Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Why Beer Commercials Have Ruined Summer for Me

This weekend I took Mark to Waterton to celebrate the fact that he had written his CMA exam. All he has done for the past four months is study. He was getting to be a little big pointy in his demeanor and sharp with his language. Since Waterton is pretty much dead in November, I figured it would be a good place to take him to unwind.

Mark, you see, doesn't unclench - ever. Even when we are on vacation he only has about 3 days of sitting on the beach in him. The longest I have seen him go is 4 days. When he hits this barrier, the fidgeting starts. He starts to sigh, he asks me 3 or 4 times if I want to go for a walk, inquires if I need another drink, if he can braid my hair. You get the point. There is little to do but tell him to stop bothering me and go entertain himself. When I am on vacation, I want to sit on the beach, with my drink beside me and slowly disappear into my book.

Therefore, one night in a quiet mountain village should be just long enough to sate him. But as we wandered the deserted streets I couldn't help but reflect on how all these quaint resorts have been ruined for me by beer commercials.

Everywhere we walked things where shut down for the season. Maybe it was this gap in diversions that got me thinking about how I have such an unrealistic idea of how to have fun in these communities. All summer long you get inundated with images of happy, nubile people chugging beer and hanging out at a friend's cabin having the hedonistic time of their lives. After sitting through 30 odd years of this type of propaganda I sometimes have to slap myself and remember that no one can afford a cabin anymore, that most people have kids so spin the bottle is off the menu, I don't really like beer, I think camping is for those who don't know better, and I have no idea how to build a fire. And even more importantly, no desire to learn.

Picture from Flickr

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I keep telling you that you don't want to come to my cabin and you keep insisting that you do. Now i have it in print that you really would not be so fussy for it!

Anonymous said...

I guess I don't know better. I love camping, beer, beer commercials and I have had to show many a man how to build a fire. I even chop wood. Oh My God I suddenly have a craving for a lumberjack!!

Anonymous said...

As long as you don't wear plaid and hiking boots it's all good!

Anonymous said...

I still like to sit around a campfire and drink beer a la my sorority house boating days.
Brad totally wants us to do a trail running race with you and Mark some day. He maintains that we could camp. I maintain that Aunt Heidi doesn't camp. Now I have written confirmation!