Is it my back, my hips, or from my belly button down that hurts?

So, it turns out that I'm getting older......

Chicago, Illinois; "the windy city." This is such a fantastic city. I happen to be in one of my favorite vacation spots because one of my favorite fraternity brothers is getting married in a few weeks and it's his last "hooray" before that long ride off into the sunset. The bachelor party. A time honored tradition and an experience that fraternity men take very seriously.

I have to say that the best man has put together quite a weekend. We're golfing at a little course on Lake Michigan this morning and then we're off to a VIP patio party as we watch the Chicago White Sox host the Texas Rangers and then it's a change of clothes into a collared shirt, washing off the long days activities, and applying cologne and, in my case, lots of deodorant, for some night clubs and evening cocktails. Then tomorrow, it's up bright and early to get home for Mother's Day festivities with my special ladies.

My fraternity brother, this weekend's bachelor, has a great apartment in downtown Chicago and the early morning golfers stayed at his home last night. It has been great. The nighttime drive to the big city, followed by some chips and pizza and John Madden football until the wee hours of the morning.

So I'm laying on an air mattress on a hard wood floor in this great downtown Chicago apartment as I was unpleasantly greeted by pain, the morning sun over Lake Michigan, and this horrible, horrible realization: "I'm getting too old for this!" I'm laying here with my back and hips in knots and I couldn't believe I was trying to think of where to find a soft piece of ground to lie and stretch before we hit the links this morning! Ashby doesn't need to stretch! Not to mention the discomfort is only being exacerbated by the one beer and three hours of sleep. Now don't get me wrong. My friend is a wonderful host and he has a great home with an absolutely incredible view of the water, but sadly...... "I'm getting too old for this."

So, as the I can see the morning sun glissen off the lake as I'm taking in the 3 part harmony of gentlemen slumber, I can't help but think about how this sunrise seems to make a new chapter in my life. With the discomfort of older age, followed by it's realization, came competing thoughts of:

"I wonder if they've got some eggs...... we need to be up and moving by 7 am tomorrow morning.... How am I going to do that with 15 other guys in two apartments...... How am I going to get my hips to move for golf...... I'm hungry, I wonder what I can make for breakfast..... Should I be cooking in somebody else's kitchen without permission? That seems rude..... I wonder where's the nearest Starbuck's...... Where are we going take "my Queen" for Mother's Day dinner? ..... I need to get a card and wrap her present.... I wonder what she's doing right now.... I need food to take my morning medicine; what can I eat???? I'm going to need food this evening to take my medicine; what should I do???? How am I going to pull this off with 15 other guys in an apartment???? I'm not getting drunk today! I'm not getting drunk today! I'm not getting drunk today! Even if I came back early to sleep, there are going to be early drunkerds that are going to be filing in as the night rolls on and it's going to be a re-telling of the night's events that I experienced and I'm just going to be a mess tomorrow..... AHHHHHH!!!!"

So, this calming sensation came over me as I pulled my laptop out of my messenger bag, found the nearest unsecured wi-fi networks (thank you "WillisTRondos crib" and your free internet), logged onto Hiltonhonors.com and found the nearest hotel to this location so that I can collect points.

"Wow, the Drake Hotel, I didn't know that was a Hilton hotel. How swanky! 129? Dollars? Not bad! Badass! I should get the breakfast buffet for $7.50. That's a good price and you know it's going to be an awesome breakfast. If I'm in by midnight, I can get up at 6:30. Get a good breakfast to make up for less sleep than I'd like and a busy yesterday, not to mention today, and then roll back over to the apartment by 8 to pick up the no doubt hungover or possibly still drunk "Dial" and "the Switzer King" (obviously not their real names or even nicknames) and be back home by noon because we gain an hour."

A frequent fly er number and a few clicks later, and hurricane of swirling thoughts and concerns rolled away and I re-gained control of my environment.

I really don't like the idea of getting older to the point of needing these extra considerations in my life; not necessarily the Drake Hotel, but legitimate meals and a decent night's sleep in order to function. Those things just didn't use to be so important. I could get by for days on $3.45 General Tso's chicken, Taco Bell, and two and a half hours sleep on a couple love seat cushions on a cold concrete floor, but those days are clearly over. I should also mention that as frustrated as I might be by these extra "guys weekend requirements," I'm more relieved that I've got a life that's actually worth the extra effort.

So, I'm going to try to work out another half hour of semi-fulfilling sleep before a very long day, but this wouldn't be my writing if I didn't quote somebody smarter or more articulate than me.....

"Oh, I'm much too young to feel this damn old......"

Here's to new beginnings!