Meeting Jacques

You know, sometimes there are those times that you are saying or doing something, and you don't realize how great of a story it will be until after. I would like to share with you the day I met Jacques. His name is not actually Jacques, but for this case he is. For those who do not know, Jacques is one of the most ridiculous, awesome people I have met. The man is a beast of a man, Puerto Rican, and Jewish. He's a DJ, served in the military, and is as fast to laugh as he is to school you in the ways of the world.

When I first met Jacques, I was in the process of transition. I had just started my PhD, had moved to a new state, and didn't know anybody. So, what do you do when you don't know people? Turn to G-d. Not really. Well...maybe...pending one your personal beliefs. In my case, I turned to the campus Hillel. I figured I might now know anyone, but you can never go wrong with Jews. We have food, we have wine, and we have community.

With that said, the Hillel did not have wine, which is bullshit. The campus is a dry fucking campus, unless you have a football game. Then you can bring an entire liquor store with you and take shots with campus security. Why? Because schools like to fake being alcohol free, while still making stupid money off the drunk ass football fans. Keep in mind, I went to Colorado State University (CSU) for my undergraduate. CSU was a dry campus, but they had a bar in the Student Center. Did it make sense? No. Did it have to? No. Did it directly contribute to my inability to focus in physics? Maybe. All I know is that I rarely gave a presentation with a "normal" BAC. Imagine my surprise when I find out that this new school is not only "dry", but they don't even have a bar?! C'mon, son!!

But I digress. I was at this Hillel dinner, lamenting over sobriety, and suddenly I find myself talking to Jacques. Jacques starts talking about his time as a DJ, and then he's talking about the Army, and then he starts talking about getting blown up. And that's how he ended up going back for his graduate degree. Now take a moment to let that sink in. The man got blown up. He even shows me the dash cam of his humvee getting launched three feet in the air.

I'm talking to the guy, and we start discussing which is worse: me getting stabbed, or him getting blown up. If I didn't share already, I got stabbed. To summarize a long story, there was an asshole who stabbed me. Back to this story. Jacques is talking to me about how getting stabbed is so much worse, because it is such a personal attack. i am arguing that being blown up is worse because, well, you got blown up. I mean shit. That's hardcore.

I suddenly look at the other people at the table, and they are staring at us like we are nuts. I ask one poor lad who had it worse, and he just stared at me with eyes wide. Come to find out that they were a freshmen out of high school, and this was their first time away from home. Evidently they did not know what type of dinner they were going to.

By the end of the night, Jacques and I are great friends. He goes to hang out with other people, and I go to a nearby Brewery to get that wine I was expecting. And by wine, I mean beer. On a side note, the brewery had a Blonde Ale and a White Mule Ale. I would always mix the two and call it a Tijuana Side Show. If you don't get it, Google stories about Tijuana, donkeys, and sideshows. Go on, I'll wait....

There it is!!

Moral of the story: Jacques is awesome and has his own blog at: Jacques's Blog . Oh, and if you ever get the chance, go to a brewery and order a Tijuana Sideshow. Just make sure you are not in Tijuana.