Spring Break is at present officially on the very tippy-top of my list of Things I Hate.  I know, “hate” is a strong word, but when you’re as stressed/excited/running full steam/exhausted as I have been of late, “hate” doesn’t feel nearly strong *enough.*  I’m not entirely certain just when  I became an old fuddy duddy…don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a good Ruckus now and then (or, more often than now and then), but being SO weary AND having to wake up in 4 hours to go to work the next day combined with Spring Break Ruckus taking place right outside our bedroom window has promptly turned me into one of those cane-shaking, “DURNED KIDS, GIT OFFA MA LAWN!” individuals.  At least right now.

Last night, I had my nose in a book until nearly 11:00 before I felt capable of pursuing sleep.  It’s been like that for a while – SO keyed up that calming down enough to slumber feels unreachable some nights.  Nevertheless, by around that time I was ready to hand down the literature and turn off the light.  Which I did.   15 minutes later, as my mind was drifting into dreamland at last, we hear:

SQUEAL!  WOOOOHOOO!  GIGGLE GIGGLE WOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

We tried to ignore it, we really did.  However, after about 10 minutes of this and it showing no sign of magically disappearing, I stumbled out of bed and peered grumpily out the window.  7 floors down, the park next door (which our window faces) revealed 4 or 5 tipsy college student types playing Glowy Frisby and having quite the time.  They were having fun, no doubt, but really?  If it was disturbing us from 7 floors away, I can only imagine what the households that sit right up against the park were enduring. I do know that our neighbor one floor down was disturbed too, because I saw her stumble out to her balcony in her jammies to stand there and glare at them.  We were definitely not alone.

By 11:30, we called the cops.  We had to, they would have been out there for hours otherwise, given their energy.  And then, of course, we HAD to hold a vigil and watch.  Patrol car rolled up 10 minutes later, told them to hit the road, and off they went, shoulders drooping with un-fun defeat.

Hallelujah.

I once again unwound enough to sleep, and did so by 1:00 a.m.?  I think?  Or so?

All of this on the tail of our upstairs neighbors throwing their Spring Break kickoff party last week on their balcony…again, right outside our window.  I’ve had enough, I tell you!

Granted, I don’t need to be told twice that Spring Breaks are happening all over the place right now, and that we are moving to one of the prime SB spots in the country.  Seriously.  But, that’s alright.  I know how to avoid it there when I want to sleep.  Otherwise, I’ll be ready for a few drinks, myself, by then.

All of this being said, I’m reallllly logy today.   And that is my brief essay on Why I Hate Spring Break.

Featured Image: Photograph by J himself.  This is me, in 2009, finally in New Orleans for our Honeymoon trip after being delayed by snow at the Denver airport and then, as a result, being further delayed in Houston.  Finally at our destination, we had a beverage and went completely Splat at Pat O’s, per tradition, and my expression in this image fairly well sums up how I feel today…although sadly, I am lacking a Mint Julep.