. For those who don't know what getting creeked is like, imagine living in the "JOCK DORM" and looking up from your dorm room bed where you are chilling, to see a room full of your hallmates grinning like the Cheshire cat.  This is disturbing to say the least. Jock Guys do not look good with a Cheshire cat grin on their faces. Just saying.


I had just witnessed a fellow hallmate get creeked, and he's much more buff than I ever was, even in college. They handcuffed him, and he BROKE THE HANDCUFFS. Then, because he didn't cooperate, they saran-wrapped him head to toe and carried him down (3 flights of stairs and across campus) to the creek, stripped him and threw him in. When he got out, they only gave him a diaper and bib and baby bonnet to wear; they had taken his clothes elsewhere.  With this kind of initiation experience in mind, I quickly decided cooperation was a good thing to minimize the impending embarrassment. Did I mention I'm not a jock?

So, the guys taped my wrists with packing tape, lifted me up on their shoulders (there were a dozen or so jock guys involved), and carried me awkwardly down the hall, down three flights of stairs through the main campus center building, past security ("it's his birthday, okay?"--which sadly worked) and down across the covered bridge and to the creek. I was a little creeped out to envision a dozen guys stripping off my clothes, so I opted to take them off myself. (I'm a helper, it's what I do.) They took my clothes and I jumped in (bonus points for cooperation?) Yay. I was "one of the guys." They cheered and whooped and thought it was hilarious, me standing naked in the creekbed. Passersby stopped and gawked at my nakedness. After climbing out, they were nice enough to give me my clothes back and security even drove me back to my dorm. I didn't have the heart to tell him it wasn't my birthday. I just let him talk on and on about his own fond memories.

In the spirit of revealing more personal information, and the current tag game going around (nope, no one has tagged me yet!) I've decided to post these "Meet the Author Monday" blogs to share such amusing anecdotal stories and tales from my life. I did consciously use the word "author," because I am confident I will achieve this title soon. Also, I'd like to suggest a few things:

1. Learn to laugh at yourself.
2. Find ways to incorporate your funny experiences in your writing.
3. Don't take yourself so seriously.

I'd love to hear your favorite initiation story. Did you ever get hazed in college? Another common one was ice water dumped on you in the shower. Of course, most of the guys on the hall typically walked down to the shower with the towel in their hands, and completely naked. It's just the way guys are. What stories do you have to share? I'd love to hear your zingers in the comments below. Oh, and the picture is my tattoo, a dragon and phoenix entwined.